Diet Changes AND Challenges

I like to think our family eats fairly healthy.  Most nights we have chicken, pork, fish, or beef and then healthy sides like salad & veggies with an occasional bowl of ice cream to finish things up.  But on the other hand its not uncommon to have a pizza from Hy-vee because momma is just too tired to be creative. 

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Diet CHALLENGE #1 Gluten Intolerance & Celiac Disease

One challenge we often encounter is that my daughter seems to have some wheat or gluten intolerance. 

We haven’t had her officially tested but when she eats wheat she has headaches & feels “sick.” 

So she avoids it when possible.  I am avoiding wheat as well but mainly because I’ve noticed a gain of 2-3 lbs each time I eat it. 

**Update:  Elizabeth was diagnosed with Celiac disease in Dec '14 and now eats gluten free.

Diet Challenge #2

I really think that this has been preparing me for the BIG change that we’ve had the past month.  My mom has moved in with us and she is a diabetic. 

Ironically I changed my eating even more about 7 weeks ago to the Thin Healthy Mamma(THM) plan after reading the book. 

I still eat carbs but they are low glycemic & that works SO well in coordination with Mom’s diabetes.  Not to mention that I’ve lost 5 pounds while eating desserts, healthy fats, good carbs & yummy snacks. 

With this plan I’ve kicked the soda habit & the cravings are gone!!  I cannot believe it!!

One of my BIGGEST challenges is Tuesdays.  It is our errand day and I have to pack food for Mom and I for lunch & snacks.  It feels like a lot to pack.

How to help eat healthy on Errand Day

Lunch—these little ice cream containers were bought by my hubby when our freezer was FULL of meat and we had no room for big containers of ice cream.  A fun treat for the kids but VERY handy for packing small portions.

Cottage cheese, cucumbers, Joseph’s pita, peanut butter & sliced strawberries, dessert is usually a homemade peanut butter cup!

Snack—Kroger Greek yogurt.  Love this yogurt as it seems to have the lowest carbs of the flavored Greek brands.  Gentle on the blood sugar levels for mom.

You should also know I have a THM drinking problem--the good kind.  I must have a drink around all the time!  So of course I put all this food in my little cooler w/ a jug of Good Girl Moonshine for me & sweet tea made with stevia for mom & we are good to go!

Related Posts

Starting again

Its been almost a year since I posted.  No excuses just reasons.

No time as I’ve managed to accomplish a REAL school year for 2012-13.  We are close to finishing it all up and having a few weeks off for the summer.(PRAISE GOD!)

My mom has pancreatic cancer, lives with us & I am often away at doctor appointments.

My dad has a delusions and that has been taking up bits of time.

Blogging can take over my life and it is better to just live it some times.  But that said I know that I want to post more here.  Enjoy these random pictures from the past year.

You never are too old to play dress up

New puppy in the house—meet Bear

A new boy scout!

Still a kid—looking for Easter eggs!

Having fun coaching again

Michael & Rebekah announcing . . .

Something exciting in their future!

Summer’s End

I hate to see it coming.  But I know it is inevitable.

The days are shortening, the university students are back in town.(and my student is -packing up his junk to move back on campus)  I’ve gotten a bunch of projects accomplished around here in the last 2 months and we went on vacation for 10 days. 

I haven’t been blogging because I’ve just been to busy finding my life again.  The past 9 months have been really rough for our family.  It probably isn’t permanent but we’ve had almost a 2 month lull in the craziness.  I can’t tell you how thankful I am.

At the beginning of the summer I had the kids make sand bucket lists(not life lists just summer lists).  We needed some focus on what we were going to do with our time. It’s been good for all.  Here are the lists and what we’ve marked off.

Joshua

1.  Swim a lot with whole family

2.  Have a picnic(a real one instead of in front of a movie)

3. Have a sports afternoon

4. Have a lemonade stand at the garage sale

5. Game nights

6. Star Wars Quizzing

7. Catapulting Contest

8. Hide and Go seek in the dark night

Megan

1.  Go to the pool lots

2. Have play dates with friends

3.  Get things in their places in my room(recently moved around)

    

4. Watch Return of the King

5. Have lots of game nights and movie nights

6. Camping

7. Go to Silver Dollar City

Elizabeth

1. Go to Colorado Springs on vacation

2. Go to Silver Dollar City

3. Start a blog

4. Spend time with friends

5. Finish my skirt

6. Have a Lord of the Rings Marathon with Kendra

7. Begin driving

8. Go to the pool some

Michael

1. Swim a lot

2. Listen to thunderstorms—umm this may be the cause of the drought in the mid-west I guess

3. Play games with family

4. Go to Silver Dollar City

5. Have R family over for dinner or dessert

6. Go on a vacation

7. Random things with bro & sisters

I think I am ready for a list for the fall.  I am feeling super overwhelmed about getting back in to school and all our regular activities. It will be fine but I am needing that focus again.  And I want to try to knock off a couple more of theses things on the kids list.  It will be fun trying anyway!

A Day to Acclimate to High Altitude

Living in Missouri in the summer is HOT!  At home the temperatures are at least in the 90s and we’ve been seeing the 100s lately.  Makes for great days at the pool!

So to be in Colorado right now is quite the switch.  Today I wore jeans and a sweatshirt!  Not complaining it is just kind of odd!

Yesterday it rained off and on all day so we spent it getting used to the high altitude.  Some were headachy and all were tired.

We are pretty close to Hoosier Pass which is 11,500 feet altitude. 

But the view is AWESOME!(if not a bit cool)

Michael played games with his newest friend, Lancelot(don’t ask). 

This morning his cousin came for breakfast.

We were all well rested and ready for adventure after our day of down time!

Getaway Vacation

It has been a three years since we’ve packed up the kids & enough groceries & clothes for a week. 

Last time we went to Yellowstone & I was pre hip surgery so walking & sleeping on anything besides my bed was not a happy thing!

We saw some amazing country and had a lot of fun!  So as we planned to getaway this year we thought of going several places.  There are some who prefer warm beaches & salt water(ME!) and there are some who yearn for cool pine forests and mountain vistas(Steve)! 

Since Steve’s taken me to a beach for the last several years for his continuing education trip I didn’t fuss(much) when Colorado was the vote from every one!

One BIG difference this year is that Grandma & Grandpa Brush declined our invitation as they’ve had a very busy summer. 

They’ve gone with us on many of our trips and we always enjoy having them along for the trip.  The other difference is that we have Rebekah along for all the fun. 

So far we’ve seen some beautiful mountain vistas and amazing rocks that all the kids want to climb. 

After arriving at the house we rented, we had a desire to just chill out for a day.  It is a good house for that.  Lots of room & places to gather or hide out.

So games, naps, puzzles, reading & munching on popcorn are our goals for the day.  If we get motivated we might venture out and find the local grocery store or go for a hike.  But only maybe.