My food has been perfect. Only one very minor "cheat" (an extra 1/4 cup of granola one night last week, dutifully logged, BTW) in 4 weeks. I've been right around 1600 calories daily, with the proper mix of protein, carbs and fats. My sodium intake has been fine. I've been at the gym 5 days a week, doing cardio and strength training. I'm drinking water like a fish.
So WHY is the scale UP 3 pounds???
It's not TOM--I'm long done with that. I don't seem to be retaining fluid anywhere. "Traffic is moving" quite efficiently. So what IS the problem?
On Tuesday my trainer is hooking me up to my "Body Bugg", so we can get a closer look at what's happening. I sure as heck hope we get some answers, because this is frustrating as all get out!
Friday, February 5, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Amazing Adventures of Duke, the (Stevie) Wonder Dog
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Early this month, I noticed that my dog was having a hard time finding toys when I threw them, and was bumping into furniture. When he missed the chair he was jumping on and fell on the floor instead, I called the vet. Diagnosis--SARDS. Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome. Quite simply, he's blind. It happened in a matter of days. One weekend he could see, the next weekend he could not.
In the past 3 weeks, I have watched my little guy adapt to his newly dark world. I am completely amazed at the resilience he has shown. At the beginning, he was understandably confused, scared, and uncertain. He refused to leave my side. He slept most of the time. But as time went on, I started to see signs of the Duke I knew and loved.
He's made a "mental map" of the house, and can now find his way around without bumping into things (for the most part). He can find his way from the back door to his "potty spot", and back to the door to come in. He's even started to scamper back to the house again, rather than the slow, careful plodding. He once again greets me at the door on 2 legs, dancing to say "hi Mom!" He's even figured out how to steal my shoes! Yesterday he spent the day at "camp"--the place where he boards has doggy day care, and I took him over for the day for a "tryout". He did great! He played with the other dogs, hung out with the owner, and basically acted the same as he always has when there. (this is a great relief, since it means he will be able to board there when we travel.)
As I've watched Duke adapt, it made me think of my own journey. I, too, have had to adapt to a very different life. Thankfully, I can still see, but the changes I've made are pretty significant. And, like his, my changes are permanent. They won't go away in a week, or a month, or a year. They've become part of who I am now. I was a couch potato who ate too much of the wrong stuff, making me obese and unhealthy. Now I am an exerciser who eats healthy foods in moderate quantities, making me much slimmer and healthier.
OK, sure, my changes have been for the better, while Duke's have not, but they've still had a huge impact on both of our lives. They've changed how we live. And you know what? I think we're both adapting pretty well!
Random Thoughts About Food
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The sodium level in restaurant food is incredible. I had lunch at PF Changs today, and for a 1/2 order of a Chicken with Almonds & Cashews Lunch Bowl, there were 2085 mg of sodium! That's nearly an entire day's worth. I usually don't come close to that on a given day. I wonder what affect it will have on the scale tomorrow.
Sometimes I feel like I just have too much food to eat. I had my snack late, and even with waiting 3 hours to have dinner, I wasn't hungry. I tried to eat, starting with the protein, since I really need to get that in. I couldn't do half of it, even with eliminating the salad I had planned. It's not that I didn't try, but if I eat another bite I will literally be sick. What was that thing about eating Chinese food and being hungry again in an hour?
The next couple of weeks are going to be insane for me. Sticking to my food and exercise plan is going to really really difficult, and at times downright impossible. I am giving myself permission to do my best, even if it isn't perfect.
Why is it as I get older, so many foods I used to love (peas, shrimp, salmon for example) no longer taste good? I can see my tastes changing to healthier foods. But for my old favorites to become undesirable? Weird.
I spent time this evening making food for my dog (he has to eat homemade food for medical reasons). Ground beef with pureed green peppers, spinach, and diced tomatoes. It looked pretty good, and smelled great too. Darn dog eats better than I do!
