5 Months - 40 lbs Missing

Blood work was a lot better.... though I'm still borderline Diabetic.  I haven't eaten lots of carbs nor sugar, slowed down on fruit too... but it did not make a dent.  The doctor said, genetically, I am just created/written to have Diabetes.  I had two great aunts and my grandmother - with Diabetes.  I know nothing of my parents' medical conditions or history ...

I feel GREAT.... I religiously take vitamins... and now I swear by them!  I still have not ((knock on wood)) contracted any viruses or infections from all those sick people who cough and hack and sneeze and are gross that surround me... I LOVE IT!!!!!!

I have been to two parties, have gone out to events, and I try to always be busy (if weather allows)... instead of sitting around, feeling sick and fat and miserable.  No more....

I still have a LOT of weight to lose - and I am still hopeful that if I lose another 40 lbs, the blood sugar issue will resolve itself.  Between exercise and eating right, I really am hopeful.... Just that I am still way overweight ... but ... it's falling off....

81 Days.....

I've been eating low carb.... I will find myself sitting for hours in the evening on my "down" time before bed going through websites and Pinterest looking for Low Carb recipes...

Since I started 81 days ago, I have lost 30.6 lbs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

About a week ago it became very visible and evident that I've lost a significant chunk.  I'm starting to see bags and lines in my face where it used to be full of cheerful fat.  I'm wearing dresses that I could not fit into - I've lost about 1 1/2-2 sizes depending on the cut....  My butt is starting to shrink - and my boobs.... my neck is getting turkey like too.  Remember, I'm two years from turning 50 - this isn't young/youthful bounce back skin we're talking about.

Tomorrow I go to the lab for blood work, and next week I find out if I've got the vitamin deficiency under control and if I've lowered my blood sugar to a safer level... or at least lowered it.  I popped my finger and did a test on my own at my grandmother's using her meter - and I was down 7 points from my last test of my blood sugar.  Lets see what the labs have to say!!!!!

I know I've been terrible with blogging...

Last night I took two zucchini and a large yellow squash and sliced them very thin, and layered them with sauteed onions, garlic, diced tomatoes, Sicilian spice mix, shredded cheeses and baked for an hour... I packed up leftovers for tonight's dinner too.  It was so filling - so yummy - and that's basically how I eat...

Either my Stuffed Poblano recipe, salads, bowls of veggies, chicken hot dogs with mustard, deviled eggs, rotisserie chicken with veggies, miscellaneous chicken recipes I have found, and I don't feel like I'm missing out on anything - I feel good... I also feel much better about myself and I still have a long way to go!!!!!!!

15 lbs in 5 weeks...

I've lost 15 lbs in 5 weeks, my electrolytes that were off were mucho better... but sadly my blood pressure raised a bit... so I am back on a new BP medicine... I will have to go buy a cuff to check my BP since the last time it went too low and I passed out...

I've been sticking to my low carb eating, and I have been keeping super busy... so busy, I don't have time to blog...as I had planned.  That's the problem for me in my life, I have weeks I can blog every day - then I have months I can't even write a good email to a loved one for the lack of time.

Buying a Blood Sugar Meter

I'm going to buy a blood sugar meter... just for my own sanity, as well as, ketone sticks... Hopefully, my doctor will provide me with a prescription for the meter sticks, so I don't have to pay the outrageous cost of those little sticks... as IF... they rake in the money on people's illnesses - I imagine in another country they cost pennies...

Oh well... off my soap box...

So... I'm going to start checking my blood sugar in the mornings just to see if my way of eating and exercise are lowering it all sufficiently... if not, then I will be forced to start seeing a dietician...

I've lost weight... but won't know the exact poundage until Monday morning...

I'm excited...

Happy Monday

Above is an excellent link to how to make simple Deviled Eggs....  This Saturday was an absolutely gorgeous day... I got up, dressed, and drove the country, back, winding roads to Fresh Market (I think they have the best eggs), and then came home and boiled up eggs - deviled them, and then my son and I proceeded to devour them within the next 24 hours....

One thing I love... Make a Chopped Greek Salad served with a couple of deviled eggs... I start salivating just thinking about it....

Today I get my labwork done - and next Monday I see the doctor... only a week left to find out if I am showing signs of success!  I cheated .... not on my diet... but I visited my grandmother and she checked my sugar levels... they were NORMAL.... and I weighed myself... but, I'm not going to divulge or think about the weight loss until I see the doctor....I have lost weight....

Trader Joes

It used to be I could buy 4 to 5 bags of groceries there for $125 - went there yesterday and bought barely anything, and it was 1 1/2 bags worth - for $65.00... I have to say - they are raising up their prices and I don't like it... :(

I love their turkey meatballs... easy fix when you don't feel like cooking....

I love their cheese prices, but I noticed they were going way up too... they are easily catching right up with Whole Foods.

Well... I find lately that when I go out to eat... I swell, feel bloated, and it doesn't help with weight loss - even though I was very careful to order salads - no croutons, and have just an oil and vinegar dressing on the side.... I think I am just going to skip the eating out for a few weeks... it doesn't seem to be the healthiest choice for "me" at the moment...

I've packed a bag in our office fridge...

Ham, Cheese, Strawberries, Mineral Water

and I am keeping a bag of roasted mixed nuts at my desk for those serious hunger/craving moments.

I have no clue how much weight I've lost, but yesterday I had three people mention to me "the weight loss"... I don't talk to anyone about the "weight loss" part because I still keep telling myself I want to focus on the "health" not the "weight"... So far, I'm feeling fantastic - other than being bloaty and gassy from eating out...

Cooked Out....

Starting with Tuesday night, I was just worn out - a long day at the job, then to the grocery store and errands, clean up the house, and finally - cook dinner... it was after 8 p.m. when I got the chance to make dinner....

So...

I made up a concoction that was inspired by a few more involved recipes... using ingredients I had in the house:

Shredded up the rotisserie chicken
1 can of drained/rinsed black beans
3 cups of Whole Foods Organic Frozen Brown Rice
1 bag of shredded Cheddar Jack cheese
1 container of refrigerator fresh chunky medium heat salsa
1 packet of Spicy Taco Seasoning

Preheated/cooked at 400 degrees in a small square 8X8 casserole dish

I mixed up the chicken, seasoning packet, beans, half the cheese, and all the salsa
Rice in the casserole dish first
Then topped it with the mixed ingredients
Topped the rest with the remaining cheese

Baked it for 40 minutes till it was very bubbly and the cheese was crisping

When served - we topped it with guacamole and sour cream

There were NO Leftovers

I am now craving that dish again.....

Yesterday I woke up feeling terrific... today - I feel even more wonderful!!!!!  No aches, No Pains, No complaints... energy level is high... mood is high.... and I owe it all to taking vitamins, eating lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, and having cut out sugar, starch, potatoes, and junk food...

Snacks have consisted of nuts and berries - I sound like a squirrel!!!