Fat Girl Problems

I find that when I am actively losing weight, I am obsessed with the scale...daily. I don't weigh throughout the day, but I do weigh first thing in the morning and I usually weigh in the evening after a workout. I don't let it make or break my day, but I have to weigh myself every morning to see if the number changed from the previous day. It's very frustrating! I hate that I do that, but know that there's lots of women out there who do it, too. I do get annoyed when my weight is higher than the previous day even if it's 0.2 higher. I'm like, "WWWHAT??? WHYYYYYYY?" I wonder why it's hard to comprehend that weight fluctuates daily.

If you're on MyFitnessPal, you know that if you complete your diary at the end of the day, it says something like, "If every day was exactly like this day, you would weigh ---.- in 5 weeks!" That's another thing that annoys my fat girl self. When I completed my diary one day earlier this week, don't remember which day, it said that I would weigh 193.8 in 5 weeks (EXCITING!) if every day were to be exactly like that day. So of course, I bust out the calculator and divide the pounds by 5 weeks to see how much I would average losing a week (1.4 pounds). [Obsessed.] Then last night I completed it and it said I would weigh 195.2 in 5 weeks (1.12 pounds a week...which is great). I'm like, "Okay, I stayed within my calorie range AND ate healthy calories..." So that little feature is another thing that annoys me. Sure, I guess it is sort of a motivational tool for some, but it's 50/50 with motivational and aggravating.

I also get aggravated when I weigh myself on Tuesday and then weigh myself on Wednesday, my weigh-in day, and Tuesday was lower than Wednesday! I'm like, "Damn...shoulda chosen Tuesday as my weigh day." LOL. I've known people who have thrown away their scales, hidden them, or only brought them out on their "official" weigh-in day. I'm not going to do any of those things. I do like weighing myself because it helps me stay on track. If my number was "high" in the morning then I think I am extra mindful during the day about what goes in my mouth. No snacking on Brynlee's food while I make her lunch, no taking nibbles when I am cooking dinner, and no unhealthy snacks during the day.

That's another thing...snacks. I am bad about NOT "eating all day". I have read so much about how important it is for metabolism to eat every 2 or so hours. That's not me. I am making a huge point to eat breakfast for many different reasons. Then I eat lunch. I sometimes have an afternoon snack (light string cheese, fruit, or light yogurt), but really only because Brynlee wants a snack after her nap so I have a snack since I know dinner will be a few hours later. When I was pregnant and had Gestational Diabetes, my doctor and Diabetes Educator both said that it was very important for me to have an evening snack. 99% of the time I do not eat anything after dinner. That was extremely hard for me. They told me to have a glass of milk with graham crackers or something similar. I would seriously make myself do that since I knew it was important for my GD and the baby inside of me! So sometimes I find myself not having quite enough calories during the day. I know that I need to eat between 1500-1600 a day then exercise earns me around 200-250. I don't typically eat back my exercise calories. I may use some of them, but I don't eat all of them.

I posted about my chub rub yesterday. I decided to take Thursday night off from running to let the cut on my leg heal. It is small, but it hurts! I usually use Friday as a rest day so I've got to hit the ground running on Saturday and Sunday. I hope my leg is all fixed up by then.

What are your "Fat Girl Problems"? :)

Share the goods

I don't typically "review" products, but I figured I'd share one of my favorites and a new one that takes some getting used to.

First up......SPARK by Advocare! This stuff is delicious! I am not sure how expensive or inexpensive crack is, but this is some good stuff but is a tad expensive. If you buy it at the retail price, it is $51.95 a container for 42 servings. Eek! If you find a distributor who will sell it at distributor's cost or buy it on Craigslist then you can get it much cheaper. I bought some from Craigslist from a guy who was just selling it to get the discount so he wasn't trying to make a profit. That's the way to go. We bought two canisters from a guy Joey works with and he sold them to us for $90 so $45/each. We still have a lot left and it's been a while since we bought them. If you've never heard of it (if you have Facebook, I have no idea how you have not heard of this product) then here's the scoop, (straight from the Advocare website)...

