Note:
There in an auction where you can bid happening on the blog. You can find it HERE. Now for today’s post.
So my dreaded diet started on LAST Friday…well Saturday actually but I always start a day early to “get in the mode”. I know that sounds weird but it so easy to wipe a bit of peanut butter off of a knife and put it in my mouth. I’ve had a bad habit like that for years and most of the time it’s okay but when I’m on this diet it’s a HUGE no-no.
My diet is a low-iodine diet. I have to be on the diet to do the upcoming test to see where the cancer is hiding in me. So I can have salt…not iodized. No dairy, fish, no product whose label says “salt” or “seasonings” on it. Absolutely no going out to eat or processed food. Egg whites are okay but yolks are a no-no.
I’ve had to do the diet three times already…this is the fourth. I hated it every time. It’s such a mind play. Then conflicting information doesn’t help. My book of recommendations say rice is okay….but if I go on the internet and look up rice, some versions of the diet frown on it. So what’s a girl to do? I want the test to be as successful as possible so I avoid the rice.
Then they will list an item like oatmeal. I can have oatmeal…but I can’t have milk on it. I’m picky and not a fan. I can have a salad but I have yet to come up with a dressing that doesn’t include mayo, mustard, eggs, salt, “spices”, dairy or other no-no items. It’s no fun to eat a salad without dressing…that’s why I complain.
This time around I was determined to be better and not whine as much. So I decided that I need to step up and be the good cook I am….so I tried.
Brownies…with oil instead of butter and applesauce substitute for the eggs.
The batter looked okay…but how would they taste??meh. Not good like my normal recipe…but tolerable and at least it’s some kind of treat so I’m not going to complain (too much).
With that somewhat okay result, I decided to make bread. I used the bread machine to mix it and then plopped it out and made a loaf then baked it in the oven.
This was super promising….It doesn’t look bad at all. I made an onion bread and put garlic powder in it.
I took it out of the oven, grabbed the butter and went to butter the top. UGH. I can’t put butter on the top.
I let it cool, took it out of the pan and excitedly tried it…grabbing the butter to put on my slice only to realize again, NO BUTTER.
The bread wasn’t too bad. So I excitedly anticipated supper. I’d have a sandwich. I love sandwiches. That’s when I remembered…no Mayo…no lunch meat, no cheese, no tuna. Hmmm. What exactly was I going to put in my sandwich?? I ended up thinking I could thin slice a chicken breast and fry that…Yep that could work…but I don’t have any chicken breasts.
Well after a trip to the grocery store, the chicken sandwich will be a good idea. I’ll surely miss the mayo but at least I could still eat a sandwich.
Can you see how up and down this diet is…I think of something and continually get shot down. I’ve been at the diet for one week. I have one week to go. You can bet that once the test is done, I’m off to have some food with NO RESTRICTIONS…and a Bloody Mary. I miss Bloody Marys. By then I’ll deserve one.
I don’t know how I did this last spring when Kramer was in the hospital and I was staying there with him. Ahh…I think I was so worried about him that I didn’t think much about myself.
One more week. I can do it!! I do apologize. I know even though I meant to not be whiny…I was pretty whiny.
Go ahead and complain a little. This sounds like a very restrictive diet and I think most of us can understand how frustrating it is. Hang in there!
No apologies necessary! I don’t think your were whiny ~ just discussing the facts of a very nasty but necessary diet & I hope you feel better discussing it with us!
Haha! I didn’t think you were whiny. And I’m glad we can be here for you, to chat about it. You’ll get through it, and we’ll all “toast” with a bloody mary…well, I’ll have a soda! How’s that!!??
-Jean
❤
You are allowed to be whatever you feel. This diet is restrictive and you handle it well. Like you said, you want to do it right so you get accurate results from your testing. Good luck for the rest of the week. Hugs!!!
You have my sympathy and support. I have a major nutrient I have to avoid. Unlike you,I can have some, but much less than in a normal healthy diet. It’s so frustrating to think you’ve come up with something and then realize where the problem lies. I hope your diet enables them to find where you need treatment so you can tackle it and move on with life.
Bless your heart! I do not know how you do it. I currently have my second nasty cold in less than a month and I am beyond whiny! Your myriad of problems and positive attitude always puts my issues in perspective. Good luck and whine all you want! You deserve to!
Can you have vinegar? If so here is a good dressing.
1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup vinegar
Stir together and bring to a boil stirring often. Cool.
Great for no salt diets.
Oh Jo! Don’t worry about whining to us. If it helps you feel better then go for it! We all want you to have a good test so a bit of complaining is not a problem and you’re entitled . Good luck and I’m sure you’re more careful than many who are supposed to follow the diet.
How about making garlic infused oil to put on your bread, like you can get at Italian restaurants.
I know it’s tuffff, but I’m proud of you for following directions so the test results will be accurate. I know it’s crazy but when our body and mind knows we can’t have something that tends to be it’s main focus. Yes, it’s like telling a two year old, “Not now…let’s wait until tomorrow.” What do we hear? Is it time yet?
I would be even whinier! I’m just trying to lower my triglycerides with diet and exercise. I can’t believe how many foods I shouldn’t eat! Whine. One more week. You can do it!
Ugh! What a pain!! Diets, in general, are no fun. One more week? You CAN do it, Jo!!!
I admire you Jo – the no butter part would be quite the pain in my book. Prayers that the diet helps in finding the cancer. Love to you.
You are not whiny—the diet sounds terrible—yes–you have one week down….
I love oil and vinegar. I use equal amounts of vinegar, sugar and oil. Sometimes I will halve the oil.
I have several food restrictions…for life… so I can understand your whines. And whining makes it seem not so difficult to endure. I usually eat my salads “dry” but it is by choice, or for food tradeoffs, rather than being told to do so. Our grocery store chicken is soaked in a saline solution and I have to take that into consideration when using it. This too shall pass.
Jo, this is a time to give yourself grace. You are doing a very hard thing. This has been a difficult year for you and this testing hasn’t made it any easier. But you can do it! Many of us are praying for you and asking God to give you strength.
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Hang in there Jo – You CAN do it!
I’m currently on the Potato Challenge to “reset” my body. Want to lose weight and figure out what foods may be bothering me. Potatoes sure are boring when you can’t use any oil or surgary things on them. Plain, plain, plain. Ooops – now I’M whining. :-)
Whining is fine….. we are tough…… we can take it…….. and I would not be surprised if most of us are not moms and live with whining…… hugs.
Susie Q – Very true. It just seems so pitiful whining about first world problems.
That’s not whining.you were explaining what it’s like to be on a restricted diet to those of us who have never experienced anything like that. I thought going 3 days without chocolate and berries was hard. My hat is off to you as you stay on your diet. Praying all goes well.
Coconut oil, if you are allowed to have that, may be a half decent substitute for butter.
Jo,
Are you allowed to have avocado? I often have mashed avocado to spread on my sandwiches. I like it… maybe it would work for you too!
Don’t worry about a little whine, now we know you are a real person! Only one more week, You can do it!
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If you’re allowed to have balsamic vinegar, a favorite of ours is to mix balsamic vinegar with olive oil and dip bread in it….delicious! Hang in there!
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