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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 4 Feb 2011 02:43 pm |
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Thanks Michelle! I guess I was hoping they would just give them to me. I didn't want to ask, because I always feel like a nuisance. 
Day 26 of 30 days of dinner planning challenge - incomplete
Day 30 of 30 days of fruit challenge - complete
Day 35 of 100 days of exercise challenge - complete
Day 5 of 30 days of water challenge - complete
It's the last day of my challenge to eat at least 3 servings of fruit a day. I only had 70% success, so it looks like I'll be restarting that challenge too. The dinner challenge is obviously not working, which is too bad because that is the meal that truly sabotages my diet. I'm going to have to think of some extra strategies to help me get through dinner without overdoing the calories.
Today's weight was 159.4. Boing!!
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 7 Feb 2011 01:39 pm |
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Just a quick note to say I'm back. The weekend was hectic but tons of fun. My college cross-country friend did well in his race, and it was exciting to watch the Cross Country Nationals. There were lots of big names in running, competing for a spot at Worlds. It was inspiring to watch how they ran with power and grace.
My half marathon went much better than expected. I went out just wanting to have fun, so I ran what I thought was an easy pace. I didn't wear my Garmin, just my basic running watch, so I didn't know my pace. I caught up with a friend who started running with me. It passed the time quickly to have someone to laugh and chat with. I did have my hubby with me at the start but lost him when he stopped at a port-a-potty and never caught up. I ran my best half marathon so far and am only a little sore from the fast finish for the last 2 miles. Unfortunately my tag failed, and I don't have an official recorded time, but my watch says 2 hours 2 minutes (2:02). That's 2 minutes off my best time of 2:04 at a pace of 9:20/mile. That's not bad considering my longest training run was only 30 minutes. Still, in order to reach my goal of qualifying for Boston, I need to be able to run a half marathon with a pace of no more than 8:20/mile. Losing 25-20 lb would be a big help in getting me there.
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Sassykat
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 7 Feb 2011 02:03 pm |
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mchen01 wrote: Thanks Michelle! I guess I was hoping they would just give them to me. I didn't want to ask, because I always feel like a nuisance.
Please don't feel like a nuisance. I can almost guarantee you that other people don't think of you as a nuisance. That is what they are getting paid for. Do not rely on others to put your health and well being as their #1 priority. You must do it for yourself. Plus mostly everyone has their mind on too many things throughout the day and often things get overlooked so this means the chance of them just giving you your own copy aren't going to be that great.
Our local health care is terrible. Not only do you have to ask, but you usually have to ask multiple times.
I am so impressed with your ability to run. That is crazy awesome! You go girl!  
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artistjohn
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 7 Feb 2011 02:04 pm |
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| Well done Keep going you will reach your goals.
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 11 Feb 2011 09:01 pm |
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Thanks John and Sassykat!
So I braved up and asked for my images, even though they didn't make it easy. When I finished with the CT scan, I found the exit did not take me back to the reception area. Instead I found myself out in the building lobby! I walked back to the entrance, and the receptionist gave me an odd look when I came back in and asked if something was wrong. I asked if I could get a copy of the images and she said "oh" and handed me a piece of paper to fill out. I understood the date and DOB, but the rest of the acronyms made little sense. I did reason out that Pt stood for patient name, so I wrote that in too and left the rest blank. The receptionist was nice and filled in the rest, but I could tell this was not something they did very often for the patients. So, I still felt like a nuisance, but I toughed it out and asserted my rights like you have all advised me to do, and I'm glad I did. Now I just hope it comes in the mail like they said it would so I don't have to go through this again.
Last edited on 11 Feb 2011 09:03 pm by mchen01
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Sassykat
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 11 Feb 2011 09:14 pm |
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Yay! Good for you Michelle! I am proud of you. I use to be overly self conscious about putting other people out and that sort of thing, but then life got hard and I toughened up a bit and became more assertive - at least under some circumstances.
When it comes to your well being and that of your loved ones you must be firm.
I hope all shows up well from your CT scan.
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 17 Feb 2011 10:15 pm |
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Thanks Sassykat! I really appreciate the support and advice!
Well, I've obviously slacked a little bit. I've been a bit busy, and my motivation in dieting is waning again. My weight has been steady for the past 3 months, which is more than a little frustrating. But that's ok, because I've learned a lot about what truly works for me. I find that I don't start to lose weight unless I workout at least 12 hours for the week. Doing just 7-8 hours a week is enough to stabilize my weight while dieting. Doing 9-11 hours a week makes my appetite increase enough to continue to equalize what I burn. But, once I go over 12 hours, I'm finally burning more than my appetite needs to fulfill itself.
At 12 hours, I average a daily burn of about 1000-1200 calories. I've found that my body is comfortable with a diet of about 2200-2600 calories. By comfortable I mean no stomach growling, no stress over feeling deprived and no laying awake at night still feeling hungry. I'm eating mostly healthy, raw foods but with enough indulgences to not go into binge mode or to feel depressed.
My current workout week is about 9 hours, which is low because my injury has kept me from running too much and the cold morning temperatures has made swimming too miserable. But, I'm starting to feel better and training for my half ironman is set to begin in 3 weeks. I should be back up to 12 hours by then.
As for my challenges, I plan to restart those but need to rethink which ones. In the weeks I've been off of them I find that I've caught some new healthy habits. For one thing, it's become habit to pack my lunch with at least 3 fruits. I don't even think about it. I just know that I have avocado in my salad, fresh fruit juice in my carafe, and another fruit or two as a snack. I also automatically spoon smaller portions onto my plate or bowl for dinner. Yes, I often go back for seconds, but I try to wait it out, hoping for that full feeling before I'm forced to get more food. The water is still a problem for me so that is one challenge I need to definitely try for again.
My CT scan came out normal, which is awesome. I still have headaches and funky vision problems, so I'll need to start recording foods and other events to see what the cause is. In the meantime, I've started taking to CoQ10 this week to see if that helps.
One last reminder to myself on what my ideal weight should be. The average competitive female triathlete has a body fat percentage of 10-15. Their BMI usually comes out to 20. My current BMI is 25.1 - still overweight. My goal weight of 135 would give me a BMI of 21.5. My college race weight of 126-127 would give me a BMI of about 20. Just something to dream about.
Last edited on 17 Feb 2011 10:16 pm by mchen01
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artistjohn
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 18 Feb 2011 07:53 am |
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Hi Michelle. I know you have iron man/woman events in mind, but how about getting BMI down via diet and then hitting exercise real hard. Just a thought.
