When did THAT happen?

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Back in November of last year I started taking private swim lessons.  I knew how to tread water and get myself out of trouble if I was in trouble but I didn't know how to do the various strokes properly and I definitely didn't know how to breathe and swim at the same time.  I was completely out of my comfort zone.  I loved swimming because it was something completely different from anything I'd done before but I hated it because it was extremely difficult.

An oldie but a goodie!  This race seemed
absolutely impossible.  Guess what?
Small goals and a coach who wouldn't
up on me got me to the finish line.

When I started I could barely make it down the length of the pool without stopping to catch my breath.  I doubted that I'd ever be able to actually swim laps and my goal of competing in a sprint triathlon (with a half mile open water swim) seemed to be getting farther and farther away.  However, I bought all the lessons so I didn't have any choice but to keep going.  My swim instructor, Ann, is very encouraging and keeps giving me new twists to keep swimming interesting.

So, I keep going and I keep trying.  I've been setting small goals for myself (does that sound familiar?!) to do the front crawl 6 or 8 laps.  Over the weekend my goal was to swim 10 lengths without flippers and without stopping.  I swam 12 lengths.  I felt so proud of myself and figured that I'd kind of hang out and swim 12 lengths this week and just keep increasing by 2 lengths every week.
In the meantime I've gotten some new swimming gear namely a swim cap and flippers.  The flippers have given me little blisters on my toes though so I wasn't terribly excited to put them on today.  So I just started crawling.  I knew I wanted to swim my 12 lengths before I put on the flippers to really fly but as I started swimming there was just something so peaceful about the rocking and rolling motion.  Listening to my breath.  Counting my strokes.  Before I knew it I had gone 20 lengths of the pool without stopping so I just kept going until I needed to get a drink of water.

I guess my point is that when we first start things the goal seems so far off and that we may never achieve it but we just have to keep going because as long as we keep trying we will reach the goal.

What is your big goal and what small steps will you take to get there?

Bondi Band Winner!

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One of my favorite designs!

Have I shared my love of Bondi Band with you?  If not, let me tell you - I love this company!  You see, when I run or bike I sweat.  A lot.  I tried a few different kinds of headbands but apparently my head and/or hair is slippery (which sounds kinda gross but it's not) because they'd always end up moving during my workout.  Until I found Bondi Band.  I love the heavy wicking headbands.  They stay put and collect the sweat so I can focus on the activity at hand.

I also love them because the band is wide enough that on the cool mornings I can pull the headband down over my ears for a little warmth as well as sweat collection.  Dual purpose in my book is awesome!

When Bondi Band introduced compression to their product line I practically squealed with delight.  In fact, I think I did!  The patterns they offer were fun and practical so I ordered up a pair of these argyle sleeves.  I've worn them after my long runs and races this year with great results.  After 8-13.1 miles there is no better feeling than pulling on some compression sleeves for a few hours!!  Plus, I've gotten quite a few compliments about them!

Last week I celebrated reaching my goal weight by kicking off a contest to give away some of my favorite work out gear from Bondi Band!  The fabulous folks over there offered to give away three headbands and a pair of compression socks!  I'm thrilled to announce that Erika L. is the winner!!  Congratulations Erika!  I'll be in touch shortly!

Thank you to everyone else for celebrating my anniversary by entering this contest!  If you haven't ordered up some Bondi Band products yet, do it now!!

Let's Celebrate!

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Taken about two weeks after I joined Weight Watchers
July 2010

It has been a year since I reached my goal weight and I am so proud and excited to have maintained a 215 pound weight loss.  This is not something that I ever thought possible - in fact I never thought I'd be a Weight Watchers member more than six months.  You see, I had done Weight Watchers before.  In 2001 while a bunch of my co-workers were attending "At Work" meetings I joined as an online member.  I sort of wanted to join the meetings too but it was too far to walk!  When I followed the on-line program I lost a bunch of weight but I figured I could continue doing this on my own and I quit.  I was wrong. I gained back all that I had lost and more.

