Help Me Connect with Nick!

O..M..G who saw the picture of Nick Jonas on Instagram yesterday??!! I did! If not let me share.... 

No more teenybopper! 

  

Oh when you look me in the eyes.... 😍 

Holy Smokes! Besides being fit, Nick and I also have T1D in common. It is always inspiring to see celebrities open about having T1D because it gives people like me the feeling that we can achieve anything also. 

My dream would be to connect with him to see what it is like from his point of view. Performing, traveling, etc. I feel any tips would be valuable because I am trying to get tighter control myself. I would like to see how Nick deals with keeping his blood sugar in check especially while on stage. 

Although doctors are very knowledgeable, it would be helpful to speak to someone who deals with it first hand and my own age. 

I have been trying to get his attention and replied to him on Instagram and Twitter.

Maybe he'll start reading my blog?! : ) 

Maybe we can work out together or maybe he can come to a future spin class of mine one day. :D 

Help me connect with Nick Jonas!!!! 

Rest Day

Yesterday I stayed in my pjs until 10am! I think the only time I do this is when I am sick enough to be in bed all day which is rare. I was going back and forth deciding whether or not to go to the gym, but I decided to take a rest day. It was so nice sitting around all morning with my family and not having to get up and leave for the gym. 

We talked all about our upcoming trip to Aruba, needless to say I AM SO EXCITED!! 

After a few afternoon errands, bar time rolled around at 3:30. :) 

Dinner was at this great gluten free place called Mama's. This is definitely a once in a while type of place and one of my splurge restaurants. 

Gluten free fried calamari. OMG... 

Mom and I always split that when we go. It is just too good to pass up and I can't get it at any other restaurant I've been to. 

I tried to keep it balanced and ordered a salad. This is probably one of the biggest salads I've ever seen and so filling. 

Ignore the pinkish dressing... I always go with a little oil and vinegar. Surprisingly I did not eat the whole thing. It was just salad overload. 

Mom ordered shrimp parm gluten free so I could help her out with it. Mamas also makes some of the best meatballs so I needed my fix on those... 

So much for balance! Lol

Toothpick = gluten free. 

I was craving this restaurant so it felt good to go and get my fix. The off day was great and now I am back to routine. 

Enjoy your Monday! 

The Dark Side of Fitness

I got the inspiration for this post from my friend and fellow blogger Ashley, who wrote a post about the other side of body building. She has some great posts so definitely check out her page!

I guess I should put out this "disclaimer" and just mention that this is entirely my point of view and based off of my own experiences. However, I am sure many people that value fitness like I do can relate.

With that said, we can proceed...

Clearly fitness has a lot of perks. Health benefits, the reward of taking on a challenge, etc. but there is also a part of it that can lead to being overwhelming and obsessive. After experiencing both sides of fitness it is sometimes hard to maintain a balance because it is a very fine line that can be easily crossed.

I love going to the gym, going to different classes, eating healthy (the majority of the time) and being proud of the transformation I have made over the past few years. It is flattering and rewarding to have people acknowledge my hard work as well. However there are also times where being fit can play with your mind. The need to feel like you are always "going for more" or "pushing" the extra distance. I think this is in a way fearing that eventually the results will eventually go away and there will be no where to go but back. Always feeling the need to have that "perfect" physique, analyzing every picture, "seeing" things or parts that you still find unflattering or "need work." Sometimes us fitness fanatics don't give ourselves enough credit and as Ashley stated, can use fitness as a punishment. 

Skipped the gym? Better make up for it tomorrow.. Ate that cookie? An extra 10 minutes of cardio to "undo" that choice. Or that large dinner I had is going to "show" tomorrow. And the list goes on and on...

It is ok to make fitness a priority, but being careful of that line is very difficult. It is even difficult for me to put into words although it is such a strong feeling. 

