365 days ago I wrote this post: I Can Dukan
And decided this:
And I DID š
Losing 111 pounds in less than 10 months.
Life IS Good!
Gonna be a big post tomorrow š
Ciao!
Dukan – I DID DUKAN
10
Self Love Exercise – Part 4
Print out the best email youāve ever received. Pin it up somewhere so youāll see it all the time. Use it as a reminder that you are smart, you are magnificent, you are doing the right thing, & you are doing the best you can.
This is absolutely, hands down, the best email I’ve ever received. Dated January 19, 2009, from Max, one of my babies. He’s 13 now. I keep this email in the inbox so I can see it when I need some encouragement.
“Dear Sandi Thankyou for helping my mom give birth to me. Without you I might not be alive. My arm is doing well but Im not growing at all. That is ok because I am happy and healthy.
I am glad to be alive for a whole decade š
from Max”
Is he an awesome kid or what?
Max was a shoulder dystocia, totally unexpected, as they almost all are. It was the longest 3-4 minutes of my life. He ended up with a brachial plexus injury, which is also not uncommon with a shoulder dystocia. I adore his Momma. She’s a midwife now and amazing with women and children.
Who was your best email ever from?
Self Love Exercise – Part 3
Write down a characteristic for 5 people you admire.
1. Hillary Clinton. I love her for many reasons, but my favorite characteristic is her ability to take a bad situation, deal with it and move on. Whether that is personally, professionally or politically.
2. Gandhi. His thinking was to not end violence with violence, but to solve the problem peacefully, get to the core of the issue. He never compromised on this.
3. Dalai Lama. His belief that all humans are intrinsically kind. To have that kind of faith is amazing!
4. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Bravery and Courage. It took a lot of courage to stand in front of the crowd and deliver his “I Have A Dream” speech and many other speeches in the south. He bravely stated he would fight to the end, and he did. So I would also add honesty!
5. Margaret Sanger. Compassionate. Her compassion for others led her to fight for women’s reproductive rights and the right to birth control for six decades.
Who do you admire? What characteristic do you like the best about that person?
Dukan Update
Been a busy 24 hours and wanted to get a post out before bed.
Weight: 149, bloated and well, more on that later in the post.
I have a wonderful midwifery student with me here in China, Aisha Al Hajjar. Aisha is from the States, but is married to a lovely Saudi man and has 8 kids! I met her in the UAE last year when she came to interview me about water birth at my previous hospital job.
At the end of the day yesterday (433 pm to be precise), my personal assistant came to let us know that there was a lady in labor wanting a normal birth, so upstairs we went to the birth room. First time momma and she had her baby at 533 pm… Nice, quick, fast and an easy delivery. Here’s the little guy a few minutes after I caught him…
Today was packed with working on skills that Aisha needs to do for school and working on a PowerPoint presentation about International Standards of Care. I started my day out with a yummy breakfast…
I am in Consolidation and I’m eating more Paleo like. Still low carb, but added fat. This is pork chunks, onion and garlic powder. Two eggs fried with low fat mozzarella. I cooked it in Macadamia oil… Mmmmm!
I’ve only run twice in the past week. It is very difficult to do in a city of 17 million! Too many people milling about, but I’ve made sure I walk 5K every night. I also haven’t had any yogurt with flaxseed meal (I use that instead of oat bran, zero net carbs, 4g fiber per tsp, same as oat bran but has a nice nutty taste). Anyway, I’ve been a bit bitchy grumpy the last few days, as I’ve been gassy (never gassy on Dukan!!!) and the plumbing isn’t working as per usual. You can’t buy yogurt here in China at the shops and I usually get it in Hong Kong, but I haven’t had the time to go down there.
So today I kind of barked at asked Rose, my amazing personal assistant here in Guangzhou to find me a western grocery store!!! So off I went on the subway to find The Corner’s Deli (yes apostrophe s) in the basement of the Citic building. The kind customer service desk girl pointed the way. Through that door, turn right, go downstairs to BM Street… LOL, BM Street?!? I was sure I heard her wrong… Well, actually…
So off I go, down this quiet stairway and find myself dead end at a Chinese restaurant! I point, I show them the name and address and they take me through the restaurant to an underground shopping mall… It was bizarre! But, tucked around the winding walkway, all the way in the back was a western grocery with FAT FREE GREEK YOGURT!!! And COTTAGE CHEESE!!! AND SALAMI!!!! And MOVIE THEATRE POPCORN, EXTRA BUTTER!!!! Ok, I bought ONE package of that, for my celebration meal on Sunday š I thought I’d died and gone to heaven… A REAL grocery store!
So I’ve just gotten back from dinner at my favorite Arabic restaurant and dished up a plate of that yogurt with a Splenda and flaxseed… My tummy will be happy again!
