The Gettin' Skinny Scrapper

Pardon the Interruption....

2011-03-16T10:49:00.000-07:00

...as I attempt to get a grip....

nothing productive or inspiring to write at the moment
hopefully I'll be back soon
and back on track soon

Fat Free Holiday Baking

2010-12-13T14:06:00.000-08:00

Holiday traditions don't have to be all about the food - my son and I "baked" up these charms using the Cricut Imagine machine and some Shrinky Dink film. It was a fun activity that took actually the better part of a day to do (needed 2 trips to Michaels to get the various supplies and we botched up the first set - haha) but even the mistakes were fun and we ended up with a homemade gift for my nieces and nephews.

On a food note, I am finally feeling back in control of things. I'm not back into an exercise routine yet, but I am way more active and am back to eating a large quantity of vegetables each day. And I mean large as in 2-3 fruits plus about 5-6 servings of vegetables/legumes (according to normal American diet standards) per day. It is funny that I can see a direct relationship to my weight loss and the amount of vegetables I eat. It's almost like they insulate my body from absorbing all of the other stuff. I'm looking forward to some White Bean and Kale soup for dinner tonight.

Countdown to Christmas

2010-12-08T08:15:00.000-08:00

Ok, my posts seem to be quarterly of late, and the weight tracker (right column) shows it. My Second Year weight is moving in the wrong direction!! Maintence is difficult, and the one problem I have is lack of exercise. When I was exercising (even 3 times/week) I was able to maintain my weight around 122. Although I got down to 118 last year, that weight is very difficult for me to maintain, so after reflecting on my journey, I've decided that 122-123 is a good weight for me to strive to maintain. Now that we are headed into the holidays, I need to get these 5 pounds or so off, so I don't wind up back where I started when the holidays are over.

Exercise. That is what I need to incorporate at this point. When I had to stop exercising due to an injury last October, my weight stayed around 120 for several weeks. I'm convinced that I had changed my metabolism by the months of consistent running I did beforehand. After a while, though, sporadic running wasn't enough to hold down my weight and I find myself here in December not being able to remember the last time I laced up my running shoes to hit the trail. I stare at my treadmill everyday thinking I need to get myself back on there. However, I am not a big fan of the treadmill, so I need an exercise plan. I am working on getting that together and will post as I go - I'm sure it will be a work in progress.

In the mean time, here is a simple recipe that my whole family has been enjoying recently:

Roasted Cauliflower

Wash, Core and Separate Florets of one or two heads of Cauliflower. Place in mixing bowl and add the slightest drizzle of olive oil and a few shakes of Spike seasoning, turing to coat. Place on a baking sheet lined with foil and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes (until the florets start to brown).

Enjoy! Leftovers (if you have any) are great cold the next day.

I hope to get back on track and posting regularly as we head into the heart of the holiday season. I would love to hit the 122-123 mark before Christmas.

HIATUS

2010-07-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

WOW - has it really been since the middle of May since I have checked in here???
Time passes very quickly in the summer for me. Juggling work and kids camps and vacation and tournaments...it is hard to keep up. I have had my ups and downs during this time.

On the negative side:

I saw my weight creep up to as much as 126 after I returned home from the beach.
I have struggled with eating as much plant food as I would like - mainly from lack of time set aside for grocery shopping and the produce selection at my local grocery store wasn't that great for awhile.
A close family member was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes and that was a shocker. I thought that disease was reserved for overweight people who ate junk food. This person is thin and their diet was not that bad from SAD standards, but they did eat a lot of sweets. I have often joked that I am the type of person that would rather skip the meal and just eat dessert - so this really hit home. One of my new goals is going to be to reduce my sugar intake as much as possible. Being thin does not automatically mean you are healthy.

On the positive side:

I hit the one year mark on my journey to health and have accomplished each goal I set out to achieve.
I was able to wear a bikini at the beach (ok, I'm not sure if I looked any good in it but I felt ok wearing it so that is a huge improvement from where I was last year)
Learning of my family member's Diabetes diagnosis really shocked me back into gear. I have been running again, keeping my food journal all day, reducing sugar, and am back to extra large quantites of plant food in my diet.

I intend to go back to weekly reports here and plan to include information on new foods I am trying and of course, what I am reading at the moment. If you have been following this blog, you will know that reading books on health and nutrition is a hobby of mine. I still have a few more chapters in The China Study to go, but took a break from it for a while for other reading. Hope everyone is doing great!!

PS My new running shoes are great!!

New Shoes and New Inspiration (I hope!)

2010-05-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

A year ago in June, I purchased running shoes from NikeTown in Chicago. That was the place to go for a shoe fitting let me tell you! I needed a stability shoe because I have weak ankles and tend to pronate. I was so excited to see all the colors and styles, and then my excitement faded as I saw the stability shoe I needed (the Equalon 3) only came in one color scheme - white with hospital blue trim - it was very sterile and orthopedic looking. But I knew I was buying the shoes for fit, comfort and support so the colors weren't a big deal but it was a bit disappointing.

Fast forward one year and I am in need of new running shoes. I've earned them! I would have needed new shoes sooner, but I had to take a few months off of running due to my hip injury. I had good luck with the Equalon 3 so I went out to Nike.com and did a search. Imagine my surprise when I saw that the Equalon 4 was out, and offered in several different colors!! Woo-hoo! I ordered the purple scheme - here they are:

They will take about a week to get to me, but I am hoping once they arrive I will have renewed motivation to run. I'm still using Nike+ to track my runs and totally recommend the program to all runners, whether you are a beginner or a pro.

Struggling to Maintain

2010-05-14T12:32:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad blogger lately - I haven't had too much new to report and have really been struggling over the last few weeks - my weight has gone up to 126/127 at one point and it took a lot of effort to get it back down.

The good news is that I am running again and my hip injury seems to have healed (thankfully!). But running is not coming as easily to me as it was before. I just have to stick to it and hopefully it will get easier.

I'm reading the last of my Christmas books at the moment, The China Study...

...and let me tell you I am scared to eat just about anything now - haha. I read all nutrition books with a critical eye so there are a few issues I have with this book, but the general premis that a diet largely comprised of natural plant foods protects against cancer and other diseases is hard to dispute. So have an extra serving of green veggies today!!

When you get to the end of your rope.....

2010-03-11T09:59:00.000-08:00

Tie A Knot and HANG ON!

Ok, I've been hanging on now for months and I have been losing my grip these last few weeks.
We were all sick which threw everything off to begin with (the virus I mentioned in my last post actually turned out to be strep throat)
then
I got extra busy at work
then
Hubby got extra busy at work
then
Both boys have activities just about every night - baseball season is underway, coupled with select soccer for my older son and karate for my younger son
then
4th Grade homework and projects and studying, oh my

and worst of all, due to all of the above, we have had several 'last minute' changes to our schedules.

I am NOT a last-minute kind of person.

I suffer from anxiety

I am a Type A-neurotic-listmaker-planner type of person

Toss me into situations where I need to adjust as I go and you are asking for disaster.

Case in point:

I haven't journaled my food all week.

I ate 5 Samoas last night. F-I-V-E. Sigh.

Did I mention I am not a last-minute kind of person??

Ok, so I am committed to getting a grip on things.

Step One is to recognize the problem. For someone like me Chaos in life = Chaos in health

Step Two is to plan for chaos. I need to have some grab and go snacks ready. I haven't been able to get to the grocery store as often lately so I need to start scheduling that in. I usually am pretty good about this but not so lately.

So many of my pages of my food journal are only half complete. I do great during the day, but once the evening chaos hits I blow it. New goal is to force myself to complete the food journal daily.

This weeks episode of The Biggest Loser was great for me - they had the contestants work a full day and therefore they needed to plan out their food in advance and plan in their workouts. I need to make sure that I am doing this!

Hope you all are doing great, or at least hanging on to the knot at the end of your rope until things turn around!!

1 to 2, 2 to 3, 3 to 4, YIKES! The pounds creep back on...

2010-02-19T11:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, between the holidays and not exercising regularly, my weight seemed to settle in around 120. This week I hit 122 - a weight I haven't been in months. This past week was rough:
(1) Virus circulated around our house, first I was home with DS2, then I was sick, then I was home with DS1 when he got it.
(2) Being home and not feeling well means that I was basically lounging around all day watching the Olympics and eating. I tried to eat healthy, but with all the Valentine's Day candy in the house that was just not happening. Plus popsicles felt so good on my sore throat. Even though I had the all fruit kind, that is still way too much sugar.
(3) Despite being ill, I went out for a fancy dinner on Valentine's Day with my hubby and overinduged in food and drink. It was soooo good though!

The virus has left the house, we are back into our normal routine, and hopefully soccer practice will resume next week if the weather is mild so I can get back to running. I SO don't want this weight to come back so I need to do something about it before this 4 pounds turns to 8!! Catching it early and getting back on track is key!

Hope everyone out there had a better week than I did.

