Victory is MINE!!!

So it's Sunday and yesterday was the 10K. I rolled out of bed at about 6:15a.m. ready to go, excited but anxious. After all, I hadn't exercised in 3 weeks. That's right, 3 weeks and nothing, zip, nada. First there was the "I just can't get myself out of bed" week and then there was the back pain that just wouldn't go away. So, I really wasn't sure how well it would go, I was hopeful but uncertain. My goal was to finish in 1:45:00, about a 17 minute mile. I knew it would be a hard pace to keep especially given the lack of exercise lately.

Well, I headed off for the 10K which conveniently started and finished right down the street from my sister's house. I parked my car at her house and then she, my husband and I headed down to the start line. Now the race was advertised as a 10K run and 5K walk but I contacted the folks heading up the event to make sure it was OK to walk the 10K. With the go ahead from them, I waited at the start line fearing I would be the only person walking and for a while it appeared that would be the case but, just before the bell (the cow bell, yes, a cow bell, it's a small event) 3 more walkers showed up. And you know as well as I know that you can tell the difference between a walker and a runner and they could too as I heard one of them say, "Hey another walker."

Well, I took off at a fast pace, I-pod in ear, water in hand and my cheerleaders right behind me. I felt my heart rate increase as I kept pace with the music and my heart and lungs felt good. Apparently my recent hiatus hadn't hurt my cardiovascular system as much as I anticipated. My muscles though...that's a whole other story.

I was good from the waist up but I was not good from the waist down. The first pain was right in the bends of my legs, right in the hip socket. That started about 5 minutes in and never let up. Now I am not going to bore you with every ache and pain let me just say the I can barely walk today. I look like a penguin rolling along. The last thing I have to say about the pain is OH MY ACHING @$$!

The best part of the race was that I had my own personal cheerleaders on every corner. Never mind that I used to be a dispatcher and I knew most of the cops working the race, I am talking about my husband and my big sister. Now, she took off on a course parallel to mine and popped out on me twice during my mile long straight away. Now she was really scooting to run over a block, down the street parallel to mine and then back in a block to cheer me on but there she was smiling and waving and offering words of encouragement and advice. At the next corner, my husband had caught up and from then on they were popping out at every turn. My husband passing me a Reese's peanut butter pumpkin (don't judge, peanut butter is protein and I needed a boost) and a kiss at one point as I pushed on without pausing. I don't know many other folks that have that kind of love and support in their lives and I wouldn't know what to do without it.

A few more turns and switchbacks and I was near the five mile mark. I rounded the corner and my niece and brother-in-law had joined the party. My sister walked along with me until I turned into her neighborhood for the last mile, the rest of the cheerleaders headed to the finish line. Now, this being her home turf she knew what was ahead of me and told me everything to expect and just kept pushing me to keep it up. I had to make a loop through her subdivision and then turn back out onto the road where the race started to finish at the park on the corner. I was approaching turn 2 of 4 in the loop when there she was again with a fresh, cold bottle of water. She couldn't have shown up at a better time. I was slowing down, hurting, tired but still determined. More words of encouragement and some much appreciated company and she took off for the finish line.

I came out of her neighborhood onto the last stretch, finish line in sight along with my group of cheerleaders. I was the last one to cross the finish line but I CROSSED the finish line. I came in at 1:40:31 for 6.23 miles. That's a 16:10 pace and an average of 3.72 mph. I am ecstatic. I did it, 2 weeks ahead of schedule. Now I am going to rest and recuperate and set my next goal. No stopping now.

Thank you Honey. Thank you Gennifer. I love you.

5K, check. 10K, check. More to come so...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Holy ptthhhhbt Has it Really Been a Month Since I Blogged?!?

It's been a fast month and a challenging one. Week before last I didn't exercise at all. I was physically exhausted, falling asleep before 9pm and not able to drag myself out of bed before 7am. I felt pretty bad about it until my sister said not to let it get me down that everyone, including herself, had to take a week off here or there. So I made my peace with it.

Then I rolled out of bed on the first Saturday this month and guess what? My back is out. It has been back and forth for the last week and a half, really bad at the beginning and end of the week and OK in the middle. Well, it's difficult at best to walk when every step hurts so I didn't. Plus I really need it to heal because guess what? I'm walking a 10K THIS weekend, not at the end of the month.

That's right 5 days from now. Zoinks! I am really feeling some pressure. I keep trying to tell myself that it will be OK and that I have 4 months of exercise under my belt but it's not so reassuring. I'll walk it and I'll finish it but I won't be fast.

Now you may be wondering why I am walking 2 weeks earlier well, that's a story within itself and I don't have enough time here on my lunch break to tell you about it so I'll have to put that on hold for a couple of days.

It'll be fine, think happy thoughts and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Yikes, Is There Really Only 7 1/2 Weeks Left?!?

Is it just me or is this year screaming by? Wasn't it just Spring? This is the time of the year that I refer to as "running the gauntlet". It starts September 1 and it's just one hit after another until New Years. I already have most of the weekends in October booked, a couple in September and I got a call from a friend last night about November. Now, I'm not necessarily complaining here, a lot of this is self inflicted but it happens to be my favorite time of year and there is sooooooo much that I want to do. Back to my point, the 10K is just around the corner for me so I really need to pound some pavement now.

We all have the best of intentions when we make our plan of attack and just assume that there will be no road blocks and things will go just as we want them to. I have already told you about some of the changes I've had to make for mine and this past weekend was no exception. My plan was to take my long walk on Sundays as the 10K is on a Sunday too and I want to get used to it. Well, my niece and nephew spent the night at my house Saturday and I didn't think I could leave my husband alone to tend to them for over an hour. So, I took my long walk on Monday. Not a big change and it worked out because my office was closed so there was plenty of time in the morning.

My point is this, things are going to come up, sometimes they will be small and easily worked around other times they won't and you'll have to decide if you're going to make it work or allow yourself to be defeated. So far, I'm choosing to make it work and I have been doing so for longer than ever before. The old me would sit back, make excuses and allow myself to lose sight of my goal. Now, I just figure it out, switch my schedule around and find a place for exercise. I can't allow the old me to fight her way back in and you shouldn't either.

As I write today I am sitting in the office on my lunch break eating the lunch I packed: a ham and provolone sandwich with only 1 slice of sourdough bread folded in half, a handful of grapes and a sugar free dark chocolate jello pudding. (For breakfast I had 1 1/2 servings of Multi-grain Cheerios with 1 cup of 1% milk and for my morning snack I had 1 serving of cinnamon Teddy Grahams.) I figure this will work in 3 ways: I'll spend less money, eat healthier and get some blogging done all at the same time. There just might be something to that multi-tasking thing yet.

Set a goal and do everything in your power to reach it. Don't allow "lazy-you" to win and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Another Milestone...Let's Not Celebrate Just Yet

Yep, another milestone, we'll get to that in a minute. Saturday I dragged my husband out of the house for a 2 mile walk (remember that he has to walk this 10K too).

The last time we walked together we didn't really walk together he walked ahead of me and I stayed back just fuming and getting my tail feathers all in a knot. You see one thing that I haven't told you is that I'm the sensitive type, a toasted marshmallow my mom says (crusty outside and gooey inside), I get my feelings hurt pretty easily. I interpreted his walking ahead of me as his way of proving that he was still in better shape than me despite my 3 months of exercise (Oh yeah, 3 months) and his lack thereof. I know that's not what he intended but I was hot and tired (and maybe a bit hormonal, sorry guys but it's true) and that's how it felt.

Back to Saturday. So I dragged him out of the house but not before I took my "are we going to walk together or are you walking at your own pace today" stance. He said, let's walk at our own pace. I grabbed my I-pod deciding that I should enjoy this walk and headed out the door. Pushed by the fast pace music bopping in my ear, I took off at a record pace and I didn't stop. As one of our neighbors said I was "putting it on him." I came in at just under 31 minutes, a 15:30 pace. WOO HOO! He came in 4 minutes later after stopping to chat with the neighbor who gave him a hard time.

I felt so energized, good pace, no fatigue, quick recovery, it all seemed to be coming together. Well, Sunday I decided it was time for a real test, 4 miles. This is the first time in a long time that I have walked that far. I got started later than I wanted to (like that's never happened before) and it was getting hot. I briefly toyed with the idea of only walking a 5K but I've done that several times. I shook it off and decided to keep moving. I took me a lot of sweat, sore feet and 1 hour and 12 minutes to finish. That's an 18 minute mile pace, not too bad.

I'm feeling pretty good knowing that I only have 8 1/2 weeks until the 10K. I know I will finish with no problem. Yesterday I walked another 2 miles, just like I'll do on Saturday and I'll follow up on Sunday with another 4 mile walk. I'll round out the week's exercise with 3 alternating days of kettleball exercises. I feel the need to get some sort of weight training/toning thing going on now (starting to feel perkier...) to round out my workouts. I'll let you know how that goes, I'm starting tomorrow, it looks like a fun plan. I'm still doing Zumba too, I can't get enough of that.

