Alll Over!!

I finished my Skin Caner Treatment!!!! It was a long 6 weeks but I made it through it. I was looking at the picture I posted in the previous post and laughed a little. I thought it was bad then but that was nothing compared to how bad it got. I want to thank my friends and family for listening to me talk about it for the last 6 weeks and bitch about how bad it looked. Especially Kenzie and Beth. They had to listen to me everyday but they always stayed positive and supported me! I will never forget that so Thank You Girls!! Now I am letting my face heal. In 2 months I go back to get it checked out and make sure the treatment worked.

This is my new hat I bought for being out in the sun. Super dramatic and I love it!

SPF is going to be my new best friend. Now that this is over I can focus 100% on my fitness and nutrition and getting certified in personal training. I am making it my goal to be certified by the end of this year. Best way to achieve goals are to set them!

I am going to be playing around with different recipes and will post them. I have been finding a lot on Pinterest and can not wait to try them!

Food is Fuel..Not Therapy!

Why when I'm stressed do I turn to food!?! Over the past year, I have trained my mind to not turn to food when I am emotional. That is what made me gain weight and I did not want that to happen again. Food is fuel not therapy! I have been having a hard time the past week with my nose treatment and for some reason my emotions are out of control and I have been turning to food when I can't deal anymore. This is catching up to me and I am not liking how my body is looking and how I feel. I am still eating great majority of the time but I will have moments where I will just binge on cereal or chocolate...not good!! This is something that I really have to look at and figure out why turning to food helps. Well, it helps for the moment and then I feel awful after! I only have one more week of this treatment and hopefully everything will be back to normal soon after! 

My birthday party is a month away and it is on the lake which means Swim Suit! I did not work this hard on my body to take steps back before summer and not feel comfortable in a swimsuit on my birthday! I started chewing gum as a distraction which has really helped. Keeping busy helps too. If I just sit and watch TV, I will want something to snack on. Instead, I will get up and clean and keep my mind busy on something other than food. Water helps too! I always have a pitcher of crystal light made so I have something to drink that is tastier than just plain water. One thing I always try to do is pause and ask myself if I am really hungry before I eat. My goal this week is to get back in my groove. I have set a one month goal to lose 7 lbs. Game on!!

Running

I have fallen in love with running. I started running last year but was horrible at it. I have had horrible shin splints since cheerleading in high school. I would run for a few minutes then have to stop because of my shins. Not fun! I set a goal in the beginning to run non stop for 20 minutes. I never thought that could happen but I thought it was something I could work towards. I started out by doing intervals. Running 1 minutes and walking for 1 1/2 minutes. After awhile, I would run 3 minutes and walk 1 minute. I kept doing this for months and it really did help my shins. Over the winter I stopped running. I stuck with the elliptical or stair stepper. This spring I decided to give it a try again. I did my intervals on the treadmill and after a few days I decided to see how long I could run. I pushed myself but I made it 20 minutes! I was so proud of myself! I kept doing it and even made it 30 minutes. Now that it is nice out I have started running again outside. The only problem with that is it is easier for my shin splints to come back because of the uneven pavement.

WebMD:

What Do Shin Splints Feel Like?

Shin splints cause dull, aching pain in the front of the lower leg. Some people feel it only during exercise; others, when they've stopped exercising. Sometimes, the pain is constant.

Depending on the exact cause, the pain may be located along either side of the shinbone or in the muscles. The area may be painful to the touch. Swollen muscles can sometimes irritate the nerves in the feet, causing them to feel weak or numb.

To diagnose shin splints, your doctor will give you a thorough physical exam. He or she may want to see you run to look for problems. You may also need X-rays or bone scans to look for fractures. Other tests are sometimes necessary.

What's the Treatment for Shin Splints?

Although shin splints may be caused by different problems, treatment is usually the same: Rest your body so the underlying issue heals. Here are some other things to try:

• Icing the shin to reduce pain and swelling. Do it for 20-30 minutes every three to four hours for two to three days, or until the pain is gone.
• Anti-inflammatory painkillers. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like ibuprofen, naproxen, or aspirin, will help with pain and swelling. However, these drugs can have side effects, like an increased risk of bleeding and ulcers. They should be used only occasionally unless your doctor specifically says otherwise.
• Arch supports for your shoes. These orthotics -- which can be custom-made or bought off the shelf -- may help with flat feet.
• Range of motion exercises, if your doctor recommends them.
• Neoprene sleeve to support and warm the leg.
• Physical therapy to strengthen the muscles in your shins.

