My Journey to Raw(ish), Vegan(ish): Healthy Mind, Body, Spirit: Part 1

Disclaimer: This is written as a journal. Please forgive any grammatical or spelling errors, as I will simply be writing directly from memory and at times, a rushed perspective. This is intended to share my experience and how this impacts my symptoms of PCOS, health and general well-being and is not intended to be utilized as a meal plan.

First Week, cut out: grains, nut butter, chicken

Monday: Coffee with sugar free creamer. Strawberries, some apple, almond milk, Garden of Life protein, strawberry acai coconut Kevita, mixed greens smoothie. Banana, supergreens, greens, protein powder smoothie. 1 Coconut cashew Quest bar, mixed nuts, salad with cucumber, green pepper, cherry tomatoes, sunflower seeds, red wine and apple cider vinegar.

A.M.: Bloated, blah, little gym energy or motivation but pushed through. Some acne on chin.

P.M. Tired.

Tuesday: Same coffee. Similar morning smoothie, minus kombucha. Banana, strawberries, mixed nuts post-wo. ½ Quest Nutrition bar, GOL cacao raw super foods with almond milk. Cauli, brocc., carrot, sugar snaps with 2 vegetarian fed eggs.

A.M. Slept harder night before, bit more zest in my wakeup, excited to drink smoothie and get to the gym asap.  Less bloat.

P.M. Full of energy to go on an hour walk with dogs even after workout and little food. Content and ready for bed with ease. Bloat (sodium from the nuts…) Doubled water intake but could not get feeling of h20 satiety.

Wednesday: Same coffee, but no longer actually desiring it. Banana, super greens, vegan protein, kale, almond milk smoothie. Celery, banana, grapes, apple, mixed nuts. 1 Quest bar. Green tea, H20 H20 H20! Broccoli, kale, cucumber, almond milk, raw protein powder, super greens, cinnamon, banana, ginger smoothie: was nervous for this one but it tasted really GOOD! More nuts…not too many but I do have the munching problem in the evening…. I’ll be working on this. More water. Some baby dill pickles.

A.M.: More ambition and motivation with a feeling of ‘clean’ energy and pushed harder in the gym. Little appetite; more lightheaded during yoga but deeper meditation. Felt detoxed after morning smoothie. No afternoon lag.

P.M. My vision seems more acute, more sensitive to light and I feel more anxious to move around; a big foggy headed and unfocused but yet more apt to use problem solving skills, or ready to, at least. Feeling rather ready for bed, my head congestion is still here, but sore throat is gone from Monday. Missing my husband doesn’t count, does it? I need a Skype date to truly solidify whether these are legit… So, aside from the isolated whey in the protein bars, only eggs yesterday. I feel lighter, yes I wish I was already leaning out but I haven’t focused on that for once; my flexibility went up thanks to doing yoga everyday now!

Thursday: kale, blackberry, almond milk, raw protein powder, supergreens, spices smoothie; made double to drink before work and at lunch; Quest bar; mixed greens salad with red and green peppers, a sliced beet, nuts nuts nuts, oops, cherry tomatoes, typical dressing; pickles

A.M. Full of energy but bloated and constipated.

P.M. POUNDING headache, chills, exhausted.

Friday: strawberry, super greens, raw protein, beet leaf, almond milk and spices smoothie, quest bar, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, and squash blend with hot sauce and olive oil; yogurt; mixed peppers with onions, small spoonful of black beans and small handful of corn tortilla

A.M. Oh my word, no headache, blasting with energy first thing and had the BEST workout I’ve had ina long time…extra energy even after LEG DAY, lifted heavy and faster than before with ease and seeming mental clarity during my lifts; more focused. Having cravings today that rolled over from yesterday a bit…family had pizza last night and I sniffed it haha but wasn’t too tempted, managed my cravings last night with pickles before bed and chugged water. Craving no sugar added frozen yogurt today…it’s the only dairy I’ll ever succumb to but trying to use up my veggies in the fridge but missing my bananas since I’m out now…Kinda spacey now, this afternoon, off to take paperwork up to the school and get my hair cut, hopefully no cravings come.

P.M. Had to kill some time before my cut and had my brother; we passed the frozen yogi place and he asked if he could get a little bowl, I said yes. I caved, myself. In my defense, although I don’t need one because I’m doing this for myself and making my own ‘rules’ whatever, as I was saying: I did way better than normal in there; as always, I only got a no-sugar added yogurt (vanilla and blueberry blend this time) but got the smallest bowl possible, whereas I normally go for the medium and fill it up, and didn’t even fill it up more than halfway and topped it with some shredded coconut and almonds, peanuts, pecans, walnuts. Felt slightly gassy and bloated about an hour after but not like normal. Chugged so much water before bed I felt bloated but energetic for the next day.

Saturday: Strawberry, almond milk, super greens, raw protein and spices smoothie, quest bar, mixed greens with green pepper, sunflower seeds, vinegar dressing, lemon, cherry tomatoes; handful potato chips, Udi’s gluten free choc chip cookies with almond milk,  sweet potato with brocc, caul, carrot mix and 1 veg. brown egg

A.M. Felt centered and started my day with yoga, but got thrown off because then went to bro’s bball game and felt ‘tight’ and clean energy but got depressed and tired on our way home; possibly due to the snow and lack of sun but ate my salad and drug myself to the gym and ended up having a great workout; my body def prefers morning workouts, though

P.M. Felt so cheerful and healthy minded, optimistic after workout and cannot remember why but wanted those gluten free cookies and sweet potato….maybe because I had already planned to cut out all processed food or starchier carb sources this week…? The sweet potatoes even made me swollen almost immediately and the cookies were not as satisfying as they would have been previously; almost ended up getting in that, “I’m bored”, mindset and depressed, which typically leads to mindless eating but instead dug deep to think more intuitively and realized I was craving fresh smoothies and fruit and crave that feeling of clean inside that changed so quickly with just a few items that were part of my everyday diet and for most people, do not bug them at all. I passed out watching Forks over Knives….as I am running out of the documentaries to watch.

