8/27/13 Katie's Healthy Eating Journal: Thursday

My Dad had lost eight pounds this summer bike riding 5 days a week 2 hours per day!  He was really working hard and even though he was dedicated to losing some weight it was an easy decision to do it bike riding because he loves the outdoors.  It is a stress-reliever and a time to reflect.  He was so proud of how hard he worked to lose the weight.  He has had four back surgeries all which have taken years for him to recover.  It is just within the last year that I really have notice he's been able to do the things he enjoys such as bike riding and gardening.  Five years ago we weren't sure he would have ever been able to do those things again.  My Mom and I began seeing a sparkle in my Dad's eyes and a spring to his step that we had not recognized in so long due to the amount of pain he always was in.  Wouldn't you know it, mid-July my Dad woke up one morning and couldn't walk.  He didn't get out of bed all weekend.  He was in such intense pain and it didn't seem to be easing up.  The doctor thought after a week whatever he may have pulled should be healing.  Sometimes life can be so cruel and after many agonizing weeks of pain my Dad's MRI revealed he would most likely need another back surgery.  This is heart-breaking to my Mom and me.  He is our rock and one of the most incredible men we know.  He is a constant positive support in our lives.  So to hear his voice filled with saddness and pain brings me to tears.  He's also so disappointed to have worked so hard to drop 8 pounds and then gain it all back from sitting around all day.  My advice was to eat whatever he wanted because when you're in that much pain it's nice to still have something in life that "hits the spot" when everything else appears so dark.  I'm sure that is easier said than done.  If it were me, I don't doubt that admist all that pain I would still worry about gaining vast amounts of weight.  I just hope he can soon find relief and actually have a surgery that is successful.  Keep my Dad in your thoughts and prayers.

Weight - 118.6 lbs.

Exercise - None

 THURSDAY

Breakfast -

1/2 cup Original Fiber One Cereal

1/4 cup organic raisins

1/2 cup fat-free organic milk

Lunch -

Kahiki Vegetable Egg Roll

Sweet and Sour Packet

Cauliflower

2 tbsp. fat-free ranch

6 oz. fat-free yogurt

sugar-free jello

Snack -

Orange

Dinner -

1 cup Organic Spinach and Cheese Tortellini (280 cal, 8g fat, 560mg sodium)

Salad (mixed greens, red pepper, salsa, corn chip topping)

2 tbsp. light ranch

Snack -

100 calorie pack