It Took Almost an Hour, but I Did It!

I did Week 1 Day 3 of Couch to 5K today, and outside for the first time instead of on a treadmill. I think using the treadmill is causing me to go slower - I normally get 2.0 km in 1/2 hr. on the treadmill and I did over 2.6 outside in 1/2 hour. Plus some slight inclines. I kept walking after I was done, and managed to do 5k in 55 minutes. I walked around for a few more minutes to get in a full hour. I was surprised that my body could do it!

Which makes me wonder - when you enter a 5k, how long do they give you to finish? I was surprised when I realized I made it in under an hour, but disappointed when I figured out that I only went about 3.4 miles per hour on average for the whole hour.

It was so beautiful outside, and the hour went by much faster than even 1/2 hour on the treadmill seems to. I can't wait for spring so I can get out more. I said hi to several people in the neighborhood, gave one man directions, and laughed with another lady when I ran by her fence and her dogs startled me and made me squeal. I felt good. It was still hard to do, but only physically - not so much mentally.

What is Wrong with Me? Couch to 5K

One of my goals was to begin the Couch to 5K program next week. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to make it through the first day, so I decided to try it last night just to make sure I could do it. I started out walking at 4.2 km/hr and running at 7.2 km/hr and couldn't do it - so I slowed down to walking at 4.0 km/hr and running at 6.0 km/hr and it was really tough, but I did it - and I only had to hang on to the front of the treadmill once.

I felt like it was killing me, and my legs felt like jello when I was done, but I did it and felt fine afterward. My legs aren't even sore today. But what I don't understand is that all day I have been impatient for tomorrow so I can try it again. You are only supposed to do it every other day. I know when I get on that treadmill tomorrow, I will be thinking about how crazy I was to be looking forward to it all day today. I'm not sure what is up with that. Anyhow, I consider myself starting the C25K as of yesterday.

I used the Podrunner Interval Podcast while I was doing it, and it helped me keep my speed up - even at that slow pace I was going much faster than I normally go on the treadmill. And I felt like I had a much better workout when I was finished.

I am going for time, not distance. When I make it through week nine (or whenever I finish), then I will start increasing my speed to improve my distance.

Today, my off day, I did 45 minutes of Helix (just got it for wii, one website called it "DDR for your arms") and 15 of wii boxing. Can't wait until tomorrow!

Goals and Rewards

I have set some rewards and goals for myself.

Goals:
* Begin the couch to 5k program next week
* Take the 5k route through my neighborhood the next day it is warm enough so I can see how long it takes
* Go hiking on our next trip to Gatlinburg
* Run in a 5k by the end of June
* Get a helmet so I can go biking as soon as my bike is fixed
* Add strength training to my regular exercise routine by the end of March

Rewards:
* At 200 lbs., a new wii exercise game
* At 180 lbs., a pedicure & haircut
* At 160 lbs., a new wii exercise game
* At 140 lbs., sign up for a yoga class
* At 120 lbs., get a full body massage (I've never had a massage)
* A t-shirt from the event when I run a 5k.

I think I need to print these out and put them up somewhere so I will see them every day and hopefully hold myself accountable.

Finally Home and How I Know I Will Be a Healthy Weight

I had a great time at the Alabama Clay Conference. Had coffee & raisin bran for breakfast each day (and an apple this morning). For lunch, the healthiest option was a 'triple-decker' wheat PB&J. I skipped the chips & pasta salad and just ate the sandwich and a piece of fruit.

Friday dinner was reception food across from the art gallery. I loaded up on grapes, carrots, and cucumbers, but still had a mini biscuit with ham & mustard and a couple of small pieces of cheese. Saturday was a lot of cheesy soups, except for the chili. So I got it and a single pack of crackers.

Today at lunch there weren't any mayo-free options, so I ate a banana and an apple and the granola I had in my purse. Now I know that it wasn't enough, because I was really hungry a couple of hours later. So I had some rice cakes. I am learning.

I exercised 15 min. when we arrived at 1:30 am Thursday night. Friday was so tiring that I forgot (!) but got up early Saturday to get 15 minutes in for Friday. Saturday night I did 20 min. treadmill and 10 min. bike, and today after I got home I did 17 min. wii fit. I am pooped and have had a long and busy weekend and plan to get back to my 30 min. daily tomorrow.

I have finally come to the realization that I do know that this is going to work. I have been feeling like I am trying to convince myself, but something happened this weekend that made me realize that deep down, I believe it. I saw a slender lady who was laughing and talking to some friends. Normally, my first though would have been, "I wish I was that skinny" or "I'll never be that skinny" or something similar. But the first thought that popped into my head was, "when I'm that skinny..." I don't even remember what the rest of my thought was, because I was so shocked that I had that reaction!

I am still learning to eat healthy, and still trying to keep myself motivated to exercise, but I will get there.

