Fibromyalgia and Fat - Tomi's story page 13

[tomi]

thanks, Judg and Jenn! All good thoughts and suggestions. I love the brainstorming! It doesn't seem to matter what I put in my stomach. Today I had bacon and eggs - no stomach issues. And last night I had a Dairy Queen Blizzard (my 20%). So, dairy doesn't seem to be the problem. Many years ago I was so sick with it that I could be eating a salad for lunch, and within 15 minutes I was in bathroom - depositing undigested salad into the toilet. Granted - it may have been the salad I had eated for yesterdays lunch - but just the same, the food was going through without digesting. Not to be too graphic - but seeing bits of lettuce, carrots and broccoli coming out the wrong end is a bit worrisome!

I didn't know about the iron thing. I'm getting blood work done on monday and I will ask her to check that also. I do take a multiple vitamin that says it has 100% of RDA of iron, but maybe that isn't enough - or isn't absorbing. Although I sure pee orange after taking it! Isn't that the iron? Something to research......... I love research!

I'm beginning to think it could be parasites. I was tested about a year ago and got a "negative" result - but I think I might just do a parasite cleanse anyway. It couldn't hurt. I've heard if you have parasites it can also effect your ability to lose weight. I think I'll do some research on that and maybe order some stuff.

Anyway - thanks again! I sure appreciate the input and the concern I hope you both have a wonderful FRIDAY! the weekend is shaping up to be pretty nice - and I'm looking forward to some fun with my husband!

[tomi]

Its been a great day! No IBS today so I've been busy and having fun in yard! I got some things planted and mowed the grass and did some edging! Busy busy busy.

I'm seriously missing, no...... CRAVING some dark chocolate! I haven't had any in a couple of days - and I've not been without for most of the time I've been primal. No d.choc. and no almonds for about 3 days now. I keep going to my stash cupboard - hoping some will magically appear....... but no such luck. Dang. And now I need to go to the store...... I will have to be strong and resist the desire to buy some.

Today I've had 6 peices of bacon and 2 eggs for breakfast. For dinner, a 6 oz beef patty fried in bacon grease. YUMMY. But I sorta deviated and dipped it in honey mustard dressing. Not primal........ but how much can 2 TB hurt me? I just can't give up my salad dressings......... What do you guys do for dips and dressings?????

[Judg]

Dressings: home-made vinaigrette, extra-virgin olive oil and some fine vinegar. It can be made in a bottle to add dry mustard and herbs and garlic for extra flavour.

For dips, well, there isn't much I dip, but I would probably mix some Greek yogurt with garlic powder and herbs and spices. On meat I would put Dijon mustard, or salsa. But salt and herbs and spices work just fine.

Sweetie, where are your veggies? 6-9 helpings a day... You need the vitamins, you need the carbs.

Why don't you schedule yourself some regular small cheats so you don't give in to the big ones? A Blizzard probably sets back your weight loss by a week. I'm not trying to give you a hard time, but you're very frustrated with your lack of weight loss, and you're just not going to get out of that with the way you're eating. The basic primal formula is very simple: tons of veggies, meat and fat in moderation, and the occasional sensible indulgence. The words tons, moderation, and sensible are important.

I get out of my cravings by thinking about the wonderful things I do get to eat. I am not deprived, I am choosing health and energy and a new body. Nachos and ice cream and pizza are pain and fatigue and fat. No fun at all. Or I say to myself, sure you can have some. Later. How about tomorrow? Or I snitch a couple of spoonfuls of my husband's dessert at the restaurant instead of ordering one for me. Or I reach for one of my "primal" cookies and eat it nice and slow. With a really great cup of coffee to make it an event. The more I can associate "treats" with misery and wonderful food with good things, the easier it gets.

[tomi]

Judg --- you're very wise! I think I'm going to make you my mentor! I absolutely agree - but in my own defense the "treats" are rare and always very small. The blizzard was eaten over 2 days. My husband and son ate pizza for dinner last night and I wasn't even tempted to take a bite. And pizza is my all time favorite food! I make good choices 99% of the time. As for veggies --- yesterday I didn't have any. But most days I'm getting LOTS. Normally my plate is 1/2 or 3/4 veggies and the rest meat. Yesterday was not a normal eating day. I have a BAS or a heaping pile of steamed veggies for dinner every night.

I will try your dressing suggestions, but I'm not a big fan of vinegar. Everytime I buy a vinegar based dressing I end up giving it away cuz it makes me pucker when I eat my salad! Maybe its one of those things that has to grow on you??? I have one that is raspberry vinegarete with olive oil --- its okay, but still too much vinegar, and seems too sweet for a salad.

So, the scales appear to moving again! This morning I weighed myself - after eating breakfast and fully dressed (no shoes) and it was 188. So I must be 187 naked. Thats down 2 pounds from a week ago. But it could just be one of those low days - tomorrow it could be back up to 190. But I'm feeling good about it!

