Weight Loss Journey: 2015 - The Year of Me

I hope you all had a great Christmas.  This past month, I have taken a bit of a break from blogging.  Christmas time is always very hectic for us.  Between multiple family, work and friend get-togethers, we still had to work and keep the house up.  Adulting is hard.

My oldest nephew Logan.  One of the rare photos that isn't blurred.  Kids move fast.

I have been bouncing between 405 and 415 for more than a month.  It seems my body is comfortable at this weight and activity level.  I am fine with that.  I can buy clothes at a store, not just online.  I am really active and flexible.  I am happy, healthy and hopeful.  However, I would like to lose 50 to 100 more pounds.  But I have to remember the number on the scale means nothing if I am miserable.

I have always lived my life trying to do as much as I can for others.  My family, my husband, my friends.  But 2015 was the year of Me.  It was the year I came out of my depression and started enjoying life again.  I didn't even know how depressed I was.  2015 wasn't all about my weight loss.  100 lbs is no small feat, but the year was also about self awareness, self love and self confidence.  In short, I feel incredible.

Me and my nephew Landon, using my selfie stick

I have met so many people in the last year that have lifted me up and supported me.  I have made friends locally and across the US in what I call my "Fat Chat".  I have also had family and friends send me messages and tell me personally how great I am doing.  It makes me incredibly proud of myself.  My blog has gotten so many more followers and I am thankful for each and every person who reads this.  Recently my blog was shared on a weight loss website, across Facebook and Twitter.  It's amazing.  I hope I inspire some of you to get healthier.  I know I am inspired by you all.

This is Christmas 2014 and Christmas 2015.

I am not one for New Years resolutions so I am just going to state a few things for 2016:
#1-I want to continue eating healthy and tracking my calories.
#2-I want to continue my exercise habits by working out at least 3 days a week.
#3-I want to strengthen my relationship with Roger.
#4-I want to continue to save money for our futures.
#5-I want to be a better friend by making more time to visit people.
#6-More craft and food blogs, less weight loss blogs.

What are your hopes for 2016?  Will you be joining me on my journey?

Weight Loss Journey: The Good, the Bad and the Gain

I have been mulling over this blog for a week now.  In fact, I wasn't going to write about it at all.  Just ignore it and maybe it will go away.  But that is how I got to be over 500 lbs in the first place.  And after talking to my sister, she convinced me that this blog needs to be truthful and genuine.  She is absolutely right.  So I must say that I have gained back some weight.  About 7 pounds actually.  Here is where I could list my excuses, but for me, they are not excuses, they are mistakes.  And mistakes can be corrected and learned from.

Two weeks ago I opened an email with the subject line "Invoice and Receipt for Payment".  Thinking nothing of it I downloaded the contents.  Mistake #1.  The email turned out to be a Ransomware Virus that corrupted my computer along with my work and personal flash drives that were plugged in.  I lost every document and photo on all three devices.  I had a friend come over to see if he could save anything but he wasn't able to.  He had to wipe my computer and reload windows.  Thank goodness that it didn't touch anything in my accounting program.

I spent the next 2 days reloading all my programs.  I was so involved in it that I skipped the gym.  Mistake #2.  Instead of taking my lunch break and going to the gym to relieve some stress, I sat at my desk and ate junk.  I went to the gas station a few doors down and got chips, candy and soda.  Mistake #3.  This was an old behavior that I thought I was over but those old habits die hard.  Have I mentioned I don't handle stress very well?

I worked 17 hours overtime in those 2 weeks.  My "at home" meals suffered too. Mistake #4.  I didn't plan ahead and waited way too long to eat some days.  This meant that I didn't make dinner most nights and either ate out or I threw something together.  I had pizza, Chinese, fast food and other comfort food.  I also didn't log my food consistently.  Eating like crap and being stressed about work made me feel like crap.  That in turn made me not want to do anything.  In short, I was lazy and lackadaisical.

On Thanksgiving, I wrapped the Christmas presents while I watched the Macy's parade.  We went to a friend's house for dinner and had a wonderful time.  There was no stress.  By Saturday, I had pulled myself out of my funk.  I took a trip alone to St. Helens, OR and finished my Christmas shopping.  Then, after I got home, Roger and I went to Fred Meyer to shop for boots.  I ended up getting them at Payless.  I got two pair for a little over $50.  I weighed myself again this morning, December 1st, and I was back to 410.  Which means I am 7 lbs from my 100 lb goal.  While this is a set back, it's not going to stop me.

Weight Loss Journey: A Month Without a Scale

On September 1st, I weighed myself, took my measurements and hid my scale in the bottom of my hope chest, vowing not to take it out again until October 1st.  Things were getting too obsessive for me.  I was weighing myself daily and little set backs were causing me way too much mental anguish.  I decided to let myself relax this month and see what happened.

What happened was a much happier Kristy and still a 7 lb weight loss.  I am now 93 lbs down and not one bit miserable.  I let go of the obsessive thoughts.  I let go of always having to know what i was going to eat.  I became more spontaneous and enjoyed eating again.  I still kept track of my food, but not every day and I still went to the gym at least 3 times a week.

Guess what?  I ate out, I ate fast food, I drank and I had chocolate cake.  And I didn't fail.  I lived life and that's what this is about.  "Even if you stumble, you're still moving forward."  I made smart choices, had smaller portions and didn't deprive my cravings.  Guys, I am a changed woman!  I'm never looking back.

