Today was my first WW weigh-in in 3 weeks. Since I didn't really do anything I had planned while I was home, I was scared it was going to be ugly. However, it turned out much better than I expected it to. I gained, but I only gained .2 lbs, not 5 or 6 like I expected.
I'm really cracking down more now. I have been hovering around the same place for just over a month and it is time to move forward. I am considering a different running program or a mash-up of a few. (yes, I know, again) I am thinking of going back to GA for Labor Day and doing a 10k that I found out about to use as a possible qualifying time for the Tinkerbell. My original plan was to use the Army shadow 10 Miler here at Hood in October but since I will be in GA for my 10 year high school reunion that day, my plans have to change. Since it is a different race and a month sooner, I am looking into a 10K program that I could do. I think I found one that I like, I will just have to see if I can do it. It will require me to push myself much harder than I have been, and while that is a good thing, it scares me a little because it has gotten so damn hot here. I am going to try to do all of my workouts in the morning because it is still over 90 here at midnight now. the crack of dawn is the only time it is even slightly cooler anymore. Ugh. I HATE mornings. I am such a night owl.(Notice the time stamp) Getting up has been the biggest issue lately. I'm trying to shift my daily schedule but it is hard.
I've been struggling a little with motivation since we returned from our trip home. I know that I still have a long way to go but NO ONE noticed that I have lost 25 lbs already. I know it still isn't a huge difference but I can tell that my clothes fit better and my jeans are literally starting to fall off when I walk around in them with out a belt. To me the most noticeable place I have seen it is in my face but I go home and NO ONE says anything EXCEPT for my 86 year old 90% blind great-grandmother. She was the only person that noticed anything and said something about it. It just really hurt to feel like I am working so hard and no one notices. I would mention something about WW or trying to lose weight and I would get the question of "how much have you lost?" but I was always the one that had to bring it up. No one said, "Oh you look good." or "I can tell you've lost weight." Not even my mother-in-law who has been obsessed with my weight since Mac and I started dating.(It was one of the reasons she told him he shouldn't marry me.) It was just discouraging.
Anyway, I was actually happy with my weigh-in today because I have not lost as much ground as I thought I did. I'm not as far along as I would like to be but at least I did not go too far in the wrong direction. I've hit this place every time I have tried to lose weight and this is where I have always quit. I lose a decent amount and then I stall out for a while. I convince myself it is impossible and just stop trying. I am determined not to do that this time. I am trying to find a new focus and determination. I know I can do this it just sucks sometimes.
(I really hate mornings.)
Friday, July 15, 2011
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Embrace Your Pace
I'm slow. I've said it before and I will probably say it a million more times. And when I say slow, I mean SLOW. I am working now to build my pace and endurance some more before I kick off the half training but even my new faster pace is slow according to most people. I am learning to embrace it though.
Last weekend at the run expo for the Peachtree Road Race I saw an awesome Bondi Band that I loved. Unfortunately I could not find a color I liked (they only had brown left) so I did not buy it there.(I plan to order it online.) But since I loved what it said so much, I decided to turn it into a window decal for my car.
I think it is fun. I'm learning to embrace my pace and have a little fun along the way.
Last weekend at the run expo for the Peachtree Road Race I saw an awesome Bondi Band that I loved. Unfortunately I could not find a color I liked (they only had brown left) so I did not buy it there.(I plan to order it online.) But since I loved what it said so much, I decided to turn it into a window decal for my car.
I think it is fun. I'm learning to embrace my pace and have a little fun along the way.
Friday, July 8, 2011
Reset
With being home, I knew staying on track was going to be hard and I was right.
I haven't done horribly with my foods but I haven't done well either. I have not tracked points at all and I have been taking advantage of foods that are not available in TX. Tomorrow I am planning to splurge one last time as we stop in New Orleans on the way home. Eating while driving is always a pain especially when you are doing a 15 hour drive straight through. My plan is to really get back on track and improve my eating when we get home. I'm going to try to make sure I start eating breakfast everyday because I still struggle with that. I'm also going to try cooking more and finding more healthy but quick meals.