That's the way I am attacking my 52lb target initially. Get rid of weight with odd run and plenty of walking, mainly calorie reduction. Nearer goal I will increase running to get rid of last pounds and maintain.
I find exercising hard and reducing cals real difficult.
John
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 18 Feb 2011 06:49 pm |
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Thanks John! That's a good suggestion, and that's what I was trying to do in the beginning. But, it's just not working for me. My appetite is large. It always has been, even with moderate exercise.
Here's a sample of my diet:
Breakfast - 265 calories
coffee with cream
banana
hard boiled egg
Lunch - 525 calories
2 cups raw spinach
2 oz canned tuna with lemon, cilantro and celery
2 oz quinoa with olive oil, parsley and olives
1/3 avocado
8 oz fresh squeezed juice
Dinner - 750 cal
4 oz cooked spaghetti
2 oz meatballs
1/2 cup marinara sauce
1 cup tomatoes
2 cups steamed broccoli
Snacks - 280 cal
1 cup lentil soup with ham
2 small chocolates
1/2 cup baby carrots
This is what I consider a spartan diet and it's a little over 1800 calories. This is what I would eat on a light exercise day (300-400 calorie burn), and is the least amount of food I can manage to diet on. On heavier workout days my appetite goes up and I will generally eat about 2600 calories.
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artistjohn
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 18 Feb 2011 07:28 pm |
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mchen01 wrote: At 12 hours, I average a daily burn of about 1000-1200 calories. I've found that my body is comfortable with a diet of about 2200-2600 calories. By comfortable I mean no stomach growling, no stress over feeling deprived and no laying awake at night still feeling hungry. I'm eating mostly healthy, raw foods but with enough indulgences to not go into binge mode or to feel depressed.
I suppose it's back to the question do you want the triathlete's body/BMI? I identify totally with the quote above. I get it wrong every now and again and have to get up in the night and eat due to hunger keeping me awake.
Your diet looks good. Is the spagetii wholemeal. Tomatoe sauce (tin of chopped toms) and garlic and onion fried in a smidge of olive oil make a lighter meal.
I am 6 2" @ 216lbs ish and eat between 1900 and 2300 cals most days, but not with your levels of activity.
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Hiker
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 19 Feb 2011 02:48 pm |
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| Michelle,, it looks like you have a really good handle on your diet and you really know how much you have to burn to get the results you want. You are really on top of it, I am sure you will get the results you want because you are so aware of all that you are doing. I just wanted to congratulate you on asserting yourself and requesting copies of your images, it is your right and if someone is put out by it....maybe they need to consider another line of work because they are going to get those types of requests more and more as people are taking charge of their own health. Nice job.
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 4 Apr 2011 07:05 pm |
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Oh my! It's time to get back on track with the diet. In the weeks since I've last posted I've managed to gain a couple pounds, hanging around 160-161 for now.
Last week I did another hydrostatic body fat test, the one where you are dunked in a tank of water. The goods news is that of the 11 lbs I lost since last year's test, all of it was fat. I've managed to retain all of my muscle while I lost weight. The bad news is that it was only 11 lbs. That's less than 1 lb a month - bummer! Still, I'm happy to have lost consistently even if it's slowly.
So, right now I'm at about 27% body fat. I'd like to get down to 19% body fat by November. That means losing about 15 lbs (fat only) in 7 months. I hope I can do it.
As for the headaches, they seem to have calmed down a bit. Two big changes is that I've added more food to my diet, and I've been going to physical therapy.
I'm eating more carbs simply because my body is almost screaming at me for sugar. I think with all the working out and dieting, I'm depleting my energy stores more than I thought, which is probably contributing to the headaches.
My new physical therapist is wonderful. She has been tracing my injuries back to other parts of my body to try and find the originating problems. In doing so she has found tightness in muscles I didn't even think could become tight, like the ribs and inside the pelvis.
On a fun note, I went to a bridal shower on Saturday where we all got a lesson in pole dancing. What a fun way to workout! I wasn't into the provocative moves, feeling a bit silly groping myself, but the spinning and climbing were a blast. I felt like a kid on the playground. It doesn't take long to get your heart rate up and you get to work on flexibility the same time you are working on strength building. If my training schedule wasn't so full, I'd definitely look into buying myself a workout dvd and a pole!
Last edited on 4 Apr 2011 07:08 pm by mchen01
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 5 Apr 2011 01:37 pm |
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Weight: 162.2
Day 1 of 30 days of food journal
Day 1 of 60 days of PT exercises
Time to reset my goals. My weight has gone up a pound since yesterday, and while I know it's mostly water weight, I can't help panicking just a little. Besides, I've been noticing an upward trend on the scale, a bad sign indeed. So, it's time to count calories again. The goal is to keep my net calories around 1700 cal, give or take 100 cal. To reach my goal weight of 145 lb. by November, I only need a deficit of about 300 cal/day. I'll also be back on this journal every day, hopefully until I reach my goal weight.
Physical therapy and healing my injuries is also a priority that I've let slip. I need to make sure I do all of my therapy exercises at least once a day and to stretch after each workout. It's all very time consuming, but my body hurts so much after every workout that I'm not having fun like I should. To keep track, here's a list of my exercises:- snow angel stretch on foam roller
- foam roller on lower back
- foam roller along spine
- foam roller on calves
- foam roller on ITB
- cobra stretch
- alternating superman
- clamshells
- ab crunch with leg extension
- left arm alphabets on wall ball
My shoulder is slightly better, but the bicep and pectoralis still won't relax. Most of the pain is in my back and hips, and it feels worse since I started physical therapy. I thought that was supposed to happen but the PT has informed me that it's supposed to be better by now. She wants me to get a second consult with one of her co-workers. It's all very frustrating. I'm willing to train hard, and I want to race well, but my body just refuses to cooperate. As soon as I fix one thing, something else breaks. I just keep thinking that it's gotta end soon. I'm running out of parts to break.
Last edited on 5 Apr 2011 01:38 pm by mchen01
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artistjohn
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 5 Apr 2011 01:58 pm |
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Hi Michelle. Glad to see you back in the saddle
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 6 Apr 2011 08:14 pm |
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Thanks John!
Weight: 163.2
Day 2 of 30 days of food journal
Day 2 of 60 days of PT exercises
I'm not going to think about the 1 lb gain. I know it's just water, but it still stinks!
Doing the food journal is very hard. I'm so busy that the time it takes to do it is just the last straw. Last night I had to work past 7pm and missed my run. So, this morning I had to wake up early to make up that run. The consequence is that I missed out on precious sleep time, plus I'll now have to do 4 workouts today instead of the planned 3.
