Thursday, April 28, 2011

Inspiration and encouragment from friends

Let me tell you about my friend Pamela.  We've been friends since I was 14 or 15.  She's a beautiful person inside and out. 
Throughout this experience she has been my cheerleader and has always been there encouraging me along the way.  She was my inspiration to start running...ahem...jogging in the first place.  I love her very much and I felt like I had to share her story with those of you that read this blog.  It is a story about hope, courage, strength and I'm sure it will inspire and encourage you.  I asked her to tell this story and if I could share it here on the blog and she graciously said yes. (PS...I stole the pictures from her facebook page!)

A few years ago Pamela was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.  This is her story in her own words.

I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer stage 2 from a nodule that was growing in my neck.  All my levels had been normal for years, and even the biopsy was negative for malignancy. 

 I had one surgery to remove the left lobe of my thyroid, then they sent it to the Mayo Clinic and I was told it was actually cancer in Sept 2007.  Then, I had to go back in to have the other side removed.  I was not put on any thyroid replacement for 3 months because they had to get my TSH up high to take in the radioactive iodine (radiation).  In a matter of 3 months, I gained nearly 25 pounds from having no metabolism or energy. Surgeries, recovery, and just plain fatigue left me exhausted!! Last time they checked my TSH, it was over 107 (100x more than normal of 1-3.5)!!  After my radiation, I was finally able to get on Synthroid (thyroid replacement) in spring 2008, which I will be on for life.  It takes weeks to months to get on the proper dosage and get your body regulated again.  Just when I was starting to get some energy and get back to normal, my annual blood test in summer of 2009 showed the cancer had returned, so I had to go off medication again to have a higher dose of radiation. Afterwards, I was able to get back on my medication.   

Just so happens, Michaela was asked to be on the cross country team at school that fall.  I didn't like her running around our neighborhood without being able to see her, so I started run/walking so that I could just barely see her before she rounded the block!  :)  I decided I better get faster or I wouldn't be able to see her anymore!  In the fall of 2009, I decided I was tired of feeling tired.  I made a promise to myself that if I got the all clear from my oncologist and surgeon at my next followup, I would train for a half marathon. I think I was delusional.... lol

My first goal was to run 3 miles without stopping, so I bought a treadmill (for the winter months) and started on the C25K program.  I had just finished the program when I ran my first 5k and my first run outside on February 20, 2010, the 5k for Haiti.  I was hooked!!  (It was also 2 days before that race  when I had met my goal of losing 25 pounds. I had started with the LoseIt app in November 2009, and by February 2010, I had completed my goal.  I've gone on to lose 5 more pounds, and have stayed there.) 

I  was so proud of myself to finish the entire race without stopping once! I then entered into a 7k  (4.35m) race, and realized that I could actually do this! In May 2010, I got the all clear. NO CANCER RECURRENCE!!  Woo-hoo! I then joined the Evansville Half Marathon Team 13.  They met 3 times a week to train for 13 weeks for the half marathon (13.1miles).  I ran the whole race and finished on 10/10/10 in 2 hrs and 12 mins (my goal had been 2:30). 
I just recently completed my 2nd half marathon, the SIC on 04/11/11.  I've never felt better!
That first mile is the hardest and I'll never forget how hard it was.  Then, getting to 3 miles was the next challenge, then 4.5,  6,  8, then 11, then a half marathon! Each step is difficult but worth it! :)  

I'd like to say thank you to Pamela for sharing this with me and allowing me to share it with the readers of this blog.  She has been an inspiration to me and a motivator that if she can do this after all she's been through so can I.  There's no excuse not to get healthy and exercise and eat better!
~Crystal

Friday, April 22, 2011

Time for photos

Hope and I decided that it was time to take our picture together.  We hadn't done that since back in February.  I can tell a difference in our faces.  I know mine isn't as round as it used to be.  We will be skinny mamas in no time at all!
We are looking good and feeling good!  Here's to the next 9 weeks!
~Crystal

Crystal's weigh in and measurements 4/21/11

Well, I haven't weighed in officially at WW since before we left for our vacation to Florida on 3/31/11...that's been a while ago!  I thought I had lost on vacation, but didn't know if I had maintained that loss since I've been back.  I've been doing this for 9 weeks and think that I have made significant changes to my lifestyle and the choices that I make.  I have gotten a few comments on the way that I look.  Most people say they notice the change in my face the most.  I'm glad that I am looking and feeling better.  Now down to business!  I weighed in this week and lost 4.2 lbs for a total of 12 lbs.  I am very happy with that!  I have also lost a total of 5 1/4" since before vacation for a total of 28 1/4" overall!  Here are the newest photos:

