In about thirty minutes I’m going to make my epic return to work, and I wanted to take a second to get a few thoughts down before I go.
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One. After not working for awhile I’m wondering, will I remember how to do this? Will I remember how to manage my time, how to do all my skills, will I remember to do all the little pieces of charting that we’re required to do? I’m also wondering, how will people react to me today? After my two weeks off not only did I get a chemical peel that is still in the stages of healing (I know there will be some funny looks), but I’ve also decided to start wearing a lot less makeup.
Two. Tomorrow I go in for an ultrasound to determine whether my follicles are ready, whatever that means. I have resisted the urge to Google the hell out of IUI’s because I don’t want to obsess over it, but it’s still hard to keep calm and think about other things. If all goes well I’ll be inseminated by the end of the week and in two weeks I could know for sure that I’m pregnant. That’s a weird thought. In two weeks the whole thing could have failed and I’ll have to deal with that disappointment. That’s a sad thought.
Three. Somewhere in between working, doctor’s visits, and taking care of my husband and dogs, I intend to keep running despite the heat. I’ve decided to keep playing soccer this fall, and I’m tired of being out of shape. I also miss yoga, so I’d like to start back up with that this week. (See, I have to make decisions regardless of what happens with the IUI. I can’t not play soccer because I think I’ll be pregnant by then; that’s just asking for failure.)
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My thirty minutes are nearly up. Here’s hoping my first day of work goes well, and that I can stay awake till the end of my shift.
I’ve played soccer since I was about 7 years old, and soccer is a sport that involves a lot of running – sometimes up to 10 miles a game. I didn’t really mind running during games or practice because there was a purpose to it. For a long time I hated running for its own sake.
I grew up training hard for my teams, practicing daily and playing in elite tournaments with three games a day in 100-degree weather. I was surrounded by trainers, coaches, teammates, and dads that pushed me to the limit. Sometimes I broke down, but overall I pushed myself right along with them.
When I graduated college I continued to play on adult teams in the area, but these were much different. Most people had grown up playing soccer and had talent, but the point of the game had changed. It was more about fun now. For example, if it was a Saturday morning game, it wasn’t uncommon to have several team members show up with hangovers.
These teams didn’t hold practices, so it was up to me to keep myself in shape. I decided to give running a try, and when I did my first 5k I found that I really enjoyed the race culture. This was something I could get into, I thought.
Unfortunately, when I entered nursing school I had to drop out of playing soccer except in the summers. The games just didn’t work with my schedule. Along with it went my running efforts. Before I knew it, months had gone by without me running.
Eventually some friends inspired me to pick it back up again, but for the first time in my life I realized what out of shape really means. I couldn’t run a 5k. I could barely run a mile. If I tried, I hated every minute of it, and gave up. That’s when I discovered the C25k program, which is a run/walk interval that slowly increases the amount of running until you can run a straight 5k. For some reason if I was sticking to a “training program” it was OK for me to walk. It was less embarrassing that way.
The interval method works. Since I discovered it, I have allowed myself to fall out of shape many, many times – like I am now. I’m not happy about it, but I know how to fix it. I don’t always use the C25k program when starting out, but I have finally gotten to a place where I’m content to stop and walk if I need to.
My current training method when I run is to listen to my body. I allow myself to walk if one of the following happens:
I feel like I’m going to vom
I get sharp or very achy cramps
I feel like I am going to fall asleep mid-stride
I don’t think my legs are going to hold me up much longer
I would also walk if I felt like I was injured, but that hasn’t happened yet. I’ll walk until I sense my body has recovered, and then I’ll run again. Eventually I’m able to run farther and walk less.
It works for me. I’ve been getting the urge to run lately, and since I’m in need of distraction from certain anxiety-inducing realities I’ve decided to throw myself back into it. I’ll be an expert 5k-er by the end of this year, just watch. Anyone with me?
Right before my miscarriage my doctor told me to stop exercising. Because two drastic health events followed that, I’ve been hesitant to start up again. But with a lot of rest, medication, and supplements, I’m finally feeling strong enough. There is a sprint triathlon in August that I’m shooting for, and I’ll start training for that in a couple months. Until then, I want to build up my strength and get back to my baseline of fitness.
