Dribs and drabs

Let's get the weigh in out of the weigh - hahaha.  That's as good as the humor's gonna get today, folks.  I'm feeling tired and achy and quite blahsville.  Anyway, I was 207 today, so down 1.5 pounds.  I'm happy with that.  Hopefully I'll get in a lot more walking and other exercise this weekend.  If I could lose 1.5 pounds a week with no backslides I'd be delighted.  This business of losing down through the same pounds again and again just works my last nerve and I'm done with it.  It's within my power to never weigh more than I do today again, if I'm willing to work for it and sit through food obsessive thoughts for awhile, praying for help to say no and feel my feelings.  I've definitely done better with this lately.

Our company comes tomorrow afternoon and these folks are not super foodies, unlike a certain blogger you know and (hopefully) like.  Food will not be the focus of our time together, so hopefully I won't overeat.  I'm excited to see them, but also in my usual state of wishing I was 20 lbs thinner to see any of Tom's family.  It's nuts.  It's crazy.  It's vain.  This sister-in-law is one of my favorite people in the world.  We really love each other.  We can always talk for hours, picking up where we left off last time, which in this case was a brief visit in March when we went to Atlanta for her wedding.  She was pretty "busy" that weekend, to say the least, so we didn't have our usual gab fest.  But we always have tons to talk about.

Bottom line...she does not judge or care that my weight is what it is.  She's seen me heavier (as much as 25 pounds heavier, God forbid!).  Yet I envision her going back to Atlanta and calling the whole family to tell them, "Leslie is still a bit heavy."  As though she has nothing more in her life to talk about than my weight.  Even if she didn't have more going on to talk about, she is not mean spirited or gossipy and wouldn't engage in character assassination by tongue.  But that's where my head goes.  In AA they use the term "egomaniac with an inferiority complex"...which is so accurate.  The egocentrism of negative self-esteem runs deeper than the deepest ocean, which I think is the Pacific?  Anyhoo - you get my drift.

So what else is on my mind??  Hmmm - oh - I've "invented" a great new healthy snack that tastes totally decadent, is satisfying and protein packed.  And ridiculously simple.  I was motivated by how much I love Chobani's pineapple yogurt.  It's great, but only 1/2 cup, and 160 calories.  Kind of a big calorie hit for a small amount.  So I've been using 1 cup of Trader Joe's 0% Greek yogurt, a splenda packet, and 1/2 cup of Dole's pineapple tidbits in it's own juice, for which the calorie count is 50.  I get a bit of juice with the pineapple and mush it together with the full cup of the yogurt (120 calories and a staggering 22 gms of protein), and it's great.  Much more satisfying than the measly Chobani, and lots more nourishing.  Who knew?  Also cheaper, ultimately, though I've never been a cheapo when it comes to food ;) .  The total is 170 for over a cup more of yum!  I've been having it as part of breakfast this week.

One more thing...at the beginning of this I mentioned I'm kind of tired and achy today.  Where I'm mostly achy is my thighs and knees, and I'm not sure why, because I've been sleeping well and haven't been doing any new exercises or strength training.  But there is one thing...literally since early December when I had my first knee arthroscopy, I've taken some amount of Ibuprofen every day.  Right after the surgery, I was taking 800mg ever 6 hours while awake, which I weaned down to 800 twice a day pretty quick.  (I stopped the Vicodan FAST because I liked the way it made my head feel too much and ibuprofen worked fine - recall the whole recovery issue)  Then I had the second knee done in late February and started with the big doses of Ibu again, then again weaned down to 800 (4 OTC pills btw) twice daily pretty fast.  Finally I was taking that dose only in the mornings, but every day.  Since then.  For all these months.  So last week I decided to get off it because I couldn't possibly still need it.  Went to 600 mg for a few days, then 400mg for a few.  Today for the first time I took none, and as the day has worn on, the achiness has really ensued.

Now really, could this be because of no ibuprofen?  I have no idea, but I am not going to take any.  I hate the thought that my body has gotten so used to it that it's crying out for a little hit, and a buzzless hit at that!  Not that Ibuprofen is a narcotic or anything, but I'm 6 months post op the 2nd knee, and 9 months from the 1st!  So I'm going to take a good walk after work regardless and hope that this is just a freaky achy day.  If it isn't, my body is on notice that it better settle down because the daily pharmacy is closed!

Sorry for the ramble rant, but every time I get up from this desk I feel the aches, so I decided to put it out there.  Don't know if I'll get a post in until Monday, what with entertaining, so I wish everyone a good weekend.  May it go nice and slowly!