Day 2: Run/Walk Method

Today was my second day to do the run/walk method of Jeff Galloway. When I did it Sunday, I ran for 30 seconds and walked for 30 seconds for the entire 3.11 miles. I felt pretty good and decided to bump it up to 1 minute:1 minute to see how I did. It is amazing to me how close my times were. But, it was a harder run for sure.

Now, I take a Zumba class on Monday evenings, and this being my second run after a Zumba class, I am here to tell you that I can definitely feel it in my legs. Whatever muscles are used in Zumba are screaming at me while I'm running but geez it feels fantastic. No joke. It makes me feel like something is working. So I'm not totally sure if it was a harder run because I bumped it up to 1:1 or if it was because of the Zumba. Or both.

Tomorrow is a rest day. THANK GOD. I'm not gonna lie, I like my rest days. My legs like my rest days. I NEED those rest days.

Because I love visuals, I am going to post the comparison of today's run and Sunday's run to show you how close they were.

Summary                            Tues 01/31/12                  Sun 01/29/12 Distance 3.11 mi 3.11 mi Time 38:43 38:14 Avg Speed 4.8 mph 4.9 mph Avg Pace 12:28 min/mi 12:18 min/mi Calories 368 C 364 C Moving Time 38:04 37:53 Elapsed Time 38:43 38:14 Avg Moving Speed 4.9 mph 4.9 mph Avg Moving Pace 12:15 min/mi 12:11 min/mi Max Speed 7.2 mph 7.2 mph Best Pace 8:20 min/mi 8:21 min/mi                      Laps Split Time Distance Avg Pace Time Distance Avg Pace 1 12:17 1.00 12:17 12:32 1.00 12:33 2 12:34 1.00 12:34 12:33 1.00 12:33 3 12:36 1.00 12:36 12:04 1.00 12:04 4 1:17 0.11 12:10 1:05 0.11 9:58

The wonders of a walk

A walk doesn't have to be about fitness, or beating a previous time or distance. If doesn't have to be about rushing to get it done. Sometimes it's nice to take your time and enjoy the scenery and that's exactly what I did today.

I got home early and decided it was the perfect time to take Blue and Ozzie to the park after being cooped up all week. I put their leashes on and and off we went, in no hurry to get home. We walked to our beautiful park, Eagle Lake park, which we are so fortunate to have right across the street. We walked the entire length of the park, north to south and back. We stopped to take pictures, even sat down in the grass which Blue and Ozzie loved.

It was a nice way to end the week and I'm so glad we went!

Do we really get to walk the WHOLE park?

So happy to be at the park!

Enjoying a break!

Can we have a treat?!

What a view!

So lucky to live across the street.

Not much of a breeze today, but look at that blue sky.

Yay for walks!

Me and my happy boys!

We love you, mommy!

Aren't I incredible handsome, mommy?

You know you want to give me a treat!

Love my shoes.

Walking buddies, love to be together.

Training comes to an end...

For the last 4 months, I have joined Jenna on her training walks for the 3-Day. Each week, our walks in Safety Harbor increased in mileage, in preparation for the big event. I have met some wonderful ladies, heard some touching stories, and have enjoyed the company of Jenna and the others on many a Saturday morning. And the beautiful sunrises and scenery, just breathtaking.

The dynamic duo!

When I started walking with her, it was H-O-T. And it got hotter. The best part of the walks, besides the fabulous company, were the pit stops with the ice cold towels that I would either wrap around my neck or put on top of my head. The last couple of weeks have had such nice weather. This weekend, in particular, was so nice and cool - we even wore jackets. Nothing like walking on a cool, crisp morning with low humidity. So awesome.

We are FABULOUS!

Our longest walk to date was 20 miles last Saturday, much like they will experience on the actual 3-Day. It took us 7 hours (not including breakfast). We were SO proud of ourselves when we finished. Someone asked me this week how do you walk 20 miles? You just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Simple as that.

