I've Made The Decision

My husband and I have been running, or at least attempting to run for the last 4 months.  We have gone every other day alternating so that we each get to go and we each get a break.  We started back in February and we were getting up at 5:30 am.  Now, I am definitely not a morning person, so I switched from 5:30 am to between 8-9 pm.  I don't mind going that late, except, I tend to miss my running time due to a multitude of reasons.  I actually prefer running at night, but I may have to start going back to the mornings again.  I am missing to many times and it too easy to make an excuse.  Recently, I asked my husband how he was able to get up at 5 am (he actually stretches out, which is something I need to start doing).  He said he just made the decision to do it and he does it.  Sounds simple doesn't it?

Well, for me it hasn't been that easy, but I have decided that I need to follow his lead and just make the decision to commit.  Now, when I say I need to make the decision to commit, I am not just talking about running!  I am making the decision to commit to running (getting up early or sucking it up and going no matter what, unless I am really, really sick), eating a meat free/dairy free/gluten free diet, making time to create, making time to donate, and making time to live the life I want to lead.

I am going to take the time to get organized, clean, and purge what I don't need.  I have slowly been purging things, but I don't think that I have been doing enough.  This is a huge piece of what is going to make my life easier.  The better organized I am, the easier it will be to have the time to do all the other things that I want to do.  I think that making this decision now is good.  I was never a tv watcher, but over the last number of years, I have started to get sucked into shows.  Now that summer is here and season finales are over, I am hoping that getting in a good routine will help me remain in a routine once the new season starts again in the fall.  I'm hopeful that I will be in such a routine, that I won't want to watch as much tv.

I am going to start researching recipes that are meat free, gluten free, and dairy free.  Myself and my oldest  son are gluten and dairy sensitive.  My oldest was also recently diagnosed with PDD NOS (he has high functioning autism) and seems to do much better when he doesn't ingest gluten and dairy.  My husband's doctor wants him to eat an animal protein free diet and from what I've researched, I've found that this is the best diet for me to eat given my BRCA2 situation, especially since I am leaning against having surgery!

I have a ton of craft supplies, and when I think about how much money I have spent on them, I get a little sick to my stomach.  I was a little crazy with buying.  Since I love to create and I have a lot of supplies to create with, my goal is to create with them and then donate them to different agencies.  I am hopeful that I can donate and get rid of some of my supplies, as well as feel good about taking time to create.

I am making the decision to follow through with my goals in life, instead of just having goals that I don't follow through with!

Amy

Cancer!

I hate this word!  Like most people, I have been more than touched by cancer within my family.  I also have the breast cancer gene mutation which freaks me out more than just a little.  The decisions I know have to make suck to say the least, but at least I have the options to make decisions (about the only positive that I see in knowing that I have the gene, well along with knowing that my kids are at risk instead of not knowing.

I just found out that someone who I went to high school with lost her husband to pancreatic cancer last night.  As a person with a BRCA2 mutation, I am also at risk for pancreatic cancer, although that risk is low especially in comparison to my breast and ovarian cancer risk.  I also found out that there is more pancreatic cancer in my family that I ever knew.  Granted it is the familial lineage is pretty far away, but at least for me, it scares the crap out of me.

Every time I hear that some has been diagnosed with cancer or passes away from cancer, I get more freaked out.  I know that I need to make certain decisions, really just whether or not I am going to have my ovaries removed or not.  Every time I think I've made the decision, I think and then lose my nerve to stick with it.  Right now I am leaning against surgery and looking more at lifestyle changes.  That may change as I get older, as I get more peri-menopausal, or as life happens.  For me, not having surgery means that I will have the chance to have surgery if I choose at a later date.  If I have surgery when I am not ready, I can never take it back.  I do know that I am putting myself more at risk for ovarian cancer, but for now, that is my decision.  I did get my blood test back for my ovarian cancer test and it was normal, good news, and I have my ultrasound next week.  I still need to schedule my breast MRI, but need to do it at a certain time so I am in a waiting period right now.

After hearing the news of my friends's husband's passing, I really need to stick with my goals.  I really need to focus on eating right, exercising, being creative, and getting my life organized.  Following through with my goals all help me relieve stress on my mind, my body, and my spirit.  Now I just need to keep this resolve and follow through.  As I sit here typing, I am drinking my green shake (after I ate a crappy lunch).  I need to make sure that I actually drink these and eat more fruits and veggies in general as well as good whole grains!

For all that want to know what I put in my shake, this is it:

Green Smoothie

1cups of green leafy veggies (today was swiss chard)
1/2 an apple (green or red)
1/2 a pear
1 banana
1/2 an avocado
1/2 a bag of frozen blackberries
10 oz of water

Blend til smooth and enjoy!  I do have a vita mix.  I'm not sure how it would work in a traditional blender.  I believe that you should have a high speed blender so that it can really get things blended so that your body can incorporate them easily.

Enjoy life and take care of yourself!

Amy

Diet and Exercise and a Healthier Me

I have really been trying to follow what I believe in regarding my diet.  Have I been able to really follow it?  No, not really.  For some reason, I tend to give up rather easily on diets.  And by diets, I mean more like what am I eating vs a diet to lose weight.  By diets, I mean, life style.  At this point in my life, so close to forty (so scary to think it is only 2 years away), I am beginning to realize thta I don't need to diet, I need to change my eating habits for life!  I need to not make short term changes, but rather long term changes that are going to see me through the rest of my life and keep me as healthy as I can be.  I need to get back to eating mroe vegetarian/vegan.  I really need to give up dairy!  Every time I eat it, I tend too eat way to much way too often.  Then, I start getting digestive issues and I end up not feeling extremely comfortable.  What I really need to do is follow through with the elimination diet so that I can really figure out what my triggers are and stop eating them.  I have a feeling that I have food intolerances not food allergies.  Why this is hard for me is, I don't always get sick right away.  Sometimes it takes a few days for me to feel the effect.  By that tiemI have eaten more because pretty much everything that I have an issue with are things that I love to eat.  As difficult as it is, I will get to a point where I am only eating what I really should be eating, not eating things that I love to eat that make me feel sick.  I hope that I will also end up really enjoying the way I eat since I will be feeling healthier.

As for exercise, my goal is to run a 5K by the summer.  I started the couch to 5K last week and am on week 2 day 2 next.  I ended up skipping week 1 day 3 by accident, but felt good at the week 2 day 1 pioint so I am just going to move forward.  I was hoping to run today since it was marathon Monday, but alas, I don't think I will make it.  I am at work til 7:30 and then I have to put the kids to bed.  I may try to go out after, but I'm not sure that my husband would like me running that late by myself..  There's nothing worong with waiting til tomorrow or even the next day since tomorrow we have a few doctor appointments with the kids.  I am going to finish the C2 5K this time and I will run a 5K.  My goal has always been to run.  I remember in junior high school my gym teacher mentioned that I should run cross country.  I was too afraid to try out and ended up in the marching band.  I was still exercising, but I so wish it had been running.  Now here's my chance to run and do it on my terms.

Even though I keep writing about getting my diet right one day, I really will start eating the way that I want to.  Unfortunately, I may just need to keep writing about my failures or set backs as my husband calls them, until I actually meet my goals.  At least I know what my goals are, now I just need to follow through.

Amy