Besides, even though I knew how much to eat for last night, I still overate. I was just so hungry. I think I've got to get used to eating less again. These past couple months I got used to eating more to reach that satisfied feeling. I'm not talking about feeling full. I ate plenty of fruits and vegetables to feel full. I'm talking about still having a craving even though I'm full. That's where all the bread and sweets craving came in. I didn't take into account that with the increased exercise my appetite would change so much. The carb craving hit me hard as I've been adding more time and intensity to my workouts. I might have to start adding bread to my diet just to keep myself satisfied.
I've started to take Advil to help with inflammation. I was taking a couple pills here and there, but I found out that in order for the medicine to work, I need to take the full dosage in the prescribed amount of time. That means 3 pills, 3x a day for 2 weeks. I don't like taking pills, so I hope this works.
Got to go now. Off to workouts 3 and 4 (spin class and swim). Run and bike ride accomplished.
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Hiker
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 7 Apr 2011 10:01 am |
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| Michelle, I feel your pain, keeping track is a giant pain but, at least for me it is the only way, otherwise I over eat. You'de think we would learn...but it doesn't seem like I ever do. Last edited on 7 Apr 2011 10:01 am by Hiker
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 7 Apr 2011 02:08 pm |
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Hi Hiker!?é?á You're so right!?é?á Counting is a huge pain but it's the only thing that really works for me too.?é?á 
Weight: 162.0
Day 3 of 30 days of food journal
Day 3 of 60 days of PT exercises
I didn't fill out my food journal yesterday, but I went back and filled it in this morning before I forgot everything.?é?á I may have still missed a couple things, but it's not much.?é?á With all the exercise I did yesterday, I was well into the negative calories range for the day.
I've also got a head start into today's journal, having already logged what's in my lunchbox.?é?á I figure it's easier to remember what I didn't eat than it is to remember what I ate.
Oops, work is calling.?é?á I'll have to finish this blog later....
Time for bed (almost) and I'm back. I've completed my food journal - yay! I'm a little over on calories, but that's expected after yesterday's negative calorie day. My salad for lunch was not enough so I went to Subway and got a footlong turkey sandwich (no cheese with spinach, tomato, bell pepper, oil & vinegar, salt & pepper and mayonnaise). I should have gotten the mustard instead of the mayo, but I've had this terrible craving for it lately. Sigh.
I had physical therapy tonight and was seen by a second therapist who is more familiar with triathletes. She found a new problem with my neck. She thinks the cycling and swimming may be causing the neck strain. She also found a weakness on the left side of my back. She had me try to stand up from a bent over position without bending my legs. I couldn't do it. I had to brace my hands against my knees to push myself up. She thinks the back problem might be from my running. So, my homework this weekend is to videotape myself running and cycling to see if my form needs some correction.
I only got in yoga today, so tomorrow I'll have to do my run in the morning. It's supposed to rain tomorrow so I'm going to have to work hard to motivate myself to get my swim and ride done too.
Well, it's getting late. I still need to do my PT exercises so I better get a move on. I'd rather go to bed, but I've gotta do it if I want to get better.Last edited on 8 Apr 2011 01:56 am by mchen01
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 8 Apr 2011 02:00 pm |
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Weight: 163.0
Day 4 of 30 days of food journal
Day 4 of 60 days of PT exercises
I've just finished pre-recording in my food journal. Pre-recording is making things a little easier. Also, eating the same thing for breakfast and lunch makes it easier too.
I've added wheat sandwich thins to my lunch to get rid of the bread craving. They're only 100 cal, and while they're not my favorite bread, I'm hoping they will help curb my appetite. I've also added a whey protein mix to my big workout days. I mix it with water, but I may try nonfat milk as I find myself craving milk on some days too.
So, today I've got 3 workouts, having missed my run again yesterday. PT makes me so sore some days that it's impossible to make my body move faster than a bent over shuffle. If the rain stays away I'll be going on a lunchtime ride, then it's a swim/run brick after work.
They weight is up, but I've been having some bowel problems. *TMI Alert* I'm experiencing rectal bleeding again. The last time it happened I was pretty worried and went to the doctor - not fun! But, it was a relief to know that there were no polyps and the remedy was just steroids and drinking lots of water. I didn't stay on the steroids for long. The bleeding went away after a couple more days. So, this time I'm going to just drink lots of water and wait for the constipation to ease up.
Ok! Enough of the poo talk. Time to get back to work.
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 11 Apr 2011 01:47 pm |
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Weight: 164.6
Day 1 of 30 days of food journal
Day 1 of 60 days of PT exercises
Well, my commitments to my goals did not last long. Everything flew out the door this weekend. I was too tired to get up early and go on my long ride. (I had done a 3-fer the day before with a swim/run brick workout done between 7-9 pm. I didn't have dinner until 10 pm.) Besides, it was the weekend before Mom's b-day and I felt like I should spend most of my time with her as part of her b-day present.
We did lots of shopping, ate out once, had a treat at Dairy Queen and watched a dvd. I was good at the restaurant and had a salad for dinner. I wasn't so good at Dairy Queen where I had a medium dipped cone, 490 cal and 24 g of fat. After watching my weight shoot up to 165 lb yesterday, I think I should have stayed away from the ice cream.
Then again, this weekend has not been fair to me. Friday night we had pizza, and I was starving after the 3 workouts and a long day at work. But, I was good and ate a big spinach salad before allowing myself a single slice of pizza. You'd think that with burning close to 2000 cal for the day that I'd have something nice to show on the scale.
Ah well, I guess I won't know what's going on until I start becoming consistent with my calorie counting. At least I'm drinking more water and the bleeding has stopped.
I also got the video of my cycling and running done. OMG, I look sooo wrong!! I've got this thick torso with large belly and butt on muscular, long legs and long arms. And, my chest has shrunk even more.  What's worse is hubby zoomed in on my butt while I was running! Maybe I should play this video daily to myself as motivation to diet and lose the weight quicker.
Time to find my motivation again!!!
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 12 Apr 2011 03:33 pm |
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Weight: 161.8
Day 2 of 30 days of food journal
Day 2 of 60 days of PT exercises
PT was very painful yesterday. I had a third therapist looking at my neck which appears to be in horrible shape. There's a big knot in one muscle and another small, pea-sized knot that feels like a rock. Both cause shooting pains when pressed, one down my shoulder blade and another up my ear and the side of my face. It makes me wonder if these were the causes of my headaches.
