Fitness

2010 Half Marathon

Time: 1:56

Thursday, January 19, 2012

In Defense of Exercise

I love to exercise.  I know some of you think that means I'm certifiably insane, or a masochist, but I truly do LOVE to work out.  I like it for so many different reasons, and sometimes I feel like I need to defend myself because of the haters who make me feel bad for going to the gym.  So may I present,

In Defense of Exercise:

1) The top reason that I exercise is for my mental health.  Going to the gym or out for a run gives me some much needed alone time to think, pray, read magazines, listen to music, or catch up on the news.  No matter how much my head tries to convince me not to work out, once I am done, I feel so accomplished and am a much better person for the rest of the day.  When I don't exercise, I am cranky and sluggish and overwhelmed.  Exercising releases endorphins, which are those hormones that make you feel good, and studies have shown that exercise is a great anti-depressant.

2) Taking time to exercise does not make you a selfish mom/wife/friend/daughter.  I feel that some women may rationalize that they don't work-out because they shouldn'ttake an hour away from their children or husbands.  They feel guilty for putting their work-out ahead of x,y, and z on their to-do list.  But you want to know a secret?  Being a healthy woman only makes your roles as mom or wife easier and more pleasurable.  I am not in agreement with the new-age  opinion that we moms should put ourselves first at all times (thanks for that misleading advice, Oprah), and things like pedicures or shopping trips do not rank high on my priority list.  But exercise?  Yes, that is a priority if you want to live a long healthy life.

3) In conjunction with the reason above, and contrary to popular belief...you DO have time to exercise.  Listen, we have 5 children and full-time jobs, and my husband and I each manage to fit in about 7 hours a week of exercise.  We take turns going in the morning on weekends, and in the afternoons/evenings during the week.  I have a co-worker who wakes up at 4:30 every morning to be able to squeeze in her runs, and a friend who does workout DVD's at night once the kids are in bed.  Is it always possible every day to find the time?  Probably not, but if you prioritize and plan well, you can find a time to exercise on most days.  And unless you work a very active job (farming, construction, personal trainer, to name a few) we need to find that time or else we would be living an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle.

4) Exercising sets a great example for our children.  Did you know that obesity in children is on the rise, and it is now recommended that children get one hour of activity each day?  When we were kids, we were normally active because we would ride bikes all over the place, play outside with the neighborhood kids, go swimming at the beach/pool, and basically be gone from home all day if we could.  Most of us can't allow our children to live that same lifestyle today because we have to supervise them while they play outside.  It's the same problem that adults have had to face.  People used to walk everywhere and do daily chores by hand, and now the majority of us drive everywhere and sit at desks all day.  So now we need to fit exercise into our life, and showing our kids that it is a normal part of our day will become the norm for their life as well.

5) I can't defend exercise without mentioning the physical benefits of it as well.  Weight training builds muscles which increases our metabolism and helps our bodies burn calories.  It also increases our bone density, which helps prevent osteoporosis and arthritis.  Cardiovascular training strengthens our heart and lungs and also burns plenty of calories.  Core exercises help our posture and balance.  Yoga and Pilates keep us limber and prevent us from pulling a muscle.  You get the idea...it's good for your body.  I realize that some people may exercise just to lose weight, which is great if you have weight to lose, but vanity shouldn't be the reason we work out.  Being healthy is much more beautiful than being skinny, and hopefully we can keep health as our goal in all of this.

Ok, so that's all I can think of for now.  I don't want to come across as preachy about the importance and general awesomeness of exercise, but I do hope to inspire some of you that need a good old fashioned kick in the pants ;)

Monday, March 21, 2011

What a Difference a Year Makes!

March 21, 2010

Running my First Half-Marathon:

March 21, 2011

Growing my Fifth Baby:

(Don't mind the face or the pose - I can not take a good picture!)

Breaking a Baby Bump Sweat

A great pregnancy or beginner workout:

{not me}

Get your behind on a treadmill.  Are you there?  Good.

For every run - choose 6.0 (10 min. mile) at 1.0 incline

For every walk - choose 4.0 (15 min. mile) at 5.0 incline

(You can change these to whatever levels you want, but I feel this is an easy enough pace while still giving a great workout.)

1) Run 1 mile

2) Walk .25 mile

3) Run .75 mile (now you've completed 2 miles)

4) Walk .5 mile

5) Run .5 mile (now you've completed 3 miles)

6) Walk .75 mile

7) Run .25 mile (now you've completed 4 miles)

8) Walk 1 mile (now you've completed 5 miles)

The whole thing takes me about 1 hour (maybe 63 minutes?).

