Day 44 - Day 46

Day 44

Well...Let's start with the good.
Friday, work from home and I got up early and went for a walk/run before I got started for the day. I have to make sure I keep doing this. Otherwise the work from home days just end up being sit on my ass all day days.

The bad...
Went out to dinner and was good with the food but...well come on...Pumpkin Beer is out! Yeah. I over indulged. I definitely lived up my friday night.

Day 45

The Ugly...
I was way too tired and hungover to think about anything. And we ordered pizza.
My phone decided it is going to stop working. T-mobile will honor the warranty but they have to mail me a new one...and of course my phone is back ordered. So while I might get it Monday...it might be as long as 7 business days. Why they couldn't just hand me one in the store I don't know. I mean...it wasn't back ordered in the store! They had it sitting right there.

The pisser about that is that it means none of my apps. No Zombies, Run! No Runkeeper....I am just going to have to get out and move. No music. Oh wait...maybe I can find and dust off my ancient ipod. If that thing will charge maybe I can at least have music.

This is where my obsessive personality shows itself. My gadgets. I mean...so what if I can't walk and know exactly how far I went right? What's wrong with a nice stroll down the street? Does it really matter if I had a pace .05 seconds faster than yesterday?

Sniff... It really is pathetic of me!

Day 46

I am writing this entire weekend off as a total loss. Seriously just lost my motivation.

Day 43

Zombies, Run! Does not work on an elliptical. Well technically it does work. But it is no fun.
I decided to try this so I wouldn't go right back in to banging my stupid ankle and knee around but I would still get my work out in.
Eh...
Workout in
Did a lot of sweating
SUPER BORING!!!

I know I got my workout in...but I don't feel as accomplished as I normally do after.
Here is the question though...
Am I feeling that unsatisfied because it was hours ago that I completed it? 6am?
Is it because I did it on the elliptical at the gym? Indoors?

I went faster, definitely was sweating, breathing hard, heart rate was up and going....but at the end I walked around the track 2x and was then good to go.
I didn't feel like I had gotten my ass kicked (in that good way that running does). I wasn't sore anywhere.

I think I will have to save this for emergency situations. Foot/Knee are too screwy to go outside. I am going to reserve the gym for classes, circuit, and swimming.

I am going to repeat the Week 3 Workout. Probably starting Saturday or Sunday and see if I can do a bit better on the freestyle runs.

I was talking to one of my co-workers the other day who has been asking what new things I am trying to do, what is working and what isn't etc... I thought this would be a good place to put some "tips" that we both think are good and working for us as well as things tried and found not to be as helpful.

Tip Today: Stairs

I try to get up and walk our office stairs once an hour. I would like to get in 8 reps during the day, but right now I am averaging about 5. But still...that is 25 minutes of a quick workout I didn't have before...And believe me my calves feel it!
To go from my floor to the bottom, to the top (7 floors), back to the bottom then back to my floor takes about 5 minutes. Nothing too strenuous and I am not gross and sweaty when I get back. It gets my step count up. Gives my legs a quick work out. Gets my heart rate going. And gets me away from my desk and the computer.

I am tortious slow. Usually have to stop in between floors now and then to catch my breath. But I am getting better. Slow and steady wins the race right? The end goal is to be able to do them 2x on that break.

Day 42

Well.... Day 42. Decided to give myself another day off of the foot.

That is all

Day 40 - Day 41

Both days at once here.
Took a break because Sunday really just hurt the ankle and in turn my knee wasn't feeling the greatest. I figured that I would give them both a few days off. Did a little walking around the house while we watched The Voice on Monday and Tuesday was drive home from the beach day.
Going to start slow on day 42 (Wed) and get a walk in before trying to get back to the Zombies Run! 5k training.

This is how I feel...It would be so easy to just keep still. Wed is going to be tough. But I will do at least that walk.  Last thing I want is to hurt myself.  Then I will just be still for even longer.

