You say potato, I say pa-tah-toe

On Friday a customer (as a side note...one of my favorite customers...one who I was afraid I'd never see again as in January at age 87 she broke her hip, which can be the kiss of death. She is doing GREAT though...up and around and just using a cane right now) brought us a bag of Dark Chocolate.   Dark chocolate is my fav!!!!!.  I love dark chocolate! The assorted bag of dark chocolate sat on the counter for a few hours and then I broke into it.  I broke into it with care and consideration.  Two pieces of dark caramel was roughly 180 calories.  I chose to eat one.  I also chose to eat that one 3/4 inch square piece in multiple bites.  It took me 2 hours to eat that piece of candy. I savored it!  And I felt so proud of myself to actually be in control of my addiction!!!  Truly empowering!

Half eaten piece of candy

Friday night I did well with my eating.  I made turkey burgers and baked zucchini Parmesan. SOOO yummy!

baked zucchini Parmesan in the making

Saturday was a rather uneventful day.   I worked in the morning and I spent the afternoon and evening working around the house doing errands and chores....you know the kind that pile up....laundry, floor scrubbing, dishes....etc.

Sunday is the day that I really was non-stop on the go.....or rather just away from home the home time.

It started at Panera Bread for an early morning bagel followed by a morning hike!

Old Lime Kilns on the C&O Canal

After the hike I headed home.  After a relaxing soak in the hot tub I got myself ready and I headed to town to hook up with my parents and my brother's family.  We piled in cars and headed northeast.  We managed to hit a few antique shops (yeah, I bought a few bottles for my collection) as we made our way to a restaurant about an hour away from my parents house.  The reason?  It was a surprise 25th wedding anniversary party for my Aunt and Uncle.  Yippee.   A few hours later and we were heading out the door of the party and heading to the somewhat local Utz Factory Outlet.  (Utz....potato chips)

I picked up some chips....some pretzels....an Utz Potato Chip hat to use whilst running (it keeps my hair under control and the sweat from dripping into my eyes).  I of course took some pictures while there. It's now 8:30PM...I'm home and ready to wind down for the day.....time to start the week over again!

Nephew number two (7 years old)

Niece

My niece trying to coerce my nephew number one (the oldest) into posing.....that is actually the top of his head......

MaryFran Utz!

Pain free run????? Holy cow!

Before I get into the nitty gritty of today's post I need to report my weight.  I was nervous about this weight.  Last Friday I weighed in and then I had a gluttonous weekend and on Monday when life returned to normal I took a sneak peak at the scales and I was up 3 pounds.  EEEEK!   SO today's weigh in made me nervous. Low and behold...2 pounds down from last Fridays weight (5 pounds down from Monday's weight!)  WOOO HOOO!    I will take that and run with it!!!!!  

And now on to the scheduled programming for today.  (

I suffer from a few ailments:

            * I was diagnosed with arthritis when I was about 29 years. I played around with a lot of different remedies and fixes.  I don’t like medicine so I looked at copper bracelets, braces, garlic and other natural arthritis busting foods.  

            * Last year I was felled by a case of plantars fasciitis and tarsal tunnel.  I have tried various remedies and fixes for these ailments also.  I have done the rest, lotions and potions.  I know that the biggest relief I have gotten is when I tape my foot up tight, so I do that, but then lament at the continual cost of the tape.

These conditions are ongoing, something I've had to learn to deal with through various products and practices.  So when I heard about TommieCopper, I was really interested.   Tommie Cooper is a company that makes compression garments and sleeves (elbow and knee sleeves ….or what I would sometimes call a brace).  What makes Tommie Cooper unique?   “Activated copper is at the core of every Tommie Copper garment……it is permanently and densely infused into all performance yarns”   That interested me from the get go as I had long ago looked at wearing a copper bracelet for it’s benefit on my aching joints.   Secondly?  I’ve heard really good things about compression garments…..so to combine copper and compression into some exercise gear sounded like a REALLY good idea.  I nosed around on their website.  I liked what I saw, except for the price.  But I vowed to get some socks whenever I had a bit of extra money.  I pushed the thought aside.  And then I was contacted by the company to do a review on some of their products.  I was over the moon happy!

My box arrived this past Tuesday.  I opened it up and looked at my new goodies.  I had received a pair of ankle socks, a pair or black calf socks and a pair of Capri pants.  I refrained from digging right in and instead vowed to wait until my next scheduled run…which was for Thursday morning. 

Thursday morning rolled around and I was up and ready to try on my new items.  The Capri pants were the first thing to go on.  They felt comfortable and fit me like a glove.  I looked in the mirror and was like “ok” not bad.  I moved around in a few weird gyrations to make sure that they would be fine for a morning run and noticed no problems.  I was ready to roll.

My socks and shoes were the last thing to go on.  I chose the ankle socks for my run.  I slipped the sock onto my foot and I immediately let out a long sigh.  Ohhh heavens, they felt GOOD.  The tight band that wrapped around my foot and supported my arch was AWESOME. (Can you hear the angels singing that word….because I can?)  You see, when my plantar is really bothering me, the quickest relief is when I tape it up nice and tight.  This pair of socks did that without the tape.  Ahhhh….. did I say heaven?   

Yes, the blur behind my foot is my cat Desi, he is such a camera hog, he sees a camera and he comes running!  

I was quickly out the door and ready to roll.  I drove to Hagerstown to meet up with Paula, my friend for our fun.  She snapped the pictures of me showing off the pants.

 

 We started at the Fairgrounds and meandered down to Pangborn Park and back.  (Shhh don’t tell my family, but I actually ran right by their houses…and we didn’t stop…I did wave at my parent's cat who watched my run by from his perch inside the storm door.) 

  3.44 miles completed….in our normal crazy fashion

(yes, we actually stopped to smell the roses…or rather daffodils)

 As Paula and I stood talking by our cars after our run was complete. All of a sudden I started to jump up and down and move around.  She looked at me like I was nuts….which I probably am…..but I was quick to realize that my plantars fasciitis was not bothering me at all!   YAY!  That is awesome!  And I wasn’t taped, I went running with just socks and shoes.

After my shower, I got dressed for work   I decided to wear the calf socks to work…..

