Starting from Scratch or so I feel...

It's been a while since I posted.  I was sick from Thanksgiving until the beginning of January (no joke!).

I also am coming back from a vitamin D deficiency and SAD from the longer-darker season. I LOVE the snow but this winter has kicked my bum!

Y membership starts up in a couple weeks (I've been waiting PATIENTLY for flex spending to get their act together). I've been doing some HIIT workouts but holy cats are they hard! I feel like I'm starting from scratch again. I'd like to enter another Tri this year but it's been too hectic and there are simply other priorities we need to catch up on financially. My heart aches though as I see friends updates and see how hard their working and the camaraderie growing among the group. I can't stop though. If I can't do it in the group I was in last year, then I HAVE to use what I learned here at home. The only backside is I'm continuing to tweak meds. I'm not feeling the greatest lately. My knees are acting up again and I just feel utterly frustrated. Back in the water I go soon. I've been looking forward to the Y to gain momentum and just start feeling energetic again without putting too much weight on my knees.

Struggling

I have to say that I am feeling quite icky. I'm not sure if it's hormones, or the fact that I have a tipped uterus or even a multiple of issues but I'm achey all over including my knees that I have issues at times with running. I have pretty bad headaches, my lower back is extremely bad and man am I depressed!  Moody just isn't describing the way I feel right now. I know that getting a regular menstrual cycle is a good thing but maybe not having had it regularly for years is making up for lost time.

To top things off I feel HUGE. I'm not sure if I've actually gained 60 pounds or just feel like it but man do I feel like a lead balloon!

I figured I'd jot this down so that I can look back and see how my body is changing and what I'm going through.

I don't have a whole lot to say. I'm taking things minute by minute, hour by hour and day by day.  By the grace of God!  I seem to be functioning for the most part and am keeping myself busy so I don't get too stagnant.

If anyone out there is reading this. I pray you have a day filled with blessings in Jesus name.  Keep on keepin on!

Another Step Forward!

I couldn't write this in my regular status post on FACEBOOK but I wanted to jot this here.

I've been exercising and eating "mostly vegan" for a while now.  I have had many medical issues pertaining to hormone and endocrine issues. PCOS, Hypothyroid, Type II diabetes, hyper-prolactinemia, fertility issues, etc. etc. etc.

The past two months I've been getting my menstrual cycle. Something I haven't had since it stopped when I was about 16 years old. I was told I'd had PCOS, but at the time it was such a new diagnosis that Dr.'s didn't really know what to do with it. So he put me on The Pill to regulate the menstrual cycle and when I got off it because I felt awful 2 years later, I found myself with full blown type II diabetes and hypothyroid disease. It masked the cause but covered the symptoms.

Like clockwork I got my menstrual cycle yet again.  I don't remember EVER having a regular menstrual cycle that came when predicted. I was told we could never conceive for YEARS because I never had an actual period. The Dr.'s just assumed if I didn't have one, I couldn't ovulate to get pregnant. BOY were they ever wrong! In 2009 without fertility meds we conceived Jackson on a mini vacation. I thought I had rectal cancer (no joke, later I found I had a tipped uterus and my left ovary was literally somewhere close to the sphincter)! Most close to us know that our son later passed at 22 weeks gestations just 25 minutes after he was born prematurely to what I later researched was an Incompetent Cervix. 2 years later after we conceived through IUI fertility treatment we had our little rainbow baby.

I'm sure you must be laughing by now. It is funny, but I can assure you that it's NO LAUGHING MATTER for my husband.  I get lower back cramps and I'm worse than a witch to deal with! I have been sick to my stomach, have had the munchies which is abnormal for me and just undoubtedly off emotionally and physically then...SURPRISE!  Holy Cats!  I knew I was hormonal and figured it "could" be but counting the days between the last cycle it was literally shall I say predictable?!

I'd imagine some of you ladies are wondering what all the big deal is but when you go for YEARS without any cycle at all and then have two predictable cycles though I will say I should be quarantined so not to raise hell with those around me for being too forward and too moody.  One gets excited that maybe all the hard work has been paying off.

I WILL say this though.  I am bloated. I wore typical cotton pants, I hated walking out in public feeling bloated but I didn't give a hoot! I feel a ton and it doesn't feel all that great.   Whoa Nelly! Someone help my cranky mood swings and don't look at me the wrong way or my evil looks will haunt you for months!