The sodium level in restaurant food is incredible. I had lunch at PF Changs today, and for a 1/2 order of a Chicken with Almonds & Cashews Lunch Bowl, there were 2085 mg of sodium! That's nearly an entire day's worth. I usually don't come close to that on a given day. I wonder what affect it will have on the scale tomorrow.
Sometimes I feel like I just have too much food to eat. I had my snack late, and even with waiting 3 hours to have dinner, I wasn't hungry. I tried to eat, starting with the protein, since I really need to get that in. I couldn't do half of it, even with eliminating the salad I had planned. It's not that I didn't try, but if I eat another bite I will literally be sick. What was that thing about eating Chinese food and being hungry again in an hour?
The next couple of weeks are going to be insane for me. Sticking to my food and exercise plan is going to really really difficult, and at times downright impossible. I am giving myself permission to do my best, even if it isn't perfect.
Why is it as I get older, so many foods I used to love (peas, shrimp, salmon for example) no longer taste good? I can see my tastes changing to healthier foods. But for my old favorites to become undesirable? Weird.
I spent time this evening making food for my dog (he has to eat homemade food for medical reasons). Ground beef with pureed green peppers, spinach, and diced tomatoes. It looked pretty good, and smelled great too. Darn dog eats better than I do!
One Week Down, A Lifetime to Go
Monday, January 18, 2010
It's been a week since I returned to SparkPeople and my healthy eating plan. I've lost 6 pounds, and I feel SO much better! I went to the gym twice last week and rode the bike a little, and did some elliptical. It went pretty well, so I am going to add the gym into my routine, and increase it slowly to my tolerance. Hopefully I can get back to my trainer in about a month.
I'm reading The Spark and enjoying it. I laughed out loud when I came to the part about your tastes changing, and all of a sudden you "get it', that healthy food tastes better. I thought, hmm, yeah, that's true. And on the very next page, under that same heading, was the quote from ME! Funny, I thought it was a new concept. Guess I was wrong.
I'm reconnecting with some old SparkFriends, and it's interesting to see that we all are struggling. I suppose that just goes to show that this journey is NOT easy, and it's all too easy to stumble off track. The important thing is that we realize we've strayed, and find our way back to the right path before we do serious damage.
16 pounds out of 113. I can live with that. That's great progress.
It's been a week since I returned to SparkPeople and my healthy eating plan. I've lost 6 pounds, and I feel SO much better! I went to the gym twice last week and rode the bike a little, and did some elliptical. It went pretty well, so I am going to add the gym into my routine, and increase it slowly to my tolerance. Hopefully I can get back to my trainer in about a month.
I'm reading The Spark and enjoying it. I laughed out loud when I came to the part about your tastes changing, and all of a sudden you "get it', that healthy food tastes better. I thought, hmm, yeah, that's true. And on the very next page, under that same heading, was the quote from ME! Funny, I thought it was a new concept. Guess I was wrong.
I'm reconnecting with some old SparkFriends, and it's interesting to see that we all are struggling. I suppose that just goes to show that this journey is NOT easy, and it's all too easy to stumble off track. The important thing is that we realize we've strayed, and find our way back to the right path before we do serious damage.
16 pounds out of 113. I can live with that. That's great progress.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Back In The Saddle Again
So, I've spent the last 3-4 months eating my way into a 16 pound weight gain. Eating all the things I know are not good for me. And loving every minute of it.
But along the way, I noticed (NOT for the first time) that as much as I enjoyed eating those foods, I didn't much care for the way they made me FEEL. Tired, headachy, bloated, nauseous. It wasn't pretty. Oh, and did I mention my pants didn't fit? I even had to buy new jeans, a size bigger.
Now, I have a valid excuse for lack of exercise--I had a total knee replacement in October, and I'm still doing Physical Therapy, so going to the gym is not an option yet. But, as I've learned that I CAN ride a bike now, I am itching to get in there and actually DO it! I see the doctor in 2 weeks and am hoping he will clear me for that.
Anyway, around Thanksgiving, I decided that after the holidays I was going to return to eating no dairy, no wheat, and no eggs. As much as I don't like eating that way, I do like how I feel when I am. I figure I'll do a total elimination for a month, and then really limit how much of those things I eat while sticking to a healthy eating plan.
