Tough Week

After a super tough workout week, yesterday was a welcome relief.  The only problem.  I took the day off from dieting.....meaning.  I gained the pound back I lost. 

Grrr.

Maybe it will set up a 3lb week, if I work hard this week. 

Started today with the dreaded 30 Day Shred, level 2.  I hate that workout, only because my body, meaning shoulders, hate it.  But love it all at the same time!  They are getting stronger!

By the way, the gaining of the pound was OH so worth it for the fun that was had going along with it.  Some of which included, homemade pizza, oreo madmess, "burnt" cookies, muffins, peanut butter m&m's, and much much more.  However I think I burned off most of those calories with laughing!!

Here's to a 3lb week!!  Can I do it?!?

12 More

This week I worked out every day.  Every. Single. Day. And for at least 40 minutes a day.

Today I am feeling it. A lot.  My knees hurt, my shoulders hurt, my abs hurt, my biceps hurt.

But it is an OH SO GOOD HURT!!

I did a little bit of everything.  30 day shred, Ab Assault, Yoga, Running, Arms.  I feel great!  I am getting stronger and loving every minute of it!  Part of the workouts was running 12 miles this week!  (18 if you add from Sunday to Saturday) 

I love having an accountability partner in all this!  She has really pushed me to be consistant and just get it done.  I told her today as we were running our 6 miles that I wish that I had been accountable to her earlier because maybe I would have made my goal weight already!

But its coming! 

Weigh in

Losing weight is depressing sometimes. Only 1lb again this week!  Super depressing.  Especially considering I have worked out harder this week then I can ever remember.  Super discouraging that since I started this whole thing, I have yet to meet a goal I set.  I have worked hard hard hard at it, yet I haven't met a goal in the time I have set! 

But I'm trying to look on the bright side.

I lost 5lbs this month.  That's better than I thought, but 3 less than my goal.

I did run a 5k, a 10k, and a half marathon though! (in the last year)

I've also lost 2 1/2in off my body this week, so that is kind of positive!

I can do a man's push up....and maybe even 3-4.  This is HUGE for me people.  I can do a few of these kind of push ups

not this kind

When I started, I could barely do a few of knee push ups.  Now I can do a few men's and LOTS of women's!

Now that's a positive!  Maybe I'll even try the 100 push up challenge 


I guess any downward progress is a positive thing!

Bringing Sexy Back

So, I am advancing (or trying to advance) in this whole blogging thing.  Being more faithful at it...being more interesting  trying to be more interesting!  This is what, my 3rd or 4th blog post in a week!  I know, try to keep up!

So to advance more,  I have decided to add labels.  WOAH, big step right :)!!!

You will notice them on the sidebar.  There you will also notice one of the topics is Bringing Sexy Back. 

No, no sex advice here.

This is the label I have decided to put on my weight loss endevers! You see, when I started this whole thing, I told my husband the first song on my playlist for my runs was "Bringing Sexy Back" by Justin Timberlake.  That's what I wanted to do for him. 

This weight loss journey is WAY more about me and how I feel, than him wanting me to do it.  Now, don't get me wrong, he is loving it and is very excited for me, but he has never made me feel "fat" and has always loved me and made me feel sexy even if I didn't think it.  Trust me, I was NEVER thinking it! 

But I'm starting too!

Yay!

Here's to Bringing Sexy Back!!  GREAT motiviation!!

Fast Paced

So, I decided to go for an easy run today. 

Had a great 6 miles on Sunday, so easy right.

So I started my run, and vowed not to look at my watch until 1 mile. That's hard for me to do, I want to make sure I am steadily running, but its not fun if I'm constantly thinking about time.

Then I check my watch at 1 mile.....8:42  WHAT!!!

I think, HOLY COW!!  That's fast!!  I think I should slow down a little....2 miles 17:32....WHAT!!! I didn't slow down that much...Ok, now lets see how fast we can do this! 26:49:09

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! 

Now, I know that this may not be fast to some people. But for me....HOLY COW! 

Considering when I started running last March I was running at least 11:30+ this is HUGE.  I never thought I would even be running a 10 minute mile, much less under a 9 minute mile.

I didn't really even feel it...I kept trying to slow down, I guess this was just one of those days your legs are running you.

Even more amazing to me is that at this park where I run there is a hill...not a crazy hill, but still a hill.  I ran springs up and down it 5 times.  Adding about .7 of a mile extra.  I didn't even feel like I was gonna throw up! 

I've come a long way people...even if the scale doesn't say it...that much :)

Boring Blogger

I would like to take a moment to apologize for the last post.  Seriously, I think I am the most boring blogger in all of the world! 

Seriously! 

I will try to never let that happen again!

I blame the 5am wake up call!

An update....and a cold cold run!

