My First 5k

One of my New Years Resolutions was to run some 5k's and 10k's this year.  I never would have ever thought that running would be something on my resolutions list.  I used to be the person who said, if you saw me running, you better run too, because something bad is happening to make me run. Ha.  I have since changed my mind.  I ran my first long distance in October of last year in the throws of my weight loss journey.  I had no idea how fit I was getting cardiovascular wise, but 1 hour a day on an elliptical for a month had really done wonders.  I was able to run 4 miles, only taking a couple of walking breaks.  The next time I ran  I didn't walk at all.  I have ran 6 mile runs without walking.  It became a time for me, where I was just concentrating on the music in my ears and releasing stress.

I decided my first 5k experience should be fun and not a serious race.  I signed up for the Color Me Rad 5k.  I was supposed to run it with my husband, but he had to go away for training that weekend, so I gave his spot to a friend of mine from church named Melissa.  We were perfect running partners because she is short like me.  Our strides matched and we pretty much kept the same pace.  I was so glad that she came out to run with me.  My friend Danielle ran it with her husband... she is a good 5 inches taller than me so she was KILLING it.  She ran the 5k about 2 minutes faster than Melissa and I did.

All in all, it was fun.  I want to do some more fun races, but my next run is a 10k on the morning of the 4th of July.  I have never run 6.2 miles so I am hoping that I can conquer it.  Usually by the end of my 6 mile runs I am ready to stop running, so adding 2 tenths of a mile onto that run seems so daunting, but I know I can do it.

One thing I made sure to go out and purchase after this run was some running tights.  My loose fitting pants are annoying to run in... so I will be good to go for the 10k.

What are you doing to stay fit and have fun?

Catching Up

I go back and forth on whether or not I want to blog anymore or not.  I can say with certainty that blogging is not on my top list of priorities right now.  I am BUSY... but, I just can't seem to abandon this place completely.  I actually deleted this blog... and undeleted it.  I realize that this is an outlet for me and I need to take advantage of that, even if the only person reading it is me.

First off, I want to state on my blog that after 2 years of school at OTC slowly chipping away at prerequisite courses, I have gotten accepted to a BSN program at Cox College here in Springfield.  I begin in the fall, and I am so super excited.  When I first decided I wanted to be a nurse, I really didn't have a specific plan in place, I just kinda went for it.  I knew I wanted to go through Cox College though, so I specifically worked toward their list of classes to take.  I quickly realized that I was one of a very few that didn't get an LPN first then go for my ASN or BSN.  Most everyone in my classes already have their LPN and are entering into RN bridge programs.  I never even entertained going the LPN route, because I saw it as a stop in the road. I just wanted to go straight for the goal. 

I have three more prerequisite courses that I am currently taking: Microbiology, Lifespan Psychology, and Humanities.  I am enjoying the classes and Microbiology is like my most favorite class ever.  

Back to my blog.  I have decided that I am going to use my blog as an outlet for my journey through nursing school.  I have heard that it will be the toughest 2 years of my life, and I am hoping to give a play by play and use my blog as a dumping place for all of my school successes and frustrations (all within HIPPA guidelines, of course).  I'm hoping that it will serve as an example of what going through a BSN program is like.  We will see if I follow through.  I get these grand ideas, and then I get so dang busy I just don't have the time.

This summer will be the first summer, since starting college again, that I will be taking classes.  I will be taking Statistics (which I attempted this semester, but dropped it... it's that difficult) and Intro to Nursing.  This summer will be rough, and then I jump right into nursing school in the fall.  When I look at all that I have coming my way, I tend to get overwhelmed, but my mother in law gave me great advice to focus on what comes first, first, then I can focus on what's next.  One step at a time, one course at a time, one day at a time... don't get overwhelmed, basically.  It has been the one cliche piece of advice that I always repeat to myself when I start to worry and get upset about all that I have yet to do.

