Day 17 (100 Days of 100 Carbs) - Dreary Says it All!

My Current View - July 23, 2020

This is the first day in which I have not left my cabin.  The picture is pretty much the way it has looked all day with occasional emphatic sound effects (thunder) and pyrotechnics (vivid lightening) thrown in.  Dreary does say it all, but dreary doesn't have to mean bad.  For me, the timing was perfect!  The antibiotic I began yesterday for a sinus/ear infection has kicked in and to put it bluntly, I feel even worse than I did without the antibiotic.  No surprise there - that's why I hate taking them.  But I also know they work.  So the rainy, dreary day gave me the perfect excuse to lay on the sofa and read. I have enjoyed that immensely.  I am not a nap taker or daytime sleeper even when under the weather, but I have to admit, there's been a few times this afternoon when I've looked at the clock and wondered where that last hour went!! LOL! 

I am learning some pretty interesting things about the way I eat when I am not on a low-carb challenge and I'll get into that another time when I feel more like fleshing it out, but today, keeping something in my stomach at all times (to counteract the stomach distress caused by an antibiotic) and keeping myself to under 100 carbs is just not going to happen.  Nothing sounds good and nothing tastes good.  This will pass and in the meantime, I'll continue to log all foods and continue to do the best I can under the circumstances. 

Yesterday was my highest carb count to date.  Frankly, when I sat down to log, I thought it would be even higher.  Sometimes, the logging is encouraging because I haven't done as poorly as I would've thought without the accountability of logging. 

Day 16 Recap:

Total Carbs:  174

Total Steps:  10812

Day 16 (100 Days of 100 Carbs) - New Every Morning

Sunrise! - July 22, 2020

My cabin faces due east giving me a bird's eye view of each morning's sunrise.  Nothing about our days right now seem predictable or certain, but the sunrise, I can count on. Always the same, yet new and different every morning. A sure reminder that all is well and all will be well.

You might remember that on Sunday, I mentioned a slight sinus infection that I sensed was getting better.  Well, I was wrong!  I have a lengthy history with both sinus infections and middle ear infections, so I should've known better.  Grateful for technology and patient portals along with a long-term relationship with my doctor at home, I sent a message early this morning begging for the antibiotic I should've asked for on Monday!  His response was quick and by 10 a.m. this morning, I had the usual antibiotic that SHOULD kick this head full of "stuff" and wobbly off-kilter feeling right to the curb!  I dislike antibiotics and avoid them when I can, but I also know that it will work. 

Today has been a bit cooler in the mountains with a noticeable difference in humidity levels. I met my friend at the greenway a bit later than usual and we had a lovely walk along a new path she pointed out to me.  That's TWO new paths she's shown me even though I would've sworn I'd walked every inch of the Boone Greenway system.  I do love it here and although my current visit will be over in a few days, I will be back in August! 

I don't look forward to returning to the excessive heat and humidity of my hometown, but I do look forward to being back in my own kitchen where I can be a bit more creative with my low-carb eating.  Throwing myself headlong into this 100 day challenge AFTER I arrived in Boone didn't allow any time for preplanning.  I had brought all my food with me (mostly Nutrisystem items) so that I wouldn't have to grocery shop while in a state other than my own.  That's worked out, but it hasn't been easy keeping to 100 carbs a day eating prepackaged food.  They add up fast!  I'll have done a better job of planning when I return to Boone in a few weeks.  Having said that, I feel I have done well with the circumstances I've had to work with.

Day 15 Recap:

Total Carbs: 83

Total Steps:  10966

Day 15 (100 Days of 100 Carbs) - There is HOPE!

Price Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Boone, NC - July 21, 2020

I'm not sure if this is a diseased leftover leaf from last year or a hopeful sign of things to come, but two things stopped me in my tracks as I walked by it earlier today.  First, the vivid red jumped out at me among the sea of various shades of green beside the browns of the tree trunks and sticks lying close by. The extreme heat has caused the pinks and whites of the mountain laurel to fade away a bit too early, so the brief glimpse of bright red at my feet halted my steps immediately.  Second, I looked both around me and above me and saw not one other leaf anywhere that had any red on it. 

