Long Time No Blog

Hi All,

I'm back from my...let's call it a hiatus. I've been running some, strength training some, and all around just feeling kind of bored and burned out with it all. And, it shows...I've added a good 8 pounds to the 10 that have been hanging around from my original weight loss target. 8 pounds in two years might not seem like a lot, but for someone who struggles with their weight, it's a slippery, slippery slope.

I know I do best with a regimented plan, so I've got one that will carry me through the end of October. Starting in the last week of March, I'm going to devote 90 days to doing Jillian's new Body Revolution, including the meal plan. From all the research I've done, bye bye last 20 lbs! I decided on Body Revolution for a few reasons. First, I LOVE Jillian. Her one-off videos have been key in my training in the past. And this 90-day plan looks amazing! I also chose the program over PX90 or Insanity because her workouts are 30 minutes long. I'm FAR more likely to do a workout every single day for 90 days if it's only 30 minutes as opposed to 60 to 90. Plus, a 30 minute-workout leaves me with energy (in theory) to go for a run before work and do this workout in the evening.

When I'm wrapping up Body Revolution at the end of June/early July, I'll be ramping up training for my fourth half marathon. Yesterday I found a discount code for Rock 'n Roll races for $29 off for Leap Day. I immediately went out and registered for the RNR St Louis Half. Originally it was $90, which just seemed excessive for a half marathon in St. Louis. Seriously, it's not that interesting downtown. But $66 seemed just about right. My goal for this race is to PR! To do that I need to get my speed up. So, I'll be looking for a training schedule that includes track workouts as well (and actually do them this time).

So that's the plan. Before I start Body Revolution, I'll post my before pictures. I'll include updates on how each month goes and the changes I see, and then finally the After pictures. And, once race training starts, I'll have plenty to say I'm sure. Can't wait to get started!

And, lest you believe I'll be sitting idly until the end of March, I will be getting to run in beautiful Tempe, AZ next week while I'm out there for work and preparing for the St. Patrick's Day 5 Mile downtown when I return. I ran this race in 2005 in something like 63 minutes. It was my first race every (and only one until 2009). Right now, I can do 5 miles in a little over 50 minutes. So that'll be a nice PR.

Just having a plan in place makes me feel like I'm back in a good place, back on track!

How It Works

This morning I went for a bike ride, something I haven't done in a long time. I started out at Creve Coeur Lake park, but the path around the lake was clogged by people strolling along (sometimes 4 or more shoulder to shoulder...). So, I took the offshoot trail that follows the Page extension out to the Katy Trail. Other than the grasshoppers the size of chihuahuas, it was an amazing ride. When I got to the parking lot for the Katy Trail, I thought about turning around and heading back, but it was such a beautiful day that I wanted to keep going. That meant heading down the steep hill to the trail and riding there. No biggie...Coming back up the steep hill would be another story. I made it up last summer, but last summer I was living in the body of a marathon training fitness fool. This summer, I'm somewhere south of there. Could I do it?

For lack of photographic evidence, see my Garmin elevation map...The two spikes were going down the hill and coming back up.

I worried about it the whole ride out, making sure not to go too far that my legs would be too tired to carry me back to the lake afterwards. I rode a couple of miles out and then turned back. When I arrived back at the hill, I shifted gears and started peddling with purpose, I made it up the first switch back easily. I managed the second, even though I had to slow down significantly for a family with small children weaving between lanes. The third rise towered above me...and I made it to the top without getting off to walk. At the parking lot, I paused for a second to drink some water and let my hammering heart catch up. I had done it.

On the ride back to my car, I thought about how succeeding at something hard makes all the other difficult things in a day seem possible. It's strange that the euphoria of a physical feat transfers to easily to other areas of life. But, for me it does. That's why I run. It can be a marathon or thirty minutes around the neighborhood. Pushing myself and conquering the miles, hills, tired legs, reminds me that other obstacles are manageable too.

Do one difficult thing every day. You might not succeed every time, but each time you'll get closer to your goal, and on the days you do succeed, you'll realize that the improbable, the impossible, has become your reality.

The Journey

This morning it was tough to get up when my alarm started buzzing at 5:20 a.m. "Why can't we be skinny and healthy by magic?" I muttered to B. I hit snooze more than once, but in the end, I made it out the door for yet another day.

And what a beautiful day it was. The sun wasn't officially up, just a pink glow on the eastern horizon. And, the air was gloriously cool. What a day for a run!

