This week’s Tuesday Topic is a FREE topic.  Feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

For years I’ve heard about Inside Tracker but never purchased their plan.  My latest blood work was done in August but I was curious to know where I stood now.  I looked into the various plans, reached out to someone about it, and purchased the Essentials Plan.  It isn’t cheap but I told myself I wouldn’t buy more running shoes.  😄  I used a coupon and I paid $136 for it.

I answered a few questions about nutrition, supplements, exercise and lifestyle.  Once I completed it, I made an appointment with Quest Diagnostics for Monday, March 7th.  I was off that day and went there after doing a few errands.  Luckily I didn’t have to fast. 

Two days later I got my results.  I had already downloaded the app to my phone and was excited to see my results.  The first thing I had to do was select my goal.  The options were overall health, lose fat, metabolism, gut health, energy, heart health, endurance, aging, sleep, and cognition.  I picked overall health.  The point of it is to get recommendations (exercise, nutrition, supplement, and lifestyle) based on the results and my goal.  

Each biomarker is categorized as optimized, needs improvement (could be low or high), and at risk.  And yes they’re also identified by those colors.  

My results:

LDL

Glucose

HbA1c

Hemoglobin

Iron

HDL

Triglycerides

Vitamin D

Calcium

Folate

Creatine kinese

Total cholesterol

Magnesium

Based on the results and my goal, the following thing were recommended.

➡️  Level up my aerobic workouts

➡️  Incorporate more olive oil

➡️  Take an ALA supplement

➡️  Eat one serving of a probiotic food everyday

➡️  Take a psyllium supplement

➡️  Take spirulina

➡️  Continue to sleep 7-9 hours daily

What’s next?  I was definitely overwhelmed with all of the information and recommendations.  I compared my results from my last blood work in August and did notice an increase in my triglycerides, HDL, and HbA1c levels, but a decrease in my glucose level.  My doctor tested for other things as well.  She told me my results were normal/negative and that my cholesterol was pretty good.  She also mentioned that my HDL was a little low.

These past couple of months have been hectic.  I haven’t been taking care of myself and haven’t kept up with a consistent form of exercise.  I know I did a lot of Peloton cycling classes but then didn’t keep up with it either.  My mother and I cook every weekend and, well, Mexican food is not healthy.  A lot of food we make is fried.  Cooking with her is a special thing we do.  We make a lot of her favorite dishes and it makes me happy to see her eat the food we make.  

I have purchased a few of the supplements but I know that I need to do more than take supplements.  But at least it is something to start with.  The information/results on the website are more thorough than the app.  On the website you get food recommendations for each group that needs improvement or is at risk.  As an example below are some recommendations for my high LDL.  I’ve never heard of bulgur, spelt, kamut, or teff.  I clicked on the icon on the right of each image and the image turns around to give me more information about it.  I click on the image on the left and I get a recipe.  

I did find it interesting that my iron and hemoglobin levels was low.  I already take an iron pill.  I wonder now if that is the reason why I am feeling more tired than before.  I don’t remember being this tired last year when I was running everyday!  My coworkers tell me that this school year is taking a toll on everyone (especially with my one student that is giving me a lot of trouble).  I rarely drink coffee in the evening because it keeps me up at night.  Now there are times that I drink a cup of coffee and can still fall asleep at night.

I mentioned earlier that all of this is overwhelming.  However, I am glad I did this to get a better understanding of where I am health wise.  I do want to avoid getting diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.  My cholesterol level goes up and down but never high enough to be on medication.  Once my doctor told me I was pre-diabetic and that freaked me out.  

Will I use Inside Tracker again?  Absolutely.  I want to check my progress.  It was recommended that I get tested again in June.  Hopefully I will see more biomarkers in green.

Topic for next week –Things you saw on your last run.  Feel free to write about this or any running related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: What’s on your Spring bucket list?  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

Spring is here!  Well, not officially but yesterday it was so nice outside.  My students and I enjoyed our recess time outside.  It felt great being out there!

Still not running yet (can’t think of a reason since the weather is nice now) but I still wanted to put together a small bucket list.