{again, not me} 

This workout is something I've been doing while pregnant since I can't run as long as I used to, but still want to sweat and get my heart racing.  I like it because the longest run (1 mile) is over right away, and then you are decreasing your run times while increasing your walk times.  I'm not sure how much longer I'll be able to do this, but I'll keep trying for as long as I can.  I only do it about twice a week, and then do short elliptical workouts (5 to 6 miles) on other days during my lunch break.  I need to exercise like this because:

A) I sit at a desk for 8 hours a day, 5 days a week (plus a two hour commute), and

B) I eat way too much food.  I just love to eat, and I'd rather eat and exercise then have to diet - yuck!

What is your current exercise/diet plan?  I'd especially like to hear what you did while pregnant.  It's almost bikini season!  Hahahahaha, I can't even type that without laughing.  I've never worn a bikini in my whole life, and I certainly wouldn't start now!

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Working Towards a Healthy Mom and Baby

  I am gaining weight way too fast for it to be “just baby weight”.  I know that I have been slacking off on the exercise, because I don’t feel 100% and I am so tired that all I want to do is sleep.  And I know that I’ve been eating a lot more than I normally do, because having a full belly is the only way I don’t throw up feel good.  Add the holidays to the mix and my cravings for carbs and fats, and it’s been a complete disaster.  I want to post a picture to show you how big I am already at only ten stinkin’ weeks, but I just don’t have the guts. 

     I’ve decided that I need to stop focusing on the weight gain and unhealthy choices I’m making and focus instead on eating healthy for myself and the baby.  Starting today, I am basically following the Abs Diet but making sure I’m eating enough calories for the baby.  I’m not trying to lose weight (duh, that would be impossible!), I am just trying to pick the right foods.

 

   So today is Day 1 (and yes, I know that it’s already the 4^th of January, but tardiness and procrastination have become part of my life recently).  The diet plan is easy to follow, I’ve had success with it in the past, and it just makes sense.  You eat six small portions of healthy foods with one cheat meal a week.  You exercise, focusing mostly on weight training and interval spurts of cardio.  I’m not even going to attempt exercising until I hit the 12 week mark, hoping that that will be the point I feel “up to it”.

   A typical day in the diet will be:

Breakfast: Kashi  GoLean Crunch with soymilk

Snack: Berries and a cheese stick

Lunch: Sandwich on whole wheat bread with veggies

Snack: Apple with Almond Butter

Dinner: Chicken/Fish and Veggies or another small healthy meal

Snack: Greek yogurt, frozen fruit and milk smoothie

Plus, I’ll be drinking green tea, decaf iced tea, and lots of water.

It all adds up to about 1800 calories a day (1500 for me and 300 for the baby) and it seems do-able, so let’s see how long it lasts!  Anybody want to join in?

Get Back on the Bike

My gym just recently added spinning classes.  I am not a bike rider.  I can ride a bike, and while I would enjoy a leisurely bike ride, I never thought of it as exercise.  Sure there's this:

But I always felt doing kickboxing or running was a much harder form of exercise.  Besides, even Lance runs:

Well, was I in for a shock.  Spinning = Torture!  We spent most of the class either sprinting up hills or in a standing position, I was sweating and tired by the end.  And my hamstrings, knees and hips have been killing me since. 

But the worst part is how sore my bum feels.  I asked the instructor after class if that was normal, and she said: "Oh yeah, you'll get used to it.  I can't even feel my bottom anymore." 

Ummmm, not sure that's quite the endorsement for spinning.

I'm hoping to fit spinning into my workout schedule at least once a week.  Not because I liked it, but because I believe you should constantly switch up the way you exercise - to get a better overall fitness level, to rest muscles, and to challenge your mind.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

An Open Letter...

...to the people associated with my gym.

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~To the gym owners - Would it be that hard for you to keep paper towels and sanitizer on hand? If you hang signs all over the place about how important it is to clean off our equipment, shouldn't you at least provide us with the supplies to do so?

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~To the women who come in late to class all.the.time - I understand if it's hard for you to get here on time, really I do, but why do you insist on standing in the one foot area of free space I have around me? This is kickboxing class, and therefore I can't be faulted for kickboxing the back of your head.

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~To the man who doesn't shower regularly and insists on working out too close to my nose - the gym provides showers for it's members. There's even free soap inside each shower stall. Use it. Frequently.

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~To the lady in the kickboxing classes who moves in completely the wrong direction as everybody else - just do the opposite of what you think you should be doing. Then you'll be following along with everybody else. I know it's nice to march to the beat of a different drummer sometimes, but a synchronized aerobics class is not one of those occasions.

