Oct 5, 2012

Feast or Famine

After spending 3 months looking for a new job and now having one, today I got two more calls for interviews - for really good jobs! And confirmation of progressing through a process for another one I've been waiting for quite some time.

Unfortunately I didn't get to run today, I ended up having to go get bloodwork done because I forgot about the date of my endo appointment, I thought it was next Thursday but its actually next Tuesday. I had to fast before the bloodwork so couldn't run then and because of medical issues I can't exercise for about 12 hours after having blood taken. But I should be ok for tomorrow although I will have to run alone, today I would have had a running mate (well I would be following the running mate....)

Since I had to go out to get the bloodwork done, I did all the other errands at the same time; picked up the prescription, dropped off the dry cleaning, sent back forms to my new employer (they are burying me in paperwork!) and then picked up groceries. I got a lot of walking in today. I had to take the bus back from the grocery store but still ended up with 4 large bags of groceries. As I was on the second bus, someone asked me if I was ok and then pointed to my arm. My white hoodie had a quickly spreading red stain on my sleeve.  One of the advantages of my hospital neighbourhood is that I always see nurses on the bus. There were 4 nurses on this bus, one took charge and cleaned my arm and wrapped it tightly with a handkerchief and applied pressure. The gushing bleeding stopped pretty quickly. She said it was carrying the heavy grocery bags so soon after having blood taken, that the vein wasn't very strong. She said if it started again I should go to Emergency, but it was fine once she wrapped it and now the puncture is a tiny red mark, you can't even imagine how much blood it was spewing earlier. But I am tired and have a splitting headache.

Food was not great today. Because of the bloodwork, I was out and didn't take anything with me (breaking my number one rule) and ended up getting an egg salad sandwich at Tim's but I didn't eat the bread, just the filling (eggs and some kind of over processed mayo, no doubt) and a coffee with dairy creamer.

I came home and had an apple with almond cashew butter and for dinner had an egg muffin (microwaved egg with peppers/onions).

You would think I'm allergic to vegetables, no?

But.......thanks to Norma, I've found the magic bullet and can be at my goal weight in 2 weeks...why am I working so hard again?

Day 3 Whole 30 (fail) - October 5, 2012

B - egg salad (not Whole30 compliant) and coffee (not Whole30 compliant)
L - apple with 1 tbsp almond cashew butter
D - egg with onions/peppers


Oct 4, 2012

Downward Mood

I don't know what is wrong with me today,  I feel like I woke up on the wrong side of the bed and couldn't shake the "blach" feeling all day. I had some plans that fell through that just furthered the sucky mood. It was a glorious day and I pretty much wasted it inside puttering around and doing little chores here and there.

It's Thanksgiving this Monday and also would have been my 24th wedding anniversary (we've been separated for 2 1/2 years) and I think that makes me both sad and mad. I'm not going to explain it - some of you will get it...if not....I'm not in the mood to explain or analyse my feelings today.

I have a bunch of stuff to do tomorrow, get groceries (since I didn't make it out today), pick up prescriptions, take in dry cleaning, do laundry and hopefully meet someone for a run - although I will probably only run half as far as he does in the same amount of time.

I have to get bloodwork done on Tuesday for my endocrinologist appointment on Thursday and it will be interesting to see the numbers.

Whole 30 Day 2 - October 4

B - whey isolate protein shake with light coconut milk, ice cubes

L - apple and 1 tbsp almond cashew butter (this stuff is seriously good - I bought it during my last Whole30 and had to hide it from myself at the back of the fridge - just refound it)

D - oven baked chicken breast, salsa, sauteed spinach

Oct 3, 2012

Keeping On

Today is back to Whole30. I am not promising I am going to post every day like I did last time, but I will post as I am able.

Since I've let wheat and dairy and some sugars back into my life the last two weeks I don't know if I can jump back to three meals a day right away but I'm going to try, some days I may end up with a snack. Today I slept in quite late so it was easy to stick to three meals.

In general I don't weigh/measure food while doing Whole30 but I do with nuts, nut butter and fruit because I know how easily I can go overboard with them.

Day 1 - October 3, 2012

B - whey isolate protein shake with light coconut milk, water, ice cubes
L - 10 almonds, 1 cup cantaloupe
D - 1 egg fried in olive oil, 2 slices pork rashers, whole fresh tomato, coffee with light coconut milk

There was no green today as tomorrow is grocery day and I decided to start Whole30 this morning rather than wait the extra day to make sure I had everything I needed. I knew I could cobble together one day even if it would be lacking in green vegetables.

Before some of you start sending me emails and messages that I'm "not following Whole30" because of the whey isolate protein shake, please go back and reread "It Starts With Food". The section for vegetarians says this is a "less bad" form of dairy than other forms and is acceptable for vegetarians. I am not vegetarian but I eat so little animal protein that this is how I supplement since I don't have cheese/yogurt while on Whole30 and it is my go to meal for breakfast because of my crazy commuting schedule. Generally on weekends, I will eat real protein for my first meal - eggs or meat - but Monday to Friday, I have a shake.

I think the stress of the last few months has hit me full force the last two days, I have been unbelievably exhausted. I am sure eating wheat, dairy and sugar didn't help, so I'm hoping between the extra sleep I can get the next few days and following Whole30 again, by next week I will be back to my normal, cheery, energetic self!

I have the most amazing friends in the world and am so fortunate. During this job search they have been supportive, encouraging and put up with my venting, whining and exasperation. I want to give a shout out to Guenther, Shelley and Barbara because they have been my angels through this. I just got an email from another friend that he is taking me to see War Horse for my birthday when he visits Toronto later this month. Then in November Shelley and I will be going to visit another lifelong friend of mine who lives in PA. Road trip!!! I'm hoping to meet a special blogger when I'm there as well. I have to say that the last quarter of 2012 is definitely shaping up to be better than the first 3/4 put together!





Oct 2, 2012

We now return you to regularly scheduled programming.....

Since the announcement in May this year that I would be losing my job, I've been frantically looking for another one and spending a huge amount of time doing job searches, researching companies, writing cover letters and tweaking resumes.

The past two weeks, because of a situation that came to a head at my workplace, I had to kick that into overdrive and I spent almost every waking moment job hunting.  I think I only ran twice during those two weeks (there were other factors keeping me from my running clinic as well, but I only ran twice on my own) and my meals were all over the place in every way, too much, not enough, too many processed carbs, not enough protein, too long without eating, eating too late at night - absolutely nothing was right.

Monday morning I received a job offer pending criminal record and reference checks. I will send in my acceptance today. The recruiter called me last week to make the offer verbally but until I saw the offer in writing, I was holding my breath because I thought it might fall through.

I can honestly say that the tension and stress I was under the last three months, and more so the last two weeks, has taken it's toll but its now over and life can go back to somewhat normalcy.

I do have two weeks off before I start my new job and I am going to use that time to run/walk/stairs every day starting today and also to get back to eating regularly. I'm going to do Whole30 again because the last two weeks I have let dairy and wheat back into my life. Trust me, they didn't have to fight too hard to break through the weakened barriers of my resolve. But now, I have to be stronger again and fight back. The month of September left me with a 4lb gain that although I don't feel  it in my clothes, I can feel the bloating and the heaviness in my gut and I want it gone.

I have registered for my first 10k event on October 21 and although I haven't been training as well as I should have been, I am determined to cross that finish line. With three weeks to go, I think I've got a fighting chance to make it work.