Yes, that was me, the woman literally down on her knees, eyes closed and face tilted toward the heavens praying in the middle of a crowded trade show on Saturday. For about ten minutes I thought I'd lost my rings. Specifically, ZsaZsa (the 20th anniversary diamond ring MH gave me that is so huge and ostentatious it demanded it's own name) and HIS wedding ring (his fingers are smaller than mine so I have been using his to keep ZsaZsa from falling off since he can't wear it anymore anyway.)
Once I found them I prayed in gratitude then followed with prayer for serenity, wisdom and strength. I never pray for patience anymore because my Grandmother told me praying for patience is always answered in trials and tribulations. But I prayed. I don't know how long, I just know I didn't dare open my eyes and stand until the roaring in my head ceased.
When I finally stood, I felt at least 20lbs lighter. Although my scale won't likely reflect the same this Wednesday I indeed felt it in my soul.
Less than an hour after the ring recovery though I thought I'd lost my cell phone. I remembered answering a text while trying to use the bathroom and I envisioned my phone still balanced on the sanitary napkin dispenser in the stall. I reacted with 'are you freaking kidding me?' and stalked toward the bathroom only to find on second pat-down the cell phone was indeed in my shirt pocket. I think the trader at the table in front of me thought I was signaling for him to steal second.
So on the heels of all that and a really slooooow trade show yielding not enough money to enourage me to return a second day I took Sunday off. Good thing too, as I was having really low energy yesterday and confirmed I wasn't imagining it when my blood pressure reading yielded only 100/45. So whew, needed some rest. I did a little backyard gardening and necessary house keeping along with getting the Easter Baskets ready but mostly vegged and read journals.
Alright, let me tell you about Chia seeds. According to the web searches I did yesterday it is 'the' food for 2013. In case you're wondering, Kale was the miracle food for 2012. Everything has a shelf life.
Despite the silly commercial 'Cha Cha Cha Chia' song, I finally ordered some at MH's request because it seems every diet guru hawking their book on the morning news mentioned it. My precious little bag of the weird looking stuff came in last week but until yesterday I had no time or interest to do anything with it.
I added a tablespoon to my oatmeal for dinner. While my blood pressure read low my appetite yesterday was anything but (low). Water, distractions, reading, etc., nothing was silencing the growling in my stomach. So I thought 'oatmeal for dinner, that oughta give the stomach a good workout' and I am here as an non-compensated user to report 'wowza'. They do plump up and they do satisfy the hunger. And I'm not just drinking the kool-aide; this is actual results.
In the event you read my journal last week about my 'breakfast' ritual and thought 'ya know, you should have non-food related things you do nice for yourself too', I do. My Sunday usually includes an evening soak in my spa tub. For a couple of hours I sink down in the hottest water bearable short of boiling my body and totally zone out to a movie on my laptop (setting on a table safely away from the tub).
I have tried quiet meditation or books on tape but it leads to me kicking water out of the tub. Too quiet considering my day to day requirements of tuning out distractions. I'd never survive in a convent or a monastery; one day in silence and I'd run screaming out the door. I can take a vow of chastity and poverty and scrub floors on my knees but please give me an MP3.
So while soaking in my tub and watching something mindless on my laptop, I sip a flavored tea or water and snack on dry cereal. My favorite is cinnamon wheat chex but lately I have been enjoying Fiber 80 in Chocolate. I rationalize as it's only once a week it's an acceptable amount of processed carbs and good grief, if that's still too much, well, so be it.
Last night, after the chia seeds though, I didn't want the cereal. I ate a couple and thought 'Eh... not really getting into this.' Two hours passed and no urge to snack even mindlessly. Normally when I get out of the tub I want to chew the door off the fridge (which is why I only soak once a week) but last night, nothing. So conclusion: weird, fine, one night I didn't want to snack, could be a fluke.
You can also add the seeds to water and they expand and make a very interesting looking gelatin. I'm sure with green food coloring it would look like kiwi. I added a tablespoon of it to my water bottle this morning ~ it was kind of fun. Like drinking sea monkey's or something, LOL because the seeds do move up and down in the bottle slowly from 'something' I just don't know what but I've always been easily amused.
