Running with an audience

So I did go for a run Tuesday like I planned. Lo and behold, when I got there, the girl's basketball teams were practicing in their jerseys. I thought, that's odd. Right before I actually started running, music started playing really loud. I thought, something's going on. Parent's start showing up and it turns out the jv and varsity teams are having a scrimage. Now, here's the setup there. The track is on a second floor above the court. There are bleachers on the bottom and some on the second floor too, but they were all tucked away. So the parents just lean over the railing on the track and watch from there. Which means that I was running around the parents watching their kids for 45 minutes. :) I coulda sworn for the first 30 at least I was getting looks everytime I ran around. But I'm one of those people who will assume everyone's watching me, even if no one is. I knew one of the parents, and he gave me a high-five as I ran around. The one good thing that came from my audience was I didn't want to stop for a break and then start up again. I felt like the minute I stopped, they'd be glad. Then if I started running again, they'd groan and roll their eyes. ;) Probably not true, but still. So instead of taking a lap to walk halfway through, I ran the whole 45 minutes. And I did fine. So that was good for me to experience. I can still run that long without needing a break. It took me forever to get to that point last summer when I first started running. I don't think I run as fast as I used to, but my endurance is there, which makes me feel good.

I went and played volleyball last night too, as one of my scheduled nights for exercise. It was tons of fun. (Thanks Christy!) Even though we lost a few games in a row, I was laughing and had a blast. Having a night of fun and silly exercise is a great mix-it-up.

I'm proud of myself for still planning and getting some exercise, but I know I'm not making tons of progress on the scale. I'm so excited for spring (I know, I know, winter's barely started. Don't remind me.) when there's more sunlight at night and I can run in the evenings. It will be so awesome! Anyway, I'll just have to keep it up til then.

The Run Down + Weigh In

Run down. Haha. :) So here's how the week went down. I didn't shred Tuesday. I know. I said I would. It was one of those in my pj's til I had to change before picking Moose up from school kind of days. I wanted to run instead, but with 2 napping girls, that wasn't really possible. But I went for a run on Wednesday. It was good. I had a deadline so I didn't run as long as Monday. To make up for it I did some stairs throughout the run. Wow were they hard! I was not prepared for the first flight I ran up. Woah. Going down was fine. :) So that was kinda fun. Mixed things up too. I was planning on playing volleyball Thursday for some exercise, but our evening got really busy.

I didn't have any plans to run yesterday. But I ended up getting in a small run anyways. We were attending a family craft night at Moose's school last night. I was called in at the last minute to be in charge of one of the rooms. The family wasn't ready to leave, but I wanted to be there when it first started. Having only one car, my option was to get myself there via my feet. So I put on my running shoes and ran on over. Literally. It's half a mile. Which isn't very far. But I was very pleased that it was not a big deal to jog over. I wasn't sweaty (alright, it was too cold for that) and I wasn't particularly out of breath either. So although my numbers on the scale aren't pouring off, I would say that my health is taking a boost. I can run half a mile at the drop of a hat and it's no sweat off my back. That felt kinda nice. :)

Will be making plans to run next week as well. Felt real nice. :)

A Run and A Weigh In

Went for my run last night. I got out later than planned, but we persevered and got it done. It was a nice run. I went for 40 minutes. No idea how far I ran, but I'm not really keeping track. I'm just hoping to get my endurance back and pick up the pace so I can try and run with my friends again and actually keep up.

I have plans to shred it later today. Probably during naptime. I was going to do it during Munchkin's first nap here, but I spent it finishing a long-awaited Halloween costume for Monkey. Now she's a Pink Princess. :) So it will have to wait til later. But I'm excited to continue muscle toning and whatnot. I know I'll feel better when I've done it. Will probably post about it tomorrow. Perhaps after tomorrow's run. :)

Oh, and I remembered to weigh in before eating this morning. A decent weigh in. I'm hoping to keep it in this range or lower. It's motivating me to get my shred done this afternoon. Although I suppose the cinnamon roll I ate for breakfast might not've been the best option. I swear I did great over Thanksgiving. But we got sent home with some insane stuff. Like a tray of cinnamon rolls, an entire apple pie, and I was told my husband has to bring home a pumpkin pie today. Seriously? At least I'm not a huge pie eater, or I'd be in trouble. And the cinnamon rolls are mostly gone and I only ate 1. Myst maintain self-control. :)

Make a Plan + Good Moment

I've made a plan to go running 3 days this week. On my non-running week days, I'm going to shred with Jillian. Yes, I am. I didn't gorge over the Thanksgiving holiday, so I'm feeling pretty good.  I genuinely forgot to step on the scale Saturday morning, but I did later that day and my numbers were actually pretty darn low. But I forget exactly what it said. If I remember, I'll step on the mighty Oz tomorrow morning for a check-in.

Okay, time to share a made-me-feel-good moment. I was walking the hallways at church last week, taking Monkey to the potty when I ran into a friend. I hadn't seen her since late July. She looked at me and said, "You look awesome!" It was very genuine and sincere, and it made me feel pretty great. I haven't made great strides in the numbers department, but I feel like every step I make helps me to be healthier, and feel healthier. (They can be two very different things, you know.) When I feel healthier, I think it gives me more confidence, which I think everyone can agree makes a woman attractive. So here's to feeling healthier. :)

Running + The Hubs is Awesome

I was planning on running this evening with friends. Then last night happened and I wasn't planning on running at all. My sick kid (Moose) did great. Monkey woke up once. Munchkin decided to have her wake-up talking fest from 3-4 am. I was so tired today I thought running would not happen. Sometime around 4 or so I got a second wind and thought maybe I would. Then, when the hubs came home, he gave me a pep-talk. Let me just say, the hubs is so awesome. He's my best support and I couldn't do anything without him. He told me he knew I was tired but that he thought I should go running anyway. He didn't want my circumstance to make decisions for me. He's super supportive about taking over at home with the kids so I can get my time to go. It's so awesome.

So I did go. I went from 6-7. My friends are going later tonight. I felt really good after going. The girl's basketball team was practicing during that time, so I imagine I can always go at that time during the week and I'll be able to get into the gym with no problem. So perhaps we've found our solution to our time/scheduling conflicts after all.

Feeling positive. :)

Change of Pace + Weigh In

I kinda fell off the map this week. We had a few crazy days and busy nights. I didn't go running or do anything else intentional this past week. I am going to go running tomorrow night and I'm really looking forward to it. With all the snow outside and less daylight, I'm brainstorming for new ways to get my exercise in. The hubs and I have been thinking it over. He's so amazing and supportive. Love that guy. We might end up with a gym membership. Even if it's just over the winter. If I'm able to get running a few times a week with my friend at the High School track, then that will do it for me too. She's just getting back into running, and she's prepping for a marathon. So I imagine she's going to be doing more as well. So now we'll just have keep brainstorming for ways to make it work, and keep getting it in when I can.

Oh, I did weigh in yesterday. Went up a pound or so. Until I can get more regular cardio in, I think I'm going to stay in a general range of 2-3 pounds, always vascillating up and down. I'm not even close to where I'd like to be, but it's not an uncomfortable place for me either. Not giving up. Just reevaluating and finding what will work best with our daily routines and whatnot.  I might need to mix in some Jillina Michaels this week to keep myself feeling like I'm on track. And Thanksgiving never did anyone's waistlines any favors either. :)

Running

Went for a run last night. It felt really good. Most of it, anyway. Here's the low down. We went to the High School indoor track. My friend's husband works there as AP (same high school where the hubs teaches) so she can get us in whether or not the school is open. Yay for that. However, upon parking and jumping out of her car, I didn't realize we were parked on a huge puddle of ice. So I fell right down on my keister. Still feeling that one today. (But so far no bruising, so I'm hoping it wasn't too bad.) The 2 gals I ran with are a bit more experienced and have been running longer, so their pace was a bit faster than mine, while talking. I couldn't keep up with them without talking. So I ran with my mp3 player and just got back in the groove of it all. It's been over 2 months since I've run, so it'll take me some time to get my rhythm back. Not to mention the track is small and a circle, so that takes getting used to as well. But I look forward to doing it some more.

Perfect Chicken Salad

A while ago I was talking about my amazing chicken salad I like to eat for lunch. Well, I had it again today and thought I should finally share the yummy recipe. The whole thing is the Santa Fe Chicken Salad. But I only use the marinade for the chicken and make a simpler salad with it. Here's the link to the recipe. I use the marinade to make the chicken, and I often only marinate the chicken for like 10 minutes. So don't feel hampered by time. Then I add fresh lettuce (romaine usually), chopped tomatoes and bell peppers. Then I top with ranch and french fried onions. I know, they sound so bad. But I like them better than croutons because they're so small that they permeate their yumminess throughout the salad and not just a few bites. I don't use a ton, so I don't feel like I'm making my salad fatty. If you have time, or want to make a special dinner, I highly recommend the entire salad. It's so, so, so good. But if you just want to try out the chicken, it's also delicious!

Weigh In: Change of Direction

I did weigh in this morning. I actually forgot right off and actually ate a small breakfast. But the numbers weren't awful, so that was nice. Although during the 3 days my girlies were sick and nothing got done, my eating habits were awful. I didn't eat much at all but empty calories, with the occasional healthy dinner. But my kids are better, not a single night wake-up last night. (Hallelujah!)

