I got plans

First an update:

I completed my first half-marathon in October. It was a great experience, even though I hadn't trained as well as I'd have liked. I finished in 2:48. Honestly, my goal was to finish, so I'm pleased that I finished in less than 3 hours. I didn't stop running until after mile 10, but then I started feeling a lot of muscle exhaustion. I jog-walked the next 2 miles, but I was able to finish the last mile running. The best part of the event was the camaraderie. Everyone was so supportive - the other participants and those on the sidelines. I absolutely want to do it again next year...but I'll need to tweak my training plan a little to avoid injury :)

Now the plan:

I haven't done much of anything fitness-related since the half, but I think I've had enough time off. I was recently reminiscing back to the days of when I was doing bootcamp. My body went through an amazing transformation, even though I didn't lose much weight. This is what I want back. I don't care about how much I weigh (within reason), but I want to get back to that shape. I think my husband and I are going to do the P90X program. Everything I've seen reminds me of those bootcamp workouts, and I think it's exactly what I need.

I'd like to see some decent progress before 2010. I'd really like to start the new year out right.

October 2009 Update

Cheesy quote for the day:

It is not a miracle I finished, it is a miracle that I had the courage to try.

I'm running my first half-marathon this weekend. My training has not gone as planned (due to a foot injury); however, I'm not nervous yet. I think I'm in denial still. It's all ok. I've decided this year is the year I finish my first half-marathon. Next year is the first year that I'll run one seriously.

This is going to be a great weekend anyways. My friend, Kirsten, will be coming to town for the event. I absolutely can't wait till she gets here.

On another note, I'm back in school now after a nice summer break. I finally transferred over to my business school to finish up my accounting degree, and I love it. I've cut back to 2 courses per semester, since the courses are so much more difficult. I feel like I am doing well so far, so I'll just continue like this until I think I can handle more.

One last thing...my weight is still in the 130s, which I think is great, considering I'm really just in maintenance. I wore a sweater this week that I've had since before I had kids, and I think it fits better now than it did back then.

Everything is good for now.

August Update

Wow, I've become really bad at this blogging thing. There isn't too much to say I guess.

I've been doing well. I've been eating well. I think I'm still in the 130s. I just got back from vacation, so I'm giving myself a few days to detox before weighing in.

My half-marathon training is going. I think I started a little too early, because I seemed to have lost steam right about the last time I blogged (July?). I just had so much going on (found a lot of excuses to get off track). I never stopped completely though, so I haven't lost too much ground. We're about 8 or 9 weeks out now, so I know I have to stay on plan from here on out. It's helping that my bff is coming in from Chicago to run it with me. I so cannot back out of this...not that I'd want to :) I ran 5 miles on Sunday, and I could have gone further. I just ran out of time.

Other than that, we just got back from our family vacation. We ate mostly healthy with a few exceptions. Work is going well. We haven't been going out for lunch, so it's been easy to stay on track there. School will be starting up soon. Hopefully, this will not cause me too much trouble. I'm only taking 2 courses, so it should be a ton better than last semester with 4 courses (I don't know what I was thinking).

What else??? Can't think of anything offhand. I see you guys aren't blogging much either. I hope that's a sign that everyone is doing well-ish. I am really going to try to blog more often. I miss you guys.

Update

It's nice to be able to look back and see that I've lost at least 8 lbs since school ended in mid-May (I didn't weigh myself right away). Additionally, since I received my bodybugg on 5/22, I've lost 5 lbs.

My half-marathon training is going better than ever. I'm just about 2 months into my training, and I feel so much better now. At first, I probably pushed myself a little too hard, but I made it through that, and now I feel like I'm really ready to take it to the next level. I never feel like I'm going to die anymore. The only downside is that my body has gotten much more efficient, so I'm burning less calories in these workouts. That's fine for now. I've found that having fitness goals works way better for me than just having weight loss goals.

I love that I've lost 5 lbs. This is exactly what my bodybugg predicted that I'd lose. It is so helpful to have realistic expectations, instead of trying to lose 5 temporary lbs in a week. On average, I consume about 1400 to 1500 calories per day, and I rarely feel deprived. I'm also trying to find ways to sneak in extra calorie burning...like taking the stairs or morning walks. If I have a heavy workout day, I allow myself to eat a little more. It's just not that bad. Yes, it would be nice to lose 15 lbs in 3 weeks, but that just isn't going to happen for me. Instead, I will lose it in 15 - 20 weeks. This also gives me some room to have some cheats. I need those cheats, because I love to eat.

