Saturday, February 23, 2013

Today I felt like a real runner.

With my heart rate monitor on, earbuds in, compression socks, tights, Nike shirt and Brooks shoes laced up, I looked like a runner.  However, when I ran a mile in 12:47... I FELT like a runner.

Boys and girls, the moment I've been waiting on finally arrived!

I've read a lot of articles recently about running and follow some running related things on my twitter and they all said the same thing.  There's no event that makes you a runner.  It's what you feel like and you'll know when you are one.  Today was that day for me!

Yeah, I've completed two half marathons.  Did I run?  Not really.  Did I train?  Sure, to an extent.  I think looking the part as much as the time on the treadmill I saw made me feel it.

I started on the elliptical this morning as I had earlier this week.  I am going around 5.5-6.2 mph on the elliptical at a 3 resistance and in my target heart rate.  I'm seeing the distance rack up and thinking to myself "if I can do this on here... why not on the treadmill?"  So I tried it.  I set the treadmill at a 2 incline and a 4.5 mph pace Tuesday and a 4.8 mph pace today.  Was I breathing hard?  Sure, but I DIDN'T FEEL LIKE I WAS GOING TO DIE.  I probably could have kept going when I hit that mile mark.  That was my goal and I did it and I was elated.  So I hit the cool down and walked my heart rate down from 181 to 138 in no time.  My recovery is getting shorter, too.  It takes me at least 5 minutes on the elliptical to hit my 160 target heart rate which surprises me.  I can see it in my work outs, the number on the scale and by the way my clothes fit.  This time, it's all working.

I've never been so mentally focused on losing weight before.  As described before, I've tried different diets that I never stuck with just like every other overweight person out there.  This time, with the marathon in mind and the help of MyFitnessPal keeping track of my numbers, I'm actually doing it.  While I did not hit my 229 goal, I did still lose 2 pounds and I weighed in this morning at 231.

I also took the time to write out my training plan in a calendar to have it all in front of me with actual dates and months versus the chart that just started with "week 1...2....20" and really make it all feel real.  This last week it was 8 months until the marathon which means I have 8 more months of kicking butt to do to be ready for it.  Official 30 week marathon training schedule begins March 25th.

Another exciting opportunity may have presented itself and I will make sure to let you all in on that when I hear a final decision one way or another.

As always, thank you all for your kind words, love and support through this life changing process. An extra special thank you to Kyle who has been nothing but supportive in my training and eating changes.  I love you.


Sunday, February 10, 2013

Double digits!

I did it!  I crossed into the double digits this week and lost 2.6 pounds putting me at a total of 11.8 pounds lost.

This was a good week for me - I cooked several new meals at home and I was able to make good choices by checking nutrition information before we went out for any meals.  I've stayed under 1500 calories every day this week as well!  Still haven't touched pop since January 1st and I registered for the Heart Mini Marathon which is a 15K event.  The rest of the group that I work with who registered signed up for the 5K and I didn't know that so I will be the only one completing the 15K.  I haven't decided for sure what I will do as the event is only 1 month away from now but I may just walk with the group since the two events are at different times and I don't want to burn myself out on a long distance like 9.3 miles when I haven't even started my marathon plan.  OR.. I may do the 15K then join the others for the 5K at noon.  I guess we'll see how I'm feeling as the time gets closer.  I've been hitting the sidewalks with Penny and have logged 6.83 miles this week just taking her out for walks.  There's a nice subdivision behind our apartment complex that has a sidewalk that connect the two and there's tons of distance to be covered going up and down the cul-de-sacs.

I enjoyed putting on the second pair of jeans from my dresser that had 2010 tags on them today and wearing them without struggling.  I've gotten used to my higher waisted "mom jeans" from Lane Bryant (or Lane Giant as I lovingly call it) and these low rise American Eagle jeans will take some getting used to again but I think I can manage.  Feeling my age again in what I'm wearing is a crazy thing!  Loving it. I can't wait to lose a few more pounds so my love handles don't look so noticeable in the low rise jeans but I'll take what I can get which, for right now, is just fitting into them!

Hoping for another good week on the scale and at work.  Doing a big heart case tomorrow and celebrating Kyle and my brother-in-law's birthdays on Saturday.  Planning ahead will hopefully keep me seeing the numbers on the scale go down again.  Next goal is to get to the 220's.  I'm at 233.8 right now so this week or next I should hit this one.  Hoping for sunny days like we had last week to keep the pup dry on our walks!

Sunday, February 3, 2013

One month down.

Hellooooooo February!  I can't believe it's here already.

I spent yesterday having a "Lindsay Day" complete with hair, nails, and massage.  Woo hoo for a three paycheck month and having been extremely busy on the heart team with lots of overtime.  I needed it!

Well... after one month of dieting and exercising, I have lost................

drumroll please..........

9.2 pounds!

(Edit - I also just fit into a brand new pair of American Eagle jeans that I've had in my drawer with tags still on them from 2010! I knew one day I would!)

I'm feeling good about myself and actually sticking with the plan to get these pounds off.  I'm religiously tracking what I'm eating on MyFitnessPal and have changed my calories for the day to an amount where I lose 2 pounds per week (1450 calories per day) instead of 1 pound per week (1990 calories per day).  I'm trying to stay under the 1450 but I'm okay if I go slightly above but definitely stay below the 1990.  I lost about 2 pounds per week on average this first month without limiting my calories as much and I'd like to keep the momentum going.

I have changed my exercise a bit, however.  I've hated P90X after really the first week when I had forgotten the videos from the last time and the routines.  Now I know them and can expect what's coming and am hating it.  So I am not doing them anymore and this week will focus more on getting out with my dog and going to our gym at our apartment complex.  I should put some of these cute, new workout clothes to work outside of the walls where I was doing P90X.


I also did splurge a bit and Kyle and I went out for dinner and drinks Friday night and I even had fried (!!!!) pickles.  I have only had an order of value sized french fries since I started this change a month ago and let me tell you my GI system did not recognize the grease I put in my body.  I woke up yesterday morning not feeling so good.  It's crazy that I could eat a whole fried meal or two a day before and not feel any different but now, that's all changed.  I feel so much better not eating that way even if sometimes all I want is a chicken fingers basket with fries.

This is about the LONG TERM.  This is about my life and my future.  I want to be a mother someday and they say what you eat and how you've taken care of yourself for 5 YEARS prior to becoming pregnant can affect your pregnancy. That's crazy if I think of what I've done with my body the last 5 years.  Not a whole lot of anything!

February is national Wear Red for women's heart disease.  As a surgical nurse who specializes in cardiac surgery I must think about the example I set for my patients.  I'm overweight.  Technically obese still.  My blood pressure has been borderline the last few years.  My glucose is normal and I don't smoke and never have smoked.  These are all things that lead to heart disease and as women we need to make sure that while we're busy taking care of everyone else that we MUST take care of ourselves.  We won't be around long enough to do this if we don't get ourselves together and love ourselves as much as we love those around us.  So this month, wear red!  Watch what YOU'RE eating, QUIT SMOKING!! and check your blood pressure and glucose levels.  Get out for a walk on your lunch break or meet a group of friends on the weekend at a park to walk the trails.  Hold each other accountable and lets take some control over the #1 killer of women.  That's right, you read it correctly.

I'm excited to see where the next month takes me and hopefully this next week I can cross into double digits with my weight loss!  Thank you all again for being such wonderful supporters!