Here is the breakdown of my measurements:
Chest: 41 1/2"
Down 1" for a total of 7 1/2"
Hips: 50 1/4"
Down 1 1/4" for a total of 5 3/4"
Waist: 41"
Down 1" for a total of 7"
Arms: 15"
Down 1/2" for a total of 2"
Thighs: 24"
Down 1 1/2" for a total of 5"
Calves: 17"
Down 0" for a total of 1"

The most important thing to me is that I am feeling better and looking better.  The better I look the better I feel.  I probably could have lost more by now, but I am happy with my progress.  I'm doing this at my own pace and am not stressing over the small mistakes I may make.
~Crystal

Bad blogger

Ever since I've gotten back from vacation I've had every intention of blogging, but it's been super busy here.  Baseball season has begun and I've been super busy filling orders with my side business (Flowerific & Bowtastic).  I have been sticking with WW and have been trying to keep up with the exercise, but some days it's hard to get the exercise in.  Especially since the weather has been so crummy.  I have several posts I need to do and will try my best this weekend to get them up and going since it looks like it's going to be a rainy weekend.  Be on the lookout for some posts this weekend!
~Crystal

Friday, April 8, 2011

No weigh in this week

Since I am on vacation I will not have a weigh in day or measurements for this week. I have been keeping track of my foods and exercise and have been exercising every day. I even tried to jog yesterday, but it was so humid I couldn't catch my breath. I did walk 1.7 miles in 30 minutes. Not my best time, but I got it in. Then I went for a swim and did some laps and some leg exercises in the water. I was going to try to go to a WW meeting while I was here, but I just haven't had the time. I've really been aware of the choices I've been making on this trip. I haven't been depriving myself, but I haven't been binging just because I'm on vacation. It's been a good trip and I am enjoying my time away with my kiddos and am enjoying the time with my mother-in-law and my father-in-law. We are heading to the Gulf of Mexico to go to the beach today. I love it here it's so relaxing! It's so nice to get up and have some fresh fruit and a cup of coffee on the screened in porch with a nice Florida breeze blowing in. I may not be back! LOL!
~Crystal


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Leaving on a jet plane!

I do know when I'll be back though!  I am so ready for a vacation!  I am leaving with my kiddos and going to Florida for the next week!  My CPA hubby has to stay here and finish out tax season and we are going to miss him while we're gone and he's here working hard.  I am surprising my kids with two days at Disney World while we're in Florida.  I am excited about trying to implement this diet lifestyle change into my vacation.  I'm going to be updating the blog regularly as I have time and I will be posting my food choices and I hope to not struggle too much with making good choices.  I already have made a positive decision about something I thought I wanted to eat as soon as we got to our resort on Disney property.  At the Pop Century they have a cheesecake that has red velvet cake on the bottom.  I thought I wanted it after seeing it, but the more and more I think about it I've decided that I would rather have a Mickey Mouse ice cream bar or Mickey ice cream sandwich.  I feel like I've already made a good choice without actually being there!  I've also voice my concerns to my mother-in-law about having fresh fruits and veggies and she said they have plenty of farmers markets around where they are.  I bought a new pedometer so I can track how many activity points I'm earning from all the walking we'll be doing.  I have also found a WW meeting close to where my in-laws live and plan on attending if time permits.  If I don't post on vacation I will be sure to post when I get back on how I did.
~Crystal

Crystal's weigh in ~ March 31, 2011

This is a few days late.  I've been trying to get all packed up and ready to take my kiddos to Florida for Spring Break!  My poor hubby has to stay here and work, but I am excited for the time away! 

Now on to business!  Well, it was the end of the 6th week of doing this diet lifestyle change.  I was pleasantly surprised with the scale at WW!  I was expecting either to stay the same or to only lose a little.  When I looked at my weight record I was so happy.  Down another 2.8 lbs!  So now I'm down a total of 7.8 lbs total.  I am a little behind Hope, but I know every one's bodies are different and everyone loses weight at a different rate. 
I know that the "from behind" picture looks weird with my arms out like that, but I had to show the difference in my waist!  It is shrinking every week!  I didn't notice it until this week!

I was only down another 3/4", but I knew this had to slow down at some point.  I am down a total of 23" over my whole body!  This is amazing to me!  People are starting to notice too, which makes me feel good!  I am feeling better about myself and the way I look and feel.
~Crystal

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Hope's Weigh In ~ April 2, 2011

I weighed in this morning and was pleasantly surprised to find that I lost 4.6 lbs. this week, bringing my total up to 17.8 pounds lost.  I am feeling so much healthier and energetic, which I attribute to better dietary choices and jogging.  My weight now, is 183.6, which is still a lot, but I hope to work super hard this week and reach the 170s by next Saturday.  I only need to lose about 14 more pounds to be in the 160s.  I have not seen the 160s since my daughter was two or three. (She is now 15.)  I am determined to shed this weight once and for all!  I don't want to lose the weight only to have it eventually creep back up on me.  I'm going to keep on keepin' on! 
~Hope