The Coat...

When trying to lose weight you will find yourself reading articles, books or posts that will give you suggestions to help you succeed.  I know I do and I can almost guarantee that I am not alone.

When it comes to measuring your success everyone usually uses the almighty scale.  This thin box can make or break you.  It can make you feel like you are on top of the world or it can make you feel lower than dirt.  I once saw a cartoon with two kids standing near a scale.  One child said to the other, "don't stand on that, it can make you cry".  I laughed at the cartoon but I also thought to myself that is so true.  So are there other ways to measure?

When reading the articles, books and posts an individual trying to lose weight is encouraged to find other ways to measure weight loss.  You can use how your clothes are fitting, measure inches on your body or maybe it is just how you feel physically and mentally.

So you are probably wondering  why I am talking about this? Well here is goes.  Earlier this week I was walking on campus.  I was actually walking from the gym while it was snowing during the day.  I started to cross an intersection, slipped on the snow and down I went.  I know you are not surprised that I fell, being the klutz that I am.  So after I fell I jumped up as fast as I could but I was covered in snow, slush and dirt.  The winter coat I was wearing was now wet and dirty.  I brought the coat home, hung it up but knew I didn't have time to take it to the dry cleaners.  So then I had to ask myself what will I wear now?  It was too cold for my winter vests and the fleece jackets weren't going to do it either.  So I reached into the back of the closet and pulled out a long black winter coat that is probably 8+ years old.  The coat is still in great shape because I barely wear it.  The reason why I don't wear this coat is because for many years I wasn't able to button it closed.

So the moment of truth came on Wednesday morning.  I was ready to leave for work and I put the coat on.  I was in shocked, not only did it button close but it closed easily with extra room.  I didn't need the scale this week, I had a way to measure my hard work and I was a success.

However the measurements are not over.  I thought the black coat said it all but I was wrong.  On Friday I was curious so I stepped on the scale and it was down an additional half pound.  Not a huge loss but a loss just the same.

But wait there is more ... I feel like I am doing an infomercial ... if you call now you can get more for a low price.  After a few weeks of no work travel I was back on the road this morning.  I was taking a flight to Chicago, heading right into a blizzard, but that is a story for another day.  I got on the plane took my seat, got settled and then buckled my seat belt. Not only was I able to buckle my seat belt I was able to pull it tight.  That hasn't happened in a long time.  Over a year ago there was one flight that I had to actually ask for an extension and today I pulled the seat belt "tight across your lap".

Woo Hoo

Using other measurements helps to build you up!

GO Patriots!!

I cheated ...

I cheated ... I stepped on the scale early.  When I posted five days ago I said I would wait until Monday to step on the scale.  Well curiosity got the best of me this morning and I stepped on the scale.  The scale moved and I was happy.  I am down 1.5 pounds ... FINALLY!!!  I know that shouldn't be my only focus but the frustration of a scale not moving gets the best of me!!

Tomorrow morning I have an appointment with my diabetes nurse expert (for lack of a better word).  My numbers aren't consistent so I am curious to see what she has to say.  She wanted my numbers to be in a certain range every morning.  I only hit that range 3 times since I saw her last.  They have been low in the morning but not always low enough.  So tomorrow could be interesting.

I missed three workouts this week.  Wednesday I had planned on a workout, packed my bag and everything.  However, I forgot that I had a conference call planned at 5:15 for work and by the time it was done the gym was closed.  Thursday, I had also planned a workout but had to stay later at work to finish a few things and the gym was closed by the time I was done.  The students will be back this week so the gym will go back to regular hours thank God!!!  I walked yesterday and I will do something today I just don't know how far.  I am fighting a head cold and I have to see how I feel.  However, I promise to get something done today.

Keep moving forward.

Wish the scale would move

I realize that my 2015 word is HEALTH but I am human and I want the scale to move too.  I know I am doing all of this to better my health but again I want the scale to move.  Prior to Christmas I broke the 30 pound mark for a total of 31.  After the holidays I am still holding at 31 pounds.  I understand that I should look at the glass as half full and tell myself that I am happy I didn't gain any weight over the holidays but I am losing patience.  I am happy I didn't gain any weight but when I start to lose patience it can get ugly.  I want to keep moving forward but I would like to see the scale move too.  I would love even a half a pound.

So what do I do ... I hide the scale until Monday.  Instead of stressing about it, thinking about it too much or focusing on it I hid the scale.  It's just a number right?  Waiting 6 days until I can weigh myself is not a bad thing.  I need to focus on HEALTH.  My workouts; food intake; sleep etc.  Monday will be here before we know it. 

The scale better move!!!

27.43 miles

In the last 11 days I have run a total of 27.43 miles.  Just keep moving forward is my mantra!  The best part of this update is that the running that I have been doing over the last 11+ days hasn't been a chore.  I have actually enjoyed hitting the pavement.  It has been empowering and peaceful at the same time. I am just hoping I can keep this up! 19 more weeks until the marathon!

I was recently reading through some past blogs and I realize that I have not given you all an update on my water drinking challenge.  Back in November I challenged myself to drink a gallon of water a day for 28 days.  I have to admit it was tough.  A gallon of water is a lot to drink in one day.  Keep in mind it is not the only thing that I drank so add a gallon onto my morning cup(s) of caffeine and/or other liquids and it is tough.  Some days I achieved my goal and other days I missed by a few ounces here and there.  I am glad I took the challenge on because I realized I didn't drink as much water as I thought.  I thought I drank a lot of water throughout the day but I wasn't even close.

The positives that  came out of drinking that much water.  I limited my cups of caffeine (Tea) and also cut out soda.  In the 28 days that I took this challenge on, I had one soda.  I was at a work event and I needed a caffeine pick me up and soda was my only option.  Since I finished the challenge, I haven't had a soda.  I think I broke the habit!

