Oh no Dee! No one better mess with Mama Bear! I hope you get him help today!

I don't really have any topic ideas. Something kind of gross and TMI issues that I have. TMI TMI TMI ****

I am drinking a good amount of water. I try to get in just about 100oz a day and I am eating vegetables. Not wheat though and no breads. I did have a fruit granola bar this morning to try and keep my energy up throughout the day because I am dealing with energy/headache issues.

However...I am having issues going... like only once a week. Anyone else having this problem? I know I am not eating much.. and you have to eat to go. But I just get so frustrated because I feel like I should be eliminating what I am eating some how. It's been a week already and nothing. Oh and I am taking fiber pills. Last week I just finally caved and took 3 laxatives after 1 didn't do anything I took 2 more.

I hope you get the help you need at the doctor's, Dee! How insanely frustrating that they won't return your calls.

I had a really good workout day yesterday. I did manage to corner one of the gym staff to show me some free weight exercises. He wrote down what he taught me and I'll be trying to incorporate that rather than the machines from now on. I definitely feel it more! My quads are killing me from the dumb bell dead lifts. I need to work on keeping the weight on the back of my feet. The trainer said that will help me achieve "glute dominance." I'm so mature that all I could picture was a butt wearing a crown

Today is my birthday and I'm going to a homestyle Thai restaurant with my fiance for dinner. I have *no* idea how I'll track that because they basically just bring you several courses of whatever they cook for the night and apparently don't always tell you what it is. I'll do the best I can, though.

I also have a free "birthday drink" from Starbucks and I'm trying to decide how I want to spend that/what's worth the calories...

I need to get something soon! I didn't eat much yesterday (not intentionally, I just was at the gym much longer than anticipated and had to force myself to eat as much as I did). I'm definitely hungry now!

Happy Birthday, Norah!

Blondage, I'm having the opposite issue lately, so I can't offer any suggestions, just my sympathies.

Angie, the cop actually gave us a break. School zone is 15 and we were going 45--the fine isnt even list because you have a mandatory court hearing. He knocked it down to 30 in a 15, which easily saved us $100+.
I guess we learned the hard way that summer school is in session! :-( No one else knew either because there were people being pulled over left and right. Thing that really sucks is that my husband is always the one yelling at people blowing through school zones.

-Becky in Florida

Happy Birthday Norah!!

I agree with the person who recommended Metamucil as even with my mother's heart problems that is what her doctor recommends. Also, anything you can do to add fresh vegetables may also help with this problem.

Today I noticed I am still holding extra fluid from the boiled crawfish Sunday. Upping the water today to get rid of the rest of the excess sodium. The scale doesn't show any additional pounds lost but I'm sure it will if I stick to it.

Heather I am actually eating fresh chicken breast tonight for supper. 100g has 79g of sodium. If it is fresh not frozen I do not see how yours could be that high! I have to watch my sodium, I am on high bp meds. I have been keeping it between 1800 to 2300 most days, but sometimes it is really hard and it goes up. I was watching my fat rather than sodium for a while and now I am better with that I am getting on my sodium numbers as being hbp I should be keeping it 1500 to 1800 I think. I bought a no salt seasoning thing the other day. So now I have to balance processed foods - if I have a light cheese triangle on my whole wheat english muffin, I need to have something non processed for supper for example. I reduce salt in recipes when I cook or bake. Switch to unsalted butter. And the recent one that will make a big difference is use this non salt seasoning on my food.

Edit: Hope that does not send anyone diving for salt

Congrats on the new client Patrick, hope it works out. Jumping rope is great exercise and just be glad you aren't a girl. I'm afraid all that jumping could cause problems here.

Sodium is a beast, Madeline. I mentioned Chicken in the other thread and even made some notes about it in my diary today. I haven't eaten it yet, but I am a little ticked that I have no idea how much sodium is in my chicken breast I am planning on having for dinner. The diary says 880mg of sodium. It is fresh, not frozen, so it shouldn't be that preserved, I already cooked it so I don't have the package. Anyways, I am over my sodium already as usual. I cannot seem to NOT be over, ever, even eating 90% non-processed.

Oh well. So, I am constantly up a couple lbs. What can you?

I will check out the suggestions..I appreciate them very much. It is nothing new, it just is me but has me wondering, where the heck is it going if not out?

