Let's Talk Food

I had a 'hungry' day yesterday. I think it was about 90% true hunger, and 10% 'don't-know-what-to-do-with-myself-so-I'll-eat-something'. Even though my primary focus for this journey is on exercise and getting fit, obviously I need to place a fair amount of importance on my food intake, and now I am second guessing my decision NOT to do a food journal and count points.

Here is my food for yesterday:

2 hard boiled eggs (1 with yolk, 1 just whites)
2 pieces of whole wheat toast
1 tsp butter
WW Yogurt


Lunch
Salad greens/tomatoes/cukes with grilled salmon
1 bag of pita chips (this was 4 unnecessary points)


After work: (this is where I think I wasted calories and started some 'mindless' munching - I could have picked more value-packed snacks here...)

2 fat free apple muffins
6 Rosemary/Garlic triscuits and 1 wedge Laughing Cow

Dinner
Smart Ones entree - cheesy enchilada thing with no veges (4 points)

Snack (this was at 10:00 PM....again, SO not necessary)

Smart Ones sundae (4 points) (maybe should have picked a piece of fruit here.....)


I realize this really isn't horrible, it could be much much worse I know (ahem, M&M's)- but for all I ate, there is a lot missing.

1) I was short on dairy
2) I was short on veges/fruit
3) I could have had 1 egg and 1 slice of toast at breakfast

When I got home from work yesterday I think I was a little 'lost'. My youngest was out and about in the neighborhood, my son was taking a nap and my oldest daughter and dad were not back from their camping trip. It was a day off from C25K, and I did not have any other exercise planned. Dinner was leftovers for the kids, frozen entree for me. To top it all off, with no 'exercise' yesterday, I noticed this morning I was a bit more sluggish waking up than I have been lately.

So after evaluating all this, I believe it will be dangerous for me not to journal food and track points for awhile... And second, I think I need to plan a full week of exercise in advance, even if it's just a moderate walk on my non-running days. I can not believe I'm saying this, but I think my body and my mind actually MISSED exercise yesterday????? Now THAT is crazy stuff!

Anyone who has been at this awhile, please feel free to offer thoughts and suggestions or rip my food choices apart! I can take it...that's why I'm here and that's the sort of support we all need!

Another Brick In The Wall (comes down)

I have moments in my life, I think we all do, when I feel I'm being addressed by God, the Universe, Fate - whatever or whoever you believe in or 'feel'. These messages or subtle hints to 'pay attention' seem to come at the most appropriate moments for me.

I had one of those moments yesterday. Last night as I was flipping through the channels, I came across PrimeTime and they were doing a special tribute to Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon professor whose inspirational "last lecture" became such a phenomenon over the past six months or so, and who just passed away last weekend from pancreatic cancer. The lecture, given in September 2007, was called 'Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams' and covered the steps necessary for people to take control of their lives and live up to the goals they set early on.

I had watched the original PrimeTime interview months ago, and somehow I had missed the news of his death until I came across PrimeTime last night. The way this man lived his final days as a father, husband, and mentor is nothing short of inspirational. My favorite section from his lecture is when he compared obstacles, problems, and adversity to a giant brick wall.

"The brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out; they are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something," he said. "The brick walls are there to stop the people who don't want it badly enough. They are there to stop the other people!"

I love this, and hearing it again last night was perfect timing for so many reasons. Randy Pausch's book is on my 'To Read' list, I am ordering it today!

In other news....I'm happy to record a two pound loss for this weigh in, yahoo! I am also happy to report that I completed Day 2 of C25K - although it was much, MUCH more difficult this time. I think the heat/humidity took it's toll, but I finished it! I have decided if the third day is still difficult, I will probably repeat Week 1 of the nine week series.

Cheers!

Day One of C25K

Yesterday was a great day! After starting with some moderate walking over the last week, I decided to bite the bullet and do the first day of C25K. Why wait? It was Sunday, so a good 'start day' (I'm wierd like that sometimes...), but mostly, I was feeling pretty confident that I could get through it. The most surprising and significant aspect of this is that I could not WAIT to do it!?!?! My inner voice kept saying, if you feel it now Cyn, DO it now!

