2022: Become a priority in your life - today is your opportunity to build the tomorrow you want.
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That's funny that you mentioned kalettes! That was the vegetable I had the other day and couldn't remember the name of! Like a cross between kale and brussels sprouts! They were pretty good, although I didn't think they were at all like brussels sprouts, apart from the size. They didn't seem quite as fibrous as kale, and quite a mild taste. Lovely colour, and hopefully full of nutrition!
Yes, I had forgotten about the cheap olive oil not having the benefits, although I only buy the good stuff. I love it, but I find it's not ideal for some things I cook, e.g. Asian dishes that I think need a lighter more neutral flavour. So have been using a different oil for that but maybe I should persist in using the cold pressed EVO. I bought it in a tin as I remember reading that it preserves it better than glass. It's lovely (although what I really want to do is dip some crusty bread in it).
I'm glad your pain is improving, Suzy. Maybe you'll never find out what it was. So many of these things end up being a mystery! But good that you are having it checked out.
One of my big luxuries is really good cheese, and it's partly from reading that book about all the benefits! I have ordered some more unpasteurised cheese (including Mimolette!). I was thinking I have that window of opportunity when I'm not an infant or pregnant or elderly and infirm, when it's fairly safe to eat unpasteurised cheese!
Yes, I agree about exercise being for health rather than weight loss. It's one thing I don't like about the MFP programme: it overestimates the power of exercise. As another diet book I was reading recently reminded me, the vast majority of calorie output is just in day to day being alive. The exercise only adds on a little bit, and often the exercise counts given are for the total burned (forgetting that you would have burned some of that anyway just by breathing and existing). I think that's particularly the case for something like walking that can take a long time and not be intense.
Avocado is great and I love it! The only reason I haven't had much recently is that I tend to have it on toast, and I've been bread-free.
My meal last night was haggis with mashed veg and kale. This particular haggis was made mainly with lamb lung (plus oats and fat). I have a feeling I read somewhere that a small amount of organ meat is good, and that is something that's lacking in my diet. I'm not a big fan of liver or kidneys, but haggis is delicious!
My weight is now hovering just above my lowest on MFP, taunting me. It would be nice if I got there before the end of the programme, which is just coming up! I think I still have about ten pounds or so to go to get to a healthy BMI. Then quite a bit more to get back to my old happy weight. It's so funny, there's a menopause section on the forums for my programme, and it's just full of older women puzzled that they're losing weight so slowly, despite being on this miracle extra fast diet! I feel for them, because I think we are being misled a little, and actually slow is normal for us.0 -
Vail - i saw you logged a weight loss.... fingers crossed it took you over the edge to that number you were hoping to hit!!
LOL on dipping the crusty bread.. omg yes... me too ha.. and yes i think the tin is better for preserving it.. you're supposed to keep it in the dark and that helps.. i keep mine on the kitchen counter which is not the best place for it i suppose but... im lazy and its within reach lol. and yes for sure for delicate dishes like asian ones you need a lighter tasting oil
im not a big fan of organ meats; i think just because it wasn't all that common in my house. We did have a rare steak and kidney pie, but usually my dad would just pick one up at a bakery for himself as he was the only one who liked it lol. I though haggis was always made from sheeps stomach... so there you go i learned something new!
And yes a lot of these specific diets seem to "target" a 20-40 yr old audience i think.. they rarely address issues like menopause or older age but i guess its more lucrative for them to target the biggest audience .. but it is frustrating for those who face certain challenges and wonder why things arent happening as fast for them.. we get that!
My dinner last night ended up being a bit of leftover scallop potato and some broccoli/cauli/carrots lol.. i had taken out a steak to defrost to treat myself but couldnt be bothered cooking it up as again i waited til i was starving.. but a quick nuke gave me quite a satisfying dinner in the end. So now i have to stop and pick up some mushrooms and onions to sautee for the steak tonite ha..0 -
Steak sounds lovely, especially with the mushrooms and onions! I’ve never been a fan of organ meats. I have tried so many times and I just can’t. I don’t think I’d like haggis but I would try it if I had the opportunity. I hate to say I don’t like something if I’ve never tried it.
