And a new week gets underway...

My appetite has returned a bit, which is good.  I still get queasy really easy, but food doesn't turn my stomach when I look at it.  My new acid reflux medicine hasn't fully kicked in yet, so I am still depending on Tums and Rolaids to sleep.  But hopefully this week will see a turning point.  Maybe my extreme ick and tiredness will have been purely my belly.  Besides, a friend's wife is really ill right now and it puts things in perspective for me.

Looking forward to heading to meet up with trainer Gwyn this afternoon at the YMCA Healthy Living Center.  Kicking off the week with her kicking my butt is always good.  I was even able to do laundry this weekend so I will be properly dressed, very nice.

Better cruise and work, but heads up - the rest of the week, I have a surprise for you!

Yours in Health,
Kate

So Not Feeling Well

I have not been feeling well for weeks, but I get sick of saying I don't feel well... yes, sick of being sick.

Finally, I went to the doctor yesterday and she did a full blood panel.  The good news?  All my blood work is great.  The bad news?  I still feel like total crop - tired, nauseous and achy.  Be clear - I am NOT pregnant!  LOL.  Sorry, every time I mention how I feel, someone gets a gleeful look and says, "You know..."  No, I do know.  As my mother says, "You have to be exposed first."  Indeed.

So, because my symptoms are so non-specific, I just have to wait and see if I feel better in a week.  If not, it's on to a different doctor.

But this won't stop me from working out and eating right.  The upside is my appetite has been greatly squashed by this.  I am not even craving junk as often happens when I get sick.

I didn't workout today because of my schedule, but I will be back in there tomorrow.

Yours in Health,
Kate

No Voice, No Workout

This stinks.  I woke up this morning and no voice.  Well, let me clarify - I sound like a broken chainsaw intermittently pretending to be Peter Brady in the voice changing episode.  Think gravely meets squeaky.  So, I did what I hate to do, I stayed home.  If I rest my body and voice today, I will undoubtedly be ready to roll tomorrow- at least I better be! 

I know this disappoints trainer Gwyn who I was supposed to meet with for the first time this week.  I am very disappointed too.  But I am still all snotty and not breathing right, combine that with the lack of voice and frankly, who would want to be around me?

I am doing a little work from home, but mostly sleeping.  Which is what my body has informed me it wants again.

Yours in Health,
Kate

I can't breathe

I started getting sick last Monday. Symptoms went away and I was exhausted, but could breathe. Then Friday my sinuses felt like they were on fire. Saturday I was clear that it was the sinuses. Sunday night I started to cough and by yesterday morning I sounded like a barking seal.

I went to the doctor and she confirmed what I knew - sinus infection and double ear infection and a little bronchitis as a side. If I had gone much longer I would have been really sick.

So, sorry I haven't posted, I have been resting when not at work. Tomorrow I may not get to go, no voice. We'll see.

Yours in Health,
Kate

I Give Up - For Today

I am filling in for Jay on news this week.  So, I went to bed early last night, couldn't sleep, once I was asleep I tossed and turned and broke out in a wicked sweat.  When the alarm went off I wanted to pitch it out the window, alas, it's my phone, so that would be expensive annoyance.  I was tired when I got here.

Once I finished the news, I became physically exhausted.  I was shaking and freezing and felt like I could be sick at any time.  I kept working and finally went home at 11 to meet my new cleaning woman to be.  I decided to lay down for an hour before workout and hoped it was just a sleep thing. 

When I woke up I realized that I wasn't going anywhere.  I called and apologized to Gwyn at the YMCA.  Then I went back to sleep.  90 minutes later I forced myself out of bed and came back to work to finish KIOA.

Fifteen minutes ago I realized that my Intuitive Eating class (I called to let Nutritionist Katie to let her know) was not going to work for me tonight.  I am so tired, nauseous, cold and just ick feeling that the best thing I can do for my body is go home, eat something useful and go to bed. 

It's frustrating because I really want to learn from this class.  I did my homework and everything.  I have great hope that using it will return me to being a kid again and having a healthy relationship with food.  Oh well, I will e-mail Katie later and see what I missed.

Here's to feeling non-ick by tomorrow - I have too much to do.