I had a bad week in June, but knowing that I am on a mission helped me to try to contain it as much as possible. I had fast food a couple of times, but no more than once per day. I grilled out and ate all the sides, but on those days, I tried to keep my other meals lighter. This tactic, along with my workouts, helped me to just maintain rather than lose for that week. Fine. Who cares. This is a lifelong effort here. One week's delay isn't going to hurt - unless I gain. Gaining is unacceptable at this point. It was really nice to just be able to pick myself back up and push forward again to lose another lb.

I've also been reading a lot of articles on weight loss and fitness. One article said that naturally thin people tend to eat mostly the same things every day. I thought about that and realized that this was true during my most successful periods of weight loss. I tried that again this week, and I think it helped so much. I went back to the same breakfast, same snacks, same lunch, etc... and mix it up slightly for dinner. This was my easiest week by far trying to stay within my calories.

Anyways, my goal is to continue this trend and lose another 3 - 4 lbs before my family reunion at the end of July.

Have a great holiday weekend, everyone!

"Speed" Training

Tonight I ran 5.5 miles, which included the following:

• 20 minute jog @ 4.5 mph
• 3 x 1 mile @ 5.8 mph with 2 minute recovery between each mile @ 4.5 mph
• 10 minute jog @ 4.5 mph

It went quite well, even though the gym was warm.

My diet was great yesterday and today. I decided yesterday that I was going to attempt to shave off 50 - 100 calories per meal, if possible. This seems to help keep me within my desired range.

I plan on doing some form of cross-training tomorrow. Moving right along...

7 mile run

My 7 mile run on Sunday went great. I completed it in 01:21:37, and I know that I could have gone further and/or faster. I think this is the way that I should feel during a long run, so I will probably stick with this plan.

The plan this week calls for:

• 4.5 mile speed training on Tuesday
• 4.5 mile tempo run on Thursday
• 8 mile long run on Sunday

Other than that, I really don't have much to say. Have a great week.

Father's Day 5k

Yesterday morning, me and the fam got up bright and early to head out to the Father's Day 5k. It was sooooo nice to have my husband and kids with me. They were there to send me off and greet me on my return. I finished in 32:45, which was better than I expected. I have only been back to running for 6 weeks now, and this was a couple minutes less than my fastest training run. Plus, my training focus has been on endurance rather than speed anyways. Oh well. I think that it's disappointing to me that I let myself get out of shape, but it's still nice to see where I'm at.

I started out WAY too fast - finished the first mile in 10 minutes, so the next 2 miles were probably a little more rough than they should have been. I'll definitely need to work on pacing myself better. Hopefully I'll figure that out before the 10k in 3 weeks. I signed up for that today, so if anyone in the area is interested...please let me know and I'll send you the details.

Other than that, I had a fantastic weekend. Very full...and satisfying. Unfortunately, I did not eat properly. I doubt I will lose any weight this week. I can handle that though...as long as I don't gain.

Ok. Off to bed...

Not too much to say

Yesterday, I felt completely famished all day long, and I ended up going over my desired calories consumed; however, I didn't want to end the day with a caloric surplus, so I ended up going for a 2 mile walk/jog.

I was much better today, and I was successful in spacing out my meals/snacks better. I somehow ended up only consuming less than 1200 calories (far lower than usual). I also ended my day with a 4+ mile tempo run. This was a little more difficult for me, because it's going the same pace for a long time. I didn't have a problem with the distance or the pace...it's just that I always like to mix up my speeds just to keep it interesting; however, it's probably good practice to try to train the mind more than anything. Plus, the tempo run is at a slightly faster pace than the long run, so I think it will help with the longer runs on Sundays.

Sunday is my 5k. I don't expect a very good finish time, but I'm excited nonetheless. It's a good starting point.

Early morning 4 miler

I had a terrible night sleeping last night, and I was dreaming about different workouts. I decided to get up early and head over to the gym to get my 4 miler done. It felt good at the time, but I really feel beat now. Ready for bed...

6 Miles

Today was my first 6 mile run of my half-marathon training, and I think it went incredibly well. I feel that I was in good shape mentally, which is just as important as the physical. Listening to audiobooks is definitely helping me get through the longer distances...and doing the longer distances helps a ton with the shorter distances. It's amazing how short 3 miles feels these days.

