Blaahhhh

I think I have hit the first big obstacle to my motivation. Yesterday my ipod stopped working and after 16 hours of trying all the tips and tricks I could find to fix it I finally had to admit that it is broken and it isn't coming back. There are several reasons this is affects my motivation. First, I can't finish the couch to 5K podcasts (and I was really enjoying them). Second, when I don't have music I feel like I run slower and I get bored faster. Third, I have the Nike+ accessory so I always had an indicator of how fast I was moving and how far I was jogging.

I still woke up early and headed out for exercise... running for awhile, walking for awhile and repeating, timing myself for thirty minutes of intervals and a five minute cool down walk. I just feel less motivated. I need the music to keep my pace, I need the podcast to have that goal to work toward, and I need the information to have a reward. I will keep running and follow the program as much as I can (at least until I can afford to replace my ipod, but I have a big vacation coming up soon). I just have to force the motivation a little more than I did before.

Biking

I started week three of couch to 5K this morning and it went great, I made it through the entire podcast in one try. I was feeling rather proud of myself so I decided to get a little more exercise this afternoon. I figured it would be fun the take my bike some place. When I started out on my bike there was a breeze coming at me but I figured it would get better... well it didn't. As it turns out a chubby girl on bicycle isn't very aerodynamic. The wind pushing against me made it feel like I was peddling up hill the entire distance. When I did actually come to a hill I think I may have technically died for a few seconds. I went and said hello to my mom, took a trip to the mall, and ended up going to see the movie "The Ugly Truth" (It was cute if you like that "boy meets girl...etc.." type of movie). With the wind at my back the trip home was breeze (I apologize for the awful pun... feel free to groan). It may have been difficult but I didn't quit and just turn around, even though I contemplated that idea about every 15 seconds.

Hope you are all having a fantastic week.

hunger

Before I started dieting I never wanted to eat breakfast. Reason one: I don't really care for breakfast foods. Reason two: I wasn't hungry at breakfast. Although, to be honest, before I started dieting I don't know if I was ever hungry I just ate when I felt like eating and/or when I thought it was time to eat. Now I actually get hungry, I want to eat in the morning because instead of filling my plate with 3-4 servings of pasta the night before I had one serving of whole wheat pasta with fruits and vegetables filling the rest of my plate. I skip the late night ice cream or cake sugar fix and now I wake up in the morning with energy. I want to get up and start moving (typically I do my couch to 5K) and guess what? I am actually hungry in the morning.

Weigh in Day

Week three weigh-in...

Just to recap, starting weigh 264, week 1 259, week 2 258.

I got on the scale this morning and was pleasantly surprised... 250.2.
That means 7.8 pounds vanished this week!
What a great way to start the week!

Thank you Endorphins

Back at work this weekend and all night I kept thinking to myself... I will be way too tired to do the Couch to 5K in morning. I surprised myself when I rode my bike home from work I felt invigorated (don't you just love endorphins?). So I put on my running shoes and took the short walk to my favorite path. I have a couple more days for week two and then on to week three. It's still difficult for me to believe that I will be able to run for 20 or 30 minutes at a stretch but I will be testing myself in the upcoming weeks. I don't think I have ever (never in my life) run for 20 minutes without stopping. I remember doing the "fitness test" in junior high gym class our perky, blond, and athlete coach timing us as we ran around the track four times. My method of making it the full mile was to walk about 3/4 of laps. I am pretty sure I got lapped at least once, probably twice.

Weigh in day is tomorrow morning. Wish me luck.

yummy yummy yummy

I just had a very yummy dinner... if you have been craving something creamy and cheesy you should try this it won't ruin your diet but your tastebuds will think you did. This idea came from the current weight watchers magazine (not really a recipe just a comment in one of the success stories). To a skillet I added 2T of vegetable broth, heated it on high heat until it was boiling. Then I added half a bag of spinach and cooked it on high heat. When it was almost done I added one wedge of low-lat laughing cow cheese and let it melt. It was so creamy and cheesy it made a great side dish to my veggie burger and fruit. With only 15 calories in the broth, 20 calories in the spinach and 35 calories in the cheese that is a 70 calorie side dish that tastes like 200 calories. Go ahead try it... Well... What are you waiting for?

