Emerald Nuts 100 Calorie Pack

I have been looking for healthy snacks and I happened to spot these in Target.   They are 100 calorie packs of Walnuts and Almonds.

Nuts are really good for you.  They pack a bunch of protein, good fats and Omega-3s.   There are 7 packs in the box and each box was $2.59. 

The packets of nuts are small but kept me satisfied for quite a while.  There is another variety – a dark chocolate almond – that I saw first and almost purchased.  But, when I saw an Almond/Walnut combination, I jumped on them.  It is really hard to find Walnut pieces.  I like Almonds well enough but the combination is hard to resist.

The almonds and walnuts were fresh and quite tasty.   A great, healthy snack for less than the cost of a candy bar.  A total recommend.

Technorati Tags: Emerald Nuts,100 Calorie Pack,Almonds,Walnuts

May 20th – 26th: A Mass Update

Sorry for not posting the last week.  I’ve been dealing with school and work and life has been this side of crazy.

Overall I’ve done ok.  This is going to be harder than I thought.  Much harder.

I haven’t exercised since the last time I posted that I had exercised.  For the last part of last week (20th – 23rd) it was for medical reasons.  I got a transfusion on the 21st and felt like total crap until Sunday the 24th.  I’m not supposed to exercise around my transfusion days as my hemoglobin count is too low to support the stress of exercise.

Since Sunday, I just haven’t found the time.  This is a crazy week of three papers and tons of work.  Friday should go back to normal…I’ll pick it up then.

Because of no exercise, I’m thinking that I haven’t lost weight.

However, I have another way to measure success.  My blood sugar readings.

Two weeks ago, prior to starting this new challenge, my average blood sugar was 400.  For those of you who are diabetic or know about blood sugars – you will know that this is BAD.

For the last week, my average blood sugar has been 250.  I even had a reading of 188 last Sunday.  This proves to me that I’m on the right path with regards to my food choices.  Since the entire challenge is so that I can get healthier – I would say that I am successful.

Can’t change lifelong habits at once..baby steps.

I did have a funny experience in the grocery store on Monday.  I drink Diet Caffeine Free Coke and stores always have great soda sales on the three day weekends.  I went to the store to stock up on Coke and remembered I needed cat food.  I got all that I needed and headed back to the cash registers.  Unfortunately, on the way, was the candy aisle.   I have been craving chocolate and sweets like mad (threw them all out of the house) and was so tempted.  I found myself staring and practically drooling at the candy.  In my head, I was yelling at myself “Don’t do it” “Walk Away!” “Don’t you even think about it!”.  I must have stood there for a few minutes before I walked away.  Empty handed.

I’m sure people thought I was crazy.

I did find two helpful things to get me to stop snacking:

1.  Altoids.  I’m an addict now.  I find that altoids make food items foul.  So if I get hungry and I know it is out of boredom – I eat an altoid.  The problem is, now I have to have them with me EVERYWHERE.  The licorice ones work the best.

2.  Clear Packing Tape.  In the past few months, my freezer has popped open twice, ruining everything inside.  So I stocked up again and have a piece of clear packing tape on the fridge to hold the freezer shut.  It’s amazing how just that one little piece of tape is such a deterrent to opening up the freezer.  Who would’ve thought?

Thanks for being patient with me during my non-update period.  I’ll try to be better!

Technorati Tags: weight loss,altoids,diabetes

May 19, 2009: Really not so good

Well, I’m two days away from a transfusion and I feel like total hell.

I had one of those days where I woke up early (5:30am) to write a document and get it sent off to one of my clients prior to them getting into the office.  As I was up until 2am working – I was exhausted and went back to sleep (7am) .

I woke up at 10:30am.

So a large part of my day was shot.  I ended up in the shower at noon and eating my first meal of the day around 2:00pm (bad, BAD PAM)… At 3:00, I was out the door to go get my lab tests done in downtown LA and then to class where we had a presentation.  It is 11:20pm and I just got home 20 minutes ago.  *sigh*

I ate for crap today.  I did get a bit of exercise hauling my backpack, purse and laptop all over campus this evening but it wasn’t a good sort of exercise.  I recovered a bit this evening by having nothing but water since about 6pm.  Usually I have some sort of snack in the middle of class but skipped it.

Tomorrow will be a better day.   Provided I get up before noon.

May 18, 2009: Everything Old is New Again!

I had a “whoo-hoo” moment today.  I had a meeting at a client site and so I had to dress in clothes that are more business-like than my shorts and t-shirts.   On a whim, I tried on a shirt that I haven’t been able to wear in about 5 years.

Hurrah!  It fit!

So I tried on another shirt I hadn’t been able to wear in a long time….and it fit too!

I have almost a whole new wardrobe now.  So exciting.

My food was okay today.  I had a good breakfast and then ended up going to Ruby’s Diner in Long Beach after I left my client meeting.  Normally I would have just come home but the knowing there was a Ruby’s nearby, I just had to stop by!   I did okay..Pot Roast Sandwich and fries.   For dinner I just had a salad.

I didn’t get in any exercise.  It’s looking doubtful for the week.   I have very severe anemia that requires transfusions every few weeks and when it is transfusion week I have to be careful about my activity.   I will try to do a bit tomorrow but probably not a whole 1/2 hour.

I did clean my fridge out today.  Stupid me didn’t close the freezer completely shut last night and most everything in my freezer defrosted.  I lost a ton of frozen meat, but the biggest mess was the popsicles that melted and flooded the freezer and then partially refroze.  I cleaned it out but my freezer still smells like raspberries.  It did let me get rid of all the bad stuff in there and refill it with healthier things.  Some good came out of it at least.

Another good note:  My blood sugars are improving.  Hurrah!

May 17, 2009 – A Very Fruitfull Day

Today, for the first time in ages, I got in all of the daily required fruit servings and two of the daily required veggie servings.

Yay me!

Not so yay for my stomach.

I forgot how horrible it is for the first few weeks after you start a new diet – new healthy foods making their way through your digestive system.  It really sucks and I’m seriously glad I live alone right now!

I was able to do the Wii Fit today for 30 minutes.  I mixed it up a bit and stuck a few yoga poses into the mix.  I am the least flexible person on the planet so I’m sure I looked like a drunk monkey – but I made it through.  According to my Wii Trainer Chad, I have excellent balance.   I am feeling it in my arms and waist so maybe it is doing something for me.

Anything has to be better than sitting on my butt.