Breaking The Silence

Well folks, after my OBGYN told me not to follow the ketogenic (20g of carbs or less) diet after it badly messed with my hormones, she said I had to do 50g of carbs MINIMUM per day.  You know what happened?

I fell off the bandwagon a few weeks ago, and now I'm really bummed and feeling a little hopeless... especially because I epically tripped on a curb last week and injured my left (dominant) hand and right leg.  Hashtag, klutzforlife. 

My hand is healing well, and though it didn't affect my ability to play the piano, my handwriting has changed slightly.  That's fine by me, though, because I believe it got a smidge more legible!

My leg... my leg is not doing well.  When I'm home, it's pretty much constantly elevated and iced.  I use a tens unit combined with ice to increase circulation. The PT guy at my chiropractor had fun taping my leg up yesterday to also help increase circulation.  I cannot go for a leisurely walk without feeling like someone is ripping all the meat off my shin... and by leisurely walk, I mean any and all movement.  If you see me around, I'll have a positive face on, because there is just not much else I can do... and I cannot... I will not let this impact my daily living.

Well, I will not let this impact my daily living except my ability to break a sweat on the elliptical.  Though I promise it won't become a clothes rack, it will be out of commission for a bit.  Long lovely walks with my amazingly supportive boyfriend may also be on the backburner for a while.

Since my last blog post, I hit the 15 pounds lost benchmark.  Since falling off the bandwagon, I put about 8 back on, give or take a few (I weighed while on my period, and we all know that can do horrid things to the scale).  Good news, though, is that my smaller jeans still fit well.

Here's to a restart of a simply low-carb (50g-ish of carbs per day) approach.  Gotta keep trucking!

PS. See the sparkly size 7 ring?  That's my next mini goal!  I'm not the girliest girl, but I do like pretty things. At my thinnest back in high school, I wore a size 5 ring... small steps!

Keto Day, well... Ch- Ch- Ch- Ch- Chaaanges!

I've been following a low carbohydrate, spefically Ketogenic, diet since March 4th, 2017. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), and I'm a slow loser coming in at a 10 lb weight loss just barely as of Thursday morning. 

My old jeans began feeling loose weeks ago, so I went online and found the next size smaller (my favorite brand are hard to find locally). They arrived Wednesday night. When I looked at them, I thought, "Damn, I forgot to get the curvy fit, these aren't going to work." I put them aside and went to bed feeling depressed. Thursday morning, I begrudgingly tried them on, and they fit PERFECTLY (the photo posted shows the difference between my old and new jeans).  That made my day!!!

And my week!!!

Thank goodness, because I needed it.

I recently gave up dairy products with the support of my OBGYN in hopes that it would have a positive effect on my menstrual issues.

Well, it didn't.

About 2 weeks ago, I increased my carbohydrate intake for 5 days to see if that would help (sometimes lady stuff responds negatively to big diet changes, like going super low low carb).

That didn't help either.

I called my OBGYN on Monday to problem-solve and she was not at work. Tuesday morning she called me and said she could see me in June... JUNE!!! I am hopping on a plane with my boyfriend next week for a trip East Coast and trust me, you don't want the girl problems I've got while flying.  I expressed this and was told she'd go see what other options were available.  About 15 minutes later I got another call; there was a miracle 11am cancelation!!!

At my appointment I was told that although my blood sugar levels all look good (and have for the last 10 years of annual bloodwork), it's not because they are good... it's because my pancreas is frickin' awesome, apparently. In other words, my pancreas is working harder than it should.  I also learned that I'm insulin resistant.

I have now been put on Metformin, a medication very familiar to a lot of folks with diabetes.  In addition to helping my body use insulin better, it should also have a positive impact on my girl issues. Yesterday was the first day that it didn't make me feel like hurling every other second, or sleeping like a hibernating bear.  With those side effects gone (for now, until further titration in 2 weeks), I'm feeling a bit less angry about it all.  I'm just not a fan of having to take medication... and still a little pissed that it took so long to figure this out despite my diligence in having annual blood panels done (because I know I'm high risk for diabetes).

Since eliminating dairy did no harm or good, I was told to reintroduce it into my diet or start taking a calcium supplement.  Since most vitamins/supplements cause severe vomiting for me... hellooooooo dairy!!!

Yogurt and cheese... I missed you. [Insert heart emoticon here.]

Also... I was instructed to increase my daily carbohydrate allowance from 20 grams to 50 grams, 40 at the very least.  So, this means I'm still following a low carb diet, just not strictly Ketogenic anymore.

If my OBGYN believes this in conjunction with the Metformin will help with my girl issues, I'm on board.

