Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

[TitianWasp]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

We'll be looking forward to it.
I have heard of Williamstown, but only heard of. I am pretty sure that I have never been there. Heard of Williams college too.

Hey, I am in Groton - which, unless you are an avid fox-hunter or know the school, most people have never heard of either.

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

I just got back from UVA, and I'm about a hairs-width of needing to be talked down off the carb addict binge-ledge. I am so much in control so much of the time, then another medical disaster over at UVA and I'm ready to just stand in front of the fridge and eat it empty. I made it through the entire Thanksgiving holiday cheat-free and with a pound loss. I don't have any illegal food in the house, but I do have legal, but only once in a while treats in the house. I made do with a legal, but not very healthy/nutritious lunch and should have stopped sooner, but better than an all-out binge. I ate homemade pimento cheese on legal homemade grain free crackers (they are just plain too good, cheesy and crunchy). Then I ate some deli ham with sf Mt. Olive gherkin pickles rolled up inside, dipped in mustard. THEN, I had made some low carb pizza crust and had some of the leftover pieces with salsa on them. I made myself stop. No veggies to speak of and too much processed stuff.

This medical blunder has me back off my exercise plan, which I just started back up and now I'm not supposed to lift anything at all or drive for several days. The nurse even dressed me so I wouldn't do more damage and made my brother carry my purse to the car. I just get so tired of spending half my life at that hospital--even when treatments are going right, but that is now about one appointment out of 10. We just made this wasted 80-mile round-trip on the 16th, now I'm scheduled to go back on 12/7 to let them have another go at maybe paralyzing me for sure. That's what they did today, tore my spinal cord and injected the contrast dye directly into my spinal fluid. The spinal fluid will continue to leak until it heals. This doctor suggested I sue the surgeon that butchered me, right before he plunged the needle in too far and had to abort the procedure before any meds could be injected.

For some reason, he says I have to push fluids and caffeine. He had the nurse get me coffee right away and made me drink it. He wanted me to drink Coke or Mt. Dew, but when I told him I hate sodas, he asked how much coffee I drink a day and said 2 cups wasn't enough--I had to drink at least 4. Maybe he just ran out of things to suggest. He tried to give me narcotics, but I declined. He wanted to up my RSD meds--I declined.

Thank goodness I have you guys for support, so I can come here instead going off the deep end. I think the binge urge is over.

Sunny!

[TitianWasp]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

(running off to class) Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor - it "tightens" cells and vessels in your body, helping stop blood loss or fluid loss. That's one of the reasons it helps headaches - tightens up the swollen blood vessels in the brain that often cause headaches.

If they say drink the coffee, drink the coffee. I would guess he wants it to help stop the CSF leakage.

Be well. I will write when I get to another computer.

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

(running off to class) Caffeine is a vasoconstrictor - it "tightens" cells and vessels in your body, helping stop blood loss or fluid loss. That's one of the reasons it helps headaches - tightens up the swollen blood vessels in the brain that often cause headaches.

If they say drink the coffee, drink the coffee. I would guess he wants it to help stop the CSF leakage.

Be well. I will write when I get to another computer.

Thanks! That makes sense. I don't mind drinking the extra coffee, I just couldn't figure out why I needed caffeine.

I'm feeling better, still upset with the whole thing, but not wanting to soothe myself with food. For dinner, I had sliced turkey breast, turnip greens with butter and canned pumpkin warmed with butter, salt& pepper and half a pack of Splenda and it tasted a lot like backed sweet potato with butter.

Sunny!

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Just checking in with an update--I'm still on complete bedrest. I'm up now long enough to chug some coffee--I'm probably enjoying it too much. If I am not way better by tomorrow, they are going to do a epidural blood patch to patch the hole and stop the leaking cerebral spinal fluid. They may try giving me a big dose of caffeine intravenously, first. In my four pots a day coffee days, I used to joke about just getting it intravenously--I didn't know they really do it!

Caffeine - Caffeine has been suggested as a mode of therapy to help constrict the vasodilated cerebral vessels. It is best administered early in the day so that the patient can sleep at night. The dose of caffeine sodium benzoate is 500 mg intravenously which can be repeated once; two hours later, if the first dose does not have the desired effect.


Sunny!

[Purple Rain]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

I'm just checking in. Things are going okay, but could be better. I'll see you tomorrow with this weeks results.


Alexa, jump back on the wagon! I've had a bad couple of weeks myself. I'm trying to get motivated again.


I'm sorry you're going through so much, Sunny. I hope all goes well and you're better soon.

[LooseShoes]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

How are you doing now, Sunny? I'm so sorry you've had such a rough time. You are a strong woman to go through all you have and still stay so focused.

Good luck on the interview, Titian!

Let's try to hang in there to get through December with our self-respect and less pounds!

[Alexa]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Hey everyone

Wow, hoe interesting about the caffiene - I had never heard of that before. I hope you are feeling better Sunny.

Good luck TW!

Purple Rain - yes, I need to be strapped to the wagon. Glued and stapled. I cheated again this weekend. Ridicous - am getting really annoyed with myself. So report for the past week:

- Eat 25g carbs per day 2/7 (RUBBISH!!!!!!!!)
- Plan next month's exercise - YES! Actually did this and is great to know when I can get the exercise in in this crazy busy month.

