For the Love of Cows

Journey of a small animal ER veterinarian who loves cows and all large animals, a runner, triathlete, and a girl trying to better herself.

[fortheloveofcows]

[fortheloveofcows]

I think I may have worked pretty hard for this ride on zwift. I was drenched in sweat.

I’ve been using the workouts recently and feel like it really makes the difference. Before I would just pedal. Not real life. So here’s to more sweaty sessions.

Also got a 2,500 y swim in the morning. It was 55 outside and luckily the outdoor pool was warmer than the ambient temperature. It took a lot of coaxing to get myself to go early in the morning because of the temperature.

Overall a good day! This cooler weather makes me excited about fall though.

[fortheloveofcows]

Zwift ride with a side of sweat. Work hard for that side of sweat. Felt damn good too.

Did some strength training. Little bit, but it was done. Plan is 20minutes 3x a week. So one done.

2 mile walk with the dogs this morning.

Breakfast is the tried and true Kodiak pancake as a wrap with a spread (avocado) and some turkey.

Now to head to work for the day.

[fortheloveofcows]

Got a swim and bike in yesterday.

2,500y in the outdoor pool.

31miles on the bike on the rail trail.

2 mile walk in later that evening.

Overall a good day. These high movement days always make me feel like myself.

Eating overall has been going well. Eating more Whole Foods throughout the day. My body feels better because of that. I was eating so much junk all last week that my stomach was hurting. Finally feeling better.

Summertime nectarines and cottage cheese really hit the spot. Along with a small nap helped too.

We even cooked up the salmon Tom caught on Saturday with some zucchini from the garden.

Overall a really good day.

[fortheloveofcows]

July 20, 2024

I’m thinking that I wanna give this little blog some life again. I’m struggling with back pain and my weight loss journey. Why not revive this little corner of my life. Share my struggles and how I’m dealing with it all.

I have a hand written journal, but this place was a big part of my life for so long. So here we go. Voice into the void.

I can’t/shouldn’t be running right now. I hate it. I hate every moment I don’t get to run. It’s my mental break. My mental health suffers when I can’t run. This is how I back slid the last time. I got hurt so badly I gave up on myself. I threw up my hands and said fuck it.

Not this time. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am right now. I have PT I’ll be doing soon, so hopefully I can get back to a body that doesn’t betray me all the time.

It’s a fine line though of wanting to try and starve myself and just eating completely with no control. That pull of the easy way of starving myself and letting that old way be a dominant part of me again is there. I need this to be sustainable and for forever. Slow and easy is the way. But, damn som days it’s so hard. This whole working on the mindset is the hardest fucking part.

Being more aware of my own shit makes it harder to do the things that are old habits. But they still are there, bigger than ever right now.

But if I can’t workout/run like I had been will I be able to lose the weight? That’s my struggle. I’ll never know if I don’t stop throwing my hands up and giving in to every impulse. So here to finding out.

[fortheloveofcows]

Same sprint three different times. 20lb difference between the first photo and last.

Was about 8 minutes faster than last year. Cut off a chunk of time from the bike. Swim was slightly faster and run was about the same.

I’ve been dealing with a lot of back issues recently which is extremely frustrating to say the least. I am waiting to hear back from physical therapy for my appointment to see what I can do that will help me. I also have a plan for strength training as well.

[fortheloveofcows]

Oh man it’s been a while since I’ve posted here. I’ve missed it a little bit because it was a bit of a journal.

I joined The Guild of Champions with Chris Terrell back in November of 2022. It’s a weight loss community. He works on the mindset rather than just the semantics of weight loss. It’s amazing. I’ve met some absolutely amazing people in the last 6 months. We use Marco Polo to talk. I’ve gotten to meet them in person multiple times now. It’s an amazing community and I honestly don’t know if I would be on this journey still without them.

