Conquering Couch To 5k

So, apparently you guys like when I post fitness stuff on here!  Who knew?  A couple of my most recent posts (Run Around and Fit to be Tied) got a bit of a buzz.  Yep, I’m getting all sleek and in shape over here at OGT.  I’ve got a few months til summer and I will be spending as much time in a bathing suit as possible.  I have a little fishy of a son, so you can bet we will be saying hi to Grandma from the pool as often as we can.  I better invest in sunblock now…

Back to the runnin’.  I touched on the Couch to 5k method of “learning” to run earlier this year.  I said I had never once completed the program the whole way through.  Well, I am thisclose to completing it this time!  Let me give you a little back story.

I have never been on a team sport.  Not growing up, not in high school, not in college, not ever.  The closest I came to being on a “team” was when I was in a singing group when I was 10.  Nope, I didn’t play any sports.  I worked in high school.  I was never one for running or really even into fitness for that matter.  It wasn’t until I was in college that I started realizing how out of shape I was.  My freshman roommate and some of the other girls on my floor would convince me to go workout in the gym in our basement.  I had no idea what I was doing, so I just kind of made stuff up as I went along.

Fast forward a few years.  OK, several years.  In the summer of 2009 I was at my highest (then) weight of 165.  I knew I needed to do something because I was unhappy.  I felt fat, lazy, and had no energy.  I started walking and lifting weights.  My sister had started running earlier in the year and she lost a ton of weight.  She also started running in some 5ks and she inspired me to want to try running too.  I began the program (I actually use an app called Ease into 5k instead of the c25k one) and I think I got through about week 4 or so.  Then I gave it up.  Can’t remember why, but I did.  I probably thought my body wasn’t built for running.

Despite not completing the program, I ended up losing 30 pounds by walking and doing various other activities at the gym like the arc trainer.  I started the program a few more times but, as before, stopped it by week 4 or 5.  When I got pregnant with Jake, I ended up gaining a ton of weight.  I believe my highest weight was 204!!!  Geez, Louise!

After I had him, I lost about 30 pounds naturally, but I hovered around the 170 mark for a loooooong time.  Finally at the beginning of this year I had had enough.  I wanted my 135 pound body back.  My best friend and I got serious and we’ve been eating right and exercising ever since.  I’ve lost 12 pounds so far and feel a lot more lean and mean.  I still have a ways to go, but I can see the results and I’m determined to reach my goal!

Well, that was a long winded way to get on the topic of my current experience with Couch to 5K.  This time, it’s all different.  I started out pretty strong on weeks 1, 2, and 3, but then I started having some pain on the inside of my shins.  My friend told me she thought they were shin splints and suggested I rest and not run for a while.  This is one of the reasons why I had stopped running period in the past, so I was nervous to take a break.  On the other hand, I didn’t want to hurt myself, so I quit running for a few weeks.

When I got back on the treadmill, I was still a little sore, but not so much I couldn’t run.  I completed my run with ease!  After that, I just kept progressing and progressing.  Some days were really tough, others weren’t so bad.  Last night, I went to the gym fully expecting not to be able to complete the day’s run.  Week 6, day 2 is run 10 minutes, walk 3, run 10.  I did it, but struggled with it.  Week 6, day 3 (last night’s run) was warm up, then run 20 minutes.  Straight.  No breaks.  There was no way.

Well, I was wrong.  I KILLED my run!  Not only did I run the 20 minutes it said to, but I kept going and ran an additional 6 minutes so I could say I ran 2 miles straight!  (Yes, right now I run a very slow 13 minute mile, but I run the whole thing.  So there.)  I was so pleased with myself I put it all over social media!

I’m not completely done with Couch to 5k, but I’m so close.  Now I feel like I could actually, potentially be a runner.  I know they say if you run even one minute, you’re a runner, but in my head that’s not the truth.  That’s not the definition of a runner I see.  My sister?  She’s a runner.  Know what I do believe in?  The term runner’s high.  There’s no other feeling like it.

On a side note, did you all see Google Reader is going to be shutting it’s doors on July 1? 

What blog reading platform will you be using when that happens?

Whole Foods

Diet.  Low fat.  Light.  Fat free.

