Week in Review: Week 1 of 23

I spent my Sunday relaxing and spending quality time with my Mom.  We watched X-Men: First Class and I was surprised my mom enjoyed it ;) who knew! he he

Looking back at the week I am rather pleased with myself.  In the last week I have set a great foundation for the next 22 weeks of training before the 13.1 Fort Lauderdale and have jump started my return to my Pre-MBA training.  I have not felt any soreness or undo discomfort and have thoroughly enjoyed the training.  

I am also evaluating some ideas for some strength training on my non-run days because I have 35 pounds to lose to reach my Pre-MBA running weight so I have some work head of me.  I have considered P90x Strength Training which is what I did on my off days before as well as the 100 Push Up, Sit Up and Squat challenge, but I am also hoping to mix it up.  Any suggestions? 


Stats
Ran 3 times
Strength Training  0
Worked out 3 times


Ran for 2:58:00 min (total time)
Ran 12 miles
Longest Run 4 miles

Weight Change - 6
Total Lost - 6

On Deck
Rest day Monday (but I will probably do some strength training or maybe 2 miles), 3 Mi @16:00 Easy Run Tuesday

Wishing everyone a great week!

Back On The Wagon

Ok, So I'm back on the Weight Watcher's Wagon.

I have to admit, I got really good results the first time around.

In August 2005, I was in the 240s and I didn't start Weight Watchers until the end of the year and I able able to get it down to the 190s by May 2006 so I lost almost 50 pounds in something like 6 months or so.

But I kinda fell off the wagon, somethings started to happen in my life and I guess I forgot about what I was eating and I guess I figured working out would get me the rest of the way.


It's been 3 years now and although I KNOW I am much fitter and healthier ... I have only managed to lose 10 pounds IN THREE YEARS! JEESH! and pretty much 0 pounds since I started running eight months ago. I think I'm pretty much the only human being on earth to take on running for weight loss and NOT LOSE A SINGLE POUND!

I know it's because of the way I eat.

I do realize this!

Which is why I have finally broken down and decided to do Weight Watchers again.

But I WON'Tt be joining the meetings (they are wonderful and helpful and I highly recommend them but I've been talking about my eating most of my adult life be it Weight Watchers, Over Eatters Anonymous or lectures from random strangers as I exit City Buildings telling me that I'm Gorgeous, MODEL Gorgeous but to work on losing 10 pounds when I can ... and I don't think talking about my eatting is going to get me anywhere at the moment).

I also WON'T be doing it online. (Although I may breakdown and sign up for it if my initial plan doesn't work)

I WILL be starting a food journal and write down everything I eat and count the points values (most of which I already know from memory and the rest I can use a plethora of free calculators online).

I am 3 days in and I already feel like the change has been positive.

• I've noticed I was eating a couple of things that were higher than I really should be having and been able to replace them with other things.
• I've also noticed my CARB intake is probably a little higher than it should be ... that needs to be adjusted
• I've also noticed I've been replacing too much H2O with Diet Sodas and I need to bring that ratio to where H2O is winning.
  

Have you guys ever tried an eatting plan? Which one's have worked for you?

Crab Rangoon, Pad Thai and a 3 Mile Run

Last night, Mr. Boyfriend and I decided to be adventurous and make a new dish we had never made before. We had been watching Paula Dean (wonderful cook but not a great role model for healthy eating) and she made a relatively simple, relatively healthy seaming Pork Pad Thai.

So I headed out to the Asian Market and picked up a bunch of ingredients neither I nor Mr. Boyfriend had ever tried before and we got to cooking. I also found wonton wrappers and decided I'd give some Crab Rangoon a try.

I do admit the Crab Rangoon came out really good ... but being that it's basically fried dough filled with crab I should probably only do it on *VERY* special occasions.

Also, the Pad Thai came out good too ... tasted very light because I used 1/10th of what the recipe required (being that the required Fish Sauce has 1060mg of Sodium which I didn't notice till I got home).

