Thursday, May 31, 2012

Kate's Corner -

The Crunchy Bits:

Blood Pressure 122/88 pulse 78

Blood Sugars
5:00 AM
78
10:30 AM 90
12:00 PM 112
4:00 PM 83
7:00 PM 66
no bs

Breakfast Breakfast smoothie

Snack Swiss chard salad w/ 1/2 avocado, 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 beet & 2 tbsp newmans own dressing & 1/4 c walnuts

Lunch 1 c refried beans

Snack 1/2 c. guacamole & 3 celery stalks, 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 4 oz salmon w/ steamed broccoli & carrots.

Exercise AM Yoga, 10 min walk, 15 min walk

The Froo-Froo Bits:
I had a really good day, yesterday.

I feel a little weird sometimes, just typing "I had a good day". It doesn't seem like enough words. However, that says it all. What those few words don't - and aren't able to - contain, is the sheer wonder I feel at being able to type them. I know I'm only 1 month into this. I know that there's still a lot of weight to lose & a lot of mileage to cover on this path, but I FEEL GOOD. I didn't for so very long, and now I do.

I'm no longer just waiting to die. I'm really living. Its awesome.

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Kate's Corner - Tuesday 05/29

The Crunchy Bits:

Blood Pressure 159/87 pulse 94

Blood Sugars no fasting bs
10:45 AM 107
12:00 PM 106
4:00 PM 115
7:00 PM 116
no bs

Breakfast Breakfast

Snack Swiss Chard salad w/ 1/2 avocado & 1/4 c. almonds

Lunch 1 c black beans w/ peri-peri sauce & coconut oil w/ 1/4 c. almonds

Snack 1/4 c. hummus w/ 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 1/4 c refried beans, 1/4 c guacamole & 1 scrambled egg

Exercise AM Yoga, 10 min walk, 15 min walk, PM Yoga

The Froo-Froo Bits:

This was a good day. I increased my activity today.
Framing the day with yoga was AWESOME!! I slept better than I have in a long time, and woke this morning with much less ache than usual.

It was a good day!



Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Kate's Corner - Checking In

So, Monday was a day off for me. Perk for being a federal employee. While I did a whole lot of nutthin', I DID get on the scale.

No weight loss this week.

I'm not worried. First, it was the second day of my monthly cycle. I'm just glad I didn't GAIN water weight. Second, while I'm doing this to lose weight, I'm also doing for a lot of other reasons, and if I don't lose on a period week, I'm just not going to get my panties in a wad.

So what are those other reasons? Well, blood sugar control is a good one. Being able to move better is another. Having more & better energy is yet another. See, I'm feeling so good, that one week without weight loss simply isn't enough to get me worried. Which is good, because stress makes you retain weight! Simply put, there's so much going right that one week of no weight loss isn't going to get me down.

Kate's Corner - 05/25 through 05/28

The Crunchy Bits:

Date 05/25
Blood Pressure 133/70 pulse 81

Blood Sugars
5:15 AM 116
10:30 AM 93
12:00 PM 100
4:00 PM 110
7:00 PM 70
No bs

Breakfast Breakfast Smoothie

Snack Swiss Chard Salad w/ 1/4 avocado, 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 beet, 2 tbsp newmans own & 1/4 c. walnuts

Lunch 1 c refried beans

Snack 1/4 c. almond butter, 3 stalks of celery, 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 4 oz tilapia w/ steamed veggies

Exercise AM Yoga, 15 min walk

Date 05/26
Blood Pressure 126/84 Pulse 93

Blood Sugars
5:45 AM 91
no bs
12:00 PM 124
4:00 PM 79
7:30 PM 103
no bs

Breakfast Breakfast Smoothie & 1 scrambled egg

Snack none

Lunch bean burger (homemade) w/vegan-slaw & cucumber slices

Snack 1/4 c. hummus w/ celery & cucumbers & 1/4 c. nuts

Dinner 1 c. black dal w/ 1 c. veggie slaw

Exercise day off

Date 05/27
Blood Pressure 123/83 pulse 80

Blood Sugars
6:45 AM 95
no bs
11:30 AM 129
4:00 PM 175
5:45 PM 167
9:15 PM 159

Breakfast Breakfast smoothie

Snack no snack

Lunch 1c Black dal, 1 scrambled egg, & swiss chard salad.

Snack no snack

Dinner 1 c steamed broccoli w/ scallops & 1/2 c broccoli w/ garlic sauce

Exercise day off

Date 05/28
Weight 236
Blood Pressure 134/81
Pulse 90

Blood Sugars
10:00 AM 86
no bs
2:30 PM 103
no bs
7:00 PM 66
no bs

Breakfast Breakfast smoothie

Snack 1 tbsp almonds

Lunch 1/2 cucumber, 1/4 c. walnuts

Snack no snack

Dinner 1.5 c broccoli w/ scallops over black beans w/ almonds & sesame oil (and spice)

Exercise day off


The Froo-Froo Bits:
This was an AWESOME long weekend. Got out of work early Friday to help Nick & Bronnie w/ last minute cleaning. We had a "mini-con" this weekend at our house. The three of us and our closest 4 friends got together to roll funny shaped dice & pretend to be big damn heroes in a home-brew game of D&D that's been on-going for a while.

IT ROCKED ALL THE AVAILABLE SOCKS!!

Yeah, I'm a geek. Yeah, we were in the basement. Not a pizza or can of soda in sight though. We managed to eat tasty and healthy (both at once even!) and I'm pretty proud of that.

I didn't exercise on Sunday & Monday as I normally would have, and I'm not too worried about it. Going forward, I'm going to ask for "walk breaks", but this weekend it was fine. It was like a little vacation, and I let it be what it was.






Friday, May 25, 2012

Kate's Corner - Thursday 05/24

The Crunchy Bits:

Date 05/24
Blood Pressure 130/79 pulse 81

Blood Sugars
5:15 AM 84
10:30 AM 113
12:00 PM 121
4:00 PM 76
7:00 PM 76
9:30 PM 118

Breakfast Breakfast smoothie

Snack Swiss Chard Salad w/ 1/4 avocado, 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 beet, 2 tbsp newmans own & 1/4 c. walnuts

Lunch 1 c refried beans

Snack 1/4 c. almond butter, 3 stalks of celery, 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 2 c broccoli w/ garlic sauce

Exercise AM Yoga, 15 min walk

The Froo-Froo Bits:

This was a good day. Fourth day in a row of walking and NO NUMB TOES!! Or feet or anything else. See, when I've been walking, my left leg & foot would go numb. I was just starting to get tingly when my 15 minutes were up. This is AWESOME!!

