A week - one whole entire week, 7 full days has passed since I last posted on here. It's been a busy, but mostly pretty enjoyable 7 days though so I can't really complain. And you wanna know the other reason why I can't complain? Well, that, my friends would be because this morning when I stepped on the scale, it said 186.1! Not quite the 5 lbs I was hoping for, but still 3.4 (I think) from last week and that's not bad at all considering my tiny little losses for the last few weeks. Look out fingers and toes, you just won yourself a mani/pedi date!
The other reason why this makes me happy? We went camping this weekend with Charlie and her family. A little back-story here, in a previous life, I was called the Fairmont Princess. I am not so much about being dirty and grungy and fending for myself for longer than a couple of days. I have to tell you though, sitting around the campfire at the end of the day with good company and a few drinks was, well, a little bit of heaven! I tried to be really good about the number of beers I had over the course of the weekend, but I also didn't restrict myself. If I wanted a drink, I had one. That being said, I was also fairly conscious of the things I was eating throughout the day too.
Probably the biggest factor in my loss last week though was sticking to my running schedule and making sure that I got that big run in BEFORE my weigh-in this morning. When we got home yesterday afternoon, I have to admit, running was the last thing I wanted to do. Quite honestly, I probably would have been just as happy to snuggle up on the couch with my little dudes and have a power nap. I didn't give in though and I got my 7.5 mi done in 83 minutes. Not too shabby considering that's the furthest I've run since my 1/2 marathon training days.
I'm really hoping that I can keep up this momentum and have another 3/4 lb week so that I can be within an arms reach of the 170's. To keep on track with my 165 goal, I need to be at least 175 by the end of August, but preferably lower. I'm really going to try and get my butt into the gym this week on top of my running schedule. Next week we're at the cottage which has both it's pros and cons. We will be there with my brother and SIL which means I'll have a running/workout buddy. The bad news is that the cottage and yummy food go hand in hand. I'll have to be prepared for that and find ways to work around those hurdles so that I don't gain while I'm away.
So, running, being hyper critical of what goes in my mouth - and when, and drinking a TON of water are all part of my game plan this week. What's yours?
Monday 30 July 2012
Monday 23 July 2012
The weight is over...
Ha! See that funny little play on words I used there? Yup, that's right, I am *that* girl! Besides, a little play on words is what a girl needs when the scale didn't say what she wanted it to say! I contemplated not posting today, but since I started this thing to keep me honest and on track, I really couldn't do that, now could I? The scale this morning said 189.5 - up only a few points from last week, but not down like it said on Friday when I timidly stepped on to check in!
It's 100% my fault - well, duh! of course it's my fault! What I mean is, I was supposed to go for my big run yesterday afternoon (7 miles) and I procrastinated the afternoon away until I didn't have enough time to do it until after supper. Of course, after supper I sat down on the couch while the boys were playing and well, it was game over. So, today, while the boys are at camp again, I WILL be doing my 7 miles before I get to do anything else!
This week, I've decided to add food journaling to my routine. I'm not sure if I'll do the traditional, write everything down in a little book, sign up for an app on my phone OR photo journal. Each has their pros and cons. Maybe I should do all 3 for a few days and see which works best for me. I've done the book before - but it's just me writing stuff down and doesn't necessarily have the impact of a visual tracking device like an app on my phone. If I take pictures, I'm probably going to spend more time making it look pretty AND making sure that it's healthy enough that I can actually have photographic proof of it!
I think also, that I am going to give myself a mini incentive for next week. I really and I mean REALLY need a pedicure. Need it like if I took a picture of my dry, flakey feet right now, you'd probably cover your eyes and run screaming from your computer screen. They are that bad. Soooooo, If I lose at least 2 lbs this week (like I said, I really need it!) I'm going to book a mani pedi appointment for next week and pamper myself a little bit!
I really need to dig deep and start working harder this week. If my SIL and I are going to win our little competition, I have to be into the 160's by the beginning of Sept. That's 6 weeks away and means I have to have a couple of weeks of at least 5 lbs in order to make this work. I can do it, but I've got to work my ass off - literally, in order to get there.
So, here's what's on tap for this week:
Monday - 7 mile run, some core and arm work
Tuesday - 4 mile run, legs/butt and core work
Wednesday - 2 mile run, core, arm and leg work on the machines
Thursday - 4 mile run
Friday - 3.5 mile run and camping fun!
Saturday - mooooooore camping fun!
Sunday - 7.5 miles
If I can get all of these runs in AND really take control of my eating, this should be a really good week!
Bring it week, BRING IT!
It's 100% my fault - well, duh! of course it's my fault! What I mean is, I was supposed to go for my big run yesterday afternoon (7 miles) and I procrastinated the afternoon away until I didn't have enough time to do it until after supper. Of course, after supper I sat down on the couch while the boys were playing and well, it was game over. So, today, while the boys are at camp again, I WILL be doing my 7 miles before I get to do anything else!
This week, I've decided to add food journaling to my routine. I'm not sure if I'll do the traditional, write everything down in a little book, sign up for an app on my phone OR photo journal. Each has their pros and cons. Maybe I should do all 3 for a few days and see which works best for me. I've done the book before - but it's just me writing stuff down and doesn't necessarily have the impact of a visual tracking device like an app on my phone. If I take pictures, I'm probably going to spend more time making it look pretty AND making sure that it's healthy enough that I can actually have photographic proof of it!
I think also, that I am going to give myself a mini incentive for next week. I really and I mean REALLY need a pedicure. Need it like if I took a picture of my dry, flakey feet right now, you'd probably cover your eyes and run screaming from your computer screen. They are that bad. Soooooo, If I lose at least 2 lbs this week (like I said, I really need it!) I'm going to book a mani pedi appointment for next week and pamper myself a little bit!