However, when it comes to running, I have sucked. We only ran one night and I thought I was going to die. The humidity has been so bad that I felt like I couldn't breathe. With all of the driving around and not sleeping much, it has been really hard to get up in the mornings to run. Running at night isn't really a great option because we aren't on post and don't have a good, safe place to run. It's ok though. I'll get back on track when we get home. I think I have a new goal set up now. Something closer so it is easier to work towards than the half in January. I found out about a 10K here in GA on Labor Day. I'm thinking of coming home to run it so that I have a possibly qualifying race time to submit for both Disney races. I need a new race to use since the Army 10 miler shadow is the same weekend as my 10 year high school reunion now. It's nice having something short term to work towards.
I have two big events coming up in the beginning of October. On the 1st, my husband and I are having a party for our 5th anniversary(Sept 30) and the next weekend is my reunion. These two events are sneaking up on me and I want to make a very significant and noticeable difference by then.
Being home has made me stumble a little but it has also given me a new determination. Talking with people and explaining(a million times) about the half marathons and how I got to this point. It really reminded me why I am doing this and that it really is possible. Now I am going home and planning to get much more serious about it all. I am definitely going to figure out where I want to use a pool because swimming the other day reminded me how much I love the water. My mom and I booked our room for the Tink and I registered for the Princess as soon as it opened. Going to the running expo also helped me find some new things that I have been wanting. I'm really excited about where things are going I just know I have taken a few steps back in the last two weeks.
I haven't done horribly with my foods but I haven't done well either. I have not tracked points at all and I have been taking advantage of foods that are not available in TX. Tomorrow I am planning to splurge one last time as we stop in New Orleans on the way home. Eating while driving is always a pain especially when you are doing a 15 hour drive straight through. My plan is to really get back on track and improve my eating when we get home. I'm going to try to make sure I start eating breakfast everyday because I still struggle with that. I'm also going to try cooking more and finding more healthy but quick meals.
However, when it comes to running, I have sucked. We only ran one night and I thought I was going to die. The humidity has been so bad that I felt like I couldn't breathe. With all of the driving around and not sleeping much, it has been really hard to get up in the mornings to run. Running at night isn't really a great option because we aren't on post and don't have a good, safe place to run. It's ok though. I'll get back on track when we get home. I think I have a new goal set up now. Something closer so it is easier to work towards than the half in January. I found out about a 10K here in GA on Labor Day. I'm thinking of coming home to run it so that I have a possibly qualifying race time to submit for both Disney races. I need a new race to use since the Army 10 miler shadow is the same weekend as my 10 year high school reunion now. It's nice having something short term to work towards.
I have two big events coming up in the beginning of October. On the 1st, my husband and I are having a party for our 5th anniversary(Sept 30) and the next weekend is my reunion. These two events are sneaking up on me and I want to make a very significant and noticeable difference by then.
Being home has made me stumble a little but it has also given me a new determination. Talking with people and explaining(a million times) about the half marathons and how I got to this point. It really reminded me why I am doing this and that it really is possible. Now I am going home and planning to get much more serious about it all. I am definitely going to figure out where I want to use a pool because swimming the other day reminded me how much I love the water. My mom and I booked our room for the Tink and I registered for the Princess as soon as it opened. Going to the running expo also helped me find some new things that I have been wanting. I'm really excited about where things are going I just know I have taken a few steps back in the last two weeks.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Quiet
Sorry I've been quiet lately. We are out of town, visiting friends and family back home so there is nothing normal about my schedule.
Hopefully, I will get a chance to write next week when I am in the same house for more than two days straight. Until then, it's going to continue to be pretty quiet.
Hopefully, I will get a chance to write next week when I am in the same house for more than two days straight. Until then, it's going to continue to be pretty quiet.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Trouble Ahead
Monday, my husband and I will be driving home. This is a good and very bad thing. We are looking forward to seeing friends and family but it is going to throw a wrench in my journey. I won't be able to run at the same times that I have been and I will be in a new place at new elevations. It is going to be interesting.
