March Madness - #SoCS - Go Figure

Well, Linda has given us the prompt of "Figure" and told us to use it any way we like and have fun.  There are lots of figures in my world these days.  Tuesday will be my birthday and the figure I'll see is 65!  That's right.  Medicare eligible!  In fact, I used Medicare for the first time yesterday when I had some blood tests done.  My last set of blood tests were done in September and since then I was able to stop taking my diabetes medicine completely.  I have also lost another 20 pounds and the figures reflect that.  My Hemoglobin A1C, which is the test for diabetes, is the same at 5.8 - in 2015 it was 8.1.  Normal is less than 5.6.  A year ago it was 7.3.

The figures I was wondering about were the cholesterol and triglyceride numbers because when eating keto-centered meals you are allowed to have fats and since Weight Watchers and Hungry Girl are all about low fat foods I was concerned that those figures would be higher.  Interestingly, this is what I saw:

 

This tells me that my cholesterols (good and bad) were normal when I started "Keto" and around September when I had lost almost 40 pounds, the levels were still normal but higher.  At that time I decided to try and modify the plan to limit the fat intake, my weight reduction speed has been slower but my blood levels have gotten better.  I'm okay with that. 


Speaking of figures, mine has changed a bit since last March:

March 2019 to March 2020

 Looks like I cleaned the mirror since last year too - LOL.

March 2019 to March 2020

I still have some hips and arms to deal with, but I have another 20 pounds to lose so I figure while I'm doing that I'll do some strengthening exercises.  My son is letting me borrow some 5 pound weights that I'm using at night for the arms and I'm doing some leg lifts too.  Maybe I'll get some ankle weights for when I walk Benny.  Do you figure that will help? 

This post was not exactly "stream of consciousness" because I did some research and planning but at least I used the prompt, right?  Have a most wonderful weekend all.  Gearing up for the A to Z - sign ups are happening - I'm #22 on the list which was over 100 the last time I checked.  Come play along this year!

 

Just Jot January - 2020 - Stream of Consciousness Edition

Linda says: 

Your prompt for #JusJoJan and Stream of Consciousness Saturday is: “the first 3 words of the first full sentence.” Okay, follow me here. This is what I want you to do: 1. Grab the closest book to you when you sit down to write your post. 2. Open it to a random page. 3. Locate the first complete sentence on that page. 4. Use the first three words of that sentence to start your post, then take it from there–write whatever comes to mind. That’s it! Have fun!


Additionally, over time, it gets easier and easier to follow a routine.  It is the beginning that is the hardest.  They say it takes 21 days to start a new habit or to break a bad one but I'm not so sure about that.  I have also read that after the 21 days you continue it for another 90.  That is more like 111 days which makes more sense.

Got my 3 words from one of the Keto books I have on my desk.  I've been using them to get inspiration for meal planning, something I've been trying to get in the habit of doing.  I've done it for a week or so at a time but then something happens and I go back to just winging it.  I notice though that when I am planning, I am losing faster.  You'd think that would be motivation!

Exercise is another thing I've not been very consistent with, except for walking Benny twice a day.  I really need to get some arm and core work in to strengthen those muscles and help lose some of the excess flab from there.  I know that I've stretched my skin with all the weight I was carrying but you'd think I'd be able to fill some of it back with muscle instead of having flopping wings.  I'll start tomorrow, maybe. 

September Silliness - 2019 - Weigh/Way/Whey and Spicy

The #SoCS prompt is Weigh/way/whey and the #SeeYouInSeptember is Spicy.  The way I am going to connect these things is like this:

I have been on many different "diets" as a way to lower the amount I weigh.  Some have been successful for a while.  At one point around the early 2000's I lost 44 pounds and was down to 169 pounds.  That was using the Weight Watchers way.  Of course things happened - don't ask me what because I don't remember anything specific - but I do know that I got all the way back up to 238 pounds! 

Far cry from this girl who, admittedly is quite a bit younger!

The next thing I tried was Hungry Girl program.  Again I lost about 40 pounds.  Why is it that I didn't keep going?  Who knows.  I am an Italian and I love pasta?  I am a wife and need to feed my husband who doesn't like low fat/sugar free foods?  Busy working so I call for take out?  All of the above! 