Eleven months and 104 pounds later
June 2011

I had been thinking for awhile that something needed to change but I had no idea what that change needed to be.  Every week I kept saying (to myself because I was afraid of admitting it to anyone else) that I was going to start a diet but I never committed to it.  When my friend, Sheri, called me and asked me to join with her I was reluctant.  I am tremendously thankful that she was so persistent!  When I joined I found out that I could still eat and drink my favorite things.  This was extremely important to me because I needed to learn how to cook, portion control and even eat out all while staying on plan.
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The group that I joined was also a huge part of my success.  There was one member, Diane, in particular that really kept me motivated.  We joined Weight Watchers on the same day and we both had over 100 pounds to lose.  I used Diane hitting milestones as motivation -- if she could do it then there was no reason I couldn't.  As much as I always wanted my weight loss to be a downward trend I realize that my weight gain never was and that I needed to learn my weight loss lessons.  Those lessons included learning what triggered unhealthy eating and drinking and finding ways to manage that.

Half Marathon #5 - April 2014

In addition to those lessons I also needed to learn about activity.  I always shied away from activity because of my weight.  When I was in 7th/8th grade I played basketball and hated that I was always the slowest one on the team.  I hated P.E. (Physical Education) class because I'd almost instantly start sweating and my face would turn red.  Except I knew that now was the time to get active.  An encouraging call from my sister to start training for my first 5K was exactly what I needed when I needed it to get the ball rolling.  That seems like ancient history because in the nearly four years that I've been a Weight Watchers member I've completed numerous short distance races (5K, 9K, 10K, 15K) and SIX FREAKING HALF MARATHONS!  I'm finally comfortable working out in front of other people (most of the time) regardless of whether my face is beet red or I'm sweating profusely.  I've learned that with activity I can just go out and have fun.

Seriously - this medal is ENORMOUS.
And Heavy.
I (obviously) love it so much!

Now, if you think that reaching your goal weight means you get to relax a little bit you might be slightly delusional.  Early on in my journey that's exactly what I thought but as I got closer and finally got to maintenance I realized that it is just as hard as losing the weight.  However, I realized that one thing that made weight loss (and maintenance) hard was focusing on the things that I used to eat rather than all the things that I've developed a serious passion for over the last four years.  This is another one of the reasons that I think gradual weight loss is so beneficial because it gives you the time to figure out what you like so you can truly enjoy it.  I also think that as we reach our goal weight and maintenance that we celebrate less.  There are no more milestones to reach or goals to hit so we have to celebrate other things.  Like getting giant medals!  Being able to celebrate our accomplishments certainly keeps me going and gives me something to look forward to!

What about you?  How do you celebrate?

In the name of celebrating, one of my most favorite companies in the whole world is letting me give away some fantastic products!  Have you seen/tried the wonderful products from Bondi Band?  The prize pack that we're giving away includes 3 headbands and a pair of compression socks.  Go, register now!  And tell all your friends!!

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Journey's Half Marathon Race Goals

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Leaving the starting line in May of 2011

I can't believe that my next half marathon is coming up THIS WEEKEND!!  This race has such a special place in my heart and I am so excited to be heading back up there.  It was this event back in 2011 when I started getting active.  I'd lost about 75 pounds by the time race day came around and while I'd been training to walk my first 5K and I really just hoped that I'd be able to finish the race.  Oh, how things have changed since that day!

Coming in to the finish,
May 2012

Last year when I ran the 5K I finished 7th in my age group and I was really looking forward to tackling the course again and seeing if I'd improved my 5K time.  Then, after the Oshkosh Half Marathon last month my brother-in-law, Alex, asked if I was going to run Eagle River?  I immediately responded no.  Then as Dan and I were driving home I started to think about it and had commented that I thought I was 5 minutes off my PR time and Dan reminded me that I was actually under 2 minutes off my PR time and then the decision was made... I wanted another crack at running 13.1 miles.

