Viva Las Vegas! Running the strip!

My husband and I celebrated our sixth anniversary with a trip to Las Vegas : )  I packed all my running gear and was looking forward to running on the Vegas strip!

It was really nice weather for running in the mornings.  On Monday I ran (mixed in walking because I knew it was a long way) about 5 miles, on Wednesday Jack joined me for a 5-ish mile walk, and then on Friday before we left I ran the strip again.  It was sooooo much fun, there was so much to see, and I wish I could run there all the time.  If you ever do this, be sure to go before people start waking up.  You don't want to try and run the strip when it's full of people, it will just frustrate you like rush-hour traffic.  I woke up at 7 most days and was out there by about 7:30.  I don't think there's a night-time that would work, since people are out and about all night long.

I went for another run on Monday morning after we got back home (I worked reallly late on Saturday, so Sunday morning wasn't happening), trying out a new park in my area of town.  I went about 2.5 miles, and was feeling very tired and heavy-- yet again, I should have left earlier.  WHEN WILL I LEARN?!?!  It gets hot when the sun comes up, even in October.  Argh.  I didn't run today because I had to be up at 5 to accompany a family member to surgery, so if I'm sleeping in my own bed tonight, I'm planning to get up and go tomorrow morning.

It's been a really long time since I saw a drop in my weight, but I have to say, I'm feeling fantastic.  I don't feel as super-flabby as I used to, and my body is happy when I give it a workout.

Here's a quick little happy from Vegas.  Man, I love that guy!

Just what I needed to hear...

I picked up the November issue of Runner's World magazine today and was thumbing through it while eating lunch. Today was a really long day, and after my run last night (which was one of those "am I made of lead?" kind of things) I was having one of those "am I doing this right?" brainstorms in my head. It was good to see Runner's World looking at me from the news stand in the grocery store... I haven't read it in a while, and I always find some great stories in it. I remember the first time I ever read it, sitting in a spa in Las Vegas reading about Matt Long, a NYC firefighter who ran a marathon after having been run over and shattered to pieces by a bus... in this issue I saw an ad for his book, The Long Run. I'll definitely be picking that one up!

At any rate, I've mentined before that I'm a slow gal. I'm generally happy just to be putting one foot in front of the other and completing my distance goals without walking most of the time. I've thought that at some point I'll look into improving time, but for now my goals are more completion and distance-oriented. Last night at the park I saw my friend Jan-- a total sweetheart and avid runner. She was there with a friend of hers doing speedwork, I passed her a few times as I was plugging along on my first Bridge-to-10K workout. As I was running, I wondered if I was doing this right. Am I supposed to be working on speed? Should I work on speed for my body? How on earth do I go about working on speed? Will the world end if I just keep up the slow and steady?

In Runner's World on page 36, there it was. "Tips for beginners from an easygoing coach" (Jeff Galloway's "The Starting Line" column).

Fact or Fiction? Whatever your pace, there's no such thing as running too slow.


FACT. Running is a free-form activity; we alone determine how fast, how far, and how long we run. The empowerment of running is open to anyone, at any speed. Your definition of "slow" may change as you grow more fit, and will change again as you grow older.

Thanks Jeff : ) That's just the information my heart was looking for today.
There are some interesting articles this month... one about shoes, one about bras (kudos to RW for not neglecting the chesty runners!), one about gluten, and a pretty compelling story about Bart Yasso... who among other things was an alcoholic who turned into a running legend with the help of a dog. There's also a story about a girl whose brother suffered a heart attack while running a marathon, so she's picking up where he left off and training to run one in his honor.  It's a good read!

...and for my next trick, I will start the Bridge to 10K program.

I'm setting out this evening to do the first of the Bridge-to-10k program runs!  I think it's something like jog 10 minutes, walk 1 minute, then repeat 3 or 4 times.  I'm looking forward to being able to finish this : )

So last week, I ran FOUR miles : )

Last Thursday I decided I was going to finish a 3.5 mile run.  I finished 3, why not 3.5?  Well as usual, mile 1 was the hardest, mile 2 was also a push (I had super lead feet and was feeling soooooo sluggggish).  You know, 3 wasn't all that bad... and when I rounded the curve after that third mile, I was feeling very much on top of the world like Wonder Woman.

So when I got to the 3.5 mark, I felt very "oh why not?" and finished 4 miles... and felt QUITE ACCOMPLISHED!  I had finished, this was definitely a personal distance record, and I hadn't walked any of it.

Runkeeper posts to my facebook page, so of course I had congratulations and stuff.  I also had a couple of remarks from my runner friends that I needed to not add so much distance so quickly-- especially since I am a "clydesdale", "athena", or whatever cutesy name you'd like to give to a big-boned, heavy runner with several pounds to spare.  Evidently upping your distance too quickly increases the chances of stress fracture.  After freaking out a little bit because I was afraid I was breaking some important bone by being awesome, I decided to calm it down and just be smarter from here on out.

Whee!  That being said, I went out this morning and did 2.5 miles.  We've been having some of the most incredible weather EVER-- that's right EVER-- around here, and it felt wonderful to be outdoors this morning.  Even after running 4 miles last week, the first part of my run is "uggghhhhhh".  If yours is this way too, don't worry because you've totally got someone who feels your pain.

