A Better Day

Well, today was much better than yesterday in terms of controlling my prednisone munchies. I still felt the need to eat everything in sight, but instead of eating chocolate peanuts, I cooked vegetables and ate them instead. It actually worked to satisfy my hunger and keep me from eating 3000 calories a day.

I tried walking a little on my treadmill, but got out of breath too easily so stopped that after about 5 minutes. To get some exercise in, I cleaned my office instead. I have way too many tech cords and miscellaneous hardware. If I don’t sort and label all the cords and hardware soon, I won’t know what cord goes to what device and what devices/cords have multiple purposes. Time to throw out old, dusty files also. This is not a job I like, but while on the prednisone high I might as well take advantage of my inability to sleep and the fidgeting that comes along with the high and the munchies. Let’s just hope I don’t throw out anything important!

If you have never had to take prednisone, imagine being unable to sit still without bouncing a knee, talking way too quickly (and typing that way also), wanting to do more than your asthma/bronchitis is willing to let you do AND being stuck indoors as you try to get better. You have to do something to stay sane. I love to read, but on prednisone, I can only read about a chapter at a time because I just cannot sit still long enough to concentrate. Never, ever try to do real work while on prednisone…you will just have to go back and clean it up.

Use My Pyramid

If you haven’t taken a look at the link to My Pyramid on the right of my blog, you should. It is a great site where you can track what you eat and your activity (including just watching tv–no points there) to see if you are taking in fewer calories than you are expending. It is a fairly comprehensive site that includes activities like showering, putting on make-up, and washing dishes, as well as the more traditional fitness routines, such as walking, jogging, and aerobics.

I started using it yesterday and was appalled by how many more calories I took in than I used up, so it has already helped me focus on lowering my calorie intake (without the pesky counting). While this is not a site I would use every day, it is one that I will go back to on a regular basis when I need a reminder of how I need to balance activity and calories.

Tyrannosaurus Rex

Okay, my cough is better, but 60 mg of prednisone should make anything better. I have lots of excess energy today from the prednisone–just vacuumed the living room (which hadn’t been done since I’ve been sick–about 3 weeks now). Of course, that didn’t help my dust mite allergy, but I have a HEPA filter vacuum and not enough income for cleaning help, so there you go.

This post is called tyrannosaurus rex because I have short, chubby tyrannosaurus rex arms and a hippo ass, which doesn’t work that well when combined with side muscle pulls from coughing. Just use your imagination to create a picture of my problem. However, a heating pad and ibuprofen (not to mention prednisone) are helping with that problem also.

So, I am going to do some stretching today, along with my 8 glasses of water (so far only 2 glasses and it is already 2 p.m.), but I’m working on it. Will aim for 8 p.m. for no eating, –thanks for the tip, Adam–but that may have to wait until my prednisone-induced eating jags disappear. At this point, if I am keep myself from cleaning out the refrigerator, I am happy.

Chocolate Peanuts

Well, the first day of my healthy new lifestyle sort of worked. I managed to drink more water. I got out and walked a little (still not feeling good enough to do a lot of walking yet). I ate turkey spaghetti for dinner with whole wheat spaghetti and NO garlic bread even though there is some in the freezer.

My real problem still remains the prednisone munchies. I seem to be addicted to chocolate covered peanuts. I am not talking about a handful here, but an entire bag a day. As my “never been fat” husband is quick to point out, the bag has over 1200 calories. Okay, 1200 calories is a day’s worth of food. Who cares if I ate turkey spaghetti if I also managed to down almost an entire bag of the chocolate peanuts (and the night is still young).

I know I should just drink tea or water (good for the bronchitis als0); however, that really and truly does not help the prednisone munchies. Could just scream, but maybe seeing this in writing will help.

First Post: Journey 2 Health

All right! So, I need to get healthy and I need accountability–what better way than a blog to see me through my journey to health.

During my last bout of bronchitis/asthma (including a journey to the emergency room on Christmas morning), it became patently clear that if I didn’t do something about my health, I might as well curl up and die a slow, wheezing death. I have decided that is not going to happen. Studies have shown a connection between asthma and obesity, so I have to lose weight to get healthy. I admit it–I am obese–morbidly obese with a 44 BMI–I feel like I have joined Overeater’s Anonymous here. Time to get HEALTHY!

I have decided to create this blog to keep track of my journey to health. So, what am I going to do? Take small steps to healthy eating and fitness.

Healthy Eating

• No more sodas (diet or otherwise). I have been doing this for about 3 months and it helps.
• No more butter/margarine (I seem to be addicted to the taste, so I am giving it up.) Still working on this one.
• No eating after 7 p.m. (I haven’t managed this yet.)
• Eight glasses of water a day (on my way).
• No eating in front of the t.v. (still working on this also).
• No using prednisone as an excuse to eat (but it is such a good one!!!).

Fitness (once I can breathe again–right now I’m on 60 mg of prednisone for asthma)

• Join the gym with my skinny husband (he has no idea what it is like to diet–6′1″ and 155 pounds).
• Walk with a friend to prepare to walk a half-marathon in April.
• Add stretching (15 minutes to my daily routine).