Splish, Splash!

I have had one of those weeks - the kind where everything seems to be in disorder and chaos and emotionally, I've just had it.

The good news is that I still managed to stay with my fitness plan and not stray too terribly from my overal eating structure.

Last weekend- we did join the 2nd gym and I got in a great workout on Sunday. I had never worked out in a cardio cinema before. Running on a treadmill, in the dark, takes some serious skill. I managed not to fall flat on my face and got a great sweat in a 25 min run. Then I biked another 20 minutes to round it out.

I had a couple days early in the week that I definitely did not want to work out- but I forced the issue and got decent workouts anyway. Monday, I did some running, recumbant bike and the elliptical. Tuesday, I really, REALLY didn't want to work out- so instead I made myself go get on the spin bike and sweat the lazies right out of me. I knew it wasn't a case of being ill or anything else, I just had to put mind-over-matter and get it done. I'm still new to the spin bike, so 15+ minutes is about all I can really handle so far- but after I got that good sweat going, I jumped on the treadmill for 15 minutes. Wednesday, I cut myself some slack and took the day off completely from a workout.

Today- I got my first lap swim in! I stopped counting how many laps I did, think I need a counter or something to swim with because I just get focused on my form and breathing that I lose track. I'm sure I did at least 10 laps (it's not a huge pool - 25m lengths I think) but for not having swam laps in years, I felt good about what I did. I had to really hold myself back on pace. As a former competitive swimmer, my instinct was to go all out- but know I'm not conditioned for that yet- so I had to slow it down and just focus on the basics.

Going for another swim tomorrow- and if time allows, I might do a quick run on a treadmill before the pool.

Just keep swimming. . .

I am so excited to now belong to a gym that has a pool that I will use! It's only for lap swimming except for when they have water aerobics classes- so yay! The staff member at the gym that I talked to today said that the early morning (when I plan to go) is a dead time for that pool and I'd likely have it all to myself. BONUS!
Plus they open at 5am- so if I can get myself up that early I can get in a good 25-30 min run on the treadmill and then a 30 min swim before showering at the gym and heading to work. I can't do it every day because that would mean the husband has to wake/dress/take both kids on all those days- but a few times a week is perfectly doable.

I was so excited that I went out and bought new swim goggles and a swim cap today. I'm hoping I'll get a chance to break them in tomorrow.

Feel Good Fridays!

http://thegirlnextdoorgrowsup.com/feel-good-friday/

Feel Good Friday is a weekly meme hosted by The Girl Next Door Grows Up (click the button above and go visit her!). She has been on a "blog-cation" this week and Eternal Lizdom offered to host her meme so she could sit back and relax.

Here's the prompt I chose:
◦Just make a list. List 5 things that made you really happy this week. No matter how bad or boring you think your week was, I bet you can find 5 things.


I'm sure I could think of more than 5- but here are some good things:
1. My 3.5 year old. This is such a precious age- the things they say and do- even when they are bad, are so funny sometimes. On our way to preschool yesterday, she said "Hey Mommy, guess what?" (with lots of enthusiasm in her voice) and I replied "What Ash?" - she said "I have decided I'm going to be good at school today. What do you say to that?". I say, good choice young girl! :)
2. Working out so hard you are sore! I haven't done this in awhile because I've been focused on running- but I mixed it up a bit this week and I've got muscles feeling the burn! I love that!
3. Date night!! I get to go see Inception tonight with the hubby and I can't wait!
4. Babies! My 8 month old is now saying Dada - as much as I prompt her to say "Mama" she looks at me and grins a wide, toothless grin and says DADADADADADADA.
5. My brother- I miss him so much. He lives in CA, us in IN - we're 4 years apart in age- but so close by nature. Even just his small texts or emails make me smile and I wish so much that my girls got to know their Uncle Vince better. Thankfully, he's moving back to PA this August - which means that we'll get to see him at least a little more often.

What makes YOU happy?!?

Being REALLY brave now.

I'm feeling brave today- so I think I'm going to share more than normal. Since so much of this is anonymous and that people who don't know me could read it- the fact that I'm sharing such personal info is daunting for me. Really.
I have decided to post a few pictures. The first is my sort of "Before" picture- which was just a few weeks after my youngest was born in November 2009. The 2nd one was just taken this past Monday. I don't have a recent full body shot- so this is a baby step. Maybe soon.

Dec 2009

Why no smile? I was being silly when I took it- no other reason.

I have cheekbones! :) And less chins!

I've lost nearly 60 lbs since November. I've never talked about my actual weight before, but my hope this month is to hit the 220 mark by July 30. Last Friday, it was 223. 220 is significant to me because that was my last official WI the week I found out I was pregnant with my 1st daughter- so I would be back to my pre-kids weight (which I have talked about before).

My next goal though is to lose that 20 lbs and get to 199.9 if that's what it takes to be under 200. My goal is to get there by Thanksgiving at or below 199. That's 4 months. I know it is feasible- but it will take focus and effort and determination. That would also be significant because it would mean I lost 80 lbs in a year.

Last note for today. At the gym today- I got on a spin bike for the first time ever. That was SO hard- but I did it - full effort - for 15 minutes. I was drenched in sweat! Then I got on the treadmill and ran for 25 minutes. A different owner at the gym said "You've been hitting it really hard here lately". So we talked for a bit about what I've been doing and he congratulated me on my efforts. It feels so good to be recognized that way.

