So I've pretty much decided I should strive to do the 1/2 marathon. But I'll make my final decision later in the year after I see whether or not I can keep the motivation for longer than a few days.
I decided at the beginning of the year that this was the year I was going to focus on me. I was going to get healthy again. I've worked on the weight issue. And though I'm not where I want/need to be yet, I know I can get there if I just work out a little more.
I started rollerblading before work last week. I've been a little discouraged with the rollerblading though. My goal is to get these "little yellow bars" in my workout graph. I wear an armband as part of Jenny Craig Metabolic Max plan. I've used a similar program called the Body Bugg in the past. It measures caloric output in various different ways. It's a great tool and let's you see where you are. I've hit a plateau like this before and that's where I got discouraged and gave up with the Body Bugg. I have an office job. In order to get work done, I sit, a lot, in front of the computer. Therefore, my opportunity to get walking steps in is decreased. My Jenny lady gave me shit last week for not having enough steps. It wasn't for lack of trying. Its b/c I had a lot of lectures this quarter, therefore, when writing lectures, and preparing them on the computer, there's only so much time in the day to get them done. And when I get home and have a whiny cranky toddler, last thing I want to do is take the toddler on a walk. I want to shove food in her, get her bath and put her to bed ASAP. So I looked at when I could get steps. I've been waking up like clockwork every day at 5:30am. So I figured, why go back to sleep for a half hour, why not get up and do something. I love rollerblading. I could do it every day and never get bored. So I started doing that last week. I found that when Chris and I went 'blading (he was running) and we switched off pushing the stroller I got these "little yellow bars" which are targets that you're working harder on the graph the arm band gives you. I really can't figure out how to consciously get the bars. So I figured, cool, If I push myself harder (b/c when Chris and I went it was like a leisurely stroll), I'll get more bars! NOT! So then I figured, well maybe I need to do more hills, go faster, etc. Tried that. My ass was burning and I was huffing and puffing after these big hills. No bars! But somehow I got them cleaning the house randomly one night this weekend. Go figure! Oh and my pedometer (for a work challenge program) doesn't count rollerblading as steps, but my armband does.
So to get some yellow bars and to see how far I can really run in my vibrams (essentially barefoot running) I went this morning. Did almost a mile straight before my calves started to rebel. Better than I thought I could do, so I guess that's a start.
I was getting ready and Chris asked me if I went rollerblading this morning. I told him I went running instead. He was like "WHAT?! YOU DON'T RUN!!" ha ha! I think that's a challenge! Truth is, I hate running with him. He turns everything into a competition, which isn't what I'm out for. I'm out for encouragement, not throw it in your face competition. That's great that you can run longer than me, but my calves are cramping and I need a break. Sorry for the bad genes. Instead of saying "ok, stretch em out so we can keep going" he gives me some guilt trip about how I'm slowing him down and how hot it is, and by god how much he's SWEATING. Oh no not the sweat!! Or I get a "my shoes are better than yours" conversation. "I love these shoes. I can grip the road, and it's padded in just the right spot, yours aren't padded right. Yours aren't made for this terrain... mine are by far awesomer than yours..." BLAH! And the other part of why I hate running with him is that it's all on his schedule. He works out at the worst times. 6pm in Arizona this week - average temperature 95 degrees or more. 6am in Arizona this week - about 63 degrees. When would you rather run outside? On the weekends he decides to go at 2-4pm. Peak time for heat in Arizona. Why would I go run when it's 90+ outside when I could go by myself when it's in the 60s or 70s?)
So day 1 of running. My legs are killing me. My calves are giant knot balls and I've got some tendonitis in my ankles, but it felt good.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
1/2 marathon? Or too ambitious?
A few of my FB friends had posted that they're training for the Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon in January. One's my 2nd cousin's wife who just had a baby in April. So I've seen a few mentions of this race.
Well my brother posted the other day that he'd like to do one of the Disney half marathons. That got me thinking. Maybe I should do it with him in January????
