Check-In Wednesday

Hey all-the gals over at the Sisterhood have decided to shake things up a bit and make some changes.  I'm loving the new look over there, btw!  One of those changes happens to be with our Wednesday weigh-ins.  You see, there are a number of our sisters who aren't in this for the weight loss, but love the community and support the sisterhood provides.  So, the name-change for our Wednesday "check-ins".  Since I'm still totally obsessed monitoring my weight and trying to lose a few more pounds, I'll continue to post my weigh-ins here.

So, here goes another week:
Weight on June 23, 2009: 165.8

Last week: 142.4
This week: 141.6
Change: down .8
Total Pounds Gone: 24.2 (damn-getting close to that 25# button)
I'm looking forward to the new Down and Dirty in 30 challenge that will be starting on Sunday.  Team challenges RAWK, but I'm afraid my team is going to hate me with my birthday week at Disney smack-dab in the middle of the challenge (sorry in advance to my future teammates). 

So how is your week going?  Did your scale treat you well this week?  I'm hoping as I get into my 1/2 marathon training (started this week-YO!) the scale will continue to move in a downward direction.

True Confession Tuesday

Holy cow, has it already been a week since I last confessed? Well, I'm sitting here waiting on the darn Comcast guy and daughter is on the computer, so you all get a bare-bones confession from my phone. Oh joy.

Here it goes *takes deep breath and waits for onslaught*.
Forgive me sisters for I have sinned
•I have been very bad at getting in enough water.
•I have eaten far too many salty snacks.
•I have had evil thoughts about the cable guy. Where in the heck is he anyway?
•I drank a lot on Saturday: sangria at lunch (which I totally counted as a fruit) and a margarita (ok it was 3) with friends that night.
•I did not do the "3 things nice for me" homework last week.
•I officially kicked off my 1/2 marathon training yesterday with a 3.6 mile run and today with 40 min of strength training. Why is this a confession? I still haven't signed up for the race.
•The big 4-0 is coming up quickly and I don't think I'm going to make my goal. This also means heading to Disney heavier than I'd hoped.

Well, there you have it. Now I'm going to go stand by the window and will the damn cable guy here cuz if we all have to share one tv much longer, there may be bloodshed.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Weigh-In Wednesday: SDoS Week 8 the Finale

I can't believe this challenge has reached week 8 already. That means summer is almost over and I'm going to be getting old and going back to school soon. But before those tragedies happen, today is Wednesday, so that means it's the day we all hop on our scales and report to the Sisterhood our ups and downs. This is the end of our challenge. Did I end on a losing note? I sure hope so.

Here are my stats for the week.

Weight on June 23, 2009: 165.8
Challenge Starting Weight: 146.8
Last week: 142.8
This week: 142.4
Change: down .4 (I'll take it)
Loss For Challenge: 4.4
Total Pounds Gone: 23.4

Looks like this was a pretty successful challenge for me, weight-wise anyway, although I haven't exactly reached my goal yet. I finished my 2nd 10k in unbelievably horrible heat, but still managed to feel pretty good afterwards.  I even ran 3 miles today but decided it is getting way too hot/humid at this point in the year to be running when I am.  Something will need to change or I'm going to end up with heatstroke.  If you read my True Confession post yesterday, you know I am still struggling with a major case of the "fat goggles". I'm having a very hard time seeing the progress I've made. I'm working on trying to focus on the positive, but that is very hard for me.  Luckily, I have some pretty awesome Sisters here who are ready to bitch-slap some sense into me.  The comments yesterday meant the world to me.  I love you girls, you know that, right?

True Confessions Tuesday: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

Today is Tuesday again and we get to air out our transgressions for the blogosphere to see.  I get a little Debbie Downer-ish near the end, so you can stop reading at the "good" if you want.  Really, that's probably best anyway. 

I decided to go with an Eastwood reference this week since this damn tune has been running through my head (thanks, Mike):

The Good:

• I finished my 2nd 10k race this year with a PR (a whopping 13 seconds faster than my 1st one).  If you'd like to hear more about it, go here.  I felt TONS better after this race than I did after my first 10k back in May.  I felt like I could've even run yesterday, but gave myself a little more rest time. 
• I've done the Shred for the past 2 days and my arms and legs are killing me.
• I've selected a training program for a 1/2 marathon that will fall in the middle of October. 
• I bought a pair of pants yesterday at New York & Co in a size 6.  I was wearing the exact same style of pants from there last year in a size 12. 