I really need to dig deep and start working harder this week. If my SIL and I are going to win our little competition, I have to be into the 160's by the beginning of Sept. That's 6 weeks away and means I have to have a couple of weeks of at least 5 lbs in order to make this work. I can do it, but I've got to work my ass off - literally, in order to get there.
So, here's what's on tap for this week:
Monday - 7 mile run, some core and arm work
Tuesday - 4 mile run, legs/butt and core work
Wednesday - 2 mile run, core, arm and leg work on the machines
Thursday - 4 mile run
Friday - 3.5 mile run and camping fun!
Saturday - mooooooore camping fun!
Sunday - 7.5 miles
If I can get all of these runs in AND really take control of my eating, this should be a really good week!
Bring it week, BRING IT!
Friday 20 July 2012
Funday Friday!
Wow, it's Friday...ALREADY! This week has flown - like literally grown wings and flapped it's way out of my windows every night! It was another week of baseball-pallooza with lots of other exciting things mixed in there just for fun!
On Wednesday night, Charlie and I took the little boys to camp for Family Night while the big boys went to baseball with Charlie's husband. Walking around the camp, I was reminded how much I love that place and why we send out kids there despite the somewhat hefty price tag that comes with it! I should probably mention at this point that I may, or may not, in fact, be living vicariously through my children to an extent in this one particular area of their little lives, as I was never allowed to attend a summer day camp as a kid. We went to a YMCA run park with cottages for the same time period every summer, with daily family programming - that was as close as I ever got to the day camp experience. You'd better believe, however, that most of my fondest, childhood memories happened in that place (which is why I still drag my husband and kids up to that same park every summer for a week!)
So wandering around the camp on Family Night, and watching my little man run from section to section happier than a pig in poop (well, ok, once he had woken up from his power nap he was happier - before that he was exactly how I'd expect someone to be if they were stuck in poop!) made me nostalgic and aa lot tiny bit jealous for all of the awesome things that happen in this place on a daily basis! The level of organization at this place blows my mind - they produce videos of camp events on a regular basis, they post regular updates to their FB page (so that when crazy parents like me are worried about their kids withering up in the sun and heat like raisins, they can put our minds at ease from a distance!) They post pictures of all the amazing things that happen there on a daily basis and just generally know how to show an adult a kid a good time!
This post however was not supposed to be about my love affair with summer camp, it was supposed to be about what a great week it's been! Again this week I've followed my running schedule (even when it sucked and it was hot and I was a hot mess!) and I've eaten within my daily allowances. I've got my fingers crossed that Monday morning is going to be another success story. We shall see how the weekend goes. I've got big drinking plans this weekend. Copious, I mean C.O.P.I.O.U.S. amounts of water! I might even throw some lemon in there to liven things up, just cause I'm that kinda girl!
On Wednesday night, Charlie and I took the little boys to camp for Family Night while the big boys went to baseball with Charlie's husband. Walking around the camp, I was reminded how much I love that place and why we send out kids there despite the somewhat hefty price tag that comes with it! I should probably mention at this point that I may, or may not, in fact, be living vicariously through my children to an extent in this one particular area of their little lives, as I was never allowed to attend a summer day camp as a kid. We went to a YMCA run park with cottages for the same time period every summer, with daily family programming - that was as close as I ever got to the day camp experience. You'd better believe, however, that most of my fondest, childhood memories happened in that place (which is why I still drag my husband and kids up to that same park every summer for a week!)
So wandering around the camp on Family Night, and watching my little man run from section to section happier than a pig in poop (well, ok, once he had woken up from his power nap he was happier - before that he was exactly how I'd expect someone to be if they were stuck in poop!) made me nostalgic and a
This post however was not supposed to be about my love affair with summer camp, it was supposed to be about what a great week it's been! Again this week I've followed my running schedule (even when it sucked and it was hot and I was a hot mess!) and I've eaten within my daily allowances. I've got my fingers crossed that Monday morning is going to be another success story. We shall see how the weekend goes. I've got big drinking plans this weekend. Copious, I mean C.O.P.I.O.U.S. amounts of water! I might even throw some lemon in there to liven things up, just cause I'm that kinda girl!
Tuesday 17 July 2012
Put another dime in the jukebox baby!
I am now up to $20 in my workout jar! I know, I know, $20 won't even buy me a water bottle at LuLuLemon, but it is 1/5 of the way towards my new crops and probably about 1/6ish towards my scuba hoodie!
I don't know about where you are, but here in Southern Ontario, it's freaking hot! I had planned yesterday after dropping the kids off at camp (yup, that's right, both of my kids are in camp for 2, count 'em 1...2, two week sessions at camp this summer!), coming home and going out for a morning run. The thing I didn't account for though was that it would be 26 c (79 F) when I pulled back into my driveway! Now, I realize that it's waaaaaaaaaay more hot in other places right now, but that's 26 before you tack on the humidity which probably takes it up about another 10 degrees so really 34ish (93ish). I, therefore baled on the outside run and chose to travel to the depths of my dungeon and do 3 miles on my treadmill instead.
Considering how drenched in sweat I was after my little run, in my dank, dark, dungeon, I don't even want to contemplate what running outside would have been like! You can call me a princess, it's ok, I've come to terms with my princessness and am actually ok with it! There are some things in this world I will just absolutely go out of my way to avoid when I can and getting sweaty and salty and HAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWT is one of those things!
