Well, that didn’t work. I’m not as better as I expected to be, so I couldn’t exercise. Plus, I wasn’t really home all week anyway. In either case, I didn’t exercise, and I got to snacking towards the end of the week. So I’m not under 220 as I had hoped.

Oh well.

I’m not sure when I’m going to be able to exercise without coughing my brains out.

How was your week?

Good morning! I’m still sick, but I slept well, and I’m on Tylenol, so I’m not too miserable at the moment.

Before I get started, I had the most yummy breakfast shake this morning, and I wanted to tell you about it. I used 1 cup of soy milk, a couple spoonfuls of frozen orange juice concentrate, about half of a very large, frozen banana, and a small handful of walnuts. Plus the Whey Protien Powder and vitamins. Very, very good. I added the walnuts after the rest was blended and only blended them for a few seconds, so there were still chunks left to crunch.

Ok, so this week I’ve been sick and I haven’t done much to be healthy or lose weight. I think I might have done some weights early on in the week, but I’m not sure. And I ate way too much of Veronica’s birthday cake. I weighed 220.5 this morning, which is the lowest I get when I fluctuate, so my goal is to drop below 220 by next Saturday.

Can she do it? YES SHE CAN!

Well, I honestly don’t know, but Bob the Builder jumped into my head at that moment, and I decided to run with it.

In order for this to happen, I need to do what I keep TRYING to do, which is to get my big butt on the treadmill a few times next week.

So that’s my goal. How’s your week going?

How was your week?

I’ve been eating well and writing down everything I eat. It helps curb mindless snacking because my snacking tends to be a bite of this, and a bite of that, which would result in a lot of writing and a very long list. And this week, I asked Nate to start reviewing my eating log which further curbs the mindless snacking.

On Thursday, I did physical therapy and weights. I wanted to walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes yesterday, but that didn’t happen. Today, I’ve done weights, and hope to sneak in the physical therapy again. There’s so much going on, and Clark is fussy, so there isn’t much time.

Clark will be blessed in church tomorrow, and afterwards, we’re having a get-together and luncheon for family. I have a lot of cleaning to do, and Nate is on a publication deadline, so I’m on my own with the housework AND the kids.

In approaching the beginning of the 3rd year of Health Group, I’m reminded that we missed my bloggy birthday! 2 years! It’s been fun.

Health Group is a day early this week because tomorrow we’re still planning to go camping, despite my injury.

This week sucked. We spent every single day getting the girls’ homework done and/or caught up in some cases, PLUS finishing the big project that each of them had due this week in their respective classes. Seriously. The entire week. So I didn’t do much exercising at all. And now I’ve hurt my back.

I’m still enjoying the breakfast shakes, and I know they’ve helped me to eat better throughout each day.

The injury to my back is confirmation that I need to be more dedicated to my physical therapy exercises, which I intend to resume slowly next week when we get back from the weekend.

Tell me about your week.

Good morning! This was a pretty good week for me. I found the free weights last Saturday and used them on Thursday which provided that pleasant “you’ve worked these muscles” ache on Friday. Love that. I also did physical therapy on Wednesday and Thursday.

I’m driven by the very short cap sleeves on the pretty dress I get to wear at my sister’s wedding in August. My upper arms have been the least favorite part of my body for a couple decades, so anything I can do to help them out before a very public and photographically recorded exposure sounds like a good idea to me.

Today is my birthday. I’m 31 now. It snuck up on me and I still don’t know what I want. Maybe I’ll knit on that pretty lace scarf and let Nate take care of baby and things? Happy birthday to me!

Good morning! It looks like we’re going to get a nice Saturday, finally. It’s lovely out.

I’ve been doing well. The breakfast shakes are still fantastic. I’ve had one every day for 2 weeks, and as I’d hoped, it starts the day off well and I don’t graze on junk the rest of the day. I don’t even want it until about 4:30-5:00 in the evening, and that’s been manageable.

I’ve run out of soy milk and yogurt, so this morning I made a shake with a cup of orange juice, most of a frozen banana, some raspberry sorbet (first time for that one), and the protein and vitamin powders. It was way good. I drank one full glass of it, and gave the leftovers to the girls. I made Nate’s the same way, but used mango sorbet instead of the raspberry. His was better.

The reason I like the protein powder is because I think protein is very important in the morning. Ultimately, I think a couple of eggs with whole wheat toast is the perfect breakfast, but I don’t usually want anything that heavy that early.

And on the scale I’m 221.

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday I did some physical therapy and ab work. Thursday night, Nate suggested a walk in the neighborhood. We took the girls and went for about 30 minutes. It felt really great. I had hoped to start on my biceps and triceps this week, but I can’t find my free weights from the move yet, and the pulley system is surrounded by boxes still.

I hope to find the weights today, as well as to get some ab work in.

It’s so great to be posting about HEALTH on Health Group again! I’ve really missed it!

How’s it going for you?

Good morning. Well, for as lovely as it was earlier in the week, it sure is dark, cold, and sullen outside today. Just like last Saturday. It puts the kids in a mood. Fortunately, they’re out with Nate right now raiding the comic book stores for Free Comic Book Day.

There’s a “day” for everything, isn’t there?

So I have music playing, and have lit candles around the house. It’s very mellow and quiet. Clark has recently decided that anywhere that isn’t “being held by mom” is unacceptable, so he’s in the sling again.

I love this thing.

On to Health Group-

I’m fluctuating on the scale between 220 and 223. So I think that’s as low as I’m going to go from delivering the baby. No complaints.

