I started texting my Aunt Kelly yesterday and the text ended up so long that I decided to make it a blog post. Somehow for me, talking about the day to day stuff helps get me through the craziness of this situation we all share. How are you dealing with this pandemic? The isolation? Having your kids with you 24/7? The fear? I hope you will share your own stories with me, either in the comments below or message me.
Borrowed this from someone...source unknown.
Today’s Story: Koby Update
So yesterday was a visit to the vet. They are not allowing human owners entrance to the clinic.
Waiting for Koby to be examined.
A vet tech comes out to your vehicle to get your animal and bring it in to see the vet. Our vet himself actually came out to get Koby and brought him back to the car. How hard this is on all of them! I’m sure they must be so frustrated.
Dr. Crosson put some medicine on Koby’s paws to stop the bleeding and gave him antibiotics and gabapentin for the pain. Instructed us to buy Koby some booties to protect his feet and showed us a “towel trick” to support his hind quarters better while he walks. He’s getting older. This is so hard.
Staycation project update:
The deep cleaning of the house is still underway. Instead of Mitch’s room, we worked on our bedroom. When Brian retired, he pulled out all of his work clothes to “go through”. He never “went through” them. Until yesterday.
He made a shadow box of his SPD patch, his first and last badges, his Kevin Ambrose pin and his negotiator's pin.
In December we got a new TV for the living room and I moved my “relaxing spot” from the den to the living room and had Joey move his games to the den. The den has been a mess since. Hopefully that will be part of today’s projects. Mitch's room is still a top priority.
Side note: Brian is now responsible for cooking. He made it to the store yesterday, said the shelves weren't quite as sparse as they have been. We had meatloaf for dinner last night, ground beef was plentiful.
Did not make it to the gym yesterday. Honestly, even though they are open and limiting capacity to 25, I'm kinda nervous about being exposed to others in a facility where we all touch everything with our sweaty hands. Maybe today I'll go to One on One Fitness in West Springfield where I train with Pat. It's a much smaller facility. Instead of the gym, I took Leia for a walk.
Saw some crocus (the first sign of spring) and was reminded that yesterday was St. Patrick's Day.
Here are today's meditations... As we ponder on God’s word, let’s be reminded that He is with us. We will get through during these tough times.
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient but the things that are unseen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:17-18
In case you needed a dose of love, here's Leia in all her snuggly glory.
Captain by New Hillsong United
Through waters uncharted my soul will embark
I'll follow Your voice straight into the dark
And if from the course You intend, I depart
Speak to the sails of my wandering heart
How are you and your family dealing with this pandemic?
Feel free to share your updates with me, either in the comments or by message.
Happy Day 1 of my coronavirus staycation. Last week was the flu, yesterday I had to work, so today is my 1st day "staycation". (I actually do have to work from home, but it feels like a staycation.)
I (may) will be posting regular updates with thoughts and prayers and laughs and whatever else comes to mind. Even if you're not in isolation mode like we are, feel free to share your updates with me, either in the comments or by message.
Today's story...
We are all getting over the flu. Brian and I are feeling better, but Joey is now sick. I have been cleaning and doing laundry like crazy.
When Joey took ill, I decided to clean his room. Lord save me.
Last night while I was trying to fold some of the last of the laundry, Brian called me because Koby was bleeding. I go to check him out and his paw is bleeding profusely. He lost one of his claws. 🐾 Not sure how that happened, but there's blood everywhere, we can't get him to sit still, he shaking like a leaf. The den looks like a murder scene. 🚫And Leia is barking like crazy because she knows something is wrong.
We finally had to let him go and walk around until he could settle in. More carnage.⛔️
Tried to wrap his paw up in a clean towel to keep pressure on the wound and prevent blood from getting everywhere. Every time we tried to do that, he would get up and we had to start all over again.
Finally at midnight, he seemed to find his spot and laid still, with his paw wrapped up, long enough for me to finish folding my last load of laundry for the night. Add the bloody scatter rugs to the washing machine. Brian slept downstairs with Koby, I slept in the comfort of my own bed with Leia to keep me company. Vet’s office doesn’t open until 9 and they won’t even let us go in with him if we can get an urgent care visit. He’s our old man and I hate that he’s hurting.😢
This morning
On a side note: Will the stores have meat or dairy today? To hit the gym or not? (Leaning towards not.)
Today’s projects: Begin to tackle Mitch’s old room. Emphasis on begin. It’s become a dumping ground of “I don’t know what to do with this”.
