Days Three and Four Summary

It seems a bit odd to be posting in the middle of “day” four, but my first day off is always a bit skewed. I sleep the day away, but I don’t want to sleep all day on my other days off so I am generally in bed around three or four a.m. I slept a whopping 10 hours today with only one trip to the bathroom. I guess I must have been beyond tired. I woke up super disoriented and was not able to get myself moving until after 7 p.m. I took my usual shower to wake up, took my vitamins, drank my shake, and then had a quick cup of Bulletproof coffee before heading to Walmart to grocery shop for the next few days. I’m eating my lunch as I write this because I am about to fry bacon, boil eggs and pre-slice veggies. I don’t want to do all of that while hungry!

Last night went well. I passed up temptation and stuck with my planned meals. I didn’t even have an extra cup of coffee last night. I was too busy. I had that familiar pang of hunger while giving report to the oncoming nurse, so I was super grateful for my premade bowl of yogurt and berries. I was only up for an hour after getting home.

It’s possible I may not eat all of my prepped meals and that means my macros for the day will be off. I think that may be ok once a week as long as I am under macros once this week and not far over. I have a lot to do before I go to bed. Laundry, prepping food, cleaning my room, and a session or two with Just Dance.

This week my biggest hurdle wasn’t good temptation. It wasn’t eating my prepared meals or drinking enough water. Basically, it was meal planning. I gave up trying to plan for Tuesday. I grabbed a bit of extra produce and figured I can plan when I find what I have left tomorrow. I’m thinking some kind of sausage, pepper, and egg dish for breakfast, and pork loin for supper. I have not figured out lunch. The hubby asked for corn dogs. Blech. At least I don’t have to make him one from scratch. If I have not said it before, the man hates most vegetables and won’t go low carb. At least I have tomorrow fully planned. And he may actually eat lunch.

Breakfast: Hard-boiled egg, two slices bacon, string cheese, a cup of Bulletproof coffee.

Lunch: Fried cabbage with Polska Kielbasa, onion, and tomatoes. A little sweet potato on the side for sweetness and to push my carb macros for the day.

Snack: Bulletproof coffee and yogurt with strawberries.

Dinner: Wineless Shrimp Scampi beefed up with tomatoes and asparagus, served over a bed of zucchini noodles.

Total carbs: 40.2g; Protein: 68g; Fat:112g; Calories: 1475

A respectable looking day, still below my personally allotted calories for the day. I am still trying to stay on the lower end of protein requirements to show some respect to my kidneys, so I’m super happy with these numbers! Too, I’ve rarely eaten anything for breakfast since I started meal prepping except maybe a bowl of yogurt and fruit. Bacon and egg is going to take getting used to.

One noted takeaway from today: I started that TOM. Why would I mention this, you wonder? Well, usually I get horribly bloated. There is no exception today to that. My face is as round as ever. BUT! My pants are just a wee bit looser. How can that be after less than four total days eating this way? The answer is water weight. Even though I’ve been drinking a ton of water and this TOM makes me retain water, I’ve lost water weight, the first thing you lose when you start any diet plan. I’m not weighing myself until next Monday morning, two weeks after my hypertension diagnosis, but I have no doubt I’ve lost a pound or two. It gives me hope.

I’ve been told it’s not the number on the scale, but the way clothes fit that tell the tale. In anticipation of losing my first 10%, I bought a beautiful lacy shirt that is just a tiny bit tight. I’m pretty sure it’s going to fit like it was made for me by Christmas Eve.

Well, it’s almost 10 p.m. and time for me to get some things done. Day five summary tomorrow!

Day Two Summary

Sheer heaven in a bowl.

You ever have one of those days where, by the very end of it, you can barely speak, because you’re just that exhausted? Ok, so I have those days far more often than I’d like, but this morning just redefined “exhaustion”. I actually had to concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other while walking out of the door.

Last night, I followed the same meal plan as Thursday. Lunch and dinner were just as tasty. I’m looking forward to eating them both again tonight. I’m hoping I’ll have the time to enjoy them. I scarfed lunch down at 11 pm and then dinner at 230 am. I drank almost all of my water. I was shy by about half a bottle, which I am not going to rectify now due to the fact I don’t want to wake up to void half a dozen times. Yeah, that was a bit of exaggeration. I felt a strong pang of hunger by 630. At 8, I finally got to sit down to a bowl of yogurt with berries. My tummy is so much happier.

