Core and Strength

For some reason around Thanksgiving I seemed to get a second wind of motivation. I used it to recruit my husband to C25K and to make a committment to restart weight training at the gym.

Those two goals have been going well. Although we aren't yet consistent with the 2 times per week minimum at the gym that I would like, we are at least getting once per week, and with going last night we've got a good chance at 2 or 3 times this week. At least we are *weekly* consistent right now!!

Then the other day I decided I wanted to incorporate core work. I remembered seeing a program on D3 Multisport called Core Strength, parts I-VI (look under D3 Tips). I convinced Preston to partake with me, and Sunday night we did Core I, following the advice of just one set of 5-15 reps for beginners. While Preston was especially challenged by crunches on the FitBall, I found my nemesis to be back extensions on the FitBall. Oh, and push-ups with the FitBall are hard core. Pun intended. Last night Preston mentioned that his abs were sore, and though I'm not sore, I am "tight" in my abdomen. I'm really excited about Core II tonight!

The ultimate plan is to incorporate 2-3 days of core and 2-3 days of lifting during the week on alternating days.

Weekend Wrap-Up

On Cardiac Stress Tests:

This didn't go too badly. I lasted 14 minutes, with the last 2 minutes running 5mph at 15% grade. My max HR for their purposes was 194, and I topped out at 184 bpm in those last two minutes. I technically probably could have kept going, but I was feeling very annoyed by the fact that they were making me hold on to the treadmill, which was decreasing circulation in my hands, making them very cold. Also, my hospital gown was falling off my shoulders, which was getting on my nerves. My HR started going down pretty quickly - below 120bpm within about 2 minutes, but it hung out over 100 for awhile after that. I think part of that was that the lady was talking to me. When she first hooked me up my ticker was running in the 90's, and I think that is directly to do with my shyness and also with my nervousness regarding the test. I know that my RHR is more than 30 bpm lower than that, so we're cool. Hopefully I'll get some results soon.

On Mothers-in-law:

I cleaned and cleaned preparing for JaMIL's visit this weekend. Her house is a total pig-sty, so I wasn't doing it for her so much as I was trying to remove all available ammunition from her arsenal. I should have known better. Before she even got in the door she asked us if we needed a leaf-blower for Christmas, and before the door even shut behind her, she started telling us about how we needed to wash our windows. Seriously, I couldn't make this up. The hypocrisy is really what gets me. We aren't clean people, so she should be happy that we gave her clean sheets and cleaned the guest bathroom before she showed up. Not to mention the total dump conditions she lives in. Anyways... The rest of the visit went just about along those lines. Thank goodness she is gone now.

On Running:

I didn't make it to the Jingle Bell 5 Mile run yesterday. I really wanted to, but with JaMIL making me miserable and the lack of race-day registration, it just didn't go down the way I wanted.

As a result, this morning I set the alarm a little early in hopes of knocking off at least 50 minutes. Despite the gentle rain shower that I ran through for the last 25 minutes, I ran 4.72 miles in 50 minutes. Left shin was a little tweaky in the first mile, and left knee got a little bitchy in the last mile, but otherwise it was a lovely run.

Thursday Nights

Thursday nights have been my favorite nights this Fall. Primarily because of two factors: Preston is in school (meaning that I get to watch whatever I want on the TV), and I don't have to work the next day. The fact that the night falls so late in the week means that all of the shows that I've DVRed during the week that he deems stoopid are just waiting for me to watch. I watch Biggest Loser, Ugly Betty, Private Practice, Grey's Anatomy, America's Next Top Model, and LA or Miami Ink. Yes, I know we're not looking at the stuff of mental or athletic giants here, but I looooooove it!! Sometimes I stationary bike for about an hour. Sometimes I just snuggle up on the couch with blankets and pillows and kitties. There's almost always chocolate.

*sigh* And I believe that the writer's strike is going to prematurely make this my last awesome TV trash viewing Thursday night of the season. I salute thee, Thursday night, and I'm going all out tonight!!