Day 38 - Day 39

Day 38

Can we just pretend that this day never happened? Too much food. I did get my steps in for the day. But no serious exercise.
We toured a neat restored lighthouse boat, played in the park, went and saw a Midsummer Night's Dream at the Lewes Public Library performed by the Brown Box Theater Project...so it isn't like we were completely immobile. Just lots of unhealthy food that went along with it. 

Day 39

Over 11k steps logged on the Fitbit! Took a great walk with my daughter and granddaughter along the beach and later did my Zombies, Run! 5k Week 3 Workout 2 training. I am definitely going to have to redo Week 3. My foot was killing me yesterday so I ended up walking way more than running during the 3 freeform runs. The foot is weird. I think it has to catch up more than any of my other muscles whenever I change my workouts.  It was disappointing that I couldn't push myself a little harder than I had been. I always try to do just a little more. Even if it is just 5 steps more running instead of walking. Instead I ended up doing less than I normally do. Bummer.

Join me on Zombies, Run!

Day 36 - Day 37

Day 36

Got my minimum steps in and walked the stairs at work 2x for a total of 10 minutes. But that is about it. After that...Drive to the beach! I did go on a short walk when I got here. Just around the neighborhood. This weekend is going to kill my last week of weight loss...

Day 37

Ah...bagels. Yup. Had one for breakfast. Went out and did my Zombies, Run! 5k training though. Week 3 workout 1. Ass officially kicked. I may have to go back and redo week 2. Just not up to a 5 minute run even though it is run at your own pace/ or walk. The good news is that I got up to 2 miles! Mostly kept up my current pace. Not really getting any faster. But at least I am not slowing down. Would have been a great day if it hadn't ended with all you can eat crabs and a couple of PBR's! But when at the beach....




The rest of the weekend is just going to be bad. We already have brunch planned for saturday, ice cream...the list goes on.

As much as I am trying to get healthy the occasional beach weekend is something that, while I may alter parts of it, I won't completely shut out. The hours of crabs, and great brunches and fun with my oldest daughter and granddaughter are just something we treasure. Other than the crabs I cut my usual dose of food in half. Considering how much I did eat I am kinda grossed out about how much I was eating before! Times like this I really realize how absolutely ridiculous restaurant portions of food are. Because I am talking, and having a drink, and fun...I don't realize how much I am really eating... I recently have started cutting all restaurant portions in half before I even start eating. Once that portion is done the rest goes into a box. It is still too much food.

Ah well...
Wish me luck. I can deal with a little gain...I just don't want to get home and step on that damn scale and go WTF...

ALMOST FORGOT!!!
I have walked 50 miles since I got my fitbit! WHAT?!?!?! That is since September 3rd! I know that in August I didn't even come close to that much let alone any of the months before. What an incredible motivator the FitBit is!

Day 35

You know...I almost didn't give myself credit for stuff yesterday. I got home from work and was so tired that it took everything in me to eat dinner, get the trash together and then stay awake praying for 9pm to come so I could go to sleep. I did no walk no run no anything...Then I remembered as I was getting ready to write this that...YES I DID...I got up and swam laps for 20 minutes yesterday morning! Whoo hoo! So...no guilt necessary! Yay!

I am a firm believer in do what your body is telling you. If you are way more tired than usual...maybe it is your body's way of telling you to take a break...or keep you from causing injury or aggravating a current injury. I slept from 10 until 7...I NEVER do that. I also got up and got moving and realized that my knee felt good. I actually hadn't realized it didn't feel good until I stayed off of it for a day. So...Listen to your body!

Day 34

Tuesday work from home ultimate lazy blahs.
Went from almost no steps at 8pm (work area -->bathroom--->work area) to just a bit less than 10k by 930. Unexpected double walk. Whoo hoo!
I got lost in my music and listening to the Zombies Run5k (find me  Leave a comment with your user!) stuff and forgot to turn around 1/2 way through. So by the time I finished my run I was more than 1.5 miles from home. Did a swift walk back and even added another .5 mile to get my steps up closer to 10k.
Weight is down another 2 lbs since last Monday!
Still need to check the inches. But I think the clothes are a tad bit loose! (It's the little things)
So while I sat on my ass for the majority of the day I don't feel bad since I busted it out in the evening.