My legs were tired, my Achilles was tight, but I chugged along on the less hilly of my usual routes. On my way home from the out-and-back route, I saw this lady that I see almost every morning. She's 70+ if she's a day. Her run is more of a quick shuffle (but then, hey, so is mine). And, she's out here EVERY morning working it out.

Depending on the day, her presence inspires a different set of thoughts for me...
Thought 1: Fitness is a lifelong battle. I'm going to have to do this FOREVER, even when I'm 70.
Thought 2: Being fit and healthy is a blessing. I hope I get to be out here running when I'm 70.

There's no end to this journey. Sure we might start with a goal weight, a special occasion, a certain dress size in mind. But when we reach that goal, we haven't reached the end of our journey. I can look at that fact with despair (usually when I'm half asleep with my alarm blaring in my ear) or joy. So, on this Wednesday, here are a few things I appreciate about the journey without end:

1. I appreciate that ceasing to move means going backward to a place I don't want to go. Therefore, every step forward is forward momentum in the right direction, whether it's walking, running, biking, or stationary on my yoga mat.
2. I appreciate how I feel when I come home, dripping sweat, tired in an entirely different (wonderful) way than when I was trying to get out of bed. 
3. I appreciate how early morning exercise changes the way I experience and adapt to the stress of the workday.
4. I appreciate the feeling of knowing I made a good choice and the accompanying desire to build on that good choice with others.
5. I appreciate that there may come a day when I'm unable to go out for a morning run, but this morning isn't that day. Today I can run. And, with my elderly runner as inspiration, I hope the decision of "today I can run" continues for many, many days into the distant future.

What do you  appreciate about your healthiness journey?

2010 By the Numbers

I'm a data geek as you might already know. So, on the last day of the year, I sat down to figure out what the numbers say about how much work I put in this year:

• I worked out 228 of 365 days, which means I worked out about 62% of the time. 
• I worked out an average of 19 days a month.
• I covered 968.42 miles (at least those recorded by Garmin) in 2010.
• 838.68 of those miles were running!

The days worked out was a little lower than 2009...I worked out 10 more times then than I did this year. I'm chalking part of that up to the taper and recovery period after the marathon (and just a touch of laziness as winter hit).
I also took a look at the goals I set last year to see which ones I actually achieved:

1. Join a volleyball league (already started on this one: first game is 1/4!) Check, although I eventually decided the league wasn't my cup of tea and only played one season.
2. Run a half marathon Check!
3. Run a full marathon Check!
4. Drink at least 64 oz of water a day (and no coffee until I have had at least 16 oz of H2O) Mostly failure. I didn't drink nearly as much water as I should have and definitely got the coffee in no mater what!
5. Get back in the habit of making a healthy lunch at home instead of going out I did pretty well on this. The best months for this are in the fall/winter when I can make a giant batch of soup that lasts all week.
6. Eat MORE veggies at every meal (I struggle with this in the winter...) I did great on this. Again, as the fresh summer vegetables give way to the puny looking ones shipped in from whoknowswhere, I struggle.
7. Reach my goal weight (11.4 lbs to go as of yesterday) Not so much. My weight is pretty much exactly the same as last year. Marathon training didn't make for great weight loss. I made the choice to feed my body what it needed rather than deprive to get the last few pounds off. Now that I'm training again, I'm working to keep my calories in check and eat healthy calories.
8. Maintain my goal weight when I get there (that's a whole other journey) While I'm not at my goal, I've definitely maintained give a pound or two fluctuation throughout the year. And, because I've really upped my strength training, I feel stronger and more toned than ever.
9. Get professionally fitted for running shoes Check, best decision ever made!
10. Support B. on his own journey to health Working on being a support and not a nag. Everyone has their own journey and their own story of how they got there...and it usually doesn't start with, "My girlfriend forced me to go to the gym..."

I haven't quite figured out what my goals are this coming year. I know I have a marathon lined up in April and possibly in October. I'll let you know what my running and health related goals are as soon as I get them narrowed down. 

Happy and Healthy New Year, Everyone! 

Force of Will

I ran 18 miles on Saturday (18.18, if you want to get technical), and it was unbelievable. I won't bore you all with yet another blow-by-blow run report, but let me just say it was a one in a million run. There was no walking, my legs felt a-mazing, my splits were back to normal, and I wasn't even tired until the last mile. And, I went out just hoping not to end up with a bloody knee again!

