Kicking *kitten* In Our Twenties - January Challenge!!

kls1628

Can I join? I know I'm a little late coming.

Goals: stick to calorie allowance, continue going to the gym 4 times a week but add 20 minutes of cardio to my lifting sessions, drink 8 glasses of water per day.

KanCrav

Ahhh..... I have tried soo hard this week.. well I thought.

I only lost one pound! uhhh.... Well im weighing in sadly at 167

I guess I need to spend more time at the gym

meagalayne

Can I join? I know I'm a little late coming.

Goals: stick to calorie allowance, continue going to the gym 4 times a week but add 20 minutes of cardio to my lifting sessions, drink 8 glasses of water per day.

Absolutely!!! Welcome to the group! :flowerforyou: Introduce yourself in your next post. We love having new members to contribute to our growing thread :happy:

Kan - 1lb is an awesome loss for one week! Don`t discredit all your hard work -- Losing more than 1-2lbs per week is a tell-tale sign that you are not treating your body with the respect that it`s due. Slow and steady wins the race, my friends!

Updated list:
skiptomylou32--scale goal: 125, non-scale goal: stop waiting till tomorrow, making excuses, and being complacent with my fitness goals
Lauratx22-to lose 7 pounds! Weighing 163!
Roobean33 - cardio 5X/week, lifting 3X/week, try out CrossFit, lose 2lbs, H20 guzzle, take measurements.
kvr414- 1 hr cardio 3x a week, try 3 new recipes, 12 cups water/day, lose 6 lbs.
meagalayne- curb late-night snacking and emotional eating, limit carbohydrate consumption after 4pm and experiment with new Low-GI recipes once a week, maintain under 130lbs, and complete first 4 weeks of Hal Higdon's Half Marathon Training (Novice)
emmarie1630- lose 4 pounds, 4x a week workout, use wii fitness games a ton, MORE WATER!
wardiemelissa-continue to maintain between 120-125lbs; plan healthy family meals at least 5 nights a week; begin training for half marathon (just need to find one in May or June)
tjradd73-lose 8lbs, 80oz H20 per day, and cardio 3x per week.
Mike (CaptainJim) lose 5-8 lbs, 3x (30-60 min) cardio per week, fit into size 32 jeans (I'm 34's right now)
Finncmh- see a loss on the scale, continue strength training 2x's a week and update the routine at the end of Jan, continue running training- increase to 5 min running intervals, 1 new healthy recipe a week, and get back in to yoga/stretching routine in the am and/or pm
briar_rose: lose 5 pounds, exercise 3x/week, no potato chips
mkingraham: lose 15 pounds by Feb 1., exercise 5/6 x a week with 3/4 days of strength training, eat breakfast everyday (a healthy one), two servings of fruit a day.
GuamGrly (Bethany) - DO NOT focus on the scale. Focus on changing my lifestyle by incorporating fruits and vegetables in my diet more, drinking my water everyday, planning my meals, working out 120 minutes per week, and getting back to C25k traning.
LostAlyKat (Aly) : Be under 170lbs for the end of the month. Do weight lifting or strength 3 times a week, be active in some way every day. Get back into doing Yoga do a class at least 1 time this month. Write down my feelings more often.
Stuartme123: JanSW = 156. Check-in with this thread 3-4x/week, 30 min of cardio 3x a week, Restart and keep up with 100 push-up challenge and C25K, Keep unhealthy snacking to under 200 calories/day, Add veggies that wouldn't normally be there to at least one meal a day, Try one new healthy recipe a week, Lose 1lb a week for a total of 4lbs.
seripha - exercise 5x a week for at least 30 minutes each. Try to eat at least 1 cup of dark green food every day and only 1 sweet thing per day.
miss_amy: to lose 8lbs (38 total lbs), work out 5x a week for an hour & log EVERYTHING!
Ngoat (nancy): Lose 5lbs, Drink more water, and eat healthier dinners!
rai8759: lose at least 4 lbs (164 by 1/31/11); work out 3x a week idevelop a consistent weight training regiment and work my way up to 2x a week weight training; drink 8-10 cups of water per day; eat more veggies; track everything in my food diary!!
Dteg: Scale to lose 5 LBs making under 140 for the first time in 5 years!!!! non scale: to eat more fresh food, eat in more often not going out as much anymore, excerise three times a week
Allie7383- be at or under 155, eat more fruits/veggies, and drink at least 8 glasses of water per day.
katecampbell03- Lose 5lbs this month and make time to fit in a work-out before/during/after work
pags221 - weigh 1.31.11 @ 123lbs / make it to the gym 21 days this month
Allislefttogain - Stay below 120; run 70 miles; 64 ounces of (straight!) water daily; complete weeks 2-4 of Turbo Fire; try kale & brussel sprouts; strength train 3x a week
tai_88 - drink at least 8 cups of water a day. I must drink at least 4 cups before i can have tea or my sprite zero; stop mindless/emotional eating; work out at least 4 times a week; log every day; continue the push up challenge; lose 4 lbs.
spellbinder25 - (1) Continue with C25K, (2) Cook twice a week, (3) Have a serving of fruit everyday, (4) Do strength training thrice a week, (5) Reach 142lbs by the end of Jan.
KanCrav - I want to loose 5lbs by the end of January
Silver180 - Stay smoke/fast food free, gym 3x/wk, stay under 2,000 cal/day, drink more water, lose 5 lbs.
angels and wolves-scale goal: 169 by feb 1st; non-scale goals: continue 30DS everyday, drop a pnt size by feb 1st, give up soda and caffeine, and be able to run a mile.
Nadine - Scale goals: 125lbs by my next half marathon in March. Non scale goals - successfully check off every scheduled run on my 1/2 marathon training program, thats 4 runs a week. Committ to practicing yoga at least twice a week (running injury preventer!!) Weight train twice a week. Cut fast food, make my own lunches and eating smartly - feeding my body what it needs to perform and feel its best, not foods that taste good but make me tired. My running time goals are in my signature
Nita_Bita - Scale goal: to get between 130-135 by May. Non Scale goals - follow through with TurboFire and eat clean the entire time; document everything that i eat
bellatiamarie lose 15 pounds; exercise at least 15 times this month (haven't exercised one day yet)
kls1628- stick to calorie allowance, continue going to the gym 4 times a week but add 20 minutes of cardio to my lifting sessions, drink 8 glasses of water per day.

