Hi all! So I'm very overdue for a blog post... so I thought I drop in for a quick weigh-in:
(Somewhat) Weekly Weigh-In
Last Weigh-In: 137.6 (June 11)
Today's Weigh-In: 133.2
Pounds Lost: 4.4 (in 2.5 weeks)
Total Lost: 36.8
Yay! I can't tell you how excited I am to finally be making progress again!! And, as an additional milestone, I wore Size 4 pants today (what?!) - that's crazy talk. I don't know when the last time was that I could wear a 4, but it was sometime in early (or before?) high school.
I have to run off to a work dinner, but I'll be back today or tomorrow to post on my 2Q goals and how I've done! I promise I've done better at my goal-keeping than my blogging. There are only so many hours in the day, and right now work is consuming 1-2 more than usual (sigh). Hopefully it should slow down soon!
Thursday, June 28
Monday, June 11
Monday Weigh-In & New Exercise Goals
Hope you guys enjoyed the cruise recap. Thanks for all of your sweet comments! It's time for the Monday weigh-in:
Monday Weigh-In
Last Week: 138.4
This Week: 137.6
Pounds Lost: 0.8
Total Lost: 32.4
Earlier in the week I had gotten down to 136.2 (which is equal my lowest Monday weigh-in so far) but I splurged a bit over the weekend, so I wasn't too disappointed to see 137.6 today. I'm glad that the cruise weight seems to be coming off quickly!
So I thought I'd post an update on my exercise goals and thoughts on staying motivated to stay active! Obviously exercise plays into my weight loss, and I've talked about staying motivated towards that goal before, but it is also about more than that. I know that my exercising has helped a lot with the weight loss, but in reality it was changing my eating that made the difference. I had exercised a lot before without ever seeing significant weight loss. But I do know that exercise will make a big difference in how I look and feel at a given weight. Being 130 pounds and fit will be much more satisfying than being 130 pounds and weak!
So that's one part of it, but exercise also gives its own rewards in terms of setting and achieving goals. Around two years ago, I signed up for an Olympic distance triathlon with 5 months to train. Up to that point I had not really been exercising much, and definitely not consistently since high school (or really since ever?). Knowing that you are committed to a race will definitely put you into gear. And telling a lot of people about it helps keep you honest too! But in reality, I totally was not sure that I could do it. I think I've mentioned this before, but I had never considered myself to be the type person who exercised. So I even surprised myself when I trained for and completed the triathlon (with a lot of walking during the run, might I add!). I was constantly telling people that if I could do it, anyone could do it - and at 5'2" and 170 pounds, that was probably true! Finishing the triathlon was definitely a huge confidence builder that contributed a lot to my success in losing weight this year.
Remember: you are so much stronger than you think!
I know that seems cheesy, but it is so true. Your body wants to be fit (even if your mind wants to eat Cheetos) and even though you will be sore or tired sometimes, it is so rewarding to achieve a goal - whether it be to finish a race, or just to run a mile without stopping (this was a major milestone for me!). I still remember the day I ran 4 miles without stopping in my neighborhood - it wasn't a race, and no one was there to document it, and I have no idea how long it took - but I do know that it felt awesome to do something I thought I never would do. And your body will be so much healthier for it!
So all of that being said, I've been trying to figure out what I want to do next. I thought it would be a easier to keep up exercising after the half marathon than it has been. I have been fairly consistent (when my life has been on a normal schedule) - but it doesn't feel nearly as satisfying as reaching a milestone in a training plan. I don't necessarily need an upcoming race to keep me motivated, but I do need to feel like I am accomplishing a goal! So I've decided that I'd like to run another half marathon in the fall, and this time under 2 hours (about a 9 minute mile pace). I haven't picked a race yet or a date, and it's a bit early to take on a half marathon training plan, but what I definitely need to work on this summer is speed! So I've picked out a 5k and 10k training plan to cover the next 10-12 weeks that hopefully will help me train a bit faster at those shorter distances. (Right now I'm constantly stuck at 10 minute miles... for a 2 mile run or a 12 mile run haha, makes no sense!) This also fits right in with one of my second quarter goals - to run 3 miles at a 9 min pace on the treadmill.
My 26th birthday this Friday, so I figured I'll be cheesy and symbolic and kickoff my training then I've also decided to make a long term goal for the year - I want to run 1200 miles. Sounds like a huge number - it's 100 miles/month - but I think I can do it! And since you all know how I love a good excel spreadsheet, you can rest assured that the run tracker spreadsheet is ready for action starting Friday :)
Anybody else setting fitness goals? Summer is a miserable time to be outside here in TX, but other places I'm sure the weather is great for exercising! I'm so encouraged when I see some of you posting about your races and other fitness/weight loss accomplishments on facebook and your blogs - let's keep motivating each other!!
Monday Weigh-In
Last Week: 138.4
This Week: 137.6
Pounds Lost: 0.8
Total Lost: 32.4
Earlier in the week I had gotten down to 136.2 (which is equal my lowest Monday weigh-in so far) but I splurged a bit over the weekend, so I wasn't too disappointed to see 137.6 today. I'm glad that the cruise weight seems to be coming off quickly!
