We were on our way to Remscheid to do our last minute shopping, and I was in the gift giving mood, I kept asking, "Can we buy your sister this, and this, and this for her new baby..." because we drew her name. J said we've got plenty for her, but not before I found a beautiful Christmas ornament with her baby's name on it. Lukas. Great name huh?
And then as we shopped for herbal liquor for Opa (in Germany you can actually use alcohol as medicine, truly, Mara's cough med smelled just like Jagermeister), the store started playing Walking in a Winter Wonderland, and I was overwhelmed with the holiday and started speaking loudly in English "IT'S CHRISTMAS! And I'm blogging this!" J cracked up. Of course you are.
I came home and put on my streaming Christian Christmas music station and enjoyed a few hours of the songs I love. I'm sitting here surrounded by gifts with Christmas lights hanging even in the kitchen window, and I'm so content finally to feel the season.
As we were leaving the mall J said, "Do you smell that?" "Yes," I scowled, "It's Reibekuchen" (deep-fried potato fritters, my favorite Christmas Market food). I took a deep breath and walked to the car. No Reibekuchen for me this year, for the first time since moving here.
See, Nov 4 I started a ketogenic diet. That sounds really technical but it's just extremely low sugar and starch. You can't completely avoid sugar and starch in reality but you try to get your carbohydrate down to 20 grams per day, whereas normal diets are at 200. My mom has had great success on this diet over the years and it's disturbing to me that whenever I come to America, she gives me her fat clothes, and they fit.
Also, I'm sick of people thinking I'm too big to get on their horses, so I'm doing it.
Today I took a tape measure to my waist and couldn't believe what it said, so I asked J to read the number. I'd lost 9 centimeters (3.5 inches) since Nov 4. I was stunned.
I'm so committed to this, and it's surprisingly easy because you get this sort of power trip on having control of your diet, and you have no sugar crashes. You go through a transition where you get ill from not being powered by sugar anymore. Then your body switches to its second power source, fat. That is, if you eat enough fat, otherwise your liver will happily convert protein to sugar. Not nice at all. I went through that period and was kind of ecstatic - this means it's working.
I've always been hypoglycemic and this ended that. Hunger is a weird sensation of emptiness, not what I'd call actual hunger.
I am so sick of wearing only black, but I can do this. I'll wear white again.
After blogging horse Major wrote his recipe to us, I decided to use up my carb/sugar ingredients and make oatmeal molasses horse cookies and Bellis has been very very pushy ever since, even gripping my gloves in her lips, intent on getting another of Major's cookies. I gave a baggie to S for Bintu, and she was thrilled that he could eat them easily even with his recently removed (horribly infected) tooth, that he required a long stay in the clinic for.
I may satisfy my baking urge by finding a how-low-can-you-go-on-sugar recipe for horse treats.
***
Tonight J called Haegerhof and confirmed what the vet said to me on the phone about the exam, that the horse coughed. Mr Dill said, "Well, the stress test was VERY stressful...". My main question was are they going to be hippies or are they going to actually give the antibiotics prescribed. They are giving them, he said. J said, "For how long, so we know when to check back and request a checkup?" He didn't know, but promised to have his wife email me with that.
"Is Mag still in training?" "No, we have 20 horses in training so he's not getting ridden anymore. He gets turnout, that's it." That makes sense, he knows we're interested so why waste resources on him, and the horse needs to get well. I wouldn't ride him either, personally.
To allay your worries, we won't buy a horse with a pre-existing condition. If in fact his larynx, etc, have been damaged, we'll walk away. It's too risky.
But we have our hopes fixed on the healing power of antibiotics for a young horse who should have gotten them long ago.
***
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
It's not just these gifts all around me, it's the arrival of the One who changed everything.
Though we have no record of Mary riding a donkey, I told my donkey today that Jesus did, so I'll include this image. Bellis has the mark of the cross on her back, which I always explain to her fans, even though it's just a myth. Because a donkey carried Jesus, I'm delighted to have one.
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10 comments:
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas. It is good to hear how upbeat you are, and I am VERY proud of how well you are doing on your diet, I am sure that you will be feeling better and better. Is the diet easy to stay on?
Keep up the good work, and enjoy the holidays!
K.
I lost 35 pounds on Keto over the course of 4 months.... and the only difference between how I ate before and how I ate during Keto was WHAT I ate, not quantity. In other words, aside from that first week of dealing with cravings, it didn't feel like a diet.
I did find that I ate less over time, mostly because I tend to gorge on stuff that makes me feel good, not necessarily stuff that I'm hungry for. You learn real darn quick whether you're actually hungry or not on Keto - if you're hungry, then a zucchini and spinach omelette with cheddar cheese on it sounds delicious. If you're not, it sounds incredibly gross.
The downside I found to Keto is that for me, at least, it needs to be a commitment I maintain. I can't take a week off and expect my eating habits to change - once I go back to eating all the sugars and starches I go right back to the intense cravings for them. In other words.... when I do it again and reach goal weight (after I'm done nursing the twins) I need to roll off of it onto something that's still strict but not necessarily AS strict - like paleo, or something.