And yes, I eat my yogurt with chopsticks… I’m in china š
Parting shot… This afternoon I shot a commercial for the hospital to promote water birth. They even recruited one of our nearly due patients! What fun. I decided I wanted to get a shot of one of the camera people…
Exciting life I lead… Ciao!
31 Years
Thirty-one years ago today, IĀ gaveĀ birth to my first child. I was a child myself… only 17 years old, a recent high school graduate.
On Friday, August 14, 1981 my dad took me to see my OB, Dr. Larry Holder. It was my due date and I fully expected toĀ haveĀ my baby that day… LOL. He told me that most women didn’tĀ haveĀ their baby on their due date (it’s statistically around 5%) and that after examining me, he thought it would be Monday or Tuesday, before IĀ delivered. We left the doctor’s office at 1130. My dad dropped me off at my part-time job, a high end chocolate store, where I decorated humongous chocolate chip cookies and chocolate “records” for birthdays and otherĀ events. At 230 he came back to get me.
At 400 p.m., after watching General Hospital… LOL, sorry, IĀ haven’tĀ watched soaps in about 10 years, my dad declared me in labor. Labor? I’m not in labor! He told me that for about a half hour I would sit upĀ everyĀ 5 minutes and rub my lower back. He called Dr. Holder and said we were coming into the office. <Insert me rolling my eyes at my know it all dad…> We got to the office at 445 and Dr. Holder examined me and I was 6 centimeters dilated! IĀ haveĀ no idea how! I truly didn’t feel contractions. I walked the half block to the hospital, my dad not so happy that I was walking, and went to my mom’s office there. She worked in the Cashier’s Office at the hospital and stayed and chatted with her for a bit, then off to the coffee shop for a soda and donut š I truly didn’t think there was any rush.
At around 545 the nurse came looking for me and took me upstairs. Nick was born, direct occiput posterior (face up instead of face down) at 626 p.m. All 7 lbs. 15 ounces of him. The only “pain” I had was the feeling that I was pooping a watermelon out… It was awesome (the lack of pain, not the watermelon part!). My mom, who bragsĀ incessantlyĀ about this, was the FIRST person to hold him. The doc handed him to my mom! My mom handed me the poloroid camera to take a picture of her holding him moments after birth, it’s pretty funny. I don’tĀ haveĀ that picture to upload in this post. After the pic, she handed him rightĀ overĀ to me.
Nick and IĀ haveĀ beenĀ veryĀ lucky. EvenĀ though IĀ neverĀ married Nick’s dad Joe, he always supported him. His family has, as well. Joe and I stillĀ haveĀ a good relationship. Which is awesome. My mom and dad were awesome in that, until I married the following year, they helped keep a roofĀ overĀ my baby’s head. I worked full-time and paid rent, but I couldn’tĀ haveĀ done it without them. And they ADORED my little man š
Although IĀ haveĀ a lot of fun memories, one of my best is thatĀ evenĀ when Nick was a bitty baby I would wake up to him smiling at me. I co-slept with my babies (meaning they slept in my bed with me) andĀ evenĀ as young as 4 weeks, I would wake up and Nick would be staring at me with a grin on his face. His teachers used to say how precious that smile was… his smile is charming!
So, here’s some pics of my “boy”… he’s a man now… 31. IĀ haveĀ NO idea where the time goes… At 48 I don’t feel old enough toĀ haveĀ a 31 year old!!!
The day we brought Nick home. With my mom and dad.
Nick with his Pop-Pop and my Pop-Pop.
14 months old
Nick with Jenni 1984
Nick with his cousin Tommy
Nick with his dad and brother.
Me and Nick in Venice, Italy 2009
Nick, Tiffany, Me and Jenni – Jenni’s wedding weekend
Rockin’ the Tiara that his nieces made him wear at Jenni’s wedding reception 2009
Being “Unkie” Nick… with his nephews Shane and hours old Jose.
So, that’s my boy… HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SON… it’s been a wild,Ā wackyĀ and wonderful 31 years!
~Mom
Self Love Exercises – Part 2
This is the second exercise from The Feel Good Tribe:
Think about 5 fantastic attributes you inherited from your parents. If you never knew your parents, or your relationship with them is an unhappy one, who influenced you? Make a list of 5 important things they taught you, that have impacted the way you live your life today.
My mom, dad, me and little sis.
Fantastic attributes inherited from my parents:
1. Unconditional love. I’ve always felt that from both of my parents. I’ve slipped, I’ve fallen, but they both always love(d) me for who I am.
2. Children should be seen AND heard. Some of my fondest moments growing up involved being part of adult conversations about politics, religion and current affairs in the States and the world. My favorite being the times my dad’s friend John Britto would come visit.
