A new adventure

Well, as is evident from my lack of blogging, things have not gone well! I have been out of running action for 8 months and it would appear it is the end of my very short lived love affair with running. My left knee became more hypermobile, though the physio thought it was something else. Anyway it is stabilized more now but I am on a strict no running regime. Added to the fact that my right knee obviously felt very left out by all of the attention has decided to follow suit, the pain of running is just not worth the benefit, who knows though never say never....

So obstacle course races are now very much out of the equation. To be honest for the last 8 months I have done not very much at all, and I have not enjoyed it. I feel rubbish, I am the size of a small house it can not continue.

The future is low impact.... yep the thought bores me to death. But I have started going swimming once a week, what else though? Walking and cycling are in so that is good. But lets be honest they are not very exciting are they?

So my new adventure is to try some different stuff, it may not always work out and it may not always strictly fit into the low impact category, but I will work within my limits.

What's next then? Gymnastics was my first love, and bizarrely handstands, cartwheels, bridges etc don't cause any pain, I guess my body is so used to doing them that it just naturally accommodates. C's gymnastic club has started a grown up session, a circuit based work out involving a bit of apparatus work and hopefully a good laugh, I am in (well once the ligaments in my wrist recover).

Other stuff I want to try: Street dancing, pole dancing, jiving (are you sensing a theme yet), parkour, horse riding, rock climbing (don't think my fingers will hold up though), circus skills, surfing......

But I'd like your suggestions, what do you love to do? or what have you always fancied doing but never done?

Rock and a hard place

So my knee is still a bit knackered. Can't run, jump, it hurts to walk downstairs or just randomly when it takes a fancy, it even popped out when planking the other day. I am being very good and resting it, not doing anything that might aggravate it until I can get a physio appointment.

However, because I am not doing any kind of exercise my other joints are paying the price, so I hurt everywhere. Even peeling a pan of potatoes leaves my hands seized up and in agony.  I am normally a bash on, grin and bare it kind of person but I will admit I am struggling. There have nearly been tears on a few occasions. It feels very similar to the should injury I had a couple of years ago and if I am totally honest that is not 100%, well it is probably not even 70% but it is your shoulder so you can get by. A knee is different. That impacts walking, dancing, everything!

I am having to say no to little miss, no I can't race you up the stairs, no we can't dance around like loons and that is hard. I know I am a bit snappier than usual, although I am trying really hard not to be, my patience is being a bit blurred by the pain and brain fog.

I fully intended to go to bootcamp yesterday and just do what I could, then I realised (after a short walk into town left me scunnered) there really wasn't much I could do!

All I can do is keep my diet in check and eat as well I can so bye bye junk and processed stuff, even though I would like nothing more than to curl up and stuff my face with chocolate.

Sorry for a pretty negative post. Fingers crossed I can get to a physio soon and they can perform miracles and get me out running!

Back to it

Hello there, yes it has been a while. Sorry. I have not blogged since I did the Spartan. I wasn't sure if I should blog at all, I'm not the best at remembering to do it at the best times of time, but I think I need it.

So the Spartan was amazing and I was full of confidence and bravado for the future. Of being a fit and healthy individual. Then you know things got in the way, I didn't stop running but I certainly haven't been doing as much of it as I should. I've been going to bootcamp when I can and in my head I am still trying to be fit and healthy. I have even signed up to many an event.....

But the scales and my clothes tell the real story, the story of not exercising as much as I could be, of not eating well. Or perhaps of eating too well but definitely eating too much of the wrong stuff.

More importantly my body is telling me the real story. My pain levels have creeped up, more things are popping out.

Carrying around extra weight does not help my hypermobility at all. I know this. So why is it so hard to stay focused, what's that? Cake? Oh ok then thanks very much.

A few weeks ago my knee popped out to the side - it's never done that before! And it has been painful ever since, I know its not right because I am putting strain on my other joints when I am walking. I tried to run the other night and there was just no way, it slid out every time I put my foot down.

I'll be honest this scared me. Not only because I have signed up to the Gelt Gladiator ( a 10k obstacle race this time!) and I really need to be running and training. But what if this is the start of the end? What if I am going to really struggle to be properly fit ever again? Now yes I may well be prone to being slightly melodramatic, I need to give myself a shake!

I am being sensible there is no running for me at the moment but I need to take a stand. I need to shift some of these pounds. And I need to strengthen these joints.

So I am back to blogging, mostly to keep me accountable. I can't just come on here and say yep still being rubbish now can I? I am hoping it will pull me out of the hole I seem to be in both mentally and physically.

I have loved Deliciously Ella for a little time now and have finally ordered her cookbook, I will reduce my sugar intake and up my fruit and veg considerably. I will exercise daily (sensibly within my pain limits) and I will do this!

I am Spartan!

Yep we did it! Yesterday we ran the Spartan sprint and yes it was we, it was most definitely a team effort and thanks go to the rest of the team for making it such a great experience.

Yep it was tough, there was mud, there was fire, there was lots of half naked men, which may have helped us girls round the course....

There were some truly remarkable people there and I feel very proud to have been part of it.

That me in the middle!

