I've always been curious where the term "cold turkey" came from, so I looked it up this morning. According to Wikipedia there are many origins to the term. Quitting "cold turkey" is usually associated with quitting a smoking habit, a drug habit or a drinking habit. But what about an eating habit?
I quit cold turkey on Monday morning. My hubby and I went out for Chipotle for one last hurrah before the beginning of October Unprocessed that following day. I felt like crap after that meal. Monday morning came and went and lunch came and went. The afternoon was filled with temptations, horrible cravings, and will to just stay away from the need. A little more on how I did it later.
There are a number of things I will admit to being addicted to. There's sugar. Sugar is the main thing. I am (was?) obsessed with sugar. A craving would take over for anything with sugar. There was candy (gummies are my favorite), pop (I've limited myself on pop before but never completely rid my diet of it), mixed coffee drinks, juice, candy, candy, candy, ice cream, frozen custard, and everything sugar. Ugh. I was also addicted to caffeine. I mostly got that from pop and sometimes a cup of coffee if I wanted something warm. I also loved bread. I wasn't necessarily addicted to it except maybe my addiction to Subway. I was really going to Subway for lunch 4 out of 5 days for lunch eat week. Subway is ok in moderation, like everything else.
This was getting out of hand. I knew in my head I had to limit myself on these types of foods and added ingredients. I quit all these things on Monday. I quit sugar, I quit caffeine (with the exception of unsweetened hot tea), and I quit processed carbohydrates. Let me tell you, this was HARD! Monday was hard because of the temptations at work. I actually sat in my office and watched out the window with jealousy of the people that got to go to Subway for lunch. I got through the cravings even though it did some some physical will to not give in. Tuesday the cravings were still there but they weren't as strong, but that withdrawal headache was starting to kick in by the end of the afternoon. Wednesday, the headache hit with full force. I was irritable and crabby and wanted to yell and wanted to cry after a customer yelled at me on the phone. I just didn't want to be at work anymore. Wednesday was the hardest. Thursday got a little better. The headache was still there but I felt one hundred percent better. I was starting to notice that I wasn't getting the mid-afternoon sugar slump. I was tired sure, I think my body is still learning how to adjust to not having refined sugar to fuel itself. And I was hungry. I just had to make sure I brought enough snacks for myself to make sure I had something when I got hungry so I didn't go for the snack box in the breakroom, filled with processed junk.
Thursday afternoon, when I got in my car, I was a little dizzy. I think it may be because my blood sugar was too low. I did eat a handful of pretzels when I got home from work and I felt so much better. I know the pretzels are processed but I needed something at that moment. I need to look for other options in case this happens again. Friday was like a new day after the rest of the week. I was energized when I woke up and felt good through the whole day. Plus, it's Friday with a whole weekend ahead of me! Who doesn't like Friday?!
Things I've noticed this weekend since going off my cravings and addictions cold turkey: I was going to allow myself a cheat meal. The cheat meal hasn't happened yet. Maybe it would have if my husband was in town but I've been alone all weekend. I've been eating leftover Mexican Chicken soup for lunches and scrambled eggs for dinner last night. I picked up some good salmon from Whole Foods this morning that I will have for dinner tonight and cook the extra for lunch tomorrow. While driving this morning, I was thinking a cup of Chai Latte from Startbucks sounded delicious but when I got to the local establishment, I just kept driving right on by. This confused me cuz I really wanted the latte, or atleast I thought I did but I knew it was processed. I knew how much sugar was in the Chai tea mix. I ended up at home instead. Here to my computer to write about it. I ate an apple and had some lunch and started writing.
On a side note. I went to the grocery store lastnight after planning my meals for the week. I let myself have a treat of a little gelatin dessert cup. One, my taste buds have somewhat changed, even just a little, and the treat didn't really taste that good. Two, the sugar gave me a headache. Three, the sugar gave me a belly ache. So that treat really wasn't worth it to me. I would have rather had a piece of fruit.
Quitting my addictions will open doors for me. Some are small for right now. I can enjoy a lazy Sunday afternoon with my two cats, watching the leaves drop from the oaks as Fall takes hold of the Wisconsin scenery. Although I do wish it was a little warmer so I could enjoy the afternoon on the deck with a cup of hot tea.
Come back tomorrow for Monday's weigh in!
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label goals. Show all posts
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Unprocessed October
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| My Front Yard |
I love October. I love Fall. I've written about my love of Fall in the past. October is a great time to start this challenge. October is before the craziness of the holidays and before the start of the new year. I usually get back into a schedule during the fall. Also, October is at the end of the growing season and there are some amazing foods. I love squash and apples. They are some of my favorite foods. Fall is a time to start getting back into the comforts of comfort food. Most of my favorite comfort foods can be transformed into unprocessed. We will see how it goes.
I think I finally have hubby on the bandwagon for this one. I know we will be able to do it for dinners, especially if I plan ahead like I am. I think we will both struggle with lunches. We are both so used to having the option of going out for lunch. Unless we can find something around that is unprocessed for lunch, there won't be any going out for lunch.
In case you are wondering, according to the website:
"Unprocessed food is any food that could be made by a person with reasonable skill in a home kitchen with whole-food ingredients."
My eyes have already been opened to reading food labels and I have already put foods back on the shelf for their ingredients. I am trying to decide if I need to put every processed food that is in my pantry right now into a box for the months so we aren't tempted. It might actually be a good idea to just go a head and do that.
Do you think you are ready to take the Unprocessed Challenge?
We are!
Friday, September 21, 2012
Not Waiting Until Monday
I posted earlier in the week on my Facebook page about how getting exercise makes me think. Sometimes I enjoy the direction my thoughts go and sometimes I don't. I can really relate to Ann who talks about negative thinking and how it gets to her. That's how my thoughts go sometimes. Sometimes I really just get down on myself, thinking "there is no way I can do this. My legs hurt, I just need to stop. I'm never going to lose weight. I'm not good enough to do this. I'm just going to fail again." But then I just keep putting one foot in front of the other.
On my Facebook page, I announced that I had some ideas rolling around in my head and I would start posting them after my Iron Girl event this Sunday in the Twin Cities. But earlier in the week I was reading Hank's blog over at The Business of Losing Weight. He was posting about the five things that hinder weight loss. The first item on the list was "Waiting until Monday". He wrote about how everyone's excuse it to wait until Monday but realistically we should just start right that moment the idea crosses our brains, the moment that self-doubt sets in.
So that's what I did. I couldn't even get work done until I got the goals written down while I was at work. I wrote some goals on paper and then narrowed them down to three achievable goals to complete in 100 days. 100 days from Wednesday ends on December 28th 2012. I think this is perfect because then I can evaluate my progress and make some goals for the new year.
Here are my goals for the next 100 days:
1. No Excuses
- Take ownership of my actions
- Keep the goals in the forefront of my mind and my decisions
2. Lose 30 lbs
- Do some sort of cardio 45min/day, 5 days/week
- Lift 3 days/week
- Eat clean w/ one cheat meal per week (this was something I had to be honest with myself about)
- Track calories on MyFitnessPal.com with a daily goals of 1500 calories (if you want to follow me there, my user name is my first and last name, no spaces)
- Drink 100 oz of water daily
3. Run a 5k in 35 minutes or less
- Push myself during running workouts
- Do some speed work on the treadmill or outside.
