Drip Drip Drip

Happy Monday!!

I had always been interested in donating blood. My grandpa has been donating since he served in the Air Force. He's at like over 100 gallons - no joke. He has all these awards and gifts all over his house, recognition of his selflessness.

My first donation was through a blood drive at my church in 2002. I donated whole blood sporadically for a little while, when I wanted more information about platelet donation. Knowing I could donate more often to help more people seemed kinda cool. Plus, I knew I'd get to sit in the special room and watch a movie. Haha. During my whole blood donation, they took a couple extra tiny vials of blood to test to see if I would be a candidate for platelet donation.

My blood type is A+, so I ended up being a good choice. Here in California, I donate at a place called BloodSource. I can donate every two weeks, but I usually have to wait 3 or 4 so I can keep my iron levels high enough so I don't get deferred.

It wasn't until I moved to Arizona and began donating with United Blood Services that I found out about my 'special blood'. I am CMV negative. The interviewer casually mentioned to me that my blood lacked a certain component so it goes to help babies first. I was shocked. What's so special about me? And why didn't I get this component while I was growing up? And and and? Here is a link to explain it better:

blog.inceptsaves.com/blog/2011/05/04/what-does-it-mean-to-have-cmv-negative-blood/

It shouldn't have made a difference. A life saved is a life saved, you know? I will never know these people who get my donation. But I just pictured how frazzled and upset and heartbroken some newborn's parents would feel trying to find out what is wrong with their child, hoping that a blood transfusion would be the answer, praying their baby would come home soon to lead a long and happy life. And then I think, 'Wow. I am a part of that.' And that's insane. And it gets me teary eyed as I'm typing this.

For those of you who have never donated, but want to know what is involved in this process, I want to give you a rundown of the process. This is my average experience as a platelet donor:

When you show up for your appointment, they take you to a private room. You show them your photo identification and your interview process begins. They take your blood pressure, temperature, make sure your pulse is steady. They prick your finger to get just enough blood to test your iron level. You are then either given an oral or written questionnaire to answer. Questions are asked about your current health, if you have taken certain medications within a certain time frame, your sexual history, your contact with the blood of others, your out of country travel. You sign the form. If your iron levels are high enough, they take you out to the donor area.

You hop up on the chair. They ask you to verify your name and birthdate, just so they know they have the right paperwork. They ask which arm you'd prefer to use, they check your inner arms for the best vein to use. They scrub the area clean while you're choosing your movie to watch.

When they are ready to begin the withdrawal process, they ask you to squeeze a stress ball a few times and hold the final squeeze so your vein is visible. I always look away for this part. They insert the needle into the vein. It feels like someone is pinching the area with their fingers. It literally lasts all of half a second. The needle gets taped in place while they take a couple vials for testing before your blood is distributed to a hospital. They ask if you're feeling okay, if the needle feels okay. They'll ask if you need a blanket (they keep the room cold) or if you want the heating pad on. They ask if you need Tums (sometimes your lips may tingle - mine don't, but it is a normal reaction that many donors get).

There are usually a few nurses in the room at all times and they check on you often to make sure you're okay. They're always close by in case you need something or have a reaction.

The process for a one arm donation is that during your donation (mine lasts between 90-110 minutes), 10 pints of blood are taken and 9 pints are given back to you, so you're donating 1 pint of platelets. You have 'draws' where the blood is taken, and 'returns' where everything but platelets are given back to you. It's a back and forth process. When you get your first return, you may feeling a slight coolness at the needle site. This is the anticoagulant entering your system, and it helps prevent the clotting of your blood during the process.

So you chill and watch your movie, or listen to your iPod or listen to the people around you telling their stories (for me, the crowd is generally older folks with war stories and they comment on the 'young kid' in the room, lol) You keep the stress ball the entire donation and squeeze it occasionally to keep your blood flowing.