I mentioned before that the folks at Brand About Town chose me to be a Nintendo Enthusiast. I was extremely excited to find a Wii, Wii Fit Plus, and a book called The Triathlon Training Bible in the mail one day.
Total score!
I immediately hooked it all up, created my Mii, and did a body test. Then I started reading the book. This time, I want to have a thorough understanding of triathlon training before I begin.
Last week when I had off work I decided that it was the day to begin exercising again. Due to my recent blood loss and stomach issues I’m at a healthy weight for me, one that I want to maintain, but I have lost all muscle tone. Here I am in my workout clothes for the first time in forever:
I may or may not be wearing the shirt I slept in last night
I thought that the Wii Fit Plus was the perfect way to ease back into working out, and it’ll be nice to have in the summer months when it’s just too hot to go outside.
I started out by doing another body test. It weighs you, and then has you do a couple of mind and balance tests. I am TERRIBLE at the balance tests. I mean really. Terrible. Then based on a combination of your actual age and your performance, it gives you your Wii Fit Age. I did the body test three separate times before I got an age that I felt acceptable to display to the Internet.
Much better than 38
One of my 101 goals was to unlock all the exercises in Wii Fit, but the Wii Fit Plus doesn’t have any exercises locked. I am therefore editing my goal to read: try all the exercises in Wii Fit Plus at least once. I jumped right in a started playing around, although it was a little hard to do when I had this to deal with:
Oliver needs to attend a 12-step program for codependency
First I did a little jog. You don’t have to run on the balance board, you just hold the controller or put it in your pocket. I like to hold things when I run anyway, so I didn’t mind. Running in place is kind of awkward at first, and it works my calves more than I’m used to (which might be a good thing). I was sore for DAYS afterwards. It’s not a replacement for actual running, but it’s still a nice aerobic exercise.
Awkward picture of me running in place, taken by my camera on self-timer
Next I did some yoga stretches. One of the changes to Wii Fit Plus is that you can put together your own routines. So instead of just doing one yoga pose at a time you can kind of simulate a flow, although there is still some transition time.
My ridiculous triangle pose
And since I love to ride bikes, I tried this new addition called Island Cycle. You pick your feet up and down as if you’re riding a bike (but not really) and hold the controller horizontally to steer. You hit all the checkpoints and return to the starting point. It was fun!
Wish I had a place to ride like that in real life
The last thing I did was create a profile for my dog Cleo. I think it’s so cool that you can do this! (Works for kids & babies too.) Not only do you get to see a cute little puppy on screen that will show up in your activities (she followed me around when I was cycling), but you can track your pet’s weight. This is actually really helpful when you have a dog who is bordering on obesity and you need to know what dose of heartworm pill to give her.
She's so cute!
Looks a lot like her, don’t you think?
Too bad you can't do the training with me, little Cleo
So my goals are to do a body test once a week for at least 12 weeks, and try all the exercises once. I’ll decide which ones work best for me, and use those on the days where I can’t make it outside.
Anyone else have a Wii Fit or Wii Fit Plus? How do you use it, and what do you think of it?
My morning has already been quite busy, and before I get on with the rest of the day (which will mostly involve cleaning) I simply must share with you these trivial thoughts.
First of all, go on over and visit Lauren From Texas for her 6-month blogiversary! She’s having an adorable giveaway. Go ahead, go. I’ll wait. Now onto the randomness.
Our dog Eddie hurt her leg last night trying to jump up onto our insanely high bed. She’s not putting any weight on it at all. We’ve been giving her children’s aspirin and trying to get her to rest. This has happened before, and after a couple weeks the leg got back to almost-normal. Here’s hoping it will heal up again without veterinary intervention (which is not exactly in the budget right now).
Speaking of budget, David and I finally made one for ourselves and we’re starting in November. We’re getting serious about saving, people. I want to go to Scotland to visit my friend Megan, I want a new car, I want to have an emergency fund, I want to be debt free, and I want to be able to comfortably retire eventually. That means more cooking, eating leftovers, less eating out, no Starbucks, no random trips to Target, and no new furniture for awhile. I’m even getting crazy and attempting to make my own cleaning supplies, and other such things. It’ll be hard, but so worth it! Share your frugal tips or frugal living blogs, please and thank you.