💐  Continue to use the Peloton bike.  I want to finish all of Camila’s classes.  I’ve been lazy (more like too tired) and haven’t kept up with the classes.  She has 111 classes and I’ve taken 68 leaving me with 43 more to go.  I am leaving the 45 minute classes till the end.  Those intimidate me.

💐  Leave work stuff at work.  Lately I’ve been staying late a lot, checking email, and doing school stuff in the evening and on the weekends.  I need to find a balance between work and my personal life.  I start work at 8:30am but usually get there by 7 so there is really no need for me to stay late that much.  Working so much has left me exhausted and not liking my job anymore. 

💐  Start running again.  I wasn’t running because of the weather.  Finally it is warming up.  I need to find that groove and energy again when I would be up very early to run.  I keep thinking of how I ran everyday for one year.  Now I am exhausted.  I have no desire nor energy.  I can’t say I am burned out because, well, I haven’t been running.  Maybe having a goal will motivate it.

💐 Take a few days off.  There are days when I do not want to go to work anymore.  Last year I took a few days because I was tired and hated going to work.  I thought last year was tough.  No.  This year is way more tough.  There is just so much to do for these students since many are below grade level.  Kids still do not want to put in the work and I find myself talking almost all day because they do not want to participate.  

💐  The last item is this 🏠.  I know you are all tired of hearing me talk about it so I won’t.  😀

Topic for next week – What do you do after a long run or race?  Feel free to write about this or any running related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

This week’s Tuesday Topic is: Would you rather do a short or long run?  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

To me a long run is anything over 6 miles.  Both have benefits.  The shorter ones are easier to fit in a schedule and the long runs build endurance and strength.

I prefer short runs – even more if it is too cold or too hot.  It is easy for me to get up, get ready, and head out from my house.  No need to drive anywhere.  I’ve run up to 6 miles going up and down the streets.  For the most part it is quiet and if I go early there are fewer cars (I like running on the street instead of the sidewalk).  Midway Airport isn’t too far away and one loop around it is 4 miles.

However, on a cool Fall day then I do not mind a long run.  I’ve done a few runs at the Morton Arboretum and Waterfall Glen.  A run along the lakefront also has to be a long one.  No way will I drive there just for 5 miles, well, unless it is for marathon training.

What about you?  Would you rather do a short or long run?  Topic for next week – What’s on your Spring bucket list?  Feel free to write about this or any running related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!

This week’s Tuesday Topic is:  5 words to describe yourself.  You can write about this topic or feel free to post any running related blog post.  Remember to link up with Kim and Zenaida!  Visit at least two of the other linked posts – the more the merrier!  Remember to come back for later linkers!

My words from last year’s post are: Introverted, Proactive, Independent, Hardworking, and Beautiful

For some reason it was hard this year to come up with five words.  After doing a lot of thinking, the words I came up with this year are:

Bilingual
Definitely and proud of it!  I am grateful for the opportunity to speak, read, and write in two languages.  I remember in college knowing that it was important but it wasn’t till I became a teacher that it made more of an impact.  Having this experience and knowledge allows me to help other students become bilingual too.  I could be trilingual since I do communicate with my cats.  Does that count?

Emotional
I feel lots of feelings.  Various things make me happy, sad, angry, etc.  But aren’t we all emotional?  I have cried while reading “The Giving Tree”.  

Dependable
I get the work done.  That could also be a bad thing because then I spend hours getting the work done.  But no matter what it is, my coworkers know that they can depend on me to get it done.  I know my family also depends on me for taking my mother to various doctor appointments (and she has quite a few). 

Responsible
I may not have my own children but as a teacher I am responsible for 21 students.  They’re with me for about 6 hours each day.  That’s huge deal!  I also responsible for my 2 fur babies.  Also, I do as much as I can to make sure my mother has what she needs.  She is getting older and requires more assistance.

Strong
Saved the best for last!

Topic for next week – Would you rather do a short or long run?  Feel free to write about this or any running related topic.  We hope you’ll link up with us!