Day 14 of Post Water Fast by Sacristia Blog entry

Blog: My Health Journey
by Sacristia

Day 14 of Post Water Fast

My daily Journey to a healthier life style

Date: 2/4/2011 2:23:19 PM ( 14 y ) ... viewed 32194 times

February 3, 2011

I wasn't happy that I had to go to work, since the weather was still very bad out. We were still at a level 2 snow emergency and the County Court house was closed, so I was really surprised that I had to work, since I couldn't file anything and it was so dangerous just walking anywhere outside the office, due to all the ice.

I didn't have as many aches and pain that I thought I might have since I was so active the day before. I was still a little bit sore, but my shoulder and my elbow were fine. The only thing that was really giving me any problems was about 4 inches below my wrist. It would hurt if I turned door knobs or held my travel mug. I put a little bit of Icy Hot on it at the beginning of the day, but didn't have to, since the pain was very minimum. I am wondering if it is related to my job as secretary, and that I was using my bat to bust up ice on my deck. I probably aggravated the tendons in that area. I will have to be more careful.

I really didn't want to get up, as Mekong was all snuggled up and warm by my face and neck. Some days when she is like that, I have to fight against really just enjoying the moment and falling back to sleep. I guess it is the simple enjoyment of comfort with my pet, that I feel very blessed even thought I am humanly all alone in the house. It must stem from the before and after relationship with Phil. When he was living with me, I could hardly get him to hold me or even snuggle with me, unless it was on his terms, which was usually he had been drinking while he was playing pool. It was a health situation so, most of the time, I shied away from it, and he usually got angry at him. I told him if he would show some affection to me other then he had been drinking, then maybe I wouldn't keep to myself as much. He never saw it, as he was always so selfish about what he wanted and not maybe what I needed as a human. Before Phil, Mekong would keep my love cup full. Lammy would also keep my heart light. I know that she isn't human, but still love is love, no matter if it is given by a human or an animal. Since they were not allowed in the bedroom at night, they were at loss at how to give me affection with a closed door. Sometimes they would sit outside my bedroom door, and wait for me to come out to use the bathroom. I realize how much I put them out because of my love for a man. It was absolutely amazing the day that Phil moved out, how once the bedroom door was opened, both cats came into my bedroom, as if they knew that he was finally gone, and nothing would separate them from coming in and spending time with me at night. It took Mekong a while to get back into sleeping with me, but not Lamareoux. She slept with the first night I was alone in the house. I guess what I am saying is that I might not have the companionship of another human right now, like I hoped with Phil, but I am surely not lacking in the love department, as God made sure that I get enough of that from my lovely kitties.

Work was pretty boring and slow, as I was able to get all my stuff done, as there were no distractions with clients or even massive phone calls, due to the bad weather. I guess it was a good thing.

I realized that it is only 8 days until my 37th birthday and 9 days until my water fast, which means that I should really be preparing myself (as drinking more water then I have) and maybe changing up my diet a little bit by adding a little bit more variety of vegetables. The last week, I have been running short of the same old, same old ( broccoli, carrots, etc). I am not saying that I am getting bored with the veggies, it is that I need to change it up some how with maybe some changes. I really like the asparagus, and I am thinking about taking the little bit of money that I have for gas and extras, and use what ever is left over from gas to buy some different vegetables. I have been wanting turnip for a while, as well, my body has been hinting on green beans and peas. I know that I have frozen green beans and peas in my freezer, so I am pretty much safe on that one. I guess I am just listening to my body more and wanting to give it what it needs.

I know that I haven't really wrote down any goals yet for the year, which I am determined that I am going to work on this weekend, as I need to make type of list on what do I really want to accomplish as there are different degrees of accomplishment, such as when it comes to my crafting side of me. I have at least three blankets that I want to finish, as well as try knitting some legwarmers and some wrist warmers. I have a prayer shawl that I started at least two years ago, but it got moved around when I was preparing for Phil to move it. It is knitted, so it came off the needle and unraveled a bit, so I haven't taken the time to fix it so I can start working on it again. I have so many goals that range from different directions in my life. Such as reading books, reading my Bible, picking up my Spanish once again, wanting to learn French, as well as pick up my Latin. Maybe even work on some math problems, as I am horrible at. It is hard to explain how my personality and my desire to complete and accomplish various goals that are like various spokes of a wheel. Over the weekend, I am going to trying and label them and list them in some type of category.