I ran 3 miles again yesterday : )

This felt good because it meant the first time wasn't just a fluke.  Yaaaay!  Next time out, I'm going for 3.5.

An Incredibly Inspiring Video...

This popped up on Facebook, posted by a couple of my friends.  I clicked the link, figuring it would be talking about someone's 120 pound weight loss journey... but did not expect to be crying like a baby at my desk 2 minutes later, just wanting to give this guy a big hug.

Some of us underestimate ourselves... and some of us believe, move forward, and blow the stereotypical "you can't do that" business right out of the water.  You can probably imagine which of the two categories this guy goes into ; )  After the last paragraph of yesterday's blog post, it was really cool to see someone with a similar attitude.

Don't skip this one.  Take 4 minutes to watch it.



If I've somehow messed that up and the video doesn't embed, here's the YouTube link: My 120 Pound Journey

Ben's also got a blog you can look into, if you want to learn more about him: Ben Does Life

I ran THREE MILES today!

I ran three miles today without stopping!

This came as somewhat of a surprise to me, because quite frankly week 8 of c25k has really been kicking my ass.  The last few times I've gone out to run, I have just not been able to push myself to keep up a good pace or finish the run...

Today I woke up and honestly didn't even really want to get dressed and go to the park.  I felt icky.  My tummy was blech.  I was not breathing well.  I felt like I really haven't been making progress at all, and in fact I was afraid I was regressing and might have to go back a few weeks if I wanted to complete this c25k thing.  I was also down because my runs in the allotted times were not nearing 3 miles, they were closer to 2 or 2.5 miles.  At this rate, no way am I ever going to be able to make it 10k in November.  *sad panda*

Waaaah.  Crybaby me.

So I woke up, put on my running stuff, filled up the water bottle, got in the car, and drove to the park.  The sun was coming up so bright and pretty, and my breathing medicine was starting to work.  I decided NOT to use my c25k app on the phone today, and instead just GO (no 5 minute warmup walk) and run until I'd run 3 miles.  I told myself "I can do this.  This is do-able.  Slow and steady wins the race."

Slow and steady I went.  FOR THREE MILES.  I turned on the runkeeper app so I could hear my distance and pace-- which ended up being right around 13:20 per mile.  This is significantly slower than I'd like to be, but for now I'm working on completion, not speed ; )  Mile 1 was not super easy, nor was mile 2.  Surprisingly enough, Mile 3 was when I really started getting into a nice rhythm and felt my body propel itself without my having to think about each step, one foot in front of the other.  Don't get me wrong-- I was so glad to be done and to have achieved a 3-mile stretch... but I'm not looking at 3.5, 4, or 4.5 miles as such a daunting task anymore.  I'm looking forward to breaking those barriers as well-- something I have never done before in my LIFE.

It isn't easy, but it's worth it.

You just have to DO IT.  There's no easy way, and there's really no easy workout.  You have to come to an understanding with yourself that if you want the results, you have to put in the work.  You have to stop telling yourself stuff like "I'll start next week" and make changes in your life that allow you to make time for it.  Not "have time" for it, make time.

It doesn't really and truly ever get "easier".  If you exercise early, it's always a drag getting out of your snuggly bed.  You just have to reach a point where you decide that  you only have so long on this earth, and you're the only one who gets to decide if you're going to live it happily and healthily or otherwise. 

It's not easy to get up and get going and make it a priority to exercise, but it's also not easy to live your life with the consequences that accompany an inactive, indulgent lifestyle.  You get to choose which one you want to live with. 

Can I run a 10K by the end of November?

My friend Michelle sent me an e-mail asking me if I wanted to run a 10K with her the weekend before Thanksgiving. I should point out that Michelle has already run a 10K, and is much tinier and faster than big giant me. Love her to pieces, but I think she might get awfully bored running with me.

My first thought was "Um, are you insane? I'm only running like 2 or 2.5 miles these days. I can't do SIX."

The more I talked about it with my other little runner-friends, the more realistic it actually kind of seems. I just finished up week 7 of c25k, and in two weeks I'll be at the end of that program.

There's a "Bridge to 10K" program that is a 6-week program, so *technically* I'd have plenty of time to get into gear and be running the times/distances needed to prepare for a 10K. It's similar to c25k, I've looked over it... and I know I would be able to run for 10 minutes, then walk... times 4. Who's to say I couldn't finish that program?

My friend Kelli also mentioned that once you're up to 3 miles, you can do two 3-mile runs a week, then one "long" run-- adding 1/2 mile each week. Quite frankly, I'll be happy to just get comfortable running a 3-mile distance again. I may take a week between the two programs and just do 3-mile runs; not focusing on time but on distance. We'll see, I'll have to get all nerdy and plot it out on the calendar ; )

I'm happy to say I've finished up week 7 today! There's a counter at the bottom of the map page for that 10K, and it's 70 days. 10 weeks. Why the heck not?

"Rungry". This is a word I first saw my friend Kristi use on her blog about the hunger you experience once you start running a lot. I can't tell you for sure whether it's runger or PMS or some horrid combination of the two, but WOWSERS I have just been sooo hungry this week. I'm doing my best to keep up on the healthy snacks, and get plenty of water... but I was at the mall yesterday and had that "must have pretzel... must have pretzel... must have salty delicious pretzel and real sugary coca-cola" feeling. I gave in because you know what? I've been kicking ass at this whole running gig.