The kalettes that I had weren’t like brussel sprouts at all….like you said, just the size. I’ve never seen them in the stores so I’ll have to look more carefully. I tend to only go for the veggies I’m familiar with but I’m ready to broaden my horizons.
I’ve been eating avocado mash on either a gluten free or multi whole grain slice of toast in the mornings. I’m addicted to it right now. Lol. I found an oatmeal bake that is low calorie and only half a tsp of honey per serving so I’ve been having that for lunch. I want to eat oats but don’t want to bother with making a pot of it every morning.
Have either of you tried rose hip tea? Have I asked you this before? A friend told me that her cholesterol had gone up since menopause and her doctor wanted to put her on statins. She tried diet and exercise but it didn’t have much effect. So she started drinking rose hip team and her levels all improved. She swears by it. I’ll try anything. Lol. I had a cuppa yesterday and it wasn’t bad.
It has been in the low 70’s (21-23c) here lately and gorgeous! I’m embarrassed to say that I did not get out and go walking though. Like I said before…I’m finding it really hard to get back into exercising. I have my paperwork done to start walking shelter dogs so I really need to do that. I just want to keep/get my strength up and work on flexibility and stamina. I’m watching my sick granddaughter today (also two days last week and took mom to the doctor two days and I had an ultrasound…it’s always something). I will get some exercise in this week…I HAVE to make myself a priority!!!!
Vail, was your weight loss enough to put you at your lowest? You’ve got to be soooo close! I can’t even imagine being ten pounds away from a healthy BMI. Good for you!!!0 -
You are right about the haggis! It's traditionally made in a sheep's stomach, but the stomach is more of a bag to hold it all, and the meat of it is lungs, heart, etc. I can't imagine sitting down to eat a lung, but funnily enough when it's an unrecognisable part of a haggis I love it! Vegetarian haggis can be pretty good too, and in fact doesn't taste wildly different: I suppose the flavourings must come from the pepper and spices.
Your dinners do sound nice. I love hearing about other people's meals - living vicariously! I had three meals today: quinoa porridge with added bits and pieces (Bramley apple, peanut powder - not allowed on this diet, but only a little bit of it, I'm such a rebel, cocoa powder, cinnamon, chia seeds, a bit of greek yoghurt, and other seeds, and a few peanuts). Only a very small portion - I weigh out 10g quinoa etc. Then tired after a work a grabbed a pre-made hummus and pitta snack box that I'd ordered with my shopping by accident. But that was only about 130 calories, so off to make my main meal which was king prawns with garlic and olive oil, red pepper, spinach, tomato and konjac noodles. Feeling really stuffed and still under my calorie allowance.
Sadly my loss didn't take me under my lowest MFP weight! Although technically - I used to round down, so possibly I'm actually under that weight. But officially, I have 0.3 of a pound to go!0 -
omg Vail.. 0.3 of a pound?? arghhhhhhhh how frustrating lol.. but i bet your next weigh in will be 0.5 lbs so you'll be even below that # !!!!
I love hummus but forget about it a lot lol... i like to think i'm pretty open to new foods but i have to admit altho i have used chia seeds, hemp and eaten seeded breads i've never heard of peanut powder!
