Low carb and loving it

So approximately two weeks ago I decided to go low carb.  Since I have a gluten sensitivity anyway, I need to stay away from gluten. It makes sense that I should go low carb.  Since I was going low carb, I had to decide how many carbs I was going to eat.
There are differences:
0-20 keto
20-50 low carb
50-100 liberal low carb

When I started the journey, I was liberal low carb. 50-100 carbs a day or more. I did this for a few days, but then I realized that I did not see any change. So I decided that I would actually go low carb and try to keep my carbs between 20-50 a day. I saw a great change! For the first week, I was really tired and had headaches, but I have been tired all of the time anyway. Now, I feel great. I am not as tired all of the time and I am eating more salads and vegetables than ever. The headaches went away and I am drinking more water than ever.

So... What have I learned?
*Apples and Kiwi's have 11 carbs each!! What!! I eat these sparingly.
*Gluten Free bread is better when you make it yourself.

Have I mentioned that I feel better than ever. Fruits have become a dessert and I believe that I enjoy them more now than ever before. Now that I am consuming more vegetables,  I am making sure that we eat different kinds.

Finally! Progress

I am starting to make progress now. I walked at least three or four days this week and I plan to go out tomorrow for four miles. I have been eating better and I think I am starting to see progress.

Super Bowl and other couch potato activities

Today is the Super Bowl in the United States. People try to make it a national holiday but it is just a regular day. People eat more than they should and sit on the couch for hours. I am doing the same. Today has been a day of no adulting. I threw the cat out of the room to try and sleep in, but it did not happen. Instead, I listened to him complain as I tried to sleep. I meant to work out this weekend, but it did not happen. I do not know why I could not seem to get up off of the couch. I am going to work on it this up coming week because I am not going to get where I want to be by sitting on my butt.
My goals for the week are:

• Walk at least three times with jogging interspersed
• eat at least three or four veggies every day real goal is five to seven
• stay away from trigger foods (Tomatoes, MSG, Cheese) to see if this helps with inflammation
• write down everything I eat

The year of Health or the Year of Fun

I know that this blog is called the Year of Health and I am truly trying to get healthy. But, I also want to have fun. I have a lot of plans this year, running a half and maybe a full marathon, travel, start kayaking, and living well (aka lose a little weight). I also want to volunteer, give back to my community, and continue to be a good mom and wife. Those are a lot of goals. It can seem overwhelming if you think about it in one chunk, but I am going to try to break them up into bite size chunks, such as:

• walking or using the elliptical every day
• book a trip (done)
• buy an inflatable kayak (done)
• volunteer can also coincide with being a good mom (volunteering to be a guard mom)

I hope this works. Wish me luck

working out

Life has been good lately. I walked three miles today with no issues and then turned around and did yoga. Just a few months ago I was in the hospital. They barely let me walk while I was in there. In November, I walked over 8.7 miles in one day (the day I volunteered). I am going to try to make that a regular thing. I am shooting for 5 days a week.

Post Hospitalization

I had a pleural effusion. What is that? 2 cups of liquid in my lung. I went to the hospital for a cough and they took a chest x-ray. I was told that it was probably my sinuses and then the xray came back. next thing I knew I was having a ct scan and an IV. Lots of antibiotics later, I received a chest tube. A partially collapsed lung and a scare regarding another surgery and a few days later I was being released minus the chest tube. I still had the cough. A week later, I went to the pulmonologist and he told me it was my sinuses and prescribed medicine. I am actually doing better a few weeks later.He is sending me to a rheumonologist because one of the markers showed a weak positive. The year of health is turning out to suck. I can walk a mile maybe two without a coughing fit and I am tired all of the time. I hope that the year gets better because I would love to run a marathon for my 40th.

bronchitis

Yesterday, I went to the doctor. Apparently, I have bronchitis or something.  A thousand pills a day later and the cough is worse. I am on antibiotics.