Wordless Wednesday: Giant Gingerbread Cookies?

My diet is making me see yummy desserts everywhere, so could you help me out?  What do these haybales remind you of?

I Am More Than Just a Number!

Dear 178,

I would sure appreciate it if you said “goodbye” now!  I’ve been stuck with you glaring back at me for over a month now on my scale.  You have scoffed at my improved eating habits.  You have turned your nose to my morning walks on weekdays. You have tried to convince me that all my hard work is in vain.

Well, 178, I have a couple things to tell you before we part company.  (1) You are just a number, pal.  You are a poor excuse for measuring my progress towards a new, healthier me.  The inches that are melting away from me don’t lie.  The increased room in my clothing doesn’t lie.  And my newfound confidence and eagerness don’t lie either.  But you do, and I’m through putting so much importance on you!

(2) You are destined to disappear...it’s just a matter of time.  Poor 178, you don’t realize how soon you are going to become just a memory.  You can’t stick around forever, not with my determination to bring back the body, which I loved and which was so full of energy and health.  You fate is sealed.  Before long, I’ll be shedding you for a leaner, meaner number, and I’ll never once look back.

But don’t take it too personally.  Even the new numbers aren’t going to mean much to me.  My health, my happiness, my existence--they all could never be summed up with a number on a scale.  No matter how big or small that number may be, it will NEVER be me.  And that realization has set me free from your vile control.

I am now free to enjoy life, no matter my weight.  I am free to love myself, regardless of my size.  I am free to embrace being me with gusto.  I am free to throw out the dreaded bathroom scale--and I am seriously considering it this VERY second.

Goodbye, 178.  I won’t miss you...EVER!  You may cling on for dear life a little while longer, but I joined a weight loss challenge this week.  And do you realize what that means?  Yes, I now have even more motivation to leave you in my dust.  So long, 178, and don’t ever bother trying to come back to visit.  You’ll never be able to reach me where I’m going!

Forever NOT Yours,

Amanda

Weight Loss: Sometimes a Gain Is a Gain

This morning I entered my new weight on my MyFitnessPal profile.  I have been putting it off this week because when I stepped on the scale Tuesday, not only did I gain back the 2 lbs. I have lost so far, but I also gained 4 more lbs. since my renewed fitness starting point.  This was a blow to me because for almost 2 weeks now, I have been walking a half of a mile every weekday with my son and our dog, Honey Bear.

I have cut my time from an hour to as little as 20 minutes for this distance.  Walking doesn't hurt me nearly as much as it did at the beginning (at least, usually).  I can swear I see a difference in my thighs and hips already.  And my jeans are definitely looser in the front.  So, to see the number go up so far in so little time was shocking to say the least!

However, I have decided that sometimes a gain IS a gain with weight loss.  (1) I have proven to myself that when I put my mind to something, fibromyalgia can't stop me.  There were some hard days...and I know there are going to be plenty more.  Sometimes, I creep back a lot closer to needing an entire hour to walk a half of a mile.  Sometimes, I'm tempted to give up.  But I've decided that weight loss is an important step towards reclaiming my life.  As long as I remember this, fibro may slow me down, but I CAN do this!

(2) My mobility has improved already since I started walking regularly again.  Yes, I still get terrible leg pain and muscle spasms.  No, I won't be running or skipping any time soon.  Still, my balance and coordination are a little better, and I seem to be having less issues with my lower body.  It would appear my legs and feet don't get painful and achy as quickly now.

(3) I may have gained 6 lbs.in almost 2 weeks, but I'm definitely seeing some change in my thighs and hips.  I won't even pretend to understand what is going on with my body right now, but if I must gain a few pounds to start seeing some slimming, I'm all for it!  Who am I to argue with progress, even if it is disguised as a defeat?

Woohoo, I Lost 2 Pounds This Week!

It appears my hard work and dedication is paying off.  I haven't been perfectly consistent with the recording part, but I certainly have been doing a fine job measuring my food.  Portion control is an important part of weight loss, so I am happy to see I am getting into the habit of measuring out my food.