I think this is going to be the recipe of the weekend!
Grilled Mahi Mahi Tacos...they look divine!

The recipe is from:http://recipes.womenshealthmag.com/Recipe/grilled-fish-tacos-ii.aspx

• 1 mango, peeled, pitted, and cubed

• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, and cubed

• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped

• Juice of 1 lime, plus wedges for garnish

• chopped fresh cilantro

• salt and black pepper

• canola oil

• 2 large mahimahi fillets (1 1/2 lb total)

• 1 tbsp blackening spice

• 8 corn tortillas

• 2 cups finely shredded red cabbage

Mix the mango, avocado, onion, and the juice of 1 lime in a bowl. Season with cilantro, salt, and pepper.
Heat a grill or stovetop grill pan until hot. Drizzle a light coating of oil over the fish and rub on the blackening spice. Cook the fish, undisturbed, for 4 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula and cook for another 4 minutes. Remove.Warm the tortillas on the grill for 1 to 2 minutes or wrap in damp paper towels and microwave for 1 minute until warm and pliable.Break the fish into chunks and divide among the warm tortillas. Top with the cabbage and the mango salsa. Serve with the lime wedge

CALORIES

405.1 CAL (2 Tacos)

FAT

11.3 G

SATURATED FAT

1.7 G

CHOLESTEROL

124.2 MG

SODIUM

614.5 MG

CARBOHYDRATES

42.6 G

TOTAL SUGARS

10.2 G

DIETARY FIBER

8.1 G

PROTEIN

36.5 G

Day 33

That Monday morning super excited I am gonna workout like a pro this week get up and go feeling...And I did it! Well kinda...Then I blew it.
I dragged my insomniac ass out of bed and got to the gym by 6:15. Someone explain to me all of these crazy people who are up doing the same thing?! Seriously...I got the last lane in the pool. 20 minutes of laps (and that means a lap...not only find my breath but catch it) then a lap back. Repeat.  By the time I left there were people lined up waiting.

Got to work...things were hectic and ended up not doing my stairs. I decided to do a walk instead...and...it was raining. Ding Ding...brilliant idea! Our garage is 2 levels so I walked the bottom one over and over...and over until I had done a mile.

Thinking it's a good start to the day right? Yup.
Did it end as well? NOPE!
Out to dinner. Margaritas were my enemy. Again. Last time. I missed doing my Zombies, Run! 5k. Just came on home and did nothing the rest of the night. Oh well...That is going to be my biggest hurdle. Stopping the eating out. Doing it less...but still more than I would care. No more for the rest of the week. Well...hopefully. Beach trip coming up over the weekend so I am sure we will eat out at least one night there.



Don't regret my workout! I regret not doing it!

Day 32

Sunday Sunday Sunday...This might have been one of the hardest days in the last 32 days that I have had getting up and just moving. I think we have been fighting a bit of a tummy bug, along with stuffy nose, along with sore throats, along with allergies along with....blah blah blah... Sunday rolled around and it was absolutely beautiful. I looked at the bright yellow sun through my window, the stunning blue sky, the white fluffy clouds floating on by...and said screw this (not as nicely) buried my head in the pillow and promptly marathoned through more episodes Master Chef than I care to admit. 4pm and the only walking I had on my fitbit were trips from in front of the tv to the bathroom and back.

Then I saw this

Then I did this (walking)

I felt better

That is all.

Day 31

So first lesson of the day. Do not OVER hydrate. Got to where I park to do my walk/run (my neighborhood is WAY to hilly for my level) got out of the car was 2 minutes in and....had to pee. BAD! Stop workout, quick trip back home to the bathroom and then off to start again. Got halfway through and had to go again! Luckily I was close enough to my local gas station and he handed the key over with no questions. So...hydrate well before you plan on doing your workout!

Zombies, Run! Add me!

