I just recieved a phone call from my dear SIL (who accompanied me in the 2 mile fun run last August) who was calling to notify me that she had heard of a Valentine's Day 5k on February 13 that she wants to do, and asked if I would do it with her!
Look to the left -----> and you will see a precious little widget that I just added to our blog. It's official. I was extremely hesitant but I just paid the registration fees for my husband and I and we are ON! No turning back now!! And my SIL is currently in the process of talking her hubby into it as well.
I also called my Dr. today to see when exactly I could start jogging again and they said TODAY. A week ago, actually! It turns out that I only HAD to wait 4 weeks rather than 6 like I thought. Both with upper body strength training, and jogging. This Friday will be my 6 week mark, so I am going to start up jogging tonight at my cardio class! I'm super nervous about this 5k considering it is IN A MONTH, but I think this is just the kick in the pants I needed to get going again!
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label motivation. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Friday, September 11, 2009
One year anniversary
Today marks my 1 year anniversary in this journey towards a new healthy lifestyle! I am happy to be able to say that I have lost exactly 30.0 lbs in the past year. Wow. If I am being completely honest I have to say that I never thought that was possible for me. And while I do really wish that I had tried harder, been more dedicated, and lost more weight, I am also very happy with having any loss at all. The biggest and most important lesson that I have learned in the past year is that I CAN DO IT. I really can lose weight if I will just try. And that's a really great lesson as far as I am concerned, because I honest to goodness didn't know if it was possible before.
So in honor of my anniversary, I will share my stats from one year ago, and from today.
So in honor of my anniversary, I will share my stats from one year ago, and from today.
9/11/08
207.8 lbs.
waist- 38 in.
hips- 46 in.
arms- 14 in.
thighs- 28 in.
bust-42 in.
ribs - 38 in.
9/11/09
177.8 lbs.
waist- 34 in.
hips- 42.5 in.
arms- 14 in.
thighs- left= 26 in. right= 26.5 in.
bust- 40 in.
ribs- 35.5 in.
Total loss of 30 lbs.
and 15.5 inches.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Getting Fit: Motivation
I wanted to post this here as something that I could look back on when I am struggling with motivation and dedication. It's from a dailySpark blog at SparkPeople.com.
Lately anything that talks about races and running really gets my blood pumping! Every now and then I get back to this basic mode of thinking- Screw getting skinny! Forget wearing smaller clothes and turning heads... I just want to feel good. I want to be able to run. I want to bike. I want to go for long hikes and walk up hilly streets without getting winded, I want to feel how strong my muscles are getting because of all the hard work I've done... That's what this is all about. I'm doing this for me and not anybody else. Anyway I loved this blog. I also really liked the idea of the mini triathlon! I never knew they did them so small, but I see that being something really fun to work towards.
Again, the following is from a blog (not my blog) at Sparkpeople.com.
"I've found a quick fix for motivation/body image issues! Want to know what it is?
Sign up for a race.
Mine is a long story, but I promise, it’ll make perfect sense, so bear with me! I started my weight loss journey after my fiancé, Kyle, proposed on December 27, 2007. I had always been thin and fairly active (hiking, yoga, rafting, skiing), and had never really watched what I ate.
As the years went on and my metabolism slowed, I gradually increased in my dress size, first from a size 4 to a size 6 in college, then from a size 6 to an 8/10 in graduate school. When Kyle proposed, I began to realize that my body wasn't what it used to be, and I wanted to look perfect for my wedding in August 2009. I knew what I had to do: eat right and exercise.
Diet pills really weren’t an option—I wanted to make a lifestyle change and didn’t want a quick fix (a pill) to fix the problem that could lead to more trouble down the road (a screwed-up metabolism). So I joined a gym with my good friend Alie, and signed up for the free session with a personal trainer at the gym. I showed up at the gym in my cute little yoga top and bottoms, fully expecting the trainer to tell me, “You don't need to lose weight! You look GREAT!" I got the shock of my life and started to cry when I stepped on the scale: 184. My driver's license (from high school, mind you), said I weighed 150 pounds. I was shocked and angry at myself that I had slowly piled on 34 pounds over the years. My BMI was at 25, directly on the border of healthy and overweight. How could I have let myself get out of control--I didn't even own a scale!