This morning I woke up in so much pain that I almost called in sick to work. After a couple more hours in bed I was able to stumble and groan my way into an almost upright position and get off to work. So, I missed an early morning run, but it couldn't be helped. I have yoga at lunch which I look forward to, hoping it will loosen my neck and back and ease some of the pain. Then, I'll be doing my run after work.
Yesterday went well otherwise. I had a fun 5k run with some co-workers during lunch, and I ate moderately enough to stay within goal. I hope I can do better though. With a 2 lb gain, I'm way off my goal of losing 15 lbs. Time goes by so quickly. It's only 3 more months until my first half ironman race (I'm so excited!!). It would be nice if I could get down to 154 lb by race day.
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artistjohn
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 12 Apr 2011 06:38 pm |
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Hi Michelle, Have you tried a tennis ball on those knots. Put ball on wall and neck against ball and roll it around. It works all over the back. The firmer the ball the better. My right knee is giving me #%@&!
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 13 Apr 2011 01:57 pm |
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I will definitely try the tennis ball. I already use one everyday for my plantar fasciitis. It works great. Sorry to hear about your knee.
Weight: 162.0
Day 3 of 30 days of food journal
Day 3 of 60 days of PT exercises
Yoga felt great! I wish I had time to do it everyday. Running was even better. For once I had my iPod charged and was able to listen to some motivating music. The 55 minutes went by so quickly. I'm glad I'm able to continue to build my time on my runs. I still hurt afterward, but I feel like I'm making some progress towards recovery with my hips. Now this new pain in my ankle...
I've become addicted to listening to music when I run. In Ironman races I won't be allowed to use my iPod at all. I'm going to have to memorize my favorite songs so I can sing to myself to try to stay motivated and relaxed. 13-14 hours of racing with no music and just the thoughts in my head!
Yesterday I tried to recalculate my caloric intake based on expected burn and my target weight loss. My target is 1780-2130 cal. I ended up eating 400 cal more than I'm allowed. I'm afraid I went on a chocolate binge and had a bunch of mini kitkats. I also filled my plate too high with dinner just because I love baked ziti. It's so hard to remember the rules when I'm hungry: keep to the proper portions and eat slower.
I'm still learning that proper nutrition is part of my training. I have to be as devoted to my diet as I am to my workouts. At least I remembered to make my protein shake this morning and bring it with me. I have about 3 hours of workouts planned today with a lunchtime bike ride, then spin class and swim after work. Yay!
Last edited on 13 Apr 2011 01:59 pm by mchen01
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artistjohn
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 13 Apr 2011 02:08 pm |
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Wow I'm tired just reading about your workouts. I managed a 30 min walk with my knee today
Try this, it's my favourite running track. I hear the Dark Days rather than Dog daysFlorence And The Machine - Dog Days Are Over
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 13 Apr 2011 02:25 pm |
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John, I love that song! Her music video reminds me of Kate Bush - all those fluttering arm movements and those big eyes.
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Hiker
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 13 Apr 2011 05:29 pm |
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Kit Kats and baked ziti....you're killing me  , I am so jealous. I guess that's your reward for all those hard runs you do. With the way you work out you have earned a little cheat here and there.
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 14 Apr 2011 03:48 pm |
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Thanks Hiker! I admit I love the taste of good food too much to ever give it up for long, so yes, it's a very, very good thing that I workout so much.
Weight: 160.8
Day 4 of 30 days of food journal
Day 4 of 60 days of PT exercises
I have a new spin instructor who is not very good. I'm really bummed because the old spin instructor was so awesome. The new one gives poor direction and seems to not have the stamina to stay on the bike for long. I might stop going and just find a good spin video to use at home on the trainer.
Yesterday was very busy with urgent work that popped up at the last minute. I missed my lunch which I didn't eat until after my last workout at 8pm. Then I ate dinner 30 minutes later. Yes, I was very full from eating so much at once, but I still didn't meet my minimum calorie intake for the day.
Today is also very busy and I'm missing my lunchtime yoga due to a lunch meeting. I'm going to try to do my yoga video tonight but I have PT right after work. Since therapy leaves me really sore afterward, I'm not sure I'll be up to doing yoga but I'm going to try.
As for my PT exercises, I'm afraid I cheated a bit last night and only did a few of the exercises. I was pretty tired and fell asleep between sets.
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 15 Apr 2011 06:11 pm |
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Weight: 161.6
Day 5 of 30 days of food journal
Day 5 of 60 days of PT exercises
Yesterday was a bad day for both eating and exercising. I overate by about 600 cal and under-exercised by about 400 cal. That puts me over my goal by about 1000 cal. Yeesh!! Bad influences were a lunch meeting where I had a big chocolate chip cookie and pasta alfredo for dinner. Things I did to moderate the bad influences were to eat small portions of the mexican lunch that was served and a smaller portion of the pasta alfredo. I substituted salad and cheerios to help fill me up.
Therapy was excruciating. The work on my neck makes it feel like my head is being split open. But, I think it's working even though it doesn't feel like it. The knots are noticeably smaller.
My hips and back are also showing progress. Yesterday I was able to lie on my belly without pain. I think the core exercises are key to helping me recover.
After reviewing the videos of my running and cycling, the PT has determined that muscles in my pelvis and back are so tight that it can no longer rotate as it should. From my hips to my shoulders, my body moves as a block. There is no rotation about the waist and very little tilt to the hips. I don't know. Maybe I'll go get a gait analysis done. In the meantime, I have another core exercise to add to my regimen to work some deep pelvic muscles.
Today is beautiful, sunny but with a cool wind. I went out for my lunchtime ride with one other person for an easy spin of the legs and nice conversation. After work I'm going to drop off the boy at a chess tournament and head to the gym for a swim and a run.
I'm so glad it's Friday!
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Sassykat
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 15 Apr 2011 06:59 pm |
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I read that you have plantar fasciitis and you run.
Do your feet ever hurt so bad that you can barely walk?
I have developed a run/walk routine on the treadmill. I really want to be able to work up to just running without having to walk, but I progress very slowly due to some health issues.
I notice that the sprints I do make my feet hurt worse, but I feel the answer is not in me stopping because I think the exercise is crucial for my overall health. Here's the but though, sometimes my feet hurt so bad I can barely walk around the house.
I was curious, what do you do to cope with the plantar fasciitis?