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~To the guy who insists on working out on the treadmill right next to me - there's a reason I pick a treadmill away from everyone else, I enjoy the peace and quiet. I do not want to talk to you, I have plenty of people at home to converse with. And by the way, I am happily married. And he could kick your butt.

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~To the little click of girlie girls who can't shut up during class - this is not a social hour. We are here to work out, and I don't want to hear who you hooked up with last weekend. Even the instructor is making fun of you guys, but you're too engrossed in conversation to realize it.

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Signed,

Someone who's been thinking these thoughts for way too long in her head and had to get them out.

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P.S. Now I feel better.

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Be a Fly on the Wall...

...at my Friday Morning Workout.

In the video, I'm the girl in the pink shirt and navy shorts who leads the drill. This is about 40 minutes into the hour-long class, and I had run 2.5 miles on the treadmill before the class started ~ hence the sweat-drenched shirt :)

Thursday, May 20, 2010

New Goal???

Do you all watch The Biggest Loser?

I am addicted to it, it's the only reality show I watch (oh, wait, I also watch So You Think You Can Dance). I love seeing overweight, lazy, unhealthy people with so much emotional baggage morph into fit, energetic, healthy people who are confident and happy. And they do it all in about 5 months, it's crazy!!

Well, this season, I have been particularly fond of Daris, because he seems like such a sweetheart who has never had a girlfriend, and is looking for love. Look at his transformation:

He has become known as the big runner on the show. He's run a 5k (3.1 miles) in less than 21 minutes, he has run on the treadmill at level 10, incline 10 for 2 minutes, and this past week on the show, he completed a marathon. And he didn't just finish the marathon...he smoked it!! He ran it in about 4 hours 2 minutes. Awesome!

Then, yesterday, I was driving behind a car that had a 26.2 sticker on it - and I told John-Paul that the sticker meant that person had run a marathon. And he asked me when I am going to run a whole marathon (he must think I'm wimpy for only running half of one!) And I asked him if he thought I could do it, to which he replied "Of course!" He is my biggest supporter :)

So it got me thinking, and seriously considering, running a marathon. I would want to run it when it's cool weather out, and relatively soon because I don't want to train forever. I found one in Newport, RI in October and I found an 18 week training schedulethat looks reasonable and would start on June 13th. Phil wants to do it with me if I am ready.

Part of me realizes that this is a huge time commitment, would be an added stress on my to-do list, and is crazy (sorry to you real runners out there - but running for 4-5 hours straight IS crazy!).

But the other part of me thinks about how great it would be to complete a marathon, how limited my time is to do something like this (I'm getting older by the second, and could get pregnant at any time), and seriously - if those formerly obese people on The Biggest Loser can train for and complete a marathon in 5 months, then I can do it too.

Yes, I'm competitive, and yes, I'm goal-driven, and yes, I think I want to do it.

Just don't hold me to it yet, I have a lot of weeks of training to go before I decide if I'm ready :)

Thursday, May 13, 2010

It's Almost Bathing Suit Season...

...and I need your HELP!

We live close to the beach and go a couple times a week in the summer.

But beach = bathing suit.

And bathing suit = need to lose some Mommy pudge.

Any advice?

Just keep in mind, I don't really need exercise advice (unless there is some exercise that tones your belly like no other). What I really need is diet advice.

What do you eat to slim down? What keeps you feeling full?

What do you cut out?

Do you count calories, reduce carbs, lower fat intake, or what?

Have you tried any diet pills or supplements?

Any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

My fellow beach-go-ers will thank you too :)

Monday, March 22, 2010

The Half is Complete!!

We successfully finished the half marathon, and I am so happy and sore today :)

As you can tell from my pre-race post yesterday, I was nervous and excited and didn't know what to expect.We got to the race about 45 minutes before it was supposed to begin, and walked around downtown. The start line was right near a Catholic chapel that has 24 hour Adoration, so we went in for 5 minutes to say hi to Jesus, and I prayed for peace and strength for the race. Then we waited in line for about 20 minutes to use the porta-potties. They were disgusting! Let's just say it was obvious that everyone had nervous bellies - blech!

We walked over to the start line, and decided to line up with the 9 minute milers. We usually run about 10 minute miles when we run long distances outside, but we thought we would try and stay with the 9 minute milers for a bit to set a nice pace. The race was delayed 15 minutes, and there were 2700 runners. Yes, it was packed! As soon as we started, my left knee was giving me grief. But after about 2 minutes, the pain went away.

