It feels like it’s been forever since I posted. Sorry about that. I’ve been really preoccupied with the challenge group on SparkPeople. One of the daily goals is to post to the group once every day, so it’s kind of time consuming to keep up with everyone else’s posts.
The challenge is going awesome. Today marks the start of Week 2, so I weighed in this morning to find a 5, yes FIVE, pound loss!!! I’m totally excited. I have been very diligently meeting the daily and weekly goals, so I really feel like I earned those 5 pounds.
The one thing that really frustrates me about the challenge is that there are several other people who have put in 90+ minutes of exercise every single day of the challenge so far. I seriously do not have the energy (or most days, the time) to work out that much. I almost don’t believe that they are really doing it. Or maybe they are counting activities that I don’t count as exercise. I have no idea. But, it just doesn’t seem realistic for the long term to me. I’m used to a 4-5 day per week workout schedule and I have always looked forward to and relished my rest days. But, I’m now realizing that there won’t be many rest days on this challenge. And, maybe this is a good thing. I mean, a challenge is supposed to push you out of your comfort zone, right?
Yesterday afternoon when I got home from work, I mowed our lawn. We have a push reel mower, so mowing the lawn is more of a workout than it used to be. It took me 50 minutes and I definitely was sweaty, so I counted that in my activity for the day.
I also realized that I have a 5 minute walk to and from the bus stop every day, which I have never counted as activity. This morning I thought, would I count it if I was on my treadmill instead of outside? YES! So, from now on, I’m counting those minutes.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Saturday, June 26, 2010
10 lbs!
FINALLY! After over two months of trying to lose this weight, I am finally down 10 pounds! I fully give credit to the commitment I made on StickK AND the challenge group I joined on SparkPeople. Thanks to the challenge group, I have been within my calories for 4 days in a row now AND gotten 4 days of good activity in. The competitive nature of the challenge has really motivated me to push myself and I couldn't be more pleased.
Next Saturday, I'm going to get a pedicure to celebrate my hard earned success. :) :)
Next Saturday, I'm going to get a pedicure to celebrate my hard earned success. :) :)
Friday, June 25, 2010
Friday Night Lite
Happy, happy Friday! I feel like this week just dragged.
So, I told you that I’m participating in the challenge on SparkPeople right? Well, it’s going awesome. It’s been a great motivator for me to track my calories, and amp up my activity. I hope that once my honeymoon phase dies down, my successes will keep me motivated through the whole 12 weeks. They have set out a weekend challenge for this weekend to get 60 min of cardio each day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It will definitely be a challenge, but I’m up for it. I’ve already got in a 30 min walk today, and in a few minutes I’m heading out for 30 min on the elliptical.
Today a bunch of people are getting together for happy hour after work. I’m really proud that I’ve scheduled myself to do a workout before I meet them. I’ve also planned the calories for the glass of wine that I’m going to enjoy. Yay me!!
So, I told you that I’m participating in the challenge on SparkPeople right? Well, it’s going awesome. It’s been a great motivator for me to track my calories, and amp up my activity. I hope that once my honeymoon phase dies down, my successes will keep me motivated through the whole 12 weeks. They have set out a weekend challenge for this weekend to get 60 min of cardio each day on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. It will definitely be a challenge, but I’m up for it. I’ve already got in a 30 min walk today, and in a few minutes I’m heading out for 30 min on the elliptical.
Today a bunch of people are getting together for happy hour after work. I’m really proud that I’ve scheduled myself to do a workout before I meet them. I’ve also planned the calories for the glass of wine that I’m going to enjoy. Yay me!!
Monday, June 21, 2010
Commitments & Competition
Happy Monday, everyone! I had a really fun weekend and I can’t wait to tell you all about it.
Friday was a really busy day at work for me, so that evening my husband and I went out to dinner with some friends to blow off some steam. We ended up going to Il Gatto in Uptown. I had the scallops, which were phenomenal. It was just a really nice dinner out.
After dinner we couldn’t really decide what should be done, so we tried out a couple of the patios in Uptown. First we went to Stella’s Fish Café, which is great fun, but the patio was packed with lots of young girls and there was just no great place for the five of us to sit and talk. So, we decided to head over to Moto-I and try out their patio instead – it was perfect. Not too crowded, we got some great drinks and had a really nice time.
Saturday was our lazy day. We slept in, watched movies, and relaxed. I did a treadmill workout in the afternoon. It was a really nice day. On Saturday morning, we got an invitation to go to a beer festival over at the Saints Stadium on Sunday afternoon. I am so glad we went. We met a couple of friends there and had 4 hours of beer tasting fun. The weather was beautiful, but I was very unprepared and had no sunscreen with me, so I am lobster red today as a result. Will I ever learn?
We didn’t get home from the beer fest until around 6, and still hadn’t done our weekly grocery shopping. So, I sent my husband to the store and I took an ice cold shower for relief after being in the sun all day. When he got home, I made some waffles for dinner and we went to bed very early.
But, there was one really bad thing that happened this weekend. I had done pretty well on my 5 days of workouts goal, but I needed to work out both Saturday and Sunday in order to meet my 5 days. On Sunday, I thought, “Oh, we won’t be out too late at the beer fest, so I’ll work out when we get home.” Well, by the time we were home and had eaten dinner, working out was so far from my mind, I just totally forgot about it and now I’ll fall 1 day short of my goal. I’m really bummed about this. I don’t want to give up my $20 to that awful “charity” this week. But, that is what I committed that I would do. So, I guess I need to take my lumps and learn from my mistake.
