Not Going Fishing

OK, I'm not gone fishin or anything, but I will probably not be as active on my blog as I have been, at least for the next couple of weeks. Between starting school and attempting to resolve a personal crisis as effectively, safely & quickly as possible, I'm stretched a little thin. You all understand. However, I have also resolved to NOT let this stop me, or even really give me pause along this journey of mine. My emotional wellbeing is my first priority, but the truth is that it's inextricably linked to my physical wellbeing so in order to keep one I have to work on them both simultaneously. I don't have all my normal resources at my disposal, so I'm doing the best I can in terms of eating, and of course, the good thing about running is you take it with you. :)

Actually, I'm having a bit of deja vu - I've been in similar situations, and they have caused me to gain weight. Not this time though. Me & swankywanker are the team to beat for September. Watch out Billy & Brian - your awesomeness may not be enough next month! ;)

Sucky Run

I had a short run today - 2.68 miles according to mapmyrun. But it was hard! (Funny, I was just checking over my blog, and I never thought I would cnsider 2.68 miles to be a short run). I was expecting 'oh, 2.5 miles, that's pretty easy'. Not. I felt kind of sluggish and slow, my chest was hurting a bit. It was hot, and I went at 1:00 pm, a couple hours or so after a protein drink. I actually just calculated my pace, and it was better than I thought, but still not very good. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but at least I got it done! If anybody out there has any thoughts about what I can do differently, PLEASE share. I would love some advice from some of you experts. :)

I was concerned that, being off this week, I would overeat, out of boredom, availability, etc. I haven't. Yay! On the other hand, I also haven't eaten enough - protein or veggies. I suppose that if I had to choose, I would choose to undereat, since undereating will not make me gain weight. At least not in the short term.

Of course, I'm going from the frying pan to the fire, in a manner of speaking. Next week, my life will be turned upside down (or right side up, depending on how you look at it), and I will be faced with a whole new set of challenges when it comes to my eating & exercise routine. But, what has helped me to be successful thus far is my compulsion to plan & prepare. I have been thinking about it for months, and next week I don't intend to skip a beat. I'm willing to cut myself a bit of slack, but I expect to continue to lose weight. My new schedule will not be an excuse to stagnate. There will be things that will come up, unexpected events, which I can't plan for. But, perhaps tomorrow, I will sit down & think about my mealtimes, where I will be at those times (so I can know what my options are), and pretty much everything else that is essential to continuing to eat right. I can't wait to lose this last 20 lbs!

PS - Thanks to all my faithful commenters for your encouraging words. It means a lot!

Wow

Today was a weight training day. The workout that I have been doing (from the New Rules of Lifting) is an ass-kicker. At least for me. Lots of compound movements - snatch-grip deadlift, T-push ups (yuck), and split squat with overhead press, to name a few. I'm still somewhat in the process of modifying to fit my 10K goals, but it's a tough workout regardless.

Since I'm starting school next week, I figured I'd buy myself a couple of new clothing items. I've been thinking a lot about my 'style', which, I think, took a hit when I gained weight. It became harder to feel 'cute', and I wore a lot of stuff that kind of hid my weight gain and was comfortable. Now that I have lost 40 lbs, and I'm getting ready to undergo a major change in my life, I want to start dressing better. Anyway, I tried on a cute jean skirt (size 10), and it was too big! I couldn't even believe it - I needed a size 8. My first size 8 of this weight loss journey. With 20 more pounds to lose, it makes me wonder what size I will end up at. Although I am more concerned about how I look in my clothes than what size they are, wearing a size 8 felt really good. This time last year I was firmly in a 16. I've come a long way!

