Virtual Run Date!

First, before I talk about my run date with my friend Misty from Life off The D List, make sure you check out her blog!


I want to talk about a LOCAL friend of mine, she's an inspiration to me, a source of motivation and a wonderful chica to have in my life.


All those things are awesome, but so is the fact that she has lost over 180 lbs so far! This is a big milestone for her, she is now under 250 and she's having a giveaway on her blog!


Please visit my home-chica Kris @ Kris Gets Healthy and you could win some awesome swag!

Now, back to regularly scheduled programming:


My virtual run date with Misty!


Misty and I were both up early and chatting on Gtalk. She told me she was finishing up breakfast and about to get up her kiddo and head out for trail running and a gym workout.  I was not even out of bed yet, I was chatting from my phone..(it was 6:30am here, gimme a break!)


Well, I told her I was going running, too..in about 90 mins or so.  She said, "lets make it a virtual run date!"  I said, yes lets and then lets blog about it! Woohoo!


We agreed. Let me tell you though, I was definitely planning to run on Saturday, but I wasn't sure when. I am *so* glad that Misty invited me on a run date and got me thinking about going right away, because my run was perfect, the weather was perfect, I was excited to take some pics and talk about it with you guys and share it with Misty...it was perfect.


Thank you Misty for getting my butt in gear first thing in the morning on a Saturday..it made the rest of my day awesome!

Here I go! Feet to the pavement!

No stopping me now!

Gorgeous Vistas, hahaha

This house has such pretty landscaping

There are lots of little birdies
on the run :)

HAPPY RUNNER!

Progress!

I'm so pumped guys!

Since 6/15 I've made the following progress on my fitness assessment:

4 1/2 inches lost....1/2 an inch was around my chest, the rest in hips/thighs/waist (the most important parts to shrink for me!)

I also lost just shy of 1% bodyfat! I still have a lot to go, but I'm so happy!

My arms are getting less flabby, but they are firming vs. creating loose skin or growing (biceps sometimes get bigger), so I guess my arms had room to grow, yay for not having bigger arms! (do not want)

I also improved my VO2....in 3 minutes of stairclimber my heart rate only went up to 150 vs. 160 and after 3 minutes of rest I got back down to 110. I need to remember to get my resting heart rate when I wake up in the morning, I keep forgetting, I'm gonna put a post it on my alarm clock :)

I also did MUCH heavier weights for the leg strength and the arm strength, unfortunately the other tests weren't a good basis, apparently they were on easier machines, so my PT says that I'm stronger, but its not the same comparison...pretty happy though!

For some reason my flexibility sucked, it went down, but I really think its cause my last test was in the evening and this was first thing in the morning, we weren't worried.

My number of crunches went down, too..my thoughts, I was kinda sleepy this morning so I didnt' put the pedal to the medal on doing them super fast...hehe.

So I'm here to say folks, 2x a week weight lifting (to get the whole body done every week, total of 1 hour a week), 3x a week minimum cardio, mostly running, sometimes elliptical, I incoroprate HIIT as well. Then finally, this is a big deal, tracking my food...I use MyFitnessPal.

Oh, I've also lost 8 lbs since June 15th.I know my counter says different because I started it in July..that's okay though, I've gained muscle and lost fat!

So pumped!

<3 Merbear

Runner? Me?

Alright so run just under 4.3 mph, but that's averaged out with 5 minutes warm up and cool down, I bet at my fastest I'm 4.5 mph or so, maybe? I need to get that Polar or Garmin soon so I can figure out the speeds on the different legs of my run....okay, yeah that does make me sound like a runner.

I'm done with 7 weeks  of Couch to 5K, I have 2 full weeks left.  This week with the 25 minute runs was a bit of a struggle, but I kinda tested myself today, it was hard to finish the 25 minutes, but after 4 minutes of a cool down brisk walk, I was able to run again! I think I can make it the 30 next week and the 35 in two weeks, I want to run 5Ks, the whole thing, so badly!  Yeah, that makes me sound like a runner, too.

Also, ALSO....I got up this morning, before WORK, gave up SLEEPING IN, and went running! ME! Miss loves bed, miss loves to lounge with my kitties, read my phone, snuggle in....I got up and RAN! Oh my gosh, I feel so good today that I did that! I just feel energized and happy that I'm done with my cardio, wow, love it!

So pretty in the morning!

Pounding the pavement

What is this tree?  It has bean things!
Sorry,I got my phone sweaty.

Anyone wanna tell me a running story? Are you just EXHAUSTED when you finish running? When is your favorite time of day to run or exercise outside? Do you pick a path ahead of time or do you just go with the flow and turn around halfway?

