The Results Are In...

I got my results back from my physical (I had the CBC and a five-panel drug screen). Here's what I learned:

• I'm not on drugs (lol)
• My glucose levels were right in the middle of the range for being normal (YAY)
• All other levels were normal for my metabolic panel
• My thyroid levels came back normal

Total Cholesterol: 170

Total cholesterol refers to the total amount of cholesterol as measured in the blood stream. This is the number that most people refer to when they say, "What's my cholesterol?"

In general, a desirable total cholesterol is under 200. Total cholesterol is a measured value, meaning it is determined by chemical analysis of your blood. If your total cholesterol is over 200, you need to know your HDL and LDL to tell if you're doing OK or need further treatment.

HDL Cholesterol: 45

HDL refers to "High Density Lipoprotein" and is commonly known as the "Good Cholesterol." It is called the good one because it helps protect your arteries from getting deposits of cholesterol that clog them. A desirable HDL is over 35, but the higher, the better. If your HDL is under 35, it is considered a "'risk factor." HDL is a measured value.

LDL Cholesterol: 90

LDL refers to "Low Density Lipoprotein" and is commonly called the "Bad Cholesterol." It is known as the bad one because it clogs the arteries and is directly associated with heart attacks and some strokes. A desirable LDL is under 130 unless you have two "risk factors." If you have two or more risk factors, a desirable LDL is under 100!

Triglyceride: 175

Triglyceride is a type of fat transport system in the blood stream. Triglyceride is directly related to what you eat. High fat, high carbohydrate diets lead to high triglyceride. A desirable triglyceride is under 200. Very high triglyceride can cause pancreatitis and other problems.

 

 

Glucose:75

This is a measure of the sugar (or glucose) level in your blood. High values are associated with eating before the test, and with diabetes.

The normal range for a fasting glucose is 60 -109 mg/dl. According the 1999 ADA criteria, diabetes is diagnosed with a fasting plasma glucose of 126 or more. A precursor, Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG), is defined as fasting glucose levels of 110 - 125. Sometimes a glucose tolerance test, which involves giving you a sugary drink followed by several blood glucose tests, is necessary to properly sort out normal from IFG from diabetes. 

 

I am so relieved that my levels were all good. I need to bring my triglyceride number down to at least 150 or lower... and that can be done with diet and exercise. It's not high-risk at 175 but it's considered on the borderline high side... so it's something I want to watch and work to bring down. 

I am actually thinking about joining LA Fitness. I was going to join the YMCA, but I saw that the LA Fitness that's literally around the corner from us, is $40 a month! They close at 10pm and I could totally go after we put Gus to bed. I usually feel sleepy after I workout anyway... so I could go to the gym at night, come home, shower and go to bed. 

When we get back from our vacation I'm going to schedule a tour and go in and check it out. I don't know if childcare is included (it is at Lifetime and the YMCA)... not sure that I'd put Gus in it anyway. But it's a $0 joining fee right now and you pay the first month and last month when you sign up ($80) and then it's $40 every month there after. It's an awesome deal (Lifetime is like $100 pp per month and has a HUGE fee to join and then the YMCA has a joining fee and it's like $70 a month or so). LA Fitness is close to us and has all the things that I'd want. So we'll see. It'll be a good way to get a workout in and I can run on the tredmill or I can walk, or I can do some weights... it's full of endless possibilities.

I'm off to bed. Gus and Steve have their physicals tomorrow. Gus's should be easy-peasy and I'm praying that Steve's visit goes as well as mine did.  :-)

A Year of Gratitude #131

 

A Year of Gratitude: #131: Heart Rate Monitor Watch

For Mother's Day, Steve and Gus got me a Polar Heart Rate Monitor watch. It's incredible. I wore it today to our trip to the train museum, and started my fitness mode. While I was just sitting around or standing, it was in the 90s (which is normal) and then of course, when I was chasing Gus around, it was a bit higher. I got the watch so that I could make sure I don't over-do my walgging, but also to get an accurate calorie count for how many I'm burning. 

