running – The Great Bowel Movement

IBD and the Weight Loss Struggle

by Comment Closed

Thanks and admiration to our friend Eliza for opening up about this sensitive topic, and reaching others who may need to hear her story. Weight, a topic most people care not to always talk about. Add in having IBD and that’s a whole new ballgame. I’ve struggled with my weight for more than half my life, I’ve only lived with IBD for 5 years. I’m not sure which I dislike more, dealing with Crohn’s or struggling with my weight. To be completely honest, one of the first things I knew about IBD was that it could cause weight loss, and the saddest part, I was excited about that fact. I didn’t understand the consequences that came along with weight loss from IBD. I was almost angry and bitter at first when my Crohn’s didn’t cause me to lose any weight at all. I saw people who struggled with keeping weight on as “lucky,” and now, looking back, I can’t believe I ever thought that...

Running to the Bathroom

by Comment Closed

It’s race day. The air is cool, the sun is low, adrenaline is high. The crowds are gathering near the start and off to the side, there is a very, very long line for the portapotty. EVERYONE is obsessing over having to go. Waiting in that line, a line that I hope is moving quickly, I wonder how many other people are having the same anxieties as me because I’m not just obsessing, I really need to go. I’m not just hoping that I can empty my bladder and bowel before the race, but I can feel an urgency that very rapidly will become an immediate need. We all know what this is like. The “oh no, I need a bathroom and I need it now!” revelation is never fun, particularly when it’s accompanied by a bout of abdominal pain. So last May, as I congregated with 20,000 friends in Brooklyn, ready to run the Brooklyn Half Marathon, I found myself...

Never Shrink Your Dreams to Fit Your Life

by Comment Closed

In this guest post, Niki Sibley of Sole Powered discusses her secret to life, and what she’s doing to not only spread IBD awareness but to bring resources to others strugging. And she’s doing it by running across the state of Washington. Yes, running. Visit her on her Sole Powered Facebook Page. Norman Vincent Peale is credited with saying, “The secret of life isn’t what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you.” He’s right. Life is notorious for throwing curveballs. You know the best way to handle curveballs? You swing for the fences…and you swing hard! Because in life, you’re not out after 3 strikes, you’re out when you walk away from the plate. Refuse to walk away. Refuse to become a victim of circumstance. Since I shared Norman’s secret it’s only fair that I share one of my own. It’s not really my secret, and technically it’s not really even a secret. But, for simplicity let’s label it the ‘secret’ to success. It’s comprised of three...