Let's train!...and other fun developments

Hi all!
   Are you out enjoying this glorious weather?? For those of you not here in Tejas - we got our first real cold (for us) of the year. It was 37 degrees when I left to run this morning and I.LOVED.IT.  I LIVE for a cold front this time of year and the first real cold snap of the season makes me oh.so.happy. I just love it. Nothing makes me happier than bundling up, making and eating comfort foods, starting the holiday season and generally having the best runs and bikes of my life because the humidity finally dropped and it's not a jungle out there. Also everything dies outdoors this time of year and I CAN BREATHE #allergyqueen. Anyways - long story short this weather makes me happy.

On to other things.

Sidenote: if yo don't know this movie reference - go enrich your life. 

So I had my 30 day post op appointment with Dr Crosby (plastic surgeon) at MDACC this past Wednesday. She and her team are fabulous as always. Basically everything looks good. The big take aways were:
1. I have some mild rippling/divoting on the right side that I will probably go back for additional fat grafting for in May after the Ironman but other than that she and I am really pleased.
2. NO MORE SP ANX! OMG THIS WAS ALMOST AS GOOD AS NO MORE DRAINS! (not really but at least 50% - nothing is like getting drains out)
3. She did clear me to return to exercise - just ramping up and doing things in intervals for running/swimming/biking and giving it probably 2 more weeks'ish before I start lifting weights again.

She also said she wanted me in sports bras with two panels vs the "uniboob" as she calls it. Well I don't know about you guys but that was pretty much all the sports bras I  owned so off I went on a search for a comfortable, two paneled sports bra that did not rub on my incision lines (that are still a little tender). So off I went to my friendly local lululemon (where i have a self admitted sick sick addiction to their stuff) and of course their lovely helpers were very helpy. Here's what I found. and I love.

Lululemon Lift and Separate IV Bra

Lululemon Seek the Heat Bra (ON SALE NOW!)

Both are so soft, front closure is awesome, nice support without an under wire and don't rub at all on my incisions. I'm super pleased. #overpricedandworthit

So what do you do when you have been off working out for 30 days again, have new lulu bras and a glorious cold front morning and a Friday off?!?  YOU GO FOR YOUR FIRST POST SURGERY RUN! 

I got up this morning and was so excited to go run! My surgeon still wants me to start with intervals so I ran 5 minute intervals with a 30 sec-1 min walk in between runs. I didn't want to get crazy so I just started with an easy 5k. Definitely learned that these ladies do not move while in motion which was actually pretty awesome. Incisions were a little uncomfortable for like the 1st 1/10 of a mile but after that were fine. Finished a 5k out and back through my neighborhood. It wasn't my best time ever but most definitely ran with a smile on my face the whole time and actually am pretty ok with my time given I was walking every 5 mins. I finished with a happy heart, big smile, and grateful mind and legs that felt better than ever! 

So training season is officially officially open! I'll be working back up to my base mileage in the next two weeks then start with my coach (Courtney w/ Outrival training) Dec. 1 so I'll keep you all updated as that starts! Let's get this IMTX 2015! 

Have a great and snuggly weekend ya'll!

Ok Let's Switch Gears...and eat all the food

So let's switch gears a bit shall we? Let's talk something kind of like I'm going to start training for an Ironman in like...um...now'ish...shall we?

So even though I'm still on workout restriction (Post op Nov 12! hopefully cleared after that!) - Ironman is not far from my mind. The weather has been gorgeous and I am DYING to hit the road on my bike or get in a gorgeous morning run!

However - before I do that I really needed to start to get my diet in.check. I have always struggled with major weight gain whenever I train for any endurance event with my greatest gain being topping out 22 lbs heavier than my norm at the Austin half ironman 70.3. This is not normal ya'll - I was doing 20+hrs/week of cardio easily and massively gaining weight despite eating pretty well and definitely less than I was burning (I did have the not so occasional taco though if we are being truthful here).

Now enter a sports dietician and my new friend the neuroendocrinologist (#spellingchampforthewin).I am working with a great dietician named Catherine Kruppa - her practice is Advice for Eating here in Houston and I have been nothing but impressed by her. I am also now seeing a neuroendocrinologist who is helping figure out why my body does not metabolize what I am eating well even when eating super healthy and why it response to exercise as a stress response and just hangs on to everything.

Not really but you get the picture. 

I already eat pretty darn clean and low cal so it's not a total change from where I was but there were still some pretty major changes to take on with their recommendations. So long story short I'm taking a lot of vitamins, taking 1-2 meds a day to help with some digestion stuff and basically going paleo'ish except I'm allowed to eat some not-aged cheese's and need to eat super low glycemic index and am supposed to be cutting sugar.

Which means I haven't had a dessert or candy or anything sugar in 5 DAYS PEOPLE! If you know me you know this is a MAJOR deal.

"They" say it get's easier...we shall see about that Thanksgiving table

This is sort of a maintenance diet thing and I'll be working more with Catherine as I train to make sure I have a good balance of nutrients to properly fuel this kind of training while keeping my weight down and hopefully leaning out. Doing an event like this is NOT to lose weight but I do need to be conscious of it - wanting to be in my very best shape I can be to be successful as this is likely the only time I will attempt something this incredibly insane  of this magnitude. So we shall see. Meeting with Dr. C at MDACC next Wed so I'm hopefully getting cleared to work out after that so I'll keep you updated!

It's time to start hitting the road people! Surgery is over and training season as officially opened! Let's go!