TEETERING BUT RESISTING

I just posted this week that I was active, energized and feeling good, and honestly I was. We went away for the weekend and came home feeling tired but that is not unusual. By Tuesday of this week my hair felt weird, my skin hurt and my body is very achy. My husband is not feeling that great either and contributes it to the gluten we ate this past weekend which was way more than we should have and would ever do even on a week away type trip. Even when we travel we are fairly careful of our foods and let loose but don’t go overboard. This past weekend we didn’t give it any thought at all what we were eating because we were having fun, with family and it was only a couple of day. I’m not even saying my feeling like I’m on the verge of a flare is even weekend related. We were in and out of airports and quite frankly you can pick up anything and everything in airports so my body may be trying to fight off something.

The last couple of days I have stuck to walking and yoga but will attempt to try some spinning and biking again. I also have a fun yoga day planned on Sunday which is “yoga in the park” sponsored by LL Bean’s so I want to be tip top for that event and hoping this feeling is gone by then. It has been 283 since my last full fledge flare and although I don’t feel exactly myself I’m not in full flare and hoping I can keep it at bay. When I really flare my body is in such pain that bed is the only place to be and then it takes me several days to get through that now. Back in the early days of MCTD I would flare more frequently but they would be over quickly. Now my flares are spread out over several months and it takes longer to get back to base-line. I’m not sure that I really prefer one way over the other honestly and just wish I could pin point my triggers and make sure my body didn’t flare.

Since being home and not feeling great I have gone to juicing, smoothies and a little nutritious food to try and let my body rest and recover without over stressing it with heavy foods even if they are good for me. I’m wondering if there is benefit to a “cleanse” with little food, lots of liquid and an over abundance of walking and yoga. I have no science based facts and really cannot tell what my body likes, needs or wants when teetering on a flare but I’m resisting the full flare as much as possible because I don’t have the time to stop completely unless my body forces me to which has not happened yet. My hope is I get to 284 days without a flare and as I write this and think about it, spinning is not the right decision. In a matter of moments I have decided to continue walking today and do my yoga tonight to try and keep myself on point and reach that 284 mark.

THE JOY OF CHALLENGES

This past week my steps took a nice jump up, due to the amount of challenges I participated in with a Work Week Hustle and a Weekend Warrior. I also spent a long weekend in Philadelphia where you are required to walk everywhere and was it fun. In Maine I live very far out of the city of Portland and drive everywhere but in the city you end up walking to stores, for coffee, to see the sites and just to live. I had a such a great time walking around and enjoying my days. I’m sure I would feel differently on a rainy day, snowy day or a cold day but we had none of it so it was glorious and kept me moving and my steps up. I didn’t win any of the challenges as there are some very competitive people on my fitbit team but I enjoy watching them really push themselves during these challenges and get excited about walking so I will stay in about 3^rd place and be very happy there doing what I would normally do and maybe a little more on challenge weeks.

Total steps 108,172

Average daily 15,453

Miles 41.62

Floors 156

WEEKLY STEP STATS

I have been participating in more step challenges recently because of the golfing my husband and I do I naturally get more steps on the weekends but my yoga still takes up many hours a week so although I was hoping to do better in the challenges I am still in the mid range for the members. However, that doesn’t mean I’m not active, just active in other areas.

 

Total = 90,598

Daily – 12,943

Miles – 34.99

Floors – 273

 

An interesting stat to mention during my bike ride I registered 125 floors in that 50k time period and received the roller coaster badge from fitbit. That was a first for me for that badge.

2ND ANNUAL RIDE

Today was our 2nd annual ride for diabetes. I don’t have it and no one in my immediate family suffers from it but we have extended family, friends, and co-workers with it.  While we ride my mom and husband wait at the start and finish line for us and they are always so proud when we cross the finish line 2 hours later.  Yes there is lunch waiting for us all so that may be part of the reason they are so happy to see us.

The last 2 years we have ridden the 50K and we have decided not to ride next year because of my sister’s wedding, however, our riding as a family is not over.  I have little nephews that we can add to the mix, I have a brother, sister-in-love, mom, sister and future brother-in-love and yes even my husband I would like to make part of the mix.  However, most of them have already said, “no thank you” as politely as they can.

The weather was 75 today and we got up early to head down south about, interestingly enough 35 miles. I could have ridden down there on my bike for the amount of miles I rode today.  There was a great turn out and a lot of money raised for a serious disease.  Type I is an autoimmune disease, if money and research can help find cures, new meds, and get people’s attention for this autoimmune disease I feel as though there is hope for others so just because I do not live with diabetes, I ride to help find a cure and perhaps piggyback off of that cure for MCTD.

Interestingly enough there is a turkey run for arthritis, yes you guessed it around Thanksgiving.  I ask you with stiff, sore, tight, cold joints why not run in May or June?  I would make a point of eating turkey in May in order to trot for arthritis but I cannot bring myself to run in the cold when I know how stiff, sore and numb my hands will be after I finish.

The biking actually feels much better on my joints then running ever did and I although I may not get a runners high from cycling I got to see 35 miles of Maine coast lands on a beautiful summer day with my step-father and my family near by cheering me on.  I choose cycling anytime.

WEEKLY STATS

This week was a good week for steps and participating in a step challenge always helps too.

 

Total Average 98,754

Average daily 14,108

Miles 38.46

Floors 180

WEEKLY WALKING STATS

This week was more riding with lots of yoga but still got in a good number of steps.

Total Average 90,015

Average daily – 12,859

Miles – 34.69

Floors – 220