Summary - Monday, 11/17/09

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

This blog is about to get really boring again. Not that it was a page-turner before, but I am going to go back to making a daily checklist on here. Because I like that :)

I have only gained around 6 pounds since the wedding (late August), but I feel a HUGE difference in my body. I've lost a lost of strength and some cardiovascular fitness. My previously flat tummy is now hanging over my tight, tight pants. The time for action is now!

I am giving Weight Watchers a shot. I am not joining the website or live meetings, but I know how to calculated points from 18 years of on-and-off dieting. I like the WW plan because you have "flex points" that you can use up any day of the week - you can have 5 extra points each day, or save all 35 for a big event on the weekend. I also like that veggies are 0 points, so even if I am out of points, I can make myself a little, healthy meal.

Here's my tracking template, and I'll populate it with my results for Monday, 11/17

Weight: 203
Body Fat %: 37.1%
(other measurements)

Remained Binge-free (yes/no): Yes!
Remained in WW range (yes/no): Yes!
WW points eaten, less activity points: 28
Flex used: 0

Miles run: 0
Strength (yes/no): Yes!
Yoga (yes/no): No
Steps: 1,798

  

Richmond's HCA VA 8k

Monday, November 16, 2009

I finally ran another race! It was only an 8k, but it was still a challenge because I've lost some fitness since May's 1/2 marathon.

I am proud of my time in the race, but I'm even more proud of the fact that I got up to run it. We drove down to Richmond Friday night for packet pickup, and then met up with some friends for drinks to celebrate my husband's birthday. We weren't up super late, but I hit a wall around midnight and was EXHAUSTED. I couldn't imagine waking up in a few hours in the pre-dawn dark to go run. I told my friend (who was running with me) that I wasn't sure I was going to make it, and she decided not to run. (She was battling a bad cold, and I think she was only running because we had agreed to do it together, so I think (hope?) she was relieved that I was having 2nd thoughts.) I decided to set my alarm for 6am anyway to see how I felt in the morning, but I had pretty much decided to wimp out. I was disappointed in myself but veeeeery sleepy.

But when my alarm went off, I was wide awake and excited! Got ready in the dark (and didn't even put my pants on backwards... this time) and headed downtown. Parking was tough, so I made it to the starting line just a few minutes before the start (7am). I had almost forgotten how much I love races. It's overwhelmingly inspirational to see people from all walks of life and all fitness levels working toward the same, very personal goal.

The spectators were alright - there were nowhere near as many, and they were nowhere near as fun as at the 1/2 marathon in Fredericksburg. I think this is probably becuase they were waiting to cheer on the race's 1/2 and full marathon runners, and those races started later in the morning. But the course itself was very nice... up one straight, beautiful Richmoned street and back down the parallel street. Almost the entire 2nd half of the race was slightly downhill (but not enough to be tough on the knees & quads), which was a very nice surprise! I had planned on taking a walk break every mile and finishing in 1:20, but I ended up running almost the whole thing and finishing in 1:00:36. I finished 273 out of 559 in my age group - that's the top half! I never imagined I would do so well. Maybe it's mean, but it felt really good to run past skinny people :)

I had a bit of tummy issues that day, but it wasn't bad compared to after the 1/2 marathon or 10 mile race. I think my problem is that I get sooo excited about the race and I end up running a little faster than I had planned. So I either need to start training at faster paces or to calm down on race day. I should probably do both :)

I got some pretty goodies, including a great, flattering, long-sleeve, technical tee:



I'm not going to run any races until March (except maybe a short jingle bell run) becasue I am going to try to focus more on losing 10 pounds than on training. (It is hard to lose weight while training for long distances). As part of that, I try to keep running 6-10 miles/week. I also need to focus on studying for the GRE's (which I'm taking 12/5/09) and applying to grad schools in the next 2-3 months.

Races I'm thinking about:
Jingle Bell 5k
St. Patrick's day 10k
4/11/09 - Cherry Blossom 10 mile (I hope I get a spot - they're doing a registration lottery this year)
Maybe another 1/2 marathon in the spring??

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

SHANNONSNAIL 11/16/2009 12:00PM

Congrats!!!!

