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Thursday, May 30, 2013

Holiday blues???

It happens to the best of us!  I was in "vacation/holiday" mode since I weighed in early Wednesday morning. I ate what I wanted, exactly what I wanted - such as ice cream, pizza, chips, guacamole, cheese, meat, crackers (OMG crackers... Triscuits has some absolutely fabulous new brown rice crackers... I never checked to see how many for x calories... I just ATE THEM), breakfast burritoes, hamburgers, coleslaw, etc. etc. etc.

It was kind of a crazy weekend/week, but luckily I knew in the back of my head this was temporary mode.  I also counter balanced it by a shit ton (I mean a shit ton!!!!) of exercise.  I exercised EVERY DAY - and really not just a small amount of exercise - a shit ton!  LOL  I think I'm hilarious!!!

Here's what my week consisted of (I'm starting with Wed because I weighed Wed last week)

  • Wednesday - got up before work and weigh in... Cardio Party (40 minutes of activity)
  • Thursday - Hi Def Sculpt - Express (30 minutes) and 25 minutes of walking on the treadmill (Was in Fargo at a hotel)
  • Friday - got up before work (at the hotel) and did Hard Core Fusion Express (30 minutes)
  • Saturday - went up north to visit family... ran 3.5 miles and walked over 2 miles
  • Sunday -- still up north... Hi Def Sculpt (53 minutes and while an 11 year old WATCHED me the whole time) and walked over 2 miles
  • Monday -- home... Cardio Party (40 minutes)
  • Tuesday -- Hip Hop Abs - two videos Cardio and Total Body Burn (1 hr 10 minutes)
  • Wednesday -- walked at lunch 2.25 miles and hi def sculpt express (30 minutes)... oh and tried a bit of the insanity work out with my husband.
  • Today -- Cardio Overdrive Express (25 minutes)

So you see... I did plenty of eating AND exercising.  I gained 1.6 lbs this week - which is good because just on Tuesday, I was up 4 lbs.  So it all came together in the end... and I gained WAY less than expected.  I'm pleasantly surprised and happy that I do not have the "Holiday Blues."  I do not feel like it's a set back at all because of how hard I worked this week with exercise.  Sometimes... you just gotta do it (meaning the eating and the exercising to try to lessen the blow)!

I am already back on track (as of yesterday) and I feel very good.  I plan on keeping up the exercise and getting the right foods in me.  I'm still doing the challenge with my FB Challengee's so that keeps me going as well.  I also am challenging myself to try two new healthy recipes this week.  I need to figure out what, but we'll be home this weekend (hopefully) so I'll have time to plan it out.

I'm hoping to have some data for you next week - if you remember back a few posts, I asked several "thinner" people to track what they eat so I can analyze the crap out of it :)  Well, thanks for reading and always remember...

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After! 


Thursday, May 23, 2013

A good week... all things considered

Well I'm truly still on a high from running a 5k.  I know it doesn't seem like much to some of you, but that was a huge accomplishment for me.  I was talking with someone today where he/she was making fun of a 5k - basically discounting it altogether.  Saying he/she could run a 5k while eating a pizza.  I know he/she was somewhat joking about it, I knew he/she truly felt that way.

Then he/she went on to make fun of the walkers of the 5k's.  SERIOUSLY!?!  This person did say they were WATCHING these people from their yard.  WATCHING.

I wasn't mad at him/her for saying it at all... but just thinking - yep there are those people out there that feel that way.  But you know what... it was probably one of the HARDEST things I've ever made myself do.  First off it was hard just to start the couch to 5k program.  Seriously HARD.  It was even harder each week to stick with it.  And even harder yet to actually run it.

In looking at this person, he/she doesn't seem like he/she's the healthiest of people.  So I'd actually like to see him/her run one, without eating the pizza while running :)... hopefully looks wouldn't be deceiving (and thus proving me wrong).

Anyway - I just needed to say publicly that no one should ever discount anyone from doing ANY sort of exercise or activity.  I am not upset with this person at all, but would just like to poke fun a little bit for being a spectator making fun of someone participating.

Anyway - that's not really what I wanted to write about today.  I wanted to write about my successes for the week... I'll just list them out so you can bask in my happiness with me!