Tonight's agenda includes sushi with the boys and my bestie. I'm so excited - I haven't had sushi in ages and the boys (now that they both love going for the noodles and ice cream!) will be ecstatic that we're going! They will also be exhausted from camp which means an early night for them and lots of time for a girlie movie with my bestest girlie!
Sushi Tuesday, here I come!
I don't know about where you are, but here in Southern Ontario, it's freaking hot! I had planned yesterday after dropping the kids off at camp (yup, that's right, both of my kids are in camp for 2, count 'em 1...2, two week sessions at camp this summer!), coming home and going out for a morning run. The thing I didn't account for though was that it would be 26 c (79 F) when I pulled back into my driveway! Now, I realize that it's waaaaaaaaaay more hot in other places right now, but that's 26 before you tack on the humidity which probably takes it up about another 10 degrees so really 34ish (93ish). I, therefore baled on the outside run and chose to travel to the depths of my dungeon and do 3 miles on my treadmill instead.
Considering how drenched in sweat I was after my little run, in my dank, dark, dungeon, I don't even want to contemplate what running outside would have been like! You can call me a princess, it's ok, I've come to terms with my princessness and am actually ok with it! There are some things in this world I will just absolutely go out of my way to avoid when I can and getting sweaty and salty and HAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWT is one of those things!
Tonight's agenda includes sushi with the boys and my bestie. I'm so excited - I haven't had sushi in ages and the boys (now that they both love going for the noodles and ice cream!) will be ecstatic that we're going! They will also be exhausted from camp which means an early night for them and lots of time for a girlie movie with my bestest girlie!
Sushi Tuesday, here I come!
Monday 16 July 2012
Things just got real interesting, real fast!
First things first, it's weigh-in Monday aaaaaaaand I forgot to take a picture again! I will next week - I 100% promise! However, I can tell you that the scale clearly took pity on me and didn't want me to have the spins again so it said 189.3 this morning! Yippee!
I am not going to lie. There was fear in my veins this morning as I stepped on that cold, glass platform. Last night, the scale was not so nice to me, especially after downing a bit of red wine and some perfectly cooked prime rib cooked on the bbq care of my loving husband! It was yummy. The scale was scary.
Why, you ask, would I bother weighing myself after devouring such a ridiculous meal? Which I have to admit I was actually pretty good about. Even though there was bread and fresh, new potatoes on the table, I only had salad and roast. Nothing else. Well, and the little bit of wine that I swore I wasn't going to drink until my brother and sister-in-law arrived with one of my favourite reds, Masi. I mean it would have been rude to not open it and drink some, right? I can't remember if it's South African or Australian. Either way, if you've never tried it, you should. They're delicious and they pair perfectly with ANY meal in my very humble wine opinion!
Getting back to why I was silly enough to step on the scale last night though. After all the aftermath (or maybe evidence?) had been cleaned up and put away, my Sister-in-law and I were sitting at the table drinking peppermint tea - which I love, especially after a really big meal. We were talking about shopping trips and when we should plan for a big one when the conversation transitioned to how both of us have a plan to lose some weight and feel better in our clothes again. My sister-in-law is amazing. I love spending time with her and she is by no means fat - I am clearly stating this here, as she'll probably read this - you are not fat! I was starting to fill her in on my $2 in the jar workout incentive plan when my brother joined the conversation. He too chimed in on how he has plans to be about 25 lbs lighter by his birthday in September and then it happened.
My SIL, said 'We need to have a competition! We're all competitive people, we need to make this a competition for it to really work!'
We tossed around ideas including having to commit to 3 workouts a week, but if you didn't do your 3, you had to pay $2 to everyone for their jars, and if everyone completed their 3, that we each gave ourselves and extra $2. That, though, wasn't enough incentive for the boys. Then, of course, with two couples at the table, there was discussion about how the incentive should be couple based - which lasted for all of about, ummmm, 2 seconds! The day that becomes an incentive is the day you can start calling me Ana Steele!
So, we finally came up with this - Richards (dicks) vs Chicks. This was 100% courtesy of my brother. I take NO credit, just reporting the facts. The idea of Richards vs Chicks is we have 12 weeks to lose as much weight as we can (we all weighed ourselves last night, which will count as our starting weight.) On the final weigh-in Monday (Canadian Thanksgiving) the team who lost the highest % (think Biggest Loser styles) wins! In the end, because all 4 of us like travel, we decided the winning team gets to pick a destination (within reason) AND the agenda for the trip. Sadly, if the guys win, there apparently will be NO shopping for A and I. However, if we win, watch out boys, cause there will be a whole lotta shopping going on! This should be exciting!
On a separate note, I got out there and did the 6 miles outside on Friday night with my bestie. She's a great motivator, because I'm telling you, if she hadn't of been here, I would have been hitting my treadmill again! It was so humid and sticky out. We did it though - and not toooooo terribly. We stuck to 10 and 1's until around the 4 mile mark and then started walking longer. When we did our last 10 K in May, we finished in 1 hr 18 min I think. We finished this one in 1 hr 24 min. Not fantastic, but not horrible either. The good news is that there is still 5 weeks until the 15 k run. Gotta get my stamina up so that we can maybe, just maybe finish under 1 hr 45 min. That's the goal anyhow!
Off to do some meal planning - hope you have an awesomesauce day!
I am not going to lie. There was fear in my veins this morning as I stepped on that cold, glass platform. Last night, the scale was not so nice to me, especially after downing a bit of red wine and some perfectly cooked prime rib cooked on the bbq care of my loving husband! It was yummy. The scale was scary.