So, the last few days I have been craving a run. I do enjoy Jillian, but I think for the results I want, her work-outs aren't really doing it for me. If I wanted to be "shredded" I would certainly come back to her. But right now I want to drop 16 lbs. For me that requires cardio and a lot of sweating. 20 minutes a day just doesn't feel like it's doing it. And it's really hard for me to dedicate myself to a daily work-out. But if I could go running a few times a week I feel like it would be more productive at this stage of my weight-loss. I think after I lose 8 lbs. or so, I could come back to Jillian's DVD and it would work better for me. I don't know.

Excuses, excuses right? I think I'm just craving some time running and I need something different. So my goal over the next few days is to reach out to some of my fellow runners and see who's doing what. Being in the lovely North West, daylight is an issue. (Today the sun rose at 7:40 am and set at 5:03 pm) A big issue. And finding time without children. Which is why my limited daylight hours are problematic since I'm always alone with 2 or more kids during that time. But I'm hoping to find a solution. I will find a solution.

Sick Days

No I'm not sick, but my 2 girls have been for the last 3 days. Normally sick kids don't necessarily throw a big wrench into my day, but when they wake me up multiple times a night, I'm not quite myself. So exercising has been thrown out the window. For that matter, eating really well has too. When I get woken up more than once I go on survival mode and just try to make it through the day without getting grouchy. I've been successful at that. But I've also been successful at doing basically nothing productive. So there's my reason for no blogs the last few days.

It's the weekend now, so I'm hoping to get some extra sleep and recharge my batteries a bit. I'm feeling really drained. But the hubs is so good to me, I know I'll get some good rest this weekend. So here's to a little bit more sleep, some recharging, and perhaps a new start on Monday.

Real life strikes again.

Day 17

Oh yes, I did more push-ups this time. The real ones. Although I have to admit, I don't go down very far. But I imagine it's still working my muscles more than if I'm on my knees, as well as my core. Today I was really feeling a bit stronger. I thought that perhaps the extra weight that's not quite ready to go away is my abs actually getting muscles again. (Yes, 3 pregnancies will completely ruin abs in my experience.)

I also realized today that I'm over half way to my 30 days. Granted, I haven't been doing 30 days consecutive, but I live a real life with a husband and 3 kids. I'm just not that devoted to consecutive work-outs. All my devotion is taken in my family. But I'm sticking with it, and for that I'm still quite proud of myself. It's all about lasting lifestyle changes and I feel like I'm doing that.

Yummy Breakfast

I've mastered a delicious chicken salad (to be shared next) for my lunches, and it got me thinking to a better breakfast option. I remembered a smoothie I used to drink every morning for quite a long while. It's so delicious, and very good for you. It had been a long time since I'd made it, but I made it this morning. Yummy! Here's a link to the recipe. I actually used raspberries since we had them. Still good. I have a small bit left, and possibly some blueberries (all of these are frozen) so I think I'll do a half-raspberry, half-blueberry one tomorrow morning. If I'm still feeling hungry, I'll add a piece of whole wheat toast with some butter and cinnamon sugar, or a mini-bagel. I don't feel guilty for the sugary topping because cinnamon is very good for you and I eat more toast because of it. I'm a sucker for cinnamon sugar toast. :)

Day 16: Early Start

My day did start earlier today. Yay! I was partially forced by the baby waking up early. By the time I got her back to sleep, I decided to just start the day. So glad I did. It's made quite a difference, I think.

I got my work-out in today. Felt nice. I tried for the first time to do real push-ups, no knees. I managed 2 before I realized I wasn't going to be able to do much more. The second time around I only managed 1. But that'll be my goal, to beat those numbers. Perhaps I'll slowly be able to do more. I definitely think I'm going to try out level 2 next Monday, just for a break in the routine. I'll probably not be able to start doing it daily, but perhaps every few days. Until I feel like I can handle the next step up in difficulty.

Priorities

I'll just say straight out that: No, I didn't work out today. There, I said it. Onto my thoughts on priorities.  Today was a Saturday. Those are a big day in our house since the hubs is actually home the whole day and it seems like the one day to get things done like grocery shopping or major errands since we can go without kids. Anyhow, I realized this morning (and I've been realizing it for a while, but for the first time it hit me with more intensity) that I am feeling less of a desire to get as much sleep as possible and more of a desire to get up before my kids so I can get things done. This is a big deal for me. I am a big sleep. 10 hours a night, please. I am not a morning person. Let me repeat: NOT a morning person. But I'm realizing that since I've been using my nap-time to exercise and read the scriptures each day I don't have much time to do anything else on my to-do list like sew, write in journals, craft, clean (I actually do enjoy cleaning from time to time), write letters, or whatever else is on my to-do list that week. I thought today that if I could just get up before the kids and exercise and shower, maybe even do my scripture reading, I could get other things done during nap-time and it would feel nice to get more done. Exercising is still a priority for me. So is eating right. And don't get me wrong, I get a good amount of sleep. The hubs and me are not night owls. Our lights are out before or right after 10 most nights. He wakes up at 5 during the week, and I'm tempted to join him. Guess we'll have to let Munchkin sleep in her crib instead of the living room like she has been. Let's hope she's over her 4:00 am chat session-phase.

It may be a while yet before I put this new train of thought into action. I don't know. But I do feel like I'm getting closer to turning over a new lead. You could say I've spotted the leaf, and have thought about turning it over, but have not made any attempt to touch it quite yet. :) How's that for non-commitla?

Weigh In: Sigh

Well, apparently my numbers went up. Although I'm not completely discouraged. I cheated a bit and weighed in a few days ago, just for a check-up. Anyway, at that time my numbers had gone down, for the first time in a few weeks. So I'm convinced my body is finally starting to get back in gear. This morning was just a bad morning, I guess. Maybe I snacked too much yesterday. I'd have to say that's still my one vice is I've been snacking a bit lately. Doesn't help if the hubs makes a 9x13 chocolate cake and no one eats it but me and him. :) So my mini-goal for this week is to quit the snacking. In all other nutritional areas, I've been doing good. I've been eating some killer chicken salads for lunch, and drinking a good amount of water.  So farewell snacking.

I refuse to be discouraged. I can be healthy. I will be healthy. I am still making progress, despite what numbers on the scale say. This week will be a good week. (Like my positive self-talk. I don't know if I competely believe it yet, but I will eventually.)

Day 15: And some

I was being really good and getting my work-out in during naptime. However, I was called mid work-out and had to go up to the school for my favorite kindergartener. Which meant I had to get someone to come over and sit with my 2 sleeping girls so I could drive the .75 mile to the school. It was a big hassle but it got done. When I got back, however, the baby was up and my work-out was put on permanent hold. So although I didn't finish it, I'm considering today's work-out done.

So yesterday. No excuses, just an explanation. The hubs was gone from 6 am-9 pm. On days like that I prepare to do nothing (low expectations lead to less stress). I ended up having a very busy afternoon nonetheless. By the evening, when all kids were asleep and I could've potentially done my work-out, I had been in such a do-nothing-mentality that it was really hard to get myself to do it. So yesterday was an official un-necessary day off. Life strikes again. Tomorrow's Saturday. Any bets as to whether or not I'll be able to get my work-out in? :)

Day 14

Yay for getting my work-out done today. My regular nap-time slot was filled with getting in a late lunch. So that meant my beating had to wait til after the kiddos were in bed. That was also filled with time with the hubs since he hit the hay early, having a cold. So I did it all by myself in the late hours (for me) right before going to bed. I did well, remembering to pace myself. I also tried to remember that I'm usually doing alright by the end of the work-out, so I could push myself a little harder on some of the earlier exercises, knowing I'd be able to still finish on top. It seemed to work. Although I still can't do a traditional push-up. Perhaps in a month or two. :)

Day 13

I'm back! I wasn't honestly sure I would be. I can admit that at the beginning of today's work-out, I would have rather been doing just about anything. But by the end I was so glad I did it. I took my time, kept my own pace and did really well. It felt really good. My current desire is to finish this week and next week doing Level 1 and try out Level 2 the following Monday. It might end up being a bit tough, but I think the new exercises will be enough to break the monotony, even if I have to go right back to Level 1 the next day. It'll give me a taste of what is coming, something to set my sights on.

I'm also feeling very renewed after a weekend with friends and family. There is so much support and love there. I have some amazing readers who gave, and constantly give me encouraging comments and support. So that was a nice boost. Especially since I haven't been making the progress I'd like to be. But my nutritional goals are back in practice and I'm determined to have a good week mentally, emotionally and physically. I'm hoping it leads to some weight loss too, but even if it doesn't, I'll feel good about doing what I set out to do.

Day 12

I didn't get a work-out in yesterday. Things have been a bit crazy since Saturday. Yesterday I was dealing with 3 sick kids, getting Halloween costumes sewn before Friday, since I'm leaving for 4 days to fly home for my Grandma's funeral. Add that trip to my mental craziness and yesterday was pure chaos. Not really, but it was so busy. We didn't slow down til well after 9, which is too late for my work-outs since we try to be in bed by 10.

I'm still going kinda crazy sewing Halloween costumes, but the day wasn't as bad today so I got my work-out in tonight. It felt really good. I think the extra day off was almost a good thing. There are only 2 exercises which are still hard for me. Okay, maybe 3. Push-ups are just hard. But I'm feeling better all around. I think a few more weeks and I'm going to try level 2 for kicks. I'd say at the end of next week, but I'm going to be gone all weekend and so I don't know what that will do. And no, I'm not taking Jillian with me. She'll have to wait til I get home.

Day 11 and Weigh In

Let me begin by saying my husband is awesome. Here goes my day:

I weighed in this morning. Exact same as last week. I'm okay with that. Despite my exercising, my nutrition this week hasn't been admirable. But I'm ready to improve.