But your main meal sounded deliciousssss!! I've never had the chance to try haggis but i would definitely try it - i actually really love trying new foods and 1/2 the time i don't even need to know what it is lol... i had beef cheeks at an upscale italian restaurant once and they were amazing.. but it doesnt count as an organ lol I cannot stand liver... the smell, the texture, all of it makes me gag.. its probably the only thing in the world i will not eat.. (i don't like kale.. but i would eat it if it was served to me at someones house).. but i could NOT ever bring myself myself to eat liver. Funny my sister just sent me a message saying on her way home she found a little diner and treated herself to liver and onions .. gakkkkk
Suzy.. I'm not a tea drinker at all.. but i don't think you've mentioned the rose hip one before. In fact.. when i want tea?? ?its an indication to me that I'm sick lol.. seriously its true... thats the only time i drink it
I remember when i first had high cholesterol i googled foods that will lower the bad cholesterol naturally and walnuts were a big one.. and too funny just last week i picked up a small container of walnuts halves.. i have learned that you have to buy at least the 1/2's for them to be sweet.. i mistakenly bought the little bits you use for baking once and blech... they were so bitter... but the large halves are lovely and sweet .. supposedly just a handful a day will lower your bad cholesterol levels (or so says the internet!) so i totally get why you would try the tea.. i picked the walnuts for the same reason lol
I am jealous of your weather Suzy lol... we're still in the tail end of winter here but spring is on the way so i won't complain too much. I'm doing ok playing pickleball indoors a few times a week right now.. i played this morning but i MUCH prefer playing outdoors so I'm looking forward to better weather soon - I'm tired of wearing mittens and earmuffs and freezing various bits off. Today its cold and rain/freezing rain and my joints and bones are feeling it.. I'm a little stiff and sore after play today... oh well.. i'm still mobile so i should stop whining.. on the way out to the parking lot at the rec centre there was a little tiny lady maybe 75? 80? taking her walker out of her car and making her way slowly thru the lot into the rec centre.. and i thought to myself... god bless her she's going in for some kind of movement/exercise/water therapy ... im not sure i would be so motivated to be honest in the same situation.
i splurged on a tub of turnip chunks (already peeled and in big chunks).. its a little more than buying the turnip itself but i find it so difficult to peel and cut them that it was worth it.. i love them on their own (mashed with a little salt and pepper) but also mashed together with a few carrots.. and im kinda sick of broccoli and cauli right now ha.
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p.s. Suzy - is it tues you see the doc?? Let us know how it goes pls!0
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Oh, Suzy, I missed your post somehow! I haven't tried rosehip tea although I used to be fed rosehip syrup as a child and loved it! Maybe something to try. I'm a massive tea drinker, but have to admit to preferring the caffienated stuff.
You are reminding me of when I got my heart diagnosis, and I started eating more walnuts, oats, oily fish, etc., in the hopes of improving heart health. Of course, I put on weight, lol! I love walnuts and eat them a lot but in very controlled amounts. Like one walnut at a time now. Oats I cook in the microwave in the bowl I'm going to eat them out of so they're not too much hassle. Although replaced with quinoa flakes at the moment as struggling to get enough protein.
You sound so busy, Suzy. I hope you do manage to make yourself a priority! Maybe little bits of exercise here and there is you can't do a whole session? I'm trying to make myself do that .... I was struggling to fit in my exercise yesterday so just did nothing at all, when I could easily have done five minutes of something, anything! Hope your granddaughter is better now. And good luck with your appointment.
Ready prepared turnip sounds great, Snoozie! I would definitely buy that!
The peanut powder that I have is just made of peanuts but without the fat, so it ends up being fairly high protein for the calories. I struggled to find one without sugar added! You can mix it with water to make peanut butter, or just use it in cooking to add a peanut taste and some protein. I like it, but as it's a processed food, I'm not really supposed to have it (whole peanuts would be OK) on this diet. But you know, I'm just finding things I can live with.
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Oh, my weight was up 1.3 pounds this morning, so my goal is a little bit further away, ha ha!2
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Vail - hang in there !! I was up 2 lbs yesterday.. then down that plus a bit this morning.. we KNOW its whacky with the fluctuation - so hang tight !!!
Cool on the peanut powder.. never ever heard of it before!
As for the walnuts.. yup i take out 6 halves... it says "a handful" a day... and 6 fit nicely in the middle of the palm of my hand lol. If only I could portion out some other stuff that well ha..
The turnip was sooooo good.. i had to stop myself from going back for seconds but said nope you are SO not hungry woman... I had a perfectly nice meal with a few small slices of the steak, the turnip, carmelized onions and 2 fingerling potatos (skins left on) mashed with some green onion added.. and I even had a glass of wine with it! and today im glad i didn't go back for more because now i have another full dinner left for tonight and I won't have to cook! Bonus day! But its funny how good some plain old mashed turnip can entice me.. someone once said nobody ever craves broccoli - but they never said turnip hahaha.
March break is next week when the kids are off school so the indoor pickle is cancelled that week.. im keeping my fingers crossed we'll have a few nice outdoor days but i need to start the darn walking again too...0 -
Vail, I know you were disappointed but you’re going to take those couple pounds off soon. You’re doing so great!
