57 Trips

I feel like I’ve taken 57 trips to the bathroom today. I know it’s too much information, but it’s the foremost thing on my mind this very moment. I saw my doctor about several issues on Wednesday, and I’ve been diagnosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome. Apparently my body is missing its daily doses of crap, and making crap in its own way (sorry). So that’s what I’ve been dealing with over the last month – grumbly, painful stomach, some cramps, and a lot of trips. There’s a grove in the floor from my desk to the bathroom.

 

Not only that, the lower abdominal pain I’ve been experiencing is actually from an injury to my back, in the L2 region. (The pain is radiating from the back to the front, not from front to back as I originally thought). The second lumbar region is called the L2. It is one of the five vertebrae in the lower back responsible for supporting the weight of the upper body and providing flexibility for a wide range of motion. I personally think it’s my huge bosom that is the problem, but the Doc seems to think I sustained an injury. I’m now on pain medication with a review scheduled in a month.

All in all, it’s been a rough week, and my diet has suffered. I succumbed to the spaghetti, drank too much beer, and ate several snacks that are not on the plan at a party Saturday night. I woke up this morning feeling bloated and tired, and have decided to forego the weigh-in. I’m sure you’ve all been waiting for this week’s numbers with baited breath, so I apologize. I just feel kinda lousy.

Please rest assured that I’m NOT GIVING UP! I’m really great at this new healthy lifestyle, and it’s rewarding to do something that I’m good at. One week does not a crisis make – it’s just a small setback in a larger journey!

On a lighter note, here’s an excellent pork chop recipe that I found and made last night. It’s very delish, and less than 300 calories per serving!

Oven Barbequed Pork Chops

1 ½ - 1 ¾ lbs bone-in thick cut pork chops, trimmed of fat. (I used boneless, as that was what I had handy).

3 teaspoons canola oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 clove of garlic, minced

1/3 cup orange juice

½ cup barbeque sauce

1.       Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.       In a large over-proof sauce pan, heat 2 teaspoons of canola oil. Season pork with salt and pepper. Cook the pork chops until just starting to brown (1-2 minutes on both sides). Remove chops from pan and set aside.

3.       Add the remaining teaspoon of oil and sauté onions until just starting to soften. Add garlic and cook an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute (until garlic releases aroma).

4.       Pour in orange juice and cook until most of the liquid is evaporated. Add barbeque sauce and mix.

5.       Return pork to the pan and coat with barbeque. Move pan to the oven and cook until the internal temperature of the chops is 145 degrees. (I had four thick-cut chops and cooked them for approximately 20 minutes).

This is a great recipe to cook for family members who are hesitant about healthy eating (i.e. John Merritt). It is very flavorful, easy to put together, and tastes indulgent!