I wanted to sneak in one last post before trekking off with the fam to lovely Haymarket, Virginia. I couldn't miss the opportunity to wish all of my Bloggy Peeps a wonderful Thanksgiving and express how thankful I am to have found such great support from all of you truly unique, fun and inspirational folks! Thanks for cheering me on, thanks for the high fives, thanks for just taking time to read my sometimes non-sensical ramblings. You are all RockStars in my book!
I am happy to say that the scale seems to be moving back in the right direction! I am down to 146 as of today, even bouncing to 145, lol - nice to see that number I must say, as it's a 'new' number, but not official yet. The number settled more firmly on 146. (It was a weigh in a la 'Biggest Loser' with the numbers flipping, flipping, flipping - STOP!)
I humbly add that I can NOT stop weighing myself daily yet, nor can I do two week weigh-ins. I tried for a couple of days, and then broke and demanded the return of the scale to the bathroom. I believe I will step on the scale every day for the rest of my life, just like brushing my teeth. It's that simple. :-)
We are heading to Virginia to visit my husband's brother and family. There will be 21 of us around the dinner table tomorrow, which is *almost* the whole fam. (Hubby is one of six kids!) There are hikes in a nearby national park planned, a Turkey Bowl (yes the annual football game, participation MANDATORY), visits to the rec center across the street, and of course, a day or two in Washington DC. It should be a great, family weekend! The kids especially are so looking forward to 'cousining' (there are 11 grandkids!) and just going on an 'adventure' for Thanksgiving, while still being with all the fam!
I plan to take a run tomorrow morning at the crack of dawn, which will be fun in a new place, and then get my third run in either Saturday or Sunday. With hiking, touring and other fun activities, I also have plenty of cross-training opportunities too! No more sitting around on the holiday feeling over-stuffed and sluggish! Yes, I plan to eat and enjoy a great holiday meal, but I truly don't think I could handle that 'over-stuffed' feeling.
Happy Thanksgiving to all...I hope you all enjoy a wonderful holiday with family and friends!
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
I'd like to order some MoJo please, hold the incense....
Today has been sort of a 'lazy' day at the homestead. The kids & I went to Mass for Alison's Confirmation enrollment, bright and early at 9am. We don't normally do church that early, so that was quite a 'treat' (not) for us lazy Sunday morning types! But of course, going to mass is sort like exercise - it's hard to get going, but you feel good afterwards.
Well I certainly struggled with getting the exercise in today, that's for sure. I had a 45 minute run on the schedule. For starters, my whole running mojo has been messed up all week. I was supposed to do my 2nd run (36 mins) yesterday morning before I left for Toledo. My well-meaning hubby turned the alarm off, thinking that it was still on for 'work week' time, but I had actually set it to get up and run. Needless to say, I over slept, so I didn't have time to run. I should add that over-sleeping just doesn't happen for me...I pretty much wake up on my own around 5am every day. I don't always get UP at that time, but I am awake. So I must have needed some extra Z's. So even though I missed the 36 minute run, I figured today I would go ahead and attempt the 45 minutes anyway, worst case, I would do the 36 today and just skip the long run for this week.
As soon as I started running (treadmill), I knew this was not going to go well! My heart rate basically just shot right up within a couple of minutes to 144! What the heck? I was still just warming up! So I had to walk, and when my heart rate got to about 138, I started to run again. That's pretty much the way it went for 30 minutes. Run/walk/Run/Walk. As soon as I hit 30 minutes, I stopped. I have seen Jeff Galloway's training methods, and he is a strong advocate for walk breaks in the long run, to keep the heart rate in the lower aerobic zone. So I feel like I did the right approach here, given the circumstances with my heart rate going a little nutso today. I wasn't feelin' it today, legs were heavy, I was tired and I don't think I was very well fueled for a 45 minute run either.
I've been a little 'wheezy' today too...I'm pretty sure it's the smokey incense stuff (no idea what it's called and I should know....bad Catholic) that they, uh...blessed us with this morning, and of course since we had to sit up front, we were basically directly inhaling the stuff and the girls and I were gagging as discreetly as possible (as was the rest of the congregation in the front of the church!). My eyes have been itchy too all day, again I think from the incense. So all of this, combined with other factors just added up to a bad run day for the books!
I'm going to repeat last week's schedule this week, because I don't feel like I was really 'ready' to do 45 minutes anyway, bad day or not. I'm good with this! Which is huge for me, because I've been a little impatient lately with my running progress (or seeming lack of), so for me to say it's ok, and give myself a 'do-over'? Now that's pretty impressive if I may say so myself!
I hope everyone has a great week ahead!
Well I certainly struggled with getting the exercise in today, that's for sure. I had a 45 minute run on the schedule. For starters, my whole running mojo has been messed up all week. I was supposed to do my 2nd run (36 mins) yesterday morning before I left for Toledo. My well-meaning hubby turned the alarm off, thinking that it was still on for 'work week' time, but I had actually set it to get up and run. Needless to say, I over slept, so I didn't have time to run. I should add that over-sleeping just doesn't happen for me...I pretty much wake up on my own around 5am every day. I don't always get UP at that time, but I am awake. So I must have needed some extra Z's. So even though I missed the 36 minute run, I figured today I would go ahead and attempt the 45 minutes anyway, worst case, I would do the 36 today and just skip the long run for this week.
As soon as I started running (treadmill), I knew this was not going to go well! My heart rate basically just shot right up within a couple of minutes to 144! What the heck? I was still just warming up! So I had to walk, and when my heart rate got to about 138, I started to run again. That's pretty much the way it went for 30 minutes. Run/walk/Run/Walk. As soon as I hit 30 minutes, I stopped. I have seen Jeff Galloway's training methods, and he is a strong advocate for walk breaks in the long run, to keep the heart rate in the lower aerobic zone. So I feel like I did the right approach here, given the circumstances with my heart rate going a little nutso today. I wasn't feelin' it today, legs were heavy, I was tired and I don't think I was very well fueled for a 45 minute run either.
I've been a little 'wheezy' today too...I'm pretty sure it's the smokey incense stuff (no idea what it's called and I should know....bad Catholic) that they, uh...blessed us with this morning, and of course since we had to sit up front, we were basically directly inhaling the stuff and the girls and I were gagging as discreetly as possible (as was the rest of the congregation in the front of the church!). My eyes have been itchy too all day, again I think from the incense. So all of this, combined with other factors just added up to a bad run day for the books!
I'm going to repeat last week's schedule this week, because I don't feel like I was really 'ready' to do 45 minutes anyway, bad day or not. I'm good with this! Which is huge for me, because I've been a little impatient lately with my running progress (or seeming lack of), so for me to say it's ok, and give myself a 'do-over'? Now that's pretty impressive if I may say so myself!
I hope everyone has a great week ahead!
I ran in to a friend yesterday.....
Wait (you may be asking)...is that SHOSH????? Seriously? YES! Yesterday I spent a great day in lovely Toledo, Ohio chatting it up, live and in person, with my BBF, Shosh! How cool is that? She is in Michigan this week for the holiday, and we decided to try to squeeze in an opportunity to meet, and since Toledo is almost exactly half way between Cleveland and Detroit, we each took a mini-road trip to meet up at Manhattan's Restaurant in Toledo.
I am here to tell all you Shosh fans, she is the Real Deal! What you read, is what you get! As we greeted each other with big hugs and like dear old friends, I knew immediately there would be no 'surprises' with Shosh. Well, I take that back, there was ONE 'surprise' for me...which actually came the evening BEFORE. For anyone (like me) that has been saying 'Shosh' (like rhymes with 'nosh'), it is actually 'Shosh' with a LONG 'o'.... I got a big kick out of this upon hearing a voicemail from her Friday evening...who knew?
Anyway, first may I say that Shosh looks fantastic - fit, strong, confident, glowing. :-) But even more importantly, her fantastic-ness shines from the inside, which I already knew of course from reading her blog, but meeting her in person just validated what I already knew about her.
We had a great time talking talking talking, and before we knew it, it was already after 4PM! (we met at about 12:30) As I was driving home, I was reflecting on our visit, and it ocurred to me that special people come into our lives in sometimes unusual ways. This is going to sound all supernatural and 'out there' - but, I was struck by this thought only on my way home after meeting Shosh. (cue sci-fi sound effects....)
Shosh arrived at Manhattan's first. I have to say, I truly kind of blindly picked this place online...I know nothing about Toledo (other than Tony Packo's, and who eats hot dogs?) But it looked great from the website, AND since it is a NYC inspired restaurant, I thought 'how cool for Shosh!' Sort of 'home away from home' and all that...
So Shosh sent me a text after she arrived and said, 'we will be the only ones here'. And my first thought was...UGH what is this place really like? As it turns out, the place was very charming, and Shosh and I were truly the only customers...ALL DAY. I'm not kidding. Oh wait...I take that back - the only other customers were two lovely old women, perhaps sisters, or at least very old friends. I could tell this from the apparent comfortable rapport between them. Of all the empty tables in the restaurant, and we decided to sit in the booth behind them...they finished their meal and departed, and Shosh and I remained for the afternoon - the only customers. All Day.
