Wheat Belly Week Eight

I have not been so good on the diet this week and it definitely shows in how I feel.  I feel crappy and have only myself to blame.  I need to get the grains out of my system again and feel better.

On a better note, I got my income tax refund, and paid off some stuff—always a good feeling.  I was in such a good mood that I washed the curtains in the living room and dining room.  I figure that if I start spring cleaning, maybe spring will show up at some point!

The sun is shining out there, but it is still below freezing!  Here we are on Palm Sunday, with next weekend Easter and our Easter bonnet may have to be a toque!  Good grief.

So, my dear friend Viv is still struggling somewhat after the minor stroke.  Her balance is off and probably only those who know her well can hear that her speech is still off a bit.  Her hands are also shaky.  I am still praying for continued recovery.  Her sons have been good and Keith is organizing getting grab bars up in the bathroom.  A walker may be next.  We’ll see.  I’ll be down to see her this Tuesday and will bring dinner.

On another note, literally, Cavan will be singing Tenebrae at three different churches this week.  Monday evening, I will go with him to St. Francis Xavier church in Mississauga, but Tuesday evening, I will be with Viv, while Cavan sings at a church in Maple.  I may or may not join him in the west end of Toronto on Good Friday.  It depends on when my daughter, Alysse, is arriving for Easter.  My other daughter Kaitlyn has to work Easter weekend, as does Alysse’s fiancé David.  Dad and Sally are away, so it will be a small group for Easter.  Alysse has invited her stepsister Victoria, so both Victoria and Shavoy may be coming.  I haven’t seen them in a while, so it will be nice to catch up with them.

Wow, this blog is all over the place!  Maybe I will try to narrow my blog down to a single topic next week.  Everyone is probably tired of hearing about my wheat belly successes and failures.  I think I will do my best to stick to it the rest of my life, but I’m sure that no-one really wants to read about that week after week!

I pray that everyone enjoys this week and I pray for spring to arrive!  I am checking every day for a sign of the crocuses in my yard.  Nothing yet!

Wheat Belly Week Seven

Well, this week I haven’t been on the scale, and the clothes are getting a bit looser, so I’ll continue on.  I haven’t had the time to organize myself better to cut some more calories—lame excuse, I know.  I also need to find the ambition to get some spring cleaning done.  Do it and it will come, I am hoping!

This was a bit of a trying week for other reasons.  Through the winter, I had been staying a night or two at my friend Viv’s so that I didn’t have to drive home in the uncertain winter weather.  When I arrived this past Tuesday night, her speech was slurred and there were a bunch of other things I noticed that weren’t quite right.

I was trying not to jump to conclusions, so I resisted kidnapping her to the hospital and just observed her all evening,  I didn’t dare fall asleep until I heard her safely out of the bath that night and woke every time she got up to go pee in the night.  Viv was somewhat better in the morning, but still definitely not herself, so I decided to call her son who lives closest to her when I got to work.

I explained to Keith that I was worried, but thought a second opinion was best, because we both know how fiercely independent she is and I was afraid that I was over reacting.  Viv will be 89 in less than three weeks.  Viv has always complained about how some of her friends have been put into seniors homes by their kids and she wants to be in her home until the good Lord calls her home.

Keith took her to the hospital where they spent many hours and the conclusion, of course, was that she had a stroke.  I will be back there this Tuesday and in the meantime, her family is with her every day. I pray that if this is a precursor to something, that whatever it is will take her quickly.  I will be devastated, but it would break my heart even more to see her lose her independence.  The day before her stroke, she was downtown at Sick Kids, where she volunteers every Tuesday.  She gets there by bus, subway and walking!  She is truly a marvel.

Viv reminds me a lot of a great aunt I had—Nell.  The last time I saw Nell, she came up to Toronto on the bus from New York City.  She was 99!  I wouldn’t take the bus from New York City at my age!  Viv and Nell are the kind of strong women I aspire to be.

I pray that Viv has a total recovery.

Wheat Belly Weeks Five and Six

There is something I’m eating that is still giving me difficulty.  Staying off the wheat is great and even seems to be improving my mood (perhaps my imagination?). 

I thought I was doing really well and even made a vegetable soup that I was eating for lunch this week, for days when I was at home.  And although my belly is getting smaller (doesn’t stick out as much), I’m not losing much weight.  So, I have much more effort to put in.

I actually started last week’s blog, but got distracted by getting my taxes done.  I am now finished that (yay!) and submitted them online, so am even getting a refund (double yay!).

I continued on the wheat belly diet, however, I did indulge at my mother-in-law’s birthday dinner last evening.  There was a delicious lasagne and cake, of course, and I indulged in both.  Suffice it to say that I am feeling crappy today and have some damage control to do.  Back on track and, apparently, need to cut some more calories to not only feel better, but get some of the weight off.

I am working on strengthening my legs and upper body.  I know that my MS gets a bit worse every year and yet after the diagnosis 21 years ago, the good Lord has still blessed me with being able to be upright every day, at least so far.  I know that won’t last forever, so I need to strengthen my upper body to be able to get me in and out of a wheelchair, for when that time comes.  Getting the weight off and keeping it off will also help immensely!  I still work on strengthening my legs too, because for as long as they still hold me up, I must be kind to them!

Work still frustrates me and exhausts me, however, since God doesn’t seem to be sending me a lottery win, I guess the message is ‘hang in there—you can do it!’ and so I soldier on................

Not to worry, as long as I get to work from home as much as possible, I’ll manage.  I do have to admit that work has been very flexible about that.  I am truly very blessed all around!

Wheat Belly Week Four

The diet continues!  I’m down a few more pounds, almost nine now!  I wish it were coming off faster, but then the last time I lost weight quickly (62 pounds!), I put most of it back on.  So, this time I’m hoping that whatever I lose will stay off.

I tried to use the ‘non grain flour’ that the wheat belly recipe book suggests.  But it was in a regular recipe.  The pineapple cookies I made were very tasty, but mostly fell apart.  I’ll try a recipe from the wheat belly book today.

I am also continuing with the T-Zone vibration every day that I am home—even weekends.  I do the stretches and leg raises and now I’m using the five pound leg weights.  I added some more work with the five pound free weights as well.  I wish I had more time to exercise.  That will have to wait for retirement!

On another good news note, I did get a 2.63% raise, a decent bonus and my boss figured out how to keep me longer.  Okay, so perhaps that was only his good news note!  I have been given some restricted share units, which don’t mature for 35 months!  He’s getting sneaky!  I think I do get something out of them if I retire before they mature, though.

So, we manage for another year!  This is the year of not only trimming me, but trimming the debt!  I had this great idea of keeping my kids from going into debt while going to post secondary school.  It seems, though, that since I took on that responsibility, it has mostly come out my line of credit.  Not good.  I need to whittle that down before I retire.

Here we are looking at March!  Can you believe it?  Another year flying by!  Another year of work!  Oh well, if this year flies by as fast as the last, we’re doing alright.

Well, folks, I’m looking at another week wheat free and I’m only in at the office one day this week.  I’ll have to work on some interesting meals for this week.  I have to admit that I’m not feeling restricted, but I do like to try some new recipes to keep it fresh.

So, stay safe everyone!  We put the clocks ahead next weekend, so I’m hoping that it actually means that spring is coming!