On the road again!
I've been a bit behind on updates on my blog...
In all honesty, I've been struggling a lot. I am still learning as I go with this blog, still deciding exactly what direction I want to take it, as well as battling myself with my health. I originally wanted to post on social media to remind people that it's okay to not be on top of things 100% of the time...But I realized that I needed to allow that for myself before I could be encouraging this truth to others.
When Chris and I were still in Minnesota, I was struggling with my health issues, but I could feel the differences I was making and felt myself on an upturn, feeling better than I had ever felt. Unfortunately, traveling to Oregon my inflammation skyrocketed, my entire body was retaining fluid and swelling so badly that my shoes and my clothes wouldn't fit...All in a matter of one week. At the recommendation of my doctor, at the same time I was experiencing this inflammation, I was also instructed to reintroduce carbohydrates to my diet because they wanted to see ALL of the major food groups at every meal...
This did the opposite of what was intended and caused my inflammation, my swelling, and my weight to rise worse than when I started. It has been an emotional rollercoaster and it feels that I am back to square one. Even though I know what needs to be done, the disappointment in my body's faults and capability has been a rough road, and the fear of what the next move to Colorado would add to that has been very difficult.
Since getting to Colorado, I have had the oppotunity to make the changes needed to restart.
After a lot of research, it is my belief that my body is experiencing carbohydrate intolerance which is common in women like myself with Insulin Resistant PCOS. Since restarting I have already lost 9 pounds, and am back to logging all of my foods in order to keep track of carbs, protein, fiber, added sugars, sodium as well as calories.
The Colorado town we are in is smaller than my old home town of Tehachapi. There is one grocery store, and nothing nearby. The closest city is 2.5 hours away. The weather is snowy and cold making daily outdoor activity near impossible for this California Native. My plan is to do as many at home workouts as possible in my time here, and on days that the weather allows, walking the neighborhood to hit last years daily average of 5k steps.
This project not only allows me to regain my health, but also will allow for a great deal of saving which is much needed considering the hefty amount we unfortunately have to put toward my car, which if you follow on social media, you may have seen broke down in Oregon shortly after our arrival.
Everyday is different, some days I am unmotivated and exhausted, others I feel hopeless and emotional over things I can't change, and others I wake up ready to take on the day and not only push myself to prove that my illness cannot overcome me, but to motivate myself to share every experience with you all.
It may not always be on the day that it's happening, though I try to keep it as real as possible, but I will always spring back and share with you about the overall journey.
I've been excited to share with all of you this romanticized version of Colorado that I had in my head for years. While I know that everyone enjoys different things, it just hasn't impressed me so much this far.
On the weekends, or at least the days off that Chris gets from work, we make treks 2.5+ hours to the more known areas, such as our visit yesterday to Colorado Springs.
When I envisioned Colorado Springs, I thought of the people who have mentioned that they CHOSE to vacation there...
Driving through I was hoping for beautiful red sand and rocks everywhere and rivers and hot springs...
The reality was...most of Colorado Springs is mostly just a desert, which much resembled a California town I once worked in that I don't care for much...(cough cough Lancaster), as well as a city, much like Portland, but less to do... it was mostly run down. Here and there you may find a delicious restaurant like De Santo, where Chris and I stopped for lunch, and had enjoyed incredible tacos and margaritas and Ivywild, which is a school that was transformed into a food hall with restaurants and bars.
While these things are cool to see, I wouldn't have chosen this over the many other things you could see on vacation, unless you happen to be driving through.
The highlight of our Colorado Springs trip was definitely our hike through Garden of the Gods.
Garden of the Gods is a majestic and awe-inspiring natural wonder located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Garden of the Gods is a public park spanning over 1,300 acres of red rock formations, spires, and jagged peaks.
The park's unique rock formations were formed over millions of years by geological processes, including uplifts, erosions, and weathering. The towering sandstone rock formations rise up to 300 feet in height, creating a breathtaking backdrop for the park's visitors. With its unique rock formations, scenic trails, and diverse wildlife, the park offers something for everyone. So pack your hiking boots, and bring your camera. For more on Garden of the Gods, check out my blog specific to Garden of The Gods!
While our Eastern Colorado location isn't much to brag about, My 29th Birthday is coming up, and we are taking a trip to...
VAIL, CO!
Three Days of luxury in one of Colorado's most well known Ski towns.
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