Thursday, September 26, 2013
Weight on Wednesday- 9/18 & 9/25
I missed last week's post, so I thought I would double up with this week's weigh in. And it was pretty simple since I seem to holding consistent at 148. It's kind of frustrating to be staying the same, and I think what I need to do is a HIIT. HIIT is a High Intensity Interval Training. I am itching to do one, but with my half marathon now only 48 hours away, I am trying to keep things low key this week. I have found a few speed workouts for my other upcoming races which I am anxious to try, and hopefully I can get to those next week. But in order to lose these last five pounds (famous words every woman has uttered), I need to kick it up a notch.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
Weight on Wednesday-09/11/2013
I know, I know. I'm a day late on this. Crazy life just got in the way of posting. But here it is for this week.
148.5
Ugh. One-half pound up from last week, but I am certainly not going to stress out over this. First off, I ran 10 miles last Saturday. TEN MILES! My first time ever to do that, and to date my longest run. And while I ran ten miles, I did not count calories at all the entire weekend. I got into the mind set "I just ran 10 miles, I can eat anything I want", which I know can become a downfall. So I think there were no My Fitness Pal log ins for three days.
Second, when I stepped on the scale this morning, it read 147.5. Victory will be mine! HAHAHA! So once I do start watching what I eat, and exercise accordingly, I know that I can control my weight.
But here is my biggest victory for last week. I retired my size 10 pair of shorts! YIPPIE!! When I got dressed on Tuesday afternoon, I noticed that those shorts were really, really lose. So I dug through our Rubbermaid containers that hold out winter clothes, as well as summer clothes that were at one point too small, but I did not want to get rid of them. I pulled out two pairs of shorts, and a favorite pair of pants. I tried on the shorts first, size six---and........THEY FIT! A bit tighter than what I have been wearing, but totally wearable in public. And if they are snug, that means they show off my new, slimmer body better, right? The pants are from Gap and they are a size four. They fit, they zip, and I can even sit down in them! But I think I am going hold off until I lose a few more pounds before bringing those pants back out into the light.
So my new goal for the winter, other than losing more weight and then maintaining a slimmer body, is to greet my husband at his homecoming in skinny jeans.
148.5
Ugh. One-half pound up from last week, but I am certainly not going to stress out over this. First off, I ran 10 miles last Saturday. TEN MILES! My first time ever to do that, and to date my longest run. And while I ran ten miles, I did not count calories at all the entire weekend. I got into the mind set "I just ran 10 miles, I can eat anything I want", which I know can become a downfall. So I think there were no My Fitness Pal log ins for three days.
Second, when I stepped on the scale this morning, it read 147.5. Victory will be mine! HAHAHA! So once I do start watching what I eat, and exercise accordingly, I know that I can control my weight.
But here is my biggest victory for last week. I retired my size 10 pair of shorts! YIPPIE!! When I got dressed on Tuesday afternoon, I noticed that those shorts were really, really lose. So I dug through our Rubbermaid containers that hold out winter clothes, as well as summer clothes that were at one point too small, but I did not want to get rid of them. I pulled out two pairs of shorts, and a favorite pair of pants. I tried on the shorts first, size six---and........THEY FIT! A bit tighter than what I have been wearing, but totally wearable in public. And if they are snug, that means they show off my new, slimmer body better, right? The pants are from Gap and they are a size four. They fit, they zip, and I can even sit down in them! But I think I am going hold off until I lose a few more pounds before bringing those pants back out into the light.
So my new goal for the winter, other than losing more weight and then maintaining a slimmer body, is to greet my husband at his homecoming in skinny jeans.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
My longest race yet
A few weeks ago I looked ahead on my training calendar for my half marathon training. Here is how things read:
Saturday, August 31-Run 6 miles with Fleet Feet
Monday, September 2-Run 5 miles (training, so this is solo)
And as I wasstalking browsing the Fleet Feet calendar page, I came upon a 10k race that was happening on Labor Day. FF was sponsoring the event, and they had a team in as well. I thought, "Well, 10k is around 6 miles. What the heck? What is another mile that day anyway?" So I registered for the Franklin Classic Race. It was to be my first 10k and my longest race to date. YEAH for taking the plunge, right?
On race day my parents, kiddos and I all got up early to get to downtown Franklin in time. We arrived about 30 minutes before the race. We went our separate ways (the bouncy houses were way more appealing to the children), but it was nice after the race started to see them cheering me on! I even high-fived my youngest son and my dad!
I will say that the 10k race, even though it was roughly the same distance as the run two days before, was easier in some ways, hard in others. Let me tell you about the first six-miler of the weekend.
When I packed for the weekend, the thought ran through my head (no pun intended), "Wow, this is ONLY a six mile run. It should be easy, I don't need to pack my fuel belt." Boy, was I WRONG! It was hot and humid and miserable. Now I know, in this heat, anything longer than a four mile run gets the fuel belt. I will also say there is something about running in a social group. There are about 4 or 5 of us that try to run together, our own little group, but during the run we tend to lose runners a little at a time. One will drift back around mile 3, another one a few minutes later, and so on. So when I am coming to the end of the run, at least this time, I was the first one in. So personally it was a confidence booster to be the fastest in my group this week! YIPPIE!! But it is also nice to chat with other, teach them things about the Army and military life they would not know, get talking with other adults is a nice change of pace.
Monday's race was dramatically different. Still no fuel belt, but there were more water stops along the route. The beginning of the race I probably went out a little faster than I wanted, so I slowed it down a bit. And kept running. And running. And running. I ran 1.5 miles before I stopped and needed a walking break. Now this is significant for several reasons. First, I think it was the first time I had EVER run a mile without stopping. And second, on our Saturday runs I am usually doing 3/1 intervals (3 minutes of running followed by 1 minute of walking, and repeat). I was so proud of myself! I walked a few minutes, and tried to repeat this process. The next walking break was a little sooner, but it was definitely a longer run than 3 minutes.
The course was pretty enjoyable. It started in historic downtown Franklin, and ran through some nice shady streets (and "shady" hear means tree-covered streets, not "shady" as in "not a good part of town"). We turned a corner and entered into a city park, and passed through a middle school parking lot. At this point I saw a down hill, and thought "Awesome! This 10k is not too bad." Wrong answer.
After this down hill, we turned left onto Del Rio Pike. Oh.....no......you know a feeling of dread when you see what is before you? Yeah, well that hit. Hard. There was a hill. Two of them. Actually, it was more of a mini-mountain. But since this part of the route was an out-and-back, it was more like four hills instead of two. And let me tell ya, it sucked. Big time! There was some walking, but I was not the only one. And when we finally got through those and back to a water stop, there was another hill! It was a more gradual incline than those two (or four) mountains I had just tackled, but still...it was rough.
The last few miles, from what I remember of it, went through more neighborhoods and back into historic downtown Franklin. The energy from the spectators along the route at the end was uplifting, and according to the little runner on my Nike+ system my speed shot straight up at the end. My family missed me crossing the finish line, but they found me later and congratulated me.
There were awards that day, none that I received. But I felt like a winner for my longest race and my longest distance without a walking break. No medals for things like that, and that is ok by me.
Saturday, August 31-Run 6 miles with Fleet Feet
Monday, September 2-Run 5 miles (training, so this is solo)
And as I was
On race day my parents, kiddos and I all got up early to get to downtown Franklin in time. We arrived about 30 minutes before the race. We went our separate ways (the bouncy houses were way more appealing to the children), but it was nice after the race started to see them cheering me on! I even high-fived my youngest son and my dad!
