A glimpse of my day

Today I was due to run 4 miles.  My Fiance had the day off work so came out with me. He did my route and then went off to do his usual 6 miler afterwards too.

I started the day with my usual pre-run brekkie:

 It's Berocca drink (water with 1 Berocca effervescent tablet) and two slices of wholemeal Weight Watchers toast with half a teaspoon of smooth peanut butter on each and topped with a banana and then popped in the microwave for 45 seconds to warm the banana through. Nom nom!

Excuse my crappy editing, I struggle trying to save and crop screen shots, but I hope you can get the general idea of how my run looked.  You can clearly see the two sections where I slowed to a walk to take my glucose tablet but considering that it was actually a really hilly route, I'm pleased with my graph.  I especially like the end bit where I always push for home and managed to get a 7 min mile pace in - even if it was only sustained for a few metres - but at least I did it. haha

After my run my left knee felt sore, so I laid with my legs up against a wall for 10 minutes to let the lactic acid dissipate a bit

Looking at the photo it kinda looks like my right leg is slightly longer but I can't go by this picture and my chiropractor never mentioned that I have one leg longer than the other.  My legs used to be quite 'bowed' when I rode horses but they seem to be looking more normal.

Upon closer inspection, you can see the differences in my knees:

The right one is the one with Osteoarthritis and I am unable to straighten it fully but you can see they are not a matching pair and that there is swelling.  However, I like the look of the muscle above the knee on my left leg.  It's there on the right leg too but because I can't straighten it fully, you can't really see it. My knee cap isn't in the same level place as the left one - because when I was diagnosed, my knee cap was floating all over the show!  It didn't track up straight at all but after wearing my knee strap to help improve it's tracking during runs (although I don't wear it all the time now) and especially since going to the gym and strengthening my knee supporting muscles, it's all helped to reduce my tracking and my reliance on my knee strap.  I couldn't wear a full knee brace as it restricted my patella so much that it pushed it into an unnatural tracking alignment for me - yet to anyone else it would have been 'normal'.  So, I learnt that my body might not function exactly as it should, but if I work with what I've got and don't fight it to move unnaturally then I'll be okay.  I'm hoping to be brave enough to show you my knees this summer - in shorts!  yeah, I'm actually considering running in proper shorts!  That's going to take a whole load of courage for me! hehe
So, after resting my legs up, I then set about stretching and foam rollering.  I also used my new massage aid:

This nifty little chap is a squash ball!  I usually use a tennis ball to roll out various knots on my body and also for under my feet, but I have a habit of pushing nice and hard and thus splitting my tennis balls!  So.... I discovered squash balls!  They are smaller and harder.  It worked beautifully under my calves.  It was pure bliss!  So I am now collecting sport balls to use for massage purposes.

After all my stretching and showering I popped into town to pay some bills and to buy some lunch.

I also stopped off at Costa for a Vanilla Soya Latte to go - my little well earned treat!

In the supermarket I brought some salad and fruit and ...

A mini prawn sushi!  It worked out at 4 ProPoints.  I'm always disappointed how much Sushi works out in Weight watcher Points as I could eat a much bigger serving than this one!  But I figured I'd earned my Sushi today so I was going to have a mini one.
Along with the salad and fruit, it actually worked out less Points than my usual lunch and I feel quite full at the moment.

Yesterday after the gym I popped in to a sports store and purchased a top I've been 'dreaming' about!
It's a Karrimor hoody and even has those little thumb holes - it's really hard to find stuff in the UK with thumb holes!
It has a reflective strip on either side of the front pocket - but I'd never run in this top - it's sweat shirt material and we all know what happens when that gets sweaty, don't we?!

