getting dramatical

Joined the gym!

2011-03-10T10:34:00.003-06:00

Well, my running has been non-existant this year. I've had a couple of hiccuped starts, but always stopped because it's too cold or too dark. Soon it will be too hot. Thinking back, when I first started running, I had a 10 minute commute to work and no warm husband to cuddle in the morning (best time to run). Now it's a lot harder to get up early.

Scott's work has a huge, very nice gym. We finally got around to getting me an access card for it. We've gone twice so far, Monday and Wednesday. The first time I tried out an elliptical (too scared to get on the treadmill). It didn't feel like much of a workout compared to running. Right before we left, I decided to be brave and try the treadmill. It wasn't nearly as scary as I expected.

Last night I went right for the treadmill. I did a 5 minute (1/4 mile) warm up walk and then sped it up to a breathless 13:30 minute mile. I was able to sustain that for 1.5 miles before deciding to go back to walking and cool down. Overall, I did 2 miles in about half an hour. I plan to aim for at least 2 miles 3 times a week until I feel comfortable working up to more.

I've also been journaling WW points for the last two weeks with a devastating hiatus over the weekend. I took Friday off to go riding and made my way to Pickett House in Woodville, TX for lunch. Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and peach cobbler are not conducive to weight loss. On Saturday, I met up with several friends to go out to dinner at Sambuca before seeing "Billy Elliott" at the Hobby Center. The crab stuffed salmon entree was fairly healthy, but the crab bisque soup and sticky caramel bread pudding a la mode most definitely were not!

It's now Thursday and I've finally worked myself back down into the 170s (179.0) and planning to be better this weekend.

One more item of pride. I haven't bought Girl Scout cookies in years, but I'd been dreaming about them lately. They were setting up a stand as Scott and I walked into the supermarket last Sunday. He saw the look on my face and handed me a twenty (I don't usually carry cash). On the way out, I picked up 4 boxes (note the restraint, they're only $3.50 per box). 5 days later, I've had exactly 4 cookies (Lemonades - yum!) and noted each serving faithfully in my journal. Scott tends to go through cookies like a monster, but he's been good about only touching them when I'm having a serving. These 4 boxes will probably last over a month at this rate.

Something different

2010-05-05T22:00:00.004-05:00

It's not diet or fitness related, but I finally applied for an NCARB record. It's an architecture thing.... beginning to take the steps to become a licensed architect in Texas.

Next steps: get Cal Poly to send them a transcript and talk to my boss about verifying various areas of work experience.

Then I get to take tests! Yay.

Update

2010-04-30T10:28:00.004-05:00

I tend to go all quiet when the weight loss isn't going my way (ie down).

Well, back on Thursday, April 22, the hotel that I've been working on for the last two years had it's grand opening celebration and I was invited! (this doesn't usually happen)

Scott and I also obtained tickets to the big ($250/plate, thanks boss!) dinner honoring donors and alumni.

OMG

OMG

OMG that food was good.

The scale was not kind that next day. I spent the last week coming down from that and am finally back in the 160s again. At 168.6, I'm at a new low for this iteration of weight loss and am 4 lbs down. Only one pound to go for my Vegas goal!

I'm Back!

2010-04-21T21:19:00.003-05:00

...in the 160s! 169.6!

I got down to about 164 before the holidays last year. It's good to know that my low is just about 5 lbs away. Sure, that's probably a long hard month away, but it seems so much more attainable when I'm in the same weight decade!

Tuesday Weigh In

2010-04-20T20:46:00.003-05:00

At 170.4, I'm down 2.2 from Friday, when I started this iteration of the "diet". Overall, down 20.8 lbs.

It has only been a few days, but I'm feeling successful already. I really hope this isn't just some natural body weight fluctuation and I'm going to find my weight back up for no good reason tomorrow morning.

I'd sure like to ditch these pesky 170s.

Counting Points

2010-04-19T21:28:00.003-05:00

It sure is nice to have a supportive partner.

We behaved over the weekend and both of us lost weight. I think our main strategy is going to be to massively cut down dinner. We love my cooking, but it does tend to add up calorically.

I started formally counting WW points on my custom spreadsheet this morning. I've essentially finished the day with 4 points to go (goal is 0-5 with higher being better), so I'll count it a success.

On to tomorrow!

New Goal - With a Time Limit...

2010-04-17T23:40:00.003-05:00

OK,

So he proposed a week ago. We haven't set a date yet, but it's probably going to be July or August.

I'm also going to Las Vegas (the annual convention trip) in about a month.

It's time to face the fact that I'm up about 10 lbs from my low.

Let's see if I can lose 5 lbs by Vegas and then go from there...

I'm currently at 172.6. That makes it a goal of 167.6 by May 18.

Polar Bear Run

2010-01-05T10:53:00.003-06:00

Got in 2 miles this morning with temperatures in the low 30s. I made Lucy wear a sweater. I was wearing long pants, underarmor cold gear shirt, windbreaker, gloves, and a ear-covering fleece headband. I was warm but breathing in that coooooold air was hard.

Tuesday Weigh In

2010-01-05T10:49:00.002-06:00

165.2 this morning. 26 lbs total loss. I'll give a weekly loss starting next week.

I'm up .4 from yesterday, but I'm blaming the salty dinner. Apparently that boxed asparagus risotto is NOT improved by adding a chicken boullion cube to the water.

New Year, New Start, Same Goals!

2010-01-04T10:38:00.003-06:00

It wasn't a horrible break, really. No scorched earth, no bingeing on piles of gooey sweetness. I gained roughly one pound over the holidays. Not bad at all. I'll do an official weight tomorrow (Tuesday).

But I'm back now! I'm ready to lose that last 20 lbs to get down to normal weight.

I've got some goals for this year:
- 145 lbs (down 20)
- A race (5k/10k/HM) at least every other month (or at least 6 this year)
- Get back on my bicycle and train for at least one longish bicycle race/ride

My initial plan is to start loosely counting points and being disciplined in my eating (breakfast, lunch, snack) at work. I've moved into a new living situation which will require development of a new low-points dinner strategy (cooking for 2!).

I'm also going to reboot my running schedule. I haven't run regularly in the the past month, so my first goal is to get back into shape for a 5k at the end of January/beginning of February. I'll freeze/run tomorrow morning.

