Tag Archives: healthy eating

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February Payday

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Day 187 in my journey to meet up with Mickey

Six months ago I began this pilgrimage to better health so I can enjoy our Walt Disney World vacation in October of this year.  (8 months and 2 days to go!)  Today was once again payday; it was time to step on the scale.  I am only weighing myself once a month, because although I do want to lose weight, I mostly want to live a healthier lifestyle period.  Things have slowed way down this month.  I chalk it up to:

  1. winter (I’ve been told that from Stone-Age times we are programmed to hold on to our fat in the winter months, which means I’m hoping for more progress in spring/summer/autumn months)
  2. 59 years of age
  3. my body adjusting to a completely different lifestyle
  4. my difficulty walking because of my sore toe

Even with all of that working against me, I lost another pound this month.  (I took a pound of butter out of the refrigerator to see what that feels like, and frankly, I’m glad this month’s pound is gone.)  So now I’m down 38 pounds.  I’ll take it.  I do feel a lot better than I did 6 months ago.  Even if I am making SLOW progress, it’s still progress, right?

Meet you at the Kingdom!

 

 

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Investigating Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet

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Day 185 in my researching my way to a healthier me for meeting Mickey in the Magic Kingdom (8 months and 4 days to go!)

My plan for today was to start reading Mayo Clinic Diabetes Diet.  (OK, nobody panic.  I am not diabetic; however, I am pre-diabetic, so the time for action is NOW.)  The book was delivered to my work place yesterday.  I began reading it as I ate my lunch.  I made it through two chapters while I ate.  In my Day 182 blog, I listed the 5 habits this diet wants you to add:

  1. Eat a healthy breakfast.
  2. Eat vegetables and fruits.
  3. Eat whole grains.
  4. Eat healthy fats.
  5. Move!  30 minutes or more every day.

It sounds so sensible.  And what I like about it, so far, is that it doesn’t claim to be a quick fix.  It promises to be a lifestyle change, a way to live the rest of your life in a healthier manner.

I dig it because I want to be well on my way to a healthier me when I shake Mickey’s hand at the Magic Kingdom in October.  Maybe he’ll even give me a hug!  Gosh, I LOVE Walt Disney World!

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: I do not have unrealistic expectations.  I just want to be moving in a direction that I can be happy about when I get to Florida.  Then after the trip, I’ll pick another goal and continue this journey.  AND more about this diet to come.  🙂

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Making a Menu of Meals

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Day 184 in my planning for my meeting with Mickey at the Magic Kingdom in October (8 months and 5 days to go!)

Today my plan is to write out my menu for the week and prepare my shopping list.  I’m going to do it a little differently this time.  In order to add more steps into my daily routine, I am going to organize my list by days and stop off every day after work to pick up the ingredients for that evening’s meal.

I found a cookbook on my shelf with quick and easy meals for diabetics.  I am pre-diabetic, but I am trying to avoid full blown diabetes so I will pick some recipes from this cookbook this week.

That’s the plan, man.  Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Adding 5 Habits

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Day 182 in my journey to meet up with Mickey (8 months and 7 days to go)

My plan for today is to research the Mayo Clinic Diet.  I want to see if it’s something to consider.  In the first two weeks, called Lose It!, you are supposed to:

  1. Add 5 habits
  2. Break 5 habits
  3. And then there are a Bonus 5 habits

Here’s what they say about adding habits:

  1. Eat a healthy breakfast.
  2. Eat vegetables and fruits.
  3. Eat whole grains.
  4. Eat healthy fats.
  5. Move!  30 minutes or more every day.

It sounds pretty sensible, right?  I’ll let you know more when I know more.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Blew It!

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Yesterday was day 181 and I am losing my mind on my way to meet Mickey

I completely forgot to post yesterday.  And BTW I did not have a great day.  I have had a tendency in the past to comfort myself with food when I’m feeling sorry for myself.  And that is exactly what I did yesterday.  I stopped at Walgreen’s after work to pick up some gauze pads and paper tape (I’m allergic to latex/tape on my skin) for my bloody, throbbing  toe.  I also picked up some Skinny Pop.  It’s really great popcorn with no additives, and a low calorie count.  Jake (my son) wrote an article for Forest and Bluff Magazine.  The man who came up with Skinny Pop did so because his own child has allergies and also cannot eat gluten, so he wanted to create snacks that his child could eat with no negative consequences.  Quite brilliant, really.

Anyway, on my way back to the checkout counter I walked through the Valentine’s Day goodies aisle, and there they were…Russell Stover Strawberry Cream Hearts.  My palms got sweaty, and all I could think about was my next fix.  I succumbed.  Four hearts later I was on a sugar high.  The first in a long time.  I hate that I love it so much  🙂

So there you have it: confessions of a full blown sugar addict.  Fear not, for I am back on the wagon and ready to leave sugar behind once again.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Eating for My Health

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Day 180 in eating my way to a healthier me to meet Mickey at Walt Disney World in October (8 months and 9 days to go)

My plan for today is to eat healthy meals.  I had a healthy breakfast and a very healthy lunch.  I am staying sugar-free and watching my portions and my salt intake.  Tonight I have a Damascus Road (the contemporary band at my church) rehearsal; then Mike and I will dine out on the way home.  Salad is on my agenda for dinner, preferably with some grilled chicken on it.

