Bea's Journal

[MaryW]

Hey, Bea. Glad to hear you are doing well (and still not sick). I work with the public, so I'm very concerned about picking up a bug, swine flu or otherwise.

Have a great time at your birthday party! I love Chinese food. Asian restaurants always seem to have the best produce. I can really pack it away, especially broccoli! Yum, my favorite!

I love old movies too. None of the gore and profanity that are par for the course these days. One of my favorite old movies is Charade with Audrey Hepburn and Carey Grant. Very suspenseful! Enjoy your day!

[BHealthy]

I enjoyed my birthday - 5 pieces of cake and all! I made 2 vegan carrot cakes to take to work and put coconut in the frosting which was truly a rich feast. I ate 3 pieces of it myself - and believe me, I wasn't the only one. One staff member said it was the most delicious cake she'd ever had - no eggs or dairy and lots of whole wheat flour and all.

At my birthday party we partied for over 3 hours. I ate 2 or 3 pieces of my birthday cake (chocolate with mocha frosting - all vegan again) and had a great time. I got a pair of handerpants, too. I have absolutely wonderful friends - funny, loving, smart and so supportive. I'm truly blessed.

So, I expected to gain weight this week and was all prepared for that news on the scale - but I didn't. I did workout over 4 hours again and did a mile yesterday and the aerobics class, so maybe the muscle is starting to build up a bit and helping burn some fat. Today I weigh 359. My goal for Nov. 7th is to weigh 352 or less, so I may not achieve it. I'll be eating plenty of veggies, beans and potatoes this week though, and exercising just the same or more. I wake up so darn early every day now - usually around 4 and I can't stop thinking about things I need to do for work so I just type them up and then go swimming after that. Better than watching TV or trying to sleep for 45 min which won't happen.

Still haven't heard about the power wheelchair so I'm assuming it isn't going to happen. I'm okay with that. I've felt guilty about the possibility of getting one - except on days when the pain is really bad, which have been fewer and fewer than in the past months. I haven't used the scooter for over a week, just the walker and cane. I'm going to force myself to walk all the way with the walker on the next outdoor safety drill because my boss is not being supportive and I want to show him there is no problem.

My health club now has a plan so I can get in there in the mornings which is working better. No more waiting in the rain or waiting for 15 minutes to have someone unlock the door. I got this phone message asking me to come swim an hour later when they have 2 people on staff and I wrote a letter to them and also talked with a disability rights advocate who was very helpful. Before the message got to them they had already made a plan, though which will work until they get a buzzer system or something in place. I wrote back and thanked them.

Fortunately for me most Halloween candy has dairy in it so eating it wasn't a possibility. During water aerobics (which I do suspended in the water and have many nearly drowning moments that crack me up) well, during the class on Saturday the instructor called on each of us while we were huffing and puffing asking us to name our favorite candy. Mine was reeses peanut butter cups which I haven't eaten in 11 years or so...but i can still taste them in my memory. It was fun hearing everyone's favorites.

I'm defrosting some veggie soup for lunch tomorrow and making rice, beans and greens for dinner. Oatmeal for breakfast tomorrow which sticks with me until lunch.

Got to go get busy. Thanks for sending birthday wishes, Mary and the swimming kudos, bunsofaluminum. I ate a huge plate of steamed veggies with rice and garlic sauce and one fried spring roll for dinner - oh and cake. We gave cake to everyone in the restaurant - employees and patrons. We probably ran off most of the patrons with all the laughter, but we were too busy having fun to notice.

Take care everyone and good luck this week with your health goals.

[f1jim]

HBTY HBTY HBDB HBTY
f1jim

[Anna Green]

Yeah! Bea! I am glad to hear the pain is less. You are SO doing this getting healthy thang. I love hearing how you overcome so many obstacles- no excuses. Way to go!

[Letha..]

Hi Bea,
I’m glad you had such a great birthday surrounded by loving friends. Hope you are having a great week.
Letha

[Ege Bamyasi]

Your birthday sounds like it was a great time. Man oh man does that cake ever sound goooooood!

Most of all, I'm so happy to hear that your pain level is dropping. It really sounds like the exercise and weight release are helping you! The same is true for me with regards to my lower body -- hips, knees, ankles and whatnot -- now I just need my shoulders to catch up.

Keep up the good work, Bea!

[BHealthy]

Today marks the beginning of the 5th month since resuming McDougalling. I've lost 77 pounds so far. I was hoping to get down to 349, but considering everything, I'm happy with this.

The weight loss is moving along and I do feel healthier and stronger. I can now swim a mile nonstop and get in an average of 4 1/2 hours exercise a week. I'd like to increase that exercise to 5 or 6 hours a week over the month to come.

Good news: my knee pain is less due to less weight to haul around and strengthening the muscles

Bad news: I need to eat more greens and veggies as it's too easy to find comfort in whole grain wraps or burritos with little veggies.

