LadyM's seduction continues (sur son propre velo)

[LadyM]

Update:

My sciatica pain is all but gone. Walking feels good and I'm going at a decent clip now. All good things. Plus, every night on my walk in the woods I see deer. They are so beautiful and right in my face. I love it.

Another thing I love? Mango hibiscus booch. Found an old bottle of organic mango juice in my pantry and thought I'd give it a shot. Magnificent. And so pretty. Nice bubbles too. (Btw, how's your home brew going, Bethany?)

Doing this PT every two hours rocks. I've even thrown in some extra core work, because since I'm already on the floor, why not? I keep thinking about the tortoise and the hare. I am the tortoise, and even though the progress is slow, I will win.

[Physibeth]

I think my homebrew is ready to bottle. The spigot on the container is leaking and I scored a new sun tea jar for 4.99 today so I'm going to find an afternoon to do a bottling/transfer this week. I need to clear out some room in the fridge first and clean the bottles. I may just start drinking it straight out of the container in the meantime.

 

So about how many total cups of veggies am I looking at. The original recipe calls for 2 cups doesn't it? and 4 eggs? is that right?

[missmary]

I am the tortoise, and even though the progress is slow, I will win.

 

I was just thinking this weekend that I need to make a turtle my mascot. Slow, steady progress rules!

[LadyM]

That sounds right for the meat quiche, but the original recipe calls for 2 c FRESH spinach which basically cooks down to 2 Tablespoons. I often used 3-4 c veggies and overloaded the thing. You might not like it that way--it turned out to be a veggie pie held together with a little bit of egg on top of the "crust" and think I'm more of a veggie nut than you are. That meat quiche recipe worked out to four very satisfying servings for me. It took me a while to figure out I needed that big a portion to stay satiated until the next meal.

Anyway, yes. I think 2 c cooked down veggies would be right plus four eggs all mixed together and cooked in a 1 lb meat crust. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

[LadyM]

I was just thinking this weekend that I need to make a turtle my mascot. Slow, steady progress rules!

This has been a tough truth for me to accept, but man, are you ever right. Thanks for leading the way in this regard, btw! You are the turtle poster child, and I mean that as the highest compliment.

[SaraRuns]

Glad my words helped to ground you in your amazing-ness!  And I know I also suffer from the tunnel vision as well.  Bigger picture, bigger picture!

 

Love the new bed, it looks divine!

 

So, so happy to hear the sciatica pain is almost gone!     Keep going with slow and steady!

[LadyM]

Day 23

M1 peach, quiche, 11

M2 sardines, kraut, booch, 2

M3 chicken breast, Asian slaw, bone broth, booch, 6

Exercise: 16 laps, PT, 90-min walk

Holy hell I didn't get out of bed until nearly 10! Yikes. And I was reading in bed last night by 10. Either that new bed totally sucks me in and transports me to neverneverland, or my sleep was a bit fitful so I needed more time. Dunno. Good thing it's summer!

Anyway, slow start this morning. PT this afternoon after swimming. I think I see a different trainer, so I'm curious to see what's next. I'll check in later if there's any news to share.

Update: felt really good in the pool today so just kept going. I usually do 10 laps, but did 16 instead. I shared a lane with a competitive swimmer who's always doing speed drills. When I asked to hop in his lane he said yes and asked, "Are you swimming for time or . . . " and I replied, "pleasure." Anyway, we met up at the end of the lane when I was about to leave the pool, and dude asked me out. So funny. I mean, I said yes, but to have met under circumstances in which we're as good as naked with wet hair and goggle indentations on unmade faces . . . Well, I like it. No pretenses.

PT was boring, but maybe that's a good sign. That wave-like machine seriously makes me want to nap. I'm hoping by next week the sciatica is completely gone and we can start on some strengthening exercises.

[SaraRuns]

I think boring PT is probably an excellent thing.

 

Ha, at least you know the guy is under no illusions about your body type.  Hope you have fun!

 

How did you sleep last night?

[LadyM]

Day 24

M1 quiche, peach, 10:30

M2 tuna, giant salad w vinaigrette, shot of coconut water, 1:30

M3 chk breast w awesome sauce, kale chips, sw pot shoestrings, booch, 7

Exercise: 16 laps/45 min swim, PT

Well, I slept long again, though it wasn't solid. Meaning that I fell asleep around 11 and woke up a little after 4 thinking it was much later. Fell back asleep and finally arose at 9. I've been sleeping without my legs propped up on a body pillow but still trying to sleep on my back. When I shift around or toss and turn, little twinges of pain sometimes wake me up. I think better sleep is going to be a process tied to my PT and back recovery.