Why, you ask, would I bother weighing myself after devouring such a ridiculous meal? Which I have to admit I was actually pretty good about. Even though there was bread and fresh, new potatoes on the table, I only had salad and roast. Nothing else. Well, and the little bit of wine that I swore I wasn't going to drink until my brother and sister-in-law arrived with one of my favourite reds, Masi. I mean it would have been rude to not open it and drink some, right? I can't remember if it's South African or Australian. Either way, if you've never tried it, you should. They're delicious and they pair perfectly with ANY meal in my very humble wine opinion!
Getting back to why I was silly enough to step on the scale last night though. After all the aftermath (or maybe evidence?) had been cleaned up and put away, my Sister-in-law and I were sitting at the table drinking peppermint tea - which I love, especially after a really big meal. We were talking about shopping trips and when we should plan for a big one when the conversation transitioned to how both of us have a plan to lose some weight and feel better in our clothes again. My sister-in-law is amazing. I love spending time with her and she is by no means fat - I am clearly stating this here, as she'll probably read this - you are not fat! I was starting to fill her in on my $2 in the jar workout incentive plan when my brother joined the conversation. He too chimed in on how he has plans to be about 25 lbs lighter by his birthday in September and then it happened.
My SIL, said 'We need to have a competition! We're all competitive people, we need to make this a competition for it to really work!'
We tossed around ideas including having to commit to 3 workouts a week, but if you didn't do your 3, you had to pay $2 to everyone for their jars, and if everyone completed their 3, that we each gave ourselves and extra $2. That, though, wasn't enough incentive for the boys. Then, of course, with two couples at the table, there was discussion about how the incentive should be couple based - which lasted for all of about, ummmm, 2 seconds! The day that becomes an incentive is the day you can start calling me Ana Steele!
So, we finally came up with this - Richards (dicks) vs Chicks. This was 100% courtesy of my brother. I take NO credit, just reporting the facts. The idea of Richards vs Chicks is we have 12 weeks to lose as much weight as we can (we all weighed ourselves last night, which will count as our starting weight.) On the final weigh-in Monday (Canadian Thanksgiving) the team who lost the highest % (think Biggest Loser styles) wins! In the end, because all 4 of us like travel, we decided the winning team gets to pick a destination (within reason) AND the agenda for the trip. Sadly, if the guys win, there apparently will be NO shopping for A and I. However, if we win, watch out boys, cause there will be a whole lotta shopping going on! This should be exciting!
On a separate note, I got out there and did the 6 miles outside on Friday night with my bestie. She's a great motivator, because I'm telling you, if she hadn't of been here, I would have been hitting my treadmill again! It was so humid and sticky out. We did it though - and not toooooo terribly. We stuck to 10 and 1's until around the 4 mile mark and then started walking longer. When we did our last 10 K in May, we finished in 1 hr 18 min I think. We finished this one in 1 hr 24 min. Not fantastic, but not horrible either. The good news is that there is still 5 weeks until the 15 k run. Gotta get my stamina up so that we can maybe, just maybe finish under 1 hr 45 min. That's the goal anyhow!
Off to do some meal planning - hope you have an awesomesauce day!
Friday 13 July 2012
I have the will. Now I just need the power!
Last night was another crazy night in the McHousehold. Actually, every night is crazy around here, but last night was crazy-tastic! It was the second night in a row of baseball and night 3 for the week. Does that even make sense? See what happens when I spend too much time at the ball diamond? I loose my ability to string words into any kind of intelligible order! Oh well, hopefully you get the gist!
Typically these nights consist of me avoiding making dinner until the last possible second and then realizing that we don't actually have time to eat before we fly out the door. How, you may ask, is it possible that I cannot find enough hours in the day/week to be prepared for dinner on a night when I know it's going to be crazy in our house when I'm a stay-at-home-mom? Meh, it's just a talent I have! It comes naturally, don't even have to work at it! This week has been different though. We have eaten before baseball, every single night this week, all thanks to my handy, dandy meal plan and my attempt to get our life scheduled again!
So, the plan for last night was to make something that everyone in my house would eat without complaint. Homemade mac & cheese. I've tried multiple times to make healthy versions of one of the world's best comfort foods, but it's never really worked out. Whole wheat or rice pastas seem to make it crunchy and dense. Low fat cheese separates and makes it kind of watery and skim milk doesn't give the cheese sauce enough richness to actually stick to the noodles. So, I went all out last night on this batch. There was nothing healthy about it - well, other than the fact that it wasn't jam packed with preservatives and weird coloured, processed cheeses!
As I stood at the stove chatting with my bestie on the phone, making the cheese sauce and talking about carb daily allotments, I told her I was making mac & cheese for the kids and that I had a big, crunchy salad waiting in the fridge for myself. She groaned, said I was mean and then told me that there was no way she could make it and not eat it. Here's the thing with me though. I actually really enjoy cooking and baking. I enjoy making things for other people to enjoy. So, with that in mind, I specifically made something last night that I knew everyone in my house would eat that I could also share with Charlie's kids because they too had baseball last night, but she is a very hard working, not-stay-at-home-mom which means her family usually eats after they get home from the game. I figured it was a win-win (oh and we did win, btw) situation! My kids ate, her kids ate and hopefully she had a peaceful dinner with her husband once her kids were in bed!
Turns out Charlie has all of the Eat-Clean books so I'm stealing them from her to make my meal plan for next week. My husband is out of town for the week so there will be a sushi night with the bestie (thank goodness my kids have finally gotten on board with Japanese fare - even if it is only for the edamame and ginger ice cream!) I'm hoping to try out a couple of great new recipes next week and hitting the local Farmer's Market while the boys are at camp!
If you will excuse me now, I have to go find He-Man and steal his power! Oh, and I leave you with this, just 'cause!
