DAY 15 – 150 MILE CHALLENGE

  Half way there and honestly I expected to be further ahead than this. The good news is that I had another day off for vacation so today I made up for taking it easy yesterday. Besides all the eating I have been doing and believe me it is a lot and still have many weeks of it I decided to knock out a nice long work out. I call it my bye bye pie workout. I obviously wasn’t the only one to feel this way. When I arrived at the gym early this morning there were 38 people there already on machines and in sweat mode. These were a mixture of regulars and newbies. Luckily I didn’t have to wait more than a couple of minutes for an elliptical machine, so after a couple of minutes of calorie burning chatting with some regulars I hopped on my machine for 5 miles. After I jumped into a boot camp class. Although I wasn’t taking very many steps I was sure working. My fitbit calculated about 4150 steps so about 2 miles. I finished with a 60 minute walk on the treadmill for another 4 miles. All in all today I calcuated 11 miles.

The last several days have been about a whole lot of eating and I need something a bit healthier tonight, so I’m making a turkey kielbasa stew full of vegetables and spices along with a fresh bread I just made this morning. Our first Christmas party is this weekend so I’ busily making cashew clusters and getting my doughs together for Christmas cookies. As well as wrapping the first of the Christmas gifts. It seems too early for this but truth is that it is only a few weeks away to the big day and still lots to get accomplished.

DAY 14- 150 MILE CHALLENGE

  Unfortunately I am not able to log any miles today. I got up and headed to Bikram and spent the day with my husband shopping, going to lunch and seeing a movie. Way better then any gym excersion but that leaves me with still 82 miles left.

A CHRISTMAS WISH

  Thanksgiving is barely behind us and I don’t think I’m even fully digested yet but there is no time because now it is all about Christmas. The holiday for children in my mind. The holiday where adults eat, drink, sing, maybe dance and laugh. Where children sit around opening gifts and we put them together for them. That is my view of Christmas. My family and my husband’s family have a very different idea about this holiday they think buying for everyone with no limits, no picking names, no swapping just full out buy whatever you want for everyone. This year I at the Thanksgiving table I brought up no buying for adults only children. HA that went over about as well as the Titanic trying to avoid the iceberg. I negotiated and brought up budgets it was a long debate but in the end I did win kind of. We have a “budget” for those who want it and whoever doesn’t can just buy whatever they want for whoever.

Here is the problem, we make lists of things just to make lists and give our loved one ideas of what to buy us. If you are like me you don’t wait until holidays to buy things you buy them when you want them and more importantly when you need them. My husband met me like this so he never expects gifts on his birthday or Christmas but then again he never expects a gift on Tuesday evening when he arrives home for work and that is what makes it special.

Off track back to the list. Last year I was sure I would start juicing so of course I got a juicer and used it until I realized there is barely any juice in fruit or vegetables and cleaning the machine is no picnic. I realized at that moment I really enjoy fruit in their original state. I also got this fancy wine bottle opener that can open a bottle of wine in about 10 seconds and I don’t have to do anything. Great gift for someone but I have never used it. I would re-gift it except I’m not sure who gave it to me and I’m afraid of gifting it to the gifter. Now my family is asking for me list by Friday since they only have about 4 weeks to shop. What am I going to put on this list?

I started to think I am so involved in the breast cancer cause participating on Relay for life, Strides, and other breast cancer causes why not have them donate in my name. This disease has touched my family, my co-workers, and my friends and I want desperately for our younger girls and boys to not have to worry about this disease. Here is the ironic thing. I don’t live with breast cancer but I do live with MCTD and I have never looked into getting involved or donating for the cause.