Let's talk about the scale.

So back on August 1, I was hanging tough at 235. That first week I decided to get myself in gear, the scale went down 6 pounds... which I know was not all fat loss, but when you go from "eating like a pimply teenager" to watching what you put into your mouth, there are some changes-for-the-better. The following week the scale went down 3 pounds, and I was ringing in at 226. Nowadays I'm hanging right at 224-225. I can definitely feel the changes where the fit of my clothing is concerned! HOORAY! I better, with all this running.

I've not been getting to the gym on a regular schedule like I'd like to, but I hit a point last week where I just really felt like my body needed a break. I'm all for the "I CAN DO IT!" mentality, but I also think we should listen to our bodies and give them a day (or a few days) off once in a while when the fatigue is really setting in. I was working a lot too, and we had the kids' first week of school, getting started in extra-curriculars and getting schedules down took precedence over me getting myself into the car and to the gym. My husband was out of town and I had some mom-family-stuff to do. Excuses? Yes... but reality. I managed to keep on my running schedule, which I kind of consider to be my bare minimum.

This last week, I can tell that I'm missing my strength training at the gym. I'd like to get back to that next week. I need to stay POWERFUL!

Speaking of powerful, my little cheerleader-man has been out in full force. He's just so cute, cheering on anyone who's running, running along with them. Today we were walking at the same part of the trail and he introduced himself-- his name is Yung and he came to America from Vietnam in 1975.

Rainy Morning = Treadmill Running

Background: My last run was Week 6 Day 2 of c25k on Monday. It's Friday. It's been a big busy week, and I have not made the time for myself to run. Last night I was telling myself that I really needed to make the time for running today, so that I don't get off track with my c25k goals... and also, so I don't feel like crap.

So I woke up this morning in the dark to the sounds of roaring thunder and some flashes of lightning (oh and to my alarm, and my husband Jack shaking my shoulder to wake me up so I would turn off my alarm. I'm a heavy sleeper).

I was immediately not happy, because this meant I probably couldn't go to the park and finish off week 6 today. I got up and got dressed anyway, because at this point it wasn't raining. Once I was dressed, it started pouring so I went back to bed in my running clothes...lol. It was a nice little snuggle-time, though, I won't deny! Jack's alarm clock went off eventually, and I snoozed through the rain until he was done with his shower. I decided I was going to run no matter what, that I wasn't going to let rain be an excuse. I know that I'll start feeling fat and crabby if I don't get some good exercise in. I don't want that to happen.

I put on my shoes, drove toward the park because the rain seemed to be letting up. No dice, it was definitely raining at the park. I considered running in the rain, but then decided I have a perfectly good YMCA membership and maybe I should try running on the treadmill today! *furrowed brow and mad face because I hate the treadmill*

To add perceived insult to injury, I cued up w6d3 on my Evo and saw that it was not really intervals of running.

It was 25 minutes of straight running. How on earth was I going to EVER accomplish that with having "rested" for 3 days since my last run, which had nothing remotely near 25 minutes of straight running? IMPOSSIBLE. I was surely going to suffer, but alas, I decided to try. I told myself that i would run for 15 minutes, and if I made it that far, I would be done and re-do this workout another day.

5 Minute warm-up, then I began running. After 5 minutes of running I was pretty sure I wasn't even going to make it to 10 minutes... but I plugged along and made it to 10. Then I made it to 15, and suddenly I was thinking I would definitely push it to 20. Then once I hit 20, I was feeling good and decided what's 5 more? AND I FINISHED IT... the whole 25 minutes. To be honest, I could have kept going. I couldn't believe it!

I kept looking down to see what my distance was, and I'd picture myself in the park at approximately that distance, and think about how far it would be to the end of the loop again. I also had my little treadmill tv on "America's Funniest Home Videos" which was helpful : )

I am so pumped and ready to get back to my pretty park trail and tackle week 7!

I am POWERFUL! I also have a cheerleader.

I ran for 20 minutes straight today! YES I DID! I thought it was going to be really, really hard seeing as I'd run twice for 8 minutes on Saturday morning and that was kind of hard... then twice for 10 minutes on Monday, also quite challenging. But I did it, and I feel very WOO HOO! about completing week 5 of c25k.

There's this little man at the park most days when I'm out there chugging along. He's short, Asian, probably in his 60's, and always wearing his tucked in white golf shirt, hat, sweatbands on the wrists, and mid-calf socks. Sometimes he's alone, sometimes he's with an older man or two, who I assume to be his relatives. He's always explaining to them that they need to move over on the trail when someone else is coming by, they all seem to always be in good spirits.

He's always happy with a "Hello" or "Good morning" if I'm walking, but he gets really cute when I'm running.

He can hear my footsteps behind him when I'm about to pass, so he always turns to look, begins clapping, and shouting, "WOO! WOO! YES! YOU SO POWERFUL! YES!"

Now, in the beginning, this was slightly embarrassing, I wasn't sure if he was "special", or a tourist, or just a really encouraging guy-- you don't normally expect random strangers to be cheering you down the path, you know? It's a funny story to tell at dinner. But then once I started talking about him, I noticed that my runs are far more exciting when I know I'm about to pass him...lol. Well today I was out super early, since I'm having to adjust my schedule to make sure I'm home by 7, when my kids wake up and start getting ready for school. I was on the last 7-8 minutes of the 20-minute run and really wearing down!

