Monday, July 30, 2007

runnning, salad, t-shirts, and I was tagged!

Well nothing much has happened since I last posted. Workouts have been decent. Sunday I had a pretty good workout of 4 minutes of running followed by 1 minute of walking repeated 10 times. Cammie and I covered over 3.6 miles in the whole workout; sweet! I'd like to run the 5k in September in a slow but respectable for a newbie 40 minutes or less and I think I'll be able to do it.

Overall though, my weight is staying the same. I've been managing to have a good breakfast and a good lunch - but then when it comes to dinner I haven't been able to convince myself to eat a salad. Even though I pretty much have all of the stuff to make my favorite salad with walnuts red onions and balsamic... ok I think I am jazzed enough about it to have it for dinner tonight :-)

It's fun to find inspiration in places you wouldn't suspect. This weekend I was looking for MINI tshirts and found many that I'd like. Two of my favorites are this one and another one that says "think small". On my run yesterday I was thinking about the shirts and figured that I should wait until I am close to my goal weight before getting a shirt that says "think small" because in my life I've been the subject of jokes and ridicule for far too many young a$$hole boys and most likely grown-ups alike. However, since my obsession interest in MINI culture seems to still be growing (Because who thinks about checking out the library for books on Mini's? I do.) it's fun to have something to tie two of my biggest interests (MINI and getting/staying healthy) together.

Speaking of other interests; I've been tagged for the first time! Woo Hoo! Bazu tagged me and said something that made me smile, she tagged me for "setting an example for healthy eating and living." I know that for the past year I have been trying to do these things but I guess I never really thought of it that I was setting an example. After a little bit of reflection I realize that by blogging about my goals and trials and tribulations I am setting an example; and that is really very energizing! I want to be one of the examples of the fact that it is possible to lose a lot of weight without surgery or medication, and that diet modification and exercise really do work AND that Eat to Live is an excellent lifestyle with more benefits than just weight loss.

So here's the meme:
It’s very simple. When this is passed on to you, copy the whole thing, skim the list and put a * star beside those that you like. (Check out especially the * starred ones.) Add the next number (1. 2. 3. 4. 5., etc.) and write your own blogging tip for other bloggers. Try to make your tip general. After that, tag 10 other people. Link love some friends! Just think– if 10 people start this, the 10 people pass it onto another 10 people, you have 100 links already!

1. Look, read, and learn.
http://www.neonscent.com***

2. Be, EXCELLENT to each other.
http://www.bushmackel.com******

3. Don’t let money change ya!
http://www.therandomforest.info****

4. Always reply to your comments
http://chattiekat.com**

5.Blog about what you know & love.
http://sugar-queens-dream.blogspot.com**

6.Don’t use filthy language-buy a dictionary.
http://shinade.blogspot.com ***

7.Blog about something educational
http://climateofourfuture.org*

8. Always give a link back when using others' info.
http://thevegandiet.blogspot.com/ *

9. Veganize favorite recipes from your childhood!
http://www.wherestherevolution.blogspot.com*

10. Use words and visuals to make your blog represent the real you.
http://fullofveggies.blogspot.com

Ok - now I get to tag other people! Fun!! I tag my ETLin' blogger girlfriends: Carla, Bree, Mary, and Steph

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Wednesday:
Exercise: 30+ min walk with Cammie, 15 min Yourself!Fitness
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Roasted Veggies with Hummus and Quinoa
Exercise: (hopefully) bike ride and walk with Cammie
Dinner: (planned) salad (romaine, red onion, walnuts, balsamic vinegar)
Fuhrmometer: 9 - Broccoli

Well today I really don't have too much to say but I did want to share another blogger's account of her first Triathlon with you. I found it very inspiring. Read about it here. Please. Thank you.

It really makes me look forward to going home and going on a bike ride tonight.

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

slinking back into blogtown

Hi. It's me. Is anyone still out there?

I didn't intend to be gone for nearly two weeks. I guess my best excuse is that I just feel burned out by everything. I haven't felt patient or driven enough for anything the past couple of weeks. I have been running; but have been kind of inconsistent with the rest of my workouts. I've been eating anywhere between really good and not good at all (but have been trying to be really good). And I just haven't felt like I've had too much to say.

Often I wish that I had a limitless supply of motivation and drive because it's really not fun to feel like you don't want to do anything but you know you've got to and then that thing becomes a big ordeal and is no fun at all which then makes doing that thing again even less fun plunging you deeper into not wanting to do anythingness...

