Saturday May 12, 2018

Weight 117, calories 893. Who knows what they will be today???

This morning I am going with DH and SIL to an Alzheimer's benefit walk. Unfortunately it is going to rain, so we will be in rain gear. Last year at this time we went to the same walk as our first event with this support organization. I made a fairly substantial donation last year and will again this year as they provide a ton of different programs, many of which we are taking advantage of, all at NO CHARGE to participants. They rely 100% on grants and donations. It is a model for support organizations. When they brought in Teepa Snow to speak it was free to attend and they provided all day care for those with AD for free that day so their caretakers could attend the conference, which is almost unheard of.

This afternoon I drive to central Massachusetts to my hotel for tonight. I need to stop on the way at a Kate Spade outlet to get DD a new purse for her birthday. I forgot that this is Mother's Day weekend, so the outlet will probably be overrun but hopefully the rain will diminish the numbers somewhat.

DD is picking me up for the limo evening in late afternoon and the limo will return me at around 11. Thank goodness it isn't going to be any later! I have no idea what eating will be like but I'll just wing it with an appetizer if needed.

Have a satisfactory Saturday. I think mine will be enjoyable but exhausting...

Weight - 138.6
Macronutrients - Cals 860, Carbs 106, Fats 61, Protein 100, Fiber 18
Sleep (goal 8 hrs.) - 8.0
Vegetables/Fruits (goal 8) - 3
Exercise - None, but mowed for an hour

Liz, you beat me up! Your AD support organization sounds awesome. And yes, today sounds like it will be a good one, but also like you'll be pooped at the end of it.

And there is the post-cruise weigh-in: I'm up 5.6 pounds in 3 weeks. That's the most I've ever gained on a cruise. Admittedly, it's the longest cruise / post-cruise trip I've ever taken, but geez, Louise! This is what happens when you eat dessert twice a day, drink like you're living in a frat house, and eat chocolate truffles at bedtime.

My recovery plan:

1. Eat less than 1,000 calories/day until I hit 135, drinking protein shakes, eating a box meal, and hydrating my ass off. Basically, this was my pre-surgery liver-shrinking diet. I hope it doesn't take longer than one week to get back to 135.
2. Then I'll gradually raise my daily calories to 1,300 by eating real food again, loading up with veggies and eventually fruits until I'm back down to 133, which is where I was pre-cruise.

And now, the cruise: I had a very good time. I'd say it was 80% great, 10% sad, and 10% wanting to be back home. A surprise was that I had no trouble socializing, which I soon realized was due to traveling alone on business so often and having excellent "Hi, my name is Ann!" skilz and a big toothy grin. Happily, most people on a small cruise ship also want to be sociable and either share those skilz or are delighted to have someone help them get over their awkwardness in introducing themselves to strangers. In fact, I was so socially successful that sometimes I hid out in my suite to avoid more lunch and dinner invitations. Oh, the problems of an extrovert!

There were also a few men who gladly would have had dinner with me every night, but I employed a tactic guaranteed to discourage suitors on a high-end cruise ship: I told them I'm a Democrat. Worked Every Single Time.

I felt great physically the whole trip until my long flights home exacerbated the pinched nerve in my neck, which is now roaring at me. I'll be soon back in physical therapy next week and will feel relief then. But it's been a long time since I've had anything resembling chronic pain. What a drag. David, I understand a bit better what you're dealing with.

This weekend's plan is to mow grass, grocery shop, start slogging through the mail, pay some bills, and sleep 8 hours a day. Needless to say, my body clock is still somewhere in the North Atlantic.

Today's continuing theme: Do the next right thing.

Good morning!

Such a bustling hive yesterday!

Liz, LOL'd at "at least I don't have to drive." I am much happier to go places if I don't have to chauffeur.

Ann, my big toothy grin is smiling back at you! GL with the WL. Keep it easy, it will come off.

I'm trying out Mail Box peak, old trail today and I need to get going. But I have already had such positive thoughts about each and everyone of you today.

Go find some recess,

Shel

Good morning !! Happy Mother's Day weekend to all moms! Two pounds below my range. I've been 1400-1500 calories but extremely high activity levels. Food has been protein forward with veggies and some fruit .I do believe Ann is on to something, as I've been adding interesting things like avocado, pineapple and artichokes. I find that at 800-1000 or below, my body holds on to the weight more, and 1400-1500 seems to be my sweet spot for metabolism to be more normalized. Who knew ?!

Hmmmmm.....increasing calories seems so counterintuitive to me. Of course, when I increased calories and gained weight, 1. I had no idea how many calories a day I'd consumed (probably a gazillion) and 2. No doubt, they were in the form of Simplecrapforyoucarbs. Adding goodforyou fats and more or less complex carbs may be a good idea. Hmmmmmmm....not sure re the fruit sugar's, though.

I'm a little leery about bananas but I've been adding strawberries and blueberries based on Ann's positive experiences.

Bonnie, as you said, it's not any old kinds of calories, but a lot of veggie and fruit cals. What Ocean is referencing is my decision last August to eat 8 veggies and fruits a day. I wound up losing 3-4 pounds unexpectedly while actually raising my daily cals to 1800 or thereabouts. BTW, I measure and track like I have an OCD diagnosis. ;) So I wasn't guesstimating about any of my intakes. However, all the science I do is with only one subject (me) so you'll need to peer-review it for yourself to see if it will also work for you. ;)

A sweet, short, to the point article about how refined sugar is absorbed by the digestive system as opposed to sugars (fructose) in whole fruit.

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/29/fruit-sugar-versus -white-sugar_n_3497795.html

Good Saturday morning! 159.2.

Shopping update- I knew I had dropped a band size, but- surprise (or no) I also am now a "B". The muffins may well be better described as cookies. Ah, me.

Tomorrow- Mother's Day I will be doing a good deal of cooking--huge gang of kiddo's and their friends coming over to take up and take out all the carpet in the house. So gladly will I fry chicken, etc, and feed faces to their heart's content. A lovely gift of labor.

Today is a baking day--pound cake, bread buns, and cookies for tomorrow. This is something I don't do often, but I love to bake, and this is a way to enjoy the experience and let others enjoy the product. No leftovers-no worry.

Good morning busy people.

Ann thanks for the smile.

A sleepless night for some reason and with the sky lightening up at 4 am, morning came early.

Another quiet day lying in bed with knee elevated, icing , and watching Netflix. Very boring. Should be outside weeding.

Happy Sat.