Spreading the Wealth

I actually started this blog two years ago with my friend Steph (who could post at any time) back when we were both dieting and exercising.  And after having success again, I wanted to start the blog again but it erased all our old posts.  Isn't if funny, if you have success in dieting and exercise, you want to share with the world. 

I would not consider myself healthy, or an expert, or anything remotely close.  I still drink way too much soda (sometimes not diet either) - eat bad things and not enough vegetables.  I am just getting the hang of working out three times a week or more.  It feels great..I've had wonderful success so far and just want to share it.

I don't have good ideas, don't really have wonderful tips, but I'm living it and trying everyday to do better and succeed...so maybe one day years from now - this blog might help someone else someday...but until then - just deal with my boring rambles...

So happy though, last night I ran for 4 miles - ...ran 1.5 miles, walked .5, and then ran for 2.5 miles.  It felt great!  And I downloaded season 6 of friends on my Itouch and it made the first 22 minutes go by fast!

Also my cousin told me - best after workout drink - chocolate milk

"tis the season

So I thought with a whole two weeks off of work I would be working out more.  But what is with this weather???  I ran outside on Christmas Eve - then ran on Monday in Wyoming - (it was 5 degrees outside)  I slipped on some ice...kind of scared me.  I don't want to get hurt!  So on Tuesday I did 30 minutes on a bike inside. 
Of course now I have bronchitis... I keep trying to do some sort of exercise but coughing and not being able to breath very well puts a damper on really working out hard.  But something is better than nothing.

So I am hoping to run/walk a little bit tonight.  I keep just trying to stay afloat during this season.  I am not sure if I am going to get to really start training for a marathon for awhile.  Between the weather, everyone being sick, and how early it gets dark - it's getting hard to add on to my mileage.

Cold weather go away...I can't wait for summer!

Body Image

 Happiness comes from accepting the bodies we have been given as divine gifts and enhancing our natural attributes, not from remaking our bodies after the image of the world. The Lord wants us to be made over—but in His image, not in the image of the world, by receiving His image in our countenances

I seriously just had this whole post about how depressed I was feeling with my body - still having problems with saggy skin and stretch marks from having a baby and places to firm up - and going on and on about poor pitiful me and how I didn't understand how I could be the thinnest I have been since high school and still feel fat sometimes - and then I read "The Sanctity of the Body" - by Susan Tanner...

I can't believe how niave and how caught up in something I can be.  I feel so much better about myself...I feel like I am growing into some of my insecurities.  Definitely losing weight and exercising and accomplishing so much has helped aid my growth....but I can still be so lame sometimes. 

I have the two most adorable boys in the world.  Just hanging out with them and getting hugs and kisses from them is all I live for.  They make the day so much brighter and worth living sometimes.  I don't ever want them to feel insecure or worried about their weight.  I want them to be happy!

Yesterday my son brought me a exercise dvd, "I want to exercise" - it seriously made my day.  I don't want to instill my insecurities and body image issues to them.  I know they are bound to have their own with the ways of the world - I want my home to be a sancutary for my kids to grow up in love.

I can only pray that through my journey that I am taking in getting healthy and fit - I can help show my boys what moderation in all things really means.  Because really it doesn't mean a thing if I can't help them to grow with healthy habits.

Finally!

So tonight was my first time running in 9 days!  Last Tuesday my 7 month old baby got croup.  And if you have ever experienced that...you know it gets worse at night.  So after a few sleepless nights - seriously sleepless because they tell you, oh it's normal for babies to stop breathing, just take them outside if they do....so even during those times that they finally fall asleep you are so paranoid that you can't sleep!  It's awful - and so then by Friday I started feeling run down.  My husband got bronchitis, and my 3 year old got pink eye.  We have been to the doctors 4 different times in the past 9 days trying to get everything figured out.  It's been crazy....