While I was running, I had plenty of time to think...back to about a year and a half ago when I first started running, how difficult even short treks were then, and how much endurance I've built.  If anything, the experience of running and training for long distance races has taught me about the power of, well, willpower. I've come to believe that (barring devastating disability or disease...and sometimes even then) you can train your mind and body to do almost anything with enough determination and patience. Most of the non-runners who find out about my marathon goal will say something to the effect of "there's no way I could do that." And, I tell them, sure you could, if you really wanted to. Most people don't really want to run a marathon (which is totally fine and understandable--do whatever activity floats your boat). But the point is, you have far more potential than you give yourself credit for. Trust me, the former non-runner who will rock her first marathon in 5 weeks.

Like I've said before, achieving your goal takes determination and sacrifice. Nothing worth having is free, right? But, for every ounce of effort and sacrifice I've put into my goal, I've gotten back more in the form of confidence in what I'm capable of. The following apply specifically to things I've learned while getting healthy and then in training, but I've found I now believe them to be true in other parts of my life, too:

• I'm not so stuck in my ways that I can't make drastic positive changes in the way I live.
• I'm much stronger than I think I am.
• I can keep going even when my mind says I want to quit or not start at all.
• I'm no longer intimidated by the enormity of my end goal--all I have to do is what's required right now, this minute.
• If I genuinely want something, I'll do whatever it takes to get there.

I won't get into cheerleader mode on you, but I think those 5 bullets apply to pretty much everyone. There's nothing you can't accomplish, health and fitness related goals or otherwise, if you decide that's want you want for your life. Give yourself the chance to surprise yourself--b/c I guarantee you, you will!

Back on Track

Soooo last week didn't go exactly as prescribed by my training plan. My motivation seemed to have floated out a window somewhere. I did my Tuesday morning 5 miles, but then on Wednesday morning, I was too tired to get up and decided to go with B. to get in 8 while he went biking on Grant's Trail. I failed to remember that there are no water stops there and that in general running after a full day of work just isn't my cup of tea anymore.  I did 6 in the time it usually takes me to do 8. Not good. I made up for this on Thursday by doing 7 instead of 5. So, one way or another my midweek mileage was done.


I knew going into the weekend that getting in a long run, especially 18 was going to be difficult. B.'s brother was getting married on Saturday night. I'd already decided that I'd have to split up the run at the very least...I wanted to wear my favorite cute heels (that get far too little wear in these days of sore, tired feet), and I didn't want to be falling asleep in my wedding cake. So, the plan was 8 miles on Friday morning and 10 on Saturday morning. Friday didn't happen. Strike one. On Saturday morning, at 4:30 a.m. it was pouring. I reset my alarm. At 6:00, still pouring. I gave up at that point and went to sleep.

There was still time for redemption, I told myself. I could get up on Sunday morning before the scheduled wedding brunch and get in a minimum of 10. Not so much. My stomach is no longer used to consuming wine, red meat, and frosting all in the same night. I spent most of that night rolled in a little ball holding my tummy. After the brunch, I ran errands with B. and basically decided to consider the weekend a wash in both food and exercise and start fresh on Monday.

It's SO easy to get off track. It's like no matter how much exercise I do (and how much I love doing it most of the time) or how good I make myself eat, my "default" is lazy and fat. After a week of bad eating, it's like starting all over again to remind myself that no, in fact, we don't eat ice cream every day and that french fries are not our friends.

Exercise is easier for me to get back on a roll with. The weather is much cooler this week, so after work yesterday, instead of taking a full rest day, I went for an easy 12 mile bike ride out at Grant's Trail. It felt great! And, this morning, I put in 5 and tried to push myself a little bit faster than usual. There's something about watching the sun rise on a 65 degree morning that makes my whole day. I love rolling into work at 7:30 knowing I've done more already than most people do all day!

To make up for last week's lack of mileage, I'm doing 18 this weekend instead of taking the step-back to 13. That will mean doing 18 and 19 on back-to-back weeks, but I think I'm up for it. As far as food goes, all I can do is start fresh today and make good decisions one meal/snack at a time.

6 weeks to go!

As If You Needed Another Reason to Get Healthy

Just a quick note:

When I got to work and checked the news, I saw this  CNN article. Take a second to read it. If you're a woman, this is just one more reason that being healthy is about more than six-pack abs or fitting into a particular size. We all know that being a healthy weight improves our physical quality of life, but it might just improve your cognitive function, too!

If you haven't already today, get out and get moving for a few minutes. Your brain will thank you!

Know When to Say When

I skipped my first training run this morning, and if you couldn't tell by my need to blog about it, I'm feeling a little guilty.