I know my posts haven't been coming in as often and I will do better, we all know how we allow life to get the better of us sometimes. I want to hear from you too. Let me know what what you have been doing, let me know if I can help...I'll do the best I can so tell me what's on your mind and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

I Seem to be Hitting Some Road Blocks Lately

Well, I didn't walk 2 miles on Monday. I had a bit of trouble getting out of bed. By the time I did get up I only had enough time to get on the Wii Fit for about 20 minutes. I had a hard time on Tuesday too but this time I managed to come through for myself and I hit the pavement. 2 miles, 31 minutes, 45 seconds. That's less than 16 minutes a mile, not too shabby. You see, I had a new plan and it seems to have worked.

Keep in mind that I am out here in the country walking and part of my walk is on a fairly busy road and so far I have not used my Ipod while walking. I just didn't think it was safe, until Tuesday. I have met a few of the folks that live along my route and everyone has gotten used to seeing me walking and biking, it's always nice to have extra eyes looking out for you. Now the other thing that I knew I would have to do is keep the volume low so that I could hear traffic approaching me from behind. I don't walk in the middle of the road or anything crazy like that but there is no such thing as a shoulder, just a ditch, lots of tall grass and who knows what creeping and crawling in there. Uh, no thank you.

The Ipod was a pleasant change and I think the music definitely got me moving faster (the proof is in the numbers). I have to admit though that I had something else on my side...the weather. Yesterday's high was only 77. That is the first day under 80 degrees in 90 days (I told you it's been hot.) and even Coconut had an extra spring in his step as he charged out into the road right on my heels. It was cloudy yesterday too and there was a nice breeze, well, the breeze was nice on the way in but gave me a heck of a head wind on the way out making me work that much harder. All in all, I was very pleased at the end of the walk.

So today I took a rest day and tomorrow I plan to get back out on the road. Once again I will pound out 2 miles and maybe with the help of my new favorite walking tool (my Ipod, pay attention) I will make it back in faster than yesterday.

9 1/2 weeks to the 10K, full speed ahead. Send me some happy thoughts and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Time to Focus...or Refocus

It's Sunday, and it is just 10 weeks to the 10K. Yikes! Time flies huh? So yesterday my husband and I went for a walk, a 5K. It was hot and we got a late start which only made it harder for us. We started off at a good pace and even got past Coconut's house without being chased, at least on the way in, but our energy eventually ran out and Coconut came after us on the way back. About a half a mile from the end we slowed to a casual pace and finished in under an hour. (A bit slower than I would have liked but OK given the conditions.)

As promised I am going to be honest...there is no replacement for getting outside and hitting the pavement. I have been doing various cardio workouts inside due to the heat and I think my lungs are in good shape. However, my legs are sore today, especially right in the hip socket. Looks like I need to get my butt outside a little more often, heat or no heat.

With the summer (and the number of weeks before the 10K) winding down I am going to face some new challenges. The biggest is going to be when to get my daily walk in. The first day of summer is the longest day of the year and since then the days have been getting shorter. That being said, it's not hard to figure out that there is no longer daylight at 6:00 a.m. I have to start walking at 6:00 to make sure I am done in time to stop sweating and cool off before getting ready for work.

My best plan is to get up at 6:00 and get ready which will put me out the door at about 6:20 or so which should be bright enough for the next couple of weeks allowing me to get in a 2 mile walk each day. (I should be able to walk that in less than 35 minutes still giving me cool down time.) I will save my long walk for Saturdays and plan to put in 4 miles this coming Saturday. There it is, the plan for the next couple of weeks; walk, walk, walk.

Another thing I hope will help me along is the bootcamp class my husband and I are thinking about trying. It is offered through the county's Parks and Rec office. It's a one hour class six Saturday mornings beginning in mid September. I'll get back to you on that one.

Well, I have a plan in place, that's a start. Of course I will let you know how it goes, good and bad. Talk to me, are y'all moving yet? Rhonda, I hope you are doing much better and feeling well. Keep working on your health and we'll keep sending you positive thoughts. How about the rest of you? Set a goal and start working towards it and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

I Think a Little R & R is in Order

Well, we are getting ready to head out for a long weekend at the beach. I am really looking forward to it. I got a manicure and pedicure this morning, picked up last minute supplies and packed our bags.

Our very good friends have invited us to their family's beach house to celebrate his 40th birthday. Yea for us and Happy Birthday Ed. Now in case you are wondering, I have every intention of getting in some exercise while we are gone. There is a pool and that's all I'll need to blast away some calories and strengthen my muscles.

With the weather still being so awful here (upper 90's to 100's and high humidity) I have either been getting my exercise in the pool or by Zumba. It's been in the upper 70's to low 80's even in the mornings and the humidity at that time is usually over 80%, not good for walking. But I seem to be holding my own with the exercise I am getting.

I hope that the weather will break early (especially since it got hot so early) allowing me to get back out on the pavement. After all, I have less than 3 months to the 10K, yeah, it's been sneaking up on me too. I'm not too worried though as I have been exercising for over 2 months now (hard for me to wrap my head around that one) and it's really become a habit. I don't even think about it now... or dread it. It's just part of my daily routine to get up early and fit in about a hour before work.

So, there it is. I promise, promise, promise to write more when we get back. I think it's good for me and I hope that you are getting something out of it. You've gotta know that if a fat girl like me can make exercise a part of her life then you can too. Now get out there and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Everyone needs a break right...that's what I keep telling myself anyway.

Well, where do we start? I did some more Zumba last week and I still can't convince my husband to try it. He has no idea how much fun it would be for me to watch, wellllllll maybe he does and maybe that's why he hasn't. Anyway, have any of you tried it? I'm telling you it's a hoot.

So, I went for a walk Sunday, a 5K, my Honey was kind enough to tag along. It went great. I had no trouble with my knee and I have to tell you that my legs felt really strong. It has to be the combo of walking, Zumba, Wii Fit, biking and swimming. (Whoa, have I really been doing all of that...YES I HAVE.) I could feel the muscles in my legs working for me, they weren't working as hard but more efficiently. It was a good feeling. It was a good walk.

Now you'd think that with some good exercise that day I would have slept well that night right? Wrong! I barely slept at all, it was terrible. I have to tell you that typically I have no trouble falling asleep or staying there. As a matter of fact, when I decide I'm ready to go to sleep I fall asleep in a few seconds, that's no exaggeration. (It's a family trait, when we're tired we go to sleep it doesn't matter who's around or what's going on.) I'm not telling you this to brag, I'm trying to convey how bad a night this was for me. I tossed and turned and fidgeted and got up to go to the bathroom and tossed and turned and my back hurt so I rolled over and fidgeted and my neck hurt so I rolled back and my back hurt and I tossed and turned...Ok, do you get the picture? We've all had those nights. So I finally fall asleep and less than an hour later the alarm goes off and my husband gets up. I get back to sleep and he comes to wake me up as I requested so that I could get in my exercise before work. I couldn't get up, I just couldn't. I reset the alarm for 7:00 and then needed 2 smacks of the snooze before I was able to drag myself out of the bed.

One day of exercise missed and a lousy night of sleep or lack thereof, do you think I could sleep the next night....NOOOOOOOOOOO. Same thing, not quite as bad but still not good and no I couldn't get up this morning either. I'm hoping that tonight is better. Please, please let tonight be better.

I can tell you this, I will exercise tomorrow. According to my sister, you can take 2 days off, after that you start losing what you have gained. I will not miss 3 days. Pray that I get a good night of sleep and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

In the Immortal Words of James Brown...Get Up Offa That Thang...

OK, nearly an hour of Zumba, whew that was a workout, I think parts of me are still shaking. It's fun and if you like to dance you should try it. I walked around all day yesterday singing the music from the DVD (not out loud, I can't carry a tune in a bucket) over and over in my head. I would suggest that before you buy it, you try it though, find a friend who's willing to loan it to you for a couple of days because I don't think it's for everyone.

The first video is great because they take the major steps and break them down nice and slow for you and if you're not up to top Zumba speed it's also a way to modify the exercises to your fitness (and skill) level. (I keep teasing my husband about doing the workout with me but he has no rhythm so it would be more for my entertainment than anything.)

The second workout is the 20 minute express which is a nice way to get your feet wet, you know, put all the moves together in a sequence and see how you hold up to the pace.

The third workout is my favorite so far, it's 50 minutes of full speed Zumba. Don't fret over that too much because they still show you how to modify the moves to keep you from hurting yourself and I have to admit that there were times when I had to make modifications just to catch my breath.

So today I took a rest day and tomorrow I am thinking about hitting the Zumba again. Friday will be swimming and Saturday morning I'm back on the pavement, walking at first and I plan to walk at least a 5K (maybe a 10K if I'm pain free for the first 3 miles, I feel like I need to see where I am in my training for the 10K in October).

