THE ROW OF OUR BRILLIANTLY COLORED ORANGE DAY LILIES IN THE BACK YARD HAVE FADED FOR THE YEAR. Just like the Irises and the Lilac Bush, the flowers disappeared too quickly for me. Oh how I love them. I'd like to have some red Day Lilies. Hum. Can this happen?
Our container garden is producing some cucumbers, tomatoes and peppers. Enough to put some in an evening salad. Wonderful produce.
The temps the last few days has been way too hot for beast or man including for the vegetables around here. When I walk in the mornings before the horrible heat comes to fruition, I am able to stay outside a little longer than usual. This morning I got out of the house around 8 with the temps being 73. Lovely morning for walking. Determined to walk 8 laps around the track today making a 2 mile victory.
I decided to drive to the track instead of walking and make the rounds all at the track instead of walking the neighborhoods with hills. My energies need to go into the flatter tracks to where I could possibly make two miles easier on an old lady that I am.
I did it and by the time I completed the laps, my tee-shirt was soaked with sweat. There was a gentle breeze which always seems to help. I'm trying to not fall asleep after this journey. NAP TIME calls me after I walk and today, I am willing that I work on paperwork instead. Another goal to make.
During the second mile this morning, it reminded me of how I felt a year ago when I struggled to walk a mile around the track. So this second mile is challenging, but the first mile was easier to accomplish. I was feeling pretty good after a mile was in. The count down was taking place with the laps. Just 4 more to go. Just 3, then 2 and 1. Bingo. I did it. I talk to myself and also pray out loud when there is no one else at the field. You're doing this thang my dear, me being the dear. Keep going...just one more to go. I noticed I wasn't huffing and puffing as much. That's progress!
This morning three people popped in and out while I walked. I was celebrating my two miles as I sat in the car drinking some water. Drove around town before going HOME to cool off in front of the miniature fan.
I have been cooling off for an hour and a half sipping a protein drink. I'm doing something else diet-wise this week. A high protein liquid diet for a week. ONLY A WEEK. When I step on the scales at the doctor's office next week, I am in great hopes to weigh less than I did a year ago at physical time. I know these protein drinks have a touch of sugar in them and a small amount of carbs, but I will give it my all this week and see how it goes. 30 grams of protein in each drink.
I am focusing in on weight reduction this particular physical. Cholesterol, blood pressure and diabetes are a concern, but this last week it's all about obesity and weight loss.
Admitting that I was severely, morbidly obese was tough for me to say. I didn't want to believe it was ME that had this problem. It got my attention when I stepped on the scales back in August 2020 at my Thyroid Check-up. I was in disbelief. WHAT?!?
I started scaling back on portion sizes of the food I ate and began reducing. By April, 8 pounds was all that I lost. Almost a bag of potatoes though isn't anything to sneeze at. It was a loss.
In April 2021, I was told I was diabetic and I began the Daniel Diet. When I finished the 21 days of this, I created a COLOR-WHEEL DIET. I watched what I ate, did portion control and switched to ORGANIC non-GMO foods along with grass-fed beef. Eventually I stopped drinking COFFEE as I was drinking too much with creamer and I was looking for things that might be causing my thyroid meds to not be absorbed as well as they needed to be.
My weight plateaued after a 50 pound loss. Then the awful happened, ten pounds creeped back on. Took it off. Happened again. Took it off. Happened again. Then an additional ten packed on. It wasn't suppose to happen this way. Then another ten packed on. I have whittled 15 pounds back off and after weighing myself this morning another 4 has come off. So I'm in high hopes to weigh less come next week when I step on the scales. This has been frustrating as all get out how easy the weight creeps back onto my frame.
The SEVERELY part OF THE EQUATION has been dropped to JUST morbidly obese which sounds awful. Still too heavy. I will rejoice and do a dance when I reach OBESE and then do a monster dive when I hear that I am NOW OVER WEIGHT! Hurray for that. Being over weight cannot happen fast enough, if you ask me. I dream of the day that I can say I am at my GOAL WEIGHT. Praise the LORD. I dream of the day that I do not carry so much weight and like that I am at my HIGH SCHOOL WEIGHT AGAIN. Oh Lord, let this happen.
