The Gym

This week I started to “really” go to the gym. To the best of my abilities.

Monday I had work from 9am-noon. Went to a Pilates class from 12:10-1:10. Rented a locker, and sat it the sauna from about 1:30-1:45. The towels they give out at the gym are too small to wrap around you; but apparently the thing to do is to sit in the sauna fully dressed. I, personally, find it disgusting. So I bought a terry-cloth shower wrap on Amazon. Everyone else can sit in their yoga pants and racerback tank tops. I will be naked. After the sauna I showered, got some lunch, and went to my other job from 3-6pm.

Today I had work from 7:15am-10:15am. Class from 10:45am-12:50pm. Work again from 1:30pm-4:30pm. Then I attended a ballet class from 5:15-6:15. After ballet I intended to walk on the elliptical for about an hour, but in the rush of the day I forgot my running shoes at home. So I went straight for the sauna. 20 minutes in, 5 minutes out, 10 minutes in again. I read that it’s best to do at least 2 sessions.

I’m almost done with my day’s batch of cranberry water. I had a Trader Joe’s pre-made Italian Salad for dinner. Strawberries and a few slices of mango for desert.

I also feel particularly bloated today. The protective anonymity of the internet makes me feel comfortable enough to say that I’m actually a little constipated. And comfortable enough to say that this is a regular problem in my life. I eat 1 dose of medicated chocolate every other day. This is a relatively new ailment in my life. Within the last 6 months.

Aging sucks. Spoken like a true 21-year-old.

With regard to the Depo Provera, I don’t feel any different. It’s been about a week since I should have had my injection. I felt fine before, I feel fine now. I have no idea when I should start carrying tampons in my purse again. And I’m pretty worried that I won’t have them when the time comes. But all my research says that’s months (maybe even years) away. It’s like being a little girl all over again. I didn’t want to start getting my period then either.

Baby Steps

Last time I wrote, nothing had changed. That’s still true. But I’m making steps forward.

First, I made a batch of cranberry water. It’s 1 cup of 100% cranberry juice ( I get mine from Trader Joe’s) to 7 cups of regular water. Mixed it in a pitcher and drink it throughout the day. I think this link says do drink all 8 cups in a day, but I haven’t been doing that. I figure, some is better than none.

Second, I’ve been going to the gym. Not every day, but about every other. Whenever I feel like watching some TV or reading the newspaper I just go to the gym with my iPad and take a leisurely stroll on the treadmill or ride on the bicycle. The way I see it, I only need to add a little to my [lack of] exercise, so I don’t need to do any kind of intense workout. My hour on the bike burns about 300 calories, and that’s more than nothing.

Finally, tomorrow I’m going back to pilates and Tuesday I start ballet again. I’m also planning to get a locker at the gym so I can use the sauna and shower so I’ll be more likely to go to the gym before/after class. Instead of just on my days off. One of the tips I read on the Depo forums was to sweat it all out. So even if I can’t get a super intense cardio workout in, I can at least sweat out some of my toxins in the sauna and then shower and head to class/work/etc.

I also went to the grocery store today and stocked up on some healthier snacks. No more cookies or soda. I have baby carrots with hummus and edamame.

I have no way of knowing if/when the weight will start coming off. I don’t own a scale and I don’t think I have access to one. Maybe at the gym? But I’m not super concerned with the number. My goals are as follows:

• I would like for my thighs not to touch when I stand with my feet together
• I would like to be able to do 5 pull ups
• I would like to make it through the entire P90X Ab Ripper video without taking a break
• I would like to fit back into the black skinny jeans I used to wear 3 years ago

We’ll see how it goes.

Nothing New

I’m happy to report that absolutely nothing is going on with me.

I kind of fell off the health band-wagon that I was so enthusiastic about. Right after submitting my first blog post I enjoyed a fantastic weekend in New York City. Now I’m back in Los Angeles and coming off the tail end of Finals Week. Needless to say, I haven’t been getting enough exercise or eating/drinking healthily.

