Hard Day

I am back at work today for the first time since Wednesday night (before my surgery).  I am dragging butt, in a bit of pain and keep breaking out in a sweat.  Whine.

This morning I text trainer Gwyn with what she knew was coming, no workout for me today.  I was being unrealistic, I know.  But I really wanted to get back at it.  I also e-mailed dietitian Katie about Intuitive Eating, no class for me tonight.  I am going to be lucky to make it until later this afternoon.

My main goal now is to finish my work and go home a bit early.  I know that rest will help me much.

Well, I better go, I am about to blow up my spell check because my brain isn't working correctly.

Yours in Health,
Kate

I'm Alive and Well

I am still struggling with staying awake and having energy after my exploratory surgery, but I am at the computer for a few minutes, so that is something.  I have dropped vicodin unless the pain really gets to me, because then I am really not with it.

As for the surgery, they didn't find anything, which is good news.  I admit I am still as frustrated as ever that I have pain and don't know why.  But I also don't have cancer and that has gratitude written all over it.

And apparently that is all the energy I have for now.  Wow.  It's warm on the second floor of our house and I think it has sapped me.

Until tomorrow.

Yours in Health,
Kate

You May Think This is Weird...

But I kinda want them to find something when they do my exploratory surgery tomorrow.  I don't want cancer, just answers.  Maybe endometriosis or cysts, something simple, LOL.  It's just that I have been in pain for so long and it just keeps increasing, I want them to go in, look around and be all - "Hey, we have a solution".  I realized this morning the pain was affecting my sleep, which may explain why I have been so tired the last few weeks.  Whatever happens, I will let you know.

As for workout today with Gwyn at the YMCA Healthy Living Center?  Yea, she wasn't kidding about kicking my butt. :)  I did some things today I haven't done since I was a healthy girl before.  The nice thing is that I didn't pass out.  I had to stop a few times, but I pushed through and finished.  If I hadn't been able to shake the pain, Gwyn would have changed things up.  But I refused.  Besides, with surgery tomorrow, I have a few days to recover.

Well, I have to go do a ton of work before I am gone, so have a great weekend and I will blog again as soon as I can.

Yours in Health,
Kate

What Do You Blog About?

My company brings in tons of interns each summer and it's great because it brings new blood and fresh perspective.  Today I was talking to one of them and the subject of blogs came up and he said he used to keep one, but it had just become a rant and he gave it up.  I said, "Well, you could make it private and just keep it as a personal journal."  He smiled and said, "Isn't that what actual journals are for?"

He's right, but I am crap at journaling.  In fact, I have bought no fewer than 20 journals in 10 years in hopes that one day I would be capable of putting pen to paper on a regular basis.  Instead, it's a collection of 3 page tomes that are completely incoherent.  But with blogging, it has some how clicked and other than being uber busy or sick, I am capable of committing to this - yea me!

Anyway, right before the end of this conversation, he asked, "What do you blog about?"  Oddly, I hesitated.  I wanted to answer in a paragraph, for some reason, when I know a sentence would do.  So, I self-edited, and said, "My blog is called "Get Healthy with Kate Garner" and I write about my journey to losing weight again." 

Succinct is good, but I felt like I wasn't really selling what I write about.  I talk about food and life and family and exercise and doctors and all of the things that are life as an overweight person.   In other words, this is indeed a journal, but not the kind collecting dust in my overloaded closet in the office at home.  LOL.

So, do you blog?  What do you blog about?  Does it give you a different angle on your life? 

It really has changed how I look at my life.  Every day I hash out exactly how I have done and yes, sometimes I struggle to put key to post because being honest can be painful.  But then I have it out and I can look back to see how far I have come and that is motivating.

As for actual health related things today - I worked out with Gwyn at the YMCA Healthy Living Center.  I forgot my sports bra, so there were no bouncing exercises. ;)  We did my lower body today and then core.  There were some tough points, but I just had to breath better, which is a weak point for me.

Gwyn has sworn to beat me down tomorrow because I am not going to be able to workout Thursday and Friday and maybe not over the weekend either, we will see.  What is that about?  Well, I am having exploratory surgery around my uterus.  I have been in pain for about 8 months now.  Initial tests have been inconclusive, so they have no choice but to make an incision and go inside for a look.

I am sure it is nothing, but I will have to rest until my body heals enough to jar it with a workout again.  Anyway, I need to finish work.  More tomorrow.