Of course, maybe wearing them with these shoes may be counter productive.  Ha ha ha

And the verdict on Tommie Cooper……

   The pants…nothing rubbed wrong, it actually felt as if I wasn't wearing any pants (which would be a whole different issue were that the case).   My knee felt great under the compression…maybe it was the copper, who knows.  I liked running in the pants.  I will definitely be using them as frequently as possible in the normal rotation of my workout pants.  Very comfortable!  When I am next looking for exercise pants (when my size goes down) from what I experienced today, I will be quite favorable to buying another pair of Tommie Copper pants. (Plus, Paula told me that they made me look slimmer…..and that my derriere looked fantastic in them…..heck, that just made these pants even better in my book!)

The socks are what I am in love with.  IN. LOVE. WITH. THE. SOCKS.    I have long suffered from foot problems and my feet actually felt great after running.   My feet felt wonderful in the black socks while I was at work wearing my pink boots.  I was actually sad about taking off my socks to get into the hot tub that evening, and seriously contemplated putting back on a pair of dirty socks so that I could experience them longer!.  I have quickly been converted to become a huge fan of these socks!!!!!    The only thing that will keep me from running out and buying a drawer full of Tommie Copper socks is the price.  In fact, I’m petrified that these pairs of socks will be one of the ones that mysteriously lose their match in the wash.   Ehhh....Cost aside, owning a couple pairs pairs of these bad boys are well worth it!!!!!!!! 

Why not Me

Just recently I was trolling through facebook posts and saw a post by a friend from high school. In that post he talks about an interview on 60 minutes years ago. I did a cursory search for the interview on the internet, but didn't look too deeply, thus I can't verify it at this time...but the meaning of the story still resonates in my mind. He states that he was watching an interview with a baseball player Dan Quisenberry.  In it they asked him if he ever considered the question "Why me?"  IN regards to his diagnosis and treatment of a brain tumor.  His answer was "Why not me?  Why would I wish this on anyone else. I've had a good life, so why not me"

That is pretty bold.  In the face of death he accepted and didn't bemoan the fact that he had an illness that could very well mean death.  How many people can say that they accept life's curve balls with such dignity.  NO, we have something bad happen and we fall apart and moan about the fact that our lives suck.  We cry about all the negativity in our life, wondering "why us".  

Well, I don't know why I've had some of the stuff happen in my life.  I don't know.  But I'm going to try to start living my life and saying "why not me".    Accepting those curve balls with dignity and grace is how we can display our true nature.  

Yesterday I had a bit of a curve ball.  I got home from work.  Our lunch plans were cancelled which threw me into a tailspin.  I went to the car, threw my purse in the trunk and went to get into the car.  Uhhh....my keys were attached to my purse...in the trunk.  My husband lost his car key so all I had was the valet key...which won't open the trunk (I have the trunk release cable disabled in my car for a variety of reasons).  Uhhhh this was NOT good.  Threw me for a loop.    I ended up calling for help...but locksmiths can't help when it comes to trunks...the only solution they had was to tow us to a dealership.  ha ha ha.  Welll, since I had a valet key, I drove myself to the dealership and ended up buying  'dummy' key for my trunk.  Crisis averted.

That however, messed up the plans for my hike.  Instead we ended up cleaning up the yard ...fallen limbs and such so that we are ready and clear to mow. Yep, mowing season is upon us!   So no formal exercise.  But I was active.

This morning I met up with Paula and we went jogging.  It was slow and I struggled.  I sooooo need to et back to running consistently 3-4 times a week!!!!!

I work at noon today and hope to have dinner with my parents tonight.  Exciting stuff in my life!  :-)

Who???

Another day down.  I didn't do too badly yesterday.  Ate what I planned and exercised.

The last two nights after Zumba I've had conversations...and both nights something has come up.   Both nights I've made a comment.  "I am the one responsible for my health and my weight". My Zumba instructor is not responsible.  My husband is not responsible.  My doctor is not responsible.   There is only one person responsible and that is me!

Now in the course of the conversation we were talking about the 'what if's'.  What if our favorite Zumba instructor leaves, what if the class that I can attend with my schedule is cancelled, what it....   And I was saying 'I am responsible for my health.  I would be responsible for finding an akternate class or activity!   But now that the light of day has hit, I also realize that holy cow, that means that I'm responsible for everything!!!!!!

EVERYTHING!!!!  So what that means is when my husband wants to go our to eat three times a day (ok, maybe that's an exaggeration!)...I am still the one responsible for the food I put into my mouth at the restaurant!   When he backs out on a hike or a bike ride, I am still responsible for still getting done physical activity in!!  Rain, snow, hail, high winds???   I'm still responsible for getting the workout done.  Seriously, go to the gym!   Ride the exercise bike that's in the living room!!!  I am responsible for my behaviors!

So onward and upward.....and a slide down on the scales!!!

Moving forward

Yesterday (monday) I ate pretty decently.  Definitely got my 5 fruits and veggies into my body.  Today, aiming to have another good day with lots of fruits and veggies....AND within my caloric budget!   I made it to zumba  last night...which kicked my butt! And I plan on making it back there tonight!  So I'm on the right path.

I did take a sneak peak at my weight yesterday mornng.  Ok, I checked it three times.  Three times and I got three different readings.  Darn scales!  The first reading was 235.  I was actually ok with that.  That was about 3 pounds up from my Friday weigh in.  I was actually more than ok with that.  You see, I hadn't drank water (mostly diet soda with a bit of Crystal Light thrown in for good measure) the whole weekend. (ohh, did  forget to mention that yesterday?   OOPS)  I know that water retention for me is usually 2-3 pounds.  So I was REALLY ok with that weigh in.   I ate breakfast and then went to take my shower.  I honestly was having difficulty believing the 235 weigh in...because if that was water retention that meant that I hadn't gained a pound.  I stepped on the scale before my shower and I weighed in at 232.8.  Well heck, that was only a half of pound higher than my Friday weight.  I pondered that while showering and stepped back on the scale after my shower and low and behold.....230.4  NICE. ha ha ha.  Yeah, I'm not going with the 230 number.  I'm sticking with the higher 3 pound gain number.  This morning I've only weighed in once....and it was after I ate breakfast and it's closer to that 235 number.  Sooooo there was the damage.  Now it's time to get my butt back into gear!

