Weekly Weigh In

And so it's Monday again. I worked out four times last week (I missed Friday & Saturday). I didn't pay attention to my food at all. I'm easing myself back into my habits. Life's a marathon, not a sprint. I know myself well enough to know that if I try to pile everything back on at once I'll simply give up. Baby steps. Having said all of that, you can imagine my shock when I stepped on the scale this week and actually saw the number go down. I truly wasn't expecting that. At all. Especially after last night's dinner of pizza and brownies. So anyway, today's weigh in results were 216.8. That is a 1.2 lb loss from last week and a total loss of 8.4 lbs. Overall, not a bad week. My foot is quite painful today, I'm not sure why but I'm going to skip any major workout. I may do some strength training at home. I bought some new DVD's over the weekend. Look for reviews on those coming soon!

Mmmm, Soup!!

Soup can be a great part of a healthy lifestyle. However, it doesn't matter how healthy and wholesome the soup is, if you eat 15 bowls of it that's probably not a good thing. Just sayin'

I started out with this recipe from the Trainer Momma. Then I switched things up a bit to make it my own. It is delicious. Fabulous. And utterly addictive..... *sigh*

I used 12 c chicken stock & 4 c water and I added the meat from a rotisserie chicken. Other than that I followed her directions exactly.

It's amazing. Go make it. Now.

Facebook

So, did you notice something new over there ------->

Go ahead, look. Under my profile. Do you see it? It's a facebook box. Yup, I'm on Facebook now. Well, my blog is anyway.

So many times throughout the day I get a random thought or think of a question or a tip that I'd love to share with you guys, but either I don't have time to run and write a blog post or it's not really significant enough to warrant one. This way I can update FB quickly and there it is.

Social media ~ how did we ever survive without it??

You can find the page here.

What's in a name?

O Romeo, Romeo! Wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father and refuse thy name.
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.

'Tis but thy name that is my enemy.
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O, be some other name!
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
And for that name, which is no part of thee
Take all myself.

I'm not big on the classics. Oh sure, I read Hamlet and MacBeth, Don Quixote, Dante's Inferno and all the rest of them (or at least the Cliff's Notes!) but I simply wasn't swept away by them like a lot of people can be. But Romeo & Juliet, now that one spoke to me.

I remember having to memorize the above soliloquy in highschool and I still remember most of it to this day. I've always been a sucker for a tortured love story.

Healthy for 100 what's in a name? What does Healthy for 100 mean?

I like the show Jeopardy. I remember watching it with my father in the evenings after dinner before starting on my homework. Everyone in my family tried to figure out the answers. Rarely was there a question that at least one of us didn't know, or have some type of guess. I don't have time to watch TV at that time of night very often, but when I do happen to see it on TV now, I will often sit and watch a few moments.

Last Spring, after watching some Jeopardy one evening, I was cleaning the kitchen and thinking about my many failed attempts at weightloss in the past. I was finally recognizing that weightloss and health don't often go hand in hand. I was frustrated with trying to lose weight but always feeling like crap. I wanted to be healthy. I thought if life is like a game of Jeopardy then I'd take "Healthy for 100, Alex"

And my blog name was born. I loved it because it could mean so many different things. 100 lbs, 100 days, 100 healthy recipes, 100 healthy habits, the list is infinite.

So, am I trying to lose 100 pounds? Sure, I guess. Will I cry if I never see 125 on the scale? No. I'm not sure, exactly, how much I want to lose. My body will know when it is happy. My body will know when it is healthy.

A tough decision

I have to be smart. I keep telling myself that over and over again. Be smart. Dont' push yourself. You have the rest of your life to run races. Don't rush it.

Easier said than done. I'm an instant gratification kind of girl and if I decide I want to run a race, I want to run it tomorrow.

Remember that St. Paddy's Day race I said I was going to race? I even went and got myself a training partner, right?

