Day Six - Saturday (1st weigh in tomorrow!)

I changed my hair today! I think I really like it!  It is way dark hey!

Well, I ran this morning (I couldn't rest...I have this burning drive to lose the balance of the weight. It makes me feel better when I am smaller.)  Tomorrow morning  is my first weigh in. I know I have lost, and I hope to keep losing for the next 9 ish weeks!

I ran 7.05 km

45:38

Avg. pace 6:28

Best pace 4:40

Knee felt pretty good. Tomorrow we run 20 km. I am looking forward to running a bit lighter than last! I cannot wait to feel what the marathon feels like at a way lighter weight.

Today, I ate a garden burger (on a white bun) scraped off the triple O sauce, had water. It was delicious! Mmmm. Love those.

I said no to ice cream cake. I had a grande decaf non fat latte (during my 2 hour hair appointment ahhhhh)  and a package of Craisins. 'Somebody' ate my protein/energy bar and I found it in the van all yuck. So, I didn't eat as much as I had wanted. There are always days like that.

I have had lots of water though. I feel great! Tomorrow is a big calorie burner. Calories in vs. Calories out. That is how it works! It WORKS!

Day Five

I had my same cereal, I love it. It fills me up and I feel great for a couple of hours. I received this information in my inbox from the Bob Greene newsletter. It makes sense to me. I like his stuff, and it feels quite normal.

Taken from the Newsletter:
"Quells appetite. Having a light meal (like plain toast and coffee or a green salad with low-fat dressing), or skipping it altogether may seem virtuous. But later, your hunger will come roaring to life and suddenly you'll devour everything in sight. Eating a complete breakfast (about 400 calories), an adequate lunch (at least 450 calories) and complete dinner (500 calories or more) about four hours apart prevents that dangerous hunger attack. And when between-meal cravings mount, a healthy snack does the trick. "

I often get hunger attacks, especially after long runs, or preparing for a run. I have stomach troubles if I eat too close to my runs. So, I stop eating HOURS (usually 4 hours feels good) so you can imagine running a minimum of 6 km and how hungry I would feel. I would fill myself up with whatever I could shove in. Now I have been trying to have protein with every meal. I also need to up my fats (according to sparkpeople.com) I am always low. So, I try to eat more nuts etc.

Two more days until my first weight in! I cannot wait. I just feel so like I am going to reach my goal this time. Funny how a little money motivation works for me! LOL. Cliff too! It is nice to have both of us eating so healthy. Kids are eating healthy too. Love that! Some of our girls have been requesting Daddy's salads!

Tonight, I plan on finding some sort of cardio for one hour. I plan on doing something every day! Atleast get out and move. The more I do, the better I feel. The easier eating healthy becomes. I skipped my cardio as my knee is just needing rest to handle the 20 km run this weekend. Thankfully kilometres jump down by six, and then they bump way up! I am still looking for a physio, but there is nothing available ANYWHERE until middle of next week or later. That is a bummer.

Tonight I found an outfit for my spot on Urban Rush this Tuesday, March 3rd. We walked around forever. I finally found an outfit I love, and will be happy to wear on camera.

We ate turkey lites @ Quiznos, and shared a bag of baked lays. Walked some more. Picked up a grande decaf non fat no whip mocha. And we split a biscotti. I am too full now. I feel all bloated. Thankfully that means my stomach is shrinking!

I am so tired. I need rest! Need to mentally prepare for my run this weekend. And of course for Tuesday afternoon. Wow. 

Day Four

Today is Thursday, and my plan is going so smoothly. I just wish my knee/leg issue wasn't here right now. I have decided to go to physio to see if I can get my full range of motion back in my left knee. I cannot afford to have troubling symptoms right now. So, I need to seek help as Advil, rest and ice is not cutting it.  Darn knee. I am just thankful I can move around and be healthy! I just need to stay on my healthy eating/calorie counting/keep moving EVERY day for the next 10 weeks kind of plan! It works! I am so happy my willpower and dedication has returned! Such a great feeling to move forward and reach my goals!

Today I had the same breakfast as yesterday, and I had a lasagna Lean Cuisine for lunch. Some apple. My vitamins and of course drinking lots of water.

Had a meal replacement bar (yummy) then after the hills I at a Brendan Braiser treat. It was nice, one of the running ladies made them and brought them in.

I am hoping to get my six hills in tonight (Kevin our clinic instructor has offered to do the hills tonight to make up the cancelled hill training yesterday--thank goodness for dedicated instructors that make you WANT to be there!)

So, hopefully the ice and snow will be gone for running, if not I have Plan B. Jazzercise. 

So, I did my hills. I had to do a lot of stretching! Was it ever cold outside! I couldn't feel my fingers or hands! Numb with cold.

We did six hills.

10.05 km

1: 12 

Avg. pace 7:13

Best pace 5:08

Calories: 730 

I still need to eat dinner! Most likely the Jared diet LOL.

Day Three

Ate the same foods basically today as yesterday. I stick with what works.

Kashi, with skim milk and half a banana.

I ate a protein bar, and I added a yogurt, some grapes and a handful of walnuts as my snacks today.

Hill training was cancelled due to SNOW!  So, I made it to Jazzercise instead. 

So, 1 hour cardio/strength today.

Hopefully hill training (six) tomorrow night. If not, I will go to Jazzercise again.

My favourite snack right now is half a cup of frozen yogurt, with half a tablespoon of mini dark chips. Yum.

PS. I think I love Subway sandwiches too much. They are soooo good.

