Preparing for the Holidays

Good morning to all!  Just a quick catch-up this morning before I get to today's list.

First of all, still loving the changes and the new Points Plus program, and I did very well last week.  My weigh-in was this past Saturday, and I lost 2 pounds!  I am very happy with that.  I'm 1 pound from being back to my goal weight now, which means no weekly fee.  Yeah.

I'm trying to stick to plan very closely this week and try to get that other pound off.  I know that I will have no problems through Wednesday, but from Thursday on, I may struggle.  Holidays, traveling, road trip, all of those things usually give me trouble.

I also downloaded the free WW bar code app.    Honestly, I've only tried it a few times so far, because we've been trying to stick to meats and produce and basically stay away from most things that come in a box or can, but I think it will definitely come in very handy over the next few weeks! 

Been so busy, haven't been able to run since last week.  Maybe today I'll be able to get a block of time and get out there and run.

So in case I don't check in for a while, hope you all have a happy and healthy holiday time with your families!!!

Got a Minute..... or Ten?

GOOD MORNING!   So how do I start this?  If you've been reading this blog for a while, or you're a family member or friend reading it once in a while even, you by now know how ADDICTED I have become to running.  It's part of my life in such A HUGE way.

You may also know by now that I am self-employed, sit at a computer basically typing for a living.

I have always had a fairly easy time marrying the two, my love of running and being active, exercising, getting the blood flowing....and work.  But last week was a big change for me.  Work was so incredibly busy.  I had a lot of work and was so grateful to have it since 2011 was a slow year.  As a result though, I sat at the computer ALL DAY, every day, from about 6:00 a.m. until dinner, and then back at it in the evening for an hour or two.

The result, PAIN, STIFFNESS, CRANKINESS, ACHY (tailbone and all over).  Does not make for a happy girl!

I got out over the weekend for two really good runs, but come Monday, here we go again.  Another busy week of work, which again, I am totally grateful for, but how do I get in some activity?  How do I find time to get out and run?

Well, I realized very early yesterday morning that might not happen.  But do I have ten minutes?  Do I have ten minutes a few times a day?  When I really analyze my day, there are times when I did get up from the computer desk, walk around the house, look at the newspaper, check my Facebook page, email, etc, load the dishwasher, wander around the kitchen wondering I can make for dinner, get a snack just because, etc.  If I can do that, why not ten minutes of activity?

So yesterday started a new routine.  Take ten minutes out of my work day to move, and I just the elliptical.  Not a huge amount of activity in a shot, but enough to get the blood flowing, and while I'm doing it, I'm organizing my thoughts, my to-do list, figuring out what's for dinner, planning, or just chatting with hubby.

I did this twice yesterday.  Earned 1 activity point for the first ten minutes, but the second ten minutes, 0.  So my goal today, bump it up to three little 10-minute intervals on the elliptical will get me 2 activity points.

Now, I know that a lot of us aren't big on exercise, don't WANT to run, or get on the elliptical or go to the gym and work out, but we can all do something!  Go for a ten-minute walk around the block, turn on your favorite tunes and just dance....yes, by yourself.  Nothing wrong with that!  Just move a little more.

I know it's a busy holiday season, but we can all find 10-minutes a few times a day to take a break,
de-stress, get the blood flowing in those legs again.  You'll find you can organize your thoughts much better when you just step away.

Got to Move It Move It Move It

Feeling achy....okay, a lot a achy.... tonight.  Been a very very busy week workwise, which resulted in no running or working out at all since Sunday and basically spending all day every day this week in this chair at this computer.    This body needs to move!  Unlike some who ache as a result of exercise, I ache as a result of not moving.

Hopefully, if all goes well, that all changes tomorrow.  Heading out early, first to my meeting, and then to meet up with Aimee for a nice run.  Hey, might even luck out and be able to get out for a short run on Sunday too.  If not, my plan is to at least get some time on the elliptical or maybe get that yoga/stability ball out.

Other than that, the weekend is full of some working, some planning, some baking, and maybe a pot of homemade pasta sauce with the last of the sausage I made a while back, all while I dream of palm trees and fresh Florida oranges.  :)

A New Day - A New Time!

It's been a GREAT DAY so far.  I am still on a high from this morning's 5K.    It was a run sponsored by the food pantry, I ran it alone since my running partner was at a birthday party, and my goal was to beat our Turkey Trot Time by 5 seconds.  I did it!  Wow, did I ever!  My official time was 29:20, but hubby said he looked at the clock when I crossed the finish, and it was at 29:16.  He said they were having a little technical difficulty.  I'll take either, since our turkey trot time was 29:49.  Either way, I have a new 5K time!  I'm almost under 29 minutes for a 5K!  Yeah to me.

So obviously, I didn't go to my meeting and weigh-in this morning, but I learned something new yesterday.  Apparently, WW is changing their points system (slightly) and dropped my daily points from 29-26.  At first, I was a little annoyed, just because it bugs me that they keep changing it.  However, I realized after about 12 hours that maybe it's a good thing.  I've gained a few pounds and even though I'm "at goal", I'm about 10 pounds from where I want to be.  So maybe by dropping my daily points, I'll get there, or at least drop the 5 that I gained.    So away we go!

Been a busy afternoon.  After the 5K, home for lunch, out to Sam's club, picked up a rotisserie chicken for dinner, and I've got swiss chard and sweet potatoes cooking now to go along with it.  I also baked "a secret surprise" for a friend, and after dinner, the pizzelle irons are coming out (yes, two irons).

Cue the Christmas tunes.  Time to start baking, finish decorating the tree, and get into some holiday spirit!

Feeling a Little Ho-Hum and Uninspired

Don't get me wrong.  It's been a wonderful holiday weekend so far.  Started off by running a 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning, and beat our previous 5K time by at least three seconds.  Yeah.

Spent Thanksgiving afternoon/evening with my husband's family and had a wonderful dinner and enjoyed the time with the family.

This morning I got up and went to my weigh-in/meeting.  No miraculous Thanksgiving losses at the scale, but actually, I'm happy with the results.  I feel like I've made very, very wise choices in the past few days, passing on some things in favor of others, and adding in extra activity.

Planning on my regular Sunday long run tomorrow and looking forward to that.

My problem is I'm feeling very uninspired.  I don't have any BIG goals ahead of me totally planned yet.  I'm not quite ready to get "in the spirit" of Christmas, although I did at least start to put the Christmas tree up, but usually, once it's up, I would have it completely decorated within 24 hours.  It's been two days, and I haven't even pulled out the box of decorations yet.

I don't feel like going grocery shopping, although the cupboards are in desperate need of restocking.  I DEFINITELY don't feel like dealing with Christmas lists and shopping.

All I really really feeling like doing this afternoon is laying on the sofa underneath a nice warm blankie and falling asleep while watching old movies, but we have a party to go to tonight?  A party?  Really?  Totally don't feel like doing that!

So what is it that I'm looking for?  What is it that I need to kick this butt into high gear again?

Searching, searching, searching.....

Working with What Works

  I can't believe it's been a week since my last post!   Wow, that got by me quick!  Let me update now while I have a moment.

I miss Samuel so much, but Bailey is helping us.  He's finally learned that he's actually a dog, not a cat, not a human.  We've introduced him to the dog park and he loves it.  This past Saturday, he mingled with 10 to 15 dogs at a time.  Amazing!  This is a dog that never really "got along" with other dogs.  But this is completely different.  AND on Saturday, he finally, finally got to meet my brother's and sister-in-law's little guy, Mister.

Bailey is the guy on the right with the white chest.  We had such a good time.  We try to take him to the park a few times a week now to keep him "socializing" with other dogs.  I don't know how long that will keep going with the colder weather coming.  I freeze when I'm there already!