Weight Loss Journey: Discovering

Guys, I ran this week.  I didn't run far and it wasn't a fast pace but I ran.  Roger and I went for a walk on Tuesday after work down at this industrial park in town.  They have nice sidewalks and open areas without any businesses nearby.  The sidewalk is lined with street lights and fire hydrants.  I chose to run between every other set of street lights.  I'm not saying it was easy but I sure did enjoy it.  I haven't ran in years.  Another part of my workout that day, and something else I haven't done in years, was using a jump rope.  I also bought a skirt at Target, in a 3X.  It's been a week of rediscovering things.  Along this journey, I discover new things about food, exercise and my own body every week.  I'm 34 years old and thought I knew everything about myself.  Wrong-o.

If you ask any one of my family or friends, they will tell you I am not really a girly girl.  I wear make up maybe once a year and my hair is always in a ponytail.  I am a T-shirt and jeans girl.  But, as of late, I have been wearing make-up and doing my hair daily.  It really freaked my boss out.  He thought I was going on job interviews.  One night, I braided my hair in small braids after watching a YouTube tutorial on awesome beach waves.  It turned out a frizzy mess.  Check out that photo.

I have been on an absolute egg kick lately.  I get the Lucerne Best of the Egg-Original.  It's 99% egg whites with turmeric to make it yellow.  Half a cup has only 60 calories.  I've been making what I call, Green Eggs.  It's basically any green vegetables that I have and eggs.  Last week was zucchini, avocado and salad greens.  This week is spinach, avocado, broccoli and peas.  I love to top it with Sriracha.  This week, I also added some smoked salmon that my husband made.  It is so good and this breakfast is packed with vitamins, good fats and protein.  It keeps me full until after noon.

Another thing that seems to curb my appetite is coffee.  I have been cold brewing my own coffee at home.  Basically you just steep the ground coffee overnight and strain out the grounds.  It's easy and delicious.  Well, I ran out last week and decided maybe I didn't actually need it.  On the second day, I was so hungry.  I thought nothing of it until day 3 and day 4 where I could not control my appetite.  The next day was Friday and I stopped by my beloved Starbucks for a caffeine fix.  Well, that day, the hunger stopped.  I ate my breakfast and made it to lunch without wanting anything else.  So, I guess coffee and I are back together.

Finally, this last paragraph is where I usually tell you how much I have lost since my last blog.  I am sad to say I haven't.  I have hit another plateau.  Not sure the reason, I feel like I am doing exactly what I was before.  So on September first, I weighed in at 417, took all my measurements and then put the scale and measuring tape away.  I will not touch them for an entire month.  I was getting a little too obsessive and weighing myself daily.  But, I know I have gained a lot of muscle.  I can feel muscles in my arms and legs.  I have abs under my rolls.  I know because they are sore after certain workouts.  I joined a Facebook group a few weeks ago that showed me different exercises I could do and asked that the members participate by commenting, leaving photos and other stuff.  I actually won the contest the final week.  I am not giving up, nor am I discouraged.  It's just another time for me to discover a solution.

Weight Loss Journey: Back to the Doctor and FitBit Fun

For the last few weeks, since I started doing treadmill workouts, my hip has been really bothering me.   It doesn't bother me while I'm on the treadmill, just after I get back to work and sit for a little bit.   It gets even worse after I get home and try to relax and watch tv.  Another problem I am having is that my foot begins to cramp/hurt after walking for around 5 minutes.  I have been pushing through it but It was a bit concerning.  I also, secretly, wanted to weigh in  and get my A1C checked again.

82 lbs down

Back in December when I first had my A1C checked, it was 6.9 and in February is was 6.2.  Now it is down to 5.7 which is the lowest number they consider to be pre-diabetic.  I am really happy to have dropped it so much but that doesn't mean I can let up.  I now have to maintain a good A1C so I can stay healthy and off medication.  I am currently down 82 lbs which is a little over 16% of my beginning body weight.  Being a numbers geek and Accounting major, makes me work everything down to percentages and number crunching.  I want to lose 50% of my beginning weight.  I am 33% there, 1/3rd of the way, in 7 1/2 months.  I know it will get tougher as I lose more.  But I am well on my way to a happier healthier me.

Back to my doctor visit.  Apparently my hip problem is called Bursitis and I just have to deal with it.  My foot is a ligament that is being stretched and doesn't like it.  I also just have to deal with that.  So here I am dealing with stuff.  I found some stretches for both problems but they don't seem to be working yet.  I took three days off from the gym this week to see if I could maybe rest up a bit.  When I went back on Monday, I wasn't in hip pain but the foot pain persisted.  After coming back to work, the hip did bother me but not as much as before.  It wasn't until I got home and had been relaxing for a bit that the pain returned with a vengeance.  However, I did do squats yesterday so that may have been part of it.

Here is a report from my FitBit on my work out from July 27th.  My average heartbeat is 128 bpm with half my time in a cardio zone and the other half in the fat burn zone.  My resting heart rate is around 70 bpm.  I burned an average of 15 calories a minute with a total of 504 calories burned.  I love all the information I get form this little device.  Below you can see other parts of my Dashboard.  You can see my sleep, my short term weight loss goal, my total calories burned, my active minutes, my distance, my floors and a badge I earned.  I don't understand how the floors are calculated.  I don't do many stairs and sometimes it says I have done six floors.  I just disregard that one.