And then there is the food. It is how we southerners show our love and celebrate. And it is all so damn good. Watching my points while making sure I get a taste of the things I miss will be very difficult.
It's going to be an interesting 2 weeks.
And then there is the food. It is how we southerners show our love and celebrate. And it is all so damn good. Watching my points while making sure I get a taste of the things I miss will be very difficult.
It's going to be an interesting 2 weeks.
Monday, June 20, 2011
WW Monday Link Up : Exercise Tips
So today's link up over at Learning As We Go is about exercise tips. To be honest, I am really new to the exercise game but I am learning a lot. I have never been one to exercise just for the sake of it. Up until my knee injury in college, my exercise was always training for the sports I played. It was working towards a goal of being a better athlete not just moving to move. When I hurt my knee, I couldn't do the same things anymore and now I am in a place where I don't have the necessary teams to play team sports so I have been at a loss for what to do. That was the reason that I signed up for the Princess Half last year but as I said before, my mind wasn't in the right place so it didn't work. Now that things have clicked, I am learning more about what works for me and what doesn't and having that goal is a great motivator.
First of all, don't do too much too soon. Especially, if you are working towards a goal like I am with the half marathons next year. I am keeping my workouts simple. I run with my training plan. That is my main focus. I am also slowly adding in some cross training like swimming first and then I plan on later adding spin classes. Both of these things help you build on your running without the impact on your joints. Other than that, I am doing some strength training for my upper body because it is WEAK. I want to do some higher impact training eventually but I don't want to start it until after the races. If you try too much too soon, you will only end up getting hurt and then you will have to do nothing for a while. I made the mistake of trying out a higher intensity DVD last week and then I could barely run because my legs were burnt out and my joints were killing me. So start with one thing and then add little things that compliment it as you get stronger and have more endurance.
Second, listen to your body. If it doesn't feel right, stop. I'm not talking about soreness or fatigue I'm talking about pain. You should no the difference because one just feels like you are working hard and the other just feels unnatural. You don't want to risk serious injury just because you think it is something you should be doing. There is always something else you can try.
Next, it's ok to not like something. Sometimes certain exercises just aren't for you. If you don't like it, move on to something else until you find something you do. If you really want to run but you hate running on a treadmill, jog a lap around your neighborhood. If you don't like the heat, find an indoor track. If tracks are too small and repetitive, find a running trial in a park or neighborhood nearby. If you try all of that and you still don't like running, try a bike or a pool. Try aerobics classes, free weights, machines, circuit gyms, roller skating, walking, jumping rope, boxing, martial arts, or anything you can think of that gets you moving. You will eventually find something you like and once you do, exercising will be that much easier. hell, you can just go shopping and make sure you park a long way from the mall. Make a few laps around before you go in the first store. Window shop if you don't want to spend money. There have been plenty of times that I have just gone to stores and looked at things that I want in the future just to get myself out of the house and moving. It is a great way to get exercise but not focus on it.
Find a good buddy. My husband has been great(when he's here). He has been running with me or riding his bike since he had a stress fracture and it has made all the difference. It is nice having him there to support me and give me a high five when I finish my workouts. It is great having someone to talk to so I am not quite so bored out there. Running with him has even helped during the times that he is gone. We talk about it after I workout because he always asks how it went. I know that he is going to ask and I don't want to tell him that I just flaked because he is gone so I go out and do my workout so I can honestly tell him how it went. If it sucks, I tell him that and he encourages me to keep going because it will get better later.
Finally don't give up when you have a bad day(week, month, etc.) It will get better. This is the one I am trying to remind myself of right now. For the past 2 months the running has been going really great but two weeks ago it all went south. I got sick and since it is an upper respiratory issue it affects my breathing which seriously puts a strain on my running. It has been very frustrating and has forced me to rework my training plan but that's ok. It is also making me slow down a little and realize I was trying to push a little faster than I should. If you quit every time you have a bad day, by the time you start back you are just going to be more frustrated because you have gone backwards and you have to do all of the same work over again. Just push through and it will all be worth it in the end. If you are sick, see a doc and listen to them. You may need to slow down for a little while or take a break. If it's just a bad day, push through or you will have many more bad days in the future.