So I went to my meeting/weigh-in last week Saturday, down 2 pounds!  Finally back at my "goal range" and don't have to pay for meetings again.  BUT.... the problem is that I'm exactly at the number where if I gain even a half a pound this week, I'll have to pay again this Saturday.  The week of Thanksgiving?  Really?  Well, yeah, but so what.  Right?  Why is it really any different than any other week.  "You pay, you play", no matter what's going on during your week.

But I know that there are going to be some of my favorite dishes on Thanksgiving and my calorie intake will definitely be a little higher.  So my plan has been to watch what I eat the rest of the week, eat light, get activity points in, and NO MATTER WHAT.... NO MATTER WHAT, don't skip my meeting and weigh-in the Saturday after Thanksgiving... NO MATTER WHAT!

I also put a plan in action for a little post-dinner activity  on Thursday.  Sent a message out to family members that I am organizing a post-dinner/post-cleanup family walk.  I know the kids will all be delighted to go, and I think a few family members may as well, but if not, it will be me and the kids.  I always liked the idea of a family walk/wobble after Thanksgiving dinner.  The more, the merrier.  In fact, wouldn't it be fun (just popped into my head) to include Christmas carols during our walk.  Again, something fun with the kids!  Can you tell I really enjoy spending time with them?

So anyway, went running on Sunday, 7.6 miles.  Wanted to go an extra mile but the foot/toe issue was telling me stop.  We had a good start out, headed to the river, but after the turn to come back, the wind was hitting our face, and that took it out of me a little more than I expected.  Oh, well, not every day can be a GREAT run or there would be nothing to compare them to.

Yesterday I got out for another short run.  Hoping to go out again today... between the rain drops...and then take a rest tomorrow.

Oh, yeah, another holiday plan I forgot to mention.  Running my first 5k Turkey Trot on Thursday since I'm not cooking.  Fun!

As I'm sitting here typing this, trying to get my eyes open wide enough to start working, hubby is in the other room SNORING!  Well, let him rest, because I have plans for him.  The Christmas tree is coming out today, and he's going to dress it up while I'm working.    :)

HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A HAPPY AND HEALTH THANKSGIVING.  Remember, Thanks-Giving.  So give some thought as to what you're thankful for and remember to give.  Give what?  It doesn't have to be anything with financial value.  Give some love, some patience, some kindness, some understanding.

Working on Normal

Just haven't felt up to it lately.  It's been a difficult week.  Been out of sorts.  Struggling just to feel normal, but it's coming.  I can feel it.

Kept very, very busy over the weekend.  Saturday morning, we ran a local 5K, and had a great time and a good pace at under 10:00 minute mile.  In fact, the first mile, we were under 9:00 minute mile.   Aimee, my running partner, got first place in her age group.  We're running a turkey trot together on Thanksgiving Day, and I know of at least one, maybe two 5K's I want to do in December.  

After the 5K, spent the afternoon with family celebrating a birthday party, and then Saturday night was the Township bonfire.  Sunday morning, up and out early, for another run.  We ran just over 6 miles.  It was another beautiful fall morning.  By Sunday the time I headed to my sister's for football and dinner, it all hit me.  I was exhausted.  Had a hard time keeping my eyes open.

I wanted to get out for a run today, but just couldn't pull myself together enough.  Took the dog to the park and called it a day.  So hope to get out on Thursday for a decent run.

In the meantime, I'm counting points, eating healthy, working on stitching projects, and reading posts while I ponder what's next on the agenda for me.

Did Sorrow Affect My Weekly Challenge Results?

So today ends my weekly challenges that I posted about last week.  I started off the week really great.  Tracked everything, every single thing that I ate, and absolutely no snacking or desserts after dinner.
After a few days, it really was easy for me, became almost routine.

Wednesday everything changed.  Everything got harder.  Everthing became "a struggle".  Sadness and sorrow challenged my efforts.  My sweet Samuel, the only cat I have ever had, my black and white beautiful little man, lost the battle we have been fighting since July.

My heart is broken.  Still, I knew that falling back into old habits from years ago, trying to chase the tears away with food, was not the answer.   No matter how much or what I chose to eat, it was not going to ease the pain.   Samuel was such a great cat, and he was truly Bailey's best friend as well.

I have been so, so sad.  But Wednesday and Thursday I continued to track, and continued the new habit of no snacks/desserts after dinner.  Yesterday it happened.   It started in the morning.  I ate a chocolate cupcake with my coffee.  What?  That's not like me, but I REALLY WANTED IT.  So I did.  Good news is I did track it.  I think that's the last thing I tracked yesterday.

I didn't really make bad choices for the rest of the day though.  We went to Subway for lunch, and hubby and I split a turkey sub.  Dinner was "Pop's Chicken", chicken, onions, potatoes roasted in the oven drizzled with a little honey at the end, side salad, carrots and brussel sprouts.  Still not bad choices.  Around 9:00 last night, I wanted something to  eat.  Did I just "want" something to eat or was I hungry.  My tummy really did feel like it was hungry.  So I made myself a yogurt bowl, Greek yogurt, blueberries, fat-free cool whip.

So no, I didn't make it through the whole week technically,  but yesterday wasn't bad even so.  I'm not going to my meeting and weigh-in this morning.  I'm running a 5K and then a very busy day.  I'm going to think about it and make a decision on what my weekly challenges will be this week.  May be the same ones.  May be something different.  What I have determined is that weekly challenges are good for me.

Week of Challenges - Day Three

Hi!  Happy Monday!!!!!!  Yeah, okay.  That went over well.

So I'll make this short.  Today is day three of my week of challenges.  How's it going?  Well, well.  Ha ha!  Oh, my, I need some more sleep.

So the first challenge was to go to this big family dinner at a restaurant that is famous for lots of food and lots of sauces.  I decided I was going to choose what I wanted from their menu ahead of time and then not even look at the menu when I got there.  I stuck to it...almost.  I did choose what I wanted ahead of time, shrimp and scallops provencal, and I did order it.  I did not look at the menu....for myself, but had to look at it to help hubby make up his mind about what he should order.  I consider getting through that first challenge a success.  I ate all the scallops, most of the shrimp, a little pasta, and brought the rest home.  I did taste one little barbecued rib that my nephew ordered, and of course, salad and two slices of bread with herb cheese.

Second challenge, to track everything everything this week.  So far, so good.

Third challenge, no snacking/desserts after dinner.  Again, so far, so good.  Well, I have to admit that at about 1:00 a.m. I got up and had about 4 ounces of milk because I couldn't sleep, but that's not considered dessert or snacking, right?  Hey, in the old days, there would have been cookies or a cupcake to go along with that glass of milk, and it would have been  a LARGE glass of milk, not a little juice glass.  So hey, look, I didn't have snacks or dessert after dinner and I SURVIVED!  I'm still here!

New Day, New Week, New Challenges

So you think because I've reached goal with WW, that I don't have struggles?  Wrong!  This week (month) has definitely been rough for me.  I blame some of it on laziness (not tracking), some of it on focusing my efforts on other things (half-marathon) and getting comfortable with the fact that I had all those activity points.  But half-marathon training IS OVER, I'm no longer earning as many activity points, but I'm still eating as if I am!  AND when I was training for the half-marathon, although I was earning A LOT of activity points, that didn't give me permission to eat WHATEVER I wanted (which I was).  I should have been using those points in a better way, refueling with good choices instead of indulging in whatever I wanted.  LESSON LEARNED, because now that the half-marathon is over, I am left with a trail of bad habits that must be corrected.  And so the corrections have begun.

This past week, I did make better choices, but still didn't get back into the habit of tracking.  Last night I was convinced that I was going to have a HUGE gain on the scale.  I sent a panic message out to my good friend, Kim, who very nicely reminded me that skipping the meeting this morning was only going to hurt me and that going to the meeting is what I needed to give me the motivation  I needed.  SO THANK YOU, KIM!

Scale results?   Well, actually, I didn't gain this week.  I lost a half pound.  Hey, that's okay.  Now it's time to keep the train moving in the right direction.   So what's the first thing I did when I got home from my meeting?  Tracked my points!  Yep, I did.  I made myself brunch, a bagel, egg, cheese, and spinach sandwich and tracked it.