Still Going, a New Book, and The Far Reach of Broccoli

2010-02-10T11:48:00.000-08:00

I realize I haven't been posting as much on here, so I'm hoping I will go back to at least 1 post per week. I am doing great maintaining my weight-loss for the most part by eating a nutrient-dense diet. Exercising is still a challenge for me. I have the best intentions but then it doesn't seem to happen. I really need to find my groove soon because I see my body fat percentage creeping up lately!

I've gotten through most of the Dr. Furhman books I received for Christmas (listed here) and am in the process of reading another book by him titled "Disease Proof your Child."

I'll be making some of the recipes from his books and posting about them soon. My getting-healthy endeavor includes making sure my family is healthy as well. My boys have always eaten way healthier than most American children - but of course there is a lot of room for improvement under Dr. Fuhrman's standards. [Side Note: I need to stop referring to him in the house though because the other day I asked Jack to make his bed and in a sarcastic tone he answered "Why, does Dr. Furhman think I should?" Enough said.]

I have really stepped up the fruits and veggies lately, been trying out new foods, and been talking about nutrition quite a bit. We had a incident eating out that made me feel great and is worth sharing. We went out to dinner at a Chinese resturant over the weekend and instead of ordering two entrees and sharing them (as we used to do b/c it is family style), we only ordered one chicken dish and a large plate of steamed broccoli. Well, the broccoli plate was just as large, if not larger, than the chicken plate and was perfectly cooked - bright green and still somewhat crunchy (and if you've been following this blog at all you know how much I love broccoli!). We all enjoyed it very much. Towards the end of our meal, a woman who had been sitting at a table near ours walked over and said,

"Excuse me ma'am but can I ask you how you get your children to eat all those vegetables??"

I thanked her for noticing and told her it is not always easy but I just keep trying. After she left, Jack said "You really liked that question, didn't you Mom?" You bet I did. My husband's comment was the best though - he said what is really sad is that it is such an unusual sight to see children eating (and enjoying) vegetables that someone had to actually stop and ask about it. So now I feel like I'm not just setting an example for my family, but my family can be helping to set an example out in the community. Broccoli knows no bounds -- Pass it on!

Beware of Sucralose!

2010-01-26T10:52:00.000-08:00

My food label reading has expanded to not only include the info in the box, but also to include a detailed reading of the ingredients in what I am eating. Since I have been trying to eat mostly all natural foods and watching my sugar intake, I have noticed that a lot of foods labeled "Low Sugar" or "Reduced Sugar" actually contain an artificial sweetener. Now it used to be that those foods would have a nutri-sweet or splenda (more recently) logo somewhere on the package so one would instantly know there was an artificial sweetener involved. But nowadays these packages are in natural colors sans logo, and include whole grains -- giving the appearance of a wholesome natural choice. But buyer beware and READ THOSE LABELS! I recently found that the Quaker "Low Sugar" and "Weight Control" oatmeals include the artificial sweetener 'sucralose' - same thing as splenda. Yes I know Splenda is supposed to be safe, yada yada, but do some googling on sucralose and you'll find it linked to a myriad of problems in large quantities. Anyhow, I just want to know what I am eating so I'm reading the ingredients on all food packages very closely now. My goal at reducing my sugar intake is not to simply substitute and fill myself with tons of artificial chemicals. No thanks - I think I'd rather have the actual sugar!

A Day Without Sugar.....

2010-01-20T11:22:00.000-08:00

Seriously - I did it. And if you are thinking 'no big deal' then you need to read the ingredients on everything you eat. In all kinds of foods from whole grain bread to ketchup, there is refined sugar snuck in there somewhere.

One benefit of keeping a daily food journal for a long period of time is that you can see hunger patterns. I probably eat less sugar than most people, and the sweets I eat are not considered 'bad' foods (well except for those Christmas cookies, but that is a different story!). I hardly eat any sugar during the day, but after dinner my sweet tooth takes over. Low fat granola bars or even just plain old cereal. Once I eat something sugary, then it just seems to make me hungrier. I've discovered that my nighttime eating adds nothing but sugar and calories and an increased appetite. So yesterday I decided I was going to go 100% refined sugar free and see how I did. Interestingly, my calories for the day were only at about 1000 and I was not hungry (except immediately after dinner when I had my typical sweet craving which I was able to satisfy with a small glass of fruit and vegetable juice). I also had enough energy to run 2 miles on the treadmill. Who knew?! So what did I eat yesterday? Here it is:

Plain Oatmeal (no flavor) to which I added one spoon of ground flax seed, one chopped up date and 4 chopped up almonds.
Apple
about 1 cup raw broccoli
about 1/2 cup raw carrots
about 1/2 cup raw sugar snap peas
Bok Choy and White Bean Soup (my own recipe, don't ask for it, it was not good but I ate it anyway)
1/2 large Sweet Potato
Small glass of V8 Fusion fruit/veggie juice
A few carrots and about 1 tbs Hummus
3 dates and 12 small almonds (put together and rolled in flax seed - my short cut date-nut poppers)
Lots of water with lemon juice for flavoring

Dr. Fuhrman says, everything other than plant food should be a condiment. Many of my days I have sugar as a condiment, but now I'm confident that I can have more and more sugar free days. Now if I could only get my family on board.........

Triple Berry Tart Recipe!

2010-01-10T19:38:00.000-08:00

School was cancelled last week due to snow, so I was home with the boys all day. I do really well eating during the work week because my job keeps me busy and there is no food handy. Needless to say I was a bit nervous about being home all day from an eating standpoint (I often think if I was a stay-at-home Mom that I would be obese!). Anyhow, knowing that my sweet tooth would get the best of me at some point, I made this easy Triple Berry Tart to snack on:

Here is my recipe which has much less sugar than most 'normal' tart recipes. Suggested alterations are noted below. This is not necessarily a 'healthy' recipe, but a reduced sugar and reduced fat version.

1 14oz. bag frozen blueberries
1 14oz. bag frozen raspberries
1 14oz. bag frozen blackberries
4 tbs. cornstarch*
1/3 cp. white sugar*
Topping:
1 cp. Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal
1/2 cp. instant oatmeal (plain)
1/3 cp. shredded coconut
2 tbs. whole wheat flour
10 pecan halves, finley chopped/crushed
1/3 cp. brown sugar
3 tbs. light margarine, melted (I used Parkay light sticks)

Toss frozen berries with cornstarch and sugar. *Note that there was still quite a bit of liquid after cooking - next time I would increase the cornstarch or add tapioca to thicken the sauce (rather than increasing the sugar, as most recipes call for 1 cup of sugar). Spread evenly into ungreased pie dish (I used a Pampered Chef stoneware pie dish). Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. While baking, mix topping ingredients in separate bowl until well blended (break up any large clusters of cereal as needed). After initial berry cooking, remove pie dish from oven and spread topping evenly over top of berries. Retun to oven and bake 30 minutes or until topping begins to brown. Allow to cool somewhat before eating so sauce can thicken. Enjoy!!

Still am trying to reduce the sugar in my diet, doing ok, but still craving sweets. I'm wondering if I need to go cold turkey for awhile to allow the cravings to pass.

Resolutions

2010-01-07T13:34:00.000-08:00

So I'm a bit late in actually posting my 2010 Resolutions because I really wanted to make sure my goals were challenging but attainable. So here they are (well the ones related to health anyhow):
(1) Reduce the amount of sugar in my diet. I am proud to say that overall I eat very healthy - way more fruits and veggies than the average person - but my one downfall is my sweet tooth. I would love to say I was going to cut out sugar alltogether, however, sugar is in so many things that would not be realistic. Therefore, my resolution is to greatly reduce the sugar in my diet - substituting natural sweet foods like fresh or dried fruits when possible, choosing low sugar versions of various foods/condiments, etc.
(2) Stepping up my Nutritarian diet. I really moved towards Dr. Fuhrman's goal of 80-90% nutrient dense plant foods last year, but still could make a few other adjustments. I'm probably at a 60-70% rate on average, so I'd like to step that up to 70-80%. Reducing sugar will help, but I also need to break out of my broccoli rut and incorporate new vegetables into my diet. I am still keeping my food journal but really only for calories and to determine plant food percentages. I might try to make my own new version of a food journal for purposes of this quest.
(3) Get back into running. My hip injury sidelined me in September and I've never quite found my groove again. I have tried other exercises, but nothing gives me the feeling that running does. So I may need to go slow or get some PT to help along the way, but I'm bound and determined to get back into it. I plan to look for and sign up for a 5k in the next few months. Maybe I can find a St. Patty's Day run somewhere.

Ok, so that is where I am for now. I'm proud that I have been able to maintain my weight loss despite my injury and the holidays, but I know there is more I can do to get myself into a totally healthy lifestyle. The Christmas cookie stomach and head ache sent me a message loud and clear that I feel so much better when I am eating ultra healthy!

Ok, So the Cookies are Catching Up to Me...

