Time to Get Back to Routine

So I can't totally remember what I wrote in my last post.  I think it was about foods upsetting my stomach.  I suffer from have IBS and Acid Reflux.  These two things that I hope they improve as I get healthier.  I unfortunately seem to get Stomach viruses often and well this last one messed me up pretty good.  Basically it flared up my IBS to the point of not being able to keep anything in my system.  I became very weak and had excruciating pain on my left side abdominal side that radiated down my leg, had some back pain with it but do not believe I have a kidney stone.  Basically I was told by the doctor that I need to continue to take the probiotic, Align.  I usually get my probiotics through yogurt (specifically Greek) and Kefir. This helps stabilizes the good bacteria in your digestive track.  I also was told I need to limit my raw veggie intake.  Raw fruits I need to peel as fiber has a tendency to upset my stomach and not do good.  Well that is still good news.  I was going crazy because the foods I am supposed to eat to get healthy were making me sick but the doctor does not want to discourage me from eating well.  She admit it is harder in my condition but luckily by steaming veggies it breaks the fiber down some.  I am not trying to have this be a TMI post so actually going into very little details but I do know people suffer form these conditions who are trying to get healthy.  Believe me it has been VERY discouraging even with my amazing support system of friends, family and my trainer.  I lost a lot of energy these past couple of weeks and it got very bad Wednesday through Friday.  Even today I had a little setback in pain.  I am tired and want/need a lot of sleep at this point.  Of course tomorrow my body is in for a shock.  I have work and training tomorrow.  It's time that it gets back to my energy level.  I loved the energy I was starting to get from exercising.  I would come home from work exhausted and with the exercising it only happens on Mondays.  Let's just say Mondays at a doctor's office is crazy!  The new found energy has made me start to get things done around the house; hopefully the house will be organized someday!  The positive thing about getting sick I found out my blood pressure is actually good!  For the past year I have had slightly elevated blood pressure when it is usually the low normal range.  It had me concerned as I didn't want to go on medications in my 30s.  I have friends who suffer from hypertension who look very healthy; they exercise and eat well, but genetics got them at the early age of having hypertension in their teens.  I look at them and they have no control over their blood pressure, well at least far less control than I have.  I think it is the matter of looking at everything I do have control over.  Diabetes: runs in the family but I still have control at this time of when I will get it.  High Cholesterol: Again in my control.  I have genetics running in against me if I DON'T decide to get healthy.  So it is my decision to eat fairly well and exercise.  The thing that I need to get back into routine is eating throughout the day.  Being sick made me not eat for a while.  I drank water and Gatorade.  Did not eat because it would upset my stomach and not stay down.  Anytime I get sick like this it is hard to go back to eating 3 meals a day.  So tomorrow I have to start getting back into that routine.  It's all patience.  Maybe after all of this the weight will begin to fly off.  The health is definitely getting there, just would like the weight to be there too.

Trial and Error

SO I haven't blogged in a while.  I felt like I didn't have anything to say (I know it's hard to believe).  I have since come to the conclusion I don't care if I repeat myself it is part of this battle I am facing.  I today do have a "new" battle.  I wouldn't call it new as this has been a health problem since the beginning.  I don't want to go into too much detail but I suffer from what is believed to be IBS which causes many problems with trying to get healthy.  This week we went grocery shopping at Trader Joes while we were hungry.  Usually a big mistake but for us it was just kept throwing healthy items like fruits and veggies in the buggy.  I was so excited to be able to have some healthy snacks like carrots and hummus, dried fruits (no sugar added).  Well started eating the raw carrots with hummus and of course it was quite yummy.  My body on the other hand is not impressed.  In fact it got quite angry with me consuming them.  ****WARNING HERE'S WHERE I GO ON A TANGENT**** Oh and I know that carrots contain sugar...blah....blah...blah; they are also very nutritional and when I have dieted (currently I am not dieting I am eating healthy- there is a difference) in the past I ate carrots and lost weight.  I also know that they body burns sugars from fruits and vegetables differently than refined sugar. Anyways back on topic my body has punished me the past few days for eating these little orange things.  Let's just say with lots of abdominal pain and everything that goes with it.  Carrots are supposed to be a "safe" food for those with IBS, I would be the exception to this rule.  I do fine eating them steamed so I guess that means I have to eat them steamed.  It's just a shame because raw veggies are healthier than steamed and I LOVE raw veggies my body again not so much.  I know people who hate raw veggies (my husband included) but can eat them without a problem.  I am not finding that very fair.  Oh well....now to see if my body can handle raw cucumbers, zucchinis and squash.  Need to buy some of these things, squash I do have.  All I can do is try it and see how my body reacts.  I just know that I cannot give up.  I have done this before.  If my body react this way towards health foods then why bother, right?  WRONG there are so many options out there and there are no excuses it is very discouraging I'll give myself that.  I can't let this get me down.  This is a true battle for me but last week I did a 45 second plank, and can do high kicks two fitness improvements.  I am not going to back track I have worked too hard AND have shown much improvement that I cannot just give up on eating right.  My mom has referred to me as "The Food Nazi" I am wearing this title proudly because it means to me that I have gained self control that I thought I did not have.  We were given a treadmill so this will help us to get in cardio on our off days.  Of course I need to make room for which is what I was working on until I get on here :-)  (I need a break). We are going on a cruise in a couple of months which is exciting.  We plan on not letting go of what we have been working on.  They have a gym and this we will use daily.  We do not plan in overindulging in foods like I hear happens on a cruise. I do know that no matter what I am not giving up!

Without Support a Structure Will Collapse

One thing I am learning is that having support is one of the most important things to getting healthy.  I believe first you need your mindset in the correct place then you need people to help you.  Anything you do in life you need help whether it is correction, teach or just someone to encourage you.  I have to say I am so blessed to have the support of so many people: My husband, my family, my in-laws, my friends and my co-workers.  I recently heard stories of people wanting to achieve fitness goals and families/friends are less than supportive.  Whether it is saying that they'll be too skinny, too muscular, etc.  One story consisted of a pudgy guy who is now in shape having their wife say that she misses his pudginess.  Seriously?!? "Hey honey....I know you are healthier now but I liked you better when you were a walking heart attack." Yup....that is one way to say "I love you."  Chris and I are very blessed that we are battling it together.  We do not have expectations for each other.  We love each other with the extra pounds and will love each other without them.  Chris and I both may be fairly muscular when done.  We have an agreement for it to be healthy muscular and nothing like the extremes.  I want to look and feel fit.  I am getting so much support now and hope to continue to be getting it as I slim down.  My grandmother went through a situation that she lost weight due to diabetes and friends told her she was too skinny.  In reality she was healthy but all of the negativity built up and she gained the weight back.  I think people get used to seeing a person at a heavier weight and the loss is a visual shock.  I say if the person is losing weight naturally and the end result does not produce a Jack Skellington then good for them.  Ribs showing is not cool....neither is seeing all of the vertebrae in the back.  Now there is a specific look I am thinking of.  I saw a person in a grocery store one time that I could see all of her bones it was very sad.  I don't know if she was ill from an eating disorder or a disease but it saddened me just as much as seeing someone who is morbidly obese.  (Yes it saddens me to look in the mirror and know I did not care enough about myself to take care of myself- but I understand this now).  Thank you for all of the support and just continue to be positive to one another!