Doreen's New Way of Life (comments are welcome)

[DoeWDW]

I was totally cheat-free yesterday!! YAY!!

Dinner was roast beef, a little homemade applesauce (no added sugar) and SF jello w/ whipped cream. I made it to the store and spent $144 stocking up on good food!! I figured if I'm getting sick, I'd better have healthy stuff on hand for me and the family to eat.

Today looks like it will be another great day!

Goals:
1. Meds taken, vitamins out for lunch
2. 24 oz of water and green tea are on my desk - I'm working on them.
3. Food - just counted 40 cashew pieces out for a 1 oz 7 carb breakfast. If I'm still hungry I'll have a protein bar - 2 carbs. Lunch will be leftover roast beef and dinner will be chicken. I may also have a salad at lunch - gotta eat those veggies!
4. Exercise - DD woke me up to do the 20 minute Pilates workout this morning - good kid!!
5. Work - gotta finish & publish those meeting minutes AND do a monthly update for the bureau director.

The scale said 131 this morning. I haven't done measurements in a while - gotta do that soon. It would be easier if I had paper and pen handy in my nightstand drawer, so I'll try to remember to stash them there tonight.

Life is so sunny right now! This healthy eating and exercise thing is feeling easy at the moment. I know there will be tough days coming but at the moment, I'm going to think about how good I'm feeling when I take good care of me.

Edit: 2:45 PM
1. Meds and vitamins - check!
2. 36 oz down - 28 oz to go.
3. B = cashews - 7 carbs and Splenda for my tea - 1 carb, AM snack = protein bar - 3 carbs, L = roast beef - 0 carbs & Trident sugarfree gum to keep me from cheating - 1 carb. Total so far = 12 carbs.
4. Check
5. Update for my bureau director is finished, minutes....gotta do 'em!

That Trident gum really saved me after lunch. I'm never hungry but my mouth feels yucky. Why that triggers me to eat foods I shouldn't - who knows?? Now I have a new secret weapon!!

Edit: 4 PM
Caved and had sweet & salty mix from the vending machine - 24 carbs but low-glycemic. Total for today = 36 carbs. I can still easily make it under my 60 gram limit easily so it really wasn't that terrible.

Edit: 9:15 PM
Should have skipped the sweet & salty mix ! I had a Wendy's mandarin chicken salad (no rice noodles) and it came to 35 carbs. Total for today = 71 carbs - over my 60 carb limit.

We did Wendy's because DD had a baton / dance recital tonight - no time to cook. I wasn't over by much and the salad gave me some needed veggies, so I'm not worried about it.

I made all my other goals, so I'm going to consider today a success!

 

[lulu201]

What a strong, sunny attitude you have, Doe-Doe; you're brightening up my day before I'm even awake!

I hope that today brings you continued success and strength to hold the Munchie Monster--and vending machine --at bay. Now that you have that Trident gum in your arsenal of strategies, you can stand strong against the enemy! For me, well, I have to beware the dreaded Butterfinger in the candy bar box. We have a little display set up in the studio for DD's choir, and sometimes they call for me when I walk by. . .miserable little bars that they are!

Have a good day, dear Doreen--I'm so glad that we're doing this together!

Erin

 

[DoeWDW]

Dear Lulu, run out and get some Trident for yourself!! Butterfinger bars (and chocolate in general) are not as appealing after you've chewed some mint gum!

The scale was back to 130 today - hooray!!

I am still feeling but I am sooooo tired today. Had to work really hard at getting to work - my eyes just did not want to stay open! In the past, this was a classic sign of one of my depression crashes but it was always accompanied by a feeling of hopelessness - not this time!! I am full of strength and hope and happy feelings in my heart even though my body is craving rest. I'll be heading to bed early tonight, after our monthly visit to the chiropractor.

Goals:
1. Meds taken, vitamins out.
2. 12 oz down - 52 to go
3. 60 carbs today and NOTHING from the vending machine!! B = 1 oz cashew pieces - 7 carbs, and protein bar - 3 carbs. Total so far = 10 carbs.
4. Exercise - judging by how tired I am, I'm going to allow myself a rest day.
5. Work - same old, same old.....

Here we go!!

Edit: 1:30 PM
1. Meds & vitamin - check.
2. 36 oz water down - 28 oz to go.
3. L = leftover roast beef - 0 carbs and 1 oz cashews - 7 carbs. 2 pieces Trident (one after B and one after L) - 2 carbs. Total so far = 19 carbs.

I'm doing well and feeling strong!

Edit: 4 PM
I'm leaving work soon and have avoided the evil vending machine all day!! Still at 19 total carbs for today. 48 oz water down - I'll drink the other 16 oz at home tonight.

 

[Castillo Mom]

Good morning Doreen! I had all of the good intentions of reading your journal last night, but youngest son is still sick with the flu and needed nurturing. I'm glad to see your spirits are high and I wanted to say great job on staying away from that evil vending machine. It can sure be a temptation, especially with a busy lifestyle, it's so easy to cave just to grab something quick. Keep up the good work and have a great day! And get some rest!