The muscles in my shoulder (the trapeziums and the erectors) have seized up again.  This is not the first time, nor will it be the last I fear.    It's just annoying. It takes my breath away when I move sometimes.....and is just a constant pain...an let me tell you.  Those muscles are tied to pretty much EVERYTHING.  OUCH.  Oh well....   I got in the hot tub this morning and that eased it up some....course the pain has come ricocheting back as my body has cooled down.  Hmmm, maybe I need a massage!  :-)

Either way, I'm trucking on.  Zumba tonight.  Hiking with Todd tomorrow (and possibly Zumba tomorrow night).  Running on Thursday.  I've got places to go and I aim to get there!

Breakthrough bonanza

Homemade brownies.  Worth. Every. Bite.

Yes, homemade brownies for a movie time snack each night this weekend.  I'm not going to lie.  Chinese food.  Pasta.  Panera Bread bagel.  Diner Breakfast.   Hot Taco Dip.  Homemade turkey and cheese subs.  Cherry Slices (yeah, those gummy pieces of candy with the sugar coating the outside...YUMMY).  I made my choice and I ate.

The crazy thing is?  I have long bemoaned the concept of missing the old way of eating.  Missing the innocence  Well this weekend I ate more food than normal...yet still no where near what I used to eat.   My body is feeling sluggish and bloated from the food.  I am actually anxious to get back to a normal routine where I'm eating nutritious foods.

I think I needed a weekend of eating in something reminiscent of the 'old ways'.  I needed it to remind me what it used to be.  I needed it to show me that what I was missing is NOT what I want!   What?   A breakthrough????

So what is my plan?   I spent the afternoon (yes, on my actual anniversary) prepping my salad fixin's.  I cut up fruit and have a big bowl of fruit salad.  I'm READY!

So the big debate in my head is this.  Weigh myself tomorrow and face the music....or wait until my normal weigh in day on Friday.  Hmmmmmm

CHOICES

I've said it over and over, this journey is about choices.  I have choices to make each day.  What I eat is a choice.  What exercise will I do.   Some days the choices are easy.  Some days I waffle on my choices.  Some days the choice is the most difficult thing!     Today the choice was easy.....I chose to celebrate 12 years of marriage with my husband.  We are celebrating with a mini vacation. The choice may not be the correct one, but it's what I chose.   I know that I will use more calories than I 'should' this weekend. I'm resigned to it an I'm ok with it. (of course, because it is MY choice!)

What's my plan?   Enjoy the celebration with my husband......There have been some times where I seriously doubted that we would make it to this anniversary, so I plan on enjoying it. What are we doing?  We had planned a full weekend of travel and fun.  However, we decided to stay at home and spend that money on some patio furniture and some other small projects that involve a bit of spending.   It was a choice that we made and we were confident with that choice. (ahhh see choices!)  We have 'one meal' of yummy goodness planned for each day...and the rest of the meals smaller or rather healthier.  Today was hot taco dip (which we had for lunch)  ONe day is to go to Dolces, one is for Chinese (which I have been craving!).  I have turkey for sandwiches for our other meals.  So not 'too bad'.    (Day one and I'm only 250 calories over....so not any great 'binge'!)

I already got groceries for the next week.  Many of my meals for the next week will be comprised of Salads.  I also have a variety of fruit...so I may just throw together a small fruit salad for myself.  So on track eating after a meal or two of eating debauchery!

I've got this!   I have been totally determined to learn to 'live' and still be healthy!  Living means celebrating life's events without guilt but also learning to not throw myself totally off track!

And with my recent 'wearing heels' to work thing...and trying to dress nicer (most days), I thought that this was perfect!

Run run as fast as you can, you can't catch me.........

I woke up this morning and I sooooo did not want to run.  I had made plans to run with my friend Paula. I laid in bed dreading it.  I secretly hoped that she would text me and cancel. I checked my phone….nothing!   I got up to go to the bathroom and I felt a twinge in my ankle.  I seriously thought about cancelling. I was hurt you know!  I checked my phone again when I laid back down.  No cancellation text.  Yeah, I can run on the foot, I can just wear an ankle brace or tape it up with KT tape, so I didn’t text to cancel.  Rain!   It was supposed to rain!  Maybe it was raining and I could be like “nope, can’t run it’s raining and it’s a cold rain” Yes, that was my excuse.  That worked until I pulled back the blinds and saw…..sunshine.  Well, then.  I guess I was running.  I wore and ankle brace for that twinge and I was off.

Ok, so my friend Paula runs at a fast pace than me.  YIKES!   When we go out running together, she is always running a few paces ahead of me.  I feel like she’s the carrot dangling before me and I’m chasing after it.  Or alternately, I’m the lead ball that she’s pulling along with her when she runs….slowing her down. 

The good news is that she runs intervals so if I can keep up (within a few feet)  she will stop to walk a bit.  That’s good, those walking segments allow me to catch my breath and continue on when it is next time to run.  It’s also good because I know that interval running helps with speed.  And heaven knows I need speed. 

I’m tired of the same story…so I’m not going to tell it.  I’m not going to talk about my eating that isn’t ‘bad’ but isn’t spot on.  Nope…just not gonna talk about it.  I meant to weigh myself this morning. (Gasp) but I forgot.  No, truly I forgot. I remembered when I was fully dressed, shoes on and walking out the door.  I plan on weighing tomorrow…pinky swear!

I’m still in my heel wearing kick.  And yes, it’s making me want to bike and run to really get the legs that the heels can show off!  J  Hopefully this upcoming weekend Todd and I can get out and ride on the canal….we are both off Friday, Saturday and Sunday to celebrate our 12 year wedding anniversary.

So I leave you with some pictures......dorky ...but fun from post run this morning!  I just realized that it looks like I have no arm in that baggy sleeve ....it was a Chicago hat day and why yes, I wore my glasses to run and why yes, I ran through a constant fog the whole time!   And of course Paula. She was talking about getting a new headband...something she can wear in the summer....pink of course.  I think the pink headband may be her thing.  :-)

Last but not least I give you our stats. I chose her stats....they were nicer than my stats, even though we did run side by side he whole dang time (or rather kinda side by side...me two paces behind)

Weekend warrior

A weekend warrior I am not.  Weekends are more difficult for me.  Especially weekends where Todd is not working. I was happy to say that my eating was OK in terms of calories.  I was spot on actually.  However, my choices were not the greatest.  Ok, they weren't bad, just higher in carbs and lower on fruits and veggies than I should have been. And water???  What is water????  However  I am going to take this as a victory and not stress about it.  It's a victory because I didn't binge. I didn't eat horrible. I did drink Crystal light (and some diet pepsi) so I didn't drink horrible things. (well the diet pepsi I drank wasn't the greatest...but it was better than regular pepsi)  

So my running.   I ran and moved last week...I got two runs in.  My weekend runs went up in flames.....or should I say down the drain with rain rain and more rain.     However, I have to admit...I LOVE to look at nice shaped legs.   Bikers legs are AWESOME. Runners legs are AWESOME!   So I want awesome legs. Yes, that is my motivating factor right now.....don't be hating!