They really don't have a 'taste', just an interesting texture. They made my oatmeal very fluffy ~ even moreso than the time I tried adding eggwhites. So this morning wondering if last night was just a fluke I tried them again in the oatmeal.
I couldn't finish the serving. Halfway through I was done with a capital 'I'm really not hungry.' I sat there looking at it thinking 'ok, how do I record this' because I'd actually added coconut oil too. I decided 'record the whole thing, if you eat over your RDI today go back and reassess but for now stop obsessing. It's not like having a 10,000 calorie deficit has yielded an expected 3lb loss this month. Do you think the scale cares what you record in FS?'
And the last personal Chia seed experience I can share is they are very high in fiber; 4grams in one tablespoon. So, uh, well, you can draw your own conclusions on the thing I don't want to put into writing. Let's just say 'fluffy oatmeal, very filling, loads of fun in water and won't be needing any metamucil for now', okay?
I wanted to share something else but it escapes me. If I remember it I'll journal about it later or tomorrow. My brain needs a leash because it keeps wandering but refuses to come back on any consistent basis. Then again, maybe my days would be more fun if I lost my mind completely. I know my reality certainly isn't bringing a lot of pleasure and I just had the most hysterical conversation with my sales rep that left him wondering if I was drunk, high, or both. I am neither. This insanity thing may be alright after all.
Thank you for reading.
Bella
Diet Calendar Entries for 18 March 2013:
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1392 kcal
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Fat: 65.32g | Prot: 91.57g | Carb: 112.41g.
Breakfast: Fage, Sauerkraut Libby, Coconut Oil EfaGold, Chia Spectrum, Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal. Lunch: Albacore Tuna Starkist. Dinner: Crispy Sauerkraut, 's Stripey Jack Cheese, Garlic Mushrooms, Coconut Oil Efa(, Spinach, Onion, Cucumber, Tomato, Breakfast Ham. Snacks/Other: Spectrum Chia Seed, Cottage Cheese 4%, Triple Berry Schwan. more...
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![](https://m.ftscrt.com/static/images/box/membersicon.gif) Comments
I shall now have to look up the chia spectrum and see if they do it here in the UK, sounds interesting. Also sounds like you had an interesting weekend too! What type of trade show was it that you was at?
My week has got off to a good start, I just need to maintain it. I have a busy week at work so I am sure that will help keep my mind busy and not thinking about food.....ok a little fib there I sometimes find I think about food a fare amount, so I am trying to distract myself. When I am not dieting I find I am not thinking about food, but why is at as soon as you start to diet all you can think about is food? Or is that just me?
Weather here is cold and wet so not making me want to eat nice healthy salads I just want hot comforting food...oh well just got to take it a day at a time!
18 Mar 13 by member: Anneemai
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Oh my goodness I'm so glad you found your rings! I have two rings I dearly love as well and I'd be heartbroken if anything happened to them! I may have to try those things, I'd love something that kept me full for that long! As I don't like oatmeal (I know...the gasp heard round the world, someone admitting that they just don't like it, no matter how friggin healthy it is), I'll have to find something else to put it in. Hmm...This poses challenges for the creative mind! I suppose putting it into chocolate pudding wouldn't really be going down the healthy eating route?
18 Mar 13 by member: CollyMP
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I have some chia seeds in my cupboard - I think they are in powder form, probably to make them easier to mix into stuff. I haven't tried them yet but my daughter has. Now I'm intrigued. Another great thing is hemp seeds. The ones I buy at Costco are ground up a bit and resemble hazelnuts very much in both taste and texture. Very good and full of good things, too. Good to hear that you found your rings. Losing stuff can be as traumatic as having it stolen!
18 Mar 13 by member: evelyn64
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Oh bella.....I so love your journals. I have chi's seeds I ve thrown into smoothies but mine were ground. I think I will buy the whole ones so I can have magic sea monkeys too. Glad you found your rings. That would have been a heartbreaker. What are you selling at the trade shows?