The past few years have taught me many things, but none more important than being present in the "now" and in a constant state of awareness.  We fly through our days and before we know it, years have gone by and we wonder where they went.  We miss so much beauty and so many opportunities for growth simply because we fail to notice.  It takes a concentrated effort to focus on the moment and what can be found in it for you on that day. 

What did the leaf have to say to me?  Change is coming.  The greens and pinks will fade to vivid reds and oranges.  The heat and humidity will bring cool and dry air.  The one red leaf on the ground will become many in a sea of unimaginable color that will take our breath away.  Maybe by the time the one red leaf becomes many, we will once again be able to enjoy the company of each other. Even then, may we never forget the beauty and uniqueness we each posses on our own, but oh my, the amazing grandeur of what comes alive when we are one and working together in community.  There is hope!

An unexpected dinner invitation came at the last minute yesterday and threw the plan off a bit.  I could've made a couple of different choices that would've lessened the total carb count, but also would've lessened my enjoyment of the evening.  This challenge is a lifestyle, not a sprint.  I am compensating by having a lower carb day today and do not regret my choices yesterday.  Logging the good and the bad is teaching me how to purposefully eat this way permanently.

Day 13 Recap:

Total Carbs:  275

Total Steps:  12840

Day 14 (100 Days of 100 Carbs) - Under the Weather In the Mountains

Boone Greenway, Boone, NC - July 20, 2020

Yesterday was an "under the weather" day from two points of view!  The above normal heat and humidity in the Boone/Blowing Rock, North Carolina area where I am is churning up some pretty impressive afternoon and early evening thunderstorms.  My cabin boasts an amazing panoramic view that spreads from south to north and covers a significant distance.  Yesterday afternoon, I spent quite of bit of time just gazing out my windows as one storm after another would pass by.  The cabin stands at 4200', so at any time, I might be below the clouds, above the clouds or IN the clouds.  Nature is truly amazing.  Sadly, it doesn't feel as if the storms made one iota of difference in TODAY'S heat and humidity levels.  It's 2:30 as I write this and I can already hear thunder in the distance, so I suspect I'm looking at another "under the weather" afternoon.  It's fascinating and quite mesmerizing.

From my deck looking to the north

I've tried to ignore a building sinus infection for the last several days hoping over-the-counter meds would work.  I operate with a lowered immune system anyway and unfortunately, full-blown sinus infections don't usually go away on their own.  I don't like antibiotics.  Yesterday seemed to be the tipping point because I stumbled around most of the day feeling half drunk, but not bad enough to go to a walk-in clinic.  That will be a last resort for me right now with COVID!  I have a history with this, but have never abused it, so I knew if I could wait it out until this morning, my doctor at home would call in the usual antibiotic.  Thankfully, I woke up feeling much better.  Not completely myself, but at least able to walk a straight line and with a head feeling less than the weight of bowling ball.  Maybe the decongestant and Mucinex kicked in enough to....well, no need to elaborate on the details.  Let's hope I've dodged a bullet.  It's always interesting to observe that the change in elevation from less than 1000' at home to 4200' at this cabin often results in some sinus issues.  The same thing happened last year. 

And to the southeast

Needless to say, yesterday was not a stellar eating day.  Between the decongestant I was taking every four hours and the wobbly feeling every time I moved around, nothing sounded good or tasted good, yet I knew if I didn't keep something in my stomach it would become problematic as well.  So even though I went over 100 carbs, I'm still pleased with how I handled it and made choices on a day when I really just didn't care. 

Day 13 Recap:

Total Carbs:  122

Total Steps:   4295 (Tried going out for a short walk, but that didn't last long!)

Day 13 (100 Days of 100 Carbs) - Week 2 Recap

Moses Cone Carriage Road - Moses Cone Memorial Park

Blowing Rock, NC

July, 2019

(If you are reading this blog for the first time today, here is a link to my first post explaining this challenge and a link to my inspiration behind the challenge.  Each Sunday post is a recap of the previous week's statistics, positives and challenges.)