Work was fine tonight. Spent 30 mins after my shift in a staff meeting at 3am - Just what I wanted! :grumble: Thankfully tomorrow should be an easy day. My boy is going to come over once I`m home from work at night to warm up my bed for me. What a guy! Sat he was supposed to be driving out of town for work stuff (his secondary job, of course) but that fell through so it looks like we`re going to have a quiet day together, including a 3mile run. Couldn`t be any happier about it. Despite the lameness of today, I am feeling better and ready to attack tomorrow with a positive attitude.

Hope everyone else is feeling similarly motivated :drinker: Rock it ladies. Make your Friday count!
Meag

mkingraham

Looks like everyone had a crappy Thursday . Here is to a much better Friday! I mean, it is Friday so it can't be that bad right?

I only have a few minutes before my meeting so a selfish post now and catch up with you all later-

Made it to the gym this morning with the snow flurries. I need spring/summer to hurry up and get here so I can see more daylight!! Did my spin class and I really pushed myself hard. I uped my resistance and pushed myself faster on all of the sprint/bursts of speed and just overall in general. When I was about half way into the workout I said to myself, "See you can do it!" Which helped to make me go even faster!! With the long weekend (MLK Day Monday=No Work!) our instructor threw in a bonus sprint at the very end of class which was awesome!! I didn't think I would ever say that, but woohoo!!

I have been doing really good at staying under my cals all week, and I just peeked at the scale this morning and there wasn't a drop but it is TOM so I am going to say that there probably is a loss and I just can't see it do to the usual bloating and such. We will see on Monday/Tuesday when I do my regular weigh-in to see what happens. At the end of the day I am keeping in mind that maintaining the weight I lost last week is really awesome too!

I hope everyone has a rockin' Friday and I will catch up with you all later!

Megan

lostalykat

Good morning ladies, a little selfish post!

Woke up at 4:30 due to my neighbors doing it, haha. I decided to use that as an excuse to get in Jillian Michaels NMTZ. I didn't lose this week but I didn't gain, so I am going to fight hard for this weekend to be good so I can see a loss for next weekend. We are halfway through the month and I really want to see some weight drop! I was contemplating swimming tonight but we have an early swim in the sf bay tomorrow morning which is going to be freezing and I have done really well this week so I am going to brush it off. I hope everyone is doing good! Happy Friday!

Question of the Day: What TV shows are you watching right now? Is there a show you can't live without?

For us it ranges from day to day, we don't have cable so we watch them on the computer or netflix. Lately we have been watching person's unknown, deadwood, and ,modern family. I also watch Biggest loser for motivation hehe.

finncmh

Morning All- you guys were quiet last night!

Jill- I bow down you and your ability/willingness to run in crazy weather! You are incredible! I am definitely not there yet… yes wimpy new runner right here… haha

Skip- Happy Birthday!!! great job making healthy choices for your birthday! Its all about finding the balance and celebrating life! I think you did DARN good

Tara- great job on needing to go out and get new pants even though its expensive it is definitely an AWESOME accomplishment!!!

Kls1628- welcome welcome welcome! Great group- don’t be afraid to jump right in! Nice goals!!!

KanCrav- ditto to what Meag said. DO NOT beat yourself up about losing 1lb that is a great and healthy loss. I know its hard (I haven’t lost anything in at least 5 weeks so I know how frustrating it can feel) BUT I have gone down severely in inches so I am just going to be patient and determined. I know that I have made healthy choices and changes to my life and that is the most important part. I hope that you can find the balance between losing weight and getting healthy. Sometimes it is a tough line to walk

Meag- glad to hear that the boy is taking good care of you. We wouldn’t want to have to send an MFP possy up there to take care of him now would we? Hehehehe! Focus on the good stuff chicky!!!! You are amazing!

Megan- I am so impressed with your dedication and hard work. Try not to stress about the scale. Easier said than done (I know) but with all of the hard work you are putting in your body will change. Rock on!

Aly- AHAHAHAHA I love that you got up and worked out when your neighbors woke you up. I can honestly say that I would grumble a lot and the just go back to sleep!!!

QOTD yesterday- trying to not give in to shopping just yet. Luckily I had a lot of clothes tucked away that I hadn’t been able to fit in to in quite some time… the next round of loss is going to be tougher though. Going to have to give in and spend money

QOTD today- im with you aly. We don’t have tv either so we watch them on Hulu or Netflix. Nothing I cant really live with out but I do enjoy me some biggest loser!



