Update.

Running Schedule is still on a standstill... So far I've had a CT Scan, MRI, Blood Tests, and Urine Cultures, all coming back normal. So the good news is, I don't have something really bad that needs immediate surgery or hard core medicine! The bad news is, I have been referred to Doc #3 and I won't be able to see him until May 16th... 

I'm going to try an experiment and go to a friend who is a massage therapist and see if it's just a pinched nerve or a really bad knot in my back. I'm hoping that this is the case, so I don't have to go see another doctor, I'm really sick of doctors... Don't get me wrong, I feel so blessed to live in a time with so much medical knowledge, but I am tired of them telling me everything is coming back normal. 

In case you didn't know, I'm super inpatient.

Wish me luck!!!

Stuck Again...

Our family has been sick again... And my pain has come back.

Running hasn't been happening...

I'm Baaaaaaaaaaaaack!!!

Last night I ran for the first time I ran in almost two weeks. I tried running the next step, week 3, of Couch to 5K and did it!!! I am so amazingly happy for myself! I didn't give up and let the little bit of pain in my back get to me. And I my total distance added up to about 2 miles! It was a struggle, don't get me wrong, but I did it!

It felt really nice to run again, I never thought I would say this, but I missed it.

So here's what I've learned about running/myself so far:

1. Stretching is important (Duh).

- I'm really bad at wanting to just by pass the stretches an get on the treadmill, but with my knee and shin splints, I have to make sure I do it before and after.

2. I don't run well to music. Weird right? I like to think and music kinda stops that from happening or I ignore the music and get frustrated with ear buds.

3. I have to have some kind of video going while on the treadmill so I can look at something. Being able to hear isn't so important (See #2).

4. One of the best tips I've received was from my old running buddy. When breathing, inhale two steps and exhale three. She explained it a lot better, but it helps to not breath with your heart rate, so you're not hyperventilating by the end of your run. It took me a while to be able to do it for the whole work out, but now I can do it the entire run.  It's helped my chest not to burn and now that I'm in the habit, I can catch my breath a lot faster. 

5. Chewing gum is a great trick to not need to drink bottles and bottles of water during one run.

6. I make funny noises by the end of the run, and that's ok!

7. Wrap the string that's attached to the treadmill key somewhere where you don't pull the key away.... Yeah... I did that twice last night...

8. Don't give in to excuses to not run, unless it will hurt your body.

9. Active headbands are amazing!

I still am in the Love-Hate relationship with running, but it's growing on me.

I know how boring reading a blog can be without pictures, so I'm going to try to take more pictures.

Ready... Set... Go... Again!

Good news! I didn't need surgery! I got a CT Scan on Monday and they couldn't find anything, anything solid that is. They called later on Wednesday and said that one of my tests came back showing that I have strep and a bladder infection. So they think that the strep spread into my kidney and that's why I've been having so many problems. I've been on medication for half a week and I already feel so much better!

Tomorrow I'm hoping the pain will be almost 

all the way gone and I can start running.

Slow and steady right?

Another Speed Bump...

This week has been pretty bad... My cysts aren't going away and are coming full force. 

I finally called my doctor on Wednesday, because I haven't been able to sleep a night without waking up multiple times, because of the pain.  The on call nurse said that I'm going to need surgery and set me up with a consultation appointment. So needless to say, I'm not running this week... or next week...

BUT I have been better at not eating snacks laying around. Not great, but not bad either! Jon has really been helping me stay on top of it too. He makes sure he doesn't make me dessert after eight and when he makes an after school snack he reminds me that I'm being good. I have been bad at justifying sweets lately when Jon gets home late... Luckily he hasn't been late the last couple days!

I read on a friends blog, "we're not in control of anything, except our attitudes." And it's really been helping me this week. I catch myself grumbling about how unfair it all is, "I'm trying to be good at exercising, but my body is broken!" Yeah I know, I'm a drama queen. But then I think of this quote and it's helped me move on. Thanks Cami!!!

Get Real!!!

Today kinda slapped me in the face with how bad I've been with my eating habits after I only ate a big bowl of dutch oven  refried beans for lunch. It was delicious at the time, but now, an hour later I feel gross.

Smack!!!

Yup I need to change... Not so drastic that I feel like all I eat is rabbit food, but I really need to worry about eating healthier. And not try to baby myself and think that taking it super sonic slow will help, because it's not. There has to be a noticeable change.

SO! Here's the plan, I am only eating one serving of food, and that serving cannot equal the size of my plate, like my plate did last night... But what the label says. I know I said that before, but it just didn't happen...

 I am going to make a new lunch and dinner menu for our family and it will be detailed with veggies/fruit in every meal. I will allow one take out meal every other week and even then I will not stuff my face.

 No food after 8:00PM! Even if we have a late dinner, I cannot cheat and use it as an excuse to have dessert at 8:30.

I've been really good at only one snack a day, so I'm keeping that rule, but I am going to make sure that it is a snack that isn't super salty or full of sugar.

I am going to set out my daily goal water amount (8 8oz cups a day) on the counter and drink it!

I think my biggest problem is that I haven't shared this with my family, my husband knows, but not my Mom and Dad. My husband and I are living with my parents while we are waiting for him to finish up school, so we share meals a lot of the time, and a lot of the time someone will just pick up something and bring it for dinner or dessert. We usually have some kind of treat sitting on the counter that someone made and I'll count that as my snack and it usually makes me more hungry or crave more chocolate. So I take full responsibility on the lack of communication. I hope everyone will be home tonight, if not tomorrow, so we can have this talk.

I know that I've been bad about following my goals, but I've turned over a new leaf and will follow it!

Love Hate Relationship

Before my run yesterday. I just wanted to give a shout out to Active Bands, one of my best friend's Aunts make headbands that don't slip and they're amazing!!!! I love mine so much, because all growing up my headbands would never last and always fall off. When I started running my bangs would always get in my face and I would feel so blah. I got a couple of these for an early Christmas present and fell in love. I've never had a problem with these falling off EVER!

Today was Jon's first day of running!

We even got him some new running shoes.

No this is not how he looks when he runs :)

I asked him how he felt and he said, "Hmmm... Sweaty..." So That just shows how much we love running. Sarcastic Symbol!

We're waiting for the day that everyone says will come eventually. The day when we don't hate running. I do love, however, how much better I feel about myself when it's done. I'm still in the stage of run then walk, then run and walk. But I was looking at Couch to 5K website and the non-stop running is coming up fast! I can't wait until my body is completely healed and I can actually sign up for a 5K and have a goal date in sight!

So running, it's a love hate kinda thing, but it'll get better soon... I hope :)