You see, I've been following my Novice 2 training plan religiously. No wait, that's not even true. I've patently ignored at least one of the rest days on a regular basis. Monday is supposed to be for resting and a little stretching, but I always do strength training and perhaps a little biking. I usually do better w/ Friday rest day (Friday's are for napping after work), except for this past Friday when I did a 17 mile bike ride when I had a long run the next day.

Being more active than prescribed seems like a good thing to me. There was a time in my life when I was a slug. Getting moving on a regular basis was a huge chore that I had to talk myself into every single time. That's changed drastically. Bodies in motion tend to stay in motion, and all that...When I run in the morning, I won't pretend I jump out of bed dying to get out there. But, by the end of the day, even on days I've already run, I tend to get a little antsy and feel like doing something to move the body, even if it's just taking a few laps around my local Target buying beauty products I don't need. Usually it's some ab or arm work. Or going biking when B. does. And then I wonder where the aches and pains have come from.

Extra strength training (especially when legs are involved) or too much hard biking leads to undue soreness. For instance, this past Monday since I was off work, I did a 50 minute strength circuit and then for an hour long bike ride. When Tuesday's short run rolled around, I was sore. When Wednesday's long-ish run came along, I was SUPER sore. My lower calf on my right leg was tender again, my hamstrings were tight, and I had a rubbed spot on my left heel (from cute but horribly uncomfortable shoes I wore to dinner over the holiday weekend).

So, this morning, I made an executive decision. I would skip my 3 mile run this morning and let my legs recover before this Saturday's 12 mile. If I do anything today, it will only be some ab work. Maybe not even that. I might rest entirely for the next 2 days.

While I haven't followed the plan exactly, I've certainly never skipped a run. And, while I feel a little guilty, like somehow missing one workout means I'm a lazy slob, I think taking an extra rest (or a make-up rest day) is the best decision in my situation. I keep reminding myself that missing one short run isn't going to derail my marathon aspirations. It's only one workout. I'll be back out there at sunrise Saturday doing my thing.

Sometimes, you have to know when to say when and live to run another day (injury free).

A Reminder

This morning on my Week 4 (!) long run, I got a little reminder about why I'm really doing this, why I really run. It's not just to make my legs look great in shorts again. It's not just about looking a certain way. My run took me through Forest Park, and at one of the water fountains, I ran into a couple in their 70s out for their training run. They were both wearing tech shirts from marathons in the last two years.

THAT'S why I run. I want to be fit, active, and healthy for a lifetime.
Not for one race, one event, or one swimsuit season. For life!

I really admired them for being out there doing their thing. That's the kind of life I hope for myself and my future family.

This theme came into play yesterday before I'd even seen these inspirational folks. I was off work yesterday and B. finished early, so in the interest of spending time together while being active, B. and I loaded our bikes onto the back of his car and went out to the Katy Trail. I'd never been and wanted to scope it out as a possible location for some of my upcoming truly long runs. The trail is mostly packed gravel, but my hybrid held up pretty well. We usually don't ride together. He's faster than me, so I usually tell him to go do his thing and I take my time doing mine. But, yesterday he asked if I wanted to stick together. It was really nice to ride along side each other and chat. We ended up doing about 17 miles, which was way more than I expected. And, we both made it up the HILL. The trail runs along side a river, and the parking lot is up on top of a cliff (for lack of a better term). There was a twisty-turny paved road that led from the parking lot to the trail. We made bets about whether or not either of us would be able to make it to the top on the way back. We both powered it out and were jelly-legged but proud of ourselves.

I started this morning's run concerned that my legs would be sore or tired from our adventure yesterday evening. Not so much. My lower calves were a little tight, but other than that I felt strong. My goal for this run was to try to hold a semi-steady pace. I have a tendency to start out too fast and slow down the longer the run goes on. Today I was able to stay within 30 seconds of pace. I just can't help picking up speed on downhills...

So, three more glorious no-work days! Have a happy and safe Fourth!

Chicago Marathon Training Week 4
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - 3.02 mile run (10:17 pace)
Wednesday - 6.00 mile run (10:45 pace)
Thursday - 3.00 mile run (9:20 pace)
Friday - 17 mile bike (11.5 mph)
Saturday - 11.02 mile run (10:49 pace)
Sunday - Probably a bike ride and some yoga.

Food as Fuel

It's no secret that on my get-healthy journey my relationship to food has evolved. It started out pretty simple: Cut calories, reduce junk food intake, eat more fresh foods. And, at the time, that was good enough. I was seeing results.

