Day 268 - Please God make the poplar fluff go away ......

Well I'm still not feeling all that great.  Was doing good till yesterday and then went outside for a couple of hours and got all stuffed up again ........does it never end.  Finally had to start some prednisone (you all know how much I love that stuff) just to clear the airways.  I am afraid to step on the scale cuz I feel like I have gained 30 pounds.  So much fluid my feet and hands are swollen to twice their normal size today.  Hopefully that will go down by tomorrow.

How are you all keeping?  I just popped on for a few minutes to let you know what is happening so you all didn't think I'd decided not to come back.  I really hope to get to feeling like I can get back on program here soon.  This is like fighting a losing battle some days. 

Day 263 - Sorry....

My apologies for having missed a few days, thought I was feeling better and then I had a relapse.  Still having lots of problems with breathing and the fluff from the trees is killing me.  Went for a walk today for the first time in 2 weeks and could hardly breath when I got back to the office and we only walked for 5 minutes.  Holy cow!

Last couple of days have been really busy.  We did get to church on Sunday and that was nice.  They were having a picnic afterwards but we passed as I can't be outdoors for too long where there are lots of trees and that site is loaded with poplars.  Yesterday, we had our annual TOPS summer picnic and it was really nice, not too long outside so managed ok.  We also started an accountability contest today in which we are partnered up with another member and have to do the following:

1.  Attend meetings
2.  Fill out a food log
3.  Exercise for 20 minutes 3X week
4.  Call our partner at least 2X a week
5.  Weigh in each week with a loss

So I have to start getting back onto program again whether I feel up to it or not.  When I'm sick I don't eat a lot but I do consume a lot of regular GingerAle (old remedy from when I was growing up), and that packs on the pounds and fluids.

I got all the travel arrangements done for Vegas and everything worked out just great, my niece will be home in time to go and this is the response she posted on Facebook when I told I had Garth Brooks tickets:

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG i can't believe we are going to see garth brooks i can't believe it this is insane holy crap!!! omg thank you thank thank you thank you omg i can't even believe this is happening wow! AHHHHH you just made my BIGGEST i mean BIGGEST dream come true thank you so so so so so so MUCH!!!!!!!!!! wow i can't believe this im so incredibly excited right now!!!! LOVE YOU!!!!!!


Do you think she is excited......lol.
 
Breakfast
4 oz yogurt
1 cup grapefruit sections/juice
1 Maxwell House coffee
 
Lunch
Teriyaki Chicken Bowl
1 can diet iced tea
 
Supper
1/2 red pepper
1 cup coleslaw
1/2 Delicsico Four Cheese Pizza

Day 260 - Finally feeling a bit better ...

It's been a long haul and I am still coughing and feeling not quite 100% but definitely better than I was.  I thought I could get back here Thursday but had a relapse and didn't make it.  Having been trying to get lots of rest and stay indoors.  The poplar fuzz and lilacs blooming are killing me and the meds aren't working like they should be.  Hopefully an easy weekend will make for getting better.

I took a suitcase of 8 mm home movies to get put onto DVD this week.  This is a gift for my parents for their 60th anniversary.  Didn't know what else to get them, I sure hope they enjoy looking back at about 10 years of their lives.

I'm playing on the computer this morning until Garth Brooks in Vegas tickets go on sale.  I'm going to Vegas in September with my niece, sister and soon to be daughter-in-law.  My niece wants to see Garth so badly so I want to get tickets as he is playing the weekend we will be there.  It will be a big surprise for her as I don't plan on telling I have the tickets till we actually get to the show.  Keep your fingers crossed that I can pull this off.

Breakfast
1 Tassimo Latte
4 oz yogurt
1 cup grapefruit sections/juice

Well I managed to get my Garth Brooks tickets but screwed up royally.  I wanted them for Oct 1st or 2nd as we were going to go from Sept 30 to Oct 4th.  I got so excited that I forgot to check the right date and ended with tickets for September 11th instead.  Good thing I hadn't booked flights or hotel rooms yet.  Just waiting on my niece to get back to me, I think she is done in Kentucky at the end of August so hopefully all will work out.  Not going to be as much of a surprise as I wanted but she will be happy just the same.

