This week has been lacking in the exercise department. Tom has been going to the gym almost daily to swim and has done an amazing job of keeping up with a healthy diet. In the past 6 weeks he has lost 12 pounds. Woot woot!!! I'm so proud of his hard work. Every time I compliment him on it he shrugs it off and says he still has a long way to go. I think he is proud of himself though. He should be.
Anyway, my weight has been pretty steady for the past couple of months. The Marathon Weight Loss Challenge is now over and I lost 5 pounds over the course of the challenge. It is about 21 pounds short of a marathon, but at least I didn't gain so I am very happy with the loss. So that puts me at a total weight loss of 31 pounds in 2012 :) During the challenge, I tracked my food and exercise on www.loseit.com every day for 6 weeks straight. Then when school started I just stopped. I had no energy to even begin to sit down and record every bite I put into my mouth let alone the energy to exercise. Now don't get me wrong...I have been swimming, riding my bike, taking a class and running here and there, but nothing close to what I was doing over the summer. I ran my 10K last Saturday and tried to run again on Monday. It was a chore to run for even 10 minutes so I decided my body wasn't fully recovered from the 6.2 miles. I haven't exercised since and I feel groggy and icky because of it. I know that if I just go do it I will feel so much better, but I honestly don't feel like it. Tom just left for the gym and I have a bit of a stomach ache so I opted out. Normally, that wouldn't have stopped me, but lately it has. I suppose everyone goes through ups and downs. Thankfully, my weight has stayed the same since school started despite my lack of exercise and tracking. It's probably because teaching is much like herding cats. You are constantly on the go, standing, kneeling, bending down, sitting on the floor to running from the classroom to the copier to the mailroom to the laminator, to the gym to the cafeteria and back so I've probably made up for the lack of "proper exercise" just by doing my job. Also, I pre-assemble my lunch each night and I don't go out to lunch so I have to eat the healthy things I have packed for myself or starve. I would never choose to not eat so it works out well :)
As for my migraines, they are still hanging around. It's been exactly one month since I started wearing my TMJD appliance. I've had 7 migraines, which is better than the 8-12 I have been getting. I shouldn't be disappointed, but, honestly I am. This was supposed to work. I was convinced that this was the key. My frustration level grows with every migraine that develops. For once I am thankful not be pregnant because I don't know what I would do if I had to fight these migraines without medication. I still have hope though. My treatments just started and if they are already taking away a couple of migraines, then why wouldn't it be better next month? I am holding onto that hope and have faith that God has a plan for these migraines. I don't know what it is yet, but I can trust that He is in control. I've found that I am living in fear of my migraines and I should not fear them or let them run my life. A scripture verse that spoke to me this morning is "For God gave us not a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control. - 2 Timothy 1:7. How cool is that? Yeah. God is a pretty awesome gift giver.
So back to the title of this post...running sometimes triggers a migraine for me and sometimes it doesn't. It's the same with any high intensity exercise, even the elliptical or yoga. Sane people would just say, "Well duh, then don't run or do intense exercise!" I get that. I really do. However, running is fuel for my soul. It's my time to be out in nature and spending time with God in his creation. More intense exercise is great for me too. It makes me sweat and feel productive. Sane people would reply, "Okay great, then just walk or ride your bike." Yes, those activities allow for time with God out in nature and are productive, but there's just something about moving my body that feeds my soul and makes me feel so free, yet so connected with Him. I don't understand it. But it stinks not being able to run or do fun classes without worrying that I will get a migraine. Right now I think I'll go to the grocery store, roll down the windows, feel the fall air on my face, talk to God (and more importantly, listen to what He has to say) and maybe, just maybe I will get the energy to do something active on this amazingly beautiful day He has given to us.
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