Thanks again to everyone for your continued support through my detox endeavors. Ending the detox was not an easy decision to make. But it came down to toughing it out for a few more days to get the full benefits in exchange for not being able to ingest vegetables again for a veeeery long time, or go ahead and quit early and still be able to consume veggies in my day-to-day diet. I really had to weigh out the pros and cons of each side. And although my judgement may have been a bit irrational at the time, due to the hunger and severe NEED for solid food, I feel that in the end, I made the right decision for me.
So now, moving on from the detox, I'm pleased to announce that I'm back in the swing of things again, workout wise. I have no idea what came over me in December, but I became a huge, lazy piece of shiz! But that is all behind me now. I have plenty of spring races coming on the horizon, including Half Marathon #2 - woot! So as soon as I phased off the detox, I knew I had to make up for it by getting my rear back into shape. So below are my workouts for the past week and a half - note, I've worked out more in the past 3 days than I have in the past 2 months. Fact. LOL...and sad.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010: P90X Ab Ripper X
--This was my first workout in nearly 2 months. Sigh, I know. I suck. The holidays, illnesses, and life all got in the way. Moving past that, I got my butt in gear and did the ab ripper workout. The following morning, I didn't even feel any soreness. As the day went on, I began to feel more and more sore. By Thursday, I couldn't laugh, cough, or even breathe without about doubling over, lol.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010: 2 mile run - treadmill
--This was my first run since November. I struggled, but made it the whole way through without walking. My pace was around 10:00 - 10:30. I was incredibly sore the next 2 days - could barely walk, lol.
Monday, January 18, 2010: 4 mile run
--This was my first run outside since Gobbler Grind in November. I still consider myself a new runner. I just started running consistently last year. And even my "consistent" running hasn't been all that consistent. I'm the epitome of a "fair weather runner." I don't even own all the proper gear for cold weather running. In fact, there are probably only a handful of times that I've ran in temps below 50 degrees. And they were probably all in the mid to upper 40's. So I set a new record on Monday when I pounded out 4 miles in only 36 degrees. I know, 36 isn't even THAT cold. But this is a new accomplishment for me, and I was quite proud of myself.
I met up with my friend Valerie at a new trail Monday morning (I love work holidays!) and set out for a run. Neither of us had ran in awhile (minus my pathetic 2 mile TM run on Wednesday), so neither of us really knew what to expect. The run was def slooooooow (for me, at least...Val blew right past me very early on). But the scenery was beautiful. There was snow on the ground, we were in a wooded area with a trickling stream and several little bridges to run over, and there was a LOT of fog out that morning. It was absolutely breathtaking! And to my surprise, I was able to pound out 4 miles! This is only my second run back from a 2 month hiatus and I was able to run 4 miles! Wow....a year ago, it took me several months to work up to 4 miles! I remember being excited just to run 1.5 - 2 miles.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010: P90X - Shoulders & Arms, and Ab Ripper X
--I'm trying to get back into the P90X program, but with training for some upcoming races, I won't be able to follow the schedule exactly. So I've just incorporated it into my schedule on the days I want to do strength training / weight training.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010: 3.1 mile run, yoga
--I ran 3 miles outside in my hood - LOTS of hills....and I ran 'em all! My pace was slow, yes. Like ridiculously slow. But the run actually felt good, so I'm not going to focus on my pace. I really only took my Garmin to see my distance. It was cold out too. And windy. But again, it felt good. When I got home, I stretched really well and did 45 min of yoga. It was a good workout day.
So, it's official - I am training to run the Oklahoma City Marathon (okay, the half marathon) with The Running Dork and The Running Lawyer. That's the "big" event I'm training for at the moment...but I have several other races on the radar as well. A goal I really wanted to set for this year was to run at least 1 race every month this year. So far, I have the first half of the year covered. :) I'll post more about upcoming events soon.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Detox Update: Day 8 - The Final Day
Day 8 - Monday, January 11, 2009:
Monday ended up being my final day. I've had very mixed emotions about it, and I've really tried not to beat myself up over not completing the full 21 days. I mean, 8 days it still quite a feat in itself. And I was able to maintain a loss of 10 pounds, which is also quite amazing. (I actually lost 13.8, but gained a few back once I phased food back into my diet. But I'm proud/satisfied with maintaining a 10 pound loss.) I feel much better and slimmer and I'm still glad that I went as far as I did.
Here's what happened at the end - what made me decide to end it. Have you ever gotten really burnt out on a type of food? Say it was something that you LOVED, and you loved it so much that you ate it ALL the time. And you ate it over and over and over to the point that you finally started developing an aversion to it and no longer liked it all that much. Well, I have always loved vegetables. Even as a kid, if my mom was ever cooking dinner and was in the process of chopping veggies, I would sneak in the kitchen and grab some strips of green peppers to munch on. I did this more often than I would sneak chocolate chips or cookie dough while she was baking. My oldest daughter is the same way. If I'm fixing dinner and I ask her if she'd rather have broccoli or asperagus with dinner, she will always say "Let's have BOTH!"
But we all know that there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing." The detox involved ingesting the following each day: green drinks, high density berry drinks, herbal tea, water, fresh vegetable juice, and "cleansing soup," which I have coined PVM for Puree Vegetable Mush. The green drinks and berry drinks aren't bad at all. They are both berry flavored and taste pretty decent. But after having 2 of each every day, they slowly start to lose their excitement. The fresh veg juice is also quite tasty. If you like V8 or carrot juice or any other type of veg juice, you would probably enjoy the juice. The PVM, however, is completely and utterly disgusting.
I explained to my husband that it was the texture that I was struggling with. The texture of the veggie mush is what made me gag and even vomit the "cleansing soup." He laughed at this and couldn't understand what was so bad about it, esp if I like veggies as much as I do. I mean, I eat veggies all day, every day. Ever since he has known me, he has known me to snack on raw veggies throughout the day, eat salads with both lunch and dinner, and have at least one cooked veggie with dinner every night. For someone that loves veggies as much as I do, he could not understand what was so challenging about this soup. So I explained it to him like this - what's your favorite food? For my husband, it's a philly cheesesteak. For you, it may be pizza. Or sushi. Or a giant Chipotle burrito. But just imagine your favorite food. Now put that food into a blender with a cup of water and blend it until it is a thick, mushy substance. Do you think you would still enjoy it? Do you think you would be able to consume it without getting sick?? Because that is exactly what I was having to do with the PVM.
By Day 8, I had only ingested vegetable-based drinks and soups for 8 days straight, with nothing else in between. I was beginning to develop a very STRONG aversion to vegetables. And with veggies being such a huge part of my diet, I just couldn't imagine not being able to eat them anymore. But by Day 8, the smell, sight, and even THOUGHT of veggies was beginning to make my stomach churn. It was to the point that I felt I needed to quit right then, or face the possibility of no longer being able to consume veggies anymore for a very, VERY long time.
So Monday night (last Monday night), it all came to a head. I ended my detox and I did not correctly follow the "phasing off the detox" process. I was so excited to eat solid food, that I went straight to the store and bought just about every vegetable in sight. I then went home and made the world's largest salad with somewhere around 15 different types of veggies. And I made my homemade dressing that I love so much (all organic: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Bragg's liquid aminos -tastes like soy sauce-) and I WENT TO TOWN. I ate the hell out of that salad like I hadn't eat in weeks. And I guess in a sense, I hadn't. I had dressing all over my face and I was so into that salad, that my husband found it quite comical. But I was in heaven.
I consumed that entire salad in a 48 hour time span. The salad I made took up an entire GIANT tupperware bowl and was made up of probably 5 - 7 pounds of veggies. And during those first few days, I made the huge mistake of indulging a bit too much - I had some refined sugar in the form of candy and girl scout cookies. But that's all out of my system now. I'm focused on eating healthy again and I'm maintaining a low-sodium diet consisting mostly of fresh fruits, veggies, lean protein, and light on the starchy carbs, which are all whole grain.
I'm hoping to drop an additional 10 - 15 pounds over the next few months. I may even do another 2-day detox in another month or so, if I think I can handle it by then. In the end, I'm glad I did the detox. I'm disappointed that I didn't stick it out longer, but I'm also proud that I made it as far as I did. You definitely have to be in the right mind set to do something like this. It's a lot harder than it appears.
On that note, please stop by my bestie Melissa's blog and give her some bloggie love - she's kicking this detox's ass and is on DAY 18 of her detox today!!! Words do not explain how impressed and proud I am of her right now! So feel free to pop over and give her some encouragement!
Well, there you have it - my detox journey has come to a finish. And a huge THANK YOU to everyone for your continued support through such a challenging journey - I appreciate your kind words of encouragement more than you know! But even tho my detox journey has come to an end, my new training journey is just beginning! I'll have an update on that posted before long. Oh yes, I'm back! :)
Monday ended up being my final day. I've had very mixed emotions about it, and I've really tried not to beat myself up over not completing the full 21 days. I mean, 8 days it still quite a feat in itself. And I was able to maintain a loss of 10 pounds, which is also quite amazing. (I actually lost 13.8, but gained a few back once I phased food back into my diet. But I'm proud/satisfied with maintaining a 10 pound loss.) I feel much better and slimmer and I'm still glad that I went as far as I did.
Here's what happened at the end - what made me decide to end it. Have you ever gotten really burnt out on a type of food? Say it was something that you LOVED, and you loved it so much that you ate it ALL the time. And you ate it over and over and over to the point that you finally started developing an aversion to it and no longer liked it all that much. Well, I have always loved vegetables. Even as a kid, if my mom was ever cooking dinner and was in the process of chopping veggies, I would sneak in the kitchen and grab some strips of green peppers to munch on. I did this more often than I would sneak chocolate chips or cookie dough while she was baking. My oldest daughter is the same way. If I'm fixing dinner and I ask her if she'd rather have broccoli or asperagus with dinner, she will always say "Let's have BOTH!"
But we all know that there is such a thing as "too much of a good thing." The detox involved ingesting the following each day: green drinks, high density berry drinks, herbal tea, water, fresh vegetable juice, and "cleansing soup," which I have coined PVM for Puree Vegetable Mush. The green drinks and berry drinks aren't bad at all. They are both berry flavored and taste pretty decent. But after having 2 of each every day, they slowly start to lose their excitement. The fresh veg juice is also quite tasty. If you like V8 or carrot juice or any other type of veg juice, you would probably enjoy the juice. The PVM, however, is completely and utterly disgusting.
I explained to my husband that it was the texture that I was struggling with. The texture of the veggie mush is what made me gag and even vomit the "cleansing soup." He laughed at this and couldn't understand what was so bad about it, esp if I like veggies as much as I do. I mean, I eat veggies all day, every day. Ever since he has known me, he has known me to snack on raw veggies throughout the day, eat salads with both lunch and dinner, and have at least one cooked veggie with dinner every night. For someone that loves veggies as much as I do, he could not understand what was so challenging about this soup. So I explained it to him like this - what's your favorite food? For my husband, it's a philly cheesesteak. For you, it may be pizza. Or sushi. Or a giant Chipotle burrito. But just imagine your favorite food. Now put that food into a blender with a cup of water and blend it until it is a thick, mushy substance. Do you think you would still enjoy it? Do you think you would be able to consume it without getting sick?? Because that is exactly what I was having to do with the PVM.
