Health and food

I had my annual physical checkup last week and is 4 pounds up from last year. Except for being over weight all other numbers are fine.

Losing weight has been a struggle for more than 3 years now. I am trying but the biggest problem is two things – being consistent and watching portions! I am sure I can do much better with weight management if I get these two under control.

Exercise – I am still continuing with 5am team training at least twice a week and sweat out in cardio on those days. But, I am not consistent. I go for one week and skip for two weeks **shameless I know**. It is no mean fat to get out of bed at 4:30am especially when it gets late to go to bed the previous night! It has been almost two years since I started this routine but still struggling like as if this is my first week in gym. My trainers even make fun of me!! But, I tell myself I would have shot up by more than 10 pounds by now if I was not doing this the least. I am not doing great but I am not going to stop either.

Food – You name a diet, I have tried it. Paleo, Keto but again not consistent. I try for a while, then get bored and give up. I have watched calories intake using apps. I have counted steps.I had calorie counting buddy. I had gym buddy. I have colleagues who warn me when there are leftovers kept at pantry. Still I am failing..

I gorged up on all food during last summer India visit assuring myself that I am going to get back to rigorous schedule once I am back to US and lose all those extra pounds and more in next 2-3 months. Its been 7 months now and I have put on couple of pounds more instead of losing!! My doctor says eat in moderate. But how? For me, once I start eating I can’t stop until my tummy warns me about puking!! Literally!!

Thanks to Tharani for introducing me to Luke Coutinho. His videos are awesome and very inspiring. It talks about lifestyle changes. I love the way he ends each of his video with “Eat smart, move more, sleep right and breathe deep”. Two recent things that I am trying is to do intermittent fasting at least 2 times a week and substitute white rice with cauliflower rice to keep down the carbs intake. And stopped intake of sugar in direct form. Masala teas are gulped with no sugar.

That is my Saturday lunch mostly – Cauliflower rice and spinach dal. 100% guilt free food!

Sustainable weight loss/management and lifsestyle changes are the two things that keep haunting me every single day but that one ladoo can break everything.

My mind refuses to think and conveniently says there is always tomorrow when I see that crossiant that too almond crossiant. But that tomorrow never comes *sob heavily*

Please share with me if you have any tips on being consistent and watching portions. I HAVE to bring my weight under control and move to maintenance mode before I hit the big age number which is approaching fast!!! Help me please!!!!

Advertisement

Fitbit challenge

**self damage alert**

So, I was invited to a workweek challenge in Fitbit by a friend last week. In turn, I invited M and another friend. The challenge was active from Monday morning till Friday midnight.

How did I fair in this challenge? In short, my whole week steps was equal to M’s Friday steps. Look at the numbers yourself. Not to mention, the last that is “You” is yours truly and the first is M. M was very proud last night as no matter how they see the status our family is the first. That made me feel better too 🙂 See I told you fitness or staying active is not my thing. I prefer to crawl up in one corner of my living room couch with my favorite things around (masala chai, book, phone, laptop, TV remote). I am not too demanding you know!!

Mr.R gave tough fight to M being active since 6pm last evening and M had to walk non stop for the last hour that is from 11pm to 12am to keep up the first position. I joined him too. It was a completely different and pleasant experience to walk at that odd hour that too just the two of us talking random which is very rare. To my surprise, the community was quite active. We saw lights on at most of the houses and cars were on the move.

Will I join this challenge again? May be only if M also joins and he takes me for that walk!!! I told you already that I am not too demanding!!!

 

4:30 – Continued

The time was precisely 4:30 and it was a pleasant shock. I tossed on the bed for 10 more minutes and then hit the gym. The excitement continued and I was able to run for 20 minutes non stop which is a record. I could have run for more time easily but stopped due to morning time constraint.

Another reason is Grey’s anatomy. I am hooked on to this show like there is no tomorrow. The episode I watched during this workout was about the neuro surgeon operating on an inoperable tumor. The trust the patient has on the surgeon makes the surgeon operate him twice and get rid of the tumor. I never thought I will be able to watch a medical drama given that it rekindles my memory about our hospital stay last year. But, this one I think I like to watch the moment they save a patient when that heart starts to beat again in OR, I admire their passion towards work and the high they feel when they achieve something, I love the friendship between the interns and how they stand up for each other. So, this plays a major role in continuing my workout regime as that is the time I get to watch something.

I may not wake up again at 4:30, I may not continue this morning routine after few months but I want to remember this day. The day I woke up not at 4:31, not at 4:29 but precisely at 4:30 and also marked my new record with running. It will remain special always.

Today I woke up at 6:45. I have justification to make if you can accept it. LHB is hit by stomach bug and he threw up at 1:30am that disturbed our sleep. I had to change him, clean the bed and went back to bed around 2am. He is still throwing up. Hope he should recover in a day or two.

