New Job

Today is the first day, but not my first time, picking up Mr Z from school.  This is my new job.  The pay is $0 but the reward is better.  Seeing his smile when the bell rings is priceless!

My nephew starts his academy training today, and sent me a text with his new badge.  My sister would be so proud!

I made arrangements to see my daughter and family on Saturday.  I'm renting an SUV to drive, just because I can.  

And I cooked all morning, prepping meals for myself for this week.  Pasta, veggies, chicken and beef.  I may have to pick up some fruit, I wasn't concentrating when I shopped for groceries!  Maybe I should start making a list!

Another commitment checked off ✔ Happy Monday!

Battling Anxiety

I'm not sure if "anxiety therapy" is something that's real, but it's something that I'm attempting.  Having lived with BAM (Bile Acid Malabsorption) since my gallbladder was removed in 2013, life hasn't been very pleasant.  I have to take cholestyramine on a daily basis to control bouts of diarrhea.  It took two years to diagnose this before I was prescribed meds.

Looking back, I found I was slowly becoming like a hermit, never going places for fear of not finding a bathroom in time.  NOT a fun way to live!  There were days when I couldn't make the entire drive home from work (all of 20 minutes or so) without stopping at a restroom.

Things don't get too bad if I remember my meds the same time every day, and watch what and how much I eat - I try to make sure I take in enough healthy carbs (which usually means I eat brown rice nearly every day!) If there's some place I need to be, I begin planning my regimen a few days before, making sure there won't be problems during an outing.  This, of course, creates the opposite issue, chronic constipation -- and that's almost as bad!

Last weekend, I took myself to Superstition Springs mall, the one I shop at when I venture out to a mall.  It's familiar and I know where many of the restrooms are, so the sense of panic and anxiety are less than other places.

This weekend, I went out of my comfort zone and headed for Arizona Mills. Lived in AZ for 11 years now, never been there before.  It was a very happening place!  many store and places to eat, with a focus on things for kids to do ie: LegoLand and some kind of aquarium.   I was a bit uncomfortable with all the people, but I was able to walk around inside for about 40 minutes! For me ... that's an accomplishment!! 

So whether you call it "anxiety therapy" or something else, it's working for me!
For anyone else battling anxiety, I hope you find whatever works for you too!

Lifestyle Change Day 1

In my quest for a healthier me, it began today. 
Changes to diet and exercise, and increasing my water intake. 



Accountability report:  Water intake 88 oz.  Goal 100 oz.  Not bad for the first day

Food intake:  No candy, despite the chocolates on the desk in the pretty jar.  Eggs for breakfast, turkey wrap for lunch, broccoli, ground beef patty and baked potato for supper. I also added in a Naked Juice Power-C, to boost up my immune system - lots of colds going 'round.

Exercise:  Stretching for Seniors via YouTube, cute Australian accent on a young, handsome man.  Then some weight lifting for arms while watching the sun set.  11K steps recorded on my FitBit.

Caffeine:  One Diet Coke to break the lull at 2pm, one Diet Coke with dinner.  Didn't need the second one at dinner, water would have done it, except for the massive headache that was building all day.


I started on the Plexus Pink Drink today, as well.  I'm still not sure what it will do my digestive system.  I couldn't handle it full on when I tried it during the summer.  I'm hoping that starting slower will help a bit. 

I don't feel like I was deprived today.  Well, not much.  I sure would have enjoyed a nice sweet chocolate pick-me-up when things got stressful at work, but I powered through the craving.

I'm going to resist stepping on the scale in the morning, because this is more about healthy than it is weight loss.  Ok, I'll be honest, it's about weight loss too, but I don't think that should be the only goal.  Because I could lose weight by not eating, but that puts other systems in jeopardy, and this needs to be about being a healthier me!

So here's to having a successful tomorrow.