I did a tough mudder just last weekend with this amazing group of people in Florida. I’m still in love with running and triathlons more. But the team work that goes into the tough mudder is insane. Watching people that don’t think they can do something, and then kill it, is amazing. We are all tougher than we give ourselves credit for.

Needless to say I’ve been on this weightloss journey since June 2022. I’m down 30lbs. I’ve run 2 5ks, 1 10k (PR), and 1 tough mudder. I’m training for my first marathon in March 2024. I have two half irons on the books (June and September), and a sprint in July.

My back is doing so well since I left large animal. The ER work has its stressors, but it’s going well.

Tom and I are in a really great place. The dogs are doing so well.

I am just happy and finding my true self for once in my life. I’m becoming the authentic me that I have always wanted to be!

[fortheloveofcows]

It’s been a while.

Did my first sprint tri last weekend since hurting my back at work. This was the same sprint I did 2 years ago, 2 days prior to my back injury.

The training didn’t go exactly as planned and I suffered in the run. But I pushed myself on the swim and bike. I tried so hard on the run, but my legs didn’t want to move.

It was a great race. I finished and sobbed because I wasn’t sure I was going to get to do this again.

Now what’s next?

5k in august.

10k in September.

Maybe WI 70.3 2024

This sprint again next year to better my best!

We got kayaks and now we go fishing. Finally caught 3 fish this last trip. It was really nice hanging out at Devils lake and seeing it from a new view.

[fortheloveofcows]

I ran my first 5k in the really long time.

I wasn’t sure if I was going to do run/walk intervals. I set my watch up for 5/1 run/walk.

Got to the first walk interval and just kept running. Then just kept running. I RAN ALL 3.1 MILES!!! I haven’t even run a full mile since probably the summer.

It felt amazing. I actually kept as best of a 10:40-11 min pace as I could.

I am beyond happy with how I did.

Now to train for a second one and my sprint tri in July.

I’ve decided to commit to a 6week personal challenge to get myself back on track better with my habits I’m trying to change and food. So we’ll see how it goes cause I’ve done too much lying to myself and overeating small amounts and telling myself it’s ok. It’s causing me to stall, so I’ve got to change that.

Now for the next thing!

[fortheloveofcows]

Back home in New England for a few days. Got two runs in on my old route. Possibly a 3rd if I want to try and bust out a run before we have to leave for the airport.

Went to the beach yesterday and stripped down to my underwear and ran into the water. Water was freezing cold, but I had fun doing it and that’s all that matters.

My moms health is declining, she is suffering from dementia and Parkinson’s. It’s really hard to watch happen. I also feel guilty I am not around because I live so far away. Moving home isn’t really an option at this point though.

Watching the way my parents are and how they move around is probably one of the biggest factors I have for staying active now. I don’t want to end up like them. I worry about my sister and her falling into the same lifestyle. I worry about my nephew and him having to deal with the same elderly parents that we’re dealing with now in our late 30s. There are a lot of worries and other family dynamic stuff that is stressful as well.

I will say that my eating healthy and following my calories has been going poorly the last week. I get into those fuck it moods and just let whatever fly. That isn’t gonna work. I have to recommit everyday, almost every meal. I want to lose this weight and keep it off. I can do this I just have to be mindful again. I know what to do, I just need to let the inner 2 year old stop winning everyday and every meal.

I can do this. I can get where I want to be. I have my first 5k on the 15th and I’m excited about it. I’m not exactly in the right part of the couch to 5k program because I’m taking it easier than planned, but that’s ok. Taking it slow and easy is ok. Weight loss slow and easy is a good thing too.

I’m 20lbs down and plan on losing more. My ideal would be another 50lbs to lose now and finally keep it off. Get rid of my old shitty habits and let the new ones take over.

[fortheloveofcows]

Swim and run today.

Sun was out today and it was great. I’m at 2run/2walk. Running is going well though and today I pushed it a little. It felt really good.

Swimming is going well. I’m pushing myself more each time in the pool.