AFM- I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sure some of you saw my status yesterday. Anyway backround story Monday night I accomplished my goal of running 5 minutes straight by the end of January and ran 6 minutes straight at 12min mile pace or 5.0 and ran a half a mile… well last night I said to myself lets see how much longer I can do and I RAN A FULL MILE and kept that same pace the whole time! So that means 12 full minutes of running. And Meag you were so right it was totally mental. I stopped at a mile and walked for a ¼ mile then ran another ¼ mile then walked a ¼ mile then ran the last ¼ mile. So now I kind of have in idea of how long it would take me to run the 2 miles… granted this was all done at a forced steady pace on a treadmill BUT I will get there!!! WOOOOO soo stoked and still have my runners high!

GuamGrly

Happy Friday ladies!! (Since the boys have apparently disappeared...once again!!)

Tara - gonna have to check out that DVD!! It sounds like a lot of fun!!

Kandace - take the loss and run with it!! A loss is a loss and means you are still working toward your goal. Look back on the previous week and see if there are changes that you can make to your daily life to make it work for you. Even if they are small changes. I have basically gone up and back down to where I started. I haven't had a significant loss in weeks but I am living and learning as I go. You can do it girly!!

Megan - great workout!! I have thought numerous times about checking out a spin class but I don't know that I could survive 60 minutes of it.

Aly - well thats not necessarily the ideal way to wake up but I am soooo glad that you decided to use it to your advantage. I am sure that I would have rolled back over and gone to sleep.

Cait - great job conquering your run!! Your 2-mile race is gonna be a piece of cake!!

AFM...I had every intention of doing W1D2 of the push-challenge last night but after only getting 3 1/2 hours of sleep the night before, I was cuddled up in bed before I knew it. However, today I am rested and ready to conquer the world!! I think I still managed to stay within my calories though. And this weekend is the one and only weekend this month that I don't have big plans. So, I am hoping to make it count!! Next weekend I will be on my cruise and between the food and alcohol, it is likely to be an epic fail. But I still plan on packing my workout clothes and hope to hit the gym while I am on the boat!!

Oh and....I had some great victories yesterday! #1 - my stomach was feeling as though I had drank tons the night before. Usually when that happens, all I want is unhealthy food. And as I was leaving for lunch yesterday, I had every intention of getting some sort of burrito smothered in cheese and some sort of caloric filled sauce. But once I got to the place, I realized that it wasn't worth it and got a much better choice. #2 - we do cake once a month for all of the birthdays in the month. I am always the one to pick up the cakes, cut them, and distribute them. While I was picking them up, I had already made the decision that I wasn't going to have a piece. I could have made it work calorie wise but my sugar for the day was already really high. But once I opened them up and started cutting them, it smelled amazing. But I realized that working toward my goal meant more to me than even the taste of a single bite of cake in my mouth.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!! I know some of you ladies were having a rough day yesterday. I hope things turn around for you ladies today!!!

meagalayne

Quick little something. My comp is acting up right now... No idea what`s going on but I`ll figure it out. Sorry about any weird characters that may or may not appear in my post :ohwell:

Cait - WOOT!! :drinker: I posted on your status but I think it deserves another mention here. YOU KICK SO MUCH *kitten*!! :bigsmile: Realizing that running was 90% mental was probably the biggest kick-start Ive had along this whole journey. Knowing that I have the mental fortitude to push myself beyond my own limits has changed me so much as a person - In all facets of my life. I was a habitual excuse-maker until this year. I could always talk myself out of finishing anything - Id get to 90% and then quit because I was afraid of failing. But now that I know I can push myself well past my comfort zone and that it won`t kill me, I have become so much more confident. I feel capable of doing anything I set my mind to and persevering through any hardship that I am faced with, and that is a feeling I have never had before. I guess its just a huge boost in self-worth and kicking all that self-doubt to the curb - knowing that you can do it if you allow yourself to try. Keep it up Cait. I love seeing you succeed :bigsmile:

Aly - A swim? In the bay? In January? :noway: I have no idea how cold it is down there, but our bay is frozen over and folks are ice skating on it so I am going to venture a guess that you SHOULDNT be swimming in yours! Gah! Crazy lady Have a good time... I guess? :huh:

Megan - Sounds like a great spin class! I always try to push myself for one last sprint, or one extra rep, or 2 more mins at the very end when I feel like I have NOTHING left. More than anything its a way of proving to myself that there is no real `nothing left`-- If I want something, I have to just dig in and finish it! And after 45 mins or whatever, I know that my body isn`t so exhausted I can`t do one last sprint. I am capable of more than that. And once I finish I always have that `yea, that`s right. you show that treadmill who`s boss`moment and feel awesome for pushing myself one more step. Keep it up!

QOTD - I dont watch television at all, tbh, but a friend of mine got me into Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia a few years ago when I used to hang out at his place a lot. We watched the old seasons on DVD and then I got hooked. I ended up watching the whole series with him but then when I started dating Tyler he hadnt seen it, and so I got him hooked as well and now we`re just finishing up the 6th season together. It`s honestly the funniest show Ive ever seen - and so incredibly ridiculous and offensive. Totally wonderful. Other than that, the only thing I was religiously is Survivor - Im a total superfan and Ive seen every episode, ever. I know, I know... Horrible show! :blushing: I am well aware. But its an addiction... That`s a valid excuse here, right? hahaha

AFM - Work last night was alright, except the heat at our bar is not working presently and so I froze my *kitten* off all night. Weighed-in in today at 127.9lbs, which is still well within my maintenance range so I am not worried. I think last week`s loss was a total fluke so I am going to stay the course and just watch how much I eat. I feel like I am eating a LOT of food lately, so I`m going to just be diligent and aware. No major changes though.

