Of Sound Mind

I just want to be healthy.

Everything I am responsible for stems off of a healthy Me. How can I feed the family healthfully yet inexpensively? How can I strengthen my muscles to better support my joints? Where is that happy medium between working out enough and overdoing it? I'm struggling to figure that out and I've been looking for answers for over six years. I just want to be healthy.

However I found myself these past years not so much searching for what I had intended; I was searching for a cure. I've tried alternative medicine and treatments, I've put all kinds of pharmaceuticals into my body, I've tried diet, exercise, singing Kumbaya until my face was blue. Nothing worked! It's only recently that I realized the difference between working with what I've got versus forcing my body to work like a "normal" person's body.. If you can't beat it, join it! Or something along that lines.

Just because I have these problems doesn't mean I can't be healthy. By saying to myself "I'm sick, I can't do that," I just set myself up to fail. I've quit before I've even tried. Wow, how many cool things have I missed out on because of negative thinking? Sure, I probably can't stand in general admission at a rock concert anymore but I can do other things. It's about being realistic and surrounding myself with the right support system. I can't run a mile right now but maybe I could work up to it someday. I can't clean all my house in one day either but I can clean one room a day. It's about setting realistic goals that build off one another.

But there is also a flip side to this: If I do all these things I supposedly shouldn't be able to do, people will think I'm lying about having these conditions. Now let me just stop you here and I'll reiterate that statement: If I stay active, exercise, and participate in life, people will think I'm lying about having RA, Hashimoto's, Fibromyalgia, TMJ and Endometriosis. This sounds absolutely crazy but these worries come from learned experience. Let me explain. In the past I went through a phase where I could do a lot socially and then my body rebelled; I'd make plans and have to break them. A LOT. A group of friends I was hanging out with called me a liar (in a round-about, passive-aggressive way) and I lost a whole group of friends over it. They didn't believe that I could go out to eat after a 9 hour work day last month but have to break off plans to see a movie or attend an event the next month. After a few times of having to cancel due to pure exhaustion and pain, there was an ugly confrontation. So in the back of my mind I have been closing myself off from people so they WON'T ask me to do anything. That way I don't risk them thinking I am a liar if and when I have to cancel on them. Maybe that's not something I should actively worry about but the experience has stuck with me.

I just want to be healthy. And instead of searching the ends of the Earth for my "holy grail" in the form of a miracle cure, maybe it's better just to be. This is my new self, for better or worse, and it's not always great but it's not always horrible. And if I can do one thing today and not tomorrow, to hell with what others think. If they can't be bothered to get educated on what I deal with every day, then they aren't my friends. I can be a healthy person who has RA, Hashimoto's, Fibromyalgia, TMJ and Endometriosis.

Tune in later this week when I recap the Shredder Weekend in Chicago that I attended last weekend! It was a great trip and very enlightening, as well as motivating. Have a good Monday, tschus!

Week 5, Day 137!@$21!!

Well Week 5 got blown to bits with all the rushing around for doctor appointments, a fussy child with two molars still breaking through her swollen gums and Christmas shopping and celebrating. I also had a batch of cookies to contend with (aka: eat.) I struggled through as best I could and begged for Week 6, but by that time, the book came out. So now that I have the book and full chapters, including recipes, I have two options: 1)I can continue on by starting over Week 5 and giving it my best; or 2)I can start over completely with Week 1. I am leaning towards starting over on Week 1.

I've lost 10 lbs but my momentum is shot and re-starting one of the harder weeks is making the lazy, make-excuses part of me take over my whole being like a robot Stepford wife. I have about 10 more pounds to go and I think it will be easier now that all the holidays are over. Plus I'm taking a long hiatus from drinking any alcohol so no empty calories to worry about. I know I can do this because I did it for 4 whole weeks. And even though I foolishly bought a bread machine half a week ago, I can do this! Even with all the carboliscious temptations in the house.

In addition, the appetite suppressant I was on came out with a new formula. I tried it out today and it felt pretty good. I am hoping it will push me on to lose the last 10 lbs. My hubs likes it a lot too so he signed up to sell it but we aren't hosting parties and forcing weight loss supplements down our friends' throats. However he is giving out samples to some friends and family who want to try it. Maybe word of mouth will lead us to a few more dollars to help chip away at our debt. If not, we aren't losing anything thankfully.

