I had my cake and I ate it too!

Yesterday was my 27th birthday.  It wouldn't normally be a very exciting birthday, but it feels like a bit of a milestone for me.  I graduated high school 10 years ago and that's when the weight started piling on.  I'm at a point now where I am getting back to where I was in weight-wise in high school.  Everyone always asks on your birthday if you feel any older and it's always kind of a silly question because one day doesn't make you feel older.  This year, though, the day itself hasn't made me feel any different, but I feel younger than I have in the past 10 years!

I know that I said I was going to get back on track this week, but apparently I forgot about my birthday being this week.  I am usually mindful of what I eat, but sometimes you just have to live a little.  My wonderful partner got me a Carvel ice cream cake - the kind with the crunchies in the middle!

I make the weirdest blowing out candles face!

 I had to work yesterday and my boss took me out to lunch - I tried to be good and chose Subway, but still let myself have a cookie and get the herbs & cheese bread instead of wheat bread.  What can I say, I'm not perfect!  Days like today are the reason that I love WW - it's all about living life in moderation.  I just can't allow EVERYDAY to be like my birthday - even if I want it to be.

Sneaky trick candle re-lit!

My mom came up last night to enjoy dinner and cake with me.  I took today off from work and we're going to go out shopping a little later!  I got some very nice presents from my mom and my partner.  My partner got me a couple little things, but most exciting of all - she got me the entry into the Dolphin Challenge at the Shamrock Marathon in VA Beach next March.  It will be my first half marathon!  I'm also going to do the 8k the day before just for fun.  I've been looking forward to this race as my first half since it is a relatively flat course, which I've heard others tout as a good one for beginners and it also has good support.

We'll see how all of the festivities impact the scale this week - I'll be back Sunday with my weekly weigh-in!

Weekly Weigh-In 6/24/12

Weigh-in: 209.6 - Down 1.0lbs - Down 125.0 overall

Between letting loose at the beach last weekend and then traveling for work a few days this week (and eating out those days), it's not surprising that I didn't lose much.  At least it was not a gain!  I am back on track this week!

High of the Week:  I got to go to Nashville for work this week.  It was a last minute trip and I didn't have much time to spend there, but it's always interesting to visit a new city...and I love airplane rides.  It was made even better by the fact that I was not at all stressed about whether I would be too big for the seat.  I last flew in 2007 and it was not exactly comfortable for me...and I'm sure even less so for those around me.  It was a bit of a NSV for this week :)



Low of the Week: I went to the asthma doctor (FINALLY) and as I suspected, he confirmed that I have exercise-induced asthma.  This is also a positive because I now have an answer and treatment. He gave me an inhaler to use before I run and it helps some, but I still cough throughout my run...it's weird.  I'm going to give it more time.

Best Work-Out:  I was really excited to run in a new place this week, but there were minimal sidewalks near my hotel and I didn't want to risk it, so I didn't run in Nashville.  I did have a pretty good training run Thursday morning before I left, though.  I also had a good 1hr personal training session on Wednesday :)

Photo of the Week:
I've never been one to wear tank tops out in public...until now!  I still don't love my arms or the chub under my arms, but it's so much better than what it was before and it's so hot out, that I live with it :)

 

Inspiration: 

Weekend at the Beach

I finally found my camera transfer cord...in a place that I looked no less than FIVE times, yet there it was!

I had not been to Ocean City in a good 15+ years (since I was a preteen!)  We had lived in New England for several years, so I got used to the lack of waves up there.  I always missed the big crashing waves of the Mid-Atlantic though!

It was overcast and windy on our last day there...until just before we were leaving - it always works out like that, doesn't it!

That wasn't going to stop me, though!  I love the ocean.  I wish this picture would have turned out better - I don't know what happened to it.  The water was definitely cold at first, but in reality, it was probably warmer in there than on the beach!

This is my "Holy Shit, this is F***ing COLD!" face.  It's one that is very familiar.  Since this is a weight-loss blog and not just a fun photo album, I included a nice little before/after side by side.  The last photo I have of myself in a bathing suit is from 2007.  I've never been one to shy away from the beach or swimming just because of how I looked in a bathing suit, but apparently I didn't photograph those moments too often ;)

I can't wait to go back to the beach in July - for a whole week next time!

Weekly Weigh-In 6/17/12

Weigh-in: 210.6 - Down 1.6lbs - Down 124.0 overall

I will be honest and say that I weighed in Friday morning before I left for the weekend at the beach.  I made a good effort to eat pretty well and exercise while there, but I also had to live a little.  I weighed in again this morning and my weigh-in was 211.0.  I'm hoping that that is some water weight/bloating from all the "bad" food I ate - I guess the scale will tell next week.

High of the Week:  Spending the weekend at the beach!  I have missed the beach so much since I moved away from Rhode Island where I was used to the beach being 30-60 minutes away (and now it's 6+ hours).  I took off from work early on Friday and headed for Ocean City, MD.  I needed that relaxation and just a good time.  

