Oh, the Pressure!

I simply do not like being unable to breathe. I know, crazy right? This crazy head cold that I am starting to develop is really a pain. I have been fighting it tooth and nail. I have been taking my zinc and vitamin c. I have been drinking Gatorade (hydration, electrolytes and all that good stuff). I have been drinking my hot tea with honey. I have been trying to get a good night's sleep each night. I have been trying to stay active and hopefully, by getting the blood pumping, up the fighting power. Last night was the worst. I couldn't fall asleep because I couldn't breath. I finally gave in and had some decongestant in hope that I might actually get to sleep. I did, but it was a fitful sleep. I am fine when I am standing, but when I sit or lay down, my nose feels completely stuffed. I just want it to go away!!!

Yesterday was a great day for working out. I did my spinning class and it was a workout. Maybe it was because I am fighting this cold, but I was sweating like crazy and really was pushing myself. I definitely needed the 1/4 mile cool down walk I do after class. I think my legs would not have carried me down the stairs otherwise. Then, last night, I headed to Zumba at my 'regular' place. I think it is part instructor, part song. It was inspired, up beat and fun. Then, this morning, I went to Zumba at the Y. It was a good class. The music still was less upbeat and loud, but it was still a better class than it had been. I think the instructor might have been sick last week with a cold, and that might explain her lack of get up and go that I observed. I also did my 1 1/2 mile walk before Zumba and I actually even ran 3 of the laps. It felt good.

Eating - mostly pretty good. I seem to be overdoing it only on liquids, but that can be the nature of a cold. I am trying to drink plenty of fluids in an effort to thwart this cold. Also, I had soup yesterday - tomato bisque - one of my favorites. I couldn't skip the croutons and Parmesan cheese garnish.

The scale seems to be finally considering moving. There hasn't been much activity, but I keep think one of these days it is just going to drop and that weight that I should be losing in monitoring food and increasing activity will suddenly be realized.

Summer Colds are the Worst!

So, I noticed the other evening that my throat was a bit scratchy. I shrugged it off and decided to not worry about it. The one thing that has held true while I have been more active and eating better is that I tend to not be sick as often or as long. Well, I woke up yesterday with a bit of head congestion, but a lot of sneezing. That sneezing with that tingle that you just know is going to be something more than just a few sneezes. Last night was miserable. I think I slept about 2 minutes the whole night. I told my husband that I was going to skip the run, but get out for a walk this morning - I know that my experience has been that activity helps me fight the cold quicker. After only sleeping what felt like two minutes, my alarm was going off and I decided to choose sleep over walking for getting better. As I sit here, my nose is still congested and I hate that feeling of I can't really breath. My lips are already becoming chapped from breathing through my mouth continuously.

The other challenge I face with a cold is that food loses flavor. I eat for the flavor and texture experience. Without it, I have to watch that I don't start to pick, looking for something, anything that I can taste. I am going to rely on fluids to help flush this cold out of me. Gatorade is a favorite illness fighting beverage at my house, but in the interest of calories, I will have to alternate it with good old-fashioned water and hot tea.

Sunday was a good eating day and the scale was kind enough to show slight movement (0.2#) in the right direction. It's not much, but every ounce counts on this journey.