The most nutritionally advanced energy drink on the market

Sugar-free, long-lasting energy

Surprisingly fast-acting

Contains 21 vitamins, minerals and nutrients designed to synergistically provide a healthy, balanced source of energy

Just 45 calories per serving

Sharpens mental focus

I do have to say that you can taste the vitamins and minerals. It's not smooth like Crystal Light. But the flavors I have, Fruit Punch and Mango Strawberry, are awesome. I've tried Mandarin Orange and didn't really like it. I haven't tried any other flavors. They have a new Watermelon flavor that people are raving about, but I'm not a big watermelon drinker. I can tell a difference when I don't drink the Spark. When I have it, I get things done. I have energy and I don't typically nap in the afternoon with Brynlee. When I don't drink it, I definitely want an afternoon nap and I feel like I don't do much except be lazy and that makes me even more tired. In my opinion, Spark is a winner!

Next up...

All Natural Better'n Peanut Butter. I love Peanut Butter and love to add it to my oatmeal (and eat it on a spoon), but hate that it is 250 calories for 2 tbsp! This Better'n Peanut Butter is only 100 calories per serving. My sis-in-law, Paige, found it at HEB so we decided to give it a try. Well, she hasn't tried it yet. She wanted me to try it first, ha! So yesterday, I tried it. I took a little lick of it while my oatmeal cooked. It tastes...different than Peanut Butter. It's not as thick. And it just has a different taste. I can't describe it! Once I mixed it into my oatmeal, it was good. It still didn't taste the same as regular peanut butter, but it blended well with my low sugar Cinnamon and Spice oatmeal. I will definitely not be scooping spoonsful to eat. I am curious if I will enjoy it on a piece of wheat bread or if I will only like it if it has jelly on top. I guess I won't know until I try! It does say to refrigerate after opening as opposed to just storing peanut butter in the pantry. So if you love Peanut Butter but hate the calories that go with it, try this "Better'n Peanut Butter"...even though it's definitely not better than Peanut Butter!

Last night I did Week 3 Day 2 of C25k and guess what? I felt awesome! It probably helped that I wasn't constantly fighting the jogging stroller. That thing is a beast. I really pushed myself to do work, son. I'm very proud of myself! I made myself push on when I wanted to stop. We didn't leave the house until after 8pm, picked up a friend, and then headed to the Rec Center. It was SO nice outside. My running pace was mostly between 12:00-13:00, but I got a little slow for the 4th running session and got up to 14:14 or something around there. But my legs felt better, my breathing was better, and I focused on my running form. After I finished the c25k, I kept going and at one point, I was running an 11:something pace. It was awesome, but I wouldn't have been able to keep that up for long. I only lasted at that pace for about 2 minutes, lol. We went the "right" way this time and it was a little easier than going the other way. At the end of my run, my thighs were hurting so bad (total chub rub). I typically wear bike compression shorts underneath my running shorts for that exact reason. Well, I was stupid and bought some cute (hot pink) shorter shorts to wear under my running shorts. I guess they were too short because they kept rolling up at the bottom and now I have a small CUT on my left thigh! It hurts so bad. At first, I thought it was chapped so I put my daughter's butt cream on it last night. Today I woke up and it's a cut. :( It hurts. I want to let it breathe, but I really want to put a Band-Aid on it. I will definitely NOT be wearing those short cute under shorts anymore. :/

Speaking of traffic on a walking/running path: These two ladies and a big boxer were walking against traffic and I was running toward them. Instead of, I don't know, moving to the side...they both took up the entire pathway. They both just kept walking toward me and didn't even attempt to move. You know how sometimes it's that awkward, "Which way do I go?" kind of movement dance off? Yeah, there was none of that. So I had to run off the path, into the grass, to go around them. I have always been more courteous to runners when I am walking. I always get to the side or walk in the grass as to not interrupt their running. Is that just me or is that the respectful thing to do?