I started out pretty good with the food thing this morning (I am intentionally not calling this a diet because I think the word has morphed into some kind of Juggernaut and we've given it way too much power.) I had my usual cereal with 1% milk and for a morning snack I had 1 serving of reduced fat Cheez-Its, dietitian approved, which comes out to 20 crackers. Then I had to go 3 rounds on the phone with United Healthcare and apparently decided that I would need a brownie from Chick-fil-a to get me through the rest of the day.

Now I mean no offense if you work for an insurance company or for a call center (I have worked in 2 call centers. Most recently for GE's customer service center for electrical distribution and prior to that I spent over 7 years in a 911 center answering the phone, dispatching police, fire, EMS and so on.) but I had to deal with some true incompetence today. I think I get frustrated because I have just enough inside knowledge to be dangerous and I never seem to get anyone on the phone who works like I do or like would expect them to. Nevertheless, that's no excuse to punish myself by eating a brownie, I think I need to try meditation or something, I don't know.

So there you have, the scoop on Zumba and my rationale for deviating from my meal plan, just as I promised and as honest as I can give it to you.

Go eat something healthy, it doesn't have to be salad, get moving, stay tuned and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Yes I'm Still Alive...

Sorry for the intermission folks but my brain has been on vacation. I've had a full schedule, it's been back in the 100's, I've been tired...is that enough excuses yet? Anyway, I am still plugging along much as I had been prior to my absence and this is what I have been up to.

Biking - still doing a 5K on weekdays averaging about 11 mph. I biked a 10K one weekend and I'm planning to make that a regular event.

Swimming - still swimming on Fridays and sometimes on Saturday or Sunday too. This past week I had a few days off so I swam Thursday, Friday and Saturday for 2-3 hours each day. I'll admit that the larger portion of that time is spent bobbing but I'm swimming some strokes and treading some water.

Wii Fit - did this a couple of times for 30 minutes. I haven't gotten into the yoga though as I had planned. I'll work on that. I mostly do the aerobic games, they're fun but will still make you work up a sweat. Try to take it easy if you do get on the Wii Fit though, don't throw out your shoulder or hip or anything.

Zumba - my friend was kind enough to loan me her Zumba DVD's to see if I liked them and would use them...LOVE IT! I like to dance and have never felt like it was exercise so it's been a good fit for me. I've been doing the 20 minute workout to get used to the steps but I'm going to take it up to the 50 minute workout tomorrow and see how I feel after that.

Well, that's it for the exercise so on to the food part. I have been making slight changes to my daily diet, trying to reduce the intake of bad foods all together while adding healthier options. I'm a work in progress, what else can I say?

That's that. I'll keep you in the loop and in the meantime...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

So, This is What I've Been Up To...

Saturday was a rest day for me. I went to the movies with my sister and that was about all I did. Rest days are good, they prevent burn out, recharge the batteries. Always take a rest day, it will keep you motivated.

Sunday, I biked a little over 6 miles, AKA a 10K. I wanted to do a full 10 miles but traffic started to pick up and that can be quite dangerous on these rural roads. So I cut it short at just 2 full loops around my route. I've noticed that I am able to recover much faster than when I started exercising. It's a good sign that I am gaining strength and gaining health.

Monday I rolled out of bed at 6:00, got dressed and jumped on my bike (well, I didn't actually jump on it that would have been painful). We finally got some rain here, apparently sometime early in the morning. Everything looked greener and more alive, the plants stretched toward the sky like they were asking for more. The smell of the rain still hung in the air and the water sprayed from my tires. There was a crisp, cool undertone to the air making breathing much easier. The rain made me feel more alive and I pushed hard.

Today I am going to get on the Wii Fit. The plan is to do some cardio then switch to yoga. I think part of the problem with my knee was a lack of flexibility, adding yoga a few days a week should help with that.

I plan to get back to walking this week, gently testing the knee to make sure that it's healthy before moving forward. I'll keep working on giving my body the fuels that it needs to work harder and become stronger. Are you guys still out there? Are you reading? Are you exercising? Talk to me and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

And The Heat Goes On...

(Friday's blog...I saved it as a draft and forgot to go back and post it.)

Well, we are in the midst of another heat wave here in Virginia. The high temperature on Wednesday was 104, now that's hot. Still nursing my knee I have been hitting the bike not the pavement and it seems to be helping. My knee is coming along nicely, still some pain at the end of the evening but I am no longer hobbling around like I'm 100.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday I biked a 5K, my fastest time was 16:30, about a 12 mph pace. Not too shabby if I do say so myself. The plan for today is to do some swimming and try to work my arms and upper body a bit while giving my legs some rest. I can't tell you how nice it is to have access to a swimming pool. It's great exercise, low impact and it tones the whole body. If there is anyway for you to get in a pool then do it. Take a water aerobics class or better yet take some swimming lessons, they aren't just for kids you know.

I seem to still be struggling with eating the proper diet but that has always been a challenge for me. I can say that I have reached 6.5 lbs of weight loss which is great, we want to keep that going in the right direction. You know I have tried some of the big diets out there and I have had success with them, brief though it may have been. That success came in the form of rapid weight loss in, on one program I lost 70 lbs. in 7 months. Now I feel that I am a bit frustrated because the weight loss is slow. I'm trying not to put so much emphasis on weight but it's hard not to as the numbers are right there on the scale. I'm also trying to see this as a positive, the weight is coming off slow but, it is coming off the right way, for good. Yeah, that's what it is.

I'm going to keep plugging along one step at a time, one pound at a time. I'll keep blogging, running, walking, biking, swimming, Wiiing so...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

OK, So I Think I Need to Try a New Strategy

Well, I seem to have gotten over the anger that consumed me for a couple of days. I tried running again on Sunday but it seems that I am only capable of a penguin-like shuffle. It appears that it is going to take a little longer than 2 days for my knee to heal. So in the meantime there will be no running. I have refocused on the original goal of preparing for a 10K in October so that is what I will do.

I took a rest day today and tomorrow I am getting back on the bike. It's great for the cardiovascular system, burns calories, strengthens the muscles and is low impact. That's the plan now, bike it a couple of weeks, continue swimming and perhaps in another week I'll start walking again, nice and easy, no pushing it. I am also ready to start focusing on what I am eating, following the guidelines I was given by the dietitian.

Here's the basic idea: I'm doing pretty good with breakfast and lunch but when it comes to dinner I am just throwing in the towel. I'm not sure if the breakdown comes from being really hungry come 7:00 when I get home from work or if I just get tired of thinking about what I am going to put in my mouth. Regardless of what the hang up is I am determined to get past it and I think good planning is the way to do it.

Another thing that I plan to make a habit is a food diary. Now I have tried to do this in the past and I have been very unsuccessful, most likely it's because I overcomplicated it. I bought day planners and would write down what I was planning to eat for the day, an estimated calorie count, etc. Well, I think that was a recipe for failure. I went to Target and bought a small notebook (I think it only cost $1.50 or something) with lined pages and now I am writing things down as I eat them. If you're wondering, I am not working without a plan, there is some planning going on in the morning when I pack lunch for the day, yes you should pack your lunch (money and calorie saver).

There it is. I'm still moving forward, stronger and healthier each day. I haven't allowed a knee injury to slow me down, knock me off track or give me an excuse to quit. I'm exercising, are you? Tell me about it and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Everyone Likes a Quickie

It's almost 9:00 p.m. here and I have to get up at 5:00 tomorrow morning so I'll make this really quick.

Today is Day 1 of Week 3 of the interval training program. I did 2 miles with 10 intervals of running for a total of 9 minutes of running. Let's take a moment to celebrate...OK, that's long enough, I'm tired. I have never run that far in my life, I'm proud of that.

OK, now for the bad news. My knee is not improving, actually, it's getting worse. I am now faced with the tough decision of what to do to undo the damage that my classic push-yourself-too-hard rookie move has caused. Knowing that scaling back is the only way to get my knee healthy, I have no other choice.

Here is the game plan: cross train tomorrow as scheduled, rest Saturday, revert to Week 1 running for Sunday, take some Motrin, ice it, elevate it, not necessarily in that order. There it is. I'm not happy about it and I am really trying not to allow myself to feel defeated. What I can promise you is this, I will not revert to my old habit of holding down the couch (even though I am mighty good at it), rather, I will just take the intensity down a couple of notches allowing my body to do it's job and heal itself.

That's really all I can say right now, I'm frustrated and I'm trying really hard not to let profanity sneak it's way in.