Day 5

Thursday was a pretty good day.  I wanted to jot a few notes about how my eating habits have changed.  I am a lifelong diet conscious person, and have been a member of SparkPeople for 8 years now.  I log what I eat almost every day.  I don't skimp or cheat, or forget to log something.  If I eat an entire Tombstone Pizza on a lazy Sunday, then that's what I log.  If I can't be honest with myself, who can I be honest with, right?  Besides, lie as much as I want about my food intake -- but the scale won't lie for me! 

So here's the trend(s) I'm noticing:   

• I've reduced my calorie intake by 200-400 per day.   
• Carbs have gone from 204 to 89 per day.  
• My fat intake is a bit higher, (I think it's the cheese!)
• My protein went from 77 to 97.  

Significant changes, in my book.  But the best part is that where after lunch when a person usually gets that "3pm crash" and goes reaching for the sugary carbs or snacks, I don't feel the need!  I've also gone from 4-6 cans of Diet Coke a day to 1 per day.  And boy, do I look forward to that Diet Coke with my dinner!  I don't need a second can, I don't need a can to jumpstart my mornings at work.  Another weird side benefit is the occasional ringing in my ears (I've heard it relates to your caffeine intake). 
.
Thurday, Jan 25 daily log:

Thursday, Feb 1 daily log:

It's amazing what changes take place when you start taking care of your health.  We all hear the noncommittal phrases of doing the right thing when it comes to our eating, but we all fall prey to the easy, the grab and go snacks, that seem to fuel our society.  I'm a numbers kind of person, and when the numbers don't lie......  I haven't made drastic changes, just a few little changes to start.  And so far, it's working out well.  Thanks, Plexus Slim ... I'll be starting my day tomorrow with my new favorite #pinkdrink !

Four Days In

So here it is, Wednesday afternoon.  I survived .... no, I thrived! ... on this new Pink Drink!

Having my #pinkdrink first thing in the morning, I definitely feel the effects in the form of not being as hungry as I usually am.  I work retail and am on my feet 9+ hours a day.  There is no "sit down" portion of my job, and I didn't tire out, at least not today. 

Monday was a very hard day, as it was Day 2 without my usual Diet Coke intake, and I had that gnawing headache one gets when you try to cut out your caffeine.  But I powered through the day, drinking lots of water.  No real hunger pangs at all, it was a shock to realize that when lunchtime rolled around, I wasn't constantly staring at the clock, wishing it was time to eat.  By the time I got home, I fixed broccoli and cauliflower for dinner, then walked Sadie for 35 minutes. 

Tuesday was easier, but there was a lag in my step that I noticed around 2pm.  I grabbed a cool bottle of water, took a 10 minute breather to "regroup" and get through the rest of the day.  Every day after dinner - from now until it begins to heat up for summer - I walk Sadie.  Some days, I just don't want to do it, but it was a pleasant diversion to end the evening.  We watched that gorgeous full moon rise up over the horizon!

Wednesday and the day went so much easier!  No more nagging headache, there was a spring back in my step and my day just seemed to breeze on by!  I usually measure my days by my productivity at work, and today was one very good day!   Dinner and then our walk again, I've topped out at 15k steps, and I feel good.  Really, really good!

And we'll see what the rest of the week brings ... I can't wait until Sunday when I can step on the scale .....  I know, I know, I shouldn't measure success by those numbers, but it's ingrained!

Try Something New

Today is a new beginning!  Frankly, every day is a new beginning, a new start, a chance to make a change, and today it's mine!  I'm starting the new Plexus Slim, and am having my first #pinkdrink as I jot down these notes.

Why?  My health.  I have issues with gut health, am currently taking meds to combat the effects of Bile Acid Malabsorption (BAM from here on out)  My liver produces bile acid, and my gall bladder has been removed, so said BA goes right into my system, and irritates my colon with the usual typically bad reaction.  Thank goodness the cholystyramine that I take once a day does the trick-- most days.   With a bit of research, it's safe to assume that while I don't want to reduce the bile my liver produces, I could improve the quality of the bile.  Which sounds like a very weird thing!

