It's a nice hobby…..

DH has had to get in a couple extra bike rides in this weekend. Making me very lonely, and when I am lonely I call my Mom. So she hears from me when ever DH is away on a ride.  So unfortunately my Mom feels he must always be out away from home because he always is when ever I call here.  My MIL & my Mom have both commented on DH and his hobbies. Now granted he has allot ;-)  When he started bike riding his Mom said to him "You and your hobbies. You always have to have all the accessories to go with them." Then looking at me and telling me how he's been this way since he was little. Everything he does he has to have all the gadgets and stuff to go with it. This is a very true statement.  When I was talking to my Mom yesterday, I was justifying how DH has the STP coming up and he works next weekend so he has to get some miles on the saddle.  Then I started thinking how people always, including me, treat DH bike riding as a hobby. I hear hobby and I have almost a negative reaction to the word. Not that I think hobbies are bad but I feel if something is a hobby your not serious about it and you could really take it or leave it.  I then asked my self if I consider running a hobby?  I really don't because it is about my health. I need to be serious about it, I need to not take it or leave it, I need this to get healthy.  So why would I consider DH bike riding a hobby, maybe because he enjoys it so much, lol!  But I think in time I will enjoy running. Before my back injury it was a habit and the first week of being told I can't run for two weeks was really hard to not get on that treadmill.  It's not a hobby it is a healthy life style.

Comfort Food

One of the hardest things I think for  people who are trying to lose weight to do is to stop feeding their emotions.  We eat when we are happy & celebrating. We eat because some guy broke up w/ us or because a friend stabbed us in the back.  We eat because we're frustrated with dieting, depressed or because we have low self esteem.  We are all under a delusion that this is ok because everyone does it.   Even food network has shows about peoples favorite comfort foods.  Everyone is very accepting of it and the fact that people soothe pain with food. Announce you've had a bad day people respond with you need a drink, have some chocolate you'll feel better.

To comfort means "to ease grief or distressed or two improve the mood of or restore a sense of well being".   I have been a comfort eater for most of my life.  When I was younger it was always for celebration or because you were happy.  But as you get older life starts to change. When your heart gets broke your friends come over w/ ice cream to cheer you up. Then you pull an all nighter for studying or a project and you find if you have snacks they help you stay awake. I believe this could possibly be where most people start getting the mindless boredom eating.  But if we are all honest with our selves we know that comfort eating is like putting a band-aid on something that needs stitches.  Yeah, it makes you feel better in the moment because you temporarily forget about the real problem but the wound only festers.  This is why on all weight loss shows you see the trainers get into peoples heads. You need to treat what is really causing you to turn back to the food that really isn't a comforting you it is keeping you uncomfortable. The food your putting in your mouth to numb you of what ever is bothering you is not fixing anything.  Some people have horrible things that happen to them that made them turn to food and I am fortunate enough that I don't have any of those reasons. Mine is all to do with my self esteem and depression I've fought for years.

For those of us who don't have our eating under control or that need to lose weight, comfort food is just part of the viscous cycle that keeps us where we are or slowly over the years moves the number on the scale higher.  We eat for that temporary endorphin high.  I've read that when it comes to comfort eating most of us can't change the triggers. We can't always remove the reasons in our lives that can cause us to turn to the food. So because we can't remove the triggers that make us crave that high. We need to change the action that gets used to the endorphin high.  For example:  I had a horrible day at work, someone asked if I was pregnant(nope just fat), you get the picture, anything that triggers that need for the high. Instead of reaching for a snickers, tell your self you must first go for a 10 min walk or listen to 3 songs you know always boost your spirits.  Both of these increase endorphins. So in the end you then feel the same as you would have if you ate the Snickers but w/o the calories.  This is the easiest way to retrain our brains because they are still getting the same results w/ the same triggers but the action we are using to get there is different. 

My weigh in yesterday was a 2 lb gain. I expected a gain from lack of tracking and then I also went to the eye dr and they take your blood pressure and it was a little higher than I am used to and this seems to be the trend as of late.  When I go to the walk in for something I've been thinking oh it's just cause I have white coat syndrome but then they had me sign forms that I haven't been diagnosed w/ pre diabetes or diabetes. I told them officially no, but at my last physical, about 3 years ago I think, I had just found out my Dad has type 2 diabetes and they wanted to have me get a blood test for pre diabetes.  Out of fear of the results I have yet to have this test.  I am sure it will show I am pre diabetic because apparently EVERYONE on my Dad's side has type 2.  So after my eye apt I googled normal blood pressure to find out my numbers are in the Prehypertension range, they say it is still fine but.  Making me both potentially Pre Diabetic and Prehypertension.  I am scared by both of these facts and that even though I am still considered healthy because these are not actual issues yet just the "pre" stages meaning it is possible I could develop the real problems. Do you wait for these to become problems or do you act.  If you see your child playing with scissors do you think we'll wait and see if they cut them selves or do you get up and take the scissors from them? These health problems are so common and accepted and we treat with medication instead of the real way to fix it. Both of these health problems are easily fixed with diet and exercise. And yet what do you think the first instinctive thing I wanted to do after soaking this all in today????? Thats right I wanted to be comforted by food.  This is an instinct I will conquer! 