Hoping that my weight gain this week is due to TOM - I haven`t had a regular cycle in a few months now, likely due to running, and so fingers crossed that is coming to an end. Not that I want my TOM to arrive, but its a nice safe-guard against pregnancy, that`s for sure! hahah

Today is my rest day and I`m not doing ANYTHING. Maybe some shoveling, out of necessity, but otherwise I`m just being lazy until work tonight. Eating and being merry. Have a great day everyone!
Meag

lostalykat

Finn- That is so awesome! If you are interested in running longer try doing time intervals. You can work your way from 7 minutes running 2 walking, to 6 minute run then 1 minute walk, and move up to 9 minute run 1 minute walk. I felt that when I started doing that I was able to go much farther. Just an idea

seripha

tjradd - I'm 5'6" and a bit in change. Why do you ask?

kls - New comers are always welcome Please post and keep us updated on your progress. You'll find lots of support here.

Kancrav - What? 1 lb? That's still very good! A loss is a loss I did notice though that you are using a lot of pre-pared stuff in your meals. I find that when I eat a lot of that stuff I tend to retain more weight. I don't know if your schedule allows it but if you can, try to make as much as possible from scratch. Then you know exactly what's in it and how much.

Meagan - TOM always gets me. I retain lots of water, no matter how much I drink. So I just pretty make it a rule that I don't weigh myself because the # will be misleading. Good job on keeping under your cals though. You'll probably see a big difference next week.

Aly - They were doing it at 4:30 am on a Friday morning? Not my first choice for doing that, but obviously they were having a good time if they work you up lol! Way to use it to your benefit though! I'd totally be making loud grunting noises as I did squats just to get back at them.

Finn - VERY GOOD JOB! Doesn't it feel amazing to accomplish something you set out to do? Now that you've gotten that milestone, what's your new goal? We want to keep supporting you

Guam - Good job on the cake thing. That took a lot of will power I bet.

Meg - I hope your TOM works out for you. It seems like a lot of people on here are TOM-ing. I wonder if you can sync cycles via the internet lol.

AFM - Had a BIG breakfast this morning with the boy, but did so with the plan that I'll be having light meals for the rest of the day and a good work out. I don't mind splurging on a good morning meal since it's much better than splurging on an evening meal.

BTW cleansing thing is already helping my IBS and I've noticed good things about my regular-ness. So far, it's doing what I want it to - help me digest my food and stay regular ^-^ Plus it's a good way of getting 2 cups of water in the morning.

finncmh

Thanks ladies for the congratulations and the encouragement. Not sure where I am at this point in terms of new running goal for the end of January... do you think being able to run the two miles by the end of January is a stretch? I dont want to overdo it and set myself up for failure either.

At this point I am definitely going to just keep trying to ad more time to what I am doing now.

Aly I liked your suggestion about how to do the intervals. Thats how I got to this point was doing weird intervals that felt good for my body. Just got to the point where I needed to push myself further and see where it would take me. Definitely want to keep extending that time. 2 mile run for sure in March and then after that 5k run here I come!!!!!

lostalykat

Seripha- Is that your name? Just curious. I definitely let my dumbbell drop loudly on the floor but I was worried it would wake up my bf who apparently could sleep through the whole thing. I guess my body was ready to get up and workout since I woke up and stayed up. This has happened before, my neighbor (who is also my friend) lives above me and her bedroom is right on top of ours. Her bf works at a bar so I guess they stay up pretty late. It was so bad one week they woke me up 3 nights in one week from 3:30-4:30 am, and I just had to tell her to cut it out. She always feels bad but dude seriously!!! Once I saw your height I feel a little better. you are 1 inch shorter than me so I can feel better about being heavier haha.

seripha

Finn - I would go for time spent running / jogging without a break, rather than distance. It's easy to see progression that way than by distance.

Aly - No, my name is Natalie. But Seripha has been my online moniker for at least 10 years now.

Taking a look at your photos it seems like you and I have very similar body types - broad shoulders and powerful legs. Good ol' viking woman bodies meant for holding a baby on one hip and brandishing a claymore in the other. We're meant for brute strength and survival, not idle sitting and being "delicate". Just so you know I have NEVER been under 150lbs except for when I was a teen and still going through puberty. Well I have once, but that was when I had mono and that wasn't healthy weight. So if I manage to go under 150 lbs I'll be AMAZED. I haven't lost any weight over the last week, but I've seen changes in my phyisque.

If our bodies are the same type, which I feel that they are, your blitzkreig of a work out schedule may not be the best thing if you're looking to drop a lot of weight. When I swam and was working out that much cardio I was 160 lbs with NO FAT. My pant size was an 11/12 from the muscles I built. Then I stopped swimming and dropped to a size 7/8 within a few months just from muscle atrophy. After doing the requisite "put on weight post swimming" like all the other athletes who continue to eat like they were still competing, I am now regularly between a 6 - 8 depending on the cut and brand. I have a good mix of cardio 4 x a week with 2x a week of stretching work outs (pilates and yoga) with 1 more light cardio (no more than 30 minutes) tacked on to the pilates or yoga. This works for me, it may not for you - but I would recommend giving it a go and see how it suits you

lostalykat

Seripha/Natalie- I am not sure which you prefer- I know what you are saying. I was looking in the mirror yesterday and I know I look stronger and more muscular than I did at 163, and that is 10 pounds less than what I am now. Shirts are fitting better at my waist and pants are just rough because I am so muscular in my thighs from cycling, and I love cycling. I am going to tough it out and see if I can get back to 165 and stay muscular and lose some the excess fat. With training I know I am going to be heavier. I just love training and I really love races. We will see what I end up doing but thanks for your perspective.