We ran the first 2 miles at about an 8:20 pace, which was crazy fast for us, yet it didn't feel that fast because there were so many people cheering, and running, and the adrenaline was so high. The hills started in from miles 2 to 4, but I would just look down at the ground and run at the same pace until I got up each one.

Around mile 5, my friend Laura was there cheering us on, and then we ran by the police station where my friend Ann Marie works, and she was cheering for us too. That was great - the support makes such a huge difference. We got to mile 6 and we were still keeping up our fast pace. In fact, we were running so much faster than usual, that we weren't even talking. Normally we run and talk the whole way, but yesterday we were just running - I was so in the zone and in my own head. I was playing games like "Guy or Girl" where I would try to figure out the gender of a runner in front of me (scary!) or I would pick a runner ahead of me and try to catch up to them.

I kept thanking God during the whole race for giving us the beautiful weather, the wonderful scenery, the supportive crowd, and the ability to run. I was so grateful and felt so amazing! By mile 8, our time was 1 hour, 8 minutes (an 8:30 minute pace) and Phil started saying his legs felt like jelly, and he had a cramp. We slowed down to about a ten minute pace from miles 8-11, which was also when we were running along the ocean. I could've kept up a faster pace, but Phil was fading fast. He is usually the one who slows down his pace to run with me, so something wasn't right. I was trying to talk to him, saying things like "Only 5 more miles to go, that's nothing!" "We have to finish no matter what, so let's go a little faster and get it over with" and on and on. But it wasn't helping and he could tell he was holding me back, and kept telling me to go on ahead. I really wanted to stay with him and finish together, so miles 8-11 were very difficult for us. I kept seeing people pass us that were much older or heavier, and I was feeling so frustrated because I knew I could and should finish before them.

Finally at mile 11, Phil said "Seriously, I am so proud of you for running this race so well - please go ahead of me", and this time I listened. Mile 11-12 was tough because I felt so guilty for leaving Phil behind.

At mile 12, there is a huge hill that is a killer and while I was running up it, I saw a priest that I used to know who had just finished saying Mass and was out on the sidewalk supporting the runners. I yelled out "Hi Fr. Rich" and he started running after me to find out who I was (I had on a hat and he didn't get a good look at me). So he ran on the sidewalk in his full vestments while I was running in the road and we chatted for about 30 seconds. A guy running behind me yelled out "Way to be supportive, Father!" it was nice and funny.

I can't say enough how great the crowds were. Towards the end, they were all yelling "You're almost there, less than a mile left, you look awesome!" etc. It was such a boost to my spirit. I kept thanking people and waving, giving the little kids a high 5. When I saw that finish line, I sprinted through the end and finished in 1 hour 56 minutes (8:54 minute pace)!!I was so happy with my time, and waited for Phil to finish, which he did at 2 hours, 2 minutes. We figured out that he was completely dehydrated, and after downing Gatorade and water, he felt much better.He wishes he could have finished faster, but we're both pretty proud of ourselves for running the whole race and finishing ahead of the 2 hours 10 minutes we thought it would take.

We got a nice medal and t-shirt and headed home to see the kids. Today I am really sore, but it was so worth it. Who knows, we might do it again one day, it was much better than expected, and now I have to go order the stickers for our cars!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Pre Race Jitters

Well, my first and probably last half marathon is in an hour and a half. And I am shaking with nerves! I feel like I am waiting for my wedding to start! I wish that the race had started at 8am so that I wouldn't have so much time to kill. Who wants to run 13.1 miles at 11am? I'd rather be done running by 11, relaxing and having a big lunch!

The weather for today is GORGEOUS!! It is currently sunny with a slight breeze and about 60 degrees. Unheard of for this race, it is usually cold, windy and rainy.

I awoke this morning to a lovely surprise from my Aunt Flow, she has great timing that one. She paid me a visit on the morning of my wedding day, so why should today be any different?!?!?!

We woke up around 6 am, as usual, and gave the kids breakfast. I texted my running guru, Bethany, and got some last minute advice including: to stop obsessing about needing to go to the bathroom mid-race, to relax, and to have Phil tape his nipples. Pretty great advice, dontcha think?

We drank some coffee, ate some scones with peanut butter, and began cleaning the house. I keep comparing this race to having a baby, you know...it's exciting, going to be painful, but worth it in the end...so I must be nesting. I vacuumed, mopped, did the dishes and tidied up while Phil took care of the bathroom, laundry, trash, and keeping the kids occupied. We should probably have been resting, but I wanted to leave with a clean house in case I didn't make it home alive ;)

Then I decided to take a shower. Crazy, right, who showers before they exercise? Well, I thought that if I fall (which I have before) and have to get rushed to the ER, they should at least not have to suffer though seeing my hairy legs. See, I'm thoughtful like that!!

