Um....

Apparently you can gain 4 pounds in one week. 

Excuse me while I go shed a few tears of frustration.

Owe...owe....owe.

I hurt.

After running yesterday and running again this morning, I hurt.

BAD!

My body isn't used to the running yet and it sure is letting me know it's not happy.

Does anyone have a heating pad I can borrow?

Or maybe it's just old age.

Either way I need drugs.  ASAP.

Mediocrity isn't so bad.

Today was the day.

Katrina made us do a 5k on the treadmill.  I have done it before on the treadmill at the gym so I knew what it was going to be like but this time was different.  This time I....

wait for it......

RAN. That's right folks.  This time I actually ran.  

A lot.  Like 43 minutes of the 50 minutes it took to finish.

And it made me feel like running the 5k in a month is going to be possible.
I may not be the fastest fat chick on the block, but I can do it. 


At least that is what I am going to keep telling myself until I cross the finish line. 

I think I can...I think I can...I think I can....

A few items of business have been rolling around in my head today.  

1.  Day 76 and I still have a long way to go.  I am kinda nervous about this being over because my having to answer to someone else is keeping me motivated at this stage of the journey.

2.  Why do new things have to be so hard.  I am very comfortable with what I am able to do when we are at the gym with Katrina, but the second I step into a different gym I get all freaked out and have no idea what I should or need to be doing.  It makes me nervous for when this is all over.  Last weekend I took my husband with me to the gym and the local meatheads stared at the fat chick the whole time I was trying to workout because apparently I "need" to be working out but not with them around.   One guy stared at me the whole time and it made me very uncomfortable.  Jerk!

3.  I sent my weekly check in to Traci on Monday and her reply was: 

"You would be happy to know that some of the other participants have commented on how impressive your workouts are.  Way to give it your all when you're in the gym!"

I just wanted to say thanks to whomever offered the kind words.  I really made a difference in my attitude this week.

4.  I read THIS story in the news today.  It really made me sad.  It's amazing how someone flippant comment can hurt someone's feelings even when they aren't involved.  

5.  I don't think I have any shot at winning with competition, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow from it.   And also reap the benefits from my hard work.
  

Shout out...

Just a quick note to congratulate Katrina on her graduation from "the" BYU.  School, work, doing this internship and being pregnant has made the last few months pretty stressful.  

Thanks for putting up with me, your hard work and kind words over the last 75 days.  

Now go take a nap!!!!

Celebrating Mediocrity

One of my favorite Disney movies is The Incredible's.   I love the idea of having secret superpowers.  When I was little I always wanted to be able to fly or make myself invisible. 

Are wondering why I am talking about some random kids movie?  One of my favorite exchanges in the movie comes when Bob and Helen are taking about Dash and his 4th grade graduation...

               Bob Parr: It's not a graduation. He's moving from the 4th grade to the 5th grade.
               Helen Parr: It's a ceremony.
               Bob Parr: It's psychotic! They keep creating new ways to celebrate mediocrity.

Well...today folks we are celebrating mediocrity. 

At least I am.  You can join if you would like.

Yesterday I went running.  Scratch that...I tried to run.   I have never EVER been a runner.  To be honest, I HATE RUNNING.  I always thought people who run "for fun" were (are) crazy.  But yesterday I tried and today I am celebrating.  It's been along time since I can say I actually ran.  But yesterday at the gym I ran. Now before you get all excited and want to jump for joy with me, I have to admit I only ran 3/4 of a mile.  The legacy center has an indoor track that is an 1/8 mile track.  Yesterday I  ran 6 out of 8 of laps. 

{{{{{{{{Are you doing cartwheels down the hall yet?}}}}}}}}}}}

The reason that I am celebrating my mediocrity is because before the 100HC, I don't think I could have even run 1/2 a lap let alone 6 of them.   It actually felt good to be able to run (even if it is at a snails pace) and to be able to pass people on the track.  I felt like maybe there is hope for me after all.

So today I celebrate a small achievment and hope maybe someday I can run a whole mile...or two.



(I think I will celebrate by eating a cookie.....)

Kinda freaking out....

Today is day 69.

I think I need another 100 days or so to make sure that I am going to be able to do this on my own.

In other news, I lifted weights with my husband over the weekend.  I had a great time spending time with him and working out.  Since he's not my partner in this challenge he was surprised at some of the stuff I am able to do. The biggest surprise came when I was able to bench press 120 pounds for 10 reps.  I was proud of myself.  I probably could have done more if my arms weren't so tired from the other things that I had done.  I haven't lifted a ton of free weights since we started doing this because I go to the gym by myself but I think now I have gotten a taste of what I am able to do I kind of want to do some more and see what all I can do.  I guess we are going to start having date night at the gym.

Last week was Spring Break and we spent the weekend at my in-laws.  I had a great time even if I did eat too much popcorn. I was able to go walking with my MIL in the development they live in.  We walked from their house down to the entrance of the development and back.  The thing about it is they live in Mountain Green up in the mountains.  The walking path we took was about 3 miles roundtrip with  several hundred feet elevation change to the bottom.  I walked the same thing last summer and had to stop several times because my legs hurt, but this time I made it.  I enjoyed being able to hike back to their house and feel like my lungs weren't on fire or that my legs were going to fall off.  It was good to accomplish something that was so hard the last time I did it.  And I was excited because we did the whole thing in 47 minutes.  

I still continue to lose weight, just not at the rate I would like.  So far I have lost about 15 pounds and I have lost several inches from my waist but still would like to lose some more before we finish up.  I am going to start running on the treadmill or track more to prepare (usually I just stick to the elliptical) for our 5K.  I really would like to finish the 5K in 40-45 minutes.  I think if I work hard on the running part I can come close to that number.

I know I have made several changes for the good am feeling better everyday.  