I might characterize my thoughts today as frustrated.  In a post earlier this week, I somewhat sarcastically spoke of overhearing two women on the Boone Greenway talking about how HOT it was and how they didn't have a clue what "hot" really was.  I'm humbly retracting those thoughts.  Yes, compared to other places, Boone isn't hot, but when you add unusual humidity levels and full sun, being outside after 9 a.m. really isn't pleasurable.  Because of a fairly early Zoom meeting on Sunday mornings, I just can't get the walking done early enough.  Yes, evenings are a possibility, but I am so NOT an evening person.  To say at 8 a.m. that I'll walk at 8 p.m. is a recipe for failure!  This is all excuses and the temps will moderate soon enough, but the frustration just makes me doubly aware of how committed I am to that daily walk and how my body tells me with its restlessness that I've not walked.

The 100 Days of 100 Carbs challenge is moving along nicely and I am pleased with how I feel.  Here are some of the good things I've noticed this week as well as some of the challenges.

POSITIVES:

1)    Carb cravings are gone!  In fact, there have been a couple of evenings when I have felt no hunger and struggled to decide what to eat for supper.  Since I am not at home, my selection is quite limited and everything I had was more than I wanted. 

2)    Clothes are already fitting more loosely and energy level has increased.  My daily walks have gone from 2-3 miles daily to 3-4 with no effort.  It's what my body WANTS to do.  My goal is 5 miles daily by the start of hiking season with a longer hike at least once a week.  My ability to hike 8-10 miles was one of the first things to go when I started gaining weight. 

3)    I am enjoying this and in no way do I feel deprived or as if I'm missing something. 

CHALLENGES:

1)    Keeping my focus OFF the scale.  This challenge is not about losing weight.  It is about becoming healthier and for me, losing weight is a part of that.  A by-product of low-carb WILL be losing weight, but for this challenge I have chosen not to weigh myself daily or allow myself to be encouraged or discouraged by a number on the scale. 

2)    As long as I am still working my way through the last of my Nutrisystem meals, keeping carbs under 100 will be a challenge.  I just keep reminding myself of that and moving on.

3)    Keeping my focus ON the fact that this is not a 100-day diet that will end.  It is a lifestyle change that involves learning, so being constantly aware of why I'm choosing what I'm choosing for each meal and when unusual situations present themselves, working through a way to face that situation head on so that the habit of monitoring carbs will be set and non-negotiable once the 100 days is past. 

Looking forward to week 3!

 Day 12 Recap:

Total Carbs: 128

Total Steps:  12242

Average Carbs for Week 2:  99.57  (Good JOB!!)

Average Steps for Week 2:   10680

Have a good week!  Thanks for reading!

Day 12 (100 Days of 100 Carbs) - Saturday Serenity

Side trail to creek - Boone Greenway, Boone NC

July 18, 2020

Day 11 Recap:

Total Carbs: 87

Total Steps:  7274

Day 11 (100 Days of 100 Grams) - Rest Day in the Mountains

Linville Falls - Linville, NC

July, 2019

For a couple of reasons, I have designated Friday as my "rest" day.  I am in a few small groups, one of which meets (via Zoom right now) on Friday morning from 9-11 and the other meets every other  Friday evening (also via Zoom) at 7.  Believe me, I have NO grounds on which to whine about the heat up here when compared to the heat at home and other parts of the country, but the humidity continues to rise and one is better off if walking/hiking is done early in the day.  I walked for 30 minutes in the area where my cabin is located, but high up on this mountain, you are either walking steeply UP or steeply DOWN!  Not really a pleasurable experience other than getting it done! With the high humidity, we've also settled into a pattern of afternoon storms which have already kicked in, so a rest day feels just right.  Maybe a good movie on this giant television screen I have which feels positively luxurious compared to the one I have at home.

Linville Falls - Upper Falls 

Probably the best thing going for me with the low carb eating is the fact that with COVID-19, I chose to bring ALL of my food with me and refrain from doing any shopping while here.  That translates into no temptations like those I would face if at home.  A good example being a stormy afternoon and a good movie just kind of screams, POPCORN!  No problem, no temptation - I don't have any! I actually planned it this way both because of not wanting to grocery shop while here, but also knowing all carb cravings should have gone away by the time I go home.