It is amazing how much food we are actually consuming when we assume it is simply a single serving.  Even my idea of a cup of milk or juice has been way off.  Each time I poured myself a bowl of cereal or a glass of juice, I was actually getting about 1 1/2 servings.  Those extra servings meant extra calories.  And boy, those extra calories can really sneak up on you!

For whatever reasons (i.e., age, fibro, giving birth to two children), my metabolism has drastically changed.  Gone are the days when I could freely eat whatever and how ever much I wanted without gaining an ounce.  I must be more diligent and mindful of every little piece of food or every sip of drink that I consume each day.  Calories go down a lot easier than they ever come back off, so unless I want to continue gaining more weight as I grow older, I must continue to take full responsibility.

Yes, this is a big change for me.  Sometimes, I am uncertain about what would be a healthier food choice.  Right now, I'm hungry most of the day since I've been overeating for so long.  Actually evaluating, measuring, and recording my meals takes up precious time.  However, my life and health are even more precious.  I am worth all this hassle and discomfort.  In time, it will get easier as all of this becomes habit.  And I know as I see more and more weight melt away, it will encourage me to fight even harder for my old body.  Yes, I CAN do this!

I'm Baaaaack...and Better Than Ever!

A Healthy Snack (courtesy my kids)

Hello, my fellow chronic pain warriors. I'm back and better than ever. I apologize for my vacation from blogging. I needed some time away because I had much too many responsibilities on my plate. I needed to help my kids finish cyberschool for the year. My mom got married this month, and I was her maid of honor.

And afterwards, I took my children on their first beach vacation. June has been full of changes and new experiences. I came back from our vacation more revitalized and energetic since I can remember. That feeling is intoxicating to someone like me--someone who suffers every day with extreme fatigue and pain. It left me hungry for more of the relaxation and rest that allowed me to run for the first time in about 5 years. For those few minutes, I felt like my true self again, and I need more!

Consequently, I've decided to make July a personal improvement month. If you've visited before, you might notice the brand new MyFitnessPal badge sitting on the left of this page. I have decided to focus on my diet. I want more than anything to finish losing the weight necessary to bring me back to a healthy BMI. I have had the best of intentions for the last few years, but I haven't always followed through. I lost 20 lbs. in 2012, but then my weight loss stalled.

That's why it is time to shake things up a bit. I need to start taking responsibility for the amount of food I eat and the dietary choices I make. To help me accomplish this, I am going to measure and record my food every day until I reach a healthy weight again. No more pretending my extra helping or extra snack isn't going to hurt. From now on, I'm accountable for each piece of food I put in my mouth!

And I want you all to be a part in my new diet accountability. With this badge, you will be able to track my weight loss. I'm hoping that with all of you watching, I will be more motivated to stick to a healthier diet.

Here's to more days when we all feel like our true selves!

J...Juicing Disaster

A friend of mine, who also has fibromyalgia, mentioned to me last year about the benefits of incorporating more raw fruits and veggies into your diet. She said that she had seen some wonderful results with juicing and wanted to get back to consuming fresh juices and green smoothies on a regular basis. She hoped that she could once again reduce her fatigue with this simple dietary change and thought that it would be a great idea for me to give it a try. She explained that although all fruits and veggies are great, the dark green veggies are the most important. I downloaded a juicing/green smoothie recipe eBook, broke out my Ninja, and gathered up some fresh veggies and fruit for the next morning.

For my green veggie, I picked spinach. I love baby spinach in my salad, so I reasoned that it would be easier to start with green vegetables that I was more familiar with. I followed the directions in the eBook and whipped up a beautiful and healthy green smoothie to have with my breakfast. As soon as I opened the lid, though, I started wondering if I could drink the strong-smelling concoction.