New Blog Post!!!
http://thiskatiskrazy.wordpress.com/2011/01/14/friday-funday/

meagalayne

Cait - Increase your distance by NO MORE than 10% every week. That's my advice. Might seem small but throwing yourself head first into a crazy running schedule is a recipe for disaster/injury. You'll get there - just takes time. Just keep at it - 3 times a week or so - and you'll see progress in other ways. How you feel after your run, how tired you get, how heavy your breathing is, how relaxed you feel. Work on making sure your form and posture are good and you are not tensing up. Aim for 1.5 miles by the end of Jan, at most. Then 2 miles by the end of Feb. I'd say that's a reasonable goal :happy: Just my $0.02. I know how much this thread loves all my unsolicited advice... :laugh:

jillybeanruns

I fail again with keeping up. I'll be non-selfish next week I promise. Turbo Fire 45EZ + HIIT 15 + Stretch 10 last night. B*tch of a workout after Wednesday's killer workout. My right ankle and knee were given out with all the plyo going on, but I stuck with it (stupidly). Was up packing until after midnight last night and stressing about life/interviews/blahness so I went over my calories mindlessly snacking. FAIL. It's something I rarely do and I have 20-25 miles on the books for this 3(!!!!!) day weekend so I'm trying to brush it off! Going to bed after midnight did not work well with my plan to get up and do Core 20 + Stretch 40 this morning at 4:30. Going out of town to my parents' house this weekend so after I head home, pick up the cat (he doesn't stay by himself ever...spoiled!), pack up the car and drive there I won't arrive until around 9. Probably just going to read a bit and go to bed so I can rest up for my run tomorrow, but I might surprise myself and get in the workout. It's been 2 weeks since I had a rest day (only because I was in NYC) so it's fine if I take one. Or so I'm trying to convince myself.

Long run + outlet shopping with my mom and sister tomorrow, then a bit of nephew time in the late afternoon/early evening. He left me a voicemail at work this morning and he said clear as day "HI JILL!". Makes me proud. I think "j" is hard, because he can say/learn everything else but not my name. His favourite is of course "kitty" which he screams, then points at my cat. Poor cat. 4ish mile run Sunday, more nephew/family time, then late lunch (sushi) with my best friend who I never get to see, then heading to a bar to drink some beer (eek!) and watch the Patriots demolish the Jets! And Monday is 7ish mile tempo run before my interview. Lots of good things going on this weekend in my world

I think I should win daughter of the year award, btw. I was going to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday with her tomorrow and take her on an overnight trip to the mansions in Newport. But then my sister decided we should buy a David Yurman bracelet for her. And because it's a $600+ bracelet, we decided to get it shipped to my house since NH has no tax and we save $40. So that means I have to drive back down to MA in 2 weeks...holy gas money. It's a much better idea as mom and I are heading to DC together, but holy OMG just dropped a hunk of cash on that gorgeous bracelet. It's only money, right? And you only get one mother in your lifetime?! I do love my mother, just have to tighten up my budget (stop buying running gear and fitness stuff) and I'll be golden. (Oh and getting ahead of myself here, but maybe perhaps in 2 weeks I'll have a new job to start and be scouting out apartments in MA?! I NEED for that to happen!)

finncmh

Cait - Increase your distance by NO MORE than 10% every week. That's my advice. Might seem small but throwing yourself head first into a crazy running schedule is a recipe for disaster/injury. You'll get there - just takes time. Just keep at it - 3 times a week or so - and you'll see progress in other ways. How you feel after your run, how tired you get, how heavy your breathing is, how relaxed you feel. Work on making sure your form and posture are good and you are not tensing up. Aim for 1.5 miles by the end of Jan, at most. Then 2 miles by the end of Feb. I'd say that's a reasonable goal :happy: Just my $0.02. I know how much this thread loves all my unsolicited advice... :laugh:

Meag- I LOVE your advice always- it always makes me think and thats what I like about advice. I like to be able to think and process and then make a decision for myself. Anyway- I think that this was perfect advice! Now that I have a better idea of what my body can really do (before it was definitely all mental) I will keep at it. Thanks again!!!!

lostalykat

A coworker just said that I am disappearing, and that I am looking slimmer. It feels good to hear that when I have been feeling discouraged lately. When I was thinking about it, would I rather be muscular and fit looking or skinny, I think I will take muscular!

meagalayne

Definitely, Aly!! Someone said I looked "muscular" the other day and I took it as such a wonderful compliment - I was over the moon! Glad you're feeling less discouraged today - Hope it stays that way!

Cait - Glad you don't find me pushy and obnoxious... Yet! haha I think it's easy to get ahead of yourself once you realize how hard you can push yourself. I try to hit a new goal every week to keep me motivated, but it's not always a distance goal. Sometimes It's to run with an incline, or to run a few small hills outside. If one week I couldn't make it to the top of a hill without walking, I'd commit myself to making it no matter what the next week. Small little goals but they add up and you feel so accomplished once you're done. Recognizing your progress by measuring things OTHER than distance and pace is a great way to stay motivated!

Off to work now, everyone. Struggled to keep my cals under 1500 today but so far I've succeeded :bigsmile: Hope you all have a GREAT Friday night and a wonderful start to your weekend! I'll be spending my night/Sat with the boy but I'll be back tomorrow evening to catch up
Meag

spellbinder25

:drinker:

tjradd73

kls1628-welcome to the group and great goals!!