Tummy issues again today, but very mild -- must not be the d. chocolate or almonds causing it cuz I haven't eaten any in 4 days. But since my weight is down a little I'm not going to eat any - maybe that was stalling my weight loss? Yesterday all I ate was eggs, bacon and ground beef, and the other 1/2 of the blizzard. Its a mystery. Maybe I should add some enzymes to my pile of pills!

I want to ride my bike down to the shop to see the hubby at work, but its a bit chilly out there! I could just bundle up and go anyway. I wonder how far it is...... something like 4 or 5 miles maybe? Its supposed to be a nice weekend! Yeah!

[Analog6]

Tomi, I think you should keep a very detailed food and IBS problems diary. I'm talking times and quantities for every single thing you put down the hatch, even tablets & supplements. Something among what you are having must be doing it, so see if you can pin it down.

You may find The Fiber Menace helpful, and be sure to follow the link to the Bristol Stool Chart (BSC). Initially on my restart I was a bit constipated and trying to eat more fibre. Then I read this and it hit a chord, so I have now been following this for about 2 months and NO bowel issues. I go (stools) 3-4 times a day, just like he says. No straining, everything is wonderful. Initially I thought it was not going to work but I gave it a week, drank lots of fluids and hey presto! The old guts have righted themselves and all is well, I am happily round the 4/5/6 on the BSC.

[Judg]

Not so wise as all that, Tomi, but I try. I am glad to hear that it wasn't your normal way of eating. Whew! I was feeling a little miserable that I was being too hard on you, but then I figured that's one of the reasons we keep these public journals, so that others can chime in and help us out. I must confess, I didn't go back and read a week's worth of menus before commenting. But I know from personal experience that allowing little cheats, while it can be life-saving if handled properly, can easily turn into allowing little cheats more often, then bigger cheats more often, and, well, you get the idea. The best one to call us on this is the bathroom scale. If it starts going up, we're out of whack.

I always bounce up after hitting a new low, at least if it's a sudden drop. But the point is that I don't jump up as high as I used to, and then I ease back down to that low more gradually. Then another sudden drop lower and so it goes. The overall trend is the important thing, it's never going to go in a straight line for very long.

As for the vinegar, if you do your own oil and vinegar, you can adjust it to your own personal tastes. Commercial salad dressings are expensive and full of junk. I like to drizzle the oil on my salad, then sprinkle with salt, then some vinegar. If this is done carefully and the salad is properly tossed, there will be just enough to coat the veggies without leaving a puddle on the bottom of the bowl. In that case the vinegar is never overwhelming, and you can adjust the proportions of the oil and vinegar to your own personal taste. When I was a student, a professor I was working for had me over to dinner one time and his wife prepared a very simple salad with just lettuce, oil, and vinegar. But it was the first time I had ever had it without excess dressing and it was wonderful. Trust Parisians to know how to do these things right. Less really is more sometimes. It was a great lesson to me in the simplicity of great cooking.

Do you know how to make your own mayo? With that you can make your own ranch and all kinds of things. It should be relatively easy to primalize them. You could also try adding extra spices to your meats, so you don't feel the need to dip. Just roll it around joyfully in your mouth and savour, and you won't even miss extra condiments. You won't be losing anything, but discovering a new way to enjoy food.

[Judg]

Tomi, I think you should keep a very detailed food and IBS problems diary. I'm talking times and quantities for every single thing you put down the hatch, even tablets & supplements. Something among what you are having must be doing it, so see if you can pin it down.

You may find The Fiber Menace helpful, and be sure to follow the link to the Bristol Stool Chart (BSC). Initially on my restart I was a bit constipated and trying to eat more fibre. Then I read this and it hit a chord, so I have now been following this for about 2 months and NO bowel issues. I go (stools) 3-4 times a day, just like he says. No straining, everything is wonderful. Initially I thought it was not going to work but I gave it a week, drank lots of fluids and hey presto! The old guts have righted themselves and all is well, I am happily round the 4/5/6 on the BSC.

Thank you for this, Odille. I know somebody who really needs to know this.

[Candy in Wonderland]

Thanks for the link Odile, I'm going to read it right now. i've been constipated for days

[Judg]

Another dip/dressing idea: avocado! Just mash a ripe avocado with a splash of vinegar or lime juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Runnier for dressing, thicker for dip. DS was dipping his ham in his guac this evening and I said, must tell Tomi! Totally delicious. You can add sour cream or Greek yogurt too.

[jenn26point2]

Thanks for the poo link, Odille! 3-4x per day! I thought that was bad... I thought we only needed to go once per day to be "regular"

Tomi, your weekend sounds very relaxing! I hope you had a nice time and got all your stuff done.