6.23.2009

trending healthy?

So, I know that It's only Tuesday (for another 2 minutes at least) but I just have to publicly pat myself on the back! I'm so stinkin' excited that I'm starting to trend towards being healthy and active again! woo hoo!

I had a crappy weekend, but Sunday before work I attempted to take the dogs on a walk - we made it about a half mile round trip b/c it was so darned hot. I wasn't satisfied with my activity, so I drug hubby to the gym! Only had time for 30 min there, but it was 30 min well spent! I spent 20 on the treadmill and 7 on the elliptical.

Monday I was a lazy bum all day and it was glorious in some respects.

Today I worked a full shift, came home and although i was exhausted, I went to the gym! I spent 20 min/1.14 miles on the treadmill and 20 min/2 miles on the elliptical! boy did i ever sweat! I don't think I've sweat that much in a while! I felt so good.

The other thing I've experimented with is with green smoothies. I made a "green monster" yesterday with just almond milk, fruit, spinach and ice. i had it as a snack last night and another serving of it for breakfast this morning. It was a very tasty concoction!

this afternoon, however, i whipped up a smoothie and added chocolate spirulina/rice/soy protein powder - it was not quite so awesome. I could taste the protein powder in every sip. i did choke down about 8 oz of it though. Unfortunately, I have another serving of it in the refrigerator. I think I'm gonna have to doctor it up to be able to drink it.

what sorts of healthy things does tomorrow have in store for me? I think I see Yoga...perhaps followed by another trip to the gym!

6.01.2009

Adult ADHD: Learning How to Harness it!

Often, the mental image which comes up when one thinks about the typical person with ADHD is an ornery blonde 10-year-old boy, a la Dennis the Menace. OK, maybe it's just me who thinks that. One picture that pretty much never comes to mind for anyone, though, is a quiet, somewhat-shy and yet accomplished grad student in HER late 20s.

When my therapist suggested I be tested for ADHD, I adamantly denied that I could possibly have it. I was 27, had graduated from 2 different universities cum Laude. I was anything BUT hyperactive. I was not the typical poster child for ADHD. Then I started reading about the 'disorder'; the more I read, the more my reluctance to being tested faded.

Since receiving my official diagnosis of "ADHD-Inattentive", I've done loads and loads of reading on the topic so that I might learn to work with my ADHD brain rather than against it. After renewing my stack of books on the subject twice - and STILL not being done with them - you can imagine that my ADHD has gotten in the way! 12 weeks should be plenty of time to read 6 books!

Once I finish reading the books (I'll have to turn them in and re-check them out - apparently MidContinent Public Library only lets you renew books twice), I'll post reviews of them. The one I'm reading right now is called The Disorganized Mind:
Coaching your ADHD brain to take control of your tasks, time, and talents
and it's by a woman who knows what she's talking about - she's mastered her ADHD and is an ADHD coach. Her name: Nancy A. Ratey, Ed.M, MCC, SCAC. This is one book I plan on actually BUYING. Yeah - it's that good.

Other books on the slate are: Author:

Is it you, me, or adult A.D.D.? Pera, Gina
The ADD & ADHD answer book Ashley, Susan, PhD
Understanding women with AD/HD Nadeau, Kathleen G
You mean I'm not lazy, stupid or crazy?! Kelly, Kate.
Journeys through ADDulthood Solden, Sari

I'm learning so much as I read...and I'm feeling so empowered!