I Ran A 5K!

On Saturday, March 10th, I accomplished one of my biggest goals I set for myself through my weight loss journey.

I ran a 5K without stopping!

The Fire Department Dan works for held a "Fire House 5K for Autism." There were 255 participants and we all raised over $5,000 for Touch Point, an awesome autism organization! It was a huge success and I'm sure it will be an annual event from here on.

I ran with my husband and 4 of our good friends. I had trained for 10 weeks and was well aware that I am very SLOW so I told all my buddies that it would not hurt my feelings if they ran ahead of me and left me in their dust. :) Within the first half mile, 3 of them had sped off and both of my shoes came untied...

I was tempted to stop and tie them, but decided that as long as they weren't falling off I was going to keep on running. Luckily enough, I had pulled the laces pretty tight when I tied them so they stayed on the entire time.

After a mile, another one of my friends sped away from me and the other one began walking. I was now on my own and second-to-last within our little group of 6.

I had been told that 5K's are more mental than anything else. That was true!
I found myself thinking about how loud my music was and maybe I should stop to turn it down or finally tie my shoes. I wondered why it seemed like I had been running forever and when the finish line was going to be in sight. I thought about how I would never catch up with my 4 friends ahead of me. But something in me just kept going. My goal was to run this thing without stopping!

It was only 38* the morning of the run so I prepared myself with gloves and ear muffs. Even though it was chilly, I was really starting to warm up. I pulled my ear muffs off and wrapped them around my arm. I took my gloves off and just held them in my hand. I even rolled my sleeves up as much as I could. There was a slight breeze and I really appreciated it at this time.

There was a pretty good hill towards the end and the girls around me started walking up it. I told myself that even if I was jogging at their pace, I was not going to walk. I ended up passing one of the girls and as I gained up on the other one she started running again and I could not catch up to her. The girl I had initially passed ended up passing me once she started running again so I was in the same spot I started out in...but I did not walk!

As I neared the fire house, our good friend Chuck was there taking pictures of us with his camera!
(Thanks Chuck! You know how I am with scrap booking!) :)
He and his kids cheered me on and I even got a high-five from one of them!

As I finished, Dan was waiting for me at the finish line! I felt SO GOOD and I was SO HAPPY to have him there supporting me!
He had just ran a 31 minute 5K with absolutely NO training too! Good job, Dan!

This is us shortly after I crossed the finish line:

My official time was 34 minutes and 7 seconds, which figures up to about 11 minute miles.
I came in 120th out of 255 participants.
In my age group (30-39), I finished 15th out of 53!
In my friend group of 6, I came in 5th...and the 6th place person hadn't trained at all.

However, I was VERY pleased with all of this!
I mean considering that 10 weeks prior to this, I was 18 pounds heavier and couldn't run longer than 1 minute straight. I had come a LONG way and I was so proud of myself! It's also nice that I'm not a very competitive person so I really didn't care that other people beat me! :)

Now that I have done this, I want to keep this running thing up. I am not a good (or fast) runner, but it has helped me to lose weight and get my heart pumping a few times a week. It has improved my endurance and blood sugars, as well.

I have decided (along with Dan and at least two of our good friends) that we are going to try and run 3-4 5K's a year now! I'm so excited! Our next one will be in May! This will keep me motivated to keep going.

Here's my workout/running buddy, Jacinda! :)

I honestly have no desire to run more than a 5K because running can be kind of boring, but I just feel so empowered by doing this! This was a MAJOR accomplishment for me!

I never thought in a million years that I could ever run a 5K without stopping...but I did it!!!!
I hope this inspires you to pursue something you want to achieve. The sky is the limit and YOU are the only person stopping yourself from accomplishing things you want in life!

Anyone want to join me in my next 5K? I won't get mad if you beat my time, I promise! :)

Weight Loss Journey Update: Week 8 - Clean Eating

I have successfully completed 8 weeks of eating right and exercising on a regular basis.
I have lost 14 pounds and only have 9 more to go to reach my pre-pregnancy weight!
It is coming off slow and steady and I am proud of myself for sticking with it and making progress!

