True Confessions: Let This Be a Lesson to You

In this week's true confessions post for The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans, I could talk about how I ate all manner of crap on Thanksgiving and had to unbutton my pants, but I didn't-so I won't.  I actually made really good choices and left the table feeling satisfied and not the least bit like a stuffed turkey.  The past few days haven't been as great because I'm a bit down on myself, but not so bad to cause total sabotage.

What I do want to talk about is the need to listen to your body.  I mean REALLY listen to it.  Even when it's telling you things you don't want to hear.  Ready?

• I have had some nagging calf soreness since my 1/2 marathon (over 6 weeks ago). 
• I took a bit of a break with my running (I've run 4-8 miles a week since then), but didn't stop completely.
• Every time I've run since the 1/2, my arch and up into my ankle has hurt.  Not just a little muscle soreness, but honest-to-gosh pain.  Do we see where this is heading?
• On Thanksgiving morning, the hubs and I got up mega early, piled the wondertwins into the car, and headed for my MIL's about an hour away.  We dumped the kids at moms and headed to the location of our 5 mile Turkey Trot race.  We got to the race plenty early, picked up our race bibs (no timing devices-only a clock-that's a whole other post) and sat inside waiting for the race to start.
• 9:00 finally rolled around and we headed outside and were off.  5 miles through some beautiful rolling hills. 
• At about mile 1, my arch and ankle were screaming at me.  Did I mention that it was freezing cold, raining, and I didn't do any of my usual running warmups?  Oops.
• I had told myself for weeks that I was going to run the entire race without walking.  I didn't tell hubs this. Oops. At each mile marker, he looked over at me like, "Seriously?, don't we get to walk here?"  I choose to ignore him and the pain in my arch that was pretty bad, but if I focused on how cold my hands and face were I didn't really notice.
• We finished our 5 mile race, holding hands, in just under 53 minutes (a 10:30 pace, about the fastest race pace I've ever run and the farthest distance hubs has ever run without any walk breaks).   
• Flash forward to about 3 hours later.  My foot/ankle is screaming at me and looks a bit swollen.  I rubbed some BioFreeze on it, but didn't ask MIL for any ice.  Oops
• Flash forward to the weekend.  It still hurts. It's still swollen.  I haven't been icing it.  Oops
• Flash forward to yesterday.  I finally went and saw my sports chiro and he took one look at my calf and said, "That is one angry Tibialis Posterior muscle. Have you had any problems with shin splints?" Um, I guess my shin was a little sore when I started running again within the week after my 1/2, but I brushed it off.  Turns out, the tibialis posterior muscle is the muscle (and it's tendons) that support your arch and run under the bony prominence on the inside of the ankle where all my pain was located. Tightness there can also present as shin splints.  My super tight calf muscle that I didn't let heal properly 6 freaking weeks ago has been torquing on my arch and ankle, making for one very sore me.  Doc did some of his Active Release Technique magic on my calf muscle and the tendons around my inner ankle and heal, reducing me to tears.  I have the bruises today to prove it and my inner calf is so sore that my pant legs rubbing against it hurts.
• The recommendations?
• Ice and massage 3 x a day which hurts like a mother
• See doc again tomorrow for more pain and torture which hurts even worse than the ice and massage
• Maybe he'll clear me to run some short distances by the weekend, but more likely next week.
• Bottom line?  Listen to your body and when something doesn't feel right, or when modified activity doesn't make it any better, go to the freaking doctor!  Just make sure you go to a doctor who is invested in getting you back into your training.  If you go to someone who tells you, "You can't run anymore" or "Just stop running", turn around and find someone else.

I hope at least one of my dear readers learns something from my idiocy.  Thank you. 

Holiday Traditions & Healthy Recipes: A Vlogging Contest

When I heard The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans was having a vlogging contest, I knew I needed to enter.  When I told my hubs that the Grand Prize was a cool new crockpot and the runner-up prizes included a bunch of cookbooks, he cleaned the kitchen so I could get the vlog done today :)  You see, along with the obvious cookie jar and not so obvious cookbook obsession of mine, we also have a deep affection for crockpots.  LOVE them.  So, without further ado, I submit to you my entry into the Holiday Vlogging Contest.  I hope you love it and my grandma's recipe and vote for me on December 2nd!  Thank you! MWAH!