By Day 8, I had only ingested vegetable-based drinks and soups for 8 days straight, with nothing else in between. I was beginning to develop a very STRONG aversion to vegetables. And with veggies being such a huge part of my diet, I just couldn't imagine not being able to eat them anymore. But by Day 8, the smell, sight, and even THOUGHT of veggies was beginning to make my stomach churn. It was to the point that I felt I needed to quit right then, or face the possibility of no longer being able to consume veggies anymore for a very, VERY long time.
So Monday night (last Monday night), it all came to a head. I ended my detox and I did not correctly follow the "phasing off the detox" process. I was so excited to eat solid food, that I went straight to the store and bought just about every vegetable in sight. I then went home and made the world's largest salad with somewhere around 15 different types of veggies. And I made my homemade dressing that I love so much (all organic: olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and Bragg's liquid aminos -tastes like soy sauce-) and I WENT TO TOWN. I ate the hell out of that salad like I hadn't eat in weeks. And I guess in a sense, I hadn't. I had dressing all over my face and I was so into that salad, that my husband found it quite comical. But I was in heaven.
I consumed that entire salad in a 48 hour time span. The salad I made took up an entire GIANT tupperware bowl and was made up of probably 5 - 7 pounds of veggies. And during those first few days, I made the huge mistake of indulging a bit too much - I had some refined sugar in the form of candy and girl scout cookies. But that's all out of my system now. I'm focused on eating healthy again and I'm maintaining a low-sodium diet consisting mostly of fresh fruits, veggies, lean protein, and light on the starchy carbs, which are all whole grain.
I'm hoping to drop an additional 10 - 15 pounds over the next few months. I may even do another 2-day detox in another month or so, if I think I can handle it by then. In the end, I'm glad I did the detox. I'm disappointed that I didn't stick it out longer, but I'm also proud that I made it as far as I did. You definitely have to be in the right mind set to do something like this. It's a lot harder than it appears.
On that note, please stop by my bestie Melissa's blog and give her some bloggie love - she's kicking this detox's ass and is on DAY 18 of her detox today!!! Words do not explain how impressed and proud I am of her right now! So feel free to pop over and give her some encouragement!
Well, there you have it - my detox journey has come to a finish. And a huge THANK YOU to everyone for your continued support through such a challenging journey - I appreciate your kind words of encouragement more than you know! But even tho my detox journey has come to an end, my new training journey is just beginning! I'll have an update on that posted before long. Oh yes, I'm back! :)
Monday, January 11, 2010
Forget 1 Day At A Time...More Like 1 Hour At A Time!
Okay, as I mentioned this morning, I've had to change my mindset a bit with this whole detox. I'm no longer looking at the big picture of 21 days, but just focusing on 1 day at a time. I will bask in the success of each day completed and will be proud of that, rather than feel down about not making it to the end, if that's what happens.
So yeah, 1 day at a time....at this point, it's becoming 1 HOUR at a time! Just about an hour ago, I was ready to give in and have a snack. I got that whole "f*** it, I'm done, I've had a good run, but now I'm ready for some FOOD" thought back in my head. I was honestly actually planning what I was going to EAT...when I went ahead and prepared my scheduled green drink and got my supplement pills ready to take. I popped the supplements, drank my drink, .....and suddenly, the urge to "cheat" passed. Thank goodness for the "feedings" (aka, nutrient-packed beverages & supplements) every 2 hours to keep me "full" and focused. I just need to make it to the next feeding.
Anytime I start thinking "Holy crap, there's no way I can do 13 more days of this!!" I have to stop and tell myself, "Don't think of it that way - just think about NOW and worry about the rest later. We'll climb that mountain when we get to it." It's just like a race - you can't sit there and think "Crap, I still have 12 miles to go!" or "Geez, I'm only done with my swim, but I still have to bike and run - I'm going to be at this for HOURS!" You just have to focus on the current task at hand and worry about the rest when you get there. So yeah, that's what I'm doing.
Again, thank you all for your support! This could quite possibly be the hardest thing I've ever done. I mean, races are over the same day you start them. Even childbirth doesn't last this long. Granted, pregnancy is 9 months and my second one was a doozy, but this involves WILL POWER. It's a mind over matter kind of thing. Just have to keep focusing on one small piece at a time.
At this point, I want to thank my biggest cheerleader and co-detoxer, my bestie - Melissa. We've been best friends since the 2nd grade. We've been roommates, we've traveled together, we were in each others' weddings, we've supported each other through many ups and downs in our lives. And I have to tell you, if it weren't for her, I would have jumped ship DAYS ago! She has been the best support system EVER and has talked me off the ledge MULTIPLE times with this detox! And she is sooooo kicking ass with this detox - she's on Day 9 and still going strong! So if you get a chance, please go give her some bloggie love and support in her detox journey, as lord knows she's given me a pantload of support this past week through mine!
So yeah, 1 day at a time....at this point, it's becoming 1 HOUR at a time! Just about an hour ago, I was ready to give in and have a snack. I got that whole "f*** it, I'm done, I've had a good run, but now I'm ready for some FOOD" thought back in my head. I was honestly actually planning what I was going to EAT...when I went ahead and prepared my scheduled green drink and got my supplement pills ready to take. I popped the supplements, drank my drink, .....and suddenly, the urge to "cheat" passed. Thank goodness for the "feedings" (aka, nutrient-packed beverages & supplements) every 2 hours to keep me "full" and focused. I just need to make it to the next feeding.
Anytime I start thinking "Holy crap, there's no way I can do 13 more days of this!!" I have to stop and tell myself, "Don't think of it that way - just think about NOW and worry about the rest later. We'll climb that mountain when we get to it." It's just like a race - you can't sit there and think "Crap, I still have 12 miles to go!" or "Geez, I'm only done with my swim, but I still have to bike and run - I'm going to be at this for HOURS!" You just have to focus on the current task at hand and worry about the rest when you get there. So yeah, that's what I'm doing.
Again, thank you all for your support! This could quite possibly be the hardest thing I've ever done. I mean, races are over the same day you start them. Even childbirth doesn't last this long. Granted, pregnancy is 9 months and my second one was a doozy, but this involves WILL POWER. It's a mind over matter kind of thing. Just have to keep focusing on one small piece at a time.
At this point, I want to thank my biggest cheerleader and co-detoxer, my bestie - Melissa. We've been best friends since the 2nd grade. We've been roommates, we've traveled together, we were in each others' weddings, we've supported each other through many ups and downs in our lives. And I have to tell you, if it weren't for her, I would have jumped ship DAYS ago! She has been the best support system EVER and has talked me off the ledge MULTIPLE times with this detox! And she is sooooo kicking ass with this detox - she's on Day 9 and still going strong! So if you get a chance, please go give her some bloggie love and support in her detox journey, as lord knows she's given me a pantload of support this past week through mine!
Detox Update: Day 7
Preface: I'm posting Day 7 as a single post and not with other days...cuz it's gonna be long. This is more for my own personal use - to document my personal struggles and let some venting out.
Day 7: Sunday, January 10, 2009 AKA The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good:
I woke up this morning from a good night's sleep and felt well-rested. I reflected on the past few days of agony and was glad that I had powered through, because I suddenly feel a lot better. My head is clearer, and I feel much stronger now, mentally.
This morning's weight was only a .2 pound loss from yesterday. A little disappointing, but again...the salt from the cashews I had on Friday is probably still influencing the loss, or lack thereof. So yeah, 2 days of agony with only a .8 pound total loss in two days afterwards kinda sucks...but I'm not turning back now. Even tho I really, really, REALLY want some delicious, solid food - I'm still sticking it out. I'm actually looking forward to going back to work tomorrow after 4 days at home. I'm ready to get back into a routine again. I think that the distraction of the office will help the days go by faster and with less struggle. If/when I do this detox again, I'll have to remember that days 4 & 5 are the worst and if I can make it through those days, I'm golden.
Randy has been so sweet - any time he fixes something to eat, he either takes it upstairs and eats it in our bedroom so I don't have to see or smell it, or he warns me so I can make sure to stay upstairs or in the basement. He's also been really nice about doing everything around the house that I've been unable to do due to being bed ridden for 3 days and due to being so weak - like picking up Harper. I'm lucky that he's being so supportive.
The Bad:
The day was actually not that hard to get through. But then came time for "dinner." This is where I consume the "cleansing soup," AKA what I now refer to as the PVM - Puree Vegetable Mush. I'm telling you people, I've tried SEVERAL recipes and none of them taste bad, it's the texture/consistency of mushy vegetables that I just can't handle anymore! I've been forcing it down for 7 days in a row now, but each day is worse than the one the day before. When I sat down to eat the PVM on Day 7, my stomach churned with the first bite. And with the second bite....it came back up. :( I got so frustrated - what do I do now??? I can't do this soup anymore! I CAN'T! And without it, how will I sustain enough nutrients/calories to cleanse myself in a healthy way AND not starve myself?? I'm at a loss...
At this point, in my mind, I was done. I told Randy that I just couldn't do it anymore. He told me to stick it out, said I could do it. And I rattled off a number of reasons why I was done - I'm about out of supplements - it will cost another $60 for another can of green drinks and a can of high density berry drinks, I can't do the soup anymore - it makes me vomit, I'm just not strong enough, etc. I began justifying why 7 days was still a success - I shed 12 pounds in a week and cleansed myself of many toxins already. Quitting now would NOT be failing.
Again, in my mind, at that very moment, I was going off the detox. I got out my book and started reading how to go off the 7 day cleanse. This tells you when and how to re-introduce solid foods to your diet. You can't just go from a clean and pure liquid diet right back into your former eating habits, even if your former habits were all organic and healthy. It would shock the newly clean digestive system and can make a person very sick.
Anyway, like I said, I had no intention of continuing. I was already planning what vegetables to take to work for lunch the following day. And to satisfy the annoying voice in my head that was starving and crazy, I allowed myself to have about 8 CheezIts. Yeah, def not the greatest thing to have right after a detox. I also had 1 tiny piece of chocolate. And honestly, I don't feel guilty for either. They were very small portions and they satisfied my need for just a tiny treat.
But then it got worse...
The Ugly:
I was about to go to bed when some stuff went down at home. Nothing major, but just enough to get me aggitated...and I headed for the fridge. There I found the left over treats Randy was sent home with from the party he attended Saturday night. I will say this, I didn't pig out, I didn't eat until I was stuffed, I didn't even have that much. But what I had was highly processed food that was high in fat and sodium and sooooo not good, especially when coming off a detox. :( But oh, don't you worry. I paid for it...