Now we are waiting for my parents to come and babysit so we can get settled in at the race, drink some Gatorade, stretch, etc. Wish me luck!! I really really need it :)

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Thursday Top Ten: Half-Marathon Edition

In ten days, Phil and I will be running the local half-marathon. Why? Well, because:

10) Obviously we are not busy enough trying to raise 4 young children, working 50 hours a week for Phil, 40 hours a week for me, and having meetings/giving talks/teaching CCD every week. SO we needed to fill up the rest of our free time with training ;)

9) It's a goal on my life list...my bucket list, that I can not wait to check off.

8) While I don't think running long distance races all the time is good on a body, I do think occasional races and short distance runs are what the body is made to do.

7) Training not only means running, but also cross-training with weights, various cardio exercises, and eating healthier. It's been a great lesson on taking care of our bodies. And bonus - we have both lost about 20 pounds!

6) Running is such a mental sport. And it leaves us feeling so mentally healthy.

5) This local half-marathon is very popular, and we will be running with some of the past Biggest Loser contestants! I love that show!

4) It's nice to do things together - even if we usually have to train apart, we are still working for a common goal.

3) I just bought $90 running sneakers, and it would be a waste not to run a half-marathon in them ;)

2) Discipline in running leads to discipline in so many other areas of life - eating, sleeping, praying, patience, work, etc.

1) I can finally get a 13.1 sticker for my car. Yes, it's all about the bragging rights in the end :)

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

WWW: Week Seven

The Good

Exercise for the week:

Ran - 14.5 miles

Kickboxing - 3 hours

Cardio Kettlebell Class - 1 hour

Walked - 1 mile

The Bad

Didn't write down my points, just kept a tally in my head.

Cheated a bunch of times, I can't even remember specifics, except it definitely involved some cookies and ice cream!

The Results:

Lost 1.2 pounds

Total Lost is 10.6 pounds!

About 6 more pounds to go :)

I am quitting WW as of Nov. 28th so that I don't have to pay another month of membership.

I do love WW, and these two months have been great and taught me a lot about portion control.

Although I can't afford to keep going to meetings, I hope to stay on the plan for a while, on my own :)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

WWW: Week Six

The Good

Weekly Exercise Totals:

Walked - 5 miles

Ran - 8 miles

Kickboxed - 2.5 hours

Cardio Impact Class - 1 hour

Bought a pair of Gap Jeans in a size smaller than normal!

However, I swear their sizes run very big!!

The Bad

Cheated on Sunday night (cheesecake and pizza) and Thursday night (Chinese food and an M&M McFlurry) and Friday night (mozzarella sticks)!!

The Results

After 2 weeks, I lost 2.6 pounds

Grand Total Lost = 9.4 pounds

About 7 pounds to go :)

How is everyone else doing?

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

WWW: Week 5

The Good:

Sunday - walked 7 miles.

Monday - Ran 2 miles and took 1 hour kickboxing class.

Tuesday - Ran 2.3 miles and took 1 hour kickboxing class.

The Bad:

Got sick.

Didn't exercise for the rest of the week.

Ate whatever I wanted, during the times I actually had an appetite.

The Results:

I didn't weigh in this weekend because I was still sick.

My scale at home seemed like I stayed the same, but official weigh-in will wait until next week.

Some of you have asked about how I find time to exercise, so here's my typical weekly schedule:

Sunday: Kickboxing Class (after morning Mass)

Monday: Kickboxing Class (at night, when kids are in bed)

Tuesday: Kickboxing Class (at night, when kids are in bed)

Wednesday: Run (either outside when Phil gets home from work, or at the gym when kids are in bed)

Thursday: Day off (or I'll do some light weights/abs at home at night)

Friday: Run (either outside when Phil gets home from work, or at the gym when kids are in bed)

Saturday: Kickboxing Class (in morning)

Sometimes I get to the gym a little before class starts, so I'll run a mile or two as a warm-up. During my kickboxing classes, I hold 2 pound weights in each hand to increase the calorie burn and tone my arms.

I have to exercise a lot at night because Phil leaves for work at 5:45 am, and there's no way I'm gonna wake up earlier to exercise!!! But if your spouse doesn't leave until later, you can squeeze in some exercise in the morning, or do a DVD workout at nap time, or once the kids are in bed. I really believe everyone has the time to exercise, you just have to make it a priority!!