So how much water am I drinking now? 80 ounces a day is my goal...it seems reasonable and doable!

Just keep moving forward.

Happy New Year! 2015 The Year of Mo!!

Happy New Year!  A new day, a new year and a blank slate.  I looked back on my "resolutions" from 2014 and out of the 10 I listed I completed 3 1/2 of them.  2014 personally was a year of ups and downs but I refuse to look back.  I have a clean slate in front of me and an opportunity to get up and move forward.

While I was off from work this past week I had the time to watch many of the morning news programs.  Something I enjoy but I am not able to do normally.  The last few days the focus on these morning news programs was the New Year and resolutions.  One suggestion was made instead of listing resolutions come up with a word or phrase that defines your resolutions.

After I heard this I started thinking.  Obviously resolutions are not for me.  It is obvious if you look at my post from a year ago when I listed 10 resolutions but only completed 3 1/2 of them.  So I decided instead of resolutions I would set goals.  I do better with goals that have a beginning, a middle and an end. And I wrapped those goals into one word and one phrase.

My one word --HEALTH

My phrase -- MEDICATION FREE

Knowing that I am a triathlete and a runner you can guarantee that I have set race goals for myself for 2015.  These goals will feed into "health" and "medication free".  The following list are my event goals:

February 2015 - Lake Effect Half Marathon (registered)
March 2015 - Syracuse Half Marathon (registered)
May 2015 - Vermont City Marathon (registered)
July 2015 - Gillie Girl Triathlon (waiting for registration to open)
August 2015 - Cayuga Triathlon (registered)
Ultimate goal -- Open Water 3 mile Swim in Lake George, NY (waiting for registration to open)

Finally, what do I want?  I want my health!  I want to be healthy!  How will I get there? One step at a time.  Everything I do and every choice I make I will keep my "one word" and "my phrase" in mind ... will this get me what I want!

I have announced this in year's past but this year I believe it ... 2015 is the YEAR OF MO!! A year to take care of me in order to accomplish my goals.

There is a Japanese Proverb that states: "Fall seven times, get up eight". 

Happy New Year!! Take advantage of your blank slate, your untraveled road and the blank first page of your book!!

Tri-ing to get the fire book!!

The Holidays and Other updates

I am sorry it has been so long since I last posted.  It has been over a month and so much has been going on.  On November25th I announced in the blog that I have been diagnosed with diabetes.  I was overwhelmed with this diagnosis.  I was angry, scared and literally overwhelmed.

Since I posted the news my life became a bit crazy.  I had to finish my first semester of grad school which was nonstop school work for about two weeks.  Then I traveled a bit for work. I got ready for the Christmas holiday and tried to understand what was going on with my body medically.

During all of this I have had several doctor appointments; have been put on two different medications and have been educated on diabetes.  I was put through the crash course.  I have read so much, talked to friends and tried to make sense of all of it.  My doctor sent me to a nurse practitioner who specializes in diabetes.  I like this woman and I have learned so much from her.  She has me counting carbs; focusing on my blood counts; continuing with my workouts and focusing on my weight loss.  The one thing that this nurse said and my doctor agrees is that she has no doubt that I will work hard at getting my diabetes under control and the medication will disappear.  From her lips to God's ears! I have set the goal for myself that next year at this time I will be off the medication!

I am still angry, scared and a bit overwhelmed but I am trying to make the best of it.  It is what it is and I have to accept it, for now!

Other than that life goes on.  Thanksgiving came and went and it was a great holiday.  I broke the 30 pound mark and I am now down 31 pounds (We will see if that sticks after the holidays). The Christmas season then arrived and as usual the day flew by!  I am still celebrating of course ... I love the lights, the music and the spirit of the season.  However it is now time to look ahead.  2015 can only get better right?  Oh the plans I have for 2015!!

"Tri" ing to get the fire back

Why?

I realize that other people carry heavier crosses and the world has much bigger problems than I do, but do you ever feel like the universe is working against you?  Today I heard some news that made me mad, confused but mostly scared.  In just over 24 weeks I have lost 29 pounds.  That on average is 1.2 pounds per week.  When it comes to weight loss the experts say that it is best to lose about 1-2 pounds per week rather than lose drastically too fast.  In this time I have increased my workouts and in so many ways I have become stronger both physically and mentally.

There is a reason why I am telling you all this.  A couple of weeks ago I had to go in for some blood work.  I was asked to fast for the testing.  So I went in, they took my blood and I went on with my day.  A day or two later I received a call from my doctor's office, I was told I have a slight deficiency in Vitamin D and that they need to do further tests because they were concerned about other numbers.  However this time I didn't need to fast.  I headed back into the doctors the next morning and waited to hear the results.  Well the results came back and I ended up in my doctor's office today.  And the verdict is ... I have diabetes.

I burst into tears in the office and the only two questions I had were how? and why?  I looked at my doctor dumb founded and confused.  I said how can this be if I have lost almost 30 pounds and I have increased my workouts over the last 5 months?  He explained that I could have had diabetes this whole time but didn't show any symptoms but the numbers don't lie.  He asked me not to focus on the fact that I will now be put on medication but to continue to focus on the weight loss and my continued workouts.  He is referring me to a nutritionist who specializes in diabetes so she can help me continue on my weight loss journey.  He told me that it is obvious that I want to live a healthy life and that is what I need to focus on.

What I am struggling with is why now?  So often you read about individuals who change their lifestyle after they find out they have diabetes ... I have never heard of anyone getting diabetes after they change their lifestyle.  However, I guess there is always one in every crowd.

Like I said I know there are a lot of bigger problems in this world but this is a pretty big deal to me and I am scared.

All I can do is take it one day at a time...