Personally, I've found that eating sugary or fatty foods makes things worse.  I also recently introduced oranges into my diet, and those?  are a no-no!  I'm guessing too much acid.  I've also recently discovered that drinking water with higher alkalinity seems to improve things as well. Because of this new PinkDrink, I'm supposed to drink half my body weight in water each day.  That might be just a stretch; however, when I was exercising, I was hitting 100+ oz per day.  So it's doable!

Eating too much also amps up the BA, so "eat small and often" .... but let's face reality.  Changing our eating habits is one of the hardest things a person can do.  Sticking with it is even harder!  Small changes that you stick to over a long period of time seem to be the best way for making a long term change.  We all think we're strong enough to do it! But statistically, it's a very hard road.  And we slip up.  For me, it was the hardest thing giving up "donut Friday" at work.  But I did it.  For about 6 weeks.  Last Friday, I slipped up, and couldn't resist a quick afternoon sugar high.  The end result wasn't fun.

The other thing I know that I need to do is to kick my Diet Coke habit.  Again.  Three years ago when I was on a big exercise kick, I was able to do it.  Nine years ago when I moved from Ohio to Arizona, the money struggle was real and I kicked it then, too.  But I keep going back to it.  Why?  I'm not sure ... caffeine, because it tastes good, or my personal favorite:  I'm hooked on the bubbles! (lol)

My trip to the grocery store each week is usually filled with good intentions, I even make it out the door with healthy choices, but the stresses of the week become too much and my will power loses its oomph.  When I get home and am making the dinner choice -- broccoli and cauliflower just don't make the top of the list when I'm stressed! 

So today, with a weekly plan, and a shopping list in hand ....... off I go to the grocery store!
Wish me luck!

Ring, Ring

The last time -- in fact every time -- I've gone to a concert, my ears ring afterward, something about too much noise, or too loud.  Or both!   and lately, my ears have been ringing that way once I get home from work.  And it has me wondering if it's from work?  I started googling around to see if there was anything else.  There's the usual "something electrical" in the house, from TV output to toys with batteries that are dying.  And maybe there's something to that. I'll have to check the only things with batteries:  the computer, the smoke detectors and flashlights -- on tomorrow's TO DO list!
The other thing that the Mayo Clinic had to say (one of my fav go-to's when looking up health issues) is that "stress, alcohol and caffeine, can make tinnitus more noticeable."   Ok, since I can't just cut caffeine out without a major meltdown at work, I decreased it by half today, and doubled my water intake (thinking I can at least flush some of it out?).    The other thing I'm pondering is some gentle ear plugs to block a bit of the louder ambient noise at work (or the boss's loud barking??? haha) to see if that helps.  I've unplugged both of my TV sets;  I seem to notice a bit more from my computer when it's on, but I leave that off when I'm not using it.  Someone else suggested reducing salt intake.  Hmmmmm.... so many things!

This will be trial and error until I figure it out!
I'll update if/when that happens :)

Be Active

Here it is, Monday again.  and my self weigh-in was discouraging this morning.  I know that I didn't amp up the activities over the weekend, but at my age, toting laundry to and fro, digging up dead cacti in the garden and painting the trim on the back of the house was active!

What I find hardest in all of this "road to better health" (because calling it a *diet* sounds temporary!) is finding my balance between eating, work and exercising vs the things I enjoy doing, like photography, trivia games and genealogy research.

Being balanced is necessary, otherwise I will get bored with the "better health" part.  And letting loose with fav foods and no exercise would not be a good thing!   So I struggle from day to day finding ways to do the little things I enjoy, along with the other things I need to do.   I've found that breaking up my exercise routine, dashing next door to 24-Hour fitness on my lunch hour to get in a 30-minute cardio session breaks up my day.  I force myself to stop back in after work because I leave my gym back in the locker.  hahaha  But once I get there and changed, it's not so bad.  I can work on extra cardio, or split it up with some cardio and strength training.


