Not ideal

A Friday night summary and / or reflection on my day:

Things I do not recommend:

• three hours of dental work on a Friday morning when you have severe dental anxiety 
• having 4 fillings replaced and / or done at one time under the same circumstances 

Things I do recommend:

• taking Valium prior to having all that work done
• having a husband who will drive you to and from your dental appointment
• taking a 4-hour nap post-appointment to let the medication wear off
• having a husband who will bring you Panera soup for lunch and make you baked potatoes for dinner so there is no crunching
• a long Parks and Rec marathon all evening while you recover 

Welcome to my Friday. It was rough, but it's getting better. :)

Cats, snacks, and willpower - a light bulb moment!

Yesterday I had a semi-light-bulb moment. I was driving home from the gym, thinking about dinner, when it happened – bing! Light bulb.

You’ve read about my kitties– we have two now. Mac is older (my original baby) and rescue cat. He had a hard life before we got him and was quarantined for six months. Toby, also a rescue, was found in a barn before we adopted him from PetSmart.

Their little personalities are so funny and so different. Mac is our scaredy-cat. He’s extremely alert and usually wary, but very loving to anyone he gets to know. He jumps at loud noises, he hides under the bed when strangers are over, and regularly spends his days down in the basement away from any other interaction.

Toby, on the other hand, has been nicknamed “Toby the Terrible” in the 6 months we’ve had him. He is constantly in, on, under, or around everything. He steals food off your plate and rips the curtains to shreds. He’s constantly on the kitchen counter, but also just stares at your angelically like he can’t figure out why you’re unhappy with him.

Bear with me, non-cat people. I’m getting to the light bulb!

So – to recap. Mac: cautious, shy, curious. Toby: in your face (usually literally), loud (he purrs like a diesel engine), constant.

Here’s the thing: my cats pretty much perfectly represent my willpower and relationship with food – mainly sweets and snacks.

(BING. Light bulb.)

Mac is my willpower around these foods – standing in the shadows, carefully watching but not interacting, has to be lured out into the open. Toby is the food I don’t want or need – always around, always making itself known, always standing on my head and begging for attention. While the sweets and snacks are always around, calling my name, my willpower to avoid them is much more hesitant. When I’m not in control of it or carefully tending to it, it doesn’t come out, and then I give in to the snacks. I don’t want to, but the snacks are just so much more obvious and constant, and my willpower kind of shrinks back into the distance.

I am working on getting my diet back on track following the Thanksgiving / Christmas / birthday extravaganza. I’ve really been paying attention to what we’re making at home and what I’m consuming, but I have realized that it’s all the little things that don’t seem like much, but really add up, that tend to be my downfall. Yesterday, I was tempted in the office by the following things: a box of See’s chocolates, an open package of Oreos, a loaf of homemade banana bread, and Chicago-style popcorn someone brought straight from Chicago. None of those things really sounds so terrible individually, but, added together, a little bit of each turns into hundreds of extra calories that I don’t need or want. I needed my willpower in a big way, and I stuck to my guns and said “no, thank you” to each and every thing. At the end of the day, I wasn’t disappointed or missing any of those things – none were so special that I really needed to have it – but, in the past few months, normally I would have just gone ahead and snacked. No wonder I’ve got a few extra LBs that didn’t used to be there!

I love treats. I really do. Anyone who knows me, knows that the way to my heart is carbs and sugar. It is so hard for me to pass up candy / dessert / snacks – even when it not’s something that I will even really enjoy! I eat good food for my meals, but the mindless snacking in between is what inevitably does me in.

Willpower is a hard thing to have, for me, anyway. It’s hard to call upon, hard to maintain, and hard to remember to call out of the shadows. I don’t like to deprive myself or feel like I missed out on something, so it’s far easier for me to say yes to whatever is being passed my way – even if it’s something I normally wouldn’t eat. I’m working on making that part of me stronger and louder, and making more of an effort to coax it out and at least KIND OF silence the call of the snacks. Definitely easier said than done!