I woke up around midnight with severe abdominal cramping. Severe. Went to the bathroom. Felt better. Went back to bed. Woke again around 2:45am, this time with gut wrenching abdominal pain. I'm talking, doubled over, excrutiating pain that was probably the worst abdominal pain I've ever experienced, next to childbirth/labor. Needless to say, I got my payback for those few moments of gratification. I've been up since 2:45am, spending a great deal of time in the bathroom (sorry for the TMI).
But I've had a lot of time to think over the past several hours that I've been awake...which brings me to today:
Monday, January 11, 2009 (Day 8 - yeah, that's right, I'm still going!)
While laying in bed in severe pain last night, I realized that I have a little more fight in me. So I fell off the wagon last night. That should not entitle me to jump back into my old ways. That is all the more reason to keep going - to cleanse myself of the crap I took in yesterday. And if I don't keep going, that horrid 2-day healing crisis was a waste! Not to mention the night of abdominal suffering. Was all of that in vain?? No. I've got more fight left in me. Maybe not another 14 days, but I can promise 1 day at a time....and I can promise today. Funny, I went to bed feeling find and thinking of the food I was going to have the following day. Then, when I was feeling just awful, I decided to keep going... Strange how that worked out.
I came up with a few ideas to side step the soup. I'm definitely DONE with that. I have ideas on how to work around it, which I won't bore you all with. It won't be the same as the soup, but it will at least be SOMEthing. I have come this far and I'm not ready to give up just yet.
I weighed in this morning with a 1.8 pound loss from yesterday (probably from all the hours spend in the bathroom....again, sorry for the TMI). That's 13.8 pounds in 1 week. Is that even possible??? Yes, it is. Exactly 1 week ago today, I weighed nearly 14 pounds more than I do today. My pants are loose, my rings are loose, my watch is even so loose that I had to remove a link! My coat was even loose on me this moring - was my belly really that big that my coat was snug on me?? Apparently, cuz it hung on me this morning when some extra room in the front! I've lost 13.8 pounds from this detox in only a week! Why give up now??
I'm fully prepared for no loss or maybe even a gain tomorrow from the sodium I had yesterday. But I owe it to myself to keep going, just 1 day at a time.
I've also decided that no matter what, whether today is my last day or whether I make it the full 21 days, I'm going to be proud of myself. I will not feel bad if I don't make it to the end. I've done something good for myself and I've made it further than before. Every day is another day of success. I will be focusing on my SUCCESS and not my failures.
With all that being said, I'm still going. Again, I can only promise 1 day at a time. But I will make it through today - Day 8.
Day 7: Sunday, January 10, 2009 AKA The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
The Good:
I woke up this morning from a good night's sleep and felt well-rested. I reflected on the past few days of agony and was glad that I had powered through, because I suddenly feel a lot better. My head is clearer, and I feel much stronger now, mentally.
This morning's weight was only a .2 pound loss from yesterday. A little disappointing, but again...the salt from the cashews I had on Friday is probably still influencing the loss, or lack thereof. So yeah, 2 days of agony with only a .8 pound total loss in two days afterwards kinda sucks...but I'm not turning back now. Even tho I really, really, REALLY want some delicious, solid food - I'm still sticking it out. I'm actually looking forward to going back to work tomorrow after 4 days at home. I'm ready to get back into a routine again. I think that the distraction of the office will help the days go by faster and with less struggle. If/when I do this detox again, I'll have to remember that days 4 & 5 are the worst and if I can make it through those days, I'm golden.
Randy has been so sweet - any time he fixes something to eat, he either takes it upstairs and eats it in our bedroom so I don't have to see or smell it, or he warns me so I can make sure to stay upstairs or in the basement. He's also been really nice about doing everything around the house that I've been unable to do due to being bed ridden for 3 days and due to being so weak - like picking up Harper. I'm lucky that he's being so supportive.
The Bad:
The day was actually not that hard to get through. But then came time for "dinner." This is where I consume the "cleansing soup," AKA what I now refer to as the PVM - Puree Vegetable Mush. I'm telling you people, I've tried SEVERAL recipes and none of them taste bad, it's the texture/consistency of mushy vegetables that I just can't handle anymore! I've been forcing it down for 7 days in a row now, but each day is worse than the one the day before. When I sat down to eat the PVM on Day 7, my stomach churned with the first bite. And with the second bite....it came back up. :( I got so frustrated - what do I do now??? I can't do this soup anymore! I CAN'T! And without it, how will I sustain enough nutrients/calories to cleanse myself in a healthy way AND not starve myself?? I'm at a loss...
At this point, in my mind, I was done. I told Randy that I just couldn't do it anymore. He told me to stick it out, said I could do it. And I rattled off a number of reasons why I was done - I'm about out of supplements - it will cost another $60 for another can of green drinks and a can of high density berry drinks, I can't do the soup anymore - it makes me vomit, I'm just not strong enough, etc. I began justifying why 7 days was still a success - I shed 12 pounds in a week and cleansed myself of many toxins already. Quitting now would NOT be failing.
Again, in my mind, at that very moment, I was going off the detox. I got out my book and started reading how to go off the 7 day cleanse. This tells you when and how to re-introduce solid foods to your diet. You can't just go from a clean and pure liquid diet right back into your former eating habits, even if your former habits were all organic and healthy. It would shock the newly clean digestive system and can make a person very sick.
Anyway, like I said, I had no intention of continuing. I was already planning what vegetables to take to work for lunch the following day. And to satisfy the annoying voice in my head that was starving and crazy, I allowed myself to have about 8 CheezIts. Yeah, def not the greatest thing to have right after a detox. I also had 1 tiny piece of chocolate. And honestly, I don't feel guilty for either. They were very small portions and they satisfied my need for just a tiny treat.
But then it got worse...
The Ugly:
I was about to go to bed when some stuff went down at home. Nothing major, but just enough to get me aggitated...and I headed for the fridge. There I found the left over treats Randy was sent home with from the party he attended Saturday night. I will say this, I didn't pig out, I didn't eat until I was stuffed, I didn't even have that much. But what I had was highly processed food that was high in fat and sodium and sooooo not good, especially when coming off a detox. :( But oh, don't you worry. I paid for it...
I woke up around midnight with severe abdominal cramping. Severe. Went to the bathroom. Felt better. Went back to bed. Woke again around 2:45am, this time with gut wrenching abdominal pain. I'm talking, doubled over, excrutiating pain that was probably the worst abdominal pain I've ever experienced, next to childbirth/labor. Needless to say, I got my payback for those few moments of gratification. I've been up since 2:45am, spending a great deal of time in the bathroom (sorry for the TMI).
But I've had a lot of time to think over the past several hours that I've been awake...which brings me to today:
Monday, January 11, 2009 (Day 8 - yeah, that's right, I'm still going!)
While laying in bed in severe pain last night, I realized that I have a little more fight in me. So I fell off the wagon last night. That should not entitle me to jump back into my old ways. That is all the more reason to keep going - to cleanse myself of the crap I took in yesterday. And if I don't keep going, that horrid 2-day healing crisis was a waste! Not to mention the night of abdominal suffering. Was all of that in vain?? No. I've got more fight left in me. Maybe not another 14 days, but I can promise 1 day at a time....and I can promise today. Funny, I went to bed feeling find and thinking of the food I was going to have the following day. Then, when I was feeling just awful, I decided to keep going... Strange how that worked out.
I came up with a few ideas to side step the soup. I'm definitely DONE with that. I have ideas on how to work around it, which I won't bore you all with. It won't be the same as the soup, but it will at least be SOMEthing. I have come this far and I'm not ready to give up just yet.
I weighed in this morning with a 1.8 pound loss from yesterday (probably from all the hours spend in the bathroom....again, sorry for the TMI). That's 13.8 pounds in 1 week. Is that even possible??? Yes, it is. Exactly 1 week ago today, I weighed nearly 14 pounds more than I do today. My pants are loose, my rings are loose, my watch is even so loose that I had to remove a link! My coat was even loose on me this moring - was my belly really that big that my coat was snug on me?? Apparently, cuz it hung on me this morning when some extra room in the front! I've lost 13.8 pounds from this detox in only a week! Why give up now??
I'm fully prepared for no loss or maybe even a gain tomorrow from the sodium I had yesterday. But I owe it to myself to keep going, just 1 day at a time.
I've also decided that no matter what, whether today is my last day or whether I make it the full 21 days, I'm going to be proud of myself. I will not feel bad if I don't make it to the end. I've done something good for myself and I've made it further than before. Every day is another day of success. I will be focusing on my SUCCESS and not my failures.
With all that being said, I'm still going. Again, I can only promise 1 day at a time. But I will make it through today - Day 8.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Detox Update: Days 4 - 6
Preface: Days 4 & 5 were sheer HELL! Thursday started off okay, but then the "healing crisis" hit with full force! My neck, back, and shoulders ached and I had a headache that started behind my eyeballs and went all the way to the base of my neck! It was torture! I wanted to die. I spent all of Thursday and Friday in bed, getting up only to fix my drinks and go to the bathroom. Here's how it went:
Day 4: Thursday, January 7, 2009
I woke up to another 1.4 pound loss since yesterday. This makes for a grand total of 9.2 pounds from just 3 days of detoxing! AND - the exciting news is that this is the lowest weight I've been at in 2 years!!! I am so pumped! Today, I actually FEEL a difference - my tummy feels flatter and I look slimmer in the mirror. This makes me excited and it makes me want to continue, despite the headache I woke up with today.
I bought a lot of veggies last night, so I look forward to trying another soup recipe today. I'm going to try one with sweet potatoes this time. I'm not really a fan of sweet potatoes, but I'm hoping this will help with the consistency issue. Guess I'll find out...
We had another winter storm hit last night, adding another 6 inches of snow to the 8 or 9 we already had. :\ Needless to say, school was cancelled for the rest of the week and I am working from home today. This will be a true test. So far, the day time has been relatively easy because I'm distracted when I'm at work. Being at home all day near the fridge will be a challenge, especially with Rylie upstairs eating CheezIts as we speak. Sigh... Don't worry, I'm not in the mind set to give up. This just makes it harder - more torture!
Thursday evening: I started feeling really yucky. I was weak, barely had enough strength to get up and walk to the bathroom. If I walked downstairs, I had to sit as soon as I got there. I felt light headed and just incredibly weak. I pretty much stayed in bed the rest of the day/night.
Day 5: Friday, January 8, 2009: I woke up to a raging headache...still. Barely slept the night before because I could not get comfortable. Didn't go to work again. Stayed in bed pretty much all day. Highlight of the day - another 2 pound loss, for a grand total of 11.2 pounds from the first 4 days of detox - wow!