Year on Out Plans

My plan for some time has been to fun the Jingle Bell 5 miler on the 9th. However, it is looking like that is in jeopardy. I still very much want to run it, but JaMIL is unfortunately invading on Saturday and I don't know when she'll leave on Sunday. I was thinking about lying and saying I have to go run it because I was already registered for it before I knew she was coming... but that would require me at least registering before she comes. Online registration is closed, and I'm scheduled for a cardiac stress test on Friday... I think if the stress test goes well and everything is ok afterwards, then I'll register in person on Friday before she arrives. But with all these variables, you can see why I'm not totally sure I'll make it. Oh, and the forecast says it's supposed to be in the 80's on Sunday afternoon when the race will be run. You know, 40 degrees warmer than it was when I ran this morning. The joys of Texas.

If I do run this weekend, it'll probably be my last race in 2007. If I don't... well, I rather want to run a race this December, so I'll be looking around. Perhaps the Resolution Run 4K?

Ran 4 miles this morning in 40:40 (Got a new battery in my Baby-G - supposedly this kills the waterproofing, so will look for a new watch when summer rolls around). Hopefully will bike/lift this evening.

Happy Birthday, Preston!

This is the one day of the year that I have to suspend my dislike of JaMIL and be thankful to her for Preston.

And so he burrowed back under the covers as a birthday present to himself when I slipped out into the cold cold morning air for my workout. Hopefully he is still asleep.

And I will take off work 3 hours early and take him to the restaurant of his choice (which if it hasn't changed from yesterday is Red Robin) and give him his presents and try to make it a happy relaxing day for him.

Because sometimes as we get older we need an excuse to treat ourselves. And sometimes we need an excuse to reflect, and though the holiday season is littered with such times, for me, Preston's birthday is just one more reason to be thankful for my love.

Even if he is *almost* 30 now. ;-)

Two Runs and some Food Stuff

Ran this morning 3 miles in 30ish minutes. I say "ish" because my well-loved G-Shock went the way of the ghost this weekend. So instead of a lovely stopwatch, I ran with my teeny analog non-lighting-up watch. So I basically ran for distance with no real clock, but that run usually takes me 30ish minutes, give or take (probably more usually give), so 30 minutes is what we'll call it. Hopefully will get a new watch tomorrow (for Preston's birthday).

Friday I ran with Billy down at AP. I don't know why I suck so hard every time I try to run with him. In this case, I'm pretty sure it had to do with the new upright stationary bike experiment I'm doing at the gym and the resulting dead quads, but still!!! Anyways, we ran about 30 minutes with hills and about 3 walk breaks.

I was telling him about the diet I put Preston on, and he was asking me about the foods, so I thought I'd give a handy little reference here of my favorite diet foods. The goal of my diet was to reduce calories while increasing protein and fiber intake. It worked for me. It is working for Preston. It is good stuff. So, on to our favorite foods!

Snickers Marathon Nutrition Bars: 150 cal, 7 g fiber, 10 g protein.
Amy's Burritos (the cheese ones are my favorite): 300 cal, 6 g fiber, 11 g protein.
Anything Kashi. I've tried the Go Lean oatmeal, the Go Lean cereal, the waffles, and every single one of their frozen dinners, and I like ALL OF THEM. Seriously. Give them a try.
Oven Poppers also make a really cool product. My favorite is the crab stuffed flounder. They come pre-packaged 2 per box, so a serving is all measured out for you to prevent overeating.

So, an eating day in my life goes like this:
7am: Snickers Marathon Nutrition Bar (dark chocolate is my fav)
8am: Dannon Light n' Fit Yogart Smoothie
9am: Bolthouse Farms Mocha Cappuchino
11am: Pringles 100 calorie Pack (craving salt around this time every day for some reason)
1pm: Amy's Burrito + banana
6pm: something reasonable (e.g. Kashi or oven popper and veggies) (500ish calories) + something chocolate (100-200 calories)

I also make every effort to drink *at least* 64 oz. of water per day.