Linville Falls 

As mentioned yesterday, my greatest challenge each day is keeping it to 100 carbs, but the good news is that even on the days I go slightly over, NET carbs (total carbs-fiber=NET carbs) remains below 100.  Most low carb "experts" advocate counting it that way anyway, but for simplicity sake, I chose to stick with total carbs.  The Nutrisystem meals I am working my way through may be higher in carbs, but they also have a very high fiber content which is good.

I feel good about my progress!

(Today's pictures are all from a day trip last year to Linville Falls, usually called the most popular waterfall on the Blue Ridge Parkway.  To take in all four overlooks, and the only way to view the entire waterfall, is not a long hike, but is a VERY steep one.  More here, if interested.)

Day 10 Recap:

Total Carbs: 122 (97 net carbs)

Total Steps:  10184 

Day 10 (100 Days of 100 Carbs) - Lazy Day in the Mountains

Lake Junaluska, North Carolina

June, 2020

It's a lazy, hazy day in the mountains and you can almost feel the heat building up in the atmosphere that, I strongly suspect, will lead to some storms as the afternoon progresses.  No objection here - mountains storms and naps go hand-in-hand with each other.  I did manage to get myself out earlier this morning for my walk, but the humidity had already begun to kick in, I wasn't feeling energetic and can honestly say, I was glad when my walk was done.  VERY unusual for me to feel that way.

I am learning that 100 carbs add up quickly.  I am trying to finish up the last of the food I had from being on the Nutrisystem Plan and those are NOT low carb.  The good news is that I am feeling very good about choosing this plan and have settled into it quite nicely.  I am rarely hungry and go to bed each evening feeling satisfied.  The extra promised energy hasn't really kicked in yet, but the cravings for sweet things and chip/cracker type things has diminished significantly.  I am pleased with how my body is reacting so far. 

As promised, I have begun spending some time each day in BlogWorld and had forgotten how much I enjoy reading tales from normal people just like me writing from all across the US and around the world.  I have missed that!

Day 9 Recap:

Total Carbs: 50

Total Steps:  11237

Day 9 (100 Days of 100 Grams) - When closed doesn't mean CLOSED!

Julian Price Memorial Park Campground - Blue Ridge Parkway

Blowing Rock, NC - July 15, 2020

My late husband, Bill, and I were veteran road warriors.  He was a college professor and I was a very early retiree, so our habit was to take off on a lengthy road trip each May the moment he finished the academic year!  We always had a planned destination (usually a National Park area), but the goal was to see everything we could between that destination and home.  We avoided the interstate system if at all possible and loved exploring small towns, parks, greenways, rail-trails, etc as we made our way across the USA.  We discovered that campgrounds were PERFECT places to take a break and stretch our legs.  We'd park just outside the campground and ask for permission at an office or a ranger station.  Only once were ever told NO.  Actually we weren't told "no," we were just told we'd have to pay a "guest" fee! For taking a walk??  I don't think so!  We so enjoyed looking at the different camp setups and seeing families and children enjoying themselves.  Typically, we would just walk the entire campground for some exercise, then get in our car and drive on.  We rarely (although I confess, not always) even made use of the restrooms! 

Julian Price Memorial Park Campground - Loop B

The Blue Ridge Parkway is a gorgeous scenic highway that runs through North Carolina and Virginia for 469 miles primarily along the ridgeline of the Appalachian Mountain Range.  No commercial vehicles are allowed on the parkway and the maximum speed limit is 45 mph.  Along the parkway are eight campgrounds.  Julian Price Memorial Park is one of those and is located very near the cabin I am renting.  It is quite large with 129 tent sites and 68 RV sites spread out over three large loops with interconnecting roads making for a LONG walk if one travels them all.  I loved walking the campground last year, so imagine my surprise to see the "closed" gate when I arrived this year.  (Sadly, I shouldn't have been surprised.  Checking further told me that ALL campgrounds and most of the other parkway visitor facilities are closed due to COVID-19.)  I knew that numerous trails intersect the campground loops and meander around them, so felt confident I wasn't breaking any regulations by walking the paved loops of a closed campground.  (The second day I did this, I came upon a ranger doing some maintenance and he verified that, absolutely, it was o.k. for me to be walking the loops.) 