OK, that's my two cents. Hope you're all doing well :)

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

EMME and WWW: Week One

Okay, so one week of Weight Watchers is over! I was VERY strict Monday-Saturday until dinner on Saturday night. We impulsively decided to take the kids out to Red Robin after a day at the Cranberry Festival. So of course, I had to get a bleu cheeseburger and fries (and ranch dressing to dip them in).

Then on Sunday, I was good again until dinner. This time it was a planned deviation from the diet because it was Phil's birthday and we went to The Melting Pot. A great fondue restaurant, where we had a romantic 4 course meal. It was lovely, but seriously expensive!!

Anyway, it's a new week, and I am back on track. I'm not going to be one of those people that never cheats on a diet. Life is supposed to be fun, and as long as I'm being good about 90% of the time, and exercising everyday, I'll probably continue to have 2 meals a week where I don't count my points.

So now for the results: I lost 3.2 pounds!!

Yeah!! Only 14 more pounds to go until I'm back to my pre-children weight :)

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Gratituesday: November 17th

With Thanksgiving (fast) approaching, we sure have a lot to be thankful for! Faith, friends, family all come to mind, as well as savings.

I pride myself in being a bargain hunter, and here's a couple things I've come across lately:

Do you like to go shopping on Black Friday? I'm out there at 5 am :) There's a website that you can search for deals and make a plan of attack right here:http://www.blackfriday2009.com/.

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Would you like to save 15% off $75 purchase OR 25% off $100 purchase at Old Navy? Just use code "OnSave15" at checkout.

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Have you checked out "Together We Save" blog? She always has lots of great deals...especially the Chadwicks one she just posted :)

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Being on this Weight Watchers plan, there a few food items that have really helped me get through each day and (mostly) stick to the plan. In no particular order:

Great for sandwiches and burger buns - 1 WW Point

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Sugar-free Jello (Black Cherry rocks!) - 0 WW Points

Sometimes I put a squirt of whipped cream on top...delicious!

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Sugar-free Chocolate Pudding - 1 WW Point

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I love to snack on any of these - 2 WW Points

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But these are my current favorite! Sweet & Salty combination :)

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Vita tops are great for you (high fiber and tons of vitamins) and taste like a real treat! - 1 WW point

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These veggie burgers are SOOOOOO good. They are a little spicy, and I'm not a huge spice lover (or veggie burger lover for that matter) but I could eat these every.single.day.

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Ahhhh, food and financial savings are what I'm grateful for today. How about you?

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Weight Watchers Wednesday: Week 3

The Good:

Took 3 hour-long kickboxing classes last week

Ran 15 miles last week

Felt smaller/skinnier

The Bad:

Ate too many cookies

Didn't track my points too consistently

The Ugly:

Only lost .2 pounds

I'll do better next week!

~

A Veggie Blendy Soup Recipe

(from my friend, Theresa and adapted by me a little)

Chop:

2 Green Squash/Zucchini (I left the skin on, and used two small skinny ones)

4 Carrots

1 Large Onion

In pot, heat 4 tsp olive oil and add:

Onion

2 TBS minced garlic

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Cook until onion is translucent

Add:

Zucchini

Carrots

1 can of Diced Tomatoes w/ Italian Seasoning

Cook for 10 minutes on med heat

Add:

3 cups of Vegetable or Chicken Broth

Bring to a boil, and then simmer with cover on for about 20 minutes

Blend soup in blender or food processor

Season with salt and pepper

Makes 4 generous servings at just 1 WW point each :)

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

WWW: Week 4

The Good:

Was very strict about the diet (except my 2 cheat meals)

Counted points.

Exercised every.single.day.

Ran 15.2 miles total for week.

Took 4 hour-long kickboxing classes during week.

Walked 2 miles on incline.

Did 3 arm/ab sessions for about 15 minutes each.

The Bad:

Ate out on Sunday night (chicken, mashed potatoes, stuffing) and then had a frozen yogurt sundae.

On Thurs night, ordered crab rangoons and ate the whole order!! Oh, and then had some more frozen yogurt with jimmies.

The Results:

Lost 1.2 pounds!

This makes for a total of 7 pounds lost.

About 10 pounds away from my pre-baby weight :)

How are you doing?

Thursday, October 29, 2009

If You Give Colleen a Cookie

If you give Colleen a Cookie,

She's going to eat it and ask for another.

And another.

Because she is a Cookie Monster, and her Prince Charming makes the most delicious cookies ever.

Then she is going to feel guilty about all the sugar she just ingested.

And so she will eat some chocolate to make herself feel better.

After that chocolate, she will have woken up the craving center in her brain, and want to put inordinate amounts of food into her "mummy tummy".

