So I got on the scale this morning for the first time in over a week. Considering all that's been going on, it wasn't a disaster. 156.6 is about what I expected.
I ran yesterday for the first time since my 7 mile run last Saturday. 3.5 miles in 40 minutes, and most of the run sucked. I got a side stitch after a half mile that didn't go away for 2 miles. So I ran/walked until it subsided. And I'm still fighting my asthma while running and not being able to breathe easily is quite a hindrance on a run. I see my doctor on Monday & will hopefully get my inhaler situation figured out.
It's been 3 weeks since I was having panic attacks & went off wellbutrin, then went on lexapro. It's been 2 weeks since I went off the lexapro & went back on a lower dose of wellbutrin. Thank God, I feel like my brain is finally back to where it needs to be. I handled the funeral well; I was able to function & take care of my children basically by myself for 3 days without losing my mind. I'm able to do basic household chores without it feeling like I'm moving a mountain.
I'm in a total quandary about my food. Since Keith's death, food has been a big topic of conversation with members of the family. Meat of almost any kind is apparently the devil when it comes to your heart. This is only about me--not about Mark--but I do really well when I'm eating more protein in the form of meat, and eating more veggies, and eating fewer whole grain foods. But the heart healthy diet is apparently fruit, veggies, whole grains, zero fat, almost no meat, and I'm not sure what else. I haven't done my own research yet so I don't have enough information in my decision making process. I just feel like I need to get my entire household on a heart healthy diet, and despite my years & years of weight loss dieting, I don't know what the heck a heart healthy diet should consist of.
In other news, we are going to join the YMCA. Mark has got to start exercising regularly & we've talked about getting a used elliptical and treadmill, but I can't find any good cheap used ones, & I'm not spending $2,000 on two pieces of equipment that will likely end up being clothes racks. The family membership fee is $65 a month, which is a lot less than we were paying before for our Fancy Club membership. There are two locations we can use for the one monthly fee. And we can get Sophie back in swim lessons (she swam at the hotel while we were at the funeral, and after 6 months of no swimming, her strokes still looked great & she just loves swimming so much. The child needs something in her life she feels good about). Child care is free, too, so I won't have to pay extra for the kids while I work out.
I'm planning a run today, either 4 or 5 miles depending on how I feel. Then tomorrow I will run 8 miles. The Indy half is 5 weeks away & is sneaking up on me.
Every minute of peace & normalcy in my life is a gift. They are what I crave. Even though they are mostly out of my control, I'm going to do everything in my power to keep them around for a while.
11 comments:
We bought a treadmill ten years ago. It's been the best fitness investment we've made.
It might be a good way for your husband to start out with increasing his physical activity.
Any way you can do both...get a used treadmill and a family YMCA membership?
To me, a heart healthy diet would look like any other healthy diet - balanced. As far as meat goes, maybe you could just go meatless a couple of times a week or start choosing leaner cuts. Nothing drastic, just work it in the best you can.
I think the Y sounds like a great idea. Maybe you could also keep looking for a used treadmill (Craigslist is awesome for that) for those times when you want to work out but can't make it to the gym. I like having options!
Glad the new (old) meds are working for you! You sound like your old self again!
Enjoy your running!!
(and I've decided that I can not give up sugar since it's in margarita mix - there are some things in life just not worth giving up!)
We just recently bought a treadmill from Wally world. It wasn't that expensive and works great. Ellipiticals are a little more complicated because you need to pay attention to how far your knee is allowed to travel over your foot. Glad to have you back.
The Y actually sounds like a lot of fun and a GREAT deal. :-)
Low fat is, I think, really the best for heart health. It's not hard to do even with lots of protein -- we do that in our house -- lots of fish (fresh and canned -- with no added sodium), egg whites, non-fat cheese, etc.
this is exactly the position I was in - I started hitting it hard - a year ago.
FRIED
We eat nothing fried - I have learned to oven fry things - and it works very well - I use the speed bake option on my oven and put things on a rack (in a pan) rather than flat on the pan - crisps up the whole thing so the bottom is not soggy. Home made egg rolls, burittos, pizza, potato skins, etc.
SALT
Salt - the first step is to get rid of the salt shakers and bulk salt.
