Lisa

No change from last week but that is completely fine with me!  Here are my challenge deets:

Challenge Begin: 173 lbs

Challenge End: 168.6 lbs

Total Loss of 4.4 lbs- woot woot!

I am so stinkin’ excited that I am still in the 160′s.  I know, I should be more confident that I could hold this patten but you know, sometimes the naysayers in my head get a hold of me.  Whatever.  In other news, I went shopping yesterday and was happily surprised when things I wanted to wear actually fit, and looked good.  Wanna check out my hip, new clothes?   

My half marathon training is in full swing and I still have so much joy for running.  I just wish the heat would cool off, then my running would b e even more enjoyable!

I hope all of you had a fantastic D&D30.

1. One of my best friends is getting married this weekend.  I am a bridesmaid in her wedding.  The wedding is in Ohio.  The husband and I will be traveling there for a few days, leaving the kids in the loving care of their grandparents- squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
2. I may be the slowest person ever to lose weight- it feels like it is taking forever to lose what I want to lose.  However, my body has changed shape with all the exercise and running over the last year.  I am a Size 12 and hope to be in a Size 10 within a few months (I am 5′ 6″ for anyone wondering).  Since we are actually going away for the weekend, I thought this special occasion called for new clothing duds.
3. I had a very short amount of time to shop when I stepped into Buckle, a store that I had never stepped into before.  Before today, the store intimidated me with it’s cute, urban styles and seemingly small-looking clothes.  Previously, I thought to myself, “there is no way these hips that have borne 3 children in 5 years will ever fit into THOSE clothes”.  Today, I decided to give it a try and see what happened.
4. I am so glad I did.  The store was empty and I had two eager, stylish, enthusiastic, hip associates to help me with pulling things together.  I learned how to layer and to piece things together, including shoes and accessories.  It was awesome and I thought, Man it is FUN to shop when things actually FIT and when I like what I see in the mirror *cue angels singing*.
5. Sure, I still need to lose a bit more and sure, I still have a muffin top, BUT overall, I like what I see.
6. From playground mom to hip, cool mom.

After seeing what today’s topic was for Thursday Three, I just knew I had to participate.

A-Ha Moments

• Around my firstborns FIRST birthday, I knew that I need to take control of my weight.  I weighed more than I ever had in my entire life (which coincidentally is just a few more lbs than I weigh now- HA!), I hated the way I looked and I hated the way I felt.  I joined Weight Watchers in October 2004 and promptly lost 25 lbs in less than 3 months.  I kept it off until I got pregnant with #2.  Lather, rinse, repeat with each child (I have 3 kiddos).
• Another A-Ha moment was after the 1/2 marathon, that I ran/walked with an injured hip.  Instead of being proud of my accomplishment of being able to complete the race AND raise tons of money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, all I could think of was the fact that I couldn’t do the race the way I thought I would be doing it.  My brain and my body fought against each other, causing me massive amounts of stress, my hair to fall out, and a horrible sleep cycle.  It sucked.  After the race, after I had chilled out a bit, after I had rehabbed my hip injury and was on my way to recovery- during all of that time, I had LOTS of time to reflect on the entire experience.  When I finally returned to running, after almost 3 months of non-running, I was completely humbled and awed by what my body was able to do, not what it cannot do.  I no longer compare myself to others and how fast they run- I compare myself to ME.  I enjoy the moments of running and feeling free.  I enjoy bettering my mental toughness.  I enjoy what my body will give me.  Screw everything else.  This was and is a HUGE “A-Ha” moment for me. 

Motivational Quotes

• The Bondi Bands that I always where when I exercise motivate me:

Easy Recipes

• Skillet Barbecue Chicken
• Fresh Tomato, Basil and Cheese Pizza
• Weight Watchers Diet Cola Cake

I have to go now!  Thankyouverymuchbuhbye!

I’ll let the numbers speak for themselves.

Last week’s weight:  171.4

This week’s weight: 168.6

Loss of 2.8 freakin’ pounds

Buh-Bye 170′s- hello 160′s!!!!  I don’t have much more to say than that.  No lengthy post, no words of wisdom, just one super-happy Mama of 3 who is on her way down with her weight loss journey.

Woot woot!!!!!

No loss this week.  In fact, a gain. Un-freakin’-believable.

Weight last week:  170.6 lbs

This week:  171.4 lbs

GAIN of 0.8 lbs

You see, I have been doing so well over the last week.  Exercising.  Making careful food choices.  Limiting the nighttime snacking.  Drinking TONS of water.  I am a chronic weigher, meaning I weigh myself every single day I just can’t seem to shake that bad habit.  So, for the last 4 days, my scale has been giving me great news, as in I was well below the 170 mark (like 168.4 lbs happy).  I was so happy. 