I will say that the 10k race, even though it was roughly the same distance as the run two days before, was easier in some ways, hard in others. Let me tell you about the first six-miler of the weekend.
When I packed for the weekend, the thought ran through my head (no pun intended), "Wow, this is ONLY a six mile run. It should be easy, I don't need to pack my fuel belt." Boy, was I WRONG! It was hot and humid and miserable. Now I know, in this heat, anything longer than a four mile run gets the fuel belt. I will also say there is something about running in a social group. There are about 4 or 5 of us that try to run together, our own little group, but during the run we tend to lose runners a little at a time. One will drift back around mile 3, another one a few minutes later, and so on. So when I am coming to the end of the run, at least this time, I was the first one in. So personally it was a confidence booster to be the fastest in my group this week! YIPPIE!! But it is also nice to chat with other, teach them things about the Army and military life they would not know, get talking with other adults is a nice change of pace.
Monday's race was dramatically different. Still no fuel belt, but there were more water stops along the route. The beginning of the race I probably went out a little faster than I wanted, so I slowed it down a bit. And kept running. And running. And running. I ran 1.5 miles before I stopped and needed a walking break. Now this is significant for several reasons. First, I think it was the first time I had EVER run a mile without stopping. And second, on our Saturday runs I am usually doing 3/1 intervals (3 minutes of running followed by 1 minute of walking, and repeat). I was so proud of myself! I walked a few minutes, and tried to repeat this process. The next walking break was a little sooner, but it was definitely a longer run than 3 minutes.
The course was pretty enjoyable. It started in historic downtown Franklin, and ran through some nice shady streets (and "shady" hear means tree-covered streets, not "shady" as in "not a good part of town"). We turned a corner and entered into a city park, and passed through a middle school parking lot. At this point I saw a down hill, and thought "Awesome! This 10k is not too bad." Wrong answer.
After this down hill, we turned left onto Del Rio Pike. Oh.....no......you know a feeling of dread when you see what is before you? Yeah, well that hit. Hard. There was a hill. Two of them. Actually, it was more of a mini-mountain. But since this part of the route was an out-and-back, it was more like four hills instead of two. And let me tell ya, it sucked. Big time! There was some walking, but I was not the only one. And when we finally got through those and back to a water stop, there was another hill! It was a more gradual incline than those two (or four) mountains I had just tackled, but still...it was rough.
The last few miles, from what I remember of it, went through more neighborhoods and back into historic downtown Franklin. The energy from the spectators along the route at the end was uplifting, and according to the little runner on my Nike+ system my speed shot straight up at the end. My family missed me crossing the finish line, but they found me later and congratulated me.
There were awards that day, none that I received. But I felt like a winner for my longest race and my longest distance without a walking break. No medals for things like that, and that is ok by me.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
Weight on Wednesday-9/4/2013
Today's number is......
148!
No real change from last week, but I would actually count that as a win. Even though I ran two six-mile runs this weekend, my mom bought evil into the house--Krispy Kreme Donuts. Have you ever met a person who could only eat one of those? Yeah, me neither. So even though I ran a lot (and burned off a lot), I also had a lot of treats as well.
Also, this morning when I first stepped on the scale it read 148.5. But after my 3 mile run, it read 147.5. So the average is 148.
Not going down, but not going up either.
148!
No real change from last week, but I would actually count that as a win. Even though I ran two six-mile runs this weekend, my mom bought evil into the house--Krispy Kreme Donuts. Have you ever met a person who could only eat one of those? Yeah, me neither. So even though I ran a lot (and burned off a lot), I also had a lot of treats as well.
Also, this morning when I first stepped on the scale it read 148.5. But after my 3 mile run, it read 147.5. So the average is 148.
Not going down, but not going up either.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Weight on Wednesday-8/28/2013
I was reading another blog, and the writer talks about her weight. Asking a women her weight is considered rude, but you're not asking. And I'm telling you my story.
When my husband and I joined a gym on February 14, 2005, I weighted about 135. Gosh, I would LOVE to see that number again. We started tracking calories, and I went to the gym 3 to 5 mornings a week. I was down to 127 pounds, and then got pregnant. We had two children in 2 years, and honestly I don't remember who much I weighted when I was pregnant.
In summer 2008, hubby and I joined Jenny Craig. His parents and his brother had both been on the program and had success, so he wanted to join in. I joined to support him, but I could also have stood to loose a little weight. I started that program at 157 and had a goal weight of 133. I got down to 133.5---so close! But we moved across the country, and things just kind of fell by the wayside. We did the long distance JC program, but it is just not the same as going to see someone face to face and having them see you on the scale.
In September 2009, we moved (again!), and did nothing. No plan, no prepacked diet foods, no religious exercising at the gym. Well, hubby did his morning exercise with his job, but I had no time for it! Two children still at home----I felt lucky to get to the gym on the weekends. so my weight went back up and plateaued at 153. Not bad, but not good.
So this month, BOTH children were finally enrolled in full day school. YEAH!!! My entire day just opened up! I can clean the house, run errands, take a shower, and exercise!
But exercise alone is not going to get my weight down. When I lost weight with Jenny Craig, I was going to the gym ZERO times per week. I lost 20+ pound just by eating less. And earlier this month I had a friend saying she had lost weight using the My Fitness app. Well, I have that app as well, I guess by using it and tracking the calories, plus exercising, I could lose some of this weight. Well, here goes nothing.
So my starting weight at the beginning of August was 153. Today when I stepped onto the scale it was.....
When my husband and I joined a gym on February 14, 2005, I weighted about 135. Gosh, I would LOVE to see that number again. We started tracking calories, and I went to the gym 3 to 5 mornings a week. I was down to 127 pounds, and then got pregnant. We had two children in 2 years, and honestly I don't remember who much I weighted when I was pregnant.
In summer 2008, hubby and I joined Jenny Craig. His parents and his brother had both been on the program and had success, so he wanted to join in. I joined to support him, but I could also have stood to loose a little weight. I started that program at 157 and had a goal weight of 133. I got down to 133.5---so close! But we moved across the country, and things just kind of fell by the wayside. We did the long distance JC program, but it is just not the same as going to see someone face to face and having them see you on the scale.
In September 2009, we moved (again!), and did nothing. No plan, no prepacked diet foods, no religious exercising at the gym. Well, hubby did his morning exercise with his job, but I had no time for it! Two children still at home----I felt lucky to get to the gym on the weekends. so my weight went back up and plateaued at 153. Not bad, but not good.
So this month, BOTH children were finally enrolled in full day school. YEAH!!! My entire day just opened up! I can clean the house, run errands, take a shower, and exercise!
But exercise alone is not going to get my weight down. When I lost weight with Jenny Craig, I was going to the gym ZERO times per week. I lost 20+ pound just by eating less. And earlier this month I had a friend saying she had lost weight using the My Fitness app. Well, I have that app as well, I guess by using it and tracking the calories, plus exercising, I could lose some of this weight. Well, here goes nothing.
So my starting weight at the beginning of August was 153. Today when I stepped onto the scale it was.....
148!!!
WAHOO!!!! How exciting is that?!?! Five pounds in one month! And I can definitely tell a difference with my stomach being just a little less bloated looking! HAHA! I am not pregnant and no longer look that way!
So I am writing this post, and hope to keep it up on a weekly basis, of making my weight public. I figure this is a good way for accountability.
And don't worry, I am not going to ask what you weigh.