Back to the cats. I’m hoping that the sense of visualization that I’ve created for myself with this analogy will help me do better with willpower and saying no to foods that I don’t even really want to eat. When I think of my kitties, I tend to always think of Toby first, because he is the one who just always commands attention. It takes me a second, but then my sweet Mac comes to mind, standing a little ways back, not quite willing to walk into the situation. He’s always there, just not as fervently as Toby is. There’s my willpower – always there, just waiting to be called and noticed. I can say no! (even as there are blueberry scones and banana bread being passed around the office as we speak… dang it!)

How do you avoid snacking? Do you exercise strong willpower?Are you a "I forget to eat" person? I'm not. How do you do it?!

Manic Mobile Monday

I might have to start a new thing called Mobile Monday... I had every intention of getting a post together for this morning, but before I know it, the day is almost over! The hours just fly by. Manic Monday is DEFINITELY real. Whew. 

We had a super busy weekend that was filled with quality time with family and friends, so I can't complain about that. I can, however, complain about how my weekend started: with a visit to the dermatologist, which I left with one less mole than I began. Womp, womp. A spot on my hand was deemed "weird" by the doctor, and next thing I knew, it was being removed for further testing. See ya, spot!

Pain in my hand aside, I can't actually complain about the appointment. The office was nice, the doctor was friendly and knowledgeable, and she was very proactive about skin care. Check, check, and check! So there's my PSA for the day: if you haven't had your skin checks lately, stop everything and make an appointment! It is so very important. 

Another notable weekend activity was a major yard project: bush removal! I have hated the boxwood bushes in front of our house since the day we moved in, so I got it in my head that we should remove them. Let me just say this: ripping out gigantic hedges is not as simple as one might believe. 

Luckily, I put together my dream team (my parents and husband are awesome) (not at all by bribing them with wine and food...) and together we ripped those suckers out. It may or may not have involved attaching a rope to my mom's Lexus and tying it around a bush and yanking it out of the ground... We're classy, y'all. At the end of the day, though, I was freaking thrilled with the results. You can actually see my front porch! Hooray! I am really lucky I got help though... Because, in retrospect, I have no idea how I thought I was going to handle that alone. It was a much bigger project than I anticipated! 

Our final activity of the weekend was attending a crab fest hosted by the local chapter of the Virginia Tech Alumni Association.

 It was so much fun, and made me simultaneously happy and sad. Happy, because it's almost time for college football to come back! But sad, because it was a "freshman send-off" event for local kids who are heading down to Blacksburg to start their college career.. And I am so jealous!! What I wouldn't give to be starting those four years over again. They don't know how lucky they are! Sob. 

Anyway, we ate crabs, drank beer, and enjoyed the great company of fellow Hokies - can't beat that for a Sunday afternoon! 

C and I are looking forward to getting more involved with the alumni club - it's such a great organization, and I love meeting people who love my alma mater as much as I do. Hokie Nation, baby!

So tell me...

• Have you ever tackled a home-improvement project that turned out harder than you expected?
• Are you involved with your college alumni club?
• Are you a crab eater? I LIKE crab, but I really don't like working so hard for my food...!

All aboard...

Let's not beat around the bush. Last week was really hard (thank you all for your sweet comments on my last post!). I spent the majority of the week eating my feelings... which I don't regret for a minute. There come some (occasional, hopefully) times in life where you just have to throw in the towel and eat ice cream for dinner, pour another glass of wine, and dig the emergency Thin Mints out of the freezer. Hopefully not all in one night, but... you do you. I'm not here to judge. I'm merely stating facts: personally, I find comfort in food, and there are moments where I just want to stop thinking about eating healthy and eat like I feel like eating (carbs and sweets, all the way). And so I did.

It looked a lot like this:

Gelato, enchilada casserole, TJ's treats, ravioli with mushroom sauce... yum.

And it was delicious. Don’t you doubt it for a second. I believe that it helped me get through the week (because Reese’s eggs are the cure for all problems, amiright?) and come out on the other side functioning.

But here’s the thing about making the decision to eat my feelings: there comes a point where I make the decision to stop (and you can, too!). I gave myself a week – I got through the time when C wasn’t home and when things were the hardest, and after that, I said enough already. Time to get back on the train.