Julian Price Memorial Park Campground - Loop A

I can't begin to describe the sense of complete solitude I felt while walking through those empty loops.  The mountain laurel is blooming and everything is so lush and green.  It is just beautiful.  I could've been a couple of miles away walking with the hoards of people at Bass Lake or Moses Cone, but I was so happy in my own little private world at Julian Price.

Julian Price Memorial Park - Loop C

I'm a rule-keeper by nature, but a radical at heart!  When it involves a new trail or different way of being in nature, closed doesn't always mean CLOSED!  And I'm glad about that!

Day 8 Recap:

Total Carbs:  106

Total Steps:  11449

Day 8 (100 Days of 100 Grams) - First Real Challenge

From my cabin near Blowing Rock, NC

July 14, 2020

Proper planning is a must for me.  I am a planner, almost obnoxiously so!  With respect to healthy eating, planning out my day ahead of time is really important.  I'm still adjusting to being so conscious of keeping daily carb intake at 100 or less, so thinking through my day each morning helps me stay on track and not end up at dinner with no carbs left to consume.  That's certainly not a horrible problem and it's easy to put together a meal that includes zero carbs, but I prefer spreading them throughout the day.

This morning's breakfast entertainment!

Blowing Rock, NC

I had thought yesterday would be a normal day here in the mountains where I'd be on my own for all three meals and had planned accordingly, but in the afternoon learned that my friend had planned dinner for us.  I knew whatever she prepared would be delicious as she is an excellent cook.  I also knew that I had not compensated in any way earlier in the day for extra carbs in the evening.  I was grateful for the article I've referenced earlier which was the inspiration for my choosing the 100 Days of 100 Carbs challenge.  The writer emphasized that over the course of the 100 days, he had days where he consumed LOTS more than 100 carbs and that was o.k.  He didn't allow it to wreck the entire effort.  I determined to do the same. 

Isn't that fawn adorable?  Those spots!!!

July 14, 2020

The meal, as expected, was delicious.  Because I am so motivated, I made good choices.  I didn't deprive myself, but neither did I overindulge.  I carefully calculated my carbs for the day and didn't even flinch when I arrived at the total.  Truthfully, it wasn't as bad as I expected.  Maybe there's hope for this obnoxious planner to indulge in a little spontaneity after all!

(I was enjoying my breakfast this morning and noticed movement out the side window of my cabin.  I am way up on the top of the mountain and although deer are everywhere a bit lower, I hadn't seen any here yet, so imagine my surprise to see this tiny adorable fawn and mama frolicking in my side yard.  They entertained me for about ten minutes while I finished my breakfast before moving on.)

Day 7 Recap:

Total Carbs: 167

Total Steps: 12885

Day 7 (100 Days of 100 Grams) - A Fork in the Trail

Boone Greenway - Boone, NC

July 13, 2020

I can be really stubborn sometimes when I get something stuck in my mind and this morning, I was reminded quite vividly, that taking the "other" fork in the trail just might yield discoveries you didn't expect.  About 1 1/2 miles into my much-loved Boone Greenway there is a fork in the trail.  I have always followed the fork to the right as it crosses a lovely bridge and meanders along the river for another half mile.  The left fork immediately goes up a hill and is in full sunlight where the right path remains shady.  Somehow, I had gotten it in my mind that the left fork was simply a connector path to the high school, was short and therefore, had no scenic value.  

Boone Greenway - July 13, 2020

My friend, who lives in Boone and often walks with me, takes the left fork frequently and talks about a creek alongside the path and more solitude than the right fork.  So today, I took the left fork and after topping that first hill immediately realized what I had missed.  I was wrong on all counts.  The path is lovely, challenging and slightly LONGER than the right fork. 