Will (may) post again tomorrow with updated news as to the condition of our beloved old man and a status update as to whether or not I can buy any meat today. The shelves have been completely bare everywhere we’ve gone. If not, it will be Taco Tuesday with ground turkey I have in the freezer and a pot of veggie soup to get us through for lunch this week.
Here are today's meditations...May you ponder on God’s word, and be filled with his spirit. That is what will get us through during these tough times.
A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.
— Proverbs 17:22
The Passion by Hillsong
How are you and your family dealing with this pandemic? Feel free to share your updates with me, either in the comments or by message.
What a week+ it's been since I last wrote. The rundown...
This morning, my dear Uncle Russell passed away after a brave fight with colon cancer. He was diagnosed in November, so it feels like it came out of no where. We are very sad as we mourn his passing.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18
With the loss of my uncle, my heart is very heavy and none of what I have to share seems worth even mentioning. Yet I committed to keeping up the blog on my journey, so let me fill you in on the whirlwind since the last time I shared with you.
Happy New Year meant back to work and immediate high level stress. So much so that the things I typically do to help work through it simply weren't working.
I turned 50 in September, so last week I had my initial colonoscopy screening. Less than fun. (All clear though.)
This is what I stocked up on for my pre-colonoscopy diet. Ended up just drinking water and sipping broth and apple juice, but...stay tuned.
My husband retired after 32 years on the Springfield Police Department. I love him so!
Got a haircut with a slightly new and shorter style.
Finally celebrated my son's birthday with him. He moved to the eastern part of the state last March, so we don't get to see him as often. It was a month late, but we got to see him and I got to love on him.
I don't have a picture from this 25th Birthday celebration, but here's one from four years ago.
I developed a stomach virus that kept me home from work for two days.
AND I had to have a root canal for an infected tooth that was causing me a lot of pain. On the SAME day as I was fighting the stomach bug. The SAME day.
Let's just say that I haven't been up to writing. Yet, despite the many detours that have been sent my way, I still remain focused on renewing my commitment to wellness - physical, emotional, spiritual. Sometimes that means accepting the grace that comes when you can't measure up to your expectations and demands that you place on yourself. When you can't do more, Keeping it simple IS more.
I've been so sick that I haven't been able to eat solid foods at all. And getting to the gym is on the back burner until I feel strong enough to just walk.. Thank God for my colonoscopy stash (pictured above), because I've been living on the Powerade, jellos, soup and smoothies. To get in calories, I've even been eating ice cream. As of yesterday, I'd lost 8 lbs. SINCE my colonoscopy. Not sure how that will hold up once I start actually eating again. Right now, I'm depleted and dehydrated, so my even my muscles are suffering.
I'll get back to it soon!
I recently discovered the Abide app. Abide is a Christian medition app that leads you through different meditations. I don't pay for the subscription to the app because they aren't exactly what I need from meditation. That said, I do receive a daily meditation that I can listen to online. It's a 2-3 minute reflection and prayer to start my day off. This has kept me going through the ups and downs of the past week.
As I finish this week's blog, be reminded that sometimes life just hits you. Through it all, keep your focus on what is important. Family. Love. Health. I saw this today on Facebook and I had to share it. I don't want to live in a world where love is invisible. I want to BE the change, BE the light.
In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
One of my goals for 2020 is to de-stress. While I'm not sure about how exactly one measures the stress or lack thereof in their life, I do have a relatively solid plan. Or at least I think it's solid.
First, let's talk about the soul to cell connection, wherein your mind and body are connected at a cellular level.
It's Science
Believe it or not, there is a science to it this connection (*sources below). I will try to keep it basic.
Everyone produces a hormone called "Cortisol" which is best known as the stress hormone. It is crucial to many body systems, including mood, sleep, blood pressure and blood sugar regulation, as well as your body's use of macro-nutrients (protein, fat and carbs). When your body is on high alert, cortisol may shut down functions that may interfere, such as digestive, reproductive and immune systems. Have you ever noticed that when you are stressed you are more likely to get sick, gain weight, and even have out of wack periods?
Too much cortisol wrecks havoc on us. Prolonged stress causes your cortisol levels to be unmanageable, interfering with your body's ability to function. Scientists have found that too much stress causes damage to our telomeres, the protective casing at the end of DNA strands. This impairs the body's ability to fight infection and disease. Further studies have shown that the effect of stress on our DNA can actually be passed onto future generations. Let me repeat that. Stress affects our DNA, which can be genetically passed onto our unborn children. It's passed onto our children...AND even our grandchildren.
So What To Do About It?
Learning how to handle and deal with stress is probably one of the most daunting things I have had to personally address. To say that I have it figured out would be a lie. I am on a journey to addressing it, and I hope to share with you some of the things that have benefited me.