Now to start cycling again. That’s on the list for March.

I signed up for a 5k on April 15th. So we’ll see how that goes, but I’m pretty excited to get to race again.

I’ve been obsessed with this chopped salad. Lettuce, kale, Brussel sprouts, cucumber, carrot, bell pepper, and chicken nuggets with dressing. It’s so good. It’s really good to scoop up with tortilla chips.

[fortheloveofcows]

I’ve gotten outside the last two days because it’s been in the 40s here. Got a long walk in yesterday with the dogs. I’m hoping the weather stays nice but I know it’s just a false spring. We’re suppose to get snow on Thursday.

I got to run today which felt amazing. I’m at 1:30/2 run walk intervals. My back felt ok on this run outside, which also makes me really happy.

I’m finally doing this the right way. Taking my time. Not rushing. Because getting better so I can run more is the ultimate goal.

Swimming is going well. Today felt so slow but my 100y time was 1:57. What!?!? I’m pretty dang happy.

Now to get the nutrition and hunger cues working better. That’s a work in progress all the time. But I’m working on it everyday and that’s what matters. I’m not giving up on myself.

Just keep moving forward.

[fortheloveofcows]

I think maybe just maybe I’ve broken through this stupid plateau I’ve been in the last like 5 months and I’m making progress again. It’s my own fault. I’ve been over eating through my calories. Not by much so basically just been stuck in a non-intentional maintenance break.

But I think maybe I’ve broken through it. I’m getting a little more strict with myself and sticking to things better. I’m getting more into the swing of work stuff and the schedule. So yea. I’m happy the scale seems to be moving again.

I’ve decided that instead of trying to reach for a 5k so soon I’m taking the couch to 5k training slowly. So I’ve been on run 1m/walk 1:30. But I think I’m gonna try run 1:30/walk 2 this week. I slipped on the ice a few days ago and my knee was super angry. So that was my sign to slow down and let the training go for as long as I need it too.

Yea that’s my life update. Also look at how beautiful my dogs are in the snow! ❄️

[fortheloveofcows]

3rd run down and my back seems to be holding up ok. It feels good to be running again with a plan.

I got a swim in last week. Felt good to be back in the pool. I was suppose to swim on Sunday after my overnight shift. I slept well past the time I was suppose to swim. Oops.

I got to do two different foreign body surgeries over the weekend. First was a cat that ate string and a lot of it. Second was a cat that ate some piece of foam like object. First surgery I had someone scrubbed in with me. Second I was scrubbed in all by myself with only someone coming in to check in on me.

There’s something different with this job. I hate to say it but I think it’s confidence. Doesn’t hurt that the other veterinarians seem to have the utmost confidence in me. It’s new. I like it. I’m really happy here, it’s been a long time since I felt this way.

[fortheloveofcows]

Started couch to 5k today in hopes that if I work running in slowly that I can be a runner again.

I’ve got myself signed up to start swimming again too.

So we’ll see how it goes.

[fortheloveofcows]

I know it’s silly to buy a cup that’s trending. I now know why though.

But this is literally the best drinking utensil I have ever purchased. I am in love. It is the most perfect cup in the whole world. I never knew how much I needed a handle like this.

This bad boy holds almost 1.2L of liquid. I like to get at least a gallon in a day. I love me some water.

The finish on the cup is like silk. I love the sage color.

I never knew you could find an object sexy, but this bad boy is the sexiest.

I am in love. 😍

[fortheloveofcows]

I’m having a hard time right now getting out of this holiday eating rut. I think in my mind I just keep thinking it’ll be fine I’ll get back to it on January 1st cause big dates mean more.

I’m trying though. I’m trying very hard to claw my way up this mountain. Consistently inconsistent will have to do for right now.

I’m moving, getting steps in, logging most of my food, and working hard to resist the urge to eat everything. I still have some big habits to work on, but I’m at least keeping up with some.

It’s a work in progress.