I really believe it takes a combination of things unique to each person to lose weight and feel better. I think I have a good mix of those things now. All I need is the willpower and perseverance to see it through. So I have my book, my supplements and my accountability buddy/husband to push on through to the end. But I guess it never WILL end, will it? The older you get, the harder it is, to lose weight. But my goals for 2013 are not just to lose weight, but to become stronger and healthier on the inside. I hope I can get rid of some medications in this next year. That would be one of the best side effects of all this hard work.

In closing, I would definitely recommend the Shred Revolution diet. I may not have dropped 2 sizes, or even 1 size, but I lost some inches and I dropped some weight. We'll see what the next 6 weeks bring! Off to sleep. G'night.

Week 5, Days 1-3. And, I'm Too Old For This Shit

Yesssssssssss I got Week 5 and wowsers, there are a lot more rules to follow. I'm trying really hard to abide but still feel like I am straggling behind. I swear, every time I turn around, I'm fetching something for the baby, making her food, cleaning her up, entertaining her, pleading with her to nap, etc. And when she does finally nap, I collapse on the recliner and sit there like a lump, oblivious to my needs, the time, or whatever. I can't tell you how many times I find myself in the bathroom, trying to concentrate on peeing while I listen to Elsa cry because I suddenly had to leave her alone for 5 minutes. Uffda.

Needless to say, I am doing the best I can but not doing it perfectly. This week is more of the detox plan and there is no wiggle room. I am struggling to do the required workouts because I am so tired out from the full time mom gig. There have been a few times lately that I hop on my elliptical, give it a few turns and flop back onto the couch. Yesterday I actually quit trying, lay down on the couch and slept for a half an hour, crunched up on the little couch with a giant comforter smashed around my head for cushion. I'm just so unbelievably tired. I feel like I could sleep for a week if I had no one at home to care for and a catheter bag.

But my spouse is home from his travels and done hosting work dinners for a bit so I have some "me" time. I wasted it tonight imbibing a little and then trying to make some traditional German Christmas cookies that my mom used to make. They are called Pfeffernuesse cookies and they are a bit of an acquired taste. This recipe uses cloves, cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, dark coffee, sugar, honey, baking soda and flour. You then roll them into a ball and bake. Once cooled slightly, they are then rolled in confectioner's sugar. If you bake them too long, they are as hard as bricks. But baked just right, they are so good. However, after having a bit of Southern Comfort Pepper liquor and then taste-testing this spicy batter, I started having horrible back and stomach pains. Pretty soon I found myself on the floor, rolling around like I was dying. Oh heartburn, I love you so! I NEVER had heartburn until I was pregnant. (And no, I'm not pregnant.) The last time I threw up was when I was pregnant and before that was right after my mastectomy. I never puke. But this time, with the heartburn so painful, I finally made myself do it. And it was the fun kind, where you piss yourself a little from the terrible convulsions. TMI? Oh, maybe just a little. Thankfully I am married to the most amazing and wonderful person in the world. He first tried to give me milk and Zantac to help my pain. After sitting and sobbing on the floor, our dog Tobin casually walked over to my glass of milk and started slurping the contents, so Ron ran out and bought me Tums and Pepto. While he was gone I did the dreaded vomitus inductus. Granted, I was an anorexic in high school but I never stepped up to the bulimia tier of my eating disorder. (I enjoy eating too much which is why I thankfully failed at continuing the eating disorder, although I still manifest traits of it once in a while.) I absolutely hate throwing up, so for me to do that tonight just emphasizes the distress I felt. But the magical Pepto did the trick and, after a short bath, I am somewhat back to normal. The cookies, however, have not been made. I will get to them tomorrow. Just the thought of tasting the batter and smelling them right now makes me feel ill, I don't know why. Maybe they just heighten the yuck that is Southern Comfort.

Either way, I'm too old for this shit .

The good news is that I'm down 10 pounds since I started this plan. Shhhh....I weighed myself early. I look and feel a lot better, sans this evenings antics. My carb cravings are greatly reduced. I still notice them when I'm hungry and walking through the bakery aisle of the grocery store. (Oh those super thick and soft sugar cookies loaded with frosting and sprinkles? I could eat a whole thing of them. I don't care how sick it would make me. God, I love frosted sugar cookies.) But if I don't have the temptations constantly around me, I don't crave it as much. Hopefully that means some bad habits are finally broken.