After a rigorous workout with the trainer, Erin, I hired her for 12 training sessions. You'd think that paying for a personal trainer and losing weight for your wedding would provide some motivation to get on the wagon, right? Wrong. Though Erin was amazing, 12 sessions divided over six weeks wasn't enough to get my body back on track. I was working out pretty hard and hungry ALL THE TIME, and was consistently erasing my hard work at the gym by overeating at home (and yup--you CAN overeat on the healthy stuff, too!). I did lose some weight and body fat, but the best thing I gained from Erin was learning how to run.
For my entire life, I HATED to run, but it wasn't until I hired Erin that I realized why: I was running wrong. I'd hit the ground with the ball of my foot first instead of the heel. Though I didn't LOVE it, I felt like after my training sessions, I could actually run with little pain, and was beginning to enjoy it. During our training sessions, Erin was training for Robie Creek, the toughest half marathon in the West. I'd always wanted to race; I had a friend who was a member of "The Breakfast Club," which was a group of friends that would get together every Sunday morning for breakfast and a marathon training run.
Each year, they picked a different marathon to do. The walls of her living room were covered with posters from those marathons (signed by all the members of the Breakfast Club, of course). I always thought that was so neat, and such an accomplishment, but when I was working out with my trainer, I felt like there was no way I could ever do one. I kept up with my workouts, but it wasn't until I joined Spark People last July that I really started to see results. I knew what to eat and how much for the first time. That alone was worthwhile. I learned about balance and moderation. I entered every bit of food I put into my mouth.
As the weight started to come off (I'm at 157, with a goal weight of 140 for my wedding), I started to think I might be able to do a race someday. Kyle was training for the Ironman 70.3, and I was always inspired by his dedication. This sounds TOTALLY cheesy, but when I was watching a recent season of The Biggest Loser, I was SUPER inspired by Helen. Here was this 48-year-old woman, who, three months before was obese, finishing a MARATHON. I said to myself that if she could do it, I could do it.
During the commercial break, I signed up for my first 5K. My new-year's resolution morphed from a rather ambiguous "lose weight and look perfect" to "run a 5K and a 10K in 2009; do a half marathon and a marathon in 2010." After trying to lose weight for 15 months, you can get pretty burned out from the diet restrictions and exercising all the time. I found that when I was training for that 5K, it was easier to focus. Working out had a purpose and the purpose was to prove to myself that I could do it. Fifteen months ago, I couldn't do 20 minutes on the treadmill without feeling like I was going to die. On May 16, I ran 3.1 miles in 33 minutes, and never felt prouder of anything in my life. I know that 3.1 miles isn't very far, but it was the first step to accomplishing my goals. After I crossed that finish line, I had my own Biggest Loser moment. This time last year, I had told Kyle I couldn't do what I just did. Now, eight weeks out from my wedding, I'm training for my first triathlon (just a mini-one: 1/4-mile swim, 5-mile bike, 2-mile run). It's no Ironman, but it’s a start.
Speaking of Ironman, Kyle finished the 70.3 miler (1.3-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, and 13-mile run!) in 6:08. After the race, as I was collecting Kyle’s bags and his bicycle, I met a really friendly man in his mid-60s. He had placed first in his age division—the 55 and older group. He told me he just started running three years ago, and just started doing triathlons two years ago. Now here he was, mid-60s, placing first in his age group on a 70.3 mile race! Again I thought to myself, “If he can do it, I can do it!”
Since I’ve been training for my 5K and my mini-triathlon, I’ve eased up on myself a little and am beginning to appreciate my body for all it can do--how fast it can go, how hard it can work--flaws and all. I’m far from perfect, but training for races has given me an appreciation for my body the way it is, now, not in 15 pounds, not in a dress size. And all this training will undoubtedly help me reach my goal weight and look FANTASTIC for my wedding. It’s just amazing—and encouraging—to look at what I can do now and what I’m capable of now versus where I was a year ago. And that’s more than I could say 15 months ago. Training for a race isn’t about coming in first; it’s about dedicating yourself to finishing, and proving to yourself that you can do it.
