Professor Smurlene's PCOS and Fertility Journal

[LegalBeagle]

I get up at 5:30 every day, so I am in bed early. But I would think that as long as you are following the three meals and two snacks pluys dessert at night "rule" (meaning eating regularly throughout the day to keep the blood sugar on an even keel), you should be able to adjust it to your lifestyle. I mean, that's what this whole thing is all about, right? Changing your lifestyle. From here on out, this is how you will eat 95% of the time to lose your weight and then maintain the loss.

Are you a college prof? What do you teach? My Dad teaches at Embry Riddle in Daytona (aeronautics and computer science), as does my step-Mom. When I was a kid he was at Clemson, UNC, Univ. of Fla. and the Citadel (over the span of years, I mean). Just curious - hope it's not too personal to be asking that question. (I am a paralegal for a government agency, not that you asked, but since I asked you...)

Have a great weekend!!!!!!!

[lilac]

Smurlene, when I was working my schedule was all over the place (I'm a part time nurse), evening, night, couple of day shifts, back to nights. Anyway, I dealt with it by just starting my day whenever I woke up, that was breakfast and the day proceeded from there. Didn't matter if it was 7 AM or PM.

As for not eating after a certain time at night, I watched a documentary on diets and it stated that there is actually no scientific proof that stopping eating in the evening aids in weightloss. I just don't do it because all I ever want in the evening is chips


Good luck on the TTC. Several times in the past year I've thought 'and I wanted this so badly , why again' and then he gives one of the smiles like in my avatar and i fall in love all over again.

cheers,
marilyn

[Smurlene]

You both make a whole lot of sense! I guess the problem I have been having is that it is really, really hard for me to eat six times a day. I feel like I am never done eating! I will keep out and see if reducing portion size will make it easier.

I am a college prof...English. In many ways, I am lucky because my actual at-work hours are limited to around 12 a week, but almost all of my at-home time is filled with work (research, grading, etc.). I rarely ever tell people that I am an English prof because they always get worried about their grammar, which is crazy because I never proofread anythng I post here.

And, thanks Marily on the ttc. I really, really want to bring home a live baby. So many losses. I ovulated on my own this cycle. Can't test until Jan. 27. Fingers crossed!

[Smurlene]

I just spent the last several hours of my Friday night combing through the South Beach books for recipes I want to try. I am heading into week 2 and now that boredom is going to come up soon, so I had better be prepared. So, I figured I would list my favs here, so that perhaps I can come back to them later. I would love to hear your thoughts on any of these.

I will be trying them out around two or three a week and will rate them as I got along. This week (1/15-1/22) I will be trying chicken paprikash, chili, and chicken salad. See my thougths/ratings below.

Phase 1
From The South Beach Diet book.....
Cheesy Frittata 138
Light Spinach Frittata with Tomato Salsa 139
Vegetabel Quiche Cups to Go 143
South Beach Chopped Salad with Tuna 147
Gazpacho 161
Chicken en Papillote 162
Balsamic Chicken 163
Savory Chicken Saute 165
Grilled Salmon with Rosemary 175
Armand Salad 179
Oven-Roasted Vegetables 182

Phase 2
From The South Beach Diet book.....
Oatmeal Pancakes 219
Tomato Basil Cous-Cous Salad 227
Meatloaf 239
Spinach-Stuff Salmon Fillet 242
Macaluso's Salad 253
Vegetable Medley 256

From The Southbeach Diet Cookbook
------------------------------
From The Southbeach Diet Quck and Easy Cookbook

Sidedishes
Chickpea and Basil Salad
Barley and Mushrooms
-------------------------------
Bulgur Cucumber and Mint 115
Sweet Potato Fries

Salads
Tuna and Bean Salad 116

Chicken Salad (1/15/06)
Not a fan of the lemon and sour cream together. I tasted the dressing first and ditched it. I add a little mayo and sour cream together with fresh parsley, basil, and onion. Turned out well.

Artichoke Salad with Almonds 132
Tomato and Mozarella Salad 134
Salad Dressings 158+
-------------------------------
Turkey Antipasto Salad 126
Bean Salad 132
Chicken Avacado Salad 201

Snacks
Rebuen Wraps 71
Roasted Chickpeas 75
------------------------------
Peppery Cheese Popcorn 100

Breakfast
Oat Muffins
Buckwheat Pancakes
Oatmeal Pancakes
Veggie Frittata
Sausage and Cheese
---------------------------
Pear Bran Muffins 73
Chicken Frittata 75

Soups
Hearty Minestrone 94
Bean Soups (96+)
-------------------------
Veggie Bean Soup 91
Lentil and Kale Stew 264

Lunch/Dinner
Big Easy Shrimp 200
Artichoke Chicken 211
Chicken Capri 214
Grilled Raspberry Chicken

Chicken Paprikash (1/15/06)
Very bland. Needs more sauce. Took a lot of time (over an hour to cut and cook everything) to make for such a little bit of flavor. Would be made better if more paprikah and broccoli were added.