I will say that this commitment has been a big motivator for me to get in my activity. I worked out last Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and today (Monday) will be my fourth day this week. I doubt Tuesday or Wednesday’s workouts would have happened if I hadn’t made my contract with StickK.
I have one more, big thing I want to share with you all: I have joined a weight loss challenge group on SparkPeople! A friend told me about it and I’m so excited to get started. It starts this Wednesday. Basically, I will earn points for doing healthy stuff (like drinking all my water, staying within my calories, working out, etc). There is a $10 buy-in, and then at the end of the challenge, the top three finishers split the pot. And, I’m pretty competitive, so I’m excited to see how the competition helps motivate me.
Friday was a really busy day at work for me, so that evening my husband and I went out to dinner with some friends to blow off some steam. We ended up going to Il Gatto in Uptown. I had the scallops, which were phenomenal. It was just a really nice dinner out.
After dinner we couldn’t really decide what should be done, so we tried out a couple of the patios in Uptown. First we went to Stella’s Fish Café, which is great fun, but the patio was packed with lots of young girls and there was just no great place for the five of us to sit and talk. So, we decided to head over to Moto-I and try out their patio instead – it was perfect. Not too crowded, we got some great drinks and had a really nice time.
Saturday was our lazy day. We slept in, watched movies, and relaxed. I did a treadmill workout in the afternoon. It was a really nice day. On Saturday morning, we got an invitation to go to a beer festival over at the Saints Stadium on Sunday afternoon. I am so glad we went. We met a couple of friends there and had 4 hours of beer tasting fun. The weather was beautiful, but I was very unprepared and had no sunscreen with me, so I am lobster red today as a result. Will I ever learn?
We didn’t get home from the beer fest until around 6, and still hadn’t done our weekly grocery shopping. So, I sent my husband to the store and I took an ice cold shower for relief after being in the sun all day. When he got home, I made some waffles for dinner and we went to bed very early.
But, there was one really bad thing that happened this weekend. I had done pretty well on my 5 days of workouts goal, but I needed to work out both Saturday and Sunday in order to meet my 5 days. On Sunday, I thought, “Oh, we won’t be out too late at the beer fest, so I’ll work out when we get home.” Well, by the time we were home and had eaten dinner, working out was so far from my mind, I just totally forgot about it and now I’ll fall 1 day short of my goal. I’m really bummed about this. I don’t want to give up my $20 to that awful “charity” this week. But, that is what I committed that I would do. So, I guess I need to take my lumps and learn from my mistake.
I will say that this commitment has been a big motivator for me to get in my activity. I worked out last Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and today (Monday) will be my fourth day this week. I doubt Tuesday or Wednesday’s workouts would have happened if I hadn’t made my contract with StickK.
I have one more, big thing I want to share with you all: I have joined a weight loss challenge group on SparkPeople! A friend told me about it and I’m so excited to get started. It starts this Wednesday. Basically, I will earn points for doing healthy stuff (like drinking all my water, staying within my calories, working out, etc). There is a $10 buy-in, and then at the end of the challenge, the top three finishers split the pot. And, I’m pretty competitive, so I’m excited to see how the competition helps motivate me.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
StickK with it!
First of all, let me just say, I am a HUGE fan of this new blog template. Ok, now back to your regularly scheduled programming…
I’ve been struggling to get on track lately. I’ve only run once since the race and it wasn’t a very pleasant experience. I’ve been really sporadic with my food tracking on SparkPeople as well. And, I totally binged yesterday.
I would like to say that today was better, but I skipped breakfast at home this morning and also had Arby’s for lunch.
I’m feeling like I need a kick in the pants. Right now I’m living the pattern that I’ve always lived and I’ve just got to break through it. Without the fear of the race looming over me, I haven’t had any motivation to get my body moving. Yesterday my friend’s 5 year old little girl said to me, “You should exercise more and get thin.” Yeah, it hurt. But actually, she’s right.
So, today I made a contract at www.stickK.com. If you haven’t heard of StickK, it’s a website that you use to set up contracts with yourself to meet your goals. The really cool thing about the site is that you can tack a financial incentive on to your contract that can be used as a penalty for not meeting your goals. The penalty can be sent to a friend, a charity, or an anti-charity (a charity that you hate).
I signed a contract to exercise 5 days per week and put $20 per week on the line with an anti-charity. I absolutely hate the idea of giving this charity $1 let alone $20, so I think this will be a good motivation for me. Also, I recruited my husband to be my referee and keep me honest. I have a 12 week contract, and you know I’ll keep you updated too.
I’ve been struggling to get on track lately. I’ve only run once since the race and it wasn’t a very pleasant experience. I’ve been really sporadic with my food tracking on SparkPeople as well. And, I totally binged yesterday.
I would like to say that today was better, but I skipped breakfast at home this morning and also had Arby’s for lunch.
I’m feeling like I need a kick in the pants. Right now I’m living the pattern that I’ve always lived and I’ve just got to break through it. Without the fear of the race looming over me, I haven’t had any motivation to get my body moving. Yesterday my friend’s 5 year old little girl said to me, “You should exercise more and get thin.” Yeah, it hurt. But actually, she’s right.
So, today I made a contract at www.stickK.com. If you haven’t heard of StickK, it’s a website that you use to set up contracts with yourself to meet your goals. The really cool thing about the site is that you can tack a financial incentive on to your contract that can be used as a penalty for not meeting your goals. The penalty can be sent to a friend, a charity, or an anti-charity (a charity that you hate).
