I'm a day late.
sorry guys.
Also, this is going to be pretty short so again, I apologize. I was fortunate enough to contract some sort of stomach bug. Yeah me!! And I still don't feel well but I wanted to get this post out there so you all can celebrate my ...
0 pounds lost this week.
I was trying to make it dramatic. Did it work?
I'm totally cool with maintaining because I don't feel good.
Weekly Round Up of Information:
1. I ate 243 points. You'd think I would have eaten less because of not feeling well. I think when I was able to eat I ate calorie dense food.
2. I earned 2 AP points. Yes, I did start working out. I was so proud of myself and I was very excited to tell you guys. I got sick though. So I did not make my goal for the week. However, I am providing a moment of inspiration for all of us.
"Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat." ~F. Scott Fitzgerald
Ergo, I will try again this week for I have not yet failed.
Hazzah!
3. What did I eat? Well, I had fast food for the first time since 2012. I had some french fries from Carl's Jr (that's the same as Hardee's for you guys on the east coast). Maybe that's why I got sick. I'm kidding. I had them last Saturday night. They were ok. Other than that, I ate the normal mish mosh food of the whole variety. It was ok. I'm only saying the food was ok because I have been permanently nauseous since Sunday night.
4. Water. I drank it when I could and I will aim to drink more this week.
Hopefully this week will be much more productive. I am still having a weird time with food. Every time I eat it's a crap shoot if I get super sick or not. Hopefully it was some weird bug and it has passed or will pass soon.
Have a great week everyone!
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Friday, February 15, 2013
Workout Challenge: Slim in 6
Now that I know nothing serious is going on my with neck, I've no excuses left to not start working out.
The last time I worked out, I had either just finished up p90x, was training for a road race, or was getting in decent workouts at least 5 days a week.
And it has been MONTHS since I have done anything more than a leisurely walk.
There is no way I'm going to jump head first into p90x or Insanity or even running.
I'd burn out, injure myself and just stop. There is no doubt in my mind. Plus, as you can probably tell, I've fighting this tooth and nail so I'm going to ease myself into it.
So I was looking at all my workout options and I remembered I have Slim in 6. I bought it awhile ago and have used it before. It's nothing overly difficult. In fact, I think it's the perfect way for me to get back into the swing of things. I really am a little scared of hurting myself. I feel like that's all that happened to me last year. 2012 was just a year riddled with aches and pains.
Also, it has a toning aspect to it and I need to start somewhere. I'll be honest, I could definitely use a little toning. Especially in my thigh region. I've alway been a runner so my legs were something that I really felt good about. But something amazing happens when you stop running. Your legs lose that awesome toned look.
Weird, I know ;)
Anyway, it's a 6 week program. Just 3 DVDs. I can totally do this.
Today will be Day 1.
6 weeks from today will be March 29th.
I'll even take my measurements tonight to see what kind of progress I make and update those weekly/biweekly with my weigh-ins.
I know it seems as if I'm dragging my feet because I don't WANT to workout. That's not true actually. I LOVE working out. I WANT to start working out again. It's just that when you stop it's hard to start again.
So feel free to join me. Lets make today Day #1. Just focus on getting it done today. That's all. Just today.
We'll deal with tomorrow later.
The last time I worked out, I had either just finished up p90x, was training for a road race, or was getting in decent workouts at least 5 days a week.
And it has been MONTHS since I have done anything more than a leisurely walk.
There is no way I'm going to jump head first into p90x or Insanity or even running.
I'd burn out, injure myself and just stop. There is no doubt in my mind. Plus, as you can probably tell, I've fighting this tooth and nail so I'm going to ease myself into it.
So I was looking at all my workout options and I remembered I have Slim in 6. I bought it awhile ago and have used it before. It's nothing overly difficult. In fact, I think it's the perfect way for me to get back into the swing of things. I really am a little scared of hurting myself. I feel like that's all that happened to me last year. 2012 was just a year riddled with aches and pains.
Also, it has a toning aspect to it and I need to start somewhere. I'll be honest, I could definitely use a little toning. Especially in my thigh region. I've alway been a runner so my legs were something that I really felt good about. But something amazing happens when you stop running. Your legs lose that awesome toned look.
Weird, I know ;)
Anyway, it's a 6 week program. Just 3 DVDs. I can totally do this.
Today will be Day 1.
6 weeks from today will be March 29th.
I'll even take my measurements tonight to see what kind of progress I make and update those weekly/biweekly with my weigh-ins.
I know it seems as if I'm dragging my feet because I don't WANT to workout. That's not true actually. I LOVE working out. I WANT to start working out again. It's just that when you stop it's hard to start again.
So feel free to join me. Lets make today Day #1. Just focus on getting it done today. That's all. Just today.
We'll deal with tomorrow later.
Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 22
Another Friday, another weigh-in.
This week went by in the flash of an eye. And for whatever reason, I can't recall what I did this week in terms of eating and staying on track. I, of course, have my points tracker to look at the food I've eaten but I can't actually remember most of the food I ate.
The reason I'm bringing this up is because I woke up very nervous about my weigh-in. I felt like I had done something "wrong". I can't remember doing anything wrong. My points tracker doesn't show I did anything wrong. The only thing I can actually think of is that I ate less food this week than any other. Again, I've been so busy, especially at work, that a couple of times this week I didn't eat lunch. But it wasn't THAT much less.
It was a weird feeling. Like I had cheated on myself in my sleep or something.
I got on the scale with my nervousness and I saw the number staring back at me.
And I blanked.
For the life of me I could not remember if this was a loss or not. I could NOT remember what my weigh-in last Friday was.
I got ready, left for work, went to my desk, and opened up my weight tracker.
Yeah, it was a loss. I posted: -0.4 lbs
I wish my scale posted in 0.1 increments. Every tenth counts!!
I'm quite happy with my 0.4 pound loss as I was feeling leery of my efforts this week. VICTORY FOR ME!! It's so easy to feel .... less than appreciative of the little losses. It makes no sense but everyone does it.
"Oh man, I only lost 0.4 pounds this week, I'm so disappointed".
