Thursday, January 28, 2010

Have 30 Day Shred, will travel.

I woke up this morning, fought the sleep monster with my crazy awesome ninja skills and went for a run...on the treadmill because it was cold. I came home, hooked up the Ipod, and damn if the stupid Itunes didn't eat my run. It took my run and then refused to pass it onto the Nike+ website, so I can't get you a pretty picture. I can only give you what Itunes can, a boring screen shot.



This run didn't feel as good as the last one, I felt winded and like I was struggling a little, but I didn't sleep well last night so I'm pretty sure that's why. I made it to work this morning without any speeding citations, but again was running late. I really need to get back into the groove of this morning work out routine.

I have solved the bad weather travel dilemma by deciding to take tomorrow as a vacation day and leaving for Greensboro tonight! Here is the latest forecast!



I will get in before the weather, be able to enjoy a little snow and should be able to get back on Sunday without any problems! As an added bonus, I will get more time with my family! I know this may not seem like much to those of you who get snow a lot, but for us down here in the South, this is a major event. Plus the high possibility of ice accumulation is a scary reality.

I have my 30 Day Shred DVD packed up for Friday morning and I packed all my cold weather running gear from the OIB Run for Food for my 2 mile run on Sunday before we head back. Hopefully there's not too much ice on the sidewalks. My Mom's birthday is Tuesday, my sister is in town and I'm expecting a weekend full of fun. My friend Kelly is coming with me too! I'm going to try and track my food and make healthy choices but I'm not going to be too hard on myself. It's all about balance and I tend to have a harder time of that around my family. Thankfully they do live 3.5 hours away. (Just kidding...sort of.)

I may try to get a blog entry in over the next couple days, but if I don't I hope you all have fantastic weekends! Is anyone doing exciting?

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

I wonder if my lead foot adds to my weight.

This morning has been filled with things not going quite right. I was supposed to do Yoga in my living room this morning, I woke up at 6:30am to find that the husband had fallen asleep on the couch. I didn't want to wake him up that early, he worked last night, so I had to put Yoga off until after work. I went back to sleep, only to sleep a little too long and then had to rush getting to work.

While rushing, I was going about 11mph over the speed limit...when I got pulled over. God only knows how fast I was going before he clocked me. 10 minutes later the nice cop let me off with a city citation and a $50 fine, nothing on my license. I get to the office and find out another employee got pulled over by the same cop this morning and also got a citation. He must have been on a mission.

I am supposed to be going out of town this weekend to visit my family and the weather isn't looking very good. Wintry mix and snow predicted, so I can't make a set decision on that yet, therefore throwing off my usually very scheduled life.

I have a something happy and something sad to share, which do you want first?

Ok, sad first wins.

Sad:
I tried the Chocolate Okios Yogurt, I was so excited! I thought it was going to be this wonderful new find. I was so disappointed. I think it's awful. Now, this is just my taste buds talking, but I had 1/4 of the container and that will be all I eat of that. So sad.

Happy:
Since I'm still in the process of losing weight, I kind of refuse to spend money on clothes. The majority of my pants have been hand me downs from friends and occasionally I will hit the thrift stores and Goodwill for items. Last night I hit a new Goodwill store nearby and I made out like a thief, I got 5 sweaters (nice ones, name brands including Tommy Hilfiger) and a pair of Levis for $23. I'm telling you, if you don't utilize your local Goodwill Store you really should! They have great stuff! And the money you spend will be used for good! From their website:
When you shop at Goodwill, you are supporting job training and placement programs for people with disabilities and other disadvantages.

So, get great deals on gently used and new items while supporting a great organization. And if you're like me and still losing weight, you're not spending a lot of money on clothes that may or may not fit next season or even in a few months!

That's it for today folks, we're halfway there. How's your week going so far? Hopefully speeding ticket (or citation) free!

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

I awoke to a dancing mouse...

This morning, despite my very best efforts to sabotage myself and stay in bed for a few extra minutes, I made it up for my run!