I signed a contract to exercise 5 days per week and put $20 per week on the line with an anti-charity. I absolutely hate the idea of giving this charity $1 let alone $20, so I think this will be a good motivation for me. Also, I recruited my husband to be my referee and keep me honest. I have a 12 week contract, and you know I’ll keep you updated too.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Turkey Burgers
Hey everyone. Happy Thursday! This week has felt so long to me. Things have been really slow at work, so that doesn’t make it easier, I suppose.
I ran on Tuesday for the first time since the big race. It went okay. I upped my speed a little bit and as a result, my distance wasn’t what I had hoped for, but that’s ok. I’ve been having some heel pain that I am moderately concerned about. I strike with my heel, and even though I try to consciously land on my forefoot, I know I’m not doing it all the time. But, I’m working on it.
I made some awesome turkey burgers the other night. I modified a recipe from allrecipes.com. They turned out so good, I thought I’d post the recipe for y’all:
Cranberry Turkey Burgers:
1.25 lbs ground turkey breast
1/3 C dried cranberries, chopped
1/4 C plain bread crumbs
1/4 C diced onion
1 egg white, beaten
1 T dried parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
5 light hamburger buns
5 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese
1 onion, caramelized (to caramelize, slice 1 yellow onion and sauté over medium heat with 1 T vegetable oil, stirring occasionally until a deep golden brown color ~ about 20 minutes)
Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl and form into 5 patties. Grill until internal temperature reaches 180˚ F. Top burgers with cheese and caramelized onions. 360 calories, 9.7g fat, 4.6g fiber.
I ran on Tuesday for the first time since the big race. It went okay. I upped my speed a little bit and as a result, my distance wasn’t what I had hoped for, but that’s ok. I’ve been having some heel pain that I am moderately concerned about. I strike with my heel, and even though I try to consciously land on my forefoot, I know I’m not doing it all the time. But, I’m working on it.
I made some awesome turkey burgers the other night. I modified a recipe from allrecipes.com. They turned out so good, I thought I’d post the recipe for y’all:
Cranberry Turkey Burgers:
1.25 lbs ground turkey breast
1/3 C dried cranberries, chopped
1/4 C plain bread crumbs
1/4 C diced onion
1 egg white, beaten
1 T dried parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
5 light hamburger buns
5 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese
1 onion, caramelized (to caramelize, slice 1 yellow onion and sauté over medium heat with 1 T vegetable oil, stirring occasionally until a deep golden brown color ~ about 20 minutes)
Combine first 7 ingredients in a large bowl and form into 5 patties. Grill until internal temperature reaches 180˚ F. Top burgers with cheese and caramelized onions. 360 calories, 9.7g fat, 4.6g fiber.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Big Me
Hey there, y’all! I’m back like fashion!
The celebration trip to Vegas after the race was fantastic. Exactly what the doctor ordered. It was one of those vacations where you don’t *have* to do anything. I read a terrible book, drank lots of calories, and soaked up as much sun as I could handle. It was great.
I was actually very surprised, incredulous, really, that I didn’t gain about 20 pounds on the trip – I came home to just a one pound gain and then I dropped down after a few days back at home! Amazing. So, now I’ve *almost* officially lost 10 pounds from my starting weight. What a nice round number 10 is...and it's so close...
It’s very liberating to be done with the race, actually. Now, I feel like I can do other workouts besides running and there’s no pressure. Tonight will be a treadmill workout at home, but tomorrow I’ll bring in my Y clothes and get in an elliptical workout for the first time in a while.
I’m tracking again on SparkPeople, too. So, hopefully these next 5 pounds come off more like the first 5…
It’s hard to believe it’s only Tuesday. Feels more like a Thursday…maybe it’s because I’m really looking forward to the weekend. We are having a Filipino party at our house on Saturday. My husband is Filipino, so he’s planning the festivities. It should be really fun.
Well, I don’t have a whole lot else for you. I’ll check in tomorrow with a report of how my first run back in business goes tonight.
When I was about 1/3 of the way through the 10 miler, this song came up on my MP3 player. I had barely started the race and I was tired and pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to finish and these lyrics really struck me:
Big Me to talk about it
I could stand to prove
If we can get around it
I know that it’s true
When I talked about it
Carried on
Reasons only knew
I just couldn’t help thinking how I had talked a big talk about this damn race and now I might not follow through. So, today, for your listening pleasure, I leave you with Foo Fighters:
The celebration trip to Vegas after the race was fantastic. Exactly what the doctor ordered. It was one of those vacations where you don’t *have* to do anything. I read a terrible book, drank lots of calories, and soaked up as much sun as I could handle. It was great.
I was actually very surprised, incredulous, really, that I didn’t gain about 20 pounds on the trip – I came home to just a one pound gain and then I dropped down after a few days back at home! Amazing. So, now I’ve *almost* officially lost 10 pounds from my starting weight. What a nice round number 10 is...and it's so close...
It’s very liberating to be done with the race, actually. Now, I feel like I can do other workouts besides running and there’s no pressure. Tonight will be a treadmill workout at home, but tomorrow I’ll bring in my Y clothes and get in an elliptical workout for the first time in a while.
I’m tracking again on SparkPeople, too. So, hopefully these next 5 pounds come off more like the first 5…
It’s hard to believe it’s only Tuesday. Feels more like a Thursday…maybe it’s because I’m really looking forward to the weekend. We are having a Filipino party at our house on Saturday. My husband is Filipino, so he’s planning the festivities. It should be really fun.
Well, I don’t have a whole lot else for you. I’ll check in tomorrow with a report of how my first run back in business goes tonight.