You have to "reframe" that. Do you know how easy it is to GAIN 0.4 pounds? Crazy easy. In theory, gaining 0.4 pounds is only an excess 1400 calories.
Let's see, how many ways can we eat overeat 1400 calories.
We could go to McDonald's after a night out with the girls and eat:
Big Mac (540)
French Fries (regular size) (570)
Diet Coke (0)
and then a couple days later eat an extra ounce of almonds (160) at snack time and then forget to measure out your ranch dressing for your big veggie salad and go over by 2 TBS (~130)
Ta-da! 1400 calories
OR
It's the same as eating an extra 200 calories per day.
200 calories is also NOT a lot.
For 200 calories you can have ONE of the following:
4 tootsie pops
2 oz of dry pasta (traditional serving size)
2 ounces of cheddar
1 1/2 servings of Doritos (it's only like 13 chips or something)
6 peanut butter crackers
2 T peanut butter
3 eggs
10 T of ketchup
8 Hershey's kisses
Package of Reese Cups
Oh, you get the picture.
So, congratulations to anyone who has lost ANYTHING.
Now for what I did this past week:
1. Again, I had 0 AP points. My next post will be about my exercise goals and what I hope to accomplish.
2. I ate 197 points for the week. I didn't realize how many points I DIDN'T use til just now. I had 34 points left for the week. That's a lot. Like I said, I skipped lunch at work on more than one day. I also was dealing with that LONG doctor's visit. I visited that holistic healers after work AND I was on some medication that KNOCKED ME OUT. My doc gave me muscle relaxers which I used the first half of the week. They had me conked out by 8pm every time I took them so maybe that's also why I can't really remember the week. They make me so loopy. It stays in my system for at LEAST 15 hours. My coworkers, however, love it. They think it's a hoot to see me wonky. Also my points were lower this week than last week. Meaning, my daily target dropped from 27 to 26 so I was starting out with 7 less points anyway.
3. I did NOT drink enough water. Those muscle relaxers are crazy dehydrating. Now that I think about it, I was crazy thirsty all week.
4. What did I eat? Well, this part I'm certain about. I ate what I cooked. I just didn't eat that much of it. Oh, I did order out yesterday for my valentine's lunch with my coworker. She and I have been working together for 10 years. So we decided that our company should buy us lunch ;) I ate grilled salmon with a mango avocado salsa on the side, steamed vegetables and grilled asparagus (no butter or oil for either). It was quite delicious and filling. I thought that I might perhaps be disappointed in my choice but I was not. Not even for a second. Also, I'm fortunate to live in a place that has a plethora of awesome, healthy restaurants surrounding me. Los Angeles is really great about that. In fact, the name of the restaurant was Healthyca. I mean, come on, it has healthy in the name so you know it's the real deal :)
Today's Menu:
B: Mocha Frappe (coconut milk + pea rice protein + coffee)
L: orange ginger chicken salad + soup au pistou
D: maybe a twice baked potato with roasted vegetables and a mushroom sauce
This week went by in the flash of an eye. And for whatever reason, I can't recall what I did this week in terms of eating and staying on track. I, of course, have my points tracker to look at the food I've eaten but I can't actually remember most of the food I ate.
The reason I'm bringing this up is because I woke up very nervous about my weigh-in. I felt like I had done something "wrong". I can't remember doing anything wrong. My points tracker doesn't show I did anything wrong. The only thing I can actually think of is that I ate less food this week than any other. Again, I've been so busy, especially at work, that a couple of times this week I didn't eat lunch. But it wasn't THAT much less.
It was a weird feeling. Like I had cheated on myself in my sleep or something.
I got on the scale with my nervousness and I saw the number staring back at me.
And I blanked.
For the life of me I could not remember if this was a loss or not. I could NOT remember what my weigh-in last Friday was.
I got ready, left for work, went to my desk, and opened up my weight tracker.
Yeah, it was a loss. I posted: -0.4 lbs
I wish my scale posted in 0.1 increments. Every tenth counts!!
I'm quite happy with my 0.4 pound loss as I was feeling leery of my efforts this week. VICTORY FOR ME!! It's so easy to feel .... less than appreciative of the little losses. It makes no sense but everyone does it.
"Oh man, I only lost 0.4 pounds this week, I'm so disappointed".
You have to "reframe" that. Do you know how easy it is to GAIN 0.4 pounds? Crazy easy. In theory, gaining 0.4 pounds is only an excess 1400 calories.
Let's see, how many ways can we eat overeat 1400 calories.
We could go to McDonald's after a night out with the girls and eat:
Big Mac (540)
French Fries (regular size) (570)
Diet Coke (0)
and then a couple days later eat an extra ounce of almonds (160) at snack time and then forget to measure out your ranch dressing for your big veggie salad and go over by 2 TBS (~130)
Ta-da! 1400 calories
OR
It's the same as eating an extra 200 calories per day.
200 calories is also NOT a lot.
For 200 calories you can have ONE of the following:
4 tootsie pops
2 oz of dry pasta (traditional serving size)
2 ounces of cheddar
1 1/2 servings of Doritos (it's only like 13 chips or something)
6 peanut butter crackers
2 T peanut butter
3 eggs
10 T of ketchup
8 Hershey's kisses
Package of Reese Cups
Oh, you get the picture.
So, congratulations to anyone who has lost ANYTHING.
Now for what I did this past week:
1. Again, I had 0 AP points. My next post will be about my exercise goals and what I hope to accomplish.
2. I ate 197 points for the week. I didn't realize how many points I DIDN'T use til just now. I had 34 points left for the week. That's a lot. Like I said, I skipped lunch at work on more than one day. I also was dealing with that LONG doctor's visit. I visited that holistic healers after work AND I was on some medication that KNOCKED ME OUT. My doc gave me muscle relaxers which I used the first half of the week. They had me conked out by 8pm every time I took them so maybe that's also why I can't really remember the week. They make me so loopy. It stays in my system for at LEAST 15 hours. My coworkers, however, love it. They think it's a hoot to see me wonky. Also my points were lower this week than last week. Meaning, my daily target dropped from 27 to 26 so I was starting out with 7 less points anyway.