I had to put in my age, height, weight, and then it stores the data. I set my watch to keep track of my heart rate and calories from the time we left for the museum (10:00) to the time that we got home (1:00). In that time, I burned 602 calories. :-)

CHA CHING! Obviously, I carry more weight, so I presume that has something to do with how many calories I'm burning, but also chasing Gus around and carrying him to and fro, probably added to my count.

I'm eager to use it tomorrow when we go walgging in the morning!! I'm thankful to have something that will accurately tell me how much I'm burning. It's more motivating to know, and I feel good about having a device that'll alert me if my heart rate goes too high!!

A Year of Gratitude #125, 126, 127, 128

 

A Year of Gratitude: #125, 126, 127 & 128

I'm sorry that I haven't had a chance to get online to blog... my computer died for good and I had to get a new hard drive. I should be set for a while... hopefully. Since I have four days worth of gratitude, I'll do them all in one blog.

#125: Busy Bags

This past Friday, my MOMS Club hosted a Busy Bag Swap at my house. Each mom signed up for a different activity and then on Friday, we came together to share our crafts with one another. There were 13 kids, and each mom made a different craft. We ended up coming away with 13 different activities that can be used to keep a toddler busy. I made the above crafts-- Brown Bear, Brown Bear bags. Inside each bag was three different activities. A heads and tails matching game, a counting game, and a sizing game.

We had a great morning together and then we enjoyed a potluck lunch together. It was so wonderful and we had a great turn out! I think we're going to try and do another swap in the fall.

#126: Motor City Coney Island

There's a place in Stone Mountain that's called Motor City Coney Island. They make coney dogs just like you get in Detroit. I think coneys are the one thing that I miss most living in the south. You don't realize how awesome they are, until you can't get them anywhere.

We drove to Stone Mountain and enjoyed our coney dogs for lunch. Steve and I each had a dog and some fries and then we were even delighted to enjoy Faygo pop!

 

Yummmmm... cheese fries with fries just like in the D

 

DEEEEELICIOUS!!!

 

They didn't have Rock-n-Rye (my fav) but this is my second favorite!

 

LOVE that it says POP for soft drinks!

 

:-)

We will be going back. Steve wasn't as impressed as I was, but he isn't FROM Detroit and didn't grow up on Lafayette Coney Island like I did!! I even got a bag of Better Made BBQ to go!!! I was in heaven!!

#127: Losing .5 Pounds

As you can see from my meal above-- I didn't exactly "stick" to my plan this past week. I designated Thursday as a free day because of Taco Thursday, but I intended on walgging on Friday-- that didn't happen because of the rain, and then there was the pot luck on Friday. I just didn't know exact calories, and while I guessed, it wasn't as accurate as it needed to be. All that being said, I was thrilled to see that I lost 1/2 a pound on Sunday morning!!

#128:  Computer Problem Solved???

Do you remember a while back when I was having issues with my computer? I had a virus and my dad talked me through how to remove it? Well... I think that virus SERIOUSLY killed my hard drive. My computer crashed, yet again, on Friday and Steve decided to get me a new hard drive on Saturday. So far so good... and I am thankful to have my computer back up and running and it's great so far!

A Year of Gratitude #123

 

A Year of Gratitude #123: Will Power and Determination

 

Gus and the boys running on the greenway after our cool-down period

I wasn't sure what to expect from today's walk/jog/walk. I was sore yesterday, and mainly it was my abs that hurt more than anything else. I had decided that if I wasn't feeling up to it, I would just walk and not do any jogging.

I have to say... today was GREAT! Christy and the boys joined us and we had a great time walking and talking. My stroller has this speaker system that you can use, and for whatever reason, I wasn't able to hear much and so I kept trying to figure out why I wasn't hearing my iPhone with the voice commands. I think being distracted with that, actually helped.

Or... maybe mentally I knew what to expect and I wasn't as nervous. I don't know. Whatever the reason, today was not awful and I didn't say, "I hate this" or "This is effing hard" at all. Now, don't get me wrong, my shins still burned and my thighs were burning a bit too, but it wasn't a bad thing. I felt like I was really working parts of me that haven't been worked in quite some time, and as a result, I felt great.