Yours in Health,
Kate

The Weekend is Over - Darn it

I woke up this morning just exhausted.  Basically one of those days that an IV of coffee wouldn't have been out of the question.  Now, I just ate a ton of broccoli for lunch (Lori would approve) and I am swelling like it's Thanksgiving - you can have too much of a good thing.  ;)

Anyway, the breakdown of the weekend:

I worked Saturday morning and then headed to the YMCA Healthy Living Center.  My muscles were beginning to ache from mowing the lawn on Thursday night and I knew I needed to stretch them out.  So I did a water workout.  This is when I realized that my right foot was hurting on the outside because I made the mistake of putting the mower at an awkward angle in an attempt to make the lawn look nicer on the hill.  That's a big joke because really the 'lawn' is just clover, creeping charlie and a hand full of grass blades that valiantly sprouted from spring seeding.  Which, of course, explains why, by yesterday morning it looked like it needed to be mowed AGAIN.  Ah, spring in Iowa.

Then on Saturday I went to my grandmother's to help her move pictures from her desktop computer to her new lap top.  Grandma is 81 and one of my biggest inspirations.  She is forever on the go with my grandfather.  When I call, I never know where she will be - Arizona, Missouri, South Dakota - she has places to go, hence the new lap top.  I am going to be just as go-go at her age!

On Saturday night it was Wine Fest.  I ate way too much cheese, but took it easier on the wine because you can easily dump what you don't like and I liked very little of what I tried.  But it was a good experiment to find out what I do like so that I don't waste calories. (That's what I told myself.  :)   )  I did find a new favorite, I like sweet and white and it's called Risque, it's sparkly too!  Also I was reminded that red wine is bad for Kate. 

I took four drinks of a glass of red, it was really good and then promptly broke out in flop sweat.  I was like, "Man, it's really humid in here." And then I looked at Lori and she was fine.  She said, "Remember, red wine makes you sweat."  I had totally forgotten the 'sweat through my clothes' incident at the Naturally 7 show.  Ugh.  Thank goodness we were able to go outside in the breeze so I could dry out!

Yesterday, no drinking, just lots of work and one chocolate chip cookie.  I was working an event at a church and the little ladies really wanted me to eat.  I said no thank you, which didn't go over that well.  So, then they came with the second round offer and they got one past me - homemade chocolate chip cookies - now that's a weakness.  But I split it with Shelley from Sales, so it wasn't as bad.

Then for dinner last night it was veggie burgers, potatoes from the farmers market and the first corn of the season from Indiana.  I know, that's wrong (not being from Iowa), but Lori bought it and I couldn't help it.  Sweet corn on the cob is one of the things that makes it okay that I have to sweat my butt off every summer.  :)

Well, I better go, enjoy your day!

Yours in Health,
Kate

Mowing the Lawn is a Workout

In 90 minutes of mowing a person my size burns about 1,000 calories!  It probably doesn't account for the fact that parts of my yard have an evil slope to them because the upper part is raised. ;)  Add to that the fact that it felt like a sauna outside last night and I not only burned off my cheese and fruit snack, but I lost five pounds in pure sweat.  LOL.  Don't worry, the water weight is back today. 

Today is a day off from working out so that I could work-work-work.  I know, nothing unusual there.  But I have to work tomorrow too.  In fact, I will be doing a live broadcast outside and I will probably end up mucho sweaty, so I am going for a swim at the YMCA Healthy Living Center after that.  Bonus!

Well, I need to go for now, I want to start my evening. 

Yours in Health,
Kate

Life is Beginning to Swirl Again

Getting that 'so busy I am feeling crazy' vibe again.  I worked, I ate lunch while filling in for someone else - TIP: Smokey D's will skip the bun on a sandwich for you AND charge you 75 cents less!  What a great way to save on calories, it's the amazing smoked turkey I want anyway!

I had a great workout with Gwyn at the YMCA Healthy Living Center.  We did upper body and core.  I tried to knock her out with one of the weight machines, but she is cagey and was able to move in time.  ;o)

Then I came back here to work and now I am taking work home to do.  Tomorrow even busier including a party for LITE listeners tomorrow night at Mercy West Lakes - my new favorite hospital.

But this is also the week we are trying to put !ntuition Magazine to bed and I have MUCH writing to do before we can do that.  So, that's what I am taking home.  BTW - This is a special issue of the magazine because it will feature LITE 104.1's Outstanding Women You Should Know.  You can catch a preview and see pictures of these wonderful women - here.

Yours in Health,
Kate

I LOVE Boxing!