I ran inside, on the treadmill because the wind was kicking and COLD this morning. It was a good run, I felt good and once I got started I ran the whole time.

I think part of the reason I made it out of bed was the song that was on the radio when my alarm clock went off. "I believe in miracles...since you came along, you sexy thing..." you all know the tune. It got stuck in my head and I started thinking about this video I'd gotten years ago in an email with a mouse dancing to the song. By the time all that had went through my head, I was awake and new I wasn't going back to sleep anyway so I got up and ran. Because I know you're interested and if you're not, I don't care, I'm going to share the video because I love it! :)



If you haven't seen my Meatless Monday post from last night for the Black Bean Cakes with Avocado Butter, be sure to take a look, it's a keeper for sure! I enjoyed 1 bean cake on an Arnold Sandwich Thin with a little Avocado butter for lunch yesterday so it makes a great 1st and 2nd time around meal. Always a bonus!

I'm still doing well this week with tracking, even the stuff I don't want to track. The extra bites of this and that while cleaning up the kitchen and what not. I'm hopeful to keep it going in the right direction for the rest of the week.

How were you active today?

Monday, January 25, 2010

Meatless Monday – Black Bean Cakes with Avocado Butter

 

I’m really getting fond of Meatless Mondays! I love looking for new recipes during the week and coming up with ideas. I even have a file on my Blackberry for ideas if I have them at random moments of recipes I want to try to make.

This recipe is really impressive, but it’s so simple to make! This would be a great recipe to have for a dinner party. Or, even make the black bean cake patties smaller and do an appetizer! I hope you’ll try this one because it’s really great! I found the recipe in Weight Watchers 20 Minute Recipes, Fall 2009. I couldn’t find a link to buy it. You usually find these near the cash registers at grocery stores. My Mom buys them for me because she’s the greatest. :)

Black Bean Cakes with Avocado Butter

Food - Meatless Monday - Black Bean Cakes 005

1 15oz. can of black beans, rinsed, drained and mashed

1/2 cup refrigerated fresh salsa

1/3 cup dry bread crumbs

1/3 cup finely shredded carrots

1/3 cup frozen whole kernel corn, thawed

1 teaspoon cumin

1/ 2 rip peeled avocado, coarsely mashed

2 tablespoons reduced fat sour cream

1 teaspoon fresh lime juice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Divide bean mixture into 4 equal portions. Shape each portion into a 1/2 inch thick patty.

Food - Meatless Monday - Black Bean Cakes 001 Food - Meatless Monday - Black Bean Cakes 002

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Cook bean cakes 3 minutes on each side until browned.

3. While bean cakes cook, combine avocado and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Serve bean cakes with avocado butter on top.

Food - Meatless Monday - Black Bean Cakes 003 Food - Meatless Monday - Black Bean Cakes 004

Yield: 2 servings, 7 WW Points per serving (serving size is 2 cakes per serving with 1/4 cup avocado butter)

I don't know if I'd call it a proud moment but...

Monday morning is back again, it's such a tricky little thing. It seems like it comes out to play so much faster than Friday afternoon. I don't know how it does that.

I had a great weekend though. Friday night I was low key, just stayed home and watched TV. Saturday the husband and I did some shopping. We also stopped at our friends new Sweepstakes place (it opened that day) to do a little gambling on computer slots. I won $76! I was the first winner!

After a trip to the grocery store we headed home for dinner. We got a call from our friend Chris who we had not hung out with in a while and he wanted us to come out and play. So, the husband and I headed out for "a few beers" those few beers turned into lots of beers, more friends showed up, many shots were consumed, dancing done, GREAT times had by all but it lead to...



One of my top 10 worst hangovers of all time. Basically, I spent several hours in the bathroom. That's all I'll say about that. It was a rough day, but my 3pm I finally started to feel human again.

