teenyGreen’s BodyBlog

Thanks for pointing that out “goforitnicks”.  I didn’t think about vacation food.  I don’t have a problem over consuming food.  I tend to under eat.  The biggest issue for me will be alcohol.  If I have one cheat day and some alcohol, I end up looking really good the next day.  I’m not sure why, but if I do it two days in a row.  I look really bloated.   I’ll probably take some Taraxatone if that happens.  I also heard wrapping yourself in saran with preparationH gets rid of bloat and cuts inches for a short time period.  I’m thinking of trying that before a pool party in the next couple of weeks.  I’ll let you know if it works. 

Some things I do to make sure I eat clean even when I am eating out are I order grilled meat without added fat.  I get veggies; I’ll order a salad with dressing on the side.  Some places have brown rice.  I recently found a steak house that serves baked sweet potatoes.  You can order them plain.  I also plan on taking food with me.  Some fruit, protein bars, and lots of water.

I’m so excited.  We’re going on our first vacation without the kids.  It’s been four years.  I’m so motivated to be “bikini ready”.  I’m a bit pissed at some people and their little comments about me always being on a diet.  Oh well misery loves to hate on fabulous. 

I feel so good.  I love a good nasty sweat.  I’m certainly not as strong as I used to be.  I hope that will come back quickly.  I decided not to let the fear of my clot moving keep me from lifting.  I’m not sure what’s going on with my leg.  The doctor’s aren’t completely sure.  Oh well.    

Lifting Chest and abs

Incline bench 67lbs 4/10

Flys 15lbs 4/12

Abs 3/25

My diet was clean and efficient, but I think I need more calories.  I might have a protein shake before bed.

So far:

M1 eggs and broccoli

M2 sweet potato, chicken, broccoli, and olive oil

M3 soymilk and protein powder

M4 chicken, lettuce, and broccoli

M5 hummus, brown rice, green apple, and banana

Macro totals 1509 calories 23 grams fat, 166 grams carbs, and 162 for protein.  Adding another protein shake puts the calories at 1722, and ups the protein to 170 something. 

I didn’t set a definitive goal.  I just want to make my left leg look the same size as the right leg.  I also want to lean up my lower body.  I have a little over 5 weeks before our trip.  I’ll probably drop ten pounds and two inches.  I’m not going for the dry, super cut look so I’m not going restrict salt until a week before.  I’ll probably still eat fruit. 

This is the email I sent out.  I get asked all the time what’s going on with my leg, so rather than repeat myself a million times I send out an email to my friends and family.
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I thought I would send out an email explaining what is going on with my leg, so I don’t have to explain it fifty times.  I won’t mind asking questions, but you should remember the basics so I don’t keep repeating the same story.

I saw my vascular surgeon, Dr O’Conner, Thursday.  He was awesome.  He pretty much just asked me a million questions, then sent me to get vein mapped at a lab.  It was great, because I never feel like doctors listen to me.  I want them to figure out what is wrong and fix it.  He seems like that is his goal too.  He also didn’t seem like he cuts everyone open for fun.  He said he tries to find a way to fix the problem without surgery.  Then if there’s no other way, of course, he takes the slice-me-open route.  Anyway, the lab appointment was awesome.  It was a very comfortable lab.  It was set up like a house.  It was well decorated.  There was a couch in the room were the examination took place, very comfortable.  The first part of the examination was done while I was lying down.  The lab tech took a look at my deep vein system using the Doppler scope.  It’s just an ultrasound.  My right leg was perfect.  The left, which I expected, was depressing.  My deep vein on the left side is inoperable.  It is a dead cavity full of nasty blood.  I’m not even sure if it empties.  It looked stagnant.  It reminded me of an old pipe that was once clogged.  There was a small space in the middle as if Drano was poured through it.  I wonder if they can just take out the bad vein.  I’m worried it may pose problems for me years down the line.  The tech was surprised it looked so bad.  Apparently, most people do not have clots so big, and they do not have so much crap left in the vein.  She remarked that it was part of the tissues in my leg.  

The next part of the exam I was standing.  This part was to look at the superficial vein system—close to the surface of the leg as oppose to deep in the leg.  These veins usually do not do very much.  Often times they are removed and put in other parts of the body if a person has heart problems or such.  This was the fascinated part for the tech.  The superficial vein system in my left leg supplies my heart with all of the blood that the deep vein system used too.  I had four superficial veins in areas were there was just one in the right leg.  They worked very well.  There was no back flow.  Unfortunately, on the right side there was a lot of backflow.  Ironic, when the right leg is my “good” leg.  I was surprised to see my left leg looks as healthy as the right.  There is no fat just fluid stuck in little pockets between muscle.  That’s why it is larger than the right leg.  As far as why the leg gets so swollen, maybe it has to do with the decrease in exercise for me.  Exercise, especially pumping my calves, empties the leg of blood.  I haven’t been working out as much since my contest.  I try not to overwork my calf, because it hurts.  My big concern is what to do about the “back flow” in my right leg and the deep vein that is full of blood.  I’m not sure if it drains.  That could be really bad to have blood that just stays in there.  I will see Dr. O’Conner in a week.  He’ll let me know.  The important thing to note is I don’t have a blood clot.  No more Coumadin, no more Asprin.  I can deal with surgery.  I can’t deal with taking that crap for the rest of my life.  

Anyway, pass it on please.  I am feeling better.  A little depressed, but I’m sure when I find out what will be done to fix the problem I will feel better.