Admittedly, I wanted to lose weight for my wedding and look “perfect” to impress other people (but don’t we all?). No wonder I’ve lost my motivation! But with racing, I feel like I’m doing it just for ME. I’m doing it to prove to the 184-pound version of me that there was a 140-pound person hiding under there and that that person is capable of anything. I’m doing it to prove to myself that I’ll NEVER be that heavy again. I’m doing it to prove I can put in the time, dedicate myself to finishing, and know I can do it. I’m doing it to prove I can, to prove I’m worth it—to myself. And that’s an empowering feeling, something no one can ever take away from me. And that’s more than I could say 15 months ago."
Lately anything that talks about races and running really gets my blood pumping! Every now and then I get back to this basic mode of thinking- Screw getting skinny! Forget wearing smaller clothes and turning heads... I just want to feel good. I want to be able to run. I want to bike. I want to go for long hikes and walk up hilly streets without getting winded, I want to feel how strong my muscles are getting because of all the hard work I've done... That's what this is all about. I'm doing this for me and not anybody else. Anyway I loved this blog. I also really liked the idea of the mini triathlon! I never knew they did them so small, but I see that being something really fun to work towards.
Again, the following is from a blog (not my blog) at Sparkpeople.com.
"I've found a quick fix for motivation/body image issues! Want to know what it is?
Sign up for a race.
Mine is a long story, but I promise, it’ll make perfect sense, so bear with me! I started my weight loss journey after my fiancé, Kyle, proposed on December 27, 2007. I had always been thin and fairly active (hiking, yoga, rafting, skiing), and had never really watched what I ate.
As the years went on and my metabolism slowed, I gradually increased in my dress size, first from a size 4 to a size 6 in college, then from a size 6 to an 8/10 in graduate school. When Kyle proposed, I began to realize that my body wasn't what it used to be, and I wanted to look perfect for my wedding in August 2009. I knew what I had to do: eat right and exercise.
Diet pills really weren’t an option—I wanted to make a lifestyle change and didn’t want a quick fix (a pill) to fix the problem that could lead to more trouble down the road (a screwed-up metabolism). So I joined a gym with my good friend Alie, and signed up for the free session with a personal trainer at the gym. I showed up at the gym in my cute little yoga top and bottoms, fully expecting the trainer to tell me, “You don't need to lose weight! You look GREAT!" I got the shock of my life and started to cry when I stepped on the scale: 184. My driver's license (from high school, mind you), said I weighed 150 pounds. I was shocked and angry at myself that I had slowly piled on 34 pounds over the years. My BMI was at 25, directly on the border of healthy and overweight. How could I have let myself get out of control--I didn't even own a scale!
After a rigorous workout with the trainer, Erin, I hired her for 12 training sessions. You'd think that paying for a personal trainer and losing weight for your wedding would provide some motivation to get on the wagon, right? Wrong. Though Erin was amazing, 12 sessions divided over six weeks wasn't enough to get my body back on track. I was working out pretty hard and hungry ALL THE TIME, and was consistently erasing my hard work at the gym by overeating at home (and yup--you CAN overeat on the healthy stuff, too!). I did lose some weight and body fat, but the best thing I gained from Erin was learning how to run.
For my entire life, I HATED to run, but it wasn't until I hired Erin that I realized why: I was running wrong. I'd hit the ground with the ball of my foot first instead of the heel. Though I didn't LOVE it, I felt like after my training sessions, I could actually run with little pain, and was beginning to enjoy it. During our training sessions, Erin was training for Robie Creek, the toughest half marathon in the West. I'd always wanted to race; I had a friend who was a member of "The Breakfast Club," which was a group of friends that would get together every Sunday morning for breakfast and a marathon training run.
Each year, they picked a different marathon to do. The walls of her living room were covered with posters from those marathons (signed by all the members of the Breakfast Club, of course). I always thought that was so neat, and such an accomplishment, but when I was working out with my trainer, I felt like there was no way I could ever do one. I kept up with my workouts, but it wasn't until I joined Spark People last July that I really started to see results. I knew what to eat and how much for the first time. That alone was worthwhile. I learned about balance and moderation. I entered every bit of food I put into my mouth.
