Your Body on Sugar

How do you know if you’re eating too much sugar? Well, you might have increased hunger, weight gain, cravings for sweets, high blood pressure, irritability, and/or fatigue.

Remember sugars are absorbed into your bloodstream quickly. This causes spikes in your insulin levels. This process causes problems like diabetes, pain and inflammation, and your artery walls grow too thick which equals heart damage over time.

Sugar is linked to Alzheimer’s disease, and it can cause or worsen depression. You probably know it also affects your cholesterol, as well – increasing it. Not to mention it’s bad for general appetite control.

Every heard of brain fog? Over eating sugar can impair brain function. Trouble concentrating and even anxiety can rear their ugly heads, too. Any type of sugar (honey, processed carbs, etc.) should comprise less than ten percent of your daily calories (see dietary guidelines for 2015-2020).

So, you have decided to cut out sugars. Beware of sugar detox. You my get headaches, be irritable, have cravings for all kinds of foods, and become bloated. It’s not fun but it is is worth getting off the sugar carousel. It can take up to three days or more for sugar detox. However, you will find increased energy afterward. You won’t crave sweets like you did before. Be sure to look at every food and beverage you consume. Sugars lurk.

Can you really reduce pain and inflammation by stopping the overdose of sugars? Yes! My legs and back feel great now that I stopped consuming so many sweets.

Are you wondering if you can still enjoy fruit? That was my first question. I don’t drink fruit juices but I do eat whole fruits. The extra fiber and decreased sugar amount are better for me. I still am benefiting from the vitamins and minerals of fruit this way. I just use fruits in moderation since there is still fructose present. A sugar isn’t a sugar, though. A donut is not equal to an apple.

Stay healthy, folks!

Mounjaro for Weight Loss: Down 15 pounds!

Some great news is on the horizon. The Eli Lilly Company’s drug, Mounjaro, is set to be approved for weight loss as early as late 2023. This drug is currently approved to help with diabetes but has had a side effect of helping to control appetite and digestion rate – hence weight loss.

I’ve been using Mounjaro for almost seven weeks and have lost fifteen pounds. I lose a couple of pounds each week, regularly. I have a lot of fat to lose but this first fifteen pounds has left m feeling lighter and more energetic already. My shirts are also looser on my body.

Another good thing about this med is I can remain on it for as long as I need to reach my goal weight. In the process, I am slowly learning new eating habits. This is a life changer for me because I have tried so many, many diets in the past thirty years.

The side effects are minimal so far. I’ve had mild nausea now and then and several bouts of diarrhea. The drug affects my digestion (slows it down), so I do get more frequent heartburn, too. However, it is very worth a bit of digestive upset at times to reach my weight loss goals.

I also don’t eat at bedtime anymore. It’s a bad habit to fill my stomach with food just before lying down for a long sleep.

I’m eating regular foods but choose sugar free options when possible because I know how evil sugar can be to my body. I also am only eating about half the amount I used to consume. I just get full more quickly now. I feel like I’ve had bariatric surgery without the surgical procedure or its down time. Talk about a miracle drug!

Mounjaro is given as an injection in the thigh or abdomen once a week. Looks like an epi pen for allergic reactions. Easy to give to myself. Just remember to set out the shot from the fridge for about a half hour before giving the injection. That helps the med to not burn/hurt going in. Voila! It’s been that simple.

I’m so thankful for this method of weight loss that I’m sharing the news with everyone I can. My health was very compromised before this drug. So, yes, I’m excited!

Mounjaro Vs. Weight Loss Surgery

I met a new friend last week. She had weight loss surgery two years ago and lost over 90 pounds of fat because of it. I’m still unsure that surgery is the answer for me. I am leaning far toward “no.” So, I’ve been using Mounjaro, a once a week injection here at home, for weight loss, and it’s working well for me.

The new friend I met, Sara, said she wished she had had the surgery years before. Hers was a seamless procedure and quick loss of weight. She didn’t experience the vomiting or pain or any infections, etc that can go along with the surgery. No side effects, that’s excellent to hear.