The next three blog posts will touch on each of these goals, why they made the first 100 days, and how I am doing on them. Last year at this time, I made weekly mini goals and was able to maintain most of them through the end of the calendar year. I contemplated doing that again but they didn't ultimately get me to reach my goals.
So keep coming back to read. I plan on posting on Sunday night or Monday morning about how Iron Girl 2012 went. Here is to starting now and not Monday!
Ps. 94 days until Christmas. If you want ideas for me: Running tights, long sleeved bike jersey, recommendations on good sports bras for us smaller chested ladies. Smart Wool socks.
On my Facebook page, I announced that I had some ideas rolling around in my head and I would start posting them after my Iron Girl event this Sunday in the Twin Cities. But earlier in the week I was reading Hank's blog over at The Business of Losing Weight. He was posting about the five things that hinder weight loss. The first item on the list was "Waiting until Monday". He wrote about how everyone's excuse it to wait until Monday but realistically we should just start right that moment the idea crosses our brains, the moment that self-doubt sets in.
So that's what I did. I couldn't even get work done until I got the goals written down while I was at work. I wrote some goals on paper and then narrowed them down to three achievable goals to complete in 100 days. 100 days from Wednesday ends on December 28th 2012. I think this is perfect because then I can evaluate my progress and make some goals for the new year.
Here are my goals for the next 100 days:
- NO EXCUSES
- Lose 30 lbs
- Run a 5k in 35 minutes or less
1. No Excuses
- Take ownership of my actions
- Keep the goals in the forefront of my mind and my decisions
2. Lose 30 lbs
- Do some sort of cardio 45min/day, 5 days/week
- Lift 3 days/week
- Eat clean w/ one cheat meal per week (this was something I had to be honest with myself about)
- Track calories on MyFitnessPal.com with a daily goals of 1500 calories (if you want to follow me there, my user name is my first and last name, no spaces)
- Drink 100 oz of water daily
3. Run a 5k in 35 minutes or less
- Push myself during running workouts
- Do some speed work on the treadmill or outside.
The next three blog posts will touch on each of these goals, why they made the first 100 days, and how I am doing on them. Last year at this time, I made weekly mini goals and was able to maintain most of them through the end of the calendar year. I contemplated doing that again but they didn't ultimately get me to reach my goals.
So keep coming back to read. I plan on posting on Sunday night or Monday morning about how Iron Girl 2012 went. Here is to starting now and not Monday!
Ps. 94 days until Christmas. If you want ideas for me: Running tights, long sleeved bike jersey, recommendations on good sports bras for us smaller chested ladies. Smart Wool socks.
Saturday, June 9, 2012
Tough Decision
I really haven't been around much here for multiple reasons. After my big half marathon race at the beginning of the month of May, I stayed away from blogging for a little while. Maybe I just needed a break. The night after that race, I had some severe pain right above my pubic bone. I had experienced this same pain after each of my training runs that were longer than eight miles. I figured it was just an overuse injury and that I could get passed just like all my other random aches from when I started running. This was different. It just kept getting worse the longer the mileage got. When I was asked to rate this pain by the doctor, I put it up at about an 8. It was very very painful. She diagnosed it as a problem with my Sacroiliac Joint (SI) in my lower back.
She gave me a referral to PT and asked that I make an appointment and told me not to run until my appointment. I listened to her for the most part except I wasn't have any pain anymore. So the day before my PT appointment, I did run, only four miles but I did run and I did have pain. Well, there wasn't really pain while I was running but more of an overall weakness. When I met with the physical therapist, she measured and looked at my hips and my back. She literally pulled on my left leg. She moved and stretched me and pulled my leg again. I felt like bliss when I walked out of there. She agreed with my primary. My left hip sits a little higher than my right hip which causes the misalignment in my back which causes the pain over my pubic bone. She wants to see me for 8 weekly appointments. She doesn't want me to do any exercising that hurts and recommends I don't do any long running for the first four to six weeks of our appointments. This made me really have to think about my marathon training.
From today, I am 16 weeks out from the race. This is plenty of time to train for a marathon. If I take out the six weeks maximum she said it would take to fix me with various exercises and strengthening, that puts me at 10 weeks but with minimal running over the next six weeks.
Over the past two weeks, my hubby and I have been road tripping all over the Rockies and west. I've had a lot of time to think about things and really more about this marathon in October. I figured out that I am not doing this marathon for myself. I find it very hard to write this because I feel like I am letting other people down. I really can't be afraid of my readers judging me. This is something I need to do for myself at this time. I've talked to everyone close to me about my dilemma and they are all supportive of my decision to not run the Twin Cities marathon this fall. I feel like I have strayed too far away from my original goals.
There was a reason I started running and that was to lose weight. I've been running and I haven't been losing weight. Sure, I've gotten more toned and I actually look thinner, but all that weight is still pounding on my bones each time my feet hit the pavement. I am changing my goals for the near future. I am still going to be running, just not focusing on the training for a marathon. I hope to push that off just a year and do the race next fall instead.
So what do I do now? I get my hips fixed, track my food, eat healthy and whole, run shorter distances faster. I plan on training for the Minneapolis Duathlon. I am looking at doing the Iron Girl Duathlon again. There are so many more women I know doing it this year. And I will definitely be at the Twin Cities marathon to cheer on my friends that will be completing it this year without me. I appreciate everyone's support over the past many months of training. I plan on doing another half marathon possibly in the late fall if it is OK with my doctor.
I'll be posting in the future about my weight loss, eating whole, various recipes, and still running.
She gave me a referral to PT and asked that I make an appointment and told me not to run until my appointment. I listened to her for the most part except I wasn't have any pain anymore. So the day before my PT appointment, I did run, only four miles but I did run and I did have pain. Well, there wasn't really pain while I was running but more of an overall weakness. When I met with the physical therapist, she measured and looked at my hips and my back. She literally pulled on my left leg. She moved and stretched me and pulled my leg again. I felt like bliss when I walked out of there. She agreed with my primary. My left hip sits a little higher than my right hip which causes the misalignment in my back which causes the pain over my pubic bone. She wants to see me for 8 weekly appointments. She doesn't want me to do any exercising that hurts and recommends I don't do any long running for the first four to six weeks of our appointments. This made me really have to think about my marathon training.
From today, I am 16 weeks out from the race. This is plenty of time to train for a marathon. If I take out the six weeks maximum she said it would take to fix me with various exercises and strengthening, that puts me at 10 weeks but with minimal running over the next six weeks.
Over the past two weeks, my hubby and I have been road tripping all over the Rockies and west. I've had a lot of time to think about things and really more about this marathon in October. I figured out that I am not doing this marathon for myself. I find it very hard to write this because I feel like I am letting other people down. I really can't be afraid of my readers judging me. This is something I need to do for myself at this time. I've talked to everyone close to me about my dilemma and they are all supportive of my decision to not run the Twin Cities marathon this fall. I feel like I have strayed too far away from my original goals.
There was a reason I started running and that was to lose weight. I've been running and I haven't been losing weight. Sure, I've gotten more toned and I actually look thinner, but all that weight is still pounding on my bones each time my feet hit the pavement. I am changing my goals for the near future. I am still going to be running, just not focusing on the training for a marathon. I hope to push that off just a year and do the race next fall instead.
So what do I do now? I get my hips fixed, track my food, eat healthy and whole, run shorter distances faster. I plan on training for the Minneapolis Duathlon. I am looking at doing the Iron Girl Duathlon again. There are so many more women I know doing it this year. And I will definitely be at the Twin Cities marathon to cheer on my friends that will be completing it this year without me. I appreciate everyone's support over the past many months of training. I plan on doing another half marathon possibly in the late fall if it is OK with my doctor.
