Chick Lit Plus by Samantha March

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Prepping For Lasik
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Prepping For Lasik

After getting tested and approved for Lasik, consulting my bank account, and deciding I was going to go for it, I happily scheduled my surgery date for January 25, 2012. I had one week to prep – which included heading to my nearest pharmacy to stock up on eye drops. Oh, the eye drops. More on that later. For that week before, I used two eye drops to help prevent dry eye, and also one to help fight off infection. Also, I want to point out that if you wear contacts, these will have to be taken out at least two weeks before you go for your initial testing to make sure you are a good candidate for Lasik. If you decide to go ahead with the surgery, you cannot wear your contacts again.
So the week before surgery I was wearing my glasses and using Restasis and preservative-free tears to help keep my eyes moist. Restasis is something you will need a prescription for, and can be costly if you don’t have insurance. There are several types of preservative-free tears that you can buy without a prescription, are not as costly, and my eye doctor actually gave me quite a few samples to use first. The drops I used to fight infection was called Pred Forte, and a prescription is required for that. Your doctor will let you know how many drops/how many times a day to use each one. I was given a list that broke down before surgery, day of surgery, day after surgery, week after surgery, and then a more general after surgery schedule. KEEP THIS! I consulted it many times.
So all these drops helped get my eyes ready for this major surgery. Also before surgery I scheduled that day and the day after off work, and my fiancé was tapped to take me to my surgery and back, as you absolutely will need a driver after surgery. Now, I was just waiting anxiously for the surgery, and getting more nervous as each day passed, wishing for success.
Check back next week for my day of surgery experience!

September 1, 2012
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My First 5K: Week 11: Running Shoes
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My First 5K: Week 11: Running Shoes

With the Color Run getting closer, my attention has shifted to my running shoes. I am currently training in my Reebok Toning Shoes – and if you hadn’t read my post about them, I would suggest it. While I thought they were fine athletic shoes, I never noticed any toning about them, and I also updated my post with the lawsuit that came against Reebok for their false claims. About two weeks ago I received my refund check in the mail. Like I said in my post – comfortable shoes and all, but I bought them for the toning effect. I’ve had them for over a year, and there are now holes near where my toes are, and I’m getting ready to pitch them. Since during the Color Run we will be pelted with paint, I wanted to wear shoes that I wouldn’t mind throwing away – my Reebok toning shoes will be that pair. But I’m now looking for a new pair of running shoes to have once I throw those away. Any suggestions? I’m not a distance runner or marathon runner, but I will continue to run at least two days a week, along with my usual walks and elliptical workouts. I haven’t started the research yet on new shoes, but I will be grateful for any suggestions you might have! Below is my workout schedule for Week 11 of my 5K training. The bold is what I would normally complete, non-bold is my 5K schedule.

Monday: Run 9 minutes, walk 1 x2
Tuesday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 30 minute elliptical, 30 minute Yoga DVD
Wednesday: Run 9 minutes, walk 1 x 3
Thursday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 30 minute treadmill walk (incline – 12)
Friday: Day Off
Saturday: Run 30 minutes
Sunday: 30 minute treadmill walk on incline

August 26, 2012
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Deciding to Get Lasik
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Deciding to Get Lasik

Deciding to Get Lasik

I got my first pair of glasses in the fourth grade. Back then, I thought I was super cool with my spectacles. All my friends had glasses as well, and we loved getting bright colors and patterns – I remember my purple pair were my favorite glasses back then. I really didn’t even get the dreaded “four eyes” nickname, because so many people had glasses. I thought I just fit in.
But of course, the happiness wore off. I begged my mom for contacts for years, and I believe I was fifteen when I was finally granted my wish. It took me some time to get used to poking myself in the eye, but I eventually mastered the contacts. But then it was the annoying factor that cropped up – contacts being inside out when I tried putting them on, running out of contact solution, forgetting my case at sleepovers. As I got older, I grew tired of contacts, and was jealous when a handful of my family members got the Lasik surgery.
When I was twenty, I made some appointments around town to see if I would be a good fit for Lasik. In order to get the procedure, your prescription has to be the same for at least a year so they know your eyes are done changing and your eyes need to be considered healthy. At twenty, I passed the Lasik test –– then was told the price. At $2500 per eye, I knew it was just not in my cards to get the procedure at that time. I came up with a savings plan, and put that surgery on hold.
About four years later, I felt comfortable enough with my money situation to give Lasik another shot. In January 2012, I set up a consultation at my local LasikPlus, took my contacts out for two weeks straight per instructions, and went through test after test on my eyes. At the end – I was cleared for Lasik! The price was actually cheaper than it was years ago, and with a discount through my insurance provider, I was looking at $3500 for the whole thing. I scheduled my surgery appointment for two weeks after my testing, and was ecstatic to finally be getting Lasik.
Check out back next week for my post on prepping for Lasik!