Yours in Health,
Kate

I Think I have Figured out the Problem

I think my sinus infection is coming back.  I never got all of my sense of smell back.  But then, last night, as I sat in Wells Fargo Arena rocking out to one of the best concerts of my life (thank you Elton John!) I realized I couldn't breath through my nose that well.

This morning when I woke up to go to physical therapy I recognized the familiar feeling of ick that can only be found with a sinus infection.  I have to say, weirdly, I am a little relieved.  I was seriously concerned when days later I was so achy from my workout.  Now I know that's the ache that come with my ickness.  Oh well, I will call the doctor on Monday about another round of meds.

My PT appointment was a great way to get me and my tired, achy butt to the Mercy/YMCA Healthy Living Center.  I had water therapy again, this time with PT assistant Ed.  He's very nice and walked me through my paces.  Afterward I went and sat in the whirlpool and then in the steam room.  Steam helped me to ward off a severe infection before, I am hoping it will do the same this time.  They even have a eucalyptus spray, which also helps with sinuses.  It was a great way to get energized enough to come to work.

Now however, I am more than ready to take a nap.  That's further proof I must not be feeling well.  Normally I want to be up and going all day on the weekends after work because it's the only I get to run errands.  Today though there is a couch instead of a Home Depot in my future.  Oh well, there's always tomorrow.

Yours in Health,
Kate

Hope Floats

I am still sick.  I went back to work today but will be leaving in a few minutes.  I have a strong belief one more night good night's sleep and some more antibiotics on board and I will be on the mend.  Looking very forward to having my sense of smell back.

As for hope?  I can't tell you just yet, but something big is in the immediate future.  I will be able to go back to being energetic, fun and helpful - but this time with professional assistance.  I couldn't be more pumped!  And this will truly be how your supposed to get healthy.

As you know, I lost all of the weight by myself last time.  This time I am not just struggling, but failing and I need guidance - I am going to get it from THE premier place in the state, in fact in the country. 

Even sick, I am ready to be me again. 

Yours in Health,
Kate

Curled Up Sleeping

I did something I never do, I stayed home sick.  I decided to get ahead of this sinus infection, even though I am really behind it.  I have been sleeping on and off since 4 p.m. yesterday.  Add that to my Friday/Saturday sleeping and I have been going 'crazy' with sleep.

At the moment I am half-conscious dog/house sitting at my mom's.  I got out of the house briefly to get medication, but otherwise only move when the dogs need to go to the bathroom.  Okay, that's all I have energy for.

Yours in health,
Kate

Feelin' the Ick

For a couple of days I have felt a bit lousy.  Sore throat, head ache, etc.  But I wrote it off to allergies, it may have gone beyond that.

All I want tonight is sleep and spicy soup to try to get the ick out.  I have also scheduled a massage for tomorrow in hopes that will help break up the cootie colony in my head.

Hope you have a Hoppy Weekend!  (Yea, I couldn't help it.)

Yours in Health,
Kate

I've been sick

I'm still recovering from having been sick for over a week. I have a double ear infection, sinus infection and bronchitis. Some of those may be misspelled, I am blogging on my phone from Starbuck's while Lori is pumping iron.

I haven't been to the gym since I started getting sick. I am so tired. I think it was a combination of long work hours, not being over my last illness and a new gym that lead me to get really sick this time.

I am going back to the gym tomorrow and working again with my trainer. I fully admit I have been eating poorly while I have been sick. I crave carbs and junk. Which is not good because you dont't recover as well.

Anyway, I should go get Lori and head to my mom's.

Yours in health, Kate

A Wash

This week has been wasted. I was with McCain for two days eating junk and not working out. Wednesday I had to play catch up and was just exhausted - no workout. Yesterday, it hit me - I'm sick.

I am at the point when I don't know I am getting sick until I am really sick. I think I have at least an ear infection (I'm dizzy) and maybe something in my sinuses and throat.

I am at work, but it will only be until about 10 and then I am going to the doctor. I am hoping to get drugs and feel better by tomorrow. I have a very important date with my favorite guy - Caelen.

Yours in (ill) health, Kate

Crap! Did I accidentally get a life?

Nope and yes. I have actually kind of created one and become poor at time management simultaneously.

I was looking back and I haven't blogged since Wednesday. I have intended to. Even thought I had at some point over the weekend, but alas, no. Sorry about that.