My evening was lovely beyond words. It wasn't anything special, but I made it so, because I am worth it. I watched/listen to a movie (Balto II) while I prepared for my dinner (as I had to defrost some salmon) and cut up and dish out some vegetables, as they were in different packages. I added a little bit of butter to the salmon, which I have not done since I have been eating healthy, I also added some seasonings: Lemon Pepper, black pepper and some season mixed called Montreal Chicken by McCormick. It has garlic, onion, salt, spices and herbs (including red pepper) orange peel, paprika, citric acid, green bell pepper, lemon juice solids, natural flavor and sulfiting agents. I didn't realize it had salt in it, as when I tasted my salmon, it tasted really salty. I forgot that the season had salt in it, as well as the butter, as most of the seasonings I use are all salt free. It wasn't too bad, but I don't do that again. LOL As I was eating my steamed veggies (broccoli, carrots, snow peas, mushrooms, and Brussel Sprouts) I realized once again how much I really enjoy eating my veggies and how tasty they were with just a little bit of garlic and herb seasonings.

I guess it was just another time where I realized how I have really done a 360 degree turn from what I was eating 5 months ago (which was in early October) to what changes I made starting October 30, 2010 and what I am NOW eating. It is amazing how such a change as changing what I am eating has really affected me over the last 3 months. I am much happier, both emotionally, and mentally as well I weigh less and my body seems healthier then it was. I finished my simple dinner in peace and thankfulness. I washed up my dinner dishes as well as my lunch containers, then worked on my lavender cowl for a while, while watching Balto II again, as I really didn't watch it much the first time, as I was cleaning up my kitchen and getting my dinner ready to cook. I crocheted for a while while watching my movie. Mekong was watching my lap closing once again, as she wanted to sit in my lap like normal. LOL

I made a small snack as I was waiting for my dinner to cook. It was simple fare. It was just a Wasa multi grain cracker with a bit of horseradish mustard with sliced mushrooms and three small slices of Swiss cheese (that came from a brick) As I was eating my delicious snack I realized that I think I figured out the healthy way to eat cheese in moderation. I realized that I enjoyed the cracker more when I added a mixture of Jarlsberg cheese, chopped up spinach and diced up mushrooms ( left over from my stuffed mushroom mix) then if it was just cheese itself. By adding the mushroom slices to the little bit of cheese, I made it more healthier then if it was just cheese, as well as I balanced it, by not allowing myself to endulge completely free in something I usually have a problem with. That means in the future, if I have cheese with something, I must make sure that it is paired with something else healthy, and I am not just eating cheese alone. Almost like I am making sure any of my cheese eating has a healthy chaperon with it, to prevent any solitary temptations that partaking in cheese alone might bring. LOL I know it sounds crazy, but I realized that this is the way it is going to have to be when it come to be and cheese as I have said before, I believe it is the gateway to my downfall to healthy eating, as well as it opens the doors for me to eat other unhealthy foods, which I DO NOT want. I guess I naturally found a checks and balances way to deal with the largest temptation I have at the moment. I just want to make sure that I am getting enough calcium in my body, as I haven't drank any milk in a while (which I might get some) and the only way I have gotten some is wither natural calcium from veggies or from a little bit of cheese and a pudding. I can't neglect that part of my health journey. Actually as I was cooking, I thought having some rice pudding would be really nice for some reason. I don't know how healthy it is, as I have never made it myself, but maybe I can make it with brown rice. Plus I have never craved rice pudding to know what is in it. I will have to look into that. LOL

After the movie was over, I turned on Wii and played for 40 minutes, since my muscles seem to feel pretty good other then my forearm, which still hurt a bit. I got myself worked up boxing as I didn't want to lose and wanted to advance a bit. I bowled a bit with my left hand, which I got up to 4 strikes in one game and got a new record which I hit the 200 mark for the first time. I found that I could interchange from left to right when I played. LOL. I would start off with my left and make the natural curve, and I used my right, when I needed to make a straight shot, since none of my shots were straight when I used my left. LOL. I lastly played baseball up until, I decided that I should go take my bath. I found myself dancing around to my music (as I plugged in my MP3 player again) as I played my games. I definitely have been moving more and more (especially in between games, bouts and other pauses), that I find myself dancing, moving my hips, and using other muscles that I wasn't before regularly in an exercising manner. I even found myself tightening my abdomen muscles as I stood there to swing my bat while playing baseball. It was great! I can feel my body using particular muscles more and more in my back, my sides (my obliques muscles) and my abdomen. It is awesome then feel more tone and tighter then they have been before. I can really feel that I am actually going some where with this losing weight, and toning my muscles back into shape. It makes me feel really really REALLY GOOD!