I tucked the candies back into their hiding spot (out of sight = out of mind) and put the emergency Ben & Jerry’s back underneath all the frozen fruit. I got my butt to the gym for BodyPump on Monday evening and again last night for yoga. Two for two, y’all. It’s the little things! I hit up the store and loaded my cart with veggies and fruits, I made a meal plan, and I switched out the wine for water (ugh, rough). I had my week of throwing it all out the window, and it was fine. The world didn’t end, I didn’t gain 10 pounds (somewhat shocking), and I didn’t collapse from lack of salad. But then I stood myself up straight and looked myself in the eye and said, “time to leave this station, Lindsay!”

Thanks, BodyPump. The train is a-comin'!

We can all get back on the train. There is nothing wrong with getting off the train - honestly, you have to get off the train to get the true experience at each station; you can't just watch it from the window… (am I taking this analogy too far?) The locations beyond each station are delightful! ...But in order to get to the next place, you have to get back on the train. Continue the journey. Don’t get stuck in a rut!

The truth is, I feel better when I eat well, and I feel better when I work out. There’s not some big mystery out there about how to be healthy – it’s pretty simple. Treat your body well, and it will treat you well. So, I spent a little time treating my emotions, and now I’m back to treating my body. It’s a smidge less delicious (a lot less sugary), but it’s the right call. So, I’ve got salad for lunch and I’m off to fill up my water bottle… someone eat a cupcake for me.

This winter, I'm fighting back

Every winter, without fail, it's like all the moisture in my body suddenly evacuates. My skin is dry, my hair is dry, my throat is parched... every drop of water is gone! This winter, I've been trying my best to fight back. It's hard for me to find products that moisturize without feeling greasy or wet, and I have sensitive skin and thin hair, so I need products that won't worsen the issues, but will provide some relief. I've rounded up a few of my favorites, and maybe you will see something here that will help you battle winter dryness!

Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask // I've been using this mask for several years now, and it's one of the only things I've found that doesn't make my hair greasy and weighed down, and actually does add moisture. I use it once a week or so - schmear it on, leave for a few minutes, comb through, and rinse. And it smells nice, too!

Aveeno Skin Relief Overnight Cream // This lotion is intensely thick and rich. It smells kind of oatmeal-y, but it doesn't bother me. I'm not sure what it is about using it overnight that helps, but I put it on right before I go to bed and the moisture usually holds through the next day

Aveeno Skin Relief Shower & Bath Oil // I just found this product this year, and I love it so far. You use it at the very end of your shower, and it locks in the moisture. It's only of the only things I've found that helps me not feel like my skin is on fire the minute I step out of the shower. Plus, it hasn't left my shower super greasy and slippery, the way other similar products have in the past.

Eos Vanilla Bliss Ultra Moisturizing Shave Cream // This is another product I just found this year, and I'm really happy with it. Usually, when I use shaving cream to shave, even if it's a "deep moisture" or "dry skin" version, I can practically feel it drying my skin as I go. Not with this! It's more like a lotion than a shaving cream, and it actually moisturizes while you shave. I'm not sure I agree with the "24 hour" claim on the bottle, but as long as I use this and lotion afterwards, my legs feel alright.

Vaseline Original Petroleum Jelly // Perhaps the least glamorous product on the list, petroleum jelly is what I use when nothing else is working. It is rather greasy, so I try to use it before bed or when I don't have to go anywhere for a bit. However, it's one of the only things that helps when my hands get cracked and dry, and it works wonders for knees and elbows, too. Better than any hand cream I've tried, and cheaper, too!

What products do you use to survive the winter? Any secret weapons? The worse my skin gets, the more I consider migrating somewhere warm this time of year!

Stronger than yesterday.

Yes, that is a Britney reference, and I don’t hate it.

Last night, I went to yoga for the first time in a month. The last time I tried, it just hurt too badly – the muscles in my back weren’t ready for it, and I spent most of the class in Child’s Pose (which was nice! But not really what I was there for).  I decided last night to give it another shot, as my back has been feeling pretty good lately. I took it easy, and modified the poses as I felt necessary. I didn’t push myself at all; I just enjoyed each pose and the peace that comes with being in a dark, quiet room. I felt good afterwards.  I’m sore today, but it’s the sore that comes from stretching muscles that have been dormant for a while. It’s not an injury.