Reflecting on this on the way home I thought a couple of things...how symbolic that the only other customers in the place were these two older women, with an obvious life long connection, and how strange that it almost feels like Manhattans was opened just for us yesterday, specifically for us to meet. I know that sounds like I watch too many serendipitous movies ha ha...but the simple fact is that I know that I have found a life long friend in Shosh. I know that someday when we are 60, 70 years old, we will be sitting together at a restaurant somewhere, old friends, catching up.
So it was a great day, great fun...Shosh rocks, a real class act all the way! I am thrilled I got the chance to meet her, and I am really looking forward to seeing her, and her MOM at races, and perhaps getting to visit in NYC!
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Grin and Bear It: Weigh In Wednesday
First - Everyone please stop by and visit Shosh today, it will be well worth your time! In fact, go there FIRST....my rambles today can wait!
Weigh-In day....I've shared all about the plateau that I've been on, pretty much for the last month. I've been swingin' daily between 147 - 148 pounds. On some days I even see 149, like today for example. (grrr.....) As usual, the daily fluctuations make me a little crazy, hence my recent decision to stay off the scale daily.
However, I'm not so sure that plan is even a good idea anymore, because if I were only weighing once a week, I would not have seen yesterday's weight of 147, which is the only thing keeping my perspective today with the 149 this morning! Because in the 'record book' officially, I've had a gain two weeks in a row. YIKES! I've spent most of my day so far giving myself a dose of 'Suck-It-Up-Sally', lol. It's all good...but I don't know how long I can play the 'I-certainly-am-not-truly-gaining-weight-here' card, before I start to sound like a woman in denial.
So I have to re-think my plan to put the scale away. I learned this morning that those daily fluctuations are actually helping me stay calm about the lack lack of progress on said scale.
I really have no idea what is going on other than the 'usual suspects', (the list of 'exceptions' we are all too familiar with that I'm not even going to list again....) I. just. don't..know.
But there is a lot I DO know......
I don't eat M&M's, ice cream, chips, mindless snacks.
I eat red meat once a week, if that.
I don't eat cookies, pie or other desserts.
I've had two small pieces of cake in the last 120 days.
And, I don't feel deprived or miss or crave any of these foods.
I run 30+ minutes, 3 times a week and do extra walking, and the strength training is on the up swing.
I usually drink 8 - 10 cups of water a day, in addition to coffee, and sometimes a glass of G2.
Otherwise, no pop, no juice.
I have a vege and/or a fruit with every meal.
I DO know that this morning I put on a pair of Size 8 Petite dress pants for work, that I have not worn in 3 years.
These pants did not fit comfortably 2 weeks ago, but they are comfortable now.
I DO know that just 2 or 3 weeks ago, running longer than 30 minutes was quite challenging, and now I am getting psyched for a 44 minute run this weekend. Slow yes, but I can endure!
And I DO know that I just have to keep doing what I'm doing and know that eventually, the numbers will start to move in my favor again!
Cheers!
Weigh-In day....I've shared all about the plateau that I've been on, pretty much for the last month. I've been swingin' daily between 147 - 148 pounds. On some days I even see 149, like today for example. (grrr.....) As usual, the daily fluctuations make me a little crazy, hence my recent decision to stay off the scale daily.
However, I'm not so sure that plan is even a good idea anymore, because if I were only weighing once a week, I would not have seen yesterday's weight of 147, which is the only thing keeping my perspective today with the 149 this morning! Because in the 'record book' officially, I've had a gain two weeks in a row. YIKES! I've spent most of my day so far giving myself a dose of 'Suck-It-Up-Sally', lol. It's all good...but I don't know how long I can play the 'I-certainly-am-not-truly-gaining-weight-here' card, before I start to sound like a woman in denial.
So I have to re-think my plan to put the scale away. I learned this morning that those daily fluctuations are actually helping me stay calm about the lack lack of progress on said scale.
I really have no idea what is going on other than the 'usual suspects', (the list of 'exceptions' we are all too familiar with that I'm not even going to list again....) I. just. don't..know.
But there is a lot I DO know......
I don't eat M&M's, ice cream, chips, mindless snacks.
I eat red meat once a week, if that.
I don't eat cookies, pie or other desserts.
I've had two small pieces of cake in the last 120 days.
And, I don't feel deprived or miss or crave any of these foods.
I run 30+ minutes, 3 times a week and do extra walking, and the strength training is on the up swing.
I usually drink 8 - 10 cups of water a day, in addition to coffee, and sometimes a glass of G2.
Otherwise, no pop, no juice.
I have a vege and/or a fruit with every meal.
I DO know that this morning I put on a pair of Size 8 Petite dress pants for work, that I have not worn in 3 years.
These pants did not fit comfortably 2 weeks ago, but they are comfortable now.
I DO know that just 2 or 3 weeks ago, running longer than 30 minutes was quite challenging, and now I am getting psyched for a 44 minute run this weekend. Slow yes, but I can endure!
And I DO know that I just have to keep doing what I'm doing and know that eventually, the numbers will start to move in my favor again!
Cheers!
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Impatience is NOT a virtue
Well, my 'menu' issues yesterday were really nothing compared to Chris having a bad morning right before leaving for school, and Grace being struck with a migraine (stomach) after arriving to school. However, Chris, in his usual Super Trooper style, powered on through his day, and even went to work in the afternoon at the nursing home (vocational program through school). My boy continues to amaze me with his tenacity and 'grace under pressure'. Grace ended up being picked up at school by grandma and slept off the migraine and she was 'all better' by the time Mike got home from work. I knew hers was coming...her behavior was a little 'off' on Sunday, and when she got up yesterday morning, she commented that her left eye was 'burning'. These are 'pre-symptoms' of her episodes.
In the meantime, Alison is plodding her way through SIX 250 word essays that she has to write for the six scholarships she is applying for for St. Joes Academy. Her English teacher is helping her with these which I think is awesome, AND, Alison told me yesterday that her teacher invited her to particpate in a 'WebCam' interview with an author on Friday with the Honor's English class. She is thrilled.....
So those are my kiddo updates in simplest form, lol.
The other day I mentioned that I am going to weigh in just every other week...as part of my 'don't get hung up on the scale' effort. Well....let's be real here....I don't think I can do that yet! So, I have decided to still weigh in weekly, BUT, hubby is going to REMOVE the scale after I do my weekly weight check. So I will not be weighing myself EVERY DAY. Baby steps, after all. It is those day to day fluctuations that frustrate me sometimes, so if I don't see a number every day, I have no number to think about. You don't just STOP these things, you reduce the behavior gradually so you can adjust easily to the change.
Which brings me to my other random mention for today ...Feelin all 'great' and 'empowered' with my bad self, I thought maybe I could just stop taking my 10mg Lexapro...I ran out a couple days ago and decided not to refill it. DUMB MOVE. Of course, I've read all over the place and know from experience, you don't just STOP taking this type of medication. So after two days, I went and re-filled it! It's not that I became immediately depressed or anxious, I knew I was having side effects from immediately stopping the drug. I was starting to feel a little 'testy' and 'nellied' and 'wierd'. Needless to say, I will be contacting my doc to get a taper down schedule to get off the drug the PROPER way. Which the smart-me knew in the first place, but the impatient me said, who needs rules? :-)
You may all be starting to think that I'm an impatient sort of person...I want to immediately be a super star runner, immediately be a svelte size 6, immediately stop my prescription medication... I think this is simply human nature, but the important piece is that I am able to check myself and re-adjust my thinking. More evidence of 'new Cyndi' ....the 'old me' would have translated my feelings of impatience to 'failure' following up then with a big ole' bag of M&M's.
Now THIS is progress.... show me a scale that measure THAT!
In the meantime, Alison is plodding her way through SIX 250 word essays that she has to write for the six scholarships she is applying for for St. Joes Academy. Her English teacher is helping her with these which I think is awesome, AND, Alison told me yesterday that her teacher invited her to particpate in a 'WebCam' interview with an author on Friday with the Honor's English class. She is thrilled.....
So those are my kiddo updates in simplest form, lol.
The other day I mentioned that I am going to weigh in just every other week...as part of my 'don't get hung up on the scale' effort. Well....let's be real here....I don't think I can do that yet! So, I have decided to still weigh in weekly, BUT, hubby is going to REMOVE the scale after I do my weekly weight check. So I will not be weighing myself EVERY DAY. Baby steps, after all. It is those day to day fluctuations that frustrate me sometimes, so if I don't see a number every day, I have no number to think about. You don't just STOP these things, you reduce the behavior gradually so you can adjust easily to the change.
