Fitness, Health, Journal

Don't Wait For The Middle Finger

white haired man in jacket with watch
Photo by Life Of Pix on Pexels.com

Young ones (well, anyone younger than me, aka 50 and younger), please don’t be like me.

I treated my body like it was immortal: nothing I did or didn’t do would have a lasting effect. Despite the little things (which just kept building up) I felt when I turned 30 years old, I kept right on rolling, downing that Crunch Berry cereal while doing virtually no physical activity. The scale didn’t matter, how my body felt didn’t matter, all I cared about was what goody I was going to put in my mouth next to drown out my emotions. I told myself I didn’t care what anyone else thought and I didn’t. The problem was, I just didn’t care, period.

I only looked in the mirror with “tunnel vision”, seeing only my face to put on tons of makeup (to cover up my blotchy skin and apply contour to my double chin) and fix my highly damaged hair but never looking at my body. I cannot remember ever looking at my body just out of the shower.

The year I turned 42 years old, after YEARS of warning signs, was the year my body stuck up its middle finger at me and said, “I’m done”. Thankfully, I have never had high blood pressure or high cholesterol but I became allergic to just about everything, I got sick if anyone looked at me funny, and I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Through diet and exercise over the past 8 years, I have reduced my A1C from 9.0 to 5.7 (my first ever fasting blood sugar was 400). I am very proud to officially no longer have type 2 diabetes and did it on my own.

Unfortunately, there is only so much proper (for me) diet and exercise can do after 42 years of neglect and abuse. Here is a partial list of the issues I am dealing with:

  • Allergy shots for the next 5 years
  • Gallbladder removal 7 months ago
  • Severe intestinal issues that were not resolved by removing the gallbladder. I am still undergoing testing to figure out what is causing this (upper endoscopy, MRI, so much blood work the technician knows me by name). Next will probably be scheduled for a colonoscopy (if none of the current tests reveal anything).
  • Just had a TIA (mini-stroke) in my eye last week. There was no permanent damage but this means more tests (went to the lab two days in a row this week and have 2 MRI scans next week), more doctors (in addition to my allergist, dermatologist, ophthalmologist, primary care, and gastroenterologist, I have an appointment with a neurologist and am waiting for a referral to a cardiologist) AND I had to stop exercising because that TIA could possibly lead to a full-blown stroke (can you say stress?).

To be brutally honest, I have no idea how much of what is still wrong with me could have been avoided if I had cared about myself earlier in life but now, I will never know. All I can do is hang on, say a few prayers, and do whatever I can to get through this so I can (once again) start over on my fitness journey. As soon as I am given some sort of clearance, I am hitting the weights and my neglected exercise bike (there will also be some digging in the yard going on, too, since I was not able to finish planting before this all happened).

So, you young whipper snappers, please. Take a good, hard look at your lifestyle. Take into account that you will not be in your 20’s forever. Our bodies age, whether we want them to or not. How old do you want to feel when you are 30, 40, or 50? Do you want to be able to do whatever you enjoy or would you prefer to get out of breath walking to the mail box? Do what is best (not easiest) for your health now so you do not end up like me.

Breakfast, Health, Journal, Level 1, Recipe

"Spam" and Eggs … Help!

Well, it looks like my gallbladder was just one part of my health issue. Since having it removed in October, I started feeling a little better, then slowly went downhill. All my organs look good (especially the surgical area), so last week I had my first audition for a porn movie (Upper Endoscopy). There wasn’t anything dire but they did see several inflamed areas. I am currently waiting for the biopsy results (they took several) and waiting for my insurance to approve a scan to make sure there aren’t any rogue gallstones floating around anywhere.

In the mean time, I have been instructed to change my eating to low fat, little to no fiber, nothing hot/spicy (especially black pepper) and no large solid chunks of meat that will be more difficult to digest. EVERYTHING in my house is high fat! Last week, I was whining and crying because I have no idea how to even cook low fat (and no solid meat)!

So, now that I have calmed down, I wanted to show you my way of getting at least some meat in my belly for breakfast:

This is 2 eggs, half a cup of baked on a rack so it is lower fat DRY ham, and just a bit of half and half blended and cooked in a non-stick skillet sprayed with PAM. It’s actually tasty and surprisingly filling but I need help!

Does anyone have any ideas/recipes that I might be able to tweak that aren’t all scrambled eggs? I could boil meats to remove more fat but then what? My intestines HAVE been happier/less fetal-position painful but I need ideas! All I have in my house is meat and full-fat everything else. Please help me!

Breakfast, Dinner, Level 1, Lunch, Recipe

Oven Roasted Tri-tip

One dark and stormy night (a relief in Central California) we really didn’t want to barbecue in the rain (and we were low on charcoal). So, my husband made a tri tip roast in the oven. If you aren’t accustomed to this cut, here’s the Wiki about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tri-tip.

