Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!

I can't believe I was the winner this week on the DietBet token weigh in drawing!  I'm not one of those naturally lucky people so winning anything at all is a huge excitement.  I won a $75 gift card to UnderArmour and I should have my selected items before Christmas.

I've been sort of lax about getting on the treadmill and getting my 10,000 steps in.  Maybe the new workout clothes I ordered will spur me on.  I replaced my Fitbit with a Garmin Vivofit that I earned through my health insurance plan.  I like that it has a digital readout that tells me how many steps I've taken and how many I have to get to my goal for the day.  However, I let it set my goal for me so the goal has been around 7,000 steps a day.  Most days I've met that goal but since I had been doing 10,000 previously I sort of feel like I'm cheating. *blush*

I've been doing pretty good with weigh ins and have hit a number this morning that I haven't hit since I got back from my honeymoon in 2013.  This is completely due to juicing!  Thank you Joe Cross for finding a solution and then sharing it with others!  My husband and I have been juicing in between other events we have going on so we haven't been doing it exactly like Joe did but this is what works for our lives.  We are going to do mainly juice until Christmas and then ease up a little bit when my son comes over for Christmas with us.  Then we will go back on the program until we leave next year for our fabulous DisneyWorld/Universal Studios trip!!  I'm turning 50 in 2016 so that is the trip I picked out to celebrate.  I know, I know, I'm such a kid!  I wanted to get to One-derland before the trip but I don't think I'll make it.  But...as soon as I do I will definitely be posting about it here!!

In the meantime - here's the recipe to my favorite juice - this makes four servings:

1 Pineapple
8 Oranges (I prefer juicing oranges but can't always find them)
6 Apples (Fuji's are my favorite)
14 Carrots

Juice all these ingredients together - it takes 3 rounds in the pitcher on my Breville.  Sometimes I also use my inversion blender to add in 4 bananas.  Other times the hubby and I eat a whole banana each while we are drinking our juice.  My hubby prefers a green juice I make so I'll share that recipe in a future post.

Still Juicing!

I can't believe it's been so incredibly long since I've posted here!  We are still juicing but have been intermingling regular meals here and there.  It's been working out really well and I'm down a total of 12# since we started juicing on October 18th and 20.2# since I started my DietBet on September 7th. I'm completely pleased with my progress!  I haven't been this weight since 2013 just before I got married.

What really amazes me is that I've been able to do this even while traveling a couple times and eating with abandon at Thanksgiving!  The juicing has been very instrumental in helping me recover quickly when I have special occasions.  In the past I would go on a business trip and gain a couple pounds but never lose it again.  Then the next trip or special occasion would come up and before I knew it I had gained 30#!!

We have a trip to Florida coming up and I'm hoping to lose another 10# before we leave and that will take me to what I weighed when I got married.  Speaking of weight...I'll need to lose another 15# after I hit my wedding weight to weigh what my driver's license says I weigh.  Isn't it funny how I listed that weight because I thought it was a normal (read - non-embarassing) weight?  However, my next big goal after that is another 25# lighter and I feel very confident that I can meet it!  My DL expires in 2018 - would it be awful to go in and get a new one once I meet goal weight just so the number is right? lol

Juicing - Day 24

We have been doing pretty good with juicing!  We did end up buying a new juicer so I guess my first piece of advice is to buy the best juicer you can right off the bat.  We bought the Breville BJE820XL Juice Fountain Duo Dual Disc Juicer from Amazon.  We haven't used the smoothie disc yet but I plan on trying it out later this week.

We have been juicing the majority of our meals but eating full meals every few days.  We are both feeling great!  I've lost 10# and the hubby has lost more than that - he can't remember off the top of his head right now.  Isn't that crazy how us girls can tell you to the tenth of a pound exactly how much we've lost?!?  Or maybe that's just me and I obsess about it too much!  I'm absolutely thrilled with how the weight is coming off.  In the past I would be lucky to lose a pound a week and I'm averaging almost .5# per day and I feel fantastic.  The first few days were rough but I think that was mainly the caffeine withdrawals.  There are some juices that we absolutely don't like but we have found a couple that are real winners.  Here are the recipes for the two we really like - this makes two servings each:

Green Citrus (Green Juice)
4 Oranges
4 Apples (I like to use Fujis)
4 Handfuls Spinach

Orange Dreamsicle (Orange Juice)
1 Pineapple
2 Oranges
3 Apples
6-8 Carrots

ps...the hubby found his weight loss - 13.1# as of October 31st.  He did have to go out of town for a week last week so he wasn't able to juice much and he hasn't weighed himself yet.  He looks thinner to me!!

Time to Reboot!

Hubby and I watched Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead on Netflix last week and it really resonated with us both.  So...we went to Whole Foods today and spent our son's inheritance on lots of good organic produce and tomorrow we start!  Here's what our kitchen looks like now!