Which brings me to my other random mention for today ...Feelin all 'great' and 'empowered' with my bad self, I thought maybe I could just stop taking my 10mg Lexapro...I ran out a couple days ago and decided not to refill it. DUMB MOVE. Of course, I've read all over the place and know from experience, you don't just STOP taking this type of medication. So after two days, I went and re-filled it! It's not that I became immediately depressed or anxious, I knew I was having side effects from immediately stopping the drug. I was starting to feel a little 'testy' and 'nellied' and 'wierd'. Needless to say, I will be contacting my doc to get a taper down schedule to get off the drug the PROPER way. Which the smart-me knew in the first place, but the impatient me said, who needs rules? :-)
You may all be starting to think that I'm an impatient sort of person...I want to immediately be a super star runner, immediately be a svelte size 6, immediately stop my prescription medication... I think this is simply human nature, but the important piece is that I am able to check myself and re-adjust my thinking. More evidence of 'new Cyndi' ....the 'old me' would have translated my feelings of impatience to 'failure' following up then with a big ole' bag of M&M's.
Now THIS is progress.... show me a scale that measure THAT!
Monday, November 17, 2008
Menu Review
Happy Monday!
So as I am getting my planned food down on in my log this morning, I thought I'd share today's menu, so you can all get an idea of where my frustration lies. In Weight Watcher world, technically I'm supposed to be at 20 points now, since I am under 150 pounds. However, I still plan around 22 points, and then I don't 'eat' any AP points I earn through exercise. The bottom line is, 20 points is not a lot of food, case in point.....here is my 22 point menu for today.
Breakfast
1/4 cup Kashi 7 grain nuggets - 2 points (this is not even a full serving!)
1/2 cup Blueberries - 0 (fruit and a super food!)
Yoplait Fat Free yogurt - 2 (dairy)
1 Tablespoon sliced almonds - 1 (for healthy fats)
1 Cup 1% milk (in coffee) - 2 (dairy)
Total: 7 points -
**I guess I could save 2 points here by finding a 1 point yogurt, and using skim instead of 1% milk.
Lunch
Tuna Wrap
Fat free wrap - 2 (whole grain)
Tuna - 1 (protein)
Low Fat Provolone - 2 (1/2 dairy serving)
1 T Low Fat Mayo - 1 (Healthy Fat - with Omega 3's!)
Spinach / tomatoes - 0 (veges! both super foods!)
Vege chips - 3
Total: 9 points
***I know I can skip the vege chips to save 3 points, or, eat just 1/2 serving to save 1.5 points
I could skip the cheese (but it's part of my dairy requirement), and I could skip the mayo or use Fat Free mayo.
Snack
1 small apple - 1
1Tablespoon Reduced Fat Peanut Butter - 2
***here I can skip the peanut butter (I guess....) But I'm going for the carb/protein combo here for a satisfying snack :-)
So already I am at 19 points, which on a 20 point plan, would leave me ONE point for dinner. At a 22 point plan, leaves me just THREE points for dinner! If I cut back where I said I could, that that gives me 10 additional points to play with - or cutting 1/2 of those items, would give me 5 points. But seriously ...who eats Tuna with no mayo? And I need SOME fat in my diet after all for Pete's sake! :-)
This is where I get frustrated by following points. The only big 'offenders' here are the low fat mayo, the low fat cheese, the vege crisps and the low fat peanut butter - and are those really that bad? Apparently!
So have at it Bloggie Peeps - rip my menu apart for me. (Shosh! Future WeWa leader - Help!) Let me know if I need to give away my vege crisps and take the CHEESE off my sandwhich. Or, let me know if I should basically add WATER to my coffee instead of 1% milk? Or, what is an alternative protein to have with my afternoon apple?
Otherwise, I guess I'm eating ZERO POINT SOUP for dinner, lol!
By the way - My 41 minute run rocked yesterday and the Total Body workout routine was a 'little' easier the 2nd time around! My kids had more fun than me though...they got a kick out of watching me trying to do an inverted something or other on the balance ball! Good times, good times.....
So as I am getting my planned food down on in my log this morning, I thought I'd share today's menu, so you can all get an idea of where my frustration lies. In Weight Watcher world, technically I'm supposed to be at 20 points now, since I am under 150 pounds. However, I still plan around 22 points, and then I don't 'eat' any AP points I earn through exercise. The bottom line is, 20 points is not a lot of food, case in point.....here is my 22 point menu for today.
Breakfast
1/4 cup Kashi 7 grain nuggets - 2 points (this is not even a full serving!)
1/2 cup Blueberries - 0 (fruit and a super food!)
Yoplait Fat Free yogurt - 2 (dairy)
1 Tablespoon sliced almonds - 1 (for healthy fats)
1 Cup 1% milk (in coffee) - 2 (dairy)
Total: 7 points -
**I guess I could save 2 points here by finding a 1 point yogurt, and using skim instead of 1% milk.
Lunch
Tuna Wrap
Fat free wrap - 2 (whole grain)
Tuna - 1 (protein)
Low Fat Provolone - 2 (1/2 dairy serving)
1 T Low Fat Mayo - 1 (Healthy Fat - with Omega 3's!)
Spinach / tomatoes - 0 (veges! both super foods!)
Vege chips - 3
Total: 9 points
***I know I can skip the vege chips to save 3 points, or, eat just 1/2 serving to save 1.5 points
I could skip the cheese (but it's part of my dairy requirement), and I could skip the mayo or use Fat Free mayo.
Snack
1 small apple - 1
1Tablespoon Reduced Fat Peanut Butter - 2
***here I can skip the peanut butter (I guess....) But I'm going for the carb/protein combo here for a satisfying snack :-)
So already I am at 19 points, which on a 20 point plan, would leave me ONE point for dinner. At a 22 point plan, leaves me just THREE points for dinner! If I cut back where I said I could, that that gives me 10 additional points to play with - or cutting 1/2 of those items, would give me 5 points. But seriously ...who eats Tuna with no mayo? And I need SOME fat in my diet after all for Pete's sake! :-)
This is where I get frustrated by following points. The only big 'offenders' here are the low fat mayo, the low fat cheese, the vege crisps and the low fat peanut butter - and are those really that bad? Apparently!
So have at it Bloggie Peeps - rip my menu apart for me. (Shosh! Future WeWa leader - Help!) Let me know if I need to give away my vege crisps and take the CHEESE off my sandwhich. Or, let me know if I should basically add WATER to my coffee instead of 1% milk? Or, what is an alternative protein to have with my afternoon apple?
Otherwise, I guess I'm eating ZERO POINT SOUP for dinner, lol!
By the way - My 41 minute run rocked yesterday and the Total Body workout routine was a 'little' easier the 2nd time around! My kids had more fun than me though...they got a kick out of watching me trying to do an inverted something or other on the balance ball! Good times, good times.....
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Plateau Bustin' Plan
It's official my friends, I am experiencing the dreaded PLATEAU. Just for kicks, and as if I don't know what a plateau IS, I looked up the definition....
Plateau - to reach a state or level of little or no growth or decline, esp. to stop increasing or progressing; remain at a stable level of achievement; level off
This could not happen at the WORST time. Holiday season is here. This means, FOOD, decorating, FOOD, shopping (endless shopping), FOOD, school concerts (multiple school concerts....ugh), FOOD, wrapping, baking, FOOD, parties, vendor gifts at work (FOOD), no time to exercise.....Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to sound all 'Ba-Hum-Bug' here, because I really do try to enjoy the true meaning of the holiday and take the time to experience the joy and fa-la-la-la-la, which is why...... I've got a plan.
('of course she does', you say...)
Here is my plan of attack. The whole idea of this journey is to place the necessary priority on keeping up with my own health, so that I can be 'better' for everyone else, and in whatever goes on in my daily life. It would be so very easy right now to put this all on hold until 'after the holiday', 'I'll restart January 1st' etc. Yes, THAT would be the easy soloution, that would be the 'old me' knee jerk reaction.
But, this is a 'new me' now, and my plan to beat this plateau is simply...KEEP GOING! Yes, if I have to run at 4am because I have shopping or concerts to go to on an evening, then I MUST run at 4 AM. I have learned that exercise relieves my stress, keeps me balanced and gives me energy. This time of year would NOT be the time to stop doing this for myself. So the first rule of my plan is, DO NOT STOP EXERCISING. No excuses, no putting off....just.keep.doing.
My plateau is affecting not only my progress on the scale, but I feel like my running progress is stalled. Yes, I have a 41 minute run scheduled for today...so in that sense, yes, I can run longer now - so that IS progress...however, I feel like I am running slower. I know that is really the whole point of base building, long, slow EASY runs....but I'm struggling to be patient with this concept. So maybe it's a good thing that my FOOT POD for my Garmin stopped working this week! It is not the battery, I've tried everything and it is simply not pairing up with my watch. So, not only can I not record my distance while running, I can't see my pace either obviously. All I can do is watch my heart rate. Therefore, I have less numbers/data to obsess about, so I will just have to let this aspect go until I have time to replace the foot pod or look into the warranty etc.
Less numbers to obsess about seems like a good idea, therefore I have made the following plan:
A) I will STOP weighing myself every day. This has always proved to be difficult, so after I weigh in on Wednesday morning, I will ask hubby to HIDE THE SCALE.