Fast forward to present day. My activity level has increased drastically since last year at this time. The introduction of longer, more intense workouts has changed my dietary needs. A couple of weeks ago, I was surprised to feel dizzy during my strength circuit workout. When I evaluated things afterward, I realized that I'd only consumed about 400 calories up to that point in the day. I'm an evening eater, so I'd developed the habit of saving most of my calories for dinner and a snack/dessert. Clearly, this strategy wasn't going to cut it anymore. It's tough to go out on a successful run or kill a strength training session when your body has no fuel to go on. Duh--right?

So, I've been working on changing my relationship to food yet again...giving my body what it needs to do the work I'm asking of it. This is happening none to soon as I'm starting official marathon training in a week and a half! The major change I've made is spreading my calories out throughout the day better. I still eat my low cal breakfast and lunch, but I've added in a small mid-morning snack (usually a small apple or handful of grapes) and a pre-workout snack (I'm a huge fan of a banana or a spoonful of peanut butter prior to a run). This has forced me to work harder at planning healthier dinners, which benefits both B. and me. A sugar-free real fruit popsicle or a pudding cup tops out my night. And, if all goes well, I'm still within my calorie allowance for the day.

So, instead of thinking of food only in terms of calories and how it affects my weight loss, I'm focusing on food as fuel for my activities, while still being mindful of not over-consuming. This also applies to food/beverages that hinder my fitness goals...The girl who used to love a bottle of wine or two on a weekend night barely drinks one glass every couple of weeks now. I also avoid caffeine on days I run (the better to focus on hydration). And, I'm (trying) to limit dairy other than yogurt b/c it seems to affect my allergies (weird but true)...This one's tough as a frozen custard is my favorite thing in the world...sigh.

Summer has been a great time to start changing my eating habits. The availability of fresh fruits and veggies makes it easy to get more fiber, and because they're mostly low cal, you can really fill up on them. I've also learned to love protein in the form of peanut butter, hummus, beans, etc. By the time fall/winter rolls around and my desire for comfort foods increases, hopefully these new habits will be solid.

It's nice to feel like I'm not starving until dinner time. It's nice to go on a run and not collapse when I get home. I've noticed an improvement in strength both during my strength training sessions (I can do most of No More Trouble Zones with 8 lb weights now!) and during runs (the local hills are getting easier and easier). I'm sure marathon training will require further tweaks to this new food philosophy. I'm trying not to obsess about how this might affect the loss of my last 8 stubborn pounds. I'll let you know how it goes!

Just Checking In...

Sorry I've been MIA for a little bit. What have I been up to?

I'm S-T-R-E-S-S-E-D! Some changes have taken place at the job, and in addition to being super busy, I'm nervous to see how it will all shake out in the end. I also do some freelance work, which has added extra pressure. And, there have been, and will be for the next month or so, lots of personal obligations to keep me on the run. My refrigerator also broke...it still cools (thankfully) but makes the most horrible sound while it's running. The good news was that the building manager showed up to take care of it fairly quickly. The bad news is that due to the recent energy rebates, Lowes can't deliver it until this Thursday. It's so loud around here I can barely think. I can only imagine what the neighbors think.

For me, stress usually translates into eating badly. I'm trying to hold it in check I swear, but I've definitely been eating more than usual and craving the usual suspects of ice cream, candy, and the like. I've come to the conclusion that I need to be drinking more water, but I'm having a really hard time choosing H2O over the caffeinated drinks these days.

I've also been struggling with motivation. My official marathon training program doesn't start until June, which is great considering all the stuff I have going on in the month of May. I'm using this time to get used to running 4 days a week and being able to strength train after two of the shorter runs like I will be doing when training starts. But, it also leaves me feeling at loose ends. I like having a goal in mind. It makes every run or strength session feel like it has a purpose (b/c I guess being healthy isn't enough of a purpose??). I've still been doing the workouts, especially with all the guilt about the bad foods I've been consuming, but I haven't been feeling inspired. Maybe I need to sign up for a 5k or something...

Anyway, excuse the downer post...I prefer to think of it as being real. It's normal to get worn down by the journey sometimes, right? The important part is figuring out how to snap out of it. That's what I'm working on now.

What works for you when you need to snap out of a workout funk?

Any tips for increasing water intake during the day?

One Year

Yesterday was one year since I first started recording my weight weekly in an attempt to lose 50 pounds. I'll be honest, when I realized that 12 months ago I started on what I thought was a 6 month plan and I still haven't completely achieved my goal, I was a little disappointed in myself. Lots of other health and fitness bloggers I've read have done so much more in a year: 60, 80, 100 even. Why haven't I?

