lovin’ me some…dad

happy father’s day, dad. feel free to toot your own horn today. xoxo, jessica

lovin’ me some…PROGRESS.

so. we’re here. you. me. that other guy. we’ve made it (almost) to the end of j’s 31 days til(l) summer challenge.

i’ve been somewhat absent on the blog as of late, mostly because i’ve been frightened to update where i’m at (where i’ve been) with my 31 things. alas, i can hide no longer. here we go. i’ll preface my post by letting you in on its theme: PROGRESS. stay with me. PROGRESS. i may not have actually accomplished every single item on my list, but i made progress on most and know i can progress on the rest. PROGRESS!!!

that's me!

1. Run at least three times a week. —- sorry to disappoint, but no. i walked a 5k (pretty sure it was actually a 5-mile course, not 5 kilometers) at the beginning of june. hurt my foot. off running for two weeks. good news is that i’m back at it, but haven’t been able to get my three runs in this week (yet). i feel good knowing that i’ve done it before (did it in may prior to the challenge) and can do it again. PROGRESS.
2. Work up to running 30 minutes without a break. —– working on it. i don’t know that i’ll get there soon, but i know i’ll get there someday. PROGRESS.
3. Take a class at the YMCA. —- not yet. but going to. they’re doing turbo training, which means soon there will be turbo kick. i want to try it since i’ve heard j talk about it nonstop for the past two years. PROGRESS.
4. Blog (at least) once a week about my 31 things.
5. Get 8 hours of sleep (at least once a week). saturday night i was asleep before 10 (5 hours of sleep and a long day on the water/in the sun will do that for you). sunday night i slept for 8 hours. i haven’t slept that much in…well, a long time.
6. Bring one piece of fruit to work every day for a week. strawberries and bananas for an entire week. it felt summery and healthy, and that’s a pretty great combination. PROGRESS.
7. Schedule my annual exam. —- not yet. just slips my mind. PROGRESS.
8. Take my Metformin – every day. —– i got two out of seven days one week. and i told you how hard that is for me. believe me, i paid for those two days. PROGRESS.
9. Share my fitness goals with a friend. doing that right now, right? done did it.
10. Read the nutrition labels on food. didn’t read the nutrition label on anything this weekend, though. don’t feel bad about that either.
11. Get a haircut. went short for the summer this weekend. it’s the same angled bob i’ve had about ten times over. don’t really care for it as a year-long ‘do, but it’s conveniently off my neck in warm weather and that i like.
12. Incorporate some kind of strength training into my exercise routines. —- when i took weight lifting in college, i was buff. seriously. ripped. (as ripped as i can get) i felt healthy and strong and beautiful. i know that i need to add strength training for numerous reasons, number one being the way i feel after doing some weights. i almost asked someone at the gym what i should do. he’s a gym rat and i see him lifting all the time. but then i thought that might be weird. and he might think i was hitting on him (definitely not – happily taken, thankyouverymuch). i’ll probably just open all those unopened SELF magazines on my living room floor and pull out those always helpful tear-out cards. i really want to make it a part of my routine, so i’ll make the effort to figure it all out. PROGRESS.
13. Celebrate my victories. i think working on this list, seeing what i’ve done, i think that’s part of celebrating your victories. pat on the back, golf clap. PROGRESS.
14. Try a new recipe weekly. — didn’t get there. i did try a couple of new ones, though, and always am on the lookout for more, so i’ll definitely try to continue with this beyond the challenge. PROGRESS.
15. Take my vitamins/supplements. — not going to lie. didn’t take them once. do i need them? PROGRESS.
16. Park as far from the store as possible & walk.
17. Try a new fruit/vegetable. — i didn’t grocery shop much this month as i was out of town most weekends and out of the house most weekdays. i’ll try to incorporate something new into my grocery cart the next time i get to the store. PROGRESS.
18. Add 10 minutes (each day) to my workout schedule. — i didn’t do it. (NOT MUCH) PROGRESS.
19. Track my food daily (for at least a week). —– nope. (NOT MUCH) PROGRESS.
20. Listen to my body and stop eating when I’m full. i really wanted that cantaloupe, and it’s healthy, for certain. but i was full. so i didn’t eat it. instead, i ate it later on as a snack. win!
21. Incorporate more protein into at least one meal a day. — i did this. i felt fuller longer and had more energy. i also didn’t feel as inclined to take as many naps. PROGRESS.
22. Eat a bigger breakfast. saturday i had french toast with sugar-free syrup, bacon (protein, much?) and pineapple. also had juice and coffee. that’s the biggest breakfast i’ve eaten in…well, probably ever.
23. Run outside once a week. —- no. but i ran indoors at the ymca and the air conditioning wasn’t working so it was nearly the same thing (minus hills and whatnot). i’ll give myself a PROGRESS.
24. Cut out weekday naps. work in progress.
25. Weigh myself only once a week. — yes. and some weeks i didn’t weigh myself at all (not sure if that’s a good or a bad thing). PROGRESS.
26. Drink one water bottle (1L +) a day. —- not every day, but i did it many days. felt good. PROGRESS.
27. Take before/after pictures. —- no. i don’t think my body has changed much, but my mind sure has. PROGRESS.
28. Share my 31 things with someone who can keep me accountable. you are that someone. are you taking note? are you keeping me accountable? do it. (but don’t nag — i will delete you)
29. Watch food portions.
30. Make an exercise plan for summer. — here’s my plan: DO IT. PROGRESS.
31. Remind myself that the number on the scale isn’t as important as how I feel. YES. PROGRESS.