1. I'm still not at my goal weight. I need to exercise more. I got bored of the diet basically and yearned to incorporate more snacks into my life. Apples and carrots weren't cutting it. I like my pretzels and wheat thins and the snack size candy bar after a meal. My caloric intake is still less than 1400 cal, but I'm staying stagnant at 129-130. So I need to increase my activity. I started rollerblading in the mornings. We'll see how long that lasts, but apparently I don't burn that many calories doing it, and it's not like I'm just out for a leisurely roll.
2. I plan on having another kid next year. I don't want to be pregnant until after our trip to Disney World in March. I'm a big kid. I'd cry if I found out I couldn't ride the rides!! I said my goal before I had another one was to get healthy and hopefully in shape so I could hopefully continue that into my pregnancy. So doing a half marathon would help force the issue.
3. My parents want to buy us a double jogging stroller as a housewarming present (since everything else they wanted to get us, Chris already bought). So that would only encourage my motivation.
4. It's at Disneyland!! I mean how fun would that be to run through the Disney parks? I know for me it would give me more to look at and make me forget I'm running. Maybe that's why I've never been a runner? I usually get bored and can't get in my head and end up listening to my body.
5. Motivation to become a barefoot runner and use my KSOs as they're supposed to be used. Then maybe I can get some new VFF Bikilas or SportTreks for Christmas.
6. But I do realize if I do it, we'll probably have to get season passes to Disneyland. We plan to go in December with my brother and his girlfriend. Will probably get 2 or 3 day park hopper tickets, which are about $160 each (granted Chris and I both have discount sites through work, but still) and Ryleigh is $150. If I do the 1/2 marathon, no entry to the park is included. And how can you tease a kid being at Disneyland and not go?? So that's another $80each. If we go 1 more time and do park hopper passes, it pays to have the season pass. I was thinking maybe for Ryleigh's birthday or say after I have a kiddo next year. You can take a baby on all the kiddie rides.
7. Training in Arizona = death! Would need to look into the Aquatic and Rec Center near work. They usually have a discount group membership through work, but when the next one will be I don't know. The Rec Center has an indoor track and they allow strollers on the track too. Just looked. 15 punch pass for $60. That could get me to the sign up most likely in August. And apparently they have a half marathon training group that starts in September and is aimed to get people ready for the PF Changs Rock n Roll in Phoenix in January, a week or 2 before the Tinkerbell one. hmm...
So we'll see how much motivation I get. I am leaning more and more towards just doing it. But I guess I'll try to work on running a bit and see how far I get with that lol. I don't have to sign up until September. Higher fee yes, but at least I'll be in better shape to make an informed decision by then... hopefully?
ETA: And now I may have found a training partner. My work is a part of the Virgin Health Miles Program. We all wear pedometers and get points based on our step count. The more steps we take the higher level we get to. And then we get cash prizes based on the levels we get to. We can do challenges and get more points for various activities. My coworker just sent out a challenge and I asked her if it it was her way of telling me I should train for a 1/2 marathon. Told her about the rec center and the program I found and she said she'd be interested in doing it with me. Perfect... all my excuses just keep going away.
Well my brother posted the other day that he'd like to do one of the Disney half marathons. That got me thinking. Maybe I should do it with him in January????
1. I'm still not at my goal weight. I need to exercise more. I got bored of the diet basically and yearned to incorporate more snacks into my life. Apples and carrots weren't cutting it. I like my pretzels and wheat thins and the snack size candy bar after a meal. My caloric intake is still less than 1400 cal, but I'm staying stagnant at 129-130. So I need to increase my activity. I started rollerblading in the mornings. We'll see how long that lasts, but apparently I don't burn that many calories doing it, and it's not like I'm just out for a leisurely roll.