3. I did NOT drink enough water. Those muscle relaxers are crazy dehydrating. Now that I think about it, I was crazy thirsty all week.
4. What did I eat? Well, this part I'm certain about. I ate what I cooked. I just didn't eat that much of it. Oh, I did order out yesterday for my valentine's lunch with my coworker. She and I have been working together for 10 years. So we decided that our company should buy us lunch ;) I ate grilled salmon with a mango avocado salsa on the side, steamed vegetables and grilled asparagus (no butter or oil for either). It was quite delicious and filling. I thought that I might perhaps be disappointed in my choice but I was not. Not even for a second. Also, I'm fortunate to live in a place that has a plethora of awesome, healthy restaurants surrounding me. Los Angeles is really great about that. In fact, the name of the restaurant was Healthyca. I mean, come on, it has healthy in the name so you know it's the real deal :)
Today's Menu:
B: Mocha Frappe (coconut milk + pea rice protein + coffee)
L: orange ginger chicken salad + soup au pistou
D: maybe a twice baked potato with roasted vegetables and a mushroom sauce
Thursday, February 14, 2013
2013 Weight Update
It's Valentine's Day. I actually kind of forgot until I was driving to work and saw a delivery man carrying dozens of roses to someone's front door.
I have NEVER been a fan of Valentine's Day. Probably the only girl in the world to not care about this holiday. It's not that I don't take today to tell the bf how much I appreciate him, it's just that I'm lucky enough to not need one special day out of the year for this to happen. We're both really good at telling the other all the time all that stuff. I don't know why, but this holiday is just not my thing. I'll leave it at that.
It wasn't Valentine's Day that prompted me to write an update today but rather the fact that it's the 14th of February - the halfway mark of the month. Also, it's been 6 weeks since I made all of these dietary changes and I want to give a recap of all that's happened.
The following will be, in no particular order, everything I've experienced over the past 6 weeks.
I found out I couldn't eat gluten. In fact, it made me horribly sick. In all honesty, both my boyfriend and I had an inkling this would happen before we ever "tested" it. I usually get some weird reactions when I eat bread or wheat items so I wasn't shocked. I was, however, shocked at how horrendous it made me feel.
I'm walking a fine line with dairy. It didn't hit me as fast as the gluten but it still was a little rough. This also did not shock me because most of the women in my family have a hard time digesting dairy and it usually hits them in the latter half of their life. I do have hope for dairy in the future.
I can eat eggs! I'm really happy about that because they're nice little protein packed balls of goodness that are really versatile. Plus they taste good.
My skin still looks great. In fact, a co-worker told me a few weeks ago I was "glowing". He is fully aware of my diet change and he told me that not only was I glowing but I seemed happier. He said my demeanor had changed and he feels certain it's my diet. I agree.
My digestion is probably normal for the first time in years. I usually get crazy heartburn and I bloat and all of those other unpleasant things. It really has cut down considerably.
I have lost 10 pounds since January 2nd. Yeah, that's the most I've ever lost in 6 weeks. EVER. Also, I have had a loss 5 out of the 6 weeks. Not bad at all. In fact, my initial 6 weeks of Weight Watchers (I started back in September) I lost 5.2 pounds the first 6 weeks (I had a loss 4 out of 6 weeks). That involved me eating what I would consider a very normal diet. Lots of low calorie items. Plenty of fruits and vegetables and other good items. Having a lean cuisine here and there. You know using my points as best as possible. And of course, having a splurge on the weekends, and exercising 5-6 days a week. This time, I have not exercised a single day. I'm not bragging nor am I saying one does not need to workout. I emphatically believe in the goodness of working out. I'm just pointing out a fact. Due to my arm and back pain I did not do much. But I plan to start. Ugh. Friday. For real this time.
And I think the biggest change that has occurred in me is that when I started Weight Watchers back in September, I followed the program, I had some success but I never felt like I was in control. THAT is the main difference. For the past 6 weeks, I have felt in CONTROL. Food doesn't "yell" at me anymore. There are days where I'll think "wow, that WOULD taste good" but it's different. I can think it without some driving desire that makes me think I HAVE to have that food at that moment. I used to come home from work and tell my boyfriend "we're getting this or that and we're getting it now. I don't care if I don't have the points". That's a little embarrassing to admit but it's true.
And finally, I've come to a place where it just feels like it's normal. This is how I eat. I do wonder if one day I'll just throw my hands up in the air and go back to a "normal" diet. Or what will happen if I eat fast food. I wonder if I'll immediately go bonkers and binge on everything in site despite the chance I'll get ill. Will I gain weight overnight and never be able to get it off again. You know, I think about all these things.
The only answer I can come up with is that it's the quality of food that makes a difference. Taking out processed foods and eating everything in whole form is probably what your body wants. If you think about it, it makes sense.
So that's my update thus far. I have another weigh-in tomorrow and I'm going to start working out. Hopefully my body will cooperate and it'll be painless. I'm actually curious to see what happens with my weight loss once I start working out again. I'll be honest, I have this fear that it will stop. Or worse, that I'll gain. But I know it needs to be done. So tomorrow is the day.
Wish me luck.
Today's Menu:
B: coconut milk + pea rice protein (chocolate) + coffee
L: salmon + steamed veggies + quinoa tabouli
D: orange ginger chicken salad + soup au pistou
I have NEVER been a fan of Valentine's Day. Probably the only girl in the world to not care about this holiday. It's not that I don't take today to tell the bf how much I appreciate him, it's just that I'm lucky enough to not need one special day out of the year for this to happen. We're both really good at telling the other all the time all that stuff. I don't know why, but this holiday is just not my thing. I'll leave it at that.
It wasn't Valentine's Day that prompted me to write an update today but rather the fact that it's the 14th of February - the halfway mark of the month. Also, it's been 6 weeks since I made all of these dietary changes and I want to give a recap of all that's happened.
The following will be, in no particular order, everything I've experienced over the past 6 weeks.
I found out I couldn't eat gluten. In fact, it made me horribly sick. In all honesty, both my boyfriend and I had an inkling this would happen before we ever "tested" it. I usually get some weird reactions when I eat bread or wheat items so I wasn't shocked. I was, however, shocked at how horrendous it made me feel.
