I've 'enjoyed' being on this Virta plan, don't get me wrong. It has made me more conscious of what I eat (or shouldn't eat, but do anyway). It's been a struggle the past couple of months, I admit. Because I want to eat what I want when I want it. I haven't been that good over the weekend, but I haven't been that bad, either. I'm trying to think what we ate. Saturday morning I tried something new - I rolled out biscuits (a carb, of course) until thin, then put in a muffin tin. I made up an egg mixture of egg, onions, cheese, cottage cheese, and peppers. Poured on top of the biscuits in the muffin tin - and voila! Egg bites! And they were pretty good. Oh yeah, I made the bread on Saturday (which is so good, even if I do say so myself) I fixed chicken chili and a slice of bread for dinner. Yes, the chicken chili had beans (lots of carbs) in it. (I do not like being that restrictive; I love beans!) Yesterday we didn't eat breakfast before church and when we got home, we finished off the chicken chili with another slice of bread and some cranberry/strawberry jam that I had made. Yum. Last night I fixed stir fry vegetables with chicken. Nothing but water later last night and what is my glucose this morning? 116. It's been below 100 or less than 110 for several weeks. What's up with this? Could it be hubby puts collagen in my coffee? Could it be I take my vitamins before I do the glucose. Could it be my black coffee? UGH. As mentioned before, I don't worry about the scales so much; I'm building muscle at least twice a week. My numbers on glucose and ketones aren't where 'they' want them. I still have about 5 weeks or so in strips; will make a decision before I order supplies again whether I will continue working with Virta or just work on it on my own. That's basically what I do already. It isn't keto, and yet, some of it is. That's where it gets confusing.
But this week I will need to kick my steps in high gear. We are on another challenge for work and of course they count steps. This time I only have 3 people on my team. I think people are getting tired of these challenges through the company. Those who are runners have no problem in keeping their steps going, but for people like me who sit on their butt all day in front of the computer... well it's a bit more difficult, although I do have a treadmill and a rebounder I can use. And I will need to take short breaks and go jump on them throughout the next couple weeks - after all, I am the captain of this team so I should put effort in it, right? With only 3 on the team, it will be a struggle for us to get enough steps to 'hit the goals' along the way to the final goal. I don't even remember what the goal is anymore. I usually create a team, call it 'Jailbreak Walkers' and either send out 'invites' to join or let anyone join it. As of this morning, there are only three of us. Got to put my walking shoes on for sure - but it will also be good for me. When I've really worked at it, I've lost several pounds. Mmmm maybe there is something to putting effort in it, you think? Isn't this my overall goal - lose weight and inches?
We did go to church yesterday and the service was very good. They gave out some raffle prizes to a couple guys, and every father got a pair of funny socks. Hubby goes 'I don't wear socks like those' but I told him to grab a pair anyway - I'll wear them to the gym! LOL Anyway - he grabbed a pair that has eggs all over them. Funny. I need to get more funny socks - Morgan and I go back and forth sometimes on our socks.
It's Monday and another workday. I've been glancing at work emails over the weekend and I do have a couple meetings already to work on this morning. And I do need to finish up the minutes from the board meeting. Yeah, I am only about half way because of the way they have it set up. I will get it in place hopefully by the next board meeting. Just don't want to rock the boat and make all kinds of changes and get a lot of resistance, so I'm having to be careful.
I did make a 'run' to Sam's Club yesterday and got a lot of things. Told hubby he was spoiled; they had some polo shirts on sale so I grabbed him 4 of them in different colors. No, I didn't buy myself anything specific; the rest I bought was food. Of course I do most of my shopping on Amazon. LOL I did get some more iced coffee I ordered yesterday. This is liquid form and doesn't have the 10g of protein in it (which the powder does) and I got different flavors so will try one of them later today. Don't knock it until you try it, I guess. But you have to like coffee too. I've been drinking one hot cup each morning as hubby brings to me, then sometimes have another brand 'hot' coffee, and then a glass of iced coffee early afternoon. It does really help get me through the day. I can actually say it is refreshing. Hubby has started drinking it as well. And it hasn't interfered with my sleep either, but I have more energy to do things. And that is always a good thing. And I spent way too much at Sam's Club - and I still need to go to a regular grocery; some things I knew I didn't need two or more of so didn't want to buy at Sam's Club. But I did get things we will use. Even got meat, which I rarely buy because of the price of a large amount. Not that much, but some. Even splurged and got a Tomahawk steak - i.e., a thick ribeye steak with a big bone hanging on it. LOL They are tender and good. If you recall when I got our first one, (and will have to do this one as well), I had to bake it in the oven. And it was so good. Good protein, right? It will probably last us 2-4 meals, it is that big. For now, though, it is in the freezer.
I'm watching the walkers with their dogs (as a rule) as they go by.... I find it amusing that men, with their dogs (of all sizes) will still walk fairly fast. But the women - well, they do the stroll. Perhaps the stroll has been built into us? Me, I like to walk fast - even with a dog. I hear our neighbors taking their little dog out - and both of them do the stroll. They are nice neighbors, but they are not the friendliest. I guess it is because they didn't get their way on some things when hubby was on the HOA. So glad he resigned. And he is too. The neighbor's 'for sale' sign is down. Have they resigned to living here? I still want to move and have our own yard, our own space. And no, I still haven't invited them over for dinner. Could that be why they don't speak much to us? Even if we try to carry on a conversation, he remains quiet; lol - but she won't hush the complaining. I saw her out the other day touching up the paint on the fence. Interesting.
I've sat here for a few minutes, trying to think of a verse to share with you today, and I am drawing a blank. There are lots of good verses, and this morning as I was reading in my Bible, I was reading in the book of I Samuel 1. Go ahead, pick up your bible and read it. It's about Hannah, who was childless. She wanted a son. Her husband's 2nd wife had given him several children and she loved to gloat and hold it over Hannah's head. Elkanah, her husband, would always ask her that (he always gave her double portions because he loved her) wasn't his love enough? But no, it wasn't. She wanted more.
And so should we. We should always want 'more'. Not of material things. Not more money. Not more things of no value. We should always want more of Jesus. We should always want more time with Him. We should always be seeking ways to obey Him, to serve Him, to spend time with Him.
When was the last time we cried out passionately to the Lord for something that is troubling us? A sick child? A financial issue. A purchase issue. A marriage that is troubled. When was the last time we cried out to God with all sincerity that we want more of Him alone?
Do we not recognize and want how much we need Him in our daily lives? Even when we 'think' we don't need Him, we do. We want Jesus to take care of our families. We want God to heal those for whom we love. We want success to happen. We want our finances to be there when we need them. But when was the last time we passionately sought God to receive those things?
James 4:2 (NKJV): You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask.
I finally thought of a verse to share. All these things we think we want or need, we stretch ourselves to receive and may even 'fight' to get them - yet they may have come much easier if we had but asked God for them, and waited on His timing to make it happen. So many times we get ahead of Him. I know we've done it. We have asked and then done it in our timing anyway. And I'm sure you have as well. We need to ask and then wait patiently for God. Sometimes it is something that we really didn't need nor want, but we thought we did. Does that make sense? I have a whole house full of things I thought I needed when I got it. Now I have an overflow of things I really don't need. Keep hoping a grandchild will get a house and need some things that I can let go of!
And with that - it's 7AM and I need to get on the work computer. Hope that you will take the time and spend it with God, tell Him what your needs are, and ask Him to provide. Then wait. You never know what might happen. You may decide you don't need it. You may decide you don't want it. Look at what you would have saved - financially, and otherwise.
Blessings!