Of course I'll still hop on and blog periodically, because the adventures continue! 

Keto DAY 39 - RIP Dairy

Monday (yesterday) was the day I originally planned to go dairy free, but I failed. I really hate wasting things, and I had some cheddar cheese left in my fridge, as well as some sour cream.  Soooooo... I made an epic Keto-friendly meal full of dairy last night, hardly ate any of it, and my mind is now at ease.

Today... today is the official beginning of my dairy-free ketogenic adventure in hopes that it prevents further PCOS-related "girl issues" (see my last post), and maybe increase the rate that I drop weight; I am losing, just v-e-r-y slowly in comparison to others I've talked with.

That being said, I went into autopilot mode at the grocery store this evening when I saw single serving low-carb yogurts on sale.  I stocked up, did the rest of my shopping, and while unloading my cart at the check stand... remembered I ditched dairy. What a heartbreak, and I felt like a jerk for making some store employee restock it all.

RIP dairy products. I'm not used to this yet...

On a positive note, my chicken allergy has taken a back seat for now, so I can have chicken until my body decides it's poison again. Chicken is one of my 19 food allergies that come and go on a rotational basis. Knowing it's OK for a bit, I stocked up on some frozen chicken I can prep for lunches, etc. There are currently some little drumsticks in my toaster oven baking. I brushed them with olive oil, then sprinkled them with sea salt, garlic powder, and a touch of black pepper.  They will take 80 minutes to bake from frozen at 350 degrees, and I chose to flip them at the 40-minute mark to brush on more olive oil and spices. I'm so excited; I miss chicken immensely when I have to go months (sometimes years) without it.

Keto Day 36 - I am past the MONTH mark!

I have survived over a month following the ketogenic WOE (way of eating), and I'm feeling great!

The previous digestive issues I was plagued with for over 7 years have continued to be absent since day 2 of this new adventure, and boy am I grateful!

A friend requested that I share the recipe for some baked egg cups I made semi-recently (photo included in post); they were an improvement on some fairly bland ones I posted about previously.

Here you go, Tami!

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees, and spray non-stick spray inside your small containers of choice (ramekins, muffin tin, etc.). Whip 10 eggs, 2 Tblsp of pesto, 20 slices of hard salami (chopped into little pieces), and 1 cup of shredded cheese  (I used Mexican blend) in a large bowl. Pour contents into your little containers (it fit into 5 of my medium ramekins), and bake for 30-40 minutes.

Also, I want to brag on my wonderful boyfriend, Rick.  He made breakfast for us the other day (photos included in this post) and made my portion Keto-friendly.  He has not joined me in this way of eating, but he is very supportive of my shenanigans. Gosh, I love that man!

WARNING: I'm going to get really real about girl stuff for a second, so if you're squeemish, you might want to leave now.

No, seriously, I'm going to be very frank with what I share.

Turn away now or forever know too much about things women don't always freely discuss.

You were warned!

I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and unlike a large portion of ladies with PCOS who often don't have their periods for a long time... I struggle to get mine to go away.  A year ago, it was at its worst.  I hemorrhaged for over 2 months straight (anywhere from 2 to 6 cups of blood per day and golf ball sized clots).  I went through days where I could barely walk due to dehydration from bleeding so much and low iron levels, and ended up at an urgent care once and the ER three times because my doctor kept sending me there instead of seeing me herself.  Nothing and nobody had anything useful for me.

I ended up going to see a recommended OBGYN in town, desperate to just stop bleeding to death.  After being poked, prodded, tested, and examed, cancer and a few other things were thankfully ruled out. After high doses of Progesterone didn't stop the bleeding, I was put on a birth control pill.  That didn't work to stop or reduce anything until my OBGYN had me triple the dose for 3 days, then double it for 3 more days, then return to a normal regime. Holy hormone central, but it worked.

I have enjoyed a fairly normal menstrual cycle for the past year.  My periods are rough, but they have an ending... until I started this new way of eating.

You see, changes to one's diet can mess with one's hormones.  The ketogenic way of eating has been known to be really good for women with PCOS, because we have an extra difficult time letting go of weight.  It also is known to help get long-absent periods restarted again, and increase fertility.

I am not thinking about my fertility at this moment (future, yes, but not now), and I'm the last person who needs a period to restart! You know what has been going on? I had my period around the time I started this keto adventure... and it never stopped despite the birth control! Thankfully, it was just heavy spotting each day, so I've been patient. However, last week it changed, and it was last year's horrid adventure all over again. 

