I Talk Too Much

I talk too much.  For anyone that knows me, knows that that is a very real statement.  My husband even had the song "You Talk Too Much" as my ring tone once (he immediately took it down for some reason, though).  At any rate, I'm now proving my point.  So, what is the point?

Well, today was zumba and I needed it.  I was kind of dragging today because of lack of sleep.  Netflix and past episodes of "Gossip Girl" are not a good combination for me.  So, when it was time to zumba, I was ready.  I needed a jolt of endorphins.  The class was about triple the size of last week's, and I saw a few more people that I haven't seen in a while.  It was fun.

So, what's the problem?  I was chatting the whole time!  Believe me, I was still exercizing.  However, I was chatting with a friend to my left about cookie booths.  I was chatting to a lady I had never met before to my right, about this blog and the community 5k.  AND I was chatting to the two ladies in front of me (one was my daughter's former 1st grade teacher) just for fun.  It was fun and it made the class go by faster, but I was going left when Kim was going right.  Zumba is a concentration sport.  You either pay attention or you pretend to move.  I think I was doing a bit of both.

I still got a pretty good workout out of it, but I think if I would have shut my mouth, I could have burned more calories.

Thanks for listening to my random thoughts and remember, it just takes one foot in front of the other.

Caged Tiger - Week 3

Week 3 - For this week, choose between time or distance.

Brisk five-minute warmup walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

• Jog 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Walk 200 yards (or 90 seconds)
• Jog 400 yards (or 3 minutes)
• Walk 400 yards (or three minutes)

Do this 3 days this week.

Couch to 5k program
________________________________________________________________________________

I have a confession to make reguarding this Couch to 5K thing.  I get scared every Monday looking at that new schedule.  It just seems so daunting, but when I break it down, it actually becomes manageable. 

That brings me to yesterday and today.  Monday came and I thought of every excuse in the book NOT to exercise.  Then I remembered that I still had Tuesday.  Well, it came and went until about 9:00 tonight.  I realized that I needed to remain accountable.  My question was, "Now what do I do?".  I could have gone outside and ran in the dark, but my wimpiness came out because it was too cold out.  My only option?  Walk and run INSIDE and not on a treadmill.  Don't blink, you read that correctly.  Now, before you think that I live in some enormous house, I don't.  I live in a little 1600 sq foot house.

If you know what a caged tiger looks like, then you can actually picture what I looked like running around in my house tonight.  My husband and daughter couldn't stop laughing.  BUT I did it, and I did it all inside.  This is what I learned when I did that....I have no excuses.

With that said....get out and move!  One step in front of the other.

It's a Dance Party!

Do you remember those high school and junior high years when you went to dances and had a blast?  I would dance with my friends, have a great time, and then head home and crash because I was exhausted.  Well, I go to a dance every Wednesday night, have a blast with my friends, and then head home exhausted.  The only exception is that there are no cliques and the usual HS drama :)

Picture this....The lights are low, your friends are all there, the music is really loud and everyone is singing along.  You dance like there is no tomorrow, but no one is paying attention to how you dance...You just dance.  Doesn't this sound like fun?  It is, and it is called ZUMBA.  I mentioned this in a past post, but every Wednesday, I take a zumba class at Pointe of Grace.  The owner of the dance studio, Kim, is the instructor and she is so much fun.

So, the question is, if I am training for a 5k, then why am I doing zumba?  Well, the question has a few answers.  The first answer is quite simple and honest. 

1. I think that running is, quite simply...boring.  Ok, I can hear my friends Kira and Brie gasping in shock that I just said that out loud.  I think that you have to be a very special person to love running, but I am not that special...lol.  When I do zumba, I pay more attention to the music and movements than I do the clock.  And, believe it or not, I actually laugh, joke, and even smile while I zumba.  It is quite simply....fun! 
2. I tend to work harder at zumba. When I jog, my heart-rate stays in the 140-150 range, and I jog for approx 30 min. When I do zumba, my heart-rate stays in the the 160-180 range for a constant 60 minutes.

So, the next question is....why am I training for a 5k if I don't like jogging?  Well, again, there are two answers to this.

1. While I am working to make myself healthier, I need a goal.  A 5k is a simple goal that can be easily attainable for anybody, however it pushes me.
2. This time around, we are working towards running the 5k together as a family - minus my husband who works really long hours and thinks I'm crazy. So, as a family, we go outside and spend time together. In my past post, you should notice that we have a blast doing this.

The only time that I really can do zumba is Wednesdays and some Saturday mornings.  So, I have tweeked my 5k training schedule.  It looks like this:

• Mon - 5k training
• Tues - REST
• Wed - Zumba
• Thurs - REST
• Fri - 5k training
• Some Sats - Zumba
• Sun - REST

This works for me, and I am still increasing my endurance.  So, find what works for you.  I would love to hear what works for you too.

Have a GREAT day!  One foot in front of the other or dance like there's no tomorrow.  Either way, you accomplish the same thing.