I’ll get back to it. Promise.

I also haven’t gotten around to buying the Dandelion Root that I had heard so much about. Give it a week.

Day One.

Today would have been the last day in my 2 week window for my next Depo Provera injection. I’ve been using Depo Provera as my primary birth control for about 6 years. I began receiving injections when I was 15 years old and now, at 21 I’ve decided to discontinue my injections. I’m starting this blog because I’m terrified. I casually googled Depo Provera when I first thought I might quit, wondering what to expect. I had no idea what terrible reactions some women have had. One person said, “I wouldn’t wish depo on my worst enemy. This drug ruined my life.” Others made statements to the effect that Depo should be illegal for what it’s done to so many women.

I’m hoping that the women who are active on the blogs and support groups I’ve found are the minority of Depo users. Someone who discontinues use of the drug and has a smooth, positive experience would have no reason to comment on it, right? So anyway, I’m here to share my experience as it happens and I’m hoping for the best.

I started taking Depo when I was 15 and I had my first trip to the gynecologist. I had just started dating my first serious boyfriend earlier that year and we were having sex regularly. This blog is not about my relationship history or my sex life, but I’m sharing this information as useful background data. Additionally, I’m not interested in your opinions about the choices that I’ve made throughout my life. I didn’t tell anyone (besides my boyfriend) that I was planning to begin taking birth control and I didn’t do any research into the drug before receiving my first injection. My only concerns were:

1. How effective is it?
2. Do I need to remember to take a pill every day? Because that isn’t likely.
3. Is it reversible?

All of these questions were answered to my satisfaction, so I went for it. After about 2 cycles my mom found out that I was on birth control and was glad that I was taking the proper precautions. So far, my experience with Depo has been a good one.

Some of the more common negative side effects that I’ve read about in women who are still  on Depo are:

• weight gain
• depression/anxiety
• headaches

I have definitely gained weight since my first Depo injection, but I don’t attribute it to the drug. At 15 years old I was a 5’5″, 105lb professional ballerina. I ate healthy and trained with my ballet company a minimum of 4 hours a day, 6 days a week in the off season and sometimes double that during performance season. Now, I’m 21 years old. 5’5″, 135lb ex-ballerina college student. I eat like a college student, I try to get about an hour of exercise 3-4 times a week (if studying permits) and I drink A LOT of soda and vanilla lattes. I don’t think Depo has been the primary culprit of my weight gain.

I have found that I’m a little moodier than I was before. But since beginning Depo I’ve aged 6 years, moved out of the comfort of my parents’ house, thrown myself into a double-major, tripple-minor degree course at UCLA, and started fending for myself financially. I think it might be the stress.

Finally, I’ve never been prone to headaches. That hasn’t changed much.

After reading about what it’s like to quit Depo, I’m a little apprehensive. However, I’m pretty confident that I’ll be okay. I’m a pretty tough person in general. I have a strong stomach (ex. when everyone else at a party get’s food poisoning, I feel fine), I have a rock-star immune system, and I lead a moderately healthy lifestyle (no smoking, very light recreational drug/alcohol use–hello, it’s college).

I’ve read that the key hormone used by Depo Provera is locked away in the fat stores of the body and until eradicated, you are not completely free of the drug. That’s cool. I’ve been looking for motivation to get back in shape anyway. (Not like my ballerina days, I realize that 105lbs is unhealthy for a person of my height at this age. I’d like to be at about 115 or 120lbs). I’ve also read that sweating a lot (saunas and steam rooms) while staying super hydrated will help flush it out. Finally, I’ve read that women have had some success with detox teas and herbs like dandelion root.

None of these suggestions sound outrageous or unhealthy. So I’m going to do it right, starting on day one. And we’ll all see how it turns out.

Like I mentioned above, I have a lot on my plate with school and work and whatever scraps of a social life I stumble upon. I won’t be blogging every day and I might even miss entire weeks. But all major milestones will be documented here. And follow my freshly made twitter feed for more frequent updates.