Thankfully, I thought to call my OBGYN and get her blessing to triple up on the pill again for 3 days, double for 2, and continue as normal if everything calmed down.  She approved, but said if it didn't work, I had to go see her again. Well, yesterday was day 3 of the triple dose, today is day 1 of the double dose, and I'm happy to announce that things are about 90% improved. 

I'm soooo grateful to be out of that crazy zone again.  After some reading, I believe it might have to do with dairy, which happens to be nicknamed "estrogen juice" among many of those with PCOS who are following the ketogenic way of eating.  Cheese is a very versatile high-fat and low/no carbohydrate resource... and I'm giving it up (along with all dairy products) as of this weekend.  Wish me luck!!

Keto Day 23 - Best leftovers ever!

I made crockpot broccoli and cheese frittata/casserole, and twice baked mashed cauliflower for dinner on Saturday with my amazing but non-keto boyfriend and 2 Mormon missionaries, and they could hardly believe the cauliflower dish wasn't potatoes! That's a WIN! 

You know what that dinner produced?

The best leftovers ever for Sunday after church (which what is in the photos, 'cause I forgot to take photos of the original dishes)! Recipes included in images too!

Even Mango, my crazy orange tabby cat, wanted in on the yummy food!

I'm still doing well, and my digestive system continues to cooperate better than it has in years. So grateful!

Keto Day 20 - Meatzza? Ooooh... meatzza!!

I made a Ketogenic compliant pizza for date night... and it worked!

Rick's reaction: "It's like meatloaf and pizza.  I know how I'm making meatloaf in the future!"

Then he had seconds, and thirds.  My man ate 4 pieces of it! 

Recipe:
-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
-Mix 2 pounds of ground beef and 2 eggs with Italian seasoning and garlic powder (the amounts of seasoning is to your discretion; I just threw some in).
-Grease an ample baking pan. I used a 9 × 11 (guesstimate) glass pan and greased it with Pam.
-Smoosh the ground beef into the pan and make sure it covers the bottom and is pressed down evenly.
-Bake for 20 minutes.
-Take it out of the oven and load it with your favorite pizza toppings.
-Bake for 20 more minutes.

Facts about my pizza:
-I used generic store-brand marinara sauce that had 9 carbs per half cup. Since I only used a half cup over the whole pizza, and the pizza produced 6 pieces, each piece had less than 2 carbs from sauce.
-I used an entire 8 oz bag of shredded mozzarella cheese, which had a total of 4 carbs in it. So, each piece of pizza had less than 1 carb from cheese.
-Instead of pepperoni (my favorite, but Rick is not a fan), I used crumbled pork sausage as a topping. The whole tube of pork sausage had a total of 4.5 carbs in it. I pre-cooked the whole tube, but only used part of it. Each piece of pizza had less than 1 carb from the sausage.

Keto Day 10 - Be Prepared, but...

Back when I had my gallbladder still (8-ish years ago), if I was too busy to eat, I would just not eat. No big deal. Since I have no gallbladder and a constant bile drip that my body never adapted to (my doc said about 1 in 1,000 never adapt), I can't skip meals without getting very ill. 

This morning I was faced with the desire to get to work early, and the reality that I had failed to prepare food last night for today. I ate 2 string cheese sticks right after waking up (I have learned that if I don't put something in soon after rising, I get stomach issues), got ready for work, and left home with hopes of finding luck when I stopped for gas.

It's best to be prepared, but if you find yourself running out the door in the morning for work without having made breakfast or lunch, there are easy and Keto-friendly rescue options out there!

Thank goodness!

The Holiday gas station near my office had packs of cheese and meat sticks, cheese slices with salami to make "cheese sandwiches," and boiled eggs!!!  My total carbs today are good and low at 4 grams (3 grams of those are from my vitamins). My fats are on target, and my protein is only a few grams high.

Mondays are weigh-in days for the Facebook group I joined for support with this Ketogenic WOE (way of eating).  I'm down 5 pounds in 10 days.  My NSV (Non-Scale Victory) is that my jeans can now be put on and taken off without unbuttoning or unzipping them!

I'd like to also add that my mean ol' digestive system continues to work properly again with this new WOE.  That's my biggest NSV ever! 

Keto Day 5 - OMG Smoothie

OMG[oodness], I made (it was an experiment) the BEST smoothie this morning!!! Low carb, high fat, low-ish protein... it fit perfectly into my macros goal for a well-balanced keto meal!!! I will definitely make this again!

You must try this!

Throw all this in a blender (love my personal Ninja blender cups) and enjoy!
*1/2 avocado
*3 strawberries
*1 tblsp heavy whipping cream
*1 cup plain original almond milk
*2 packets of stevia/monk fruit sweetener

Yesterday morning, I also made an amazing meal that was perfectly balanced for keto and just as good as a "throw everything in the pan" meal that I used to enjoy a few times a year (mostly around my boyfriend, since he's more of a Spam person than I am).  The cauliflower and broccoli replaced the rice I used to use, and is by far a smaller amount.  I will also be making this again!!

