Getting Fitter & Healthier with Weight Watchers and FitBit!

Can't believe it has been so long since I updated!  Spent the fall getting used to my sleep apnea diagnosis and trying to get into a healthier sleep pattern, then ended up with a slipped disc in the new year and was off work for 9 weeks.  It was very painful, and I have a new understanding of what chronic pain is like.  Thankfully, it healed up on its own, no surgery needed this time.

Between the sleep apnea and spending a lot of time off my feet resting, my weight shot up again.  When you get to the point that your fat pants no longer fit, you know it's time to do something, so I did.  I signed up for Weight Watchers again.  I had great success with it when I did it 8 years ago, but I changed work schedules and wasn't able to track my meals online as easily.  Now, I can use my iPhone to update my points in the App and it is soooo easy!  My mom has also had great success with WW.  She lost 30 pounds and has kept it off.  I could tell she just felt better, so when I told her I signed up again, she was my biggest cheerleader. 

So, I've been doing WW for about 8 weeks now.  I'm down almost 12 pounds.  I feel better, have some more energy, and I'm enjoying watching my body change slowly.  Finding dips in my body where it was rounded before is so much fun!  I still have a ways to go before I get back to my original starting weight 8 years ago, but I'm just so happy to see it coming off.  My weight kept going up, and I was beginning to think that it just always would.  I'm glad I finally decided to do something.

I've been having fun getting activity points.  I like having the buffer of extra points in case I go over on my weekly points.  I don't usually end up using all of them, but it's fun to earn them.  I never thought I'd be one to say that!  My company gave each employee a FitBit last year.  I finally got mine in March when I got back to work.  I love my FitBit!  I obsessively check it to see how close I am to my daily goal of 10,000 steps.  I just passed my 250K lifetime achievement this week.  I never thought I would walk that much.  I'm fitting more exercise in by pacing in front of the television some nights to get me closer to my step goal.  I'm also trying to get out walking with the kids after dinner.  They ride their bikes, and I try to keep up. 

The FitBit also tracks my sleep when I remember to put it in sleep mode.  This helps me to see how much sleep I'm actually getting so I can see how I'm doing with the sleep apnea as well.  I plan on writing another entry on the FitBit, so check back soon!

I finally feel like I'm headed in the right direction.  I see progress.  I am getting there!

Sleep Apnea

So, the results are in for my sleep test.  As suspected, I have sleep apnea.  I rated in the severe category because I stopped breathing more than 30 times per hour.  When you think that it means that I stopped breathing about once every 2 minutes, it is pretty scary! 

The great news is that it is totally treatable.  I am currently using a loaner CPAP machine, but I'll be getting my own soon.  It was a little intimidating at first, but it's really easy to use and for the most part, it doesn't bother me at all.

I went to see a respairologist and we talked about my condition and she set me up with the machine.  I got to sit back in her Lazy Boy and try it out.  At first, having air pumped directly at me was really weird.  She told me that it would feel overwhelming at first, but all I needed to do was relax and breathe through my nose.  Wow!  So easy! 

I am using a nasal mask, so it goes over my nose and there is a piece that goes up to the bridge of my nose and is anchored around my forehead with velcro straps.  It's got a knob so you can adjust as well.  Then there are straps that snap into the bottom of the mask to hold it over my face.  Everything is adjustable, so it's easy to tweak for comfort. 

Everything packs up into a carrying case and I took it home that day.  There is a readable card that plugs into the machine at the back.  I take it back before I go for tests so the card can be read and the information is sent to my doctor.  It reports on compliance to be sure I am using it and gives my average times for use. 

There were a few times that I woke up to find that I had pulled my mask off during the night, but it's gotten better.  I had a little trouble with skin irritation as well.  I did some research online and found some suggestions that helped.  So far, so good!

My Best Friend Saved My Life

It's frustrating when you have so many posts you want to write, but you just don't have the energy to do them or just about anything else.  That's where I've been for the last while and I think I finally know why.

I went on an amazing vacation with my best friend this spring.  We live in different provinces, so we don't get to spend a lot of time together, but this time, we went away and had 6 days to be together.  It was an amazing trip!  Here's how my friend saved my life:  she told me that I snored.  No, really.  I didn't know that I snored at all, but it turns out that I do and it's pretty bad.  I thought that maybe it was allergies or something, so while I noted it, I didn't think much of it until I got home and my husband confirmed it.  Then I was flabbergasted.  Why hadn't anyone mentioned it before?

My father has sleep apnea, so I knew that I needed to get things checked out.  I made my husband come with me to see my doctor so that he could talk to how I snore because I really don't know.  The doctor asked him if I ever gasp for breath and hubby realized how serious it was then.  It turns out that I do gasp for breath frequently.  With other information on my sleep patterns, my doctor arranged for me to have a sleep test done.

While I was waiting for the sleep test a number of other things began to make sense.  I'm always tired because I'm not having a sound sleep.  I put weight on easily because I'm not sleeping.  I'm forgetful, headachy, foggy-brained, and sleepy.  Sometimes I have to have a nap just a few hours after I've woken up because I can't function.  Lights started going off all over the place.

I read more about sleep apnea and found out that sleep apnea can cause heart problems and other health concerns.  If my friend hadn't mentioned it, I never would have known that something was wrong and to start looking for answers.

I've gone for the sleep test and that was an experience in itself.  I felt like a part of the Borg Collective with all the wires attached to me.  My technician was great and made lots of little jokes to help to put me at ease.  He explained what the wires were for and what they would be monitoring.  When he came in to unhook me to go to the bathroom, he let me know how I was doing and that he was getting good results.  This helped me to stay relaxed and go back to sleep when I was plugged back in.

I haven't had the results yet as the doctor was called in to the hospital.  Four of this found this information after waiting for the doctor to arrive to the clinic for about 45 minutes.  Oh well.  I go back for my results in 3 weeks (yes, another 3 weeks of waiting!).  I hope to have some answers about whether it is indeed sleep apnea, or if I have another type of sleep disorder.  At this point, I just want to know so that I can begin treatment.

In the meantime, I've started to do some exercising.  I kept stalling out before because I didn't know what to do or how to do it, but I found Jonathan Roche's noexcuseworkouts.com through the FlyLady's team.  I'm using the free program right now and it's something I can actually do.  I haven't lost weight yet, but I was able to get a pair of jeans on easily that was too tight a few weeks before I started, so I'm getting somewhere :)

Hopefully once I know for sure what is going on, I'll be able to start a treatment that will get me feeling better and posting more.



Until then, I say "Cheers" to my bestie. You are the best and I love you!