Breakthrough

Day 1 of vacation - I ran nearly 4 miles (as my mile tracker says) today. It was interesting, because, umm... it was hard! Toward the end of my run, I always feel like I could keep going. But somewhere in the middle, I want to stop. I made the mistake of including an uphill portion twice in my run. Fun! But when I was approaching mile 3, a voice in my head said 'if this is so hard, how do you think you will ever run a half-marathon?!' Thankfully, I recognized the voice for what it was - self-doubt. Because the answer to that is that I will work my way up to it, obviously, and I will be able to do it when it's time. But just like every other major task in life, it can't be done haphazardly or impulsively. And, it has be done step by step. That's hard for me - I don't like steps. And part of the steps includes discomfort. The truth is, that's kind of what we're all afraid of - the discomfort that comes from challenging the boundaries of our comfort zone. But overcoming that feeling of being one step away from stopping, not knowing if I'm gonna make it to the end of the workout - I LOVE that feeling of accomplishment! Truth be told, that's why I want to do stuff like run races, so I can get the rush that comes from knowing that I pushed myself beyond what felt comfortable to me.

I was watching Dr 90210 tonight, and this lady got a tummy tuck. I mean, I'm not mad at her, she looked good. But what happened to good ole fashioned weight loss?! Our society is so committed to quick fixes and shortcuts, we miss the character building that comes from actually going through a process to bring something to pass. I mean, I have experienced some very un-fun things in my life, but when it comes down to it, I wouldn't trade them, because they have helped make me who I am.

My eating wasn't great today. I made a really good banana bread this weekend, and I had some today. Without a schedule, it was harder to stay on top of my meal times, so even though I ate banana bread and whole wheat pasta (1/2 serving) for dinner, I am probably still under my calories. I was tempted to drink a Mike's too, to top off my day, but I resisted that sugar trap. Gotta take off that weekend weight. Tomorrow's a new day!

Vacation

Well, the weekend is almost over, but I am on vacation this week! Woo hoo! That might make eating on point a bit more challenging, but that's ok, I am up for it. I am still going to make exercise the first item on my daily agenda, just for simplicity's sake.

I learned something this weekend. Well, had it reinforced. It is so important to eat regularly, and not to let myself get too hungry. During the week, I eat every 2-3 hours usually, so although I get hungry, it doesn't last long. This weekend, though, I had a couple of times where I let myself get too hungry, and as a result I ate too much and had that ugh feeling of being stuffed, which I really very rarely experience, thankfully.

I had my orientation today, which means that the summer is swiftly coming to a close. I have been thinking about it for a while, but next week I will really have to have a solid plan for good healthy eating and exercise, and, last but not least, sleep! I usually get in the bed around 11:30/12, but that's not gonna fly anymore. So I plan to enjoy this week of sleeping in, thinking, planning, reflecting. I actually am planning to go through my closet this week and get rid of all the clothes that are too big. That will be fun!

Friday!!

I love Fridays. This Friday was particularly significant, but regardless, I love Fridays. Did I say love? For the next 7 weeks, I will love Fridays even more because Saturday is my rest day - no gym. Although I love working out, really I do, I am SO GLAD that I don't have to get up at 6:00 tomorrow morning!

My weigh-in was 160.8 this morning, down from last week's 162.2, which was up from the previous week's 160.8. So... back to where I was 2 weeks ago. Tea mentioned in a comment looking at a monthly trend, which I will be observing this month. Nevertheless, next week the plan is to skip even the post-workout starchy carbs, and see how that affects my weight. My waist was down 1 inch though, which was great.

I have noticed something strange. Since I only allow myself to eat 'treats' on the weekend, I find that what I want is not as pressing. Even though I can eat what I want, I still try to be careful to only eat what I want. Not to just eat something because I can. And sometimes that means eating nothing at all out of the ordinary, but that's ok. I still don't want to waste the calories, and gain an extra pound (even if it will come off in a day or two) unnecessarily. Which, I know, is also a testament to how much I've grown when it comes to my food consumption. So, I'm off to enjoy the weekend, and an upcoming, long overdue, week off.

Do I Have To?