I'm walking a fine line with dairy. It didn't hit me as fast as the gluten but it still was a little rough. This also did not shock me because most of the women in my family have a hard time digesting dairy and it usually hits them in the latter half of their life. I do have hope for dairy in the future.
I can eat eggs! I'm really happy about that because they're nice little protein packed balls of goodness that are really versatile. Plus they taste good.
My skin still looks great. In fact, a co-worker told me a few weeks ago I was "glowing". He is fully aware of my diet change and he told me that not only was I glowing but I seemed happier. He said my demeanor had changed and he feels certain it's my diet. I agree.
My digestion is probably normal for the first time in years. I usually get crazy heartburn and I bloat and all of those other unpleasant things. It really has cut down considerably.
I have lost 10 pounds since January 2nd. Yeah, that's the most I've ever lost in 6 weeks. EVER. Also, I have had a loss 5 out of the 6 weeks. Not bad at all. In fact, my initial 6 weeks of Weight Watchers (I started back in September) I lost 5.2 pounds the first 6 weeks (I had a loss 4 out of 6 weeks). That involved me eating what I would consider a very normal diet. Lots of low calorie items. Plenty of fruits and vegetables and other good items. Having a lean cuisine here and there. You know using my points as best as possible. And of course, having a splurge on the weekends, and exercising 5-6 days a week. This time, I have not exercised a single day. I'm not bragging nor am I saying one does not need to workout. I emphatically believe in the goodness of working out. I'm just pointing out a fact. Due to my arm and back pain I did not do much. But I plan to start. Ugh. Friday. For real this time.
And I think the biggest change that has occurred in me is that when I started Weight Watchers back in September, I followed the program, I had some success but I never felt like I was in control. THAT is the main difference. For the past 6 weeks, I have felt in CONTROL. Food doesn't "yell" at me anymore. There are days where I'll think "wow, that WOULD taste good" but it's different. I can think it without some driving desire that makes me think I HAVE to have that food at that moment. I used to come home from work and tell my boyfriend "we're getting this or that and we're getting it now. I don't care if I don't have the points". That's a little embarrassing to admit but it's true.
And finally, I've come to a place where it just feels like it's normal. This is how I eat. I do wonder if one day I'll just throw my hands up in the air and go back to a "normal" diet. Or what will happen if I eat fast food. I wonder if I'll immediately go bonkers and binge on everything in site despite the chance I'll get ill. Will I gain weight overnight and never be able to get it off again. You know, I think about all these things.
The only answer I can come up with is that it's the quality of food that makes a difference. Taking out processed foods and eating everything in whole form is probably what your body wants. If you think about it, it makes sense.
So that's my update thus far. I have another weigh-in tomorrow and I'm going to start working out. Hopefully my body will cooperate and it'll be painless. I'm actually curious to see what happens with my weight loss once I start working out again. I'll be honest, I have this fear that it will stop. Or worse, that I'll gain. But I know it needs to be done. So tomorrow is the day.
Wish me luck.
Today's Menu:
B: coconut milk + pea rice protein (chocolate) + coffee
L: salmon + steamed veggies + quinoa tabouli
D: orange ginger chicken salad + soup au pistou
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Results!
I went to the orthopedist on Monday to get the results of my MRI and the doctor's final diagnosis.
I waited for 2 1/2 hours to even get in the office. TWO and 1/2 HOURS. When I first walked into the waiting room, I was one of maybe 20 people in there. One and a half hours later, it was just me so I politely asked how much longer - she told me 10 minutes. THIRTY minutes after that, the front desk lady called to me and asked me if I was just sitting there waiting for someone to come out.
I sat there shocked. And honestly, it's beyond me how kindly I responded that no, I was still waiting for my 3:00pm appointment since it was now 5:00pm.
I was taken back after another 10 minutes and then waited in the examining room. By this time, all my questions were out the window. I was so aggravated I just wanted him to look at my MRI and tell me what he thought.
Finally he came in. Long story short at this point - the MRI didn't reveal any real damage. I guess that's good. He didn't see anything severe enough to be causing all the chaos in my body so we agreed on physical therapy, muscle relaxers and a follow-up in 6 weeks.
I was happy that he didn't find anything severe but was unnerved I didn't get an exact answer.
The next day at work, a co-worker suggested going to this holistic massage therapist he had seen. I was in so much discomfort I said yes.
Besides, my insurance won't cover physical therapy until I fully reach my deductible which I'm not anywhere close to doing.
I went to see this guy last night and it was pretty amazing. I told him what the doctor had told me and he seemed to know what was going on. It was more like physical therapy than a massage. He poked and prodded and stretched out my muscles and asked me lots of questions. The next thing I know, he's asking these weird questions like "did you have a cough in the fall?".
I had. I had had this really bad cough from September til early November. And then he asked "did your back and neck pain really start after that cough?".
I thought about it and realized that it had.
He told me I had a rib out of place. He put it back and then I immediately felt the right side of my body give way. He said it's very common with coughs and sneezing and he said he felt like that was part of my problem.
He said body pain is like a ball of string. If you can find the end of the string, you can unravel it. He said my rib was the end of my string. So from there, he found a couple of other places that needed crazy work.
I walked out of there like a new woman. Was I completely healed? No. But I felt better than I had in months. He told me we'd have to wait and see about my elbow pain. Since it comes and goes I have to wait to see if it comes back.
I went to bed last night pain free and crazy relaxed. Today, I feel a little sore from all the work and I can tell there is still a little bit of stuff that needs to be worked out in my upper back, but I definitely feel better.
Even though it was a pain in the butt, I'm glad I did the MRI and found out that nothing major was going on structurally in my spine. I know now, that I CAN workout. I also know that I can go back to this guy and have him help me some more.
So I guess this means that I should start working out.
Today's Menu:
B: coffee
L: orange ginger chicken salad + soup au pistou
D: baked ziti
I waited for 2 1/2 hours to even get in the office. TWO and 1/2 HOURS. When I first walked into the waiting room, I was one of maybe 20 people in there. One and a half hours later, it was just me so I politely asked how much longer - she told me 10 minutes. THIRTY minutes after that, the front desk lady called to me and asked me if I was just sitting there waiting for someone to come out.
