Too Much, Too Fast

Yeah, I'm probably the only one who has done that, right?

In fact, I bet most of you were expecting this post after my last, highly optimistic post.

What is it about a sudden burst of energy that catapults us into unsustainable activity?  Tsk, tsk, I should know better by now.

Well, I certainly took advantage of feeling a bit better.  Pain has become a bigger issue for me lately, and so I revved up my exercise program a little to counteract it.  Nothing aerobic, of course -- just a bit more stretching and strengthening.  I have to admit, it felt soooo good!  I just should have taken it a little more slowly, and not added quite as much as quickly as I did.

The other problem I ran into was a renewed interest in cooking.  I've always enjoyed cooking -- not every night, necessarily, but I loved trying new recipes and using my lovely family as guinea pigs.  Plus, since  my new haircut, I decided I wanted to lose a little weight to look even more fabulous.  Since I can't exercise my way down to my goal, that means eating better.

I discovered some wonderful freezer recipes, and I could not contain my enthusiasm.  I've made Lazy Lasagna, Ham and Cheese Ziti, Spinach Soup, Chili, Tex Mex Rice Casserole, and Chicken Divan.  (I've got all the recipes on my recipe blog, The Flagging Chef.)  So, now I have eight dinners and seven lunches in the freezer, ready for those nights when I don't feel up to cooking and usually order pizza.  They are all pretty easy recipes.  I did all right on those days I had my kids helping me cook.  I got a little crazy and made the Tex Mex Rice Casserole all by myself, and that was a big mistake.

Add to that a big stressor for me:  We're going to have someone come in and clean once a month.  She came over for an initial consultation on Friday.  I am humiliated by my home.  Back in the day, I took pride in the fact that although my house was occasionally cluttered (six kids, you know), it was never dirty.  Now, once you get past the clutter, it is very dirty underneath.  This is long overdue, but getting started is a horribly emotional ordeal for me.  She starts on Wednesday; I know the payoff will be worth it.

So, I'm not exactly in a crash.  That alone tells me I'm still on the mend.  I just need to remember that the road to recovery is a bumpy old thing.  I need to slow down and scale back a little.  Be gentle with myself.  Have a little chocolate.

Achievements!

First of all, I am very happy with the progress I am making on my website! I wanted to do one page per week (resulting in at least 52 pages by the end of the year), and I'm already at 39 pages! More importantly, I just completed a section for ME/CFS Awareness. Please take a look and tell me HONESTLY what you think. I can always edit it if you find any flaws or have suggestions, which I would appreciate. You can find it here:

http://www.chronic-fatigue-community.com

I will be using this information in an e-mail campaign I am trying to get my courage up for. I'm going to send an e-mail to all my friends, family, and acquaintances that explains my situation and asks them to do three things: 1. Read the "Understanding CFS" article on my website; 2. Donate $1 to CFIDS.org; and 3. Forward the e-mail to everyone they can. I have given myself a deadline of May 1st to do this, so I can tweak the website a little more and compose the e-mail. Really, I'm just nervous, so I'm buying time. If I get my courage up, I'll do it earlier.

I'm about on track with my recipe blog, The Flagging Chef (see sidebar). I have 86 recipes, and I have a slew more that I'm ready to post. I've put together three weeks of recipes and shopping lists, and I'm working on one more today. That should give me a full month's worth of healthy eating without all the trouble of planning.

I've started a new series of stretches that is helping with my chronic pain. I'm also going to start a tiny bit of rebounding today before my rest period. I'll keep you up to date with how that is going.

So, I'm giving myself a pat on the back today! And who doesn't need that once in a while, hmm?

Excitement -- And A Gift for You!

Yes, the most exciting thing happened at our house -- I finally made Shandee's Famous Overnight Bubble Bread for breakfast! There were excited giggles as I came downstairs and put it in the oven. Several times, the kids turned on the oven light to peek at the progress. The worst torture was after the bread was finished, but it still had to cool. Finally, the moment arrived! Everyone was able to have not one, but two pieces each! Happy satisfaction abounded as a hushed quiet fell over six eating children. The verdict? Six thumbs up, I believe! It was so easy to do, I may just have to make this our Christmas morning tradition.

Now, my gift to all of you readers -- I've included the recipe on my recipe blog, The Flagging Chef (see sidebar)! Enjoy!

Help! Recipes Needed!

I'm ready to start my all-inclusive wellness plan. That means that I need to put together a menu of healthy, really easy to prepare meals. Here's where I'm stuck! I've been throwing together frozen and prepared meals for so long, I don't have any good dinner recipes! Does anyone have any family favorites that are easy to prepare and good for you? I'm looking for chicken and fish and beans and lots of vegetables. I love to experiment, so unusual dishes are welcome.

Either post them here as a comment, or submit them on my website "Chronic Fatigue Community." Then, I'll post them all on my recipe blog, "The Flagging Chef." Thanks for helping!!!