My Plan

I am so excited about all of you who are joining me for this challenge! I can't believe what a difference it has made for me already. Yesterday and today have been tough, but knowing you were all in this with me gave me an accountability factor that kept me on track. I'm not going to weigh in until next Tuesday morning, but I'm hoping I'm already on the way to our goal!

I wanted to get out "on paper," I mean cyberspace, exactly what my plan is for losing this weight. : )

Eating:

In the past, when it was time to lose weight, I would either diet and not have enough energy to exercise, or I'd workout hard and get so hungry, I'd blow my diet. This time I'm realizing that in order to be successful, I have to get that part balanced.

I've found that I lose weight at about 1200 calories. That is really low for a lot of people, but that seems like it is the magic number for me. I found, though, that not all calories are created equal. I have to make every one of those quality calories, or I get grumpy, always feel hungry, crash at about 3 or 4 o'clock, and often end up eating more than I should to make myself feel better.

So these are the rules I'm living by for food:

1. Produce and Protein at EVERY Meal/Snack I shoot for 3 fruits and about 4-5 servings of veggies a day. I add hardboiled eggs a lot or use milk or Whey powder for extra protein to breakfast, lunch, and afternoon snack to help me get through my afternoon slump. I really think this is the "secret" to my success so far.

2. Spreading my calories out between 5-6 times a day to keep my blood sugar steady and me feeling satisfied.

3. Correct portions (measuring when I need to) *This is so eye opening for me when I start seeing what portions are supposed to be!

4. Trying to get at least 8 glasses of water in. This is always a tough for me because I'm such a coffee drinker but always makes a big difference in how I do.

5. Adding fiber or protein powder if I need to a meal to keep me satisfied (Generic Benefiber or Whey Powder)

Exercise:

I was doing so great with exercise until I had surgery in May and then hurt my back in August. I'm healed now from both, but need to be careful about my back, so I've got to ease into exercise again. For this week, my plan is to get at least 4-5 days of activity in, even if they are small. For example, Tuesday, I got up before the kids and rode my exercise bike, and then this morning was "Walk to School Day" for my girls, so I walked with them to school. Both weren't very intense, but I want to be careful to build up and not go gung ho like I always do and end up injured or eating too much. I'm looking for ways to play with my kids and to get outside in the Fall weather.

Eventually, I want to start doing the Couch to 5K plan again and work back up to P90X. I recommend the Couch to 5K plan if you are hoping to get into running. It was so great for me last Spring. It started out so easy and then I was completely ready for the race I ran. I can't wait to get that going again.

Inspiration:

I ordered a used copy on Amazon.com of Heather Kopp's book The Dieter's Prayer Book: Spiritual Power and Daily Encouragement. I've never read it, but am looking forward to getting that started, too. Let me know if any of you get it, too.

OK- That's my plan in a nutshell. : )

How have the first few days gone for all of you?
Anyone else want to join us?
Have you thought about what your plan is going to be?

I'm praying for all of us!

Putting on my Running Shoes Instead of Being a Spectator

Boy have we had a BUSY week! Summer vacation started with a bang for my girls and we have been on the GO!

Every morning for the next three weeks, we will be at our local college where the girls are taking swimming lessons. The first day I sat and watched the entire 50 minute lesson. By the second day, I thought, "They are safe with their teacher for nearly an hour. Why am I sitting here being a spectator?"

So from that day on, I've been walking through campus and on the greenbelt. The river is so beautiful right now. Even though I don't have the green light from my doctor to run again, the walking is doing a lot of good. I work up a sweat, my baby falls asleep for a morning nap in the stroller, and I get to be a participant in life instead of a spectator.

I watch the first few minutes of swimming lessons and the end so I have enough to talk about with the girls and to encourage them with. I want for other ways to add activity into my day. Not all exercise needs to be a scheduled event. Sometimes, we can just squeeze in a walk instead of waiting in a waiting room or for a prescription to be filled, etc.

Tomorrow, I weigh in again. I'll post a progress report then.
Happy Weekend!!

Forced Rest

The 5K I ran last week was so wonderful. I wrote a devotion about it that you can read here if you are interested. I couldn't have asked for better weather or a greater sense of accomplishment. I felt strong and joyful and loved running through the parks and by the river. I've got the race bug now and can't wait to do another one.

Unfortunately, that's going to be awhile. On Wednesday, I had a minor surgery that I'm recovering from now. It will be 14 days before I can lift anything over 10 pounds and six weeks before I can get back to my exercise routine. I knew this surgery was coming when I started the P90X program, but I decided to start anyway. I plan to restart the program again after 6 weeks, but in the meantime, I'm a partial invalid.

My plan is to really focus on diet over these next 6 weeks. I'd like to try to lose some more fat and walk as much as I'm able. Then when I restart, it will be easier to see my progress.