I feel so much better when I eat this way.  If I have an occasional treat, I really notice the difference.  I don’t feel well after I ingest sugar now.  I think my body has had it with foods that offer no nutritional value.  I ate that way for too many years, I guess.  Enough is enough.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: My little foot-doc appointment yesterday turned into a “procedure” whereby the side of my nail was removed and treated so it will not grow back.  So now I have a bloody toe that hurts like crazy.  Sometimes things have to get worse before they can get better, and to quote one of my favorite movies, Tootsie, “I just have to feel this way I until I don’t feel this way anymore.”  🙂

 

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Back to the Doc

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Day 179 in my limping toward seeing Mickey at the Magic Kingdom in October

Today’s plan is is to see my podiatrist.  I have a very sore toe.  I think it may be an ingrown nail, but I am not a doctor, so in I go.  It’s the sort of thing that’s been bothering me for a few weeks and then by the time I was able to get an appointment, another week had gone by.  I’m sure I will leave the doctor’s office with an even more sore toe, but then hopefully it will finally start to heal.  This toe has made walking very uncomfortable for awhile now.  I want to get this taken care of so I can up my walking game.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: My cell phone died today.  If you need to call me, please use my work or home phone number.  I’ll answer; I promise. 🙂

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Be Still

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Day 174 in my healthier lifestyle as I wend my way toward meeting up with Mickey  (8 months and 14 days to go!)

Today’s plan was to take the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment online.  Done!  It’s part of my health insurance plan.  Each year I can earn $150 in Wellness Dollars by taking the assessment.  The money is loaded onto a dedicated credit card and can be used to pay for any medical expenses.  Mike is also on my plan so he can do the same.  That’s $300 in out of pocket health costs paid just by taking the Mayo Clinic Health Assessment.

Once I have completed the assessment, I can begin to qualify for another $350 (and so can Mike) by doing some activities and recording the results online.  This is what put me on the sugar-free road last year.  And it actually got Mike to eat a healthy breakfast for six weeks in a row.  So all totaled we can earn $1000 toward those out of pocket health costs.  We’d be crazy to NOT do this, right?

It’s a bit tougher this year.  Our choices are:

  1. Be Still: Tend to my emotional well-being through daily prayer practice for 6+ weeks
  2. Keep a Fitness Journal: Tend to my physical well-being by tracking physical activity for 10+ weeks
  3. Keep a Food Journal: Tend to my physical well-being by tracking all food and drinks for 10+ weeks.

The Fitness Journal seems like a no-brainer, since I am already trying to increase my activity level, but honestly, I think I need the Be Still path.  I believe that my emotional well-being had a lot to do with the weight I’ve put on in my life.  I think some more concentrated God-time can only benefit me.  So that’s the plan.

Meet you at the Kingdom!

BTW: I think Mike will choose the Fitness Journal, since he’s swimming four to five mornings a week.  🙂

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Pease Porridge Hot

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Day 171 in my eating my way to a healthier me for meeting Mickey at Walt Disney World (8 months and 17 days to go!)

Holy wah!  Can you believe it?  I’ve been on this journey for 171 days.  I know it’s been over 5 months, but 171 days.  Who’d a thunk it?  🙂

Today’s plan is to travel home after work on this gray, snowy, January Monday and make a delicious pot of pea soup for dinner.  We’ll have it with plenty of fresh veggies, and some crusty bread.

I remember when my mom would make a big pot of pea soup, and just about every time I’d say. “Eeeww, pea soup?  Can’t we have something good instead?”  Then I would sit down to a first and second helping.  🙂  What’s not to like?  Peas, carrots, onions, a bit of ham and seasoning.  Sounds pretty darn good to me today, I’ll tell you what.

Bring it on.  And Mom, thanks for the recipe.  (Miss you.)

Meet you at the Kingdom!

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Sunday Fun-day Again

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Day 170 in my quest to reach Mickey at the Magic Kingdom.

Today’s plan kind of came together on the fly.

  1. First, I would go to church this morning to worship the Lord of lord and the King of kings.  While there I was sent a message loud and clear,  “I love you.  I’m with you.  Relax and don’t be so hard on yourself.  Enjoy this journey.”  I physically felt myself exhale, and the stress release was evident.  It was a blessed morning.
  2. Next, choose wisely at breakfast.  I had a ranchero omelette with lots of veggies and only a little cheese.  I ate half and will finish it for tomorrow’s breakfast.
  3. Third, shop for ingredients for the week, so I can come home from work every night and put healthy meals together quickly.
  4. Eat a treat of a dinner without racking up too many calories.  We had a piece of baguette with sauteed vegetables, olives and a bit of brie cheese, bunged under the grill.  (translation: put under the broiler)  It was scrumptious, indulgent and thoroughly satisfying.

So quite a day.  Now I can kick back and watch Downton Abbey. Meet you at the Kingdom!