Grandma's Blueberry Jello Salad

(makes a 9x13 pan - probably 12 servings)

Base

• 1 small pkg sugar-free Berry Blue and 1 small pkg sugar-free Black Cherry jello (really, any blue-colored jello will work)
• 2 cups boiling water
• 15 oz can blueberries in juice
• 8 1/4 oz can crushed pineapple in juice

Topping

• 1 8oz pkg low-fat cream cheese
• 1/2 pt light sour cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (we use pecans because hubs is allergic to everything else)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions for base:

• Dissolve jello in water
• Drain pineapple and blueberries into a measuring cup to make 1 cup of juice (toss the rest)
• Add juice to dissolved jello
• Fold in fruit
• Pour into 9x13x2 pan sprayed with cooking spray
• Put in fridge until set

Directions for topping:

• Blend all ingredients except nuts with a hand mixer until soft
• Fold in nuts
• Spread over set jello
• Return to fridge to set topping
• Keep refrigerated until serving

I have no clue what the nutritional info would be for this recipe, only that it is relatively low in fat and sugar and is diabetic-friendly.  I hope you enjoy it :)

Holiday Hoedown: Wednesday Check-In Week 1

SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE !!!!!!  I have a couple new buttons on my blog - did you see them????

That is all.  Well, not really, because I still have to post something :)

It it official, I have now lost 30 pounds with the help of my Shrinkingjeans sisters.  I could not have accomplished all that I've done this year without the love and support of all of you girls.  Smootches and Hugs to each and every one of you.

Ok, now that we have that little tidbit out of the way, we can get to the challenge happening over at Shrinkingjeans.  I am so proud to be a member of the Healthy Holiday Ho's.  You women are amazing!  We have logged a boat-load of minutes exercising this week.  I managed to get in 134 minutes.  I had hoped for more but sometimes life just gets in the way.  I even managed a little loss this week, which explains the squee up above :)  Here are my stats:

Weight on June 23, 2009: 165.8

Last Week's Weight: 136.6

This Week's Weight: 135.6

Change: down 1.0

Challenge Change: down 1.0
Total Pounds Gone: 30.2

What an amazing way to go into the Thanksgiving holiday :)

I pray everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Drive safely if you are traveling and run fast if you are Turkey Trotting (I will be, if only to end the misery of the weather sooner!).  Blessings to you and yours! 

Wednesday Check-in: Holiday Hoedown

It's time to start our new challenge over at Shrinkingjeans: The Holiday Hoedown (doesn't that sound like fun!).  I am so happy to be a part of the Healthy Holiday Ho's.  Here's a little shout-out to the rest of my a.maz.ing team:  Thea, Kirsten, Tiffany, Jamee, Lisa, Beki, and Elaine!

For this challenge, our team is focusing more on fitness and healthy habits than on weight loss, although a few more pounds gone would not be a terribly bad thing for some of us (including me).  This go-round will have us competing in fitness challenges and non fitness challenges.  Since my exercise has been decidedly lackluster since my 1/2 marathon, I'm counting on this challenge and my teammates to kick my arse in gear.  The first challenge is a minutes challenge!

As for my personal goals for this challenge, I would like to see my weight maintain between 135 (which would be my "goal" weight) and 138.  Getting through he holidays without gaining a bunch of the weight I have lost would be SUPER.  Even though I'm not focusing specifically on weight loss, I will continue to post my weights to stay accountable.  So, here are my starting digits:

Weight on June 23, 2009: 165.8

Last Week's Weight: 136.8

This Week's Weight: 136.6
Change: down .2
Total Pounds Gone: 29.2

I am getting so stinking close to that 30 pound button!  I'd like to post that button during this challenge, but if I don't, I'm ok with that too.  It is the holidays after all!

True Confession Tuesday

Short and sweet since it is now 11:00 and I need to get to bed!

• I'm still doing minimal workouts.  I'm not really sick anymore (other than this fraking tickle in my throat that won't fraking go away), but I still don't really feel like doing anything.  Not good.
• I've been eating better, but haven't been tracking my food. 
• I just signed up for my Thanksgiving 8k Turkey Trot.  My hubs is also registered (although he registered as a "featherless bird"-he didn't want a shirt-but I'm all about the long sleeve tech shirt).  I'm glad that he is running, but if he beats me I'm going to be really, REALLY pissed.  Competitive much?  Maybe this will motivate me to ignore the pain in my ankle and really train for then next week or so.  *snicker* as if that would help.  My only hope is that he has been running even less than I have.  And it's 5 miles.
• Our new challenge at the sisterhood starts tomorrow!  I'm proud to be a Healthy Holiday Ho! I really think we have the best team EVER!
• Thea
• Kirsten
• Tiffany
• Jamee
• Lisa
• Beki
• Elaine
• and me :)
• I can't wait to see what they have in mind for us!

