I am a runner

(and one milestone hit)

So the last time I posted was last week, literally 11 minutes before the first explosion rocked Boston. I have thought several times about posting about the events of that day and the effect they had on me. I've talked to several people about it and posted some things on my feelings about it on Facebook. At this point I don't know that I really have anything else in me to say about it. It hit me hard and made me think but I have used it to drive me forward. Until last Monday, I was struggling to get back into running regularly. I was trying to do different things but it was just hard to get back into the groove. Last Monday, just before midnight, the emotions of the day caught up with me and I had to do something.

I decided to go for a run because it was on my schedule and I felt like it was the right thing to do. I was worried about the run because the run intervals were longer than I had been doing. It was the longest intervals I have done in a while since I found that 1/1 intervals felt right. With my birthday goal of running 30 minutes straight, I have to start increasing bit by bit. But I still had to do something so I went out for my scheduled workout with low expectations. I was shocked by the end when I felt really good and had a better pace than I expected. I've stuck with the workouts the past week and only missed one run. I was going to make it up on Saturday but Mac did the Tough Mudder and I got a workout in trying to run from obstacle to obstacle to see him. The terrain was rough and I got burnt so I was in no shape to run once we got home. Sunday night, I picked up where I had left off and the last few runs have been so much better than I expected.

It is crazy how much better shape I am in since I tried the WW 5K plan two years ago. Even though I haven't run regularly since the Princess and even though I skipped the first week(1/1:30 intervals) I have been doing really well. I am shocked at how fast I walk now. I am also shocked that I have been able to hold a pretty consistent pace even for the longer intervals. Yesterday and tonight's intervals were 5/3 and I was terrified but I made it through both workouts and felt good at the end. I am starting to realize how much I have really learned the last few years. I know that these days I am MUCH better hydrated and I am fueling my body better. I don't eat much crap anymore and for the last month I have cut out wheat. I still eat carbs but I just don't eat wheat.(I'm planning to indulge a little for my birthday but I am trying to stay away from it until then.)  I'm trying to eat more vegetables and lots of lean meats and my body has been responding very well to that. I don't cramp up during the longer run intervals like I used to and I don't feel like my stomach is so heavy or slowing me down if we have to eat later thanks to Mac working late. The added bonus is that I am starting to see more consistent results on the scale.

That brings me to the milestone that I hit. You already know what it is because I moved my weight tracker banner to the top of the page. I did that because I have officially lost over 50 POUNDS since I started. It hasn't been an easy road and the numbers have gone up and down. (The actual total lost is probably closer to 60 or 70 if you count the times my weight went back up and I had to lose that weight again.) But I have finally hit the 50 lbs mark in my journey. I can't believe that I am finally there and that I have made it this far. I still have a long way to go but I am feeling so much more confident that I can do it now. Everything seems to be clicking into place(for now). I know that I will probably hit a few more road blocks and there are probably a few plateaus in my future but I am finally starting to believe that I can push through those and see a real difference one day.


Funny story side note:
Last week when I posted about the milestones, I was at 49 pounds lost. After I posted, I worried that maybe I had jinxed myself since that had happened before. Two days later, I needed to weigh-in for a new dietbet and the scale said I had gained 4 pounds. I was pissed but I wasn't really shocked since I had "talked" about it just a few days before. The more I thought about it, the less sense it made so I finally decided to buy a new scale. I had been contemplating it but hadn't done it yet. Well, I got the new scale home and decided to compare them. I hopped on the old one, it still said the higher weight. I stepped off of the old one and on to the new one and the new one said I had lost 1 1/2 pounds.(50 total) I decided to wait until this week to post about it to make sure that it "stuck" but I am happy to say I have finally hit the 50 pound mark even though my old scale tried to scare the crap out of me and tell me I was going the wrong way again.

Milestones

So I'm getting pretty close to two different milestones. One will be reached VERY soon if I stay on track, the other will take a few more weeks but won't be long. Both are dependent on me staying on track though. The last week or so has been really good. I have switched up my eating a little in hopes of helping with my allergy/hives/itching troubles and that has helped me lose weight a little faster recently. I'm still having a hard time getting back into a real routine with running but I am trying. I've decided to go back to the Weight Watchers 5K plan. I like that it is a 6 week program and I like the way they handle the increases.

I'm hopeful and very encouraged by the things I have seen lately. I am feeling like I can do this again. There have been lots of ups and downs but so far in 2013, I have been pretty well on track and I have seen some really good changes in the numbers. Hopefully I can keep it up and finally find the new me this year.