New, different and delicious.

I have been cruising the internets (as my mom likes to call it) looking for new, different and delicious food and last night I made my family try something totally different.  And they loved it.

Zucchini Pizza Boat.
(That is what I am calling them.)

I took a zucchini, cut it half and took the seeds out.  I filled the boat with a little pizza sauce (about 2T.) threw some cheese on next (about 1T.) and top it with our favorite pizza toppings and baked at 350* until the zucchini was soft (about 30 minutes).
I loved them and the kids loved them too.  The two older boys ate two which was an entire zucchini.  I made mine with tomatoes and fresh basil and they were delicious.    I love pizza and this was a great alternative to the crazy carb and calorie filled cousin.  

Small changes=big changes in the long run.  
  

The best you can.

Today was one of those days.   You know  those days.


My kids are home on Spring Break and they were making sure I knew they were home together.   They are good kids, but sometimes they need a break from each other. 

Today I felt like that with my workout.  I worked out for 90 minutes everyday last week and today I just couldn't do it.  I got to the gym and didn't have "it" in me.  I got on the elliptical and went as long as I could  but after a few minutes,  I realized the gym and I needed a day away from each other.  I worked hard for the 35 minutes and was happy I got that much done.  I got sweaty and nasty and I my body could tell I got some kind of workout.  As I drove home I thought about how much time I have been at the gym and realized it was ok to take today off.  I just couldn't do it for 90 minutes today.

I think I need to remember to just do the best I can everyday everything will fall into place whether I am at the gym 90 minutes or 30 minutes. 

Grumble...Grumble...Grumble....and some info.

Hello Friends.

I thought I would give you a little peak at what I have been up to regarding my workout.  I think I am learning to enjoy going, but really dread it every day.  I look forward to the time away from my kids, but end up feeling totally guilty about leaving them with my husband for so long.  On the days that I work out with Katrina I am gone for about 3 hours and the days that I go by myself I am gone for about 2 hours.  I think they feel like I have abandoned them, but I know that I am doing this for the right reason.  I want want to be healthy.  I want to be fit.  But most of all I want my kids to know that I am doing this for them.  I want to be with them for as long as I can and being overweight and unhealthy will shorten our time together. 

So my workouts for this week have included:
Monday-90 minutes with Katrina.  (Hi Katrina, thanks for hanging with us.  Now get back to work.)
Tuesday-90 minutes at the gym.  60 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the bike.
Wednesday-75 minutes at the gym. 45 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the bike.  (I cut my workout short because I had to get to Relief Society.)
Thursday-90 minutes at the gym.  60 minutes on the elliptical and 30 minutes on the bike.
Friday-90 minutes with Katrina.  (I complained to much on Friday.  Sorry Katrina.)
Saturday-90 minutes at the gym.  30 minutes on the treadmill, 15 minutes on the bike and 45 minutes on the elliptical.

I feel like I am doing well.  I am getting stronger and my energy is up, but after all of this working out guess how much weight I lost this week?  2 pounds?  5 pounds? 

.
.
.
.
.
.
.

NONE!!!!!
No weight loss....so frustrating!!!!!!!!!
So I am going to push on and hope someday I drop some LBS.  

Now on to bigger and better things....
I know I have a few people who read this who aren't participants of the challenge so I thought I would post the info about our 5K. 
Please join us run our little hearts out (I don't know how much running will be done by me but I will finish the 5K in a decent time.   I am putting my money on Mark or Cressent to win out of our Challenge group.)  So if you want to join in a good cause go HERE to register.  We would love to have you.  Just one rule...you can't laugh at me....
 

Size 14

My Wedding Day Dec. 2000

 

 

 

The last time I bought something that was a size 14 it was my wedding dress 10 1/2 years ago.  I fluctuated between a 12 and 14 for about 2 years before I got married.   After I got married I gained 40 pounds in about 8 months.  In a nutshell, the reason for my weight gain was inactivity and what I ate.  My husband and I worked opposite shifts when we first got married leaving me home alone 6 nights a week.  After sitting at a desk at my job, I would come home and sit by myself and eat.  When I got pregnant with our first son I weighed just a few pounds shy of 200 pounds and with each addition to our family my waistline has grown as well. 

After having our third son I was reading in the newspaper about how popular skydiving was becoming again.  I wanted to do it.  I wanted to jump from a plane and enjoy the rush of adrenaline and everything that came with it.  The only problem....my weight.  They have a strict weight limit to be able to jump and I was well over the limit.  I mentioned something about it to my mom one day and her response was "If you lose 60 pounds I will pay for you to do."  It was great motivation and I thought it would be a great way to celebrate my upcoming 30th birthday.  Well, my birthday came and went without that magically freeing dive.  In the 6 months before my birthday I had only lost about 10 pounds.  

Are you wondering where I am going with this??

The other day I started thinking about that conversation I had with my mom two years ago.  I was having a hard time staying motivated.  My weight loss has not been what I would like it to be.  I know I have been working hard at the gym and trying to eat better.  I need something to look forward to.  Something I can work towards.  So while at my mom's house the other night I got up the nerve to talk to her about it again.  I asked her if the offer still stood.  Her response to me was "I will pay for it when you can fit into a size 14."    Now I know that bribery isn't always the best way to get thing a done, but I am going to take this and run.  I want to go skydiving, but I just don't want to pay for it. 
I know I have a long road ahead of me still, but now I have something to look forward to...

P.S.  Does anyone want to join me?

Spice up dinner (and other meals).

Part of this journey has become about finding new and better food.  New things that are delicious AND healthy.  I like food, but I like good and different food even better. 

So my question for you out in blogland:  What kind of delicious healthy food are you giving your family? 

I need some new and exciting recipes to get me through the next 45 days.