So she will dine on mashed potatoes, pot roast, and carrots.

Then she will feel like a bloated pig ready for slaughter.

So she will go for a long run, about 7 or 8 miles.

When she comes home, she will feel tired and pretty good about burning all those calories.

So she will reward herself.

With a cookie.

(of course)

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Weight Watchers Wednesday: Week 3

The Good:

Took 3 hour-long kickboxing classes last week

Ran 15 miles last week

Felt smaller/skinnier

The Bad:

Ate too many cookies

Didn't track my points too consistently

The Ugly:

Only lost .2 pounds

I'll do better next week!

~

A Veggie Blendy Soup Recipe

(from my friend, Theresa and adapted by me a little)

Chop:

2 Green Squash/Zucchini (I left the skin on, and used two small skinny ones)

4 Carrots

1 Large Onion

In pot, heat 4 tsp olive oil and add:

Onion

2 TBS minced garlic

1 tsp red pepper flakes

Cook until onion is translucent

Add:

Zucchini

Carrots

1 can of Diced Tomatoes w/ Italian Seasoning

Cook for 10 minutes on med heat

Add:

3 cups of Vegetable or Chicken Broth

Bring to a boil, and then simmer with cover on for about 20 minutes

Blend soup in blender or food processor

Season with salt and pepper

Makes 4 generous servings at just 1 WW point each :)

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

EMME and WWW: Week Two

Week two is over, and I slacked a little more than usual.

Gosh, I'm already cheating too much on my diet - where's my self control?

I was good Tues-Fri and cheated on Monday night, Fri night, Sat night, and Sun night. When I say "cheat" I mean eat whatever I want, and don't count points. I don't eat a whole pint of ice cream, but I do eat a cup of it if that's what I want.

Even in the exercise department, I'm slacking a bit.

I took Thursday and Friday off this week (in preparation for the 1oK Race), but ran 10 miles total and did 3 kickboxing classes. So I guess that was okay.

But the results (somehow) were still good: Lost 2.2 pounds!

So, I'm down 5.4 total and have about 12 more to go.

How is everyone else's journey going?

Monday, October 19, 2009

Our First Race

Phil and I ran in our first ever race (well, since high school, at least) on Saturday.

It was a 10K (6.2 miles) and we had 3 goals:

1) To run a race

2) To NOT stop at all - just keep running, no walking

3) To finish in under an hour

Here we are staying warm in the car before the race. It was 45 degrees out, and damp, so we were chilly.

Some old guy walked by while I was doing this silly pose, and I felt, well, silly!

Phil was so nice to come run with me, and he stayed with me the whole time (I threatened sleeping on the couch if he didn't - ha!). He could've run the race faster, but we accomplished all 3 of our goals!
We finished under an hour, I ran it in 58:56 and Phil, being the gentleman he is, came in one second after me.

It was a good experience, and since my parents were watching the kids, it felt like a date! I think the next race on the agenda is the Half Marathon in March, I just need to figure out how to train all winter long.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

EMME and WWW: Week One

Okay, so one week of Weight Watchers is over! I was VERY strict Monday-Saturday until dinner on Saturday night. We impulsively decided to take the kids out to Red Robin after a day at the Cranberry Festival. So of course, I had to get a bleu cheeseburger and fries (and ranch dressing to dip them in).

Then on Sunday, I was good again until dinner. This time it was a planned deviation from the diet because it was Phil's birthday and we went to The Melting Pot. A great fondue restaurant, where we had a romantic 4 course meal. It was lovely, but seriously expensive!!

Anyway, it's a new week, and I am back on track. I'm not going to be one of those people that never cheats on a diet. Life is supposed to be fun, and as long as I'm being good about 90% of the time, and exercising everyday, I'll probably continue to have 2 meals a week where I don't count my points.

So now for the results: I lost 3.2 pounds!!

Yeah!! Only 14 more pounds to go until I'm back to my pre-children weight :)

***UPDATE***

Amber, who hosts Extreme Makeover, Me Edition (click the button at the top) has just suffered a miscarriage...again. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Extreme Makeover: October 7th

I joined Weight Watchers last week, and want to try and post about my successes/failures weekly. So I decided to join in on Amber's Extreme Makeover: Me Edition.

Anyone else on Weight Watchers? Feel free to join me!!

This being my first week (actually this is only my third day), it is hard to adjust. It's taking time and energy to really figure out the points of everything and cook in smaller portions. I am hungry all the time, but hope my body gets used to it.

Their online point tracker is very cool, so I enjoy logging in everything I eat each day. I also LOVE putting in my exercise for the day to see how many extra points I get for the week.