I did learn how to steam broccoli in the same pan as chicken, so that was useful. I would probably not make this recipe again.

Meatloaf
-------------------------
Spanish Monkfish 138
Balsamic Salmon 139
Salmon and Zucchini 149
Roasted Salmon 152
Cod with Artichokes 154
Santa Fe Steak 230
Beef and Bean Chili 226
Mustard Crustard Steak 219
South Beach BBQ Sauce 205
Baked Pesto Chicken 192
Tons of Chicken 184+
Turkey Sausage with Kale and Chickpeas 183
chicken Quesidillas 179
Jambalya 175
Halibut 156

[Smurlene]

Grocery List for Week 1/15 for Two People

[I have decided in my second week to alternate. One day I will have a serving of oatmeal, the next a serving of berries, and so forth. If this goes well, then I will try having both of them in one day. If that goes well, then the next week (week four), I will try adding a new carb: oranges.

I am very impressed with this list. It just screams healthy. I can really stick to this!!!

Vegetables
fresh parsley
2 Romaine lettuce hearts (organic)
12 sweet peppers
9 cucumbers
4 tomatoes
5 red onions
1 bag baby carrots
3 bulbs of garlic
1 bag broccoli florets
3 scallions
1 lb asparagus
1 medium summer squash
1 celery heart
1 medium zucchini
1 avacado

Fruits
blueberries
strawberries

Organic
Hommus (Oasis)
Steel Cut Oats
2 cans kidney beans
Low Fat Feta Crumbled
Non-fat plain yogurt
1 gallon 1% milk
Eggs

Meats
8 Chicken breasts
Frozen fish (orange roughy or other)
1 pack chicken sausages (Al Fresco)
1 lb. ground turkey
2 pk steak

Dairy
Extra sharp cheddar
Fat-free sour cream
1% low fat cottage cheese
Dozen eggs
Low fat cheese sticks
Low fat cheddar
eggs

Other
Cumin
Low sodium V-8
Large balsamic vinegar
Chicken broth (resealable)
Chunk light tuna
Small jar of Hellman’s

Nuts (from Wild Oats)
Pistachios
Almonds
Peanuts

[Smurlene]

Two Dreams
Got up late this morning after having two crummy dreams. In one, I got up in the morning and weighed myself. The scale read: 342!! That is the most I have ever weighed, and I hit that mark in October 2003. (Went down to 315 in about a year on Glucophage alone, then began regaining it after being on fertility meds for nearly a year.) Needless to say, I woke up in a panic and the first thing I did was weigh myself. I am down to 323! So, I have lost 14 lbs in eight days on P2. I tell you, though, that is the last time I read Dr. A's book before bed! I know that is what triggered it along with a not-so underlying fear that I am going to fail at SB.

I had another dream. I was at my chair's house for a dinner party and got stuck in the bathroom without any toliet paper. I had to call out to his guests to ask for help. He cracked the door and slid in a wad (not a roll) of tp. It was so embarassing. I am not sure what this dream means, but it might have something to do with the constipation I have recently experienced! I am hoping to add oatmeal and hot green tea to fix that problem.

[Smurlene]

What I Learned in Week One

Drinking lots and lots (for me, at least eight glasses) of water is necessary not only for weight loss to ocur but to avoid constipation.

Constipation really hurts. I have only been constipated once in my life that I can remember, but it didn't hurt this bad. Back pain, lower pelvic pain, ouch! Relief, I hope, is about eight glasses of water and a bowl of oatmeal away. How can you eat all those veggies and still be constipated?

Planning for SBD takes a lot of time when you are new at it. I have spent countless hours reading the boards, reading the books, and planning for SBD. I know it is all worth it, though. I spent about four hours researching and planning my eating schedule for next week. I did a bunch of extra planning (looking up recipes and thinking about what I will be adding and when) and I know it will be a big time saver when crunch time comes later this semester.

