Improvement is Inspiring

This week I decided to train to run a 5K.  I thought Thanksgiving morning would be adequate enough target.  Still looking for a race, though.  I narrowed it down from three to two...

Three running work outs, and I am already seeing improvements.
Week 1 Day 1:













Week 1 Day 2:


Week 1 Day 3:


It really helps me stay inspired to see how my results are improving.  Keep in mind this includes warm up and cool down.  The walk/run ratio is 1.5:1.   I am doing it on the treadmill, so I can control my speed.  I try to go up .1 from the previous training. 

My running partner is getting old, so I don't want to tax her too much.  I can tell she is starting to get stiff in her back hips, but she does not let on that it is bothering her.  She recently turned 10 and refuses to act her age.  She is hyper and anxious, and usually happy to be on a leash next to me...except when she sees a rabbit or another dog...

Recap Update Repeat

Recap: 5/23/2013 - I hit a major milestone in my adult life.  I hit my goal weight.  This is the smallest I have been in my adult life.  I weighed in at 150.

Update: Fast forward to now.  I have gained 10 pounds.  Life threw me for a loop in the past 4ish months.  So many things changed for me in the past three and a half months. I thought it would be easier at my "goal weight" to navigate through all the changes - a move, a new job (longer commute, different hours), and other major life changes. What I really learned, is you need to keep with it.  You can't abandon what is working for you and expect nothing to change.  You don't suddenly become an expert or resilient to weight gain, because you have reached your goal weight.  You still have to work your new lifestyle.  You still have to plan in your new lifestyle.  You still have to accept failure in your new lifestyle.

So here I am, standing up, and brushing myself off.  Here is me putting one foot in front of the other and changing the way I have lived for the past 3 months.  Here is me getting back in-touch with good habits I abandoned.

Today, I tracked food and exercise for the first time in a long time ( I would say a coon's age, but I don't know if everyone knows what that means...or I could say since way back in the day...but it really hasn't been that long).
Today, I exercised for the first time in 4 months.
Today, I set goals for myself.

1. I will run a 5K around Thanksgiving.  (Readers, any suggestions on how to pick a race?  There are three in the running.  They are all at the same time, so it is not like I can say...I am going to do all three.)
2. I will lose 20 pounds by 1/1/2014. (Thanks to a dear friend for thinking and encouraging me to try to lose 10 more beyond my original goal).
3.  I will track my food and exercise everyday this week.
4. Weekly, I will plan my meals. (No more using convenience as a reason to not pack a lunch or cook dinner at home!)

I will do my best to keep you updated and me accountable.

Du da da da

5/23/2013 - I hit a major milestone in my adult life.  I hit my goal weight.  This is the smallest I have been in my adult life.

Bringing out the Swiffer

It has been awhile.  You all know my commitment to writing...

Brief recap of the past month or two.

• hit goal weight
• moved 20 minutes away
• started a new job
• fell off the healthy wagon...

So, what can I do?  Do what I do fairly well, get up, dust myself off, and get back at it.  What will I be doing to accomplish this?

• Plan out meals weeklyish
• Complete the 30 day challenge I set for myself
• Track food
• Track exercise

So what is the challenge?  It is a few challenges I saw on Pinterest combined:

April's Guns,	Buns,	and Ab	challenge
	Push ups	Plank	Squats	Leg Lifts	Dips	Supermans
1	5	10s	50	25	5	25
2	5	12s	55	30	5	30
3	7	15s	60	35	7	35
4	7	Rest	Rest	40	7	40
5	8	20s	70	45	8	45
6	9	25s	75	50	9	50
7	Rest	30s	80	55	Rest	55
8	8	Rest	Rest	60	8	60
9	9	35s	100	Rest	9	Rest
10	10	38s	105	65	10	65
11	10	42s	110	75	10	75
12	12	Rest	Rest	80	12	80
13	12	50s	130	85	12	85
14	Rest	55s	135	90	Rest	90
15	13	60s	140	95	13	95
16	15	Rest	Rest	100	15	100
17	16	65s	150	Rest	16	Rest
18	16	70s	155	100	16	100
19	19	75s	160	50	19	50
20	21	Rest	Rest	60	21	60
21	Rest	80s	180	70	Rest	70
22	23	85s	185	75	23	75
23	26	90s	190	80	26	80
24	28	Rest	Rest	85	28	85
25	30	95s	220	Rest	30	Rest
26	32	100s	225	80	32	80
27	34	110s	230	85	34	85
28	36	Rest	Rest	90	36	90
29	38	115s	240	95	38	95
30	40	120s	250	100	40	100

I did day 1 tonight.  I started with a 20 minute walk/run warm up.  I really did forget how good it feels to sweat and release all the toxins that have building up.  Now to lose those 3-5 pounds I gained....