As the weight started to come off (I'm at 157, with a goal weight of 140 for my wedding), I started to think I might be able to do a race someday. Kyle was training for the Ironman 70.3, and I was always inspired by his dedication. This sounds TOTALLY cheesy, but when I was watching a recent season of The Biggest Loser, I was SUPER inspired by Helen. Here was this 48-year-old woman, who, three months before was obese, finishing a MARATHON. I said to myself that if she could do it, I could do it.
During the commercial break, I signed up for my first 5K. My new-year's resolution morphed from a rather ambiguous "lose weight and look perfect" to "run a 5K and a 10K in 2009; do a half marathon and a marathon in 2010." After trying to lose weight for 15 months, you can get pretty burned out from the diet restrictions and exercising all the time. I found that when I was training for that 5K, it was easier to focus. Working out had a purpose and the purpose was to prove to myself that I could do it. Fifteen months ago, I couldn't do 20 minutes on the treadmill without feeling like I was going to die. On May 16, I ran 3.1 miles in 33 minutes, and never felt prouder of anything in my life. I know that 3.1 miles isn't very far, but it was the first step to accomplishing my goals. After I crossed that finish line, I had my own Biggest Loser moment. This time last year, I had told Kyle I couldn't do what I just did. Now, eight weeks out from my wedding, I'm training for my first triathlon (just a mini-one: 1/4-mile swim, 5-mile bike, 2-mile run). It's no Ironman, but it’s a start.
Speaking of Ironman, Kyle finished the 70.3 miler (1.3-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride, and 13-mile run!) in 6:08. After the race, as I was collecting Kyle’s bags and his bicycle, I met a really friendly man in his mid-60s. He had placed first in his age division—the 55 and older group. He told me he just started running three years ago, and just started doing triathlons two years ago. Now here he was, mid-60s, placing first in his age group on a 70.3 mile race! Again I thought to myself, “If he can do it, I can do it!”
Since I’ve been training for my 5K and my mini-triathlon, I’ve eased up on myself a little and am beginning to appreciate my body for all it can do--how fast it can go, how hard it can work--flaws and all. I’m far from perfect, but training for races has given me an appreciation for my body the way it is, now, not in 15 pounds, not in a dress size. And all this training will undoubtedly help me reach my goal weight and look FANTASTIC for my wedding. It’s just amazing—and encouraging—to look at what I can do now and what I’m capable of now versus where I was a year ago. And that’s more than I could say 15 months ago. Training for a race isn’t about coming in first; it’s about dedicating yourself to finishing, and proving to yourself that you can do it.
Admittedly, I wanted to lose weight for my wedding and look “perfect” to impress other people (but don’t we all?). No wonder I’ve lost my motivation! But with racing, I feel like I’m doing it just for ME. I’m doing it to prove to the 184-pound version of me that there was a 140-pound person hiding under there and that that person is capable of anything. I’m doing it to prove to myself that I’ll NEVER be that heavy again. I’m doing it to prove I can put in the time, dedicate myself to finishing, and know I can do it. I’m doing it to prove I can, to prove I’m worth it—to myself. And that’s an empowering feeling, something no one can ever take away from me. And that’s more than I could say 15 months ago."
Thursday, April 2, 2009
I'm no April Fool
Well I weighed myself this morning, at 183.8. It just blows my mind but I know its a REAL loss and that I deserve it because I have been working so hard for it. I've been eating amazingly well the last couple weeks, and my 'normal' routine on the elliptical is now 60 minutes. Last night I actually did 71 minutes!! To be honest, getting through a full hour is murder, but I know in my heart that I'm able to do it, and that keeps me going until the end.
I am just feeling SO good. This morning I counted my workout minutes for March. I had blogged back at the beginning of the month that I wanted to make it to 1,200 fitness minutes. Well guess what?! I exceeded that by MORE than 400 minutes! It's true! I worked out for a total of 1,643 minutes last month!! That's TWENTY SEVEN hours!!! Thinking about that blows my mind. I truly don't feel like I was a slave to my workout or anything, I just made it happen, and it's paying off. Pretty darn happy about that.