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Kate's Corner - Wednesday 05/23

The Crunchy Bits:

Blood Pressure 131/73 pulse 86

Blood Sugars
5:15 PM 90
10:30 AM 108
12:00 PM 108
4:00 PM 82
7:30 PM 61
no bs

Breakfast Breakfast Smoothie

Snack Swiss Chard Salad w/ 1/4 avocado, 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 beet, 2 tbsp newmans own & 1/4 c. walnuts

Lunch 1 c refried beans, 1/2 c almonds

Snack 1/4 c. almond butter, 3 stalks of celery, 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 4 oz salmon, steamed cauliflower

Exercise AM Yoga, 15 min walk

The Froo-Froo Bits:

I had a good day, I guess. I was a little foggy or spacey through most of it. Mostly hormones fluctuating. I still had a good day though. Stuck to my diet & even got in a 15 min walk, which I haven't been able to do on Wednesdays so far.


Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Kate's Corner - Tuesday 05/22/2012

The Crunchy Bits:

Date 05/22
Blood Pressure 115/75 pulse 81

Blood Sugars
5:45 AM 76
10:30 AM 115
12:00 PM 111
4:00 PM 101
7:00 PM 79
no bs

Breakfast Breakfast Smoothie

Snack Swiss Chard Salad w/ 1/4 avocado, 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 beet, 2 tbsp newmans own & 1/4 c. almonds

Lunch 1 c refried beans

Snack 1/4 c. almond butter 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 1 c. refried beans, tomato & avocado salad over spring mix

Exercise AM Yoga, 15 min walk

The Froo-Froo Bits:


This was a good day. Not much to report.


Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Kate's Corner - Monday 05/21

The Crunchy Bits:

Blood Pressure 124/77 pulse 89

Blood Sugars
5:15 AM 106
10:30 AM 150
12:30 PM 117
4:00 PM 97
7:00 PM 68
9:30 PM 68

Breakfast Breakfast Smoothie

Snack Swiss Chard Salad w/ 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 beet, 2 tbsp newmans own & 1/4 c. walnuts

Lunch 1 c refried beans

Snack 1/4 c. almond butter 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 4 oz tilapia w/ 1 c. steamed veggies & drizzle of coconut milk curry sauce

Exercise AM yoga, 15 min walk

The Froo-Froo Bits:

Nick mentioned something this morning that I was thinking about all day yesterday. How do you measure the immeasurable? I have a lot of data from the past few weeks that's just going to make my doctor's weep with happiness. It doesn't mean all that much to me. Those are numbers & numbers are good. However I've achieved some of these numbers before (though not this efficiently), and I felt like ASS doing so. I don't this time, and that's what's most important to me. I FEEL good. My energy is picking up. I keep trying to find ways to explain that to people, but I find myself lacking a ruler. How to you measure feeling more awake? How do you measure being able to go home at night with enough energy to participate in family conversations? I can say those words, but does anyone really get it? I know. I guess that's going to have to be enough.

Don't misunderstand me, please: I'm not looking for validation here. Not really. I'm trying to find words to put this feeling into so that I can crystallize it. I need to be able to remember this place, so that as it gets better, I won't forget where I started from.

So, here goes.

3 weeks ago I couldn't, but now I can:

- walk down the metro tunnel at my home station w/o losing my breath of having my feet go numb.

- walk up the ramp at work w/o having to stop and catch my breath.

- go home after work with any hope of doing anything but sit on the couch playing a video game I've played a bajillion times & then passing out from exhaustion.

- walk around the building I work in at all w/o losing both my breath & the feeling in my feet.

When I put these few things into words, they don't seem like much, but to me, this is HUGE! I feel like I"m coming back to life.

That has everything and nothing to do with those numbers I post here. Its not about the numbers, its about how I feel. The numbers are just a way to tell my doctor's "See! It bloody well IS working!"

Monday, May 21, 2012

Kate's Corner - Checking In

So, hopped on the scale this AM, and I'm down another 2 pounds to 236. That's 10.5 pounds all together.

I'll take it!

This week I'm planning on my afternoon walks (15 min. minimum, more if I've got the energy), and if I have the energy, adding a 15 min. walk at the end of lunch time. Also, we're adding PM yoga or Pilates to our evening. The yoga works the opposite muscles of the AM yoga (or at least that's what it feels like) and the Pilates will help me tone up.

Toning up is IMPORTANT. At least to me it is. We've all seen the little old ladies who have lost a ton of weight late in life, and are saggy/baggy bundles of awesome. I'd like to skip as much of the saggy/baggy as I can w/ my bundle of awesome, thanks! I'm going to get some, I know this. I'm hoping Pilates will help keep it to a minimum. If not, its still really good for building muscle, and everyone needs healthy muscles.

We are focusing more on the yoga, so to begin with, we'll be doing yoga 3 evenings a week, and pilates 2 evenings a week, giving ourselves the weekend off from evening workouts. We'll see how that goes for a while, and maybe - MAYBE - make changes as we feel the need.

One thing I DO NOT want to do in all this is wipe myself out again. I'm noticing a definite up-turn in my energy. I no longer need my lunchtime nap; to the point that I find it annoying to sit there waiting for it to be time to get up. This is good!

So, that's where I'm at. 10.5 pounds lost, blood sugar is under control,, energy is picking up and life is GOOD!

Kate's Corner - Thursday 05/17 - Sunday 05/20

So, I wasn't at work on Friday. I'll get to that in "The Froo-Froo Bits".