I spent the morning and early afternoon crafting at a Super Saturday event. So much fun. After getting home I left right away to take Moose to a birthday party at the Fun Zone. (Chuck E. Cheese equivalent) Upon coming home this evening, I was greeted by my hubs with the sad news that my Grandma passed this afternoon. The rest of the evening was a bit of a blur as I talked with family (who live like 3000 miles away) while my hubs delivered 3 cheesecakes and a chocolate lasagna he made for his bro-in-law's fundraiser/concert tonight.

By the time we got the kids to bed at 8:30 I really wasn't thinking about working out. As I was sitting at the computer, beginning a post about how I didn't work out tonight but had good reasons not to, the hubs asked me if I was going to work out. I said no. He asked what he could do to encourage me. I said he could do it with me. He said okay. So me and the hubs did 30 day shred together this evening. :)

Watching a man who's forgotten how to do jumping jacks is hilarious.

So thanks to the hubs, who is my greatest motivator, supporter and my #1 fan. And love and prayers for my Grandma, the namesake of my sweet Munchkin. Love you Grandma.

Day 10

Got my work-out in tonight. I was sewing Halloween costumes through nap-time, so I missed my normal window. But with it still being a vacation weekend, things aren't the normal routine. But I'm glad I made it a priority. I kept in mind from the beginning to do the exercises at my own pace and it made the entire thing a bit easier. I'm not sore, but I'm definitely tight. After yesterday's work-out and a night of volleyball I was pretty wiped out. It still gets me sweating like crazy, which not everything can do, and definitely not as fast as Jillian does.

So sometimes at volleyball we'll do a few push-ups for missing a serve. So I thought I would. I was feeling ambitious and thought I'd try doing a push-up without being on my knees. I always do them on my knees here at home. But I thought maybe I could do it. I got ready, started going down and fell flat on my face. :) Apparently I was not as ready as I thought. I did 5 push-ups on my knees without a problem after that.

Day 9

Today was a little bit harder to get on the ball and do my work-out. Moose doesn't have school, and the hub's doesn't have work. So it's a family day at home.  But I did get it done. Yay! It was still a little bit hard at times. But sometimes I just have to remind myself the things I've learned that help me get through it better. Like using my own pace and not trying to do the exercises as quickly as they do. Or the benefits of a 3 second break. (She recommends not stopping for longer than 5 seconds to keep your heart rate up. Of course I don't include potty breaks there, though.) I still ended up sweating a ton, so I suppose that I'm still getting some good working done.

I learned it's hard to push-ups when you're laughing at your kids. :)

Day 8

I can't believe it's been 8 already. For some reason I thought it was less. Today's work-out was alright. I've been feeling a bit lethargic. But I geared up for it and it was going. I seriously wanted to turn it off today though. First time I really wanted to. I didn't. I did end up taking a small break when my kiddo needed help on the computer. So I finished with a bit of a fizzle. But I still finished. Perhaps I'll get over my hump and kick it back up again. I did better at my push-ups. :) It's the little things, right?

Day 7

Got my work-out in today. Despite still dealing with some wacky cold symptoms. Seriously. Go away. I can't decide whether it's the same thing haunting me or multiple bugs getting me at the same time. Either way. Ugh. But I worked out and did pretty well. I got through the whole thing without pausing (not counting potty breaks) and it felt pretty good. I've bumped up to full range of motion on a few exercises and although it was hard, I made it. I hope I can continue to improve.

I still ate through some emotions today. The hubs pointed out that I'm entering the PMS zone now that I'm not breastfeeding. Oh joy. It's due to start in a few days, so that might explain my moodiness. It might also mess with my weight a bit, as it does. Great. Either way, I will plow through and continue to encourage good daily habits of exercise and nutrition. (Do I sound like a commercial yet?) :)

Day 6

I got back in the saddle today and got my work-out in during naptime. It went pretty well. The cardio was a tiny bit harder than before thanks to the 2 days off. But I was also able to do a few of the exercises to the max range of motion, so it was still a very successful work-out. Got me sweating!

So I'm back at it. Still getting my diet back where it ought to be. But I'm drinking more water again. That feels better, I have to admit. Tomorrow I'll be more conscious of my fruits and veggies, and limit my sweet snacking. (It's my vice!) No pain, no gain, right? Or should it be, no pain, no loss. I'm certainly not in this to gain weight. ;)

Mental Health Day(s)

I was fully planning on doing my work-out yesterday. But with my not so great weigh in and some frustrating events throughout the day I just really wasn't feeling it. I spent a lot of time out of the house doing errands. The hubs was Mr.Mom and did a ton at the house. At the end of the day I was feeling better and a bit more motivated generally.

Today was a planned day off. I think overall the two days off have been helpful for recharge days. Tomorrow is our No-Tech Monday so I won't be on the computer. I will be working out as usual during naptime. I might blog about it after the kids go to bed. But if not, I'll do it early Tuesday.

Overall I'm feeling better. It's good to take time to gain perspective and to release stress. I'm not taking things too hard. My transformation is not about numbers but about health, energy and well-being. I've had no stress over eating an oreo or yummy mint-chocolate brownie. Although I want to be healthy and fit, I'm not Jillian Michaels, or Denise Austin. I'm a mom who has cupboards full of cookies and fruit snacks and I will eat them on occasion. But I am slowly changing habits. Like drinking more water, having a more regular diet of fresh fruits and vegetables, and getting my body some regular exercise. It will take time to make these habits a more cemented part of my life, but I can already see the change. Slowly these things are becoming my norm, and that's what I want. And I want my changes to become the norm for my kids so they'll have great, healthy habits growing up. And a great role model in their Mama.

So here's to a new day and a new week.

Weigh In

I stood on the scale this morning. I have to say I'm losing some faith in the scale. It changed numbers the first few times I stood on it. I usually don't do it more than once because I'm generally happy with the number that comes up. But since I wasn't particularly happy with my number, I got off and got back on. Unfortunately, by the time it settled on one number, it was the highest number it had shown me. I'm not super happy with it. But I did start working out this week, which kinda puts me at a new starting point. Food-wise I did alright. Not great, like last week, but okay. I definitely didn't snack so much as to warrant the gain, I don't think. So I'm going to mentally chalk it up to muscle building and hope that from here on out the numbers will still continue to go down. Feeling slightly bummed. Not entirely since I didn't go up a pant size or anything. But still. I'll just have to take this and turn it into a motivator, not a downer. I've come too far to give up now. :)

Day 5

Got my work-out in this afternoon. I have to say it was a little hard to do it today because I have a lot of other things I want to do. But I made it a priority and am glad I did it. I can tell I'm doing better at level 1 and even did a few of the moves in the advanced form today. Felt good.

So I have to tell you all, especially if you've had kids, that I've paused Jillian multiple times because jumping jacks and jump rope are not kind to the bladder. It's convenient that I can pause her to go to the bathroom. I'm sure she wouldn't take too kindly to that in person. :)

I'm eager about my weigh in tomorrow. I'm hoping I've continued to make progress. I'm almost down a number that I haven't been at in over 15 years. :) (granted, the weight is all in different places now than it was then, but still.)

Day 4

I'm happy to say that my cold is a tiny bit better than yesterday. I'm also less sore, which made my work-out feel better. It still kicked my butt, but I felt like I endured it a bit better. Perhaps after a few more days I'll be able to complete all the beginner exercises without taking a break. Then I can move on to the full-range of motion for each exercise in level 1. That will take a while, I imagine. But it feels good to have made progress. Especially since today's nap routine was completely out of whack. The munchkin (6 months) slept in til 7:45 after a 5 am bottle. Monkey (2 1/2) slept in til I woke her up before 8:30 since Moose (5) had to get to kindergarten. So afternoon naps were not at the same time, needless to say. But I persevered and got them both down. Although I have to pick up Moose in 30 minutes and they're both still sleeping. Guess I'll have to wake them up again. *shrug* But at least I got my work-out in! Ooh, and I'm playing volleyball tonight. :)

Day 3

I really didn't want to work out today. My cold suddenly came back with vengeance and I'm still quite sore. But I did it anyway. The hardest part for me is the first few exercises. Push-ups (hate) and squats with an arm raise (wimpy arms). But I got through it. I can't wait until my body gets through this first period of soreness. It'll feel SO good. I have no idea how long it will last. Wouldn't hurt if my cold went away too. But I did it. Yay me. (Can I please take a nap now?)

Day 2

I wasn't sure if I was going to go every day (minus Sunday, of course) but I think I will. I was feeling pretty sore this morning, but it wasn't unbearable. So I just finished day 2. It wasn't too bad. I think I sweat more. I still feel like my arms are limp noodles too. But I'm hoping they'll get stronger as the days go on. I was just telling the hubs how I think toned arms on women are really attractive, so I want to get those arms too!

The way her program is set up, you don't move on to the next level until you feel ready. So I can't say I'll finish the whole program in 30 days. But we'll see how far I can get in 30 days. I want to be able to finish each level doing the most advanced form of the movements before I move on.

If nothing else, I have to be burning tons of calories, because I'm sweating tons. I know that this type of work-out might mess with the scale a touch, since I'm building muscle as well as burning fat. But I don't expect it will slow my progress too much. I have tons of fat to burn. :)

Day 1

Today was my first day of the 30 day shred. It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Although the wimpiness of my arms was absolutely confirmed to me. And the fact that jumping jacks are not for wusses.

Let's see how many days I can do!

