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Just have to share my love

Sleeping in the doorway.

10 months going on 2

Ryan is 10 months old! He's so busy and so much fun.  He can crawl super fast and has taken his first steps. He still isn't walking more than 4 steps and prefers crawling but he's on his way. He also claps for real now. He used to just shake his arms up and down but a few days ago he started clapping. He also waves...though it's usually delayed.  He's starting something that's totally darling...it's called banging on closed doors screaming for the person inside. Yah...really sweet. Ha.   He also loves to spit out all his food after it's been chewed. It's quite lovely. ;)

We can't believe he'll be 1 year old in less than 2 months. So exciting. :)

Low Carb Lifestyle Week #3

I didn't weigh myself at all the 2nd week of going low carb.  Valentine's weekend I didn't count carbs or worry what I put into my mouth.  It was nice to forget for a bit.  Well...I didn't forget, I was giving myself a small break to enjoy my valentine's treats.  This week I was back on schedule and I weighed myself this morning.  The scale showed I had lost a total of 10 lbs since I started.  My scale isn't the best and doesn't read super accurately but its good enough for now. 

Low Carb Lifestyle Week 3 = - 10 lbs

Low Carb Lifestyle Day #7

Well it's been a week of being on a LCHF diet and I'm feeling good. I've lost 4 lbs and 2 inches off my waist. (granted the first week or so is just water weight) I like seeing the progress.   After a few days I felt really sick and irritable. My muscles ached and I felt horrible. Every day after that it went down a notch and today I haven't felt it at all. I've found new ways to enjoy foods that I had to give up and I have more to come. I've yet to make the "oopsie bread" but am looking forward to how that goes.  I miss chocolate but there's a chocolate mousse I'm dying to make. Just have to get to the store to get my ingredients.   I have found that low carb ice cream is good as well.   I tried spaghetti squash instead of spaghetti noodles last night and I have to say it was a hit. I don't really feel like I'm "Missing out" or having to give up a lot. I still get to eat more than enough delicious food.

Weight loss Week 1 = 4lbs

Low carb lifestyle day #6

Feeling a whole lot better today.  At least so far.  Drinking plenty of water and I was happy with 2 hard boiled eggs for breakfast.  My scale made me smile too.  I lost another 1.5 lbs! That's 4 lbs so far.  Now before anyone gets worried about me losing too much too fast, this is pretty much just water weight. 

Weight-loss week #1 = 4 lbs

Low carb flu? What the wha?!

I don't believe I've ever posted 3 blog entries in a single day but as this day has progressed I've been feeling ickier and ickier.  I felt good for about an hour after lunch but then I felt the yuck again.  Off to research.  What I found is I have the low carb flu.  Also called, carb flu, keto flu, induction flu, carb crash...and some others.

Pretty much my body isn't used to not having all these extra carbs and has to work to do a switch-a-roo on how it works.  Carb flu can make people irritable (✔ check), nauseous (✔ check),  tired (✔ check), achy muscles 💪 (✔ check)  and an overwhelming feeling of not feeling 'right'  (✔✔ check check) . . The carb flu can last from a day to 2 weeks.  I'm praying for something on the shorter end.  🔚

Ways to help elevate some of the symptoms is drinking plenty of water, drinking chicken broth or something with high sodium., make sure you get enough fat and electrolytes.  Not everyone will experience this 'fun' early side effect of a low carb diet, but if you do...it sucks.  I'm gonna push through...but I feel like poop 💩. 

Bbq chips sound so good right now.  Or chips and salsa.  *sigh*

Low carb revelation #1

I love eating. I love food.  I am loving this low carb lifestyle.  Once I figure out what I'm going to eat, I'm genuinely excited because it's something delicious.  I am not watching my calories because cutting carbs does that automatically for me. I don't have to limit my coffee, and my creamer consists of heavy whipping cream which is carb-free.  Makes for delicious coffee BTW!  I don't have to give up peanut butter either and even found a delicious dessert=  Carb Smart Bryers vanilla ice cream with melted peanut butter on top.  *drool*

Low carb lifestyle day #5

So it's day 5 eating below 50 grams of carbs per day and I feel unusually run down.  My muscles ache and I just want to sleep.  I read that's common in the beginning.  Here's to a better tomorrow.