Monthly Project - Monday Check-in

So for this month, the Sisterhood has this little project going on to try some of the recipes they've been posting. Now, there have been some great options out there! Last week, I decided to try the Easy-Peasy Pea Soup. Here is my post in pictures! (Keep in mind, pea soup is not the prettiest food & I am not the best food photographer!)




















Yum! The soup turned out delicious. Hubs & I devoured it, but the wondertwins were too scared of the looks of it to try it. You can't please everyone. I will definitely make this one again.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Christmas Card Time!

It's hard to believe it is almost time to start on the Christmas cards, especially since it has been so unseasonably warm here in Michigan the past few days.  But knowing this is Michigan, we could have snow tomorrow and will almost certainly enjoy a white Christmas.  Now, why am I discussing Christmas cards on my blog when it isn't even Thanksgiving?  Because it is never to early to start and I'm going to be trying something different this year. 

Normally, The hubs and I hit the day-after-Christmas sales to pick up our holiday cards for the following year.  We send out a lot of cards, so I'd much rather find some cards at 75% off than pay retail any day!  The problem with this method is "you get what you get".  Digging through the bottom of the barrels (literally) to find some decent cards.  This year, however, I've decided to go with Shutterfly for my Christmas cards.

I have been a huge fan of Shutterfly for many, many years.  Every vacation for the past several years have been immortalized in Shutterfly Photo Books and I even helped a good friend create her wedding album using Shutterfly.  Seriously, you can't go wrong with their products.

So, last weekend, we took a family photo and now I have the nearly impossible decision of which card to choose.  They have so many styles and colors to choose from.  Here's where you can help me out!  Take a look at the picture we snapped last weekend and a few of my favorite card styles.  Let me know which one you like the best. 



Christmas Letter
What a cool idea - a combo Christmas letter and photo card! Granted, I'd need to come up with a couple more pictures for this one.



Love 2010
We had a fabulous year - so maybe a "top 10" would make a great card!



Elegant Cranberry Damask
I love the black & white with the beautiful damask design of this one.

So there you go.  Easy-Peasy, right?  I can't wait to get started on my cards this year.  Shutterfly even has matching address labels for some of their cards.  How cool is that?

Attention: Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly, follow the arrow à http://bit.ly/sfly2010

While this post was sponsored by Shutterfly, I swear by their products and hove ordered many Photo Books and prints.

Wednesday Check In

We are currently between challenges at the Sisterhood, but I'm uber excited for the next one.  All we know is we are getting to pick our own teams.   I just hope we don't have to vote anyone on our team out on this challenge cuz I love these ladies WAY too much.  For now, I will just stay tuned for more deets!

Onto the Wednesday Weigh-In.  As I indicated in yesterday's confessions post, I have been under the weather, not eating right, and not exercising.  I did manage to follow along with the Tworkout last night and I just posted a 3.1 mile run.  It really sucked and was HARD, but I never walked and finished in 32:20.  Not too shabby for feeling like crap.

Here are my digits:
Weight on June 23, 2009: 165.8

Last Week's Weight: 137.6
This Week's Weight: 136.8
Total Pounds Gone: 29.0

Getting close to that 30 pound mark!

True Confession Tuesday: Ugh

Here are my bare-bones confessions: 

• I have been sick for a week and a half. 
• I have not exercised other than last week's tworkout.
• I did go to the doctor and got meds, but they really aren't helping much. 
• I feel very sloth-like.  Sluggish.  I don't like it.
• There is still Halloween candy in the house, but there is less of it because I keep eating it.
• I'm going to post a loss tomorrow, but I feel I don't deserve it.  How the frak do you not exercise and eat like crap, but still lose weight? I think all my muscle is turning to fat, but friends have told me that's not possible this soon. However, if I don't suck it up and start working out again soon, it could very well be my reality.

What is going to change starting tonight:

• I'm going to do tonight's tworkout.
• I'm going to run tomorrow.  Don't know how far or how long I'll last, but I'm shooting for 3 miles.
• I'm going to do the wii or a dvd on Thursday.
• I'm going to run again on Saturday.  Shooting for 5 miles.
• I'm going to sign up for that stupid Turkey Trot.  I said I was going to do it and I just need to sign up.  I might not be able to run the whole 8k now since my training has taken a serious dive, but I still need to do the race.