When I get to my GOAL WEIGHT, I am in hopes that the blood pressure will be at a much better place that I possibly will get off meds for it. Same with cholesterol and diabetes. May they be at a much better place. I'm not on meds for these. Diet and exercise instead.
After the week of protein drinks, I'll have a three day period where I will eat meat and allow myself a birthday dessert before I taylor down to a food program such as Dr. Now suggest. I believe I can do these protein drinks for 7 days without too much displeasure or discomfort. Shall see.
Needed the kind that has 30 grams of protein, about 1 to 2 grams of sugar, 4 to 5 grams of carbs and 24 vitamins and minerals. Premier Protein was my pick as it had the highest grams of protein and that's what I was aiming for. 160 calories per drink. The protein goes for saving muscles.
I know, I know the Premier Protein drinks are full of chemicals that I have prided myself in avoiding, but I made the decision to give this protein drink a week of my life to see if I can lose some weight quickly. Then I will return to avoiding these chemicals AGAIN and eat a balanced 1200 calories a day of real food.
This week I will have 6 protein drinks a day with the drinks being every two hours on the hour. I'm to take collagen as well. Bone broth, water and tea in between the drinks. I know this is drastic, but I an aiming for a drastic weight loss to tip the scales when I get weighed. The weight will more or less come back on after I stop the drinks, but I am aware this can happen so I will forge ahead with the Dr. Now meal plan AFTER my 70th birthday celebration.
I WILL EAT STEAK. I WILL HAVE A BIRTHDAY DESSERT! I will blow out some candles and smile with great contentment. THEN...then I will eat a 1200 calorie a day diet for awhile and hopefully watch the weight drop off as I walk 2 miles for exercise.
The light weights will happen. My mornings are being dedicated to exercise and devotions. The eating patterns HAVE to work. The GOD in me will have to carry me through this weight loss journey. I have to be desperate to want to lose the weight. I have to be desperate to want this for myself for health reasons. I have to be desperate and determined to be successful at this LIFESTYLE so I must take desperate steps to making this weight loss become a reality.
I have never thought of myself as a glutton, but I DID TODAY. I am a glutton which is a sinful way to be. Sinful isn't healthy. It's sinful and I don't want to live lying to myself. I am FAT, seriously over weight to the point of being OBESE.
I tried to accept the obesity as this is just the way I am going to be. It didn't rest well with me deep down inside. I desire to be healthy after having had cancer twice and a gangrenous gall bladder. The obesity isn't wanted. The diabetes isn't wanted. The high blood pressure isn't wanted. The high cholesterol isn't wanted.
I am one among many that suffer from these ailments. I don't want to remain IN the club. Working at getting healthy HAS TO BE a priority. I can be alright with this without guilt. Other things are important, but right now this is a priority. I cannot pussy foot around it or pretend it isn't happening. It has and I am in charge of the change required to get results. ME. Not a doctor or another human being. ME. Praying for GOD's strength to reduce in a healthy way. Praying to be on track.
I've hit it straight on and will stay the course. So for now, this week come rain or shine, I will drink protein drinks, take collagen, drink bone broth, drink spring water, have unsweetened iced green tea, take supplements, rest as best I can and walk, walk, walk.
When I begin to eat solid food again, I will focus on meals that are nutritious and will help with my weight reduction progress. Protein and skinny vegetables. I may skip fruit for a few days. Meat, dairy and grains will be out of the picture.
Dear Lord, You will help me to do away with being a glutton and help me to be healthier, in Jesus NAME I pray as there is no name higher than Jesus, amen and amen. I know that when we pray according to your will, our prayers get answered. I admit I am a glutton and this is not pleasing to you. I must be changed. I have been addicted to junk food and highly processed food. I ask for your help and strength to do this weight reduction. I do not need to fear the change. I do not need to fear to live or die. I do not need to fear being successful. You are with me and I am not alone. In Jesus NAME I pray, amen.