Week 2

Week 2: "Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes." Couch to 5k Program

I had to take a week off due to a very bad cold I had last week.  It felt like my lungs were literally on fire and I had no voice for 4 days.  So, back on the horse today.  Today, I started on Week 2 and got my kiddos involved.  The kids had today off so we had girl scouts, making messes, and more playing on the agenda, but by 4:00, I thought, "What are we doing inside?  It is gorgeous out!"  So, we all went outside and played.  We also did "training".  It was fun and the kids loved it.  It was nothing special and we didn't have to go anywhere special.  We just ran/jogged/walked up and down my driveway repeatedly.  The kids were obviously faster than me, but we just high-fived each other as we passed one another, and the babies had a blast trying to decide who to run after.

Most importantly, we had fun!

By the way, I've decided that on my Wednesday training day, I will be doing an hour of zumba.  I feel like I'm still getting the cardio, and I'm switching it up a bit.  Can't hurt, right?

Ok, remember, one foot in front of the other!

Zumba or Bust!

After my training day on Tuesday, I decided to be ambitious and go back to zumba on Wednesdays.  I am hooked.  It is fun to dance (or at least attempt to dance) to really great music.  Before you know it, the class is over and you are sweating up a storm.

I love to go to Pointe of Grace because the instructors are great and fun.  Plus, the people that take the class are regular people just there to have fun and make themselves healthier.  Kim, the owner of the studio, was my instructor on Wednesday and she did something fun that I had never seen done before.  She turned the lights off (mind you, this is at 6:00pm), but there was a lonely light in the middle of the studio and Christmas lights over both of the mirrors in the front and the back of the room.  At first, I thought she was crazy, but then I realized she is a genious!  Whenever I went before, I would always stare at myself in the mirror and the bad self talk would start. "Man, look how fat you are compared to the others".  "Look at that jiggle".  "How did you ever let yourself get that way?".  I would still have fun in the class, but I was always comparing myself to others and comparing myself to what I "should" be. 

So, when Kim turned off the lights, I was intrigued.  I wasn't looking in the mirror at myself.  I wasn't even looking at the other people and comparing myself to them.  I was focused on the moves, making sure I could keep up in the dark, and having fun.  Honestly, I think I worked harder in that workout than I had any other time I had gone.  It was a blast!  My daughter takes dance classes there every Wednesday, so I have committed to go there every Wednesday for zumba.  I need to set aside some time for me.

Because I pushed it a bit more at zumba the night before, I woke up yesterday extremely sore, and because I didn't do the normal rest between training, I decided to give my body a rest yesterday.  I will do my 30 minutes of training today.  Tomorrow morning, I'm going to freeze my butt off and run/walk a 5k that my church is putting on.  I'm not even close to being in shape for it, but I really want to see where I'm at so that I have something to compare it to at the 5k on April 27th.

Now, what got me started on this journey last year was reading a blog about a lady named Katie who started walking and then running, to lose weight.  I figured that if she could do it, then I could do it to.  Her blog is honest and encouraging.  In the middle of the year, she started training for a Ragnar relay in Florida with 11 other people that had lost over 100 lbs.  The race happened this past weekend and will be a documentary called "From Fat to Finish Line".  They were also featured on the Today show yesterday.  Here is the link to the Today show piece.  One of my favorite quotes was from Rik who said, "Just put one foot in front of the other."  That is a great mantra to live by.

So, until tomorrow, "Just put one foot in front of the other".

5k or Bust - A do-over

    It has been quite a while since my last post.  I would like to say that since then, I've lost 100 pounds, I've run a marathon, and I can bench press 150 pounds.  In all honesty, I haven't run since May, I've gained 20 pounds, and I can lift two toddlers at once.  However, I am proud to say that I have found a love for zumba.  I don't do it as often as I would like, but I honestly think that it has helped keep my cardio up. 

    That brings me to now.  I want to do another 5k (without getting sick this time), and I want others to do it with me.  Through this journey, I've realized that ANYONE can run, jog, walk, or crawl.  We just have to do it.  As a solution, my children's school PTO will be hosting a 5k on April 27th and we are trying to get families out there with us. 

    Has anyone been watching this season's "Biggest Loser"?  I'm super impressed that they are trying to combat childhood obesity.  That topic is always on the forefront of my mind as I am trying to teach my children good eating habits verses picking up on my bad eating/exercising habits.  So, as my 9 year old daughter and I were discussing this upcoming 5k, she told me that she had made two New Year's resolutions for this year. 1) Train with me for the upcoming 5k and run it in April. 2) After the running, train on bikes for the 42 mile route in the El Tour de Tucson in November.  This will give us something to train for and work towards all year long.  I realize that for me, I am the one that seems to hold my children back.  This time, I won't allow that to happen.

     Back to this 5k run in April.  One thing I am super excited about is teaming up with the schools' PE teacher to prepare the kids for this run.  On the parent side, the principals are putting training schedules from the Couch to 5k program on their newsletters to parents.   My hope is that parents and children will work together to increase their fitness levels and have fun while doing it.