Not only is this half marathon course brand new to me but it is also a point to point.  I'm obviously hoping for a brand new PR since I was so close last month, however, I think this course is going to be a bit hillier than Oshkosh.  The other goals I have in mind:

After the race
May 2013

1. Start slow and maintain a good pace.  Negative splits, meaning the last half of the miles are faster than the first half, are always my goal but they've never happened.  Maybe this is the race!
2. Fuel regularly.  In Oshkosh I fueled every 3 miles and that seemed to work well so I am going to try that again.
3. Relax.  Drop my shoulders and breathe.  I tend to run with my shoulders all hunched up and then I hurt later so I'll spend some time every mile to evaluate my posture.
4. Stretch post-race.  My IT band has been super cranky lately so I know I need to stretch and foam roll.
5. Have fun.  All of the hard work is done so I just need to enjoy the scenery, my fellow runners and my time on the course.

If you'd like to show me some love perhaps you'd consider making a tax deductible donation to support my NEXT half marathon in July.  The money donated goes to support the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and is 100% tax deductible.
http://www.active.com/donate/napaIL14/ILJMcElro1

Oshkosh Half Marathon Goals

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My "I'm going to pose like I'm running"
photo from last year
This year, I'm just going to run and not pose

It occurred to me a few days ago that I haven't really mentioned that I'm currently training for a half marathon.  I am!  It's in less than a week!  EEKS!  I'm running the Oshkosh Half Marathon on Sunday morning.  This training cycle has been ... well ... difficult.  Last year when I trained I was happily running my long runs on the Fox River Trail by mid-February.  This year, however, with the Polar Vortex that enveloped the region kept the trail frozen up until a couple of weeks ago.  I also spent more of my training season on the treadmill than ever before.  In short, I'll be happy when this half marathon is behind me!

However, no race would be complete without some goals, right?  So... in no particular order:

1)  I've started stalking the weather and it's changed from rain to sleet and snow.  So, my first goal is just going to be to finish.  Running in sleet or freezing rain for two hours is just not my idea of fun so finishing might be miraculous.

2)  Start with the 2:15 pace group.  This is who I started with last year but couldn't maintain the pace so I'd like to hang with them this year.  If I can't hang with them the entire race I want to at least hang with them through the park - around mile 9-10, I think.

3)  Relax.  I tend to get all worked up the night before and morning of the race so I'd like to just run and have fun.  That have fun part is going to be more difficult if there is sleet/freezing rain.

4)  Fuel appropriately.  My plan is to eat dates at the 3's (miles 3, 6, 9, 12) and drink some Nuun at this points, at least.

5)  Stretch after the race.  I usually don't feel like stretching after a half but my IT Band has been a little grumpy lately so I know that this will help me in the long run.

I know that all the hard work is done.  So, now I just have to run 13.1 miles.

If you want to show me some love how about a tax deductible donation to my NEXT half marathon?  Every single dollar helps! Donations can be made by visiting:
http://www.active.com/donate/napaIL14/ILJMcElro1

Success Events

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Diane, Terry & me
In total we've lost 430 pounds!
photo courtesy of Martha

Last Friday I weighed in and sat in on my "meeting as a member" (vs. working a meeting) and was thrilled to be back in my goal weight range.  I'd gained some weight after I stopped training last fall and it has taken me awhile to lose those 10 pounds.  I'm barely back in the +/- range but I'm hopeful that I'll now be able to maintain.  I thought the timing was particularly appropriate because Saturday was our Success Stories event at Weight Watchers.  I was thrilled and honored to be a part of this fantastic day.  We had four members speak to the group about weight loss, their a-ha moments and maintenance.  It was inspiring and motivating to listen to their stories and see the similarities in our respective journeys.

