Fit Friday: The Run

Gloves?  Check.

Thermal shirt?  Check.

Head wrap? Check.

Thermal pants?  Nope.  This is gonna suck.

I look out the window.  Still no sun. I say a brief prayer that the laws of the universe change and for just once, the sun pops up bright instead of slowly rising and warming the earth. I needed the sun and I needed it now. 

I don’t want to run today. Ten years in a southern climate has thinned by blood.  But it’s only fall. If I let the chill win now, it’s going to continue to win as the temperatures drop.

I look at my warm couch, topped with a fleece blanket and sigh. 

Let’s do this.

The first 10 minutes of a run always suck.  I feel heavy and tired and with every single run I have to convince myself to not turn around and call it early.  With this run I also have to contend with dropping temperatures and a slow but vicious incline.

Everything is so different that my runs in Savannah.  In Savannah, when I was on my own, without my running partner/therapist Tonya, I ran before the sun came up, trying to beat the oppressive heat and humidity.  My route was flat, down a lonely sidewalk past 4 half developed neighborhoods- all victims of real estate bubble burst.

My runs now are anything but lonely. In Savannah, my only company was the paperboy, who drove down the street at an unsafe seed, emergency lights flashing.  If I did come across another person, I usually got scared it was some creepy attacker, since fellow morning exercisers were so rare on my route.  Now, I run on busy streets with thousands of cars going past.  I have to watch for cars at each intersection, grateful for the opportunity to slow down or stop when one needs to pass.  There are other runners too. At least a dozen through the course of my 3.2 miles, all faster and more graceful than I, but all friendly and encouraging. 

On this run I’m 90% sure I passed a candidate in the mayoral race. He seemed to hate running as much as me, but he was going up a brutal hill. He smiled anyway and said hello. I did the same, though it still won’t make me vote for him.  He looked like a jerk on the last televised debate.

The elevation change on my Savannah runs was less than 10 feet.  Cincinnati might as well have mountains, with this particular route having a 500ft elevation change. I glide happily down the hills and grumble painfully as run back up, often slowing to a walk.  I like this particular route because the final half-mile is all downhill.

As I stride down the last hill, I realize I’m not cold. I haven’t been in awhile.  My nose is running and my toes are chilled but I’m pretty comfortable temperature-wise.  In fact, I feel invigorated.

I just needed to get started.   

Like all fitness and weight loss routines.  You just need to get started.

So, Mel was right.  Weight Watchers works. It's not that hard either.  Sure it's frustrating that I can't just shove any food I see into my mouth but it's empowering to know I don't have to to survive. 

Change from Last week: -2.6

Total Change: -3.6

Pounds needed to lose til goal: 21.4

Slimming Saturday-I Got a New Gadget

I did much much much better than last week.  I lost a pound! Woohooo.  I finally buckled down and started tracking my food.  As much as I hate doing it, it obviously it makes a difference.

Even better, I got a new toy!

 Meet my new Fitbit Flex.  A Fitbit is basically pedometer on steroids. It tracks your steps/movement and calculates that data into miles traveled and total calories burned. It also keeps track of your active minutes so you can see how lazy you’ve been during the day.  It even tracks your sleep patterns! I’m not exactly sure how it works though my guess would be through magic.   It’s not an exact science but I did a lot of research about the various types of activity trackers (Like Jawbone and Nike Fuel Band) and Fitbit was usually one of the most accurate. 

 There are several types of Fitbit trackers and I went with the Flex, which you wear around your wrist.  It’s water resistant so you can wear it in the shower though you can’t take it in the pool or bath. Basically I wear it 24/7. It’s easier than a pedometer or even the Fitbit One, because I can just leave it on my wrist and not think about it. I’m very absent-minded and other than inserting a microchip under my skin, this is about the only way I would remember to keep it on my person.

 The best part about the Fitbit is the Dashboard that syncs wirelessly to your computer or through an app on your smartphone, via Bluetooth. The dashboard shows you everything.- steps taken, calories burned, miles traveled ect. You can even track your food intake or add exercises that the Fitbit might not have picked up (like swimming or stationary biking).  What I really love is that it syncs with many other online food/fitness trackers.  I ‘ve been using My Fitness Pal (off and on) for over a year and many of my favorite meals and recipes are already stored in their database. I can continue to track using MFP and it automatically syncs with Fitbit. If you base your calorie intake around your activity (i.e.-you can eat more if you burn more) there is some disconnect between MFP and Fitbit. I just stick with MFP numbers because it’s worked in the past.