The Crunchy Bits:

Date 05/17
Blood Pressure 141/97 pulse 85

Blood Sugars
5:30 AM 84
11:00 AM 107
12:30 PM 92
4;00 PM 91
7:30 PM 111
10:30 PM 118

Breakfast Breakfast Smoothie & Scrambled egg

Snack Swiss chard salad w/ 1/2 avocado, 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 beet & 2 tbsp newman's own balsamic vinagerette. 1/4 c.almonds

Lunch 1 c garbanzo beans w/ cocnut oil & peri-peri sauce (1tsp & 1 tbsp respectively)

Snack 1/4. c hummus w/ 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber

Dinner Cauliflower w/ curried garbanzo beans

Exercise AM Yoga, 15 min walk

Notes: Ran out of insulin @ 3:30 PM. Sugar stayed under control. WOOT!

Date 05/18
Blood Pressure 136/87 pulse 72

Blood Sugars 5:45 AM 90
10:30 AM 82
12:00 PM 58
no bs
8:00 PM 78
no bs

Breakfast

Snack Breakfast smoothie

Lunch Swiss Chard Salad

Snack No notes

Dinner 4 oz. tilapia w/ steamed vegetables

Exercise AM Yoga

Notes: This was a bad day, but we realized that blood sugar control is possible, even through stress. & disruption of schedule.

Date 05/19
Blood Pressure 130/78 pulse 94

Notes: Took the day off mentally

Date 05/20
Blood Pressure 150/78 pulse 92

Blood Sugars 7:30 AM 73
no bs
2:00 PM 91
no bs
7:30 PM 144
10:30 PM 121

Breakfast Breakfast smoothie

Snack no

Lunch 2 scrambled eggs, 1/2 c. refried beans, 1/4 c. guacamole, 1 tbsp pico

Snack 3/4 c.(aprox) banzo nuts, almonds & walnuts (too much food)

Dinner 2 c. broccoli w/ garlic sauce

Exercise AM Yoga

Notes: unrestrained snacking is BAD. Order in from Panda Wok is possible, but care & extra insulin must be taken.

The Froo-Froo Bits:

So, some of you may have noticed that I didn't post on Friday. I was going to, but then I stayed home from work. Why? Nick needed me to.

Nick has an anxiety problem. Its pretty controlled, but like all problems, it sometimes gets out of control and Friday was the day for it. When this happens, I'm sometimes able to help him remember that life's really not spinning out of control. Again, this was one of those times.

Bottom Line: He's more important than just about anything I'd have been doing at work. 'Nuff said.

I did, however, learn that we are able to keep to diet, even if we aren't able to keep to routine. That's HUGELY important for me. Prior to this, we'd all be exhausted from the day of wrangling anxiety, and order in - usually comfort foods. Ordering in isn't always horrible, but for me, its not the best choice. There's a lot of hidden sugars & fats in restaurant food, and especially Chinese take out. The place we do order from (extremely rare now) is Panda Wok, which has some really awesome choices for folks in the area who are trying to eat healthy. Quite a variety of vegetable dishes (a number of which are steamed) w/ either sauce on the side or not-so-bad sauces.

We didn't order in Friday, but we DID order in Sunday evening. My sugar was up b/c I got the munchies in the afternoon, and let myself eat too much in one sitting. That, I'm finding is a big key to the blood sugar control. Small meals eaten throughout the day. Its working, and I broke it, and now I know not to do that. I took insulin to counter the sweet in the garlic sauce, and my sugar didn't respond obnoxiously. YAY!!

So, that was the weekend. It came in like a lion pouncing and went out like a lamb dozing in the sun.



Thursday, May 17, 2012

Kate's Corner - Life Sans Fat-Armor

So, I'm discovering that I have a temper.

I know. I'm shocked too. (she says with dripping sarcasm).

Seriously though, I was looking online at heavy bags today. I'm starting to think that all diet books/programs sold by folks who really want to help would come in a "deluxe" package that includes a free-standing punching bag.

See, I buried emotions with food. I'm not doing that so much any more. This is a GOOD THING. However, I'm not only feeling what's going on around me more acutely, I'm also now having to deal with the emotions that were buried under the weight that is falling off.

Ummmmm. . . .I didn't expect THAT.

Yesterday, I had lovely visions on my commute home of popping this guy on the train in the face. He was just being your average, garden-variety dick. I didn't, but I was really ENJOYING the fantasy of doing so. I think its getting time to think about venting that anger & channeling it into. . .something. A punching bag is a good place to start.

I've looked at the letting go of anger sites. They are helpful, but only to a point. I know for myself, there's anger and then there's "I need to hit something". Like any responsible adult in our society, I don't hit the thing I want to, or anything else, but its there, and that part of the anger for me just doesn't go away.

Seriously thinking about a heavy bag. . .I could kick that too! (See, 2 for 1 anger venting!)

Kate's Corner - Wednesday 05/16

The Crunchy Bits:

Blood Pressure 130/85 pulse 91

Blood Sugars
6:15 AM 71
10:30 AM 102
12:30 PM 106
3:30 PM 147
8:00 PM 79
no bs

Breakfast Breakfast Smoothie & Scrambled egg

Snack No snack

Lunch Swiss chard salad w/ 1/2 avocado, 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 beet & 2 tbsp newman's own balsamic vinaigrette. 1/4 c. walnuts
Veggie Panang curry over black beans ( aprox 1 c)

Snack 1/4. c hummus w/ 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 4 oz tilapia w/ Veggie panang curry & steamed snow peas

Exercise AM Yoga

The Froo-Froo Bits:

I felt weird not trying to walk this afternoon. It was as though I were somehow failing because I wasn't trying, even though I'd agreed to take this afternoon off, even though taking the afternoon off of walking was what my body needed, even though I was doing the *right* thing, it felt wrong. I'm going to have to chew on that one for a while.


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Kate's Corner - Tuesday 05/15

The Crunchy Bits:
Blood Pressure 112/81 pulse 84

Blood Sugars
6:00 AM 68
10:15 AM 95
12:00 PM 99
4:00 PM 85
7:30 PM 69
9:30 PM 103

Breakfast Breakfast Smoothie

Snack Swiss chard salad w/ 1/2 avocado, 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 beet & 2 tbsp newman's own balsamic vinagerette. 1/4 c. almonds

Lunch 1 c. black beans

Snack 1/4 c. guacamole, 3 celery stalks 1/4 cucumber

Dinner Veggie panang curry over black beans (aprox. 1.5 c)

Exercise AM yoga, 10 min walk

The Froo-Froo Bits:
THIS WAS A BAD DAY. Emotionally I was a wreck. I was tired, and that magnified everything 1,000-fold. Physically, I was tired too, and that didn't help one iota. I got my walk in, but only 10 minutes. After that, I started stumbling, and actually had to sit for a few before I could get back to my office because my legs were shaky. When I got back, I called Nick and asked him to tell me that I really DIDN'T look like Jaba the Hut, that I really wasn't lazy, and that it was really all okay.