Glorious sunrise this morning over Tampa Bay. 10/23/11

This was the last weekend for training walks. We did 6 miles yesterday and 6 miles this morning. Everyone seemed so excited and pumped for next Friday - the REAL thing! I am so excited for everyone and will keep everyone in my thoughts and cheering everyone on. Jenna and I have already signed up to crew next year. I am so excited to share that experience with her after having such a great time training with her this year.

Pretty view from the bridge going into Philippe Park. 

I was a little sad this morning when we all went our separate ways but I so look forward to next year when it all starts over again.

GOOD LUCK to all the fabulous ladies on Thanks For The Mammories and SOB's. You all ROCK!!

The good, the bad, and the ugly

Today's post will focus on the good, the bad, and the ugly of the last few days, in no particular order.

The good.... I walked this morning, at the park. I ignored the rain clouds looming over head and headed out. I walked, didn't run. I didn't set my tracker for a 5K, I just set it to basic and off I went. I walked for 1 hour and 24 seconds, 3.57 miles. I walked just to walk - not to beat my previous times, not to break any records. I just walked. And it was great. Rain and all. I don't know why I couldn't get my butt out there these last couple of weeks when it becomes so apparent how much I enjoy it the minute I start walking.
(note to self: come back often and read this post to remind yourself how important walking is no matter what kind of funk you are in.)

The bad... I gained 2 pounds this week. Honestly, I expected it especially after missing the meeting the week prior. The meetings are great for getting me on the right foot for the new week. If I lose, it keeps me motivated to continue doing what I'm doing. If I gain, it motivates me to work harder. So, I will own these 2 pounds that are now along for the ride on my butt or hips or wherever else they decided to attach themselves.

The ugly... With the 2pounds I have gained, it puts me at a total loss of only 6.6 pounds in the whole time I've been back at WW. The highest my loss has been was 12.2 pounds so I have gained half of that back. This is pretty disheartening but I have to remember that it's just not easy to lose weight and life just gets in the way. The first time I did WW, it wasn't "easy" but it was "easier" than this time. But my body is different this time, it's been through the ringer, poked, prodded, and more. Not to mention I'm 5 years older now. It's just not easy. But I'm not going to give up.

The good... I am not going to let this weight loss battle beat me. I am going to keep at it, do the best I can, and know that I am doing exactly that. It may not be easy, but it will not beat me.

The bad... After re-commiting myself to tracking again on Wednesday, I fell off the wagon yesterday and didn't track a single bit. <sigh> So, I am starting over again today to try for my #7daychip. I know I can do this. I'll pick myself back up and start again. Today is day 1.

The ugly... I overate in a big way at dinner last night. Nobody's fault but mine. I did it and I own it. Time to move on.

The good... On Wednesday, I committed to not having Starbucks until the weekend. I successfully met that challenge and rewarded myself with one this morning. It was super yummy and I enjoyed it. I tracked it, and all is right in the world.

The good... When I went to WW yesterday, Lorraine (our fearless leader) was so happy to see me and greeted me with a hug. She said she  had been worried about me all week. That made me feel good. It's people like her who keep those meetings going and keep us coming back. She has been in the same place we have, fought the same battles, and is there to offer her support in any way she can. Thank you Lorraine.

The good... After the WW meeting, I had a great talk with Tammy, a WW friend. We chat at each meeting, and on Facebook. We both enjoy walking, and seem to have the same struggles with time, with our bodies cooperating, and just trying to get that scale to go down. She told me she was worried about me, that I was looking a little defeated and to not give up. Our talk reminded me that it is really good to get back to basics and just keep plugging along, doing the best we can. Thank you Tammy, you're a doll.

I might have to make this a regular post... It's a good way to get things off my chest, things I need to face and deal with. That's the whole point of my blog. I already have tomorrow's post in mine, so stay tuned!

Let's do this.