Well it's way past my bedtime. I hope you all are doing better and acting smarter than I am. No more booze and baking experiments for this gal. Mein Gott, I can take a lot of pain but I cannot take the awful pain of a full blown attack of heartburn. Wowsa! Have a good night everyone. Tschus.

Back to the beginning

For whatever reason, I still haven't received Week 5 of the Shred Revolution diet. I've decided to start over with Week 1 and keep going until I receive the book, once it's published and shipped to my door. Hey, it's worked so far and why mess with success? It's been about six years since I've been in the 150's so I am definitely happy with how things are progressing.

The hubs and I woke up last night to hear the baby gate open and close. Turns out Tobin was running around the house, trying to find his way outside because he had the trots. We got up to let him out and found he wasn't able to hold it! We cleaned it up as best we could and I went back to sleep. But my husband couldn't sleep and was up every hour, letting the dog out and cleaning up after him in the basement, where he was confined. UGH! So he didn't get any sleep and I feel terrible for him. Now I'm keeping a close eye on Tobin, hoping he doesn't sneak off somewhere. Maybe we should just invest in a big ass carpet cleaner. *sigh* It's always something, right? Car repairs, doggie diarrhea (cha cha cha) and a baby cutting molars. Wheeee!

In other news, my husband got my mom's old German clock working again. It's over 100 years old and has a very loud gong that I just love. We don't have it keeping time accurately yet. You have to wind all these different things a certain way and it's so tricky to get it right. I'm glad it's working!

My sweetie is awake again so I'm off to make breakfast for both of us. Fruit and oatmeal for me this morning and she's having a nice bottle of formula and prune juice. Mmmmmm good stuff. Have a great day!

Week 4, Days 4-7 + 1

I have been terrible about keeping this up and I'm so mad at myself! But I do have a good excuse! ELSA. Haha, that kid is pretty demanding. And she's cutting two molars which SUCKS. She's pretty cranky and since she learned to throw baby tantrums (arching her back and screaming when you try to pick her up)I haven't had much time to shower, let alone blog. Blogging takes thinking and at least attempts at sentence structure and grammar. My brain cells last week were few. But at least this week the hubby isn't traveling so Week 5 will be better, blog-wise.

So anyways, about Week 4! Week 4 asks for a lot more cardio and you do see more carbs here and there to help with that. Although according to my very grumpy husband, there weren't enough carbs. Since he has a pretty packed workday, every day, he hasn't been able to eat all his snacks and wasn't eating enough. I did pretty well sticking to the plan all week, except for the days when my body hurt too much to do the workouts.

In the last four weeks I have lost 8.5 pounds! WOW! It would have been more had I not pigged out the week of Thanksgiving and gained back a pound. But who cares, this is still amazing. I've never been on a plan that: 1)I didn't quit after it got hard, and, 2)actually worked despite being on Prednisone. Normally the Prednisone cravings are so intense for carbs that I end up caving in and pigging out. Also it really does help to get all the bad stuff out of the house. I did make a small pan of brownies during Aunt Flo's regular visit and we ate them with glee and guilt. But we didn't gain any weight! And since it was a small amount, they were gone and out of the house quickly. Last night we ate raw veggies with humus with our meal and it tasted so damn good. I think when you stop eating all the crap, you start to really taste things again. You savor your food more.

So why +1 in the title? Well I think Dr. Smith is jammed with emails and I haven't received Week 5 yet, but I hope to get it today. So I'm just doing over the Week 4 meals until I receive this week's plan. I will report on my experiences as soon as I can.

Well the little BOSS is awake so I better get a bottle ready and go get her. Have a great day!

Week 4, Day 2 and 3

On Day 2 I felt like Superwoman. I was doing this and I was doing that, and then I did some more. I felt like I didn't have any illnesses and I was a normal, healthy person again! Until late afternoon. The aches and pains hit me pretty hard and I walked around like the living dead, doped on pain killers and muscle relaxers, cooking dinner for Elsa and playing with her. Luckily I got to talk to my mother in law for an hour which helped to wake me up. We always commiserate together and she's a great source of support for me. What a wonderful woman!