Typically these nights consist of me avoiding making dinner until the last possible second and then realizing that we don't actually have time to eat before we fly out the door. How, you may ask, is it possible that I cannot find enough hours in the day/week to be prepared for dinner on a night when I know it's going to be crazy in our house when I'm a stay-at-home-mom? Meh, it's just a talent I have! It comes naturally, don't even have to work at it! This week has been different though. We have eaten before baseball, every single night this week, all thanks to my handy, dandy meal plan and my attempt to get our life scheduled again!
So, the plan for last night was to make something that everyone in my house would eat without complaint. Homemade mac & cheese. I've tried multiple times to make healthy versions of one of the world's best comfort foods, but it's never really worked out. Whole wheat or rice pastas seem to make it crunchy and dense. Low fat cheese separates and makes it kind of watery and skim milk doesn't give the cheese sauce enough richness to actually stick to the noodles. So, I went all out last night on this batch. There was nothing healthy about it - well, other than the fact that it wasn't jam packed with preservatives and weird coloured, processed cheeses!
As I stood at the stove chatting with my bestie on the phone, making the cheese sauce and talking about carb daily allotments, I told her I was making mac & cheese for the kids and that I had a big, crunchy salad waiting in the fridge for myself. She groaned, said I was mean and then told me that there was no way she could make it and not eat it. Here's the thing with me though. I actually really enjoy cooking and baking. I enjoy making things for other people to enjoy. So, with that in mind, I specifically made something last night that I knew everyone in my house would eat that I could also share with Charlie's kids because they too had baseball last night, but she is a very hard working, not-stay-at-home-mom which means her family usually eats after they get home from the game. I figured it was a win-win (oh and we did win, btw) situation! My kids ate, her kids ate and hopefully she had a peaceful dinner with her husband once her kids were in bed!
Turns out Charlie has all of the Eat-Clean books so I'm stealing them from her to make my meal plan for next week. My husband is out of town for the week so there will be a sushi night with the bestie (thank goodness my kids have finally gotten on board with Japanese fare - even if it is only for the edamame and ginger ice cream!) I'm hoping to try out a couple of great new recipes next week and hitting the local Farmer's Market while the boys are at camp!
If you will excuse me now, I have to go find He-Man and steal his power! Oh, and I leave you with this, just 'cause!
Wednesday 11 July 2012
Put another notch on the...
SCHEDULE! This is not that kind of blog! Although, I suppose there could be some confusion what with the whole inch by inch thing! Luckily for you, it's not what this is about - which may or may not be a let down for some, but I'll try to make it up to you, I promise!
So far this week, I've hit every single run on the schedule and been happy to do it. Last night I almost baled, but then my phone died which meant that my avoidance tactic of texting was no longer available. So, I hoisted by butt up off of the energy sucker that I call my couch and went downstairs to the dungeon.
I'm really glad I did because even though the first mile sucked, once I was going, it was good and I even ran just a little bit faster! Now don't go getting all excited for me - by faster I mean I ran the 3 miles at 5.6 instead of 5.5! Nothing earth shattering, I know, but an increase none-the-less!
I now have a whole $12 in the workout jar. Not enough to even buy a headband from LuLu, but enough to remind me that I'm getting there!
On a completely different topic, I'm now contemplating making some changes to our food. I have a pretty good understanding of what goes into the foods I have in our home. I know how to read labels and I understand how taxing it is on our bodies to digest highly processed foods. We've always been fairly good about eating fresh fruits and veggies and choosing whole grain over bleached, white flours. However, lately, we've become somewhat lax in a few of these areas and I think that this is the perfect time to re-introduce my rule of eating unprocessed foods 95% of the time.
I'm investigating the Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno. She has a book specifically for families with kids which I think I'll be picking up later this week so that next week's meal plan can incorporate some of those foods into it. You can check out her books here. The kids go to day camp for two weeks starting on Monday which means I'll have a lot more time for healthy meal prep and my runs!
Monday, here I come!!
I think I might try this out tonight after I make a certain someone walk with me (you know who you are...Charlie!)
Later gators!
Monday 9 July 2012
I'm still standing...barely!
Well, I did it. I took a big breath (well, then immediately let it out because I didn't want to add anything extra to the number I was about to see) and then gingerly stepped on the platform, one badly painted pink toenail'd foot after another (mental note, next week, a pedicure is definitely in order!) Then I waited. I waited long enough to hope that the number would be something totally different than what I thought it was going to be. Just long enough for a miracle to happen, but not long enough that the number would disappear from the little display screen. Then I looked down.
Yikes! What I saw there was not a good revelation, but it was a necessary one! For the last 3 years I've been hovering between 185 - 190. For some reason, I haven't been able to break below the 180 mark. In fact, the last time I was below 180 was 4 years ago, just before my youngest turned 1 when I was 162 - 7 lbs away from what I weighed when I got married. This morning, I broke the 180 mark, but not in the direction I was hoping. This morning, the scale told me that I weighed 193.1 lbs.
I feel like the addict whose just hit rock bottom.
Somehow, those numbers this morning hit it home for me that unless I really do something about this now, I'm going to be headed down the path that my mom was on and I can't go there. My mom passed away almost 8 years ago from an aggressive cancer that she bravely fought for more than 2 years. I can't help but feel that it was her unhealthy lifestyle and her choice to avoid things like physical activity and making healthy food choices that made her physically unprepared for the fight of her life. I want to see my boys grow up and get married. I don't want my kids to be left without their mom before they turn 30. I want to know my grandkids.
