Sunday, February 2, 2020

I Cheated on my Body and my Body Fought Back

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

When will I learn?

After sticking to a mostly plant-based diet for the past couple of months and feeling so much better, I cheated last week. Big time. And I paid for it. I've been avoiding most dairy, which seems to cause inflammation for me, save for a splash of half and half in my coffee and a sprinkle of feta on my salads. I've been feeling so good. So good, in fact, that I got brave.

I made a quiche last week. Sticking to a veggie theme, it was spinach quiche. But it was made with 3 kinds of cheese. I figured I could try it, see how I felt after I ate. It tasted fantastic, my husband loved it, and I felt fine the next day. So much winning! Feeling brave, I got cocky. I had the leftovers for lunch. Twice.

My old nemesis, IBS (aka I'll be stopping) started to return. But it wasn't as bad as in the past and again, feeling brave, on Sunday at dinner, we ordered cheese curds. Tuesday, it was pasta with cream sauce.

Did I overdo it? You think so?

On Monday, I felt a little achy in my elbows. Slapped some CBD cream on it and I was good to go to CrossFit. On Wednesday's run, I also felt achiness in my knees. And my tummy--well, without being too TMI, let's just say I was stopping.

After that, I returned to my dairy-free life but the pain lingered on through the week. The worst was on Saturday. I woke up determined to run but every joint in my body hurt. The pain was making me a little nauseous too. I popped a few ibuprofens and hit the couch, waiting for it to pass.  While the pain simmered down to a dull ache, I still felt yucky. I finally gave in. There would be no run. I also canceled my massage--no need to poke the bear, right?-- and rested all day, hoping for a quick return to feeling good.




Weekly Rundown:
Monday: CrossFit
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: 6.33 miles, Yoga with Adriene
Thursday: strength, bootcamp
Friday: rest
Saturday: unplanned rest
Sunday: 9 miles, Yoga with Adriene

January miles: 67

Running:
I woke up Wednesday to another gray morning--it has been the gloomiest January on record--but it was still relatively warm, in the 30s, so I headed outside to run on the bike path. I was pleased to see it was mostly cleared of ice. There was one section that was covered with packed snow, which wasn't slick but it was uneven.


After Saturday's flare, Sunday was a new day. I woke up feeling much better with just a little residual stiffness and achiness. The sun was shining too! I decided to attempt 8 miles, figuring I could always bail and do 6 if my body fought back. It didn't. While I didn't do any planned walk intervals (!), I did have to stop to walk a few times where there was ice on the path. It was a good run and I write this recap with the biggest smile on my face. I listened to my body and my body rewarded me today. This run felt good. RA will not win!!!

Windy, but glorious!
CrossFit:
On Monday, we started the WOD with a strength complex: power snatch+hang snatch+overhead squat. We practiced the lifts. Once I increased the weight, I struggled with the hang snatch portion of the complex. I could not get under the bar to get it above my head. After that debacle, we had a 12 minute AMRAP of 7 Burpee pullups, 14 GHD situps, and 21 dumbbell thrusters. We ended with our choice of skill work. Well, I wanted a win so I did toes to rings. I needed it. I love how they feel.

Wrestling with the bar
After class, Sammy Jo came up to talk with me about my frustration and I started to cry. There's no crying at CrossFit, right? SJ told me she cries all the time. She also told me that the hang snatch is the most technical lift we do. She said it took her a long time to master it. She asked if I wanted to work on it in Thursday's strength session and I said yes.

Thursday's bootcamp was brutal. We did a 10 minute EMOM of 5 KBS and 8 Goblet Squats alternating with 8 pushups and 10 plank shoulder taps. After that were 4 rounds of 500m row, 20 goblet lunges, 15 KB hop burpees, 10 atomic situps, and 5 pullups. We had a 30 minute cap to finish and I completed mine in about 27:30. Pleased to meet you, endurance!

Strength
Sammy Jo had me warm up with banded hip side steps alternating with handstand work. My elbows didn't like it and she asked me if I wanted to stop. I told her no and I rubbed some doTerra Deep Blue into them. It's good stuff and it helped a lot! After that we worked on the snatches, alternating with the evil wheel. SJ broke the snatch down: the pull from the knees to the hip crease, to the shrug, to the elbow pull, and to the overhead squat. As I mastered the steps, she added more weight to the bar. Once we got to 65#, I struggled to get under the bar for the overhead squat. None of this comes naturally to me! I didn't master the snatch, but I certainly feel like I've got the pulls now. Hopefully, with more practice, I'll get it right.

Work in progress...sigh
Days like Saturday make me nervous to put my race plans out there like I did on Tuesday. My goal this year is to finish every race I sign up for. Hopefully, this flare is just a one and done. I'm back on track with my diet and if I didn't know it before, now I know that dairy is a big trigger for me.