Weight Loss Journey: Goodbye April

I have been a little lax on my blogging this week.  Nothing too exciting is happening.  I am just working more and going to the gym every week day.  I have been working on the Annual All High School Car Show that is May 9th.  Me, Roger and about 5 other people put it on.  It's a lot of work and I complain about it the entire time but the day of the show when that one kid thanks you for what you've done, it makes it all worth while.

Well my work schedule changed AGAIN so I am now working 8 am to 5 pm.   I am so used to getting off at 3:30 that it has been a tough adjustment.  At home it's not too bad.  We are eating dinner a little bit later which actually eliminates my evening snack.  I also now force myself to take a lunch hour.  I use the opportunity to go to the gym.  I've made it through 2 full weeks.  According to My Fitness Pal, I burned 3,169 calories last week.  I am really loving it.  It gives me a break from work, I am meeting some really cool people and I am feeling good.  One thing I don't like very much is that after my workout, my hands shake for about 30 minutes.  I have to come back to work and have a snack to calm it down.  Surprisingly WebMD said it was nothing to worry about.

I ran across this the other day:  "Diet" is not a verb, it is a noun.  The verb is "eat".  I don't diet, I eat.  Diet is what I eat.  I can't cheat on a diet.  If I eat something that was not on my plan, I didn't cheat.  I just didn't follow my plan.  If my plan isn't achieving what I intended or I can't follow my plan, I need a new plan.  It really helped me this last weekend when we were out of town.  We took an impromptu trip down the coast to Astoria, OR and Long Beach, WA.  Our first stop was Costco where we dropped way too much money, then to the fish market for oysters and clams and finally to the beach.

At Costco, we did like we normally do and had Sausage Dogs.  I decided to only have one and I am so glad I did because those things are packed with 570 calories each.  At the fish market we each got a crab cocktail which is about 2 or 3 ozs of crab meat.  It was so good, freshly caught and cooked that day.  Then at the beach, Roger really wanted Ice Cream so I had a small one scoop of Mocha Almond Fudge.  It was the perfect size and I didn't feel sick or guilty afterward.  Of course, I didn't bother to look up calories for anything the rest of the day either.  On our way home, we stopped by PJ's Pizza in Cathlamet.  There used to be one in Centralia that we went to all the time and when they closed we found out there was one in Cathlamet so we were on a mission to find out if they were the same.  Oh yes indeed they were.  The best chicken wings and pizza.  Yum Yum!

I have really been focusing on drinking a lot of water too.  In fact, I have been drinking only water except for 2 cups of coffee and one soda in the last 2 weeks.  I decided to look up how much water you should drink in a day.  There was a website that gave a calculation.  You take your current weight and times it by .66 and that is how many ounces you are supposed to drink.  So for me, 450 x .66 is 297 ounces plus 12 ounces for the 30 minutes of exercise I do a day is a total of 309 ounces.  that is nearly 2.5 gallons a day.  There is no way that I could EVER drink that much water and still get anything done.  I would be in the bathroom every 10 minutes.  I settled on shooting for 128 ounces a day, which is a gallon.  So far, it hasn't been a problem.  I stole a sports bottle from my brother-in-law the last time I was over and it holds 27 ounces.  I have 2 of them before the gym, 1 at the gym and 1 after.  Then when I get home, I drink at least 2 glasses of water.  I haven't noticed a huge difference but, I was only drinking tea and water anyway.

When I weighed in this morning, I had dropped below the 450 mark.  It was something I had been shooting for.  My total weight loss is now at 54 lbs.  I haven't been losing as rapidly as I would like but I know the first few weeks at the gym would be an adjustment.  I am entering into my third week now.  I met a very nice lady in her 60s yesterday who encouraged me to try the elliptical.  She said it was her best option because of her knees.  Thanks Rosie, and Happy Birthday!

March Goals Week 3

After posting my last blog, my cousin commented that the weight I lost is equivalent to her almost 4 year old son.  Putting it in those terms are crazy to me.  I lost a 4 year old.  Today I am wearing jeans that actually zip and button.  I can't tell you the last time I wore jeans that zipped.  I have been wearing stretchy pull on jeans for a while now.  I always try to look put together when I leave my house.  I am not one of those people who will wear their pajamas out in public.  My logic behind it is that I am already fat, why give someone more ammo to look down on me.

I have really been giving a peek into how my brain works.  I hope that it helps someone else reading this know that they aren't the only ones feeling or thinking this way.  Lately I have caught myself saying can't pretty frequently, like, "Oh, I can't eat that".  I feel like this is a really bad thing to say.  No one is telling me I can't have something.  I'm not even telling myself that.  I am choosing to change how I eat.  I have been consciously trying to replace can't in my vocabulary.  Nobody cares what you can't do, they want to know what you can or are going to do.

I went to the doctor on Tuesday and it turns out, the pain I was having is from Acid Reflux.  More specifically, Dyspepsia.  So, another new prescription and a list of foods to try to avoid.  The funny thing is, peppermint was on that list.  All week long I had been drinking peppermint herbal tea to calm my stomach.  I did get a high five from the doctor on my weight loss so that felt good.  She is pretty positive about my progress.  All my vitals and stuff were good, my blood pressure was excellent as well as my pulse and oxygen levels.

I did a seated YouTube exercise video Tuesday while editing photos and downloading content off my phone.  I made it through the entire 25 minutes with no problem.  I feel like I have been kicking ass at life lately.  My house is clean, I am organized, I am on my way to a healthier life, both mentally and physically.  I have crossed quite a few projects off my "Wanna-Do" list.  I even got photos hung back up in my house.