Shrinkvivor: Final Weigh-In #8

I cannot believe we are at the end of our Shrinkingjeans Shrinkvivor challenge!  While I didn't make it to the finals, I have thoroughly enjoyed this challenge.  In fact, it has probably been my favorite of all of the Shrinkingjeans challenges I have participated in!  I loved the minutes and miles challenges (it helped that I was near the end of my 1/2 marathon training)!  Might be due to the fact that I am a Survivor junkie and anything that comes close to letting me play along is A-OK in my book!  By Friday, we are going to find out which of the amazing 7 finalists will win that sweet prize package.

For the past week, I have resided over on Exile Island, although I have to admit I really haven't checked in over there very much.  Instead, I've just been trying to find my footing and come up with some new running goals for the off season.  (I live in Michigan and it is getting too dark for me to run after work outside, so my weekly runs will need to be on a treadmill.  I'm hoping to suck-it-up and still do my weekend running outside.  I even bought a new pair of nice, warm running pants that will hopefully keep my legs from turning into frozen stumps.  Anyhoo....)  If you follow me on twitter, you know that since finishing my 1/2 marathon, I've been a bit scatterbrained in what my next running goal should be.  I did run my first-ever straight 5 miles without any walk breaks this past weekend!!! WOOT!!! So now I am thinking I will make it a goal to eliminate walk breaks completely.  I will be signing up for an 8k (about 5 mile) Turkey Trot race on Thanksgiving day and plan to keep my long run mileage around the 6 to 8 mile mark throughout the rest of this calendar year.  When everyone is running their virtual 5k with the sisterhood on January 8th (and while some of my dear friends are running 1/2 mary's and fulls at Disney), my plan is to run a 10k without walking.  I'd originally thought I would train for the 1/2 and run it "with" the Disney girls, but that just isn't realistic in my neck-of-the-woods.  I can't commit to running for 2.5 hrs on a treadmill or hoping we don't have a blizzard and running it outside.  Sorry Disney ladies :(

So, wish me luck.  Hopefully this plan will keep my weight right around where it is now.  I'm still not quite willing to say I've hit my goal weight, but I am very happy with where I've been hanging out weight wise.  Shall we get to the numbers?

Weight on June 23, 2009: 165.8

Challenge Starting Weight: 141.6

Last Week's Weight: 137.4

This Week's Weight: 137.6

Change This Week: up .2 (basically maintaining)

Change For Shrinkvivor Challenge: down 4.0

Total Pounds Gone: 28.2

My goal for the Shrinkvivor challenge was to get back down to 138 pounds and I made it!  Now, I would really love to see that scale hit 135.8 or less so I can earn my 30 pound button (and probably the "I lost it all" button), but I'm not going to stress if I don't get there.  I think a healthy weight range for me is somewhere in the 135 to 138 range.  (I've looked at a number of "ideal weight" calculators and they have me anywhere from 107-Yikes! to 141.  I don't ever want to see the 140s again even though my Weight Watchers goal weight from years ago was 141 and I maintained there for 6 years).  My BMI is now in the "normal range", although that scale has issues as well.  I think the important thing to do is to get to a weight that is somewhere in your "ideal range" based on medical data, but also at a weight that is something that can be maintained.  Could I starve myself and get to 107? I highly doubt it.  Could I get into the 120's? Probably, but I would have a very hard time maintaining that weight.  So for right now, the mid 130's are looking pretty good.

Oh yeah, one other REALLY COOL AWESOME PHENOMENAL LITTLE THING happened over the weekend.  I WON ONE OF THE SHRINKINGJEANS PASSES TO FITBLOGGIN!!!!! (Along with Kirsten, who won the grand prize, and Carmen!)  Yes, I wrote that in all caps because I am SO FREAKING EXCITED to meet the wonderful, supportive, amazing ladies behind The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans (plus all the other ladies I have "met" through the blogosphere and twitter).  Had I not discovered their site a little over a year ago, I'm sure I would still be a 165 pound (or heavier) unhappy unmotivated nonathletic woman sitting on my couch.  Instead, I'm back down to a healthy weight and I've completed 2 10k's and a 1/2 marathon with their love and support.  So a HUGE SHOUT OUT of THANKS to all the girls and guy over at Shrinkingjeans!  IRL hugs will come in May the week after I finish (God willing) my first ever 25k (15.5 mile) run!  I sure hope I survive to run that 5k with all of them!