I'm excited for C25K to be done, so that I don't have to time myself and just run when I want, walk break when I want, run some more, etc..I think I'd get a lot further and faster!

One Step, One Breath Priorfatgirl Summer Event

This weekend I joined some familiar faces, made some new friends and learned lots of new ways to think about the mental and physical aspects of my healthiness journey. Jen, of Priorfatgirl hosted this awesome and fun event!

We all met at The Beat Coffeehouse at 8am on Saturday morning, uffdah early, good thing they have wonderful coffee!

The first speaker was Mary Sailors of Fit this, girl! She's a Personal Trainer, Bootcamp Instructor and a Kettlebell instructor and super nice and easy to follow.  She gave us a presentation about how to focus on your goal, what to think about mentally, physically, food wise, and environment wise. She showed us exercises that anyone can do at home with a band, too!

Mary Sailor, Fit This, Girl!

Lets Squat!

Kris @krisgetshealthy.com and Ann @twelve-in-twelve.com

Ann working on resistance band moves

Jen @priorfatgirl.com
pulling those bands!

Yay Jen!

Kris and Ann listening attentively to instructions

Kris's turn!

Work it Kris!

Jen talked about how much relationships can change, can be lost, and new ones can be built as we change our minds and our bodies to become healthier. Our lives, our environment, the people we want around us, the people that can accept our new lifestyle may change who we surround ourselves with and who chooses to stick with us.  She said that 80% of marriages where one spouse loses a significant amount of weight end in divorce...so its important to compromise and to keep lines of communication open!

Jen





Doing her thing






















After meeting a the coffeehouse, we ventured to our 2nd half of the day, which was a cooking class on Healthy Comfort Foods by KitchenWerks.

We learned how to make:

Spaghetti sauce served on romaine or wilted broccoli slaw
(as pasta substitutes)



Topping off the mac 'n cheese with breadcrumbs



mmm organic, gluten free and appropriate portioned
mac 'n cheese

Coconut chicken strips, they are coated in
a flax crumb topping and baked on a sheet
with coconut oil, SOO GOOD!

Pizza made on Joseph's Lavash or Arnold's Sandwich Thins
We used the homemade sauce or olive oil as the base



Jen putting together what she claims was the "best" pizza















I had such a wonderful time catching up, networking, learning new things, tasting new things (you betcha I'm going to serve pasta sauce on wilted broccoli slaw now!)  Plus a healthier recipe for mac 'n cheese and chicken strips, yum nom nom nom!

Made me feel healthy and accomplished all weekend.

P.S.
On Sunday I also ran outside for another 25 minutes w/ a 5 min warmup, yay me!

I'm nervous for vacation

On Thursday evening I'm leaving with my boyfriend and his dad for a 13 hour drive to Cleveland, 3 days there, and a 13 hour drive home.

I'm not nervous about the driving, or even the pit stops/meals when driving, I will be in control, I will still be in the company of familiar people.

I am *SO* nervous about the long weekend in Cleveland! We will be with my boyfriend's family, who are all super nice people (so I've heard), and we will be staying with his grandma.  I don't want to inconvenience anyone, but I also don't want to sabotage my healthy lifestyle right when I got in to a new plan and everything!

Maybe its just my anxiety and fear of the unknown, because I asked my boyfriend if we could stop at the grocery store so I can pick up fruits and veggies for his grandma's house and he said we could. I also asked if people will be offended if I don't drink and he said they won't at all, in fact his sister is a couple years sober and so there will be definitely lots of NA options all weekend.

Its going to be hot hot hot in Clevelend and there aren't any LA Fitness clubs and his grandma/family doesn't own a treadmill anywhere. So I am worried it'll be too hot (like 90 and humid hot) to run outside, and I won't have a place to do my C25K!  If its super hot we may get a hotel room cause his grandma doesn't have AC and I'm kinda pushing for it, cause then there would be an exercise room with a treadmill, I can control my food by having a stash in the hotel and I can just be more relaxed in the mornings not wondering who else is up/using the bathroom, etc.

I am bringing my workout gear! I am not giving up on being able to workout even before I get there, but I'm still worried.

I think the rest of the aspects of the vacation will rock...speaking of I get to see the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Brewery, taste a famous sandwich from Schleiman's...perhaps go on a river cruise. Oh and the main reason we're going, is a wonderful outdoor wedding in an apple orchard!

Okay I'm done obsessing, it felt good to write it down, I'd love to hear your thoughts.