Thursday I worked, took a nap, worked out, went back to bed. A long week had me wondering if I was getting sick, so I did a little taking care of me, unusual, but effective. I was ready to go on Friday.

Friday - work, workout, clean out car, create toga, go to toga party. Yep, you read that right - I went to the Art Noir toga party at the Des Moines Art Center. It was fun and my date, Bret, was not only very hot in his toga, but game for the whole experience, which made him sexy as hell.

Astoundingly going was my idea. Two years ago me in a piece of barely there cloth in public would NEVER have happened. Not in the privacy of someone's home and sure as hell not out in public! Despite my hard work, I was still nervous as I stepped my sandaled feet into the hall, but I got over it and had a great time.

Saturday - I had slept like crap because I forgot my sleeping pill, so coffee and I were close. It was rainy, but I was interested in watching Bret play soccer, so I threw on jeans and headed to Indianola. He's pretty good for a guy who says he really didn't know about soccer until a couple of years ago. We parted ways and I went to work. Then I went home and crashed. I had taken my workout clothes with great intentions of hitting the gym, but my lack of sleep hung like a wool trench coat in August, so I reconsidered and hit the hay.

It was a good thing because my suggestion of renting a movie and doing dinner at Bret's house was optioned. We watched "Bourne Supremacy" and had a healthy dinner. Somehow, for the second time, forgetting to eat the not-so-healthy popcorn I had brought along.

Sunday - I slept in for the first time in I have no idea how long, it felt great. Then I went to my mom's and went for a quick walk and did some core work. Then we had dinner and that's where I spiraled out of control. I literally made my self ill. Mom made this really healthy dinner and I ate too much of the rice. Then I followed that with WAY too much of the not-at-all healthy dessert she made.

I was, in fact, so ill I couldn't go to meet my dad at a movie for his birthday. Instead I went home and tried to settle my stomach and crawled into bed at 4:45. Sadly, almost two years in, I am still capable of a binge. Admittedly it doesn't take as much now, but it's still sick and pathetic that I can overdo it like that.

Speaking of which, my two year anniversary in the start of this journey is Friday. It will have been 731 days since I started making changes that have added up to big successes. Tomorrow I will begin the countdown to that day, looking back and then finally Friday, looking forward.

Yours in health, Kate

Sunday Inspiration - 3/9/08

I am still not up and running at 100%. However, I was able to eat a full bowl of cereal this morning and a cup of coffee. (I have really missed coffee.) I am still a bit lethargic to go to the gym, but tomorrow I can feel already I will be back at it. Thank goodness, it will have been a week by the time I step back into Fitness World West.

Today I went looking for a story of inspiration and I found one that addresses an issue that doesn't affect me, but does many readers - losing weight if you have kids. This lady did it through journaling and getting moving. I can relate to both. I spent more than a year being completely faithful to journaling my food. Having to look at the results each day kept me in check. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs to deal with the food side of losing weight.

Check out this story and see how it worked for her.

Yours in fitness, Kate

Feeling Pathetic

Stomach Bug - AGAIN - Day 4

It's getting better. I can now force myself to eat small amounts of food, nausea be darned and it stays put. The stomach cramping isn't as bad as it was. But I still haven't been able to put enough calories in my body to workout. I still feel too weak to head to the gym.

Today I did what everyone has been telling me to do, I have stayed home and done NOTHING. I am incredibly pathetic at doing nothing. I used to be the queen.

When I was morbidly obese, I could lay on the couch and endlessly flip through TV channels watching bad lifetime movies or old TV shows. I even confessed to Lori last night that I had once watch the cheer leading movie "Bring it on" in one of those moments. In my defense, it was the original with Kirsten Dunst, so at least it was passingly original at the time. Oh hell, who am I kidding, still a sad example of the former me.

And while I was beached on the couch, flu or no, I would be eating. You've got to feed yourself when you are sick you know? That's actually true. What's not true is that a bag of Oreos will make the stomach flu go away.

I have found out over the last couple of days that I am now bad at eating junk. I could be having literally anything I wanted right now, just to get food in my body and I am not. Weight loss update - 5.5 pounds in 3 days - holy crap. Instead I cam craving fruit and vegetables and whole grains. My most indulgent moment goes to yesterday when I had some 'double cream' cheese on white Italian bread. If butter and brie had a baby, this is what it would taste like. But I haven't been able to eat more than one piece at time.