It was quite the chore to get everything to fit - yikes!  This is just 8 days worth of produce and I don't think I could have fit anymore than that.  We are planning to do the 15 day juice fast to start and then see how we feel about lengthening it.  We both take allergy meds and have some digestion issues as well. We are hoping that through this fast we are able to get those allergies under control and alleviate those digestion issues.  The research I have done is really promising that the ailments we suffer from don't have to be addressed with pills.  It would also be great if we lost a little bit of weight along the way!  We've been doing well eating mainly South Beach phase 2 foods but I think the fast will take it up a notch and shake our bodies up which is great since I am still in my DietBet - I won the last round by the way!!

Tonight I went ahead and made our breakfast for tomorrow and Monday.  It doesn't look like much but it smells amazing!!  It's called Apple-Berry Bake and it consists of 4 Fuji apples cored and chopped, 2 cups of strawberries that I sliced in half, about a cup of home dehydrated raisins, 2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg.  I covered it with foil and baked it in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.  This will serve us breakfast tomorrow and Monday.

We have five days of eating and juicing and then it will be 10 days of juice only after that.  I'm really excited to get to day four since that is when everyone says it starts getting easier and you experience loads of energy.  I can't lie though - the lack of coffee is going to be brutal those first few days!!  I feel for my husband dealing with me.  Luckily I've already started cutting back to one cup a day for the last week or so.  I'm still not looking forward to that part.

Ok...off to finish my last glass of wine for quite some time I think!!  But...wine is made from grapes so doesn't that make it a fruit?  ;-)

Time for a DietBet!

Have you heard about DietBet?  I was looking for a way to create some motivation to get back on track and I think this might be the way.  I signed up for two bets - one is a one month group led by Danni from The Biggest Loser and the other is run by DietBet and is a multi-phase contest that goes over the next six months.

Here's the link to Danni's bet which starts tomorrow and the goal is to lose 4% of your body weight within the month:  http://diet.bt/j1iasU

Here's the link to the six month competition which officially starts tomorrow - this one is tiered over the next six months with a final goal of a 10% loss:  http://diet.bt/KgNGk0

I hate to throw away money so my odds are very good that I will keep up with this!  Now to go put on my airport attire, jump on the scale (yikes!), and take my pictures!!

C25K Week 2 Day 2

Ok...so why was this day so much harder than the day before?  I actually remembered to turn on the fan so I wasn't as hot and I was wearing my correct running shoes.  I had tried some other shoes the day before and they are definitely NOT the right ones.  I'm starting to wonder if finding the perfect pair of running shoes is even possible.  My next big purchase is going to be good running shoes that are fit by a professional.  I wonder if it was due to the fact that I wasn't wearing my compression capris but just some Wallyworld special workout capris.  I really could feel all those bits and bobs moving while I was running.  That made me extra grateful for the treadmill!  I'd hate to be doing that in public!!

Today I was wanting to quit 10 minutes in and just had to push myself to do the entire 30 minute program.  My chest was hurting, my legs were hurting, and I was sweating up a storm.  Just crazy how one day is so different than another.  Oh well, I'm just proud of myself for finishing.

My next few runs will be at sea level since I will be traveling for work.  The place I'm staying is super nice and even has "chilled towels" in the fitness center.  I'm not exactly sure what that means but it sounds schmancy-dancy!!  One more day of week 2 and then it will be time for the 3 minute runs!  Yikes!!  I know I can do this because I got further than this just a few months ago.

My eating plan this coming week is lots of salads and a fair bit of walking.  My weight has been pretty steady for the last few months and that is not my goal.  I need to kick things in gear if I'm going to meet my goal of reaching my goal weight by my 50th birthday.  I have about 10 months to do it.  That means I need to lose about 5# per month.  I think that's really doable.

C25K Week 2 Day 1

Well...we are back from our two week visit with our in-laws and they sent us home with their treadmill.  It was an experience pulling a little trailer behind our car but we finally made it back!!  My son came over and helped us get the beast downstairs and I took a run on it the other day.  I can sure feel the difference in altitude being back home but I do have to say it was much cooler running here than in my in-laws garage!  I'm really happy to have the treadmill and I think it will help me be more consistent with my running.  I'm also really happy to have the little trailer they gave us.  That will make it much easier when we need to bring landscaping stuff home.  No more borrowing my son's truck!  

I'm still working on a schedule that works with running but at least I don't have to worry with outside issues.  I did this run at about 7:30pm and while that time worked with my schedule I'm not sure it's a good idea for me to exercise that late.  I had a very hard time getting to sleep because it hyped me up!  Maybe I need to get up earlier but I can't imagine getting up earlier than the 4:30am I already get up.  Oh, well, I'll do some more fanagling and see what will work the best.  This is important and I WILL make it work!!

