August 9th was my 34th birthday. Since I've been working on my health and becoming healthier I decided that for my birthday this year and every year to come I wanted to do something hard, something challenging. For my 34th b-day I decided that a 5k was a good start. We would do it a few days before my birthday, August 6th, in the evening.
I let all my family know about it and wanted as many of them as possible to join me, not just in the 5k but in the quest to becoming healthier. They agreed. I was happy!
The day before the 5k, I was reminded about a photo shoot I had previously scheduled. Oops! So, the 5k plans had to be moved. However life got busy and I didn't think about it much, until this past weekend. Sharon (my sis-in-law) sent me a text that said "we should do the 5k on labor day". Perfect!
So, we did it. But unfortunately not everyone could make it on short notice. So, It was just me and Sharon. Ryan and my nephew Aidan rode on their bikes together while we ran.
I gotta say, it was hard. I hadn't trained for this AT ALL! Mentally I was ready, but physically I wasn't. But I did it. Sharon pushed me and told me to keep going when it got hard. She kept saying things like, "keep going all the way to the light and then we'll walk for a little bit". I'd then focus on that light and reaching that little goal, and reach other goals along the way. She was a great running partner.
We finished in 39 minutes. Not great for those other natural runners, or those who prepare more, but it was so much better then I have ever done. I did two 5k's at my work, two years in a row and both times I was around 50 minutes. So, although it averaged out to be 13 minute miles I was proud of myself.
I've known this for a few months now, but I realized it even more today... I CAN DO HARD THINGS. I really can! We all can if we put our heart and mind to it.
I found this quote on Pinterest that I really love..."if it is important to you, you will find a way. If not, you'll find an excuse." I have always found an excuse for things in my life, and I finally feel like that was the old me...but this is me now... I CAN DO HARD THINGS. I CAN DO CHALLENGING THINGS. And I do them because it's important to me, and I will find a way.
I'm excited for the many other 5k's to come, and someday and half marathon, and a Ragnar or two. The possibilities are endless.
Now, I just need some ibuprofen and a good ice bath. I hurt.
Monday, September 5, 2011
Friday, August 26, 2011
Happyness
I'm happy. I'm in a good place and I'm happy. I'm happy to not eat sugar, I'm happy to not drink soda, I'm happy to not eat the other evil "white" things. I'm happy.
Even if you eat some decadent sugary, floury thing in front of me...I'm still happy to not eat it. And THAT my friends makes me happy. :)
Even if you eat some decadent sugary, floury thing in front of me...I'm still happy to not eat it. And THAT my friends makes me happy. :)
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
WOOHOO!
So, that 6 week trial is over. They pricked my finger, drew some blood, put it through a cool little machine and voila, out came my stats. And man, was I happy!!
Weight loss: 15 lbs.
Body Fat: Down 1% (It should have been more...but I didn't exercise all that much like I should have)
Triglycerides: Down quite a bit. Now in the normal range.
Good Cholesterol: Up by 6 points
Bad Cholesterol: Down by like 30 points, I'm now in the normal range
Blood Sugar: It read a little high today because I hadn't eaten, nor taken my meds...but it was still down by about 100 points.
Overall I'm quite pleased.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
Weight loss: 15 lbs.
Body Fat: Down 1% (It should have been more...but I didn't exercise all that much like I should have)
Triglycerides: Down quite a bit. Now in the normal range.
Good Cholesterol: Up by 6 points
Bad Cholesterol: Down by like 30 points, I'm now in the normal range
Blood Sugar: It read a little high today because I hadn't eaten, nor taken my meds...but it was still down by about 100 points.
Overall I'm quite pleased.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!
Saturday, July 16, 2011
I'm back!
Yeah, it's been a while since I've dedicated myself to healthy living, and posting on this blog. I always felt guilty that I put this blog out there and didn't always follow through with being healthy.
Now that I'm back...I'll be back for a long time. Unfortunately, due to the years of eating unhealthily and living a sedendtary life, I found out a few days ago that it is confirmed that I have Diabetes, type 2. Not cool!
The crazy thing is that I would have had no idea, if it wasn't for my awesome work. They were doing a study on a new weight loss product and I wanted to be a part of it. They pricked my finger and did a little blood work to test my levels before starting. Well, my blood sugar was WAY too high! I panicked, big time. I stopped drinking soda and eating sugar. I lost 8 lbs. in a week and a half. I made a doctors appointment, which I went to the other day. This is where he confirmed that my blood glucose levels were too high.
So, I'm back to eating healthy...like drastically healthy and exercising. I don't crave sugar or breads...I crave meat now, crazy. I love eating veggies, making sure I'm staying away from the 5 whites - white rice, white sugar, white flour, white potatoes, white pasta.
The doctor said that for the next 2-3 months I need to make these changes and then go back to see where my numbers are again, and if they're not better...Insulin shots everyday. I'm SO NOT going to go there. Changes are on the horizon my friends. And I couldn't be more willing.
My journey has really begun now.
I can do this!
Now that I'm back...I'll be back for a long time. Unfortunately, due to the years of eating unhealthily and living a sedendtary life, I found out a few days ago that it is confirmed that I have Diabetes, type 2. Not cool!
The crazy thing is that I would have had no idea, if it wasn't for my awesome work. They were doing a study on a new weight loss product and I wanted to be a part of it. They pricked my finger and did a little blood work to test my levels before starting. Well, my blood sugar was WAY too high! I panicked, big time. I stopped drinking soda and eating sugar. I lost 8 lbs. in a week and a half. I made a doctors appointment, which I went to the other day. This is where he confirmed that my blood glucose levels were too high.