August 23, 2012
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My First 5K: Week 10
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My First 5K: Week 10

Week 10 of my 5K training is in the books. I’m getting pretty anxious to run this race, but I still have 7 weeks to go! I can notice that my body has become used to running, which is obviously great. When I first started training, I could barely make it 5 minutes running without wanting to quit. This week, I ran close to 40 minutes without needing a break, which is a big accomplishment for me. I’m very curious to see how I’ll fare come race time, but I’m not worried now about being able to keep up or worse – not finish! Below is my workout schedule for the week – non-bold is my 5K training schedule, bold is my regular workout schedule.
Monday: Run 8 minutes walk 1 x 2
Tuesday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 30 minute treadmill run – intervals
Wednesday: Run 8 minutes walk 1 x 3, 15 minute Pilates DVD with resistance band
Thursday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 60 minute treadmill walk – incline
Friday: 30 minute treadmill run – intervals
Saturday: Run 8 minutes walk 1 x 5
Sunday: Day Off

August 19, 2012
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My First 5K: Week 9: More Health
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My First 5K: Week 9: More Health

A few weeks ago I talked about an issue I have been having with my heart, and how working out is so important for anyone’s health. I actually got serious about keeping a regular workout routine since high school. Just before my junior year, I got a yearly physical and my mom mentioned to the doctor that she thought my cholesterol should be checked, as high cholesterol runs in her family. Sure enough, my cholesterol came back at an alarming level, enough to have the doctor sit down with me and have a serious chat about diet and lifestyle. I was given two lists of foods – one that I shouldn’t consider touching, and one that I should try to incorporate into my meals. The do not touch list was pretty easy to figure out why those foods are banned – fast food, fried food, butter, salty foods, etc. The list of foods that I should try to incorporate in my diet was interesting to look through. Bagels (plain bagels, no cream cheese) came highly recommended, and can remember three days a week I would buy a plain bagel in my school cafeteria for breakfast. I also changed the type of milk I drank from 1% to skim – which my fiancé still gripes about! I almost never use butter on rolls or bread, and try to find a suitable substitute when it is called for in a recipe. I also cut out fast food 100% my entire junior year. As someone who was fairly busy in high school and not quite a cook yet (cough, still), this was difficult to do, but I took my health warning seriously. A seventeen year old healthy female shouldn’t have had the numbers that I did, and I didn’t want to have serious effects from it, or be put on medications for the majority of my life.
The doctor also suggested I have a regular workout routine. While I was a cheerleader and that required me to work out with my squad, I also started walking on a regular basis with my mom, and bought a slew of DVD’s so I could work out at home. The routine carried into college, where I still bought DVD’s and frequented my college gym, and still now at age twenty-five. Health is not something to take lightly, so make sure you do yourself a favor and just pay attention to what you eat and if you are working out like you should. It doesn’t have to be something drastic or life-changing. Small steps are great to start off with – and getting regular check-ups is a great plan as well!

Below is my workout schedule for the week. Non-bold is my 5K training schedule.
Monday: Run 10 minutes, walk 10 minutes, 20 minutes Pilates DVD with strength band
Tuesday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 30 minute interval run on treadmill, 30 minute Yoga DVD
Wednesday: Run 15 minutes, walk 15 minutes, 60 minute elliptical
Thursday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 30 minute treadmill incline walk, 10 minute cardio DVD
Friday: Day Off
Saturday: Run 7 minutes, walk 1 x 6
Sunday: 30 minute interval run on treadmill

August 12, 2012
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My First 5K: Week Eight: Busy!
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My First 5K: Week Eight: Busy!

Well, this week has been a bit crazy. Newly engaged, traveling to see family and venue spaces…what a whirlwind! I’m writing my 5K post at 10pm instead of my usual afternoon slot – which was booked today with, you guessed it, looking at venues for my 2013 wedding. So this one will be short and sweet. I’m happy to say that even with being busy, I still made time to get all my training done this week. And with the 5K sneaking up way too fast (um, is it seriously August?!) the runs are only getting longer and more tiring! But just like I tell aspiring writers – if you really want this, you will put pen to paper or finger to key every day – I live that motto for being healthy as well. I was going to have this post be a bit more about health and why I work hard on completing workouts and watching my diet, but I’m a bit tired from our 9+ hours of driving we’ve done between Friday night and this afternoon, so I’ll just leave you with my workout schedule and a promise to do better next week!
Monday: Run 5 minutes, walk 1 x3, 30 min Jillian Michael Yoga Melt DVD
Tuesday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 10 minute cardio DVD – abs, 30 minute run interval – treadmill
Wednesday: Run 6 minutes, walk 1 x 4, 60 minute elliptical
Thursday: Walk 15 minutes, 50 sit-ups, 60 minute treadmill – incline walk, 30 minute run interval – treadmill
Friday: Run 6 minutes, walk 1 x 6, 30 minute treadmill – incline walk
Saturday & Sunday: Day Off