I am nervous, I am scared, but more than that, I am optimistic.  I am so excited about the future.

Class of 2016! eeeep!

Visualize... My Weightloss Progress

It has been a long journey, which REALLY slowed down during the holidays.  I came from 152 lbs all the way down to 125.2 lbs.  I still have 3 lbs until I have reached my main weight goal, but since I am not budging much lately, I decided to go ahead and do a picture post of how far I have come.

Like I said, I was 152 lbs when this whole thing started, which looked a lot like this...  The below picture was taken in April of 2013, several months before I REALLY started to lose weight, but I was around 152 here.

(excuse my dirty mirror. ha.  It was really embarrassing for me to take this.  Mainly because I do not wear form fitting clothes even when I am not chubby.)

Moving along.  So this is what I look like currently... and hopefully you can see the 27.6 lb difference between the first photo. :)  I am currently 125.2 lbs in this picture.

I am still on the journey.  Still working out and still managing my calorie intake.  Those jeans are the size jeans I wore when I got pregnant with my first baby.  Size 5 juniors...

I still want to lose 10 lbs, but I am not stressing over it, and I am really just concentrating on remaining healthy and not gaining weight at this point.  I feel good and fairly confident with my current weight... although I know that I have it in me to lose more and 115 lbs is my ideal weight.

I hope that all of you have made New Years Resolutions to lose weight are doing good on your journey.  If you need encouragement, just get on instagram and look up weight loss tags.  There are so many inspirational weight loss stories on there.

Well, that's it.  I apologize for the poor quality of the photos.  They were taken with my phone in very poor lighting situations. Have a great week everyone!

2014 Resolutions

With the New Year quickly approaching, I decided to put together my list of resolutions, and while some people may scoff at resolution lists, I find that they bring purpose and they give a sense of direction for the year.  Resolutions help to keep me grounded, focused, determined... and when accomplished they bring such a sense of well-being and success.  I like to look back on a list and see if I did what I set out to do.

I didn't make a resolution list for 2013, but I did for 2012 so I will reference that for this time of looking back.  2013 was a year in which I saw a lot of strength in myself.  I continue to do well in school, I have only made one B in 4 semesters.  One thing that has plagued my resolution lists since 2008 has been finding a great church... we found a church where the entire family feels at home.  A HUGE accomplishment has been my fitness; in the last 4 months of 2013 I shed 27 lbs and reached the weight that I had set and failed to achieve for 2012. On a more superficial note, I am still keeping my hair longer than chin length (which is a big deal, I like to chop it boy short).  While there were a few things that I didn't accomplish, overall, I feel pretty good about 2013.

2014 has a lot in store for me and I need to accomplish a lot.  Here is my list:

2014 NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS

1. Apply and get accepted to nursing school and do awesome!

2. I still have at least 10 lbs to lose.  By the end of 2014 I want to see the scale read 115 lbs.

3. I want to run some 5k's and 10k's.  I can already run 6 miles straight, so I want to keep myself fit and keep running.

4. Blog more, even if it is just for me.

5. Do more mommy-daughter stuff with Lindsey.

6. Do better at making sure that my husband knows that I love and respect him.

7. Keep "Taco Tuesday" as a tradition and stay-in date night with Davis. (Taco Tuesday is when Dave and I order take-out tacos and watch either Sons of Anarchy or some show on netflix with each other).

8. Make as much time for friends as I can with my busy school life.

9. Potty-train Avery.  I don't want her to turn 3 and still be in diapers.  That's just because I am sick of paying for diapers.

10. Get Silver Dollar City passes and spend some time with my mom during 2014.

... That's it.  Some goals are more frivolous than others.  I am excited for this year.  Before we know it, it will be Christmas time again, and I will be looking back at this list to see if I did what I set out to do.