The only way I deviated last night was a cup of coffee with a packet of Splenda. I needed some energy to make it through. I won’t beat myself up over it. I did ok. No cheating, and no creamer in that cup. My blood pressure either wasn’t as low or I was too damn busy to notice. Maybe both. The pressure got to me a little just before I left. An hour late.

I’m actively trying to plan out menus for my days off when I have time. A stolen moment here and there at work, while waiting to clock in, or while drinking my Bulletproof coffee in the evening. It’s hard. I’m trying to balance my macros with my calories. I’m also trying not to run my grocery bill through the roof. I’m trying to figure out how not to waste food. How to feed my husband when he is visiting, since there’s so much he won’t eat and butter has no good place in his diet. Meal planning in itself gives me a little headache right now.

One major goal I have is to eat cleaner than ever, not to lean on prepackaged foods or snacks. I like knowing what I’m putting into my body. Organic isn’t something I’m agonizing over. Grass fed is not overly important. Just getting into the habit of preparing almost everything is a good point to start at.

Eating healthier while avoiding pitfalls at work will help me feel even better about myself and eating this way. I can’t wait to be able to see my toes when I’m standing up straight!

Day One Summary

Last night before I left for work, I drank my Thrive shake and decided to save my yogurt and blueberries for this morning. I took my lunch and dinner meals with me. For me, it was a relatively slow night, as I was charge nurse precepting a new staff nurse. I never knew that travelers could be charge or precept, but there I was. The night dragged. It didn’t help that my blood pressure was 107/65 at midnight. Maybe my lisinopril dose is too high?

I drank my Bulletproof coffee at quarter to 5, just before I left for work. By 10 pm, I was so hungry, it wasn’t funny. My lunch was fantastic! The fish was moist and the cauliflower, though a little over salted, was delicious. I ate very slowly. At 130 am, I had to take my break, so I ate my dinner since I had time. I was hungry then, too. Again, a very tasty meal. The butter I topped my green peas with melted into everything and made “dinner” taste next level

It’s a little after 7 am now and I’m back at the apartment. I have to admit I am very hungry and looking forward to my yogurt. By the time I hit the proverbial hay, I’ll have also had 132 ounces of water. And I still have cotton mouth. Not fun.

This morning, I realize I had a winning moment. One of my coworkers mentioned there was a free breakfast for employees in the cafeteria, and rather than go downstairs to eat bacon, grits, and eggs, I stuck to my plan to eat ONLY my meal plan. They picked on me a bit last night because I am the snackiest nurse even I know, but I didn’t get swayed. The Holidays are here, so we’ll see if I’m able to keep with the program.

Every journey begins with the very first step. In this case, it began with a meal, and then a day. Tonight is going to be the second in a chain of what I expect to be an exciting and interesting journey to a healthier me.

Carb-ivore No More

Tonight I had my send off, carb laden meal. Out of all the things I could have chosen, I decided mac and cheese was the last big carby meal I had to have. Tomorrow, the real work begins. I decided against Atkins 20 because it was hard the first time around. Atkins 40 gives me a few more options and makes a whole new way of eating seem more doable. I know the site says that Atkins 40 is for folks with less than 40 pounds to lose, but I’m going to try it anyway. I have 55 pounds to lose. I’m not sure I can even get down to 130, but I’m going to try. I figure if for now I reduce my calories to between 1200 and 1500 rather than the recommended 1500 to 1800, I can still lose weight. Especially adding in exercise and plenty of water. For me, this is all trial and error. I’m trying to keep my macros within the recommended range, except for the calorie part. As for counting calories on Atkins, I know many people don’t do it, but the human body needs a calorie deficit to lose fat, period.

I am going to try to keep up with posting here, even if it is a few lines once a week. I’d like to make this blog a record of my journey, of the fails, the wins, and everything I learn in between.

I cleaned out almost all of the foods that are a temptation from the fridge when I got back to my “apartment” this evening. I asked my husband to clean out the fridge back home. Mostly to make room for healthy foods when I am able to get back there. Both to keep our food bill down and my morale up. On Sunday evening, I’ll be cleaning out my “pantry” tossing or giving away the foods I should not be eating on this journey.

I chose Atkins 40 over WW because WW leaves too much room for temptation. It works, yes, but I need something more rigidly structured that has very clear guidelines and pushes clean, healthy eating. I had to laugh today when I told my husband I needed a little more protein for breakfast, to have a good strong start to my day. He suggested bacon. Yes, bacon is allowed in this WOE (way of eating), but I was looking for a healthier choice. Something that would benefit my body in some other way. Full fat Greek yogurt was slotted in. Calcium, protein, and no guilt? Thank you.