Mentally, I broke down the run into 3 parts... 3 miles, 2 miles, then the final mile. For the first part, I stayed at 5 mph, then I went 5.2 mph for the 2nd part. I mixed up the final mile a little. My body could have gone much faster, but I decided to pace myself to avoid injury.

I also came up with a plan to carry me through to the half in October. I will continue with the 12 week program I'm currently on (Hal Higdon), and then I will work on improving my time with the 10 week Runner's World plan, which is still only 3 days a week of running (with cross-training on 3 other days).

For events, I will be doing a 5k next weekend, a 10k in July, a 10 mile in August, and the half in October.

My diet has been pretty good overall. I've averaged a caloric deficit of about 500 calories per day, and I've lost 3 lbs in 3 weeks...exactly as predicted. Even though it's only 3 lbs, I can see differences in my shape, which is the most important part anyways.

Another 4 miles

Not much to say tonight, except that I did my 4 mile run in 45:25 today...decent improvement. I have a 2 day break before I have my 6 mile on Sunday.

One other thing I've noticed is that my bodybugg says that I'm burning less calories lately. I take this to mean that my body is not having to work as hard as it did a few weeks ago to do the same amount of work. I think I'll start pushing myself just a little bit harder next week.

4 Miles

I did my 4 mile run this evening, and I think it went extremely well. My time was 46:30, and I would say that I was going at a medium pace. Up until now, I've been walking for 1 minute between each mile. This serves 2 purposes. It helps break it up into manageable pieces, and it also also gives me a break, of course. Tonight, I ran straight through, and I felt absolutely fine. I'm starting to feel that I'm making some real progress now. Exciting stuff :)

Week 5 - Completed

This past week went well enough. I lost 1 lb, which is in sync with what my bodybugg told me should happen. I don't want to drop my calories too low, since I also need energy for my fitness goals. I started taking Alli on Saturday, so I hope this will help boost my numbers just a little. I know that I'm eating right, because I'm not experiencing any of the "treatment effects" even after 3 full days.

I finished my 5 mile run on Sunday in just over 60 minutes. Not horrid, but I still have a long way to go. I really wish they'd keep the gym a little cooler. I have never been so drenched with sweat in my life. Abnormally drenched.

I've finally started seeing some noticeable differences in my body this week. My legs are starting to firm up and I don't feel as lumpy through my hips, butt, and stomach. It's a start anyways.

This week, I have 4 mile runs today and Thursday, and then a 6 miler on Sunday...plus crosstraining on other days.

That's all I got today.

Week 5

Several things:

1. On Saturday, I remembered that I had bought a lifetime membership at a local gym when I was 19 that I had totally forgotten about. The gym kinda sucks, but they do have classes and a pool. I was actually looking for some pilates classes in the area, when that gym popped up. I went up there Sunday to update my info and get a new card. 
   
2. Earlier on Saturday, I remembered the Windsor Pilates DVD's that I bought about 6 years ago. I did the 20 minute workout on Saturday for a refresher, but I did the 1 hour one tonight. Ouch. Some of it is easy stretching stuff, but there are some things that are just plain impossible for now. Hopefully I'll see some improvements soon.
3. I got my Jillian Michaels 30 day shred in the mail today. I did the Level 1 workout tonight, and even that was quite a workout. I don't know if I'll do it everyday, but I will mostly likely do it on the days that I'm not running.

On a less positive note, I had a semi-bad eating day on Friday. I went over my calories by 1200ish. It's really not that hard to do actually, especially when you didn't realize that a stupid Oreo McFlurry costs 550 calories!!! It wasn't even that good. I would so rather have had a couple of burgers had I known. I guess the good thing is that I now know, and I will probably never have another one of those things ever again. I also didn't move from the couch all day. I worked from home and then watched movies...my calories burned reflected this. It's pretty cool to see with the bodybugg how many more calories are burned just by normal daily activities. 

Since Friday, I've successfully attemped to increase my activity level and watch my caloric intake better. I actually feel way more focused this week than I have since I've gotten back to it. I don't know if it was the 5 mile run on Sunday or the bodybugg...most likely a combination. I'm definitely in this to see some big results. I know it won't be long if I can just keep it up. 