I read an article recently where a private donation of 45 million dollars was made to the research for celiac. (you can read the article at celiac.com) This disease has come a long way and more and more people are aware of it and a monetary donation like this one really can push them into great depths of figuring this disease out. Why not the same for MCTD. It has taken me 7 years to really connect to my disease. It has always been something I had but never owned. As I’m reaching out to others and learning even more and as I blog about my experiences with this disease it makes realize I need to get involved with this cause. I have until Friday to find out the safest, best, most reliable place to donate and put it as #1 on my Christmas wish list. I will blog when I find out this information and if anyone has information already please feel free to share with me.

DAY 13- 150 MILE CHALLENGE

  I went up to the gym this morning and I was the only one in there besides the woman that opened up the place and a regular who always goes on Sunday mornings to weight train. I have been spending a lot of Sundays at Bikram so I have been out of the Sunday loop and it seems many regulars were taking it easy today. Must still be full from their Thursday dinner. I logged 5 miles on the elliptical spent 30 minutes weight training and finished with 3 miles on the arc trainer. 82 miles left.

FIRST SNOW FALL

  The calendar says winter is technically coming in 3 weeks however we had our first snow fall last night and woke to a covering on the ground this morning. In my mind winter is here now. Granted with the cold spells we have had winter was probably here 3 weeks ago but today winter really starts.

When I was at the doctor’s this past week we decided on a new game plan for my Raynaud’s and the winter months. I was hoping for a new game plan for my flare-ups this winter but Raynaud’s hit the top of the list. New game plan consists of increasing my Procardia from 30mg to 60mg taken morning and night and up my Niacin to 1500 to be taken whenever I need to during the day. Two in the morning and 1 in the afternoon works best for me. The doctor also asked me to start wearing my Under Armor when I left the house. That is the new and trendy term for the once old and frumpy term long johns or long underwear. I must admit if he asked me where my long johns I would feel old and frumpy and somehow asking me to wear my Under Armor made be feel a bit powerful. I was always layering when I left the house and quite frankly this is exactly why in the winter time most people don’t look put together anymore they look cozy. When someone says to me oh you look so comfy or cozy it may seem like a compliment but really they are saying you are so tucked in to those clothes you are wearing. For me cozy is wrapped in a blanket with a cup of a tea, a fire going, with a good book, husband on one side and my 2 cats on my lap. I am not expecting anyone to see me in my cozy state.

The doctor also made note that I was not wearing a hat when I came in to see him. Would ear muffs be sufficient? I mean really if I’m out snowshoeing, skiing, skating, running or walking then certainly I’m in a hat. A big over my whole head hat. I cannot justify wearing a hat when I’m headed to work, the grocery store, to see friends or out shopping. I would rather not show up to my destination looking like something from weird science with static hair a flying. OK call me vain but really the way I figure it I have 6 months of this frumpy, static hair, feeling like the boy from “A Christmas Carol” not able to put my arms down until I can ditch the comfy and get back to wearing normal clothes and looking well put together again.

DAY 12 – 150 MILE CHALLENGE

  Today was enjoying my Bikram practice with my sister and we had a great time. She enjoyed it more than I thought she would and was a real trooper in the heat of that studio. She did amazing and I was so impressed by her. I siphon energy from the other practitioners in my class but having my sister there today was such an energy rush for me and I really fed off of that. I loved having her there. After we joined my mother and nephew for some more family time. I don’t get to log any miles today. I still have 90 miles left.

A SUCCESSFUL THANKSGIVING

  I am pleased to announce I had a very successful gluten-free Thanksgiving and all my food was a hit. My family has always done the traditional stuffing with the help of a box and it has been wonderful. However, not really something I can enjoy so I made a cornbread stuffing. I had never had it before and had nothing to compare it too since the flavor is different than the traditional stuffing. It was a big hit. I have very little left over and was really pleased since I didn’t use any gravy that it wasn’t too dry. Unfortunately the design of the day is food sitting in warmed ovens so it can be served relatively warm but that just ends up drying everything out. I will make this again for a Sunday dinner that is served immediately.

