Ferritin Follies

Calories eaten yesterday: 1345
Fat: 28g (19%)
Carbs: 114g (34%)
Protein: 155g (46%)
Weight this morning: 132.2 (One week ago: 131.8)
Calories burned in exercise today: 181

I am soooo sore today! My thighs and butt are killing me. But it means that yesterday's workout was really good! :)

I have been super hungry the last couple of weeks and sneaking more little treats here and there. :( I hate myself for that and don't understand where this increased appetite is coming from. My metabolism is way too low to handle much food.

Ran into the City today. I walked to the BART station, did my errands in the City, came back, and walked to work from the station. My 9 million step token was in my mail - a nice surprise. I have been so focused on getting to 10 million than I didn't even notice I'd passed 9.

I've been trying to wrap my head around my low ferritin (iron) levels. Looking at my food journal stats, I am getting very little dietary iron and way too much dietary calcium. The last thing I need is a calcium supplement. Calcium prevents iron from being absorbed, so I am not getting the full benefit of the pills I take.

My plan:
1) Immediately stop all calcium supplements. My multi-vitamin packet includes two calcium tablets. I can try to get Brad to take them; otherwise I'll just throw them away or save them up and give them away to someone at work.

2) Buy some Vitamin C from L. downstairs as Vitamin C increases iron absorbtion.

3) Take more iron tablets. Buy a stool softener to prevent constipation. Stool softeners, unlike laxatives, do not cause dependence from what I have read.

4) I may include more Cream of Wheat in my diet (50% DV of iron). Wheat may bloat me, though, so this may not work.

So that's the plan. As it it, with my ferritin so low and barely passing the iron test last time I gave blood, I may very well fail this time around. I have got to get the iron problem corrected ASAP. At least one person thinks that a lot of my symptoms may resolve if I just get the ferritin up.

Oh, I forgot to record it so I am taking a bit of a guess, but near as I can tell I made 4,000 miles walked last Saturday, Oct. 4. :)

Technorati tagged: diet, low fat, weight loss, health club, exercise, fitness, weight