I hit the YMCA Healthy Living Center to workout with Gwyn today.  Did I mention she rocks?  :)

She had me beating the heavy bag again, it's always a great release.  Tons of sweat, thumping, anger and heavy breathing rolled into something constructive.  She keeps telling her son he would like it - she's right.  Imagine teenage aggression channeled!

That's why the Des Moines Police Department has had great success with their boxing club.  It takes kids off the streets and away from senseless violence and gives them a way to put their fists to real use.  It's really too bad that budget cuts have caused them to have to cut the program.  Some great company like Everlast or Coca-Cola (Gatorade) should sponsor the program and ask for naming rights. (Just sayin'.)

As for me, my arms end up like jell-o and my heart races, I never have to wonder if I have 'worked' - oh, I have worked!  The only real problem for me is my kicking.  I am getting into that part because my knee is handling more output, but my hips are another story.  Gwyn had me try side kicks today - um, no.

My hip flexors are so tight I thought I was going to rip something.  I tried the right leg too, thinking the left was the only problem because of my knee - um, no.  It didn't put me in as much pain as the left, but it still got really cranky.  The left side is still sore.  So, when I go to PT with Kristi next week, I will have to talk to her about that.

And about my left shoulder.  LOL.  It's always my left, if anyone can explain that, please do.  My left shoulder has some kind of connector on the top that just feels like a knife is going through it depending on what I am doing.  Push-ups are okay, unless I have down arm raises first.  Today it was keeping my arms up for jabs that started the pain.  Yes, half the time I feel like a broken toy.  :0

But that said, I won't let these measly pains stop me, there is much work to be done and I am up to the task.

Yours in Health,
Kate

Mmm... Soup

I started my day with a very upset digestive system.  But I don't have time to be sick. ;)  So I kept plowing forward, came to work and then on to my workout with Gwyn at the YMCA Healthy Living Center.

I love working out with Gwyn.  The whole idea behind a trainer is that they push you harder than you would push yourself AND they teach you new things.  I walk away from every session sweaty, exhausted and excited.  Not only do I know I had a real workout, I now have new tricks for the days I train on my own.

Today was no exception, so when I was done showering up - a mega necessity on this humid day - I was hungry!  I have learned in Intuitive Eating class at the Mercy Weight Loss and Nutrition Center with dietitian Katie, that I need to stop and listen to my body when I feel like I am 'starving'.  (Reminder, very few people in this country actually starve and I am definitely not one of them.)

I realized I wanted something warm, not cold.  In fact, I am noticing cooked items satisfy me much more than things straight from the fridge, which is good knowledge to have.  The myriad of restaurants within arms reach of the HLC went through my head and then it hit me, Panera.  Panera has always been a fall back for me when it comes to eating healthy.

I'll be the first to admit many of their sandwiches are not so goo because of their toppings, but they have recently started allowing people have to their sandwiches their way, so you can take off the extra.  Yet, it's not the sandwiches I crave, it's the soup.  I love soup.  It is nourishing and comforting and even when my tummy is running amok, I can usually depend on soup.

And at Panera, I have a new favorite.  With the exception of the sodium level in this sucker it is pretty darn good for you.  It is a new fall back post workout - it has protein, a little fat, some carbs and yes, some sodium.  You can see the picture of the nutrition breakdown below - you can click on it to make it easier to read.  Another favorite is the black bean.

Well, I better go, work won't do itself and I have to get out the door on time for IE class.

Yours in Health,

Kate

A New Coat of Paint & The Weekend

First, how do you like the new look of the blog?  I am gleeful!  Blogger has introduced a new tool to help create templates that are beautiful, not generic, I love it.  The new look is a much better reflection of what "Get Healthy with Kate Garner" is all about.  And now on to just that...

Friday, as I mentioned, I took the day off.  I slept in, I ate a late breakfast, I did some housework, I took a nap, I did even more housework, I had a friend over for drinks, I went to dinner with my brother and I landed back at home to relax.  It was a busy, except for the naps, fruitful day.  I kept my food relatively under control and only had one drink with my friend.

My workout on Friday was a combination of housework, stair climbing and lifting weights.  I was surprised by how trying to move quickly throughout the house actually kept my heart rate up.  By the time I hit the shower for my friend's visit I was sweaty, tired and satisfied I had worked out.