I think that I’m really, truly back.

I’ve been to BodyPump a couple of times in the last few weeks, and it doesn’t hurt. Granted, I’m using baby weights (and it’s so frustrating – just a few months ago I was lifting 3x what I’m lifting now), but it feels good to be back in the class and not have any pain and be able to trust my body.  It feels good to be moving back into my routine.

This weekend, I’m running a half marathon. If you had told me when I ran that first 8k in March, that 9 months later I’d be gearing up to do 13.1 miles, I probably just would have laughed at you. That was always a thing that I said “I could never do.” And I wouldn’t even consider it! But here I am. A few months ago, I was in so much pain that putting on pants or getting out of bed was enough to take my breath away. I thought for sure that I was going to have to abandon my goal. But here I am, a few months later, having worked my way back, and ready to go after it. It may not be as great as I’d originally intended, but I’m going to do it. And then next time, I’m going to do better.

Every day, I’m a little healthier. I’m back to square one: my endurance is lower, my muscles are weaker, everything is a little bit harder. But every day I’m a little stronger, and what else could I really want?

 

That, my friends, is the face of a girl who's
really, really happy to be back at the gym.

 

PS. Currently working on my half-marathon playlist, and you can bet your booty I’ll be jamming to a little B.Spears while I run! Love.

Activ-ain't

Considering the fact that I consider myself a bit of a fitness fanatic (I know, I know, that's still weird to me, too), it's been decidedly quiet around these parts re: the topic of fitness lately. And personally, I hate it.

This back issue is the first "major" injury that I've ever had to deal with, outside of shin splints. This is the first time I've ever found myself truly sidelined from an injury. This is the first time I've been told, "do not do anything." I know that, in the grand scheme of things, this little back twinge is hardly a "major" injury, but for someone who's just never experienced anything like this, it is really changing my perspective. My perspective is currently coming from the couch. Humph.

And seriously, truly - this is killing me. I am not good at being injured. I am not good at being patient and resting and healing and sitting around doing nothing. Honestly, it's been fun to make some dinners that require more effort in the evenings, and spend more time with C watching TV (my couch-potato status gave us plenty of time to watch all of Season 1 of Homeland!) and snuggling my cat. But I am so over it. I want to be in the gym. I want to go to yoga and BodyPump and my abs class. I want to run. I want my normal routine back.

I know that if I push too soon or jump in too fast, I'm going to hurt myself again, and probably worse. I know that I need to be gentle and take my time and blah blah blah. But when I'm sitting on the couch feeling squishy because I had a week of FIVE REST DAYS (blerg), I tend to forget those things and just feel like I want to jump up and put on my tennis shoes and run. I haven't been this inactive in years. Seriously - years. Ever since that first day in January 2010 that my mom and I signed up for Gold's, I've been religiously, fanatically going to the gym and getting in workouts every single time I possibly can. This couch-potato person is who I used to be, not who I am now. I'm getting antsy. I'm looking in the mirror and can practically see my muscle definition evaporating (dramatic, perhaps, but it's cool). I was feeling good a few months ago. Now I feel squishy.

I'm going to have to start back at square one, and I'm not looking forward to it. That means light weights and short runs. That means gentle classes and easing back into what I used to be doing. It means listening and taking those rest days that I need and continuing to be BFFs with my ice pack (we've gotten to know each other reallll good). It means I have to be patient (not something I'm good at). 

Feeling a bit like Debbie Downer today, but I needed to get this off my chest. And I figure that, if I write it all down, I have to stick to this plan of healing and working my way back into my old routine. Once the words are out there on the page, it has to happen, right? Whether I like it or not.

I do not like it, Sam-I-am.

Here's baby otters, to make up for the Moaning Myrtle post today:

[google images]

How to Get Out of Running a Race You Really Want to Run

Alternately titled, "I'm Too Stubborn for My Own Damn Good."