The Bad: 

• After said 10k, I proceeded to eat anything I could stuff in my mouth. I did this for a few days before the race, too.  This coming off of a 2.4 lb loss last week. Hello, McFly!  Can you say sabotage? 
• I ate pizza 3 times last weekend, had a beer after the race, and went to a movie 2 nights ago and ate popcorn and lots of pretzel M&M's.  I continued to grab M&M's every time I passed the open bag at home.  It wasn't a small bag and now they are gone.  I also ate some of Mike's plain M&Ms.
• I haven't run since the race.
• Because of the shred tearing up my legs, I'm afraid I won't be able to run tomorrow, but I'm going to try.

The Ugly:

• My race number from Saturday is what I've had in the back of my mind as my "goal weight".  I haven't publicized this goal anywhere up until now.  Maybe the race number was a sign that I need to admit I'm getting close, but it still seems so far away.  This was the weight that I maintained for 6 years after losing 50 pounds with Weight Watchers but I just can't break through the 140s right now.  I'm hoping I can get there again (and soon) but I don't seem to be making much progress lately.  Maybe it's the damn pizza and M&Ms.  This is in the "Ugly" category because in my twisted mind, 138 isn't going to be good enough.

• Even though I bought new pants this week in a size smaller than I have ever worn, and the fact that the swimsuit I won from Shrinking Jeans and Lands End is also this size, I can't consider myself a "6".  The majority of my "new" clothes are a size 8, which is still awesome and some of them have even gotten a little big.  Why is this in the "Ugly" category?  Even with this great non-scale victory, all I see are the areas that still need major work.  I still see a fat girl staring back at me from the mirror.  I see saggy skin that makes me want to vomit hanging from my stomach when I do push-ups or planks.  I see thighs that rub together.  I see bingo wings.  I was overdressed for my last race (and almost overheated and ill because of it) because I don't have the confidence or skinny thighs to just run in a sports bra and shorts, even though it is 85+ degrees outside.  This week's mini-challenge from Shrinking Jeans is to "SAY or DO 3 positive things for yourself. That would be 3 things a day x 5 days. "  I'm trying, but I just can't and some days that makes me want to cry.  I hope you all forgive me for the Debbie Downer attitude, but there you have it.  I have my annual OBGYN appt next week Friday and I'm afraid of what my doctor (nurse practitioner, actually) is going to say.  Will she be thrilled that I've lost almost 25 pounds this year, or will she say it isn't enough?  Because in my mind, my efforts will never by good enough.  I turn 40 in less than a month, and I haven't reached my goal yet.  Should the number on the scale matter, no, but again, my twisted mind strikes again.  I need some help from you ladies.  Please smack some sense into me.  Seriously.  I need a good ol' fashioned dope slap.  Pronto.

SCPM & VLOG: Race Day Edition

This was a very busy Saturday!  I ran my 2nd 10k race, and even though race conditions were less than idea (hello, can you say HOT) I ended up with a PR!  Click on my Daily Mile widget for more info on the race.  I hope you enjoy the cell phone mosaic and vlog as much as I enjoyed putting them together.  And to all my friends on twitter (you do follow me, right? if not, click my button over there), thank you for all the love and sideline cheering yesterday.  I kept thinking of all of you while I was trudging up those hills in 80+ degree heat!

Hope you enjoy this little glimpse into my day. 

Click on the image to scroll through the pictures.

And now for the VLOG you've all been waiting for (not really, but here it is anyway).  Just a little tidbit about my 10k on Saturday.  Because I'm lazy, For brevity's sake, I just included it in this post.  Enjoy.  I'm a total dork-don't say you haven't been warned!



I'd hoped to get this whole post up earlier today, but with major storms, power outages, no internet after said power outages, fallen trees in our backyard (not our tree and no property damage), and a movie tonight (go see Inception, NOW, you can always save this post for later, it'll wait) I didn't get it done when I'd hoped.  I am making my goal of posting on Sunday, but just barely :)

Weigh-In Wednesday: SDoS Week 7 I'm a Loser Baby!

Today is Wednesday, so that means it's the day we all dust off our scales (or in my case hop on like I do every freaking day) and report to the Sisterhood our ups and downs.  How did you do this week?  Feel like hugging your scale, or pummeling it with a sledgehammer?

Here are my stats for the week.

Weight on June 23, 2009:  165.8

Challenge Starting Weight: 146.8

Last week: 145.2

This week: 142.8

Change: down 2.4 (seriously?)

Loss For Challenge: 4.0

Total Pounds Gone: 23

I was pretty sure I was going to have a good weigh-in hello, I obsessively weigh myself everyday but was pleasantly surprised by how much I lost this week.  This tends to me my body's usual M.O.  Lukewarm ups and downs and then a big loss.  This means I will probably be up a smidge next week, but that's ok. I didn't set a specific weight loss goal for this challenge, but I'm still holding out hope I'll be below 140 by my birthday in August. 