     So where does that leave me?  I started my training today.  5 minutes of brisk walking, alternate between 60 sec of jogging/90 sec of walking for 20 minutes.  It is hard taking that first step, but I did it.  This time around, I'm not really going to focus on losing weight, although that would be a great consequence.  My goal is to have fun with my daughter while conquering those goals that she layed out for us. 

     By the way, I invite any and all people, to do this with me...wherever you are.  We can all support one another.  So, if you are doing this with me, please comment here or on my facebook, send me a note or call me, I would love to hear.

Ok...Ready, Set, Go!

A Difficult Decision

I will not be running my race tomorrow, and I did not come to that decision lightly.  I feel that this is the best decision for me and for those around me.

Last Sunday, my youngest son started the family out with the flu bug.  It lasted 2 days.  Tuesday night, my oldest son came down with this same bug.  It hit him hard, and he is struggling from it.  Well, low and behold, yesterday afternoon, I started with the bug.  Thankfully, it didn't last long with me like it did with my boys.  However, I am still having a problem drinking and eating.  To give an example, I am literally down 9 lbs in one day!  As much as I would like to say it is my hard work, I have to say it is that I am not hydrated enough.

So, up until tonight, I was actually planning on going to my race.  Whatever this bug is, it is nasty and is hitting many families in our school district.  The school and the district have sent out formal letters saying that this is highly contagious and to stay home 48 hours after the last symptom.  I don't want to risk anymore people getting this and I don't want to not have fun tomorrow.

Thus, I have made the decision not to race.  However, I actually did my first 5k last week.  I just didn't race to accomplish it, and Kira is my witness that I did it.  I will not quit here...I will look for another race to be had.  I also signed up for groupon for Zumba classes today.  I am super excited for that especially during the heat of the summer.

Trial Run

These pictures were taken last Thursday, April 12th. I am trying to make sure I take pictures at least once a month. I am starting to get more people mentioning how good I look and asking me how much weight I have lost. Well, I am still at only 15 lbs. I am telling people that, right now, I am not losing weight, I am redistributing it. My shape is changing.

This is my least favorite view, but my butt is my "largest assett" and it needs to be shown in hopes that it shows that it is shrinking.

All last week, I was nursing my knee, but because I didn't want to lose my endurance, I have been walking. Well, these pictures were taken after a 2 mile "walk" in 38 min. It was not easy. Kira kicked my butt. I always feel amazing after I excercise, though. My knees and feet were really hurting the next day so I just rested.

Friday night, I texted my girlies and told them I was going to do a trial run on my 5k. My 5k is on Saturday and I was getting really nervous about it. I wasn't sure I was able to do it. So, I decided to face the fear right then. So, Saturday morning, Kira and I went out at 7am (she started alot earlier because she ran to our starting place - show off :) ) and started my 5k trial run.

Kira and I discussed starting out the first mile strong with a run, walking the second mile, and ending strong on the 3rd mile. The first mile went great and I got into a good rhythm. I even pushed it to the end and dry heaved on the side of the road. Brie says that is the mark of a true runner...being able to puke on the side of the road. Just for fun, I checked my heart rate and it was up to 150 beats/minute. The second mile, we slowed it down and walked. That was my favorite part since I like chatting so much. Then, the third mile, I was at the point of calling Kira bad names in my head. She is really a good friend and "coach" and I am thankful for her patience with me. Nevertheless, in the end, I completed my first 5k and my time was 1 hour and 2 minutes.

My goal for Saturday is to run and keep running as far as I can and finish in UNDER one hour.

The next "trial run" I need to talk about is getting rid of dairy in my diet. Last week, I was watching Dr. Oz and he talked about milk alergies and sensitivies. He mentioned that an asstounding 60% of people have a dairy senstivity or alergy. My ears perked up when he mentioned some of the symptoms.... weight gain, lack of weight loss, joint pain, migrains and headaches, IBS, etc. I have been suffering from joint pain in the last year and have had many of the other symptoms. So, I decided to try the 3 week Anti-Alergy Diet. http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/anti-allergy-diet

So far, it is going great. I'm really not seeing any difference right now, but I am starting to realize how much crap is in the food we eat. I am having to read every label. Some breads have milk, some don't. It is found in canned foods and even deli meats! Who would have thought that? I was making tacos the other day and was about to put my favorite taco seasoning in. I looked at the ingredients, and it contains whey! Goodness!

I will keep you updated on how it goes. I'm taking it a bit easy this week with my running, in preparation for Saturday. I will post pics and details. Keep up all of your good works. I love hearing your own stories. Please spread the love to others too.

Perspective

Where is Tatiana?  That is a good question.  To put is quite simply, I have been avoiding my blog and thus avoiding hard things I don't really want to look at.  So, lets look into what I have been doing these last couple weeks.  First off, I need to say...I HAVE NOT QUIT. 

