Weight watchers 4 months in

Winter is around the corner and we are getting cold.

 It has been 4 months since I started weight watchers.  I am down 15 pounds.  Slow.  But my clothes are fitting better and I had to get new uniforms because the bag lady look is sloppy.

   They said this new freestyle is a more slow weight loss geared to eating healthier then the old WW and staying off.

   I like this point system.  The problem I am having is I was never much of a snacker, more of a portion control problem with me.   I think with this program you have to eat your zero points and be mindful of what they are.  I love fruit and vegetables so that isn't a problem but feeling like snacking is, so I am still just making my meals worth it and loading up on my vegetables then.

   The recipes on WW are surprisingly good also, most of them.  The taco soup and chili is to die for and I love making stir fry so that is good but I hate the way your almost penalized for eating any kind of bread or noodle.  Or butter.  I don't like noodles make of vegetables, I want my wheat noodles so I just eat them and count them.  I hate fake butter so I still use butter in small amounts.  I want to eat healthy and hate sugar free products that taste like chemicals and have chemicals in them so I stay clear of them also.

   I have been cooking a lot.  I don't mind cooking when I have everything but I hate shopping.  I might make a recipe list and order on line and then just go pick it up, lazy I am.  I tried to get the ole guy to make the recipes but he has decided this year to not cook much.  We are both getting lazy as we get older.   Eating out is such a problem because they cook everything in butter and sauces so  I have a hard time figuring out what to eat and don't want salads every single day.   I wish I had been born thin with a really good metabolism.  Unfortunately I wasn't so this struggle has been going on for years.

   I did have a large weight loss a few years back and never regained all of that weight but go up and down, up and down.  Now that I am older then dirt my knees and ankles are a pain so getting the weight off will help but exercising is becoming more difficult.  And for each 5 pounds lost I gained 100 wrinkles, I am looking like a prune and I have to admit that bothers me, but I am 64.  My mom always used to say for each new wrinkle you have to put on 5 pounds, but when deflated my old skin looks saggy, but eating so healthy makes me feel great so I will just not look in the mirror anymore. haha.

Weight watchers

   So a week ago Tuesday I joined weight watchers.  All the diets I have been on this most popular one is one I never joined because with my work schedule I knew I would never make the meetings.  I am doing the new freestyle on line program.

  This point system seemed so strange to me, what, no counting calories?  All these foods with zero count making them free foods, also very strange.  I must admit I didn't trust it at first.  I did what they said to do but also journal my eating in my fitness pal to see exactly how many calories I was eating and how close it was to that calorie range. I was surprised to see it was pretty close so I feel better.

  Well, it has been a week and a half and I am down 3 and a half pounds.   The freestyle is designed to make the weight loss slow and steady.  So, since I haven't died yet I guess I have time.

  One thing that is weird.  With only this small amount of weight loss I have lost some inches in my waist and my face is thinner.  At 64 I expect I am going to look older with this weight loss, but heck, I am old.

   Just to give you an idea of my typical day eating.
 Breakfast,  scrambled eggs, 2, seasoned with pepper.  I could have unlimited veggies with these but am always in a hurry.  Or fruit.

  Lunch, a turkey sandwich on thin multigrain bun with lettuce, mustard and tomato.  Turkey is a free zero point food so  I have a nice thick sandwich.  Steamed vegetables or fruit of some kind. Or both, usually both.

  Supper, turkey burger or chicken, white meat.  Steam veggie of some sort,

  I still have my daily coffee with 2 shots of espresso, can not give that up.

  Desert, right now I have only tried the chocolate graham cracker which I eat slowly and enjoy, the rich chocolate taste is surprisingly satisfying.

  I was miserable and hungry the first week.  I think lack of carbs and you can get sick quickly of chicken and turkey, but all seafood are zero points and if I do decide on a steak I can just adjust my points around it.

   I think I must be the only one in the world at my age that has not done WW.  But, it is still a very successful diet for thousands of people, why not me.  I may be getting older but I still, for my knees and ankles sake, want to get thinner.

Tick's

  
   I hate these little buggers.  Do they really serve a purpose in the world?  For the last 2 nights, thanks to the dogs laying on my bed I have woke up feeling ticks crawling on me.  2 last night, 2 the night before.  I am so glad sometimes that I am a light sleeper and feel them rather then wake up and have them attached.  Ugh.

    I started back to work 2 nights ago after being off for 10 weeks with a extensor tendon repair and removal of hardware from my wrist.  It has been going good but by the end of the night my wrist is pretty sore and swollen.  Hopefully that gets better soon.   I had to wear that lovely brace for 9 weeks.  I added the glove because it was driving me crazy pinching and hot.

   We had a nice good old sky blasting thunderstorm last night and got a much needed inch and a half of rain.  Anything that cuts down on the dust makes me happy.

      Momma deer had her babies, twins.  Unfortunately on must not have made it because for the last week I have only seen one of the baby.  I really like this doe, not skittish and lets me get lots of photos.  Just what I need, more deer pictures.

