Hot N Healthy

Well, I worked my tail off for three weeks and didn't get much recognition on the scale.

Here's what I did in 19 days -

• 50 miles of biking, walking, running
• 2550 Crunches
• 2350 Wall Push Ups
• 260 Regular Push Ups
• 360 Pull Ups on the Total Gym
• Drank 1216 oz of water
  

And I lost TWO freakin' pounds!

But I ain't mad - cause a SIZE 12 now goes on like butter now - or shall I say Smart Balance Buttery Spread and my arms/neck/shoulders are looking pretty hot - right honey?

*ON TO THE WEEKEND*

The Spree was AWESOME! Right, Ma?

Here are some pics of my new threads!

The Big Push

The date has been set - October 17th.

*Background Info*

A long, loooooooooooong time ago, my mom told me that when I got to my goal weight she would take me on a $hopping $pree.

*OK, now you are updated*

Well, I have spent the last 6 weeks or so just living life and having a good time. Now that healthy living comes naturally it is a breeze! I haven't been keeping track of what I eat or how much I exercise. I eat well and get my train on because that is just how I am now! :)

BUT -

I have decided to spend the next three weeks in high gear with my training. It would be nice to be close to my 100 lbs weight loss when I go on my $hopping $pree, since that is most likely where I'll be spending the rest of my life at, scale-wise.

I am on a strict bike, run, walk rotation...

• Bike 5 miles one day
• Run 3 the next day
• Walk 2 the next

I am also doing the following 2 out of every three days (or three out of three if I feel like it) -

• 100 crunches
• 100 wall push ups
• 10 regular push ups
• 20 pull ups on my total gym

As I get closer to the date, the numbers slowly increase until I am up to

• Biking 6
• Running 4
• Walking 3
• 200 crunches
• 200 wall pu's
• 25 reg pu's
• 30 pull ups

Please pray that I am smart with my stretching, water intake, etc. so that I don't injure myself!

Can't wait to fill up all in on my successes on the 17th!

and more importantly -

Can't wait to show you all my new wardrobe after that!

One Month Later...

OLD Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

NEW Goal: Achieve Total Weight Loss of 100 lbs

Weight August 2005 (when I slowly began my journey): 270.2

Weight One Month Ago: 189.0

Current weight: 185.8

Weight loss/gain since last month: -3.2


TOTAL WEIGHT LOSS: -84.4


So, my weight loss has slowed down a bit, but hey, the more I lose the less I have to lose!

I am happy that I have not been keeping tabs on myself like I was before and I am still registering a loss. That means I can live my life, have a little fun, eat a little junk, skip a day of exercising here and there, and still be successful! To me, that is the ultimate accomplishment.

A great friend sent me this quote just this morning -

“People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing-that's why we recommend it daily.” - Zig Ziglar

Ain't that the truth!?!?

For those of you interested in an awesome health tracking website, please, PLEASE check out traineo.com. I thought sparkpeople was good but I really LOVE this one! It's like facebook meets sparkpeople!

Well friends, see you next month!

PS I got a new favorite outfit. I am hoping to post a pic on here later today!

Family Photo Update

Hey friends! I'll post a One Month Update sometime tomorrow. Until then, enjoy these pics and clips from the last month!

Check out trouble...

Adios Healthy Amigos !

Welcome to Healthy Chelle's final installment!

Can you believe it? My goal was to lose my baby weight plus 30 lbs by the end of the year. I still have almost five months left!

Where in the world should I start? I guess the beginning is a good place...

Here is a flashback to Healthy Chelle's Blog Debut -

Before I go and weigh myself, I want to list what my intentions are with this blog/weight loss process...

I am keeping this blog to help me...

- Keep myself on track
- Keep myself honest
- Provide a healthy home with healthy habits for my girls
- Inspire the people I care about to get or stay healthy

Well...Check, check, check, and DOUBLE CHECK!

I am so, so, so proud of myself. I know I have a million and one people to thank for supporting me on this journey and I love every one of them, but I am proud of ME!

Let's do a couple more flashbacks, shall we?

Feb 18, 2004

I have done well this past year and a half keeping the junk out of my cart at the grocery store and therefore out of my cabinets and fridge but my biggest downfall and biggest addiction has always been fast food, including pizza, and restaurants. I can't control myself. My mind tells me to eat as much as I can. Even when I order I am trying to figure out how to get the most food. There is a struggle in my mind everytime I go through the drive-thru as to whether or not I should supersize, biggiesize, kingsize, etc. my meal. The struggle continues even in sit down establishments. I might want a steak but if the menu tells me that I can have two sides instead of one if I order a chicken dish, I'll order that instead.