  1. Friday Night (the night before the run) I googled what you should do the night before you run a 5k.  It said a 20 minute walk.  To keep yourself loosened up.  So I went to the gym.  Walked for 3 minutes and couldn't stop myself from amping it up to run.
    1. Also bought Shawn T's Hip Hop Abs
  2. Saturday - the run.  Followed by a yummy mexican meal (after I showered up of course).  I splurged that day.
  3. Sunday -I started my Healthfully Ever After challenge work out.  I ended up changing the work out because I was figuring out timing for our vacation in June and to do the whole program wouldn't work out with the timing of the vacation.  So I committed to doing The Firm Videos [this particular set is not longer offered as a "set" persay but you can buy each individual set.  I do have an extra copy that I'm selling that is WAY cheaper than buying them individually - individually they sell for $15.00 a CD, I'm selling the set for $17... contact me if you're interested.]
  4. Monday - day 2 of the Firm.  No additional work out because I had plans to meet up with friends after work... so I got up at 4:40 AM (OMG) to complete my work out.
  5. Tuesday - day off!  No Firm video's to do that day!!!  So instead, since I missed getting home for water aerobics - I did Shawn T's Hip Hop Abs -- pretty cool!  I really liked it.
  6. Wednesday day 3 - had to get up in the morning AGAIN because we had to go out of town for the evening to see my step son get some wonderful academic awards and a scholarship!!!  Up at 4:45 AGAIN!!! I also weighed in a day early because I had to travel to Fargo on Thursday morning for work.
  7. Today day 4 --  I was going to get up and work out before they picked me up on the way up to Fargo.  I got up, got dressed, put in the video and started the work out.  I quit within 5 minutes.  Totally not into it, too tired from not getting home until 11:30 last night.  So instead - I fought with my co-workers to let me stay back in the hotel tonight so I could do my work out and get some work done... that was a big to-do and I do feel terrible for not socializing with the folks here that took the time out of their schedule to hang out with us.  But I made great progress on my work and I got a good work out it.  I'm actually going to head down and walk on the treadmill for 20-30 minutes right after this.
  8. Tomorrow -- will be waking up and working out before we get to the office!!!
My results this week were great - great especially since I lost last week too (and had my period between weigh ins).  I lost 1.4 - my total is now 88.2 lbs lost. 

They say to celebrate the wins along the way - so when I reach 100lbs gone, I will reveal my pressie to myself.  I cannot wait to show you (if you're one of the unlucky ones that hasn't seen it yet).

As I said I'm in Fargo (Thursday/Friday) so eating is all dining out... I made a decent choice for lunch but dinner was pizza.  Tomorrow I'll do better :)  DAMN that pizza was good!  I'll be heading out of town again for some fun this weekend - so no real control over my food there.  I have somewhat of a plan, but I also want to eat some crap food too - so wish me luck on finding a good balance for the weekend.  My work out video's are coming with me and I'll be gardening and trying to fit in a run (haven't run since the "run").

Take care and have a great week!

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After.

Saturday, May 18, 2013

I did it! I did a 5k

I have been training to run a 5k for 10 weeks now... two weeks ago I finished the couch to 5k program and passed with flying colors.  If you would have asked me even 3 months ago if I would ever run (ANYTHING) I would have told you I am not a runner, I don't like it, I can't run, I hate running, blah blah blah.

But one day someone posted on our Weight Watcher group page "does anyone know of any 5k's coming up?"  My leader posted a few around the area and within the Twin Cities... and I decided to text my husband who was away for the weekend, to see if he wanted to run it with me.  Only I thought I only had 3 weeks to get ready for it...when in reality I had 10 weeks (whew!!!).

So I started to run, and honestly I thought I was going to die... DIE!  The first session was running 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds (alternating) for 20 minutes.  60 seconds of running is forever and 90 seconds of walking is not enough!!!

Each week would be a new challenge where more running is introduced, but the walk times (sometimes) would increase as well.  Each day/week was more running than I've done in my life with the exception of being in sports up until Junior High or being forced to run the mile in High School.

I have seriously thought all along that my feet, knees and ankles (and asthma) would never allow me to run. In High School (yes I KNOW it was a LONG time ago) I would run too fast and my asthma would kick in and it would be a miserable time and then I'd walk most of it.  However doing this couch to 5k (and being so out of shape) I made myself go slow.  I ran probably as fast as some could walk at first.  I never had a problem with my feet (once I got new shoes), my knees hurt every once and a while but I was able to work though it.  My biggest issue is my right hip flexor - it HURTS.  Hurts real bad.  But I've been working at keeping it stretched out as much as I can...and it's helped some.

