Day 213 (day 3 / week 31)

Today I started my C25K (Couch to 5K) training. I modified it a little bit, because I am not coming straight from the couch, and I have been pre-training for some time for this (I guess I could say that lol) ;). Today I walked/race walked/jogged 4.8 miles in 80 minutes and burned roughly around 1500 calories (my HRM has been very bad and is in time out for a while). I would be in the middle of a jogging spurt, and my HRM would drop to 67 and crawl back up to 116 and stay there. I probably spent more time struggling with my HRM than "training." I started to think today if starting a C25K program is smart, with having to work and all and I feel that if it's meant for me to do, God will make it happen.

So I get home and I am venting to my hubby about my HRM and
are you ready for this....

God must have provision for me to exercise while I am working, because he has just provided me with a...

.
.



treadmill!!!!

*happy dance* *running man* *cabbage patch*

I am SO excited I cried when I sat down to think about the blessing I had just been given! God really DOES approve (not that I had any doubt--confirmation is always nice though :) :))!

Last night we went to a buffet again with my in-laws. I did the same thing as last week when we went, so I didn't break the bank again :) (see, it's not a fluke!). Anyway we were talking about the Monkey Boy and what time I would have to leave our house to get him to his Papa's in the morning, so I could be at work before 7am. We decided that we are just going to have to get a bed over to their house and have the Monkey Boy spend the night on the days that I have to work because when the winter comes, it's going to be too much to bring him out there at 5:45am. We haven't made any set plans yet as we are still feeling it out. We will know more when I start work.

So anyway this morning after I exercised, my MIL called and talked to my hubby for a while, then he said she wanted to talk to me. She said that since they are going to be putting a bed in the Monkey Boy's room at their house, they need to do something with their treadmill and asked me if I had room in my exercise room and if I wanted to use it! The first thing I thought of was that I can't take her treadmill because she uses it everyday (she doesn't need mental tricks to exercise like me, she just does it). She said that the weather is changing and she will be able to get outside to walk soon, so it's not a problem. Wow.

I really didn't know how I was going to get outside before or after work to exercise, becuase it will be dark during both times. I was kind of preparing myself mentally to walk in the dark, but I really didn't want to. I figured I would end up doing a video or something (which I'm getting bored with) so this is just a HUGE blessing. How awesome is that!! I will be able to do my C25K training, in my own home!!! Yaay! AND my MIL's neighbor is getting rid of a new weight bench (no weights) and asked her to ask me if I wanted it! Yaay! He reigns and it pours!

Ok onto the juicy stuff.

My measurements:

Measurements: (day 213 / 182 / day 10) (- "/# lost in current month)

Wt: 192.0 / 195.2 / 215 (-3.20) (total lost 23#)
Chest: 37.5" / 37.75" / 43.75"(-0.25") (total lost -6.25")
Waist: 32.5" / 33" / 41.5" (-0.50") (total lost -9")
Hips: 42" / 42.5" / 47.75" (-0.50") (total lost -5.75")
Neck: 12.75" / 13" / 14.25" (-0.25") (total lost -1.55")
Under bust: 32" / 33" / 36.75" (-1") (total lost -4.75")
1" below belly button: 38.5" / 40.5" / 47.5" (-2") (total lost -9")
Above my thigh: 37.75" / 39.5" / 44" (-1.75") (total lost -6.25")
R Thigh: 18.75" / 19" / 27" (-0.25") (total lost -8.25")
L Thigh: 19" / 19.5" / 27.5" (-0.50") (total lost -8.50")
R Calf: 14" / 14.25" / 14.5" (-0.25") (total lost -0.50")
L Calf: 14.25" / 14.5" / 14" (-0.25") (total lost -.25")
R upper Arm: 10.5" / 11" / 14" (-0.50") (total lost -3.5")
L upper Arm: 10.75" / 11.5" / 13.5" (-0.75") (total lost -2.75")
R wrist: 5.75" / 5.75" / 6.25" (-0") (total lost -0.5")
L wrist: 5.75" / 5.75" / 6.25" (-0") (total lost -0.5")

Jan 2009

Feb 2009

March 2009

April 1, 2009

May 1, 2009

June 1, 2009

July 1, 2009August 1, 2009

In July 2009 I lost 3.2 lbs and 8.75 inches! Yaay! *happy dance* It's not as much as I was losing to start off with, but it's more than last month!

