What is Wrong with Me?

After my first week of drinking shakes for breakfast and lunch, eating lots of fruit and protein for snacks, then trying to have a reasonable dinner, I gained 1.2 lbs.  Now, I weigh 307.2.  My initial weigh-in was 306.

Now, to be truthful, that initial weigh-in was two weeks ago.  I could have gained a couple of more pounds before this week.  Also, I have been drinking tons and tons of water.  I tend to be a sponge and absorb fluid right before that monthly ordeal.  So, checking the calendar, it appears to be close to that time.

I can tell a change.  My morning blood sugar is in the upper 100s rather than the mid 200s.  That is a good thing.  I was just hoping to find that I had lost something, other than my mind.

During the day, my blood sugar remains in the lower 100s, which is good.  However, I get the shakes and such from time to time simply because I am not used to the low blood sugar.  That is fine - I will adjust.

The one thing I cannot seem to really get into the groove is walking.  It is so painful to stand and move at times.  I need to go back to the doctor and get this sorted out.  At least, give me something to get over this.  I really appreciate days where I can easily walk the dogs and have no pain.  Believe me - I say a "thank you" prayer to God each time.

However, while watching the Tour de France this week, I found myself thinking about riding a bike.  It was something I really liked when I was younger.  I caught myself looking at buying a bike, but the cost is a huge deterrent.  My friends, who are huge bike enthusiasts, gave me great suggestions on having it sized, so that, yes, you spend an awful lot on the bike, but it will last.

Through that, I figured what I really needed to do is hit the gym.  No personal trainer, but hit the gym and ride the bikes there.  Okay, so what if I am only on there for 10 to 15 minutes?  It is something and something I can build.  I have to start somewhere.

So, yes, I admit, I am discouraged.  However, when I started this metabolism kick start, my goal is to eat healthy and I am working towards that.  I am trying to make better choices and realize what I should be eating.  It is okay to splurge from time to time - I had shrimp nachos last night, but could not finish them - but do not make it every day.  I won't be having shrimp nachos any time soon again, for example.

Today, I head back to my parents house to sort out what needs to be trashed and kept.  At some point, I will need to locate a storage unit.  This sort of thing is stressful, but when I come home, it will be tuna sandwiches for dinner.  Homemade, so I know exactly what is in them and I eat better.

Tour de France - Stage 2

I won't be reporting on every stage of the Tour, but watching the group ride today has been exciting as well as concerning.  The current stage route is from Utrecht to Zelande in the Netherlands.  From the shots taken by the helicopters, the country is really beautiful.

Today, there have been a several crashes.  The weather has not been the best in that it has been raining on the route.  I hate to see the cyclists crash because sometimes it can be really dangerous.  I think the roundabouts have been the most trouble.  Trying to crowd so many cyclists, there is bound to be an issue or two.

For me, I have been cheering on Chris Froome, Mark Cavendish, and American Tejay Vangarden.  I remember watching Tejay being behind in the 2013 Tour and glad to see him near the front of this sprint to the finishing line.

Later tonight, I will watch the women's soccer game - USA vs Japan.  Hope that USA wins.  That will make a lot of people very happy.

Relief for Cramping Foot, Shin, or Calves...

I cannot speak for many women, but it is a monthly thing with me.  Sometimes before I start that monthly business, I get these severe foot cramps.  They hurt like hell, too.  Most of the time, the crap starts at the top of my foot and goes up into my shin.  You know the poop has hit the fan when the crap starts in the right foot/leg, subsides, then starts in the left foot/leg.  Generally speaking, the muscle cramps continue for about 20 minutes and longer if the switch takes place.

During my last blood work, I noticed my BUN levels were quite high - 42, in fact.  I asked my doctor about that, but she never replied.  So, I did some research and found that it could be that I am dehydrated.  

