Beat Myself to the Punch

Day 269: Run 85
I didn't even get a chance to sit down and write out the SMART goal before I reached it!

I ran my fastest 5k today. 33 minutes and 48 seconds. My ultimate goal is still a 30 minute 5k but my interim goal was 33 minutes. Now I just need to do it consistently!

My sister had her baby last night and I am even more inspired to get fit so that I can have strong healthy pregnancies when the time comes.

• Motivation: Higher, Faster, Stronger! To be fit! To run a 30 minute 5k!

• Listening to:  My Angry run mix, Volbeat, Stained, Three Days Grace

• Thankful for: Being faster

Route and Stats:

The kcals on this tracker are still way off!

On the up and up!

Day 267: Run 84

I had a hard time getting up to go running and after work did not work because I was busy everyday. Oh well I went today and it was great!

Still listening to my 10 min/mile play list and today was not my fastest ever but I am improving. I think I really need to just get back into it to start improving.

I always think I can just jump back in where I left off and I can't. I have to build back up to it.

I think I am going to write a SMART goal for running a 30 minute 5k. well I will probably start with a 33 and then drop to 30.

 

I am definitely having breathing issues. DO you think it is more I just need to keep at it or do you have suggestions I could try to fix my breathing issues? I am also trying abdominal breathing because it will also help when I am having babies. I will take any suggestions at all!

Today's weather was beautiful and the park was oddly empty for a Saturday... I guess it was just a little earlier than all the soccer games start.

• Motivation:  To be fit! To run a 30 minute 5k!

• Listening to:  Neon Trees, Judas Priest, Quiet Riot, Peaches, Gorillaz, Weezer and on and on and on....

• Thankful for: The beautiful weather and quiet park!

Route and Stats:

The kcals on this tracker are still way off but I think I burned close to 450 kcals! Woot Woot!

Trying Too Hard

Day 261: Run 83

Today I decided to go running after work (Student teaching) because I didn't go before work. Well it was a beautiful day, but the run was tough. It has been a while since I ran my 5k route and my body reminded me. Once my breathing became strained it was an uphill battle the rest of the way (figuratively speaking). Less than half a mile into my run I was struggling to breathe and I got a bad side stitch that never went away.

Let me tell you why my run was difficult (Aside from having not run that far in a long time) I saw a pin on pintrest about songs that have a beat of 150 beats per minute which is equal to a ten minute mile if you run to the beat. I thought Awesome! Music can be a huge motivator for me so I created a playlist from a bunch of awesome songs, some new, some old and I was excited. Well right out of the gate I was trying really hard to keep up with the music, which wasn't hard except for my breathing wasn't ready to keep up with the music and that's where is became problematic. I was trying too hard to be fast, which in turn made me slower.

A friend of mine posted this picture on pintrest one day after I had a rough day and a slow run.

 Now every time my tracker reads my time to me and it is slower than desired I think this to myself. Usually in the terms "It doesn't matter how fast, just that I go" It's a tough lesson to learn.

This same friend is a runner and told me that she writes haiku poems about coffee or while drinking coffee... something like that and so one morning while running I decided to try and make a haiku poem about running... It was awesome... but I forgot to write it down and now I don't remember it.

• Motivation:  New music, 10 minute mile!

• Listening to:  The Killers, Neon Trees, Judas Priest, Quiet Riot, Peaches, Gorillaz, Weezer and on and on and on....

• Thankful for: The beautiful weather!

Speaking of the beautiful weather it was so warm that my jacket and cold weather tights were way to much! I was super hot and not in a good way.

Route and Stats:

The kcals on this tracker are still way off but I think I burned close to 450 kcals! Woot Woot!

Back On Track.. Let's Hope!

Day 252: Run 78

It's been 8 weeks since I posted. I'm sorry. I kinda went insane with trying to finish my last quarter of coursework before student teaching.
Not only did I lose control of my eating, but I lost control of my running too. I seriously lost it. After homework was done, it was the decision between 3 hours of sleep and running or 4 hours of sleep and not running. I took the extra hour of sleep.

I have a firm understanding of what it means to be my own worst enemy. I fight myself everyday and then I go to bed beat up and wore out, but I'm getting better. I know I have a ton of cheerleaders out there, but it's hard trying to be my own cheerleader. In reality when it comes to weight loss, you can thank people who have motivated you, but you are the only one there at 5:30 in the morning making the decision.

OK enough serious talk.. let's move on.

Alright well I'm still fighting the plateau and my recent eating habits did not help. I gained weight and lost my 30lb mark, but I'm almost back to.

I started student teaching this past Tuesday and thought I was going to be able to go running after school everyday... WRONG. I came home and made dinner. 23 kindergartners are unbelievably exhausting.

I also started a multi-vitamin. Never tried one before so I am hoping to see results but I have heard that the results are usually unnoticeable which is sad.
Any thoughts on multi-vitamins?

• Motivation:  Get back on track!

• Listening to:  Volbeat, Shinedown, Red Hot Chili Peppers 

• Thankful for: The beautiful weather!

Today's run was tough. Not only have I not ran for 3 weeks but I also have a productive cough going on right now. My first mile was fairly fast, I thought for sure it was going to be slow (10:58). The other two were normal (about 12:30).

Less Than What My License Says!

Day: 196 (Almost 200!)  Run: 71
Wow, I'm sorry it has been almost a month since my last post.

Well that is my life. I work full time with children who sometimes make me think thoughts about late term abortions. Then when I'm done trying to teach the little Satans that call me the b word every chance they get I go to school full time. Then when I'm done with that I come home and make dinner and do homework.

I should consider myself lucky that I have time to exercise. Well I did take a few days off from running because I had gone hiking somewhere close to Mowich Lake. I burned over 1500 calories thanks to the fact that I was hauling my snowboarding gear around with me.