So, on to challenges.   This week, I have a few.  The first is a challenge for today.  Going out to dinner tonight with the whole family to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday.  The restaurant we're going to I have not been to, but have heard from many people that they give you an ENORMOUS amount of food.  How am I going to handle it?  Well, here's the plan.  Thank you, Mr. Internet!  I went on and looked at their menu.  A lot of their dishes seem to have sauces.  Not for me.  So I have chosen what I'm going to have already.  And when I get to the restaurant?  I'm going to tell the waiter/waitress not to even give me a menu.  I don't want it in front of me.  I've already made my choice of what I'm having and I'm going to stick to it.

My second part of the equation is to take some fruit in the car with me.  We're going to a show first, then dinner.  So I'm going to eat a piece of fruit on the way to the show.  I don't want to come out of that show headed to the restaurant with my belly growling.

Okay.  So next challenge is a weekly challenge.  Kim and I have made a pact with each other that we are going to track all week.  Being accountable to somebody else is sometimes a great way to get yourself back on plan.  So I promise, Kim, that no matter what, I will be tracking all week.

Finally, challenge number three.  After reading the blog post this week of David Kirchoff, CEO of Weight Watchers International, I decided to give this a try.  Check it out:  http://manmeetsscale.blogspot.com/

I definitely have an issue with snacking at night, every night, whether I am hungry or not.  For some reason, I feel I NEED to have dessert or a snack every single night.  Even working on sewing/crafts at night doesn't stop me.  I stop what I'm doing at 9:00 at night to fix myself something.  Now, it may be ice cream, light popcorn, or a yogurt cup with some fruit and fat-free cool whip, but it's still eating.   Can I break this habit?  Well, I sure am going to try.

So this week, starting today, nothing to eat after dinner.   No sweets, no popcorn, fat-free ice cream, no yogurt cups....for one week.  I may decide after that week that a few nights a week I CAN HAVE an evening dessert or snack, but I have to prove to myself right now that I DON'T HAVE TO.  One week, I can do that!

So there you have it, three challenges this week.  Too much challenging?  Maybe, but one is a challenge just for today, so it's really just two challenges for the week.   Check in with me during the week and ask how I'm doing....PLEASE!  The more that I'm asked about it, the more I'm likely to stick to it!

Where Am I?

It's here again....Friday.  For me, the busiest day of the week.  It's also the day before my meeting/weigh-in, and you know what?  I have absolutely no clue what to expect on that scale tomorrow.  I HAVE NOT tracked.  I don't think I've been totally out of control in what I've been eating, but honestly, I haven't a clue.  I have always been a big tracker, but just .... I don't know what's wrong, just haven't.  No excuses, just haven't.

Secondly, I've always been one to get on the scale during the week to monitor how I'm doing...and again, I haven't.  Why?  I don't know.  Just haven't.  Is it fear?  Maybe, maybe not.  Laziness?  Possibly.  I think I've had an all right week.  Got a couple good runs in.  Not really eating too much out of the boundaries I try to keep for myself, although the weekend is always a rough one for me.  I can tell you that I HAVE NOT yet gotten back to drinking water, water, water.  Why?  What's wrong?  Why am I struggling to do what has been so natural for me up to this point?

So the question is do I get on that scale today or just hang on and wait until tomorrow at my meeting?  I'm not one for "surprises" on the scale, so I'm not sure what I'll do as far as the scale is concerned, but I do know that if I want to reach my "new goals", I better get this under control and quick!    Right now, I just feel like I'm wandering around, clueless as to what direction I'm heading.

So as of this morning, the tracker is back!  Everything, every single bite.  Once I get that good habit back, I'll feel like I'm heading in the right direction.

The time is now...

What time is that, you say?  It's time to ....

They don't have to big BIG GOALS.  They don't have to be long-term goals.  But it's always important to have goals, to have something to work toward.  It could be as little as drinking an extra glass of water a day or as huge as working and training toward an activity, an event, or losing 5 pounds before a wedding or party.  Whatever the case, I need to have something in front of me to reach for.

Now that the half-marathon is behind me, it's time to focus on other things that I have gotten a little lazy about and time for new goals.

So honestly, here we go.  The number on the scale (and the way my jeans fit) these days is not quite what it was and I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT IT.  So what do I do about it?  Do I sit around and complain about it or do I do something about it?  Answer is obvious, right?   Well, seems to be, but I've still let it go way too long, using the half-marathon as my excuse.  No more!  Don't get me wrong. It's not a huge gain, but it is a number that puts the brakes on for me every time I see it.

It's back on program, back to meetings, back to the scale, and I'm going to start hitting the bottle (water bottle, that is) again.  I know where I want to be.  I know where I'm happy.  This is not it.

Another goal I've been contemplating is going back to the gym and working on body strengthening,  core, and especially trying to tone up these arms a little.  One of the pictures from the half-marathon of me with my arm up in the air convinced me of this after I saw all that "extra skin" hanging down.  Yuck!

The body strengthening and core is also key for my next goal, which is more of a long-term goal.  I've pretty much decided that I want to take my running to the next level.... a full marathon.  I don't know when that will happen.  I'd like to say it will happen within the next year, but I also want to take care of myself and my body and be prepared.  So that's where the strength building comes in.  I will definitely need to be stronger to get through a whole marathon.  Since I'm still  paying for my membership to the gym, I might as well start using it over the winter when I might not be able to get as much outside running in.

So there you have it.  I've gone public, made it official.  I have new goals.  Do you set goals for yourself?  Do you have current goals you're working towards?

New Goals?

Goals - Something I've learned are super important in my life.  Without them, I end up wandering around, wandering away, ending up in places where I shouldn't be (I'm there).  It's a way to bring me back where I want to be. 

So this week my focus is on setting new goals for myself.  More to come on that later.

I haven't gotten back to running since the half-marathon.   That should happen today, but yesterday, I participated in the Making Strides for Breast Cancer Walk.  What a sensational event for such a good cause.  It was my first time participating in an event like this and I have to say that when they brought all the Survivors together and started the Survivors lap, I got chills.   Then the walk began, 5K, around the lake.  Beautiful!  And the crowd?  13,000 walkers, and they raised over $560,000!!!!  Awesome!

For now, I have set a few goals for today.  Today's goals are, 1) if I'm going to eat, I'm going to drink a glass of water first; 2) get out for my first run since half-mary; 3) my Google Reader is out of control, over 900 unread posts.  I'd like to catch up on all posts from the last week, and then unfortunately, I'm going to have to "mark all as read" and start fresh.  I feel overwelmed when the number gets that high.  But I just can't spend that much time reading; 4) Work, work, work.

Wow, that's a hefty list of daily goals.   Do you have daily goals?  Weekly goals?  Short-term goals?  Do they help you?

TheTime of My Life!

Let me begin this post by sharing with you what my fortune cookie said yesterday.

    

How appropriate.  My take on that, if there is something you have thought you might want to do but haven't tried it because you've convinced yourself you could not, just go for it!  The worse that can happen is that you can't complete it, which might just give you more motivation to keep trying!   And determination is a wonderful thing.

So anyway, my first half-marathon....AWESOME!  From the moment I arrived in Atlantic City on Saturday to attend the Expo until I left to go home, it was just an incredible time.

After checking into our hotel, we met up with my running buddy, Aimee and her husband, and headed to the Expo to pick up our race packets.

We then wandered around the Expo, checked out all the booths, got some freebies, bought a few things, and went to the "chip checker" to make sure all was working properly.  From there, we headed out to the boardwalk for a little walking, sightseeing, and people watching, of course, showing off my new race bag.

After a very nice dinner at the Irish Pub, I was off to the room to get my gear ready for race day and try to settle in for the night.   As only my luck would have it, we had a bachelorette party in the room next to us.  Needless to say, I only got about 2.5 hours of sleep. 
I got up a few hours early on race day, time enough to have a cup of coffee, a lite bite, and before I knew it, I was dressed and ready to go.

