Susan's Quest for Good Health After a Celiac Diagnosis (comments greatly appreciated)

[ScoJo15]

Yes!! I love hearing good news from the Susan front :

Like Amy, I can't wait to see you cross that line in May...you better bet I'll be there to congratulate you on the tremendous accomplishment!

Way to stay ahead of everything and take charge of your life...it's impressive and inspirational to see...your positive attitude is so awesome!

Keep up the great work and have a great day!

 

[toystoryduo]

That is such great news, Susan! I am so happy for you!

 

[larry's girl]

Thanks to all of you for your encouragement. You mean the world to me.

So yesterday went well. The only thing I am finding is that getting up at 5:00 a.m. to exercise, then riding vanpool, working all day, riding vanpool home, and preparing dinner leaves me shot. I am ready to go to bed at 8:00 p.m.! It would be nice if I had a little more energy in the evenings - at least so I could make it until 10:00 p.m. and get a few things done in the house - but I am trying hard not to complain because I have felt so much worse than I do now and I am truly grateful for the improvement. When I was at my sickest, there is no way I could have done any exercise before working - it took every ounce of strength and willpower I had just to get through my shift, and I seriously considered looking into disability because I wasn't sure I could even continue to work - so I know I am in a better place physically and emotionally now and I will just try to be patient with myself!

I did the Leslie Sansone tape again this morning. And yes, that is 2 miles in 30 minutes. That's a fast pace for me, but I am doing it. It gives me some hope that I will be able to do this 5K thing in May without embarrassing myself or my family!

I am hoping that I have enough energy tomorrow to do some major housecleaning. Our water heater has finally been replaced, so the garage clean-up is done for now. It will need more work later, but it is okay for now. But my housework has been sadly neglected for a long time because I just haven't felt well enough to do it. Larry and Tara do pitch in, but neither of them does things the way I would do them (and I am not a neat freak, either - I'm just stating a fact), so I feel the need to get in there and do some scrubbing. I am planning to train in the morning, so I hope I still have some energy after that to tackle my house.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I may pop in to journal my food, water and exercise, but probably won't do much else journal wise until next week - no time! Have a good one, everybody!

Food for yesterday:

Breakfast: Two boiled eggs, 4 oz. of turkey sausage

Lunch: 3 oz. of tuna with mayo and mustard on lettuce and cucumbers with fat-free Italian dressing

Dinner: 2 cups of smoked turkey sausage with onions and peppers, 1 cup of broccoli seasoned with Earth Balance margarine

Water for yesterday:

170 oz.

Exercise for yesterday: C25K training - 5 min. warm-up, jog 90 seconds/walk 2 minutes for 20 minutes, 5 min. cool-down

 

[postesf]

Whew! Look at you -- an exercise machine! House cleaning too!

Ok... Exercise = Good, House cleaning = Bad...

Yeah, I've got some of that to do too..both actually!

Hope you have a very successful weekend--both training and cleaning!

Stacie

 

[MIdanceMom]

Hi Susan,

You are inspirational to so many people. Believe it.

You can get yourself off your meds. I have just been taken off of my BP meds. If I can do it, so can you.

I am so glad to hear that you are feeling better now that you are off dairy. I am pretty good at adapting meals to dairy free, so if you need a hand, or are looking for products, let me know.

Take care,
Beth

 

[momof2minnies]

Yay Susan!!!!!!!!!!! HIPHIP HOORAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You sound so uplifted, that is great.What a difference a year can make. You are truly an inspiration. I have a friend going through the same medical issues you describe but I cannot convince her the cake is less important than getting off the meds But we all know mentally one needs to be ready.

I was all smiles as I was reading your posts. Keep us updated.

Have a great week
Linda

 

[larry's girl]

Thanks to all for the encouragement.

I should so not be on here right now - I have a ton of stuff to do. But I had to share with my WISH journaling pals.