I don't know what to do. I don't think cutting something out all together is a good idea when trying to lose weight. For me, it seems like the better thing to do is to retrain yourself on how to deal with the "problems". That being said, I haven't figured out how to do that when it comes to eating out. Hey, I am a work in progress...

So, Octavio and I went to our favorite Mexican place twice this weekend. Both times we shared an entree. Neither one of us felt deprived. I think my gluttony syndrome is cured and that sense of "my food territory" is (almost) gone. YAY!

March 5, 2008

It is like I idolize food. I put it before most other things. It is OK to enjoy food once in a while but it shouldn't consume as much of my time, or should I say I shouldn't consume it so much of the time. I am trying to retrain myself to not think so highly of it.

I have little food rituals I am trying to stop.

We have stopped eating dinner on the couch in front of the tv. We eat at the table now. I have had a few nights where I have asked it I could sit in front of the TV alone on stressful days. It's happened a handful of times and I feel guilty afterwards.

Lunch time is still something I am working on. Before, I would get Ori her lunch, put her to bed, and then get my own lunch ready. Again, I would sit in front of the tv, alone. I still do this but more often than not I eat lunch with Oriana at the table.

I guess I really just have one food ritual I am struggling with - I prefer to eat alone, on the couch, in front of the tv. None of that is healthy for me.

I have learned to LOVE dinner time at the table. My Judge Judy addiction is pretty much cured. I still enjoy eating lunch alone. I think I need to keep it that way.

I am not obsessed with food anymore. I eat to live, not live to eat.

March 7, 2008

I am beginning to realize that you really can retrain your brain and taste buds. I was having a really, really bad craving last night to the point I was salivating just thinking about a certain food. What food? Peppers...I wanted to grill up some red, green, and yellow bell peppers with some onions so bad last night. If we owned a grill I just might have done it!

Thanks again Dad for the grill! We have eaten SO MANY peppers this summer it isn't even funny. Our next house will have enough room in the yard for a garden! Peppers are expensive! Even at Sam's!

March 10, 2008

I don't feel like I am in the right state of mind to 100% commit to a vasectomy one way or the other. But at the same time, I don't want to be put back on birth control, don't want to deal with the changes that will come because of it.

Octavio's appointment is Friday! Bring it on already!

A few times I had to remind myself of how far I've come by checking out old pics. Remember this? And this?

And who could forget my Goal Jean Announcement on May 1st? I am more than pleased to say that my goal jeans have been too big for the last month and a half!

OK, I could go on and on with my flashbacks but I'll spare you all the pain. I mean you have read all of them already anyway, right?

Now on to some fun stuff...let's review some numbers -

Weight August 2005 - 270.2 lbs

Weight August 2008 - 189.0 lbs!

BMI August 2005 - 46.4

BMI August 2008 - 32.4 (So close to being "Overweight" instead of "Obese"!)

Pant size August 2005 - 22

Pant size August 2008 - 14!

Waist August 2005 - 50.5 inches

Waist August 2008 - 39.5 inches!

Real Age August 2005 - 33.6

Real Age August 2008 - 24.9!

Pace of my first race in January 2007 - 12 minute 10 second mile

Pace of my race in June 2009 - 9 minute 9 second mile!

What's Next?

I have one more goal to accomplish. It has two parts to it -

• Get my total weight loss to 100 lbs (only 19 lbs to go)


• Do it on my own, living life, without putting pressure on myself (no weigh ins, no blogs, no documenting my work out numbers)

I am pretty confident that I can achieve this goal before 2009. Watch out 10 year reunion!

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU my faithful readers. I really could NOT have accomplished this goal if I didn't have someone who checked up on me. I had a bunch of someones checking in on me and that really helped me to keep my focus and stay determined.

Keep a look out on my MySpace page. I'll still be blogging on there when the bug bites me. I am working on one right now about dealing with anxiety. I hope to have it posted soon.

In closing, although my readers are fabulous, here are a few pics of my True Motivations...

The End!

Weigh Day Week 27 Is this it???

Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs

Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0

Weight last week: 194.4

Current weight: 189.0

Weight loss/gain since last week: -5.4


*drum roll*


TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -32.0

I DID IT!

Apparently I can't jump with my mouth closed :)

My hard work really paid off this week!

I went above and beyond what I promised to do last week. Here's what it looked like -

Monday - 40 intense minutes on the treadmill, as planned
Tuesday - 6 hard miles on the bike, as I thought was planned (turns out I only promised 5)
Wednesday - 45 intense minutes on the treadmill because Monday's felt sooooo good
Thursday - 6 more hard miles on the bike
Friday - 50 intense minutes on the treadmill and family soccer time at the park
Saturday - Opted to go to a Louisville Bats game instead of ride my bike
Sunday - 55 more intense minutes on the treadmill

I burned close to 3000 calories last week and logged in over 4 hours of exercise. You think I'd be beat but really, I feel better than ever!

What I love is that I didn't starve myself at all! I had quite a few healthy lunches and dinners and tried hard to get my breakfast in every morning, but I also had Dairy Queen, Fiesta Time (twice!), hot dogs and Kizito cookies at a Bats game, and mashed potatoes.

The key - ?

Moderation. Cliche, I know, but it's true. I haven't deprived myself of anything during my journey except McDonald's (for which my body thanks me). I knew I needed to live life and learn when to indulge and how much to indulge. I think I finally got it!

Tune in tomorrow for Healthy Chelle's Final Blog!

Weigh Day Week 26

Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs

Achieved so far: Baby weight is gone!

Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0

Weight last week: 191.4

Current weight: 194.4

Weight loss/gain since last week: +3.0


TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -26.6



Well, just goes to show you that no matter what you do, Aunt Flo can come and reek havoc on your plans.

Seriously - here's what my workout week looked like -

MONDAY - 3 miles on the bike in the AM and 3 miles on the bike in the PM
TUESDAY - 4 miles on the bike in the AM
WEDNESDAY - 4 miles on the bike in the PM
THURSDAY - 2 miles on the bike in the PM
FRIDAY - Softball double header and 3 miles on the bike in the PM
SATURDAY - 2 miles run/walking with a friend
SUNDAY - 5 miles on the bike in the PM

I misbehaved a bit on Saturday night. I am pretty sure that played into this weight gain as well.

Can anyone say "Self Sabotage"?

No, but for real, since having Jocie, Aunt F has been pretty unbearable. One cool thing about it though, is that I am finally small enough that I can actually tell when I'm bloated! Before, I was bloated 100% of the time so I guess I never noticed. It is not a great feeling to be bloated. It is, however, a great feeling to think you have put on weight and then REALIZE you are just bloated! :)

I am going to get off my behind this week and really try to accomplish my goal. Now that I know I am comfortable on the bike I think I'll alternate between the bike and running this week.

The hard part is that it's so stinkin' hot outside but I just don't feel like I can push myself on the treadmill. I think I need to make myself run for longer periods of time. My problem is that anything over 30 minutes does not sound appealing to me.

Funny. After I typed that last paragraph I went over to my email to see if I had any inspiring emails to pass along to my readers.

The first one I opened was from sparkpeople.com and said -


Most experts recommend that you exercise up to 90 minutes most days of the week, emphasizing that you gradually work your way up to that duration. However, a recent study conducted at Boston Sports Clubs found that participants who exercised for 20-30 minutes did so more consistently than those involved in 45-60 minute workout sessions. This study shows that you're more likely to stick to a shorter duration workout than a longer one.

Action Sparked: If you're having trouble staying consistent with exercise, try a shorter workout session. Tell yourself that you'll exercise for 10 or 15 minutes, and follow through with it. Of course 10 minutes of exercise is better than totally skipping a workout. But, once you've hit that small goal (whether it's 5, 10, or 20 minutes), ask yourself if you could keep going. You may find that planning on a short workout is enough to get you to the gym, and once you're there, you can do a lot more than you thought.


Hmmmm. Coincidence? Me thinks not.

I am not sure what this means for me though. I am just being lazy. I think I need to get over my laziness and get my train on.

My plan for this week -

40 intense minutes on the treadmill Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun
5 hard miles on the bike Tues, Thurs, Sat

The last few weeks I have contemplated publicly declaring that my goal would be accomplished. I have avoided it so far but I think this has GOT to be the week.

I'm-a-gonn-a-do-it.

