Monday, March 14, 2011

No scale

I have not gotten on a scale since the beginning of the month. And more than that, I don't remember what it said when I did nor do I care! WI have found that I am happier without the scale. And I don't sabotage myself either. When I get on the scale and it shows a loss I use it as an excuse to eat...I did well so I can eat however I want. If I show no loss or a gain I get upset and eat poorly because who cares!

I have been running three days a week and swimming two days a week. I don't let the scale stop or hinder me. I just do what I need to do. I feel great and am accomplishing things I never thought I could. I am preparing foe my first 5k of the season on April 2nd. Very excited! I am swimming 1.25 miles a week. I am on goal for march's goal of 5 miles this month. I couldn't feel better about what I am doing.

For Lent, I have given up all snacks with more than 5 ingredients! Everyone laughs when I say that, but it really limits my junk food consumption! I have to think before it goes into my mouth. It's been less than a week, but I am feeling goodnabout my eating choices.

On a fun note, I am entering this blog on an iPad. Typing on an iPad is difficult. I am hoping to get more efficient and be able to do all of my entries this way. I rarely use my laptop these days, hence the lack of entries. My iPad arrives in a couple of weeks. Today I am using Al's. Seems to be working.

Monday, February 28, 2011

Under 45 Minutes!

My february goal was to run a 5k under 45 minutes.  Today, I ran on my treadmill 3.1 miles at 44:45.  Last May at the Autism 5k my time was 49:49.  I shaved 5 minutes off my time and reached the goal I set at that race to run a 5k under 45 minutes.  I have set a goal to do a 5k in under 40 minutes for June.

I can't wait to get back on my bike.  I figure in another month I can hop on the bike and ride, Roxy, ride.

Well two months down, and so far I have met both goals that I set for that month.  March should be interesting, but I think I can do it.  I want to swim 5 miles total during the month of March.  That's 45 laps a week at the pool.  Should work if I split them into two days of swimming each week.  That starts tomorrow.  I should go pack my bag right now.  I will swim at 11:00 on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I figure it will take me an hour to get my laps in each day.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

I am on week 7 day three of Couch to 5k!  I plan to do my run tomorrow morning.  It will actually be my 4th 25 minute run this week!  I also walked for half an hour today.  I signed up for two more races this morning.  I attempted to sign up for another one, but the website was having problems.  Will register for the Minneapolis Duathlon later this week.

So here's my race schedule for 2011:
Running Opener 5k on April 2
Gear Wear Duathlon on May 22
Timberman Triathlon on July 9
Minneapolis Duathlon on August 28 (still need to register)
Irongirl Duathlon on September 25

Should be a very eventful and motivating summer!  I can't wait to get this party started.  And you know what...

I'M NOT FINISHED YET!

Friday, February 4, 2011

I am sitting here procrastinating my run.  It's friday, day 3 of my run week.  And just like the last two Fridays, I am not motivated to do my run.  The last two weeks I have done my run on Saturday morning instead.  It's not like I don't do the run.  I just can't seem to get the motivation to get upstairs on my treadmill and just get it done.

On top of that my period started today.  This little friend does not help my motivation one little bit.  But I will over come.  I will get my run done today.

I am just wondering why Fridays are so hard for me to get motivated.  It's the end of the week.  I should be feeling good.  I should be looking forward to the weekend.  I should be doing a lot of things.  And most of all I should be running!  Right now!  Not journaling online.  Ugh!  Time to go...

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Down 4.6 pounds!

I got on the scale yesterday.  On January 6th I weighed in at 198.6 pounds.  Yesterday I weighed in at 194!  I have been fairly consistent in recording my food in my journal.  I have worked out 3-4 days a week.  I don't feel like I have been going gang busters on anything.  In the past (see last year), I have tried to exercise everyday, taking 2 classes a day on some days.  I've dropped 10 pounds quickly and then maintained.  All the while trying to find a way of life that I can do for the rest of my life.

Well, two classes a day just is not manageable (not with a preschooler in the house).  I know I can't handle "diet" food long term.  Don't ask me to eat tofu or other strange foods.  I am willing to try new things, many will be added to my diet occasionally.  But I need a way to eat healthy and include treats.  I have found keeping my calories under 1866 daily and working out 3-4 days a week seems to work.  I didn't put this weight on overnight, it isn't going to come off that way.