To lose or not to lose

Thursday, November 05, 2009

I am feeling torn about what to do about food and weight right now. I have been on and off diets since I was 8 years old. That’s 18 years. I am starting to think and accept that I may be heavy my whole life, and that is OK. I am 40 lbs less than I was 4 years ago, and my body seems to have found a weight it’s happy about. I love running, strength training and yoga. I have a problem over-indulging on sweets, but otherwise I eat nutritiously, focusing on natural, unprocessed foods. My quality of life and health have improved considerably since I lost the weight a few years ago. My blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, and resting heart rate are all better than the recommended ranges. My weight is carried in my hips and thighs, not my stomach. I have not had a bad asthma attack (or even a bad cold) since I started my healthier lifestyle almost 4 years ago. This year I’ve run a 10 mile race and a ½ marathon, and I'm currently training for an 8k next weekend. I drink tons of water, drink several cups of green tea and take a fish oil pill everyday. I make sure to have protein and a fruit/veggie with every meal. All in all, I am 25 pounds overweight, but I think I’m doing pretty well. When I track my food, I become obsessive and miserable, and it inevitably leads to a binge. Thus, I am resistant to change.

But I’m still 25 pounds overweight. My BMI says I’m overweight, my doctor says I’m overweight, and my massive (but strong!) thighs say I’m overweight. I had my annual girly-doctor’s appointment on Friday, and, as usual, she said that she wants me to lose weight. I’m so unaccustomed to talking about it with a real, live person (who isn’t a good friend). It was hard not to cry. She doesn’t get it. She kept trying to convince me that she DOES get it because she lost 10 pounds on Weight Watchers. She also went onto a diatribe about how it is SO hard for her to lose weight because she is short and petite, but that it should be easy for me (I’m 5’11). I wanted to slap her. I’ve been trying to get to a normal weight for 18 years – don’t tell me it should be easy for me.

But the fact is that she is not a meanie, out there to make me feel bad about myself. She is a doctor. Her patient is overweight, and she is well aware of the risks associate with being overweight, and therefore she wants her patient to lose weight. And she has a point. Losing weight would help me reduce my risks of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and who knows what else. It would make getting and being pregnant less complicated, and it would help me (statistically at least) live a longer, happier life with my family.

My doctor was pushing Weight Watchers pretty hard. And then this week I am working with an executive director who did WW. She said that a pour (2oz) of wine is 2 points, and she’s allowed to have 18 points in a day (she is tiny). I had been in the habit of having 2 glasses (5oz each) of wine a night – that’s more than ½ of her daily allowance! That almost made me think I NEED WW.

So what do I do? Do I continue on the path of finally accepting my body the way it is? Or do I jump back into trying to lose weight?

Right now I am working long hours out-of town, studying for the GREs, applying to grad schools and training for an 8k. I don’t know if I have time to learn a whole new system. However, it would not be entirely new because I tried WW a few times in college, high school, and, sadly, elementary school. Hmm… I’m not sure what to do, but for the rest of this week, I am going to go back to tracking my foods in Spark. I am not shooting for a particular calorie number, but it will be good to get back in the habit.

Phew! Sorry for the long post!

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

DVAFYD 11/13/2009 5:47PM

Hi Shannon! 40 lbs is a great accomplishment and you are also doing so much with running! I lost 30 lbs on WW. I totally agree on not focusing on the number on the scale. I've resolved to measure myself once per month and just feel how I feel in my clothes. I like Spark better than WW because I don't feel as much pressure with it, I am going at my own pace and it seems like a more holistic approach. i was a WW member for about 5 years. It's a good program, for sure, but I wanted something different. I hope I've found it :-)