Both Sara and I get super full after just a small amount of food intake. She still gets hungry every two hours. I don’t. I remain full for about 6.5 hours most of the time. If I overeat, I get terrible heart burn and feel like I have a 20 oz steak in my belly. So, I don’t overeat. 🙂

Sara lost weight rapidly after bariatric surgery. My losses are slower – like 2 pounds a week or so. I’m happy with my losses so far. It’s nice to eat “normal” foods but just less of them. I weighed in today and am 7 pounds down in a short time. It’s a journey I’m excited to be on right now. I’ve wanted to lose weight for many years.

I like seeing the scale lower its numbers each week. I like wearing my wedding ring again and it fitting looser. I love that my nightgowns are not so snug as they once were.

So weight loss surgery vs Mounjaro? I still say the latter. I’m looking forward to the day when the FDA approves it for weight loss and not just diabetes treatment. So many more people will benefit from this path.

I still need to get walking in each day. I’m too heavy to do much of it but I did keep up with my mother while retail shopping a few days ago. I didn’t have to sit down once to rest. THAT is progress. Sarah’s doctor told her to exercise an hour a day. Ugh. I don’t think so. She did tell me she uses YouTube videos for walking in place in her home. I think I’ll try that for now.

Hope you are all staying cool this summer. Thanks for visiting!

Weight-loss Surgery. . . Mostly Cons

Also called bariatric surgery, it is making changes to our digestive systems. Some of these procedures limit how much food we can consume. Others, work by not allowing the body to absorb nutrients. Some procedures do both!

Up to 49% of people over the age of twenty in the U.S. are obese. In 2005, approximately 140,000 people had some type of weight loss surgery. Yet, by 2018 that number had skyrocketed to 250,000. It’s a huge increase, isn’t it? Go back to 1998 when a mere 13,000 people got bariatric surgery. That is an even bigger change.

These procedures can have serious risks and side effects. The surgeries don’t always “work” properly, either. We may walk away with more trouble than we entered with. Plus, there is no way to surgically remove our desire to overeat or eat the wrong foods. That decision is in our minds. Many of us use food as a coping mechanism when we don’t want to feel or deal with stress, anxiety, or depression. We must get out of the habit of going to food as an answer to anything except pure hunger.

So, surgery doesn’t keep us from overeating or eating non-nutritious foods? Not in the long run. For a few months, we might have a few months of controlled eating because we are recovering from major surgery, but it isn’t a lasting choice. Yes, our stomachs will be forever altered, though, and that can negatively affect our digestion.

Perhaps we won’t be able to digest fats or maybe red meat. Will we will be one of those who vomits after meals? It all depends on our surgeries and their outcomes.

Please use care when deciding on this method of weight loss. It is a life changing action, and there are no easy and simple answers. Yes, this is my opinion. I’m not a physician or a surgeon. I do worry about those who choose this radical weight loss method, though.

I’m in the same boat you guys are. I’m very heavy and very unhappy with it. I also struggle to lose the fat. It’s coming off slowly, though. I just returned from a two-week vacation and have kept my weight the same as when I left. I didn’t gain. THAT is progress for me, as well. I ate when I wanted to and tried to choose nutrient dense foods. It does make a difference.

So, are you still considering weight loss surgery? Feel free to leave a comment and share your pros and cons. Please look at this link for more in depth info on this subject. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/17285-bariatric-obesity-surgery

Have a great day!

Bipolar, Age, and Weight Loss

I’ve been on a weight loss program for weeks and came to the conclusion that my bipolar meds might be a hindrance to me.

I did some research and saw that I was correct. The Abilify I take is known for weight gain. Ugh! I also take Prozac with it. That hasn’t helped me any, either.

So, I deal with a sluggish metabolism and insulin resistance and try not to eat too much each day, so I won’t gain weight. I tend to gain weight if I eat “what everyone else eats.” So, I limit my calories and try to stay away from sweets and empty carbs. This has proven to be more difficult than I expected. I’ve increased my protein intake a bit, so it might help me keep some muscle. I also do some strength training at home.

In my 30s and 40s, I could lose pounds by simply eating less and moving more. That did work for me. Now, in my 50s, it’s a completely different situation. Not sure, but I think it’s a mixture of the insulin resistance and slower metabolism and inability to exercise much because I’ve gotten too heavy and uncomfortable to do much. Strength training helps more than anything. Use stretchy bands or just lift soup cans.