Live and learn, right?

I Tried it! IUGA High Waisted Leggings
I mentioned a while back that I was looking for new tights to replace my beloved Lucy running tights. While they've held up well, they're starting to fall apart. No thigh gap here...Anyhoo, a few weeks ago, I was admiring Sammy Jo's workout pants. Turns out that they are not only cute, they're inexpensive and functional. I ordered a pair for myself and wore them to CrossFit last week. I'm wearing them in the snatch photo above. I liked them so much that I ordered another pair and wore them on my run today. These IUGA High Waisted Leggings fit really well. They stayed up for my whole run--I didn't have to adjust them once! I love how they hug my non-existent curves, but hold everything in place. The 2 side pockets are really handy for holding my phone or Tailwind packs. I bought black, but they come in a variety of colors. I'd advise buying your normal size since they are pretty stretchy. Since I just got them, I don't know if they'll last as long as my Lucy tights but at the price ($20), I'm not too concerned.

I'm no fashion model but Cocoa seems to agree that the IUGA High Waisted leggings are multifunctional and a good buy!
She gives them two paws up!
How was your week? Did you get all your workouts in? Are you staying healthy? What do you do when you can't master a workout?

I'm linking up with Deborah and Kim for the Weekly Rundown.


47 comments :

  1. I did not realize that it was the dairy that did you in! Cheese is so hard to give up. I am glad to see you are feeling better today. Pretty solid month for you. I also am always on the hunt for new leggings. Can you ever really have enough? Thanks for the review

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    1. I didn't realize it was dairy either until I gave it up last year. I do still eat cheese--I think I just overdid it.

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  2. Oh super bummer on the dairy. I'm happy to hear that there's a enough wiggle room for a bit of half and half, because that little splash in my coffee is one of my greatest pleasures in life. Congrats on your 8 miler!

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    1. You aren't kidding about the half and half! I so look forward to that in the morning.

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  3. That's such a bummer about the inflammation that came from dairy, but at least now you know that it's a major trigger for your RA. On the plus side, at least you can still enjoy it in moderation like in your coffee and on your salads like you mentioned.

    I was so happy to see that you were out and running this morning and that your RA was feeling better.

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    1. Thank you, Kim! I was so happy too be out and running--and it felt so good!

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  4. Dairy is a big no-no for so many people. Mr. Judy has been phlegmy all week. We think from the Keurig hot chocolate he bought, but are not sure.

    I eat cheese, but I don't eat it too often. That seems to work for me. But it's always easy to just try it when you love it and you've given it up for so long. I'm sorry that it hit you so hard, but now you know.

    Good luck chasing down those races this year!

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    1. I just figured my IBS was part of getting older. I had no idea I was lactose intolerant. Grateful I can still have a little.

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  5. Such a shame about the dire dairy but I suppose at least you know what it was, right? Maybe. Love your super-strong photos and hooray for new leggings! I bought some nice reflective ones, following a friend, we both bought medium but they come up big and they are SO unflattering. No hugging, and bagginess in odd places! But reflective ...

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    1. I absolutely love these leggings, but if you buy them do not size up!

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  6. Well I guess now you know that diary is something to avoid. I do miss cheese. I also hope I can tolerate nuts, seeds, beans and legumes. Apparently nuts are very hard on the gut. Who knew? That's so great you could come back and get 9 miles today!

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    1. I was pretty shocked about that run too--not at all what I expected after spending all day in a world of hurt. What a strange disease!

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  7. I've been dealing with painful joints and inflammation - I believe as a result of one of the anti-seizure meds I'm taking. My neuro ran some specific blood tests and the only one that came back high was the one (sed rate) that shows you have inflammation...duh. At some point in the next few months I should be off this medicine but I'm thinking I might help myself by changing my diet. I was thinking sugar; what made you decide to cut dairy? Or did you do trial and error with different types of food?

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    1. I'm not sure why I decided to cut dairy. It was a gradual thing. I started using Ripple milk in my smoothies; I took yogurt out of my diet. Suddenly, my IBS went away and my RA calmed the hell down. I made a connection between dairy and an increase in symptoms. When my Gi tract acts up, so does my RA. I also really cut back on my sugar. It's kind of a trial and error process for sure.

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  8. That hang snatch sounds so difficult! I think I would have cried too. I’m sure you’ll soon tell us that you have mastered the skill. And you’ll have a photo to prove it 😊

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  9. I'll have to check out those tights...not really in the market for anything, but a good deal is a good deal. As you know, I had to walk away from a tough workout this week, too. Sometimes the stars aren't all properly aligned and it's just not meant to be. Usually a great workout (or a run) is right around the corner, right?

