Finally, I am getting a chance to do some writing. For the last few weeks, I have thought about the blog posts I would write. I thought I would have much more time to focus on my blog. I am still reporting to work as an RN Manager and trying to help my teenager stay on top of his schoolwork. So, life has been busier than I imagined.
I hope you are all doing well although I’m sure some of you have been impacted by COVID 19 more than others. I am sending good thoughts and prayers your way for good health and peace. This has been a time like no other. I wrote a few weeks ago about going into a sort of preservation mode if you will. I stopped worrying about losing weight and just focused on staying at my current weight.
I have worked hard though to get my protein up more than ever and I’ve been really successful over all. Not perfect, but no need for perfection. I recognize if I let my body get run down and fill it with fuel it does not need, then I might weaken my immune system. I am still tracking on my Lose It app. Last night I even discovered that it tracks my habits. This is a really handy feature and I learned sort of odd facts about my diet plan. On the days I eat sour cream and yogurt, my overall calories are lower. For bread and pasta it told me I seem to have a good balance of carbohydrates vs. protein. When I eat lean protein for breakfast I have done better in my day. I was really fascinated that it had this feature. I was looking for something to do and spent about 3o minutes reading through this feature and learning about my habits that I would have never known.
Many people in my personal life and co-workers talk about working remote or even still working at the office or clinic and wanting to snack all day long. Some have asked me how I manage this. Although my bariatric surgery was successful and I’m now at a 95 pound loss, it is a tool. I am not immune to the stress of the world right now and some days I find myself wanting to consume more. Here is what I’m doing to stay on track, but not being focused on weight loss right now.
First, I am tracking daily very faithfully. I do not stick to the calorie recommendation of the Lose It app. I changed my daily intake to increase slightly right now because I am wanting to snack a bit more. I found a balance of what I could eat staying within my protein and carb intake while staying at the same weight. Also, some days it’s really okay to eat more. Your body is really designed to work better when you alter your calories from day to day and in fact this could help you out of a stall. I’ve been doing this for most of my weight loss journey this last year and it works! I first read about this from fitness expert Jillian Michaels a few years ago. Looking at my fitness tracker last night I recognize that I’ve been doing this pattern for a while and without realizing it. This has come from some part of intuitive eating though and even though I am tracking my calories I am allowing my body to set it’s hunger and full limits on its own. I am learning to trust my body with hunger and fullness. You can read more about zigzag dieting here if you are interested: https://www.openfit.com/how-zigzag-dieting-can-break-your-weight-loss-plateau
Second, I have been taking my vitamins faithfully as I can. I have missed a day or two here and there, however make it a daily habit. My dietitian and surgeon have me on a specific combination.
Third, if I do have a day where I let my body decide in favor of what I felt was too much food, I forgive myself. When I get in bed for the night I glance at my full day on my app and then say a quick prayer the next day will be better. Right then I take time to journal my food for the next day focusing back on my protein. Last week I had a day where I felt kind of sick from too much food. I made a plan and journal-ed ahead for the next day. I made my day to include peanut butter with an apple, low sugar high protein yogurt, nuts (Cashews and peanuts), Taco soup with cheese for lunch and dinner. Then I rewarded myself with some air popped popcorn. Just like that I was back feeling good again. Part of my battle is staying out of my head, staying focused on what I have accomplished, forgiving myself when I have overindulged, and reminding myself I have more control than I give myself credit for.
Lastly, I really miss my swim classes. With my Charcot Foot, swimming is really the only aerobic activity I am able to do. I have been trying to walk a little bit with my CROW boot on the weekends. I also walk my dog in the yard every evening. So, I am at least trying to move some. I am walking a lot at work which is where I am allowed to take the most steps. I do have chair exercises I can do and need to focus on doing these again. Many of my neighbors are taking advantage of walking daily with their family recognizing not only does exercise help us, but really helps our kids.
In closing, here is a resource that a dietitian I work with sent out this week. She came across this article and found it helpful. It is about eating while working from home and how to handle the day to day routine:
RD says staying at home can lead to “head hunger”Staying at home during the novel coronvavirus pandemic may lead to “head hunger,” where people feel hungry but may not be physically hungry, dietitians said. Registered dietitian Jennifer Kyser encourages people to practice mindful eating and track meals and snacks, while RD Alexandra Depriest suggests people use a rating scale to determine if they really are hungry or if they are eating for a different reason.Full Story: WLKY-TV (Louisville, Ky.) (4/17)
Even if you are not working from home, this time is very stressful and therefore I think most of us can benefit from these tips. I also recognize for many of you thinking about food, how much or how little to eat is not a priority because many people are facing economic challenges and illness. I continue to be thinking of you and realize for many, first and foremost you just have to get through this. I hope you can all find the resources you need to ride out this storm. I read a great article this week that we are not all truly in the same boat. I recognize this and am not naive to this.
Please remember to check in with your healthcare professional or clinician about any questions you might have about intake and what types of nutrients or what types of vitamins. I wish you all the very best.
Mandy