Our trip was very relaxing but I came back with a 7# gain even though I think I ate pretty well while we were there.  I just hope it doesn't take me two weeks to get it back off again.  And...I'm off on another business trip next week.  My husband is staying home for this one so I think I will take this opportunity to eat lots of salads and spend extra time at the hotel gym.

Great Smoky Mountain Hike - Abrams Falls

Recently we were on vacation visiting my in-laws in Tennessee.  One day my husband and I went on a hike to Abrams Falls in Cades Cove.  Every time we hike at home he laments the lack of shade on the trails.  Now I understand why!  This trail was shaded nearly the entire length.  It was fairly challenging but the lower altitude (1,710 ft at it's highest versus the upwards of 10,000 ft we normally end up hiking) made up for the challenge.  The elevation gain was only about 350 ft but you did those feet in a couple fairly steep runs.

The falls themselves were wonderful and unfortunately the picture does not do them justice.  They are only about 20 ft in height but the volume of water is impressive.  At the base of the falls is a nice pool of water that my husband says gets very busy later in the day with swimmers.  As we were coming down the trail back to our car we saw quite a few folks going up with their swimming gear.

I'm really glad we did the hike early in the day like we did.  The combination of heat and humidity sapped me!  I did not plan well and ran out of water with about a mile still to go.  I was definitely glad another bottle of water was waiting when we got back to the car!  We saw lots of deer and even a couple bears.  Unfortunately my deer pictures did not turn out very well and the bear were way too far away for my iPhone to capture them.

It was a good workout and I definitely recommend this hike if you find yourself in the Smokies.  It took us about 3 hours and that included spending about 20 minutes at the falls.  I would also recommend some hiking poles if you have knee issues like I do.  It was very helpful to be able to take some pressure off those old knees on those elevation gain/loss areas.  I would also recommend you spend some time exploring the rest of this wonderful area.  The history here is amazing!  Check this out for further reading on Cades Cove:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cades_Cove

Here are some choice pics from the hike:

Beautiful drive into the cove

And this friends is why they are called the Smokies!

We did the 2.5 mile hike to the left - so sad that dogs aren't allowed :-(

Beautiful foot bridge at the beginning of the hike - I better not get used to this sort of luxury!

Stream under the footbridge - very serene

 

This is what most of the trail looked like - you did have to be careful though
because there were rocks and trees roots everywhere

Lovely trees!!

And here is where I wished there were more luxurious foot bridges
like the one in the beginning - I'm a serious scaredy cat on these things!!

Unfortunately the falls have proven deadly to swimmers who tried to
swim too close and were sucked under by the current

 

Unfortunately I forgot my Garmin so I had to rely
on my iPhone Health App for this information

C25K Week 1 Day 3

Thankfully today seemed a little easier to get through. It's not quite as hot today which really helped. I also mixed things up by using a video from YouTube along with music from the iTunes Radio app. The video is someone doing a trail and prompting you when it's time to walk or run. It's sort of fun to watch things go by even though you're on a treadmill. 

Here's a link to the video for week 1 in case you want to check it out:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9nhuZPAVHGg&list=PLl7Hd30ASDAFnzS-18l7zjAhUsKE5hUN0

C25K Week 1 Day 2

I'm on track!  I just finished day 2 of week 1 in my restart of the program. It was just as hot in the garage but my FIL set up a fan for me and that helped loads. I used a new app this time and I think it will work great once I get a good playlist of music set up. It allows you to run your own playlist and then prompts you when it's time to run or walk. I've started a list of songs I think would be good to put on my playlist so the next step is easy.  I was using some great music from an independent band we discovered in New Orleans but their music isn't really running type music.  They are a great folksy bluegrass type of band that we absolutely love but I think I need some Lady Gaga and Katy Perry next time!

I looked back at the last time I did w1d2 and it was February. I'm so bummed that I didn't keep up with the program back then!!  I'd be so much closer to my goals right now - ugh!  But I am back at it and determined to do it this time. I've even found a 5K at the end of August that I'm going to sign up for. I know myself and if I don't have something to work towards that is fairly short term, it is so easy to procrastinate my workouts and then I'm right back here starting over yet again. I really don't want to repeat that history!!

Let's start at the very beginning....

Well...it has been so long since I've run that I figured it would be a good idea to begin on C25K week 1, day 1 and see how I do. I went in thinking I'd just pick it back up and it'd be a piece of cake. Wrong-o-rama!!!

It was a tough run but there were several differences between this time and the last time I ran. I was running on a treadmill in a hot & stuffy garage. I sort of liked running on the treadmill but the lack of moving air was harsh. I'm taking tomorrow off but will run again the following day with a fan.  We shall see if that makes it a little more enjoyable. I did like the fact that the treadmill kept me at a constant rate and I couldn't slack off like I have a tendency to do when I'm running outside.  I also liked not having to deal with the unknowns you get outside. I didn't have to outrun any dogs, bugs, or crazy school kids. I can also run anytime of the day. I'm really stoked about that. I'm also really glad I'm active again. I was dripping wet when I finished but it felt great to get moving!!

