Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so I start out with a big breakfast...it takes a total of about five minutes to cook, and tastes delicious!!

I eat the same thing for breakfast every day:

Breakfast:
2 cage-free organic eggs (scrambled, but put it in a non-stick pan, and just flip it over to cook it, makes it into a circle shape)
a bit of everglades seasoning
Fat-free Fage Greek yogurt: http://fageusa.com/?gclid=CJLi8O3zhpgCFQ-bnAod1UH6DQ#/products/zero/ on top then fold in half and it is a delicious omlette
2 pieces of organic Nature's Own bread http://www.naturesownbread.com/NAT_Varieties/variety.cfm?categoryid=101&productid=285- toasted, with 1/2 tablespoon butter on top
Water

Calories:
Eggs: 70 Cal each = 140 Cal total (8 g Fat, 0 g Carbohydrates - 0gSugar, 12 g Protein)
Seasoning: 0 Cal
Yogurt: 120 Cal/serving = 120 Cal total (0 g Fat, 9 g Carbohydrates - 9gSugar, 20 g Protein)
Bread: 100 Cal each = 200 Cal total (3 g Fat, 42 g Carbohydrates - 6gSugar, 10 g Protein) **Just noticed - this has Soybean oil in it - I will be replacing this with something else soon and will update
Butter: 50 Cal (6.5 g Fat, 0 g Carbohydrates, 0 g Protein)
Total: 510 Cal (17.5 g Fat, 51 g Carbohydrates - 15 g Sugar, 42 g Protein)

Having seen this, I need to lower the amount of Carbohydrates, and get a different bread. I think the best way to do this is to change to Wasa crackers instead, these: http://us.wasa.com/Pages/WasaProducts-MultiGrain.aspx. The ingredients are much better, and two of these are very filling...

So, that would change everything to:
Calories:
Eggs: 70 Cal each = 140 Cal total (8 g Fat, 0 g Carbohydrates - 0gSugar, 12 g Protein)
Seasoning: 0 Cal
Yogurt: 120 Cal/serving = 120 Cal total (0 g Fat, 9 g Carbohydrates - 9gSugar, 20 g Protein)
Wasa Crackers (2): 45 Cal each = 90 Cal total (0 g Fat, 20 g Carbohydrates - 0gSugar, 4 g Protein)
No butter!
Total: 350 Cal (8 g Fat, 29 g Carbohydrates - 9 g Sugar, 36 g Protein)

BETTER!!
Lots of protein to begin the day...lower Carbohydrates, not too much fat...

I seem to be hungry again in about 3 hours...but since it is also better to eat many small meals, this is also ok...

Cooking with me!

I've been in the process of going vegetarian since 1993...
In 1993, I stopped eating meat...
In 1998, I stopped eating chicken...
In 2006, I stopped eating fish...

So, my protein has relied on eating copious amounts of soy...
Well, turns out soy isn't so good for you (highly processed, etc.), and also not good for a guy (excess estrogen) so now, I'm trying to eliminate that as well for me and DH...

Besides that, I'm an absolute suger addict...and well, that's not good either...

So, my four main goals for the new year:
1. Cut down on sugar
2. Eliminate soy from my diet
3. Eat balanced meals
4. Make meals that DH likes

So, since I'm only on CD5, and have a while to wait till O...my next few days will be spent trying to write down some good recipes that I've found so far...

Dinner: Zucchini Spaghetti

I'm working on getting better at dinner. I never do anything that takes longer than 10-15 minutes to prepare. I'm trying to stay away from carbohydrates, so I substitute zucchini for the noodles - thats the only part that takes a while. The thing I use to make the spaghetti from the zucchini is this:



I got one off of ebay for $20 shipped, and I use it all the time (for about a year now)
The next time I make it, I'm going to try to include meatless meatballs (but I have to come up with a recipe for that first).

Spaghetti noodles: Raw Zucchini that is "spaghettified" (I cut up two of them - took about 3 minutes).





Put in a pan, with one tablespoon of coconut oil and a bit of Everglades seasoning (to taste).




Cooked for about 5 minutes. **I should have drained off the excess water here, but I didn't - I will next time.

Sauce: Classico Spaghetti sauce and 1.5 tablespoons of Sun-dried tomato pesto, I also included all of the spinach that I had.









The whole thing has a ton of flavor, and is pretty nutritious. Put a bit of good-quality ROmano cheese on top, and done!

Nutritional Information:
2 Zucchini: 31 Cal each = 62 Cal total (0 g Fat, 14 g Carbohydrates - 4gFiber/6gSugar, 4g Protein)
1 tablespoon Coconut Oil = 117 Cal total (14 g Fat, 0 g Carbohydrates, 0 g Protein) **I use Coconut oil for everything from cooking, to conditioner, to lipgloss, to moistureizer, it is the best of the best!! Learn more about it here:
Coconut Oil is good for you
Spaghetti Sauce: 70 Cal per 1/2 cup serving (we ate 3 servings) = 210 Cal total (6 g Fat, 30 g Carbohydrates - 6gFiber/18gSugar, 6 g Protein)
Sun-dried Pesto: 65 Cal total - for 1/2 a serving - a serving is 1/4 cup, I had about 1/8 cup (6.5 g Fat, 3.5 g Carbohydrates - .5gFiber/1.5gSugar, 1 g Protein)
Spinach: 7 Cal total (0 g Fat, 1 g Carbohydrates - 1gFiber/0gSugar, 1 g Protein)

Total: 461 Cal (26,5 g Fat, 48.5 g Carbohydrates - 11.5gFiber/19.5gSugar, 12 g Protein)

Since this was for both of us, the total Cal per person was: 230.5 - WOW!

