Doc. Update

Had a follow up Doc. apt. on friday. Needless to say I did not hear any good news, different news or otherwise. I weighed in - at 1 lb higher then I was in November when I went in.

I guess on the upside - I have a higher number to start working my way down from right.

It is frustrating and upsetting. I can't get my body to work like everyone elses - I get seem to get the hormones including insulin to do what they should.

So.. doc is keeping me on the same meds for now... see if things change while I train for this 5k.

I sat at work today and did some arm circles while I talked on the phone today. and walked about 5 laps around the warhouse while I waited for my lunch in the microwave.

Feb 28 - Day 21ish

I've been so busy! Last Thursday - The 24th - I COMPLETED my first Couch2 5K (C25K) program.
Known on the Ipod as Workout 1.1!  I strapped on the Ipod, tried to figure out the Nike+ program (only to figure out later that it did NOT record my workout.. I didn't turn it on.. but fear not - I figured it out!

The C25K program involves a 5 min warm up, 20 min alternating between walking and jogging (as the program moves on - the length of time you walk or jog will vary). The first week is 90 sec walking 60 sec of jogging.  I am VERY proud to say that I worked the ENTIRE program!  Although there were several times that I thought.. oh.. I'm gonna need to skip the next run phase.. and just walk harder.. but I didn't.. I ran every single stinking time! I think it comes out to something like 8 cyles of run/walk.

The program wants you to do the program 3 days a week.. and they emphasize that the the "off" day is very important for muscle building and healing. Well.. I took 3 days off! lol. Busy weekend, and cruddy weather and a particularly rotten mood on Sunday ment I didn't do another workout... till today.

Today I went up to the track again. Any time I mess up.. I just need to remind myself that tomorrow is chance to start over.  So.. program 1.2 was completed today.  I walked with my significant other for a mile first... partially to calibrate my Nike+ program and to get a base I suppose. The results were:
Distance: 1.3 miles
Times: 18.09.
Pace 17"36" per mile
Calories 190

then It was time to hit the Run/walk portion of training.
So I let my Nike+ program track the details and let the C25K program tell me when to walk/run
1.2 Program results:
Distance 1.76 miles
Time 26.18 (I cut the cool down short)
Pace: 14'51 per Mile
Calories 326


so for today - my total was a
Distance 2.82 miles
Best Mile 14'56

 So there we have it..

i'm proud I've been able to do it.. I did have to skip one run phase in today's workout.. I needed a drink. Last workout - I didn't walk the mile before hand. I was thirsty! lol

So Now I've got my first workouts actually logged in with real information. I've loaded the information to my new Nike+ account. But I cna't log that info here - seems it only wants to share on twitter or facebook - and this might be a bit much info for some folks on Facebook.  So I'll just keep posting the info here in the bloggy blog. 

Feb 24 - Day 17

So.. I’m not making GREAT strides yet on my journey to 5k.  I do have a goal date – May 25^th – Thursday.  That  date makes me nervous and excited. I have taken small steps.  This last weekend – I purchased a very gently used Ipod Touch, as I’ve found the Couch to 5k program (and had it recommended by several  friends) – so I wanted to be able to use this program. 

I also purchased a new pair of Nike running shoes – because they fit, they were priced right and I needed new running only shoes.. so I will only wear them to run in – and keep my every day sneakers for just that.

I’ve just returned for what I think is my last running purchase – an armband for my Ipod. The program is loaded up, I’ve got a running mix ready (although I’m certain that needs some tweaking  on song choices – I’ll need some good motivational – power house  music with a good beat…  But for now I’ll work with what I’ve got and just get moving!

The Count down is ON.. I’m at about 3.5 weeks – till the 9 week mark – the 9 weeks is the schedule the C25K program says it can get any Non-Runner ready and running a 5k.

So tonight – I start at the Field House – Gonna put on my running shoes, plug in the Ipod and run!

Feb 11, Day 4ish

Today we viewed the Diana exhibit at the Grand Rapids Art Museum. We enjoyed touring around for over 2 hours. Then walked through the downtown area for about 20 min in the cold. Ate a dinner that had enough calories in it for the entire DAY! But it was sorta a Valentine's date with my guy - so we enjoyed.. and splurged on dessert too...