Nothing much else to say.  I'm here.  I want it....I am cleaning up my eating after the weekend to incorporate lost of fruits and veggies! And water....water is my best friend!

It's kind of senseless

I planned out my calories yesterday.  I was spot on with my eating.  UNTIL Todd looked over at me and said "I could really go for something sweet."   That just sent me off in a whirl.  What in the world could I bake that would be yummy, sweet and delicious!   I ended up making chocolate chip peanut butter bars.   Oh yes, I did!   You see, saying 'don't have the bad foods in your house' doesn't work for me.  I love to bake so it was super easy to whip these suckers up in no time at all!    The house smelled HEAVENLY as the aroma wafted out of the oven during baking.   We cut into the and I started to eat my piece of this heavenly delight.  Ahhhh pure bliss!  And then halfway through my piece I realized that I was really not digging it anymore.  I kept eating though because I remembered the pure bliss of that first bite....I wanted to recapture it!   I ate another bite or two and then said "NO!  No more!"   You see, I had already eaten to the point of being a tad bit sick.  Yeah, isn't that wrong....to allow something that tastes so good turn into something that makes you sick.  Welcome to the life of an addict.

I was shocked though.  The amount of yumminess that I ate shouldn't have made me sick.  Really.  I sat watching I love Lucy (we are watching through the whole series again.....simply because I love that show...as evidenced by my cats names.....Lucy, Ethel, Desi, Winni-fred, mertz and Frawley) and pondered this fact.  Had my body turned a corner and started to change?   Hmmmmm

I went to bed and slept quite delightfully......until about 5AM.  I woke up and I was DYING of thirst.  Now when I wake up thirsty, I know that I'm dehydrated (they say if you get to the point of being thirsty, it's too late you are already dehydrated.....so remember that when you are exercising...don't wait until you are thirsty to drink!) and that means that my weight is usually a few pounds up.  Luckily if I watch my eating and don't let that number on the scale upset me and throw me off course I am back down within a day or so of good water drinking.  But anyway, I woke up thirsty.  I laid there for a few minutes and then it HIT.  Oh did it ever hit.  A stomach ache to end all stomach aches.  I ran to the bathroom...then went back to bed.  4 times I went to the bathroom.....or was it 5.  I don't know...it was a lot.

I don't think I have the flu....I just think my body wants to eliminate what it finds useless.   As I lay there between bouts I was thinking about this.    The food I ate last night was totally tasty.  And TOTALLY useless.  What nutrients did I really gain from that snack?   Ohhhh protein from the peanut butter!  ha ha ha...but seriously!  What a waste of food.  Food SHOULD be fuel and that food was not fuel.  Trickery!  I want food that fuels my body and makes me stronger, healthier and leaner!  

OK, I talk big right now....saying I want the healthy foods that fuel.  I KNOW....and anyone reading this post knows that in a week or two....or a month (Oh hell...I'll probably be in Lancaster next weekend...so it will be shoe fly pie next weekend.....so I guess it will be a week....I'm not going to try to kid anyone!!) that I'll be saying I ate something 'sweet' and totally un-nutritious.   That's life.  I"m not going to try to fight it. To fight it is to deny who I am and what life is. I just need to realize that those foods are not fueling my body and that I need to limit the intake.

Meanwhile, back to the bathroom I go.  Boy...work today is going to be 'fun'.  ha ha ha

Fake it until you make it

I have a deep confession to make.  I am a no thrills girl.  Yes, I know....deep and emotional confession isn't it.  I won't lie, I like to be wearing jeans a tee shirt and a big over sized hooded sweatshirt.  That is comfort clothes.  I will also admit that I stretch the dress code as far as humanly possible at work...dressing down just to the edge of where it would be considered too casual.  I like it.....it's me.  Or so I thought.

Today I was having some 'down' feelings and I just decided to dress the part.  The part of what?   Well, I don't know what the part of it was.  I wore the boots that I  LOVE LOVE LOVE.  I knew I wanted to wear them.  They are black...so black pants.  I was scanning the closet for a shirt and voila how awesome would a leopard print look with the pants?   Pretty damn awesome!   I added a black dress jacket and I was feeling good.  I felt so good that in the wild last minute rush to get ready for work (yes, I was running late) I actually took the time to dry my hair!   (unheard of for me!)   I was feeling awesome!  I was feeling on top of the world. I was feeling incredible and all those negative thoughts in my head?  It was a little bit easier to ignore them!

So often I dress so casual and 'blah' because sexy, fun, pretty, fancy....all of the above clothes are difficult to find as a fat person.  It's easier to wear the baggy clothes.  It's more comfortable to wear the casual clothes.  It's better right?   NO NO NO.  I figured out today that how we are dressed really does have a bearing on how we feel about ourselves. 

So my challenge to myself?   At least once a week I am going to plan on taking the time to actually really take the time with how I dress and how I look.  Why not more?  ha ha ha....well lets be honest, when it's 9:15 and I have to leave for work at 9:35 and I haven't taken a shower  yet, well my hair will be washed, clipped up soaking wet and I'll be skirting the edge of proper dress code....it is what it is.  

Why was I running late this morning and in a wild rush to get ready to go to work?  Paula and I hooked up to run.  It wasn't the greatest run.  I struggled with it.  Maybe it was the lack of music (making a note to self to remember to hook up some tunes the next time we run together).  Paula did better with the running but was having some stomach issue, she thinks a side affect of some meds she's been on.  Oh well....we were out there and doing it!!!!

Smiling and happy!

Blistering

So far so good.  I managed to hold onto my weight over the weekend...which is usually a rough time for me. It's easier for me to keep my eating under control during the work week when I put my food in my lunch box and when the food is gone I stop eating!   Weekends are not the same.  It's my downfall many times.   So I'm happy that I did good.

