How about YOU?

I have noticed an increase of visitors as of late...and just had a thought that perhaps I should try to involve them, too. If you are here at all, you are probably somewhat interested in fitness, weight loss, health, or something related. I guess I could see how one might think this is...an anti- build a bear workshop site (Enough of the Fluff? I know, I know. Totally lame joke). But more than likely, you saw a link to the blog somewhere, or got lucky (SO lucky!) enough to search the right thing and look far enough down the results in Google.

So, anyhow...visitor involvement. Please comment and share YOUR story, if you don't mind. I love to hear of other struggles, inspirations, motivations...whatever. If you are a fitness rockstar, tell me about it. Tell me about how you got there. Do you love to run? Tell me about your favorite distances, or your personal records, or whatever. If you have lost a lot of weight, tell me about it. Help motivate me further! If you have yet to begin your weight loss journey, feel free to share that as well. If you have a legit blog to share, post it and I will check it out. Maybe we can link up.

I guess partially I think that networking with others who have similar interests may come in especially handy as I come towards the end of my journey and turn my attention to maintenance. This weight loss has taken a long time....17 months and counting. But maintenance...that is going to be life long. I have changed my lifestyle but I am very aware how dangerously easy it would be to slip back into the old one. I might eat mostly healthy now (besides some cheat days on weekends - usually on my long run days) but that doesn't change how much I love pizza, pasta, chocolate, chinese food, burgers, fried foods, chips and dip, bakery donuts or cookies...I could go on and on. That part of me is not GONE, I have just finally been able to make peace with it and keep it balanced.

And I am going to have to be careful about that for the rest of my life.

OH! I almost forgot. Somebody posted this on Facebook the other day and I am in love with it. SO TRUE!

Embarassment is necessary

When I reach goal, I've decided I am going to put together a nice little photo journey to share with the world. Last night, I was looking for some "before" pics I can possibly use...and all I can say is OH DEAR LORD!

To be honest, although I'm not that overweight anymore, and certainly no longer obese... I still sometimes feel like I am. But then, when I look at old pics, I can't believe it was THAT bad. I was 227 lbs. Which is a lot. At the time I would never have told somebody that or imagined ever telling anyone (haha, yet here I am, announcing it to the world. Funny how things change). And you don' t even want to know what I got up to when I was pregnant with my first baby in 2007. Heck, I don't even remember. I think I've blocked it out. But anyhow... I guess when I weighed 227, I kind of always figured, well at least it's not 250 or 275 or 300. Who was I kidding? Obviously I knew I was overweight, but it's almost like the actual reality of it hits way more now when I look back in photos.

I won't share any before pics quite yet...I will save that for one big humiliation fest sometime down the line. But OH.EM.GEE. I was the Matron of Honor in December 2008 for my best friend's wedding. Granted, I had just had my second baby 3 months prior, so a little of it was still pregnancy weight...but wow. I looked awful. It makes me really sad, to be honest. Or I saw a picture of myself in a pool with one of my kids. NOT COOL. Another example - photos from Christmas 2010. I think I have actually posted one of those a long time ago. I am wearing a brown sweater and khaki colored pants, I believe. That outfit is the only of my "before" clothing I have kept. I will be sure to put them on for one of my "after" pictures, to see the comparison.

So yes. You have that to look forward to. Before/after pics, including even the ones that are humiliating because I look so awful. I might even put in some "during" pics. I have one that I took when I was trying on swimsuits for Vegas...I took the pic to send to my hubby for "suit approval". Anyhow...maybe I will even include that. Despite the fact that it's me, in a swim suit, not covered by water...and I was even wearing my socks, still. It's a pretty sexy look, let me tell you! That's how I roll. Swimsuits and socks, baby.

Double digit run!

I did it, I ran 10 miles! Without stopping and keeling over, even. I was not speedy - my average was around 11:40. But I did it. My legs were burning and twitching afterwards, but I feel good now other than a little bit of soreness near the knees. It's not "injury" sore though, just a sort of "used and abused" sore.

This morning I did a little mini clean out of my closet. I do this periodically these days and am always able to find at least a box or two full of too-big clothing to get rid of. It feels great to have these items gone. I am only keeping one "before" outfit, for comparison purposes when I reach goal.

Finally, I have to give a shout out to my amazing husband - today he hit the 100 POUNDS LOST mark!!! The "Century club" as he calls it. Wow! I am so proud of and happy for him.

30 :-(

No. I did not gain 30 lbs while in Vegas. But I have turned 30 years old since my last blog post. *Sigh* I can almost hear my knees creaking already! LOL Ok so that's kind of dramatic. Now that it's over, it's actually fine. I have a feeling my 30's will be the best years yet!


I did gain weight over vacation...a good 7 lbs in fact. The good news is, I am sure that was mostly water weight. I can already feel/see the bloat coming down now that I am back to eating healthy and running regularly.

And damn, it was totally worth it. My husband made the perfect comment regarding the weight gain - we had an awesome trip and the memories will last forever. The weight gain is only temporary. I enjoyed myself so much! Relaxing in and by the awesome wave pool at Mandalay Bay where we stayed...eating delicious food, drinking plenty of frozen, tropical type drinks like Pina Coladas...It was awesome. SO much fun.

On the agenda for today is a 10 mile run. My first double digit run ever. I am nervous, as always. Especially after skipping my long run last weekend...but my hopes are high that it will be a decent run....I feel very determined right now to get the vacation bloat/weight off and then some!

