Health and Fitness, August, 2015

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I think I've made a huge discovery on the trip.

At the beginning, 'normal' amounts of fat in my diet caused indigestion (like the beginning of a gall bladder attack.)

One of the hosts at a B&B was into nutrition and when I asked for just a small amount of cheese in my omelet due to fat causing indigestion, she said my liver should have easily covered for the lack of gall bladder and had I considered adding a probiotic to my supplement regimen? Since I had brought extras with me (they are part of dh's regimen and I use them if I get GI illness when I travel), I added one to my routine each day.

Slowly I added a bit more fat into the diet. Yesterday was a 'bad' day (cheesecake, bacon, butter, peanuts) and had no reaction at all.

In addition, even when I don't have high fat in my diet, my regularity has returned. Still don't know if that is due to the higher carb (my regularity disappeared when I upped my protein/carb ratio no matter how much water I'd consume in a day) or if it is the extra fat in my diet, or some other reason, but it has been a relief to be regular for the rest of the trip.

When I get home, I'll be able to figure out for sure if the probiotic helps with the second point as well as the first but in the meantime, it has been great to not be too worried about how much fat something is cooked with (when my pan fried cod made me sick, I was worried about how I'd manage the trip since broiled fish wasn't on the menus, just deep fried and pan fried.

[Lynlee]

great news Kathryn. That looks so helpful/hopeful.

[Nancy]

I walked with my friend last night a long walk air cleared up a bit. YEA!

[Twins' Mom]

Managed to walk 10K steps by bedtime - getting 8K steps in by 5 p.m. went a long way. Also had a decent day in terms of eating. Now if I can get a streak (of two) going.

Interesting about the probiotic, Kathryn. I'm battling an off and on lack or regularity, and occasionally the other condition.

Walked this morning already and got in 3000 steps.

[Lady Maverick]

I am not making much headway on weight loss. Still losing/gaining the same few pounds. But on the other hand.....at least I'm not continually gaining weight like in the past. I am eating healthy with proper portions 90% of the meals, but that late night binge eating is kicking my b*tt. Last night I changed my night time routine in hopes of helping and it did. At least for one time. I know the night time is emotional based. I can feel myself emotionally/physically exhale once the child care is done for the day. Also I try to stay awake because I worry about DH working late at night by himself. So each night I find myself all alone.....just me and 10000000 calories calling my name. Those calories promise to be a reward for finishing up a hard day......and those calories promise to help me keep my eyes open until DH comes home. Those late night binge calories are so tempting. They gloss over the truth and hit me at my weakest moments.   The next morning I am not happy with either of their promises. The scales don't lie.

HOWEVER, I am tracking food in more detail (even the binge eating) and continue to learn how each meal affects my blood sugar. I am learning to level my blood sugar counts by food combination (carb/protein).

This week I started tracking DH blood sugar before and after breakfast. I can't say DH is thrilled with my poking him twice before he leaves the house in the morning, but he doesn't complain. And I notice that he stands and waits the 2-3 seconds after I poke him to see what his blood count is, so I know he is interested in the result too.

The first time I took his BSugar it was over 200. The next morning it was 140 fasting.
1st day I served DH homemade muffins containing 11% protein/carb ration (44 grams carbs/5 grams protein). That caused his sugar to jump up 73 points one hour after eating.
2nd day I served DH a vegetable/meat/cheese omelette containing 300% protein/carb ration. That only raised BSugar 5 points an hour later.
Today I served DH two egg nests containing 82% protein/carb ration and his blood sugar was exactly the same an hour after eating.

I consider this discovery HUGE. DH can have 2 slices of bread (Sara Lee 45 calorie a slice) without affecting his blood sugar.....as long as he eats it with almost equal gram of protein.

I am documenting each of these findings in a spreadsheet and also jotting me a reminder on the menu page.

It is a slow process, but I am making progress!

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Anxious to get home. Anxious about what the scale will say. I think I've gained a bit since the low point in the trip (where I had to buy the belt which I still need but not always at the same tightness.) The question is, "have I gained overall, or did I lose weight at the beginning and gain back just a bit of it?"

[Nancy]

Did a long walk yesterday with my friend.

[Twins' Mom]

I think I ended up with just over 9000 steps yesterday. I've walked enough this morning (another gorgeous morning!) to start with 3000. Going for 8K again today - will be harder today.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Home!

A particularly bad day in which I drank too much soda. Which is all Tim Horton's fault. We stopped for a walk and a snack at a nice picnic park but I didn't have enough food to make up a lunch so the plan was to continue on to Tim Horton's and get chili. I had about 1/2 ounce of cheese, two whole grain rye crackers and some fruit. Earlier, in the car, I had been starving so I had had a protein bar and a measured amount of nuts.

Get to Tim Horton's at 12:45 local time. That would be 1:45 body time. Waited 10 minutes to be served. No chili. We leave.

My blood sugar does its thing on the drive to the next highway stop. I really don't want to have to waste another 10 minutes waiting but do and finally get my chili at 1:40 local time. That would be 2:40 body time, I've eaten some Special K cracker chips (measured amount) and opened my Dr. Pepper to get a sugar rush. Buy a Pepsi because the Dr. Pepper wasn't doing what I had hoped it would.

Have the chili, roll and butter and the rest of my soda and about 30 minutes later start to feel better. All trip my meals have been way too late (the night before we ate pizza at 8:30 at night, and may times lunch was at 2 or later.)

Now that I'm home, I'm hoping I'll be able to settle the meal times down to times that work for me.

Anyway.....

............drumroll.......

I am up a total of 1 pound for the trip. That could be the pizza on Friday night and the salty snacks and soda yesterday.

So I'm rather pleased with that gain over 28 days and I'm still only overweight, not obese and at my weight goal for my birthday next month.

[Nancy]

Yesterday's exercise was helping dson move in to their new home.

I cleaned up the patio and carport for some of the exercise opportunities for today.