B) Not only will he hide the scale, but he will hide it for TWO WEEKS! (I can just hear the collective gasps from my BP's)
Yes, I have concluded that the scale number really means nothing to me right now, so although I will continue to take and log my measurements each week, I am basically going to ignore the scale for awhile. The scale is just causing me frustration right now, so I am going to remove it from the equation for a bit.
The purpose of weighing in every two weeks, is just so that I can be assured that nothing TOO crazy is going on. Therefore, the trade off is, if I'm NOT weighing daily/weekly, I MUST log my food intake EVERY DAY. So that is the third part of my plateau plan. As long as I journal my food, I will be less likely to nibble holiday treats mindlessly, or at least, maintain some control. If I get a dose of 'shock and awe' at my two week weigh in, I will have my journal to look back on to either pat myself on the back, or smack myself across the head. I am not accountable to the number on the scale. I am accountable for every bite of food I put in my mouth.
And finally, I am shaking up the workout routine a bit with the Fitness 'Total Body Workout (from hell)' that I started on Thursday. I have to do it again today, and then I will do the recommended 3 times per week. I hope that this will shake up my metabolism a bit, build some more muscle and strength. I am STILL sore in some places from my Thursday workout...which is a good thing, as that tells me I really worked some little utilized muscle groups, so there is growth going on there! So I feel confident that doing this workout for a few weeks will help bust me through this plateau.
And so, that is my official Plateau-Busting plan! Today I have a 41 minute run (woo!), and Fitness workout. Yesterday I ran in the cold, windy driving rain/sleet. Which rocked!
Happy Sunday all!
Plateau - to reach a state or level of little or no growth or decline, esp. to stop increasing or progressing; remain at a stable level of achievement; level off
This could not happen at the WORST time. Holiday season is here. This means, FOOD, decorating, FOOD, shopping (endless shopping), FOOD, school concerts (multiple school concerts....ugh), FOOD, wrapping, baking, FOOD, parties, vendor gifts at work (FOOD), no time to exercise.....Now don't get me wrong, I don't want to sound all 'Ba-Hum-Bug' here, because I really do try to enjoy the true meaning of the holiday and take the time to experience the joy and fa-la-la-la-la, which is why...... I've got a plan.
('of course she does', you say...)
Here is my plan of attack. The whole idea of this journey is to place the necessary priority on keeping up with my own health, so that I can be 'better' for everyone else, and in whatever goes on in my daily life. It would be so very easy right now to put this all on hold until 'after the holiday', 'I'll restart January 1st' etc. Yes, THAT would be the easy soloution, that would be the 'old me' knee jerk reaction.
But, this is a 'new me' now, and my plan to beat this plateau is simply...KEEP GOING! Yes, if I have to run at 4am because I have shopping or concerts to go to on an evening, then I MUST run at 4 AM. I have learned that exercise relieves my stress, keeps me balanced and gives me energy. This time of year would NOT be the time to stop doing this for myself. So the first rule of my plan is, DO NOT STOP EXERCISING. No excuses, no putting off....just.keep.doing.
My plateau is affecting not only my progress on the scale, but I feel like my running progress is stalled. Yes, I have a 41 minute run scheduled for today...so in that sense, yes, I can run longer now - so that IS progress...however, I feel like I am running slower. I know that is really the whole point of base building, long, slow EASY runs....but I'm struggling to be patient with this concept. So maybe it's a good thing that my FOOT POD for my Garmin stopped working this week! It is not the battery, I've tried everything and it is simply not pairing up with my watch. So, not only can I not record my distance while running, I can't see my pace either obviously. All I can do is watch my heart rate. Therefore, I have less numbers/data to obsess about, so I will just have to let this aspect go until I have time to replace the foot pod or look into the warranty etc.
Less numbers to obsess about seems like a good idea, therefore I have made the following plan:
A) I will STOP weighing myself every day. This has always proved to be difficult, so after I weigh in on Wednesday morning, I will ask hubby to HIDE THE SCALE.
B) Not only will he hide the scale, but he will hide it for TWO WEEKS! (I can just hear the collective gasps from my BP's)
Yes, I have concluded that the scale number really means nothing to me right now, so although I will continue to take and log my measurements each week, I am basically going to ignore the scale for awhile. The scale is just causing me frustration right now, so I am going to remove it from the equation for a bit.
The purpose of weighing in every two weeks, is just so that I can be assured that nothing TOO crazy is going on. Therefore, the trade off is, if I'm NOT weighing daily/weekly, I MUST log my food intake EVERY DAY. So that is the third part of my plateau plan. As long as I journal my food, I will be less likely to nibble holiday treats mindlessly, or at least, maintain some control. If I get a dose of 'shock and awe' at my two week weigh in, I will have my journal to look back on to either pat myself on the back, or smack myself across the head. I am not accountable to the number on the scale. I am accountable for every bite of food I put in my mouth.
And finally, I am shaking up the workout routine a bit with the Fitness 'Total Body Workout (from hell)' that I started on Thursday. I have to do it again today, and then I will do the recommended 3 times per week. I hope that this will shake up my metabolism a bit, build some more muscle and strength. I am STILL sore in some places from my Thursday workout...which is a good thing, as that tells me I really worked some little utilized muscle groups, so there is growth going on there! So I feel confident that doing this workout for a few weeks will help bust me through this plateau.
And so, that is my official Plateau-Busting plan! Today I have a 41 minute run (woo!), and Fitness workout. Yesterday I ran in the cold, windy driving rain/sleet. Which rocked!
Happy Sunday all!
Thursday, November 13, 2008
This and That
Random thoughts today...I don't think I can do bullets, but let's give this a go anyway!
* LADIES...if you have not picked up or received this month's FITNESS magazine, this would be the issue to get! If you are not already aware, there is a free '25 Minute Total Body Workout' DVD with this month's issue.
* I just completed this workout and my whole body is still quivering. My heart rate got up to 140 during this workout, and I have discovered muscles I did not know existed. (HINT: the exercises are 'multi-tasking' in nature, such as 'contract this - engage that - align this - don't arch that'. WHEW! )
* The so-called 'strength training' I've been doing? Eh.....VERY old school! This DVD rocks - I'm going to be hurting tomorrow, I can feel it already. I'm not sure exactly WHAT I've been doing, but it definitely hasn't been THIS workout.
* The workout claims that you will be 'Little Black Dress' ready. I will put this claim to the test....I have quite a few of those LBD's in the depths of my closet, (in every size yes) and I may even model the results at the end of December! If I'm brave enough....
* Even with bullet points, I still can't be brief...what gives?
* When I was 11 years old, I won a hula hoop contest at a county fair in Missouri.
* I 'hooped' for 70 minutes in 90 degree August heat, with bees swarming all around.
* I got stung twice....and kept hooping.
* I won a snow cone, it was blue. (yep, that's IT, a snow cone)
* To honor that memory, I want THIS for Christmas. (Also see page 16 of this month's Fitness)
* Seriously...how FUN does that look???? This is apparently all the rage lately...how did I miss this?
* Some new favorite things on my grocery list these days: dried cranberries, no salt slivered almonds, sunflower seeds (for salad crunch!), dried apricots, Kashi 7 grain nuggets.
* I've added a book to my 'must read' list: 'Eat, Pray, Love' By Elizabeth Gilbert. (Review in Women's Health: "A great woman accepting her weaknesses? I fell in love with it. It made me want to eat great food and have great sex and great friends." )
* Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about....
* Dave and BeachRunner, if you are still reading at this point...you are WAY cooler than I already knew you were! ;-)
* Back to the Total Body Workout....the narrarator kept saying I was working my lower back.
* I thought, '???' I don't feel nuthin there....
* 45 minutes later....I feel it now.
* I did not do one sit-up, but I feel like I did 100.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
* LADIES...if you have not picked up or received this month's FITNESS magazine, this would be the issue to get! If you are not already aware, there is a free '25 Minute Total Body Workout' DVD with this month's issue.
* I just completed this workout and my whole body is still quivering. My heart rate got up to 140 during this workout, and I have discovered muscles I did not know existed. (HINT: the exercises are 'multi-tasking' in nature, such as 'contract this - engage that - align this - don't arch that'. WHEW! )
* The so-called 'strength training' I've been doing? Eh.....VERY old school! This DVD rocks - I'm going to be hurting tomorrow, I can feel it already. I'm not sure exactly WHAT I've been doing, but it definitely hasn't been THIS workout.
* The workout claims that you will be 'Little Black Dress' ready. I will put this claim to the test....I have quite a few of those LBD's in the depths of my closet, (in every size yes) and I may even model the results at the end of December! If I'm brave enough....
* Even with bullet points, I still can't be brief...what gives?
* When I was 11 years old, I won a hula hoop contest at a county fair in Missouri.
* I 'hooped' for 70 minutes in 90 degree August heat, with bees swarming all around.
* I got stung twice....and kept hooping.
* I won a snow cone, it was blue. (yep, that's IT, a snow cone)
* To honor that memory, I want THIS for Christmas. (Also see page 16 of this month's Fitness)
* Seriously...how FUN does that look???? This is apparently all the rage lately...how did I miss this?
