Feeling Stronger Every Day

I spent an hour running around Wells Park tonight to close out my zones. I had over 20 minutes left in zone 3 (which never happens) so I actually let myself RUN for part of the time. To say that I felt great is an understatement, I actually felt like I was flying. Unlike the last time I let loose, I did not bonk.

I've still got about 5lbs to lose to make it to 20lbs lost this year. I should be able to make it and am starting to see the difference in pictures.

Feeling Good - August 8

After my reality check last week, I got myself in gear. I had some great workouts this week and even ran another race, the "Elvis is Alive" 5k (34:45). I was happy with my time, it was hot and I was working hard. I also saw a number on the scale this week that was four pounds lower than my "official" August weight and dropped me another middle number. Must keep going. I find I am vacillating between thinking I look good and feeling good and thinking I look like an oompa loompah. The numbers on the scale help me quantify how I am feeling and what the clothes are telling me.

Mom and Dad are arriving this week for a visit. I am doing my best to stock the house with healthy options. I spend an hour cutting up veggies and fruit tonight so it will be on hand and want to continue to juice M-Th before work.

I was headed to the gym to workout tonight since it is about 90 out but River was giving me such guilt that I ran with him outside instead. I think he regretted the guilt trip after the run. He is worse for wear than I am. The first 10 minutes were actually GOOD, I was also able to push through almost the entire 30 minute run. Yeah!

Now that I have a page to track workouts on here, I am realizing that I consistently burn about 3,500 calories a week when I work out five days a week. I had better be losing a pound a week at this point....I'm working for it.

Maybe I will fit into that dress by the wedding:)

Reality Check

So I just had a reality check which is sending me back here. I have lost 10lbs so far this year and had a great workout month in July. June was more of a food focused month (and I lost weight), July was more workout focused (not much weight lost, but more compliments).

I managed to wedge myself into a dress that I could not even get near to zipped last summer for Laura's B-party last weekend, I ran a sub 10mpm pace 5k on Thursday and have had great workouts this week. I've been feeling pretty good. I really want to wear my favorite black dress from several years ago to her wedding. I decided to try it on tonight to see if I was close. Let's just say that I felt like I was trying on someone elses clothes. It was a big reality check that I am still 20 lbs (and change) from goal.

I did buy stuff to start juicing again and will start again tomorrow for breakfast. It is a great way for me to start the day, keeps me full till at least noon and keeps me from snacking, gets in the veggies, gets in the water, and is all around a good thing for me. My goal is to juice every day in August for breakfast (unless I am out of town). I'm convinced that juicing is why I lost 4lbs in June. I'd like to lose 4-5 lbs in August.

Headed out to a street fair, will have a beer or two but won't eat. Will be home early and will juice and hit the gym tomorrow. Tomorrow is not only a new day - it is a new month!

Whiny Wednesday

I had a good day yesterday overall. Saw 5 of 7 scheduled kids, made it downtown for my 4:00pm micoderm, met Liane for a 5:20 movie (Salt) and then headed to big bowl for dinner. Just ate my leftovers for lunch today. Laura called me last night and we have Sat plans to maybe see Bon Jovi - yeah!

I was fast asleep at 11:00pm so was up at 6:30. I decided to go for an early morning jog with River. It felt good and I need to up my minimum running time to 40 minutes if time allows (this morning it did, I just did not do it).

River and I did the bank loop (1.5 miles) at 11:00am today. It was hot and we both arrived soaking wet back to the office. Happy to have a little more exercise on the legs though:) My theory this time has been that every little bit counts - both in terms of exercise and making good food choices.

The whiny comes from the fact that even though I saw a great number on the scale yesterday and today and feel good overall, I cannot help but seem to notice my pouchy stomach. I remember this from previous weight loss - I seem to feel fatter, or notice my body more as I get thinner. You would think the reverse would be true - eh. I guess I am just whiny about it today.

