I'm Back!

I ran my first 5K on September 5th! Woot! It was challenging - as it was my first road race in like 6 years and I just started seriously training for it 6 weeks ago. I wanted to die the last mile. Luckily I had Mandy cheering me on and telling me I could do it. Running on the road is a lot different than running on a treadmill in an air conditioned gym :) My goal was to do 12 minute miles and finish right under 36 minutes. I finished in 33:58 and I felt good about that. Toward the end Mandy's friend wanted to sprint to the end and Mandy was going to be nice and keep with me, but I told Mandy - Sprint for the end girl! Well, if I had known how close the finish was I would have put on the juice instead of slowing down at that point. I wasn't right in the mind by then. Hee, hee

Here's the starting line!
The Dapper Dans sang to us and Mickey and Minnie waved as we ran by.

However, I've been keeping about an 11:45 pace the past few weeks, so Mandy seriously shaved 48 seconds off of my pacing. She's a taskmaster. At one point she told me I could do it and I said - Not this fast I can't! And she said - We're not going fast, we're going slow. LOL She kept me going!

Modeling my number the night before

A couple funny stories from the day before in getting ready for the race. While the babies were napping my SIL Aunt H stayed with the kids (we had gone to the Lagoon that afternoon) and I took The Boy with me to go pick up my rack packet. So we get there and they want to charge me $8 to park by the hotel - so I say no way! And the parking guy tells me I can park at Downtown Disney and walk over. Well, it's full, so I go and park on some random street. The Boy isn't thrilled about having to walk so far, but he's champ about getting there. We get my packet no problem, but you have to go upstairs and get your shirt and goody bag. The Boy is excited to see all the Expo stuff, but the line is OUTRAGEOUS! The girl behind me has a friend call her and say he just cut the line and is coming to get her bib number too to do the same for her. When he comes back he tells me that I should seriously just cut up front - so I'm desperate and I do! Hey, I had a 3 year old with me and I only planned an hour total for this trip.

So we cut in line no problem, but we need to get back to the car. It is freakin' hot outside and The Boy is not thrilled with having to keep up with my speed walking this time. He cried the entire way back - except for the block when I carried him. SRSLY! He wanted to run on the grass the last little bit and I stepped in a grassed covered hole and fell - and he fell with me because we were holding hands. Then, once we got to the block where the car was I noticed a sign that said resident permit parking only!!!!!! What the???? So I start running because I don't see my car (come to realize I didn't know how far down the block we parked) and The Boy is running behind me screaming. He falls. Cries some more. Starts running again. Falls again. Cries some more. I'm sure we were quite the sight for those watching from their ghetto apartment windows.

I had promised him a treat, but we had no time, so I promised him something great when we got home. He was so thirsty so I grabbed him a bottle of water out of the trunk and hauled it home. Will was home by then and The Girl was awake. When get home I realize that since I'm not eating sweets/ice cream/cookies/cakes until the end of October, so we have nothing! However, we did have a bag of marshmallows with 5 left in it from Smores at the beach about a week ago. he's thrilled with that. ha! Perfect.

Later that night The Boy was talking to me about my race and he said, "I'm going to wait at the finish line and when you run through the ribbon I'll cheer for you and give you the winner's trophy!" When I explained that the race was really early and he was just going to stay home with daddy and The Girl, he was really sad. So I said I'd bring him a treat. When I hobbled in that morning with my banana and orange he freaked out and said, 'Thanks for bringing me my treats, mom!" Sweet.

Later we went swimming as a family and The Boy and I were sitting in the hot tub together. He put his elbows up on the side and says, "It sure is a wonderful day, mom." True dat.

Ok, there was the recap of my race. My next 5K is coming up October 9th and it's touted as "The Flattest, Fastest and "Funnest" 5K in the world!" So we will see if that is really true. I'd really love to beat my time of 33:58 and I think I can because I'll have a goal to work for. My goal for this race was just to finish and not die along the course. I've also committed myself to a 10K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving and a 1/2 Marathon in January. It's blowing my mind that I'm saying these kinds of things, but I'm also really excited.