Throw all this in a pan/skillet, cook till the spam is browned, and enjoy!
*1/2 cup riced cauliflower
*1/2 cup chopped broccoli
*2 oz Spam (1/3 can)

*1 tblsp extra virgin olive oil

*Half of a handful of dried roasted seaweed, crumbled (or crumble it on after everything else is cooked)

***Note: The batch in the photo is doubled so I would have leftovers.

Keto Day 2 - Not so bad...

I recently moved into a new apartment, and church starts later in the day than I have been accustomed to.  As a treat, I slept in today, and combined breakfast and lunch into one meal.  So, I guess I made brunch!

Before cooking, I ate 2 pieces of string cheese to make sure I had some fuel to function.  I opened a tube of pork breakfast sausage (super cheap at Walmart, by the way), separated it into 4 serving-sized patties, browned them in a skillet, then baked them.  One of them was eaten with brunch, and the rest went into the fridge.  While the sausage patties were baking, I made low-carb cream cheese pancakes (look them up, they're pretty tasty) topped with butter instead of a syrup.  My Ninja blender has been a wonderful resource!

After church, and when I was ready for dinner, I cooked 3 eggs in the same skillet the pork sausage was cooked in this morning. With the eggs, I added a half cup of broccoli to the skillet, and about a quarter cup of shredded cheddar cheese melted on top of the broccoli.  I also pulled out one of the pork patties from this morning, put a tablespoon of mayonnaise on it, and added that to my meal.  When I logged dinner on my fitness app to discover that I hadn't met my 20 carb goal and my fats could use some boosting, I enjoyed 2 Clausen dill pickle spears (my favorites) with another tablespoon of mayonnaise.

My indulgence today was made to bring my carbs up from 11 grams to my goal of 20 grams... a neuro drink.  It's fairly good with only 9 grams of carbs per bottle, and it was the one for sleep, which I need help with.  It was in my fridge from before I decided to dive into this new WOE (way of eating), so the temptation to mindlessly chug it is gone now...

***Disclaimer: Yes, I am a member of the LDS/Mormon church, and yes, today was Fast Sunday.  Before any judgement is made for making/eating breakfast, please understand that ever since my gallbladder was removed in 2009, fasting causes me major issues in the digestive department. It is best that I eat regular meals to keep the homeless bile in my system occupied. 

Keto Day 1 - Success!

Day 1 on the ketogenic diet -Ahem!- the ketogenic WOE (way of eating) has been a success!

I wanted to make lunch for my boyfriend, but he follows a strict eat-every-4-hours routine to control his blood sugar (he has type II diabetes) and we had to eat while out-and-about. I found that Carl's Jr. offers low-carb adaptations (lettuce wraps) for all of the burgers and sandwiches on their menu.  I hit the jackpot with a lettuce-wrapped guacamole bacon cheeseburger!!! It was so good... and guilt-free!  The very few carbs in it had to be from the guacamole, tomatoes, and/or lettuce.  I can officially now say that I really love when fast food chains have published nutritional information online, it's so helpful.

I enjoyed a snack this afternoon of 2 slices of the bacon from this morning and 4 dill pickle spears (oh my gosh, I love pickles).  Dinner was merely the last 3 slices of bacon from this morning; I wasn't really hungry but knew I should eat something, so I did.

My favorite things about today have been how easy this was to adhere to, and my excitement to keep going tomorrow! Wooo!!

It Is Me, Again.

It's March 3rd, 2017, Im 32 years old, and I continue to struggle... and not just with my weight. I also experience frequent migraines, occasional temporal lobe seizure activity, have significant trouble sleeping, have had a bad run-in with Plantar Facciitis, and deal with all the fun of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS).

A friend of mine with a similar health background has experienced some weight loss success by following a ketogenic diet plan.

So... I did a little research.

This diet change is believed to have significant positive influences on those with seizure disorders, sleep issues, PCOS, and weight struggles.

It is hard for me to sum up, I'm still figuring things out myself.  However, I can tell you seems unconventional, but I'm intrigued. The average target of intake focuses on food types rather than caloric counts.  An average target is to have your intake be 75% fats, 20% proteins, and 5% carbohydrates. 

I have set up the MyFitnessPal app to help me track my food, and took the liberty of tracking a no-good-eat-everything-in-sight-stressfull day of eating (today worked) to illustrate my current intake.  Surprisingly, it came out just a bit over 2,000 calories, but my percentages were way off from my new targets. I think this helps make it apparent that (as I have posted about in the past) calories don't matter in my world.