I'll be posting in the future about my weight loss, eating whole, various recipes, and still running.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
One Foot Infront of the Other
I ran 7 miles today! It wasn't all running but only walked 2 minutes at a time and I finished 3.1 miles in my fastest time ever! So yea, it was a good run. I went into this run not doing a long run day in two weeks. Two weeks ago is when I did 6 miles and had horrible blisters from my old shoes. I was disappointed in my time that day so I was actually nervous about this weeks 7 mile run. Next weeks 8 miles is now scaring me but I will just have to get over it.
My training this week was lacking by one day of running but I did get some bike time in. My running time last week was sooo hard. I just wasn't feeling it at all. I was just putting one foot in front of the other. Do you have days where it's just hard to stay moving forward?
Todays run just wasnt like that. Today's run went really well. I ate a bagel about an hour before my run and just kept plodding away on the treadmill. I was super excited about getting 3.1 miles done fast and I was shocked when 6 miles this week was faster than it was two weeks ago. So yea, today was one of those good days that makes me think 13.1 miles isn't that far fetched.
My training this week was lacking by one day of running but I did get some bike time in. My running time last week was sooo hard. I just wasn't feeling it at all. I was just putting one foot in front of the other. Do you have days where it's just hard to stay moving forward?
Todays run just wasnt like that. Today's run went really well. I ate a bagel about an hour before my run and just kept plodding away on the treadmill. I was super excited about getting 3.1 miles done fast and I was shocked when 6 miles this week was faster than it was two weeks ago. So yea, today was one of those good days that makes me think 13.1 miles isn't that far fetched.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Btw, I'm running a Marathon
***Caution, there are some naughty words in this post.***
Did I tell you I'm running a marathon? I don't believe I did. This has been a post that has been coming I just haven't found the motivation to sit down and write it. But today is a good day so you're getting the news today. MY GOD I'M RUNNING A MARATHON! I am completely freaking out.
The date is October 7th, 2012. After my post about my 2012 events there was some questions as to why I just don't participate in a full marathon this year. Well, I had a whole list of excuses. There was the one about only running a 5k so far. There was the one about being too fat. There was the one about having other races planned for the year. I hadn't even ran a half marathon. How was I going to be able to run a full 26.2 miles in 9 months!? Thank you to Christian at The Maple Grove Barefoot Guy for being the first one to suggest I do something that scares the shit out of me. I didn't like a post he put on his Facebook page a couple of weeks ago. And quote "I'm enjoying seeing my friends attempt crazy awesome things they didn't think they could do. For the rest of you, your excuses and "I can't do it" attitude is annoying. Harden the fuck up. That is all..." I'm sure I'm not the only one this was directed to. Atleast I hope I'm not. (Christian and I went to high school together. He was two years older than me and a much better clarinet player. Please go check out his blog. It's witty and extremely informative, even if you are not a barefoot runner).
His comment really got me thinking, a lot, about what I'm doing here. Last fall's duathlon was a challenge but I knew, when I signed up for it, that I was a strong biker and the running was a doable distance. I knew I could do it. A marathon on the other hand, I have no idea if I can do it. I'd like to think I can. I actually know I can do it. It's just getting over the self doubt that sit quietly in the back of my brain, ready to jump out at me when I have a bad day or when the running is just too hard. If I put my mind to it, I can do anything right?
The craving to be successful and cross the finish line is so strong it brings me to tears if I think about it too much. I know there are people that support me to that final moment. I need to rally these people around me. My family and my husband are behind me. My closest friends, my blogging friends especially Anne at Twelve-in-Twelve who will also be running this event, her first marathon as well. Read about her commitment here. It's the people that doubt me that I need to let go of. I know people will judge me. I often think that they think I am too fat to run 26.2 miles and that I will never make it. I'm really not going to let this get to me because I don't see THEM getting up at 5am to run in the morning before work!
What are you doing this year that scares the shit out of you?
So here I am. Marathoner in training!
Did I tell you I'm running a marathon? I don't believe I did. This has been a post that has been coming I just haven't found the motivation to sit down and write it. But today is a good day so you're getting the news today. MY GOD I'M RUNNING A MARATHON! I am completely freaking out.
The date is October 7th, 2012. After my post about my 2012 events there was some questions as to why I just don't participate in a full marathon this year. Well, I had a whole list of excuses. There was the one about only running a 5k so far. There was the one about being too fat. There was the one about having other races planned for the year. I hadn't even ran a half marathon. How was I going to be able to run a full 26.2 miles in 9 months!? Thank you to Christian at The Maple Grove Barefoot Guy for being the first one to suggest I do something that scares the shit out of me. I didn't like a post he put on his Facebook page a couple of weeks ago. And quote "I'm enjoying seeing my friends attempt crazy awesome things they didn't think they could do. For the rest of you, your excuses and "I can't do it" attitude is annoying. Harden the fuck up. That is all..." I'm sure I'm not the only one this was directed to. Atleast I hope I'm not. (Christian and I went to high school together. He was two years older than me and a much better clarinet player. Please go check out his blog. It's witty and extremely informative, even if you are not a barefoot runner).
His comment really got me thinking, a lot, about what I'm doing here. Last fall's duathlon was a challenge but I knew, when I signed up for it, that I was a strong biker and the running was a doable distance. I knew I could do it. A marathon on the other hand, I have no idea if I can do it. I'd like to think I can. I actually know I can do it. It's just getting over the self doubt that sit quietly in the back of my brain, ready to jump out at me when I have a bad day or when the running is just too hard. If I put my mind to it, I can do anything right?
The craving to be successful and cross the finish line is so strong it brings me to tears if I think about it too much. I know there are people that support me to that final moment. I need to rally these people around me. My family and my husband are behind me. My closest friends, my blogging friends especially Anne at Twelve-in-Twelve who will also be running this event, her first marathon as well. Read about her commitment here. It's the people that doubt me that I need to let go of. I know people will judge me. I often think that they think I am too fat to run 26.2 miles and that I will never make it. I'm really not going to let this get to me because I don't see THEM getting up at 5am to run in the morning before work!
What are you doing this year that scares the shit out of you?
So here I am. Marathoner in training!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
2012 Events...So Far
So 2012 is going to full of some new events to participate in as well as some new goals. When I ran my first 5k on Thanksgiving without stopping to walk, I knew it was about time to look into some new distances, specifically a 10k race.
So the 10k race that I signed up for is the Shamrock Shuffle 10k in downtown Madison. I have a great friend that is urging me to do this with her. She urged me last year but I knew I wasn't going to be ready for 10k. It was just too far for me, in my head. Hubby is doing this race with me but he is doing the 5k distance instead.
The second race I am hoping to do is the Crazylegs Classic. This is an 8k race on April 28th and is yet again in downtown Madison. This is one huge race and it will be my first year doing it.
The third event I have planned is the Minneapolis Duathlon. After doing the Iron Girl Duathlon with my super cool sister last year, I decided to give this race a chance because a couple of other people I know are doing it. Actually, a lot of people I know are doing it. It's run/bike/run just like the Iron Girl but this one has a longer run course (@5k each leg) and a shorter biking leg. I'm looking forward to it.
I would like to get in a half marathon distance sometime over this upcoming running season. I am aiming for late June or later so I am thinking about doing the Red, White & Boom Twin Cities Half Marathon on July 4th. Problem is, my boss usually takes this Holiday off for his once yearly vacation. Hm. We will see and I will keep you updated.
