Stomach, My Nemesis

    Stomach continues to be a source of battle. I feel as if my internal workings are at war with me. Food has become an adversary with whom I have a very shaky truce. We get along well enough that I can sustain myself, but a single misstep is the cause for a skirmish. For the last 36 hours or so my delicate digestive tract has risen up in rebellion against some unknown affront, some unknown insult. It has been a rather painful, unhappy confrontation that is using the unfair tactics of both cramps and nausea. Dinner last night, my favorite meal of the day, usually chock-a-block full of delectable, healthy goodness ended up being very lightly seasoned chicken breast and rice penne. Tasty and easily digestible  yet rather bland, and bereft of fruits, vegetables, or anything remotely resembling high fiber or citric acid. But I had to eat, and eat cautiously. Stomach has been so unreliable that I can't tell if I am hungry, or nauseated, they seem to be one and the same sensation. Feeling hungry I eat, eating causes nausea and cramps, so I wait until I am hungry near to the point of nausea then I eat, and am back to the nausea and cramps. It sucks.
    Despite this, or more to the point, because of this, I refused to skip my workouts. Stomach may be uncooperative, but Body has remained a stalwart ally. From 3:45pm to 4 pm I worked shoulders, arms and core using 10lb hand weights: bicep curls, upright row, upright fly, bent over fly, tricep press, French curl, overhead press, push up, plank with single arm row and torso twist (totally killer, by the way). Three sets each, moving through the series with no break between sets.
    Once home for the evening, and fantasizing about going straight to bed to curl into fetal position, I opted to run instead. I hit the treadmill for a 3-1/2 mile run at an easy pace. I hit my stride and just ran. It felt good. For the first time all day I could ignore the whining of my stomach and just run. Even Brain decided to STFU for a while and let me just run. It was not an epic run, or a particularly long run, but I felt good. It was good to let Body take charge for a bit.
    Today stomach continues to be on the attack, only allowing small nibbles of almonds and dry granola. But tonight I will swim, and stomach will have to go sulk alone, because the rest of us are tired of all the bitching and whining. I do love to swim, and plan on adding a few new drills to continue to improve my technique and speed. And then I will just swim, as long and far as I can.