18 Mar 13 by member: sharonfriz
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Definitely need to get these!!! Thanks so much for sharing!
18 Mar 13 by member: jaime30024
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Lol, Bella...you're the coolest...Hey! Who knew we could eat our chia pets! I might have to check it out; I could definitely use the fiber, but I can 100% guarantee they will NOT be going into my water...call me crazy, I like my water thin :-) So glad you found your rings and cell phone...I am all too familiar with that panicky feeling. Sometimes I imagine myself, YEARS from now, of course ;-) wandering around downtown in my drawers or something...
18 Mar 13 by member: Baxie
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Hi Bella, I too, have been attemtping the Chia seeds thing along with a co-worker. I sprinkle them on my chunky peanut butter and also put them in my salad dressing. I sprinkle them wherever I can get them in. I figure it's worth a go and they do seem to help. I've googled recipes...etc..using them. You can use them for thickener and for baking...substitute the chia/water mixture for eggs. I haven't tried that yet. They say to start out slow....which I have done. I do notice to be fuller for longer using them.
18 Mar 13 by member: Only1Bones
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Wow Bella! Losing your rings because you have lost so much weight! That is amazing, cool, and scary all at the same time! You will need to take preventive measures (at least for a while) until you are comfortable enough to get it re-sized. I will need to research the Chia seeds! Thanks for cluing me (us) all in on that! It sounds like a heck of a natural appetite suppressant! And to think that I just pictured it as little alfalfa sprouts!
18 Mar 13 by member: RiverRes
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Love reading your stuff!! So glad you found your rings! A bit ago I looked down and was missing my engagement ring, and my heart stopped; turns out I had thrown it away drying my hands in the bathroom at work. Holy Crap Batgirl....not only did I find my rings, but I also found out that bathroom trash is nasty!! And needless to say when I washed my hands from digging through the bathroom trash my rings were tucked away in my jeans pocket!!!!!!
19 Mar 13 by member: Rubie-sue
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So, my bad, I'm really behind on responding to the very kind people who comment on my journals. Then again, if you've read my journals you understand some of the barriers and forgive me. As one of my friends here says 'Those who matter won't mind and those who mind don't matter.' That's my story today and I'm sticking to it. @Anne - I got the Chia seeds from Amazon as we lack anything remotely close to a Whole Foods or Health Store here in my 1/2 a horse town. As far as thinking about food all the time my personal experience based advice to you is DO IT. Think about it CONSTANTLY but think about HEALTHY food. Don't allow thoughts of processed junk food to occupy your thoughts in a 'deprivation' manner ~~ replace those thoughts with images of food to nourish your body and health. @Colly - there are ton's of recipes online for cooking with Chia seeds and I think some of the two-horse towns actually have bakeries and healthy stores that prepare those for you. And as chocolate pudding is, like everything else, acceptable in moderation I say 'go for it.' Will probably come out like a chocolate tapioca pudding. @Evelyn - yeah, when I was crumpled in a heap on the floor fighting off tears all I could think was 'really, on the heels of everything else now THIS? Hence why I stayed down there and prayed for gratitude one I found them. @Sharon - yeah, I'm still playing with the sea monkeys today. It reminds me of those little experiments we did when we were kids and would put a BB in a glass bottle of water and make 'tornados'. Regarding what I sell at trade shows - ya know, I really can't tell you ~ the first rules about having a mindless dull boring profession is you don't talk about the mindless dull boring profession. So I broke the rule by referring to my weirdo pocket thrusting customers and then mentioned the trade show but will stop now. Let's leave it at my stock answer that I used when I traveled for corporate America: "I'm a talent scout for comedy clubs." I found that to be the best way to get strangers to tell me jokes during long flights. @Jaime - you're welcome. That was the thought I had when I read about your pipe issues in your journal ~ hope it helps! @Baxie - silly you ~~ the seeds only plump up with a 9:1 ratio so putting a tablespoon of them in a 40oz bottle of water still leaves it 'thin' to drink. @Bones - yeah, the warning said 'start slow, may upset stomach' but so far so good and I sprinkled them on my ham / spinach / egg breakfast and couldn't finish it. @Paula - yeah, that's why I was wearing MH's ring (that now fits me) but the temp loss was because I 'thought' I'd put them in my shirt pocket but in an undistracted thought actually put them in my purse - go figure. @Rubie Sue - ohh noooo ... see, I did the 'pat down' about 10 times - I'm sure onlookers thought I was having a seizure. Crazy isn't it. But the way I react to type stresses reminds me of why I don't work for air traffic control ~ I don't do well under pressure. Thanks again every one!