Home again, home again!

I'm just back from two weeks of business travel.  Traveling really is a big challenge for me.  I struggle with eating well and getting exercise.  I did fairly well on the eating this trip but did indulge a little more than I normally would.  Can I just say that gelato kept following me around?  It seriously was not my fault but it just kept jumping in my mouth!!  I was up 6# this morning when I weighed in but today I've been drinking lots of water and I'll see what it looks like tomorrow.  I tend to retain water when I fly so I don't think my gain should be too much - even with the evil gelato dogging my every step!

I did pretty good in the activity area as well.  Luckily I was in DC and walking everywhere is a necessity.  I easily got my 10,000 steps in almost everyday.  My hubby went with me on this trip and every evening after work we walked all over the place.  I made a rookie mistake early in the trip and thought we would only be walking a little bit and wore some flip-flops.  Holy blisters Batman!!  Luckily my knight in shining armor picked up some moleskin for me at the drugstore and I was able to get through a few days of owies without too much trouble.  Although...speaking of shoes...those women in DC are beasts!!  I have never seen so many stilettos walking at top speed on city sidewalks as I have there.  I'm no stranger to high heel shoes but I don't think I could navigate the subways, escalators, stairs, cobblestone/paver streets, and miscellaneous metal grates like those women.  They have my respect in spades!!

I didn't do any extra exercise though and I had really planned to use the treadmill in the hotel to get back on my C25K program.  Speaking of C25K...I am soooooo behind on this program!  I'm struggling with several things.  First and foremost was the weather before I went away on travel.  It seems as though it does nothing but rain anymore!  I am a seriously fair weather runner - I don't want to run when it's too cold, I don't want to run when it's too hot, snow?  absolutely not!!! and rain is a definite mood buster as well.  I've either got to push through this wimpyness I have developed or get a treadmill.  I'm just so afraid I will get one and somehow get it shoehorned into my tiny house and it will become an oversized coat rack.  I hate, hate, hate wasting money and I want to make extra sure that this is something I will use.  My second issue is that I am having a lot of toe pain in my running shoes.  I think that maybe my shoes are too small for me.  I've even started lacing them differently to see if that will help.  The new lacing does keep them tied tighter which is a great thing but my toes still end up shoved into the end of the shoe all the time.  I guess it's time to go over to the running store and get real shoes that are fit correctly.  Sounds like a lot of money getting ready to go out the door and that makes me crazy!!

The plan for this week is to get some exercise in and to rid my body of the gluten and sugar that I've been consuming for the last two weeks.  I also need to catch up on things around the house so I don't feel so disjointed.  Time to make a list!!

And...oh, yeah, I had a birthday while we were gone!  Even though I had to work and we weren't home my hubby made my day extra special.  He picked up a piece of cheesecake that he had decorated with some neat glittered icing gel - he's so awesomely creative - waiting for me when I got back to the hotel.  He had also scoured the town and picked up a nice button down shirt and a gorgeous tie so that we could go out for a nice dinner - that was a huge surprise!  Off we went to start our fun birthday evening - first we had drinks at The Willard Hotel and then dinner at the National Press Club.  Both places that have a lot of history and are places that I've really wanted to visit.  The drinks were awesome (I have learned that I don't like mint juleps and it's always good to learn new things) and the dinner was, well, just strange.  Not what I was expecting and not a place that I would visit again.  It wasn't bad, it was just, well, strange.  Unless you are a huge journalism geek I would skip it.  It was sort of hidden away and we were surrounded by people who all had "travel vouchers" so they didn't really have to pay for anything.  Not sure what that was all about and it just added to whole strangeness of the whole meal.  Even when we left our waiter shook our hands - never had that happen before.  Very memorable!!

When we got home I was exhausted and stressed out by the stormy drive we had back from the airport and I was surprised by a bouquet of beautiful flowers sitting on my kitchen table.  That son of mine is a keeper too!!  Next year is one of those scary ones that has a 0 at the end and I have some goals I want to meet by then.  I want to reach my goal weight, I want to run an entire 5K, and I want to finally finish reading Game of Thrones.  I swear that book series is like that pile of never-ending laundry.  I read and read and read and the darn percent read in the bottom corner of my iPad never changes!!  I should have never bought the bundled series for the iPad!!

Well...the hubby is starting dinner - steaks on the grill!  I'm in charge of the veggies so I need to get working on those.  I sure love that guy!!!

C25K Week 4 Day 2

Hi all! Sorry this post is so late. I actually completed this day's training on March 31st and then we immediately went out of town to visit family.  I was yet again shocked that I was able to run for such a long continuous time!  I am very nervous about week 5 to come but I'll cross that bridge when I get there.  I'm really starting to understand the truth in the theory that reaching physical goals has a huge mental aspect to them.  I've missed a couple weeks of training but hopefully week 4 day 3 will go smoothly.  I plan to run again on Thursday and then tackle day 1 of week 5 on Saturday.