Pre-Vegas weigh in

My weight this morning was 159.6. I did it, I made it into the 150's in time for Vegas. Just barely, but hey - beggars can't be choosers. That was a 2.3 lbs weight loss from last week, which is awesome. I think that is probably what I've been averaging since really getting into my half marathon training. No complaints here!

And I honestly cannot remember the last time I weight 150-anything. I am sure it was maybe around age 15? 14? I'm not sure. I know for sure I am a little smaller than the size I was when I met my hubby at age 16.
Yeah. I'm turning 30 next week. That's a long time ago!

I went for a nice 5 mile run last night on the Lake Walk at an average 10:57 per mile. It was an awesome, rare day with almost no wind. That barely ever happens down at the Lake Walk, and it was a nice change! I know for sure it was the first non-windy run I have had since training for this half marathon.Wind really does make a huge difference.

And now, I will go to Vegas tomorrow until Monday, and gain a few pounds back. Aaaah, such is life. But I am going to enjoy myself damnit, and I want to go out for a fancy Italian Dinner for mother's day, and I want to hit Margaritaville...I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! Hopefully the walking we do helps to curb some of the potential weight gain, and hopefully most of what I DO gain will just be water weight.

One week!!

So first I have to start off with something completely non-weight loss or fitness related.
I'm going to Vegas one week from today! OMG I can't wait for a little vacation!!!
There, now that I have that out of the way. Sorry - I am just ridiculously excited. I am excited for sun, excited to get away with my hubby, excited to see a show, see the people, fly on a plane, sleep in if I want, nap if I want, dress up for a fancy dinner, hug a palm tree, not have 2 little kids screaming in my ear all the time...it's going to be phenomenal!

Anywho. It was another successful week. I think I have found a groove! Or perhaps my body is making up for being stuck for 6 months over the winter. Or both. I guess obviously it doesn't hurt that I'm training for a half marathon. All I know is, I lost another 3+ lbs putting my total at 65.2! Boooooy-effing-yaaaaah!!!!Hellzyeah!

So here are some at-a-glance stats:
Start size: 22
Current size: 12

Start weight: 227
Current weight: 161

Start BMI; Oops I can't remember but it was 36 - point - something, I think. I will have to check on that.
Current BMI: 26.01

Start fitness level: Lazy and tired and exhausted, huffed and puffed a little even after one flight of stairs
Current fitness level: This weekend tackling an 8+ mile run, average page generally about 11:30.
 Half Marathon coming up in six weeks!

I have a specific goal in mind for the next week, and that is I would like to lose 2 lbs, putting myself at 159 for our trip to Vegas. I cannot remember when I was last in the 150's. Honestly, it may have been sometime in early Junior High (and at that point in my life, I wasn't done growing and 150's was not a good thing).
The following week I would like to lose 2 lbs as well, because that would put me at a total of 70.

SEVENTY lbs lost is in sights? Holy crap. I am not sure I honestly ever thought I would make it this far. And it has taken long enough considering I started 17 months ago.

I hope to hit those mini goals listed above, and I will work hard to get there. I will just stick with whats been working as of late - I allow myself some freedom during the weekend (chinese? pizza? YESPLEASE!) During the week I have been eating somewhat low carb...lots of things like grapefruit, shrimp, chicken salads, green beans w/almonds, cottage cheese etc). I make sure to run all of my scheduled training runs (4 miles twice a week and a long run on weekends).

Heck, I HAVE to run my scheduled training runs if I don't want to keel over during the half marathon. Or....ew.....get picked up by the slow bus. Not that there is anything wrong with that. It happens. But I am putting so much into training for this thing, to get picked up by the slow bus would SUCK.

So. No bus for me.

7 mile report

The 7 mile run this weekend went well; better than I expected. It was the first long run I've done alone (except one that was on the treadmill and I watched a show on my iPad so that didn't count). Previously they have all been done in the company of my awesome hubby. I was nervous that I would have the mental willpower to go all the way or to not wimp out and take 20 breaks. But I did it!! I did 7.25 miles with my time being 1:24:XX. My average pace was 11:37. I stopped only once, and I didn't really need to - it was just easier to stop and finish wolfing down my energy bar around mile 4. I felt really good the whole time, and I haven't been sore since. I remember after I finished my first 5k race...I was SO sore afterwards. Climbing a flight of stairs was awful! I am thinking partially that was due to rarely training outdoors beforehand, but still. To think that I once could barely jog slowly for 20 seconds, and now I can run (not super fast, but run nonetheless) over 7 miles and feel fine, is CRAZY.

Random story, the other day I was on the Lake Walk, going along, sweating like a pig, and probably breathing fairly pronounced, and I passed a woman with a small 3-ish year old. I heard the 3 year old say, Momma whats she doing? And the mom said...."That's a runner! She is running, and running is hard work!"
I got called a "runner"? I mean I realize I've been running....but let's face it, simply wearing a swimsuit does not make one a swimsuit model. So needless to say, that pretty much made my day!

So now it's Tuesday. Ready to tackle the rest of this busy week. I've got an Anatomy/Physiology final to study for, work plus 9 hours of overtime to fit in, I'm in the process of selling a bazillion baby items so trying to keep up on emails and requests related to that, plus running of course.... Unfortunately it is forecast to be raining today. A lot. With storms. So I might end up doing my 4 miles on the treadmill. Boooo :-( The good news is, I discovered the joy of watching shows on my iPad while I do it, which really helps time go by faster!