I never ever thought I would be able to run in the cold.

And here I am, late January having run through a cold couple months!

Its a pretty cool accomplishment (no pun intended)


Took a few days off from blogging last week to get away for a few days with the hubs.  First time since I was 5 weeks pregnant with baby girl!

That is quite a while ago!

It was overdue and very very nice to spend some great time with my better half!  Didn't do anything too exciting, just down to AC for a few days.

We relaxed, went to a movie, slept in, walked  on a VERY cold boardwalk and even got my workout in!   Yep, got down to the exercise room in the hotel and gyro :)  I intended to do both days, but both treadmills were in use when I went down the second day, fail!


So, Saturday I was thrilled when one of my running friends asked if I wanted to run 4 miles on Sunday.  Sure I said!  Sounded like a great idea until I woke up on Sunday morning and saw that it was in the teens.  Low teens...like 11degrees.  That wasn't with the wind chill.

Did I also mention that this wake  up call came at 5am courtesy of baby girl.  (Welcome back from vacation!)

Busy morning, we led music in church, watched my beautiful little niece get dedicated to the Lord, Sunday School, lunch in honor of the beautiful niece, then home, finally.  After leaving the house at 7:30am we got home at 2:15.

The run was to happen at 3:00.  I was beat people, flat out beat.  My text to my friend said I would be possibly be bailing because I was the "walking dead" Laid down for 20 minutes then sent the text to cancel.

Then rolled over and remembered I have a LONG way to my weight loss goal and that I would be failing to meet the 10 mile goal for the week.

Rolled back over, texted the running friend and got dressed.

Glad I did it.

Even though I was FREEZING my butt off!

I ran 6 miles!!

Which put me at 12 for the week!

Yay me!

I promised

I promised I wouldn't only post about my weight loss/running goals.  I promised pictures of my adorable children.  (one of whom is currently screaming because I wouldn't let her play with the camera...I know, I'm a horrible mom :)

So here she is in all her cheesy glory

And here's the boy....who we can rarely get to look at the camera anymore

Oh yes, those are my two babies.  Really, people always tell you it goes fast but this is CRAZY!!! 

Love them!!

To run is fun!

My running cousin said those words to me!

If you would have told me that a year ago I would have laughed.  I've gone to running a lot for exercise, but I wouldn't say I have always thought it was fun.  Healthy, yes, invigorating, yes, but fun. Not so much.

Today though, it was fun.

Or at least the feeling after was fun!

If it had been a beautiful spring/fall day, I would have LOVED it, but instead is was cold, dreary and a little humid.  Not ideal, but still, I got out and did it!

And shock of all shocks, I wasn't even tired after it.  Not one bit.

Even with running 9:20 miles for 3.1 miles.  Nope. Not tired.

So today, I can honestly say...

To run if FUN!

Running Buddies!

I have rarely ever run with people.  I have to admit, I enjoy a nice quiet run by myself sometimes and to be perfectly honest have always been a little insecure about running with others.  Am I breathing too hard, am I holding them back, am I talking too much, etc.

But lately I have been running more with other people and I have really enjoyed it!  It doesn't matter how hard you are breathing, or if you are holding them back or if you are talking too much, its all about getting that run in no matter how you get there!  And it is truly motivating to get out the door.  When training for my half  I decided to run my 10 mi with other people, and let me just tell you if I hadn't been with other people, I wouldn't have finished.  And today, I DID NOT want to run.  Just was tired and not in the mood, but I had committed to running with friends and I am SO glad I went!  We had a great 5.2mi run!  Slower than lately for me, but it was easy.  I never thought I would actually say 5 mi was EASY!  Yay for training!  It was also fun to be with a friend on her first 5 miles!  We were only scheduled to do 4 but the first 3 miles flew by and we were on a loop, so instead of turning around and going back we kept going just to see how far she could get and we did the whole thing!  Very awesome to be part of someone's accomplishment!  Yay Leah!!  Our friend Lisa also ran with us and she is just getting back at it, but did a great 2.5 miles too!  Fun run all around!!

Another day down!  Thanks girls!!

Weigh in and a messy workout!

Today was weigh in morning (as if I don't get on the scale every day because I'm obsessed) and I lost 2lbs this week!  Good week for me, the only disappointing thing is that yesterday it said -3.  Water weight?  Guess I'll check again tomorrow, but for now -2 is GREAT!

Exciting times!

Missed a workout yesterday because I had gotten a workout in other ways. Like being up from 2:30-5am cleaning up after a certain little boy who woke up screaming and the proceeded to puke from his room to the bathroom (all over my back by the way) So cleaning up said mess then took over.  Did the essentials at night, then took most of yesterday to clean Clorox the bathroom.  Cleaned the carpets (for the 4th time) to get the stink out and cleaned most of the walls and baseboards of little drops of the mess and I had missed in the middle of the night.