30 Day Shred

I officially have, in my possession, Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. I have no idea what it's like. So I don't know what pace I will take. I don't know if I'm in shape enough to do it once a day, or every other day. I don't know. But I'm totally going to start with it tomorrow. My new naptime entertainment. :) I will update whenever I get with it, and hopefully I'll be able to judge my fitness level and make a plan to get through the whole thing. I know she's super tough, so it should be interesting. But I'm not ready to let my weight plateau just yet. I'm around my danger zone, so I've got to press on and keep up with my new, good habits.

Bring it, Jillian!

Weigh In

Today was a weigh-in day. I am officially 7.4 lbs. away from my big goal, passing up my pre-baby weight. :) I realized today that I don't really know what I weighed before I got pregnant, but that's okay. I passed up my usual plateau, so that's awesome! I did have a cold this week, but I don't think it affected my appetite a ton. Although I did drink a lot more water than usual. I was wanting to do that anyhow. The cold just motivated me better.

I'm going to borrow 30-day Shred from my sister-in-law. So hopefully I'll be able to keep my weight-loss momentum and get myself a bit more toned. I'm excited to get over my cold and see if I'm feeling better overall. This is ultimately about feeling healthy. Mentally I know I'm doing better by my body, but I'm excited to feel it. Have more energy. Now that winter's coming on (I know, it's barely October, but it's COLD outside!) running might be on hold for me. Or I'll have to invest in some warm running gear so I can run until the snow starts coming down. Perhaps I'll have to do that. I have been wanting to go running the last few days. But it's been running, and I've been sick.

Anyhow, yay for progress!

Nutrition and Documentaries

So my mind has been on nutrition lately and I watched 2 documentaries that I highly recommend. The first is Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. A story about transformation, taking the lead in your health and nutrition. Really cool and inspiring. Kinda makes you want to buy a juicer. The second is Food Matters. So cool. It's really got me thinking and questioning all of the things I've assumed about health and nutrition. Since I've watched that one I've been more proactive in drinking water and I'm taking vitamins. I woke up feeling like I was getting a cold, so I'm going to be pumping up on vitamin C. It's also got me really interested in the idea of detoxing. Usually a 7 day ordeal that removes all of the toxins from your body. You can do it through juicing your meals (only fruits and veggies) and drinking lots of water. That sort of thing. I haven't decided to do it (I want to have a good source telling me what to do before I choose to do something like that), but I've chosen to really kick up the amount of water I'm drinking since that's a natural way to remove toxins from your body. I have quite a few more documentaries about health and nutrition that I want to see. If I come across anything good, I'll be sure to share.

My 2nd 5K

So it was 4 weeks since my first 5K and I hadn't run even once. But me and the hubs went and did a 5K together. It was pretty easy for him, since he had to be slow for me. I wasn't pushing myself since I hadn't been running at all. Our time was 46 minutes. But I had a blast doing it with him. I'm planning on doing another one this Saturday. I'm going to try and do some small runs this week, maybe only 10 or 15 minute runs so they don't cut into our already jam-packed nights. Perhaps this way my body will be feeling more up to the task. I'm hoping to do it with some friends, so it should be another fun run. :)

Oh, after the runs are done, I'm going to borrow 30 day shred. I'm in for some serious trouble. (and sore muscles!)

Weigh In

I finally weighed in again and I'm doing alright. I'm only 3.4 lbs shy of my mini-goal to get back to my pre-baby weight. Which puts me at 13.4 lbs from my bigger goal. And I just stopped breastfeeding. I remember last time I quit breastfeeding I gained weight. So hopefully this time I can avoid that and just keep working on lowering my numbers and getting in shape. I'm pretty sure I officially went down one pant size, but I don't have any pants in that size, so I'm stuck until I get some more. But it still feels nice.

I'm running a 5K with my hubs in an hour. Woohoo!

5K!

So I have not gone on a single sun since my last 5K four weeks ago, but I'm going on another one tomorrow! Me, the hubs, and my sister in law are all going to be running a 5K tomorrow. I've never run with other people, so that really excites me. Especially having my hubs with me! Then I might be running one next Saturday too with a different group of girls. Yay!

I think I'm going to weigh in tomorrow morning too. I know my milk's not completely gone, but it is for the most part. So I might as well get a new baseline (now that I'm no longer breastfeeding) and see where I'm at.

I might have picked a work-out video to help me get past my weight-plateau, which I'm almost at. (My pre-baby weight.) My sister in law has 30 day shred. She says she's never gotten through the whole thing because Jillian Michaels is too mean. :) I think after these 5K's are over, I'm going to borrow it and give it a try. Something new, keeping it interesting, mixing it up.

Update

So I did weigh in yesterday out of habit, but I am not posting it. The reason for this is I'm weaning my baby. So I've been walking around with what feels like 2 gallons of milk strapped to my chest for the last 3 days. Once this is finished and I'm dried up, I'm going to weigh in and give a more official accounting.

In the meantime, I'm thinking of taking up a more active approach to getting in shape. Once my milk dries up I think I'm going to be pretty close to my pre-baby weight. So I am looking into some more intense work-out from home options. The 3 I've heard of are:

• P90X
• Intensity
• 30-day Shred

Any insight onto these? I don't have any of them, so I'm open. I just need the at-home option right now since I've got a 2 1/2 year old and 6 month old at home. One day I'd like to have the option to exercise out of the home on a more regular basis, but for now that won't work. So I'm going to do it at home.

Oh, and in running news. There is a 5K coming up this weekend called "On the Go for Big O". It benefits a local man's family. He's dealing with cancer. My sister-in-law knows the family so I think we're going to get out and run. The hubs said he'd like to run with me, which I think would be really fun. Especially since I know he can handle it, seeing as the 5K he ran a few weekends ago was faster than me by about 6 minutes or so. He'll have to slow down for me! Then there's another one October 8th, the next weekend, which a bunch of girlfriends of mine are interested in walking and running. (One just had a baby and one is pregnant, so they'll be walking.) I've never done running in a social setting, but I'm getting more and more excited about it.

More running

So I thought that my running days might be over, especially being in the NorthWest in the Winter. But turns out there are a few 5Ks coming up next month and a few of my friends are gearing up to run. So I think running might still be something I'll have to gear up to do. I'll have to find the time to get out and get some runs in. That's still tough. But even if it's only a few times a week, I think it'll be good. I might have a decent spot to run during the winter. We'll see. Anyhow, I'm just going to keep plugging along in the meantime. I'm hoping my numbers keep going down. I think if they do I'll get to invest in some new jeans in a smaller size. I hope so! I'm still not down to my pre-baby jeans yet, but I need some intermediate sizes before I'll get there.

It's about time!

I went in for my weekly weigh-in this morning and had quite the pleasant surprise. I lost 5.4 lbs! Yay! I have to say I don't know what was different. I did a few cardio work-outs (Thank you Denise Austin kick-boxing and interval training!) at home during naptime that really got me sweating. I feel like my metabolism just needed a kick in the pants. I don't really get my heartrate up doing housework or taking my kid to school. But my diet has been good and there hasn't been any good reason why I wouldn't be losing weight. I do feel like I'm losing my milk supply. I don't know why. But I can't help but feel like that's part of the reason why my body's losing weight. I wasn't able to lose my baby weight after my 2nd kid, and I nursed her for 7 months. It wasn't until she weaned that I was able to lose the weight. I had full intentions of nursing this one as long as she wanted to, but it seems like my milk supply has other plans. And I'm okay with it. She loves the bottle, it gives me a tiny bit more freedom, and if it helps me get rid of this baby weight, I'm happy with that! So I'm hoping to continue with some good loss over the next few weeks. If I hit a plateau (which I always do) I have a plan in mind. It will be fun, and very measurable, which is good. So that might come up soon as well.

Yay for progress!!

Veggies

Like many, I struggle with getting in a good amount of veggies each day. I'm doing significantly better than I used to however. One tip I can share that has helped me have veggies ready to go for me and my kiddos is this:

Empty peanut butter jars make great containers for pre-cut veggies. I always have one with carrot sticks and celery sticks. I suppose if you buy baby carrots you won't have that problem, but I buy a big bag. Anyhow, this is super helpful. Oh, and it works with cheese too. :) This way when I'm needing a veggie to go with my lunch, I'll just grab a container and some ranch or peanut butter and I'm good to go. (I'm still not able to just crunch them solo. Perhaps I'll get there though.) It's also super helpful when making a lunch for my kindergartener. I also keep peanut butter in smaller to-go containers for lunches too. I started doing this over a year ago and I absolutely love it!

Keep on

The last few days I have been struggling with my motivation a bit. For anyone who's struggled with weight or body image, you know how hard it is to maintain a good perspective, good attitude, stay motivated and on track. Fortunately, I have an amazing support network, with my husband at the helm. I know he loves me the way I am and just wants me to love me too. Anyhow, I thought I'd share a song that I added to my 5K list. The original does have some foul language, but this radio version is great.

I had a real mommy moment when my tiny baby was crying in the crib and I just desperately wanted to have some alone time to take a shower. So I was in the shower with her crying in her bed, my two older ones in the living room, probably with the tv babysitter. I was having a real moment. Then this song came on the radio and I couldn't help but have a good, healthy cry in the shower. So here's something that helps me keep on keepin' on.

Weigh In

I was pretty nervous about weighing in. I felt really good about the small changes I made this week. I know I've lowered my calorie intake this week because I'm snacking much less and I don't eat later at night anymore. I'm pretty proud of my little changes. So after getting up and nursing the baby and hitting the bathroom (gotta get rid of as much as you can before you weigh in, right?) I stepped up on the scale. My number didn't go down a whole lot, but it's lower than it was last week, so I'm pleased.