Helene, a friend from our Tuesday night group, who recently hit her goal weight asked Diane (who lost over 100 pounds and is definitely a constant inspiration to me) and I whether maintenance gets easier.  Diane said that she asked Karen, our leader, that question awhile ago and Karen said no.  Which makes me think of one of the quotes that Karen said to us a long time ago.

Losing Weight is Hard.
Maintenance is Hard.
Staying the Same is Hard.
Choose Your Hard.

While I have struggled with maintenance I think that when I accept how I have to eat and how active I know that I have to be that this part of the journey just feels a little easier.  I think if you find new things that you love and focus on them rather than focusing on the things that you don't have anymore it feels easier.

What new loves make your journey easier?

Celebrations

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Oh look, then and now!!

Yesterday in my Weight Watchers meeting my leader closed the meeting by saying:

We will continue to do the things we celebrate.  The small things make a big difference in the long run.

She's absolutely right.  When I was losing weight it was easy to celebrate the small things - the five pound increments, the milestones, the increase in activity.  However, now that I've lost the weight there are less things to celebrate.  A friend of mine, Carrie (she lost 150 pounds on Weight Watchers), and I were discussing this a few weeks ago and agreed that this is probably one of the things that makes maintenance hard.

So, with that in mind here are some of the small things that I've celebrated in the past... and things I want to continue celebrating going forward.  Things I previously celebrated:

1. Able to sit in an airplane seat with no seat belt extender
2. Able to put the airplane tray table down without being uncomfortable
3. Able to shop in any store (not just plus size stores)
4. Able to walk different distances:  first around the block, then 5K, then 9K, then 10K
5. Able to complete a basic running program and then half marathon training
6. Able to eat a meal and not be sick within twenty minutes (seriously, it has happened dozens of times.  Ask Dan or Sheri!)

Here are things that I will continue to celebrate:

1. Squash trigger food cravings, one day at a time
2. Finish a half marathon in less than 2 hours
3. Honestly measure/track what I eat/drink to stay focused

The lists are not all inclusive but are definitely a good starting place.  What little things do you celebrate?  How do you celebrate them?

Thoughts pre-Tyranena Beer Run

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My first half marathon!

Tomorrow I'll toe the line of my last half marathon of 2013 in Lake Mills, Wisconsin at the Tyranena Beer Run.  The mental craziness started pretty much 9 days ago when I could start stalking the weather.  At the time the weather report was predicting 15 mph winds.  Yeah, pretty sure that's enough to make you want to cry for your mommy after 10 miles, in my opinion.  Since then they've changed it to be 8 mph winds gusting to 15 so I'm really hoping that the gusting is a tailwind.

While I've completed the half marathon distance before the distance is still a little daunting.  The majority of the long runs I had during this training season have gone really well so I'm going to try to channel in on those positive feelings when my mental energy starts to wane.

The other courses I've run have been promoted as fast and flat courses.  This course is not promoted as flat so I'm really hoping that I'm trained well enough to handle the hills.  I'm pretty sure that the Coach B voice in my head will quote Christopher (her son) and tell me to pound my legs into the hill and climb it strongly, or something like that.  

I read a tweet this morning that seemed like it was meant just for me, but more likely for the tens of thousands running the New York City Marathon this weekend.

So... my goals:

• Run the entire race
• Of course I really want to be able to run the entire race.  That is except for the short breaks when I have to stop to drink since I can't seem to do that without choking if I'm running.  
• Begin Slow
• I'm hoping to be smarter about this race than any of the others I've done - going out slower than I normally would in order to conserve energy for the final miles.  
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
• Fueling at pre-determined times to keep my hydration levels up so that I don't get dehydrated, again

So who else is racing this weekend?  Any tips?

If you're in the Lake Mills, Wisconsin area c'mon out and cheer me on.  I'll be sporting my usual Team Challenge singlet!

Weight Loss/Maintenance Tool Box

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[source]

Have you ever stopped to think about the tools you keep in your weight loss/maintenance tool box?  No, well, take a minute to think about it, we'll wait...  Ok, done thinking?  What'd you come up with?