Follow these steps carefully:

1. Sign up for a race (for example, the Wicked 10K) months in advance (at least four. maybe five).
2. Injure your back, approximately two months before the race.
3. Ignore that injury, and continue exercising strenuously (for ideas, try lifting heavier weights than usual or running 11 miles...... just suggestions).
4. Complain a lot about said injury.
5. Finally see a chiropractor, who promptly tells you to ice your back 3-4 times daily and refrain from strenuous activity anything (like weight-lifting, or running) but the elliptical.
6. Rejoice in the glory that is being pain-free and gush about your chiropractor.
7. Ignore the chiropractor's advice - instead, ice one time daily and go for three runs.
8. Be confused when not only does your back hurt again, but it hurts worse.
9. See chiropractor again. He promptly yells at you for ignoring his advice and undoing the amazing work that he did on your back.
10. Decide to listen to chiropractor (he is a medical professional, after all) and finally start icing and stop exercising.
11. Heal - very, very slowly. Definitely not in time for your race. Which you could have run, had you:
1. Taken it easier when your back first started hurting.
2. See a doctor sooner.
3. Taken the doctor's advice.
4. Not been so freaking stubborn.
12. Be very, very sad about the fact that you will probably have to walk most of this race because there is an ice-cube's-chance-in-hell likelihood that the chiropractor will clear you to run 10k this weekend.

This is clearly a hypothetical suggestion, because obviously I would never be the person so dumb as to do all of these things. This is a horrible plan. Who would do these things??

Anyone else going to be at the Wicked 10K this weekend?? Wave to me as you run by. I'll be the crying dumb sad girl.

The Man Who Changed My Life

It wasn’t my father. It wasn’t my husband. In fact, it was a complete stranger – but our very short interaction did, in fact, change my life.

Before you start thinking that some deep, profound event occurred, let me set you straight – I finally saw a chiropractor. >>cue angels singing<<

Just like that.
[source]

I’ve mentioned before that my lower back has been bothering me, to the point that I’ve been taking some time off from the gym and going a bit easy in my workouts (minus the 11-mile run on Sunday, but that’s neither here nor there). I don’t like it – I prefer to stick to my regular, do-something-every day routine, but I also like to be able to do things like put on pants or get out of bed without feeling like an old woman. So, I’ve been trying to listen to my body.

I rested.

I stretched.

I foam-rolled.

I took walks.

I iced.

I heated.

I got a massage.

I tried everything I could think of, and it didn’t seem like anything was making an ounce of difference. The pain wasn’t severe or constant, but it was regular and just enough to be irritating – and just enough to have me changing up my routine. Finally, yesterday, when I was getting up from my chair at my desk and it still just ached, I decided to bite the bullet and find a doctor. (I hate going to the doctor. I’d really rather not – I’d rather just let nature run its course. But nature was not working this time around.)

So, I started calling doctors recommended by my insurance company until I found one that said the magic words: “we can see you today!” (OK, really, I called three – one was closed for the week, one wasn’t open yet, and the third had an after-work appointment available. You win! Done and done.)

When I got to the office, I handed over my new patient paperwork, and the doctor took me back immediately (seriously, that’s awesome. Awesome!). I explained where my pain was and what the circumstances were, and he had me sit down and he looked at and felt my back. Within seconds, he said “Yep! Your SI joint is all out of whack.” Well now - that, sir, sounds completely accurate. It’s basically exactly what I thought it was – I was misaligned. My right SI joint had sort of rotated and popped out of place, and the result was that it was pushing on the surrounding ligaments and causing swelling, hence the pain. Makes sense to me!

The offending joints.
[source]

In order to alleviate the pain, everything needed to be manipulated back into place. After some electro-pulse-therapy nonsense (to loosen and fatigue my back muscles) and ten minutes with a heating pad, the doctor gave me a good stretch and then popped my hips back into place. It was basically the best back-crack of my life. It took minutes. And I immediately felt better! WHY DIDN’T I DO THIS WEEKS AGO!? Seriously – could have saved myself a lot of pain and effort…. Lesson learned. I was advised to take the night off and ice my lower back a few times to get the swelling down, and ice it a few more times today, then come back into the office tomorrow to make sure that everything has stayed in place. I’m clear to do some light cardio tonight (elliptical, most likely, so that I’m not putting pressure on anything) and can do whatever upper-body weight-lifting I like. After that, go with it until the pain goes away, but it should clear up quickly now that there isn’t pressure and swelling where there shouldn’t be. 