2009 Turkey Trot 10k

2009-11-27T10:27:00.000-06:00

A couple of super-flattering pictures of me running:

The 10k was easier than I'd expected. I kept my pace slow and actually managed to run the whole thing! Time was 1:20:12, which was about what I was expecting, really. I'm happy.

W7D3

2009-11-22T10:32:00.000-06:00

Today was the big one... the last big run before the 10k.

I left the house with Lucy just after 9. It was bright, sunny, and not too cool that I was worried about being cold in my sleeveless jersey. I kept the pace nice and easy, so even when I started feeling really heavy and tired around mile 4, it wasn't too difficult to keep going. I finished with an average pace approaching 14 minutes per mile, but still in the 13s.

Came back, took a glorious shower, made some more award-winning buttermilk pancakes, and spent the day painting the house.

W7D2

2009-11-19T21:15:00.002-06:00

It was supposed to be an easy 2 mile run. Handling two excited, tugging dogs was a little more tiring than I expected. Was a nice sunny morning on the golf course though. I think I'm really going to enjoy my new jogging trail.

Also, new low this morning. I hit 163.2, an overall loss of TWENTY-EIGHT (28) POUNDS!

WOOHOO! That's almost "round-able" to 30!

Week 33 Weigh In

2009-11-17T21:13:00.002-06:00

164.6 this morning, putting me down 0.2 lbs for the week. I'm at 26.6 total loss. It sure would be nice to start losing again...

My goal of being in the 150s for Thanksgiving is pretty hopeless at this point. I'm still proud of my progress, but it would have been awesome to hit that number.

W7D1

2009-11-17T21:08:00.002-06:00

3 mile run on the golf course this morning. It was very cold, in the mid-50s. I was concerned enough to wear a short sleeve shirt and 3/4 pants, but I warmed up nicely halfway through.

Going Low!

2009-11-12T11:55:00.001-06:00

Let's not talk about running this week. The weather is gorgeous, but I haven't made it outside much. Very busy between moving and meetings.

But I do have a new low to report! I'm at 163.8 this morning! Woo!

Week 32 Weigh in

2009-11-10T13:23:00.001-06:00

yay! That pesky pound I gained last week came right off. I'm once again at 164.8, 26.4 lbs total loss.

Now if I could just drop into the lower half of 164...

Prom Dress is nowhere close to fitting

2009-11-09T22:26:00.002-06:00

*sigh*. I was going through my closet tonight and tried on my high school prom dress for the first time this year. There's still a good 2" gap at the top 1/3rd of the zipper. Looks like I'm not going to be sporting it at any of this year's holiday parties.

I'll get there. Maybe next year.

W6D3

2009-11-08T13:18:00.000-06:00

I postponed this run until Sunday morning because I enjoyed last weeks golf course run so much.

The entire golf course loop turned out to be over 5 miles. I swallowed a bug around mile 4, threw it up a few minutes later, and felt much better for the rest of the run. Average pace was 13:22. Not bad.

W6D2

2009-11-05T13:16:00.000-06:00

I pushed myself and managed a pace of 12:25 minutes/mile for the first half of this morning's 2 mile run. The 2nd mile slowed significantly. It's HARD to run faster.

Week 31 Weigh in

2009-11-03T13:20:00.001-06:00

I'm up a pound this week, at 165.8 *cries* (durn halloween!). Total loss at 25.4 lbs

W6D1

2009-11-02T12:21:00.002-06:00

Very cold 3 mile run (13ish pace) this morning. I don't think I truly warmed up until halfway through mile 2. The sun was fully up though. YAY for daylight savings time!

I'm a One Hour Runner (W5D3)

2009-10-31T13:06:00.000-05:00

The rain has been a real drag lately. I haven't run since the 3 miles on Monday morning, but I really want to progress with my program. I kicked myself out of bed at 8AM this morning with the goal of running 4.5 miles.

It was in the 50s, but bright and sunny. I grabbed shades from the truck and walked off toward the abandoned golf course/running path behind Scott's house. Lucy's tail was wagging happily and she reached her nose out to catch the light breeze.

I love being able to track distance on the Forerunner. The GPS helped me decide to turn around after reaching the end of the 4th section of the golf course (new territory for me). In all, I found that running 4 sections of the golf course gave me 4.2 miles. I doubled back on the close one to reach 4.5 miles. At that point, I was only 1.5 minutes from running for a full hour, so I kept going just long enough to give me that coveted 60 minutes!

My pace for the whole run averaged around 13 minutes/mile. I'm pretty happy that I didn't sink down to the 14s. I was feeling good, even at the end. I'm not at all worried about reaching 5 miles next weekend.

W5D1

2009-10-27T16:27:00.006-05:00

I slacked a bit last week. Between a tight deadline at work, a really rainy day, and being exhausted come Saturday morning, my running schedule suffered.

I'm back at it this week. Today was one of the coldest runs I've ever done. The middle school marquee said 55°, but I got my 3 miles in. I averaged just over 13 minutes per mile.

A science blog I've been reading had a great post on running this morning: To Dad, from a Runner

I found myself identifying: slightly nerdy girl with her head always in a book got started running. We all get started for different reasons but in the end it all boils down to that daily challenge to get out there and get that run in. She's several years ahead of me in speed/distance and definitely an inspiration.

Week 30 Weigh in

2009-10-27T09:21:00.002-05:00

Finally some progress! I'm again at 164.8 this morning, a loss of 0.8 for the week, 26.4 overall.

Plodding along

2009-10-26T18:30:00.004-05:00

I equaled my current low this morning: 164.8. I'm happy to see that number again, but I have little confidence that I'll be significantly past it anytime soon.

Thinking back, I've always had trouble in the 160s. I was in the 160s when I left college in 2002. I was also in the 160s when I tried Weight Watchers again in 2004. I stopped my last bout with paid Weight Watchers when I'd been on it for a couple of months and had no progress out of the 160s.

This time it's different. The scale isn't moving, but I have no plans to give up. If I keep doing what I'm doing, it WILL move. It will! I just need to be patient and follow my plan.

W4D3

2009-10-20T12:46:00.002-05:00

Another 4 mile run this morning. When I started just before 7, it was almost completely dark outside. By the time I finished, the skies were cloudy with big patches of bright blue. A beautiful mid 60s morning.