Sunday: Finished off my sugar free peppermint mocha creamer in my last cup of coffee for at least a week, hopefully longer. I love coffee but pretty sure I drink it more for the warmth it gives me in the morning and perhaps a social matter. Broccoli, banana, avocado, almond milk, protein powder, beet root smoothie; apple, banana, grapes, nut butter with cinnamon; quest bar; spaghetti squash, cabbage, zucchini mix with olive oil

A.M. Awoke to a phone call from my amazing husband, which left me in a great mood, but Sundays are just so ugh in Ohio, I haven’t even been into my NFL teams all too much and I’m pretty sure that’s because I can only go to the gym between hours 1-5 and I’m working hard at keeping my training routine promise so while I can easily do a workout at home, I’m dedicated to that other aspect of my life and it interferes with other things annnnd of course, I have nothing to do around here except blog and create training programs for people; so, I just allow myself to be glum, I guess. I watched, The Heat, with brother bear though and it brought me up and made me laugh despite the dreary morning and headed out to the gym even feeling really full somehow from my fruits and veggies.

P.M. Super full from all the veggies but am deciding to go all raw for at least Monday-Wednesday and those veggies were going bad and I cannot stand letting paid food go to waste, so cooked it all, phew. Felt the endorphins after the workout, though, and stocked up on fresh kale, spinach, strawberries, blueberries, bananas, coconut milk to hold me over for the next three days. I felt like my face was less clear today, though, than earlier in the week…seriously, just from a few gluten free cookies, tiny bit of yogurt and sweet potatoes over the past few days…? Trying to wind down and show gratitude to my family tonight so I can head to bed early and get up early for my leg workout eaaaaaarly before work so I can start my all raw trial out great!

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For the next 3 days: only raw food personal challenge to myself.

(Below are written on Wednesday, you will understand why…)

Monday: bananas, blueberries, spinach, superfood greens, coconut water, unsweetened almond milk smoothie x3, green tea, bananas, strawberries, grapefruit, apple (I actually cannot recall 100% what was in my smoothies at the end of the day, due to complete brain fog and a headache)

A.M. My alarm went off late, so I couldn’t get to the gym prior to heading in for work but was energized because I was excited about what the day held. My energy and clarity was present and high until the afternoon after-school; I then had the onset of a massive headache. After that came the chills, the inability to think properly or really move, as I felt extremely weak.

P.M. Relay those feelings all night; I couldn’t even make it to the gym or my brother’s basketball game and even doing yoga was taunting…I watched a lot of Netflix and crashed.

Tuesday: strawberry, spinach, greens, coconut water smoothie; raw almonds; kale, yellow, orange, and green peppers, beets, and vinegar salad; kale, greens, raw protein powder, coco water, almond milk, lemon, banana smoothie.

A.M. I received a last minute wake-me-up phone call from the school asking me to work and I am still kicking myself for not just saying, “Yes”, but I still had the headache from the night prior and would’ve had to been showered, dressed (this means rummaging around my car and boxes for proper work attire), and out the door within a half-hour of the call. My body said, “No”. So, I got up sluggishly and planned my workout, drank my smoothie, went and had probably the most pitiful workout in a long time and couldn’t even manage post-workout yoga and accomplished almost nothing that I intended for the day: my OCD for organization was nowhere to be seen.  I also began to get extremely depressed, cried (rare for me) and started questioning everything in my life; I supplemented with Vitamin C, E, Echinacea, and Niacin herbals to help all these symptoms….”Food Matters” professionals show that we are all extremely deficient in vitamins so there is absolutely nothing to fear with an extra dose here or there, as we are taught to believe.

P.M. While eating my salad that seemed to take forever to create, I was honestly feeling glum still and told myself that I would keep this promise to myself and stop focusing so much on how I think this may not taste so delicious compared to umm me downing a jar of nut butter, perhaps. Instead, I didn’t watch TV, play on my computer, phone or talk to anyone. I sat in silence with my rainbow of a salad and thoughtfully ate each piece, savoring the flavors of nature and envisioning how it was nourishing my body and healing me from the inside out. I have to say that I probably could not have done this, as I often eat a mix thoughtful but mindless, as in I eat healthy food and get nutrients in but have let go of my slow eating habits that will help keep me satisfied more without just taking in any food I put in front of me. I also can attest that my daily yoga practices, mixing up the routines and instructors are allowing me to truly become more centered and grateful. Yoga teaches you to move and breathe with a purpose and dedicate our practice, while showing gratitude in all that we do; it was a revelation and an affirmation of this practice when I was able to do this during my meal.  I drank my smoothie at the dinner table, with my little brother tempting me to eat his homemade, delicious looking baked potato fries but I reminded him that I made a promise to myself that I would do this for my health and mental well-being and denied him, ohhhhhh! Luckily, we had Aidan’s basketball game to keep my mind busy and my headache was slowly going away, but it was surely cold and even more so for me it seemed. I was constipated this day, though, whereas on Monday I was flushed out.

(Note: I need to have my OWN kitchen so that I can whip out kitchen tools, buy more than just what fits in addition to my family’s food right now and get creative on these raw dishes!)

Wednesday: banana, spinach, strawberry, blueberry, raw protein, coconut water, almond milk, ginger, cinnamon, ice smoothie; ¼ cantaloupe, 1 orange, 3 strawberries, 1 banana with cinnamon; raw almonds; kale, broccoli, coco water, almond milk, small portion of raw protein powder, supergreens, mixed greens, blueberries smoothie, spices; ¼ cantaloupe

A.M. Finally woke up with barely any headache but was slow to rise. It was technically a day off from lifting but I didn’t have work so I knew my body would thank me for getting to the gym. I ended up wanting to do mostly cardio but once I got in there, decided I would switch it up and do something that hasn’t been in my routine for a while: running and lifting for endurance. So, basically, I did a Crossfit style workout but it felt great to run a steady pace; it’s bizarre because I love to run but have not for so long because I am up North now and it’s not possible where my family lives to run outdoors and, the neighborhood crime is up, as well. I cannot wait to get back down to the South so that I can get some fresh, open air in the warmth! I started to get spacey again when I got back, but being drenched even more than normal in sweat was an amazing feeling and reminder of my journey; my yoga was great and I felt the high from my practice once again!

