Running & Commitment

I want to be a runner. I have wanted to run for a long time. It has been a desire deep in my heart for some time. I admire women who have beautiful running legs and are so strong in that way. I want to be that woman I admire in other people. I started doing the Couch to 5k plan last fall. I completed week 1, which I actually did two times because I didn't feel ready for week 2. I have done just a couple of days of week 2 at two different times. I have never fully committed. I always seemed to have a ready excuse...like the time change because it was getting dark sooner after I got home from work. 

I have been following Weight Watchers but haven't committed hard to it. I do well for several days and then derail with not tracking points or having too many chocolates or binging on food after work simply because I am hungry, bored, stressed, no real good reason. I haven't been sleeping well at night or getting enough sleep which is playing a part in the mental aspect of all of this weight loss. 

Today, I weigh 200.4 pounds. I don't want to be in the 200s. I got out of them last year and didn't plan on going back, but here I am on the cusp of them. I am saying good-bye to the 200s today and they are not allowed back in my life....ever! I haven't measured my body in quite some time, that will happen next Saturday, measurements and pictures. It's time to have physical proof of this journey and really see my body change.

Running & Commitment. There is a reason for that title. I have been doing well since 2013 started to get in my exercise. I work out, usually, four mornings a week. I did promise myself no more just being lazy and I have to do at least three days of exercise and I have done that this calender year. 

Back to the title...Running & Commitment....I am committing to myself to count all my food, the good and the bad, I am staying away from the ugly though! I am going to commit to eating my points each day and using my 49 FlexPoints each week. I am committing to my workouts each morning. More importantly, I am committing to my run training. This week, I will be running on Tues and Thurs afternoon and Saturday morning. I will be doing Week 2 of Couch to 5k. 

Running & Commitment. Those are my words this week!

*Oiy vay!*

Well, it has been a while....several months, actually! Good grief. And I am not feeling very good about myself right now. I haven't taken very good care of myself over the past months and it makes me a bit sad. I am ready to get back in the groove though. It was interesting to read my last post because I did actually get started on the Couch to 5k training and I am going to keep going with that. 

So much has changed in my life since that last post. I have a new job. I have been working for Samson Exploration and I LOVE it!! It is the best thing in the world. I work for an amazing company and I have awesome co-workers. Everyday is a lot of fun. 

Sunday is always the beginning of my week, so it is a fresh start. I have goals for the week. First being that I am going to weigh, measure, and count all my points this week. I have Sarah's bday dinner, so I do have to be wise and self-controlled. And I am getting back to working out and drinking my water. I have gotten so far away from the good place I was in before and I want to get back to that and surpass it.

Work out schedule:

Monday -- Last Chance WorkOut; Cto5k

Tuesday -- Shred L-2; Yoga L-1

Wednesday -- Last Chance WorkOut; Cto5k

Thursday -- Shred L-2; Yoga L-1

Friday -- Kettlebell L-1

Saturday -- Cto5k       

Here is to a very successful week.

*Lost My Mind*

I lost my mind the last five or six days of February. It was not pretty, either. I didn't want to exercise (but I did -- good thing) and I was an eating maniac. This is the year of "No Excuses" so I am not going to give one, I just did it. It was a vicious cycle after school...cheezits, chocolate, cheese, pringles, repeat...I am not proud to admit that, but I will and that's what I did.

Good news: I found my mind! Thank God! Good heavens this whole getting healthy can become such a mental battle, one that I want to get a better grip on. Especially, one certain week of the month when it can get really out of hand.

This morning I got up and worked out with my Biggest Loser Last Chance Workout DVD. That one always seems to really get me going. I spent the day/night before wondering, what is going on? Why did I let myself cave? What happened to my mental strength? What am I afraid of, all of a sudden, after the success? One thing I kept coming back to is I was letting satan have a handle and deceive me and he just is not allowed to do that, at all, EVER! So while I was working out, I was shouting him out of the room and out of the situation. Letting him (and anyone else who could hear me) know that this IS my year. I am going to get STRONG! I am going to get HEALTHY! I am going to be in the best shape of my life! I called upon the name of my Lord and Savior! This lead me to Philippians 4:13...I can do ALL things through CHRIST who strengthens me. And that is all the truth I needed. I had an amazing workout and was so happy with myself.