Is it special?

The nutritionist I contacted has a blog w/ great tips.  Here is the link Redeeming Nutrition. Her last blog asked Is't is special?  Here is here insert and I thought it was a great thing to ask your self before you justified that snack or treat.

"Seems simple because it is.   We are faced with endless opportunities to eat – all. day. long.  If we are working towards a goal either for our health or for a fitness level we need to eat according to a plan. There will be times that we want to eat away from our plan is THAT is when we ask the question – is it special?

What do I mean by this?  I mean – is the food or situation special?  Let me give you some examples.

Costco sheet cake – not special

Your grandmother’s homemade cake baked to celebrate your Dad’s 60th bday – SPECIAL

Snickers candy bar – not special

Imported candy bar that can not be found in the US – SPECIAL

Piece of candy from coworkers candy jar – not special

Piece of candy from your pillow while on vacation celebrating your 50th anniversary – SPECIAL

Cookie from Panera – not special

Cookie while visiting your grandma out of state - special

What makes something special?

1) you can not find it at a gas station checkout 

2) you can not get it tomorrow - anywhere

3) it is homemade – from scratch (box mixes don’t count)

4) it signifies some major life event for you personally (your friends kid 3rd b-day doesn’t count for you)"

Time to push a little harder..

Tomorrow I am going to weigh in & I am expecting a gain after not tracking for a week or so. I've considered seeing a nutritionist in the past at the suggestion of DH. So I contacted one and her wellness package is $360. DH says it isn't that much in the grand scheme of things and amounts of money I've spent on diet stuff that didn't work before. Yet, I told him if I go and they say ok you need to eat, whole grains, lean proteins & fruits and veggies, that is yet another waste of money. I know this, and why should I pay someone else to tell me this. Now they say they would give me a custom food map for my nutrition goals but I am sure it involves the food I've listed. So I feel I should try to do this for my self first.  Also I've been toying w/ an idea for the last few months, and honestly I've looked into it a couple times in years past. I've been thinking about become a certified personal trainer. I talked if over w/ DH and he thinks if I want to I should go for it. At this point I can't imagine anyone using me as a trainer but I would find the information very interesting.  I want to learn how to make work outs and how my muscles work. There is a 3 hour test at the end you have to take and pass to get your certification. Can I see it as my future career??? Not yet…. But the money I would put towards a nutritionist could go towards my certification instead.

SO! I have a new plan.  Tomorrow I will go weigh in and then start the Weight Watchers Simply filling plan. This plan is to eat lean proteins, whole grains, fruits & veggies and use your 49 weekly points towards other things like butter, cheese, snacks. DH is on board and is going to eat what ever I need to eat. He has been talking about wanting to lose a few pound before the STP in just a couple weeks. More he loses the less he has to peddle to Portland, he says.  I am going to make a two week meal plan and repeat it. I also have my chiropractor apt and my back is feeling better so I am hoping he will tell me I am good to run again tomorrow. So back to my C25K are slightly altered to get back into the swing of it. Then after the next month if I am doing well on the simply filling then I will not get the nutritionist apt and seriously consider starting the process to get my trainer certification.

My goals for the next 4 weeks.

-Stick to the simply filling plan and track every nibble
-Get back to my running!!!
-Start cross training on non running days
-Make it through Vacation w/o binging
-Take my vitamins & supplements daily
-Do my Mud to Chocolate 5K in under 45 mins
-the one I am dreading the most…… Stop drinking pop

It's time to focus. I feel stronger, I feel more capable, I am putting my mind to this and I will accomplish these things in the next 4 weeks. I am ready to start feeling healthy. Even with all my running. I felt in better shape but I still feel like I am keeping my body from going the next step but still choosing to eat crap w/ my weekly points. It was always like woohoo it's weigh in day time to eat fried food. That stops this week. My morning trip to Starbucks for breakfast 2 days a week stops now. Now is the time to push a little harder.

5….10…..15!!!!!!!

So I haven't been able to run since my last 5K and yet today I have planned out even more races & challenges for myself. My BFF & I joke around about how we must have some kind of disease now cause we are constantly looking up fun runs. And of course w/ Facebook knowing your search history they are now always recommending runs to me.  Something I think I left out of my Beach to Chowder post was while we were registering for the Beach to Chowder we almost decided to go for the 10K. Now in hindsight I am so glad we didn't because it was in sand.  We have picked out or first 10K & 15K! *GULP*  We want to do the Biggest loser 5K in Oct but we also were wishing it was a 10K feeling like we are going to be ready for a 10K by then.  So I found a very flat 10K in the end of Oct! I am excited that for our first it is going to be so flat. It might be raining but oh well.

