Low, Lower, Lowest

The results of my estrogen test came back.  It's lower than low.  So my strange pangs must be all in my head.  I guess it's hard to get used to not having ice picks in my pelvis.

My estrogen level is currently at 61.  It should be between 150 and 360.  This would explain why I'm not seeing much progress with my weight loss and why I'm still so goddamn hot all the time.  I'm still in full blown menopause.
Good to know I guess.  I'm still at hormonal rock bottom.  The only place to go is up, at which point, it should be easier to get this fucking weight off.

For those that are curious, I've done a lot of research on this, and it seems to be the problem I'm having.
When your body goes through the trauma of a hysterectomy, the hypothalamus freaks out and can't regulate temperature, resulting in hot flashes.  If the ovaries are removed, the body can't produce estrogen anymore, but it still needs it.  Fat cells produce estrogen, so if the body isn't getting anything supplemental, or not supplemental enough, the body puts a choke hold on the fat cells and gathers more as fast as it can.
So....  Losing weight becomes a near impossibility.  It all gathers around the gut, hips, and ass, which is where I've been seeing all of my fat.  The last time my weight got cozy in the 200 range, you could see it in my face, big time.  I don't think that's as evident this time.  My cheekbones are still vaguely recognizable.   I still want my collar bones back.

I'm still counting calories and wearing the BodyBugg religiously.  I'm walking an hour a day as much as I can, which is easy right now since I've got so much free time on my hands.  I'm not sure how the Sonoma diet is going to work out.  The meals taste good, I've done a couple of them, but it's pretty expensive.  A lot of the ingredients you can only find in the health food isle at Hy-Vee or at Gateway, which means cash, and lots of it.  The last meal Nathan and I made cost us 40 bucks in ingredients.  I'm not sure if we can use some of them again, like ground fennel.  You can use olive oil, salt, and pepper in everything.  I'm gonna try and dumb it down a little.  I like fish, and I can get it for pretty cheap at
Hy-Vee.  I put olive oil on everything and I can squeeze in some more veggies and whole grain.  Basically this is what I buy anyway, aside from a few junk items......  delicious, delicious junk items.

Anywho......  just stickin' to the plan I 'spose.