How we (my husband as I watched and took pictures) made it:

Oven Roasted Tri-tip Roast
Ingredients:

  • 1 beef tri tip roast
  • Your choice of seasonings

Season your roast (we have been using McCormick Montreal Steak seasoning lately).
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Place a heavy skillet (we love our cast iron) on the stove and heat on high. Once the skillet is hot, add about a teaspoon of oil to the pan (or spray with Pam). Place the roast in the pan and sear it for about 4 minutes (as you can see from the photos, it wasn’t that brown this time and turned out better than ever). Flip it over and sear the other side.
Now, place the skillet in the oven (do not cover) and let cook until you are happy with the doneness.

Here’s a great webpage about proper doneness of beef: https://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/kitchen/doneness.php.

The basic rule of thumb is 10 minutes per pound. We baked ours for almost 20 minutes and removed the tri tip from the oven when the thermometer read 135 degree F.

While resting (we let it rest for 10 minutes before cutting) it reached 140 degrees F.


That’s it! To serve, either slice it thick (against the grain) like a steak or thin (think roast beef). My favorite way to eat it is with some cheese and avocado (OH! Maybe some horseradish sauce, too!). Tri tip is great leftover, too! Either dice it and add to scrambled eggs, pan-fry and serve with fried eggs, or just grab a piece and munch away!
Here’s some pictures (unless you do not like this setup, I think I will post any recipes I/we create before any pictures because I HATE having to scroll a mile just to read a recipe).

IMG_0776.jpg
Browning in cast iron skillet
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Our meat thermometer from Home Depot
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Resting
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Medium Rare (almost medium) 140 degree internal temperature
Fitness, Health, Journal

How the H*ll Did I Gain 2 Pounds Overnight?

Once I began this journey (and finally figured out what food my body did and didn’t like) one of the most frustrating things was magically gaining 2 pounds overnight. It happened so much that, at one point, I stopped weighing myself every day (choosing to only weigh myself once a week). I became obsessed with my daily weight, weighing (and limiting) my food and increasing my daily activity so I would lose those mysterious pounds again. Even though I have now adopted a broader view of my weight (I weigh every day but my focus is typically how I am doing over the course of the week). I never really looked into the why of it all. This year, with my renewed focus on my health, this is what I decided to do.
I have been tracking all of my food in My Fitness Pal since June. I had been using a different app on my phone but thankfully, someone told me how to work the app on my phone. I am loving it even more than before, especially since it has a UPC scanner! I am even able to scan a store-brand food item (from a local store) and it pulled up all the information on it! The idea of having to input (or rely on someone’s sketchy input) always made me tired. If you haven’t used it, try it! Grab that family pack of steaks and scan it with the app. It’s (almost) a miracle!
So, I have been going about my business, losing or gaining a pound, and usually I could attribute it to some specific food item, until two days ago. I had an especially busy day and hadn’t eaten as much as usual but what I did eat was typical. The next day, I had gained 2 pounds. The first thing I did was go over my food. Nope, that couldn’t do it. What about fluids? Nope, I drank my usual amount. I did notice, however, that my breathing was a bit off and I felt a bit “swollen.” That’s when I remembered all the dang reading I had done for so many years: my weight gain was caused by inflammation.
One of the biggest issues that is typically addressed within the low carb/paleo/gluten-free community of experts is how some carbohydrates (it seems to mostly be grains but we all know every body is different) cause inflammation within the body. It is usually that inflammation that wreaks havoc on our bodies, causing all sorts of illnesses/health issues. So, if you ate great all day but decide to eat that burger on a hamburger bun and gain 2 pounds overnight, it’s not simply the gluten or carbohydrates (or corn syrup) that caused that weight gain. It could be the inflammation caused by one (or all) of those properties of the hamburger bun that did it.
Or, if you ate fantastic all day, yet still gained that weight, what happened? After thinking everything over and going through my activities of the day, I figured out my weight gain was due to allergies. I had decided to tear apart the front room because it is that time of year when mice are wanting to come inside and I one had boldly walked through the house into that room. I vacuumed everything, rearranging what I could to make it easier for me to move things to clean (storing my son’s items in this tiny house is a bit of a challenge). Two of the things I am still allergic to are dust mites (check) and mice (check).
If I had been lifting heavy things (like lugging buckets of river rocks from one side of the yard to the other) or actual weight training, I could have gained water weight due to my muscles retaining extra water. The point of this post is, unless you truly ate garbage the day before you “magically” gained weight, it could be any number of things that caused that temporary weight gain. There is no need to beat yourself up, starve yourself, or overdose on water. 9 times out of 10, that weight will be “magically’ gone in a day or two, so just breathe. You are doing great!
 

