Good Things

So, bear with  me.  This post has almost nothing to do with weight  loss, weight training, cardio, diet or fitness.  But, stand by.  My trainer has promised me a great diet plan to help me jump start my weight loss again (I'm slimming down, but the scale isn't moving) and I promise to share it with you if you promise to read this post that is a bit more touchy-feely than my usual.  Pinky promise.

Sometimes I think that personal trainers must feel a lot like bartenders.  Although they're paid for their expertise and the services that they can provide, they're probably often called upon to serve as mini therapists.  Or maybe I'm the only one who creates ridiculously close relationships with people at the drop of a hat and probably shares entirely too much about my personal and professional lives within an abnormally short period of time.  But, really, are you surprised?  Surely not.

Over the last three months, I've gotten to know my trainer and he's gotten to know me (except he didn't know how much older I am than he is until just last night, but that's another long and sad story... I digress.) and we've talked about a lot of various facets of our lives.  He knows my current relationship status (somehow I'd like to convince him to personally change that...), he knows what I do for a living, he knows where I work, where I live, where I grew up, what I drive...  We're pretty much kindred spirits.

So, when things at work starting going not-so-fun over the last few weeks, obviously, my trainer was aware, even so much as to say moderately informed.  I kept the boring and office-specific details to a minimum, but he got the gist.  Usually, he'd start the conversation with "How are you?, how's work?," to which I'd respond with "Eh, it's okay."  Last night, I lead with "Today was stupid."  We've definitely gotten to the place where he can recognize variances in my responses (for example, when I lift weights, I keep my swearing to a minimum if it's just basically uncomfortable.  If I use a particular, rather heavy duty swear word, he knows that I'm in actual pain).  He recognized this variance.  I'm usually a very positive person, but every now and then, I need some time to dump out all the garbage, and poor Michael got the brunt of that dump.

We talked for a while while I was working on my back muscles (in a total G-rated way), which is much harder than you'd think.  He listened, encouraged me to express my opinions to those within positions of authority and go to bat for myself.  He told me that he could tell I was gaining confidence and should use that to my advantage.  I appreciated that and we kind of moved on to another conversation.  But, a few minutes later, he interrupted my generalized professional complaint by telling me that he knew that good things were going to happen to me out of this; that so many people in his life had had good things happen to them lately and he knew the same thing was going to happen for me.  He had no doubt, he shared, that I would come out on top, because I'm a good person and the future is bright for me.

I almost cried.  And I almost hugged him.  Again, in a completely G-rated way.  He was so genuine that I almost asked him if he knew something that I didn't.

I'm so thankful for one "good thing" in having made the decision to get a personal trainer and that I got one that is concerned about my entire well being.  And is hot.  You knew I was going to say it.  I couldn't let you down.

P.S. Earlier today, my office moved from one floor to another.  During the shuffle, my coworker spotted a a wayward fortune from a cookie.  I usually save those if they're good, but keep them in my wallet.  Knowing it must have been mine from my desk or somewhere I'd stowed it before putting it in my wallet, I asked him what it said.  He started with explaining that it was a new fortune now since I didn't remember what it said and then read, "You will be in receipt of good things in the future."  I know...crazy.

Keeping Kleenex in Business

So, I spent the day in three places:  the doctor's office, the pharmacy waiting area and the couch.  There's no denying it and no way around it.  I'm officially sick.  Doctor verified.  Surrounded by Kleenex, random bottles of over-the-counter decongestants, glasses tinted pink from remnants of wild berry flavored Emergen-C, wrapped in blankets, dressed in pajamas and two pairs of socks kind of sick.  After two hours in the Urgent Care clinic (which I think is completely false advertising), my doctor-on-the-spot determined that my malady dujour is a sinus infection.  She actually led with "How many sinus infections have you had in your life?"  To which I responded, "I lost count."  I was immediately prescribed a significant dosage of amoxicillin, told to take it easy, relax, get lots of fluids and "don't push yourself too hard or you'll set yourself back a few days."

Wait... what?  I stopped her before she gave me a lollipop, patted me on the head and sent me on my way.  "So... I'm supposed to run in a 5K on Saturday (here comes the childlike pleading) and I've been training now for a while and super pumped about it (all this time she had this look on her face like 'Silly girl') and if I can just get rid of all of this congestion and breathe, I can do it, right?  Right?" Uh, no.  No, I can't run a 5K in twenty degree weather forty-eight hours after starting antibiotics to nip an extreme sinus infection that makes just the vibration of talking send waves of pain through my face.  Silly girl.

