Okay...THIS is a brag post!

I went to the gym tonight because I didn't get to bed very early last night & so I was tired this morning & I couldn't make myself get out of bed and go to boot camp. BOO for me! Anyway, I wasn't initially intending to go, I was really in the "tomorrow's another day" mind frame but some women on a discussion board I'm a part of started a couple threads today that I REALLY wanted to post something good on! So I decided that when Mark got home from work I'd be in my workout clothes ready to go to the gym & run at least 2 miles. It worked perfectly! And on top of being proud of myself just for GOING, I did run 2 miles! If THAT weren't enough, I also ran it in just under 23 minutes! I'm pretty sure the last fastest 2 mile time for me was 25 and some change! YAY ME!!! Anyway, I'm really glad that this is the note I'm ending my day on and I'm excited to go to boot camp tomorrow!

NOT a brag post!

I have been having a rough couple of weeks. I've been wallowing in my "poop" and letting myself be bogged down with stress. I've been eating like CRAP and not caring (too much). I've been exercising at boot camp & running a few times a week. Is it bad that I've been running so I can eat more crap & not go over my calorie allowance for the day?!? Anyway, I did my weight & measurements this weekend and I was SHOCKED to see that I actually went DOWN! I was thinking I would probably just stay the same but I DID get smaller! Somehow, all the junk & stress didn't stop my body from doing what I have been programming it to do, burn fat & build muscle. I am SO grateful for the work I've been putting in up until now! If we were going through all this stuff (house buying, moving, kid stuff) 6 or 8 months ago I wouldn't be happy AT ALL with the results I'd be seeing on the scale OR the measuring tape! I also took pictures and I am SO in LOVE with my back! I know that sounds weird but I look at my pictures & I can see how strong & muscular my back is getting. It reassures me that I will have the strength of body & mind to continue to be a good mom & wife. I'm so grateful to be blessed with health & strength & the ability to change my body in positive ways. I'm grateful that (even though I LOVE me some sleeping in!) I can get up in the morning & do something SO good for myself before most of the world is even awake! I'm happy & grateful that I can look at myself & SEE the perfect creation that I AM. Like I said in the title, this is NOT a brag post! I just wanted to put out there the idea that the work is ALWAYS worth it! I am so glad I've learned this lesson. Now to learn the lesson that chocolate & fast food AREN'T necessities to life...

I DID IT!!!

In February I set myself a goal.Click here to see the details. At the time it seemed like a BIG goal. As the date of my goal has gotten closer & closer it has started to seem like a HUGE goal, almost insurmountable. But I've done it! ... ... ... I ran THREE WHOLE MILES without stopping!!! I did it in just over 40 minutes. I was a little shaky when I got done but I am so proud of myself! I forgot to bring my camera to record this momentous occasion but I promise you, it happened! It gives me lots of encouragement that I will be able to do so much better this year when I do the Mesa Turkey Trot. Oh, I am so excited! YAY for ME!!!

A small victory

There are few things I enjoy more than when I see someone I know but haven't seen for a while & I can see that they are unsure who I am. This happened again last night & it is a bittersweet feeling that I am REALLY digging lately! I look at it like this; on the one hand it is sad how far gone I was that now when people who knew me then see me NOW and don't recognize me. On the other is it a real testament to what eating right & exercise can do for a person.

The first picture is me on August 22, 2009 (and approx. 240 lbs.) and the second is me on March 17, 2010 (and approx 180 lbs). Is that really even the same girl?!?
P.S. In case you can't tell I'm wearing the same dress in both pictures too.

Pictures

The natural enemy of any person who is unhappy with their body is a camera. At least that is true for me. I have REALLY disliked having my picture taken for years now. Mostly because I know that the result will not be pretty. I will analyze every fat roll, every fold of skin & I will note how my thighs touch even when my legs are spread a bit.
Well, no more! A friend of mine posted a couple of pictures on facebook yesterday & I looked at them today. And I didn't hate them! I looked at myself and was actually pretty happy with them! Other than the fact that I have a goofy look on my face in one (I was learning a line dance and I am not a natural dancer!) I didn't see fat or rolls or folds. I couldn't even find fault with the thighs!
What an amazing milestone. And it's only going to get better! Woo Hoo!

