Sunday, July 29, 2012

Weekly Weigh-In 7/29/12 ++ Before & After Party

Weigh-in: 200.8 - Down 3.2lbs - Down 133.8 overall
SO CLOSE to One-derland!  I'm still hopeful that I might get there by August 1st.  If not, at least I know that I gave it a good effort.


This week has been pretty mediocre.  Nothing much to report in the way of highs/lows.  I had a great workout Saturday morning.  I have mostly shied away from classes at the gym, but I saw this one going on there last week and thought it might be fun to join in, so I made it a point to get up and go.  It was a good, high intensity class that had me sweating and moving the whole time!

Photo of the Week:

        


Before & After Pic Party!:
I got out some of my old clothes for a little bit of comparison!  I obviously know that losing 130+lbs has made a huge difference, but often times I just can't fathom how much bigger I used to be.  It's nice to see how dramatic the difference is from time to time!
 My old Pants...Size 28
Left is me and my friend in 2010 before I moved from RI
Top is from 4th of July 2010
Anyone care to join me in this tent?

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Weekly Weigh-In 7/22/12

Weigh-in: 204.0 - Down 1.0lbs - Down 130.6 overall
I was really sure that it was going to be a big week...I did everything right, but still only lost a pound.  It's weeks like this one that are the most frustrating.  I'm not going to give up though, just going to try harder this week and hope that it's just mother nature working against me this week and I'll have a big loss next week!

*I also want to note that I've been tracking more on MyFitnessPal lately.  I'm still following Weight Watchers, but I like seeing my protein and carbs accounted for also.  If anyone wants to be my "friend" on there - I'm spunkypenguin*

High of the Week:  After running my whole 10K last week, I've had a huge confidence boost in my running!  I got in both of my AM short runs this week (3 miles and 3.25 miles) and ran all of it - even the annoying gravel part that I usually let myself walk.  I also didn't take any walk breaks during my whole long run this morning (~5mi)!

Low of the Week: Working so hard this whole week, expecting a big loss, and not seeing it on the scale.  It's part of the whole journey, but it can still be such a bummer when you're trying really hard to reach a goal and are getting so close, but then things come to a screeching halt.  It's frustrating!

Best Work-Out:  
It was a really solid week, exercise-wise.  I did my runs, got in my strength training.  My long run this morning was pretty great.  It was humid, but it was overcast and cool and I felt great during - even with all the hills!  I dare say that I'm getting used to hills these days...

Photo of the Week:
I didn't take a picture this week.  I promise new pictures next weekend!  I am planning to do a fun before/after photo shoot next weekend, so look forward to that :)


Inspiration:
I can do it.  I just need to prove it.
From Pinterest
 

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Weekly Weigh-In 7/15/12

Weigh-in: 205.0 - Down 0.4lbs - Down 129.6 overall
I guess I can't have big losses every week.  I wasn't great with my eating this week, so I guess that's why I stayed pretty much the same.

High of the Week:  Finishing my 10K yesterday was the highlight of my week.  I really had myself psyched out over it and I don't know why.  I felt great during it and ran the whole thing, which is impressive because I even took walk breaks during my last 5K.  Now I'm already looking into other 10Ks and 15Ks to do this fall :)  

After my 10K, I showered and headed to the mall (the malls around me are lame, so I always take the opportunity to shop when I'm out of town!)  Gap was having some awesome sales - I got some nice Gap Fit clothes for the winter on super clearance ($10 for tights and $7 for a long sleeve tech shirt!).  I also got a nice hot pink shirt to go with the hot pink capris I got at the outlets a couple weeks ago! I can't wait to wear this outfit, but both are still a little snug - soon, though!!



Low of the Week: We found out that we can't go to the beach next week like we planned, which is a bummer - we were both looking forward to it.  I was really looking forward to running on the boardwalk again!  We're going to try to reschedule for August, though.

Best Work-Out:  
I had a strong week running my last few training runs.  I also had a good one-hour personal training session Wednesday night.

Photo of the Week:
I don't know if I'm the only one who does this, but I keep a drawer full of clothes that don't quite fit yet.  I often buy things that are a couple sizes small if I find a good deal.  I've built up quite a little stockpile.  When I got home from the Gap, I added my new winter things that I'd bought a size down in anticipation of being smaller in the winter to the drawer.  I decided to go ahead and go through and try on some of the stuff that was in there waiting on me.  I have jeans in sizes 11, 12, 13, and 14 in there.  I had bought 2 pairs of size 12 Calvin Klein jeans from Goodwill a long time ago (when I was maybe a size 20?) in hopes that I might one day fit into them.  I tried them on when I first go them and they didn't even come up over my legs.  Well, yesterday, I tried them on and they FIT!!!  I have not been in a 12 since I was in High School, so I was ecstatic!  While I was out shopping, I also stopped in Express - a store I have not even dared to enter since High School and found that their 12s almost fit and their large tops also fit!  I'm getting really excited that I can shop in regular stores - it's a great feeling!
       