Then I kept googling. I found the Hot Chocolate 5K and I wanted to do that this last March but I was out of town. Well they have a 5K or 15K so our plan is to do the 15K next March. It requires a 15 min mile which is a min faster than the half marathon we are planning on in May. So I feel that if I can do the 9.3 in March at a pace of at least 15 mins miles then I should be good to go the Half Marathon in May. I feel it is good progression to help me feel confident as we are going. Right now after a week of no running at all it all feels a little intimidating. Yet I also feel it is doable and that is empowering.

The most AMAZING pyramid scheme EVER!!

"Every half-marathon influences more than 20 people to either train for a half-marathon or add fitness to their lifestyle."  I have started reading the "Half-Marathon: A Complete Guide for Women" by Jeff Galloway.  This quote is taken right out of the first chapter and it made me think WOW!! I was finding it strange that people have told me that I've motivated them to start running, getting active or signed up for their first 5K's, I thought really because of me?  This books says that the minimum amount of people that will be motivated to train or get more active, is 20!!! O_O  So this tells me there are still more people out there to inspire!  How exciting is that?  That means for each of you that become active or start training have the same potential to motivate another 20 people!!!! That means if the minimum 20 motivate 20 more that alone is 400 lives changed!! SHUT THE  FRONT DOOR!!!   But according to this it doesn't stop it just keeps on. That is like the most amazing pyramid scheme EVER!!!  No promise of riches at the top but your health and promoting good health in others.

We all know that we live in a society that is raising our children to be obese. This books also states that "The role model effect of this surge in women in half marathons is exciting. Research shows that exercising mothers tend to have exercising kids. I've now heard thousands of stories from kids or adults who began their own fitness journey because they had a mom who finished. Half-marathon"  To think that, while I am changing my health I am also motivating others and instilling these good habits in my children, is thrilling!! If you can't get excited about helping others improve there lives and health, I think there is something wrong with you. Lol!! To have that kind of ripple effect would be amazing. These thoughts have been getting me through my down couple days I've been having coming off of my 5k high from this weekend. I've gotten a nasty cold, hurt my back and feeling very frustrated that I can't really run and haven't been tracking my points. I must have it pretty bad if I am missing my treadmill time. LOL!!

The whole thing comes down to, if you get going someone else will too.  You don't have to go fast just go.

Well CRAP!!!

So this morning was the first day of no school for the summer!!!!  So I got to sleep in a bit and today is Weigh in Day. My scale shows I am up about .4 from last week but I've been over eating since my 5K so that isn't a surprise. I got to Weight Watchers and they were closed for lunch. :-/ So no official weigh in for me this morning. This marks the two months I promised I would give Weight Watchers and if it was working I would continue and if it wasn't I would stop and try something else.  Now there was only one week where I stuck to the plan and had a .4 gain. The rest of this time I've had a loss on the weeks I stuck to my points. The weeks I was over a little or didn't track everything I had a gain. SO Does it work? Yes it does. So I am going to pay for another month and keep on going and see what I can do in the next month.

The other week I got a day off from work and we kept our oldest out of school and went and played at the trampoline place.  All was going great. I was jumping super high getting a good work out in while having a blast as a family.  Well my Mom tried to take my pic and she said I turned and I also stopped jumping and tried to absorb all the bounce in my legs. So after that my back was killing me. I couldn't jump any more.  I thought I must have pulled a muscle. Well It has hurt when I job because it is kind of bouncing around still when I bounce it hurts. Well it's been just over 2 weeks and today for a Schools Out treat we brought the boys back to the trampoline place. One jump and it was hard to breath.  My back got all tense and hurt instantly.  I thought Well CRAP!  What did I do and should I be putting my work outs on hold until this stops hurting?  I foresee a trip to my chiropractor in my very near future to see if maybe I am just out of alinement and that is causing my muscles not to be able to heal. Working thru injury is a normal thing, when your my age. Gosh I can't believe I am the age where trying to start getting active can cause some injuries. I'll keep y'all posted about what the Chiropractor says, and when I can get running again.

Beach to Chowder 5K

The Beach to Chowder 5K was yesterday and it was really great!  As you read this you may think that isn't sounding so great but you'll get at then end what was so great about it.  Our time was around 45 mins total which was faster than my color run time. And my BFF said we were mainly walking the color run and we were mainly running this one. The things that slowed us down were a calf cramp in the first mile for me and then the dry sand really slowed us down.  

Anyways, let me start at the beginning….

We got all checked and and were waiting to start.  My BFF stated that I didn't seem as nervous as I was before the color run. I confessed that I was a little ill that morning w/ nerves but I feel more prepared this time around. 9:15 came and we were off!!! my BFF has a garmin vivofit that tells you your average speed per mile you are running or riding etc and it keeps track of your distance and steps. So she looks down and tells me were at a 11 min mile pace right now. That statement instantly makes me think slow down!!!  I say so that is why I feel purple and we laugh.  As soon as we hit the dry sand all running stopped I had to walk through that, however it was only about 50 yards of dry sand to get through.