Annnnnywaaaaay, I'm not going to dwell on it *rolls eyes*, but c'mon! /endrant

I am running by myself tonight because my sis-in-law and brother are going out of town this weekend so she's got shit to do. She's a last minute packer kinda gal. ;) So I will be going up to the hospital by myself. My "PLAN" (hey, plans can change) is to finish Week 3 Day 3, but then continue running until I hit 2.50 miles. It's only 1/4th of a mile more than what I normally do so I think it's doable. I am really working on my distance. I am not so concerned, right now, about getting it done FAST. I am more concerned with the getting miles in! As always, here's my workout photos to track my progress.

 

Would you rather workout indoors or outside? Do you run by distance or time?

Weigh-in Wednesday

First of all, I woke up today and was utterly exhausted. When Brynlee woke up, I could have sworn it was like 5am, but it was 7:47. I still didn't want to get up. I even changed her, got her set up with Disney Jr., and some cereal. Then I planned to lay down until she was done. BUT then I remembered that it is Weigh-In Wednesday! I got excited to see my progress! A few weeks ago, I decided to start "officially" weighing in on Wednesdays. I like Wednesdays because it's in the middle. Monday is too hard because it's right after the weekend so my number is always a little higher than I'd like it to be. I used to weigh-in on Fridays, but then I would see a low number, be proud, and act like an idiot over the weekend. Otherwise known as slacking. So I am implementing Weigh-In Wednesday with some other fabulous bloggers. I am linking up with some bloggers that I just recently started following so click the link below and check them out!

I think it takes A LOT of courage to share stats on a public blog. It's even more nerve racking since I know a few Facebook friends read my blog. Some of them are going through the same journey while others aren't so I don't think they can really relate. Regardless, this blog is 95% for me. The other 5% is to help motivate others who are in similar shoes. So on to Weigh-In Wednesday...*drum roll please*...

Starting Weight 6/10/13: 205
This Week: 200.8
+/-: (-3.0)

Total Loss: (-4.2 lbs)

 

That's right! I lost 3 pounds this week! Holy crap! I have never done that in a healthy way. I have lost that much when I took Phentermine for a month in 2010, but I did it because it made me not eat, but gave me tons of energy to work out. Anyway, WOW! I was so excited that I took a crooked picture to show you. :) All of my calorie counting and exercising is paying off...who woulda thunk it?

Speaking of exercising, I did Week 3 Day 1 of C25K last night. I had to take Brynlee in the jogging stroller because Joey's doctor released him to play disc golf so of course he had to play yesterday. He's been missing it! So I took Brynlee so he could go play with my brother. My sis-in-law and I loaded up and went out to the outdoor path at the Rec Center. We've never worked out there before. The path is a bit small and we were going against traffic (I prefer it that way and just pretend like we're going the wrong way, LOL). My legs felt like cement blocks. I felt like I just couldn't get.it.together. During Week 3, you brisk walk warm up for 5 minutes then alternate 90 seconds run, 90 seconds walk, 3 minutes run, and 3 minutes walk two times, and end with a 5 minute cool-down for a total of 28 minutes. Well, I've been working out for 35 minutes so I decided to go a little longer. I can normally get 2.20 miles in 35 minutes and some odd seconds, but last night was a bit rough for me...

I should have been able to get more distance since I was running more, but I felt like I was barely moving. As my sis-in-law says, I was "wogging". I was just hardly moving. My first mile was done in 16 minutes so I cut a minute off my usual time, but the second half was horrendous. During the first 3 minute run, I started walking at the last 10 seconds. I KNOW, 10 seconds...come on! Push yourself. But even all of my mental motivation just could not get my body to run those last 10 seconds. Then during the 2nd 3 minute run, I walked the last 30 seconds. So to make up for that 40 seconds, I ran during 1 minute of the last 3 minute walk. So uh, that counts, right? :)

My goal for tonight's workout is to NOT walk during the 3 minute jogs. But tonight I am not taking the jogging stroller so I think that should help. Unfortunately, my jogging stroller was used and it pulls to the right HARD. So I am constantly yanking the stroller back to the left. My right arm always hurts a lot after I work out with it.

So there ya go! My first Weigh-In Wednesday was a success! Go check out the other link ups! :)

What are you doing for exercise this week?