I am proud of myself not for consuming large quantities of alcohol, that wasn't in my better judgement, but I am proud of myself because I tracked nearly all of it. I tracked my alcohol intake until I couldn't do it anymore (I'm guessing I stopped just shortly after midnight) and then I tracked my entire hangover day. Now, I had a fantastic time with my friends and luckily, these days, nights like that are few and far between for me. I am just proud of myself for keeping up with my points in a situation that normally would have sent me to in a no man's land of calorie consumption for a day and a half.

So, that's my weekend success (kinda) story...what's yours?

Be sure to check back later tonight for Meatless Monday! It's Black Bean Cakes with Avocado Butter. I think you guys are really going to like this one!

I started my morning with a Banana Mango Smoothie and a little 30 Day Shred! Let's make this a great week, together!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Weigh-in Day and 30DS

Jillian Michaels is a cruel, cruel woman...but I like it.



This morning I did Level of 30 Day Shred for the first time. For months I've been hearing people write about 30 Day Shred and how much they like it and how it produces good results. My husband, being awesome occasionally, got the DVD for me the other day. I need something to do on my Cross Training/non-running days while working on my training for my 10k.

This morning I had to wake up early for my weigh-in and I figured what's 20 more minutes? I'm 166.9lbs this week, down 1.8lbs! I figured I would be up with being sick, I wasn't really well behaved over the weekend or through Wednesday.

Moving on! So I put in the 30DS DVD with no real expectations and got a serious, all over body work out. I was sweating and breathing heavy right there in my living room! I look forward to continued work outs. I won't be doing them 30 days back to back, but I am going to try and do it at least twice a week as my cross training.

I am feeling a little better every day and I am grateful for that. I am still exhausted and sleeping really heavy at night, so I know I'm not 100% yet but I know that slowly adding exercise back to my routine will help.

I am determined to make today a good day, want to know why? Because this morning, on the radio while driving to work I heard this:

"If you like Pina Coladas, and getting caught in the rain...."



and that song just makes me happy. TGIF everyone! :)

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Catch ups!

I figured this morning I would do a series of "Catch Ups" I feel like I've been behind since I've been sick but I'm turning a leaf and I'm ready to start going forward again, even if it is slowly.

Oak Island 10k Training

This morning was my first (albeit a few days behind) training run for the 10k. I was supposed to run for 20-25 minutes according to my Galloway Training Schedule. I ran for exactly 20 minutes because I didn't want to push it and end up sick again. I ran outside on the road and it was approximately 44 degrees. A little colder than I expected, but I really wanted to be outside.



It felt great. I couldn't believe it. I ran the whole time, kept a steady pace and stayed pain-free. Until I stopped. As soon as I stopped it felt as if an elephant had stood on my chest and proceeded to do the polka. It took a long time for that feeling to pass, probably a good 10 minutes or so. However, since it passed, I feel great!

Operation Freezer

I have been doing great with my quest to clean out the freezer! I haven't bought anything that needs to go in the freezer (with the exception of some ripe bananas for smoothies) and I've been eating the main part of my meals out of the freezer for both dinner and lunch. I think I can make it at least 1-2 more weeks without buying any meats!

This morning I decided to try to have breakfast out of the freezer too. I had lots of frozen fruit in my freezer and I recently watched an episode of Good Eats in which Alton Brown shared his weight loss story. He drinks a fruit smoothie every morning for breakfast. He assembles everything the night before in the blender carafe and places it in the fridge so all he has to do is add ice and blend in the morning. I followed his advice on this, but used a different recipe. This morning I had a tasty Banana, Peach and Vanilla Soy Milk Smoothie in no time. Although I'm sure the husband (who is off of work today) didn't appreciate hearing the blender at 7:55am.



I liked it because I could drink it in the car, which was good this morning because I was running a wee bit late! I just hope it keeps me as full as my Chobani Greek Yogurt and Granola usually does. Recipe I used: 1 frozen banana, 1/2 cup of frozen peach slices (both of which defrosted slightly in the fridge over night) and 1 cup of fat free Vanilla Soy Milk.