We had a great time on our little getaway but unfortunately it rained buckets every day and it was not safe to be running around so I didn't get any training in while we were gone.  I was very careful with food while I was gone and I'm really proud of myself for only gaining a pound the whole time.  That was eating what was served but within reason.  As an example one night we had pizza and I chose just to eat the top since I knew that if I ate that crust no matter how wonderfully delicious it would be I would definitely pay for it later.

I did share with family that I had been running and unfortunately they weren't exactly supportive.  I know they love me and are just worried that I will ruin my body with running.  They know someone who was a runner that said that if they would have known the damage they were doing, they never would have started.  I've done quite a bit of research on the topic of safe running and I don't plan on becoming a world class marathoner and pushing my body beyond what it should be doing or is ready for.  I think I'm smart about my running and listen to my body very closely.  I don't have a huge stride nor do I hit my footpads very hard.  I joke with my husband that I'm more of a stumbler than a runner.  I'm really slow too - he keeps up with me just by picking up his walking pace a little bit.  I just took the comment in stride and changed the subject.  That's really all you can do I guess.

We've been back home for a little bit now and I'm struggling to get completely back into the swing of things.  I was able to get that pound off that I gained on vacation and send another of it's friends packing as well.  Yeah me!  While I haven't been working out as much as I should probably be, I haven't been completely sedentary either.  I'm still going to my weekly dance classes and we had a performance on Saturday.  The performance was great fun and we ended up dancing with other groups at the event as well.  I was probably dancing for a good two hours altogether.  I was tired and sore later that day but it felt so good.  I need to remind myself how good it feels to be active when I get home from work and just want to collapse on the couch with a glass of wine!!  Yep...it's that mental thing again!

Holy Cow!!!

I DID IT!!!  I completed C25K Week 4 Day 1 the very first time out!  To say I'm shocked is an understatement.  Knowing I would be doing two 3 minute runs and two 5 minute runs in this workout was really daunting.  Then when I got started and realized that my recovery would only be 90 seconds and 2.5 minutes, respectively, I was really worried.  Of course, I looked down and gave my running partner, Peanut, the pep talk he needed!  It wasn't easy but it also wasn't so bad that I thought I was going to collapse either.  I think I might make it through week 4 without a repeater!  Woohoo!!!

Peanut, however, might be reaching the end of his physical abilities and after this week I don't think he will be able to be my running partner anymore.  He struggled with this run and was not keeping up very well.  But...he's cute and adorable so maybe I'll add in some evening pleasure walks for him.

Healthy eating is going well but the scale is not showing it so I'm just hoping that since I've been more consistent with my activity these past few weeks that it's just a little stall while my body puts on some muscle and gets used to what's going on.  Next week is measurements week so we'll see if that shows some changes.  I can't say I feel any difference in my clothes but I don't wear really tight things anyway so small changes won't be really noticeable.

I also think I might take a big huge leap on this blog next week and actually post my measurements - scary!!  I've been reading a bunch of health blogs recently and the ones that really speak to me are the ones that I can relate to personally.  Ones where I can see that the blogger is or was my size and still had a body that was strong and capable.  Those really inspire me and maybe someone will stumble on my blog and need some inspiration too!  I know it sounds so cliche but if I can do this, other women like me can!!  Seriously...before I started losing weight and exercising regularly just going from one floor of my tri-level house to the other would get me winded.

I also need to find some time to update my blog design and put some links to those blogs in a gadget on the sidebar.  Where do all those hours go?!?

Today I am getting a pedicure and going to a dance rehearsal for a flash mob I'm a part of in May (more on that later!) so I better get my fingers off this computer and feed my awesome hubby before he has to go out for the day and then I need to go get cleaned up for my day.

Thanks ever so much for reading this little ole blog and sending up encouraging thoughts for me!  I'm reaching goals and doing things I never thought I'd be able to do and knowing there are people out there cheering me on is so uplifting!!

Updates

I'm doing really well with C25K! I did week 3 day 1 on Saturday and I nearly cried when I heard the voice say that we were going to run 3 minutes without stopping!!  I had my little dog Peanut with me and I just said out loud to him that we WERE going to do this.  I checked my Garmin to see what my elapsed time was so far so I could keep myself motivated.  I waited until I was really tired to look at it again and when I saw I only had a minute left of the run I knew I could do it.  Then when the 2nd 3 minute run came up I knew I could do it because I'd done it already!

On Monday the hubby and I went for a 5k hike on a local trail.  We hiked up 1.6 miles with an elevation gain of 315 feet and then hiked back down again.  I felt like I was incredibly slow on this hike but really my pace wasn't all that much slower than when I'm doing C25K.  My knees get upset when I go uphill.  I'm hoping as I take off more weight that they will not punish me so much.