After typing this post, I think I've come to realize that I would like to complete a Marathon distance sometime in 2013! Eeek! Did I just say that?
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| Shamrock Shuffle 2011 |
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| Crazylegs Classic |
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| Minneapolis Duathlon Medal 2011 |
The third event I have planned is the Minneapolis Duathlon. After doing the Iron Girl Duathlon with my super cool sister last year, I decided to give this race a chance because a couple of other people I know are doing it. Actually, a lot of people I know are doing it. It's run/bike/run just like the Iron Girl but this one has a longer run course (@5k each leg) and a shorter biking leg. I'm looking forward to it.
I would like to get in a half marathon distance sometime over this upcoming running season. I am aiming for late June or later so I am thinking about doing the Red, White & Boom Twin Cities Half Marathon on July 4th. Problem is, my boss usually takes this Holiday off for his once yearly vacation. Hm. We will see and I will keep you updated.
After typing this post, I think I've come to realize that I would like to complete a Marathon distance sometime in 2013! Eeek! Did I just say that?
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
It's Been Worth It
When I was searching my brain for something to write about today, I kept coming back to the changes that I have experienced over the past year and a half. I know I've written about this before but I am still in awe of things that are so much different.
The change that keeps coming to me is how much better I feel when I run and how much further and faster I can accomplish that feat. I think back to when I first started running how much it really hurt. At the very beginning, even three years ago when I was running in the snow with Anne, I remember coming back home feeling exhausted! I usually wasn't running more than a mile or two and it was probably more walking than running. I remember one particular night, getting in my car after a workout, I was actually dizzy and had to sit in my car before starting it for just a little while until I got my bearings back. I have felt the dizziness since then but its been rare.
I remember how bad my shin splints were. I remember having to stop and stretch because my feet just wouldn't flex. My shins were just too tight and it just hurt too much. But I stuck with it.
I don't know when I pushed past that because it doesn't hurt as much anymore. Now I have more mental barriers versus physical barriers. Those barriers are still there but to a lesser degree. Maybe it's just because I'm more confident? I know I can achieve any distance I put my mind too. It may take some training and pushing but I've learned it's so worth it!
If my body has made this much in changes in the past two or three years, where will I be in another two or three years? Where will I be in a year? Where will I beif when I get my weight down? How much easier will it be? These are all questions I have to think about. If I keep pushing, I know I will feel better. So why not keep pushing and striving for goals?
Tomorrow I will fill you in on my goals for the year.
The change that keeps coming to me is how much better I feel when I run and how much further and faster I can accomplish that feat. I think back to when I first started running how much it really hurt. At the very beginning, even three years ago when I was running in the snow with Anne, I remember coming back home feeling exhausted! I usually wasn't running more than a mile or two and it was probably more walking than running. I remember one particular night, getting in my car after a workout, I was actually dizzy and had to sit in my car before starting it for just a little while until I got my bearings back. I have felt the dizziness since then but its been rare.
I remember how bad my shin splints were. I remember having to stop and stretch because my feet just wouldn't flex. My shins were just too tight and it just hurt too much. But I stuck with it.
I don't know when I pushed past that because it doesn't hurt as much anymore. Now I have more mental barriers versus physical barriers. Those barriers are still there but to a lesser degree. Maybe it's just because I'm more confident? I know I can achieve any distance I put my mind too. It may take some training and pushing but I've learned it's so worth it!
If my body has made this much in changes in the past two or three years, where will I be in another two or three years? Where will I be in a year? Where will I be
Tomorrow I will fill you in on my goals for the year.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
2012 Resolutions
I'd like to say resolutions have worked for me in the past but they haven't. So I am setting some goals. Some goals are really random, and some build on what I've done in the last year.
1. Stay caught up with the dirty dishes and empty the dishwasher right when the dishes are clean. I like to cook. I dont like to cook in a dirty kitchen. When the kitchen is dirty, i tend to go for something easy and highly fattening like frozen pizza because it doesnt take much in the way of dishes to make. So if the dishes are in the dishwasher, the kitchen is clean and I cook healthy.
2. Keep the interior of my car clean. I heard some where that if your surroundings are organized so is your mind. My car never gets all that bad but it does get away from me at times and I find i cant find a pair of shoes in the closet because my car has become a closet.
3. I have committed to two races this year; the Shamrock Shuffle 10k on St. Patty's Day and the Minneapolis Duathlon. Ive never run a 10k and I'm working on training for it. Should be interesting. And the Duathlon has two 5k runs. So these two are going to be pushing my limits.
4. Track my food every day, no matter what I eat. Enough said.
So here's to 2012.
1. Stay caught up with the dirty dishes and empty the dishwasher right when the dishes are clean. I like to cook. I dont like to cook in a dirty kitchen. When the kitchen is dirty, i tend to go for something easy and highly fattening like frozen pizza because it doesnt take much in the way of dishes to make. So if the dishes are in the dishwasher, the kitchen is clean and I cook healthy.
2. Keep the interior of my car clean. I heard some where that if your surroundings are organized so is your mind. My car never gets all that bad but it does get away from me at times and I find i cant find a pair of shoes in the closet because my car has become a closet.
3. I have committed to two races this year; the Shamrock Shuffle 10k on St. Patty's Day and the Minneapolis Duathlon. Ive never run a 10k and I'm working on training for it. Should be interesting. And the Duathlon has two 5k runs. So these two are going to be pushing my limits.
4. Track my food every day, no matter what I eat. Enough said.
So here's to 2012.
Monday, January 2, 2012
A Year in Review: 2011
Oh what a year this has been. I wouldn't say it's been my best year and I am actually glad to be moving on to 2012.
2011 was relatively quiet. Hubby and I didn't take any big trips this year. There was only one wedding to attend. I pretty much spent my time working and running.
Running. I did a lot more of it this year than I did ever in previous years. Right after New Years, I committed myself to doing the Iron Girl Duathlon in Bloomington, MN at the end of September. This really meant a lot of training. When I committed, I couldn't even run a single mile without stopping to walk. Come September, I completed the race. I placed 798 out of about 1100 women. I finished better than I anticipated.
At the beginning of May, Hubby, my friend Christina, and I traveled to Chicago to run the American Brain Tumor Association Path to Progress 5k to benefit brain tumor research. Dang that day was colder and windier than expected but we made it through.
At the end of May was my first committed organized race with the Challenge Charities 5k on Memorial Day. I finished in just under 40 minutes and was ecstatic to have run 7 minutes at the beginning without stopping to walk. Oh the little things in life that makes us happy!
The night before the race, I met up with a group of weight loss bloggers, most of whom reside in the Twin Cities area. It was amazing to be able to talk to people who have similar experiences with weight loss and know the struggles. I have also gained a great group of new friends. I'm really happy I stepped out on a limb and took a chance with them.
A couple of weeks later, I ran in the Verona Hometown Days 5k by my self. This was quite a change from the Memorial Day 5k where my family and the pack were there to cheer me on. Complete strangers were commenting on my PriorFatGirl T-Shirt. At most events where I've worn it, it has been popular among women. Even though I ran this race with no support team, I had my best time.
The summer was filled with more running and biking. I was pushing myself to run longer and bike faster. These things were often done alone. My hubby went with me a couple of times but I really enjoyed the time alone. Time to be in the quiet of nature and really concentrate on how I was feeling. I could push myself when I wanted.