Weigh Day Week 25

So, this blog will probably be pretty long. Also, for some reason the spaces are all screwed up again. I hate that but oh well. ENJOY!


Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs

Achieved so far: Baby weight is gone!

Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0

Weight last week: 196.0

Current weight: 191.4

Weight loss/gain since last week: -4.6



TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -29.6

Woot! Woot!

Back on track and then some! I was so focused this week. Even the times when I was faced with the opportunity to stuff my face, I prevailed! This is probably my happiest weigh in so far!

*Astonishing News Alert*

I actually got up before 6 a.m. and got a bike ride in this morning! Can you believe it? It still seems like a dream to me but I rode 3 miles in 19:36 and had an average heart rate of 131. I am feeling extra good this morning and I will probably catch myself smiling every time I remember that my exercise is out of the way.

I think I may focus on cycling this week, assuming that I don't feel the effects of this mornings ride too badly later on today. I just want to try something different and see what my weight has to say about it :)


*Major Milestone Alert*



OK, it may not be major to some of you, but it absolutely is major to me.

6 months McDonald's free!

The longer I go without it, the easier it gets. I can drive by one and not think twice about it. I know I am not completely over it though. I definitely would not be able TO DO THIS! While Octavio was in Michigan he had it a few times and I found myself getting a little jealous about it. Not jealous enough to go and buy some though!


*Hubby's Home*

As much as I totally missed my hubby while he was in Michigan last week, it was nice to take some of the pressure off. Not really pressure he puts on me, but pressure I put on myself to make him happy.

As a little taste of how much the pressure was off...

On Wednesday morning Oriana asked me "Mommy, are you gonna wear them clothes a long, long time?"



*Confession Time*



I have been seeing a therapist. It is going very, very well. I encourage anyone who would like to explore more about themselves to seek out some good, professional help, even if you don't think anything "major" has happened to you. That's really all I have to say about that right now.



*Training Talk*



I had fun training this week. I never wore my heart rate monitor and for some reason that made me enjoy it more.



*Training Talk to Challenge Talk*



Anyone do last weeks challenge?? Andrew???

Well, I did! I ran 3.82 miles and walked 3 miles.

I'm not sure if the challenges are helpful to anyone or not. There wasn't a whole lot of action on here last week. I'm sure some of it has to do with my switching to a weekly blog instead of a daily blog. I think I'll hold off a week or so and maybe give myself a little more time to think of a good challenge. I'm sure a bribe or two will have to be involved to get some of you motivated.

:)



*Way Off Topic*


I actually got some scrapbooking done. Well, it was only one page but it felt good. How does this apply to health? Well, for me, it was something I really enjoyed doing before my PPD set in. Since then I haven't really had the desire to do it. I am glad I am enjoying it again. It really is fun! Expensive, but fun!



*Speaking of Depression*



While snooping around on the Internet last night, I found THIS ARTICLE.
I particularly found this excerpt interesting...

"If hunger made us walk around in a funk, we’d likely become someone else’s dinner. Instead, ghrelin motivates and focuses us on getting some F-O-O-D! Stat! "

Not sure where I was going with that... :)

Here are a few more articles you might like to take a look at -

10 Easy Ways to Cut 100 Calories I was reminded that I need to start drinking tea again. My problem is that I prefer it hot, and hot tea and hot weather don't really mix. I may try iced tea with a splash of 100% fruit juice, like the article suggests. I am not sure I can trust myself with juice in the house though. Maybe cranberry juice ?

Writing Down Every Morsel Doubles Weight Loss Hmmm. I was just thinking to myself I need to start journaling. I am pretty sure I wasn't talking about my food intake. We'll see.

*Race Talk*

So, I ran a 5k on Saturday. I talked my dad and my hubby into doing it with me. Nothing says "Let's go running" like the promise of a nice free breakfast afterwards (provided by the event coordinators).

Last year I ran the same race and got a trophy for second place in my age division. This year I took third place and got another trophy. I was bummed about getting third and about running 13 seconds slower than my PR until I realized that I beat my time from last year by about 5 minutes!

Race fee - $24

Cutting off 5 minutes in one year - Priceless!!!

Octavio came in second in his age division. He was so cute when he found out he was going to get a trophy. He stood up to walk up to the front before they even called his name!

My dad really pushed himself. He set a new personal record with a time of 35:58!

Go DAD!

Who woulda' thunk we'd be a bunch of racing fools?