     A couple of weeks ago, I was hitting a great stride.  Actually, it was two weeks ago today that I was out running and I ran 25 minutes straight or a mile and a half straight.  It fellt so good.  So, on my off day, I went out and worked on putting my garden in.  Same for Wednesday.  Let me tell you, if you want to strengthen the back of your legs, put a garden in.  My hamstrings killed!  Well, I don't know what happened, but it caused my left knee to really hurt and swell a bit.  Last week, the swelling went down, but it still hurt.  It hurt to walk, but it hurt even more to run on it.  So, I haven't run.  BUT I have kept walking.  In fact, Brie mentioned before I got injured, that I needed to lengthen my running stride to go a bit faster.  So, I decided to try that with walking.  I openned my hips and let my legs take me around the park.  I was amazed!  I cut my .4 mile lap time down by 2 minutes! 

     So, this brings me to today.  I am itching to get out an run, but still my knee feels weak and it still hurts.  I still went out and walked, though.  I called it my therapy session.  I love Kira and Brie because they help me think through situations without trying to forcibly tell me what to do.  Kira walked with me while Brie watched the older kiddos.  I started to cry a bit while talking to Kira.  I'll admit it.  I'm mad.  I am mad at myself for getting hurt.  I am mad that I have a race 2 weeks away and I don't know how I will manage it.  I am mad because I wanted to run the whole thing and I know I could have, but now I will have to walk some/ maybe even all of it.  I am mad that I like to eat and my weight and lack of weight loss seems to show it. 

     Kira tried to put a few things into perspective for me.  The biggest thing was that my race was not an end all.  It was a goal to accomplish, but sometimes goals need to be adjusted.  My goal was to run the whole race on April 21st, but now my goal is to run/walk the race and FINISH it in under an hour.  This is allowing me to make a new goal....find a race in October (any time before that would be too hot in So AZ) and run the whole thing with a new time goal.  Second, my next goal this week is to work on my food choices.  Also, I have lost 15 pounds but have seemed to plateau already.  BUT I wish I could possibly count how many people have come up to me saying how good I look lately.  My body shape is changing.  My calves are starting to get a little definition and my large butt does not wiggle as much any more.  I need to change how I see myself.

     Thank you to my family and friends who give me so much support.  I haven't written for so long for fear of letting people down.  I was letting myself down so I didn't want to let anyone else down as well.  BUT I'm changing my perspective.  I'm changing my goals.  And, you know what?  It is ok.
    

I Passed Somebody!

Where I live, there are amazing trails along our "rivers" (I use that term loosely). That was our running/biking destination tonight. There is a one stretch that is approximately 1 mile long and we thought that it would be perfect for me to do my 23 min jogging stretch. So, armed with my friend Brie, my MP3 player, and our children, we headed out. Brie is an awesome friend/coach. She lets me get into my music and just run while she runs with the jogging stroller and chases after 3 boys riding their bikes.

Anyways, I was running at one stretch, by myself, and notice these two men jump on the trail ahead of me walking. I had a goal to put my head down, put one foot in front of the other, and pass these two. I did it. It was such a good feeling. I know, these guys were walking, but I still passed them. That means that I am running faster than a walker. That has to be good for something.

In fact, it was funny. I ran my scheduled 23 minutes (approximately a whole mile) and then I had to turn around and go back. We walked back and it seemed to take FOREVER! The more I run, the less patience I have for walking. Hehehe. That is funny coming from me.

I also want to mention a few more positives that happened to me on Wednesday. Sorry, I never got to the blog that day. I'm trying not to focus so much on my weight now. I'm trying to focus on the little changes that are happening to my body.

Positive things about Wednesday:

1. My butt had room! I took my son to the doctor and I sat down in a waiting room chair. I was just there 2 weeks ago for my twins too, but this time, I had a little bit more butt room in the chair. Yay for butt room


2. I look cute! I took all 4 of my children to our local Children's museum. I had a lady come up to me saying how much she admired me for standing there with 4 children (2 of which are twins). She said she was so frazzled with one toddler and couldn't imagine how I could have my hair done, my make-up on (rare occurance) and look so cute and come out of the house with the 4 kids. I thanked her and just smiled. She really made my day.


3. I got my eyebrows waxed. I couldn't believe how much that one little action boosted my self-esteem. I felt pretty.


4. I rocked it on my workout. I am learning that I NEED music. It helps me stay focused while I run. I ended up working out for 45 minutes and running 35 minutes of it.

I am loving everything that I am learning on this journey. Thank you all for your love, support, and comments. There are people following my blog that I didn't reallize. So, thank you. If any of this inspires you, please share it. One of the reasons that I started this blog was because I had never seen a blog of a person my size on their running/weight loss journey before. I want to share with everyone that you can do anything. It just takes one step in front of the other.

Have a great weekend!

It's a New Week!

This is a new week and it is going great so far. I woke up on Monday determined to have a better attitude. We have had beautiful weather here in Arizona for the last week, but on the day I wanted to get out and run with my kiddos, it is 46 degrees as a high and threatening snow! Where did that come from? Well, again, I can't say enough about my awesome friends. If you are trying to lose weight or start a running program, you need to have a support system. One that won't sabotage your success, but one that lifts you up and helps you.