Today was one of those days when I did not want to get up. The alarm went off, and instead of jumping up as I've been doing this week, I lay there and wondered if it was absolutely necessary for me to work out this morning, what if I did it tonight instead, maybe I can just skip it altogether. Although I did get up a bit later than I had planned, I did make my way to the gym for a 30:00 cardio workout. I hit the stairclimber for the first time in a while, and it was interesting. I almost forgot how challenging that machine is. It was nice though - nothing like a good morning sweat!

Tomorrow is my weigh-in day. We'll see what the morning holds, but my weight just hasn't dropped this week like it did two weeks ago. Either that was a fluke, never to happen again, or something I am doing is preventing my body from letting go of the weight like it wants to. Or like I want it to. I know that I have exercised for the past 2 weeks, as opposed to the previous one, and I have eaten carbs immediately following my workout. Next week I am going to try giving up the carbs, and see what happens. If I lose at the same rate, I know the other week was pretty much a fluke.

Tooting my own horn: I went to Bertucci's today and faced down their rolls. I won. I ate a chopped salad with chicken. It was pretty good! Yesterday I had to face my almost former employer's homemade blueberry crumb cake. Again... I won. Tomorrow - 6:00 wake-up call, a 2-mile run & total body weight routine, then off for a full day of work. My last at one of my jobs. Nevertheless... TGIalmostF!

In the Running

I was up at 6:15 this morning for a 2.5 mile run. Ummm... it was chilly this morning! I had to put on a lightweight jacket, in August. Not happy. Anyway, it was a shorter run than Monday, but it was harder. My HR was higher, so I assume I was moving faster. I was just a bit uncomfortable, for some reason. But I made it. Thanks to Dave, I used mapmyrun to figure out exactly how far I ran, which was cool.

Someone asked me if running is 'my sport'. She said it seems to be what I always come back to, and it's true. I bought a tennis racket, took boxing classes, step classes, want to take karate and go back to boxing. Want to really learn how to swim. Love the stairclimber at the gym. But no matter what, I always come back to running. Maybe it is 'my sport'.

I think part of what I love about it is the challenge. When you run, you're always just one step away from quitting, which for me would be walking. So it's a challenge to keep going, even when I don't feel like it. I have definitely learned many lessons about tenacity and perseverence, not to mention my body's ability to push past the limits my mind has set for it. Love it.

On another note - someone I haven't seen in months told me I'm melting away. Awe shucks! And the guys that break their necks to watch me run in the morning are a nice ego boost. But really, do they think I'm going to stop running? Nah... catch me at the finish line, wherever that may be. ;)

Short & Sweet (like me....)

It's past my bedtime, so I'll keep this short & sweet. I was up this morning @ 6:00, and although I spent a few extra minutes looking for a hair clip, I was out of the house by 6:20 or so. I ran 3 miles, with my heartrate pretty consistently up in the 'beep' range of my HR monitor (80%). As I said yesterday, I was concerned about my stamina, since my cardio has been HIIT, not steady-state. But it was easier than I expected. When I finished, I felt like I could have kept running. My time for the 3 miles was 34:00, which is a good baseline time for me to know. So I was proud of myself for completing my run without wanting to collapse, and then to top it all off I put on an old pair of size 10 Old Navy jeans, and they actually fit with room to spare. Woo hoo! I haven't been able to wear those jeans for about 2 years, so I started off today feeling pretty good.

The Week Ahead

I have kind of a big week coming up. This is my last week at a job that I have been at for nearly 5 years. Although I am leaving for a good reason (getting my Master's Degree), it's bittersweet. The family that I work for has been very good to me, and I love the kids that I take care of, and their parents.

I am also starting my 10K program tomorrow, so I will be up every day around 6, running. Tomorrow is my first 3 mile run in a long time, so I'm a bit nervous. I've been doing HIIT, which I know is actually more challenging than steady-state, but still...

I'm actually still sore from my workout yesterday, which will make tomorrow even more fun. But I'm sure I can handle it, and I will feel accomplished when I'm finished. Of course, tomorrow is also my 'back to the grind' day. This week I will have a carb meal pretty much every day, right after my workout. We'll see how, if at all, this affects my weight. But for now, I'm off to enjoy my last Sunday hoorah, and then off to bed. Have a good week!