The holidays for me end January 7 (Russian Christmas), and we had a Sweet 16 party on the 9th, so I opted for Monday January 11 as my start day. I hopped on the scale Monday morning and was pleasantly surprised to see that I've only gained 16 pounds, and I'm only 12 pounds over goal range. I had feared it was much worse.
I am absolutely blown away by how much better I feel after only 3 days. My headache is gone, I have about 3 times more energy, I just feel better all over! I know I said the same thing in my last blog, but I really do wish I could remember this when I feel like eating garbage.
But along the way, I noticed (NOT for the first time) that as much as I enjoyed eating those foods, I didn't much care for the way they made me FEEL. Tired, headachy, bloated, nauseous. It wasn't pretty. Oh, and did I mention my pants didn't fit? I even had to buy new jeans, a size bigger.
Now, I have a valid excuse for lack of exercise--I had a total knee replacement in October, and I'm still doing Physical Therapy, so going to the gym is not an option yet. But, as I've learned that I CAN ride a bike now, I am itching to get in there and actually DO it! I see the doctor in 2 weeks and am hoping he will clear me for that.
Anyway, around Thanksgiving, I decided that after the holidays I was going to return to eating no dairy, no wheat, and no eggs. As much as I don't like eating that way, I do like how I feel when I am. I figure I'll do a total elimination for a month, and then really limit how much of those things I eat while sticking to a healthy eating plan.
The holidays for me end January 7 (Russian Christmas), and we had a Sweet 16 party on the 9th, so I opted for Monday January 11 as my start day. I hopped on the scale Monday morning and was pleasantly surprised to see that I've only gained 16 pounds, and I'm only 12 pounds over goal range. I had feared it was much worse.
I am absolutely blown away by how much better I feel after only 3 days. My headache is gone, I have about 3 times more energy, I just feel better all over! I know I said the same thing in my last blog, but I really do wish I could remember this when I feel like eating garbage.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
The Christmas Letter I SHOULD Have Sent
After reading all the holiday newsletters from friends and families, I noticed something. My family is different. All these people with their perfect children who play 2 sports, are musical prodigies on at least 2 instruments, are honor students and Eagle scouts and take lessons in everything from Martial Arts to Ice Skating to toilet paper arranging...not to mention the super Dads who coach soccer, are Scout leaders, and are in line for sainthood, while Mom keeps busy making wholesome meals for the family, driving the carpool in her hybrid minivan in 3 directions at once, and never loses her sense of humor.
Are they pod people? I feel like I'm reading Science Fiction when I read these stories! Do perfect people like this even exist?
Not in my world.
So here is my response, the letter I really should have sent, becuase it tells it like it REALLY is in my life:
December 2009
Dear Friends and Family,
January started off with a bang, as I developed a major tooth abcess that ended up requiring an extraction and the first stage of an implant. Eating was very difficult, as I was almost completely unable to chew. I was scheduled for knee replacement surgery at the end of the month, but developed a nasty case of bronchitis the day before, and had to cancel.
In February, Danny turned 12. This in itself is quite a miracle—being that he has actually been allowed to live that long. Danny has ADHD, ODD, IED, and a host of emotional issues. While HE may or may not suffer from these things, be assured that the rest of us most certainly DO suffer—A LOT! I finally got my knee replaced mid-month, and spent the rest of February and all of March doing the rehab to recover.
In March, my Dad decided he was tired of being the only one in the family without orthopedic issues. He fell down the steps at a restaurant and broke his shoulder. This gave Mom the opportunity to see the other side of the coin, as she has always been the one needing help. The two of them were like the blind leading the blind, but they managed.
In April, we escaped to Turks and Caicos for a week. Unfortunately, we did not escape completely, as Danny was along for the trip. Laura and I made the best of it. Once home, we opted not to open our pool for the season, since it needed extensive repairs. Apparently the people who fixed it 8 years ago didn’t have a clue what they were doing, and did it all wrong, making it even worse than when they started. I had to make a choice between camp for the kids or fixing the pool, so I opted for sanity…er, camp.