I have talked with myself over and over, I WANT TO RUN! How crazy is that, maybe I have lost my mind! Ha! Not really. That is the truth, I want to run. I am going to run. It is 27 days until my 20th anniversary and I want March to be an amazing month. I want to kick a lot of weight bye-bye. One sure way I know to do that is to really boost my cardio workouts. I am 20 pounds lighter than I was before and now is the time to start running. I am just going to do my own thing for right now. I am starting today and will run Tues/Thurs/Sat. Starting off, I am going to walk to the retention pond as my warm-up and then run the track over there. I don't know how long it is. It is just my starting point. I will see where this takes me.

Tomorrow is my weigh and measure day. I am not overly excited about it, but it is what it is. The truth is there. I have to visually see it, be proud of what I have done, know that everything I do adds up to what the final outcome is, and own it. I will. I am so looking forward to this afternoon to see what I can accomplish. Wish me luck!

*Picture*

My stomach has changed.

Blue -- April 2011

Pink -- January 2012

Yellow -- February 2012

*Another Milestone*

Today was weigh-in day and I reached a great milestone. I have lost 20.6 pounds now! I weigh 194.4. Ssendoogymho! I am now closer to 190 then I am 200. I am so excited, proud of myself, motivated! There are so many words to describe what I was feeling this morning.

A couple weeks ago, I went shopping at Macy's with some of my birthday money. I purchased two tops in a size medium (yeah, me!). I feel so cute in them. The cashier mentioned how she liked the tops but they wouldn't fit her. I told her they were two sizes smaller than what I used to buy and that I had lost some weight. She wanted to know what I was doing. I told her WW and exercising. She said, "Oh, that's hard work. I was hoping you were going to say it was something easy." Those words rolled around in my mind for a while and I thought, "she is right". It has been hard work and I have put in that hard work.

I have consistently been journaling my food since October. On Saturdays, I for sure count my breakfast points. The rest of the day on Saturday is quite a bit freer. First of all, because it is a "free day" for me I don't keep track of food as tightly. I also don't go crazy either. I really pay attention to what I am eating. I just don't journal every bite. I think that is helping me in a sense because I have that day free of the food journal. I have also been working out on Saturday mornings since the beginning of the year. That is such a great decision on my part. It makes it easier to have that extra treat on Saturday, too. This Saturday workout also keeps me motivated through the weekend.

This week I have had some interesting observations. Starting on about Wednesday, I was getting REALLY hungry during the day. I have a great breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and then dinner. I am eating everything I am supposed to be eating for the day. I am starting to think my metabolism is really kicking in. I have been working out so hard and mixing things up that I really believe I am burning a lot of calories even at rest. It's a good thing. I am trying to listen to my body though. I don't want to get too hungry because that could lead to unhealthy choices.

Right now, my next exciting milestone will be to get to 189 and that is only 5 pounds away! Here we go!! :)

*196.8 and Blue Jeans*

This week I had a laugh with God. Early in the week I "told" Him (ha!) I was tired of seeing 197 on the scale. The last few weeks I have rolled around 197 going up a few tenths, coming down a few tenths and I was tired of the 197s. Anyhow, like I said, I "told" God I was tired of that number. I weighed on Saturday morning and was 196.8! As close as I can be to 197 without seeing 197 on the scale. It made me chuckle.

Sunday was Super Bowl Sunday. We all went to church. I went out to lunch with my small group of girls (whom I love). Then we all went to mom and dad's to watch the game, eat and celebrate my birthday. I had worn jeans to church and wore them all day. I have to admit, in years past, I enjoyed wearing yoga pants or something comfy for the Super Bowl so it wouldn't be so uncomfortable while eating all that food. I certainly didn't eat a lot of food and was totally comfortable in jeans all day long. Those are words that don't normally come from me.

*Measurements*

Here are my latest stats:

Weight: 197.4

Chest: 39"

Arm: 13"

Stomach: 38.5"

Waist: 36"

Butt/Hips: 47"

Difference since April 2011:

Weight: -13.2

Chest: -1"

Arm: -1"

Stomach: -8"

Waist: -2"

Butt/Hips: -3"

That's a total of 15" lost! Yeah!! I will continue working hard. I also need to remember to trust the process. All the days and weeks continue to add up together and make good stuff!