hulking down

you wouldn't like me when I'm hungry

The Intermittent Fasting Experiment has been going on for 2 weeks or so. It's intermittent, so it's hard to say!

All the slow times, the boredom, the random thoughts, watching the days and the clock tick by...

All that was fine and good. I watched my simple and sometimes silly thoughts come and go. Kinda like watching those big puffy clouds roll by on a lazy summer day.

But then came a thunderstorm. Only it wasn't thunder, it was my stomach rumbling! And for the first time in a very long time, I was hungry. Very hungry. The kind of hunger that's hard to ignore.

I drank water, hoping it was just thirst, or some other mixed signal. Nope, this was the real thing. The wolf at the door, so to speak. How bad could it be, I remember asking myself. Well, pretty freakin' bad. Luckily, I have read the Atkins books and put in place little safeguards. I filled the fridge with low-carb snacks and easy access high-fat munchies.

I knew this day would come. I just didn't think it would be today.

So I ate. Cubes of cheese, a little bacon, a few macadamia nuts. I had actually eaten a little lunch today, so I really couldn't be that hungry. Blood sugar was 90 - I'm such a "nerd" I took my blood sugar so I could rule out hypoglycemia...all in the name of research!

I finally settled down after making a big steamy cup of bullion/broth. I mixed chicken and beef flavor. I figured the broth was a good choice because by now I was more sick than hungry.

What was this phenomenon? It could have just as easily been the end of a low-carb era for me.

I know now this weight loss agenda will require more work and diligence than I ever thought. I told this twisted story to a fellow Atkineer who said "welcome to my world!"

In the past, I have yielded to just about any craving my body had. It seemed like a good idea at the time! But now, watching my body's reactions and waiting for the cravings to pass... it's hard, to say the least. Wow!

lymphomaniac

projection makes perception

At first I thought rebounding was for middle-aged women who were a little ...heavy. Wow! Now I know I was only describing myself. No one would guess I am close to 50. And my heaviest weight was 200++. I can't say for sure, because I refused to weigh.

I am a nurse, actually, and the lymph system fascinates me. There are lots of web materials on Manual Lymph Drainage and Lymph Massage. They even offer certification in it.

Rebounding is a good way to move lymph and muscles that wouldn't get deep stimulation otherwise. Imagine moving all those body parts. The springs on the rebounder give a boost that my body can't give to itself right now.

Massage is also great. Every night and morning I do a quick little Lymph Massage on myself. It's just a simple massage with a very light touch - you could use a feather, the touch is so light. It takes 5 or 10 minutes. Always massage toward the lymph nodes. There are nodes in your armpits and groin, among other places. There are clips on Youtube that show the technique.

People who are sick with some lymph involvement, or even a cold should not try this until they discuss it with a doc or a therapist. I'm not one of those Nurses who go around telling people what they should be doing. (Actually, I am, but not in this case!)

This is just what I do. Although sometimes the treatment for lymph diseases is Lymph Massage! It's safe, and effective, and works great. They even offer lymph massage in hospitals and clinics! There are plenty of ways to find out more, if the idea intrigues you. (Darn, I wish I could link!)

I don't exercise just to lose weight at this point. Although it burns calories, for sure! I rebound mostly for the physical movement and lymph stimulation. They say the lymphatic system circulates once every 24 hours. The lymph system does not have a pump. It pulls extra fluid and cellular debris from your body. It moves almost like a vacuum, pulling. But with movement and stimulation, it circulates much, much more often. With all that ketosis, lyposis, and metabolic changes, it makes sense to me to move that lymph!

I skipped a day (and boy, were my legs sore!! lol) and got back to rebounding right away. I have lost a lot of inches from my thighs in just a few weeks. My pants actually fell off of me as I was walking last night. Yikes! That's something you don't see every day!

tastes just like candy...honest!

protein to go

Netrition claims that Nectar brand protein mix tastes so good you can eat it right from the package. Just like candy. They are right!

I follow a low-carb lifestyle, and lave been loving it since mid March. I'm really just starting -- a newbie!

But I really like the taste and convenience of a protein mix. The protein powders made by Syntrax/Nectar have no carbs, no nutrasweet. They dissolve instantly with just a spoon. They are whey based, and alot better than some of the stuff than you can get from the stores.

They're a good substitute, especially if you have a job like mine where you can't always sit down for a hot meal on a plate, at a table.

Yes, they have Splenda (sucralose) and also artificial colors, sorta like kool-aide. But they can be an occasional indulgence for a non-purist. By the way, they also have a non-flavored mix that offers the same "superior protein" per oz. scoop.

I mix up different flavors for days I know lunch time will be short. (Non-existent is more like it!) I put them in those little containers that Protein Shots come in. Yea for protein!