1972 Recipes, Dinner, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe

Atkins "Noodles"

Atkins “Noodles”
2 eggs at room temperature, separated
1/4 teaspoon Krazy Salt (or seasoned salt)
3 Tablespoons butter
Melt butter in a cookie sheet that has sides.
Beat whites with salt until stiff.
Beat yolks with a fork and fold them into the whites.
Spread egg mixture on the cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes, or until slightly browned. When cool, slice into strips and use in soups.
Total Grams: 1.2
Grams per serving: .6
From the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution (1972)

1972 Recipes, Journal, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe, Sauces

Atkins Mustard Sauce

Mustard Sauce
Makes 1 cup (16 Tablespoons)
3 Tablespoons onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon butter
8 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 Tablespoon chopped chives
Saute onions in butter until soft.
Stir in mustard and cream until well heated (do not boil).
Blend in Worcestershire Sauce.
Sprinkle with chives.
Serve hot.
Total Grams: 7.0
Grams Per Tablespoon .4
From the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution (1972)

1972 Recipes, Breakfast, Journal, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

Scrambled Eggs with Spicy Ham

I am adding the 7 day menu from the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution (1972) book to the About 1972 Atkins page. In doing so, there are dishes listed that I have not posted to my blog (until today). Get ready for some posting craziness! 🙂


Scrambled Eggs with Spicy Ham
Serves 2
4 thin slices boiled ham
Mustard sauce
2 Tablespoons butter
4 eggs
Salt
Pepper
1 Tablespoon heavy cream
Cut ham in half to make squares.
Spread with Mustard Sauce.
Melt butter in skillet.
Beat eggs with cream, salt, and pepper and scramble in the butter until lightly cooked.
Spoon out some scrambled egg in center of each square, roll up, fasten with toothpicks, and serve hot.
Total Grams 4.0
Grams Per Serving 2.0
From the Dr. Atkins’ Diet Revolution (1972)

Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Recipe

Diabetic Cookery – Published 1917

Well, a link to this cookbook was posted today and, since I’m a nut for old cookbooks, I had to check it out.  What surprised me is the fact that this cookbook seems to support a low carbohydrate lifestyle!

Look what I found!  Someone who has cooked from this book! http://asweetlife.org/feature/resurrecting-a-diabetic-cookbook-from-1917/

You can download this from the link or scroll to the bottom.
https://openlibrary.org/books/OL7095821M/Diabetic_cookery

It supports the use of “diabetic flours” (one of which is almond flour) in bread making and it lists free foods (those you can eat to your heart’s content) as mostly meats and low carbohydrate veggies.


Unfortunately, some of the items needed may not be available any longer.
Aleurnat Flour: Made from aleurone, a protein found in protein granules of maturing seeds and tubers. If there is someone smarter than me who can figure out if this is available for purchase anywhere, please share!


The following is from New and Nonofficial Drugs …: Containing Descriptions of the Articles which Stand Accepted by the Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry of the American Medical Association (Google eBook)



I have barely skimmed through it but I’m excited!  I hope we can find some of the alternatives used then.

Fitness, Health

Secrets From Your Personal Trainer – Give It a Year to Lose Weight

This really is the secret to long-term success: give yourself time.  If you don’t see immediate progress, give it more time.  Some people (like I have mentioned before) see tons of weight come off immediately (or at least it seems that way) while others have bodies that are more stubborn than some.  See, my initial frustration at my lack of weight loss was why it was so easy for me to quit back in 2010.  Once I changed my focus from weight loss to better health, I developed the patience to persevere.  So, read this article for a bit of a true reality check.  🙂
http://exercise.about.com/od/gettingweightlossresults/fl/Secrets-From-Your-Personal-Trainer-What-We-Wish-We-Could-Say.htm

It takes more than a few tries to get through these stressful interruptions while still exercising, still eating right and still taking care of yourself. You’ve got years, decades, maybe even a lifetime of ingrained habits to contend with. Think about how long you’ve been:
Cleaning your plate
Stress or emotional eating
Sleeping until the last possible moment, rather than getting up and exercising
Stopping for fast food on the way home because you’re too tired and too hungry to make dinner
Eating out because you don’t have anything to make for a healthy dinner
Not even knowing how to make healthy dinners
Sitting for hours a day, leaving you with a stiff, achy body that feels too much pain or discomfort to exercise
Dealing with fatigue or lack of energy with caffeine or energy drinks rather than physical movement

Appetizers, Level 1, Levels 2 And Above, Lunch, Recipe

Smoked Mackerel Pate with Griddled Toast & Cress Salad

No, do not eat the griddled toast.  🙂  I love these pate/spread recipes (do a search and I’m sure I’ve share quite a few here).  Maybe I love these recipes so much because I grew up eating Underwood deviled ham, chicken, liver, liverwurst, etc.  Although back then I did either eat them with crackers or bread, it was not rare for me to just eat it with a fork.  Yum!

http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fish-recipes/smoked-mackerel-pate-with-griddled-toast-and-cress-salad/
Ingredients
    400 g smoked mackerel, from sustainable sources, ask your fishmonger
    200 g low-fat cream cheese (AND, why would you use low-fat?)
    3 lemons
    1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked
    2 small punnets cress, snipped
    2 sticks celery, finely sliced, plus some of the celery leaves
    extra virgin olive oil
    6 slices bread