This week:
- Set jaw to determined
- Eat 25g carbs, rung 1 only
- No cheats, not a nibble, nothing
- Exercise according to plan (5 days)
- Fitday every day

[Aya]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Hey everyone! Well it's snowing like crazy here and my husband has banned me from going to the gym as it's too dangerous (quite happy actually). I'm going for a colonoscopy tomorrow and can't eat any solids after breakfast all the way till tomorrow at 11. I'm so freaked out by that idea that breakfast has already been waaaaay to much. And I'm thinking of continuing it right now. I hate not being able to eat!!

Sunny, thinking of you. How are you doing today?

Alexa, you look amazing in your pic! Good on you for never giving up! When you say you fell off the wagon in a big way, does that mean you did a carb overload?

I've had a huge struggle for the past week but have been trying to get my mind right. I don't know, the past few days I've had this neverending hunger and I kind of know what I did wrong. Preparing meals in a cold kitchen is too miserable so once I get my husband's food done I grab something easy for me and retreat to the warm rooms. So it's been too many 'legalish' small bits and peices and not much real food. Bad. And today and tomorrow will be problematic.
Goals for this week:
1) Focus on getting my resolve back.
2) Fit in exercise at least 5 times.
3) NOT eat after 7pm.
4) NOT CHEAT ONCE.

Have a good week everyone!

Titian, how was the interview?

[Alexa]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Hi Aya,

Thanks about the photo

That looks like a good plan for getting back on track. Lots of people's resolve seems to be waning - I think it as Christmas approaches i doubt my ability to stay with it and so everything slacks off.

I went out on Saturday took legal food but not enough as I thought we'd be eating out, blah etc. Anyway I ate a baguette at the train station, then a cake and then cheated all of sunday - when i fall off the wagon i fall hard - a whole packet of cookies, and whole packet of muffins and a bif pasta dinner (all the stuff I miss!) I need to stop the mentality though.

I have a big headache today and I deserve it.

[TitianWasp]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Interview was - I have no idea. 2 hours of technical grilling. The position is just at the outer reaches of my technical experience, so ultimately they have to decide if I am the right person to train. I will hear this week, apparently. Please wish me luck!!

Last week was good carb-wise, but not calorie-wise. This weekend was neither. I went to a lovely brunch yesterday (got my photo taken with Santa), that featured everything from venison pate (legal) to brie-en-croute (not legal). Many, many mimosas and 6 pounds later, I am eating a very low-carb breakfast with my tail between my legs.

Stats check, thus far, 0 points. Mostly low carb, not to bad on the coffee, some exercise, but all in all, not a banner week.

[Aya]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Hi Aya,

Thanks about the photo

That looks like a good plan for getting back on track. Lots of people's resolve seems to be waning - I think it as Christmas approaches i doubt my ability to stay with it and so everything slacks off.

I went out on Saturday took legal food but not enough as I thought we'd be eating out, blah etc. Anyway I ate a baguette at the train station, then a cake and then cheated all of sunday - when i fall off the wagon i fall hard - a whole packet of cookies, and whole packet of muffins and a bif pasta dinner (all the stuff I miss!) I need to stop the mentality though.

I have a big headache today and I deserve it.

Alexa, I love to hear what others eat or what they did right or wrong so thanks for the details. Do you find that your mindset is, "Oh well, since I've eaten one bad thing I may as well continue?"

I did chocolate this weekend, any I could find. Felt like I was eating manically and you know when that happens you're eating for emotional reasons. Friday I was at a work lunch and everyone ate pizza, pasta and desserts and I had a steak salad which wasn't big or good. Felt quite deprived the whole day and the night (stayed at a friend).
And does anyone else eat more when it's cold? I can't bear to make stuff in the freeeezing!

[Alexa]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Aya,

Yes that is it exactly - I'm out of ketosis, enjoy it - but I actually feel awful, physically and mentally.

I make soups a lot more than salads at this time of year.

[SunnySmile501]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Extra Credit Assignment Week 8 (12-03-07)

Can you believe that it is week 8 already! Here’s your assignment this week:

Try a new recipe this week and post the recipe. It can be veggie, meat or main dish. Must be something you have never tried before. This does NOT have to be turned in until next Monday! This is a change from having it in by Wednesday. Here’s some links to * low carb recipe sites:

*Low Carb Luxury http://www.lowcarbluxury.com/lowcarb-recipes.html


*Sugar Free Sheila http://www.sugarfreesheila.com/RecipesPage.html


*Linda’s Low Carb Recipes http://genaw.com/lowcarb/recipes.html

[TitianWasp]

Re: Slow Losers Club Christmas Challenge

Extra credit:

I don't know that it makes sense for me to re-post my fave recipes. I got them all off of this site!

Recently I discovered cheese crisps (microwaved or panfriend cheddar cheese). Oh -my - gosh! I missed that crispy crunch so much and the cheese is perfect. One oz of cheese, on parchment paper, for 1 minute 20 seconds (depending on your microwave). Crispy, cheesy heaven.

Also, just learned about Muffin in a Minute, which you all knew about. It's fantastic. 1/4 cup of flax seed bran, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, about 2 teaspoons of splenda, one egg, beaten in a pre-buttered mug, with a dollop of butter on top. Mike for one minute. I could even see adding cheddar to this (and skipping the splenda) to make a cheesy-biscuit. I'd eat these daily if they weren't so high in calories. They are also very good for your digestive system.

Yay new recipes, even the simple ones!

Muffy