When I woke up this morning I felt like I had been hit by a truck.  I'm thinking it was the combination of the hike yesterday and the fact that I had two slices of whole wheat bread for lunch before our hike.  I'm really starting to think that gluten attacks my joints in a horrible way.  I wasn't sure I would be able to run today but I pushed through and did it!  It definitely wasn't my fastest run but I made it through the whole program including the two 3 minute runs!!  It was a challenge on the track today because the middle school track team was doing sprints at the same time.  Peanut did pretty good and wasn't too distracted by all the kids which really surprised me.  I put aside my self consciousness and did my workout.  I just kept telling myself that what those kids thought of me did not matter.  I was quite proud of myself for getting out there and I wasn't going to let anything take that away from me!

Eating has been going really well except for the bread thing on Monday.  I tried a new recipe last night that wasn't a home run but it was edible.  It was Garlic Lover's Stew from Kalyn's Kitchen.  Usually her recipes end up as keepers but this one was too salty and too garlicky for our tastes.  I rescued the stew meat from the concoction and threw out all the rest.  I'm going to use the stew meat in a curry of some type later this week.  Here's a link to the recipe if you want to try it - like I said it wasn't bad but it just wasn't suited to our taste preference:  http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2008/02/crockpot-beef-stew-recipe-with-olives.html

Tomorrow is Curves and dance class and then the last day of week 3 is on Thursday.  Saturday I move to week 4 and I've heard it's a push to get through it.  I'll just keep telling myself I can do it and put forth all the effort I have.  That's the only thing I can do unless Fiona the Fitness Fairy visits by then and magically makes me a world class runner!  I think maybe I'll have better luck keeping up my positive self talk.

Still Running!

Well...I made a plan and I put it in my planner like I said I would!  Lo and behold I'm two days into the week and I've fulfilled both of my plans for these days!!!  I went to Curves yesterday and I ran C25K week 2 day 1 today.  I'm not going to lie and say it was easy - that I was high on the motivation of new goals written in my awesome new planner that my amazing hubby bought me for my birthday (that's over two months away - but who's counting?).  Nope...it was hard but I did it and I feel great inside...deeeeeep inside because right now everything below my neck is screaming.

Tomorrow - Curves and dance class - wish me luck!

Back to Running!

Today I finally got back out there.  I redid week 1 day 3 of C25K and the really hard part was dodging all the snow/ice piles and mud puddles.  I actually was surprised that it wasn't harder to get back into it since I haven't run in a couple weeks.  I need to set up a workout plan and actually stick to it so I don't have to do this back and forth on the training plan.  I would really like to commit to doing Curves on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and then C25K on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.  I wrote it in my planner so hopefully I will keep up with it.  I know all the experts say to make an appointment with yourself to do these things but gosh, is that a hard thing to follow through on.

On the food front things are going great!  I'm trying new recipes and the majority of them are coming out well.  We've even found a few that we are going to add into our regular rotation.  It makes it so much easier for meal planning when I have a good amount of regular dishes.  I hate making the same things week in and week out so this way I can work up to several weeks where I don't have to repeat anything.  I really need to start posting my menu plans here.  I'll put that in my planner! lol

Successful Business Trip

This week I had to go to DC on business and I was bound and determined to stay on program and not come back with a gain.  I did really well and actually ended up losing 2#!!  I took cheese sticks, nuts, and protein bars with me to have for breakfast and I made a commitment to have salads for my lunches.  For dinners I made sure I ordered things that fit within my program and even tried out a gluten free pizza one night.  All my meals were really tasty and I never really felt like I was missing anything.  The exception to that was the birthday cake that a co-worker was presented with.  It smelled amazing but I just kept thinking about the goals I have and how I really want to be successful at this endeavor.

Unfortunately I did not get any C25K training done while I was gone so I think I'm going to have to repeat week 1 before going on to week 2.  I just wish the weather would clear up so I could get back to the track.  I really prefer running there for several reasons.  One is that it doesn't seem to hurt my legs quite so much to run on the dirt but probably the main reason is that I don't feel that self conscious when I'm running there.  I know I shouldn't worry so much what people think of me running but anything that makes it easier for me to get out there and do it I consider a good thing!

C25K Day 2 and Weigh in

I did not lose anything this week!!  I hate weeks like this.  I feel like I did everything right but I'm going to go back and look at what I ate and try to figure out what was wrong.  I know it's better than a gain but just barely better.  I've been telling myself all day that it's just one week and that slow and steady will win this race.  But, gosh darnit already, I want to win today!! ;-)

With regard to C2K...day 2 is done!  It was hard..I dare say just as hard as day 1 but I did it.  DH helped me along by coaching my breathing and reminding me to lift my head.  He had me breathing in through my nose and out through my mouth.  I think it helped but now my nose is runny and hurts!  Also I'm not 100% sold on my shoes.  I retied the laces but it seems like my feet keep scootching forward and then my toes are all cramped up in front.  I'd like to visit the running store to get fitted with good shoes but I'm still afraid I'm going to quit and then I'll have wasted a bunch of money on shoes.  I know this is not a very healthy way to think and believe me I'm trying to change my attitude.