* Some new favorite things on my grocery list these days: dried cranberries, no salt slivered almonds, sunflower seeds (for salad crunch!), dried apricots, Kashi 7 grain nuggets.
* I've added a book to my 'must read' list: 'Eat, Pray, Love' By Elizabeth Gilbert. (Review in Women's Health: "A great woman accepting her weaknesses? I fell in love with it. It made me want to eat great food and have great sex and great friends." )
* Now THAT's what I'm talkin' about....
* Dave and BeachRunner, if you are still reading at this point...you are WAY cooler than I already knew you were! ;-)
* Back to the Total Body Workout....the narrarator kept saying I was working my lower back.
* I thought, '???' I don't feel nuthin there....
* 45 minutes later....I feel it now.
* I did not do one sit-up, but I feel like I did 100.
Hope everyone has a great weekend!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Wednesday Weigh-In, What Goes Up, Must Come Down
Well, I'm still smilin', thank you, even though my weigh-in today smacked me with a (*gasp*) one pound GAIN. It is my first gain to report since I started this journey back in July. Not only THAT, but guess what? My THIGHS are measuring 1/2" larger than last week too. No change with any other measurements. So....all I can say to this is, what goes up, must come down, right? :-)
I'm noticing a pattern now, after almost 4 months in to this journey and reviewing my logs. I seem to hold steady, bouncing between two numbers, for 2-3 weeks - and then almost over night, two or three pounds is gone, or a certain pair of pants/jeans suddenly becomes too lose to wear. I am not going to freak over this one lousy pound, because I am certainly not gaining weight here. I am swimming in my clothes these days. I am trying to hold out as long as I can before shopping. The thigh thing? - well, I can tell it's muscle. I'm running longer these days, so of course muscle is going to build more...in my case, it seems my muscles develop much faster than the fat burns, lol.
Or, MAYBE MY SCALE IS BROKEN hee hee...I couldn't resist that one, but pretty funny yes?
I did my 30 minute run this morning, since last night I had to go shop for my hubby's birthday present. Today is his 41st birthday! Lucky for me, his cake of choice is Angel Food, so I will be indulging in a small slice of that this evening, with some fresh fruit, and the frosting scraped off. ;-) My run was nice and easy, heart rate holding steady at 143 the whole time.
So, what do I do about my one pound gain? Well, not much! I'm not sure that it's a true gain, but the same checks are in place - watch sodium, don't slack on the water (so busy at work, I am slacking on the water intake), etc. I am doing well with the veges, really making a conscious effort to get them in every day. It hasn't been perfect every single day, but most days I've been successful!
Now I'm off to find a healthy lunch!
Cheers!
I'm noticing a pattern now, after almost 4 months in to this journey and reviewing my logs. I seem to hold steady, bouncing between two numbers, for 2-3 weeks - and then almost over night, two or three pounds is gone, or a certain pair of pants/jeans suddenly becomes too lose to wear. I am not going to freak over this one lousy pound, because I am certainly not gaining weight here. I am swimming in my clothes these days. I am trying to hold out as long as I can before shopping. The thigh thing? - well, I can tell it's muscle. I'm running longer these days, so of course muscle is going to build more...in my case, it seems my muscles develop much faster than the fat burns, lol.
Or, MAYBE MY SCALE IS BROKEN hee hee...I couldn't resist that one, but pretty funny yes?
I did my 30 minute run this morning, since last night I had to go shop for my hubby's birthday present. Today is his 41st birthday! Lucky for me, his cake of choice is Angel Food, so I will be indulging in a small slice of that this evening, with some fresh fruit, and the frosting scraped off. ;-) My run was nice and easy, heart rate holding steady at 143 the whole time.
So, what do I do about my one pound gain? Well, not much! I'm not sure that it's a true gain, but the same checks are in place - watch sodium, don't slack on the water (so busy at work, I am slacking on the water intake), etc. I am doing well with the veges, really making a conscious effort to get them in every day. It hasn't been perfect every single day, but most days I've been successful!
Now I'm off to find a healthy lunch!
Cheers!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Be Still My Heart....
Happy Monday! It's lunchtime, and as I enjoy my awesome salad the hubs made last night, I've been doing some heart rate research. This is going to be a long, number filled, not very exciting post....just a forewarning. But for anyone who uses heart rate to train, or judge exertion - it is good info. I've learned a lot this lunch hour!
I found a lot of good information here with respect to calculating Max Heart Rate. And then I linked to here for training zone information. There were five different methods for calculating a MHR, and 3 of those 5 methods gave me a MHR of 182. Here is the method I landed on (the 'bold' items apply to me).
Miller, Londeree and Moeschberger
To determine your maximum heart rate you could use the following, which combines the Miller formula with the research from Londeree and Moeschberger.
Use the Miller formula of MHR=217 - (0.85 × age) to calculate MHR
Subtract 3 beats for elite athletes under 30
Add 2 beats for 50 year old elite athletes
Add 4 beats for 55+ year old elite athletes
Use this MHR value for running training
Subtract 3 beats for rowing training
Subtract 5 beats for bicycle training
Using this method, I have a MHR of 182. (as opposed to the 179 I've been using). That's only 3 beats higher than before, so no big deal right? I then learned that the variance lies more in how you calculate the training zones, more so than the MHR.
The formula for figuring training zones accounts for your resting heart rate too, which I have not done. For example, here is how I should calulate my 'easy' or 'fat burning zone':
MHR (182) - Resting heart rate (55 this morning) = Working heart rate (127)
60% of 127 = 76 + RHR (55) = 131
So 131 - 144 would be my 'fat burning' or 'easy endurance building' zone. Which is quite a bit higher than the basic method I have been using, which puts the 60-70% zone at 107 - 125. Given that my heart rate sort of naturally lands around 140-143 on my easy runs, I am inclined to think that the method which uses the resting heart rate in the formula is more accurate for me.
So here are my new training zones based on what I've learned today (with my 'old' zones in red):
60% - 70% (Fat Burning and re-energize glycogen stores) 131- 144 (107 - 125)
70% - 80% (Cardiovascular conditioning) 144 - 156 (125 - 143)
80% - 85% (Improve Lactic Threshold) 156 - 163 **I tend to drift to this range towards mid to end runs (143 - 152)
90% (Speed) 169 (161)
Based on my old formula, I was supposedly doing 'Lactic Threshold' training for the majority of my runs. There is no way I have been working that hard, not at my slow pace! :-)
I feel better now, knowing where my heart rate peaks (around 140 - 143) on most runs, and that it seems to match up better with this scale. I would have to WALK to get my heart rate down to 125 for the 'fat burn' zone - I don't think I ever spent more than a couple of minutes in the 107 - 125 zone before. Keeping my rate between 131-144 is much more realistic and I don't have to 'try' so hard to manage to that, my body just sort of lands there.
As always, it's all about the numbers I guess! I just want to be sure I am working at the right exertion during this base building period. The payoff, will be better endurance, my weight will drop, and speed will start to increase! All good stuff!
I found a lot of good information here with respect to calculating Max Heart Rate. And then I linked to here for training zone information. There were five different methods for calculating a MHR, and 3 of those 5 methods gave me a MHR of 182. Here is the method I landed on (the 'bold' items apply to me).
Miller, Londeree and Moeschberger
To determine your maximum heart rate you could use the following, which combines the Miller formula with the research from Londeree and Moeschberger.
Use the Miller formula of MHR=217 - (0.85 × age) to calculate MHR
Subtract 3 beats for elite athletes under 30
Add 2 beats for 50 year old elite athletes
Add 4 beats for 55+ year old elite athletes
Use this MHR value for running training
Subtract 3 beats for rowing training
Subtract 5 beats for bicycle training
Using this method, I have a MHR of 182. (as opposed to the 179 I've been using). That's only 3 beats higher than before, so no big deal right? I then learned that the variance lies more in how you calculate the training zones, more so than the MHR.
The formula for figuring training zones accounts for your resting heart rate too, which I have not done. For example, here is how I should calulate my 'easy' or 'fat burning zone':
MHR (182) - Resting heart rate (55 this morning) = Working heart rate (127)
60% of 127 = 76 + RHR (55) = 131
So 131 - 144 would be my 'fat burning' or 'easy endurance building' zone. Which is quite a bit higher than the basic method I have been using, which puts the 60-70% zone at 107 - 125. Given that my heart rate sort of naturally lands around 140-143 on my easy runs, I am inclined to think that the method which uses the resting heart rate in the formula is more accurate for me.