300...

I did the 300 workout again today. My time was 38:00 (37:57 to be exact), which is about the same as last time. But that's cool, because I did all 50 of my deadlifts with a 110 lb barbell. Last time I did 30 with 110, and 20 with 90. So... I'm stronger. Cool! :) My goal is to be able to deadlift my weight, which I am not too far off. I also did an extra consecutive push up (31), but I think I could have done more. Oh well...

Although my weekends are my time to eat what I want, I have toned it down a bit so far this weekend. I am going to spend part of my day tomorrow mapping out some additions to my regimen, like taking my waist measurement weekly (inspired by marcol's blog). My 10K program starts Monday, so I really want to have my stuff together so I can make the most of the next 8 weeks.

While It's On My Mind...

1) Lunges are special. They are designed by God to work a muscle that you barely know is there without them. I guess that's not a bad thing. But the soreness is fun...

2)Gym etiquette - someone should write a book. Now, maybe I have high expectations, but the other day I was supersetting a squat and a row. I left my stuff at the squat rack. Two guys went to the squat rack and just set up their stuff and started using it. Never did they look around to see who the stuff belonged to or anything. Since I was actually finished with my squats, I didn't raise hell. But when I went over to get my stuff, do you think one of them said 'oh, sorry were you using this?'... NOPE!

3) I'm a 10! Not on a scale of 1 to 10, a size 10. It's official. I bought 2 pair of pants at the Gap, size 10s, unsure as to whether or not they would actually fit. They did. Yay! Now, they are a little snug, but they fit a whole lot better than my 12s. I haven't been a 10 since 2005, so I'm glad about that. But I don't plan to stay here long - movin on down the scale...

4) Your weight loss tells a lot about other people. Almost two years ago, when I first started to put on weight (I was going through Hell:Part 1), the mother of the woman I worked for, who is in her 60s and extremely weight-conscious, engaged me in conversation about weight. Here it is:
Her: So, my daughter says you're doing South Beach.
Me: Yeah... I have been under a lot of stress lately, and I've gained some weight.Her: You sure have!
Now, I cracked up then, later, and it still makes me smile at least. I wasn't offended - I knew I had gained weight, it was not a newsflash. I proceeded to gain 25 or so more lbs (Hell:Parts 2 & 3), and saw her occasionally during this process. Since I started losing weight, I have seen her twice - once at around a 15 - 20 lb loss, and recently at a 40-lb loss. Did she say anything?! No! Now, why is it so much easier to comment negatively but not positively? I know other people who have acted the same way. It's too bad that some people aren't secure enough to be able to commend someone else's achievements. But oh well - that's their problem.

Live & Learn...

I'm in one of those weird phases of weight loss. Nothing fits anymore. So even though I've lost weight, when I look in the mirror, I don't see it because I'm wearing the clothes that I wore when I was bigger. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for the fact that my clothes are too big. Very grateful. But I don't like the fact that I don't look good in my clothes because they're too big.

My weight has not been going down like it did last week. I'm doing everything I did last week, diet wise. The only difference is that I have worked out (two weight training sessions plus cardio and 1 HIIT only session), and had a carb meal (turkey sandwich and wrap) immediately after my workout. I said (prophetic?) that all I could do is my part - eat right, exercise, etc., and how my body decides to lose weight is up to it. OK, but my weigh-in day is tomorrow, and I will analyze the hell out of what my body decided to do and do my part to change it. But it's funny - I was so excited about my weight loss this week, and it motivated me to repeat my strict Monday - Friday eating. How will it affect me if I didn't lose any weight this week? Will I be motivated to continue to avoid the sweets that tempt me every day? Well, I better be. One bad week certainly doth not a weight loss journey make. I know well enough to know that you have to do the right thing for a while, whether or not it seems to be working. But I will definitely learn from this week one way or another.