An open letter to anyone with weight goals for 2014,

Good luck to all of you making resolutions.  I want to give encouragement and advice to anyone who is making weight goals.  Don't make it more complicated than it needs to be.  First of all, you have to comitt to the process of losing weight.  Unrealistic expectations of quick weight loss will surely thwart your efforts; be patient and 1 - 2 lbs a week is a healthy steady weight loss pace.  To start out, focus on calories in v. calories out.  You can use apps like My Fitness Pal to help you track how many calories you need to stick to to lose weight.  When you exercise you can eat some of those calories back, so think of exercise as earning your treats.  Don't make it about dietary restrictions as much as about calorie consumption.  Keep track of what you eat and your exercise.  Exercise an hour a day.  Start out easy and then gradually push yourself further.  Don't feel like you have to do things you don't like to do to work out.  Find what you like and do that.  I like to run and do the elliptical, so that's what I do.  Once you start shedding the pounds, THEN you can start worrying about the dietary restrictions, but when you tell yourself you can't eat ice cream or can't have a hamburger, you will get frustrated and give up.  WORK for that ice cream, WORK for that hamburger.  If you put too many restrictions on yourself you set yourself up for failure.  Just work out and watch how much you consume... then you can fine tune as you go along.  Some people might disagree with me, but this is what has worked for me.  Most importantly... YOU CAN DO IT!

Week 16 and 17: Slowing Down While Speeding Up

I'll start first with the slow down.  Weight-loss is at a crawl right now, but I am content and okay with that.  I haven't quit, but now that I am in my normal weight range for my height, weight loss is getting more difficult unless I create a large enough deficit and that is difficult to do while in school and facing the Holidays, but I am still working at it.

The past two weigh-ins have been bi-weekly, and I don't want to make a habit out of that.  Weighing in weekly keeps me accountable to making progress.  So this will be the last time I will combine weeks.

Between Week 16 and 17 I only lost 1.4 lbs.  I am down 25 lbs overall, though, and that is freaking fantastic. 

Milestones:

140 lbs = Pre-Brendan weight.

137.8 lbs = -15 lb mark

133 lbs = Pre-Avery weight.

132.8 lbs = -20 lbs mark

127.8 lbs  =  down 25 lbs and The lowest weight I have been since having babies.

122.8 = Pre-Lindsey weight and -30 lb mark.

 

So, I am nearing my initial weight goal.  I'm so close.  Only 5 more lbs.  and then I will be the weight that I was when I found out I was pregnant with Lindsey...

 

Thinking about the future: After I reach 122.8 lbs, I can either stay there and maintain, or I could shoot for my recommended weight for my height which varies according to the source you consult... I think what I will do is keep doing what I am doing until I either plateau, or I reach my lowest goal weight of 105 lbs.  If I plateau I will just maintain by keeping on the same calorie limitations and exercise routine.  If I keep losing to 105 lbs I will begin a weight maintenance program with my calories and exercise so that I don't gain or lose... So that is the plan.

 

ANYWAY, onto the "while speeding up" part.  I hate running.  I mean... I used to envy runners because I just didn't have what it took to set a pace in jogging/running and keep it for any extended periods of time.  I have been putting an hour in on the elliptical for the past 17 weeks which translates into a little over 6 miles, and I feel like I am getting cardiovascular-ly healthy (I made up a word). Well, last Sunday, I decided to run in the morning instead of doing my workout at the gym.  I didn't do anything amazing, but I did jog for 4 miles and only stopped to walk a couple times.  I was terribly sore afterward though.  I liked it though, and I developed this desire to get better at it, so I went again a few days later, and I jogged for 4 miles straight NO WALKING.  I was stoked.  After that I decided to do a 6 mile jog.  I am not going to lie, it was rough.  I only walked for probably 1/10 of a mile, but I had to fight through a stomach ache, nausea/dizziness that developed after having to stop abruptly while my heart rate was about 170 bpm, and strong wind resistance.  I did it though.  6 miles in 1 hour and 8 minutes.  Not excellent, but I was just thrilled that I did it.