2009-12-30T12:40:00.000-08:00

Scale was up a bit this week, but I think I am also retaining water. My scale also shows water levels (even though I don't post those on my weight tracker) and yesterday it was 54% (I am usually 52% water). It is creepy to think that we are made up of so much water - LOL! Anyhow, I'm not going to panic about being up a bit - the holidays are almost over. We're hosting New Year's at our house, so I can control the food offerings. After attending several holiday events where I had to scrounge from the provided food, I realize that being in control of your meals is half the battle of the holidays. I'm in the process of trying to memoralize my New Year's Resolutions. I've got an idea of what I am going to 'resolve' but haven't put pen to paper yet. I will post my official resolutions on January 1, 2010.

Wishing Everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year!!

Holding Steady and New Books!

2009-12-27T13:11:00.000-08:00

Boy, cookies might be my biggest food challenge ever. My food journal this past week is comical - mostly healthy but with a few entries of "6 Cookies" here an there - LOL! Moderation is going well, with the exception of Christmas Day itself - I think I ate mostly cookies on that day - but my body didn't let it slide by - I went to bed with both a stomach ache and a headache. Yesterday was a 'detox' day for me, full of tons of fruits and veggies and water.

I did get a few inspirational healthy items for Christmas. If you have followed this blog at all, you know that I love to read health and nutrition books, and that I am a fan of Dr. Joel Furhman. So I was very happy to unwrap the following books:

This 2 book set is somewhat of a continuation of his best-selling book, Eat To Live (a MUST read for anyone interested in good health). To Dr. Fuhrman, getting skinny is really a side-effect of getting healthy. I probably should have named my blog The Gettin' Healthy Scrapper! I also received this companion guide, which is a handy reference to the level of nutrient desity of various foods:

The last Dr. Furhman book I received may seem radical, and NO I don't intend to try any kind of fast, but I do find the medical theories fascinating:

I've never been one to believe in the idea that we all need to eat breakfast right when we wake up, and then eat every few hours all day long. Anytime I have followed that philosophy, I haven't been able to lose weight. I have learned that it is OK for my stomach to be empty, and I actually have been able to manage my weight better by not eating breakfast, and by not eating constantly all day, so this book title intrigued me.

Ok, the last book I received is not a Dr. Furhman book, but it is a famous book on nutrition analyzing the findings of the most comprehensive study of nutrition ever conducted:

So, it looks like I will be super busy reading the first few months of the year! If you are interested in getting healthy and losing weight, I encourage you to read as much as you can about health, nutrition and fitness - and to do so with a critical eye. There is a lot of mis-information out there, and a lot of conflicting information, so you need to read several books and follow what makes the most sense to you. I hope everyone had a a happy and blessed Christmas!!

Final Weigh-In Before the Holidays!

2009-12-22T12:09:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I've been eating way too many Christmas cookies, but have otherwise been keeping my eating in check. So what is your plan for actual holiday festivities?? We are headed to my in-laws for Christmas Eve, so I am going to be sure to bring a big veggie tray so I know there will be someting I can snack on without worry.

For Christmas morning, I plan to make my special French Toast which my boys love. I will have some too, but also am going to have a large fruit tray out to munch on so I don't go overboard with the French Toast.

Moderation is the key. Don't deprive yourself - just exercise portion control and don't just allow yourself to 'graze'. I'm also going to squeeze in a brisk walk or jog on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day just to keep my metabolism going.

Merry Chrismas to all!

Weighing In Tomorrow...

2009-12-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

...and it's not looking good. This past weekend started the holiday baking and a cookie here, then a cookie there, then....well...you get the drift. No exercise either b/c I have lingering congestion from this sinus infection. I should be able to get some movement in tomorrow night, but for now I'm nervous as to what the scale may read in the AM.

Checking-In and Recipe Sharing!

2009-12-08T21:17:00.000-08:00

Just watched The Biggest Loser Finale - so glad Danny won - I really liked him. That show always motivates me - I was hungry tonight but opted for a banana and a glass of water instead of a granola bar and a diet soda - same calories, but guess which one is better for you?! Anyhow, I'm hanging in there with my weight. I'm sporadically exercising, still not back into my groove yet, but hopefully I will be there soon. I am not going to beat myself up over it - just going to try a few different approaches and see what sticks through the winter. I'm temporarily sidetracked with a sinus infection - I am so not a fan of being ill. Ugh. Hope everyone else is doing great. I thought I would start to add a quick recipe idea to this blog every now and then. Here is a super fast one from my sister, Kristen. I named it : )

"Slow Cooker Chicken Salsa-lighto"
1 jar of your favorite salsa (I love peach mango)
3-4 chicken breasts, rinsed (ok if frozen)
1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained)
Wheat tortillas

Add a few spoons of salsa to bottom of slow cooker and arrange chicken breasts on top as evenly as possible. Cover chicken with remainder of salsa. Spread black beans on top (do not mix in). Slow cook all day (6-8 hrs on low). Once cooked, take two forks and shred chicken breasts. Gently mix everything together. Serve on warmed tortillas.

This is fantastic tasting, healthy, and sooooo easy to make!! Enjoy!

New Scale, New Motivation!

2009-12-01T11:23:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I survived Thanksgiving without too much damage. I didn't deprive myself, just exercised portion control and ate as many veggies as possible. I also did a brisk walk/jog with my sister on Thanksgiving day to get my metabolism going before dinner. I hope everyone else did well and had a blessed Thanksgiving.

I decided it was finally time to replace my 15+ year old bathroom scale. I had heard great things about the Tanita scales because they also measure your body fat by sending a mild, harmles charge through your body (way more accurate than skin calipers, but of course not as good as a DEXA or hydrostatic scan).

So I bought a Tanita scale at Bed Bath and Beyond. This is the one I ended up with Model BF-679W. It measures weight, body fat and water.

I originally bought a more expensive model with more features (it also measured bone density and calculated your metabolic age), but it was complicated to use and slid around on my tile floor. So I exchanged it for this one that was on clearance for $34!

I was a bit nervous that I would weigh like 5 pounds more on the new scale, but was happy to see that my old scale was no more than a pound off. I did all the readings for both myself and DH or the original more complicated scale, and we both got a big chuckle that my metabolic age was 14 and his was 31. So now I keep telling him this marriage is not legal! I wouldn't put too much emphasis on that age thing though as far as accuracy goes - I totally don't feel 14! LOL!

So this AM on my new scale, I weighed 119.4 and had 22.5% body fat and 53.5% water. All within a healthy range for me. I'm hopeful the fat percentage calculation keeps me on track to exercise. My Nike+ Mini is getting mad that I'm not running more often (check her out by scrolling down and looking for her on the right hand column of this blog).

It's a Groove Thang.....

2009-11-18T10:26:00.000-08:00

...and I currently don't have one!!

I am a creature of habit - one of those people who orders the same thing in a restaurant every time - makes a list for everything and does best when sticking to a schedule. But life doesn't always cooperate. Just when I'm finally able to run again, daylight savings time hits and the weather changes, so my old routine of running outside when my 9 year old has evening soccer practice is history. That was my 'thang' and it worked so well for 16+ weeks. Now it is too dark to run in the park next to his practice field, and outdoor practices are coming to an end soon anyhow.

SOOOO - I'm in desperate need of new groove thang. Anyone want to give me theirs???

Morning runs would be great, but I just can't seem to get myself going to run before work. I can barely take a shower without first having a cup of coffee. I have a great treadmill, but I get bored so quickly on it. My runs seem so much longer on the treadmill than they do outdoors. But evening outdoor runs are not an option for me - I won't run outside in the dark. I sure hope I can get myself into a new groove before the holidays. I baked a batch of peanut butter kiss cookies the other day 'for my boys' and I've been munching on them ever since - yikes!!

Holding Steady and Wearing Red!

2009-11-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

Talk about holding steady - my weight has only fluctuated within a 3 pound range for the last several weeks, but I am most often at 120 - and have been on every weigh in day for the last several weeks! Halloween was a disaster for me though - my boys were on fall break so I took 2 days off of work only to be surrounded by days of neverending candy. I tried to keep in under control, but I have had a handful of days over the 2000 calorie mark, so I'm sure it will catch up with me soon if I don't get back on track! So today I did just that - end of the day calorie total for me: 1355. Tomorrow I hope to do some walking/jogging.

Before I forget though, I wanted to do a quick update on the Nike+ Human Race 10k - I actually did it!! Here I was on 10/24, wearing RED - a total power color!

No, I didn't run the whole thing - only about 2 miles of it, but I walked the rest. I was SO proud of myself for doing it - my hip hurt for the last 2-3 miles and I probably should have stopped because it put me back out of commission and I haven't even so much have walked since (hopefully that will change tomorrow). The shirt I am wearing in the photo, I had won in a Nike+ challenge leading up to the 10k before my injury. The day after the race, I bought myself a red long sleeve t-shirt to wear with jeans. It feels good to wear red!!

The Fountain of Skinny - Could it be broccoli???

