Caring Foodie: Monthly Milestones {8}

NOTICE

At the time of publication, all recipes were free of the allergens listed as being free of in the title (i.e. soy-free, milk-free, etc.), and all other information shared was accurate to the best of my knowledge.
Though I strive to update outdated information quickly and work diligently to make sure you have the most accurate information possible at all times, it is your duty to double check labels EVERY TIME to ensure that the ingredients you use are SAFE FOR YOU. DO NOT RELY SOLELY ON THIS INFORMATION AS INGREDIENTS AND INFORMATION DO CHANGE. Your doctor or allergist should also be your first go-to for information on how to handle your medical needs. That being said, if you DO notice an error, please send me an email letting me know (tell me what page or recipe the error is on, what the error is, etc.), and I will correct the error ASAP. Thank you so much!
Please Be Advised:I make sure all of my recipes use foods that are free of the allergens they say they are free of. You will need to do the same. For help with this, please see the appropriate "Alternative Names" page for the allergen(s) you need the recipe free of.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Monthly Milestones {8}

Today is my eighth time running my monthly feature where I will be giving you updates on how I am doing physically, mentally, etc. and in which you can link up a post about some form of progress you are making, if you wish (see details below). I am enjoying this, and being publicly accountable (as hard as it is) will and is helping me out tremendously. I hope you enjoy this link-up as well, will link up something inspiring and share it with others so that we can meet our goals together! :)

Here is how I am doing as of today:

Me as of today, August 2, 2014, at around 229 lbs. (Wii Fit says 228.8 lbs., but I round to the nearest 1/2 lb.)

My weight has stayed relatively the same. Wii Fit says 228.8 lbs, but I round to the nearest 1/2 lb., so essentially my weight is the same as it was last month. Truthfully, this month has been a real struggle weight-wise. I've been up and down a lot. I am confident that I'll figure out what I need to figure out to help weight loss become steady, but until then, I keep plugging along. :)
I've been able to keep active! My hubby and I are still able to go for a walk pretty much daily, and it is generally around a half hour or so. I truly hope we can keep it up even after the weather turns. When I don't get to go for a walk, I feel blah. I figure this is a good sign that my body is enjoying the exercise. :)
I'm still working on what I can and can't eat. I've been trying to avoid grains as much as possible, and it does seem to help with the weight loss. I've found that I can do a serving a day, sometimes up to 2, without too much issues with my weight, though going without more often than not seems to make a big difference with my ease of weight loss. I've discovered I cannot tolerate corn or corn products. I can have them once in a blue moon, but even that is iffy. This stinks because I really love popcorn, but it hates me. :( I've also noticed that my body is getting more and more sensitive to soy. I have to be really careful about eating out and most Chinese is a no go. So sad. I've also suspecting an issue with fried foods/grease and spice. I can't really eat anything fried or that is really greasy or spicy. This makes me wonder about a gallbladder issue. I guess I will have more than a few things to talk to my doctor about the next time I see him! :)
I've been successful in reducing the amount of caffeine I consume and with portion control. Though I have some days that aren't as successful, I have been able to drink less coffee for the most part. I have also been trying to pay attention to when I am actually full and/or hungry, which has helped me loss some weight this week alone. I am thrilled to be gaining some control, even if it is slow going. :)
I'm doing better with reducing the amount and kind of processed/pre-made/fast foods I eat. I've done so much better the last few weeks with this especially! I think it helps that fast food/processed food has been making me physically ill, but any improvement is improvement. :)
July was crazier as predicted. As much fun as some things were (like being a guest on TheMomCafe.com), there were some not so fun things, too. I am glad July is done, truth be told, but the growing I did as a person I wouldn't trade for the world. You learn a lot about yourself when you have to face difficult things that you can't learn any other way. In some ways, these lessons are more precious than the others because they come at a higher cost.
My daughter's surgery went well, but her recovery was another story. You can read the full story here. Her surgery to remove her tonsils and adenoids and put tubes in her ears couldn't have gone more routinely, but her recovery did not. She had a post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage which required another surgery about a week after her original surgery. She's nearly fully recovered now, and will be off all restrictions on Monday, August 4, 2014. I can't wait! :) She still has a cough and some congestion from time to time, but it is no where near what it was. She is acting more and more like my little girl every day. Thank you so much to those who have prayed for us and offered words of encouragement. They mean the world to me! :)
I am still working on those exciting plans for my blogs! As you can see, I've made some more changes here and on Natural and Free. I still have other plans in the works, but I have no idea when I will be able to implement them. Thanks for your patience! :)
It's that time of year again! In September, we will begin on our second homeschooling adventure via online school. I am feeling more prepared now, though it will be interesting to see how junior high differs from elementary. My daughter will even be going to preschool via public school this fall! I can't believe I have a 7th grader, 5th grader and preschooler! Where does the time go?

Books on the shelf, ready and waiting for September!

That's all for now, I suppose. How are you doing? Are you reaching your goals? Have you tried something new? Come up with a new recipe? I hope all is going well with you, and I hope you will link-up a post telling me all about it or even leave a comment sharing your thoughts. As always, I wish you the best of luck in all you do, and hope you will return soon! :)