When I was about 1/3 of the way through the 10 miler, this song came up on my MP3 player. I had barely started the race and I was tired and pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to finish and these lyrics really struck me:
Big Me to talk about it
I could stand to prove
If we can get around it
I know that it’s true
When I talked about it
Carried on
Reasons only knew
I just couldn’t help thinking how I had talked a big talk about this damn race and now I might not follow through. So, today, for your listening pleasure, I leave you with Foo Fighters:
Sunday, May 30, 2010
10 Miler Complete!
I'm so excited to say that I officially finished the 10 miler today! I didn't do as well as I had hoped, but, I finished in about 2 hours and 30 minutes. I ran most of the first half, and walked most of the second half. Miles 4 and 5 were the hardest - in the sun, on hot pavement, yucky scenery along Shepard Road. I finished 2nd to last. In the second half, I walked a bit with the girl who came in last. My husband joined me on the 2nd half and helped pull me through.
I really really wanted to quit at the halfway point, but my husband and friends encouraged me to stick with it.
I'm sorry this post is so discombobulated, but my friend and I are rushing out the door to leave for our Vegas reward! Sooo, I'll try and write a better post when I return next Thursday!
Hope everyone has a fun and healthy Memorial Day!
Friday, May 28, 2010
T minus 48 hours
Well, friends, this will be my last post before the big 10 mile run. 48 hours from now, I'll be starting the race. It’s hard to believe it’s been 6 months since this crazy idea popped into my head. I know I really didn’t train up to my full potential and I only got serious about it these last two months, but I am confident that I will be able to run more than half of it and I know now that I can finish it without dying.
I think what I’ve learned from this process is that what I had always held up as being out of my reach, in reality is right in front of me. I used to think, “Oh, if I could just get on the treadmill and run for 30 minutes straight!” Now I can do that and more. I thought the only people who could run 5 miles a day were athletes – stronger, and better than I could ever be. And now I see that strength in myself.
Today I’m wearing a skirt and this morning I looked down at my legs – the same legs I disparaged for being too fat to fit into knee high boots last fall – and thought, “I love my legs – look at how strong they are!”
People are so obsessed with comparing themselves to others - myself included. But, I’m trying to learn that other people’s goals and successes are theirs and theirs alone. I can’t measure my achievement against what other people have already done. This is MY life, and these are MY goals and nothing that anyone else says or does is going to take this away from me.
When I tell people that I’m running in a 10 mile race this weekend, I get a variety of reactions. Some people are surprised that I (obese and un-athletic) might possibly do such a thing, “Wow! Really?” I think that some are in such disbelief that they act as if I just said, “I’m going to the grocery store,” and they make no comment at all and change the subject. Maybe they are thinking, “Did she just say what I think she said? I must have misunderstood…” Some (my mother) are overly enthusiastic (“I think it’s SOOOO, SO, SO GREAT that you are doing this”), leading me to believe that they don’t think I can or will do it. And some people don’t know the difference between 10 kilometers and 10 miles.
But, the people closest to me, the people who really know me realize what a huge thing this is and they believe that I can do it. That means so much more to me than anything else. For me, running 10 miles is a major accomplishment and I won’t minimize my pride in finishing what I’ve started.
After the race, I'm going on vacation, so I won't have any posts for a few more days. But, as soon as I can, I'll post an update for you! Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
I think what I’ve learned from this process is that what I had always held up as being out of my reach, in reality is right in front of me. I used to think, “Oh, if I could just get on the treadmill and run for 30 minutes straight!” Now I can do that and more. I thought the only people who could run 5 miles a day were athletes – stronger, and better than I could ever be. And now I see that strength in myself.
Today I’m wearing a skirt and this morning I looked down at my legs – the same legs I disparaged for being too fat to fit into knee high boots last fall – and thought, “I love my legs – look at how strong they are!”
People are so obsessed with comparing themselves to others - myself included. But, I’m trying to learn that other people’s goals and successes are theirs and theirs alone. I can’t measure my achievement against what other people have already done. This is MY life, and these are MY goals and nothing that anyone else says or does is going to take this away from me.
When I tell people that I’m running in a 10 mile race this weekend, I get a variety of reactions. Some people are surprised that I (obese and un-athletic) might possibly do such a thing, “Wow! Really?” I think that some are in such disbelief that they act as if I just said, “I’m going to the grocery store,” and they make no comment at all and change the subject. Maybe they are thinking, “Did she just say what I think she said? I must have misunderstood…” Some (my mother) are overly enthusiastic (“I think it’s SOOOO, SO, SO GREAT that you are doing this”), leading me to believe that they don’t think I can or will do it. And some people don’t know the difference between 10 kilometers and 10 miles.
But, the people closest to me, the people who really know me realize what a huge thing this is and they believe that I can do it. That means so much more to me than anything else. For me, running 10 miles is a major accomplishment and I won’t minimize my pride in finishing what I’ve started.
After the race, I'm going on vacation, so I won't have any posts for a few more days. But, as soon as I can, I'll post an update for you! Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Monday, May 24, 2010
It's not the heat, it's the humidity...
So, yesterday, I had a planned 8 miler to train for the big 10 mile race this Sunday. Husband and I left the house around 7 to try to beat the heat – we did not succeed. It was so ungodly hot and humid out, I was massively uncomfortable. We did about a mile and I stopped and cried. “What if it’s this hot next weekend? I’ll never be able to finish…” We walked for a little bit and I got myself together and we ran again – this time for about a mile and a half before I called it quits. I decided I didn’t want to continue with the planned run and we went home. As soon as we got home, I did 2 miles on my treadmill. My legs felt fine and I’m not sore at all today, but the heat just exhausted me.
