I got the referral!!

As soon as I decided I would take on this challenge, I also decided to collect as much data and knowledge about my progress and possible transformation. Like I said in a previous post, I started with a Bod Pod reading.

As odd as it sounds, I kind of like being a guinea pig/being tested on. It could have to do with the various tests I've had over the years due to my seizure disorder, but I'm OK with it. I like to understand how my body works underneath the skin. Every test result helps to understand my physical self a little better.

Of course knowledge is power blah blah blah.

On Monday I went to my Dr. to get a flu shot and discuss my triathlon plans and my interest with collecting as much before/after data as I can. First off, she thinks what I'm doing is awesome. I doubt any Dr. would discourage a run of the mill patient from physically challenging themselves, but the encouragement was nice. I told her about Oregon Health Science University's (OHSU) Human Performance Lab and my desire for a referral. I GOT IT! I know a referral is pretty easy to get, but this isn't a referral for a normal appointment, so I wasn't entirely sure she'd approve.

I'll be calling tomorrow morning to schedule appointments for:

•  Resting metabolic rate assessment  

• Maximal aerobic exercise testing and risk identification 

I'm actually pretty stoked. I loves me some data! I'll be doing another assessment next year after the race.

I'll write a post about the experience once I've had the appointments and will, of course, share the results. This is almost as fun as training has been. Hurts so good.

Macy

A little bit about my health/sports history

I thought I might post a little something about my health history, considering you are all watching IG and reading about my progress.

Full disclosure. I have a seizure disorder. It may sound scary to some, but I'm very lucky considering. I had an inter-cranial brain bleed when I was born. No reason, just the unluck of the draw. The lucky part is that I am very well controlled as long as a take my medication, and I'm on mono-therapy. While my condition isn't severe (no seizures in almost 5 years; only 4 in the last 12 years) It'd be cool to show other people that a sport like this with a condition like mine can be done.

As far as my sports history is concerned, it hasn't been great. I took dance, but struggled with homework as a kid, so I didn't get to practice. I played softball, but was pretty horrible. I do have a fairly good arm, and I LOVE batting cages, but I got hit in the face with a ball once during a game of baseball with the boys. Never again. Soccer was never on my radar. Too short for Volleyball, etc. I figured sports, especially team sports, weren't really for me. I stuck to singing mostly. That was my "sport". So as you can see, sports and I have not been friends in the past.

That's one of the reasons why this is so exciting for me. Completing a triathlon would be a way of telling that skinny little kid, who would get a side cramp from running ONE lap, who sucked at any sport she tried, that it wasn't her. She just hadn't found her place yet, but now she's home.

Macy

Bod Pod Beginning

One of the first photos I posted on Instagram (if not the first) was scores from a Bod Pod session I went to to get an accurate measure of my body fat percentage. My results didn't exactly surprise me. It's not like I thought I was Twiggy, only to be shocked by the results. My body's break down was interesting to see; mainly seeing how much of me was actual fat. Getting a specific number I could see.

I'm overweight, and have been on and off (more on than off) for most of my life. Even when I was skinny (my entire childhood) I has probably skinny fat. I've always had a belly pooch. I never really thought about it when I was younger unless my mom made a comment, but I'm sure that was an indicator.

Anyway, back to Bod Pod.

I found a business that provided the service and scheduled the appointment. Most places I looked had the cost set at $40-45 for the test. It really is an oddly cool kind of set up. It reminds me of Mork's spacecraft from Mork and Mindy (if you don't know what is, that makes me feel incredibly old). I was told to wear tight fitted clothes and not to eat or drink anything for at least 2 hours before the appointment. A little water was ok, but nothing else. The person doing the test said a swim cap type head covering would be supplied because your hair can affect the results.

I showed up in short spandex shorts, my sports bra and a tank top (underneath other clothes) and stripped the outer layer when I arrived and got on the scale there. Then I hopped into Mork's spacecraft, and sat still in the contraption while he took three measurements. The entire thing took about 10 minutes (scale to results), and then it spit out the piece of paper I posted on IG.

So far I'm down 7 pounds from the weight recorded on that piece of paper. It's not like I didn't think I'd lose weight changing my diet and exercising, but it's interesting/exciting/motivating to watch the scale continue to go down. Once I'm down 15-20 pounds I'll be taking another test to make sure I'm building, and losing, muscle. I'll realistically do after the first of the year, after the tempting holidays.

If you're starting a weight-loss journey, I highly recommend looking into getting a test done.

Until next time.

Macy 

"Healthy" recipes that are anything but

Because I'm still at the beginning of my weight-loss/triathlon journey, I'm still getting my diet figured out. I'm focusing on portion control and calories. I've been using a recipe analyzer to calculate calories for recipes I find online. It's crazy how many recipes that look healthy really aren't. Between portion sizes and mistaking unhealthy recipes as healthy no wonder we're overweight in the US. I know it takes effort to be healthy (diet, exercise, etc), but I feel like we're sabotaged as soon as Google give us results for "healthy recipes". I wonder what it would take to make a BS-meter program you could run on recipe google searches? Something to ponder.

Until next time.

M

Welcome!

Hello!!

I just wanted to say hey and thank you for checking out my blog. I have many thoughts about this journey throughout the day, but don't want to add a picture every time something pops into my head. I couldn't come up with enough photos. Haha!

There will be more so stay tuned.

Macy