I am just feeling SO good. This morning I counted my workout minutes for March. I had blogged back at the beginning of the month that I wanted to make it to 1,200 fitness minutes. Well guess what?! I exceeded that by MORE than 400 minutes! It's true! I worked out for a total of 1,643 minutes last month!! That's TWENTY SEVEN hours!!! Thinking about that blows my mind. I truly don't feel like I was a slave to my workout or anything, I just made it happen, and it's paying off. Pretty darn happy about that.
Tonight we are going to a fabulous Mexican place with John's family, and I won't have time to workout. My plan is to take my lunch time walk as usual, eat a banana before dinner so I don't have the urge to binge on chips and salsa, and whatever I order I will ask for them to bring me half of it in a to-go box. Then I will send that half with John for his lunch tomorrow. Sounds like a plan to me!!
Today I'm wearing an Express button down top. As seen below!
Today I'm wearing an Express button down top. As seen below!
John's mom bought me 2 of these tops for my birthday (one purple and one white) 2 years ago, because I had just started my new job as a teller and needed some nice clothes. Well unfortunately they were a little tight so I rarely wore them. I probably wore each of them 2 times in the past 2 years?? Anyway, I put on the purple one this morning and it's fitting like a glove. It feels/looks great! And John commented about how saggy my pants are, in the butt. He said that I'd have to make a big haul to the D.I. soon, to get rid of my bigger clothes. However being the frugal woman that I am, I plan to keep all my 'fat girl' clothes so that I can wear them when I get pregnant. Just to save money, ya know?
Anyway, that was just a lot of rambling, but I'm feeling really great about all of this. I mentioned to Stephanie the other night that in this journey of weight loss, I have finally come to accept the fact that there WILL be times when we fall off the wagon. It's just a fact that it's going to happen at some point or another. The only thing that really matters is that we get back up one more time than we fall. I don't think that statement could be any more true!!
I'll end on a very happy note, that I found the most AMAZING and simple chicken recipe, and have officially discovered my new favorite thing to top rice. Keep in mind that I've never been a huge fan of balsamic vinegar, but this stuff is amazing, and as easy as can be!
1 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
Combine first 3 ingredients; sprinkle over both sides of chicken.
Anyway, that was just a lot of rambling, but I'm feeling really great about all of this. I mentioned to Stephanie the other night that in this journey of weight loss, I have finally come to accept the fact that there WILL be times when we fall off the wagon. It's just a fact that it's going to happen at some point or another. The only thing that really matters is that we get back up one more time than we fall. I don't think that statement could be any more true!!
I'll end on a very happy note, that I found the most AMAZING and simple chicken recipe, and have officially discovered my new favorite thing to top rice. Keep in mind that I've never been a huge fan of balsamic vinegar, but this stuff is amazing, and as easy as can be!
Honey Balsamic Chicken
Ingredients:
1 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp olive oil
1lb chicken breast
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp honey
Combine first 3 ingredients; sprinkle over both sides of chicken.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add chicken; cook 7 to 8 minutes on each side or until chicken is done.
Transfer chicken to a platter; keep warm.
Reduce heat to medium-low; add vinegar and honey to pan. Simmer 1 minute or until glaze thickens; stir constantly.
Pour glaze over chicken.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 chicken breast half). Number of Servings: 4
Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user LAUR986.
Nutritional Info
Fat: 2.6g
Carbohydrates: 10.1g
Calories:173.3
Protein: 26.3g
Fat: 2.6g
Carbohydrates: 10.1g
Calories:173.3
Protein: 26.3g
Like I said, I'm not usually a fan of balsamic vinegar, but the contrast between the sweet of the honey, and the sour of the vinegar is just delicious! The glaze was great over the chicken, but I thought it was even better over the brown rice we had with it! This is going to become a staple in our house, anytime we need something to top a little brown rice. Not to mention the glaze literally takes ONE MINUTE to prepare, and it's still sooo yummy!
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