Because of the sound issues, I did skip one jog cycle... and it was interesting to be walking and have a thought in my head of, "I'm ready to start jogging now... why is this walk taking so long?" Then I noticed that I had skipped the jog and it made sense. It was still so odd to have the thought in my head that I was ready to jog. That's so totally NOT the Cathy from two weeks ago.

I packed a banana to eat on the drive home and I shared it with Gus. I had a salad for lunch and I have been drinking a lot of water. I just feel better about my choices and there's no doubt in my mind that if I keep this up, I WILL be successful.

I can't even being to say how much the love and support of family and friends means. My dad called at noon to see how my morning was and he wanted to know if I just walked (as I had said I would do in my blog post), or if I jogged. He was quite proud of me that I actually jogged. I asked him if he'd be willing to walk/jog/walk with me during the week that we're in MI. He said he would love to. Then my mom said she wants to walk with me too... so maybe on MWF I'll do my C25K with my dad and then T/TH I'll walk with my mom. I'm excited that I can stay on track while on vacation.

I just hope Steve stays supportive. His ex-wife was a crazy runner and COULDN'T do anything if she didn't have her run in. When I met Steve's dad for the first time, he said, "You're not a runner are you???" I jokingly said, "Look at me... do I look like a runner?? I don't run unless something is trying to eat me." 

All joking aside, I just want to feel better about myself. I want to look in the mirror and actually see the payoff for my hard work. I know it'll come... and after talking to Jessica yesterday, she said in a month I'll be amazed at how far I'll have come in the C25K training. 

So... Week 1 Day 2 is complete. We're meeting on Friday morning before the Busy Bag Swap that I'm hosting here at my house... and we're going to walk at the greenway that's closer to me. Hopefully I can get back here and be ready for the swap by 10:15/10:30 (it starts at 10:30).

I'm officially on the books for a MWF training cycle. Christy and Pilar said they're on board and hopefully Leslie can join us too. It's incredible how being accountable changes your views on things. Having people to do this with has made it all possible and I'm so thankful for the role that so many people have played in my motivation and determination.

I hope I'm not too sore tomorrow and that the section of the greenway that we're doing on Friday is as flat as the one we've been going to!! I HATE HILLS!!!

Does Walking Around Target Count???

I'm going to say that yes, walking around Target for about an hour, most definitely constitutes as exercise. :-) 

I was told not to stay home and do nothing today because it'd make it even worse tomorrow... and I needed to head to Target anyway, so I went. And I walked around the entire store for almost an hour (mostly on purpose).

There's only so much that an almost-two-year-old can handle... and it WAS lunch time, so I had to play my cards right. I also ran into a friend from AAM (Atlanta Area Mommies) and spent a few catching up with her... but other than that, we were moving the whole time.

I was able to get home and put Gus down for a nap and I was able to chat with my cousin Jessica about running and the Couch 2 5K program. I found out that my (TMI-- AGAIN SO SORRY) feelings of instantaneously needing to poop are normal. Apparently, my body will adjust to all the moving around that I'm doing when I'm jogging (and friends... there's a WHOLE lot moving around). I thought it was just me and my nerves... but it's normal (I guess) to feel the sudden need to go. Not sure what can be done about that... since I do my moving at the greenway and there's NO PLACE TO GO but the woods. HAHAHA.

I also came to the conclusion that I do not ever have to RUN an entire 5k. I am totally fine with my jog/walk combo routine. I hope to be able to jog longer as I get stronger and more endurance, but I don't HAVE to jog an entire 5k without stopping. In fact, I'm following another site (Run Injury Free with Jeff Galloway) and feel like his method is perfect for me. You run 30 second and walk 1.5 (which is what I did Monday)... it gradually increases. This is where the C25K differs-- in that program, you eventually just run (without walking) for the entire time. 