My biggest accomplishments have been running 5 minutes in a row, then 8, then 10, then 12, then 20 (yeah big jump), then 22, then 25, then 28 then BAM!!!  I was ready for my 5k!  In prepping for my 5k I decided I needed to try it two weeks ago...  Then again last Sunday.  My times were:

May 5, 2013:  40:39  -- I did not walk once and I ran it alone.
May 12, 2013: 40:05 -- I walked 1 time (for probably 3 minutes) and I ran with my husband

This week was my race, so I took it easy after the run on Sunday and said I was only going to run on Wednesday and that's it.

I got home from work on Wednesday and wanted to run right away so that I could eat dinner right after and it would just be done for the night.  STUPID!!!!  STUPID!!!! STUPID!!!  It was 82 degrees, huge wind and sunny (in my face then directly on my back).  It was my best and worst run.  My husband ran with me again and got my page up... we ran the first mile in 11 minutes (my goal was 13 minute miles ... changed from my original goal of 15 minutes).  I was excited and pissed at the same time.  I didn't want to run that fast, I gassed myself out.  We did the turn at 1 mile to come back and shortly thereafter I had to walk.  I was so mad (I mentioned that I cried in my post on Thursday).  I was super disappointed in myself that I had to walk, but I was starting to feel sick and just couldn't keep going.  We walked for about a minute and I was able to run again... then I had to stop again (same thing, walked for a minute or two) and then ran again... and oh guess what - had to walk AGAIN.  Seriously this hurt my ego bad!  I thought I had this run in the bag!  We went a total of two miles and I quit.  I wanted to throw up - not sure whether it was from the heat or my utter disappointment in myself.

We got home and I crashed on the bed with the fan on me.  I was soooo hot and so uncomfortable - but really should have kept moving.  My heart beat was OFF the chart (not really but felt like it).  I walked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror - my face was tomato red.  Of course I had a headache instantly and just so disappointed.

Then, on Friday my husband went to go fishing.  I decided since I was feeling sluggish... I needed to hit the gym (keep in mind my run is the next day).  I was going to just walk on the treadmill - so I started to walk and after 3 minutes of walking I said "screw this, I'm gonna run."  I still paced myself but I was putting the speed up and down between 4.8 and 6 (never did 6 before).  I would walk 3 minutes and run 3 minutes - did that for 33 minutes.  Then I didn't have my 10k steps in... so I walked it out to 60 minutes to get my steps in.

I was hoping that it wouldn't screw up my race today and it didn't!  Thank the Lord!  Today when I woke up it was pouring rain, cold and windy.  I was hoping for cooler weather but I'm not equipped to run in the rain.  I wanted to just stay home and not go, but my mom was coming (driving an hour) to see me run.  So I decided screw it and got dressed.  We headed over and one of my Weight Watchers friends (holla Kara) was there waiting for me.  She was going to run it with me.  She and my husband of course.   They were so good to me - they stayed with me the whole time, when I know both of them could blow me out of the water.

I did not walk once.
It stopped raining SECONDS before the race.
I got hot, but not terribly hot.
I did it.
I finished it.
I finished it with a better time than my other test drives!

I finished with a time of 37:10!!!  Go me!




My original goal was to run just 1 mile (straight) then it was 2 miles, then it was to run the whole thing (everyone told me not to set such high expectations - but I can't help it)... then it was to finish with 15 minute miles... then 13 minute miles... and finished with just over 12 minute miles!  People - it's good to have goals -- then you can beat them :)

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After!!! (and I'm so close I can taste it)







Thursday, May 16, 2013

A Challenging Week!!!

I knew this would be a hard week.  I had my mom here for the weekend - we tried to be good but there were several hiccups in that plan.  Also, as I've said in the past when I've had a few days of mess up - it's hard to get myself back in check.  I tried hard, but dang - this isn't easy!

I lost 2lbs this week (kinda surprised)... I can say I worked out almost every day - but I didn't get all the activity points that I have in the last few weeks.  The only thing I can think of is maybe all my hard work and exercise from last week has come to pay me back this week.  My grand total is now 86.8!!

Mothers Day compare picture.