When you’re trying to lose weight, the no-brainer move is to switch from full fat to fat free right?  Well…not quite.  When you switch to lower calorie options, more often than not, you’re replacing those calories with lots of chemicals and additives.  It might work to help you drop the pounds, but in the long run you’re filling your body with crap you could do without.

So where does this leave me?  Turning to whole foods.  I have decided to try to eat as much minimally processed foods as I can.  I am going to shop from the perimeter of the grocery store as much as possible and really focus on reading food labels.  Have you looked at some of those food labels lately?  They are a mile long and contain so many words I don’t even know how to pronounce.

It’s going to be a work in progress though because I use Sweet-n-low in my coffee and enjoy the occasional Coke Zero.  Baby steps, people.

To get things started, I went to the grocery store and think I did pretty good!

I ended up coming home with just a few things that weren’t considered “whole” foods.  But to be fair, they are for Jeff. 

It’s berry season, so I stocked up!  I’m planning on freezing some of these berries for future use.

Look at all that produce!  Some of those items will be turned in to yummy baby food for the little guy!

Have you tried roasted cauliflower?  I’m not a big fan of cauliflower, but I’ve heard roasting it makes it really delicious.  I think I’ll try it!

Carolyn told me she loved the gyoza potstickers with the gyoza sauce from Trader Joe’s.  I’m a huge fan of potstickers, so this purchase was a must!

I only have a small weakness for Chobani.  And wine.

With all the produce I purchased, I wanted to try something I’d seen on Pinterest a while back.  Have you seen the Salad in a Jar?  I thought it was quite a concept.  I love salads but am always running late for work, so I never have time to put them together.  This way, I can just grab a jar out of the fridge and throw it in my lunch bag.  We’ll see if this works…

I made three kinds:
Harvest Salad with Homemade Raspberry Vinaigrette,

Mixed Veggies with Asian Sesame dressing (store bought…boo!),

and Mixed Veggies with Ranch dressing (again, store bought.  I forgot I had the stuff to make homemade until after I put the jar together…fail!).

I bought the pint sized Ball jars, but realized afterwards I should have grabbed the quart sized ones.  Oh well.  If you’re looking for another blog post in addition to this one, check out Lauren’s guest post on Lindsay’s blog:

Salads in a Jar

After making my salads, I went to pick Jake up.  I discovered it was time for him to eat, so I strapped him to the high chair and had him try peaches.  The verdict?  You be the judge.

OMG he loved them!  He was actually asking for them by opening his sweet little mouth.  (Watch the whole video for a really sweet interaction between the two of us.  He’s so sweet!)  Towards the end, he was starting to lose interest, but perked up again when I tried BLW (baby led weaning) with a banana.

I can’t decide which way Jake prefers his food, but we are going to keep trying both ways.  No matter which way he chooses, it’s going to be as many whole foods as possible for this family for the foreseeable future!

Question:  What’s your best tip for losing the pounds and getting healthy?

Healthy Eating

Back in 2009 when I decided I had had enough of my weight and it was time to do something about it, I knew I had to change two things: my eating and my exercising. This is a no brainer for getting fit. Here are some of the things I incorporated into my diet:

Oatmeal: I would typically have this for breakfast every day. I liked adding a scoop of peanut butter to it as well as a banana or some dried cherries. Slivered almonds were great if I wanted a little extra crunch too.

String Cheese and Roasted Almonds: This was one of my go to snacks. Lots of protein and just enough fat to get me to the next meal a few hours away.

Carrots and Cream Cheese: I know, it sounds kind of odd, but the Philadelphia Low Fat Garden Veggie cream cheese is similar to really thick ranch dressing. Try it. I promise you’ll like it.

Chobani yogurt: I have always loved yogurt, but I love Chobani even more because of the added protein. Protein=sustained energy and who doesn’t want that??

Apples with Low Fat Caramel Dip: I have a MAJOR sweet tooth and almost always have to end my lunches and dinners with a little treat. I started eating apples with caramel dip as a way to get in a healthy treat without blowing my diet.

Hard boiled eggs: Again, this is a great source of protein. I actually don’t like the yolk, so I would bring a couple eggs and just eat the whites with a pinch of salt. It makes for a yummy, quick breakfast if you are able to toast a couple sliced of bread and add a slice of cheese to the mix. Yummy egg sammy!