Wednesday, August 21, 2013
Getting on all of my battle rattle
My husband is in the Army. And with each move we make, we have to store all of his Army gear. Our closet upstairs in the office has his uniforms (dress, ACUs, and PTs); a dresser in the bedroom has a zillion pairs of socks (white for PT, brown boot socks for work), and the storage closet in the garage has all of his battle rattle. You military wives know what I am talking about. For you others, here is what we have: helmet; goggles; various sizes of "back packs" ranging from small (assault pack) to full size (think two small children could fit into); hydration packs; boots; and other odds and ends that I cannot even begin to name or even describe.
I tell you this because as I was getting dressed the other day for a five mile run, I noticed just how much stuff I had to gather up from around the house to put in. Usually I store it all together, I cannot remember why it was scattered around the house. But the point being, running for me has turned into more than just a pair of shoes and some running clothes.
I tell you this because as I was getting dressed the other day for a five mile run, I noticed just how much stuff I had to gather up from around the house to put in. Usually I store it all together, I cannot remember why it was scattered around the house. But the point being, running for me has turned into more than just a pair of shoes and some running clothes.
My full outfit from head to toe.
Yeah, it might be a little too accessorized. Haha! Who am I kidding? The more the better, right? I promise there is a reason for everything on there, so here is the break down.
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Hat
I wear something on my head every day. No exceptions. I sweat WAY too much to not have something there. On super hot days I will wear a visor instead of a baseball cap. But I have not found a pair of sunglasses that fit me well, or that won't keep from fogging up. Or maybe I'm just too cheap and have not ventured any further than the Wal-Mart shopping rack for them.
Sports bra, shirt, and ipod
This goes under the "well, DUH" file. A good sports bra is a must, and with my body so is a t-shirt. I recently had to make another shopping trip out for more bras. While the two I have are just awesome, I am sweating so much that I needed more bras in the rotation mix. (Sorry if that was TMI). And I have at least six different shirts, most of them freebies from races. Bonus! Shirt is another "DUH!" and my ipod is a "never leave home without it" item. I've tried running without, and listening to my breathing gasping for air is horrible. Let's drown that out and get motivated to move with a little Ozzy Osbourne.
I know what you are thinking---HOW CUTE IS THAT SKIRT?? I know, it is super cute, comfortable to wear, and totally awesome pockets all over the place. There is a zipper pocket in the front, and one pocket on each of the shorts under the skirt. This is an awesome piece of clothing and the company makes all of their things in the USA. Even better is that my husband purchased it for me, after drooling over this skirt for two years.
The handkerchief is to supplement the hat. While I can catch some sweat that runs off my head, it also runs down the sides, drips down my noes, and the worse it when it gets into my eyes. Man that stings like a @#@@$%!!! So the handkerchief is an extra supplement.
The Gymboss timer is like of like an ipad---it is not something you need, but once you have one you think "how did I live without this before?!?!" I used to use my Nike+ system, and do run/walk intervals based on mileage. So I was run .30 miles, walk for .05. But this is nice because it beeps and you can keep focusing on the road in front of you instead of looking down at your watch. I currently have it set on 4 minutes run/1 minute walk, but I normally go with the 3/1 group on our Saturday morning runs. We'll see how long the 4/1 lasts.
The belt is great for days when I wear shorts, which have zero pockets. I have to carry this handkerchief, phone, and snacks (see below) and where am I to put all of that?
Shoes and socks (tucked inside the shoe)
The essentials for running: a good pair of shoes and non-cotton socks. Because in the running world "cotton is rotten". Eww, my feet heat up and pulling cotton socks off is just horrible! Spend the few extra $$$$ on a nicer pair of socks. And not pictured is the Nike+ sensor that connects to the sports bracelet. This lets me have a lot of information after my run, including how far I ran, the pace, how long (time), and total calories burned. I never run without it!
Snacks, Road ID, and Nike+ Sportsband
I usually only take the snacks on long runs, meaning six miles or longer. Since this is my first half-marathon, I went to Fleet Feet and bought a little of everything. I bought some GUs, a package of these Honey Strings, some sports Jelly Beans, and another package of gummy type snacks. (Obviously I was unimpressed with that last once since I cannot remember the name). These Honey Stingers are my favorite! This particular flavor is Cherry Blossom, which tastes similar to cherry cough medicine, and for some twisted reason, I really, really like it. But it is a nice, portable snack to keep me energized on my run.
The yellow bracelet is a LiveStrong bracelet, but the silver piece on there is a RoadID. I have never run with a piece of identification before, never really thought it was that important. But the more I thought of it, the more sense it made. So I ordered one with my name, spouse's cell number, mom's home number, and the name of my insurance company. Pretty inexpensive for such an important piece to be wearing. The bracelet that originally came with it was a little too small for my taste, I like the bracelet to be a little looser, which is why I switched it over to the LS bracelet.
And my FINAL piece of battle rattle is my Nike+ sportsband. With the hidden sensor in my shoes, this piece of equipment tracks all the stats of my run: distance, pace, total time run, and calories. Since I am such a Type A person, I **love** this! And I especially love it when things pop up in the program like "longest run ever". Go me!
So there you go. When I go for a run, I don't dress for a run. I dress to attack the road in front of me.
The yellow bracelet is a LiveStrong bracelet, but the silver piece on there is a RoadID. I have never run with a piece of identification before, never really thought it was that important. But the more I thought of it, the more sense it made. So I ordered one with my name, spouse's cell number, mom's home number, and the name of my insurance company. Pretty inexpensive for such an important piece to be wearing. The bracelet that originally came with it was a little too small for my taste, I like the bracelet to be a little looser, which is why I switched it over to the LS bracelet.
And my FINAL piece of battle rattle is my Nike+ sportsband. With the hidden sensor in my shoes, this piece of equipment tracks all the stats of my run: distance, pace, total time run, and calories. Since I am such a Type A person, I **love** this! And I especially love it when things pop up in the program like "longest run ever". Go me!
So there you go. When I go for a run, I don't dress for a run. I dress to attack the road in front of me.
Thursday, August 8, 2013
Training sessions
For my first half marathon, I did a lot of research about training plans. I had to find one to fit my schedule, and the hardest part was finding one where I could do a long run on Friday. I know I could have adjusted what ever plan I found and settled on. But I hate making silly adjustments.
The other thing I needed was accountability. Following something on paper is one thing. But if there is no one there poking or proving you about your training, it is easy to let it slide. And when my husband asks about it over mail, it is oh so easy to say, "yes, I went running today!" When in real life I went to the Starbucks drive thru. I needed a real life person to report to.
My solution was a but pricy, but so worth it. I signed up for a training session with Fleet Feet in Brentwood. It is a little less structured than what I had originally thought it would be. But for the $85 I know I will show up. Heck, I am paying THEM so I can show up. How crazy is that psychology? But whatever, it works.
Each Saturday morning we meet at a designated place, and we run. Nothing too structured. The fastest people go out first, the turtles like me go out last. I am currently running with the 3:1 group. Meaning we run for three minutes and then walk for one. I might not be the fastest person there, but that is certainly not my goal. My goal for this HM is to just finish. Finishing in less than 2:30:00 would be awesome, but right now I just want to finish.
I do like the group and the plan that our coach set out. It is only two days a week and with my CrossFit it fits in perfectly with the kids and their school schedule. I think there is only one week where I will have to do CF and a run in one day. I think my only complaint is there are no pacers. For example, instead of Coach saying, "ok, everyone who has a 10 minute pace, head out the door!", she would say, "if you are training for an 11 minute pace, follow James out the door and run with him!" But whatever.
