Energy Levels...

Last year when I went to Mazatlan, it was just after the first publicized outbreak of the H1N1 Flu in Mexico City. It was very stressful just before my vacation as I was getting pressure from a LOT of folks not to go.  Mazatlan itself was very quiet as well, and quite a few shops/stores/zoo etc. were closed. This year I was talking to the owner of the deep sea fishing company we have used for the last 6 trips, and he said that although they are still recovering from that economic disaster, Mexicans themselves have learned a valuable thing. Cleanliness…. There are hand sanitizers EVERYWHERE there now. He feels it is a really good thing… so did I.

Anyway…. J back to ME!

I walked on my treadmill yesterday morning at its highest incline for 30 minutes, at a fairly easy pace (I think it was 3.0-3.2), and then I moved it back down and jogged for 10 minutes (faster of course J), then walked another 5 to cool down.  Then I paced around the hospital for hours. I had to cancel my strength training session with my PT as I knew I wasn’t going to make it out of the hospital on time. And I was correct; we got home around 6:30. I had a yucky food day yesterday. I brought some stuff to munch on but I didn’t plan on spending the ENTIRE day there. My original plan was to leave him at 11 and come in to work for three or four hours, but they didn’t actually take him to OR until 12:15 and told me he would be done at 1:30 and in recovery by 2:00 so I stuck around. Which meant I was hungry…. And bored. I did not make a good choice. I walked by a Nut Man booth and saw this snack package – I don’t know what it was called but it is like Chex Mix. Anyway, I munched on it and read my book on eating clean – how about an oxymoron that was. J  By the time I got home, I was very hungry again but didn’t want anything to eat. It made no sense to me at the time and still doesn’t. I had a fridge full of veggies, cleaned and ready to go but I didn’t “feel” like eating a salad. I wanted “crap”. That Chex like snack set off some triggers. I wanted carb filled stuff like a toasted tomato sandwich or even just a bowl of salt laden soup.  So I had an apple instead, blogged a bit, and went to bed early. I felt like crap from eating the crap.

I was tired from not doing anything all day. It is amazing how doing nothing makes one tired rather than rested. I think that is 99% of Mr. Sandra’s problem. He keeps telling me he has no energy to exercise. He doesn’t feel up to it. But I think that if you just start, get moving, you feel sooooo much better and it is easier and easier each day until you start craving and needing it. I am at that phase in my life right now. He just needs to push past that tiredness and start one day at a time – 10/15 minutes a day – just get moving…..

Today, I got up at 4 and did my C25KW6D2 run. I could tell I ate crap yesterday. I had no energy. I made it through but it was a struggle. It wasn’t like it was all that hard this time, my legs felt pretty good once I started, but my lungs were struggling. And I was bored. I need to find something interesting on TV to watch or take this outside now that it is getting nicer out. Katie would certainly enjoy a good fast walk first thing in the morning. Run for me, fast walk for her… J I’m finding my legs are stronger and not as tired these days as I jog. I also have been walking for a few minutes at a fairly easy pace, then getting off the treadmill and stretching my hams, quads and calves, then getting back on and starting up the C25K program. It seems to be really helping my legs. I stretch after as well.

I’m starting to journal absolutely everything I eat, drink, exercise, hours of sleep, quality of sleep, moods, etc....  I’ve been reading enough books lately that really advocate this practice to find the right balance for your body. I want to start finding triggers. What is making my sinuses plugged 80% of the time, my daily headaches, how I feel the day after a “binge” day or how I feel after a perfect day. How  I feel within minutes of eating certain foods.

Starting next Monday, I am going to start an elimination diet to take out any and all possible food that my body might be sensitive to and for two weeks I will cleanse my body by eating completely clean.  I will tell you right now that this will NOT be easy for me because of my nights and once (sometimes twice) weekly “date” night when we go out for beers and a steak.  I’m going to really have to work at this to make it work. After two weeks of being successful, I will add some of the trigger foods back in one day at a time and determine which foods are not good for my body. This could be things like; diary, Sugars, Yeast, Gluten products, eggs, etc. I’ve got a list of things to include/exclude. You know how much food out there has diary in it? And my Whey Protein shakes in the morning… I’ve been slowing transitioning to Rice and Hemp protein but the taste just isn’t the same.

Since this post is long enough for today, I will post that list tomorrow.

I hope you all have a fantastic day and those in the LHSA challenge – get your butts moving!

Ttyl

Sandra