I was talking to my dad yesterday (he called to see how my first day went of training) and he suggested that I get a heart monitor watch. I found a Polar (I did some research on heart monitors) for a pretty good price and it even tells you how many calories you've burned. I thought I had ordered a Timex, but I was wrong... It was a Polar (there are so many brands of heart monitor watches... I got lost in all of them). It should be here next week and I'm looking forward to using the chest strap to see my heart rate. My dad said it would be a really good idea to know if I was in the right zone for optimal exercise. I don't want to over do it, but I don't want to under do it either.

So we'll see. I am meeting Pilar in the morning to walk again... round two. What's really odd to me is that my legs don't hurt like I thought they would... but my abdominals seriously hurt. I feel like someone has been beating on me. My arms hurt too... I'm guessing from pushing the stroller. Even my back muscles are a little sore, but my legs are totally fine. WEIRD.

See you tomorrow for an update on training day two. I pray that I can stay focused and just take it one step at a time.

A Year of Gratitude #120

 

A Year of Gratitude #120: Six Pounds

I got up this morning and weighed myself for my weekly weigh-in. I had a really good feeling that I lost, but I wasn't sure how much. When I saw my number... it was six less than last week. That means I am six pounds closer to my goal... and six pounds away from my heaviest. I am determined to never go back to my weight as of last Sunday.

I'm thankful that I was able to see my hard work pay off. I know there will be weeks when I weigh-in and I don't see any movement on the scale, or heaven help me, it'll say I gained. With everything worth doing right, there will be challenges. I will face difficult decisions and have to pay for my choices. I pray for strength and motivation to stay on the positive side of this and to always have a positive attitude. I honestly believe having the will power and support of others is what will get me through my tough phases and back on track for accomplishing my goals.

I have to go one day at a time and one week at a time when it comes to this journey. If I stand back and think about the BIG picture (and it's quite a BIG picture friends)... I am overwhelmed and scared. So instead, I focus on each day and one week at a time. 

This week I am starting the Couch 2 5K program and while I am a little nervous about it, I know that I just need to face it as it comes. I will focus on Monday and getting through my very first training and that's all I am going to think about. Then I'll worry about day two of training.

I think if I can stay focused, I'll be able to stay in this for the long haul. I am very realistic about how long this is going to take... and according to my Lose It app, I will reach the first goal for my weight-loss in April of 2013. That's just under a year from now... and a year brings a lot of things. Once I reach my goal (and who knows, it could be sooner that I'm able to reach that first goal), I have another goal that will be much harder to reach. 

I'm determined to just go with the flow and let things progress naturally. I didn't get where I am over night, and it's not going to come off over night. 

I'm asking for prayers that I can stay motivated, inspired, and focused. For those things... I am most grateful. 

I lost six pounds. I am six pounds lighter. I am six pounds closer to health. I am six pounds down... and it's a hell of a lot better than gaining. :-)

My First 5K...

Okay... I just got an email from Pilar asking me to take a look at a link that she sent me for a 5K here in Johns Creek. It's September 15. She asked if I wanted to do it and set that date as my goal to be able to run my first 5K.

I'm all a flutter inside. Will I be ready for a 5K by September??? I looked at my calendar and it's like 20 weeks away. That means my 9 week Couch 2 5K program that's set for three days a week for nine weeks... would give me extra time to keep working up to the 5K. 

I told her I'm in. I'll set that as my goal. 

Holy S#*t!!!

I hope Steve and Gus will come and cheer me on! I pray that I am able to prepare myself for running a 5K, but it's good to know that even if I can't run the whole thing, I can walk if needed. I just need to focus on each day and stay strong. 

On Monday we're starting the Couch 2 5K program. It's 30 minutes. Starts with a 5 minute warm-up and then you run for a minute and walk for 1.5 and keep going back and forth for 20 minutes. We'll see. I don't know if I can run for a minute. Seriously. 

I'm going to enjoy this last weekend of my former non-running self... because Monday starts the real training. No turning back now!! 

I have been doing really well with keeping track of EVERYTHING I eat and I haven't gone over on calories at all. I weigh in on Sunday. I'll be sure to post if I lost. I hope I did. Even if it's just a pound!!