I have had two MAJOR victories in the last 24 hours, and I have to share. Last night we went out for Mexican food, a weakness of mine. I was determined not to eat lots of carbs, so while we waited for a table I scanned the menu and chose what I would eat. I ordered the guacamole (which they make at your table), and it was WONDERFUL. It had the avocado, cilantro, onions, jalapeno peppers, and lime juice in it. It was SO GOOD that I didn't miss the tortilla chips. Yes, that's right - I ATE IT WITH A FORK - no chips - AND IT WAS GREAT!! My DD and I shared it, and then we had our entrees. I had grilled catfish, which comes with rice and steamed vegetables. I asked them to leave off the rice and give me double vegetables, which they did. So I had the catfish (which was outstanding - best fish I ever had) and steamed broccoli and cauliflower. And as I left, I thought - I don't feel deprived. I am not walking out of here thinking "I wish I had gotten the nachos," which is what I normally eat there. I was happy and satisfied. And when I checked my blood sugar two hours later, it was not too high! So that was one MAJOR victory.

Then this morning, I was scheduled to do Week 2 Day 3 of the C25K program. It is cold and gray here, and by the time I got out of bed it was daylight. I have a problem running in my neighborhood in daylight. I prefer to do it when it is still dark outside (which is no problem during the week at 5:00 a.m.) because I am less self conscious. So I decided since it was so late this morning, I would go to Discover Mills Mall and walk. It is approximately one mile to walk around the entire mall, so I took my stopwatch to see how long it would take me. The 5K at Disney in May requires that you be able to walk a 15-minute mile, which has been of great concern to me. I am afraid I will be too slow and get swept. So I was anxious to see how much time I would have to shave off to get to that time for the mile around the mall. Guess what? I did it in 14:30 minutes!!! YES!!! Yay, me!! Now, mind you, I was dead when I finished. I had to stop and catch my breath for a few minutes. So I know I have work to do yet to be able to do that three times in a row instead of one. But it felt SO GOOD to be able to do that lap within the time frame allotted on the FIRST TRY!! And then I walked half-way around again at my normal pace because I didn't want to stop walking until I had done at least 30 minutes. So that was my SECOND major victory this weekend.

I am so pumped, I just want to kiss somebody (wish my DH wasn't sleeping ). I am SO going to do this. 2008 is MY YEAR. I OWN it!! WATCH ME GO!!!

Hope everybody has a great weekend!

Susan

Food for yesterday:

Breakfast: Two hard boiled eggs, 4 oz of turkey sausage

Lunch: 3 oz. of tuna with mayo and mustard on lettuce and green peppers

Snack: One hard boiled egg, 1/2 cup green pepper strips

Dinner: Guacamole (1/2 avocado), 6 oz. grilled catfish, 2 cups steamed broccoli and cauliflower

Water for yesterday:

170 oz.

Exercise for yesterday:

Leslie Sansone Walk Away the Pounds Tape (2 miles)

 

[momof2minnies]

Excellent!Excellent!Keep it up.I feels great to pass our own goals.Wake up your husband,I bet he will be thrilled for you!
Linda

 

[postesf]

YIPPEEE!!!

That is fantastic!!! Way to go!

 

[larry's girl]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys. I am SO PROUD of myself, it isn't funny.

Did W2D3 this morning, and it went okay. Heading into Week 3 this week!

This is just a quick fly-by to post my food, water and exercise for yesterday. Hope everybody has a great Sunday!

Food for yesterday:

Breakfast: 4 oz. sirloin steak, two scrambled eggs

Lunch: 4 oz. turkey sausage, two hard boiled eggs

Dinner: grilled chicken salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing

Water for yesterday:

170 oz.

Exercise for yesterday: Walk at mall for 30 minutes

 

[momof2minnies]

Good Morning Susan
Linda

 

[larry's girl]

Feeling pretty good today! Still really pumped about making that lap around the mall in under 15 minutes. Of course, that followed by Day 3 of Week 2 of the C25K program yesterday really kicked my butt. My legs were hurting lots last night - to the point that it was hard to sleep. So I decided that today should be a rest day. I got a few minutes more sleep to make up for not sleeping well when I first went to bed and my legs feel better this morning, so I think I made the right decision.

