I Hate It!!

Have I mentioned on this blog that I absolutely HATE running on the treadmill?  

I woke up this morning and I knew what I had to do.  I knew that I needed to get to the gym to run.  The only way I would forego the gym?   If the weather was bad.  I looked at my weather app on my phone.  I don't know if I should call what I felt upon seeing the report  disappointment or excitement.  Yeah, the weather was clear enough for me to travel to the gym.   Off I went.

Have I mentioned that I absolutely HATE running on the treadmill?

The sidewalks and roads were a bit slick with a fine sheen of ice.  I didn't have any issue driving, but it was treacherous to get to and from my car!  And while I may or may not HATE running on the treadmill, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that running on the treadmill was definitely the best choice for the morning.   

You see, I have plans.  I have a 10K that I am registered to run.  It is the Cooper River Bridge Run......I did this one last year and ended up walking it.  I vowed to return and run it.  So I am a girl on a mission!   So in foul weather treadmills are kinda necessary.  I have reconciled myself to doing it....and have even tried to turn it into a way to better myself!  

I made it though and I pushed out two miles.  Nothing extraordinary.  I SHOULD have gone longer.  I was aiming for anywhere between 2 and 3 miles, so I am OK with hitting the two mile mark.  I did it in my overall average pace.  HOWEVER, I am happy to say that I did it while doing intervals.  I would walk a song...and then run a song.   So how did I manage to do this run in the same (a few seconds better a mile) pace as my typical run/jog  pace?   I cranked up the speed on my run segments.  Not so much that I thought I was going to die....but enough that I felt it.   I also walked at just a hair below a run...so a fast walk.  So a shorter run, but one in which I pushed in order to better myself. 

As I drove home I went down some of the roads that I typically run when I'm outside.  Ahhhh I want to run outside!   (Because Yeah, in case you didn't catch on....I hate running on the treadmill)   I am sooo looking forward to a pleasant outdoor run!   I was scooping out the sidewalks and alleys and I could see the slick ice and chunks of icy snow dotting the paths that I like to run.  Ahhhh sooon.....so soon!  (and then I will lament that my membership at the gym is costing me money and I'm not using it....as I run by the gym on my glorious outdoor runs!)

That said....I KNOW that I need to start using the gym for more than a place to go and run a few miles on the treadmill.  I KNOW that I should be utilizing the classes......and the other equipment..... I should be doing some toning too!    Yeah, I'll get right on that!

So today was my weigh/reporting day for my Pity The Fool challenge.  I didn't start out as strongly as I was planning and hoping.  I didn't gain...so that is a victory.   I DID actually lose.......2/10ths of a pound.  Yes, I dropped to 231.6 pounds.    Not looking at it as a failure......just a slow start!

My plans for the week ahead of me?   I plan on running tomorrow....yeah, probably the treadmill again. (Have I mentioned that I hate the treadmill?)  This weekend the weather is supposed to be FANTASTIC and Jason has already talked about getting outside and doing something!  YAY.  So that will be activity.     I will get to wear my new water resistant/quick drying pants. (May even get some benefits from the sunshade properties to protect my skin from the suns damaging but oh so good feeling rays!)  That will be a bonus because some of these other hikes have been 'WET'  as my pants soak up the water and NEVER dry during the hike.

Why

Oh yeah, my Chinese lunch was DELICIOUS yesterday.  The conversation with my friend was even better!  It was a perfect lunch!   

My weight on the scales though?   Not so perfect.  I was up by about a pound and a half.   At least I know why.  Chinese food is a bit high in sodium so I'm sure it is a water retention issue.  Yes, I'm pounding the water today!

So my self mini "I Pity the Fool"  Challenge is being joined by some friends and some readers.  There is nothing to the challenge...other than just focus on the short term goal of April Fools Day.  Focus on that short term time frame and create a nice doable goal (no more than 14 pounds because anything more than 2 pounds a week isn't exactly recommended!)!   Well, for those actually 'playing along' they will be hearing me babble about progress and what is happening....and of course the weekly reminders when I have my weigh in!   

One of my friends asked what my plan of attack was going to be for this challenge.  I am going back to the basics.  Calories in versus Calories out.   Plain and simple.  I have a set amount of calories....I eat those calories and when they are gone...I am done eating, even if I run out of calories at 11 in the morning.     And by golly, if I run out of calories at 11AM, I sure as heck better exercise to earn something  small for dinner.    

Strict tracking and calorie counting!!!

Chocolate can be part of the plan......but I have to work it into my plan!!!!

Exercising will be part of the basic and simple plan.  The earned calories will give me a bit of peace as I don't plan on being a Nazi about remaining at exactly the caloric goal.  But I will be a little more loose on days I exercise.....by maybe a 100 calories or so.  I don't want to actually eat my earned exercise calories...I just want to have them in the can so that I don't have to worry so much about measuring out every nibble of food I eat. 

The other thing that came up was that I somehow started to think about the reasons that I want this.  What will losing the weight mean for me.......

1.  Awesome clothes from ANY store

2.  Energy....amazing energy

3.  Sense of pride and accomplishment

4.  Smoking hot body

5.  Health....I want to live

6.  I want to be active and not have my weight hold me back

What other reasons are out there?   Tons more I know!!!!

I pity the fool challenge

Well.....here we are at the end of the Love Bites Challenge.   That was a seven week challenge that began at Christmas.   I can happily say that I have lost during the Love Bites Challenge.    I weighed in at 231.8   A whole whopping 2.2 pounds lost.    Hey, it's better than none!   So I was about 11.8 pounds shy of reaching my goal.    I refuse to look at this last challenge as a failure!  A failure would have been if I had GAINED weight.  (and let me tell you....I don't know how I didn't at some points!)

So up next?   The "I ain't no fool"  challenge.   Yes, I struggle using the word ain't.  It's never been a vocabulary word that I found acceptable.  "Ain't ain't a word and I ain't gonna use it!"   The other week I lightly called this next challenge the Foolish Fat Against Fat challenge.     That was just a mouthful and I didn't like it.   Maybe I should make it the "I Pity The Fool"    (if your old enough to remember the TV show A-Team, you will totally get the reference!).    Hmmm...that could be more fun....

Sooooo  "I Pity the Fool"  challenge.   Starts this week....runs the seven weeks until the weigh in before April Fools!  (yeah, makes sense now why I have the fools thing in there doesn't it!).   7 weeks.....14 pounds!   That will put me at 217.8 pounds.  Totally doable!    (hmmm...and that said...if I can make it to 217.8 by April Fools.....the next 'holiday' would be memorial day...and I think that is about 9 weeks after Aprils fools.....9 x 2 is 18 pounds......could I really be at 200 pounds by memorial day????   Holy cow, YES!   My word...and then i would simply be 20 pounds from my lowest ever adult weight!!!!).

No fiddling around.  This is it!  My blinders are on....this just got real!   I am eating lunch out with a friend today....and we are eating Chinese.  (Remember the other day I turned down Chinese food...I knew that Terri and I were going out to eat somewhere today.....so when I crossed off my order, I almost immediately texted her to suggest Chinese......and I'm STILL calling it a victory!)  But I will pound the water to counter act the effects of the delicious Chinese food and I will move on with wise choices this evening....can we say lots of fruits and veggies for me tonight!!!!