Back to work, I've seen four of eight scheduled kids and realized today that I need to get working on my fall schedule. August is going to be a mess for work - I keep telling myself to take deep breaths (and study my Spanish).

Mopy Monday

I woke up in a good mood and made it to spinning at 8:30am at Galter (502 calories burned). Saw three kids, made it home, did some stuff around the house, cleaned the kitchen, visited with Angelique, watched the bachelorette, headed to bed. Nothing to exciting.

I'd like to know why Monday's make me tired when I don't really do all that much "work". I think it is just all the driving around that makes me tired.

Looking forward to tomorrow, work then a facial downtown and (hopefully) a movie with Liane. Yeah!

Beautiful Sunday

So Saturday (yesterday) was a pretty crazy day. I was up early and made it to Group Groove (430 calories), followed by a quick run to Target to return some bras that did not fit, a quick run to Trader Joe's to get some prosecco, and them home. In the middle of it, I realized that I had lunch plans downtown so I got home, showered, changed, packed a bag and headed back out.

Lunch at Feast was great. We split Mac 'n Cheese as a table and I had a BLT with a side salad (which I ate 1/2). It was great, food was fast and good. I loved seeing Olivia one more time and was able to also see Cindy and Michele. Just like old times.

I jetted out from lunch at 2:15 in an attempt to get to my car to make it to Bucktown for our 2:45 Bollywood dance class which was part of Laura's bachelorette party. It was very fun. We learned a routine to "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire and it was a great way to start the day. On the way home I ate a coconut cupcake from Most (yum) since I was starving and had enough time at home to nap and wedge myself into the worlds tightest dress. On one hand I am thrilled I could wear it and it did not actually look all that tight once on....on the other hand I could hardly breathe most of the night and had some lovely lines once I took the dress off.

It's thrilling to wear something you have not worn in 2 years. I tried to wear it last summer and honestly, could not even get in anyway near on. I'm getting more compliments in July so even if the scale is not moving, I know there are results.

We had dinner at Carnivale (yum) and then danced away at Fado to a very cheese 80's cover band. The lead singer looked somewhat like a Hobbit and was wearing Rubik's cube tee shirt over tight sweatpants? It was some sort of fashion look. I faded out at about 2:00am (my feet were DONE) and Barb gave both Amy and me a ride home.

Sunday - As normal, River woke me up fairly early to demand food and a bladder break. I crawled back into bed and napped and read till about 10am. River and I took a quick trip to dogbeach - which was weirdly foggy and spooky with WAVES!

I rode my bike downtown to the Art Institute where there is a new exhibit of Henri Cartier-Bresson photographs. It was hard riding home, I was hungry and my legs were tired....but I am glad I did. (1 hr 50 minutes 760 calories)

My weekly calorie burned total was: 4171 - I really want to have lost at least a LITTLE weight in July. Even one pound will make me happy. Off to figure out tabs so I can keep track of workouts and calories burned here.

guerilla workout!

So I managed to sneak in a guerrilla workout this afternoon between shopping and eating with Olivia (and Cal) and bachelorette party festivities with Laura and the girls.

I did damage at Nordstrom with five bras, one pair of running shorts, a pair of sunglasses to replace my favorite pair that broke and two pairs of shoes. One pair of shoes may be going back but I will make that decision later:)

The plan was to call at 4:30 to catch up with the girls who were at the Cubs game. At 3:20 the game was in the 7th. I rode my bike to the gym and got on the treadmill - and saw the game ending. Ran a mile, rode home. Ran go get River at Stay, ran home. Jumped in the shower....made it to Fiesta Cantina by 5:00pm with the help of an awesome cab driver.

45 minutes - 402 calories - 2981 for the week so far. I like what the scale is saying so I am motivated to continue in an (most likely vain) attempt at a loss for July. Honestly, if I maintain I'll be happy since I think my July weigh in was a total fluke.

Off to bed at 11:15pm - hope to catch 9:30 group groove tomorrow morning. Major storms are rolling in. "el lightening" and "el thunder" are competing with River's snores.