The doctor was super nice and funny (he informed me that if I’d waited much longer, my hips would just keep rotating until my “butt was in the front” – ha) and explained what was going on with my body in a way that completely made sense. He was laid back, the office was nice and clean, and the receptionist was really sweet and totally on top of things (she had my insurance all figured out in seconds). Oh, and like I said – they got me in for an appointment same-day and made my return appointment in about two seconds. All in all, a fantastic find – I’m really pleased! (If you live in the NoVa area and want his name, let me know!) I just wish I’d gone sooner.

Best indicator that things are already getting better: I put on pants pain-free this morning. Success! (Granted, I’d rather just not being wearing pants, but that’s another thing that’s frowned upon in the work place… sigh.)

Giving Myself Permission to Quit the #RWRunStreak

Alternatively, this post could be titled “Your Body is Talking… Are You Listening?” Part/Section/Version/Round 2. It seems like perhaps that’s becoming a theme around here – be on the lookout for a weekly column titled “YBITARL?”! (Joking. Hopefully that is not necessary.)

For some background information, Runner’s World is currently hosting a challenge on their website called the Runner’s World RunStreak, or #RWRunStreak on Twitter. The challenge is to run 1+ miles per day, every day from Memorial Day to the Fourth of July. I, along with some of my runner girlfriends, decided to participate, and I hit the roads hard. I take a challenge very seriously – so much so, in fact, that I got up at 4:45 AM one day to get my run in, because I knew I wouldn’t have any other time during the day. To put it lightly, I am not a morning person. That’s how intent I’ve been on successfully participating in #RWRunStreak. What can I say? I’m competitive.

But last week, a problem arose. The words that no runner wants to hear – the dreaded SS: shin splints. The nasty pain in my shins came back with a vengeance, and let me tell you, it ain’t been pretty. Every step I've taken lately hurts. My shins ache. My muscles are tight. It's not good. And I recognize it.

More background: When I was in high school, I was on the dance team at school, and took five studio dance classes at a time.

Throwback! Crappy picture-of-a-picture, sorry. I'm on the left!

It was intense, and I developed some pretty nasty shin splints. There reached a point during my junior year of high school when I could not walk from class to class without debilitating pain in my shins, and a few doctor visits and a bone scan later, the doctor told me what was pretty obvious: I had heavily overdone it, and was causing myself serious damage. That, combined with other factors, led to my decision to quit the dance team for my senior year of high school. It was a tough decision. However, my shins healed, and I’ve never really felt that pain again.

Until last week. I mentioned that on Wednesday, I had the worst run of my life. Part of what made it so was my having to stop approximately every half mile. It wasn’t because I was out of breath or anything like that, it was because my shins were screaming at me. The pain was awful, and, honestly, I probably shouldn’t have finished the run. I should have gone home. But I didn’t - bad Lindsay. I felt a bit better the next day, and went out for my run with my running partner (Hi Suzann!) after my class at the gym. My shins felt OK, much better than the day before, but still not great. That night, in the shower, I found myself having a serious conversation with myself. I knew that I needed a break. I knew that I needed a few days off running, to let my shins recover a little, and I know that I need my rest days.

So I convinced myself that it was OK to quit the #RWRunStreak. It was not easy. I have mentioned before that I have a very, very hard time giving myself a break. I don’t like to quit, and I don’t like to leave things that I’ve started unfinished. However, I do not need to win this.

Here’s why: I started running, and exercising in general, really, because it makes me feel good. I like it. I enjoy myself when I’m doing it, and I enjoy being healthy and fit. There is absolutely no reason that I should be in pain while I do it. If the whole point is for the benefits, and if I am sitting at home icing my shins and wincing every time I go up and down the steps, I’m not getting benefits – I’m injuring myself. For no reason whatsoever. I am no longer on a team. I do not have to win. I can take a break and let my body recover when it needs to. It should not hurt; it should be fun! And so, I didn’t run. On Friday, I went to yoga, which I’d been missing badly. On Saturday morning, I took BodyPump, and it felt good. I skipped the runs both days, I stretched my shins and calves, and I took it a little bit easy. 