Week #1 Weight-loss = 2.5 lbs

Low carb lifestyle day #4

Looks like I've lost a couple pounds so far, but I also don't have a good working scale.  That'll  be an upcoming purchase for sure. I do notice I don't feel like I'm starving.  I'm also sleeping a whole lot better.  I have noticed an increase in my energy.  It hasn't been hard to avoid carbs.  Staying below 50 grams still. So far, counting carbs is a whole lot easier than counting calories. 

If I feel like snacking, I can munch on mixed nuts which fulfills my eating desire.  Still feeling confident in my decision.  I want to thank my cousins wife, Elizabeth, for mentioning it.  I also want to thank my sister, Tricia, for letting me fill her inbox with lchf messages since she's been doing this for quite some time now. 

Week #1 Weight-loss = 2lbs

Low carb lifestyle day #3

Today is day #3 of my low carb lifestyle.  I have yet to feel real urges for sugar, breads and pastas.  So far, I haven't seen any negative or positive effects. I've keeping my carb intake below 50 grams a day so far.  I know some days I'll probably exceed that. According to research, intake of 50 and below grams of carbs will maximize my weight loss and health. 

So far it's been easy though I've yet had to make dinner for the family and myself.  The family is not on a low carb diet, so I will have to figure some things out.

Week #1 Weight-loss = 0

And then it was 2015...

Happy 2015! It has been a few months since I've posted. Ryan is now almost 10 months old. He's 23 lbs, speed crawling and bringing so much joy into our lives. He eats everything but baby food. We just feed him what we have for dinner and all is well.  It's actually easier that way.   His sleeping is sporadic and has been ending up in bed with us in the middle of the night. We're so tired that we just let him. I really don't mind since my other kids don't still sleep with us so I know it won't be forever.

Steve is a wonderful daddy and still amazes me daily when I see how much he loves us all.  Life is how we make it and we're doing our best to make the best of our life.  Each and every day is a gift to us and I feel immensely blessed to be here.

My children are my light. I am loving growing closer to each and every one of them every day. Sarah is now an adult, but will be forever my baby. Allison is so grown up and I love seeing how alike we are and also our differences. Tyler is still my sweet and kind baby boy who cares so much for people and animals alike. Ryan is my rambunctious baby who lights up my life from sun up to sun down and often in the middle of the night. haha.

Our family recently obtained a young rescue pup. Steve wanted a dog to grow up with Ryan and we found the perfect one.  Chase is a Malamute, Siberian Husky, German Shepherd Mix. or a Geberian Shepsky. Yes, we now have a designer dog (eye roll) He's so cute and looks like a baby bear.   He's only like 9 weeks old so far and has a lot of training to go but he's such a good doggy for our family.  We rescued him from the Rocking M Ranch in Southern California and picked him up in Temecula, CA . He was one of 9 pups in a high kill shelter and the Rocking M Ranch was able to rescue 5 of them. We were blessed to find Chase.

Looking at myself. I am currently 10 months postpartum. I am at a weight and state of mind in which I never thought I'd be. I initially lost the baby weight but it didn't stay off long. I blinked at it was back on and then some.   Having knowingly had PCOS for the past 9 years, I am well aware of it's symptoms. They have come back with a vengeance.   I first recognized my weight gain primarily around my abdomen since my legs and upper body don't ever seem to change much. Along with that was an increase to my anxiety. I have always suffered from social anxiety but it seems to have begun to worsen.  Next I noticed hirsutism. I HATE even thinking about it but it just started getting bad. Then came the acne, missed periods and sharp pains that feel like ruptured cysts. I have had them before, so I'm well aware of the feeling.   I have an appointment with my OB/GYN today to discuss options.  I want to change my birth control and go back on Metformin.  Metformin worked wonders for me before and when I changed insurance and doctors I just didn't continue with it. I'm hoping my Dr will agree to this.

Along with medicinal changes I have decided to lower my carb intake. Today is day one. I will not post daily posts on social media as whenever I have tried that in the past it just doesn't work for me. I will do this for me and not for public/friend support and the comments and suggestions. I think the well meaning suggestions are what bother me the most. I know people mean well, but I want to do this my way. I have private messaged a couple of people who I know can offer me help and advice but, so far that will be it.   Knowing it's in my genetics and diabetes runs in my family, I believe that a LOW CARB lifestyle is what will work best for MY BODY based on my family history.

I wish everyone happiness and laughter! :)

***update.  I went to my Obstetrician and he was very well educated in PCOS and let me try a new birth control and let me go back on Metformin and was happy to do both.