I am still living with many of the lessons learned while at Canyon Ranch last month. There really is so much it is almost overwhelming. I loved receiving so much information from the nutritionist to the exercise physiologist to the MD to the acupuncturist to the therapist to the other clients who have positive previous experiences, it has taken a bit of time to settle in and incorporate itself into my life.
I admit I am having some personal challenges meeting all of the targets - funny how being in the desert for 10 days with absolutely no responsibility whatsoever outside of eating, exercising, and taking tests can be difficult to recreate while at home taking care of four kids, laundry and cooking!
I have managed:
- The one thing I am most proud of is taking my meds - every day. I haven't missed one dose, and for me that really is a feat. I'm not one for medication, but this is serious so my routine is simple: roll out of bed, open the bottle of meds and take two pills, as instructed.
- I've gone for a follow up with my own doctor who was beyond put out that I dared to go to the States to take care of myself. I have to tell you, one thing that really puts me off about any professional (especially painters and contractors - but I suppose now doctors, too) is their attacking any other member of their profession. In this case the whole American medical system and how they don't even "measure anything right" and "ridiculous overtesting". Yeah, but they at least ran the test that found out my problem - he just blamed my lack of will and eating too much, which was completely wrong. Proof it's time for a new doctor! Once I finish my first round of blood tests that is exactly what I'm going to do - any recommendations?
- I've been trying to find an underwater treadmill in the area. No luck so far! So I'll be getting my jacket and boots and go from there!
- Plans are underway to address my stress and reduce it to a manageable level. There are a number of issues I have to face head-on and am in the process of doing that. There is a huge purge being planned. Nothing worth doing is easy.
- The best part? My kids LOVE the food. Upon my return I completely reworked all of the cupboards in the kitchen and got rid of anything that had ingredients we couldn't pronounce - with the exception of Caden's Honeycomb cereal (bleck!). I'm working on it! I made great choices while I was gone and decided to make it virtually impossible to make a bad choice here at home. My only problem? I still can't eat enough! Holy smokes.
The food my kids love best? BREAKFAST CHICKEN SAUSAGE which I had every morning while I was away with Oatmeal Brûlée and a bowl of berries.
BREAKFAST CHICKEN SAUSAGE
1 pound ground chicken breast
1/4 cup minced yellow onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon dry sage
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. In a medium bowl, combine ground chicken with all other ingredients and mix well.
2. Form into patties, using 1/4 cup mixture for each patty.
3. Place patties in a large saute pan. Saute over medium heat until cooked through, about 3 to 5 minues on each side or until golden brown.
Serving Information
Makes 8 servings, each containing approximately:
110 calories
0g carbohydrate
4g fat
46mg cholesterol
14g protein
202mg sodium
Trace Fibre
All recipes can be found online. So far we've tried about a dozen. The kids have enjoyed EVERY ONE OF THEM - even the vegetarian burgers!
There are still plenty of challenges to incorporate and overcome. I can't do it all at once, but I have a slow and steady plan and I can see it's working. This is not just a lifestyle change for me, but I really have to sell my family on it - without the benefit of taking everyone to the desert! Though, that is high on my list of priorities :)
Like I said, and truly believe, anything worth doing isn't quick or easy. This is worth it.