Made a long to-do list last night before bed, and the more things I can tick off today the happier I'll be. Swimming, walking, and PT are a given. I've already tackled meditation, PT, the paper, breakfast, and some emails. It's going to be a good day!

Update: mood crash late afternoon/early evening led me to eat a giant sw pot baked as shoestrings (thanks, spiralizer!). The mood thing seems to be the only physical cue I get when I go too low carb. That's my best educated guess about what's going on.

Also, crazy tired after dinner, so I'm going to hunker down and read myself to sleep rather than walk on this beautiful night. Seems a pity, but the body gets what the body wants!

[melbournegirl]

Love your pool story, when's the date???

[Derval]

OMG, LOVE the pool story! I bet he has a hot swimmers bod too! (ha ha I've been watching commonwealth games this week)

 

Love the new bed too, looks very luxe

[LadyM]

OMG, LOVE the pool story! I bet he has a hot swimmers bod too! (ha ha I've been watching commonwealth games this week)

Love the new bed too, looks very luxe

Thank you!

Well, he's no Olympic competitor. A little squishy in the middle (but hey, so am I), but he rocks a speedo with his 40ish bod, so I give him mad props.

Also, no date set yet, though we've established an email exchange.

[LadyM]

Day 25

M1 quiche, 10

M2 chicken breast, kale chips, booch, 2

M3 chicken breast, fennel apple salad, 6

Exercise 16 laps/45 min freestyle, PT

Same weird deal with sleep last night--straight through from 11-4 and then boom. Wide awake. So I got up and did my PT exercises then went back to sleep until 9. I figured if I stayed up from 4 I'd have a serious problem come tonight's show.

Final performances tonight and tomorrow. It will be strange to let go of this show, but also good. I'm eagerly anticipating August. All good things happen historically for me during this month. Keeping my expectations in check but also being open!

[LadyM]

Day 26

M1 melon, quiche, 8:30

M2 chk breast w awesome sauce, green bean subji, 1

M3 wHitefish w hm tartar, roast zuc, swpot, beet, onion; kale chips, peach, 6

Exercise 3 laps pool closed mid-swim for maintenance

Slept solidly from about midnight to quarter of 7. I'll take it!

Nice haul at the market today. Went a little hog wild with fruit, but I couldn't resist the bounty. I shall enjoy every bite.

Good show last night, and I'm feeling quite unsentimental about the end of our run. Glad I have a busy and joyful August ahead of me.

[SaraRuns]

Enjoy your last performance of this show, I hope it is a good one!  Maybe unsentimental means you got exactly what you should out of it?  Or maybe just looking forward to August! 

 

Glad you finally got a good night of sleep!

[melbournegirl]

Enjoy your last performance of this show, I hope it is a good one!  Maybe unsentimental means you got exactly what you should out of it?  Or maybe just looking forward to August! 

 !

This is exactly what I wanted to say to M but didnt have the words, thanks Sara.

M I am so impressed with you! Or should I say mad props to you! Sorry to sound rude re this last one, I am laughing at myself as I googled this yesterday after seeing it in your post and realising my urban dialect was sadly lacking... Hard to expand this vocab by books alone, thank goodness for forums?!

[LadyM]

Thanks, friends!

[LadyM]

Day 27

M1(ish) melon at 10, eggs scrambled in better butter w maldon (oh the simple luxury!), 11:30

M2(ish) raspberries, 2, cherries, 4 (template out the window much?)

M3 chicken breast, kale chips, roast veggies (ate 1/2 as much as planned. Yay for listening to hunger cues), booch, 5:30

M4 the other half of M3 (yay for listening to hunger cues), 7:30

Exercise: 10 lethargic laps, PT, 90-min walk

Best sleep yet last night, though I did arise at an undetermined hour to allow the bedtime bone broth to exit. After that, sleep until after 8, and I was more or less asleep originally by midnight.