I'm blowing it off. I start training for my first half marathon on March 1. I do not intend to put foot to pavement before then. I want to be in tip top shape for my training. I will do lots of cardio and strength training until then, but I need to pamper my foot. I need it to heel. So, I'm bowing (gracefully, I hope) out of the 10K on March 12. I'm not ready to be training for anything right now.

I have to take care of myself. I have to look at the big picture and do what's right for the long run. You have no idea how difficult this is for me. Big picture is not my natural first thought....Well, look at that. I'm growin' up!

Accountablity Workout Day Three

When I scheduled my workouts for the week, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do today. A new stability ball class or an old stand by weights class? As of dinner time last night, I still wasn't sure, so I put it up for a vote on twitter (do you follow me? You should, @healthyfor100). I only got two votes; one of each. Of course. So, I asked my husband. He suggested that the stability ball class wouldn't be as weight bearing on my foot. I figured if I didn't get enough of a workout I would increase my time on the elliptical afterwards. HA! Not a tough workout. I should have known. It was an Anne Marie class. Remember Anne Marie? I should have known!

The class was tough, but it was oh so awesome! I really really need to strengthen my core and crunches just don't do it for me. I'm in love. This might be my new favorite class.

So, I did one hour and 15 minutes on the stability ball and then went downstairs and did 30 mintues (=2.8 miles) on the elliptical. Two hours at the gym and not a single twinge of pain in my foot. Heaven!

I've come to a tough decision, I'll explain more later. Right now it's snuggle time with my kiddos.

Workout Schedule ~ Day Two

photo source

I was scheduled to do an aquafit class today, but I'm just not a fan of the instructor on Tuesday mornings.

Last fall and through to the spring (2009-2010) I was nursing an injury and again, could barely walk (other foot, similiar issue). I had started swimming and really really enjoyed it. Once I was recovered from my injury I started running and working out at the gym and swimming sort of became an after thought.

Since I wasn't doing aquafit this morning, I decided to head to the pool to swim some laps. Afterall, that's what nursed me through my last injury, right?

My oldest son is on the swim team. He practices for two hours 2x a week. I lasted 25 minutes in the pool and I thought I was going to die. I forgot how intense swimming can actually be. It's a complete body workout and I would do well to remember that. I believe I will keep it in my regular workout rotation.

So anyway, I'm two for two on my workouts since I've decided to start posting them here on the blog. I have to admit, if I hadn't already posted that I was going to be in the pool today I likely would have blown off the class this morning and just not done anything at all. Accountability is a good thing.

Thanks for being here. Thanks for keeping me honest ;)

Weekly Weigh In

It's weekly weigh in time. You thought I forgot, didn't you? I wanted to. I was tempted to, but I knew deep down that I wasn't foolin' anyone. It was time. I stepped on the scale this morning and closed my eyes. I didn't want to know.

Today we start over. Are you ready? My weight this morning was 218.0 lbs. Bleck. But it is what it is.

The past is the past and I can't change it. I can only go forward. And forward is exactly where I'm headed.

I went to the gym today and did 6 miles on the recumbent bike. I hate that thing, I don't feel like I get a good workout, but it's good for my leg and helps my foot. I have to be smart about this ~ at least that's what I keep telling myself. After the bike I got up and went to the treadmill. What was that about being smart??

So, here we go. Who's with me?

Back in the Saddle

I have decided to not only send my workouts to Karen, but to also list them here. This is what I've come up with for this week. It's ambitious, but I'm so ready to get back to the gym. So, so ready. I do, however, reserve the right to alter this schedule as the week progresses based on my pain level and how my foot is reacting. I want to push myself, but I won't be stupid about it. Life is a marathon, not a 5K and yada yada yada....