3. You can discipline with quiet words. I remember one spanking, just one. I was 6 and rode my bike to the zoo with my 7 yr old friend. My parents disciplined with words… And my mom with a raised eyebrow, LOL. Hearing my dad say he was disappointed was worse than any beating. My parents talked to us.
4. Be involved. My parents were involved in everything, girl scout leader, softball coach, Rainbow Girls, PTA. We stayed busy and we stayed out of trouble!
5. Give to others. We were just barely not poor. You know what I mean. But my parents were givers and this is the most important attribute I inherited from them. If someone needed shelter, they stayed with us. Your kid giving you trouble, they stayed with us. Need a shirt, we found one. My dad’s funeral was attended by many people we didn’t know. People who worked for him in the restaurant and sales business. Customers from those businesses, because he was a giver.
I say this all the time… I thank God for giving me Tom and Nancy for parents š
Ciao!
Self Love Exercises
The Feel Good Tribe is an amazing blog I am following. A couple of days ago they posted 10 SELF LOVE EXERCISES TO BOOST YOUR SUMMER LOVINā!
The first on the list is to write out 5 affirmations that you could really use in your life. I already do this. I write out 5 positive affirmations every Sunday and post them on my bathroom mirror. Here’s this weeks list. I’m staying in Guangzhou, so I have it stuck on the inside of the door leading out…
What affirmations do you use to get through your week, your run, your yoga, your LIFE?
Dukan – Consolidation Day 93
I can’t believe how long I’ve already been in Consolidation! Day 93 of 500. Nearly a fifth of the way to Stabilization!
Today’s weight: 148 lb/67.1 kg
Goal weight: 155 lb/70.5 kg
I’m working in Guangzhou for 2 weeks and have the pleasure of having my friend Aisha who lives in Saudi Arabia here as a student midwife. It is so exciting! Yesterday we worked on blood drawing and placing IVs (I volunteered to let her practice on me, as did her husband) and today physical exams and other fun stuff. She’s also working with one of our doctors here.
I ran 5k the night before I came to Guangzhou and I’ve been speed walking 5k an evening here. Hoping to run in the morning. I’ve been having some insomnia this week, for some reason š¦
I’ve also been doing a 10 minute morning yoga routine with YOGAmazing on my iPad every morning and a 25-45 minute routine of my own nearly every evening.
And lastly… I just want to say that I think it’s awesome that food like this is on my diet. No magic pills, no artificial hormones and starvation, just damn good food š
Breakfast: Bacon, red onions, garlic, shaved, organic Parmesan, green apple slices
Breakfast: Pork belly chunks, red onion, cilantro, curry, fried egg with mozzarella
Dinner: Beef steak chunks, red onions, red cabbage salad with cucumbers
Yum, yum, yum!
Ciao š
Just The Stats, Ma’am
This morning weight: 148
Goal weight: 155
Weeks since goal met: 13 or so
B/P this morning: 99/57
Pulse: 58
Cholesterol taken fasting on Monday: 138 š
(I guess eating all those eggs and all that fatty meat isn’t clogging my arteries after all!)
Measurements:
These are from August 2011 & March 2012
Aug 20, 2011 / March 20, 2012
Chest: 42 / 36
Waist: 45 / 33
Hips: 56 / 42 (LOL, my HIPS are smaller than what my WAIST was!)
Measurements this morning:
Chest: 36
Waist: 29
Hips: 39
Total inches lost from just those 3 areas: 39 INCHES!
Overall inches lost: 61! I’m only 63 inches tall!
From the machine:
Lean Body Mass (bone, muscle, water): 79.4%
Body Fat Mass: 21.6%
BMI: 25.3 which is “overweight”. The BMI people don’t take all factors into consideration, so they can eff off…. I’m perfect, for me š I’ve got some leftover bits from losing 111 pounds, but I’m definitely not overweight, given I’m wearing a Size 8!!
And there’s the stats!
Ciao!
Travel – Typhoon Haiku
So yet another tropical system is mucking up my travels! I was suppose to fly to Guangzhou this morning, but I ended up walking to work dressed like this…
In this…
And why would my crazy self walk to work in that? Because last September I promised myself I would walk to work every single day for a year. I have honored that! I have walked to work on beautiful days, freezing days, snowing days and 7 weeks of raining and near freezing days, scorching heat and now typhoon (aka hurricane). It is .98 miles to work, it takes between 12-15 minutes depending on my mood, the weather and traffic. I even walked there 36 hours after my lipo, now that was just stupid, lol, but I did it š
I wrote this out this morning, while lounging in bed, listening to the wind howling and the rain coming down through my open bedroom window…
A Haiku for Typhoon Haikui
As the wind does blow
I watch a leaf settle down
Then blown away gone
Flight rebooked for tomorrow š
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