This coming Saturday we run seven miles, which will be the longest I have ever run. And while I might hate running while I am actually DOING it, I do love the sense of accomplishment that I have after I have completed it.
"I just ran seven miles this Saturday morning. What have you accomplished before 10am?"
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
My new workout routine
You want to know what I have really been doing for my workouts?
That's right. Crossfit. I have joined that crazy kettlebell swinging, weight lifting, insane workout craze. Ok, maybe it's not a "craze", but I have to say I have drunk the kool-aid and it. is. AWESOME!!
Running is great for me. It is helping me build endurance and stamina, which is awesome for keeping up with my two very energetic children. But I know that lifting weights is also great for your body. My husband tells me that after lifting you body still burns calories, whereas with running, you only burn those calories when you are doing the exercise.
So I had a weight lifting routine at the gym. Bicept curls, hammer curls, overhead press, leg press, calf raises....and it just got to be soooooo boring. I could go through the movements half-awake if I wanted to.
I signed up for the box (Crossfit's language for "gym") and their OnRamp class, which is a beginner's course of what they do, and several of the moves you need to know. And since April I have been going three times a week. It's great! I have progressed a little bit, not as much as I would like. Maybe after my husband's schedule gets back to normal I can do it four or five days a week. Yesterday's workout was 30 pullups, 30 overhead press and a 200 meter run. Three times. Yeah, once is hard enough, but try it three times. The workouts are short, I don't think we ever go over 20 minutes. But they are intense and you are dripping with sweat just a few minutes into it. And each workout is different. Rarely will you ever do the same workout, and if you do it is because the instructors are trying to show you how far you have come.
You can get more information here, but if you follow these workouts you need to scale it to what you can do. Trust me, every workout at my box I scale. There is no way I could deadlift 150 pounds (I'm up to 85 pounds), and my abs are not strong enough for getting my toes to the bar, so I do those lying down.
I would suggest to anyone to try Crossfit, because it gives you a community feeling where everyone is cheering on each other, and it gives you a variety of workouts. It will push to new levels, and you will do things you never thought you could.
It. is. AWESOME!
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Crawling back from under a rock
I'm sorry. I'm so, so, so, so sorry. I know, I give you BIG news that I signed up for a half-marathon (HM) and then.....nothing. For almost five months. And for that, I am deeply sorry. :(
There has been a lot going on in my family life, and for those of you who are personal friends with me, you know what I am talking about. For others, let me just say that I am now single parenting, and thus my free time to go running, or do anything by myself--like shower, or grocery shop, or pay bills. You get the general idea. So running has taken a deep, deep nosedive. Ok, maybe not that drastic, maybe just a walk off a very high cliff. And I know that with the HM in just three short months, I need to kick things in high gear.
What's my plan? To go on vacation!! Seriously, next week I am headed on vacation with the kids and my parents. So I am REALLY hoping that my parents understand that at least three days a week I am going to need some time to myself for a run.
Step two of the plan is to run a 5k. I can already hear the question forming in your mind. "What is she thinking? She has run maybe twice in three months? WHY is she running a 5k?" The answer is simple, and is it this: I need a baseline. This particular 5k I ran three years ago and is my PR for my 5k, which is 33:24. I need to know where is the beginning so that as I am training I know where I started and how I am progressing. That, and I needed a place to wear the new Sparkle Skirt my husband bought me for our anniversary. (More on that in a later post)
The last step to my master plan on training for the HM is to train with Fleet Feet-Brentwood. They have a training group specifically for the Women's Half-Marathon. And I took the plunge and signed up. With my parent's "permission", since they will be kiddo watchers while I go for these training sessions. There goes my Saturday mornings. We run every Saturday for about 10 weeks at 7am. Not that my children allow me to sleep in (the oldest one likes to get up at 6am on Saturdays in June--ugh!), but the weekly trip to Brentwood is going to be exhausting. Of course, so is running a HM.....
So there you have it. My apologies for dropping of the face of the Earth, and my plan to get this race checked off my bucket list. In my next posting I'll have to tell you what I HAVE been doing for exercise.
There has been a lot going on in my family life, and for those of you who are personal friends with me, you know what I am talking about. For others, let me just say that I am now single parenting, and thus my free time to go running, or do anything by myself--like shower, or grocery shop, or pay bills. You get the general idea. So running has taken a deep, deep nosedive. Ok, maybe not that drastic, maybe just a walk off a very high cliff. And I know that with the HM in just three short months, I need to kick things in high gear.
What's my plan? To go on vacation!! Seriously, next week I am headed on vacation with the kids and my parents. So I am REALLY hoping that my parents understand that at least three days a week I am going to need some time to myself for a run.
Step two of the plan is to run a 5k. I can already hear the question forming in your mind. "What is she thinking? She has run maybe twice in three months? WHY is she running a 5k?" The answer is simple, and is it this: I need a baseline. This particular 5k I ran three years ago and is my PR for my 5k, which is 33:24. I need to know where is the beginning so that as I am training I know where I started and how I am progressing. That, and I needed a place to wear the new Sparkle Skirt my husband bought me for our anniversary. (More on that in a later post)
The last step to my master plan on training for the HM is to train with Fleet Feet-Brentwood. They have a training group specifically for the Women's Half-Marathon. And I took the plunge and signed up. With my parent's "permission", since they will be kiddo watchers while I go for these training sessions. There goes my Saturday mornings. We run every Saturday for about 10 weeks at 7am. Not that my children allow me to sleep in (the oldest one likes to get up at 6am on Saturdays in June--ugh!), but the weekly trip to Brentwood is going to be exhausting. Of course, so is running a HM.....
So there you have it. My apologies for dropping of the face of the Earth, and my plan to get this race checked off my bucket list. In my next posting I'll have to tell you what I HAVE been doing for exercise.
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
What have I done????
Oh, no. What have I done??
Since starting my running program, I have been thinking about doing a half-marathon. I am a big Tennessee football fan, so my dream race is in Knoxville, finishing on the fifty yard line of Neyland Stadium. But I have heard that is a really hilly course, so I need to find something a little easier.
Nashville plays hosts to two major races a year: the St. Jude's Country Music Marathon in April, and the Women's Half-Marathon in September. I also looked at traveling to a race and thinking about doing the Walt Disney World Wine and Dine Race. You run it at 10:00pm, which means it will be cooler than daytime races. But I have also heard that Disney races are really crowded, but the thought of celebrating with wine was also very appealing. :) But the cost of traveling and staying there was just a bit too much for me at this point. Maybe in a few more years....
So on Monday, I crossed my fingers and toes as I pushed the "enter" button and finalized my registration for the September race. I have eight months to advance from running less than 2 miles (doing the run/walk method) to running 13.1 miles. Lord help me!
Monday, January 28, 2013
One barrier broken
Today I started week 4 of Couch to 5k. And again, I thought I was going....to.....die..... Here is what is set out for all three days this week:
- 5 minute warm up (I usually do walking set at 4.0 mph on the treadmill)
- 3 minute run
- 90 seconds walking
- 5 minute run
- 2.5 minutes walking
- 3 minute running
- 90 second walking
- 5 minutes running
Yeah!!! Under a 12 minute mile!! Super excited about this! Now to break the 11 minute barrier!!