In May, Mom had a knee replacement, so Dad had to take over being the helper. He also had to learn to cook. This was quite interesting. I had my 7th hernia repair in 7 years. The incision once again opened up shortly after surgery, and I am still walking around with a big hole in my gut 7 years later. I have come to accept the fact that it will never heal.
In June, we hit a bright spot—we thought. It seemed that Dad had moved to the top of the kidney transplant list. But it turned out to be a false alarm. He’s still a year or two down from the top. Laura participated in the Special Olympics in swimming. She may not be much of a student, but she’s quite a fish.
In July the kids went to camp and I got a much needed break. I went to Scotland for 2 weeks. They were gone for 5 weeks (Laura) and 6 weeks (Danny). The plan was for Laura to come home and spend a peaceful week with me without her brother. That didn’t happen.
In August, just before Laura finished camp, Dad had a mild heart attack. He spent several days in the local hospital before being transferred to Philadelphia to the University of PA hospital, where he spent 10 days. They needed to put in a shunt, but he would have to take Aspirin and Plavix. Problem is that he’s allergic to Aspirin and if he’s on Plavix he can’t have a kidney transplant. So they had to desensitize him to the aspirin, which was very scary. Then he had the shunt put in. Both the shunt and the cardiac cath that diagnosed the blockage required the use of dye that could potentially tax his kidneys badly enough to force dialysis. He got lucky and that didn’t happen. He came home in time to celebrate with a weekend family trip for Mom and Dad’s 50th anniversary.
In September the kids went back to school.
In October, I had the second knee replacement. It was a lot harder than the first one, with a lot more pain.
November was pretty much taken up with recovering from the knee surgery and lots of Physical Therapy. I spent a lot of time taking Percocet and watching the clock for the next dose.I was happy not to get addicted to Oxycontin, which I was taking for the pain when the Percocet wasn’t enough.
December has been a banner month for us. I found out the cataract in my right eye is getting so big it’s hard for the doctor to see behind it to make sure my retina isn’t detaching. Our dog, Duke, was diagnosed with Thyroid disease, and will have to take medication for the rest of his life. He has gained over 30% above his normal body weight, and was very lethargic. Hopefully the pills will help him. We had a blizzard here in NJ and got 16 inches of snow. Meanwhile, Debbie had rain and flooding over in Turkey, all while battling Swine Flu. Dad’s blood work shows his kidneys are getting worse and we figure dialysis is just around the corner.
Laura is 14 and in 8th grade. She is in a self contained Special Ed class, working 2-3 years below grade level. In math she has finally learned to tell time and to count money. She’s pretty good at baking cookies, and is a good swimmer. And we were very happy that for the first time in ages, she got through the whole year without having to be in the hospital for seizure monitoring.
Danny is almost 13, and in 7th grade. He should be getting As and Bs, but instead is getting Cs and Ds. He thinks homework is optional, at least for him. But we are very pleased that he has only had 4 detentions so far this year, and has made it to Christmas break without being suspended. So far this year Danny has quit chorus, quit guitar lessons, quit drum lessons, and quit our church Youth Group (well, actually he was asked to leave) He takes more medications than I do, and while they don’t make him fit to live with, they certainly make it better than with nothing.
I have become addicted to Farmville on Facebook, which keeps me too busy to go to the gym, so I have gained back 15 pounds, which I will have to lose again come January. I am averaging 10-15 hot flashes a day, so the layered look in clothing is my new style.
Well, that’s our update for this year. We just love reading all your letters about your happy families and perfect children. It’s such a foreign concept, it’s almost like reading Science Fiction.
Have a Happy and Healthy SolFestChristmaKwanzakkah!
The Girondas
Are they pod people? I feel like I'm reading Science Fiction when I read these stories! Do perfect people like this even exist?
Not in my world.