My goals for this week are more water! I'm really falling down on the job in that department and I know my performance is suffering because of it. I'm still on no sweets (minus one lapse for a cupcake tasting party at Cory's on Saturday night) and plan to keep it that way until Halloween. I also want to add in more whole grains. I already do only whole grain bread - but I want to cut out the crackers and such. Hmmm . . . I'll have to work on that one.

Feeling Good

I am feeling great about my "no sweets til Halloween" goal. It makes me feel in charge of myself and stronger. Weird, huh? I ran 25 minutes straight today - Woot! I'll be ready for the 5K next weekend for sure. It's funny that when I started going to the gym and getting ready for this about 6 weeks ago that I couldn't even run 3 minutes without thinking I was going to die. The human body is amazing. I feel very blessed.

Well,

I lost the big goose egg this week. However, I couldn't expect much because I ate terribly. Oh, I avoided the sweets, but my other food choices were terrible! I also didn't increase my water intake. I did get my 3 runs in during the week and I'm shaving off seconds every time, so that's good. I'm hesitant to do this, but I think it needs to be done. I don't know how else to reach this goal of mine. Here it goes . . .

I promise myself that I will not consume any sweets (candy, cake, cookies, ice cream, etc) until October 31st.

There. I did it. There is no going back now. It just had to be done. This also means I need to stock the house with other things so that I don't fall of the wagon because the only thing in the house is a tub of sherbet. LOL

Goals for this week:
1. 3 runs + 2 elliptical days
2. 8 glasses of water a day
3. No fast food.
4. Lay off the kid snacks - fruit snacks, crackers, etc

What is it

with sweets vs my willpower. Seriously. I didn't do so hot on any of my goals this week. I did eat a few sweets during the week, I did not increase my water intake enough, and I only got 2 runs in and an elliptical day. However, I'm down another pound, so if I could just pump up the volume a little bit I know the returns would be better. This week my goals:

1. 3 runs!!!
2. No sweets M-F
3. Add 3 glasses of water to my daily intake

Since I couldn't get them right last week, let's try for this week and see what happens.

I did it!

I did 3 miles today! It took me 38:54 to do it, but I did it and I didn't die. Well, the day is young, so I still might :) I so didn't want to roll out of bed today at 5:40 to make my gym appointment and I almost didn't, but at 5:47 I decided I had to. Phew!

Last week I ok with my goals. I went to the gym 4 times and I didn't eat cookies/cakes/ice cream M-F. However, I did eat some candy during the week. Dang candy - it's my one true vice. I'm going to keep working on this one. I did move up one tier on my 5K training, so that's one goal I met. And I'm down one pound. I'm hoping for 3 lbs next week and if I keep true to my no sweets rule during the week.

This week the goals are:
1. Get three runs in and move up another tier on the 5K training.
2. Add three glasses of water a day. I have totally been stinking at drinking water.
3. No sweets/treats M-F. (notice how I cut out Saturday? LOL)

Evil Nectar

Note to self: Do not make Butter Syrup for dinner when you're trying to cut out the sweets.

Progress

I'm lucky I was already in the "get up at 6am and exercise" routine before vacation last week, so I'm happy to report that I went to the gym yesterday and today. Yesterday I got a 2.5 mile run in and today I used the recumbent bike. My plantar fasciitis has been behaving itself as of late and I don't want to aggravate it by running everyday. However, the Disneyland 5K is quickly approaching and I've got to get up to 3 miles before September 5th. I can do it.

I stocked the house with veggies and fruits and I'm doing really well at not eating cakes/cookies/ice cream Mon-Sat. However, I'm having a dickens of a time with no candy. I admit I've eaten some Hi-Chews that we got from Costco each day. So I'm going to have to work on the goal a little bit more, but I'm proud to not have eaten ice cream at all this week because I've really been craving it. Just say no. I actually had book club last night and decided not to go because I knew there we would treats and since I hadn't read the book, I knew I'd just want to snack and chat. I'm sad to have missed, but I needed to stay strong and I was feeling pretty weak last night.

