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...