I can see now that even though I *thought* I was well hydrated, I was not even close. I just didn’t realize how vastly different running in heat would be – I mean, I thought it would be uncomfortable, but not debilitating.
There is a very good possibility that the 10 miler will also be humid – and I really need to make a plan for dealing with it. First, I really need to up my hydration starting now. I’ve been avoiding buying a belt to hold water bottles because I didn’t want to carry the extra weight on my run, but now I know I need to suck it up and do it anyway. I’ll fill the water bottles with ice water and Gatorade. Also, I think I will plan to run 2 miles, walk 1 minute, and run 2 miles, etc. Hopefully I can stay ahead hydration wise and have a successful run. I’m still nervous, but breaking it down into a plan really helps me feel more calm about it.
At my weigh-in this weekend, I was down! I’m soooo close to the 10 lb mark now. That was a really nice thing to see.
I can see now that even though I *thought* I was well hydrated, I was not even close. I just didn’t realize how vastly different running in heat would be – I mean, I thought it would be uncomfortable, but not debilitating.
There is a very good possibility that the 10 miler will also be humid – and I really need to make a plan for dealing with it. First, I really need to up my hydration starting now. I’ve been avoiding buying a belt to hold water bottles because I didn’t want to carry the extra weight on my run, but now I know I need to suck it up and do it anyway. I’ll fill the water bottles with ice water and Gatorade. Also, I think I will plan to run 2 miles, walk 1 minute, and run 2 miles, etc. Hopefully I can stay ahead hydration wise and have a successful run. I’m still nervous, but breaking it down into a plan really helps me feel more calm about it.
At my weigh-in this weekend, I was down! I’m soooo close to the 10 lb mark now. That was a really nice thing to see.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Time keeps on tickin....
On Wednesday, I was in Chicago for one day of training for work. It was a very fast trip. I flew in Tuesday night and flew out Wednesday afternoon. My eating choices were not stellar while I was there. However, I did overcome a big fear – I packed my workout clothes and I got up early Wednesday morning for a treadmill run in the hotel’s fitness center. Working out while on vacation is something I always struggle with. Often, I’ll pack my workout clothes, but they won’t be used at all. But on this trip, I got them nice and sweaty.
Yesterday I should have been back in my regular routine, but honestly, I was just worn out. I got my period (which is a good sign that things are starting to regulate in that aspect) and I was just all emotional and feeling icky. When you have been on the pill for 10+ years like I was, you kind of forget what a “normal” period is like. While on the pill, I never had cramps and never felt emotional or crabby. But, now that I’m off, it’s a whole different story. Yesterday morning I felt so awful, I almost went home.
So, I didn’t run last night. But, my plan is to run tonight. Then, I’ll have a long run on Sunday. Hopefully, it won’t be too humid and sticky out. I’m really scared of these long runs. The 10-miler is one week from this Sunday! I can’t believe how fast it’s come up. I wish I could just stop time and give myself 4 more weeks…
Before I head off for the weekend, thought I’d share with you all that another co-worker asked me how much weight I’ve lost. I can’t really believe that people see a difference in my body, but I guess that they are, and that feels good to hear.
Yesterday I should have been back in my regular routine, but honestly, I was just worn out. I got my period (which is a good sign that things are starting to regulate in that aspect) and I was just all emotional and feeling icky. When you have been on the pill for 10+ years like I was, you kind of forget what a “normal” period is like. While on the pill, I never had cramps and never felt emotional or crabby. But, now that I’m off, it’s a whole different story. Yesterday morning I felt so awful, I almost went home.
So, I didn’t run last night. But, my plan is to run tonight. Then, I’ll have a long run on Sunday. Hopefully, it won’t be too humid and sticky out. I’m really scared of these long runs. The 10-miler is one week from this Sunday! I can’t believe how fast it’s come up. I wish I could just stop time and give myself 4 more weeks…
Before I head off for the weekend, thought I’d share with you all that another co-worker asked me how much weight I’ve lost. I can’t really believe that people see a difference in my body, but I guess that they are, and that feels good to hear.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Hiroshima
The song has nothing to do with today's post...I just like it. No video, but at least you can listen to it:
I think I’ve gotten complacent. What once made me feel like an icy glass of water had been thrown in my face now doesn’t feel so shocking. It’s like I’ve gotten used to the idea that someone would look at me and think that I’m pregnant. All the emotions that led me to start this blog - The extreme embarrassment, the anger, the motivation – have definitely waned.
I look back at week one and I worked out like 6 days that week. Now I’m doing around 3-4. I tracked every morsel of food. Now I’m tracking food only a day or two each week.
I will say that I’ve been really focused on training for the 10 miler I have coming up. I’m running a lot more and my body has definitely been craving more fuel. And really, just being able to finish the 10 miles is a higher priority to me right now than losing pounds. So, honestly, I don’t expect too much of myself in the weight loss realm until after the 10 miler is done. It’s only 13 days away!! Ahhh! I can’t believe I signed up for this and it’s already almost here!
One of my co-workers asked me how much I’ve lost since I started running because she noticed my clothes were looser. I was really surprised to hear that because they really don’t feel looser and I haven’t even hit my 10 lb mark yet. So, I think she was just being nice. Although, this morning the scale hit a new low, I was surprised and happy to see. Maybe I’m breaking free of the +.4/-.4 pattern…
I think I’ve gotten complacent. What once made me feel like an icy glass of water had been thrown in my face now doesn’t feel so shocking. It’s like I’ve gotten used to the idea that someone would look at me and think that I’m pregnant. All the emotions that led me to start this blog - The extreme embarrassment, the anger, the motivation – have definitely waned.