Low of the Week: Work was rough this week.  I didn't strength train at all.  I was supposed to have a personal training session, but had to stay at work late, so I cancelled.

Best Work-Out:  Running at the beach is the absolute, best thing ever!  I wish I could run at the beach ALL the time.  My training plan had me running 4.5 miles Saturday, so I laced up my shoes and ran from our condo down to the boardwalk and ran almost to the end of the boardwalk and then back.  I didn't really have a good way of figuring out how far I'd run, so I just ran for time (30 min out and turned around).  It was so awesome running on flat land at sea level seeing the beach and the waves.  It was also great to see all the other runners out on the board walk.  I never really get to see other runners way out where I live.  It was so great that I decided to head out for an easy run on Sunday also - I NEVER run two days in a row!  And I felt great :)

Photo of the Week:
I cannot, for the life of me, find my photo transfer cord for my camera!  I will just have to post a beach update later this week when I track it down ;) 

Inspiration: 

From Pinterest

Weekly Weigh-In 6/10/12

Weigh-in: 212.2 - Down 1.2lbs - Down 122.4 overall

High of the Week: My awesome second 5K yesterday!

Low of the Week: No real low this week.  It was a good week overall - good weather, good workouts, work wasn't too crazy.

Best Work-Out:  The weather forecast for Tuesday was perfect, so I waited until after work to run.  I headed to my favorite park in the town where my work is.  I did 4 laps around the 1 mi loop for a total of 4 miles.  I could tell I was pushing myself, but it felt good!  As I was coming to the ending point, I pulled out my iPod and looked at the stopwatch to realize that it was just under 40 minutes!!! That's only a few minutes faster than my first 5k pace! I ended up finishing in 40:30ish and was/am SO proud of myself and impressed.  I didn't think I had a 10 minute mile in me, let alone 4!  There was one point I thought I was going to puke (that was a first for me!), but I kept going.

Photo of the Week:
I didn't take my usual pictures since I had my race yesterday, so I'll just post a my race pic :)

 

Inspiration:

From Pinterest

Small Town 5K

This morning was my second 5K!

It was a local race put on my gym - Hampshire Wellness & Fitness Center - to benefit the Relay for Life.  It was much different from my first 5K back in April.  The major difference was the size of the race!  My first 5K had around 1000 runners, I think.  This was just a little race - only about 50ish, I'd say.  It was nice because there were a lot of familiar faces.  Most of the trainers that I've been working with were running and also several of the people I work out along side at the gym.  I was a bit worried at first because I'm a slow runner and with so few people, I thought I'd be last and be very lonely out on the course.  I sucked it up and got out there anyway!

Pre-race Photo

 I pretty much knew that the course would be somewhat hilly.  Being that I live in the heart of Appalachia, there's no getting around the hills.  Still, I was completely unprepared for some of the hills and walked most of them.  I need to start running with a camera so I can take pictures of my runs - I don't know that I would have believed these hills if I hadn't seen them myself! I managed to finish in 37:59, though!  Which is almost a minute faster than my first 5K!  I'm pretty proud of that considering the hills.

Coming to the finish line

There were several points where I thought I was going to just pass out.  About half-way through (maybe even less), I abandoned my hope of a PR and decided that I just wanted to finish it.  I must be doing something right because not only did I finish, I PR'ed it!!

I'm also pretty impressed with myself because I was the biggest female runner!  There was also a 5K walk, so I wasn't the only plus sized girl out there.  It is empowering to be a runner my size and still not finish last (even if there were only a couple other runners behind me!)

Post-race Photo :)

At the end of the race, I said "Never again" to this race (or any others this close to home, for that matter), but I know myself.  I will be out here again next year just to prove to myself how much better I can do.  I'll also know just how many hills to be prepared for.

Now back to 10K training - 5 weeks to go!

Weekly Weigh In 6/3/12

Weigh-in: 213.4 - Down 2.2lbs - Down 121.2 overall

Good week.  I did a combo of tracking and not tracking this week.  I'm going to go ahead and reduce my points this week in anticipation of getting under 210 in the next couple weeks.  My birthday is at the end of the month and I lose another point due to changing age categories - I don't want to lose 2 points so close together :(

High of the Week: Nothing too exciting.  I had a good Memorial Day with the family.  This week at work was very laid back since everyone was coming off of a 3-day weekend.

Low of the Week: I had personal training Wednesday night and I'm pretty sure that I strained my hamstrings.  They have been really tight since my run Thursday morning.  It pretty much killed my run for yesterday - I still got in 3 miles, but was going for 4 and I had to walk parts of those 3 miles.  They're feeling a little better today, so hopefully by tomorrow's run, I'll be in good shape :)

Best Work-Out:  Aside from the strained hamstring, I had a good personal training session Wednesday night.  I love learning new things.  I got in all my runs this week - even if one was a little short.

Photo of the Week:
It's a little cooler here this weekend than it has been in a while, so back to jeans.
   

Inspiration:

From reasonstobefit.tumblr.com