Health

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One of my co-workers called in sick because her has it.

Many of our students have conditions that leave them immuno-compromised and I wonder if they will close our campus if we get a few cases.  The official policy states that each individual bears the responsibility to stay home, but with our fragile population, it might make sense to close campus.

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Typical throat and chest congestion and stuffy nose.  Time to start the nasal rinse again.

On a similar note...we are really going to be pushed to get both flu shots this years.  The more research I do on the swine flu shot, the less I want it.

On the other hand, I work with some pretty immuno-compromised people and our campus would be decimated if a bad flu hit us there.

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I was sleepy (groggy but cannot nap) and my head feels like it's stuffed with soggy cotton balls.

I think it's the "post-vacation eating plan blues".

I did not eat badly on vacation.  It is difficult to eat low-carb on vacation.  I ate plenty of veggies and fruit, but indulged in wheat and other higher carb goodies on days that I knew I'd be walking.

But the first few days of low-carb (I'm shooting for under 75 net grams of carb per day) I feel a little mentally out of it.  I don't hit ketosis until around day 3 of under 50net, so I'm not planning on that.  Friday and Saturday I'll knock it back to 30net, then increase it again for the week.

I am committed to eating a good mix of fruits and vegetables - and I can't do that on an "Atkins Induction" sort of plan.  Anything under 100 net grams of carbs is considered "low" and my endocrinologist put me at 135.

Current restrictions:

  • no wheat
  • no milk
    • I will eat 1 serving of dairy per day, options are cheese, yogurt and kefir
  • no peanut butter
  • no potatoes (sweet potatoes are okay)
  • limit other grains (including rice)

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I got my new upper for the dental appliance (the lower has a minimal amount of puppy teeth marks and I've soaked it numerous times in denture cleaner).

Everything fits and the insurance is in the works - we just didn't follow the right steps in the right order so they made the dentist's office go back and do it again.

But I have my appliance.

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I'm going to be going "away" for a while.  A combination of driving time, camping time and most likely a hotel or two.

How to do Atkins while camping?

This afternoon:

  • hard boil a dozen eggs
  • make a list

Breakfasts:  same as home

  1. Atkins shakes (add fiber)
  2. eggs (scrambled with veggies and cheese)
  3. full fat yogurt with berries and almonds/walnuts (add fiber)
  4. eggs fried in coconut oil, with salsa, guacamole and black soybeans

Lunches:

  1. packets of tuna with real mayo (not low fat), celery, onion and a little curry powder
  2. egg salad with avocado instead of mayo (sounds and looks terrible, but if you like avocado, it's good)
  3. hard boiled eggs, string cheese, fruit
  4. full fat yogurt with berries and almonds/walnuts (add fiber)

Dinners:

  1. chicken breast wrapped in bacon and topped with mushrooms.  Wrap it in tin foil and freeze.  Put in in the fire pit (in the coals).  When done, open and top with colby cheese.
  2. cubed steak, carrots, rutabaga, onions, celery, butter (if you added potato and flour, this would be the filling for a pasty).  Wrap in tin foil and freeze.  Cook in the coals.
  3. Kosher (and low sodium) hot dogs (no nitrites).  Slit open and fill with colby cheese.
  4. on skewers over the fire:  any combination of:  steak, lamb, pork, chicken, green bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, onion, carrots, celery, pineapple chunks, broccoli

There will be one night on the road and one night in "town" - so restaurants.

I'm going with the 50-60 grams of carb per day, so fruit is on the menu for snacks.

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I put twitter in my side bar...

No particular reason, nobody's keeping track of my eating but me - but I'm posting my meals to the twitter in my sidebar.  I hope that just putting them there will keep me on track a little more.  Not an issue now, but when I get back to school, there are way  more temptations.

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I'm on my way out the door for my Tour de Cure ride.

There have been thunderstorms all night, although it's not raining right now.  In Middleville (where I"m going) there's a 50% chance of thunderstorms during the ride.

It's an hour away from here and I'm stopping for Biggby (quad mocha and chocolate chip scone).  I'm not sure if they'll call the event for weather or not - I hope not, but if weather threatens I don't have weather gear.

  • iPod (for the drive
  • sunglasses
  • tire pump
  • extra tube
  • shot bloks
  • GPS (for the drive)
  • water bottles
  • bike shoes and socks
  • I'm wearing my glasses for the drive so I have my contact case in my bike bag
  • inhaler and epi-pen (I always have one in my "trunk bag")

and away I go