I can't help but feel that I have this layer of chub that just won't go away until I'm done breastfeeding. Anyone else ever felt like that? I don't know.

So I didn't really get to exercise at all this week. Certainly no running. But perhaps I can start doing some home-exercising a bit more this week in my efforts to boost my weight loss.  Otherwise, I'm just going to continue doing what I've been doing this week, and keep drinking more water. That's probably the one things I could've done better at. Anyhow, right now I'll take good news where I can get it and progress is progress.

Balancing Calories

Here are some more tips from choosemyplate.gov:

1. Enjoy your food, but eat less.

I really like this one. Ever heard of the book about how french women are skinny, or something to that regard? I remember hearing about it once. They eat very decadent foods, but don't get overweight. The idea was that they ate smaller portions of really great foods, and they enjoyed it so there was no guilt involved. It kept them from overeating, or emotion-eating and they got to eat great food. They didn't eat low-fat or fat-free and then eat more because it wasn't as yummy, or they thought they could because it had less fat. I read something similar once that said for many foods, it isn't worth getting low-fat or fat-free because they substitute it with other things that are even worse for you, or you overeat the food because you think it's better for you. So you might as well get the real deal because it will taste better, you can enjoy it more, and just watch your portions. Which takes us to #2.


      2.  Avoid oversized portions.

This is mostly a self-control thing. Although if you eat out a lot, you have to be much more aware, since most places where you eat-out the portions are huge. I don't eat out very often at all. Usually it's a special occasion like a birthday or anniversary. But even at home, you have to be careful. That's where I like to think of the visual they give you on their website. Make at least half your plate fruits and veggies. And beware of the size of your plate! If you have large plates, don't eat more just because your plate looks empty! Look at how much food you have, not how full your plate is. Or get smaller plates!

5K pics

Here are the pictures we took at my 5K.

Ready to go!

Getting my tunes ready.

Listening to all the announcements before we begin.

Let's go!

Coming to the finish.

Round the bend to the finish line.

Cooling off!

Choose your plate

Since I'm only weighing in once a week, I figured to keep a good frame of mind during the week, I'm going to share any health/nutrition tips or tricks I know or come across. I've got a few. This first one, however, came from my mom. I've been to the Government's food pyramid website many times of the last few years when I've been of a mind to reform my food intake. This site was new to me. It is www.choosemyplate.gov.  It has a few tips listed, one of which was new for me, but easy to remember and I will be using it to help me get a good serving of fruits and veggies. Here are the tips on which foods to increase:

1. Make half your plate fruits and veggies. (This is the one I really liked. It's easy for me to make my plate and think that half should be fruits and veggies. It's a nice visual reminder for me to get the servings I need.)
2. Make at least half your grains whole grains. (We eat wheat bread, and other whole grain products as often as possible. I'm pretty satisfied in that regard.)
3. Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk. (I've been doing this since my freshman year in college. I took a nutrition class and she talked about the difference in calories in the different milks. I was raised drinking 2%. The calories you can save from switching from 2% to fat-free is quite a bit, and in my mind it was such an easy thing to do to save calories. So I did. I've been drinking it ever since.)

There are other tips on that site that are great. I'll share more soon. Not to mention my other tricks for easy, healthy eating. So far I'm very pleased with how I've done. My biggest victory comes from my night-eating habits. I was getting into a real habit to snack on treats at night when the kids were in bed. Now, I either have a moderate dessert with the kids, or I have one after they've gone to bed, but before 8 o'clock. A few times I've really wanted to snack on ice cream or something, but it's been after 8, so I've restrained myself. It may seem like a small thing, but gaining mastery over your mind and body can be a very empowering thing and it really made me feel good. Self-mastery is another topic I might have to blog about sometime. It's something I've made quite the study of, and I'm still getting there. But I enjoy every bit of progress I make.

Official

I am now the proud owner of a bathroom scale. I am going to make a habit of weighing in once a week, same day, first thing in the morning. It will probably be Saturday mornings I think. So I weighed in after getting back from the store. I'm excited to have a regular scale to weigh in on. Not to mention that my new scale put my weight back down to where it should've been. So either my mother-in-law's scale was on the fritz (which could very well be) or all of my efforts this week have been working. I'm going to go with the latter, if for nothing other than to make me feel better. :) So I'm now only 8 pounds from my pre-baby weight, 18 pounds from my ultimate goal. I'm excited to continue making progress on this.

Checking In

So I've been working the new goals this week. Getting more fruits and veggies every day. It hasn't been a huge change, but I'm hoping it's been enough. I've also not been eating after 8! I'm pretty proud of myself on this one. The other night we got the kids down, and I hadn't had my nightly treat. It was 7:50. I bust out the ice cream and took a few bites and put it back so happy with myself. It's the little things, really. :) Another thing I've been doing that I didn't mention was trying to drink more water. I've been doing this for a while now, but I've renewed my dedication. At lunch and dinner, I usually pack down 2 cups with my meal. I'm not a big water drinker first thing in the morning. So I usually have milk or orange juice. But I'm hoping this will help as well.

So, in an effort to make myself more accountable and to keep better track of my progress, I think I'm going to invest in a scale. I have never owned one, and for the most part don't like them. But if I'm only stepping on it once a week I think it'll be a good investment.

I also wanted to keep working out in any form, but since getting a run in is not so possible right now with our new school-schedule, I've decided to try working my Denise Austin DVD's at home. I finally did it, and got in an ab work-out this morning. The DVD I have is great. It has work-outs for 3 separate areas. And each area has 3 levels. The first 2 levels in each area are 10 minutes long. The 3 level video is 20 minutes. So I can do a 10 minute ab-workout and be done with it. They're super good work-outs. I really like them. Then if I get more time I can do levels 1 and 2 and spend 20 minutes, or any combination. It's hard to be motivated to work-out at home, but I always feel good when I do.

If I can start making progress on dropping the poundage, I'm going to start working on another goal. Something a bit more engaging, since this is really lifestyle changes and won't take a ton of mental effort once I get in the habits. I have no idea what I'm going to work on next. Any ideas?

Ooh, tune in soon for pics from my 5K. Our camera was missing, but I found it. :)

Day 1

No, I'm not going to be blogging about my nutrition habits every day. But I just had to blog the first day. It went fine. I had a sunrise smoothie for breakfast. For lunch I had leftover salisbury steak which is packed with veggies. Then I had a pear for a snack before dinner. Dinner was harder to give myself my fruit and veggie servings. We had whole wheat buttermilk pancakes with scrambled eggs and bacon. Although I do have a sweet potato pancake recipe that's pretty dang awesome. So I didn't have veggies or fruits with my dinner. I suppose fruit wouldn't have ruined the meal. But I would have wanted a banana, which we're out of. Anyway, a decent first day.

I'll continue sharing different nutritional articles I come across. I'm all about knowledge, moderation and balance. I don't do diets. I don't count calories either. Too lazy I guess. But I've taken nutrition and health classes, so I know what's up and I know what I should be doing. So for me it's all about application, and practice makes perfect.

New Goal

So now that my 5K is complete, I've had my mind on a new goal. Originally I wanted to bump my running goal up to a 10K. However, I was never able to find an official 10K to set a date to, and with our new school schedule, things are super busy and finding the time to run is going to be significantly harder than it was during the summer. I'm not going to stop altogether, but I am going to set a new goal. This one is regarding nutrition, since I did gain a few pounds and put myself back about 2 months.

So my new goal is sort of a mini goal. I have a weight loss goal that I've been tracking. However, I'm going to set a smaller one to get me in the weight loss groove. This goal is my pre-baby weight. So I'm currently 11 pounds shy of that. Honestly, I don't know exactly what I weighed before I got pregnant because I don't own a scale. But this is my usual plateau weight, so I was most likely somewhere near it. My overall goal puts me 10 pounds below that, but for now I'm setting a smaller goal. So it's 11 pounds for now.

My first step in trying to refine my nutrition is I'm going to stop eating after 8 pm. I don't remember if I shared this one or not, but it's got some interesting stuff in it. This article is where I got the idea. I've heard of similar ones before, but never put too much effort into it. However, now I am. And it's a big deal for me, since I'm a big dessert gal. Growing up it was always either ice cream or popcorn. And me and the hubs usually save our dessert-ing for after the kids are in bed. It's easier to enjoy that way. But it's also easier to eat more than I would when the kids are around. I always try to be a example of good eating habits and that sort of thing. Which is why I eat cookies when they're sleeping. :) But by eating my dessert before 8, I pretty much have to do it when they're around, which will help me to be more moderate and control my portions.

Another step in this for me will be eating more fruits and vegetables. Most people have trouble with veggies, but for me it's both really. I'm a carb girl. Give me pasta, cereal and bread. So for my meals tomorrow I'm going to try and have a serving of fruits (or a few servings, I don't know how many it will be) with my breakfast, a serving of fruits and veggies with lunch, and veggies with dinner. Like I said, I won't be monitoring my servings so much as making sure I'm eating them.

So it will take a while for results to show, but I'm hoping to continue with some at-home exercise this week (me and Denise Austin are going to work it!) to bolster my new eating habits and help the weight loss. I might also need to invest in a scale. It would be easier for me to keep myself accountable (once a week) if I could weigh more regularly.