When the donation is complete, they take your stress ball so you don't squeeze anymore. They remove the needle and you hold your arm straight up in the air, covering the needle site with gauze to stop the bleeding. It's good for stretching too, because your arm feels like a big lump of lazy at this point. After a minute, they bring your arm down, cover the area with a new piece of gauze and bandage you up.

They give you post-donation instructions like: keep the bandage on for 4-6 hours, no marathons, no saunas, eat a hearty meal soon, yada yada. If you get sick or contract West Nile, call the 800 number on your receipt. And they have you sit in the refreshment area for 15 minutes - have cookies, crackers, cheese, juice, soda, water. Whatever you want.

If you're feeling good, you're good to go.

While I was in Arizona, I donated over 2 gallons. In California, at my first donation since I moved back, they told me I hit the 15 gallon mark. FIFTEEN GALLONS!! Again, insane!! They say each donation can save 3 lives. 1 pint = 3 lives. 8 pints = 1 gallon. If you combine my states. 136 pints X 3 lives per pint = 408 possible lives saved.

So yeah, I'm not a fan of needles. I have no tattoos. But it's a no brainer, my 'sacrifice' isn't a sacrifice. It's a gift. A gift I gladly give. I'm scheduling my next appointment after I post this blog entry.

I'm not a hero. I'm not special. I'm just doing what I think is right. I'm simply helping those parents bring their precious child home.

If you're interested in blood donation and are healthy enough to do so, please get informed.

www.bloodsource.org

www.unitedbloodservices.org/

www.redcross.org/donate/give/

Be the change you want to see in this world.

Pants on the Ground

A recap of my morning: I joined the Official Spring Into Shape Bootcamp Challenge this morning. I'm finding myself in need of changing up my workout routine. It's getting a little boring, a little monotonous. Also, living in Arizona, it's starting to be hot as a muthah when I'm free to run or hike. I had to find a little something to do indoors when the weather is unbearable.

I went to Kohl's this morning to buy some new workout gear. Though it shouldn't really matter, I'm starting to dislike looking all baggy when I'm out running. But it's hard finding shorts (I don't like running pants) that aren't daisy dukes and won't get 'crack stuck' or ride up my inner thighs when I'm running. It's sort of awkward to pull at your outfit while there's lots of traffic and/or you're trying to stay focused on your workout.

I bought a FILA skirt/short thing that was on sale for $16.20, so you can't even tell if it does happen, haha. It fits well at the waist and shows off my thighs in a flattering way. Plus it has a hidden pocket for my iPod - BONUS!

Sports bras, oh, sports bras. It's hard to find a comfortable one that doesn't make me flat as a board. Don't get me wrong. I don't want the girls to smack me in the chin while I'm jogging, but I still like to feel feminine. I actually found a style I really like by a brand called Tek Gear. On sale for $13.99 each, plus I had a 20% off coupon for my entire purchase. Yep, this girl RARELY pays full price for clothes!



Then I headed out to Target to buy resistance bands to start the Spring Challenge. Light? Medium? Heavy? Not a clue! I split the difference and went with medium. $10.49. Purchased.



So I got back home all amped to do the first Challenge video. A few minutes in, it was time for 30 seconds of jumping jacks. First jump. Uh oh. You guessed it. Pants on the ground. Well, technically, it was shorts. Silly girl. I had on a pair of old athletic shorts. Well, not for long, haha. Not one to stop a workout, I sorta kicked them off and finished in my undies. This is why I don't work out at a gym, LoL.

I may not be graceful. I may not be bashful. But I'll be damned if someone tells me I'm not determined.

Discovering Beautiful

I've been hitting up the local Goodwill stores the last couple of weekends. I used to look down on thrift stores, incorrectly assuming it was for poor people and that the items were of a lower quality. WRONG! My best friend got me turned onto thrift store shopping during my last trip home in January. I was getting shirts for a dollar, dishes for cheap. We went the day after a holiday so everything was HALF OFF on top of that - uhhh awesome!!! (Here in AZ, the half off days are every other Saturday - SCORE!!)