I have also been a little under the weather. Here is a funny story. SO everyone around me is getting sick and I think, "Wow I should be really grateful that I'm not sick and that I don't get sick very easily." (The terrible thing about that is that when I actually get sick, it puts me on my death bed) Later that night while saying my prayers I decided to voice my thanks for having a strong healthy body and for not getting sick. The next morning I woke up with a sore throat. Go figure.

At least I'm not extremely sick. No strep and no flu and simply a minor cold that I am avoiding by blowing my nose regularly.

OK back to the real reason for this blog, Weight loss and Healthy living.

I finished another running chart! That is 3 now! 2 more and I will be able to buy my Rock Revival Jeans!! (Well granting I can afford it and that I am at a size that they would look good!) The dots indicate days when I beat a personal best record!

I have decided that the first 1.5 - 1.75 miles are the hardest, after that barrier you can just keep going. Whenever I realize I am walking I think, "I could be running... ok" then I start running again.

I came home from work pretty worked up yesterday and looking forward to going running. I was very adamant about getting a spotify subscription so I could listen to whatever the heck angry music I wanted. Turns out I didn't have to pay and was able to use a 30 day free trial! Hooray I have awesome music from now until march 4th when I will probably decide to pay for it or sign up with a different email and still get it for free!

I ran my fastest 5k yesterday! 37 minutes WOOT WOOT! I am trying to get faster. So I did it faster today, 36 minutes but unfortunately I had set my tracker to fitness walking because I was planning on walking and not running, so it didn't count as a 5k.

Weigh day #27
As for my weight I am at 182.6 which is less than what my license says! WOOT WOOT! However I have gotten stuck here and didn't lose anything this last week. Why is this going so slow? At first it was going great, but now it is a snail race!

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

I am also frustrated with the fact that it's not all coming off evenly, my waist has lost a lot more than my thighs. Which is not fair because my waist was already the smallest part of me!! What da heck body?!

• Motivation:  Burn off stress!!

• Listening to:  3 Days Grace, Shinedown, Volbeat,

• Thankful for: My endurance to just keep going!

I'm not posting the route and stats this post, maybe next time, sorry if that's what you came for :(

Reality Weigh day #24

Day 175: Run 63

It's official I have been doing this for at least 6 months now. I've lost about 30 lbs. It would have been more if I didn't allow Christmas to screw me over.



This is what happens when you run in
the rain without waterproof mascara!
(1/8/13)

It has been really hard to get back on track, but I am losing again... kind of but not a measurable amount.

On Wednesday it was raining so hard, I mean just down pouring and I loved running it! I'm sure the cars driving by thought I was nuts, but it felt great!

I have had a lot of people try to tell me what is best, but the truth of the matter is that weight loss is a personal thing and only I can decide what is best for me. What is best for me might not be what is best for you.

I'm the type of person that if you give me an inch I am going to take a mile. If I give myself a cookie, I am going to eat 5. If I have a piece of fudge I'm also going to eat those potato chips. Knowing this about myself I don't give myself cheat days very often. Vacations and holidays are not excuses to gorge myself, but I do it anyways. (I actually did quite well on vacation last August)

Having said that what is best for me might not be best for you, I do have one contradiction to make. Real weight loss does not come from a product. It does not come from a pill, or a wrap or a bottle and surgery is simply cheating unless you're so fat you're going to die without it. Real weight loss comes from change and effort. If you are not willing to make the sacrifice then you are not going to be completely successful. You might get some success, but it wont last forever.

• Motivation:  I need to lose more, must run more!

• Listening to:  Mt. Sims, Muse

• Thankful for: All of the people in the park, because for some reasons my ego wont let me walk if someone is looking, I have to be running.

ROUTE AND STATS:
(Just remember the run tracker's kcals are way off!)

Ice Runner is White and whiny! Weigh day #23

Day 165 : Run 57 (I skipped out on Monday)

Running has gotten to be burdensome and I don't like it. I also don't know why it feels like a burden, but it does.

So weigh day 23 is here and well ladies and gentlemen. I have gained. I weigh 186.6. I can blame the holidays all I want, but it's my own fault for lack of self control. I ate like I was a starving child in Africa.

Created by MyFitnessPal - Free Calorie Counter

Let's examine some reports....

Does that red circle look like a plateau to you?

Let's get a little closer...

Yep. It's a plateau alright.

What am I going to do? I gotta get out of this rut! I know I haven't been on the ball lately about it but I was still on this plateau before the holiday eating started. Since the end of November!

This = NOT OKAY!!

I'm tired of working hard and not getting results! It sucks! Why can't weight loss just be steady? Stupid body, don't know what's good for you! I'm gonna punch me so hard! 23 weeks now I have been doing this. I should have lost 46 lbs by now!! GRRRR!! and why is it that I can only eat 1200 calories a day? if my husband did this he would probably get to eat 2000 a day and he would lose weight like no one's business.

This = NOT FAIR!! and I hate not fair!

• Motivation: The scale God was displeased this morning and I must please the scale God!

• Listening to:  Snoop Dogg (Now called Snoop Lion, but to me he will always be Dogg)

Which is where the I'm White story comes into play. I was listening to "The Next Episode" and decided to sing along... out loud... Thankfully I was all alone because I realized I had sung out loud some lyrics that could have been severely offensive, I don't personally care, but I would have cared if someone wanted to beat me up over it.

• Thankful for: Whoever lives on 33rd St and has that wood burning stove! It smelled glorious is the fresh cold air!

ROUTE AND STATS:
(Check it out, I can do it all in one picture instead of typing it all out! Just remember the run tracker's kcals are way off!)