I'm happy to report that my average pace improved slightly to 13:50/mile. I'm taking these runs nice and slow. I'm even starting to look forward to next week's 4.5 mile run.

Week 29 Weigh in

2009-10-20T12:34:00.006-05:00

Another week of little progress. I'm at 165.6, 0.2 lbs down, 25.6 overall loss.

I'm starting to feel like I'm not going to lose anything substantial in October. I've been faithfully avoiding all donuts, desserts, and halloween candy that has shown up at work. I'm eating mostly on plan with a couple of looser (but not overboard) nights each week. My running is going great.

*shrug* I guess it'll drop when it drops. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing.

*EDIT*

Keep doing what I'm doing except for one thing.

I admit it. My water consumption has dropped off. I'm going to make it a goal this week to drink 3 full bottles of water each day at work. And then work hard at keeping fluid consumption up this weekend...

W4D2

2009-10-17T12:40:00.000-05:00

An easy (and sunny) 2 miles this morning. I slept in a little and left the apartment a little after 9 AM. It felt good to go out in daylight without fear of overheating.

One of my neighbors was outside working on his truck. We chatted for moment before I took off. He was a little concerned that I'd be too cold (it was in the 60s) in my sleeveless running top (bathing suit material) and biker shorts. I assured him that once I got moving, I'd be just fine.

W4D1

2009-10-15T11:54:00.002-05:00

Got up at 6 AM this morning to run 3 miles, mostly in the dark. Lucy was thrilled to see that the armadillos were out again. The jr high marquee said 80°.

Also, new low on the scale. At 164.8, I've dipped my toe into the bottom half of the 160s.

W3D3 - New Program!

2009-10-13T17:42:00.000-05:00

With my 10k race coming up quickly and the new training monitoring abilities available on my Forerunner, I've decided to switch to another program: Hal Higdon's 10K Novice, but only for the running distances. Following the cross training schedule there is a little bit more than I can handle. I just know I'd be setting myself up for failure.

I started with W3D3 and a 4 mile run this morning. I kept my pace nice and slow, averaging 14:11 minutes per mile (56:48 minutes running).

For purposes of "goal completion", I'm counting this run as One Hour Runner W9D3 (54 minutes minimum). When I manage a 60 minute run, I'll consider OHR completed.

My legs have been sore all day. I really hope I didn't overdo it.

Week 28 Weigh In

2009-10-13T17:36:00.000-05:00

No change this week. I'm again at 165.8, 25.4 lbs overall loss.

Strollin' Along

2009-10-10T17:38:00.003-05:00

I was supposed to run 49 minutes this morning, finishing off W8 of One Hour Runner.

Patricia woke me up with a 7:15 AM phone call to see if I was still planning to run at Meyer Park. I'd forgotten to set an alarm and probably would have just run locally if she hadn't prodded me.

We met at Meyer at 9AM. I was eager to try out my new Garmin Forerunner 305, but not really feeling like a long run this morning. We managed 2.5 miles at 12:22 minutes per mile average. I have to call it a "short" run.

W8D2

2009-10-08T12:11:00.004-05:00

Kind of a weird jog this morning. I had a 9AM meeting downtown, so I got going right after 6 to give myself time to commute. It was still very dark outside. I could see stars twinkling brightly between the clouds.

Armadillos were out in force. I think I saw more live armadillos this morning than in my entire ~4 years in Texas. Lucy was impressed and intrigued.

I also managed to swallow a bug. This kicked off several minutes of alternating trying to spit it's remains out, retching, and wondering if an allergic reaction was about to start. (It didn't. I think my nose was just having trouble dealing with the amount of air passing through it after I closed my mouth.)

I think I only ended up running two 12-minute pace miles before I gave up and started walking.

YAY! My Forerunner 305 should arrive today!

W8D1

2009-10-06T17:58:00.001-05:00

It was pouring yesterday morning, so my Monday jog had to be postponed.

This morning was muggy and ugly. Soooo hot! Got my 30 minutes in and dripped my way back home.

Week 27 Weigh in

2009-10-06T09:30:00.002-05:00

Finally! At 165.8, I'm down 1.2 for the week, 25.4 total loss. It's so nice to be moving again after 2 weeks of maintaining.

Komen Houston Race for the Cure 5k

2009-10-03T17:47:00.006-05:00

There I am, bib #6801, moving along in the biggest crowd I've ever run in! Over 4000 people ran in the competitive 5k and thousands more were there for the walk that followed. Downtown was SUCH a traffic jam!

At 37:59 (2671st place, 212th in my age group!), I improved my 5K PR time by about 2 1/2 minutes. Sadly, I didn't manage to run the entire race. There were a couple of underpass hills that just looking at sapped my will to run. I did manage to hit the 3 mile mark in 36 (and change) minutes, so I'm now averaging just over 12 minutes per mile.

Goings on

2009-10-02T11:47:00.003-05:00

A few quick updates:

I'm running in the Houston Komen Race for the Cure 5k tomorrow. I'm really hoping to improve my 5k time. We'll see how it goes.

I just ordered a Garmin Forerunner 305 wrist-mount sports GPS with HRM. This should help immensely as I kick off training for my Thanksgiving day 10k race. I'm looking forward to finally being able to train for time AND distance.

And I'm down to 166.2 this morning, once again hitting 25 lbs lost. I closed out September down only 3.2 lbs, but I'm happy with my progress. I'm in fairly new territory here and feeling great about myself.

SIOA - Mini-widespread faucets

2009-10-01T14:57:00.003-05:00

Got a clunky ugly centerset faucet in your bathroom? Update with a mini widespread!

More mini-widespreads

SIOA - Dansko Shoes

2009-10-01T14:40:00.006-05:00

New Category - "Stuff I'm Obsessing About" - where I toss up a quick post about something that has caught my interest.

Dansko's cool new shoe offerings-
Brianna Pump

Solstice Clog

More from Dansko at Endless.com

Week 26 Weigh In

2009-09-29T18:07:00.001-05:00

Surprisingly, I maintained this week. 167.0, no weekly loss, 24.2 lbs total.

I think it's a fluke. I've been down around 166.0 twice, having weighed only 4 times this week. My body is doing weird things. It's not a gain, so I'm going to ignore it and see what happens next week.