I did it - I stuck to my promise and walked this morning. I had to go on the treadmill due to the rain and by the time I decided the rain wouldn't stop for me, I only had 30 minutes to get it done. I did 2 miles in 34:35. The miles seem to take so much longer on the treadmill and I am not sure why there seems to be such a time difference beetween walking outside and on the treadmill, but there is. Regardless, I did it. Day one of getting back to it.
I am setting some goals for myself and I want to share them with you. Some you've heard before, some maybe you have not.

• No Starbucks today, tomorrow, or Friday. They should be a rare treat on the weekends, not several days a week.
• Get back to drinking at least 64 oz. of water a day. Most days I meet this goal, but I need to do it EVERYDAY.
• Focus more on fruits and veggies and less on processed foods.
• Track every bite I take. This has fallen very low on my list of priorities and that needs to change. The busier I am, the harder this is so I just need to really focus on it.
• Walk 3 days a week, no less. More is good, but not less. I have to remember that even in this funk when I don't want to walk, I will feel much better after I've done it. Plain and simple.

Some of you may have heard about the #7daychip, maybe you have not. I've seen it fly by in Twitter posts and read about it on a couple different blogs I follow. Most recently I read about it over on Jen's blog, Jen In Real Life. She just got her #7daychip after setting a goal to track her food everyday. As she put it, she tracked everything for 8 days - the good, the bad, the ugly. If she can do it, so can I.

I visited the website for the #7daychip, which you can find here. You can read about Brad Gansberg and more on his website. The #7daychip is an acknowledgement of going 7 days without eating in an uncontrolled manner. You determine your own standards that you need to achieve this goal.

Since I want, NEED, to get back to tracking all of my foods, my goal is the same as Jen's. To track everything I eat for 8 days. The good, the bad, the ugly. When I'm done (notice I didn't say if), it will be a big accomplishment, one that will work side by side with my Weight Watchers goals. The goals that I know work when I do it.

With that said, I've already had 2 bottles of water this morning and I had oatmeal for breakfast, with soy milk and half an apple. Very filling.

Have any of you done the #7daychip? I'd love to hear about it if you have! Feel free to share some of your goals, too.

I'm here, I promise

That blah feeling I had on my last post (a week ago today, thank you) has certainly taken it's time skipping town. I haven't walked at all. For the first time in forever, my weekly dailymile report had 0 miles. Major guilt trip when I got that email. I've been eating a lot and making poor choices. And to top it off, I did not go to WW last Friday because I had a busy day ahead for work. My time at work and not at the meeting was well worth it, getting everything done that I needed to before the long weekend, but I should have gone to another meeting. I did not. I can't give you a good reason why because I don't know.

So, it's Tuesday afternoon and I have been home since 1pm. Internet was down and I had a big quote to get out for work. That requires internet. So I came home. I got the quote done as well as other things. Now would be the perfect time to go and walk, but I'm not. Instead I am roasting some zucchini because it sounded good. A little olive oil drizzle, some minced garlic, and italian seasoning. I've never made it this way and I had a whole pack of zucchini sitting in the fridge, just waiting to be used.

This morning I had a pumpkin spice latte at Starbucks. Today was the first they had it and man it was good. I get mine with soy milk, it's that much creamier. I enjoyed every last drop of it. The problem is, this could VERY easily snowball into me wanting one every day. My waist AND my checkbook cannot afford that. So, I am putting the brakes on Starbucks starting now. I'll have to take an all or nothing approach with it at first and break this habit I've gotten back into over over the last couple of weeks. I'm sorry Starbucks, I'm not saying goodbye forever, just for a little bit. Perhaps you'll see me on the weekend. It's not you, it's me. Promise.

As for my walking, or lack thereof, I have to make a change. I have missed walking, but have also enjoyed the lack of pain in my foot. So, as soon as I can, I am buying a pair of inserts for my shoes as suggested by my brother. We'll give that a shot. I am also going to switch things up and go back to walking in the morning - STARTING TOMORROW. To be able to get it done first thing, at least for the next few weeks, will be nice. I have some guilt about neglecting other things around the house by walking in the afternoon when I get home so the mornings will be a good choice for now.