Kandace-1 lb is still a loss and that is whats important!! just keep up the great work and you will keep having a great loss

Megan-just wanted to say great workout and that you have a great attitude

Cait-CONGRATS on meeting your Jan goal of running 1 mile straight! you got that one accomplished way early! wtg!

Guam-that is such a great workout that i threw in an extra workout today!! good luck on your cruise, and wtg on not giving into temptation this week!!

Seripha-i only asked because we weigh around the same and you look WAY smaller that i do...I am only 5'3"! must go back to body types and of course the height difference

QOTD-True Blood and Biggest Loser are my 2 fave shows right now...and when I get time I might add in ghost unters, vampire diaries, fringe, and amazing race

AFM-i did NOT get in all of my water yesterday so I am adding it to todays total which will bring me up to 16 cups!! yikes! i will for sure be peeing all night! LOL I did add in an extra workout though so 4/3 on that for the week and of course WI isnt until Wed so not stressin yet

allie7383

hey all! hope everyone is having a good day and planning great weekends! i'm off so i know I'm finally looking forward to it. just gotta get thru the next 8 hours of work first lol. I spent last night reading through the thread. Thanks for all the support for my spontaneous 1/2 marathon sign up lol. I'm really excited now b/c 2 of my girl friends want to do it with me! i have yet to get back into any running, since here in NJ we've been having on and off again snow storms, followed by cold temps, non-condusive to ice melting. Once of my biggest fears is slipping on ice, so i've been hesitant to go to the park. Got back into Turbo this week, and did Core 20, and 30 min of cardio today.
I ordered some things from Victoria's Secret and they sent me the swimsuit catalog, which I thought about plastering all over the fridge when I feel like binging lol. One of my non-scale victories this year is to get my first ever bikini and not look like a total whale in it!

Cait- big congrats on the running goal!! When I first started I was huffing and puffing and struggling to get thru a 1/4 mile. Just stick with it, and you'll be running that 2 miles no sweat!!

Meag- thanks for answering my sock question lol. I guess I'll stick with the cotton for now, and see if i can get a good deal at costco, which someone had mentioned, and go from there!

QOTD- I watch entirely too much tv lol.. Shows that I cannot live without: Dexter and True Blood.. High on my list of faves is Boardwalk Empire, The Office, and some trashy reality shows which I hate to admit I love watching haha..

have a great weekend everyone!!

LaurnWhit

Yay! I weighed in this am at 165.5! So, I have ten pounds to lose until my goal weight!! It is so mental because the closer you are to your goal weight the more you want to change it to 5 pounds less!!! My mind is saying....come on you could go for 150! So, my strategy is going for my goal weight of 155 and whatever I lose beyond that is a bonus....my thinking for today. Happy weekend!

finncmh

Been doing a lot of thinking the past few days and I am frustrated as heck! Dont read this post the wrong way as in I am frustrated and want to give up because that is SOOO far from the truth.

I am just feeling overwhelmed like maybe I am not doing the right things and everywhere I read and research there are just so many different conflicting opinions out there.

I have been doing really well with the working out every week and improving on that so I am really proud of myself, but now I really want to buckle down on the eating. Not even like I am eating too much (I mean I have my bad days) but if anything I am wondering if I am eating not enough with the extra workouts I am doing.

I have been researching eating cleaner and less processed foods and for the most part do a fairly good job with it. So I dont know. Im not asking you guys for the answers just needed to vent and be frustrated.

Im a planner and when I feel like I dont have a gameplan or my gameplan isnt as accurate as it should be I feel out of control. So blegh... thats where my mental state has been the past day or so. Feeling overwhelmed and out of control with my plan.

Just needed to rant

wardiemelissa

Sorry I've been MIA the last few days...the "stomach bug" has hit both my girls and my hubby so I have been quite busy cleaning and disinfecting :frown: hoping that it will pass right by me...I should know by tonight-seems to be a 2 day window! Although I haven't felt the best the last few days and haven't eaten a whole lot (think I was just anxious about getting sick and dealing with all the effects of the bug). Just drained and all I wanted to do is sleep! Thank goodness yesterday was my rest day. I actually had a cup of coffee and some breakfast and feel MUCH better! The girls must feel better too since they are arguing and yelling at each other :laugh:

I did weigh myself this morning just because I was curious to see where I was due to the insignificant eating the past few days and I weighed 120 lbs. This is where I wanted to be...but didn't want to do it this way. I know once I am feeling 100% it will porbably go back up a little and that's fine. I have adjusted my calories to maintainance...so here we go! I truly am ecstatic with my weight being around 125 and don't really need nor want to lose much more...the goal now is to tighten and tone!!!

I was also super excited because the 1/2 marathon that I signed up for and thought I would be running alone I have had 2 teachers I work with and 2 of my students' parents say that they want to run too! Not all of them are going to do the 1/2 but I still think it is great that they are making the committment to do the race! I thought it would be really cool if we had a whole team together of teachers, parents, and even students and had shirts made!!!!

QOTD: Favorite tv shows-I Biggest Loser (it is very motivating to see what they can accomplish-marathons!!) If they can do it so can I!!! Dexter, CSI, and any of the Law and Orders-but SVU is my fave!

It looks like we have all had our ups and downs this week! Keep working hard and making strides to our goals!!! I have a 3 mile run and possibly NMTZ (depending on how I feel) on tap for today!

