So it would appear, after a lovely lunch with onesnap, that my bodily distress is, in fact, a lactose issue. Or at least a dairy/ice cream issue. After lunch we had some gelato (my first since the ice cream party, after which I started getting Very Not Well), and within about 5 minutes the exact same pain started - which, fortunately, only lasted about an hour).

So this means cutting out dairy for a while at least. But first, a few questions for the vegan/non-lactose folks on my list:

1. Does goat cheese count? Because I'll be very sad if it does.
2. Any tips on weaning myself off cheese? Any good non-dairy alternatives you particularly dig? I'm not hugely into soymilk (except for EdenSoy), but I have been doing almond milk in my cereal with some success. But I'm mostly wondering about coffee - most non-dairy creamers I've tried are just atrocious, and it's the only bit of dairy that I'd really have a problem missing.
3. Is it true that yogurt is usually okay?

Thanks in advance - I'm sure there are some folks who know something about this. I'm also going to check with the doctor - the lactose test I took about a year ago said I wasn't allergic, but this is too much of a coincidence to ignore.

Today's the first day in a long while that I woke up stiff, but not in significant pain. The healing, she is working.

Last week was a bit of a bear (too sick/tired to get to the gym, then Expo East the rest of the week), but I've been back to the gym to run twice this week, and I'm discovering that I really kinda like running. Still not really fast at it, but getting faster, and I'm working on moving up to 30 minute stretches of just running. Right now I'm at 22 minutes before I just *have* to stop.

In the meantime, it's been entirely too long since I did any of my strength workouts. Since early fall, it's been hard to find time and motivation now that I'm no longer seeing the trainer, and I'm noticing that a lot of the tone I had gotten from lifting is starting to go away. I'm hoping that tomorrow or Sunday I can get back into the gym for some lifting. It shall be good.

Have a bit of a headache, I've been mostly unproductive (aside from a *very* good call with a prospect and a bit of random mentoring with another designer), and I really have to get around to doing a couple of proposals, not to mention finishing up the followup from Expo East and planning next week's call storm to the hot prospects (of which there are about a half dozen or more).

Today's run started with 30 minutes on the elliptical (damn them for playing a James McAvoy movie at the gym) followed by another 23 minutes of 60-second walk/run intervals. First 10-15 minutes were fine; by minute 22 (the last run) my sides had started buckling up. 

Next time, I'll likely do 15 on the elliptical, or potentially start off with walking again (I'm scheduling another run for Sunday). Can't say I'm disappointed with my progress, but it does look like this running thing will take a while to get into fully, and I don't want to stall my weight loss by moving into an activity that I have to take slowly.

Meanwhile, I did some quick measurement comparison at the gym. 

Back in 9/07 (when I quit the gym for a while):
weight: 207.6
tricep: 13.5
chest: 42.5
waist: 38
abs: 42
hips: 43.75
thigh: 27.5
calf: 16.5

as of 7/25/08:
weight: 186 (-22lbs)
tricep: 13 (-.5 in)
chest: 40.5 (-2 in)
waist: 35 (-3 in)
abs: 39.5 (-2.5 in)
hips: 42 (-1.75 in)
thigh: 25.5 (-2 in)
calf: 16 (-.5 in)

It would be great if these numbers were a bit lower, but I'll take it. Also, this really is pretty impressive considering that technically, I've only been losing weight since February of this year, and I started at 210 in February.

The only thing I'm worried about now is plateauing - I want to keep the weight loss going. I'll figure it out somehow.

I have officially gone on my first-ever run today. Outdoors, three times around the track (3/4 mile total), alternating each lap with a lap of walking. Tomorrow and Wednesday, I'm going to try running on the treadmill at the gym. With any luck, I'll be doing a mile in one shot in a few weeks.

Small victories, but still - rock on.

Fortunately, I managed to get some yoga in last night after the always-lovely monthly dinner with friends. Unfortunately, it looks like something really unsavory happened to my legs during Sunday's Trance Dance experience with sweets00, so cardio is pretty much out of the question for a day or three - as is the more aggressive aspects of my yoga practice, such as my normal jump-backs.

The left side has some weirdness around the ankle and outer thigh; the right leg just hurts from my knee up to the middle of my right butt cheek. I worked some of it out last night, but it's still not completely gone. That side also has some ankle weirdness.

All this aside, it's lovely outside. I'm going to read for a bit and then get my schedule together for the week.