Mini Goals & Rewards

Have you noticed any changes around here? :) I've been working very hard to update my layout. It is a lot of work! I've had the same layout since I first started blogging. Since I am working so hard to change myself, I figured a layout change was a good idea, too! I've updated the various pages as well. I am also going to be doing more link ups with various bloggers so stay tuned for that! So what do you think about the layout?

I've mentioned before that I've been having a tough time finding a job. It's depressing actually. I am plenty qualified for lots of jobs in the area and I have applied for all of them. I check CareerBuilder, Craigslist, and Opportunity 501 Job Board daily...multiple times actually. I have been checking the school districts in the area as well. I also spend lots of time every day going to individual websites for various non-profit agencies in the area. That's how I found a few jobs that I have interviewed for because they were not posted on any job sites. So I am putting in the work. Some jobs I do not qualify for because I am not bilingual nor do I have a Master's degree or a BS in Social Work. I have a BS in Community, Family, & Addiction Services. Apparently that's not quite good enough around here. We moved down here in mid-March and I've been searching and applying since before then. I've even applied for various jobs such as Administrative Assistants, etc. I don't know what I am doing wrong. It's very frustrating, to say the least. We had dinner at Taste of Asia last night before we went grocery shopping. I like to read the fortune cookies, but I've never kept one until now. This is my fortune from last night:

I know it doesn't say, "You will get a job this week!" But I had to keep it. I've applied for 11 jobs in less than a week. Two of the jobs have openings for 25 positions and 6 positions. I'm not saying that I am getting my hopes up, but there's a couple of the jobs that I think I would like. So if you're a praying person or a positive thoughts into the Universe kinda person, please send some for me. I'd really appreciate it.

When you hit weight loss or fitness goals, do you reward yourself in any way? I am currently working on my mini goals and a reward for reaching each. For example, when I hit my first mini goal, I want to purchase a pair of Yurbuds. My iPhone headphones constantly fall out of my ears when I run. I have small ears. I've never found a pair of headphones that works for me. After reading a review of the Yurbuds from a real-life person who has ears similar to mine, they sound like they would work for me. I also want to sign up for a monthly membership to StrideBox. It's a monthly subscription for runners. They send you a box every month with various products for runners such as apparel, accessories, and nutrition products. It's $15 a month so I want to "reward" myself with a subscription. I reeeeaaallly want to subscribe now, but that's a no-can-do since I am still unemployed.

Do you reward yourself for meeting mini goals? Or do you not set mini goals? I feel like setting little goals along the way helps keep me on track. It's like taking a long road trip. If you never stop to pee on the way then it makes for a miserable trip. Am I right or am I right? If you do set mini goals and rewards for yourself, feel free to share! I need some ideas. :)

Motivational Monday

Today I am going to link up with Wendy over at Daily Dose of Del Signore for her Motivational Monday Team! There are a few things, or shall I say people, that keep me going. First of all, when I get Facebook messages like the ones below, I feel SO pumped that I have motivated someone else and that motivates me! It's like this cute little motivational circle. :)

 

Those messages right there are motivation for me! I have wondered like a billion times if people get annoyed by my Facebook posts about my runs, pictures of my Garmin after a run, and motivational quotes I can't stop finding on Pinterest. I keep doing it though. I feel like it keeps me accountable. I love these rules of motivation:



Those 5 things are my words of advice! I talk about running, I blog about running, I post about running! I look up quotes that tell me that you have to start somewhere! I put goals and rewards on my phone for me to see. I keep my workout gear where I can see it daily. I posted recently about focusing on myself and not worrying about what other people think of me here. Lastly, I love to work out by myself, but I am also running with my sister-in-law. She is trying to lose weight and get healthy, too! Since we are living together right now, it's easy for us to motivate each other. I love to put on my workout gear and then see her go put her gear on! So implement those 5 things, stick to them, and get out there and get healthy!

I did really well with my goals from last week. As I posted last night, I don't think I am quite ready for Week 3 of C25K, but I think I would surprise myself if I tried. I am just too nervous to try. I don't think I will be able to run for 3 minutes straight! I do have a NSV though. Last night, during my late night run, I only looked at my C25k app ONCE during my run times and I had 3 seconds left! Sometimes I look at my watch and I'm like, "Oh Gosh...I still have to jog for 30 more seconds!" So I feel like I am making progress fairly quickly. My goal this week is: Keep doing what I'm doing!