5 mile run

Today was my first 5 mile run of my half-marathon training. I thought I wasn't going to be able to do it, because I had an MCL injury on both knees from last weekend...most likely a sprain from dancing. I did my 3.5 mile run on Tuesday, but had to stop after 1 mile on Wednesday. After that, I stayed away from the running for the rest of the week. Today, however, I felt no pain, so I decided to go for it. I was able to finish 5 miles with no pain whatsoever. I will still ice my knees to be on the safe side. I have to say that the run went quite well. I finished in just under 62 minutes. It's still not at the speed that I'd like, but I know that will improve over time. I must remain patient. 

I am going to give myself an A- for my diet this week. I have eaten a very balanced diet and was rewarded with a 1 lb loss. This is exactly what I was expecting (according to my calorie logging), so I wasn't disappointed. My bodybugg and the half-marathon training have given me the focus that I've been needing for such a long time.

Calories

I purchased a Bodybugg last week. If you don't know what this is...it's a band/sensor you wear on your arm and it uses several factors to determine how many calories you are burning throughout the day. You upload the data into the online calorie management system and then enter what you've eaten for the day. It's very simple. If you have a calorie deficit, you lose weight. If you have a surplus, you gain. 

It's a cool little gadget, but the website is even better. It asks what your goals are and then helps you fine-tune your diet and fitness plans. My goal was to lose 2 lbs per week, but this would require a deficit of 1000 calories per day. So far I haven't achieved this. Maybe it will be easier now that the holiday weekend is over. I've been averaging a 500 calorie deficit, so maybe I'll just lose 1 lb per week. 

The worst/best part about this program is that my eyes have been opened to how many calories I take in on a daily basis. The simplest of restaurant meals seem to be 800 - 1000 calories at a minimum. All those times that I thought I was being good were not n5 early enough for me to lose weight. I'm lucky to have not gained all of my weight back. 

The program suggested that I consume 1100 calories per day and burn 2100, but I changed it to 1600/2600 today. I simply cannot live on 1100 per day, but I can burn 2600 on most days. 

I plan on weighing myself on Friday's, and I'll post the results here.

I'm still going strong on the half-marathon training. I'm now on my fourth week, and I'm feeling pretty good. Last night was 3.5 miles, and tonight I'll do 2 miles. My long run on Sunday will be 5 miles. Exciting stuff.

Just a quick post...

I ran 3 miles in 34:20 on the treadmill tonight. Not the best, but it's great progress. Last week I did the same distance in 36:25. Earlier this week, I did it in 35:25.  

Week 2b

I'm happy to see that I'm beginning to feel stronger again. Tonight I did my 1st 3 mile run of the week, and I finished in 35:25 (compared to 36:50 last week). It's always good to see improvements in time, but I'm even happier to have noticed that I felt much stronger and taller...and that I wasn't going to die. 

I realize that I have a long way to go, but I've only been back for just over 2 weeks now. I can't wait to feel back to normal. Tonight I did my 3 miles alternating between 5.0 mph for 4 minutes, then 6 mph for 1 minute. Tomorrow night, I'll do a short 2 mile run, and I think I'll up my speed a little.

Last night was my 3rd yoga session, and it's starting to become slightly more interesting (finally). Not only is the stretching good, but I'm starting to see how this will help strengthen a lot of the areas that will help me in my running. I could see myself getting into this more seriously in the future. 

Week 2 - Complete

Tonight marks the end of my second week of half-marathon training. So far, so good. This week ended with a 4-mile run. I was able to shave off 3 minutes from the same run last week (49 minutes this week), and I expect to do much better next week. I could move onto Week 3's plan next week, but I think I'll repeat Week 2 to feel just a little more caught up before moving on. 

I changed up my eating strategy a little this week as well. I'm switching from low-calorie to "food for fuel" mentality. I'm trying to eat healthy food that will help me to maximize my workouts. Healthy snacks in between healthy meals. I obviously want to limit my calories somewhat, but I'm no longer trying to just lose weight. I want to be fit again. 

This weekend was a little more difficult to eat clean, because I had family in town; however, I think we've done fairly well, considering...

...except for the Mexican food last night. But that's just one meal. One meal does not make you fat. 

Week 1 - Complete

I completely followed the half-marathon training plan for this week. Today was my 4 mile run, and it was my best "run" so far. This is a good sign. I know that it's just going to take a little time for my body to realize that I more from it now. Today I ran 1 mile, walked 1 minute, then ran the next mile, walked 1 minute, etc...till the 4 miles were done. This is a fine strategy, since the most important part is finishing it. The next week is the same exact as this week, so I hope to see some slight improvements in time (took me 52 minutes today...ugh). Maybe I won't rest between miles or maybe my miles will be faster. We shall see. 