5K

My 5K was today and I finished! I didn't even end up walking. I was darn close though. Here's how it went: I was pretty nervous. I run alone, and here I was surrounded by people. When the race started, everyone took off running together and I have to admit it was overwhelming.  A large group took off in the lead and it made me feel really slow. In all honesty, I was close to crying. But I took some deep breaths and tried to get into a better mind-set. We rounded the building where it started and I was able to see my family there. It was nice to see my 2 year old pointing at her Mama and waving. After that point, I was running mostly alone and it felt better. I was able to feel like I was just on a run like I normally am and it got me in a better frame of mind. The few difficulties I had were that it was an unfamiliar route, with quite a bit of ups and downs, which I don't normally have, it was pretty hot out and there was no breeze at all. That said, it went well. I ended up passing 5 people or so. Yes, I was keeping track because it made me feel better. My biggest problem ended up being the very end. I was on a straight stretch and could see the finish line. So I decided to step up my pace a notch just because I thought I could handle it for that small stretch. However, as I got closer to the finish line, I saw that the course actually turned right before the finish and you had to go around a small parking lot before finishing. I about died. I had given it my all to make it to the end only to have another quarter mile to go. It felt awful. But I didn't walk and ended up finishing anyhow. Although 2 people I had previously passed ended up passing me up in that small stretch because I had to slow down. But still, a great experience.

I ended up with a finishing time of 35:32. I finished 47 overall. I don't know how many were there. Out of the women I was 30th and for my age group (20-29) I finished 4th. I couldn't help but wonder if the gal who passed me up right at the end was in my age group, because she would've finished 3rd and got a ribbon. It could've been mine. But I'm okay. My goal was not a ribbon, but to finish in under 40 minutes and I most definitely did that. So I did it! I've officially finished my first 5K and I think I did it pretty splendidly. I was very proud of myself.

Oh, and I weighed in and appear to have gained a pound or two.  :)

2 mile run and tomorrow's 5K

I did my 2 mile run Wednesday. It was great. I did it in about 23 minutes. I couldn't maintain that pace for another mile, but I knew I would last til the 2nd mile, so I went for it. My new tunes definitely helped me keep pace and mostly keep things interesting.

I'm slightly freaked out that my 5K is tomorrow. The last three days went super fast with a trip to the Urgent Care, my oldest's first day of school and a trip to the allergist.  But I know I can handle the distance, so I'm sure it'll be fine. It's just my first time doing an official 5K, so it gives me butterflies. I'll be so happy when it's completed though because I made a goal of it and I'm about to complete that goal. That always feels good, doesn't it? I'm still not sure what my next goal will be. I don't know if I can set another running goal (it would be a 10K next) with our busier school-year schedule. Until we adjust to our new routine, finding time for a run is going to be hard. So I'm considering other goals for now. There are so many other things I can do. I just don't know what to do. Brush up on my spanish? Or maybe guitar? Take a self-defense class? Knit something? The possibilities are endless. Any ideas? I love input.

Until tomorrow. :)

3 mile run

I got my 3 mile in tonight. It was actually pretty nice doing it later in the evening. The sun was mostly down so it wasn't in my eyes at all. It was also a tad bit cooler. It's still way too warm, but it was better than my afternoon runs. So I finally downloaded some new tunes to run with. I think it did wonders! I finished my 3 miles in approx. 39 minutes. 3-13 minute miles. Felt awesome! This was the first run in a while where I finally got a flow going. The first mile was the roughest. After that my mind just went elsewhere. It was great!

I have one more run Wednesday. Only 2 miles. Then it's 2 rest days and my 5K on Saturday. Ahh! Almost here! I do plan on weighing in the next day or so, since I have plans to go visit my new nephew at the in-law's a.k.a. home of the scale. :)

Let's do this!

2 mile run

I finally got out for a run. I haven't been since Monday. It wasn't even due to my cold, which is mostly gone. But the hub's schedule is changing as school starts next week and it's been harder to fit my runs in without doing them late at night, which is hard. Fortunately, my 5K is a week from tomorrow, so I only have a few more runs to fit in and then I think I'll have to take a break from this type of work-out for a while so we can adjust to our new daily routine. Especially with my oldest starting Kindergarten. Things are going to be changing around here in a major way.

So I missed my run Wednesday, which was a 2 mile. Today should've been a 3 mile run, but I thought I'd do the 2 mile and maybe get the 3 mile in tomorrow. Boy was I glad I only charted out 2. My body was struggling a lot. My lungs were alright, so I know it wasn't an endurance problem. I've been doing more than 2 for a while now. I think it must've been the few days off piled on top of recovering from my cold. Guess it took more of a toll than I realized. So I ended up walking a short distance. But I was running so darn slow it wasn't a real difference in speed. Not really. I ended up doing 2-14 minute miles. So I was going pretty slow, compared to what I usually would have done. But it's alright. I did it, and that's what matters.  And if I don't get my 3 mile in tomorrow I'm going to try and not sweat it. I've got a 3 mile to run Monday. Then next Wednesday is a 2 mile. Then rest days until my 5K next Saturday.

I still haven't downloaded my new running tunes. Although I really need to. Everytime I get ready to run and I don't have them it drives me nuts. Perhaps I'll get them this weekend.

I'm going to sneak in a huge congrats to my sis in law who had a bouncing baby boy this morning! Yay! I can't wait to see him tomorrow. Seeing her going through this reminds me of my own experience not 5 months ago. Sometimes I mentally give myself a hard time for not working a little harder to eat better, work out more often, that sort of thing. I guess I tell myself I could have lost more weight by now if I was really dedicated. But I know it hasn't really been all that long. I like to tell myself I have at least 9 months to lose it since it took me that long to gain it all. I'm about halfway through that and I really only have about 5-6 pounds to lose before I'm at my pre-baby weight. I still don't know if my pre-baby jeans will fit, but that's alright. I'll get there. All in good time.

3 mile run

Today was my first 3 mile run. I didn't know how it would go since I came down with a cold a few days ago. But I had a good night's sleep last night and have felt better today, so I went for it. I ended up walking around 1/2 mile on my last mile. But somehow, and I'm still not sure if it's true, I ended up finishing my 3 miles in about 31 minutes. I ran on my old trail that I ran every day last summer. I don't know if I was just feeling plucky, or remniscent, but I must've had a better pace. Perhaps that's why I needed to walk near the end. I just didn't realize my pace was faster. Or perhaps the clock on my mp3 player is a bit off. I don't know.  But Wednesday I'll have a 2 mile run, which I should be able to handle well, and then another 3 mile on Friday. So I suppose I'll judge my time on Friday and see if it's comparable.

I'm going to buy a few song tracks online to make a fun playlist for my 5K. I feel so much more motivated to run when I've got fun songs playing. It makes a huge difference for me. I've always been that way with music, as many are. So that should be fun to do over the next few days.

Weigh In

I had reason to head to the in-laws this evening, so I took the opportunity to step on the scale. I never remember the numbers on the scale, so I wasn't sure if I had lost or gained. Honestly, I thought I'd gained. I only remember how far I am from my goal. But I had, in fact, lost. Yay! 18.4 lbs. to go!

2 mile run

I thought today was going to be a breeze. Unfortunately, with so much insanity going on at my house, it was so hard to get a good flow going. I still managed alright, but I felt every minute of it. I really hope things mellow out by Friday so I can do my run without so much on my mind.

2.75 mile run

So I did my 2.75 mile run Monday. I just forgot to blog about it. It went surprisingly well. I finished in approx. 37 minutes. That's nothing compared to my cousin who just finished her 5K in 29! But I'll get there. I'm doing a 2 mile run tomorrow. Next week I'll be running 3, which is basically a 5K. My goal is to make it in under 40 minutes. At the rate I'm going, I estimate my run next Monday will be at around 41 minutes. Right now I tend to add 4 minutes for every 1/4 mile. But I'll be able to run the 3 mile distance 3 times before my 5K. So perhaps my pace will quicken just a touch by then.

I can't believe how soon the 5K is. I'm really excited. But I know it'll be fine. I'm mostly excited to meet this goal. It will feel good. I'm excited to pick a non-exercising goal to work on once I've completed this one.

2.5 mile run

I was slightly worried about my second 2.5 mile run today. But I have to say it went great. I was able to maintain controlled breathing up until the end. Breathe in the nose, out the mouth. I finished it a bit faster than last time I think. I was around 33 minutes today. It felt awesome. I'm going to try and make sure I get my walk in tomorrow. I can feel how important it is now. I've had to be much more intentional about stretching. I was quite sore yesterday and Wednesday. The 5K is 3 weeks from tomorrow. I'm on my way.

2 mile run

I have to say that my 2 mile run today was great. I felt like I could've gone further when I was done. I don't know how my 2.5 mile run will go Friday, but I hope it'll be better than the first one. But my run today sure felt good. I did it in approx. 27 minutes, for those of you curious how fast I'm really going.

So here's a link I found recently that I thought was interesting. It's 20 habits that make you fat. I've been doing a few of the things mentioned (or not doing them). Just had to share the info. Check it out. I figure if I can do a few more things to try and help drop the pounds (or more like ounces), that I ought to give it a try.

Weigh In

I weighed in this afternoon and haven't lost a ton, but I'm still making positive progress. I'm still working on my baby weight. I'm not doing anything super drastic outside of my running. I think for the next few weeks I'm going to up my intake of veggies and fruits. I haven't been too bad in the sweets arena, so I'm not going to mess with that for now. But hopefully over the next few weeks I'll continue to make some good progress towards my weight goal. Especially since my running distance is increasing. I don't mind if it's small progress, as long as the numbers are going the right direction. :)

2.5 mile run

I did my first 2.5 mile in over a year. I was pretty apprehensive about it, but it went surprisingly well. The last half mile was the hardest. But I was super proud of how my pace went. I have to say that this blog keeps me running sometimes. When I reach hard points, I think about what I'll blog about. I never end up writing half of what I think about. But it helps me to keep going. At the end, I do tons of positive self-talking. In my head, of course. That also keeps me going.