P.M.  Well, I’m writing this presently at just after 1600 and without being too nasty, I have to say I have only had the first two meals that are listed (the rest are planned for tonight) and for some reason am urinating every 15 minutes and have gas like crazy! (I am actually nervous about the fiber packed smoothie I have planned for dinner…. Oh and I usually do urinate A LOT, but it is clear and I have drank a lot of water, but not any more than normal.) When looking in the mirror today, I do feel like my skin looks more alive. I have battled with acne in different ways for over 10 years and have discolored, red skin, mostly on my face (not to mention, the mustache and out of control eyebrows), so for me to feel comfortable without cover up or powder on outside is a step in the right direction. It’s this overload of nutrients, I’m assuming! Now, I do not wear makeup everywhere I go, but am almost always self-conscious about people seeing me with blotchy skin. I am taking my brother to another bball game tonight and am hoping to pop in to Vitamin Shoppe and pick up more Apple Cider Vinegar-with the Mother and a glass of GT’s Kombucha, if they have it-yumm! Because I am taking each moment of my day with more ease and thinking out more thoroughly, I cannot say I have planned out where I am going from here, as in even tomorrow, yet and perhaps I will contemplate as I lay in bed tonight but the remainder of the day is still to be enjoyed and fulfilled whole-heartedly.

A rough idea of what I will continue with: incorporate a green smoothie everyday (with larger amounts of green over fruits per meal); have at least 2 completely raw meals each day; when I cook vegetables, only lightly steam them to prevent loss of nutrients; maintain no animal products and seek out alternate sources of protein; keep the majority of grains and coffee out; add in more cardio to my training routine, as I feel; try a new fruit or vegetable each week and a new method of cardio; make sure I meditate or do full yoga practice for at least 10 minutes each day; eat with more thought on how each bite is either helping or hurting my health.

In the holiday hurricane.

Rather than delving into juicy details of my personal life and how I am still living on an air mattress, couch, or just crashing on my dogs, I’ll take this post to cover a topic we all seem to shutter at for one reason or another: the holidays. So, Thanksgiving has already passed and to touch on that briefly, I have to state that my optimism on my willpower was low the days preceding this day. First, my family has typical drama and places many obligations on me to dote on everyone, on top of carving time for my in-laws an hour and a half away, topped with the stress I feel just thinking of what types of food may come across my path and how I am going to battle balancing out healthy and not-so-healthy. Well, long story short, I did not even end up celebrating Thanksgiving this year! Ha! The day came and went, I had a few depressed days but believe that was due to the cold and this dreary Ohio weather and external factors rather than feelings of emptiness, even with my husband being deployed during every holiday. Now, since then I have been eating according to my goals but perhaps just truly realized an aspect of my PCOS that I had thought was just me being lazy and noncommittal: I am OCD and the only way I don’t crave sugar and carbohydrates is by being relatively ‘strict’.

I explain this because I will feel renewed and full of energy after many straight days of eating just whole, organic, real food with absolutely nothing processed and then I’m on the road or making cookies to send my husband and think I can handle just having one, right?! Wrong! I seriously want to start kicking and screaming (that’s what I literally feel like inside) when I have these days. One cookie or slip in diet leads me to crave carbohydrates. Now, I’m not talking necessarily cakes, cookies, chips, etc., I’m talking complex carbohydrates, like sweet potatoes, oatmeal, gluten-free cereals, and well-I’m always craving natural nut butter; I must note that I only buy products that are under 6g of sugar, as well, so it’s not like these are high sugar items. So, I end up feeling like a mad crazy, chunka-munk of a woman raiding the kitchen, like I cannot get enough of my ‘crack’. How did I think that was normal before or just that I should be ‘punished’ for going off my diet? Please, someone correct me if I’m wrong, but from what I’ve researched with PCOS-friendly nutrition and insulin sensitivity, eating complex carbohydrates are typically easy on us, of course within proper portion sizes. With that said, I have now recognized that, 1. I have been over-complicating my diet in order to obtain my thin physique that I had only several months ago and 2. I need to make a plan and have accountability partners because my family does not (and I do not expect them to) understand the impact certain foods have on my body.

With several holidays currently running and coming up quickly, how can we fight the holiday hurricane of sugar and whacked out insulin and bloating while feeling strong and triumphant over our symptoms? Do you talk with your families and friends about your symptoms? It is inevitable that we will be subject to foods that do not agree with our bodies, especially during the holidays and that not everyone will support our whole, organic, or healthier options because, as some family members often claim, I’m, “obsessed, a protein monster, not fun, too serious”. Instead of succumbing to that one little bite or negative responses that we know will lead us down a destructive path (at least within our minds, if not being like me raiding the jar of nut butter), how can we focus our holidays around doing something other than just eating? I’d like to challenge each of us to pick a new activity or inspire a diverse conversation during a holiday event to prevent the temptation of food and perhaps even educate those around us on something they do not know. To close, I would like to highlight one little tip that I’ve researched and found to be beneficial: at least once a day, if not at each meal (esp. with carbohydrates or sugars), drink a shot of apple cider vinegar in order to assist with glucose utilization.

I have created a group within our Community entitled, “Life out PCOS”, and I encourage everyone to come over and join in the discussion and support one another in a journey for fitness and health!

@aura_Sklenicka

Note: This blog technically belongs to the organization, PCOS Awareness Association, as it's original version is posted within that site's Blog.

No risk-no reward!

As my last post entails, I decided close to the last minute to sign up for the 2014 Bodyspace Spokesmodel Search. After much anxiety because I am not necessarily where I want to be right now, I chose a safe 'risk' of enrolling and making myself vulnerable to being let down because if I don't put myself out there, when will I ever? While I know through my journey of not only life but especially my with my health and fitness that we cannot sit still and expect change to come our way. Haven't the greatest successes in our history come about from constant failure, rejection and tough battles only to be continuously pursued with persistence and dedication? Alas, I uploaded the video, put in some progress pictures and hopefully they all meet not only the requirements but impress the internal judges @ Bodybuilding.com enough to place me in the top 20 for the females. I'll keep you posted!

Open book moment: I had to have another invasive procedure recently (which added to my above-mentioned anxiety) relative to my PCOS and did have an emotional break down. I felt like despite being strict on my diet and lifting and doing loads of HIIT at the gym, my body wasn't responding. Then more procedures and associated bloating and well, I'm just FED UP being in stirrups and doctors offices this year! I nearly fell into my old trap of starvation diet and copious amounts of cardio then fall into the depression cycle because I don't feel up to par compared to other women entering the contest. Ummm, key word: compared. I cannot be a hypocrite and tell other women not to compare themselves to others since each journey is unique and then do the same and beat myself up; it won't be the end of the world if I don't get chosen. With that said, I managed to pull away from those negative thoughts and actions as quick as possible and remembered that I'm human and I DID SAY that I wanted to do this with a focus on health versus just appearance.