Morning Run

2009-09-28T09:46:00.002-05:00

I've got a 5k this weekend, so I think I'm going to redo W8 of OHR (One Hour Runner) next week.

This week I'm going to run 30 minutes on Monday and Wednesday.

This morning's 30 minutes would have been easier if the heat hadn't returned. The middle school marquee said 80° and there was no hint of a breeze. Yuck.

In other news, I'm down to a new low of 165.6 this morning. I doubt it'll stick for my weigh in tomorrow, but I'm pretty confident that I've lost more than last week.

W8D2

2009-09-23T09:20:00.001-05:00

36 minute run this morning. The middle school marquee said 66°. It was actually approaching cold!

25 Pounds!

2009-09-23T09:16:00.004-05:00

After a week in the 167s, I was ecstatic to see 166.0 this morning. Not only is it a significant weight drop since yesterday, it also marks 25 lbs down since I started this journey back in April.

Only 6 lbs to go til my next goal (and new charm for my bracelet)...

Week 25 Weigh In

2009-09-22T20:17:00.003-05:00

Well, at 167.0, I'm only down 0.4 lbs this week, 24.2 total. Not the greatest week, but that puts me at a steady 1 lb/week for this month.

I feel like my body *wants* to break into the 166's, so that should happen tomorrow or Friday, I think.

Went shopping after work and found that I'm a solid size 10 pants even in brands other than my favorite(s). Didn't buy any though. I keep feeling like I should hold off on pants until I'm another size down. I have plenty of size 12s that should hold me over until I'm ready to stock up on 8s. Bought a couple of 3/4 sleeve tops. I'm feeling like Fall!

W8D1

2009-09-21T11:26:00.001-05:00

Easy 30 minute run this morning. It was muggy and warm, around 80 according to the middle school marquee. There's supposed to be a cold front coming in, so hopefully my remaining runs for the week will be cooler.

167.0 this morning.

W7D3

2009-09-19T16:39:00.001-05:00

Patricia and I planned to meet up at Meyer Park at 8AM. I got there a little early and started my warm up and jog. By the time I met Patricia on the path, I'd run about 10 minutes. We walked for another 10 minutes before beginning a 35 minute jog. Altogether, I ran 45 minutes.

The scale has been at a virtual standstill this week. I weighed in at 167.2 this morning.

W7D2

2009-09-16T17:57:00.000-05:00

35 minute run this morning. Clear skies, started to warm up towards the end of the run.

Week 24 Weigh in

2009-09-15T11:08:00.002-05:00

At 167.4 this morning, I'm down 1.4 lbs for the week, 23.8 total loss.

I'm pretty happy with how this month has been going. I'm having steady losses at a nice comfortable rate.

W7D1 and NEW LOW!

2009-09-14T13:11:00.002-05:00

30 minute run this morning. I had a hard time getting out of bed so I started a little later than usual. Nice and cool out, overcast with no sun.

Also, saw 166.8 on the scale this morning. My first NEW LOW since late July! Yay! I hope it holds for tomorrow. That would be a two pound loss for this week!

Saturday Morning Run

2009-09-12T09:42:00.000-05:00

I met up with Patricia for a run this morning in Meyer Park. After having run 41 minutes yesterday, I could tell halfway through the run that the whole thing was going to be painful.

I made it about 2 miles (25 minutes) before giving up. My calves were achy all day.

I'm supposed to meet up with her again next Saturday. My schedule has me doing a 45 minute run this Friday. I guess I can say to Patricia that I'm not up to more than 2 miles with her on Saturdays. She's getting in another run during the week (training for that same Oct 3rd 5k).

W6D3

2009-09-11T09:09:00.002-05:00

41 minute run this morning. It was still so dark when I left the apartment that I kept checking my watch to make sure I wasn't off by an hour or something. I think the culprit was the completely socked in skies blocking any hint of a sunrise. It had brightened significantly by the end of the run, but still no sun. It was raining when I drove to work 1.5 hours later, so I guess I really lucked out.

This run was just a few seconds longer than my longest 5k, making it the longest I've ever run. I like milestones and they're going to start happening again frequently.

Speaking of milestones, at 167.6, I'm once again past my halfway point to goal. I'm only 0.6 lbs above my lowest weight from July.

W6D2

2009-09-09T21:53:00.004-05:00

33 minute run this morning. A little muggy, but at least the sun wasn't out yet.

I had a little bit of weird calf pain around the middle of the run. I was focusing on it for a while, but then something distracted me and I forgot about it. It went away when I stopped thinking about it. Fun!

169.0 this morning. No real change, but I sure wish that it would stick to 168s (and below).

Week 23 Weigh in

2009-09-08T09:12:00.001-05:00

Good Week!

At 168.8, I'm down 1.4 lbs, 22.4 total loss. I feel like I've finally left August behind and am making progress again.

W6D1

2009-09-07T18:48:00.002-05:00

I was up at Scott's house this morning and didn't manage to get out of bed until 9ish. (AHHH lovely 3 day weekends)

According to the local newspaper website, it was in the mid 80s when I started my run out on the greenspace behind the house (former golf course). It was HOT. Not horrible, but much worse than anything I've run in since getting back from my motorcycle trip. Got in my 30 minutes and was soooo happy to get back into A/C and take a cold shower.

This appears to be working

2009-09-06T11:33:00.002-05:00

Down to 168.8 this morning, past my "1 lb this week" goal. I just need to keep it up through Tuesday.

I've been working hard on monitoring intake and drinking lots of liquids. We're going to a party tonight, so we'll see how it goes.

I will try to run Monday morning at Scott's house.

W5D3

2009-09-04T10:25:00.002-05:00

38 minute run this morning with temps in the low 70s. According to mapmyrun, I covered 2.8 miles. I don't know how accurate that is, but I like knowing that I did close to 3 miles at an easy jog.

I've been very good about food since Monday, with the only blip being a reasonable portion of homemade blueberry pie, so I was a little surprised to see that the scale has barely moved since my last weigh in on Wednesday. At 169.4, I'm down 0.2 since Wednesday, 0.8 since Tuesday.

I need to work hard on holding together (despite the long weekend) to have at least a 1 lb loss on Tuesday.

W5D2

2009-09-02T10:08:00.002-05:00

32 minute run this morning. I was a little cold during my warmup, but settled into it when I started jogging.