I really feel great and I think that is the best measure of success. I can do so many things that I couldn't before, and I feel stronger and I AM stronger. I am still "obese" but that is temporary and not permanent! I can't believe I am almost into the 180s!!

I don't know if I mentioned this before, but my original start weight is 240 from 2007. Once I hit 190 it will mean that I have lost a total of 50 lbs. Yaay!

Ok well I am off to have fun! Have a great weekend and make it count! If I can do this, so can you! We just gotta take one day at a time :). I am living proof!

I can do this. I am a star.

Day 202 (day 6 / week 29)

Today I had a friend come along and exercise with me :). I saw she had posted a first blog post on Sparkpeople, and I saw a tiny little cry for motivation in it. She said she wanted to do something today and wanted to be more accountable for her food, but I know, just from previous conversations that we've had, that she needs/wants help and just doesn't know where to start, or how. I promised her that I would help motivate her and so I'm keeping my word. I know how hard it is.

I called her up after reading her blog, and asked her if she wanted to go for a walk with the Monkey Boy and I and...she did :). Way to go! Woo hoo! *running man* *cabbage patch.* The first step for doing something, is saying "yes!" to any opportunity that may present itself. If I were her, before I started this blog and found the momentum/motivation/consistency to do this (all by the good grace of God), I would have found an excuse to say no. I'm sad to say that I probably said "no" a lot. The first step to changing a self defeating habit is to be aware of it, and own it. I used to be a "'no' person" because I didn't think I could do it. Now I am a star and I know I can do this! I am just like everyone else, so if I can do this, then I sure as heck know that you can too!

Anyway, we walked the 4.8 mile route that I once posted pictures of here, and did it in 90 minutes (120 minutes after a cool down). My HRM said that I burned 1524 calories, so in theory she probably burned more, because she is bigger than I am--the heavier you are the more calories you burn becuase you have more weight on you that you have to carry and exercise with.

I am so proud of her for coming and I know she got a good workout because I did, and I exercise everyday! I know I will definitely invite her to come again in the near future. It wasn't so hot today (in the 80s when we left--it's only now barely 91F) so it was a good day to do this. The Monkey Boy gave me a hard time about it at first, but got excited when he saw Erin.

Today was a good day and I am glad that I had my friend come along. It made the time go by a lot quicker and was a distraction from exercise itself (we all know how I need that!). I kept one eye on my HRM to make sure that my HR was in the 130's so that our chit-chat didn't slow each other down and it didn't :).

Today's Quickfire Challenges are to walk fast for 10-15 minutes at a time, 3-4 times throughout the day, every few hours. The other quickfire is to difficult for me to type out so I am going to copy/paste it here, so it makes more sense for you guys lol. I can't do them anyway, because I don't have any access to stairs...

QUICKFIRE Climb Your Way to Fitness!

1. Start out with two trips up and down a flight of stairs.

2. For your next two trips, pick up the pace going up the stairs, and walk down at a moderate pace.

3. For trips five and six, take giant steps by placing your foot on every other step. Walk down at a moderate pace.

4. The seventh and eighth trip you should vigorously pump your arms (think Rocky) as you climb, then walk down slowly.

5. Finally for the last two minutes, perform quick steps up and down on the bottom step (like a football drill).

QUICKFIRE SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS:
If necessary, hold on to the railing when descending the steps.

A flight of stairs is categorized as a set of steps reaching from one floor to another in a building. Generally, the stairs bend upon themselves to save space. The usual amount of stairs in "a flight" is around 30, though it differs widely

QUICKFIRE CHALLENGE YOURSELF: Space these out to 4 to 5 SETS; spaced throughout the day in order to keep Spiking your Metabolism ALL DAY!

I hope you all have a great day! If you need help with motivation, find a buddy that has motivation! Seeing motivation in someone can usually start a spark in you! Isn't it motivating to see other people motivated? It is for me! Finding someone who isn't motivated can be helpful too, if you are able to motivate each other...but I have found in my life, misery enjoys company and that applies to motivation as well (2 unmotivated people=2 unmotivated people). If you need a buddy, I'll be your buddy! Don't be afraid to ask for help! Motivation creates momentum and momentum creates motivation--it's an ongoing cycle and it's so true!!! You can do this!

Make it count!