2. I plan on having another kid next year. I don't want to be pregnant until after our trip to Disney World in March. I'm a big kid. I'd cry if I found out I couldn't ride the rides!! I said my goal before I had another one was to get healthy and hopefully in shape so I could hopefully continue that into my pregnancy. So doing a half marathon would help force the issue.
3. My parents want to buy us a double jogging stroller as a housewarming present (since everything else they wanted to get us, Chris already bought). So that would only encourage my motivation.
4. It's at Disneyland!! I mean how fun would that be to run through the Disney parks? I know for me it would give me more to look at and make me forget I'm running. Maybe that's why I've never been a runner? I usually get bored and can't get in my head and end up listening to my body.
5. Motivation to become a barefoot runner and use my KSOs as they're supposed to be used. Then maybe I can get some new VFF Bikilas or SportTreks for Christmas.
6. But I do realize if I do it, we'll probably have to get season passes to Disneyland. We plan to go in December with my brother and his girlfriend. Will probably get 2 or 3 day park hopper tickets, which are about $160 each (granted Chris and I both have discount sites through work, but still) and Ryleigh is $150. If I do the 1/2 marathon, no entry to the park is included. And how can you tease a kid being at Disneyland and not go?? So that's another $80each. If we go 1 more time and do park hopper passes, it pays to have the season pass. I was thinking maybe for Ryleigh's birthday or say after I have a kiddo next year. You can take a baby on all the kiddie rides.
7. Training in Arizona = death! Would need to look into the Aquatic and Rec Center near work. They usually have a discount group membership through work, but when the next one will be I don't know. The Rec Center has an indoor track and they allow strollers on the track too. Just looked. 15 punch pass for $60. That could get me to the sign up most likely in August. And apparently they have a half marathon training group that starts in September and is aimed to get people ready for the PF Changs Rock n Roll in Phoenix in January, a week or 2 before the Tinkerbell one. hmm...
So we'll see how much motivation I get. I am leaning more and more towards just doing it. But I guess I'll try to work on running a bit and see how far I get with that lol. I don't have to sign up until September. Higher fee yes, but at least I'll be in better shape to make an informed decision by then... hopefully?
ETA: And now I may have found a training partner. My work is a part of the Virgin Health Miles Program. We all wear pedometers and get points based on our step count. The more steps we take the higher level we get to. And then we get cash prizes based on the levels we get to. We can do challenges and get more points for various activities. My coworker just sent out a challenge and I asked her if it it was her way of telling me I should train for a 1/2 marathon. Told her about the rec center and the program I found and she said she'd be interested in doing it with me. Perfect... all my excuses just keep going away.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Weight loss update
Is it bad that I'm scared to hit my goal weight? I'm 2 pounds away as of last week and I'm 1 pound away as of my weight this morning on my home scale (which has to change by this afternoon, but still).
Is it bad that I want to push my goal weight lower because I'm not quite happy with how my body looks?
When I first started with Jenny Craig, my counselor mis interpreted the person who signed me up's handwriting. 127 looked like 122. When I heard 122 was my goal I was like "WTF, that's like a waif on my frame." Especially when I'm starting at 145! Now at 129 I'm like "well I'm not quite where I want to be, I still have my little pooch, and some love handles, and if I start exercising at all I'm going to go up due to muscle mass".
I think it's the fear of having to do it on my own. The fear of failure, that I won't be able to do it on my own. Jenny Craig has made it so easy to lose weight. I didn't have to think about what to eat, just open up the freezer and find something with the right meal (breakfast/ lunch/ dinner) in a blue box. I'm starting small and doing my own lunches now, which is a slow start I guess.
I had my measurements done last week, and I was just looking back at what my measurements were when I wanted to start losing weight in November.