For that to happen, I have to start making real changes. Not just talking about it and making false promises to myself, but actually acting on it. Last week I made some good headway on that. Getting back on the treadmill and starting to follow the schedule again was an important step in the right direction. This morning, I am sitting down with my calendar to schedule all of our meals for the week (I know, I know, I said it was going to happen yesterday, but the scheduled run seemed a tiny bit more important!) Before the end of this week, I am purchasing a 3 month gym pass for the gym that my friend goes to. I'm going to make her be my gym buddy for the next 3 months, 3 times per week. With my run schedule only going until the middle of August right now, this will be important to keep me moving!
Next Monday morning when I step on the scale, I'm hoping only that it be down and that the fat % is less. I'll actually record all of the numbers next week and put those here too. Gotta keep it real peeps!
Today's goals = meal plan and run 3 miles (outside if it's not too hot!)
Yikes! What I saw there was not a good revelation, but it was a necessary one! For the last 3 years I've been hovering between 185 - 190. For some reason, I haven't been able to break below the 180 mark. In fact, the last time I was below 180 was 4 years ago, just before my youngest turned 1 when I was 162 - 7 lbs away from what I weighed when I got married. This morning, I broke the 180 mark, but not in the direction I was hoping. This morning, the scale told me that I weighed 193.1 lbs.
I feel like the addict whose just hit rock bottom.
Somehow, those numbers this morning hit it home for me that unless I really do something about this now, I'm going to be headed down the path that my mom was on and I can't go there. My mom passed away almost 8 years ago from an aggressive cancer that she bravely fought for more than 2 years. I can't help but feel that it was her unhealthy lifestyle and her choice to avoid things like physical activity and making healthy food choices that made her physically unprepared for the fight of her life. I want to see my boys grow up and get married. I don't want my kids to be left without their mom before they turn 30. I want to know my grandkids.
For that to happen, I have to start making real changes. Not just talking about it and making false promises to myself, but actually acting on it. Last week I made some good headway on that. Getting back on the treadmill and starting to follow the schedule again was an important step in the right direction. This morning, I am sitting down with my calendar to schedule all of our meals for the week (I know, I know, I said it was going to happen yesterday, but the scheduled run seemed a tiny bit more important!) Before the end of this week, I am purchasing a 3 month gym pass for the gym that my friend goes to. I'm going to make her be my gym buddy for the next 3 months, 3 times per week. With my run schedule only going until the middle of August right now, this will be important to keep me moving!
Next Monday morning when I step on the scale, I'm hoping only that it be down and that the fat % is less. I'll actually record all of the numbers next week and put those here too. Gotta keep it real peeps!
Today's goals = meal plan and run 3 miles (outside if it's not too hot!)
It's just a numbers game
Tomorrow morning I'm going to do something worse than being thrown into an outdoor pool in the middle of November in any city in Canada! Tomorrow morning, when I wake up, I'm going to step on the scale. The question in my head right now is will it be better or worse than what I'm imagining? I'm praying hoping for the best, but expecting fearing the worst.
I think however, that I've finally reached a place where I'm not OK with ignoring this little weight game that I've been playing for the last couple of years. Hence, writing about it here. I wouldn't be taking the extreme measure of writing about my struggles and accomplishments for anyone in the cyber world to read if it was all wonderful, right? I feel like something is different though, like I'm actually prepared to make the necessary changes this time because I don't want to be the F word anymore.
On a totally positive note, I did something that I'm super proud of today! Sundays are my long run days, and I knew that today was going to be a challenge. It was 5.5 miles, which is the furthest I've run since May when I did my last 10 k. How you might ask, does someone go from training for a 10 k to just not doing anything for 2 months? Well, largely because it's so much easier to succumb to the hypnotic ways of my couch after the kids are in bed than it is to get my butt out the door or down to my dank dungeon of torture (not to be confused with the red room of pain, that's a totally different story, and really not the same...at all!)
Getting back to today, I stood eye to eye with my schedule this morning and I stared at that 5.5 miles typed there for the whole world to see. As I stood there like a crazy woman, staring at this harmless piece of paper hanging on my fridge, I made a decision that I was better than 5.5 miles. That if I wanted to, I could run 7 miles today and that 5.5 miles was nothing! A drop in the bucket really! So before I actually allowed myself to acknowledge that I was in fact a bold-faced liar, I laced up my NB's and headed down the stairs. And you know what? I kicked that 5.5. right square in the kisser, and felt great when I was done! I started taking walk breaks after I hit 2.5 miles, which is totally fine with me. I'm totally cool with the 10 and 1 rule, I just like to get some distance behind me before I take the first walk break.
So, tomorrow morning think of me as I stand on my scale, in my bathroom afraid to look down at my feet. That reminds me, I should probably paint my toes so it doesn't look quite so bad!
Until tomorrow...
I think however, that I've finally reached a place where I'm not OK with ignoring this little weight game that I've been playing for the last couple of years. Hence, writing about it here. I wouldn't be taking the extreme measure of writing about my struggles and accomplishments for anyone in the cyber world to read if it was all wonderful, right? I feel like something is different though, like I'm actually prepared to make the necessary changes this time because I don't want to be the F word anymore.
On a totally positive note, I did something that I'm super proud of today! Sundays are my long run days, and I knew that today was going to be a challenge. It was 5.5 miles, which is the furthest I've run since May when I did my last 10 k. How you might ask, does someone go from training for a 10 k to just not doing anything for 2 months? Well, largely because it's so much easier to succumb to the hypnotic ways of my couch after the kids are in bed than it is to get my butt out the door or down to my dank dungeon of torture (not to be confused with the red room of pain, that's a totally different story, and really not the same...at all!)