Feeling very tired today, but that's normal after a run (of the theatrical variety). It's a positively gorgeous day out and it's wide open. Shall I brave the weekend crowds at the beach? Make up lost laps at the pool? Walk in the woods? Get on my bike and ride, ride, ride? Or simply luxuriate over the Sunday New York Times at home? I don't know yet. I also need to pick up a few things for the week's food prep, but it would be no big deal to put it off.

A lazy Sunday. How lovely.

Update: well, I've proven once again that too much fruit isn't good for me. Messed with my template, my appetite, and I'm gassy to boot. No bueno. I did enjoy the taste, though. I'll be much more moderate with what's left, and no more than two servings per day.

I managed to do most all of the things on my possible list, minus the beach and the bike ride. The wildlife I came upon in the woods today were not deer, but a motley group of smoking and swearing pubescent boys and a lone bagpiper. You just never know what you'll run into when you walk out the door.

I've been doing some Crossfit research and think I'd like to give it a shot once my back is solidly on the mend, maybe September? There are three local boxes and I think I've decided on the one I want to try. It strikes me as rather expensive, but if it's worth it, it's worth it. I am so ready to get strong again. And stay strong.

[Derval]

Woods! news is too grim these days

[LadyM]

Woods! news is too grim these days

So true. But the Sunday paper is full of personal essays and recipes and fluffy features on travel and theater and movies and celebrities and fashion, so it's easier to temper the bloodshed and tragedy than the regular weekday editions.

[Beets]

Ugh. Thinking of you M. My SI is all out of whack. Probably getting a little too gung-ho on exercise too quickly. Not tortoise like at all, but the opposite.

Your bed looks dreamy. Enjoy!

[Beets]

Just catching up on the swimmer. Wow, yeah, talk about nothing to hide.

And forgot to mention I'm glad your sciatica is going away.

[LadyM]

Thank you, Beets! Ugh, so sorry about your SI. Is there any way you can get to a chiropractor? One adjustment will get it back in place. I hate for you to suffer!

[LadyM]

Day 28

(Have I really come this close to completing my third proper W30 and without fanfare?)

M1 3 apricots, 3 eggs scrambled w shiitake in better butter, 8:30

M2 handful blueberries, kale chips, chicken breast w swoon sauce, 12:30

M3 raspberries, sesame coodles, chicken leg, carrot, 5:30

Exercise

Sleep just gets better and better. I woke up so happy in my bed. Hit the sack around 10, read a bit, then did visualization, so I don't know exactly when I drifted off, but I slept straight through to 7:30. Woot!

This is an intensive week of writing with a few appointments scattered here and there. FMD this morning. Decided to keep the appt even if she'll adjust me. She does hands on muscular manipulation more than straight spine cracking and I figure she can help.

Need to get some cooking done, too. What shall I do with ground chicken? I'm thinking it's time again for some gyoza meatballs, perhaps.

Update:

Interesting development with fMD. I mentioned a weird symptom I've noticed in the past week just in case it was something. I love that she takes me seriously no matter how small my complaint. Can't imagine a mainstream doc ever being that way. Anyway, I've been physically hypersensitive to little annoyances like a shirt tag scratching me or a stray hair brushing on my skin. I knew that hypersensitivity to sound can signify a magnesium deficiency, so I thought maybe this signified something. So, she tested me for a few things, and it looks like a seratonin issue. This makes perfect sense given other behaviors such as mood swings, dark thoughts, crying jags. I thought it was all just the grieving process. And maybe it is, but I'll take the support. She said my brain is irritated, and that a supplement should help. With the mood crashes, too, and without having to hugely increase starchy carbs, which was making me a little nervous anyway.

Also, received an interesting email blast from my old trainer about busting through plateaus. She reinforced that fat loss happens when 1) hormones are balanced and 2) there is a calorie deficit. Plateaus are normal, and the way to bust them is to reduce calories and reduce exercise. She recommends basically eating to template but with leaner proteins and light on fat plus watery veg like cukes, celery, peppers, etc. for about two weeks while taking a break from all exercise except walking. Made perfect sense to me, really. And it struck me that for the most part that's what I've been doing lately. She said that once the plateau is busted, to cycle one week on, and one week back to the regular paleo protocol for a while to see how the body responds.

Always learning and putting new tools in the toolkit!

Another small tidbit: I am expecting a shipment of lotion-making ingredients today and am really looking forward to making my own healthy body cream. I love these domestic projects I can use!

[Derval]