Reaching the compact hard sand was a relief but still much more difficult than pavement or my treadmill. we are maybe about 1/2 way thru the first mile and I get a cramp in my calf and my arches are hurting, this sand is kicking my butt.  I knew I was expelling more energy than normal while running because I got to the point were I had to stop because I thought I was going to throw up, I was starting to make the hurling noises and my BFF yells NOT IN THE PATH GO TO THE WATER!! LOL! I kept my breakfast down and kept going.  I thought we'd never make it to the 1/2 way point.  

We finally reached the mid point and turned around. BFF said she has this 11 min motivational remix for running and she wants us to do a mile in 11 mins. I don't answer here, I think she is nuts.  I am thinking I've already almost thrown up and I feel purple, so I don't answer her. I starting thinking & I know I can run for 25 mins on my treadmill and this is 11. I tell myself just to keep your feet moving for the 11 mins. If I don't make the mile Oh well but at least I will have been moving and maybe I'll surprise myself and make it.  She started the music and checks her vivofit for milage and we were off. I focused on my breathing and my feet. Looking never more than just a few feet in front of me. During these 11 mins BFF asked me couple times if I was breathing to which I just shook my head, talking and breathing is still not an option while I run. I guess I was turning pretty purple, the swedish in me will turn my face bright red in 2.3 seconds for any reason so putting a serious effort into something takes it to a whole new shade of red, nearing what I call purple.  So we pass the mile 2 marker and she is a great cheer leader, she can talk and breath while running, telling me we're doing so great she isn't even going to tell me our speed cause she doesn't want to freak me out. ;-) Anyways, when we hit the mile she is like arms up in the air freaking out saying we did it and the music isn't even over yet. I manage to tell her to keep her mouth shut. I told her don't tell me the time until after we finish because if I know I will want to stop and I will want to throw up. I wanted to keep running until the song ended and I did.  Again so much of this sport is getting out of your own head.  This isn't a sport where you can focus on your opponent. When I played volley ball my focus was the ball and how the other team played. Finding the weak spots to put our plays into and figuring out where to make sure my serve hit because they had a hole they couldn't fill. Running is a sport where your have to focus on you. Your opponent is the cramp in your calf, your brain telling you to stay in your comfort zone, or it telling you, you can run a mile in 11 mins. Running is just you, you are your opponent, team member, capitain & MVP.  You have to not listen to the voice telling you, your not able and listen to the still small voice that says you can keep moving those legs.   

WE FINISHED!!!!!!

After we crossed the finish line I said OK tell me, how fast did we do that mile. She made me guess, keeping in mind how much time we had left on the music after she told me we reached it my guess was 9:50 and I was wrong it was 9min 40sec!! HOLY CRAP WHAT!!!!!!!!   HECK YES I AM AWESOME!!! LOL!! I still go through the whole thought process of something surely must have been malfunctioning, there is no way I could have managed an under 10 min mile.  But I have to then again get out of my head and remind myself that the numbers don't lie. Our first mile was hard, we rocked the second and the third was slower after pushing ourselves for that 2nd one but that is no reason not to OWN that 9:40 mile! We met up w/ our families and BFF made my DH guess how fast I did a mile. DH knowing my previous fastest time on National Running Day so he guesses 12 mins. She says NO WAY FASTER, he then jumps his guess to 10 mins and she says nope faster than that. So we tell them and he is very proud and texted his buddy right away to brag. So all in all and amazing 5K, we finished and I have a new fastest mile to claim. 

Weight in, making the inches count.

Well today was weigh in day and although WW has me down 1.4 lbs when I was up 1.6 last week I am now still playing catch up.  I was up about a pound from my earlier post this week when I was super excited to see the scale finally move. Then this morning I get up and am frustrated that the scale has moved back.  Especially after all that sweating I did yesterday.  I feel on the verge of a break through, like one day soon my body is going to drop like 5 lbs but for now I am on my slow path.   I am burning much more calories than I am consuming but it is almost that time of the month and I am bloated, I know because my ring is to tight today.  Anyways, so in the midst of my frustration with my weigh loss only averaging 1.1 pounds a week.  I remembered my DH commenting on how he can feel that I've lost weight when he hugs me and when he is checking out my butt in my work out pants he says it is firmer and lifted. So I think to my self there has to be more to this than just slow weight loss. There has to be a difference. After all 3 lbs of muscle takes up less space than 3 lbs of fat.