Canned vegetable based soups: I ate a bunch of Progresso soup. At first I would eat all the varieties including the ones made with meat. Then I saw a special with Jamie Oliver that talked about the pink slime. Apparently this is what they use in canned soups. So long, meaty soups! It’s all veggies all the time for this girl.

Ham sandwiches: This was pretty much my staple for lunch. I almost always had a ham sandwich, light chips, and a yogurt. It was filling and tasty. I more often that not end up bringing this to work still to this day!

Frozen Meals: OK, so Lean Cuisines are probably not the best thing you can have (TONS OF SODIUM), but when I am in a hurry to get to work, I don’t always have time to make a sandwich or put a salad together. This is when I grab a frozen meal. I mean, hey, it’s either this or hitting the drive thru. You tell me which is better…

Weight Watchers Frozen Candy Bars: This is Weight Watchers’ version of a frozen Snickers ice cream bar. Oh so tasty and extremely satisfying. I loved when I had enough calories at the end of the day to enjoy on of these babies!

These were my go to foods when I was getting my eating back under control. Now that I’m having to do it again, however, I find myself still burnt out on many of these items.

So, dear friends, I need some help. What healthy foods or snacks do you keep on hand to maintain your healthy eating? I’m hoping to get some new ideas so I can keep the momentum of healthy eating going!

Challenge Extended

“Challenge extended.”
“Deal!”
“Challenge accepted.”
“All right, we’ll start with…apples.”
“We’ll be starting with apples.”
“Stop that now!”

I have this problem finishing things I start (just ask my mom).  For this reason, I have an entire “scrapbook center” in my basement I haven’t visited since we moved in two years ago, a half completed cross stitch pattern I started for my mom about four years ago, and several stretches of blogging (followed by several stretches of silence) over the past few years.

Today, after much discussion with Carolyn, I poised a challenge:  do Jillian Michaels’ 30 Day Shred and blog about it on a regular basis.  She agreed and so a workout challenge (and blog topic!) was determined.

Here’s the breakdown:

1.  Complete the workout every day.  No exceptions.
2.  Blog about our results, progress, pros, cons, etc. every five days.
3.  Whittle body down to nothing!  (OK, OK, really just get healthy and incorporate regular exercise.)

It takes 30 days to develop a habit and, as luck would have it, JM’s video is 30 days.  Here goes…

It’s Crunch Time

I spent a while a few years back as a scrapbooker.  I made two albums and started a couple others before I got bored.  Or uninspired.  Whichever.  With the dawn of the digital scrapbooking age my inspiration returned.

I’ll tell you a little secret:  I’m slightly a perfectionist when it comes to scrapbooking.  That’s probably another reason why I stopped creating.  With digital scrapbooking, however, I can move, add, delete, rearrange, and scrap entire projects without wasting my money.  I love that!

Thanks to Kristina Werner‘s digital scrapbooking videos, I find myself creating little mini projects here and there.  One of those projects was a countdown to our next trip:

You can look at this countdown in two ways.  In one way, there is just a little over a month until our vacation!  In another way…I have 37 days to lose the “insulation” I added to my 5’2″ frame over the last few months.  Aside from the basics (eat right, drink water, exercise) what tips can you guys give me?  I need all the help I can get!

My Story

For as long as I can remember, I have had a misconception about my figure.  Growing up, I felt I stood out as the biggest of all my friends, even though I was the shortest at 5’2”.  I wanted to be strong and lean, with small hips.  Instead I was weak.  Or that’s how I saw myself.  In reality, I was only about 125.

Most of my friends had tiny, little bodies and could wear and eat whatever they wanted.  I always covered up in jeans and baggy t-shirts.  They would take pictures of themselves at the lake in their bikinis.  I would make up excuses as to why I couldn’t join them.  I felt like everyone would judge me and I would be the “fat one”.  Looking back, I want to shake that girl and tell her to wake up!

I remember being at a festival with my boyfriend and his best friend.  I overheard my high school boyfriend tell his friend I had a big butt and from then on I was ashamed of it.  The word “big” to a girl more often than not sounds like “ugly”, “disgusting”, or “unwanted”.