I love this top - not just because it's pink and has thumb holes but it states my love for running across my chest!
I quite like this picture - it was tricky to take because I wanted to get the writing in but it shows off my slimmer figure well, I wasn't even holding my breath in either!  I am really starting to see the difference in my body shape these days. By the way - that is my finger pointing to the writing!  Just thought I'd clear that up before someone thinks it's anything else! ;)
So.... now I have spent all afternoon trying to get that image of my Nike+ page on here and I've run out of time to get on with my on line grocery order.  I MUST do it tomorrow - between the gym and the guy coming out to fix my back door.
Tonight I'm making Spaghetti Carbonara, should hit the spot!
Oh and for Lent, I have given up the dreaded Red Bull!  I used to be addicted to the normal version then I didn't touch a drop for 4 years or more, but recently I've become addicted to the sugar free version.  So I'm quitting!  I have my Berocca in the morning instead now.  I need something to fire me up and get my day started.
Also, I'm re-thinking my way around how much alcohol I drink.  I tend to have a glass whilst cooking on Wednesdays and then come Friday, I'm so stressed from coping with my son's Aspergers that I unwind with a large glass of wine but then it turns into 2 and then I start eating rubbish.  Saturday I get back on track but Sunday I need to get relaxed to help me cope with the week ahead and end up with another couple of wines at the pub or a bottle of wine at home.  It's not massive proportions of booze but it's more than the recommended daily allowance and I do occasionally have 3 glasses of wine if it's been a particularly bad week.  I know, it doesn't help my weight loss - which is why I have a new plan!
I am going to have the 3 recommended alcohol free days - Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, then Thursday I will allow myself one glass of preferably red wine and then just ONE on Friday too.  Saturday I will hope to resist any alcohol but if it's been a bad week, then just one SMALL red wine glass but will try to avoid alcohol on Saturdays!  Sunday I will definitely have a glass of wine with my lunch.
One glass of red wine a day is actually supposed to be good for you so I will have it down to a healthy range. 
I know some folks don't drink alcohol at all and well done to them but for me - this will be an improvement and I like the idea that one glass a day has benefits for your heart and in preventing cancer - but as with ALL things, moderation is KEY!
I'm not perfect and I don't find things easy but I'm going to use and have been using every morsel of self control to sort myself out - I've lost 7 stone (near enough 100 lbs) by doing this.  I knew it wasn't going to be an easy journey and I think as soon as you admit you aren't perfect, you do sometimes lose control and that it's highly likely there will be moments you're going to make mistakes and bad decisions, it takes a massive pressure off you and you just get on with the job in hand - because, if you don't just keep on 'trucking', what's the alternative?  Get fat and go back to that couch potato lifestyle again?  No way, not for me, NEVER AGAIN!  Whilst there's breath in my body, I will spend every day fighting this thing and trying to be as healthy and as fit as I can.

In the medicine cabinet

Now that I have seriously decided to tackle my first Half Marathon this summer (A very hilly and testing one I hasten to add!) I have now just completed purchasing my new Half Marathon medicine supplies.
They are as follows:

In this first picture we have my usual Centrum Performance Multivitamins (that I take every day anyway).
Naprosyn (Anti-Inflamms for my Osteoarthritis) which are taken rarely but when needed.
Lansoprazole (sp?) which accompanies the above medication and helps prevent the anti-inflamms from giving you stomach ulcers!
Echinacea - taken only when needed if I feel I am coming down with something.
Iron supplement - taken when having Aunt Flo visit!
Vitamin D Ultra supplement - to ward off my Seasonal Affective Disorder.
Jointace Collagen with Glucosamine & Chondroitin - this was a new purchase today, to help my knee with the increase of training required now.
Zapain (my usual pain relief - taken only when required and I'm unable to sleep through pain!).
Berocca - another new purchase today for me - I have an energy drink addiction and I'm hoping this stuff will help wean me off it. I get awful sluggish some days and need a boost!
Deep Heat and Deep Freeze gels - to help post workout aches and pains.
Imodium instants - for IBS and best friend for runners!

Vicks First Defence nasal spray - this stuff works a treat with me - taken as soon as you feel a cold brewing!
Difflam Spray - for keeping my frequent Tonsillitis at bay.  Also have anti-biotics for that too.
My asthma inhalers and the spacer device for them.

I also suffer from Eczema - for which I need steroid cream and have found Simple Derma hand cream to be the best stuff for keeping skin moist without feeling greasy.

I forgot to take a picture of my re-usable ice bag that I put on my knee - so here's a library pic:

and also I use Tubi grips support bandages as compression socks post run:

It may seem like I need a lot of medication and therefore maybe I should question whether I should be running in the first place.  But..... the medication for my knee I hardly use at the moment, in fact, I need to get some new on prescription as it's close to it's Use By date!  My asthma inhalers I use a lot less now as since running, I've noticed an improvement in asthma.  Eczema - well, it's just something I was born with and these days I no longer need to have a whole body full of cream applied every day post bath and it only reappears during stress and cold weather.  Talking of cold weather - did I mention I was allergic to it - seriously - I have Cold Urticaria! lol
But do you see any of these things stopping me running? No, of course not! 

The one about ..... KNEES!