Conclusion: Yes, I was training hard but I was allowing my upheaval from my home, new environment of living, being on the road, finding work, my symptoms, procedures, etc. to take center stage and really wasn't ending each day feeling fulfilled. As trivial as this may seem to some, I recognized last night that I do need more structure in my life and the only thing I can control is my fitness timeline. I am choosing to finally set down and pick a show (although Dr. Sara Solomon, who is a fitness role model for me, has been leading me to contemplate a WBFF show over NPC because they appear to hold healthier views on what a physique should look like and live healthy year-round) so that I have more holding me accountable. Finally, I awoke this morning with a fire ignited within me. Something had changed over night. I stepped into the gym with vigor and determination in my eyes. I said from the beginning that I wanted to represent women with PCOS in the bodybuilding world and that is just what I will focus on and all the women I interact with are my motivation!
Lower body insanity from today was a combination of the following:
Leg extensions
Lunges
BB Squats
Calf raises
Leg press
Calves on leg press
Single leg deadlifts
Hamstring curls
Rope pull abs
Lying leg raises

I varied my weight, continuously going heavy, varied my rep range but absolutely did not stop, no rest...who needs cardio when you just lift heavy and fast?! Also, I am trying out new videos but learned I cannot do it with my phone, so the only place it would upload to is my FaceBook. I went through a typical PCOS-friendly smoothie that is packed with everything you want for a delicious and healthy post-workout (or whenever) meal!

2014BodyspaceSpokesmodel

I just uploaded my mandatory video and my progress pics on Bodyspace (via Bodybuilding.com) were already up! I am ready to expand our voice for PCOS and show that weightlifting is beneficial and we can achieve anything we set our minds to, so wish me luck, please and thank you! Also, I created a group on Bodyspace called, "Lift out PCOS", for fellow ladies to join. It is an optimistic, judgment and intimidation-free zone!

Get your Namaste on.

Let's face it: yoga can be intimidating. Go on social media, look into a yoga studio, or simply Google it and the vision is made that Yogis are only super flexible individuals that are able to maneuver their bodies into crazy positions and have a great calm all while doing so. These practitioners deserve applause for their dedication and abilities but never forget that everyone has their strengths AND we all start somewhere. Everyone is always a work in progress within their own right and I'm sure they didn't just jump into their first ever yoga session capable of doing a full Peacock Pose (or more properly, Mayurasana). Despite any intimidation factor, in any facet of health & fitness, yoga has been proven to be immensely beneficial for women with PCOS.

In addition to my current workout regimen, I always include at least 2 days a week of yoga practice. Honestly, it wavers from week to week but I feel my best when I awake with sun salutations, even just for 10 minutes each morning and utilize a longer practice for a post-workout stretch and relaxation. I have found that by doing so, my stress hormones are reduced and the intense nature of my workouts and diet do not impact me negatively (such as they were during competition prep; discussed in an earlier posting). Unfortunately, I have never had the opportunity or made the leap to attending a class because of availability near me and time conflicts but I have found YouTube to be a great resource! If you are new to yoga, cramped on time, or want a good meditation practice, I highly recommend:

Yogea ArtFlow Yoga

Plum TV- Yoga with Colleen Saidman

DoYogaWithMe.com

 

Why is yoga even more beneficial for PCOS?

Breathing techniques (pranayamas) assist in relaxing the mind and assist in meditation.

- This will aid in reducing overall stress, cortisol levels and detox.

Specific postures (asanas) can be done to focus on the pelvic region, reproductive system and organs impacted by hormonal imbalances.

- They will leave you feeling rejuvenated, clean on top of an increase in flexibility, weight loss and in some cases, may be integral in proper organ and system functioning.

Check out these tailored options.

 

How has yoga impacted my life?

When I practice on a regular basis, my OCD tendencies are more in check, depression does not show it's nasty face as easily, I have a better perspective on my current situation because I am forced to be introspective, my flexibility increases slightly each time (this is a huge bonus when lifting), I am grateful in any tumultuous situation, and of course a PCOS favorite: a reduction in breakouts!

 

Tips:

Try to do on an empty stomach. (Trust me, I've not waited long enough after a meal and it didn't feel too amazing in my digestive system!)

Drink plenty of water after a practice to rehydrate.

Find an empty, serene area-preferably with a view of nature to ensure complete relaxation and dedication to your practice.

Focus on your breathing-this will help quiet the crazy ongoing thoughts.

 

 

 

 

 



So you want to start working out...?!



And..here's your funny for today!

 

Recently, I have been approached by two different females with very different fitness goals, lifestyles, age ranges, body compositions, and access to equipment seeking advice on wanting to start on a path to getting in shape. As a frequent reader of many social media and fitness sites, I have found a common theme that women don't want to get bulky and just want to look toned. Unfortunately, some advertising and marketing schemes have made women assume that these are any valid outcomes of working out. First off, while the rate of muscle growth is greatest for newbies, it takes a tailored diet and lifting regimen to truly see large muscles on a female. (I will highlight PCOS and muscle growth in a moment.*) Secondly, that toned appearance can come only from using muscles, not from just doing cardio. (Trust me: I was a cardio bunny at the beginning of my journey and mind you, my weight was lower but my booty was not lifted and I wasn't necessarily 'tight'.) You will get lifted in all the right places just by slowly implementing a resistance aspect to your fitness routine. With that said, I have come up with a few circuits that you can complete if you are new to working out and have no equipment at home. I will do circuits like this at times I do not have access to my home equipment or a gym. I hope the links have not expired on these, but it should send you to videos demonstrating proper form.

 

For the following circuits, do each workout in order, take a minute or two break and then repeat the sequence again as many times as possible. (I'd say first go for at least 2, no more than 5 times through each circuit.) For each exercise in the circuit, do as many as possible, until your muscles become fatigued. I've made the name of each exercise a link to exercise demonstrations that help show you proper form. Example: Circuit One, do 15 pushups, 12 bench dips, 45 seconds wall sit, 30 Russian twists. I take a water break, then repeat that circuit 2 more times before moving on to Circuit Two. I'd recommend doing this workout 3 times this week, with a rest day in-between (i.e. Monday, Wednesday, Friday).