See, I have a problem - a stubbornness problem. I set a goal and no matter what, I MUST REACH THAT GOAL. Even if its not really a good idea. That's part of why I don't set goals lightly or often. I decided that I would up my walking time 5 min/day every week until I was at 30 min/day, 5 days/week. That sounded reasonable to me. The problem is that I'm starting at zero. My body is REALLY out of shape. I couldn't get a full five days in last week at 15 min/day, and it didn't even occur to me not to add on my 5 min this week. So I did - and fell flat on my face (not literally, but only b/c I was able to grab onto the wall).

So, I'm having to learn how to take the blow of a) not meeting a goal, and b) renegotiating with myself. I'm discovering that I'm a bitch when it comes to negotiations. I don't want to give ground, especially to myself. I keep telling myself that its just laziness, and that I'd be better off just sucking up the bad and bulling through it. Except that's not really true, and I don't think its really a good idea to talk myself into that mindset.

So, I'm backing off a little. Nick asked me to take today off from walking, so I am. I'm going to walk for 15 min for the rest of this week. I'm thinking that maybe next week I should aim for 15/day for 5 days. In other words, I'm thinking that I shouldn't up the time until I can walk for all five days of the work week. It shouldn't take that long, really. Maybe an extra week.

I have to remember that it took me 36+ years to get in this shape, and its not going to get better if I kill myself exercising. Slow & steady & let the weight fall off as it will (which its doing fantastically). I need to keep progressing, and adding a little bit every week, but not to the point where I drive myself to where I was yesterday. That's not a good place.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Diablo III Day Check-In

Weighed in Friday, May 11th at 188.0 lbs down from 191.5.  Would estimate I began the diet at 195 but cannot be certain, and that would be an increase in my weekly weight loss of a full pound per week beyond what I am used to with health regimens.

I love the "Jeff's Most Recommended Smoothie" in the morning.  It gets me through with clear, strong energy until about 11am.  Better than black tea or coffee.

I have more mental clarity overall and more focus for projects.  I am doing more writing, game mastering, shopping/chores and human interaction per day now.  I am tired at the end of every day, and my muscles ache (especially the left side shoulder, hamstring & groin).

I am familiar with this terrain, and I am trying to have more fun with it this time while still focusing hard. It is gratifying and encouraging to see how Kate has been progressing with her blood sugar levels and insulin usage.

Have fun in Diablo III, even though the servers are down right now.  Why else would I be writing this on launch day, duh, party!

Kate's Corner - What Diet Books *Don't* Say. . .

Diet books are a big seller. The market for them is HUGE, and given the situation with our nutrition & eating habits in this country, not going to wane anytime soon. Some of them are good. Some of them are complete crap. I've yet to find one that talks about the down sides of completely changing your eating routine.

The breakouts:
Holy crap. I thought I had acne problems when I was eating dairy. For the past two weeks I've had one breakout after another. Thankfully, they are relatively brief breakouts, but still - its gross. Why does this happen? I can only figure that we humans store yuck in our pores, and when we start to get healthier, it comes out. Every evening I've had a small constellation of pimples that are gone by morning, or soon after. This is not unique to me. It happens.

The Poop:
I have NEVER read a diet book that talked about what happens to your intestines once you start eating healthy. If they did, a whole lot of people wouldn't try that diet. OMG, for two weeks things have been pretty gross. I'm not going into details. Much like pores, intestines get filled with yuck. It comes out - sometimes explosively.

The Aches:
This morning Bronnie asked me if I was noticing any pick up in energy. I replied that I'd let her know as soon as I stopped hurting long enough to tell. When you haven't been moving much, and then you start, it hurts. You're building new muscle. That's good. The way muscle is built is that the old one is very lightly torn, and then it repairs itself. That' HURTS. All last week through today, my legs have felt like they were on fire, and the rest of me isn't far behind.

The Tiredness:
I haven't craved coffee in a while, but today, I'd murder a pot. Not going to, but the craving is there. Why? Because I'm tired. I'm to the bone weary, and its only Tuesday. I've encountered this before w/ other eating plans/exercise plans. Something happens when you make a change like this, and you need more sleep. However, that's hard to get in our current society. Its hard to get enough sleep when you aren't doing stressful things.

Those are the things that are plaguing me. I can't think of any others right now. I'm certain there are others, I just haven't had to slog through them yet.

Kate's Corner - Monday 05/14/2012

The Crunchy Bits:

Blood Pressure 150/84 pulse 100

Blood Sugars
5:45 AM 60
10:30 AM 92
12:00 PM 89
4:00 PM 74
8:00 PM 65


Breakfast Breakfast smoothie

Snack cucumber, avocado, beet salad w/ newmans own dressing, 1/4 c walnuts

Lunch Veggie Panang curry over black beans

Snack 1/4. c hummus w/ 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 4 oz salmon w/ 1/4 c. black beans, 1/2 c. guacamole & 1 c. steamed snow peas

Exercise AM Yoga, 20 min walk

The Froo-Froo Bits:
Started out w/ my blood pressure high. I know why (I got cranky. Does it every time.)Otherwise, this was a pretty good day as far as making my goals. Tiring though.


Monday, May 14, 2012

Kate's Corner - Checking In

Well, I got on the scale this morning. I now weigh 238. That's a total of 8.5 lbs in two weeks. As bizarre as this sounds, that's a little intimidating. I'm not stopping what we've been doing, in fact I plan to add more to my routine for this week, but its just so FAST. In the past when I've tried to lose weight, it would take me more than 2 months to see this sort of result. This is just happening.

