Health and Fitness, June, 2015

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Hmmm, sleep quality was down again. Still 71% which isn't bad compared to the 60s I had last week but still not close to 80. I had a late dinner so could that have contributed. I also didn't do all my exercises before bed. I woke up at one point and debated getting up to put on Voltaren but fell back asleep before I could force myself out of bed. Maybe that underlying discomfort led to a worse night.

For those using MyFitnessPal, this hack adds a couple of pie charts and percentage breakdowns of fat/protein/carbs to your stats on the Food Page. And it calculates net carbs which is important to me since I'm too stubborn to count fiber against my carb total for the day since it is good for me (particularly since my mother had colon cancer and I've had polyps in the past.)

http://cavemanketo.com/configuring-mfp/

It was easy to install and has made my meal planning for the day much easier. I work better when I see percentages.

I've also changed my settings in MFP to make carbs 45% of my diet, not the default 50. I upped the protein by 5% to make things balance out. So my goal is 45/25/30 for carbs/protein/fat

[Nancy]

Slept in till 7 thirty, woke with stiff neck working out the kinks now. Posting from ex bike. Had h freeze the rest of the cake. Less tempting for me that way.

[helia]

I thought I would pop in here since I'm making a concerted effort to get in shape now.

Interesting all the ideas of what to eat or not eat for dinner and before bed. I must confess, we eat whatever and don't seem to have any problems sleeping. Dh loves very flavorful food and very spicy food, and if he has a hand in cooking dinner, we often eat quite spicy the last meal of the day. I've never noticed a problem sleeping. Sometimes, I do crave protein in the evening.

I exercised 5 times last week: 4 jogs of 30 minutes each and 2 hours of trimming bushes. I exercised last night too: a 30 minute jog. My jogging times are now going up (slower) after having gone down the previous week. Dh has told me that is normal. I think I'm ready to do some jogging for distance rather than time. Maybe tomorrow. I'll start short: 2.25 miles.

Dh has a theory that regular cardio exercise is good for your immune system. He runs faithfully and rarely gets sick. I also rarely get sick, but I don't exercise that much during the winter. I don't think I got sick at all this past winter. Maybe a cold or two, but even those weren't very severe.

I think my weight is very very slowly falling. I'm hoping to regularly be under 150 soon, maybe by the end of this week; I popped under once last week but popped back soon after. Ideally, I'd like to be closer to 140. I am fairly tall but don't actually have a large frame under my extra padding. LOL!

[Nancy]

I did yd wk for my ex 2day.

[Ramblinrose]

Made it to the track this morning at 5:15. Hated getting up, but love being outside once I'm there. We stretched and then walked the track...with a bit of running. My friend ...the one who's lost over 105 lbs...sister joined us. She wants to start her own journey. Monica, my friend, ran the bleachers while I walked with her sister Carla. I wanted to do the bleachers as well, but since this was Carla's first time with us I chose to stay with her as a way of encouragement. Gotta start somewhere.

Yesterday I swam in my pool. Hard to tell how far because mine pool is a free shape, but continuously swam for 20 minutes doing the breast stroke with a little free style thrown in between. Held the edge of the pool and did 250 flutter kicks counting "1" "2" "3" each time I kicked my right foot. Also did 30 pool push ups.

I walked 2.8 miles on the track and my fitbit is showing a total of 5.3 miles after doing my house work. Tomorrow I hike my hill. Legs should be in good shape, but I need to keep working on my arms so I don't loose what I've worked so hard to gain.

I told Monica that on Thur I was going to start walk/running the track. I know I can do it, just not too sure how the heat will effect me even that early in the morning. I haven't had any ankle/lower leg foot cramps since I started taking extra vitamins... Yeah to that.

The Extreme Weight Loss show is on tonight in case anyone is interested. Our training group has made a pack to do 20 sit ups and 10 burpees during each commercial. Last time my totals were 200 sit ups and 100 burpees. We call ourselves the "Promise Keepers" so if I say I'm going to do something I promise that I will. Same game applies for tonight, so if you're watching, think of me during the commercials.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I'm struggling with the change of balance of micro-nutrients. I feel yicky and tired. Painful bloating, room-clearing gas.

All that has changed in the last 48 hours is the shift in goal from 50% carb to 45%, protein up 5%. My fiber numbers haven't changed (I almost always have 25 - 30g of fiber a day) so that doesn't account for the gas/bloating.

I'm drinking tons of water/liquid. About a quart more per day than usual.

Is this a normal reaction as the body tries to process more protein than before?

Or am I simply sick? I feel a bit weak and feverish but it is hot and humid here and I'm menopausal so flushed is not unknown to me.

I ended up with an hour long nap at supper time because I was so tired. Is that another reaction to the change?

Calorie count is the same (i.e. every single one I can eat according to MFP) and fat percentage is the same. I felt fine at awakening and after breakfast, starting to feel sick at lunch but at that point it carbs were still high for the day, dinner balances things out. Do I have to make every meal 45/25/30 or can I have some heavy carb meals and some heavy protein meals through the day?

Tomorrow will be a higher carb day (another strawberry social.) I'll see if there's a difference then.

[Harmony]

Well I lost my "candy" weight. Delay in drs. appointment is a bummer and disappointing to me...instead of feeling glad that I have more time before getting tested, I was feeling kinda mad and annoyed and wanted to quit the struggle. Something I ate didn't agree, but that seems to have passed. I'll probably be lighter tomorrow as a result.

Kathryn, any time I change my diet, even for the better, it takes me a while to get used to it and feel "normal" again. That happened when I started this last "diet". I hope you feel better, sounds like you might have a "bug".

[Lynlee]

Kathryn - check / make a note of any new protein sources you are eating, or if you are eating a heap more of something. Do a little sluthing on what has changed.
tmi
for me potato, pulses, wheat are culprits with those effects and more.

[Harriet]

Kathryn, trying to think of some explanation... ...

if the protein is salty or cured you can retain water, causing various ills.

Also when I am on very high-protein (doesn't sound like what you're doing) my joints can hurt.

Constipation is possible on very high protein as well.

Other than that, I can't think of any reason you would feel badly because of a change to more protein, and can't help but wonder if you may have a bug.

I did 25 minutes of T-Tapp today. My other healthy habits look pretty good, too

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

My temperature was also up yesterday, just under 100, so a bug might be the cause.

I'm fine now but have only had tea and chocolate so far.

Protein has been from eggs, white fish, milk, and chicken so not likely the cause.

Constipation might be but with 31g of fiber and 12 glasses of caffeine free liquid (and no caffeine at all) you'd think that wouldn't be a problem! Bowels were moving all day long but not significantly until into the evening.

Weight seems to be down another pound this morning. Will watch that to make sure that it doesn't speed up too much. (I'm down 1.5 pounds this week which is alarming since it is Wednesday. On the the other hand, I was at my previous weight for 2 weeks so am due for a drop. I won't worry unless it drops more than 3 pounds and that's not likely with a strawberry social this afternoon!)

Need to take time to see which is less unhealthy - cake or ice cream under my berries. May find myself in the kitchen at the host church (last time they used store-bought cake so there is likely to be a nutrition panel.)