It was about a 15-minute walk from our hotel down to the start, just enough time for a warm-up walk and a quick potty stop.  Met up with Aimee at the start with only a few minutes to spare.

And we were off.  It was a great course!  They blocked major roads in Atlantic City for this race.  We ran down the boardwalk, through Atlantic City, up ramps and around curves and loops, across big intersections where all traffic was completely stopped, and through the tunnel.  Was so much fun.  There was people cheering along the way, and lots of water stops where there was more cheering.  I loved every moment of it!

I did my intervals, 10 minute run, 1 minute recovery walk, and I did have to stop a few times to stretch out the toes, but not so bad actually.

Before we knew it, we were back up on the boardwalk and headed toward the turnaround.  And yes, I started to get a little emotional.  As we got close to the finish, Aimee grabbed my hand and we ran the rest of the way together!  I was about to cross the finish line of my first half-marathon!  

 Our medals....

In the village for a little snack and beverage....

And what better way for a post-run ice bath than in the Atlantic Ocean in October...

And yes, I am very proud of myself.  I am a totally different person than I was before I lost the weight, and I don't ever want to go back, only forward. 

I am so thankful to have met Aimee.   She keeps me motivated and positive, gives me tips and little hints along the way, and there is always something to talk about to keep from getting bored on those long runs.    I can't wait to run the next event with her, and who knows what the future has in store for me with running, although I kind of already have my mind made up....

Still waiting for the pics to come back from the professional photographer who took pics along the route of the marathon. Hoping they got a better one of us crossing the finish line.

Beat Up, Up Beat, and Moving On

I woke up this morning feeling like I got ran down by a truck.  So so so tired, physically.  Got a busy week ahead so I decided to stay in bed an extra hour.  Now I've spent the last hour and a half trying to wake up, fixing breakfast, cleaning up the kitchen a bit, and still a  mess.  I'll give myself another half hour to finish this post, finish up the kitchen and then it's off to work I go.

Time to get motivated, get this day going, forget about being tired, just get up, move, and GET IT DONE!
Half-Marathon is now less than a week away.  I'm excited, and yes, a little nervous.   I hope I don't forget to pack anything important.   Praying that we have good weather (looks like that prayer might get answered). 

Ran a good 6-mile run yesterday. 

I have one last little run to do on my schedule, 2 miles tomorrow.  My body is tired.  I don't know if that's from all the running or from that combined with working and all the other stuff I've been doing.   Started taking ecchinacea yesterday just in case.

I had a good result on the scale this week.  That felt great!  Planning on possibly making some changes after this marathon.   I'm still battling with maintaining.  I'm still battling with keeping my weekends in control.  I have been battling hunger and cravings.  That's a whole different post though.

The question will be "What changes am I willing to make to get to where I want to be?"

Missing my Daily Blogging!

So it's been a little while since I posted.   Been so busy with things that I just haven't provided myself with the time to sit and read blogs and post.   But I'll keep trying.  
I miss this thing I call "Blog World".  I used to spend time in the morning before work reading and writing on my blog, then more in the afternoon and evening.  It kept me going, kept me focused.  There is so much going on right now, it seems the only time for me to work on reading blogs and posting is in the evening.  I try to check in during the day, but then I get lost in "Blog World" and distracted from working.  I'm also working on a "secret sewing project" which takes up my time every evening and will be an ongoing project until.... I really have no idea when it will be done.  But I'll keep trying.  I really do miss it, and blogging has been  such a tremendous part of my weight loss journey. 

I am struggling with my eating habits.  I just can't seem to get a hold on the weekends and nighttime snacking.  I am still at goal weight, but just feeling a little "out of control" at times.  The past few days have been much better though.  I've tried to stick to yogurt with a little crunchy high fiber cereal for my evening snack.  I really do LOVE yogurt for a snack, but when there are other things in the house,  I have a hard time staying away.

I am now TEN DAYS away from the big day, my first half-marathon, and I am ready. I am anxious, a little nervous, and very excited!  The extra running lately has been throwing my "hungry senses" into high gear.   Last week was rough.  I was either sick to my stomach (I think I had a bug) or hungry.   I keep saying I'm going to get some protein powder to add to my smoothies, but they're all kind of pricey for my budget right now.  Maybe this week. 

Any other suggestions on fueling the body when you're in high activity mode?

Feeding the Hunger

So what's going on with me this week?  Geez, first a couple of days where I felt sick to my stomach on and off all day long (and no, before you ask, it's not possible!).  Even this morning I wasn't feeling so hot, but went out for my run anyway.  Since then, starved!  I mean, not mentally hungry.  My stomach is hungry!

Had cereal and banana for breakfast before my run.  After my run, eggbeaters and another banana (forgot I ate the first one).    Lunch, grilled turkey and cheese sandwich with swiss chard and a half cup of vanilla ice cream.  Snack time, a nice juicy peach.  15 minutes ago, a pear, and I AM SERIOUSLY hungry!  Trying a 24 ounce bottle of water now to hold me over.

So the question is when I'm hungry like this, what's going on?  Is my body saying "okay, I feel better, now it's time to catch up"?  And how do I handle it?  Do I go for the fruit, which Weight Watchers says is no points, or is there something else I need, more protein perhaps? 

I'm thinking it's the protein I need.  I'm thinking my body is getting bombarded with carbs and what it really needs is protein and veggies, and honestly, I'm also not getting the veggies in like I normally do.  So tonight we're having two side veggies AND  a salad with dinner.

On Sunday after my long run, I made a smoothie that was just awesome, fresh peach and frozen mango with some peach yogurt and a little milk.  I'm thinking of getting some protein powder to add to my smoothies after my runs.  As long as I remember to count the points into my day, the smoothies are really helpful to me.

Ideas for New T for Half-Marathon

Okay.  The time is approaching.  I need your help.  I would like to make a new special t-shirt  for the big day, my first half marathon.  I want it to be meaningful to me, but yet not too goofy.  Any ideas out there?   Something that signifies this whole journey for me, not just about the day, maybe even with the name of my blog.  Hmmm.

Journey to Succeed....
From 1 mile to 13.1 miles....
....and Beyond!

Silly?   Well, come on, need ideas.

Run, Read, Write....Rest

OOPS!  Just realized I never published Sunday's post.  Oh, well, better late than never, right?

First of all, note, I am following some other bloggers suggestions and removed my blog list for a while due to malware warnings popping up all over the place.  Don't need any more troubles.  In the meantime, I am trying to finally get familiar with Google Reader and just read through that.  I'm so used to the old way though that I'll be fumbling for a while.

Sundays are my long-run day.  4 weeks pre-half-marathon and we are getting pretty close on distance.  Today was our 10-mile run.  Okay, so we had a few mishaps with the GPS.  I stopped to stretch, paused it, and then forgot to put it back on.  According to mapyourrun.com, we were a tiny bit short on distance, but still, a gorgeous day for a run!

After the run, I decided a hot relaxing bath was just what I needed.  Was going to do an ice bath cause my legs were pretty stiff, but just couldn't do it.  I just wanted to soak in a nice hot tub with my last cup of coffee.  Done.

Next, did some blog reading (hope to do much more of that this afternoon while turkey is in the oven).   Other than that, hopefully will just get some rest in.  It was another off-and-on night of sleep.  Still having issues with Samuel, my 15-year-old now diabetic cat.  He sits in the kitchen and howls, until he hears me calling him.  Then he stops and we can go back to sleep....for an hour or two and then it starts all over.  I don't know what's wrong.  Sometimes it's while he's at the water bowl.  Sometimes he's standing in the middle of the kitchen, almost like he doesn't know where he is.  Tonight I'm going to leave a light on, thinking maybe he can't see, and I also might bring a radio in and play some music.  Will call the vet on Tuesday.  YAWN.

