Midweek Reflections on Salt and Losing Weight

'Idal (Justice), 12 Kamál (Perfection), 172 BE - Wednesday, August 12, 2015 about 2:04 pm Pacific Daylight Time

I've been eating too much salt lately. When I went to the doctor the other day I was told my blood pressure was borderline. This is the first time I've been told this. Until now my blood pressure has been good. Since I don't want to deal with high blood pressure this late in my life, I'll have to start watching my salt intake closer and lose weight.

Cutting down on my salt intake is much easier then losing weight. When I use canned vegetables I can drain the liquid and then run water over the vegetables to wash off some of the salt. To lose the weight I have to increase my exercise and cut down on the amount of food I eat. I also have to stop snacking. This means I cannot have jelly on my rice cakes more then once a day. It also means cutting down on the sweets.

I think the best way to start losing weight is to begin praying about it. By praying about my weight I can put the situation in God's hands and then work from there. I may have to start a food journal for a closer look at my food intake. I also have to get the scales out of the bedroom, clean them off, and place them where I can weigh myself without going into another room looking for the scales. All though walking into another room to find them might help my exercise program.

I am glad that I drink my coffee without adding cream or sugar. At least I don't have to give up coffee. I will have to watch my juice intake because I drink bottle fruit juice and most of those have sugar in them. Perhaps cut the juice down to once or twice a day with breakfast and lunch. Then there is the issue of late night snacks. I don't snack very much at night, but when I do I tend to eat foods that have a lot of sugar, salt, or calories. I know how much I weighed at my doctor's office on Monday, so I will use that as my starting point.

Getting my mother to eat

Istijlál (Majesty), 18 ‘Azamat (Grandeur), 166 BE – Thursday, June 3, 2010 about 7:53 AM Pacific Time

Getting Mom to eat is becoming difficult, she eats a little bit at a time and then doesn't want to eat any more. The doctor gave her a medication that increases her appetite, which improves the situation a little. Mom eats better when we go to a restaurant then when we're at home. The only exception is fast food that I buy and bring home Mom eats that fairly well.

Mom's doctor wants here to gain weight, but she can't gain weight if she doesn't eat. The last time the doctor weighed her, the scale read 99 lbs. The doctor wants her weight to be about 115 or 120 lbs. I will be happy is she gets to 110 lbs.

I ask Mom what she wants to eat and she says, "I don't care. Whatever you fix is fine with me." The idea solution, is to take her to a restaurant for one or two meal a week. I know she would gain weight, but the problem with that is money. We just can't afford to go out to eat more then once or twice a month. The only thing I can do at this point is encourage her to eat and make sure she takes her medication.