Must get a camera to post pictures!

Terrible TV Tuesday - July 20, 2010

I figure it has been almost a month since my last blog post. Time to get going again. It has been another good month. I ended up losing 4lbs in June but have not seen that number again in July. At this point, I just want to maintain the loss for July and then make another attempt at getting rid of some pounds in August.

There has been a real improvement in my fitness this month. I've been burning at least 2500 calories a week an trying to work out five times a week. I think I am ready to start running to the gym (instead of riding my bike) in an attempt to bump myself "to the next level" and burn some more calories. I did it today for the first time, it took me 16 minutes to run there and I bummed a ride home. I'd also run about 20 minutes with the dog before heading to the gym so I was burnt after GG. My total today was 1hr 45 minutes / 945 calories. My legs died in GG.

I ran my first 10k in about five years on Sunday. It took me about 70 minutes, which I think is slooow, but I am thrilled to have finished and am planning my next 10k with a goal of 65 minutes.

When Mary gave me a ride home from the gym she was telling me a funny story about driving her car into the wall of the gym parking lot. It was clearly one of those stories that is hysterical now and was NOT funny at the time. I was a snorting laughing mess.:) Need more of those stories in my life.

Death to the McFlurry - June 24, 2010

I've been doing great on my weight loss/exercise regime. I have defiantly hit another bump in my fitness. Workouts that used to have be burning 600-700 calories are now burning 500-600. I am also down ALMOST 10 lbs since the beginning of the year. The scale said 193. on Monday so I am motivated to keep going.

The downside of this week has been the McFlurry. Someone told me about the "snack sized" McFlurry. I had one yesterday, it was so good I had another today. I knew this could not be good so I looked up the calories....over 400 calories for a snack sized. This treat is dead to me. There are less calories in a Dove Ice Cream bar.

c'est la vie

I have worked out every day this week so far:

Monday - spinning

Tuesday - Power

Wednesday - groove

Thursday - running

Must keep moving in the right direction.

Ian broke up with me on Friday - or I broke up with him....after a day of to much wine and self pity I am back in the saddle with a date on Sunday for brunch. I had my hair cut today so hopefully I will be working the mojo and make a good impression:)

Tuesday May 8th

I don't seem to be doing a good job keeping up with my blog. Some updates:

- I found my camera battery charger and then smashed my camera in Turkey.

- I spent 10 days in Turkey (May 21-31). Hopefully I will get a new camera and post pictures.

- I am still working out five days a week and even ran three times in Turkey with Laura. The challenge goes two more weeks - I am hoping we renew.

I actually got on the scale after turkey and saw a MUCH lower number than expected. So far I have lost five pounds since January which is not great (at a pound a month) but I'LL TAKE IT!. Heck, I'll happily take two years to get back to weight goal at this point. My fitness is really improving. I can workout harder and longer - which burns more calories and also inspires me to eat better.

I've been juicing a la Natalia Rose every morning since returning from Turkey (except weekends). I am almost off caffeine totally at this point with no with drawl (I have had some diet coke). My goal is to not eat any food/drink other than the green lemonade until 12/noon and then to keep with the fruits/veggies as long as possible. I think I am eating less - definitely more f/v.

I'm almost to a decision regarding money management/financial planning. Tomorrow I have one more skype conference with the MD guy and I had a seminar with Fidelity tonight. It will be HUGE to have this off my plate.

Finally, my summer schedule starts Monday, FINALLY! I am excited to be working more efficiently for the summer and (hopefully), running around less. Courtney and Doug are staying with me on Sunday night and we are going out for "our" birthday. yeah!

Still running - the run for the zoo was last weekend. I did the 5k instead of 10k which was a good decision. It was about 33 minutes, the course was VERY crowded. I am happy I ran the whole thing and had a kick for the last .1 mile. My next step is to find a race for July and someone to run it with me.....I need to have a goal!