Wednesday my run is only 2 miles I think, so compared with today, that will feel pretty awesome. I think my time for today was around 43 minutes or so. Like I said, not the fastest runner. Although as I acclamate, I'm sure I might pick up a few minutes here or there. I guess I don't know what most people's time is. I remember a gal last summer saying she did it in 35, and she wasn't really much of a runner at the time. Perhaps she was being modest? I would have to seriously push myself to try and make a 5K in 35 minutes. I can maintain an 11 minute mile for about 2 miles, but then I slow down. At least I used to do an 11 minute mile. I don't really know what I'm running now. I need to get one of those nifty gadgets that keeps track of those things.

Anyway, fussing baby. Gotta jet!

45 minute walk

I was due for a 45 minute walk yesterday. As usual on Saturdays, the hubs worked from 9-6 which made finding the time difficult. So instead of resting today, I actually went on my walk today. Which is usually what I intend to do, but it doesn't end up happening. It was a super hot day outside and so I sweated a ton for those 45 minutes.

My run tomorrow is 2.5 miles. They only get longer from here out. Kinda freaks me out a tiny bit. But I'm hoping I'll continue to adjust to the distance. I've been trying to find a 10K, which I wanted to do after my 5K, but I can only find ones on Thanksgiving. I can't do one much earlier because I want at least 8 weeks to train, like I did with my 5K. But there aren't any very close to where I live that are after that 8 week period. And no one up here does runs after Thanksgiving really since it's snow country. There's one in December, but it's a 9 hour drive or so. But, I'm going to complete my 5K and go from there. Perhaps I'll just keep running 5K's all fall until winter hits. I can still do the 10K training program and run the 10K distance. It's just not as dramatic as doing an official 10K. If I want to make it to the Ogden half-marathon next May, I have to keep upping my distances. We'll see. That's the plan for now, but as we all know, plans change. For now, I'm keeping my eyes on my first 5K.

2.25 mile run

I did the 2.25 mile run again today. It was pretty rough! Makes me super nervous about my upcoming 2.5 mile run, whenever that is. (I'd have to look at my planner to know for sure. Probably next week. Ah!) I did another google map run. I really like running this way. Makes the scenery new everytime. This time I avoided lights, so I didn't stop at all. I think I did it in around 35 minutes or so. I never run with other people, so I don't know if I'm fast or slow. I'm sure I'm not a fast runner. At least not when I'm running 2.25 miles. I bet my 1.5 mile run was a decent pace. I'm slightly curious. But not curious enough. I'd hate to run with other people and find out I'm ridiculously slow. Ideally I'd run with someone else to find out I keep a good pace, and that would make me feel good. But for now, I'll just continue being happy running on my own. I'm happy with a run if I don't walk at all. And if I don't have to stop for lights or cars, I don't stop running. You must realize that I use the word run rather loosely. I'm not sprinting folks. A large portion of the time it's probably more of a jog. But I call it running anyway. :)

1.5 mile run

Today's run was 1.5 miles. Compared to my last run, this felt really easy. It was still a work-out, don't get me wrong. But comparatively, it was pretty nice. I think my Friday run is 2.25 again, so I've got to gear myself up for that one again. But tomorrow's a rest day, so I'll have to enjoy it as best I can. I've got one month til the 5K. Ah!

2.25 mile run

I didn't get my walk in yesterday (darn) because it was so very busy. But I was fully committed to my run today. I haven't run this far since last summer before I got pregnant. It went surprisingly well. The first mile was pretty great. But on the way back, the cloud cover left, as well as the breeze. So I melted the rest of the way home. But I still managed to do it in about 30 minutes, which includes a few short stops at red lights. So not too shabby!

Tomorrow's a rest or run/walk day. You might guess I'll probably rest. Then the day after is a 1.5 mile run. That'll feel like a piece of cake after today! I have to say that I love google mapping runs and just running local streets. It makes the runs go by so much faster. I never thought I'd enjoy running the sidewalk on busy streets, but I do!

And I'm over halfway to my 5K distance! (It's about 3.1 miles or so)

2 mile run

I was supposed to have a 2 mile run yesterday. But with the hubs working 9-6 and prepping for a birthday party last night, it didn't happen. However, I was able to get it in post-birthday party this afternoon. I google-mapped a run down a nearby street so I knew how far to go before turning around. it was nice. I was able to do it in decent time. About 26 minutes, with a few stops due to a red light and some cars. But a nice run. Since I was supposed to do my walk today, I'm going to do it tomorrow. I would otherwise be resting tomorrow. Feels like I'm always trying to play catch-up. But with 3 kids, one of them being quite needy, I suppose that's pretty normal. Next week should be a good one. Hopefully I'll be able to keep on top of things!

1.5 mile run

I had a nice run tonight. I ran along a local road and used my 1/4 mile estimate to figure out how long to run. I ran 20 minutes and did 1.5 miles. I googled it when I got home and it was pretty exact. Felt pretty good. I'm definitely enjoying running along different routes. Keeps things interesting. :)

Weigh In

I chose the rest option for today on account of my run being so late last night, and pretty tough. As promised, I did weigh in this morning. For a while I couldn't recall exactly what my weight goal was. But I'm pretty sure I remember. I have lost, but only a tiny bit. But now that I'm running more regularly and my runs are getting longer, perhaps that will help. All in good time.

20.9 lbs to go!

2 mile run

Today was my first 2 mile run in a while. Instead of doing my normal route, which is a 1/2 mile stretch run back and forth, I ran 1/4 mile and timed myself. Then I used that time to figure out an estimate for 1 mile. Then I ran that mile back. So I wasn't exact, but it was easier to get lost in the trail since I didn't have distance markers. It was nice.

I'm getting so excited about my 5K. I have a few people who have said they'll do it with me and that's such a great motivator and support. I was remembering today what first got me running last April or so. I was playing volleyball and there was a gal there with a runner's shirt from some run she did. She had a runner's body and I remember thinking that I wished I was fit like that. As we were talking about running, I said something to her about how I was not a runner. She replied with something along the lines of, "Anyone can run." For some reason it really hit me when she said that. I'm a relatively healthy person. And she was right. Anyone can run. It might take a while to get acclimated to it, and some might take more naturally to it, but anyone can do it. That's what got me running last year. I still don't quite feel like a "runner" yet, but I'm sure as I shed some more of the baby weight, I'll feel more confident in my runner-ness. :)

Speaking of weight, I'm hoping to weigh in at my in-laws tomorrow as we drop off our two older kids. It's a different scale than the one I weighed on last time, but since it's been almost a month, I'm hoping that there will be progress to speak of. We'll see. :)

Walking

I went out for my 35 minute walk today. It was ridiculously hot out. I pushed my baby in the stroller too, while the hubs played with the other two at a park by my trail. It was a nice outing, even though I was way sweatier than I should've been for just walking. But it felt good to get out and get moving.

Tomorrow I'm back to running. This time it'll be 2 miles. I'm getting closer!

It's Official

I am officially registered to run my 5K in August. No turning back now. At least not without losing 20$. No way that's happening!

I didn't get to go on my 35 min. walk today. The hubs worked all day, and when he got home it was dinner and kids to bedk, which is a 2 person job. But tomorrow's a rest or run/walk day. So I'll take today as my rest day and tomorrow I'll get my walk in. :)

I really need to weigh in soon. Need to find a scale...

Rest and a 1.75 mile run

Yesterday was a rest day, and thank goodness. I was exhausted, slept in late, then had to deal with a difficult baby all day. I was not in the mood for a run. Sometimes I'll have rough days when I'm itching to go on a run and get it all out. But yesterday was not one of those days.  I also had a girls night out at a fro-yo place. It was great. I could have stayed there all night talking. :)

This morning I went on a 1.75 mile run. It was nice. I've taken to wearing my hat like I used to to keep the sun out of my eyes. I find that it also acts as blinders (like on a horse) so that I don't see too much other than what's in front of my feet. This helps my mind to think less about where I'm at on the trail and how far I have to go. Another trick of mine is that when my breathing gets to be a bit labored, I focus solely on my breathing. Breathe in the nose, out the mouth. When I'm doing this, I don't think about the running as much, which makes it go faster. I guess I can't focus on my breathing, listen to music, and still think about how far I've run at the same time. :)

Tomorrow is a walk day. 35-60 minutes.  Should be relaxing.

Training

I did a walk/run yesterday. It was fun. I wasn't worried about distances. So I ran over to a neighborhood I'm not as familiar with and wandered around. I walked when I got tired, ran when a good song came on my mp3 player. It was fun.
I went out to do my 1.5 miles today. I had a headache and wans't able to finish. The bouncing as I ran was killing. I also had some family coming over for dinner, so I gave in and went home. Now I know that if I have a headache I had to take care of it before I run.

Tomorrow is a rest day. I'm celebrating and having a girls night out for fro-yo. Then I'm back to the daily training Friday.

1.75 mile run

Got my run in this morning. Felt good. I felt like I had a little bit of my runner's mentality that I used to get last summer when I ran. It's amazing how much effort it takes to not think about running while you're out there. But I was able to find a flow and think less about what I was doing. Makes the run go by faster.  I found that when I was in that mindset, I was looking at the ground, instead of ahead of me. When I look forward, I think I tend to think about my next mile marker, and focus on how much distance I have left. That makes the run take forever. So it was a good run today.