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 18 Apr 2011 08:06 pm |
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Sassy, I sent you a long response in your journal.?é?á Plantar fasciitis is impossible to get rid of, but the pain can be reduced quite a bit.?é?á
Weight: 160.0
Day 8 of 30 days of food journal
Day 8 of 60 days of PT exercises
4/10-4/16
avg intake: 2213 cal/day
avg burn (from exercise):?é?á 1009 cal/day
I'm not sure if I care about the avg numbers for last week.?é?á They look good, but I haven't been measuring precisely so the intake could be pretty off, and I don't wear a heart rate monitor to measure calorie burn so that too could be off.?é?á In general though, I think I can trust that I'm moving in the right direction.
Last week's training went very well with not a single workout missed.?é?á I completed over 11 hours of run/bike/swim/strength training and feel pretty good.?é?á This week is a recovery week so I have less than 9 hours planned.?é?á With the reduced hours I need to make sure I'll be eating less too.
I had a lot of fun this weekend, but it involved eating out.?é?á I was fairly well behaved at brunch and only went up for 2 platefuls which included fruit.?é?á However, we went out again for dessert and I was pretty bad then.?é?á We shared this incredible chocolate lava cake with mascarpone cheese and a bread pudding with white chocolate.?é?á To top it off, I binged on a strong stout.?é?á Oh well, I don't drink often and the desserts were a treat for working so hard, both at work and training (I did end the week with a 2.5 hour hilly ride).?é?á Still, I plan on getting back on track and watching my diet again.
So far I've only eaten 900 cal for breakfast and lunch.?é?á I went on a 34 minute run and plan on doing a core strength workout tonight after PT.?é?á Speaking of PT, it's time for me to take off for that now.?é?á Back again tomorrow.
I got some new exercises at PT and wanted to add them to the list before I forget:
1. snow angel stretch on foam roller
2. foam roller on lower back
3. foam roller along spine
4. foam roller on calves
5. foam roller on ITB
6. cobra stretch
7. alternating superman
8. clamshells
9. ab crunch with leg extension
10. left arm alphabets on wall ball
11. pelvic tilts
12. crossed legs twist
13. neck stretchLast edited on 19 Apr 2011 01:35 am by mchen01
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mchen01
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Posted: 19 Apr 2011 05:22 pm |
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Weight: 160.0
Day 9 of 30 days of food journal
Day 9 of 60 days of PT exercises
I did pretty well on the diet yesterday despite having some ice cream. I stayed under my goal but I should have done better since I'm going to be a bit short on my training time this week. Hmmm, maybe I'll just sneak in an extra half hour so I don't have to worry about it.
PT was very painful again. This morning I woke up with my lower back and neck all cramped up and a headache. I'm going to try and get out of my chair every once in a while to stretch my back and work my pelvis. At least I have yoga today and will be able to do some long, deep stretches to work out the stiffness.
After work I'll be doing another short 30 minute run and then some upper body strength training.
Right now I'm just trying to survive work, where the workload has multiplied once again. Ugh! At least it's really interesting work.
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mchen01
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Posted: 20 Apr 2011 04:52 pm |
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Weight: 159.8
Day 10 of 30 days of food journal
Day 10 of 60 days of PT exercises
Today I woke up with a sore throat and pain in my ear. I don't feel too bad, but I'm tired and my neck is still stiff. It's been hard getting a good night's sleep with my body so sore from therapy. So, with the lack of sleep and all the training I guess I shouldn't be surprised that I'm getting sick.
I'm going to take it super easy this week and restrict my cardio work. I might do some walking, but mostly I plan to just do easy strength work and yoga.
I wish I could take a sick day and get some sleep, but my workload is huge. Sigh. At least I can get to bed early tonight.
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Hiker
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Posted: 20 Apr 2011 06:59 pm |
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| PT really can be quite painful but in the long run you will be glad you did it. I am in PT right now too so we can comiserate. My elbow is killing me from whatever it is she did today. Sometimes I think those therapist hate us .
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mchen01
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Posted: 22 Apr 2011 02:21 am |
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One of these days I'm going to be thanking my therapist and singing her praises. Right now I just want to curse her and run away every time she touches me.  I'm with you though Hiker. PT is the best. I'm sure we'll both feel better than ever once our treatments are done.
Weight: 160.0
Day 10 of 60 days of PT exercises
I'm sooo busy at work right now. I'm missing what few workouts I have this week, plus I'm missing my lunches. I feel like poo too, with my cold settling in my chest. I'm going to have to give up counting my food intake for now. I just need to downgrade my stress level until I get over this major hump at work and start to feel better. Hopefully I can get back on track by Monday.
At least I'm able to keep my my PT exercises. I don't want to skip those because I'm anxious to get over these injuries and get back into full training mode. I'm tired of doing easy runs and swims. I really need to work on strength and speed instead of just endurance.
Back to work. My goal for today is to fix this one project task before midnight tonight.
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mchen01
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Posted: 22 Apr 2011 01:21 pm |
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Weight: 159.6
Day 11 of 60 days of PT exercises
I'm a bit tired this morning. I ended up working past 1am. I didn't fix the issue but I found the source of the problem. Now I just need to try a few things that might fix it. I also had to sleep sitting up since my chest cold has activated my asthma. I forgot to take a cold pill this morning so I'm going to have calm my cough with lots of hot tea and cough drops.
You would think that with being sick my appetite would decline, but nooooo. I was starving last night and ended up going back for seconds and thirds on dinner. Bad me! I'm hoping that the lack of lunch compensated enough for the dinner binge.
I feel like I'm going through withdrawal from not being able to run or bike since Monday. I feel so antsy, like I want to crawl out of my skin. Stupid cold!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
On the plus side, I woke up less sore this morning. I didn't have to lie around and stretch and wait for a headache to ease up. I just popped right out of bed. Well, more like slid reluctantly out of bed, but that was from lack of sleep not pain. I'm just so happy that the pain is tolerable now. And, it's FRIDAY! Wheeeee!!
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mchen01
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Posted: 23 Apr 2011 05:12 pm |
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Weight: 159.4
Day 12 of 60 days of PT exercises
My cold is still hanging on but I feel better after a long sleep. I tried to do a 90 minute ride on the bike trainer today but couldn't manage much beyond 30 minutes. I'm glad I decided to stay home instead of riding outside. It would have been tough to make it back home. I was feeling strong at the beginning of the ride but my asthma kicked in and it got harder and harder to breathe. I finally gave up and played fetch with the dogs to cheer myself up and enjoy the beautiful weather.
My weight is down a little. My physicsdiet measurement just dropped below 161 lb. It was up to 162.4 less than 2 weeks ago, so I'm happy with the progress. My last pd low was 158.0. I'm going to try hard in the next 3 weeks to reach that low again.