so i didn’t do everything on my list. some might be quick to call that FAILURE but i’ll just call it….(you guessed it)….PROGRESS.

this will most likely be my last blog on the 31 day challenge, but hopefully not on health. my met blog reminded me that there might be some good to come out of blogging about my struggles with PCOS and all that comes with it. so maybe, from time to time, i’ll take a break from lovin’ me some (insert thing i am lovin’ here) to blog about little ‘ole me and my journey with health and wellness. i hope you’ll stick around.

for my 31 day challenge peeps: thanks for doing this with me. reading your blogs and comments has given me a new perspective on what health means to me. i hope that i, somehow, have done that for you. let’s make this a summer to remember.

lovin’ me some…#8: take my Metformin every day

i think i lied when i said that cutting out weekday naps would be one of the hardest things on my list of 31 things. i think, for me, taking my Metformin every day is suuuuuuper challenging.

“what is metformin?” you ask? i think i’ll let the mayo clinic tell you.

Metformin is used to treat a type of diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) called type 2 diabetes. With this type of diabetes, insulin produced by the pancreas is not able to get sugar into the cells of the body where it can work properly. Using metformin alone, with a type of oral antidiabetic medicine called a sulfonylurea, or with insulin will help to lower blood sugar when it is too high and help restore the way you use food to make energy…Although this use is not included in product labeling, metformin is used in certain patients with the following medical conditions: Polycystic ovary syndrome.

#1: no, i don’t have diabetes.

#2: no, i’m not pre-diabetic.

#3: no, my blood sugar is not high. it is actually perfectly normal.

#4: i am insulin resistant because of my polycystic ovary syndrome.

insulin whaaaaa? polycystic who???? again, i’ll let the medical experts from the mayo clinic explain.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common hormonal disorder among women of reproductive age. The name of the condition comes from the appearance of the ovaries in most, but not all, women with the disorder — enlarged and containing numerous small cysts located along the outer edge of each ovary (polycystic appearance). Infrequent or prolonged menstrual periods, excess hair growth, acne and obesity can all occur in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Menstrual abnormality may signal the condition in adolescence, or PCOS may become apparent later following weight gain or difficulty becoming pregnant. The exact cause of polycystic ovary syndrome is unknown. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome may have trouble becoming pregnant due to infrequent or lack of ovulation. Early diagnosis and treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome can help reduce the risk of long-term complications, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke…Many women with polycystic ovary syndrome are insulin resistant, which impairs the body’s ability to use insulin effectively to regulate blood sugar. This can result in high blood sugar and type 2 diabetes. Prediabetes is also called impaired glucose tolerance.

And from WebMD: What Is Insulin Resistance? Normally, food is absorbed into the bloodstream in the form of sugars such as glucose and other basic substances. The increase in sugar in the bloodstream signals the pancreas (an organ located behind the stomach) to increase the secretion of a hormone called insulin. This hormone attaches to cells, removing sugar from the bloodstream so that it can be used for energy. In insulin resistance, the body’s cells have a diminished ability to respond to the action of the insulin hormone. To compensate for the insulin resistance, the pancreas secretes more insulin. People with this syndrome have insulin resistance and high levels of insulin in the blood as a marker of the disease rather than a cause. Over time people with insulin resistance can develop high sugars or diabetes as the high insulin levels can no longer compensate for elevated sugar.

my endocrinologist best explained it to me as: “say insulin is a doorway. in most people, their doorways open and shut normally, letting the energy go in and out. your doorways are rusty. they don’t like to let the energy in or out, but when they do, it first attaches itself to fat cells. least likely to attach to? muscle.”

