Disclaimer

This blog is an accounting of my personal journey to find fitness. All the content on this blog should be read as a biographical piece of literature, not a medical resource. I am a physician, but I am in no way giving medical advice or establishing doctor patient relationships with my readers. I am simply keeping a diary. If you are starting a diet or exercise program or require medical evaluation or advice, please see your own family physician.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Good Times. Good Times.

Well, I'm sure it's no surprise to most of you, but winter cold kinda sucks. I'll tell you that North Texas doesn't deal well with this crap. Not at all. And it is sooooooo cold. High today will be 20 and cloudy with a chance of snow again. Sweet LORD. The kids are out of school again, third day in a row and they are starting to get the crazies.

Tuesday morning we got a bunch of sleet and rain and ice. Thunder sleet is weird. Just weird. We decided that it just wasn't safe to open the office with the temps dropping so we canceled and stayed home. Tuesday I spent the day watching movies and hanging out with the kids as Nanny can't drive in this stuff and Husband had to work from home.  I cooked a big pot of chili. I didn't have any ground beef so I used some turkey with a little sausage with black beans and corn. It was awesome good. The kids loved it and it was healthy at 170 calories per cup.  We watched movies all day. Played some board games and enjoyed our time.
Topped with light sour cream and baked chips


Yesterday was a WHOLE other story. My youngest woke up in the middle of the night with fever Tuesday night. She was in our bed. We woke up to a statewide power emergency. That emergency landed smack dab on our house and we had no heat for 5 hours yesterday. It was COLD. Really cold. We bundled up and covered in blankets. Of course it didn't slow down the kids who were happily running around like banshees. I had to force my little sick one to bundle up. On top of that fun, I woke up yesterday with a massive asthma attack and getting a bit of little girl's cold. Great. When the power did come on I was feeling too bad to do much.

Due to the bad roads and power issues, we closed the office again yesterday and that means we HAD to get to work today. Luckily even though the temp was really cold, we got some sun. The roads are icy, but not too bad if you're careful.  I arrived at work with no problems only to find out we have no water. Fabulous. A doctor's office without water. Sigh. We are managing and we've got people coming to check it out. Until then, I'll have to hold it. So, I'm being easy on the water so far today. I'll just have to catch up at lunch when a potty is available.

My asthma is still an issue, but that's what inhalers are for.  Diet wise I've done ok the last few days trapped at home. Much better than in the past. I did eat 1500 cal which is above my goal, but I wouldn't call this a binge. I resisted the urge to bake cookies despite the fact that there is cookie dough in my freezer from the kids fund raiser. I didn't lose control as in the past. I used to feel like snow days were freebies as far as food goes. That's a definite improvement.  PLUS I still tracked and recorded all my food so it is definitely a long way from a year ago.

There's a lot of talk about Allan's challenge and phase 4 ending and 5 about to start. I'm still trying to decide whether to join. The problem I have is I have to be accountable to myself. That's who I have to be accountable for the rest of my life. Challenges are an issue for me as it feels like a diet. It feels like I have to "be good" when I really should be focused on changing my way of life. It's a mental thing. I track and eat 1200calories almost always, even with traveling, even with parties.  I exercise regularly. 

If I'm in a challenge I see it as a "program".  I also had trouble remembering to send Allan my weight on time. I don't know why. I get busy, blah blah blah. But, the end result is that I end up feeling like I'm letting Allan down. Instead of realizing it's ME I let down when I don't eat like I should, exercise like I should and weigh in for me. So, I don't know that I'll join in this time. I really need to keep the focus on me and what I'm doing instead of on doing what I think someone else wants me to do.  I just think it puts me in a bad mindset when I feel like I'm "losing" a challenge or "not doing it right".  Does this make sense to anyone?

On the other hand, I have made a lot of mistakes lately. And it does help when I'm called on it. Of course the number on the scale should be a good enough reminder, right? I've eaten more carbs than I should. I've eaten more than I should at times. I need to make sure I focus on fruits and veggies. Healthy protein and staying very focused on exercise and getting all my cardio in. 

For now, I'm trying to get through this day without having to pee or poop at work. Have a great day!