Ok, back to Brie. She was going to run with me, but we agreed it was absolutely too cold for the kiddos. She told me to grab my music and drops the kids off at her house for an hour. Talking about music, I finally got my own MP3 player. No more Hannah Montana from my daughter's MP3 player or Iron Maiden from my husband's. Now I have Katy Perry, Adele, Pink, and Bon Jovi.

Before I left her house, I asked Brie to take these pictures of me. I realized that I need to not only journal what I'm doing, but I need to photograph what I'm doing too. So, every week, I'm hoping to put a picture up of me and this journey. Another reason I am doing this is because I have been frustrated with my weight loss. Three months into this process, I have only lost 15 lbs. Now, don't get me wrong, 15 pounds is great, but for someone who has almost 200 lbs to lose, that is very small and frustrating. However, I have noticed that my clothes are fitting a bit better so I knew that something was changing. So, I am starting to track my measurements as well. Since January, I have gone down 2 inches in my waiste and 3 inches on my hips. Now, that makes me happy.

After these fabulous pictures were taken (that was dripping with sarcasm), I got bundled up and headed to the local high school. I ran 1/2 mile, walked 1/4 mile and ran 1/2 mile. I'm realizing that my lung capacity it great while I run. My lungs are not on fire anymore, but my legs are week. By the time I hit that mile, my lungs can keep going but my legs want to stop and throw a tantrum. I have one month from today until I run my first 5k ever so I need to figure out a way to overcome this obstacle. I will do it.

Controlling My Thoughts

I always thought that when church leaders council us to control our thoughts, it meant purely dirty thoughts or gossipy thoughts. But I think it goes farther. I have a problem controlling my self-deprecating thoughts. I have a hard time seeing myself the way others see me. If someone says something mean about me, I believe it. If someone says something nice about me, I have a hard time believing it.

I say all of this because I recognize that I have a problem loving me. I am working on that, but it is a day to day, minute by minute struggle. I made an awesome accomplishment last Friday (running the mile without stopping) and had an awesome weightloss on Saturday (lost 6 lbs). BUT, this week, I feel like I have hit a wall and I'm having a hard time climbing over it. I reallize that it is purely mental, but that doesn't make it any easier to get over.

Let me explain. My rest days are Saturday and Sunday so when Monday came, I was actually really excited to get out and run. My plan was to go to the high school that evening and do 1/2 mile run, 1/4 mile jog and alternate it 3 times . Well, one thing leads to another. I was waiting for my husband to get home and when he got home, I knew that I had to stay. He was not feeling well and just wanted to go to bed, and when I went outside, my van had a flat tire that needed to be taken care of. Once everyone went to bed and dinner was done and put away, I made a conscious choice to not go out and run. Instead, I binged! I'm still feeling the guilt. Cue the bad self-talk.

So, Tuesday came and I was itching to get out and run. After everyone was settled at either school or in bed for a nap (husband included), I headed outside to run. I walked 5 minutes, jogged 5 minutes, walked 3 minutes and during my second 5 minutes, I hit a horrible mental wall and didn't want to go any farther. Usually, when this happens, I push right through it. Well, I didn't want to push through it so I walked right back through my door. Total fail! Brie talked to me about it this morning....she is very insightful. She said that the body follows the mind. My mind had shut off...it kept telling my body that was hurting and that I didn't want to do this anymore. So, I quit.

The same thing happened this morning. I was at the park. Brie took my kids and let me just run. So, it was just me. I made a break through realization this morning. I NEED MUSIC TO RUN! It helps me get into a little place where I don't think about anything but moving. I didn't have that this morning. I even tried to sing to myself. I'm sorry, but Primary Songs, that I am singing to myself, do nothing to help me get up a hill that I don't want to go up. So, I quit again. BUT I have awesome friends and Brie wouldn't let me. I had already walked/jogged .4 miles (one lap around the park). We grabbed the kids and she let me walk and talk. We walked one full lap (it took 10 minutes) and then we decided to jog the next lap. About half-way through and thankfully, just before I hit that hill, I found my happy place. I just dug in and kept going (it took 7-8 minutes). I am now jogging faster than I walk. Well, that is an improvement.

This is the very reason I am writing this blog. For me, jogging, walking, weight loss, and simply loving myself are not as simple as going out and just doing it. I think for most people, that is not the case. If that were the case, there would not be obesity, alcoholism, food disorders, etc.

The reason I am writing this blog is so that I can (and others to, if you so wish) visually see and remember my accomplishments. I need to remind myself that I CAN do things that I have never done before. I CAN overcome my self-deprecating thoughts with motivating actions. I CAN be who I need to become.

I Ran a Mile!

I was looking at my Couch to 5k training program and noticed that next Friday I was supposed to run for 20 minutes straight. For me, that is approximately a mile. That scared the crap out of me. I haven't run a mile since I left high school 18 years ago! I am also 100 lbs heavier than I was in high school too so I knew that this would be hard to do for me.

So, when my hubby came home from work, I decided to take the older two of my kiddos and go to the local high school. I decided that I was going to run a mile today. I wanted to accomplish this today. I went to the high school track because I wanted the running marks so knew exactly how far I was running and it would be easier for me to track the time too.