I also made dinner rolls that turned out very good. We have this feeling that we need bread but there is so much other food at the table that they don’t really get eaten unless someone is looking for them. I brought a few rolls home and cut them up and made pecan french toast with them this morning. I actually think that is a better way to enjoy them. The other side dishes are naturally gluten-free except for green bean casserole and I didn’t mind giving that up. The pumpkin bread was wonderful and finally the pies that no one even asked if they were gluten-free were devoured and enjoyed by all. I am very pleased with not only my success of achieving my first Thanksgiving dinner but the way my family pulled through to help me achieve this success.

The day was amazing and as I was looking around watching people laugh, tell stories, yell at the TV when the Pats were behind I just smiled to myself and took it all in. I don’t know what each day will look like or feel like when I wake up but I will reach for that feeling again when I need it on a bad day. My family said to me yesterday how proud they were of me as I was sitting there holding my little nephew and all I kept thinking was how proud I was of him and how my eyes shine for him. I would do anything to keep him safe. My wish for him is to never feel pain, sadness, or suffer disappointment but that is not life, that is not realistic and that keeps him from finding his own way and his own journey so he has to own everything that comes his way. Just like we all do. Good luck to you Black Friday Shoppers!!

DAY 11 – 150 MILE CHALLENGE

  Coming off the high of a wonderful day yesterday and the success of my first gluten-free Thanksgiving I took it easy this morning and didn’t wake before the first signs of sun. This is really a rarity for me but I had no where special to go and was in no hurry to find out what was happening in the real world. My mornings of getting up at 4am are nice and quiet and I get a lot done but I had nothing to get done today so why rise so early? Once I was up I lingered some more in front of the fire and thought about all the food I ate yesterday. It didn’t take me long to get into gear after that gluttonous thought. I headed up to the gym and rode the bike for 5 miles, elliptical for 5 with a final trip to the sauna. The sauna felt really good today and although I didn’t really sweat in there to release fluid from my hands the warmth felt good. 90 miles left.

DAY 10 – 150 MILE CHALLENGE

  I had a good handle on Thanksgiving prep and since I woke up extra early this morning I had enough time to run over to the gym and really work hard. There were a lot people there trying to burn mega amounts of calories before eating them all back again today. I’m one of those people and wanted to have a mega burn myself. I was able to do 5 miles on the elliptical and ran for 3 for my best burn and finished with a stationary bike ride of 5 miles while I read my book. This was more for my brain and to burn some extra calories. I logged a total 13 in 2.5 hours and enjoyed every minute of it. 100 left and feeling very much back on schedule.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

  Today I’m on top of the world and so full of joy and thanks. I got up early to start baking my breads and preparing my side dishes to take to our family gathering. As I’m standing in my quiet kitchen with a little music on I realized how truly blessed I am and started to go through my list of what I’m most thankful for. The list is long and I won’t bore you but it put things back into perspective for me and gave me some clarity that life is short and I need to really enjoy it and days like this is a perfect day to enjoy. Spending time with loved ones and eating the food they cared so much to make and share and telling stories of past of present is what this is all about for me. We have a new addition to our Thanksgiving table this year, (alright he won’t actually be at the table this year but next year I can’t wait for mash potatoes to be thrown) our little prince is the guest of honor this year at our festivities.

I thought I would post a quick and easy pumpkin bread recipe that I whipped up this morning. It is a combination of 2 different recipes I found and had to make some changes to ensure mine would be gluten free. I hope you enjoy the recipe and the day with your own loved ones.

Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread

1 stick margarine or butter, softened
1 can Pumpkin Puree
2 cups gluten free flour (your choice)
1 cup sugar
1 cup pecans, finely ground
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

In a large bowl, cream butter with sugar. Beat in eggs, vanilla and pumpkin. In another bowl, mix together flour and baking powder. Combine and beat until dry ingredients are moist. Stir in pecans. Turn batter into 5 x 9-inch loaf pan. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour and 20 minutes or until toothpick comes clean out of center. Do not under bake.