I thought I would soak in a night hot bath to relax and soothe my muscles. I ran a bubble bath, with just a little bit of sesame seed body oil in it. I got a small monkey bowl of frozen peaches, that I let sit out to defrost naturally for a bit. I turn on my cassette tape of the Philadelphia Harmonic Handel's Messiah and got in my bath and relaxed. I really wanted to listen to the Bible, but I couldn't find any of them on tape so I could, so I settled with trusty ole Handel, which I love listening to. I could myself singing along when certain songs came on. I realized how much I missed participating in Marion Civic Choir each year as they preform Handel's Messiah. I did it for 4 years, but it got too much to handling while working 2 jobs, so I quit, with the hopes of picking it back up again some day. As I was singing and splashing away, I didn't realize that Mekong was at the door of the bathroom. I called to her, but she just sat there and cried at me. She WOULD NOT come in the bathroom. LOL She remembers that baths I had to give her to help her get rid of her flea problem. Poor little girl. She looked like she wanted to, but she just sat there and finally ran off back into the living room. LOL It was a lovely time, while I ate a few cold peaches, which soaking in a hot tub of water. I brushed my skin and soaked for about an hour before I got out.

I got into my pajamas and I drank about 9 ounces of water after I got out of the tub. It tasted really good. I read a bit, to enjoy the relaxing feeling I was having. I finished my book that I was reading. I then watched a bit of TV, while I worked on my cowl a bit more. I was determined to finish it before I went to bed. LOL. I finished before Midnight, which made Mekong happy, as she was trying to get in my lap a couple times while I was working on it. It was funny, as she even played with the yarn a bit, which she NEVER does. It was lovely to see her be a little bit of a kitten again. LOL The cowl was a little bit different then the one I gave Christy. It was 4 rows longer then hers, as I wanted to have the “play” in it so I could pull it up to cover my ears and most of my top of my head. I did noticed that it was a bit wider in areas, but I tried not to think about it too much otherwise I wouldn't like it. I should it was because the gauge was off, and my stitches were probably tighter the first time around. I tried it on, and it looked lovely on me. I like how the color brought out my dark hair and pale skin, unlike the earthy tones in the other one. It almost gave me a mysterious look about me, when I looked in the mirror. I really like how it came out and how it look. At least for now. Knowing me, I might change my mind in a couple days, once I mentally and physically pick away the flaws and the imperfections of my creation. I will just have to see how it goes in a couple days. I just never know if something as it being a bit wider or how it sets around my neck and face might not appeal to me, as I once thought. If I don't like it, I could always give it to Ashley, I think she would like it. I will just have to see.

After I finished my cowl, I was now settled down to really relax and go to sleep, or so I thought. Sleep didn't come easily, as it seemed that I was having a small case of insomnia in the most relaxed state as I could possible get. LOL

FOOD INTAKE:

BREAKFAST : (about 7:30 a.m.) 8 ounces of Mott's apple juice

DRINK: 12 ounces of Oolong Tea (consumed over 4 hours)

SNACK: (around 9:30 a.m.) 3/4 of Red delicious apple

LUNCH: 1 cup bean stew (15 beans, barley, lentils, carrot, and onion) with my special mixed hot sauce and 1 cup of steamed veggies (broccoli, carrots, snow peas, mushrooms, and Brussel Sprouts)

DRINK: A half of cup of Oolong Tea (coffee cup)

SNACK: Wasa multi grain cracker with a little bit of horseradish mustard, a couple slices of mushroom and three One inched slices of Swiss

DINNER: A serving of wild caught salmon and 1 cup of steamed veggies (broccoli, carrots, snow peas, mushrooms, and Brussel Sprouts)

EXERICISE: walked 1.20 Miles, 40 minutes on the Wii (Boxing, Bowling and Baseball)

WATER INTAKE: 24.9 ounces of water

WEIGHT: 129 pounds