The Time Has Come

. . . to start this weight loss journey and be accountable for my progress. It took me a full year after JT was born to get started. Isabella is 7 months old and I'm ready to get serious. I've lost 25 of the 45 lbs I gained with her, so I have 20 baby pounds to go. However, I still had 15 JT baby pounds to lose when I got pregnant with Isabella.

One of the random bloggers I read out in BlogLand has started a Holiday Slim Down and I'm joining. My goal for the next 15 weeks is to lose 30 lbs. I can do it. I know I can.

My goals for this week:

1. Stock the house with lots of veggies and some fruits.

2. Eat no sweets or treats Monday through Saturday.

3. Go to the gym with my gym buddy 5 days this week.

4. Move up one tier on my Couch to 5K running program.

Do you want to join me????

Goal #2 - Check

I hit 20 lbs this week! Yea! I didn't post last week because I gained 1/2lb and I was too depressed to write about it. My family had been in town for 4 days and I had eaten not so great (ie Blue Bayou, Rainforest Cafe, BJs, buttermilk syrup - you get the picture) so I didn't expect to lose, but I didn't want to gain. It has been my only step backwards since I started and I was glad that it was only a 1/2lb and not 5lbs. Phew! This week I've been exercising almost everyday and I dropped 4lbs. Wahoo!!!!! I'm still going to aerobics on T/Th at church and my friends and I have started walking on MWF in the mornings. I know that has really helped. Plus, I've been really strict on my daily point and not dipping into my Flex Points. I don't know if I will make 30lbs by my birthday on the 21st, because that means I have to lose 10lbs in 2 weeks, but if I make 25lbs I will be thrilled. I am really hoping to get to 50lbs by June. If I continue on my current route, I can do it.

So I had to go back to my original post about the weight loss journey to see what my "reward" for 20lbs is and it's a pedicure. I think I will hold off using it until the end of the month because I already had a pedicure in February using my Christmas present from my MIL.


Here are the original goals and rewards. However, I am still keeping a daily food journal, I don't make a weekly meal plan anymore, I just copy what I did in weeks previous, I'm finally exercising 5 times a week, I do eat candy and sweets M-F because I have to count the points, and I eat after The Boy goes to sleep if I have points I need to use. So, I've pretty much changed them all, but it was something good to get me started.

1. I will keep a daily food journal for one month.
2. I will make a weekly meal plan.
3. I will exercise 5 days a week for at least 30 minutes.
4. I will not eat candy or sweets Monday - Friday.
5. I will not eat french fries at all until March 21st.
6. I will not eat after The Boy goes to bed.

When I lose:
10 lbs - a movie date with mi esposo
20 lbs - pedicure
30 lbs - a new pair of pants
40 lbs - facial
50 lbs - use my gift certificate to the spa

Fantabulous!

That is how I felt today when I looked down at the scale - 3.5lbs!!!!! I guess my body is just catching up with the past couple of weeks of 1lbers:) So, I am only 3lbs from my 2nd goal, which is 20lbs. I can't remember what my "reward" is when I reach 20lbs, so I need to go and look at my original post. I'm really nervous about this long weekend with my family. We are going to be eating at the Blue Bayou and Rainforest Cafe and probably lots of snacks and junk at Disneyland. I have to stay strong, because I have yet to have a week when I gained or didn't lose anything and I'd like to keep it that way. I've been trying to eat lighter this week so that I have a few extra calories saved up. At this rate, I might even reach my goal of losing 30lbs by my birthday. That would rock and make my 28th birthay extra special. I got this $10 "The Biggest Loser 2" exercise dvd at WalMart the other day and used it for the first time on Monday. I love it! It is totally exercise I like to do AND there are like 9 workouts to choose from, so you can customize your workout. On the menu you add the workouts to your list and then it plays them in that order. Isn't that cool? You don't have to keep going back to the menu and starting over. I thought it was a great deal for $10. I went to aerobics yesterday at the church, so I'd like to do my video again today. That would put me at 3 workouts -which is my goal for the week - and I still have 3 more days when I could possibly get in a 4th.

