Flippers and Steps

Rainy day but still I need to get those 10,000 steps in and Dalhouise needs to go out side. It is at these times it really is hard to be motivated to exercise outside. I woke at 7 am read my morning bible readings then went and spent 15 minutes on the stationary bike, spending this time in prayer as I peddled. Time for breakfast – Noni was still sleeping so I cooked two fried eggs and ate an apple. Now I had no choice – Dalhouise must go out – and so off we go for a 45 minute walk around the block.

Yes I am wet through to my skin and Dalhouise is soaked. Entering the house I grab his towel and give him a vigorous rub down before he can run around the condo rubbing his wet body all over the furniture and carpets. I exchange coats and Noni and I head to the swimming pool. Seventy minutes in the pool doing laps and treading water. Today for the first time we tried to swim with flippers. I haven't done this in years – well before the accident. It took a while, but I worked out system and I spent at least 40 minutes doing laps with the flippers on. My left leg was definitely giving me more issues. This is the leg with the screws in the knee and rod next to the femur bone. I favour the left leg putting more strain on my right – but today in the pool with the flippers it had to pull its own weight. I may have found a good physio exercise to help my left leg to become even more normal. Why was I swimming with flippers in the first place – I have plans to go snorkeling and maybe – just maybe try scuba diving again in the near future. After the accident I had written the possibilities of scuba diving off my list of things I could ever do again – I am beginning to think otherwise now.

After the pool the best way to end this period of exercising is to sit in the hot tub and let the coolness leave the body and soak up the heat into the joints – muscles - - oh it felt so good.

This day is not over I still must go back out side I am only registering 6000 steps on the pedometer and so I must go out again .. this time I will leave both Noni and Dalhouise home and just go unwind in the quietness of my own thoughts. 

Day is over and I have taken 11,519  steps today - I can relax.

Rabbit Food

Salads! I am not a rabbit. I know... I have to eat more fruit and vegetables but lets just face it - eating a salad might fill me up for 20 minutes or so - then comes the hunger pains and cravings - the need to munch.
This morning when I woke up - I remained lying in bed for 10 -15 minutes and I was thinking - I am not that hungry - but when I went to bed my stomach was saying feed me feed me. We eat supper around 5 pm and because I was getting hungry last night I went to bed at 9:30. I am one of those lucky ones - as soon as my head touches the pillow I am out - gone - see you in the middle of the night for the bathroom break and then just as fast out again till morning. So instead of giving in to my stomach screams I went to bed so I wouldn't eat - which had me questioning this morning of why was I not starving.
I don't know - go to bed extremely hungry and wake up just slightly hungry.
I wonder if I have started to sleep walk and managed to find the fridge???
Or it might be the night demons feeding me so that I can not reach my goals - naa-- there must be another reason.

Reception room and technicians

Yesterday was the doctor visit - today I headed to the hospital to get my lab work done and ex ray of my knee. I wanted to be there bright and early but I slept in. I did wake up at 6 like yesterday - but stayed in bed and went back to sleep till 8. That is a good sleep in since I normally am up at 7 to 7:30.  
I was at the hospital by 8:30 and I had to wait in the reception room half an hour. I brought my ex ray request paper with me and was told I had to phone in an appointment for that - but I could go into their receptionist desk after 9 am to make appointment . The lab technician had a hard time finding a vein - three different attempts - I hate needles. Just before it was my turn a little girl had to go in - she cried and yelled out it was hurting and was crying so loud - I got the same technician - wonderful .....
Next I was taken into the little room told to take off my shirt and lie down on the table for my electrocardiogram
 (e-lek-tro-KAR-de-o-gram), also called an EKG or ECG.
I went to the ex ray department and low and behold they were able to do my ex ray right then - so done. I am always amazed when I see the ex ray picture of my knee – I have screws in all different angles holding it in place and then there is the medal rod next to my femur bone – a occurrence I hope I never have to experience again.
I came home and ate my breakfast – noticeably I was not shaking or extremely hungry. I have been fasting since last night – now over 14 hours and like I said my hands were not shaking like they normally do when I skip meals. This is a good sign I would think! I have lost 13 pounds so far on my journey – and more healthy – this might be having some results in regulating my shaking....
Dalhouise wanted his walk so out the door we go about two miles.
After we eat lunch Noni and I go for a walk together leaving Dalhouise home. He really has a hard time with long walks. We head to Wall mart – go to do a walk around – then we head to the Tim Horton's. We do not stop there – no temptations even though I think I would like a coffee and doughnut – but we keep walking. We walk to the swimming pool then to home. This all took 142 minutes from the time we left the condo to our return.