So off to enjoy the rest of my day.  Hope you're havig a great weekend!

Update - Samuel's bloodsugar still wacked out.  So still trying to get him stabile.  Pour little guy. 

Weigh-In Results and What's Cookin!

Happy Weekend to All!  Hit my meeting this morning and the scale was smiling.  Down 1.5.  That's moving it in the direction I want.  After last weekend, I really stuck to it and watched everything, tried to stick to nonprocessed foods, fruits, fresh veggies, yogurt, high-fiber cereal, high protein.  It paid off.  Okay, the running helped a little too.  :)

So it's nice and cool here on the east coast this weekend.  In fact, I think it was Friday morning, we awoke to 46 degrees!  Sounds like cooking weather to me!  We're still trying to get as much as we can out of the tomato garden frozen.  This is the third weekend in a row I've got a pot of fresh pasta sauce on the stove.  We'll have pasta tonight and then in the freezer with the rest for some winter weeknight when I'm just too tired to cook.   If there are more tomatoes to cook next weekend, think I'm going to switch it up and try some homemade tomato soup.

I've also been baking.  As some of you may already know, I have a new found love of baking cupcakes, since last year around this time.  I didn't bake much over the summer though.  Now I'm trying to find some WW-friendly cupcake recipes.  I tried a pumpkin spice cupcake earlier, but I messed something up and they ended up too dense, very heavy, not to my liking (nose scrunched up).  I also found a WW PBJ cupcake.  Since I make PBJ cupcakes a few weeks ago, I thought I'd try the WW-friendly one.  They're already baked and filled.  Frosting after dinner.  The only difference that I might not like is these are chocolate cupcakes.  Chocolate PBJ?  Not so sure.  Will get back to you on that one.

I've been a little stressed lately.  My cat was diagnosed with diabetes in July and he's not yet controlled.  He's been acting kind of weird lately, sits at his water bowl or in the middle of the kitchen howling at night.  I'm tired and little stressed over it.  So when I'm stressed and worried, I cook. 

Tomorrow I'm roasting a 20-pound turkey that's been in the deep freeze for a while.  Yeah, you're right, it's just me and the hubby, but I'll freeze one size of the breast for another time, will have dinner, sandwiches, and TURKEY SOUP!!!!  Perfect week for it too, since the paycheck was pretty scrappy this week.

So tomorrow is my long run.  This week is 10 miles!  Whoa, can't believe I'm actually running these distances.  I am so excited.  Half-marathon is only 4 weeks away.    I can't wait to get there.  Looking forward to running it with Aimee, my running buddy who just registered for the event this week, and also looking forward to maybe meeting up with some other blogger friends out there as well.

So again, happy weekend!  Dinner time! 

The Possibilities....

... seem endless to me right now.  For those of you who know me, you know by now (since I've mentioned it constantly) that I'm training for my first ever half-marathon coming up in Atlantic City.  For those of you who don't know it already, I'm training for my first ever half-marathon!!!! So excited! 

So yesterday was my long run day, and  my running partner and I met at 8:00 a.m.  We were scheduled for a 9-mile run, my longest ever since I started running a few years ago (including several times when running was put on hold times due to injuries, surgery, and injuries). I had our route all planned out, which included a little of this...

...and a little of this....

... and even a bit of this...

So much for my brand new Brooks running shoes.  In order to avoid a huge puddle, we tried tip-toeing through the grass, but turns out that was totally soaked as wee and so were our feet!  Slosh slosh slosh...oh, gross. 

Not too much of this during the run...

But that's okay, because if the sun were out, I would have been hotter and sweatier and thirstier, and it  might not have been such a great, awesome, and motivating run!  I feel so strong right now, like I could do that half with no problem.  Hopefully, I'll keep this attitude right up through the Atlantic City and beyond, and then the possibilities...well, so many possibilities.  Who knows what will be in my future in 2012, but I know what I'd like to do!

And made this over the weekend, which turned into today's lunch.

Black Bean Butternut Squash Chili.  This is only an estimate, since I didn't actually measure exactly how many servings, but I'm estimating it made approximately 16 cups at 14 PP per cup.  So yummy!

Now for a little more honesty, I'm STILL struggling with my food choices.  Now, I know, I know, I'm running a lot and I SHOULD be eating more, but that doesn't mean I have to make the choices that I'm making!  Today has been much, much better though.  I've stuck to tracking all my meals and have been snacking on fruit.  I did have 7 Sunchips on the side of my chili for lunch, but counted them as well.

I CAN do this AND make wise choices while I'm doing it.  Of course I can.  Now that the "junk" is out of the house, it should be much easier, although I do have to learn to control it when the "junk" is in the house.  The more I run, the more I SHOULD be fueling my body with good choices, lean meats, fruits, veggies, and lots of water, NO DIET SODA! 

Now I'm left with an evening of relaxing, watching tv, and doing some needlework.  I have 6 points left for the day.  Thinking of some low-fat yogurt with fresh peaches and a little bit of fat free coolwhip, oh, and a little Fiber One cereal for some crunch. 

Determination

It's been a long road getting here, but I think I've arrived at the land of Determination. 

Who would have thought that I would ever choose running over dinner?  Not me.  Who would have thought that I would chose running on a hot muggy morning over sipping coffee in my air conditioned office?  Not me.  To choose to get up a 5:00 a.m. in order to get a run in before the heat of the sun kicks in?  What?!!!! 5:00 a.m.???  Really?   And who would have thought I would choose to run, rain or not, flooding or not, in order to run off some calories from one silly cupcake (as Woobie called it today, little sugar bomb). 

I am determined, determined to go a  little further each week, determined to not let little obstacles get in my way.  Today was a HUGE obstacle.    First, when I was all ready to get out there and run, it started to rain.  I said okay, I can run in a little light rain.....but it started pouring.  Now, not long ago, I would have called it quits for the day, but the "new me" took it a little further, pulled up the weather channel on the computer and looked at the map.  Oh, look, to the west is a spot of clearing with no rain.  If I  move quick, this is my window of opportunity.

So off I went to the park.  Going down the road to the park, we saw township trucks all over the place pumping water off the roadway.  Not a good sign.  As I drove into the park, only one car in the parking lot and I could see a big lake in the middle of the lawn.  Not a good sign.  But still, it's not raining.  I'll just get on the trails, get my run in before it rains.  Got my hat and my vest in case it starts raining.  I'm good to go.

Only problem was it seemed every direction I headed led me to a scene similar to this.

....or this.

 Even the paved part of the trails were flooded.  I had no choice at one point but to take a chance and run through it.  Not so bad at first, just a little splash, and then A BIG SPLASH, and the new running shoes have now been baptized!

Still, I went on.  I found that the paved road had only one area that was flooded, and that road led to a trail that was completely dry.  So I just ran that route a couple times and ended up getting in a pretty good run.  After a few laps, I got tired of running through that one big area of water, so I climbed through a split rail fence and ran on the outside of the park back to the entrance.

I was determined to get that run in no matter what. 

Last weekend I ran my long run (8 miles) without my running partner.  I was out there alone, just me and my music and my thoughts, and I have to admit, I got a little emotional.  I started thinking of my Dad.  He always battled with me as a kid and a teenager to take the weight off.  I remember so clearly him telling me to get the weight off while I was young, that it would be so much harder as I got older.  But I didn't get it.  Now, granted, this is the same dad that took his little girl with to 7-Eleven for cigars, and I always got slim jims or beernuts or lifesavers!  I can remember going on diets with him where I ate nothing but salad with dry tuna and diet dressing (yuck).  I can remember riding the exercise bike, going to exercise classes with women who wore the body suits and leotards, and I looked awful in them.  Anyway, I wondered what he would think of me now.  I KNOW that he would be down in A.C. to watch me run my first half-marathon.  Actually, in a way, he will be there, and I know he'll be cheering me on.  See, I'm getting all emotional again.