I decided to take my measurements again. Here are my original measurements posted (HERE).  And I am down 7.25 inches.  Now losing and inch a week to me is way more exciting that a stupid pound a week. Here are my measurements as they stand today. Again all these taken at the larges part of these body sections. Waist is not at the true waist line but my belly button.
R Bicep     14 (down .25)
L Bicep     14 (down .50)
Chest        46  (down 1 inch)
Tummy    48.25 (down 1.75 inches)
Hips         47  (down 1.5)
R Thigh   24.75 (down .25)
L Thigh   24 (down .75)
R Calf     14.5 (down .75)
L Calf     14.75 (down .5)

Total Loss 7.25 inches

Now this is such a great example of why it is important to take your measurements at the beginning.  So when the scale isn't moving and yet you are working towards your goal daily you can see the change is happening and for me it is the proof that I needed to say HECK YES! Lets keep this going!!

C25K Week 6 Day 3…you want me to WHAT?

What a fun day we had today.  I was able to get the day off which was unexpected told Dh and he decided that we'd keep our oldest out of school and have a fun family day. So that morning we told him that we were going to have fun and we went to Elevated Sports.  It has trampolines everywhere and a huge play space.  We jumped and jumped and jumped. It was a blast! I am already sore and might have hurt my back but it's all good. We will defiantly be going back there again soon. DH & I were sweating w/in line 10 mins of jumping around and these things would get you jumping pretty high.  Our oldest wanted to know when were were coming back and if we could come back tomorrow. :-)  We then went out for lunch and decided we need to go swimming. We went and checked out the new aqauic center about 15 mins from our house w/ water slides, lazy river and hot tub. We had tons of fun there too.

We get home around dinner time from all our adventures and DH decides to go for a short bike ride, STP is only 4 weeks away, so I tell him I should be running it is a C25K day.  So he heads out I get my running clothes and shoes one and yet again sit my boys down to tell them to please get along and behave while I am running. I always try to prevent as many interruptions as possible, Make sure electronics are readily available and snacks are already gotten or prepped for them to grab while I am running. Now Week 6 day 3 was ok so you do your 5 min warm up walk and the jog/run for 25 mins.  I told myself that this wasn't possible, I couldn't run for that long.  After all my jumping and running around the pool I thought not only did running for 25 mins with out that sound impossible but I thought there is no way in you know where my legs are even going to make 20 mins. So I thought I'll push for 15 mins. That will be the longest I've run nonstop and I am sure that is all I have in me.  So I did my warm up walk and started running. DH got home and he asked how I was doing and I told him well I'm not going to do the 25 mins but I'll try to go until my legs are done. Set my treadmill at 4.1 and started jogging/running.  It too me a while during this process to be ok w/ the fact that running doesn't mean sprinting.  For the longest time I thought If I am not running as fast as I can it's not running. I've come to grips with the fact that I am running at a steady pace and there is nothing wrong with the that. I want to be faster but this is what I can do at this point and it is a heck of allot faster than I could do 6 weeks ago.  10 mins of running came and I was practically in a panic thinking I need to stop. Not because my legs hurt but because I was letting my head get to me.  So I said no I have to do at least 15. I found as I watched the clock and saw it hit 14 mins of running I started to struggle again thinking oh my I need to stop, 15 mins is good, that other C25K plan I found wouldn't have me running like this. Trying to justify stopping. But I realized before I noticed the clock I really wasn't doing that bad.  I changed the clock feature to show my 0 incline and thought no more letting the clock get in my head.  I am going to go until my legs give out or 25 mins.   At the 20 min mark I thought I am so done, my legs weren't but my brain was.  I said you've run 5 mins all the time only 5 to go and you've done what I deemed impossible only 15 mins earlier. I kept my 4.1 pace completed 25 FREAKING MINS of running. And since DH was home this was real, w/o any children interruptions. No pressing pause to grab a snack for the kids or stop the constant bickering. I went 25 mins nonstop.  With my 5 min warm up walk and my 2 min cool down I hit 2 miles.

It is true that your brain will give up long before you body ever will. We've heard Jillian said time and time again on Biggest Loser that we need to just get out of our heads.  My mind was intimidated by the amount of time and watching the clock. My body was fine w/ it.  My legs kept moving, I kept my breathing under control and I just kept going.  Now at 25 mins I stopped and the relief to be done was amazing.  But I was in the zone had my pace down and could have gone further.  So If you can find something to focus on. The rhythm of you feet hitting the ground, music on your headset. Try to listen to your body and NOT your mind.

The many functions of my treadmill's start button.

My treadmill is how I get in ALL my C25K training.  I felt I should share some functions that came with my treadmill that I didn't expect.

Pressing Start on my Treadmill does the following

-Starts my Treadmill
-Makes me have to pee
-Makes me remember everything else I wanted to get done that day.
-Causes my children to be starving
-Causes my children to be in meltdown mode (my 3 year old has laid next to the treadmill & cried while I ran)
- Causes my children to fight
-Causes my children to not be interested in anything that they are able to do w/o my help

I know I should get up in the morning and get my run in before my boys are up BUT I am just not a morning person. Maybe one day I'll be able to do this but that day is not today.  I normally run when DH isn't home he is either out on a bike ride or at work. So When I am about to get on my treadmill I sit my kids down and tell them how important it is to get along and let mommy run. And with out fail I get interrupted almost every time. And if I don't get off the treadmill to fix the problem I've ended up w/ my youngest laying next to my treadmill face down crying while I run.  FUN TIMES(insert sarcasm).