I was in so much misery and pain that I drank some "sleepy time" tea and took some Melatonin (all natural sleep aid) hoping it would knock my ass out and I would wake up feeling better. I even took a "detoxifying bath" with epsom salt, baking soda, and essential oils - lavender, chamomile, and vanilla. This did help my muscles relax a bit. But afterward, I was completely zapped of all energy - could barely walk back to my bedroom. I was finally able to sleep for an hour, but when I woke up I still had the horrid headache. At this point, I did a big "no no," but it was this or quit the detox altogether - I took some Tylenol for my headache. Along with it, I ate 10 baby carrots so it wouldn't tear up my stomach. And for good measure...I threw in a few handfuls of cashews. Yep, guilt. But, about 45 minutes later the headache was gone and I finally felt like I could function somewhat.
Once that was all said and done, I felt a tremendous amount of guilt. Taking a medication is serious stuff when detoxing because it's basically like taking poison. It had the potential of making me really sick. I also felt bad for eating solid food. Granted, it wasn't much. But the salt on the cashews was also pretty "toxic." Oh well, what's done is done. No use beating myself up over it now. But....all I can think of is how this is how I fell off the wagon the last time I detoxed. Around days 4 and 5, I cheated by first just eating raw veggies... and then eating nuts. Then it was all down hill after that...
Day 6: Saturday, January 9, 2009: I woke up this morning headache free! Yay, I'm hoping the healing crisis has passed!!! I'm still feeling weak and tired. And I'm also wanting to kill all fast food places for their appetizing commercials. I'm craving everything under the sun right now!!! I even had dreams last night about all kinds of candy - sprees, m&m's, sixlets, taffy, skittles... I'm so ready to just be done with this! I keep rationalizing how I can quit once I reach a certain point. But at this point, it's no longer about the weight loss or even the detox...okay, maybe a little about the weight loss...but more so how strong I am mentally to do this all the way. I'm definitely struggling.
My weight only dropped .6 pounds since yesterday. I'm sure it's from the salty cashews. Darn it. Also, I got invited to a work lunch meeting for Monday and I'm trying to decide how to side step this but still be able to meet with the guy.
Saturday evening: I came very close to quitting today. I really just wanted to EAT solid food! But I talked to Randy about it and he told me to at least keep going until I run out of my supplements/drink mixes. I have at least another week's worth or so. Then I called my friend who is also doing the detox (and amazingly well, I might add) and she totally talked me through it. I am ending the day feeling stronger, empowered, and ready to battle on for at least a few more days. I can do this.
Day 4: Thursday, January 7, 2009
I woke up to another 1.4 pound loss since yesterday. This makes for a grand total of 9.2 pounds from just 3 days of detoxing! AND - the exciting news is that this is the lowest weight I've been at in 2 years!!! I am so pumped! Today, I actually FEEL a difference - my tummy feels flatter and I look slimmer in the mirror. This makes me excited and it makes me want to continue, despite the headache I woke up with today.
I bought a lot of veggies last night, so I look forward to trying another soup recipe today. I'm going to try one with sweet potatoes this time. I'm not really a fan of sweet potatoes, but I'm hoping this will help with the consistency issue. Guess I'll find out...
We had another winter storm hit last night, adding another 6 inches of snow to the 8 or 9 we already had. :\ Needless to say, school was cancelled for the rest of the week and I am working from home today. This will be a true test. So far, the day time has been relatively easy because I'm distracted when I'm at work. Being at home all day near the fridge will be a challenge, especially with Rylie upstairs eating CheezIts as we speak. Sigh... Don't worry, I'm not in the mind set to give up. This just makes it harder - more torture!
Thursday evening: I started feeling really yucky. I was weak, barely had enough strength to get up and walk to the bathroom. If I walked downstairs, I had to sit as soon as I got there. I felt light headed and just incredibly weak. I pretty much stayed in bed the rest of the day/night.
Day 5: Friday, January 8, 2009: I woke up to a raging headache...still. Barely slept the night before because I could not get comfortable. Didn't go to work again. Stayed in bed pretty much all day. Highlight of the day - another 2 pound loss, for a grand total of 11.2 pounds from the first 4 days of detox - wow!
I was in so much misery and pain that I drank some "sleepy time" tea and took some Melatonin (all natural sleep aid) hoping it would knock my ass out and I would wake up feeling better. I even took a "detoxifying bath" with epsom salt, baking soda, and essential oils - lavender, chamomile, and vanilla. This did help my muscles relax a bit. But afterward, I was completely zapped of all energy - could barely walk back to my bedroom. I was finally able to sleep for an hour, but when I woke up I still had the horrid headache. At this point, I did a big "no no," but it was this or quit the detox altogether - I took some Tylenol for my headache. Along with it, I ate 10 baby carrots so it wouldn't tear up my stomach. And for good measure...I threw in a few handfuls of cashews. Yep, guilt. But, about 45 minutes later the headache was gone and I finally felt like I could function somewhat.
Once that was all said and done, I felt a tremendous amount of guilt. Taking a medication is serious stuff when detoxing because it's basically like taking poison. It had the potential of making me really sick. I also felt bad for eating solid food. Granted, it wasn't much. But the salt on the cashews was also pretty "toxic." Oh well, what's done is done. No use beating myself up over it now. But....all I can think of is how this is how I fell off the wagon the last time I detoxed. Around days 4 and 5, I cheated by first just eating raw veggies... and then eating nuts. Then it was all down hill after that...
Day 6: Saturday, January 9, 2009: I woke up this morning headache free! Yay, I'm hoping the healing crisis has passed!!! I'm still feeling weak and tired. And I'm also wanting to kill all fast food places for their appetizing commercials. I'm craving everything under the sun right now!!! I even had dreams last night about all kinds of candy - sprees, m&m's, sixlets, taffy, skittles... I'm so ready to just be done with this! I keep rationalizing how I can quit once I reach a certain point. But at this point, it's no longer about the weight loss or even the detox...okay, maybe a little about the weight loss...but more so how strong I am mentally to do this all the way. I'm definitely struggling.
My weight only dropped .6 pounds since yesterday. I'm sure it's from the salty cashews. Darn it. Also, I got invited to a work lunch meeting for Monday and I'm trying to decide how to side step this but still be able to meet with the guy.
Saturday evening: I came very close to quitting today. I really just wanted to EAT solid food! But I talked to Randy about it and he told me to at least keep going until I run out of my supplements/drink mixes. I have at least another week's worth or so. Then I called my friend who is also doing the detox (and amazingly well, I might add) and she totally talked me through it. I am ending the day feeling stronger, empowered, and ready to battle on for at least a few more days. I can do this.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Detox Updates: Days 1 - 3
Thanks to everyone for the support. This has not been easy so far. But today is day 4 and I'm still going! Here's a log of notes I've kept for the first 3 days:
Day 1 - Monday, January 4, 2009:
The day went shockingly smooth. Never really felt hungry. Just drank water anytime I started to feel hungry. Usually by the time I started to feel a bit hungry, it was time for more herbal tea, herbal cleansing formula, and/or some type of green drink or juice.
I felt fine all day long, never really struggled. The only time I really felt a pang of hunger was at the very end of the day - at bedtime. I was hungry and wished I could have a little snack. But I went to sleep instead.
Day 2 - Tuesday, January 5, 2009:
I def woke up a bit hungry and went and gulped some iced herbal tea to help that pass.
I stepped on the scale first thing and was shocked. SHOCKED. to see a 6 pound loss from yesterday! 6 pounds!! Could this be right?? I weighed myself again, just to be sure. And then a 3rd time. Sure enough, 6 pound loss.
I am well aware that the loss will not continue this rapidly. I guarantee it was all water weight. All I did yesterday was pee. AND, I know I was retaining some water from the weekend - lots of sodium and booze holding all that water in.
So yeah....wow....6 pounds lighter today. That's just the boost I needed today to keep on going.
Tuesday evening - the evenings are always a bit of a struggle. I make it through the day just fine. But then comes the time for the "cleansing soup," which is really just a nice way of saying pureed vegetable mush. I have to admit, I'm having a hard time stomaching it. It's not so much the taste - the flavor isn't that bad. It's the consistency. Something about the grainy, mushy, warm goo that just makes my stomach churn and causes my gag reflex to kick into gear. I'm struggling to get the soup down. I also have to go upstairs when the rest of my family eats dinner. It's a challenge. And it's only day 2. Sigh...
Day 3 - Wednesday, January 6, 2009
Woke up to another 1.8 pound loss this morning, for a total of 7.8 pounds in 2 days. Not off to a bad start. Clearly the loss wasn't as great as the first day, but that's to be expected. The detox claims 21 pounds in 21 days, so that's an average of a pound a day. I'd say that 7.8 pounds in 2 days is phenomenal.
However...that's the only thing phenomenal about today. I'm just not feeling it. It's cold out - sub 0 and with a winter storm on the way. It was hard to even get out of bed this morning. I'm also aware that a "healing crisis" is on the way. This typically occurs somewhere between days 3 and 7. A healing crisis is when the toxins begin to release in the bloodstream and cause most detoxers to experience flu like symptoms - achiness, feeling groggy or sluggish, headaches, rashes, acne, high emotions, etc. It can present in many forms, and I imagine it to be somewhat close to a withdrawal that a drug addict might experience when detoxing. My body is going to be really angry with me. But I have to remember that this is going to be the worst of it and I just need to power through.
The next few days are going to be the hardest. This is what will make or break my success. I'm going to need a lot of support over the next few days.
Wednesday evening - I went to the health food store after work to pick up a few more veggies. I decided to try a soup recipe from the book, hoping it wouldn't be as nasty as the soups I've had so far. It wasn't bad actually, but again - the consistency was hard to handle. Still, it was the best I've had so far.
I made it through my 3rd full day.
Day 1 - Monday, January 4, 2009:
The day went shockingly smooth. Never really felt hungry. Just drank water anytime I started to feel hungry. Usually by the time I started to feel a bit hungry, it was time for more herbal tea, herbal cleansing formula, and/or some type of green drink or juice.
I felt fine all day long, never really struggled. The only time I really felt a pang of hunger was at the very end of the day - at bedtime. I was hungry and wished I could have a little snack. But I went to sleep instead.
Day 2 - Tuesday, January 5, 2009:
I def woke up a bit hungry and went and gulped some iced herbal tea to help that pass.
I stepped on the scale first thing and was shocked. SHOCKED. to see a 6 pound loss from yesterday! 6 pounds!! Could this be right?? I weighed myself again, just to be sure. And then a 3rd time. Sure enough, 6 pound loss.
I am well aware that the loss will not continue this rapidly. I guarantee it was all water weight. All I did yesterday was pee. AND, I know I was retaining some water from the weekend - lots of sodium and booze holding all that water in.
So yeah....wow....6 pounds lighter today. That's just the boost I needed today to keep on going.
