Saturday - manic or normal?

I am very happy with my new little black and decker coffee maker. It came with a travel mug and a reusable filter basket and it's small enough to fit on the kitchen counter without too much fuss.  Being able to control the quality of the components is all of a sudden once again important to me, and to restrict the use of cream and sugar. Eventually I might quit using either or stop drinking coffee, but in the meantime it's something to look forward to on the drive to work which can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour and a half depending on traffic. Normal is 45 minutes, and I don't think I would be able to do it without my audio book and hot drink, so I am thankful I have those.

This little gem was $25.99 at target; it will pay for itself in six weeks

Breakfasts will be things like green smoothies, toast with PB or egg, fresh fruit. Anything but a sausage biscuit. That will be reserved for an occasional indulgence, if my plan proceeds on track.

Plan? Just going back to the basics. "Eat food, not too much, mostly plants", Michael Pollan. Only whole grains and in moderation, no artificial sweeteners, flavours or colours if I am tempted to buy something processed, and cutting way back on the sugar. At least a cup of beans\legumes each day to stabilize blood sugar. A tablespoon of flax meal with breakfast to stabilize mood and add a healthy fat. Nuts or seeds in my salads, adding fat so more nutrients are absorbed from the greens. Cooking batches of veggie soup on the weekend so I have a healthy go to in the fridge at all times. Keeping staples on hand like potatoes in the cupboard, cooked rice in the freezer, and fresh fruit on the counter. Splurge at the grocery store on berries and seeds, always worth the bang for the buck, and have a sandwich once a week so I don't feel deprived. I'm sure I have forgotten something, but those are the basics.

Sugar
I walk past the bowl of 'fun' sized candy bars each day at work on the way to the ladies room but haven't been tempted all year, and haven't picked up a single one. And yesterday at target grabbed a bag of the hard shell chocolate eggs that M is partial to, but wasn't tempted to get anything for myself. Sugar in my coffee or honey in my tea remain my two sources of added sugar. For Now. Because reading blogs of others trying to manage their weight, this always comes up, how much better they feel sans sugar. And I believe that my cutting out most sugar is responsible for my trigger digits not coming back, as I may have mentioned once or twice!

Sharing links and pictures was also part of my research into nutrition and making healthy meals, so I will try to do more of that. Not to 'stay accountable' but to celebrate good food coming from good decisions. The beginning of a positive energy cycle; May the Force be with me!

Well, something is with me. The laundry is done, and I have broken a sweat weeding out in the back yard. Of course it is 77 and I was in the direct sun. But if I am sick why am I up and doing things? Am I in a Manic swing or is it the new inhaler? Looking online I find that some idiots are taking it apart, soaking the inside cotton to extract the active chemical, and drinking it to get high. Lord but people can be crazy, and blogging about it. So weird. I guess no more strange than  my random rants and posts; most of us need to feel connected in one way or another.

An enforced rest is called for, and lots more drinking, and then I will reasses and maybe go back out once I have cooled off.

Laundry is done, and I did make it out to weed a little more once the sun was lower in the sky. I also mowed the bulk of the grass that is growing like crazy due to aforesaid weather changes. Maybe that is where I should spend my tax return instead of keeping it in savings for 'emergencies'. But I am hot from the exercise followed by the soup for dinner and it's time to sign off.

I still don't know if it's a cold or allergies, but at this point I am pretty sure it's allergies. I'll add nasal rinsing back into the regime and see if that helps.

It felt good to be on my feet moving most of the day, although after sitting down for dinner it hurts to stand up. Maybe it's time to go back to the good foot doctor.


Breakfast:  home brewed decaf coffee, half n half; whole wheat toast, PB, flax meal, fresh blackberries
Snack: TJ's guilt free kettle chips, small avocado mashed with garlic powder\salt
Lunch: Cheese and crackers, few bites of a small leftover sandwich
Dinner: won ton soup (I had a quart left from yesterday) and one tiny piece of cheese pizza.