While listening to the discussion at a few meetings this week the obvious ones were thrown out.  Tools like measuring and tracking, planning menus/shopping lists, and using the recipe builder were hot topics.  A few other ideas included the weeklies, cookbooks and eTools.

How about considering your internal tools?  Sometimes we forget that only we can hold ourselves accountable for what we eat and what we do.  For example, have a really bad meal and feel like not tracking it?  Sure, it's probably not the most idea situation but your very next choice could put you back on track.  So maybe instead of feeling like you've blown it so you might as well give up on weight loss how about learning from the situation.  Try to learn that no matter how big of a mistake the meal was you're still healthier than you were before.  I think it's also helpful to remember that it'll never be easier to get back on track than if you start as soon as possible.

On the flip side are you also prepared to celebrate your accomplishments?  Realizing how far you've come, whether you are new to weight loss or whether you've been maintaining your weight loss for years you have to celebrate your accomplishments in a healthy way.  Maybe we should spend some time thinking about this as well!

What kind of tools do you rely on?  How about ways to celebrate your accomplishments?

Small Changes

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I have a little golden key!!

This was not the original topic of this post but I felt that it was so super important that I had to write it.  This week we talk about the ripple effect.  When I joined Weight Watchers nearly three years ago (it'll be my anniversary in eight days!) one of the things that my leader, Karen, said to me really stuck with me.  Make small changes/set small goals.  Each time I'd ever tried to lose weight before I felt like I overhauled my entire life.  I changed everything I was eating, tried to work out like crazy, etc... and those things would work for a few weeks and then I'd give up because I was exhausted and I just wanted a cookie.  Or twelve.

This time, however, I made the small changes.  I started by just calculating and tracking everything that I ate.  I saw results at the scale and kept going.  I drank more water and focused on the good health guidelines and the scale kept moving, mostly in the right direction.  Until it stopped.  I kept saying I needed to add activity and a few weeks later I finally did by starting to walk on the treadmill.  The scale started moving again and I kept feeling great about the things I was doing.  I was walking farther, faster or sometimes both!  I was also bragging about these accomplishments which also helped motivate me to continue.

All of these small changes ripped into my weight loss.  In the time I've been a Weight Watchers member I have lost 215 pounds and tonight I received the most awesome of all the rewards.  Tonight Karen handed me the little golden key that means I am a lifetime member.  All because I made small changes which became lifestyle changes and just a part of my routine.  How amazing is that?!

What small change can you make that can make a big difference in a month?  A year?  Three years?

Chicago 13.1 Race Goals

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I can't believe I'm a runner.  I know that people say (including me yesterday) that if you log the miles you're a runner.  So, I suppose I'm a runner.  It seems like such a foreign concept after only having started to run less than a year ago.  Regardless, tomorrow I will take on my third half marathon with the fabulous Team Challenge.  So today I am thinking about my goals for the race.  I usually rank them as A (best), B (good), and C (acceptable) goals.

A:  Finish in 2 hours and 10 minutes (cutting over 18 minutes off my Oshkosh half time)
B:  Finish in 2 hours and 20 minutes (you can do the math)
C:  Finish in 2 hours and 25 minutes (see above)

Coach Barbara and I before the half in Vegas
(cause this photo never gets old!)

In addition to the above goals I also want to meet lots of other Team Challenge participants and have as much fun as possible.  However, there is also a serious note to why I run.  I raise money and awareness for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA).  As a Crohn's patient this cause is near and dear to my heart and while my disease is mostly in remission (knock on wood) I have a dear friend, Ali, who is currently battling a very severe flare which has left her bed/couch ridden, in terrible scream inducing pain, and unable to leave her apartment for months.