Getting back to today, I stood eye to eye with my schedule this morning and I stared at that 5.5 miles typed there for the whole world to see. As I stood there like a crazy woman, staring at this harmless piece of paper hanging on my fridge, I made a decision that I was better than 5.5 miles. That if I wanted to, I could run 7 miles today and that 5.5 miles was nothing! A drop in the bucket really! So before I actually allowed myself to acknowledge that I was in fact a bold-faced liar, I laced up my NB's and headed down the stairs. And you know what? I kicked that 5.5. right square in the kisser, and felt great when I was done! I started taking walk breaks after I hit 2.5 miles, which is totally fine with me. I'm totally cool with the 10 and 1 rule, I just like to get some distance behind me before I take the first walk break.
So, tomorrow morning think of me as I stand on my scale, in my bathroom afraid to look down at my feet. That reminds me, I should probably paint my toes so it doesn't look quite so bad!
Until tomorrow...
Friday 6 July 2012
Number one thing NOT to do is...
watch the food network! It's like dangling a cupcake carrot in front of me a horse but never actually letting me the horse get it! And why, might you ask, don't I just change the channel so I'm not watching delicious food dance across the screen in front of me? Because clearly, I'm a masochist of sorts who likes to spend my free time torturing myself!
Ok, so time to distract myself from the food orgy that is currently happening on my tv right now. I did NOT get on my treadmill last night - family on the phone kept me from getting my run in. However, I did get down to my fitness dungeon today and did do my 3.5 miles as per the schedule. Tomorrow I have to get in 3 miles and then 5.5 on Sunday. Hopefully my legs don't give me the middle toe and tell me where to shove it!
I've been toying with a few incentive plans for my runs. I'm a person who likes pretty things. I like new things and since I don't feel comfortable buying new clothes when I'd have to buy them in a size that I'd never like to see ever again hanging in my closet, I've had to come up with a new plan of attack. In the past I've rewarded myself with lots of different things. I tried bribing myself with the lure of new shoes. That failed. I tried food rewards (I know SO counterproductive!) Obviously none of these plans worked so, of course I started creeping Pinterest to see what I could find there!
Some people were paying themselves money, some people were using complicated colour coded charts and some people were just talking about what everybody else was doing! Sooooo, the question is, which incentive route do I pick? I'm leaning towards the financial incentive plan where I pay myself a toonie every time I run and watch the jar fills up. The ultimate goal is to go into LuluLemon and buy this:
And this:
Ok, so time to distract myself from the food orgy that is currently happening on my tv right now. I did NOT get on my treadmill last night - family on the phone kept me from getting my run in. However, I did get down to my fitness dungeon today and did do my 3.5 miles as per the schedule. Tomorrow I have to get in 3 miles and then 5.5 on Sunday. Hopefully my legs don't give me the middle toe and tell me where to shove it!
I've been toying with a few incentive plans for my runs. I'm a person who likes pretty things. I like new things and since I don't feel comfortable buying new clothes when I'd have to buy them in a size that I'd never like to see ever again hanging in my closet, I've had to come up with a new plan of attack. In the past I've rewarded myself with lots of different things. I tried bribing myself with the lure of new shoes. That failed. I tried food rewards (I know SO counterproductive!) Obviously none of these plans worked so, of course I started creeping Pinterest to see what I could find there!
Some people were paying themselves money, some people were using complicated colour coded charts and some people were just talking about what everybody else was doing! Sooooo, the question is, which incentive route do I pick? I'm leaning towards the financial incentive plan where I pay myself a toonie every time I run and watch the jar fills up. The ultimate goal is to go into LuluLemon and buy this:
And this:
And finally, this:
That's almost $300 worth of Lulu, so I'd better get my ass moving since I've only earned $6.00 so far! Hopefully by the time I hit the $300 mark, said ass will look as amazing in those pants as the size -4 model up there!
Sunday is meal planning day. I foresee a lot of salad in our future for the upcoming week. It's too hot to cook a whole lot so if it can't go on the bbq, it's probably not going to get cooked in my house right now! Let's see what kind of excitement I can come up with for my picky eaters next week. I'll keep you posted! AND I'll leave you with this (and by you, I mean me!)...
Thursday 5 July 2012
Well whaddya know?
I did something last night that I haven't done in a really long time. Like I mean a r.e.a.l.l.y. long time! I ran on my treadmill. I know, I can hardly believe it myself! It's a 'stop the press!' kind of revelation really, isn't it?
Me and my treadmill, we have a spotty history. We bought it about 3 years ago and for the first 6 months, I used that thing religiously. Every other night I'd get the kids into bed and then I'd go downstairs to our basement (which is unfinished and looks like a department store has thrown up in.) and I'd run for 30 - 40 minutes. Slowly but surely, my dedication to the evening runs started to wane and my inclination to laziness took over.
In an attempt to kick my lazy butt into high gear, I let my bestie talk me into signing up for my first 1/2 marathon. She hooked me up with a training schedule and we vowed to do every long run together on Sunday mornings. All I had to do was do the 'little' runs in-between on my own. HA! Somehow I almost always made it to Sunday with only doing maybe one of my scheduled runs through the week. Suffice it to say, we completed that 1/2 marathon, not well, but we crossed the finish line together feeling like we'd (well, I) had done something really big! My bestie kept reminding me that just being out there was more than many others would ever do, but my competitive side kept nagging with her finger waving saying 'if you're not going to do it well, don't do it at all!' It was hard to tune her out sometimes!
With a 1/2 under my belt, I decided that maybe it was better to focus on smaller runs and build up to the 1/2. So last summer instead of signing up for another 1/2 I signed up for two 10 k's, and dreamed of crossing the finish lines strong and smiling. Maybe I should have channeled that dream when running those races, huh? Again, I finished my last race and vowed that I was going to train and be ready for the next one.