All of this lack of energy and laying around has lead to too much thinking. Mainly about men. Which is for a whole other kind of blog, which I do not keep. To protect the innocent, or not so innocent.

I did check one thing off my 'to do' list that is a few months old - I watched the movie "Once". It was sweet and funny and did not end like I wanted. But a friend had recommended it months ago and I needed to watch it. I fully understand why it one the "Best Song" Oscar, wonderful music.

And I guess this is my other accomplishment, I have blogged.

I really do have every intention of going to the gym tomorrow. But I will leave it up to my body and I hate that.

Yours in (icky) health, Kate

Stomach Bug - AGAIN - Day 3

Warning: Cranky girl ahead

My stomach is still unstoppably queasy. It keeps spasming and tying itself in knots. I have to force myself to eat. More than a bite or two and my body wants to revolt. I have yet to vomit or have things get unfriendly at the other end.

But I am relegated to eating very little and sipping water. Example - I have been working on the same cup of cereal for two hours and it is not gone. I stepped on the scale this morning, because I knew what was happening. In the first two days of this, I lost 3 pounds.

Believe me, I still have fat to lose, but this is not the way to go about it. In fact, chances are, it's muscle I am losing. Annette suggested the BRAT diet yesterday and Mom said to avoid raw foods. I am a little lost. So, I called the doctor today.

Her nurse told me there is a stomach flu going around that has nausea and wicked cramping, but no vomiting. She said to stay hydrated, push food when I can (it doesn't matter what kind) and that it could last up to a week. That last part makes me really pissy.

I have no choice, I will have to finish up what will be a 12 hour shift and then go lay down. No workout. That's four days in a row! I don't know if it's feeling like crap or missing the gym, but I want to cry today for some reason. That's notable because I do not, as a general rule, cry.

Now don't get me wrong, it won't kill me to take time off from the gym. But I miss how I feel when I am done. I miss knowing I am getting healthier. And I miss the energy it gives me, because right now, I have NONE.

Wow, I think I will go back to the top and warn people I am in a mood.

Back to work now, whether I have the energy or not. Thanks for your kind words everyone!

Yours in (icky) health, Kate

Stomach Bug - AGAIN - Day 2

Ick. I went to bed at 6:15 last night and slept for the most part until 3 this morning and ick. I am at work, because frankly being gone is not an option. I am going home earlier than usual though. This has been the week of getting very little done.

Speaking of which, this is day 3 with no workout. Tuesday I had a couple of fillings done and couldn't eat. Working out with no food is a 'no-no', so I didn't. By the time I was able to eat it was too late. Then I got home and went to untie my shoe and had this huge head rush. It made my needle marks throb and I realized what it might have felt like if I had worked out. Yea, not good.

Yesterday - stomach bug and couldn't eat.

Today - stomach bug and having trouble eating again.

Tomorrow - I will be back at the gym come hell or high-water. I haven't taken three days off from working out since September when I landed in the hospital! It's driving me more than a bit crazy.

Speaking of that little incident, it taught me two very important lessons: A. drink water, even if you can't keep it down. 2. eat even if you can't keep it down. I haven't been throwing up (thank god) but I can barely eat anything.

In two days I have probably taken in 1,000 calories - not good. Because lesson #2taught me that my body really needs the calories from food to fight cooties, it will not use stored fat. Damn inconvenient too, because I have a couple of places I would happily give up fat to defend my immune system. Now THAT would be spot reducing!

Oh well, done whining. Back to work. And tomorrow... BACK TO THE GYM!

Yours in (icky) health, Kate

Stomach Bug - Again

I woke up in the middle of the night very uncomfortable and nauseous. I really couldn't sleep after that, so when my alarm did go off, I was exhausted.

I went home straight after we did our workplace visit for KIOA today. I have been trying to rest and get up an appetite. The former has sort of been possible, but the later has not. It's been a long time since I haven't found a single thing that looks good.

This is really hanging on and it's annoying. I haven't vomited, thank god, but I have that constant feeling of needing to.