Show me some love, friends. I'll get back on here throughout the week to comment with you all!

Weigh Day Week 24

*Remember, I am now only blogging once a week. I am going to post my blog here and on Myspace!*


Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs
Achieved so far: Baby weight is gone!
Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0
Weight before trip to Michigan: 193.4
Current weight: 196.0


Weight loss/gain since last week: +2.6


TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -25.0



So, I was hoping to come back from MI and not have gained any weight.


So much for that!

It is totally my fault though. I did really well keeping up with my work outs the first week of the trip. The second week was not so productive. I ran once, cross trained on a bike once, and then ran on Sunday morning back in KY. It is not because I didn't want to get a run or two in. I was on the road a lot visiting great friends and got home late pretty much every night.


I ate a lot of junk (Oh, Bennigan's, how I miss you) while I was in Michigan but I have to say, I did not do nearly as bad as I could have done! I think the only time I overate was at The Golden Moon - darn chinese buffet!


I am happy to be back in my own home, with my own food, and my own rules. I feel comfort in it. Kind of like I used to feel comfort in McDonald's.



The time away is actually just what I needed. I am proud of myself. I think I did really well. I love the fact that I was craving my healthy lifestyle while I was on vacation. I wanted it back. I couldn't wait to get it back.


Octavio headed back to Michigan early this morning. He will be there until Friday. This poses a bit of a challenge for me. I am going to have to tweak my meal planning and prep to make sure I only make enough for Ori and I so that I won't be tempted to eat Octavio's portion too! I am promising myself that I am going to definitely stick to my healthy eating this week.


Funny, normally if Octavio was going out of town I would look at it as a "Food Free For All". This time I am really going to focus the next five days on getting back to the basics. I am going to eat breakfast every morning and do some type of exercise each morning and night this week to kind of shock myself back into gear.

190 here I come!

*Softball Update*

When we got home Friday night I had a message on my machine saying we had a make up game on Saturday morning. I was excited to be able to play and...


We WON!


I only had one good hit (I need to get to the cages) but I made a few good plays from second base. I am really starting to like that position. Up until this season that is the only position I was uncomfortable playing (besides pitcher). I have to remind myself before each pitch what my job is depending on where the ball is hit. I think it's fun!


There were a few girls playing on our team this week that don't normally play. Since the game was called on short notice our coach asked a few of her co-workers to fill in so we wouldn't have to forfeit. Two of them were definitely softball buffs. They were really good hitters but as I watched them run the bases I could tell that physically, I was in better shape than they were.


I'll take health over hitting any day!



*Weekly Challenges*



Alrighty Andrew - I'll try posting some challenges again. I am going to start with stuff that is fairly plain and easy but I hope ideas for fun and exciting new things start coming to me soon!


This Week's Challenge -


Log in FIVE MILES worth of exercise by doing TWO of the following -

• Walking
• Running
• Hiking
• Biking
• Swimming
• Climbing stairs

I have created a spot HERE to document and discuss your progress. Let's encourage each other and try something new!

*Side Note*

I really enjoyed riding my cousin's bike while I was in Michigan. I think I'll have to get ours up and running. That might be just what I need to get these last few pounds off!

Hope to hear from you on here and on the Weekly Challenge Log and see you all next week!

Lastly, here are a few of my favorite pics of the girlies from our trip to MI! You can see more on Myspace later on today!

Weekly Challenge Log 7/21/08

Use this post to log in your progress, chat with each other, and encourage each other!

This Week's Challenge -

Log in FIVE MILES worth of exercise by doing TWO of the following -

• Walking
• Running
• Hiking
• Biking
• Swimming
• Climbing stairs

Weigh Day Week 23

Sorry for the late post! The Internet has been down for a few days. I thought I was going to go nuts!

As far as my weigh in goes -

Just like last week, I don't have my scale so I am not weighing in. I want to be consistent and weigh on my scale so that I know the results are accurate, well, accurate as far as my scale is concerned.

*Catch Your Breath 5k News*

We did it!

I had such a blast hanging out with you guys! Thanks for the pic Kate!

Way to go Andrew, Corey, Kate, Leigh, Michele, and Mom for finishing the 5k and to Rena for doing the 10K. (I thought for sure the official results would be posted by now...bummer!)

For those who trained but didn't get to run - I am proud of you too!