I came around a curve and passed a small parking lot to find him walking ahead of me with one of the older men. I found myself wondering if he'd tell me I was powerful today! As I passed him, he cheered me on, and GET THIS! He jogged for about a quarter mile with me cheering me on! I smiled, was too out of breath to really talk and was trying to just keep my feet moving through the fatigue and be finished. When we reached the part where the little roads cross (I assume he didn't want to leave the elderly relative too far behind or out of sight), he yelled, "THANK YOU!" and waved.

Thank ME? I yelled back, "Thank YOU!"

He makes me feel very She-Ra : )

One of these days when it cools off a bit I'll have to take him a little thank-you note and introduce myself.

Some gym machines that I'd kind of like to see go down in flames...

Maybe I'm just weak, but WHEW! This is always the first machine I tackle, so I have the most energy and spirit and can make it through both sets of 12 reps. And then I'm done and don't have to do it again.

My other nemesis o' the gym is the arm extension, which works your triceps-- the little muscle that runs from the back of your elbow to your armpit. This is one of the only exercises I've had to skip a couple of times because my little triceps were both soooo sore from the previous trip to the gym!!! I'm slowly but surely creeping up on the strength, though. When I first started, I couldn't even put any "extra" weight on this thing, but I'm up to 35 pounds. The "genetic betrayal that is my legacy" (quoting Heather Mooney from Romy & Michelle's High School Reunion) is flabby upper arms, though, so I soldier on ; )



I've been trying to do 2 days a week on the circuit training machines at the gym... that's going well. I want to build strength in addition to endurance, and each time I work out I kind of judge how challenging the machine was to me. If I feel like I can add another 5 pounds of resistance on there, I up the weight so that next time I'll have more resistance/challenge. If I can't really finish my reps/set, or it's "very difficult" for me to do so, I leave it at the same weight for next time, until I feel as though I'd like more of a challenge.

It's a nice way to see my strength training progress : )

c25k: Week 5, Day One

I really, truly wonder if running will ever be "easy" for me. If I'll ever be one of those people who just drifts through a 5-6 mile run with ease, one of those people to whom running 10 miles is a "long" run. I want to be one of those people. I'm really curious about this alleged "runner's high" euphoria that kicks in after a little while, because as I believe I've said before, the only euphoria I feel when running is the euphoria of being DONE. I wouldn't really actually call that euphoric though.

Week 5 is three runs that are 5 minutes each, with walking intervals inbetween. I can't wait to look back on this blog entry and say, "Remember when running for five minutes in a row was a challenge? Ha! Look at me now, mile after mile, like a machine, a gazelle..."

It was a push to get through all five of those minutes each time, but I don't feel exhausted (10 minutes post-cooldown)... I don't feel any pain anywhere... I wasn't sucking for air and having breathing difficulty even though it is dreadfully humid outside even before sunrise. I feel GOOD : ) I don't smell good or look good, but I feel great. I'm almost to the halfway point of c25k!!!!

Sleep... it's important.

I'm pretty sure I didn't get enough of it last night. When the alarm went off this morning, I felt like I'd been asleep for about 5 minutes, and for the first time in a few weeks I really, really considered snoozing.

I didn't snooze, because I really want to keep on track with my running and the closer we get to sunrise, the hotter it gets. I got dressed, put on my shoes, got some water, and walked out to the car to find that it was super thick and humid and 82 degrees even in the dark. As I sat down in the car, I was thinking to myself, "This is not easy. I wish I loved running. Is being fat really all that bad? Would it be horrible if I just went right back in the house and snuggled with my husband and the dog for 30 more minutes?"

I had a technical glitch where I evidently didn't start my c25k app on the phone, so my warmup was more like 15 minutes than the regular 5. The next time I started it, evidently I didn't have my volume up loud enough to hear the notifications so I missed my first run start. GRRRRRR. By now I've walked about a mile and a half and it's getting light (which means it's getting hot), but I was determined to do this. I got it all turned up and on the right timing, and finally finished the warmup for the third time and began running. I was sucking air. Tired. Flat out of juice.

I continued on hoping it would get better, but it never did. I finished the workout but didn't run continuously during all of my running-intervals-- when I got too tired, I'd walk 10 steps and then pick the running back up with a distance marker in mind. For instance, "I'll keep running until I get to that light pole... I can make it to that light pole..."

The wanting to go to sleep really never subsided. I should have gone to bed at 10:30 when I was tired, but noooo, I decided to stay up and watch one more tv show. I think I'm just going to have a do-over of week 4 day 2!

I wanted to post this because I think it's important to talk about the really rough days too...and for me to be able to look back at this next time I'm having a hard time, saying :it happens, it will happen again, but it won't be like this every day."

Keeping meals colorful

We've always heard that if you're trying to eat well, try and keep lots of color on your plate from various food items (food items that aren't artificially colored). It's a good way to work a variety of fruits and vegetables into your diet, and keep you from having horrible-brown-plate-syndrome... where there is no color in your meal.

It's hard to train your brain away from that "one meat, potatoes/rice/pasta, and corn" mentality sometimes, though... and it's so easy to just grab chips or crackers when you've made a sandwich... or grab something "easy" in the first place and not take the time to cut up fruit or veggies. I've made a conscious effort to really represent the fruits and veggies this week.