I had that problem with the blister before my run and during my run yesterday......well after I published my post, I went to shower.  I was dressed and getting ready to go and I looked down at my foot.  Another blister had cropped up.  This on the side of my foot...up by the ball of my foot.  WHAT???????   Crazy!!!  I can't help it that I was so blistering fast that I rubbed a second blister!

Which brings me back to those stats....seriously?  That was fast for me.  Like WAY fast.  I keep going back to it in my mind to see what in the world happened.  I looked at the individual pace for each mile, thinking that maybe the program had gotten turned off and when it picked up it picked up my new location but not since it was paused not the time.  No...my stats are all very consistent.  I even picked up the few loops off the circuit...and the backtrack portion of the run that I did.  Seriously...that's a minute a mile better than I have EVER run.  My word that is fantastic...but woah, that's just uncommon.  I haven't run since the first of March.  That's 20 days without running.  I was doing other stuff (zumba and riding the exercise bike) but still!  I can't wrap my head around it.  

So I'll share....you see...my next 5k is set to be the Paws on the Pavement in May. I ran this last year and set a PR (one that has not yet been been broken...I guess officially now).  So I was talking to a friend the other day and I had said that this year at Paws I wanted to break that record.  She asked me how fast I wanted to go.  I answered.  Anything faster than last years number.  She pushed for an answer and I said "I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to clock a time lower than 35 minutes.  Thirty five minutes is my next  big running goal.  Just whittling down the numbers until I get to where my TRUE goal is!  I told my friend that I figured that 35 was a really far fetched goal...but now I'm wondering........hmmmmmm  

Naw...it can't be!  

Ramblings from a somewhat insane mind

I will admit.  I went over my calories yesterday.   I knew I was most likely going to go over the calories before my day started, but I made a conscious decision to do the best I could and not worry about it.....to take it as my free DAY.   Did you get the emphasis on the word DAY?   That is on day.  So how did I do????

In calorie speak......I ate 1713 calories.  I did walk more than 7 miles yesterday.  I hiked with Todd and then I walked with my friend Paula.  Each was about 3.5 miles.  And then Todd and I roamed around through an outdoor flea market and some other walking activities  So more than 7 miles walking under my belt. Sadly, I didn't run my virtual 5k in the warm weather yesterday....oh well, we will get to that later in this post.  So it SHOULD be a maintain because calorie wise I'm OK.  But we know that if I eat my exercise calories I do not lose.  Such is my body and I'm OK with it.

So fast forward to this morning........and I'm showing a maintain from my weight yesterday.  (which amuses me...what's the odds that my weight was exactly 230.8 both days....seriously)

During my walk with Paula yesterday we made plans to run together at least once a week  Last year when I was completing the C25K program I was doing it in tandem with Sherry.  Every Sunday we would hook up and run.  It kept me (and I think her) focused because we knew that we couldn't skip runs.  If we skipped runs, we would not be synchronized in our running.  One of us would pull ahead and the running together would no longer work as well.  (ok, we would have made it work).  It was the accountability that I needed to run consistently each week.   Soooo Paula and I are planning to run together as much as possible through the week......at least once  Why at least once?   Right now Paula and I are very similar in where we are at in our running progress.  She runs between a 12 and a 13 minute mile...but typically only runs 1 mile.  I typically run between 2-3 miles and have been running right at about a 13 minute mile 13.25.  (I expect today to be bad because I haven't run in a while)   So add miles onto her and she will probably even out to right where I'm at for her average.  Perfect.   Soooooo, I know that if I'm not running through the week, she is going to improve and I'll be left in the dust.  Well heck!  I can't have that!

So this returns me to my tentative proclamation  that I have made a few times.  What am I talking about?   Running a half marathon.  A few weeks back I even made a declaration and said which one I'm thinking about doing.  Paula and I have talked about it before and after talking to her we are seriously going to start working toward the Habitat for Humanity half in September.  I think I have my feet under control....somewhat.    KT tape is still my best friend (I should buy stock).    I'm not going to say that the plantar fasciitis and the tarsal tunnel don't hurt.  They do. But I'm learning how to manage.  I want to do this.  I'm NOT a quitter anymore! It's in my head, which means that I need to accomplish it!   Soooooo, my plan...right now I just need to focus on running consistently.  Running my three times a week.  Watch my pace get faster.  Watch my endurance build.  Add miles when at all possible.  Just run. In the meantime plan out a 12 week training program...which will need to start roughly the end of June. (that's assuming that the western maryland habitat run is scheduled for this year....I think I saw it somewhere!....and if not, I'm sure Paula and I will find another one that we can run in the same time frame!)    Big plans.  Is it possible.  I don't know.  Depends on my body.  But my mind is ready to roll with it!

The only kink in the works???  Bike riding. I was out on the canal yesterday and holy moley I saw bikers and I was drooling thinking about how much I want to be on MY bike....get on my trek out on the canal!  And then Paula and I were walking on the battlefield and I saw a few road bikers and it made me drool, thinking about how much I wanted to be out on the road....on my litespeed!   Hmmmm....can I manage the running and biking and still have the occasional zumba class????  (maybe not all three, but at least two fixes of the ever inspirational and incredibly hard workouts of Anita?)  Bike one day...run the next???????   I want to knock that century bike ride off my bucket list this year!!!!!!

Am I completely insane???

  Hmmm, all I have to say about all this.......we better get that hot tub up and working again (we shut it down a while back with a thermostat problem.....it kept heating us up to astronomically high and unsafe for human use temps....we have a new thermostat to install...just have to get it in and all working again) because holy cow, I think I may need the soothing waters of a hot tub if I manage to accomplish what I want to this summer on my bike and on my feet.

So this morning I had my virtual 5k to run.  I sat around and actually started this blog post just thinking about what I needed to do.  Finally I stopped myself and said "If you never start you'll never get it done."  So I picked myself up and went to get dressed.  I ran into  problem when I dropped my right foot into my shoe.  HOLY COW...PAIN!  I quickly took my shoe off and looked the HUGE blister on the back of my foot.  Are you serious?  I felt a pain there yesterday but it didn't bother me anymore so I didn't pay attention to it.  OH yeah, wait, I wasn't wearing shoes...maybe that's why I didn't feel it!  I grabbed some band-aids and tried the shoe again.  GRRRR ouch.  KT tape.  (Have I mentioned this stuff is wonderful?)  I put it on really tight over the blister area.  It actually worked.  No, it didn't make it 100% better but it wasn't bad.  SO shoes on, off I went.