A mile is 4 laps. I walked one lap to warm up a bit and I felt strong. Then came the running. The first lap was good, but the second was killing. I kept thinking, "Am I done yet?" lol. Funny thing is, though, is that I remember having these same thoughts when I ran this same track in high school. The one thing that I noticed, with the end of lap two and into lap three, was that my body had gone into a natural rhythm. My steps and my breathing were in sync with each other.

As the fourth lap came around, I was feeling good knowing that I would actually accomplish this goal. Then, at the last curve, I kept thinking about my friend, Brie saying, "Give it all you've got to finish." However, I couldn't push it anymore. I couldn't even feel my legs. I just kept my head down looking at the white lines indicating a lane. I can honestly say that I gave my all tonight. Then, came the end point. I was so excited. My kids were excited.

I weigh 350 lbs and I just ran (without stopping at all) a mile! My time was 20 min. 29 sec.

It's Official

I am officially signed up for my very first 5k on April 21st. I am so excited but extremely scared and nervous. I keep picking my friends' brains about what a race is like. Then, another friend of mine sent me an email about a race happening the day before Mother's Day. It is called the "I Love My Mommy" race. I am soooo there.

You know, I never thought that I would love running. While I'm running, I can honestly say that I don't love it, BUT afterwards, I love the feeling it gives me. It's euforia....like I can accomplish anything.

I got my butt to the park this morning and ran with my girls. Kira was my "coach" today and she was awesome! I had one goal today and one goal only: run faster. After my last run on Monday, I talked with Brie about my running. I identified that when I started jogging, I would slow my pace and sit back into my jog, thus slowing me down. I was getting comfortable. So, today, my goal was to not shuffle and lean forward into my jogs. It worked! My pace with my walking warm up and downs was a 20 minute mile. Such an improvement.

I'm also loving all the friends that are starting this journey with me. I am learning more and more about people that are starting their "training" with friends in their area. I love it! I feel not alone. So, thank you for joining me in this journey.

Ok...here is my log for the day.

• 5 min walking warm up


• 3 min jog


• 90 sec walk


• 5 min jog


• 2 1/2 min walk


• 3 min jog


• 90 sec walk


• 5 min jog


• Cool down

Total of 1.6 miles. Have a great day all. Do a little bit more than you did yesterday. It could even start with a smile :)

The Secret Life of My Butt...and other crazy subjects

It has been exactly two weeks since I have done the Couch to 5K program and two weeks since I have blogged about my crazy life. Let me tell you, ALOT has happened in those two weeks. Some fun, some embarrassing, and some amazing things.

Let me start where I left off. I went to Disneyland! We loaded up the kiddos Tuesday night and went for four fabulous days to Disneyland. It was the best! We had so much fun and it seemed that we all loved every minute of it. Now, since this is mostly a food, exercise, and psyche blog, I will focus mostly on that part of our trip. The following picture is the only picture of me on this trip. Of course, I am eating, but honestly don't know what I am saying. Lol




When we started our trip, I made a conscious decision to not count my points from Weight Watchers and eat whatever I darn well pleased. I was ok with that and I enjoyed every single morsel.

• Cream cheese filled pretzel


• Pineapple whip


• Yummy breakfast food - sausage, bacon, french toast, danishes


• A HUGE corn dog


• Garlic/Parmesan French Fries


• Virgin Mint Julip


• Monte Cristo Sandwich (it was like eating a jelly donut stuffed with ham and cheese..Yum!)


• pizza


• Cold Stone Creamery Ice Cream


• A bunch of other not-so-good-for-you foods.

Again, I allowed myself to do that. The most important thing for me to say is that I really have no guilt eating all that yummy food. What got me, though was that I didn't drink enough water.

So, here comes the down side to that trip. When we got home, I weighed myself. In one week, I gained 15 pounds! After driving 10 hours the night before, eating all that fried food, and not drinking enough water, I looked down at my very Flinstone looking feet, and knew I was retaining water.

The only other downside of that trip was a reality check about my butt. I will be the first to admit that I have a very large derriere. That is what I love about Disney. All the rides fit people of all shapes and sizes. The turnstyles, however, are not so forgiving. On the very last day of our visit, we reallized that we hadn't gone on the Jungle Cruise. Seemingly harmless, my mom and I and the three boys got in line. When the line got to the front where the turnstyle was (and there was a HUGE line behind us), I did my usual turn to the side and walk through. Only, it wouldn't move. I tried to go backwords, but turnstyles don't go backwards. I only had one way to go and that was pushing with all my might and ignore possible talking behind me (that was all in my head, I'm sure). My mom looked nervous for me. So, with what seemed like an embarrassing FOREVER (probably only 15 seconds). I pushed and pushed and pushed and finally made it through the turnstyle.

