By The Numbers

This post will likely be of little interest to anyone other than me. Sorry about that.

Those who know me well, will likely agree that I have several forms of mild OCD. (Manny may disagree with my use of "mild" LOL) One of those manifestations is my obsession with my blood work- my CBC and Complete Metabolic panel. I blame my mother (a nurse) for most of this. I not only obsess about my own, but also Manny's and his parents and my parents and basically anyone who would let me see their information!

Anyway, each year, to the date if possible, I get a CBC and Complete Metabolic Panel with Lipids. And I compare numbers. And then I usually find something I don't like and I obsess about fixing it. If only I could get so obsessed about tri training!

Last year my Red Blood Count came in at 3.47. The "normal" range is 3.8-5.10. To go along with it my Hemoglobin/Hematocrit were both low at 11.6 (normal is 12) and 33.8 (normal is 35). Basically this told me that I am anemic and this prob why I was/am so tired all the time. The doctor recommended I take an iron supplement. So I have. Every. single. day. without missing for a whole year. I am an iron-taking MACHINE!

This time, my RBC came in at 3.58. Still anemic. But the Hemoglobin/Hematocrit were both better at 12.2 and 35.3. My MCV (a part of the hemotacrit I don't fully understand) came in high this time though at 99 (normal is 80-98). The doctor just said that basically that shows I'm taking an iron pill. I guess the supplement is sort of working, but I was expecting a huge jump in RBC production. Guess not.

Last year I was extremely happy with my Lipid Panel. My Total Cholestrol was 144, Triglycerides were 75, HDL at 44 and LDL at 85. Pretty much excellent. So I had nothing to obsess over there.

This year, however, my Total Cholestrol has jumped up to 172 (Ack!), while my Trigylcerides dropped quite a bit to 49 (a good thing) and my HDL went up to 53 (also a good thing) my LDL shot up to 109 (double triple ACK!!). The total should be between 100-199 with about 150 or less as ideal and the LDL should be between 0-99 with 50 or less ideal. Basically the jump in the total in my case is directly related to the jump in the LDL.

The doctor was not really concerned with this jump because my triglyercides and HDL are good. But, I really want to know how/why this happened. I don't smoke, I exercise way more than most people, I don't eat a lot of high fat foods, I already eat the recommended serving of Cherrios every freaking day as well as avocado to try to keep LDL low. So what gives?!

I am still "researching" myself for answers, but the doctor gave me the answer I expected, but did not want to hear. She said that it is most likely genetic. The only true high fat foods I can be accused of eating are whole milk and cheese and I think I probably eat too many tortillas b/c I try to stay away from bread. She said she doubts I eat enough of these things to really be a factor, but as of today I am back to skim milk and low fat cheese and am going to limit my tortilla intake by replacing with lettuce if I have to eat a wrap. I'm going to comb through my daily diet and try to see exactly how much fat I am consuming.

She said that it can't hurt to do these things, but that age (omg!!!!) and genetics are the most likely culprit. She said I might try subsituting 2 servings of pistachios into my diet daily and see if that helps lower the LDL. In 3 months I will retest and if the numbers don't really change, I guess I will have to accept the "genetic" answer and think about what to do from there. She said I am no where near the numbers where I would need medication, but I really don't ever want to get there!

So now you know about my panel. How's yours?

Labels: freaking out

Bike guard

Long weekend

I have today OFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Obviously, I am very excited about that.

Most of our friends had family plans for July 4th (we are one of the few childless couples left in our set of friends), so we decided to have a July 3rd party today. We're doing a coca-cola apple wood smoked chicken plus veggies and this grilled bread with tomato, ricotta and proscitto recipe swiped from Manny's man crush, Bobby Flay. I made a lemon ice box pie last night using a recipe from Emeril and then made some homemade cookie dough ice cream this morning.

I only have 2 bottles of Abita Strawberry left and today I think I will drink them. We got some more Satsuma, but it's just not nearly as good. And of course we have all the St. Arnold favorites ready to go. After the SL, I will make the switch over to the beer that never lets me down- Lawnmower!