 

[ZerasPride]

Doreen - you are doing so well! Please keep up the good work. Congrats on your cheat free day. I didn't have a chance to read your journal yesterday and I see I missed a lot. Your positive spirit really shines through on your posts. We can all use encouragement as we struggle through our temptations. So thanks for sharing your day with us!

 

[lulu201]

Good grief! It's pouring outside! Are you getting this same rain, Doe-Doe? Here's some extra to help brighten the day.

How are you feeling? Did you get to bed early last night? You've got to take care not to get the flu.

Have a great day, Doreen.

Erin

 

[DoeWDW]

Last night's dinner was not the best in low-carb choices - no veggies again! - but it was within my carb limit for the day. I had a grilled ham & cheese sandwich (16 carbs) & some Ramen noodle soup (12 carbs) - total for yesterday = 47 carbs. I was freezing and needed something warm. That did the trick!

I was so tired and achy yesterday but I forced myself to go to work. Today I'm staying home and sleeping. In spite of going to bed early (8:30 PM!) last night, my glands are still swollen, my throat is sore, and I'm tired & achy. No fever, so I don't think it's the flu, but I think I'd best take extra precautions with the holidays coming.

I'm still feeling bright and sunny on the inside though!

More later, after a nap....

 

[littleducksmom]

i hope you feel better soon.........so you can get 100% back into the swing of things..........glad you are able to get some rest today. hope that sunshine on the inside helps the rest of your achy spots to heal quickly.........hang in there!!!!!

 

[ZerasPride]

I hope you feel better soon Doreen! I enjoy reading your posts.

 

[lulu201]

and sweet dreams for you, oh Wish-Sis of mine. Take good care of yourself today. . .I'll check back in to see how you're doing later.

Erin

 

[DoeWDW]

Thanks, all, for the well wishes! I've been resting today and resisting the urge to do all the things that need doing around the house. Today is about taking care of me!

I'm feeling a little better and saving my strength. Tonight is the holiday concert at the high school. DS is in the band and DD is in the band and womens' chorus. There's no way I'm missing it!!

I made egg custard and had 2 servings for a late breakfast - 6 carbs. That's it, so far. Guess I'd better go drink some water and take my meds and figure out what's for lunch!

 

[lulu201]

Hey, Doe-Doe, I only have a minute, but I wanted to prance over to your journal and model my new clippie for you! How do I look?

Did you enjoy the concert? I bet you had a great time, but I bet you're feeling a bit tired this a.m. Combine that with the entry into the D-Zone and you've got to make sure you treat yourself right. Here's some and to get you through the day.

I'll check back later--I've got to hurry and get some breakfast on the table.

Erin (soon be re-instated to her hood)

 

[DoeWDW]

Quick recap of yesterday:
Late lunch - turkey sandwich - 20 carbs.
Concert - absolutely wonderful!! Usual concert attire in the past has always been black pants/skirt and white shirt/blouse. This year they went formal!! Boys in suits and girls in gowns or formal dresses. WOW - they clean up good!! The stage was fronted by red poinsettias and small white lights - beautiful! The quality of the music was breathtaking!
Late dinner - Wendy's chicken BLT salad (no croutons) - 17 carbs.
Total carbs = 43 for the day.

Today:
I'm still tired and achey but managed to come into work. My glands don't seem quite as swollen and my throat isn't quite as sore, so maybe the worst is over?? I did have to cancel my blood donation appointment for today - gotta wait 'til I can give healthy blood!!

I'm glad to be back to my routine!
1. Meds taken, ran out of vitamins at work & forgot to bring more.
2. 16 oz water down - 48 to go.
3. 1 egg custard - 3 carbs.
4. No exercise - only have enough energy to go through the motions today.
5. I think just showing up was enough of a goal!

I'm still feeling sunny on the inside! The accomplishments of my WISH-sis (including, but not limited to, that bright and beautiful new 20 pound clippie!) are probably a big part of the reason - WAY TO GO, ERIN!!! Sunday promises more snow - hence another lazy day. I think the whole weekend will be a lazy one as I continue to heal. We have NOTHING on the agenda except maybe some final Christmas shopping.

Edit: 1:45 PM
Hear ye, hear ye!! I will NOT be counting any more carbs today!

I was so tired this AM that I wasn't thinking properly - took my meds on an empty tummy - BIG NO-NO!! My tummy is feeling better, but only after being coaxed with carb-laden ginger ale and crackers. The crisis seems to be over and carb-counting will be resumed tomorrow morning.

Edit: 5:30 PM
I'm home from work and feeling better!! YAY!!

Edit: 10 PM
My tummy is still a bit off. I haven't eaten anything since the ginger ale and crackers at work (98 carbs total - just in case anyone is wondering....guess I'm too used to counting...LOL!!).