I could list a hundred excuses, but really it comes down to focus. When I'm super strict with my diet and exercise 6 days a week, the pounds come off. But, I have a full-time job, and a relationship, and friends, and hobbies...So, some weeks, I just couldn't give 100% to this goal while giving my best in those other very important areas. I also couldn't deprive myself all the time. I heart ice cream. I eat far less of it than I did a year ago, but I still don't want to live life without any ever. The same could be said of a burger or a glass or two of wine. I could complain about not having reached my goal yet, but it was the product of my choice to lose weight "my way." The weight loss has been slow, but I've found a healthy life that I can live with long term and doesn't make me miserable.

But, that's not to say the numbers aren't going in a positive direction. Number on the scale yesterday? 159! Super excited about that. A mere 9 pounds to goal and then maintenance phase begins. And, I'm good at maintenance...There were lots of weeks when workouts or food were so-so, but my weight stayed about the same, give or take a couple of ounces. It's good to know that when I get to my goal, simply being mindful of what I put in my mouth, how much and how often will be enough to make sure I never ever have to do this again!

**PS: I've been working on a post about the fabulousness of the foam roller, but I haven't gotten around to taking any demonstration pictures. In the meantime, just let me say, my legs feel like new!**

Week in Review

So week 1 of living re-committed is in the books, and let me tell you, it went well! How'd I do on my food goals? Well...

• There were actually zero caramel machiattos this week! I had regular coffee twice. Couldn't believe it.
• I stayed within my calorie limits 5 out of 7 days. One day it was just under 100 over, and last night was a bit more. It was B's brother's engagement celebration, so I allowed myself a couple glasses of white wine and a ice cream cupcake from Maggie Moo's (super yum!).
• I did great on dinner out on Thursday. We went to Houlihan's, and I got a side salad and one of their small plates, so I got a taste of the good stuff with better portion size.
• Until last night when I had ice cream, I had none of the "bad" stuff on my list that I was planning to cut out. In this week's weigh in, I was at 160.2, which was okay...I'd gained a couple of pounds in the week or so leading up to my decision to get it together.

I also did a good job on the exercise front. I kept the workout schedule I posted last week. The only slight changes was on Wednesday. I did a different strength circuit dvd and focused on just upper body and core. Why? Tuesday on my 5 mile run, I felt a twinge in my left calf again. After I got home and stretched out, it felt even tighter. So, I laid off the leg Wednesday. Thursday, I went out on a slow 5 mile run. I went out with the understanding that I would go for only as long as my leg felt okay. It got tight a couple of times, and when it did, I walked for a minute or two until it felt loose again.

That brings us to this morning. My left felt pretty good when I woke up, so I decided to go ahead and try a long run. Again, if things got bad, I was supposed to walk home. I started out slow, and when I'd have to stop at a traffic light, I'd stretch the calf while I waited. Everything felt pretty good. I did the same route as my 11-mile run. Luckily, one high-traffic water fountain had been turned on, so on my way home, I was able to fill my water bottles again. Hills were the hardest. I did a little googling about calf strain (and obsessed about whether it was actually an Achilles strain), and apparently hills aggravated the problem. So, I took it verrrrry slow up hills. It was amazing how much better the run was with ample water. To get the last mile in, I added a loop around our neighborhood and finished with 12 miles in 2 hours and 12 minutes!

I stretched out very well, but my calf is screaming still, and I'm sore in knees and hips. I tested out my new foam roller, and it did provide a very intense massage. I'm still not certain I was doing it right, but the instructions that came with it didn't really say how to do a calf stretch. Any tips or tricks?

That wasn't the worst part though...I'd been home for about 20 minutes when my stomach turned on me (if you know what I mean). B. kindly brought home a Quiznos veggie sub for lunch since I was curled in the fetal position moaning and wailing about my stomach cramps but desperately needed to eat. I finished off the afternoon with a nap, but my stomach is still not right. Has anyone else experienced this after a long run when a bug didn't seem to be the culprit? Any fixes?

Next week's workout schedule will look similar to this week's except that I'm switching out one or more short run with some other cardio (probably kickboxing or cycling) to give my leg a rest. It's going to be hard to resist going out if it's beautiful day, but I don't want to injure myself and end up jeopardizing my ability to participate in the half-marathon. And, hopefully, another week of commitment will put me in the 150s!

Re-Commitment

Confession: In the constant battle between healthy, active living and lethargy, lethargy has been kicking my ass lately.