My favorite part of the race was when Michele, Mom and I busted out in a parody of Annie's "Tomorrow" I like to call "Two Miles".

"Two Miles, Two Miles, I love ya, Two Miles, Your only a cone away!"

We went to Subway for our post run lunch and had a great time catching our breath and enjoying some good eats. Thanks to Mom for picking up the tab!

During the lunch I let my friends know that I will no longer be blogging every day. I am only going to blog on Monday mornings for my weigh in from now on.

It is actually pretty neat that I don't feel the need to blog every day anymore. I really feel like I have worked through the majority of my weight and health issues and I am happy with where I am at. I don't have as much to "work through" anymore and feel like most days I am struggling to find something to say.

I am sure blogging only once a week will allow me to have a little more time to collect and research my material. I will probably go back to blogging on myspace instead of on here...we'll see...

I am hoping to hit 190 soon and then I'll have to reevaluate my goal.

I appreciated the support and the commitment of my readers very much and am thankful that you all have been there to encourage and support me.

I'll see you next Monday. I'll be back in KY and back on the scale. I am hoping that I can at least break even after spending all this time away from my safe zone.

Just because the training is over doesn't mean you can slack off!

GET YOUR TRAIN ON!

The Big Day

Can you believe tomorrow is The Day? Race Day?

I can't believe 8 weeks of training has already passed!

How did you all do? Did any of you surprise yourselves? Are you feeling a little bit healthier than you did two months ago?

I, for one, am so proud of you guys. Everyone had a different reason for training, a different goal to acheive, and you guys gave it your all. It was great for me to hear your training highs and lows. It helped me to remember I am not alone on The Highway to Health.


*Race Day Info*


I sent out an email to everyone who I know for sure is participating or thinking of participating in the race. I included details for those who are riding with me and some other info. If I missed someone, let me know.

The 5k run starts at 9:30 a.m. and the 5K walk starts at 9:35 a.m.


Lastly, here are some really great articles to check out to help you prepare for tomorrow!

See you at the starting line!

Calm Your Pre-race Jitters

Running in the Heat

Basic Gear

Race Pacing and Strategy

Race Recovery

I Go Out Typing, After Midnight

So, it's 12:14 a.m.

I just got home from going out with some old work buddies and I am tired.

I don't have anything to blog about really, but didn't want you all to think I forgot about you :)

I won't have a computer to blog on tomorrow until well after 8 p.m. so I figured I better at least put something on here so you don't come checking every 5 minutes.

Sorry I don't have more to say...

I'll do better on Friday - I promise!

Get your train on!

Like Riding a Bike

There are a million and one reasons why it is really hard to ride a bike when you are overweight...

...the seats are way too small

...your legs can't pedal your weight

...your back hurts from being hunched over

...etc


I can remember back when Octavio, Ori, and I lived at my parents house and I was at my heaviest weight, 270 lbs, and I thought it would be a good idea to ride my bike around their yard for exercise. In all honesty I thought it would be easier than going for a walk. Man, I was way wrong.

I struggled to get around the yard one time and had a breakdown over the fact that I couldn't even ride a stinkin' bike. I'm pretty sure I didn't say "stinkin". Octavio can attest to that.

Ever since that day I have been scared to try to ride a bike. I have tried one other time and although I didn't struggle as much, I didn't really go that far. Thankfully it started snowing that day and since I was in KY I took it as a sign that I didn't have to do it :)

Where am I going with this?

I spent the day with my cousin Kristol and her family yesterday. I spent quite a bit of time running around with the kids, swimming with the kids, fooling around on the kids little bikes. Then, I spotted Kristol's bike. She told me she had been riding her bike a lot and was really seeing results.

I decided to get back on the saddle, er, the bike seat.

I rode up and down her dirt road a few times. There is a little bit of an incline on the way back and I was totally intimidated at first.

How did I do?

So, the seat was still uncomfortable but my legs could totally pedal my weight and my back didn't hurt. I actually had a really good time and I am sure I will be trying to get my bike up and running when we get back to KY.

WooHoo!

I am going over to a friends house this morning to let the kids play and get some mommy time in too. We've decided to trade off for 30 minutes so that each of us can get our exercise in and over with fairly early.

Tonight I am going to meet up with some old coworkers. That should be a blast!