Brrr....it was so nice yesterday...teeshirt weather.  it was freakin' COLD this morning.  And my blister hurt.  Maybe I should run in miserable conditions more often.  I was listening to Pink.....maybe that's the reason...I always have incredible runs when I listen to Pink for some reason.  Whatever the reason....my run was my best ever. (I have my doubts that mapmyrun was correct...ha ha ha)  INCREDIBLE run for me!

Just sayin'!  

Rock on

A loss!!!!  I am showing a loss this week!  I'm still within that dreaded 3 pound black hole...but at the bottom end if the range!    I'm determined to stay on track this upcoming week and blow myself right out if that hellish out that I've been stuck in!!!!

Surprisingly, I've been eating quite nicely!!!!  I've managed eating out.  I've navigated evenings alone where I subconsciously binge eat.  I've made my food choices in the morning, and I've stuck with them!!!     I was all proud of myself the morning as I planed because I had extra calories.  I get to work and low and behind snacks were there.  It was a recipe that I've been wanting to try myself....so luckily I have the calories.  I'm holding off for my treat until after my lunch.  If I eat at 12 or 12:30 I can have my treat at 1...and then I only have to resist a second piece for one hour until I leave!   Ahhhhhh I've got my plan!!!!!

I'm planning to run this afternoon with a friend.   I've got to get back to running religiously.   I want the runners high.  I want the runners body.  I want the better stats when I run!!!!!  There is only one way to get those things....get out and run!!!  (And bike.....and Zumba)

A fist fight with my friend

Ohhhhh, my blessed friend!  I love you.  Your creamy cheesy goodness just makes my mouth water!   Ohhh heavens, I do love you!   Ohhh macaroni and cheese you just one plate of ooey gooey pile of goodness!  I saw you and I wanted you so bad.  I stared at you.  I opened my mouth to order  my food and..........

Tuesday was another day of me planning my calories.  It was another day of NOT eating my exercise calories. It was another day...day two to be exact, of eating on a budget.  Knowing that when my very exact amount of calories is gone that the eating must stop.  It's planning and strict willpower.  It has always worked for me and I'm going back to what works.

I planned out my Tuesday early in the morning.  I actually planned it and included not one but TWO eat outs!  Why yes, I did.  I planned for a trip to Waffle House for breakfast (don't be a hater, we have a good Waffle House near where we live....there is a bad one too.....but oh well, we don't go there!).  I also planned to pick up subs on the way home.   Here is my plan for the day.

Breakfast:

     Waffle

      Butter

      Sugar Free Syrup

Mid morning snack: (really ends up being around 11AM)

     Strawberries

Lunch:

    Salad (no croutons, no cranberries, simply veggies and one piece of fit and active string cheese cut up)

    Vinnegrette Dressing

     Homemade fruit salad (so no added sugar or bad stuff)

Afternoon Snack (around 4 or 5)

    Small banana

Dinner

    1/2 Turkey Sub

     fruit salad

I sat down at Waffle house.  Todd ordered a big breakfast that includes a waffle.  I 'inherited' the waffle.  So when my turn to order came, I simply asked for sugar free syrup, knowing that if the sugary stuff came to the table there was a good chance I'd just cave and eat it.  I typically order hashbrowns as a side.  I kept my mouth shut, even though Todd had asked if I wanted the hashbrowns from his meal.  "No thank you, I don't have the calories."    When his meal came he offered me a piece of cinnamon raisin toast.  I answered, "No thank you, I don't have the calories.   I stood firm.  And I was completely satisfied with my food an was not at all hungry when I left.

Lunch and my snacks were easy due to the fact that I packed my food to take to work.  I ate what I had planned and there wasn't too much to tempt me.  

Dinner rolled around.  It was after zumba.  Yes, I know, eating at 8 or thereafter isn't the most awesome choice but eating before zumba doesn't work and well....it's a trade off and works for the schedule that Todd and I keep.  So anyway, after zumba I stopped into the convenience store where I was planning to pick up subs.  I waited in line and that is when I saw it.  I saw that creamy cheesy gooey goodness that we call macaroni and cheese.  Ohhh how I wanted to order a small....no maybe a medium or large cup of macaroni and cheese to go with my meal.  Ohhhh I love macaroni and cheese.  I wanted to so bad.  Ohhh macaroni and cheese come to mamma.  I looked and I'm going to admit that I was tempted to order my old faithful friend.  But then I said to myself "no, you don't have the calories."   I ordered my planned for sub and resolutely turned my back on that friend.  

I was satisfied with my food, even without the macaroni and cheese.   I know that I will someday soon have macaroni and cheese.  It's not a taboo food. NOTHING is taboo.  But when I eat it, it will be MY homemade mac-n-cheese.  It will be planned for, at least I hope!     But whatever the future holds......Tuesday night I was in a fist fight with with some macaroni and cheese and I won!

I've got the ball rolling........I just need to KEEP the ball rolling and not let anything derail me!!!!   

Feeling strong

It's no secret that I'm struggling.  I'm looking at the last few months as a victory. I've maintained.  I stopped the slide of weight gain that occurred after my own personal D-day on July 11.  That is a victory in itself because stopping weight gain can be as difficult (near impossible seemingly) as losing the weight.  So I'm going to accept that victory. 

Now it's time for me to start the scales moving downward.  I'm tracking, religiously!  If I eat a cracker TRACK it.  And i'm keeping my calories in my set zone...no matter what exercise I have.  The trick is this...if I'm really active, that means I better choose my food carefully so I'm getting the quantity and quality it that I need to satisfy my body.  And yes, it is TOTALLY possible....I just can't have the junk.  I need to have the filling foods that are low calories. (don't I sound like a Weight Watchers Commercial....if they even still push filling foods).  