Then the whole issue of weight can play with your mind even more. It is so difficult to grasp the idea that weight fluctuates and the differences of weight due to muscle. Just when I am getting to the point of being happy with what I see, learning "the number" can take it all away. Despite the fact that my clothes still fit and I feel I have developed a look with more muscle definition.. Seeing a number that you would like to be lower or one that you feel does not reflect your hard work can take those feelings of accomplishment away in a second. Why is that? Why do I and so many others let a number dampen our mood and feel like we aren't working hard enough? Its not like my clothes size has changed or I am eating junk food on a regular basis. It's just nuts! I have tried my best to not even weigh myself or see what it is at doctors appointments anymore because I know it just won't be worth it, but sometimes you are just dying to know. As they say, "curiosity killed the cat." 

 

So as you see there are so many darker issues going through the mind of a fitness fanatic. People will make a face when I freak about splurging on dessert, but they don't realize all of the above mentioned issues. Or the common "oh you can afford that piece of cake!" Yes maybe I can, but my mind can't. 

It is always going to be a struggle to find that balance and not cross too far over to "the dark side," but hopefully as I just continue to remain active and enjoy life I will learn to appreciate what is more important.  

Sleepless in Commack...

If only I knew that the outcome in Commack would turn out as good as the one in the movie. Its been a slightly rough week for me in a few areas. First off, I think I have woken up in the middle of the night due to a low blood sugar at least 3x this week. Having a low blood sugar isn't fun to begin with, but its even more frustrating during the middle of the night. It takes about a good 30 minutes to fully recover and go back to sleep safely and I hate having to eat in the middle of the night. The worst part is that for 2 of these incidences there was no explanation. I went to sleep at a safe number then all of a sudden BAM I am awake shaking and disoriented. However last night after my stupid decision to take 2 units for a correction before bed, I guess I should have expected it. Sometimes I act too quickly then get that "oh sh*t" feeling. Sure enough my 2 am wakeup call confirmed that feeling. I knew I should have gone with 1 unit instead of 2.

For the unexpected lows, I may need to adjust my insulin at night, but I'll have to wait and see what happens this weekend. It has definitely affected my workouts as I have felt a bit more fatigued.

Another issue that has been on my mind is the idea of always wanting what you can't have. Or anytime there is something in your life that you become excited over, it never turns out the way you hope/imagined. Or feeling like you would be willing to do anything for someone, but not having the feeling be mutual. I guess it is just a part of life, but it just seems to be like a reoccurring theme (for me at least). I always try to believe that things happen for a reason, but sometimes a little explanation would be nice.

On the bright side, in exactly 3 weeks I will arriving at my favorite place in the world. Can you guess? Yes, ARUBA! So for these next 3 weeks my goal is to do things to better myself. Focus on the positive, appreciate honest people, appreciate the things I enjoy... the gym, spin class, Starbucks, etc... and believe that one day all of the pieces will be together.

 

 

Meet My Favorite Doctor!

Yesterday was my annual check up with my "gluten free" doctor aka gastroenterologist, Dr. Pettei. 

Every year I go for blood work to make sure all of the antibodies for Celiac Disease come back negative. I was tested for Celiac Disease every year since   having T1D because because they are both autoimmune disorders and they can go hand in hand. Luckily for the past 4 years I have had successful visits! It is nice going to a doctors visit pretty confident that you will not leave in tears.  Don't get me wrong, there is always that part that fears the worst in a doctors appt, but I know that if I avoid gluten I will be in good shape. That is why I find celiac disease "easier" than T1D because if you avoid gluten you are basically "cured." However  with T1D I often feel like I am doing everything 110% to achieve good blood sugars, but I do not always get the results I hope for. 

Dr. Pettei is my favorite doctor because he is professional and sensitive while at the same time realistic. Being diagnosed with celiac disease 4 years ago, I thought I would never be able to live a "normal" life. I thought no more vacations, no more restaurants and not another "treat" for the rest of my life. I thought I had seen my last cookie, pastry and bread. Dr. Pettei addressed my concerns and took the time to answer all of my questions. 