So I thought I'd post an update on my exercise goals and thoughts on staying motivated to stay active! Obviously exercise plays into my weight loss, and I've talked about staying motivated towards that goal before, but it is also about more than that. I know that my exercising has helped a lot with the weight loss, but in reality it was changing my eating that made the difference. I had exercised a lot before without ever seeing significant weight loss. But I do know that exercise will make a big difference in how I look and feel at a given weight. Being 130 pounds and fit will be much more satisfying than being 130 pounds and weak!
So that's one part of it, but exercise also gives its own rewards in terms of setting and achieving goals. Around two years ago, I signed up for an Olympic distance triathlon with 5 months to train. Up to that point I had not really been exercising much, and definitely not consistently since high school (or really since ever?). Knowing that you are committed to a race will definitely put you into gear. And telling a lot of people about it helps keep you honest too! But in reality, I totally was not sure that I could do it. I think I've mentioned this before, but I had never considered myself to be the type person who exercised. So I even surprised myself when I trained for and completed the triathlon (with a lot of walking during the run, might I add!). I was constantly telling people that if I could do it, anyone could do it - and at 5'2" and 170 pounds, that was probably true! Finishing the triathlon was definitely a huge confidence builder that contributed a lot to my success in losing weight this year.
 |
| Houston Triathlon - September 2010 |
Remember: you are so much stronger than you think!
I know that seems cheesy, but it is so true. Your body wants to be fit (even if your mind wants to eat Cheetos) and even though you will be sore or tired sometimes, it is so rewarding to achieve a goal - whether it be to finish a race, or just to run a mile without stopping (this was a major milestone for me!). I still remember the day I ran 4 miles without stopping in my neighborhood - it wasn't a race, and no one was there to document it, and I have no idea how long it took - but I do know that it felt awesome to do something I thought I never would do. And your body will be so much healthier for it!
 |
| Gusher Half Marathon - March 2012 |
So all of that being said, I've been trying to figure out what I want to do next. I thought it would be a easier to keep up exercising after the half marathon than it has been. I have been fairly consistent (when my life has been on a normal schedule) - but it doesn't feel nearly as satisfying as reaching a milestone in a training plan. I don't necessarily need an upcoming race to keep me motivated, but I do need to feel like I am accomplishing a goal! So I've decided that I'd like to run another half marathon in the fall, and this time under 2 hours (about a 9 minute mile pace). I haven't picked a race yet or a date, and it's a bit early to take on a half marathon training plan, but what I definitely need to work on this summer is speed! So I've picked out a 5k and 10k training plan to cover the next 10-12 weeks that hopefully will help me train a bit faster at those shorter distances. (Right now I'm constantly stuck at 10 minute miles... for a 2 mile run or a 12 mile run haha, makes no sense!) This also fits right in with one of my second quarter goals - to run 3 miles at a 9 min pace on the treadmill.
My 26th birthday this Friday, so I figured I'll be cheesy and symbolic and kickoff my training then I've also decided to make a long term goal for the year - I want to run 1200 miles. Sounds like a huge number - it's 100 miles/month - but I think I can do it! And since you all know how I love a good excel spreadsheet, you can rest assured that the run tracker spreadsheet is ready for action starting Friday :)
Anybody else setting fitness goals? Summer is a miserable time to be outside here in TX, but other places I'm sure the weather is great for exercising! I'm so encouraged when I see some of you posting about your races and other fitness/weight loss accomplishments on facebook and your blogs - let's keep motivating each other!!
Sunday, June 10
Cruise Recap!
Hi all! Man, this week seemed to fly by and drag on at the same time! I've never been away from work for 2 straight weeks before, so it was definitely an adjustment coming back. In addition to just getting back into the swing of things, I found out I'll be temporarily moving to a new position because someone resigned while I was out - which is both exciting and daunting! I was expecting to be moved to something new this summer, but I won't be moved to my new permanent role for a few months - so I get the pleasure/pain of learning two new jobs in a short period of time haha. I'm grateful for the experience I'll get but it was a bit overwhelming for the first day back.
Anyway, I promised a cruise recap, so here's the highlights! We were on a 7 day cruise with 3 stops, which basically meant 3 full days on the boat and 3 days in port (and two half days on the boat). We left from Galveston on Sunday afternoon, and then Monday and Tuesday were "sea days". Mostly we enjoyed laying out in the sun and a lot of eating, but here's some highlights from the Carnival Magic. I now realize I really didn't take many pictures of the boat, which was huge and super impressive. But if you google image search "Carnival Magic" you can see pics of the waterslides and pools and such...
We both really enjoyed being on the boat - always live music in multiple locations at night. Lots of food of course (and I really didn't hold back, its a miracle I didn't gain more weight!) and we saw some good comedy, a magic show, and of course some good and bad kareoke. The people watching was pretty entertaining too.