This morning we did SWAT. I just wrapped on my third week back at it and today was my best workout in a long time. I think I am getting my mojo back. I'm no where near ready for the advanced group, but I stayed at the front of the intermediate pack the whole time today.

I'm a planner and it's driving me crazy not know if I am headed out of town for 2 months for work or not. I hope to know this coming week. Patience is something I have very little of. I just want to know, so I can figure out what triathlon I can do next.

Happy 4th kids :)

Melting Away

I'm still really sad about Michael Jackson. I think I will always remember where I was (on the SPIN bike) when I heard the news of his passing.

I have been going to SWAT three days per week. I did the beginner group the first two weeks and now I am in the intermediate group. I think it will be a long while before I move up to advanced. Maybe in the cooler fall temperatures.

SWAT has been working muscles that I have found I don't really use much doing triathlon! All kinds of new aches and soreness. I know that SWAT stability and strengthing exercises really helped my IT band in the past, and I think doing the exercises as an addition to running, swimming and biking will make me stronger overall. I haven't been running very much at all, but I have still be cycling and swimming two days per week.

I've got a lot happening on the work front. There is a good possibility I will be gone again for a couple of months pretty soon, so it's hard to commit to a tri event when I don't know if I will be around to do it. I'd like to do Clear Lake on August 22, but I might be gine by then, so I have to just wait and see. I need to start running more just in case I happen to be here to do the race.

Now for Jamoosh- 2 beer reviews. These are mini reviews b/c I am not a beer expert like the Moosh man.

My new favorite beer is Abita Strawberry Lager. I've long been an Abita fan in general, but this March I had my first SL and it is AWESOME. It is lightly fruity, smells like summer, and is very very smooth. I'm not gonna lie- this beer is pretty girly. But it goes great with raw oysters, burgers and just about everything else. Now for the sad part- I only have 2 bottles left and it is sold out for the year. If anyone sees any, buy it and call me! I will come pick it up!!! As you can tell from the website blub, I am not the only one trying to find some more! Abita- make this a year round beer!!!!!!!!!!

The second new-to-me beer is Abita Satsuma. This one has a bite to it. The packaging has me hoping it would taste orange-y, but it does not. It is barely fruity and tasted to me like beer mixed with selzer water. Not good.

Since Abita SL is only seasonal at this point, my favorite overall beer remains St. Arnold's Lawnmower...no review needed for that one cause everyone already knows it's GOOD!

R*I*P Michael Jackson 1958-2009

Despite what you may think of MJ and all his craziness, the bottom line is that he was a musical genius and a father. My thoughts are with his family, especially his three children. To me, he will always be the King of Pop.

Labels: janet, sick

Things to Talk About

besides the insane heat in Houston going on for the past 2 weeks. 104 degrees and it's only JUNE! Ugh.

Anyway, my lack of updating is annoying to me, but I haven't been doing anything to really blog about. I'm not training for anything and there is nothing really on the horizon except for the Houston Half (maybe) in Jan 2010 and that is old news since I've done it 4 or 5 times already and also such a long way off.

I guess I don't blog about all the not doing much of anything because that's what I use Facebook and Twitter for!

The last 2.5 months have consisted of me doing Swim/Spin 2 days a week, a little running and a lot of going to dinner/bars and drinking lots of beer and wine!! Things I never do when I'm training. I missed them!

Last week I decided I needed to work a little harder at staying in shape, so I started the 5am SWAT workouts again. I went all 3 days last week and both days so far this week all in the intermediate class. Man oh man, I was REALLY sore for a couple of days. I guess SWAT really works all the little muscles in weird places that regular tri training or running does not! I feel better today and I know in another week I will be back in the advanced class.

Basically SWAT serves as a great strength workout. Works on the core and all the stablizing muscles I need for triathlon. I know when I decide on another tri to do, it will be good that I have been doing the SWAT workout.

Not much else going on right now.....but at least I updated!

Labels: life, stuff

and again on tuesday

hot hot monday