Daniel Fast - Day Fifteen

June 24, 2013

Day Fifteen

Today all that energy I've been talking about went missing. I was slow and quiet and not moving much at all. We tidied the house some, but I was mostly directing.  We got in a bit of reading and a couple of people worked on writing some letters. I did some lunch prep, made dinner, and read my book most of the day.  I'm embarrassed to say how much I enjoyed such a relaxing, lazy day. *blush*

I finished my day under on calories again. I'm starting to even out how many calories I eat in a day. When I look at my chart, I can see I may be forming some consistency in my portions and choices for meals.  I'm also going to start dropping snacks and work on consuming all I need during my meals.  It's hard to change my brain about that.  After being pregnant so often, I tend to just eat those snacks as a matter of habit.  I want to try going longer between meals, though, to learn my body's cues for real hunger.

This book, Eat to Live: The End of Diabetes has my mind spinning.  I'm not convinced this is the plan the Lord has for me, but I have certainly gained a great deal of information and learning from it.  I am more firm in my convictions regarding vegetables as the core of my diet. I am intrigued by what I'm learning about legumes and nuts and seeds.  Intrigued enough that I'm considering purchasing the book for myself.  I'm going to keep praying on this. 

One argument that Dr. Furhman makes is that you can easily obtain the amount of protein you need daily from a plant-based diet.  I know that many have said this isn't possible. In fact, that's one of the biggest reasons I almost didn't read the book. Yet, as I've been plugging in my food on myfitnesspal.com, I can see that I am easily achieving the protein goals I set for myself back when I was aiming for a high protein-low carb diet.  Amazing.  Today the largest source of protein I had was one peanut butter ball at breakfast. The rest was simply lentils, beans, broccoli...nothing I would really consider high protein foods. Yet, there I am. Right at my high-protein goal.  And feeling full as all get out at that.

If I wasn't doing this fast, eating a plant-based diet while reading this book, I would never have believed what I'm reading.  But, I'm experiencing so much of what he's saying, I can't help but lend it some validity. 

Off to do some more reading and praying.  My husband has chosen to do a complete fast for this week.  Nothing but prayer and water. If anyone out there is reading this, please pray he remains safe and healthy. He is working hard outside in the heat all week painting on ladders. We need the Lord to keep him alert and clear headed. Thank you!

Monday April 4, 2011 - Spring is in the Air!

Today's Good Things:
Met my lowish-carb goal
Great day school wise
Great day with chores
Kept up with meals well
House is semi-tidy
Kept Laundry rollin'
Got a good start on this week's project
After dinner mile with dh

Today's Not So Good Things:
Munched on chocolate chips that should have all been given away
Missed my Morning 15
Rainy/snowy so missed my Afternoon 15
Struggling with a tmi issue that also prevented me from too much activity

I had a surprisingly great Monday! That rarely happens here and I'm delighted.

Food wise I did really well, even with my afternoon snack with dh and a yummy dessert of fat free pudding that my dd made for us to share. I ended the day with 155 grams of carbs. I'm pleased, since my goal is to get as close to 150 as possible each day. Had I skipped those treats, I'd have been under my goal. Cool seeing that it's doable.

Also got in a 1 mile quick walk with dh before he headed out for an evening meeting. That does us so much good. I love having a little escape like that. Good for body, soul, and heart.

I made some good headway on the File Pile today. Dd planted her seedlings and the girlies started some flower seeds. The smell of that dirt was invigorating! Oh, I love that spring is in the air. Even though it snowed all morning, it melted by afternoon and I can still see the GRASS! Just the smell of the rain, mud, and warmth makes me want to MOVE and smile.

Wednesday March 2, 2011 Quiet Day

Today's Good Things:
Restful day
Completed a couple small projects
Tried a new soup, good and healthy
skipped the pasta bake again

Today's Not So Good Things:
No exercise
Fought a headache all day
T.i.r.e.d.
Over on calories

Today my oldest was feeling sick. We took it easy, as I've been fighting a headache myself, though I'm pretty sure that's due to lack of sleep more than illness.

