note to self

Congrats on finally getting off your duff and doing some exercise.  Let's continue that all week, ok?

And, sometime this month, could you please put some air into your bike tires and get the pet basket fixed?  I'd like to see you get back to cycling, ok? 

I know you enjoy it. And the best part is that it is exercise disguaised as a hobby.  So, please do what you need to in order to be able to do it again ok??

great, looking forward to seeing a new you real soon,  keep it up,
amanda

10% losses

They say that a 10% reduction in weight can do wonders for a woman with PCOS.

So, here are my current 10% loss goals:

1. 1st 10%: 200
2. 2nd 10%: 180
3. 3rd 10%: 162
4. Then with a 7% loss I would be at goal: 150

(I know my weight FLUCTUATES drastically from day to day, so my goal is be somewhere between 150 and 155.)

Looking at it in these smaller chuncks somehow makes it seem a little more "do-able."  And, gives me reason to celebrate along the way.

So, here are the rewards I will give myself for losing 10%:

1. The "headboard" window art I've been wanting.
2. A classic ipod
3. A white gold necklace with Chinese characters on it.
4. Professional photos of me and Gibs

a third of the way there

My current weight is exactly one-third of goal.  Not bad.

Keep going girl . . . as you lose more it will become eaiser to lose more.  It will be like a snowball effect.

As you lose, your body will begin to heal, as it heals it will be easier to lose, as you lose you will heal more, the more you heal the easier it will be to lose . . . so just get the ball rolling. 

Make up your mind to entertain NO more excuses or delays.  Today is the day!  Just do it!!!

8 Goals for 2008

In order to reach my goal weight, I need to lose 1.3 pounds per week for the entire year of 2008.  If I do this, then I will end 2008 at the weight I want to be/stay.  How cool woul that be?!?

So . . . here are some of the things I am going to do in order to help me make that happen.

1. Keep Daily Records
I will write down  my weight, blood pressure, if I took my meds/vits, how much water I drank, if I exercised, how much sleep I got, headaches, and AF coming. 

I will then put these written records into my computer file on a weekly basis.  Probably either Thursday night, Sat morning, or Sunday night.  I will pick one day and be consistent with it.

2. Weekly Tracking
On a weekly basis, I will also keep track of things you can't put an actual number on.  So, on whatever day I sit down to add my numbers to the computer, I will also tack these things using a scale from 1-10: Depression, Fatigue, Loss of Aunt Flo, Acne, Hairloss, Hair on face and tummy, Out of Shape. 

3. Monthly Tracking
In addition to daily and weekly record keeping, I want to track of inches once a month.  So, on the 1st Sat of every month, I will measure and keep a body log.  And, I will also take photos so I can track how I am physically changing visulally too.

4. Exercise
My goal for exercise is (1) Walk Gilby twice a day for at least 5 min. (2) Exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 min of sweat.  I would love to say that I am going to exercise 4 or 5 or even 7 days a week for an hour each time, but I would fail and then quit all together.  It is better to aim low and actually be able to meet the goal and then as I progress be better than goal.  This will breed success rather than failure.

5. Drink Lots of Water
I am aming for 2000-2500ml a day (this is about 68 to 85 oz).

6. Get Good Sleep
I am aiming for 7-8 hours a night.  Going to bed between 10 and 11.   And then waking between 5 and 6.

7. Taking Meds and Vits
I want to become VERY regular with taking my meds and vitamins on a consistant basis.  So, I also plan that on the same day/time I do all the recording, I will also refill the little vials that hold my weekly med allotments.

8. WOE (Way of Eating)
I will try to follow the principles of the IR diet.  This includes linking and balancing, avoiding sugar and all stuff white, eating two servings of fruit and three servings of veggies daily, eating good, lean protein.  I also want to start eating more seafood--(ie. learn to cook fish). 

Part of me is thinking of doing the South Beach phase one to kick off weight loss and see what happens.  But, I fear failure, what if it doesn't work for me??  I guess I am just going to have to get over that fear and do it anyway.  Because fear of failure in 2007 allowed me to end the year at the same exact size I started the year.  :(  That is totally NOT fun!!

pep talk to self

Dear self,

It is time to get your act together.  :)

I know you've been trying to "be good" for this whole last year, but I also know you often fail because you keep telling yourself that you can start tomorrow.  But, see the problem is that you tomorrowed yourself through an entire year.