I did my physical therapy exercises and stretches last Friday, Saturday, Sunday, this Monday, and Friday. The only time I remembered them on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, I was busy feeding Clark, or hauling laundry around, or something. So I wish I could say I’d done more, but I’m happy to have started anyway. And I’m already increasing reps on a few things, and adding new exercises and stretches. Nothing too vigorous.

Water consumption is going well.

But what I REALLY want to talk about are the breakfast shakes we discussed last week. They so rock. I appreciate your comments and suggestions so much! We’re still really liking the frozen bananas. I like the fact that I can use a few slices, and don’t have to stick a whole banana in. I don’t like too much banana in my shakes.

Nate likes to make complicated shakes with lots of ingredients. I prefer to keep mine simple. So far, I have 2 favorites. The first is 3/4 cup of soy milk, a handful of frozen strawberries, a scoop each of unflavored/unsweetened protein powder and vitamin powder, and this is the best part, a small handful of pecans.

YUM YUM YUM!!! I can’t stand how yummy that is!

The other one is similar, just instead of the strawberries and pecans, I add 1/2 to 2/3 of a frozen banana and a handful of walnuts. I will add Wheat Germ in the future, but I continue to forget.

These shakes are quite satisfying. I’m craving them at various times throughout the day, but so as not to burn out, I resist.

And now, let me first say that I’m not looking to start a war, but I want to discuss soy milk a little bit. A friend of mine emailed me after reading Monday’s post and said that she used to drink a lot of soy, but has switched off of it because of hormone problems. So I looked on line and found all sorts of conflicting info on soy products, (along with the all-too-common conspiracy theories, of course), however it was confirmed that they do contain a relatively high concentration of plant estrogen. My OB said that it isn’t enough to be a problem, and that women in countries that consume a lot of soy products tend to have less women-specific health problems, but they have higher occurrences of other things. (I think he mentioned stomach cancer, but I don’t remember for sure).

We’ve used soy milk for years, but not a lot. Just for cereal and in baking. We don’t drink it by the glass. We don’t do tofu, or soy cheese, or any of that. Abigail is lactose intolerant, so we can’t do cow milk. Plus, I don’t think it’s healthy to drink in quantity. So our soy intake isn’t high, but it was about to increase with the shakes, which is why I was looking into buying a soy milk maker.

I’m kind of bugged. I want whatever the base of my shake is to be healthy, not just fill the role of liquid. I’ve looked at some recipes for rice milk and almond milk. I tried the almond milk this morning, and while the flavor was fine, I couldn’t strain enough of the pulp out. It was gritty and gross, and made a mediocre shake. I could try it again with cheesecloth or coffee filters or something. I don’t mind buying rice milk already made, but I don’t think of rice milk as being particularly healthy.

I’m not attacking soy milk, or telling you not to drink it. I’m saying that the conflicting information is frustrating to me, and I can’t readily think of another, unquestioningly safe option that sounds appealing.

Even if I decide to continue using soy milk myself, what about my growing girls? They’re my biggest concern, to be honest.

Any thoughts?

Good morning! I’m feeling pretty good. I haven’t bled in a couple of days, and last night I did some stretches and physical therapy exercises.

I’m weak.

The exercises were difficult, so I know I have some SERIOUS “catch-up” to do. But we expected that. However, I will say that it felt SO GOOD to get moving again. As I was stretching, I could feel the oxygen getting into my muscles, and my mind felt brighter. It sounds weird, although I’m sure some of you know exactly what I’m talking about.

I’m doing better with water consumption, and I’m trying to decide what to do about breakfasts in the mornings. Most mornings, if I’m even hungry, food sounds nauseating. Sometimes I make myself eat anyway. Sometimes I don’t eat at all, which I know is very unhealthy. And sometimes, I just snack on junk, a bite here and there, instead of eating something nutritious.

All of those scenarios suck.

Sooooooo, I’ve been thinking about trying to do breakfast shakes. I know my brother-in-law does them a lot. I think he does fruit, yogurt, and dry oatmeal. I’m not sure what else. I don’t like the idea of commercially processed “meal replacement” shakes. Mainly because I don’t trust them and can’t imagine they’re healthier than something I could make with real food. But I’m not opposed to supplementing a homemade shake with a vitamin or a protein powder to make it more balanced.

Anyone have any thoughts or experience with this? What do I put in a breakfast shake? How valid is the salmonella hype as it pertains to adding a raw egg?

I know that when I start my day out right nutritionally, I’m much more likely to exercise, drink my water, and continue eating well. When I start it out with junk and empty calories, or none at all, I spend the rest of the day trying to climb out of a pit.

Tell me about your week? How’d it go?

Hello all! I’m doing very well. This week has been busy. Abigail was baptized this morning, my mom is in town and staying with us, and we had a very large family luncheon at our house this afternoon following the baptism. About half of Nate’s family hadn’t seen the new house yet, so it was fun to have them all here.

Whew! Now that that’s over, I might actually get some rest!

Clark is doing very well. I’m feeling great, aside from the waves of fatigue and sleepiness. I’m being as sensible as I can, doing what needs to be done slowly, and sitting/resting as much as I can.

Health Group-

I’ve been cutting down my sugar/candy consumption this week, and have decided to avoid fast food. I’m not much of a fast food consumer as it is, but I’m going to make efforts to do it even less. It feels good. I’m still having difficulty drinking a lot of water. I used to love it, but I’m fighting with it right now.

My original goal was to start exercising next week, but after all the excitement of this last week, I’m not going to push myself. I’m really tired. But I might start some of the easier toning exercises I learned at my physical therapy sessions.

The flabby abs are starting to bug me.

Tell me your news!