However, Thursday I didn't eat so well.  It wasn't a terrible day.  I only went over my calorie target by 100 but I ate the wrong stuff.  I had a Light Beef Bologna sandwich when I got home and then we had dinner with my Mom, Bruce, my sister Kari, Josh and my nephews Logan and Landon.  We went to a Mexican restaurant right next to my Mom's work .  I had saved about 1000 calories for the meal.  I had 750 but when I went home, a few hours later, I had a second bologna sandwich.  I can feel the difference in the type of food I ate.  When we got home last night, I had no energy to do anything and that led to sitting on the couch, watching tv and making that second sandwich.

I got up early on Friday morning and did a short 15 minute aerobic video before work.  I'm not really a morning person.  Sometimes it is hard enough to get to work by 7 am so I don't know if morning exercise will be my friend.  But, there isn't enough room anywhere but the living room to move around so unless I wanna interrupt my husband's night, morning it will have to be.  Saturday I did 20 minutes of a new resistant band routine.  It was fine but it didn't really challenge me so I won't do it again.

I can feel changes happening in my body.  I can tell right away when I have had too many carbs.  I get very lethargic.  My work is really paying off.  I weighed in on Sunday morning and am down a total on 43 lbs since December 9th.  My goal for 2015 was 50 lbs so I am sure I will get there.  My energy level has been down this week, especially Saturday.  I think PMS is creeping up on me.  My positive attitude has really improved my life as a whole though.  I didn't realize how unhappy and grumpy I was.  Finally making myself the focus is really helping.

I want to especially thank all of my Facebook friends and family for being so supportive.  With so many people in my corner, this change has been easy for me.  Even though the guys at work torture me with their junk food habits, I had been strong.  I know I have said it before, but this isn't a diet.  It is a lifestyle change.  I have made changes that are easily incorporated into everyday life.  I am still cooking regular dinners and eating out when it is necessary.  I guess what I am trying to say is that if you are struggling, know you are not alone and that you don't have to change your entire life just to lose some weight.

So, for my final week of March Goals, I am going to stay positive and get out of the house.  I am going to say 5 positive things that happened during the day before I go to bed and let the negative float away without wasting any of my time.  I am also going to do something after work 2 days this week.  Usually I race home and once I am home from work, I don't leave again.  This week I am going to either go for a walk, go shopping or hang out with friends after work.

Diabetic Journal Week 6

Monday February 16th, 2015:
What a weekend!  Hope you all had a great Valentine's Day, I know I did.  Saturday Roger and I headed to his work and he taught me how to torch and weld.  Together we created an art piece for our 10th Anniversary.  It was a really special moment.  We have been really disconnected lately.  I guess that sometimes happens when you have been married a while.  You get into a rut and just take your partner for granted.  We both decided we needed to make more of an effort and it has really changed both of our attitudes and moods.

I am finding it easier and easier to make good choices.  I am also finding that my tastes are changing.  Sunday we went out to breakfast like we always do.  I had steak, eggs, tomato slices and toast.  Then, we headed up to my sister's to see my nephews.  We didn't get to see her but spent about 3 hours with the boys and Josh.  They always make me happier.  My Dad even stopped by.  We don't see each other very much because we live a few hours apart.

After we left there house though, I was so hungry.  Roger wanted Jack In The Box so we stopped.  I got a grilled chicken sandwich with no sauces and without even thinking ordered a large fry and large Iced Tea.  I guess old habits don't ever completely die.  I ended up eating maybe 5 fries.  They just didn't taste the same.  So I ate my sandwich and was satisfied with it.  Before, a single sandwich would have never done that.  That night we went out with some friends for Chinese.  I ordered something called Three Ingredients.  It was scallops, shrimp and chicken with the normal Chinese vegetables.  It was really good.  I could have ate the entire plate but forced myself to stop and take the rest home.

Wednesday February 18th, 2015:
The weather in Washington has been so beautiful.  It seems like Spring is coming early.  Not sure what that means for our Summer but I will take it for now.  I have been doing sitting exercises at my desk this week.  While it may not seem like much, it is a lot more than I was doing.  I found a video series on YouTube called Launchpad from LiveExercise.  I am hoping that while having to sit all day, it will at least get me moving.  I did find a couple parts harder that others.  It at least got my heart beating a little faster and got me breathing.

Thursday February 19th, 2015:
I've talked on this blog before about my Mom's awesome lasagna.  I've also talked about my husband's annoyance when I mess with a good recipe.  Well I have been craving it something fierce so I decided to change it up a little without telling him.  Instead of all ground beef, I mixed 1 lb ground beef and 1 lb ground pork.  I also switched out the regular full fat cream cheese for a low fat onion and chive cream cheese.  It was seriously good.  A serving was 671 calories, 38 grams of fat and 27 carbs.  While it's a little high on fat, it was well worth it.

It sort of feels weird to me to analyze everything I eat.  I used to eat whatever and whenever I wanted.  I have actually proven to myself how much willpower I have.  After eating one piece of lasagna last night, I really wanted more but I forced myself to sit for at least 30 minutes and if I still wanted more then I would have some.  Sure enough, after 30 minutes, I was good.  About 2 hours later I made myself some plain popcorn and had a yogurt.  The popcorn provides some great fiber while the yogurt satisfies my sweet tooth.  I found a 100 calorie Greek yogurt by Yoplait with less that 10 carbs.