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Friday, January 25, 2013
Wish List
We all know people who have bucket lists---things they want to do or accomplish before they "kick the bucket". But I have a wish list, a running wish list. Not a running bucket list, though I should probably think about one if I am *really* be serious about this whole running thing. No, I have a list of things I want to buy, but cannot justify the cost just yet.
My latest purchase was from Wear Blue, and it was a pair of their running tights. I figured for $25 (on sale), and the money going to a non-profit, this was a purchase worth making. It was also cut out the main reason for not running outside on beautiful winter days. Now I have all the clothing pieces (tights, hat and gloves), so what excuse do I have left? Nothing! So while the tights were a good and justifiable purchase, I am having a hard time coming up with a REALLY good reason to purchase a Sparkle Skirt. The reason I want one? Um, because it is just so darn cute!!! I have three that I drool over every time I go to their webpage, but with the cheapest one being $65 and going up to $85, I need to finish some sort of awesome goal to click the BUY button. Here are my top three favorites.
My guess is that I will splurge when I get closer to running my first half-marathon, maybe buying one so wear on that momentous occasion. Then the hard choice begins.....which one do I buy?? So many choices!!!! (Another great thing about this company is that their products are made in the USA!)
The second item I really, really, REALLY want it an Apple iPod touch. I know, my husband and I have not officially joined the 21st Century, because we are probably two of the last people on earth who still do not have smart phones. Even worse, we have pre-paid cell phone. {GASP!} And I know the itouch is pretty much an iphone without the phone capabilities, but we are just not really to have a huge monthly cell phone bill. Maybe in a few more years when a promotion comes due.
I run with my 2nd generation ipod, with the Nike+ receiver connected, and the sensor in my shoe. However, yesterday when I tried to go running, everything flaked out on me, again. I tried turning the sensor off and on, but then the ipod would not recognize the receiver. But Joel has the Nike+ system that is a bracelet, so I threw in the towel for running and let that system charge up.(I had really search for the bracelet, since it had fallen off and BEHIND his dresser. See how much use it gets?)
While I have not yet run with the bracelet, and I know I can still run with my working ipod nano, I do like having the Nike+ in the nano. Every now and then I can press the center button and a voice will come on telling me how far I have run and what my current pace it. With the bracelet system, I will have to press a button on it, and try reading it while running. That could prove to be dangerous.
So this saga brings me to my desire to have an iPod touch. I can upgrade my ipod and keep more music on it, and even though it is only a wi-fi product, I can take pictures and post on Facebook in one simple step. No taking pictures with a camera, taking the card out of the camera and uploading them onto the computer, logging into Facebook to upload the pictures.....so many steps!! There are so many reasons why I want a itouch, but since I just replaced my nano a few years ago, again, the huge dollar amount for such a desire, as compared to a need, well I just cannot pull out the credit card yet for it. Again, maybe once I get closer to running that half-marathon, or maybe as a prize for finishing it!
My latest purchase was from Wear Blue, and it was a pair of their running tights. I figured for $25 (on sale), and the money going to a non-profit, this was a purchase worth making. It was also cut out the main reason for not running outside on beautiful winter days. Now I have all the clothing pieces (tights, hat and gloves), so what excuse do I have left? Nothing! So while the tights were a good and justifiable purchase, I am having a hard time coming up with a REALLY good reason to purchase a Sparkle Skirt. The reason I want one? Um, because it is just so darn cute!!! I have three that I drool over every time I go to their webpage, but with the cheapest one being $65 and going up to $85, I need to finish some sort of awesome goal to click the BUY button. Here are my top three favorites.
 |
| Betsy Ross |
 |
| Woman of Steel |
 |
| Camo Tech |
My guess is that I will splurge when I get closer to running my first half-marathon, maybe buying one so wear on that momentous occasion. Then the hard choice begins.....which one do I buy?? So many choices!!!! (Another great thing about this company is that their products are made in the USA!)
The second item I really, really, REALLY want it an Apple iPod touch. I know, my husband and I have not officially joined the 21st Century, because we are probably two of the last people on earth who still do not have smart phones. Even worse, we have pre-paid cell phone. {GASP!} And I know the itouch is pretty much an iphone without the phone capabilities, but we are just not really to have a huge monthly cell phone bill. Maybe in a few more years when a promotion comes due.
I run with my 2nd generation ipod, with the Nike+ receiver connected, and the sensor in my shoe. However, yesterday when I tried to go running, everything flaked out on me, again. I tried turning the sensor off and on, but then the ipod would not recognize the receiver. But Joel has the Nike+ system that is a bracelet, so I threw in the towel for running and let that system charge up.(I had really search for the bracelet, since it had fallen off and BEHIND his dresser. See how much use it gets?)
While I have not yet run with the bracelet, and I know I can still run with my working ipod nano, I do like having the Nike+ in the nano. Every now and then I can press the center button and a voice will come on telling me how far I have run and what my current pace it. With the bracelet system, I will have to press a button on it, and try reading it while running. That could prove to be dangerous.
So this saga brings me to my desire to have an iPod touch. I can upgrade my ipod and keep more music on it, and even though it is only a wi-fi product, I can take pictures and post on Facebook in one simple step. No taking pictures with a camera, taking the card out of the camera and uploading them onto the computer, logging into Facebook to upload the pictures.....so many steps!! There are so many reasons why I want a itouch, but since I just replaced my nano a few years ago, again, the huge dollar amount for such a desire, as compared to a need, well I just cannot pull out the credit card yet for it. Again, maybe once I get closer to running that half-marathon, or maybe as a prize for finishing it!
Wednesday, January 23, 2013
Things I love: Weight of the Nation
There are a few things I have come across recently that I thought, "Oh
my gosh, this is so great that I HAVE to share!" So I am starting a new
series called "Things That I Love". And here is the first installment
into this series.
I have been watching a lot of documentaries with my Netflix subscription, and the last one I viewed was called "Weight of the Nation", shown on HBO. Only after I saw it did I find the videos on the Internet, so you can view them as well for free!
I found the entire series very informative, but the best part, the most educational part was part three. America has an obesity problem, and more recently we have a huge problem (no pun intended) with childhood obesity. Adults may be obese, but where does that begin? Do we wake up one day in our 20s and suddenly find ourselves fat and out of shape? Most likely not, the habits we practice in adulthood we probably learned in childhood. One of the teens in the video stated, "you don't crave broccoli, and our generation has grown up craving a Big Mac" Well said. And how exactly do the children get their food and their eating habits? It is from their parents. I heard one parent say one time that she knew she had a eating healthy problem when they drove into the fast food restaurant and the child knew which meal he wanted by the number. "I want a number three meal, Mommy."
My kids drink a lot of juice, and my husband and I do drink soda, so I know we are not perfect. I have started to limit the kid's juice consumption, and for myself I have cut down on the soda, from 1 regular soda a day to one diet soda every 2-3 days. However, whenever my husband takes the kids to the playground he will stop at the local Starbucks and get a Frappuccino. There was a section in Part Three of the series that talks about the amount of sugar in a variety of drinks. The class where these sugar contents are shown is at 45:28 in the video. Here is a breakdown of some of the drinks they talked about:
Amount of sugar in drinks
12 ounces of apple juice has 10 teaspoons of sugar
12 ounces of apple juice has 10 teaspoons of sugar
12 ounces of orange juice has 8 teaspoons of sugar
12 ounces of Coca-Cola has 10 teaspoons of sugar
20 ounces of Sprite and Coca-Cola each have 17 teaspoons of sugar
I have been watching a lot of documentaries with my Netflix subscription, and the last one I viewed was called "Weight of the Nation", shown on HBO. Only after I saw it did I find the videos on the Internet, so you can view them as well for free!