Also, after I climbed a million stairs to get into the Hyperion Theater to see Aladdin, my butt would not fit in the seat. I was really in a bad mental cycle then. My knees hurt from climbing the stairs and I ended up sitting in a handicapped seat. My self berating then started. The following words started echoing in my ears. "You are so fat. Why did you let yourself get that way? What a bad example to your children you are! Etc. Etc"

Then, I remember everything that I have accomplished. Because I have been doing the 5k training, my feet didn't hurt as bad after a day's walks to, in, and from Disneyland. AND I had alot of energy to play with my kiddos, my mom, my hubby, and our friends while we were there. I also need to add that I conquered a fear during this trip, as well. I got on California Screamin with my daughter and my husband. It was so much fun that all I remember is laughing and smiling the whole time. So, I am choosing to remember that and remember that I don't ever want to feel "butt" embarrassment again.

When we got home, I reallized that I hurt myself because of that stupid stair climb. So, my friends and I decided that I needed to rest for the next week. I was itching to get out and do my training, but knew that I should give my knee some time to heal.

I am proud to announce that this morning, I was out training again and I feel amazing!

• 5 min warm-up walking


• 3 min jogging


• 90 sec walking


• 5 min jogging


• 2 1/2 min walking


• 3 min jogging


• 90 sec walking


• 5 min jogging


• 5 min cool down walking

I actually decreased my time as well. My pace was a 20 min. mile. It still seems slow, but remember that I started at a 25 minute mile. I am loving how this is making me feel. I have also decided that I will be running my first 5k on April 21st (5 days before my 36th birthday). I couldn't do this without my dear friends Kira and Brie. By the way, Kira finished her first 5k this past weekend and both of them ran it in under 30 minutes. While I was on vacation, Brie completed her first Regland Relay. She ran a total of approx 24 miles. I am so proud of us for trying and doing new things and not holding ourselves back.

So, go out TODAY and try something you have never done before.

The Power of Friends

Why is it that our thoughts can have so much power over our bodies? This can be a good thing and this can be a bad thing. The quote, "Mind over matter" has so much power when you are running and your brain keeps telling you, "Stop, this is stupid" or "Why are you doing this to me?" or "Are we done yet?"

My thoughts have been an incredible power for me. I've pushed myself to do things just by telling myself I could. I graduated from the University of Arizona. I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I get up everyday to the sound of four children. However, they have been a detriment too. I constantly tell myself I'm not good enough, I'm not pretty, I'm too fat. This latter thinking has kept me from loving myself.

So, today was one of those thought struggle days. I'm going on vacation with my family this week so I'm not able to go with Kira and Brie running. Just today. But I told them that I wanted to do it on my own today. Well, 8:00 PM came along and I still hadn't done my training. To be honest, I wasn't going to do it.

Then, came along my friend. Kira won't know what an influence she was to me tonight until she reads this, but her powerful thought kept me strong. I checked my email tonight and noticed that she commented on a blog post I did a couple of days ago. She told me that I can do it and that I AM doing it. So, guess what? I DID IT!

I went out, in the dark and ran. It's getting harder, but I'm doing it. The training was as follows: 5 minutes warm up walk, 3 min jog, 90 sec walk, 5 min jog, 2 1/2 min walk, 3 min jog, 90 sec walk and 8 min jog. Then a cool down walk. Did you see that at the end? I JOGGED 8 MINUTES STRAIGHT! A total of 19 minutes of jogging. Now, this may not be a big deal for some people, but this is HUGE for me.

I am thankful for the power of my friends. They are keeping me strong. I am realizing how important they are.

Life's Greatest Blessings

Exactly a year ago today, I weighed the heaviest I ever have. My body hurt all over and I was swollen to the gills. I remember sleeping (or not getting much sleep) in my chair very anxious for the upcoming events. I was about to do something I had never done before. I gave birth to twin boys.

I love all of my children. I have an almost 9 year old daughter, an almost 5 year old boy, and the 1 year old twin boys. What a blessing to have these four in my life. They keep me wanting to live life.

Writing this made me think of the cheerleaders I had today. I showed up at the park this morning with Kira, ready to run, but it was FREEZING out. It was 35 degrees and way to cold for the boys to be out in. So, I opted out and vowed to do my training at some point today. Then, I got really tired and just didn't feel like it. So, I didn't.

UNTIL...this afternoon, I got the boys down for a nap and the older two wanted to go out to play. This was my chance. I went out to play too. I grabbed the mp3 player and went outside. I did my training. What made it special was my children. Imagine, if you will, running to the end of a very long driveway with your children waiving flags and acting like cheerleaders. They are yelling stuff like, "Mom's the best!"..."You can do it, Mom" ..."We love you". My 4 year old was riding his bike at times too and kept high fiving me as we passed.

Afterwards, I talked to my daughter and she was just grinning ear to ear. She asked me if she could come to my race and cheer me on. I couldn't think of anything better than that. She was even more excited when I told her that the one I wanted to race was on her birthday. What a blessing they are to me. They are my reason to feel better. I am doing this for me, but I am also doing this so that I am there for them.

To recap my "training"...I ROCKED IT! 5 min. of warm up and 2 repetitions of the following (90sec jogging, 90 sec walking, one complete Adele "Rolling in the Deep" Song (approx 4 min) followed by 3 min of walking).