Tuesday evening - the evenings are always a bit of a struggle. I make it through the day just fine. But then comes the time for the "cleansing soup," which is really just a nice way of saying pureed vegetable mush. I have to admit, I'm having a hard time stomaching it. It's not so much the taste - the flavor isn't that bad. It's the consistency. Something about the grainy, mushy, warm goo that just makes my stomach churn and causes my gag reflex to kick into gear. I'm struggling to get the soup down. I also have to go upstairs when the rest of my family eats dinner. It's a challenge. And it's only day 2. Sigh...
Day 3 - Wednesday, January 6, 2009
Woke up to another 1.8 pound loss this morning, for a total of 7.8 pounds in 2 days. Not off to a bad start. Clearly the loss wasn't as great as the first day, but that's to be expected. The detox claims 21 pounds in 21 days, so that's an average of a pound a day. I'd say that 7.8 pounds in 2 days is phenomenal.
However...that's the only thing phenomenal about today. I'm just not feeling it. It's cold out - sub 0 and with a winter storm on the way. It was hard to even get out of bed this morning. I'm also aware that a "healing crisis" is on the way. This typically occurs somewhere between days 3 and 7. A healing crisis is when the toxins begin to release in the bloodstream and cause most detoxers to experience flu like symptoms - achiness, feeling groggy or sluggish, headaches, rashes, acne, high emotions, etc. It can present in many forms, and I imagine it to be somewhat close to a withdrawal that a drug addict might experience when detoxing. My body is going to be really angry with me. But I have to remember that this is going to be the worst of it and I just need to power through.
The next few days are going to be the hardest. This is what will make or break my success. I'm going to need a lot of support over the next few days.
Wednesday evening - I went to the health food store after work to pick up a few more veggies. I decided to try a soup recipe from the book, hoping it wouldn't be as nasty as the soups I've had so far. It wasn't bad actually, but again - the consistency was hard to handle. Still, it was the best I've had so far.
I made it through my 3rd full day.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
I Promised Something Juicy....
...and here it is!
After spending most of 2009 committed to improving myself - training for races, staying in shape, eating right, etc....I've re-evaluated some of my goals for last year and noticed one glaring issue - my weight. My youngest child is now 16 months old, yet I'm still carrying an extra 20 pounds of baby weight! How I managed to train for endurance sports last year and not lose a single pound is beyond me. But I am dedicated to taking care of this issue first and foremost - before I even start thinking about my 2010 events. I feel that a significant weight loss will help me train better, smarter, and faster...not to mention, it will improve my overall self-esteem.
I also feel that some of the straggling weight could be due to some toxic build up in my body. Yes, I know this sounds gross. But after some research, I've come to realize that my body is full of toxins - artificial flavors, man-made materials, synthetic junk (prescription medications that the body is not designed to process), etc. So not only do I need to drop some pounds, but I also need to CLEANSE myself from the inside out.
That being said, I have decided to do the Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox. I first heard about this detox on a show about how celebrities drop weight quickly. I know, I know - dropping weight FAST isn't healthy, right?? But I was intrigued... So I bought the book "21 Pounds in 21 Days" by Dr. Roni DeLuz, the founder of the MV Diet Detox.
After spending most of 2009 committed to improving myself - training for races, staying in shape, eating right, etc....I've re-evaluated some of my goals for last year and noticed one glaring issue - my weight. My youngest child is now 16 months old, yet I'm still carrying an extra 20 pounds of baby weight! How I managed to train for endurance sports last year and not lose a single pound is beyond me. But I am dedicated to taking care of this issue first and foremost - before I even start thinking about my 2010 events. I feel that a significant weight loss will help me train better, smarter, and faster...not to mention, it will improve my overall self-esteem.
I also feel that some of the straggling weight could be due to some toxic build up in my body. Yes, I know this sounds gross. But after some research, I've come to realize that my body is full of toxins - artificial flavors, man-made materials, synthetic junk (prescription medications that the body is not designed to process), etc. So not only do I need to drop some pounds, but I also need to CLEANSE myself from the inside out.
That being said, I have decided to do the Martha's Vineyard Diet Detox. I first heard about this detox on a show about how celebrities drop weight quickly. I know, I know - dropping weight FAST isn't healthy, right?? But I was intrigued... So I bought the book "21 Pounds in 21 Days" by Dr. Roni DeLuz, the founder of the MV Diet Detox.
The book gave a lot of background information about what is "toxic" to our bodies and how toxins make us carry excess weight. The information in the book was fascinating. The book also included the instructions on how to properly do the detox, as well as testimonials from those who have completed it successfully.
This isn't a detox where you starve yourself or deprive yourself of nutrients. Ever heard of the lemon juice fast or the grapefruit diet?? Not the same thing. In fact, you take in a variety nutrients every 2 hours. This keeps your tummy full and your body well nourished. The only thing is that the nourishment is completely in liquid form for 21 days. The book explains that when your digestive system has to break down solid food, it is busy "digesting." When the nutrition it receives is already broken down, it can spend time "detoxing," ie - getting rid of the bad stuff.
During the 21 days of cleansing, a person takes in herbal cleansing supplements, digestive enzymes, herbal tea, water, green drinks, high density berry drinks, live vegetable juice (made fresh daily), and a cleansing soup made of fresh vegetables that are cooked and pureed. Everything is 100% natural and organic. If done properly, the person can lose (on average) 21 pounds in 21 days, hence the name of the book.
I am sure there are people that may argue that this is not a healthy approach to weight loss. I'm trying to look at it as more than just weight loss, but also as a way to really do something good for my body by getting rid of the toxic build up that is stored inside. I want to cleanse my body and start fresh. I'm also sure there are plenty of skeptics out there as well. And to those, I will say this: I tested this detox shortly after I had my last baby. (I will add that I was not breastfeeding at the time, as detoxing while breastfeeding is not okay - the toxins exit the body via breastmilk, among other ways, and would be ingested by the baby - so I wanted to throw that out there.) Anyway, I did the detox for 6 days and lost a total of 11 pounds that STAYED OFF.
You may be wondering why I didn't continue for the full 21 days if I saw such great results the first time around. That's a great question. I will say this - this detox is not easy. It takes a great deal of will power, as well as a strong support system. I am in the right mindset at this point in my life to give this another shot. I'm not sure if I will be able to go the full 21 days...but I am committed to TRYING. And whether I make it all the way through or not, at least I will have done something good for my body during the process.
At first I wasn't planning to blog about this. I wasn't sure what people would think. I'm sure it sounds a little insane. I also didn't want to announce that I'm doing this huge detox and then have to admit that I failed. But then I realized that blogging about it would help hold me accountable for sticking to it. So, feel free to send me words of encouragement over the next 3 weeks. ;) I also want to document the entire process...so that if it IS successfull and I decided to do it again one day, I can look back and see where I struggled so I know what I can do to make it easier for myself the next time around.
Anyway, there's the 411 on my juice cleanse/diet detox. I'll be posting updates as I go along. Don't worry, I'll spare you the gory details! ;) ...maybe.
Happy Bloggiversary To ME!
Today is my blog's 1 Year Anniversary! Wow, we've come a long ways! Just 1 year ago, I had no followers, I was simply tracking my workouts for my own benefit, and I was pumped to be running for 20 minutes on a treadmill. LOL. NOW, I have nearly 70 followers, I've written multiple race reports, including a half marathon and an olympic triathlon, and I've made soooooo many friends! I'm looking forward to what the next year of blogging brings!
On another note, I'm truly sorry it's been over a month since my last post. I'm lame, I know. But I really haven't had a lot to blog about. More on that later. BUT...be looking for something JUICY (pun intended....you'll get it later) on the horizon! I plan to be back in full force, so LOOK OUT!
Happy New Year to all! Here's looking forward to an amazing 2010!!!
On another note, I'm truly sorry it's been over a month since my last post. I'm lame, I know. But I really haven't had a lot to blog about. More on that later. BUT...be looking for something JUICY (pun intended....you'll get it later) on the horizon! I plan to be back in full force, so LOOK OUT!
Happy New Year to all! Here's looking forward to an amazing 2010!!!
Monday, November 30, 2009
Giblet Challenge 2009 - A Weekend of Throuple Love!
Okay, so I'm over a week late getting this posted, but better late than never. ;) A couple months ago, Running Dork, Running Lawyer, and I made the Giblet Jog announcement - we were all going to run the 10 Mile Turkey Trot in Wichita on the 21st and the Gobbler Grind Half Marathon in Kansas City on the 22nd. Well, please give some bloggie love to the Running Lawyer - the only one of us that actually accomplished this feat!!! Due to injuries, I down graded to the 2 mile Turkey Trot and the Gobbler Grind 5k, and Running Dork was one of the best Athletic Supporters that a group of runners could ask for!! ;)
Okay, so let me start at the beginning of the weekend. I got off work early on Friday the 20th and headed out for the 3 mile drive to the Dub. I got there around 5pm and met up with Beka at her abode. Kristen showed up a little bit later and we enjoyed an AMAZING dinner with plenty of wine and laughs. And apparently wine is my new pre-race-requisite because I ran my fastest race EVER the following morning. (PS - fastest ever for the running worm is basically faster-than-a-snail-but-still-slower-than-a-turtle.) ;)
Anyway, if this race had been a 5k, I definitely would have gone out way too fast in the first mile and then ran out of gas at the end. But since it was only 2 miles, I really pushed myself to maintain my speed. Those of that have been following my blog for awhile are aware that I've only been running for less than a year. So when I finished the race in 19 min & some change, I was SHOCKED...and excited! New PR for the Running Worm!!! And after a 2 month running hiatus (other than 3 small runs), I was pretty pumped!
There are no pics of me running this race cuz I told Beka - who was waiting at the finish line - that I wouldn't be done until 22 - 24 min, and I finished several minutes faster than expected, so she didn't have her camera ready for me. ;)
Anyway, the rest of the race was pretty painful. All I really wanted to do was stop and walk, but I knew that if I stopped, I wouldn't be able to run again. I never EVER run 2 days in a row - my body just can't handle it. So racing 2 days in a row had me in a great deal of pain. But I just powered through so I could be done. Didn't stop for water....knew if I did, my legs would refuse to run anymore after that. So I did manage to run the entire race without walking....and somehow, even though I felt like I was at snail-pace, I still managed to PR! I will say this though - this was only my 4th 5k. 2 of those I ran with a yet-to-be-diagnosed stress fracture....and a 6-year-old in tow. The other I ran in August in nearly 90 degree heat with some massive hills. My previous times weren't hard to beat - they were all slow as all get out. So yeah, there ya have it - 2 PRs in one weekend! Not to shabby for the Worm!
And just a few blocks ahead we spotted Valerie too. Cheering out the window of the car was so much fun....so fun, in fact, that we just started cheering for random names. The best was Lindsay...because some girl perked right up at the sound of her name and started waving wildly back at us and giving us the thumbs up. Ah, good times.
We then headed back to the finish line where we anticipated Runnur Mark finishing in roughly an hour and a half....and he did not disappoint.