Everything else is going well. I'm also doing 3 days of mild strength training and one day of yoga per week. I had a couple of days of cravings this week, but I don't think I blew it too bad. 

That's all I got today.

Here we go

Ok. School is officially over, and my summer has begun. My eating is back in check, and I started my workouts yesterday. I'm back in the 130's, which is exciting, but certainly not good enough. 

One thing that I've not wanted to say quite yet was that I am jumping on the half-marathon wagon. I am not always great with follow-through, but I've watched so many others that are also self-admittedly "not great with follow-through" follow through on this. I need a goal anyways, and it's perfect timing for the summer. 

I'm following the Hal Higdon 12-week plan. I started a 12-week yoga class on Monday for the stretching. This forced me to kick-start myself into it, so tonight I did my first 3 mile run (on the plan). 

Ok. I've said it. Now I have to do it. Right? 

6 More Days

I have 6 more days before the end of the semester. This next week will be difficult with finals and a research paper due, but on Saturday, I will feel so good. I'm very excited that in the past 9 months, I've completed 30 more credits toward my degree. Never in my life did I think that would ever be possible. I know a lot of you out there have your degrees, but for some reason, I never really had the desire to go for it - it just seemed so out of reach for me...especially after I started having kids. Despite that, I've been relatively successful. 

I feel strongly that this ties in closely to my weight loss. First, I think the fact that I was successful in losing weight, which I never thought was possible, helped me to realize that I can accomplish anything. Second, and maybe more importantly, I realized that I have had self-limiting beliefs...settling on very good.

I have done things in the past 3 years that I never ever ever thought possible...mainly in the area of fitness. What I came to realize is that there really aren't things that I can't do. Beyond that, I think there are things that I didn't realize I could do so well. It just takes effort and desire.

In my professional life, I've admired others for various things. As I stated before, I have been relatively successful, but I have come to realize that I am so much more than that. I have finally stopped thinking that I am best behind the scenes. Currently, I write proposals and prepare this and that for others to do the presenting basically. It's my job to know the details and their job to present them. Of course, they get paid more too. There are times when I'm the presenter, and I've realized that I absolutely love it - and I thrive when I'm doing this. I always thought that I hated that kind of thing, but now I know that it's just about confidence - and I also know that I can do it just as well as some of the others, if not better.  

I've rarely applied for a position that I didn't get, and I've held a lot of positions. However, doesn't that just mean that I've never risked anything? It's like I've always made sure that I was the big fish in the little pond. Safe.

So...I'm not anywhere near the point of being done with school yet - I still have about 2 years left, but I know that if I just tackle one semester at a time, it will happen soon enough. It's a terrible job market out there right now anyways - a good time to focus on the education. I absolutely can't wait to get done though. I think it's what's been holding me back mentally from going for the big stuff. Not only will I know more, but I will also have that feeling of accomplishment. 

Of course, the real problem is that I can't apply myself to everything all the time and succeed at all of them. I took 3 courses in the fall (along with full-time job and 4 kids), and I got all A's. I was able to workout some and not completely lose my sanity. I took 4 courses in Winter, and I chose to not get all A's, since the grades won't transfer to my 4-year college anyways. I went to the gym only a few times, gave up my entire social and family life, and I lost some of my sanity. This was too much, but at least it's almost done. 

Another positive thing is that I've learned about my limitations. Like I said before, I have never felt that I've truly tested out the limits of what I can accomplish in life...always settling.

I didn't mean to say all that, and I probably should have used some of that energy to write my research paper that's due tomorrow. I really just wanted to say that I'll be done with this semester on Friday, and after that, it's back on. My next class does not begin until September, so I am going to have over 4 months to get everything back in order. Since I've started school, my weight has been fairly consistently in the low 140's, which is definitely outside of my comfortable range. Beyond that, I've lost my tone, of course. I'm totally determined to get back in shape, and now I will have the strength, energy, and time to devote to it. I honestly can't wait. I've already started reducing my caloric intake, but I have much room for improvement in that area as well.

A constant work in progress...

The light at the end of the tunnel...