soreness

This was a tough day. First I had to wake up at 6 am to pick up my mother and driver her to the hospital for lab testing. Have you ever sat in the waiting room before the staff have arrived to begin their day? We were permitted inside to wait - dim lights and not much happening and silence. As time goes on - the lights became brighter - more cars arrived and dropped off people who just seem to disappear - then the noise increases as workers begin to push carts and equipment here and there. My night sleep was not sound as I was anxious that I would sleep in and miss my wake up alarm thus making my mother upset. So I began the day tired.
Cold my body has been cold all morning - right up till the time I went into the hot tub at the local pool at noon.
Sore - muscle ache - I must had over done it yesterday - my whole body is screaming sore - stiffness - tired - take it easy.
Then today is the day - I must go see my family doctor - haven't seen him in two years. He asked me why I now had chosen to see him - what is wrong with me? - Oh nothing I replied. I just have started a diet and so I thought it would be a good idea to meet with you and discuss it. I also want to have a comparison with my last blood test - cholesterol - knee ex-ray and another heart monitor done. So checking my blood pressure all is good there - poking me and there - no problems - looking into my ears and eyes  all seem normal. So next I will have to go to the hospital labs myself and finish off all the other tests that are needed.
Leaving the doctors office - the sun is out - it is hot 10c - so in spite of my body soreness I walk the long loop around Nexen Beach - over two miles at the fastest steps I can muster. This is a perfect way to remove any stress from the physical that I so dreaded.

Pool exercise

 Swimming
Driven - motivated 
I jump into the pool and remain in the water for 50 minutes to 60 without touching the sides or the bottom. I may not be doing laps upon laps - but I am moving - I am treading water - I am doing laps of a slow pace. I am not a faster swimmer - and my form will not win any awards - but I have no fear and I can swim. 

 Why?
As I remain in the water I am thinking --
I have this goal to loose 41 pounds by June 2013 -  but there is more to keep me motivated.

 

I am making plans to travel to Mayan Riviera Mexico in April.
This is the hidden goal - the driving motivation to loose the weight so fast.
I want to be in the best physical shape possible to do as much as I can once I get there. There is the daily site seeing trips - snorkeling  and so much more I want to do and see - and I don't want to be so exhausted so quick and besides that I want to look better in this bathing suit.

I walk in the best backyard anywhere - with a mission to loose weight

Life has been a little slow moving this last week. I have no adventures to share - No exciting moments to get excited about.

The weight loss is slow but sure. This week I have dropped 2 pounds from my fleshly body.  This weeks official weigh in is 219.8 lb.

Walking and walking - this I have done. What a pleasant treat for a BC resident especially in Squamish - NO Rain in the last 7 days - but the news report on the TV  tonight said this is about to change.

So

Crustless Spinach, Onion and Feta Quiche,

 Lunch was Two cups salad
One cup Habitant Pea soup
160g Red Pacific Salmon

Supper Crustless Spinach, Onion and Feta Quiche, (view recipe) at end of post.
More pea soup and another salad.

Crustless Spinach, Onion and Feta Quiche,

Ingredients 
1 medium onion
6 oz fresh baby spinach
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/3cups non fat milk
1/2 cup feta cheese
---
Directions
- Pre heat oven to 400F
- Lightly grease pie plate or loaf pan
- In a medium frying pan cook onion with a bit of vegetable  over medium high heat until translucent and tender. Add in fresh spinach and cook until just wilted.  Set aside to cool for a few minutes.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, flour, and baking powder. Whisk in milk, then stir in spinach - onion mixture.
- Pour quiche base into prepared pan. Top with feta cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until center is set and the outside edge is golden brown.
- Let set for 5 minutes, then slice and serve.

A character trait revealed

14^th January 221.8lb

There we have it Monday January 14^th the official weigh in day – this was a much harder week to loose weight in. I even went to Tim Horton's for a Boston Cream doughnut. 

Lots of walking every day and even off to the rec center to go swimming twice.

Reflecting -- when I was laying in my hospital bed at KGH after my head on car collision I would daily make a record of the healing progress. No way would I slip back. I remember a doctor saying something about fluid intake saying he would put me back on intravenous if I did not drink more – No way - once I was off something – that was it – I was not going back on – including morphine or any other drugs they were telling me to take. Pushing the body even though it was quite helpless and would be so for nine months but nevertheless – I would stretch the limits. One example – after many months when I had graduated from the wheelchair to crutches – I hired a neighbor to rototiller my garden – then I was out in the soil – using my crutch to make a hole in the soil – drop the seed from my upright position – cover the seed with the crutch. Or in another garden bed – I sat down on a plastic lawn chair and planted in a circle all around the chair – moved the chair and repeat – the things I did.