Week 2 Workout 2 of the Zombies, Run! 5k workout...DONE! Note: The first one was a red herring! I thought...Oh! I got this! The 30 second run and toe lifts not bad... I lied to myself! I have learned the hard way that nothing in Abel is as simple as it seems at the beginning. Even in the 5k. Lesson learned? Keep on your toes! I made it through but I will definitely be repeating the Week 2 workouts. Good thing I was not delusional enough to think I could actually do this in 8 weeks. I would be seriously bumming right about now if I had. 

Find me on Runkeeper

Surprise walk of the night! And the one to push me over 10,000 steps on Fitbit (join me there!)! My daughter and granddaughter joined me for a before bed stroll. Thought it was going to be super slow since we were walking with a 3 year old. I was wrong. My daughter comes out of her house with the babes in her stroller (which never happens...we keep that girl on her feet). Now...my daughter walks fast. Super fast. We were 2 blocks in and I was already huffin and puffin. We came to a bit of a compromise. I picked it up a little and she slowed it down a little. 2.02 miles!!!

My motivation for starting the next (leg) week of this challenge???

Everyone have a great week and keep up the good work!

Day 29 - Day 30

Day 29

So I did it!!! I moved on to week 2. I actually am really proud of myself for getting to this. It seems small but for someone who has sat on her ass for years it is a big accomplishment. Even better...I went from the 15 second run to the 30 second run and didn't think I was going to die!

I have also started walking the stairs at work. Uhm...yeah. I guess I don't do stairs very often. Can I just say calves...OW!

Day 30

Waste of a day. Another work from home day that I didn't get myself up and motivated. I started having a bit of a sore throat and stuffiness the day before and used that as an excuse to "pamper"myself. Granted I feel like crap but nothing that is wrong with me should have kept me from at least getting up off of the couch and taking a walk around the block a few times. At 10pm I felt stupid guilty so as I continued to watch tv I got up and did some running in place. Nowhere near as satisfying as a walk around the block would have been. I also ate like crap.

So...Day 31 no excuses. It isn't a day off of Zombies, Run! 5k and no matter how snotty I am I am going to do it. 

Favorite motivational quote of the past 2 days.... Next paycheck I am off to buy some black workout clothes!

Day 27 - Day 28

Day 27

I finished Week 1 of Zombies, Run! 5k and actually feel like I can move on to week 2! Yay!!!!
Ordered per the app to take a day off so that is what I am going to do. So I will start that on Thursday (Day 29). Went for a nice 45 minute swim with the little one after and had just a nice evening. 

Day 28

Well....not all days can be great. In fact food/exercise wise this day kinda sucked. I didn't even make my 5000 step goal on fitbit. 

The fun thing is....This was my granddaughters first ballet class... So I went to go watch her class and then well...we had to celebrate...so we went to lunch. (Damn margaritas) Food wise I had 2 rockfish tacos, NOT FRIED! WHOO HOO! only 3 chips, a couple of bites of the rice...you know the drill...but I did have 2 margaritas with everyone else there. I just have to stay home! I keep saying it....one day it will sink in.
Oh...I did decide to start doing the stairs at work. So I did once up and down the 7 floors of my building. The only exercise I got....

So my question to anyone who wants to answer today....

How do you lose weight? 

I can step on the scale every day for 6 days and it won't budge at all...come day 7 all of a sudden 3 lbs lost or gained. I would expect a daily fluctuation, however I don't even get that usually. Just there, there, there for days...then bam. Surprise! Because of this I tend to only weigh myself about once or twice a week and not obsess over an ounce here or there. 

How about you? Daily fluctuation? One big change? 

Also...would love to get some new inspiration for music to listen to while working out! Share your favorites!

Day 26

 Another revelation: I am a lot more social than I realize. Going out to dinner will end up being the death of me. So...I need to get that in order. Took the grandbabe and her mom to our local drafthouse to see Monster's University... It's a drafthouse...I had a margarita and a cheeseburger. I did ditch the bun and subbed out grilled veggies for the fries...so...that is something right?

I got in a decent move. I am not going to say workout because it was a quick 1/2 hour walk and then 40 minutes in the pool with the baby after dinner. 