If not every day I should at least try to wake up early on days when I go to bed early the previous night and have an undisturbed sleep through the night. A realistic target I am setting for myself. Something is better than nothing right? Right!!!

4:30

I was waiting for January to be born to start with my workout regime. There new year was born and I duly signed up with the gym near my home. This sales girl who signed me up was an inspiration. She shared her story of transformation from being a late riser to hitting gym at 5am before heading to work at the city. So I started going to gym just so that I can wave proudly at this high energetic girl. She was excited to see me every time or so she pretended. I should remember the reality that she is a sales person and I am just one of her client.

I was struggling to fit in the gym routine in daily schedule. I went at 9pm on some days, skipped on some days, made it in the evening on some days. basically was dragging myself. That is when M gave me an ultimatum that it is tough for him to manage kids when I am away, that I should go to gym when they are not awake. M is the only man who can push me beyond my ability. Should I thank him or what? I was sleeping on that thought and it actually made sense as I always fantacize this thought of finishing all my work when kids are asleep and being available to them when they are around. It was the same time around BM posted about her decision of waking up at 4:30am starting 1st Feb.

That is it. I made an impulse decision to wake up at 4:30am and go to gym at 5a m starting 1st Feb. It was tough. I am not a morning person at all and have epic failure past records with this waking up early thingie. Again I skipped few days, dismissed the alarm on some days, slept through the weekends but didn’t give up completely. I started attending the group class at 5:30am on alternate days. What surprises me the most is the people who come to gym that early. On any given day I was seeing at least 10 people at that odd hour. May be it was odd hour for me. I have been following it for close to 3 weeks now and it has not become a habit yet but I am not quitting soon either. As I put LHB to sleep these days we go to bed by 9pm, read some books and sleep by 9:30pm. I need my 7 hours of sleep to remain sane.

Why am I typing all this today? Coz today morning I woke up suddenly, thought it was too late and grabbed my mobile to check the time. Have you guessed the time?

To be continued…

LHB

He was looking good today morning so we sent him to daycare. But, the moment I dreaded soon arrived. We received call from daycare late morning that he threw up multiple times. I then picked him up and took to urgent care. He has got ear infection again, second time in one month. Also, he has cough and cold. Doctor has prescribed antibiotics and cough syrup. Second dosage of antibiotics in one month and this time they have increased the dosage. He drank pedialite, took his medicines and napping right next to me as I am typing this. I feel like dozing off too as I was unable to sleep last night. Hope it will take few more days for the poor one to regain his appetite and get back to him own self.

I was planning to start the vacation series today but couldn’t. May be from tomorrow.. Only when the loved ones health is at stake it hits our mind hard as how trivial all other things are. The tiff I had with M today morning about sharing household chores, the raise in voice to Adi today morning to complete her glass of bournvita, losing my calmness and getting triggered even for a small matter. How trivial they are…

whats special?

What’s special today? Nothing but my heart goes for this little girl in a special way today.. She is in my thoughts every nanosecond but today this moment I feel something special that overwhelms my heart with thoughts about her. This moment I would like to thank the almighty from the bottom of my heart for blessing me with this little girl and making my life so special. Could it be because of these random happenings?

– The way she copes up with the recent illness.. I can feel that its bothering her too much. She doesn’t want to eat, doesn’t want to sleep, doesn’t want to write, doesn’t want to do almost anything.. Its a cry for all which is quite new to us.. I can understand that her pain is coming out as tears. But, she is hating this phase.. She asked me yesterday “Mommy why is it I am crying always? what aren’t you guys crying?”.. I know you hate crying for everything pattumma but we are almost there just another 2 weeks and you will be back to your own self da..

– Today morning in the rush hour I forgot to give her the antibiotics (cruel me) and she was kind enough to remind me though she doesn’t like it a bit.. She asked me “Mommy aren’t you forgetting something?” repeatedly five times and finally to help my racking brain that failed to recollect she said “give me medicine amma”.. I felt so bad and thanked her enough..

– And yesterday she made this card for me 🙂

If you find it difficult to read.. This is what it says

“Dear Mommy, Your the best mommy because you read me God books* and we do math together Love, Adi” 🙂

This is the outer cover (An ice cream cone with rainbow sprinkles)

 

We are taking her to the doctor tomorrow as the bumps have become itchy and she is also complaining of  pain all over the body.. Please keep her in your prayers people…

* – A separate post is coming up about God books.