At this point, I was getting tired trying to get that 8 miles in.  Then I thought of all those people, friends, family, strangers who made fun of my weight issues as a kid.  I remember those words, "fat", "chubby", "husky", "rhino", "hippo" and many, many more.  Such painful words.  I admit I got angry at that point, and it was those memories that pulled me to the end of that 8 mile run.  

Look at me now!   Yeah, it took me a while, but LOOK AT ME NOW!  

Remembering all of that has given me more power each day to do this.  I CAN and I WILL get to that finish line and run many more races in the future.   Determination?  Yeah, I think so!

Running for (from) Cupcakes

Hello. My name is Reen and I am a cupcakeaholic. Not really, but feeling that way lately. Baked some cupcakes a few times in the past few weeks for parties. I LOVE making cupcakes, by the way. Well, there always seems to be some that don't make it out of the house, or find their way back into the house and that's definitely not good these days.

I'm dealing with a sick 15-year-old kitty and unfortunately am using the sweets as a crutch, a way of helping with the stress. Then the next day, I go for a run. Not good. I mean the running is good but not the cupcakes. Thinking of making a new
t-shirt that says "Running for/from Cupcakes."

Got to get control of this thing. So tomorrow in honor of trash day, I think all remaining cupcakes will be out of here.

By the way, blogging from my phone sure isn't easy

So anyway, what is it about stress that turns so many of us to food? Why? Is it really a comfort thing? I, for one, am definitely not feeling so comfortable right now!

Ah, but yes, tomorrow is a brand new day, a new start, but isn't a new start the very minute, the very second that you say ENOUGH? So here's to new beginnings starting right this second.

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Keeping My Head ABOVE Water

I am so so so not ready for summer to come to an end, however, this summer I have had much difficulty in staying at my goal weight.  I have struggled with the picnic foods ... okay, to be honest, let's not limit it to picnic foods.  Let's just say I've struggled.

Yes, I am at goal weight, but not my "comfortable" goal weight.  I have lost that cushion under goal (and gained cushion elsewhere) and I am so ready to stop treading water to keep my head above.  I am ready to start kicking again and moving past this rip tide and into calmer waters.

I know what I've got to do.  I've done it before.  I just have to do it!   I really have to start fueling my body properly to get myself in shape for the Half Mary, the first.  I've made the commitment to the half-marathon.  NOW IT'S TIME TO MAKE THE COMMITMENT TO MYSELF!

So who's with me?  Let's just give it a shot.  What do you say?  Ready, set, and we're off!

Stick It Out

Just a quick post before a busy morning and weekend!  Can't believe September is here already.  I am so so so not ready for summer to come to a close.  So I'm not going to let it happen yet.  In some ways, this is the best part of the summer for me, harvesting and cooking all those yummy tomatoes in the garden, sitting on the porch on cool nights, having cooler mornings and evenings to run.

I promised myself that I would take a rest from running for atleast four days, and I'm doing my best to "stick it out".  Having "a little" problem with my foot again, like I did in the spring, but this time, instead of ignoring it when it started to bother me, I'm treating it now so it doesn't develop into the type of thing that made it difficult for me to even walk, let alone run.   I don't think it's anything major.  Could even be due to the wrong running shoes and my insoles that I use to treat metatarsal problems being overused.

All I know is I'm sticking it out, trying to do the right thing.  Got a long run planned for Sunday, but if the foot is still sore, I'm going to take a pass.  Not worth it.  I want to run this half-marathon for the first time so bad I can see it, I can feel it.  It's going to happen, but I have to do the right thing now.  I'm registered now.  I've made the committment to the race.  I have to keep the committment to myself, take care of myself.   Everything else will fall into place.

So I ordered new insoles (arrived already), and I'm icing, resting, taking Motrin, massaging, all that good stuff.  I think it feels better.  I'm going to try to stop in at a new running store today (new meaning I've never been there) and see what they have, how knowledgeable they are, and go from there.  I know I need new running shoes (already) because the ones I got in May are not working out.  Think they're too small.  My big toe popped right through the top of them, and now I'm using duct tape on the inside.

Tomorrow is my meeting and weigh-in.  Not expecting to see any great results this week.  Had a rough time last weekend tracking.  Irene made me  it (or not do it).  I was totally distracted by the hurricane and I am confessing right here and now that it was a bad weekend for me. 

Got a few picnics to go to this weekend and looking forward to spending time with a lot of friends and family.  Good times will be had by all!   What's my favorite part of family picnics these days?  Playing with the kids, playing anything, frisbee, ball, hula hoops, croquet.  Love it all.

Happy Labor Day Weekend to everyone. 

Goodbye Irene!

Well, we made it through the storm with no damage, and really, we were very lucky.  Have a tiny bit of dampness in the basement.  Others weren't so lucky.  In the town right next to us, there was pretty bad flooding.

I have not even ventured out, but hubby was out bright and early this morning inspecting the neighborhoods and checking on a few elderly friends.

So it's been an interesting week between our little earthquake and then Hurricane Irene.

It's been a good week other than that.  Went to my weekly meeting and weigh-in yesterday and glad to report that the scale went down 1.6.  So some of the changes that I put into place along with all the running/training last week definitely had an impact.  Hoping for a repeat this week.  Baking cupcakes this afternoon was definitely a step in the WRONG DIRECTION.  :)  But hey, I haven't baked all summer.  It was time.  I made regular cupcakes and minis.  I can have them IF I COUNT THEM.  That's key.

I did make a pot of the Weigth Watchers veggie soup last week and it was delicious.  In fact, it's almost gone.  This week, I'm returning to another old standby, a big pan of roasted veggies, including eggplant, zucchini, peppers, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes.  LOVE IT, and it's another thing I haven't done in a long time.

Drank a lot of water last week, although I haven't been keeping up with that this weekend.  I was so distracted yesterday by the hurricane, couldn't sit still, and wasn't focusing much on what I was eating or drinking.  So time to get that straightened out. 

Have three runs planned for this week,  3.0 mile speed run, 4.0 mile easy run, and 8.0 mile long run, which was the one I was supposed to do today.  Won't have my running buddy with me for the long run this week so I might be taking some of my "virtual running buddies" along to keep me company.  Ha ha!

Well, time to go get dinner ready and relax for the evening. 

New goals this week?  New changes?  Hit me up, what's your plan for the week?

Week #3 - Gonna be a Good Day!

Yep, already into week #3 of the training schedule I put together for my first half-marathon.  Today was a speed run, the weather was GORGEOUS and I did well. 

Starving when I came home so I threw together a wrap with some sliced turkey, homemade hummus, spinach and sauteed peppers and onions from dinner the other night.  A little strange, I know, but I needed protein and fast!  I'm thinking later when it's closer to noon, I'll break out that new blender and mix up a smoothie with some frozen fruit and Greek yogurt.

Dinner?  Hmmm, don't really know.  Guess I better think about that.  Have a baby shower to go to tonight.  So it will have to be something quick and easy.  I know I have a whole bunch of swiss chard in the fridge.  So I might just cook that down and have it with leftover sausage from the other night.

I'm still sticking to my goal to drink more water.  I have a 3 liter bottle that I fill up each morning and make sure that it's empty before I go to bed.  I think that's like 12 8-ounce servings or something close to that.  

WHO ELSE IS DRINKING A LOT OF WATER THESE DAYS AND HOW MUCH?  I know that Weigth Watchers changed their thing about daily fluids and said it DOES NOT have to be water, but for me, water seems to work better. 

The Canned Fish

I know, odd title, but couldn't figure out what else to name it.  Short and sweet of it, I'm having issues with fish of the canned variety today.

It started out this way.  While at the grocery store this week, I saw a can of salmon and decided I would once again give it a shot.  I like salmon.  A Weight Watcher member was talking about canned salmon and how it's so delicious and it's one point per ounce and she mixed it with this and that and how delicious it was.  So I saw it at the store, wasn't too pricey and decided to pick up a can for a lunch this week.