Historically I'm a wimp about cold weather. I have a hard time walking out into it, even knowing that I'll warm up. We'll see how this goes.

I'm back into the 160s this morning: 169.6

Week 22 Weigh in

2009-09-01T20:22:00.003-05:00

Ok, yuck. I'm up to 170.2 today for my official weigh in. That's a gain of 0.8 lbs, total loss of 21 lbs. Don't even ask about the results for August.

I blame all that sodium (more than usual) in my meals yesterday. Arrgh.

Ok, back to it. New month, new resolve. I'm gonna lose 5 lbs this month, durnit!

W5D1

2009-08-31T12:02:00.004-05:00

It was fabulously cool this morning. The middle school marquee said 73°. No problems with the 30 minute run.

169.0 on the scale (down from the previous weigh in). I had a mixed week, so I'm just hoping to be down a few tenths for my official weigh in tomorrow.

W4D3

2009-08-28T09:39:00.001-05:00

35 minute run this morning. There was just a little color to the east when I left the house. It's nice that it's so much cooler in the morning, but I wonder whether i'll still be able to do this when it's still pitch black before work.

W4D2

2009-08-26T09:09:00.002-05:00

Easy 29 minute run this morning. The PE students were out running. I passed a guy who I think is their instructor twice. The first time got a "Good morning". The second time got a "You think you're tired? That dog has got to be tired!"

I was a little stung there. I replied with a "Oh, she's fine. We do this three times a week." As Lucy pulled me away from the encounter, I kept mulling over better responses. Arrgh.

Anyway, down to 168.4 this morning. Yay!

Komen Houston Race for the Cure 5k

2009-08-25T12:06:00.002-05:00

I just signed up for my next 5k. It's on October 3, a little more than a month away.

Komen Houston Race for the Cure

Week 21 Weigh in

2009-08-25T12:01:00.003-05:00

I haven't done an official Tuesday weigh in post for 3 weeks. I did weigh last Tuesday (the morning after getting back from my vacation) at 171.0 lbs.

My weight this morning was 169.4. That's a 1.6 lb loss, 21.8 lbs overall loss. Respectable. Now lets get back to 167, eh?

Little things

2009-08-24T18:01:00.002-05:00

I've been having a problem with little things lately.

Little things constitute reaching into the fridge or the cupboards for a snacky portion of something low point, but over my points allowance. I was doing it all the week before my trip, and all the week after my trip.

I'm stopping that now. No more afterwork mozzarella cheese sticks, pirates booty, baked veggie crisps, etc. If it's 5:30 and I feel like snacking, it's time to make dinner.

W4D1 Redo

2009-08-24T09:39:00.001-05:00

Screw it. That was easy. I'm calling it week 4.

The only hitch is that it was the first day of school, so there were buses and cars swarming all over my route. I may need to work on getting going earlier so I can miss the 7AM dropoff at the high school. (Or at least be on the starting end rather than the bulk of it.

I'm finally back down into the 160s this morning: 169.2

I'm back from my motorcycle trip

2009-08-19T11:43:00.003-05:00

and back on it.

I weighed in at 171.0 on Tuesday morning.

My challenge for the next couple of weeks is getting back down to 168 and getting back into my running.

I'm journaling my food and drinking all my water. I'll be going grocery shopping tonight to restock.

For the running, I will do 1.5 weeks of 30 minute runs and then start back up at W4D1 of OHR. I'll run Thursday morning and Saturday morning this week and then do my normal MWF next week.

I ran!

2009-08-08T08:01:00.002-05:00

I woke up at 6am this morning in Monroe, LA and went for a 30 minute jog (40 min total) on the frontage road by my motel.

Hiatus

2009-08-04T16:21:00.005-05:00

I didn't like the number the scale spit out this morning. Not at all. I also didn't like that I only managed a 20 minute run last night (hacking and snotting the whole way). Yeah, it was hot. Yeah, I'm feeling a little off this week.

And yeah, I'm leaving for a 9 day motorcycle ride on Friday. I don't see any significant weight loss happening in the next two weeks. I'll be happy/lucky to maintain.

Therefore, I'm putting recording my daily weight on hiatus until I get back. This isn't an excuse to overeat and not exercise... It's a CHALLENGE!

For those who only read this blog and not my main motorcycling blog: http://rocketbunny.blogspot.com

Trip report posts should start Friday night.

July

2009-07-31T10:02:00.002-05:00

I'm up a little today, finishing out the month down 3 lbs for July.

Currently I seem to be bouncing around 167-168 lbs. I'm not expecting a big loss for this next week, but am hopeful that I'm past that major low-170s plateau and can get back to a 5 lb / month loss rate.

No run today

2009-07-29T11:41:00.003-05:00

I was all ready to run this morning. I got up at the right time and put on my jogging clothing. Then I realized that the headache (that was making my brain slosh around inside my skull whenever I made any sudden moves) was not going to be conducive to 35 minutes of running.

Instead, I took an easy 20 minute dog walk and called it a day. If I'm up to it, I'll run 30 minutes on Friday or Saturday and then redo Week 6 next week.

I would just continue with OHR, but I really need to keep the long run days to weekends. I've also got a 10 day motorcycle tour coming up the 2nd week of August. I'm hoping to be able to run near my motel rooms and keep to my schedule, but that may not always be possible.

I essentially maintained overnight: 167.2

Week 17 Weigh in WHOOSH!

2009-07-28T09:19:00.002-05:00

I just had my best week ever. Ever.

I weighed in this morning at 167.0, 3.2 lbs down since last week, 24.2 lbs total.

I'm almost afraid of what next week will bring.

W6D1

2009-07-27T11:58:00.004-05:00

My allergies seem to be running their usual course. I was extremely lethargic on Saturday and Sunday. The sore throat faded by Sunday night and the nose stuff began.

I went to bed early on Sunday to make sure I had enough energy for my 30 minute run this morning. Even so, it was clear that this run was much slower than recent ones. I did get it done, but didn't cover my usual distance. Hopefully I'll be feeling better by Wednesday for a 35 minute run.

My weight is up a little this morning: 168.6. Let's just say I had a high point Saturday night out with friends at Texas Roadhouse and then wasn't especially tight with points yesterday.