Now, onto other matters. I am so mad! I am reading this great book called The Memory Keeper's Daughter and I am half way through it and it is due at the library today! Man! I tried to renew it online, but there is a hold on it, so I can't keep it. If my family weren't coming I would just keep it through the weekend and pay the $.25 a day fine and finish it. However, I know I won't have much time to read, which means I won't finish it, so it's not worth the fine. I already waited 2 months for the book and I hope I don't have to wait another 2 months to get it back. You must read it, if you haven't. I have like 5 books from the library that I need to read and I know they'll have to go back before I have to time to read them. I did finish River of Secrets - one of the sequels to Goose Girl. I have the other sequel, which actually comes before River, but I wanted to read it 2nd, so now I am out of order and pretty much know what happens in Enna Burning, so I don't know whether to read it or not. My friend said she didn't like Enna as much as the other two, so I am tempted to skip it for now and go onto the other books I've got. Two of them are these vampire books written by an LDS author and my sister said they were really good. She's usually a great picker of good books. She is the one that suggested I read Phantom by Susan Kay - the story of where the Phantom of the Opera comes to be - and I loved it. I just found the titles. They are Twilight and New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. I'll let you know what I think of them. However, I am still depressed about the unfinished book that I must return to the library today. ::sigh::

What Do You Mean 1 lb?

That's all I had to show this week, but hey, it's a loss. I've renewed myself to eating better on the weekends and getting in 3 workouts a week. Since I got back from Utah I have been using all of my Flex Points up on the weekend, chalking it up to good clean bonding with the hubby. However, there is no need for it and I promise this weekend will be better. I have already gotten in 2 good workouts this week, so I have today or tomorow to get one more in and I will have met my goal for the week. I am hoping this extra fortitude will earn me at least a 2lb loss next week. My family comes into town on Thursday for 2 days of fun at Disneyland and a Saturday of the beach. I already know we are eating at the Blue Bayou and the Rainforest Cafe, so need to be frugal M-W so that I can splurge a little, not too much, and still get a loss when I step on the scale two weeks from now. I can do it. I found a fun little blinkie that I want to add to the side bar if I can figure it out. I did on my family blog, so we'll see if I can get it on here too. I hope your fitness and weight loss goals are coming along. It's a war, but I am winning battles! Oh! Let me tell you, Valentine's Day was no walk in the park. I made 4 dozen sugar cookies and frosting for Mutual and I didn't eat any! I don't even think I ate a piece of candy that day. Phew! My hubby and little boy got me flowers and I thought it was very sweet. I gave my hubby a bag of Valentine treats, so he was happy because he likes treats, but mad because I tempted him:) Ha! Have a great weekend and stay strong!

He Did It!

And I screamed when he did:) He's starting to walk. Not just the 'lean, forward and grab onto to mom before I hit the ground' steps, real steps. And not just 1 or 2, 6 or 7. It is so exciting and I can't believe it happened so quickly. I taped it with my camcorder, but by the time I got my regular camera out to take a short clip, he was done with walking for the evening. His daddy didn't get to see it in person because he was still at work when The Boy went to sleep tonight. I did send him a video clip from my cell phone and that was good enough for today. I hope The Boy wakes up before he goes to work tomorrow so that he can see it in real life.

Tomorrow we've got aerobics, Wednesday is mutual, Thursday aerobics, and nothing is planned for the weekend. Maybe we'll get to go out for V-day this weekend because I know we won't be able to go out on Wednesday. We usually got out the day after anyway because it's less crowded. I hate fighting crowds. I'm trying to get the house in order this week so that next week will be less stressful. I will try and get a video with the camera tomorrow so you can all see how much the little guy is growing up.