I sat there shocked. And honestly, it's beyond me how kindly I responded that no, I was still waiting for my 3:00pm appointment since it was now 5:00pm.
I was taken back after another 10 minutes and then waited in the examining room. By this time, all my questions were out the window. I was so aggravated I just wanted him to look at my MRI and tell me what he thought.
Finally he came in. Long story short at this point - the MRI didn't reveal any real damage. I guess that's good. He didn't see anything severe enough to be causing all the chaos in my body so we agreed on physical therapy, muscle relaxers and a follow-up in 6 weeks.
I was happy that he didn't find anything severe but was unnerved I didn't get an exact answer.
The next day at work, a co-worker suggested going to this holistic massage therapist he had seen. I was in so much discomfort I said yes.
Besides, my insurance won't cover physical therapy until I fully reach my deductible which I'm not anywhere close to doing.
I went to see this guy last night and it was pretty amazing. I told him what the doctor had told me and he seemed to know what was going on. It was more like physical therapy than a massage. He poked and prodded and stretched out my muscles and asked me lots of questions. The next thing I know, he's asking these weird questions like "did you have a cough in the fall?".
I had. I had had this really bad cough from September til early November. And then he asked "did your back and neck pain really start after that cough?".
I thought about it and realized that it had.
He told me I had a rib out of place. He put it back and then I immediately felt the right side of my body give way. He said it's very common with coughs and sneezing and he said he felt like that was part of my problem.
He said body pain is like a ball of string. If you can find the end of the string, you can unravel it. He said my rib was the end of my string. So from there, he found a couple of other places that needed crazy work.
I walked out of there like a new woman. Was I completely healed? No. But I felt better than I had in months. He told me we'd have to wait and see about my elbow pain. Since it comes and goes I have to wait to see if it comes back.
I went to bed last night pain free and crazy relaxed. Today, I feel a little sore from all the work and I can tell there is still a little bit of stuff that needs to be worked out in my upper back, but I definitely feel better.
Even though it was a pain in the butt, I'm glad I did the MRI and found out that nothing major was going on structurally in my spine. I know now, that I CAN workout. I also know that I can go back to this guy and have him help me some more.
So I guess this means that I should start working out.
Today's Menu:
B: coffee
L: orange ginger chicken salad + soup au pistou
D: baked ziti
Friday, February 8, 2013
Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 21
All is right with the world again.
Weigh In: -1.8 lbs
Yes, I'm very excited about it.
I had a better week food wise. I found one new dish that I'm definitely going to be keeping in the rotation.
Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff.
Kudos to the lady who made this recipe cause I'm lovin' it.
The only change I made was swapping out the 2 portabello mushroom caps for some beef and instead of almond milk I used coconut milk. The beef made mine not so vegan but I followed everything else to a "T". You know, give or take a few teaspoons here and there because sometimes I don't measure stuff exactly. Unless I'm baking. Because you have to.
Anyway, it's creamy, tasty, and very comforting. I served mine over brown rice spiral pasta and it was fantastic.
I'm waiting for the BF to try it. I secretly hope he doesn't like it so I can eat his portion.
And in case you're wondering, that recipe made about 7 (ish - you could probably get 8) servings of the sauce and it came in at 5 points JUST FOR THE SAUCE. Add pasta points as you see fit. It's a little "pricey" for a meal as with 2 oz of dry pasta it's around 10 points but very, very filling. At least for me it was.
Weekly STATS:
1. ZERO AP points. I have my follow up with the orthopedist scheduled for Monday. I'm trying to remain calm and not think about it too much, but it's not working so far. In any case, I'm going to make him tell me exactly what I can and can't do as far as working out. Then whatever he tells me I CAN do, I'm going to try really hard to do that.
2. I ate 243 points for the week. Over by 5. Not bad.
3. Water. I didn't drink that much which is probably why I am dehydrated.
4. What did I eat? Kept to the whole foods and kept to my food rules. I ate dairy for the first time in several weeks but other than that, everything else was the same. This week I get eggs. I'm quite excited. I do love eggs.
Today's Menu:
B: Mocha Frappe: coconut milk + pea rice protein + coffee + ice
L: Sort of Vegan Beef Stroganoff + brown rice pasta
D: roasted pork + sauteed onion, garlic, zucchini + daiya cheddar + rice torilla = a pretty good quesadilla
Weigh In: -1.8 lbs
Yes, I'm very excited about it.
I had a better week food wise. I found one new dish that I'm definitely going to be keeping in the rotation.
Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff.
Kudos to the lady who made this recipe cause I'm lovin' it.
The only change I made was swapping out the 2 portabello mushroom caps for some beef and instead of almond milk I used coconut milk. The beef made mine not so vegan but I followed everything else to a "T". You know, give or take a few teaspoons here and there because sometimes I don't measure stuff exactly. Unless I'm baking. Because you have to.
Anyway, it's creamy, tasty, and very comforting. I served mine over brown rice spiral pasta and it was fantastic.
I'm waiting for the BF to try it. I secretly hope he doesn't like it so I can eat his portion.
And in case you're wondering, that recipe made about 7 (ish - you could probably get 8) servings of the sauce and it came in at 5 points JUST FOR THE SAUCE. Add pasta points as you see fit. It's a little "pricey" for a meal as with 2 oz of dry pasta it's around 10 points but very, very filling. At least for me it was.
Weekly STATS:
1. ZERO AP points. I have my follow up with the orthopedist scheduled for Monday. I'm trying to remain calm and not think about it too much, but it's not working so far. In any case, I'm going to make him tell me exactly what I can and can't do as far as working out. Then whatever he tells me I CAN do, I'm going to try really hard to do that.
2. I ate 243 points for the week. Over by 5. Not bad.
3. Water. I didn't drink that much which is probably why I am dehydrated.
4. What did I eat? Kept to the whole foods and kept to my food rules. I ate dairy for the first time in several weeks but other than that, everything else was the same. This week I get eggs. I'm quite excited. I do love eggs.