Circuit One

Pushups

Bench Dips

Wall Sit
Russian Twist

Circuit Two

Plank
Flutter Kicks
Diamond Pushups
Bodyweight Squat

Circuit Three

Mountain Climbers
Calf Raise
Jumping Jacks
Bodyweight Lunges



If you are already doing cardio, go ahead just remember that there is no need to over-do it! I'm a fan of High Intensity Intervals or Tabata training but I cannot recommend that for unseasoned individuals, as it is easy to lose coordination and injure oneself during these. For those with PCOS, if you incorporate these circuits, and yoga and leisure walks several times a week you should be good; no need to overstress your adrenal system. REMEMBER that the #1 first goal of working out should be a focus on health, hence my little graphic above! Focusing on health first will also decrease the liability that you will stop the program because it does take time to see physical changes. Invest now in your health and save money and enjoy life down the road!
 

*If you are an aerobics junky, stop. Do low intensity relaxing exercise (leisure walking, tai chi, restorative yoga) and weight training instead to control cortisol which can be one of the major issues in disrupting brain ovary signaling. (Teta, Jade. Metabolic Effect, Inc. "How To Lose Weight with PCOS". www.metaboliceffect.com)

 

 

 

 

Where do I begin...?

It would be near impossible (without boring the hell out of you) to explain the past month of my life to you, so I will attempt to sum it up and circle back around to something PCOS-related. Mkay?

After my husband being deployed for a week, we finally got a call that a potential tenant wanted to schedule a showing of the house and awesome enough, the day became a gold mine of potentials, leaving the puppies and I on the road, eating egg whites out of the truck and not getting a post-workout shower until late at night. The day was a success, though, and the new tenant was eager to get in asap: a.k.a. Aura, you have to be out of the house in a few days. Say whaaaaat?! Somehow I managed to get everything packed, moved into storage or my vehicle, and cleaned with ample time (thanks to Mike & Amanda for being awesome friends!) and got to the gym most of those few days because I knew it would reduce my anxiety.

So, the house was rented and the pups and I ended up at my Ma's house. It was perfect timing because I was able to spend my brother's birthday week with him and some quality time with my nephew and sister-in-law. Now, I was freaking out quite a bit because honestly, Ken and I did not want to transition from the military back to Ohio. While we love our families and adore the time we have with them, we both agreed that we wanted to move forward with something new in our life, especially with such a huge life change coming. With that said, I (sadly) left my pups with my Ma and drove out to Chicago in search of temp work until I can begin working with Teach For America in the spring. For the past 2 weeks, I have gone to a variety of interviews and finally landed a teaching position that I will begin on Friday! (I still find it ironic that I could not get a professional interview success for the past year in NC but I get here and have multiple opportunities immediately awaiting.) I feel blessed to have my sister here to stay with and she has been awesome but I definitely have not felt like myself.
.....
I have done healthy food prep several times but am thrown off because I'm too afraid to run the blender in the middle of the day when my brother-in-law is sleeping before work, I'm trying to save money so am too cheap to go buy protein because I'm still in sticker shock from coming from a NC budget and military access, I have gone to the gym every single day (and that is a blessing), I am not on an eating schedule because her kitchen is just not what I'm accustom and I feel awkward, etc. etc. etc. I'm really trying hard to stick with a clean diet as much as possible but admittedly, I've had one too many 'off' days in the past 2 weeks. I am not beating myself up about it, but I am worried because they have come about from either a.) staying out too late to be a designated driver or the fact that I went out twice and I never go out or drink so my sleep is lacking, which is a big No-no for me (&PCOS) or b.) I'm depressed.
Phew, that felt like a relief. I don't know if anyone reads this far down but it feels good to have that off my chest. I don't want to share an additional stress with my husband and my sister, while she's an awesome listener, she has recognized it and I fear she will feel guilt for it regardless the fact that it has anything to do with her or not. I have cried more times in the past 2 weeks than I have in the past 2 years...or more. I'm not a crier, typically not emotional, and well, I asked for this right? I'm honestly starting to think that I was too naïve in realizing what life would be life until I have my family back together here. I miss my quiet, boring, country life right now and while I know it will subside soon enough, I can't help but think I've made a mistake uprooting our entire life for the dream of 'making a difference' or 'greater impact'. I feel like I've already matured even more in the sense that I should have listened to my wise husband when he told me that it doesn't matter if I'm in the city because I have already touched so many lives in my young age, even living in a suburban military community. I'm praying everyday for the pieces to fall where they will and that I can keep picking myself back up with an optimistic attitude and healthy lifestyle.

With that said, if you have PCOS, please-I beg of you-try to get those 8 recommended hours of sleep each and every night; you will know when your body is rested and properly performing and you have that positive mindset and little stress that you have gotten a restful night sleep. The stress that many of us PCOSers' have is only magnified when we are lacking sleep and proper nutrition; trust me on this one.

More to come soon enough, as I will be back on the blogging grind with more focused on PCOS recipes and fitness updates-I forgot to mention I'm OFFICIALLY an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, as I passed my exam last week. I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to have clientele with PCOS, as I can understand the frustration with managing weight with this syndrome. If interested, please let me know!
Until next time....
Take time each day to reflect on your personal and professional goals and recognize what truly matters in life.

Be YOU...and Happy PCOS Awareness Month!