So here is my response, the letter I really should have sent, becuase it tells it like it REALLY is in my life:
December 2009
Dear Friends and Family,
January started off with a bang, as I developed a major tooth abcess that ended up requiring an extraction and the first stage of an implant. Eating was very difficult, as I was almost completely unable to chew. I was scheduled for knee replacement surgery at the end of the month, but developed a nasty case of bronchitis the day before, and had to cancel.
In February, Danny turned 12. This in itself is quite a miracle—being that he has actually been allowed to live that long. Danny has ADHD, ODD, IED, and a host of emotional issues. While HE may or may not suffer from these things, be assured that the rest of us most certainly DO suffer—A LOT! I finally got my knee replaced mid-month, and spent the rest of February and all of March doing the rehab to recover.
In March, my Dad decided he was tired of being the only one in the family without orthopedic issues. He fell down the steps at a restaurant and broke his shoulder. This gave Mom the opportunity to see the other side of the coin, as she has always been the one needing help. The two of them were like the blind leading the blind, but they managed.
In April, we escaped to Turks and Caicos for a week. Unfortunately, we did not escape completely, as Danny was along for the trip. Laura and I made the best of it. Once home, we opted not to open our pool for the season, since it needed extensive repairs. Apparently the people who fixed it 8 years ago didn’t have a clue what they were doing, and did it all wrong, making it even worse than when they started. I had to make a choice between camp for the kids or fixing the pool, so I opted for sanity…er, camp.
In May, Mom had a knee replacement, so Dad had to take over being the helper. He also had to learn to cook. This was quite interesting. I had my 7th hernia repair in 7 years. The incision once again opened up shortly after surgery, and I am still walking around with a big hole in my gut 7 years later. I have come to accept the fact that it will never heal.
In June, we hit a bright spot—we thought. It seemed that Dad had moved to the top of the kidney transplant list. But it turned out to be a false alarm. He’s still a year or two down from the top. Laura participated in the Special Olympics in swimming. She may not be much of a student, but she’s quite a fish.
In July the kids went to camp and I got a much needed break. I went to Scotland for 2 weeks. They were gone for 5 weeks (Laura) and 6 weeks (Danny). The plan was for Laura to come home and spend a peaceful week with me without her brother. That didn’t happen.
In August, just before Laura finished camp, Dad had a mild heart attack. He spent several days in the local hospital before being transferred to Philadelphia to the University of PA hospital, where he spent 10 days. They needed to put in a shunt, but he would have to take Aspirin and Plavix. Problem is that he’s allergic to Aspirin and if he’s on Plavix he can’t have a kidney transplant. So they had to desensitize him to the aspirin, which was very scary. Then he had the shunt put in. Both the shunt and the cardiac cath that diagnosed the blockage required the use of dye that could potentially tax his kidneys badly enough to force dialysis. He got lucky and that didn’t happen. He came home in time to celebrate with a weekend family trip for Mom and Dad’s 50th anniversary.
In September the kids went back to school.
In October, I had the second knee replacement. It was a lot harder than the first one, with a lot more pain.
November was pretty much taken up with recovering from the knee surgery and lots of Physical Therapy. I spent a lot of time taking Percocet and watching the clock for the next dose.I was happy not to get addicted to Oxycontin, which I was taking for the pain when the Percocet wasn’t enough.
December has been a banner month for us. I found out the cataract in my right eye is getting so big it’s hard for the doctor to see behind it to make sure my retina isn’t detaching. Our dog, Duke, was diagnosed with Thyroid disease, and will have to take medication for the rest of his life. He has gained over 30% above his normal body weight, and was very lethargic. Hopefully the pills will help him. We had a blizzard here in NJ and got 16 inches of snow. Meanwhile, Debbie had rain and flooding over in Turkey, all while battling Swine Flu. Dad’s blood work shows his kidneys are getting worse and we figure dialysis is just around the corner.
Laura is 14 and in 8th grade. She is in a self contained Special Ed class, working 2-3 years below grade level. In math she has finally learned to tell time and to count money. She’s pretty good at baking cookies, and is a good swimmer. And we were very happy that for the first time in ages, she got through the whole year without having to be in the hospital for seizure monitoring.
