A Few Big Things on my Mind these days

A few Big Things are occupying my time these days........
Here's a snapshot of My Life Starring Me

1. Pregnancy
To be completely un-politically correct, I understand why fat people avoid exercise!  It's hard work when you are carrying all this extra weight!  I have a hard time remembering if I really and truly used to run 30min at 5.5MPH every lunch break on the treadmill.

I am now 30 weeks pregnant
I have gained 27lbs so far!  The Antenatal clinic has raised an eyebrow at all my weigh ins but at least I'm slowing down with the speed with which I'm gaining.

However, I am toooooooooooooooooooooooo heavy!
I walked 2 blocks and was exhausted and out of breath!  

Time to face facts! I froze my membership at the Nautilus Plus for one year.  Zumba, no more.
Plus my hip has moved out of place and my legs get tired if I stand too long.
(Clearly they are collapsing under the weight of my Fat-ness)

And people, Please stop asking if I'm having twins!!!!!
PLUS! As big as I am, I'm going to get BIGGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


But the tummy is fun!  I see elbows and knees and feet.  I'm never alone!
I feel the movement at specific times:
- like when I eat something sweet
-or when I'm reading my son his bedtime stories
- or when my husband sings
I'm filled with wonder at the little girl that is soon going to join us.
(If the heart burn doesn't kill me first)

2. Insulin & Blood Sugar Management
My average daily dose has gone from 34units/day to 60units/day
 I keep increasing and increasing.
What happens is, I have a few really good days where my numbers are all in range.
For 4 days I see something like this:
I wake up at 5.4mmol/L -perfect!
I eat 20g of carbs and inject 4 units of insulin - a big increase, but it's fine!
1 hour later I'm in the 5.5-6.2mmol/L range -perfect

last 2 days, one hour later I'm in the 8.5mmol/L zone....not good.
Time to increase, again
When you're pregnant, you are trying to be back in range 1 hour after eating.  

I'm still eating my 150g of carb per day.  Starving, mind you.  But since I've cut my exercise and continued eating the same, it all balances out.  Supposedly.

I now go to the clinic every 2 weeks for Ultrasounds and general follow up
I'm also looking to use all my vacation days and overtime towards leaving work in the month of June, it's just so tiring! 

3. Volunteer Work
My new volunteer role with the JDRF is going very well!
I am the RIV (Research Information Volunteer) for the Montreal chapter.
So I have monthly conference calls with the New York JDRF Head Office and hear all the scientific updates on the various Research projects in place.  So satisfying to hear progress reports on the diabetes cures they are researching, like Beta Cell Regeneration (the beta cells are the ones that MAKE insulin -which I don't have) and  Beta Cell Encapsulation (how to keep new Beta cells alive in someone, like me, whose body keeps killing them) and the diabetes treatments like Artificial Pancreas Project, (an insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor that communicate and automatically respond to your blood sugar needs!)
ANYHOW, I take all this information and present it to all you fine people that are fund-raising.
People really like knowing where their money is going!
I do love this role!

4. The JDRF Walk
This June 10th is the JDRF Walk-A-Thon.  I'm trying to get a team together and raise $5,000 personally.
I'm having challenges.  I have a team of 4 people so far (this includes my husband and my best friend!)
And My goal is sort of very far away.  So far I raised $1,410.  So 28% there.
I wish I could make people understand how much fun the walk is as a family outing.
Personally, when the weather warms and the flowers are in bloom, I just can't spend another Sunday morning in pajamas inside the house with the TV on!  I want to be OUT! I want to GO! Is it just me?  

5. Baking with Molasses
Black Strap Molasses is iron rich!  Good for pregnant vegetarian me, good for picky fussy 2 year old my son, and just plain tasty!
A friend of mine (Thanks Gloria!) gave me a ginger cake recipe (possibly Martha Stewart of origin).  I modified it slightly to increase the protein content and reduce the carbs and we are loving it!  One slice is a 30g afternoon snack or breakfast.  Very well spent 30g!!!
I've baked one cake a week for the last 3 weeks and it's still the highlight of my lunch!
I wonder if I can bake sitting down?

I end on a sweet note.............
P.S. It's so 'ME' to start off complaining about my weight and end with talk about food and recipe!
Ginger Cake
Recipe:
1 cup blackstrap molasses 224g carbs
1 cup boiling water + 2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup softened butter 92g FAT
2 eggs PROTEIN
2 cups white whole weat flour (I like Robin Hood Multiflour) 176g carbs
1/2cup soy protein 16g carbs and PROTEIN
1/3 cup brown sugar 60g carbs
1/3 cup splenda 7.5g carbs
2 tsp baking powder
1 Tbsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves

1. Spray a bundt pan and preheat oven to 350F
2. Sift all the dry ingredients together, except for the brown sugar
3. In a very large bowl, beat the butter until fluffy.  4. Add the brown sugar and beat together until smooth
5. Add the molasses and the water/baking soda and beat until smooth,
6. Add the dry flour mix, and beat
7. Add one egg at a time, and beat
Pour the batter into the Bundt pan and bake for about 35 min (until toothpick test)

If you slice it in 16 slices, each slice is 30g carb and 6g fat!

Also, don't forget, when you lick the beaters and the bowl, those have no calories OK?