So, I'm guessing this is a sign that the hard work of eating healthy and exercising is working. Right now however, I am moody, I'm tired, I'm bloated and get the heck outa my way if your on the roads or look at me wrong! Hahaha

Happy Weekend Everyone! Go have some peace and joy. I'm going to find my happy place!

Vegan Apple Cake Recipe

I took a friends Apple Cake recipe and made it vegan. It came out EXCELLENT!

One Bowl Apple Cake - This cake is so moist and rich and just perfect for this time of year. (and easy to make!)Ingredients:

2 Flax Eggs (1TB of ground flaxseed and 3 TB of water = 1 Flax egg. Double this recipe for 2)

1 3/4 cups sugar I used cane juice crystals

2 heaping teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 C. of Apple Sauce in place of oil

6 medium Gala or Fuji or Honey Crisp apples

2 cups Whole Wheat Pastry flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

Directions:Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix the Flax eggs, sugar, cinnamon and apple sauce. Peel and slice the apples and add to mixture in bowl (coating as you go to keep apples from turning brown.) Mix together the baking powder and flour and add to the ingredients in the bowl. Mix well (best with a fork) until all of the flour is absorbed by the wet ingredients. Pour mixture into a greased one 9x13 or two 9″ round pans. Bake for approximately 55 minutes.By getting rid of eggs and oil we're virtually losing the fat. The flavor and moistness are in there. Trust me...It's EXCELLENT! There's still sugar. I'm working on a healthier replacement but the alternatives haven't worked in place of cane juice crystals. 

Winter Salad Recipe

My interpretation of Strong Heart Cafe's Winter Salad. I didn't have roasted beets and used roasted winter squash in place of sweet potatoes.

Ingredients:
1 large bunch of curly kale, tough center stems discarded, leaves shredded
1 tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and chopped
roasted winter squash or sweet potato cubed
2 tablespoons toasted pumpkin seeds or walnuts

For dressing:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons of Agave Nectar (more if you need it)
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 garlic clove, finely grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions:
1. Combine lemon juice, vinegar, Dijon mustard, agave nectar, shallot, garlic, salt and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Set aside to let flavors combine. Check the dressing to be sure it's good to taste.
2. Mix shredded kale, apple and sweet potato or squash cubes and toss with dressing to coat. (You may not need all the dressing. but be sure to massage the dressing REALLY good into the leaves) Garnish with pumpkin seeds or chopped walnuts.

Nutritional note: I did not use oil in the recipe on purpose. It cuts your fat intake completely. You can add it back in, but why mess with a good thing. The point is to cut out the fat for health. Your heart is more important than adding unneeded fat in your dressing. 

Happy Eating. This salad turned out AMAZING!

Quality Time With The Family

Hello Kitty & Mommy what a fun day. Little Bear was her energetic self and finally on the mend after a virus and ear infection. Daddy is feeling better today too!

She loves "her Meteorologist Wayne"! Thank you for being so kind to your biggest little fan Wayne.  

Little Bear Decided She's Native American. They let her in for a day. 

This is why when people look at me for having a halter and leash on my child, I'm perfectly okay. She's active and will dart when she see's something exciting. Hahaha 

Gramma, Little Bear & Mommy on the left behind Carrie Lazarus from Channel 9 News. 

Carousel picture at Strong National Museum of Play®

Little Bear LOVES train sets.

The Brighter Side Of Life

I felt so good today that I decided to take a picture to document my loss from size 24 to 18. 

Not many people get to see my hair down. 1.) it just rained 2.) My hair needs color BIG TIME and 3.) I'm REALLY self conscious about my thin hair and hair loss from thyroid and insulin resistance all these years. I've always wanted natural hair extensions to thicken things up a bit but it's pricey. 

I haven't really mentioned anything in a while but today I stepped on the scale thinking I gained weight but I felt like my clothes were feeling bigger. The scale stayed the same but I went upstairs to try on some older clothes to find I went from a size 24 to a size 18. I feel great in them but I still have the dreaded rolls on the tummy. I'm still waiting patiently but I suppose that this is a good sign. I'm pretty proud of myself. It's been busy this month.
I'm looking at the bright side, I'm am healthier than I've ever been!