But oh how I have missed running.  Tonight I ran 3 miles and I loved it.  There is something so freeing, so amazing that I am so glad I finally got to run tonight.  I just feel so much better about myself on days that I work out.  It's nice, cause if you eat great and work out you feel amazing!  If you work out and eat so-so, you still feel good cause you worked out...and if you work out and splurge - somehow you still feel good.  But even eating healthy and not working out all week just makes me feel depressed, fat, and irritated.  I need to work out to get my thoughts together,  feel great about myself, and it has become the natural thing to do.

Once you start the habit of working out 3-4 times a week - you need it...you crave it as dumb as that sounds. 

Weight Loss Challenge Prize

Check out my sweet jacket I got for  reaching our team goal of 5% of our weight at my work's weight loss challenge!



Sickness

'Tis the season right?  I'm not feeling great, my husband has been sick for about three weeks, and my poor baby has Croup - which means this week I have worked out once...I'm exhausted - haven't slept in two days, my baby takes up all of my time - and thankfully that means no time to eat...so I'm actually doing really well on my diet! LOL

My in laws are coming in town this weekend -so I am not expecting any exercise until next week!

New Shoes

I did my first run in my new Adidas Response Cushion shoes and I loved them.  There was a big difference in the feel and my shins....great Christmas Present!

Anyway I was able to run 2 miles on the treadmill...I've started listening to my Itouch and reading a book...this weeks' book - Thomas S. Monson Biography - and that's keeping me entertained for the time being.  I think I might need to invest in a tv as well...so that the combination of all three can keep me distracted long enough to complete my runs.

What do you like to do while running to keep you distracted from what you are actually doing?

Cramps

So I got up on Saturday so excited to do a 5 mile run!  With the freezing weather and the fact that it gets dark before I leave work - I haven't ran outside much and let's just be honest - staring at a freaking white wall while running on the treadmill at home is just awful, so I haven't ran for a long distance in awhile ( yeah long distance to me is 5 miles!) - Anyway I mapped out my run on mapmyrun ( LOVE IT) and was all set to go.  Got my music ready and was so excited as I was listening to the music.  I got about 1 mile in and got this horrible cramp.  Let me backtrack a little and say I kind of enjoy getting cramps...is that weird.  I take my deep breathes and slow down and just focus on that instead of how far I am running. It gives me something to overcome and it usually goes away shortly after. Those are the side or under the ribs cramps. 

But Saturday I got this awful cramp right in my stomach...it was so bad.  I had to stop running...I walked for about a tenth of a mile and decided to try running again.  I think if I ever had apendicitis, this would be how it felt.  I was dying.  But I kept on running.  I was pushing on it, massaging it.  I finally found that if I ran like the Hunchback of Notre Dame, it didn't hurt as bad.  I finally made it about 3.5/4 miles before I gave in.  I quit running and called my husband to come get me (since I was still a mile from home!)  I felt like I had been defeated...I know running is mostly mental - but those cramps sometimes are not mental. 

I wonder why that cramp came about?  I wonder what I ate or drank?  I will need to do some experimenting to see if I can find the cause because if it happens on a race day, I am doomed!  Pace truck just take me from the start! 

So here are my tips for running through those cramps....but I'll have to figure out a way to prevent this kind. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!  Maybe I'll have to actually give up soda! :(

1. Breath Deep - whenever I get a cramp under my ribs...all it takes for it to go away, is some deep breathes....focus on breathing in really deep...works every time. Not instantly but eventually.
2. Slow down - once I get a cramp I decrease my pace...first of all, in order to focus on my breathing I need to slow down and working through the pain is easier at a slower pace. 
3.  Stretch - I stretch before I run a little bit, but if a cramp comes, I stretch while running or take a minute break to stretch.

Look what I bought this weekend

I can't wait to run tonight and try these babies out!

Utah Valley Marathon June 11, 2011

Marathon...here I come!  26.2 miles - I'm going to try!  I just finished watching/ listening on hulu the biggest loser contestants running a marathon.  I was crying thinking of how amazing it must feel to finish!  I am now going to set my sights on running the marathon in June.  It means I have to step up my training and I have until March to truly decide.  If not, I am for sure running the half marathon.