Quick question/poll: Do you eat back your workout calories? I am having an issue with this at the moment since I don't use a HRM yet so I am not positive just how many calories I am burning off as well as unless I am eating a pre-made meal I am not 100% on just how many calories I am taking in. 

Leave answers in the comments! I would love to know what everyone else thinks. 

Day 25

Booze is going to be the end of me....
BUT....
I at least went at it a little differently than I normally do. I called +Kelly Cox and said lets go get dinner. But we have to walk before and after. So we put on our walking shoes and made our way through the neighborhood. We went the long way to get to the restaurant of the evening, so it was a bit over a mile and a half and then dinner and a few margaritas and an irish coffee later got back on our feet and walked home...granted....we took the short way home, but normally I would have gotten in my car and driven to the restaurant that is a little more than .5 from my house, so I feel good about that. NO MORE! Walking when I want to go anywhere in my neighborhood to eat gets a great 2 mile walk in!

This schedule thing isn't going to be easy either. I had the worst time getting up and motivated today. So far Friday and Sunday have been my laze around days....maybe I should just make that my schedule. We will see at the end of another week. Somehow or another 2 days just being a lazy putz seems to be an awful lot though....

Day 24

Good day! Good exercise and good eating. Better than my normal Saturdays. Did 1.7 miles on Day 2 of the Zombies, Run! 5k app. Monday should finish the first round (again) and I think this time I am going to be up for moving on to the 2nd week. I knew in the beginning that it wasn't going to be a strict 8 week off my ass to running a 5k...but here's to maybe being able to do a Turkey Trot at the end of November....maybe. We will see how week 2 goes..then 3...then....



The grandbabe wasn't up for a swim so I went without her and swam laps for 40 minutes. Tortoise slow...but I was doing them. I just need to keep that momentum up on all days she doesn't want to go swimming...only way to go is up right?

Another note...my sleep is so screwy right now I am going just a bit bonkers. I am normally a wicked insomniac. Not able to go to sleep, then when I do waking up 3 hours later...etc. Well that is changing slightly and hopefully in the next week or 2 will stabilize itself. In bed by 11 and up 7? Actually sleeping the majority of that? It would be great! Hoping the exercise is going to play a big part in that happening.

Day 22 and Day 23

Day 22

So this was a half good half bad kinda day. I went for a walk at lunch like I had planned...then the grandbaby decided she wasn't in the mood for a swim so I decided it was good to go out to dinner and have some drinks. Went over what I want my calories to be but I didn't beat myself up about it. One day out of the week wasn't going to kill me right? WRONG. I had zero motivation on day 23. I get that I can/need a day off during the week but have found that it can't be proceeded by a night where I indulge a bit. 

Day 23

Eh....what a crap day Friday was. Couple of things I learned for future Tuesdays and Fridays (My work from home days) If I am going to have 2 days "off" then these might be the days to do it. So hard to get motivated to move when the rest of my day, while working, is doing so in my pajamas. I did pull it together a bit and take the baby swimming but that is minimal and more fun than focused on calorie burning (I do jog constantly either in place or chasing after her but there are no laps involved).  I need to see what next week brings and decide then if getting up on those 2 days and getting myself moving is what is needed or if I decide those are my 2 days off. I need a schedule. That is definite. Next week will be getting that schedule in order!

Day 21

Find me on Runkeeper

View on my walk

First full day with the Fitbit Flex! Yeah...I love it. I have decided to start taking lunch time walks. Day 21 a quick mile down to the little "lake" near my office. It was a nice walk and a great break from the office. I don't normally take a lunch break, the people I work for tend to go out to lunch and between money and waistline it isn't a good activity for me to partake in...but....this might just be the right substitute. I work in the office 3 days a week so that 1 mile a day will add up to an extra 3 miles a week!!! Now the question is going to be if I can force myself to get up and move on those 2 days I work from home? We will see tomorrow.

Find me on Fitbit!

Loving the Fitbit Flex stats!!! So I have both runs AND my swim accounted for!!!!