I don't know if this is exactly what she had in mind when she gave out this topic but these are my tips. I'm not going to tell you how awesome this and that workout is because that is something you need to figure out for yourself. It is a process to figure out what is right for you. Don't give up, you will figure it out and you will be a better person for it in the end.
First of all, don't do too much too soon. Especially, if you are working towards a goal like I am with the half marathons next year. I am keeping my workouts simple. I run with my training plan. That is my main focus. I am also slowly adding in some cross training like swimming first and then I plan on later adding spin classes. Both of these things help you build on your running without the impact on your joints. Other than that, I am doing some strength training for my upper body because it is WEAK. I want to do some higher impact training eventually but I don't want to start it until after the races. If you try too much too soon, you will only end up getting hurt and then you will have to do nothing for a while. I made the mistake of trying out a higher intensity DVD last week and then I could barely run because my legs were burnt out and my joints were killing me. So start with one thing and then add little things that compliment it as you get stronger and have more endurance.
Second, listen to your body. If it doesn't feel right, stop. I'm not talking about soreness or fatigue I'm talking about pain. You should no the difference because one just feels like you are working hard and the other just feels unnatural. You don't want to risk serious injury just because you think it is something you should be doing. There is always something else you can try.
Next, it's ok to not like something. Sometimes certain exercises just aren't for you. If you don't like it, move on to something else until you find something you do. If you really want to run but you hate running on a treadmill, jog a lap around your neighborhood. If you don't like the heat, find an indoor track. If tracks are too small and repetitive, find a running trial in a park or neighborhood nearby. If you try all of that and you still don't like running, try a bike or a pool. Try aerobics classes, free weights, machines, circuit gyms, roller skating, walking, jumping rope, boxing, martial arts, or anything you can think of that gets you moving. You will eventually find something you like and once you do, exercising will be that much easier. hell, you can just go shopping and make sure you park a long way from the mall. Make a few laps around before you go in the first store. Window shop if you don't want to spend money. There have been plenty of times that I have just gone to stores and looked at things that I want in the future just to get myself out of the house and moving. It is a great way to get exercise but not focus on it.
Find a good buddy. My husband has been great(when he's here). He has been running with me or riding his bike since he had a stress fracture and it has made all the difference. It is nice having him there to support me and give me a high five when I finish my workouts. It is great having someone to talk to so I am not quite so bored out there. Running with him has even helped during the times that he is gone. We talk about it after I workout because he always asks how it went. I know that he is going to ask and I don't want to tell him that I just flaked because he is gone so I go out and do my workout so I can honestly tell him how it went. If it sucks, I tell him that and he encourages me to keep going because it will get better later.
Finally don't give up when you have a bad day(week, month, etc.) It will get better. This is the one I am trying to remind myself of right now. For the past 2 months the running has been going really great but two weeks ago it all went south. I got sick and since it is an upper respiratory issue it affects my breathing which seriously puts a strain on my running. It has been very frustrating and has forced me to rework my training plan but that's ok. It is also making me slow down a little and realize I was trying to push a little faster than I should. If you quit every time you have a bad day, by the time you start back you are just going to be more frustrated because you have gone backwards and you have to do all of the same work over again. Just push through and it will all be worth it in the end. If you are sick, see a doc and listen to them. You may need to slow down for a little while or take a break. If it's just a bad day, push through or you will have many more bad days in the future.
I don't know if this is exactly what she had in mind when she gave out this topic but these are my tips. I'm not going to tell you how awesome this and that workout is because that is something you need to figure out for yourself. It is a process to figure out what is right for you. Don't give up, you will figure it out and you will be a better person for it in the end.
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