On Labor Day, I ran the Safe Harbor 5k. I learned from this race that I really need to learn to warm up before race time officially starts. I was slower on this race than I was in June because of leg cramps. You live, you learn.
The end of September came the Iron Girl Duathlon. I already told you how I did for that race. Thank you again goes to Anne from Twelve-in-Twelve for coming out to cheer me on!
I had my sister there to push me through that race. Even though she completed the Iron Man Wisconsin just two weeks earlier and her feet were killing her, she still did it with me. She stuck with me the whole time and kept me going when all I wanted to do was walk. It's great to have a sister as supportive. Oh, and my parent's too, and Pat and Christina.
Within a couple of days of my race, I blogged about starting to set weekly goals until the first of the year. I will write about those goals in a future post. I wanted to give them as much attention as they deserve.
Just last month, Hubby and I joined Gold's Gym as I continue to work out through the winter months. I wont be able to use last year's excuse of cold weather to stop me from getting my exercise.
Thank you to every one for your support over the past year. 2012 holds more lofty goals. Another post about those will come in the next post. Happy New Year!!!!
2011 was relatively quiet. Hubby and I didn't take any big trips this year. There was only one wedding to attend. I pretty much spent my time working and running.
Running. I did a lot more of it this year than I did ever in previous years. Right after New Years, I committed myself to doing the Iron Girl Duathlon in Bloomington, MN at the end of September. This really meant a lot of training. When I committed, I couldn't even run a single mile without stopping to walk. Come September, I completed the race. I placed 798 out of about 1100 women. I finished better than I anticipated.
At the beginning of May, Hubby, my friend Christina, and I traveled to Chicago to run the American Brain Tumor Association Path to Progress 5k to benefit brain tumor research. Dang that day was colder and windier than expected but we made it through. 
At the end of May was my first committed organized race with the Challenge Charities 5k on Memorial Day. I finished in just under 40 minutes and was ecstatic to have run 7 minutes at the beginning without stopping to walk. Oh the little things in life that makes us happy!The night before the race, I met up with a group of weight loss bloggers, most of whom reside in the Twin Cities area. It was amazing to be able to talk to people who have similar experiences with weight loss and know the struggles. I have also gained a great group of new friends. I'm really happy I stepped out on a limb and took a chance with them.
A couple of weeks later, I ran in the Verona Hometown Days 5k by my self. This was quite a change from the Memorial Day 5k where my family and the pack were there to cheer me on. Complete strangers were commenting on my PriorFatGirl T-Shirt. At most events where I've worn it, it has been popular among women. Even though I ran this race with no support team, I had my best time.
The summer was filled with more running and biking. I was pushing myself to run longer and bike faster. These things were often done alone. My hubby went with me a couple of times but I really enjoyed the time alone. Time to be in the quiet of nature and really concentrate on how I was feeling. I could push myself when I wanted.On Labor Day, I ran the Safe Harbor 5k. I learned from this race that I really need to learn to warm up before race time officially starts. I was slower on this race than I was in June because of leg cramps. You live, you learn.
The end of September came the Iron Girl Duathlon. I already told you how I did for that race. Thank you again goes to Anne from Twelve-in-Twelve for coming out to cheer me on!
I had my sister there to push me through that race. Even though she completed the Iron Man Wisconsin just two weeks earlier and her feet were killing her, she still did it with me. She stuck with me the whole time and kept me going when all I wanted to do was walk. It's great to have a sister as supportive. Oh, and my parent's too, and Pat and Christina.
Within a couple of days of my race, I blogged about starting to set weekly goals until the first of the year. I will write about those goals in a future post. I wanted to give them as much attention as they deserve.
Just last month, Hubby and I joined Gold's Gym as I continue to work out through the winter months. I wont be able to use last year's excuse of cold weather to stop me from getting my exercise.
Thank you to every one for your support over the past year. 2012 holds more lofty goals. Another post about those will come in the next post. Happy New Year!!!!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Goal Week 6? No Nail Biting
I can't remember if it's week 6 or week 5. I suppose I should go back to look at that. I didn't publicly set a goal last week because I wanted to keep plugging away at my calorie counting. Well, I didn't end up losing anything last week but I also didn't gain anything. I originally had myfitnesspal set up to lose 2 lbs a week. After talking to some people, I decided I wasn't eating enough calories each day. I adjusted my goal from 2 lbs a week to 1.5 lbs a week so I would be eating around 1800 calories a day.
I worked out last week 4 days, which was my goal. I did start this week out pretty well with a 30 minute run tonight after work before I had to hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters. *We've only had two groups show up at our door in 3 hours* I hope to keep the work outs up this week. Tomorrow I have to do some work at the community garden. That will probably burn some pretty good calories and then I will probably run on Wednesday and Thursday too.
I did set a mini goal for myself last week that I didn't talk about last week. I have never been good about getting lotion on my skin after I shower. So I set a mini goal to do that every day. I did it every day except Saturday and Sunday, pretty much just because I forgot. This week's goal has nothing to do with weightloss but more about just overall health. This week's goal is to not bite my nails.
I've been biting my nails since I was a toddler. It was something I started doing when I stopped sucking my thumb. I really want to do well this time. I am stick of not being able to peel stickers and labels, not able to open the little latch on my camera to get the USB port. I can't even peel an orange. How sad is that? I need to grow these things out! I have done it before. The longest I believe was 3 months last fall.
Thanks to everyone for their encouragement. I'm hoping for good numbers on the scale this week and here to longer nails next week!
I worked out last week 4 days, which was my goal. I did start this week out pretty well with a 30 minute run tonight after work before I had to hand out candy to the trick-or-treaters. *We've only had two groups show up at our door in 3 hours* I hope to keep the work outs up this week. Tomorrow I have to do some work at the community garden. That will probably burn some pretty good calories and then I will probably run on Wednesday and Thursday too.
I did set a mini goal for myself last week that I didn't talk about last week. I have never been good about getting lotion on my skin after I shower. So I set a mini goal to do that every day. I did it every day except Saturday and Sunday, pretty much just because I forgot. This week's goal has nothing to do with weightloss but more about just overall health. This week's goal is to not bite my nails.
I've been biting my nails since I was a toddler. It was something I started doing when I stopped sucking my thumb. I really want to do well this time. I am stick of not being able to peel stickers and labels, not able to open the little latch on my camera to get the USB port. I can't even peel an orange. How sad is that? I need to grow these things out! I have done it before. The longest I believe was 3 months last fall.
Thanks to everyone for their encouragement. I'm hoping for good numbers on the scale this week and here to longer nails next week!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
A Little Success and a Continueing Goal
I'm not really in the mood to write but I did promise a post about some good news. My last goal was to track my calories for the week. I downloaded the calorie counter program from Myfitnesspal.com and got started on my counting. I did really well for the week except there was a day or two that I didn't want to log my calories because I knew that I would be over my calories for the day. I was usually over those calories because I made a silly decision about what went into my mouth. It was hard for me to own up to it.
Out of this last week came a loss of 2.5lbs! I haven't been successful with poundage loss since last Christmas. Because of this I am not going to be setting a new goal for this week. I am going to keep focusing on counting my calories and see where I end up next weekend. Hopefully it will be with another weight loss.