It was after this multi-city Goodwill trek back home that I realized, DUH!! I am NOT spending oodles of cash every time my size changes throughout this weight loss process. My last name isn't Rockefeller, after all. I'm sticking to thrift stores - not only are they cheap, it's good stuff, stuff I would buy new for myself. Another perk: you know the clothes have already been washed, so you don't have to worry about shrinkage. This is huge for me since I have a long torso and shirts always seem to shrink up!

These past two weekends, I have spent a total of $40 on 10 items: 3 skirts ~ 2 blouses (one from Torrid for only $1.99 - probably retailed for $40 or so) ~ 1 workout tee ~ 1 short sleeved hoodie ~ 1 pair of dress slacks ~ 1 pair of denim capris ~ 1 formal, strapless dress

Needless to say, I am completely stoked about being able to trade out the 'fat' clothes in my closet for some that actually fit. I took some pictures of what I was wearing 3 1/2 months ago versus what I wear today. A little 'out with the old, in with the new', if you will...

Denim capris, size 13 ($5.99 at Goodwill today) on top of size 18

Skirts, size 14 ($2.49 at Goodwill last week) on top of size 20W

Jeans, size 15 ($5.99 at Ross) on top of size 20

Dresses, size L ($9.99 at Goodwill) on top of a 16W (that was entirely too tight when I bought it last June)

Then I decided I wanted to see how my 'fat jeans' fit these days...

What an amazing feeling! These are gonna be the jeans I keep around. They were my Old Faithful. If I was bloated or depressed, or even just feeling frumpy, these bad boys were my go-to bottoms. They have officially been retired and will now own a hallowed space in my closet. Only to be taken out for photo ops :)

I always dreamt of being able to have the kind of before and after photos that make people go, "Holy Hell, Batman! How did you do that?!?" I didn't actually think it could, or would happen. It can. Undoubtedly. This chunky girl is proof.

First, you need to find your inner spark. One day it'll just click. You can decide to lose weight for a myriad of reasons - reasons that are completely valid and important. However, 'I'm doing this for me' should be priority numero uno.

I look forward to heading home this weekend and showing off my bod. Wait, what?!? There's something I've never thought, let alone said, before, LoL. I know I'm in store for lots of compliments.

What I really want to hear is that I look healthier. I hate it when people start a compliment with, "You've always been beautiful, but now..." I only recall one person ever telling me I was beautiful when I was at my chunkiest, so those "you've always..." comments fall on deaf, unbelieving ears.

When I see my old pictures, my heavy pictures, I don't see beauty. I see pain behind that smile. I see loneliness. But now? Now, I see a more defined jawline. I see my arms getting slimmed down. I see less of that cruel second chin. I see that smart ass, hilarious, witty girl I've always been. I see a sparkle in my eye. I see a smile I believe. I see beauty. I see a future filled with confidence. I see me.

I wish this moment for each one of you. Find that sparkle. Smile more. Laugh often. Be confident. Live, really live.

Every girl deserves to be told she's beautiful.

Make a Decision

As I was out hiking this morning, I had an epiphany. Well, not really, but sometimes a productive thought passes through this noggin of mine, so I thought I'd share it.

When I started hiking my mountain regularly, I made the conscious decision to not take the road more traveled. Granted, it's the same trail everyone else uses, but I don't take the smoother path - the path that has been ground down to dirt and pebbles from all the foot traffic. I choose to walk a couple feet over, where the larger rocks have been kicked 'out of the way', where the ascent/descent is a little steeper and takes a little more coordination to navigate through.

Now, my entire life I have been a frontrunner for the imaginary title of 'Miss Uncoordinated', so choosing this option was a surprise even to me. But I wanted results. I can hike a little slower and get my muscles more toned by the extra motion and lunges that I need to perform. It has now become second nature to take the rocky road less traveled during my hike.

This morning, I realized * light bulb moment * that this is an analogy for how I want to live my life.