Danny is almost 13, and in 7th grade. He should be getting As and Bs, but instead is getting Cs and Ds. He thinks homework is optional, at least for him. But we are very pleased that he has only had 4 detentions so far this year, and has made it to Christmas break without being suspended. So far this year Danny has quit chorus, quit guitar lessons, quit drum lessons, and quit our church Youth Group (well, actually he was asked to leave) He takes more medications than I do, and while they don’t make him fit to live with, they certainly make it better than with nothing.
I have become addicted to Farmville on Facebook, which keeps me too busy to go to the gym, so I have gained back 15 pounds, which I will have to lose again come January. I am averaging 10-15 hot flashes a day, so the layered look in clothing is my new style.
Well, that’s our update for this year. We just love reading all your letters about your happy families and perfect children. It’s such a foreign concept, it’s almost like reading Science Fiction.
Have a Happy and Healthy SolFestChristmaKwanzakkah!
The Girondas
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
November 11, 2009 What I Am Grateful For
OK, I know I'm 2 weeks early, but I am going to start the "What I am Thankful For" list:
1. My health--it's far from perfect, but its better than it was, and so much better than some folks. I don't have cancer or any horrible disease, I'm strong, and my knee WILL eventually heal and I'll be up and running again.
2. My family--my kids drive me batty most of the time, but I can't imagine life without them--I love them more than life itself. My parents, praise God, are still with me and in decent health, and they are wonderful people with whom I am blessed to have a great relationship. I have the best sister in the world, and my brother isn't bad either. I've got some other pretty cool relatives too.
3. My friends--starting with my BFF of 41 years, who is the best friend anyone could ever ask for. And my other girlfriends, including of course my internet friends who make me laugh and cry and are as "real" as any friends I have ever had, often moreso.
4. My country--I am so blessed to live in the USA, the greatest country in the world where I still have FREEDOM and where we have so much that we have enough to share. This includes our military--past, present and future--and even our messed up government, which is still better than most of the world has to put up with (wow, can you believe *I* said that?!?!)
5. My God--who gets me through every day, every hour, every minute; who gave me life, who gives me hope and who loves me for my imperfect self.
Well, that was in no particular order, and it's by no means exhaustive, but I was just sitting her feeling really grateful and wanted to put my thoughts in writing.
Having just gone through another knee replacement 2 weeks ago, and experiencing significant pain for a good bit of that time, and finally feeling pretty good today, I suppose that may be what inspired this. Or maybe it's that it's Veterans' Day. Or the coming of Thanksgiving. Whatever the reason, I am very blessed, and I know it!
1. My health--it's far from perfect, but its better than it was, and so much better than some folks. I don't have cancer or any horrible disease, I'm strong, and my knee WILL eventually heal and I'll be up and running again.
2. My family--my kids drive me batty most of the time, but I can't imagine life without them--I love them more than life itself. My parents, praise God, are still with me and in decent health, and they are wonderful people with whom I am blessed to have a great relationship. I have the best sister in the world, and my brother isn't bad either. I've got some other pretty cool relatives too.
3. My friends--starting with my BFF of 41 years, who is the best friend anyone could ever ask for. And my other girlfriends, including of course my internet friends who make me laugh and cry and are as "real" as any friends I have ever had, often moreso.
4. My country--I am so blessed to live in the USA, the greatest country in the world where I still have FREEDOM and where we have so much that we have enough to share. This includes our military--past, present and future--and even our messed up government, which is still better than most of the world has to put up with (wow, can you believe *I* said that?!?!)
5. My God--who gets me through every day, every hour, every minute; who gave me life, who gives me hope and who loves me for my imperfect self.
Well, that was in no particular order, and it's by no means exhaustive, but I was just sitting her feeling really grateful and wanted to put my thoughts in writing.
Having just gone through another knee replacement 2 weeks ago, and experiencing significant pain for a good bit of that time, and finally feeling pretty good today, I suppose that may be what inspired this. Or maybe it's that it's Veterans' Day. Or the coming of Thanksgiving. Whatever the reason, I am very blessed, and I know it!
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