I've been eating what I want to eat (i.e., fatty bad things) instead of what I need to eat (i.e., low calorie good things). I skipped my workouts on Thursday and Saturday because of the poor excuse "well, I have an appointment and neither before or after that 'works' for me." I could have made one of these up on Friday, my usual rest day, but I didn't. The workouts I did have this past week were mediocre at best.

So, it's time re-commit to the process. Again. As many times as it takes until I get where I need to be. For the rest of my life. Here are my vows in this re-commitment ceremony to my body:

Body,
I promise to help you get rid of those last, stubborn but unneeded 10 lbs so you can be a healthy weight to drag me through all the activities I try to put you through. To make this happen, I will stop with the junk and give you the fuel you need. Specifically,

1. I'm cutting back to no more than 1 caramel machiatto a week. If I drink that machiatto on Monday, that's it. Regular coffee the rest of the week.
2. Back to measuring, counting, and recording the food I eat more carefully. Just because I ate that handful of cereal so quickly you couldn't see it doesn't mean it didn't have calories.
3. I'm going to stay within my calorie limits needed to lose a pound a week. If I'm going to dinner out, I'm going to adjust the day's calories accordingly. Splurging isn't splurging if you do it all the time; it's a way of life--the one that got you where you were before.
4. More veggies and fruit. Less (preferably no) chips, ice cream, candy bars, diet soda.

I'm also going to recommit to burning calories through meaningful workouts and the following:

1. I'm going to do 5 to 6 workouts a week, 3 cardio, 2-3 strength.
2. If I have an appointment in the afternoon, I will get my lazy self out of bed before work and do it in the morning.
3. I'm going to resist the urge to take a nap after work and then go work out. It messes up my sleep and starts a terrible cycle of staying up too late and waking up crabby and tired.
4. I'm going to recommit to strength training. It makes running so much easier when your legs and core and even upper body are strong.
5. I'm going to go to a minimum of 1 yoga class per week to help my body deal with the stress of running. I may also count this as a strength session.
6. Finally, to keep myself accountable this week, and possible going forward, I'm going to post my workout schedule on this blog and update as I complete each one.

And, while I'm doing all this for you, you use what I'm giving you to lose those 10 pounds already and keep getting toned and fit. Deal? Deal.

Workout Schedule 03/14 - 3/20

Sunday - Vinyasa Yoga (90 minutes): Check!

Monday - Strength circuits (50 minutes): Check!

Tuesday - Run (4-5 miles)

Wednesday - Strength circuits (50 minutes)

Thursday - Run (5-6 miles)

Friday - Rest

Saturday - Long Run (8-12 miles)

Back to business! Hopefully this keeps me accountable...

Yoga Meltdown with Jillian Michaels

I've been meaning to post this for about a week, but work has been insane. I was playing around on Amazon about a month ago when I saw a new Jillian Michaels workout dvd for pre-release order: Yoga Meltdown. I love yoga and figured Jillian would provide a kick ass Ashtanga style workout, so I immediately placed my order.

Let me preface my review by saying I've practiced yoga for about 10 years now. I've done lots of different styles, but Ashtanga/Vinyasa style is my favorite. I'm kind of a "purist"...I hate those yoga/pilates (piloga? yogalates?) classes. I believe a class can be tough and still keep the meditative spirit of yoga.

Anyway...I finally got a chance to try out the dvd this week. It was a strength training day, but I was very sore and thought yoga would be just the thing.

The dvd is divided into two 30-minute practices. One is considered "beginner" and the other "advanced." Jillian is joined by two helpers, one who does the most advanced version of poses and the other who does the beginner/intermediate versions. I was a little put off by a yoga workout that's only 30 minutes long...yoga doesn't burn that many calories; my 90-minute Sunday class only burns about 450 calories. So, 30 minutes just didn't seem like enough going in.

I started with the first workout on the dvd as recommended. The workout started with some warm up movement, slow modified sun salutation variations. I didn't feel like my legs got warm enough from it. When it was time to do a complete vinyasa, I didn't like that she skipped the spinal extension at the beginning of the forward bend. Then the workout started...

The practice did follow a sort of "flow." In each circuit (she just can't get away from those circuits...if there was ever a time to do it, it was for a yoga dvd), we moved into a pose (for example, a lunge) and then "repped it out," meaning we moved deep into the pose, out of it and then back in. After a few reps, we held the pose for 15 seconds. I have to say I didn't think the reps did much good. I didn't feel as much burn as I do when holding a pose for a longer time or the heart rate increase from moving quickly through a variety of poses.