Preston is taking this basic outline and adding in a Toaster Scramble for breakfast, an additional granola bar for snack along with an apple, a 3pm snack of string cheese and either carrots or raisens, and a slightly larger dinner. Oh, and at least one soda per day. He also subtracts the yogart, cappuchino, and banana.

2 Layers = HOT

2 long-sleeved layers are perfect for sub-50 degrees, I learned, but if the temperature is even borderline at 50, then I should just go with 1 long-sleeved layer. First winter running with real running clothes means that I'm still learning a lot about how to dress myself!! I also wore gloves and a stocking cap this morning, and while the hat stayed on, the gloves came off around a mile and a half. I hate running around with gloves stuffed in my pockets, but I think I'd hate having freezing hands for the first 15 minutes more... (hoping for some less-bulky running gloves and one of those neat caps with a pony hole for Christmas, Santa)...

This morning I felt kind of heavy, lumbering, slow, creaky, plodding... then I looked down at my watch and was shocked to see that I had run my loop in about 11:15 - pretty quick time for me. But all those adjectives continued to describe how I felt for the rest of the run, even though that went pretty quickly too, pace wise. But, oh, it didn't mentally feel quick!! I must have been off my mental game this morning.

4 miles in 41 minutes for about 4.5 miles in 50 minutes. Going to go lift with Preston tonight.

Thanksgiving Damage

I was really worried leading into Thanksgiving about weight gain. My goal was simply to minimize the damage, since I eat such a controled diet there is almost no way to meet or assess my normal caloric goals when I'm eating food cooked by someone else.

It began the Thursday before Thanksgiving with a potluck lunch at work. By some cruel twist of fate, I had finally starting dropping again from the weight loss plateau that I've been at for the past month or so. I went through the line taking small samples of only my favorite stuff: sausage, ham, turkey, mashed potatos, sweet potatos, and a roll. I took only a very small amount of each, making sure no portion touched any other portion. I was given some flack by my colleagues, who I assured I was saving myself for dessert. When dessert rolled around, I went back for one very small piece of the cake I had made (knowing I had used all of the low fat substitutes, etc.). The next few days I was pleasantly surprised to see that I hadn't gained from my foray into Thanksgiving.

I kept dropping weight all week leading up to Thanksgiving. I weighed 129.6 (goal weight is 125) on Thursday morning before the 5 miler. I made a mistake on Thursday, though. I ate a small breakfast before running (Snickers marathon bar and a banana). Then after running I had another banana and a bagel (around 10am). I thought that would hold me 'til lunch at 2, but lunch wasn't ready when we got there at 2, and I felt like my stomach was eating itself by then, so I started grazing on crackers (leaving off the cheese - I was still trying!). Finally lunch was ready, so I ate mashed potatos, turkey, and 3 rolls with butter (love rolls with butter!). For dessert 2 of the yummy white chocolate covered Ritz and PB that I had brought (and estimated at 100 calories each).

Theeeen (oh, no, it doesn't stop there!) on Saturday we went for *another* Thanksgiving with my husband's Dad's family. I made another mistake that day. I had eaten a good breakfast, but hadn't lunched before we went over there. Preston and I were both starving, and his dad and step-mom busted out the crackers with cheese and summer sausage. That stuff is goooooood, let me tell you, and I ate it like I only see it a few times per year (which is true, but not wise) and like I was incredibly hungry when I saw it (also true, also not wise). Then they took us out for Mexican food for dinner, where I had half a chicken quesadilla with guac for dinner. I really fell off the wagon that day.

My best work friend left the company yesterday. It is possible that I took him out to Starbucks for a 400 calorie toffee almond bar (each - one for him and one for me). I'm just sayin'...

So the end result of all this debauchery? 2 pounds gained. 131.6 pounds. (Which is the exact weight, ironically, that I was plateaued at right before I started losing again right before the holiday.)

Lessons learned? Don't go places hungry. Bring your postrace nutrition with you if you aren't going home after a race. Have a plan and stick to it.

I'm back on the plan.