Running Again

So I am just now trying to get back to running regularly. I haven't done it much since I finished the Princess. I have gone for a run here or there but I have not stuck to a schedule like I should. I have decided to basically start over, haha. I am doing another 5K training program. I found a new one that I am trying so far but it starts off similarly to the Weight Watchers 5K plan that I ran in 2011. I am toying with which one I am going to stick with. My goal is not really to run a 5K any differently than I already do but I want to be able to work up to running 30 minutes straight. I think that will help me on the run intervals during races. I will be able to run those intervals at a better pace, recover quicker on my walk intervals and be able to stick with my interval plan for longer. As it is, After a few miles, I typically have to start walking more. I want to be able to keep my intervals steady for longer.

Once I can run 30 minutes straight, I will run the 30 minute short runs during the week on the Galloway training and then do my intervals for the long runs. I am one of those people that 30 minutes does NOT mean 3 miles for me. I am slow. If I am lucky, with straight running 30 minutes MAY mean 2 miles. But once I start doing intervals at races, my pace will be faster. I am currently planning on doing my first full 30 minute run on my 30th birthday. I thought it would be a fitting time to hit a few milestones together.

Anyway, I'll let you all know how it goes and which training plan I decide to use.

New experiences

Today I took a friend up on her offer to join her for a crossfit workout. The first time was free so it was a good way to test the waters without committing. I was nervous but excited. I like some of the things that crossfit has to offer but I have been turned off to trying it in the past because of how fanatical and intense some people can be about it. There are free crossfit classes on post but there are typically 100-200 people there and it is full of insanely fit soldiers and people who take it way too seriously. I've been wanting to find a way to really work on my strength but I have also been wanting something that gets me out of the house and around people. I spend so much time home alone that the last thing I want to do is workout at home and alone. 

When Danielle told me about the workouts she went to, it sounded more my speed. Typically only 4-10 women of all shapes and sizes. They let you visit the first workout for free to try it out so I decided to take the plunge. I was scared but also excited. Getting up earlier was hard but that's something else I need to start working on , too.  Julie was great. She modified the workout for me and checked on me to make sure I was getting the form. Today wasn't too extreme of a workout but it was still really tough. I was very quickly reminded of how little upper body strength I have. I definitely felt it and I am sure I will be feeling it again tomorrow. 

If I decide to continue I have two options of how to do it. One is to join the GetFit program that the trainer works for and the other is to join the country club where this morning's workout was held. If I join GetFit , I would have access to all of their workouts both at the country club and at the head trainers home. The other option of joining the country club gives me access to all of their classes and facilities not just crossfit. They have a TRX class as well as yoga  and several other options. I would also be able to use the pool there. I know I have access to free pools on post but in the 5 years we have been here, I have never been to them. I am not a fan of the crowds, especially if I want to swim laps and being in a bathing suit in front of a bunch of people is never fun. Danielle told me the Peloton pool is always very quiet and it is very easy to find times to go when there is no one there. I also like that it is a salt water pool. Right now I am seriously leaning towards joining Peloton. I will discuss it with the manager next week but I think there is an offer for a free 30 day membership which would be awesome. That way I could try everything out and make sure that I think it would be worth it. In the end, the monthly fees are only about $15 different, so I could pay a little more and have so many other opportunities. Right now they are only doing crossfit on Tues and Thurs, but starting next week they are adding Mon and Wed workouts too, so I could still get in several crossfit workouts. I'm excited about the possibilities but still a little scared. I've been hiding at home for so long , it will take a little while to get used to it. 

Today was also the first day I have been wearing my new BodyMedia Fit armband. So far, I am really liking it. Since you can link your BM account with a myfittnesspal account, I have also been playing with my MFP app more and I am finding that it is really great and makes tracking my food so much easier than I thought it would be thanks to the barcode scanner. Being able to see how much I burned during this mornings workout and how that compares to waht I am eating is really cool. I think it is really going to help me to start seeing more results. I'm planning on doing a more in depth review of the armband after I have been using it for at least a week or two instead of just a few hours. 

I'm really excited and encouraged by the things I am seeing ahead of me. I just hope that I can really start moving forward again and keep it going this time.  

Getting back to it

The last few weeks have been a little crazy and I have hit a wall with my weight loss. After all of the doctor craziness I took a little break from caring. Unfortunately, that lasted longer than I wanted so now I am trying to kick my butt back into gear.