On Sunday morning, I headed out for an early-morning run with Suzann, and we ended up doing 9 miles. Nine! We had a great time – it was hot and humid even though we were out by 7:30 AM, and it wasn’t easy, but it was enjoyable time spent with a friend. For me, that’s what running is supposed to be. It isn’t supposed to be pushing myself to do one single painful mile because a hashtag is compelling me to and because I don’t know when to stop. I would so much rather be able to go out for a long, happy run with a friend, than do one painful mile every day for a month.  I want to be able to run races. I want to run the races I'm registered for this year, and I want to complete my first half next year. If I'm going to do those things, I have to take the necessary breaks and rest & recovery days that I need. I realized in the shower on Thursday night that, if I continue with the Run Streak, I probably won’t be able to do my best in the 5K I’m registered for at the end of June, because I will be too worn out and in too much pain. And to me, that just isn’t worth it.

Happy running - aka what it should always be like!

And with that, I gave myself permission to quit. It was a good run (pun intended!) but it’s not for me – I’ll be running on my own schedule, and my own terms, with legs and shins that don’t hurt. I’m unhappy about it, but c’est la vie. Again, my body is talking to me, and I know I need to listen. (The ol’ body is getting pretty bossy, actually – or maybe I’m just becoming a better listener.) I do not have to win this competition. But I’m pretty sure that, in the long run, this is the winning decision. See ya, #RWRunStreak. It was good while it lasted.

Your body is talking... are you listening?

Y'all, our bodies talk to us. They tell us when we're hungry. Tired. Cold. Hot. Nervous. Our bodies are really very smart. And they usually make their statements known, loud and clear. You should listen to your body. It knows things.

But what happens when we don't listen to our bodies?

Well, that's when our bodies start screaming their messages, louder and louder, and eventually just whack us upside the head 'til we pay attention and listen.

I got whacked upside the head last night. So now I'm listening.

Confession: I have a water-drinking problem. As in, I don't drink enough of it. Not by far. Really, I never have. (Please refer back to the Diet Coke issue - clearly, not a water drinker!) I know all the tricks, about adding lime slices or Crystal Light packets or making green tea - but it's just not my thing. I just don't like it. However, I've been making a really concerted effort to be better. I have a water bottle that I keep at work, and I fill it up all the time. I try to drink lots at the gym, and drink a glass every night before I go to bed. But it's still not a habit, and it's not my favorite - I'd almost always prefer to be drinking something else.

This past weekend, I did a lot of "drinking something else" - beer, soda, margaritas, mojitos, beer... yeah. Not much water. In my defense, I did have some - a bottle here and there, but down by the dock, it was just too easy to grab a cold one from the cooler, rather than walk all the way back up to the house to fill my plastic bottle. I drank some after my workouts, but probably not enough to replace what I lost, given how hot it was. I drank a glass on Monday night after my run - but probably needed two or three, at least. And then, yesterday, the final straw - I forgot my water bottle at home, and, therefore, didn't drink any water all day at work.

By last night, my body had just had enough. It started by gently poking me - I noticed that I felt like my arms were cramping a little. And when I didn't listen, it started full on beating on me. Sitting on the couch last night while finishing up some work, my calves both started cramping. On and off, feeling so tight and tense and twisted. And I finally listened. I finally heard what my body was saying: "waaaatteerrrrrr. WWAAATTTTEERRRR. WATER! NOW!" Jeez. Yell a little, why don'tcha?

So I've been being good, and giving it what it wants. I drank two big glasses last night before bed, and made sure I had my water bottle with me at work today. And I've been practically drowning myself to provide my body with what it needs.

Keeping track.

I'm currently working my way through bottle #4. It ain't easy. I feel like I'm just going to float away. But I am listening to my body, and I am giving it what it wants. I guess what my mom has always told me is proving true yet again - I really am a "selective listener." I hear what I want to hear. Good thing my body knows when to whack me upside the head and make me pay attention.

What healthy habit do you knowingly get wrong? Do you listen when your body tells you something? Or are you more like me (not that that's a bad thing!)?