Some chicken, particularly some store bought brands have "added water" which can include water and salt. It's makes them juicer and plumper. But that should be listed on the package. I would double check the nutritional information on the packaging. I don't think it's really an issue of fresh or problem, just weather it has added sodium.

Some chicken, particularly some store bought brands have "added water" which can include water and salt. It's makes them juicer and plumper. But that should be listed on the package. I would double check the nutritional information on the packaging. I don't think it's really an issue of fresh or problem, just weather it has added sodium.

I finally figured it out. I google imaged searched to find out the exact chicken I always buy since it is pretty much just the generic chicken breast at Walmart. (Which is Pilgrim's Boneless Skinless Fresh Chicken Breast with Rib Meat) at my local Wal-Mart
I found out that it Contains 2% Or Less of Sea Salt, Carrageenan [Natural Ingredient Used to Retain Moisture].so it is only 125mg of sodium per every raw 4oz. Now, how much get's cooked off, we will never know, same with fat content.

I also did figure out, if I am counting 8oz cooked tonight, I need to use the 12oz raw calculations since I already cooked it, it is too late to weigh now. In the future, I will just weigh before.

I know it sounds crazy that I have been obsessing about this for a while, but can you imagine? Since 2010, I have been counting 8 sometimes more ounces of chicken as 220 calories. That adds up! Especially when some days, weeks, that is all I eat!

Super happy about the lower sodium count!!! ♥

He needs to call that doctor in Houston!

It really is crazy. I swear, the insurance companies are hoping we just die before we get too expensive. In the meantime, let's give that CEO another 2.7 million bonus check.

K.

However...I am having issues going... like only once a week. Anyone else having this problem? I know I am not eating much.. and you have to eat to go. But I just get so frustrated because I feel like I should be eliminating what I am eating some how. It's been a week already and nothing. Oh and I am taking fiber pills. Last week I just finally caved and took 3 laxatives after 1 didn't do anything I took 2 more.

Not every one goes once a day...sometimes every 3 days. Have you tried Senokot S (or the cheaper generic brand). Will keep you regular because the last thing we need is to be blocked up...headaches, bloating etc etc.

Thanks for all the support guys and Heather you're right.....this Momma bear will tear of your head if you mess with her baby (he may be 6'3, 200 pounds and 16 but he'll always be my baby, hehe). I called and complained more this morning and finally the doctor decided to call me back. She ordered another round of antibiotics and said we'll evaluate it on the 16th when we go in. Was really glad I didn't have to go to their office. I got to go to my therapy appointment instead which was nice.

Heather, have you tried taking something like Docusate which is a stool softner. I know Michael has this same problem partially because he doesn't eat enough to keep a bird alive and partially because he if prescribed several opiads. He takes a Docusate twice a day and a Senna once a day. He still occasionally has a problem but then I give him a couple gentle, overnight laxatives and that usually works. Not sure what else you could try. Might need to call and ask your doctor for suggestions. You don't want to go too many days without going, that can be dangerous.

Becky, all I can say is OUCH!!!! $406!!!??? That's horrible. Great job staying within range yesterday. I know just how hard that can be.

Angie, get carried away all you want. Damn doctors nickle and dime us (who am I kidding they're just robbing us blind) with all those co-pays. It kills me when every doctor wants to run the same test over and over. C'mon that's just ridiculous.

Andrea, I find that the powdered form works much better for me than the pills also.

Norah, first and foremost.......Happy birthday!!!! Oh my, you made me laugh so hard at the cow wearing a crown. Too funny. Glad you were able to find someone to show you the free weights.

Pat, sorry to hear about the weather being so hot. I can empathize. It hasn't gotten that bad in St. Louis yet but it surely will. Right now we're just dealing with a ton of rain. Glad you picked up a new client. Hope it works out in the long run for you.

The hoops I had to jump through were udderly ridiculous! Most of the hoop jumping is for the insurance but some of it is the surgeon. I got into an argument once with an insurance agent when she told me they wouldn't pay any on WLS. She actually had the nerve to tell me if I was anorexic or bulimic they could help me but i was fat and that was my own damn fault! You can guess that didn't go over too well with me. I told her at one point, "so you'd rather pay for the heart attack or stroke and all the time in the hospital, surgeries, medicine, therapy, etc. associated with it instead of doing something to prevent it?" She actually said, "yes." I was so irate at that point I just hung up.

Hope everyone had a fantastic day!!!

I hope you had a great birthday and enjoyed your dinner!