Boone Greenway - July 13, 2020

Once I reached the end (which was near the high school, but not a connector at all!) and started my return trip, I spent some time contemplating what I had missed simply by being set in my ways and refusing to consider that another direction might not necessarily be better, but equally as beautiful just in a different way.  Life is about choices.  Operating on autopilot sure can rob us of the opportunity to experience something different. I hope I"ll remember that the next time I see a fork in the trail.

Day 6 Recap:

Total Carbs:  113

Total Steps:   9467

Day 6 (100 Days of 100 Grams) - Weekly Recap

Maggie Valley, North Carolina

June, 2020

I didn't quite realize how ambitious the promise to post every day for the next 100 days would be.  Throughout the active life of my blog, I've varied on number of posts anywhere from several times a week to one a year!  Because I think the accountability of posting every day is important, I plan to follow through, however, weekends will include a picture of the day along with the prior day's carb and step count on Saturday and a brief weekly recap on Sunday.  I do love thinking and creating posts in my head then getting them written, so I suspect I'll settle into a routine in a few more days. 

I began the 100 days challenge on Tuesday, so this recap only covers five days, but I consider them successful.  I went over 100 carbs on two days, but not by much.  The chart is not fancy (technology is NOT my strength, but I am learning), but is a record for me to check for problems or trends all in one place. I wish I knew how to draw a bold, red line on the horizontal axis marking 100, but alas, out of my skill set and some strong words were used as I tried to figure it out until finally giving up.  At this point, I am grateful that I created the chart and got it pasted here!!

This week's "gifts" included:

Carb "flu" (very real feelings of malaise and low energy when carb intake is cut drastically or eliminated) has been virtually non-existent.  On day 3, I experienced some hunger pains, but took care of that with some protein that I had.  I am not quite to the adjustment phase where energy kicks in and cravings go away, but it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be.

The fact that I am in a cabin in the mountains is a "gift" indeed, for which I am very grateful.  The temps are wonderful and the options for long walks are numerous.  Getting plenty of exercise is NOT an issue and motivation to get out and walk is constant. 

I am truly enjoying posting to the blog again.

This challenge is not dependent on a number on the scale, but in five days, I can already tell that I've lost weight.  If nothing else, I FEEL lighter because the things I am eating are lighter.

This week's challenges included:

Planning ahead is a challenge.  I do have one friend who lives here and we spend a good bit of time together.  She loves to cook and many meals will be shared while I am here with some of those being impromptu.  Certainly not a unpleasant challenge to have, but eating lower carb meals the rest of the day will enable me to enjoy her delicious food fully.  Planning is always both the key to success and a challenge.

I don't think I mentioned that I have done the Nutrisystem Plan for the past year and actually did quite well with it.  It is NOT low carb AT ALL and even before setting out on this new challenge, I had begun to grow tired of the food.  I had already begun eating about half Nutrisystem meals and half regular food.  The challenge is that I still have a good bit of Nutrisystem meals left that need to be eaten.  As a mentioned, they are not low carb, so incorporating one or two of them into meals each day cuts into that 100 grams REAL FAST.  Again, that is a challenge right now, but not for long. 

All in all, it was a great start and I am excited about the weeks ahead!

DAY 5 RECAP:

Total carbs: 115

Total steps: 12235

Day 5 (100 Days of 100 Grams) - Saturday Serenity

From the deck of my cabin - Blowing Rock, NC

July, 2020

Day 4 Report:

Total Carbs: 99

Total Steps: 3305 (I am in a Zoom class on Friday mornings and when it ended rough weather had set in, so I was unable to get a walk accomplished!)  

Day 4 (100 Days of 100 Grams) - It's All A Matter of Perspective

Boone Greenway - Boone, North Carolina

October, 2019

Yesterday, as I was walking along the beautiful Boone, NC greenway, I overheard some people talking about how "miserably" hot it was and before they were out of my earshot, they went on to remark that there was no "relief" in sight. I chuckled to myself thinking, "this is NOT hot, you have no idea," but quickly chose to remind myself that this was such a great life lesson for me of how we see things is, more often than not, simply a matter of perspective.  And where do those perspectives come from?  If those two women I overheard haven't been out of this area for awhile, yes, I realize it is "hot" to them because Boone is experiencing warmer than normal temperatures right now.  But for me, coming from the foothills of East Tennessee, let me assure you that high temps of 80 degrees are slightly over blissful, fairly comfortable, but no where near HOT!!  It's all a matter of how one perceives it based on life experiences.  