Tonight for dinner I made T-Bone steaks with roasted broccoli and baked potatoes.  This was the first time I have had a baked potato in a very long time.  I chose the smallest one in the bag and ate it plain but 2 hours after dinner my blood sugar was 144.  The nutritionist I saw said that a regular blood sugar after eating should be less than 180 but it kind of freaked me out.  I haven't been that high in a while.  I have been consistently between 80 and 120.  How often do others check their blood sugar?  I have been checking once or twice a day.

Sunday February 22nd, 2015:
I am nursing a little hangover this morning but I had such a good time.  We went out with some friends in Elma to sing Karaoke.  It's been a while and I have really missed it.  We had our normal Sunday breakfast routine but I wasn't able to eat much.  Roger just kept giggling at me and saying "I told you so".  Later in the day, while watching the Daytona 500, I was able to eat some popcorn and then even later I made some Roasted Broccoli and I felt pretty good after that.  Drank about a half gallon of water and some herbal tea throughout the day so around 3 I was feeling pretty normal.  There is a big change in the snacking habits at our house.  Plain popcorn and broccoli were never around before.  It was cookies and chips or crackers.

Friday night after work I tried out a Yoga program that I had on the DVR.  It was much harder than I anticipated.  My balance is terrible.  I have been looking on Amazon for some Yoga videos for obese people.  Roger has back problems and I heard yoga can help you become more flexible so I am hoping we can try it together.  I did have him do my Launchpad exercise video with me and he was a good sport.  I am also looking at some resistance bands to make my chair work outs a little more challenging.

Tuesday February 24th, 2015
Today was a weak day.  I had a long day at work and on my way home, I stopped at Starbucks.  I had a free drink on my card so I ordered a Venti White Mocha Frappucino.  Ya know what though?  I took maybe 5 drinks from it and was done.  It was a combination of knowing I didn't want to feel sick after drinking it and not wanting to derail just because I had a bad day.  Win for Kristy!!

My Diabetic Journal - Week 2

Saturday January 17th, 2015:
I was away from my house all day today so I knew it was a day where I would have to make smart choices on the go.  I started my morning at Starbucks where I used the rest of my gift card by buying the Spinach and Feta Wrap, a Bacon Breakfast Sandwich, a Tall Skinny Vanilla Latte and a Venti Black Iced Tea.  I can hear you saying "Girl, that is too much."  Calm down.  I was being smart.  I ate the wrap and drank the coffee on the drive north.  It was 8:30 in the morning and I wasn't sure when I would be having lunch so the second sandwich was an emergency food supply.

I went and dropped some things at my sister's house and spent some time with my nephew then headed farther North to hang out with a friend.  By 11:30 I was getting hungry and I could tell I needed to eat.  I ate about a quarter of the emergency sandwich while driving out to Yelm.  I was glad I did because we didn't have lunch until 1:15.  We stopped at a KFC/Taco Bell.  Not many healthy choices to make but I did find a Chicken Cantina Power Bowl.  I was actually quite disappointed in it.  There was more rice in it than lettuce.  It had 490 calories, 20 grams of fat and 49 carbs.  But, it was very filling and I wasn't hungry again until around 5 when I got home and ate the rest of the breakfast sandwich.

I was home for about 30 minutes in which time I did my nails, my makeup, my hair and got dressed for Roger's Company Party.  I had two drinks while at the party.  One Long Island Iced Tea and the second was an Apple AMF.  They had a nice buffet set up with a ton of food I can't eat.  They had pasta salad, mac and cheese, rolls and a ton of desserts.  I did find some good stuff.  I had salad, steamed vegetable medley, pork loin, roast beef and chicken breast.  I also had a very small scoop of mashed potatoes.  I needed some carbs ya know?  It was a nice party with 2 hilarious comedians.

It was a whirlwind day of being on the go but I thought I did really well.  I woke up in a good mood and it continued all day. I think today proved that I am on a good path.  I didn't have a hard time making a good choice.  In fact, nothing on that KFC/Taco Bell menu really looked good at all.

Sunday January 18th, 2015:
I was pleased that after a few drinks the night before, my blood sugar was 109.  It had to have been the amount I drank last time and the Red Bull.  Today is game day so we headed out to our regular Sunday breakfast.  Roger's parents joined us today but I made sure we were out of there by 10:30.  I really didn't want to miss the 12:00 kick off.  We did a quick grocery shopping trip which included a bunch of meat and vegetables.

Since the weather has been so rainy and I found some Pork for Posole on clearance, I decided to make a Pork Vegetable Stew.  I threw in a can of green beans, a can of corn, a can of black beans, carrots and some diced red potatoes.  I also made some barley to toss in and used some cumin and garlic powder to season.  It was delicious and the perfect accompaniment to some Sunday Football.  However, watching the Seahawks game was making me sick.  My stomach was in knots.  Until those last few minutes where my Hawks pulled that stuff off.  I never doubted them and knew a miracle was headed our way.

Monday January 19th, 2015:
I woke up in a terrific mood again today.  The Hawks are heading to the Super Bowl to play the Patriots and I am heading to a healthier year.  I finally ordered a scale online that weights up to 550 lbs.  It should be here next week.  I don't want to weigh myself every day but once a week or so should be fine.  I have never been one to obsess over a number on a scale.  I want to feel better, that's it.  And so far, so good.