Running went well this morning and I must have put on about 8 miles walking around town today. I had my littlest niece today (see is a very cute 1 1/2) and she loves to go for walks. We wouldn't be back at the house for 30 minutes and she would be pointing outside and asking to go again... and as her aunt I reserve the right to spoil her and do whatever she asks me to do.

Day 1 Week 2

Started the second week of couch to 5K and it went better than I expected, I didn't have to pause the podcast to catch my breath and I ran for all of the 90 second intervals. It is surprising how much longer 90 seconds feels than 60 seconds when you're running. I have also added an arm workout to my routine in my new quest to get Jillian Michaels arms... it is three sets of seven exercises every other day (Lateral Pull Down, Upright Row, Bicep Curl, Triceps Kickback, Lateral Raise, Front Raise, and Butterflye).

Lastly, for today, I am looking to accumulate a collection of songs that are great for working out. So I am wondering what is your favorite work-out song(s)?

Low-Fat Tuesday

This morning, after my fourth couch to 5k, I decided I feel great. When the voice came through my ear phones and asked, "Are you ready for the final run interval?" I no longer wanted to reach through my ipod and smack that guy across the face. I actually was ready to run and I did... through each interval without having to hit the pause button to catch my breath. So when I got home I logged onto itunes and put the second week of couch to 5K on my playlist . I am going to start week two tomorrow morning. I thought it would take me a couple more days but I think I am ready. I will see how it goes. Today I also made some healthy vegetable soup. I never use a recipe I just through whatever fresh and frozen veggies I have on hand into a pot and simmer in vegetable stock for a while. I seemed to have a lot of veggies today so I think I am going to be having soup for the rest of the week... or maybe month (there is a lot).

plans are changin...

I had a healthy weekend of hiking and biking planned, but it didn't quite turn out that way. On Friday I got a phone call asking if I could watch my niece for the weekend. Of course I said yes because I love that girl. I don't, however, think she would make a great hiking companion. Instead we went to the zoo in the morning (we did hike it up to the top of the observation tower which was a bit of a struggle for me but she ran right up with no problem). In the evening we had a tea party for her and a couple of her friends. Sunday morning she went home with her dad and I was back on track doing my weekly weigh-in and day three of couch to 5k.

OK.. the details. The weigh in was less of a success than I hoped losing only 1 pound this week... making it 258. But at least it's another pound gone and I planned about 2 pounds a week so I am still right on track. The run was great, although I am supposed to move on to the week 2 podcast I think I will do this one a couple more times this week and move on to podcast two on Friday.

Day 2 Week 1

I just finished Day 2 of the couch to 5K. Today went much better and I think it is because I was on a walking path rather than a treadmill. I made it through all the running/walking intervals without feeling like I want to quit. The only problem I have is I am not sure my form is right... when I run I feel like I could easily get a grant from the Ministry of Silly Walks (you non-Monty Python fans may not get that reference). I should ask my niece for some pointers. My niece Claire just turned twelve but she is a champion runner. I was at one of her basketball tournaments (yes, she is good at that too) watching her team warm-up. Two girls who had just finished playing came and sat on the bleachers in front of me. They were talking and putting on their street shoes when one of the girls looked up at the Clarie's team. The conversation went like this:

"Hey look. That really good runner is on that team."
"What? Where?"
"Don't you see her? She's the one who ALWAYS wins the mile. (Always was said with a lot of exasperation)
"I don't see her."
"There she is... she has the ball right now."
"Oh yeah. She's fast."

I later told the story to Claire and she got a little mischievous grin on her face and said, "I'm famous." I love that girl.

Day 1 Week 1

Today was day one of couch to 5K... after work I went to the Y and tried it on the treadmill. By minute nine my feet were protesting, "Hey this isn't the routine. We worked all day and now is the time you sit your arse and see what the Gods of Tivo suggested you watch." But my brain wouldn't let me quit. I went through two running intervals and then three. My calves started to join the protest, "Come on, that's good enough, we worked hard all day we deserve to take a break at night." But my brain wouldn't let me quit. By the time I reached the fifth and six running intervals my feet were sore and my brain said, "The feet are making some good points."

I did have to pause my ipod once and walk for a couple minutes, but then I started back up and finished the whole thing. I decided two things. First, the next time I run I am going to forgo the treadmill, I think setting my own pace instead of selecting a pace from a list may be easier. Second, I may need to do the "week one" podcast for more than one week. I will see how Friday goes.

run for fun?

