It's been a week of doctor visits--I finally found a GP. For years, when I was younger, having a gynecologist seemed like enough, and because I was healthy and young, it was. But now, it makes sense to have someone ordering tests and keeping track of some larger issues that I can't keep track of without those tests (like a colonoscopy).
The Medical Assistant at the GP's office asked me what I was most concerned about. I said that it had been a few years since I've had a mammogram, and now, I'm one of the few women I know who hasn't had breast cancer. It's sobering to realize that statement is true--I know more women who have had breast cancer than who have not.
The good news is that I'm relatively healthy. So far, my blood pressure and resting pulse are still in the healthy range, as is my blood sugar. But it's clear I need to make some changes to stay that way. I've gained 15 pounds since June. That seems hard to believe, but believe me, I've stepped on various scales, and it's true.
And to be honest, this shouldn't be a surprise. I've probably gained 10 of those pounds since mid-November, with Quilt Camp, Thanksgiving, and vacation time from early December until now. Suffice it to say, I have been eating a lot of excess calories without a return to normal eating.
I'm hoping that the good news is that because the weight gain is recent, I can work it off fairly quickly. I've got some places where I can cut calories easily. I know what I need to do and how to do it.
I'm thinking about making healthy substitutions. I know that I often want a treat at night after my classes are over, and that treat has been wine and cheese. What could hit that "I want a treat" spot, but for fewer calories?
I am going to try baking biscotti on a regular basis. I like biscotti because they can be lower fat and lower sugar, especially when I make them myself. I also like baking them myself because they don't have to be so hard to bite into. They are one of the few baked goods where I can have one and not want to eat the whole batch, unlike most of my cookie recipes. I did a search on the King Arthur Baking Company site and found some great recipes to try.
Yesterday I tried the first one, pumpkin biscotti. They turned out to be delicious. We didn't bake them nearly as long on the second bake--only about 15 minutes. They are soft in the middle, crispy on the outside. At first I thought they were too sweet, when they were right out of the oven. But later, in the evening, they were perfect. I was able to eat 2 small biscotti with a cup of herb tea and not binge on bread, cheese, and wine. By then, I could read because my dilated eyes had calmed down.
My eyes were dilated because of a visit to the eye doctor yesterday morning. There, too, the news is good. Even with my dilated eyes, I was able to take a walk yesterday beneath the brilliant blue sky. The lake was still frozen-ish, but most of the snow is gone.
Today will be a different kind of day, a teaching all day kind of day. It's scheduled, and it makes it easier to stay on track with my healthy choices. I have my lunch of lentils, barley, and feta cheese ready to go. Let me finish this blog post so that I can head down the mountain, into the sunrise, ready to teach college English classes.
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