Back in the Saddle

Today was my first weight training session in 2 weeks. It was good! After I finished my weights & cardio, I thought to myself 'I am a gym rat'. I love working out! Maybe I'm crazy, but to me, it doesn't count if you don't feel like you can hardly make it. Work hard, lift heavy, or go home, is how I see it. I think I like the feeling of accomplishment that comes from knowing that I have pushed past my comfort zone.

After my workout I ate a sandwich. It wasn't that great, so I didn't eat it all. The little shop where I bought my lunch has this really good cookie. I looked at it. There was a time when going there was pretty much a guarantee I would have one, maybe even buy an extra for good measure. I didn't. I have realized that, somewhere in the recesses of my mind, is the thought that I have to have [fill in the blank] now because I don't know when I can have it again. That's part of what makes me have 2 Thai iced teas instead of 1, or buy a cookie, or finish eating something I don't want. I don't do that stuff anymore, but I realized that it's ok to pass it up, because I can always come back another time, so to speak. Is it gluttony? Hoarding? I dunno, but it made me fat, so I'm glad I'm working through it.

It's Official...

I lost weight. You know how you know it, but don't at the same time? But sometimes things happen, and they make you say 'wow. i really have lost weight'. I have a few of those moments to share. Unlike Billy, I'm not sick of the compliments yet. Of course, also unlike Billy, I haven't reached my goal yet... Anyway, a few compliments I got this weekend:

'You're so thin' - from a friend who I haven't seen in about a month.
'Rebecca is one of the most driven people I know' - from my friend to her pastor, about me
'You look great. Where did you go?' - from her mom [my answer: i'm still right here, and I have belly fat to prove it]
'You're losing weight. You look good girl' - from the grandmother of the cutie I take care of

I bought a few shirts from Old Navy. Last year I had to buy my tank tops for a spring vacation in Large, and they still didn't hide my belly. Now I can comfortably wear a medium. The capris that I bought in the beginning of the summer are now hanging. Size 12. I can look down, into my waistband, and see the floor. Won't be able to wear those next summer!

On another note, today was a fine day in terms of my diet. Of course, there was roasted pistachio toffee at one of the houses I work at (it's yummy) but it barely registered on my radar. But I ate too much meat at lunch, and it kind of threw my stomach off. That, coupled with last night's pizza, will make an interesting weigh-in tomorrow morning... Remember when I said life is better when you poop? Well... life is not so good for me today. :) Pizza sometimes does that to me. But it was good!

I decided to skip my run this morning, in light of my upcoming 10K prep and back to school schedule which will have me up early almost every morning. So while I can sleep in a bit, I should take advantage of it, I think. So I did. I will be at the gym the rest of the week. My cat didn't agree with my decision, and cried like a banchee this morning, but whatever. At least I was lying down. Which I am about to do now. Night!

Back to the Grind

Last week I decided to change my 'diet' plan, following a strict low-carb/high protein plan Monday - Friday, and being more lenient on the weekends. As you well know, this produces a high Monday morning weigh-in, but it usually ends up in weight loss by the end of the week. I know, this isn't for everybody, but it seems to work for me. Last week, I lost 2 pounds, and I'm shooting for that much this week. I know that my body has a mind of its own, but I'm going to give it every reason to lose 2 pounds. If it decides to shed some more, I won't complain. If less, I'll only complain a little bit, but I will at least be able to say 'I did my part'. So, what did I do last week:
1) I ate every 2-3 hours
2) I ate no carbs, except for veggies/fruit and a low-carb tortilla
3) I drank at least 10 cups of water/day
4) I ate no more than 1700 calories
5) I ate at least 5 servings of fruits & veggies every day except for one

I plan to do the same this week. The difference will be that I will be exercising pretty much every day, and on Tuesday & Thursday, when I lift weights, I will allow myself a 3-hour carb window. This carb window will not be a license to eat junk, however. In prep for my increased running, it will just give me the carbs I need to replenish my body.