A Little Wiggle and a Little Woggle

My friend, Janette, commented on one of my previous posts that they like to call very slow jogging, wogging. I have amended that term to woggling. I was definitely wiggling and woggling today, BUT it was another awesome day of accomplishment.

I was dreading this day of training because it was pushing me a bit farther than I've ever been in
the last 20 years. I'm on Week 3 of the Couch to 5k program. It was warm up of 5 min. walking and 2 repetitions of the following (90 sec or 200 yds jogging, 90 sec or 200 yds walking, 3 min or 400 yds of jogging, 3 min or 400 yds of walking). I was REALLY psyching myself out with the 3 mins of jogging. BUT I did it and I had fun doing it. In fact, I felt so strong that on my last 3 minutes, I wanted to keep going. I made it another 100 yds or approx another 30 sec.

For the first time ever, I realized that I really can do this. As Kira and I were doing the cool down lap, I told her that this is my third program week, but I have really been at it for 3 weeks already. So, I'm starting my 4th week of walking/jogging. Kira mentioned some changes that she has noticed with me. First, I'm not sucking air anymore. Second, I am actually lifting my feet now instead of shuffling

like I did when I first started. Then, after we talked a bit more, she mentioned that all those changes have really happened in only 9 sessions of 1/2 an hour a day.

I am amazed at how my body is strengthening and healing itself in such a short amount of time. I am sure it will continue to increase its power the more weeks

that pass and the more weight that I lose. So, in only a cumulative of 4.5 hours, I've been able to increase my endurance and I am running.

Ok, I'm still woggling, but the important thing is

that I AM MOVING. I am starting to look forward to meeting up with my friends every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Oh, and the most important milestone that I hit today is that while going up that hill, I was not thinking bad thoughts about my friend Brie who was timing me. Now, THAT is an accomplishment. :)

Saturday - Weigh in Day

This will be a short post, but I wanted to announce that that I lost 2.3 pounds this week! Actually, I didn't "lose" 2.3 pounds, I kicked it out of my life and I never want it found again.

By the way, I am having fun too. Who would have thought? I met a new friend today while giving blood and I was so excited to tell her about my adventures with losing weight (which is only 14 lbs so far) and training for the 5k. I am loving when people are telling me they are starting something similar in other cities and towns. Again, this is so much fun!

So, I think we are narrowing our 5k down to possibly March 31st. There is one at the University of Arizona but registrations have not opened yet. When they do, Brie, Kira, and I will be registering. Anyone else want to join us? It will be really exciting to actually have a specific goal to work towards. A date that I can circle on my calendar.

Have a great rest day. See you on Monday. I will be on Week 3 of the Couch to 5k program. It looks scary to me. But, I will conquer even if I have to cry, whine, or inwardly think bad thoughts about my friend/trainer, Brie. Love you Brie!

Doritos are EVIL!

Yep, that says it all. Doritos are evil. They call you from far away. Just the thought of them makes you salivate. Then, that first salty taste - pure ecstasy. Before you know it, the whole bag is gone and you are licking the last of that cheesy goodness off your fingers.

Why is it that some foods just trigger a "lust" for that food? I'm sure there is some sort of scientific reason, but just know that I have some trigger foods. Doritos, doughnuts, rolls, chocolate...anything that has to do with some sort of carbohydrate (the not good for you kind). Those are my trigger foods.

Along with my 5k "training", I'm also doing Weight Watchers Online. It is teaching me to eat in moderation. Now, I can count on both hands how many times I've done WW, but this time is different. I have a goal to work towards. It is not weight related this time, although, that is a bonus. My goal is to run a full 5k. Along the way, losing weight will definitely help. But I'm looking at food, now, as fuel.

By the way, I had a piece of chocolate and doritos last night (my husband should not be allowed to go to any store when he is hungry). Yes, I beat myself up about it, but I do that. It's not healthy thinking, but that is another something I'm working on. I did enjoy every bite of that chocolate, though.

So, on to the run today. Because I ate the doritos, I could immediately feel the retention of water. So, I'm just drinking a ton of water. Two of my kiddos are still sick today so I missed the morning run with Brie and Kira. However, when the babies were down for their naps, I headed outside with the older two. They road their bikes while I did my training. By the way, I added some Adele to my daughter's MP3 player and it made running alot better.

I shouldn't say I run...I'm trudging along. I'm VERY slow, but my feet are coming up off the ground. So I think I'm doing something other than walking but less than running. I'm moving...that is the important thing. On our runs at the park, there is a slight hill that I HATE going up with my double stroller. I almost always want to cry going up it. Then I complain about how I'm not doing so much. Brie and Kira set me in my place. They remind me that I am doing more than I was and I am ahead of the person that is still sitting on the couch.

So, to all those that need motivation - here it is. Get off the couch. Walk down the driveway. That's it. You did more than you were doing. Now, if you are already doing that (no matter if you are just off the couch or if you are running marathons), just do slightly more than you did yesterday.

Ok...5k training stats.
5 min warm up. 20 minute alternating jogging/walking. 90sec jogging/2 min walking. 5 minute cool down and stretching.