Talking to Myself

I usually do 1/2 hour of wii fit each day. Sometimes I do 1/2 hour of treadmill, but I always do the Wii fit. (Heh. I say "always" like I've been doing this for more than a couple of weeks. Maybe I've had a lifestyle change.)

Anyhow, I weigh in early tomorrow at school because I will be gone Friday. I got on the Wii fit and was up 7/10 of a lb. I thought, "I'll show you!" and promptly got on the treadmill for 1/2 hour. Afterward, I went to do my 1/2 hour of Wii fit (if I'm by myself I usually do the free step at the highest speed). After about 2 minutes I was ready to quit.

I realized that mentally I was saying, "I'm tired, I don't want to do this, my chair is right there, I can just sit, it's going to take me forever to finish a half hour."

What timing. A day or so ago I was trying to bump up my SparkPoints and I read a SparkPeople motivation article about the power of positive self-talk. I have always believed it worked, or at least helped. Just watching my daughter repeat "I think I can" when trying something new reinforced my belief. But I'd never actually DONE it. It never occurred to me to do it. But because I had just read that article, I thought of it before I gave up and I tried it.

I set up an "I can do this" mantra in my head as I stepped and watched the Olympics. Shortly afterward, I was surprised to realize that I was 20 minutes in and didn't want to quit. It had worked!

So, there are two morals to this story. First, the positive self-talk does work. Second, doing things on the SparkPeople site such as connecting with friends and teams, reading articles, and tracking really does help. If I hadn't read that article, I would have probably plopped down in my chair and not only missed the rest of my exercise, but felt terrible, too.

Hey! They Weren't Kidding About the Water!

I thought I would always have to work to get that eight glasses in. Today, I have had twelve without even trying, and it would have been more but a couple of times today I found myself in the middle of things with no water nearby and having to wait a little bit to go get one.

Also, I weighed in at school today (we weigh in for Biggest Loser on Fridays, but can weigh in any other day to check how we are doing). Even though I have been eating in or above my calorie range, I am down 1.5 lbs. since Friday! The exercise is paying off, I guess.

I have also cooked for the past two nights. Before, my husband did all the cooking, usually out of a box. The past two nights, we have had yummy Spark recipies, so now my whole family is eating healthier!

I have to go out of town Thursday night and won't be home until Sunday. I will be at the mercy of others for food (whatever they feed us at the conference) and am worried about how that will go. I may have to sneak my own food in!

Old Breakfast vs. New Breakfast

Old Sunday breakfast: Mt. Dew or Diet Mt. Dew, 5 slices bacon, 4 eggs with added milk cooked in bacon grease, two or three biscuits.

New Sunday breakfast: Coffee with skim milk and zero calorie sweetener, 2 slices bacon with the grease blotted off immediately, 1 egg and 3 egg whites cooked in olive oil, mini whole wheat pita with hummus, 1/2 banana, and a multivitamin.

Old Sunday breakfast calories: 1242-1617, depending on Dew / Diet Dew and whether or not I ate that third biscuit.

New Sunday Biscuit calories: 437, and that was a lot of food! I feel like I got as much or more to eat as before, and I am full enough that I don't think I will be snacking.



This will be my biggest meal of the day.

Weighing in at Work

We are doing the 'Biggest Loser' at work, and weighing in every Friday. I am a teacher, and we go to the medical students' classroom to weigh in. I am slowly losing a little weight!

Six servings of fruits & veggies today. I think I'm going to try out my (unopened) Dancing with the Stars Cardio Dance DVD in a little while.

And a three day weekend - WooHoo!

Haven't quit yet... and I'm not going to!

Fruits & Veggies

Seven servings of fruits & veggies - probably 8 if you count all the lettuce I had at lunch. Second day of 30 min. exercise. I set my goal at 10 minutes, but once I start I might as well do 30.

Packing Healthy

I am having trouble counting calories - I have no idea what half of the stuff in my kitchen has in it. I have bought a lot of stuff fresh. Most of it is packaged at the store and doesn't have calorie counts. I hate counting calories and spending time logging them in. It's hard, but until I learn some healthy habits, it's the only way to hold myself accountable.

I am going to try to eat healthier. I plan to try and eat at least 3 servings of fruits & veggies a day. I have prepared tomorrow's lunch, and it is a salad (lettuce, 'artisan' greens, organic baby carrots & organic cucumber) with asian ginger dressing, fresh sliced papaya, seedless grapes, a mini whole wheat pita with hummus, and water. I have cut the diet sodas.

Starting a New Lifestyle

I am trying to improve my health. Both of my parents and my younger brother have had diabetes and high blood pressure for a few years now. I have always had normal sugar levels and blood pressure, but the past few times I went to the doctor my blood pressure was over 120/80. I blamed decongestants, but this last time I wasn't on anything, and the doctor at the walk in clinic looked concerned and gave me a coupon to a free gym visit.

My long term goals are to eat healthier foods, learn to cook, and exercise. I plan to use SparkPeople to help.