Some of the sequences seemed a little difficult or even dangerous for a beginner. Specifically, there's a sequence where we move in and out of half-camel and then hold full camel for 15 seconds. Camel is notoriously hard on the lower back for the inexperienced, and pulling in and out of the pose seems like a good way to get hurt if you don't know what you're doing. There were also some chaturanga push ups, which I enjoyed, but I'm not sure a beginner would be able to pull those off.

What made the dvd even harder to follow was the fact that camera tended to follow Jillian, who spent most of the session walking around, demonstrating form with the models. It made it difficult to see which version of a pose the other model was doing sometimes.

When the 30 minutes was up, I wasn't the least bit tired. I don't think I even broke a sweat. So, I took a look at the advanced practice. It followed a similar set up but included more core and balance work. I was hoping that I could string both workouts together for a decent workout, but enough of the moves are similar that it doesn't seem worthwhile. Plus, by the time you cut out the cool down in the first session and the warm up of the second session, you still aren't getting a very long workout.

So, as you can see I was disappointed. I was disappointed b/c I have yet to find a yoga dvd that comes anywhere near replicating a class. The closest I've found are the David Farmar podcasts, but those are also difficult b/c you don't get any visual help. I was also disappointed in Jillian...I love my other dvds from her so much. The Shred was what started me out on my weight loss journey, and the Blast Fat Boost Metabolism and No More Trouble Zones have made some great changes in the last few months I've been using them. But, Yoga Meltdown was just lackluster. I appreciate that she was trying to break out of her comfort zone, but Jillian should really stick with what she does best circuit training/cardio and leave yoga to the trained practitioners.

The Upside of Illness

So, not only did I not gain 10 pounds on my trip, when I weighed in this morning, I saw a zero after the 1and 6. something I'd never seen before. 160. One more pound until I'm finally, at long last, into my goal range of 150s. Awesome! I guess there was a silver lining in being sick for the past 4 or 5 days. It certainly wasn't from exercise, as I have been lying around waiting for a mucous-y death. Maybe the body burns more calories fighting viruses? Probably not, but I'll take it!
I'm continuing the hard exercise hiatus through the weekend until the congestion clears up more. Maybe a walk tomorrow. In the meantime I'll be slaving away for work. Wish me luck!

Mental Preparation

I'm going on my first work trip next week. Starting on Sunday (yes, we're leaving on Valentine's Day), I'll be gone for a week. Where are we going? Somewhere warm? Nope, to snow-walloped Philadelphia. I'll be honest, I'm a little nervous.

First of all, I work from home, so my daily interaction with my coworkers or other employees is limited to e-mail/instant messenger and the occasional phone call. Now, I'll be with them for about 14 hours a day for a week. Apparently, we'll be having all our meals together, too. Yikes! That's a lot of togetherness!

It's also a lot of eating out. Our lunches will most likely be at the on site cafeteria. They almost always have a salad bar and some healthy sandwich options, so I'm not too concerned about that. Breakfast will be tough. I eat Greek yogurt every morning...next week, I have a feeling I'll be contending with something on the order of Panera. Dinner will most likely be a sit-down restaurant meal. I have no clue what restaurants are in the vicinity of our hotel, so there's not much scouting of menus I can do beforehand. My challenge will be to stick to the healthy eating rules I know: Grilled not fried, sauces on the side if at all, veggies not fries, etc. I just have to avoid eating badly out of stress.

I'm also concerned about having time to work out. When we meet for breakfast at 7:00, we have to be dressed and ready for the day. After the work day, we'll be having a dinner/planning meeting. When am I going to be able to visit the hotel fitness center (which is tiny, I might add)? At 5:00 a.m.? At midnight? I have to get at least a few workouts in. April 11 is rapidly approaching. To make away-from-home fitness as easy as possible, I'm taking my copy of Burn Fat Boost Metabolism. It doesn't require any weights, so I can do it in my hotel room from my laptop. I've also got several yoga podcasts on my iTunes. The tiny fitness center appears to have at least one mediocre treadmill. No matter how crazy my schedule is I'd like to get in at least 45 minutes of exercise a day. We'll be arriving at the hotel by around 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, so hopefully I can get in a really hard workout before the hard work even starts.

I'm betting the key to making this week successful (both professionally and health-wise) is having a plan and being mentally prepared. It's going to be a tough week, but if I can make fitness and eating right a priority in the middle of madness, I can do it any old day, right??