2009-10-22T12:31:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it may not be the fountain of youth, but could it be something to help manage body weight? Since beginning this journey, I have consistently eaten about a cup of broccoli per day (oftentimes more). Raw broccoli with lunch, and sometimes steamed broccoli with dinner. I haven't been able to run in weeks due to my hip injury, but I have been able to maintain my weight loss. Could broccoli be the key? I'm not sure, so I'm not taking any chances!

No meetings today so I wore my jeans to work....my new jeans that I had to buy because my old jeans are falling off...my new size 2 jeans....ehhemm....did you see that...SIZE 2! And this is no Talbots size 2, these are from The Gap - Boot Cut Size 2 jeans! And yes, I can breathe! Ok, so I know sizes have changed, and the new 2 is the old 4, yada yada, but I can't help feeling on cloud 9 that something I'm wearing is a size 2 - I don't think I've ever worn a 2 before...ever!

The hip is improving but not good enough for running yet. Looks like I will be walking the Nike+ 10k on Saturday in two installments. Hope everyone is doing great. I'm sorry I haven't checked in in weeks - I'll try to get back to a weekly post going forward.

120!!! 120!!! 120!!!

2009-09-29T09:25:00.000-07:00

Woo-Hoo!! 120 this am! I can't believe that I have lost 18 pounds!! What a great feeling. Journaling what you eat and exercising WORKS!!

These last 2 weeks have been tough from a running standpoint. Two weeks ago, I noticed that the muscles on the right side of my hip were hurting - not too bad - but enough to be annoying. I didn't think much of it, and then I had a busy week so I figured it was probably good to give everything a rest anyhow - but worried that I would get out of my routine.

So last Tuesday when I went to run, I purposfully ran in the opposite direction around the trail thinking that maybe the curve of the trail was irritating my hip. I ran through the pain and did just over 5 miles. I was feeling on top of the world, but the next day and for the rest of this past week, my hip was SORE. So I haven't run since then and have been using the heating pad and Motrin to help the pain. I made an appointment to see and Orthopaedic doctor tomorrow am, so I'll get the official word then.

For exercise, I have done my arm weights several times and my 8 Minute Abs video once. I adjusted my calorie intake to 1200 (I'm ususally around 1450) to account for the lack of running. So I was surprised that the scale was down 2 pounds this week. It may be a fluke so I won't panic if I'm up a bit next week, but for now now I'm enjoying it! Tonight, I plan on doing some walking and will see how that goes as far as my hip is concerned.

The Biggest Loser is on tonight, so that always helps in the motivation department too! Hope everyone is having a great week!!

Checking In

2009-09-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

A few pics of me and the fam on my birthday last week - I turned 38 (did I just type that???)...

I weighed 122 on my birthday, and have stayed at that weight until today. Not bad for 5'5".

So, down another pound this week.

I can hardly believe it!

Life has been busy lately and I haven't had a chance to run as much as I would like. I was worried this would be the end of the line b/c I knew the day would come when life would get in the way of my running.

Trip out of town,

followed by family in town,

followed by birthday with pineapple upside down cake (my fav),

followed by school open house,

followed by being a bit under the weather, then just when I was feeling better the Mayweather/Marquez fight was on pay per view and we went to a party to watch (yes, I am a closet boxing fan).

BUT I adjusted my calorie intake when I could (and didn't panic when I couldn't). I just got back on track and my weight this am tells me I'm doing ok.

Tonight I ran over 5 miles, after not having run for a week.

I'm finally feeling like I am in control!!

Hope everyone had a great week!

Whirlwind!!!

2009-09-15T06:36:00.000-07:00

Wow - I can't believe it has been two weeks since my last post! I've had a lot going on lately - including a trip out of town which can be disaster for someone watching their weight.
BUT ;;;I'm here to tell you that a little planning goes a long way!
We had a long road trip, so I packed individual baggies of broccoli and carrots. I also popped some kettle corn and packed that as well. Didn't forget the apple-grape bites too.
Did you know Taco Bell has a new low fat menu? Well you do now.
I squeezed in a 4 mile run on Saturday morning (yes, I ran in the morning before coffee!), and did fairly well food wise for the trip. One stop at Ben & Jerry's but I 'treated' myself to their chocolate brownie frozen yogurt.
I was 124 the day we left, and 125 the morning after we got back. Since that time, I have bounced around between 124 and 122....did you see that...122!!! So far that hasn't stuck, but today I am happy at 123.
I've taken 4 days off of running, and I am feeling very lazy. Last Thursday's run was HARD and my knees and hips were sore - I hate when that happens. Tonight is Jack's soccer practice, so I hope to get a good long run in tonight without any discomfort.
Hope everyone else is doing great!

Join the Electric Highway!!!

2009-09-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

I logged my longest run ever last night - 5.15 miles!! The extra motivation from my "on-the-scale" victory yesterday must have pushed me on. If anyone is looking for the magic weight-loss pill, let me tell you I have found it. It is RUNNING. Really, there is nothing else like it.

Nikeplus.com has been a huge motivator for me. I am signed up to run in the Human Race on October 24th. In the mean time, I am participating in a challenge from the Human Race Ambassadors. I am on Petey's Electric Highway team!! He lost 50 pounds by running. If you are interested in joining along, check out these links:

http://www.southernwoodshed.com/
and
http://www.nikeplus.com/
and
http://mrcrowder.com/post/173203399/10-reasons-you-should-join-the-electric-highway-run

Hope to see you there!!

123! I CAN'T BELIVE IT!!!

2009-09-01T09:42:00.000-07:00

I was just working on maintaining my weight - sticking to exercise and eating healthy
and low
and
behold
the scale read 123 this am!!

I haven't been this weight since before I was pregnant with my first son!! Talk about motiviation - I am even more inspired on this health kick than ever.
I feel great.
My clothes are comfortable and look nice on me.
I am proud of myself.
I feel in control.

I am running 3-4 times a week, and logging about 3-4 miles each run. I had two running accomplishments to note this week -
(1) On Thursday I ran with someone for the first time. We ran 3 miles and I was dead tired at the end - it was a new trail and we were talking so it was much harder for me than normal but I was glad I did it.
(2) I ran very early on Saturday morning. I am a wanna-be morning runner (my runs are almost always in the evening). We had a very busy Saturday schedule: 2 soccer games; 2 birthday parties; my friends were coming over to crop in the evening and I needed to clean up and get ready for that. So the only time I could run was the am. I took Jack to his 8am soccer game (he had to be there at 7:30) and I did my 3.6 mile run during his warmups and the first part of the game. I didn't think I'd be able to do it, but I did and was fine. It gave me hope that I may someday be a morning runner after all. The only downside was that in my morning groggy haze, I didn't push the start button on my Nike+ wristband hard enough and didn't notice until after I had run about .4 of a mile! Ahhh - if I'm going to run I want credit for it!!

I'm now officially addicted to Nike+ by the way!!

Just checking in..........

2009-08-25T19:36:00.000-07:00

I'm still going to weigh in on Tuesdays to make sure I can keep my weight in check for a while. Still 126, so that is good!

I signed up for a challenge on nikeplus.com to run 15 miles in one week - which is a lot for me! I did it though - I logged over 16 miles and felt very proud of myself. Tonight I went running during my son's soccer practice and boy did the wind under my sails die down!! It was a tough run - harder than any recent run I can remember. I felt like my legs were two barrels of lead - it was hot and I was tired and almost gave up. But I hung in there!

I do not listen to music when I run - and tonight for some reason I was tuned into the pat...pat...pat of my feet hitting the pavement. I realized I could hear my feet hitting the ground. The pat...pat...pat turned into a slap...slap...slap. It was a sluggish, clumsey run, but a run nonetheless. I love when there is a spring in my step a soft push...push...push off the pavement. I tried to turn my slaps into pushes but it was hard! The pattern I seemed to repeat over and over: push...push..push...pat...pat...pat... slap...slap...slap! When I got to the slaps, I realized it was time to force myself back to the pushes. On and on I went until I was done. It was a long 3.6 miles!!!

Good Monday Morning and A New Read

2009-08-24T07:21:00.000-07:00

Still holding at 126 and had a 'non-scale' victory this am. I put on one of my least favorite pairs of pants this morning that I haven't worn in a while b/c I always feel like my thighs look huge in them and they actually looked nice today! They are not the most flattering cut, but it doesn't matter now that I am down 12 pounds. It was a pleasant surprise for a Monday morning!

I finished Dr. H's book, and was searching the shelves of Barnes & Noble yesterday for a new read. As I've mentioned before, I like to read health and fitness books as I find they give me good information and motivation. [short aside here: One thing I have noticed is that the nutritional information is not always consistent even among reputable books, which just goes to show that there is probably a lot we still don't know, and there are a lot of funky extreme diets out there so you have to be careful with what you choose to read.] Anyhow, I picked up Chasing Life by Sanjay Gupta... CNN ran a documentary on this subject a while ago and I loved watching it. So when I saw the book, I knew I had to get it. I'm about 1/3 of the way through and many of the people he mentions in the book were featured in the documentary. The premis of the book is a world wide study they did of longevity. They visited places on earth where people lived the longest to try to draw some general conlusions for factors that lead to long life. Here are some of the factors I have read so far: a diet rich in fruits and vegetables; an active lifestyle; attitude and outlook on life; cultural views of the elderly. He starts off talking about advances in stem cell research in other countries, but once you get past the first chapter, there is a lot of good nutrition and fitness information.