Exercise
If you've been following me, you would be surprised if I didn't say "Exercise helps to reduce stress." Exercise helps your body to feel better. It also reduces fatigue, as well as improves mental acuity. Exercise helps your body to produce endorphins, which improves your ability to sleep and manage stress. That said, knowing it helps doesn't necessarily mean you will do it.
So, if you don't exercise regularly, start. Start small and easy. Start by walking. Yes, walking. Don't count the walking you do at your job as your exercise. That's work. Take a walk in the neighborhood, or try 30 minutes on a treadmill. If 30 minutes seems too long, try 10 minutes three times per day. It's still 30 minutes. Try yoga. I swear by yoga. I really relaxes me and is good for your joints. (Yoga With Adriene was recommended to me. She has a variety of yoga options to try.)
It's been a long time since I took a locker room selfie!
Be careful! The addage less is more and more is less is true here. If you overdo cardio, especially at first, you will not see the results you want. Not only do you run the risk of burning out and not exercising at all, but too much aerobic exercise at one time causes an increase in your production of cortisol (the stress hormone we are trying to reduce).
Meditation
Yep, I said it. The "M" word. Meditation is definitely the new buzz word all about town. Doctors, therapists and personal trainers tell you to do it. What is it and why all the fuss about it?
In short, meditation is a practice of centering your mind and eliminating the distractions from your mind. Typically, meditation focuses on your breath. We spend our lives running around, focusing on every detail. Constantly inundated with one thing after another, our brains are forced to make sense of the chaos. Meditation helps to quiet your mind.
When the cares of my heart are many, your consolations cheer my soul.
Psalm 94:19
When I first started meditation, it was at the encouragement of my doctor because I was not sleeping. I could fall asleep, but I couldn't stay asleep. I was waking up at 2:00 a.m., unable to turn the wheels of my brain off. In addition to cleaning up my sleep habits (e.g.: going to bed at the same time every night, not looking at the clock when I wake up), he recommended a couple of different sleep apps.
These are the ones I tried:
Meditation Studio is a skill you can enable in Amazon's Alexa. There are two different sleep meditations that I found helpful to fall asleep at bedtime, but too disruptive to fall back to sleep at 2:000 a.m.
Sleep Sounds is another skill you can enable in Amazon Alexa. That was useful in both falling asleep and falling back to sleep. There's no talking with this one, so it was really only the calming sound that lulls you to sleep.
Calm is a meditation app that is available for a free trial. It provides a unique 10-minute meditation every day, It also has sleep stories you can listen to, in order to lull yourself to sleep. It's very relaxing, but I wasn't keen on spending money on it after the trial ended.
Relax Melodies was the winner. You can download this app and use several features for free, with a pay option to add more to your experience. At first, we used it as an enhancement from the Sleep Sounds from Alexa. It is available wherever your phone is (meaning even when you travel). After using the app for a while and actually preferring it over the Sleep Sounds, I discovered there are Meditations, Sleep Stories and "Sleep Moves" included as well. I tried the meditations included with the free portion of the app and fell in love. Because my biggest problem with sleep was waking in the middle of the night, I simply moved to the couch, played the meditation and fell back to sleep. It was magic. Just about every time. I started using the meditations when I went to bed and found my sleep was interrupted less frequently. I was actually sleeping until 4 or 5 a.m. without having to get up. Once my brain adjusted to the free meditations, I realized I was worth the $5 per month cost of using the full app.
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
Matthew 11:28 - 30
My princess and sleep companion (until Brian goes to bed)
Meditation is more than just for sleep
My new job brought high levels of stress. I learn new things every day. I am on my feet all day, working longer hours than ever before. I am mentally fatigued beyond comparison. I am totally out of my comfort zone. I am mentally and physically exhausted. Every day.
I love to workout, but I am finding on my way home from work, my body shuts down. By the time I drive to the gym, I want to collapse. I have no energy to function. I just keep driving. Home. Where I crash.
I lost the endorphin rush of working out. I wasn't benefiting from the one thing I knew helped me cope. I tried working out early in the morning once - twice per week. That worked until it got cold out. It's awfully hard to get out of bed in the morning and get to the gym. But I do my best to make sure I get in at least 4 workouts per week.
That said, one day I was driving to work and I felt completely overwhelmed. I realized that the practice I used for helping me to sleep could be used to help me deal with the stress of work. But obviously, I couldn't close my eyes and focus on my breathing while I was driving. So I began my own practice of meditation. This time, I turned it into a time of worship and prayer, with a closing of quiet meditation. No prescription, no external voice telling me to breathe, just time with my Lord.