They don't really matter in the ketogenic diet world either, and I like that.

Bonus: I can eat BACON.  Um... win!

Needless to say, I'm starting this new way of eating (WOE) tomorrow!  March 4th, 2017... let's hope this marks the beginning of a new me!

Juicing... again.

Well... it has been a while for sure.

I have continued doing various healthy things to remedy my weight issues. Nothing helps. I tried counting calories again most recently. For over a month I stayed within 1200 calories per day, sometimes 1000. NOTHING. I didn't budge an ounce.

So, my memory recalled some success with juicing a while back. I came to this very blog to review my past adventure, and I realize it was something I really should have stuck with. I remember the feeling I had after just a week or so when my clothes started to fit better.

That was a great feeling.

I have a friend's wedding coming up next month on March 22, 2015... and I am the Maid of Honor.  This body of mine needs to do some improving before then. On July 11th, 2015 my cousin in Upstate New York is also getting married... and I am going to travel East for that (we're really close). Flying fluffy is miserable... and from Alaska to the East Coast? Oh heck no, that is not gonna happen. And my family... I don't want to see them like this. I have always been the fat one. This time... things are gonna be different.

On March 3rd I have a neurologist's appointment.  I have not changed in weight since the last appointment I had with them sometime around September. During this next appointment, we'll see how much change 14 days of juicing does. After that, I will start weighing at home again. I just want to let the next 2 weeks go by without thinking about numbers.  The last time I juiced for longer than just a couple days in a row, I lost 14 pounds in 8 days.  Cross your fingers!

So, here's to another round of juicing! May my will power be strong!

This is pretty much an entire package of celery, an entire package of carrots, and 2 apples.  Next time I'm holding back on a piece or 2 of celery, taking out a carrot or 2, and adding an apple.  The juice from this filled up 2 bottles that hold 750ml each.

Weight Loss Challenge Day 1

I started a community weight loss challenge today; the first weekly meeting was last night. I actually tried to do this back in September but was thwarted by unforseen chaos at work that required significant overtime. I missed enough meetings that I just decided to start over.

Today I drank 32 oz of cold water within 20 minutes of waking up to cleanse my system.

Breakfast included the following ingredients and roughly 30 grams of protein:
-3 egg whites
-2/3 cup mozzarella cheese
-1 green pepper

Snack #1 and #2 were each a half cup of cottage cheese and one peice of string cheese. Each snack contained about 17 grams of protein. 

Lunch was a homemade sandwich made with 2 slices of a sprouted bread (which conveniently has a lower-than-average yeast content so it doesn't aggrevate my allergies). Inside the sandwhich is a few leaves of lettuce, a slice of mozzarella cheese, and roughly 2 ounces of sliced ham (giving it a try to see if I can tolerate it at least a little). Yes, you see mayonaise (made with olive oil) and honey mustard in the container on the right. I measured the mayo according to what the bottle said was a single portion; the mustard was less of a concern with its 10 calories and 0 fat . With the sandwich I also had two peices of string cheese. Lunch contained a total of about 30 grams of protein, 12 of which came from the bread alone! I am impressed! 

Dinner was a salad I just threw together with fingers crossed that there was enough protein in it. My minimum protein goal is 30 grams per meal and 15 grams per snack. Guess what? This salad scored with 35 grams! I win! It has two types of lettuce, green peppers, yellow pickled peppers (my favorite), green olives, mozzarella and parmesian cheese, and is dressed with light olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a touch of salt and pepper. 

Today's total protein came to 117 grams.  

Breakfast!!

Snack #1

Lunch (not yet assembled)!!

Snack #2!!

Dinner (before tossing)!!

Dinner (before EATING)!!

Day 5

Yes, I'm writing about day 5 in the early afternoon of day 6.  After work yesterday I finished all of my homework that was due by tonight, then spent the evening with my bestie of 16 years and 3 of her 4 children.  Priorities people, priorities.

So, yesterday morning I decided to try a juicing recipe with pineapple in it.  I put my pineapple on the cutting board, grabbed a large knife, and thought, "Sweet, this is gonna be epic!"  Obviously, I don't cut up pineapple very often.

Half of a pineapple, 2 oranges, and a lime went into the juicer and made beautiful juice.  At work when I drank the first cup of it, I quickly learned that it was NOT delicious juice.  Major bummer.  Needless to say, I didn't drink my second cup of it.  I did, however, give it to my roommate to try just in case I just don't favor citrus and pineapple combinations.  She drank it recently, and since she's sick and her throat is not doing well, it was a good thing.  Her words: "It's a little bitter, but it's helping."  Score!