I look back at week one and I worked out like 6 days that week. Now I’m doing around 3-4. I tracked every morsel of food. Now I’m tracking food only a day or two each week.
I will say that I’ve been really focused on training for the 10 miler I have coming up. I’m running a lot more and my body has definitely been craving more fuel. And really, just being able to finish the 10 miles is a higher priority to me right now than losing pounds. So, honestly, I don’t expect too much of myself in the weight loss realm until after the 10 miler is done. It’s only 13 days away!! Ahhh! I can’t believe I signed up for this and it’s already almost here!
One of my co-workers asked me how much I’ve lost since I started running because she noticed my clothes were looser. I was really surprised to hear that because they really don’t feel looser and I haven’t even hit my 10 lb mark yet. So, I think she was just being nice. Although, this morning the scale hit a new low, I was surprised and happy to see. Maybe I’m breaking free of the +.4/-.4 pattern…
Monday, May 17, 2010
Ups and Downs
Monday morning is here again. I had an okay weekend, not great. Friday night was my 10 year college reunion. There were a total of 6 (yep, SIX) people from my class there. Four of which, I see on a regular basis. So, that was kind of a bust. It was fun walking around campus and reliving some old memories, though.
Saturday, husband and I went out and ran some errands. I wanted to get some new running gear (shoes, new sports bra, gels for long runs) and husband wanted to get some Vibram Five Finger shoes. If you haven’t heard of these, they are very popular with the barefoot running clique. He has yet to try them in a real world scenario, so I’ll have to keep you updated on if he likes them.
Sunday, after procrastinating all morning, I finally laced up my new cushy shoes (no five fingers for me yet) and headed down to my treadmill for a planned 6 miler. In short, it sucked. I had some shooting pains in my left knee and my right heel and just felt exhausted overall. So, I jogged a half mile and quit. I hope that it’s just the new shoes that are causing me pain. I’m going to try a run tonight with my “old” shoes and see how that goes. I guess some days are good running days and some aren’t. I’m not going to lie and say that I’m not worried about this stuff though. I have 2 weeks until the 10 mile race I’m signed up for and I am scared shitless.
I have to say that I’m really, really, disappointed about the numbers I’m seeing on the scale. The last few weeks it’s been like up .4, down .4. And I really feel like I’ve been taking it pretty easy with the food choices. But, I will concede that I still haven’t gotten back into tracking on SparkPeople. So, maybe that’s my snag. It’s really very disheartening though.
Saturday, husband and I went out and ran some errands. I wanted to get some new running gear (shoes, new sports bra, gels for long runs) and husband wanted to get some Vibram Five Finger shoes. If you haven’t heard of these, they are very popular with the barefoot running clique. He has yet to try them in a real world scenario, so I’ll have to keep you updated on if he likes them.
Sunday, after procrastinating all morning, I finally laced up my new cushy shoes (no five fingers for me yet) and headed down to my treadmill for a planned 6 miler. In short, it sucked. I had some shooting pains in my left knee and my right heel and just felt exhausted overall. So, I jogged a half mile and quit. I hope that it’s just the new shoes that are causing me pain. I’m going to try a run tonight with my “old” shoes and see how that goes. I guess some days are good running days and some aren’t. I’m not going to lie and say that I’m not worried about this stuff though. I have 2 weeks until the 10 mile race I’m signed up for and I am scared shitless.
I have to say that I’m really, really, disappointed about the numbers I’m seeing on the scale. The last few weeks it’s been like up .4, down .4. And I really feel like I’ve been taking it pretty easy with the food choices. But, I will concede that I still haven’t gotten back into tracking on SparkPeople. So, maybe that’s my snag. It’s really very disheartening though.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Run, Fat Girl, Run!
Another weekend come and gone. I had a good weekend, actually. The scale was up on Saturday – quite unfairly in my estimation, but then again, I didn’t track my food most of last week, so maybe this is my lesson.
Saturday morning, I met up with one of my good friends for a run around Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. Lake Harriet is 2.75 miles around and my goal was a 5-6 miler. We did one lap and I needed a break, so we walked for a bit and then I just didn’t have it in me to start up again. The run felt good, but I was disappointed and worried that I hadn’t met my goal. I have a ten mile race coming up at the end of May and I am really scared that I’m not in the condition I need to be to finish it. Also, the majority of my runs have been inside on my lovely treadmill, and I feel like I need to get used to running outside before the race.
Take Two:
So, Sunday, I recruited my husband to go back to Lake Harriet with me to try my 6 miler again. This time my strategy was to go as slow as I needed to and after 1 lap, stop back at the car to rehydrate and lose a layer of t-shirt. And, it was a success! I completed my first ever 6 mile run yesterday!!! There were times when it wasn’t easy. When I first realized that my husband was wearing out (around mile 4), that really got to me psychologically. But, I pushed that aside and kept going. And the last ½ mile was hard because we had to pass the point where the car was parked, and it was so very tempting to just stop there and call it good at 5.5 miles. It still seems so surreal to think that I actually did it. I’m just so proud of myself.
I’m quite sore from yesterday’s run, but not immobilized. I have a little bit of knee pain, so I was icing most of last night. I could do with a second or third ice pack on hand, I think.
I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made in my activity, but I am disappointed that the numbers on the scale are creeping down so slowly. Am I eating too much? Am I not eating enough? I’ve had the thought of, “oh, well you are probably replacing some of that fat with muscle” but honestly, I hate that statement – it seems like such an excuse.
