I need someone to padlock the bedroom door

This is a perfect example of me going over my calorie budget but because I worked out longer I still reached my 1k deficit goal.



I am telling you every little bit adds up.  So, for any of you who also have Copd and think they can't exercise look at this.  It took me ALL day and into the night to reach my goal.  But, I did it and with an infection and steroids.




I told Bill this morning, I need someone to padlock my bedroom door shut when I go to bed at night.  I added about 500 calories last night that I didn't need.  It is a habit, and one I am struggling to break. 




I had such hopes for my deficit yesterday.  I was going to make up for Tuesday and Wednesday when I didn't reach my 1k.  Darned food at night. 



Bill, for an early birthday gift ordered me a cookbook off of QVC.  It is by  Marlene Koch and it's called Eat what you Love.  It is subtitled Great for weight loss and Diabetes diets. 

Last night I looked around the house and took a little inventory of what we actually had to eat.  It's the end of the month, we have no pantry or large freezer or extra cupboard space for food, so we pretty much buy just for the month.  The last few days we are usually scrounge around.

I found a recipe in this new book and made a few substitutions... and it was wonderful.

It is called... Corkscrew Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

(It called for chicken, broccoli and light cream cheese... I didn't have that so I substituted ground turkey.. cooked and crumbled.. regular cream cheese and a little bit of cauliflower in the place of broccoli.)

Here is the recipe..

8 ounces (3 cups dry) rotini, or bowties

5 cups broccoli florets

1 cup low fat milk (I used fat free 1/2 & 1/2)

1 cup reduced sodium fat free chicken broth

1 1/2 tablespoon corn starch

2 ounces or 1/4 cup light cream cheese

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon pepper or more to taste

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

2 cups shredded cooked boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Cook pasta according to the package directions while preparing the sauce and setting aside.

Place the broccoli in a large microwave-safe dish.  Add 3 tablespoons of water, cover and microwave 4 minutes until it's tender crisp.

In a medium saucepan, whisk the milk and cornstarch until smooth.  Whisk in the broth and place over low heat.  Add the cream cheese, garlic powder, and pepper.  Bring to a low simmer and cook until the sauce thickens, about 4 minutes.  Cook until smooth.

Toss the cooked pasta, broccoli and chicken together in a large serving dish.  Pour the sauce on top and toss gently to combine.  Top with grated Parmesan and serve.

Makes about 6 servings

Calories 330 ; Carbs 36 grams ; Total Fat 7 grams (Sat. Fat 3.5 grams) ; Protein 27 grams ; Fiber 4 grams ; Cholesterol 50 mg ; Sodium 400 grams ;

Weight Watcher point comparison 6 points per serving

It was good.  I would happily serve it to guests also.  So good in fact... that's what is for dinner tonight. 

So, I have been looking around doing some reading on a couple Copd sites.  Reading about people with moderate to severe Emphysema and copd.  I figured out I am doing pretty well.  It appears to me that besides the obvious breathing issues the biggest problem is depression and not giving up.  I can relate with each of them.  I start sliding that way quite a bit.  I just can't let myself dwell there.  With this disease at the stage it is at, under wonderful conditions I can see maybe 15 years.  But, that is taking into account so many things.  How often one gets sick?  The damage each of those times does to the lungs?  How strong you keep your body... that means not just giving up and stopping moving.  Eating healthy, staying away from lung harming foods such as fats and sodium. 

When I see people who are at my stage of this disease (and yes, I know everyone is different, and not every case has the same symptoms) who are wallowing in depression, gave up exercise and just sit and can't walk without assistance, who gain weight, and who feel sorry for themselves.  With each exacerbation they fall further downward.  I don't mean to be cruel, but for those poor folks life expectancy falls dramatically to about 9-12 years.  Age of course also plays a factor in this. 

I waisted almost a year in that dark place of self pity.  Time I could have been using to gather strength, get rid of weight and to fight back and not just give in. 

Today when I stepped up onto the trampoline I wondered to myself... "who the hell have I become?"  It definitely is someone I don't recognize.  I would have never thought of exercise while I was sick.  And, I do feel sick.  When I am exercising I break into a sweat almost immediately.  My breathing become very short and my pulse races ... much more than normal.  But, I keep going.  For a couple reasons.... 1 because if I want to continue to lose weight I need to exercise ... and 2 and right now probably the most important... I need to keep moving to keep this thick mucus from staying in my lungs.

I am becoming an active exerciser.  Who would'a thunk?  LoL  I miss the days when I am not doing it.  I feel better on the days I have a cardio workout in. 

I am looking forward to next month when I can get some free weights and work on my upper body.  It's nice to know that I own NO pants that fit me.  It's nice to see results.  I still have so far to go, but getting there seems within reach this time.

I really am wondering what this will do for my heart rate and breathing?  Very curious indeed.