13 comments:

  1. Good luck holding it until the water man comes. I went ahead and joined the challenge, we'll see how I do.

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  2. I say that you need to follow your instincts re: this Challenge. I have never joined a challenge so I say this as a complete outsider. However, you seem to be a psychologically aware sort of woman. You know yourself. Everyone has their own way of dealing with the Battle of the Weight/Health etc. In the meantime, it does seem that blogging keeps us all honest. It really has helped me tremendously.

    Next, why is it that there seem to be many many asthmatics on here? I am an asthmatic and wondered if that really led to childhood development of avoidance of exercise (because I was not diagnosed until I was 22). I never seek exercise as a pleasurable thing to do. There is never "hey, let's go on a hike" as a "fun" idea in my head. It's more "hey, let's eat donuts and read a mystery! In the bathtub!" I wonder if that leads to the predominance of asthmatics on here. We should do a study.

    My good friend is in Dallas because she is CHOREOGRAPHING THE SUPERBOWL. How totally cool is that? She told me that everything was closed and they had to eat - and that they slid into a Cheesecake Factory Restaurant. There were no staff there except the manager. He cooked their food himself for them. She was very touched. I just said "Welcome to the South" honey.

    Anyway, stay warm. It's freezing here in Utah as well, but we're used to it.

    xoxoox GP

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  3. You rule, Dr. F. (You know why)

    Oh, and I'm staying home this morning with MY sick kid.

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  4. Uh huh... Yeah,, Uh huh... Heal thyself...?

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  5. Argh! Doesn't this cold just stink? How do northerners stand this? We're on our third day home as well - Older Teens high school has already cancelled for tomorrow because the parking lot is still an ice rink (not good with teen drivers)and several water pipes have broken and flooded parts of the school. *sigh* the joys of education at an aging campus. Younger Teens school may be cancelled as well...rolling blackouts and resulting surges when the power came back blew the control for the heating system.

    Thank goodness Husband and I can telecommute when necessary. Stay warm, Doc.

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  6. Just talking about the pee makes me have to go.
    I get what you say about challenges, that's how I feel about goals. I feel like I am setting myself up. I've done well on exercise challenges, but haven't done and food/weight one because, of course, that is my weak spot.

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  7. Wow. You have had tons going on. Hope things go smoother for u!

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  8. My kids live in Denton, and I asked my son this morning if he'd gotten the birthday card I sent him - his response? The mailbox has been frozen over for two days now and he can't even open it! Crazy. They've had no school (UNT) since Monday, no work - but at least their power didn't go out. Ours did, twice, yesterday - I figured we were taking the hit for North Texas because it wasn't quite as cold here. Sorry to hear you ended up losing your power anyway!

    As for the challenge - I say do them if they are fun, but it's your life, and only you know what you face. A running challenge that I signed up for has unfortunately gone by the wayside due to my dang injury. I can't imagine having the person who is running the challenge berating me for not finishing, but I hear that's the way some of these challenges go...really, who needs that?

    OK, stay warm (and sane, lol)!

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  9. Oh yeah, that chili looks warm and yummy.

    I hear you about the challenge. I haven't made up my mind yet either.

    Hope all sick, heal and the weather warms soon.

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  10. I have found I don't like challenges, because I have always been a brat, and like to do things exactly my own way. Although when it comes down to it, no matter the "way" you gotta cut calories and all that stuff. I do believe though, that although weight loss is "hard" it should not be excessively stressful, at the most awfully boring. For some people a challenge adds motivation and support, for others just stress. Thank God we are not all alike, that would be terrible!

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  11. What a week you have had. Love the chili, it sounds delicious and I think you did well with your food.

    What a bummer about now water at the office! Yikes!

    I know exactly what you mean about joining challenges.I did the Hot 100 and I didn't like having to adhere to someones rules and regulations and allowing them to set how many goals and when I would report in and so on! I do much better on my own at my own pace and you are so right in the end we are accountable to ourselves!

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  12. Sounds like a rough few days there. Chili always helps, actually it is medicinal, right?

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  13. Now I like challenges. I DO feel crappy when I do bad though. Allans challenge is the first that I have actually been following through on. I don't care for the circumstances about having to rejoin but the end result will be more weight loss and that is what I strive for. If you think that you will lose weight better and faster with his challenge, I urge you to rejoin.

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Progress to TouchDown and GOALLLL!!