The important word is “WAS”.

Because yesterday, when I continued to see that “well below 170 number”, I took it easy translation: I went freakin’ nuts and ate things I would normally not eat and in quantities I normally don’t eat.  Self restraint was non-existent yesterday.  Pasta who eats past the day before weigh-in…oh wait, I DO.  Chocolate chip cookie and a half, movie theater popcorn.

What the hell is wrong with me?  I had ZERO self control yesterday.  The worst was the movie popcorn though, laden with salt, eaten at night, right before bed.  I knew, I KNEW, that the salt would just sit in my body overnight, bloating me, tipping the scales the wrong way this morning.  Yet, I did not stop.

So this morning, when I stepped on the scale, I was NOT surprised by the results.  Even though I know that it is salt-bloat (because yes, I really did do well the other 6 days of the week), I am still mad at myself for sabotaging what should have been a GREAT weigh-in.  I was alternating from being mad at me and being even madder at me.

But then I read this post by our very own Brooke.  It resonated with me.  Cuz any of you that have read me for a while know that I trained for the San Diego 1/2 Marathon with Team Shrinking Jeans, injured my hip 5 weeks out from race day, and then spiraled down to a horrible, terrible mental mess trying to deal with the fact that I would not be running that race as I had intended.  I was stressed to the max, wondering if I would even be able to walk the darn thing.

My hair fell out, enough to give me a bald spot front and center of my hairline.

I gained 8 lbs overnight. 

I couldn’t sleep more than 5-6 hrs a night.  

It sucked.  Extreme stress sucks. ALL because my mind could not accept what my body had to give me at that moment in time. 

With some rest, a step back, and a new attitude, things have turned around for me.  My hair is growing back, I have lost 6 of those 8 lbs, I am sleeping 7-8 hrs a night (and making sleep a priority) and I am back on the trail running again.  My attitude about my running and race days have changed.  I have changed. 

So while this gain royally annoys me so much, it is OK.  It is but a blip in my road map and will be quickly forgotten next week when I knock the weight loss out of the park.  I don’t have to be the person who loses weight the fastest (I’m not), I just have to keep on track, or get back on track when I veer off course and put down the damn popcorn.

It is my overall goal that is most important- to be healthy, to enjoy life, to run around with my kids without getting out of breathe, to be proud of my accomplishments…..no matter how long it takes me.

Although I have enjoyed our Summer and having control of our schedule, as opposed to being tied to the school calender, I am so ready for my children to start back to school.  6 more days.  I love them, but in 6 days, we’ll start our new school schedule and for the first time in two years, I will have a dedicated few hours every week where ALL of my children are in school- ALL OF THEM.

Also, my run this morning sucked so bad, probably my worst run since returning back to running a month ago.  You win some, you lose some- today it just sucked.

I have doing well with my eating healthy and portion control and limiting/eliminating nighttime snacking.  If the scale continues to show what it has been showing this past week (I’m a chronic weigher), then I should see a loss tomorrow.

OK, that’s it- thanks for visiting!

Weight at Challenge Start:  173

Weight last Wed:  172.4

Weight today:  170.6

Loss of 1.8 lbs

Woot, woot!!!!!  Since last Wednesday, I have ran a total of 7.25 miles and biked one mile.  I have done yoga twice and I do my hip exercises every day, although I have to say that the tworkout last night has made my wonky right hip sore again- it hasn’t been sore all week.  That being said, if I am to participate in Tuesday evening tworkouts, after running Tuesday morning (Tuesdays are “run” days for me), then I am going to have modify the exercises for now.  I don’t want to reinjure myself from doing something like a jump squat, kwim?

Anyhoo, I am over the moon that I am knocking on the door of the 160′s.  The last time I was in the 160′s was in April, right before I injured my hip and was knocked out from running for over 2 months.  Hopefully, next week, I will be firmly entrenched in the 160′s and continuing my weight journey DOWN.

Hot Running.

That is what I did this morning and it pretty much sucked A$$ the entire time.

85 degrees and 100% humidity at 8am this morning.

I *almost* bailed on the run, BUT I knew I needed it.  Not for my mental sanity, but for my physical training for the half marathon in November.  I feel so behind with my training since I am starting fresh, again.  I needed to bank this run, no matter how hard it might be.

It was hard and sweaty and tiring and OMG- the heat, the heat about killed me.

