Two Months to swim 102 Miles, Can She Do It???

Nov 01, 2011

The frost is on the pumpkin, for sure in Seattle!  I woke up this morning feeling miserable, because I sleep badly in a cold room.  Yes, I chose the WRONG geographic location to settle, I just had to put the insulation covers on all four of my outdoor facets, sigh, Fall is here with Winter breathing down hard.

My swim today was all right, the water a little cooler than usual, but I am now at mile 398, and starting to worry about making the last hundred plus miles in the next two months to meet my goal of 500 miles swam.  Why?  The weather!  I live on a hill known by locals as "Suicide Hill," as it gets closed to traffic, and is used by the local kids as a sled hill.  Last year I went THREE WEEKS without mail service, which really left me not feeling the Holiday Spirit - no cards to enjoy, sigh.  Nothing like having no garbage service either, glad I have an extra recycle can.  When the weather starts showing signs of Winter - Fall is almost a no show this year, similarly Summer left me wanting - I wonder when the roads will be bad enough to keep me from swimming.  I live about ten miles from the Aquatic Center, so it will be a wait & see if I can knock out those last hundred miles.

As for weight, I am still at a plateau, so all you out there who get angry you aren't losing, you just have to keep on top of your habits.  My one year follow up is coming up, shy ten days from my "Surgiversery," and I am preparing to ask all sorts of questions.  Admittedly, I have NOT been keeping my food journal, so guess what?  When you get in a stall, you go back to square one!  Measuring and logging food is your best yardstick to whether you are really on track or like I feel, a little over the measurements needed to succeed at this job.  I know, I know, it should not be a doctor's appointment to get you focused, but okay, I am like a lot of others out there - it does make me say, "Am I doing all I could and should be doing?"  Exercise is a definite yes, but the food logs & measuring, is a no. 

I just tried Chike's new Coffee Protein Drink - I don't know if they have a name for it yet, but I really enjoyed it!  At 139 calories, it packed 20 grams of protein, with 25% of the RDA's vitamin & mineral suggested minimum.  Okay, coming from someone who LOVES coffee (I have Kona coffee & Peaberry shipped to me), I will be giving them a thumbs up for texture, but I think it needs more coffee -- in my opinion.  Here's how I work with MY Chike all warm & toasty... I start with either room temp coffee or tea (Chai tea is FABULOUS with Vanilla Chike), I then stir in two scoops of Chike to 10 ounces of fluid, then I microwave one minute, stir, add another minute, until I have the right amount of warmth -- too hot will destroy the protein, so be aware of how high your microwave heats.  So far my favorites have been Vanilla Chike with Chai Tea, Chocolate Chike with coffee -- Vanilla is almost neck & neck, but I admit I love chocolate in my coffee!  The Orange Chike in coffee reminds me of Christmas, don't ask why, it just does.  I still have other combinations - but if you have it in the kitchen, give it a try!

To all you who are taking supplements & wonder if it helps, I only had a slight cold last year, and that was the first one in over a year!  I take Selenium along with my multivitamins, calcium citrate, and I swear it helps.  It is a cheap way of trying to boost my odds at keeping colds at bay.  I do not get a flu shot, even with my family practitioner telling me to, I just rely on my good health habits, deep breathing with my snorkel, and walking around small children in public - ha ha!  I am toying with the idea of adding cinnamon to my supplement regime - it supposedly heats you up, which I sorely need in Seattle.  Anyone out there using cinnamon, give me a holler if you care to share. 

Set goals for yourself - lots of small ones - they help make the journey have "landmarks," my way of keeping things interesting.  I can fit comfortably in my tub, so I am planning some wonderful baths with salts.  Oh, and I am going nuts with my pants, the legs are GROWING as I am shrinking!  Not really, but I find that the less I stretch the fabric horizontally, the more vertical length is left, sigh!!!  I laughed when I was measured before surgery, "Oh, you usually gain an inch after you lose weight, as your posture improves..."  Ummmm, nope!  I am still the same height before surgery, but my pants legs are mysteriously growing, time to hem some pants.  My only other option, which I think is fabulous, is to wear higher heeled shoes -- Ooooo La La!  Yup, I have great shoes waiting to be utilized, so why the heck not?!  I have three pairs of boots I have to check for size, one pair never fit, so bring on Winter!

Stay positive, and you will enjoy life that much more!  Oh, and next time you are at a four way stop, try waving someone through, believe it or not, it may make you feel better!

Brenda : )~

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