I’ve had a craving for Panera’s black bean soup for weeks. Sheer absurdity. Since I’m too lazy and too cheap to just go buy a dang cup of soup, I decided to try to make my own. I used this recipezaar recipe as inspiration (used my own proportions, added a few extra spices, used vegan buoillion cubes, etc.). It turned out ok. The soup was a little thin, but I think that was just because I just used all the liquid I cooked my dry black beans in. I would definitely recommend trying that recipe though! (Or just go to Panera). To go along with our soup, I topped mine with a little avocado and served with some whole wheat bread.
Now I want to share some musings on numbers. Yes numbers. Specifically all numbers health, fitness and nutrition related. I go back and forth between seeing the value in numbers (i.e. monitoring weight loss, realizing how calorie dense a dinner out may be, keeping track of pacing when running, etc.) and feeling like “what’s the point?” (i.e. when the number on the scale won’t budge, when a pace is slower than you thought, etc). Numbers can be amazing, but they can be a huge source of discouragement. Case in point: tonight I jogged for 45 minutes straight, with no walking breaks. I was on such a huge high! I’ve never jogged that long without having to take a break. I was so excited and the irritated mood I had been in earlier in the day had dissipated with my beautiful evening run (complete with multiple deer sightings!). Then I went out and drove my route, just curious as to what my mileage was. It was lower than I thought. Much lower than what I had been pacing in my previous “running season”. I realize I’ve only gotten into jogging again for around three weeks now, and I know I’m dealing with terrible blisters on my arches and toes, but still. The pride I had felt in myself taking another step in a positive direction immediately shattered and I became irritated and frustrated at myself again.
There have also been more issues with numbers that I have been keeping more “behind the scenes” from the blog: my weight. I ballooned. Despite all my healthy habits (balanced, vegan eats with greatly reduced snacking/sweets and working out with cardio and strength around 5 days a week) my weight has not budged. If anything it kept going up. I have recently (duh, you’d think I’d be more perceptive) realized that there is a strong chance that there is something else going on in my body since there is a strong discord between my body and my healthy habits. So while the numbers in this situation may be discouraging, it also has helped clue me in that maybe it’s time to make a doctor’s appointment and figure out if something else is going on.
I guess if I had to say where I stand on numbers, it’s right in the middle. They can be wonderfully encouraging while simultaneously agitating. I’m curious as to your thoughts, though. Where do you stand on numbers in regards to health, and why?
I’m the same way with numbers. Some days they are good and some days we take them harder. I’ve gone from weighing to not weighing myself several different times over the past few years, but if I tell myself it doesn’t really matter, I am just keeping myself “aware” of it, then it doesn’t seem to bother me as much if I see it go up.
I hope you are able to find out what is going on in your situation. I definitely think a doctor’s appointment is a good idea. Good luck!
I had a similar weight problem and was diagnosed with PCOS. I switched birth controls and it seemed to help a bit. I am actually due for a doctor’s appt myself. Always good to check things out.
And we see what you eat! You eat very healthy. I’d be concerned too. No reason why your weight should be going up.
I think you eat VERY healthy. I would be concerned, but mostly I want to hug you.
I like numbers in general. I’m an engineer. So I’m big on numbers.
But when it comes to health, I get way too worked up about numbers if I’m not careful. I don’t count calories anymore because I would spend all day obsessing about my numbers. Now I listen to my body when it comes to nutrition and fitness, and feel so much better! But, I still love how numbers can give me a general idea of my progress… my body measurements, my running pace, etc!
Unfortunately, I let numbers infect my mood. Scale numbers, calories, waist size, minutes I ran/biked/jumped. It really can upset me, and make my whole day crappy. But slowly I am getting to the point where I think those numbers are not important. Definitely not more important then my feelings and health.
I agree … numbers can be very encouraging and very discouraging.
I hope you can find something out if you go to the doctor … I can see how that could be very discouraging at times. But at least you know you’re doing your part and exercising and eating right!
Hey hey! I have a recipe for black bean soup on my blog that comes out nice and thick! Give it a rock
I’ll have to go check it out, thanks!
As an alternative to driving the route to figure out the mileage, I use google pedometer (you just google “google pedometer”). I live in a major city but think google has maps everywhere, so you could try that as a more efficient way to figure out the mileage before or after you run it. Good luck at the doctor’s–I hope you can pin down what it going on and it’s nothing serious.
Hey Lisa – thanks! I tried using map my run previously but it didn’t have part of the area I jog through (it’s kind of like a neighborhood of businesses – I prefer neighborhood running over street running). I’ll have to check google pedometer, hopefully their maps will be up to date.
unexplained weight gain definately warrants a trip to the doc! is it possible that even though you are eating healthy and not snacking, that maybe you are eating more than you’re burning?? thats why I love tracking calories, for now, while in weight loss mode. hopefully one day I can free myself when i’m ready for maintenance.
the numbers….
my weight is remaining steady despite my declaration of trying to lose weight – thigns have been a little “off” this week and I know its because of the crap I’ve eaten….I try to only weigh 1-2x weekly to “keep an eye on things” – i hadn’t weighed in the past 3 or so months and I pretty much maintained a heavier weight, but I’m down a pants size – go figure!!!!