W5D3

2009-07-25T11:54:00.000-05:00

The 38 minute run was HARD this morning.

I woke up early enough to head over to Meyer/Collins Park. We did a couple of loops around the south side and the connector. I seem to be starting a round of allergies and had a bad sore throat, so even the first 30 minutes were pushing it. It seemed like the last 8 were taking FOREVER, but I somehow made it through.

Even Lucy was pretty tired when we got back to the truck after a total of 1:15 on the park paths. I gave her some water before getting in for the drive home.

A new low this morning: 167.2.

Pictures from the Lunar Rendezvous 5k

2009-07-24T12:40:00.002-05:00

They're proofs, because I don't like any of them enough to actually pay for full size prints. (and I really hope my extra chin decides to go away soon.)

HALFWAY!

2009-07-24T09:36:00.003-05:00

I seem to be solidly in the 160s. Lucy and I did a short 30 minute walk this morning (I'll do my 38 minute run tomorrow, hopefully at the park).

I weighed in this morning at 167.6, past the halfway point to my goal.

It's amazing to think that on Tuesday I had lost only a pound in the entire month. I was frustrated and casting around for ways to up my rate of weight loss. Looking at the current (2009) Weight Watchers program (I've been using the 2001 program), I realized that I was eating 3-4 points below what my target should be. I increased my points by a few (call it the equivalent of an additional 200 calories/day). All of a sudden I'm down 4 pounds for the month. I might make it to 5 at this rate.

W5D2 and into the 160s!

2009-07-22T09:24:00.002-05:00

From my pre-run weigh, I had some hint that I'd achieve the 160s today.

The run went fine. I was definitely tired at the end of my 32 minutes of jogging, but not horribly so. It was overcast and in the low 80s.

I was seriously ecstatic when I got on my scale after the run and saw 168.8! After floating around 171 for all of July, this is so, so sweet!

Midsummer NSV

2009-07-21T19:53:00.005-05:00

My Mom commented on my ill-fitting jeans at dinner last Sunday. I'm not quite ready to buy a bunch of new long pants (would like to wait until I drop another size or two and buy at the beginning of winter), but I have been wanting some more capris for those hot summer days.

I stopped by one of my favorite stores after work today and tried on a bunch of clothes. I've been wearing a mixture of 14s and 12s. To my surprise, I'm now a size 10 (in some brands at least). Yay! I bought a couple of size 10 capris.

BTW, NSV = non-scale victory

Week 16 Weigh in

2009-07-21T16:00:00.001-05:00

Good News! I'm down a full pound this week, 21 lbs total loss.

At 170.2 I'm just ounces away from the 160s! *crosses fingers*

W5D1

2009-07-20T16:38:00.000-05:00

It was overcast this morning, with green spots (rain) on the radar map. As a precaution, I put my mp3 player in a baggie and zipped it into my camelbak waist pack.

The run went very well. At 30 minutes, my stopping point, I was shocked to find that I wasn't at all tired. Maybe there really IS something to the whole philosophy of "one long run per week". I'm actually looking forward to the increases One Hour Runner is making to my run times this week. (D2 - 32 minutes, D3 - 38 minutes)

I weighed in at 170.8 this morning. I'm hoping this means that I'll finally hit the 160s this week.

Lunar Rendezvous 5k

2009-07-18T17:26:00.000-05:00

"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...LIFTOFF!" and the front runners streamed away as astronaut Sandra Magnus started the 31st running of the Lunar Rendezvous 5k race. Held at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake, the course wound around the perimeter of the campus.

Anticipating being one of the slower runners, I held back and crossed the start line (starting my chip) about a minute after the race started. I'd warmed up by walking back and forth between the start line and the finish line (a little ways away) a few times and was feeling pretty good. I resolved to run at least the first 35 minutes of the race (following my "One Hour Runner" plan for the day). I also wanted to improve my 5K time.

I let my heart rate settle in the mid 160s during the first mile as we passed the rocket park and a long building with a line drawing of the Saturn V rocket it contained painted on the side. This building and others provided plenty of shady areas that really helped keep the temperature down. At the first mile marker, I glanced down at my HRM and saw that I was at just over 12 minutes.

The HRM slowly crept up into the 170s during the 2nd mile. I slowed down slightly a couple of times to bring my heart rate down, but I didn't worry about it too much. I know from my training runs that my heart rate will tend to rise slightly as I tire. I downed the second mile in around 13 minutes.

During the first half of the run, I noticed a pattern to the people around me. There were several people that jogged past me at a blazing pace. A few minutes later, I'd pass them as they slowed for a walk break. My pace was fairly consistent the whole time. I told myself that I was the slow and steady tortoise getting passed by a succession of hares (Yay Bunnies!). Sure enough, by the second half of the race, I was no longer seeing any of these people. They'd dropped behind me and their jackrabbit hops were no longer sufficient to pass me.

The last mile of the race turned into a mental battle to keep going. Somewhere around 32 minutes in, my legs were suddenly awash in a wave of lethargy. My heart rate was high (into the 180s) but my breathing was easy. I kept going.

My determination was rewarded a few minutes later when I got my second wind. At 35 minutes into the race, longer than I'd ever run before, I was good to go. Nothing was hurting, nothing was overwhelmingly tired, heart rate was high but not worrisome, and I could see the spires of the rocket park in the distance.

I jogged across the finish line with a chip time of 40:57, 22 seconds slower than my Dad's Day 5k time. I'm okay with that. It's only 7 seconds difference per mile, about as close as it could be.

I'm SO proud that I actually ran the entire 5k. A huge milestone has been passed that will give me extra confidence during my next 5k.

W4D2

2009-07-15T12:01:00.006-05:00

I felt a little silly only running 29 minutes this morning (45 minutes total). It was nice to skip the last minute of my run, but I don't know how much effect it'll have. Whatever, it's part of the plan.

My next run is the 5k race on Saturday. Looking at the record from my HRM, I plan to try to keep it reading in the 160s during the race. I will slow down if I hit the 170s. The OHR plan calls for 35 minutes of running. If I can keep a 12-13 minute/mile pace, that puts me finishing in 36-39 minutes. I think that is doable. I just need to keep my legs moving at a jog and not let my mind convince me that it's time to walk.

171.0 this morning. No real movement. *chants* It'll happen. Keep going!