And what would a race be without some Jazz Hands photos?? Too bad Mark scurried away before this was taken. ;)
After the race, we got cleaned up and headed out for some traditional post-race Chipotle love. Nothing quite screams "celebration of accomplishment" to me quite like a loving bowl of Chipotle - yummmmmmm!!!!
Okay, so let me start at the beginning of the weekend. I got off work early on Friday the 20th and headed out for the 3 mile drive to the Dub. I got there around 5pm and met up with Beka at her abode. Kristen showed up a little bit later and we enjoyed an AMAZING dinner with plenty of wine and laughs. And apparently wine is my new pre-race-requisite because I ran my fastest race EVER the following morning. (PS - fastest ever for the running worm is basically faster-than-a-snail-but-still-slower-than-a-turtle.) ;)
Here's a pic of the Throuple on Friday night:
I stayed the night at Kristen's house and we met Beka at the race. The start time was 9:30, which was actually kind of nice since it was pretty chilly out that morning. After a long line for the bathroom, we barely made it to the start in time for the gun.
This race was my first run in almost 3 weeks after being sick and having a lot of craziness in my life. AND, I had only ran 3 times since my last stress fracture, so I was hardly prepared for this race. I was really just there to have fun. I told Beka I anticipated finishing my 2 miles in around 22 - 24 minutes. So you can imagine my surprise when I finished my first mile in 9:30! Now I will say this - being that the race was in Kansas, it was EXTREMELY flat - no hills, barely even an incline here or there. The course was really nice - right along the river, some of it on streets, most of it on a trail, and even part that went through a grassy field - srsly. I was covered in stickers afterwards...which did not feel good when I accidentally sat back on my heels later and got some stickers in the tooshie!Anyway, if this race had been a 5k, I definitely would have gone out way too fast in the first mile and then ran out of gas at the end. But since it was only 2 miles, I really pushed myself to maintain my speed. Those of that have been following my blog for awhile are aware that I've only been running for less than a year. So when I finished the race in 19 min & some change, I was SHOCKED...and excited! New PR for the Running Worm!!! And after a 2 month running hiatus (other than 3 small runs), I was pretty pumped!
There are no pics of me running this race cuz I told Beka - who was waiting at the finish line - that I wouldn't be done until 22 - 24 min, and I finished several minutes faster than expected, so she didn't have her camera ready for me. ;)
But here is a pic of Beka & me (& Milo!) after the race...and after I changed out of my sweaty running clothes - thank goodness for Beka's ridiculously dark tinted windows so I could change in the car. ;)
We got to see Kristen run by in this trail during her 10 mile race and then we jetted over to the finish line to see her finish. She did AWESOME!!! I only aspire to run that fast one day!
After the race, Kristen and I went back to her place to shower and get cleaned up. We then met up with Beka and Kristen's mom for some yummy brunch before we headed out for the 3 hour drive up to KC. We arrived just in time to pick up our race packets. Then our friend Indi and her husband met up with us and we headed out for a tasty viewing of New Moon, followed by dinner (and drinks of course!) at California Pizza Kitchen, and some amazing gelato at a cute little gelato shop.
Here's a pic of us ladies (from left to right: Indi, Beka, Kristen, Me) at CPK:
That about wrapped up our night. Then we had to get some shut eye before the race the following morning - 8am start time!
Here's a pic of us girls before the race Sunday morning (from left to right: Katy, Valerie -who has a new bloggie of her own that you all should check out at The Coach's Wife-, Me, Kristen, Indi, Beka)
The GG started promptly at 8am and I started of just as fast as I had the day before - big mistake. I wasn't far from the end of the first mile when I felt some crazy pain in my shins and my left knee. I didn't stretch as well as I should have the day before and I was seriously just shuffling along.
Here's a pic of me during the first mile - I was still running faster at this point - notice the blur! ;)
Anyway, the rest of the race was pretty painful. All I really wanted to do was stop and walk, but I knew that if I stopped, I wouldn't be able to run again. I never EVER run 2 days in a row - my body just can't handle it. So racing 2 days in a row had me in a great deal of pain. But I just powered through so I could be done. Didn't stop for water....knew if I did, my legs would refuse to run anymore after that. So I did manage to run the entire race without walking....and somehow, even though I felt like I was at snail-pace, I still managed to PR! I will say this though - this was only my 4th 5k. 2 of those I ran with a yet-to-be-diagnosed stress fracture....and a 6-year-old in tow. The other I ran in August in nearly 90 degree heat with some massive hills. My previous times weren't hard to beat - they were all slow as all get out. So yeah, there ya have it - 2 PRs in one weekend! Not to shabby for the Worm!
After I finished the race, I could barely walk. I grabbed some chocolate milk and hobbled over to a tree where I did some much-needed stretching, which totally helped! Then Beka, Indi, Trevor (Indi's husband) and I went and drove around to try to spot our friends running the half. We were successful - first we spotted Kristen and obnoxiously yelled out the window at her....for a couple blocks. ;)
Here is a stellar pic that Indi took from the front seat featuring me and Beka hanging out the back window yelling at Kristen who is running on the left:
And just a few blocks ahead we spotted Valerie too. Cheering out the window of the car was so much fun....so fun, in fact, that we just started cheering for random names. The best was Lindsay...because some girl perked right up at the sound of her name and started waving wildly back at us and giving us the thumbs up. Ah, good times.
We then headed back to the finish line where we anticipated Runnur Mark finishing in roughly an hour and a half....and he did not disappoint.
Here's a group pic after the race (Mark, Me, Beka, Kristen, Indi):
And what would a race be without some Jazz Hands photos?? Too bad Mark scurried away before this was taken. ;)
After the race, we got cleaned up and headed out for some traditional post-race Chipotle love. Nothing quite screams "celebration of accomplishment" to me quite like a loving bowl of Chipotle - yummmmmmm!!!!
And here's a pic of us ladies after our delicious Chipotle love:
Shortly after this last pic was taken, we all parted ways...sigh. It was definitely one of the best weekends I've had in a LONG time!!! I do believe we plan to make this a tradition....with hopefully some more fun weekends together in between. These ladies are a blast - nothing beats the Throuple. Nothing. Except maybe the Throuple + Chipotle.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Happy Holidays, My Friends!
Hello, friends! I know I've been away for nearly 2 weeks - wow, has it been that long??!! Yeah, my life has been a bit crazy. Our entire family has been sick (back-to-back, with multiple illnesses), we've had a lot of unfortunate circumstances come up among several friends and co-workers, and of course we had the tragedy of losing our dog. I do want to take a moment right now to thank you all for the kind and thoughtful comments you all left on my last post. The unexpected loss of Callie has been very tough on all of us. Our Golden Retriever, Cooper, is especially having a difficult time right now. And our house definitely feels quieter and emptier. But having the love and support of so many wonderful friends has made this difficult situation a little more manageable - so a huge THANK YOU to you all!I really just wanted to take a moment to wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving! I'm working to get a post up soon (hopefully today) about last weekend - AKA the Giblet Challenge with The Throuple. But in case I'm unable to get it all finished up before the end of the day, I didn't want to miss out on an opportunity to wish you all a very happy holiday weekend! And while you're enjoying your turkey and pumpkin pie, don't forget to take a moment to reflect on the many blessings in your lives to be thankful for. I feel so truly blessed for so many gifts I have been given in my life...and that includes all the wonderful people who have brightened my life so much.
All of you out there in bloggie land really have touched my heart in so many ways this year and I truly do consider you all my friends. I am so honored to have "met" all of you this year, whether exclusively through the interwebs, or actually in person. Your comments always brighten my day - many of you have given me great advice, words of encouragement, flattering compliments, and smiles all around. Several of you have become my Facebook friends, many have become email buddies, and of course there's The Throuple (consisting of myself, Running Dork, and Running Lawyer) that has come only to exist through the magic of blogginess. Without the blogosphere to bring us all together, I would not be a part of a friendship I have found to be so special (and I mean special in sooooo many ways, lol).
Each and every one of you readers out there have had a hand in making my life just that much more meaningful this past year, so for all of you I am thankful! I hope you all have a wonderful holiday with safe travels, surrounded by the ones you love! And thank you all for being my friends! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!
Thursday, November 12, 2009
My Heart Is Heavy Today...
It wasn't that long ago that I sat in front of this very computer posting this note on Facebook about the loss of our boxer, Nikki. What a truly sad day that was for our family. Many tears were shed, memories shared, and hugs given.
Just a few weeks later, I found myself writing this note on Facebook to share the arrival of our new lab, Callie. It was a bitter sweet day. Though we shared great joy in the arrival of Callie, it was still in the back of our minds that we had lost our sweet Nikki and had it not been for that loss, we wouldn't have even been getting another dog.
Today I struggle as I sit here again, with tears streaming down my face. Less than 10 full months after her arrival to our family, our home is once again left with a very important piece of the family missing. It is with a very heavy heart that I regret to inform my friends that we have lost our dear, sweet Callie.
Last night before bed, we noticed that she was struggling to get up the stairs. Normally energetic and full of life, this was extremely out of character for her. We called her over to us and closely examined her body and noticed a very red bulge in her belly. She wasn't whining, crying, or barking...so we regretfully waited until this morning to take her to the vet. I did give her 2 benedryls to help her sleep. If only I had known what pain she was in....
Randy took her to the vet first thing this morning where they performed xrays on her and determined that she had been hit by a car. She's a frequent fence-jumper and has little regard for cars...so sadly, this was not shocking news. The vet advised that he would need to perform surgery as she had a hole in her abdomen and her bladder had fallen through the hole. He advised that there could be more damage, but he wouldn't know until he got into the surgery...but he knew he needed to move quickly.
Randy called me at work to let me know that Callie would need to stay at the vet until at least Monday to recover as the surgery was going to be very invasive. Clearly, I was concerned...but for whatever reason, I had no doubt that she would come out fine. She's a young, healthy pup and not even one fiber of my being thought for a moment that she wouldn't be okay. Afterall, she had been walking around since she was hit yesterday - she even walked herself home after it happened. And though we could see that she was struggling to get around, she never "told" us that she wasn't okay. I was 100% confident that she would return to us on Monday and our lives would go on as normal, minus another hefty vet bill.
Around 11:30 am, my work phone rang with an unfamiliar number on the caller ID. I answered and was greeted by a voice that sounded shaken and apologetic. It was our vet. He said there was a hole in Callie's abdominal wall and her bladder and intestines had fallen through. He said generally, he would take tissue from elsewhere to repair the hole, but her muscles were so torn up that there was no other tissue for him to use. He also said that her leg was so damaged that even if he was able to repair her abdomen, she would have lost her leg. I couldn't even wrap my head around this. If her leg was that badly damaged, how was she even able to walk??
I sat there, stunned, with tears pouring uncontrollably down my cheeks. I asked him what our options were, as I choked back tears. He quietly stated that there were no other options...other than to euthanize. I choked out the words "Can I come be with her before you let her go?" He said that I would need to hurry because even under anesthesia, he was unsure how much longer he could keep her alive. He said he had her clamped up and if he removed the clamp, she would bleed out.