Afterward, I felt so disgusting that I had to go for a run. I decided to do my Saturday run because I didn't do it Saturday. I was thinking of passing on running Sunday all together because I am doing my long run today with my friend who's a Fire Fighter (i.e. Ultra Fit) and I didn't want to be too worn out for it (i.e. not be able to keep up) Yes, I do think that to be utter nonsense and just me being L.A.Z.Y.!

Also, decided I should take my knew CW-X Women's Stabilyx 3/4 Tights for a test drive. The run was actually pretty great ... I ran faster than I have before but at times I felt like the pants were making my legs heavier (not sure if that was just in my head though, will keep you posted). After the run I gave my legs a cold rinse (since I'm not really running long enough for an full on ICE BATH I just sit with some cold water running over my legs for about 10 minutes and it leave my legs feeling brand new) and they did feel kinda terrific (as if I hadn't run at all) which could mean I need to up my distance too.

What's worse is that I ended up waking up at 3am with a terrible migraine. I don't know if to chalk it up to my terrible weekend eating habits or some particular new-to-me ingredient in the Pad Thai but I am feeling ubber bad physically and mentally today!

I seem to have the consistent working out in order ... it's my eating habits I can't seem to get in control of. I am debating joining Weight Watchers (online) for the 87th time. I do seem to get results when I do follow it (we'll duh!) I just don't know what to do anymore!

Le Sigh!

Well, it's Monday, time to start Fresh, right?

A Notch on My Belt

Last night, Band Practice went outstandingly well.


I got to practice alot and realized I'm doing better than I thought (I hadn't played in almost a month because I had gotten a little demoralized but Mr. Boyfriend made me jump in there and remember how much I truly enjoy playing bass and guitar :)

Also, Mrs. Fireman told me I was looking great (always a nice thing to hear) and I looked down and noticed I had tighten my belt a notch tighter :)

What a great way to start the week!

Since I did my strength training last night, debating pushing my entire week up a day to prepare for the 5K this weekend.

Have a great Monday!

Focus Friday

Actually, I should call it RE-Focus Friday.

For the last two days, I've kinda been beating myself up a little bit (I'm a Black Belt in Put-Your-Self-Down-Kun Do). I think it has to do but the energy-low I've been having the last couple of days since the FLU has been trying to catch up to me that caused me to slip this time.

I have a really bad habit of as soon as I get things in order (i.e. workout consistently for more than a couple of days, lose a couple of pounds, get organized) of doing something totally off the wall or unexpected to break my streak.

Hello, My name is Eliza and I'm a self-sabotage-er.

This always bothers me.

It's a weakness and I really don't like weakness in myself ... I feel like I have something to prove and I have to prove it 10x better than anyone else would have to.

Normally, I would let it get me so down I completely break what ever streak of good things I'm currently working on and veg out in front of the TV for a couple of days before I get fed up and try again. It's a bit of a vicious cycle.

NOT THIS TIME! I am not going to allow a little bump in my road to get me off this path.

Currently I am on a 12 day Exercise streak (i.e. I have worked out every day for the last 12 days for at least 1 hour or good worth while sweat-soaked-t-shirt exercise and I will not allow anything to break my streak :)

I have cheated though.

Out of those 12 days, I have run only once, which is shameful being that I am training to run. But I think I need to get it into my Thick-Taurean skull that I need to get in shape to get in shape.

I am caught in a catch-22 situation. I am a little too over-weight to be running (at least, the distances and times a week I want to run are in fact too much and this has lead me to suffer from Runner's Knee in the very recent past). So I need all the other "frilly" sweat-soaked-t-shirt workout to get my muscles strong enough to take my runs ... But I will admit I have been doing a little too much frill.

So today, I will re-hash my work out schedule with balance in mind and set a new goal of not beating myself up if I have a "frilly" workout because I need it to get me ready for the hard stuff :)

P.S. Thanks to the people who sent me comments ... they helped me shake off this funk :)

Have a great day!

