Health and Fitness, March, 2010

[Harriet]

Welcome!

This is a thread about gaining and maintaining strength for our wonderful calling, Homemaking. As we care for our own health, we grow more capable and competent to care for our families, our neighbors and our communities. As we become more effective, our hopes for ourselves and those we care about get the best chance!

[Nancy]

I'm focusing on getting more water intake;
and counting yard work for my exercise today.

[Harmony]

I have made a lot of changes. I gave up just eating what I wanted, limiting calories, and expecting that to be enough to take care of my acid reflux.

I've given up all the coffee that has been my addiction for years and years and years. I have one cup in the morning. The rest of the day I stick to water and I'm drinking a bunch of that. DH is amazed that I can drink a cup of hot water with nothing in it.

My AR has made a swift disappearance. Beside the coffee, I've also given up red sauce and most tomato based things, any pastries, candy. The last 2 nights I've actually slept with no interruptions from the acid problems and without having to pop tums before I went to bed.

I know I'm not cured, but I'm convinced this is manageable if I will just be diligent.

More happy news: yesterday I weighed (with this cast even) 149. Very slow downward path, but I was so happy to see the 5 turn into a 4 on the scale!

[Nancy]

Yard work was my exercise today.
Focusing on water intake!

[Harriet]

Keep up the good work with the water, Nancy. I just had a eye-opening visit at dr for my dmom and she is having some dehydration symptoms - couldn't believe it but it can happen so fast. Of course for you and me at our age it wouldn't be such a big deal as it is for her, but still makes a wonderful difference for us to be well hydrated. Everything works better - dr explained how poor hydration will make the heart have to work harder. Yikes.

I couldn't be more thrilled to hear about acid reflux swift disappearance for you, Harmony. You seem to have figured out the right changes. It is WORTH IT to give up something if it helps the AR, isn't it. Super to know about this for you.

I'm much better, though I still feel a bad "taste" in my throat during mid-morning hours sometimes. Things I do that are helping:

keeping up probiotics for happy "gut flora"
DGL Licorice chewable before meals, papaya chewable during meals
no tight waistbands, also avoid tight bra-bands on chance that will help
gave up all sodas since Jan 1
eating very little dairy or gluten (that's wheat and some other grains)
no eating after 7:00 p.m. - maybe a popsicle
sleeping on a "wedge" pillow to elevate shoulders/head

Have learned that chocolate doesn't seem to bother me after all (it bothers some people) so that has become my treat if I am "good" otherwise.

I've lost 1/2 pound more, so 144.5. This approximate 5 pound drop since holidays has been good for AR, too.

LurkyLou, you mentioned that I was planning far into the future with my "Circling 140 January 2011" plan. Not really. I consider it aiming my trend. I know there WILL be a trend: 4-5 pounds WILL likely happen one way or another in that many months. I just know myself well enough to point lower in advance and make a "visual" reminder for myself!!! LOL! That's why the circlular note on my desk.

[Nancy]

store run for produce x
yd. work x
ex. short walk x
having vit. water now;
had some cranberry juice w/ half water earlier before my walk.

[OKay]

Acknowledging my lack of confidence.....

I'm browsing this thread to learn and imitate until I get a little hope to get me picked up and started again.

Not even sure I can pull off the mode of "fake it till you make it"

But I can try!

Again.

and

again.

Got on the treadmill and walked 17 minutes first thing this morning. It does feel good to do SOMETHING healthy for myself.

[Harmony]

BWTG OKay! You can do this. And if you stop, you can start over, just like the rest of us do.

Harriet, my wish for you is that you would find that one thing that triggers your AR.

I have discovered that without the coffee I can do little bits of this 'n that that would be triggers if I was already loaded up with coffee acids. I can drink a little juice glass of tomato juice. I can eat one cookie. As long as I don't do all the bad stuff all at once and not at night then I am still ok.

I still have problems with that valve not working properly. Once in a while if I am laying flat, I will get a taste but now one tums and a bit of propping myself up stops it in its tracks. I'll bet this doesn't happen once every 5 days.

I am also eating less and drinking way more water. After I eat I wait a little bit then I drink water, so if anything initiates acid production I think this nutrilizes some of it.

Anyway, I am very grateful this is working for me. Life is so much easier not having to struggle all the time.

And today I measured (haven't done it yet in March) and find a couple numbers are down 1/4 or 1/2". Weight is still consistently at my new low point. I can't wait to get the cast off and step on the scale.

[Nancy]

Glad that I've been getting more water I can tell it's helping yea!
Yard work and some walking were my exercise today.

[Indiana]

Wonderbread has a great feature on their web site to calculate the nutrition in a sandwich. It is visual as you build your sandwich. I had fun with it.

http://www.wonderbread.com