It is a good idea to keep copies of my weekly food planner and its accompanying grocery list. One of my problems in the past on any WOE has been that I would forget what I usually ate on that diet after getting tired of my current rotation. So, I have made a file with all of my food planner and grocery list stuff, so that six weeks from now if I can't remember what I liked a while back, I can just print out this weeks and go shopping.

My final lesson, South Beach rocks!

[Smurlene]

Today I integrated steel cut oats back into my diet. I have to say when I scooped out that half cup of oats I was really disappointed. It looks so, so small. (I used a really small bowl to make it look bigger.)

But, after eating two boiled eggs and a small glass of V-8, the little bit of oatmeal was just the perfect size for me. I finished it and didn't want more. It has been an hour an half since I ate it, and I feel fine. I am not drowy or hungry or lightheaded. Hopefully, this will be a keeper.

Day 2 without Protonix (for GERD) and I am thrilled, though I might have to break down and have one later because the V-8 is giving me heartburn, but I have to tell you, I would rather have heartburn than those dang GERD-related chest pains!!!

[LegalBeagle]

I majored in English! Medieval and British Romantics are my favs!!!

For constipation, start using the sugar free metamucil 3 times a day. It works great!!! I was pretty stopped up in phase 1, too, despite all the veggies.

Be sure to measure the oatmeal BEFORE you cook it. A half cup is the UNCOOKED measure. It cooks up to more than a cup, a nice sized serving. I use steel cut oats and cook 1 cup of oats and it makes 2 cooked servings.

[Smurlene]

Ah, Medieval and British! Some of my friends went that direction. My Ph.D. is in writing and rhetoric. I did have to take a good bit of Medieval courses in grad school. I even picked up a little middle English. One of my favorite authors of that time period is Margery Kempe. Her autobiography is one of my scholarly interests. Have you read it?

I am heading to the store for metamucil. I have to do something. I just never imagined that veggies wouldn't be enough.

So I can have a whole cup of cooks oats? That is a serving? I couldn't figure that out from the books or the message boards. Well, that certainly makes a difference. Poor dh had to eat the rest of what I cooked. No wonder he is bloated!

[Smurlene]

Okay, I just trying Laughing Cow Light, and OMG!!!! It is the best cheese I ever tasted in my life! I mean, I have tried dozens of cheeses and this is soooo good. I don't think I will be able to buy it often because it is so good that I will be afraid to over eat on it, but I don't know yet. However, the eating of LCL was a great moment in itself. Hubby got a big ol' jelly donut at the grocery store, and he was eating it while I was munching on LCL and pistachios. I thought, "Sucker!" because what I was eating was soooo good!

I just tallied my grocery bill for both stores (Wild Oats and a regular grocery): $200 for one week! I hope that there is a way to extend this. Sweet Peppers were sky high this week, $1.49 each. We couldn't go to Jungle Jim's because there is something wrong with our car and it is farther away. But, there several things that will last beyond this week: milk, eggs, oats, cheese (I doubt the Laughing Cow, will!), balsamic vinegar, and berries, so I guess it isn't that bad. I am going to keep a total and see how much it costs a month. Though, if I can stay off Protonix, that will save me $30 a month, so that can go for groceries. Then, if I can go off buspar, that will save me $12. So, it should all even out. Of course, if it really improves my health, it is worth it. I am thinking that SBD (once hubby gets on board) will raise my monthly grocery bill by about $75, but I will see once I make it through a whole month. I am up to day 8. One month here I come.

[Smurlene]

Okay, I just trying Laughing Cow Light, and OMG!!!! It is the best cheese I ever tasted in my life! I mean, I have tried dozens of cheeses and this is soooo good. I don't think I will be able to buy it often because it is so good that I will be afraid to over eat on it, but I don't know yet. However, the eating of LCL was a great moment in itself. Hubby got a big ol' jelly donut at the grocery store, and he was eating it while I was munching on LCL and pistachios. I thought, "Sucker!" because what I was eating was soooo good!

I just tallied my grocery bill for both stores (Wild Oats and a regular grocery): $200 for one week! I hope that there is a way to extend this. Sweet Peppers were sky high this week, $1.49 each. We couldn't go to Jungle Jim's because there is something wrong with our car and it is farther away. But, there several things that will last beyond this week: milk, eggs, oats, cheese (I doubt the Laughing Cow, will!), balsamic vinegar, and berries, so I guess it isn't that bad. I am going to keep a total and see how much it costs a month. Though, if I can stay off Protonix, that will save me $30 a month, so that can go for groceries. Then, if I can go off buspar, that will save me $12. So, it should all even out. Of course, if it really improves my health, it is worth it. I am thinking that SBD (once hubby gets on board) will raise my monthly grocery bill by about $75, but I will see once I make it through a whole month. I am up to day 8. One month here I come.