It is going to take time for me to get everything just right. To find a way to plan meals without feeling lost and overwhelmed. I don’t want to add in the frozen meals and snack bars. This is a personal choice to eat as cleanly as I can, without a bunch of processed foods with the exception of my Le-vel Thrive shake four days a week. It’s going to be a bit of a challenge with my little kitchenette, but I’m going to be able to do it. I am fortunate to have a full sized fridge!

So for the next four days, the simplified version of my meal prep and plan is as follows:

Breakfast: Thrive strawberry shake.

Snack: Bulletproof coffee.

Lunch: Lemon pepper and dill salmon, asparagus, cherry tomatoes, and cauliflower “risotto”.

Snack: Greek yogurt with blueberries.

Dinner: Rotisserie chicken, baked sweet potato, and young green peas with butter.

Total Carbs: 39.4 g; Calories: 1396; Fat: 92 g; Protein: 98 g

So it isn’t a perfect meal plan. I know my carbs aren’t evenly spread out. I’m happy with this first menu, though. I get a little sweet potato in, and I’m within all my macros as long as I eat everything for the day. Sometimes I’m just too tired to eat. The idea is to drink my coffee an hour after drinking my shake. I’ll be able to eat my “lunch” around 11 pm after med pass, and my dinner around 3 or 4 am, saving my yogurt for right after I get home so my tummy isn’t growling while I’m sleeping. If I go to bed even a little hungry, I am more apt to wake up in the middle of the day and eat anything that isn’t nailed down.

I bought a Nintendo Switch a month or so ago so I could play Minecraft with the hubby since my computer is now a potato. I’m thinking of downloading Just Dance to see what it’s like on the Switch. Dancing is always more fun than just marching in place or huffing and puffing while walking in neighborhoods I don’t know very well. That and stretching, more stretching, and even MORE stretching are how I am going to try to lose the first ten pounds. After that, I’m going to dust off the Electra Townie I bought this summer and hit the road. I stopped riding partly from the heat being so bad this summer, but mostly out of unadulterated laziness. My doc said, “Exercise!”

This nurse is gonna try not to be a sucky patient.

No More Denial

Last Monday, I was walking into the small apartment I’m renting while on assignment and had an extremely unpleasant experience. For many months I’ve suspected that I’ve segued into full-blown diabetes, not to mention developed hypertension. I’ve not been very careful about eating healthy, especially while traveling. For days I’d been experiencing nearly non-stop headaches. Excedrin Migraine has become a staple in my medicine cabinet.

As I took a few steps into the laundry room, a wispy, dark shadow crossed the vision in my left eye starting from the inner corner of my eye. As is got bigger, I started to panic. Thankfully, my husband was visiting and helped keep the panic under control. My fears caused me to quickly Google possible issues, including retinal detachment. A local optometrist took me as a walk-in.

The optometrist confirmed a vitreous bleed. He was a little concerned right off the bat and asked me if I was hypertensive or diabetic. I answered truthfully that it was possible but I wasn’t sure. He was able to secure me an appointment with a very good retinologist and surgeon for the next day. At that appointment I was again asked if I was hypertensive or diabetic. I answered the same way. He diagnosed me with a retinal macroaneurysm. After doing some research, I found that the condition is most common in diabetics.

I made an appointment with my regular doctor, since I was due for a work physical anyway, and got all of my lab work done along with my physical form. Doc confirmed I was hypertensive and put me on lisinopril. I asked him if I’d ever be able to come off of it. He said that he didn’t know, even with diet and exercise. The stress of my job is not going to change. If the hypertension is hereditary, I may be on meds for the rest of my life. He also agreed that more than likely, I’m now diabetic, but we’ll have to wait for my hemoglobin A1c to come back to be sure. In the meantime, he prescribed a healthier diet and emphasized exercise. He told me bluntly that diet alone won’t be enough.

This is my second day on the lisinopril. It’s wiping me out. Though my hypertension wasn’t extreme, apparently something my body got a little too used to. I’m also frustrated. I’m looking over dietary plans and trying to decide which direction to go in.

I could choose the Mediterranean diet. Or Atkins 40. Or the diabetic diet. Regardless of which way I go, reducing calories and moving my body are paramount. I need to figure this all out before I go back to work Thursday. I so hope that the blood pressure meds aren’t going to wipe me out for my shifts. ☹️