19 Mar 13 by member: FullaBella
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LOL-I used to work for a costume and mascot company (you know, 6 foot tall chickens and such, in addition to masquerade and halloween costumes). It had the deliciously naughty name of "Hazel's Fantasy Factory". I loved it when people asked where I worked! My gorgeous boss, who looked like Beyonce, would go a step further and when asked what she did for a living would say voluptuously "I make fantasies come true". Feel free to use either of those-Hazels went out of business years ago, and old Hazel herself probably said much worse, she was apparently a saucy wench!
19 Mar 13 by member: CollyMP
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And wouldja STOP already with apologizing! You have a busy life, full of details that must be attended to, we get it, no one will be upset if you cannot respond, we just love to hear from you whenever you care to share your thoughts. OK? OK!
19 Mar 13 by member: CollyMP
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I've been there with the rings... and the phone... glad it all ended well though. Always wondered about chia and I need something new besides flax so I'll be looking into it. Thanks for th info!
19 Mar 13 by member: thynes
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LOL Colly - I went through a whole list of 'stories' trying to make my professional life sound interesting besides the tired old 'astronaut, neurosurgeon, CIA' because someone always called me on that. So I definitely wasn't prepared for the reactions I got when I said 'Sex Therapist' or "Adult Book Store" or even the veiled "Uh.. let's just say .. I'm in Sanitation" ... the talent scout thing was the only thing I could pull off with any believability and I got to hear jokes ~ win, win!
19 Mar 13 by member: FullaBella
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Ya know, Thynes, that's exactly what I thought when I read your journal (the phone thing) ~ no spider, and no upgrade here. Just need to upgrade my attention!
19 Mar 13 by member: FullaBella
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I was reading this yesterday & laughed out loud, told my partner it was your journal, then had to read it out loud since my partner likes your journals. We both thoroughly enjoyed it; I did a lot of things with chia when I went gluten free for 8 months & partner thinks it's gross while I loved it. I'd even bake it in cookies & bread. My cowgirl cookies with coconut oil & all sorts of good health stuff were a filling good meal in themselves, but Someone didn't like the chia seeds sticking between their teeth "like something alien". Go figure! I think they're great. I enjoyed gluten free baking too much & gained weight, but now I think I should buy some new chia seeds when I get home (though I'll have Someone joking about chia pets growing inside me & fearing they'll cause plumbing issues LOL!) .
19 Mar 13 by member: crabby Kat
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@Kitcat ~ you know, I'd joke about 'seriously, you're in beautiful Maui and you're reading my journal instead of shopping and those pig roasting things ~ but then I have terrible timing with jokes and wouldnt want you to misinterpret my veiled attempt to say 'I am so flattered you take time to read and comment on my journal while you're in Paradise, you are a truly wonderful friend.' As for the little weird things in the teeth ~ well ~ hey, always save something for later, lol. JK - that's how I feel about eating popcorn. I can't imagine plumbing issues at 4grams of fiber ... except maybe the unpredictability of the plumbing? Ugh, sorry. Enough about that. Go enjoy the sunrise or sunset or whichever is happeningon the beach!
19 Mar 13 by member: FullaBella
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Quick Hi to say I read this the other night but was too tired to comment. I have been putting chia seeds in DH's smoothies every morning instead of ground flax seed. He doesn't care. I will have to add them to my lunch. Will read more when less stressed. Take care.
20 Mar 13 by member: Neptunebch
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