If you recall my first post on this blog, the weight was only one of my concerns. I had noticed many physical changes in myself over the past year - cellulite in places where I never had it before, way more grey hair, differences in my skin texture and tone, feeling tired all the time, oh and yes, extra weight that wouldn't come off easily. I think I realized that I was aging and it literally scared me into this lifestyle change. The weight loss is only part of it for me. I want to live longer and live better so I can be around to see my children and grandchildren grow up (but not too soon!!).

It is a sad reality that our accepted lifestyle in the US is a very unhealthy one. Sanjay points out in the book that there are at least 20 developed countries that have longer life expectancy than the US. We are literally killing ouselves with overeating and underexercising. Let's face it - the generally accepted behavior is hard to go against. It is difficult to find healthy food on the run - french fries and ice cream are all around us. On a similar note, I make a point to send healthy lunches to school with my kids - but it is hard to respond when my 6 year old comes home and complains that Johnny (name changed for the example) gets Doritos in his lunch all the time, so he wants them too. I would explain over and over why I send fruits and veggies instead but he still thinks my lunches stink. Finally one day I said "Well Johnny's mother must not love him as much as I love you." So there. I don't even care if that gets repeated at school - if so then I hope Johnny goes home and asks his mom about that!!

GGGOOOAAALLL!!!!!!!!

2009-08-18T09:08:00.000-07:00

Well it took 10 weeks, some more difficult than others, but I hung in there and officially reached my goal weight of 126 this morning!! That is a loss of 12 pounds. Woot-Woot! And I did it the right way - eating healthy (not starving myself) and exercising.

Who knew 10 weeks ago that I would be able to run 3+ miles on a regular basis now? My clothes fit better and I don't struggle doing a push up now. My husband says I look taller and he can tell my legs look thinner. I can feel all the muscles in my body now - usually because they are stiff in the mornings now (lol) but it is a 'good' stiff and at least now they are being used!

I re-read my original post this morning, and I have come a long way in 10 weeks. Check it out here: http://thegettinskinnyscrapper.blogspot.com/2009/06/blog-post.html
I can really tell a difference in looking at the original photo. I wish I would have taken measurements! But my original goals were to (1) lose 12 pounds (2) be able to run 5k comfortably and (3) gain muscle tone. I've accomplished all 3 of those and am just beside myself that I actually was able to set and accomplish these goals. I was so TIRED when I started, but now I have energy and feel great. Exercising truly does make a difference!

So now the challenge is to keep it off! I would like to lose another pound or two so that 126 is by 'heavy' weight. But for now, holding at 126 is the goal. I have also set some running goals for myself on the nikeplus.com site, so that will hopefully help keep me motivated on the exercise front.

Thanks for checking in with me today and if you get a chance, please leave a comment - it really helps keep me going [side note, a few of you have emailed me that you can't leave a comment without an error, apparently if you try again immediately after getting the error it will let you post - some glitch in blogger or something]. Have a great day!!

Let's Talk Food - Shall We?!

2009-08-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

I feel like I've been posting a lot about exercise lately, so I thought I would take time today to post about some of the foods that I have discovered or have just been eating a lot of lately....

(1) Crazy Bowls & Wraps - my favorite fast food chain. I get a Chicken Teriyaki Superbowl (smaller size) with white meat and brown rice. I choose the steamed veggies for my side (and they are amazing). The website lists the calories as 325 with 5 g of fat. I'm thinking that may not include a side and seems low to me because it is a lot of food, so I count it as 375 cal. It is very filling and great if you are having a 'hungry' day.

(2) Frosted Mini Wheats. 24 biscuts is 200 calories - so kindof hefty for cereal but it is packed with fiber and is very filling. I add a scoop of ground flax seed and about 1/4 cup of frozen wild blueberries (very high in antioxidents) to the bowl and top it off with about 2/3 cup of skim milk. Another very filling meal that also satisfies my sweet tooth!

(3) Ground flax seed. I have about a tablespoon of this stuff per day (usually in cereal but you can add it to anything). It is high in Omega 3's which are very good for a number of health issues. It is also have read that it is a natural anti-inflammatory which is great for helping with the aches and pains of exercise!

(4) Shrimp. Speaking of Omega 3's, I love coctail shrimp. Also high in protein and low in calories so a great dinner with a big salad for days when you have overeaten. I do splurge with a bit of coctail sauce, but try not to use too much. I buy about a pound in my grocery store (already cooked then frozen) I thaw the shrimp and serve it in a chip-n-dip tray with the coctail sauce in the middle. It's gone in about 15 minutes in this house.

(5) Morningstar Farms Garden Veggie Patties. I've mentioned these before - they have been a staple of my diet for years. Served on a wheat bun with a dab of ketchup for lunch several times a week. Love these. Can't go wrong with any of their offerings really. Just recently discovered their chicken grillers which are only 80 calories but very high in protein and fiber.

(6) Apples. I love Del Monte (I think?) Apple bites and Apple-Grape bites. Already washed and cut and in individual packages. These are great to take to work and I plan to keep them on hand for the boys lunches when school starts back. I read a study in Prevention magazine a few years ago that Pectin (found in apples) is a natural appetite suppressant too. Don't skimp on the fruit!!

(7) Fresh Broccoli. Last but not certainly least. I eat this just about every day. It is one of those super foods that is so healthy for you. I eat it raw, steamed or blanched (my favorite way but that takes a bit of work so I don't have it that way too often). I found that you can buy a bag of precut broccoli (ready to steam in the plastic bag) in the produce section so that is great to eat raw out of the bag, or just add a handful to a salad. I DO NOT steam anything in a plastic bag (due to the risk of toxins getting into the food). I steam in a stainless steel steamer on the stovetop - not as fast as the microwave, but still quick and the taste is way better.

Ok, I'll add more if I think of it, but these things have really helped me over the past several weeks. PS - did I mention that I was 126 on the scale this am!?!?! Woot-woot but not going to count it yet until I get on the scale Tuesday am. Just need to get through the weekend (holding my breath and keeping my fingers crossed)....

Did You See Her???

2009-08-12T08:52:00.000-07:00

My Nike Mini-me - look over on the right hand side of my blog and scroll down.....do you see her now?? I just joined Nike+, which I hope will become my new obsession! I wear Nike shoes and realized that if put a Nike+ chip into my shoes and wear this arm band when I run... ...that later I can pop it into my computer USB port and all of my running data will upload to my Nike+ profile!! So today after work I am going to purchase the armband as a reward to myself for sticking with my plan for 9 weeks! I'll let you know how it works after my first run with it tonight.

My Mini-me is getting irritated that she hasn't gone on any runs yet - haha - she keeps changing and is pretty funny. There is so much you can do on Nike+ (in addition to tracking your running) - you can participate in challenges, find or create running routes, chat with others, and more. Check it out at http://www.nikeplus.com/ !!! If you are already set up on there, add me as a friend - I am JenninMO.

Happy Running!!

Circle of Friends Blog Award!

2009-08-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much again to Dot for awarding me a Circle of Friends blog award! Here it is:Now the fun part - I get to pass this on to 5 blogs! Here are the blogs I selected because I they are a fabulous resource for ideas and inspiration!!
1. Veronica http://www.leiasblogg.blogspot.com/ - fabulous blog of my Sweedish friend, with great scrapbooking ideas (even though I can't read Sweedish, I can look at the layouts - LOL!).
2. Cameron http://www.createbeautydaily.blogspot.com/ - a great blog for all things crafty - this girl makes everything and takes amazing photos!
3. Shar http://www.scrapendipity.blogspot.com/ - a great blog for scrapping and die cutting inspiration!
4. Karen http://www.helmkahappenings.blogspot.com/ - a great blog for scrapping, die cutting, and amazing photography.
5. And last but certainly not least, to Robyn, a huge inspiration to me in my gettin' skinny quest! Her amazing blog can be found at: http://thepinkloser.blogspot.com/

So ok selected bloggers, here are the rules for this award: To pick up the Circle of Friends Blog Award cut and paste the award logo and use it on your own blog. Nominate 5 other bloggers you feel have become part of your circle of friends. Link to your nominees within your blog post. Include these instructions on how to pick up the award in your blog post. Link back to the person who gave you the award in your blog post, to show your appreciation.

128 and Holding!!!

