Weak!

I could use this word to describe a lot of things lately:

1. My weak body, as duly noted after my gravity group class last week!  Seriously, I felt it ALL WEEKEND LONG, and today, my body just wasn't up to par during my run.  It took me FOR-E-VER to get my muscles and ligaments loosened up enough TO run this morning that I didn't have a lot of time to run.  I did a LOT of walking, though.  Am I actually moving forward here?  Not quite sure today.
2. My resolve. Sunday is usually my day off, but yesterday, I felt like I went overboard.  Then tonight, even though I had almost eaten all of my calories for the day, I made Dave dinner at 8:00 at night and didn't have the resolve to NOT take a few bites.  It's so much easier to live within a money budget than a calorie budget sometimes!  But what I was really struggling with was keeping the goal to not eat after 5:30.  Seriously, folks. Seriously.
3. My sweet tooth.  And know what was weakest of all here?  My sweet selection!  Raisins, apples, diet root beer, chewable Vitamin C.  Oh . . . oh . . . then I discovered the sugar-free hot chocolate!  SCORE!!!!  Yes, I had maxed out on calories for the day . . . but that sure was a GREAT cup of hot chocolate! ;-D
   

Journal

I know I was a lot more detailed in my past journals, but let's be honest: this is all saved by date, so I don't need to number them, right?  Besides which, I can't really remember where I am in all of this.

I had a great week this week!  I have been tracking and recording EVERYTHING I am eating.  I have been drinking LOTS of water (like a gallon a day, religiously!).  I have been done eating between 5:30 and 6:00 almost every night.  I'm getting my fruits and veggies in, including my healthy fats, and enjoying my daily root beer float splurges.  Life is good!

I went running Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and today!  I generally went 4 1/2 miles, though today was slightly less because I wasn't feeling well this morning and got out of the house late and had to get back to let Dave go.  Plus, I ran -- literally -- into my friend Heidi O'Barr and found out that she is an avid half-marathon runner, actually ran one while pregnant with BOTH of her little boys, and she has also done ONE marathon, though she doesn't recommend it until after you're done having children, unless you are running at a lower elevation.  It was very enlightening and just great to visit with her for a bit . . . about running! ;-D

Anyway -- I am working on my goal for next week.  I think it's going to be vitamins, vitamins, vitamins.  We'll see!

Good Foods and Journal #3

Fox news has a slide show that my husband was looking at this morning.  It's a list of "bad foods" that some diets tell you to shy away from but that ACTUALLY help you LOSE weight.  Check it out!

Also, I went running this afternoon.  I cannot believe how WELL I did.  I started getting sick last night and didn't sleep very well/kind of laid around this morning (as much as you can with two one-year-olds on the loose).  Then I went running.  I walked for about seven minutes (twice the warm-up time I usually do) and then I decided to start running.  And I ran . . . and I ran . . . and I ran.  In fact, with each minute, I felt stronger, more determined to succeed.  I had visions of crossing the finish line, of fitting into my clothes again, of feeling more confident and that I can do something HARD, and of having a MUCH easier time recovering from my next pregnancy and enjoying my baby than I did this time.  I had images in my head of friends and family who struggle just like me, some who have overcome and some who have not.  I thought about my children -- Abby and Isaac as teenagers and loads of temptations and trials all around them, needing to find strength to do hard things.

And -- I ran nearly 26 minutes WITHOUT STOPPING.  I say nearly because I did need to stop twice to blow my nose (horrible drip machine that it is right now).  After I stopped, I walked for about six minutes and then ran again for 10 MORE MINUTES before cooling down, feeling GREAT about my progress; GREAT about my ability to be ready for this half-marathon; GREAT about how much Heavenly Father blesses me to accomplish the righteous goals.

Journal #2, Week #2, Day #2

Wow, that's a lot of 2's!  Well, I wanted to announce that my diet yesterday FLOPPED on some cookie dough and chocolate cookies and cream (albeit Fat Free, still not sugar- or calorie-free!).  HOWEVER . . . .

I went running/walking for 50 minutes and ran the last mile without stopping and did three sets of sprints after the mile, before calling it quits for the day.  So that was really exciting for me!  Still haven't made it out yet today, but my legs are FEELING it!  And with the first snow of the season falling AS WE SPEAK, it will be a challenging but beautiful run as soon as my husband gets home so I can get out! :-)

Journal #1 - Week #1 - Day #5

I am going to keep my food and activity journal here, that way I will be accountable to anyone who is reading along and will have an account of my progress for later goals/post-baby ambitions.

Today, I ate a yogurt with Fiber One for breakfast (1), a cup of dry Multi-Grain Cheerios (1) for a snack (we were out of milk at the time), a cup of oatmeal and pieces of my babies' grilled cheese sandwich and chicken meal for lunch (9), chips with salsa and cottage cheese and a Root Beer Float for a snack (4), a small handful of sunflower seeds for another snack (3), and 1/2 cup of white grape juice with breakfast that I forgot about (1).  I have five points left for the day and have yet to get in my veggies for the day.  So my goal for dinner is veggies and lean protein. I also haven't taken my multi-vitamins yet - so I need to fit that one in somewhere as well. 

I haven't exercised yet today, but this week has been centered around running and walking -- getting my body back into running mode in a simple, enjoyable way.  I actually plan on spending four weeks on this phase, building up to comfortably running for 30 minutes without stopping, before I start the ten-week Half-Marathon training.  So far, so good.  I love to run to Credence Clearwater's "New Vibration."  I follow the changes in rhythm and walk, jog, and sprint accordingly.  I've decided that the BEST time to get BACK into running mode is actually in the colder, sometimes rainy or snowy FALL weather. I am determined to BE A RUNNER before I get pregnant again and then keep on RUNNING!  I've looked at different Mommy Marathoner blogs and read articles and looked at people I know who have done it and am just amazed by them.  So I figure that if THIS is what I find inspiring and amazing, THIS must by MY thing to join in on and not let doubt, fear, inadequacies, weather, etc. hold me back.  And the half-marathon is my way of taking baby steps.  The marathon is coming, though -- don't you worry!

And, feel free to join in -- I'd love some cyberspace company in the training and track buddies on the run.  Dave isn't going to join me for this one, but I AM going to lasso him in for the next one.