However, we did have to make a few stops at some stores.. and decided to run in and out of each store (being mindful of any other customers or cars) So there were many car to store and store to car races happening between C, J MK and me.. lol.. It was tons of fun.  So a little bit of running today. I felt great from last nights long walk... and am looking forward to working out tomorrow!

Day 2 & 3

Well, I worked out a bit earlier this week - to the Billy Blanks Bootcamp - had lots of muscle aches and determined it's not so good for my knees - lots of twisting. I rested two days. Today - it was back to the grindstone in a big way!

Chad and I went to an indoor track and walked while the kido was at soccer. We managed to walk about 45 min. Our first 9 laps = 1 mile were together. Then since I'm a bit more a speed walker - I took off and let Chad walk his own pace for the rest of the time.
I went to the track tonight with a small goal in mind - to run a half lap. not much. Just one little half..
And I'm proud to say - I ran ONE FULL ENTIRE LAP. The pace was faster then I wanted.  I need to learn a nice slow steady jog... but.. I made one full lap running. I had already walked 2 miles.. so I ran the first lap of my 3rd mile. I finished the 3rd mile and walked at least one more mile. A fellow soccer pal happens to be there - he has really long legs and a great pace and manages to push me - all we did was talk about healthy meal choices and insurance... but it got the job done!!
Thanks Joe for the push.. Thanks Chad for the warm up lap and for going with me..

YEAH me for my first lap of running - and I didn't pass out.. the knees are feeling good so far...

Meal choice tonight - was a new "lighter" version of Stuffed Shells, we agreed it wasn't our favorite. The shell portion and stuffing was good - cottage cheese, cheese and spinach - the dressing - mushroom, artichokes and tomatoes lacked a lot... we won't be making it exactly that way again. 
I'm keeping up on my food log and feeling good tonight.

tomorrow - a weigh in and measurements (which will NOT be shared at this time thank you)

Background & A Little About Me

So.... I’ve made the decision –now it’s time get motivated.

I’m going to run the Girls on the Run 5k with my daughter this year – May of 2011.

Why are you running Sarah? What made you decide now was the time?

The answer to that is 2 fold I suppose.

My daughter participated last year (granted she did not run the entire 5k – maybe less than half actually) but she enjoyed the experience – and she ran with friends. I felt a little left out – and I have NEVER wanted to be the parent who sits on the sideline and watches my child have fun. I want to have fun with her, share with her, and grow with her.   So  - I want to do this with her.  Sometimes I sit back and see how she’s grown and changed and where she is headed in life and I realize that I only have a short amount of time with her, before she grows up, finds boys and dating, drives, and heads off to college. So I’ve always tried to be the best Mom I can be – open her eyes to the world, surround her with people who can show her experiences I can’t and for us to create happy memories together. (Also, so I don’t have to pay for therapy someday over what an “awful” childhood she may have had lol – she’s been a lucky kid especially from the humble beginning we’ve had as a family just she and I)

Secondly, simply to lose weight and be healthier.

A little background about me:

I’ve spent more than half my life trying to lose weight., and I feel that I’m in my final push here – it I can’t get it off.. it may never come off.  And I might just have to find a way to be happy with how I look – something I’ve tried unsuccessfully to do over the years. This takes an emotional toll on a person.

---- Personal struggle, weight gain and medical issues below, you can skip it if you don’t want the details – just background, no 5k training details---

In my youth I was an active child, I participated in all sports in middle school - Volleyball, Basketball (my sport of choice), track and field events, cheerleading. We had gym on a regular basis and I have always been an active participant. I enjoyed walking in the fields and woods after school and riding my bike for hours in our neighborhood. I have always enjoyed swimming, walking, participated in soccer one season, ballet for a year.  I climbed trees and ran around with my childhood friends. But since I was around 10 or so.. I’ve always had a little more than my fellow friends. In fact I recall when it was time for our ballet recital – the dance instructor was passing out material for our costumes (our parents were required to make them) and she commented to the group.. we gave you the extra Sarah. 

