Week 7 has been more of the same. I'm continuing to work through the same challenges with the lower-protein diet. I did call the doctor to ask about the lower-protein diet. He let me know that it could be an option, depending on how the test results turn out. He seemed somewhat optimistic about it, so that helped me feel a bit better about it all. There's still 7 more weeks to go until the follow-up appointment, but if there's an end in sight then I can stick with it.
- Exercise
- Days of Exercise: 6
- The one day off was a planned skip.
- Stayed on target with calories burned.
- Review: I did okay with my first goals of increasing the challenge with the elliptical at Level 5. Given my feeling low-energy and changing up my workout routine, I didn't totally challenge myself that way. I did feel like I was working harder, just not directly connected to that specific number. I enjoyed the swimming as part of my workout on Friday evening. I got a pair of training fins (mini-flippers) that I tried out for the first time. It helped with my need for speed while exercising and made it all more fun.
- The other change in my workout was replacing one cardio session with strength training. It wasn't a calorie-burning workout, but it wasn't meant to be. I really enjoyed working out with my husband and trying something different.
- Goals: Looking at next week's schedule, I hope I'm able to get all 6 workouts in. I'm going to stick with the increased challenge of Level 5 with the elliptical at home. I don't think I'll get a swimming session in, but maybe I can play around and fit it in. I'll also look at doing a strength training session on Wednesday evening.
- Eating
- Days of Clean Eating: 7
- Review: This week has been a little bit easier for me. I'm continuing to make my choices without struggle and the food tastes good. I've started mixing my peanut butter into my oatmeal at night as dessert and it's DELICIOUS! Yum!
- My biggest frustration this week has been in talking with other people about my dietary needs due to the kidney concerns. I tried to explain that I'm following all the doctor's orders - reducing the protein I'm taking in and measuring/weighing every serving to ensure that I'm following the plan. I tried to explain that, depending on what the doctor tells me in April, I'll reassess my approach and make whatever changes I need to make - I'm receptive to consulting with a nutritionist to develop a plan that is kidney-sensitive and still attentive to my other physical needs. It felt like, no matter what I said, nothing was heard. People jump to conclusions because I've been upset about the dietary restrictions of the low-protein plan. They think that I'm not following the plan, that I'm dismissive of the doctor's orders, and that I'm not being healthy. When I get the judgmental, critical response from them, I shut down and withdraw. My decision for this week is that I'm not going to engage in these conversations. If I feel as though other people are not being respectful of me, I don't have to expose myself to that attitude.
- Goals: Next Saturday, we're hosting a potluck dinner for my husband's friends/colleagues. I'll be pulling the cookies out of the freezer for that. I'm hoping to be able to eat relatively clean despite all the foods we'll have in the house. Given that it's our own home, I get to make sure that the foods I want to eat are on hand. However, given that it's our home, there's a strong likelihood of our being left with the leftovers. If that's the case, I'll be okay with discarding the things that my husband won't eat or with taking those foods into the office.
- Overall
- Review: I'm still not really happy with how things are going, though there's some improvement. I'm managing the hunger a little better, though I'm probably munching on more mints and hard candies than would be ideal. The numbers on the scale are still annoying me (up .5lb again this week despite being all on plan). I'm reminding myself that I'm doing what I need to do, that right now it's more important that I take care of my kidneys. It's tough because I know that if I bumped up the protein the weight would drop more easily/quickly/etc, but weight isn't the end-all-be-all here. It's one component of my overall health and well-being.
- I did try more with the self-care this week. Friday night was a delicious 90-minute massage that really helped work out a lot of the tension in my back and shoulders. This afternoon I took a bath with epsom salt to help soothe my muscles a bit more. I invested in another heating pad so that I can target my legs in addition to my back/shoulders. I'm also taking a break from talking with negative people because I don't need the emotional hassle.
- Goals: I want to focus on maintaining balance this week. I have a pretty full work week, including an interview for a webcast early Wednesday morning, and a lot of projects that are coming due. I can see the stress level going higher as a result, so I want to do a preemptive attack on the possible stress. That's going to involve advance food prep, making sure I get enough sleep, not beating myself up if I don't get all my workouts in, and limiting my exposure to negativity.
- Weight
- Starting Weight: 153.8
- Last Week's Weight: 142.9
- Today's Weight: 143.4
- Weight Loss (This Week): -0.5
- Weight Loss (Total 2011): 10.4
Food Log:
- Meal 1
- 2 egg whites with red pepper, onion, and salsa
- 40g oatmeal with cinnamon, vanilla, and a bit of Splenda
- Meal 2
- 3oz chicken and ground turkey
- Green beans
- 2 tablespoons salad dressing
- Meal 3
- Apple
- Light cheese (Baby Bell)
- Meal 4
- BIG salad
- 3oz chicken
- 2 tablespoons salad dressing
- 40g oatmeal
- Tablespoon of peanut butter
Exercise:
- Time: 91 minutes
- Level: Level 1 the entire time (my hip flexors and knee were a little tender, so I didn't want to push it with higher resistance)
- Calories: 800
- Distance: 7 miles
Today's Weigh-In: 143.4
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