Burn360 Revisited

I tried the second pill today 30 minutes before my weight training. I was sleepy before taking it and I was sleepy after. Before I left for the gym I was tempted to take a sip of coffee but didn’t want to chance that Burn360 would kick in. Nothing.
I went on www.bulubox.com and some people experience a burst of energy after taking this product. I think it doesn’t do a thing for me because I have a very high threshold when it comes to caffeine.

I am glad I was able to give Burn360 a try without wasting my money on a whole bottle of this stuff. I guess that’s the whole point of Bulu Box. Eventually I will find a product that will support my fitness goals. This stuff is not it.

Burn360 Review

I was very curious and nervous about trying this product, especially because it contains raspberry ketones. I was curious to see if it would really work. I read a few reviews that the product did give an extra boost. I was nervous because I am very leery about fat burners, etc. I remember back in high school one of my friends took some pills (I can’t remember the name). They helped her drop weight but she was very jittery. Her mother kept complaining that she was going to “ruin” her heart so she stopped taking them. This was before the whole Fen-Phen fiasco. When it comes to diet pills, theses two incidents have been etched in my brain. Again, I’m not one for pills but here goes....

I decided to take it 30 minutes before going out for my run. I was feeling pretty good before taking it. I’d been hydrating. I also used my new massage ball earlier that day to work on my tight glutes, hamstrings, and calves.

Well, I did not notice a difference. I took one pill 30 minutes before my workout. Nothing. It is now four hours later. Nothing. As I was driving to the Greenway, I was thinking maybe I needed, since I’m so heavy, to take both pills.
Tomorrow is weight training. I will give it another try.

So far, what I do not like about both samples is that I do not feel the sample size is adequate. I think a week’s supply should be given in order to be able to see if a product really makes a difference. The downside is that the price of the box would be raised.

Sunday's Stroll

I was so tired this morning. If I wasn't on the schedule to work in the nursery at church, I would have slept in. Thankfully, we only had one child and he feel asleep after playing for 30 minutes. I spent the rest of the time stretching and sipping coffee. All I could think about was coming home and taking a nap.

As soon as I came home, I ate and went to bed. I tossed and turned for about an hour. I thought about blowing off my walk but thought about how I felt yesterday. If I want to be able to run up hills, I need to keep up my cardio.

I wasn't sure I was going to be able to walk one mile. My left leg was so tight. It's my fault. I haven't been consistent with the exercises Dr. Smith gave me. I also did not do enough stretching yesterday. After two miles, my leg felt a bit more loose. I was tempted to stop but decided to keep going. I'm glad I did. Being consistent about my workouts is what is going to help me get across my next finish line.

Tomorrow I am planning to run 3.1 miles in my usual spot. We'll see how it goes. It's so frustrating that sometimes I can run nonstop and other times I cannot. Again, consistency is key.

Powbab Review

The first product I tried from my October Bulu box is Powbab Baobab Superfruit Chews

Great smell! They had a nice fruity taste for the first couple of chews. The more I chewed the chalkier the taste became.
I’m really not sure what these chews are supposed to do. They’re supposedly an “everyday health booster.” One chew meets the daily antioxidant needs, the equivalent antioxidant level of:

- 2.5 tomatoes
- 2.5 cups of spinach
- .5 orange

I definitely would not buy these on my own. Mainly because I’m not convinced this is something beneficial and they remind me of Starburst candy.

I’ve taken calcium chews before. I gave them an honest effort for a few months. They were probably doing some good but without being able to notice any difference I wasn’t motivated to continue taking them. I’m sure I’d end up doing the same with these Superfruit chews. I give them two thumbs down!

Training for Turkey Trot 5K

I've been thinking about what I learned from today's 5K. Basically, I learned that I need to be consistent with my training AND practice running uphill. So, here's my plan for the next four weeks:


Sunday – Walk four miles

Monday – Run 3.1 miles

Tuesday - Weights and Elliptical

Wednesday – 3.1 miles

Thursday – Weights and Elliptical

Friday – Rest

Saturday - 2 miles/hills

I also need to work on a food plan that will help me drop some weight. I will have a better time getting up those hills if I have less weight to carry.

Big Pumpkin 5K

Well it's over! I am going to be honest and say I am disappointed in my performance:


Sheila,
Your 5K time was 58:11

Your pace was 18:46/M

You were number 945 overall

You were number 43 of 45 in your age group 50-54


I have to take a step back and be very grateful that I was able to complete the race. I also have to take into consideration the course was changed at the last minute. The original course was mostly flat. I'm glad they at least made an announcement that the course had been changed. My takeaway from this is to be prepared for whatever comes. This is the second time I've experienced a course being changed. I am glad that the race is still a Peachtree Road Race qualifier. So, for the Turkey Trot, I will be working on hills more often.

It was very hard for me to stay focused on my race. I kept wanting to push myself much too soon. I started to panic before the first mile. It was clear from the very beginning I was going to be at the back of the pack. Before we completed the first half mile, there was a steep hill. I reminded myself to forget about my time and just work on running as much as possible. I also reminded myself that there was no shame in walking. Although I was disappointed in myself for walking up those hills, I am proud of myself for giving it my best shot.

So, between now and Thanksgiving Day, I will be working on my aversion to hills.

My First Bulu Box

Woo hoo! I received my first Bulu box today. My first thought was, "it looked much bigger in the photos." I start reviewing the products after this weekend.