What motivates you??

Weekend Recap

We had a nice weekend. After I found out the disappointing news on Friday, my brother and sis-in-law took us out for dinner. They wanted me to get drink.drank.drunk on margaritas, but I chose to have a 96 calorie Miller Lite instead. It was delicious. We took Brynlee to the splash pad at a nearby park on Saturday. She had so much fun! I really thought it was more for little kids, like toddlers, but there happened to be quite a few bigger kids there. I am pretty sure a few of the kids were in junior high! I think that is a little too old to be taking over the kiddie's splash pad, but whatever. She still had fun. I love bringing fruit as snacks when we are out and about on a hot day. Brynlee absolutely loves fruit. Strawberries, grapes, apples, berries, watermelon, all of it. She must get that from me! After the splash pad, Brynlee took a nap while Joey and I watched movies. It was a relaxing day.

Today we just hung out at the house for most of the day. I had a terrible headache almost all day. I felt so tired and so lazy. I ended up taking a 2 hour nap with Brynlee. Then we went to my Mom's since my sister is in town. My mom made spaghetti and I made the salad. It was a delicious meal with good company. I spent the evening talking to my sister about running, eating healthy, losing weight the right way, etc. I guess I got motivated to run when we got home. We got home a little bit before 10pm. I was already in my running clothes so I just geared up and off I went. I felt great. I don't ever run that late, but it felt wonderful outside.

I felt like I was running so much faster than normal, but I guess I wasn't. Since I am doing C25k and it alternates running and walking, I did the first mile in 17 minutes (that was with the first 5 minutes being walking for a warm up). I finished two miles in 32 minutes. So I thought I would get over 2.25 miles in 35 minutes, but I didn't. I was close and all, but not quite where I thought I would be. I honestly started out thinking I would just do a quick mile so I wasn't out so late. I am a scaredy cat, for sure. But I pushed on. I don't think I am quite ready for Week 3 of the C25k yet so I want to get a few more Week 2 work outs in before I start Week 3. I just don't think I'm ready. I just ran in the neighborhood tonight so I wouldn't waste time driving somewhere and also so that I would be close to home. Typically when I run in the evenings, I have a super hard time falling asleep at night. I guess it just gives me tons of energy and keeps me up. Since I ran even later tonight, I hope I can fall asleep. Does that happen to you?

Have I mentioned how much I love Pinterest? I love looking up motivational quotes that inspire me. I have a few experienced runners on my Facebook and some of them post about their 10 mile runs, their 13 mile runs, etc. I am happy for them and hope to get there someday, but when I post my little 2 mile runs, this is what I think...

My 2.20 miles is 2.20 miles more than some people run.

Disappointment

I just went through an extensive interview process for a job that I really wanted that lasted almost a month. I found out today that I did not get the job. I have applied for over 60 jobs, interviewed at 6 places, and still no job. This is the second time that I was told that it was down to me and one other person. I am not sure if that is something that I want to hear. I think I would rather hear that it was down to 5 people and I didn't move on in the interview process for whatever reason. It is very difficult to hear that ONE person beat me out of the job. It just makes me wonder what I could have done better, ya know? I feel like I did everything that I possibly could to impress them and prove that I would be awesome for the position. I was told today that it was a very difficult decision and came down to the other person having more case management experience. She said my references said amazing things about me and that I am very qualified for the position...obviously since I went so far in the interview process. She asked if she could keep my resume because they have applied for grants and if they are accepted then there will be more positions opening. Also, there's more programs at this particular company. I was just interviewing for one position within one program at the company. In my head, I thought, "Yeah sure, keep my resume..." Then she said that she knows some employers say they will keep your resume, but she really means that she wants to keep my resume. I believe in not burning any bridges and hope that a position does open up there as I feel it is an organization that I would love to work for.