I've been taking full advantage of the strawberries and peached/nectarines that are sooooo good this time of year.

Broccoli + eggbeaters + 1/2 serving of chopped chicken lunchmeat + 1/4 cup of shredded 2% cheese
Strawberries
Milk




Whole wheat sugar-free bread + peanut butter + Polaner sugar-free all fruit strawberry preserves
Steamed broccoli + parmesan cheese



a couple of different bagel/cream cheese fruit combos (I've been having the Thomas brand whole wheat bagels and fat-free philly cream cheese)







Scrambled egg sandwich and berries

Here's what I use when I run : )

When I started running, it seemed really simple... but then as the days went by, there were new little tweaks and issues that crept up and I had to find good solutions.

I have this wonderful state of the art new android phone (HTC Evo through Sprint, which I love) that can help me track my distance and direct me through the Couch-to-5k program, and play music at the same time, but I am also a huge large Amazon and can't find a phone-holder-exercise-case thing that fits around my mammoth upper arm. I see other people running with ipods and phones on a velcro band around their arm, but alas, this is not the solution for me.

I'd resigned to the fact that I'd probably have to just find a fannypack of some kind and look like a giant nerd during my workouts. I went to Sun & Ski Sports and explored, and VOILA! Perfection.

This "waist pack" is made for distance runners to keep their keys and "gel energy packs" in (I have no need for the gel energy packs at this point). As luck would have it, the back section fits my giant awesome phone perfectly : ) I also carry a rescue inhaler since I'm asthmatic, and my keys. The waistband is adjustable, and the whole thing is really exactly what I needed.



To time my workouts, I use the "C25K Pro" app on my phone (I know there are droid apps and also iphone apps for C25K). It has each workout in the series and will "ding" at me when I am supposed to start/stop running. It has a different little ding at the end, when you're to begin your cool-down. It even has a little explanation at the top of the screen, letting you know what your workout will be like for the day.

It'll also provide you with music if you choose. I prefer, most days, to run without music... but sometimes you need the distraction, and some people run better with a good beat behind them.



C25K Pro will show you your progress via happy little green bars on workouts completed... you can always re-run a workout if you desire.



To keep track of my distance, time, pace, etc. I use the "Runkeeper" app. In the past, I also used FitTrack (for Palm OS). Runkeeper allows you to choose your activity, then it will track you. You do need a phone with GPS capability to use this app.





I'll have to remember to take a pic of Runkeeper after a run one of these days, so I can show you the cool little graph and stuff : )

Next, we have shoes. Finding the right pair of shoes is pretty important. There are lots of runner-specific stores that will help fit you and choose the right shoes for you based on your stride, the way your feet move, etc. Don't be afraid, go in there, let them know your fitness level (I know, sometimes it's obvious that we aren't little marathon runner people... but just let them know of your plans so they can help). In Houston, Luke's Locker, Fleet Feet, and Tri On The Run are great examples. These are stores where in most cases, the people who work there love to run and want everyone to have a great running experience.

Shoes can be the answer to hip pain, knee pain, foot pain... suffice it to say they can really make a difference; especially when you're overweight and getting back into a fitness routine. Your body is taking on a lot of added pressure carrying around the extra weight, so be nice to your feet!

I have always been a Nike girl, they fit my feet really well and accommodate for my super-high arches. I don't remember the model name of my shoes, but here they are, my morning companions:



Freddy thinks they smell fantastic.



Some other important points to touch on are bra/undies/wardrobe...

Finding a good sportsbra that really holds the ladies in place can be incredibly frustrating when you're a chesty pear. I don't think the people designing athletic wear understand the plight of the overweight person-- we bounce in every direction and need some support and restraint! We need underwire, and we need a cup that a breast can actually fit into. Smooshing the uni-boob to the chest is really not enough.

They don't sell the good ones at Academy or Sports Authority. I even went to a local lingerie shop and was fitted for an athletic bra-- it was great, but I found an even greater bra at the Hanes outlet... evidently the Champion brand falls under their umbrella. This bra is ridiculously hard to put on, but man, once you get it on it's PERFECT. Support, restraint, minimization, and... would you believe it, SEPARATION!!!!! It's not a sit-around-the-house-comfy bra, this bra means business. It's a love-hate relationship, but I love it so much when it's doing a great job for me and I don't have to worry about crazy chest bounce.

I give you... the Champion Powerback Underwire Sports Bra! They even come in black or white. No, this is of course NOT me modeling the bra.



Undies! My favorite everyday undies are, as I've found out, not ideal for running, especially if you have the beautiful flap of bellyfat hanging below your navel. I like a nice boyshort, but those kind of inch BELOW the fat-flap as it bounces during running, which leads to wardrobe malfunctions aplenty over the course of a short run. There are a few different fixes to this problem-- Under Armour makes a compression garment (kind of like biker shorts or spanx) that you can wear to keep the bulge under control, but I found that the best solution for me was to get some good old granny-panties. Undies that come up high on the waist over the fat! This way, they don't fall down like those crazy boyshorts. Boy, life as an undie model must be one thrill after another.



There is certainly a HUGE selection of different underwear types out there, and you'll just have to experiment and find out what works best for you.