Lunch
5 small pieces sushi
2 oz black forest ham, 1 cheese slice on whole wheat bun

Dinner
3 oz lean ground beef patty
1 cup steamed carrots and turnips
1 cup coleslaw

Snack
1 cup strawberries w/3 tablespoons whipped cream

Day 257 ...on the mend

Hi everyone, I'm starting to feel better and hope to get back into routine tomorrow.  Had a really nasty asthma attack but it seems to be going away.  Thank you all for your concern and I'll be back tomorrow.  Right now I am off to bed for another good night's sleep.

Day 256 - Sick....

Sorry, I haven't been posting, I am really sick so it could take a couple of more days till I am back with you.

Day 254 - Beautiful day ...

The sun is shining today and as usual my brain is in full gear with all the things I am thinking about.  I have a huge chore list for hubby to start on tomorrow and I have a few things to finish for myself before heading back to work tomorrow.  I woke up yesterday with a sore throat and sniffles but not sure if it is a cold or allergies.  Treating it as both for now.  Still stuffed up this morning so thinking it is probably allergies.  We've had some really rainy days here and the roof at the office was leaking so thinking that the humidity and extremely cold air from the air conditioner is the culprit.

I took yesterday off from worrying about steps and calories just to have a bit of time for me.  Hubby and I went to a few garage sales in the morning, then I did grocery shopping and pretty much did nothing for the remainder of the day.  It actually felt really good.  I didn't do anything crazy as far as food and no binging so I'm ok with the day off.

Thank's SkippyMom for leaving your comment for me yesterday.  You are right, this is my blog and I am going to write what I want not what I think others may want.  If I'm boring, oh well, that's just me. 

Breakfast
4 oz yogurt
1 banana
1 Tassimo Latte

Lunch
1/2 raw pepper
1/4 english cucumber
4 grape tomatoes
1 pkg Smart Choice Sesame Chicken
1 glass Zero Iced Tea

Day 253 - What do you like to read ...

I thought a lot about this thing with my mom last night and have decided I am going to go and see what happens.  It I get too uncomfortable I can always leave.  I have to start looking at the positive side of things and stop being so negative.  She sent the invite so I am thinking she is extending an olive branch so to speak.  If I don't take it I may miss out on the remainder of my mom's life (she is almost 79) and I do miss her.  I have always hated family feuding so now is a good time to mend some fences.

I want to throw something out there to you as my followers.  Why do you read my blog?  Why did you sign up as a follower?  What do you look for when you read what I have written?  Are you interested in what I am posting as far as weight, exercise totals, what I have eaten in a day?  Do you check every day?

I am a curious person by nature and definitely not much of a writer.  I always feel like I am writing boring things.

Also, if I did another challenge what would you suggest it be on?

Lots of questions this morning but I look forward to reading your comments.

Day 252 ... Strange happenings .....

Thanks everyone for your comments, I feel better today.  I apologize, not sure what came over me but this blog was all about what makes me tick.  It's funny that I would have felt forgotten when I am normally a very private person to begin with and this blog was started more as a means for me to journal and work my 12 step program.  I think as time went on I started to be more and more dependant on you all to be there when my day was finished.  Thank you all for caring.

I got up at 4 this morning as I couldn't sleep (I think it was due to not hearing the sound of falling rain), had a shower, breakfast and went for my walk to pick up the mail.  I think I remember telling you that my mom and I have not spoken for over 3 years.  Seems she thinks I did something wrong but I'm not sure she remembers what it is.  Anyway my folks are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary in about 6 weeks.  My youngest sister told me a couple of weeks ago that mom had called her and told her they were having an open house and that there would be no formal invitations only word of mouth.  So I naturally assumed that I would not get an invite.  Even though she hasn't spoken with me I do send her flowers for Mother's Day, her birthday, Christmas, their anniversary, etc.  Today when I picked up the mail there was a thank you card from her for the Mother's Day flowers with a note extending an invitation to the open house.  I nearly dropped in my tracks.

