IBS an the Golds Gym Challenge
Post #2 Week 1, day 6

I woke up today just before my alarm went off at 4:50am. It's amazing how your body adjusts and gets into a rhythm, though I never could get up in the morning before. The anti-depressants I originally started for IBS have made it possible to wake up for regular AM workouts for the first time in my life. Sometimes it pays to admit you could use help with energy and motivation. I was afraid of the stigma of treating this problem with medicine before and now I only wish I had gotten the help sooner. I have always pushed so hard to do everything "under my own power and control" and thought it weakness to need pharmaceutical help. Now that I know what normal feels like I am not surprised I was exhausted all the time. I was working 4 times as hard for half the outcome because of the disability. I slept 10-14 hrs a day whenever possible and was achy all the time. Now 7hrs of sleep a night is perfect and I recover from workouts within a day or two...max! I was so used to living with pain and chronic fatigue but somehow getting it all done that now even working twice as hard feels 4 times as easy. Life has literally done a 180 thanks to good medical research and great doctors.

Me at husband's cousin's wedding 2 yrs ago in the blue dress. No I'm not preggers, that's IBS bloat kids.

Here's what I did today:
AM WORKOUT (about 400 calories burned)
Run 5:00m at 4.8mph
15 Crunches on a ball
15 Curl ups (feet on ball, roll knees towards chest and back out to plank on ball)
15 Weighted side raises each side (10lb weight on chest on a back/chest lift machine)
As many sit ups as possible
Repeat 3 times
Then I alternated running and walking at a steep incline until it was time to leave for work (@10min)

PM WORKOUT (about 300 calories burned)
5min Run at 4.8
5min Walk at 3.3 with incline at 9-12
4min bicep curls (10lbs each hand)
10 min Run at 4.8

Here's what I ate today (1365 calories):
Post AM work out - Protein shake made with water and vegan rice protein
Breakfast- Fat Free Greek Yogurt
Snack-Banana
Lunch-Mixed Greens Salad with baked Falafel, Beets, Cucumber, Chickpeas, and a squeeze of fresh lemon
Post PM work out/Dinner: Tuna, Salmon, and Yellowtail Sashimi, Eel Nigiri
Snack-Chicken broth (I was cold!)

Here's what should be my calorie difference: -1106 (more burned than consumed)

I am down 8 lbs from my starting weight of 176. As of 4pm today I weigh 168. Going under 170 is a big milestone and I'm very happy today :) I'm looking forward to seeing 165 again. We'll see if I can get there by the end of next week. Happy blogging all!