• Monday ~ 5 mi on recumbent bike
• Tuesday ~ Aquafit 1 hour class
• Wednesday ~ either a "Going Ballistic" class or an "Ultimate Strength" class + 2 mi on ellliptical
• Thurday ~ 5 mi on recumbent bike
• Friday ~ 2 mi on elliptical
• Saturday ~ Aquafit 1 hour class
• Sunday ~ rest day

It's a lot of gym time, but really not any hard core workouts. I want to ease myself back into it and see how my foot reacts. My tendonitis is essentially gone, but I'm left with a bruised heel. The physical therapist is concerned that it's a deep bruise that may have reached my bone. It hurts, still. But only when I'm not wearing shoes.

So, if you see me walking around barefoot smack me, ok?

Fitness Swap

Kris, over at Eclipsed is hosting a fitness swap. I set it aside to think about it and I nearl forgot about it

Sign up deadline is Monday ~ so hurry over there! NOW!! Go. Do it.

Accountability

I have a running partner. Well, not really. I have a training partner. A virtual one.

A few years ago I made a friend. We each had two boys approximately the same ages and we both loved to sew and quilt. She also is a triathlete and a runner. It didn't take long for her to get me addicted and just as soon as she did she MOVED. The nerve, right????

I KNOW! So, we've both been nursing injuries off and on for the last several months, but now we're both ready to get back at it. The only problem is that she lives in Pittsburgh now. Bleh.

Anyway, we both have our sights set on races on March 12. Her's is a 5 mile and mine is either a 5K or a 10K. So we're going to be virtual training partners.

We both have hectic lives and the word "routine" hasn't made it into either of our vocabularies. Our training schedules will differ from week to week so each week we plan to email one another our schedule and hold each other accountable.

Oh yea, she has a blog but hasn't updated it in over a year. I'm trying to convince her to get it going again....help me out, will ya?

Karen, meet the internets. Internets, meet Karen :)

It has to stop

I'm in a downward spiral and it. has. to. stop. I'm tired and cranky and lethargic and I feel like shit. All the time. I was awake for two hours last night because my stomach was so sour and nauseous that it woke me up. It. woke. me. up.

How nasty and gross is that? I'm nibbling all day, I'm eating junk and I'm not working out. Does this sound like a person who is planning on completing her first half marathon and her first triathlon this year? No, it doesn't.

I have got to get myself back under control. I'm sick and tired and feeling sick and tired. I will be at the gym tomorrow. I will be at the gym on Saturday. I have no other choice. I've experienced that runner's high. I rode those post exercise endorphins all of the through the day. I've seen the energy I have when I eat right and work out. Maybe if I hadn't already started, I wouldn't feel like such crap now. You can't miss what you don't know is there, right?

I know what I'm missing and I'm tired of it.

I have no idea what I weigh. I'm all over the map. I'm going to weigh myself on Monday and go from there. Wish me luck.

Milestones

There are particular milestones that everyone celebrates ~ losing 10 lbs. Getting under 300, getting under 200, etc..., being able to shop in the regular stores as opposed to the Plus sized stores, buying bras at Victoria Secret, and so on and so on.

While I think those are fabulous goals to look forward to, I also have a list of my own milestones that I'm looking forward to crossing off:

• 227 lbs ~ the higest weight I ever saw stare at me from the scale.
• 225 lbs ~ what I weighed when I gave birth (both times)
• 196 lbs ~ what I weighed when I met my husband
• 190 lbs ~ what I weighed after giving birth (both times)
• 175 lbs ~ the smallest weight my husband has ever seen me
• 145 lbs ~ what I weighed when I graduated highschool

What are you personal milestones?

FREEDOM!!!!

I showed up to my physical therapy appt today and told them that I needed to wrap this shindig up. Our insurance coverage changed as of Jan 1 and it suddenly got a hell of a lot more expensive for me to hang out with them. They're nice guys and all, but I'd rather save that money for race fees, ya know?

I told them that my family wasn't going to miss any meals and I didn't want to bail out on them prematurely but that I truly felt that I could do all of my therapy either at home or the gym and that I was getting antsy to simply get on with my life.