Today's Menu:
B: Mocha Frappe: coconut milk + pea rice protein + coffee + ice
L: Sort of Vegan Beef Stroganoff + brown rice pasta
D: roasted pork + sauteed onion, garlic, zucchini + daiya cheddar + rice torilla = a pretty good quesadilla
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
My MRI
I just wanted to let you all know that I had my MRI yesterday. I'm sure it will come as no surprise to any normal person that it was not horrifying in any way. In fact, once I was in the room it took about 20-25 minutes. It was a little uncomfortable only in that since they were looking at my neck, they didn't want me to swallow too much or breathe too deeply if I could help it, so naturally that is all I thought about.
But that was the worst of it and that's not bad at all.
I also got to go home and not return to work which is always a huge plus.
My orthopedist is supposed to get the report in 2 days or so and then I have to schedule a follow up to find out the results.
Such a process.
Hopefully by this time next week I'll either: A) Be all clear to workout and/or B) At least know what's going on so I can start to get better.
Today's Menu:
B: coffee + almond milk
L: i have no idea
D: mushroom stroganoff
I woke up with enough time to take the quickest shower on earth, throw on clothes, and run out the door.
I'm a mess today.
But that was the worst of it and that's not bad at all.
I also got to go home and not return to work which is always a huge plus.
My orthopedist is supposed to get the report in 2 days or so and then I have to schedule a follow up to find out the results.
Such a process.
Hopefully by this time next week I'll either: A) Be all clear to workout and/or B) At least know what's going on so I can start to get better.
Today's Menu:
B: coffee + almond milk
L: i have no idea
D: mushroom stroganoff
I woke up with enough time to take the quickest shower on earth, throw on clothes, and run out the door.
I'm a mess today.
Monday, February 4, 2013
My New Way of Eating
Part of my dietary changes in the new year had a purpose. I've been eating whole foods, yes, but I've also been doing an elimination diet. I figure if I'm going to share this whole journey with you I might as well talk about my dietary changes completely.
Even though I hate doing it.
Please know that I am in no way telling anybody else what they should eat, I'm just telling you what I'm doing and how it's working for me. I'm a firm believer in individual plans for individual people. I've tried lots of plans. I've failed at lots of plans. Plans that have worked for millions of people but not for me. Which is why I'm still here posting about trying to lose weight. I don't know for sure, but I'm starting to believe that I've maybe stumbled upon the plan that might work for me. And good lord I pray that I have, because it's about time.
Ok, and with that disclaimer out of the way ....
For the first 3 weeks I took out Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, and Soy. I mean, I took them out completely. Not a trace of any one of those. Was it hard? Honestly, no. It was just time consuming. Reading labels, learning to cook new things and such. But getting the creative juices flowing in the kitchen is what I'm good at, so I didn't mind at all. I can, however, see how it could be a hard time.
You really can't eat out because you have to be SURE you're not eating something you're not supposed to. Same goes for packaged foods. If I don't know what a word means then I'm not going to eat it. That's probably a good rule of thumb anyways.
After those initial 3 weeks, I am adding each one back. One at a time. Very slowly.
The 4th week (last weekend), I added gluten back. I was supposed to add it to one meal each day for 4 days in a row and then take it back out for the remaining 3 days of the week. The first day I ate it, about an hour later I was ill. And then it just got worse. Long story short, I was in horrible shape. My stomach, my digestive system, my entire body was in pain. I wanted to cry. I didn't make it 4 days. I stopped after 2, took it back out again and slowly but surely by the end of the week I felt "normal" again. So what now? I'm not eating it. The theory is that if you take it back out for another 12 weeks, perhaps your body can heal itself and you'll be able to handle it. Until then, you couldn't pay me to eat it. For the next 12 weeks I will diligently keep it out because I don't want to go through that again. I'll "retest" and then we'll go from there.
The 5th (this past weekend), I added dairy back. Again, I was supposed to add it to one meal each day for the first 4 days of the week and then take it back out for the remaining three days. However, this time, I was scared. I did NOT want to go through what I did with gluten. But that's the whole point of this thing. To find out if you have a problem. So I did it. It wasn't as horrible as gluten but it wasn't perfect. I ate some cheese with my dinner and then it wasn't until the next morning that I had problems. I did a second day to make sure and again the same thing happened. Had it with dinner and then by the next morning I got sick. So I stopped after 2 days. It wasn't nearly as bad as the gluten reaction. I didn't want to cry this time but it still wasn't perfect.
Which brings us to today. Last night was my second day eating dairy. It's now back out of my diet and this Friday will be my 6th week and I'm trying EGGS!
Again, I'm scared. Scared because I love eggs and so I hope I have no reaction. And scared that I will have a reaction. Nobody likes getting sick.
My 7th week will be soy and then from there, I'll take my info and run with it. I already know I'm not going to change much about what I'm eating. Maybe I'll make a few tweaks to the menu. For instance, have eggs for breakfast or something but I really won't do anything crazy. I don't really eat soy in any form. I don't even like soy sauce with my sushi. I do know that that stuff is in EVERYTHING. I'll continue to read labels and just keep it out anyways.
Anyway, that's what has been going on. Even though I've taken gluten out, I'm still eating plenty of food. I traded brown rice pasta for the regular stuff for when I need it. I learned how to make a gluten free pizza crust for weekend treats and can I just say that it took about 7 tries but I made something that rivals the real stuff. I'm not making my own bread or anything even though I know I could. Instead, I chose to replace meals where gluten would be present with just more vegetables. For example, I eat hamburgers with a lettuce wrap instead of a bun but I also make some crazy good oven roasted potato fries to go with it so I don't feel like I'm missing much. I use coconut milk instead of cow's milk and I found daiya cheese. I pretty much only use it when I make us a pizza. Honestly it's good. There's a lot of tricks you can use - I have found the vegan and paleo blogs to be the most helpful. They're very creative! Really, there's a substitute for almost everything.
