Disarray

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We are in a bit of disarray around here as we put an emphasis on “sugar-free” for my husband’s efforts to control his sugar and my low carb efforts to get my lard off.  Eating and sleeping patterns are new, resulting in HIS losing weight and MY gaining. :0(

• Example 1 – we’re not reading upstairs in bed anymore due to his trying to get his restless leg problems under control. If he stays up later and then turns off the light and goes right to sleep, he has fewer problems with his legs.  Staying up later is okay for me, but we tend to watch TV, rather than reading, so I have more trouble getting to – and staying asleep, missing my wind-down with reading. We pass like ships in the night many times, coming back downstairs for an hour or so as we try to build new habits.
• Example 2 – Since we’re not sleeping as well as we would like, we tend to sleep in, eating breakfast later. That causes me to be hungry mid afternoon. Many times my husband isn’t hungry (GRRRR!) and I fix snacky stuff for me. THEN he’s hungry at about 5, causing us to each dinner later…
• Example 3 – our low carb eating is great for Type 2 diabetes, as well as getting the lard off. We’re concentrating, though, on reading labels of things my husband used to routinely eat without thought, and now misses a LOT. Now we’re trying to find (or make) sugar-free condiments, sugar-free drinks, sugar-free candy, sugar-free desserts. Today we’re on the lookout for sugar-free BBQ sauce. I’ve also found a recipe if we don’t find something readily available. I’m gradually going through the pantry, getting rid of things my husband can no longer eat/drink/use. (Before I was just not using them myself. Now we have a whole different ball game.) We’ve never read labels as we should have, and now are finding out all sorts of problems we need to fix.
• Example 4 – my husband is exasperated that he’s been ‘good’ and his sugar numbers aren’t reflecting it as much as he would like. He tends to concentrate on what he can’t have, rather than being happy we can find good substitutes.  He really liked the low carb sausage balls I made last week and wants me to make more. He also raved about a pork loin roast I made. But – the bottom line is – he describes the new regimen as “not eating anything I like”.  I’m scrambling to come up with things he DOES like and emphasize the positive.

SO – as we search and scramble – the result has been a bit of exhaustion around here, wacky meals and wackier hours – so less emphasis on getting the lard off and a LOT on getting our act together for the long run. The healthier we can get, the better. As I’m fond of him, I want my husband to last as long as possible – AND feel good doing it. We’ll take each day at a time, concentrate on what we’re learning to do right and building new healthy habits.

If you’re having similar challenges, I hope you’re finding the help you need and are making steady progress toward your goals.

One meal at a time.