In rare cases, surgery is needed for severe stress fractures and other problems that can cause shin splints.

My goal is to do a 5K this summer and hopefully a half marathon not too long after. I am going to continue to train and build the muscles in my legs. I will keep updating on my progress!

Self Tanners

I have used so many self tanners. I have had my orange moments, my tan moments, and my it did not work moments. If I could I would get sprayed tanned but that can be pricey. I do still love to get sprayed for a special event or occasion though. The things I look for in a self tanner are convenience, color, and price. Make sure you exfoliate before you use a self tanner. Also, do not apply lotion to your body or use an oil based body wash. Apply lotion to the side of your hands and feet and in between toes and fingers.I always apply before bed and wash it off in the morning. Here are my top three self tanners that I use...

Salon Bronze:

This is such a great product for people who love to spray tan. It is simple to use and goes on a lot more even compared to a lotion. It has a bronzer in it so you can see where it is applied. I do have to use this every 2-3 days to keep a tan. It comes in a can and all you do is click it in the gun and spray away! You can find this product at Sally Beauty Supplies for $9.

Banana Boat:

This is a great cheap product. I really like putting this one on my face because the tan is not extreme and does not look orange in pictures. Be careful to spread it evenly on your hands and feet because it can be blotchy. I found this product at ULTA for around $8.

Fake and Bake:

This is my favorite product right now! It is super easy to apply and has a great tropical smell. You apply it by using the mitt which allows it to spread evenly. It also has a bronzer in it so you know where you have applied it. I only need to reapply this product once a week on my body and every 2-3 days on my face. So far it has lasted me a month. It is more expensive but it last longer then all the other products. I found this at ULTA for $25.

Every Body Looks Better Bronzed

"Every body looks better bronzed" I'm sure everyone has heard this before. Unfortunately, I believed that and tanned in a tanning bed for years. Yes, I 100% agree that people look thinner and healthier with a tan. For years, I would tan every single day in a tanning bed. I would even tan in the morning, then go out on the lake all day. Stupid Stupid Stupid.

Discovery Health:

In July 2009, a study by international cancer experts labeled tanning beds as dangerous as arsenic and mustard gas -- in the top category of cancer-causing risks [source: MSNBC]. The study -- which was a conglomerate analysis of 20 previous studies -- discovered that people who used tanning beds before their 30th birthday had a 75 percent higher risk of developing skin cancer. In addition, they discovered that all types of UV radiation - not only UVA rays - cause cell mutations and cancer.

About three years ago, I noticed a spot on my nose. It looked like a dry flaky spot. I did not think anything of it until it was a year later and it had not gone away. I went to the doctor for other reasons and thought it was a good opportunity to ask him about it. He said it was dandruff and that I should use Head and Shoulders to make it go away. Sounded simple enough for me but I still had a bad feeling about it. After a couple years, (yes I know I wanted a long time), I decided I needed to get it checked out. My sister just started as a nurse at a dermatology office. I went in to her clinic and had it biopsied. Results came back and it was Cancer. It is called Basal Cell Cell Carcinoma (BCC).

Skin Cancer Foundation:

BCCs are abnormal, uncontrolled growths or lesions that arise in the skin’s basal cells, which line the deepest layer of the epidermis (the outermost layer of the skin). BCCs often look like open sores, red patches, pink growths, shiny bumps, or scars. Usually caused by a combination of cumulative UV exposure and intense, occasional UV exposure, BCC can be highly disfiguring if allowed to grow, but almost never spreads (metastastasizes) beyond the original tumor site. Only in exceedingly rare cases can BCC spread to other parts of the body and become life-threatening.

I started my six week treatment 4 weeks ago. I apply a cream Sunday through Thursday night and wash it off in the morning. It is extremely red and I am super self conscious but it has to be done. Hopefully, in two weeks this will all be done and over with. Here is a picture of my nose week four.

I am sharing this so hopefully people will stop tanning or at least go less. Its not worth it! There are soo many self tanners out there that I use religiously. My next post, I will share some of my favorites. So all I ask is think next time before you go tanning and always use SPF!!