The menu on Day 2 felt less filling to me than Day 1. I think the diet switches things up so much so your body doesn't get used to getting the same kinds of foods every day. And let me tell you, you are not eating exotic foods. I'm talking oatmeal, fruit, vegetables, lean protein. You can drink protein shakes and I buy the generic ones from Target, Special K or the ones from Unikey Health, which are my favorite.

So if you are reading this and wondering if you can do this program, the answer is YES. You can preorder the book and it's under $20. Seriously, get on it!

I hate feeling like this but it could be worse. I just got to make sure I rest today and hopefully tomorrow I will feel better. I'm just going to go ahead and include today, Day 3, since I know I will just be following the diet, trying to drink lots of water and sitting my ass on the chair. Here's to hoping Day 4 is more exciting! Tschus!

Week 4, Day 1

Down 1.5 more pounds! So that's 7 lbs total. Wowsers! I feel so excited and proud of myself. I can actually say I've worked hard for this and I hope I can keep it going!

So Week 4 is a lot more cardio and you have to mix up your cardio in three 15 minute sessions. So 15 minutes of elliptical, 15 minutes of jogging, 15 minutes of jump rope, etc. Anything that's high intensity cardio. I can't jog and jump rope isn't really in the cards either so I'll need to get creative. With the increase in cardio you get to eat more carbs. Yippee! I love carbs. And they love me, so very, very much.

I am starting to wear out so I am calling it a night. I need to sleep while Elsa is asleep. She's been so cute, I almost can't stand it. At the store today, she was so excited at all the holiday displays. I wanted to buy every damn inflatable yard decoration they had but I resisted. Plus, those things are damned expensive! Looks like some people don't have my steely willpower...

Time for some zzzzz's. Have a good night everyone!

Week 3, Day 6-7

Day 6 went well. It was a "rest" day so I took the pups for walks and since that lasted a good 45 minutes, I think I did well "resting." The diet was ok until the late night munchies hit and we dove into a can of leftover mixed nuts. I guess there are worse things we could have pigged out on.

We did fantasize a little about pizza and chocolate chip cookies, two of our favorite things in the whole, entire world. I just have to keep my eye on the prize!! The plan states that the less weight you have to lose, the closer to the plan you have to stick. So these last 15 lbs are going to be TOUGH. And how the hell do you get your stomach muscles back into place after pregnancy? When I quit trying to hold in my gut, it expands by a LOT. Crunches and sit ups? It looks like I've been inflated with an air pump, jeebus.

Although Sunday isn't over yet, I will go ahead and give a rundown of Day 7. I was 10 minutes shy on my cardio because I felt so light-headed and run down today. I feel like I need a three hour nap but it's not going to happen. The hubs goes out of town tomorrow until Thursday night so things are going to be a bit crazy and exhausting for a few days. I hope it goes fast. Weigh-in is tomorrow and if I lose 2 lbs I'll be happy! Wish me luck.

Week 3, Days 4-5

Damn, where does the time go? I'm behind again but that's ok. Not much to report other than I did well on the last two days. Day 5 was especially good because I got all my meals and snacks in ON TIME and I ate what I was supposed to eat. Hooray for me! I also added in sit-ups to Day 5 because I am not sure cardio will eliminate my baby belly without some added toning exercises.

So notice this post is around 4AM? Yep, insomnia. This time I was awoken by three lovely things: a full bladder from trying to incorporate more water into my diet, a sinus headache from the dry air, and terrible aches and pains in my body, especially my back.

Here is the difference between a Fibromyalgia person and a regular one. A regular person will work out, feel tired, but great, and sleep pretty well in the night. He/she may rise in the morning feeling very stiff and maybe even sore, but nothing more than a reminder of the previous day's awesome workout. A Fibromyalgia person will work out, probably do some stretches in the hope for less pain later, will go to bed exhausted and toss and turn most of the night. He/she may even get up in the night to walk around, stretch, and/or take some pain reliever. I'm currently in front of the fireplace, covered up and waiting for my ibuprofen and muscle relaxer to kick in. I actually went to bed rejecting taking my pain killer and muscle relaxer because I felt pretty good and didn't want to be all doped up. I probably should have taken it, in hindsight.