    I paid my house off yesterday.  What a wonderful feeling that is.  One less payment to make.  I will have my truck paid off by the end of the month, 2 less payments.  My goal, dept free again in 3 months.  As long as I can keep from injuring myself and keep working.
  
   Well, that's all for today.

 

Happy 4th of July

     Happy Independence Day to you all.   A day of remembrance and celebration across the country, other countries also.  

     Denmark, England, Norway, Portugal and Sweden. Denmark  Danes and Norwegians celebrate American Independence Day because thousands emigrated to the U.S. in the early 1900s. Other European countries, like England, Portugal and Sweden, hold celebrations near American military bases and or spots frequented by American tourists to boost travel during early July.

    On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the celebration should include “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.” On July 4th, the Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.
    
   Personally I don't set off any fireworks, first because it is illegal in Iowa, which doesn't stop most of the state and 2nd, I am cheap.  They are expensive!  I listened last night, and all week, to my neighbors burning up thousands of dollars in a quick pop of noise.   I live in a lower middle class neighborhood,  money is tight for us all I believe, but not so tight my one neighbor isn't welling to spend a few hundred on the biggest and loudest noise makers he can buy.  I have nothing against them doing so,  just don't want to waste my money on them.  For one thing my city has had a large firework display going off every day for the last 4 days.  After their spectacular display, anything else seems rather silly.

   So building trust.   Hoss came to us 3 years ago a fearful and untrusting dog.  Having been shot and abused he was sure every blast he heard was aimed at him.  It would break my heart watching him shake and tremble, his panting so fast I thought he would collapse.  We tried hard to comfort him and distract him, Music, treats, lots of loving.  Last year he went 14 hours without peeing because every time we talked him into venturing out, a firecracker would go off and back in and under the bed he went.

   This year, we have completely won his trust and during the worse of it last night we were so happy to have him dosing on the floor, breathing relaxed, not a care in the world.  Took him out and even with firecrackers going off he went potty and even sat out in the yard for awhile.  We promised him we would never hurt him and he seems to know it.   He's happy, we are happy.

   Piper on the other hand is fearless.  I think she could go though a mine field going off and not be bothered, as long as there was a bug she could hunt she is just fine.  Tiny but mighty.

   The other night I took her out.  The lightening bugs have a bumper crop this year and she was thrilled.  Watching her leap and try to catch them was so funny.  Fortunately she didn't catch any.  

   Piper is so funny,  running across the yard the other day she ran into a Hoss poo.  She stopped dead in her tracks and lifted her foot, a sneer across her face.  She looked at me and came over on 3 legs, looking totally disgusted.   I washed off her foot and cleaned up Hoss's poo but she won't go to that side of the yard anymore.  Silly girl.

   Well, that's it.  Happy 4th.  I am going to bake a Old fashion rhubarb pudding cake and take it easy.  Tomorrow back to work for the first time in 10 weeks.  Please let it go well.

It's been a long long time.

      It has been so long since I have written in this journal.   I used to write every day and visit everyone's blogs, slowly just stopped.  So I decided to start again.  I will be writing bout my fur babies, as usually posting more photos since it some what of an addiction with me, something to calm the restless soul.

   I am still overweight, have met my goals, gained it back to many times to count.  Now that I have hit the 60's I can't seem to get into the same mindset of losing.  Just trying my best to stay healthy.  Haven't achieved wealthy or wise, but am getting by.

    Still having the usual structural  problems with my bones and will finally be getting back to work after a  long 10 weeks off.  Wow.  Never been off work this long.  Still struggling with recurrent skin cancer, but that doesn't freak me out anymore either, it is what it is.   I did do a poster for my skin cancer group I am proud of.  So, have you used your sun screen and covered up today?  I am so lucky I have not have the extent of many of this group, yet.

   Piper is all grown up.  She will be 2 next month, so hard to believe how fast the time goes.  She has been a joy, she is a happy, silly little cuddle bug.  A sturdy little hunter of bugs and terrorizer of Hoss and Xena.  Of course she is spoiled, but she is worth it.

 

  Hoss is his usual handsome self.  6 years old now but isn't showing his age at all.  He is a big loving dog who loves everyone and everything, except baths and getting his nails done.  We have been honored and pleased to share his life.

 

 

Xena is still a brat, breaks my expensive things, wakes me up in the wee hours to get fed, has puking down to a fine art.  She is also affectionate, sweet and great pals with Piper, but loves Hoss best.

 

  And we have a new furbaby, Amelia, a labradoodle who is a real sweetie. It will be fun to watch her grow into those huge feet.  We are thinking she might be in the 60 to 70's when grown.  She is a real mellow puppy, not like hyper Piper at all.  

 

           So that is about all for now.  I won't be talking politics anymore.   I give up.  Too depressing.  Just photos, rambling and more, as usual.

 

 
Although this article wasn't written by me it is the life I, along with most nurses live and is a great article to share with anyone thinking of becoming a nurse.  I wouldn't change my career for anything because I would rather spend my life helping, rather then hurting, people any day.