Have a great Saturday everyone :drinker:
Melissa

nadine2unfit2bqueen

Hey,

Well I realise I had just joined and then dropped off the face of this thread for an entire week. Sorry all, it was NOT BY CHOICE!
But I am back, and committed! And holy THIS THREAD MOVES FAST! I've been trying to back read, but it took me nearly an hour to get halfway back to where I'd left off and I can't remember everything I wanted to reply to. Can I borrow someones memory for awhile? mine sucks I think my only safe course is to start fresh.

So AFM - this past week I got suckered into helping a friend with a contract she didn't have time for. What was meant to just be Sunday spilled over into working after my reg hours all week long. Ugh! I managed to fit in workouts wednesday (legs) and thursday (back + abs), and yesterday I finally put my foot down and said I couldn't help anymore. Freedom Yay!!

I had my longest training run ever yesterday - 25km. It took me forever (2hr40min) and it was absolutely POURING BUCKETS. I got halfway and wanted to cry; I was so cold, so sore (2nd day soreness from my leg workout wednesday - lesson learned), and so thirsty - I'd forgotten my water bottle holder. I had chosen pretty much an out and back route so there was no short cutting it. I had to run back or else miss my bus home. Needless to say I am spending today on the couch.

Ps apparently its not a good idea to combine painkillers and Gu before running. Causes gas. Oops.

meagalayne

Happy Sat everyone :happy:

Nadine- Welcome back! We're all still here This thread runs a mile a min (it's actually somewhat quiet today haha) so don't worry about always staying on top of things. Most people don't stalk the thread as much as I do so it's standard that you'll miss a few posts here and there. Make this thread work for you and try to be encouraging and supportive when you can. Give and take It's great hearing about your workouts and incredible runs! You are definitely motivating me to get out there - anything more than 3 miles right now is seeming impossible! 25k - What an accomplishment!

Melissa - Great job getting your run in. I know what you mean about the weight-loss and not having done it the way you wanted. Just listen to your body and see what happens to your weight once you are back to 100%. Who knows - Maybe 120lbs is just too low for your body. Im working on being toned and fit for the summer, as well. Weight-loss is on the back burner, maintenance has begun, and I am just trying to keep up with my fitness and strength to be as happy with my shape as I can be. The numbers are totally secondary right now!

Cait - I too am working really hard at eating clean - less processed foods, more produce, lean meats, dairy and whole grains/legumes. It can be really difficult to adjust but I definitely find that I am feeling healthier and I know that all my calories are quality calories. I find that it's way harder to get the "most" bang for my buck, calorie-wise, but I just have to adjust. Let me know if you are struggling with anything in particular and maybe we can work through it together. Any tips or advice, I'd love to hear it! It's definitely a change for the better, IMO It's very possible you are not eating enough with your workouts though. Try to make sure you HIT your calorie goal every day instead of being under it. Get as close as you can and eat those exercise cals. If you aren't losing weight it's very possible that you need to increase your intake, watch your sodium, and drink more. Try it and see. I'll keep an eye on your diary this week and see if I notice anything else that might be hindering your progress :happy:

I have to admit, I am feeling very discouraged today. I think I may just be in an "off" mood due to hormones or something else, but yea... It's a bummer. I'm struggling constantly with food. Not that I'm eating poorly but that I have a non-stop inner monologue about food. I never stop thinking about it. I am constantly counting - trying to figure out how to get the most protein out of my meals, or to maximize my cals, or how to space out my meals. Because I keep such an odd work and sleep schedule, meal times are all over the place and since I usually eat 5-6 small meals a day, it's really hard to actually eat meals with anyone else. At this point, I'm so aggravated/disappointed with my work/living situation that I really just wish I never had to eat with anyone else. It's a never-ending battle to meal-plan with people that don't share my same compulsion to eat clean, healthy stuff that *sort of* fits into my 40-30-30 diet. I know that I can't expect others to want to live my lifestyle or follow my food plan, but I almost wish I could just eat in solitude every day and stop feeling like I am always battling with the preferences of others and feeling guilt for wanting to just tell them I'd rather eat what I want to eat, and not bother preparing food together. This is particularly difficult with Tyler, because as much as I know he tries to accommodate my eating (and exercise) he just doesn't get it at all and he doesn't know what is and what isn't healthy/clean etc. He makes meal suggestions in an effort to pick things that might appeal to both our needs, and I feel like a complete jerk always saying "I'm not really sure I feel like having that" or I suggest things and they typically just revolt him... Considering moving in together in the next year, perhaps we'll just have to get used to eating differently but together. Who knows :ohwell:

Between battling with myself and my never-ending foodie brain and then dealing with everyone elses' food choices (my whole family is going out for Indian buffet tonight while I'm at the gym :noway: ) I'm just feeling a bit alone and overwhelmed, I guess. It doesn't help that I feel like a major FAIL trying to stick with my 40-30-30 diet but always blowing it on the carbs for the day. By 3pm I had already eaten through all but 24grams of carbohydrate (goddamn raisins, oatmeal and dal!) -- I knew I would end up being in the red a lot, especially at first, since it's a lofty goal for someone that doesn't eat THAT much meat to begin with, but it's still difficult seeing all that red and feeling like I am letting myself down. And since when does eating more protein make you feel fuller, longer? Yea, not so much. I feel like my hunger pangs have been ridiculous lately - deadly cravings for carbohydrates in all their forms! I'm really hoping it's just TOM cravings and I'll be able to get back to feeling good about food again soon... It's so love-hate right now, which makes me incredibly sad :sad: Because I love to cook and I love food and feeling this way is extremely disappointing.