In order to be officially diagnosed I needed to have an upper endoscopy procedure. Meaning I would fast then go into the hospital where a sample of my intestines (I think) would be sampled for their status. 

For a T1D, fasting can be difficult. Of course I was not excused. About 2:30am the morning of the procedure my blood sugar tanked to 55. Obviously fasting was thrown out of the window. I needed to raise my blood sugar, there was mo question. It was frustrating because I had done everything to keep my blood sugar level.. Reduced insulin, had a snack before I went to bed, etc.. But what else is new? T1D doesn't make sense.  Also because this whole idea of gluten free was overwhelming and I just wanted to have this procedure done. It was my first time being sedated and was very nervous. Later I would realize that that was the BEST part of this whole ordeal. Best sleep I ever had! 

Most doctors I feel would basically say "Sorry, reschedule." Dr. Pettei on the other hand told me to come in for the procedure around 12 so by then 8 hours had passed since I had eaten. That small action to eased worry meant the world to not only me, but my family. 

Although the biopsy confirmed that I did in fact have Celiac Disease, I am happy to say that it is not the end of the world. Seriously, look at all of my food posts and you will see what I am talking about. Yes, of course it is overwhelming when you are told no more gluten. My first question was "What is gluten?!" After a lot of research and practice you learn that there are so many things you CAN eat. Luckily over the past 4 years there has been much more awareness and education making it easier to be social and go food shopping at your local grocery store. 

So my advice for any newly diagnosed celiac patients is to take a deep breath and understand that you may need to plan more when it comes to eating, but like anything else it becomes second nature. 

Thank you to Dr. Pettei! 

Thumbs up for a good visit! I am going to be so sad when eventually I cannot get away with going to a pediatric doctor. Hopefully I can still get another year.. Or two.. Or three...  :) 

What's in my bag?

I thought this would be a good post so people can understand why my bags are as heavy as they are. Living with T1D it is important and necessary to always be prepared to leave the house. There are no "quick trips" up to the corner to pick something up. Although that trip may be "quick" a low blood sugar can happen in that short amount of time. If I were to need to treat a low I may not be back in time. Therefore a T1D female usually has humongous bags...

My new JLO bag I got in Florida! 

Normal people's stuff.. 

Can't leave home without this.. 

Juice in case of a low, the bigger the better to be prepared for a full day out. 

Crackers to have after juice during a low..

In case of an emergency bar time..

Glucose tablets.. Can be used in place of juice, but always better to have both. 

Dexcom sensor

My bag sizes on average..

So true..

There is no such thing as only having just a wristlet. 

So next time you happen to come across someone that has an unusually heavy bag, avoid saying "Jesus Christ what do you have dumb bells in there?!" And maybe think twice. 

As of Lately...

I just got back from Florida! Here is what I've been up to otherwise... 

Listening to: Love Somebody 

And...

This is my favorite TSwift album!! Love every single song. 

Watching: The Hills reruns on MTV

Such a huge Lauren Conrad fan. :) 

Reading: Girls in White Dresses

So far so good. Relatable to issues 20 year olds face/fear. 

Excited for: Aruba 

Less than a month!! 

Workout Trend: Running and Tabata

Annoyed with: Unexplainable High Blood Sugars today :( 

Felt so lightheaded after running this morning and a 307 reading I couldn't go to yoga. 😔

Proud of: I said no to ice cream this past Tuesday night and passed on my favorite ice cream store in Florida! 

 

And..

That I got a quick workout in yesterday morning before heading to the airport. 

Willpower! 

Familiar Faces: Ran into high school friends at Starbucks, Caylie and Amanda. 

Caylie and I had Spanish together junior and senior year. This is us at the end of senior year in our favorite class. :) 

Goals: Being extra good this next month in prep for Aruba. Challenging workouts and as clean eating as possible. 

