Extra! Extra!

I need to get back to racing so I have exciting and funny things to tell you about! Instead, I'll just tell you a bit about my new obsession....my blood type.

I'm surprised to learn how many of my friends don't know hteir blood type. The only reason I know is because I used to be an avid t-shirt collector (i.e. blood donor). Because I am O-, I am the universal donor. This means that The Blood Center has reason to leave me harassing messages on a regular basis, reminding me it's my time to do my civic duty and give my blood. I'm proud to say I've donate well over a gallon and have the cool mug and drawer full of t-shirts to prove it. Once I started training for longer races, I hung up my blood donor needle so I didn't run the risk of missing out on any workouts. Like that would've made a difference.

Anywho, I atttempted to donate blood last week only to be disconnected 20+ minutes into the process because my blood simply quit flowing. Holy crap! Did they accidentally drain me of all my blood and I was having my last bit of brain activity before I died? Alas, no. I was told my blood had already started to clot and that was the issue. I was also told (now for the 2nd time) that I have considerable scar tissue built up in that spot b/c the blood suckers use the same spot every time given they can't get a drop of blood out of my right arm (I guess my veins like to roll over and play dead).

So now that I've completely digressed, let's get to the point. I started talking to a friend about blood and she mentioned how O is the original blood type and we were hunter/gatherers, etc. I was intrigued and decided to Google. I never expected what my search would uncover! As I read about the concept of eating for your blood type, I was amazed by the fact that I seem to be your textbook O type. It just so happens that the foods that are "highly benefical" (foods that act as medicines) are the very foods I find myself craving. I was also surprised to learn that so many foods I was eating thinking they were healthy were actually on my avoid list. Yogurt, brussell sprouts, corn, cauliflower, wheat bread and so many more delightful foods are being banished from my diet as we speak. I have learned that my blood type does better with diets high in protein mainly from lean red meat and minimizing me carb intake. Fascinating. I've stuck to the "diet" pretty religiously all week and I feel a difference. While I haven't weighed myself, I can tell you I feel less bloated than I normally do. In fact, I was happy to see this morning that my 2 pack had returned as it's been in hiding most post-Ironman weeks. And don't laugh at me for being happy with my 2 pack. I'm working on the other 4! A few other pluses about this "diet"? Chocoloate and red wine are both on my "neutral" list. Oh THAT'S what mama is talkin' about.

For the time being, I'll continue following this "diet" and hope I see some long term benefits. Losing some weight would be cool but I'm primarily wanting to feel better and have more energy. I'm a simple girl with realistic dreams & desires. Well, maybe except for my dream of being an Olympian (I would of course win a gold medal in the luge).

With that, hope you all had a great week and have a great weekend ahead of you! I hope to get in a nice long bike ride this weekend and cheer on teammates new & old at Bridgeland Triathlon!