Today was the day.  Well, first of all, the can is kind of confusing.  It says that it's a 14.5 ounce can and there are 7 servings in the can.  Each serving comes out to be 2 points when I calculate.  However, after I drained the can, there certainly wasn't even 7 ounces left in the can.  I honestly can't remember how many it was, because of what I encountered next.  Anyway, so I don't know what a serving is and how many points a serving is. 

Next, when I dumped the drained salmon out of the can, I realized that it still had the skin on it.  Maybe I'm crazy, but that kind of turned me off.   I know I would like canned salmon if I could just get past that!  And it's not just on the outside.  It's like a piece of salmon that's rolled up.  Do you just flaked it and eat the whole thing?  Really?  Maybe if someone else prepared it for me, but I just couldn't do it.  I threw it out (wasteful, I know) and moved on.

So next came the can of tuna.  Again, trying to save a buck this week, I bought a lower priced can of tuna.  When I went to drain the can, the tuna was squeezing out as well, because it was such tiny pieces of tuna.  Ughh. 

Anyway, finally got my tuna salad made, low-fat mayonnaise, tomato, cucumber, onion, green pepper, yum!  On a sandwich thin and a half a slice of LOL Naturally Slender Cheese on top, under the broiler it went.  It was good.

Now, if I calculate the Points Plus from the nutritional info on the can, it says there are 2 servings per can, and each serving calculates at 1 point, or 2 points for the whole can, but if I go into Weight Watchers Points Tracker, the canned tuna has a higher points value.  So I'm not sure if this is correct, but I'm  going by the nutritional info on the label and counting the whole can, drained, as 2 pounds.

Anyway, it was a wonderful sandwich together with a nice big cup of the Weight Watchers vegetable soup that I made yesterday.  Haven't made that soup in well over a year, and it was just as good as I remember!  Especially for 0 points!

So who out there can help me, give me suggestions on how to get over the canned salmon thing, and if you're following Weight Watchers, is it even worth it pointswise?  I'm always trying to find new things in this journey of mine.

What's Changed?

Another beautiful morning.  Supposed to be hot today though. 

So off this morning to my weekly Weight Watcher meeting.  Some things don't change.  Even though I'm a Lifetime Member and have been at my goal weight for two years, I still go to my weekly meetings as much as possible.  It's one of the tools that I have to continue to maintain my weight and live a healthy lifestyle.  Plus, I have met so many wonderful people and enjoy spending a little time with them each week. 

I went with a friend this week to two other meetings, just for a change, a little extra motivation maybe.  I have struggled a bit with that lately.   It was really nice to see other people in other meetings and to hear other leaders discuss the weekly topic.  I very much enjoyed it and hope to do this more often, for a change.

What else has changed?  Well, I can tell you that during my entire Weight Watchers journey, I have NEVER eaten in the morning before I went to my meeting.  Silly?  Maybe, maybe not.  A lot of people do the same thing, don't eat or drink coffee or water, thinking that will somehow reflect on the scale.  Well, I guess technically, it does make a small difference, but if you eat in the morning before you weigh in and you drink your coffee as usual in the morning before you weigh in, and you do that every week, it doesn't make a difference.    So last week I decided to make the change and I ate my breakfast and drank my coffee before I went out.  Wow,  I sure felt better throughout the morning, and I wasn't starving when I got home. 

What else has changed?  Well, there are some changes I have planned for this week.  I used to make the Weight Watchers vegetable soup all the time, every week, and it was always a go-to snack for me in the afternoon, or something to go with my sandwich at lunch.  I can honestly say that I have not made that soup in at least a year.  That's going to change.   I love that soup!  So tomorrow, the soup pot will be on the stove, and I will be chopping, slicing, dicing veggies and cooking my soup. 

What else?  Well, I haven't been drinking enough water during the day.  I know that, and that's going to change.  I drink a lot of water these days while I'm running and after my run, but other than that, not really.  I might take a sip here and there, but I used to always have a mug of water next to me while I was working and that habit is going to return.  In fact, I may just take a bottle of water with me to the meeting this morning instead of the coffee mug.  That's a change.

One more change, the ice bag has returned.  I had a little foot pain again the other day in the same area, ball of the foot.  So out the ice bag came.  As my runs get longer each week and I get closer to the half-marathon, my foot is likely to get a little sore.   I find that icing it after a run really does help as well as using Castiva on it (lotion) and started using that again at night

So what's changed with you or what are you going to change?  I think that every few weeks, I might come back to this topic to analyze what's going on, what I'm doing that's not helping, what I'm doing that is helping, what I used to do that I have kind of forgotten about.

Tomorrow's long run, 7 miles.  I CAN DO THAT!

My Imaginary Running Group

Yes, maybe I'm a little crazy, but this is the truth.  When I realized what I was doing, I immediately knew I had to blog about it.

Started half-marathon training last week and  this past Sunday was supposed to be a 6-mile long run (okay, maybe not so long for you pros out there), but because of the rain yesterday, couldn't get it done.

So I devised a plan.  I was going to get up at 5:30 and get right out early to make up that 6-miler.  But that didn't happen quite as I expected either.  You know, the kind of  morning when you feel like just going back to bed and pulling the sheet up over your head.

Then it started raining again.  Really?  Come On, Mother Nature!  Finally, I had had enough.  Grabbed a wind breaker in case the rain didn't stopped, my phone, my headphones, my fuel belt (water), extra towels, and off I went to the park, determined to get this 6 miles in.

The rain stopped just as I got to the park.  Wonderful.  A little cloudy, cool, felt great as I started out....then the sun came out.  Hot, humid, and to top it all off, my GPS was not working on my app on my phone that I used to track my distance. 

Anyway, I struggled the entire run.  Didn't have the right music on, couldn't see the darned phone to change the music because of the sun.  The only way I could estimate how far I was going was to figure out what pace I might be running and then just multiply that by 6 miles. 

The last mile was SUCH A STRUGGLE.  Seriously, I had gone through all four water bottles on my belt, and I was seriously hot and sweating bullets.  My legs felt like lead pipes.  But I HAVE TO GET THIS LAST BIT IN. 

That's when I started talking to myself, and this is kind of what I said.

Serious, come on, move your butt!  You can do this!  Just keep moving.  Don't you quit!  Then I imagined that I had an imaginary running group, Jillian Michaels (sorry, but she was the one who inspired me to start running), Aimee, Heather, Tricia, Marisa, Jen, David, Amanda, they were all with me.  Come on, guys, you know who you are.  And they were all pushing me, keep going, get that butt moving, come on, you can do this.  Look how far you've come, don't give up now.  Look at Tricia and Heather up there, don't lose sight of them.  Marisa and Jen, Aimee and Amanda were beside me cheering me on and making me laugh at how much I was sweating.  David running like a bullet ahead.  I just kept going, kept imaging that I was in the middle of this awesome group of running friends and they were all giving me the encouragement to finish it.

And I did.  I finally got to the finish line, and then pushed it just a little bit further to make sure I got that 6 miles in. 

Turns out when I got home, I had run 6.49 miles and my pace was 11.06, much better than I felt I was running.  I swear, I felt I was running at like a 15!

The moral of my little story today is that I need to push myself, and when I think I can't go any further, I push myself a little further still.  I can do this and I will!

Change It If It Isn't Working!

So let's get serious.  Let's get right to the point.  Is something "just not working" for you anymore?   What are you doing about it?  Nothing?  Well, how is that working for you?  I know the feeling.
What did I do about it?  Nothing.  I sat around for months starry eyed but doing nothing about it but complaining.  Every week, I complained.

Yes, I am at goal, but that doesn't mean I don't need the same things day after day that got me here.  It's key.