True or false: Several nights (or days) each week, you find yourself surfing one of the social media sites (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) and get down on yourself because, well, you simply are not having as much fun as all your social media friends?
If you say, 'False', then I will be short and sweet and let you know I am jealous but I am striving to be like you, oh confidence ones!
If you say, 'True', first, it makes my sister and I look like less of boring old, young ladies and more human. Secondly, although my sister just (yes, I'm a late bloomer...in every sense) helped me realize that I compare myself to others, especially strangers, all too frequently, I am adamant on fixing this and hope you will do the same! While I've never watched the television show, "Portlandia", my sister was describing an episode where a guy comes back from what was apparently an amazingly fun-filled vacation with his new girlfriend (according to all the airport photographs they posted on Facebook) but in all actuality, she slept the whole time. (If you watch this show and my summary of this episode is incorrect, please let me know, or I will just go catch up on it myself. Thanks!) So, how did this conversation arise? You see, my sister lives in Chicago, where there is always something to be doing, but recently quit her longtime job to focus on finishing her degree-she's also still a 'newlywed' but my brother-in-law works ump-teen hour days. This means--->she is now finding herself at home alone many nights delving into Netflix and calling me to talk for hours. Hey, at first, I laughed with her and felt depressed because I am a military spouse, so I am ALL TOO aware of the beauty of having Netflix and peanut butter by my side while my husband is away; although I find this extremely unbeautiful after multiple deployments. (Mind you, we do live in the middle of nowhere basically, too...which makes me look on Instagram at all the bodybuilding competitors I follow and wish I was at least doing 2-a-days with them and getting glammed up to eat nothing but healthy food out of Tupperware. Okay, that was a bit facetious, given that I do look up to a lot of them as role models but idolatry is not something we should cherish-but I hope you get my gist here.) Okay, so to wrap it up, my initial thoughts on this changed after her and I dug more philosophically into this issue and recognized that we really ARE NOT the only ones doing this: comparing our seemingly boring lives to our friends on social media, who MUST have a million real life friends, always be sitting on the beach, working out with celebrities and NEVER sit down to watch Netflix. Now, I'm not by any means saying not to reach for the stars in our goals, dreams, aspirations, etc. because one day I will have all those things (to my own personal degree, I suppose) but for right now, how about we just enjoy the life we are living and stop trying to be someone else, who we think someone else is or how they live their day and cherish the here and now.
That.is.hard.because I love change and it can be difficult to sit still but, to relate this to our PCOS, we are already hard enough on ourselves given the condition of our body, hormones, and possibly TTC, so why pretend to be a fake version of ourselves when our true, confident personality (and sitting home in our snuggy every once in a while) is what makes us unique.
As always, I know I ramble, but I hope that my intent shines through....
So, if anyone is reading all the way through, here is a question for PCOS Awareness Month, so we can focus on positive goals:
What is a dream of yours that you've been told is impossible or have felt is too far out of reach?
(I'd love to hear how you can change that impossible into a possible, too! Reach for the stars!)

What pre-dep leave can do to you...

...a.k.a. make you 'fluffy'. Yes, I could have easily worked my willpower against the evils of dining out, but I have been learning to take the punches and roll with them to make the best out of them. 1. I might have had several days of food that I would not recommend as a PCOS-friendly diet (too much starchy carbs and lack of portion control) but the difference between my mindset now versus the past is that in the past I would've continued to say, "Oh, tomorrow I'll be back on a strict diet"....and then pig out past my satiated point and the rollercoaster diet cycle ensues. Now, I'll eat a few bites of this naughty food and stop before I feel like I can't get off the couch (I envision myself here with a prego size belly not able to get up without rolling around like a 2 legged dog; I'm weird, whatever...and no I'm not dogging on pregnant ladies, geez even though I don't want kids now, someday I'll be wishing I was rolling around with a babe inside of me when I can't....I like ... & italics today, can you tell? Oh yeah, and my grammar and sentence structure sucks today; ADD day I suppose.) Anyhoo, moral of that story: Yes, I gained some water weight and fat but I made sure I was staying consistent with lifting or working out whenever possible even though pre-deployment has entailed being away from my home, my routines, my house being upside down with projects, and trying to make my husband as relaxed as possible before he has to reside in a living version of Hell again in the coming months. Mind you, he is going to miss football season, big holidays, and birthdays yet again this year; so we are celebrating early, right?!
With that said, I knew after 1 week of this 'carefree' attitude that I was ready to get back on the ball more hardcore and focus back solely on nutrients that my body loooooves. Well, my body must have enjoyed that break because my body is responding better than ever, high intensity lifting sessions, added in some TRX training at home, a slight bit of running to build my endurance back up and cycling my carbs a bit. (One day low, one day moderate, one day high; this isn't an end all-be all approach, it just helps me reduce cravings in the long run if I know I can look forward to more varied food choices the following day.) My muscles look more full and I feel great. I did take a week off of the Metformin when my prescription was up to remember, or really truly recognize, if it was assisting me and I have to admit that the week of not so good food didn't really add the aforementioned 'fluff' until I went off my pills. Disclaimer: I'm purposely took this break so that I don't become dependent on a medication to make me feel less fluffy, but I could definitely tell the insulin spikes were back slightly when off of the medication. I wasn't going to continue with it but had a follow-up with the doc and informed her that I finally lost the negative side effects (mentioned in the last post) so we decided to just see if the positive response ensues for the next few months. I have been back on it for a day and feel amazing thus far; fingers crossed I don't publish this then get nauseous and narcoleptic again...

So, for all you readers that may have those times similar to my pre-deployment celebratory eating, don't forget to stay consistent and listen to your body when it tells you no more. I have found that because PCOS can easily relay into depression for various reasons, when I don't eat PCOS-friendly to a 'T' I only get depressed when I am eating out of emotional disturbance, to clear my mind of thoughts, and truly if I let my mind get the best of me. Never quit, just keep on trucking and never view something as a 'negative', even if it is outside of your norm; just make everything a positive.

Are all my posts sounding too similar...? I'll switch up the next one to something radical, I promise.

Take time to connect.