My point being that even though I know getting on my treadmill will come with great trials it is worth it every time.  If I can get in my C25K work outs in anyone can do this! :-)

Hotel Booked

Well I booked the hotel for my half marathon. We belong to a time share that book 11 months in advance and to get the room we wanted we kind of had to book it as soon as it became available. So We are almost a year away from the Tinker Bell Half Marathon at Disneyland but my room is booked. *GULP*  A friend of mine posted that she did her first 10K today and she did it in like an hour!  I would love to have 10 min miles.  If I could get 10 min miles down then I could do my half marathon in a little over 2 hours.  I can officially register on Aug 6th. Scared out of my mind but also SUPER excited.  The excitement of completing this is out weighs the fear.  www.rundisney.com has a training calendar for beginner runners who have been running less than 6 months and right now that is me. It is similar to the C25K as it is only 3 days a week but every other weekend you have a pretty long run.  I told my BFF after a certain point we may have to start meeting up and running on the weekends. She thinks it may interfere w/ her bike ride time if she is going to do the STP again next year. I think she will rock the STP this year and realize that it is easier than she thought because she has had all the saddle time she needs to do it.  Plus the Tinker Bell Half is in May so a whole 2 months before the STP so she will be fine. However I have promised to participate in that next year if she does this with me.  So we will see if she does it again I will also be trying to get saddle time in. If this is the case I will have no choice but to become a morning person so I can get my run done & then go for rides in the afternoons.

Tomorrow is Week 6 Day 2 of my C25K and it is the one where they have me running for 10 mins. Then Day 3 is the day they expect me to run for 25 mins. I have yet to do this even though I was suppose to for Week 5 Day 3, because we did a 5K instead and then I didn't Run for 3 days and we walked the 5K so I that is when I did my fastest mile yet it was still not running for a straight 25 mins. I am curious to see how far I will be able to go in the time.

Oh! And I have something random and exciting to share. I was doing allot of house cleaning, like deep cleaning, we're talking picking up and moving furniture cleaning. Anyways it wasn't very long ago that cleaning would cause me to have pain in my hips and I am extremely pleased to report that I HAVE NO HIP PAIN!!! I always knew the hip pain was related to my weight and even though I haven't lost that much yet it is enough that I am noticing a lack of pain. :-D

Is my body finally giving in????

So as I am in week six on Weight Watchers and my C25K I have been frustrated w/ the slow going weight loss and how the works out seem to not be doing much for me.  This morning I woke up and stepped on the scale, like I do almost every morning, and my jaw dropped.  I reweighed myself 3 times to see if my scale was kidding.  It said 173.2! I quickly did the math to add the 1.4 lb difference that WW has me at and that brings me to down 9.2. That means at this point I've hit my 5% goal they set for me.  Now keep in mind I basically took a week & a half off from tracking, kept to my C25K schedule and on Wed, two days ago. They had me up 1.6 from my last weigh in. So this is saying that I lost like 3 lbs in the two days I've been tracking again.  I've had a theory about how I think because of all my MANY short lived dieting attempts that maybe my body is just waiting for me to give in and stop eating better. I always assumed if I made it to 3 weeks surely my body would start cooperating. But that was the week of the .4 gain. And I tracked everything. Now here we are week 6 a while 3 weeks later and my total loss is only 6.2 that is only 1 lbs a week. I would love to see a jump in my loss this week and finally hit 10 lbs loss.  It's been a LONG time since I've stuck to anything long enough to lose 10 lbs.

The amazing news is this is the longest I've stuck w/ anything since LA Weight Loss in 2007.  That is when I lost 27 lbs and hit 140.  I have much further to go to hit that milestone again this time. However for the first time in a very long time I am hopeful about my weight loss. I feel like it is going to work. It is going to take longer than I'd like but it's going to work if I keep at it.  I am rereading "The Shift", again I highly recommend this book for the way she talks about her thinking and her struggle.  Like I've said before I don't agree w/ her diet process but until 6 weeks ago I was preaching the same things.  I thought that there was no room for moderation and choices in my diet life.  I had to miss out on all my favorite foods because I am wasn't capable to just have one brownie w/o it totally throwing me off track. I posted how I tried to explain to DH that moderation isn't an option, and that I don't think I should have food choices either. I should be forced to eat protein and veggies every meal no matter how much it makes me cranky.  This is the way I have treated every diet attempted since my youngest was born in 2010, so the last 4 years.  They all have come to the same horrible end where I break because it isn't fair that they get to enjoy food when I have to hate it. And then I binge for days on everything I've been depriving myself of for how ever long the diet lasted. I've tried the whole purge the house from junk food thing but w/ 3 boys in this house that was always short lived.  Today I went shopping and got the kids their favorite snacks and the snacks I need like fruits and veggies, cause they are zero pp.  I keep Dark Chocolate Dove squares in the house for weeks because I have self control.  Once a week I treat myself to dinner out that isn't diet friendly. I use my weekly points to make this happen and stay w/in plan.  If I want a Dick's Drive Inn Burger and fries I can, if I have the points. If not I can plan that on having next week when my weekly points become available again.  So there isn't this dramatic good bye to all my favorite foods. It is a well I just can't live off of them alone anymore.