August 5, 2012
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My First 5K: Week 7: Health
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My First 5K: Week 7: Health

My seventh week of training for my first 5K is in the books. With this post, I wanted to get a bit more serious, and talk about some of the benefits that exercise can have on the body. I’ll get a bit personal here as well, talking about some health issues I’ve run in to, and how great I think keeping a regular workout schedule can be. While I’ve always been pretty motivated to keep an exercise routine, I struggle with my diet. I don’t like a lot of vegetables, I eat on the run a lot, and I am a sucker for ice cream. The first time I remember having chest pains was in 2008. I was standing in my kitchen with my roommate at the time, and I felt like someone had literally reached into my chest and was squeezing my heart. I dropped my plate of food and fell to my knees. It passed within seconds, but really shook me up. I hadn’t even turned 21 yet – why would my heart be doing that?
Over the years, the same chest pain has occurred. They are not regular, often or seem to come from a certain activity – such as working out, drinking, or putting a strain on my body. For a while I would just ignore them, mainly because they weren’t often. I’m talking maybe 3-4 times a year. But recently, as of just last year, they were getting more consistent, and my boyfriend (excuse me – fiancé now!) was getting worried. I started seeing doctors, and everyone was pretty baffled – why would a healthy 25 year old be having heart problems? Unfortunately, heart trouble does run in my family, on my mother’s side. And I also do not know my birth father, my mom decided to have me on her own and used an anonymous sperm donor to conceive me. I’ve started the search for him, but that’s another story. So I very possibly could have heart disease on both sides of my family line – scary. I’m currently still in the process of getting tests ran, I’ve been to a handful of doctors and specialists so far, but with no real results. Everyone seems confused, which is only making me more nervous.
So in the meantime while I wait for my next appointment, I am watching what I eat and keeping up with my regular workout schedule. While training for the 5K, my schedule called for intervals – going from a fast run to a slower walk – and intervals are great for your heart. I’m happy to say that over the past few months, I haven’t had any chest pains. While I’m not in any way considering myself scott-free and will cease my appointments, but I really feel like some of the issues are improving. This just reminds me that even though I might not like going to gym 5+ a week, having achy thighs in the morning or getting my ass kicked in boot camp workouts, I know that it’s worth it. Health is everything.

July 29, 2012
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My First 5K: Week 6: Shin Splints
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My First 5K: Week 6: Shin Splints

This week started Week 6 out 15 for my 5K training. And along with it came – shin splits. Ouch! I actually had no idea…

July 22, 2012
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My First 5K: Week 5: Intervals
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My First 5K: Week 5: Intervals

This week started a new part of my 5K training regime – interval running. When I first started the training I knew intervals would be coming up, but I was still daunted by them when the day finally arrived. Why? I have done different interval trainings in the past, and I also have read how great they can be for the body and the heart – and how difficult some can be to complete. So I was bit nervous, but actually have come to realize I enjoy them even more than just running straight through! I’m not sure if it’s because I get to catch my breath (even if it’s only just for a minute) or maybe because I like having something to look forward to – speeding up and slowing down and just breaking up the monotony. I feel like the runs actually go faster. So interval running isn’t as bad as I thought it was, I’m still getting a fabulous workout, and working on building my endurance for when October rolls around. Below is my workout schedule I did this week – bold is what I would normally complete, the non-bold is from my training schedule.
Monday: Run 4 minutes, walk 1 x3, 30 minute treadmill walk, 15 minute cardio DVD
Tuesday: Walk 15 minutes, 30 sit ups, 10 minute Shape workout, 60 minute eliptical
Wednesday: Run 4 minutes, 1 walk x 4, 60 minute treadmill walk
Thursday: Walk 15 minutes, 35 sit ups, 20 minute Pilates DVD
Friday: Day Off
Saturday: Run 4 minutes, walk 1 x 5, 10 minute Shape workout
Sunday: Day Off

July 15, 2012
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