Determined to make it work, though, I strained the juice.  Then, I poured a little in a glass and took a sip. Immediately, I spit the awful stuff in the sink. I couldn’t stand the taste, but I didn’t want to waste all the ingredients. I had run out of fruit, though, since I made a double batch. So, I started rummaging through my cupboards trying to find something that could possibly mask some of the potent taste.

I don’t know if it was a case of fibro fog or because I’m not much of a morning person, but I found my chocolate breakfast shake mix and thought that chocolate fixes everything. I scooped a bunch into the Ninja, added some milk and ice, and then blended away again. The color turned an awful greenish-brown, but I wasn’t deterred. I opened up the lid, poured a nice tall glass, and took a deep gulp. And I about died! My makeshift green smoothie was the most putrid thing I have ever tasted in my entire life. It really smelled like something crawled up into my glass, died, and then started rotting. The stench was so strong that my kids came downstairs for breakfast choking and gagging!

In the end, I decided to flush the entire pitcher of smoothie down the kitchen sink, and it stunk up my kitchen for days afterwards. I learned firsthand that juicing and smoothie making is certainly an art form and a science. There is a lot of trial and error involved. But the most important thing I learned is spinach and chocolate do NOT belong anywhere near each other!

B...Be a B Student: The Importance of Vitamin B

Throughout my childhood, my parents encouraged to be my best and reach for my full potential. In school, they emphasized the importance of reaching and maintaining academic excellence. Wanting to do my best and make my parents proud, I worked hard to be an A student. Never did I think that one day I’d be encouraging myself--and all of you--to be B students.

I know, the B’s I speak of have absolutely nothing in common with school grades…unless of course you consider that these B’s are important for reaching and maintaining life excellence. Yes, the B’s I am speaking of are the B vitamins.

As many of you may know, I endured tons of tests and blood work before my doctor diagnosed me with fibromyalgia. Almost every result was good. However, my doctor did find that my B vitamins were a little low. As a result, he emphasized that I should be taking Vitamin B supplements every day because my deficiency could be affecting my fibro symptoms.

Since before my official diagnosis, I have spent hours and hours researching and reading about fibromyalgia. There are so many theories as to what causes fibromyalgia and what exactly IS fibromyalgia. Many doctors feel that fibro is related to some type of malfunction or injury of the nervous system. Vitamin B12 is essential to the proper function of the body’s central nervous system. Consequently, it is important for anyone with possible nervous system issues to make sure they are getting plenty of B vitamins.

Also, Vitamin B deficiency can cause unpleasant symptoms, including tingling in the extremities and fatigue. I had always assumed that all of my tingling and fatigue was solely my fibro’s fault. However, after taking Vitamin B supplements regularly now for about a year, I've noticed that over half of the tingling is gone and my fatigue isn’t quite as severe as it used to be.

Although vitamin supplements aren’t going to cure chronic illness, we really need to be aware that our bodies can’t function properly without the proper nourishment. By ensuring we have a diet rich of various vitamins and minerals and adding supplements where we fall short, we have the best chances of improving our health and not complicating things by adding unnecessary and easily remedied problems.

Before starting any supplements, please check with your doctor.  Some supplements aren't suitable for individuals taking certain medications or with certain medical conditions.

My War on Germs: Step 1

A probiotic capsule

Over the years, I have noticed that my digestive tract is one of the weakest points of my body. I have gotten food poisoning more times than I could count, and I seem to get more than my share of stomach viruses each year. Over the years, I have heard different theories from various doctors, including perhaps it is just the way I was born or it is from all the antibiotics I had to take over the years. Regardless, my doctors often recommended I eat yogurt daily or even take a probiotic supplement to try to get my digestive tract in proper balance.

I love yogurt, but it isn’t one of those things I can tolerate eating every single day. Plus, one of my doctors pointed out that realistically people may have to eat at least 3 yogurt servings a day to start seeing a noticeable difference from the live cultures. I don’t know about you, but that is far more yogurt than I am able to consume each day!