I had higher hopes of the weight just melting off as I increased my activity, but I think I'm building some muscle, and that weighs more than fat.  *sigh*  I know its only a couple of pounds, but it's still making me a little crazy.





However, I broke another record today!

According to FitBit, I earned an

Urban Foot Badge = 15,000 steps+

Sweeeeeet!   Personal Best!






Thank goodness it's Monday = Antiques Roadshow .....
Is it bedtime yet?????  I'm ready!!!  lol )

Healthy Living

Finally Friday.... Ahhhhhhhhhh

It's a relief to have it here.
There's something about knowing it's Friday.
Even though I'm not typical with weekends off
working retail in a supervisory roll means
you're the one who fills in
when a part of your team is off.

That's how it's been for the past 10 weeks.  I haven't had my days off, and the toll is showing ... or is it that I'm feeling it more than showing it?  Maybe that's it.   My health has been an issue since back in April.  I thought I'd pulled a muscle at the gym. You know when you have a bad cough, and the cough clears up, your core muscles are sore from being over-used?  That's how it started.  I assumed it would clear up.  Maybe some un-healthy eating added to the problem.  I'm still convinced I passed some kind of liver stone that caused me to have the intense muscle spasm-like pains when I walked.  According to all the research I could find, I seemed to fit right in with the symptoms of others.

OK.  I can deal with that.

But after those pains passed, I was feeling well - but only when I ate small meals that consisted of bland foods.  I usually keep detailed accounts of the foods I eat (because it helps with my life-changing eating plans) but I was skipping those days, so I don't know if my carbs/protein/fats ratios were still the same as they had been.  Or even if they're better now.  I'll need to keep track better.

However, the dull ache that I have in my right side is back.  I ate lasagna for dinner Weds night and boy that didn't sit well with me at  all.  Too much fat?  Too spicy?  Too much?  I was miserable all night long, and far into Thursday.   Back to square one eating my small meals, having a fruit smoothie every day, along with my cup of apple juice.  You know the old saying ... An apple a day keeps the doctor away!

But I think what's bothering me is the not knowing.  This nodule they found on my lung, I'm assuming its on my right side, and that its bothering me in some way.  Is it in a position where it rubs when I'm active?  Or that I can feel it when I'm laying on my right side?   There's power in knowledge.  If I know, then I can deal.  Not knowing makes me crazy.  I'll have to make do until Monday afternoon when I see a pulmonary doctor.  But why is waiting so hard?

In the meantime, I'm thinking positive thoughts.  And doing positive things, like taking my supplements, and a daily walk with Sadie.

A good song that comes to mind in that regard is "Let Your Soul be Your Pilot" by Sting.

When you're down and they're counting

When your secrets all found out

When your troubles take to mounting

When the map you have leads you to doubt

When there's no information

And the compass turns to nowhere that you know well

Let your soul be your pilot

Let your soul guide you

He'll guide you well

No butts about it

Colonoscopy:  What a word.  What a procedure.

For those of you who have ever had one, you know what I'm talking about!  Most of us agree, the prep is the worst part of the ordeal.  Second is the number of hours you go without eating.  The procedure itself is a piece of cake, since they put you out like a light.

Ahh that moment.... you've been in the prep room, stuffed into a hospital gown that's not tied.  Your bowels are quaking as if you need to go, but there's nothing in there.  An IV in your arm, blood pressure cuff on the other one.  And you wait.  Until they roll you from there to your 'room' and you watch the nurse stick the syringe in your iv, watch the plunger depress, wondering when you'll start feeling the meds kick in... and then they do.  You feel yourself blink once, twice, and boom, you're out.  The next thing you know, you're waking up, and you're all done.

For me, the good news was the doc finding only one polyp.  If it turns out fine, I won't have to have another one for three years!!

Again.  if you are approaching 50 yrs old, get a colonoscopy!
It might not be fun, but making sure you're healthy is worth it.