I can do this. I am a star.

day 180 (day 5 / week 26)

I just got back from my 4.8 mile walk. I finished it in 1:38:30, my average heart rate (HR) was 135 (peak 155) and my HR monitor said that I burned 1543 calories. Is this even possible??? That just seems so high to me, but it could be because I am used to seeing sparkpeople's numbers. *shrugs* I'll find out somehow.

Today was a difficult walk. Not because I didn't want to go, or because my feet hurt (side note: I forgot to take Advil before my walk and nothing in my body hurts one bit right now! Yaay! Another positive side effect from exercising everyday :)). It was difficult because it was so darn hot! Man! It was so hot that it felt like my HR was a lot more elevated than usual on my walk, and it stayed elevated for a longer period of time. It's supposed to get up to 108 today, and I was just baking under the sun. My heart was pounding. We left before 8am, and got home before 10 am, and it was HOT already--88 when we left, 98 when we got back. Man, today is a scorcher (as my Dad would say! lol)!

I have talked about my walks quite a few times, and I think one of those times I mentioned my visual motivators (the traffic lights lol). I decided to take some pictures to share with you what I see on my walk. Mind you that today I did this backwards, so I don't usually see these in this sequence (it's somewhat backwards, but it's how I saw it today).

First motivator. Where I begin my mental journey.

first traffic light


2nd traffic light


I walk by Spanish Trail every time I walk my city block. Beyond the gates are multi-million dollar homes, where some of Las Vegas' elite and celebrities such as Andre Agassi, David Copperfield, Siegfried and even Michael Jackson (RIP) have/had property. I took a pic of this because it's a nice break from looking at sidewalks, walls, trash and traffic...that's all I really see on these walks!


3rd traffic light--almost home! Yaay!


4th and last traffic light


I see my final motivator!



Yaay!



This is the Monkey Boy's reaction to being close to home lol. (woo hoo!)


As my son would say, "TA DA!"
I am one red-faced, happy camper. I am done!

I hope you guys have a great Monday. Can you believe it's almost July! Man this month flew by fast!

Make today count! Before you know it, today will be over!

I can do this, I am a star.

day 177 (day 2 / week 26)

Today was a major eye-opener. Such a beautiful day as well and I had so much fun! I was so excited to exercise today, because of my toy (my heart rate monitor (HRM)). I wanted to do The Firm again, but the Monkey Boy woke up SUPER early, so I decided to go for a walk instead. I was happy to do that because I wanted to see how many calories I burn on my walk. I figured 600-650 at the most. HUGE eye opener!

I walked 4.8 miles (90 minutes) and did my quickfire challenge on my walk also. It was to hop, skip or jump (jumping jacks) 100 times in 4 or 5 different segments. I skipped! I must have looked so funny skipping down the road, pushing my stroller. It was so much fun though! It also got my heart rate into the high 150's. Man, if you haven't skipped in a long time, do it! It's so much fun, it's easy to do, and it's good exercise! Skip 20 times in a row. I was skipping 50 times in a row and had my son laughing so hard. It was so much fun. The sky was really beautiful also, because of the clouds. Thought I would share with you, what I got to see on my walk (3 different areas in the sky all around me) :).

Such beautiful clouds...

The eye opener...

I got home and logged my exercise. For kicks, I entered my walk into my map tracker, like I always do--it tells me how fast i am going, and how many calories I burned. It said I burned 572 calories (or something close to that). I then went into my HRM to the review section.... get this... it said I burned 1411 calories!!!!! HUGE underestimation from sparkpeople. Yesterday it over estimated what I did, but not by much. I bet this could be one of the reasons why nothing is happening for me. This would mean that I am not eating enough calories--at all.

After my cool down and just walking around the house, my HRM said that I had burned 1852 calories (after 2 hours and 17 minutes).


Regardless of all of this it is very fascinating to see the big difference between the two. Craziness. Really opened my eyes, and makes me feel that much more blessed that I was able to get my hands on this cool heart rate monitor (this is also a huge distraction away from the things that frustrate me).

I can't believe it's Friday already. Off to shower and all that fun stuff. I don't think I am going to do the 30 Day Shred today, because of all of the calories I have already burned, but I will add it to the tracker if I do. It's almost been 30 days, so I don't feel bad for not doing it now. I've proved to myself that I can do it. I CAN do it. I just don't want to anymore. lol! (we'll see how that goes lol).

Have a great weekend! Go skip! I promise it's fun and so much FuN! Yaay for skipping!

I can do this. I am a star.