Meatless Monday

Yes, I know I missed Meatless Monday, but I already have a recipe planned out for Monday. How does Black Bean Cakes with Avocado Butter sound? It's from the Weight Watchers cookbook my Mom got me many moons ago that I haven't used yet.

Ok, this has been a long entry of "Catch Ups". If you made it through, I'm proud of you! :) I am so happy to be feeling better, I know I'm not 100% yet and I don't plan on pushing it too much, but hopefully I'll start to be around a bit more.

Let's keep the pendulum swinging in a positive direction!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Rebirth

I have been doing WeightWatchers on and off as "diet" plan of choice for years. I don't consider WeightWatchers a "diet". Those who know me know I hate that word. I have changed my life. I have learned portion control and lifestyle balance with the help of my trusty Weight Watchers books. Here's a little secret for you though...

I have never actually joined Weight Watchers.

Shocking, I know. I have hand me down books, used any online information I could find and did my own thing. Well, that all changed today.

I could feel myself backsliding my new lifestyle a little more often than I was comfortable with. WeightWatchers was waiving their sign up fees with the New Year, so I decided to actual join the program that I have believed in for years. I joined WeightWatchers Online. I consider it almost a rebirth. A new start.

I am excited to use the new online tools and to see what the program has to offer...officially. I signed up for the 3 month savings plan. If I benefit from actually paying for the plan, I'll stay on...if not, I'll cancel. Either way, I like what I see so far. :)

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Tales from the Crypt

Hi everyone.

I know I've been absent for longer than usual and I missed a Meatless Monday. I'm sorry! I've been very sick. I have had a terrible sore throat, a headache of epic proportions and just absolutely exhausted. I'm back at work today, but it's taking every ounce of energy I have to hold my head up. I haven't been on the computer much at all since Friday night and I've even had my Blackberry turned off. I never turn off my Blackberry.

I have been eating clementines and tomato soup as my main source of nutrition. My training for the Oak Island 10k was supposed to begin yesterday, but with the throat ache and headache I've had lots of joint pain. Add that to the exhaustion factor and I think it's going to have to wait a few days.

I'm lucky that the sickness didn't hit me until Saturday afternoon because I got to have a wonderful Friday night (and Saturday lunch) filled with booze and bad food choices with my dear friend Katie who is now sadly back in Florida. I wished I could have had more time with her, but I didn't want to get her sick.


That's all I have for today. I hope to be back soon with tales of health and wellness...that is once I've kicked the ass of the zombie that has taken over my body.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Quick Weight & Freezer Update!

 

My morning starts with a meeting on an island that I don’t work on so I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to update this morning, so I figured I would just write a quick weigh-in update before I left! So, my weight this week….

168.7lbs. Stayed the same. (+0.1, but I call that the same)

I took it easy this week as far as activity, so I’m not surprised. I’m relieved it didn’t go up actually. Onward and upward!

In other news, the husband stuck to his promise of “Cribbin’” out the freezer. Take a look!

Operation Freezer 002 Operation Freezer 003
Operation Freezer 004 Operation Freezer 005

 

It’s even categorized! Desserts/Fruits on top, Veggies in the door, breads, meats and “other” as the husband called it. He does good sometimes! :)

Tonight is a fly by the seat of my pants dinner, never a good thing, but I’m not sure what the evening will hold. My dear friend Katie who recently moved to Orlando is in town for the weekend! I do know tomorrow is another option from Operation Freezer, I am roasting a turkey breast for us to have over the weekend. Yummy! Turkey sandwich, here I come!

Do you have any exciting weekend plans? Thank goodness the weekend is here! Happy Friday ya’ll! :)

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Operation Freezer

 

*cue cheesy mission impossible tune*

The Mission: Clean out my Freezer by trying to actually use the stuff.

The Agent: A healthy eater with a weak spot for sale items.

Mission…accepted.