Not a great combo.....

The other concoction of the day was a much better combination of fruits (thank goodness).  I combined 3 strawberries, 1 orange, and the last of my green grapes.

Yummy!

I have one more thing to say before I tell you the results of my weigh-in: Love your juicer!  Take care of it! For the old Champion Juicer that I have, that means oiling it.  A little bit of olive oil on the metal workings keeps it happy! 

The Champion Juicer will outlive everyone!

Alright, and the moment you've been waiting for!  The results of my weigh-in! Since the morning of Day 1, I have lost a total of: 12.2 lbs.  Next weigh-in will be this coming Monday morning.

Day 3

Day 3 is done and I'm still alive and kicking!  I've had no "hunger headache" since the first day, and have not cheated at all.  I have energy, and for the first time in over a year I don't feel perma-bloated (that's a really bad feeling); my abdominal muscles are my own again!

I've decided not to weigh myself every day like others who have blogged their juice fasting adventures.  Weighing every day can really mess with your head.  I will be weighing myself 3 times per week; Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.  Today is Wednesday so it is time to report.  Between Monday morning and this morning, I dropped...

7.8 pounds

Crazy, isn't it?  I'm fully aware and very sure that it is all water and crap (literally).  I'm OK with that, it's probably why my digestive system is feeling so much better.  I've always been a "go-er" (TMI, sorry) but this is different.  I know this is a cleanse, and I've done other cleanses (herbal and mineral) in years past; they were always rather rough on "the system".  This cleanse, thus far, has been less traumatic on my body with more positive results (namely the happy abdomen).   

Below are the juices of Day 3:

1/2 cantaloupe + 6 strawberries = YUMMY 

Next time I will add a few more strawberries.  It was delicious, just a little heavy on the cantaloupe. 

1 cucumber + another cucumber = 2 cucumbers

100% cucumber juice is very light and though I woke up this morning craving some, it's not all that super. 

All ready to go to work!
PS. If you have a problem with drinking something green... yeah, avoid cucumber juice.

Well hello, it has been a while....

It has been over a year since my last post.  A lot has happened since then, and a lot has changed (including the name of this blog; I'm overhauling).

So, if you read all the past posts, and you're wondering, "OK, what the heck is wrong with this gal?", I'm here to catch you up to speed.

In March 2011 I finally found out why I was sick for so long.  Two words: Food Allergies

Over the year previous, I was tested and poked and prodded for everything from Crohns to Cancer, Celiacs to Leaky Gut, etc.  They did discover that my gallbladder simply didn't work (OK, it did, but only at a rate 15%) so that got removed.  I'm now 2 organs short of a whole person (my appendix ruptured when I was 8 so that's been missing for a while).  I suppose I'm grateful for that discovery, though unfortunately it was not the source of my issues.

The food allergies were discovered in March when I "fired" my gastroenterology doctor and checked out a highly recommended wellness center that leans toward Eastern medicine, yet embraces Western medicine when it is necessary.  The first thing they decided to investigate was possible food allergies.  This is a topic of conversation my gastroenterology doctor wouldn't embark on at all; he didn't believe any type of test was accurate.

Well, a few thousand (ugh) dollars later, I got my results... and they were overwhelming. I had enough allergens in similar families that I was told to avoid all the foods in particular families during the "elimination" portion of dealing with food allergies.  However, over time when most are supposed to be slowly reintroducing allergens in small amounts and being able to tolerate things in moderation... I simply can't.  I try... and I keep getting sick... extremely sick.

So, you want to know what I can eat?  Here's a listing in no particular order of "NOs" and "CANs" (the order is based upon how it comes out of my head when I'm doing a quick recall):

NO vegetables (except onions, go figure)
I CAN eat all fruit (except tomatoes, dang it)
I CAN eat beef.
NO birds (chicken, turkey, etc.)
NO pork
NO bison (bummer)
NO cod, tillapia (sp?), polluck, or haddock
I CAN eat salmon (but my roommate's allergic to it so it doesn't come in the house)
I CAN eat tuna (fresh and raw only - the canned stuff has vegetable broth in it which gets me sick and trust me, don't cook tuna 'cause it's gross)
I CAN eat most other fish to my knowledge, but it's not always affordable
NO soy
NO dairy
NO nuts
NO canola, safflower, or sunflower ANYTHING
NO beans (major loss)
I CAN consume goat milk, cheese, etc.
NO yeast (brewers or bakers... so that eliminates TONS of stuff with yeast including MSG, vinegar and anything with vinegar in it, like my favorite dill pickles)
NO peppers
I CAN eat most grains (some don't like me all the time, but it's hard to figure out which and when)
I CAN eat garlic
I CAN eat potatoes (sweet potatoes are still in question)
NO whole corn (though some corn products, like Grits, settle OK)
NO eggs

I THINK I covered most everything.  It surely leaves a lot to be desired.  I'm just starting to be OK with all the restrictions.  I am emotionally bothered less and less as time passes (except when I smell tomato soup... major emotional trigger).

