Jul 11
18
Diary of The Next 50 lb Weight Loss: Getting Back To Full Capacity
Total Wellness Transformation – Hank’s Journey
Hey, it’s Hank here!
I got good news and bad news this week. The bad news is my diagnosis was a little more serious than I originally thought. The good news is, I’m on the mend and I’m staying positive.
What I thought was just a simple bout of bronchitis and a cough ended up being a more serious respiratory infection
n with considerable inflammation in my lungs. This inflammation means that I am currently only able to take in 60% of my normal lung capacity. Bummer! When my doctor told me that, I was pretty thrown. He went on to explain that because I can’t take full, deep breaths, that’s why I am feeling totally winded and unable to workout or do much of anything without wheezing and then coughing up a lung. Literally. Also, because my muscles and body in general are getting only 60% of the oxygen they’re used to, I have less energy and am feeling fatigued.
I’m frustrated right now because I miss working out. That is a sentence that would never have occurred to me 10 months ago. I got so frustrated that I tried to take a short walk around my neighborhood just to feel like I was doing something. I got about 2 blocks and then I got pretty winded and had a coughing fit, which continued for the rest of my journey back. I’m sure I looked like a crazy person, stopping every few feet to cough violently until I was doubled over. Not quite ready and still on the mend. Message received!
So while I’m on the mend and taking prescriptions that required the pharmacist to pull me aside and counsel me on them and their assorted side effects, I’m trying to stay positive and focused. I’m on a 10-day course of steroids to reduce the inflammation in the lungs – this comes with the side effect of crippling headaches, sometimes nausea and cramps. Add to that 10 days of a “high potency antibiotic used to target sever bacterial infections” which causes nausea, dizziness and can result in damage to tendons. Then, let’s add a cough syrup that is so powerful, I can only take 5 milliliters per dose, twice daily. It’s a good thing my job doesn’t require operation of heavy machinery!
Some of the meds make me nauseous and I’ve discovered that I need to eat solid food with the steroids if I want to keep the headache contained to a dull throb. So I’ve added twice daily doses of Shakeology to make sure I get my nutrients and to help equalize everything else while these prescriptions battle it out in my body. I’m eating lean protein and good stuff in the meantime. Between water, soup and Shakeology, I’ve taken more fluids than I ever thought possible. I’ve been going from extremely tired to totally wired and insomniac, then back to fatigued and totally drained. It’s been difficult, because I’m used to going at a breakneck pace and now I I’m forced to ease off the throttle while I repair. Humbling, to be sure.
On the upside, it was nice to get on the scale at my doctor’s office and have him notice my progress and say “WOW!” as he adjusted the scale calibrations and marked it on my chart. After spending a full afternoon at the doctor, submitting to all kinds of tests and proving that I can breathe (even if only at partial capacity) in multiple positions, it was nice to sit down with my doctor and have him tell me that despite my current respiratory woes, he was impressed with my current stats compared to a year ago. Hypertension and blood pressure are no longer an issue. Cholesterol is good. Flexibility improved. And my EKG and test results showed “tremendous improvement in cardiovascular health.”
In short, I’ve made considerable progress and though it’s easy to focus on the numbers on the scale, there are a lot of other numbers to support the fact that I’m moving in the right direction. I couldn’t do it without Shakeology and the encouragement of Carl and Team Beachbody Coaches, that I know for certain. So, I continue to rest up and allow my body to repair itself and I look forward to getting back in the saddle and back into my routine. In the meantime, I’m taking fluids and getting rest. I’m down another 1.2lbs, bringing total loss to 91.4 lbs. I’m liking that, but eager to get fired up again!
Until next time,
Hank
Today’s Video: Debbie’s Nutrition Tips-Portion Control
Recipe: Strawberry Cheesecake Shakeology®
At this year’s 2011 Beachbody Coach Summit, the Shakeology chefs came out in force with the ultimate recipes they’d developed to shake up their daily Shakeology regimen. In the Greenberry category, the winner was Sharon T. Her yummy recipe marries the deliciousness of cream cheese and strawberries to the health benefits of Greenberry Shakeology—try it today!
- 1 scoop Greenberry Shakeology
- 1 cup strawberries
- 1 Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Neufchâtel Cheese Mini (1.25 oz.)
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 cup water
- Ice (to taste)
Place ingredients in blender and blend until thoroughly mixed and creamy. Makes 1 serving.
| Nutritional Information (per serving) | ||||||
| Calories | Protein | Fiber | Carbs | Fat Total | Saturated Fat | |
| 287 | 20 grams | 7 grams | 34 grams | 8 grams | 4 grams | |