My next running day would be Saturday but we are forecast for a really bad snowstorm so I'm not sure what is going to happen.  If possible, it might be a good idea to lay down $4.25 and go over to the rec center and use their indoor track.  Next week I am on a business trip so my hope is that I can find the time at least twice to go into the workout room at the hotel and use the treadmill to train.  Next week we increase our run time intervals by another 30 seconds and I don't want to take a week off and then try to do that!  I'm expecting we will be working long days so running outside is not the best idea since it will be dark and I'm going to a very large urban city with a noticeable crime rate.

I went back to Curves on Monday and had problems with my key tag so I had to reprogram a new one and half way through my workout it freaked out again.  I really think that once my year is up on this membership I am not going to renew.  It costs just as much as a family membership at the rec center and at least with that membership DH could come with me if he wanted to.  He's not a big fan of the place because it's usually filled with obnoxious teenagers and over crowded.  But...at least if I'm paying this amount of money he could come if he wanted to.  I could also go back to taking my Zumba classes that I actually liked (not loved...because, well, it's still exercise.)  Maybe someday I'll be one of those people who likes exercise!  Gosh...I sure hope I come back and read this in a year and laugh at myself!!

I was looking at quotes today to try to keep my motivation going and help my confidence problem.  I found this really good one that I'll close this post out with.

It’s very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit.  George Sheehan

DIY Meal Planner

Today I posted a project on my crafty blog that bleeds over into this blog - can't imagine that will happen often!  Here's a link if you want to see the details about this meal planner I made and where I got my printables:  http://www.gabbysews.com/2015/02/valentine-card.html

C25K Week 1 Day 1

DH and I had a really good discussion today about my fears of failure and not meeting goals. He's so wonderful!  He understands me and promises to be there to help. That really means so much!!!

As a start he went with me today to start the couch to 5K program. It was 37 degrees with a pretty good wind and I quickly figured out I need more warmth on my legs. I completed the program but that last run segment was very difficult and in addition to be feeling very tight and sore muscles I was also feeling that horrible tingling you get when the cold is starting to invade. 

We used the gravel track at the middle school and I could really tell the difference when we got back on the asphalt walking home. I don't think I would like running on that surface!  I did have my new Reeboks on and they felt pretty good. I need to fix the lacing but I think they will work well for me. 

When we got home I ordered some Under Armour ColdGear compression leggings and a ColdGear shirt. They should be here later in the week. Hopefully they will help me stay warmer.  I also need some better gloves but I have these freakishly long fingers so I'll go over to the sporting goods store for those so I can try them on. 

My next run should be on Wednesday. I will get over to Curves before then. I think a good plan will be to do C25K 3 days a week and then go to Curves the alternating 3 days and have one day off per week. I really want to stick with this and have some completed goals that I  can look back on to motivate me to go further and feel confident in myself. Good start so far!!

Back from Vacation

Well...we made it back safely from our cruise.  When I weighed in the morning after we got home I was up 9.5#!!!!  I didn't think I'd had that much fun but I did notice that my ankles were very swollen and I felt bloated so I hoped it was water weight that would come off fast.  Luckily within a few days 6.5# of that was gone and I was left with a true 3# gain for a 10 day vacation which I don't feel too bad about.  I did phase 1 for the last week and then today I added in one serving of fruit.  We are going out to dinner tomorrow night for V-Day but I've scoped out what I'm having and it's all phase 1.  My goal for weigh in on Thursday is to get back to where I was when we left for vacation.

DH has been doing great and has really stepped up his exercise.  I haven't been walking with him because I feel like I slow him down too much and when I do try to keep up I'm completely miserable and feel like crying the whole time.  I downloaded some Couch to 5K podcasts that I'm going to work with on my own.  Hopefully in the next couple months I'll be able to work up to being able to walk at his pace and we can go together.

It's so easy for me to put exercise on the back burner because I really hate it!  I know it's good for me and that it will definitely help me reach my weight loss goals but I'd much rather play on the computer or do some crafty type thing.  Also...I've been paying almost $40 a month for a Curves membership and haven't been going there either.  I've really got to kick myself into gear!

Current Success:
02/12/2015 - 23# down

Upcoming Goal:
St. Patrick's Day - 41# down

Runs for Cookies Virtual 5k

The hubby and I participated in the RunsforCookies.com virtual 5k this afternoon.  We walked it and luckily the weather cooperated.  We walked around a local state park and the wind coming off the lake was a little chilly but overall it wasn't bad at all.  I even wore my new Clarke's Wave Walkers and they are awesome!!  We finished the 5k in 1:03 hours and our pace was pretty consistent the whole way.  And as you can see from the pic we were still smiling at the end of it all!