It's the running that I miss the most. I'm surprised by how much I've grown to love running. It is such a thing of freedom for me. I don't even like to listen to music anymore. It is my escape time to pray and think and be completely alone with no one needing me. I can't wait to get back to it.

My next goal is to lose 20 pounds by August 14th, my baby's first birthday, and to run in a 5 mile race in September. I'm hoping that all the work I've already done will help to speed up recovery during this time of forced rest.

While I'm down, does anyone have prayer requests I can be praying about for you?
Also, I'd like to include some more fitness blogs on my sidebar. Let me know if you are a "fellow climber" and would be willing to share your blog with me.

Have a great weekend!

Last P90X Workout of Week One

I just finished my last workout of the week. Tomorrow is a rest day and then I will have completed my first week of P90X.

I LOVE IT!!! It is fun, tough, and humbling, but I feel great.

I'm still not sure about how I'm doing with my eating. The exercise alone has been a huge time commitment for me, so I haven't had the time to focus on the food yet. I think I'm doing OK though.

I'll weigh in on Wednesday morning and share my progress report then.

If you are considering doing P90X, here are a few observations I've made so far:

-It's not easy. You need to be already working out and have a basic level of fitness before you start. You might want to work up to this instead of starting here, unless you are crazy like me. : )

- Don't rely on the resistance bands. I think it is important to have weights and a pull up bar. I have the Door Gym that I bought locally. It's nice because it is portable and didn't need any hardware or drilling into my door frame.

- Pray first everyday. I have been really focused on P90X this week, and I've felt myself drifting a little spiritually. I love it but don't want it to become an obsession.

I'm so excited for Day 30 so I can compare pictures and measurements.

I'll be back on Wednesday to let you know how I did this week. I feel like I moved to the Biggest Loser ranch. : )

Lessons Learned and Something New I'm Trying

You know, I've found it is fun to update this blog when I'm doing really well. As you can see I haven't updated in awhile, so you can probably guess how I've been doing with weight loss goals lately. Ha Ha. : )

It hasn't been stellar. BUT it has been good for me.

From the beginning of this journey, my biggest goal has been to make lasting change. I've learned a lot about myself over the past few weeks that I think were "Ah Ha" moments that will help me a lot over the long term.

First of all, I learned that success can be dangerous for me. I was so excited to lose that first 31 pounds and to be able to mark off my first goal, but then I got lazy. It wasn't on purpose, but the month of April has been a maintenance month instead of a losing month. As I continue to succeed and to reach goals, I need to be on guard for this tendency.

The other thing I've discovered is the food issue is way harder for me than making myself exercise. The more I'm getting into shape, the easier it is to push myself to workout. I really want to do it now. Not always, but in general I'm excited to get out for my runs. But limiting my eating is much harder. I was talking to my mom about it and she said, "Yeah, it is so much easier to make myself do something (exercise) than it is to keep myself from doing something (overeating)."

Self-discipline just isn't easy and denying appetite is really hard. Eating right is the key to my success here, though. The exercise is going great right now, but I still haven't lost any weight. Exercise alone just isn't enough.

OK, third thing I've figured out. Weight loss is not permanent. In the past, I always thought if I could just get to my goal everything will be wonderful, and I will be skinny for the rest of my life. The problem is it is so easy to regain the weight. I don't want to be fearful of this- that will just lead to gaining it faster, but I do want to be prepared to live a maintenance lifestyle.

Over Easter, I noticed I was gaining weight back. This scared me, so I re-focused and lost the weight I gained over again. When I do reach my ultimate goal and am ready for maintenance, I'm going to keep going like I'm going, with treats occasionally, enjoying life, but I have to be watchful (not obsessive) and say I will never gain back more than 3 pounds before I work to take it off again. Three pounds will be easier to take off and less discouraging than being surprised when I'm all of a sudden 20 pounds heavier again.

So, I haven't lost any weight in April yet. I haven't gained any either. I have gained some valuable insight so that is a good thing. And I think the rest has been good for me, too.

Also, I HAVE A CONFESSION TO MAKE! After a year of wanting to do it, I finally gave into the infomercial and ordered the P90X program from beachbody.com

I am so impatient for it to get here. It promises to get me "ripped in 90 days." We'll see!

Temptation

I'm feeling particularly tempted to eat tonight. The sugar free gum just isn't cutting it right now, so I thought journaling might keep me from giving in and keep me out of the kitchen. I need to do the dishes, but I'm afraid if I even walk in there it will all be over. : )

I have another temptation to admit: I WANT TO GIVE INTO AN INFOMERCIAL. : )

Since August, I can't count how many times I've been nursing my baby and ended up watching an infomercial for P90X- a workout program from Beachbody. I've usually got a lot of self-control when it comes to infomercials, they really don't tempt me all that much, and we live by a pretty tight, cash only budget, so I'm not an impulse buyer. But there is something about this one that makes me want to give it a try. I've been thinking about it for months.