Saturday I woke up with a migraine as the storm rolled in.  I was convinced the lights flashing were in my  head until I was finally able to focus on the distant clouds, LOL.  So, I dropped four ibuprofen and snuggled back in the sheets.  When I woke up three hours later the headache was all but gone, thankfully.  Then I did a healthy breakfast, worked out with weights and dancing, went to work, ran an errand, got my hair trimmed and went to see the A-Team with my dad.  It was a fun popcorn movie, so that's what I ate - it also acted as my lunch.  Not a great choice, but I didn't add M&M's, so that must count for something.   :)

Then I checked my e-mail via phone and my day went off the rails.  I got an e-mail from a friend telling me that someone I once cared for deeply was getting married.  She even included a link to their wedding planning site - I am not a complete masochist, so I didn't look.  But the very idea hit me hard anyway.  I mean, I haven't seem him in almost two years.  I knew he would end up marrying this woman.  I don't have overt feelings for him anymore and yet, there was that pang.

I know there were a couple of factors at play - 1. 'There goes another person getting married before me' and 2. The standing self-worth issue of 'why am I alone'.  Rather than suffer with the memories and pain they brought up, I ate.  That's what emotional eaters do.  Rather than feel the pain or anger or frustration, we eat.  I went straight to a favorite barbecue joint, got my favorite sandwich, sweet potato fries and went home to stuff it down. 

I made myself sick.  I never eat that much in one sitting anymore and I knew I was going to feel like I needed to puke when I got done.  So, I stuffed it down faster than my body could register the load.  A few minutes after I finished, my body bloated and I was miserable.  Not only physically miserable, but emotionally miserable.  I was angry with myself for once again letting someone else's actions make me self-destructive.  Rather than go for a walk or play another game of my favorite food distraction (Bejeweled) I fell back to my old friend food.  It was pathetic.

And there it is, the last of beating myself up for faltering with food and emotions.  I have to let this incident go.  If I continue to harp on myself or drag this out, it will only cause more binging.  My self-flagellation will only encourage me to get depressed and thereby eat ice cream to assuage those feelings - the circle would just keep spinning.

Instead, it's Sunday and I begin again with more knowledge about myself than I had yesterday and that is what I need most.  I need to recognize the problem, deal with it and move forward, not look back.  So, today I have had my oatmeal and coffee and now I am craving a salad for lunch.  I think it's my body asking for a detente, I will oblige.  In fact, the remainder of the day only holds healthy options as I work my way to a funeral and then on to doing laundry and then to a new week.

Yours in Health,
Kate

Thursday - Friday

I am actually taking a personal day tomorrow.  I have not had a day off in weeks and my mind and body are telling me this must happen, so I will listen.  That meant today I was trying to work ahead and I am just getting to leave work, so there was no workout today.

I would go do it now, but I have to pick-up a prescription and then go to my friend Chris's Mom's funeral.  By the time I finish with that the day will be gone.

But the good thing is tomorrow I will have time for me and get in a really solid workout.  I will also have time to relax and not stress eat.  The last two days have been bad.  Yesterday I was able to distract myself.  Today the animosity in the building built up to the point I ate a donut and three slices of thin crust pizza. It was ugly.  But all I can really do is forgive myself, learn from it and practice or find new coping methods. 

Anyway I better go get my errand done before the funeral.

Yours in Health,
Kate

Mid-Week Wrap

It has been a long week (yes, I know it's only Wednesday) with little in the way of useful blogging, so I thought I would cover the week thus far and end with a funny story.

Monday - It was a lower body workout with trainer Gwyn at the YMCA Healthy Living Center.  This was when I found out I use my left leg to push back as I pull the mower up the mini-hill time and again in our slightly sloped yard.  My left calf felt like it had been ripped apart and when I commented to Gwyn, she made the very common sense query, "So which leg did you use pulling the mower up?"  This is why I love her! 

Then Monday night it was on to Intuitive Eating class at the Mercy Weight Loss and Nutrition Center.  Two weeks away had left some people feeling they had lost momentum.  I personally felt about the same, though disgusted with my lack of ability to push away the 'food police'.  (Cue Cheap Trick's "Dream Police" because this is what I hear in my head every time dietitian Katie uses the phrase.)

Anyway, the 'food police' can be anyone including YOU.  It's the rules that are put into place around food and most of them can be damaging or at the minimum, useless.  We tend to pick these up from every diet we have ever tried, our parents and in magazines.  In your mind, as you debate food they can sound like - "You can never eat brownies because you never stop at one." or "The fat in that will go right to your thighs."  The first one assumes failure and the second is just plain biologically incorrect.