Boone, North Carolina Greenway

October, 2019

I continued to ponder that idea as I walked along the greenway challenging myself to look closer at some of my long-held "perspectives" and consider where they actually came from.  Is it something my parents taught that I've never questioned?  Is it something I've just accepted because it was the dominant way of thinking in the geographic area in which I grew up?  Can I defend my perspective if asked? Can I identify a long-held perspective about which I completely changed my way of thinking? Am I open and welcoming to others who hold completely different perspectives in a way that invites conversation and openness to hearing their stories and viewing their stories as just as important to them as mine are to me?  The questions go on and on!

Boone, NC Greenway

October, 2019

I will confess that honest answers to some of those questions were not as pretty as I'd like them to be.  Just because I perceive something one way doesn't mean someone who sees it totally differently is wrong.  It's just a different perspective.  (But 80 degrees is NOT hot!! LOL!) 

Something else for me to consider as I continuing striving to become a person of kindness, integrity and love for all people.

Day 3 Report:

Total Carbs:  90

Total Steps:  14544

Day 3 (100 Days of 100 Grams) - Social Distancing On the Trail

Flat Top Tower Trail - Moses Cone Memorial Park

Blowing Rock, North Carolina

July, 2020

My favorite part of visiting this area each summer is the opportunity to walk the carriage roads at Moses Cone Memorial Park.  Moses Cone was a textile entrepreneur, conservationist and philanthropist who built a summer home in the mountains outside Blowing Rock for his wife, Bertha, in 1901. The 20 room mansion currently houses The Southern Highland Craft Guild featuring local crafts and a branch of the National Park Service (neither of which are open to the public right now). To accommodate afternoon carriage rides over their property, Cone also built 25 miles of carriage roads which remain open to the public for walking and horseback riding.  They are wide gravel roads that are gently graded and winding through dense forests and along beautiful wide open spaces.  My goal each summer is to walk all 25 miles of the carriage roads at least once while I am here. They are perfect for unusual summers like this one as they are at least ten feet wide and social distancing is easy.  One can take a short walk around the lake of less than a mile or combine several of the trails for a hike of most any length.  

My favorite round-trip walk is the trek to Flat Top Tower which is a six-mile round trip leading to an old fire tower that is still accessible and provides a 360 degree view of the surrounding area including downtown Boone.  I walk 3-4 miles most days of the week and this morning's trek took me 1 1/2 miles up the Flat Top Tower trail.  Moses and Bertha Cone are buried in a beautiful spot overlooking the mountains just off the carriage road.  That was my turnaround point today although I will make the complete trip to the fire tower at least once while I'm here. This is such a beautiful area and I am so grateful to be able to spend time here each summer.

Yesterday (Day 2) was a solid low-carb day which, again, wasn't extremely difficult although I can tell my carb intake has been cut significantly.  I wouldn't call it "carb flu" which really is a thing, but my body is telling me something is different.  I've been down this road before and will adjust in a few days.  The hunger pangs will go away and so will the cravings.  

Day 2 Report:

Total Carbs: 50

Total Steps: 11836  

Day 2 (100 Days of 100 Grams) - Social Distancing In the Mountains

Blowing Rock, North Carolina - July, 2020

With daytime highs hovering in the mid-90's where I live in Eastern Tennessee, I have escaped to the mountains of Western North Carolina where I am fortunate to be able to spend a few weeks each summer.  I found the cabin online a few years ago and have become friends with the owner so it feels like home coming back to the same place again and again.  My dates were set in January and like everyone else trying to make summer plans, I wondered whether or not I'd be able to come.  North Carolina has opened up more slowly than Tennessee plus the cabin is in a much smaller county with significantly fewer cases of COVID-19.  From the beginning, I have taken this virus very seriously as I am considered high-risk in a couple of ways, so moving from one state to another really had no impact as I had self-isolated anyway.  Unless something goes wrong, I will have no need to enter any public place of business during the time I am here. I see that as protecting myself, but even more importantly, protecting the health of others.  I spend my days quietly and other than a long walk or hike every day, am content to sit on my deck reading or writing.  It is peaceful and always a highlight of my summer.  So many of my 100 Day Challenge posts will be coming to you from high atop the mountains where the temps are averaging a blissful 72-75!

