Excellence in All we Do

This week has been super busy for me, yet I've had more energy this week than I've had in a long time.  Maybe it's having to go gluten free? Or the fresh air and easy living of the suburbs? :-)  Needless to say, I've been enjoying my time at my parents house in WI, but I'm ready to see my hubs & my dog.  I head back to Chicago tomorrow after my friend's wedding shower.

This past Wednesday and Thursday, I've been working at the base and preparing for my upcoming deployment.  It's been a lot of computer based training, and getting my shots up to date (Anthrax & Typhoid...not fun at all).  On Thursday morning, I had to take my PT test because I was coming due.  The weather was pretty cool in the morning and I was a little worried for my run because my chest always hurts when I run in cold weather.  We started out with a waist measurement (down 1 inch from last year-yay!), and then it was one minute push-ups and one minute sit ups.  I completed 31 push ups & 42 sit ups.  Then it was outside for my run.  I ran my mile and a half in 13:38.  A HUGE improvement from last year, which was 14:05.  I was pretty happy about that, especially since I had been dreading the run portion.  When our fitness monitor put my scores into the computer, she said, "Maria, you got an excellent! Good job!"  Out of the 8 PT tests I've taken, that was my first EVER excellent.  I was so happy and proud of myself!  I definitely deserve a trip to Lululemon this week :-) 

On Friday, my mom and I went to Kohls and I bought some fall wardrobe items, including brown flats & a poncho.  I'm very excited to wear my poncho!  I think we might go back today for more.  After our shopping trip we went to the Original Pancake House & I ordered my first  gluten free meal: pancakes!  They were so good!  They tasted just like regular pancakes to me, very light and fluffy.  

breast cancer awareness month is coming up!

After our delicious breakfast, we went and saw "I Don't Know how she Does It."  I didn't read the book, but I heard it was kind of depressing, which I could see.  But I thought the movie was good.  Sarah Jessica Parker played the role very well & some of the way it was filmed reminded me of SATC season 1 where she & other people would talk to the camera.  I thought they were very biased on both sides of working mothers and of stay at home moms.  They portrayed the stay at home mom as someone who gets glammed up, sits in the park all day or goes to the gym all day.  I bit stereotypical in my opinion, because I know from other people that's not what it's all about (for most people anyway).

Well, I'm off to get ready for the Wine and harvest Festival.  I woke up early this morning, ran 3 miles & did fitnessista's ab burner!  It was a tough one, but yet they all are.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend.  

Allergy Geek

Blah.  A few weeks ago I met with a hollistic doctor in Chicago.  I wanted a new women's health doctor that I felt comfortable with (my last GYN doc was a B), and who could help me find an alternative method of birth control beside the hormonal kind. (saving that for a different post).  We went through my history and after talking with me she decided that she wanted run some tests.  She tested my thyroid, vitamin D & some other vitamin levels and she also tested me for a gluten intolerance.  I told her about some symptoms I was having with certain foods and she wanted to be sure before she put me on any elimination diet. 

She called me last night with my test results.  Everything came back normal except for my borderline low vitamin D levels {I think a trip to St. Lucia is in order :-) } She also informed me that I do have a intolerance to gluten :-/  and  that she wanted me to start an elimination diet and pay attention to any symptoms I have after eating (If I eat GF, the should get better).  She told me that although it's not causing problems now, it could later on down the road.  

Fabulous.  And my grandma is sending me a package that I know will have cookies in it.  I think I'll still manage to have at least one ;-) I'm off to finish packing for WI then it's on the road I go.  I'm grateful that my mom has to be GF as well, she can teach me the "ropes" while I'm staying with her these next 5 days. 

Sidenote...Trader Joe's gluten free bagels? Not the greatest.