Update

It has been identified as Scarlet fever. Yesterday at doctor’s office strep test was conducted to confirm this. A swab was used to take the culture from throat and then it was placed on a test kit. Result was positive. The test line getting darkened confirmed it as Scarlet fever caused by bacterial infection in throat. Surprisingly Adi did not complain about throat discomfort and her throat was clear when examined. May be this was the early stage.  The girl did not like the strep test and we had to force her to lie down and hold her arms and legs when the culture was taken :(.  Googling says if left unattended this could have become a serious case. God’s will we acted earlier without sitting on it factoring in climate changes and common cold and flu.  Anyways to get rid of the bacteria infection completely she will be on antibiotics for next 10 days.  Doctor said it will take another two to three weeks for the bumps/rashes to disappear.  She is having slight fever in the night that leads to disturbed sleep and little whining in the morning. Otherwise she is all good.

Thanks a lot guys for such nice comments. Work is pressing but I am writing this quick post to let you all good hearts know that Adi is doing good.  Thanks again. I am touched.

And guess what after the doctor’s appointment we did got for t-o-t as Adi calls it.  Its trick-o-treat (If you wonder what it is).

She was a bat girl this year and had loads of fun collecting treats from neighborhood and shops. 😀

All is not well

Adi has got tiny bumps randomly on her body and face. It has started couple of days back and we thought its because of climate change (can you believe snow in October) and should fade off soon but from last evening she appears very tired and body temperature is slowly raising above normal. But, she is active as always and was very adamant to go to school today as they have Halloween fair. She took the fever medicine at 2am sitting straight up with no denial just for that one reason (to go to school today) which is otherwise an half hour task for me to feed that 10ml.  She also wants to go out to the shops for trick-or-treat in the evening.  I am confused. Should I take her or not?

She has a good sleep routine. Usually goes to bed between 9 and 9:30 pm and wakes up by 7 or 7:15 am but yesterday evening I noticed dark circles under her eyes and I also see her coughing randomly..  Is this all just my imagination?  Thankfully the bumps are not turning red and not itchy.

Called the doctor’s office and booked an appointment for today evening. I am picking her up early today. I am scared to Google about the tiny bumps. Praying all the god and keeping my fingers crossed that it should be nothing. Hoping to take her for trick-or-treat after doctor’s visit.. Am I too sensitive? Am I worrying too much for nothing? My mind is not working..  I am restless.. Its a day of tears..

Hope tomorrows dawns as a good day for us…

 

who is visiting us tonight

Adi had her maxillary central incisors extracted today. Now you know who is visiting us tonight… The way she co-operated was astounding.  She had cavities and dentist advised to extract them though they are due to fall off soon naturally. If you ask about one thing that bothers me about Adi it will always be her teeth. She has quite a few cavities and this always finds a top place at my worry list. I am still not sure about the reason behind these cavities but badly want to correct them all like they say “kan ketta piragu surya namaskkaram” (worshiping sun after the loss of eyesight)…

We chose today as her school is closed today and Monday. The oral surgeon was great. We consulted her couple of days back and she was very friendly with Adi. She asked Adi to bring her magic wand so she can take off the tooth with the wand while Adi is asleep. She called Adi as dora. Kids love when someone treats them special ain’t it? After the consultation Adi was excited about the extraction. She told me yesterday “mommy don’t forget tomorrow we have to go to dental office with my wand.. The doctor wanted to see my wand”.

With the wand on one hand the general anesthesia was given on other hand through intravenous injection. Then I moved to the waiting room and extraction was done in less than ten minutes. I was much scared than her. She recovered pretty quick and we were back home within next one hour.  The dentist gave me the tooth so we can save it for the tooth fairy visiting us tonight. Hope it doesn’t pain too much as it is just baby tooth. Anyways we decided to keep her on pain suppressant for today. She is busy catching up with all the missed shows in television. Her latest addiction is the dinosaur train theme song. She is practicing hard to sing this in one breath.

Not feeling well

Adi is not feeling good for past 3 days. She threw up on Thursday afternoon after snack in the school. Her teacher changed the dress and made her wait for me. Throwing up continued on Thrusday evening, night (almost 2 to 3 times between 11 pm – 2 am) and Friday morning. She stayed back at home on Friday (M worked from home) and was doing good after that. We fed her with bread and kanji. We thought she is back to normal on Saturday but again she threw up on Saturday night. Back to the bread and kanji stuff till today morning. she gets tummy ache at least once in 2 or 3 months. I spoke with the doctor on Satuday night and she advised to feed pedialite. We didn’t have it at home and M stepped out to the pharmacy store around 10 pm to buy one. She was okay on Sunday. As we both have to be on work today, with no other option she was sent to school. I didn’t get a call till now (4 pm) which means she should be alright. My heart was heavy in the morning as I wanted to stay back with her at home.

I have taken an appointment with doctor on Wednesday. Hopefully it should be a minor stuff. Everything else takes back seat when the kid is not feeling good. We both were not able to concentrate on anything for past 3 to 4 days.