A bummer day

Wednesday I went from eating two protein drinks and one meal to two meals and one protein drink.  I had lost 15 pounds and weighed 208. Yesterday was a busy day and screwed up as far as My eating is concerned. I've been sneezing and sniffling from allergies. When I got up, I took at night time antihestimene with my arthritis medicine. After a protein drink with fiber, I walked on the treadmill for 30 minutes. I attended an academic conference. Before I had lunch at 10:30, I took Unicity Balance. So far so good. I was following the rules. My meal was 4 hours after my breakfast shake. I ate a good meal of turkey deli slices, Swiss cheese, tomatoes, and lettuce and tomato bisque. The bisque was probably out of a carton, not homemade. Then I took a friend to the airport.  I had to pull over because my head was spinning and I was tired. When I met my wife at a genealogy conference, I was hardly coherent. Before going into the conference I had a handful of mixed nuts. A no no, but they were there so atethem. I nodded off in the first class and in the second I revived myself by drinking water with Matcha. By the third class I was my normal self. We met. Up with a friend who was traveling to our hometown and had dinner at a buffet.  15 minutes Before dinner I had Unicity Balance. I know that I can't handle buffets, but each week I have one meal that I can eat normally.  I was doing all right - mostly low glycemic foods except for the breaded shrimp.  I was comfortable, I thought, so I ate one of my favorite foods - pecan pie. My wife drove home while I nursed my upset stomach and napped. I had eaten just one thing too much and it contained sugar and processed white flour. My stomach hurt. At home we watched a Mary Higgins Clark mystery on Hallmark channel. I had messed up my day.  The nuts and some dark chocolate were on the counter and so I had some. When I went to bed, I weighed myself. I weighed 211 pounds. I was upset at myself and discouraged.  All my effort and I weighed more that I did three days ago.  In t he morning I weighed myself again and I was down to 208.5 pounds. 

What did I learn? First don't take night time medicine in the morning and don't combine it with other medicine. Don't go to a buffer, no matter how good your intentions. And then keep forbidden foods out of sight and out of mind.  It is hard when living in the same house with someone who is not committed to the same stringent diet as I am, but  you have to say no.  The best way is to keep them hidden. Finally, I starved myself. My dinner was 7 hours later than my lunch.  

Unicity 90-day challenge

Monday, Feb. 24-My friend, Andre, invited me to a day long introduction to Unicity products at their headquarters in Orem, Utah.  Andre has lost 37 pounds in 30 days using Unicity products.  In addition to learning about the 90-day challenge, I had an opportunity to taste Balance, a fiber based drink that keeps glucose levels in balance with insulin and encourages fat burning.  Andre has had a coach from Unicity who helps keep him on track to reaching his goals. 

Wednesday, Feb. 26-I ordered a basic kit from Unicity that also includes coaching.  Added cleanse. 

Monday, March 3-Jay, my Unicity coach, called to introduce himself. 

Wednesday, March 5-Received my Unicity products.  The predicts were sent from Nevada. I had expected them to get to me earlier but found out that UPS couldn't find my address in my zip code. The postal service wouldn't have had that problem.

Thursday, March 6-First full day taking Unicity.  I took Balance then mixed LiFiber and Complete for breakfast. I found out later from my coach that I didn't need to double up on fiber so should only take the LiFiber and Complete for breakfast.  I had Balance and then a half hour later ate a large salad for lunch. Then had Balance and a Complete protein drink for dinner. 

Friday, March 7-I flew to Missouri today. I drank my protein drink and fiber before getting on the plane at 8:05 am. Then I drank Balance and my second protein drink after arriving at the Kansas City airport while waiting for my wife to pick me up.  She picked me up at 5 pm and we got on the road to travel to Dallas to visit with our daughter and her family. We waited until we got on the toll highway in Kansas before having balance and then stopping to eat a sandwich, a salad, and raw vegetables. Arrived In Dallas about 2 am.  