I found the entire series very informative, but the best part, the most educational part was part three. America has an obesity problem, and more recently we have a huge problem (no pun intended) with childhood obesity. Adults may be obese, but where does that begin? Do we wake up one day in our 20s and suddenly find ourselves fat and out of shape? Most likely not, the habits we practice in adulthood we probably learned in childhood. One of the teens in the video stated, "you don't crave broccoli, and our generation has grown up craving a Big Mac" Well said. And how exactly do the children get their food and their eating habits? It is from their parents. I heard one parent say one time that she knew she had a eating healthy problem when they drove into the fast food restaurant and the child knew which meal he wanted by the number. "I want a number three meal, Mommy."
My kids drink a lot of juice, and my husband and I do drink soda, so I know we are not perfect. I have started to limit the kid's juice consumption, and for myself I have cut down on the soda, from 1 regular soda a day to one diet soda every 2-3 days. However, whenever my husband takes the kids to the playground he will stop at the local Starbucks and get a Frappuccino. There was a section in Part Three of the series that talks about the amount of sugar in a variety of drinks. The class where these sugar contents are shown is at 45:28 in the video. Here is a breakdown of some of the drinks they talked about:
Amount of sugar in drinks
12 ounces of apple juice has 10 teaspoons of sugar
12 ounces of apple juice has 10 teaspoons of sugar
12 ounces of orange juice has 8 teaspoons of sugar
12 ounces of Coca-Cola has 10 teaspoons of sugar
20 ounces of Sprite and Coca-Cola each have 17 teaspoons of sugar
Starbucks Frappuccino® has 25 teaspoons of sugar (Note: in the video they did not state the size, but it looked like a large size. It also did not state the flavor. When I tried to look up the sugar content on Starbucks' webpage, sugar content was not listed.)
Yeah, after viewing this, I hope to show it to my husband and hope he decides to cut down on all the sugary drinks he consumes. I feel a little better informed about how to make good changes in my diet. I know that I will look more closely at the food and drinks we consume in this household. Special note: if you are looking at a nutrition label and see sugar listed, divide it by 4 and that is how many teaspoons of sugar are in the item. Good to know, right?
Even if you only have 1 hour of free time, PLEASE watch at least part three of the series. The entire series is awesome, and you will take a lot away from it. But for the future of our children, the facts and information presented will enlighten you and hopefully help all of us become healthier.
Friday, January 18, 2013
A Great Day
Yesterday afternoon, after my craptasitc workout session, I saw a photo on the Facebook page of The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Pants. Here it is for you to enjoy.
This saying really hit home for me. After the workout that I had, I admit it, I was in a horrible mood. Today, I got my sensor in my shoe reset, and that really made my day. It meant that my run was going to fully register, and that I would be able to complete my scheduled workout.YEAH!! And you know what? It went really well. I finished, so I count that as a successful workout. It was the week 3 day 3 workout of C25K, same workout as the last two: 5 minute warm up and then 90 second run/90 second walk/3 minute run/3 minute walk. And I thought to myself, "Why does three minutes seem so long for running? I mean, will it ever stop? Will I ever get to walk again?" And then about 45 seconds into the walking I'm thinking, "Ok, I've recovered. What do you mean I still have 2 minutes of walking? This is so long to walk!! Will I ever get to run again??" HAHA!
The kids have off from school today and on Monday for the MLK holiday, so again my schedule to workout is compressed. I think instead of moving to week 4 I will repeat week 3 instead. I want to have a strong base for running 5 minutes at a stretch, which is what week 4 calls for, and I just don't think I am there yet. But I am not going to let this repeat get me down, I am voluntarily doing it, and I think it will make me a better runner.
This saying really hit home for me. After the workout that I had, I admit it, I was in a horrible mood. Today, I got my sensor in my shoe reset, and that really made my day. It meant that my run was going to fully register, and that I would be able to complete my scheduled workout.YEAH!! And you know what? It went really well. I finished, so I count that as a successful workout. It was the week 3 day 3 workout of C25K, same workout as the last two: 5 minute warm up and then 90 second run/90 second walk/3 minute run/3 minute walk. And I thought to myself, "Why does three minutes seem so long for running? I mean, will it ever stop? Will I ever get to walk again?" And then about 45 seconds into the walking I'm thinking, "Ok, I've recovered. What do you mean I still have 2 minutes of walking? This is so long to walk!! Will I ever get to run again??" HAHA!
The kids have off from school today and on Monday for the MLK holiday, so again my schedule to workout is compressed. I think instead of moving to week 4 I will repeat week 3 instead. I want to have a strong base for running 5 minutes at a stretch, which is what week 4 calls for, and I just don't think I am there yet. But I am not going to let this repeat get me down, I am voluntarily doing it, and I think it will make me a better runner.
Thursday, January 17, 2013
Highs and Lows
Yesterday was a day of highs and lows for me. Mostly highs, but one BIG low.
It started off with the weekly weigh in for the competition the website Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans is doing. It's 8 weeks long, so it seems doable that I should be able to lose the 7 pounds that I wanted to in 8 week. Yeah, that's harder than it sounds. Of course, the chocolate chip cookie dough that I ate the previous week might not help in this way, but it was oh so good! But back to the weigh in. I stepped on the scale...and waited....and the number that flashed up was....148! Say what? I GAINED a pound!! This is so not right. I know my eating habits are not the best, but I still hit the gym a few times, that should count for something right?
So that was my low. And I know from previous weigh loss adventures that taking body measurements are a great way to see if you have lost weight. I read recently that a pound of fat is about the size of a grapefruit, and a pound of muscle is about a size of an orange. So even if you have lost weight, and gained muscle, you will still be the same weight but also smaller. At the start of 2013 I took my measurements of my bust, waist and hips. Here is how things are two weeks into the new year:
1/1/2013 1/15/2013
Bust: 37" 38"
Waist: 36 1/4" 34"
Hips: 39 1/8" 39"
Holy cow! I'll be happy to take those measurements! An inch gain in the bust most girls would not like, but hey, I'll take it. And TWO INCH loss in my waist? This called for a skinny girl celebration!
At that moment, I was wearing my Old Navy jeans. I love their jeans, and I purchased three new pairs of them in size 8 with my birthday money in October. But in December I found a pair of jeans at the PX for $15, and purchased them in a size 6. Motivation pants, that's what I called them. So last night after seeing this 2" loss in my waist, I pulled these suckers out, and they fit...loosly! How exciting, even if I am not losing weigh my body is changing in a positive way, and I like that.
But then I had another low. :( My Nike+ started flaking out on me. I went to the gym to do Week 3, Day 2 of the C25K program, but all of the treadmills were full. NOOOO!!!!! So I decided that my 5 minute warm up would be 15 minutes (or about 1 mile) on the elliptical machine. That would not be too bad, so I picked a machine and started. However, most of the lights on the machine were not working, so I am not real sure how long I was on there. I think it was around 15 minutes, or about 1.25 miles. That's my guess. After that, when three out of four of the treadmills were open, I jumped on one and started a modified version of my workout: 2 minute warm up (instead of five), and the same workout as Monday with 90 running/90 seconds walking/3 minutes running/3 minutes walking repeating twice. But a few minutes into my workout a voice came on my headphones and said "Activity stopped. Press the center button to restart". Hmmm, ok, I did that. And this happened several times. Alright, not a big deal. Until about 1 mile into my run I looked down on my ipod and noticed that only a quarter mile had been registered!! WTH?! I probably did the worst thing anyone could do---I quit my workout. After the whole light thing on the ellipitcal machine, and now this, well, I just gave up.