Go read this link here  it explains the SCIENTIFIC findings about knees and running



Never once in my life have I had reason to believe that running is bad for your knees.  Even when I ran at county level at school and spent most of my time running up hill, down dale and on tarmac roads did I ever think it was bad for my knees.

This is a topic I can get quite annoyed over because most of the people spouting that running is bad for your knees are people who are not runners and to be honest, being overweight is going to screw your knees up more so than running, so okay, if you want to bad mouth running and not do it because it risks messing up your knees but then why don't folks give up eating so bad and thus putting on the weight - which screws up your knees?

Anyways, I am living proof that running has actually helped my knees.

After I left school I stopped running, I got married, had a baby, put on an enormous amount of weight due to depression and other health issues and my knees started slowly falling apart then wham! One day my right knee let out a loud snapping noise and the pain that followed was quite akin to childbirth!

Initially the doctors told me it was just soft tissue damage and at the time I was just starting my weight loss plan and thinking of taking up running again.  Well, the doctors told me I'd be okay to run on my bad knee - you know, it's just soft tissue damage.  I couldn't even walk let alone run, so obviously I didn't proceed with my running plan. I suffered for 18 months before I was sent for an X-Ray and MRI scan.  I saw 2 doctors in 2 different hospitals - because they couldn't believe what they were seeing!

The first doctor had to check the X-Ray belonged to me because he said it showed the knee of someone in their 70's or 80's.  It was bone on bone Osteoarthritis.  Cartilage gone from between the bone space and rough bone on the back of my knee cap.  The doctor told me they wouldn't operate because I was 'too young' to suffer from Osteoarthritis.  He was however nice enough to inform me in a rather rude and blunt manner that I was also too fat to be considered for surgery anyway and that my weight has caused all this damage to my knee.

At which point I burst into tears and went home to cry for hours because I wanted to do the right thing and lose weight and get fit but here was a doctor telling me that I'd be in a wheelchair within 12 months and there's nothing they'd do about it.

So, I went to see a specialist surgeon at an orthopaedic centre.  He got the MRI organised and said yes, I have advanced Osteoarthritis but I had also damaged every ligament in my knee too.

He explained doctors don't normally operate on someone so young (in their 30's) because the knee replacements only last 5 years and you can only do about 2 or 3 replacements.  I told him I would even consider having my lower leg amputated at the knee as I couldn't cope with the pain I was in and the prospect of being stuck in a wheelchair.  I could carry on and learn to run with a prosthetic leg or a blade - I had heard of people doing this, so why couldn't i?  The doctor went on to explain that he would operate and do a knee replacement as he was working on a project studying osteoarthritis in young people.  I had an appointment set when I would see him again to decide once and for all if I was going to go through with it.  I gave myself 6 months to think about it.  I have a major phobia about general anaesthetics too - so it wasn't a decision I was going to take lightly!

Upon doctors permission, I began a C25K plan.  I brought various knee braces and straps and would try them to find out which was most comfortable.

I was prescribed some pretty heavy duty anti-inflammatory and pain killers and so it began - a kind of make or break moment in my life.  I figured if the running didn't work then I had nothing to lose, it would confirm that I needed the operation. 

I researched things on the Internet and found articles saying that cartilage cannot regrow and osteoarthritis is non-reversible.  I really had nothing to lose then did i?

When I started C25K not only did I find it hard from a fitness point of view but my asthma interfered and my knee was suffering badly.  In all honesty, it hurts like hell!  It swelled and I found I needed my medications every day, along with raising my leg and icing. 

I persisted though and when the 6 months were up my decision was made!

No, I would not go for the operation!

You see, after 6 months running, not only could I run for 5k - albeit slowly but the pain was reducing in my knee. Now, I'm not saying I was pain free.  I still needed my meds and I carried on taking them every day for at least a whole year and every time I ran I wore a knee strap and iced my knee afterwards.  I took Glucosamine & Chondroitin supplements and I followed a healthy eating plan.  I did leg exercises to try and strengthen the muscles around my knee.

The doctor said I was always welcome to see him and discuss an operation if things didn't work out. So onward I pushed.

I didn't need to take my knee medications a couple of years later and only used them if my knee flared up after a particularly hard workout.  I continued to ice after hard workouts too but on the whole, I didn't need to.

Then during the latter part of 2011 I ran for the first time without my knee strap!  My knee cap although still slightly unstable, is much better than it was previously and the tracking of it has improved due to me working on strengthening my knee at the gym and the running of course.