So all of that counted as my workout for yesterday!

Thankfully, it looks like it was only something he ate and he only "lost it" one time!

At least this face is easy to love!!

Along with the rest of the world!

So along with most of the world, I made a new years resolution.  However, my resolution is a continuation of last years!  Lose weight.  I have been in a battle with my weight for MANY years.  Pretty much since high school. When I stopped playing 2 sports a year and continued eating junk food I could always eat because of said sports. 

I have learned (slowly) since then how to eat healthy.  I don't always do it...its hard.  Healthy food just doesn't taste as good.  But I have learned (only in this last year) that I feel 100% better when I eat that healthy food, and, gasp, have even lost the taste for a lot of that junk food!  I still have my vices....cheese fries, french fries in general, pizza, chips....but I have lost my taste for fast food almost all together. (with the exception of Chick-fil-A, but hey, I can eat relatively healthy there) 

Over the last year I have lost only 35lbs.  I know, one year only 35lbs. But for me that's HUGE!  However with that weight loss, I have lost 2 sizes and plenty of inches.  In the last month I have lost lost 4 inches total on my body.  SOO, while the weight may not be coming off qutie as quickly as I'd like, I am "losing" weight.  Last year I logged just shy of 500 running miles...and that was since March...and that included a 5k, a half marathon, and a 10k. (yeah that's right, I did a half marathon)  Before that I did wii fit and some cardio videos.  So far since the beginning of December I have only missed 3 days of scheduled workouts and that was between Christmas and New Years.



So goals, 30 lbs by May.  Its a tall order and almost as much as I lost last year, but most of that year I wasn't counting calories.  Heck, I was running 20-25 miles a week, I couldn't think about restricting what I was eating)  I have been tracking since November and have lost 8lbs since then.  (don't forget that included Thanksgiving, New Years and Christmas x2 because of celebrating with 2 sides of family) 

So my resolution is to keep going!  I am COMMITTED!!  I have decided to use this blog to keep me accountable.  I have a GREAT  accountability partner. She has helped me stay motivated and eat right, mostly because I email her everything I eat in the day...Yikes!  Love her!!  (this is her finishing her first 5K that's me in the background in the orange encouraging her, I had done my 10k earlier in the morning, and since seeing the pictures of the race, I no longer run in a hat!)

Leah, you know what they say about payback :)

The funny part...hopefully if I reach my goal in May, we'd like try for another baby, so in a few years I'll be right back on the weight train....hopefully in MUCH better control this time!

I promise this will not only be about me...I promise to write about my kids more too!  Even include pictures of their cute cute faces!!



Perspective

There are things that happen in your life that change you.  Things you never expect will ever happen to you or anyone you know.

My life has forever been changed by Graham.  Graham was a little boy who only lived 14 week on this earth but will live on forever in our hearts.  His mom Shelly was a friend of mine in high school.  Shelly is one of those people you love instantly!  Beautiful on the inside and out!  Her world has obviously been rocked by this, her outlook forever changed.  Throughout this year, through her blog, I have watched her grieve.  And the only thing I can think about her is strength.  She gets up everyday and takes care of her precious family. She has two beautiful older children and from the sounds of it a great husband.  I once wrote to her that I was/am always shocked when I see pictures of her and she is smiling.  Really, truly amazing that throughout this whole terrible ordeal she can smile, obviously not always, but God gives her grace and moments of joy.

Shelly has been raw with her emotions and feelings and I have been blown away by it.  She hasn't 'put a smile on' and pretended that this was ok.  She has shown us the bottom but is also showing us that with Christ's strength she is starting to climb her way out of the pit!  She will never forget her precious boy, but trusting that God will use this for his glory.  She wrote this in her blog today....the anniversary of Graham's homegoing

"Losing Graham has changed me, it has changed our family and it has changed many people around us. Right now it feels like most of it is for the bad and yet I have a hope of heaven unlike I had before. I have even more of an appreciation of the little things in life and when my kids are throwing tantrums, it's easier for me to know that it won't last forever and at least I have the opportunity to discipline and teach them. The head sheriff talked to us several weeks after losing Graham and told us he had never seen his men affected by a tragedy as they had ours. Most times I still wonder, "Why us, Lord? How is this part of your plan?" I will never have an answer and even if Jesus himself told me the "plan," I'm sure it would not make the pain any less. I will continue praying that in time Graham will live up to his name and reach thousands for Jesus just as we had prayed. Again, this wasn't the plan....it wasn't the way it was supposed to be, but I pray that we will embrace our hurt and loss as well as our healing and point other's to Jesus."

Please continue to pray with me for this family!  They are truly amazing people!  Love you Shelly! This has changed me!