Sounds like a delicious dinner, Snoozie. I still haven’t looked for turnips. I want to make some and see if my husband likes them. He draws the line at brussel sprouts and cauliflower. Lol.
My ultrasound didn’t reveal anything that could explain the pain in my side. No blockages or enlarged organs or anything. Since the pain has subsided we’re just going to keep an eye on it. If it comes back I’ll either have an MRI or maybe a colonoscopy. However, the ultrasound revealed some granulomas on my liver and spleen.They’re doing a blood test for an autoimmune disease called sarcoidosis. I have no symptoms and no issues so we’ll see what the test says. It may be nothing. After explaining everything and answering my questions, she asked me what I was thinking. I told her, “this is what I get for going to the doctor.”
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Suzy - if you don't think he'll be that thrilled with turnip... boil a few carrots along with and mash them together with the turnip.. it sweetens the turnip and looks very pretty on the plate.. we call it "squirmit" and its still a must have veg at xmas dinner for me and my sister lol. i have a friend who said she hates turnip but ate the mix of the 2 and loved it lol
I'm very glad the ultrasound didn't show anything - but not glad you had the pain... hopefully it won't come back but i am happy she has a backup plan if it should.. yikes on the potential auto immune... VERY glad they have a blood test that can tell whether you have it or not... fingers crossed for you having negative results !0 -
Fingers crossed for your test, Suzy. I hope it's OK. Isn't it often the case that you once you start testing you often find things that have nothing to do with the original symptoms.
I remember having the turnips/swedes conversation before and I can't remember how it went, but in Scotland turnips are the big yellow ones, whereas in England they'rethe small white ones, and I think in Canada they're the big yellow ones? Anyway, I sometimes get the big yellow ones, but I've got some of the small white ones this time. I hope your husband likes them Suzy, whichever type you have! I actually like them raw, but not everybody does.
Also bought some Jerusalem artichokes - now I'm going to check if they have another name as I bet they do. Oh yes, according to wikipedia it's a sunflower tuber and is also known as sunroot, sunchoke, wild sunflower, topinambur, or earth apple. Supposedly has health benefits.
I also tried a new vegetable called Italian Broccolo Fiolaro, which are a type of winter greens. Very nice. I had them cooked topped with an egg fried in olive oil. Also bought some mooli which I haven't had for a while.
I also, after reading those book excerpts, ordered some of that Mimolette cheese! I couldn't see any living mites on it, although it did have lots of holes in the rind so I think it had been a happy home for mites at some point! Or maybe it's my eyesight and I didn't notice them. Anyway, what a lovely cheese! It does smell quite fusty, and has a strange, waxy sort of texture, but tastes really delicious! I'd say one of my top ten cheeses, and I have tasted a lot of cheese!
Really enjoying trying all these different things, and finding another reason to eat cheese.
Treated myself to some mochi, I thought because they are frozen and portion controlled, I can just leave them in the freezer for an occasional 79 calorie icecream treat once I finish my 12 week programme. Of course I had to test them to see if I liked them so had half of one!
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Vail - yup we are the big yellow ones for turnips here in Canada lol... I also LOVE roasted parsnips but i have to say. every time I think I'm pretty worldly with food, you come up with something else i've never heard of which is Mochi LOL.. i had to google it and if seems its a japanese type ice cream sort of treat? but not actually ice cream..
I made a pan of brownies a few minutes ago .. i do like my little sweet after dinner and these freeze well.. so my INTENTION is to cut them up into small squares and freeze them.. sadly i know from experience that 8 seconds in the microwave will thaw a small perfect brownie hahaha.. but I am actually able to resist more than one most of the time!
and we actually do have Jerusulem artichokes here too... we have a commercial dip you can buy here that is artichoke and asiago cheese and its YUMMY.. but competely unhealthy lol... i've never actually had the artichoke on its own but i would like to try it sometime
Its funny you using the word "fusty"... haven't heard that in ages!!!!! My grandmother who lived in Newfoundland used to use that word (and Nfld was a British colony until 1948 so maybe that's why) so it was good to hear it again!! Normally i would avoid ANYTHING she would use that word to describe LOLOL.. but i'm very glad you are happy and love the cheese!! I don't think i'd be looking too close for any "friends" that might be hanging around it tho!0 -
“Fusty,” that’s a new one for me. I love cheese but I draw the line on wee beasties living in it. I know you didn’t see any but you knew they were there at one time. Lol. I’ve heard of Jerusalem artichokes but have no idea what they are. You are so adventurous Vail! I asked about getting Atlantic Char at the local grocer and he said I could order it, no problem. I’m going to try that. How did you cook yours?