I expected them to suggest we pare down to one visit a week and see how I feel. They simply told me, I was right and that I could go home and just let them know in a few weeks how I was feeling. What? Really? Sa-wheet!

So, I suddenly had a child free afternoon and no plans. What would you do? I went to the local running store, of course. I've mentioned before about shoes, and how I wanted a pair of Vibrams, but I'm still in a fair amount of pain on the bottom of my heel. There's a decent chance that I've got a nice hefty bruise deep in my heel pads and possibly into my bone. I need some cushioning under there until that heals, but I'm still skeptical of those ultra fancy shoes that do everything for you but clip your toenails.

Enter these:

The Brooks Green Silence. It's their version of a minimalist shoe. Similar to the Nike Frees. I didn't care for the Nikes, but these felt amazing when I tried them on. I didn't buy them, but I'm thinking I should have. I won't be running right away anyhow, but when I do I'm pretty sure I'll be sportin' these bad boys. I just wish they weren't so damn ugly!

Help Me Come Up with a Name....

Oh yea, Santa brought me one of these bad boys for Christmas. I can not wait to use it! But ~ it needs a name. Help me name it! Leave your suggestions in the comments and if I find one that I love and use I'll probably send you something. As soon as I figure out what that something is...

Trudging along....

Gosh, the holidays are over but my life just won't seem to slow down. Who pushed the fast forward button? Can you please UNpush it? Thankyouverymuch!!

I'm hosting a friend's 40th birthday celebration tomorrow and then, THEN, hopefully things will settle down. I'm not sure they'll SLOW down, but at least it will be my normal life stuff. Nothing extra. Oh wait, hubby's birthday is next week. Ok, maybe THEN....*sigh*

The candy is gone, the cheesecake has been pitched, the pies were given away and the only sugar really left in the house was a little bit of ice cream. I took care of that last night while watching the Biggest Loser. As much as the (staged) drama of that show kills me, it really does seem to light a fire under my ass.

I was completely unprepared for how much this stupid injury would derail me. I thought I was good. I thought I had things under control. I thought I knew what I was doing. I thought WRONG. It's humbling to be sidelined and forced to take a look within and see what's really going on. I feel like shit. Both physically and mentally. I'm beaten and broken. But I'm clawing my way back....I am.

For one, our insurance coverage changed on Jan 1 and my physical therapy just got a whole lot more expensive. I have no choice but to get better ~ NOW. My foot has actually been feeling a lot better and working out is helping now rather than hurting. So I know I'm close.

I already have to readjust my race goals for this year. You know that totally pisses me off, right? I'm giving up on January. The absolute earliest I'd be comfortable running a 5K would be the last weekend of the month ~ and that's pushing it. I can't get injured again. Boy 1 has a swim meet that weekend and I can't seem to find a local 5K anyway. So, maybe I'll do two in Feb. We'll see.

I am firming up plans for a 10K in March, though. Kristen D are you reading this???? It's in the Tri Cities! Jason's already talked to the inlaws and they are all prepared to have us as overnight guests that weekend. It's a St. Patty's Day run. I just can't remember the exact date.....are you up for it Kristen??? Let me know.

It's time to get over myself. It's time to get serious again.

Operation Detox....

Well, my operation detox started off ok today ~ but then I let myself get too hungry before lunch and it was all downhill. I immediately went for the candy bowl and my hand has been in there ever since.

My weight is all over the place. Yesterday it was 214ish and today it was up to 218ish. NO, I do not believe I gained 4lbs of fat in 24 hours. It's inflammation.

It's true that I've been extremely busy these last few weeks, but I've also let my eating get out of control. I kept telling myself it wasn't that bad, but I knew better. It's the main reason I've been so quiet around here.

I thought if I just ignored it and didn't admit to it here then it wouldn't be true. How very mature of me, no?

Anyway, those days are over. Complete transparency. It starts NOW.

Having said that ~ I have no idea what's for dinner tonight. The cupboards are pretty bare.... Hhhmm..... time to get creative!