Then the next step is to eliminate the canned/processed salt products - but again - one thing at a time -
Like first - buy the "no salt" canned tomato products.
Then the lowest salt spaghetti sauce you can find (here it is Classico 380mg per 1/2 c serving) - some day I will move to making my own - but I do not worry about that level of sodium because we are not getting "too much" other places.
Cooking dry beans rather than using canned is a big, non-salt step forward - remember - cooked beans freeze nicely.
PROTEIN
One of the first steps is to simply start reading labels in the stuff you buy.
7g = one serving of protein.
So for example:
I stopped buying any cereal that didn't have 7g+ of protein per serving.
I have been able to find bagels and pasta with 9g of protein per serving.
But bread no more than 4g. (so, my kids are better at using one slice of bread to keep their carbs more in line.)
I have the attitude of trying to balance the carbs with the protein. And the easest way (in my opinion) to get the family to do this, is to provide carbs that have a serving of protein built in.
My kids DO READ LABELS. They zone right in on the protein level and know to look for 7g+.
Understanding how to balance carbs and protein so that they are not eating a food plan that is 99% carbs - is BIG.
They/We eat:
lf cottage cheese, lf yogurt, lf cheese
extra lean ground turkey
boneless, skinless chicken breast
fish
egg beaters unless it is something like deviled eggs or tuna salad that needs hard boiled eggs
RAW (no salt) nuts
cooked (from dry) beans
edamame - freezer section - steam - you don't eat the pods - just the beans inside
low salt sliced turkey from the deli
peanut butter
We have stopped eating pork and beef.
BUT -
First we worked down to very lean only.
then we worked on eating OTHER things (instead of just basing every meal on pork and beef).
It was a steady progression.
We were in the habit of no meat on Fridays during lent. I just kept that habit (last year). then worked on no meat dishes one other night - then two other nights.
I think it would be a mental strain to try to move everyone to one extreme or the other - in one huge step.
Eating from home is very important in this process. It moves everyone's taste buds over to real food. It keeps control over what is added to the foods and how they are cooked. It teaches the kids how to plan, shop, prep, cook - as a normal part of daily life. Saves $$$.
Yea on the Y membership - good family activity!!!
If you head there instead of paying for other activities and eating away from home - you will come out ahead $$$ in the long run.
We have learned to rent DVD's from library instead of going to movies or renting DVD's. And we hardly EVER eat out - so even though we pay for gym related things - we are way ahead from where we used to be.
I still am eating lots of veggies, some fruit, servings of protein, pretty much only non-processed carbs (beans, brown rice, sweet potato, squash, etc).
I stay as balanced as I can.
so your relatives that were swearing off meat - and jumping to another band wagon - I don't do that - I try to stay very even.
If the information that I left was too much - just take what is helpful and leave the rest. but I thought it might all be helpful to see the progression of it.
Yay for the gym membership.
Can you eat more lean chicken and fish? And aren't the fats in the fattier fish supposed to be heart healthy?
I have to say that our treadmill was the best purchase EVER! One or both of us use it almost every day.
The South Beach plan was developed by a cardiologist for his patients. I think you'd be very happy with the amount of recommended protein. Just a suggestion. Glad you're back.
I am glad you are having some peace and normalcy and I think 156 is great. I am two pounds away. Getting rest is important, too. I have been making it a point to sleep on weekends since during the week I can't always do it. I agree with everyone else about the healthy diet being a balance. But I am sure there are foods to avoid entirely. I am no expert that's for sure. I am glad you are feeling better. I know that feeling of "moving a mountain" sometimes getting out of bed seems like moving a mountain.
You might look and see if you have a Craigs List in your town for some used exercise equipment.
Somewhere this weekend, I was reading where we should use meat as a supplement or flavoring to our meals and not be the main course. But it made me wonder, how much meat are we eating and how much do we really need? I think you guys need to find something that you can live with rather than be strict about "the heart healthy diet" -- it does no good if you can only do it for three weeks and then revert back to driving through fast food places for the triple quarter pounder.
I'm really excited for you joining the Y. Maybe the DH can go swimming early in the morning before work or at lunch? I like Jill's advice about the food and I hope Mark considers Annimal's advice from last week.
Hang in there; it's going to be better!
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