What were my challenges this week?
- Saturday/Sunday:  movie popcorn (went to two movies, had popcorn both times)
- Sunday --  mothers day buffet (UGH)
- Monday - couldn't get full :(
- Tuesday -- went over my points a bit, but more or less in check
- Wednesday -- MUCH better... but it's always easier to be good the day before weigh in

---> basically keeping my points in check each day... went over most days (all but 1 day)

The activity I accomplished this past week was:
- water aerobics: Thursday, Saturday, Monday (was in some pain so took it a bit easy) and Tuesday
- running:  Friday - 2.27 miles, Sunday 3.1 miles and Wednesday 2 miles  (horrible horrible run, ran too fast, hot over heated had to walk three times [cried like a baby because I walked] ... but the good of it was mile was was an 11 minute mile (too fast but fun to see) and mile 2 was 12:58 (great for walking 3 times))

I earned 29 activity points (earned 39 last week) and I used all those points up in food plus all my weekly and was negative about 65 in my weekly.  So as you can see - last week must have paid off this week!  So remember that when you're feeling down when you worked your ass off and you don't see it on the scale that week!

Since my run is coming up on Saturday (very very excited!!!)... I've started to think about my next challenge.  I've also challenged my Facebook followers to think about and declare (tomorrow) what their challenge will be.  We are doing a three week (21 day) work out challenge.  The rules are:
  1. Choose a challenge that will be hard to for you to do, but attainable.
  2. You must work out a minimum of 3x per week (preferable 3-5)
  3. Measure and/or weigh yourself
  4. Report in 1-2 times per week on progress
  5. Report end results (at the end of the challenge)
At least one lucky winner will get "something" for completing the challenge.  (ps... it may take a while for me to get the item, but at least one person will for sure receive something).

Wanna join?  Check out my facebook group page and sign up tomorrow when I post 'What is your challenge going to be?'

Need idea's for work outs?  Check out my Pinterest board I Work Out.

My challenge will be... VERY DIFFICULT.  I'm going to start the Insanity work outs - which is a 60 day challenge working out 6 x / week.  YIKES.  My husband is doing it right now... it sounds hard (he's really strong and is very challenged doing the work out).

Note: I get nothing for you clicking on these links or purchasing anything... just wanted to give you some ideas :)

Well good luck to you this week... and really think about joining this challenge.  If nothing else, you've committed to making yourself move and get active.  That counts for everything right?!!!

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Not without effort!

I had a great week, I tried really really hard to lose that .2 to get me to my next goal.  Sadly I didn't make it, but honestly I'm happy with my results regardless.  I stayed exactly the same, I even popped on over to another scale to make SURE that it was right.  I knew it was going to be one of three results... either I'd lose that .2, gain that .2 OR stay the same.  I got the second best result I could get.  So I'm still at 84.8 lbs gone.

What did I do this week to stay motivated?  Well I had a few off days where I was really hungry and I did end up going over my points.  I had a great week of activity - 39 activity points this week.  I ate them all.  Last week I had 36 and I ate 34 of them and didn't touch my "extra" 49 points.  I didn't do that this week - I actually used all but 10 of the "extras" along with my activity points as I said.  So, I'm not surprised I stayed the same, but like I said I'm ok with that.

My activity this week consisted of:
- running: I ran Thursday (28 minutes), Saturday (30 minutes), Sunday (I actually did a 5k by myself this sunday... I proved I could do it.  I wanted to test out the course that I'm running on the 18th.  I ran for 40 minutes (and change) straight.) AND Monday (I went back to interval training because I completed my couch to 5k program - so I only ran 16 minutes on Monday)
- water aerobics:  I did water aerobics on Thursday, Saturday and Tuesday (had to miss Monday because I took a CPR class)
- walked:  Monday (just under 1 hour, a little over 2.5 miles) and Wednesday (about a mile and a half for 30 minutes)

So as you can see, I tried hard to stay active.  I feel very successful this week even though I stayed the same... I kept to my working out commitments and fit in work outs on Monday and Wednesday when I was busy at night.  I walked between work and my CPR class on Monday and one of my bestie's and I walked our work parking lot during lunch yesterday because we needed the activity.

So even though I stayed the same, it was NOT without effort.  It's important to keep that in mind when you stay the same or even gain sometimes... it's going to happen.  There's sometimes NO logical reason for it.  Keep your chin up and keep working hard.  IT WILL PAY OFF!

This week/weekend will be hard for many of us.  So make sure you have a plan going into the weekend.  My mom is coming to stay Fri-Sun and we're both watching what we eat, however it will still be hard because we're always on the go.  We will be brunching on Sunday and following that up with movie (and popcorn as always)... so I need to be on track ALL the other days.   Sunday I will let myself eat whatever I want, but will make sure I don't feel sick after eating (meaning get too full).

I will be doing water aerobics tonight, saturday morning, monday and tuesday.  I will be getting a minimum of 3 runs in before Saturday and my 5k is on Saturday... wish me luck!!!  So I'll have plenty of exercise to make up for that brunch.  No excuses!!!