I know I need to eat but nothing sounds good. I'll try to find a small nibble before I go to bed.

I finally got everything put together and ready to send out for my WISH gift exchange buddy. I'm so excited!! I'll take it all into the UPS store tomorrow and send it off. I hope my buddy loves everything in the box!! I'm not sure which is more fun - receiving a box or putting a box together and sending it off! This was the first gift exchange I've ever participated in and it took some nerve for me to sign up. Now I'm glad I took that leap of faith. I think it's good to challenge ourselves and get out of our comfort zone now and then.

I'm off to nibble and to hit the hay. 'Night all!!

 

[lulu201]

Good morning, Doe-Doe. You are something--going to work and all after having a glorious, but late night the night before. I hope that the weekend turns into as relaxing a one as you have planned.

Here's and to help your recovery. You've got, by far, the sunniest disposition that I've ever seen on a sick person! You're amazing.

Doreen, eat before you take your meds today, OK?

Thank you for your posts--to me and to your journal--about my clippie. It means so much to have you to share my joy with. :happy1:

Talk to you soon,
Erin

 

[DoeWDW]

Well it's 9:15 AM - and I just got up! I'm usually up by 5-5:30 during the workweek and I MIGHT sleep in until 6:30 on the weekends - so 9 AM is really a LONG sleep for me! Guess my body needed it!

We won't discuss what I nibbled on last night before bed. It capped off a carb-laden day nicely! The key was that it settled my tummy so I'm looking forward today and not backward.

I must make the final Christmas shopping list. My goal is to finish it all up today so I'll have one less thing to worry about. One other goal is to have DH bring the Christmas decorations in from the back garage so we can put up the tree tomorrow. We usually have a tabletop artificial tree in the living room and a real tree downstairs, but I think the living room tree will be enough this year. I'm conserving my strength! I also want to pick up Christmas cards today so I can do them tomorrow while I watch the snow fall, with Christmas music playing and a Yankee Candle burning - sounds like a wonderful way to spend a few hours, thinking of and writing to family and friends near and far.

It sounds like a lot but I'm going to take things slow and easy today. Even in the mall crowds, I can still take on an attitude of being centered in God's love and grace, and walk with unhurried steps and a smile on my face. It's all in the attitude on the inside, not in the circumstances on the outside!

Here I go, step by step, living healthy and happy today!!

 

[littleducksmom]

glad to see you are feeling better...........loved your thoughts about the "inside" attitude.............deb

 

[lulu201]

Dear Doe-Doe,

Thank you for your kindness and support today--and for NOT putting up with my moaning.

YOU'RE THE BEST!

I've off to bed. I'll talk with you tomorrow.

Queen Lulu

 

[DoeWDW]

Yesterday didn't quite turn out the way I'd expected....do my days EVER go off as planned??? With DH, DS and DD to account for, my plans seem to change moment by moment but I'm not complaining! I pride myself on being easy-going and taking changes in stride!

Let's see! I did make the shopping list. I also did a little shopping with DD. She was having a sleepover last night with her 2 best friends and needed to get their gifts ready. We had a great time putting everything together at KMart - great mom-daughter time with almost no eye-rolling and no whining! With a 14 year old daughter, that's a rare treat!

Instead of shopping with DH, we stayed home. We put up the decorations and Christmas lights outside. Then we ordered pizza and watched a movie - so relaxing and cozy!

Today's plans - always subject to change, of course - are for church this morning, putting up the small artificial tabletop tree and decorating it, and doing the Christmas cards.

I have veggies in the fridge, cut up and ready for snacking - carrots, red peppers and cucumbers. I have some egg custard. It will be a healthy eating day!

I'm still feeling sunny! I haven't been exercising as much as I'd like but I'm determined to celebrate what's going right and not focus on what's NOT getting done. It's the busy holiday season and I think I'm happy just maintaining for now.

 

[lulu201]

Good morning, Doreen. How are things snow-wise? Right now, outside my window, I looks like a beautiful Christmas card. We've been told to expect more flooding today, but right now it's very cold and if the temp holds we're going to get lots more snow than predicted!

A new day and a attitude to keep the chill away! I like your veggie idea--I think I'm going to cut some up and have them handy, too. Also some s.f. jello. One thing I should get is that diet hot chocolate. It sure would be good on a day like today.

I saw your post about walking the 5K in 1/05. Are you giving it serious thought--even with the band's trip? I'd consider going down, too, but I'd have to go alone as DH is hoping for a trip to Germany w/his dad and finances wouldn't allow a big family WDW vacaiton. This could be my little solo excursion? I'm not sure about the half-marathon any more. . .it may be more pressure than I want at this time of the year. Who knows?

Enjoy your day.

Erin

 

[lulu201]

Hey, WISH-sis, I tried to PM you, but your mailbox is too full!
I'll try again tomorrow. . .

Erin