Out of this last week came a loss of 2.5lbs! I haven't been successful with poundage loss since last Christmas. Because of this I am not going to be setting a new goal for this week. I am going to keep focusing on counting my calories and see where I end up next weekend. Hopefully it will be with another weight loss.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Goal 4, Calories
So week three went pretty good. My goal was to not eat out for lunch for the entire week and eat what I brought for lunch. I was able to do it. I even ate the salad I brought to work the day my boss ordered pizza for the entire branch. I did eat a couple of pieces of pizza for and my salad. It was so hard on other days to not get sick of what I brought for lunch. There were days that all I could think about was just going across the street to have a sandwich from Subway. It took a lot of discipline to just sit down and start eating what I had. It was hard.
I had a small glass of soda some time last week. It just didn't taste good. It wasnt that it was too sugary, it just tasted like chemicals. I thought I would rather have a glass of water. Go me!
So my goal for this week is to count my calories. This is the first goal that doesn't involve giving up anything. The first three weeks have been challenging at times but so worth it. I'm curious what the scale is going to tell me in the morning. It would be nice to be down a couple of pounds. I have never been good at tracking calories. I think it's because I never have really put my mind to it. Last week's goal, ultimately, was to get myself to eat fewer calories. I didn't track last week but I would assume I was able to lower my daily calories. So how am I going to track my calories?
Hubby and I picked up iPhones on Friday and I downloaded the Myfitnesspal app to start tracking everything. After inputting all my information, I was told I need to net around 1400 calories a day. Any food eaten counts towards those calories and any amount of exercise takes away from those calories. As of 9pm, I am at net 1009 calories. Does that mean I need to eat another 400 calories before I go to bed? Do I need to wish I had a Snickers bar hidden somewhere in my house? Or is it ok if I didn't make it to my calories for the day? I guess I'm not sure what the right answer is. So if you know, please fill me in. Count my calories every day and be truthful about it. I can do that.
I had a small glass of soda some time last week. It just didn't taste good. It wasnt that it was too sugary, it just tasted like chemicals. I thought I would rather have a glass of water. Go me!
So my goal for this week is to count my calories. This is the first goal that doesn't involve giving up anything. The first three weeks have been challenging at times but so worth it. I'm curious what the scale is going to tell me in the morning. It would be nice to be down a couple of pounds. I have never been good at tracking calories. I think it's because I never have really put my mind to it. Last week's goal, ultimately, was to get myself to eat fewer calories. I didn't track last week but I would assume I was able to lower my daily calories. So how am I going to track my calories?
Hubby and I picked up iPhones on Friday and I downloaded the Myfitnesspal app to start tracking everything. After inputting all my information, I was told I need to net around 1400 calories a day. Any food eaten counts towards those calories and any amount of exercise takes away from those calories. As of 9pm, I am at net 1009 calories. Does that mean I need to eat another 400 calories before I go to bed? Do I need to wish I had a Snickers bar hidden somewhere in my house? Or is it ok if I didn't make it to my calories for the day? I guess I'm not sure what the right answer is. So if you know, please fill me in. Count my calories every day and be truthful about it. I can do that.
Some positives that have come out of this weekly challenge:
- I no longer crave pop yes!
- If I distract myself during my lunch break, I will forget about the candy sitting on the back counter.
- I’ve learned that McDonalds breakfasts should be a rare occasional meal. I can live with out it.
- I’ve been eating until I’m full and then stopped.
- I opened a hard cider a few nights ago, took a couple of sips, and then dumped it out. I know I’m a beer waster but I needed a glass of water instead.
- I need to drink Gatorade before I work out to avoid cramps.
Please let me know if you have a goal for me. I have ten
weeks until the New Year and I only have 5 more goals on the list
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
A Look Back
A Look Back
As I continue to look forward to my race on Sunday, I have also taken some time to look back on the
last year since committing to this event. In some ways, I never thought I would be where I am but in
other ways, I thought I would have been further in my journey.
A year ago, the thought of running made me sick. I knew I had never been a strong runner and was not looking forward to recommitting to shin splints, side aches, and numb feet. I remember when I had to run the mile in Jr. High in under 11minutes, I walked about half of that mile. I probably could run the mile when I was in high school, right at the end of ski season when I was taking my gym course in the spring. I was passing people and it felt great! I wanted to embrace that feeling again. It was one of those nonessential high school moments that I will never forget. I started out slow. My goal was to run a mile without having to stop to walk.
So I just started running. I was walking mostly and running a little bit here and there. I had no set
schedule and no watch. I would just run as long as I could without stopping to walk or rest. I would
watch the time on my iPod. I wouldn’t go all that long, maybe 20 seconds and then I would walk until I felt like I had my breath back, then I would jog again for a few seconds. I thought I was going to be able to run a 5k by Thanksgiving. I didn’t quite make it.
I started keeping track of my progress on Dailymile. It was great to have a place to see how much I was improving. It also helped with my motivation. I was working out after work, before I had the chance to go home and sit down on the couch. I did this in the late afternoon light and in the dark after daylight savings time. I did it until it got really cold, when I stopped for 2 months.
I wish I could say that it was the cold air that made me stop working towards running. In reality, it
was actually a compliment about how much more toned I was looking since I had started working out. Instead of keeping the hard work up, I just stopped. I wish I could explain what was going through my mind when I decided to just stop working out because I had one compliment. I would think it would work in reverse and actually push me to go harder to get even better results. But it didn’t. I thought that because I was looking thinner, I could just take a break from exercising so I did.
Into March, I decided enough was enough and I needed to get my butt out the door. I didn’t belong to
a gym so I made sure I bundled up before I headed out into the cold. I wasn’t exercising many times
a week but I was still doing it right after work before I went home for the day. I started out again not
doing any running plan. I was jogging a block or so and stopping to walk and then jogging another
block.
In early April, I joined a group of bloggers online. We committed to doing a 5k on Memorial Day in the Twin Cities. I was nervous and excited at the same time. I was never one to put myself into a situation where I didn’t know anyone. I’ve written about that before. When I started really getting a goal in front of me is when I started training using Couch to 5k. It is an excellent program and I would recommend it to anyone. I ran that 5k in 40 minutes. I was so happy! I had ran 7 minutes without stopping. That was the longest I had gone without walking and I was so happy!
I had my second 5k race two weeks later. I ran that one a full minute faster at 39 minutes. I was happy about that one too. I still hadn't been able to run more than five minutes at a time. I knew I had a lot of training ahead of me for the rest of the summer. I was hopeful that it wouldn't get too hot. I didn't have another opportunity to run a 5k until Labor Day. I ran that one in 38 minutes. I'm getting faster but I feel like I should be progressing faster than what I am. But overall, i'm pretty happy about my progress.
I just read the athlete guide for my race. I was aware of a time limit on the bike portion of the race (2.5 hours) but I was not aware of a time limit on the run (26 mins for 2 miles). I guess I'm not really worried about the first 2 miles but I am really worried about the second set of 2 miles after I finish my ride. The last time I did a brick workout, my shins tightened up and I could barely walk. So, now im worried because I typically run just under a 13 minute mile when my legs are feeling good. I hope hope hope I dont get pushed off the race!
Tomorrow I will talk about the goals I thought I would have achieved by now.
As I continue to look forward to my race on Sunday, I have also taken some time to look back on the
last year since committing to this event. In some ways, I never thought I would be where I am but in
other ways, I thought I would have been further in my journey.