Then my son worked the Keto lifestyle and lost about 30 pounds.  He suggested several times that I try it too but I was resistant.  It's not a healthy way of eating...too much fat...I have diabetes I can't have too many ketones in my urine...all excuses.  Finally, around my birthday in March this year, I decided that I'd had enough and it was time to get my act together so I investigated the Keto plan more thoroughly and found that it was actually not that bad and it might even help with my diabetes.  I had a basic set of lab tests done and checked with my doctor who said that each "diet" be it vegan, keto, WW or whatever, have their own proponents but in the end it really is just an individual thing and every body reacts differently.  She said that I should get repeat lab work in September to see where things stood.

I can say that so far I've lost 38 pounds since March and 54 pounds since my all time high of 238 (you do the math).  The last time I was at this weight was April of 2006.  I keep setting mini goals for myself and while I know that if I was even stricter with intermittent fasting I could lose it more rapidly, as long as I keep going in the downward direction I'm okay with it.  This is me today.  Excuse the messy hair and the glare from the light.  A bit different than the first picture, no?

My daughter and I have tried many different recipes from the books we've gotten and online and most of them have been very good.  I am still not a fan of really spicy foods but I am using more spices in meals than I did before.  Mostly I like garlic and pesto but on fish I use dill.  We do also add some whey protein occasionally.
   

Well, I think I've put myself out there enough for now and gotten both prompts in so here's the Pick One question:

Spicy or mild?  

  

August Break - 2019 - Recipe, Bag and Listening

Fortunately I got a large, rush work job so I had to miss posting here for a couple of days but I did manage to post on Instagram so now I'll recap here...

Day 27 - Favorite recipe: 

I don't really have favorite recipes because truthfully cooking is not one of my favorite activities.  My daughter and I have been trying out some new meals from these books lately and since the weight is slowly coming off, they are my favorite at the moment - LOL.

Day 28 - In my bag:

This is the bag I have filled with the pens, pencils and markers that I use when I'm coloring. 

Since most of the time I color while watching TV, it is very handy to be able to just bring this with me. 

Even with all these options sometimes I struggle looking for just the right color!

Day 29 - Listening

I listen to my iTunes while I walk Benny twice a day.  Sometimes I put it on shuffle:

and sometimes I start with the A's and work my way through the alphabet.  

I get a most unusual mix either way since I have a diverse collection.  The Scorpions and ACDC could be followed by Dean Martin or John Denver.  Who knows?

What are you listening to?  Have a favorite low carb recipe I should try?  What's in your bag?   

 

Juicy July - 2019 - Vision card updates

Back in January I wrote about the Vision cards I made for this year.

About this time of the year I go back to them and see if I've accomplished anything.  I make notes on the back to document what I have done and what still could be done in the next six months.  

Travel was one of the cards and unfortunately we haven't been able to do much of that.  I don't see it happening this year either but we did make a plan to go to Yosemite with some friends in July 2020.  I'm not giving up on this quite yet though.  We went to some San Jose Sharks hockey games which were new experiences for me so there is that.  

Health was another category and I'm pleased to say I made a big change in this department.  In March I started following a Keto plan and to date I've lost 29 pounds.  Still have a way to go but I'm happy with 29 pounds in a little over three months.  Walking our new dog is helping but also really paying attention to what I'm shoving in my face is the biggest thing.  

Money is an area that needs some serious work for the rest of the year.  We had a small setback because a job I contracted for did not last as long as anticipated.  We'll be okay but it will take some good planning on our part.  

Connecting with family and friends is on my list.  We have gone to a couple of baseball games and out to dinner with different friends so far this year.  This weekend I'm taking my mom to visit my sister who we don't get to see very often.  

My crafty business is a top priority and I've done some things to try and increase my presence online and in my Etsy shop.  I have made a couple of sales and I am about to make a presentation to a local sweet shop who rents their back room for parties.  I'd like to offer to make mini-albums for sale to their customers.  Cross your fingers!  I also did the YouTube video of my studio. 

Finally there is Home.  We've done a lot of shifting things around with the addition of the studio in the backyard.  That made it easy for me to take craft supplies and put them all in one place.  We reorganized some of the storage in the kitchen too.  The biggest addition to the home though has been our new dog, Benny.  He is bringing such fun into the house.  

I really like this way of making my goals turn into realities.  It is much better, for me anyway, than just making a list of "resolutions" at the beginning of the year.  I don't feel like I'm failing if I can get at least one thing accomplished.  How about you?  Have you taken a look at where you are mid-year?  

Hope everyone has a great 4th of July.  We will be lighting the safe and sane type in front of our house as usual.