Food Induced Migraines

When I turned 30, everything went to hell.

One of the ways my body betrayed me was migraines.  Anyone who knows me is probably thinking, but you have always had head aches.  

Yes.  I have always had headaches.  I probably have a sinus headache at least once a week.  Oh the joys of living in Ohio.

Migraines are an entirely different beast.  Mine seem to have a direct food correlation.  I have a bachelor's degree is psychology, so let me take a moment to say this.

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I understand that I may be blaming food, and it's not food's fault or it is not entirely food's fault.  let me whine anyway, I have a migraine.

First migraine was after eating salami for lunch every day.  I decided no more salami and definitely not in large quantities.  Second migraine was after eating pepperoni and a small glass of wine.  Third migraine was after one slice of pepperoni pizza, and the fourth migraine was after one serving of Slim Fast.

The first three are all obvious migraine triggers.  Nitrates.  The big bad that keeps we migraine sufferers on or our toes and in fear of our heads at all times.  Stress can be a secondary trigger, and I think this may be the case with me.  I try to be careful about nitrates regardless of my stress levels.

That brings us to this weeks migraine.  I am on day 5.  I am tired of hearing about how small I look when the scale has not moved in a month.  So, in a desperate attempt to get the scale to move and to force myself to be more strict about my eating, I tried Slim Fast. 

It sound's ridiculous, I know.  My co- workers are using a different product that involves a cleanse and meal replacements.  I asked them about the meal replacements and they said Slim Fast is cheaper, just get that!  So I did.  I don't know what it was.  It could have been the aspartame, a known migraine trigger, I found a web site claiming the that MSG is in the shakes.  I really don't know.  All I know is, I had one for breakfast Monday morning, and I have been a walking migraine ever since.

I am over it.

Does any one have any advice?  How to get rid of it, how to avoid more, how to not try to take shortcuts in my weight loss journey?

Happiness is the Little Things 6.8.12

Happiness is the Little Things 6.8.12


1.  My Springsteen shirt.  

It’s an XLarge which is down from my usual 2x size  Also, it’s the latest in my Springsteen tour shirt collection.  It’s also just cool.


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2.  Thor....and Co-workers.  

My co-worker found these Thor valentines at a store and brought them to work for me.  You can see they are now plastered to my work computer.  It makes me happy every day.




3. Smirnoff Blueberry Lemonade.

I do not drink a lot of alcohol.  Especially since the year I was sick. This past weekend though I drank these.  On 90 degree days they are frigging amazing.

4.  Cycling Gloves.

Gloves were one of the first accessory purchases I made when I first started.  Still one of the best thing's I've ever done for myself.  It's one of those things I wouldn't even think about anymore, except two rides ago I forgot them.  18 miles later I was extremely thankful for them.  Padding makes everything better.

5.  Prime Suspect

We don't have cable, only Hulu plus and Netflix.  So not only was I late on this but also discovered it well after it was canceled.  The first episode attempts to cram a lot in.  After that the show finds it strength in portraying slivers of the detectives lives while they go about solving their crimes.  It will make you laugh and it will make you feel.  Everything I want out of TV show.  Do not be turned off by the woman vs men premise.  It becomes an ensemble drama, focusing on their interactions with each other very quickly.

 

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More Like Her

More Like Her is about Frances.  It is a 3 month view into her life where we watch her come to grips with her past and embrace her future.

Don't read any other synopsis, including the back of the book.  They give way to much a way.  I also believe it leaves you with the wrong impression.  I started reading this book thinking Frances was going to be idolizing someone.  She never really did, no one ever seemed perfect.  From the moment of introduction all of Liza Palmer's characters had obvious flaws with in themselves or their lives.  I spent 40% of the book fairly confused about what the heck the back of the book was talking about.

I loved this book.  I laughed out loud, I felt France's pain, and I couldn't put it down.  You know where the book is headed, as it starts there, but you forget.  You are to busy watching Frances flounder and find comfort with friends.  You are too involved with seeing yourself in Frances and seeing your circle in her friends.  You are to swept up in her observations of people, visualizing the scenes as she lays them out, to remember what is coming.  And then it does.  There is a shooting.

The book keeps going.  You keep identifying, you keep laughing, you keep feeling, and you keep hoping.

5/5 on this one.  More Like Her  was so much more than I expected, and much more than the book it self purports to be.

Beginners Guide To Biking. By A Beginner. Part I

Part of my motivation for starting this blog was to create something I have not found yet. A cycling blog the way that others have running blogs. While I was researching running,  runner's blogs were a great resource.  I have found the cycling on line community to be much less present than the running community. 