Here is my freezer:

Operation Freezer 002 Operation Freezer 001

Absolutely choked full of stuff. I have no idea what is in there! Upon a quick glance I found 97% Fat Free Hebrew International Hot Dogs, half a bag of frozen shrimp, several varieties of Boca and Morningstar products, a steak, some muffins and a couple of my Mom’s absolutely fantastic so good it will make you want to kiss her (or possibly slap her for bringing them into your home because you can't resist them unless you freeze them) Rocky Road cookies.

The husband is the fridge organizer. He can take something like that and make it ready for MTV’s Cribs. He’s promised to organize it for me today (don’t worry, I’ll take pictures!) and I promised to stop stockpiling everything as if the Armageddon is expected next week.

So I’m calling it operation freezer. It will force me to get creative in the kitchen and save us some money. I can’t wait to see what I can cook up! The main portion of my dinners at least 3 nights a week must come from the freezer. I’m going to try and take the Boca patty options for lunches a few times a week until they are gone as well.

For dinner tonight I have some Hebrew International Hot Dogs thawing out (they are only 1 WW Point a piece! I got them on sale for $3!) that I will grill on the foreman and I made a bean salad last night (it tastes best when it marinates overnight) to serve with it.

Food Operation Freezer 003 Food Operation Freezer 001

Since you all are dying to know, here is my recipe for my

Cannellini Beanie Salad (sounds like I’ve had it forever huh? I generally make it up as I go along and what I have on hand, here’s this version!)

1 can Cannellini (white kidney) beans drained and rinsed

1/2 small onion chopped finely

1/2 red pepper chopped finely

1/4 container of grape tomatoes quartered

4 marinated artichoke hearts chopped

1/4 cup Zesty Fat Free Italian dressing

Salt, Pepper, Garlic & Onion powders to taste

Mix all the above ingredients together in a bowl, cover and leave to refrigerate (at least) overnight.

Viola! A fast, easy, yummy bean salad! Kidney beans (any type) are very low in weight watcher points. You can 1/2 of a cup for a single point!

Ok, so, what does your stockpile look like? Are you up for a challenge? Maybe we all should try and fix our food stockpiles!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Please help.

I was going to try and stretch out a blog entry today, I had a good non-running workout last night. I rode the exercise bike while reading and the time flew by. I love the Adam Lambert CD - For Your Entertainment and I'm convinced that several songs on there can power me to new heights, or at least make me dance like a crazy fool while I'm walking the dog. However, there is just something more important going on today.

My heart goes out to the nation of Haiti. If you can afford an extra $10 added to your cell phone bill this month, please text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to American Red Cross relief for Haiti.
I did it, it's easy. I know everyone is strapped for cash, but think about these poor people. It's just $10, and you don't have to pay it until next month.


Red Cross Disaster Relief Information


This really puts things into perspective. Things can always be worse. There are stresses in our lives, but at least we have roofs over our heads, food, clean water, etc. During disasters I always try and think what it would be like to be in their shoes. It breaks my heart.

Please donate to the American Red Cross and if you you can't donate...pray.

Thanks for bearing with me today...I just feel that this is more important today than me.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Training is the best form of motivation

It's proven that if you schedule your exercise like a meeting or other commitment, you are more likely to stick with an exercise routine. I know this is true for me. If you give me a training schedule, I will complete it and even feel guilty when I miss a day of training. It makes me work hard toward a goal. I enjoy hanging the schedule on my fridge and marking each day off with a highlighter. I've used this method for training for my two 5ks.

I decided that 2010 would indeed include a 10k. I used Active.com to find the Oak Island Lighthouse 10k and decided it would be perfect and close to home.



I started looking for a training schedule and had heard a lot of love for Jeff Galloway's method of training. He stresses taking walk breaks periodically to avoid injury and burn out. I know that I have to take them occasionally because of my knees and because I'm just a beginning runner. So his method sounds great to me. I also like that his training schedules are devised to help you stay injury free. I'm a klutz by nature and injury prone as it is, so anything that can help me avoid injury is a plus!

