Finally! Some progress!
I finally dropped 3 of the 4.5 pounds I gained last week. It took two days of MSM supplements and keeping to the friendly foods, but it's working. My face is still a bit itchy and very flaky, but it's getting better. My breakouts are clearing up, and my skin isn't as red and angry. Here's to hoping that a couple more days of this will clear this business up, and I'll be back on track.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Still in stasis
Unfortunately, I'm still in stasis with The Plan. I'm still itching and breaking out in the face, but it's because I keep forgetting to take my MSM. I need to be taking 3000mg for the next six weeks. Once I finally remember to take it for consecutive days, it should help with the histamine reaction.
I've also reached a plateau. When I stopped The Plan because I was afraid I was allergic to the flax granola, I gained 4.5 pounds. Now, even having gone back to friendly foods, I'm still at the same weight. My water is on point and The foods I'm eating are friendly. It could be my thyroid. I'll be investigating that in the next few days.
Wish me luck : /
I've also reached a plateau. When I stopped The Plan because I was afraid I was allergic to the flax granola, I gained 4.5 pounds. Now, even having gone back to friendly foods, I'm still at the same weight. My water is on point and The foods I'm eating are friendly. It could be my thyroid. I'll be investigating that in the next few days.
Wish me luck : /
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Almost back in the saddle...
I heard from Cindy, one of The Plan staff. The good news is that I'm not allergic to flax granola, which would have been tragic. The bad news is that both the cystic acne, and of course, the hives are histamine reactions caused by my detox. I suspected that was the problem, I just needed to be sure. I need to up my MSM intake and stick to my friendly foods until things clear up. So, back to square...three. I'm really craving the roasted winter vegetables with goat cheese. Om Nom Nom!
Friday, February 1, 2013
In a holding pattern...
I know I haven't blogged in a week, but I'm in a holding pattern. I haven't give up on The Plan; but, I've had some reactions that I'm concerned about, and I think I could be mildly intolerant to the flax granola. This would be a crying shame, because I love the flax granola.
I'm having cystic acne breakouts and a reaction that is very much likes hives (itch, red bumps) on my face. Something I've noticed since the beginning is that my skin is super dry and flaky, even with the use of a humidifier. So, I've contacted the Lyn-Genet crew and I'm waiting to hear what they have to say before I continue.
I'm having cystic acne breakouts and a reaction that is very much likes hives (itch, red bumps) on my face. Something I've noticed since the beginning is that my skin is super dry and flaky, even with the use of a humidifier. So, I've contacted the Lyn-Genet crew and I'm waiting to hear what they have to say before I continue.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Learning to Fly
Those of you know me, might know that I was a ballet dancer for 16 years, and was in a modern dance company for a year. Since then the closest I've been to a dance class is Zumba for Xbox Kinect.
It's been a dream of mine for 15 years to learn the art of Aerial dance. The first time I saw an aerial routine was in a performance of Cirque du Soliel. I was mesmerized. The flow of the silks, the execution of the moves, everything was perfection, and it spoke to the dancer in me.
I'm finally living my dream. I took my first aerial class last night, and let me tell, it is nothing to scoff at. On some level I knew that it would be a lot of work, and there would be intense training involved. However, I think a part of me assumed that since I was a dancer, it wouldn't be as difficult. Wrong!
One thing my first lesson taught me was how seriously out of shape I am. o.O I do realize that I'm using a completely different set of muscles than I am accustomed to using, but geez! I'm sore from the waist up.
I'm aware that it will get easier eventually, but in the mean time I have the circuit training exercises to do every other day to build my upper body strength.
Wish me luck, kids. It's going to be one hellaciously fun ride!
It's been a dream of mine for 15 years to learn the art of Aerial dance. The first time I saw an aerial routine was in a performance of Cirque du Soliel. I was mesmerized. The flow of the silks, the execution of the moves, everything was perfection, and it spoke to the dancer in me.
I'm finally living my dream. I took my first aerial class last night, and let me tell, it is nothing to scoff at. On some level I knew that it would be a lot of work, and there would be intense training involved. However, I think a part of me assumed that since I was a dancer, it wouldn't be as difficult. Wrong!
One thing my first lesson taught me was how seriously out of shape I am. o.O I do realize that I'm using a completely different set of muscles than I am accustomed to using, but geez! I'm sore from the waist up.
I'm aware that it will get easier eventually, but in the mean time I have the circuit training exercises to do every other day to build my upper body strength.
Wish me luck, kids. It's going to be one hellaciously fun ride!
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Some observations
I made a pact with myself that I would blog once a day during this whole I'm-going-to-revamp-my-life-for-the-thousandth-time...thing. When you are going through a lifestyle change, journaling is supposed to help you stick with it. I don't one top to blog at length about, so I thought I would blog about some observations I've made in the last couple of days.