Day 1 passed easily and I was able to keep my carb intake near, but just slightly over 100 grams.  I promise to be honest and report the days as they happen both the good and the bad.  The article that inspired me to do this (link here) took that approach and I believe that is what drew me in.  I also am keeping it simple (as he did) and reporting total carbs rather than net carbs.  I have been using My Fitness Pal for years to log food and exercise so will continue to do that.  I am trying hard to concentrate on carbs and pay no attention to calories, but as someone who has been conscious of calorie intake all my adult life, it's really hard not to! Curiosity will win as I truly do want to see what happens if I monitor carbs only for 100 days. 

DAY 1 REPORT:

Total Carbs: 116

Total Steps:  10740 (as recorded on my pedometer)

Day 1 - 100 Days of 100 Grams

Bass Lake - Blowing Rock, North Carolina

July 6, 2020

I suppose I always knew that it would be something simple that would bring me back to the blog I created in 2010.  I'm not sure I ever considered that what would bring me back to writing would be the same thing that drove me to it in the first place.  My health and my ongoing challenge with my weight.  If interested, the details of all that and the early years of consistently writing about life in general can be found here. 

For two reasons, I stopped writing soon after my husband passed away in 2015.  The first was that I simply didn't have the drive or dedication that it took.  Working my way through deep grief took all the energy I could muster and although, I continued private journaling, I just couldn't find the motivation to blog.  The second reason is that I truly believe blogging is a two-way street.  If I wanted people to read and respond to what I wrote, I needed to spend time reading and offering feedback to their blogs.  Again, I just didn't have the energy to do that and needed the face-to-face communication that could provide hugs and handle my grief.  

But it's funny how the circle comes right back around.  When I created a new challenge for myself with respect to my health, I knew accountability would be huge.  The first thing that crossed my mind was to blog about it.  It worked ten years ago as I LOST a significant amount of weight and in the process, GAINED a community of blog friends some of whom I maintain contact with even now ten years later!  Choosing the title for my blog, Gains & Losses: Life Through Sharon's Eyes, seemed fitting at the time.  Little did I know exactly how perfect it would turn out to be.  I have lost so much, but I've gained even more.  Believe me, we are not just talking about losing and gaining weight!

So my challenge.............It took years of failures and successes for me to really comprehend the fact that my body is VERY sensitive to carbs.  The three times in the last thirty years that I've been successful in losing weight and, more importantly, KEEPING IT OFF, have been on some form of low carb eating plan.  However, it wasn't until 2011-2012 when I lost a LOT of weight that I recognized it as such likely because this was during the period when the low carb craze really became a "thing."   I kept that weight off until Bill became ill in 2013 but during the 18 months of his illness, I gained much of it back.  I don't berate myself for that as those 18 months were both the most precious and most difficult time of my life!  I do regret that, five years later, that weight plus more is still a constant source of frustration.  

At my age and current lifestyle, I refuse to "diet" or participate in any plan that eliminates entire food groups or makes eating an ordeal, but I do know that for me to have lasting change, lower carb is the only thing that will work for me.  Randomly, I "googled," a question about losing weight eating 100 carbs a day and came up with this post, 100 Carbs For 100 Days, and was hooked.  I don't know this gentlemen, but he inspired me.  I knew I could do this.  What really drew me in was his ease with the process and absence of rigid "rules."  

Thus, the idea was born and the excitement began.  I can accomplish two goals:  1) lose some weight, and 2) get back in the habit of blogging. 

I'm not quite sure how this will play out, but I will post SOMETHING each day for 100 days and hopefully, see some results, make some new friends, and blogging will become easy again like it once was!