One thing that has helped since the beginning of the year is the discovery of DietBet. I have participated in several and "won" most of them. (Winning just requires hitting your goal. Everyone that hits their goal wins and splits the pot) Next week I will lose the one I started right after the Princess. Ever since the race I haven't really been working out or watching what I eat like I should. The first few bets I did had a very low buy in of just $10. The first one that I did, I won $20. An extra $10 is great but it's not a lot and losing $10 isn't as much of a motivation to work really hard which is probably why I lost the second $10 bet. A few weeks into the second bet, I knew it wasn't motivating me enough so I joined a $50 bet. I knew I didn't want to lose that $50 so I was sure to work really hard. I did and I won $75. The bet I am going to lose next week was a $35 bet. It sucks knowing that I am going to be losing money and I don't want to do that again. Instead of giving up though, I am joining a new bet.

I have a goal that I want to hit by my birthday. If I join this bet and then another immediately following, they will end right before my birthday. I wanted to make sure I was motivated so I found another $50 bet that started today. I usually try to join them earlier than that but I needed the bet to start TODAY for me to have the second end on time. It is the smallest group I have joined before. Currently there are only 3 players. I am hoping a few of my friends and followers may want to join us though. As long as you weigh in today or tomorrow you will still have the full 4 weeks to hit your 4% goal.(You can join as late as day 14 but you still have to lose 4% with a lot less time to do it.) To join, all you have to do is follow this link (or click on the image below) and click on join. You will create an account for the site, give them your payment info and then it will ask you to weigh-in. To weigh in, they give you a code word that you write on an index card or piece of paper and place on the floor next to your scale. Then you weigh yourself and take a picture of your feet, weight and code word. Then use a full length mirror or have someone else take a picture of you on the scale in what they call "airport security attire". Basically what they mean is no shoes, belt or anything in your pockets. They don't want people to cheat by trying to weigh themselves down at the start. Then you upload these pics and start working on your goal. You can weigh in during the bet to track your progress by simply entering it on the site. You only have to do the photo verification at the beginning and the end. Final weigh-in for this bet is April 22-23. Once the bet ends, you have 48 hours to submit your final weigh in. Then they are all verified and you find out how much you've won. Then you can use Paypal to transfer your winnings into your bank account or leave them as credit on DietBet for more bets.

Please consider joining me if you can. It is a great way to motivate yourself and work towards your goals. It's basically like setting aside some cash that you are only allowed to spend once you hit your goals. 4% in 4 weeks is a very good goal. It's not unreasonable but it is also not necessarily easy. You will have to work and you will have to watch what you eat but if you do, you will be rewarded in the end.

Upside Down and Rightside Up Again

In a recent post I talked about my trip to the ER due to an allergic reaction and then later having blood drawn for a screening. Well, a few days later I returned to see my PCM(primary care manager) and she told me the results of the screening. I am highly allergic to grass(which I knew) and wheat. The wheat did not cause my hives which I knew because I have been eating wheat well, forever and never had hives, but that having wheat in my system left me vulnerable to whatever did cause the hives. She referred me to the allergy clinic on post and told me I had to stop eating wheat completely because I was so reactive that once it was out of my system, even a small amount could have me reaching for my epi pen. She also told me that there was a chance I was allergic to all or most grains so I should be very careful.

I was totally freaked out and in a panic. I wasn't sure what to do but my world was turned upside down. I got this news just a week before we were set to leave for Disney and all I could think of was how horrible it would be if I needed to find an ER in Orlando because I accidentally had wheat. I decided to go against what she said and keep wheat in my system at least until Disney so that I wouldn't have as much to worry about. It didn't really help though. I became so paranoid about all foods that I had a hard time eating. We went out and bought all kinds of gluten free and wheat free foods but I was still afraid that I was allergic to other grains too. I made sure to eat a little wheat each day to keep it in me but it got harder to do.

Once we got to Disney I was convinced it was getting worse so I decided to stop eating wheat while we were there. This really made it easier in a lot of ways. Disney is AMAZING when it comes to allergies and every where I went, the chef came out to speak to me before the meals to let me know what they could do for my wheat allergy. The only time I had planned on eating normally was our traditional last meal before the race. We had reservations for Via Napoli and I was planning on still eating pizza the night before. I've done it for every Disney race and it is my absolute favorite pizza in the world. I wasn't going to eat the outer crust but I figured the actual pizza part should be fine because the crust is so thin. When we got to the restaurant I started second guessing myself. I was thinking back on every time I had eaten wheat over the past week and realized that each time, I had an upset stomach after. I was afraid that this was due to my allergy and I was scared that if I ate the pizza, I may get sick during the race. I finally decided not to eat it.