Saturday morning, I met up with one of my good friends for a run around Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. Lake Harriet is 2.75 miles around and my goal was a 5-6 miler. We did one lap and I needed a break, so we walked for a bit and then I just didn’t have it in me to start up again. The run felt good, but I was disappointed and worried that I hadn’t met my goal. I have a ten mile race coming up at the end of May and I am really scared that I’m not in the condition I need to be to finish it. Also, the majority of my runs have been inside on my lovely treadmill, and I feel like I need to get used to running outside before the race.
Take Two:
So, Sunday, I recruited my husband to go back to Lake Harriet with me to try my 6 miler again. This time my strategy was to go as slow as I needed to and after 1 lap, stop back at the car to rehydrate and lose a layer of t-shirt. And, it was a success! I completed my first ever 6 mile run yesterday!!! There were times when it wasn’t easy. When I first realized that my husband was wearing out (around mile 4), that really got to me psychologically. But, I pushed that aside and kept going. And the last ½ mile was hard because we had to pass the point where the car was parked, and it was so very tempting to just stop there and call it good at 5.5 miles. It still seems so surreal to think that I actually did it. I’m just so proud of myself.
I’m quite sore from yesterday’s run, but not immobilized. I have a little bit of knee pain, so I was icing most of last night. I could do with a second or third ice pack on hand, I think.
I’m really happy with the progress I’ve made in my activity, but I am disappointed that the numbers on the scale are creeping down so slowly. Am I eating too much? Am I not eating enough? I’ve had the thought of, “oh, well you are probably replacing some of that fat with muscle” but honestly, I hate that statement – it seems like such an excuse.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Fearless
Although the week started out pretty bleak & I didn’t work out Monday, I managed to eke out a 3 miler on Tuesday. And then last night, I did 4 for the first time. I did take a little walking break at the 2 mile mark, but am still proud of my 4 miles. I’m starting to get a little concerned that I haven’t done any of my running outside, so tomorrow I’m meeting up with one of my good friends for what I hope will be a 5-6 miler around one of the lakes in our fair city.
I have not been logging any of my meals on SparkPeople this week, although I’ve tried to be really careful and aware of what I’m eating. But, I know that unless I’m really tracking what I eat, I’m setting myself up for failure.
Actually, as I was typing the above paragraph, I thought, “yeah, I’ll start tracking again on Monday” and then it occurred to me that there is no reason I can’t start tracking right now. Sometimes I’m so worried about what the numbers *might* be, that I would rather bury my head in the sand. So, I just tracked my plan for today. I was kind of afraid to because I just indulged in some cheesy hash browns from our company cafeteria AND I’m going out to lunch today with my coworkers, so I just assumed that I would be way over my calories for the day. But once I looked at the nutritional info, I realized that with a couple of minor tweaks to my plan, I CAN stay within my calories today – and that’s pretty awesome.
On Tuesday, before my 3 miler, I was trying to talk myself into doing it. Just thinking a lot about why I hesitate to do things that are good for my body. It started me thinking about my fear of running outside. And I think mostly it’s because outside I feel so exposed. Like the whole world is going to see this fat girl huffing and puffing along and they will judge me. And I realized that what I need is bravery. I want to take everything that I’m unsure about and face it head on. I want to be fearless.
I have not been logging any of my meals on SparkPeople this week, although I’ve tried to be really careful and aware of what I’m eating. But, I know that unless I’m really tracking what I eat, I’m setting myself up for failure.
Actually, as I was typing the above paragraph, I thought, “yeah, I’ll start tracking again on Monday” and then it occurred to me that there is no reason I can’t start tracking right now. Sometimes I’m so worried about what the numbers *might* be, that I would rather bury my head in the sand. So, I just tracked my plan for today. I was kind of afraid to because I just indulged in some cheesy hash browns from our company cafeteria AND I’m going out to lunch today with my coworkers, so I just assumed that I would be way over my calories for the day. But once I looked at the nutritional info, I realized that with a couple of minor tweaks to my plan, I CAN stay within my calories today – and that’s pretty awesome.
On Tuesday, before my 3 miler, I was trying to talk myself into doing it. Just thinking a lot about why I hesitate to do things that are good for my body. It started me thinking about my fear of running outside. And I think mostly it’s because outside I feel so exposed. Like the whole world is going to see this fat girl huffing and puffing along and they will judge me. And I realized that what I need is bravery. I want to take everything that I’m unsure about and face it head on. I want to be fearless.
Monday, May 3, 2010
My life is a re-run
If you eat shitty, you feel shitty. Funny how that works, isn’t it? I had a way overindulgent weekend that I feel really guilty about. I didn’t run – actually didn’t work out at all – and husband and I ate out 4 times, and I wasn’t selective about my food choices even once. So, I feel like crap not only physically, but also mentally. I wonder how many times I’ll have to re-learn this lesson.
I also drank way too much on Friday night – which I’m sure contributed in part to my poor eating decisions. But, it seems that every time I drink too much, the next morning I’m saying to myself, “I’m never drinking again” and then two or three weeks later, there I am, in the same position.
It’s weird how I live the same pattern over and over again. I don’t like this pattern, so why can’t I break it? How do I create a new pattern and get out of this cycle for good?
I also drank way too much on Friday night – which I’m sure contributed in part to my poor eating decisions. But, it seems that every time I drink too much, the next morning I’m saying to myself, “I’m never drinking again” and then two or three weeks later, there I am, in the same position.
It’s weird how I live the same pattern over and over again. I don’t like this pattern, so why can’t I break it? How do I create a new pattern and get out of this cycle for good?