So there you have it.  I'm still keeping at it.  Recording every single calorie, exercising, and committing to the process. 

The Music that Burns my Calories.

If you are doing cardio workouts and wonder how to maximize that burn, I am going to tell you how I went from burning 520 calories an hour to burning anywhere from 620-680 calories a workout.

The trick isn't anything spectacular.
I started out easy.  I work out strictly on the elliptical.  Some will tell you that this isn't the best way to work out, but the proof is in the pudding or so they say, and I am losing weight, so... elliptical it is.

I began working out on the elliptical with a 10 incline and 1 resistance.  Nothing difficult at all.  I enter my weight and age.  I monitor my heart rate nearly the entire workout.  I would do this while watching TV shows on the TV connected to the gym equipment.  For the first 15 lbs or so of my weight loss journey I have to thank my guilty pleasure General Hospital, Superman, Lord of the Rings, Taken, Jumper... among other shows that I watched. Doing this would burn me about 480-500 calories.

After about 3 weeks I began adding resistance.  I would start out at 10 incline - 1 resistance then after 10 minutes I would move to 8-3 then 9-2 then 10-1 again.  Doing this I would burn about 520 calories.

When I really hit my stride was the day that I decided I was getting fit enough to up my resistance and instead of watching TV I found the magical calorie burning awesomeness of music...

Right now, my workout consists of a 5 minute warm up at 10 incline - 1 resistance, then I switch it to 6-5 and keep it there unless I hit a slower paced song, then I switch it to 6-8.  Doing this I burn anywhere from 620-680 calories.

Now for the music that makes my workouts AWESOME.
1. Muse... any Muse really, but the only Muse album I have on my iPod right now is The 2nd Law.

Often I will repeat the last song for cool down since the album doesn't quite take up 60 minutes plus a 5 minute cool down.  I usually burn about 678 calories keeping up to the pace of the songs on this album.

2. Hillsong United - Zion.  This album is very ambient.  It's got good steady beats.  It is a worship music album so I don't know that you will want to work out to this album if you don't particularly care for worship or Christian music.

This album is 70 minutes so it will last your full workout and cool down... The songs have steady rhythms to keep pace to and the music is really uplifting.  I burn about 645-660 calories to this album.

3. PANDORA station: Phoenix

I found these guys by accident (yes, I live under a rock).  I was listening to Muse Pandora station and a song from this album called "1901" came on and I loved it, so this introduced me to a wonderful Pandora station full of indie pop.  All of the music has a good steady pace to set your workout to and the music is fun.  I burned 642 calories today working out to this station.

4. PANDORA station: Muse (of course)

This station has it's really awesome days and then some days the songs can be slower and not a good workout pace.  I usually burn about 620 - 675 calories with this station.

Finding great music with a good pace you can set your rhythm to is what took my workouts to the next level.  And that is all.  The music that burns my calories.  Happy exercising.  Find your niche.

Week 14 and 15: Don't Worry, I Got This.

Week 14 was a no loss.  I actually put on .4 of a lb.  Rather than post about that, I just waited for the following weigh in to post.

Week 15 was much more successful :)
-3.4 lbs for between week 13 and 15, and -23.6 overall.  I'm feeling so great, and slowly starting to get more comfortable in my body.  I have 7.2 lbs to go before I am FINALLY pre-pregancy weight... and by pre-pregnancy I mean what I weighed the day that I found out I was pregnant with Lindsey, my oldest daughter.  I haven't weighed 122 lbs in over 10 years nearly 11!  I never thought I would ever lose the weight, but now it's right there within reach!

The secret to my success so far is still the same:
1. My Fitness Pal app... calorie counting.
2. Working out to be able to have more freedom to eat things I like and avoid deprivation.
3. Commitment to the process of losing weight.

If you are on a weight loss journey, seriously, you can so do it!  Keep at it.