I found cookies at the grocery that are vegan, gluten free, sugar free, high fiber and 45 calories per cookie. They’re sweetened with dried fruit like raisins or cherries. Since they’re high fiber they’re very filling so one after dinner is such a treat. Of course, they’re not brownies! Lol. Kudos on only eating a small brownie bite…there’s no way I could control myself like that.
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Fusty is a great word! I had another sniff of it and I don't think it's quite right, it's maybe more of a farmyardy smell? I wouldn't want to eat something that smelled like that if it wasn't cheese, which is supposed to smell kind of bad sometimes. Anyway, would recommend it, the mites will only have been on the surface and you can cut the rind off. The taste is lovely, kind of sweet and nutty, and does not taste at all like mites or mould or anything like that.
I cooked the Atlantic char in my halogen oven. The skin came out really crispy and was the best bit! That's great that you can get hold of it, Suzy! I had never even heard of it, never mind seen it for sale, but I was ordering an online shop and it came up as a suggestion.
I think mochi is all about the rice casing around the icecream, which is chewy and addictive. I just like the idea that they are portion controlled! The brownies sound great, and I know from experience that I would eat things straight out of the freezer anyway, but at least if they are cut into the portion you want you can keep track of how much you are eating and ration it.
It seems the less I eat the more I obsess about food and trying new things! I also went a bit upmarket with my online supermarket shop, so I'm seeing more interesting things for sale (and spending a lot more money!).1 -
https://zoe_science_and_nutrition.captivate.fm/listen This is a new podcast series from an organisation which I follow. Only two up at the moment, but they are a fun listen. Delighted to find that chocolate is another fermented food to add to my list, ha ha!
The first podcast, the guy is selling a book so of course take what he says with a pinch of salt, but I did think he gave a really, really good overview of allergies and intolerances at a beginner's level - you will probably find you know it all, but it was good to hear it altogether in one place.1 -
Suzy.. do the cookies taste good?? When do you go for that blood test btw?
I live vicariously thru your foodie tests Vail lol.. so i look forward to the next installment of something new! I don't think i've tried arctic char.. i tend to stick with haddock, halibut and cod.. but holy moly fish is getting to be more expensive than steak these days!
Today is day 8 of the probiotic yogurt.. and whether its psychosematic (sp? all in my head lol) or real, it seems to be making a difference.. less nausea after eating so perhaps its helping me digest my food a bit better by building up the good gut bacteria.. i'll keep eating one a day for the next week... figure 2 weeks is enough time to give it a head start then just keep it going with good food choices..
but i went to get the 2nd carton of little tubs and dicovered they have a strawberry rhubarb flavour which is my favourite kind of pie... lol so i figured why not.. i can pretend im eating pie!!
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Vail - your post wasnt there when i put mine up lol.. but i see it now so thanks for the links.. will def check it out!!0
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Oh my gosh! It is so cold today!!! We even had snow flurries all morning. No accumulation though, thank goodness. The windchill is in the teens! It’s hard to believe it was in the 70’s last weekend.
The cookies are actually very good, Snoozie. I have to force myself to have no more than two a day and I try to just eat one. Lol. They’re very high in fiber, probably from the oats.
I’m glad to hear that the probiotic yogurt is helping. That’s great! It’s nice that you can tell a difference. I’m not sure any of this whole grain, no sugar, omega 3, rose hip, healthy oils stuff is doing anything but I’m going to stick with it. The thing I absolutely know for certain would be beneficial and show results is exercising. So why can’t I make myself do it? I have to find a way to make it a routine part of my day, just like my cuppa tea or brushing my teeth. There’s no easy way around it, I’ve just got to do it.
Chocolate is a fermented food? Count me in! Lol. Chocolate and wine…I can do that!