Yesterday I was craving a Diet Coke so instead of getting a 2 liter (or 3) like I used to do.  I paid twice as much for a 20 oz.  It was gross. I hadn't had a soda since Christmas.  I've been drinking water, herbal tea and iced tea.  The soda coated my mouth with a film that I just hated.  Guess that proves that I have beat that bad habit because I don't want that anymore.

I roasted 2 chickens last night so I could have extra chicken for salads and later on in the week, I am using some in a recipe.  Either Chicken Enchilada Zucchini Boats or Creamy Chicken Quinoa Casserole.  To go with the chicken, I also made Roasted Broccoli.  It is my favorite way to eat broccoli and is so easy.  All you do is put your broccoli into bite sized pieces, put them in a bag, add a little olive oil, garlic powder and parmesan cheese, shake it up and bake it at 400 for like 20 minutes.

Tuesday January 20th, 2015:

My Suburban (aka The Party Bus) is in the shop so I am driving my husband's truck (Johnny Longbox).  Yes, we name our cars.  I've already shared my story of Juanita our Chrysler Imperial.  Anyway, this means I have to get up at 4:30 to take him to work.  Oh Joy!  This morning I decided I was going to take him to work, exercise, shower and then go to work.  I found a fitness show on TV and thought I would give it a try.  I lasted about 15 minutes.  Which is actually longer than I thought I would.  I then laid down and fell back asleep until 6:30.  I still had to shower and get my lunch together.  I was only 5 minutes late but ended up with a salad for breakfast.

I am being tested today.  The guys had Big Ass Sandwich today which is this amazing food truck in Portland.  They are so delicious.  They come with fries on them.  Anyway, the boss brought them in and they smelled so good but I had my lunch, I was fine.  Now I get a call about my Suburban and the guy says it is going to be $1900.  This is completely depressing because it will pretty much wipe out my savings.  This makes me want to drown my sorrows in a juicy cheeseburger and some fries or a pizza but I won't.  This is too important.

After we finally got home last night, I deboned the rest of the chicken from the night before but was too tired and depressed to make one of the recipes I was going to try.  I made Roger Chicken Quesadillas and I had Breakfast Hash.  It was quick and easy.  I went to bed early, dreaming of a miracle for my car.

Sunday January 25th, 2015:

I missed a few days of journaling.  I have been running around like crazy.  Let me quickly catch you up. Wednesday night I made Creamy Chicken Quinoa Casserole.  It was one of the best dinners I have made in a long time.  It had chunks of chicken, broccoli and quinoa without any of that canned cream of whatever soups.  Roger is being pretty good about at least trying everything and he has okay-ed quinoa to enter our staple items.  

I got my vehicle back on Thursday.  I got new calipers, u joints and brake pads.  In total, it was only $800 so I was pretty happy.  And I got it back just in time to head north on Friday to spend time with my sister and nephews.  We made cupcakes for a baby shower for our cousin and just had a great time.  I will share one of the cupcake recipes and the casserole recipe when I can.

One bad thing was how I ate on Friday.  I had breakfast at home at 7:30 but didn't eat again until almost 1 and I was on the road so I grabbed a burrito from Taco Bell.  It had 55 carbs in it.  Yikes!  Then, we went to Jack In The Box for dinner because Kari and I were heading to a party about 45 minutes away.  I had a large fry on the way there and then a Chicken Fajita Pita before bed.  My blood sugar in the morning was 137.  I was pretty disappointed in this because I had been doing so well.  I hadn't been above 120 in a week.

Tried my hand at Kale Chips today. They were actually really good.  I have been missing a crunch in my diet and this really satisfied that.  I took about 4 cups of cut and cleaned kale, drizzled a tablespoon of light olive oil and a sprinkle of sea salt.  I spread them on a baking sheet and cooked them at 300 for about 25 minutes.  Roger even tried one and said it was ok.  And he is opposed to anything green so that says a lot.

Heading to the kitchen to make Turkey Quinoa Stuffed Peppers.  I will fill you all in next week.

My Diabetic Journal - Week 1

I was really overwhelmed by all the love and support I received from my previous blog.  It's really heartwarming to see that people care.  Thank you all so much!

I think journaling is an important part of this. It helps me know how I feel after eating a certain way or what I may have done "right" or "wrong".  I type it that way because I don't think there is a right or wrong in what I am doing.  This is all about changing habits and my lifestyle to live with my diabetes.  Also, maybe I can help inspire someone else.  I am not an expert and if you have suggestions for me, please let me know.  My current goals are to stay under 2500 calories a day, stay between 30 and 45 carbs for meals and under 25 for snacks and exercise for 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week..

Sunday January 11th, 2015:
Last night we went to the Eagles with some friends and family for Steak Night and to watch the Seahawks game.  I had salad, steak and sauteed shrimp.  The food was so good but I also had at least 5 drinks plus a few shots.  On the way home I don't remember if it was me or Roger who suggested it but we ended up going to Jack In The Box.  Being not of sound mind, I ordered a Munchie Box.  A big fat greasy sandwich, fries and tacos.  I don't even remember if it tasted good.  What a waste.

I woke up really disappointed in myself.  I should have made a better choice.  This morning's blood sugar reading was 147, the highest it has ever been.  Damn you Vodka and Red Bull!!  I am going to have to cut back on drinking, or cut it off.  Saturday we have a Company Party for Roger's work so I will test out having 2 drinks.