So, I'm back to eating healthy...like drastically healthy and exercising. I don't crave sugar or breads...I crave meat now, crazy. I love eating veggies, making sure I'm staying away from the 5 whites - white rice, white sugar, white flour, white potatoes, white pasta.
The doctor said that for the next 2-3 months I need to make these changes and then go back to see where my numbers are again, and if they're not better...Insulin shots everyday. I'm SO NOT going to go there. Changes are on the horizon my friends. And I couldn't be more willing.
My journey has really begun now.
I can do this!
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Soda, pop, the fizzy stuff...
I love me some Diet Coke, but I've been off soda for almost 2 weeks now in the hopes of becoming healthier.
I've also been off sugar for the same amount of time.
I feel better, but man sometimes a soda can really quench my thirst. Lemon water has become my new best friend. I love it!
Speaking of Soda, and becoming healthier check out this chart below that shows how bad soda is for you! No wonder I'm not healthy!!...but I'm getting there. :)
Via: Term Life Insurance
I've also been off sugar for the same amount of time.
I feel better, but man sometimes a soda can really quench my thirst. Lemon water has become my new best friend. I love it!
Speaking of Soda, and becoming healthier check out this chart below that shows how bad soda is for you! No wonder I'm not healthy!!...but I'm getting there. :)
Via: Term Life Insurance
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
I found the secret...
Last night I was reading a book on my kindle called "Running with Angels". I had seen this book over the years in the book stores and had always wanted to read it. It's a book about an LDS woman struggling with obesity due to the trials of losing 2 babies, and dealing with 2 of her kids' diseases.
As I read 3 chapters last night before going to be there was one point that really hit home. She described her frustration with her body and why she had a hard time losing weight, and why couldn't it just melt off, and why was her body so ugly. She said, "For many yearsit had seemed that my body was not a true reflection of my spirit. It was almost as if my body was separate from the person I really was. I hated and blamed it for not dropping the weight I wanted to lose. I loathed looking at myself in the mirror. I felt as if my heart and mind worked together but my body seemed to work against everything I really wanted or knew to be true. The scriptual adage, "...the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41) became very real to me.
She had just lost a baby that died before birth. After having delivered the still born baby, she then had to deliver the placenta. The Dr. struggled with the delivery of it, saying that he had never had a hard time delivering a placenta. She didn't think anything of it until one morning she realized this great truth...her body seemed to be desperately hanging on to this baby, just like she never wanted to say goodbye to her baby.
Anyway, she goes on to saying how she never realized how powerful her body was, and she began to consider all the wonderful things her physical body had done over the years; carried her children, fed them, and helped care for them, how sparatic exercise over the years had felt good. She began to see her body, which she had loathed and hated to look at, in a completely new way. "I found new appreciation for it, as big as it still was. I did not love it overnight, but I started feeling differently."
"It was an amazing thing to me, but my whole attitude changed. I wanted to take better care of myself. I realized I needed to have patience to be able to make such drastic changes. I found my body was very forgiving of all the years of abuse I had put it through with my eating habits and lack of consistent exercise."
WOW!!! I feel like a light has come on in my head. It's interesting to see my body in that same way. Why has it been my enemy all these years? Why have I hated the way I look, when I'm the one who made my body look that way. My body is just here for the ride - why have I lacked so much care for it? It's doing what it was made to do, provide my spirit a place to reside while on this earth to learn and grow.
Thank you body! Thank you for sticking it out with me. Thank you for loving me regardless of what I've put you through. Thank you for letting me run, walk, smile, laugh, cry, jump, see, touch, and love. Thank you! I promise that I will be better to you. :)
Love, me
As I read 3 chapters last night before going to be there was one point that really hit home. She described her frustration with her body and why she had a hard time losing weight, and why couldn't it just melt off, and why was her body so ugly. She said, "For many yearsit had seemed that my body was not a true reflection of my spirit. It was almost as if my body was separate from the person I really was. I hated and blamed it for not dropping the weight I wanted to lose. I loathed looking at myself in the mirror. I felt as if my heart and mind worked together but my body seemed to work against everything I really wanted or knew to be true. The scriptual adage, "...the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41) became very real to me.
She had just lost a baby that died before birth. After having delivered the still born baby, she then had to deliver the placenta. The Dr. struggled with the delivery of it, saying that he had never had a hard time delivering a placenta. She didn't think anything of it until one morning she realized this great truth...her body seemed to be desperately hanging on to this baby, just like she never wanted to say goodbye to her baby.
Anyway, she goes on to saying how she never realized how powerful her body was, and she began to consider all the wonderful things her physical body had done over the years; carried her children, fed them, and helped care for them, how sparatic exercise over the years had felt good. She began to see her body, which she had loathed and hated to look at, in a completely new way. "I found new appreciation for it, as big as it still was. I did not love it overnight, but I started feeling differently."
"It was an amazing thing to me, but my whole attitude changed. I wanted to take better care of myself. I realized I needed to have patience to be able to make such drastic changes. I found my body was very forgiving of all the years of abuse I had put it through with my eating habits and lack of consistent exercise."
WOW!!! I feel like a light has come on in my head. It's interesting to see my body in that same way. Why has it been my enemy all these years? Why have I hated the way I look, when I'm the one who made my body look that way. My body is just here for the ride - why have I lacked so much care for it? It's doing what it was made to do, provide my spirit a place to reside while on this earth to learn and grow.
Thank you body! Thank you for sticking it out with me. Thank you for loving me regardless of what I've put you through. Thank you for letting me run, walk, smile, laugh, cry, jump, see, touch, and love. Thank you! I promise that I will be better to you. :)
Love, me
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