This just reminds me why it's so hard to lead a "normal" life with these conditions. At least it's tough for me to get through it. I've always said I can do anything with a good night's sleep. And it's true. I feel so much better if I have slept well through the night. Last night it was a crying baby that woke me up and then I couldn't go back to sleep. This time it's my body being a big baby that is keeping me up. But at least I found time to get this blog post in! I'm finally feeling a little groggy and debating going back to bed or sacking out on the couch so I don't wake up my spouse. *sigh* Maybe he'll let me sleep in by taking care of the baby.

On to Day 6, my friends. Almost to the half-way point of this 6 week journey! Tschus.

Week 3, Day 3

Yesterday was Day 3 and I did ok. Once again I unintentionally skipped a meal because of some health stuff. Ever take pain killers? If you have, you would know that it backs you up pretty bad. I felt like there was a cement block in my intestines. I didn't even have the urge to go and my abdomen hurt so much! I went to the pharmacy and picked up the dreaded bottle of magnesium citrate. Look it up. You get to drink it the day before a colonoscopy. Mmmm comes in grape flavor now!

Drinking that stuff makes me so nauseous, it sucked. So eating more food was out of the question. Things are better today so I'm trying my best to do this all the way! I did come to a realization last night that I need to do what my body is needing. Notice I didn't say WANT. If my body needs a little bit of carbs or protein because my blood sugar is low, then I'll do it.

I forgot to mention that last week I gained back 1 pound. Not a huge setback, considering it was a holiday week. But disappointing regardless.

Sorry for the TMI but my digestive system was a huge factor in yesterday's diet. I did get in the cardio though before my delicious, grape-flavored laxative. *sigh* Time to go walk the baby and the dogs. Cardio, cardio, cardio! (And pooping!)

Week 2, Days 6-7 AND Week 3, Days 1-2

Ok the family has left the casa de Bex and I will be able to blog (hopefully) daily again. I swear, I haven't had much quiet time at home to sit down and do this. The last two days have been filled with trips to the airport and doctors, doctors, doctors. Today we get a reprieve and tomorrow, one more doctor appointment. Whew.

The last two days of week 2 were also a wash. I was eating leftovers and only exercised one of those days. I am so pissed at myself but it's done. So on to week 3!!

Week 3 is HARD. This is the detox/cleanse week and you don't get to eat many solids. Each morning starts with lemon juice in water. Then you have protein shakes, smoothies, soup, etc for the four meals. The exercise is ramped up too, to about 40-45 minutes minimum. Thankfully I have had such sporadic meals in the past so drinking my meals instead of eating isn't a big sacrifice for me. My appetite is more controllable now so I don't feel intense cravings to eat everything in sight. However, I have rid the house of unhealthy temptations. Yesterday I threw out some leftover cupcakes and cake because they were getting dry and let's face it, I'd eat it dry or not as long as it's chocolate. But I got rid of it and only kept a few thanksgiving leftovers for Elsa to eat.

Last night I got in some good cardio so I'm really happy about that. I hope I can get some stamina to do it again today! I am seeing changes in my hips and legs from the cardio and that is one helluva motivator to keep it up.

Today I will do this 100% and kick some ass. Wish me luck!

PS: Some pics my brother took this week and weekend.

Week 2, Days 3-5

Well we made it through Thanksgiving! This week has been very hard to keep to the plan. I am not one to ignore or throw away yummy Thanksgiving leftovers unless they are spoiled. So I've been eating small post-TDay meals. And for the first time EVER my pumpkin pie turned out perfect! It's my favorite pie and I've had a couple slices of that heavenly yumminess.

Thursday night my mother in law and I went to Toys R Us to do some shopping. We stood in line to check out for almost two hours. YIKES! Standing was tough for me (and her) but we made it and I even found some awesome collectibles for myself! (More on that in a post to come.) Yesterday I got some good cardio and maybe today I can get a walk in the evening. We are having Elsa's birthday party today so there will be cake and all kinds of temptations. Again, I'm not going to gorge myself but I am going to have a piece of birthday cake, dammit.