The wonderful thing is, I have now told the world my plans so now I have to do it. Should anyone feel the urge to check up on me and make sure I'm actually doing these things, I welcome the accountability. You know where and how to find me.

Wait, what?

Good grief, Charlie Brown. Has it really been over a week, almost 2 actually, since I last updated my blog? I've meant to update it several times but for some reason I have not. Chalk it off to the funkiness I have been in, I guess.

My last post was about evil bloated woman where I gained 3.4 pounds. &^%#%@ Yea, 3.4 lbs.. Mind you, no one forced the food down my throat or twisted my arm to eat whatever bad foods I ate that I probably should not have. But when evil bloated woman is here, I have NO self control. NONE. Really, I don't.

Moving past the 3.4 lb. gain, the next day I walked 13 miles with my fabulous sister-in-law. Have I mentioned how much I enjoy those walks? The high that I feel when done with that kind of walk should keep me going for a great start to the week leading up to the next weigh-in. But not last week. I didn't walk the Sunday after. And not that Monday. I did do a strength training work out (which, by the way, I felt for days). On Tuesday I walked 3.11 miles. I wanted to run, but my legs could not would not do it. Regardless, I walked it and got it done. On Wednesday, I did nothing. Nada. Same on Thursday. Thursday is normally a no workout day anyhow, but the guilt was there since I skipped the day before. When I walked into WW on Friday, I had no idea what the scale would say. Whatever it said, though, I would have to own it. I am the one who decided to not workout when I could have, or to eat whatever it was I should not have. Amazingly, I was down 1 pound. Honestly, I think the pound I lost was the fact that evil bloated woman was finally gone, at least until she rears her ugly head again in a few weeks.

That 1.0 lb. loss gave me a little jump start,. I was happy. I was even happier when my sister-in-law and I walked 14 miles on Saturday. That is nothing to sneeze at, my friends. It was a HARD walk this week. It was hot and humid and when we were done, my feet (especially my right foot) was screaming at me. My SIL had to stop at mile 12 due to blisters on her feet. It was brutal. But we gave it our best. I burned ALOT of calories, 1239 calories to be exact. Again, this should have kept me going into this week.

Where did this funk come from? Why I am so blah this past week and not really caring about what food choices I make? It's irritating, and to be quite honest, scary. I don't want to give up, I don't want to quit, but I feel like something else is controlling me.

I got home yesterday and should have walked. It was raining so I didn't. I should have gone on the treadmill, but I didn't. I got home today, no rain, a little bit of a breeze - I should have walked. But I didn't. WHAT THE HECK IS WRONG WITH ME??

Someone needs to give me a virtual slap or something. I don't know what needs to happen, but I have got to snap out of this funkiness. I don't want to be tired and blah and just whatever. I don't. I want to be that girl who comes home, changes quickly, and runs out the front door and knocks out 3.11 miles as quickly as I can. I want to walk back in the house, dripping with sweat, and post what I did, and enjoy the rest of my evening knowing I busted my butt.

If anyone can help me find that girl that does those things, I'll be eternally grateful. I'm really not sure where she is this week. I need her.

Why I walk

Today I had the perfect excuse to not do my walk/run. It has been raining off and on all day. A consistent, wet rain that lets up for a little bit and then it's pouring again. Add in some lightning and thunder for effect, and that's how the whole day has been. And all I could think about was, this is going to screw up my walk.

But, I have a treadmill. I've had it for almost 8 years and I used to use it all the time. It used to be my favorite thing to do. I don't know why. The last couple of years, it's not been used nearly as much as in the past. But it serves a purpose and today was that exact purpose. When it was clear that the weather was going to keep inside, I knew I was lucky to have my treadmill as a backup.