Apparently Mimolette Cheese was banned in the US back in 2013. I wonder if they lifted that yet. I would try it. It does sound delicious, mites aside.
They drew blood when I was at the doctor and apparently the test takes about a week. The person doing the labs said she had only ever had one other request for this test…ever. Lucky me. Lol. I am wondering if I should go in for a colonoscopy though. Maybe it would shed some light on the pains I was having. I had a couple over the last few days. I was thinking diverticulitis maybe? I don’t know. I’ll see if they come back.
My granddaughter’s second birthday is tomorrow and we’re going over for her party. Sometimes it feels like the time has flown but then I think about the last two years and what we’ve all been through and change my mind.1 -
Happy Birthday to your granddaughter, Suzy! Yes, it has been such a strange two years. You in particular have been through a lot of change over those two years!
Interesting that your suspected disease is so rare. That's really good that it was picked up as a possibility. I'm hoping the results are good. Although as ever, that will leave you with a mystery, if the pains are going on, so maybe it would be a good idea to look further.0 -
I used this recipe https://www.fromachefskitchen.com/parmesan-crusted-crushed-turnips/ for my turnips (the white/purple kind) and they were nice, but it was quite a bit of prep time! Not sure I'll bother next time! I was quite excited about the low calorie count, but they were only a couple of mouthfuls each! I think I'll put them in stew next time.1
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holy cow that IS a lot of prep lol.. after reading the recipe tho i thot.. hmm i sometimes roast turnip (the yellow one) so i wonder if i just cut the turnips in chunks and par boiled them for about 10 min.. then tossed them in a baggie with the OO and parmesan and tossed them on the cookie sheet.. if it would taste kinda be the same? i know there wouldnt be as much "surface" area to get crusty .. but it might be an interesting experiment! (that said.. i don't think i've ever eaten the white ones - it's all yellow here lol)
I will often throw a few chunks of potato (either a fingerling cut in half lengthwise or a small potato in slices about 1/4" on the sheet pan along with my fish or pork chop or whatever (if im not doing a whole tray of roasted veggies i mean).. and i take the sheet out about 1/2 way to flip everything, and sometimes i will grab my potato masher and "crush" the potatos slightly before i turn them over.. it does give a lot more surface area to get crispy (and i always toss my taties in a baggie with OO before putting them on the sheet) and i must say... its awful nice having the soft middle and crispy outside..0 -
Yes, I would normally do something like you! Except not eating potatoes at the moment. The turnips were nice and the recipe was easy, but probably not worth the 2 hour (including peeling, etc.) wait. And that 109 calorie portion disappeared so quickly. It was kind of fun that they were whole turnips though. Wouldn't be able to do that with the big ones! I have a couple of them left which I might just have in a salad.
I've been gaining weight for the last couple of weeks. Thank goodness for trendweight (which is still showing a downward trend) or I'd be feeling demoralised! So frustrating to get within less than a pound of my previous low weight and then not actually get there!
I have a feeling that it's something to do with this set point thing. If I remember, when I hit that low last time I was quite extreme (for me) with extended fasting and lots of gym. It's almost like there's a barrier up there at that weight point and it's going to be difficult to get through it, as that was a "natural" low. Or maybe I'm just overeating! I might need to be more careful - anyway, I only have this week left and then they say not safe to continue with very low calorie. Just have to make sure I don't rebound!1 -
I know you’ve got to be feeling frustrated Vail. You’ve done so well and have a good handle on what you’re doing. I know you can bust through this set point. Does this program give you an approach for when you come off the low calorie intake? What is your plan to make sure you don’t rebound? You’ve done so well with this program and maybe that’s because you had a somewhat detailed plan to follow?
I have gone off the rails this last few days. I’ve gone up two pounds but I’m hoping that’s temporary now that I’m determined to get back on track. I have no excuse, just laziness. I only had a bite of the birthday cake but then ate some ice cream.