Week 15 Weigh in & PLOD

2009-07-14T09:24:00.002-05:00

I'm down 0.2 lbs for the week, 20.0 total.

On the good side, it's my first "official" weigh in at 20 lbs. On the bad side, the month is half over and I've only lost 0.4 lbs so far in July. Arrgh. Oh well. It's progress.

W4D1

2009-07-13T11:48:00.004-05:00

Nice easy 30 minute run (45 minutes total) this morning. The sun was just barely coming up so my sunglasses spent most of the run on top of my head.

I'm supposed to taper back to a 29 minute run on Wednesday. I suppose I'll just go to my normal halfway point and then start my cool down walk a minute earlier.

As I was running, I tried to quantify how tired I was during different segments. I'm very worried about mentally psyching myself out of running at least the first 30-35 minutes of the 5k on Saturday. I *CAN* run it. I need to be aware of but not listen to that niggling voice in my head that will say that I'm overdoing it or that it's different from a normal morning run.

I'm up slightly to 171.2 today. This is supposed to be my week (tomorrow) to weigh in the 170.X's, so I'm working hard to drink my water and stay on plan today.

W3D3

2009-07-11T10:56:00.002-05:00

Yet again I didn't wake up early enough to drive over to the park for our morning jog. In fact, it was fairly late (7:30 AM) when Lucy and I left the apartment. The run was uneventful, although slightly warmer than earlier jogs.

I note that our start time corresponds with the start time of my 5k race next Saturday. If I can jog 30 minutes at home, surely I should be able to do it at the race!

Also, happy scale today. I hit 170.0 again (last time was Monday, 6 days ago). I'm feeling good about the prospect of dipping into the 160s next week.

W3D2 and thoughts

2009-07-10T09:30:00.002-05:00

I had a kind of mini breakdown this week.

My cheap jogging MP3 player decided to paperweight itself after we went walking in the rain Tuesday morning. I didn't realize this until Wednesday morning. I couldn't face jogging without music, so I didn't. The scale was so dismal that morning (172.8!) that I didn't even record it. I've been over Points by 2 or 3 every day this week and I've been slacking on drinking all my water.

The good news is that I think BF pulled me out of it. I was lamenting my running schedule to him Wednesday afternoon. He mentioned that he had to be at work super-early on Thursday morning and I could probably fit in a jog at his place before going to work.

It was perfect! We got up just after 6 and he hopped in the shower while I put on my jogging clothes. I took Lucy out for a loop of the former golf-course behind his house. The air was completely still and very wet. There were bugs everywhere, but it was still one of the more quiet and scenic jogs I've been on. He was long gone when I got back to his house, took a shower, and got into the car to go to work.

I also skipped my weight training workout Tuesday night (went shopping after work and wasn't feeling it). I continued my weight training hiatus on Thursday night, opting instead to watch a fluff movie and sort email.

I'll jog again on Saturday morning and try to fit in a WT workout on Sunday night.

The good news is that the happy numbers on the scale are back as of this morning. I weighed in at 171.0, only the 2nd time I've been below 20 lbs. This was a "normal" morning (meaning no jogging or other exercise to help the weight come down) so I think it'll stick this time. I'm feeling MUCH more positive.

Week 14 Weigh in

2009-07-07T15:03:00.003-05:00

Alas, this morning's weigh-in wasn't a continuation of yesterday's awesomeness. I'm down 1.2 lbs this week, 19.8 total.

I must have been dehydrated from sleeping in an apartment with no A/C and then running. Oh well. I'll be back there soon.

W3D1

2009-07-06T12:00:00.003-05:00

The air conditioning in my apartment broke over the weekend. It was 89 degrees in there last night and this morning, even with the windows open as far as I dared (didn't want Cali-kitty to be able to scratch at the screens). The ceiling fans helped, but still...

Anyway, it was a little disheartening to go out for my run knowing that I'd be coming back and *cooling off* in a space that was actually hotter than outside.

I did it though. Nice easy 30 minute run, 45 minutes total. I seem to be sustaining that faster pace (13 minute mile) so things are looking up for my next 5k. It's only two weeks away now.

This is the last week of straight 30 minute runs on One Hour Runner. Next week will start with 30 on Monday, 29 on Tuesday, and then calls for 35 on the third day. I'll be doing the 35 minute run during the 5k race. I'm planning to attempt to stay with the program: run my 35 minutes, take a break, and then see what I can do to finish out the race. I've run 30 minutes often enough at this point that I feel I have very little excuse for walking as early as I did during my 1st 5k.

Unless it's unbearably hot of course. Or shade-free. We'll see.

20 Pounds!

2009-07-06T11:38:00.002-05:00

Somehow, someway... I blew past 20 pounds this weekend.

I'm not sure how it happened. I just wasn't THAT good with all the Fourth of July BBQ/snacks eating.

I find myself at 21.2 lbs lost and on the cusp of a new weight decade (170.0). WOOOO! GO ME!

W2D3

2009-07-03T07:49:00.002-05:00

Since I have the day off, I got all ambitious last night and set my alarm for 5:30 AM. The plan was to wake up and drive over to a local park for my run.

Well, 5:30 came a little too soon for me. I kept hitting snooze until I didn't have time to drive to the park and still beat the heat.

Had a nice 30 minute run (45 min total).

July WT #1 of 8

2009-07-02T20:49:00.003-05:00

Not only did I do 3 sets of each exercise, I also did the first set at a higher weight!

It was much heavier, but I was capable of one set at 20 lbs vs my usual 10 lbs. Maybe in two weeks or so, I'll be capable of two sets at 20 lbs. :D

W2D2

2009-07-01T10:16:00.002-05:00

Very overcast this morning, which helped. I brought my sunglasses, but they spent the entire run pushed back on the top of my head.

I seem to have improved my speed. I ran further this morning than any other of my recent 30 minute runs. Getting on the computer after the run, I discovered that I ran about 2.3 miles in 30 minutes, around 13 minutes per mile.

I'm also having a fantastic couple of days on the scale. I'm down another full pound this morning for a new low! Still not at 20 lbs lost, but I'm so close.

June WT #8 of 8

2009-06-30T22:10:00.002-05:00

I made it! Not only did I keep my goal of 8 weight training workouts in June, I also improved my lifting ability. It's gotten noticeably easier.