Friday, April 30, 2010
Myself Again
Ok, yesterday was rough all around. Work was stressful, my eating was off, my body and my brain were both exhausted. I didn’t even walk on the treadmill yesterday. I went home, took a boiling shower, put on my pjs and poured a big glass of wine. Husband and I watched a movie and ate pizza. But, after all that and a good 9 hours of sleep last night, the scale was down this morning. I might not have deserved it, but it sure helped motivate me to get right back on track this morning and I'm feeling like myself again.
Breakfast this morning:
1 C orange juice
1 C fresh mango
1 "Muffin McHealthy":
- 1 Thomas 100 calorie English muffin, toasted
- 1 egg white (scramble with salt & pepper in a ramekin. microwave 10 seconds, stir, repeat until cooked through ~ 3 10-second intervals)
- 1 Morningstar Breakfast sausage patty (optional)
- Dash of tobasco or 1 T salsa (optional)
Usually Friday is my rest day, and Saturday is my long run day, but since I didn’t do any activity yesterday, I plan to do 2 miles tonight, rest tomorrow, and 4-5 miles on Sunday. Weigh-in tomorrow morning too.
I’m so happy it’s Friday! Steven Page, play me out...
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Ugh
Today is the first day since I started that I really feel like crap. Last night I was pretty exhausted and didn’t feel like doing my 3 miler, but I forced myself to get on the treadmill anyway. I mostly walked for 45 minutes, but I did do a few 6mph sprints. I’m really sore today. And, I just didn’t sleep well last night. And the scale this morning was up, which totally pisses me off. I seriously haven’t indulged in anything more than gum and this is my reward. Screw you, body.
So, I’ve decided I’m taking a break for a couple of days – I mean, just from running. I’ll do a short easy walk tonight and then Friday is my rest day. I’ll try to run on Saturday and see how it goes.
I just don’t get how I could have felt so great a week ago and now I’m just totally run down. I’ve been doing great with my water, staying between 1200 and 1500 calories, really working on eating wholesome foods. This just sucks.
Sorry for the grumpy post…
So, I’ve decided I’m taking a break for a couple of days – I mean, just from running. I’ll do a short easy walk tonight and then Friday is my rest day. I’ll try to run on Saturday and see how it goes.
I just don’t get how I could have felt so great a week ago and now I’m just totally run down. I’ve been doing great with my water, staying between 1200 and 1500 calories, really working on eating wholesome foods. This just sucks.
Sorry for the grumpy post…
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Great Expectations
Well, the scale was kinder this morning, although still not quite where I hoped it would be. I know that each .2 adds up to a full pound eventually, but it’s really hard not to keep my gargantuan expectations at bay when I’m constantly bombarded with magazines, weight loss commercials, and TV shows (yep, I’m talking about you Biggest Loser), that tout losing 10 pounds in 10 days is possible for just about anyone.
Last night I went to the gym for an elliptical workout. I took it pretty easy and did 30 minutes at a low resistance. Tonight I have another 3 mile run planned. Now, when I say run, I think you should understand that by normal standards, I mean “jog”. I’ve been running 13 minute miles, so by no means am I sprinting or anything. But, to be clear, know that I will always call any movement that is faster than a speed-walk, running.
My goal is to try to have a long run of 5 miles on Saturday. If I can do that, then next week I plan to start doing some speed work to try to get my time down a bit.
Last night I went to the gym for an elliptical workout. I took it pretty easy and did 30 minutes at a low resistance. Tonight I have another 3 mile run planned. Now, when I say run, I think you should understand that by normal standards, I mean “jog”. I’ve been running 13 minute miles, so by no means am I sprinting or anything. But, to be clear, know that I will always call any movement that is faster than a speed-walk, running.
My goal is to try to have a long run of 5 miles on Saturday. If I can do that, then next week I plan to start doing some speed work to try to get my time down a bit.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Craving support
Hey y’all – I’m just really feeling like I need support right now. I’ve been doing really, really well on working toward my goals, and most days just knowing that I’ve done well sort of propels me forward, but today I’m feeling a little bit in a rut.
When the “when are you due” thing happened, I decided not to tell my husband about it. The only people that know about it are my friend that was there with me and one other friend that I’ve told. And I haven’t said to anyone that I have plans to lose this weight. So, although keeping it to myself (aside from sharing with you strangers) helps me feel slightly less vulnerable, it also makes me feel a little lonely.
I haven’t proclaimed to anyone that I’m “recommitted” or “back on plan” or any of that stuff – partially because I don’t want to jinx myself. But, more importantly, I really have shied away from saying “recommitted” because, I feel like it minimizes my commitment. It makes what I’m doing feel temporary, and emphasizes that I haven’t stuck with it before.
Anyway, I was thinking about going to the vending machine for a Twix, and just wished I had a cheerleader on my side.
When the “when are you due” thing happened, I decided not to tell my husband about it. The only people that know about it are my friend that was there with me and one other friend that I’ve told. And I haven’t said to anyone that I have plans to lose this weight. So, although keeping it to myself (aside from sharing with you strangers) helps me feel slightly less vulnerable, it also makes me feel a little lonely.
I haven’t proclaimed to anyone that I’m “recommitted” or “back on plan” or any of that stuff – partially because I don’t want to jinx myself. But, more importantly, I really have shied away from saying “recommitted” because, I feel like it minimizes my commitment. It makes what I’m doing feel temporary, and emphasizes that I haven’t stuck with it before.
Anyway, I was thinking about going to the vending machine for a Twix, and just wished I had a cheerleader on my side.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)