This is one of my nieces, she is six years old and ran her first race this weekend. She did great and was very proud of her new running outfit and the ribbon she received when crossing the finish line.

I have been thinking about exercise today... what do I want to do, what should I do, what can I do? I was reading the Fat (free) me blog and she mentioned the couch to 5 k program. The reason I think running may be something I could get into is because my family has really gotten into running in the past couple years. They spend many weekends participating in 5K's ,10K's and half marathons. They seem to enjoy it and I enjoy going to cheer as they cross the finish line. I can only assume I would also enjoy a good cheer from the crowd. I did some poking around on itunes and found a couch to 5k program that I subscribed to. It suggests starting out with three days a week, so for "Week One" the goal is Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday for the fist podcast. I will reevaluate after week one.

Wish me luck!

Scale addict

Hello my name is Lori and I am addicted to my bathroom scale. I don't know why but all week I have been dieting and I can't walk past my scale with out stepping on it. I know what you are going to say, I am not supposed to do that because daily fluctuations can make you feel like you aren't doing as well as you really are blah blah blah. I know all this and I am going to try to stop doing that. Anyway, I talk about the scale because it is Sunday and I did my week one weigh in this morning. Can a girl get a drum roll please p-u-r-r-r-r-r-r-r. 259! I am feeling pretty great about that, 5 pounds gone. Vanished into thin air. Just as a quick side note... I have little bit of "crazy eyes" going on in this photo, I really don't look that crazy in real life.

Pick-up or work out...

I was talking to a friend about working out and I mentioned I have a membership to the YMCA, I just need to start using it. He asked, “Isn't that just a pick-up joint?” I sure hope not... and I wonder why anyone would consider looking for a potential mate at the gym. Perhaps it has some evolutionarily advantage, if you see a guy bench press 300 pounds it is more likely he can kill a buffalo with his bare hands. I don't know, but really, would you want a potential partner to see you for the first time after working out? I sure wouldn't. Then again there are “those people,” you know who I am talking about. The people I would consider a Hollywood fabrication if I hadn't seen a few of them myself. Those people who look good doing anything. Those who can work out and break only enough of a sweat to make their skin glow, the hair stays in place and they look almost normal as they sip water after kick boxing class. Those people who can cry and look all glossy eyed as a single tear falls down their cheek, and an almost unnoticeable quivering of the chin. When they laughs it is the perfect giggle, a slight tip of head not showing too many teeth. Now me on the other hand... when I work out my ponytail inevitably slips out, my face turns bright red and my tank top rides up reveling belly fat. When I cry tears are streaming down my face, my nose gets all snotty, and my eyes get puffy and blood shot. When I laugh I throw my head back and laugh out loud, I don't even try to control the snorting anymore. I am no where near the perfection of “those people” but few of us are and it is the rest of us people that make the world an interesting place.

264

Two hundred and sixty four... it's not a bad number I would like to have an extra 264 dollars in my wallet and interstate 264 goes to Virgina beach and it is the area code to a very sunny and beach filled vacation destination. However, 264 as the number that appeared on my scale this morning is definitely not great. It seems a bit daunting to say how much I have to lose since it is over 100 pounds... so while standing on my scale this morning and waiting for a number to appear between my toes I decided two things. First, I need to give myself a pedicure and second I am going to start with a smaller goal. I want to be at 240 pounds for my birthday (which is September 10th). Once I get to 240 I only have 90 pounds to lose. I don't know why it makes me feel more hopeful if my "pounds to lose" number has two digits instead of three, it just does.

A quick intro

Sometimes, when the road curves, it's one of of those scary mountain curves with no guard rail and no signs warning of the upcoming peril. Sometimes the curve is more gentle and you are well prepared for completing the journey without any physical or emotional scars to remind you of the hazards. I am not sure which type of journey this is going to be but I hope to pick up at least a few passengers along the way.

Well, enough with the goofy analogy. The purpose of setting up this blog is to document my setbacks and successes associated with losing weight. I am not intending this to be a weight loss journal in the traditional sense of the term, I won't be posting lists of what I ate today (although I may share a few recipes) and not every post will be about the scale or the treadmill (but there will be some).

Stay tuned!