How many calories does worry burn?

I had a weigh in today and lost 2.7 pounds! But I was sooo worried that I wouldn't lose any because I've not been the "best" dieter lately, thus now I figure worrying must burn calories! More logically, it could have been the effect of the metformin I am taking, many people lose weight just by taking it. But the side effects can be kept in check by eating lots of protien...
So my % lost is now 6.5... getting closer to that big 10% that so many experts recommend. Just loosing 10% of your body weight can make everything work better even fertility...So I'm re-inspired because I'm so close to 10%. I've got to try to get back to the journaling to make sure I keep my momentum.
TTFN

Aunties make the best pals...

There are 2 little boys in my life that bring me lots of joy. Over the last little while I've spent time with both of them and it made me notice another of life's simple joys... A little hand reaching up to hold my finger and walk with me, a giggle and the uttering of simple words like cars or ball. Then there are those words that I definitely need their moms' help with... but still so cute! Here's to my one year old nephews...my sunshine boys!

TTFN

One of my favorite lunches...

Today I will share one of my new lunch secrets...Its quickly becoming a new favorite of mine. Chicken noodle soup with extra chicken. Its super easy especially if you have some time. I need to load up on the proteins for my new leaner lifestyle and this does the trick but its also an old favorite comfort food. I cook some chicken thighs in a little water in my soup pot (4-6 thighs). I cook the chicken low and slow and when I start to smell the chicken I take it out and chop it up into thin chunks. I return the chicken to the water its been cooking in add 1 can of Campbell's chicken noodle soup (its improved a lot over the last few years) I rinse the can and add the water to the pot (only about 1/2 a can more water). Stir and heat again until it boils and starts to smell again. I can smell it right now...yum yum yum. The soup is so full of chicken that you don't need crackers. I eat half right away and save half for the next days lunch. This is a really great high protein very satisfying lunch. Gotta go my soup is ready:)
TTFN
P.S. I eat 3/8 of a cup of cottage cheese 15 mins before lunch. More protien, helps me feel full and eat lunch slowly.

Metformin side effect...

So anyone on metformin will tell you about 1 obvious side effect. It happened to me once the day after I stared not again until this morning so...I thought I had beat it and might not have to deal with it or at least until my dosage changes again. But no I had a gurggly belly and had to rush to the bathroom twice this morning. So beware the metformin, this one tried and true side effect has come through again. But I have armed myself with cheese and bananas and will find a way to manage.
TTFN

Good news at the fertility doctor.

I had my follow up appointment with the fertility doc today. The results were pretty good. She figures we have a 10% chance of pregnancy with medication. I have prescriptions for metformin and clomid. The metformin is for the insulin resistance that comes along with PCOS (poly cystic ovarian syndrome), and thus I must also be careful not to get diabetes which is likely for me due to the insulin resistance. The metformin will help me ovulate but the clomid will really encourage ovulation. I am being retested for thyroid and the fertility doc will treat me even though my tests for her came back high normal...she wants the TSH levels down nice and low to prevent complications in pregnancy. Hubby was all clear...
So all of that sounds like a lot, but for me, worried about being able to get pregnant at all and wondering about the results of all of the tests, that is good news.
Plus I must consider that a normal couple has only a 20-25% chance of conception on any given month...My hope has been restored:)
TTFN

1/2 Way to First Weight Goal!

I had my follow up appointment with Dr. Wharton today and upon weighing in I learned that I am down about 5% of my body weight. Woohoo. My first goal is to loose 10% so I'm 1/2 way there. I felt very proud meeting with Dr. Wharton he congratulated and encouraged me today. On a more medical note he told me that my tests showed that I have hypothyroidism. Which I suspected and which also explains a lot of my symptoms. My family doctor, asked me to repeat my thyroid test, which I did today because it was borderline 2 months ago. Dr. Wharton said as of the tests I did for his work up, I was very high for "THS"(thyroid stimulating hormone) and to have my family doctor forward the results of the blood tests from today to his office.
There is also the fertility doctor, also checking my thyroid and I will have my follow up with her tomorrow, so there will be a third doctor checking into it. I feel like there is a race to see who diagnoses and treats me first. I don't care who wins, I just want to start growing my hair back!!!
And lastly, I also met with the therapist, she congratulated me for feeling "back on my feet" but I will see her once more at the end of the month, after all the results are in and any medications are worked out. Especially the cipralex, which I am almost off of...one more week taking 5mg every other day.
Feeling good...Busy but good.
TTFN

Loosing my appetite...

Not really a problem but more of a "development"...I seem to have lost my appetite. There are a few possibilities as to why this has happened. First and foremost I think it is because I'm busy. I've gone from zero to 50 in 3 months, this is a major change in my activity level and how much time I have on my hands. I'm just not hungry and sometimes forget to eat when I am on the "go go go". I'm not depressed anymore so I'm not eating for comfort...but a side effect of the cipralex (which I am almost off of totally) is a loss of appetite. And one last possibility is my arthritis. I'm not sure why but one of the symptoms of AS (ankylosing spondylitis) is a loss of appetite and I believe that the last time I lost a whole bunch of weight (9-6 years ago) the AS was a contributing factor.
Overall I see this as a balancing...the body works in weird ways and I am working towards having balance in my life again and loosing my appetite is probably a part of that in some weird way. But I am trying to eat healthy and find new ways to eat on the go...
TTFN

My Luxury...My Flowers

Its time to tell y'all about one of my favourite things...Flowers. I was later this year in getting flowers for the balcony but a couple of weeks ago Hubby treated me and encouraged me to let loose at the garden centre. I totally embellished my balcony with fuchsias baskets and planted up my planters with lobelia, impatiens and dreceana spikes. All purple and coral...and it looks striking, I love it.
My flowers are part of me... I love looking at flowers and being filled with the wonder of creation and diversity of life. Its spiritual for me. So that one wonderful thing that hubby encouraged me to do (buy some flowers) has set me up for a successful summer:) I look out the balcony door and feel good.
On a technical note...My balcony is shady in the afternoon thus my choices in flowers(listed above). I live in a condo, no yard just a balcony, no hose... So I bring water to my flowers by reusing old juice bottles. I have 5 juice bottles I fill in the kitchen, add a tiny bit of 15-30-15 fertilizer to each bottle, tuck the bottles under my arms, keeping one hand free to slide the door open, locate the cats to make sure none will slip out the door...then water each plant. That's my system and it works well.
I love my flowers.
TTFN