 

 

Ok so we conquered wall climbs, not easy when you are wee, thanks go to the boys for a leg up! We walked for, what seemed like, miles through a freezing river and deep is all relative to how tall you are. We climbed over stuff, we crawled under stuff, including barbed wire, up and down a hill! We tried (and I failed) to do the monkey bars and the rope climb, we tried to throw an arrow into a bale, so close but it didn't stick. We jumped over fire, we pulled tires, we hoisted the Hurcules Hoist and we did a whole heap of other stuff that I can't remember. But most of all we had an amazing time! And we did it, we finished it and we finished it with a smile!

 

 

 

For me I made it through with only dislocated toes and a heap of bruises so I am delighted! I think I am still functioning on adrenalin so waiting for the catch up exhaustion but it was all worth it. I met a fellow Bendy in the car park whose friend had been taking part and she was so happy to see someone doing it for EDS, really made my day! Yes I wish I'd trained harder and prepared more but am delighted with how well we made it through.

 

So that is it the challenge is done.......

 

 

What's next?

 

There is still time to sponsor me if you would like, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/bendyspartan/

 



Nearly there

Today is the last day of the detox. Yes I have stuck to it. No it's not been as hard as I thought. Tes it has made a difference.
I have definitely lost weight, official stats tomorrow. But I am half a stone lighter so happy with that. But more importantly my pain levels seem to have improved. So for me it's not a case of going back to 'normal' I might relax it a little bit so it fits with family eating but this is definitely something I am going to keep up. Going to try really hard to reduce sugar as a whole for the family.

It is also nearly Spartan day....... I'm a mixture of excited and terrified, not helped by an email warning of deep water on a river run!

Am I ready? Well I guess, I wish I'd trained more, I wish I'd started going to Bootcamp in January but hey life got in the way. I am ready to give it my all though.

Wish me luck!

Cheating!

Saturday was a cheat day. We could eat whatever we fancied either for a meal or for the whole day. I was apprehensive, I've been enjoying this healthy eating lark and not struggled anywhere near as much as I thought I would. even under extreme temptation my resolve has remained strong. but what if I started then couldn't stop??

I went for the cheat meal and a treat approach, so stuck with the plan all day. I struggled to think what I wanted, I had no major cravings so went the tried and tested bread, cheese and chocolate!
Tuna and cheese melt baguette, it was nice enough and I do love bread (and cheese for that matter) and yes I enjoyed it. However, it left me feeling bloated and overly full (even though I ate the same amount of calories as I have been eating). I stood for quite sometime at the chocolate counter deciding what to have, nothing really grabbed my fancy, but its chocolate it's all nice, right?

Went for a twirl and (I can't believe I am typing this) had one finger and to be honest that was plenty, it was a bit too sweet and sickly! Obviously I struggled through and ate the other finger - it was a cheat day after all, but I left myself feeling sick!

So it would seem that by cutting out the bad stuff, only a tiny bit will be sufficient to satisfy cravings.

Saturday night was also the first night in the past couple of weeks when I have been kept awake with EDS aches and pains. Now it may well be coincidence but I have noticed an improvement in the general pain levels while I have been on the 'detox'. Hmmmm this healthy eating might just be worth it.

Only 6 days left of the plan, then it is the Spartan Sprint (gulp) and then what? Watch this space.....

Nearly half way

I am on day 10 of the big detox. It is over a week with no bread, no pasta, no cheese, no chocolate, no potatoes... I could go on!

The weekend was a test, I was down at my mums and despite telling her before I was not eating sugar she still made a heap of cake, they all had a big gooey cheesy pizza, two lots of Mr Whippy ice-cream and all sorts of other goodies. I actually stayed strong and didn't cheat - not even a lick of C's ice-cream. All the foods 0 - Willpower 1.

So how is it going? Surprisingly well. I genuinely thought I would struggle, but I'm doing OK. I'm not saying I could do this forever but it has definitely shown me that I do not need to rely on those foods as much as I did. Once the 21 days are over (and I've stuffed my face after the Spartan race!) I think I am really going to try and stick to it 80% of the time. Although potatoes will no doubt make a triumphant return :-)

Here is the thing, I feel so much better. I'm a little bit disappointed as I wanted it to just be the same and then I could justify eating all the yummy foods but alas it is not to be. I am not as bloated and don't have that really full feeling after eating. I'm not hungry but not stuffed, can't move full. Now it has only been 10 days so it could well be coincidence but I have also not had as much EDS pain. It's still there, but has not been as bad. So it looks like eating well really is good for you!

The change in diet has been a bit tough in that it means cooking different meals for the family, whereas we normally just all eat the same. So it has been time for me to really think about me and not everyone else, which has been a bit hard. But most meals we have managed to adapt a bit so everyone is happy. I have also committed to going to bootcamp at least once a week and really trying to make some time for me!

The fact I only have 11 days left, also means I only have 11 days left to the Spartan race, which is a little bit scary! However I have so far raised £250 for EDS which is halfway to my target of £500 so if you are able to donate a few pennies it would be greatly appreciated. https://www.justgiving.com/bendyspartan/
I know that more people are now aware of EDS than at the start of the year so I am happy about that.

Thanks to everyone for there support it really does mean a lot x