Okay.  So the nitty gritty.  When I started Weight Watchers, I had what I considered a GREAT LEADER!  She really was "a good fit" for me, funny, smart, always well prepared for the week's topic, knew the plan, knew how to "guide the group", always had suggestions,  and SUPER MOTIVATING.  In addition, we always had a little bit of everything at the meeting.  From celebrations of weight loss or something new activity we started, struggles we were having, an event or situation we might have difficulty with in the coming week.  THAT was so motivating, to hear how everyone else is doing and how proud they are of their accomplishments.  That meeting and that leader was just a great fit for me. 

I lost a total of 75 pounds doing the Weight Watchers plan and have kept it off for over 2 years.  What worked the most for me?  Coming to the meetings week after week, getting that charge to start the next week and keep going.  That meeting, that leader, that motivation KEPT ME GOING and I was able to reach my to goal.

Sadly, our wonderful leader decided after many years of dedication to Weight Watchers that she NEEDED A CHANGE.  Imagine that, wanting a change AND DOING SOMETHING ABOUT IT!.   I was sad to see her go, but completely understood her reasons.  Hope that she's reads this post and knows that she is loved, no matter what.  :)

So anyway, what happened next?  Well, do you mean after the whining, pounding my fists, stomping my feet?  Just kidding.  There was a lot of negativity about what would happen, how the meeting would go, what would we do.   I tried to stay positive, but you know, it just wasn't doing it for me anymore.  You now how sometimes you buy the same product for years, week after week.  Then all of a sudden out of the blue, the manufacturer decides to change the product, and it's just not the same anymore for you anymore?  That's how it was for me. 

But what did I do about it?  NOTHING.  I sat around week after week, tried to stick to what I always did, go to my meeting, come home and start my new week, but didn't have that charge that I needed to get me through, didn't have the motivation and the excitement to continue.  But again, what did I do about it?  Nothing.  Just a lot of complaining about what's not working, how it used to be, how it could be better, but still doing nothing about it.... until this week.

But who's really in control here?  YOU ARE!  If it's not working, why sit around wasting time instead of finding a solution?  Maybe, love my situation, your leader changed in Weight Watchers.  If you're not doing Weight Watchers, maybe you've suffered an injury and can't do your normal exercise routine.   Whatever it is, if it's not working, does that mean you just give up?  Quit?  Hmmm.

After meeting a good friend from Weight Watchers for lunch and a lot of discussion (hey, by the way, what a great mid-week charge), we came to the realization that we're just wasting time.  I mean, really, by sitting around and watching what's going on and doing nothing about it, where is that getting us?  NOWHERE!  We need to find a new meeting, a new leader.  If it's not working, change it!
So we decided we would "meeting hop", see what's going on in other parts of the Weight Watcher world, venture out beyond our little "comfort zone".

So Saturday morning came around, and off we went to another meeting.  WOW!  The change in how I felt coming out of this weeks meeting was.... well, how do I best describe it.... POSITIVE!  Imagine that.  This meeting that we went to covered all of the things that I enjoy in a meeting, celebrations, hearing how other people are doing, discussing the details of the program, discussing difficult situations, new food ideas, as well as talking about getting some EXERCISE!    I was totally motivated to jump into the next week full steam ahead!

SO BOTTOM LINE, NOT WORKING FOR YOU?  Stop sitting around complaining about it and MAKE A CHANGE, take a leap, trust that YOU CAN DO THIS!  YOU ARE IN CONTROL!  JUST DO IT!   

P.S.  After posting this, felt the need to add this.  For those of you reading this who are part of my Saturday morning meeting, I hope you all know it is absolutely NOT about you.  I love each and every one of you, and even if I do switch meetings, I will still want to come back to the original meeting once in a while. 

This was about me and what I needed and what I was paying for.  I'm not paying now since I reached goal, but I am RIGHT AT goal, and if I don't start doing what I need for myself, I WON'T BE.  I invested a lot of money in this when I add up the weekly fees, and it was worth every penny to me, but not if I end up slipping and gaining the weight back, all because I didn't give myself WHAT I NEED.

Home Sweet Home

Home IS my favorite place to be, but it has been a little lonely around here lately.  My kitty, Samuel, has spent a few days at the vet's office.  He was diagnosed as diabetic last month.  They tried treating it just with prescription food, but that didn't work.  He was looking pretty sick.  When I took him back to the vet, we were told the next step was insulin.  So he had to spend a few days there having his blood sugar tested and they administered insulin to find the right dosage and monitored him for a few days.

Tonight...he came home.

Aw, Samuel, we missed you.  Welcome home!  Might be up and down for a while, but then again, maybe not.  Some cats adjust right away, some don't.  I'm hoping he adjusts quickly and we start to see a little more of the real Samuel again. 

So, yeah, it's been a while since I posted, but things are okay.  I'm headed out tomorrow morning for WW meeting and weigh-in.  Looking forward to it, as usual...okay, maybe a little more than usual.  I'm heading to a NEW meeting, for a change of pace, see what's going on at other meetings.   Ours just hasn't been .... well, not leaving with the usual motivation and enthusiasm as I used to, so maybe it's time for a new perspective.

It's been a good week for me, pretty much tracking everything.  Yeah.  I said pretty much.  Hey, just being honest.  I did miss all tracking on Saturday and some on Monday, but tried my best to try the rest of the week. 

I also started my half-marathon training this week, and this Sunday will be my first long run on the schedule.  I've been running long runs, but they're going to get longer every week from here on out.  Hoping that the body holds up for me.  So far, feeling pretty good. 

I'm still trying to catch up on blog reading.  Seems like the more I read, the further behind I get though.  Sigh. 
Maybe I can curl up for a bit this weekend with my laptop and a cup of coffee and read up on what all my blogging buddies are up to. 

So for now, I'm out of here to get some much needed rest.  Goodnight!

Results - Gain/Still Goal Range

Hi, all!  Returned to my weekly meeting and weigh-in yesterday.  Yeah, the scale went up, but gee, it's something I'm willing to accept considering I spent three awesome weeks with my momma!  I'm still within goal range and did not have to pay (just by a hair). 

So now I have some work to do, getting back into my routine, drinking a ton of water, getting LOTS OF ACTIVITY IN, and getting that number back where I want it.  But that's what it's all about here for me in maintenance.  If I have an unacceptable gain once in a while, that's okay.  I know what to do to get it back to where I need it.  After all, the program has worked for me for "several" years.  I know it works if I work it.  So that's what I'm doing now, working it. 

Tomatoes and cucumbers are coming in great quantities now.  So this week is going to be all about getting some of those wonderful red juicy Jersey gems into freezer bags and also making some sauce to freeze for those lazy winter nights.  I made two nice sized containers of pesto last week, and there is plenty more basil out there to make more. 

As for the cukes, well, can't freeze those so we're eating them in salads and snacking on them and giving then away.

Since I'm getting back to a more normal routine now, hoping to post more.  I know I've been kind of MIA a lot lately, but look forward to more blogging. 

Wow, storm coming now.  I think I'll shut this puppy down for a while.   

It's Serious...

I'm getting serious now.   Had a 3-week long visit with  my Mom here.  It was THE BEST!  But as usual, got a little off track.  Nothing that can't be fixed though.  Yesterday was a fairly good day, although I did have a nice bowl of ice cream last night, but hey, I tracked EVERY SINGLE POINT yesterday, drank my water, and got out for some exercise last night (skating).

Today it's back to routine, work, and hoping to get out for a run tonight.

Breakfast this morning, back to the omelette, with green pepper, onion, fresh asparagus, sun dried tomato and, of course, fresh basil, together with a slice of Land of Lakes naturally slender cheese.  I'll have a piece of fruit mid-morning and that should carry me right through to lunch.

I've really had a great July, spent quality time with a lot of the family, and the garden is just doing great!

That's just one of many seedless cucumbers that I picked the other day.  They're coming in quicker than I can give them away.  The tomatoes are so great, and we have a good variety of different kinds this year.    Time to start freezing!

So looking forward to August and September, full of harvesting in the garden, cooking in the kitchen, and training for my first half-marathon!