I discussed buying another set of dumbbell rods a few days ago. I realized tonight that the smarter solution is to keep on with the amount I'm currently lifting, but add another set (I'm currently only doing 2 sets).

My goal for July is another 8 workouts, doing 3 sets of each lift.

My 2nd 5k

2009-06-30T14:41:00.002-05:00

I just signed up for my 2nd 5k race, the Lunar Rendezvous 5K on July 18.

This race will be about one month after my first 5k. I'm really hoping to improve my time, but since it's still a summer event, I expect to face the same weather problems. I'm just hoping the course is a little more shaded. The event appears to start in the parking lot for Space Center Houston. We'll see if the slightly earlier (7:30AM) start time helps.

Week 13 Weigh in

2009-06-30T11:22:00.002-05:00

Well, I guess this could be called a "happy scale" day. On the bright side, I'm down a full pound from yesterday. On the not so bright side, I'm up 0.2 lbs for the week, 18.6 lbs total loss. I essentially maintained this week.

I'm down a total of 4.8 lbs in June, matching my loss rate from May.

If I can keep up this slow rate of loss, I should still make it close to my goal by the end of the year.

W2D1

2009-06-29T22:11:00.004-05:00

Ok, so the scale wasn't so good this morning. Up another half pound. Yuck. It was also horribly hot outside even at 6:30 AM. I ended up skipping the run and doing some cleaning around the apartment.

My plan for today was to drink lots of water (4 bottles at work plus many many glasses at home) and eat toward the lower end of my points range (ended up at 21). I also knew that I had to run this evening.

The computer was saying 98 when I left home at 7:30, but the marquee at the middle school said 89 when I passed it. It was actually one of the cooler runs I've done since spring. It was overcast with a nice breeze, and then we got rained on for the last 10 minutes.

For the first time, I didn't actually run the whole half hour. I ended up taking a 5 minute walk break toward the end, so I estimate that I actually ran 25 minutes, walked 20 minutes for a total of 45 minutes outside.

Anyway, I'm planning to get up and take a walk with Lucy tomorrow morning. I'm hopeful that the scale will get it's act together for my last June weigh-in.

June WT #7 of 8

2009-06-28T23:18:00.002-05:00

Ok, so far so good. I just need to do one more WT on Tuesday and I've made my goal. Yay!

I'm thinking about buying another set of dumbbell rods. I think I'm ready to up my weights on a couple of exercises, but not on the majority. It's such a pain unscrewing the clips to change weights that it just won't be happening.

The weekend wasn't so bad pointswise. I went over because I'm never very strict on weekends, but not horribly so. Lucy and I did get in a walk each day. We'll see where the scale falls tomorrow.

W1D3 and Whoa Baby!

2009-06-26T10:12:00.006-05:00

Some people have elaborate scale rituals. I don't really. I just go for the lowest number. My first weigh is usually immediately after getting out of bed (etc). This number gives me a baseline and is usually roughly a pound higher than the lowest weight I'll see that morning. I'll go exercise, or take a walk, or surf the web for an hour or so. I weigh again right before my shower and then again after the shower. These two weigh ins are usually very close, but sometimes I can get the magic number machine to spit out a low low number.

Anyway, this morning I knew I was in for a bad scale day when the first-weigh-of-the-day was MUCH higher than I expected. I shrugged, grabbed Lucy, and went for my 30 minute run. It was normal, no problems.

After my shower I finally recorded a weight that I last saw last week. Yuck.

I haven't been eating excessive amounts of calories, but I did have a fairly late/fairly big (on points) dinner last night followed by a late night weights workout. From this I conclude that dinner still needs to "pass through" and my muscles (which are pretty sore) are retaining water while healing. So Yay. I can ignore the scale and get on with my life. It will be better next time I weigh.

//not moving the ticker

It's True!

2009-06-26T09:53:00.003-05:00

I ran in a 5k race!

//doesn't exist without pictures
//from Dads Day 5k 6/20/09

June WT #6 of 8

2009-06-25T23:07:00.001-05:00

It almost didn't happen. I kept procrastinating, ignoring the idea that if I got it done, I'd feel so successful. First it was too hot outside to take that walk afterward. Then I was too hungry for dinner. Then I was too full from dinner.

Finally at 10pm, finding myself just aimlessly surfing the web, I put on my workout clothes and "got 'er done." I didn't walk afterward, and I didn't do the crunches (I hate crunches), but I can legitimately increment my counter and still have a chance of making my June WT goal.

getting dramatical

Joined the gym!

Something different

Update

I'm Back!

Tuesday Weigh In

Counting Points

New Goal - With a Time Limit...

Polar Bear Run

Tuesday Weigh In

New Year, New Start, Same Goals!

2009 Turkey Trot 10k

W7D3

W7D2

Week 33 Weigh In

W7D1

Going Low!

Week 32 Weigh in

Prom Dress is nowhere close to fitting

W6D3

W6D2

Week 31 Weigh in

W6D1

I'm a One Hour Runner (W5D3)

W5D1

Week 30 Weigh in

Plodding along

W4D3

Week 29 Weigh in

W4D2

W4D1

W3D3 - New Program!

Week 28 Weigh In

Strollin' Along

W8D2

W8D1

Week 27 Weigh in

Komen Houston Race for the Cure 5k

Goings on

SIOA - Mini-widespread faucets

SIOA - Dansko Shoes

Week 26 Weigh In

Morning Run

W8D2

25 Pounds!

Week 25 Weigh In

W8D1

W7D3

W7D2

Week 24 Weigh in

W7D1 and NEW LOW!

Saturday Morning Run

W6D3

W6D2

Week 23 Weigh in

W6D1

This appears to be working

W5D3

W5D2

Week 22 Weigh in

W5D1

W4D3

W4D2

Komen Houston Race for the Cure 5k

Week 21 Weigh in

Little things

W4D1 Redo

I'm back from my motorcycle trip

I ran!

Hiatus

July

No run today

Week 17 Weigh in *WHOOSH!*

W6D1

W5D3

Pictures from the Lunar Rendezvous 5k

HALFWAY!

W5D2 and into the 160s!

Midsummer NSV

Week 16 Weigh in

Week 17 Weigh in WHOOSH!

Week 15 Weigh in & PLOD