My schedule is a bit different this week, so I will probably do the WATP tape tomorrow and then start W3D1 on Wednesday. Doing well with my eating plan and water, too. Things are looking good!

Hope everybody has a good day.

Susan

Food for yesterday:

Breakfast: 4 oz. turkey sausage, two eggs fried in Pam

Lunch: 12 oz. corned beef, 1 cucumber

Dinner: 6 oz. turkey, 1 cup cabbage, 1 cup broccoli

Water for yesterday:

170 oz.

Exercise for yesterday:

W2D3 of C25K program

 

[Caitsmama]

Susan --
Hi sweetie!! I've missed you!! Glad to hear you are doing well, and sticking to plan. Keep up the good work!

 

[postesf]

Great job keeping w/ the routine!!! Hope your WATP went well this morning! Today is weigh-in. How did you do? I'm only down .4 lbs... My own fault. I hope next week is better, but with Disney over the weekend...

Keep up the good work!!!
Stacie

 

[ScoJo15]

Hi Susan

Glad to see that things are still going well for you :

Congrats again on that successful lap around the mall!! Word is they have a new Disney Outlet there...have you had a chance to check it out yet??

Keep up the great work, hope you have a good day

 

[larry's girl]

Hi, Stacy. I missed you, too! Glad to see you back and posting. May will be here before you know it.

Hi, Stacie. WATP went well this morning, and weigh-in was good, too. See below!

Hi, Scott. To be honest, I didn't notice a new Disney store, but I didn't notice much beyond trying to keep putting one foot in front of another. I will be going there pretty much every weekend between now and the race, so I will try to keep a lookout for it and check it out after my walk!

So, here's the good news - I lost 6.4 pounds this week! Yay, me!!! Here's even better news - I tested my blood sugar this morning and it is down 30 points from two days ago!!! I am almost more psyched about that than I was about my under-15-minute lap around the mall! If I can get it down 30 more points, it will be normal. That would be awesome! So, we'll see how it goes.

Feeling good today - still really tired at night, but starting out each day with a little energy and feeling pretty good. I'm gearing up for W3D1 tomorrow morning - it sounds like a lot of jogging to me, but I'm going to give it my best shot! I'll let everybody know how I did tomorrow.

Hope everybody has a great day!

Susan

Food for yesterday:

Breakfast - Two boiled eggs, 4 oz. of turkey sausage

Lunch - 3 oz. tuna with mayo and mustard over lettuce and green peppers with fat-free Italian dressing

Snack - One boiled egg and 1/2 cup green peppers

Dinner - 6 oz. chili chicken strips, 1 cup cauliflower, 1 cup collard greens

Water for yesterday:

170 oz.

Exercise for yesterday:

Rest day

 

[ScoJo15]

So, here's the good news - I lost 6.4 pounds this week! Yay, me!!! Here's even better news - I tested my blood sugar this morning and it is down 30 points from two days ago!!! I am almost more psyched about that than I was about my under-15-minute lap around the mall! If I can get it down 30 more points, it will be normal. That would be awesome! So, we'll see how it goes.

WOW!! This is great news Susan!! You should be very proud of yourself...nice job!

 

[postesf]

EXCELLENT!!! WOW! You are really kicking my hiney on the weight loss thing! You lose 6.4, me... .4 Great job though!!! Good new on the blood sugar too!!!

Keep it up!!! Great momentum right now!

Stacie

 

[AmyBeth68]

Susan! OMG....Congratulations on the weight loss and blood sugar. Holy smokes...you are really working hard and staying consistent. I'm really really happy for you!

And I have to thank you for all the lovely posts you've put in my journal. I've been so busy lately that I haven't posted as much but it's always so nice to pop on there and see the support I receive from you, Stacie, Scott and Laurie and many others. Thank you so much!!!