Then I found out that a friend of mine did buy it. I saw her at church this weekend and WOW! SHE LOOKED SO GOOD! I've been researching ways to get it cheaper online than from ordering it from the company. I don't know....I might have to save up for it and give it a shot.

So, this was a really random post, huh? It worked though. I think I'm feeling a little more self-control and can skip the night snack I thought I just had to have. I might even try going into the danger zone to get a few dishes done now. : )

How Far Did I Go?

I lost one pound this week. Well, actually .8, but I'm rounding up. I stepped on the scale three times trying to get it to give me the .2 to make a full pound, but the scale wasn't cooperating. Oh well- a loss is a loss, and I'm just glad to see my weight-loss chart going down every week. I'm on a roll and it feels so good.

One of my prayer requests lately has been, "Lord, please re-teach me how to eat." I watch my kids eat. They'll walk away from desert if they are "done." I knew my portion sizes and brain didn't remember what was right and normal any more, so I need to be re-taught by my body's Designer. He has been so faithful in answering that prayer. I feel like I'm understanding myself better, have a good idea of how much food I really need, and am still enjoying some treats, too. I want this weight-loss this time to be permanent and the internal changes to be lasting. That's why I'm going to the Source- My Maker. : )

I wanted to share a great website called www.mapmyrun.com You can chart your walks or runs on their and it will calculate the distance. I love it! I used to have to try to measure it with my car to see how far I'd gone. I have fun plotting new routes and upping my distance. There is also a www.mapmyride.com for bike riders.

OK...Here's my current stats:

Pounds lost this week: - .8 lbs.
Pounds lost in March: - 7.4 lbs.
Total Pounds so far: - 29.4 lbs.
Yippee!

Goals:
Run 5K race on May 16th
Run 5 mile race in September
Lose 50 pounds by August 14th
Lose 60 pounds by Christmas and that's as far as I want to go. : )

My Cheap Home Gym and Celebrating a Great Week!

After only losing 2/10 of a pound last week, I'm celebrating a great loss this week. I was so excited to weigh in on Monday morning and see that I had lost 3 1/2 pounds!

A lot of things went right this past week.
My sore hip and knee felt better, so I was able to fit my Couch to 5K workout back in
I bought new running shoes (on sale of course) and that was a great motivator
My eating choices were really good without having to take a lot of time to think about it. I just focused on the right portions and didn't eat after dinner other than a lot of sugar free gum. It is going to take Costco size boxes of gum to break my night time munchie habit but its working.

I went to the Mall last week to pick up my new shoes and I had to walk through Dillards. Just the smell and seeing all the cute spring clothes and shoes made me want to work even harder. I want shopping and dressing to be fun again. That was another great motivator.

But I know the real secret to my success is my mom is behind the scenes praying for me. Thanks, Mom!

I promised I'd tell you about how I'm getting creative and building my own home gym. Here's what I'm doing to exercise without a gym membership:

I've already told you about:
- Couch to 5K Plan
- Free Watch Instantly Netflix workout videos (especially Pilates for core strength)

But for weight training I'm using:
- Resistance bands from Wal-Mart
- And my newest purchase is Gold's Gym Home Gym System and DVD also from Wal-Mart.

I wasn't sure about the Home Gym at first. I thought it didn't have enough resistance, but I figured out you can add as many as four bands to one handle. It will be awhile before I'm too strong for this and it fits so neatly on the back of my bedroom closet door. The DVD is a little boring and slow, but I won't need to use it for long once I figure out how to do the exercises correctly on my own.

I just walked in the door from my jog. I love the runner's high. : ) I'm so excited and hopeful about this progress. My short-term goal is to reach 31 pounds lost by March 31st and 50 pounds lost by August 14th- my baby's first birthday. Here's how I'm doing so far:

Pounds lost this week: - 3.5
Total Pounds so far: - 28.6
Goals:

• Run 5K race on May 16th
• Run 5 mile race in September
• Lose 31 pounds by March 31st
• Lose 50 pounds by August 14th
• Lose 60 pounds by Christmas and that's as far as I want to go. : )

Progress and Setbacks

Yippee! I'm officially at the HALFWAY mark!!! Last week, when I said I was about halfway there, I was rounding up for my benefit. : ) I lost three pounds this week which is exactly 25 pounds lost since September. I'm doing it slowly, but I really feel like I'm doing it right and that it will stay off this time.

