Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Focussed

I have been focussing on my my fitness goals this week and am so happy to be doing strength workouts again.... I am never going to love this kind of Core work, but I am doing it anyway.

At one time I was a huge fan of Pilates. I have a couple of DVDs and a few years ago I did them faithfully about 3 times a week... for some reason now, my ears bother me when I change the position of my head by moving up and down too quickly so I don't do them anymore.

For example, if I am laying down on my back and sit up to do a ROLLUP and then lay back down, after 2 or 3 times, I am a bit dizzy.  Or if I am on the floor and stand up too quickly, I get that dizziness too.  I did experience postional vertigo some time ago and had some manipulations done by an ENT so I guess this is likely a holdover from that, and I just try to avoid/manage it.

If I do the movements more slowly, it is better.  So, perhaps what I should do is try my Pilates workout again, and just not try to keep up with the leader, and stop or take a rest if the dizziness occurs.  It is not debilitating, just annoying.

But I am so happy to have a nice roomy area in the apartment to workout in, and the floor is hardwood so I can do aerobics and then just lay out my yoga mat to do floor work... and yes, I can jump up and down if I like cause their is nothing but storage lockers underneath us.  It is a bright cheery room and I love it.
 
I have scheduled a run for Thursday, and it supposed to rain, but I think I will go out and do it anyway... running in the rain when it is warm is not a problem for me.  And 5km will go very quickly anyway. 

I am also doing very well with my food choices this week.  I have reduced my starchy carb in take by a lot, and the only sweets I am eating are fresh fruit, and a few dark chocolate-covered almonds.  I have even turned up my nose at Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and Oh Henry Bars so I am very proud of my little self for that.

I have been loving Chobani yogurt with fresh strawberries and sliced almonds...


and have been slicing strawberries and adding them to my lunchtime salads, too.



and today I did a new Sludge... mixed a ripe banana with crunchy salted peanut butter and a couple of spoonfuls of fat free plain yogurt.  Mmmmm.  Who needs bread?


I have been reading about The Metabolic Effect and find that I am what is called carb-sensitive.  If I don't eat protein every few hours I get light headed and hangry (that means very cranky and likely to stuff the first edible thing I find into my mouth, or just chew your arm off, whichever comes first).  It is not pretty, ask The Captain.

I am going to do some more research   The book, I read is dated and I know there are newer ones around.  I have to thank Tamara, who writes FitKnitChick for posting a vlog about her own struggles with starchy processed carbs and naming some books to read on the subject.  I have them on reserve at my library.

And one more tidbit to share... for those of you who were asking about the swelling in my legs since running my first half marathon on May 13th... I had ultrasounds done on both legs and there are no blood clots!  Which is great news but now to continue searching for the cause of the swellling.  Since I have been drinking the hot lemon water faithfully first thing every morning since the beginning of the month, it has gone down a bit.

Have you read about the metabolic effect?

Are you carb-sensitive?

8 comments:

  1. I'm doing a spot of core working out too :) And I can be an absolute nightmare if my sugar levels suddenly drop - it's happened twice in the last week and I was too tired/cranky/confused to make food-related decisions. It doesn't normally happen much so I'm blaming it on the bank holiday and not eating at regular times.

    And I've been enjoying strawberries too :)

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  2. Are those pictures of your actual food? If so, you do a great job of plating it. It looks beautiful:) Glad your swelling is going down and I hope you can figure out the cause. Way to get your core work in! Good for you for running in the rain. It is pouring here so luckily I got a run in yesterday:)

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  3. I should go check out her blog. I eat everything bad and to be honest i do feel like crap. argh! I also hate core work but do it anyways :) don't want to get injured again ;)

    I have been on a berry KICK and as you know spend all last night devouring chobani! lol

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  4. I ahevn't read about the metabolic effect but I wouldn't be surprised if I have the same sensitivity. What is your new core routine? I've made that a huge goal of mine right now and it's such a chore to do it each day! Ha ha. I'm always looking for some new moves to mix things up a little...

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  5. That's great that you are able to do aerobics in the new apartment. Have you guys settled in nicely?

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  6. Your food is always so pretty :-)

    I haven't heard about the metabolic book specifically, but I do think that protein and complex carbs are the key to keeping away the hangry. I used to get that too.

    So great that you're feeling so focused. I'm feeling there too lately and it's such a great place to be.

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  7. great work and that lunch salad looks awesome! slivered almonds always make things better, huh?!!

    I am not sure about carb-sensitive but I am addicted to them! LOL! If there's carbs(the simple, no nutritional value, kind) I'm all over them! That's why my trips to the grocery store have to be on a full tummy or I'll get some things that don't agree with a healthy diet! I'm not into sweets, or fatty foods but a simple carb...I'll track it down, find it and eat it! Sad but true...

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  8. I just wanted to say that I am currently OBSESSED with strawberries!! I can't get enough of them ever since I came home from the hospital. Just seeing your picture made me go get some out of the refrigerator. I think my body is craving good, whole, natural things.

    I don't know about carb-sensitive, but I do know I have to pay attention to carbs (and protein) because of my insulin resistance. I have to eat healthy carbs and my body responds best when I pair them with a protein. I would be interested in finding out more about this book.

    And, as you know, I am SO HAPPY you do not have to go through a blood clot.

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