While I want to set a new PR and have a fabulous race what I really want is to find a cure for this freaking disease!  I'd love to not have to inject myself with medication every other week or have the "pleasure" of having colonoscopies every year.  I hate having to worry about seeing people when they are sick because the medication I take leave me immunosuppressed.  I dread the anxiety that I get when my abdomen starts to hurt or I start to run a fever for fear that I'll end up in the hospital, again.  I want my friends (and me) to be able to live their lives without having to be within spitting distance of the nearest bathroom.

I have asked a thousand times but if you haven't already donated (or even if you have and want to give more) please consider donating to Team Challenge.  It doesn't have to be a big donation because every single dollar adds up.  I am more thankful than you will ever know that you have helped me raise over $5800 for CCFA during my training for Las Vegas and Chicago.  You touch my heart and while I will be thinking of Ali while I run the half marathon tomorrow I hope you know that each person who donated and helped me get to the starting line will also be on my mind.

Feelings about goal weight

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When we last met (ok, not really since I had to brag about my 10K PR this weekend but just go with me) I said that I wanted to think about hitting goal before I actually blogged about it.  For something that has taken me nearly three years to accomplish you'd think I'd have a lot to say and that I'd be prepared to say it.  I've been thinking about it for the past week and the best I've come up with is... WOW!  I thought I'd summarize my weight loss journey and wrap it all up in a nice bow for you fine folks but I realize that is a little silly since I've been blogging about my journey from the beginning.

Instead let me share with you some very random thoughts.  When I started on this weight loss journey I never thought about how things would change and differences that I would notice.  These are generally a thought that lasts all of a second but they kind of make me chuckle.

1. My pants pockets are so much smaller (as are my pants, obviously)
2. I used to be able to reach the pedals in the car with the seat all the way back so Dan and I never had to adjust them.  Now I can't reach the pedals and I have to move the seat up pretty far.  I usually forget to  move the seat back when I am done driving and Dan ends up trying to fold himself into the car the next time he drives it
3. My feet are narrower but I keep getting bigger running shoes - seriously THAT needs to stop
4. Clothes are smaller (obviously) and putting them into suitcases/dresser drawers is kind of comical
5. My fingers/hands have shrunk but I hadn't realized my wrists would shrink too
6. I can sit in any chair without worrying about getting bruises on the outsides of my thighs from the arms of the chair
7. I was never into dresses/skirts before but now I sort of enjoy wearing them

What random thoughts do you have that make you chuckle?

And finally...

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I have thought of writing this post for nearly three years.  Now that it's time I'm not entirely sure what to say, so for now... check out the new bling.  The star means GOAL!!!!

This happened!

It started like this:

Along the way these things happened:

Eagle River 5K (my first race) with my sister, Brenda

Walk to support canine cancer research with Sheri & Bri

Running with Jen

Goofing for the camera

Meeting Corey & Anna

Met some amazing friends

More racing with Brenda

Hiking on Matanuska Glacier in Alaska

Seriously awesome biking in Alaska

Training with this amazing woman, Coach Barbara

She said she'd get me across the finish line - and she did (best photo ever, by the way)

Sharing my story at Weight Watchers

Another running photo - cause this race was AWESOME!

More later...

Race Goals: Oshkosh Half Marathon

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I started to consider running the Oshkosh Half Marathon way back in November.  Even before I'd completed the half marathon that I was training for at the time.  It seemed so far away and I'd have plenty of time to train (and I have) so that I would really feel ready.  During training I didn't even really think about goals - other than a better/stronger finish than in Las Vegas.  However, I love goals and it'll give me something to think about while I'm out there on Sunday so here we go.

Try to avoid making this face

1. Finish stronger than Las Vegas
2. Run happy and enjoy the race because the hard work is done so have a good time
3. Smile for the photographers
4. Fuel appropriately during the race so as to not need medical attention this time
5. Don't fall down
6. Re-hydrate appropriately after the race and then celebrate all the hard work
7. Stay with the pace group for at least the first half of the race to prevent going out too fast

If I hang with the pace group for the whole race or run the race that I am planning on running I should run a pace of 10:30/mi.