Weigh In Weds

Today was a good day, and a bad day, when it comes to my gym time.  The good part:  I was down another two pounds, which means only two more to reach my original goal of losing 50 lbs!   (and that new tat I'm wanting!)  After a holiday weekend, with family here, I was worried about how my eating would affect my efforts -- but was overjoyed when there was a loss on the scale!!  It made me smile.  The bad part of the day was today was the last training session -- and I will miss having this added attention and specific workout sessions!!

Now that I'm so close to my goal, its time to set another!   I'll be pondering that one.  But I'm still working on my 384 mile goal, I reached 194 miles today..... so I hit the halfway point!

The one thing about weight loss efforts -- they're very difficult, to be sure.  But our minds can be a funny thing.  When I look in  mirror, I still see 'the old me' there.   We're our own worst critics when it comes to judging our looks.   As I was getting ready to work with Allan today,  a woman in the gym said "excuse me, but your efforts are really showing."  I grinned, we chatted about hard work and our self images, and she told me "You inspire me to work harder in my workouts."  And that felt so good to hear!!!  Me ....  a chubby old chick, inspiring someone else to work out.   Wow!  Who knew???

If you're thinking about exercising more for health reasons, or preventive medicine reasons, or for needing to lose some weight, there's no reason you can't start now, start small, work your way up to a healthy, happy body!   If *I* can do it, anyone can!

PT, day 1

Personal training can be a good thing. 
and maybe a bad one too?!?
I came home tired, a good tired, all my muscles worked to the extreme.  Then I walked the dog and had dinner, a baked potato and 3 eggs over easy.  Showered, took some aspirin and crawled into bed and was asleep before 8pm.  Probably more like 715 hahaha.  But now, nearly 11pm and I'm awake and feeling a little nausea.  Too much in the workout dept, I suppose.  Hope it goes away soon!

Russell is a good trainer, and he works me hard.  Harder than I used to work with Daemeon.  Wow.  I bet I'll be hurting tomorrow!  We did a full circuit-training type routine, with plenty of arms, shoulder, legs, hamstrings and inner/outer thigh work.  Boy oh boy.  We laid out a road map for the month of the things I need to do in order to get to the point I want to get to for the  month of February:  to be down 8 lbs.  Nothing too drastic, just right is what I'm hoping.  But if I hold true to form, I'll lose, then gain some back, because of muscle gain.

We'll see how this goes, I'll keep you updated!

Not much news, yet

When I saw the doc, the nurse did the usual thing .... height (Goodness, I've shrunk half an inch!) and weight (30lbs lost since I moved here). My blood pressure is normal, for me (112/76). Then she sticks a thingy on the end of my finger. I thought "Wow! interesting way to take a temp, cool." Only she says 98%. And I'm thinking huh? so I ask "98% of what? Is that good? bad?" She tells me its 98% oxygen, and 100% is perfect. (the song "close enough to perfect for me" runs through my head). That was a first, never had that measured before.

So far, nothing substantial in the way of results of my CT scan, other than the obvious "Yes, there's something there" statement. Well, I could have told them THAT! It's the reason I went to the doc in the first place! lol At this point its just "a mass", according to them. To me, it feels like ..... a flattened out ping pong ball might be the best description. She's sending my scan around to two colleagues, a surgeon and a urologist. And will call me later this week to set up another appointment of some kind, I'm betting. Its not something that's bothering me as in painful. But, I'm also not thrilled having an unknown doing unknown things, ya know? It's on my right side, just below my ribs, and quite frankly could be nothing more than just some scar tissue build up from previous surgeries. Otherwise, I'm as healthy as expected to be given my age. (good grief, I hate that statement!)

Ohh boy, I gotta tell ya tho, docs have come a long way since I started going to them. I've come to expect the white coat over clothes that are .. hmm, both practical and professional at the same time. My new doc came strolling in wearing an electric blue jersey dress that clings to every curve, with a low v-neck, legs that went on forever, and darling stiletto heels!! Her hair was "done up" and she wore the cutest glasses. and no white coat. wow. While there was still a professional feel about the whole thing, there wasn't any anxiety that one can feel when talking to a "white coat".