Don't worry, this won't stop me, I'm still on my mission, it's just going to take a little longer so...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

and That Makes 8

Yesterday was Day 5 of Week 2, my last running day for the week. The heat wave continued and it was 79 degrees at 6:00, I didn't even bother to check the humidity level, I didn't want to know. My knees are still hurting, the right more than the left and I've been told that it's probably because I need to stretch my legs more after jogging. I'll work on that. Not only did I have the oppressive heat to deal with, there was a pit bull running loose. Now, you might recall that a couple of weeks ago there was a rottweiler I had to contend with, I don't know which is worse. The rott was bigger but the pit bulls have those massive jaws. It turned out OK but I had to walk backwards for part of my walk because every time I turned around it started following me again.

So the walking backwards meant that I had a longer interval of walking and I didn't think that I would be able to fit in 9 running intervals. (I am not about to try running backwards, I am not that coordinated.) Well to make up for the extra walking I decided to increase my running intervals from 45 to 60 seconds. As it turned out I did get all 9 in and I finished with a total of 8 minutes of running. That's right, 8. Look at me go.

Today was my easy walk day and I took it really easy. I walked for 34 minutes, the goal is 30 - 60, but I didn't want to push it any farther because of the knee pain. Tomorrow I get to rest. Now I know I've said it before but, YEA REST DAY! I'm going to give my legs a well deserved break so I can go at it again Thursday when I move up to 2 miles.

In case you were wondering, I did go to the dietitian today, more on that tomorrow, I have to go get ready for bed now. So, I haven't heard from you, what are you doing to make yourself healthier? Report back, that's an order and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

A Brief Hiatus From Blogging but Not From Exercising

OK, I know it's been a few days since I blogged, my apologies. I could tell you that I have been busy, that I have been tired from running, that it was my husband's birthday Friday and we had plans, or that Virginia is in the middle of a heat wave and it was over 100 degrees, but I won't.

Well, Wednesday was a rest day, yea rest. I kinda poo-poo'd the idea of rest days at the beginning of this thinking that they were holding me back. Now I realize that the rest days keep me going. The pain, as my sister warned me, has moved from my shins to my knees. If not for resting, I think I would be laid up injured and whining about losing momentum and so forth. On to Thursday.

I started Week 2 of my interval training program on Thursday. The distance for this week is 1 3/4 miles. Now I still have to warm up for 5 minutes at the beginning and cool down for 5 minutes at the end with intervals of running and walking in the middle. Because of the pains in my shins, I decided to keep the running time at 45 seconds. By adding the extra 1/4 mile I was able to do 2 more intervals making that, if you were paying attention last week, a total of 9. I'll even do the math for you...that adds up to 6 minutes and 45 seconds of running and when you add in the extra 15 seconds I did on one interval, I ran a total of 7 minutes. Did you hear me? I RAN A TOTAL OF SEVEN MINUTES!!! I never even did that in high school, I walked the mile, I didn't run. You might be thinking that I am getting a little carried away but believe me this is quite an accomplishment. I used to tell people that I wouldn't run if something was chasing me and I meant it.

So, Friday was my cross training day (and my Honey Bunny's birthday) for the week and I went swimming, this time I even remembered to take my goggles and nose clip. You know despite the embarrassment that it would cause me I am quite tempted to get my husband to take a picture of me with all that gear on because I know it is a sight to behold. Anyway, I swam a few laps probably not as many as I should have but I did swim them. I always marvel at the number of muscles that you engage when you propel your body through water. I am also amazed that I forget every time how tired it makes me. It's fun though and it's a good kind of tired.

Saturday was Day 3 of Week 2 of training and that meant it was time to run again. The alarm clock started singing at 5:30 a.m. Yes, that is insanely early for a Saturday, believe me I know. However, as I mentioned, we are in the midst of a heat wave and 6:00 - 7:30 a.m. is the only time I can run without dropping from a heat stroke. Now I might have slept in for another hour but we had plans for later in the morning so 5:30 it was. Saturday was a repeat of Thursday, I managed to run a total of 7 minutes. I am still walking for 2 - 3 minutes between eash interval which I think I can start to narrow down because I am really beginning to recover faster. The reason I haven't is that I read that I need to maintain speed and distance until the shin splints disappear, having already broken the distance rule I felt I should leave well enough alone.

With running completed for the day you'd think I would take it easy...ha! As part of my birthday gift to my hubby, I took him back to the National Museum of the Marine Corps. (If you've never been, you owe it to yourself to go, it's really cool.) I have to tell you that my husband is one of those folks who likes to read everything he can get his hands on and that includes every sign, every plaque, at every exhibit. You might be wondering what that has to do with exercise...well, that equates to 5 hours of walking/standing on a very hard surface. (I'm not complaining, I was happy to do it.) This would normally make my legs tired but after running earlier in the day I was in agony by the time we left.

A good night's sleep and day of rest (OK, I went back to the pool and bobbed around today, hey it's hot here) seems to be all I needed to set me right. Tomorrow will be Day 5 of Week 2 and I will once again pound some pavement, my last day of running for the week. I am looking forward to it. I never thought I would say that but, it's true. I love that I am getting stronger and healthier, I can feel it. Now I just have to get that eating thing under control. I'm a work in progress, what can I say. Well, I'm going to the dietitian on Tuesday, that's what I can say. More on that later.

I can tell you that I will be more diligent and not take such a long blogging break again, I can tell you that I will keep moving despite the pain and the heat, I can tell you that I will listen to the dietitian with an open mind and really try to eat healthier. Now, tell me something. What did you do this week to make yourself healthier. Did you eat some fruit for dessert? Did you get on your Wii Fit? Did you pack healthy snacks to take with you for the day? Did you walk or run? Keep me posted, I hope you know that your comments keep me going. Are you still there?

Do something healthy for yourself and for those who love you and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

So Am I a Habitual Offender Now?

Alright, sorry it's been since Saturday. Sunday was a rest day and boy did I rest. I was a couch potato. I needed it too. The only drawback was that I snacked more than I should have. However, I am still down 4 pounds for the week. Yea me!

Monday was another running day, my third and final for the week and it took everything I had to finish it. It's my understanding that when runners increase their speed or distance too quickly it causes shin splints. Not that I am calling myself a runner but, I do have shin splints. I am following the experts' directions, stretching, icing (not chocolate, just frozen water), elevating, you know the story. Rest is supposed to be the biggest help and with a day of easy walking (today) and another day of rest (tomorrow) I should move along just fine.

Now my big sister (I call her my big sister because she is older and because it's funny as she is the runt of the litter) says that when she started running she had a roving pain. It would move from shin to hip and so on but always got better and eventually went away.

So, tomorrow will bring me to the end of Week 1 of my training program and I have made it through relatively unscathed. If you've been keeping count you'll also realize that today is day 22. Remember, 21 days to make something a habit. Well, I can tell you that it feels like exercise is now habit, part of the daily routine. So much so that the other day I put on my running shoes to go to work rather than my work shoes. It feels good to know that I have found a way to fit exercise into my life. My muscles feel stronger, the soreness is rare now. I can breathe easier, yes, in that short amount of time you can improve the power of your lungs and heart. I sleep better, I just lapse into a coma when my head hits the pillow. I am happy that despite all odds I am still at it.

There it is, I have a new habit and it's a good one. I am making positive changes in my life and for my life. A little change in perspective is all it takes. I can't believe that these little milestones and accomplishments can be so motivating but they really are. While some habits need to be broken, I have developed one that I hope I will keep at for the rest of my life. Let's recap, that's 22 days, and 4 pounds down. I've only begun to fight, have faith and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Just Keep Moving, Just Keep Moving

I am now on Day 3 of Week 1 of the interval training program I am trying. So far so good. Yesterday was a cross training day so I went swimming. Now, Thursday during my lunch break I went to the store and bought goggles and a nose clip wanting to do some serious laps in the pool. Well, I got to the pool and realized that I had left my equipment at home. Not to be deterred, I decided to tread water for a while and when that got boring I did the best swimming I could without submerging my head.

So, with Day 2 out of the way I knew that I would have to run again. Day 3 is supposed to be just like Day 1, for this week 1.5 miles. I was a little leery of running today because my muscles have been very sore the last 2 days. I got up early to beat the heat (the weather guys say it will be in the mid 90's today and 100 tomorrow, yikes!) and was on the road by 8:00.

As I approached the 5 minute mark I noticed that there was a couple in their yard. Not wanting them to see me running (the sports bra has the girls under control but there is still a lot of other jiggling and bouncing going on) I waited until I was past them and started jogging at 5:15. Well, today was just like Thursday as I did 7 intervals of running at 45 minutes each. I have to tell you that it hurt today. My shins hurt, my calves hurt, my thighs hurt, my back hurt, it was hard to breathe with this tight bra squeezing me. Despite the pain, I felt good too. I was running, I couldn't do that 2 months ago. It made me feel strong. It made me hopeful. Forget the pain, it's not going to stop me.

Tomorrow I rest. And boy do I need it. Let me give you a little advice, if you are having trouble sleeping, get some exercise. I have lapsed into a coma the past 2 nights. I have been physically tired which is so rare for me, usually I am mentally tired but, this is completely different.