The most detrimental thing about this whole situation is that I have a terribly hard time managing my weight.  Sources say not to eat meat and fruit in the same meal because it increases the chances of developing extra allergies to the fruit since it sits too long in the digestive system waiting for the meat to digest.  However, I have borderline hypoglycemia and the not eating protein with fruit makes me feel like crap.  Inside my body, when I consume simple carbohydrates like fruit, my pancreas is overproducing insulin to compensate (plus some) and that contributes to one hanging onto extra pounds.

Fruit and whole grains are very healthy, but I am learning that they don't do so well as the main staples in a diet.  I can only eat so much animal protein before I go crazy (I have never been a major meat eater, especially beef, plus it is tough on the pocket-book).  Additionally, not being able to eat vegetables is a real hitch in the get-up.  It's a major lose-lose situation right now, and I'm frustrated... and tired.  Nutritionally speaking, I know I'm not getting what I need despite supplements from my homeopathic doctor.  Unfortunately, they often make me throw up, so that just adds to the fun.

So, to conclude, I really need to figure out a plan.  I'm 27 years old, and I cannot continue living trapped in this body the way it is.  I'm tired, I'm often weak, and I want a future full of energy and health.  Maybe one of these days I'll find a great guy to settle down with, have a family, and just... continue moving forward with life.

I am going to start looking around for support locally.  I know a woman who is a counselor for Weight Watchers here and she said they may be able to help me work around my food allergies.  That will be the first place I investigate for support options.  Wish me luck, I will report when I find out more.

Satisfaction.

My apologies for not posting for a short while.  My internet has been a little sketchy, barely letting myself or my roommate connect to it long enough to check a simple email let alone draft and publish a blog post.  Rest assured, we're in the process of researching a new internet provider and our current one will let us disconnect for free since it turns out that we're in a "blind spot".  Who knew?

Things have been going well I guess.  To summarize the last few weeks, I established a good relationship with basic salads and then suddenly -Bam!- the relationship was over.  The last two salads I consumed (the 2nd one was just to make sure of things) made me quite ill just like they did in the past.  

Bummer.  

Anything else?  

Oh, my roommate's parents came to town two weeks ago for a visit and have been staying with us.  They leave tomorrow morning which means I can exercise on the elliptical again.  I have this thing about exercising with people in the house.  Bothers me beyond sensical reason.  I'm OK with my roommate being here, but not anyone else; it's worse than going to a gym.  That being said, I fully disclose that I did not formally exercise over the last two weeks, not even to bike to work (record-setting rain fall = dry drives to work in my trusty muddy Saturn).  I have tried to make the effort to move more while at work by regularly walking the length of the building, walking to coworkers' desks to ask questions, gather info, etc., rather than dialing their extension to talk while remaining in my butt-magnet office chair, and filling my water bottle from the filtered water spigot furthest from my work area.  Last night I also enjoyed about an hour and 20 minutes of rigorous volleyball which will become a regular Tuesday night thing after my Hmong language class is over (that's how you get kids to come learn to read and write their own language; bribery with sports works fantastically).  

While the salads were agreeing with my system, they provided semi-regular fiber that helped keep things, uh... going.  At one point, again, they started making me ill so when that finally subsided, I was so grateful to not be married to the toilet that I didn't realize I wasn't really going much anymore.  A week and a half ago the pain began.  My stomach kept hurting with this sharp-ish ache each day.  Hard to describe and unsure of what it was, I just kept trucking along.  I was following the OPTIFAST program to a T, what could be the issue?  I thought perhaps it was due to the stress of my supervisor being on vacation and having to do both my job and a good portion of his job too.  Monday, two days ago, the pain was intense enough that it interfered with my day significantly.   I soon figured out that I was, pardon me, pretty backed up.  When you gotta go but you can't, it's a gloomy day.  The minute I came home on Monday I stirred up a nice glass of -Gag!- Metamucil and chugged it.  I woke up at 2am and soon after all was right with the world again.  Tuesday morning, another glass of the orange goo.  Tuesday night, another.  This morning, you guessed it, and I just mixed and chugged again before settling down to write this before going to bed.  The Metamucil canister is now a decoration on the counter top in the kitchen so I don't forget to take it.  On the OPTIFAST plan most of what you take in is in the form of a liquid supplement.  My plan allows for 1 OPTIFAST bar a day and 4 shakes per day.  Not a ton to pass each day so I suppose my system likes to stockpile...? (Really, you should be used to this sort of banter by now).   