My monthly goals really seem to be keeping me motivated.  Each month is something new.  I am looking forward to running my 5k on February 28th.  I've registered for a tri on July 9th and the Iron Girl du on September 25th.  I am contemplating adding two additional dus, one in May and one in August.  Some days, I really begin to wonder who I am.

I have never been this physically active in my whole life.  Last year I participated in a 10k, 2 5ks and the Du in September.  This year I am thinking of doing more? 

This morning as I was putting my contacts in, I looked in the mirror and thought who's that skinny girl looking back at me.  Now I know I have a long way to go.  But I have come so very far.  And I can't believe how good I am looking.

I know my December goal says to weigh 175 by 12/31/11, but I really am working on weighing 159 by 12/31/11.  That will put me in the healthy BMI category.  Ok I said it.  Now I will change my notebook to officially read 159.  I wanted 175 so that I could feel good at the end year about any weight loss.  I knew I could work hard and hit 175 quickly this spring then maintain for the year.  And I would still feel good about that.  But I would be ecstatic if I hit 159!  So why not reach for the moon!  And the 4.6 pound weight loss puts my right on target.  I need to lose 3.3 pounds a month to hit 159 by the end of the year. 

My scale is now put away.  I know I said I wouldn't get back on it until my tri.  But I think I will weigh in each month on the 1st.  I do need to track how I am doing for my goal.  So that if need be I can adjust my calorie consumption. 

Sunday, January 30, 2011

I have managed to stay off the scale.  :)  But now I am afraid to get on the scale on February 1st.  I am doing great sticking with my program.  Well, I fell off the wagon on Friday.  I went over my calorie allowance by almost 500!  But Saturday I was right back on track with the program.  And I feel great today.  I am really beginning to feel good about what I am doing.  I am working hard to eat right.  I am meeting my exercise goals.  Actually, I am having fun meeting my exercise goals.

I just finished week 3 of couch to 5k.  I always love day 3 of each week.  Days 1 and 2 are so hard that I am always negotiating with myself to skip intervals.  I never do follow through.  I run all of my intervals.  But this week, when I hit day 3 I never even thought to skip an interval.  I thought about doing the long run first and then the short run.  But decided the program works so who am I to try to make it better?  But more than that, I smiled during each of my runs.  Not once did I want to stop running.  Can it be?  Can I really be turning into a runner?

Well, I wouldn't go that far.  Ask me if I like running and I will tell you I hate every minute of it...but that's not quite true any more.  So, I can't wait to see how this program plays out for me.  Will I be a runner after 9 weeks?  I can't wait to find out!

Thursday, January 27, 2011

To scale or not to scale?

That is the question!  I am a scale addict.  I have been known to weigh myself several times as day.  Because, we all know that our weight fluctuations during the day and to accurately know how much I have lost/gained I need to weight at various points during to day and monitor the changes at those times. 

I weaned myself off of multiple weighi-ins a day down to once a day.  I've argued that if I don't weigh myself daily, I will gain weight.  And history has proven such a fact because I don't want to get on the scale when I am gaining weight.  See the logic?

I now weigh myself every 5 days or so.  I just can't manage to go a full week.  The problem is...

I feel great until I hit the scale.  It's not that the scale isn't moving in the right direction.  It is.  It's just not jumping down the scale the way I feel like it is.

Let me explain.  I am working out and loving how I feel afterwards.  I am eating my 1866 calories or less.  I am making my goal for the end of the year.  So I should be happy with my scale readings.  But I am not.

So, I forcing myself to stay off the scale.  Not bad.  I feel great.  I am getting compliments.  But I don't "know" how much I weigh.  I am fearful that not knowing will mean I will gain weight.  But I hate how I feel when I get on the scale.  It ruins my day.  When I began this journey last year a good friend of mine suggested that I put my scale away for 6 months.  That I work out and eat right for those 6 months but not get on the scale.  I tried.  It lasted a week. 

But I think I am ready now to try going scale free.  Because I know if I follow the program I have set up for myself, I will see results.  My goal requires losing less than 1 pound a week.  So that scale is not going to jump each week.  In 6 months I should lose approximately 20 pounds if I follow my program.

I feel good not going on the scale.  I feel horrible when I get on it.  So logic says stay off!  But addictions do not follow logic.  Every morning I have to talk myself into staying off the scale.  That I feel good, that I exercise, that I journal what I eat and stay under my allocated calories. 