November:
Weight: 148.6
Bust: 37
Belly: 33
Hips: 41
May:
Weight: 129.8
Bust: 36
Belly: 29.5
Hips: 37
They also measure the largest part of the abdomen, but I didn't have an initial one to compare. Gone from a size 8P/ 10P to a size 4/6P. I can fit back in all my small dresses without looking like a stuffed sausage. I bought a dress in the Fall of '07 before I got pregnant with Ryleigh. The dress was a bridesmaid's dress for my cousin's wedding (really it was just a Banana Republic party dress). My cousin called off the wedding early in '08 before I found out I was pregnant and I hadn't bothered to try it on since, since I KNEW it wouldn't fit. Tried it on last week... and IT FIT! That was pretty cool. Tried on a dress I bought for my aunt and uncle's wedding in Oct '07, this gorgeous deep fall green color that's a straight dress with rouching down the center of the front and back. And it fit!! If anything the newfound wardrobe (well all the dresses I refused to throw away) is a nice motivator to keep the weight off for a while. On the other hand, I have no shorts/ jeans/ dress pants that fit me. Ones that used to not button, now fall off. That's a pretty cool feeling.
Is it bad that I want to push my goal weight lower because I'm not quite happy with how my body looks?
When I first started with Jenny Craig, my counselor mis interpreted the person who signed me up's handwriting. 127 looked like 122. When I heard 122 was my goal I was like "WTF, that's like a waif on my frame." Especially when I'm starting at 145! Now at 129 I'm like "well I'm not quite where I want to be, I still have my little pooch, and some love handles, and if I start exercising at all I'm going to go up due to muscle mass".
I think it's the fear of having to do it on my own. The fear of failure, that I won't be able to do it on my own. Jenny Craig has made it so easy to lose weight. I didn't have to think about what to eat, just open up the freezer and find something with the right meal (breakfast/ lunch/ dinner) in a blue box. I'm starting small and doing my own lunches now, which is a slow start I guess.
I had my measurements done last week, and I was just looking back at what my measurements were when I wanted to start losing weight in November.
November:
Weight: 148.6
Bust: 37
Belly: 33
Hips: 41
May:
Weight: 129.8
Bust: 36
Belly: 29.5
Hips: 37
They also measure the largest part of the abdomen, but I didn't have an initial one to compare. Gone from a size 8P/ 10P to a size 4/6P. I can fit back in all my small dresses without looking like a stuffed sausage. I bought a dress in the Fall of '07 before I got pregnant with Ryleigh. The dress was a bridesmaid's dress for my cousin's wedding (really it was just a Banana Republic party dress). My cousin called off the wedding early in '08 before I found out I was pregnant and I hadn't bothered to try it on since, since I KNEW it wouldn't fit. Tried it on last week... and IT FIT! That was pretty cool. Tried on a dress I bought for my aunt and uncle's wedding in Oct '07, this gorgeous deep fall green color that's a straight dress with rouching down the center of the front and back. And it fit!! If anything the newfound wardrobe (well all the dresses I refused to throw away) is a nice motivator to keep the weight off for a while. On the other hand, I have no shorts/ jeans/ dress pants that fit me. Ones that used to not button, now fall off. That's a pretty cool feeling.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Starting Jenny Craig
Don't know if I posted about this, but at the beginning of March I started Jenny Craig with my parents. I realized I needed help and support that I was not getting at home. Chris doesn't HELP me work out, or make it convenient for me to get to the gym. Let alone encourage me to go. Not his fault entirely, just not his philosophy towards working out. And he doesn't eat healthy AT ALL. Having someone who was raised on meat and potatoes with corn (all starchy vegetables) doesn't lead toward weight loss.
So my parents paid my initiation fee and I'm paying for the weekly meals. It's not cheap, but damn it's convenient. And they want you to eat so much food. Half the time I can't get in all the food they want you to eat. Here's an example:
Breakfast : Jenny breakfast meal (from banana or blueberry mini loafs, french toast, breakfast sandwiches, omelets, etc.) with a milk (milk or yogurt), and a fruit.
