WooHoo!!! My pants are getting loose! Normally I don't wear a belt to work, but I'm gonna have to start now! At least until its time to pull out the smaller sizes. That is such a good feeling.
The best feeling though is knowing that I'm doing the right things to help me be healthier. It's knowing that I'm not hurling myself down the pathway to diabetes. It's knowing that I'm reducing my risk for heart disease and stroke and cancer.
My father-in-law had a stroke shortly before I met him. And he also has diabetes. Consequently, him and mother-in-law spend a great deal of energy talking about, planning and worrying about what he can and cannot eat. Ironically, it seems like they do more talking and worrying, than making good choices, but that's another story. The point is, they are in "damage-control" mode now. It's unlikely that they will ever be able to do enough in order for him to eliminate his diabetes, and obviously, the stroke is a done deal. Now, its a matter of coping, and trying to prevent further damage.
My mom has been a smoker and a lousy eater her entire life. No events, not my dad's cancer or heart attack or triple bypass, have caused her to stray from her path. She eats junk and smokes like a chimney. And her health is falling apart before my eyes.
I don't want to be them. And I don't want hubby to be them either.
And I don't want our kids to feel in 20 or 30 years, what we feel today: I'm dreading having to watch the three of them get sicker and sicker, knowing there isn't a damn thing I can do about it.
But I can do something about me. And that's why I'm so happy that my clothes are getting baggy. And that I'm not drinking my "bucket of sweet tea" from McDonalds that would give me headrushes and make me feel queasy sometimes. And I'm not the least bit interested in a Super-Size Fries anymore.
I haven't lost the cravings for pasta...I'm still working on that. But I haven't had a fried potato in ......can't even remember! And that makes me feel hopeful that as I continue on this path to getting healthier, I look forward to the time when I have very few cravings for the unhealthy crap, and what I do eat doesn't make me feel miserable.
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So, even though I was really busy this weekend and didn't really post much, I'll do my best to recap what I did eat and drink.
Picking up where I left off on Saturday night: Lean Cuisine Beef tips and steamed broccoli, 160 calories. (yuck!) I'm done letting hubby talk me into these!
Sunday was a B-day celebration day.
We went to a brunch buffet. I had a plate-full of fresh fruit: strawberries, blue berries, raspberries, pineapple, oranges, watermelon, cantelope, honeydew. Also had 3 slices of bacon, one biscuit, 3 Tbsp sausage gravy, 2 glasses of cranberry-orange juice, coffee.
No lunch
Dinner: 4 ounces filet mignon with mushrooms, steamed asparagas.
lots of water.
Monday: had a banana and an orange for breakfast, coffee and water.
No lunch, as we were out running around all afternoon, on this day I'd taken as vacation (to spend some quiet time with hubby), that turned into snow-day for youngest child, which then turned into chauffer her and her friends around so they could go sledding.....groan. So much for our quiet time...
Dinner: I made my chicken tortilla soup (without the tortillas) I put tons of peppers in it this time, so there's more "body" to the soup. I put 2 each of red, yellow and orange bell peppers, a couple of Anaheims, a couple of Hungarians, several seranos, 3-4 habaneros, plus two containers of fresh "medium" salsa, and two sweet onions. Also put in 4-5 diced chicken breasts, 2 quarts of chicken broth, and cumin, salt & pepper. Had a bowl of that last night for dinner, topped off with about 1/4 cup shredded mexican cheese.
Lots of water yesterday.
I've not counted my calories yet. I need to punch everything into Nutrition Data and see how I did. I'm sure I was withing range yesterday, but probably not on Sunday. But today I'm on track.
So far: coffee with coffee-mate and 2 tsp sugar, 60 calories. (I've cut my coffee calories in half!!)
One water so far.
I SO know where you are coming from. I love my dad in 2002 from diabetes complications. He was only 58 years old. For the last few years he had gotten himself under good control but it was already too late and the damage was done. Even seeing what happened to him, my mother is eating herself to death. She is morbidly obese, had diabetes and high blood pressure, clogged arteries, diabetic neuropathy so bad that she has not feeling in her feet at all. She seems bent on self-destruction. It is hard to watch her. My brother is the same only he is young enough that there is no permanent damage yet. No amount of talking helps either of them. You are right though. I made the decision 2 years ago that I wouldn't put my children through that. I had gastric bypass surgery and now I'm working to get in better physical shape and lose the last few pounds. I wish you the best of luck.
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