2009-08-11T13:49:00.000-07:00

Ok, I actually accomplished my goal this week of maintaining my weight - woo hoo! This was quite good for me because I spent most of the week visiting family (and their cooking) out of town. I allowed myself to 'splurge' on whiskey slush, red wine, 2 cookies and a sliver of cake at one meal, but other than that I did well. I even went to the local high school track one day with my hubby and ran 3 miles. I'm running 3 miles in a row quite comfortably now.......it took a while to get there, but I did it. For everyone out there who thinks it will never get easier, keep hanging on and it will happen! When I started out on this quest, I couldn't run a mile outside and now I'm up to 3 - it is a great feeling!

Another great feeling is the first blog award I received from Dot!! It is a Circle of Friends one and I am so flattered!! Thank you Dot! She has a great crafting blog - check it out at: http://dottiemaes.blogspot.com/!! I get to pass the blog award on to five other blogs, so I'm excited to do that - I almost have them all picked out so I'll post again later when I do!

Down 10 Pounds!!!!

2009-08-04T08:58:00.001-07:00

I was 128 on the scale this am!! I can hardly believe it. That is a total of 10 pounds lost in 8 weeks. Only 2 pounds away from my goal weight now. It has been a lot more difficult than I anticipated, but I am proud of myself for hanging in there. This week was tough - I did great but the scale kept fluctuating between 129 and 131 - soooo frustrating when you are doing all of the right things. I ate a low amount of calories yesteray and ran 3 miles last night because I was afraid the scale would show me gaining the pound I feared. So my goal for this week is to just maintain the 128 weight. I am visiting family this week, so I know it will be challenging - anytime I am out of normal routine it is difficut. Wish me luck!

Adventures in Running

2009-08-01T19:07:00.000-07:00

A few things I have learned the hard way........

(1) If you decide to take your Siberian Husky on your run with you, be prepared that she will think you are training her for the Iditarod (especially if she is used to going on fast and long runs with your 6'2" husband).

(2) If you decide to run on a warm summer night and trash pick-up is the next morning, remember to go on your run as early in the evening as possible........eeeeewwwww!

(3) If you are feeling bloated and decide to wear your 'fat' shorts on your run, do a test jog first in the house so you don't end up having to hold them up the whole time (although it is a good problem to have in the grand scheme of things -haha).

Beyond the Points

2009-08-01T18:53:00.000-07:00

My younger sister reminded me that I never posted a picture of my new food journal. I started to keep track of my daily intake of actual calories, fat, fiber, and protein instead of in terms of Weight Watchers points. Don't get me wrong, I am a big WW fan and the points system helped me maintain a reasonably healthy weight for a long time. But as I get closer to my 'skinny' goal I realized I need to be a bit more detailed about my food journaling. I always was able to do a pretty good job estimating calories, but had gotten away from that with the WW points so much so that I was just thinking in terms of points.

So here is the journal I picked up at the bookstore to help me get back to the nutritional breakdown mindset:
It is great - fits right into my purse and has a small index of food in the back. My older sister got me hooked on http://www.calorieking.com/ to look up the details of food. So far, so good. I'm averaging about 1250 calories per day, which is a good level for me for weight loss.

Here is what I am reading at the moment. It is written by the physician who is in charge of monitoring The Biggest Loser contestants. The plan is written to target obese people, however, there is a ton of great information about exercise and body composition in this book. I'm about half way through and enjoying it.
Did a 3 mile run this evening and passed up on the family trip to Dairy Queen tonight (after the 16 point birthday cake slice episode I can't step foot in that place again). The scale seems stuck at 129 but hopefully I will see it move for Tuesday's weight check in. Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

Still Going...and sensing a pattern!

2009-07-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

Ok, I'm a day late on my checking in, but in my defense yesterday was CHA day and I was trolling all MB's and blogs for sneak peeks of new crafting supplies!

Anyhow, I was status quo for the week - nothing gained, nothing lost. I had a good week eating and exercise-wise though, so I'm not down about it. But look at my weight tracker on the right side of the screen.........-3, -2, -0, +1, -3, -2, 0...........hmmm very interesting! Now my goal is to not repeat the +1 that comes next in my pattern! That was 4th of July week and I was way off on my eating and exercising, so if I can keep on truckin' I should be good!!

Weekly Weight Check In!

2009-07-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

WOW. Where did the week go??? I pushed myself a bit harder on my exercise this week and it paid off. Today I stepped on the scale and could hardly believe that 129 was staring back at me! That is 2 more pounds lost, for a total of 9 pounds! I can tell that my clothes fit better and I finally feel more energy. A few weeks ago I was frustrated because I still had to drag myself to exercise - but this week I actually felt like doing it. I hope that feeling continues!

Another thing I started to do this week was to look beyond the points (the Weight Watchers points, that is). I've been thinking in terms of points for so long, I lost touch with calories. I also wanted to see how my carb and protein breakdowns were. I am a partial vegetarian so getting enough protein is a concern for me. I'll post again later today or tomorrow with a photo to show the cool food journal I purchased to help me keep track this way.

Down 3 lbs this Week for a Total of 7!!

2009-07-14T06:39:00.000-07:00

Just a quick check in to say I was down 3 pounds this week to 131!! So I lost the pound I had gained the week before and 2 more - woo hoo! Total weight loss to date is 7 pounds!

Benchmark 2 & some random 5k thoughts!!

2009-07-13T15:51:00.000-07:00

I ran in the MLB All-Star 5k that was held in St. Louis yesterday morning. I was so worried I would find an excuse not to go that I barely slept the night before. But I got up and did it! I had a great feeling of confidence and pride just driving there, because a few months ago I couldn't imagine myself doing that! Here I am about 6:30am Sunday: Yes, I am wearing the same outfit as I did for the Race for the Cure 5k - except without an extra five pounds! I beat my time as well, clocking in at an official time of 34:14 - woo hoo!!

Here is the scrapbook layout I did for that race for comparison:

So I have running shorts, but no running shirt. I would love to get one of those running tank tops, but I have a thing about my arms. I've been working with arm weights and doing push-ups, so for my next 5k I hope to buy and wear a running tank (weather permitting of course).

Another goal for my next 5k is to lose the "neurotic runners hip-pouch" I've worn for each race. Here it is (next to my commemorative medal!):

I'm the first to admit that I am generally a nervous person - I can think of every "what if" scenario in the book. Enter the neurotic hip-pouch...

* A chunk of hair falls in my face...no worries I have bobby pins!

* A dust particle flies into my eye...no worries I have contact drops!

* My allergies get the best of me and I have to blow my nose...no worries I have tissues!

* I pass out on the course and get rushed to the hospital...no worres I have my driver's license!

* I need to buy something at the event...no worries I have a credit card and a bit of cash!

* The port-a-johns don't have sinks or anti-germ lotion...no worries I have wet wipes!

* Ready to get back in the car...no worries I have the key!

My husband gets the biggest kick out of me taking this hip-pouch to a 3.1 mile race. I had to search high and low just to find one (finally picked it up on a clearance rack at Sports Authority - probably left over from the 80's). Anyhow, I really don't need any of this stuff except the car key and my running shorts have a small internal pocket for that (which could also hold a wet wipe). I can stick an extra bobby pin in my hair, tuck a tissue in my sports bra, and if I pass out on the course, they can identify me by my race number. So I hope to leave the pouch behind for the next race!

It's funny because the one "what if" scenario I didn't anticipate for this run was "what if they don't have water on the course" - GASP! Seriously - there was only one hydration break at the half point and it was Gatorade, not water, and it tasted like they put twice the amount of powder as necessary - it was like syrup! I need water, just a few sips, preferably every mile - so only one break was very difficult for me. The Race for the Cure 5k had water available every 1/2 mile, which was nice. So for the next race I'll be sure to know the water situation in advance so I can plan accordingly. The other thing the Race for the Cure did was mark the course every 1/2 mile with large signs up high so you could see them from a distance and pace yourself. This course had the miles marked but small and low so by the time you saw them you were almost there, which made it difficult to pace myself. I had my ironman watch set to cronometer for timing so I could see how I was doing along the way. If you are thinking about running a 5k for the first time, I recommend keeping your own time. I also recommend the Race for the Cure because it was so well thought out. This was the first year for the MLB All-Star 5k, so maybe they will make some changes for future races. The one thing I did like is that we wore 'chip' tags on our shoes so we got an official time from start to finish (with a big race, it may take a minute before you even get to the start line so it is nice to figure out your exact race time).

I'll be back tomorrow with my weight check-in! Thanks for stopping by and hope everyone has a great night!!

The Silver Lining Exists!

2009-07-08T18:13:00.000-07:00

I was feeling down about my bad week, and on top of that I was feeling sick. I felt that the worst part of my cold was over and I wanted to go out and exercise but I worried that I was too sick. My son had baseball practice at a high school with a nice track so it would be the perfect opportunity. But questions were spinning in my head - Would it make me sicker? Is my cold just an excuse? What about the 5k this weekend?

Ok, so I decided to just go and see what happened, and guess what? I was FINE!!!