Will keep everyone posted as I know things.

HUGS to everyone!!

Cat Scans

On Monday, I had one of those dreaded medical tests - a cat scan. I've had several in my lifetime, so I'm no stranger to the procedure. And procedure would be the operative word! It's not like an Xray where you can just bop on in and get a "picture" taken. What's a CT scan? Don't ask me to get technical about it ... wiki says its Computer Tomography .... Digital geometry processing is used to generate a three-dimensional image of the inside of an object from a large series of two-dimensional images taken around a single axis of rotation. The word "tomography" is derived from the Greek tomos (slice) and graphein (to write). There, now we all know.

For those not familiar, it goes something like this ...
>> First, you get a call ... "Hello, your CT Scan is scheduled for 3pm. Please arrive no later than 1:30pm" (ohh boy, is there gonna be a long line for this ride?) Then they inform you there's no eating or drinking 4 hours before your test.

>> On the day of your appointment, you give all your information to a hospital admissions clerk. (name, address, credit history, name of your firstborn...)

>> You wait, and you wait, while they process dozens of others (ok, maybe six ahead of me!) and then call you for blood work. If you're lucky, you get a nice nurse who doesn't prick you too hard, too deep, and gets it on the first try. ( "Whooops" isn't a good term to be hearing!)

>> Then you're escorted over to the CT Scan waiting room. And a handsome man nurse comes out and introduces himself, and hands you three bottles of barium, and a straw. (Like the straw helps to get it down any better?) Inside these bottles is a white runny liquid... looks like Milk of Magnesia and the label says "Banana Smoothie". Ohh yummmy! (not) The clock on the wall reads 2:15pm - so you have 45 minutes to get this stuff down. And since you haven't eaten, or had anything to drink since before lunchtime, Banana Smoothie sounds mighty fine. But .. imagine drinking liquid chalk, with a hint of banana flavor... the fake kind they use in candies. *shudder*

>> It's now 3:20pm and your barium "cocktails" are gone, and you've wandered around to use the bathroom, and stretch your legs, and generally kill time. And finally, they come get you, tell you the delay was because they were waiting on your "labs" and stick an IV in your arm. And you wait. and wait. And because of the machinery in this area of the hospital, the rooms are kept quite chilly. Add in a case of nerves, and you shiver from time to time (But the nice nurse brings out a warmed blanket to toss around you ... mmmm)

>> Finally, its time for the CT scan itself, and you shuffle back to the room with the big machine, and another nurse tells you to get on the table. The last time I had one, I had to undress and wear one of the lovely little gowns with a "peek a boo" backside! Luckily, they said Nope! Just hop up on the table and get all comfy like. OK. Its not easy getting comfy on a metal rolling table. But I know enough to find a good position that I can hold for the next half hour.

>> Nurse comes over and says she's gonna "flush my IV with saline".... And then we get started. Whrrrrrr goes the rolling table, up and into The Hole. and a disembodied voice floats over the PA ... "Ok, take a deep breath and hold it...." and you do, and the machine whiiiiines up and spins, and the table slowly backs out of The Hole. The voice comes back "Ok, you can breathe...." *whew* Repeat twice more.

>> Nurse comes back and injects the dye into the IV, saying "Ok, you're going to feel some warmth in just a few moments..." and like a surge, it fills your veins, and the warmth seems to start at the very core, and spread outward. (You know you're "saturated" when you can taste the coppery ickyness in your mouth.) Repeat above steps with the disembodied voice.

>> When they say you're done... you wonder ... are you really? You're left laying there while techs read what they've scanned of your innards. It's my hope that they're checking so that you don't have to come back and repeat all this because there was a fly in the wrong spot, at the wrong time!

>> Finally, Nurse comes back and disassembles the IV and wraps your arm and you get up and off the rolling table, sour taste in your mouth, and a wave of relief that it's over and done with.

(Gee, I can't wait to get the bill for this!!)

HUGS to everyone!