Since I am a strong believer of trying to get what our bodies need from our food first, I tried my best to eat some yogurt every day. I didn’t succeed all the time, but I was definitely eating a lot more yogurt. Still, I found myself sick far too often. If the live cultures were helping, I just wasn’t getting enough.

So here I am with my first box of Align probiotic supplements, and I’m going to give it a shot. I ordered an 8-week supply since it was cheaper per capsule than the 4-week supply. Although I’m hopeful that this product will be a baby step toward a healthier me, I know there’s a chance that it may not work out for me. But hey, I’ve wasted a lot more money on cold medicines over the last few years. And with no risk besides a little gas and disappointment, why wouldn’t I give it a try?

This is only the beginning of my war on germs, so stop by occasionally to see what else I might try to defeat these annoying little invaders. And just as a precaution, if you are taking any medications or have any health issues, please talk with your doctor or pharmacist before trying Align or any other supplement.

Battle of the Bloat: Margarine

Photo Credit: Roberto Verzo

The longer I live the more I realize how important it is to listen to our bodies.  Our bodies were designed to tell us when something is wrong, when it requires rest or nourishment, and when we have reached our limits.  However, so many people have learned to simply ignore the signs and signals that our bodies communicate so feel.  We continue on with our busy lives until suddenly this communication becomes so loud it CAN’T be ignored and starts interfering with our lives.

Obviously, it is much more logical and useful to train ourselves to perceive the subtle signs than to wait until our bodies are screaming at us.  Yet, it isn’t always easy to know where to start.  My doctor explained to me that fibro suffers have to make many lifestyle changes if they want to better the quality of their lives.  Any number of things could be causing symptoms or making them worse.

One of these critical areas is diet.  Although research hasn’t pinpointed any foods that are specifically detrimental to those with fibromyalgia, many doctors believe that diet can affect fibro symptoms.  "A lot of people with fibromyalgia have sensitivities to particular foods, but it varies from person to person," Liptan tells WebMD. "They might be sensitive to MSG, certain preservatives, eggs, gluten, dairy, or other common allergens."

As such, paying attention to our bodies' reactions to various foods can help us weed out foods that may be making our symptoms worse or even causing additional symptoms.

Noticing that I get much more bloated and gassy now since my major fibro flare started 4 years ago, I decided it was time to pay closer attention to my body and the foods I was eating.  In time, I started noticing a link between margarine and my bloating.

I was raised on margarine and taught that it was much healthier than butter.  As such, I just adopted this dietary habit without much thought as an adult.  Of course, I wasn't a huge fan of margarine and liked butter a WHOLE lot better.  But I reasoned that sometimes we have to compromise for the sake of the greater good.  Little did I know that this choice, which I hoped would spare me from my parents' heart disease and high cholesterol), was actually causing me discomfort and stomach cramps.

As I started to pay more attention to my eating habits, I noticed that on days when I ate margarine, I had considerably more gas and bloating and sometimes even stomach cramps.  Of course, since I try to get the most nutrients out of my diet, what I eat can vary greatly from day to day.  Consequently, I couldn’t say conclusively that margarine was the actual culprit.  To explore my theory further, I decided to stage a little experiment.  For a whole month, I would avoid margarine and only use butter.

By the end of that month, I realized that my stomach had been telling me all along that it didn’t like margarine.  In fact, it had been telling me within minutes of consuming this food, but I just didn’t notice.  A lot of my margarine usage was when I ate eggs and toast for breakfast.  Each time I ate eggs and toast I got this blah feeling in my stomach, and I had always assumed that it was because my stomach hadn’t been ready for such a big or rich meal.  But guess what happened when I continued to eat eggs and toast but with butter?  That’s right!  I didn’t get that feeling at all…and still don’t over 2 months later.

Some people with fibromyalgia may have no ill effects from margarine, but I know it is one food I should avoid.  Since my switch to butter, my gas and bloating has lessened some.  No, it isn’t completely gone, but that is one less food causing me additional symptoms and taking away from my quality of life.