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  10. Ugh, so sorry to hear about dairy...that would be really hard for me! I love cheese. What can I say, I'm a Wisconsin girl at heart.

    That hang snatch would be so hard...OMG. You are really inspiring with your strength training!

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    1. I've got a pretty amazing coach--she inspires me! Plus the results are indisputable!

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  11. I saw your run today on Strava and was super impressed! Now I'm even more impressed :)

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    1. Don't be impressed! We're all out there doing our thing, right?

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  12. I would be crying big tears of frustration from the hang snatch too. Those are tough! Anything that goes overhead for me is always a fine line. If I go too heavy or do it wrong, my neck is a mess and endless amounts of headaches follow. Glad to see you were back out there running on Sunday!

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    1. Upper body strength is so touchy! If I add on just a few pounds, suddenly my arms are like, nope, no way! I found myself trying to muscle that bar up and that's wrong too. Ugh!

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  13. $20 for great tights with side pockets? What a find! Sorry the dairy had it’s revengs. I hope you are feeling better now.

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    1. I'm a little achy this morning--but I can only blame that long run yesterday, lol!

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  14. I really appreciate you sharing your experience - I didn't know you were plant-based. I've been mostly vegan for 3 weeks now and starting to experience some positive benefits - your comments are so encouraging! Thank you :)

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    1. I'm not 100% plant based--probably more like 75%, but I still reap the benefits. When I stray, it's not good.

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  15. Sorry if you get this 3x. Having login issues.
    Dairy is a wench. Glad you got flare under control quickly.
    Your coach sounds amazing

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    1. Dairy IS a wench! But I'm having trouble quitting cheese. I have to really figure that out.

      My coach IS amazing!

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    2. Feta is the only one I can't quit entirely. Nothing replicates the flavor

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  16. What a strong bounce back! It's amazing how important it is to listen to your body. I love how brave you got with the dairy, LOL, but in a way the bad reaction was also a reminder that you did well to reduce your dairy intake last year. What a beautiful Sunday run!

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    1. I'm so happy I was able to push those miles yesterday--we broke a record for the temperature (the high, not the low, thank goodness!) Fingers crossed that I'm all good now...

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  17. I'm sorry that you had such a flare up from the dairy! But at least you know what caused it and it was short-lived. Hopefully you can still cheat a little bit once in awhile without major side effects.

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    1. I just have to moderate! Which I am clearly not good at doing!

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  18. I'm sorry it was a tough week, but I'm glad you were able to turn it around. Sammy Jo sounds like a truly wonderful and caring coach and I am so glad you found each other.

    Right now, it's hard mastering anything. I cry frequently after PT, even on good days, just because I'm not where I want to be. Onward and upward, right?

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    1. It's got to be hard when you are so used to being in control! I can see how much progress you're making but I'm not there all the time.

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  19. oh man sorry to hear about the blech this past week. and especially being sidelined. On another note, your guns look amazing. I am always inspired to go to CrossFit (for about 5 min) after I see your photos. I'm just too insecure right now to go to CrossFit. I won't even go to body pump. Last thing I need is my back to get out of whack again. But a girl can dream.

    Really interested in those high-waist workout leggings. wonder if you can get them here?

    By the way I'm about 95% dairy free and cheese is about to go as well. I don't have tummy issues, but I don't see the point of cheese anymore. I know it's damn tasty but I can't afford it physically. It's too fat, too many calories and I can rarely taste it unless it's an entire wheel grated on top of my spaghetti. But I've been on Almond, soy, oat and coconut milk for a while now.

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    1. There's a woman in my CF classes who is recovering from a herniated disc. She does what she can and modifies when she needs to. I hope you'll get the courage to start strength training. We need it!

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  20. Ugh, sorry about the pain but I'm glad you were feeling better by the end of the week. I've been trying to cut dairy out of my diet as well, and definitely notice it now when I cheat and add some back in. It's not a good feeling. It seems like now that I don't eat it much, my stomach rebels when I try to eat it. Those leggings sound great! I've never heard of them before.

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    1. My stomach definitely rebelled this time! I'm glad to be feeling better again.

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  21. I'm so sorry about your flare, but love that you finished the week with a strong run. I continue to give you mad props for stepping out of your comfort zone with your lifting. Your tenacity is to be admired!

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  22. I need a new pair of black leggings...got a hole in the knee of my old pair. I may or may not have tripped on a crack in the sidewalk. ;-)

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  23. Bummer about the dairy. While I know it can cause so much discomfort, it is still good. I love cheese and hope I never have to give it up. Last summer I tried cheese curds for the first time and like them.

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  24. Boo on dairy :( That would be tough for me to avoid! I have one pair of high waist leggings and I really like them. I didn't think I would, but I agree, it's so nice not to have something falling down when you run! My other pairs often require a bit of tugging!

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