The food police can be outside of you as well.  It sound like, "You aren't going to eat THAT are you?" or "What do you mean you don't want ice cream?"  The latter is food police/ food pusher all rolled into one and it's that one that I struggle with most.  I am bad at saying 'no', in fact, I suck at it.

I am a people pleaser, even if it makes me plumper.  I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings by turning away that homemade cake or not joining in the social communing of ice cream sundaes.  But really, for the temporary hurt it may cause (or probably won't and I am just being hyper-sensitive), I am only hurting myself.  I hurt myself by eating the things that aren't good for me, but also by giving up my control and my choice.  No one else should have that power but me.  I have to work on this.

One of the big things that we work on on IE class is that no food is 'bad'.  There are better choices, but if you REALLY want that chocolate cake it's better to have a small piece now than deprive yourself and binge on the cake itself later.  Or worse yet, eat what you think you should eat, it doesn't satisfy you and you keep eating everything in sight because you are hungry.  Truth be told, you are not hungry for just anything, you are hungry for the thing you have denied yourself and your body won't really be satisfied until you follow through on its original craving.  It all makes sense when you look at it, but we have spent so long dieting and denying that we have lost all ability to tell what is real and imagined in with our hunger and food cues.

Tuesday:  It was all about upper-body with Gwyn.  I love working my arms and shoulders, even when it's hard and my arms end up jelly.  I love that my collar bones have made a slight appearance and that I am getting muscle definition back in my biceps - both of these were goals from the beginning.  However, I had another 'lawn mower' moment when I whined that my right bicep really hurt and Gwyn and her common sense spoke up again, "Would that be the arm you used to pull the mower up those hills?"  LOL.  Duh, yep.

Wednesday (um, today):  I worked out with Gwyn, today was core.  In the middle of the workout something slipped in my back and balled up my muscles.  Now every time I bend too far to the left or breathe too deep my back hurts.  But that didn't stop me from finishing the planned workout.  I did skip the third set of planks though, because that made it hurt the most.  When I was trying to figure out why my back hurt out of nowhere, Gwyn commented that it might be the mower again, because that would be the motion of pulling the cord to start it.  Again, she may be on to something as the elderly thing required about 30 pulls to get it started, even with priming.

I sat in the steam room and then took a long shower, it feels a little better.  But I'm sure after sleeping on it tonight, it will be very stiff in the morning.  That's why I am planning a water workout.  It always helps to get in the water and get the extra stretch that buoyancy allows.

And as for the funny story...

I go to the gynecologist today and am sitting waiting for the doctor.  And waiting and waiting.  I went to ask how much longer it would be and they apologized - he was called away to deliver a baby!  LOL.  You can't argue with that.  He came back as quickly as he could and then they rushed me through with further apologies.  I asked if the baby was happy and healthy, the doctor said, "Yes" and I told him, "Then there's no need to apologize."  :)

Yours in Health,
Kate

Sorry, no real post today

I was going to talk about Intuitive Eating at the Mercy Weight Loss and Nutrition Center, but today has been so long, I just need to go home.

I have sadly been distracted by needing to help a friend whose mother passed away unexpectedly last night.  I did not know her, but he is hurting and he is an important part of our lives around here and that takes precedent.

I promise real 'action' tomorrow. :)

Yours in Health,
Kate

There is little more satisfying than yard work

I have avoided yard work since my knee flared up.  It seemed a poor choice considering I was in pain and could only make it worse.  So, I started physical therapy with Kristi and the gang at the YMCA Healthy Living Center with a couple of goals - do stairs without pain, making workouts less painful, be able to do yard work without fear of injury and run.  I can say I think we have accomplished one through three.

My knee hurts a little this morning, but compared to a couple of months ago I am sitting pretty.  You see I didn't just pull weeds yesterday...  I mowed - we have a corner lot that is raised, so the upper part of the lawn slopes down - that's a lot of strain on the knee.  I weed whacked.  I walked the yard spraying weed killer.  I wanted to do more, but it was getting late.

In fact, I could work in the yard until dark every night.  It is one of the few chores that has instant results.  If I get a chance tonight there are a couple of quick things I have planned as well.  Though it may rain, we will see.

My other event for tonight is Intuitive Eating at the Mercy Weight Loss and Nutrition Center.  We didn't meet last week because of the holiday, so it will be good to get back into the groove.  Well, I better roll.  Have a good day!