Everything on the diet front is going well.  I'm down 6.5# and the hubby has lost 12.5#.  We are adding in some phase 2 foods now and really enjoying the fruit for sure!!  I've also noticed that my joints don't hurt so much and I'm wondering if it has something to do with getting rid of sugar and simple carbs.

First Two Weeks Back

So I'm ending my first two weeks back on South Beach and I'm still alive!  Woohoo!!  I also had my annual doctor's exam and a complete blood work done up.  It will be great to see the internal changes as well as the external.  In a nutshell here are my beginning blood numbers:

Cholesterol - 203 (3 ticks above the high end)

Triglycerides - 99 (ok...those aren't so bad)

Calcium - 8.5 (that is just barely in the normal range - let's get that up girl)

Glucose Level - 87 (its within normal but I'd like to get it down a little lower)

I'm not brave enough to post my weight and measurements quite yet but maybe later.  However, I have set my first goal to lose 10 pounds the month of January and be 12.5 pounds lighter by Valentine's Day.  In the first week I lost 2 pounds so I'm going in the right direction.  I do have to admit that I was hoping for more.  I remember in the past that when I went from the eating free for all I was on to SB phase 1 I did great the first week.  In the neighborhood of 4-6 pounds lost.  My weigh in days are Thursday so we shall see what tomorrow brings.  I do have to admit that I cheated and weighed myself today and it doesn't look like I will be down much more than 1 additional pound.  I just have to remind myself that slow and steady wins the race.

The last two weeks I've done a great job of staying on program and planning out meals.  My husband is eating the SB way with me which is making this much easier.  I am sort of surprised that I haven't been tempted to cheat.  Normally by this time I've dipped my toe in the pool of naughtiness but this time around I haven't cheated at all.  

I'm thinking I should probably move to phase 2 per the guidelines in the book but I'm scared that if I do, I won't reach my 10# goal.  Well...I guess I'll sleep on it and see what tomorrow brings.  Now...it's time to go make some dinner.  Pesto Chicken Bake and Indian Lentils are on the menu tonight.  Then I have dance class.  I've really got to get back to Curves!!!  Someone needs to drag me out of my warm house!

First Post

Well...it's time for the first post on this new blog I'm starting.  Wow, no pressure at all to make this an awesome post that I will look back on and be proud to say that I wrote.  I'm pretty sure that this post will never be as good as I want it to be so I'm just going to get on with it and not worry about it.

So...with horrible grammer and an even more horrible sense of humor I'll get started.  I wanted to start this blog to capture my thoughts on my journey to better health.  I figured this would be a good way to get out what I'm feeling and a way to look back and see how where I've been.  I've lost 100's of pounds over the last 30 years and sometimes I've been wildly successful.  I'd love to be able to go back and see how I did it which is the main impetus of this blog.

Quick history:  I reached my heaviest weight in 2009 while my first husband was undergoing a battle with Leukemia.  It was a very stressful time and add on top of that the fact that folks who are undergoing chemo lose a lot of their sense of taste.  The one part they do keep is the sense of sweet tastes.  This resulted in making him lots of desserts and I dove headfirst into that sweet world as well.  Before I knew it I was heavier than I was when I gave birth to my son 18 years before.  After his bone marrow transplant I decided I really need to do something about this and I started on the South Beach Diet.  I decided to use this diet because of the way it works with the glycemic index.  I have PCOS (google it if you don't know what it is) and blood sugar control is a big part of weight control to someone with this condition.  The diet was great and I did extremely well!  However, within a few months my first husband passed away and I was now a widow in an empty nest.  It's really easy to revert to old bad habits and eat the things that are bad for you when that happens!!  Some of the weight (although thankfully not all of it) started to come back on.

Luckily, I had some awesome friends who came alongside me and supported me during that time.  One in particular was very special and became even more special as the years went along and then in June of 2012 he asked me to marry him!  We set our wedding date for June of 2013 and I got back into South Beach really strong.  I succeeded in losing a total of 56 pounds just before our wedding!  I was still a good 45 pounds from my ultimate goal but I was so much closer than I had been in many, many years!  The day was beautiful, the pictures were beautiful, and the honeymoon was heavenly!

However, (you saw that coming, didn't you?) I've turned a bit lazy since that wonderful day in 2013 and have gained 37 of those 56 pounds back.  Ugh!  When will I learn?!?  So...that brings us to January 1, 2015.  On that day I entered back into the South Beach world and the seed of this blog began in the back of my mind.

And so begins a new journey...I can't promise I will be the picture of the perfect Beacher all the time but I will certainly be much more cognizant of what I am doing and endeavor to make better choices. I refuse to enter my 50's with my health compromised.  As I said in my Details page I want to retire and live a very active life for decades to come!