(If you don't believe this to be true AWESOME.  Leave a comment about some cycling communities and blogs that you enjoy.)

I've been biking since April.  I hope that writing down what I have learned thus far will be more helpful to new cyclists than what I would write in say a year or two.  When I forget all of the questions and surprises  I had when I started.

Cycling isn't cheap.  But that doesn't mean it's not feasible.


1.  The Bike

Most articles you find will say something like this:

"Any bike will do!  Pull out the old mountain bike in your garage and take off!"

It's good advice.  You should be sure you are going to really take cycling up as a sport/hobby/lifestyle change before you start spending money.  However, don't let that thinking take you past the point where you should have been out looking for a better bike.  Struggling will sap the enjoyment out of anything.

My advice is this, the moment you realize that you are looking forward to the days ride, you are upset it's not a ride day, or you are seriously considering riding in the rain, it is time to get a good bike.  What's a good bike?  What are you doing?  It has a lot to do with your goals and what you want from biking. I currently have a hybrid and a road bike.  I love both but I they are not made for the same thing.  I take the hybrid out for long slow rides with friends.  I take the road bike out when I am biking for a work out and trying to break all of my personal land speed records.  I am on the road bike more because once you are pushing a 20lb bike with thin tires, it's really hard to go back to pushing a 26lb bike with wide tires.  Trust me. 

Go to a bike shop or 2 or 3.  Check out the bikes ask for advice, and get fitted on the different types you are interested in.  You want a strong, light bike with tires specific to what you want to be doing.  This doesn't mean you have to buy the bike from the bike shop.  Check garage sales and Craigslist and pick up a nearly new bike that someone bought and found out they really didn't like.  Just do your research first.  Know what size you are looking for, what type of bike you want and which brands will best cater to your needs.  Raleigh, Trek and Giant are the three names in my garage.  

Do not be fooled by the bikes at Wal-Mart.  They say Road Bike and Hybrid on them, they say "Pick me up, light aluminum!"   I tried to pick up a Light Wal-mart road bike, I couldn't.  I could carry my road bike over my head for a mile if I had too.  Well, if my arms were longer.


2.  Wardrobe

There are Four purchases that I highly, suggest as your basic cycling wardrobe.  Cycling gloves, Cycling shorts, sunglasses and a helmet.  Most of mine were amazon purchases. 

The further you go the more your hands and butt are going to hurt and they are at some point going to go numb.  Gloves delay all of that while you build up your tolerance.  Your hands will come back around in a few minutes.  Your butt will be hurting for the next month.  Even with your padded shorts it is going to take your butt about a month to adjust to your new activity.

Before I started riding I thought cyclist wore those shorts for speed or some other unidentifiable purpose.  My first month I went out 3-4 days a week in padded bike shorts.  It took me until the next month to be able to sit down like a normal person.  Every week is a little better until one day you wake up and realize your butt doesn't hurt anymore.  That's a good day.  Note I said padded shorts.

Sunglasses aren't just for the sun.  You need to protect your eyes from debris and bugs.  I started with my normal pair and have graduated to a Target "sport" pair.  I've been eying the $100 glasses at the bike shop though.

A helmet is like a seatbelt.  You know you have too.  And you may not realize it yet, but you are going to be going really fast.  Do you really want to be going down a hill at 25 MPH on a bike with no helmet on?  I didn't think so.  What is proper helmet wearing look like?  I used this article to help myself figure it out.

You can read  Part II here, and part III here. Do you have any advice for me or other new cyclists?  Is there anything you thing in these categories you think I missed?  Let me know!

Happiness is the Little Things 06.01.12

1.  Colby- Jack Cheese: 
  
To heck with calories!  Colby-jack is delicious and I want it on everything!


2.  Coke:  

Ok, so I am not new to coke.  But since I have started on my weight loss journey I greatly limit my intake.  This week I said “I DON’T CARE” and drank more than usual.  Ah coke, how I love you.


3.  City Parks:  

They are totally awesome!  Who knew!  I’ve lived in the same area of town for 5 years and never knew I was right next to a mini get a way spot.  If you have not gone to explore your local parks I highly suggest it.
 

4.  Moisture Wicking Shirts: 

 I had no idea cotton was holding me back and weighing me down.  Now it’s hard to work out in anything but a dry weave shirt.  



5.  Kindle: 

 As an avid reader, I really held out on this.  I had 0 interest in getting one until a recent trip to a book store.  I wanted 3 books, and even with soft covers I  was looking at $60.  I decided at that moment to buy a Kindle.  I really enjoy reading from it and I love the instant accessibility to any book I want at any time.  My bank account, not so thrilled.




What little things have made you happy this week?