Enough about that. Work last night was absurd - truly ridiculous. It was a "teen dance party" at the bar where they shut it down to folks over 19 y/o and have a night-club-esque affair for teens-only. This results in teenagers getting hammered and showing up and then being tossed out for over-intox (we threw out so many girls last night) and a whole lot of mouthy b*tches getting into cat fights on the dance floor. I had to break up two fights, and one of them ended up turning on me and trying to fight me in the middle of a giant crowd :laugh: Poor girl picked the wrong woman to mouth-off to, that's for sure. I may be tiny but I hold my own. I ended up just wrapping my arms around her and carrying her sorry *kitten* out of the club. She's just lucky she didn't take a swing at me :glasses:

And despite my food-issues with Tyler, I must say I sometimes feel like the luckiest girl ever for having him in my life. He actually drove out to my place (35 mins from his house) at 1:30am last night after having worked all day to be here when I got back from work and warm up my bed for me I am in a constant state of near-hypothermia and having worked all night and then commuting home I was desperate for a warm, cozy bed. He climbed in on my side while I was showering to warm it up - what a sweetheart! And then I got a cuddle-buddy for the rest of the night. Even on the worst of nights, having his arms wrapped around me to sleep seems to make things feel alright At least for a little while.

OK enough of that. I'm heading out to the gym to get some of those carbs back. Running and who knows what else. We'll see how strong I feel once I get there. I still owe about a million push-ups to the challenge and I may do some Arc Training if I am up for it. Long run tomorrow, though, so nothing too hard.

Keep at it ladies! You can do it :happy: One day at a time
Meag

mkingraham

Its a slow Saturday I see, which I hopes means people are out having tons of fun! The hubby and I went to the animal shelter today to see about adopting a dog, but they only had two dogs there both of which were listed as not good with kids- and while we don't have children now, we would like to have them in the next couple of years, so that just wouldn't work. He wasn't completely convinced on getting a dog right now any ways, so at least I didn't get attached.

I had a delicious breakfast before all of this, and then we decided to have a late lunch/early dinner out at carrabba's. Not the best choice, but one treat meal is ok I think. Plus I avoided the bread, and got green beans instead of mashed potatoes or pasta as a side so I was pleased with my will power. They don't have their nutritional information available online so I had to make some guesses. There was some info listed on MFP so I went with that as my calories and added a note that I am actually probably much higher since they didn't have everything that I ate available.

I have not exercised today, and seeing the time, probably won't be. I normally take Sunday's off but looks like I will be taking Saturday off instead. This is totally fine with me, I just have to push myself to go to the gym tomorrow. Since we don't have anything else planned for the weekend I think that this should not be a problem. Also seeing that I have Monday off as well I am going to try and use Sunday and Monday as major calorie burning workouts. I am thinking some interval training on the treadmill followed by some weight lifting and then maybe some cycling. I will simply see where the workout takes me!!

Now that I am done rambling about my day, let me say-

Nadine- I read the thread every day and I can't keep up with everything everyone is saying!! I just read it and use it for some motivation and when something peeks my interest I try and remember to respond back. I am hoping that eventually I will get the hang of keeping up with what everyone says!

Meag- I totally understand why you would be feeling the way you do about your food situation. It is extremely difficult to stay motivated and true to yourself when everyone around you seems to be moving in the opposite direction, especially when it comes to being healthy. My only advice is, stick to your guns. When your boy suggests something for dinner maybe come back with a suggestion of sharing a side dish but going different routes with your main dishes- or using similar ingredients, but making slightly different things. This way you are still eating the way you want to, but he feels like he is indulging in the things he wants to.

When I was living with 3 other ladies a couple of years ago, they were lucky enough to be able to eat whatever they liked and their metabolisms kept up with them. It was very difficult to eat what I knew would be good for me. I just let them know that I was trying to move down a healthier path and so I probably wouldn't be eating the same meals as them and that I wasn't trying to be rude I was just trying to be healthier. They understood and even offered to start trying new things. I mostly cooked for just myself, but once a week they would try a healthier meal that I made. It may not always be that easy or stress free, but you have to remember that you are number one. Stick with it and don't let one crappy day of emotions get you down!

I hope everyone continues to have an amazing weekend!!

Megan

spellbinder25

I ran my 1st 30 minutes today :drinker: Distance covered was 2.5 miles @5mph. Now I'm thinking of not repeating C25K weeks as I've been doing since I'm feeling more confident. I plan on proceeding per the C25K schedule. This way I'll be able to run my 1st 5k this month!!

Foodwise I'm still not doing good :grumble: Hopefully will eat healthy rest of the month! Good night & hope you all are having a good weekend.

tjradd73

Laura-great job on the WI!

Cait-you are doing great!!! keep doing what you are doing...and as I said before (and Meag too) try watching your sodium and make sure that you are getting your water!!! little steps at a time...if you try following everything you read all at once you may have a very difficult time following through with it...baby steps!!

Melissa-i hope you and your family are feeling better! and even though you didnt get to your goal weight by the way you meant still great job getting there!!

Nadine-welcome back! and great job on the run!

Megan-you def seem to have a great plan! wtg!

Spellbinder-you are doing fab with your running and I cant wait to hear about your 5K!! you will get there with your eating...just try to stay focused!

AFM-my water intake is getting harder and harder!! someone slap me and tell me to just drink it!! LOL other than that is was my rest day today, WI isnt until Wednesday! AND...i just bought myself an elliptical today!! i havent set it up yet but I cannot wait to get on it and get going!! i have been wanting one forever and a really good one dropped $100 so i had to get it!! it has electric resistance and the HR monitor and calories burned calc, and to top it off even a water bottle holder! WOOHOO!!! so excited