Socks... I loooooove these little Balega socks. They're thin (not big fuzzy socks) and have a big part that sticks out over the heel of your shoe to keep them from creeping down into the shoe itself, which is annoying. I purchased them at Fleet Feet... and can't find them on the internet to share with you right now.



If you like a thicker sock, Thor-lo is the way to go. I have to get the ones that are a little taller, though, because the tiny below-ankle ones slide down into my shoes during a run.

Tops: I generally opt for a tank top. Dark color. Thin cotton or microfiber. Those running tops are never a good fit on the chesty part of this pear, and a lot of them have that annoying little tiny shelf-bra that does NO ONE over the age of 10 any good during vigorous exercise.

Bottoms: I like a capri-length very fitted workout pant, preferably with a little Lycra in it and a slight flare below the knee. You can get Champion brand stuff at Target pretty inexpensively. I bought a couple of pair of Adidas pants at Academy a couple of years ago and now I can't find ANYTHING like them... I'm hoping these are immortal pants that never die. The Gap also has some good Lycra running options most of the time, in varying lengths.

I like fitted, because quite frankly my thighs touch. Shorts are OUT, because they bunch up and ride. That's totally embarassing-- and nobody needs extra reasons to be embarassed during a workout... Yoga pants and the like, well those are out too, because they kind of bunch and don't come up high enough on the waist to cover my super high granny-panties.

Maybe one day I'll suit up and take a pic for you in my running gear. To be honest, ignorance is bliss and I'd really rather not know what I look like; I'll just keep on pretending I look like the chick on the front of the Gap Athleta magazine ; )

Please share any of your great finds here... share share share!

One day, I'll be okay wearing shorts to the gym...

But my friends, today is not that day.

I'm still going, even tough I'm sore from Tuesday. That means it's working, right?

Salad and Chicken-Hummus Sandwich and a giant glass of milk... 512 calories

This evening's dinner (I had a shoot tonight, so I got home around 9:15). Chicken/tomato/hummus/mustard on sandwich thin and a tomato and spring mix salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. I kind of dipped my sandwich in the remaining balsamic vinegar when I was done with the salad-- not bad.

And for whatever reason... 3 cups of milk. I was thirsty for milk!

Lunch: Hot Pasta Salad! 350 calories

I'm calling this "Hot Pasta Salad" because it's kind of pasta-saladish (veggies) but I ate it warm like spaghetti. I'll post the recipe here, but it makes 2 servings. I set out to make myself one serving, but when I was all done and put it in a bowl, it was like... way too much for me to eat for lunch. On the bright side, I now have a ready-made serving of pasta and veggies for another day (you could totally take this to work and microwave it).



I think a pasta-marinara setup is a great place to sneak in the extra veggies because it's not the feeling of "I am eating a whole mouthful of vegetables!" since they kind of get covered in sauce and are a little but cheesy. I steamed the veggies first, so they'd be sift when incorporated into the pasta/sauce mixture.

I incorporated red beans because they're really pretty neutral flavor-wise, and beans are good for you and FULL of fiber-- which will help keep your belly happy for longer before it begins demanding snacks of you. You could easily skip the beans and instead use a lean meat here (some grilled chicken or ground turkey would do the trick).

Don't give me your cottage-cheesy frowny face. I put cottage cheese in it because it bumps the protein a little (again, helping you feel full) without really adding a lot of flavor or texture to the dish. Lots of people take issue with the texture of cottage cheese, but in this amount you really are getting more of your texture from the veggies and will barely notice the extra protein you snuck in there.

Cook/drain the pasta, steam the veggies in the microwave, and add them to the pasta in the pot. Add the black beans and the pasta sauce, heat it up a little, and added the cottage cheese last. Top with parmesan and enjoy!

One serving will ring up 350 calories, 59g carbs, 3g fat, and 23g protein. Not bad!


Ingredients (remember, this makes 2 servings):

1 serving (2 oz dry) Barilla Plus Multigrain Pasta (it's sold in a yellow box. I used elbows)
1 cup each, chopped into small pieces:
- yellow squash (about half a squash)
- zucchini (about half a zucchini)
- carrots
1 cup red kidney beans (I used canned beans, rinsed them well)
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 cup pasta sauce (I used Classico Tomato Basil because it's lower in fat and sugar)
2 tsp grated parmesan (I used Kraft because I'm not picky)

My handy dandy kitchen scale helped me measure out a serving of pasta:


The veggies, chopped and ready to rumble:


Red Beans


Cottage Cheese



Pasta Sauce

Breakfast: Bagel, Cream Cheese, and Fruit

Here's this morning's breakfast. I've decided if I want you all to read this blog, I should make it pretty and appetizing ; )

1 Thomas' Hearty Grains Whole Wheat Bagel
2 Tbsp fat free strawberry Philadelphia cream cheese
1 small banana
4 medium strawberries
1 cup skim milk

Calories: 480
Fat: 3g
Protein: 24g
Carbs: 96g

I completed Week 2 of Couch-to-5k this morning : ) YAAAAY MEEEE! After that I made my way over to the grocery store. I got veggies, some more pasta, some fruit, and a few other things but WOW was my cart beautiful. Colorful, and mostly produce... YAAAAY ME again!

Had I not just finished a workout, I probably would have been okay with half a bagel or so, and maybe not the banana... but I was pretty hungry so I went for the whole shebang and added a banana (mainly because I want to be more like Kristie, who eats a banana every day with breakfast).