After spending so much time walking/running outside, the treadmill is very different. My pace seems different and the time may as well be doubled. You know, like dog years vs. people years? An hour outside may as well be two hours on the treadmill. Why is that?

My time on the treadmill today did not have the full effect as if I had been outside, but the important thing is I did it. Not only did I do it, but I ran longer than I have outside as I posted on daily mile. This made me feel great and I was even more thankful that I had my treadmill and didn't just not do it.

Why do I walk? Why do I run? I've mentioned many times that it is as much for my mental health as it is my physical health. These are the reasons why:

• It's MY time and I am doing something for myself
• It's the only time I can find the "OFF" switch to my brain. I am a worrier and I am constantly thinking about everything. It is very rare that I am able to shut off my thinking and just not worry. Except when I am out there walking or running. The "OFF" switch works perfectly then.
• I love the fresh air (another reason I prefer outside over the treadmill).
• It's cheaper than therapy.

I am on a nice little high right now after running so far today. I am already thinking about tomorrow, hoping the rain is over by the afternoon so I can get out there and do exactly what I did on the treadmill today.

Bee an inspiration!

One of the blogs I follow is Bee Fit, written by an amazing gal named Colleen. She started her weight loss journey at 272 pounds and joined WW on Feb. 24, 2010 weighing 252.6 pounds. This past June, she made her goal at WW, losing 102 pounds. Her weight loss is AMAZING and her progress photos really show the hard work she has done to get to this point.

But what I love most about her story is her determination. When she reached her 220's, she started jogging. She ran her first 5k in September 2010. Since then she has completed several half marathons and many more 5ks. This is incredible to me. You read so many stories of people who say "when I reach my goal and lose all the weight, I'm going to run a half marathon". Not Colleen. She didn't wait. And I love that. And she's not stopping anytime soon. She just completed another half marathon over the weekend and is training for her first full marathon in November.

The reason I'm telling you about Colleen today, besides the fact that you should all go visit her blog and read for yourself how incredible she is, is to tell you that she inspired me to do something. I read today's blog post while I was eating my lunch. It was about the half marathon she completed this weekend AND set a new personal record for herself. Pretty amazing, huh?

A couple hours later, I read it again. I kept thinking about how incredible I feel to go out and walk 3, 4, 5, even 10 or 11 miles. And then I wondered how incredible she must feel about herself with all she has accomplished. To run a 5k would be a huge thing for me. To run a half marathon? Well, that almost seems out of reach for me but it is something I would love to do and it's a dream I have.

So I was driving home from work, trying to beat the rain clouds so I could get to the park and log my 3.11 miles for the day. On a normal day, I will alternate walking and running - mostly walking with probably a third of it running throughout. A little bit here, a little bit there. I tend to run more near the end as I am trying to make the most of my time, always trying to beat my best time.

Today I decided I was going to run 1 mile - all at once. Colleen's ability to go out and run a half marathon and train for a full marathon inspired me to run the first mile, just to see if I could do it. And I did. It took me 12:02. Not a fast mile by any stretch, but one that was comfortable for me. I DID IT. It felt great and kept me going for the rest of my walk, during which I did more running. As always, I am thankful for my strong legs that allow me to run and push myself.

Another exciting tidbit to mention... I have a new personal best for my 5k - 40:48, beating my previous best by 17 seconds. I am SO competitive with myself.

Now, I know I can run a mile. I'll work on that for a bit and then I'll try 2 miles. And one day you'll read about me running a 5K. Maybe I'll inspire others the way Colleen has inspired me.

Don't forget to check out Colleen's blog Bee Fit . You WILL be inspired.

Saturday = Walking

Another Saturday, more miles chalked up. I am so happy to support my SIL Jenna in her training for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day For The Cure Walk. This morning we walked 11 miles and it was great as usual. Great scenery, great conversation, support, and girl time. Our tootsies were SORE when we were done. Me with my ever present pain in my heel (yes I know I should have it checked, ugh) and poor Jenna with a couple blisters. Hopefully she gets those blisters out of the way now before the 3 Day walk in October.