As long as my cold gets better by Monday, I should be able to return to my regular training load. Next week's total load will be a little over 12 hours and the following week will be about 13.5 hours. The third week will reach almost 15 hours and then I get to take a break down to 10 hours. With all those hours burning thousands of calories, I should be able to lose 3 lb in 3 weeks - I hope!
Now to admit the bad stuff I did. Last night I had a major sweet craving and went to the grocery store to satisfy it as there was nothing in the house but healthy food. I bought ice cream and donuts. To minimize the damage though, I did stick to just a half cup of ice cream and only bought single donuts instead of the packaged donuts. If I had bought a half dozen or more of donuts I know I would have eaten them all. Instead I bought 2 donuts and was able to satisfy my craving without going overboard.
So, overall this has been a not-so-good week for me. I overate and didn't get much exercise. I had a lot of stress at work and didn't get much sleep. But, the good news is that I got through the week without doing too much damage to my diet and training and was able to deliver on my projects at work at the last minute.
And, most exciting for me... tomorrow is my first time getting back into the ocean after a long winter break. It won't be a long swim, and I'm not sure how my breathing will be, but I will have escort from my daughter so I should be safe. She's excited to paddle alongside me on her surfboard and I will enjoy her company. It'll be nice to be able to do something with her. Now that she's getting older and finding her own things to do it's hard to find something that we can do together. It's going to be a fun morning at the beach!Last edited on 23 Apr 2011 05:12 pm by mchen01
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mchen01
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Posted: 27 Apr 2011 12:57 pm |
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Weight: 160.8
So much for feeling better. My cold is firmly anchored in my chest, and I spent the last couple days in bed trying to sleep sitting up and sucking on my inhaler. I'm back at work today but am still feeling a bit low.
So, with being so sick I decided my only goal for now is to nurse my cold and get better.
It's hard not to workout though. Everyday I write in my workout journal that I missed another workout makes me feel stressed out and mad. I didn't even get in my ocean swim. The day turned out overcast and heavily foggy so it was too dangerous to get out in the open water. I live near a harbor and boats often come too close to shore, especially when they can't see the marker buoys.
Back to work. Sigh...
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mchen01
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Posted: 28 Apr 2011 05:09 pm |
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Weight: 160.6
Still coughing but not as hard. I really, really hope that I can start running or cycling tomorrow. I'm going to try at least and see what happens.
Luckily my appetite is down because the coughing has made my stomach sick. I think my weight will not go up much while I've been sick.
With all this free time I've been cruising the internet for triathlon information and found that there is going to be a new half ultra (same as half ironman but not the name brand) right in my backyard. Yay! It's called the Orangeman and I'm definitely signing up for this one when it opens. It's 8 weeks before the full Ironman so I should have no problem recovering and getting back into training. It'll be perfect for testing out my race nutrition and plan.
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Hiker
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Posted: 28 Apr 2011 07:32 pm |
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| That half iron-man 8 weeks before yours sounds like perfect timing, plenty of time to recover like you said. You are so ambitious doing this, glad you're starting to feel better and can get back to your training.
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mchen01
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Posted: 29 Apr 2011 02:37 pm |
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Thanks Hiker! I just hope my ambition does not exceed my abilities.
Weight: 160.2
This post nasal drip and cough are wreaking havoc with my stomach. I'm taking tums which seem to be helping, but it's embarrassing with all the burping.
Things are still crazy busy and my head is lost with all the things that need to be done. Yesterday I totally forgot about my physical therapy appointment. I was so concerned with getting my orthodontics fixed, having my son at work with me and getting my daughter ready for a trip to San Fran with her orchestra. I'm sure I'm forgetting something else and it's stressing me out. I can tell I'm stressed because I'm totally craving sweets right now. Good thing my stomach is all messed up or I'd be pulling a fistful out of the candy jar.
One more hour and I'm off to do a bike ride. I have a new recruit riding with me today so I'm glad I'm feeling well enough to go out. Maybe some fresh ocean air will ease my cough and clear my sinuses. I can't wait to stretch out and work my stale muscles. And, it's Friday!
*Update*
Ok, that was a nice ride even though it started out iffy. I led for the warmup and thought I was feeling swell. When we stopped at the first light though I thought my chest was going to implode and I had a hard time breathing. I let someone else take the lead while the pain in my chest eased and my breathing returned to normal. The pain never came back and I seemed to get my strength back as I took the lead again and later found myself waiting for the others to catch up. After today, I'm not sure if I'll be able to manage a long ride this weekend or if I should just give up and do a short ride. Rotten cold - booooo!
Last edited on 29 Apr 2011 05:51 pm by mchen01
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 1 May 2011 01:54 am |
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Weight: 159.4
Another busy day but in a good way. We're finally ready to finish our renovation that we started over 2 years ago. It was fun meeting with the designer to pick out flooring and discussing what we wanted in a new kitchen. It'll be so nice to finally have a kitchen bigger than our bathroom.
I also went shopping for new jeans. I guess I got tired of pulling up on my old jeans and finally decided to get rid of the last of my "fat" jeans. I'm also getting rid of a lot of other clothes that no longer fit. My closet is looking less crowded, and I hope to keep it that way.
With everything going on today I didn't get a chance to workout. Maybe I can fit it all in tomorrow, since I decided to do my long ride alone I won't be driving somewhere to meet up with a group. That leaves me with some extra time to fit in a run and maybe a swim as well. I thought about doing a run tonight but my stomach is bothering me, and I'd rather spend the rest of the evening watching some lectures for my class.
The girl called tonight to tell me that her orchestra got first place. I'm so proud of her. She's having a great time in San Francisco. Every time she calls I can barely hear her for all the girls screaming and laughing in the background. Silly girls!
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 2 May 2011 12:42 am |
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Weight: 161.4
Weight shot up a bit today but that's not unexpected given the big hot dog I ate yesterday. Hopefully I'll be on my way back down again soon. Today I got a big start to getting back on track.
I started the day off with a nice ride. I wanted to get up earlier and go longer, but I was up late watching lectures and couldn't get up. I had just enough time to ride for 2 hours which gave me a decent 35 miles. I'm still coughing but I felt really good today.
After a quick shower we were off to take the kids to golf lessons. The hubby and I sneaked away for a non-fat cappuccino and something to eat. I was good and stayed away from the cakes and had a 350 cal sandwich. We then took the kids to Cold Stone for ice cream and I continued to behave. I had a Splenda fruit smoothie, which was only 190 calories, instead of the hot fudge sundae that I wanted.