[Smurlene]

I just entered my current measurements to page one of my journal. Um, yikes! But, as hard as this may be for some people to believe, if there were no health risks involved with being overweight, I would not lose weight. I love being a big, round woman. I have womanly breasts and hips, and I love it! I look in the mirror, even at 323 pounds, and think I look healthy and robust. It will be hard for me to except a thinner version of myself, but I know that it is for the best, especially if I am lucky enough to pregnant.

My total cholestrol is 127. My triglycerides are 43. My blood pressure is 98% of the time: 120/80. And, these levels have been that way since they were first measured in 1999.

But, I also have GERD, anxiety, and PCOS. Now, the PCOS is not going to go away, but the GERD and anxiety and insulin resistance (with the PCOS) have got to go.

I just ate what I hope to be will be my occassional splurge: a hot bowl of spicy pinto beans (with a little bit of organic wheat flour), guacamole, salsa, non-fat sour cream, and spinach with balsamic vinegrette on the side. I ate too much of it all, but it was really, really good.

I made good strides today: I started conditioning my skin and hair, I cleaned out my fridge, I went grocery shopping, and I didn't even think twice about eating a jelly donut with hubby. It was no temptaion whatsoever. South Beach is the easiest WOE ever.

[LegalBeagle]

Smurlene, what you ate was perfectly legal -really not a "splurge" at all! Sounds delish!!!

LCL freezes well, so you could freeze it and take out a wedge a day and let it thaw. That would keep you from overeating it, maybe?

I forgot to tell you earlier that the oatmeal reheats well in the microwave. Often I cook up a big batch of steel cut oats, then pour it into a tupperware container and when it's cold, cut it into portions. Or, I use those little one cup sized Gladware containers and portion it out that way. Either way, I have my breakfast for the week to take to work with me. I heat it in the microwave for 2 minutes and voila! I have it with a boiled egg or a couple of those Gardenburger "sausage" links.

[Smurlene]

I always wondered if you could re-heat oatmeal. For some reason, I just didn't think you could. I used to think that about rice, too, but rice is really good re-heated. I am going to go and make my batch of oatmeal for the week. What a great idea!

Oh, Laughing Cow Light. How is it possible for cheese to taste so yummy? I think I found a solution to the portion control. I bought the little square serving size packages. Five little foil wrapped squares=1 serving. So, I am pretty good about counting things out like that....you know 15 almonds, 30 pistachios, etc. If I have to cut something myself into a serving, I occassionally "fudge" my measurements....it is just a sliver over 1 oz, right? So, I try my best to use a measuring cup and stay honest.

Good to know I didn't blow my diet with the spicy pinto bean foray last night. It was really, really filling and delicious.

I had intended to start exercising again tomorrow, but it doesn't look like that will be possible after all. I have an ovarian cyst or a corpus luteum (the thing that ruptures during ovulation) that isn't healed yet. My doc says no physical activity until the pain is gone. I was honestly looking forward to working out tomorrow. Maybe I can at least do a little yoga/meditation.

My biggest problem right now is sleep. I have been keeping weird hours as of late. Last night I stayed up until 5 am this morning and got up at 1:00! I was just reading in bed. I started reading a great memoir, Man Made by Ken Baker, and the next thing you know it is 5 am. The book is really good so far. It is about a man who is impotent and take on female physical characteristics all because he has a brain tumor that makes his prolactin levels (the stuff momma need to produce milk) go through the roof (normal is like 10 ng; his were more than 15,000 ng!!!).

So, I several strategies for getting to sleep earlier:
1. Stay up all night, then go to bed early in the evening. (Won't work because it will cause me a panic attack.)
2. Just get up early no matter what. (If I don't get enough sleep, usually more than five hours, I will have a panic attack.0
3. Take an extra dose of buspar. (Might give me heart palpitations, which will certainly keep me up.)
4. Drink lots and lots of water before bed, which will force me to get up early. (If I drink too much water, I will get up too early, which will encourage me to go back to bed.)
5. Meditate to relaxing music while taking a nice warm bath. (Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.)
6. Exercise like crazy to tire myself out. (Can't cause of the cyst.0

I can't take a sleeping pill because of the anxiety. I am just not sure what to do to get to bed early. I have an 8 am breakfast meeting on Wednesday, so i need to get to bed. Sigh.....