Run-on sentences aside, I really do wish that I could feel that burning drive and motivation that I had last summer. What happened to it? I'd really like to get it back. But then I think about this post on Half of Me (a superb weight loss blog) and Jennette is right, it's not about motivation, it's about consistency. Sometimes you have to eat salad even though the thought of more lettuce is the last thing you want. Sometimes you have to drink that smoothie for breakfast even though you've had one pretty much every morning for the last year and it's getting a little old. Sometimes you have to make yourself workout even though you'd rather sit in the backyard and read or watch a movie.

As much as you (and I really mean me) can get sick of whatever trait of a healthy (or responsible or adult) lifestyle, sometimes it just needs to be done because when you consider the alternative, namely gaining weight back or staying at the same (above goal) weight - eating that salad doesn't really seem too bad.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

i think they call it confidence

This is my back side.

I don't in any way feel that it is a flattering picture of me. My pants are a bit on the small side, my hair is a mess, I think I'm standing crooked, I've got weird objects in my hands (a rubber duckie and the dog leash), etc. There really isn't anything good about how I look in this picture at all. Why am I posting it then?

Let me provide a little bit of back story (no pun intended) to show why I'm broadcasting this less than stellar image of myself across the internet for (potentially) anyone and everyone to see:

Remember how Hubby, Cammie and I went to the drive-in this past weekend with some fellow Mini owners? Well people were taking pictures, including one guy and his sister who took a bunch of really great shots of the cars and of the drive from the dinner place to the drive-in. Yesterday the guy who took the pictures posted a link to the pictures from the drive-in and I was looking through them, there were lots of great pictures of my car and the other Minis, some decent pictures with my face in it, an awesome picture of Cammie's little head sticking out from between my Mini and a another one with more Mini's in the background... and so on. Then the picture popped up featuring a full on shot of me from the back.

"Wow, I don't want to crawl into a hole and die." I thought to myself. Like I said, I don't love the picture, but the fact that when I look at it I wasn't (and still am not) filled with shame was something to write about, I even think my legs look kind of decent. A year ago, a picture like this would have mortified me but I'm feeling ok about this one and that really makes me happy.

Even though all last week and last weekend I was seeing friends and family members who were telling me how great I looked, it didn't really do as much for me as not being disgusted by the picture did. I do appreciate the comments from others very much; but sometimes you just have to see things for yourself. My body has changed into something that I'm not terrified of taking out into public, running in public, or even having photographed. That's a form of progress I wasn't anticipating; but am really happy I've discovered!

Wednesday:
Exercise: Walk with Cammie, Yourself!Fitness Core workout
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: None (wasn't hungry)
Exercise: Walk with Cammie
Dinner: Veggie Spring Rolls with rice
Fuhrmometer: 7.5 Lentil/Eggplant

Thursday:
Exercise: bike to park, run with Cammie, bike home, stretch
Breakfast: Smoothie
Lunch: Blueberry Almond Muffin
Exercise:
Dinner:
Fuhrmometer:

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Tuesday:
Exercise: 35 min Bike, 45 min walk/run, stretching
Breakfast: smoothie, muffin
Lunch: none
Exercise: 30 min walk with Cammie
Dinner: noodle salad (rice noodles, shredded cabage and carrots, spinach, basil, scallions), raw brownies
Fuhrmometer: 9 - broccoli

Hubby gave me a much needed kick in the butt yesterday about really getting my act together and getting back into the losing phase. I was doing really well until we went to Maine a month ago and I've been struggling since then.

In while we were in Maine I think I gained about 5 lbs and I'd lost about 3 of them before I started running, and then last week picked up a couple more. I didn't weigh myself this morning but I will tomorrow so I know where I am. But basically I've maintained for the past month. Not really what I was going for there.

I need to stop being so relaxed with my food. I need to cut out the sodium. I need to stop being lazy and get back to cooking. I'm so motivated with my workouts right now that I'm doing myself a disservice by not matching that with my food.

Sunday, July 08, 2007

weekend in review

Mini's at the Drive-In last night! We met up with some other Mini owners for dinner and then all drove over to the drive-in. It was a lot of fun! (My mini is the light gray one second from the front).

This weekend was a weird one for food. Friday night dinner ended up being some macaroni salad and chips and ice cream... that has got to be the worst meal I've had in a long time! Saturday food was a little better but still nothing great and I didn't get in any exercise. It's nice to go out and do things but sometimes it's absolutely impossible to eat a healthy meal!

So this morning I was dreading my run thinking I was going to suffer the entire time. It was disgustingly hot and humid outside so I took Cammie for a quick walk around the neighborhood and then came back to run on the treadmill in the cooler and slightly less humid basement. The walk outside was kind of torturous; but my run ended up going much better than I thought it would.