I've also taken out sugar and sugar substitutes. This one is tricky. I have mixed feelings on it. I don't drink sodas or drink mixes anymore. Just water. I just put coconut or almond milk in my coffee and over time it's amazing, but that's all I need now. If I want to add sweetener, I do have some xylitol on hand but it doesn't really work for everything. There are some recipes that call for sugar and usually it's a teaspoon or such and I'll do that because it's not a sugar based recipe (like cake or cookies). Again, I have mixed feelings. Lets just say I don't go looking for sugar. I haven't had a real craving or anything for it in quite some time so it hasn't been hard. Occasionally I'll want something to drink other than water but that's it.
It's been almost 6 weeks and I've made lots of great food. I haven't repeated anything yet and I am constantly coming up with new ideas. It's funny. In the weeks before we started, I was nervous. All I could think was "what am I going to eat? There's nothing left!". Now that I'm doing it, I don't feel that way at all. Sometimes there are too many choices.
I feel really, really great. I'm losing some weight sure. That's always nice. But it's the other stuff that really makes this worth it. I sleep better, I get up easier, my skin looks AMAZING, I don't have crazy cravings as often as I used to (read: all the time) which makes social events easier because the food doesn't "call to me" anymore. My digestive system is working pretty normal for the first time in years and I just feel great overall.
I've also continued to log on Weight Watchers during this whole thing. And that's even easier. I used to have to plan my meals, then figure out points and find out what fit and what didn't points wise. Now I just plan my menu and add it as I eat it because everything fits. If I eat too many points it's because I ate all of my planned meals and then just chose to eat some more.
And that's that.
I know it sounds like a lot of work but again, it's not. It's really just eating healthy. You know, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and such. Hopefully, if I continue to put a healthy foot foward and get back to working out then I'll continue to make progress. Because that's what I really want. To just lose weight, get healthy and be crazy happy.
Even though I hate doing it.
Please know that I am in no way telling anybody else what they should eat, I'm just telling you what I'm doing and how it's working for me. I'm a firm believer in individual plans for individual people. I've tried lots of plans. I've failed at lots of plans. Plans that have worked for millions of people but not for me. Which is why I'm still here posting about trying to lose weight. I don't know for sure, but I'm starting to believe that I've maybe stumbled upon the plan that might work for me. And good lord I pray that I have, because it's about time.
Ok, and with that disclaimer out of the way ....
For the first 3 weeks I took out Gluten, Dairy, Eggs, and Soy. I mean, I took them out completely. Not a trace of any one of those. Was it hard? Honestly, no. It was just time consuming. Reading labels, learning to cook new things and such. But getting the creative juices flowing in the kitchen is what I'm good at, so I didn't mind at all. I can, however, see how it could be a hard time.
You really can't eat out because you have to be SURE you're not eating something you're not supposed to. Same goes for packaged foods. If I don't know what a word means then I'm not going to eat it. That's probably a good rule of thumb anyways.
After those initial 3 weeks, I am adding each one back. One at a time. Very slowly.
The 4th week (last weekend), I added gluten back. I was supposed to add it to one meal each day for 4 days in a row and then take it back out for the remaining 3 days of the week. The first day I ate it, about an hour later I was ill. And then it just got worse. Long story short, I was in horrible shape. My stomach, my digestive system, my entire body was in pain. I wanted to cry. I didn't make it 4 days. I stopped after 2, took it back out again and slowly but surely by the end of the week I felt "normal" again. So what now? I'm not eating it. The theory is that if you take it back out for another 12 weeks, perhaps your body can heal itself and you'll be able to handle it. Until then, you couldn't pay me to eat it. For the next 12 weeks I will diligently keep it out because I don't want to go through that again. I'll "retest" and then we'll go from there.
The 5th (this past weekend), I added dairy back. Again, I was supposed to add it to one meal each day for the first 4 days of the week and then take it back out for the remaining three days. However, this time, I was scared. I did NOT want to go through what I did with gluten. But that's the whole point of this thing. To find out if you have a problem. So I did it. It wasn't as horrible as gluten but it wasn't perfect. I ate some cheese with my dinner and then it wasn't until the next morning that I had problems. I did a second day to make sure and again the same thing happened. Had it with dinner and then by the next morning I got sick. So I stopped after 2 days. It wasn't nearly as bad as the gluten reaction. I didn't want to cry this time but it still wasn't perfect.
Which brings us to today. Last night was my second day eating dairy. It's now back out of my diet and this Friday will be my 6th week and I'm trying EGGS!
Again, I'm scared. Scared because I love eggs and so I hope I have no reaction. And scared that I will have a reaction. Nobody likes getting sick.
My 7th week will be soy and then from there, I'll take my info and run with it. I already know I'm not going to change much about what I'm eating. Maybe I'll make a few tweaks to the menu. For instance, have eggs for breakfast or something but I really won't do anything crazy. I don't really eat soy in any form. I don't even like soy sauce with my sushi. I do know that that stuff is in EVERYTHING. I'll continue to read labels and just keep it out anyways.
Anyway, that's what has been going on. Even though I've taken gluten out, I'm still eating plenty of food. I traded brown rice pasta for the regular stuff for when I need it. I learned how to make a gluten free pizza crust for weekend treats and can I just say that it took about 7 tries but I made something that rivals the real stuff. I'm not making my own bread or anything even though I know I could. Instead, I chose to replace meals where gluten would be present with just more vegetables. For example, I eat hamburgers with a lettuce wrap instead of a bun but I also make some crazy good oven roasted potato fries to go with it so I don't feel like I'm missing much. I use coconut milk instead of cow's milk and I found daiya cheese. I pretty much only use it when I make us a pizza. Honestly it's good. There's a lot of tricks you can use - I have found the vegan and paleo blogs to be the most helpful. They're very creative! Really, there's a substitute for almost everything.
I've also taken out sugar and sugar substitutes. This one is tricky. I have mixed feelings on it. I don't drink sodas or drink mixes anymore. Just water. I just put coconut or almond milk in my coffee and over time it's amazing, but that's all I need now. If I want to add sweetener, I do have some xylitol on hand but it doesn't really work for everything. There are some recipes that call for sugar and usually it's a teaspoon or such and I'll do that because it's not a sugar based recipe (like cake or cookies). Again, I have mixed feelings. Lets just say I don't go looking for sugar. I haven't had a real craving or anything for it in quite some time so it hasn't been hard. Occasionally I'll want something to drink other than water but that's it.