I recall working on calorie counting when I was about  11 or 12 with my doctors’ office.  I would ride my bike to the doctor downtown Stevensville to weigh in. Oh!,  in the summer I think I rode my bike downtown several times a week! Rode it to soccer practice, to the little store that was down there, to the church playground, to the library (all the things I would NEVER let my 11 yr old do today on her own! Geesh).  I don’t ever remember seeing the scale move though.. I just remember measuring food  and weighing in and feeling frustrated.  In High school I was always the “heavy girl” – outweighing my counter parts by 30-40 lbs.  Even though I was just as active, and have never been a huge snacker. If you look at my size and weight from 20 years ago – I was a minority.. today – there are girls and teens who easily outweigh what I did back then. In today’s High School – I would be considered more normal – but this wasn’t  the case back in my youth.  I was not an outcast  - I did have a good solid group of friends, many of whom I’ve remained friends with over the years, but I was certainly looked at differently – and didn’t have great confidence in myself ( ie, small group of friends, no dating).

I recall gaining a few pounds with bad eating habits my first year of college – but only 5 or 10 lbs.  However, around age 19, I gained 20 lbs in less than 4 months.  I went to the Doctor, and because I was working at a bakery – she told me to stop eating what I was working with. That the weight gain was simply over eating and not enough exercise. (truth be told – if you’ve ever worked in the food industry –when you work  in and around it all day, you tend to NOT eat it at all – so I knew that was NOT the reason)  Around this time – I also started having hormonal issues and abnormal monthly cycles. The Doctor attributed this to stress and gaining weight.  I was living away from home (out of state), attending college, living on my own and working 2 part time jobs.   They tried a variety of medications including birth control to control issues – and I just kept gaining weight. About 10 lbs a year.

Miraculously – I became pregnant shortly after I was married in 1999. This was unplanned and unexpected at the time, but the best blessing I could ever imagine.   I gained a mere 16 lbs with my daughter, managed a separation from my short marriage, a move out of state,  premature contractions  which led to 1 month of bedrest, gestational diabetes and delivery of a 6 week preemie weighing in at 4 lbs 9 oz and a tiny 16 ¾ inches long. My greatest joy!

I was back down to pre-baby weight and into my pre-baby jeans within 3 weeks!  They say anything can change after you have a baby – and so it did.  I developed hirsutism (unwanted hair growth) that didn’t go away – and I started normal cycles again.. but this was short lived for only about a year or so.  After return of some previous problems – I again went to my doctor (a new one this time, and not a family practice but OB/GYN.  She started with the same thing, eat less exercise more.. then follow up.. after my cycles becoming more and more irregular and some now more major complications, an outpatient procedure she began running more tests.  Finally after more than 5 years – I received a diagnosis… Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome., sometimes called Syndrome X or Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin resistance. The two are often seen together – one does not mean the other nor cause the other, they just often run hand in hand. 

So now with a  diagnosis.. what does that mean, where do we go from here? Well – I learned that my pancrease overproduces insulin because my muscles don’t utilize the Insulin that is in my body, and they call for more insulin. When you have an abundance of “unused” insulin in your system – your body simply stores it as fat for later… THANK YOU BODY – for being so proficient in storage.  I have classic characteristics of this syndrome – round shape in the middle – with average legs and arms.  We have tried various drug combinations and when my doctor moved, I had to start all over again with doctors. It seems like I’ve had to educate any doctor or nurse I speak with about Insulin resistance and that it’s NOT diabetes and also what PCOS is. It’s exhausting at times and most certainly frustrating.  I have finally found a Doc who was familiar and treats patients for the issues I have.  He’s got some recommendations, some medications we’re trying again. (and maybe this time they’ll work). He’s encouraged me to exercise more – it seems studies are showing 30 min a day or so. This is important since I work a desk job – which means not a lot of movement all day.  I’ve asked for help and encouragement before, I’ve attempted to seek out work out buddies, support. Someone to exercise with me to keep me motivated – but times are tough, folks are busy.  So a few months ago – I dug down really deep and decided I’m the only one who can get this going.  

So.. I’ve been attempting some more exercise, got the Wii Fit, doing some walking – but it’s not enough.  So… 5k here I come. 

Day 1

I've made up my mind, and I decided it's time to share it with the world.
Join me on my 14 week journey to run a 5K with my daughter in May 2011.

Support and encouragement are appreciated.. but my determination will get me to the finish line.