So, are you moving yet, are you using your Wii Fit regularly, what have you done today to get moving? Today I ran. Get some exercise and

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

That's One Small Step for Woman...

Alright, so today was the day that I was to try running. I got the June issue of Prevention magazine and in it was a small article on how to start running. Day 1 of week 1 had me scheduled to do 1.5 miles. The idea is to walk 5 minutes to warm up at the beginning and 5 minutes to cool down at the end with intervals of running and walking in the middle. Now they tell you to run as long as you can and to switch to walking before you are out of breath. They also tell you that it is OK if you can only run 15 - 30 seconds when you begin. Can I run 30 seconds? I was going to find out.

I started out with the 5 minute warm up walk and I was on pace with where I had been in the weeks before. As the 5 minute mark approached I really started to wonder how far I could run. It took me another 45 seconds to get up the courage to try running and I had to make sure I wasn't directly in front of anyone's house in case they might be watching. At 5 minutes and 45 seconds I started jogging. I tried to focus on my breathing and keep it in rhythm with the sound of my feet striking the ground. Inhale, two, three, four, exhale, two, three, four. I glanced at my watch worried that only 10 or 15 seconds had passed and to my surprise I was at the 30 second mark. And, as I wasn't out of breath yet, I was able to push it to 45 seconds.

Now you have to remember that I started walking to train for the 5K at the very end of April. Prior to that I was sitting on the couch or sleeping in well past the time I needed to. I was absolutely amazed. After this first interval of running, I was able to regain my breath after just 2 minutes. Keeping a close eye on my watch, I started running again. Now that I knew I could run 45 seconds before getting winded that's what I did. Right past Coconut's house this time triggering the alarm and he chased me down the road to the end of his property before turning back. Again and again I alternated running with walking, 45 seconds running with 2 - 3 minutes of walking in between.

As I came running back past Coconut's house he started after me again. The neighbors across from my little shaggy follower were coming out of their driveway as a bizarre and ridiculous scene unfolded. There I was, jogging along, a woman of great stature, with a 20 pound mop hot on her heels when suddenly I turned and sort of jumped and waved my arms in a pseudo jumping jack move trying to chase him back home. It worked. I turned back around and kept running, laughing as the neighbors slowly pulled out of their driveway confident that they saw the whole thing.

All of this was a good distraction for a while but on my next running interval, number 6, I realized how fatigued my muscles were becoming. I walked for about 4 minutes trying to recover my breath (those new no-bounce bras certainly squeeze me tight) and my stamina so that I could finish by running the rest of the way home. I did. And I came in under 28 minutes.

I could not believe it. I just ran 7, 45 second intervals. I am still astounded and proud. Couch potato to running in about 7 or 8 weeks. It gives me so much hope that I can do this, I can run a 10K. Well, let's start with 1 mile. I hope to be able to do just that at the end of this 6 week training program. I'll keep you posted. For now I am satisfied with the knowledge that I am progressing. Slow and steady is winning the race.

I hope you will get moving. challenge your bodies, push yourselves, be safe and

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

And Knowing is Half the Battle...

It's a beautiful Tuesday morning here in the Commonwealth. I'm sitting on the patio out back typing away, loving the miracles of modern science that allow me to do so. I once again took the bike out for a 5K as this is supposed to be an easy day of activity. I didn't push too hard and probably coasted the bike a little more than I should have but I managed to make it back in 18:15, just 25 seconds behind yesterday's pace.

OK, maybe I am making that sound a bit too easy. I am not just goofing off on that bike, I pump hard. And let me tell you that several days of biking are not easy on the delicate bits. I have some sore parts legs, back, well you don't need the whole list. There is sweating and huffing and puffing and I even blew by Coconut's house so fast that I didn't sound the alarm. Oh, and there is something large and dead almost at the 1 mile point which I managed to get a giant whiff of into my lungs. That is UNpleasant. So while it is easier than walking, it's not easy.

As I said tomorrow will be a true rest day with no extra exercise at all. I'm told that if rest days are not taken then I will fatigue and more than likely injure myself and we just don't want that now do we? So I will rest. Don't misunderstand, I still have to go to work, cook dinner, do laundry, that sort of thing but I won't be walking, biking, swimming, Wiiing (that's a lot of I's), etc. I don't like it. When I take a day off I almost feel lazy. I guess it's because I feel good and I feel like I can keep going without a break. But I won't. I'll listen to the experts on this one and give my body time to rest and recover which they say will make me stronger in the end. Enough of that.

The verdict is in on the calorie count from yesterday. I finished the day with...wait for it...1817. Right on target. (Glad I didn't eat those Cheetos I wanted.) Now I tend to overestimate rather than under estimate if necessary to make sure that I am not cheating myself. After all, I am the only one who will lose if I lie about the number of calories I consume. Now some of my choices could have been better. Like the muffins, I really didn't need to eat 2 small muffins, I would have been fine with 1 or none. I just wanted to get them out of the house. And as it turns out, we have more cash than I thought so I will pick up some strawberries and Cool Whip Free to have for dessert tonight. Doctor's orders. I'm not lying, you can ask her. It's a healthy sweet snack and a great alternative to chocolate chip muffins.

Not that I want to start measuring my success by a number on the scale, I thought you might like to know that I am down 2 pounds from yesterday. Alright, you got me, I am smiling a little. I guess that whole positive reinforcement thing is true.

So with 2 pounds down and so many more to go I'll keep chipping away at the poor health (and the many pounds) that I have allowed to control me. By the way, did you notice the picture I added. That's me and Honey Bunny on our trip to Yellowstone in 2007. Anyway, knowledge is a powerful thing if you use it. Follow what the experts are saying, follow what your doctor is saying. Get out there and get moving (don't forget to rest), get a smaller plate and a heavier fork (portin control) and when you hear her order the grilled chicken salad no croutons and light dressing on the side...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Monday, Monday

Is it hot or what? Well, at least it is here in VA, temps in the 90's with high humidity. As luck would have it, this warm weather has done my in-laws' pool some good. I went swimming yesterday and it was a comfortable 84 degrees in the water, cool and refreshing but not so cold that your butt clinches up when you go in.

I did some easy swimming (and a lot of bobbing) trying to work mostly my upper body to give the legs and glutes some rest. Now I have to tell you that there is a reason that swimmers are so buff, it is mighty hard to pull yourself through the water. Swimming is definitely going to be my cross training exercise because I can feel all of my muscles working not to mention my heart and lungs. And, all of this is with very little impact or stress on my body. OK, it's fun too.

The plan for today was to get up with my husband and get a 30 minute head start. You see, I have been having some trouble getting myself ready for work with exercise and cool down time added to my morning routine and I hate to rush in the morning. The alarm went off at 5:20 and as he says every morning I hear, "One snooze please." I knew it was coming so I fully intended to rise at 5:30. Well...as you might have guessed, I needed another hit on the snooze alarm myself. OK 2 more. OK 3 more.

So, I got up at 6:12 this morning and got ready to exercise. With limited time (yes it's my own fault) I decided that the best bet was to get on the bike and ride the full 5K loop. And I did. Not only did I do that, I did it without stopping. Not only did I do that, I did it in under 18 minutes. Oh, and I was at the ideal heart rate for maximum fat burn. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Happy with my workout results, my focus then turned to food, not just because I was hungry but because I need to put it all together.

Allow me a little sidebar here to explain a couple of things. I have PCOS, Poly-Cystic Ovary Syndrome, which along with it comes a condition known as insulin resistance. No, I am not a diabetic. My doctor calls it pre-pre-diabetic, AKA I'm on the fast track to a horrible disease if I don't change things. Basically what happens is this (to the best of my understanding): insulin is the key that unlocks the blood stream and lets the sugar in; the body wants to achieve a balance of insulin and sugar; my body is naturally resistant to insulin, in other words the key is going in the lock but it won't open; as a result my body produces more insulin (those are the keys, are you keeping up?); more insulin means my body wants more sugar to try to get that balance; more sugar means more insulin trying to open the bloodstream; more insulin, well you get the point, this is a vicious cycle. So, this is why going South Beach is a good deal for me. I deny my body any type of sugar for a few days which allows my insulin levels to drop to a healthy level and in turn eliminate the cravings for sweets and carbs. Now, back to the food thing.

This is the point where real life comes in. My plan had been to go to the grocery store to get the necessities for the South Beach carb purge however, I don't get paid until Wednesday. Now my husband and I don't use credit cards, we follow Dave Ramsey's advice and make a budget at the beginning of the month and when the money runs out, it runs out, that's it. Well, we went out to eat one more time than planned so I only had a few dollars to go to the grocery store and therefore was only able to get the necessities.

