Beth B's new journal

[Bethann]

That sure is encouraging when other people notice! Way to Go!!! 

I have had comments from my children! ...and It was a blessing! ... on difficult days I think on that and it helps! 

I hope this finds you feeling better....

Until later...
Bethann

[Beth B.]

Thank you Vicki and Bethann!  I will let you know the verdict on Jan. 28!  Looks like I've missed a few days journalling.  I pretty much had the usual though except for getting off track a bit on Thursday.  Luckily I was able to get right back on the program.  I've still got a cold but I feel much better tonight.  Hopefully I will be back to normal in the morning.

Today (Saturday)
B: veggie omelet and mixed fresh fruit
Late afternoon: a banana
D: salad w/grilled chicken and veggie soup

[Beth B.]

Sunday
B: smoothie
L: salad w/grilled chicken
popcorn
D: fruit salad (pineapple, apple, and banana)

Four more days until I weigh in!  I have two pairs of jeans and my very favorite pair of slacks that are way too big now.  I'm having a bit of a struggle with whether or not to get rid of them.  It would be liberating yet scary.  I feel a lot better today.  I went to church, and out to lunch afterward to celebrate my husband's and son's birthdays which are coming up next week and then stopped by Costco on the way home.  Took a long nap (3rd day in a row!).  I used to be sleepy all the time but since starting LDL I've gotten used to having lots of energy and it has really irritated me to have this cold, but I think I'm at the end of it now. 

Well, hope everyone had a good weekend!

Beth

[jkate]

Wow Congratulations! Jeans too big! I would gladly get rid of some because they are too big - way to go! Get that closet cleaned out! That's awesome!

[VickiLynn]

I have two pairs of jeans and my very favorite pair of slacks that are way too big now.  I'm having a bit of a struggle with whether or not to get rid of them.  It would be liberating yet scary.

Beth,

I understand how getting rid of your jeans can be scary but if you consider how you feel/look right now, those jeans represent what you looked like before you made the committment to lose weight.

I have gone down 3 sizes since beginning LDL and along the way I gave away just about everything (pants, dresses, skirts) that was too big.  I have one new pair of dress slacks and two pairs of jeans left in my closet that currently fit me.  I kept a few articles of clothing one size up from what I wear now. Just yesterday I was thinking that I should gain a few pounds so I had more to wear.  What was I thinking!!  But, after a hugh struggle with myself, I decided I didn't want to go back to eating the foods that aren't good for me (pastries of any kind have always been my downfall) so today I am going to do another closet cleaning.  It is going to be really hard for me because my closet will be really empty!

Get rid of those jeans so you won't be tempted like I was  *hug*

Vicki

[Beth B.]

Vicki,
Congratulations on your weight loss!  I know you are right, and I just need to give the clothes away and move on!

Thanks for the advice!

Beth

[Bethann]

Beth: Wow! Jeans too big! Fantastic! Congratulations!     

Glad to hear you are feeling quite a bit better! 
Those naps are so healing! 
I hope you had a great time celebrating Birthdays!

Vicki: How fantastic to be down 3 sizes!!! I'm looking forward to be able to say that some day!  Congratulations! 

Beth, do you drink Wheat Grass a lot? Do you grow it yourself? I read some where that some body was adding greens to their smoothies. Was that you?

Praying a healing sleep for you tonight!
Bethann

[Beth B.]

Thanks for the encouragement girls!  You are both doing great too!  

Yes, that was me adding wheat grass to my smoothies.  I buy it at a juice shop.  They grow it fresh, juice it, then put it in little containers (the size of a salad dressing to-go container).  I keep them in my freezer so if I run out of fresh greens I just put in a couple of those.  It's supposed to be really good for you, but it costs more than buying fresh greens so I don't us it all the time.  If I were home more I would grow it myself; it doesn't look too hard. I can't remember what the equipment costs since it's been a while since I looked into it, but you can find it on the internet.

We did have a good birthday celebration--no cake though. We went out for brunch after church.  Kelsey and her boyfriend came and René and Dustin. Funny you should pray for a good night's sleep for me tonight of all nights--I have to redo an at home sleep study because when I did it a couple weeks ago, it didn't record.  I have to connect wire to my finger, have a strap around my chest, an air thingy up my nose, and the little box just laying there for me to roll over on! I didn't sleep too well last time because I was nervous about pulling something out!  The rheumatalogist wants it done to see if interruptions in my sleep could be causing the muscle and joint pain.  The sleep specialist doesn't think so, she gave me some tips to retrain myself to sleep through the night and gave me some sleep medicine to use. She thinks I'll be able to go off it when I see her in May.

[Bethann]

Glad to hear you had a good time eating out after church and celebrating!! I had a good time out for supper Mon. night with Rod! It was good just to be the two of us! 

Some of my family have had sleep studies done and have machines to sleep with. It has been a help! I didn't realize that sleep interruptions could cause muscle and joint pain! Very interesting! I have had some joint pain as well but not like yours I don't think. I am looking forward to loosing weight and wondering if it will help me. I have struggled with sleep also but I think I have been doing better especially the last year or so but it is something I have to work at it appears.

I'm praying for you Beth! Praying that things will go well for you the night of the sleep study!
Take Care! 
Bethann

[Beth B.]