Our three stops were in Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Jamaica was on Wednesday and we signed up for the "Tranopy Adventure" which consisted of a "sky explorer" chairlift ride over the jungle, then a ride on a 'Jamaica Bobsled", lunch and then zip-lining through the jungle back down to the start. My hair was looking pretty rough that day, but here's the acceptable pictures :)
Our second day was at Grand Cayman Island, and we took a trip on a catamaran out to "Stingray City" to swim with the stingrays. At first I was kind of creeped out (Sam was fearless haha) but they were quite friendly (and domesticated by all the tourists) and surprisingly cute and soft! I kept saying to Sam for the rest of the trip "can you believe how soft the stingrays were?!?"
The third port was Cozumel, Mexico - although the excursion we went on was actually near Playa del Carmen. We took a 45 minute ferry ride to the mainland, and the went on a tour called the "Amazing Secret River" - a cave that is partially full of water.. so we did some walking and some swimming to make our way through. This was definitely our favorite excursion. Our guide was awesome and you could tell that everyone working there loved what they were doing really cared about both preserving and showing off the cave. We couldn't take our cameras in, but we did buy this picture at the end (pretty amazing, right!):
Not like we needed anymore food after everything we ate on the boat, but the lunch they gave us was especially tasty. And then we had a bit of time to hang out in some hammocks before heading back to the ship.
We got back into Galveston early Sunday and spent a few hours there before we headed home. The puppies were super happy to see us when we picked them up, and of course we were thrilled to see them too :) All in all, it was a great trip! I don't know that I'll become a every year cruise enthusiast, but it was definitely a good experience. Beware though, if you've never been - you may go in with good intentions at the beginning, but by the end you'll be just like everyone else - ordering 3 appetizers and 2 entrees in the dining room, just for yourself haha!
Anyway, I promised a cruise recap, so here's the highlights! We were on a 7 day cruise with 3 stops, which basically meant 3 full days on the boat and 3 days in port (and two half days on the boat). We left from Galveston on Sunday afternoon, and then Monday and Tuesday were "sea days". Mostly we enjoyed laying out in the sun and a lot of eating, but here's some highlights from the Carnival Magic. I now realize I really didn't take many pictures of the boat, which was huge and super impressive. But if you google image search "Carnival Magic" you can see pics of the waterslides and pools and such...
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| "Cruise Formal Night" - Monday (scored this dress for $40, btw!) |
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| The large pool area on the top deck. |
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| Lounging! |
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| "Cruise Formal Night" #2 - I think Thursday? In the "Magic Lobby" |
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| We also tried to channel our inner towel animal whenever possible... |
We both really enjoyed being on the boat - always live music in multiple locations at night. Lots of food of course (and I really didn't hold back, its a miracle I didn't gain more weight!) and we saw some good comedy, a magic show, and of course some good and bad kareoke. The people watching was pretty entertaining too.
Our three stops were in Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. Jamaica was on Wednesday and we signed up for the "Tranopy Adventure" which consisted of a "sky explorer" chairlift ride over the jungle, then a ride on a 'Jamaica Bobsled", lunch and then zip-lining through the jungle back down to the start. My hair was looking pretty rough that day, but here's the acceptable pictures :)
 |
| View from the chair lift- the water is so clear even from way up here! |
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| Sam ready to ride the bobsled |
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| In our harnesses ready to zip-line! |
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| Zip-lining! Very fun. |
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| Gigantic tree!! We took a lot of pics here. |
Our second day was at Grand Cayman Island, and we took a trip on a catamaran out to "Stingray City" to swim with the stingrays. At first I was kind of creeped out (Sam was fearless haha) but they were quite friendly (and domesticated by all the tourists) and surprisingly cute and soft! I kept saying to Sam for the rest of the trip "can you believe how soft the stingrays were?!?"
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| "Stingray City" - both stingrays and tourists everywhere haha |
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| Sam holding a ray- they like to cuddle! |
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| The boat on the left is ours - huge! |
Not like we needed anymore food after everything we ate on the boat, but the lunch they gave us was especially tasty. And then we had a bit of time to hang out in some hammocks before heading back to the ship.
 |
We got back into Galveston early Sunday and spent a few hours there before we headed home. The puppies were super happy to see us when we picked them up, and of course we were thrilled to see them too :) All in all, it was a great trip! I don't know that I'll become a every year cruise enthusiast, but it was definitely a good experience. Beware though, if you've never been - you may go in with good intentions at the beginning, but by the end you'll be just like everyone else - ordering 3 appetizers and 2 entrees in the dining room, just for yourself haha!
Monday, June 4
Monday Weigh-In - After Vacation!
Hi all! We are back from the cruise!! I'll post more details later this week, but I figured I'd do a quick Monday weigh-in...
Monday Weigh-In
Last Week: 138.0 (3 weeks ago - May 14)
This Week: 138.4
Pounds Lost: -0.4
Total Lost: 31.6 pounds
Not too bad for a week at training with all food provided and then a week on the cruise!! I'm only up 0.4 pounds since my last Monday weigh in, but overall, my lowest weigh-ins so far has been 135-136, just before I left for training. So I gained ~3 pounds over those two crazy weeks, and I think it was totally worth it. Hopefully it will come back off quickly? These last 10 pounds are definitely kicking my butt, but I'm hoping to put it back into high gear for the next month or so!
Stay tuned for cruise details tomorrow... and then hopefully I'll be back in the normal blogging routine!
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