Update

Yesterday I went to the gym to get some cardio in. I didn't get my regular workout in at boot camp because our instructor, Robin, was sick & she asked me if I'd be willing to lead. I had expressed to her my interest in being a boot camp instructor at some point in the future & since I didn't want boot camp to be canceled I agreed. Anyway, leading is hard in a MUCH different way than actually doing the workout!
Since I felt like I had plenty of energy to use I decided to see how far I could get in my goal of running 3 miles non stop. I had to use of the treadmills that I don't like very much because all the "good" ones were taken. I thought this might make things harder for me but I persisted. I started out a little harder than I intended and pretty soon felt like I wouldn't be able to go much longer (I hadn't even gone a half mile yet) so I slowed my pace and continued on. One of the tv's nearby caught my attention and I watched the show that was on. The next time I looked at the display on the treadmill I was surprised to see that I had gone just over a mile in just under 14 minutes. I felt REALLY good about that! Pretty soon I was feeling like I could maybe, just maybe reach my 3 mile goal THAT DAY! I was thinking how good and strong my body felt. I turned my attention back to the tv, thinking the distraction would assist in some way. It wasn't long before I realized that I was getting REALLY hot. I was still wearing what I'd worn to boot camp & let me tell you. There is a HUGE difference in the temperature of a parking lot at 5:30 in the morning and an indoor gym at 10 in the morning! I looked at the display on the treadmill and saw that I had gone 1.77 miles. I was still really hot but I knew I could at least get to 2 miles if I could cool off a little bit. Since I had a cami on under my t-shirt I decided to take my t-shirt off. I am usually WAY too self-conscious to do that but I was HOT! I immediately felt better and was able to reach 2 miles. I was only a couple minutes from reaching the 30 minute mark so I continued until I did. At that point I had reached exhaustion and I decided that was good for the day. I slowed to a walk and cooled off for a couple minutes. When I stepped off the treadmill I was proud of myself and my legs DIDN'T feel like jell-o! I was impressed with how far I had come in just a few months. I now know that I will be able to reach and probably surpass my goal of running 3 miles non stop VERY soon! Seriously, so proud of myself!

Sample Menu

While it is true that a large portion of any fitness regimen is exercise and being active one part that can't be overlooked is what we use to fuel our bodies. I posted a while back about changes I made in my & my families diet when I began working out regularly and today I am going to post a sample of what I typically eat in a day. Keep in mind that I stay at home & that I have little demands on my time other than my girls. That said you can figure out a menu that works for you & your specific situation.

5:00 a.m. 1/2 a Luna Bar/90 calories

7:30-8:00 a.m. 1 1/2 c Special K with 1/4 c skim milk/220 calories

10:00-10:30 a.m. Protein Drink/210 calories

12:30-1:00 p.m. Turkey Burger with 1/2 TBSP ketchup & 1/2 TBSP yellow mustard/210 calories

3:30-4:00 p.m. One Gala apple/ 75 calories

6:00-6:30 p.m. Homemade Curry Beef/ approx 400 calories

That is a total of approx 1200 calories. I will usually make dinner something that is as healthy as possible but still family friendly. To that end I make lots of casseroles & rice with "gravy" dishes. Since I use only the leanest meat I can find & then I trim all visible fat off (if I'm using ground beef I drain any fat off once it's cooked) I'm keeping the calorie count down right there. I'll also use low-fat or fat free ingredients whenever possible. I put the meat, veggies & starch all in one dish. Also, for the average woman looking to lose weight a good rule of thumb in regards to calorie count; take your goal weight & add a zero at the end. Example: if your goal is to weigh 130 pounds aim for 1300 calories a day. By making my meal plan a little low for my goal (140 lbs) I give myself a little wiggle room. If I feel like a cookie or a treat that day, I'll have one. Regardless of whether I eat a treat or not I have the best results when I am faithfully tracking EVERYTHING I eat in a day. It makes it lots easier to just not eat something fatty or calorie packed if I know I'm going to be putting it down on paper.
So, I aim to eat a variation of the above menu every day. Like I said, some days I deviate a little, some days a lot. In the end, if I'm tracking my food & planning it before I am hungry I have an easier time being successful at the end of the day.