Not to let this get in my way, I managed to eat pretty healthy today. I had 1 1/2 cups of Multi-grain Cheerios with 1 cup of 1% milk, 2 grape propels, a medium apple, a Nutella sandwich on a whole-grain thin bread, a Laughing Cow cheese wedge with 10 high fiber Wheat Thins, a handful of baby carrots, a human sized piece of lasagna and a slice of sourdough bread with Brummel and Brown and freshly grated Parmesan, and 2 mini muffins (chocolate chip of course). Now even with the higher calorie dinner and dessert, I don't believe that I have reached the 1800 max I was given. (I'll add it up and get back to you on that one.)

It was a good day. Tomorrow I don't have to be to work until 2:00 so I will sleep in a bit (it's still hot and I don't want to be too late getting outside) and then go for a nice long walk. Wednesday will be a rest day and Thursday will be when I try my hand, or foot as it were, at running. Stayed tuned and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

My husband had to work all this weekend so I decided to change up my own routine a bit. At 8:00 Saturday morning I loaded up my bike and headed to my sister's house. My husband and I live in rural New Kent county, Virginia, about 20 minutes east of the City of Richmond (state capital). My sister lives in Ashland, VA, a small town about 20 minutes north of Richmond. The town is very bike friendly (I can't tell you how many bikes we passed) with much of the town being 35 mph or under.

This is my older sister, the runner, (I also have a younger sister, that's right I'm a middle child. Never would have guessed it would you? Right.) and she is always ready to do something especially if it involves physical activity. She is even more willing to get out and get moving if it involves getting me to exercise, she just wants us to be healthy and she never lets me down when I ask her to join me. So, I get to her house, unload my bike, fill the tires, adjust my seat and we're off.

It was just shy of 80 degrees with a nice breeze blowing. Add in the giant oak trees lining the streets and it was cool and comfortable. We started by heading to the opposite end of town past the elementary school then looped through a new subdivision. Now, having someone exercise with you makes it much more fun but, add to that a change of scenery and the time really flies by. The next thing I knew we were zig-zagging our way through the streets and through and hour of riding.

When we looped back towards her house we had a decision to make; head back in or ride down one more road and back. Now this road is approximately 1 mile long and...wait for it...uphill BOTH ways. I am not exaggerating on this one. The road starts high, drops in the middle and goes back up on the other end so there is this big dip in the center. Well, I was out of water but still feeling good, not too hot or fatigued, so I said, "Let's do it."

Unfortunately, there is no shade on this road and at this point we were past 10:00 and well above 80 degrees. Now, I think that when you start something you have to finish it so there was no turning back. On the way in, the last hill you have to pull before turning around is a short but steep climb. The bike was down to 2nd gear and I was barely moving by the time I got to the top. We stopped briefly to allow me to catch my breath and then started back. My plan was to use that steep hill to my advantage. I geared up and started pedaling hard. Well let me tell you, I was moving. This is the only time I can think of where being heavy comes in handy. You see, I can gain a lot of speed going down hill and when I pedal that fast I am flying down the road (hoping I don't crash and scrape all my skin off). All that speed going downhill allows me to coast quite a distance uphill. The last part of the road was no trouble as it was a slight upgrade similar to my walk at home.

We headed on back to my sister's to cool off and rehydrate. I cannot stress the importance of proper hydration. If you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated and at the very least will end up with a really bad headache. (Trust me on this one, I had a terrible headache by the end of the evening.) So don't be foolish, drink, drink, drink water, Gatorade, Powerade, Propel, etc. before, during and after activity. To give you an idea of how much sweat came out of me, I had a layer of salt on top of my skin when I dried off. A cool breeze can be a blessing but it also disguises how much you are actually perspiring.

We checked out our course on mapmyrun.com and as it turns out we completed about 11 miles in about 1 hour 25 minutes. I had a great time and it went by so fast. So, if you are having a hard time getting out and getting motivated enlist a partner or two. It distracts you from the task at hand and the time flies by as you just enjoy each others company. It's Sunday and I am going to have a rest day. I am trying to line up my workouts to match the interval training schedule I want to begin. I may head over to my in laws' house and go for an easy swim or I might get on the Wii Fit for fun but there will be nothing strenuous today.

I have to hit the grocery store today too and stock up on some essentials. I want to thank all of you again for reading, sending positive feedback and the great tips. You're right, preparation is key. Not having the right foods around leads to making the wrong choices. I'll take some time on Sundays to pack up healthy snacks to have with me at all times.

I am also excited to hear that at least one of you is moving again too, keep it up! (You might want to try the Wii game Let's Dance, I think that's what it is called, I hear it's great.)


This was a great end to a week that started off very challenging. It just goes to prove that sticking to it pays off. So with a refreshed outlook on exercise I move into my 3rd week. I'll keep moving and hope you will too. And if you see her out there moving just remember...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

A Stubborn Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste

OK, so I am very excited! My darling husband went and told some kind folks about my little venture and I am soooooo happy to have read their comments. I even have a couple of followers. I just don't know what to think about that.

Thank you all.

Well, on to today. I have to tell you that this week has been a struggle, I hit a few bumps in the road you could say. These bumps tried to throw me off course and I'll admit that they made me swerve a bit but somehow I have managed to stay in control of the wheel.

Today I could not get myself in gear. I got up at 6:12 and thought, Hey I'm 3 minutes ahead of yesterday. Well apparently that was the go ahead to move like a slug. So out the door I go at 6:39, not enough time to do 2 miles at this point (it takes me about 34 minutes) as I have to be back by 7:00 to cool off and get ready for work. I briefly considered walking only a mile and then my brain woke up and I remembered I had a bike. I managed to do the whole 5K loop and get back just before 7:00. Yea!

I had to be creative this week and it worked out so now, I have a better plan in place for next week. No more of this getting up at 6:something, I will get up at 5:30 when my husband gets up. I can be out the door by 6:00 and will have an hour to workout. Also, I have been doing some reading this week and I am going to try some interval training too. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to run, not walk, that 10K. Well, the jury's still out on that one.

I have also been doing a lot more thinking about the whole proper diet thing too. I am going to take the weekend to get the kitchen set up with the right foods (and get rid of the wrong ones). I've decided to listen to the doc and go South Beach for 3 or 4 days to reset my insulin levels and get off of the sugar train. I am going to take the same attitude with which I have been approaching exercise and not allow myself to put harmful foods in my body while at work. It's going to be tricky. I can do it. Once I make up my mind, that's that. I just have to prevent anyone or anything from changing my mind...sometimes that is easier said than done.

So here we are with another revelation, diet must be part of the equation. OK, it's not a revelation, we've all been told that for years. But you see I have had this little quirk since I was a kid, I will not do something until I make up my mind to do it. All evidence would point to the fact that I still haven't outgrown this unfortunate trait. Hey, I'm only human. I have made up my mind and after all it's always our minds that stand in our way. If we allowed our bodies to make the food choices, they would choose the foods they needed. Our bodies are very complex with mechanisms built in to lead us to the right fuels. Our memories lead us to foods like birthday cake, cookies Mom baked and gave us piping hot and right out of the oven, pizza parties, I could go on. (Where did all that come from?) The point is, I am ready for this and I will do it.

This weekend I have some more biking/walking planned but nothing tomorrow, it's Friday, got to get up at 5:00 to be at work by 6:30. (In case I haven't mentioned, it takes me nearly 30 minutes to get to work.) Actually, I might get on the Wii Fit again after dinner. There it is, no excuses, nothing but the truth so...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

The Truth Does Hurt but Sometimes It's Just What the Doctor Ordered

It's been a long couple of days...we'll start at the beginning.

Monday: I normally will have a rest day on Mondays after my long workouts. However, I knew I would not be able to walk on Tuesday as I would be going to the doctor. So, with tired muscles, I set out for an easy walk, just to keep going but not to hurt myself. I walked 1 1/2 miles at a nice easy pace finishing in about 30 minutes.

Now the doctor I was seeing on Tuesday was my Endocrinologist (for PCOS). She is a great doctor. She listens, advises and when I need it, she gives me a good "talkin' to" sparing no feelings just getting straight to the point. That being said, I frequently get "the fat talk", at least that's how I refer to it. Now, as I just said she gives it to me straight when I need to hear it and for the last couple of years I have needed it.

I was concerned, as usual, about the appointment because I'm never sure where my blood sugar level will be. The highest it has ever been is 109. Not good. And, depending on who you talk to, it falls in the pre-diabetic range. So, as I usually do right before the visit, I panicked and decided that I needed to refrain from eating any sugar. Well.............that didn't last long. I had a snack cake in the afternoon and then a large serving of fries with dinner.

Well there I was Monday night left to wonder how things would turn out and then I decided that it was a good thing. You see, instead of getting a possible false result, I would get the truth, bad though it may be.


Tuesday: No walking today. I got right up, hit the showers, got ready and headed straight to the Doc. There was no way I was going to try to take a walk on an empty stomach knowing that I wouldn't be able to eat anything until 11:30 at the earliest.