My measurements are still higher than I’d like – working on it.
My cholesterol is under “watch” 187 (mind you, this is the lowest its been in probably 10 years)
working on getting my milegage numbers up
!
I don’t know, you all see my meals every day and they really aren’t that calorie dense. Add that to heart pumping cardio and intense strength (which keeps your met. higher and fat burning longer) it doesn’t really add up.
I would go to the Doc and get your thyroid checked. Hyperthyroidism runs rampid in my family – both my Mom, her twin sister, my twin bro and sis all have problems with their thyroids. If you are diagnosed with hypothyroidism (opposite of hyper, its when your thyroid slows down) that could be something that effects your weight.
Do you find you have a general low heart rate when you work out? Do you feel tired all day?
That’s one of the things I want to get checked. Generally my heart rate is actually pretty high when I work out (and throughout the day). I do feel tired very frequently though.
I’m also thinking it could be something with blood sugar. There are a lot of blood sugar issues in my family. It could explain a lot of fatigue and the fact that frequently I get WIRED, crazy hyped up after eating, and not even just sugar. i.e. I was practically bouncing off the walls on Sunday after eating BBQ tofu, plain steamed broc, a roll and half a sweet potato. Not normal?
Oh no! Sorry to hear that things aren’t going your way. Definitely go to the doctor, and I would even say before you do keep one of thos food journals for a week that includes your energy levels before and after eating and in general all day.
Great suggestion! I actually started that yesterday — it’s annoying, but I’m writing down every single thing I eat, what time I eat, when/ what I do for workouts, fatigue levels, etc. It’s annoying, but I know it will be useful to docs, and if I didn’t come prepared with that they’d prob send me back to do that for a couple weeks anyway.
girl you are NOT alone- it is sooo easy to get worked up about numbers like that. i’ve been there many times! i agree with meghann about getting your thyroid checked. i would also get checked for pcos as well. i had unexplained weight gain (lots of it) a few years back and it turned out to be pcos. they have lots of treatments for both thyroid problems and pcos, so the docs should take good care of you
just remember you are absolutely gorgeous the way you are!!!
aww thank you! I definitely remind myself everyday that I am gorgeous, strong, enough, etc., but it is SO nice to hear it from someone else. THANK YOU!
Hmmm numbers…you mean like when I have a bad day because I can’t believe the number on the scale hasn’t gone dwon. Yeah numbers can be both motivating and frustrating. I have tried thought to find the balance of living on healthier thoughts…but I do generally track calories or I’d just eat everything in site because it sounds good.
hope you find out something at the doc that helps put the pieces together
I’ve been toying with the idea of making a black bean soup lately. Yours looks great!
I feel you on the numbers, they are a blessing and a curse.
I hope your doc apt. helps! But hope it’s nothing serious!!
I’m not sure what kind of weight gain you’re talking about, but could it be muscle mass? I’m sure you’ve heard that muscle weighs more than fat. How are you clothes fitting? That may be a better indicator? Hope all is well for you!!!
It’s definitely more than muscle mass. Clothes that I could fit in even two or three months ago I can’t even button now. lol way past muscle gain or “my clothes are a little snug, time to cut back”. Especially now that I’ve stopped taking a medication that I thought wasn’t the best for me (and contributing to weight gain), and I’ve gone vegan in that time (and focusing more on plant based proteins and vegetables/ fruits) it makes me think it’s more than just my healthy habits and that there’s something else gong on.
I agree with one of the other comments that it might be very useful to keep a food journal for a week or two. You definitely eat very healthful foods but at the end of the day calories in vs. calories out will determine the number on the scale. You may just be consuming more on a regular basis than you think.
If the numbers are normal (as in you are eating a resonable number of calories for you activity level) than I would absolutely see a doc! That can be super frustrating and I can see why you would be concerned!
Good luck girlie!
I’m sorry, Lindsey. Definitely keep track of your food and water consumption, workouts, etc. so you can bring something to your doctor, and don’t let him/her give you an unsatisfactory answer of “work out more, eat less.” You eat FINE. If you had been maintaining here, I would say that maybe you just had a really low metabolic rate, but there’s no reason I can think of that you should be gaining weight with what you eat, especially since you had maintained at a lower place for a long time so it’s not like this is your “normal” body type and that was an aberration.
I have recently taken a step away from the numbers. Since I have gotten married, I’ve weighed more–birth control had something to do with it, the period of time where I underate before our wedding probably had something to do with it, and just loosening up around food has something to do with it. I still count calories most days or I end up undereating, but I stopped weighing myself this summer because the number never makes me feel good no matter how high or low it is. Honestly, there could be something going on with my body too, but my healthy weight clothes so I am not going to worry about it unless I start seeing something even bigger in the mirror. You’re still beautiful and Ross I’m sure still finds you attractive, so yes, get yourself checked out but be gentle with yourself as you work on figuring out what has caused the change.
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