LAURELNMARK 11/5/2009 4:55PM

Hey Shannon. Thx for the blog, it's good to hear your thoughts all typed out, thx for sharing it. It's all so relatable for so many of us, isn't it. You know that I've been running, training & completing similiar races this year. I feel strong, confident, pretty content w/where I'm at but I too have a nagging BMI that I'm just huvvering over the normal/overweight threshold. In order to hold on to a solid healthy BMI I have 10 more lbs to go. 2 months after my first 1/2 marathon back in June, I thought to just maintain where I was at...to take a break, etc. I did & ended up gaining 10 more lbs. I wasn't tracking my food nor was I dedicated to exercising. I've never been on WW but generally speaking it sounds like points are just another way to count your calorie intake. You can & have done that already w/SP. I understand the idea of not wanting to go insanely insane w/all the # crunching & there's NO way I'd last as long as I have w/out having something else to push me along. The goal to run races every 3 months gives me another fitness/health outlet & focus. Don't get me wrong, I still crunch the #'s but it's not the sole focus of my weekly, monthly or quarterly goals. And I HAVE to make a point to not make it all about the #'s. Ultimate goal is a healthy balance in life...for now I'm doing what works but I also allow room to tweek here & there. Hope this helps. I think it's courageous for you to blog & allow input from the rest of us. SP Hugs!!

Big, long list of tiny (and big) goals

Thursday, October 29, 2009

I was really inspired by LAB-LOVER's post about losing 50 pounds and running 1/2 marathons. I checked out her page, and she has a great, long list of goals and accomplishments. She writes the date before each one she accomplishes. While I am wary of getting super excited about losing weight again (as right now I need to focus on being stable and mentally healthy), I can't resist the temptation to write a big list like this. (I looooove lists.) If I like it, after a few weeks I may post it in my profile like she did. I think it would feel really good to check items off the list! You can see hers at her page, here (you need to click "Read More About LAB-LOVER": www.sparkpeople.com/mypage.asp?id=LA
B-LOVER

My goals, large and small. (Some of these I have done before, while training for my 1/2 marathon last Spring, but I have lost that level of fitness so they are a new goal for me. And some, like running 10 miles without walking, I'm not sure if I will ever achieve, but I'm listing them here because it would be awesome!)

Run/walk 5 miles
Run/walk 6 miles
Run/walk 7 miles
Run/walk 8 miles
Run/walk 9 miles
Run/walk 10 miles
Run 2 miles without walking
Run 3 miles without walking
Run 4 miles without walking
Run 5 miles without walking
Run 6 miles without walking
Run 7 miles without walking
Run 8 miles without walking
Run 9 miles without walking
Run 10 miles without walking
Run one 12 minute mile
Run two consecutive 12 minute miles
Run three consecutive 12 minute miles
Run one 11 minute mile
Run two consecutive 11 minute miles
Run three consecutive 11 minute miles
Run one 10 minute mile
Run two consecutive 10 minute miles
Run three consecutive 10 minute miles
Run one 9 minute mile
Run two consecutive 9 minute miles
Run three consecutive 9 minute miles
Run one 8 minute mile
Register for the Cherry Blossom 10-miler
Develop training plan for April's 10-miler
Research and register for a 10k
Register for the Army 10-miler
Finish 8k on 11/15/09
Run a 10k
Beat PR (2:14) in April 2010's 10-miler
Beat PR in Army 10-miler
Complete 40 consecutive girly pushups
Complete 60 consecutive girly pushups
Complete 80 consecutive girly pushups
Complete 100 consecutive girly pushups
Complete one real pushup
Complete 10 consecutive real pushups
Complete 1 pull-up
Lose 5 pounds (196.4)
Lose 10 pounds, and 5% of starting weight (191.4)
Lose 15 pounds (186.4)
Lose 20 pounds, and 10% of starting weight (181.4)
Healthy BMI (178lb)
Lose 25 pounds (176.4)
Lose 30 pounds, and 15% of starting weight (171.4)
Body Fat % of 35%
Body Fat % of 33%
Body Fat % of 31% ("acceptable")
Body Fat % of 29%
Body Fat % of 27%
Body Fat % of 25%
Body Fat % of 24% ("fit")
Lose 1 inch in upper arms
Lose 1 inch in thighs
Lose 1 inch in waist
lose 1 inch in hips
lose 1 inch in calves (I can add more measurements when/if I actually lose them. no idea what a long-term goal for these would be)
Fit into size 12 jeans and work pants
Fit back into my size 10 black lacy dress
Fit back into my size 8 black dress
Fit into pants and sportsbras at lululemon
Switch to organic apples
Switch to organic milk
Switch to organic potatoes
Eliminate HFCS from diet
Eliminate all fried foods from diet
Eliminate processed baked goods from diet (like little debbie and entenmann's)
give up gummy candies for a month
give up all candy for a month
give up wine for lent
Eat "clean" for all meals cooked at home
Complete second 21 day binge-free cycle
Complete 2 consecutive binge-free cycles
Complete 100 days binge-free

Phew - I've got a lot of work cut out for me! Right now, I am going to focus on TODAY - I will not binge and I will run 3 miles.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LAURELNMARK 11/5/2009 4:57PM

Way to list it all out! Hope you had a thoughtful 3 mile run afterwards...keep the focus on your today!