I've reset my deadline to reach my goal by August 14th. That will be my baby's first birthday. I felt like a year after childbirth was a realistic goal for losing 50 pounds. I hope to be there sooner than that, though. Every time I look at this sweet face, I know he was worth all the effort I'm putting into recovering from pregnancy weight-gain. Isn't he cute??? (I'm a biased mama)




I have been enjoying my Couch to 5K running plan so much but have had some owies I'm dealing with. I tried to run through them yesterday, but I think that was a bad idea. It just made things worse. So, as bummed as I am to say it, this is going to be a rest from running week.

The pain is in my left hip and the inside tendon of my left knee. I really feel it when I walk up stairs. So here's my plan for getting better:

- Foam Rolling: This is something my trainer taught me to do for recovery after workouts. It is awesome! It burn when you are rolling out the tight spots, but it is so worth it for how much better you feel and move after you are done. Here's a video to show you what I mean.:








There are lots of YouTube videos and articles online that explain Foam Rolling if you want to check it out more. Matt always told me Work + Rest = Success, so this is a part of my resting and hopefully recovery from these owies.

- Buying new running shoes. The shoes I've been wearing are four years old and need to be replaced.

- Taking the week off of running. The race is May 16th, so one week off won't hurt my progress too much.

- Sticking to my eating plan. This is the most important thing for me. Exercise alone doesn't do it for me and without running, I'm going to need to be focused.

- Continue with my strength training and Pilates.

I'm really excited about the changes that are happening in my body. I'm feeling stronger again and it reminds me of how I felt when I was working out with Matt two years ago. I really, really miss having a coach. I got to work with the best, so I'm trying to remember everything he taught me. I don't have a gym membership right now, so I've had to be creative, but it's working. I think I'll talk about that in my next post.

Here's my stats:

Weight Lost so Far: - 25 lbs.

Weight to go: 25 lbs.

Goals:

• Run a 5K race on May 16th
• Lose 50 lbs. before August 14th.

If you have any tips for getting over hip and knee pain, let me know. : )

Excited About Races

In my last post I mentioned that I am training for a 5K race by doing the "Couch to 5K" running plan. Just today I found the race I want to run. It's on May 16th. It is so neat how excited I feel to have a real race to look forward to. It is very motivating.

If that race goes well, I think I might consider training for a beginner's triathlon they are having here on August 6th. I would DEFINITELY qualify as a beginner. It sounds kind of scary but fun, too.

I also started a new eating plan today. My mom belongs to Curves and loaned me her book. I was intrigued by their eating plan and decided to give it a try. It is a 30-day cycle, 3- phase diet. Phase 1 goes for 1 week of 1200 calories and higher protein, Phase 2 goes for the rest of the month and is 1500 calories, and then you do a 3rd maintenance phase for 2-4 weeks to give your metabolism a rest before you start the dieting cycle over again. I like the idea of this being slow and easy on my metabolism. I've got a slow one anyway and been a life-long dieter. I'm excited to see how this goes for me. I'll let you know.

I'm creeping toward my 50 lb. goal. I'm approximately 1/2 way there. I wanted to be there by the end of this month, but I'm seeing that is pretty unrealistic. I don't want to do this too fast and gain it back again. My new goal is to be there by summer.

For exercise, I'm doing the Couch to 5K plan three days a week and filling in the rest of the time with videos from Netflix. My favorites are the ones by Ellen Barrett. I love the Pick Your Level Weight-loss Pilate's and even though it is really cheesy, I do like Jillian Michael's Cardio Kickbox. I'm also doing the Bikini Ready Fast but don't worry, I was only teasing about running my 5K in a bikini. The world is not ready for that yet, and neither am I. Ha Ha!!

From Couch to 5K

In the past, every time I've decided to start running, I go gung-ho and end up with a back injury that keeps me from reaching my goals. There is something about spring weather that makes me want to get out in it, so I started feeling antsy to start running again.

My friends are training for a half marathon, and I've been so inspired by their efforts. My first thought was to find a training program for that, but I knew that would be too much, too soon. So instead I decided to start really slowly and build my strength so I don't hurt myself again.

I found a training plan on-line called "From Couch to 5K." I love it! You only run three days a week, which is doable with my schedule, and it starts out really easy. It makes me feel like I can do this even though I've got so far to go to be in the shape I want to be. Starting slow like this is building confidence and doesn't overwhelm me.

I've got this weird thing about starting new diets or exercise plans. I panic and think, "I have to KEEP doing this." For some reason I feel confident with this plan and not afraid of taking it on. There is a local 5K race later in the spring that I'm excited about trying.

I was laughing because I've combined this running plan with the Netflix videos I'm doing on-line. One of my favorites is Self Magazine's Bikini Ready Fast workout. I was laughing as I thought that according to the promises of these two workout plans, I should be able to run three miles, in a bikini, within two months. Ha Ha! Watch out world....here comes Becky! : )