Now I am confused as to what to do.  Is this her way of saying she wants to bury the hatchet but doesn't want to say she is sorry?  Is she just inviting us so that we can't say we weren't but doesn't expect us to show up?  I am so confused.  Just when I thought that things were on an even keel again along comes another upset the apple cart situation.  Does it never end.  If she had not sent the invitation everything would have been just fine.  I would have sent the usual flowers and the CD I am having made of some old home videos.  Now I have to try and figure out if there is any reason why it would be better if I didn't go.  I'm the black sheep in my family and other than one sister none of the other siblings talk to me.  I am in such a pickle here, any suggestions?

Day 251 - Forgotten ....

Do you ever feel sometimes like the world just up and forgets about you when there is nothing exciting happening in your life.  The past few days I've been fighting a horrible depression.  It started when my challenge ended and everyone kinda quit posting and there wasn't anything to read anymore.  The highlight of my day was signing in and doing my journaling and then reading about others days and perhaps leaving a comment.  Then all of a sudden I'm posting but there is nothing to read.  No one was leaving comments or posting on their blogs and I felt terribly alone in the world, so I didn't blog for a few days.

I know that probably sounds silly as I never really expected anyone to read my blog anyway.  Ok, so I am back, not to please others but, to please myself and help me to continue on my journey.  I did take a picture of my weigh in on Monday morning and I was down 1.2 pounds (will post the picture when I remember where I left the camera...lol).  Not bad for a week but then that night I weighed in at TOPS and I was down 4.2 pounds from the week before.  That made my heart soar.  I haven't been walking as much this week due to buckets and buckets of rain coming down every day.  I did walk in the rain on Monday as it was just a light drizzle but every morning since then it has been pouring.  Even in spite of not being able to do my morning walks my step count has been pretty good.

Monday     12877
Tuesday       4235
Wednesday  5478
Today          6367 so far

I've been keeping my calorie count to around 1000 - 1200 and that suits me fine.

Day 247 - Flower planting ....

 Took a chance today that the winter weather is behind us and planted my patio flower pots.  It would be a shame to lose them to frost but what will be, will be.  Feeling a little old today my youngest son turned 37, wow.  I can remember the day he was born and then we almost lost him at 6 weeks due to an allergy to milk, today he is 6' 2" and healthy as a horse.  Thank you God for blessings bestowed.

Breakfast
4 oz yogurt (35)
1 orange (60)
1 Tassimo coffee (100)

Tim Horton's Iced Cap (220)

Lunch
4 oz meatloaf (240)
1 cup raw pepper & cucumber w/1 tablespoon low cal dressing (65)

Snack
1 Life snack bar (100)

Dinner
4 oz grilled pork tenderloin (220)
4 oz wild/white rice (80)
1 cup steamed cauliflower (50)
1 low fat ice cream bar (90)
1/2 cup canteloupe (60)

Total steps 6603 (400 calories)
Calories 1320 calories

Day 246 - Running lots of errands today ..........

Got up early, made my shopping list and headed out.  Went to Walmart, Canadian Tire, the bank, Sobeys and Tim Horton's.......yep, you read it right.  Thought I'd treat myself this morning so had

Breakfast
1 medium English Toffee Coffee (240)
1 blueberry/cranberry bran muffin (290)

Lunch
1 pkg Budget Gourmet Spaghetti Marinara (tasted not bad in spit of the name) (280)
1 raw pepper (25)
1/2 english cucumber (25)
2 tablespoons calorie wise Catalina dressing (30)
1 cup fresh mixed berries (60)

