Today is a banner day.

I ate a full bowl of oatmeal.

Well, I think it could be called oatmeal. My friend and co-choir member, Jo Orr, told me about Quaker’s Simple Harvest. It’s instant multigrain hot cereal with oats, barley, wheat, etc.

So, I bought a box last week. There are several flavors: Apples with Cinnamon; Vanilla, Almonds and Honey; and Maple Brown Sugar with Pecans. The latter appealed most to me.

This morning I added 1/2 cup skim milk to a package of Simple Harvest, zapped it in my microwave, tasted it, tasted it again and again, until I had eaten the entire bowl full. And it was good.

I ate oatmeal. And liked it.

Finally. 

I saw my doctor a week ago for the first time since I began my fitness journey in early December.

My blood pressure was 117/70, better than it has been in years. When the nurse told me I had the blood pressure of a young person, I bowed up a little before responding: “I am a young person.”

The call on Friday let me know my other numbers had improved as well. My total cholesterol was 222 in December; it is now 166. Tiglycerides, HDL and LDL have all dropped below the recommended target.

And the number measuring my blood sugar that was 6.7 in December is now 5.9.

I feel great and some folks tell me I’m looking good. So, these healthier numbers are icing on the cake. Make that a low-fat angel food cake! 

Last Saturday, I finally tried the Fit for Life Oatmeal Pancakes recipe sent to me by a reader and friend. The recipe appears on this blog.

I was somewhat put off by the cottage cheese the recipe called for. But all ingredients are blended so I tried it.

Made myself one big pancake and enjoyed it immensely with some sugar-free syrup.

Good way to get in some oatmeal. Try them. I think you’ll like them.

Been away from blog for a while. It’s not that I didn’t have anything to say, but I’ve had some technological problems.

While I’ve become fairly adept at finding fitness, this blogging stuff sometimes frustrates me.

My total weight loss at this point is 34 pounds. And I have finally gone and purchased a new pair of jeans. Too many friends and co-workers were bugging me about my baggy pants!

I almost gave up without a purchase, thanks to Lane Bryant’s new sizing system. Good grief. I had to have the help of a clerk AND the manager to help me figure it out. They were kind and helpful, and I am grateful. It’s nice to have a pair of jeans that don’t feel they are going to fall off and humiliate me.

Have been trying to get in some swimming in the Wellness Center pool in the evenings.

And, for the record, I’m still trying to develop a taste for oatmeal. I’m not giving up.

I’m determined to make myself like oatmeal. And I’ve had tons of tips from friends and fellow fitness seekers on ways to make the stuff more palatable.

I got an e-mail recently from my friend Alice who offered me an intriguing oatmeal possibility. I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but plan to try it this weekend. 

The recipe comes from Bill Phillips’ book, “Body for Life.”

Body for Life Pancakes 

1/2 cup uncooked oats

3 egg whites

1/2 cup fat-free cottage cheese

1/4 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2 packages sugar substitute

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour in hot skillet. Cook, turning once.

Top with warm light maple syrup or fresh fruit. 

Several weeks ago I wrote about my struggle to reach my daily calorie requirement. 

Well, I’m still struggling.

Oddly, it’s a problem with which I, in 50 years, have never dealt. 

I’ve decided it’s the Metformin my doctor prescribed back in December for a pre-diabetic condition. I know … self-diagnosis isn’t a good thing. But, I spent a lot of time this past weekend reading about the drug’s side effects. And loss of appetite is one of them.

So, she’s lowered my dosage and we’ll see if that helps.

I feel good, am exercising regularly. I just don’t want to eat much of anything. And unless I eat enough, my metabolism will slow down and the weight will not continue to come off.

It’s a heck of a dilemma.