I just wanted to put that out there for the record. Tomorrow morning I'm up at 6:30 for an early morning HIIT jog session. Nothing like a good morning jaunt to get the blood pumping. Literally. So I'm off to bed. Here's to a good weight loss week for everybody.

Does Almost Count?

So yesterday I was all excited because, for the first time in this journey, my weight went under 160. Woo hoo! Well, I've been excited all week because my weight has been dropping like crazy. I'm down nearly 5 pounds from Monday. For those of you who don't know, I usually have a cheat day on Sunday, which sends my weight up, but it comes back down by the end of the week. However, my official weigh-in day is Friday, and I am down 2.2 lbs since last Friday.

So, because every day this week the scale has dropped at least 1 lb, I expected that today I'd be down even further. But I wasn't. I was disappointed, to say the least, but still excited that I lost 2.2 lbs without exercise! I knew that this week I would have to be strict because I took a week off from the gym (I'm ready to get back in there Sunday morning). But it has made me analyze my behavior. Without realizing it, I think I have taken advantage of my exercise, and used it as a license to blur the perameters of my diet. However, having lost 2 pounds without exercising, while sticking to a fairly strict diet, will make me expect more from myself from this point forward. I should lose, usually, at least 2 lbs/week with exercise, if I could lose 2 lbs without it. Secondly, it reminded me of what I am capable of. I remember telling my brother that I was having a hard time not eating carbs. Being the disciplined man that he is, he was like 'oh. why?' And being the disciplined woman that I am, I said 'I dunno.' And now I remember that it's just a matter of making up my mind - knowing what works, wanting the results, and doing what it takes. Although I have been minorly tempted, I really haven't had to struggle to stay on track. And today, when I was a little more relaxed, I didn't grab the first starch I could find. It was kinda like 'well, you've gone this whole week, now choose carefully and only eat what you really want'. So that's what I did. But this week has reenergized my weight loss fire. I'm ready to burn off that last 20 lbs baby!

I am also feeling a bit more confident about my 10K plans because someone who runs 100 mile races told me that I can increase my running & still stick to a low-carb diet, eating a carb meal after a workout. Phew! I was afraid that my diet & workout regimen wouldn't work well together, but hopefully it will be fine.

Well, all week I have been looking forward to having a drink & relaxing at home tonight, so that's what I'm gonna do, then hopefully have a nice long good night's sleep. Have a great weekend everybody!

Hey Shorty!

I made a decision that Monday August 6 was going to be a restart date for me. Clean eating for the whole week - no treats, no cheats, no starch. Except for a low carb tortilla today, I have remained true to my decision. Today, however, I was tempted. Of course, I haven't visited Rosie's Bakery all week. But the one day the kids want smoothies happens to be the day that they are displaying the 'chocolate chip shorty'. Yum. Man oh man, I thought 'well, they don't have it that often. it won't hurt me that much'. But I resisted. (are you so proud of me, that i did that?) :)

The scale has been rewarding me for my good behavior so far this week, which of course motivates me to keep it up. My dad used to always tell me that success begets success. I may not say this often, but he was right. The fact that every day this week my weight has dropped has kept me on the straight & narrrow, so to speak. I want to be able to get to Friday and know that I did everything in my power to get the results. Sadly though, I am just now getting to my lowest weight so far. I mean, better late than never (but better still, never late). I would love to get to Setember 12 (my one-year weight loss anniversary), and have lost 50 lbs, but I don't know if that will happen. Furthermore, what I have been doing this week has worked for me all the time - high protein, low carb, very little, if any, sweets during the week. I don't know how I got away from that in the first place. Well, yes, I do - one 'it'll be ok' at a time. It's a slippery slope. I am definitely a firm believer in moderation, and I know that being the rebellious woman that I am, I need to have the flexibility to eat what I want. But, I also need firm guidelines, because when I stick with them, I win (lose). So, hopefully I will keep that in mind as this part of my journey comes to a close over the next few months.

So Fresh and So Clean!