What will you do to help you through the weekend?

I'm hoping to have a surprise for you guys in the next few weeks... I've asked several of my visually healthy (thin) friends to write down what they eat for 1-2 weeks.  I think I got 4 - 5 of them to actually do it.  So I'm going to talk about their profile and how each one of them eats - it has to be anonymous and many of my readers know each other so I won't be describing them too much so I don't give it away.  But it should be interesting and I can't wait to analyze the data!

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After.

Thursday, May 2, 2013

Hit it HARD this week

Well, I did what I said I was going to do last week... I'm back on track.  Way on track.  I had a fabulous week of eating and exercising and it paid off.  For those of you that do Weight Watchers I use the Activelink to track my daily activity.  Over the last week I racked up 35 extra activity points.  I ended up using all but 1 point of those extra's and NONE of the 49 extra points for the week - which was my goal.

A few weeks ago I changed how eTools takes my "extra" points out because I wanted to get to the point where I wasn't using the 49 extra points during the week and only use those points that I earned.  So it now takes the activity points before the weekly allowance points.  Some people don't ever want to touch the points they earn and they use the 49 points for the week - but I was using both (plus some in most cases), so I needed to figure out a better system for me.  I'm not saying that this will always work, because I was able to get some really good days of exercising in where it was basically the whole day - and that rarely happens.  But it worked for me this week.

For the last two weeks I've gained... one week was .4 the next was 3.8 (last week).  I knew why I gained for both of those weeks and it was well deserved and well worth it to me :)  I got a lot of cravings out of the way :)  But  I knew I needed to get back on track... I mean I can't throw all my hard work down the drain AND honestly - I feel so much better when I eat healthier (we all do).  So this week, I lost what I've gained over the last two weeks PLUS some!  My weight loss this week was 7.6 lbs, for a total of 84.8 lbs now.  I will have to work super hard again this week to even lose .2 (since this week's loss was soooo big).  It can be done - I know it and I'm going to prove it!

It's CRAZY - just to think a little of a year ago I was carrying around that much weight.  Miserable, depressed, not wanting to do things.!!  It was affecting my friendships, my relationship with my husband, myself, just EVERYTHING!

I couldn't walk up and down our stairs without being winded (it was so embarrassing because I knew why, but hoped that my husband didn't get it).  I had to hoist myself out of our furniture because I couldn't get up like a normal person.  I couldn't make dinner without having to sit down in between (if I was chopping up a bunch of stuff) because my back would hurt sooo bad!  I made all kinds of fattening/yummy food because I thought that would make my husband happier.  It didn't.

I have to say he NEVER once said anything to me about my weight, not once!  If I asked him to help me watch what I'm eating he would do it... and then I'd resent him for it.  I'd get mad, he'd sense it and then he'd stop... and I'd put back on the weight I'd lose AND THEN SOME.  It was crazy.

When we met I was much thinner, very willing to go do things and try new things... but over those years (7 years) I gained so much weight that I stopped wanting to go places, do things and some of those things I really enjoyed doing too!  It was just so uncomfortable for me to do them now.  I don't know the exact amount of weight I gained with him but I know it was over 100 lbs.  I'm guessing at saying it was about 125-130.  I started thinking "how could he still love me when I'm that big?"

We had our problems, that's for sure.  But we got through them, then came other dynamics into the mix.  I am choosing not to share those because it's very private and I know those involved would NOT want this public - but it was extremely hard on us.  There was tension caused in our relationship by others and it made me even more depressed.  The deeper and deeper I got depressed... the more I'd eat!  We all go through family/personal things that we let affect us in different ways and mine was to eat my way into happiness... which would last seconds.  Then I'd be miserable.

Anyway if you read my 1 year mark post, you'll see my tipping point.  The picture is outrageous and people don't even think it looks like me and don't remember me being that big... the picture is worth a thousand words!  That's for sure.

I hope you're not going through the same thing as I did, but if you are you must know that there's hope.  You must find that inspiration, motivation, desire and will power.  If you do, you will be a success.  Make sure to set goals for yourself to work towards... I know when I don't have a goal to work towards I tend to slack a little... saying I'm in no hurry.  Which is true really ( I don't want the weight to fall off - I want to work for it so I can always remember how miserable I was, how hard it was and that I don't want to do this again) but I am they type of person that has to have goals!!!  Thank the Lord that eating healthy feels good!!!

I can't wait until I'm Healthfully Ever After!