RLKILLION 10/29/2009 11:11AM

Wow I had started a list of goals and rewards but not near as specific. I will have to look at doing this.

Update

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

I've been away from Spark for a while, so an update is in order!

Life:
I got married, woohoo! It was such a happy, love-filled day, and I am thrilled about being with Mike for the rest of my life.







Also, I am currently studying for the GREs and attending open houses so that I can start full-time grad school for Speech Pathology next fall. I am so excited about this future and proud of myself doing this after years as a successful accountant. It's time to start following my heart and not my wallet.

Diet:
Back in August and September, I thought that I had a handle on my binge eating. I was focusing on eating healthful foods to nourish my body. I wasn't counting or obsessing over calories. I was eating like a normal person, without binges. Somehow that has changed. I have been bingeing lately. This, along with a reduction in exercise, has caused me to gain a few pounds and lose most of my muscle tone. I am kind of depressed about it - I thought I had a handle on this. I thought that I could live like a normal person, rather than in the diet/binge cycle I've been in for 18 years. But what can I do? I do not want to go on a restrictive diet again. I'm not sure how to handle this, but for now, I am focusing on being binge-free, one day at a time. I won't even count the number of days... all that matters is the day that I'm working right now. I've already blown this morning, but I am committing to being binge-free for the rest of the day. After a few weeks of this, I will decide if I am ready to try something more restrictive. I am seriously considering joining OA. The problem is in my head, but that doesn't mean it's not real. I need to deal with this.

Fitness:
Running - I was unable to keep up with my 1/2 marathon training schedule for the weeks leading up to the wedding and on the honeymoon. I am going to down-grade my registration to the 8k. This is around 5 miles. I have hardly run lately, so this will still be a HUGE challenge for me. Right now I can only run 1.5miles before I need a walking break. The race is in 3 weeks. I will do the best I can, but I am not going to kill myself or feel guilty over this.

Strength - I have done next to zero strength training since the wedding. While me weight has only creeped up by 4 pounds, I can feel a HUGE difference in my body, as fat has replaced muscle. I am excited about re-starting the Jillian Michaels dvds and working out at the gym with weights. Sometimes I think I should give priority to running, but I need to start doing strength when I feel like it. A bunch of times I've thought "nah, I'll go for a run later," but then later never comes and I've missed out on a good workout.

Yoga - I went to free yoga on Sunday for the first time in a long time, and it felt SO good. I definitely want to start practicing yoga again, even if it's only once a week.


I've only been back on Spark for a few minutes, but I'm already feeling re-energized. It's good to sit down and think about where I am, how I got there, where I want to be, and how to get there.

  

  Member Comments About This Blog Post:

LAURELNMARK 11/5/2009 5:00PM

Thoughtful, reflective blog. It sounds so simliar to how I've been the past 5 months. Thx for posting. I've missed hearing from you, welcome back!!

SKTRAINOR 10/27/2009 4:33PM

Thanks for visiting my blog and the encouragement that you left for me! I too struggle with the binge eating thing. I hate to name it that, because it just sounds so taboo. I do great for weeks at a time and I loose weight, then Bam, in a matter of a week or so I undo all of my hard work with the dreadful binge. I have also been stuck between 180-190 for the past couple of years. Don't get me wrong, it does feel good to be down under 200, but ultimately I have not reached my goal. I know it is a mind thing for me and probably for most people. Anyway, glad you are back and I want to add you as a friend so I can cheer you on! Congrats on getting married, Very exciting times! My husband and I will have our 12th wedding anniversary, but I rarely ever claim that bc we have been together for over 17 yrs, with 3 children age 15, 10, and 9. I look forward to getting to know you!

SHANNONSNAIL 10/27/2009 3:28PM

Welcome back!