I would hobble into the doctor consulting rooms that I was sent to by my insurance company– they would look at me – look at the paper work they had in front of them and then back at me and more than once I was told that they were expecting me to arrive in a much worse condition – I was healing in leaps and bounds. This is all to the glory of Christ the healer and the fact I set my mind to refuse to take any backward steps. Pressing onward to the goal set before me.

What has this got to do with my diet? Everything. I find myself every day recording the scale – once I have lost some pounds I push – I drive the body to make sure it stays off and more loss is forthcoming.

To have a holding pattern – or even to gain point something is acceptable as the body will retain water – but once the scale has reached a lower whole number – I better not ever see the greater again – that is my motivation – my drive – this reveals my character – my personality.

Chicken for supper

 Boiled chicken with lots of ginger.
I bought this chicken at T&T did not realize that both the head and toes were on it still.  First thing I did was to chop off the head and throw it away - I know a sacrilege - but not for my western heritage .  I placed sliced ginger and green onions under the skin and then submerged it in water in my medium pot and simmered it for 20 minutes with lots of sliced ginger in the water along with it. Turned off the heat - let it rest in the pot for 40 minutes

 After the 40 minutes I shocked the chicken in a very cold water bath. I had no ice so water was the only option. Chopping green onion for the garnish.

Eating - next time I am to use more ginger Noni said.
It must had been good for we ate all of this for our supper.

The greatest backyard in the World

 A Sunday Walk

A sunny day

 What is the motivation to get out side - to walk the 10,000 steps  or because the Dalhouise needed to go for a walk.
I think it was a combination of the two, and because the sun is shinning.
So today when I weighed in the scale read 222 lb. That is is a lost of 9 pounds since I began 31 December.

10,000 steps

Maybe you have heard the recent guidelines about walking 10,000 steps per day.
 How far is 10,000 steps anyway? 
The average person's stride length is approximately 2.5 feet long. That means it takes just over 2,000 steps to walk one mile, and 10,000 steps is close to 5 miles.
 I have set my goal to walk 10,000 steps every day.  So far two days in a row I have achieved this goal. I think Dalhouise is very happy - three walks today.
One of the benefits - eagles are still hanging around...
 

food picture of what I am eating for my diet

Weight loss challenge -
31 Dec 2012 = 229lb
4 Jan 2013 = 226.4

Food - Friends - Laughter

 New Year Eve's Party

Friends – Food – Laughter.

So much for a balanced diet. Earlier in the day all was good I only ate one cup of Rice Crispies and one cup of milk. Half of this was on cereal and other half I drank.

Lunch was a banana muffin of 50grams.

Supper was one cup of rice stick noodles cooked and 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce and 1/2 cup of left over turkey breasts.

Thus ends the healthy part of my eating.

Seven pm. Party time – there sitting on the table chocolates, candies, nuts, chicken wings, little pastries of pizza wraps, sausage rolls, potato chips and dip, banana muffins with cream cheese icing, shrimp ring, deviled eggs - bread / cakes  a punch – you know all the tasty yummy things that are not good for you.

Did I over indulge – you bet your life I did. 

December 31 -- Morning weigh in 229.0 lb  

Now for the party it self we talked – we laughed – we played a board game and because of a little mistake – I had everyone laughing so hard that it hurt and tears ran down faces. It has been years since I have lost such control. If you haven't played the game Apples to Apples I would strongly recommend it. Back to my slip of the eye – it was my turn to judge (pick) a winner of the round and I totally read the answer wrong.

The Game: two color decks – red and green. Players are dealt seven red cards with a word on it with its definition – and then the green deck has another random word that the judge draws and reads to the other players - All the other players choose from their cards a word that would best fit or match the green card word. There are times when nothing in your hand comes close – but still you pick one of your cards and discard it to a pile on the table. After which the judge picks up everyone’s discarded cards and chooses the one he likes best. Simple but fun – I like simple games.

I can't remember my green card word but the right answer on the red card that I chose was angry hornets – but I read angry hormones and very loudly read it out. Wow it only took moments before my mistake was made known. We were a gathering of Christians you know the church type of a wide age range and so my comment was all the more hilarious. I am not going to live this down.

January 1^st - Morning weigh in 230.6 lb

• well considering what I ate the night before I should be grateful it is not much more.