Lesson learned: Fiber is super super SUPER important.

On a quick (or not so quick) note, I've begun treatment for possible ADHD (non-hyperactivity) through Alaska Premier Health too.  During an appointment a few weeks ago I was randomly asked, "Have you ever been tested for ADHD?"  Never, never, had I ever thought that question would be asked of me.  Come on! I was that overweight, well-behaved, quiet kid who did everything she was told (except keep an organized bedroom) who turned into an overweight, well-behaved, quiet but better at being verbose at times, adult who still does everything she knows she should do (except keep an organized bedroom, handle social situations of 5 or more people without having a break down and running away, be comfortable with taking a pee break once in a while at work and not being so reactive to stressful situations that arise there... and the list goes on).  

I've been reading that ADHD commonly goes undiagnosed in many women and is being found often when their kids have been diagnosed (apparently it can be hereditary) and their lives start proverbially caving in on them quite late in the game.  I understand the feeling and I'm not even married or a mom yet.  Feeling like one's life is caving in is bad; finding a solution is good.  It's not a mental disability or illness, nor is it a chemical deficiency; it's a chemical difference.  I really like how that difference was illustrated a few weeks ago for me: Back in the hunter/gatherer days a woman easily distractible or a day-dreamer may not have gathered berries as quickly or efficiently as her counterparts... but when the bear/wolf/lion came through, she'd be the one who'd notice and save the village.  

I started taking medication yesterday and will not be formally writing about that here.  Rather, I will be adding another tab above and will update that separate page with scanned versions of my hand-written log that I'm keeping regarding my observed changes.  

Today was one of my appointments at Alaska Premier Health.  I'm down a total of 19 lbs and 6 oz!  Believe me, I'm still very much not close to any size that could be categorized as "average" but have reached the beginning of that pivotal point where my coworkers are starting to notice something is slightly different.  Today one of them said, "Joanna, I think you pants are getting a little baggier".  While walking around the office I noticed she was right; they kept moving back and forth around my hips and waist, not quite keeping hold of my ample bum and hips anymore. Who needs a belt? I do! I do!! Me! Me! Me! I need a freakin' belt pronto!!! The odd movement of my jeans grew more annoying with every step I took for the rest of the day but at the same time, I felt an element of satisfaction... enough so that after work I went to good ol' Uncle Freddy's (Fred Meyer) and grabbed 5 different pairs of jeans from the size below what I've been wearing just to see what would happen.  

My hypothesis was that one pair might fit and the rest for sure would be significantly too tight.  That's usually how it goes even when trying on jeans in one's current size; welcome to being female.

Newsflash: ALL 5 PAIRS OF JEANS FIT!!!  Holy socks!  

I took some photos today while trying on jeans, etc. and will now present to you a photo montage!!!

(Now nobody can say I don't post pictures.) 

Everyone dropping a few pounds seems to have one of THESE pictures... ooh la la!

But what about one of THESE? (Don't worry, I tucked in the shirt for modesty reasons; only jeans and shirt showing). Having fun yet?

Here's the butt of a moose outside of my office today...

And here's MY butt in my favorite of the 5 pairs of SMALLER jeans I tried on (pardon the yellow of the dressing room) at Freddy's.

And my butt and left thigh (photo taken in a mirror; my right thigh has a large protruding bump of scar tissue on it from being nearly killed by a drunk driver in 2005 that started out as a massive blood clot/hematoma and will hopefully -finally- be removed this calendar year).  

And the same side, again, where you can also see my lovely lower legs; I am not built with small legs and a more well-endowed bust like many "fluffy" women I know... which makes clothing shopping a royal pain.  So many manufacturers that are cool enough to make larger sizes seem to cater to the figure that's larger on top and smaller on the bottom. Ugh.

Guilty as charged; I bought the jeans.

Just in case anyone was wondering...

And I got a belt too... to hold up my current jeans for just a little longer (the cost of one belt is cheaper than replacing two pairs of jeans).

What? You're shocked that I didn't previously own a belt?  All of this good happy my-tummy-is-feeling-better-and-my-roommate's-parents-are-going-home-and-I-dropped-a-jean-size glee and you're concerned with my belt history?  Sigh.

Well, be that way.  Just think of how many cows lived because I chose not to wear belts for the last almost 26 years.

Until next time, sleep well.