 Finally, I love that you can connect with your friends who also use Fitbit.  Fitbit ranks you against your friends list in terms of number of steps taken. Since I’m inherently competitive, it’s a great motivator, especially since my baby sister also uses the product.  Nice people can cheer on their friends. Assholes like me can taunt their sister.  YOU ARE GOING DOWN EMILY.
 

I’ve only had my Fitbit Flex for three days, so I can’t give a definitive opinion on it.  My initial impression is very positive and since I like visual reinforcement, I really feel it will help me. Like any gadget, it’s ultimately up to me do the work. I have to get up and take the steps. I have to check the dashboard. I have to stop shoving cake down my gullet.  I have to kick my sister’s ass.
 I’ll give an updated review in a month to see if the novelty has warn off.

 Last Weeks Goals
4)   Take measurements. Maybe I’m losing inches but not lbs.-Fail.  I just keep forgetting  about it.

1)   Track ALL FOOD 4 out of 7 days.-Done
2)   Take all vitamins and probiotics 6 of 7 days.-Fail. I keep forgetting my probiotics and    fish oil. I’ve been good with the vitamins…. probably because they are gummy bears
3)   Spend 30 minutes each day on Spark People-Done

 Next Week’s GoalAll of the above and add:
5) Hit 10,000 steps a day 5 out of 7 days.

 Weight ChangeChange from last week: -1.0
Total pounds lost: 1.0

Slimming Saturday: Setting Goals

Sometimes my inner defeatist gets the best of me and I’m convinced I’ll never get to a healthy weight. Right now, my inner defeatist the loudest voice in my head.

The day after I finished the Dr. Oz cleanse, I was down 7 lbs.  The next day, 5 of those were back, and they haven’t budged.  I’ve been staring at the same number on the scale for weeks, minus the loss from the cleanse.

I’ve been working out, hard, daily.  With Max in school I can devote more time to the gym and I’ve been trying to things to knock my body out of it’s rut. I’m getting more than the daily recommended amount of exercise. I’m doing some light weight lifting too to help with toning.

It’s my food.  It’s always my food.  I start the morning with good intentions.  I have a healthy green smoothie and I put it in my tracker. I usually track my lunch.  Then it goes downhill from there.

Now that I stay at home, I’m surrounded by more temptation. There’s always a treat for Max or Brett in the kitchen. Last week it’s been fudge and jerky brought home from our recent Michigan vacation.  Yesterday it was cookies that Max and I made to bring to Chicago.

I know what to do.  Chew gum.  Wait 10 minutes to make sure I really want it.  Find something else to occupy myself.  Do I do it?  No.  I feel like I have a mental block. Like I don’t want to lose band enough.  What is scaring me about this process?  Do I not want to give up the foods I love?  Do I not want my entire life to revolve around my diet plans?  I don’t know.  I’m just rambling in hopes that I can find some breakthrough in journaling.

It’s time to set some small goals to help me get going.  Here is my goal for the first week of September. 

      1)   Track ALL FOOD 4 out of 7 days.

      2)   Take all vitamins and probiotics 6 of 7 days.

      3)   Spend 30 minutes each day on Spark People

      4)   Take measurements. Maybe I’m losing inches but not lbs.

Also, in order to make the possibility of weight loss more tangible, I’m setting up some weight loss rewards

5 lbs- pair of shoes

10 lbs-60 min massage

15 lbs- A new purse

20 lbs- 90 min massage

Weight Change from last week: +1.2

Dr. Oz Three Day Cleanse Detox: Day 3 (Thank Goodness)

This is my series about my experience with the Dr. Oz Three Day Detox Cleanse.  Check here for my post on why I decided to attempt the the cleanse and how I prepped the ingredients beforehand and here for my experience on Day 1 and Day 2.

Dinner Smoothie

There isn’t anything special about the dinner smoothie.  It’s not bad, but it wasn’t great.  The coconut water helps to sweeten the smoothie up a bit but the avocado makes for a weird texture and unappetizing color.

The blueberries and kale don’t blend smooth either (at least in my blender) so I found it to be rather gritty. Oh, and the ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper is bizarre. It’s not a enough to make the smoothie spicy but it does give it a strange sensation in the aftertaste.  It’s hard to describe.  

Hint: if you a blending in stages, add the cayenne at the start so it fully incorporates into the smoothie.  I made the mistake of forgetting it until the end and I didn’t blend well enough.  I got a surprise sip that contained a large portion of the ¼ teaspoon!

For hunger, this was the most satisfying smoothie. I think the fats in the avocado helped. If you are a mid-day snacker like me, it would make for a good snack smoothie.

How I felt on Day 3

Day 3 was the worst. Simply terrible. My headache was stronger and my cravings were almost impossible to ignore. I still made it to the gym but felt lethargic during my entire workout. I had a meeting that morning and every restaurant I passed while driving looked delicious. Even Skyline. 