Since my diet plays a HUGE role in losing weight, I have started eating "clean." This means that I am focusing on eating more natural foods and sticking with fruits, vegetables, and protein. It has been a gradual (and hard) transition and it's a big change from anything I've ever done before. I researched it for almost a month before I even began buying new ingredients to make meals.

I am learning to cook with spices now and it's been interesting to say the least. I have messed up some meals while others have been edible. Poor Dan doesn't really look forward to dinner time anymore! I actually think he's scared sometimes! (Sorry, Dear!) Making healthy food taste as good as bad food is a challenge since we're so used to the bad food. Hopefully it'll get better as I learn more and try more things out! :)

With this new clean eating concept, I am eating 5-6 small meals a day (every 2-3 hours) that include a protein and a healthy carb like fruits and vegetables. I was very skeptical that eating more often would help me lose weight, but it's actually working! I am enjoying a lot of the foods I am trying out too!

I don't have anyone guiding me or giving me advice on what works best, so I have gotten most of my information online. I am still trying to figure out all the "in's" and "out's." My first day was a trip! I was checking everything I ate and trying to do everything perfect but I honestly had no clue what I was doing. In reality, I just did the best I could.

I have been keeping a food journal and I'm going to list my first day's attempt here. Don't laugh! :) I have been doing this for 2 weeks now so I have figured out to rotate snack and meal type meals so I don't get hungry. The first day I didn't really think of that...I was just trying to get in the proteins and carbs at each meal.

Day 1:

1) 9:45am - 2 scrambled eggs, banana, milk

(I get up earlier than this, but I don't eat right away. I have started eating only 1 egg since this.)

2) 12:00pm - apple, almonds

3) 2:00pm - broccoli, carrots, and green peppers with hummus

4) 4:00pm - rotisserie chicken, steamed mixed vegetables

5) 6:00pm - chicken breast, steamed carrots, mashed potatoes 

6) 8:00pm - plain oatmeal with strawberries and kiwi

If anyone follows a clean eating lifestyle and can share what you do, I'd love to hear about it!

I'd also LOVE to have any good "clean" recipes you enjoy!!!!

Enough of my diet plan! :)

As far as exercising, I am thrilled to say that I finished my 8 week "Couch to 5K" program over the weekend!!!! This is such a big step for me!!!!

I am still really slow but I can actually run for 35 minutes without stopping now! I have no clue if it's equivalent to 3.1 miles, but in my book that is a success!

I have about 3 weeks before the 5K run so I'm planning to keep practicing and try to improve my time. This program is no joke and took a lot of work! I am so glad that I started and finished it though because it really did help me get to where I wanted to be.

I am still doing Zumba and Kickboxing 3 days a week also. I really enjoy these classes and it's nice that we do weight training and work our abs in each class too. Last week I actually saw a muscle in the back of my arm! :)

That's my 8 week weight loss progress. How's your weight loss going?

My Weight Loss Journey, Frustration, and What I'm Doing About It!

My Story:
Before I had kids, I never had to worry about my weight! I would always say that I'd love to lose 5 pounds, but it really was not an issue. Now that I have had two kids in the last three years, I am realizing that my body is not the same body it once was. My weight has went up and down between both pregnancies and it is so hard to lose now!

This is a picture of me the week we found out we were expecting Trinity. I was about 6 weeks along. This was the heaviest I had ever been.

After I had Trinity I fell into the trap of taking care of her and Dan at all times and forgetting about myself. Not that they needed me to only focus on them...I just did! That was my job and they were my priority. I wasn't getting enough sleep, I wasn't eating that good, I didn't stick to a regular exercise program, and I really didn't think about myself very often. Needless to say, I didn't lose all of the weight I had put on during that pregnancy. 

Not that I'm blaming any single event on my weight gain, but I had also dealt with my Dad battling and losing his fight with cancer during this time. Food is certainly a comfort for me and I go to it when I'm sad, tired, mad, bored, stressed, or have any other negative emotion. Dan was also in school so he was working full time during the day and going to class in the evenings. I was often home alone with our baby while being pregnant with our second child. Not a good mix!

