#fitnessjourney

Welcome to February!

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How was your January? Mine was a continuation of 2020 in some ways, but I stayed on track. 

I’m 8 pounds lighter and 5 inches smaller than on January 1.  I am blown away!

I’m playing the long game, y’all. Eating better, moving a little more, and keeping my health in focus. This means not focusing on other’s progress and comparing mine to theirs My journey is not just about weight. It includes becoming more mobile and strengthening my back so my spine has more support. It includes finding the best ways of managing Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome symptoms. Most importantly, it involves taking care of my heart, mind, and body.

I learned a little while ago that I have to take care of myself if I wanted to be of help to anyone else.  Part of that included recognizing sharing the truth about what I could and couldn’t handle on some days. It was not as easy as it sounds and was vital.  Burnout led to increased pain and exhaustion along with lost productivity.  When I’d get to that point, I’d be no good to anyone, including myself.  Sleep was not restful and meds made me foggier than I could handle.  Errors at work were harder to catch and the idea of housework made life just too much.  All I could do was sleep and work.  I hated that and do not want to revisit that schedule or mindset again.

Don’t get me wrong – there are still foggy, painful days, but they don’t last more than a week at a time. I’m so thankful for that.

I am going to go on and on if I don’t move to another topic.

So, February.  What are your plans?  Any goals?  Mine include keeping on the cleaner meal plan with treats on occasion (The Ultimate Portion Fix is my jam) and moving more without pushing so hard that I lose progress.  Let me know what you’re up to.  I want to hear it!

Bloodwork update, May 2018

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Xena 3-2018

Say hi to Xena

Howdy, y’all.  What?  I said I’d get back to the regularly scheduled posts.  This one is a quick update on how 2018 is working so far.  My goals for the year are to get off more medication and continue to get stronger.

As of February I am off of Metformin with an A1C at 6.1 thanks to plant-powered menus  and am working on getting off meds.  At the tail end of May, I had a 3 month follow up to see how things stand.  They stand on point!

Bad cholesterol is down 20 points.  In three months.  Believe me, the happy dancing started in my head and my smile almost hurt.

Weight was down 5 pounds.  Not a huge drop, but it was still lower than my February appointment (and after lunch, fully dressed) and it’s worth celebrating.  The happy dancing continued.

The biggest news was the A1C.  It was still at 6.1 and a sign to the doc that I do not need Metformin and am on my way to prediabetic levels. You hear that. Prediabetic!  Once my A1C is under 5, I’ll be in remission.  I almost cried.  Seriously.

Doc also cut one of my blood pressure meds in half and said I may come off of them too as I continue to lost weight and get my numbers down.  She said to keep doing what I’m doing and recommended I add in exercise a few days a week.  I go back for more bloodwork in August.  I plan to see better results.

What am I doing?  Tracking my meals and water on My Fitness Pal has been huge.  I see how I’m doing and where I need to tweak things.  I eat more greens, oats almost daily, limit processed foods and sweeteners, and planned cheat meals.  My coach may not approve of the cheat meals, but I know myself.  If I do not have the flexibility of the occasional treat, I will end up on a free-for-all of all the forbidden foods.  Not that anything is really forbidden, just limited.

I’m looking at you, coconut, nuts, seeds, Nada Moo, and Go Max Go Bars. I love you all.

I’m walking more.  I take the psychos out every morning and get in a mile.  If I am up to it, I take another lap or two around the neighborhood. I keep a moderate pace and add faster intervals.  Xena has a pretty quick pace naturally, so when I’m ready to jog, she’ll be by my side.  Victor is getting older and likes to take his time.  He’s the perfect warm up or cool down partner.

My yoga/Pilates PT routine should be a priority, but it has slipped aside in favor of daily flexibility.  Just 10 minutes a day is the plan for now, but I see a 3-Week Yoga Retreat in my future.  I need more flexibility to help ease the daily pain and with recovery.  I am not 21 anymore and I feel it on a daily basis.

So, that’s the update. If you have any questions for me, just ask.  You know I’ll answer.  I know this is not an easy path, especially if there are chronic issues and emotional eating in the way.  I’m learning to work around my limits and finding my best path.  I hope you can find yours.

Until next time, peace!

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Victor thinks he should help me with my practice.