So here are my new training zones based on what I've learned today (with my 'old' zones in red):
60% - 70% (Fat Burning and re-energize glycogen stores) 131- 144 (107 - 125)
70% - 80% (Cardiovascular conditioning) 144 - 156 (125 - 143)
80% - 85% (Improve Lactic Threshold) 156 - 163 **I tend to drift to this range towards mid to end runs (143 - 152)
90% (Speed) 169 (161)
Based on my old formula, I was supposedly doing 'Lactic Threshold' training for the majority of my runs. There is no way I have been working that hard, not at my slow pace! :-)
I feel better now, knowing where my heart rate peaks (around 140 - 143) on most runs, and that it seems to match up better with this scale. I would have to WALK to get my heart rate down to 125 for the 'fat burn' zone - I don't think I ever spent more than a couple of minutes in the 107 - 125 zone before. Keeping my rate between 131-144 is much more realistic and I don't have to 'try' so hard to manage to that, my body just sort of lands there.
As always, it's all about the numbers I guess! I just want to be sure I am working at the right exertion during this base building period. The payoff, will be better endurance, my weight will drop, and speed will start to increase! All good stuff!
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Let me take that back.....
I ran outside this afternoon! In the cold, wet, windy weather....and it was SO fun! I officially take back my whining about the 'elements' yesterday. I had to get this run in today, and Chris was napping in the basement (Bad Day) and I didn't want to disturb him with the treadmill. Mike was making chicken soup, Grace was resting (Bad Day for her too - tummy migraine since last night, vomiting and 2am etc.) Alison was doing homework.
So, I stole the opportunity to get 'away' for a bit...to release some of the angst I was feeling over two of my kids having Bad Days. Once I knew everyone was settled and comfy, I bundled up with gloves, headband, layers etc. and off I went in the mist. This was a 32 minute run. I sort of flipped my schedule this week and did my long run yesterday because I wasn't sure if I would get to run today. Since I missed Thursday's run, I REALLY wanted to check off a third run for this week.
When I run outside, I find it difficult to keep my heart rate in the 140 - 143 range. My pace was something ridiculously slow, like 13:00 min/mile (at least until my foot pod mysteriously went out on me...), so I'm not sure why my heart works so much harder outside? It was between 155 - 160 the whole time. I guess I should have stopped and walked to bring it back down, but I felt just fine? I wasn't huffing and puffing and struggling by any means. Sometimes I wonder if my heart rate calculations are under-estimated? My resting heart rate in the a.m. is usually around 58, which is quite low. I use the standard 220 - age, for a max rate of 179. I've seen other bloggers use 220 minus half their age. But I'm not sure where that formula comes from. This subject is now on my 'things to research' list. :-) Therefore, I did the run based on how I felt, and pretty much stopped looking at my Garmin after the first 1/2 of the run, because my foot pod connection was lost for some reason anyway. ( I officially have a 'love hate' relationship with my Garmin by the way....)
All this said, it was a great run and I returned refreshed (albeit windblown ha ha) and enjoyed a big bowl of homemade chicken soup, courtesy of the hubby!
I am also having issues with my left foot. I don't know where this word comes from, but it sounds so 'unpleasant' to talk about, and all it is is a swollen mis-aligned toe joint. Yes, I'm referring to a bunion, lol. It just sounds, well...ewwwww. I am genetically blessed with bunions on both feet, that have never ever caused me discomfort. But my left foot has been getting progressively worse since I started running. It's not painful really, it's just uncomfortable at times when I first start my run, and then for a little bit after the run. Yesterday I picked up one of those gel toe separator thingie-mabobs, which is supposed to release the pressure on the joint. I did not wear it while running today, but put it on after I got back, and the discomfort immediately went away. I just hope this does not blow up into anything bigger than what it is now. I think a better pair of running shoes would help. Mine are 'ok', but not the best. Now that I am doing longer runs, I think it's time to invest in some true running shoes!
I am ready to hit the couch now in cozy clothes, sharing woobies (blankets) with the fam, and reading my Women's Health and Fitness mags while watching 'Sunday Night TV'....that would be Funniest Home Videos, Extreme Home Makeover (Chris' FAVORITE - I think he believes Ty and gang will be showing up at our house some day!), Desperate Housewives (MY show) and Brothers and Sisters. Fluffy, mindless entertainment! Gotta love it... Well, Extreme Makeover is usually pretty inspiring to watch, but the rest is all a good escape from reality really....
That's all my rambling now ;-) I hope everyone has a great week!
Thankful Thoughts today:
I am thankful for my super trooper kids, and my supportive husband - who all insist I go do what I need to do, even though they'd probably much rather I stay and dote over them, especially on days like today. They make it so easy for me to stick with my journey and I don't know how I'd do it if not for their understanding and support!
So, I stole the opportunity to get 'away' for a bit...to release some of the angst I was feeling over two of my kids having Bad Days. Once I knew everyone was settled and comfy, I bundled up with gloves, headband, layers etc. and off I went in the mist. This was a 32 minute run. I sort of flipped my schedule this week and did my long run yesterday because I wasn't sure if I would get to run today. Since I missed Thursday's run, I REALLY wanted to check off a third run for this week.
When I run outside, I find it difficult to keep my heart rate in the 140 - 143 range. My pace was something ridiculously slow, like 13:00 min/mile (at least until my foot pod mysteriously went out on me...), so I'm not sure why my heart works so much harder outside? It was between 155 - 160 the whole time. I guess I should have stopped and walked to bring it back down, but I felt just fine? I wasn't huffing and puffing and struggling by any means. Sometimes I wonder if my heart rate calculations are under-estimated? My resting heart rate in the a.m. is usually around 58, which is quite low. I use the standard 220 - age, for a max rate of 179. I've seen other bloggers use 220 minus half their age. But I'm not sure where that formula comes from. This subject is now on my 'things to research' list. :-) Therefore, I did the run based on how I felt, and pretty much stopped looking at my Garmin after the first 1/2 of the run, because my foot pod connection was lost for some reason anyway. ( I officially have a 'love hate' relationship with my Garmin by the way....)
All this said, it was a great run and I returned refreshed (albeit windblown ha ha) and enjoyed a big bowl of homemade chicken soup, courtesy of the hubby!
I am also having issues with my left foot. I don't know where this word comes from, but it sounds so 'unpleasant' to talk about, and all it is is a swollen mis-aligned toe joint. Yes, I'm referring to a bunion, lol. It just sounds, well...ewwwww. I am genetically blessed with bunions on both feet, that have never ever caused me discomfort. But my left foot has been getting progressively worse since I started running. It's not painful really, it's just uncomfortable at times when I first start my run, and then for a little bit after the run. Yesterday I picked up one of those gel toe separator thingie-mabobs, which is supposed to release the pressure on the joint. I did not wear it while running today, but put it on after I got back, and the discomfort immediately went away. I just hope this does not blow up into anything bigger than what it is now. I think a better pair of running shoes would help. Mine are 'ok', but not the best. Now that I am doing longer runs, I think it's time to invest in some true running shoes!
I am ready to hit the couch now in cozy clothes, sharing woobies (blankets) with the fam, and reading my Women's Health and Fitness mags while watching 'Sunday Night TV'....that would be Funniest Home Videos, Extreme Home Makeover (Chris' FAVORITE - I think he believes Ty and gang will be showing up at our house some day!), Desperate Housewives (MY show) and Brothers and Sisters. Fluffy, mindless entertainment! Gotta love it... Well, Extreme Makeover is usually pretty inspiring to watch, but the rest is all a good escape from reality really....
That's all my rambling now ;-) I hope everyone has a great week!
Thankful Thoughts today:
I am thankful for my super trooper kids, and my supportive husband - who all insist I go do what I need to do, even though they'd probably much rather I stay and dote over them, especially on days like today. They make it so easy for me to stick with my journey and I don't know how I'd do it if not for their understanding and support!
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Thirty-Eight Minutes ~ CHECK!
A little while ago, I just finished a 38 minute run! I had to do it on the treadmill, for much as I tried, I just could not get excited about running out in the cold, slightly damp, windy weather. Nope, braving the elements of Northeast Ohio at this time of year is not looking very promising! I started out with grand plans....'I'm going to run outside until the snow is too deep or it's too icy! No problem...I'm dedicated, I. Am. A. Runner.' (Hear me roar....)
Nah...not happening. Me and the 'mill are going to become VERY acquainted over the next 3 months unless I have a major attitude adjustment! Maybe it was just me today, time will tell I guess!
So, back to the run...it is the longest run time I've had so far, and I took it nice and slow, keeping my heart rate between 140 - 143. I remember not too long ago, wondering how the heck I was going to run 20 minutes straight! Today, 38 minutes was so comfortable - naturally because I had a slower pace. I even felt like I could keep going for another 5 minutes. This was great because it typically takes me about 10 minutes to get in the groove...and by the time I'm all settled in and really feeling great, it's time to stop! So 38 minutes today was very nice.
Other than my sweet run, today was 'girls day' in the house. I took Alison for her placement test at St. Joe's this morning, and attended a parent meeting for an hour & 1/2. I can see why Alison loves the school so much...and I was very impressed with the '21st Century' curriculum structure. She would definitely be prepared for college with technology skills, communication and writing skills, and multi-cultural awareness. Another impressive stat - the Class of 2008, with 149 students, had 8 MILLION dollars in college scholarship awards! Holy cow....that is very, very impressive to me.
