My first 5K and the Unexpected

I've taken a bit of a hiatus from things the past few days.  

First off I have come to realize that not having a solid plan in place is setting oneself up to fall down a slippery slope to nothing good.  I usually plan ahead but this time things kind of went whacky for me.  

My 5K was on Saturday so on Thursday I had plan on getting in a good run and taking Friday off to rest up for the event. Well it was raining on Thursday so no run happened. When Friday arrived I got a bit stir crazy in the house and got a bright idea to go for a walk/run just to loosen up a bit. Well lo and behold I FELL! Yup, I went flying like superman right to the ground, arms straight out and fell 1/2 on the sidewalk and 1/2 on the grass.  A rush of stupidness came on suddenly and then a jolt of pain in my right shoulder/upper arm area.  I picked myself up, brushed of the dirt and walked home with a little less enthusiasm than I had when I left the house.  Actually I was crushed & mad at myself, I'm always so careful and that particular day I just rushed off with no plan in play except to just go. 

I ran my race the next day with caution and with some discomfort.  I started that day feeling nervous, excited and a fear of falling again with only this time a crowd to see. Thankfully I didn't.  The race wasn't my best run but I finish and I'm proud of that.  A few times in the beginning of my run I even wondered if I could even do it.  The mind can play evil tricks on you and I knew that all too well so I pushed through the doubts and repeatedly told myself "I can do this"!

And I DID! 

Since the race I've kind of taken it easy. Yes I did some walking at Epcot on Sunday but since then I pretty much have stayed quiet treating/babying my shoulder until today and I went to the gym. My shoulder is better than it was but not fully healed yet. There still is pain when using it in full rotation but hoping in a couple more days it will be good as new.  

September still has a little over a week left and I'm ready to give it my all. It's back to the gym, walking  and running the beach for me.  

Well that's it for now. 

Well Wishes, ((Hugs)) & Prayers, 

Janine

Taking Control of My Health: Dr Update

   Most of us can tell if your coming down with a cold but can you tell if your lab levels are off? 

  I stress a bunch on being in tune with my body for many reasons. 

# 1 I can catch changes quickly before things get too out of control. 

# 2 I can be very clear with my doctor and know how to proceed 

# 3 I know to get a call in quickly to my dr as well to get my lab levels checked if need be. 

  Today I finally got to see the dr after what I already suspected what was happening, my thyroid levels going up and my symptoms showing themselves once again. My symptoms can come on slowly and then can be full blown over night.  A few weeks ago I could tell I wasn't at my best that I had been.  Gradually my symptoms started to present themselves more and more (decrease in energy, needing naps after a workout, low mood and easily unmotivated, heart palpitations, occasional joint pain). I had my TSH checked right away and was correct of what I suspected, unfortunately dr couldn't see me for another 2 weeks to talk over a plan of action which was today. 

   We talked a bunch of what I'm doing daily with my diet & exercise and what I want in general- OPTIMAL HEALTH. He loves my dietary changes and my proactive health routine I have created for myself. He says it's not an easy task to stay so disciplined like I have been. 

  With my Hashimoto I will always need thyroid meds at this point but like I told him, I refuse to need prescriptions to mask anything I can find the root cause for and deal with it that way. No need for unnecessary prescriptions!   It's up to me to rid my pain from inflammation , control my cholesterol, sugars levels, BP  and anything else that I can control within my doing of diet and exercise.  

   He was very pleased with my previous lab results of my RA inflammation and having zero chronic pain from my back and joint issues- labs shows no inflammation at all which has been controlled by avoiding foods that cause inflammation. 

  My BP is excellent compared to last year I was borderline hypertension and dr wanted me to consider meds at that time. 

  My weight is down 30 lbs (would have been down 35 if my levels didn't go crazy the past few weeks but that's what I get to deal with and I have to accept the process on how my body functions and not give up either way) 

I have lots of labs ordered for the end of October to not only recheck the thyroid levels but to make sure what I am doing, taking or eliminating has continued to change things for the better like: my autoimmune & anemia, vit D & B 12, cholesterol, liver functions & A1C.  Dr is confident that my hard work is paying off and I will be pleased with the results. 

  All in all I'm pretty happy with how things are going and proud of myself too. It's not easy day in and day out to stay committed but I've taken on the job to find wellness not add to a prescription list.  I will be glad when the new dosage kicks in and thyroid levels change again for the better and my unwanted symptoms dissipate. 

So it's a forward motion ahead: I'll continue to eat clean, avoid certain foods, stay active and continue to MAKE MYSELF A PRIORITY every day! 

Well Wishes, ((Hugs)) & Prayers, 

Janine

New Goals Set and Progress of Last Months Goals

It's that time again! 

Is it just me or are these months just flying by! 

RECAP OF AUGUST GOALS/CHALLENGES

😊 Completed C25K & Loved It!

☺️ Walked 100+ miles- 119.4 to be exact! 

😊 Increased veggie, fruit & water intake!

☺️ Lost 2.3lbs!

    ❌ I wasn't consistent on adding 30-60 minutes on the weekends, had a couple but not all. 

    ❌ The AB challenged fizzled out- as much as I want a more appealing stomached I think I just got bored with it. 

What I didn't plan for this month was my thyroid levels changing. I've had a great streak and so far I haven't gone into a full autoimmune flare up and if I can help it I don't.  I have an appointment already scheduled to discuss further labs to see if there is other things I can include (such as vitamins/mineral) that I also may be deficient in. 