Once back in the room the nurse did the usual check: any new meds, need any refills, check BP, etc. Then it was time. Out came the meter and the mean little finger prick thing. Why does that always hurt worse than when they actually stick the big needle in to draw blood? Anyway, the meter read 103. Not horrible but not good either. A little relief washed over me, it was not the 115-120 I was anticipating, thank goodness. So I did get a brief reprieve.

Well, the Dr came in and we began the usual talk. "What's new?" "I'm exercising." "Great! What are you doing?" Blah, blah, blah. That part was easy...then came the food/weight issues. I didn't get "the fat talk" but, we did talk very candidly about what the issue really is, quantity. I eat a lot. I know this. I even know this so well that a week or two ago I made my husband buy some new, smaller plates. I figured if I had a smaller plate then I would by default reduce my calorie intake. It all came down to this, I have to go to a dietitian and add the other piece to the puzzle so I can see some success. Apparently at my size, currently a size (Oh how I hate to admit this!) 24, it can't just be about exercise. I have to get my weight down. This will of course benefit my overall health and make it easier to exercise, a positive cycle for a change. She tells me that it will also be reinforcing in that I will see a physical result to the work that I am putting in. I have to agree.


Wednesday: They were calling for rain this morning and I had my husband on the lookout for it. I woke at 6:03, just before he came back to wake me. It was not raining then. By the time I rolled out of bed (6:15! I have got to start this process about 15 minutes earlier.), got ready and went out the door, it was raining. Disappointing. I came back inside and my husband had a great idea, get on the Wii Fit for a while. Ok, I have an alternative. I had breakfast first, tummy was roaring. Then I got out the Wii Fit. Now I admit, I hadn't used it in quite sometime but I thought that the rechargeable battery pack had been hooked up to the computer and would have some sort of charge. Wrong! They were dead, dead, dead. Then I remembered we just bought some AA batteries. It took me 15 minutes to find them and everything else that I needed. I thought about giving up. Just scrap the day and start fresh again tomorrow, it was all I could think of.

Then something amazing happened. A little thought crept into the back of my mind, like a little voice getting louder and louder, a phenomenon I have rarely experienced. It went something like this: "You lazy, fat girl! Are you going to let a little bad weather and lack of preparation get in the way? Why have you been getting up so early? Why have you been so determined only to stop now? Just do what you can with the time you have left! Anything is better than nothing!" So, I was able to get in 15 minutes on the Wii. Another small victory.

Tomorrow: I will be back up bright and early and, weather permitting, will be walking 2 miles. Or, weather not permitting, I will be on the Wii for at least 30 maybe 45 minutes.

You see, I really believe that I have found a new resolve. I have what every expert says you need, a short term, achievable goal (10K) and a long term goal (true health). You better believe that I am going to continue to fight myself every step of the way and I hope that soon it will not be a fight.

As I close this tonight I am watching Julie and Julia, a delightful movie and I have to say, part of my inspiration to start blogging. I gives me hope that someday I will have someone reading what I am writing. Someone that I hope can gain some inspiration or perhaps learn a lesson from my triumphs and mistakes.

Just dreams now, hopefully one day reality. So, where ever you are, make up your mind to do something, take on that mountain that you have wanted to climb (figuratively or literally). Stick to it and no matter what...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff, Celebrate It.

It's nearly 9:00 pm and I have to be out of bed by 6:00 am and I'm tired from the day's activity (you'll soon understand) so I'll be brief.

I didn't set the alarm last night but I did plan to roll out of bed and put on my running shoes as soon as I woke, the first time that I woke. And I did. I got up at 7:45 am, jumped out of bed, put on my gear, kissed my Honey and started walking.

The goal today, as Sunday will always be the big walking/running day, was to complete a 5K in under 55 minutes. I managed to finish the 5K in 52:44, 1 minute and 10 seconds faster than I finished the official 5K a few weeks ago. Victory is mine! I felt so good about it that I didn't stop there.

I came in the house, got another bottle of grape Propel, went to the shed and took out my bike. Then, still glowing from my earlier triumph, I climbed on the bike and pedaled my way to another 5K. I had my own mini biathalon (is that a word?).

Now I'll be honest, my legs felt like Jello when I climbed off of the bike but it was a good feeling. I pushed hard today, tested myself and came out of it stronger physically and mentally. I now know how far I can push myself at this point in the game and I think I'm doing well. Next I have to work on putting the right fuel into my body and that's going to be a harder change for me. You'll see, I'll figure it out. Stayed tuned and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

A Little Rest, a Lesson Learned and a Little Less Bounce...

I took Friday off to give my muscles a chance to recover. I had intended to do some other sort of exercise in the evening but decided I could use a rest. Back at it this morning I logged another 2 miles bringing me to 8 miles so far this week. Unfortunately for me, I got started a little late this morning and paid the price for it.

I was very excited to try out a new piece of gear today, an Enell "no bounce" sports bra. I managed to get the 12 hooks connected (the fit is quite tight and there is a bit of mushing going on but I believe that's necessary to restrict the normal free range movement of my breasts) and decided that it needed a real test...jumping jacks. I have to say ladies, it worked brilliantly! I have VERY large breasts which, under the support of my old sports bra, would have very nearly broken my jaw. I mean these things can get to swinging and it IS painful. With this new bra, there was hardly any movement and absolutely no discomfort. I think I found a winner! I am confident that I can now take on jogging without damage to the twins.

Here in the Commonwealth, we seem to be stuck in a bit of an uncomfortable weather trend: high heat and higher humidity, a killer combo. Still on the recovery plan, I managed to sleep in until 8:30 today which means that I did not get outside until 9:00. A later start = a higher temperature. Anyone who has ever visited the southeast U.S. in the summer will understand this dilemma.

I was thrilled to have some company this morning, my husband. His presence was a welcome change and an incentive to push hard and do well. My day of rest seemed to have been quite beneficial as my joints moved without pain, my muscles felt stronger and my limbs felt lighter. The first 1/2 mile was about 15 seconds off pace, not uncommon and I usually can regain that in the next 1 1/2 miles. Today that would not be the case. The sun beat down on us relentlessly and the humidity made it a struggle to breathe easily. We finished 2 miles in 34:14 and I'm satisfied with that given the conditions.

Feeling good after the walk today, no doubt thanks to the recuperation time I gave my body, I am looking forward to my walk tomorrow. I will take on a 5K, nothing official, just a full loop around my course making sure to get started by 7:00. With a more agreeable temperature and boobs in check, I am confident that I can complete all 3.1 miles in less than 55 minutes. We'll just have to wait and see how it goes. Have faith and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

I Think I Can, I Think I Can...

So, I didn't get up until 6:15 this morning (see a trend forming here?) and I didn't get up easily. I was so sleepy. It is very easy to talk yourself out of things when you're warm and cozy, wrapped up tight in the blankets knowing that you could sleep for another hour. It is not easy to convince yourself to leave the comfort of your bed to go out in 80-some% humidity and walk 2 miles. But, I did it anyway.

Now believe me when I say that I tried everything I could think of to stall. I won't bore you with the details let's just say that it was 6:34 when I hit the pavement.

I had a hard time with the walk today, my body aching from the previous 2 days and 4 miles. I crossed the first 1/2 mile at 8:42 and knew I would have to pick up the pace. That's when I hit a snag. You see, yesterday while I was walking I noticed (yuck) a possum carcass. Today, there was a rottweiler feeding on the dead possum. Now there are many problems with this. You see, possums carry rabies, rottweilers have been known to be...we'll call it aggressive AND I can't run fast. The only means of defensive I had was my tiny Swiss Army Knife. So, I opened the knife, picked up my pace, kept my eye on the dog and started by him. He eyed me cautiously, never made a sound, and stood between me and his feast. And let me tell you, I LET HIM. I am not about to take on a hungry rott.

I passed by without any trouble and walked faster planning my defense for when I had to get around the dog again. All of this distraction was good for removing the focus from the pains in my legs, hips and back and the next 3/4 of a mile went by quickly. As I approached the point where I left the rott, I could hear the alarm (dogs barking) sound at Coconut's house. Coconut the mighty came tearing down the driveway and caught the attention of the rottweiler who bounded over to greet him. Now that the rott was distracted, I breezed by without any trouble.

Still focused on coming in at 34:00 minutes, I pushed my legs to move faster. With the finish line in sight I realized that I would have to jog to make it back in time. So, with 30 seconds left I started jogging. The driveway got closer and closer and the seconds ticked away. Just a little farther, going to have to run now. Still bouncing from the lack of proper support (It's supposed to be on the way.) I stepped into the driveway at 33:58, under 17 minutes per mile.