A little "before"...

So, since I'm going to be sticking with things and you're all going to be encouraging me so much because you're AWESOME... I'll go ahead and post my "befores". Here are a few pics of me now (well, in April, but I still look/weigh about the same so it's all good. I'd rather provide you lovely Caribbean beach scenery than my messy office).

: )

Caitlin's "Healthy Tipping Point" Blog

I ran across this blog tonight... here are some of Caitlin's personal experiences and stories, but there are also stories sent in by her blog readers called "Healthy Tipping Point" stories. They just kind of talk about the point at which people decided to make a change for the better. They're all really inspiring, and Caitlin has some great food and activity and inspiration mixed all in with it.

Good read! http://www.healthytippingpoint.com/

Let's Talk About Breakfast...

What are some of your favorite healthy breakfast options? This tends to be the most difficult meal of the day for me, mainly because things like eggs, bacon, giant creamy cheesy kolaches, and fruity pebbles come to mind. Even some of the "healthier" cereals are loaded with sugar and low on protein... so please share some of your favorites! Super bonus points to dishes that can be prepared in advance and heated up in the morning. I'd love to hear some tasty egg dishes that aren't full of empty calories : )

My favorites:

1 c (cooked) Steel-cut oatmeal with microwaved frozen fruit (fresh works if you have it), sweetened with a little honey and stevia... accompanied with a cup of skim milk

1/2 c fat free cottage cheese with 1/2 c peaches or pears (if i am buying canned, i purchase the splenda sweetened fruit, not the fruit in heavy or light syrup)... also accompanied by skim milk

Fruit Smoothie:
1/2 c fat free plain yogurt (I like Fage Greek yogurt)
1/2 banana
1 scoop protein powder (I get Vanilla Soy from Central Market)
1/2 c milk
1 c fresh or frozen berries/fruit (I keep blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, pineapple, peaches on hand)
1 packet of stevia sweetener
about 1 tsp honey

Share yours!

Oh good grief.

So I decided to sign up for sparkpeople.com, a site that helps you keep track of your food intake (calculates calories, fat, etc. for you all day long). I just logged breakfast... My sweet husband brought me my favorite bacon-egg-cheese croissant with a side of glazed donut, and a little bottle of 2% milk.

Sweet mother of thighs. 60 grams of fat!!! 83 carbs and... wait for it... drumroll please...

1,027 calories.

Knowledge is power, right?

Vacation Happens.

It's always really hard to keep "healthy" on vacation... especially when you have the kinds of vacation we had this past week. We headed to the Frio River for some family fun and tubing. Joined by my mom, her sister, my sister & kids, and my cousin & kids, we all stayed in a big house together and did the family-meal thing for most dinners. Lunch was sandwiches, and most of the time breakfast was cereal. I did my best not to overindulge, to only eat until I was full, and to prepare myself reality-based portions and not just cover my plate. I mostly had Raisin Nut Bran for breakfast, but my sister and I could not resist the pie lady's wares... nor did I pass on the cheese dip or my cousin's deliciously crafted brisket.

Floating the river just isn't the same without a cooler full of beer, so I can safely say I didn't really do my absolute best to keep my tip-top-healthy business going on. I did have a reallllllly good time, though : )

I did make it a point to get out each morning while it was still cool and go for a walk or run. I kept up with my Couch-to-5k plan while I was out. Being in the Texas Hill Country has its benefits-- wide open spaces aplenty.

I logged 11.35 miles on vacation! I finished up week 1 of c25k, and got started on week 2. I set my alarm for 6:10 a.m. each day, got up, leashed up the dog, and headed out. It was BEAUTIFUL to watch the sun rise over the landscape, and see all of the early-morning animals out and about (lots of deer and jackrabbits, colorful birds, and some fabulously frolicky skunks). There were very few people to watch my jiggly body jiggling, but the best thing of ALL was that unlike Houston-- there was no humidity so we had very cool mornings. I'm very proud of myself for making it happen!

I carried my phone with me, enabling the GPS device and using the "Runkeeper" app to log my distance and speed (I may have mentioned it before, but I have not been able to find an arm-band type phone/ipod holder that fits me comfortably, so instead I got a very small fanny-pack thing made especially for distance runners to hold energy gel packs. It holds my phone and my inhaler and fits around my waist). We didn't have Sprint service in the remote location, so I wasn't able to get the Pandora Radio to run. In the end, though, it was probably best because it was so peaceful to run to the sound of the Mourning Doves and the wind. I still ran the c25k app to help me know when to run and when to walk.

The last morning we were there, I did w2d1 of c25k, and then walked for a total of 4.68 miles. There was some exploring I wanted to do down the River Road so I figured hey, why not walk it? It didn't hurt that it got the dog all walked out for our 5 hour drive home. Halfway through I stopped at the river and let him flop around in the cold water and have a few drinks. He was good as new! It's so evident that the heat and humidity really slows us down in Houston.

But alas, here we are back home in the real world for the forseeable future, so we will be back on the wagon and suffer through the crazy humidity one again. I'm beautifully golden brown and tanned, but I am feeling incredibly flab-a-lanchey and would like forge on to reduce the super jiggle. WHEE!

Day One of the rest of my life...