What happens when my levels are off? 

1. My energy plummets fast! In the past week I've had to nap or rest for a couple hrs or so after my workouts. I hate that but I must listen to my body. 

2. My joints start to ache.  So far it's minimal.  

3. I easily get out of breath. My running non stop has been interrupted with a few walking intervals.  

4. Heart palpitations! These can be a bit unsettling. They are not constant but I try to stay rested and calm so they pass rather quickly 

5. My mood & motivation starts to dip low. Depression is a big symptom of Hashimoto and can come on quickly. I've been in some pretty dark places in the past but as of now I'm doing ok.  

The key to all of these is recognizing the symptoms as soon as possible so you can address what may be causing the sudden changes.  It could be food, environmental, stressers, medication and or deficiency related.  

SEPTEMBER please be good to me!

MY SEPTEMBER GOALS 

As you can see I kept it simple but added the gym. It's been forever since I've font to the gym regularly, I'm looking forward to something new.  

Why simple? Well with going into  this month with my thyroid levels off its important that I don't stress too much on certain things. As much as I would love to lose weight I chose not to add it as a goal this way I won't stress and focus on the wrong thing this month- the scale. As I've said before MY journey is more than just about losing weight, that's the little bonus I get along the way~Optimal Health is the real goal for me.  

A couple of things I've learned about me this month. 

1. I can run a 5K! And without stopping! 

2. I can stay accountable to myself even when my accountability partner is on vacation. 

Well Wishes, ((Hugs)) & Prayers,

Janine 

In a SLUMP but NOT for Long!

 

*pic from one of my walks this week

 I know I've been a little quieter lately with my posts but know Im still plugging along doing my thing. I'm in a slight slump with my mood but getting things under control. 

Here's  a recap of my activity this week.  

   3 days of running 5K : my times were not terrible but I've had better.  The last 2 runs I was feeling a little off and had
a few walking moments which is ok.  I know I'll have better runs coming.  

   2 days of walking the beach : an 8 miler and a 6 miler. The 8 miler was a bit brutal for one reason, by the time we turn back after 4 miles the sun is really beating down on the last 2 miles.  

   My meal plan has been off some but already working on a strategy to get things right again.  Why I get into a slump I don't know but it can be a real struggle.  I'm glad I can catch it quickly before things get out of control. 

Getting my goals/challenges lined up for September. Will post them in a few days.  

I plan to hit the gym in the morning! It's been forever since I've gone to the gym, looking forward to it. 

Well Wishes, ((Hugs)) & Prayers,

Janine

I Did It!

A lot has been going on lately but wanted to post my latest from last week.  

I did it!! 

8 weeks of C25K training and I can officially run 3 miles non stop.  

Bring on the 5K events!!

Im so excited and proud of all my accomplishments. 

I set a goal and conquered it!  

No excuses!

No putting it off!

I stayed consistent and followed the program to the T.  

I still have plenty of room to improve and plan to do so. I'm looking forward to the next stage and see where it leads me. I'm eager to run my first 5K event in September.  

Oh and  I already downloaded the next app. Couch to 10k.  I won't start it for a while but its all ready for when I am.  

What have I gotten myself into! 

Some beautiful masterpiece on some of my morning runs

What a way to start my mornings. 

 More up dates to come soon.

Well wishes, ((Hugs)) & Prayers,

Janine

Running & Feeling Great

I just returned from my run. 

May I say I'm pretty proud of myself on today's run.  

I did not meet anyone this morning so it would have been easy to ignore the alarm and convince myself to take another day of rest and sleep in.  I'm So glad I didn't!! Today's run felt great!!! With the app you start off with a 5 min brisk warm up walk and then start running.  When I started running right off I felt it was going to be good.  My body felt awake and my breathing stayed pretty steady the entire way.  Through the entire run I never felt like I needed to stop.  I continued to run 3 minutes  longer than the scheduled 22 minutes for today's program.  

I ran 25 minutes NON STOP!! Wow! The girl who never thought she could, CAN! 

I can't believe the difference just 7 weeks makes. Why I never started this before I don't know but I'm sure glad I have now.  

Everything is Falling Into Place

One of the BEST decision I've made for me was making myself a priority. 

I've never felt more well and in control of my health.  I wake up each day ready to get my sweat on and push myself further than I possible think I can. Life is about making choices!  Really thinking of how to fuel my body with good food, how not to let negative thoughts clutter my mind to discourage me, and to invest in time for me whether is to exercise, relax or research healthy options for the future.  

I never imagined I could feel good, have energy, desire to push myself and love me.  

Life is interesting and you never know what will be next. With all my health issues (PCOS, bulged discs, Gastroparesis, Hashimoto & RA) I thought life was going to be a downward spiral into a very dark & miserable place.  Thankfully that thought only lasted but a bit and the pity party was over.  I had a choice to continue to let life take over me or to take control of my life.  

It's my life and I choose to be in control of it. 

Today I can say:

I'm a walker of many miles

Im a newbie runner 

I'm healthier than I have been in years

I'm losing weight 

I have energy to do things

I eat clean healthy foods that nourish my body

I am pain & symptom free

I'm not depressed or sad

We all make choices every single day, make sure the choices you make are the healthiest and best ones for you. 

Well Wishes, ((Hugs)) & Prayers,

Janine