Tomorrow I have to be at work at 7:00 and will not have time to walk. My body is thanking me. I think I will make time tomorrow evening for some other type of exercise, maybe biking, maybe Wii Fit. Tired though I may be, I feel great, I have not allowed myself to give up this week. I'll keep moving and walk myself fit. Until then...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Two Down and How Many To Go???

Well, I didn't jump right out of bed this morning nor did I get up gracefully. I guess you could say I dragged myself out of the bed this morning. I could blame it on 2 nights of having difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. I could blame it on the long weekend, sleeping in and getting off schedule. I could blame it on being tired from my fast paced walk from the previous day...but I won't. Ultimately, I got up, laced up and walked. I never said that this would be easy.

Once again I hit the road and pounded out 2 miles, 2 grueling miles. For starters, it was 69 degrees (nice, huh?) with 96% humidity. That's right! 96%. Do you have any idea what it's like to walk in that kind of humidity? Try this; soak a blanket, pull it over your head and start walking. I was sweating 200 feet into my walk and it was difficult to breathe. Did I stop? Did I turn back? Did I cut my walk short? NOOOOOOOOOO! I didn't get out of bed at 6:06 for nothing. I kept moving despite the pain in my hips, pain in my back, fogged up glasses, lack of sufficient oxygen and Coconut the shaggy mutt hot on my heels.

I finished the 2 mile loop again, this time a bit slower at a 17:08 pace. Not bad considering the conditions this morning. I'll get back to the 16:30 pace and faster, I know this. Patience is not one of my virtues but, I'm learning. I've heard that it takes 21 days to make something a habit. (I don't have a clue how they figured that one out.) That's 2 days down and 19 to go. Stick with me, I'll pull through, this is what I'm here to do so...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

And she's off...

I jumped out of bed ready to go at 9:00 a.m. this morning. OK, I know I said that I was going to get up at 6:00 but I totally forgot that yesterday was Monday, Memorial Day and not Sunday. You see, I don't go to work until 2:00 p.m. on Tuesdays so I did take advantage of that and slept in. My plan as of last night was to get up at 8:00 this morning when my husband called to wake me but, he was too busy at work so I didn't wake on my own as early as I would have liked.

Now out of bed, I got dressed, pulled my hair back into a ponytail, and put a load of laundry in the washer. Next, I ate a banana and drank 1/2 a bottle of grape Propel. I figured the banana would give me a boost of natural sugar and potassium and the Propel would give me some fluids and vitamins to start. I laced up my shoes, put on my stopwatch, grabbed another bottle of grape Propel and headed out the door.

My previous mile pace was about 17 - 17.5 minutes. I wanted to finish my 2 mile walk in less than 34 minutes today, AKA: a 17 minute mile. Out of my driveway I went determined to pump my legs hard and push myself to a faster time.

Now I have to tell you that I live out in the country a bit and the roads that I walk on are just rural routes. I don't live in a city, town or neighborhood with nice sidewalks or designated walking paths. I walk approximately 2/10 of a mile and turn onto a dead end road with relatively low traffic. If I walk the full loop, it is 3 miles. To make sure that we could track our progress properly, my husband and I took the car out one weekend and marked the pavement at every 1/2 mile. I also feel compelled to tell you that being out in the country can lead to some interesting obstacles such as various critters running across the road in front of you (slimy ones too). Also, there are a few people who allow their dogs to run amok and chase anything that comes down the road...more on that later.

Back to this morning's walk. Just a little over 1/10 of a mile into my walk I noticed some large birds circling over a particular area. Now, if you know anything about birds then you have already guessed that they were buzzards (vultures to some) and they were having their morning meal. I can tell you that having 3 large buzzards circling over your head while you walk is a bit intimidating but I figured I wouldn't have a problem until I came back by them and looked, well, dead tired.

Now beyond the circling birds, I focused on the 1/2 mile mark. this part of the walk was uneventful and perhaps gave me too much time to reflect on the tight calves and the sweat now rolling off of my head. I briefly considered only walking 1 mile. Afterall, it is very cloudy today and could start raining or storming at any minute. But, I dismissed the thought reminding myself of my purpose and continued on.

I reached the half mile walk at 8.75 minutes, a 15 second slower pace than I wanted. What do you do then? You move faster. Sound easy? HA! I wish. I was hurting but, it was not unbearable.

Back to the dogs running loose...there is a point on my course where I come to 2 houses that have both have dogs which have chased me. All of these dogs are shaggy little messes that have all the attitude of a bull elephant. I have stopped to meet 2 of them when their owner came out to make sure I knew that they wouldn't bite me. Coconut is the worst, he will chase me whenever I turn my back on him like he is trying to sneak up and bite me on the back of the leg. However, he is also the cutest and I have a soft spot for him.

I made it to the turn around at mile 1 in 16:52, just under the pace that I wanted to reach. Feeling energized that I could push it and make it back even faster, I was now playing a mental game. Talking to yourself can look strange, even scary to anyone who is watching but it helps. As I was approaching a steep hill, I remembered some tips my sister had given me. First, lean into the hill and pump your arms. It works. I can go up a hill faster than I can go down one...to a point. Near the top of the hill I wanted to slow down, shins burning, calves burning, hips screaming. Now comes the second tip, imagine a rope around your middle, attached to the top of the hill, pulling you to the crest. Better yet, imagine someone who loves you, your cheerleader, pulling that rope, helping you through the hardest sections of your course. It works too! I could see my sister standing at the top of the hill, pulling that rope for all she was worth, telling me the whole time, "You've got this Tottie. Keep pumping. You're right there."

The third 1/2 mile was my fastest at just 8 minutes. The last 1/2 mile forced me to dig deep, pump harder and move faster. Back past the buzzards covering my head, knowing the end was in sight. All of a sudden my vision blurred...I thought, uh-oh, I've over done it, I'm having a stroke or something. It took only a fraction of a second but I realized that it was just sweat on my glasses. Finish line in sight, I could see my husband (he was still at work but there was no mistaking what my mind saw) at the end of the driveway yelling, "Come on Sweetie, pick it up, you're almost there." I did pick it up. I ran the last 100 feet (ouch, ouch, I wish those new, "no bounce" sports bras would get here) and stepped into my driveway at 32:58. That's right, a full 30 second faster pace than I thought I would make. Yea me!

I walked around the yard for a few minutes to start the cool down process. If you don't know, this is when the sweat really pours resulting in a condition we refer to as "ogre butt". I stretched my legs and drank the other half of the grape Propel that I started this morning. Once cooled down with breathing back to normal, I had breakfast, 1 cup of Multi-Grain Cheerios with 3/4 cup of 1% milk and a 1/2 cup of strawberries.

I feel good. I have day one of training for a 10K out of the way and I am anxious to walk again tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. I'll stick with it, work through the aches and pains and celebrate the successes. Hopefully, as I work towards the 10K I'll be working off more of me, sweating off one pound of fat at a time. It's good for me so smile and...

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.

Your Mission, Should you choose to accept it...

First Objective: complete 10K
Date: Oct. 31, 2010
Location: Washington, D.C.

Two weeks ago I completed the Semper Fred 5K in Fredericksburg, VA. I walked 3.1 miles with my niece while my husband ran/walked the same course and my sister ran the 13.1 mile half marathon. I finished in under 54 minutes or about a 17 minute mile pace. Not bad considering that I only started walking 3 weeks prior to the race but not great either.

So, frustrated by my lack of physical strength, I have signed up for the 10K that is run in conjunction with the Marine Corps Marathon.

Perhaps I should back up a few more steps. My sister began running a couple of years ago and I have watched her cross the finish line of all of her races. She has been an inspiration to me. I want to find that kind of strength within myself. I want to feel better, stronger, healthier. I want to live a long, fulfilled life. I believe that improved physical health will lead to better mental and emotional health.

Last year my husband lost someone who had a tremendous influence on his life. In this man's memory he decided to improve his health to live up to the potential that his friend saw in him. His first goal complete, the Semper Fred 5K, he signed up for the Marine Corps 10K.

OK, so I didn't choose these particular races for myself but have decided to run them rather than stand on the side and watch everyone else. You see, there comes a point when you get tired of being the fat girl. When you get tired of everyone thinking that you are going to keel over any second from a stroke or heart attack. Never mind the fact that you are only 33 years old with a text book BP, resting heart rate of 64 and perfect cholesterol. Make no mistake, I am NOT doing this for everyone else, I am doing this for ME. However, I do want others to understand that fat girls like me don't want their pity. I am overweight because I have chosen to overeat, eat foods with poor nutritional value and never exercise. I have now made the choice to change.

Starting tomorrow, Jun. 1, 2010, I will be rising at 6:00 a.m. to walk a couple of miles. I will do this everyday. I will be altering my diet to include many more fruits and vegetables, less fat, more fiber, etc. (Details to follow in future posts.) I will use this blog as my journal, my record, of every milestone, setback and victory. I am excited! I am going to change my life!

Don't Pity the Fat Girl.