Sunday, March 16-I got up at 9 am and my vitamins.  Then showered and drank protein drink and fiber before going to church meetings.  During church I drank Matcha focus to keep me awake and focused. After church friends invited us for Irish dinner of corned beef and cabbage with new potatoes and asparagus. Fifteen minutes before dinner I drank Balance.  Rather than having seconds I felt satisfied and while I ate a hardy meal it was not too much.  Without Balance I would have had two helpings and left feeling uncomfortable. I avoided eating bread and said no to ice cream. In the afternoon I explained my 90-day challenge and shared some Matcha with our friends.  About 7 p.m. I had Balance and then a half an hour later drank a protein drink and took my vitamins.  Went to bed after watching tv at 10 pm. My weight going to bed was 209.5 lbs. 

Navy Team Aims to Bring Two Puppies Home from Afghanistan, Seeks Financial Support

There are currently around 38,000 U.S. military members still serving in Afghanistan. The long tour that these soldiers make can take a serious toll on their psychological well-being, leaving many longing for home, or coming home with conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Some soldiers find comfort and happiness comes with a wagging tail, as they adopt local dogs who end up lifting their spirits and becoming part of their family away from home. Problem is, when it's time to go home, many of them have to walk away from that best friend.

Members of the New York National Guard are reunited with eight
mixed breed dogs that they found while on patrol in
 Afghanistan earlier this year. AP Photo

"One of our programs, the Mission No Buddy Left Behind program, aims to help bring these dogs home along with the soldiers," explains Dori Scofield, vice president of Guardians of Rescue, an animal welfare organization. "We realize the important role these dogs play in the lives and well-being of the soldiers who are fighting for our freedom."

Currently, Guardians of Rescue have joined with a Navy team in an effort to help them bring two dogs back to America with them. The dogs, adopted by the soldiers as puppies, have grown to become part of their family there. They have provided the soldiers with companionship, have learned commands and tricks, and have made them feel welcome each day when they come back from their operations.

As the soldiers return home to the San Diego area, they wish to bring the two dogs, Logar and Falcor, home with them. Yet that comes with a price tag of $6,000, which they are seeking public donations for. Once funds have been raised, the dogs will first be sent to Washington to live with the soldier's parents. Once the soldier, Sam Landoe, returns back home to San Diego he will take the dogs to live with him.

"We desperately want to do this for our soldiers, as it's really helping both the dogs and the soldiers," added Scofield. "But we can't do it without the help of the public. There are fees involved in bringing the dogs across the globe. If just 600 people donated $10 each we could make this a successful mission."

The first dog the soldiers acquired was a result of meeting a village elder who had a puppy that was skinny, dirty, hungry, and matted. The soldier traded scrap wood for the dog. Once they had the first one, the second one, in much the same condition, was brought to them. It didn't take long before the dogs were great friends and they helped create a bond with the soldiers who cared for them.

"I can't imagine what will become of these dogs that we love so much if we can't bring them home," explained Sam Landoe, a Navy special operator second class. "We are just hoping that we can get the support we need to bring them home with us. They have been an important part of our tour here and we want to keep them a part of our lives."

Guardians of Rescue provides assistance to animals out on the streets, helping to rescue them, provide medical care, food and shelter, and find foster home placement. Many families are still struggling to recover from the storm, making it difficult to care for their pet, either financially or while living in temporary housing. To learn more, or to make a donation to support the Guardians of Rescue, log onto www.guardiansofrescue.org.

About Guardians of Rescue
Based in New York, Guardians of Rescue is an organization whose mission is to protect the well being of all animals. They provide aid to animals in distress, including facilitating foster programs, rehabilitation, assisting other rescue groups, and providing support to families, both military and not, who need assistance due to economic factors. To learn more about Guardians of Rescue, visit the site at www.guardiansofrescue.org.



Sources:
CBS News. How many U.S. Troops are still in Afghanistan? January 2014. <http://www.cbsnews.com/news/how-many-us-troops-are-still-in-afghanistan/>

The Science behind Unicity's Balance

Five ways to regain your health and lose weight at the same time

1. Eat a high protein breakfast.
2. Eat three healthy meals which inclide lean protein, healthy fats and complex carbohydrates.
3. Space meals appropriately with 4 hours between breakfast and lunch and four hours between lunch and dinner. Allow 12 hours of rest before eating again. 
4. Increase physical activity so that you are exercising at 30 minutes a day, five days a week. 
5. Decrease junk food, particularly soft drinks and sports drinks that contain high amounts of sugar.