When we got home the hubby and I went out for my ocean swim - finally! The winds were strong so the water was very choppy. Plus the tide was coming in so the currents were pretty strong too. Going with the wind wasn't too bad but going into the wind was awful. I got slapped with a face full of water with every breath. I had to side stroke a few times to catch my breath. Plus, the current was so strong that it took me 35 minutes to swim back the 15 minutes it took to swim out. It felt like I swallowed half the ocean, but since my sinuses are still draining I think I snorted more than I swallowed - haha! The ocean floor was very rocky and I cut my foot - ouch.
The cut wasn't bad and I was still feeling strong so I went on a 30 minute run. It was still windy and I was getting a nice dermabrasion treatment for free. Sometimes running along a sandy beach is not so fun. My ankle was hurting, probably twisted it a little when I cut my foot. Otherwise, I felt pretty good.
In total I burned about 3000 cal in exercise. I only took in about 2400 cal so I'm in the negative by 600 cal. If I keep it up maybe I'll be able to lose a whole pound this week.
Last edited on 2 May 2011 12:54 am by mchen01
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Hiker
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 2 May 2011 09:59 am |
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Free dermabrasion, you crack me up
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 4 May 2011 03:13 pm |
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Weight: 160.8
I've been super busy so I didn't get a chance to post for the past couple of days. Weight had shot up to 162 but is now back down a bit. I expect it to get better once my cough is completely gone - the constipation and dehydration will go away. My stomach gets so finicky after all that coughing that I don't want to drink anything.
Last week's homework turned out to be much more challenging than expected. Not being able to work on it due to the cold put me far enough behind that I wasn't able to turn it in on time. I worked through most of the night and only got in 2 hours of sleep. Plus, I had an appointment to donate blood yesterday. I was literally drained after that and couldn't do my run. I'm glad I at least got in a yoga class during lunch. When I got home, I went straight to bed after dinner and zonked.
That means I'm going to have to make up the run today. I didn't do it this morning because I wanted to catch up on my sleep. I have a ride at lunch and a swim after work. I should be able to get on the treadmill after my swim if I can make it out of work on time. The goal for today is to do a 45 minute run. I'm supposed to be at 60 minutes by now, but missing more than a week or running means I have to come back slowly.
On the bright side, because I'm doing so much exercise today, I get to eat a little extra. Mom made me an egg and cheese breakfast sandwich this morning as a treat. While I was packing the car with my bike and work stuff, my dog had gotten into my lunch bag and stolen my breakfast sandwich. BAD DOG!! I made myself another sandwich, which I deliberately waved in front of the dog to taunt him. "This is my sandwich, not yours. You're a very, very, very, very bad dog. You don't get any treats today. Go lay down." My daughter said he was crying when I left. My mom will probably feel sorry for him and give him treats anyway. Oh well.
I found out on Monday's PT appointment that I'm scheduled to continue treatments through July. That's great because now the right side on my body is starting to mirror the problems I had on my left. When I tried to do a reverse plank in yoga pain shot up my right shoulder. I couldn't even lift my butt off the floor just a tiny bit. Of course, my right hip decided to start griping too. Even though the pains are transferring around my body, I have noticed some improvements. There are some poses that I haven't been able to do because my muscles would cramp. I now realize that the cramping is not normal and were indicative of all the tight muscles I have. Now that the PT has been able to release some of those muscles I find myself going deeper into these problem poses without the slightest sign of cramping. Yay!! Maybe when I'm done with PT I'll finally be able to get into a wheel pose.
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 5 May 2011 01:00 pm |
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Weight: 158.8
Now that's what I was waiting to see, a 2 lb drop in weight. Yes! It's always good to see those little signs of progress to help confirm that I'm on the right track.
Yesterday's ride was nice. I went out a little longer than usual and rode over 17 miles despite the winds. The swim wasn't so nice. There's a swim class on Wednesday that seems to have grown and changed time. They took all the lanes and stayed longer than usual. I had to swim off to the side where the kids play and was constantly getting bumped. I swam into an old man who was floating around on his back. I told him I was sorry but he gave me a dirty look anyway. Other than that, I can tell my technique is improving. The run was a little better even though my legs felt a little dead. The gym has started summer hours which means they now stay open until 10 pm on most days. Yay!
I got an odd comment yesterday that made me feel good but also a little embarrassed. A woman in the locker room told me she liked my swimsuit but that it looked a little loose. I hadn't thought about it until she said something so I was a bit self-conscious. Sure enough, as I started to swim I noticed the front slipping down at every turn. I guess it's time to buy a new swimsuit in a smaller size.
I ate more than usual yesterday, but tried to keep it healthy. I have a new snack that a friend gave to me. It's organic popcorn, popped in olive oil and very lightly salted. It's very yummy. I filled up with it after dinner when I still felt hungry but didn't want to go back for seconds of calorie dense pasta.
My dog was hanging around me a lot last night, but I couldn't tell if it was out of love or if he just wanted my popcorn. After the breakfast sandwich debacle the trust has been broken.
Last edited on 5 May 2011 01:01 pm by mchen01
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mchen01
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Posted: 6 May 2011 01:56 pm |
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Weight: 158.0
Still going down - Yeehaw! Can I keep it up? It might be difficult today. I'm going to a co-workers anniversary lunch which means I'm missing my lunchtime ride today. And, I forgot my swimsuit so I don't know if I can make it to the pool tonight. The pool closes at 8:30 tonight, and I usually don't get home until 7 pm. Looks like I'll just be on the bike trainer tonight.
Yesterday I got in an awesome yoga session. I was really sweating, completely dripping, from the effort of hold some of those poses. However, my lower back was acting up and I was unable to do a simple side stretch or twist. Luckily, physical therapy helped a lot, enough that I was able to go running afterward.
I ordered myself a new swimsuit. I hope it fits as I'm not sure what size I am anymore. It has thinner straps and is more open in the back. I want to get rid of some of the weird tans lines I have from my other swimsuit. The nice thing about my old suit was that it covered me up more and hid some of the fat. I'm curious if I've reached the point where I can wear a more revealing suit without the gross-out factor. A tighter, open suit is really going to show off my back fat.
I also got a waterproof bag for my garmin. It floats and allows GPS signals to get through so I should be able to record the distance of my ocean swims. I hope the water is a lot calmer this weekend, but if not, I'll still be out there. The only way to build my confidence and get rid of my fear of the ocean is to face it. I'm sure that if I keep getting out there, the anxiety and nausea will eventually go away.