Frazzled, I quickly shut down my computer and tried to gather my things, while sobbing hysterically. I gal a row away from me heard me crying and came over to ask if I was okay and if I needed anything. In a daze, I raced to my car. I cried the entire way down the elevator and to my car and I'm sure I made several people that passed me quite uncomfortable. Once in my car, I lost it completely. I called Randy and told him they couldn't save Callie. I could barely keep it together and knew I needed to stay calm while I drove, so I called Charren too. Somehow, by the grace of God, Charren just happened to be almost to the Broadway Bridge just as I was about to get on the Broadway Bridge and she kindly asked if I would like for her to go with me. Thank you, God, for looking over me and making sure that Charren was just where I needed her at that exact moment!
I drove as quickly as I could to the vet's office and ended up stuck behind the most ridiculously long line of backed-up traffic ever! I sobbed uncontrollably, thinking I would never make it in time to say goodbye to Callie. I feared I would walk in just moments too late. Nearly 40 minutes had passed by the time I got there and the vet had told me he wasn't sure if he could even keep her alive for 20. I bolted through the doors with red eyes and a swollen face and didn't have to say a word - they immediately took me back to Callie and handed me a box of tissues.
I spent the next 10 minutes hugging, kissing, and petting my baby girl, with tears and sobs escaping me the entire time. My heart just aches because we didn't realize the extent of her injuries. We knew something was wrong last night...she must have been hit and then walked home. She limped around, but didn't whine or bark or tell us she was in pain. We noticed some swelling and just gave her some benedryl to help her sleep so we could take her in today. :( The vet said that even if we had taken her in yesterday, it wouldn't have saved her...but I just hate that she had to suffer that long. If we would have taken her sooner, we could have ended her suffering...
The vet offered his condolences over and over and it was clear that he was having a hard time with the loss as well. The lady from the front desk told us he was taking it very hard, and it was clear to see the pain in his eyes.
The hardest part is yet to come. Rylie will be home from school in just a few minutes and I dread breaking the news to her. Then we will all head over to Randy's grandparents' house to bury Callie next to Nikki and Max.
Nothing can ever really prepare one for any type of loss. Being through it already doesn't make the next time any easier. Today's loss was completely unexpected. Nothing could have prepared me for this. I left for work this morning knowing she was hurt, but truly thinking that everything would be fine. Each time I finally get myself under control, I start to cry again. Our family feels incomplete and I just keep hugging Cooper, knowing that once he realizes Callie isn't coming back, he's going to have a really tough time.
We will all miss our little Cal Bell very dearly. If you have pets, please make sure to give them some extra love today...and every day. You never know if that day will be their last...
Just a few weeks later, I found myself writing this note on Facebook to share the arrival of our new lab, Callie. It was a bitter sweet day. Though we shared great joy in the arrival of Callie, it was still in the back of our minds that we had lost our sweet Nikki and had it not been for that loss, we wouldn't have even been getting another dog.
Today I struggle as I sit here again, with tears streaming down my face. Less than 10 full months after her arrival to our family, our home is once again left with a very important piece of the family missing. It is with a very heavy heart that I regret to inform my friends that we have lost our dear, sweet Callie.
Last night before bed, we noticed that she was struggling to get up the stairs. Normally energetic and full of life, this was extremely out of character for her. We called her over to us and closely examined her body and noticed a very red bulge in her belly. She wasn't whining, crying, or barking...so we regretfully waited until this morning to take her to the vet. I did give her 2 benedryls to help her sleep. If only I had known what pain she was in....
Randy took her to the vet first thing this morning where they performed xrays on her and determined that she had been hit by a car. She's a frequent fence-jumper and has little regard for cars...so sadly, this was not shocking news. The vet advised that he would need to perform surgery as she had a hole in her abdomen and her bladder had fallen through the hole. He advised that there could be more damage, but he wouldn't know until he got into the surgery...but he knew he needed to move quickly.
Randy called me at work to let me know that Callie would need to stay at the vet until at least Monday to recover as the surgery was going to be very invasive. Clearly, I was concerned...but for whatever reason, I had no doubt that she would come out fine. She's a young, healthy pup and not even one fiber of my being thought for a moment that she wouldn't be okay. Afterall, she had been walking around since she was hit yesterday - she even walked herself home after it happened. And though we could see that she was struggling to get around, she never "told" us that she wasn't okay. I was 100% confident that she would return to us on Monday and our lives would go on as normal, minus another hefty vet bill.
Around 11:30 am, my work phone rang with an unfamiliar number on the caller ID. I answered and was greeted by a voice that sounded shaken and apologetic. It was our vet. He said there was a hole in Callie's abdominal wall and her bladder and intestines had fallen through. He said generally, he would take tissue from elsewhere to repair the hole, but her muscles were so torn up that there was no other tissue for him to use. He also said that her leg was so damaged that even if he was able to repair her abdomen, she would have lost her leg. I couldn't even wrap my head around this. If her leg was that badly damaged, how was she even able to walk??
I sat there, stunned, with tears pouring uncontrollably down my cheeks. I asked him what our options were, as I choked back tears. He quietly stated that there were no other options...other than to euthanize. I choked out the words "Can I come be with her before you let her go?" He said that I would need to hurry because even under anesthesia, he was unsure how much longer he could keep her alive. He said he had her clamped up and if he removed the clamp, she would bleed out.
Frazzled, I quickly shut down my computer and tried to gather my things, while sobbing hysterically. I gal a row away from me heard me crying and came over to ask if I was okay and if I needed anything. In a daze, I raced to my car. I cried the entire way down the elevator and to my car and I'm sure I made several people that passed me quite uncomfortable. Once in my car, I lost it completely. I called Randy and told him they couldn't save Callie. I could barely keep it together and knew I needed to stay calm while I drove, so I called Charren too. Somehow, by the grace of God, Charren just happened to be almost to the Broadway Bridge just as I was about to get on the Broadway Bridge and she kindly asked if I would like for her to go with me. Thank you, God, for looking over me and making sure that Charren was just where I needed her at that exact moment!
I drove as quickly as I could to the vet's office and ended up stuck behind the most ridiculously long line of backed-up traffic ever! I sobbed uncontrollably, thinking I would never make it in time to say goodbye to Callie. I feared I would walk in just moments too late. Nearly 40 minutes had passed by the time I got there and the vet had told me he wasn't sure if he could even keep her alive for 20. I bolted through the doors with red eyes and a swollen face and didn't have to say a word - they immediately took me back to Callie and handed me a box of tissues.
I spent the next 10 minutes hugging, kissing, and petting my baby girl, with tears and sobs escaping me the entire time. My heart just aches because we didn't realize the extent of her injuries. We knew something was wrong last night...she must have been hit and then walked home. She limped around, but didn't whine or bark or tell us she was in pain. We noticed some swelling and just gave her some benedryl to help her sleep so we could take her in today. :( The vet said that even if we had taken her in yesterday, it wouldn't have saved her...but I just hate that she had to suffer that long. If we would have taken her sooner, we could have ended her suffering...
The vet offered his condolences over and over and it was clear that he was having a hard time with the loss as well. The lady from the front desk told us he was taking it very hard, and it was clear to see the pain in his eyes.
The hardest part is yet to come. Rylie will be home from school in just a few minutes and I dread breaking the news to her. Then we will all head over to Randy's grandparents' house to bury Callie next to Nikki and Max.
Nothing can ever really prepare one for any type of loss. Being through it already doesn't make the next time any easier. Today's loss was completely unexpected. Nothing could have prepared me for this. I left for work this morning knowing she was hurt, but truly thinking that everything would be fine. Each time I finally get myself under control, I start to cry again. Our family feels incomplete and I just keep hugging Cooper, knowing that once he realizes Callie isn't coming back, he's going to have a really tough time.
We will all miss our little Cal Bell very dearly. If you have pets, please make sure to give them some extra love today...and every day. You never know if that day will be their last...
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Back In The Groove
Yesterday was a pretty good workout day, esp considering yesterday was MONDAY! I got in a quick 3 mile run right after work. Well, technically, I ran the first 2.5 and walked the last .5 with Rylie when she got of the bus from school (I got off to a late start). I stretched really well and then I went ahead and did P90X Core Synergistics. Let's just say I'm pretty sore today...but it's a good sore. Ah, I miss this feeling. ;)
Tonight I'm getting a third MRI on my neck since '05. My doctor has been treating me for neck issues since my last car wreck back in February and things just aren't getting better. I've been through a third round of physical therapy, I've taken steriods, and I refuse to get another round of cortisone injections. I had 3 back in '05. I was pain free for about 6 weeks...but the side effects (horrible acne and a 30 pound weight gain) lasted for nearly a year! NEVER. again. I hate getting MRIs. I hate having to hold completely still for 45 min - an hour while they take all the pictures. I usually end up having muscle spasms and it takes way longer than it is supposed to. And I have a feeling this MRI isn't going to be a whole lot different than the others. Sigh....
Well, I hope everyone is having a great week. Oh, and if you want to read a really BAD ASS race report, check out my buddy John's race report from the Beach 2 Battleship 2009 Half Ironman here - nothing short of amazing! Way to go, John!!
Monday, November 9, 2009: 3 mile run, P90X Core Synergistics
Tonight I'm getting a third MRI on my neck since '05. My doctor has been treating me for neck issues since my last car wreck back in February and things just aren't getting better. I've been through a third round of physical therapy, I've taken steriods, and I refuse to get another round of cortisone injections. I had 3 back in '05. I was pain free for about 6 weeks...but the side effects (horrible acne and a 30 pound weight gain) lasted for nearly a year! NEVER. again. I hate getting MRIs. I hate having to hold completely still for 45 min - an hour while they take all the pictures. I usually end up having muscle spasms and it takes way longer than it is supposed to. And I have a feeling this MRI isn't going to be a whole lot different than the others. Sigh....
Well, I hope everyone is having a great week. Oh, and if you want to read a really BAD ASS race report, check out my buddy John's race report from the Beach 2 Battleship 2009 Half Ironman here - nothing short of amazing! Way to go, John!!
Monday, November 9, 2009: 3 mile run, P90X Core Synergistics
Monday, November 9, 2009
A Give Away I Can Get On Board With!!!
Hey bloggies, if you would like a chance to win a Box O Goddies, click here for a chance to win 12 Peanut Butter Clif Bars (BEST flavor ever!!), 10 Clif Kids Mixed Berry Twisted Fruit Sticks (who doesn't love chewy, fruity goodness?!) and a Headsweats Supervisor. You can't beat that with a stick! All courtesy of The Daily Cadence. Check it out!
Back In The Saddle...