I had to be my own photographer this week, so I apologize for the lame mirror pics.  I'll admit that they are still a little snug, but they fit!!
The "next size" drawer after I hung up the things that fit now!  Although my CK 12s fit, my Lucky 14s do not.  It's crazy how much difference there can be in designers.

Anyone else keep stockpiles of clothes that are too small for them??

Inspiration:   
Fitness

Saturday, July 14, 2012

Caribbean Sounds 10K - Washington, DC

Today was my first 10K.  I did the Caribbean Sounds 10K in Rock Creek Park down in DC. I had signed up a while back when there was a Schwaggle on Active.com (kind of like Groupon).  I was really nervous for no apparent reason!  I read reviews after I signed up about lack of water stops.  Then they changed the route earlier this week and there was a HUGE hill w/ a 6% grade at the end of the 5k (which the 10Kers repeated twice).  I had only trained at up to a 3% grade and even that was sparse!  Then there was the weather - it's been storming on/off here all week and it was forecast for rain today.

Despite all that and even a bad dream I had about waking up late and not being able to make it there, I went....and I had a great time!  I stayed with my grandmother down that way last night, so I didn't have to wake up in the middle of the night to drive down.  When I left her house this morning, it was pouring rain and I was dreading running in the rain!  By the time I got down there, it had stopped raining.  There was a brief downpour about 20-30 minutes before the start time and that got me worried.  Luckily, though, the rain held off for the race and the sun was even trying to make an appearance by the end.

We lined up and headed off - down the dreaded hill.  It was nice to start the race on a downhill, but I was worried about coming back up it...TWICE.  I managed to run the ENTIRE race!  That's really impressive for me because I usually let myself walk a couple times during my training runs.  I paused at one of the water stops (they had plenty of those despite previous year's complaints), but that was it.

The rain cooled it off and I had a good time.  Unfortunately, my partner and race photographer is visiting family out of state this week, so I don't have any pictures and I had to go alone.  It would have been nice to have had someone there to cheer me on and meet me after the race, but there were plenty of people cheering at the finish line!!

UPDATE:  The official results were posted today and I came in at 1:14:10!!  That's an 11:57 avg. pace!  Most of my runs are in the 12+ ranges, so even a few seconds under makes me ecstatic.  I'm ready for my next race!!

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Weekly Weigh-In 7/8/12

Weigh-in: 205.4 - Down 2.2lbs - Down 129.2 overall
These are the kind of weeks I like to see!  I know they can't all be like this, but I'm closing in on One-derland and I'm a bit anxious to get there :)  August 1 will make 18 months and that's the date I'm shooting for to be under 200!  I think it's doable if I don't hit any plateaus

High of the Week:  Although Fourth of July fell on a Wednesday this year, which I think is a bit lame, it was still a nice relaxing day for me.  I exercised good self control at the family cook-out and focused on the healthier things to eat, but still let myself enjoy the food.  I'm feel like I'm doing well finding the balance in life.

Low of the Week: Being without power for 3 days was HORRIBLE.  I never want to repeat that ever again, but I know that it is probably inevitable.  We did finally get power back sometime Monday (after it went out on Friday at 9pm).  The storm hit quickly and we were not adequately prepared.  We learned a few lessons from this, though, and have started a "survival kit" of sorts.
Starting over in the freezer - The only thing that made it were my VitaTops, PopIce and the pack of hot dogs we bought during the outage.

Best Work-Out:  I didn't get to talk about it last week due to the power problems, but I did a 6 mile training run (on the treadmill) last Saturday.  Unfortunately it was too hot for me to run outside (I'm a major wimp when it comes to the heat), but it was exciting to run 6 whole miles when I know I couldn't even run 6 whole minutes a few months ago.  I love seeing my endurance grow.  I was supposed to do a 7 miler yesterday, but postponed it until today due to some calf muscle tightness.

Photo of the Week:

No picture of me this week.  I was supposed to get a pedicure for my birthday last weekend, but we didn't go due to the power outage/crisis.  I went this weekend and I'm really in love with this color :)




Inspiration:  
MOTIVATION
From Pinterest

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Weekly Weigh-In 7/1/12 - Abbreviated Version

I'm stopping off at a Panera Bread about 45 minutes from my house to use the internet.  We were hit pretty hard by the storms Friday night.  We've been without power since 9pm Friday night and they say it could be up to a week before it is fully restored.  We are on a well, so no power also = no water.  We've lost lots of food due to the outage, but other than that and being bored crazy - we're doing okay.

I did weigh-in this morning despite all the chaos this weekend and was down 2lbs to 207.6!

I'm not a fan of Mother Nature's gift for the birthday weekend, but it has taught me an important lesson in disaster preparedness.  As soon as the stores restock generators, I will be buying one!  I am also going to start stockpiling water so that I can flush my toilets, wash things, etc!!