I now walk, slowly. Very slowly. It’s frustrating but it’s all I can seem to scrape up. My mother told me to get my weight in line before I hit my 50s. I didn’t listen. I have a great treadmill and it’s my favorite (?) method of exercise.

Back to the meds for bipolar and how they affect my body. I’ve read a lot on the subject and learned that Abilify, a mood stabilizer, is likely part of what keeps me heavy. However, I can’t stop taking it or just switch. It’s not that simple. This med works well for me. I won’t give up my mental health for weight loss – although both are affecting my health.

Prozac has differing research. It can cause weight gain with long term use and can increase carb cravings, it seems. The fact that 1 in every 10 Americans take an antidepressant means a lot of us are dealing with this.

For now, I’m journaling my eating each day and trying to move more. I didn’t realize how difficult this journey would be until just lately. I’m hanging in there, though. I’m still down 6 pounds but it’s been a few weeks now. I did go off my planned eating several times, so that it likely why I don’t see changes more quickly. Hey, it’s hard to change your lifestyle. 😉

My doctor actually doubled my Prozac two days ago. I was having some depression, fatigue, and lack of interest in daily things. So, I’ll see if this affects my weight loss at all. It’s always SOMETHING, huh?

I hope you are having success with your health and in your weight loss efforts. I’m still here and fighting this uphill battle with you.

Non-scale victories this past week – learned to make better beef jerky at home. LOL. Also, just the fact that I will NOT give up on this goal is a victory for me. In addition, I am eating less in the evenings and at bedtime. I’m sleeping enough, too.

Whether you take mental health meds or other meds that may affect your weight and general health, stick with improving yourself. You are worth it. So am I. Love y’all.

7 Helps to Lose Weight!

According to the CDC, over 73% of American adults are overweight or obese. Being overweight is linked to diabetes, cancer, and heart disease.

Try to lose weight slowly because fast losses can cause issues like gallstones and even existing muscle loss. You also need to avoid quick weight loss because you likely won’t get the nutritional needs your body requires. So, you would be deficient and lacking energy, as well. Nevermind that your mood will also be affected adversely.

An average female uses about 1200 calories just to maintain her bodily functions, so increase this calorie number by a few hundred, at least, to see losses in fat but to remain healthy.

Don’t forget to get some good sleep each night, too. That is when your body is repairing itself.

1. Add fiber to your daily intake. Fiber helps you have a faster metabolism, so goodbye extra weight. Choose vegetables for this, if possible, because they also contain iron.
2. Eat some protein at each meal. It will keep you full longer, and it boosts your metabolism so you will lost the weight more quickly.
3. If you must have a snack in the afternoon, choose a protein with the snack. Watch the amount of food you choose for your snack. It’s not a meal.
4. Don’t eat after dinner. You want your body to recover and repair itself while you sleep – not to have to digest food you just ate.
5. Journal your eating habits. Include your beverages and snacks. I use the Loseit! app. It’s a calorie counter. Myfitnesspal is also a helpful app.
6. Move your body each day. Do as much as you are able. Walk – it’s easy for most people. If you are bored, walk at a shopping mall or Walmart. Just don’t stop a lot to shop. Walk and look at the same time.
7. Strength train! This keeps your muscles from wasting or your body from using your existing muscle as energy.

Remember, just START. Don’t put off your health. Take it one day at a time. Take it an hour at a time if you need to. You can do this! Lose the extra weight!

My Bipolar Life

I’ve had Bipolar Disorder since 2007. It came on like a tornado and continued twisting my life into oblivion for seven years!

It began with months of severe mania. I spent thousands of dollars on needless items, was sexually promiscuous, smoked marijuana regularly, flunked out of college, ended my 25 year marriage, and much more.

It was a time like I had never experienced. I learned what euphoria meant.

After the mania phased out, severe depression set in. I visited my doctor and was prescribed antidepressants. They worked about 20% for me but I got worse as the months and years passed.

Suicide thoughts became a daily, almost hourly, companion. It was an awful way to live. I switched antidepressants when I felt the current one wasn’t working but I hadn’t found the right doctor to help me figure out what exactly I had. I had been diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), and that wasn’t what I suffered from.

In a short bout of mania once, I didn’t sleep at all for three days! Yes, mania can creep into the depressive times and wreak more havoc.