As far as exercise goes, I'm doing my AM Yoga every day but Saturday, and I'm walking more days than not. This past week, I added walking into my day. I walked 15 min on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. I started to walk on Wednesday, and I just didn't have the energy to do it. So, I sat in the only sunbeam available on my block of DC at that moment, and had a nice, quiet moment in my day.

Quiet moments are pretty important I'm finding. Rest and quiet are pretty important things to me, and I'm realizing that I haven't been getting enough of them. Those moments when I can sit in a quiet place and take stock are the moments in which I have my best conversations with myself. I know that sounds crazy, but its true. I find the need to check in with myself from time to time and make sure that all of me is still in there. I learned with motherhood that sometimes pieces of oneself can slip away if you aren't paying attention. You get busy, and suddenly you realize that its been days, weeks, years, since you did that thing (whatever it is) that feeds your soul. So, I learned to find a moment or two when I could to take stock and remember who I am and what I'm about. I'm finding that I need more of those moments since we started this. This isn't that surprising, nor is it rocket science to figure out. I'm changing my life. I'm doing things that I've been told aren't really possible. That's scary stuff, and I need - for the health of my spirit & mind - to make sure that I'm still in there. I know this sounds a bit out there, and I wish I had better words to express it. I don't.

So,Goals for the coming week. Well, I'm going to keep doing what I've been doing food wise, because if it ain't broke, don't fix it! Exercise - I'm doing my AM Yoga, and upping my walking to 20 min/day (except weekends).

Second week down, and I'm still hopeful, but still a little bit scared.

Kate's Corner - The weekend of 05/11 - 05/13

The Crunchy Bits:

Date 05/11
Blood Pressure 123/79 pulse 80

Blood Sugars
7:00 AM 96
10:30 PM 88
12:00 PM 89
4:00 PM 85
8:00 PM 66
10:00 PM 119

Breakfast Breakfast Smoothie

Snack Swiss chard salad w/ 2 tbsp dressing (newman's own), 1/4 beet & 1/2 avocado. 1/4 c. almonds

Lunch 1 c. Black curry dal

Snack 1/4 c. hummus w/ 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 1 c. Black curry dal, 1 scrambled egg, 1/4 cucumber

Exercise AM Yoga, 15 min walk


Date 05/12
Blood Pressure 137/78 pulse 83

Blood Sugars
7:00 AM 68
no bs
no bs
no bs
5:00 PM 104
no bs

Breakfast 1/2 c. mixed almonds & walnuts,

Snack breakfast smoothie

Lunch swiss chard salad w/ 2 tbsp dressing (newman's own), 1/4 beet & 1/2 avocado. 1/4 c. almonds

Snack 1 stalk celery w/ almond butter

Dinner 4 oz salmon, 1 c split peas in coconut milk curry. 1/4 cucumber

Exercise day off

Date 05/13
Blood Pressure 150/86 pulse 93

Blood Sugars
8:00 AM 94
no bs
no bs
4:00 PM 107
7:00 PM 73
no bs

Breakfast breakfast smoothie, 1 scrambled egg

Snack 1/4 c. almonds

Lunch Cucumber, avocado & 1/4 beet salad w/ dressing (2 tbsp)

Snack 1/4. c walnuts

Dinner Panang Veggie Curry

Exercise AM Yoga

The Froo-Froo Bits:
This was a good weekend. My logs are a bit lacking, I know. I wanted to see what would happen if I just stuck to the diet & didn't hover over my blood sugar. After all, I have a continuous glucose monitor for that. So, I took my brain off-line for Saturday & most of Sunday. It WORKED. My blood sugar stayed stable & steady right where it should be, my graph on my CGM stayed in a nice flatish line. It was a good weekend.





Friday, May 11, 2012

Kate's Corner - Thursday 05/10

The Crunchy Bits:

Blood Pressure 141/80 pulse 89

Blood Sugars
6:00 AM 95
10:30 AM 93
12:00 PM 96
4:00 PM 108
7:00 PM 73
no bedtime bs

Breakfast Breakfast smoothie

Snack swiss chard salad w/ 2 tbsp dressing (newman's own), 1/4 beet & 1/2 avocado. 1/4 c. almonds

Lunch 1 c. Black curry dal

Snack 1/2 c. hummus w/ 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 4 oz. tilapia w/ steamed broccoli & snow peas.

Exercise AM Yoga 15 min walk

The Froo-Froo Bits:

This was a good day. I didn't want to walk, but I did it anyway. Go me. See, I hate exercise. Why? Because it freaking hurts, that's why. Whenever I walk, do yoga, do anything, I get this weird burning tingle in my hips. If I keep going, it travels down my legs and sits on my feet. It doesn't stop until I do. It hurts. Unfortunately, I have to keep going, because even though I've made a ton of monumental changes to my diet, we all know that just changing one's diet isn't enough. In order to lose this weight and get healthy, I've got to move. So, I'm moving. I hate ever step of it, but I'm doing it.

I'm starting to think that's what its about. Yeah, it sucks, but I'm doing it anyway. Mostly because there's a whole lot of world out there, and I'm going to have to be mobile in order to see it. Also, I'm bound, set & determined not to end up like my mom. She died at 60, with bad knees, bad hips and a bad heart. The heart was what got her, but the knees & hips didn't help.

I'm not going there. I'm just not going to be like that.

So, I move. It hurts. I keep going.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Kate's Corner - Wednesday 05/09

The Crunchy Bits:

Blood Pressure 129/81 pulse 80

Blood Sugars
6:00 AM 94
10:30 AM 102
12:00 PM 93
4:00 PM 85
7:30 PM 63
No Bedtime BS

Breakfast Breakfast smoothie

Snack swiss chard salad w/ 1/4 cucumber, 1/4 beet & 2 tbsp Newman's own balsamic vinaigrette, 1/4 c. almonds

Lunch 1 c un-refried beans

Snack 1/4 c. almond butter, 3 lg celery stalks

Dinner 1.5 c. black curry dal, 1 scrambled egg, and 1/4 cucumber

Exercise AM Yoga

The Froo-Froo bits:
This was an interesting day. I had about 4.75 hours of sleep (not nearly enough), and was very tired all day. Still stuck to schedule, which is AWESOME. I didn't have an afternoon walk, and I'm still counting the day a win. I tried. I grabbed my iPod at 3:30 PM, and walked outside to begin my walking. I got around the corner and just . . .stopped. My legs didn't want to move anymore. So, I sat down in the sun dribbling through the clouds and watched a butterfly on the magnolia trees outside my building and listened to Enya. It was an awesomely relaxing way to spend my afternoon break, and it was just what I needed in that moment.