So I changed and headed up to the track. It was a warm day, 84 degrees, and on my little bike jaunt up there...I was actually thinking, this is going to feel GREAT! (huh?) I've only been doing the track thing for a week...and one of the things I've noticed is that it feels good to be outside DOING something (besides sitting on my back patio). I feel like I'm out in the world or something - it's hard to explain...but other than going to work, the grocery store, and driving kids around....it occured to me recently that I really don't get out much! I've been pretty much stuck in the rut of day to day routines, which easily happens to busy moms.

I had downloaded week one of the C25K podcasts to my daughter's iPod, so I could take my watch off and use the music as my 'coach'. (I highly recommend this...the music is sort of cheesy, but for beginners, it really is like having a coach right with you!) I'm happy to say I got through the first workout and (obviously) lived to tell about it! It was the perfect starting level for me, not too easy (lord no!), but just challenging enough. By the time I got to the 4th, 5th and final interval...I was starting to feel the challenge, and managed to stick with it with some positive self talk. I felt so good when I was done! Physically and mentally.... I felt energized and strong, and well...proud of myself. I feel like I will be able to stick this out.

About two hours afterwards, I did feel some fatigue, but I slept so well last night and I woke up very easily this morning at 5am. My first thoughts when I woke up? I was actuallly thinking about what I would do for exercise today! Wonders will never cease. I am only mildly sore today, but I was very diligent about stretching. It is a good kind of ache if that makes sense....I do understand the need for a recovery day in between runs, because I'm looking forward to tomorrow, but I appreciate the 'rest' today.

Today I will go for a moderate mile and 1/2 walk downtown at lunch. And tonight I will do an upper body workout with my 5 lb weights, and some sit ups (ugh).

So my exercise weeks start on Sunday, and my official weigh in day will be Wednesday. I like mid-week because it gives me time to recover from the 'sins' of the weekend ha ha!

I hope everyone has a great week!

I'd like to share a little bit about someone special who is really one of my biggest inspirations for this journey. This would be my 16 year old son, Chris.

Chris was born with a congenital brain malformation. Basically all the wires didn't come together properly and consequently, he has some special needs. His primary issues are with speech and fine motor skills. He has a handheld computer that he uses to augment his communication, and his school work is done mostly on a laptop loaded with all kinds of great software. All of these issues are actually very insignificant compared to the battle he has had to fight with seizures since he was 10 years old.

Chris is my inspiration because despite all of these challenges he faces, and will continue to face - he is the happiest, loving, funny and determined individual I have ever known. We are blessed to have him in our lives. I've always told his team of teachers at school that it is important to challenge him just enough without frustrating him, and not to do too much for him - it's a hard balance sometimes, but Chris meets it with pizazz and nothing gets him down. He always always always bounces right back with a smile on his face and enthusiasm for life. And he still takes moments to pat someone else on the back when he knows they are having a hard time with something.

I have learned that there is a lesson here for me...one of many actually, but it terms of how Chris meets his challenges in his daily life, I need to apply that to my life as well. It is so easy for me to say 'I can't do this' when I think about training for a 5K. Am I nuts? I have said I am NOT a runner...this is new, scary territory for me. I have been thinking about doing this for over a YEAR and fear of failing has kept me from taking the leap to just try it and see what happens. Chris faces new challenges every day of his life - and does it with a smile on his face and a joy that can't adequately be described.

I have lost and gained the same weight so many times, I've felt 'why even bother anymore?' - I'm just not going to be able to do it and keep it off. Chris has had so many ups and downs.... hospital stays, uncomfortable tests...never once has he said or implied that he 'just can't do this again'. He does not have a choice! I do!

I know I will have good days and bad while I challenge myself to do something difficult....I may get injured, I may have a slump, I may say "I don't think I can do this'. As soon as those thoughts appear...I'm going to get back up and keep going. That's what Chris does every day...I hope I can do it as gracefully as he does!

It's a Start

See my 'before' picture to the right!