Here is a picture of when I was about 6 weeks along with Nehemiah (and 30 pounds heavier than the first picture).

There are some people that are so cute being pregnant! I am NOT one of them! I enjoyed my first pregnancy because it was something new but the second one...I just wanted my baby to get here and to be done with all the junk that comes along with being pregnant! I blow up like a balloon!

I am embarrassed to even show this picture, but this was taken the day I delivered Nehemiah. He was 9 pounds, 9 ounces. I look like I could have TWO babies in there!

Since this picture was taken, I have lost 60 pounds! I attribute some of it to having the baby (he was a BIG boy), some to breast feeding for a year, and some to working out periodically.

I am currently 20 pounds away from my goal (and pre-pregnancy) weight!

My Frustration:
I should be happy about that, right? I've come a long way...

However, within the last couple of months I have really been disappointed with myself. I know that this last 20 pounds is not going to come off easy. I have not been eating right or working out on a regular basis. I am not happy or as confident with myself as I once was. I have even tried diet pills and detox wraps...that did not help. It is so frustrating that I let this weight sneak up on me and I haven't gotten rid of it yet!

What I'm Doing About It:
In early November, I decided I had to do something about this! I am so close to my goal weight and I'd rather get there one pound at a time TRYING instead of growing further and further away from it. I have realized that the only way I'm going to lose this weight is by putting in the work to exercise and eat right!

Here are some things I am doing to reach my goal:

*I Joined a local gym!

*Taking classes 2-3 times a week!

I mainly take Zumba and Kickboxing.

*Working out 2-3 times a week!

I am currently using weights and doing plyometric exercises.

*Eating healthier!

I'm mainly watching my calories and eating more fruits, vegetables and protein. I have cut down on sugar significantly! I'm making my calories count!

*Managing my diabetes better!
I have met with my diabetic specialist and she is helping me to get my blood sugars back on track. They have actually been low lately because of all the exercise I've been doing and good food I've been eating.

*Training to run my first 5k!

This includes running/walking 3-4 days a times a week. I'm doing the "Couch to 5K" program that takes 8 weeks and my 5K run is in March! I'm really excited and I hope I can run the whole thing without stopping...

This is not a New Year's resolution...it's a lifestyle change and I want this to be permanent!

This is a huge change for me because I am making myself a priority for the first time in 3 years. I feel guilty sometimes and actually have to tell myself that it's okay to take care of myself. My family is adjusting to me being gone a few hours a night. This is a sacrifice for them too and I so appreciate their support!

There are a few people that I could NOT do this without and I have to mention them!

*Dan - He supports me and takes the kids off my hands so I can take care of myself. He wants me to be happy...and I'm sure it doesn't hurt that he may get a better looking wife out of the deal! :)

*My Mom, Kevin (FIL), and Gina (MIL) - They are so kind to watch the kids for me if Dan is working or isn't available when I need to workout, take a class, or train.

*Jacinda - She meets me at the gym 2-3 times a week. It keeps me motivated knowing that she expects me to be there. We take classes together, train for the 5K together, and workout with one another.

*Tara - She inspired me to initially try Zumba...which sparked something in me to get moving!

*Melissa - My Zumba/Kickboxing instructor that appears to enjoy kicking my butt and making me sweat on a regular basis! :)

*The Biggest Loser - I love that show! It really does motivate me and makes me see that if I don't change for the better then I'm headed to failure.

I really hope that I can attain my weight loss goal! I'm sure it's going to take a lot of time, but if nothing else comes about from this hard work at least I'm gaining a healthier lifestyle, making my heart stronger, and getting my diabetes more under control.

I also acknowledge that my physical appearance is not everything and I should see myself through God's eyes. As He told Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7b "For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." Ultimately my relationship with God should be top priority! Making myself healthier will just make me more confident.

I'm sure many of you have experienced this same thing.

What's your weight gain/loss story?
What are your frustrations?
What are YOU doing about it?
I'd love to hear about it!