All I really ask is that it is over by tomorrow morning because it's hard as hell to be chipper and co-host a morning show when you feel like crap.

Yours in (icky) health, Kate

The Stomach Flu Sucks

I apologize, Sunday was busy, so I didn't blog. Silly me, I thought, "well, I will catch up on Monday."

Monday was spent being quite ill. And no, I won't describe it, because I was raised some semblance of decorum. I went to work anyway. I left halfway through my shift, thank goodness it's a morning show and Maxwell took pity on me.

Tuesday morning - I have kept a light dinner down for 9 hours, should be good to go. Not so much. Trundled myself to work none-the-less, did news, came home to finish wishing I was dead.

Wednesday morning - still queasy and tired, but substantially better. Go to work vowing to leave by noon. Spend day catching tail after two days ill, must get websites updated. Done. But no energy for gym. Trainer Traci and I agree - Fitness World West, no place for me.

Go to Campbell's and get probiotics and sea salt soak. Take pill, soak in tub, eat dinner, crash like big cat. (No dogs allowed according to my furry compatriots, maybe some day.)

Today, better. Still a little less energy than I might like. Full day of work, busted butt at gym harder than I probably should have. Well, it was my first chance in 4! days and when the sweat started to run, I pictured the toxins leaving my body, so I pushed harder.

Now, finally, 10 days into the new year, I sit here ready to talk to you about my resolutions. However, I have just realized I am at the bottom of a rant about fighting a cootie (and not the good kind that come from boys) and this would be a lousy place to announce my 2008 intentions.

And here is the most ridiculous part - at this point, you probably don't care. Ha-Ha! We've waited too long to care Kate, you've lost us. Either way, I will be posting them tomorrow. As well as Trainer Traci's tips - so gird yourself - 2! post on Friday.

Yours in (renewed) health, Kate

Keep on rollin' through ick-ville

I ended up taking Friday off from the gym because when I woke up my throat was raw and I was quite achy. However, I slept for nearly ten hours Friday into Saturday (a record in recent history) and the sore throat was gone, but the achiness remained. That did not stop me however, I went and hit it at the gym. I came away feeling pretty great for a sick person. Please note, if I were running a fever (a.k.a. potentially contagious) I would not have gone, because that is just plain wrong. Also, ick or not, I ALWAYS wipe machines when I am done, because anything else would be rude, oh and dirty.

Trainer Traci is awesome for many reasons, but one of the wonderful things she does for me is write up workouts for when she is gone. You see we normally workout Monday-Wednesday-Friday, but she is gone until Wednesday. That means Friday and tomorrow I am without her, so she knocked routines for me. Since I didn't go on Friday, I did that workout yesterday. Today I will do my own thing and then tomorrow it's another Traci workout.

Yes, I am working out on New Year's Eve Day and New Year's Day too. Not doing it would start the New Year off all wrong for me, so I am going to make the most of the fact that Fitness World West will be open. By the way, if you have resolved to get healthy in the New Year, this would be a great time to stop by, they have a joining special. Let them know I told you. :)

Well, speaking of the gym, if I am going to make it and then get to my mother's for dinner, I better roll.

Yours in fitness, Kate

Ick and Caucuses

I woke up this morning with a small sore throat. Now I am achy and tired.

I blame Fred Thompson. All right, I can't really blame a guy running for president for my apparent cootie. But I can put the fact that I didn't get to the gym today squarely on his shoulders.

Instead of going to the gym I drove to Osceola and interviewed him and moderated a town hall meeting. It has been a long time since I have looked at the caucus process up close and personal in a small town. Even with people's deep concern about issues, there was a warmth in the room because they felt a real part of the process. They are you know and you can be too.

It's a week to the caucuses here in Iowa. There is still time to get to an event, ask your question or listen to a candidate speak. Then on Thursday, January 3rd at 6:30 p.m., go to your caucus and be a part of history. It is as great an honor as regular voting and just as important, if not more so. If you need to know where your precinct caucus is - click here for Democrats and here for Republicans.

Besides, people who are involved in their community and vote, are sexier than those who stay home and watch TV. It goes back to a rule I have learned these last 17.5 months - it is much more fun to 'do' than it is to 'be'. That applies to working out AND doing your civic duty.

Yours in (pseudo)health, Kate