Some thoughts and discussions from me.
Eating to Gain Weight in a Healthy Way (WIAW)
Hello!
Last week I told you about my trip to the doctor, and how he diagnosed me as hypoglycemic. He then gave me a few tips for regulating my blood sugar without medication. One of the pointers he gave me was to gain a few (like 5) pounds. Several of you voiced concern, so let me put a little disclaimer out there:
The doctor did not say that I was too thin in general. In fact, I’m smack dab in the middle of a healthy weight range for my height! Even when I told my close girlfriends about it, one of them even said, “but you’re not super skinny (you know, in a worrisome way) – I don’t understand!” True. However, what’s too lean for some might not be too lean for others, and most importantly, people with hypoglycemia tend to be on the lean side, and sometimes gaining a few pounds helps to regulate the blood sugar. So that’s what I’m going to do. Yes, it’ll suck that my jeans will be tight – but hey, I wear yoga pants 99% of the time anyway. Bottom line: if it’s going to help me, and it’s not drugs or medication, then I’m going to do it.
With that said, I immediately began putting in effort to do that – along with the other two pointers he gave – right after visiting the doctor that day. My goal to do that is by increasing the nutrient density (and thusly, my calories) and each meal, and eating more frequently. I have no idea of the calorie or macro counts and I don’t really care too much. I’m just trying to get in protein + fat + carbs at every meal 
Meal 1 – 6:45 a.m.
Two eggs cooked in coconut oil, sautéed mushrooms, 1/2 avocado, 2 pieces of GF toast. On Tuesdays I teach a Core Blast class at 7:30 a.m. Previously I probably would have waited to eat breakfast until afterward in exchange for a couple extra minutes of sleep. Today I ate a small breakfast right before leaving the house.
After class, I had the rest of the morning free, so I stopped into Core Power for a C2 class. I had a few minutes before class started, so I obviously read my Kindle.
I’m seriously addicted to The Stand. But now every time someone sneezes I have the eerie feeling that I’m going to come down with the plague and conk out in 24 hours. NBD.
Meal 2 – 10:45 a.m.
Pumpkin coconut bowl (1/2 c. pumpkin, 1/2 c. coconut milk from can, handful of shredded coconut, some cinnamon, almond butter, coconut oil, and coconut butter) with a side of two sausage links from a local farm. I didn’t have to be back in the gym until evening, so after this, I deep cleaned the house, in an effort to soften the blow of the bad news I planned on delivering to Shane later.
The bad news: on my way to teach my Core Blast class, I totally ran a red light that had a camera on it. Unfortunately, I didn’t see the camera until I saw the flash as I passed through the intersection while the light was red. Busted. That yellow light was SO short, though!!!
Meal 3 – 2:15 p.m.
Leftover almond-encrusted tilapia from the night before, with a Japanese sweet potato, sea salt, and lots of pastured butter. After eating this, I worked on some online training stuff (a new option and exciting news coming soon!!!
) and wrote a new program for one of my clients before heading into the gym to train a few clients.
Meal 4 – 6:30 p.m.
Brazilian curry chicken with white jasmine rice. I saw this on Tara’s blog the other day, and we seem to have similar tastes, so I gave it a whirl. Plus, I had all the veggies required for it. My instincts were right! This was spot on Bonus: it’s a crock pot meal, so all I had to do when I got home from training clients was bring the fork to the face.
Meal 5 – 9:00 p.m.
1/2 cup of oatmeal w/ half a banana, coconut oil, 1/2 a banana, and coconut milk. I wasn’t too hungry, but wanted to get in a little more food for the day. I haven’t had oatmeal in months, and it just sounded delicious – and it was!
Have you ever been caught by highway robbery a red light camera?
I know what it’s like to have to gain weight for medical reasons. It’s a little annoying at first, but it’s definitely worth it in the long run. I honestly didn’t even notice a difference in my clothes really, so you may not have to worry about your jeans being too tight!
Oh sorry about the bad news, love 🙁 But look at you! I am very proud of you and your efforts to achieve your goal <3 love you! Also excited to hear about the new news 😉
Meg @ A Dash of Meg recently posted…WIAW: #strangebutgood avocado toast
I’ve never heard of a red light camera! That is scary…I’ll have to be on the lookout. Your meals look great and I love the approach you are taking to this change in your diet. I refuse to ever count calories again and I love how you are just increasing all the good stuff in your meals and I’m sure it will pay off!
Danielle (@CleanFoodCreativeFitness) recently posted…Perfect Fit Protein Muffins
I hate those red camera lights! I’ve been lucky but my mom manages to get them all the time!
Ashley @ Life and Fitness recently posted…WIAW-My New “Dessert”
Tony got busted going through a yellow light “too fast”. Seriously, he got a ticket for that. It was ridiculous, but nothing we could do either because it was out of state. UGH!
Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) recently posted…Rain, Go AWAY and Strange, But Good Waffles
I imported my American car when I moved to Canada last year and almost immediately got a ticket from one of those cameras for speeding through an intersection. Forgot to go the posted speed in KILOMETERS not MILES. But seriously, the km on my odometer (being an American car) is SO hard to read!!! Only ticket I eve got 🙁
I don’t even know if they have those in Boston (probably do). For all I know they’ve snapped a photo of me. I’m bad with the whole speeding up at yellow light thing. Woops.
Sarah @ Blonde Bostonian recently posted…WIAW #47: Irish Soda Bread
knock on wood I havent been caught by a traffic camera, lets hope that doesnt happen! But I am glad you are doing what is best for your health! Can’t wait to hear about your exciting news!
Kaitlin @4loveofcarrots recently posted…De-cluttering you crisper
Oh man I didn’t even know they have red light cameras! Crap I better be on the lookout now…some yellow lights are seriously short haha
Meghan @ After the Ivy League recently posted…GF Hummingbird Cupcakes and a Non-Recipe
I’m glad to hear you’re so committed to getting your blood sugar under control. And eating more is kind of a fun medicine, yes?
I don’t drive anymore and we didn’t have those light camera things in Oklahoma, but Tom has gotten a few speeding tickets from cameras in Virginia.
Kacy recently posted…How to spend 10 hours in a mall
You have such a healthy and positive outlook about your body. I’m trying to get better at that.
Lindsay recently posted…what the h wednesday #3: bike tires.
Oh Paige, I just read your other post with the update… good heavens! I can completely relate to how frustrating all of this is. You think you’ve got something covered and then there’s more. It is such a tough balance, I wish there were more easy answers! Know that you are not alone in this whatsoever, I’m still trying to balance everything out as well. Of course through all of it trying to stay calm and stress free 😉 Hang in there and keep at it girl, boy do I wish you were still coming to Blend!
Christa @ Edible Balance recently posted…The Dangers of Compromise… the Life of a Celiac
Looks like you’re doing things the right way & with the right attitude for your health! Good luck. And yes, I’ve gotten busted by a red-light camera before, such a bummer!
Katie @ KatieEnPursuit recently posted…One Word Wednesday…
Ah, hypoglycemia is a tricky one as I’m in the same boat. It frustrates me because mine never seems to get better. Hopefully yours will!
You’re doing all the right things which is awesome 🙂
I need to try that coconut pumpkin bowl! Two of my favorite things ever!!!
It sounds like you’re in a great mindset with all these changes, so props to you my friend. You’re amazing!
Lisa recently posted…What I Ate Wednesday
sounds like you have a great plan of attack for gaining some more weight!
and yes we have ran a few red lights— well a really yellow light haha
purelytwins recently posted…new things we got to try out
I really need to email you girl!! I’m doing the same thing right now. Mentally, it is hard for me since I am at a healthy weight like you. I love your attitude and your strength! You are such an inspiration. 🙂
Brittany @ Delights and Delectables recently posted…WIAW #44: Rabbit Food
All your meals look delicious! I have been working on putting back on a bit of weight I lost after having to cut a few foods out of my diet to to sensitivities, and I have found myself loving a bigger evening snack. I no longer wake up crazy hungry in the morning and am able to give myself some more time to cook a satisfying breakfast.
Gina @ Health, Love, and Chocolate recently posted…WIAW: Keeping it Simple
Yay for the curry chicken! I am in love with my crockpot haha. Good luck on eating to gain – it’s certainly more fun than dieting!
Tara @ Sweat like a Pig recently posted…Gradual dieting
I love this…we have a lot of the similar issues (hormonal, need to gain a few, sugar imbalances) …but I’m on the fence with the paleo-ish eating (obviously you aren’t paleo though, but you know what I mean)….like its difficult because I think I need more chicken and meat, but can’t get the hormone-free stuff (absolutely not an optiono) so am pulling hair unsure of what to do…plus I think my dependency on eggs and dairy (hello greek yogurt, i’m lookin at you) have lead sensitivities and an elimination trial couldn’t hurt.
Ironically I am underweight, but experience a ton of chronic fatigue and constipation and tend to “binge” at night (starts with fruit, ends with lotsa of chocolate and you don’t want to know the rest of it 🙂
What kind of GF toast do you use ? I need simple simple stuff I think. Rice cakes maybe?
The Virgin Diet is proabably something you’d nod your head at (dont’ laugh, but it makes sense re balance, etc).. Trouble is that I need to “reset” my guts and get my poor tummy and constipation under control (plus recover from the binge eating) so I’m trying to come up with a 7 day plan to figure things out….I have some ideas, let me know if I can email them to you briefly ..if you’d glance at them and see what you’d say as a nay or yay. I know you arent’ a professional to advise, but just as a “buddy” with a perspective. Thanks either way.
I SO admire your sense of self and groundedness…like you don’t seem scattered (my brain is foggy and scattered and uncertain!). Tis a process!
You can definitely email them to me! I’m always open to new info. And good to know I don’t come across as scattered, but I honestly feel that way a LOT, too!
P.S…your links to other bloggers in your post fail to go through. Just FYI, no biggie.