We have a Sunday ritual which includes breakfast at 9 at the Silver Star, grocery shopping, chores and either Football or NASCAR.  I'm very predictable.  I always have the Rib Eye steak, eggs, hash browns and toast.  Now, I have to change that.  I've traded out the hash browns for tomato slices and my toast is dry whole wheat.  We went grocery shopping after and I got some chicken thighs on sale so I made Crispy Baked Chicken around 2.  I had 2 pieces of it and then took a nap.  For dinner around 7, I had a salad and another piece of the chicken.  We went to bed around 7:30.  We may be 33 and 37 but we kinda act like 70 year olds.

Monday January 12th, 2015:
Back to work and back on track.  My morning blood sugar was 140.  I think it may still be from the drinking or could be from the lack of food from Sunday.  Information online is sketchy.  It's easier for me to stay on track when I am at work because I am on a schedule.

My new favorite foods are Wasa Light Rye Crackers with sliced cheese and Turkey Pepperoni.  I can have 4 crackers, 2 slices of cheese and 17 slices of pepperoni for 350 calories and 28 carbs.  I can add a clementine or a 1/2 cup of berries for an extra 10 carbs and 40 calories.  For me, this makes a perfect breakfast when I get to work around 7.  I try to have a snack around 9:30 or 10.  Usually a piece of fruit.  A Honeycrisp apple has 110 calories and 29 carbs.

For dinner I made a Seafood Soup with a little rice.  It had scallops, shrimp and cod in it.  It was filling and delicious.  Next time I make it, I will share the recipe.  It made six servings so we will have leftovers for a few days.  We both love having leftovers for lunches.

Tuesday January 13th, 2015:
Woke up a bit late this morning but still took the time to make sure I brought good food to work.  My morning blood sugar was down to 126.  Alcohol really affects the blood sugar obviously.  I am also feeling a bit out of control.  I am feeling really hungry and craving "bad" foods.  It's been difficult to resist but so far I have been.

I recently signed up for a NatureBox subscription.  NatureBox is a company that sends a box of snacks to you once a month.  It's great for me because I have them sent to my work and always have a healthy snack on hand.  It's $20 for 5 different snacks a month.  If you'd like to sign up, I can email you a referral and you will get a discounted box.  I tried the French Vanilla Almond Granola and the Strawberry Greek Yogurt Covered Pretzels today.  They were both really good and low in carbs.

I didn't have a plan for dinner tonight so I gave Roger the options of fending for ourselves, me making something or ordering in.  He hemmed and hawed for like 20 minutes not making a decision so I finally just got up and made a beef stir fry with zucchini and mushrooms.  I know it's not his plan to put off the decision until I just make it, but it worked out.  I secretly wanted him to choose to order in so I could blame him.  I feel guilty about that now, but at the time, all I could think about was the food.

Wednesday January 14th, 2015:
When I first started this, I told Roger that I never wanted to feel guilty about eating something.  It was about making healthier choices but not depriving myself.  So far, I don't feel deprived.  In fact, my lunches seem like a lot of food.  Because it is mostly leafy green vegetables, I can pile on more and still stay under my calorie goals.  I have brought a 1/4 cup measuring cup and a Tablespoon to work in order to keep portions in check.  I emailed my doctor today to see if I could get an appointment with a nutritionist.  I think it would be helpful to show someone my food log and get their "professional" opinion.  My doctor gave me kudos for being so dedicated so that made me feel good.

I gave myself a treat tonight and ordered Chinese food.  Before I even started eating it, I portioned it out so I wouldn't eat too much.  I felt good about the decision, however, I immediately got a headache after eating it.  Besides the fries from Saturday night, this is the only deep fried stuff I have had in over a month.  I will have to remember this when I get this craving again.

Thursday January 15th, 2015:
I am regretting my decision to have that Chinese food now.  I don't want to waste it so I am eating it for breakfast and lunch today.  I am in a terrible mood and finding it hard to get motivated to do anything today.  I am tired and just feel sluggish.  What a lesson I have learned.  Back to eating good and keeping on this healthier path.

Along with changing my eating habits, I also have given up soda and coffee.  Soda wasn't really that big of a deal but coffee has been hard.  I think it's one of those things that I will have every once in a while.  I still have $30 on my Starbucks Gold Card to use.  They have healthy food choices too so on a day where I am running late, I have a back up plan.

I made Ahi Tuna steaks for dinner tonight.  I also threw together a cheesy rice side dish for carbs.  I had leftover rice from Tuesday so I added some peas, smoked sausage and cheese.  I am trying to rid the fridge of stuff left over from the holidays.  I had a package of Lil' Smokies that I had planned to make as an appetizer for a New Years Eve Party but I got sick and was unable to go.  I have been trying to use those when I can because they are full of salt.

Friday January 16th, 2015:
I have been doing this change for a little over a month now and for the most part I am really happy with it.  I feel good, I have more energy and I'm focused.  The only thing negative is that things are getting a little monotonous.  I have a salad every day for lunch at work.  I can change up the protein, the dressing or other toppings so that's fine.  It's at home, for dinner, where things are boring.

Roger isn't much for vegetables.  He has opened up a lot more over the past few years and added some vegetables to his list but mostly not.  I can't really have corn anymore and canned green beans are so full of sodium that I am trying to avoid them if possible.  So for now, roasted broccoli or stir fried zucchini and mushrooms is about the limit.  I spent a few hours yesterday going through low-carb side side dish recipes and I think I have came up with a good list.  Next week will be my trial week for them.