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Joshua 1:9
I play these two songs: Lord I Need You by Matt Maher and Tremble by Mosaic, followed by listening to Psalms read to me on my Bible app. After listening to a couple of chapters, I simply pray, quietly to the Lord. Jesus, Jesus, You make the darkness tremble. Jesus, Jesus, You silence fear. Be with me today, Lord. Help me to be more like you.
Bible app by YouVersion
Meditation is a practice. You never really perfect it. But it only works if you practice it. We can't change our circumstances, but we can control our response to it. By practicing mediation, I have seen first hand the effect it has on helping me address both sleeplessness AND manage stress. I am, by no means there. I still need to "figure it out."
As I do, I will share with you what I learn. The good, the bad, and the ugly. For this year, I am focusing on the whole picture. Not just diet and exercise, but also trying to address the cell to soul connection.
New book I'm starting: One Breath at a Time: A Skeptic's Guide to Christian Meditation by J. Dana Trent
"Let my meditation be pleasing to Him; As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord."
It's just about 2020 and almost 16 months since my last post.
Merry Christmas! and Happy New Year! (and New ME)
A lot has happened. My son moved out of the house. New job. I turned 50. Those are the major highlights. To sum up the past year+ would be impractical and would sound like I'm making excuses to why I stopped blogging and why I landed back. in. the. fat. seat.
Moving forward, that's what it's about....2020 is going to be all about becoming a healthier me. I've set some goals to work on. Here's the short list:
Lose weight. AGAIN. Optimally and realistically I'd like to lose 25 lbs. If I'm dreaming big, I really think 30 is a better goal, but 25 is more manageable for me.
De-Stress. I'm not sure how to measure that, but I do have a relatively solid game plan in place. The trick will be seeing if the plan results in actual outcomes.
Deadlifts: 10 reps at 200 lbs.
Pull-ups: 10 reps (unassisted)
Middle age and stress have wrecked havoc on my hormones. I've decided to reset my nutrition to help bring balance to my hormones.
I've been reluctant to write, to come back to the blog. To be honest, having fallen off the wagon, I haven't been able to figure out how to get back on it. My weight has been on a gradual increase and my efforts to address it have failed. Stress and age have brought with them more aches and pains. Already I feel like I'm whining and making excuses for being where I am and that's not what I want to write about.
Slowly working my way back to my goal... Here's 165 lbs. for six reps.
When I first started Tracey's Getting Fit in 2015, it served as a tool for me on my journey towards losing weight and getting fit. I used it as a way to reflect on what worked and what didn't. It held me accountable to myself and to my readers. But somewhere along the line, I think I felt like I couldn't measure up to myself and my expectations and I just let it go.
I'm resurrecting the blog to serve as a way for me to track my successes AND failures as I endeavor to become a healthier, new me. AGAIN. I'm okay with putting it out there, although with my new job, I've decided to have my name less in the focus. So instead of "Tracey's Getting Fit," I've renamed the blog "Getting Fit...AGAIN."
I'll probably write more often, with shorter posts and more frequent check-ins. I hope you'll share the journey with me.
You better watch out, 2020, I'm coming after you!
Raise Your Glass by P!nk
So raise your glass if you are wrong
In all the right ways, all my underdogs
We will never be, never be anything but loud
And nitty, gritty, dirty little freaks
Won't you come on and come on and
Raise your glass?
Questions for you: (Answer in the comment section below.)
Do you have any resolves for the New Year? What do you hope to accomplish in 2020?
Over the past nearly five years, I have been focused on my journey towards health and wellness. It's been a total transformation of body, mind and spirit.
This means, when what you've been doing isn't working anymore, you really have to sit down and say, "What's wrong?"
Back up. Like thirty steps.
I haven't posted anything in months, so I feel bad jumping in like this without some background.
In June, 2016, I hurt my shoulder. I continue to struggle with the pain which comes and goes. That October, I had surgery on my varicose veins, from which I developed several superficial blood clots that kept resurfacing. To correct that, had more extensive surgery in December. That was 2016.
In February, 2017 I hurt my back. In March, I slipped on black ice at work and re-injured my already compromised back.
The pain was so bad, I had to go to the e.r. I could not walk.
Followed by MONTHS of recovery...
For days, I pretty much just laid flat on my back on the floor.
Fast forward to November, 2017 and I was feeling frustrated by the lack of progress in my training, my now significantly weakened body, and a slow increase in my weight and change in body composition. My pants weren't fitting anymore. I was still watching / counting my calories and macros, but I wasn't seeing any results. In fact, I was going backwards from where I wanted to be.