Day Two

I am having a fat day today. I am wearing my new jeans (size eights--yuck) and a medium shirt. Yuck. I feel really fat and yuck today. I look forward to getting back into my smaller sizes. Seriously that saying of nothing tastes as good as thin feels is right on for me. I feel really gross right now. I can feel every extra pound. Thankfully I am on track, and it was hard yesterday. But today is another day, and I can feel my stomach shrinking which is good.


Breakfast:

Kashi, skim milk and handful of raspberries


Snack:
No fat, no whip grande decaf mocha from Starbucks
half a biscotti (shared with Cliff)


Lunch:
1 whole wheat roll up (small 90 cals) w/deli turkey (2 slices) salsa, and organic lettuce
2 hard boiled eggs.


Water: 5


Dinner: Subway (same as yesterday) and half bag baked Lays. Half cup frozen yogurt, with half a tablespoon of dark mini chips. Tea.

Exercise: Training run approx 6 km: 5:61 km
Time: 33:11
Avg. pace: 5:54
Best pace: 4:42
Calories burned: 439

Talk was great, we talked about goal setting, I shared that I want to run the marathon in 4 hours, or less. My knee felt OK, but not 100% yet. I will see how hill training goes tomorrow.

Day One

I updated my Sparkpeople.com  pages (there is where I am portion controlling and watching my calories, fibre intake, protein, carbs etc.

Morning:

Pills and vitamins

1 cup Kashi cereal

1/2 cup of skim milk (non fat)

handful of raspberries

Lunch:

Lean Cuisine Chicken Fettuccine

Snack: 1 medium red apple, 2 hard boiled eggs

Dinner: Late dinner (Subway 6" turkey with honey mustard) veggies etc. and shared a bag of baked Lays with Cliff. Red tea for before bed. 

Water: So far, 10 cups (one with lemons in it served warm)

Exercise:

A lot of lower body stretching with the kids (about 15 minutes or more)

6o minute Jazzercise class (including strength with weights)

My left knee is tight, reminds me of a sensation I had when I was a kid, but worse. A couple of days ago I felt a pop/crack sound just walking through my house. The run yesterday was fine. I think it is a very tight IT band down my left leg. It is very tight even with stretching. I go see Dr. Leif in two weeks. Maybe I should go this week instead. Tonight I wish to do Jazzercise. That will be the test! I have been using Advil, and ice. 

164.4

Yes, my first weigh in (initial weigh in) and I weigh 164.4...so I have 34.4 pounds to lose by Sunday, April 26th. 

Initial weigh in: 164.4

Current weight: 164.4

Goal weight: 130 pounds

Initial measurements:

Chest: 39"

Waist: 32"

Hips: 39.5"

R Thigh: 23"

Tomorrow I start fresh! Go Team E!

Size Eight Bottoms

Today, I broke down and bought myself a pair of 24 dollar pants in a size eight. I know I shouldn't focus on sizes, but this afternoon when I looked in the dressing room mirror at the size of my rear I thought...how come I let myself go. I wish these were size six. Now I have to lose those 10 ish pounds AGAIN. Whoa is me. I was the one stuffing the extra treats down my throat.  I was the one eating the larger portions. Eating for pleasure. Eating to just eat. Eating to celebrate. This weight loss stuff is tough. Eating is tough. You HAVE to eat, but it is hard to stop once I get going. So, tomorrow I start to go back to the way it was, with healthful eating, good exercise and a positive attitude.

Anyways...these jeans are going to be loose by the time my weight is off at the end of this challenge. I will take my photos in them. I will also take a photo in my size small pink hoodie. That is tight across the arms and chest. I know that will be just right once race day is here. I can feel its warm and cozy factor after I run 42.2 km. 

Tomorrow is a new beginning, a chance to start fresh, get back to the 150 I was in June. And, now is the time to get down to my ultimate goal. There is no time like the present time.

Tonight I weigh in, take my measurements and have a couple of 'before' photos taken.

Marathon Clinic

Training for the marathon is a bit surreal to me. I show up, they call our group out, and our distance. And we cheer! The whole store cheers. Most people think we are a bit nuts.That happens for all of the groups. 

The thing is that I remember being in my very first running clinic back in 2005. I was in the For Women Only - Learn to Run clinic. And, I would watch those half marathoners and marathoners go out for these incredibly long runs. They would say 32 km's and cheer, and then our group would head out for 2 sets of 10's and ones. (A 22 minute run) And that at the time was all I could muster. 

So, flash forward to today. I am part of that 'group' where we run these amazing long runs every Sunday. I couldn't feel more proud of where I came from, and that I have kept up my running since my fourth daughter was 3 months old. I got pregnant a couple more times, and today I am back stronger than I have EVER been. I am a Mom to six kids, and now that daughter is heading into Kindergarten in September, and I will have a first marathon under my belt, and will be training for my second marathon this October. 

I just love how running can do that! When you think you cannot, you cannot. You say you can, and you will! And I know I will.

26 km run - Longest Run EVER!

See Cathy Run 

(it is funny that my Mom titled her Facebook album of this run the same thing as my blog, and she doesn't even know my blog exists yet!) These photos were taken by my Mom and Dad. I was running with Taryn, and Kevin. They have a great pace, and the km's just fly by when we all chat. Love that. I just love my running family!

My parents came out and cheered on our group this morning as we headed out on our 26 km run. They cheered us on in two different places and it was so awesome. Thank you Mom and Dad! That was fabulous. I think we were about 11 km into our run. Then, Team E cheered us on in a couple of places with the 'Team Van' aka our big van. The support makes all of the difference! 

The run went really well, and I felt so great! I was a little (well make that  A LOT nervous) this this morning. But I got it done! 

Today's Run:

Distance: 26.03 km

Time: 2:39 

Avg Pace: 6:07 km 

Best Pace: 4:39

Calories burned: 2000