Snack: Jenny Craig anytime bar (basically a protein bar)
Lunch: Jenny meal and a salad
Snack: Fruit
Dinner: Jenny meal and salad
Snack: Jenny snack - sweet, chocolate, salty, take your pick.
Well I was skeptical.
First weigh in was 3 lbs lighter than my normal, which I was kinda pissed about, but oh well. Started at 142.
Next week, only down to 141.2. Boo to only 0.8lbs!
next week down to 139.
Then 136.
I'm at 131.8 now.
I've lost 6 inches total. And dropped down 1 almost 2 pant sizes. I was in 6P in Ann Taylor pants, 10P in LOFT pants. 8 in jeans. Shirts I was in M-L depending on how tight they were. And LOFT dresses I was in a M unless they were really loose fitting. Went shopping last week. I easily fit into a 6P loft pant. I got a small shirt and small dress. The small dress looked so cute last week, fitting just right. And today my 6P pants are almost starting to get big. Just for kicks I tried on some dress pants I had from when I was in perfusion school. Wore them to my interviews. They were the same pants I couldn't dare think of squeezing into when I started my job at Midwestern, but hated to throw out because they were so cute. Put them on today and both pairs fit. One is a LOFT size 4 and the other is a Old Navy size 4. Was going to wear a pair today, but I don't have brown dress shoes to go with em :(
So excited that I actually fit into my clothes again. I'd tried hard to just exercise as much as I could fit in, but it alone wasn't working for me. Now that I look thinner I actually want to keep it up! I'm trying to get Chris to move the couch in my great room so I can do Zumba in the morning on the wii. My official goal weight is 127, which is where I was before I got pregnant with Ryleigh. I was content there. I'd probably like to get down to the 120-125 range at the end though. We'll see how long it takes to get off the last 4 pounds..
So my parents paid my initiation fee and I'm paying for the weekly meals. It's not cheap, but damn it's convenient. And they want you to eat so much food. Half the time I can't get in all the food they want you to eat. Here's an example:
Breakfast : Jenny breakfast meal (from banana or blueberry mini loafs, french toast, breakfast sandwiches, omelets, etc.) with a milk (milk or yogurt), and a fruit.
Snack: Jenny Craig anytime bar (basically a protein bar)
Lunch: Jenny meal and a salad
Snack: Fruit
Dinner: Jenny meal and salad
Snack: Jenny snack - sweet, chocolate, salty, take your pick.
Well I was skeptical.
First weigh in was 3 lbs lighter than my normal, which I was kinda pissed about, but oh well. Started at 142.
Next week, only down to 141.2. Boo to only 0.8lbs!
next week down to 139.
Then 136.
I'm at 131.8 now.
I've lost 6 inches total. And dropped down 1 almost 2 pant sizes. I was in 6P in Ann Taylor pants, 10P in LOFT pants. 8 in jeans. Shirts I was in M-L depending on how tight they were. And LOFT dresses I was in a M unless they were really loose fitting. Went shopping last week. I easily fit into a 6P loft pant. I got a small shirt and small dress. The small dress looked so cute last week, fitting just right. And today my 6P pants are almost starting to get big. Just for kicks I tried on some dress pants I had from when I was in perfusion school. Wore them to my interviews. They were the same pants I couldn't dare think of squeezing into when I started my job at Midwestern, but hated to throw out because they were so cute. Put them on today and both pairs fit. One is a LOFT size 4 and the other is a Old Navy size 4. Was going to wear a pair today, but I don't have brown dress shoes to go with em :(
So excited that I actually fit into my clothes again. I'd tried hard to just exercise as much as I could fit in, but it alone wasn't working for me. Now that I look thinner I actually want to keep it up! I'm trying to get Chris to move the couch in my great room so I can do Zumba in the morning on the wii. My official goal weight is 127, which is where I was before I got pregnant with Ryleigh. I was content there. I'd probably like to get down to the 120-125 range at the end though. We'll see how long it takes to get off the last 4 pounds..
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