His 10k training plan is a 13 week plan, when I looked at the calendar I realized that to have the training completed in time for the 10k, I would have to start on Monday, which works out perfectly because, obviously, I'm finished training for the OIB Run for Food.

So here it is, my Lighthouse 10k Training Schedule which will be hung on the fridge as soon as I get home today.



For me, training is the best form of motivation. This week I am going to try and focus on non-running activities. Do some elliptical, bike and weights...maybe even a little indoor swimming. Next week it starts back again...granted on my cross training days I'll be free for other activities, but my focus will be running. I am excited to see what I can do!

Monday, January 11, 2010

Meatless Monday - Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich

 

Tonight I knew I would love the Meatless Monday night dinner I prepared. I love Eggplant Parmesan, how could I not love it on a sandwich?! I was so excited, I danced around my kitchen the whole time I was cooking! It was a great work out! :)

041

I used TJ’s Test Kitchen’s recipe for Eggplant rounds as my guide. Here is what I did.

Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich

1 Eggplant sliced into 3/4 inch rounds

1/2 cup egg substitute (I didn’t use this much, just easier for dipping)

1/2 cup plain panko bread crumbs (into which I mixed, Italian seasoning, garlic & onion powders and 2 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese)

1/4 cup marinara sauce

1/2 cup reduced Fat Italian Blend cheese

Arnolds Sandwich Thins (light toasted if desired)

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Preheat oven to 425 degrees, spray baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Dip eggplant slices into egg substitute and then into the Panko mixture and then placing them on the baking sheet. When finished, I topped with a light mist of cooking spray and placed in the oven. I baked for 22 minutes or so, flipping half way through.

034 036

When golden brown remove from the oven. Sprinkle lightly with cheese and place under the broiler until the cheese is all melty. Place round on your sandwich thin, top with 1tbsp of marinara sauce and BOOM! There you go, a yummy, vegetarian sandwich that is crunchy, saucy and cheesy! How can that be wrong?

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One of the best things about these beauties? They are so low cal, you could easily go back for seconds! I had some Butternut Squash Fries on the side.

You can do it!

I have chosen to make my journey with health and wellness public. Sometimes very public. I talk about my down falls, my triumphs, my fears...all of it. I'll tell anyone who will listen. For me it's not about fame or glory, I don't relish in the attention (although it is quite nice, I won't lie) like an attention hungry drama queen, but I do it so I will have someone that will say to me "You can do it!".

On the days when nothing is going right and all I want to do is bury myself in a cheeseburger and wash it down with a pizza, I know that through my blog someone will say "No Tonyne. Just take a deep breath." Or when I am thinking about doing a race I know that someone will believe in me enough that it will give me the courage to register. Living life in balance isn't always easy for me, I walk a fine line every day of going back to my "old ways" of laziness and eating whatever I want. Some days are harder than others.

Sometimes we all just need someone to tell us "You can do it, I believe in you!" Who couldn't use more of that in their life? Take some time today to tell someone that you are proud of them, that you believe in them. It could make all the difference.



"You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins." Jim Stovall



Saturday, January 9, 2010

OIB Run for Food Race Recap

 

I just completed the OIB Run for Food! It was a 5k and half marathon, I ran the 5k. It raised money for the local food pantry, a type of organization that I believe very strongly in. It was a no pressure, fun road race! The temperature was 26 degrees, cloudy and breezy. It was COLD. We had to cross a high rise bridge, twice. Not sure if you’re familiar with high rise beach bridges, but there is a lot of wind at the top!

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My good friend Kelly came with me to act as cheerleader and my own personal paparazzi.

While lining up at the start, my worst nightmare was realized. My Ipod, which I fully charged last night, had somehow mysteriously died. I was going to have to run this without my awesome Run Mix I made and without the encouragement of the lovely gentleman (who I imagine looks a bit like Paul Wesley and is madly in love with me) that lives inside my Nike+Ipod. I thought for a split second about quitting, it was cold and this was a major blow, but I toughed it out!