I felt so hungry today. Possibly b/c I've been under on calories the last couple of days.  But I was genuinely hungry, not just eating out of habit. So, I'm over by a couple hundred calories today, but I think I needed them. I just wish I hadn't gone so Carb Heavy today to do it.

Dh worked late tonite, but is home safe and sound out of the snow and ice. We've had some crazy weather and while I enjoyed some gorgeous sunshine pouring in the afternoon, the ground is covered in white yet again tonite.

I am so ready for spring.

Wednesday January 26, 2011 Back Again

Today's Good Things:
Bible time
Half Morning 15  (push-ups and sit-ups)
Did well with chore/school routines
Great day eating-wise
Afternoon 15 with ds
Success at making steak tonite! (I never do well cooking steaks)
Workout
Met water goals

Not So Good Things:
2 days behind on workout (and I felt it!)
Late getting to bed
Feeling frustrated/defeated regarding weight-loss

Note to Self: (ummmm, this whole blog is a note to myself! lol)

1. Do not allow 5 days to pass between workouts again
2. When you are emotionally overwhelmed, fresh air and exercise will HELP.  Don't be afraid, GO FOR IT!
3. Low-carbing is HARD

Today was a good day. It was especially good after 2 awful days in a row. I literally gave up Monday and Tuesday. I just didn't care. Emotionally, I was struggling so much with this transition of my huband's new work/study/not working schedule.  I am continually amazed at how my physical choices are dictated by my emotional feelings. I hate that.  Fortunately, the Lord strengthened me today for a good recovery. I met most of my goals today.

Tonite I got back into my 9 week challenge, 2 days behind. It was a good workout, but I could tell I am already weaker. I got very tired part way through. I finished strong, burning more calories than projected, but I was beat instead of energized.

I've been working on low-carbing, trying to keep my carbs at 100 grams or lower. How am I going to do that?? Today I had no grains at all, but still ended up at 137grams. I don't want to give up the fruits, they provide the fiber I need. The beans also give fiber, but they are pretty much equal protein for carbs. So, the good foods I need are also the things I'm supposed to avoid? That doesn't make sense to me. I ate well today. I don't want to feel bad about making good choices. So, while I'll still work to keep the carbs low, I don't think I'm going to be quite as strict. Especially as the carbs I'm eating are from good food sources rather than the addictive grains and sugars.

My attempt at a Low-Carb day:

Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs (gag) topped with cheddar cheese, grapefruit, apple cinnamon chicken sausage
Snack: decaf coffee - black
Lunch: Ranch beans topped with cheddar cheese, baby carrots w/ sour cream dip, caffeine free diet pepsi (I know, I know)
Snack: Smoothie (made with plain, ff yogurt, frozen fruit & banana), 4 vanilla wafers (aha! I forgot about *those* empty carbs!)
Dinner: Big Ol' Salad w/ homemade italian dressing, purple cauliflower, sunflower seeds & raisins, steak, cooked broccoli, skins from Baby's potato
Snack: Grapefruit (I need to be sure my body can move that steak!)

I'm still frustrated with the scale. I peeked today, anticipating my weigh-in on Saturday and am so defeated. Would you believe that after a whole month of working hard, logging my food, eating within my Eat-To-Lose range almost every day of the month...I'm at 1 pound down? :(  I've been eating and working to lose 1.5 a week and I'm only down 1 pound for the whole month. Wahhhh....

I've got more thinking/praying to do on this. I know I've lost a bit by way of inches, since I have 2 skirts fitting me that didn't before. That's good. However, I've been working (obsessing) on loosing weight since the end of October and I've only got 8 pounds down to show for it?  That leaves me feeling like a big failure. I'm doing so many things well. I sure wish someone would convince my scale to join the effort. :-/

That's all. Tomorrow is a new day and I look forward to staying on course with my eating choices and getting in all of my workouts.  My Thursday afternoon skype visit with a dear friend will be a highlight to the day. God is in charge and He's revealing so much to me about myself and my need to keep focused on Him in this journey. I'm grateful this is all about far more than the numbers on a scale.