Life: 2 steps forward and 10 steps back...

*** Note: Some of the photos in todays post have nothing to do with the post itself.  They calming and extreamly relaxing.  I really hope you see the beauty in each one.  My Twitter friends shared New York with me; through their eyes. ****

  Know the days when you feel like you take two steps forward, and it seems like 10 steps back?  I had that day yesterday.  In order for you to understand what I'm talking about, You'll have to take a step back in time; just a small leap.

Isn't this Florida sky so pretty?

  Remember when I was taking part in the Blood Pressure Research Study?  During one of my visits, fasting blood labs were drawn.  With the results, I learned that my good cholorestel was low and my bad cholestrol was high, so I needed to work on bringing the bad down.  I stopped all fried foods.  Only cooked with EVOO {extra vergin olive oil}.  Kept a lot of fruit in the house.  I thought I was going a pretty good job. 

  Yesterday I went to see my physician at Bloomingdale Medical Accociates.  Here is what my lab results from June {The Research Center} really showed.  My total cholestrol was high at 188 and my AC1 {the percentage of fasting blood sugar} was also high at 6.0; yeah!  Now, normally a physician might let you know about the AC1 being close to the danger zone.  In my case however, stocky postmenaposal female with high blood pressure, high cholestrol, and a family history of heart conditions {which high blood pressure is a heart condition}; it brings the danger zone to a whole new level.

New York City in the Fall is so stunning; don't you think?

  My two steps forward, was when the nurse yesterday told me my blood pressure was 127/86 and my pluse was 72. 

  Angels begand to sing and in the back ground, a harp was softly playing.  Not really but, that was quite a mountian we climbed to control an otherwise uncontrolable blood pressure.

  My 10 steps back?  Well 5 steps went to the high cholestrol problem and the new medication I would begin taking at night.  The other 5 steps went to the news of being a diabetic.  Yes, you heard me right.  Diabetic. 

Here is the game plan....

1} No medication for the next 6 months
2} Complete Meal planning:
     A} 5 Starches per day
     B} 3 Fruits per day
     C} 2 Milk products per day
     D} 3 Nonstarchy Veggies per day
     E} 4 oz Meat or Meat Subetututes per day
     F} 3 Fats per day
3} Loose 5 pounds per month

  If my AC1 does not change after the meal planning and weight lost {6 months lifestyle training, than I will be put on medication to control my blood sugar.  In between, I will have a Complete Thyroid panel drawn.  The physician feels my Thyroid isn't fuctioning as it should.

Didn't the George Washington Bridge in New York look simply breath taking last night?

  So, as you see, by the time I take two steps forward; I move 10 steps back.  The upside?  I am learning about myself.  About food.  About the quality of life.  And what living really means. 
 
  Learning to live a way other than the way I have lived for the past 47 years, is like riding a mean bull.  But today was only the first day, and what I thought {and complained about all day today}, hasn't turned out to be that bad at all.  Now that I am looking back on the days events that is.  I have never been a breakfast eater, and that has changed.  I never thought much about cream of wheat, and this morning proved me right, but I will just try another breakfast item as one of my starches.  Thursday morning brings oatmeal, and fruit.

Meal planning and Meal Log.

  Charting every portion of my food in take is a must; I am looking at it in the way of having my own menu of trial meals.  I am sure as time goes on, I will get better at balancing my starches throughout a single day.  Making the most of the food I can eat.  Crazy thing though.  It didn't really bother me to only eat meat one time a day, as there were plenty of days where coffee was the only thing for breakfast and fresh fruit salad was my lunch; leaving meat for dinner.  Again it didn't bother me, until yesterday that is, when some one veribally told me I could only eat 4oz of meat daily.  Sure, I could split that up throughout the day, and have 2 ounces of meat at lunch and 2 ounces at dinner; but have you really looked at a 2 ounce peice of meat. 

  Needless to say, today I split my 4 ounces meat.  The first day is always the hardest.  Salad greens are free for me, so while out on our Girls Day, I ate a subway salad... which intailed of lettuce and spinach leaves, 2 thin slices of tomatoes, 6 olive slices, and non fat italian dressing. Oh, and a bottle of water.  Hard to follow the whole starch, fat, fruit... etc?  I thought so too.  Here, let me break it down for you with just todays menu.

Again, this is what I am allowed a day:  Starches 5, fruit 3, milk 2, nonstarchy veggies 3, meat 4oz, fats 3

Breakfast 10 10 2012
1/2 cup Cream of Wheat = 1 starch {leaving me 4 for the rest of the day}
1 tsp butter {added to the cream of wheat - still was yuck} = 1 fat {leaving me 2 for the day}
17 grapes = 1 fruit {leaving me 2 for the day}
1 cup of milk {I add a small amount of milk to my coffee, which equales a cup all day long} = 1 milk {leaving me 1 for the day}

Lunch
Subway made Salad
Lettuce {free food}
2 slices tomatoes + a few soinach leaves = 1 nonstarchy veggie {leaving me 2 for dinner}
2 ounces Tuna = 1/2 my meat {leaving me with 2 ounces of meat for dinner}

Dinner
6 ounces plain yogurt = 1 milk [milk done for the day}
2 ounces of skinless boneless chicken = 1 meat {meat done for the day}
1/4 cup of blueberries = fruit {now I was allowed 1 1/4 cups of strawberries but I used the 1/4 cup for blueberries instead}
1 cup strawberries = 1 fruit {leaving me with one more fruit}
1/2 banana = 1 fruit {no more fruit for the day}
1 cup cooked mushrooms {mushrooms are a nonstarchy veggie and when cooked you can have 1/2 cup, but seeing how I had to fill 2 nonstarchy veggies; I used 1 cup of mushrooms at dinner} = nonstarchy veggie {nonstarchy done for the day}
1 teaspoon EVOO = 1 fat {leaving me 1 fat}
1 slice whole grain bread = 1 starch {leaving me 1 more starch for the day}
1 pat or teaspoon butter = 1 fat {no more fat for the day}
1/4 cup granola = 1 starch {starch done for the day}

  I saved the 1/2 banana for this evening, giving me a snack before bed.  It seems like dinner was a whole lot {looking at that dinner list, but I mixed the fruit with the yogurt for an after dinner dessert.  My dinner plate consisted of a 2 ounce chicken breast with mushrooms and lemom juice and a slice of buttered bread. 

On top of The Rock or The Empire State Building.  How cool is this picture?

  Like I said, it will get better as I learn to spread out my starches.  The next chapter in my life, "Life Style Change" {as the physician called it} will find me thinner, my blood pressure still under control, and my AC1 down.

Oh the rollercoaster of life.