I was introduced to my trainer, Pat who is AMAZING. A completely new focus on my training meant injury recovery and strength building, which meant I had to EAT! And so I ate... pretty much whatever I wanted. Days went by where I would log my food, but I didn't care if I went over my calories. On days when I splurged (which became far more frequent), I logged breakfast and lunch, but left dinner and snacks out. MyFitnessPal kept telling me I'd be super thin in 5 weeks, but the reverse is what I witnessed.
Come spring and the weather finally turned warmer and my bike came out of hiding. And I struggled. Pat would say something like this: "Tracey, you have to eat. You can't lift heavy, ride your bike for 30+ miles and lose weight without a compromise. Something has to give." Uggh. I don't want to get fat again. I want my clothes to fit. I want to ride my bike and I want to lift heavy weights. I want it all.
Literally, I wanted my cake and eat it too!
When I started this journey, one of my goals was to complete the Ride to Remember. This year was my 4th year doing the ride. Each year has been a unique experience. I trained so hard for it the first year that I actually felt easy. That said, in the years that followed, my training waned slightly each year, on top of struggling with chronic pain. This year was going to be different. I was NOT going to let pain interfere with my ride. And, I was determined to train hard for the ride without obsessing like I did the first year. This new mindset and focus paid off. I will write more in another post about the day, but to sum it up, this year's Ride to Remember was an amazing ride!!!
BUT...Friday night when I was packing my clothes for the ride home on the bus, I was looking for a comfortable t-shirt to wear. I took out both of my favorite Wonder Woman shirts and neither fit. Too tight. I took out another Wonder Woman shirt and IT didn't fit. WHAT THE HECK!
While I could put them on, they looked tight and I looked ridiculous in them.
Now, I had already been talking to Pat about changing the focus of my training after the Ride to Remember. And I knew that clearly, while counting (and eating) calories and macros had been helping me to build strength and train for the ride, it wasn't helping me to stay lean. I asked him what he thought about the Keto diet. It scared me. I am carb dependent. I really am. I've tried low carb before and it's always been a complete disaster. I am such a fan of flexible dieting that I really struggle with the mindset of restricting / eliminating food groups. Flexible dieting allows you to eat cake! Not all the time, but on occasion.
In all seriousness, I knew that was used to work for me wasn't working anymore. I'm getting older. At 49, the pre-menopausal hormone fluctuations mess with my body and ability to sleep. I live with fatigue and have aches and pains where there were none before. Sleep often daunts me, so I live with fatigue. I have aches and pains where I didn't used to have them.
I knew change is necessary and I believe it starts at the core. Nutrition. This is why keto intrigued me. I had read how good it is for people who have certain medical conditions, as well as for burning body fat. And that is key to me. While the numbers on the scale haven't changed that much over the past year or two, my body composition has changed and I want to lean out. To see definition in my muscles, even on days when I don't work out!!
This week, I jumped off the cliff, into the deep and and began my KETO journey. The keto diet is a way to transition your metabolism from using carbohydrates for energy to using fat. Today is Day 7 with my new food plan. It has NOT been an easy initial transition. I am carb-dependent, so the severe cutback really got to me for the first several days. AND I still want to ride my bike, so I am going to have to figure out how to carb-cycle on days when I ride. I tried to ride yesterday and it was not a good ride. Despite the rocky start, I am committed to make this work. I know seven days is not enough time to fairly say this is or is not working for me.
I am focusing on the positives. I don't feel or look bloated anymore. I don't look like I'm pregnant anymore!! I still feel like I'm in a caloric deficit, I'm already past the cravings and the feeling like I have to eat all the time. The scale is not the sole guideline for success, but I have lost 5 lbs. so far. And Pat put together a new training plan for me that focuses on both strength building and fat burning. I start that today, so I'm looking forward to that!
I'm also taking some risks with my cooking, like these pan-seared scallops and roasted asparagus. The scallops don't look "seared" because I'm new to this and figuring out how to blacken them without them sticking to the pan is a work in progress, but they were SOOOO good!
I'll be writing more as I endeavor to be successful on this new segment of my journey. I'm looking forward to sharing with you both the ups and the downs. The measure of success for will be how I feel mentally and physically, as well as how I look in the mirror / how my clothes fit. Stay tuned.
I want to look good in a sports bra and short shorts again!
This was taken yesterday. It's my new before shot!
Stay tuned for more, including all about this year's Ride to Remember!
Meanwhile, be the champion of today!
Questions for you: (Answer in the comment section below.)
How is your nutrition going? What food plan do you follow? Have you ever tried keto? Any tips to share, let me know!!
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Contact Pat! He's AWESOME and you will really like working with him!