1.) Coconut milk and chia seeds make for a morning smoothie powerhouse! This morning for breakfast, I had a fruit smoothie with coconut milk, pineapple, raspberries and wild blueberries. I tossed in two teaspoons of chia seeds into the blender, and voila! Tasty, filling breakfast. It kept me going right up until lunch time. In the past, smoothies haven't quite got me through to lunch, but this one certainly did. I'm a little sad that The Plan says Greek yogurt can be highly reactive, but with the discovery of coconut milk, I think I'll be fine.
2.) Ritz whole wheat crackers are the devil. I desperately wanted something to go with my turkey at lunch today, so I grabbed a handful of Ritz whole wheat crackers from the break room at work. Such a bad plan! I had turkey on its own yesterday and had no reaction. Today, I had five Ritz cracker with it and BAM!--heartburn.
3.) Fast food pizza sucks. Since I'm broke (But hey! At least I'm paying off my debts!), I've been scraping together meals of frozen leftovers. Last night was leftover pizza from a fast food chain. Bleh. It just wasn't good. Not to mention the digestive issues it caused. I'll be sticking with Andolini's and staying away from the other crap.
4.) The Lyn-Genet crew is amazing! They answer your questions in a timely and encouraging manner. I know this because I asked via their Facebook page about hydration and why I am always thirsty. My question was answered in less than five minutes. They suggested a humidifier. I have my baby humidifier but they suggested getting a larger one for my room. I'll be testing that theory, because I just feel so dry!
1.) Coconut milk and chia seeds make for a morning smoothie powerhouse! This morning for breakfast, I had a fruit smoothie with coconut milk, pineapple, raspberries and wild blueberries. I tossed in two teaspoons of chia seeds into the blender, and voila! Tasty, filling breakfast. It kept me going right up until lunch time. In the past, smoothies haven't quite got me through to lunch, but this one certainly did. I'm a little sad that The Plan says Greek yogurt can be highly reactive, but with the discovery of coconut milk, I think I'll be fine.
2.) Ritz whole wheat crackers are the devil. I desperately wanted something to go with my turkey at lunch today, so I grabbed a handful of Ritz whole wheat crackers from the break room at work. Such a bad plan! I had turkey on its own yesterday and had no reaction. Today, I had five Ritz cracker with it and BAM!--heartburn.
3.) Fast food pizza sucks. Since I'm broke (But hey! At least I'm paying off my debts!), I've been scraping together meals of frozen leftovers. Last night was leftover pizza from a fast food chain. Bleh. It just wasn't good. Not to mention the digestive issues it caused. I'll be sticking with Andolini's and staying away from the other crap.
4.) The Lyn-Genet crew is amazing! They answer your questions in a timely and encouraging manner. I know this because I asked via their Facebook page about hydration and why I am always thirsty. My question was answered in less than five minutes. They suggested a humidifier. I have my baby humidifier but they suggested getting a larger one for my room. I'll be testing that theory, because I just feel so dry!
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Girl Talk...
***DISCLAIMER*** If you're a guy who's squeamy about anything that has to do with a woman's period, you probably want to turn back now. This post is all about "girl time."
One of the biggest factors in deciding to try The Plan was the testimonials from women who had issues with their reproductive system. Be it Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), infertility or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).
My thinking was if The Plan could help women with more serious conditions like PCOS, it might be able to help me with my problems.
After reading the small section on hypothyroidism in The Plan, I did some independent research. Turns out women with hypothyroidism are like to irregular periods that can be frequent with a heavier that normal flow.
My period has never been an easy breezy 3-5 days like most woman. (Lucky bitches!) Instead, mine were more like 7-9 days with a heavy flow and painful cramps. Unfortunately, the older I got, the worse it got. My junior year of college found me bed ridden the first day of my period because walking hurt and movement of any kind made me nauseous. The cramps were crippling and nothing made them better. In the mornings, I would have to crawl to the dorm bathroom and dry heave into the toilet. One day, I was looking at the selection of candy at the campus convenience store, and my vision bleached out. I had to reach for the nearest stable surface to keep myself upright until my vision returned. Yeah, it was that bad.
In my search for relief, everyone had the same answer: Birth control! If I had to be on birth control, by God I wanted to be on the one that limited your period to four times a year. Sadly, that was not to be. Apparently, I'm so small that the strength of that particular type of birth control could kill me. So, I was placed on a low-dose pill. It helped with the cramps and discomfort, but my periods were still 7 days or more.