14 Things I Wish I Knew Before I Became a Nurse
1. Your schedule sounds great on paper, but it's way more work than it looks like. People swear nurses have the best schedule ever. For most nurses in hospitals, it's advertised as just three days a week for 12 hours. But when you factor in the time it takes for you to report on your patients to the oncoming nurse and vice versa (not to mention your commute), your day looks a lot more like 15 hours — and it starts before the sun comes up. Oh, and three days a week? Hilarious! Be prepared to regularly receive calls at 5 a.m. begging you to come in on your "day off" because the team is short-staffed. And you'll go in, because you were begging people yesterday for the same.
2. Being a nurse is not only medical care. It's being a patient advocate, a waitress, housekeeper, electrician, technology expert, mediator between families and doctors and families and families. You will be shocked by how many times a day someone asks you what channel NBC is or to reheat their food while you get them the Wi-Fi password. And if you thought illness brings families together, think again: I've seen everything from siblings who haven't spoken in years fighting over their mother's treatment to divorced parents that need assigned visiting hours because they can't be at the hospital at the same time.
3. If you don't have a good memory, you better come up with a system to help you remember everything. You need to remember more than anyone else — the doctors you work with will count on you to have answers about all your patients, including every disease process, every medication and time it needs to be administered, lab results, vital signs, urine output, lab schedule, and all new orders for the day. Be prepared to write down every single thing that you do.
4. Mistakes happen. Your first mistake is the worst, but they never get easier. You will never forget them and never make them again. If the mistake you made doesn't have immediate ramifications, you'll constantly worry about it until you're positive everything is OK with the patient. Medication errors are the hardest mistakes to cope with. You 100 percent will cry (just when you are alone, in a closet where no one can see you).
5. Nursing school will never prepare you for your first or 20th or last death. I've seen more deaths than I can count now. You will wish someone told you what to say to the mother who's showing you videos of their dying child before she got sick. You also wish someone told you what it was like for the 80-year-old man to tell you he's ready to go because he's lived a long full life. Each death affects you in a different way.
6. If you don't have a sick sense of humor already, you will develop one quickly. You will joke about anything and everything you've seen. Anyone else who heard your conversations with your coworkers would probably think you are terrible people, but it's truly a helpful a coping mechanism. You need one to be able to go on with your day and help all your patients even though you're so stressed.
7. You'll be on the phone even more than you were when you were a teenager. I wish someone told me how much time you spend on the phone with other departments in the hospital to get things accomplished. Pharmacy, laboratory, central supply, respiratory, social work, nutrition, case management: plan to call them each day multiple times. Start practicing your nice phone voice now, because impatience will get you nowhere.
8. Your body will hurt. Your body will age quickly. Standing and walking for 12-plus hours, holding your bladder, lifting patients who weigh more than 250 pounds: these are just a few of the physical feats you'll do each day. Many nurses develop back problems, so learn to use proper body mechanics early and buy a great heating pad. Crossfit has nothing on you.
9. You will get calls, texts, pictures, and emails from all your friends and family asking you for medical advice. People will always want to tell you a story about their health, like you don't see this all day, every single day. It can get annoying, but you love these people, so you will try to find them answers. If I get a text like this at work, I get the entire team of nurses evaluating your problem.
10. You'll feel underpaid, but nursing is one career that does offer extra opportunities for more money. We should be paid more money for our base work, as we monitor our patients more closely than anyone else. And while unfortunately you don't have a ton of control over your base salary, nursing is one career where you can always make extra cash by picking up more shifts at night, on the weekend, or overtime.
11. You may not always work five days a week, but you'll still miss out on a lot of your social life. No matter how many times you explain your schedule to your friends and family, they still won't understand why you have to work on weekends and holidays. Be prepared to miss birthday parties, holidays, beach weekends, happy hours, and more.
12. Your coworkers will truly feel like family. You will grow closer to the people you work with faster than any other friend or significant other you've met; you love them and you hate them, just like "real" family. You now celebrate holidays with them. They understand your stress and love of work more than anyone else in your life.
13. Eat breakfast on your commute, because it may be the only meal you get to eat all day. Some days you walk in and you may not leave just one patient's room for three or four hours depending on how sick he or she is. I can't count the number of lunch breaks I've missed or the grab-and-go lunches I've stuffed in my mouth — I highly recommend learning how to eat a lunch in two minutes.
14. Make sure this is really what you want to do. This is a very thankless, underappreciated job. You do this every day for yourself alone, so your heart has to be in it. You will have the biggest love-hate relationship with your career; while people in many industries feel this way, lives literally depend on you. There are days you leave work and you cry your whole ride home after the death of a patient you grew close with, but there are also days you walk out tall and proud of your job because you helped save someone's life. So on your hardest, most frustrating days, try to remember the good ones, because those make you the best nurse.

written by, Allyson is an R.N. at a hospital in Washington, D.C.