I’m feeling good… so much better with the lower level of carbs and less sugar. I think since going off gluten my carb level just gradually crept up over the past few months. It’s so much easier to grab a sandwich for lunch when you aren’t eating gluten free. I am switching back to the just-as-satisfying bread-free sandwiches (aka lettuce wraps full of delicious sandwich fillings) and making other small substitutions, like today’s lunch of smoked salmon, light cream cheese, and green olives… no crackers necessary. Tonight’s dinner is already prepped and waiting in the fridge: I made a veggie lasagna by layering cooked spaghetti squash, mushrooms, pasta sauce, turkey sausage crumbles, ricotta, and mozzarella cheese in a dish to bake. The inspiration for …

As I mentioned yesterday, I’m working a plan that takes all the best parts of the two methods that have worked for me over the course of this blog for consistent, long term weight loss: my original, calorie counting and exercise plan, and Medifast. Nothing else I have ever done has given me the solid weight loss success I enjoyed during those two times. I’ve always lamented that in the long term, they “didn’t work” because I wasn’t able to keep losing weight nor maintain the weight lost. But they *did* work for weight loss. So why not use the best parts, and learn from the mistakes to make the weight loss permanent?2007-2008: 64 pounds lostWhat worked/benefits:Basing my meals around produce from the Farmer’s Market or, …

It’s halfway through the month already so I thought I’d give a little update and how I’m doing with my goals.Activity:I have biked every day this month for at least 5 minutes. The longest I biked was 30 minutes, but usually I am doing 15 or so. I can feel it getting easier and I’m already able to turn the resistance up for longer. I don’t get tired quickly anymore… the fitness is improving and I feel great about the habit I’ve built! I’m also walking a lot more every day; I’ve gone over 7500 steps/day every day except one (which was 5722, when it rained and I just don’t like walking in the rain!). I have not hit 10,000 steps yet but I am getting close with a …

What a fun day we had today! I love this time of year with the good weather! It makes it easier to get out and walk. I hate being cold, so I know winter walks are going to be a big challenge. I’ll figure that out when I come to it.Today I got to sleep in until 8:30 which was just so nice! After a leisurely cup of coffee I had breakfast. You worriers will be happy to know my breakfast was NOT cheese! In fact, I have not eaten ANY cheese or bacon today 🙂 But it wasn’t a low carb day either. Breakfast was leftover pasta sauce thick with lean ground beef and turkey sausage (no pasta) and some sliced, buttered French bread. You know, …

This morning, I was out at a park helping a friend set some things up for dog training. Usually this involves a little walking and a lot of standing around, but this time, we were using a larger area. I was walking up and down a large parking lot, around grassy fields, and up and down a couple of small hills. I can tell you that even 2 months ago this would have been nearly impossible for me. I’d have hated it and it would have left me out of breath and sweating as I walked and in pain for several days after. But today, I really noticed a difference! I actually enjoyed all the walking, there was almost no pain, and I was able to keep going …

Yesterday I had another visit with my endocrinologist for a check-up. She mentioned that since I am off injections (my new insurance won’t cover them without a diabetes diagnosis) and trying to stabilize blood sugar by diet and exercise, and also because I am off Synthroid and taking some thyroid supplements instead, we needed to have some further blood tests. Hashimoto’s disease does not just go away, so we have to make sure my thyroid function isn’t suffering. She ordered thyroid tests and another A1C, which I had drawn yesterday and we’re waiting for the results to decide what’s next.She also mentioned that it looks like I have Rosacea. I have mentioned this before on my blog: for years, my cheeks have often looked …

This week I got back the results of my blood work from the appointment with my endocrinologist. The tests were for two purposes: 1) to determine whether my lifestyle changes alone are enough to keep my blood sugar in normal range. I’d been taking Victoza injections to help stabilize my blood sugar but had to stop using it when my new insurance declined to cover it. 2) to check my thyroid levels since I stopped taking Synthroid a couple months ago and switched to a selenium supplement to try and manage my levels. I have Hashimoto’s thyroid disease so it is important to keep an eye on thyroid function and go back on Synthroid if needed.Results:A1C measures average blood sugar levels over the past 3 …

Today I am feeling a little down about all the stuff I’ve been dealing with in the background… things I don’t share online because I respect the privacy of my family, and things I try to stuff in the background sometimes instead of dealing with them. But I’ve always shared my emotional state on this blog, and right now it is kind of defeated. Not about my health and weight, but about being 46 and maybe going through a bit of that mid-life crisis business. I mean, maybe it’s the changes of years going by and kids growing up and moving out, and me trying to find new focus for my life… change can be hard. It’s also about always being the caretaker and getting a little …

I have gotten SO hungry this week and my eating has been not so good. I just suddenly started *wanting* things, maybe even craving them?? This is different; I have not had much in the way of cravings for a long time. But this week, one day I saw someone eating ice cream and I was like, “I have GOT to have some ice cream!” Since I have been on the “say yes to everything in moderation” train for awhile (and losing weight) I went and got some ice cream. Mistake because the pint was gone in 2 days. Since then I have had some cravings for things like those yogurt cups with stir-ins, sugar cereals, and fried foods (which I did not give in to, …