After seven years of miserable living and being barely able to survive because I couldn’t hold down a job, I found the doctor who would give me my life back. She put together my symptoms and said, “Bipolar.” I added a certain mood stabilizer to my antidepressant and got immediate results.

I was back!

I not only functioned but I thrived. I remarried a wonderfully kind man, got back in school and finished my degree, and was a good mother and daughter again.

I tell you this story in hopes that if someone out there is suffering from mental illness, he or she will never stop seeking medical help. Even if you have a doctor you like, this physician may not be “the one” to solve your issues. Also, if you have a loved one who just “isn’t right,” you might be able to help.

Today, I work online as a counselor/advisor and make good money. I function well and have no more depression or mania. It’s been this way for 6 years now.

Blessings to all of you, and take care!

Lea

Will You Get the Covid Vaccine?

I get the first Covid-19 Vaccine in about an hour and a half. I have mixed feelings. Of course I want to prevent myself from getting this virus (a second time) but I also am afraid of this shot. It hasn’t been on the market long, and no one actually knows, on a large scale, what it can do to a person long term.

However, I have eighty year old parents who don’t need this virus, and I don’t want to give it to them either.

So, I am going to one of the local hospitals to get my shot. I’d love to know how you feel about the vaccine. Please leave a comment!

Lea

Spring is Coming, Oh no!

Why would I say, “oh, no” when spring is coming? Because I’m not ready to put on last year’s swimsuit. It’s serious this time. I now have an inground swimming pool. The kids and grandkids will be coming over to swim, cookout, and have fun in the sun. Will I be the beached whale on the side of things? No!

So, I joined noom.com. It’s a calorie counting app that keeps up with my water intake, physical activity, and food intake. It also offers coaching and education. I like it. I’ve only lost 5 lbs though. I need to get serious about counting the calories!

I’m making homemade chili for dinner. No dessert unless it’s fruit.

Are you spring ready?

New House, New Problems

Not a far move. Only 20 minutes apart

I’ve moved . . . relocated . . . only 20 minutes from my old house. Yet, my life is upside down. Moving is a huge undertaking. I have yet to unpack because we are getting all new floors installed first. The workers have only made it through my kitchen and laundry room so far. We are living out of boxes and suitcases. It’s crazy!

Faking it for now

When people ask how the move “went,” we just smile and say we are in a fixer upper and are still working on it. EVERYthing seems to have something wrong with it – electical, plumbing, floors, door knobs, paint, the swimming pool, etc. Recently, I got stuck in my own bedroom. Yes, you read that correctly. The handle on the door was loose at the wall and got stuck. There was no exiting. My husband had to save the day.

On day 6, I had finally had enough faking it. I was alone in the house for a couple of hours, and I found myself welling up inside when I thought about all of the “unknowns” still to do in this house. Depression had been my friend for days. I bean sobbing and using a nearby wash cloth to blow my nose. I kept crying for several minutes. I have read that sad or stressed tears have actual toxins in them and that purging those tears and bad feelings is good for a person. Hmmm . . . I did feel better afterward.

I sold this antique hutch for $150 on Day 7. I felt better with all of those tens in my hand. Maybe we will make it here after all. I mean, we do have a nest egg saved for just this reason, and the cats seem to like the place. We’ve spent thousands of dollars already on the swimming pool, too. It was a mess that needed re-plastering and re-tiling. We had to replace the diving board and ladder in the deep end. Then, there was filling in all of the expansion joints. We also had to order a cover for the pool. $$$$$$

Before and After

See? Much cleaner! Then, we just added water, brushed it clean for two weeks, added chemicals, and added more. Then, it was time to install a cover. (more pics to come). Whew!

This house feels like a money pit, honestly. However, part of me feels like it’s a place that has a good floorplan and just needs a chance to be a nice family home. I’m going with that one!

The kitchen floors were gross and needed new sub-flooring before prying up the existing wood planks and putting in new. But, the kitchen floor is finally finished!

Finally! Clean and sturdy floors!

We still have much to do but I see progress. I haven’t cried since day 6. That is something positive. Some nights I don’t sleep well but I attribute that to poor diet. 😉

I’m hanging in there!

Love you guys! Talk soon!