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Sassykat
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Posted: 6 May 2011 03:46 pm |
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mchen01 wrote: My dog was hanging around me a lot last night, but I couldn't tell if it was out of love or if he just wanted my popcorn. After the breakfast sandwich debacle the trust has been broken.
So funny. I'm sure your dog loves you enormously.
Swim suits are a tricky thing. They can make you feel self conscious or boost your self esteem. I'm hoping I've learned how to accent my good assets while covering the not so flattering assets. I like boy shorts paired with the bikini top. But when we go swimming it's purely for fun. I don't even know how to swim really, but I love to go spend the day in the sun and just float. It's great for my mental health.
I'm so impressed that you swim for exercise and also swim in the ocean. That's amazing.
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mchen01
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Posted: 8 May 2011 06:53 pm |
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Thanks Sassy! I totally agree with the swimsuit. At this point I think my bikini days are over given all the stretch marks and loose skin. But there are enough varieties out there that I've been able to find some flattering suits. It just takes longer than it used to. Haha.
Weight: 160.4
Boo on the weight increase. I guess it shouldn't have been unexpected since I ate out Friday afternoon and night and went to a party Saturday evening. I tried to be good, but darn it, I'm just not immune to tasty food yet. Roasted chicken pasta for lunch and chicken nachos for dinner. The party had tacos with corn tortillas and yes, more nachos. Plus the margaritas were to die for. Yummm!
Ok, so there was all this food, but I did some pretty heavy duty workouts to make up for it. I should see some significant dips over the following week. Yesterday was a swim/bike/run brick. I did 38 minutes in the ocean. Again I dealt with some chop and surge, but it wasn't as bad this time. The it was off to an hour ride and then a 30 minute run. Today was even longer with a 3 hour ride and a 20 minute brick run. That's a total calorie burn of about 4300 calories in just 2 days.
I need to watch some lectures and get going on my homework, but I'm pretty sleepy. I think I'm going to have to take a nap first. No time to waste. Eyes are closing even as I type...
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 9 May 2011 10:46 pm |
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Weight: 160.2
When I woke up from my nap yesterday, I found my lower back had decided to clench up tight and wasn't going to let go without a painful fight. I took a hot bath, tried to stretch, and put a heating pad on it. No luck. I decided to just get through as many lectures as I could and wait and see how I felt in the morning. Good thing today is a rest day, so I wouldn't have to worry about missing workouts.
At 5:30 AM I was still unable to walk let alone stand up straight. So back to bed. At 7:30 I felt a little better, well enough to get going and get to work. The back would stiffen up after sitting, but I could get it to loosen by walking around a bit. Still, I couldn't wait for the day to end so I could get to physical therapy, which I just did, and I feel so much better.
The PT worked on my lower back and it felt nice, like a relaxing massage. Then she got into my pelvis and dug into the psoas. OMG OMG OMG OMG!!! It felt like she was trying to dig out my ovaries!
At least I feel well enough to tackle tomorrow's workout, which is an hour run and yoga at lunch. I'm going to have to run in the morning as I promised to pick up a friend from the car repair place after work. That means that I better get cracking on my homework so I'm not up all night again.
Last edited on 9 May 2011 10:47 pm by mchen01
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mchen01
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Posted: 10 May 2011 03:24 pm |
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Weight: 160.0
I didn't finish my homework, nor did I get up early this morning. I wasn't able to work while sitting and trying to work while lying down was even worse. So, I closed my laptop at 11 pm and decided to call it quits. When I woke up this morning my back was still sore. I decided to wait it out and see if it would feel better later in the day. At least I can walk without stooping like an old lady.
I'm a little bummed that I still have my homework hanging over me. But, I got back the results of my previous homework this morning and got high scores. The instructor didn't even ding me for my last late homework. Yeah! It's amazing how quickly I can fall behind with a little cold and some back pain. This homework seems pretty easy so hopefully I can get it done tonight.
The hard decision will be do I do my run tonight before homework or push it off until tomorrow. If I push it off then I'll have to do 3 workouts again, which is probably not good for my back. Hmmmm...
Besides the training and classwork, work has really picked up. I'm now in stress mode, again, with 2 urgent projects and a new project that I must lead. I have asked my managers over and over not to put me in lead roles. I'd much rather let someone who wants the job take on the hassle of planning and managing budget and hours. I'm an engineer, not a manager! Dr. McCoy had it right and I can see now why he was always so pi$$ed!.
Of course, with all the stress I find that I've been eating more and eating the wrong foods. I've dug into my calorie dense energy bars, something I save for 2 hour long runs only, and I'm craving pizza. We had leftover pizza in the fridge, and last night I fought with myself over a single slice. I opened the fridge, closed the fridge, opened, closed, finally took it out, looked at it, put it back, took it out, pulled out a plate, and finally just put everything back and went to bed. But wait, before I declare victory, I have to admit that I gave into the mint chocolate chip ice cream before I took on the pizza battle. So, one battle lost and one battle won. The war still rages.
Oh, I forgot to mention I got my swimsuit in the mail, and the fit was not flattering to say the least. So it wasn't the back fat that I was afraid would show in the tight thin straps. I'm happy to report that I didn't grow an extra set of boobs under my armpits like I sometimes do with certain bras. This time it was the belly and hips that betrayed me, and I ended up growing an extra set of hips. The side cuts are so deep that they almost wrap around to the front. The bottom of the suit is really tight, and incidentally makes my bottom look small and perky. But according to the conservation of fat, a swimsuit can neither create nor destroy fat, it can only be displaced, and my massive displacement oozed a good couple inches out the sides of my suit. Despite what is going on down below, the top of the suit is so flattering that I'm opting to keep it with the hope that losing another 5 lb will slim down the love handles. I think if I wear a towel around my waist until just before getting in the pool, maybe no one will see the horror. Besides, I really need to get rid of these weird tan lines or my summer wardrobe will be seriously limited.
Last edited on 10 May 2011 06:24 pm by mchen01
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mchen01
Distinguished Member
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Posted: 12 May 2011 03:26 pm |
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Weight: 159.8
Tuesday night I woke up with my back totally on the fritz. I couldn't even stand without holding onto something. I ended up taking another sick day, which is awful because I'm so busy. I've been in bed on my back for most of the past couple days. I don't even know what happened. I went to yoga during lunch and felt pretty good. But then I'd get up from my desk and each time my back felt a little more stiff. I can't tell what made it worse, the yoga or the sitting.
Anyway, my homework is still not done. I haven't worked out in 2 days. Work is piling up. Blah, blah, blah....
Last edited on 12 May 2011 03:27 pm by mchen01
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