My blood sugar has been holding steady all week, even with the reduced basal rate, which is awesome. Overall, things are going well.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Kate's Corner - EGGS

I am having the worst cravings for eggs. Hard boiled, or a big plate of scrambled eggs.

I can eat eggs on this plan, but we aren't eating them often. Still, I could murder a 3 egg & bean omelet.

EGGS!

Kate's Corner - Tuesday 05/08

The Crunchy Bits:

Blood Pressure 124/84 pulse 89

Blood Sugars
6:30 AM 87
No AM bs
12:00 PM 118
3:55 PM 76
7:15 PM 118
12:00 AM 104

Breakfast Breakfast Smoothie
Snack no snack
Lunch 1 c. split pea coconut milk curry, swiss chard salad w/ a1/2 avocado, 1/4 beet, & 1 tbsp newmans own balsamic vinegarette.
Snack 1/4 c. hummus w/ 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber
Dinner 1 c retried beans, 1/4 c. guacamole & carrot sticks

Exercise AM Yoga, 15 min walk

The Froo-Froo bits:

This day was a win. I was tired & achy from a 3:30 AM low (sugar dipped to 46). Adjusted all of my basal rates & my sugar STILL stayed steady on. Ate what I should, did what I should, and while I was tired, had a pretty good day.

I wonder why it is that I'm able to write paragraphs about the bad days, but only a few lines about the good ones. Maybe you just had to be there.


Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Kate's Corner - 05/07/2012

The Crunchy Bits:

Date 05/07
Blood Pressure 130/82 pulse 88

Blood Sugars
5:45 AM 104
10:45 AM 93
12:14 PM 88
3:30 PM 91
55
68

Breakfast Breakfast smoothie

Snack 1/4 c walnuts

Lunch 1c Refried Beans, Swiss Chard salad w/ ginger dressing

Snack 1/2 c. Hummus w/ 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber

Dinner 4 oz salmon w/ hummus & steamed veggies w/ curried coconut milk sauce

Exercise AM Yoga, 15 min walk (afternoon)

The Froo-Froo Bits:

Yesterday was a hard, but good day. I added a daily walk into my routine. It kicked my butt. I started out okay, w/ my blood sugar at 91. The first 5 minutes were fine. Then the burning started. I had this tight burning sensation all down my left leg. I kept walking. I'm pretty sure that I can walk that one out over time. That's also part of the reason that I started with yoga FIRST. Stretch THEN work, then stretch again. My blood sugar when I got back to my desk after a 15 minute walk (which was one time around the block outside) was 66.

Exercise has a very profound & almost jarring effect on blood sugar: at least it does for me. This morning at 3:30 AM, I had my sleep interrupted by a low sugar reaction. My sugar was 46. I got up and took care of it, but that's scary as hell. When I woke up for the day, I adjusted ALL Of my basal rates. I'm taking less insulin (again). That seems to be a running theme. It also seems like my body can't get rid of my need for the stuff fast enough. I'm aiming for slow & steady wins the race & my body is champing at the bit.

Monday, May 7, 2012

Kate's Corner - Checking in

I weighed myself this morning, and I've lost 4.5 pounds. I went from 246.5 to 242.

I didn't prepare for this to work.

See, I'm used to diets/exercise programs that don't work so well. That's part of why I give up so easily. Also, I was TERRIFIED that I had somehow broken myself, and that there was simply no way to lose weight. That I was stuck like this.

I'm not.
That's cool. . .and terrifying.
I'll get over it.

Other than that, I'm seeing a steady decrease of my blood sugar and overall insulin usage which is GOOD. I've halved one of my blood pressure medications (don't try that w/o talking to your doc) b/c I was getting dizzy in the mornings doing yoga. I'm also seeing a steady increase in my flexibility and energy. I'm still not up for doing a can-can in the middle of the floor, but I'm getting there.

So, my goal for this week is to keep doing what I've been doing, and add an afternoon walk to my routine.

Week one is over, and I'm calling it a win.

Kate's Corner - The weekend of 05/04 - 05/06

This was a GREAT weekend. Mostly b/c I stayed on diet. I've always done fine with a new ay of eating/exercising - until the weekend hit. Then everything would got to hell, and I'd give up. I even tried taking weekends "off", but that never helped either.

This past weekend, we stayed on track. We intentionally took Saturday off from working out, and that helped a TON.

The Crunchy Bits:


Date 05/04
Blood Pressure 148/83 pulse 87

Blood Sugars
6:00 AM 61
10:00 AM 93
12:00 PM 104
3:00 PM 132
8:00 PM 83
No b/t bs

Breakfast Diabetic bitter melon crimson smoothie

Snack Swiss chard salad w/ cucumber, avocado & beet & ginger dressing
1/4 c. walnuts

Lunch 1 c stewed kidney beans w/ 1/4 c almonds

Snack 1/4 c almond butter, 1/4 c almonds, 3 stalks celery

Dinner 4 oz white fish w/ cilantro chutney, steamed broccoli & snow peas

Exercise AM Yoga

Date 05/05
Blood Pressure 129/83 pulse 86

Blood Sugars
6:15 AM 56
7:30 AM 74
12:00 PM 70
no afternoon bs
7:00 PM 109
9:00 PM 121

Breakfast 1/2 c almonds & walnuts, Breakfast smoothie

Snack no am snack

Lunch 1 scrambled egg w/ 1/3 cucumber & 1/4 c. hummus

Snack 1/2 c. almonds & walnuts

Dinner 5 cooked shrimp in garlic sauce, miso soup & lettuce salad w/ ginger dresseing. Plate of steamed veggies

Exercise Day off

Date 05/06
Blood Pressure 131/85 pulse 79

Blood Sugars 6:45 AM 63
no am bs
12:30 PM 116
no afternoon bs
7:00 PM 125
no bedtime bs

Breakfast 1/4 c. nuts (mixed walnuts & almonds), & breakfast smoothie

Snack no am snack

Lunch 2 eggs, 1/2 c. un-re-fried beans (vegan), 1/4 c. guacamole, 4 tomato slices

Snack 1/4 c. combined almonds, walnuts & garbanzo nuts

Dinner 1.5 c. dal w/ coconut milk & cilantro

Exercise AM yoga

The Froo-Froo Bits:

Friday afternoon, I had the hungry horrors. So, I went upstairs to our cafeteria, walked past all the not good for me stuff, and got a package of almonds that I split across two "meals". It worked too. Talked to Nick about it, and we're going to add a little more protein to our diet on the non-fish days. Probably eggs.

