Week 4: PCOS Sucks.

Running/working out is not pretty.  Plain and simple.

I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) about 7 and a half years ago.  If you're not sure what that is, you can get some great info HERE.  My succinct and very poor explanation of it is that it is basically a hormonal disorder that, if left unchecked, can lead to many different diseases, including one that runs rampant in my family, diabetes.  A hormone imbalance can affect a person in a ton of different ways.  Emotionally, physically, it's a grand roller coaster ride that won't stop to let you off.  I usually love roller coasters, but I've had my fill of this one.  Doctors like to put you on birth control (to regulate cycle) and if you're trying to get pregnant?  Well that's a whole other ride.  Infertility rates are very high in women with PCOS.  I told my doctor once that I thought my birth control was messing with my system, that it was not helping in the area of my PCOS.  He basically shrugged me off, saying it has nothing to do with it.  My thinking is, if I already have a hormonal disorder, how is pumping more hormones into the mix going to help?  I don't know, I am still researching a lot.  When I was first diagnosed, the only thing I heard when being explained this condition was that it was going to be very hard, maybe impossible, to have children.  The only thing I have ever known I wanted out of life.  There is much more to that story, but my point in this post is this: There are a lot of things that could stop me on this journey to health.  I have a few things against me.  PCOS being one of them.  It is proven that if you have this disorder, it makes it even more difficult to lose weight.  But you know what?

I met my monthly weight loss goal this month.

It is HARDER to lose weight.  Not IMPOSSIBLE.  I am seeing more and more cases out there of women who are managing their PCOS with simple diet and exercise.  I have joined an online support group of PCOS sufferers.  I am doing everything I can to set myself up for success.  

The 5k I signed up for is on Mother's Day.  I have never run a 5k before, even though I have wanted to for a very long time.  How fitting is it, that my first one be a Mother's Day run?  This race will be very significant for me, in so many ways.  I've always been a stubborn determined person.  I have decided that having PCOS will not defeat me.  It will only make me more creative in achieving my goals.  

Week 4 was the hardest one yet.  Not only was I increasing the workout, I was sick with a bad cold on top of it all.  I almost didn't run on the really hard days, but I had several small victories this week, and I'm proud to say that I completed it and am now looking forward to week 5!  Bring it!

Week 3 And The Power Of The Mind

Source

I've been thinking a lot lately about the power of the mind.  What we tell ourselves will be what we believe and will directly affect the outcome.

Today is Day 2 of week 3 on my journey.  Up to this point I have been feeling great, unstoppable.  But this morning when the alarm woke me at 5:30, I wanted nothing more than to crawl back under the covers and pretend I didn't hear it.

I stood in my closet, looking at my pile of work out attire that I had pulled the night before, waging a mental war.

I didn't sleep good last night.  Sleep is so important to good health!  I really should go back to bed since it's better for my health.

Don't do it.  Just get dressed.  You need this.

Is that a stomach ache?  I probably won't feel good all day if I get up now.  I will feel sick if I don't go back to bed.  Just one more hour.

You've pushed yourself through a heck of a lot more than a mere stomach ache.  You played a full tilt basketball game with the flu (true story).  You can do this.  You have to do this.  You need this.  

Yeah but that was forever ago.  I'm so much older now.

That's a dumb excuse and you know it.  You need this.  You will be better for it.  You will be happy you did it.  No more excuses; no more delay.

I got dressed.

I ran.

And guess what?  I may be a little tired, but I don't have a stomach ache.  In fact, I feel pretty good.  And more importantly, I had a victory today.  My body wanted to phone it in.  And I wouldn't let it.

What we tell ourselves matters.  We know ourselves best, after all.

So if your mental mantra is not helping you, change it.  Tell yourself you can do it.

Because you CAN do it.  Your body will do what you will it to do.  It doesn't have a choice.  So make the better choice.  You will be so glad you did!

