Whatcha Eating Today, VSGers? Monday, 8/6/18

Good morning. It's early for the menu thread, but since I have time and am looking for something to keep me awake, I figured I would start it up. It's been a stressful couple days and I hope they can calm down. Over this weekend I have had so little sleep that I don't know how I've been making it! Definitely plan to hit the bed hard when I get home and out of the shower.

QOTD: What are your stress coping techniques?

I have been doing daily meditation to help. It doesn't fix all my anxiety, but for a short time I can have a mental breather.

Breakfast- 2 eggs, then a PP with coffee once I am out to start my errands

Lunch- Half a turkey sandwich

Dinner- Hamburger with Gouda cheese on it

Snacks- I bought one of those Waffle bars, Gwen! I am eager to see if I like it. Also an ounce of almonds

totals - 1260 calories, 71g carbs, 121g protein

I'm sorry you're stressed and not sleeping. I hope you get a good night of sleep soon!

It's Monday - yay? This is my last week of classes and I've set myself a deadline of Thursday to get everything finished because I'm going out of town for the weekend on Friday and would like to have nothing hanging over my head. My big things are my research paper for GERO and an exam for HMGT. The exam is time constrained, so at least it can't take up too much of my life this week :)

It's also the WLS group meeting tonight. I have a bunch of emails about that I need to read today so I'll be prepared.

QOTD: The things that help me are therapy, exercise, getting enough sleep, trying to engage with the people I care about in life. Sadly, all of these things require time and that's a resource I don't always have.

1: protein shake
2: leftover pork stir fry
3: leftover bulgogi

liquid and vites: on track
exercise: yoga (15 min twist and align for back pain)

So sorry you are stressed Mersh. Do get some rest and try to chill. Not easy to do the latter here today as it is already 80 at 8:30 am and the air is like pea soup. It is supposed to be well up in the nineties today.

QOTD: Stress relievers: Number one is definitely enough sleep which sometimes isn't easy when stress keeps you from sleeping. Number 2 is taking a long walk outside (especially in my case with a dog). I am finding yoga to be great now too (just started doing it 4 months ago and look forward to it 3 times a week now).

2 Years, 4 months post-op (maintaining at goal for 20 months)

Always lots of coffee...

B: eggs, cottage cheese and Canadian bacon

L: Tuna salad, pickles and cottage cheese

D: Leftover chicken or halibut

S: Siggis yogurt

REPORT ON IP COTTAGE CHEESE: It was super easy to make but the result was a little weird, though it tastes great. I'm going to have to make modifications, as it turned out more like ricotta then cottage cheese. I'm going to make it again later today (if I have time) with the following changes: Fat-free milk with cream added afterwards instead of starting with 2% milk. I need to barely stir in the vinegar (I stirred like crazy which is probably why it got to be more like ricotta). Once I get this working well, I will share my final version of a recipe.

Good morning. Pea soup - that's a good description of the weather. It's is supposed to be closer to 100 off-Cape. Ugh.

QOTD: Sleep and I agree - get a dog, haha. I find the dogs are definitely a stress relief - and I love walking my dog. Everything seems so much better after a good night's sleep. Of course, good sleep when stressed is a challenge.

B: steel cut oats

L: garden cuke, garden tomatoes, maybe some turkey

D: lobsta! $4.99 a lb at local grocery store and they steam them for you.

E: nope!

L/V: Good, on track

You might want to check out the Headspace app. It's my favorite meditation program :D

Happy Monday! Hope you can find a way to de-stress Mersh but I completely understand how you feel, I feel like I'm always stressed out and I have insomnia so I never sleep good. You and Gwen are really making me want to try these Waffle bars.

QOTD - Exercise always helps me de-stress and making time to do stuff with friends so I have time to myself

B - coffee and protein

L - leftover turkey meatloaf

D - not sure maybe the last of the beef and noodles

E - 35 min elliptical, Leg exercises

Lots of water

Hola, mersh! I hope things calm down soon. Imagine how much harder things would be if you had not committed to all the healthy behaviors that you are following?

QOTD: Weirdly, I don't know if I have defined stress relievers. I have a lot of work to do on this still, but I have gotten better at compartmentalizing my work, i.e. not thinking about it as much when I'm not at work. I have a high-pressure/high-responsibility/low-recognition job at the moment--it has perks, but believe that we pay for those perks in blood and sweat. It's hard to let go of thinking about it sometimes. Sometimes I have to remind myself: We are NOT curing cancer (despite how some people around here seem to think we are). Of course, losing weight and exercising go a long way in making me less stressed.

Last week was the start of my "real world" diet (ie, no longer just purees and soft foods). In truth, it's not looking so different from "soft foods" yet. I have a lot of restriction (a good thing), so as much as I want to slip in some raw veggies, I really don't have room for more than a couple of bites. One really cool thing: Some of the reflux I was getting a couple of weeks ago has calmed down. Keeping an eye on it and keeping

Breakfast - Vanilla Isopure + Fairlife Skim Milk + Coffee shake

Lunch - Panera Green Goddess Cobb Salad (Extra chicken, No tomatoes -- I seem to only be able to eat these in very small quantities). It's amazing how I used to crush one of these in one sitting. Now it will take be at least 2 days to finish, and I'll probably leave most of the greens untouched (not because I don't like them, just because after eating the chicken first, I don't have space)

Dinner - See above :D

Snacks - Today I brought to work: String cheese, some ham, skyr. I also have some almonds, but think I will avoid these today as I'm getting a bit of fat from the green goddess salad dressing. My nut isn't super anti-fat per se, but I'm in weight loss phase so we need to control calories.

Mersh, Ihope things improve for you and I wish for you to get some restorative sleep!

I started with a new trainer today and she kicked my bum. I miss my old trainer but I'm trying to be open minded. Heading to the prison in a minute for two evening groups.

QOTD: For the past year I have committed to self-care/self-improvement in a massive way and a lot of that has included coping skills. I went all in! I participated in neurofeedback (brain training) for six months to help my anxious hyperaroused brain waves to chill out and that helped a ton. I also meditate regularly and do breath work. My yoga practice is my #1 fave. And I have done better about scheduling family, couple, and friend time which feeds the soul. I've struggled with insomnia since elementary school but I try to at least get in bed at a decent hour. I also love to listen to audiobooks while coloring!

B - coffee & protein

L - another protein shake (lazy I know!)

D - hibachi chicken, shrimp, and veggies

E - weights, yoga, and a little elliptical

Hi, Jess--

Can you please elaborate on the neurofeedback/brain training? A year or two ago, I came upon the realization that I have latent anxiety. It was an awakening when I realized that some of my patterns of thought, hyper vigilance, existential worry, endless cycle of "what if" thinking and over-analysis were not typical. I've been better at recognizing these paths and patterns, but it's been harder to kick them.

Neurofeedback helps change your brainwaves. They start with an assessment to see the natural state of things and then they develop a protocol based on that and your symptoms. It's been well proven to help with ADHD symptoms and is also showing a ton of promise with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. I found it really helpful!