Ups & Downs

Well, the last 24 hours have been filled with ups and downs.

• UP: Yesterday, I went to the gym (as planned) and got in 90 minutes totaling 6.81 miles on the CrossTrack.
• DOWN: I was supposed to do 3 miles on the CrossTrack and 3 miles run on the treadmill ... I was not able to overcome my fear of running as I did the day before.

• UP: I got home in time to make dinner for Mr. Boyfriend and I before the JAM session.
• DOWN: I forgot I had to finish some work and had to make a choice ... Cooking lost!

• UP: We had a healthy sub sandwich at Subrageous which was delicious!
• DOWN: I was STARVING by the time we finally had dinner so instead of having a 6" ... I had a 12" sandwich

• UP: The JAM was great and Mr. Boyfriend and the guys have been asked to come back every Wednesday.
• DOWN: We didn't get to bed till 2am ... and it looks like it's going to happen at least every other week.

• UP: Even though I was working from home till noon I still got up at my usual time and was able to squeeze in a session of P90x Legs & Back and 20 minutes of Billy Blanks Boot Camp ABs.
• DOWN: I WANTED TO LOG MILES TODAY!

Oh, Pooh!

Have a great day!

Eliptical Saves The Day

I had been suffering from an unknown soreness in my left knee and some sporadic lightening pain in the right front of my foot. I googled around for a bit and found that the pain on my right foot may have been caused by not tying my shoes correctly thus being too tight ... I wasn't convinced but was willing to keep an open mind so I decided that rather than do Intervals I would stick with the Elliptical and take it relatively easy.

I tried to keep my pace up there (between 6.5 and 7.0 MPH) being that the workout was a little less intense than I'm used to. I also tried increasing the length of my workout instead of 50min I did 60min and I was going to jump on the stair machine for another 10min but none were available ... oh, pooh ... but figured that it wasn't meant to be today and was pretty ok with my workout. Although, In hind sight I could have done a challenge set ... oh, well.

I forgot how much I truly enjoy the elliptical and how it tends to tighten all the right muscles groups to make you feel slimmer. It didn't hurt that I was able to wear a blouse I haven't worn in about a year today ... and didn't even need a cami underneath :) That always makes me smile.

Today, I have a 3 miler in the park (that will probably become a 4 miler) penciled in and a challenge set of 10-20-30.

Temp: 85
Feels like: 91
Humidity: 74%
Comfort Index: 5

Have an Outstanding day!

Why I Need To Run

I'm a pragmatist.

I know I don't run because I enjoy the act itself but the rewards I reap from it. For me, these rewards reach further than general health and fitness and overall feeling of self worth.

For me, running cures my migraines.

I have been a migraine sufferer for close to 15 years. In that time, I have been tested by various specialists of varying degrees and they have in essences conquered that my migraines are caused by excess consumption of carbohydrates and lack of exercise.

My migraines have varied from dull pain to excruciating with side effects of nausea, hot flashes, sensitivity to sound and light and even vomiting. My migraines can last multiple days and have varied in frequency up to 4 to 5 times a week.

But when I run, My migraines are nonexistent.

I won't venture to explain why or call it empirical scientific proof.

I just know that I need to run.

Vitamins Bad For Runners (What?)

Article in the New York Times:

Health / Research

Vitamins Found to Curb Exercise Benefits

By NICHOLAS WADE

Published: May 12, 2009

Antioxidants appear to short-circuit
a natural response by the body.

Running & Nutrition

I am in search of a new nutritional plan. I don't want to call it a diet because that word has a bad connotation and I have a vast dislike of diets overall.

Honestly, I don't think I have ever been on a diet (per se) where you eat whatever is says whenever it says. I have done eating plans before like Weight Watchers and ... well, Weight Watchers is it. I'm not one of those people who have tried every diet on earth because my mom is one of those people and I have seen all those "diets" get her hopes up and inevitably fail for her.