I have limited ability to squat down with the knee in a closer angle - it simply won't bend that much and I am aware when I run of being careful downhills and with the camber of roads.  I just am aware of good knee health - which everyone should practise - whether you are a runner who has knee issues prior to running or if you are a 100% healthy specimen of a person.

I still have my knee medication on standby and various Deep Freeze and Deep Heat ointments and sprays but these are things I only use as and when needed, for example, after a hard workout. 

This is also a big consideration as this year I am training for my first Half Marathon, so it's going to entail training and more mileage that I am not used to, so I expect there might be the occasional whinge from my knee but it's going to get stronger from the workouts I do.

I am thinking of asking to have an X-Ray this year once I reach goal weight so that my previous X-Ray can be compared and we can see how my knee looks now.

My knee has slight calcification type growths that can be felt by touching my knee and It has a strange little point on my knee cap and apart from not being able to close the angle greatly to a tight squat, my knee is pretty darn good.  It's better than the wheelchair I was facing!

So, I'm sorry but to all those who think running screws up your knees - I seriously beg to differ! As will my fiance who has been a Marathon runner for over 25 years.

I hasten to add though - that ALL cases of Osteoarthritis do not mean that it IS possible to reverse the effects and achieve what I've achieved. This is my own personal experience and was my own choice to run.  Maybe I am an alien or have a strange gifted body that has enabled me to recover like this.

I strongly advise anyone with Osteoarthritis to seek medical advice before taking up sports and I hasten to add, I made my decision to do so because I was at the end of the road and there were talks of wheelchairs and I was considering having my leg amputated.

I do however think there are other articles out there in support of exercise for people with Osteoarthritis and I strongly advise you to also go seek them out and to make up your own mind.

Just because I recovered to the degree I have, does not mean you might be able to, so please do not go out there and sudden;y start running, thinking I told you it'd help.  I do not accept any liability of such claims.

This is my personal story on my road to recovery.

Now - go read the link posted below the picture above that tells you all about the scientific findings!

Week 66 Round up

Weight loss: 0 LBS!!!!!

What a week!
I have been unable to exercise at all!  I had my Mirena removed and the less than sympathetic nurse didn't think about it being snagged up somewhere in my womb and as she rather brutally yanked it out on the count of 3, it hurt like hell!  I've had these things taken out before and they were never this painful.  I also never had so much bleeding and pain that followed in the week after removal. 
I couldn't walk anywhere, let alone consider doing any exercise.
The week's weight loss started well and by Thursday I had been at a 2lb loss for the week (hitting my 100 lb total loss mark) for 3 days!  Then Friday and the weekend happened and my frustration about not being able to exercise hit me. 
Too much wine and chocolate later ........ I had put back on those 2 lbs and today's weigh in showed a maintain from last week's weigh in.  Which, considering everything, I guess isn't too bad.
The thing is, I'm not sure when I can get back to regular training.
I am due to go to the clinic on Thursday to have a new Mirena fitted, so that'll mean at least another week after that of not being able to work out (I will seek advice from the doctor as to how soon I can run again).  So, that leaves me with a small window of 3 days to fit in as much running as I can.  I'm not even sure if I am okay to run.  I will go out after I've written this for a slow and very steady 5K circuit.  Also, we've had heavy snow this weekend, which is still laying on the roads, so I'm not sure how icy and slippy my route is going to be.  I will take it cautiously and if the route looks too bad I will just have to come back home.
But I'm going to go mad if I don't get out there and at least try to run!

My weight loss has seriously slowed since October and I haven't been able to hit the 2lb loss every week that I'm aiming for.  I really need to workout more, maybe that will help.  Once this current Mirena thing is sorted out then I plan on seriously upping my running.  I have a half marathon to aim for in July and various 10k & 5K's before then.

My ultimate aim is to run or workout twice a day.  I haven't formulated the plans yet but I'm thinking this is the kind of intense thing I need to do.  Not just to lose the weight but to get myself up to a serious competition level and to keep my mind sane.  Running is not just a means to get fit and help with weight loss, it's my hobby, my life, the air that I breathe and most of all ..... my sanity!
I need to figure out different meal times for the day too - so I can fit in the second run without going out on a full stomach!
I can't wait for summer to come so I can run up in the woods again.
I have big running plans for this year and I am itching to get them underway.  I feel incredibly frustrated at the delay in my plans due to my Mirena Coil.
Now that I've finally worked out my Glucose issues, I can't wait to get out there and see what i can do with proper glucose levels.
I have for some time been considering changing my blog to a different host.  I was thinking about Wordpress but I like the simplicity and easy to use style of Blogger but I feel I just want more.
I have toyed with the idea of paying a small monthly fee for my own blog site.  I'm not sure yet what I will do.  At the moment I am playing around with Wordpress.  I just feel that my blog is kind of lost here on Blogger.  I'd like it to 'get out there' more and have more readers.  I advertise my blog as much as I can on all the places I go - like WW forums, You Tube, etc etc. 
Anyway, I best go put my running shoes on and see what the roads are like!
Catch you again soon! xox