So this isn't the 5-6 month journey I always hoped it would be but now I am ok with a year.  If it takes me until next May to reach my goal. I really think I am ok with that.  While thinking about a it taking a whole year is a little daunting. It is better for it to take that year and for me to learn how to eat in moderation. Than for me to live on lean protein & veggies lose it all in 5 months, then try to go back to real world eating and do what I've always done, slowly but surely gained it back plus some. I have proof that it is already working because I didn't track for a week and a half and we ate out almost exclusively. Yet my weigh in only had me up 1.6 and after todays weigh in, it must have been water weight.  Dare I say it is working and I am learning.  I can't tell DH he was right yet again. :-) JK. Moderation is key.

National Running Day..

Happy National Running Day everyone!!!   I posted a status on FB about running day and added now keep in mind that just a few months ago I would have rolled my eyes at anyone w/ a running day status.  So As I said yesterday I wanted to complete one of two goals today. Either to run for as long as I can at a nice stead pace or to complete a mile faster than my fastest mile so far.  So I went w/ getting my fastest mile. My goal was under 14 mins. I think my fastest so far as been like 14:26. So today I tried, I ran and watched that clock. I had to stop about 1/2 way through because as always there is something my youngest feels I need to take care of immediately. So I had to add about a min to the actual time the treadmill was running.

I DID IT!!! I ran it in 12:58 w/ a minute break while I walked around my house fixing the current need of my child. So I am calling it a 13:58 mile yet if I counted the walking around the house I did while not on the treadmill for that min it was probably a little less. So I am proud of this accomplishment. I know it isn't super fast. I'd really like to get up to 9 min miles.  But for now this was super hard. I mean I was dripping sweat. I sent my BFF a pic of the small puddle that was growing on my chest and she is laughed and said ewwww, I told her it was my "fat crying"  she laughed super hard and when I told DH the story he laughed really hard as well. I thought everyone has heard the term "Sweat is fat crying" But DH had never heard it. So that was pretty priceless.

Can you say Tomato

This is me right after the run, smiling, dripping sweat and great red face.  I didn't do my C25K training today inn attempts to reach my fastest mile goal so I will be back to that plan day after tomorrow. But I felt there was nothing wrong w/ mixing it up for today.

Oh and today was also my weigh in, so I knew it would be a gain but it wasn't as bad as I expected. It was a 1.6 lbs gain. this week is time to turn this around and make up for the last week & 1/2.

Time to face the music...

Well tomorrow I am off to weigh in for the first time in two weeks. I basically took two weeks off and I am expecting about a 3 lb weight gain. But I have been not tracking like AT ALL for a week and a half. The little voice inside of me says well this isn't working time to give up but I know it works.  I just need to be smarter about the foods I am eating. Eat more fruits and veggies.  I have the next 5 days off and I plan to refocus & restart.

I just found out that tomorrow is National Running Day. I am torn between two goals in honor of tomorrow. One goal is to run my fastest mile to date.  In my C25K I think my fastest was around 14mins and some seconds so my goal is to beat 14 mins.  Cause I normally run at just around 4.2. To break the 14 min mark I need to run at a 4.5 to 4.6 and that will bring me between 13 & 14 mins. And I haven't ran in 4 days. I ran last Friday then took Saturday as an off day because I was going to run the 5K on Sunday and we ended up walking. So tomorrow any run is going to kick my butt. The other goal I am considering is to run w/o walking for the longest I have. The longest so far has been 10 mins so I would like to beat that by like 5 mins and run for 15 at 4 mph that is one mile. Tomorrow Which one??  I guess we'll find out tomorrow.

It really would be better….

The other day I was thinking about how frustrated I've been with my slow and or lack there of weight loss and I feel like if i am only losing .5-1lbs a week it really isn't worth the effort or frustration.  But then I started thinking and lets say for 1/2 the weeks of the year I only lose .5 and then the other 1/2 I lose 1 lbs. In one year that would be 39 lbs lost. And that is better than where I am right now. Still a ways from my goal and taking way longer than I planned but it is still weight gone. And my average this last month was 1.95 lbs a week. and that included a .4 weight gain one week, So if I really try then I should be able to lose my 60 lbs in 31 weeks. That is just under 8 months & I was already a month in so less than 7 months from now. So hypothetically I could be at goal by January. So basically before my next birthday before our next trip to Disneyland for my Tinkerbell half marathon.