I covered 5 whole miles - powerwalking and running mixed, and here were my times (rounded to the 5 second):

Mile 1 - 12:35
Mile 2 - 12:20
Mile 3 - mostly walked and don't have a time because I pushed the wrong buttons on my watch and got all mixed up - probably 14 or 15 minutes
Mile 4 - 11:45! This was the easiest for me - maybe exercising longer is the key for me - I find this so interesting that running this mile was easier than the first two - I only powerwalked a small portion of it.
Mile 5 - I didn't time this one because I intended it to be a 'cool down' walk, but I felt so good I decided to run the last lap and felt like I could have continued. Who knew?

I took water breaks between miles and wished I would have brought a notepad to record my times or even laps - it is easy to lose track when you are going in circles. I would switch direction on the track for each mile so I would only have to count 4 laps!

I woke up all congested again this morning, but it didn't bother me at all when I was on the track last night. I was really proud of myself for getting out there and just doing it. I couldn't help but step on the scale this am and it was so nice to see 132 looking back at me. I'm not recording the loss yet because I am only going to do so weekly, so I sure hope I keep those pounds off!

Weekly Weight Check In

2009-07-07T07:11:00.001-07:00

Ok, so the damage turned out to be 1 pound - I can live with that. If I would have taken just a bit of time to plan for the weekend activities, I could have avoided that pound. I'm moving forward though, and this week is off to a great start. My points were low yesterday and I ate mostly fruits and veggies, and a veggie burger for dinner. It is nice to be back in a routine after taking several days off work. My cold is starting to subside and I hope it goes away for good soon!

From Bad To Worse, To Even Worse....

2009-07-06T07:52:00.000-07:00

The week started off with a 15 point birthday cake, and let's just say it went downhill from there. I took part of Wednesday and all of Thursday and Friday off of work to have some family days. We ventured out and about around town, and I didn't record my food. Of course, it is hard to find anything non-greasy when you are at places like 6 Flags. From there tack on a 4th of July day long celebration, filled with potato salad and other treats. Top it all off with a nasty cold (and I mean 'can't breathe without Afrin' nasty) and you have a week of disaster from a diet and health perspective. I think I exercised only one time this week, and still feel ill this morning.

I decided to move my weigh in day to Tuesday of each week to give my body a day to readjust from the weekend. Not sure if that is the right or wrong thing to do, but I just couldn't bring myself to step on the scale this am. I thought of changing it to a day later in the week, but decided against it to help me keep accountable over the weekends.

Anyhow, I'm going to try to have a 'detox' day today - mainly vegetables and fruits to eat, and lots of water - and I will get on the scale tomorrow to see what the damage is. Sigh.....I am not looking forward to that.

Hopefully this cold/virus will subside soon and I can get back to my running. The second 5k is this weekend for me. This past week was supposed to be my big training week to get to try to run the whole 5k. I'm still going to do the 5k, trying to run as much of it as I can, with my goal being to beat the time on my last 5k. I sure hope we don't have a heat wave this weekend (that would be just my luck). So I'll check back in tomorrow to record the damage and I'll just go on from there...........hope everyone else has had a better week!!

Note to Self......

2009-07-02T09:05:00.000-07:00

Never check the WW points after you have eaten something bad. Monday was my husband's birthday and he wanted a Dairy Queen cake - so that's what he got. I had a piece and figured I'd record the points later. How bad could it be - there is no cake in a DQ cake - all ice cream, which is actually ice milk, right? Can't be that bad, can it?
So I looked it up on line, figuring that it would be about 5-6 points.
Wrong.
Oh.so.wrong.
15
Yes 15 points! That's practically a days worth!!
Ok, so I ate it. What's done is done. Good thing it was at the beginning of the week. Time to move on...

Monday Check In

2009-06-29T11:15:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm holding steady at 133. Not down, but not up, so I'll take it. I didn't do as well point-wise this week, and I also didn't exercise as much as I should have. I was down to 132 the other day, but the pound loss didn't stick. Hopefully it will show back up for next week.

I did however run/walk 3.5 miles last night. I clocked the first 3 miles at 38:42, and just walked the last 1/2 mile to cool down. It really was not that hard - I could have pushed myself more to get it done faster - so that was a good feeling.

Will This Ever Get Easier???

2009-06-25T20:01:00.000-07:00

The running is still hard for me - I thought it would be getting easier by now, but no such luck. I ran outside this evening (in close to 90 degree heat with no breeze) and was about to pass out after the first mile. I clocked in at just under 12 minutes, which is good for me, but then the second mile I did in 15 minutes - walking mostly. After that I had to get out of the heat! Hubby and I did the 8 minute abs video later and I also tried out the 8 minute arms video and couldn't get through the whole thing with my 5 lb weights. I'm going to try to work through it though.

My second benchmark 5k is July 12th so I only have about 2 weeks to get ready. I'm getting a bit nervous that the heat is going to do me in. The weather was perfect when I did the Race for the Cure - high 60's with a light breeze. I sure hope Mother Nature is kind here on July 12th!!

Weekly Weigh In - down 2 more pounds!

2009-06-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

Wow - I had a high point weekend, and was so worried that I wouldn't show much on the scale, but this morning I weighed 133 lbs. So I've lost 5 pounds in the last 2 weeks! Yesterday was supposed to be an 'off' day for exercise, but I swam 15 laps in the pool in the afternoon and powerwalked a mile in the evening due to the extra points. It just goes to show the benefits of adding a little bit of extra exercise. I don't feel like I am overdoing the exercise at all, which is good because I've done that in the past only to get burnt out or injured. I'm trying to exercise at a moderate level so that I can really sustain it going forward.

I don't look nearly as bloated as I did 2 weeks ago, and my clothes are fitting better too. I'm motivated to have a great week.

Thanks for checking in and have a good week everyone!

Weekend Challenges

2009-06-21T12:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, I had family in town for the weekend and a holdiay, both of which always get me out of whack - but I was determined not to get off course this time. We ate dinner out last night, and although I made good food choices, I ate too much (I estimate about 29 points for the day). But I made sure to do my running/powerwalking in the evening. I ran outside again - it really makes the workout go faster. I was still 134 on my scale this am, so I hope if I have a low point day today I can avoid any damage.

I also figured out my block is exactly 1.o mile - soooo great for knowing how far I've gone. I'm trying to run at a decent pace and then powerwalk as needed. I about 2.25 miles yesterday in 30 minutes which was good considering the heat. This afternoon we are headed to the pool so I hope to try out my new swimming goggles. I'm making a flank steak dinner tonight (which I don't eat so I'll be able to make something point friendly for myself). Hope everyone has a nice Father's Day planned!!

Snnoorrree..........

2009-06-19T07:18:00.000-07:00

Ok, the treadmill is getting boring. I can watch TV while I'm on it, but it doesn't really help (maybe I need to find a show that catches my attention more than the clock/distance on my treadmill). On Tuesday I did my 2 miles in 27:40 minutes - not great but not bad. I am trying a new approach of running at a faster pace and powerwalking when I need to. Wed was a rest day, and last night I got back on the treadmill thinking I would do better than Tuesday. It seemed like I was on there f.o.r.e.v.e.r.... and I had to do more walking than running. I was a bit upset that it was so hard, and stopped after about 1.25 miles. I did my arm work and then a few things around the house. It was still light outside, so I decided to take a lap around the neighborhood. It took me about 12 minutes (walking/running) so I'm thinking it may be 3/4 of a mile or so. I plan to check the distance with my car today. The change of scenery really helped and I was so glad I didn't just throw in the towel on the workout. My husband and I did the 8 minute abs video before bed and I woke up today feeling great (and down a pound to boot!).

Eat to Live

2009-06-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

I started re-reading this book last night:

I first read it a few years ago and was insprired to eat ultra-healthy. If you want to be grossed out about all of the processed, unhealthy and empty carlorie foods we eat, this book is for you. He is especially concerned about childhood obesity. His basic message is to eat nutrient dense foods, and he has helped many patients reverse disease and get off of medication just by transforming their diet. A great inspirational book for healthy eating.

A heads up though - this dude may seem a bit radical to you but keep in mind he has the data to support his claims of disease reversal - just think about that! I could not stick to his ideal diet exactly forever, but the underlying messages are good and most of what he recommends can easily be incorporated into anyone's diet. I am trying to follow the basic principles and eat primarily nutrient dense plant foods so that they make up 80% of the food I eat on a daily basis. I don't eat red meat so I'm good there, but I do eat some dairy (he is anti-dairy). I strive for 80%, but from looking at my food journal it is really more like 60-70%, but I'm trying!!

My only complaint is that this book could have used another edit - he tends to repeat himself sometimes (I'm sure which is just due to his passion for the subject). The book does have some really catchy chapter titles such as "Digging our graves with knives and forks." It is an easy read, interesting, and a good reminder of why we need to eat healthy. I recommend it to everyone!

If you read it (or have already read it), let me know what you think!