A year ago, the thought of running made me sick. I knew I had never been a strong runner and was not looking forward to recommitting to shin splints, side aches, and numb feet. I remember when I had to run the mile in Jr. High in under 11minutes, I walked about half of that mile. I probably could run the mile when I was in high school, right at the end of ski season when I was taking my gym course in the spring. I was passing people and it felt great! I wanted to embrace that feeling again. It was one of those nonessential high school moments that I will never forget. I started out slow. My goal was to run a mile without having to stop to walk.
So I just started running. I was walking mostly and running a little bit here and there. I had no set
schedule and no watch. I would just run as long as I could without stopping to walk or rest. I would
watch the time on my iPod. I wouldn’t go all that long, maybe 20 seconds and then I would walk until I felt like I had my breath back, then I would jog again for a few seconds. I thought I was going to be able to run a 5k by Thanksgiving. I didn’t quite make it.
I started keeping track of my progress on Dailymile. It was great to have a place to see how much I was improving. It also helped with my motivation. I was working out after work, before I had the chance to go home and sit down on the couch. I did this in the late afternoon light and in the dark after daylight savings time. I did it until it got really cold, when I stopped for 2 months.
I wish I could say that it was the cold air that made me stop working towards running. In reality, it
was actually a compliment about how much more toned I was looking since I had started working out. Instead of keeping the hard work up, I just stopped. I wish I could explain what was going through my mind when I decided to just stop working out because I had one compliment. I would think it would work in reverse and actually push me to go harder to get even better results. But it didn’t. I thought that because I was looking thinner, I could just take a break from exercising so I did.
Into March, I decided enough was enough and I needed to get my butt out the door. I didn’t belong to
a gym so I made sure I bundled up before I headed out into the cold. I wasn’t exercising many times
a week but I was still doing it right after work before I went home for the day. I started out again not
doing any running plan. I was jogging a block or so and stopping to walk and then jogging another
block.
In early April, I joined a group of bloggers online. We committed to doing a 5k on Memorial Day in the Twin Cities. I was nervous and excited at the same time. I was never one to put myself into a situation where I didn’t know anyone. I’ve written about that before. When I started really getting a goal in front of me is when I started training using Couch to 5k. It is an excellent program and I would recommend it to anyone. I ran that 5k in 40 minutes. I was so happy! I had ran 7 minutes without stopping. That was the longest I had gone without walking and I was so happy!
I had my second 5k race two weeks later. I ran that one a full minute faster at 39 minutes. I was happy about that one too. I still hadn't been able to run more than five minutes at a time. I knew I had a lot of training ahead of me for the rest of the summer. I was hopeful that it wouldn't get too hot. I didn't have another opportunity to run a 5k until Labor Day. I ran that one in 38 minutes. I'm getting faster but I feel like I should be progressing faster than what I am. But overall, i'm pretty happy about my progress.
I just read the athlete guide for my race. I was aware of a time limit on the bike portion of the race (2.5 hours) but I was not aware of a time limit on the run (26 mins for 2 miles). I guess I'm not really worried about the first 2 miles but I am really worried about the second set of 2 miles after I finish my ride. The last time I did a brick workout, my shins tightened up and I could barely walk. So, now im worried because I typically run just under a 13 minute mile when my legs are feeling good. I hope hope hope I dont get pushed off the race!
Tomorrow I will talk about the goals I thought I would have achieved by now.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
8 Months Later - Please Read
I took the week off from work so I could relax. After my 5k yesterday and sitting to talk with friends and family, I pause to reflect on the past eight months, what has changed and what challenges I still face. (I also included links on key words to past posts if you are interested.)
I am sitting in the same bedroom I wrote my first post from a little over eight months ago. I wish I could say I've been completely successful. Ofcourse there have been success but there have also been challenges I haven't been able to overcome yet. There have been new experiences and falling into ruts and I've figured out this mental game is harder than it looks.
My successes seem few and far between but they have been big to me. I finally got out of my butt rut. Although there is some time still spent on the couch, I am not there as much. I have been successful in getting into the idea of working out after work 3 to 4 times a day. Hell, I have even gotten to the point (some days) where I crave the exercise and am disappointed if it is raining or I have other plans for the day. I have run (walk/jog) two 5k runs in the past two weeks. I've run in the rain and it's not all that bad. On Monday, I ran over seven minutes without stopping out of the start line and I felt good. Couch to 5k has been really working for me...I think (this week I progress to week 4).
I've curbed my self-diagnosed depression. This spring has been so different from the few months after my hubby and I moved into our house last June. The days and weeks of him trying to pull me off my butt to get outside and work in the yard are a distant memory. There are weeks where watching the weather for the weekend almost becomes and obsession because I want it to be not raining so I can get into the yard. Our overgrown yard is slowly, but surely, getting under control. I think the enjoyment that exercise brings has been a huge help with this. I sleep so much better now because I am getting outside more. The fresh air has done me some good.
I have met some amazing friends through this world of blogging. The #priorfatpack was formed a few months ago through a furry of Twitter tweets among a small group of people that wanted to form a group that would have similar goals of getting healthy and losing weight in the process. One thing I have been doing more often lately is doing things that make me uncomfortable. The potluck The Pack had on Sunday night was one of those moments. I had originally invited a friend to come with me but I ended up going alone and boy, I was really nervous.... I am so HAPPY I went alone! I was uncomfy for a couple of minutes but was instantly drawn into the group like we had known each other for years. They were there to cheer me on when I crossed the finish line yesterday and I made sure I rang my cowbell loud whenever a pink-shirted member came around the corner! I am grateful for the support and love of The Pack. I make it almost sound like a cult! Maybe it will become a movement? Googling us will even come up with correct results!
Really at this point in the game, I thought I would have atleast been at 200lbs or less. To be honest, the scale hasn't moved much since the first week of this process. I try to live in denial, even yesterday, about why the scale hasn't moved in 8 months. I work out, burning at least a couple thousand calories a week. The scale should be moving but we all know it is not all about the calories expelled. It's just as importantly about the calories consumed. THIS has been the main struggle for me. I have not been really counting the calories with what I have been eating. Lunch with my friend Becky yesterday centered around talk of planning her wedding and my healthiness journey. I had expressed to her that I am working out but not losing any weight or inches. But I haven't gained weight or inches either. She asked if I was really watching what I was eating and I couldn't honestly give her the answer I wanted to give her. I wish I could have said "Yes" but it would have been a lie. My sister asked me the same question later in the evening while dinner was being prepared.
I am not going to say it here today that I am going to start counting calories because I have said it before. It is just something that I need to do. I bite it, I write it (stolen from Jen over at Priorfatgirl). The decision has been made. How long do they say it takes to make something a habit? Ofcourse everyone is different but from what I could find, 30-40 repetitions looks like a common comment. So that means if I track for a month or more, it should become a habit? That isn't too bad. We will see where I am in 5 weeks!
I wanted to thank everyone for their support over the last 8 months. To my family and friends who donated to my ABTA run, thank you! To my priorfatpack, thank you! To my parents, thank you! To my sister, the Ironlady, thank you for your little words of encouragement. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you and I will still need your support in the future.
I am sitting in the same bedroom I wrote my first post from a little over eight months ago. I wish I could say I've been completely successful. Ofcourse there have been success but there have also been challenges I haven't been able to overcome yet. There have been new experiences and falling into ruts and I've figured out this mental game is harder than it looks.