Find me on Zombies Run! 5k

So...not only did I do a mile at lunch...I restarted Zombies Run! 5k. It felt good. I wasn't anywhere near as out of it when I first started...maybe I am getting into shape????

And as an aside...down another pound!

Day 20

Guess who got a Fitbit Flex?! This girl! I just may love this thing more than anything in my life right now. Well maybe not that much but we will see. It feels good to be motivated. Really good. Having goals and being able to see them be completed or not and having no excuse for it is really a glorious thing.
Come find me on FitBit and add me as a friend if you use it as well!

Me on FitBit

Me on Runkeeper

Did a quick walk/jog before taking Emily (The 3 year old grandbaby) swimming last night. Scary thing is....these are starting to feel good! The thing I am working on now is time management and exercise. Trying to get from point a to point b mixed with c , d, e and f throughout the day isn't the easiest thing to do. I have gone from almost completely inactive to finding that I have almost zero time. We are probably swimming from 4-5 nights a week for 1-2 hours average. Great time to spend with the babe. I think in the end that is going to be the big thing I take away from this. She likes to "help" me exercise and we run around playing different games that keep us moving the entire time. I have been logging these swims as Water aerobics, water calisthenics on MyFitnessPal. The calorie burn seems a bit high...but I am not "eating back" my workout calories so I am not too concerned about it. I need to get a good waterproof HRM so I can accurately measure all of my workout calorie burns but until then...just knowing I am moving is doing me good!

On a personal note...went to my local cinema and drafthouse last night and saw This is the End. Good, raunchy fun! Splurged and had 2 margaritas... One of my goals for September is to lower my alcohol consumption. So nothing Monday, Tuesday 2 margaritas...gonna try to keep the trend to none for the next few nights.  It is mostly a matter of just keeping myself at home. And broke til the end of the week so it shouldn't be a problem!

Day 19

Yeah... my socks don't match and they most likely never will. 

1st good news? Weight down 2.4 lbs for a total of 12.4 from my highest weight.

So...more motivation to change? Yup. This is me the beginning of September 2013. Hopefully slightly smaller by the beginning of October! I am going to start posting a monthly shot. Force myself to pay attention!

Day 19 included the walk shown here. The first 10 minutes or so was done with the 3 year old grandbaby so time is definitely screwy. But after I got her back in the house I did the loop by the house a few times.... 

2nd good news? While my feet/ankles hurt during...they didn't hurt after! Maybe they are starting to get used to this! Whoo hoo!!!!

Day 20 goals: Water, breakfast (yuk), buy a Fitbit Flex and get it set up, walk/run or swim...maybe both!

Day 18 Happy September and Monthly Goals!

Happy September!

Day 18 brought swimming in the ocean a brunch with way too many mimosas and a wonderful ridiculously long nap!

While August was my lets get this started month, September is going to be my "this is serious move your ass" month.

Goals:
Exercise....
1)Keep up the calorie goodness but improve the quality of the food I eat
2)Reduce the amount of alcohol I drink. Amazing when I see it logged just how much I drink. Silly empty calories that I just don't need.
3)Buy and start using Fitbit Flex as soon as I get back to town. I am sure it is going to take a day or so to figure it out and set my goals on there....Then STICK TO THEM!
4)Restart Zombies Run! 5k! I doubt I will be ready for a Thanksgiving Turkey Trot...but maybe I will be up to a walk/run one. I had hoped to be up to a Zombie one by Halloween but I don't see it in the cards with how my ankles have been responding.
5)Drink more water! Seriously....how hard is it to just drink water all day? Well...according to my food log...pretty damn hard.

Personal
1)Get my personal life in perspective. It is way to focused on other people right now. Priorities are family and self and that is it.

The picture above is my motivation for this month (and maybe this whole journey). I love everything about the picture....but me. I want to be able to come back next September 1st and be able to recreate this image and be happy instead of just wanting to hide a beautiful image away. Thanks to my lovely daughter Clarice (Her blog-- Love Inspired) for taking this picture!

What are some of your goals for September?