It is SO very empowering to do these training walks. Not only I am out there in support of Jenna, but it is great for me and trying to reach my weight loss goals. It's a win-win situation. Next Saturday... 12 miles!

Great group!! (I need a pink shirt!)

Strong and determined!!

Feeling very accomplished!

Enjoying the ice cold towels - they felt heavenly after walking in the heat.

Sunshiney Sunday

After my 10 mile walk yesterday, which is approx. 6 1/2 miles more than I would do on an average day, I thought that I might not walk today. I would leave that decision until this morning, but I know when I was thinking about it last night, the idea of laying on the sofa all day sounded pretty nice.

Hubby went to play paintball this morning and I found myself craving the sunshine and I decided I would go out and walk. No running today, all walking. Not wanting to necessarily go to the park, I took the opportunity to go to downtown Clearwater to walk the causeway over to the beach. Plenty of sunshine there.

I filled my Camelbak with ice cold water and off I went. There is parking at the base of the causeway bridge (shaded no less!). I walked all the way over the causeway, south on the main strip and then back up again to the pier before heading back over the causeway. It was H-O-T and I was definitely getting my share of sunshine on my shoulders. This girl loves to be tan and I am loving the sunkissed look of my shoulders now.

I contemplated going over the bridge once more when I got back to my starting point but by the time I got there, I had walked 5.30 miles in 1 hr. 31 min. and I was tired, soaked with sweat, and hot as hell. I decided best not to be stupid about it and quit while I was ahead. As it is, my hubby wanted me to text him when I was done just so he wouldn't worry about me in the heat. Even at 10 am this morning the heat index was in the upper 90's and the UV index was VERY high at 10. Hence, my super sunkissed shoulders today. =)

I've walked a total of 15.30 miles in the past 2 days. That is more than I do in most weeks. I could not walk the rest of the week and be ahead of the game. Or I could walk as much as I can this week and see if I can hit 30 miles for the week. I wonder which one I'll do....

So now that the walk is behind me, I've had a fantastic cool shower, and put aloe lotion on, I am ready to take over my spot again on the sofa, guilt free.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Beautiful white sand of Clearwater Beach - such pretty scenery to walk past

View of Sand Key from the Memorial Causeway

My route to the beach and back - 5.30 miles

10 miles!

This morning, my SIL Jenna and I walked a 10 mile training walk for the Susan G. Komen 3 Day For The Cure walk she is doing in October. Given that I haven't walked in over a week, this was a GREAT way to jumpstart this new week. I am determined to give it my best this week and see how the scale responds on Friday.

But back to our walk.... We started out doing 6 miles. The view is so pretty, overlooking Tampa Bay and beautiful homes along Bayshore Blvd. in Safety Harbor. How is this for a view?

Overlooking Tampa Bay in Safety Harbor

At the 6 mile mark, we had a pit stop. We were welcomed with cold water, fresh fruit, salty snack, and the best part - ice cold towels. I immediately wrapped the towel around my neck, it was heavenly. They had chairs set up in the shade, so we sat for a few minutes to rest our feet. It was a nice break. Here we are enjoying the break.

The ice cold towels were AWESOME!

Soon we were on our way to do the last 4 miles. It went by pretty quickly and we felt very empowered when we hit the 10 mile mark. Our time was 3 hrs. 5 minutes, not bad at all. My foot was bothering me but nothing that held me back. As always, I enjoy Jenna's company when we're walking and I am happy to support her in her training. It's a win-win situation. =)

We had breakfast at a local grill afterwards - boy was I hungry!! It was nice to sit down, in air conditioning, and enjoy a nice meal. One of the ladies we walked with, Debbie, joined us. Great conversation and a feeling of accomplishment made for such a nice morning.

Hot and sweaty and ready for breakfast!

I look forward to the next training walk with Jenna!