2016 - 05 DECEMBER - 11 DECEMBER - Week in Review

Just thought this fit for the week

Activities - Strava Logs (Shane's Strava link)

(Look for rollover links if you are Strava stalking me :) )

Monday

Activity 1 - SWIM

Tuesday

Activity 1 - SWIM

Wednesday

Activity 1 - Pre surgery - limited activities

Thursday

Activity 1 - LASIK Eye Surgery

Friday

Activity 1 - Dr's orders no activities that make me sweat

Saturday

Activity 1 - Dr's orders no activities that make me sweat

Targeted Activity and Focus Points

SWIM

So, my swims.  Trying to maintain and keep to the tridot plan, I have found a few interesting things.  I DID NOT understand nor know how to breathe.  In this program, I have broken a bad habit and am learning how to properly breathe.  Bi-lateral breathing is slowly coming along too.  My head position is better because of it also.  I was working on swims going into the week of Lasik eye surgery because I knew I couldn't swim for the next few weeks.

Nutrition

Well, this is my last horrible week.  I think I am going to try and keep a simple food log here.  I am going to look for a plug in of sorts so that it makes it easier to post a daily receipt as it were here on the blog somewhere.  i am constantly asked what i am eating, and if I can post it here than folks can adapt what works for them.  the biggest thing or rule i have noticed is what works for me may not work for another.  But I have seen some very strong should do's.  Eliminate milk - in all forms.  It will reduce inflammation, stress on the GI and and have a few other benefits based on body types.  If you can't or won't, only use whole fat milk or a great filtered milk like Fairlife.  Increase your water intake.  A good formula to follow is:

Multiply by 2/3: Next you want to multiple your weight by 2/3 (or 67%) to determine how much water to drink daily. For example, if you weighed 196 pounds (my current avg weekly weight) you would multiple that by 2/3 and learn you should be drinking about 131.2 ounces (~4 - 32 oz cups) of water every day.

Increase the leafy greens and start tracking what you eat and what frequency.  Once you do this for 2 -3 weeks, see what and where your calories are coming from and determine your journey.

So many wait for some miracle.  For me, I was doing the same until one day I looked around while sitting on a plane and I was almost needing to ask for a seat belt extender *GASP*.  So in Honor of TRANSFORMATION TUESDAY  - i post this link to circle back and read my story.  I do not share to brag or boast, but to help others understand, if I can do it, maybe, just maybe, you will and can , too.

Weights and Strength

Back on the 22 push up daily challenge until I can resume normal triathlon training.

Weekly Reflections and Focus

So, See above for swim and nutrition.  To be honest, I feel a bit disruptive.  But I should.  this is the week, on Thursday, December 98th - I had my first surgery ever -- LASIK eye surgery.  Absolutely worth every little red cent.

I had wanted to do this for some time but I got differing opinions through the years from optometrists and ophthalmologists alike. I was always told by an friends dad, just wait until you are about 40 and go for it. So along the way I go married at 30, and as I often do, I let my wife go first. Somehow she moderates my 'jerk' gene to tolerable. She had ICL (Implantable Contact Lens).  She had a bit of a rough go, but as of yesterday - she checks in at 20/15 in both eyes.  As a mother of 2, she had the difficulty of managing our two kidlets while I was traveling and had the procedure done.  She loves it months later.  Completely life-changing for her, she still has moments of wanting to go put daily contacts in, and dreams of being blind.

So decision made, appointments arranged and finances settled back in October.  The week finally arrived.  I wasn't overly nervous but skeptically concerned.  i was stoked at getting a Valium prescription - doctor prescribed high, oh ya!!!!  So, into the experience. On Monday the preop was good, and then the pupil dialation.  It was insane.

 My eyes went whacked for all night, and even were bothersome during my swim.  I was hoping the activity would help them clear up, but at least I was driving at night, but the gym/pool lights were giving me the field goal posts of love.

Got prescriptions, went about life and then Thursday came.  I was on a vacation day so I rested and chilled why my wife went to her KIDZ KLUB duties at our local gym - the way we get our wonderful family membership.  I took my Valium when she got home and off we went.

Well bu the time we got there I was starting to relax and went through the final 'let's go' process.  I was walked back without glasses, as I was not wearing them all morning as I conveniently misplaced them.  I posted this on facebook:

OK universe. I misplace my glasses...but I have Lasik today at 230 pm....can we call things equal....?

Anyway, as I lay down, Juniper and Liz follow me back, Dennis went off to a friends house as per his usual Thursday activities with his home schooling friend.  As I lay down, Liz said I as quite tense.  Newsflash, this huge star trek device was about to shoot photon laser beams into my eyes and sear the flesh away.  mind you she stated, the worse part was smelling the molten flesh - sorry for the faint of hearts.  So, the process starts.  The suction and eye focusing parts were the most wierd to me.  I went dark in each eye for about 45 seconds while the suctioning process occured to created the eye flaps.  then about 3 minutes later all was done on both eyes.  All told fromt he time I walked back to the time i was back in the post procedure chair approximately 12 minutes elapsed.

So initial reports - the right eye is struggling a bit as expected.  the dr. was nervous and skeptical at first, and wants to do a touch up and at least get me to 20/30 which was my corrective best using contacts and glasses.  My left eye is outstanding. I expect 20/20 at least if not better as things get better over the next few weeks.  Together, my vision is better than it was with correct eye glasses or contacts.  I could go do an ironman tomorrow and do it all sans corrective lenses of any kind.  It is amazing.  I know its not for everyone, but for me, even as my right eye degenerates again over time post correction, it is sooo worth it as the corrections should be less than ever it was naturally.

Bottom line.  IF you can do it and after consultation with the correct medical folks, if you have been thinking about it, for me it's been a great decision thus far.  Can't wait to see how dialed in it all comes.

I am totally jonesin' to get back to activity.  I am limited to push ups and my knee exercises - see here for knee exercises).  I hope to get back to activity the week of Monday the 19th.  Only time will tell.  Cheers folks.  Hopefully for those that follow, no matter how you choose to celebrate or not during various traditional holidays, may it be safe and sane and full of the joy and happiness you seek.

Weekly Pics

She absolutlely loved 'A Christmas Story' and the popcorn.  nom. nom. nom.

Dennis stoked about his birthday gift.

no glasses, I love my daddy

Juniper still not digging the new sunglasses.

I'll be back

this is my daddy, no more glasses.

ready for photons to the eyes.

a very apropos quote in meme format.

pre-surgery