Health Journal #1

Well friends, I jumped in with both feet!

Today I am going to write about my choice to change or at least try to change my eating habits. A new friend of mine introduced me to chrisbeatcancer. It’s an eye-opener for sure. (Right now he is doing a 10-day free-screening of the SQUARE ONE Program starting February 16th. Here is the link in case you are interested). If you or a loved one or friend is going through cancer or have just been diagnosed, I highly recommend watching.

As my daughter told me a couple of days ago, I have an unhealthy relationship with food. It’s true. I would rather eat pasta, bread, hamburgers, anything other than fruits and vegetables. I decided to keep a journal to keep me accountable and hopefully change my way of thinking about good food. We eat way too much processed food, and I am hoping to change that. My husband always says we are here to nourish our body, not overload it with unnecessary food. Easy for him to say, he is thin as a rail.

So, not going to lie, it is hard. The first week I made smoothies for breakfast, and I ate a salad (which I hated) for lunch and roasted vegetables for dinner.

The smoothies are good. The salad I hated because it had swiss chard and kale and some other things I have put out of my mind. I love a simple salad and you probably can’t call it a salad because it includes iceberg lettuce, croutons, and dressing, period. And by the 3rd day of eating roasted vegetables, I was sick of them.

 

My salad had shredded carrots, kale, swiss chard, purple onions, iceberg lettuce, and broccoli sprouts! I’ve never even heard of broccoli spouts.

By the 5th day into this thing, I decided to make a sandwich! Did I feel guilty, heck yes but I decided I would do my best and eat better but it may not be every meal, just being honest and real.

 

 

The first 5 days I lost 3lbs. That made me happy! I started this journey at 214 and I would love to lose another 60lbs. I decided to eat the tomato soup I canned last year, very healthy compared to the store-bought variety and I loved it. I ate too much though and ended up with gas. Feeling terrible again. And, gaining the 3lbs. back.

I will do a post on this wonderful soup soon! It’s a must. Just FYI, I do not like tomatoes unless they are in something.

So to date, I am eating smoothies for breakfast. Salad for lunch. I eat lettuce and baby spinach, replacing the croutons with nuts and eating an Italian dressing.

I tried making a dressing that Chris eats but hated it so much I decided this would be ok until I find something better.

Since I was not feeling well and realizing that it might be gas instead of Pancreatitis, I had a cup of Vegetable broth. Feeling a little better. I will continue on the smoothies and salads, staying away from pasta and sauces and all the good stuff in life, lol.

So I think I jumped in too fast, I am going to work my way into this journey. For someone that hates most fruits and veggies, I have a ways to go!

And a little side story about me! A few years ago, my daughter left the nest and we became empty-nesters. It was at this time I decided I needed to lose weight! I was just over 300lbs y’all. 300lbs. I hated to go anywhere or see anyone because people are cruel. I let myself go. I tried to make it to most of my daughter’s outings and everything she had going on but I just wanted to hide in the corner. I was embarrassed!

So I found a meal plan that worked for me at the time! I wasn’t on it completely. I let myself have a day that I could eat something other than the meal plan. I didn’t go crazy, I just took it day by day.

It took me over two years to lose 100lbs!! And I kept it off the last 3 years but it is slowly coming back. And with cancer, it gives me a reason to try harder to get into healthy habits, and hopefully, the good Lord will let me see my daughter get married, haha! (In case you’re reading this Megan). So now you know the rest of the story!

You can also read updates here.

By the way, I was approved for the C/T Scan. Who knows if I will have surgery next week. Everything is moving at a snail’s pace and we also have to worry about paying for it! If you would like to donate or know of someone who would like to donate to a great cause, please send them this link, I would be very thankful.

Wish me luck! I will need it!

AND if you have any recipes for a person that likes very limited fruits and vegetables, I’m all ears. Right now Chris says to cut all meat, dairy, sugar. Pretty much everything I love, lol. I would love to hear from you.