Well, I went out and did week 1 day 1 of "Couch to 5k". I took the dog, which I probably maybe shouldn't do because he gets tired before I do : ) It was hot, and I was sweating, but I finished it. WHEEE!

I paid attention to my cereal box's serving size when I ate breakfast (raisin nut bran w/skim milk), an noticed that I've probably been eating well over 2 servings most of the time. For lunch I had a turkey & ham sandwich on those "sandwich thins" with hummus and mustard. I had a side of tortilla chips (12 chips = 1 serving) with more hummus, and a giant tumbler of water with one of those Crystal Light "on the go" single-serving packets. I don't like them at full-strength, so my giant tumbler with one packet was just about right.

I had an afternoon snack of some pasta (the kind made with flaxseed and stuff that's better for you than white flour) tossed in olive oil with mixed veggies and Tony Chacherie's seasoning on it. I would have waited until dinner, but I had a job this evening, and I knew I'd be working right through dinner time.

After my job I was hungry and driving home and stopped in front of my neighborhood McDonald's, staring longingly... with some John Mayer lost-love-song playing in the background. Pining for McDonald's and the ease of a drive-through and the crispy hot fries and sweet Coke.

Instead of the easy way out, I went to the store and got some things that should help keep me on track... salad mixed greens, yellow squash, zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes, brussel sprouts (I love them roasted!), some chicken tenderloins that I plan to cook and leave in the fridge to use on salad, some fat free hot dogs, those short cans of diet dr. pepper, uh... and some California rolls. I know white rice sushi probably isn't the ace healthiest choice I could have made, but surely there are worse things (like the tub of fried chicken, or half-pies that I walked right by, thank you very much). So all in all, I think I have made healthy choices today ; )

I'm going to throw some steel-cut oatmeal in my rice cooker this evening so it'll be on standby in the fridge for me in the mornings.

Thanks for pushing me off to a great start : )

Hi there, I'm the chesty pear.

Hi! I'm a 35 year old woman in search of inspiration, education, and overall transformation into a healthier person.

I've decided that today is the first day of the rest of my life, and I'm not going to bother worrying about anything in the past. Nothing can stop me from moving forward from today toward a better lifestyle.

Oh, and I'm chesty and pear-shaped!

I stepped on the scale this morning and hit 234 pounds.

While it's not the highest I've ever hit, it's definitely the highest I've hit in a while. I'd love to use some cool excuse like "yeah I've been lifting a lot at the gym" but unfortunately, that's not the case. The reality of the situation is that I've been eating irresponsibly and not exercising much.

It's unsettling because in October of 2008, my husband and I went on a miraculous healthy-lifestyle-change spree that resulted in a loss of about 40 pounds for him, and near the same for me. I went from 259 to about 215 pounds. Everyone told me how great I looked, I could shop in regular clothing stores, my lower back pain disappeared. It was really cool to have accomplished something like that knowing I did it all "the right way" and didn't do anything cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater like drugs, supplements, weight-loss aids, liposuction, etc. It was all good old hard work.

During that time, I went to the gym and power-walked on the treadmill (also did some outside walking). I did short little circuits of weight training. My goal at the beginning of 2009 was to be able to run a mile by the end of the year. I started the "Couch to 5K" progressive program that interval-trains you into being able to run a 5K, completed it, and ran my first 5K in March. I finished it in about 34 minutes (not fast, but I did run the entire thing, never walked once).

I even suited up early in the morning on vacation in Las Vegas and ran down the strip! I stopped at the MGM Grand at the end to play a $21 credit I had in a video blackjack machine, then jogged/walked back down the other side of the strip. I felt fantastic at the end, like I was She-Ra, princess of power.

Then I kind of didn't run for a while... a) I had nothing to work toward once I had reached my 5K goal and b) I rested a little, slacked off, then it got to be summertime and my excuse was "It's too hot to run".

Would you believe it? Here I am and the pounds are coming back. I've also really slacked off where my food intake is concerned... and by "slacked off" I mean "started eating total crap again". What I learned from my weight loss is that refined sugars and most packaged foods aren't all that great for me. Fresh fruits and veggies, lean meats, and minimal whole, healthy grains are the way to go-- they're what my body needs/wants, they're good fuel, they will keep me going and satisfied without undermining my weight loss and fitness goals.

The only problem with all of that happens to be that I'm like everyone else out there who struggles with weight loss and obesity. Candy, potatoes, pancakes, donuts, oreos, cakes, crackers, fruity pebbles, pasta and chips are freakin' delicious (did I mention how easy they are?), and it's hard to make healthy choices when for some stupid reason I want those things so much! To make matters worse, when you're social and on-the-go, you're faced with not-so-healthy options all the time. Turning down the beautiful platter of cookies or vat of queso dip your hostess has provided isn't just difficult because you want a cookie, it's difficult because it's what's available to you. There's no nearby platter of grilled chicken and asparagus.

So here I go again, trying to dig my healthy lifestyle and inspiration out from under the piles of excuses and bring it back into the limelight.

I know in the end it's not about weight, it's about fitness... but let's face it. Weight can be a very good indicator of fitness progress, especially when it's clear you have a good amount of excess stored body fat to work away. For me, 234 is too much-- so here I go. Come along! Share in my journey. Encourage me, start your own path toward a healthier life, or just laugh at me along the way.