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I am so glad I did! The volunteers on this race were amazing. They cheered us on as if they knew us all personally. I know they were freezing too being out in the weather. I tried to thank every one that I passed. If my Ipod had been working I wouldn’t have been nearly as observant!

22558_262745444877_652804877_4398835_7249840_n 22558_262745524877_652804877_4398846_621238_n 2nd 5k

My finish time was 33:31. I’m not sure what I placed, it was too cold to stick around and find out! I had a great time running this race regardless of the cold. My 2nd 5k, and if I wasn’t sure before I certainly am now…I’m addicted. I’m ready for the next!

Happy Saturday everyone!!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Ready, set, go!

Tomorrow is the big day! The OIB Run for Food 5k. Here is the latest forecast:



I'm nervous that the morning will stay pretty cold with Friday night's low of 24 degrees, and with the wind on the high rise bridge I expect the wind chill to be COLD. I'm prepared though! I took the advice of many people and bought a compression shirt, warmer pants and I got out my fleece hat, fingerless mittens and ear cover. I think I'm as ready as I'm going to be for the cold weather. I will also be in layers, so I can strip down if need be.



I'm excited and feel more ready for this 5k than I did for the Greensboro Gobbler. My friend Kelly is coming with me to cheer me on and take pictures. She's not normally a morning person, like at all, so I'm extremely grateful that she is coming with me!

In other news, today was my weigh-in day. I am down 6lbs since January 1st! Now, now...I am fully aware that by weighing on 1/1, after a night of heavy drinking and very salty foods means this number is probably very skewed, but I will say that I have have had a good on-point week and it feels great to be back in a healthy routine, tracking, exercising and cooking.

Happy Friday everyone! Anyone have any exciting weekend plans? :)

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Stick to your guns!

I am having a good week. I have been on-point all week, I've stuck to my goals that I set for 2010, I've done my training for the 5k on Saturday and I'm proud of myself.

I found this information today:

—About 80% of people who make resolutions stop keeping them by mid-February.
—Two-thirds of dieters gain back any lost weight within a year.
—Many people make and break the same resolution year after year.


I want to achieve my goals for 2010 and I want you to achieve yours! I subscribe to the Hungry Girl newsletter and she had some fantastic tips this week to help you achieve your goals and stick to your guns...at least as far as health and wellness goes. This advice isn't going to help me get my credit cards paid off any faster.

1. Don't go "on a diet." While diet plans can be helpful, if you think of yourself as being "on a diet," everything can become too black and white. If you're "on a diet" and suddenly you have a little setback, you may decide you're "off your diet" and go back to your old ways. Think of your new eating plan as more of a lifestyle change -- one that will have ups and downs, with good days and bad.

2. Don't deprive yourself. A food plan shouldn't be about deprivation. It should be about SATISFACTION. Find foods you LOVE -- things that satisfy you but are better choices than the fat-packed alternatives. This is KEY.

3. Drink lots of water. Water is good for you. It's good for your skin and your metabolism. And it helps fill you up. Plus, not getting enough water can make you cranky and more likely to make bad food choices.

4. Listen to your body. It knows things. If eating cereal for breakfast tends to make you hungrier throughout the day, then don't eat cereal in the morning. Pay close attention to your body cues. This will help tremendously.

5. Live one day (or even one MEAL) at a time. Don't be discouraged and beat yourself up if you fall off the wagon and eat badly -- just be aware and make better decisions at your next meal.

6. Get exercise with activities you enjoy. I used to HATE exercising. I feared it. Now I exercise but only do what I like (which happens to be walking on a treadmill five times a week, while watching reality TV, and weight training twice a week with a friend). Find something you actually enjoy doing, and you'll do it. Don't take on an exercise routine that causes pain or discomfort -- you'll just end up ditching it completely. (And I know this isn't an EATING tip, but it's important!)

7. Let yourself cheat a little. Everyone strays once in a while. It's totally normal. Splurge when you need to, and enjoy it. (Don't feel guilty!) Then get RIGHT back on track to prove to yourself that you can handle a cheat meal now and then.

