Don't forget to Hydrate!!!!!! Especially when running outside :)

One thing I keep seeing from the running group I am participating in is HYDRATE, HYDRATE, and HYDRATE (any suggestions on how to do this will be appreciated) especially here in Texas. The email we got today from USA/San Antonio fit gave us the following information:
"Hydration needs continue as well, and generally you need to consume 4-8 oz every 15-20 min. Remember, though, that you should "obey your thirst" and not over drink, and likewise don't ignore your thirst."
This is something I always have trouble with because I fear having to use the bathroom on our running route and there is no where to use the bathroom except maybe a bush where there might be a snake. Lately it has been so hot outside that it feel dehydrated just leaving the house for a couple of hours!!! So I have been trying to drink as much water as I can the day before any intense workouts especially if I know it's going to be outside.
The other thing I have tried is using gels, shot blocks, or sport beans when running long distances to keep myself hydrated and those work pretty good you just have to make sure you drink some water after using them. I personally can not use the ones with caffeine they make my stomach upset but some people I know love the ones with caffeine for the extra energy boost. Depending on the distance and where the run is, I will take a fuel belt with a water botter or two it does add some weight but I guess that's better then passing out on the road from dehydration. This are just some of the things I have tried. If anyone out there has any other suggestions please feel free to comment, I am open to suggestions.

When you miss your bootcamp..Do a mixture of exercise?

Ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had every intention of going to bootcamp this morning I even went to bed early, got up early took my thyroid medication and gave myself enough time to eat a light snack before exercising. But, I had one slight problem I thought my workout clothes were dry and while I had enough work out tops on hand I had no workout bottoms except for pants and it is way to hot for pants. So what's a girl to do??? Maybe pick of mixture of workouts?? So that's my plan for today, I am going to go to Yoga to stretch and tone my muscles in order to replace the strength training I am missing in bootcamp, and hopefully a little later do either my walking DVD that I have been wanting to try or go for a walk later this evening to replace the running workout I missed yesterday. Nothing to intense just something to get my body moving.

To Hot to Trot??

So what is a girl to do when the outside temperature is hotter then an oven?? Does this mean I get to take a break from exercise?!! I think maybe or maybe not.
Today's running schedule says to do 10x30-30 which means run for 30 seconds run fast and then run for 30 seconds slow 10x. That is of course after warming up. This sounds like a good plan but not in this heat. Just taking a foot outside of any airconditioned building is a warm-up in itself ;) So now I have to age old question of what should I do??? Give myself a break today, maybe go to the track later, try out the new walking DVD that I got, go to the gym and use the treadmill (which I don't like, I get bored on the treadmill), use the Wii?? Yesterday the running schedule said to run for 30 minutes but I didn't do that since I went to bootcamp so now I have another question. Do I do the 30 minute run/walk or do I do the speed work?? I am not really trying to work on speed right now so maybe the 30 minute running/walking would be best?

March 2,3,4.. Bootcamp is for losers

Okay I am not in a military bootcamp, but in late June I decided to start an new adventure.
 Bootcamp Fitness,  yes it's crazy and yes it's tough but  I decided to take on a challenge!!     Boy, did I get myself into a challenge.    Why is this a  challenge for me??   Well, if I am having a bad no thyroid day and my energy levels are low then going to bootcamp is going to take every ounce of energy I have .However, I have been doing pretty good with this new dosage so I am happy to say I have survived my 4th day of bootcamp.       
I have always wanted to see what it was like to particpate in a biggest loser type of workout, well my wish has come true.    Today this psycho trainer (he is actually not psycho, he just comes up with crazy hard workouts)  had us doing all sorts of things from running, to jumping, to lunging, to bear crawling and the list goes on.     But since I love to run, I actually enjoyed today's workout; yes I am a little psycho myself when it comes to running.    
After class was done today, several of us where trying to peel ourselves off the floor and of course saw a reflections of ourselves in the mirror.   After all of us complained about problem area's, I reazlied that bootcamp is for losers, all of us there have something we want to lose. I am pretty sure though that we have all lost our minds  by participating in this :)

No new clothes for me. Time to Track!!!!!

After a weekend of trying on different clothes and realizing that not only did I feel like a rolly polly I looked like a rolly polly..  I decided to start tracking calories.. I told myself that I am not allowed to buy new clothes until I lose some weight.     Here is the problem..
1) I don't have a thyroid and it takes me 2-3x the amount of exercise then a "normal" person to lose a lb.
2) I just started a new dosage of synthroid and I hope it's enough to get me through a workout.
3) Counting calories is just not fun for anyone.. 

So my solution:   sign up for myfitnesspal.com and track away track away track away all...

Oh and I don't know how long the not buying clothes until I lose weight adventure will last so far I have done pretty good. 

What is normal anyway??

After my surgery I began to really question what being "normal" would feel like. The doctor had given me an increased dosage of synthroid but I still did not feel myself. I couldn't explain to people what I felt like and when I would say "I feel tired and like a TV that is getting good reception." People would respond Oh yeah I am tired to... Ugh!!!! I felt like saying, I know your tired but imagine running a car without the right battery, or feeling like everything is moving around you and you can't keep up.
Most of the time I let people believe that their tiredness was the same as mine, but reality was it wasn't. I was so frustrated because being at work was a struggle, getting up to go run in the morning wasn't even possible, I had difficulty concentrating at work, and often times I was just happy to make it through the day. I often reflected on what it felt like to feel "normal" or how I felt prior to having my thyroid out and slowly began to miss the butterfly in my neck that had overgrown. I felt a little empty without it. I began to wonder will I ever be "normal"???? I don't know how many times I would say that to my parents I just want to be "normal" of course they would respond with you are "normal" but I just couldn't figure out how I could be normal if I was missing a part. Well, I still don't know what "normal" is but really does anybody???

Leave my neck alone..

About 10 days after my surgery I went to follow up with my endocrinologist so he could check my TSH level and adjust my dosage of Synthroid.   Slightly before my surgery I decided to switch from the generic levothryoxine to the name brand of Synthroid in hopes of better results.      At the doctors visit the endocrinologist informed that my Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) was very elevated.  I had a PTH level of 271, which is abnormally high.... Here we go again more problems in my neck.  He tells me that I also have a little bit of a vitamin D deficiency but that the PTH level is very concerning and that maybe it's a lab error.    So off I go to  the labs.   
Soon after I go back to my endocrinologist only to find out that my PTH is now at 311, and that I may have a tumor on my parathyroid gland and that I may need surgery... WHAT!!!!!   You just had someone cut into my neck, leave a scar and now you are telling me there is something else wrong..   

So off I went for more test, another doctor, and the fear of having to go to MD Anderson cancer center for more test.   
But wait...  I am not going to let these people cut into my neck without solid evidence.. So my researching adventure began.. and the waiting game began, and the praying began.