Today's run was 45 minutes of 3 minutes running / 2 minutes walking (lather, rinse, repeat). I felt really good for the first 15 - 20 minutes; and then minutes 20 -30 were kind of tough and I wanted to stop at 30. But I perservered and kept going and the last 15 minutes were pretty good. It was nice to see all those big numbers on the TM that I don't see when I'm running outside, and today's run showed me that I can complete the 5k in a time that will be toward the back of the pack but will still be respectable (by me).

Friday, July 06, 2007

Busy Weekend!

We're leaving in about 20 minutes to go to a family reunion tonight and tomorrow morning/afternoon. THEN tomorrow evening we are meeting up with some fellow MINI Cooper people for dinner and the drive-in. It's going to be a fun weekend but I won't get to post again until Sunday.

So I leave you with an assignment: What should I make to eat next week for my cooked veggies? It may include beans and/or grains but it doesn't have to. BUT it should be easy to make because Sunday is going to be a busy day and it's supposed to be 93 here (and humid, which is absolutely lovely).

I look forward to your suggestions! Have a superb weekend!

Thursday, July 05, 2007

Thursday:
Exercise: Training Run, Stretching
Breakfast: Smoothie, Muffin
Lunch: some salad, popcorn
Dinner: stir fry and rice
Fuhrmometer: 7.5 Lentil/Eggplant

Well Dr. Fuhrman responded to my question. He said that for now I should cross train and run on grass and as I lose weight I can add more running into my routine. I think that I am cross training now, I am running, walking, biking, stretching and strength training, and also doing some step aerobics with Yourself!Fitness. That's cross training right?

It is added incentive to work harder to lose weight because I am really enjoying running. This morning I actually got up at 6am to run before work, and was glad that I did. I think his response is great because it's going to push me to bike more and make sure that I get in a variety of types of exercies and don't neglect anything in favor of running. If only I could find an inexpensive place to swim!

Tuesday, July 03, 2007

i ♥ nature

Tuesday:
Breakfast: Smoothie, Blueberry Almond Muffin
Exercise: Training Run/Walk with Cammie (~45 min), 15 min Yourself!Fitness Flexibility workout, 10 minutes stretching
Lunch/Dinner: Falafel Salad
Exercise: Walk with Cammie
Fuhrmometer: 8.5 Eggplant/Kale

Cammie and I ran in the park today; and it was awesome! I love taking walks in the woods and running was even better. The time flew by and even though there were some nice hills in the park it was easier and more enjoyable to run there. I'd really like to run in the park as much as possible, if only we lived closer!

Monday, July 02, 2007

Monday:
Exercise: Walk with Cammie
Breakfast: Smoothie, Carrot-Rasin-Walnut muffin
Lunch: Salad (romaine, scallions, mandarin oranges, almonds, ginger-lime-sesame dressing)
Exercise: Walk with Cammie, 30 min Yourself!Fitness Core workout, 15 min stretching
Dinner: Salad (romaine, falafel, cucumber, scallions, tahini-lemon dressing)
Fuhrmometer: 9.5 Broccoli/Kale

Short post tonight for I am exhausted, but in a good way! This whole running thing has really remotivated me to eat more on point and I feel very good about my food today.

Hubby is worried that I am still too heavy to run and will get hurt and that I'll end up back where I started. Well I have to first say that I don't want to get hurt either! I want to do it right (hence the starting slow, taking extra care to stretch, and sticking with strength training) so I can keep doing it. I also want to be good about my food so that I can lose weight and get even healthier and keep on running! Just to make sure that this is an ok thing for me to be doing I am going to ask Dr. Fuhrman his opinion (I really hope that he says that it is!).

I am going to keep close tabs on how my knees are doing, and if they do start to bother me I will back off; because while I don't want to wait until I've reached my weight loss goal to start living, I do want to be able to live when I reach it!

Sunday, July 01, 2007

first "official" training run

Yesterday hubby and I went to the triathlon/running store and I got a pair of running sneakers, I did the whole run on the treadmill while they videotape your feet thing - I was a bit nervous about that but it wasn't bad at all. I got a pair of sneakers that feel great and I'm really happy with them. Then we went to Dick's Sporting Goods and Kmart and Target in search of non-cotton socks and a wristwatch with a stopwatch in it.

So finally this morning I did my first training run; it was tough at times but overall it was great! After a warmup walk I alternated running and walking in a pyramid pattern, 1 minute running followed by 1 minute walking and then 2 minutes of each, 3 minutes, then 4 and then back down. With the warmup and cool-downs it took about 42 minutes. There were a couple of times that my body wanted to walk instead of run, but I pushed on and ran all of my running segments.

According to mapmyrun.com (thanks Ruthie!) my entire trip was about 2.7 miles. Less than another 1/2 mile and I would have had travelled 5k which is really cool when I consider the time it took and how much walking I did. :-)