I have struggled with my weight for the last 20 years (about the same amount of time I've suffered from Migraines) and the only thing that works is eating right and exercise (on both the losing weight and curing my particular kind of migraines).



Over the course of 2006 I lost a little over 40 pounds, and I've been able to keep it off for almost three years ... but I still have some more weight to go before I reach a healthy weight.

I lost 40 pounds by doing Billy Blanks' Tae-Bo and TaeBo II: Get Ripped Advanced Workout every morning and following the Weight Watcher's Diet.

Over the last two years, I've tried various things to lose the next 20 pounds including: getting a personal trainer (twice), doing Weight Watchers (again) and working out on my own but nothing gets me any real results ... or to be honest as soon as I see any kind of result I sabotage myself by cheating.

This is probably the same reason why this year my weight loss progress has not been consistent (to say the least) as you can see below:

Chart shows from Jan 1, 2009 to May 1, 2009

So, it's time to start looking into making some changes in that department.

So, I did a little research and found Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running: The Best Advice to Get Started, Stay Motivated, Lose Weight, Run Injury-Free, Be Safe, and Train for Any Distance (Runner's World Complete Books) (WOH, that's a mouth full :)

I did the Amazon Look Inside thing and found it to be full of great information about training and injury prevention written for the every day person ... like me :)

Yay! My first running book!

Once, I read it I will write a full review and post it here.

I will also follow a Weight-Watcher's-esque eating plan with modifications made because my work out plan will be to train for a marathon.

But for now, I will stick to trying to eat healthy and working out ... still no running for another couple of days :(

Getting Back On The Horse (Delusions of Grandure)

Well, It was a short vacation, a total of 5 days in all but it feels like I haven't worked out in a month.

Right before leaving, I was starting to see improvement on my time and distance which caused me to second guess whether I should go or not.

Upon my return, I had two terrible demoralizing workouts that made me begin to rethink if I could do this at all, but in the end I think it has more to do with wanting to do it than being able to do it.

People do things they shouldn't be able to do every day. There are people walking around on the street who are cancer survivors who were told you have three months to live and years later are still walking around. Mothers lift cars of baby's fueled by adrenaline rushes. I think I can manage a tiny little marathon.

Although, it's not just a marathon ... I have delusions of grandeur and of one day completing an Iron (Wo)man competition. Mind you, I don't know how to ride a bicycle and I'm want you call a good swimmer in shallow water only! But I still day dream of one day finishing an Iron Man course and getting a little Iron Man tattoo to commemorate the accomplishment.

I did have a much better workout on the third try (can't beat my persistence) but my left knee is a bit sore and I am considering taking a rest day. I checked my running log and it seems like I can afford a rest day, although being that I started almost 3 months late on a year goal of 1000 miles every little bit helps.

I suspect my soreness is caused by not stretching properly after my runs and the fact that I am STILL not taking my Glucosamine Chondroitin & MSM as I should and the fact that I am still a little heavy for a runner. All things that can be resolved with a little effort and persistance.

Persistance is one thing I've got.

Cleanse?

Well, the cleanse stunk.

By the end of the second day I had to stop drinking the Pineapple-Cucumber concoction because I was becoming nauseous and was well on my way to becoming ill.

That will teach me a lesson (one I thought I already knew) that crazy diets that seem too good to be true ... ARE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.

Weight loss is about eating right and working out and that's it. You get out what you put in. End of story.

New Diet

Well, I should have expected this but upon my arrival at the personal trainer I was informed I would begin a new diet.

Now, just to be clear, I don't eat badly. I eat rather healthily in fact. I avoid sweets, as much as I can. Eat low sodium and don't drink coffee. So I was surprised when my trainer said my diet was all wrong and that I would be doing a 3 day Pineapple-Cucumber Diet Cleanse.