It's called CHOICES!  I made choices yesterday.  I planned out my meals for the day and I was set.  And then I came home and my train derailed. How?  A change of plans with dinner.  Uhhhhh....  I didn't rush myself to the kitchen to gorge on food.  I sat and thought about my options.  I thought and came up with a plan.  I followed my plan and I even had the calories left over for a wonderful little treat at the end of the night.  (A cherry candy cane...I bought a bunch of boxes after Christmas for like 10 cents a piece....cherry candy canes are the ultimate treat....50 calories of sweet treat!)  I didn't let the change of plans (basically my planned dinner got canecelled)  derail me.  Normally I would have said "well if I'm eating on my own I'll just go into the kitchen and get something to eat. What in reality happens when I get to the kitchen is that I'm standing there without a clear defined plan of what to eat.  So I eat some cheese while I think about what I want. Then I eat some chips while I make what I decide to eat.  Then I actually eat what I decide to eat, but it wasn't what I really wanted so I have some ice cream afterward.   It's like a eat fest!   Without a plan I fail!  Last night I wouldn't let myself go into the kitchen until I had a plan.  And it worked!  

We have choices.  This morning I woke up and I laid out my eating for today.  My dinner plans may fall through, but I have an alternate plan in case it does (and the alternate plan is a LOT less calories, so I would be able to have a little scoop of ice cream as a treat!).  I made my breakfast plans before I left the house.  We went to  Waffle House for breakfast.  I had enough calories for a waffle, butter and sugar free syrup.  Todd asked if I wanted hashbrowns.  I said "No, I don't have the calories."  He offered some of his hashbrowns.  I answered, no...I don't have the calories.  He asked if I wanted some of his raisin cinnamon toast.  I answered...no, I don't have the calories.  (because see, I have to expect that we will have the planned dinner.. and if we eat that dinner I won't have the calories!).  It's a choice and today I felt strong!  

I know that this weeks weigh in my not show my efforts due to the wonderful cycle of my body.  But I'm ok with that.  I'm going to push through and see what the next TWO weeks bring me!

So yes..........I love nutella.  I buy it on occasion as a treat.....and then struggle because I want to eat the whole dang jar of it in one fell swoop!!!  It's so well known that at Sam's club the other week my husband put a whole case of the honkin' big jars of nutella in the cart as a joke!  (no, we took everyone of those jars out!)   So I thought that this cat was hystarical!

And last but not least I leave you with a picture of my nephew and I.  Not the clearest and greatest picture, but I just like it.  This little guy is absolutely awesome. (all of my niece and nephews are).

"Do Life"

A few months back I saw a blub about a book.  I instantly put the book on my ‘to read list’.  I saw the book about a month or two  ago at the book store and vowed to buy it for my kindle, it didn’t happen.  A few weeks ago I was in a book store with Todd and I saw the book.  I bite the bullet and did it.    The book?   “Do Life”  By Ben Davis.  

The premise of the book is a short synopsis of the authors journey for being morbidly obese to living a happy, healthy lifestyle.    The author was at his personal rock bottom and found the fortitude to pick up the pieces.  He has since run and participated in everything from 5k’s to ironman competitions.  In the process of losing the weight and becoming a runner/athlete he found happiness.  His book is primarily about happiness…finding what makes you happy and living life.

There were so many good points in this book.   I’m only going to pull out 4 or 5 quotes for the purposes of this blog.

Pg 17 “I definitely have an addictive personality.  “If I enjoy something, I take it to the maximum.”  This hit me immediately.  I have already figured out that I have a food addiction.  I've written blog post after blog post after blog post about addictions.   That was nothing new.  However, I never really put it into the realm of the addictive personality.  I am that way.  I have just said that I find something fun and I immerse myself in that activity.  Quilting, cross stitch, running, zumba, you name it……   These immersions take on the traits of addictions.   So the trick is just making sure that my ‘addictions’ are healthy in nature without losing balance in my life.

Pg 32 “To improve the areas of life that you are unsatisfied with, you must replace the bad with something positive that can fill the void.”    This goes hand in hand with the addiction thing.   The bad can’t just be taken away.  They have to be replaced with something else. 

Pg 36  “As we talked, I realized that the difference between the way I felt on that morning and at the beginning of every other failed attempt to lose the weight was that this time it wasn’t just about the numbers on the scale or the size of my clothes.  Those things were symptoms of the problem, not the real problem itself.  I knew that.  I finally admitted that.  This time it was about finding happiness.”

Oh yes, considering my epiphany from a while back  where I decided that strict rules don't work for me, this section was utterly perfect for me!.  Yes yes yes.  Happiness and Health is important!   Saying I tracked my food for 5 gazillion days straight doesn’t mean diddly squat!   Honestly, weighing in at 105 pounds means nothing if I’m not healthy!  (not that I will EVER be 105 pounds….just a number I arbitrarily  picked out of the sky)  Numbers mean nothing!   The progression and happiness that comes from my accomplishments is what matters.  (That said, I will still be weighing myself regularly…and the author didn’t ignore the scales either)

Pg 87  “The reason you’ve found yourself on this plateau is that your habits have taken a slide to mediocrity because you’re exhausted or lacking enthusiasm”    

Ohhh yeah, Plateaus…….I’ve  hit ‘plateaus’ but I’ve always admitted that it’s simply me slipping in some way.

 There was so much more in this book.  Nothing earth shattering but just fun.  He talks about losing motivation. He talks about excuses (and the day he couldn’t go running because the terrorist level was too high…ha ha ha).   He doesn’t recommend nor does he seem to live a life of restriction….he talks about post race visit to Chili’s.  He gives plans for training for various races. It’s written with humor and compassion and is said the way it is.  He is living life….or as he says.  “DOING LIFE!”  

One size does not fit

I've been stepping on the scales regularly for the last few months.  I've been quite disappointed because I haven't lost a darn pound.  Those scales flicker between three numbers  231, 232 and 233.  Not numbers I like to see.  I want to see numbers much much lower than that.  I'm eating right  Seriously.  Look at my food journal, I eat well within my caloric budget.  I'm exercising.  So what's the dealio.

The problem?  Eating 'right' is not enough.  I KNOW where my calorie count has to be in order for me to lose. A number without calculating exercise in....the down and dirty number.   I've been eating 200-300 calories over that every day.  I tell myself that it's ok because I'm exercising so in reality I've paid the debt for those extra calories with my exercise.  My food journal (mfp) shows that I am operating in the black because it adds those earned exercise calories in, so I should be losing weight.  However, as sad as it is.....that is NOT how my body works!  I know this, yet I persist in trying to follow what everyone else says when they say "eat your earned exercise calories"  Heck, I've had people get downright rude, pushy and 'know it all' on my comments telling me to eat those earned calories that if I don't I"m starving myself.  Basically telling me that I'm stupid and don't know what I'm doing.