This morning I stopped at Starbucks on my way to work and got an iced tea. I also ordered the Spinach and Feta Wrap with Egg Whites and the Reduced Fat Turkey Bacon Sandwich.  I ate the wrap for breakfast at 7 with some blueberries.  It was really good but not very filling.  I ate the other sandwich at around 9:30.  Both were less than 300 calories and less than 30 carbs so for "eating out", they weren't bad.  I think I would get the wrap again and add something but not the sandwich.

You Have Diabetes

Back in early December I went to the doctor for a check up because I hadn't been in over 2 years.  It was a Tuesday morning.  We did the normal check up stuff and then I had to go get some blood drawn for some tests.  No big deal.  Then, Wednesday afternoon I got a call from the Nurse saying I needed to take another blood test because they say something on my blood work.  She said, "Now don't freak out, but they think you have diabetes".  WHAT?!?  I did freak out.  I immediately went online and started researching diabetes and it's effects.  I decided right then and there that I had to change.  I didn't want to lose my eyesight or any limbs.

History
I have been fat my entire life.  I was always the biggest kid in school.  I learned to deal with it.  There were some nasty kids but mostly I wasn't picked on too much.  I learned to use humor to gain friends and get through life.  After High School I gained even more weight.  I was working during the day and going to school at night which meant that most of my meals were fast food.  I was 19, I could fix it later, right?  WRONG!

I ballooned to 510 lbs.  My Mom suggested we check out this place called The Wish Center.  It was a bariatric surgery center.  We went to an informative meeting, went through all the insurance hoops and finally I was able to start the process.  There were multiple sessions with a dietitian, therapist and doctors.  I had to set some weight loss goals before they would schedule my surgery.  I lost 30 lbs before my Gastric Bypass in June of 2003.

The recovery was tough.  I had to be on a liquid diet for 6 weeks, then soft foods for another 4 weeks.  I could only each about 1/4 cup of food at a time.  I had fantastic support from my Mom, Dad, Sister and extended family.  I completely changed how I ate and the pounds dropped off.  By December 2003, I had lost a total of 140 pounds.  I was feeling great.  I finished college and began looking for a more permanent job and a partner.  I found my partner in January of 2004.

Roger was amazing.  He was everything I wanted in a boyfriend.  The only problem was, he lived 70 miles away.  I began staying at his house for multiple days and in May of 2004, I moved in.  I was lucky that most of my job could be done over the computer so it was fine to move away.  But, I needed something else.  I worked odd jobs until I got a pretty good part time job in September which turned permanent and full time in March of 2005.  We were married on February 12th, 2005.  That's when the weight started creeping back up.

As a new wife, I wanted to please my husband so I made sweets, big dinners and treats.  I began to figure out ways around only eating the small amount of food and without the watchful eye of my support system, I totally sabotaged myself.  The weight crept back up without me really noticing until I finally did.  For the last 5 years, I just ignored it.  Until that phone call in December.

Wake Up Call
I guess I always knew that I needed to lose weight.  I just never found the time.  Or, I would try for a few months, get a little off track and then just completely derail.  So the call that I had diabetes flipped a switch in my head.  It was the motivation I needed to change my habits and get myself healthy.  My readings were borderline.  My Doctor wants my A1C to be below 6 and mine was 6.9.  My morning glucose/blood sugar was 133 and she wants me to keep it between 80 and 120.  There was 2 weeks before the call and my second doctor's appointment.  In that time I had lost 8 lbs.  That also was a great motivation to keep going on the path I was on.

Diabetic Diet
I immediately cut out carbs. I was eating vegetables, lean proteins and small amounts of fruit.  I cut off soda and caffeine completely.  I haven't had fast food for a month.  My wallet and my waistline are thanking me.  I began journaling my morning blood sugar and my food.  I joined MyFitnessPal.com and downloaded an app called OnTrack that helps me track my blood sugar.  I was eating awesomely.  I was eating vegetables at every meal and salads for lunch.  But, my blood sugar was completely erratic.

Here is an example:
7am:  1 tomato, 1 avocado, 4oz mozzarella cheese
12pm:  4 cups lettuce, 4 oz chicken, 2 tbsp oil & vinegar
5 pm:  chicken breast, sauteed mushrooms, zucchini, broccoli and kale
The next morning, my blood sugar was 139.

8am:  6 oz sirloin steak, 2 eggs, 1/2 a tomato, 2 slices of whole wheat toast
1 pm:  6 oz chicken, 4 oz mozzarella cheese
6pm:  4 slices of thin crust chicken and spinach pizza
8pm:  3 bread sticks
The next morning, my blood sugar was 109.

I was getting super frustrated.  I didn't understand why on a day I ate so well that my sugar was high and on a day where I wasn't as good, it was lower.  After a week of this, I finally called the advice line of my medical facility for some help.  She explained to me that you need to have some carbs.  By me not eating any or very few carbs during the day, my body was making up for it by releasing extra glucose into my bloodstream to make up for the lack of carbs/glucose/sugar in my system.  I was harming my progress without even realizing it.

I am back on track and staying the course.  I will continue to update on my journey.  I will share what works for me and what foods I find helpful.  I am now in-taking between 25-45 carbs per big meal and no more than 30 for snacks.  I don't plan on weighing myself very often.  I am going on how I feel and how my clothes fit.  So far, I have much more energy and am able to actually do things after work without coming home and just laying around.  My next goal is to add some exercise into my routine.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to ask them here or you can message me.