So excited...now to stay motivated while training on a treadmill?  I can't wait until February..when it starts staying lighter longer and I can run outside during the week again!!

Overcoming the Holiday Treats

Well I don't know about your work - but mine is a horrible place for dieters!  I gained 10 lbs in my first 6 months of working here, so yes it's that bad!  We are currently doing "12 days of treats" leading up to our department Holiday Party.  Needless to say - it' been a hard few days on my waistline!

The first three days of treats, we were still doing our weight-loss challenge and so I didn't eat hardly any.  I kept telling myself, "I can do anything for three days!" - Anyway so on Friday - after the final weigh-in I dug into the treats!  I had quite a few treats and was so stuffed by 11 and felt awful.  Do you ever notice that chocolate tastes so good but there is a fine line between satisfying and overindulging...a very fine line.

Anyway on to the point of my post -  I can't gain the weight back...I can't!  I don't want to be fat again.  I don't want to be 183 and disgusted with myself.  I don't.  I don't want to be 160, 150, or 140 again! So I've had to come up with ways to avoid the treat cube!

So this week I'll be taking healthy treats to choose instead.  I've packed a bag of grapes, bag of carrots, fiber one chocolate bars (my all time favorite snack) - and kept those at my desk.  I know with all my treats I am still eating more calories than I should - but rather healthy calories than the pumpkin roll, chocolate chip cookies, or cheese ball that is staring at me!  As for day one - I still gave in, but I still feel good about it overall.

Any other suggestions on how you stay away from treats...especially when they are right in front of you?

My Day

Every quarter - we have to work Saturday in order to book the revenue in time.  Which means, that we get fed...and my day today consisted of:

 Kneaders French Toast

Wingers Sticky Finger Salad ( 1100 Calories)

And it is my step-dad's birthday...so we are going to Rodizio Grill. I don't want to even think of how many calories I will consume today and probably not exercise!

Weight Loss Challenge Finale!

So the final weigh in was this morning.  After working out every night this week and last night walking/running on the treadmill for 60 minutes – I finished the challenge at 130.6 – a weight loss of 12.8.  That’s a body weight percentage of 8.9%.

So I didn’t quite make my goal of 130 even but I feel good about it.  I got second place which isn’t too bad.  Especially since I am a girl and I had previously lost 20 lbs from my pre-pregnancy weight.  So now I am 30 lbs down from where I was a year ago…and I am setting a goal weight of 125….not that I am in any hurry to lose it all.  But it would be nice. 

And now my goal for the next few weeks – besides still keeping up with my half marathon training is working on tightening up my abs and arms.  I might go to the gym once a week to lift some weights.

Just Do It

That’s been my motto this past 5 months.  I’ve never been one to consistently work out, which is why I got up to 183 lbs without knowing it.  I’ve always worked out for a few weeks and then quit.  When I signed up for a 6k for October I decided to start running.  I wanted to get healthy and finally get down to my 143 wedding weight.  I starting the couch to 5k training program and was running 3 times a week.  As it got closer to my October race, I started running 4 times a week. 

I work full time, have two little kids, and am doing an online master’s program.  There were days when it was the last thing on my mind, the last thing I wanted to do.  There were times when I didn’t think I could fit it into my daily schedule, and there were days that my husband forced me to go out and run.  And every time I run, I felt better.  Never once did I regret running, never once did I feel like I wish I would have worked out less.  Never. 

So my philosophy for sticking to an exercise regimen is to just do it.  Don’t put it off until tomorrow, don’t pretend like you are too busy and will just start again next week.  Don’t schedule over your exercise time.  Just do it. Just commit to exercising and do it.  Don’t slack off.  I know we’ve all heard a million times that you need to schedule exercise into your day so you don’t decide you can’t do it and it’s so true.  Put a time that fits for you, that you can succeed with, and just do it.