If you read my confessional yesterday, you know I was feeling pretty blah this week.  I've had a lot on my plate and was feeling overwhelmed (Kim nailed it in her comment).  Today is definitely a new day.  I finished all the requirements for my 2 grad classes last night - Yeah Me! - and I just need to make copies and take it to the post office.  I had a pretty good run this morning and have accepted the fact that Saturday's 10k is going to be a completely different race than my first 10k back in May.  I'm just going to enjoy the amazing scenery (the run is along Lake Michigan's bluff and beach, complete with the requisite lighthouse view) and do my best.  I'm sure I'll tweet about it and post the results to daily mile when it's over, if you are interested on how I did.  I've thought about vlogging it, but the flip is pretty full of kid-fun right now.  We'll see.

PS:  I need your help.  I'm working on a new playlist for the race and have $25 burning a hole in my itunes account, so send me your favorite running or workout tunes! 

True Confessions Tuesday: Where we let it all hang out...

I really don't have it in me to do much of a post today, so I apologize for the bullet points.

• I've actually made half-way decent food choices this week, except for a few minor slip-ups.
• I made homemade salsa on Sunday with a jalapeno from my garden and other veggies from the farmer's market.  It was delish (although the pepper wasn't quite ready yet-no heat).
• The downside to homemade salsa?  The chips that go with it.  I've eaten over 1/2 a bag of Tostidos Baked Scoops since Sunday. At least they are the baked variety.
• Our blender died.  The one we got as a wedding present 15 years ago.  I had to buy a new blender.
• The downside to a new blender?  I *had* to make margaritas last night just to make sure the blender worked.  Yes, I drank a big-@$$ margarita last night.
• I've taken this tapering thing before a race to the extreme.  I ran 5.5 miles on Saturday.  They sucked, so I haven't run since.  I was supposed to do 2 miles yesterday and a 30 min cross today, but they haven't happened.  We are going to my friend's pool this afternoon, maybe I'll swim a couple laps.  Or maybe I'll just take a nap in the floating lounge chair.  I am going to run 3 miles tomorrow morning, even if it kills me.
• I am trying to finish up a grad class.  It's one of those distance learning ones where you are totally on your own and have to get everything done by the due date.  Yeah, apparently I'm not as self-motivated as I thought I was.  This class is kicking my butt, but I have to get it done or I'm out mega $$.  I'll be typing up my paper tonight while K is at gymnastics.
• I'm feeling melancholy.  I have no energy.  I have a headache.  I'm going to the pool now.

Just another busy Saturday

I'm actually getting this Saturday's mosaic up early, while it's still Saturday.  I need to hit the hay early tonight because we need to leave at O dark 30 tomorrow to go pick up the boy from music camp.  My Saturday is ending around 9:30 tonight, folks. 

Hope you enjoy this little glimpse into my day. 

Click on the image to scroll through the pictures.

Weigh-In Wednesday: The SDoS Week 6 - the Holy Cow It's Hot Edition

Short and sweet post this week.  I'm working my tail off unfortunately not literally doing some coverage therapy and I'm pooped.  It is also freaking HOT here in West Michigan this week.  Temps in the 90's with humidity between 50 and 85% (my run this morning was so hot I felt like I could wring out the air).  Because of the heat and the holiday weekend, I did not get the results I would have liked on the scale. 

Here are my stats for the week.

Weight on June 23, 2009:  165.8

Challenge Starting Weight: 146.8

Last week: 144.2

This week: 145.2

Change: up1.0
Loss For Challenge: 1.6

Total Pounds Gone: 20.6

Yep, I gained back the pound I lost last week.  Suck.  I really made pretty good choices most of the weekend and tracked everyday except the 4th.  I found out my favorite summer beer is almost 200 calories, which was a shocker, but I counted every one of those calories, dammit.  I think it's the heat and humidity that has done me in this week.  I feel like a bloated and frizzy mess.  One benefit to all this crazy heat: the Lands End swimsuit I won from Shrinking Jeans finally made an appearance this weekend.  I even went swimming.  For those who know, I am a decent swimmer but more of a "relax by the side of the pool with a cold one" girl.  More about my great new suit in another post :)

My 10k is a week from Saturday and I'm panicked about the hot/humid weather.  3 miles on Monday and 2 miles this morning in this crap just about killed me.  6 is going to be hell.  Literally, I'm afraid.  Granted, this is Michigan, and you know what they say:  "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute, it'll change." 

So how did everyone else do this week?  Was the scale nice to you or did you want to chuck it out the window like I did?  Link up over at the Sisterhood and let us know!

An Independence Saturday Cell Phone Mosaic

Happy 4th of July everyone.  Here is a little glimpse into the start of my fabulous weekend.  The weather in Michigan is cooperating nicely.  I hope your weekend is glorious wherever you are!

Click on the image to scroll through the pictures.