This morning I spent (gulp) $145 on workout schtuff. Nike running shoes, two tee shirts, a pair of shorts (that didn't fit so I gave to my 13 year old daughter), and a sports bra. I had a few moments of guilt and panic, but then I decided to look at it as an investment in my goals. As soon as I got home, I changed and rode my bike up to the high school track and did 4 laps around at a fairly brisk pace.

It felt good! It was hot, but it actually felt good to be moving! I had the track to myself for the first two laps, and then a jogger dude came along. Oh, I also had the company of my 9 year old daughter and her little neighborhood friend....they happily ran around the football field and climbed the bleachers for the 1/2 hour we were there. I've read a lot of people who say tracks are boring for exercise, but for right now, it works for me. I like having the structure of counting laps, it feels like I am 'officially' working out - otherwise I would just walk aimlessly around my city. And it's somewhat 'private'....as I get started with this and get comfortable in my skin, I prefer the track to walking by my neighbor's houses right now! Besides, I've contributed tax dollars to the renovation of the high school and track, so it feels good getting my money's worth! It's a very nice track!

The other fun part of my walk is that there is a nice view of the back of our new city rec center which is another one of my goals! It is a beautiful facility...more tax dollars at work, and a great value at just $300 for my family of five for one year!

This was not an intense workout by any means, but it is a step in the right direction. My plan is to walk every day either at work during my lunch hour, or in the evening at the track, until I feel ready to add in some running and start the C25K program.

Time to get on with the day now!

A New Beginning

So the short version of my wars with the scale goes something like this....

I lost my Puberty Pudge by my senior year in high school. I then gained the college Freshman (*ahem*) Twenty Five, and lost it by my sophomore year. I gained 40 pounds of Baby Weight with my first child and lost it by the time he was two. Second baby....best shape of my life and enjoyed being one of those moms that 'bounced right back' . Third baby...the weight was an 'issue' again and I didn't have it in me to get it off until she was about five years old. I half way attempted to get my 'Body For Life', and then took a trip to 'South Beach' before finally having good success with Weight Watchers in 2005. I lost 50 pounds in nine months, and that was without having a formal exercise routine in place. I kept it off for about a year and a half, and then life stresses took hold and I slowly have slowly gained about 25 pounds over the last two years.

I guess that's not such a short story...but it is a confounding tale to say the least. I realize the one piece of the puzzle that has always been missing is lack of formal exercise. I believe that is the key to maintaining good health - it must be part of your lifestyle, not just something you do for two or three months to ''lose weight'.

Everyone has their 'ah-ha moment' (sorry, it just works here....) and I guess I recently had mine. My fancy-pants scale that measures fat, water, bone, weight, and Lord knows what else....well, it surprised me with a 30 pound loss the other day! Obviously the scale is broken, but it felt good to see a nice healthy number for a moment, even though it was not 'true'. I realized then that I NEED that healthy moment in my life again - permanently!

This blog will be a journal of my road to better health and fitness - I am committed to a new lifestyle, making time to take care of me first, so that I can be 'better' for my family and in all areas of my life.

The basic plan is simple ~

Diet: Having done several 'diets' over the years, I pretty much know what to eat and what not to eat. Lean protein, complex carbs, lots of veggies and fruits, and healthy fats. Very simple stuff.

Exercise: Walking for now, working up to C25K, my 'wishful' goal is a 'Turkey Trot' race on Thanksgiving morning, but my official goal is to run a 5K in early spring!

Did I mention I am so NOT a runner? I have never run in my life. I have never been an athlete. I've enjoyed maybe 2 years of steady, productive workouts during one of my scale wars...but really, I am just not an athlete. Hard exercise is painful to me! This in fact is what is motivating me now....I've done the food/diet thing...I know all about what to eat and not to eat, points, flex points etc. I can do it in my sleep. I'm ready to challenge myself to something new and *hopefully* fun. Because if I don't love it, I won't stick to it.

So this time my primary focus will be on moving and fitness, something new and different for me because it's always been about The Food for me. It will be a challenge for me there's no doubt about that...but I'm game!