I rarely buy myself anything, but with the impending doom of tight budget looming I made one little splurge. I’ve been searching for a dainty little choker for awhile now that I can wear with pretty much anything, and that I can also layer it with other necklaces. I found it at Jeneri Jewelry. It’s perfect and I love it.
This morning I forced myself to go run before it started raining. I was very impressed with myself not only that I actually went, but also because I ran the farthest that I have run in…well I can’t even remember. I have a 5k in a little over a week and I don’t want to pass out mid-stride. Also, I don’t want Maggie to leave me in the dust. When I set out this morning I told myself that the only reason I’d stop to walk is if I felt like I was going to throw up. That didn’t happen, and although I had to battle myself mentally not to take some shortcuts home, I’m calling it a success.
After running I hurriedly showered and dressed and set out to meet my sister-in-law Vanessa and my nephew Lucas for their Kindermusik class. I’m not used to any kind of mommy or baby activities so it was a little strange for me, but Lucas (and the other kids, but mainly Lucas) was sooooo adorable and he obviously enjoys it. I love that little boy so much.
Finally, I’ve decided to take on NaBloPoMo this November. The only requirements are to sign up, and then post every single day for a month. This is one of my 101 goals, so might as well get it over with. It seems I usually post 2-3 times a week, so this will definitely be a challenge. Let me know if you’re doing it too, because I could use the encouragement and solidarity. I’m going to try not to fill it up with cop-out posts, but I guarantee there will be some of those mixed in. I’m making a little theme for myself though, which will hopefully yield some direction for me and some semi-quality writing for you. I’ll tell you all about it on Sunday, when the challenge starts.
The hospital where I work provides free wellness check-ups every so often. It includes vital signs, height and weight, blood tests for cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, and a questionnaire that is analyzed and results/commentary mailed to you. My results? Overall wellness score: 79/100, which is in between “doing well” and “excellent.” I am 27, but my “health age” is 22.2.
I want to be the healthiest person I can be. Why? First of all, I believe that God created my body, so I want to treat it with the respect that it deserves. Secondly, I want to live a long time for my family and friends, and to make a difference on the earth. Finally, I am convinced that health and wellness increase quality of life exponentially. My recent wellness profile was encouraging, but it also got me thinking about what I can do better.
But first, what I’m doing well:
My vital signs and lab work are excellent.
I don’t smoke and never have.
I don’t drink any alcohol for personal reasons.
I have an active lifestyle, and am constantly walking at my job.
I maintain a healthy weight.
I put sunscreen on my face every day and on the rest of my body if I know I’ll be outside a lot. I don’t tan or sunbathe.
I moisturize my skin daily.
I eat breakfast daily.
I don’t snack.
I don’t use excess salt.
Most of the time, I do aerobic workouts 3 times a week.
I get adequate sleep (usually 7 hours a night).
I always wear my seat belt.
I am generally happy, take time to relax, deal with stress well, and have good self-worth.
I have an amazing social support system through my family and close friends.
We have smoke detectors in our house.
I always wear a helmet when I ride my bike.
I try to use my legs for lifting and not my back.
I do a monthly self-breast exam.
I get a yearly pap smear.
I see the dentist every 6 months.
I have not used any sick days in the past year, and can only remember getting one mild cold.
I am up to date on my vaccinations, including tetanus booster and flu shot.
Now, ways I can improve:
Increase my fiber intake, and
Increase my vegetable intake. I eat a couple fruits a day, but I hardly ever eat vegetables. I should also eat more whole grains.
Take a multivitamin every day. I have some, but I am so bad about forgetting to take them.
Do some strength training. Two workouts a week are recommended. I make the excuse that I’m not a member of a gym, but the truth is that you can do strength training without any weights. For example, push-ups and sit-ups achieve the desired goal.
Stretch. I have a bad habit of NEVER stretching, even before and after a run. I have started to do a little yoga, but I need to do some straight stretching.
Seriously stick to my 3-times-a-week aerobic workouts. For me this is mostly running right now, but could also include workout videos, biking, or swimming.
Find a primary care physician and get a physical once a year. I also have a few moles that I would like looked at.
Put my phone away when I drive. I don’t really text while driving anymore, but I still find myself looking things up.
Transition to using all organic/natural products in my home and on my body.
What about you? What areas do you have mastered, and what areas do you need to improve in? Why is wellness important to you?