My blood test results are in and everything was negative or within normal levels!!! Whoo hoo! So the granulomas on my liver and spleen are nothing to be concerned about (at this time). We’ll just monitor it occasionally to make sure it doesn’t get worse. What do y’all know about fatty liver disease? Apparently I do have that. It’s Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease…basically it means that I’m fat..even in my liver. So, I have sooooo many issues that dictate that I MUST lose weight and get to a healthy bmi. So far I’m not on medication for anything but I seriously think that time is coming unless I do something drastic like losing sixty pounds and start exercising daily. Time to stop messing around and just do it.
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Oh Suzy! So glad to hear your test was negative!! That must be a load off your mind ... and i'm glad they are going to monitor it . I am sorry to hear about the fatty liver disease tho.... honestly I know nothing about it... i've heard of it but that's about the limit of my own knowledge.
I was talking to my sister the other day and saying i was feeling the "owies" after playing a lot of pickleball games that afternoon, and she said you should pop a tylenol - and without even thinking i just said no @#$# way - I already take 11 pills a day, I'm not taking a pain pill just because I'm a bit sore. She just laughed and said ya ok.. but for whatever reason remembering how many i have to take that particular moment sent me into a bit of a tailspin again.. I have pretty much accepted I'm not likely to be able to get off any of the meds anymore.. but every now and then the # of pills i have to take does mess with my head.
the one thing I regret the absolute most is not taking care of my weight problem before it became T2 diabetes - as 7 of those pills every day are for that alone.. so I understand your wanting to take care of it before any meds might be required.. But I also know how overwhelming looking at having to lose a large amount of weight can be, and how daunting it is (we all can). We all have to find the motivation we need AND then a method that works for each us.. and god knows.. it's soooo frigging hard!!! I really hope you can find a way to get what you want - my ONLY unsolicited advice might be to pick a smaller amount to aim for at the start.. like 10 lbs.... then reset to another 10, etc.. but in truth it has to be whatever works for you. I did better working on smaller amount goals at a time, but others want the whole goal at the start.. so I feel for you..
The only other thing i can say is to know that Vail and I are absolutely here for you .... sometimes just having someone around who knows what you're going thru and you can *kitten*/vent when you're frustrated or down on yourself can help... so just know that we are rooting for you and are here for you!
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Thank you Snoozie! Y’all have no idea how much I appreciate having someone to discuss all this with, someone who understands.
I’ve signed up for a stretching class tomorrow morning and am planning to go a bit early so I can do some cardio and strength training beforehand. I have to make myself a priority. I just have to.
Vail, how is your kitty cat doing? Snoozie’s *kitten* remark made me think of it. Lol.
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I forgot about the censorship lol. Wow good for you for signing up for the class tomorrow - tonite I squatted down to take a bunch of stuff out of the washer…. And was worried I wouldn’t be able to get back up my legs are so weak- I definitely have to start walking again and doing some squats during tv commercial breaks 🕺1
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I'm really pleased that you don't have that rare condition, Suzy. But sorry to hear about the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Yes, I've heard about it, as apparently it's getting more and more common here. I suppose the only good thing is that it has been picked up early. But so frustrating for you! You seem to have quite a healthy lifestyle with the exercise, and generally eating well, and it just seems unfair that you get something like that. I feel similar about my heart and kidney disease! But there's not a lot we can do apart from trying to keep healthy, which will hopefully mean things won't get so bad. It's also really positive that you are still medication-free, unlike Snoozie and me with all our pills jangling around inside!
You sound as if it has really motivated you to lose weight. That's what has been behind my weight loss this year - my kidney results were not good, and it's not something I can medicate or cure, so I thought I really have to stop being comfortably overweight and try to get into the normal range. Of course, I still have more to lose and I've got to see if I can keep it off, but I do think having that health motivation has really helped with commitment. I keep thinking about what if I caught covid and end up with kidney failure or heart failure and whether I would wonder if I could have been better off if I'd been a healthy weight. I know it's really dark, but I think I needed that kick up the butt, and the reminder that obesity is a dangerous health condition for me.
I agree with Snoozie about the smaller goals, as they do say even a small amount can improve your health, and I always remember that my initial goal when I started ten years ago was to lose 10% of my body weight - I think to actually get to a healthy BMI would have been too daunting at that stage, and I might have just given up. However, for the first time I've actually set a very ambitious goal on my programme: to get to my old weight at the middle of the healthy BMI range. And funnily enough I haven't found that demotivating: it has been oddly motivating to see progress towards it, even though it's a (very) long way away. And I have had loads of mini-goals on the way. So I just don't know: maybe have more than one goal? I'm also exercising 4 or 5 days a week, rather than aiming for the 7 now, with the idea that anything is better than nothing!