I have just about 4 weeks of school left, and I think the worst part of it is over. With the end in sight, I've decided to get back to the gym. This leaves me about 2 months before demf (my annual goal date), which is always Memorial Day weekend. I have a lot of work to do, and I know I won't be where I was last year. That's ok. I've made great strides in other areas of my life that I'm proud of. By the time demf rolls around, I'll have completed another 30 credits toward my degree. Woohoo... only 60 to go :/ 

I went to the gym this morning and did a full-body strength training workout, and I plan on going tomorrow to hit the treadmill. My goal is to commit to Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Anything extra will be a nice bonus. I doubt I'll ever make it on Wednesdays or Fridays, since I always have school deadlines on those days.

I haven't decided when I'll commit to great eating, but I think it will be soon. Until then, I will attempt to eat in moderation in order to minimize the damage. 

Another positive thing... I went shopping yesterday for some new workout clothes and a few new tops for work, and it was not nearly as bad as I was expecting. Basically, I'm still about a size 8. In fact, I put on a pair of size 10 dress slacks, and I was swimming in them. I'm starting to wonder if the pants that I currently own have maybe shrunk in the wash. Also, the majority of the tops I bought were mediums, although I did get a couple of larges...since they were that clingy material. I thought the looser ones looked much better...don't want to highlight my current flabbiness. 

So that's that. My size isn't awful, but everything needs to be put back in place. This is where the workouts come in. It usually takes about 3 weeks to start seeing some nice results; however, working out always makes me feel better and stand taller.

Just checking in...

Not much has changed since my last blog, but I wanted to at least post a few lines. 

I'm excited that this semester will be done in about 6 weeks, and I've decided to take the summer off of school. This will give me over 4 months to get back into the swing of things. I can't wait to get back to the gym. Yes, I realize that I could go back at any time, but it just wouldn't be right. There are other things that would have to go. 

Work has been insanely busy, but I finally started pushing back a little this past week. I've found my limits, and I plan on being more vocal in this area, as needed. 

My diet has been much improved lately. I think I really started watching things a few weeks ago. Even if I can't make it to the gym, I can control what food goes into my mouth. It may not be low enough to help me lose weight, but I don't think I'm gaining weight either. 

Confession time: My 8s have been tight for awhile. A month or so ago, I started wearing my 10s again...but even those don't feel great. A few weeks ago, I decided to not wear the 10s anymore. I know that wearing them makes me almost think it's not that bad...but it is that bad. Wearing the 10s makes me feel that it's ok to eat more, since there is more room. 

I will not be ok with wearing size 10. I refuse. 

I will be a size 8 or smaller. Period.

From my textbook...

"The person you will be tomorrow has yet to be created."

I just love knowing that we all have the power to change to create a better tomorrow for ourselves. It's so difficult sometimes to not define ourselves by who we are or who we once were. 

I vividly remember a conversation I had with my husband several years ago where I was telling him that I could never hope to have a fit body in my lifetime. I was just so far gone. He disagreed with me, but I was completely convinced that it was impossible.

I didn't do anything about it for a long time after that, but I eventually did. I'm not where I should be, but I now know that it is completely possible to get to where I want to be. Just knowing this keeps me somewhat on track. 

FYI...

My fitness has taken a back seat to everything else going on with me for now. I'll be done with this semester in just 2-3 months, and then I think I'll be able to breathe a little easier. This is not an excuse necessarily. It's just the way that it is. 

A final quote from my book today:

"If you are living to a label, you have molded for yourself a fictional self-concept with artificial boundaries."

Week 4 - Complete

I almost didn't meet my goal for this week, but I eeked in on the last day to get in my 3rd strength training workout. I also had one day on the treadmill. 

School started this week, and I had a little diffculty getting organized mentally; however, I felt completely comfortable after I completed a few assignments. I do think I'm going to have to relax some of my workout goals now though. I am still going to stay committed to 3 strength training workouts per week (for at least the next 2 weeks), but I will get in cardio days when possible. 

I was just starting to feel a little burnt out this week, and I actually somewhat wanted to quit already. I decided to give myself a few days off, which sometimes can be bad. It's always more difficult to go back after a break. However, I am glad that I made a commitment to myself to do the strength training. 

I have 2 more weeks to go, and then I'm sure I'll set another goal. Maybe it'll just be for one or two weeks though. 

I did something different tonight. I did intervals on the bike rather than the treadmill. I did 10 seconds as hard as I could and then 20 seconds light for 5 minutes. Then I went 5 minutes moderate. Then I did 5 more minutes of intervals. Sound easy? Try it! especially after a strength training workout. My legs felt like jello after I got done. 