Have you checked out Keto Recipes on reddit? There's some great stuff on there: https://www.reddit.com/r/ketorecipes
And yes, as you can tell, I think it's a great way to lose weight and it tends to get a bad rap from people who abuse it (people who eat nothing but cheese and bacon, etc.) If you're looking for something to blow your money on, I highly recommend purchasing a spiralizer to make zucchini pasta.
My fingers are crossed for a positive outcome for you and your potential pony.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Wow- impressive! You're inspiring. I'm so excited to hear that your hypoglycemia is controlled, too. Very cool. Merry Christmas! We miss you, but it's great to hear about you enjoying the season over there. :)
Kbryan, I have only been on the diet for 6 weeks so I can't say how difficult it would be long term. I think it's easier for me because I'm not into rice or bread as much as some people are, probably cuz of my hypoglycemia.
Becky, for once it's a good thing there are no Mexican restaurants here. *lol* People keep tempting me to go off, just for one day, and I know I'll get hit with a huge hypoglycemic event so I'm resisting. Thanks for the tip about the spiralizer - it seems they do exist in Germany. I'm not at the point where I can indulge in zucchini yet, so I'll wait, and then I'll have to learn about white sauces because tomatoes=fruit. I've used the reddit recipes - so many good ones! Have you made meatza? It's the best part of the pizza in my opinion, all for me: ) At a health food store yesterday I finally found out almond flour exists in Germany, but it's 8 euros for less than one cup. OK then, I won't be baking then. I might ask for a care package from America. J complains that our grocery bill has gone way up. It sure has. But I avoid restaurants because I have no control, no idea really what is in things. But when I must go, my meal will cost more, it's going to be a steak and not a schnitzel.
Becky, it would be nice if I didn't fit into your fat clothes next time I see you! I've been making your fish taco recipe (bowl, no tortilla) but have to watch the amount of cabbage cuz I can't eat unlimited cabbage, sadly, nor the lime chipotle sauce, only a little bit. That's a real indulgence meal for me.
Merry Christmas Lytha!
I've been following along, as always, and I apologize for not commenting until now! I laughed over the naked equine vets calendar in one of your previous posts...the things people come up with! I continue to keep my fingers and toes crossed for Mag. Like others have said, he seems to be so perfect. I hope Haegerhof gives the antibiotic and the cough resolves. Bakersfield Karen had said she wouldn't worry about coughing because it can be exacerbated by living in a stall and riding in dusty arenas, but at the same time I share your concern: my Paso Fino developed heaves in his late teens and it is what finally caused his death, when we finally couldn't control the condition anymore. We had one summer where the Sahara sands blowing across the Atlantic were particularly bad (the sand accumulated on cars! It was that bad! Americans don't really know about this event but it's a common occurrence. Here's a link: http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a14279/sahara-amazon-sand-ocean/) and he just could not breathe. It was an awful summer: anyone with respiratory issues, whether 2 or 4-legged, was having a hard time, and those that didn't have respiratory issues developed them. I don't think you're overreacting by being so cautious.
Congrats on the weight loss! :D
Have a wonderful, beautiful holiday! <3
I'm amazed at the way German's handle Christmas. It really is an American cultural event. Over here we claim it's over done, and in Germany, just the opposite. I think the music is the best part.
I'm proud of you, too, for your new diet. As a reformed sugarholic who has hypoglycemia,I've been off of sugar for decades. Years ago, when I told someone that sugar gave me terrible lows and headaches, he asked, "Why don't you get someone to watch your kids,eat some pie, and sleep off the headache?" I just looked at him. The yum-yum of the moment is not worth the yuk-yuk of later on. I don't even like the taste of real sweet now.
Happy Christmas!
I'm glad the horse cookies helped you lose weight! 8-) I'm sure Bellis won't mind if you experiment with treats. I've tried lots of almost no sugar horse treats, with oats, shredded apples or carrots, a little flour and water and salt. Good luck, and great on the weight loss!
I laughed at your looking for holiday songs. I'm the exact opposite! I avoid all holiday songs, then maybe Christmas Day listen to some at my parents. Plus, I'm odd. My favorite holiday album is The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack!
I hope they keep giving Mag the medicine. I'm hopeful that a young horse will bounce back once treated correctly. But that stable/sales barn is just fishy...
Happy Holidays!
I agree with Irish Horse re: holiday music. Bahhhhhhhhh. But, you knew that.
Fingers totally crossed for Mag.
And congrats on successful good eating!
Wow good job on the diet! I really need to do that. Not to lose weight but just because I'm a sugar addict and comfort eater. I know I would be fine if I ever made it through the cravings but they are so strong! I made the transition to gluten free easily because it was cutting out things I didn't care about and there are pasta substitutes... But having to completely get rid of pasta... Whimper. It was easier when I wasn't working because note I just don't have time or energy to plan out and cook and prepare all of my meals. Oh well maybe someday. Keep up the great work. I'm sure if it makes as great of a difference in how you feel as gluten free did for me it will be self rewarding. :-)
Fingers crossed the ambitious work for Mags!
I'm glad you finally got to hear some Christmas music! Merry Christmas!
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