I really couldn't be happier about how this weekend went. We stuck to eating plan & even took a day off exercise (which was sorely needed). We went to the movies (AVENGERS ROCKS), and even went out to dinner! The important thing was that we had a fun and relaxing weekend, and stuck to the basics that we'd set for boundaries. That for me is HUGE. Weekends were always where I personally screwed everything up. I'm so glad that didn't happen this time.




Friday, May 4, 2012

Nick's initial post

I am going to post punk-rock style, which means fast and succinct.  I hope to inform and entertain.

In 2006 I had spent the past 4 years getting from pre-diabetic and 225 lbs. to fighting-trim and 139 lbs.  I had no coach, no diet plan aside from my own approximation of Weight Watchers POINTS, and only occasional company (for which I was grateful when I received it) during my exercise regimen.

In 2012 for reasons that are my responsibility and irrelevant to this blog I have gained weight back to 191.5 lbs   (weighed today, Friday May 4th, 2012) and become sedentary over the past nine months.  This is no longer acceptable, nor is the poor health of my life partners and low-quality diet that I had been feeding them.

This is a powerful and intentional life change that we have considered before undertaking.  It is a challenge for me because I have already climbed this mountain of fitness with hate (of self and others) but now I must learn to climb it with love.

I think I'm turning Japanese.

Kate's Corner - Almond Butter

Almond butter is AWESOME! Its delicious, and good for you. It contains great amounts of iron and the kinds of fats that help.

It is NOT however, a good fashion accessory.

I was just eating my celery with some almond butter & SPLAT - a bit dollop of the stuff landed right no my chest!

Like I said - not so much as a fashion accessory.

Kate's Corner - May 3, 2012

The Cruncy Bits:
Blood Pressure 131/80 pulse 100

Blood Sugars
6:00 AM 70
9:00 AM 73
12:00 PM
3:30 PM 122
7:30 PM 60
Forgot to check @ Bedtime

Breakfast Diabetic Formula Crimson Sunrise smoothie

Snack no AM snack (@ home w/ panic attack)

Lunch Swiss Chard salad w/ avocado & cucumber & ginger dressing, stewed kidney beans

Snack 1/4 c. Guacamole w/ 3 celery stalks & 1/4 cucumber

Dinner Kidney bean salad w/ cucumber & ginger dressing, 1 c. Dal w/ cilantro & coconut milk (1 tbsp)
1 sq chocolate (1/2 inch by 1 inch,72%)

Exercise AM Yoga

The Froo-Froo Bits:
This day was both good & bad.
The good - well, look at those numbers! What I haven't yet reported here (and I probably should) is my daily totals on my insulin usage. I've dropped my insulin usage by 20 units so far (average). That's not chump change, folks. That's a significant reduction of insulin. That's GOOD. Excess insulin prevents weight loss & also insulin is one of those drugs that the more you need it & use it, the less it works: that's called insulin resistance and its VERY BAD. Picture it this way - you drink a glass of water, your thirst is sated. The next day, it takes a glass & a half. The day after 2 glasses and so on until there simply isn't enough water to sate your thirst. That's what insulin resistance is like. Thankfully, I've not yet reached that charming plateau of poor health. I'm not going to if I can help it.

The bad - I can count on one hand the number of panic attacks I've had in my life. Unfortunately, that number increased by one yesterday morning. I was having a jittery morning,but was holding it together because that's what I DO. I got into the shower, and I was washing my hair, thinking about the day & life in general, and then. . .I don't know. I got overwhelmed. I don't really remember much of it. I was washing my hair & then I was crying. Nick helped a TON (as he is wont to do), and tucked me in on the couch for 20 minutes. I felt better then. Nick compared panic attacks to emotional diarrhea, and I have to agree. I know that this was b/c I'm not eating to cover my emotions any more. I just hope that from now on, I'm able to head that off at the pass. I REALLY don't like those. I'd much rather maintain control (okay, stop laughing all of you). I spent the rest of the day pretty jittery & thin skinned, but okay otherwise. Rough day, but I'm proud of the fact that I didn't trash my diet or routine. That's important for me. That's where I fall down when I try to get things going in the right direction. This time, I didn't fall off track.


Thursday, May 3, 2012

Kate's Corner - May 2, 2012

The Crunchy Bits:

Date 05/02
Blood Pressure 132/88 pulse 90

Blood Sugars
6:00 AM 121
10:45 AM 105
12:00 PM 82
3:30 PM 153
8:30 PM 71
10:30 PM 92

Breakfast Diabetic Formula Crimson Sunrise smoothie

Snack Swiss chard salad w/ grated beet & ginger dressing & 3 tbsp walnuts

Lunch Split peas w/ bitter melon cocnut milk curry

Snack 1/2 c. hummus

Dinner 4 oz salmon w/ coconut oil, black pepper & cilantro, 1/2 c. stewed kidney beans & 1/4 c. guacamole.

Exercise AM. Yoga

The Froo-Froo Bits:

Overall, this was a pretty good day emotionally. I felt good, and stayed up-beat. Almost didn't need my usual 1PM nap (but took it anyway as quiet time away from my desk).

One thing I'm noticing about our new routine is that I get TIRED at night. For a long time, tired was just a state of being for me. I was always tired. Since Tuesday, I've been waking up pretty awake, and feeling alert for most of the day. I'm needing my afternoon nap less & less. However, 9PM hits, and I pumpkin out. I get drowsy & need - absolutely need like I need air - to lay down and go to sleep.

I'm not fighting it. I figure this will either get better in time, or it won't. If it doesn't and the pay off is that I'm alert during the day, I'll take it.