2013 Fitness Goals

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With the arrival of the new year it's time to think about what I'd like to accomplish this year from a fitness/health perspective.  So here we go ... these are listed in no particular order.

1. Run a sub 30:00 5K - that'd shave 2:30 off my current PR!
2. Run a half marathon - the whole thing.  
3. Run 700 miles - I logged about 550 this year so 700 seems like a good increase
4. Strength train more consistently - this is so important for half marathon training but it waxed/waned in 2012 so I want to be more consistent and build more upper body strength.
5. Hit my goal weight - I am, again, not focusing on this because I don't want to feel like if I don't get to my goal weight that I've failed.

What are your goals for 2013?

Half Marathon Goals

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As half marathon training quickly ticks away I can't help but think about the goals I'd like to accomplish with this race.  I figure I need to start writing these things down so that on December 3 or 4 when I want to write my fabulous half marathon recap I can identify whether I was successful or not.  These are listed in no particular order ... and I'll probably update/adjust them up until race day.

1. Exceed my fundraising goal
2. Be happy while running this race (you've already done the hard work of training and fundraising and now it's time to have fun)
3. Run the entire race, even if the pace is slow as hell, keep running
4. Listen to the crowds and enjoy the bands on the course
5. Don't fall down
6. Do not accept anything on the course (food/drink) that hasn't been tried during training
7. Finish the race running - seriously
8. Finish the race with a gigantic smile plastered all over my face
9. Fuel appropriately during the race
10. Have a photo taken with my space blanket and race medal
11. Rehydrate appropriately after the race and then enjoy a beer
12. Eat whatever you want after the race - don't count the points but that meal is it. Then back on track.
13. Have fun with your family who will be there before/during/after the race

If you were running your first half marathon what would your goal be?

Half way to another goal

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A few weeks ago I wrote a post about the Under Armour #WhatsBeautiful challenge.  When I signed up for that challenge I had to state my goal and it was to run my first half marathon after losing more than 200 pounds.  I've read quite a few blogs where people started training for races (some half marathons some full marathons) and that they gained weight.  *gasp* I didn't want to gain weight... obviously.  The week that the group ran 5 miles (and coincidentally after I'd had a couple of weeks of gains) I was running with Coach Bill and I asked him if he thought that because of the increased amount of training that weight gain was unavoidable.  I was surprised (and frankly relieved) when he said no and encouraged me to stay away from the pre-run binge on pasta/bread and instead continue to focus on getting my carbs from fresh fruits and vegetables.  When he said that I was like YES!  This I can do because all of those things are FREE POINTS!!!

Fast forward a few weeks and I am happy to report that half of that goal has now been accomplished.  When I went to weigh-in today I was a little nervous.  My last weigh-in was only last Thursday so really how much weight could I lose?  Additionally, after stepping on my scale this morning and seeing that I was only down 0.2 pounds I thought I might not even have a loss this week.  Imagine my surprise then when I stepped on the scale at my meeting and realized that I lost 2.2 pounds for a total of 201.0 pounds.  It's awesome and trust me when I say that I am aware of the awesomeness because I can do stuff that I could never do before.  Like run SEVEN miles.  At one time.  Without stopping.  Also impressive?  Being able to shop at basically every store (ironically except the plus sized clothing stores) without wondering if I'll fit into the clothes.

I have lots of other thoughts rolling through my head right now... I can't quite explain how I feel and apologize if this post is all over the place.  I'll try to gather my thoughts a little better before I post again...

So what do you do now that you couldn't do before?

SIXTY MILES!!!

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How many miles do you think you could walk or run in 30 days?  Well, 31 days to be exact.  In late November I found out that my Garmin had a 'goal' feature that allowed me to set a goal and it would track it.  Cool, right?  So I created a goal that over the month of December that I'd go 60 miles in 30 days.  So, on December 31, Dan and I set out for the last walk to cover the last 3 miles.  Hitting the goal felt amazing and tiring.  Mostly amazing!