We got home around noon and then it was 'spa time' - Alison wanted me to color her hair and trim her bangs. (she had some old highlights she's been trying to grow out and they needed to be toned down basically, nothing drastic!) And then Grace needed a trim.....and then nail painting....you know, 'girl stuff'.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, we'll all be out in the leaves...UGH. When we first bought this house 15 years ago....it was so 'fun' to have a yard to rake, and then the kids came along and that was all cute and fun with the leaf piles etc. Now? Raking leaves is the bane of my existence! Yes we have leaf blowers, and tarps for transporting leaves from the back to the tree lawn....but nothing about this job is fun in my opinion. Now we have to pull the kids by their ears to get out and help, we all have allergies...Mike gets 'dizzy'...The only bright side is that it will be a good workout! Always the optimist, aren't I? ;-)
And finally, some 'NSV' news to share...I stopped in to say hello to my mother in law while I waited for Alison to finish the last hour of her testing. The in-laws just got back from 10 days away visiting Mike's sister in San Francisco. Mom almost dropped the phone when I walked in! She said, 'oh my gosh do you look GREAT!'. I reminded her that she just saw me 2 weeks ago and that I can't look THAT different....she said, 'I can see that this 'running thing' (ha ha) really agrees with you, I've never seen you look so healthy!' I found this very enlightening, because nobody ever said that to me the last time I lost weight. (and the time before, and the time before....) No one EVER said anything about looking 'healthy'...compliments were always about 'weight' and 'skinny'...very interesting indeed....
My answer to her? I've never felt this good, that's for SURE!
Run on....
Nah...not happening. Me and the 'mill are going to become VERY acquainted over the next 3 months unless I have a major attitude adjustment! Maybe it was just me today, time will tell I guess!
So, back to the run...it is the longest run time I've had so far, and I took it nice and slow, keeping my heart rate between 140 - 143. I remember not too long ago, wondering how the heck I was going to run 20 minutes straight! Today, 38 minutes was so comfortable - naturally because I had a slower pace. I even felt like I could keep going for another 5 minutes. This was great because it typically takes me about 10 minutes to get in the groove...and by the time I'm all settled in and really feeling great, it's time to stop! So 38 minutes today was very nice.
Other than my sweet run, today was 'girls day' in the house. I took Alison for her placement test at St. Joe's this morning, and attended a parent meeting for an hour & 1/2. I can see why Alison loves the school so much...and I was very impressed with the '21st Century' curriculum structure. She would definitely be prepared for college with technology skills, communication and writing skills, and multi-cultural awareness. Another impressive stat - the Class of 2008, with 149 students, had 8 MILLION dollars in college scholarship awards! Holy cow....that is very, very impressive to me.
We got home around noon and then it was 'spa time' - Alison wanted me to color her hair and trim her bangs. (she had some old highlights she's been trying to grow out and they needed to be toned down basically, nothing drastic!) And then Grace needed a trim.....and then nail painting....you know, 'girl stuff'.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, we'll all be out in the leaves...UGH. When we first bought this house 15 years ago....it was so 'fun' to have a yard to rake, and then the kids came along and that was all cute and fun with the leaf piles etc. Now? Raking leaves is the bane of my existence! Yes we have leaf blowers, and tarps for transporting leaves from the back to the tree lawn....but nothing about this job is fun in my opinion. Now we have to pull the kids by their ears to get out and help, we all have allergies...Mike gets 'dizzy'...The only bright side is that it will be a good workout! Always the optimist, aren't I? ;-)
And finally, some 'NSV' news to share...I stopped in to say hello to my mother in law while I waited for Alison to finish the last hour of her testing. The in-laws just got back from 10 days away visiting Mike's sister in San Francisco. Mom almost dropped the phone when I walked in! She said, 'oh my gosh do you look GREAT!'. I reminded her that she just saw me 2 weeks ago and that I can't look THAT different....she said, 'I can see that this 'running thing' (ha ha) really agrees with you, I've never seen you look so healthy!' I found this very enlightening, because nobody ever said that to me the last time I lost weight. (and the time before, and the time before....) No one EVER said anything about looking 'healthy'...compliments were always about 'weight' and 'skinny'...very interesting indeed....
My answer to her? I've never felt this good, that's for SURE!
Run on....
Friday, November 7, 2008
You Make Me Feel Like Dancin'...
Whew! What a week! Craziness at work, chaos on the home front...TGIF! It was one of those weeks when working moms say 'How/Why the heck do I do this?'.
I'm Alive (Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews)
Then I got home this evening and I was reminded why. Silliness reigns in the house tonight. It was 'dance night in the garage' ~ I enjoyed watching my Grace dance some 70's tunes with her dad...in our garage (which incidentally is the 'man cave' of the house and resembles the inside of an Applebees....)
Very funny, very silly - very much feelin' the love. From 'I Will Survive' to 'You Make Me Feel Like Dancin'...to 'Stayin Alive' and 'Boogie Fever'...the Ko-garage was rockin tonight! The Husband was trying to be all like this (and sadly really thinks he looks this cool):
And Grace..... (who really DOES look this sweet)
And then, Paul McCartney's 'Everybody's Gonna Dance Tonight' plays, which causes daddy to get all misty-eyed over the joy of dancing with his 'baby girl', in his 'man cave' on a rainy Friday evening. Does it get any better than that?
So I am reminded today, that us grown ups do what we do in our day to day lives, because we have to....and we cherish these simple, silly moments like a most precious gift.
And so, my Thankful Thought for today..... "I'm Alive" Cheers All!
I'm Alive (Kenny Chesney and Dave Matthews)
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Wednesday Weigh-In and Running in the Dark
Are we all a little sleepy-eyed today? I know I am! I dozed off around 11:00pm last night, only to wake up a little over an hour later to see Obama's victory speech...probably one of the most moving, eloquent presidential messages I've heard in my adult life. No matter how you voted yesterday, you can't help but feel the sense of hope and change reverberating through our country. It's as if we are on the cusp of something great....it's a little scary, sure - change is always that way. There is a lot of work to do, and it won't be easy - but with a 'fresh' set of eyes, an optimistic outlook, and an energized country - you can't help but feel hopeful for the future, and our children's future!
By contrast...no big drum roll necessary for my weekly weigh-in, as there is no change to report. A little progress on the tape measure though, it seems I am consistently dropping 1/4 inches at a time, so that is good! Progress continues, however slowly...but I am learning that slow is permanent, and THAT is a good thing!
My workout last night was The Bomb. I ended up heading up to the track, because I still had to re-calibrate my Garmin, which I did, and now I'm just going to leave it alone! :-) When I got to the track, I was happy to see the lights were still on, and I had the place to myself. However, after about 10 minutes, I saw the maintenance guy and BAM - LIGHTS OUT! The good news is, there was still plenty of building light and glow from the rec center, parking lot lights etc - so it actually made for a pretty cool atmosphere to run. I did some fast strides, ran the bleachers, walked to recover, sped back up to faster than my normal pace. It was great. Nothing too structured in terms of intervals, just random pick ups of speed when I felt the urge. Otherwise, running on a track is boring! Came home and did my ab work, and some push ups - didn't have time to do the weights, so I figured the push ups were a good 'catch all' substitution. I am feeling THOSE today....ouch!
Today is another beautiful day, and I am looking forward to a lunch time walk down to the lake and back. It's a great loop to walk, with a slight uphill climb on the way back - I am going to take my Garmin just to clock the distance, calories burned etc. It's about a 35 - 40 minute walk total.
Thankful Thought: I am thankful for Epilepsy Research, and all who contribute to the cause. The FDA has approved a new drug to become available in January 2009 that looks to be a good one to add to our list of options for Chris!
By contrast...no big drum roll necessary for my weekly weigh-in, as there is no change to report. A little progress on the tape measure though, it seems I am consistently dropping 1/4 inches at a time, so that is good! Progress continues, however slowly...but I am learning that slow is permanent, and THAT is a good thing!
My workout last night was The Bomb. I ended up heading up to the track, because I still had to re-calibrate my Garmin, which I did, and now I'm just going to leave it alone! :-) When I got to the track, I was happy to see the lights were still on, and I had the place to myself. However, after about 10 minutes, I saw the maintenance guy and BAM - LIGHTS OUT! The good news is, there was still plenty of building light and glow from the rec center, parking lot lights etc - so it actually made for a pretty cool atmosphere to run. I did some fast strides, ran the bleachers, walked to recover, sped back up to faster than my normal pace. It was great. Nothing too structured in terms of intervals, just random pick ups of speed when I felt the urge. Otherwise, running on a track is boring! Came home and did my ab work, and some push ups - didn't have time to do the weights, so I figured the push ups were a good 'catch all' substitution. I am feeling THOSE today....ouch!
Today is another beautiful day, and I am looking forward to a lunch time walk down to the lake and back. It's a great loop to walk, with a slight uphill climb on the way back - I am going to take my Garmin just to clock the distance, calories burned etc. It's about a 35 - 40 minute walk total.
