The ritual of spring. Seed Planting sweet peas , carrots and radish.

 

Every spring these three seeds go in the ground first;  Sweet Peas, carrots and radish.  It is those seeds that germinate quickly , can tolerate cooler temps and mature quickly.  These are the seeds that you start with your young children to introduce them to the wonder of nature and fresh food.  I plant these every year to jump start some enthusiasm in getting in the garden. 

Peas you need to put on a trellis.  This year I used the limbs from the confederate rose that was pruned back.  The limbs of a confederate rose are straight and dry hard enough to support the fine runners of a pea plant.  The limbs are also free with exception of the sun and water investment from mother nature and growth energy from the host plant.

The peas with in a week have broken the ground and sprouting. 

We added some raised beds this year.  Found these on my favorite on line shopping app.  Amazon.  

These raised beds are galvanized , and do not have bottoms.  They measure 8 foot by 3 foot by 12 inches tall.  The bottoms are lined with heavy duty landscape fabric and card board.  Hopefully that will hold the tree roots at bay for a year or two.  

Along with the carrots and radish seeds I added some sprouting garlic heads.  I may regret that but for now they are growing and adding some green to the garden.

I hope you have some time to play in the dirt and plant a seed or two!

Sheryl

Keto diet approach, Warfarin and the dreaded plateau ! How and what now?

 

Disclaimer:  If you are on warfarin (or any drug that has a specialized diet that goes with it) consult your primary physician before starting any diet program.

I recently shared my dieting experience and came clean about my weight ( like I was hiding anything) and the approach to getting it under control.  I  kid you not when the Dr. told me my blood sugar A1C1 was 8.4  I thought she was kidding I expected it to be much higher.  After all I was well aware of what I was eating and how much.

  The diet journey is a long one with a winding path that doubles back on itself at times.  I have hit a few Plateaus of no weight loss or just some how gaining pounds back.  There is nothing more discouraging than saying no to foods and the scales are not budging or moving in the wrong direction.  There are many explanations for plateaus in the diet world and to scientifically explain it does not make it any easier to get through, over and past.   Since August of 2020 I have lost 58 lbs. and have hit a few plateaus.  Here are some of the strategies that I used to mentally , emotionally and physically get through them.

1.  Nothing can take away your success up to this moment except throwing in the towel.  In other words the toughest plateau was the 55 lb. mark.  It took over three weeks to break out of this plateau.  I reminded myself  at these weigh ins that I had come along way and to continue on.  

2.  Change it up!  In other words I normally do a 16 hour fast every day.  In a plateau I change it up and maybe throw in a few 20 hour fast days or a few days that I do not fast (but still stay with in my carb. limit).

3.  If you are exercising or strength training with you diet program then you may want to break out the tape measure.  Muscle weighs more than Fat.  You may be gaining muscle and loosing inches. A win win!

4.  Your weight did not get out of control overnight and it will not get in control overnight.  In other words during my weight gain journey my weight would hold and not change periodically (thank goodness).  In my weight loss journey I can expect the same.  

5.  If you have not incorporated exercise into your weight loss plan (yet) and you are feeling like you can this my be the perfect time to walk, garden or something low impact to help you move out of your plateau.

Keto and Warfarin (blood Thinners)

The first time I expressed to my Dr. that I wanted to loose weight he exclaimed "No!"  Then offered to write me a prescription for adipex.  I am the only person in the world that asked the Doctor to help her loose weight , gets a pill and gains instead.  I did not like to pill.  I did not feel well on it. I did not take it.  I looked at many diets and  the Keto diet approach had enough room in it to accommodate the dietary restrictions of Warfarin with out starving or giving up all the foods that I like.   I urge you to work with your Doctor if you choose to try a weight loss plan on warfarin.  You will need to get your blood work more frequently to make sure that you are in your therapeutic range.  I also will give you encouragement to not give up because one more food restriction is FRUSTRATING! Especially when it is the universal diet food "Leafy Greens".  However if I can loose so can you !

There are many reasons to diet however the main reason to diet should only be You. You are your worst enemy and at the same time you have the power to make a difference!  This diet is for me.  To feel better, and live better.  You owe it to yourself to live your best life.  The true secret to diet and weigh loss is to make up your mind.  You are either going to do it or not.  Prayer helps also.  I took counsel from the Lord, on more than one occasion, on how to get myself under control.    

I hope you have found something helpful here today and hope that you are Living your best life!

Sheryl