Singed up for half marathon, need extra encouragement

vendygirl

Vendygirl here, and I have been on this site for over a month, lost five pounds and then gained it back due to sickness kept me from my exercise routine and I fell off the wagon. I have signed up for the Flying Pig half marathon in Cincinnati this year (I am walking as running and I do not get along) and this will be my 2nd half marathon in 3 years. I did the Nashville Rock and Roll half three years ago.
My goal weight is 145lb and currently I weight 190. My goal is my wedding in October and every year after. I am having a rough time staying on the wagon. Any pointers on how to stay on target by ones self? I have tried to get a few friends to be work out buddies but they all fall apart and My fiancee is encouraging but he just isn't the workout type either. Last thing I want to do is nag him to work out.
Any good sites that can plan an exercise program for me that I can just take to the gym and do myself? I tried trainer once but she just didn't work out. I wouldn't mind one again and hopefully can find one that fits with me.
I am also contemplating joining the 50lbs by june 1 (not that I expect to lose that much in 6 months or would need too) challenge on here.

I guess I just need some cheerleaders to help me along to get this game started again so i can beat my time of 3:30:34 on May 1, 2011

Rhonda_Roo

That's awesome!

I'm sure you're up on how to get into shape for walking, but there is a website called fromcouchto5K.com. It give daily suggestions on preparing for 5K's and up. You could modify it for walking.

I just took my first zumba class last night and it was a blast. High energy. I can only imagine the fitness possibilities after consistent attendance.

Good luck to you in May! You're awesome!

Adsnwfld

Your diet is a huge part of it. Track your calories religiously, even obsessively with this site. As for the half marathon, it should be no problem to get in shape for it. Start with a good couch to 5 K program and go from there. Follow the days off so you don't get injured.
Start to make minor changes in your diet to see some great results.

You can do it, a number of years ago I was 268lbs, I went on an extreme diet of low to no carbs and dropped to 185, but it was unsustainable, once off the weight crept back till I was 256lbs. Now thanks to MFP I have dropped to 219 and plan to keep going. But this time it is no fad diet, simply calories in and calories out. I'm a bit of an exercise nut and am back into a 6 day a week routine, but that is just dropping pounds faster, it is mostly diet.

You can do it, good luck

Adsnwfld

Another thing, you will quickly figure out what you can and can't eat and what a serving size really is. That keeps things in perspective for me. When I go out and look at a menu, I avoid the 700 to 1000 calorie cheese burger (even though I love them) and go for a salad with a chicken breast instead. In a short time you can (with the help of this website) avoid the really bad stuff. But I still have pizza with the family on Friday, every once in a while I have desert, I never completely deprive myself of the foods I like.
You do have to be diligent about looking things up, went to Arby's and ordered a turkey swiss on wheat bread...then found out it was 700 calories. So I had half and finished at 350 calories. I was the person who would eat 2 or 3 sandwiches and a large fries with a large drink. Now I know that I can't...no one should.
Also don't drink your calories, why waste 140 calories on a pop when you could have water and eat more food if your hungry. If you want a protein shake as a snack, that's fine, but don't drink empty calories.

vendygirl

I know my diet isn't perfect but I am not horrid. I stopped drinking pop (yes I am from Ohio) three years ago which is how I probably lost a good amount of weight and I quit smoking around the same time while working out 3-4 times a week. Maybe it was four years ago actually. I have lost track of time. Then I found the man of my dreams and started back to school while looking for a new career at the same time. That didn't help with the weight gain as my days got busier and crazier.

My biggest challenge with food is find easy, good recipes that don't involve fish. Seems every other blasted dish I find online or in books is fish. I can't stand fish. Just do not like it at all. I eat most other seafood, shrimp, lobster, scallops etc but find it hard to keep it around as you have to use it right away. Plus need a way to figure out a good way to plan meals that my fiancee will also want to eat. We both noticed our portion sizes are too large so we just bought smaller plates and are actively trying to not reach for seconds.

I also am not a huge fan of peppers and they seem to be in everything. I guess I am saying I am a picky eater but I have never been a fast food girl so that isn't my problem. My bigger problem is good beer (yum micro brews) and Indian food (LOVE IT) which I need to scale back on both. I refuse to deprive myself of anything and am working to find a nice balance to enjoy all things in moderation.

Any recipes for lunches or dinners are much appreciated as those are the two meals I lack ideas in for the time being. I have my few meals for breakfast down pat at this point.