Thankful Thought: I am thankful for Epilepsy Research, and all who contribute to the cause. The FDA has approved a new drug to become available in January 2009 that looks to be a good one to add to our list of options for Chris!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Feeling Presidential Today?
To recognize the spirit of this historic day, I encourage all of you, my 'BP running-mates' (BP = Bloggy Peeps) to take The President's Challenge. How will you rate? I suspect we all might do pretty well - and least, we are on the right path! A path to CHANGE and taking ourselves in a new direction, to make our lives better, healthier, longer..... Check out here for the actual Challenge....get your families involved! What kid wouldn't want to be to be sportin' one these medals? In fact, I want want for myself!Also, yesterday I came across another great running site. Of particular interest to me was this article about running and weight loss. I highly reccommend browsing through this site - there is a lot of great information, and also some good reporting on the NYC Marathon.
I am actually pretty stoked for this evening's workout! I have an easy 30 min run, and then some long overdue strength training. The weather is beautiful here today, so I'm hoping to go out for the run, and then catch election returns while doing my strength training. I never thought in a million years I would be 'excited' about exercise!
I'm a little, er... curious about my weigh in tomorrow...somehow I feel like I did 'nothing' this past week. I feel like I took a week off - which, with only two runs last week, no strength training, a little bit of Halloween candy, a few Bud Lights on Halloween...it's no wonder! Granted, it was 'post-race' week, but still....I feel like I've been completely off the wagon. That must be why I'm looking forward to today's workout - I feel like I'm 'back' to business! I do much better having the planned workouts, everything structured for me, and I just do it and check it off...I promise not to over-react to whatever result I see tomorrow. Unless of course by some miracle, I have a 'Biggest Loser' moment ha ha...in which case I WILL be doing a giddy happy dance.
I trust everyone will get out and vote today!
My Thankful Thought for today is just that...I am thankful to live in a country where I have the right to vote. I am thankful for the men and women who make huge sacrifices in their lives in order to preserve our democracy. If not for them, or those before them....who knows what a day like today would bring? Something to think about, that's for sure!
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Fighting the 'Funk" with some November Goals
I have a confession to make. I have been in a bit of a 'funk' since my 5K last weekend. The majority of my mood can be attributed to the 'week' that it was on the calendar for me. (trying to be sensitive to my male friends here ha ha....). I sort of feel like I got cheated out of some 'post race high' or something. It's hard to explain. It was an effort physically AND mentally to get the runs in this week, in fact, I only ran twice instead of three. I was not 'in' to it. That p'd me off. I love running remember? So where was this coming from? Maybe it was post-race blahs, combined with PMS, life stressors....who knows.
I am all too aware that this represents the over-achiever, perfectionist side of me - I have to get past the idea that this journey should be 'perfect' and smooth all the time. There will be good days and bad, logically I know this, but yet I continue to be WAY too hard on myself when things aren't going the way I expect them too...not just with running and weight loss, but in all areas of my life. I get so caught up in the moment, I sometimes forget what I really have accomplished in a relatively short time. The Big Picture that I always preach about here gets a little blurry for me sometimes, but as long as I can get things back in focus and perspective, that is what is most important!
And so, in moving on... I did manage to do my 'long run' of 35 minutes yesterday on the treadmill. It turned out to be a most excellent run, and I was SO relieved afterwards - 'ok', I thought, 'this is still good...whew'.
I found out from chatting with someone Friday night, that you should NOT calibrate the Garmin to a treadmill. I was advised to go up to the track and do it. So today I will head up there and see how it matches up with my pace for 800 meters. At the same time, I will be squeezing in a third, however easy, run to finish out my week - since I ran 'long' yesterday, I plan to do the 1/2 mile for the calibration, then walk/run for about 1/2 hour. I've never run two days in a row but I will just feel 'better' knowing I did three workouts this week.
In an effort to get myself re-focused, I have set some goals for this month, and I am putting this promise to myself down here, for all my Bloggy Peeps to hold me to. I PROMISE that when I review my goals at the end of the month, I will NOT beat myself up for anything I did not accomplish! Here are my five goals for November:
1) Be more consistent with cross training on non-run days. (I have been chained to my desk at work and not putting a priority on getting out for my lunch time walks)
2) Strength train 3 days a week, and that will ALWAYS include the ABS. (I have not done sit ups in two weeks and can already tell) Strength training includes a sort of 'secret' goal for push ups. (ugh)
3) Include more vegetables in my diet. I am great with fruit, but veges? Not so much! Therefore, two fruits servings, three veges a day, every day. NO EXCEPTIONS.
4) By meeting the first three goals, I hope this translates to a goal weight of 140 by the end of the month. That's seven pounds. I think that's do-able!
5) Since this is the month of giving thanks, I promise to end each blog entry with a thankful thought.
This is all easy stuff, right? Anyone care to join me with some November goals?
Finally, here is my Thankful Thought for today:
I am thankful for the beautiful fall day we are blessed with here today! Clear blue skies, bright sun, mild temperature, and beautiful colors. Speaking of beautiful colors....this is a tree that I planted in memory of my brother Ron, who was known to all as 'Red' for his red hair. This is the first fall since I planted it in '04 that it has turned this beautiful color. Isn't it awesome?
I am all too aware that this represents the over-achiever, perfectionist side of me - I have to get past the idea that this journey should be 'perfect' and smooth all the time. There will be good days and bad, logically I know this, but yet I continue to be WAY too hard on myself when things aren't going the way I expect them too...not just with running and weight loss, but in all areas of my life. I get so caught up in the moment, I sometimes forget what I really have accomplished in a relatively short time. The Big Picture that I always preach about here gets a little blurry for me sometimes, but as long as I can get things back in focus and perspective, that is what is most important!
And so, in moving on... I did manage to do my 'long run' of 35 minutes yesterday on the treadmill. It turned out to be a most excellent run, and I was SO relieved afterwards - 'ok', I thought, 'this is still good...whew'.
I found out from chatting with someone Friday night, that you should NOT calibrate the Garmin to a treadmill. I was advised to go up to the track and do it. So today I will head up there and see how it matches up with my pace for 800 meters. At the same time, I will be squeezing in a third, however easy, run to finish out my week - since I ran 'long' yesterday, I plan to do the 1/2 mile for the calibration, then walk/run for about 1/2 hour. I've never run two days in a row but I will just feel 'better' knowing I did three workouts this week.
In an effort to get myself re-focused, I have set some goals for this month, and I am putting this promise to myself down here, for all my Bloggy Peeps to hold me to. I PROMISE that when I review my goals at the end of the month, I will NOT beat myself up for anything I did not accomplish! Here are my five goals for November:
1) Be more consistent with cross training on non-run days. (I have been chained to my desk at work and not putting a priority on getting out for my lunch time walks)
2) Strength train 3 days a week, and that will ALWAYS include the ABS. (I have not done sit ups in two weeks and can already tell) Strength training includes a sort of 'secret' goal for push ups. (ugh)
3) Include more vegetables in my diet. I am great with fruit, but veges? Not so much! Therefore, two fruits servings, three veges a day, every day. NO EXCEPTIONS.
4) By meeting the first three goals, I hope this translates to a goal weight of 140 by the end of the month. That's seven pounds. I think that's do-able!
5) Since this is the month of giving thanks, I promise to end each blog entry with a thankful thought.
This is all easy stuff, right? Anyone care to join me with some November goals?
Finally, here is my Thankful Thought for today:
I am thankful for the beautiful fall day we are blessed with here today! Clear blue skies, bright sun, mild temperature, and beautiful colors. Speaking of beautiful colors....this is a tree that I planted in memory of my brother Ron, who was known to all as 'Red' for his red hair. This is the first fall since I planted it in '04 that it has turned this beautiful color. Isn't it awesome?
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Pumpkin Mania
I hope everyone had a fun evening! We had a great time in the 'hood, and the pumpkin display was a hit. People come from all over just to see the display! We are going to set the pumpkins up again this evening - why not? After all that work Mike put in to them, it just makes us sad to throw them out! Four of the pumpkins are carved from 'Funkins', so those we get to keep to display every year. I'm hoping the McCain / Obama pumpkins will make it through election day at least!
This was the first year I did not walk with a kid for trick or treating. Alison went off to a friend's house and Grace went with a group from the 'hood. Chris of course is the candy-passer-outer, and he was rested and up for the job. His aide from school came by with her family and told him that he had been nominated as 'Student of The Month' yesterday and the whole school cheered for him - even though he was absent. Chris was so proud! He has been working hard and deserves the award!
Here are some pics:
'Obama' was the consistent favorite among the little kids. "Look Mom - it's OBAMA!'
The Keith Ledger 'Joker' pumpkin was another favorite.
Abe Lincoln (Chris' fav!), American Gothic, and ET!
Boris Karloff, The Mummy
Just for fun!
Chris, ready for duty! The shirt says 'Trick or Treat' - I also accept cash'.
'The Gang' from the 'hood. Grace is the prettiest pirate ever! Note she is hanging with all The Boys....oi vey!
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