More words he says:

soft
vrrroom (as in "what does a car say?")
boo (as in "what does a cow say?")
ruff (as in "what does a dog say?")
Oww!
peas

Hello!

So, I lost 1.5lbs last week. I forgot to post because it wasn't that exciting:) I want to lose at least 2lbs a week and so I wasn't too thrilled. However, I was happy that I lost and didn't gain. I've been really munchy this past week because of AF and so I hope this week I at least lose and not gain. I will be sure to post on Thursday with the good news.

This week I've got the Mia Maids and the Laurels for YW. I was going to dip chocolates if it was just the Laurels, but I don't want to undertake that with all of the girls. I only have 4 Laurels, but there are about 10 Mia Maids and about 1/2 come to Mutual on any given Wednesday. We'll see what I feel like on Wednesday. I have all the supplies, so I'll keep it in mind. My SIL called me today and said she is coming on Wednesday for a surprise. I am picking her up on Wednesday afternoon and it will be fun to see my MIL's face when we get home.

Rock On:)

I finally weighed in today - after a one week hiatus due to being away from my scale - and the news was awesome! I lost 5 lbs in two weeks! That puts me down 11 lbs and I've hit my first goal and so I get a movie date reward with my husband. I am so excited!!!!

I am still trying to figure out how I know Jason Celaya from "Grease: You're the One that I Want". I've emailed my BYU friends, but so far none of them know him or what I am talking about. So, if any of you (if there are any) blog readers out there know this guys, let me know.

After A Very Indulgent Weekend

Well, after a very indulgent weekend (stuffed spinach and cheese chicken, wedding cake, macadamia nut chicken, creme brulee, chimichanga, chips and salsa - phew!) I only lost 1.5lbs this week. However, I am still thrilled that I ate terribly, but still lost weight. Wahoo! I am only 4 lbs from being able to go to a movie with my husband. The real test is yet to come, because now I am in Utah for 11 days visiting my parents. I have no excuse to exercise because my dad has a treadmill, Bowflex, stairmachine, and free weights in the basement and so I am going to get in 4 workouts this week if it kills me. Last week I only got in 3;( so I didn't reach my goal of 4, but this week will be different. Oh, I ate so poorly because we had a wedding reception which our friend catered and I had to try the food, that night we went to dinner as a family because Junior and I were leaving for Utah, and Sunday our cousins had us over for dinner and games and it was so tasty!!! I have stayed on track since coming to Utah yesterday, so I have high hopes. I even got in a 2 mile run/walk, weights, and abs today. No more indulgent weekends for awhile - that's for sure!

Wahoo!!!!

I lost 4.5 lbs this week! I am just so excited and I have nothing else to report, but I just wanted to share the AWESOME news!

Saboteur!!!!!!

That's what The Boy is:) I swear that every week that I plan to get up before mi esposo leaves for work and go to the gym, The Boy sabotages my efforts. This morning when my 15 minute warning alarm went off, so did The Boy - at 5:15am!!! I put him in bed with us, but he never really went to sleep. When mi esposo got up at 6ish for his shower he took The Boy with him and I stayed asleep - lazy, I know.

I'm just blaming The Boy, but I really didn't want to get up:) However, if I want to make my goal of 15 activity points, then I need to exercise the rest of the days this week. I am really hoping that when I weigh in on Wednesday that I am down 5 lbs. Puh-lease!!!!