I discovered something today that I had never really given any thought to before.  When I cook, I tend to eat more.  Now I try to make nutritional meals and keep the amount being prepared down in quanitity.  For instance when I made dinner tonight I prepared one large potato to be shared between hubby and I, steamed carrots, broccoli, cucumbers, raw peppers and .........here comes the kicker, meatloaf.  Now it is extremely hard to make a meatloaf with only 8 oz of ground beef.  I usually do my ground beef up into 1 pound packages when I buy in bulk.  So here you have this 1 pound of ground beef, adding an egg, some tomato soup, onion and bread crumbs.  The smell is fantastic as it is baking in the oven.  Managed to dish up my 4 oz portion along with all the rest of my dinner ingredients and everything went well till ........it came time to clear things away.  There was well over half of the meatloaf left and instead of putting it away (out of sight, out of mind), I started picking at it.  Before you know it, bam half of it is gone.  So when all was said and done here is what I had for dinner:

8 oz meatloaf (520)
6 oz steamed carrots (65)
4 oz steamed broccoli (50)
4 oz boiled potatoes (60)
1 cup raw pepper (25)
1 cup cucumber (25)

Snack
1.5 cups fresh berries w/4 tablespoons whipped cream (150)

Total steps 6046 (420 calories)
Calories 1845

Good thing I burnt off 420 so that brings me back down under 1500.  Have come to the conclusion that I need to stop cooking.  Yikes, can't afford to many days like this.

Day 245 - Woohoo, it's Friday.....

That one day of the week that I live for.......Friday, end of the work week, beginning of the weekend.  It's been an ordinary day, wishing they would hurry up and post the LottoMax winning numbers so I could collect my $50 million......I wish.

Went for coffee after work with one of the newer ladies in our office.  She's a real sweetie and we had a nice time.  It is always good to spend some time away from the office and get to know more about the other people you work with.

Breakfast
4 oz yogurt (35)
1 orange (60)

Lunch
1 Bistro Panini (390)
1 cup mixed blackberries/raspberries (90)

Dinner
1 Tim Horton's Cinnamon and Raisin Bagel w/butter (315)
1 cup raw pepper (25)
1/2 english cucumber (25)
1 tablespoon Russian dressing (60)

Total Steps 6982 (500 calories) - much better
Calories 1000 (will have something more later for a snack)

Skippy's mom, thank you for your concern but I have lots of energy.  I am going to add more to my daily calorie count probably in a week but I just need to do this for a kick start.  I don't get much exercise so therefore don't burn a lot of calories.  Partly because of my job and partly because I am just plain lazy.  I have been starting my day with a 4 block walk and once I get that implanted in my brain as a habit I will start to consume a little more in order to compensate for the difference.  When you weigh close to 300 pounds it doesn't hurt to eat a little less, you have plenty of extra for your body to burn.  I definitely won't starve to death.  Thank you so much for your concern it means a lot to me.  I really try to eats lots of fruit and vegetables to make sure I get all my vitamins.

Day 244 .....boring day

Nothing much new to report, things are quiet.  Hubby has a touch of the flu so it is really quiet...lol.  Tina, I have had a pedometer for awhile now, I just forget to use it....cuz I'm lazy.  Thought I would break it out and see if I can get to 10,000 steps daily.  I have a job where I sit all day, and lately have been forgetting to take my breaks.  I started walking to get the mail every morning before I go to work so that gives me about 4 blocks to start off the morning.

Breakfast
4 oz yogurt (35)
1 orange (60)

Lunch
1 cup each pepper and cucumber w/low cal dressing (65)
1 Teriyaki Chicken Bowl (these are from Costco and they are so good...) (370)
1 cup fresh blackberries and raspberries (90)
1 pkg Thinsations Chips Ahoy Cookies (100)

Snack
1 Life Snack Bar (100)

Dinner
2 cups Campbell's Beef Barley soup (140)
1 cup blackberries (60)

Hubby didn't want me to make dinner tonight so decided to have soup, not one of my favorite things unless it is homemade.