Tabata Tuesday

Ta-ho? That's right, Tabata. I mentioned yesterday that I have been trying some crazy new workouts. This method is a form of high intensity interval training and is so effective. I looked up some workouts on Pinterest and this is what I found. 

Basically you do each exercise with all out effort for 20s then take a short 10s recovery. These have been great while traveling because I still get a great workout in and feel accomplished in a shorter amount of time. If you read this months edition of Shape Magazine, Jillian Michaels gave some great tips on how to exercise and still enjoy vacation. These shorter grueling workouts were one of them! 

I put them to the test and can say they definitely make you SWEAT and I mean like where it just doesn't stop. Not only do they switch up my usual routine, but I am still able to get outside and spend time by the pool. As we all know I do like to eat, (see yesterday's post) so these Tabata workouts help to undo some of that eating! 

These are also great because you don't need a gym, just a little but of space, a towel and water. So there are no excuses for not exercising when away from home. :) 

If you are daring enough, give them a try! 

Naples So Far

Sunshine state? Not exactly, but despite Mother Nature I am still enjoying my time in Naples. This post is mostly food related, because since there has been little sun the good food has been the highlight. 

After dinner Saturday I went for some Fro-yo. I had eaten little all day and felt a small cup would satisfy my dessert craving and not leave me with the post "I am stuffed" guilt feeling. 

Good, but not Pinkberry. 

I love coming to my house is Naples because it gives me that vacation feel, yet I am still able to adhere to my eating schedule. I like waking up and having my usual omelet breakfast before hitting the gym. For some reason my omelets taste so much better here. :) 

(I am still learning to get the golden brown in NY) 

After a nice 4.5 mile run and some weight training I was sad to see it was raining, but the rest of the day made up for it! 

Lunch was at a place called The Counter that my cousins Mimi and Tom scouted out. A custom made burger place that offers gluten free buns?! I'm there! I actually wound up having mine on a salad which was just as satisfying! We all shared these great gluten free Parmesan fries. I don't remember the last time I ate fries so I went for it. 

This lunch definitely hit the spot, and as Mimi and I agreed, I have a pretty big spot to hit! :) 

After some retail therapy, it was bar time, no picture needed. 

On to dinner..

This place...

Stonewood has been one of my favorite Naples restaurants since we have been coming down here!! All because of the best appetizer, Bleu Cheese Chips. 

YUM!!!! A big part of me making this trip was for these chips ( and of course to see my cousins) :) 

For the entree I usually go with a salad. (All about balance). 

I wish a Stonewood would open up on Long Island. These chips are just SO GOOD!! 

As you can see, I am proof that you can be gluten free and enjoy good restaurants! When I first learned that I had Celiac Disease it was really overwhelming. I though I would be confined to my house the rest of my life and never see a restaurant again. It is great to see places becoming more gluten free friendly. 

Bring on the food! 

Luckily today I was able to get some sun for a few hours. But boy was it HOT!! I came inside at the right time because the Pm storms rolled through. However torrential downpours did not stop me from going to Starbucks. 

Excited for many more good eats while I am here! I have also been trying some new crazy workouts, so stay tuned for that. 

:) 

Friday Favorites

Hey hey hey! Busy week, but it was a good one! Here are some of my favorites...

Favorite Song: Our Song by Matchbox Twenty

 

 

Favorite Movie (s): Sleepless in Seattle

 

                                              

The Heat - Saw it in the theatres this week...so funny!

 

 

Favorite Diabetic Meme:

                                                

 

Favorite Gluten Free Meme:

 

                                        

 

(Anything Ryan Gosling is my favorite) ;)

 

 

Favorite Gym Meme:

 

Favorite Date:

Favorite Eat (besides bar time): Cheese from my favorite restaurant Dazies!! 

Favorite Thing I am Looking Forward To:     Heading to Naples tomorrow!!

Happy Friday!