Tomorrow's training is to rest or run/walk. I think I'll do a run/walk.

Rest or Walk/Run

Today's training was to rest or walk/run. Here's what that is:

Walk/Run: This is a combination of running and walking, suggested for those in-between days when you want to do some running, but only some. There's nothing in the rules that suggests you have to run continuously, either in training or in the 5-K race itself. Use your own judgment. Run until you begin to feel fatigued, then walk until recovered. Run. Walk. Run. Walk. Another option for in-between days is to do some cross-training: biking, swimming or just plain walking. You get a little exercise, but not so much that you are fatigued for the next day's running workout.

I ended up doing a 35-40 minute walk. Ideally I'd like to keep Sundays for walking or resting. The 7 day training repeats each week, just with the mileage increasing slowly.

It was really relaxing going on the walk. Me and the hubs figured out my trianing for the next two weeks in conjunction with his work schedule. I'm going to be doing my daily training first thing in the morning, after I breastfeed the baby.

I'm also feeling excited since my sweet mom is also back on the treadmill. She had hip replacement a year ago and it's been great for her. I'm so excited for her to be able to get up and exercise again.

So I'd love to challenge anyone who actually reads this to pick a 5K near them and make a goal. You don't even have to run the whole thing. You can walk it! That's why most of them are called a walk/run. It's taken me such a long time to get to this point where I actually feel like I can do this and it's great. I can't wait to make progress and reach some of these goals I'm making. And the more people who are doing it with me, the better. :)

So make a goal everyone. It feels good. :)

30-60 minute walk

Today's event was a 30-60 minute walk. I wasn't home at all today, and I was thinking (incorrectly, unfortunately) that today was a rest day. It was the last day of the family reunion. I did not get my walk in. What a great beginning to my training, huh? But I'm not down about it. It was a really busy few days. Tomorrow's activity is to rest or go on a run/walk. I'll explain what that is tomorrow. I think I'll try and do it since my last two days haven't gone as planned. And on the to-do list for next week is to officially register for the 5K. Woohoo! :)

Snag

I was supposed to run a 1.5 run today. However, today was a full-blown family reunion day. I was still planning on sneaking in 20 minutes to get it done, but today was one of those days. Mostly insanity basically. I did, however, go on a hike with a baby strapped to my chest. I know I walked more than 1.5 miles, so I'm considering today a training day even though I didn't get a run in I am going to consider today's requirement fulfilled. It was a day of family insanity and I'm exhausted. Time for bed.

Rest

Today's my first rest day. There are quite a few of them. Here's what Hal Higdon has to say about resting.

"The most important day in any beginning or intermediate running program is rest. Rest days are as vital as training days. They give your muscles time to recover so you can run again. Actually, your muscles will build in strength as you rest. Without recovery days, you will not improve."

So make sure you give yourself time to rest!

Day 1

I went for my run this morning. It was nice. I was feeling super motivated. 1.5 miles isn't so bad. When I was running the trail a while back, I was always doing 2. Next week it'll bump up to 1.75 and 2 mile runs. But it's a gradual increase, so I'm sure my body will adjust. I'm very excited.

So here's a link to the plan I'm doing. It's for novice runners. It's by Hal Higdon. And if you want to find a run in your neighborhood, here's a website I used to find runs for myself so I could start making my goals. And if you're local, but not ready for a 5K August 27, there's going to be another one around the second week of September, which gives you a few more weeks to get ready. I'm going to run that one as well. Come on everyone! Let's get running!

5K

A friend shared a website with me (Thanks Elaine!) that gives training schedules for races. So I found one for a 5K. It's an 8 week program. I should have started last Sunday. But since we were camping it wouldn't have worked anyhow. So, I'm officially starting my 5K training! My 5K is on August 27th. If any locals would like to join me, even train with me, let me know! I'm all for people to run with.  I'll now be posting every day what I did for my training that day. It's an 8-week program, so I've got a lot to be accountable for. But I'm really excited. It's a nice, gradual increase in distance and I think I can handle it.

After the 5K, I want to find a 10K to do before winter sets in. Then it'll be Ogden in May. Oh yeah! And, I'm totally going to be recruiting for others to run at Ogden with me. Either relay, or half. (You can do the full if you want. But I'm going half.) The more, the merrier! Set a goal and join me!

Changes...

Well, I've had to make some changes to my current plans. I'm going to be continuing with my original exercise plans. I'm going to focus on my running for the summer and fall until the weather gets too awful for outdoor running. Then I'll be getting a gym membership so I can continue my training even when the weather gets tough. My free membership ran out, so I'm officially without gym. But me and the hubs are planning on setting me up with regular running times whenever he gets his schedule for work. I don't know how often I'll be able to weigh in and check on my progress, but I'll try to get in there every now and then so I know how I'm doing. In the meantime, I feel like I'll have to find other things to keep my focus on health and fitness. Perhaps a book on running or nutrition. I have a very tentative goal to hit the Ogden, UT marathon (to do, at most, a half) next May. But before I can do that, I have to set a smaller goal. I want to run a 5k by September or so. Then perhaps a 10k before winter sets in. So my next step is to find my 5k. Perhaps even find one of those nifty running programs that help you reach your goal in 10 weeks, or something like that. Whatever I do, I need to set some smaller goals, so I don't get swallowed up in my larger one.

Gym Day...

So I got myself out of bed earlier than I absolutely had to (which is a big deal for me) and went to the gym this morning. As I was about one minute away, I realized I had left my mp3 player at home. Bummer. But I didn't dare go back for it (we live like 5 minutes away, or less) since I was on the clock with the hubs at home with the kiddos, one of which would need to be breastfeed in the not-to-distant future. So I went without, which wasn't as awful as I thought it'd be. I upped my laps around the track to 5, making my total distance 1 1/4 mile. I worked the weights today, even completing all my reps on the Fly - which is totally my Moby Dick. My arms are so super weak. Last time I tried those reps, they kicked my butt and I only did 5 sets of 5. But this morning I did the full 5 sets of 10. So perhaps part of it is just mental. I can still tell that my left arm is the one dragging behind, but I'm determined to get them more evened out. I am right-handed so I'm naturally stronger there. But I'd like to be a bit more balanced.

My next struggle is what to do about my membership. My month trial is about to end. This week, I think. Argh. I could get a membership where I'm at, but I bet it's not the cheapest. (They have a rock climbing, racquetball courts, tennis, classes, child care, swimming, etc.) Whereas, there's a gym across the street from us that's a 24-hour deal. No child care or classes I bet. But it'd be undoubtedly cheaper. And there's no contract involved. It's strictly month to month. Which my husband likes. I haven't done the research yet. I need to find out prices and whatnot. I do have a reasonable amount of personal money I can put towards a membership. I teach piano lessons and the money I bring in is for my personal use since our budget doesn't currently need it. We'll see. I have some research to do in the next few days, and then a decision to make. Either way, though, I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing. Since I'm working weights and running, I expect the weight won't come off quite the same it did last summer when I was just running. But I'm hoping this will be a better long-term fitness choice.

Working Out

So I feel like I'm semi-set in my current work-out. It feels nice to be a bit more sure about what I'm doing when I'm walking around the machines. Next week I'm going to bump up my runs to add another lap, which will move my total running from 1 mile to 1 1/4. Then after another week or two, I want to work out some different muscle groups, and get familiar with different machines. Once I set up a second weight-routine, I think I'll switch back and forth each week to keep things interesting. That's my current thought anyway.

In my reading, I learned a relevant tip to help me out in my work-outs. It's #7 on this list of work-out tips. There are lots of other good ones too. Check it out here.

Progress...

I had over a week off due to a family reunion. But now I'm back at it, and hoping to be even more motivated. I weighed myself this morning and have a solid goal. I've got 21.2 lbs to go. I'm also going to try and keep track of my weight-lifting a bit more so I can make goals and track progress.Then I'm going to try different machines and different muscle groups. I'm also going to start upping my time on the track. Right now I'm doing 2 half-mile sections. Next week I'll bump it up by one lap each time and it'll be 1 1/4 miles total. As long as I'm able to go to the gym regularly, I'll keep bumping up my distance regularly. I'm also going to have to try and make more of a committment to get myself there. With 3 kids at home, it's just hard. My hubs is so supportive, bless his heart. This morning I left, at his insistence, with 2 screaming kids. One ready for a nap, and the other screaming because I was leaving. But I'm hoping to make more of a committment, possibly even getting up earlier in the morning. We'll see. Either way, I'm excited. Now that I'm keeping track, I'll be able to see the progress I'm making.

Comfortable...

I was able to get to the gym again tonight. It was only my third trip, but I feel like I'm starting to get more comfortable with my routine. It didn't take too long after my last workout for the intense soreness in my arms to go away. Thankfully. I was able to complete all my reps at each machine. My last half mile around the track was quite a bit harder. My legs were getting really sore. I found out that they have a scale and anyone can use it, so I'm going to weigh myself next time. I didn't do it this time, since I didn't ask about it until the end of my workout and had already consumed over 4 cups of water. So I knew I wouldn't have been doing myself any favors there. But I'm going to check up on it my next visit to see if I'm making any progress. I'm still not able to get out very regularly. But that's life with a 2 month old. It's been very rainy too, so I've not been running locally. But I'm determined to keep on plugging along. I'm hoping that in the meantime, all my weight lifting will at least make it easier to carry around my baby. :)