Now, the good news is that even though you tomorrowed youself through the whole year, you didn't throw caution to the wind.  You had enough self-conrol to end the year at the same weight you started it.  Which, is not a bad thing.  So, good for you.

BUT, this will NOT be good enough for 2008.  You need to end 2008 small, thinner, and lighter than you start it, ok?

You've lost weight before, so I know you CAN do it.   The key to losing what you lost last time was regular exercise, taking met and vitamins, and avoiding simple carbs.  So, lets do that again, ok?

And, you know, what you lost, you lost the most and the fastest while you were exercising.  So, jia yo girl . . . get active.  Get moving and watch yourself succeed!!!

test results

I went to the OBGYN and got my blood test results.  Out of everything he tested for last month, two things were high.  Triglycerides were at 203.  And some other hormone that starts with a P that I've never heard of before--but increases when you are lactating was high. He told me that if that P hormone is high and one is not pregnant or breast feeding it is an indication of stress.  ???  Never heard that before.

I asked him about spiro. and he liked the idea.  So, he changed me off of Diane-35 and on to sprio instead.  He said I could take both at the same time, but they basically have the same function---reduce male hormones.  And, since spiro doesn't prompt a monthly bleeding, then we could see if I would menstruate on my own with out the extra hormonal help. 

Another doc I had wouldn't put me on a BC pill till the met alone was helping me menstruate, so I like my current doctor's thinking on this. 

And, I also like the idea of getting off the BC pill since/if I do have to watch my blood pressure.  And, I think it was also causing monthly migraines/really bad headaches. 

My blood pressure in his office was SKY high.  But, I told him that I was taking it at home and showed him those numbers.  So, for now he decided to up my metformin and change the BC pill to spiro.

I am SO grateful for this doctor.  It is actually an accident that I am seeing him.  The doctor I had been seeing left on vacation and sent me over to this guy.  This guy knows PCOS, and his English is pretty good, and he takes time to talk to me, and answer my questions and explain things to me.  I left his office so happy for this blessing.  God is kind.

PCOS is so personal and can strip a girl of her femininity making it quite embarrassing and humbling to talk about.  I am so very glad I have a doctor that is taking me and it seriously--not just looking at whether or not I have a regular time of the month--but all the components of PCOS.

where did december go??

Did I really just miss an entire month on here??  What a waste--of money, effort, time.  UGH!

Today is Christmas . .. after today, I am going to get serious again.

I have a Drs appt today too.  So, I'll report back what he says soon.

amanda

Nov OBGYN appointment

Had a new doc this week . . .

He is concerned because my blood pressure is high.  He ordered a battery of blood tests to check for lipids, hormone levels, and insulin as well.

I liked him. 

He wants to address the metabolic issues.  And, that is fine with me.

I wonder if he'd give me spironolcactone for blood pressure so it would also help with the hair issues.

Hirsutism problems

Cocktail of Drugs May Help Hirsutism

Researchers at the University College London Hospital in the U.K. recently examined 28 medical studies of medical treatments for hirsutism (excessive hair growth) in women with PCOS. They did not examine "alternative" treatments.

They report that seven groups of drugs showed a "significant reduction in hirsutism" The seven drug groups were flutamide, spironolactone, cyproterone acetate combined with an oral contraceptive, thiazolidinediones, oral contraceptive pills, finasteride and metformin. If you are interested in a medical approach for excessive hair growth, ask your doctor about using one or more of these medications.

However, they also found that "obesity has a negative impact on the efficacy of treatments for hirsutism, thus appropriate lifestyle advice is necessary for a successful treatment program." In other words, the more overweight you are, the less effective are the various drugs.

Source: Koulouri O et al, A systematic review of commonly used medical treatments for hirsutism in women, Clin Endocrinol (Oxf). 2007 Nov 2; [Epub ahead of print]

Taken from here, emphasis is mine.

feel fat

I tried to get some pics for christmas but all i see and feel is fat, fat, fat!!