8. Keep track of what you eat. Write it down. As dorky as it sounds, you WILL 100% without a doubt make better choices if you hold yourself accountable for what you eat by keeping a food journal. Just do it -- even if you only write in it every OTHER day.


I wanted to share this with everyone because it's hard to get back on track. I've had a great week, but I've been so tempted just to grab a piece of chocolate or skip a work out. I've also been tempted to shop like a mad woman at the after Christmas sales and work stress has made me quite snappy at the husband. But I take a deep breath and I focus. I remember my goals and I move forward.



This may seem like a rather silly post only being 7 days into the New Year, but I needed a reminder already. I doubt I'm the only one.

How are you doing so far with your goals and resolutions?


Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Get off your ass! Here's your motivation!

Yesterday I shared one of my new favorite quotes with you and asked for you guys to give me some quotes in return. I got some really great ones. I had a 2 mile run scheduled for last night that I totally wanted to skip. The quotes I read gave me the motivation I needed to just go run! So, get off your ass! Here's some motivation!

Heather shared - "Brick walls are there for a reason. They give us a chance to show how badly we want something." -Randy Pausch

Kylie shared - "Reach for the moon. Even if you miss, you will land among the stars". Unknown

Elaine shared - "Beyond the very extreme of fatigue and distress, we may find amounts of ease and power we never dreamed ourselves to own, sources of strength never taxed at all because we never push through the obstruction." William James (she shared 3 amazing quotes, but this one was my favorite)

Shannon shared - "The future is no place to place your better days." Dave Matthews Band (I LOVE this one...of course, I love DMB)

Thank you ladies for giving me motivation and inspiration for yesterday and a blog entry I can look back on for motivation for the future!

The weather is still awful in NC, well, it's sunny, but it's 30 degrees. I am going to look for some cold weather running gear tonight, thanks to everyone's recommendations, I think I know what I'm looking for!


Yesterday was another on-point day! I wanted to hit the ground running in 2010 and I think I'm doing it. Hopefully the momentum pendulum will continue to swing positively!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Deep Thoughts

"I am motivated simply by my awareness of the impact today's actions have on tomorrow's circumstances." Chase Streetman

I found that quote today and it honestly moved me. It made me think about why I push myself to eat well and exercise. I think it's my new motto. I know now that if I take care of my body that it will take care of me in turn. This is something that I have learned over the past year.

This quote doesn't only apply to health and wellness, but it also applies to our relationships to others, our jobs, almost anything.

I think our ultimate goal should be to better tomorrow's circumstances by changing our actions today.

Have you ever had a quote or comment just kind of make you pause and think?

Baby it's Cold Outside!

The current temperature in my little beach town in North Carolina is 24 degrees. I don't know if you know this or not, but it doesn't get that cold here all that often. Especially not for a week at a time. We are all freezing are bums off. Even the dog.



I have been doing my training runs on the treadmill, mostly because I've been running at night and I think my community has "hit a jogger win some cash" policy, but now I'm stuck in there because of the cold. Here lies the problem though. This is the forecast for Friday/Saturday (my 5k across the high rise bridge across the waterway is Saturday).



I don't own cold weather running gear and I'm not used to running in it. So, this should be a very interesting and cold experience for me. I am still looking forward to it though!

I can't say enough how much I love my Nike+Ipod and how it's made such a huge difference in my running. It showed me my stats for 2009 last night and I think the numbers speak for themselves.



Not too shabby for someone who couldn't run for more than 40 seconds straight a year ago!

If you haven't checked it out already, be sure to check out my post for Meatless Monday this week, the Roasted Veggie Pizza I made was was amazing! (If I do say so myself...) It also helped me have an on-point day yesterday, which was a double bonus. I always love when a recipe works out well and ends up being very tasty and healthy! :)

Anyone have any suggestions for good (affordable!!) cold weather running gear?

 

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The Unlikely Success Story is lived, written and maintained by Tonyne.