FML.

yes. my diagnoses are somewhat scary (especially the PCOS, and the chance of having problems getting pregnant should that day ever arrive). however, they’re not impossible to overcome. plenty of women with PCOS conceive…multiple times. and plenty of women who are insulin resistant are able to control their insulin levels, get the weight off and lead completely normal lives.

but that’s not to say it’s easy.

IT SUCKS.

i work out four times a week and don’t lose a pound. i join weight watchers and gain weight. i take my medicine and nothing changes (part of the reason it’s hard to take it day after day). metformin is extremely difficult on your body. not only is it hard on your liver (and forces you to avoid alcohol), it does a number on your gastrointestinal system. like whoa.

there is no cure for PCOS. to control it you have to lose weight. but it’s a catch 22: having PCOS makes it more difficult to lose weight.

it’s frustrating, it’s maddening, it’s heartbreaking, it’s discouraging. i wish there were more words to describe how i feel when i put in the work and see no results.

i’m trying to take it every day. i’m trying to make it part of my life. i’m trying to make it not about a number and more about how i feel.

but it’s hard. and it’s a daily battle.  not to be dark, but please encourage me as i continue on. somedays it doesn’t feel like i’ll ever scale this mountain.

lovin’ me some…31 things updates

wow. a national holiday/three-day weekend really throws one’s blogging schedule off track.

thankful to those who have fought/continue to fight for our freedom.

let’s see where we’re at…

1. Run at least three times a week.
2. Work up to running 30 minutes without a break.
3. Take a class at the YMCA.
4. Blog (at least) once a week about my 31 things.
5. Get 8 hours of sleep (at least once a week). saturday night i was asleep before 10 (5 hours of sleep and a long day on the water/in the sun will do that for you). sunday night i slept for 8 hours. i haven’t slept that much in…well, a long time.
6. Bring one piece of fruit to work every day for a week.
7. Schedule my annual exam.
8. Take my Metformin – every day.
9. Share my fitness goals with a friend. doing that right now, right? done did it.
10. Read the nutrition labels on food. didn’t read the nutrition label on anything this weekend, though. don’t feel bad about that either.
11. Get a haircut. went short for the summer this weekend. it’s the same angled bob i’ve had about ten times over. don’t really care for it as a year-long ‘do, but it’s conveniently off my neck in warm weather and that i like.
12. Incorporate some kind of strength training into my exercise routines
13. Celebrate my victories.
14. Try a new recipe weekly.
15. Take my vitamins/supplements.
16. Park as far from the store as possible & walk.
17. Try a new fruit/vegetable.
18. Add 10 minutes (each day) to my workout schedule.
19. Track my food daily (for at least a week).
20. Listen to my body and stop eating when I’m full. i really wanted that cantaloupe, and it’s healthy, for certain. but i was full. so i didn’t eat it. instead, i ate it later on as a snack. win!
21. Incorporate more protein into at least one meal a day.
22. Eat a bigger breakfast. saturday i had french toast with sugar-free syrup, bacon (protein, much?) and pineapple. also had juice and coffee. that’s the biggest breakfast i’ve eaten in…well, probably ever.
23. Run outside once a week.
24. Cut out weekday naps. work in progress.
25. Weigh myself only once a week.
26. Drink one water bottle (1L +) a day.
27. Take before/after pictures.
28. Share my 31 things with someone who can keep me accountable. you are that someone. are you taking note? are you keeping me accountable? do it. (but don’t nag — i will delete you)
29. Watch food portions.
30. Make an exercise plan for summer.
31. Remind myself that the number on the scale isn’t as important as how I feel.

also did the following NOT on my list:

• hung out with family and friends (including my brother, who is in the states for the next week and a half!!!)
• sailed/canoed/paddle-boated (tons of exercise, right therreeee.)
• laid in the sun (not the healthiest, i know, but my, how i love it)
• ate really good mexican food
• wore flip flops all weekend
• laughed. A TON!
• didn’t think about work. not even once.
• went to the movies.
• napped during a major storm.
• relaxed. with a capital “RELAXED”

even though this is supposed to be a 31 days til(l) summer challenge, this past weekend’s activities point to summer already being here (albeit unofficially). i feel like i’m on track with this whole challenge thing, just need to tackle the rest of my list…the more challenging, nitty-gritty stuff i’ve been avoiding. but all in good time, friends. all in good time.