So, here I am, 6 weeks away from a 15 k (I know, CrAzY sauce, right?) with barely a run under my belt. Well, this circus train is coming to a full blown stop and I'm doing a re-org of my priorities. And last night was my first step towards that happening.
I stepped on that treadmill last night not sure how it was going to feel. I went for a run last week and barely made it to 1.5 miles before I felt like I was going to die, but last night I had a feeling - no, not like I was going to throw up, but just a feeling like I could do it if I really wanted to, but that I was the only one who could make it happen. So, I ran. I ran and I watched the numbers get bigger on the display. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes...48 minutes later I pressed stop and I think I could have even gone a bit further if I'd really wanted to! I know, I know, running on a treadmill is nothing like running outside, but for now, I'll take 48 minutes of constant motion because that 48 minutes is more than I did the day before!
Today, I'm going to try and get 3.5 in after baseball. That's what's on the schedule for today and from here on out, the schedule is in charge, not me!
Me and my treadmill, we have a spotty history. We bought it about 3 years ago and for the first 6 months, I used that thing religiously. Every other night I'd get the kids into bed and then I'd go downstairs to our basement (which is unfinished and looks like a department store has thrown up in.) and I'd run for 30 - 40 minutes. Slowly but surely, my dedication to the evening runs started to wane and my inclination to laziness took over.
In an attempt to kick my lazy butt into high gear, I let my bestie talk me into signing up for my first 1/2 marathon. She hooked me up with a training schedule and we vowed to do every long run together on Sunday mornings. All I had to do was do the 'little' runs in-between on my own. HA! Somehow I almost always made it to Sunday with only doing maybe one of my scheduled runs through the week. Suffice it to say, we completed that 1/2 marathon, not well, but we crossed the finish line together feeling like we'd (well, I) had done something really big! My bestie kept reminding me that just being out there was more than many others would ever do, but my competitive side kept nagging with her finger waving saying 'if you're not going to do it well, don't do it at all!' It was hard to tune her out sometimes!
With a 1/2 under my belt, I decided that maybe it was better to focus on smaller runs and build up to the 1/2. So last summer instead of signing up for another 1/2 I signed up for two 10 k's, and dreamed of crossing the finish lines strong and smiling. Maybe I should have channeled that dream when running those races, huh? Again, I finished my last race and vowed that I was going to train and be ready for the next one.
So, here I am, 6 weeks away from a 15 k (I know, CrAzY sauce, right?) with barely a run under my belt. Well, this circus train is coming to a full blown stop and I'm doing a re-org of my priorities. And last night was my first step towards that happening.
I stepped on that treadmill last night not sure how it was going to feel. I went for a run last week and barely made it to 1.5 miles before I felt like I was going to die, but last night I had a feeling - no, not like I was going to throw up, but just a feeling like I could do it if I really wanted to, but that I was the only one who could make it happen. So, I ran. I ran and I watched the numbers get bigger on the display. 10 minutes, 20 minutes, 30 minutes...48 minutes later I pressed stop and I think I could have even gone a bit further if I'd really wanted to! I know, I know, running on a treadmill is nothing like running outside, but for now, I'll take 48 minutes of constant motion because that 48 minutes is more than I did the day before!
Today, I'm going to try and get 3.5 in after baseball. That's what's on the schedule for today and from here on out, the schedule is in charge, not me!
Tuesday 3 July 2012
I have a little secret
...I'm fat. Phew! That just took me like ten minutes to actually type. Let's say it again, just to make it easier - I'M FAT!
Let me set the record straight here. I'm not obese, but I'm definitely that person who when I step on the scale at the doctor's office for my annual physical, gets the 'you know you really need to lose about 25 lbs just to hit the top end of the 'acceptable' range, right?' speech. Every year I dutifully promise that I'm going to lose 30 lbs and be back where I was when I got married 10 years ago, but somehow, that physical rolls around the next year and I'm still at a mid-180 mark. When you're 5'7 (and 1/2 - that 1/2" is REALLY important!) fluctuating between 185-190 lbs isn't pretty.
So, what's a girl to do? Blog about it of course! I've decided that the only way I can actually make this work, is to go public and hold myself accountable for the days, the weeks and months that make up the year that will lead me to my next physical where I will no longer be in the 'over weight' category. I'm going to take the tire around my middle by the horns and shake the hell out of it!
So, here's a little about me. I'm a 35-year old mother of two little boys who make me laugh and cry on a daily basis. I'm married to a wonderful man who would tell me that I was the most beautiful woman alive every day for the rest of my life even if I was 1200 lbs. For the past 4 years, I've had the luxury of being a stay-at-home-mom looking after all of my boys, but in September, my youngest - Rhys, (Reese) will be going to school every day, full days and I suddenly things will all be different. Suddenly, my excuses for not going for a walk or a run or why I couldn't find the time to make lunch so the leftover goldfish and sandwich crusts will just have to do probably aren't going to be quite so easy to swallow (pun totally intended) anymore.
I'm not expecting miracles here, but what I am expecting is that I'll have good days and I'll have bad days and I hope that I can share those days with others who will maybe help to keep me honest and on track.
I love to cook, so I'll try to share some of my recipes and meal plans here. I'm also hoping to share my fitness success stories here. I've completed a 1/2 marathon and several 10 ks and I'm registered to do a 15 k with my bestie at the end of August. That's going to be my first big challenge, going from running maybe a total of 8 miles a week to doing 9 in one evening!
So, welcome to my journey. I hope you'll keep me company on what I hope to be an exciting ride! Inch by inch and step by step, this time I'm gonna get there and I'm gonna stay there!
...LET'S GO!
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