Tonight I ate McDonalds for dinner and had my 2nd swimming lessons. Swim lessons are going ok but I am still struggling w/ the whole actual swimming part. And tonight my BFF says she might end up not doing the triathlon.  She really wants to but since her Step Mom passed she is thinking about going on a cruise w/ her Dad and Sister. Her Dad was going on it w/ his wife but now she passed and so they are thinking about going w/ him.  But it leaves the Same day as our Sprint Tri.  Now we paid $105 for this and there are no refunds but I don't think I'll do it w/o her.  But then I think I should do it anyways, if I can get the swimming figured out I know I can do the bike ride & 3 mile run no problem.  The swimming is what freaks me out.  I also reminded my BFF today while we were talking about booking our hotel room for the warrior dash in Sept that our neighbor and DH's good friend and riding buddy & his wife are coming and she said that he is going to kick our ass.  Yes he is in better shape and quite competitive but I think well I don't want that I want to be abel to hold my own.  I need to real start doing some upper body training. I found a obstacle course training class near by her on Friday nights at 7PM.  I want DH to go w/ me to the first one to check it out.  So that will be an interesting date night for sure.

With all my running, swim lessons and now possible obstacle course training. I am feeling very guilty again. My youngest keeps on asking if it's a Mommy day yet.  Last week was not a normal schedule because of the holiday and we've been so crazy busy I feel like I haven't spent much time w/ my kiddos.  DH & my Mom say in all honestly the hr hour to 45 mins I am using to work out isn't that big of a deal and there is nothing for me to feel guilty about. I started looking at my calendar and like every weekend is full w/ stuff that are not family events they are 5K's, a wedding.  Now granted we have a 5K at Long Beach in a couple weeks and we are taking the family w/ us and same w/ the STP I will have the boys at great wolf and they enjoy that allot!  So they have a trip in Jun & one in July but at each of these trips either DH or I are doing something not family orientated.  So does that make me a bad Mom?  I have to remember some things that have been happening while I'm working out.  So my boys want to run on the treadmill everyday. And today when I came home from swim lessons both my boys who don't like swimming or swim lessons mind you, asked to go to swim lessons. My youngest asked me if he could go swimming w/ me and my oldest said he wished he had swim lessons. This child cries at swim lessons and panics about them.  My kids are wanting to exercise because I am exercising.   I told DH that I feel like the time I am putting into working out is making me not get things done around the house because I am still trying to have my lazy time.

So do I continue to take time away from family time for this stuff, should I try to run in the morning before the boys get up?  I have a 5 day weekend and my goal is to get all our plans on the calendar, get a meal plan ready, shop for said meal plan and hopefully get a bunch of spring cleaning done. DH is working a funky schedule all week so no extra time w/ him but at least I can maybe get some of the things done that I was stressing about not getting done due to the exercise.

You look like a runner….

This was the highest compliment I was paid before the 5K yesterday.  We were paying for for parking and the parking attendant said "Now you look like a runner, Are you running today?" I told him that was the plan and he applauded us.  I thought maybe it was just the fact that we didn't have costumes or make up on but I still liked hearing that I looked like a runner.  During our 5K we have set the dates for our big trips next year that tie in w/ running.  We are doing the Tinkerbell half marathon in May 2015 & the Honolulu Marathon in Dec 2015, that is the one w/ no time limits that we could walk if we wanted.  So I got the update today that I can register for the Tinkerbell half on Aug 6th. It  made my tummy do flip flops.  Reminding my self it was almost a year away still & I'm already training for running I can calm down. Then I started thinking even crazier thoughts like well I really want that Coast to Coast Medal that Disney puts out and to do that you need to do a half at Disneyworld & a half at Disneyland.  So then my crazy brain starts thinking well the Wine & Dine Half in Disneyworld in Nov then I could get this beautiful medal.

But that is the beginning of hurricane season and do I really want to run 2 half marathons?  The Marathon in Hawaii won't be so bad because if we need to walk it we can. The bigger deal is I probably don't have the money or the vacation time to go to Disneyland twice next year (Once for the Tinkerbell half & then for a longer family vacation in Sept/Oct) This is already confirmed plans. Then throw in Florida and Hawaii 3-4 months after our Disneyland trip.  There is a Princess half in Disneyworld in Feb that registration opens for soon but I want my first half to be in Disneyland. So maybe the Coast to Coast isn't in my future just because it is to expensive. I'm not even ready for my sprint triathlon in a few months. I just don't know how that is going to happen. If my swimming doesn't improve greatly I am pretty sure I won't be able to compete in it. 

Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 5K

Well today was the 5K and we walked the whole thing.  We had a very large group and had to wait for a couple of them a few times. But it was a good walk. I wasn't winded at all at any time. Granted again we were walking but still.  Our team raised $1330.00!!!

Our Rockin' Robin Team