Yours in Health,
Kate

Mosquito Bites Suck

My literal button must be stuck on, because the title is exact.  But man, I am itching fiercely.  I have put on two different creams and there has been little relief.  Some of that may have come from sitting at a desk for three hours writing.  When writer's block hits you notice the itch.

This morning I started with some light exercises.  I thought by now I would have run errands and hit the gym, but struggling to finish the Outstanding Women web articles drug things out.  Now I am finally leaving to run errands.  So, I have a new plan - when I get home I will workout.  Even if it's something small, I will move my patootie. :)

I was so busy I forgot to eat anything, so now I am a bit sluggish.  I have to be better about that because a lot of times I will go straight from ravenously hungry to feeling ill when I do eat something.  I need to be a better body guardian.

Well, I better scoot, these errands won't run themselves.  Have a good day.

Yours in Health,
Kate

Finally Friday

I don't know about you, but even though this was a 'short week' due to the holiday, it has felt awfully long.  I have to work both Saturday and Sunday but I am going to try to keep it under four hours each day and hopefully that will boost my attitude.

I am finishing the web articles today for Outstanding Women.  I have decided to do shorter ones for the web and more details for !ntuition Magazine.  That means I can more details about the women and that's a very good thing because it's hard to summarize amazing women in just 300 words.  :) 

My need to write 90%of my day means I will not be working out today.  But I will be making up for it tomorrow.  As soon as I am done with work I am going to hit the YMCA Healthy Living Center and spend quality time beating the bag and doing cardio.  Trainer Gwyn and I agreed it is time to step up cardio.  It's one of the reasons the scale isn't moving much.  I am putting on muscle and losing inches, but the fat isn't shedding at the rate we might hope, so it's time to work harder.

That is actually right on track with my knee.  Therapist Kristi and I agreed to take my PT down to every other week unless something happens and I end up in pain.  It means more exercises at home and increasing what I do with Gwyn, but I am excited, because it also means that running will be a real possibility once I get enough weight off.  (I can't go pounding on my knee at this weight.)

Tonight I am doing a remote broadcast at the Blank Park Zoo, it is their first Family Fun Night of the year.  Hopefully the weather will cooperate.  Right now though I better hit the shower - I stayed home this morning to write.  Yea for writing in my nightgown!

Have a good day!

Yours in Health,
Kate

Okay, Grease Bad and Back on Track

Well, lesson learned - no more pure grease items going into my body, even if they are homemade.  I am feeling better today.  In fact, I had some bread and veggies last night and it helped settle things down.

Today, I am working as fast as I can.  I have to write all of the articles for LITE 104.1's Outstanding Women You Should Know.  I have crammed as much as possible into my morning.  Now I am headed off to physical therapy at the YMCA Healthy Living Center.  They have taken my therapy down to once a week unless I have a set back.

My food is back on track too.  Mainly because I am too busy to be 'bad'.  LOL.  No, seriously, I am just watching my food like I need to to feel well and energized.

I better get to therapy, so I am not late.

Yours in Health,
Kate

Suddenly not feeling well

Ok, so I ate some onion rings earlier and I knew it was a bad idea.  But now I feel horrible and am having one of those 'if I could just throw up, I know I would feel better' moments.  That means my planned wordiness is being cut short for hopes of resting and feeling better.  And if you are wondering, yes, I have learned my lesson - a half order of greasy onion rings does not agree with me anymore.  That's good, but right now, it's really bad. :(

Yours in Health,
Kate

The Week Begins

Yesterday I worked in the morning and then went home to find Lori was nearly as tuckered out as I and so we hung out for a while and then I took a nap.  It was the kind of nap you can't wake up from, so that wasn't very helpful.  That lead to a fitful night's sleep last night.  My brain is on overdrive.  It is starting to feel a bit insane.  The dreams are vivid but for the most part make no sense.  Which makes me believe I should workout harder. :)

The nights after I workout with Gwyn at the YMCA Healthy Living Center I sleep much better.  Luckily I meet with her today.  There was no Intuitive Eating Class at the Mercy Weight Loss and Nutrition Center yesterday because of the holiday.  But I have been doing my best to practice what it has taught me so far.

Last night I had one of my favorite desserts - angel food cake with strawberries and whip cream.  The strawberries were fresh from the Berry Patch north of Des Moines.  The angel food cake was personal size and the whip cream was light with no partially hydrogenated crap.  So, for about 200 calories I was totally satisfied, I love spring!

Well, I better go work.  Have a great day!

Yours in Health,
Kate