So here's my plan.  I weigh myself February 1st.  I will have my daughter hide my scale from me until July 1st.  I know that really is only 5 months, but I can't go until August.  July is the middle of the summer and still time to burn some major calories if I need to.  Plus, I am doing a tri on July 9th.  It just all seems to go together.  And in reality it will be July 3 or 4 before I can weigh in because we will be traveling back from NY on the 1st! 

Wish me luck.

Monday, January 24, 2011

I just realized it's been a while since I last blogged.  My busy weeks are done for now.  I did manage to survive and even enjoy myself.  I got my runs in 3x week, no excuses!  I ate healthy while in Florida and even in North Dakota this weekend.  I am really focusing on making healthy choices.  It is my body and I am in control of what I put into it.

I have been a little down because my weight isn't just falling off.  But I am still on track for my goal weight in December.  I feel great when I exercise.  I really need to do some form of exercise everyday so that I can keep my emotions even.  Otherwise, I tend to get upset/angry/depressed.  Exercise really is my key to happiness.

Today I ran week three day one of c25k.  3 minutes of running non-stop.  Wow.  I really had shin splints after that first 3 minute run.  I slowed down my second three minute run and did much better.  Really stretched out afterwards too!  I will not let my mind hurt me so that I stop.  I can do this.  Though I shouldn't have looked forward to next week with a 5 minute run...kinda nervous.  But I know that the 3 minute runs will get easier by the end of this week.  Looking forward to the challenge.

I also signed up to do the GG virtual 10k at the beginning of February.  I am going to do the 5k with c25k program walk as fast as I can to finish to first 1/2 to see where I am timewise for my February goal: 5k <45 minutes.  Then I will walk the last 1/2 of the 10k to finish it.  Good to have a plan.

Speaking of plans, I gotta to to pick up my oldest daughter to take to PT.

Friday, January 14, 2011

I could have enjoyed this morning a whole lot more if I had had more than 5 hours of sleep last night!  That said, I had a very enjoyable and very relaxing morning.

Tonight is the start of a week 1/2 of extremely busy time for me. Tonight is Al's work party.  We leave tomorrow morning at 8 am for Mia's meet, then Sunday Al and I fly to Florida until Wednesday night.  Thursday I have a noon meeting.  Friday Al is out of town.  Saturday we drive to North Dakota for another of Al's work parties and then back home Sunday.  Only to return to ND the following weekend for another gymnastics meet!  UGH!!!

So, this morning I scheduled me time.  I had a great pedicure.  Followed by a manicure.  Then a haircut.  I added an eyebrow wax at the last second.  So, I am a new me from head to toe!  I really feel like a new me.

Now, I need to go pack.  I have to pick Hannah up at school at 3:10, take the boys to the kennel, and then come home and get ready for the party.  So I must now go pack.  I also need to pack Erica to go to Grandma's house while Al and I are gone.  Since it is now after 1:00, I need to get off this computer and get my packing done.

While I have not exercised today, I probably wont on Saturday.  I will walk when Al and I get to Florida.  And I will do two days of c25k in Florida and the third day on Friday.  I think I will do c25k M/W/F of each week.  That's my plan and I'm sticking to it.

I have purchased meal bars and will pack some shakes to take with me to Florida to help with my calorie counts.  As long as I make 90/10 rule choices, I should be ok.

Thursday, January 13, 2011

I walked for half an hour today.  My calves are sore from the last two days.  Apparently my treadmill was set at an incline.  Ugh.  But now I have it down and took it easy today.  Felt good to just go for a stroll even if it was on my treadmill! 

Tomorrow, I have a mini day at the spa.  Pedi/mani and a haircut.  Looking forward to some time to myself taking care of me. 

Saturday, Mia has a gymnastics meet.  So off and running to the cities for the day.  Then Sunday, Al and I fly out to Fort Myers, FL.  He has work meetings.  I have spouse events to attend.  Fun events, but not necessarily how I would spend my time given a choice.  I will have fun though.  That I do know.  I just think that sometimes people think that I am lucky to be able to travel so much and to do fun things.  But I think of it as work.  I have a schedule of where I need to be when and how I need to dress.  These trips are not vacations.  Fun, but not a vacation!

We get back Thursday early morning (around 1 am).  then I have a meeting at noon, work at three.  Then the following Saturday I am off to North Dakota for another of Al's work functions.  His job keeps me very busy.

So, you can see why having 2 1/2 hours child free, taking care of myself tomorrow morning is going to be great!

