Wednesday 20 February 2013

WHOO HOO! The Good News

My last rendezvous with my doc was not exactly, shall we say, happy.  He pretty much threatened me with more meds should I not be successful in getting the pounds off.  In some ways, one could say that he was motivating, possibly a bit inspirational, but I still was leery about how successful I could be at this daunting task.  I diligently ate my veg at every opportunity, opting for salads and steamed veg for dinners, stayed away from bread products, as well as pasta, and had a breakfast of some design every day.  I drank water all day with a couple of herbal teas thrown in and limited my coffees to the weekends.  I also limited most, I must be honest here, but not all of my wine to the weekends too and have found, as I posted previously, a new love for fizzy water, creating wine spritzers.  This I thought was genius as I still get to enjoy my wine but I am literally cutting it in half with each glassful.  I also am appreciating the vegetarian lifestyle a little more as I really do prefer veg and dip or salads for lunches, with an accompanying bit of cheese.  I have also gone back to a childhood delicacy in sardines.....don't look at me like that and uncurl your lip!  My mother introduced me to the delights of sardines when I was very young.  She would make sandwiches of sardines and chili sauce.  Yum.  I prefer them straight out of the can, personally.  Interesting that the "foodies" are all so enamoured with them now and their wonderfully nutritious qualities.  Coco has introduced me to a rather odd but strangely yummy combination also: warm peanut butter with pea pods!  I know, I thought that too!  I think it is the savouriness (?) of the pb and the super sweetness of the pea pods that make such a lovely pairing.  Deelish.  
I really am lucky to have my cheerleaders cheering me on and continuing to encourage my smarter choices.  PJ is benefiting from it all too; he is feeling much happier having his salads for lunches.  And when he is shopping for the veg and fruit, he is very discriminating, looking for the best buys and freshest produce.  He and Coco are shopping ninjas on Saturdays, armed with their flyers and ready with the items circled to ensure they get their price!  Tee, of course is oblivious to it all and just eats whatever is in the house.  Including his dad's no sugar fruit muffins and my low cal cereal.  Brat!
So I have told you all this to say that I had good news at the doc's today!  I have lost 8 1/2 pounds!  Now, don't get too excited; I have a very, very long way to go.  8 1/2 pounds is a drop in the bucket compared to the 100 that I want to lose.  The doc has given me a challenge of 25 off by June, so any ideas you want to share would be very much appreciated.  Or you can just stay tuned for the next installment!

Love from Lulu xxxxxx

PS - I found an interesting website, http://summertomato.com/ that talks about eating healthy and seasonally.  If you are interested, check it out.   

Tuesday 12 February 2013

Back to Normal.....Well, Sort of

Life in this household is back to as normal as it will ever be here.  Tee has successfully come through his trauma and returned to work as of yesterday.  His stitches are officially out now since he prodded and picked at them on Sunday.  Oddly enough, he sustained very little swelling and managed to fend off any real pain due to his vigilant regimen of advils and percocets.  Last night his biggest area of concern was his aching feet after standing all day!  
Coco was over on Sunday doing laundry and testing out some "healthy" recipes that she found.  We made chocolate muffins that were primarily rolled oats and applesauce - an interesting combination but they came out very moist and almost brownie-like.  The chocolate was Fry's pure cocoa powder which was intensely choco!  She also found a recipe for beet / carrot chips; not really successful but we will try to find another as the basic concept was tasty, they just didn't crisp up like a chip.  Also a fruit based gelatin "candy", not unlike the various fruit strips commercially made.  It started with strawberries and blueberries, cooked down and pureed then a horrific amount of gelatin (and whisking) added to create the wobbly treats.  All in all, it was an experimental day, highs and lows, but I think we will continue to test out some more.
What's that you ask?  How is my "healthy" eating going?  Pretty good, actually.  I am eating brekkie every morning and not just coffee!  As a matter of fact, I have only had weekend coffees for about 3 weeks now.  Through the week I drink herbal tea and have found a new love for fizzy water.  I have it in a wine glass, for the sophistication factor.  And speaking of wine, I am only indulging on weekends now and adding my fizzy water to make spritzers.  I've all but negated grain products, except for my cereal, shunning breads and pastas.  I have also been indulging in another fave, bean salads.  I love chick peas and black beans and have been creating phenomenal salads with celery, cucumber, black olives, scallions and cherry tomatoes.  I refuse to look at scales and rely on the "baggy" measurement theory: when the clothes get baggy, I have done good!  LOL
PJ has been eating healthier too and has chosen to take salads and lean meat for lunches and it has apparently paid off.  He was at the doctor's a week ago and has lost 10 lbs.  He came home and joyfully announced it.  
I am not speaking to him anymore. 

Love from Lulu xxxx 

Friday 1 February 2013

Al Dente

Yesterday was the day for Tee's operation: the removal of the cursed wisdom teeth.  He had been experiencing a lot of aggro and pain over the last month and went to see the dentist who declared that they must go.  Tee had been prescribed an anti inflammatory and an antibiotic as well since one of the teeth was actually infected.  With great trepidation, Tee went to see the maxilla-facial surgeon (the guy who rips them out) for a consultation.  According to the surgeon, they were truly in need of removal, so a date was set.  I would be the chauffeur as he would not be able to drive himself.  We got ready and set off to the office for the appointed time.
Me: How are you feeling?
Tee: Nervous
Me: Don't worry; you will be fine.
T: I'm starving.

Since he has been working steadily, he has been eating at proper intervals and some improper intervals as well.  Due to the anesthesia, he was not allowed anything to eat or drink after midnight the night before.  This was not boding well with his tum, which made its protestations clear.
Anyway, we got to the office and waited a few moments before he was ushered in.  The doctor, his nurses and the other staff were very sweet and welcoming to Tee who was still unnerved by the whole procedure.  A few minutes (and I am guessing a few whiffs of laughing gas) later, I heard his familiar giggle and knew that all was ok.  He told me afterwards that he was awake throughout although deeply frozen and high on the gas.  With the procedure complete, the nurse invited me into the recovery room where he was still giggling.  I asked him how he felt and through gauze stuffed teeth, he said, "Great!", while giving me the thumbs up.  The nurse came back in to give him final instructions and check his mouth and his bp and pronounced him safe to go.  
Needless to say, he slept all the way to the pharmacy then home.  Once home he went to his room to relax.  I went in a little later to discover him asleep, head slung forward in front of his tv.  I convinced him to get up to change the gauze, which he did then back to his room again.  As the day went on the bleeding eventually lessened and stopped altogether so no more gauze and we could actually understand what he was saying.  LOL 

2 things surprised me through this:
1. Tee is not swollen like a chipmunk even at Day 2 of this and
2. The surgeon actually called the house last night to see how he was doing.

Stay tuned, more to come!

Love from Lulu xxxxx