Phil has joined me on this journey, and it doesn't seem too hard for him since he can eat 35 points in one day, while I am stuck with a measly 21. Hmmmph, not fair!

We haven't hit any obstacles yet, such as going out to eat, attending a wedding or similar event. I know those are going to knock us off kilter a bit.

Next week I'll post the results of my first weigh-in. Hope it's good :)

Thursday, October 1, 2009

This better not be my midlife crisis....

...because I want to live past the age of 60, but I there have been a lot of big life changes happening this week:

1) I have given up on the CPA Exam (for now, maybe forever). My boss was really understanding and supportive about it, thank God!

2) I signed Phil and I up for a 10 K race at a local YMCA on October 17th. I can easily run this distance, but I've never been in a race before.

3) We were denied approval to buy the condo we currently rent. We had been approved to buy a house for much more than we were going to buy the condo for, but due to the low appraisal value, and the strict condo/down payment rules, it just didn't work out for us. In a way, I am relieved as the mortgage/taxes/insurance would have been an extra $600 per month.

4) I joined Weight Watchers. I'm gonna start for real on Monday. I don't have tons of weight to lose, but I'd like to lose about 10% of my body weight. I exercise a lot, but the diet side of being healthy has always been really hard for me. Hopefully this is the motivation I need.

Anyone else dealing with this type of life re-evaluation? Is it just because I'm thirty? Is it that I'm finally realizing I can't say "Yes" to everything? Is it my "momma bear" mode coming on? Who knows? But I'm trying to role with it through prayer and perseverance.

Monday, July 20, 2009

Someone hold me accountable!!

I've (stupidly?) decided to train for a Half Marathon. I am just kind of in an exercise rut, and always wanted to say I completed a half marathon (13.1 miles). I may not actually run the half marathon race, but I hope to stick to the schedule and run the half marathon on my own.

I looked up Hal Higdon's Half Marathon training schedule for an intermediate runner, and tweaked it so I could continue taking my Tues, Fri, and Sat classes at the gym.

So, here's my workout schedule for the next 8 weeks (I'm actually on Week 5 already):

Week 4
S: Walk 1 mile, Run 1 mile, Weights/Abs 30 min
M: Run 6 miles
T: Kickboxing-1 hr., Abs-30 min.
W: Interval run 3.5 miles, Weights/Abs 25 min.
Th: Yoga - 30 min, Walk 45 min
F: Run 7 miles
Sat: Rest

Week 5
S: Run 7 miles
M: Run 4 miles
T: Kickboxing-1 hr. Abs-30 min.
W: Run 4 miles
Th: Rest
F: Run/Strength Class - 1 hour
Sat: Kettlebell-45 min, Kickbox-30 min.

Week 6S: Run 7 miles
M: Run 3 miles
T: Kickboxing-1 hr. Abs-30 min.
W: Run 4 miles
Th: Rest
F: Run/Strength Class - 1 hour
Sat: Kettlebell-45 min Kickbox-30 min.

Week 7S: Run 8 miles
M: Rest
T: Kickboxing-1 hr. Abs-30 min.
W: Run 5 miles
Th: Run 4 miles
F: Run/Strength Class - 1 hour
Sat: Kettlebell-45 min Kickbox-30 min.

Week 8S: Run 9 miles
M: Rest
T: Kickboxing-1 hr. Abs-30 min.
W: Run 5 miles
Th: Run 4 miles
F: Run/Strength Class - 1 hour
Sat: Kettlebell-45 min Kickbox-30 min.

Week 9
S: Run 10 miles
M: Rest
T: Kickboxing-1 hr. Abs-30 min.
W: Run 5 miles
Th: Run 4 miles
F: Run/Strength Class - 1 hour
Sat: Kettlebell-45 min Kickbox-30 min.

Week 10S: Run 11 miles
M: Rest
T: Kickboxing-1 hr. Abs-30 min.
W: Run 5 miles
Th: Run 4 miles
F: Run/Strength Class - 1 hour
Sat: Kettlebell-45 min Kickbox-30 min.

Week 11
S: Run 12 miles
M: Rest
T: Kickboxing-1 hr. Abs-30 min.
W: Run 5 miles
Th: Run 4 miles
F: Run/Strength Class - 1 hour
Sat: Kettlebell-45 min Kickbox-30 min.

Week 12
S: Run 4 miles
M: Yoga - 1 hour
T: Kickboxing-1 hr. Abs-30 min.
W: Run 3 miles
Th: Rest
F: Rest
Sat: Half Marathon

OK, who wants to join me??? C'mon, misery loves company :)