Cardboard Wall File

I love to be organized.  It's easier to find things, the day runs more smoothly, and my stress level stays low.  Not to mention the kiddos.  They can feel it when i'm stressed, even if I'm really good at covering it.  I work really hard at staying organized, because I know the effects that disorganization can have on us.  Granted, I fail miserably sometimes; it seems to be always a work in progress.  So here is one little step I've taken towards my goal to be organized:

It's such a little thing, yet it has brought a little more organization to my desk/office area.  My "desk" is actually an old, small kitchen table that the husband and I bought when we were first married.  As our family grew, so did the kitchen table and this has become the "desk".  I would love to have an actual desk, but we just don't have the place for it at this point in the game.  So I have found that I just need to get a little creative with the organization and also that I have to stay on top of it.  With no files or drawers it is essential to keep the mail, bills, etc in check.

I have a lot of receipts that I need to keep track of for the cake pop business, so this is so far proving to be very helpful.  Our days are always busy, so I never really have time to file receipts as I go.  Receipts get tossed in here until the end of the month when I take them out, put them in chronological order and file them away in a manilla envelope.  This would also make a great short term file for coupons.  I'm thinking of making another one to hold coupons that I pull to use from week to week.

I didn't know what all I would use when making this so I just grabbed a bunch of stuff from my craft stash.  And it's simple, really.  Here is what I ended up using:

1. Cardboard cereal boxes
2. Scissors
3. Double Sided tape
4. Scrapbook paper
5. Letter stickers
6. Packing tape (not pictured)

First thing I did was cut into the cardboard and cut off all the edges.

Then by eyeing the area where I knew I wanted it to hang, I gauged what size I wanted the rectangle, then used a straight edge to draw a cutting line.

I held the front and back sides up to the wall to see how big I wanted the opening to be.  It was about 3 inches.  I measured 3 inches and drew a line.

then at the other end I measured 1.5 inches and marked it with a dot.

Then I used a straight edge to draw lines connecting all three points to make my triangle for the side of the wall file.

On a side note, can anyone tell me why my hands always look so deformed in pictures?  On second thought, don't tell me.  We will just all agree that I take very bad hand pictures.  Moving on..

I've got the triangles cut out, now it's time to tape everything together.  I used packing tape, but any kind of tape would probably work.  Unless you need the strength of the packing tape b/c you're going to file really heavy receipts.  Or your rock collection.  Then you probably want to go with the packing tape also.  But that's just my opinion.

I put a strip of tape on one side of the triangle,

then I used the corner of my table to make sure it stuck at an angle.

When I taped the other side, I had a little trouble with the tape not wanting to stick into the corners, so I just used the tip of my pen to get it right up against the other side.  Any overhanging tape like you see in this next picture I just bent over the side.

Finished!  Now I just had to cover it and make it more pretty and less cereal-boxey.

Oh, also you might notice that the front panel is shorter than the back panel.  After I had them cut out I realized for it to hang the way I wanted it to they couldn't be the same height, so I cut off like an inch, inch and a half from the top of the front panel, and then in turn had to cut the side triangles at a slight angle so that it came down to meet the top of the front panel.  This probably all sounds gibberish at this point, but this project is really something that you can kind of figure out as you go.

For the scrapbook paper I just laid the file down and traced it and then cut them out and taped to the front and sides.

You can see the triangle here is a little taller than the front panel.  That was before I fixed it.  It was pretty simple just to cut it after it was taped together.

Slapped some letter stickers on it and that was it!  

Very quick, simple, and together in no time.  Now my receipts have a home, I spent no money out of pocket, and I am a little less cranky.  Which, let's be honest, is better for everyone.

Happy organizing!

Move. Step. Run.

This is me, about 16 years ago.  Killing it in a 400m relay.  Wearing a basketball practice jersey.  Keepin' it classy.

You just have to start.  That's it.  Get up.  Move.  

One foot in front of the other, then another, and another.  

Before you even realize it, you are walking.  

A little faster, just a little faster, and a little more.

It seems like you blink and you are jogging.  

You are still slowing to a walk every couple minutes, but you are jogging.

You keep this up and you're next step is jogging more than walking.

Before you know it the only walking you are doing is in your 5 minute warm up and cool down.

You run a 5k.  

Your time is nothing to speak of, but you're not finished. 

You run another 5k.

Your time is a little better.

A third 5k under your belt and your personal record is again obliterated.

This is how you become a runner.

This is how you reach your goals.

This is how you become strong.

This is how you become confident.

You are still the same you, just better.

Stronger.

This is my dream.

I'm on my way.

And it all started with one step.