Sitting there that evening was TORTURE. There we were in my favorite restaurant with everyone around me eating my favorite dish and I couldn't have any of it. Once we left I had to find somewhere to eat. We finally decided to head to the Land pavilion and try their quick service food court since everything there is all natural. We stopped for a quick potty break in Morocco and I lost it. I started bawling and I couldn't stop. I was just so afraid of food that I didn't want to eat anything but I knew I had to eat for the race the next day. I was so overwhelmed with everything that I had been told and that had been going on I just couldn't take it anymore. I finally calmed down and we made it to the Land. I found out that the grill there serves only gluten free items so I got a pork chop and some white rice for dinner. It was very good but I was still nervous. I did not eat any more wheat for the rest of the trip.

Today was my appointment at the Allergy Clinic. I arrived and met a very nice PA that took me back to discuss what had been going on. I mentioned the blood test and he said, "Let me stop you there. You aren't allergic to wheat. Now go on." I was FLOORED. I was so overwhelmed and relieved that I started crying. I explain to him how scared I had been since she told me that and he explained that she should have never done the blood test because she didn't do all of the screenings that she should and she misread my results. Some how she mixed up my wheat and Bermuda grass results. He showed me the results on the screen and what she told me was a 5 was actually a .65. The 5 reaction was for bermuda grass along with my two 8 reactions for two other types of grass. I am highly allergic to GRASS and that's it.

Well, that's not completely it because there is something that has caused the hives. He said that I may be right and it may be red 40 but there is also a good chance that it is one of several preservatives. He is testing for all of them in the blood panel he ordered after my visit. I will go back in two weeks for the results but he told me to just keep doing what I had been doing with avoiding processed foods and I should be fine. When we were done he told me to go home and eat some pasta. I had to laugh.

I was relieved, happy, pissed and annoyed. How could someone be so careless and say and do something to scare someone as badly as that woman did to me. Looking back now I know that all of those upset stomachs were caused by my anxiety over the fact that I had eaten wheat. I have always had a nervous stomach so all I had to do was focus on it too much and I made myself sick every time. All I really want right now is to have a do over of our trip so I can have my pizza and be happy and not worrying every second of every day.

I have been so scared of food that I told Mac the other day that our meals were going to become just grilled chicken and broccoli so I could eat and not be afraid. We had chili last night made from a gluten free mix and I still worried all night about it. I didn't sleep well at all and had nightmares all night because I was so scared of what I was going to find out at the allergist. I was terrified and miserable.

Now it is like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I've been thinking a lot about things today though. Even though I do not NEED to be on a gluten free diet now, I think I am going to continue eating mostly gluten free. For one thing, we have found several things that we really like that are gluten free. Plus I know that in a lot of ways it is just better for me. I'm really excited about it all now though. I don't have to panic if I forget to check a food label for wheat. I don't have to throw out so much stuff that is in our pantry. Even though I am planning to eat mostly gluten free it is nice to know that every now and then I can indulge in a treat or two and not end up in the ER. I'm really hoping that this will  give me the flexibility and the freedom to move forward and enjoy the day to day not fear it.

A little pride in the accomplishment

So there is a part of me that wants to take the weight ticker at the bottom of my blog and move it to the very top. It's hard to believe how far I have really come since I started. The first 25-30 pounds took a long time. I'm starting to figure things out and I have been seeing some awesome results since the start of 2013 even though I really haven't been working out much. I guess I am finally figuring the food thing out and thanks to recent developments(post on that later) the way I eat has completely changed.

I'm just hoping to keep the momentum going and see great results as I get back into working out regularly. I'm still taking a little break to let me body recover from the half but soon I plan on kicking things into gear again. I'm toying with a few new workout options but I don't know what exactly I am going to be doing yet. I will be running again and hopefully more regularly. I want to be able to get to a point where I can run the entire 30 minutes of my short runs each week. I don't really care about the distance I cover in that time, just that I can run the full 30. I think that will help my stamina on my run intervals for long runs. I'm still not trying to be fast but I just want to be better at running so that when I do the Tower of Terror Ten Miler in October I still feel good enough after to enjoy the after party until they shut it down.

I'm feeling good about things and I really feel like 2013 is going to be my year.