I have been working on drinking more water.  However, the fact of the matter is that I may be missing many nutrients in the process, such as potassium, magnesium, and electrolytes.  I had bought some Crazy Water and other water products claiming to provide necessary nutrients and electrolytes.  Those bottles of water are pretty expensive.

A few Saturdays ago, I was walking the dogs and listening to the "Train Station" show on the Ticket.  The host mentioned using a product called "Nuun" to gain back necessary electrolytes and nutrients.  Basically, eschewing the Gatorade and other sports drinks as they are so sugary.  Plain water does not contain the electrolytes you need, so this tablet would supply that.

A few days later, I noticed a friend on FB mentioned using it.  I asked her about it and she had very positive things to say about the product.  In the conversation thread, another friend of hers chimed in with positive things to say about Nuun.

Yesterday, I picked up some Nuun from Kroger.  I got the lemon-lime and triple berry flavors.  Nuun is about $2.00 per package and each package contains 4 tablets.  Since there are so few tablets, I plan on drinking water with one tablet every other day.  I want to see if that helps to relieve the muscle cramps.

I know many people suggest pickle juice and what have you.  I took potassium and magnesium vitamins, but every month, still dealing with the foot/leg cramps.  It is just annoying, especially if you are already having sleeping issues.

So, here is to giving this a try...

That Time of The Year - Tour de France!

With all of the 4th of July excitement, I almost forgot that the Tour de France would start today.  Granted, I have not really kept up with the various cyclists, but a few years ago, I got hooked watching the competition.

This year, the tour starts in Holland and that is exciting.  The competition always ends with the riders cycling to Paris and towards the Eiffel Tower.  There are several competitions within the main competition.  I had an understanding about the various shirts when I started watching, but I will need to refresh myself.

I have always wanted to visit France.  Tour de France gives you these beautiful views of the various areas of France.  Not only is the race exciting, but the programming always shows such amazing sights.  

I know that, for many cycling enthusiasts, Lance Armstrong and others have ruined their enjoyment of the competition with the drugging.  I am looking past that and simply watch in awe with how graceful and quick these riders are on their bikes.  Sometimes, I actually think about getting a bike and trying to ride it around for exercise.  It is something I may put thought into doing depending on how well I get myself back on track.  It should be a reward for getting into better habits and weight loss.  Getting a bike right now is not feasible financially.

Another reason I really like the Tour is because I am such a huge Kraftwerk fan.  In 1983-84, the band had a single out called "Tour de France" and I fell in love with it and the video.  In 2003, the band released an album with the 80's version of the song along with other versions and new music dedicated to the competition.  Furthermore, the song was featured for that year's competition.

So, before I head out for my grocery shopping tasks, I will sit down, enjoy my breakfast, and watch this first stage of the Tour de France.

 

Should I or Shouldn't I?

Last night, I woke up from sleep with something on my mind.  I had remembered about losing a friendship on Facebook back in December over something pretty stupid.  

Unfortunately, I was born with very sensitive feelings.  It really sucks because there are times I wish various actions, events, or things did not upset me so easily.  That is not the case.

Not that I want this person's friendship, but part of me wants to thank that person for being there during some rough times after my mother's passing.  Sort of - "Look, I know we disagree greatly on a particular issue that we are no longer friends.  However, I want you to know I still think highly of you.  I appreciate your kind friendship during some rough times in my life and for that, I will always be grateful.  I wish you well and maybe over time, our paths will cross again."

Not sure if I should do this or not.  If I did it, it would only be for closure.  sort of like when I finally figured out why a couple of friends from back in the '90's no longer wanted to be my friend.  Once I discovered why from the wife, I simply said I wished that they would have talked to me about it, rather than my finding out in a public forum.  I was highly embarrassed at the time.  After that, I just closed the book - I never searched for them again.  It was done and I moved on with life.  I cherished their friendship while I had it, but now, we had our separate ways.

I still have this person's phone number in my phone.  That is the only reason why I even consider that.

I do not know...

 

Getting the Right Frame of Mind for a New Experience?