So, despite the super cute matching running outfit, grown up underoos, and armband for my phone I purchased that are all anxiously awaiting their first usage, I'm grounded.  No running, no training, no nothing until I feel better.  And after two doses of the amoxicillan, there is no light at the end of the tunnel.  I canceled my appointment with my trainer tonight and am tentatively scheduled to see him this weekend, but he agreed that rest and fluids were going to be much better than sweating and working out.  Urgh.

Never in my life have I set a goal that revolved around anything physical, so this feeling of disappointment based on something completely out of my control and hinged on my health is totally new to me.  I've been disappointed by not being able to do things in my life, sure, but not something that I've trained for, mentally prepared myself for and intentionally told the world I was going to accomplish in an effort to hold myself accountable.  Part of me is afraid that people will think I'm wimping out or just didn't want to do it, so had my doctor been wishy-washy about it, I might have forced myself through it just to counteract that probably ridiculous fear.  But, as I sit here waiting for the antibiotics to kick in and do something, while wiping my nose incessantly and guzzling water and green tea, I know that physically it would have wiped me out.  And, at the end of the day, I want to finish.  If I went through it and ended up crashing and burning because I didn't know my own physical limits, I'd probably be more upset than I am now to just miss the whole thing.  Urgh... trying hard to stay positive.

A dear friend of mine told me tonight (while I was complaining about this very thing on Facebook) that I inspire her with my determination and drive to change my life and make it what I want.  But, that God puts obstacles like sickness in our lives to tell us to slow down a bit and rest.  The silver lining is that another friend sent me a link to another 5K in late January for an equally wonderful local cause, giving me another month and a half to train.  Maybe... just maybe... I'll be able to run the whole thing with another month and a half to train.

Of course, I'll keep you posted.

P.S. Have you tried the yoga ball ab workout yet?

Revenge of the Congestion

So, this Saturday I will attempt to complete my first ever 5K race in Atlanta.  The word "race" is to be read figuratively here.  I will only be competing with myself.  If I finish last, I still finished.  That's the goal.  What's the problem?, you ask.  I'm sick.

Damn it all to hell.  My body hates me.  It started on Saturday.  I felt this tickle in my throat and occasionally my voice would go all wobbly and weird.  But, I kicked it into high gear and went to my training appointment Saturday morning anyway.  It was awesome.  We do these Circuit Saturdays with a big group and I never leave without my face being the color of a pomegranate.  Remind me and I'll tell you the great ab exercise that we did that you could totally do at home.  I'll get back to that.

Yesterday, my head was congested and I didn't feel 100%.  I should have seen the giant red flag that was being waved in front of my face when I slept for 11 hours non-stop.  I'm tired, but not that tired. I kept going... stupidly.  I shopped for Christmas presents, put up Christmas lights outside, bought an armband for my cell phone so I can rock out as I run around the streets of Atlanta (hopefully in candy cane socks and a Santa hat).  You know, important stuff.  I refused to acknowledge what was happening with my body, figuring if I mentally accepted the fact that I was getting sick, I would actually become sick.  This morning, there was no more denial.  I woke up and I felt like my head was a balloon ready to explode.  The weird thing is that I don't feel sick, but I'm just so congested that I can hardly stand it.  I stayed home from work today.  It's 1:30 and I'm still in my pajamas.  As fabulous as that would be on most days, it's not so great when you're coughing and sneezing and sniffling.  I might drag myself into the shower here in a few minutes.

So, with five days before the 5K, what can I do to get better fast?  My trainer said to drink tons of water, which I honestly haven't done today.  I want to workout and run/walk, but I'm afraid that might set back my recovery.  But, I need to take advantage of these last few days before the run to get used to that kind of distance.  Maybe I should just focus on finishing in whatever form I do it in and not so much on the running/endurance part of it.  This is just typical... just typical.  Suggestions?  Ideas?  Thoughts?

(The exercise I referenced above is fantastic.  All you need is a yoga ball or really you could probably even do it with a pillow.  Lie down on the floor, face up.  Place the yoga ball or pillow or improvised item between your legs, kind of in the center between your knees and your ankles.  Now lift the yoga ball up to about your stomach and then transfer it to your hands.  Bring it down above your head and then back to your legs.  Repeat this for 3 sets of 15 reps.  I guarantee your abs will hurt for days, which is awesome.)