To say that I am disappointed in this latest development is an understatement. I just happened to be at mine and Brynlee's second play date with some very nice Moms when I got the call. It took a lot of willpower not to burst out in tears right then and there. How embarrassing would that have been? Thank God, I kept it together and Brynlee didn't throw a huge fit when we left. Normally I would handle my emotions in a very unhealthy way. I would probably go to Taco Bell or some other fast food restaurant (Hello Rosa's!), get a bunch of food, and go home and pig out while watching trashy TV. Then I would probably cry my eyes out and then take a nap. The LAST thing I would think about would have been working out. Healthy, right?

You know what I want to do to deal with the disappointment and sadness that I am feeling? Go for a run. Did I cry? Yes. Do I still feel like crying? Of course. But instead of instantly thinking of stuffing my emotions with food, I feel like running the emotions out of my body. I think that is awesome news. I have posted before that you have to change the mental before the physical. I 100% believe that.

I know that I would have came home today, put on my running clothes, and taken Brynlee out in the jogging stroller if it wasn't SO HOT here right in the middle of the afternoon. Plus, I needed to get in the house to feed us lunch and walk Paige's dog. Running at 12:30pm while it's 92 outside? I'll pass.

I'm not going to lie though. A bottle of wine sounds great. But I know that I don't want to drink the calories nor do I want to have a wine hangover. Wine always gives me a massive headache. I may have a glass tonight after I work out. Maybe I'll wear my Bondi Band that says...

My Wedding Story

Today, I am doing something a little different. I know you probably get bored reading about my slow running reports. Today, I am linking up with Melanie & Holly to tell you all the juicy details about my wedding.

Joey and I started dating in July of 2008. I graduated from Texas Tech in December 2008, moved back home the day after graduation, and Joey and I moved in together in this crappy little 2 bedroom house in February 2009. We moved in to our 2nd house in November 2009 because we hated the first crappy house.

In August of 2010, we started talking about having a baby (didn't talk much about marriage). I decided to get off birth control in September of 2010, buuuuuuuutttttttt chickened out. So I got off the pill in October. We found out I was pregnant two days before Thanksgiving. WHAM BAM, Thank you ma'am!

We started talking about getting married. Well, I kind of made Joey think seriously about marriage. He had told me a few times (drunkenly) that he did not want to get married because we would just get divorced and I would get all of his shit. Uh, I think he was a tad bitter about his parent's divorce after something like 26 years together. So in January, we went to look at rings and to get my finger sized because I had no idea what size I'd wear. He wanted me to pick out a style that I liked. I didn't know that he was going to buy it right then and there!

My sweet little engagement ring. We got the bridal set, but I didn't have that on obviously. So there was no real "proposal" or anything. Joey's step-sister wanted to take "engagement pictures" for us. So we just snapped a few pictures. Joey didn't have time to shave or anything, LOL.

 

 

Can't you tell this is a shotgun wedding? :) We decided to get married before I was too big ole pregnant. So we settled on the weekend after Spring Break (since I worked at a junior high at the time). We chose March 19, 2011. I was 20 weeks pregnant, but finally through the every day throwing up stage of my pregnancy. My mom was living in North Dakota and my youngest sister was living in California so neither of them would be there. My Dad passed away when I was in high school so obviously he would not be walking me down the "aisle".

There wasn't much planning. At all. I was never one who dreamed of my wedding day or anything. To be honest, after my Dad died, when I thought of getting married, I just thought about him not being there to give me away. So my wedding wasn't much of a big deal to me. Plus we were already knocked up so I knew we were stuck together, LOL! My dress was from Ross and cost $20 bucks. My shoes were from JCPenney, my bracelet and fake pearls were from Claire's in the mall.

No bridal pictures in my gorgeous, expensive dress! ;)

We got married at The Falls at 3pm, I think. It was freaking HOT. Seriously. I was sweating and right before we went to get married, Joey squished a bug on my dress!! He was trying to get the bug off (I guess it was on my bouquet), but ended up smooshing it. I was seriously so pissed off. I almost cried. Okay, maybe I did cry.

Joey's mom, Janet, putting on his boutonnière.

 

My brother walked me up the aisle/stairs. My sister-in-law, Paige, was taking pictures so we didn't have a photographer or anything.

 

And I guess it's a done deal now!