You can click on the image to see it bigger

The remainder of our New Years weekend was spent being reading in front of the fire, watching movies and playing with the dogs.  In Northern Wisconsin there was enough snow to make the dogs leap and jump through snow piles.  They were in heaven!  I also started thinking about new goals... what do I want to accomplish in 2012?  I'm still working on some of them but will post them shortly.

I missed my meeting this week due to a critical work problem.  I did go late and weigh in and the results were alright.  They were good, not great but since I have been battling a cold for several days I didn't expect to see huge numbers.

How was your New Year?  Do you set resolutions?  What kind of things do you want to accomplish in 2012?

Activity Goals?

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I've heard quite a bit about the Garmin Forerunner watches but I thought that I was fine with the app I'd downloaded on my phone.  However, after more than a few activities with data reported that I knew was not correct I decided that I wanted more reliable data when it comes to my training.  I'd done some research on the models out there and finally decided on the Garmin Forerunner 405.  I've been using it for about a week and I love it.

The data that is tracked on the watch gets transferred (wirelessly) to the GarminConnect.com website.  There is also software that you can download onto your computer called Training Center, in case you will be in an area without internet access.  I have used both and like the web interface because it lets you easily share the data with others but I like the computer client because the graphs are nicer, in my opinion.

Here is a graph of a walk I did this morning from the Training Center Software:

I'm also giving you the link if you want to see the info, from the same activity, that gets stored on Garmin Connect

I really want to work towards spending more time in the slow jog zone.  This morning I took Tucker on a 2 mile walk and then came back, put Tucker in his house, and then took Briscoe on the same route.  I thought this was pretty good time/pace but look forward to getting faster (Briscoe does too!!)

Anyway... I was playing around with the website (Garmin Connect) today and found that you can set activity goals.  SWEET!!  So I set a goal for December to walk 60 miles.  There are 4 full weeks and if I walk 5 days a week for 3 miles .... Can I do it?  Could you?  Have you set goals like this for yourself?  If so, what are/were they?

As a reminder, my last 5K of 2011 is coming up fast and I could really use your help to raise money for the Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Center.  Please see the top left side of the blog for the link/more information.

What's the Point?

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I've been sick since last Tuesday with a nasty bug... it resulted in two days off work and cancelled weekend plans.  Most depressing was that I hadn't been able to take my morning walk in over a week.  This was depressing because I have a 9K coming up on Sunday and I really had my training plan mapped out.  Plus, my scale at home was not showing any weight changes.

I went to weigh in and my leader (having seen me last week at the start of the bug) asked me how I was feeling.  I answered that I was feeling a little better, then I stepped on the scale and while I didn't know what my weight was from last week I knew that I'd lost weight. How much?  3.8 pounds.  3.8 POUNDS!!!  Karen, my leader, is always so excited about loss (only one of the reasons I love her) and even gave me 3 exclamation points on my name tag (another reason I love her).

During the meeting we talked about small changes.  This is all possible and it works because of small changes. Today after lunch when I normally have dessert I had a pear and oh my goodness it was so sweet that I didn't have any desire to have anything else.  How great is that?  That this little change could make such a big difference over time.

One of the ladies in my meeting, Melany (I hope I spelled her name right but apologize if not), said that her change was to only drink water.  She used to drink Diet Coke and had a drink of one over the weekend and immediately switched back to water.  She's fabulous and I congratulate her for making that choice.  We also celebrated that she lost 10% which is awesome and should be celebrated!

When I got home I was telling Dan about my loss... I said I've lost 131 point something.  He said, what's the point?  I said I dunno.  He said the point is to lose weight.  Oh, he's HIGH-larious, did I mention that?

So... wish me luck with my 9K this weekend.  I'm doing the Title 9K on Sunday.  If you're in the Lincoln Park area and want to come cheer me on... feel free!  We're heading over to Revolution Brewing to celebrate afterwards.  :)

What small changes have you made or what small changes can you make?