Diary of a night shift nosher

[paganrn]

So, I'm back, I gained everything I lost and more after my son died, and it's taken me this long to really get serious about getting and keeping the weight off.

Challenges I face--night shift, let's face it, if you're eating you must be awake, right? The women I work with are either low fat *****, or junk foodaholics. Add to this the unpredictable nature of if and when I can eat. ( labor room nurse, small hospital). Add to that the weird hours and trying to figure out how to schedule your carbs...

--perimenopause, not much I can do about what my hormonal maelstrom is doing to my body, other than listen to it, and try to keep it on an even keel.

--how to feed my meat and potatoes family.

Dysautonomia---basically I pass out at times for no apparent reason

So, I thought back to what made it work last time. I was unapologetic a out what I ate, and touted my weight loss and glowing skin when ever someone scoffed. I packed full meals, and easy to grab snacks that fit my carb plan, and I was unapologetic about taking the time to eat. Obesity is an illness, as a nurse, I treat illnesses, right? Why not treat my own?

Perimenopause, accept it, deal with it and keep a spray bottle of peppermint water with me to stay cool!

Feeding the family, again, unapologetic, if they really really really want waffles, they can make them themselves. If they want starch with dinner, I just eat double veggies!

Dysautonomia, I think it was actually better when I lowcarbed religiously. I know the increased fluid intake helped.

So, that's my plan. I already know how to do this, I lost 60 lbs before. I just have to do it.

Keep y'all posted

[mcelromi1]

I'll be following your progress.

Good Luck! You can do it!

[twinkerbell]

Hi! I am a night shift nurse, too, and yes, it is difficult! Although I'm not to the perimenopause phase yet, I love the peppermint water idea! Please feel free to share your meal plans, ideas, etc, as I could use the info! Thanks!

[paganrn]

Pink on the keto stick, so I know I'm in ketosis, although I figured I was from the gates of hell taste in my mouth this morning. Made the cream cheese muffins, and that's been my breakfast. Bought some atkins frozen meals to take to work, and have been tweaking the family supper menu so that I can eat it.

Today's food,

2 cream cheese muffins. 4 carbs
Coffee with hwc

Tossed greens with hard boiled eggs and chicken breast. Tossed with mayo thinned out with a touch of spicy chili sauce and water. 2 grams

Pork roast. (Was a special at aldis). 5 grams
Cauliflower
Salad as above

Jello whip made with sf jello and cream. 1 gram

That's 12 carbs with play of 8 if I get the munches late at night.

I decided to track carbs midnight to midnight, because I'm so hungry when I get home in the morning, I need to eat or I can't sleep, plus when I sleep days supper is my breakfast. Anyway, it just works for me. My sleep pattern was so erratic, sometimes awake for 30 hours, sometimes awake for just 12.....

My recipe for peppermint cooling spray. Water and peppermint extract, I spritz it whenever I'm flashing.

Weigh in tomorrow at work. Purposefully took the battery out of my scale at home so I don't obsess about every ounce! I will go by how my clothes fit

My goal is a size 12. Size 18 now, so at 20lb/size, that's 60 lbs. I have a picture of the outfit I want hanging on the pantry door for reinforcement!

[paganrn]

Not hungry, at all today! Yeah! That means its working. Work tonight, and a weigh in.

Today's food plan
Coffee w hwc and stevia

Roast turkey roll ups with smoked provolone, mayo and lettuce

Chicken
Asparagus
Salad

Work grab bag
Sf jello, hb eggs, atkins frozen dinner

[paganrn]

208! high energy, and staying on track. I love it!

brought an atkins frozen dinner and some sf jello with me for my middle of the night nosh. those dinners are a lifesaver!

[paganrn]

Still on induction, and greatly pleased with how I feel. I am limiting my weigh ins to just at work. And just once a week. My belly feels flatter to me, not when I touch it but when I'm standing up, so the belly bloat is going. Still fat mind you, got that pannus thing still going on, but it will go.

I am going to admit, I'm scared of what's going to happen to my face as the weight goes. Am I going to get wrinkles and loose skin as the fat goes. A turkey chin wattle? I know it sounds vain, but being a woman of a certain age, I have taken great pride in my skin compared to women my same age.

My energy level is throughout the roof now that my induction brain flu has cleared---I am fighting insomnia now. From hypersomnia to insomnia---don't know which is worse.