....and not online! I've gotten comments on my social media & BodySpace pages about being absent from posting in the past month. Reason #1 is truth: I was feeling insecure about the changes going on with my body. It's extremely difficult not to compare ourselves to others, or even what we once looked like. At the end of the day, though, only we can really tell the physical changes (because we nit-pick) and typically what we see of others is altered in some fashion. I was upset with myself for feeling this way because I felt like a hypocrite, trying to promote inner beauty and confidence to other women (and now some very impressionable teenage girls) but yet was allowing myself to hide. Aside from my insecurities, I also have been resting and sleeping....a lot. While I miss working to no end, at this point, I feel blessed to a point that I had the option to rest when my body needed to; which is a lot on these medications. (Reference previous post.) After the initial 2 weeks of really getting adjusted to the new meds, I do feel like I have a handle on them for the most part. I revert back to symptoms of fatigue, nausea and dizziness if I don't eat enough food with them; which is actually hard because my taste buds are way off. Anyway, I do think they are assisting in my insulin levels, for sure. When I'm not drained and eating at proper intervals with them, I recognize a consistent level of energy, rather than prior instances of spikes and crashes. It may help that I have not had a taste for starchy carbohydrates, (or any, really) either. While I have always tried to keep my diet gluten-free and avoid those carbs that will send my body out of whack, we are all human and enjoy something different for time to time. The past month, my husband was away training, and being in the military, oftentimes he goes through a period where he'll have a hankering for restaurant food because he is deprived of food choices on a daily basis.
With that said, I had my first experience with pizza in a long time. Normally after one slice, I feel bloated, hyper then tired, and retain a lot of water the following day; my body does not like dairy and cheese, as that's recommended for almost all with PCOS (to at least not overdo the consumption, obv.). I hadn't been able to eat all day because well, every time I make a smoothie or salad lately, I can't finish it without feeling grossed out. Bizarre. Anyhoo, he had a few pieces the other night and I was not tempted whatsoever (that's a first!) but eventually got hungry and took a few bites....then the whole slice...and he asked me how I felt. Amazingly, not the same as before; so, my silly husband bugged me to eat the other one (Is he trying to fatten me up yo?! No, his claim is that he never sees me indulge and he knows how mental PCOS is for me in 'not being normal'...eff that, we are a special kind of normal!) So, I did...and guess what, it was like I never had pizza at all! I woke up the next morning still with ab definition, (I didn't mention, I've been leaning back out slowly) if not more than the day before! So, I always see fellow bodybuilders bragging about this, doing IIFYM (If it fits your macros), and at least getting to carb cycle and get super jealous because all those approaches don't work so hot for me but I finally got where they are coming from the day after an 'off' meal.. (I don't like the word 'cheat', it is dirty and presents the opportunity for guilt.)
To sum it up: Metformin, you must be doing the trick yo; you have mean side effects and I am not sure how long I will take your daily grumpiness, but thank you for that little moment. If anything, having that moment made me appreciate, even more, the hard work we put into a PCOS-friendly diet, exercising, and practicing meditation. I have always wondered how my body would really respond to my bodybuilding lifestyle if it was 'normal' and I suppose maybe I had a glimpse of that and it was validation of willpower, determination, and greater respect for all the other ladies out there dealing with PCOS. There is no cure, but we can know that every step in the right direction makes us more powerful from the inside-out.
To finish off: the title of my post was intended to describe the time I have been resting, I have taken that time to reconnect with my spirituality on a deeper level and am reflecting through prayer and reading, as well as self-introspection on how I can become a better person for myself, my husband, my family, friends, even those on social media. You never know whose day you may change with the smallest action or word.

Metformin...sh** just got real!

I've been down and out for a bit. My hormones have always played a huge role in my mood, obviously, and I cannot say it helps being a military spouse. Even with the removal of my tumors last month, I still managed to keep an intense workout regimen (of course, I semi-listened to the doctor on recoup periods but I was not in pain, anyway) and actually rather on point with my food intake, but not obsessing over it and enjoying family time or the rare times out of the house. Yes, I was a bit thicker but I was using that extra bit to lift heavier. No bigs, right? Well, I thought not...until my husband left for training and I tightened my diet and put more HIIT cardio into my routines. Mind you: the last time I incorporated this same amount of HIIT, I was getting ripped pretty quickly. Nonetheless, somehow I managed to continue gaining and I realized I was definitely losing hard earned muscle. For the matters of health, I had been keeping a slightly lower intake of animal proteins, but nothing extravagant. My diet extremely PCOS friendly but yet, I could just FEEL myself out of whack; I am not typically an emotional person and I was crying, stressing, and confused about so much that was trivial and don't get me started on my damn mustache! Okay, okay, sob story over, I was proactive and made an appointment to discuss more endocrinology.
In the past, I have tried Hormone Replacement Therapy (progestin, chlomid, femara) and while I was not trying to conceive, my Doc wanted to see if these would help regulate my cycles, hence seeing if ovulatory function was even possible. My body reacted horribly, feeling like it went through menopause but yet the medication did not work for me but once. With that said, I said EFFFFFFFF feeling like a crazy lady (right, right!?) and really tried hard at the all-natural approach, simply healing through food, meditation, exercise, and only several herbal supplements to enhance proper function. Well, I haven't had a period in all that time and I have not been on a medication for nearly 2 years now.
Turns out, something in this crazy world of PCOS decided to trigger my hormones in another weird direction and I caved to TRYING, key word TRYING out a month of Metformin & Spiro. I can't even lie, just saying I'm on these suddenly makes me feel like part of this PCOS community all of a sudden. Sounds stupid, right? Since joining communities and reading educational studies on PCOS, I have constantly found and witnessed all these women on Metformin, but I was convinced that that was not for me because I did not think I had insulin resistance nor am I actively TTC. I've always been more of the, "eeehhhh what happens, happens" type of lady. So, to be on this stuff now, yes, yes, sh** just got real in the Sklenicka household! (I'm sure Ken will be happy he's not home for a while...) First 2 days review thus far: I've never NOT been thus UN-hungry. I can't lie on this either folks, I love to eat (be honest, who doesn't!?) and while I know how to eat clean and keep within my macro/kcal limits, these pills make me disgusted by even my favorite most tempting, colorful salad arrangement or (gasp) nut butter! I've been forcing some food in and trying to workout, although I feel fatigued rather quickly and thus my strength is down. Nausea was listed as a #1 side effect and ya, it isn't too bad but my digestive system has been making some funny sounds.....and I blame it on the dogs?! :-0  I have recently heard of Glucosmart and Glucocerin, which I am told are all-natural, which I'd prefer, but unfortunately I am sure are NOT covered by my healthcare. I'll dig deeper, though.
So, after this novel of a damn post, I was writing with an old friend and she made a comment on me having it rough these days; to which I replied, "More stories to add to the book of life!" It can be frustrating having issues that no one understands because they may not be visible to the naked eye and we can be on a rollercoaster of weight loss to weight gain, or even lose something so precious to our future (material or non) but at the end of the day, those build our character and make us stronger. God would not give us anything that He did not think we couldn't endure.

Oooh that pesky thing called STRESS!

PCOS Tip of the Day

  Choosing High-intensity Interval Training (HIIT) over medium-maximal prolonged cardio can increase your resting metabolic rate, aid in muscle building, and has a lessened effect on rising cortisol levels! Many women with PCOS (myself being one) have the symptom of amenorrhea, or lack of a menstrual cycle, and it has been shown that this is exacerbated when the heart rate is elevated for long durations. Research study can be found,here. So: hit the track, your backyard, or a piece of cardio equipment and train like an athlete.  Short burst of high-intensity, mixed with some bodyweight exercises or a medium-intensity and then rest and repeat several more times; this will allow you to get the benefits mentioned above and you won’t spend hours in the gym wrecking yourself while you think you’re doing something healthy. *Note: I speak from experience, as I had once done 1 hour+ of cardio on the treadmill or stepper every day and actually ended up gaining weight and my hormones went ALL out of whack! 