I'm Famished

Seriously. I've been hungry since last night. I don't know what's going on with me today. Even after a healthy substantive meal, I start feeling hungry - with my stomach growling and everything. I'm drinking water too. I don't know if this is good or bad, but I decided to listen to what I think my body is telling me and eat a little more today...nothing crazy. Just more. 

Also, my body told me yesterday and today that I needed a break from the gym, so I'm resting today. I will go tomorrow for my final strength training session of the week. Btw...I noticed my quads today. 

Finally, I really need to get started on my schoolwork. For some reason, I can't seem to get myself to get started on it. The assignments look fairly simple, and I think the material is interesting, so I don't know what the problem is. I just need to do it. 

Ok. I'm going to do it now. Right now. Seriously. 

4 - 2

So this is the 2nd strength training workout of my 4th week back at the gym. It wasn't awesome, but I completed it. I'm just sore...and I'm sick of being sore. I'm actually feeling a little wiped out. On the days that I don't do strength training, I'm running. I take a day off here and there, but I think I need like 2 days off right now. 

I think I'm going to skip the gym tomorrow. Maybe. Then I will do my 3rd strength training workout on Thursday. Then I will take a break until Sunday.

3 Weeks

Just over 3 weeks ago, I decided to get back to the gym. I had not gained a ton of weight, but I know that I had lost a lot of tone. I was starting to feel frumpy...ick. This is so not good, regardless of what size I am. 

I was looking back at past blogs, and I saw that the last time I rededicated myself to fitness, I started seeing some nice results after about 3 weeks. This has happened again. I can see my triceps again. My legs are starting to take on their former shape. My running game is getting better. My first day back, even 5.5 mph for any length of time was just killer. Now I end my intervals at 8.0 mph. 

Not only am I seeing results, but now I'm feeling very motivated to keep this going. I've done a lot of different fitness routines and strategies over the past few years (wow, I can't believe it's been that long), including running, boot camp, etc..., but this is the first time that I'm putting most of the emphasis on strength training (on my own). I really need this right now to put on some muscle. 

I've gotten through 3 weeks. I'm committing to another 3 weeks today. Of course, my long-term goal is to commit to forever, but it's much easier for me to just look to the short-term. School started back up this week, and I'm going to be busy...but for the next 3 weeks, I will stick to my plan. 

Hopefully I'll notice even more results, which will motivate me to continue for another 3 weeks.  

Day 12

I wasn't going to weigh myself until Saturday, but I've been good so I gave it a go this morning. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately), it's the same as what I weighed a week ago today. I thought I was eating better, and I'd had 5 workouts since then. The holiday snacking might have gotten to me a little. No big deal. It's better to weigh the same than more. Plus, I'm on a roll. These pounds will go away soon if I stick with it. Maybe I've put on a little bit of muscle too. Regardless, I'm feeling great, and that's more important than what I weigh. 

I went to the gym tonight and ran on the treadmill. I was running late, but that ended up being a good thing. It appears that all the new year's resolution people had all gone home, and there were just a few people left. I have nothing against the newbies. In fact, I'm glad they are trying. I just like my gym better when there aren't as many people there. 

So anyways...I've been back to working out for the past 3 weeks now, and I've been eating right for the past 10 days. I've lost 3 lbs in the past 10 days....maybe more in the past 3 weeks. My most immediate goal is to lose 1 lb by this Saturday. My slightly longer term goal is to lose 5 lbs in the next 3 weeks. My annual sales conference in Chicago begins 3 weeks from tonight, and last year I was 5 lbs less. This will not be a problem as long as I stick to the plan...and I will. It's good to have attainable goals.

Day 10

Whoa. I guess it's been a short while since my last post. Here is a brief review of the last five days:

My diet was not impeccable; however, it was much better than it would have been had I not had a plan. Luckily, the momentum from the 5 days prior to NYE helped me to keep everything mostly under control over the week. 

While visiting family, I used the treadmill once for about 45 minutes. I planned on using it twice, but it just didn't happen. That's ok. When I got back into town, I hit the gym for some strength training and HIIT. 

Today:

My diet was very good, and I went to the gym to use the treadmill for 40 minutes. The workout felt way good today. I'm beginning to feel that wonderful feeling of familiarity at the gym again. It really didn't take much of an effort for me to go today, and I'm excited about tomorrow's workout. Unfortunately, the gym has been a little crowded (as expected the first week of the year). I hope it doesn't affect my strength training routine tomorrow.