My attitude is better today. I know that things happen, and I spoke with Nike Running to see what to do. I'll try restarting my sensor in my shoes, and go from there. But if I have to get a new ipod, this might be just the excuse I need to get that itouch I have been drooling over for several years.
It started off with the weekly weigh in for the competition the website Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans is doing. It's 8 weeks long, so it seems doable that I should be able to lose the 7 pounds that I wanted to in 8 week. Yeah, that's harder than it sounds. Of course, the chocolate chip cookie dough that I ate the previous week might not help in this way, but it was oh so good! But back to the weigh in. I stepped on the scale...and waited....and the number that flashed up was....148! Say what? I GAINED a pound!! This is so not right. I know my eating habits are not the best, but I still hit the gym a few times, that should count for something right?
So that was my low. And I know from previous weigh loss adventures that taking body measurements are a great way to see if you have lost weight. I read recently that a pound of fat is about the size of a grapefruit, and a pound of muscle is about a size of an orange. So even if you have lost weight, and gained muscle, you will still be the same weight but also smaller. At the start of 2013 I took my measurements of my bust, waist and hips. Here is how things are two weeks into the new year:
1/1/2013 1/15/2013
Bust: 37" 38"
Waist: 36 1/4" 34"
Hips: 39 1/8" 39"
Holy cow! I'll be happy to take those measurements! An inch gain in the bust most girls would not like, but hey, I'll take it. And TWO INCH loss in my waist? This called for a skinny girl celebration!
At that moment, I was wearing my Old Navy jeans. I love their jeans, and I purchased three new pairs of them in size 8 with my birthday money in October. But in December I found a pair of jeans at the PX for $15, and purchased them in a size 6. Motivation pants, that's what I called them. So last night after seeing this 2" loss in my waist, I pulled these suckers out, and they fit...loosly! How exciting, even if I am not losing weigh my body is changing in a positive way, and I like that.
But then I had another low. :( My Nike+ started flaking out on me. I went to the gym to do Week 3, Day 2 of the C25K program, but all of the treadmills were full. NOOOO!!!!! So I decided that my 5 minute warm up would be 15 minutes (or about 1 mile) on the elliptical machine. That would not be too bad, so I picked a machine and started. However, most of the lights on the machine were not working, so I am not real sure how long I was on there. I think it was around 15 minutes, or about 1.25 miles. That's my guess. After that, when three out of four of the treadmills were open, I jumped on one and started a modified version of my workout: 2 minute warm up (instead of five), and the same workout as Monday with 90 running/90 seconds walking/3 minutes running/3 minutes walking repeating twice. But a few minutes into my workout a voice came on my headphones and said "Activity stopped. Press the center button to restart". Hmmm, ok, I did that. And this happened several times. Alright, not a big deal. Until about 1 mile into my run I looked down on my ipod and noticed that only a quarter mile had been registered!! WTH?! I probably did the worst thing anyone could do---I quit my workout. After the whole light thing on the ellipitcal machine, and now this, well, I just gave up.
My attitude is better today. I know that things happen, and I spoke with Nike Running to see what to do. I'll try restarting my sensor in my shoes, and go from there. But if I have to get a new ipod, this might be just the excuse I need to get that itouch I have been drooling over for several years.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Week Three
So, it is back to normal, kind of. In our household, there may be no "normal", as the school week this week is only four days, which is really go to throw off my workout schedule. But I can at least try to keep things on track to begin with, right?
After getting everyone where they needed to be, I headed to the gym and the dreadmill. While Friday's temperature was awesome, close to 70-degrees that day, today was the total opposite. The car thermometer read 28-degrees. At noon. Yeah, no running outside for me.
I looked up the Couch to 5k plan online, and read what it was for week 3 day 1. It started out with a 5 minute walking warm up, followed by 90 second run/90 second/3 minute run (say what?!)/3 minute walk, repeating this two times. For a total of 23 minutes of running and walking.
The beginning, as always, was super easy. I mean, how could walking be hard, right? So off I went at a 15:00 mile on the treadmill, but my Nike+ says I was walking at about 20 seconds faster. And then the running started. Ninety seconds of running is not too bad, because last week I would run for 2 minutes at a time. So this was a piece of cake! It's when I started on teh 3 minutes of running at a stretch that I thought "I am going to die!". Not really, but I could tell this was something new. I saw a sign the other day that really summed up the experience of running/exercising.
I ran, then walked, then ran again, then walked some more. And guess what? I survived!!! It was not so bad, and I even had energy to hop on the elliptical machine for an additional 15 minutes of cardio!
Here are the stats from my run:
1.7 miles
22:59 total time
12:50 per mile
198 total calories burned
The kids are off from school on Friday, so that means a M-W-Th run. Here's hoping on improvement over the week.
After getting everyone where they needed to be, I headed to the gym and the dreadmill. While Friday's temperature was awesome, close to 70-degrees that day, today was the total opposite. The car thermometer read 28-degrees. At noon. Yeah, no running outside for me.
I looked up the Couch to 5k plan online, and read what it was for week 3 day 1. It started out with a 5 minute walking warm up, followed by 90 second run/90 second/3 minute run (say what?!)/3 minute walk, repeating this two times. For a total of 23 minutes of running and walking.
The beginning, as always, was super easy. I mean, how could walking be hard, right? So off I went at a 15:00 mile on the treadmill, but my Nike+ says I was walking at about 20 seconds faster. And then the running started. Ninety seconds of running is not too bad, because last week I would run for 2 minutes at a time. So this was a piece of cake! It's when I started on teh 3 minutes of running at a stretch that I thought "I am going to die!". Not really, but I could tell this was something new. I saw a sign the other day that really summed up the experience of running/exercising.
I ran, then walked, then ran again, then walked some more. And guess what? I survived!!! It was not so bad, and I even had energy to hop on the elliptical machine for an additional 15 minutes of cardio!
Here are the stats from my run:
1.7 miles
22:59 total time
12:50 per mile
198 total calories burned
The kids are off from school on Friday, so that means a M-W-Th run. Here's hoping on improvement over the week.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Life
Man, I was doing so well!!! I was going to the gym, I was eating right, I was making dinner and not snacking all day. And then BAM!! Life just got in the way.
This past week has been a week of changes, both good and bad. The kids went back to school (YEAH!), but Joel started extensive training, leaving me as a "single" parent (BOO!). And when I finally did get to the gym on Wednesday, I kid you not, I was at minute 3 on the treadmill when my phone rang. "This is the school nurse, your youngest one just threw up, and we need you to come and get him." Sigh....seriously?
So today, I still have work that needs to be done for one of the organizations that I volunteer with, but how could I pass up the opportunity to run? It is almost 70-degrees here in Kentucky today. In January!!! So I laced up my shoes, found my ipod and my phone (in case Mr. Puker decided to make another return visit). and away I went. WHEEEE!!! Success for the day for completeing this task.
The kids have a four day week next week, so we'll see how the running and exercising go then. Here's hoping for a better week, and finally finding my grove as we get back to our regularly scheduled program called "Life".