The concoction was prepared for me, but from what I could tell it was a half gallon worth of Cucumber Juice (prepared with fresh cucumbers in a juicer) and a half gallon worth of Pineapple juice (prepared with fresh pineapple in a blender). The reasoning is to keep the pulp in it for extra fiber. I was instructed to drink one gallon of the mix a day for 3 days. No breakfast (other than the juice) lunch and dinner were to be 5 to 6 oz of white meat (chicken or fish) and green vegetables.

I am concerned but willing to give it a shot.

First Day of School

Today was my first session with my new personal trainer.

Now, this is not my first rodeo (I have had personal trainers before) and it's not even my first time taking on a personal weight loss/athleticism challenge. But since I have been on a plateau weight-wise for over a year ... I am beginning to question exactly how much I know about weight loss and athleticism to begin with.

To set the stage, I will admit I have a pretty sordid back ground.

I have always had problems with my weight and the first time I became serious about losing weight came in the form of an accident. I signed up for a Judo class at Florida International University not knowing that it would absolutely change my life.

I was a wall-flower at the time and had very low self-confidence. The class turned things around and by the second semester I was in front leading warm-ups and teaching the beginners new techniques (under the careful eye of the Sensei of course).

Within a couple of semesters, I had signed up for Army Reserve Officer Training Corps. During which I discovered running as an activity for life improvement. I am convinced that running is a key part of living a full and healthy life, although my theories are still being developed.

I was running twice a day. Two to three miles in the morning with my R.O.T.C. compatriots, then spent most of my day at Judo class (which can be confirmed by my low GPA during my Junior year in college), a one mile run in the afternoon before the Adult Judo class with a 260 pound Refridgerator of a man I called my practice partner (he was a mover and is was rumored to be able to pick up a redriferator on his own) and then a 2 hour adult class of Judo/Jujitsu/Atemi/Akido.

After college, I ceased all exercise and bloated to a disturbing 232 pounds on my 5 foot, 6 inch medium build. I was highly depressed and physically ill. I suffered from Migraines almost on a daily basis. I was obese and technically still am, but over the next year I proceeded to lose 60 pounds using Weight Watchers.com program. I was quite happy with my results until I hit the plateau I have been currently riding for over a year. I have been working out (albeit not as regularly as an OCD Taurean like myself would approve of) for the entire year and have not managed to lose weight. Infact, all I have managed is to gain 20 pounds and be in my current state of frustration.


So I am setting aside the desire to do this one my own and am accepting help. For the next 6 weeks I will try something different and see what results will come.

Today's Workout:

Warm-up: 5 min on treadmill at 3.3 (raised it to 3.5 while he wasn't looking)

Stretches: 5 min

• Squat Stretch
• Runners Stretch
• Hamstring Stretch
• Jumping Jacks

Exercises:

• Run/Jog 25 meters, then lunge 25 meters (repeat 6 times)
• Step up/knee up (20 left/20 right)
• Jog for 3 min
• Step up/knee up - high step (20 left/20 right)
• Step up/knee up with bicep curls (20 left/20 right)
• Medicine Ball Squats
• Medicine Ball Free Throws (without actually throwing)

Cool Down: 5 min on Bike

... and I will run 500 miles .... and I will run 500 more

I've decided to set a new challenge for myself.

I will run 1000 miles in 2009.

Now I'm starting at a disadvantage being that I am starting this a little late. Not that I am starting at zero. I have run at least occasionally over the last couple of months but not enough to create any real dent into this challenge.

Currently I have run 85.5 miles to date.

Leaving me 914.5 to go over the next 9 months.

I think it's do-able!

UPDATE: 5/12/2009
Due to a minor injury and the fact that I started to run a few months into the year, I am adjusting my goal of running 1000 miles in 2009 to 500 in 2009 and will leave the 1000 miles for 2010.

UPDATE: 9 /15/2009
Today I have reached my 500 mile Goal but I still have 3 months left of running. I am going to go for the 750!