Given my calculations, I definitely need more protein here. I think that the meatless meatballs if made with almond flour and egg, will more than make up for that...so that is the goal next time...

Time to RELAX!

I'm a pretty stressed person - especially with this, cause there is literally nothing I can do to *make* it happen...I'm usually so in control, this is such a new experience...

So, right now, my goal is to RELAX!! I am sure that I stressed so much last month that it delayed O (I kept seeing signs of O - and then they'd go away - 3 times starting at CD18 - which is when I usually - on a normal cycle - O anyway)...so, if I start thinking too much about O...now, I visualize being on the beach, and relaxing...

Right now, I'm only CD4, so its working pretty well...but, as I get closer to O day, I'm sure that it will be more difficult...

So, things I have to keep myself busy:
1. School
2. Hubby (we love going to movies and there are some good ones out right now - will write more on that later)
3. Cleaning
4. Dollies (I've been neglecting them so much lately)
5. Facebook (I've been able to reconnect with about 20 people who I was really good friends with when I was a kid - so, I can always write to them when I'm obsessing too much)
6. Cooking (more on that later!)
7. Visualizing Eggie meets sperm, they fall in love...and the rest is history...LOL!

I have done a blood test for getting results on my thyroid...I'm going back to the doctor to find out the results next Monday...am hoping that it can be fixed quickly...

Where oh where are you?

I'm currently 11-12DPO, and am waiting very impatiently for AF to show up...

I had hope through this morning, but I took a HPT and it was BFN...and my temps seem to be dropping also...

Realistically, I'm pretty sure that we missed the timing on it this month (I think I Oed on December 25, and we couldn't BD until December 26)...so it goes, I learned a lot...

But, this coming month would be an October baby - and since both myself and my husband are October babies, this would be an amazing present to us:)

Ok, so I'll admit, I'm completely OCD, I want to have complete control at all times, and not having it is very stressful for me...so, I'm trying to have as close to a foolproof plan as I can...so, I know that at least if the eggie is a good eggie, it will meet the sperm...

So...my plan:
**WARNING: WAY TMI**
1. BD every other day starting on CD14 (I know I wont O earlier than that)
2. Keep close track of CM...
3. When CM starts increasing, start using OPKs 2x/day (I just ordered 50 of them)
4. Also, when CM starts increasing, start taking regular Robitussin once a day...
5. If temp drops, be sure to BD that day no matter what...same for a + OPK: BD that day no matter what...
6. On + OPK days: after BD, put in an Instead cup after - wait 20 minutes...if no *O* during BD, then manually *O* to make sure that spermies get up there...
(keep Instead cup in for at least 4 hours)

If it doesn't work, and if AF is as late as it was this time (I'm already on CD43!!)...then I will be going to a fertility specialist in February...I've been recording when I've gotten AF for the last year, and I think that information will allow for me to be seen by him/her...hopefully so I can get on some drugs to get the ball moving, and to check everything out to make sure everything is ok...

The Plan

On my TO DO/TO GET list:
1. ClearPlan Easy Ovulation Test Pack OPKs (I ran out cause I had to test so much) - according to Consumer Reports: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/01/27/earlyshow/health/main538075.shtml

In the end, the ClearPlan Easy Ovulation Test Pack ($30.32/5 tests) won, with a
borderline "Very Good/Excellent" overall rating (it received an "excellent" for
LH sensitivity and was easier to read than most others, but again, it will not
detect the LH surge of approximately 12percent of women).The Answer Quick &
Simple One-Step Ovulation Test ($16.89/5 tests) was at the bottom of the list,
with an overall rating of "Poor" (the only test that received a "poor" for LH
sensitivity, and without a protective cap, it can be messy to use).

2. Robitussin - to make CM more fertile
3. Lunette Menstraul Cup - to keep the spermies in after
4. FRER - because Free Response is supposed to be the best (and earliest), and hopefully I will be needing it this cycle...

Plan is to BD every other day during the week of O...
Will update as to how that works...

Post-holidays update

Well...I *think* I Oed at this point...
but the timing couldn't have been worse...

I finally started temping during the week of Dec. 14. I had really low temps (down to 96.8!) and then I went to the doctor on Monday, Dec. 22. She said that she thinks I have adrenal problems, so I did an adrenal saliva test, and a blood test and will see what happens with that...she also put me on extra high doses of B6 (which is great cause B6 is supposed to help fertility anyway)...I go back on Jan. 20...

The next day, we went on vacation to my parents house...well, we couldn't BD then (on a pull out couch in the living room) and I could just feel the O actually starting (instead of the fake signs that I had been looking for the previous few weeks)...what timing!

When we got home (on Friday, Dec. 26), I still had a bit of EWCM, and I jumped DH...but I think I actually Oed on Dec. 25 (MERRY CHRISTMAS - ARGH!!!)...

I had significantly higher temps on Saturday so that confirmed to me that O had probably occured - I just dont know if it was Thursday or Friday for sure, but then this week, they jumped even more - like .4 higher than last week - so now I'm wondering if maybe I Oed this week...but I dont think so (TMI for the whole post I know - but this week was creamy and last week was EWCM)...

So, if I haven't gotten AF by next week, then I will take an HPT, and hope for the best...I doubt I'll have to though, I feel absolutely no symptoms...my BBS are so not sore that I keep poking them to make them sore (sad I know)...

Well, that's about it...
This month was a test month to find out about my body...
But, next month, I'm going full force...