Okay, Maybe HALF-way On Track...

So I did great working out last Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  Then I didn't work out again until Saturday (yesterday).  But I'm not gonna beat myself up; working out three days a week is good!  I hit the gym yesterday and today.  My goal this week is to go TWICE in the morning before work, instead of just once like I did last week.  And for the record, I am not sticking to that Weight Watchers training plan.  To be honest I hate training plans, I would rather just do it my own way.  I liked their plan better than C25K, but I don't want to knock C25K because without it I might never had started running several years ago.  But anyhoo, I'll just do it my own way: I've got running a mile down pat, so I will start adding a little distance on the days I was smart enough to go slower and save some energy for more than my one little mile. 

Oh, and remember how getting a cute new haircut was going to be my reward for losing 15 lbs?  Well, even though I've been gaining weight and am almost back up to my start weight, I went ahead and got a haircut yesterday because I needed one so badly.  It had gotten to the point where instead of getting the haircut being a reward, NOT getting it was a punishment for not losing weight.  And that's not cool.  So I got the 'cut and stay tuned, pictures are coming!

Have a fab Sunday.

Still on Track

Well, I didn't make it to the gym yesterday, so that means I've already had both my rest days this week.  So Saturday I will have to go to the gym for sure, so I'll have to make sure to get there early enough to get a treadmill.  Saturday's get busy at the gym!  Hopefully now that the weather's nice that shouldn't be the problem it was a couple months ago; more runners will be doing their workouts outside.  As for me, I want to be able to run two miles before I take to the asphalt.

I went this morning and ran my slow little mile again.  The training schedule Weight Watchers gave us has me walking or running 10 minutes the first two days, then 12 minutes the next two, with a rest day in there.  My mile might take a hair longer than that, ahem... So in a few days the training schedule will catch up with my abilities and start pushing me a little more.  This training schedule is loosely based on Couch to 5K (C25K), a beginning running program, but without all the stops and starts.  I think that's because the WW training schedule is intended for someone to walk, not run, and it is allowing for people who are not exercising at all yet.  I did Couch to 5K several years ago when I first started running.  It was useful for me then because even though I was already in good shape, walking a great deal, I still found running intimidating.  I had trouble with C25K because all the starts and stops drove me nuts, I felt like stopping made beginning the next running segment even harder.  But I don't think I would have been successful in becoming a runner without it.  I fell in love with running after completing C25K.  I was never a long distance runner or a fast runner, but I loved it and still do.  When I've stopped running and had to recondition to get back into it, like I'm having to do now, I've found that as long as I go slow, I am always capable of running that first mile, at least physically.  It's the mental aspect that holds me back... a mile?  Am I sure I can do that?  I get past that by distracting myself with good music or if I'm really having trouble, doing math problems in my head.  Weird?  Maybe, but it works for me.  I am kicking myself for stopping running; I'm sure that plays a big part in gaining all this weight back.  But my non-running days are over, I'm back, and better for it.

Back on Track

I hadn't worked out or gone to a Weight Watchers meeting in a month, but I did both on Saturday.  I postponed my beloved Saturday morning errands for it, and paid the price.  When I finally got to the errands, EVERYONE was out  because it was a beautiful Saturday afternoon.  It was crowded and crazy everywhere I went.  Here's to better planning next Saturday! 

My weight is way up, no big surprise there.  I almost didn't go in to the WW meeting after weigh-in; I was excited about getting to the gym and didn't want to wait.  But I did go to the meeting and was so glad.  This week WW started a six week plan to get ready for a 5k on June 6th.  The expectation is to walk it, but I am going to take advantage of this opportunity to run it!  I am so pumped.  Sticking to the training plan means working out five days a week for the next six weeks.  I'm excited about getting back into working out.  Of course that means I will finally have to make before-work work-outs a habit.  Yikes.  But I can do it.  I hit the gym Saturday and Sunday, and this morning before work!  I ran a mile today, albeit very slowly, and am pretty darn proud of myself.

Have a fab week!