I blew my TOPS conscious idea this week as we weren't supposed to have any chocolate and I totally forgot today.  Will have to pay my fine on Monday night.

Total Steps 4478 (calories burnt 315) - not good
Calories 1020

Day 243 - Enjoying some nice weather ...

We have actually been enjoying some nice weather over the past two days.  High teens, so it has been the perfect temperature for me, as I am not a heat person.  Hubby and I went to Costco's this afternoon to get fruit.  It was getting pretty sad around here, especially when I resort to eating apple sauce in order to get my fruits in.  Of course, I bought lots of berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries).  I just wish they didn't go bad so quickly.

Breakfast
4 oz yogurt (35)
8 oz grapefruit sections w/juice (100)

Lunch
1 raw pepper (25)
1 Smart Choice Three Cheese Ziti Marinara (290)
1 pkg Quaker Chrispy Mini's (90)
1/2 cup applesauce (50)

Dinner
1 raw pepper (25)
1/2 english cucumber (25)
1 tablespoon low cal Ranch Dressing (15)
1/3 Dr. Oetker Ultimate Bacon Pizza (285)
1/2 cup diet jello (10)
1 cup fresh blackberries (60)

Snack
1 low fat ice cream bar (90)

Total step 6844
Calories 1100

I missed my afternoon snack as my TOPS group has a concious idea this week of not having any chocolate and all I had at the office was my Life bars and they are chocolate.  I now understand why they say you should never grocery shop when you are hungry.  I went down the bakery isle at Costco and it all looked so good but I resisted temptation.  We did have oven baked pizza for dinner but I managed to have one portion size so I feel really good about how I did. 

Having a little trouble with my blood pressure as it wants to keep dropping, then I get dizzy and feel funny.  Will have to keep an eye on it, I'm sure it is just because I am trying so hard to stay on program.

Good news about my Dad, they have discovered that it was his high blood pressure medication that was giving him the spells.  His blood pressure is normal so when he took the pill it would drop it down and make his body think he was having a heart attack.  I can't believe that they didn't check it sooner, he's been on them for 3 years and no one ever did a review with him.  In fact, it was me that told him to tell the doctor that the pills were the problem.  Only makes sense that if you are taking a pill to lower your blood pressure and your blood pressure is normal that it is going to do something wierd.

Hubby had a phone interview with a lady from the disability company today and she is going to look into a whole lot of things to see why no one has bothered to do anything for him over the past several years.  I think God has finally answered our prayers, we just keep praying that she has some clout in the health care world and can pull some of this off.

Day 242 ... Trying something new

 

Breakfast

4 oz yogurt (35)
8 oz grapefruit sections w/juice (100)

Lunch
1 raw pepper (25)
1 SmartChoice Turkey Dinner (200)
1/2 cup diet jello (10)
1/2 cup apple sauce (50)
1 can diet green tea w/citrus (0)

Snack
Quaker Chewy Bar (100)
1 Tassimo Latte (100)

Dinner
5.5 lean pork chop (302)
1 cup baby carrots/peas (70)
1/2 english cucumber (25)
1/2 cup diet jello (10)

Snack
1 low fat ice cream bar (90) - these are so good, they come in orange and raspberry swirl flavors and are full size bars - sometimes you get the ones like Fudgesicle that say they are calorie reduced and it is because they are only 1/2 the size of a regular bar


I'm going to try and post some pictures that hubby took for me this morning.  I am going to post a picture of my weight each Tuesday morning and once a month a picture of myself in the same outfit.  That of course is providing I can figure out how to do this, so bear with me for a bit.

Okay, the pictures are posted and even though the scale date says yesterday it really was this morning, I just haven't figured out how to change it .......lol.  As you can see it is a decent weigh in from where I first started and I am hoping that by having to see these pictures everytime I open my blog I will get motivated to get off my duff and do something.

I even went for a walk around our close this morning before going to work and it felt good.

Total steps:  7066
Calories:  1117