 

It was family only since our wedding wasn't a big thang. The guests were: My brother Kyle and his wife Paige. My sister Ashley and her fiancé Mark. Joey's Dad and Step-Mom, Mom and Step-Dad, Grandparents, and his brother Eric and his girlfriend Penny. Missing were: My dad, my mom, my sister Shelby and her husband Cody, and Joey's sister Lacey and her fiancé Brandon.

 

 My favorite picture of us.

 
My beautiful flowers.

 

 

Joey's Dad and Step-Mom wanted to host a small reception for us. Here is our delicious cake. We had lots of homemade food and hung out with family. Joey's Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins came to the reception.

 

 

The married couple.

 

There ya have it. Our wedding story.

6 months from now

We all have regrets. Maybe you broke up with a boyfriend/girlfriend and regret it. Maybe you quit a job and regret it. Maybe you regret marrying your husband/wife. You get the idea. I regret all of the times that I have given up on my weight loss goals. I regret all of the times that I let stress get the best of me (especially in 2012 when Joey was so sick) and get me off track. I regret all of the times that I decided my health isn't important. I don't give up easily in other areas of my life so why have I given up on being healthy so many times? I know that some people say they don't live their life by regrets. But I think when we regret something, we really learn from it. Today, I weighed myself since I've been running and eating fairly well again. I went down 1.2 lbs since last Monday, but I'm still not down to the weight that I was in March. So I had to "start over" again. It sucks. So while I am happy to see a 1.2 lb loss, I know that I have a long way to go.

6 months from now, I don't want to have to add a new "starting" weight to MFP. I want to be proud of myself for staying on track. I want to be proud of myself for running races, competing, and continuing to push myself to work harder. 6 months from now, I don't want to look back and regret the previous 6 months...like I do now. I don't want to have to restart a workout regimen. I don't want to go backward. I want to continue to move forward. In 6 months, I want to be proud that I've accomplished multiple goals. I want to be proud of how I feel. I want to be happy with the strength of my body and how far I have come in 6 months. I will get there!

Last night, I started Week 2 Day 1 of C25K. I'm not going to lie: I was nervous. I posted yesterday that Week 1 is alternating run 60 seconds, walk 90 seconds for 8 sessions plus a 5 minute warm up and 5 minute cool down. Week 2 changes to run 90 seconds and walk 2 minutes. I was nervous about the 90 seconds because I'll be honest here, during Week 1 there were times that that 60 seconds seemed like for-ev-er. But...I did it. :) I pushed myself and I ran every time, the whole time, when I was supposed to. I actually ended up running/walking 2.07 miles so I am slowly getting better. During Week 1, I got up to 1.81 miles so I am slowly improving. Don't get me wrong, I am slow. Very slow. But I will just continue to improve. On the last run session, I was seriously talking out loud and telling myself to run. No one was near me so nobody could hear me (not like I would care anyway), but it really helped me. 90 seconds of running doesn't sound like a lot, but it seems hard when I am doing it. I cannot wait to get back to running 3+ miles at a time.

C25K Week 2 Day 1, 6.18.13

 

See, I am slow. But I did it. Last week, I would just complete the 30 minute workout and then go home. At the hospital that I like to go to, the path is about 1 mile around. So I typically park, go around, and then stay on the path near the car to complete the rest of the workout. So that I am not far from the car when I complete the C25K. But last night, I didn't do that! :) I got back to the car and I think I was a little over halfway finished. So instead of backtracking and staying near the car, I went for another round around the hospital. I knew that it would put me over the 30 minute workout, but I didn't care. I honestly really wanted to see 2 miles on my watch! I love having my Forerunner. It really motivates me. At any point in my run, I can look down and see those 4 things on the screen (you can also customize two different screens if you want to see other things). I customized mine to see those 4 because they are all important to me. I like seeing my calorie burn, my pace (when running), my distance, and my total time. All 4 of those things motivate me in their own little way.