Overall it feels like the week is a wash. I'm debating starting over on Monday with Week 2 but wonder if I should just plow through into the third week. I could have tried harder to follow the diet plan but, as Lady of the House, with guests, I have been trying so hard to make everyone feel welcome, make sure everyone has what they want to eat and drink, take care of the baby, and try to keep my health in check. I've definitely been overdoing it and not sleeping enough. Next week I have several doctor appointments so it's going to be tough to get any rest. Oh well, onward and upward! We'll see what I can do with these last two days of Week 2!

Week 2, Day 2

Once again real life has sprung up and thrown a wrench in the day! I didn't do the elliptical at all but instead I cleaned the house at least 4 hours. So that better substitute for the 45 minutes of cardio. Meals were ok but the very last one I splurged on a couple IPA's with supper, which had a bit more carbs than allowed. But I think I'll live. :)

Not much else to report! Some family is in town now and I will be busy busy until the house empties again next week. Trying to keep my strength and willpower!

Week 2, Day 1

I'm up early today, getting in my post for last night. My weigh-in for Week 1 was freakin' FANTASTIC! I lost 6.5 pounds! I kept stepping back on the scale because I couldn't believe it. Whoopee!

On to Week 2! Day 1 of week 2 was definitely more intense. In some meals there were foods added and some meals were smaller. Also the cardio requirements were increased. I did my best to get to that number but Elsa woke up from her nap and I had to go get her. It was really rough for me doing cardio too. It took a long time for me to be able to get the strength and energy just to pick up the baby. That part really sucked. I had to lay down for a few minutes to clear my head and try to regain some stamina. Plus I had this weird, awful pain to deal with. Other than that, I did pretty well.

I stopped by the grocery store yesterday and I swear, I must have circled through the bakery section at least a half a dozen times. I could feel myself drool over the sights of muffins, cookies, lemon bread, cupcakes, etc. After a third run around the chocolate chip muffins (one of my favorites) I checked the nutrition label and one muffin was 420 calories. Wow. I had no idea, or at least, I didn't want to know the yummy, awful truth. It took some willpower and whining from the baby to finally move on. That 6.5 lb loss kept ringing in my ears and I knew I'd need to save the treats for Thanksgiving and Elsa's birthday cake.

Time to get my head cleared and knock out the rest of the housework before my brother flies in. This week will be a tough trial to stay true to the Shred. I hope I'm up for it!

Week 1, Day 7

Another hectic day. We spent half the day furiously cleaning the house to prepare for our Thanksgiving guests. Then we attended a very fun birthday party for the kids of some friends of ours. Elsa partied like crazy! She danced and danced! Well, she did the little baby-bounce thing that they do when babies hear music. It was so cute and so fun to watch her play with the other baby. Love it!

There was also some very yummy food at this shindig. I will admit it, we lost our willpower and ate some forbidden yums. But we really didn't stuff ourselves, which I was shocked and proud to see. I ate some amazing guacamole, carrot cake and wine. It was so great to eat some of the food but not to go overboard. Have I been abducted by aliens? A healthy, cardio-busting cult?

To be honest, I've felt AMAZING this past week and the looser pants are great motivators to keep going. I am still very excited to be doing this. One challenge is that it does take time to really think and plan out what we're going to eat each day. Normally I only think about what I need to cook for supper. Breakfast in the past was a smoothie and lunch was either another smoothie or last night's leftovers. Now I have four meals to shop and plan for.

Tomorrow is the weekly weigh-in. I have no idea where I will be but I'm excited and nervous to see where I am. I did eat a lot of salty chips today so it's possible I am retaining water. Doh! I will report tomorrow!! G'night everyone!

Week 1, Day 6

Again, I was unable to blog last night. That thing called LIFE keeps getting in the way! Here's a run-down of Day 6.

I've noticed that the menu slowly adds in more carbs. Thank God! I personally find it hard to sustain exercise without a carb and protein recovery. My fave is peanut butter and banana on whole wheat toast. It tastes like heaven! It probably exceeds the calories permitted for snacks but I have learned if I'm light headed and shaking, I better give my body what it needs.

I really feel a difference in how my clothes fit. I've been avoiding a style of underpants sitting in my drawer because my hips and rear end are so big, the elastic really hurts my skin. Because we've been too lazy and distracted to do laundry lately, my supply of granny pannies has dwindled. I was forced into the "pinchy" ones, only, they fit now! I know most people would be posting about getting into their skinny jeans but dammit, I'm excited my damned underwear fit again.