My successes seem few and far between but they have been big to me. I finally got out of my butt rut. Although there is some time still spent on the couch, I am not there as much. I have been successful in getting into the idea of working out after work 3 to 4 times a day. Hell, I have even gotten to the point (some days) where I crave the exercise and am disappointed if it is raining or I have other plans for the day. I have run (walk/jog) two 5k runs in the past two weeks. I've run in the rain and it's not all that bad. On Monday, I ran over seven minutes without stopping out of the start line and I felt good. Couch to 5k has been really working for me...I think (this week I progress to week 4).
I've curbed my self-diagnosed depression. This spring has been so different from the few months after my hubby and I moved into our house last June. The days and weeks of him trying to pull me off my butt to get outside and work in the yard are a distant memory. There are weeks where watching the weather for the weekend almost becomes and obsession because I want it to be not raining so I can get into the yard. Our overgrown yard is slowly, but surely, getting under control. I think the enjoyment that exercise brings has been a huge help with this. I sleep so much better now because I am getting outside more. The fresh air has done me some good.
I have met some amazing friends through this world of blogging. The #priorfatpack was formed a few months ago through a furry of Twitter tweets among a small group of people that wanted to form a group that would have similar goals of getting healthy and losing weight in the process. One thing I have been doing more often lately is doing things that make me uncomfortable. The potluck The Pack had on Sunday night was one of those moments. I had originally invited a friend to come with me but I ended up going alone and boy, I was really nervous.... I am so HAPPY I went alone! I was uncomfy for a couple of minutes but was instantly drawn into the group like we had known each other for years. They were there to cheer me on when I crossed the finish line yesterday and I made sure I rang my cowbell loud whenever a pink-shirted member came around the corner! I am grateful for the support and love of The Pack. I make it almost sound like a cult! Maybe it will become a movement? Googling us will even come up with correct results!
Really at this point in the game, I thought I would have atleast been at 200lbs or less. To be honest, the scale hasn't moved much since the first week of this process. I try to live in denial, even yesterday, about why the scale hasn't moved in 8 months. I work out, burning at least a couple thousand calories a week. The scale should be moving but we all know it is not all about the calories expelled. It's just as importantly about the calories consumed. THIS has been the main struggle for me. I have not been really counting the calories with what I have been eating. Lunch with my friend Becky yesterday centered around talk of planning her wedding and my healthiness journey. I had expressed to her that I am working out but not losing any weight or inches. But I haven't gained weight or inches either. She asked if I was really watching what I was eating and I couldn't honestly give her the answer I wanted to give her. I wish I could have said "Yes" but it would have been a lie. My sister asked me the same question later in the evening while dinner was being prepared.
I am not going to say it here today that I am going to start counting calories because I have said it before. It is just something that I need to do. I bite it, I write it (stolen from Jen over at Priorfatgirl). The decision has been made. How long do they say it takes to make something a habit? Ofcourse everyone is different but from what I could find, 30-40 repetitions looks like a common comment. So that means if I track for a month or more, it should become a habit? That isn't too bad. We will see where I am in 5 weeks!
I wanted to thank everyone for their support over the last 8 months. To my family and friends who donated to my ABTA run, thank you! To my priorfatpack, thank you! To my parents, thank you! To my sister, the Ironlady, thank you for your little words of encouragement. I wouldn't have been able to do it without you and I will still need your support in the future.
Monday, February 28, 2011
An Announcement!
I told everyone about two weeks ago that I had something that I wanted to do on May 14th but I had to talk to a friend about it first. Well the mentioned friend has been talked to and has agreed to join me in this endeavor.
My best friend's mom passed away on December 9th 2008 from a brain tumor. I remember the day Christina called me to tell me her mom was sick. Four hours away, I cried with her. In my mind, there was no way this woman I knew for her love of her children and husband could be sick. She was just like my own mom and I knew her relationship with her daughter was irreplaceable. I almost walked back into work that day and told them I was taking the rest of the day off. Instead, I drove up on Saturday afternoon to give my support. I had to be there.
Lyndee lived a loving life through the 20 months following her diagnosis. Her passionate work as an artist can still be found gracing the walls of her family's homes. It makes me smile to remember her great sense of decorating.
On May 14th, I will be running the American Brain Tumor Association 5k Run/Walk/Strut in Chicago in memory of Lyndee. I heard about this event last year from Donna while I was scanning through her blog. I knew that I had just missed the event! But I would be trying to make it to this year's event.
This 5k is primarily in memorial to Lyndee but is also my first 5k I hope to run. Now that the weather is warming, I can get my butt out the door and get moving after work. I am looking forward to some running and maybe shopping in Chicago.
I have yet to officially register. Eek! The value of the research to find cures for these cancers is priceless. If I could raise thousands of dollars, I sure would try. My goal is $500 for this event. I will have a fund raising page up and running in the next few days. If you would like to donate, please let me know. Thank you in advance!
My best friend's mom passed away on December 9th 2008 from a brain tumor. I remember the day Christina called me to tell me her mom was sick. Four hours away, I cried with her. In my mind, there was no way this woman I knew for her love of her children and husband could be sick. She was just like my own mom and I knew her relationship with her daughter was irreplaceable. I almost walked back into work that day and told them I was taking the rest of the day off. Instead, I drove up on Saturday afternoon to give my support. I had to be there.
Lyndee lived a loving life through the 20 months following her diagnosis. Her passionate work as an artist can still be found gracing the walls of her family's homes. It makes me smile to remember her great sense of decorating.
On May 14th, I will be running the American Brain Tumor Association 5k Run/Walk/Strut in Chicago in memory of Lyndee. I heard about this event last year from Donna while I was scanning through her blog. I knew that I had just missed the event! But I would be trying to make it to this year's event.
This 5k is primarily in memorial to Lyndee but is also my first 5k I hope to run. Now that the weather is warming, I can get my butt out the door and get moving after work. I am looking forward to some running and maybe shopping in Chicago.
I have yet to officially register. Eek! The value of the research to find cures for these cancers is priceless. If I could raise thousands of dollars, I sure would try. My goal is $500 for this event. I will have a fund raising page up and running in the next few days. If you would like to donate, please let me know. Thank you in advance!
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Video, Successes, and a Confession
Oh god it’s video day. The guy from the phone company is here to fix our phones, finally. Our DSL connection came back lastnight but the phones are still dead, no sound, no static, nothing. The guy said it was on their end (yay) and that he would get it fixed within the hour. Not enough time for me to make it to work for the day but I’ll just get to work on Saturday instead.
So I saw on someone else’s blog that they do a video of their goals at the beginning of each year. I thought that was a great idea and I would do that as well.
Please don't judge me. That confession feels utterly embarrassing. I mean, those times should be in my past when I sit down and binge. It makes me want to cry. I’ll cover up the crying though with two success stories for the day.
Since I had the whole day off from work, waiting for the phone guy to show up, I had plenty of time on my hands to work out. I did a Kick Boxing routine for 30 mins this morning with Bob and Jillian on the Wii. Wow, I’m not coordinated. I hope that changes soon. After I ate that pizza tonight and watch ed the first hour of the Biggest Loser season premiere, I forced myself onto that bike in the basement to watch the second hour of the show. There were soooo many times I wanted to get off that bike but I made myself finish the whole hour. Sure, there were times when I stopped to take a breather but I didn’t let my feet touch the floor. The last fifteen minutes was filled with thoughts of “just get through the commercials, just get through until the next commercials”. It was hard but I did it. I don’t feel all that bad about the pizza anymore after I think about getting a full hour in on my bike. It’s the little successes I have that are the most important steps in making it to my goals.
Days ‘til race day: 264 (not many days left)
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