First PCOS Tip of the Day!

PCOS Tip of the Day

Apple Cider Vinegar: with the ‘Mother’ has many proven health benefits for everyone and has been especially helpful in reducing my personal PCOS symptoms of acne, bloating, insulin spikes (when taken around higher carbohydrate or sugar intake) and lessened IBS, just to name a few! 

To start my day off on the right foot, I take a shot with a pinch of cayenne pepper spice and it is DELICIOUS as a dressing substitute!

Click here to read further information on the benefits of Organic ACV, straight from medical professionals!

Not 'if' but 'when'.

Not if, but, when I get my entrepreneurship revved and going, I am thinking: Six Packs & PCOS! I am starting to see my 6-pack coming back; limited cardio, heavy ass weights and food that works with my hormones rather than against it! Full blog coming later...

Confessions of an Under-eater and Overachiever

A back porch, sunshine on my face, Blender Bottle full of BCAAs sweating from the heat, but a cool breeze of the wind blowing my hair out of my face; what more could a lady ask for? This is me in this moment. Instead of being grateful for the little things in life, I found myself throwing yet another pity party for how stuffed and fluffy I feel. Regardless of my intense leg workout this morning, I still find myself feeling guilty over consuming appropriate amounts of nutrition to gain muscle (hence the title of this entry). After losing an initial mass weightloss over the span of several years, I truly began focusing on only consuming unprocessed foods about 1.5 years ago and it has all been trial and error. This was about the time I discovered what Bodybuilding.com had to offer and researching every bit I could into PCOS and how I should be eating to truly lean out. Mind you, I had thought that I put on a good portion of muscle mass, simply by picking up a weight. My problem: inconsistency with one regimen. Yes, I believe that the body needs to have variety or it will no longer see results, but I’m talking trying absolutely every training program and ‘diet’ out in BroScience land and Endocrinology research websites, trying to strike a balance between being a bodybuilder and living with a hormonal imbalance-atypical of most bodybuilding regimes.

Despite my rambling, I have a point regarding my headline:

After finally completing my first (all-the-way through…not half-assed) 12-week challenge through Bodybuilding.com/BodySpace, I felt AMAZING! I was seeing abs that I had worked so hard for but had never actually seen, but I couldn’t fight the fact that I had not really changed all that much in a 12-week span regardless of the max effort I put in. So, I took a few weeks to decrease my cardio slightly but still lifted in heavy circuits, because I was not about to lose those abs! Well, sure enough, even with clean eating and limited indulgences, my abs were *poof* gone in an instant. I’m still working on figuring out if it’s my sensitivity to carbs or just the fact that my body fat percentage was not low enough. Several weeks after the challenge ended, I was approached in the gym by an older gentleman that recognized my dedication in the gym and volunteered his time to coach me for an upcoming figure show debut. Awesome, right?! It seemed that way for the first few weeks. I was getting my butt kicked but I loved that he said I was eating the right foods and portion sizes and said I would never max out over 1 hour of cardio-ever. (Annoying buzzer sound, here!) Well, sure enough, even me explaining my PCOS to him, he realized I wasn’t dropping weight like ‘most people’ would for the hours of training and food restrictions; so instead of listening to my input of trying high-intensity sprint intervals, he increased my cardio and pretty soon my life was all consumed with this and I soon became miserable. To make a long story short, I got news that a medical surgery took precedence over the show and the coach turned out to be ummm-unprofessional, to say the least- so after intense calorie restriction and all day gym sessions I was left having to have surgery and told to stay out of the gym for several weeks. Oh goody. Despite my long, leisurely walks with my husband and still doing some light cardio when I wasn’t in pain and of course, eating at a calorie deficit; I managed to gain weight right back. During this time I watched one too many of Dr. Layne Norton’s Youtube videos and read up on other bodybuilders and fitness professionals-with scientific degrees- on how to properly treat your body without destroying your mind and body, as I was doing. You see, when I am told to follow a plan, I follow it to a ‘T’, I execute everything with the mindset that it needs to be perfect and if I do not achieve what I envisioned, my psychological state begins to suffer. (PCOS women, you know all too well the cycle of stress from additional cortisol and quick onset of depression. REMEMBER: Stress will only make the fat cling and do NOT let your mind control your happiness!) When I added up how much I was eating on that prep prior to my surgery, I was down to ~800 calories/day, all of chicken, asparagus, and egg whites. Prior to that major deficit, I always thought it was recommended that I stay below 1200 calories/day to lose. Well, if you’re always trying to LOSE, eventually you have no further place to go and your body fights with you to maintain homeostasis. Putting this in perspective: I have been eating under 1200 calories/day (with the exception of family gatherings, holidays, or the occasional treat meal) for the past ummm, I’d say 3 years. Yes, that worked to get initial weight off, but I don’t know how I thought I could ever gain muscle size or cut when I have no surplus to cut from!

Back to me, sitting here fluffy and stuff… Over the past week being back in the gym I have been focusing on lifting some heavy @$$ weight and slowly increased my calories. Even my carbs. I still cannot manage to look in the mirror without being sad about lost abs or the feeling that I cannot stomach the amount of food I should be consuming to put on muscle, but my intent is to be able to stand this amount of food without putting on an excess amount of fat, so that when I do incorporate cardio again (no 2 hour sessions, I’ll be doing sprint intervals, sport activities, and yoga) I have a number to cut down from and know how to properly balance my intake to cut slowly. Perhaps I will utilize BB.com’s Cellucor challenge to lean out a bit so I feel more comfortable at the beach but nothing crazy and I’m pretty sure we’re looking at some muscle gains when my husband deploys again in the fall. I will never subject myself to an unhealthy way of life that only permits rebounds, poor self-esteem, or eating disorders. As much as it pains me not to feel comfortable yet in my bikini on the beach, living in Coastal Carolina, I know it will pay off in the long run. And, hey, my doctor said I shouldn’t be exposing myself to the bacteria from the sand and ocean yet, anyway; backyard kiddie pool with the pups, here I go!

Never forgo your happiness for an extrinsic motivator. Dig deep and know that you truly cannot succeed for long-term until you have intrinsic motivation and a deeper purpose to lead a healthy, balanced life.