Literally. Yesterday I took my bike out for a ride for the first time in a month! I hit the trails at Smithville Lake with my riding buddies, Mike & Kathy and put just over 31 miles on the bike - wow! Not bad for my first ride back in a month! It was such a gorgeous day out yesterday, despite a bit of wind. It was just so great to be outside, enjoying the beautiful fall weather. I'm feeling pretty good today, other than some tightness in my shoulders/neck from being on the bike for 3 hours. Oh yeah, and the tooshie is a little tender as well. ;)
Well, as I mentioned in my last post, I haven't had many workouts to blog about in awhile. Well, after my triathlon and 10k in September, I started to train for the Giblet Challenge and it wasn't long before I started to feel a very familiar pain in my left leg. That's right...stress fracture #2 of the year. :\ It was a disappointing blow, but I knew I needed to take some time off so I could heal properly. And my "time off," I don't just mean time off from running....but I ended up taking time off of everything. That wasn't really my intention...but laziness (and self pity) got in the way. Basically, I haven't swam since Nations Tri and I've only been on my bike 3 times (including yesterday). I really didn't workout in October other than a short bike ride and a few times that I lifted weights at home. Nothing really worth mentioning....so I'm not even posting my "October totals," since there's really nothing to post.
Anyway, I'm determined to get myself back in gear. I managed to gain about 7 pounds during my trip to Mexico last month...sigh. And with the holidays coming up, I really need to focus on keeping myself from gaining any more weight. Last week I started running again and this week I plan to start back up with P90X. So...if you notice a bloggie hiatus and think I'm not working out again, you're probably right...so feel free to leave me a comment reminding me to get off my lazy @$$ and get into shape! ;)
Here are my workouts from the past week:
Tuesday, November 3, 2009: 3.2 mile run
Wednesday, November 4, 2009: weights - bicepts, triceps, hamstrings, shoulders
Friday, November 6, 2009: 2.5 mile run
Sunday, November 8, 2009: 31.1 mile bike ride
Hopefully I can stay on track! Oh, and I would like to give a shout out to my darling daughter Rylie, who placed 3rd in the All Around at her gymnastics meet on Saturday! She took home 4th on beam and bars, 2nd on floor, and 1st on vault!!! I could not be more proud! :)
Have a great week, everyone!
Well, as I mentioned in my last post, I haven't had many workouts to blog about in awhile. Well, after my triathlon and 10k in September, I started to train for the Giblet Challenge and it wasn't long before I started to feel a very familiar pain in my left leg. That's right...stress fracture #2 of the year. :\ It was a disappointing blow, but I knew I needed to take some time off so I could heal properly. And my "time off," I don't just mean time off from running....but I ended up taking time off of everything. That wasn't really my intention...but laziness (and self pity) got in the way. Basically, I haven't swam since Nations Tri and I've only been on my bike 3 times (including yesterday). I really didn't workout in October other than a short bike ride and a few times that I lifted weights at home. Nothing really worth mentioning....so I'm not even posting my "October totals," since there's really nothing to post.
Anyway, I'm determined to get myself back in gear. I managed to gain about 7 pounds during my trip to Mexico last month...sigh. And with the holidays coming up, I really need to focus on keeping myself from gaining any more weight. Last week I started running again and this week I plan to start back up with P90X. So...if you notice a bloggie hiatus and think I'm not working out again, you're probably right...so feel free to leave me a comment reminding me to get off my lazy @$$ and get into shape! ;)
Here are my workouts from the past week:
Tuesday, November 3, 2009: 3.2 mile run
Wednesday, November 4, 2009: weights - bicepts, triceps, hamstrings, shoulders
Friday, November 6, 2009: 2.5 mile run
Sunday, November 8, 2009: 31.1 mile bike ride
Hopefully I can stay on track! Oh, and I would like to give a shout out to my darling daughter Rylie, who placed 3rd in the All Around at her gymnastics meet on Saturday! She took home 4th on beam and bars, 2nd on floor, and 1st on vault!!! I could not be more proud! :)
Have a great week, everyone!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Hello for Now! ...More on the way!
Hello, friends! First of all, I've noticed several new followers over the past month - welcome!!! I hope you're not disappointed in what you've seen so far....my so-called "fitness" blog has been lacking in the fitness department lately. And there is a perfectly good explanation for that, which I will post about later. Kind of a long story, but I'll try to give you the condensed version.
Life has been pretty busy lately. Between work, vacation, gymnastics meets, and weddings, I haven't had much time for posting in the bloggie blog...and I apologize. I have lots to catch up on. I'll get there...eventually. ;)
Until then, I want to wish everyone a very happy Friday! I also want to wish a very special Someone a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Please stop by Erin's blog at Dancing Sweet Pea and give her some birthday love!!
Also, with winter quickly approaching - snow/sleet/darker evening hours - many of us may find ourselves running outside less and less and spending more and more time on the treadmill. Running inside is not always my first choice, but often times a necessary evil. Well, my new friend Ana introduced me to a site that many of you may find interesting: Treadmill Reviews. Here you will find reviews on ALL TYPES of treadmills (srsly, there's a buttload of reviews!), as well as some other fun links and info - check it out!
Have a great weekend, everyone! Hopefully next week I'll be back to my old bloggin' self! ;)
Life has been pretty busy lately. Between work, vacation, gymnastics meets, and weddings, I haven't had much time for posting in the bloggie blog...and I apologize. I have lots to catch up on. I'll get there...eventually. ;)
Until then, I want to wish everyone a very happy Friday! I also want to wish a very special Someone a HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! Please stop by Erin's blog at Dancing Sweet Pea and give her some birthday love!!
Also, with winter quickly approaching - snow/sleet/darker evening hours - many of us may find ourselves running outside less and less and spending more and more time on the treadmill. Running inside is not always my first choice, but often times a necessary evil. Well, my new friend Ana introduced me to a site that many of you may find interesting: Treadmill Reviews. Here you will find reviews on ALL TYPES of treadmills (srsly, there's a buttload of reviews!), as well as some other fun links and info - check it out!
Have a great weekend, everyone! Hopefully next week I'll be back to my old bloggin' self! ;)
Friday, October 30, 2009
Foto Friday - Running Dork & Running Worm - LOOK OUT!!!!
The time has come!!! Yes, it's been a few months...perhaps it was laziness that prevented me from posting these pics sooner...perhaps it was the fear that Fair Weather Runner, whom I refer to as The Running Dork might kick my @$$ for posting them...or perhaps it was my concern that the world just isn't fully ready for the pure awesomeness of a "Couple from the Throuple" together in the same place at one time! Yes, that must be it! So...brace yourselves, bloggies! Because this is just a tiny bit of preparation before ALL 3 members of the Throuple unite in just 3 short weeks for the Giblet Jog Challenge 2009! That's right - the world may implode with awesomeness, cuz we are Just.That.Awesome.!!!
Okay, here's a pic of Miss Fair Weather Runner herself & me, just moments after she invited me to her hotel room - yes, that really happened!!
We were SO EXCITED to finally meet each other - can you tell??? ;)
We *heart* each other.
A few drinks into the night, we started to get a little silly - can you believe it?? (Notice I'm doing "gag me with a spoon" in the back ground, LOL!)
In case you're wondering, we're simulating "running" with our fingers. Yep. Told ya. Awesomeness. No doubt about it.
And here, we're actually pretending to run. You can't see the arms pumping, but I'm sure it was quite a sight. I wonder if I actually make that face when I run??
And in this last photo....I'm not really sure what's going on. And it's apparent that I didn't know at the time either. ;) Ah, good times.
Well, that's about 7 of the 30ish pics taken that night. Sigh...if only I had pics of The Running Lawyer from when we met for breakfast a few weeks back.
Okay, carry on with your Friday. I hope everyone has a spooktacular weekend!! :)
Thursday, October 29, 2009
I Was Tagged!
I was tagged by my dear friend Erin at Dancing Sweet Pea!
Instructions are to copy these 35 questions and fill them in with the answers that suit you then pass it on to 6 favorite bloggers (notify them that you've given them an award!)35
Questions:
1)Where is your cell phone? in my purse in my desk drawar
2)Your hair? blonde with loose curls today
3)Your mother? is amazing
4)Your father? a lot of fun
5)Your favorite food? sushi, chipotle burrito bowls
6)Your dream last night? something only I would dream...
7)Your favorite drink? water, crystal light, frozen margs
8)Your dream/goal? IRONMAN!
9)What room are you in? my cubicle at work
10)Your hobby? triathlon-ing, internetting, blogging, drinking, acting a fool
11)Your fear? failure
12)Where do you want to be in 6 years? somewhere WARM
13)Where were you last night? At home
14)Something that you aren't? emotionally stable (lol)
15)Muffins? yummy!
16)Wish list item? new house, another vacation, and that my kiddos don't get the swine flu!
17)Where did you grow up? Emporia, KS
18)Last thing you did? Talked to my desk partner about the flu
19)What are you wearing? Black pants and a charcoal colored sweaterd
20)Your t.v.? needs to be bigger
21)Your pets? are the best pets in the world!
22)Friends? mean the world to me
23)Your life? is crazy!
24)Your mood? stressed
25)Missing someone? since Sept 12, 2005...
26)Vehicle? an old Pathfinder that needs upgraded
27)Something you're not wearing? glasses
28)Your favorite store? Maurices
29)Favorite color? Pink!
30)Last time you laughed? this morning
31)Last time you cried? a week ago
32)Best friend? I have too many...oldest is Melissa (AKA The Militia)
33)One place that I go to over and over? the lake!
34)One person who emails me regularly? The Throuple (Running Lawyer & Running Dork)
35)Favorite place to eat? Chipotle, Kona Grille
Six people I will pass this on to:
The Running Dork
The Running Lawyer
Lindsay @ Chasing The Kenyans
Heather @ RUN FASTER MOMMY!
Jamie @ Sweaty Hugs
Jess @ All Things Creative
Monday, October 26, 2009
Hearts to my Homies!
Check it out - I returned from my amazing trip to Mexico to find a gift from my girl Beka the Running Dork - notice a new masthead, anyone?? Niiiiiiiiiice, eh?? Me gusto mucho!!!!! :)
Friday, October 16, 2009
Peace Out....I'm Off To Mexico!!!
Okay, I know I've been away for nearly 2 weeks. I've had a lot going on, including jury duty this week (I'll spare you the details) and some other stuff that I'm not quite ready to disclose to the blogosphere just yet. And - I'm sorry to disappoint you - but I'm going to be away for at least another 10 days or more. At this time tomorrow I will be on a plane on my way to a MUCH NEEDED vacation with my husbie to celebrate 5 years of married bliss. Might I add that we have not taken a trip together since our honeymoon, so YES - much needed!!!! Here is the resort we'll be staying at in Mazatlan:
I'm so ready to put all my stress and worries on hold for a week as I relax in the sun, drink cocktails, and enjoy some incredible food. I will miss you all dearly...but I'll post some fun-filled pics when I return. Have a great week next week, everyone! Muah!
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