Wednesday, May 2, 2012

Administrative Note

Hey everyone,

I've decided to allow comments. I'm going to be moderating them, however. I've decided that hurtful people don't get to be heard on my blog. So, if you choose to comment, you'll receive this message:

Hello! Thanks for leaving a comment. I'm moderating these b/c I'm not allowing excessive negativity to be spread in the world. So, I'll be reading your comments, and they'll be published as long as they aren't hurtful.

Thanks,

Kate

I'll be checking throughout the day for these, and your comments will be up as soon as I can get them there (barring weekends, b/c I don't compute on the weekends). Have fun!

Kate's Corner - Tuesday 05/01

Yesterday was not a good day. I didn't fall down on the diet, or the exercise goals I'd made for myself for this week, but holy crap did I have a BAD DAY.

The Crunchy Bits:
Date 05/01
Blood Pressure 133/80 pulse 78

Blood Sugars
5:50 AM:118
10:00 AM: 151
12:00 PM: 144
3:30 PM: 177
7:30 PM: 67
9:30 AM: 111

Breakfast Diabetic Formula Crimson Sunrise smoothie

Snack Swiss chard salad w/ grated beet & ginger dressing & 3 tbsp walnuts

Lunch 1.5 c. Dal, 1/4 c. Hummus, 1/2 cucumber

Snack 1/4 c. hummus w/ 3 celery stalks

Dinner Split peas w/ bitter melon coconut milk curry, 1 square (1/2 inch by 1 inch) of 72% dark chocolate (yeah, the chocolate was a bit too much for what my goals are)

Exercise AM Yoga

The Froo-Froo Bits:

Yesterday was a HARD day. I'm an emotional eater, meaning that I bury my negative emotions with food. Well, I haven't done that for two days, and like the undead, my negative emotions are rising up from their food-filled grave.

So, what's the big deal? Well, I'm dealing with a lot of screaming at myself in my head, and a TON of self-loathing. Seriously, I'm looking at myself and going "What the f^@& were you THINKING letting yourself get to this place?!?!?" I feel disgusting, I look disgusting, and I'm not enjoying it one bit. I'm having a hard time being touched. I'm also discovering that when I don't bury my emotions with bad-for-me foods, my instincts are to pull away from everyone. That's not so good for keeping up my level of intimacy with my life partners. Its also just not good for where my head is right now. My logical brain knows that pulling away isn't helpful to anyone, including me. So on top of the self-loathing,and the self-recriminations, I have a steady stream of my logical brain telling myself to not run screaming from the building, to stand and take the emotional hit on the chin and to do it in front of an audience. No, it doesn't really matter in my head that the "audience" is made up of people who love me; they are still there, and still able to see it. That's scary for me.

I know that self-recriminations aren't helpful. I know that self-loathing is toxic. The problem is that its already there, and I've been burying it for years. I know also that disconnecting is dangerous, and I'm fighting that tooth & nail, while trying to deal with the other crap as well.

Its hard to learn new tricks, even when you aren't that old.

I know I can do this. I have loving support all over the place, and in a way I've never had before. I have all the tools I need for the physical portions of this change, and I just need to find a few tools for my brain.



Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Kate's Corner - The first day

I started yesterday by weighing myself. I was NOT amused by the number the scale showed me, but neither was I surprised by it. I weigh 246.5 pounds. At the most generous I can be with myself, I need to lose 100 lbs. That's a LOT of oranges. Not an impossible amount, but still quite a lot. That's a whole other person.

So, how did yesterday go? Pretty well.

We got up at 5:45 AM, drank our tea, THEN remembered our Good Belly Straight shots (pro-biotic supplement) and took those. Nick made smoothies - WHICH ROCKED. I'll admit now to being worried that they would taste like ass. I mean, seriously - who'd think that throwing a bunch of raw veggies into a blender & hitting the "KILL" button would end up tasting that nommy?!?! I was more than pleasantly surprised. We drank only a little bit of smoothie & then did yoga. After yoga, we finished the smoothies & got into the shower.

Yesterday being the first day, we took a LONG time to do all this. It doesn't look like much writing it down, but it took about 4 hours. Most of it was that it was an entirely new routine.

I'll let you all know now, that yoga is a departure from what is indicated in the book. Why yoga then? Honestly, its the money. We just spent quite a bit of money on the set up for this (i.e. blender, distiller, sundries), and I simply don't have the money to spend on Qigong DVDs. Nick & I were talking about it last night, and we're definitely interested, but we just can't swing it right now.

The crunchy bits:

For those of you interested, below are yesterday's numbers regarding my blood sugar & what I ate & such suches.

Date 04/30
Blood Pressure 149/98 pulse 84

Blood Sugars
(fasting) 262
(10:34 AM) 222
(12:00 PM) 156
(2:00 PM) 199
(7:30 PM) 78
(9:30 PM) 106

Breakfast Diabetic Formula Crimson Sunrise smoothie

Snack Swiss Chard salad w/ ginger dressing & 3 tbsp walnut halves

Lunch 1/4 bitter melon & 1/2 avacado sauteed in coonut oil, ginger, garlic & red pepper flakes w/ 1.5 c Dal

Snack 1/2 c hummus w/ 1/2 cucumber & 3 celery stalks

Dinner 4 oz steamed salmon, 1/4 c. steamed carrots & 1/4 c. steamed parsnips

Snack 2 tbsp walnuts

Exercise AM Yoga

Distilled water: 4 18 oz bottles.

The Froo-froo bits:
So, how did it feel? Pretty darned good. I started the day out with my sugar high but it was my own fault for over-eating the night before (DAMN YOU CHICKEN BIRYANI!!). I watched my sugar come down steadily through the day, with a minimum of corrective bolus and no meal bolus.
I took my normal nap at lunch time (1PM) and instead of waking up & NEEDING a cup of coffee, I woke up awake, and had a greatly reduced nap time.
My spirits & energy were up, but not by tons. However, it WAS the first day, so I wasn't really expecting anything.
The food was tasty, and quite a lot of it was stuff I'd either never eaten before, or had tried and disliked. However, I must say, having food prepared well can make ALL the difference.
It was an exhausting day, but a good one. I felt good about it when I went to bed.