Just wanted to report another clean eating day. I actually will get a sticker on the fruits & veggies section of my little chart, which is unheard of for me. But I stocked up on vegetables at the store today - I don't know how I'm going to eat them all, but I will try. No gym is hard for me, but it does have its rewards - more sleep!

Are You So Proud of Me?

Well, I'm proud of myself today. I resisted scones, dark chocolate covered caramels, and a host of other carby treats. It's one thing when you are in an environment that you control. It's a whole nother thing to spend the majority of your day in an uncontrolled environment, as we all know. Especially someone else's house. But I made a decision that I would not eat starchy carbs this week, and that is what I did. Sometimes it's hard to do so after coming off of a couple of loose days, but I was determined.

I have been doing some research, because I do not want to gain weight when I start training for this 10K. My nature is to be a bit impulsive sometimes, but I feel like it's important that I be as prepared as possible in this situation, because I don't want a lack of knowledge to result in unnecessary failure. Actually, losing weight has really helped me to understand the importance of proper planning. I mean, already I like to plan - I buy calendars in advance, I write everything down, plan out my days hour by hour. I already have a written plan for the first month of school - when I go to the gym, etc, leading up to the race. It makes me feel a bit more in control. But when it comes to losing weight, it's more than just a personality trait - it's absolutely essential. As someone I know said 'when you fail to plan, you plan to fail.' Amen!

PS - I take care of a very funny 4 year old, and one day she did a trick on the monkey bars and said 'are you so proud of me, that i did that?' it was funny - hence the title of this blog. :)

Hiatus

I have been on a bit of an unspoken hiatus. Nothing crazy, just a little loose. Sort of the mediocrity Rob blogged about the other day. But it had an end. Today. I am in the process of reconfiguring my plan anyway - changing my weigh-in day, which affects my 'cheat' days, and then next week starting a different work out regimen. The training program for the 10K is 8 weeks long, and it involves 4 days of running, beginning with 2.5 miles/workout, and ending with close to 6. For some reason I have wanted to run a marathon for years. It's one of those weird things that I don't know the origin of. I may never run a marathon, but hopefully I will be able to end 2007 with a 5K and 10K under my belt. But this race will be my first, and even though I am also doing a PN challenge which focuses on changing body composition, I am determined to train for it. I think I need the challenge, plus I feel like there is a runner somewhere inside of me. I don't care what my time is, I just want to run the whole 6.2 miles. Truth be told, I'm a bit intimidated, because the workout schedule will require me to work out 6 days/week, and most of those days, because of my school/work/internship schedule, I will have to be up around 5:30/6:00 am most days of the week, at least for the first month of school. Big fun!

So tomorrow is back on the saddle. My Internet has not been working, and it has impacted my calorie counting & blogging. But it's fixed now, and that's what matters - no excuses! Back to inputting my calories every day, eating 'clean' (no starchy carbs this week, lots of protein, fruits & veggies), blogging, and hopefully losing some weight! No cookies....

It's Time to Blog

OK, when KEVIN comments on my blog, I know it's time for a post. He never comments!

Truth be told, there's not much to say. Well, there is, but believe me, you don't want to hear it! I have a lot of drama going on, and I am trying my best to hold on to my sanity, let alone my weight loss/fitness goals. The good news is that I am not far off track. Meaning, no weight gain. Yay! I am taking a couple of scheduled weeks off from the gym, and on August 19 I am going to start training for my 10K, which will be 8 weeks of 6 days/week at the gym. So, this week no weights, only cardio, and next week, nothing. That will be hard for me! But I am sure that my body needs a break, because since September, I really haven't taken one. Breaks are not my strong suit.

I actually threw away a lemon cookie yesterday! I bought it yesterday afternoon, but I filled up on chicken & veggies and didn't have room for it. Later that evening (can we say dessert time) I still resisted it, and ultimately threw it in the trash! Sometimes I think I just buy stuff to show that I'm a grown-ass woman that can eat what I want... even if I decide not to eat it. Well, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.