Well......that doesn't work for me!   I know it.  I've known it for quite some time.....years in fact.   I've known it since the stretch of time where I lost 135 pounds.    IT DOES NOT WORK FOR ME!  Not if I want to lose weight.  I have to stay within my budget.....without my added exercise calories.

The good news??????  Yes, there IS good news!  I know exactly what I need to do to maintain once I get to my goal.......simple add in a few hundred calories.  :-)

Weight loss is not a one size fits all venture.  What works for me, may not work for another person.  I have a friend that I met through Weight Watchers.  She always looked at me and said "it makes me sad for you that you can't eat your activity points"  You see, she was able to eat hers and still lose, and she couldn't fathom living without those additional eating points in her daily diet.  That worked for her, but through talking with me and watching me and yes, looking at my journals and such, she came to the conclusion that no, I can't eat them.  We are two people that have had success....but have had to follow quite divergent rules.    The concept is the same, but each of us have a different set of rules that we must follow.

Here is where I struggle.  I have had so many people come up to me and tell me I'm doing it wrong.  "Honey, I worry about you....because you are doing this or that.  I do it this way".  or  "Someday you'll figure it out and then you will just take off with your efforts".   Talk like that is negative and destructive.    There are one or two people that are constantly after me in that way. I tend to HATE when they decide to impart their wisdom upon me because it's always done in a superior manner.  It's always done as the 'magical cure'.

It's self destructive in a few ways.

1.  It lowers  self esteem.
               * We don't need someone to tell me that simply because we eat wheat/glutton that we are a fat                           hog and will  remain a fat hog until we jump on the glutton ban bandwagon. (ok, maybe not                           those exact words..but you get the point)
               * Negativity breeds negativity and that hurts the self esteem.  Being negative about my plan simply                     because it doesn't mesh with yours is not acceptable....it negates and diminishes every step I've                      taken to make me a better me.  "OH honey, you are just doing it all wrong and I worry about                       you because you are just not eating enough food"  Seriously?   You get this from a single blog                        post?  Did you ever think to ask if I my doctor was aware of my method and calorie intake?                          (he is).  Did you ever think to ask how this correlated with he weight watchers plan?   OH my, I                   eat the  same amount of calories that I would if I were counting WW points.   If I rattled off my                     points  that I ate, I wouldn't get any negativity.  I  know...because I counted points for years on                     this   blog, and yes, every once in a while I pull out the weight watchers material to see how my                     daily food intake matches up!
2.  It makes one veer off course onto paths that have proven to not work for them.  It distracts one from their focus on their plan.
              *"Honey, you have to eat your earned exercise calories"   Why?  What expert are you?  Yet I listen                 and eat them....and here I am three months into the new year and I've not lost a single pound!  I've                 not eaten crazy.  But on a consistent basis I've eaten my exercise calories...or at least a few                           hundred of them.  And look at the results.

Enough is enough!  I'm following the plan that I KNOW works for me.

I just caution anyone reading this post.  Consider your words carefully.  Being a know it all may be fun, but it can do a LOT of harm.   Impart the knowledge you gained from your experience, but don't do it in a way that makes it sound like the one and only way.  If someone likes the knowledge that you have imparted in a non harmful way, they will contact you or make it clear that they want to know more.  But just remember, your experience is YOUR experience.  The other persons experience is their experience.  Two totally separate and individual things. Don't belittle those who are taking a different route!

Yes, I know that this blog post has the potential to lose me readership.  First of all, it's my blog and I'll say what I want to say.  Secondly, this subject has been brewing inside me for quite sometime and it was time I cut lose and said what I needed to say.

Running on Fat

I just stumbled across this article.  It's on the website closerline.co.uk (although I read it elsewhere, I just like to give proper credit).

  Yes, it made me cry!!!!!!!!

A Facebook user penned a message to 'The Fatty running on the westview track'.  You might be surprised to read what they have to say.

The message begins in a typically condescending manner.  It accuses the overweight runner of 'footslogging in the wrong direction', calls then out for wanting to 'stop twice a lap' and points out the sweat that drenches their body.

But then all of a sudden, the tone changes and we find ourselves confronted with a seriously inspirational message for all the would be runners out there.

"You whose feet barely lift off of the ground as you trudge around the track.  You, who keeps to the outside lane, footslogging in the wrong direction.  You, who stops for water breaks every lap and who would probably stop twice a lap if there were  bleachers on both sides. You whose gaze drops to your feet every time we pass.  You whose sweat drenches your body after you leave, completing only a single 20 minute mile.

There is something you should know.  You fucking rock!!

Every shallow step you take, you carry the weight of more than two of me, clinging to your bones, begging to be shaken off.  Each lap you run you are paying off the debt of another midnight snack, another dessert, another beer.  It's 20 degrees outside, but you haven't let that stop your regime.  This isn't your first day out here, and it certainly won't be your last.  You started a journey that lasts a lifetime, and you've started it at least twelve days before your New Year's resolution kicks in.

You run without music, and I can only imagine the mantras running through your mind as you heave your ever shrinking mass around the next lap.  Let's go feet!  Shut up legs!  Fuck off fat!!   If only you'd look up from your feet the next time we pass, you'd see my gaze had no condescension in it.

I have nothing but respect for you.  You've got this.

Hello!!!   I cried again as I typed that in!   It's so true on so many levels...from the rock bottom run to the mantras and yes, to the acceptance by ther runners and athletes...you see...they have been a beginner and they know how it feels.  They know how after just a few pounds weight gain they struggle with their exercise/hobby...so they can totally appreciate the 'fatty runner'

It happened to me when I purchased my trek.  I took it back for a tune up a few months later and the guy that sold me te bike was giddy with excitement and he flat out told me why. Paraphrasing what he said..."it's obvious that you got out an used this bike.  I can see changes in your body!  I know it wasn't easy but you are doing it!!"  And seriously?  When I originally bought the bike I was ashamed and embarrassed to be the 'fatty buying a bike'.  Ohhh how wrong we are!!!

So here I am...running and biking..fatty...shrinking...but fabulous!!