Debating my goal being lbs, size or bmi. I do know I'm challenging myself to little mini goals of 20-25 lbs, so my first one is Onderland. My reward for that is a pedicure.

[paganrn]

Weigh in tomorrow. Last night I was starving, and I mean stomach rumbling hunger. Ate two helpings of the low carb casserole I made, and that assuaged it for a bit. Noshed on some cheese and a few almonds. Still in ketosis this am. Wondering what made me so hungry, coconut oil in my coffee perhaps?

The family is having carry out tacos from the tavern up the street. I'm having a bunless mr burger with Swiss cheese, bacon, and mushrooms.

Fit into a pair of jeans I couldn't get snapped, they're tight but I can close them! Yeah me!

Today's nothings

Coffee w evco, hwc and davincis
Low carb cream cheese muffin

2 hard baked eggs. ( I bake them instead of boiling them if I have the oven on for something else) with 2 T mayo
Small lettuce salad with o/v dressing

Burger w bacon, Swiss cheese bacon and mayo

Not sure what my bedtime snack will be, maybe a big dish of broccoli with butter!

[paganrn]

woot 206 today, after supper, with scrubs on!

[paganrn]

So I'm off the next several days, no weigh ins until Monday or Tuesday. I did learn a lesson this week----coconut oil in ones coffee---go slow, or you go FAST!

I've stayed under 20 grams of carbohydrates each day, definitely in ketosis. Mi have more energy. My little tummy roll feels smaller but maybe that's wishful thinking.

Today I went through my closet, hung a pair of size 14s where I have to move them to get anything out. I don't have any 12s, or I would have hung those up. Took my measurements, that was depressing, but it's also a reality check and will help when the scale isn't telling me what I want.

Basically I'm a rather lumpy pear 44-46-48' seriously. Good lord, of course, if I held the girls up to where they used to be that first number would be higher.

Upcoming weeks mini challenge-get back on the elliptical, even if I can only do one minute, it's better than nothing. Increase it by 10 percent each day for one week. Reward for completing this, in the past it would be food, but this time it's different! My reward will be buying that new cross stitch pattern I've been wanting. Small challenge small reward. Eventually I would love to be able to do an hour on that thing, and I will!

Found a few recipes to try.

Son coming for dinner, he wants chili, so chili for the family, and I'll have the atkins chili. I'll nuke it before, and have my bowl in the microwave--I don't want him to feel bad that I cooked him something I can't eat

[paganrn]

No weight loss the past several days, but it's TOM, I know tmi, but I can tell I'm retaining fluids, my fingers and toes are puffy. I know I'm still in ketosis, because I can taste my breathe, and checked on the sticks.

I discovered I love DOMINOS plain chicken wings. I admit, I ate 12 last night, for supper at work. I actually bought 40, and separated them out for the next few nights. We have toaster oven, so I can reheat them in that, and buy a salad from the vending machine.

I was starving the past few days, sure it's related to TOM, and I know it will pass. Hubby made garlic cheese bread the other night. It was all I could do not to nosh a piece.

I almost made dream fields pasta tonight, but I'm still on the fence about it

Down 2.5 inches
Prior measurements
Bust 44
Waist 44
Hips 48
Current 43/43/47.5

Affirmation for the day. Health is the biggest reward!

[Dolores Claiborne]

Enjoying your journal paganrn. Keep on keeping on.

[paganrn]

Had the worst bout of sickness I have had in years. Not influenza, but this horrible, coughing, hacking till my ribs hurt thing. 10 days worth of not being able to function. I didnt do the cooking, instead the spouse did carryout or cooked, needless to say it was very, very off plan. But, I got right back on plan as of yesterday, and am back on induction. I am not getting on the scale for at least a week, because I dont want to disappoint myself, and I know I will. Not in ketosis, yet, but hopefully by tomorrow, or at the latest Friday.

I cant beat myself up, because its not like I went off plan just because I wanted some yummy nosh. It was out of my control. I was so sick I didnt care what I ate as long as I could swallow it without coughing.

Ive discovered Dominos plain chicken wings are a lifesaver when I dont have time to cook something to bring to work. 3 wings have only 0.5 grams of carbs, not too shabby. Pair 6 wings with a small salad from vendoland and its a pretty decent meal.

So if yall read this Im still here, frustrated a bit by the step back, but I know I can do it!