Well, I'm back from vacation and updating my blog. There is good, bad and ugly to report but I do have a plan!
The good: I have been feeling significantly better physically so I know that most of my medical issues are resolving. I saw my doctor the day before we left and got some good medical news. My hormone levels and adrenals are slowly improving, but need I further dietary, medication and supplement changes (not a surprise). I maintained my morning workout routine except for two days when is just was not feasible. One of the days I was at Magic Kingdom and walked about 8 miles, so I did get exercise. I let my body rest the following day to avoid any muscle over use injuries so I don't feel bad about skipping that day's workout. I didn't meet my walking goal every day but I did meet it when it was feasible to do so. I also maintained my caffeine limitations, which is a really big accomplishment for a caffeine lover like myself. I also made sure to drink enough water to equal half of my body weight in ounces. I am pretty happy about those things.
The bad: The cravings for salty foods, ie nuts and my beloved peanut butter, will not likely cease until my adrenals are fully functional and this will take quite a bit of time. Apparently salt cravings are typical with people having depleted adrenal glands. I need to exert will power in the meantime! My intake of fats and proteins is too low and is causing my body to not absorp the fat soluble vitamins properly and possibly adding to the cravings. Plus, stupid menopausal hormone changes are still affecting my appetite. The news about the fats and proteins are not a surprise because the good fats and proteins I was previously eating are mostly banned while I am on the elimination diet. This was a concern of mine and a key reason that I consulted a dietician so I am not beating myself up for this. My leaky gut syndrome issues are still pretty problematic and will really take a long time to resolve.
The ugly: Food! I was on a cruise most of the trip and the vegan options were quite limited, not necessarily low calorie, and contained ingredients I'm sensitive to. Most days, I did my best during the day munching on fruits and veggies but ended up so hungry by the end of the day that I really overindulged in the bad stuff. I gave in to the salty nut cravings a LOT! I also ate way too much at MK, especially Dole whips! They are vegan but do contain foods I'm sensitive to. Salt makes me swell up quite a bit and I blew up like a balloon. Hopefully much of the weight I gained is water but I'm sure that there are at least 5 pounds of weight gain that need to come off the old fashioned way. I have a small frame and weight always goes to my tummy so it is particularly obvious.
The Plan: Resume my normal eating and exercise pattern, add two new supplements and one new medication to my diet, add the five foods that were recommended for increase of proteins and fats, keep a good attitude, not beat myself up over the weight gain and move on. The weight should come off within a month or less I think if I am good. Fortunately, most of my clothes are not overly tight but I would like for all of them to be comfortable by the time I return to work next month. I also need to be good because I had some new clothes delivered while I was gone and am looking forward to wearing them! I did resume the normal eating yesterday, and am already feeling better. I will also keep blogging because it does keep me accountable. Happy Sunday everyone!