There are a lot of stressors right now in my life and I'm hanging in there.

My knee was feeling so much stronger - then - crud - back to major pain again. I guess that was a lesson.

Today I tried to swim laps without doing the 15 min of deep water exercises and my legs just wouldn't work. So, at least now I know those exercises do help limber them up.

I haven't been sleeping well. My new cpap mask and upped air pressure aren't the most comfortable combination. But I do sleep longer without waking up most nights. Once I wake up though - it's over for the night. t

I'm also nervously waiting to hear the results (scores) from a professional journey I worked over 600 extra hours on last year - and the scores are available in the next few weeks or even days now. I'm very glad I went through the process, still a bit exhausted from it all, but the learning and confidence gained are amazing - so even if I find I need to redo some of it this year, it is still worth it and I'll learn more. It's all worthwhile.

I still don't know about the wheelchair - but am assuming it's not going to be approved since it's taking SO LONG. I've been using my walker at work and I think I can make it without the chair if I am careful. What I'd really love is one of those rolling stools they have in doctors' offices. that would help me get around and conference with students without knocking anyone over. I haven't knocked anyone over yet, thank goodness.

Well, gotta go get some housework accomplished before going out for fun tonight.

Take good care of yourselves.

[sksamboots]

Yay for the 77 pounds Released! Amazing. That's really at a record pace. Please take a bow! Seems like you are figuring the quirks out about your body, I hope the pain continues to get better until you have none. I'm here rooting you on. Your amazing

[MaryW]

Congrats on your amazing weight loss, Bea! Your exercising sounds like it is coming along too. Great job!

[BHealthy]

I found out today that my insurance approved the wheelchair. Now they need to remeasure me because I've lost weight - it's been a long time since the first measurement. LOL

So someday before the new year I hope to be able to get around work in the wheelchair.

I think this is good news . . . but I still feel very guilty about getting this chair. I don't feel like I deserve it and do feel that I should just keep pushing along with the walker and get over it.

I have more good days with the ole knees but still have some nasty bad ones thrown in as well.

I'm going to make an appt with the knee doctor and see what he thinks just to be 100% out of the guilt range on this. Oh those Catholic school days hang around forever I guess . . .

[Anna Green]

Bea, congrats on your sticking to this and the weight loss. Forgive me teacher if my math is off but it seems to be about 5 lbs per week. So why are you worried about your whole gr burritos? You are doing great. And let go of the worry about the chair. You deserve not to be in pain. I get the Catholic school girl thing, though.

I think about you sometimes when I am exercising and I tell myself if Bea can do it through the pain, then I can push through what is a lot less pain. You have a good one.

[Bedstemor]

Hi, Bea - You truly are an inspiration! I haven't checked elsewhere on the McD. site but have you/will you share your vegan carrot cake and chocolate cake recipes? My birthday is coming up and it sounds like just the "cake" for me! I know you are super busy so if and when you have the time that would be great.

I look forward - always- to your posts.

Thank you.

[BHealthy]

HI everyone,

I've been away celebrating with abandon! In spring 2008 I began working toward NBPTS certification (basically the national boards for teaching). I did it to learn and grow and gain confidence, believe it or not. Anyway, all along I knew my chances of certifiying the first year would be slim (about 60-70% of the relatively few teachers who do try to certify, fail their first year). I was so delighted that I was one of the lucky ones who passed. Woooooo-hooooo! You should have heard me scream when I read the news online.

Anyway, it's been a pretty exciting time recently. Waiting for the scores to be released and then seeing them. I'm just so very blessed all around.

My weight has kind of been staying the same. I'm still swimming, but am eating wraps and usually getting home late at night, so eating late as well. I plan on having mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy and green bean casserole (I have created a vegan version that no one can tell the difference - well, what's there to tell with canned green beans LOL!) and brussels sprouts, rutabagas and pumpkin pie. Won't be getting any tofurky or mayo to make sandwiches this year because I think I'd go bonkers with that.

I found out that I'll be getting the wheelchair soon. That is going to be helpful here at work.

About those cakes: I don't want to post those recipes because they aren't McDougall friendly. They are for feasts . . . but you can google recipes online that will very similar. Vegan Carrot Cake and Depression Chocolate Cake are the recipes. The chocolate cakes uses vinegar and soda/baking powder instead of eggs. Which was helpful during the depression when people were rationing eggs and dairy products. Works out well for vegans.

My apologies for not going into details about the ones I make.

Best wishes to all for a great Thanksgiving!

[Letha..]

Congratulations Bea on your NBPTS certification!
Letha

[Bedstemor]

Hi, Bea - I haven't seen any posts lately and I'm wondering how you're doing. (Perhaps I'm not looking in the right place?!)

I hope you are doing well.