This past week has been a week of changes, both good and bad. The kids went back to school (YEAH!), but Joel started extensive training, leaving me as a "single" parent (BOO!). And when I finally did get to the gym on Wednesday, I kid you not, I was at minute 3 on the treadmill when my phone rang. "This is the school nurse, your youngest one just threw up, and we need you to come and get him." Sigh....seriously?
So today, I still have work that needs to be done for one of the organizations that I volunteer with, but how could I pass up the opportunity to run? It is almost 70-degrees here in Kentucky today. In January!!! So I laced up my shoes, found my ipod and my phone (in case Mr. Puker decided to make another return visit). and away I went. WHEEEE!!! Success for the day for completeing this task.
The kids have a four day week next week, so we'll see how the running and exercising go then. Here's hoping for a better week, and finally finding my grove as we get back to our regularly scheduled program called "Life".
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Week 1 of C25K
In the Army, life is all about acronyms. Heck, we joke there are acronyms for acronyms!! So writing the above acronym is easy for me, but do YOU know what it means?? C25K stands for Couch to 5k, the running program that I am starting, again, to get back into running. Just like a baby has to learn to crawl before they can walk, runners need to start off the program slow, walking before running. The entire plan can be found here but here is what I have learned over this past week.
Running. Is. Hard. Like REALLY hard. I'm not sure if it helps that my husband is a runner, and I would love to go running with him one day. But he ran in high school, and in college, and can run at a 7:30-8:00 mile. My current average is around a 12:13 mile, but that is also with walking for the first 5 minutes of the 20 minute work. It's actually not a bad time, my walking time average is around 14:13, and when I get to running I can get up to as fast as a 10:40 pace. So the average of my 12:13 per mile run is slowed down by the five minute warm up.
I know that warming up is important and I cannot let that slow me down or discourage me from keeping with this program as I view my overall times. I hope to one day get to the point where I can do a few jumping jacks and maybe some knee highs in the house before going out and hitting the pavement, and pressing "Start" on the ipod and Nike+ that keeps my running log. Here's hoping for a 10:30 average by the time this C25K program is finished, and maybe a run with that Roadrunner (aka-my husband).
Running. Is. Hard. Like REALLY hard. I'm not sure if it helps that my husband is a runner, and I would love to go running with him one day. But he ran in high school, and in college, and can run at a 7:30-8:00 mile. My current average is around a 12:13 mile, but that is also with walking for the first 5 minutes of the 20 minute work. It's actually not a bad time, my walking time average is around 14:13, and when I get to running I can get up to as fast as a 10:40 pace. So the average of my 12:13 per mile run is slowed down by the five minute warm up.
I know that warming up is important and I cannot let that slow me down or discourage me from keeping with this program as I view my overall times. I hope to one day get to the point where I can do a few jumping jacks and maybe some knee highs in the house before going out and hitting the pavement, and pressing "Start" on the ipod and Nike+ that keeps my running log. Here's hoping for a 10:30 average by the time this C25K program is finished, and maybe a run with that Roadrunner (aka-my husband).
Saturday, January 5, 2013
What I Have Learned: What I Can Stomach
Since listening to the cues that my stomach gives me, I have actually learned a lot about what I can and cannot eat. I am not sure if this is me getting order and my body cannot handle foods the same way it did when I was 16, or am I just getting wiser about how I can. I'll go with the second option on this one.
Anyway, here are a few things that my 34 year old body can no longer handle. First off, grease. I cannot stomach (no pun intended) this horrible, nasty stuff the way I previous could. Here is my example for you: on the way home from Christmas vacation, Joel and I drove through McDonald's for a breakfast value combo. I picked up the Egg McMuffin Value combo, since that was the combo with the fewest calories. Coffee: O zeroes; McMuffin: 300 calories; Hashbrown: 150 calories. Not too bad. As we drove along, I drank my coffee while eating the McMuffin, and then picked up the hashbrown. I was kind of full, so I decided to take this with small bites. YUCK! EW! GROSS!!! It tasted like pure grease and fat. So I wrapped it up to throw away when we got home. Yeah me for recognizing how horrible it tasted and stopped eat then!
Another thing I have found my stomach and taste buds are having a hard time handling is sugar. I am sure that I eat too much of it, but I don't necessarily add it to my diet. I try to sweeten things with Sweet N Low instead, or if I need that sugar taste I go for the Splenda. But recently I made a cookie and brownie mix thing and nearly had to spit the thing out of my mouth, it was horrible! My husband said it tasted ok, but again I just could not eat it. I guess that is a good thing, no more brownies in the house, so that will help me lose weight. But how sad...no more brownies? :(. Let's all have a moment of silence.
So on this journey, I am finding out that what you can eat is not only a mental thing, but sometimes also a physical one as well.
Anyway, here are a few things that my 34 year old body can no longer handle. First off, grease. I cannot stomach (no pun intended) this horrible, nasty stuff the way I previous could. Here is my example for you: on the way home from Christmas vacation, Joel and I drove through McDonald's for a breakfast value combo. I picked up the Egg McMuffin Value combo, since that was the combo with the fewest calories. Coffee: O zeroes; McMuffin: 300 calories; Hashbrown: 150 calories. Not too bad. As we drove along, I drank my coffee while eating the McMuffin, and then picked up the hashbrown. I was kind of full, so I decided to take this with small bites. YUCK! EW! GROSS!!! It tasted like pure grease and fat. So I wrapped it up to throw away when we got home. Yeah me for recognizing how horrible it tasted and stopped eat then!
Another thing I have found my stomach and taste buds are having a hard time handling is sugar. I am sure that I eat too much of it, but I don't necessarily add it to my diet. I try to sweeten things with Sweet N Low instead, or if I need that sugar taste I go for the Splenda. But recently I made a cookie and brownie mix thing and nearly had to spit the thing out of my mouth, it was horrible! My husband said it tasted ok, but again I just could not eat it. I guess that is a good thing, no more brownies in the house, so that will help me lose weight. But how sad...no more brownies? :(. Let's all have a moment of silence.
So on this journey, I am finding out that what you can eat is not only a mental thing, but sometimes also a physical one as well.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
New year, this is how it begins
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
So, here are the cold, hard, ugly facts of where I stand in my new journey to health:
Yep, that number is right. :( 147 pounds. Not my heaviest, but not my lightest either. When I got pregnant with Miles (who turns 7 in 17 days), I was at 127. I was eating healthy, and going to the gym five days a week. I know that second part is a distant memory, at least until both kids are in school later this year, but still 20 pounds is a big difference! That is the size of an average 1 year old!
So, now that the picture of the scale is out there for the world to see, here are some other stats. Because, why not? You already know how much I weight.
Measurements:
Bust: 37"
Waist:36 1/4"
Hips: 39 1/8"
Wow, that is an even uglier picture than what I orignally thought. Ready for some more ugly?
See, bad bad bad. This is what carbs and no workouts do to you! So here is hoping over the next 364 days I can make improvements to my lifestyle and health. And hopefully posting a picture on December 31st of me in a bikini!
So, here are the cold, hard, ugly facts of where I stand in my new journey to health:
So, now that the picture of the scale is out there for the world to see, here are some other stats. Because, why not? You already know how much I weight.
Measurements:
Bust: 37"
Waist:36 1/4"
Hips: 39 1/8"
Wow, that is an even uglier picture than what I orignally thought. Ready for some more ugly?
 |
| Front view |
 |
| Side view |
See, bad bad bad. This is what carbs and no workouts do to you! So here is hoping over the next 364 days I can make improvements to my lifestyle and health. And hopefully posting a picture on December 31st of me in a bikini!
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