Here was the inner dialogue going through my head during the run:  Just do it.  Just move your feet forward.  Don’t think about the heat.  Don’t think about how tired you are.  Don’t think about how you would rather be in bed at home or drinking coffee in the morning quiet.  Just go, go, GO.  It’s only 2.5 miles.  You, Lisa, ran a half marathon with a messed up hip and lived to tell about it.  Sure, you are recovering now but you are RECOVERING.  You can run 2.5 miles in the effin’ heat with a hip that feels much better.  So stop your bitchin’ and whining, put your big girl panties on, and move it.  You are strong.  You can do this.  Dedication and discipline….dedication and discipline….dedication and discipline.  YOU CAN DO THIS.

I banked this bad boy and it’s done for today.  I did it and I did not die- Hip hip hooray for not dying on the trail!

You know what else?  The mental part of running?  It’s just as important as the physical training.  Trust me.  I have grown in exponential ways since the last half marathon training.  EXPONENTIAL.

I am going to call this a drive-by post because it’s going to be short and sweet.

I am visiting Christy.  Actually, I am packing up to had back to Austin today, which saddens me to no end.  When we visit, we aim for 4 nights because we roll like that but this visit was only 3 nights because of other obligation/social engagments we have back home.  Boo-Hiss.  However, we’ve already decided that we are going to squeeze in one visit before school starts and hopefully schedule a girl’s weekend in the next month or two.  Yippee!

I only got to exercise once while I was here but it was pretty eye-opening heart-shaking for me.  At least I got that out of the way and the next time I do it, it will hopefully be easier.  So let’s get to the weigh-in….

Start weight (Sun): 173 lbs

Today’s weight (Wed) 172.4 lbs

Loss of 0.6lbs

It’s a small loss but I will gladly accept it.  It’s always a little more difficult to maintain (or lose) weight when away from home.  Oh yeah, I am part of the most awesome team- Exotic Ganstas- holla, holla!

I learned to swim in 3rd grade.  I had the most awesome American Red Cross instructor.  My mom made me take lessons until the instructor felt I was proficient.  I protested at first, especially when I had trouble picking up the breast stroke.  Lap after lap after lap.  I finally got it, and the freestyle and the back crawl and the dead man’s float and everything in between.

That swim instructor went on to become my swim coach, for synchronized swimming.  We practiced twice a week and went to various competitions around town.  I loved swimming, I loved synchro, and I loved my coach.  I credit HER for giving me the confidence I needed to swim and swim and swim….and do it well! 

During college, I got certified to teach swim lessons.  I taught at Girl Scout camp to kids ages 5-16.  I taught all levels.  I LOVED IT.  I loved sharing what I loved to do and teaching it to others.  I especially loved it when a girl who was struggling with the freestyle or diving or even just feeling comfortable with being in the pool finally GOT.  IT.  I loved seeing the joy on their faces and knowing that I played a role in that.

So, I am comfortable in the water.  Very comfortable. 

However, the majority of my swimming has occurred in the pool.  Sure, I have been tubing down the river and waterskiing on the lake and body-surfing in the ocean, but I didn’t really SWIM laps in any of those bodies of water. 

Today, I did my first open water swim.  As in, I swam laps in a body of water other than a pool.

It was much more difficult than I thought it would be.

I stood in knee-deep water in the Frio River, eyeing the water that I knew would deepen to over my head.  I couldn’t tell exactly where it got deep, but I knew it would eventually.  I stood on the edge FOREVER, weighing my options.  Do it, don’t do it, do it, don’t do it.

Finally, I said “Screw it” and just dove in and started swimming.  The Frio River is pretty clear but there was still a little murk in the water.   Once I started swimming, I could see where the water deepened and I knew where I couldn’t touch the bottom any more. 

The interesting thing was this: I knew I couldn’t touch the bottom and that didn’t bother me.  I knew that I had enough technical know-how of swimming and endurance to go for a while.  Not being able to see lane markers and know where I was exactly at any given moment was a little unnerving.  And most unnerving was the stupid thoughts of a big giant fish or a murky swamp monster coming from the bottom of the murky bottom and swallowing me whole.  Stupid, bizarre, irrational.

It took me a good 8-10 minutes to calm my breathing and get into a good, slower-than-normal pattern.  It wasn’t until my last lap that I got up to my normal, strong pace. 

It was so much harder than I thought it would be.  I can only imagine how difficult it would be if I wasn’t comfortable with swimming, or if I was in the ocean with a strong current and sharks waves to deal with.

Interestingly enough, I just want to do it again. I want to challenge myself to get comfortable with open water swims because one day, oh yes one day, I will be doing a triathlon and I suspect, once I get over the nervous-ness of non-pool water, it will be my best leg of the event.