We did a much better job at eating on time yesterday with me hollering SNAAAACK TIME!!! down the stairs while Ron was gaming. I'd hear a WHOOPEEE! in response. Again, my damn jaw only allowed me to eat about half of the veggies I wanted but such is life. The menu plan also states that you don't have to eat everything, just that you eat something every 3-4 hours. Ok, simple enough! At least, it's simpler on the weekend with two of us in the house to remind each other. So we both still need to work on getting our food consumed at the right times during the week.

Day 7 starts now so I'm off to experience this brand, new day. I hope to get Day 7's blog done on time tonight! Have a good one! Tschus.

Shredding: Week 1, Day 1

We've made it through Day 1 on the Shred diet. I weighed myself to get my starting weight and I also managed to eat well and work out. The menu lists a lot of food to eat in one day. There are four mini-meals and three snacks. It sounds like a ton of food but it's not a lot of food at once. And if you can't eat it all, it's ok to stop. So instead of having big meals, like we are used to, we eat smaller meals with a few snacks scattered in between. It's not easy to retrain the stomach and brain to eat this way, but we sure as hell tried our best.

Since non-creamy soups are acceptable to the plan, and we had the produce sitting around, I made butternut squash soup today. I did not add any dairy products, other than a couple tablespoons of butter to cook the onions, celery and carrots. Blending the squash was interesting. I managed to have very hot squash bits fly around the kitchen and land on my hand. OUCH! Elsa just looked at me like I was an idiot. But it's done and ready for tomorrow!

I also bought a bunch of fresh fruit and veggies. We have grapefruit, oranges, apples, pears, frozen fruit, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, cucumber, carrots, onions, yams, etc. Holy crap, I feel my junk food genes about to explode from all this healthy stuff! But it's good to be on a real plan with frequent meals. I feel tired out today but I feel good overall, except for my jaw. It's still pretty messed up and it's hard to chew certain textures of food. Maybe a liquid diet is in order, haha. Fun times! On to the next day, g'night!

Prelude to a diet

It's that time of year again. It's the holiday baking, cooking and gorging season. I LOVE this time of year. I love baking up yummy, carb-laden cookies, cakes and breads. I also love cooking Thanksgiving dishes like roasted turkey, homemade cranberry sauce, and sweet potato casserole. And Christmas time? What's Christmas without cut-out cookies, fudge, snack mix and hot cider? See where I'm going with this? I love to eat just as much as I love to cook. This is not helping out the weight loss efforts!

I've been taking a supplement called Visi which really took the edge off of the insane appetite I have. I still take prednisone and recently added a couple more medications which have hunger and weight gain as a side effect. So it was working great up until the last couple of weeks when my appetite went off the charts again. I lost ten lbs and then gained it right back.

I also got my ass back on to the elliptical machine and that was great until my joints started to grind together in my knees and ankles. It doesn't really hurt but I can feel and hear the grinding and popping. I will definitely talk to my doctor next checkup but I'm not letting that stop me from trying to stay as fit as possible.

With all this going on, I happened to catch Dr. Ian Smith on our local Fox 4 morning show. If you have ever watched Celebrity Fit Club, then you will recognize Dr. Smith as one of the judges and consultants for the show. He is promoting an upcoming book and weight loss plan called Shred, The Revolutionary Diet. He asked people who were interested in his plan to tweet him @doctoriansmith to get a sample of his book. I did that and emailed him and next thing I know, I was accepted to be part of his nutrition and weight loss plan, representing the Kansas City group. So I start tomorrow on a whole new way of eating and thinking about nutrition. I've decided a good way to keep me honest and on track is to blog my journey through this 6 week plan. I think I'm crazy because this is the best time of the year, food-wise. It will not be easy to hold the hungry monster at bay over Thanksgiving! But I like challenges and am actually looking forward to giving this my all. If I do really well, who knows. I may be on the local news as a "success" story.

If anyone has links to low-carb recipes featuring Thanksgiving fare, please let me know! Thanks and I will let you know how Day 1 goes!! Tschus. :)