It wasn't until I graduated college and had a job with decent insurance that I discovered I am prone to ovarian cysts which were most likely the cause of my discomfort. That was a horrifying experience that involved a ruptured cyst and more invasive BS than I ever wanted to experience.
A few years went by without any more cystic issues; it seems they were just lying in wait, however, as I ended up in the ER with appendicitis...we thought. But oh, no! It was those pesky ovarian cysts! 13 of them. I was ordered to go back on the pill, because it would help with the cysts...while possibly causing a multitude of other health issues. So, I took it for a while, decided it was a $10/month expense I could do without and stopped. It still wasn't helping with the length of my cycle, so I really wasn't impressed.
After all this, you can imagine that I was more than willing to jump on any opportunity to "fix" my batshit crazy reproductive system without chemical assistance. So, I got the thyroid supplements, cut out diet sodas (which can adversely affect your hormones), and was actually surprised my period.
I can usually tell when my cycle is coming, because I'm a wretched beast for about a week. I'm a hormonal mess who could cry at you or bite your head off at any time. Or perhaps both. Within the same five minute conversation. This time, however, I wasn't in a wretched mood! I haven't had cramps or heartburn or any bizarre cravings. It's been as normal as my period has ever been. I'm hoping this becomes a growing trend and that the other irregularities in my cycle will fade away. I'm crossing my fingers...
http://thyroid.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=thyroid&cdn=health&tm=41&f=10&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.thyroid-info.com/articles/menstruation.htm
http://www.uptodate.com/contents/hypothyroidism-underactive-thyroid-beyond-the-basics
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder
http://women.webmd.com/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-topic-overview
One of the biggest factors in deciding to try The Plan was the testimonials from women who had issues with their reproductive system. Be it Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), infertility or Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).
My thinking was if The Plan could help women with more serious conditions like PCOS, it might be able to help me with my problems.
After reading the small section on hypothyroidism in The Plan, I did some independent research. Turns out women with hypothyroidism are like to irregular periods that can be frequent with a heavier that normal flow.
My period has never been an easy breezy 3-5 days like most woman. (Lucky bitches!) Instead, mine were more like 7-9 days with a heavy flow and painful cramps. Unfortunately, the older I got, the worse it got. My junior year of college found me bed ridden the first day of my period because walking hurt and movement of any kind made me nauseous. The cramps were crippling and nothing made them better. In the mornings, I would have to crawl to the dorm bathroom and dry heave into the toilet. One day, I was looking at the selection of candy at the campus convenience store, and my vision bleached out. I had to reach for the nearest stable surface to keep myself upright until my vision returned. Yeah, it was that bad.
In my search for relief, everyone had the same answer: Birth control! If I had to be on birth control, by God I wanted to be on the one that limited your period to four times a year. Sadly, that was not to be. Apparently, I'm so small that the strength of that particular type of birth control could kill me. So, I was placed on a low-dose pill. It helped with the cramps and discomfort, but my periods were still 7 days or more.
It wasn't until I graduated college and had a job with decent insurance that I discovered I am prone to ovarian cysts which were most likely the cause of my discomfort. That was a horrifying experience that involved a ruptured cyst and more invasive BS than I ever wanted to experience.
A few years went by without any more cystic issues; it seems they were just lying in wait, however, as I ended up in the ER with appendicitis...we thought. But oh, no! It was those pesky ovarian cysts! 13 of them. I was ordered to go back on the pill, because it would help with the cysts...while possibly causing a multitude of other health issues. So, I took it for a while, decided it was a $10/month expense I could do without and stopped. It still wasn't helping with the length of my cycle, so I really wasn't impressed.
After all this, you can imagine that I was more than willing to jump on any opportunity to "fix" my batshit crazy reproductive system without chemical assistance. So, I got the thyroid supplements, cut out diet sodas (which can adversely affect your hormones), and was actually surprised my period.
I can usually tell when my cycle is coming, because I'm a wretched beast for about a week. I'm a hormonal mess who could cry at you or bite your head off at any time. Or perhaps both. Within the same five minute conversation. This time, however, I wasn't in a wretched mood! I haven't had cramps or heartburn or any bizarre cravings. It's been as normal as my period has ever been. I'm hoping this becomes a growing trend and that the other irregularities in my cycle will fade away. I'm crossing my fingers...
http://thyroid.about.com/gi/o.htm?zi=1/XJ&zTi=1&sdn=thyroid&cdn=health&tm=41&f=10&tt=2&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.thyroid-info.com/articles/menstruation.htm
http://www.uptodate.com/contents/hypothyroidism-underactive-thyroid-beyond-the-basics
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/premenstrual-dysphoric-disorder
http://women.webmd.com/tc/polycystic-ovary-syndrome-pcos-topic-overview
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