Fight the Good Fight

I was so strong all week with my points. I would have a very light lunch so that I would have a good helping of points for the end of the day. That way if anything comes up with the esposo or I feel like having a bit more at dinner, then I can and not feel bad. Then, mi esposo is home all day today and so I kind of threw my rules out the window. Big mistake! Can you believe I had chips with nacho cheese for lunch? I am feeling it now and realizing it just isn't worth it. I have felt really good all week because I've been eating really well and I did exercise 3 times. I know, I know, it's not 5 times, but I'm on my way to 5. I wanted to go on a walk again today, but at 2pm we realized we had a baptism to go to and so it threw the schedule I had planned totally off. Anywho, I went over by 8 points!!!! After the baptism we were invited over to the home for some yummy filipino food. I only had a little sampling of a few things, but they aren't great for you. I estimated a little on the high side for some of the dishes, but I'd rather use up the flex points than think I still had more. Tomorrow I am staying strong - even if the esposo his home - and staying in my points allowance, no flex points. I want to lose 5 lbs by my weigh in on Wednesday and so that is going to take some serious concentration. The good thing is that we got invited to dinner tomorrow, but it fell through, so that will make it easier to stay on the straight and narrow path of weight loss.

Also, my personal goal for the week is to exercise 4 times during the week. It's easy to do 2 because I go to aerobics/cardio at church. I did three this week, so I want to up it 4. The esposo has promised to get me up on Monday to go to the gym before he leaves for work, so that will take me down to only having to get one more workout in on my own.

On a totally different topic, I read The Goose Girl - which I started 6 monhts ago - over the holidays and it was so great! I have checked out her other three books to read and I just started Princess Academy. I'm anxious to see how it turns out. I was bummed because I got a call from the library over break that I book I had been waiting 3 months was in. I waited too long to go in and they had already sent it back to the lending library for another patron. Now I'm 27th on the list again. Yuck!

Oops

Well, I've broken two of my guidelines: 1) I will not eat after The Boy goes to bed (2) I will exercise 5 days a week. ::sigh:: I should feel pretty good, because I have been sticking to my daily points without dipping into the flex points. ::pat on the back:: I didn't exercise Monday because mi esposo was home and I treated it as part of the weekend. I did go to aerobics on Tuesday and it kicked my butt - literally. We did all these squats and my gluteus maximus is feeling it. Yesterday I wanted to go for a walk, but I just kept putting it off and then once I started prepping dinner for us and my SIL that just had a baby, I ran out of time. Last night I ate after The Boy had gone to bed because I still had a few points left and I had made homemade bread and I wanted to taste it. It was yummy, but then I felt bad because I had broken one of my rules.

I am going to aerobics today and if I exercise on Friday and Saturday then I will get 4 days in. I am not going to beat myself up over it, because if I do, then I will give up. That's been my problem over the past year. I get really excited and start something, but then when I don't do it perfectly I say, "What's the point?" and go back to life as usual. Not this time!!! I am really liking the points thing because I like to obsess over things (blogs, lists, calendars) so it is perfect because I can obsess over it and it keeps me on track.

The Boy is hollering for his breakfast, so I better go. Oh! One thing. I said I wouln't eat sweets, except for the weekends. However, at the time I made that rule I wasn't doing the points. I was thinking of doing more of the Body for Life program. It's actually going to help me, because I won't waste my daily points on sweet stuff. It does mean that I will still have to be careful on the weekends because I will still only have so many points for the day and I don't want to blow them all on a donut or candy bar. Hopefully it will help to kill my killer sweet tooth!

One Day Down

I made it through my first day on the WW points system. I got a little hungry around 2:00, but I powered through because I didn't want to use my points on a snack if we were going to have a fun dinner. It proved to be a wise choice because we went out to Pei Wei's as a family night dinner before the esposo starts busy season. It was so nice and I used all my points, plus 4 - good thing for the flex points!!!! I went conservative when I calculated how many points I got, because nursing moms are supposed to receive 10 more points than a regular woman, but because I am in the process of weaning, I didn't want to get used to having the points. I went to aerobics today and so I'm feeling good. I'm goin to weigh in tomorrow. I wanted it to be in the middle of week, rather than a Monday or Friday, so we'll see how that works out for me. Stay strong. We can do it!!!!