Yes, my programme does have advice for when you stop the 12 weeks, and they are giving me a lot of articles about that now. The idea is that you keep the Mediterranean eating and have "fast" days depending on how much you still have to lose, so for instance 5:2 with two 800 calorie days (I'm planning 3:4, I think). You get a month free membership, then it's £10 a month which gives access to the recipes, exercise programme, forums, articles, etc. I'll see how I get on with the free month but at the moment I'm planning to stick with it. They say if you do gain, you can have two weeks of 800 calories a day. I do find it useful to check in and to have my exercise video for the day so I don't have to think about it.
My cat is OK, thank you! I'm playing around with his diet at the moment: it's hard to get really good quality food here, so I tend to get it from Germany and I'm experimenting to see what suits him, and I'm having to watch his weight, much to his disapproval! He is so expensive - his insurance is one of my big outgoings! But his diabetes is doing very, very well. He seems to be producing his own insulin now, so is basically in remission and just diet-controlled, more of a T2 than a T1 in human terms!0 -
Yup there's no question that there can be different motivators for everyone, but fear is right up there.. and worked for me. I was looking back at when i first came here.. I was diagnosed with T2 in Jan but it took me 6 months of denial and feeling bad for myself - it wasn't til after my doc made me take the one day diabetes class then that it scared the crap out of me and i joined MFP the next day.
Its funny, when i was going back thru my check ins and graphs and seeing me hitting my goal weight (which took 2 yrs!) as well as the subsequent regains and losses along the YEARS i've been here.. then the big jump during the pandemic.. but i think looking at the ups and downs is actually what helped me get back on track each time... because i was able to SEE that i COULD do it.. because i already had. That may sound a little backwards lol.. as in well if you could why did you regain? But i already know why those happened - the usual stressful times, emotional eating, yada yada.. but it was important for me to be able to see that i HAD been able to lose weight before, so i knew i could do it again. i think having that in the back of my mind.. that i knew i was capable of doing it because the proof was right there in black and white.. that really did help me get back on track.
I was wondering Vail about whether there was a plan in place to transition you away from the really low cal portion of the program so i'm glad to hear they are supporting that with the articles and programs. I imagine it might be a wee bit of a challenge for you - im sure a part of you doesn't want to move on to the transition because you have seen so much success during the first part .... and you're so close to hitting that number you want.. but ya never know.. you might just find mixing it up with a bit more will knock that set point thing on its butt! Its good too you can choose your own options re the 5:2 or 4:3 or however you decide to start the next stage.. im so excited for you!
i'm so glad to hear your kitty is doing so well!! i was going to ask if perhaps he had woofed all over your scales again and that's why they weren't going down.. you might wanna just do a double check UNDER THE scales in case of a present hahahahha
Suzy - looking forward to hearing how today went with the class and the added time you plan to spend! Hugs!
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The plan for after the program sounds really good, Vail. It’s great that you have that support and have already been figuring out how to make it work for you.
I think I’ll make my goal ten pounds at a time. I don’t think I want to put a time limit on it though because I lose so slowly anymore. I go back for a bloodwork follow up in May, so I need to figure out where I’d like to be by then and that’s the only timing that I’m focusing on right now. This is definitely a marathon not a sprint.
I didn’t make it to the gym early enough to do some cardio/strength training before the stretching class. But I did go to the class! I loved it! My hip has been bothering me for months. Whenever I sit on the floor with my granddaughter and then stand up, it’s downright painful! I really feel like it was better after stretching so I need to do that as often as possible. I was encouraged that it didn’t hurt when I stood up after stretching it.
It was all women and there were a few younger and a few older but mostly around my age. I talked to a couple of them and they were so welcoming and encouraging. They suggested a few other classes so I’m going to branch out from the elliptical and free weights.
Snoozie, spring is right around the corner and the lake is just waiting for you to start walking again. You can do it!1