If you haven’t spent time in the Cincinnati area you probably haven’t heard of Cincinnati Style chili or it’s mother restaurant, Skyline.  I’ll probably get tarred and feather for saying this, but it’s vile. But on day three, I would have happily scarfed down a 3-way. *

But I digress.   Day three was not good.  I just felt crappy.  All I could think about was food.  I wanted a hot meal. I was sick of cold smoothies.

This was not my experience the first time I did the cleanse. Last time, by day three I had lost all cravings. Sure, I wanted to actually chew something, but I wasn’t pining for bread or a Snickers the way I did this time. 

I almost completed caved at dinner.  At the last minute we decided to meet some friends at a local park for barbeque and music.  I didn’t have dinner planned for Hubs and Kiddo and after a long week it would be nice to socialize with other families.  When we arrived at the park, the smell hit me before we got out of the car.  Ribs.  My goodness I love ribs.  Mac n cheese.  Baked Beans. Beer!  All my favorite things, right in front of me.  I couldn’t help it.  While I didn’t get a meal, I did steal 3 macaroni noodles off Max’s plate.  I also took a tiny sample of ribs, just to compare them to my own recipe. (Mine were better). At least I refrained from sampling the beer.

When we got home, like the night before, I passed out on the couch by 9:30, headache still raging and the thought of eggs and toast in the morning sweetening my dreams. I didn’t even bother with the detox bath.

Answer to questions

On Facebook, a friend asked if I was doing this to lose weight or to feel better.  I was doing this to feel better since after vacation I was feeling bloated and gross. However, this detox is designed to help jumpstart your metabolism, which I need in an effort to start losing weight.  Also, weight loss does happen while doing this, since you are eating much cleaner than one normally would.  I’ve seen the numbers drop and will give a final total on my wrap up.

Jenn asked about the intensity of my workouts during the cleanse. On day one, I didn’t work out at all.  It wasn’t on purpose. It was just a busy day.  That said, I would probably avoid a major workout on day one since your body is adjusting to the change you spend most of the day wanting to eat solid food. Speaking for myself, a workout would only make me more hungry and likely to give up and eat a solid meal. During the next two days I did light workouts but that was because of extenuating circumstances. The day before the cleanse I tried a new weight routine and destroyed my legs.  I spent the next two days limping and cringing every time I had to stand up, sit down or go up stairs.  I really couldn’t do anything but some light cardio to loosen me up.

If you are doing super long runs or intense workouts I might suggest doing to the cleanse when you can take a break from those things. Maybe by day three you’ll be feeling better, but it could lead to more hunger, thus leading to more temptation.

*I realize I just offended most of Cincinnati by hating on a beloved institution.  Would I win your love back by saying Graeters is the best ice cream in the world. I’ve had lots of ice cream in lots of places and nothing, not even the most hipster locally owned, milked the cow in the backyard earlier that morning ice cream shop can outshine Graeters. I could eat Buckeye Blitz every day for the rest of my life. 

Embracing My Lovely Lady Lumps*

I'm hippy.  

Not a hippie (the smell of patcholi makes me sick) but rather hippy.  

As in, I have hips. Not just hips but curves. Lots of them.  Yes, I also have extra pounds creating those curves but even if I lost 100 lbs, I would never be some stick thin supermodel.  It's not in my blood.  If you look at the women on both sides of my family, you see that even those who could classified as thin still rock big boobs, a small waist and big hips.  We are a breed of curvy ladies with bodies designed for birthin' babies.  I have several thousand cousins.  We breed frequently. 

Even as I continue to lose weight, I keep a realistic body image.  I've struggled with it for years, but I finally accept and grown to love the fact that nothing about me will ever be flat. At a healthy weight I will still have round corners and wide hips.  That's ok.  

As a teenager and young adult, I had issues with my curves, especially my hips.  But as a mother, I'm really starting to embrace them. 

It's those wide hips that allowed me to have a 10lb 4 oz baby naturally. I try to look at stomach pooch not as a result of too many Oreos but rather as a beautiful war wound from a happy pregnancy.  

Today I appreciated my hips as they helped me balance a fussy, dirty baby, 4 bags and an iced latte into the Target bathroom.  Max perched securely on one hip while I fumbled with the changing table.   After the changing I used my hips to close the table back up, open the bathroom door and push a cart that was blocking the exit. Now that I seem to constantly have my hands full, my hips are working overtime to help me get through thte day. 

While I still, and may always have body issues, motherhood has helped me embrace my body and see that it's truly amazing.  Especially those hips.

*Sorry for the terrible Black Eyed Peas inspired title.  That damn song kept running through my head as I wrote this.