Women's issue with weight loss

Okay, this post might not be everyone's cup of tea and perhaps the men folk should look away now!
Basically, I'm going to talk about my own personal experiences with the Mirena coil and weight loss.
I had my first Mirena coil inserted about 15/16 years ago after the birth of my son and due to complications during pregnancy and labour it was said that I should avoid pregnancy again, plus the damage to my womb meant a foetus would not be able to survive.
After all my immediate issues were sorted out I was given the Mirena.
My coil lasted the 5 years it should with no problems what-so-ever!
My second coil lasted 5 years too but the last coil I had since then has been replaced/removed twice because of it becoming displaced.
Now, I know there are a lot of folk who do not approve of the mirena but each to their own and if that's your opinion, then that's fine and bear in mind some things suit some people and some things don't.
I believe the displaced coils could possibly be due to my weight loss (also the last possibly due to using the Vibro machine at the gym and realising you're not supposed to use it if you have a coil fitted!).

But anyway, I am pretty sure that losing 7 stone (100lbs) does affect your internal shape, you only have to look at this picture above to see how the fat inside your body gathers around your internal organs and can squash things around in there.  So... maybe, just maybe, it is possible that losing lots of weight since I had this particular coil fitted has affected it's position.
Also, I am unfortunate enough to be blessed with a retroverted uterus - something else which can could affect it I guess.
But anyways, 2 days ago I had a scan to confirm my coil had moved and whilst they were checking that, they also discovered some tiny cysts on my right ovary (something I have been aware of for a very long time and they haven't grown in size and are actually quite common), but they also found a rather nasty looking fibroid on the left ovary and I have to go back and see my doctor about this next week.  Funnily enough, I've read that the Mirena coil is used as a treatment with Fibroids, so it's just another reason to carry on with it for me.
Plus, I have to say, I didn't find I gained weight with the Mirena - I was fat when I was initially fitted with one - the pregnancy made me put on weight and the depression that followed that, and the ill health that meant I couldn't exercise for 26 weeks or so!
In fact, I've lost all my 7 stone (100lbs) since I've had the Mirena fitted.  Maybe it makes the weight harder to shift, but even so, losing weight is never an easy process for anyone at the best of times.
Before I had the Mirena I had the worst periods ever.  Heavy bleeding, frequent periods and so much pain that i'd be crippled up on the floor.  I'd certainly never be able to exercise or run.  I even became anaemic.
So, I kinda like not having periods now.  Mine have all but stopped. Occasionally I might get the odd day of 'spotting' but that's it.  It doesn't interfere with my exercise or my running.
I appreciate some folks have had bad experiences with them but there are others who have had positive reviews.  I'm just one of the lucky ones.
But anyways, this blog isn't about telling anyone if they should or shouldn't get one, it is about how weight loss can possibly affect things we don't necessarily think of.

As I stand at the moment, I am coil-less.  I had it removed yesterday and am experiencing the minor cramping discomfort that you get but I know it'll soon pass, it's nothing major and tomorrow I am popping off to the clinic to see if I can get a new one - my doctor doesn't have any empty vacancies to do it herself!

Having one inserted is a little more uncomfortable that having one out, it's just stomach cramps and to be honest - they're nothing worse than the ones I had when I used to have regular periods.  It's just your cervix contracting back into shape after being dilated.
It soon passes after a couple of days and most people take some kind of pain relief but I've not tended to as I am used to feeling a bit of pain - you know you're alive that way! haha
It will however mean I won't be able to run or exercise for about a week as I want to let things settle down and the post insertion bleeding stop (which I hasten to add isn't heavy bleeding!).

I just have to find myself something productive to do whilst not exercising AND keep food off my mind as I won't have any extra Activity Points to use on eating! Yikes!  How will I cope?! haha.  I'm sure I'll be fine.
Well, next week I guess I'll find out more about the Fibroid issue and hope it doesn't require surgery - I have a major phobia about general anaesthetics and If I'm going through all of that - I wonder if they can do a tummy tuck whilst they're down there?! lol