I have to say I'm really impressed and inspired with your motivation and hard work.

 

[larry's girl]

Scott, Stacie, Amy - thank you so much for the encouragement and kudos! It is very hard work to change my lifestyle so drastically, but it will be worth it in the long run. I have an uncle who has had diabetes for many years and did not control his blood sugar well at all - he basically ignored it. I guess he thought if he felt okay, he was okay. Not so - now he is on dialysis three times a week because his kidneys shut down completely. And it has taken over his life - everything else has to revolve around his dialysis schedule. On the days that he has it, he is pretty much out of it for the rest of the day. And as I observe all this, I keep thinking - that could be me one day. I don't want to be there. I don't want my kidneys to fail, I don't want to go blind, I don't want to suffer amputations of limbs, I don't want to have a massive heart attack or stroke. I have already spent too many years having my life controlled by how bad I feel physically and not having the energy to do the things I want and need to do. I REFUSE to give up more time to diabetic complications if there is anything at all I can do to prevent it - and there is and I'm doing it - NOW!!

At the risk of repeating myself, I have to say this - I FEEL so much better it is amazing. Still pretty exhausted by day's end (as I said yesterday), but a year ago I was completely exhausted ALL the time - so that is a great improvement. I think most people are pretty shot by the time they go from 5:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. or so - but about 8:00 p.m. I start to fade REALLY fast. I had a Bible study meeting last night that runs to around 9:00 p.m., and I had a HARD time staying alert for the last half! But it's all good - I am well enough to be there, which means the world to me, so I won't complain too much about being so tired!

Did W3D1 of the C25K program this morning. It was HARD to jog for 2 minutes, but I did it! It was a R-E-A-L-L-Y S-L-O-W jog, but it was a jog! I find it interesting, though - when I first started the program on W1, I would be jogging for 60 seconds and look at my stopwatch when it was at about the 30 seconds mark and think "I'm only half way through - I'll never make it another 30 seconds!" But I did it anyway. Then I went to W2 and would be jogging for 90 seconds, look at my stopwatch when it was at about the 45 seconds mark and think "I'll never make it another 45 seconds!" But I did it anyway. And then today as I did the 2-minute jogging increments, I would look at my stopwatch at about the 1 minute mark and think - yep, you guessed it - "I'll never make it another minute!" But I did it anyway. I think it is really true what Stacie told me when she started training for the 5K she just ran - it really is a mind game. It's all about where your head is. And continuing to challenge myself physically and rise to that challenge is pretty awesome, especially coming from where I have come from. So I am beginning to think that I can do the longer increments of jogging - I just have to believe I can!!

My eating plan is going well. I am getting complaints from Larry, though, along the lines of "There's nothing to eat in this house!" He misses dairy products (especially cheese) and since I don't eat carbs anymore, there aren't many of those in the house, either (which is what he likes to eat most). He isn't happy with fruit and vegetables as snacks or protein without carbs for breakfast and lunches. Dinners he does okay with, although he still wants cheese or sour cream for certain dishes. I guess to keep the peace I am going to have to buy some of what he wants and keep it for him - and make myself leave it alone! Tara is okay with it, except that she prefers to have frozen meals to take to work because they are quick and easy for her. There aren't that many that are gluten and dairy free, so that is more difficult to do now. She has taken dinner leftovers a couple of times and is okay with that, but we don't always have leftovers for her to take. I usually have a salad with some protein of some kind for lunch, but for whatever reason that doesn't seem to appeal to her, so I guess she will have to work out how best to handle lunches as we go along.

Anyway, that's what's going on in my world today. Hope everybody has a good one!

Susan

Food for yesterday:

Breakfast: Two boiled eggs, 4 oz. turkey sausage

Lunch: 6 oz. chili chicken strips, 1/2 cup collard greens

Snack: One boiled egg, 1 cup green peppers

Dinner: 6 oz. ground turkey, 1 cup green beans

Water for yesterday:

170 oz.

Exercise for yesterday:

WATP 2-mile tape