Sometimes You Need a Little Push...

Deciding to start getting fit and living a healthier lifestyle is not easy. It's not easy to drag your butt out of bed, run on a treadmill, do a workout video, go for a run or even deny yourself your favorite foods in order to reach your goal. Sometimes the journey becomes boring. You loose hope. You think there's no point and at times you feel like no one else values your struggles. But every once in a while along the journey, you come across a passerby that gives you a little nudge to keep pressing forward.

My sister challenged me to join her in a 5K for breast cancer. The run is on October 2nd so I have (had) exactly 10 weeks to complete the 9 week program and get running. I'll have to admit I'm excited and scared at the same time. The furthest I've ever run non-stop was 1.5 miles but I wouldn't exactly call that running. It was more of a jog. So, instead of doing my old routine which was running until I felt that I was about to pass out, I decided to try the Couch to 5K running program.

The C25K program is super easy to follow and makes running a 5K seem totally doable even in less than the amount of time the program calls for. So I've decided to repeat week one which consists of alternating walking 90 sec. with running 60 sec. I felt like I was going to nearly pass out on the treadmill. I'm thinking that I may need to give running outdoors another shot. All it took was a couple of bad shin splints for me and that was it. I vowed to only run on a treadmill unless it was race day. But I think I may be pushing myself a little too hard on the treadmill focusing on calories burned, speed and time. I'm thinking I may need to just use the C25K app (which I downloaded for my phone from the Droid Market) and just run and not worry about the numbers.  The program will time you and blow a whistle when its time to alternate.I also concluded that it may be time to quit my secret cigarette habit.  Smoking+obesity+running = disaster. Don't judge me... (smh).


Oh, I'm still doing Insanity too. I got a little bored with it so I decided to run 3 days and do Insanity for 3 days. That way I shouldn't get too tired of either for a little while. I am a little worried about the toll the two will take on my knees.


I've also decided to change my "my week". I'm finding it difficult to switch my meal plans and exercise routines up on Tuesdays so I'm going to start "my week" off on Mondays. Last week's weigh in reaped a total of 1lb lost.


I'm not pleased but a pound lost is better than a pound gained any day. So I'll take that. I'll work harder next week and hope that the running combined with Insanity will reap better results. I'm thinking of switching to My version of the Atkins Diet for the next two weeks and see if I can't loose 7 pounds to reach an even 210. We'll see. God, I wish I didn't bore so quickly.

Week 3 Weigh In

Well... somewhere around my first post, I said that I wanted to do Insanity for 28 consecutive days because that's how long it supposedly takes to form a habit. I formed my habit. I work out religiously everyday even when I don't feel like it. Today marks day 21 with only 7 more days to go until I officially form my "habit". I did get sick last week and had to take two "unauthorized" days off but I got right back on track and made up for it by even working out twice on some days. While I don't see too many physical changes, I can tell you that I am already in a lot better shape than I was in when I started. I'm able to workout longer and harder and feel myself growing stronger everyday! (Woo-hoo!)

I'm not pleased with this week's weigh in but I can say I  honestly feel like I've lost some inches. I bought this grey pencil skirt last year and only wore it once because my butt stood out just as far behind me as my belly did in front of me. Then there was the issue of the pouch and the long split up the front and I just couldn't bring myself to wear it again. Well, I wore the skirt today. I'm still round in the center but it doesn't look as bad as it did before. In fact, it keep rises up because there's too much room in the waistline. Here's a pic:

Hopefully some day soon I'll be posting another pic in this last minute outfit with it falling off me. Hey, a girl can dream. Right?

This week I decided to go back to eating "real food" for breakfast instead of the Special K. I also opted to stop eating the white bread on sandwiches for lunch.

This morning I had sausage links, scrambled eggs with cheese on wheat toast for breakfast. For lunch I'll have a salad with some sliced baked turkey breast. I'll have sugar-free jello for snacks and all the water I can stand. I'm not sure what I'll have for dinner yet but I'm sure it will be healthy. My husband joined me in the weight loss journey less than 6 months ago and he's already dropped 50 lbs. (That is SO unfair!!! but I'm happy for him).

As far as exercise goes, I will continue Insanity for the rest of the week. Next Tuesday, instead of doing the "Recovery Week" Core Cardio & Balance, I think I'll do Jillian Micheal's 30 Day Shred. I had good results with that workout before so we'll see what happens. that will be my "recovery". I'm not sure if I'll immediately return to Insanity or if I'll start training for the 5K in early October. My sister talked me into running and we're both going to do the Couch to 5 K program. I'll probably do that and alternate Insanity every other day. But again, we'll see...


Oh... I didn't tell you guys how much I lost this week. ONE FREAKING POUND! Can you believe it? I worked so hard. I ate right and worked my tail off but I didn't manage to loose the 4 lbs I was shooting for this week. I guess this is normal. Usually weeks 3 and 5 are rough (according to Biggest Looser). So I'll continue to work hard. I will celebrate this single pound loss because it could have very well been one gained.

Week 2 Weigh In

Hi Blog Friends! I’ve been away for a couple of days but I’m still pushing on. The last time we spoke, I was feeling a little under the weather but I’m feeling much better now. Thanks so much for all of your well wishes and encouragement!!!

I followed all of the advice I was given and I took a little break from working out. I rested for 2 days and then went back at full force. I feel myself starting to get a little sick again but I’m not sure if its really my body trying to tell me something or my mind trying to get my body out of working out. In any case, I’ll see how I feel after tonight’s workout. Tonight will be "Pure Cardio" with Shaun T's Insanity.  I’m still only doing ½ a DVD. I'm just a little crazy

 I'm not completely insane yet. I don’t know how people do the whole thing straight through!! Oneday....  Until then, I’ll take it easy and continue to do my 20-25 minutes of Insanity per day and watch what I eat. When that stops working, I’ll move onto the full workout.

Before I post my week 2 results, I'd like to start by sharing with you some things I did last week that impacted my weight loss. #1, I think I can show you better than I can tell you:

I present to you - Exhibit A

 

Funnel Cake....

I didn't have very much. I shared with my mother in-law. It wasn't really "worth" the calories. Instead, I saved them for McDonald's and cotton candy. I know... I know... bad decisions. I'll do better this week. I have to!! I KNEW I was going to "eat bad" while at Six Flags so I saved some calories during the week.  

By the way, here's a pic of the gang:

That's me in the center hiding 95% of my body. I SO can't wait until the day I don't feel the need to do that way anymore. 

OK, back on track now....

#2 - I skipped 2 workout days and took my allotted rest day so I didn't really have all the workout time in that I planned on having.

#3 -  I'm still not following any formal "diet" plan. Instead, I'm making sensible choices and reducing the amount of carbs I have. I'm detoxing off of junk food too.

With all of these factors, I still managed to loose 2 pounds!

While I should be thanking my lucky stars that I didn't gain 2 pounds, I'm disappointed because I know if I would have been a little more focused, I could have lost more, easy! Maybe I'll think about this the next time I decide to slack off.

A wise old friend used to tell me: "slow progress is better than no progress".  She was right. But I'm in this to win this for the long haul. So I'll take my 2 pound loss and update my ticker happily...

I started at 224 (this time around) and I'm down to 219 for a total of 5 pounds lost in 2 weeks. Next week's goal is 4lbs. I'm thinking seeing 215 again will feel good.