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

2 days in a row

I know C 2 5K says to run every other day.  But I don't have time this week to do every other day.  I am supposed to start week 2 on Friday and don't want to run Thurs/Friday.  I thought it was better to do days 2/3 of week one back to back instead of week 1/week 2 back to back.  I pushed myself again today.  I never walked slower than 4 mph (except that last 90 seconds where I slowed to 2mph to bring down my heart rate).  I walked 4 mph, ran 5 mph (last run at 6 mph).  But I only ran ever other interval.  So ran 60 seconds rested 3.5  minutes ran 60. Yesterday I did 1.9 miles in 30 minutes.  This time I did 2.05 miles.  So it seemed to work.  Since my goal is 5k in under 45 minutes, I figure if I walk at a pace of 4 mph that gets me 3 miles in 45 minutes.  I just need to pick up my pace a little to get 3.1 miles in 45 minutes.  So right now I am using c25k to train a faster walking pace, leading up to running.  So that this September I can run my 2 miles of the iron girl at a faster pace.  maybe even under 20 minutes....

I am currently keeping my calorie intake to under 1866.  Seems to be working.  Though I have to admit that I am hungry.  But my body seems to be enjoying the hunger :).  Meaning that I am not binging on food or craving foods.  If I get really really hunger, I can grab a handful of wheat thins and that satisfies me hunger and gets me through to morning.

I know I am able to get this done.  I know my goal was to weight 175 pounds by December 31st.  But my app tells me that if I consume 1866 calories each day this year, I can loose  almost 40 pounds by the end of the year, putting me at 159!  159 gets me into the "normal" BMI range.  My lightest that I have weighed since giving birth is 163 and that was 10 years ago!  So I know that my body is going to try to hang onto this weight.  But I am going to persevere. 

Tomorrow is an off day for c25k.  So I will either walk (Dr. Oz says to walk 30 minutes everyday no excuses, pace doesn't matter) or I will do my iron girl DVD.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

I have entered all of my goals into a notebook.  I carry that notebook with me wherever I go!  It has been so motivational.  And effective to keep moving and not consuming so many calories.  Even this weekend when I forgot to bring my slim fast with me to my mom's house.  I am going to have to remember to pack some this weekend when I head to her house again and then on to Florida for a few days.  Since most of my meals in Florida will be predetermined, I will really need those slim fasts for the meals that I have control over!

I am currently working on February's goal.  I am beginning to think I set an unattainable goal of a 5k in under 45 minutes.  But all I can do is continue to work towards that goal and will probably surprise myself on February 28th!

I am able to keep my calories under 1866 a day which is what my app tells me I need to do to make my goal weight on December 31, 2011.  And so far that seems to be working!  I am down 3 pounds this week.  But more than that, I know I can do 1866 calories a day so I know I can make goal.  It would have been very challenging if that calorie count was much lower.  But I can live with 1866 and still enjoy an alcoholic beverage every now and again!

Today, I completed couch 2 5k week 1 day 2.  I pushed myself harder at the beginning than eased up half way through.  I ended feeling like I could go further.  Good think I eased up though because I was feeling like I couldn't finish at minute 15.  But I finished stronger and further than w1d1.  So on w1d3 I am going to push hard than ease up again.  It seems to work for me.

Friday, January 7, 2011

2011 New Year's Resolution

I've decided that this year my New Year's resolution would be different. I am going to set a goal for each month.




January: To write out each goal, how I am going to do it, obstacles to those goals as well as how I am going to jump over those obstacles. (I have completed the first part!)

February: Run a 5k under 45 minutes on the treadmill.

March: Swim a total of 5 miles during the month.

April: walk/run 100 miles (loved last April's challenge)

May: swim a total of 10 miles during the month.

June: run a 5K under 40 minutes

July: complete a triathlon

August: bike 200 miles.

September: complete the Iron Girl Duathlon 20 minutes faster than last year at the end of the month.

October: walk 100 miles (huge since it took me two weeks to recover from the Du last year).

November: do two classes a week at the YMCA.

December: Loose 20 pounds this year.



Okay. Now you know what I will be doing this year.


I have finished January's goal.  I purchased a notebook and wrote out each goal, steps need to accomplish, any obstacles I may need to over come and possible solutions to those obstacles.  I am feeling really good about this year.

In fact, I have begun training for my February goal.  I did week 1 day 1 of c25k.  only did 1.84 miles in 30 minutes.  But I feel so much better.  Exercise always does that for me.

I need to remember that exercise lifts the winter blues that I fight every year.  Plus,  I was feeling very stressed this week.  Exercise helps to alleviate that stress.  I just need to remember that.