Friday, March 9, 2007

Rollercoastering

I love rollercoasters...I love the up and down...I think I have to think of a new word for what is going on with my weight because, while I love the "down", I do NOT love the up. So it's not a rollercoaster for me! Ideas for other metaphors welcome. ;-)

So, drum roll please, I am down 4.6 pounds this week. If that doesn't tell you how important exercise is, nothing will. Last week I was up 1.6 -- I was sick in bed all week and no exercise at all (plus sodium-filled all-soup diet). This week being back on my "regular" good eating and going to the gym just twice, I'm down SO much. And, frankly (I hope I'm not offending any reader's sensibilities here by being honest), I think I would be in even better shape if I wasn't dealing with constipation. (Any ideas on how to deal with this in a long-term healthy way are encouraged -- I'm good when practicing yoga, but am at least 3 months away from being able to do that with my knee. I've tried Metamucil -- makes me nauseous -- and stool softeners -- which work, but I don't like the idea of taking on a long-term basis. I eat tons of salads and veggies and fruit and that's not working. Anyway...)

Do I feel the 4-plus pound "loss" this week? Yes. I definitely feel better (of course I was sick last week, but...). I must try to keep this up next week...DISCIPLINE.

I've got a big weekend ahead -- DB and I are having a much-belated birthday bonfire beach bash tomorrow night. Lots of friends meeting at the beach where they have fire pits and we'll have a fire and some refreshments. I'm looking forward to it very much! Not to mention that DB will be home tomorrow after a week in Nearby Town with his parents -- I haven't had a kiss in almost TWO WEEKS because last week I was sick and we were afraid to send a bug up with him to his frail parents. I miss DB...and those kisses! ;-)

More showings of my house are scheduled too...please send good house-selling energy...I am ready for this to be over. I sympathized with Grumpy's story the other day SO MUCH about the hassle of keeping your house super-neat while trying to sell...and I don't even have two kids! I'm a very neat person to begin with, but when we show, there can be NO dog hair, etc. around and everything has to be as "clean" looking as possible (bearing in mind that I still have to LIVE there). This is so different from when I sold my first house -- we had like one open house and got 6 offers! It was a very different market two years ago...

In so many ways, I'm anxious to get on with the rest of my life! Doing it...day-by-day. :-)

7 comments:

Vickie said...

Nutritionist gave me this information last summer.

I am currently having problems this week also - and it is TTOM - so now I am trying to remember if EVERY time I have trouble - is it TTOM also???

Julia said:
I've looked through assorted journals for answers to constipation.

The triggers are numerous: Inactivity, obesity, hormonal changes, pregnancy,irritable bowel syndrome, inadequate fluid intake, inadequate fiber intake, certain diseases and conditions, certain medications (including iron and calcium supplements), excessive use of laxatives.

In some cases, a doctor may want to do tests to determine the cause (rectal exams, blood test, thyroid test, barium enemas, sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, transit studies and anorectal function tests).

"Normal" bowel movements range from a frequency of three times a day to three times a week.

True constipation is defined as having dramatic changes in bowel movements, meaning the bowels move less often, or continual, painful straining to eliminate small hard stools.

Since your diet appears adequate in fiber and fluid, there are other dietary strategies that my prove helpful:

Drink a hot beverage or eat hot cereal thirty minutes before the time you normally would have a bowel movement.

Try adding flaxseed to foods. Start with 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed or flaxmeal, added to cereal or applesauce.

Try a few dried or stewed prunes or prune juice.

As I recall, I believe you avoid caffeine, however I read a small amount may stimulate the bowels.

Try to add a glass of fluid every time you add another high fiber food to your diet.

The bottom line is: listen to your body, and go to the bathroom when you feel the urge, make it a habit to include a plant-based food, which is full of fiber, at every meal and snack, drink enough fluids, and drink often, do something physical everyday.


WALKING helps a lot.
large - green leaf - salads help a lot.
Hot liquid - I do not drink anything iced anymore - that was a BIG part of my initial problem.
I also switched vitimins so that I now have chewable with NO iron.

We are going to the fish fry tonight - I am eating - like a normal person - roll, fish, dessert - whatever. It will probably make me sick and solve my current "problem". . .

Helen said...

Thank you, Vickie, that is all WONDERFUL information! I do A LOT of that stuff already, but I'll try the flaxseed or prunes and will try cutting back on cold beverages (yes, I don't do caffeine, but I can have tea or warm water). Can't do a lot of walking yet (still on no-impact exercise post-knee-surgery).

Don't you get anemic without iron supplements? I am afraid to stop taking iron...maybe that's something I should check too...

Have a great time tonight!!! (It's true that eating "bad" stuff does help the problem.)

Vashta Narada said...

I must say the flax works for me! You do want the ground flaxseed or the meal: the seeds are so slick and tough they will "slide" right through your system.

This past weekend my husband made a batch of muffins with the flaxseed meal as a substitute for the oil/butter, and we've been calling them the Poop Muffins because we've been super regular all week! I have the recipe posted on my blog, or you can probably get it from the Bob's Red Mill website -- that's the brand of flaxseed meal he used.
Good luck!

Cindy said...

The beach, you lucky girl. Just thinking of the beach makes me feel really good. I am on a rollercoaster of sorts right now myself. And constipation is involved....so glad I read the comments on the flax. I have a bag in the pantry I never used.

Vickie said...

I saw that Andrea mentioned Bob's Red Mill. I looked and there is 100% Stone Ground Spice Apple Bran Muffin Mix made by Bob's Red Mill.

That one might work for you - as 1 muffin has 0 FAT, 0 cholesterol, 190 mg sodium, 16 carbs, 3 g protein for 70 calories per muffin.

Recipe is 2 cups of the pre-packaged mix (comes in a plastic bag - not box) and you just add 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup molasses or honey, 1/4 cup oil (you can try substituting applesauce for oil - that often works) and 1 egg.

Ingredients of mix are normal kind of ingredients - I didn't see anything that I couldn't identify or thought was alarming in any way.

I got a package and am going to try them - 70 calories - I can live with.

Grumpy Chair said...

Sending house selling vibes your way

Lori G. said...

Helen, Whole Foods has some ground flax seeds for sale that might do the trick.

I know there's some new product (way expensive) that adds fiber to your food and it's supposedly tasteless. It's at Target next to the Fiber-Con stuff.

Exercise is also a good way to help you believe it or not. Hope all of this helps.

Lucky beach-girl! Have fun this weekend!