Past several days, I have noticed that when I finish a meal, I feel so bloated that I could explode.  The other night, dinner with Random Cathy, I would have normally finished off the reuben sandwich I ordered.  I only managed to eat half of the sandwich and all of the fries.  (Okay - I probably should have selected something other than fries to eat, but this was a "pub"!)  I noticed that when I have great conversation, I eat slower and fill up faster.

As I have gleaned over Facebook, I see the postings about clean eating.  I have a doctor's appointment at the end of this month.  Needless to say, I have done a lousy job on my eating and exercise habits.  The exercise piece is not getting done because I have so much back pain.  I hope to sort that out soon, but in the meantime, I will try to work on walking more.  My job requires that I sit at my desk for most of the day.  I think I will try standing or walking in place while sitting on conference calls.  I am multitasking, but making sure I pay attention to the call.  For me, that is most important - making sure I pay attention to what is being said.  However, just sitting there is not helping me health wise.

Last night, I joined the "Biggest Loser" challenge on MyFitnessPal.  Honestly, I am not competitive.  The only thing to gain here for me is to lose weight and possibly get some new ideas and concepts.  I do not care about winning because if I only lost 1 lb, then I won.

Let's be honest.  "Dieting" does not work.  It is only temporary and you are spending your time starving yourself.  End game, you may lose the weight, but you will return back to your previous eating habits.  Making the lifestyle change, that will stick, but you have to have the right frame of mind.

For example, fried chicken has always been a favorite food of mine.  I love it with mashed potatoes, fried okra, cole slaw, green beans, and/or corn (not all veggies at one time).  However, over time, I have gotten to the point where fried chicken does not taste very good to me.  I prefer either grilled, roasted, or baked chicken, which is better for me.  Every once in awhile, I will break down and have fried chicken.  Once I do, I am reminded why I do not like it.

Actually, to be honest, most fried foods leave me feeling like I have this huge weight at the bottom of my stomach.  Not a nice feeling to have, so I turn to grilled, broiled, or baked foods.

My biggest foe is bread.  I love freshly baked bread.  It is one of the foods that I can hardly resist.  That is no joke.  I am getting better about bread.  I will buy multi-grain bread for sandwiches and such that is low in calories and high in fiber.  If I order take-out, I ask that the bread not be included - if it is not there, I do not eat it.  Last, if I get the bread, I have two carb hounds that love it, so the dogs usually end up eating most rolls and breads.  I know it is bad for them, so I try to limit it.  However, they REALLY love bread.

So, starting on Sunday, I will work harder on eating more "clean" foods as well as re-evaluate my portion size.  Also, curtail the sodas to maybe one a day, if one every couple of days.  Luckily, I am prone to pick up diet sodas than sugar filled sodas, but I really need to drink more water and tea.

Seems that now is the time to start making healthier habits and work on sticking to them.  Now, that does not mean killing everything altogether.  It means eating less breads, cookies, candy, pies, cakes, and so forth.  Save those for special occasions. 

Going to make these changes stick!

Enjoying Time With Friends...

Last night, Random Cathy took me out for dinner for my birthday.  I love getting to hand out with Random Cathy because it is always a new experience and have fun every time.  I thought going to Trinity Hall Pub was a lot of fun and getting to walk around the Mockingbird area was interesting.  I had been in that area a couple of times - one to visit Virgin Records when record stores were still a big deal and the second visit to eat at Rockfish with a co-worker.

Earlier this year, when I was evaluating my finances and such, I made the decision to try new experiences.  Basically, try new restaurants and such, do Painting With a Twist, and other local experiences.  That way, one did not have to travel too far to experience something and it would cut down on the money spent.

So far, I have had the opportunity to experience some really fun activities.  That part is very cool and highly recommend doing that.  Also, it has helped me rediscover Dallas/Fort Worth in a new light.  I think everyone should try this.  

Thanks again to Random Cathy for the great evening and the always enjoyable and fun company!