That easier path...what happened when I took that route? What did it ever do for me? Well, for starters, it got me up to 265 pounds. It made me comfortable. I had my immediate family and I had my best friend. I never did anything without at least one of them. I was unhappy, but I was set in my ways and not willing/too afraid to try something new. It was smooth; it was (for the most part) drama-free.

Now, drama-free is fine and dandy and is something I definitely want to strive for in the future. But I'm not ready for the dust to settle on my rocky road just yet. I need to work towards something. During this difficult journey, I will trip and I will stumble. I will skin my knee and come across roadblocks. I need to prove that I can adapt to the elements. That I can overcome anything and everything life can throw my way.

I still have my immediate family and I still have my best friend. But now I want so much more. I WILL move back to California this year. I WON'T be afraid to go to the several parties I get invited to. I WILL get on the dance floor. I WILL ride that mechanical bull. I want to get out. I want to enjoy life. I want to meet new people. I want to go back to school.

Until then, I will continue to ask myself one thing. And I pose this same question to you:

It's decision time - which path are you going to take today?

My Dirty Little Weight Loss Secret

Wow, I hope you didn't really think there was a secret! There's not. No magic wand or miracle pill or special shake. You've got to put the phrase 'hard work' into your vocabulary. A weight loss journey is only as successful as your mindset.

After years of just hoping I would be skinny when I woke up in the morning, I've gotten my brain to realize that the best things in life are worth working hard for.

Friends and family have been asking what I've been doing, how I've been getting these results, so I figured I would give you the rundown of a regular day, nutrition and fitness wise:

NUTRITION - A typical day consists of:

• Breakfast (with water):
• fruit (a banana, an apple or 1 cup of cantaloupe)
• chocolate chunk granola bar.
• Lunch (with water):
• sandwich (2 slices of bread with either peanut butter and jam or ham, american cheese, pickles and mustard)
• light string cheese
• pudding cup
• Dinner (with 1 cup of 1% milk):
• chicken breast or steak
• broccoli, carrots and/or potato
• 3 country biscuits with strawberry jam
• Dessert:
• a Smart Ones snack or 1 serving of fruit with light yogurt

Throughout the day, I drink at least 8 glasses of water (usually 9 or 10), which isn't that difficult once you get used to it. I drink 5 glasses at work alone.

(dinner example: foil wrapped chicken breast, with broccoli and carrots - mmm)

EXERCISE - A typical weekday:

• After getting home from work, I throw on my workout gear and iPod and hit the sidewalk to get my cardio in. I jog/walk a 2 mile trek up and down my street, which has peaks and valleys because it surrounds a mountain.
• Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, I also do strength training exercises that focus on entire body, upper body and core, respectively.

EXERCISE - A typical weekend day:

• I usually wake up around 7am, get my gear on and drive a couple miles to the base of the mountain where my trailhead begins. Nowadays, I'll hike 3-4 laps around my trail, where each lap is 1.2 miles. Usually out of there in about an hour, depending.

I am *thisclose* to having lost 30 pounds this year. But I'm not only seeing results on the scale. My clothes are fitting better or falling off, I feel more energetic, my skin is healthy and hydrated. But I have medical proof, too: my cholesterol.

(my cholesterol has gone from 245 to 141 in less than a year)

My BMI has gone from 31.6 to 28.3 in less than 3 months, and took me out of the Obese category about a month ago.

I realize this type of plan isn't something that many people can do, but it works for me because I have no family obligations (kids, husband, etc.) out here to have to plan my days around.

I think one of the biggest tools in my journey so far has been SparkPeople.com. It's easiest to describe as a health focused facebook. You have friends, blogs, statuses. But there are food trackers, exercises/fitness measurement tools, articles and quizzes. It's great to have the support of a community who knows what you're going through because they're exactly where you are, or have been there at some point in their lives. They just 'get it'.

So anyhoo, that's what I've been up to.