Being from the South, I did not have great food education.  I thought fried chicken, buttered corn, rolls, and pie was a well-balanced meal.  I ate pretty much whatever I wanted.  I was not on any sports teams.  I worked after school, so I didn’t factor in exercise at all.  Basically, I was cheating myself.

When I went away to the University of Kentucky, I learned more and more about fitness and nutrition by talking with some of the girls in my dorm.  I was scared of gaining the dreaded Freshman Fifteen, so I tried to pay more attention to what I ate and, with walking all over campus, I was able to actually lose some weight!

Then, sophomore year, I got a job at K-lair Grill.  Let’s just say nutrition went out the window for a while.  K-lair specialized in greasy cheeseburgers, spicy fries, and their crowning joy:  biweekly Fried Chicken Strips.  People would line up around the building on chicken strip night.  They were delicious.

I got to eat free when I was at work and, since their healthy options were lacking (as were my finances), I started packing on the pounds.  I reached my then highest weight:  145 pounds.  I thought that was horrible.  I felt so fat, but I couldn’t seem to muster the desire to do anything about it.  I mean, I was working 25 hours a week, going to school full time, and had a boyfriend who loved to go out to eat.  Who had time to worry about calorie intake and exercising?

My junior year of college, I moved into an apartment with three other girls.  I never knew it would change my life forever.  My roommates were Jenny, Jennifer, and Carolyn, a fellow food lover.  Over time, my relationship with Carolyn grew.  We bonded over the love of cooking and the Food Network.  She was going to school to be an RD and helped me realize my food choices weren’t exactly the healthiest ones.  I was one to grab frozen pizzas, bags of barbeque potato chips, and regular Coke.  When I went out to eat, I almost always ordered a cheeseburger or chicken strips.  I liked to think I was a foodie, but I really just liked watching people make stuff on TV.

After a while, and much education from Carolyn, my food intake began to change.  It was gradual…choosing sweet potatoes over white potatoes, opting for grilled chicken instead of fried, and the mother of all changes:  switching to DIET soda.  This, my friends, took some perseverance.  After all those changes, I still didn’t really lose any weight though.  After all, I was still eating crap at work and not exercising, but I told myself I was being healthy and didn’t really think much of it.

After we graduated, Carolyn moved to Nashville and I moved to Dayton.  My husband and I got engaged in July of 2006 and, instead of losing weight and becoming fit as most brides did, I put more weight on.  I’m not sure if it was the stress of planning a wedding, the unhealthy eating habits I had due to my retail job, or something else altogether, but I ended up adding 20 pounds to my frame.  When I got married, I weighed 165 pounds.  It was the most I had ever weighed in my life.

A couple things happened then.  First, the husband decided he had put on some weight and wanted to lose it.  Being a typical guy, he lost 20 pounds in a matter of months.  With him being so much thinner, it made me want to try to lose some weight too.

Second, I finally woke up after 28 long years and saw “the light”.  I had a conversation with myself one day that went something like this:

“You are 28.  You are overweight.  I know you want to have kids at some point in the near future.  Don’t you want to be at a healthier weight before you even begin to go through pregnancy?  You want the best for your baby, so why not give yourself the best now?  When you eat crap from McDonalds, you get hungry an hour later, so wouldn’t it make more sense to eat healthy food and then, if you get hungry an hour later, eat a small snack?  You won’t feel as guilty about that scenario.  Why not just try it for a few months without giving up?  If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.  But if it does work, imagine the difference you’ll feel about yourself!”

So I tried it.  Something you should know about me is, in the past when I have tried to “get healthy”, I have done well for about three weeks and then given up.  If I didn’t see results after three weeks, I just assumed I would never see them.  Why torture myself with diet and exercise if nothing was going to change.

This time, I was diligent.  I counted calories, logged everything in Calorie King, and tried to get as much walking in as I could.  You know what?  It worked.  I started my journey around this time last year and, after about five months, I had lost 20 pounds.  I still am not quite where I would like to be, but I feel healthier now.  I can run, I eat so much better, and I just feel good.  I treat myself the way I deserve to be treated and I don’t feel like punishing myself every day.  And you know what else?  I am happy.