Gym Again

Whoo hoo!  Another day of 1 hour on the elliptical trainer and then off to the treadmill to run a half mile.  Then situps and stretches.  I was a good girl today and stretched before my workout, too. 

I felt so good on the elliptical this morning that I wanted to bust out some dance moves, but stifled the urge.  First because I would fall off the machine, and second because then I would officially become a Gym Character: the Girl Who Boogies on the Elliptical.  Which would violate my personal policy of flying under the radar.  The urge faded after about 30 minutes into my workout; close call.

I entered a giveaway contest at Endurance Isn't Only Physical's blog.  It's for iFitness's sport-belt/waist-pack that looks like it is perfect to use when you're working out.  To enter the contest you have to post comments telling Endurance Isn't Only Physical which belt you would like to win, that you are a follower of her blog, that you have posted about the contest, and recommend some headphones/earbuds for her.  It looks like a pretty cool running accessory so wish me luck!  You might run over to her blog, too, and check the contest out for yourself.

Return to Running

I just got back from the gym and am so pumped!  I did an hour on the elliptical trainer and then thought what the hey, I was already more than warmed up.  I hopped on the treadmill and cranked out a leisurely half-mile.  Very leisurely; I'm talking a 15-minute-mile pace.  I've always been a slow runner by preference anyway, but I'm taking it extra easy since my last running streak was from February to July 2009, and before that I had not run since October 2008.  But I'm back, folks!

My heartrate was 167 when I finished the half-mile.  I like to keep it under 140 so I will probably not run more than a half-mile at a time for a while.  I figure seven or eight minutes at the higher heartrate will not hurt me. 

I will have to start stretching out before my workouts now.  I have only been stretching out afterwards since I started this latest stint of working out regularly.  But today after 20 minutes on the elliptical my left knee started feeling tight.  I will probably start taking glucosamine again, too, to protect my joints.  I find it really helps me when I take it regularly.

Part II of the Plan of Fat-Attack: Move That Hiney

I love to run. Not competitively, not fast, just go out the door and set it on cruise and crank out a leisurely 2 or 3 miles. Right now I’m too heavy to really enjoy it; I need to take about 15 lbs off the load my poor abused joints will be carrying, and condition myself again, before it’s the effortless pleasure it used to be. Back when I ran regularly it was my alone-time, attitude-readjustment and analgesic, all wrapped up in 30 minutes on the blacktop. If I was cranky, or my back was sore and tight from sitting at a desk, or I was overwhelmed from a day of office chatter, all I had to do was put on my sneakers and head out the door. I miss that. I want it back.

I also used to do situps, girl-pushups, leg-lifts with ankle-weights and some work with small dumb-bells every day. Of course, my eating habits were atrocious; I ate once a day and barely made it to 1,000 calorie most days. So this time I’m trying to take the weight off and get fit and trim while still eating like a human being, not a bird.

But I digress. The subject at hand is exercise. I’ve taken some stabs at re-establishing a running routine over the last 2 or 3 years, but always get derailed by one thing or another… the weather, work schedule, etc. After I have established a good excuse, I got lazy and take some time off from the exercise routine. I tell myself “A runner does not lose conditioning until a break extends beyond two weeks.” Well, my break would not stop at two weeks. And then when I finally decided to get back on track I’d have to start getting in shape all over again.

Bf gave me a gym membership for Christmas. It’s awesome and I love going to the gym. And it removes the weather excuse from my repertoire of reasons not to move my hiney. So right now my plan is to use the elliptical trainer until I’ve knocked my weight down a little, then I can start adding in some running again. I started a weight-lifting routine this week; I’m doing an upper-body workout and plan to do it three times a week. I have lifted two times so far this week. I’m not nearly as sore after the second one as I was after the first. I also stretch and do situps each time I go to the gym.

This is my first week of being re-dedicated to the routine. I’ll post any weight-loss weekly and changes in measurements once a month. I’m excited about the possibilities…. WHOO HOO!

As usual, I’m going to finish my coffee, make a smoothie and then start work. Have a fab day!