The sleep study went well, I think. I won't really know until they look at the data, but this time I seemed to sleep better with all the attachments.  I think losing weight will help me too along with regular exercise, which I struggle with making that a priority, but I do feel better when I do it.  My husband has a c-pap machine that he uses while sleeping because otherwise he stops breathing.  He tested "severe" for sleep apnea.

Glad you and Rod had a good time--you two are practically empty nesters!

I'm not going to post what I have eaten the last couple of days. I will get back to that next week.  Very busy getting ready for our trip.

[VickiLynn]

Thought I should let you know that my husband also has a sleep disorder (sleep apnea) and uses a bipap machine while sleeping.  I started LDL more for him than me because he also had high blood pressure and high cholesterol.  Since we have been on LDL he has lost almost 40 lbs.  As of today, his blood pressure and cholesterol are back to normal and his sleep apnea has improved from over 60 episodes (severe) to just 8 (the sleep center wants it at 5). I truly believe his losing all that weight and eating food that is good for him (thanks to LDL) has been the reason for such a large improvement.  He goes back to the sleep center in May and I am hoping he is down to the 5 episodes and maybe even be able to lose the mask.

[Beth B.]

Vicki, that is awesome about your husband!!!!  I am going to share that with mine.  It would be great to get rid of the machine.

Weigh day today!
Restarted Dec. 21
Jan. 1:  -7 pounds
Jan. 28:  -7 pounds
Hips: -1.25 inches
Waist: -3.5 inches
Bust:  -1 inch

Total weight loss: 14 pounds
Total inches:  5.75 inches

[Bethann]

Wow!
14 lbs in a month! (& 5.75 inches!)
That is wonderful!!!  :rose:  :rose:  :rose:

Inspirational!  :rose:

VickiLynn: That is amazing!   Thanks for sharing that! The people in our family that have Sleep Apnea also struggle with their weight! It would be interesting to see if that could change for them .....

Bethann

[VickiLynn]

Beth B...

Congratulations on the pounds lost; but, more important the inches you lost are amazing   

Does your ticker show all of your weight loss? Does it need to read 14 lbs. gone?

[Beth B.]

Thanks Girls!

Got my ticker changed.  Just didn't have time yesterday.  I was really surprised at the inches.  I have really been able to tell in my slacks and also my tops are looser.  My husband walked in as I was measuring and offered to measure my bust.  When I went to write it down, the number he gave me was one inch BIGGER than Jan. 1.  Wishful thinking on his part I guess.  I did actually shrink an inch there--guess I'd better do my own measuring from now on!

We have a long layover in Atlanta.  I just had the barbecue chicken salad at TGIF and asked them to hold the cheese, onion rings, and bbq sauce and to put the dressing on the side.  It was wonderful!  Wish I would have thought to ask for extra black beans though.

Hope everyone is having a good day!  I probably won't get to post for a couple days, but I should be able to check back this evening before our flight takes off.

Beth

[Bethann]

Good to hear from you Beth!

Thinking of you as you travel! Have a pleasant flight!
Your meal sounds delicious! Sounds like you made great choices!
We had to stay over night in Atlanta on the way home from S.Korea! I was so tired but I do remember it was a huge airport and we did have something to eat there. It was night time though so we couldn't see much of anything!

[Beth B.]

Thanks Bethann,
Great to hear from you too!  Hope you have a good weekend!

Beth

[Beth B.]

It's been a while since I've posted.  I'm still in Africa and stayed on track very easily until our team arrived.  There is a store in town called Fruit and Veg and my friend Lisa and I always used to stop by and get a fruit smoothie when we went to town.  They make them with either vanilla ice cream or low fat yogurt.  My first visit there this year, I asked if they could make it with just fruit and they said no problem.  I've only had 3 since I've been here though--they just don't taste as good to me without some frozen fruit in them to make them colder.  I miss my vita-mix blender and have looked at some blenders here but haven't bought one.  I'm doing fine with eating a lot of fresh fruit.  The watermelon and grapefruit have been my favorite.  I was also able to get wonderful red seedless grapes for a couple of weeks but now I can't find them.  I have not been able to find lettuce either so my salads are all veggie--no lettuce. I've been walking some, but it's been so hot that if I don't get out there early, it doesn't get done. I'm planning to make some popcorn today--haven't had that in a while.
B: watermelon & cantaloupe
L: grapefruit w/splenda
   bean soup
D: apple, 1/2 grapefruit, lean steak
Snack: 1/2 grapefruit (did not make popcorn)

Blessings to you all!  Although I haven't posted much, I have been checking out the journals occasionally.
   

[Bethann]

Hi Beth,
Interesting to hear about your adjustments being in South Africa. Adjustments are difficult but it sounds like you are doing fantastic!!
I notice people talking about vita-mix blender and Bullet but I'm not acquainted with either of them. So far I have used my deluxe hand blender. My husband bought it for me years ago through TV as the hand blenders in the stores didn't last very long. I love it! I make my smoothie and then I just rinse it off, dry it and place it back in the drawer. It's getting older though and I did drop it once and had to duct tape it.    so I have thought I should look into other blending contraptions... I sure will miss it once it dies...
Blessings to you

[jkate]

Beth ~ Your meals look great too! Your doing awesome staying on track in Africa.