I have my 5K on Saturday. Everything I read says you shouldn't try anything new before or on race day. I'm so anxious about Saturday. I haven't run at all this week. I haven't had the energy or the motivation. I'm also worried about the weather. It's been unseasonably cold. I'm bummed I won't be able to show off my new t-shirt:

Countdown!

I've got four days until my 5K. Starting to get very nervous. I didn't run yesterday. Today I did a slow, two-mile walk to loosen up my left quad. I then had a nice, hot soak in the bathtub. At this point I think it's all going to be mind over matter. I am doing this 5K all alone. I haven't even asked anyone to go with me. I still want to do this one on my own.

I am also concerned about the weather. It's been cold in the mornings and I have not done any early morning runs. I purchased a long sleeve tech shirt and gave it a test "run" this evening during my walk. I think it will be fine. I'm planning to bring along my gloves just in case.

There's nothing else I can do at this point except hydrate and stretch. Tomorrow I am planning to do a two-mile run. I'll walk again on Thursday and Friday.

Trust the Process Revisted

Whoa! It’s not even noon and I’ve had a full day. I have so many thoughts racing in my head right now. After writing, I’m going to do some meditating….

I had my quarter doctor’s visit this morning. I was really nervous. My workouts have been inconsistent. I haven’t been feeling my best. My food has been okay but I feel I could have done better. I was so nervous about seeing those numbers I almost cancelled my appointment.

Results: I’m two pounds down since my last appointment. I admit I was disappointed. I was also shocked. I was convinced I had gained weight. My blood pressure was the lowest it’s been in years – 102/68! I can’t believe it! Next, my A1c – 6.0. My doctor is pleased. It’s been pretty steady – as far as she is concerned, my diet is on point. Of course, in my dis-eased mind, I want the number to be below 6.0. My cholesterol is good. I can’t remember the numbers and I forgot to ask for a copy of my results. I plan to stop by the office later today or tomorrow to get them.

Finally, my TSH – it has gone up from 2.3 to 3.8. Whoa! So this is what has been going on with my fatigue and inability to drop some pounds. I have no idea what’s going on with my thyroid. My doctor is increasing my Synthroid. Hopefully we can get my thyroid level back where it needs to be. This is going to help my energy level and improve my workout performance and results. My doctor was quick to remind me that when I started on this journey my TSH was over 4. It will be okay. Trust the process.
So, on the way home I really had to take a hard look at myself. How many times am I going to have to relearn the lesson of trusting the process? My doctor has no complaints about my health. She isn’t even worried about my weight. She said I am obviously doing something right because my lab results give her an accurate picture of how I have been eating and exercising. She advised me to just keep doing what I am doing. I am the healthiest I have been in years. Why can’t I just accept this? Sigh....

**
After my doctor’s appointment, I headed straight for the Greenway. Since I had to cut my run short on Monday, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to run the entire 3.1 miles. Yesterday I spent time stretching and making sure I drank enough water. I felt pretty good today. In fact, when I did my body checks, I realized I felt better than thought. I really have to do my best to listen to my body instead of my thoughts.

This is my lesson for today: My thoughts can be very deceptive. I cannot always trust what I am thinking. I have an eating plan. I have a training plan. If I can just stay focused on my plans, the results will take care of themselves. Trust the process!

Good Grief!

Well, I'm back. I was in such a funk last week. I finally forced my butt out of the door. I had every intention of running my usually two miles today. For whatever reason, at the last minute, I decided I was going to run a 5K. I have 16 days until the Big Pumpkin 5K. I was a little worried since I hadn't worked out in a week. The self doubt was back. I quickly reminded myself that a week of non-activity was not going to overshadow my weeks of training. I haven't tried a 5K since my September 12. I took it slow and managed to finish. It felt really good.

This grief has been pretty hard to shake. However, I know I am just feeling sorry for myself. My friend is at peace. I must go on with my life. I do not want to take the gift of life for granted. Running, sweating, breathing hard, feeling the air on my face made me feel so alive today.

Next week I am planning to go over a run part of the route. I'm feeling pretty confident that I can run the entire race non-stop. Big Pumpkin Run here I come!

Fitness Friday

Over the years I have learned that fitness is a lifestyle, not to regard it as a chore. I am not so sure I have learned my lesson. I have not exercised at all this week. I have been overcome with grief and insomnia. A dear coworker and friend passed away. I think I could have used all my anger and sadness as fuel for my workouts. Running is great therapy, right? If it hadn’t been for all the sleepless nights and not eating, I could have done it.

I felt a little better today. I’ve had my pity party. I am sad for myself. My friend was in a lot of (emotional) pain. I pray he is now at peace. I know he would be the first to tell me to get back to living my life. In fact, we talked about his passing after a previous incident. I am glad I was able to tell him just how much I cared about him. I told him I would be devastated. I am angry with him for being so selfish and not considering his family and friends; yet I know I am being selfish because he just couldn’t take the pain any longer. He didn’t see a way out. I reached out but he couldn’t, wouldn’t reach back.

I have mourned him and now it is time to get back to life. I still remember him telling me how proud and impressed he was with my weight loss and exercise. So, hopefully I will get a good night rest. If not, I know I will be able to sleep in. Whatever happens, I do plan to go running some time tomorrow. Unfortunately, rain is on its way. Hopefully, the storm will pass us. If not, I will have to tough it out and hop on the treadmill next week. I cannot afford to miss anymore workout time. I have exactly 22 days until my 5K. I need to eat clean, hydrate, and rest. The best way to deal with this grief is to work it out!