Week 1 Weight Check In

2009-06-15T07:42:00.000-07:00

I weighed 135 on my scale this am - so I lost 3 pounds this week! The scale was stuck at 138 for so long, it feels great to actually see it move. I'm feeling less stuffed in my clothes too so that is a nice side effect. I don't expect to lose 3 pounds every week, but it is a great start!!

Weight Watchers Favorites

2009-06-14T14:17:00.001-07:00

Thought I'd take a moment to post a few of my favorite WW friendly foods and I'd love to hear what yours are too...

Morningstar Farms Garden Veggie Patties - these cook up quickly in the microwave and I eat one on a whole wheat bun with a bit of ketchup for a filling 3 point lunch. I've eaten these for lunch several times a week for the past 3 years (so I sure hope they don't find out they contain some kind of disease causing agent someday - haha) - delish!!
WW Yogurts - I have a hard time getting in my milk - not a big dairy person here - but I do like their one point yogurts.
Here is a new discovery for me: Eat Smart fresh salads brand Santa Maria Style- Broccoli Salad. I got mine by the bagged salads at Shop-n-save. It comes in its own little container - perfect to take to work. Lotsa broccoli, some carrots and red cabbage, then a bag of crunchy stuff to put on top (soynuts, dried cranberries & sunflower seeds) and a light tangy dressing. It took a while to eat and was a very filling 3 points. On the days I ate this last week I had low points days...hmmm....gotta stock up on these!

This evening is going to be a test for me. We have a bbq party for my son's soccer team. I'm sure there will be a lot of food with limited healthy choices. I plan to eat a lot of veggies before I go and to focus on the conversation and not the food while I am there. Earlier today I was at the ballpark for a little league double header. I packed some fruit for myself and then took DS to Subway after for lunch so I'm pretty good on points so far today. I hope I am able to pass by all the food tonight. Wish me luck because my first official weigh-in is tomorrow!!

YES! I DID IT!!!

2009-06-13T08:02:00.000-07:00

Woo-Hoo! I got myself up this am and down to the Susan G. Koman Race for the Cure. Here is a photo I made my hubby take of me before I left:
I was about over an hour and a half early though - haha! It wasn't a problem with this event though because there was SO much going on. Lots of festivities, vendor booths, hoopla, etc. Talk about INSPIRATION!! Seeing so many survivors and their support groups just brought tears to my eyes. It made me feel so good that I have started on this quest, because I truly do not want to take my good health for granted. I highly recommend attending this event if it comes to your area!

The 5k is about 3.1 miles. My total time was 36:46, which was a lot better than I thought!! I would guess that I ran about 2 miles of it and powerwalked about 1 mile. I broke it up so I'm not sure of the exact amounts, but I was going at a faster average pace than I thought I would so I felt great when I finished!!

1st benchmark successfully completed!!

Friday Hello and What time of day do you exercise??

2009-06-12T08:52:00.001-07:00

Got myself into a bit of an exercise quandry this week. Tomorrow am (Saturday) is the Race for the Cure and yesterday (Thursday) was my rest day. So what to do for today?? I have been doing my workouts after work, but I didn't want to do that tonight so close to the 5k. Had I planned better I would have made yesterday an exercise day and today rest, but it is what it is. So as I started to drink my morning coffee I realized that I could do a bit of exercise this am and still have almost 24 hours to rest before the race. So I got myself on the treadmill - did about 1.5 miles (not sure exactly how much I did because I triggered the emergency stop button by accident and my time and distance were erased :-( ). Anyhow, I also did my arm weights and some stretching. I got to work late, but I was happy I took the time to exercise in the morning.

I really would like to try to workout in the mornings, but my body is so used to the routine of dragging myself out of bed, pouring a cup of coffee down my throat and getting in the shower. Today showed me I could exercise before the coffee [side note here - coffee is a very significant part of my life so this was quite a moment] and survive. It really makes more sense to exercise in the am - I don't like to go to bed all sweaty and taking 2 showers per day is just not efficient. Plus our evenings tend to fill up with activities for the boys so trying to get in a workout on a busy evening is difficult. So I'm going to attempt to workout in the mornings at least a few days per week. We'll see how that goes.

Tomorrow bright and early is the Race for the Cure. I'm pre-registered so all I need to do is get myself up and dressed and down to the starting line. I'll check in tomorrow to post how I did!

Benchmarks!

2009-06-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

Wow! First of all, many thanks to everyone who left a comment yesterday - it got me even more motivated! I have lots to report today, and I have set my first and second benchmarks.

Today I registered for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure 5k that is in my city on this Saturday - YES as in 3 days from now. No, I'm not crazy - it is a run/walk so my goal is simply to actually show up (baby steps here) and complete the race. I plan to jog as much as I can and powerwalk the rest. I figure if I am looking for inspiration, there is no better place to go than to this event - they are expecting 60,000 participants! It starts at 7am and I am so afraid that I am just going to hit snooze on the alarm and go back to sleep, thus I am putting it out here to make sure I do it! Ok, so that is Benchmark 1.

I found Benchmark 2 in my registration packet - it was a flyer for another 5k on July 12th so my goal is to be able to run the whole thing. I would have about 4 weeks to train so I think I can do it. What great material for scrapbook pages these 5k's will be!!

My hip is feeling better - between ice and motrin I was able to control the damage (I think). Yesterday I just did arm work because even the sit-ups were bothering it and I wanted to make sure I gave it enough rest. I adjusted my WW points lower and ate under 20 points due to the lack of exercise. I stopped at Target today and picked up some swim goggles. I plan to add some lap swimming this summer especially if my hip starts acting up again - no stress on the joints so no excuses!

Today I was able to get back on the treadmill and completed my 2 miles - this time in 29 minutes, but I did slow down a couple of times and walked. My running pace was faster though and I found this workout more difficult than Monday's. I was hoping that the workouts would get easier, but I guess it will take a while before I turn the corner. Today was busy so I didn't get a chance to start exercising until this evening (as in 8:30pm) but I'm glad I didn't skip it - I'm really feeling good now - so much so that I'm about to do the 8 Minute Abs video.

To all those that are on a similar quest, keep on keepin on........

The Beginning!

2009-06-09T14:33:00.000-07:00

Hi there! I'm Jenn, an out of shape scrapaholic!

Welcome to my online scrapbook documenting my personal quest to get IN SHAPE and lose those last 12 pounds that love to hang around on my body. I've lost them many times before but somehow they keep creeping back!

I'm a bit hesitant to put all of this out in the public domain, but I am doing so to keep myself ACCOUNTABLE! I also hope that keeping track of my progress will help keep me motivated in this quest! If you happen to stumble upon this blog, please leave me a comment to keep me going, or share a story about your journey.

A little background...
I have healthy eating habits for the most part thanks to years of Weight Watchers -- see evidence photo below...

What I don't do at all these days is exercise. Other than chasing around after 2 boys, I really don't do anything else. This must change!

I'm 5'5" tall and yesterday I weighed in at 138 lbs. Now that may not seem too bad to you, but I am very small boned so it is quite a bit of weight for me. Also, I think I've been able to keep my weight under 140 for the last year by managing to lose all possible muscle tone - haha. Sad but true. 138 a few years ago would not have looked the way it does on me now. I've noticed many physical changes in myself this last year - more grey hair, age spots, cellulite - even the texture of my skin seems to be changing. I'm always tired. I used to be able to drop 5 pounds easy by just being strict about my diet, but that's not working anymore so I think my metabolism has slowed way down too. I'm only 37, so the bottom line is... I'M JUST NOT READY TO LOOK AND FEEL THIS OLD!

I'm a goal oriented person, so I need to lay out a few to keep myself on track. They may change as I go along but here they are for now (in random order) --
I want to...
(1) lose 12 pounds
(2) be able to run a 5k comfortably
(3) gain muscle tone

I plan to accomplish these goals by exercising regularly and eating healthy. I'm not sure of the timeline needed yet, so right now I don't have a deadline. I do plan to add some small benchmark goals along the way.

Yesterday (6/8/09) was Day One of my quest and I was off to a great start. I started keeping track of my WW points again, and had 23 for the day. I got on the treadmill after work and decided to run (well, ok jog) to see how far I could go and I was able to jog 2.0 miles. It took me 31:00 minutes so I was jogging s.l.o.w. but I did it, and it felt great! I had my 9 year old son take my picture when I got off the treadmill, and here it is (can't believe I'm actually posting this photo on the internet, but it must be done)...

I also did 8 Minute Abs (my favorite exercise video of all time) and some push-ups in the evening. So I went to bed last night very proud of myself for a good first day, but I know I have a long way to go.

This morning brought with it a reminder that the journey is not going to be easy. I woke up and my left hip was SORE! I have had problems with bursitis in my hip in the past, and I so hope that it doesn't start bothering me again. I think I got a little over anxious and did too much yesterday -- going from not exercising to jogging 2 miles was probably not the best idea. So no jogging today, but I plan to do some arm work with weights and the 8 Minute Abs video this evening. Hopefully I'll get back on the treadmill tomorrow.

So if you have made it this far, thanks for reading and please WISH ME LUCK!!