It's been almost 6 weeks and I've made lots of great food. I haven't repeated anything yet and I am constantly coming up with new ideas. It's funny. In the weeks before we started, I was nervous. All I could think was "what am I going to eat? There's nothing left!". Now that I'm doing it, I don't feel that way at all. Sometimes there are too many choices.
I feel really, really great. I'm losing some weight sure. That's always nice. But it's the other stuff that really makes this worth it. I sleep better, I get up easier, my skin looks AMAZING, I don't have crazy cravings as often as I used to (read: all the time) which makes social events easier because the food doesn't "call to me" anymore. My digestive system is working pretty normal for the first time in years and I just feel great overall.
I've also continued to log on Weight Watchers during this whole thing. And that's even easier. I used to have to plan my meals, then figure out points and find out what fit and what didn't points wise. Now I just plan my menu and add it as I eat it because everything fits. If I eat too many points it's because I ate all of my planned meals and then just chose to eat some more.
And that's that.
I know it sounds like a lot of work but again, it's not. It's really just eating healthy. You know, fruits, vegetables, lean meats and such. Hopefully, if I continue to put a healthy foot foward and get back to working out then I'll continue to make progress. Because that's what I really want. To just lose weight, get healthy and be crazy happy.
Weight Watchers Weigh In: Week 20
I completely forgot to post on Friday. I think I'm preoccupied with my MRI today. As stated previously ...
I hate doctors and tests and check ups.
Anyway, Friday I weighed in and gained +0.4 lbs
Yes, my first gain in probably a month. Alas, I knew it would eventually happen so I'm glad it's a small one. Hopefully this week it'll come off plus some.
Now, for what I did:
1. I earned 0 AP points. I have every intention of working out but that voice in the back of my head is still there. I have my MRI today and hopefully will see my doctor early next week and get an official order that all is ok to workout.
2. I ate 239 points for the week. I went over by one point.
3. Water was pretty good. AGAIN!
4. What did I eat? I continued along my path of wholesome foods.
I even traversed the Super Bowl yesterday without incident. There was a TON of food but I had no problems whatsoever. I brought a small plate of jalapeno peppers. We simply took jalapenos, hollowed them, filled them with some cheese, and wrapped a 1/3 of a piece of bacon over the top then baked them. Very easy. 3 ingredients, NO frying whatsoever and they STILL got rave reviews. Also, I'm not the biggest fan of jalapenos but even I enjoyed a couple.
Let's see, there was also pizza, buffalo wings, nachos, queso dip, veggies, strawberries, fruit dip, cheese dip, spinach dip, spinach and artichoke dip, several kinds of chips (I guess for all that dip), cajun shrimp, and buttered toast. Oh and lots of beer.
I ate:
A couple of my jalapeno peppers, quite a few baby carrots, and a handful of strawberries. Oh yes, and I had some water.
And honestly, that's all that I wanted. There were a couple of other items that looked really good but I didn't feel the need to hunt down whomever made the dish to find out what exactly was in it. I didn't feel the need because I wasn't there to eat. I was there to watch some football and hang out with my friends. Seriously folks, it's as if a light switch has gone off in my brain. I didn't make a plan. Well, I guess I did make a plan. But it only had a few components: to make a small dish of something my boyfriend and I could enjoy, to hang out with my friends, and to get home at a decent time so I could finish cooking for the week.
And I followed it to a "T". Now, I'm not throwing my love of plans out the window. I just didn't find this situation very .... threatening I guess. Now Thanksgiving, that might be a different story.
Today's Menu:
B: chocolate pea rice protein + coconut milk
L: I'm getting my MRI on my lunch break. My stomach can't handle food until it's over and by then it'll be time for .....
D: roasted pork + BBQ sauce + cole slaw + roasted zucchini
So nervous.
I hate doctors and tests and check ups.
Anyway, Friday I weighed in and gained +0.4 lbs
Yes, my first gain in probably a month. Alas, I knew it would eventually happen so I'm glad it's a small one. Hopefully this week it'll come off plus some.
Now, for what I did:
1. I earned 0 AP points. I have every intention of working out but that voice in the back of my head is still there. I have my MRI today and hopefully will see my doctor early next week and get an official order that all is ok to workout.
2. I ate 239 points for the week. I went over by one point.
3. Water was pretty good. AGAIN!
4. What did I eat? I continued along my path of wholesome foods.
I even traversed the Super Bowl yesterday without incident. There was a TON of food but I had no problems whatsoever. I brought a small plate of jalapeno peppers. We simply took jalapenos, hollowed them, filled them with some cheese, and wrapped a 1/3 of a piece of bacon over the top then baked them. Very easy. 3 ingredients, NO frying whatsoever and they STILL got rave reviews. Also, I'm not the biggest fan of jalapenos but even I enjoyed a couple.
Let's see, there was also pizza, buffalo wings, nachos, queso dip, veggies, strawberries, fruit dip, cheese dip, spinach dip, spinach and artichoke dip, several kinds of chips (I guess for all that dip), cajun shrimp, and buttered toast. Oh and lots of beer.
I ate:
A couple of my jalapeno peppers, quite a few baby carrots, and a handful of strawberries. Oh yes, and I had some water.
And honestly, that's all that I wanted. There were a couple of other items that looked really good but I didn't feel the need to hunt down whomever made the dish to find out what exactly was in it. I didn't feel the need because I wasn't there to eat. I was there to watch some football and hang out with my friends. Seriously folks, it's as if a light switch has gone off in my brain. I didn't make a plan. Well, I guess I did make a plan. But it only had a few components: to make a small dish of something my boyfriend and I could enjoy, to hang out with my friends, and to get home at a decent time so I could finish cooking for the week.
And I followed it to a "T". Now, I'm not throwing my love of plans out the window. I just didn't find this situation very .... threatening I guess. Now Thanksgiving, that might be a different story.
Today's Menu:
B: chocolate pea rice protein + coconut milk
L: I'm getting my MRI on my lunch break. My stomach can't handle food until it's over and by then it'll be time for .....
D: roasted pork + BBQ sauce + cole slaw + roasted zucchini
So nervous.
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