If you don't have a heart rate monitor watch, I definitely recommend one. I would list it on my "must have" list for runners. If you don't run or walk, but do other forms of exercise such as classes like Zumba or something then I would recommend a PolarFt. I have the PolarFt4 and I like it, but since I mostly run outdoors, I just use the Forerunner. I got mine used on Amazon and it was totally worth the price! I also bought the Foot Pod for indoor running on either a track or a treadmill. When I went to Planet Fitness, I always used the foot pod while running on the treadmill. It is WAY more accurate than the guesstimate on the treadmill. Sure, it's probably right on the distance and pace, but it's not very accurate on the calorie burn.

So my point is this....6 months from now, you WILL see my improvements. You will NOT see a post saying that I am starting over!

What are you doing for exercise today?

I am a runner because I run!

First of all, if you like oatmeal and peanut butter, but haven't had them together--you are totally missing out on this wonderful mixture!

I know it looks like a glob of poop on top of my of my oatmeal, but it is delicious. I buy the individual Jig To Go cups because I like that they are already measured out. If I have a jar of peanut butter, forget 2 tbsp, I will eat like 20! So I just eat the Weight Control oatmeal, Fat Free milk, and the individual cup of PB. After I heat the oats, I add in the scoop and it just melts right in when you stir it. So good and very filling!

On to my goals from last week and how I did!
1.) Drink more water--Did much better at this one, but not as good as I want to so I am going to continue to focus on drinking more water!
2.) Exercise 5 days this week--Didn't accomplish, but came close! I exercised 4 days. I worked out Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, went swimming all day Thursday, skipped Friday, ran on Saturday, and spent all day Sunday at my mom's for Father's Day.
3.) Eat more veggies and protein, less carbs--Eh, I did get more veggies in, but I didn't really get much protein in. So I'll continue working on it!

I found a quick, filling dish that I am in love with. I buy the individual serving cups of brown rice (am I lazy or what?) because they are measured out AND because they taste awesome. I just pop it in the microwave and then add an avocado, a few diced grape tomatoes, and Cajun seasoning. HOLY CRAP, it is delicious. I've been eating Cajun seasoning on brown rice for a while, but never thought to add tomatoes and avocado. I added green onion one day, too. Delicious!

On Saturday, I woke up ready to go for a run. Last week, I did C25K 4 days. I like to change up my running place. I just don't want to run the same boring path day after day. So I went down to one of the junior high schools nearby. I've driven by it multiple times and it is such a pretty path. I got there and there were locked gates blocking me from driving in to park. :/ I decided, "Well...most likely the school won't catch on fire on a Saturday so I may as well park in this no parking, fire zone..." I parked, started my C25k app, started my Garmin and off I went. :) I know...such a rebel!

 

I know, I know. I am slow. I am only one Week 1 of the C25K (starting Week 2 today). So I know 1.81 miles in 30 minutes is not great, but Week 1 is mostly walking. If you've never done the C25K app, it starts with a 5 minute warm up walk, then alternates jogging 60 seconds, walking 90 seconds for 20 minutes, and then ends with a 5 minute cool down walk. I have been pushing myself to continue alternating jogging and walking during my cool down walk. Week 2 changes to running 90 seconds and walking for 2 minutes. So I am hoping I can do it! I am pretty good about pushing myself especially when I have a timer going. I look at my phone app A LOT to look at the timer. It's probably a bad habit for some, but I feel like it motivates me to keep going and work harder.

 

 

I am looking forward to beginning Week 2, but I kind of feel like I won't be able to run the 90 seconds. I didn't work out for about a month. Bad, I know. I am very, very bad about getting off track when "That time of the month" is here. I always feel so achy and crappy and I let myself get off track. I eat tons of salt and just get lazy. But I didn't let that happen this time around. :)

 

My goals this week:

1.) Drink more water (again)
2.) Complete Week 2 of C25k this week

3.) Really keep track of the food that goes in my mouth via MyFitnessPal

4.) Make good choices! This goes for eating and exercise

I am going to leave you with some cute pictures of Brynlee because well, she's cute! :)

She loves this princess gown!

 

Playing dress up

 

Going swimming!

 

She was "Wowed" by the sharks at the Dallas World Aquarium.

 

She was making her "pish face" when she saw the fishies.

 

BB and her Daddy on Father's Day.

What are you doing this week?