Nice end to a good day!

As my last post pointed out- this was my first run after nothing for 1.5 weeks. It was a treadmill run because of the humidity and my recovering chest cold. However, I ran 4 miles and sweat A LOT and one of the gym owners came up to me as I was cooling down to tell me how great I'm doing with my running. He said he can see improvement in my form and how I run as well as just overall fitness.

He was really surprised (as in, happy for me- couldn't believe it was that much) that I'd lost nearly 60 lbs since November. I can barely believe it myself.

Comments and recognition like that make it a lot easier to plan your NEXT run rather than think about how much you don't want to do it! :)

A Video and a quick note

I know that I've been dreadfully bad about keeping this updated lately. As I was sick, there was no running to talk about.
However- today is the first day I am getting back on the horse. Planning to run outside unless the rain hits before I go out at 3:30.

And I couldn't get it to embed - so I'll update this when I can. BUT you can watch the video from our Utah trip at the Ragnar Relay- Wasatch Back. http://bit.ly/a4TVNF

It's a lot of fun to watch- there's music, there's dancing- there's running and more!:)
Look for an especially fun message from me right around the 8-8.5 min mark.

Wondering if I'll ever be well. . .

Alright, that might be a little melodramatic, BUT I feel like I have been sick constantly this year!
Just when I hit a stride with my training or fitness routine- I get knocked back by illness. Also, it seems that it is one of 2 things that hits me- either a sinus infection or bronchitis or the latter caused by the former. Just can't seem to shake them completely.

This cycle began about 2.5 years ago when I got a really bad bout of bronchitis which seemed to linger forever and then settled in as adult onset asthma for me. Just this year (just in May, in fact), I started taking Singulair to help manage my daily symptoms with exercise induced asthma. After a couple weeks, I noticed great improvement and did not need to use an inhaler before I ran anymore and rarely had to use it after. Fast forward to this past Friday (see how I took you forward then back right there? lol) I started to feel a little under the weather, just overly tired and a little more heavy chested. I was supposed to do a race on Friday night, but I decided against it. By Saturday- I was feeling even more worn down and ill but we had plans to leave town and were so busy in the rest of the next 36 hours that I didn't have much time to think about how yucky I felt. Late Sunday evening I started to have hot flashes and realized I was feverish and fighting something. And I woke up today with lots of wheezing and coughing and drainage. So- I think it is a combo-culprit of the sinus infection/bronchitis again.

I don't know if it is my lung health that I need to focus on or if it simply a result of being a newish mom again and knowing how many viruses kids seem to pick up in their first year of life. I want a quick recovery to get back to my goals! (this heat and humidity does nothing to help the asthma either!)

I have a lot more I want to write but honestly, I don't feel well enough to really put those thoughts together, so I will put more fun stuff together when I start improving!

*tap* *tap* Is this thing on?

Wow - almost a week since my last entry. Something tells me that that is NOT the way to build a following of regular blog readers....

I haven't been neglecting everything, for the record. My husband changed schedules at work again (we know his schedule, at most, a month at a time) and now doesn't get home until 7pm on weeknights. It makes for long days and hectic ones as well.

I have continued to run- though my distance and effort may be suffering a little. In some defense- it has been dreadfully hot here this week- high humidity and the only time of day I can run is 4pm-ish. That means I'm running on a treadmill, and it's not something I really want to do.

Coming off a long holiday weekend- I must say that I slacked. I ran on Friday, July 2 - and then didn't run again until Tuesday. I did run for 30 minutes though and even though it was the treadmill, it was a decent run and I kept a decent pace. Wednesday, I was going to rest from running- but after 15 minutes of being completely bored on the elliptical machine, I had the urge to run for a bit. I was crunched for time because of when I have to leave work to pick up my girls on time - so I jumped off the elliptical and ran hill intervals on the treadmill for 15 minutes. Short run but kicked up the intensity with the incline so in all it was a good workout.

Today is hot again- And I have about the same amount of time 35-40 min total. I'll be heading to the treadmill again and will get it done.

I have a very busy evening ahead of me- and I want so badly to say "to heck with it" on the workout side of things. But I KNOW that Rome was not built in a day- and taking a day off when you really NEED to do it can cause a period of inaction (see: last weekend). I know I will feel better afterwards, I always do. Then I will be glad I did it.

July 4th- What I'm Celebrating This Year

It's always important to look back and reflect on where you, from where you've come - and look forward to where you have to go. I'm not always great about being "out there" in terms of personal stats on my weight loss.
I'm still not comfortable enough to post before and after pictures- but maybe sometime soon.
However, this morning- I really need to toot my own horn, so hear goes:

My youngest daughter was born on November 17, 2009. Since that time:
- I have lost a total of 54.6 POUNDS!
- That is 19.5% of my starting body weight
- I am now 5 lbs away from the weight I was before ever having children.
- I started running again on January 4, 2010

I have a goal to lose an additional 30 lbs by this coming November (5 months) - by Thanksgiving. I have a 15 yr high school reunion and that weight loss would put me back at my high school weight.

I still have a long way to go - but I can't forget how far I've come and what this means to me. I feel and look so much better now.