*Race Info*


I know I talked about us all matching in some way but just wear what you want to the race. If you are joining us let me know so I can have Rena pick your race packet up for you. I am still trying to figure out where to meet but I think I have an idea. If you're not already getting little updates from me via email and you are planning on participating in the race, let me know.

Testing 1..2..3..

Man, I am having a hard time behaving here in Michigan. Funny how getting out of your normal routine allows you to fall off track.

I guess it's not so much that I am misbehaving as it is I am not sure how well I am/am not doing.

Let's take a look at my progress:

• I haven't been drinking nearly as much water as I normally do.
• I had Bennigan's. Nothing good ever happens when I go to Bennigan's. :)
• I got an hour of run/walking in with my friends on Saturday.
• I got some water aerobic and swim sprints in with Michele on Saturday.
• I ran 1.6 miles on Sunday.
• I ran 1.6 miles on Monday.
• I have enough food to make healthy meals for the next three nights.

This trip is a good test for me though.

We'll see how it goes folks. We'll see :)

PS If you are in MI and you want to get together, give me a shout!

Weigh Day WEEK 22

Sorry about the delay friends. I had to wait until my man came home from work to get my hands on a computer. I was going to do my blog last night but the wireless internet was not working.

*Notice I made a new blog entry for you to enter your training for Week EIGHT*

Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs

Achieved so far: Baby weight is gone!

Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0

Weight last week: 193.4

Current weight: 190.0

Weight loss/gain since last week: -3.4


TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -30.0


ALRIGHTY!

Here's the deal...

I forgot to bring my scale with me to Michigan :(

I used my friend Tracy's scale but I am not confident that it weighs me the same as my scale does. Mine is digital, hers is not. So, although her scale clearly puts me at 190, I will not believe it until I get on my scale at home.

I mean, I had Bennigan's (first time in 2 years!) and pizza on Sunday so I am sure on my scale I would probably be UP 3 lbs, not down 3 lbs.

I am not sure how often I will be able to blog for the rest of the week. I will try to get it down the night before, but no promises!

Get your train on!

Getting Your Train On WEEK 8

Hola friends!

It's your last week! Can you believe it?

This is the post you should use to enter any training you do this week. Instead of me searching through each of my daily posts, I will come here and ONLY HERE to see where you all are at with your training!

Please include the date that you trained in your comment.

Make it look something like this..."Hey Chelle! On 6/23/08 I got my train on!"

This week I will count only from today to Friday since I'd like to be able to give the winner thier prize on race day if they are there!

This week will be the most challenging week yet! You guys have already stuck to it for 7 whole weeks though, and I know you will continue to succeed!

This week the training schedule calls for EIGHT INTERVALS of one minutes of walking and four minutes of jogging for a total of 40 minutes.

Good luck!

You guys are doing great!

Quick!

Sorry it is so late friends!

I have so much on my mind and so many things to do today to get ready for the Big Trip. I have to catch up on laundry, clean up the house, pack, give the girlies a bath, go to the store, and of course, exercise.

I am gonna skip Comments of the Week and make this short and sweet...

I am SUPER EXCITED !

I love to plan and organize so getting ready for this trip and packing is all actually fun for me. My last trip to MI was for Kel's wedding in October 2007 and it didn't leave me much time to catch up with anyone.

Some time away is exactly what I need right now. I look forward to catching up with a lot of my friends. My itinerary is getting pretty full! I love that we are going to be there long enough for me to fit all my plans in.


*MOCK RACE INFO*

Anyone interested in running a trial race with Leigh, Michele, Rena and I on Saturday morning at 9:30 a.m. needs to email me for more details! It is going to be 79 and partly cloudy - a great morning for a run!

I am not sure if I will be posting tomorrow or not. We are getting on the road fairly early I think.

If I don't get a chance to say it tomorrow -

Happy Fourth of July!

Paying Attention to Our Intentions

Remember back when I posted about Bringing Intention to Your Motivation ? I asked you all to write down what you intend to accomplish by training for this 5K.

Did anyone happen to notice that I met one of the goals I set for myself during this training period?

My first intention was to lose 10 lbs. My weigh in on Monday put me at 11 lbs lost since training began! The other half of that goal was to keep it off. Time will tell :)

My second intention was to feel a closer connection to those who have taken the time to care about what I am doing by participating in the race. I definitely feel like I have. I can't wait to see y'all in person though!

NOW-

I am going to pick on Leigh and Cheri, since they were the only ones brave enough to let the public know what their intentions were -

Leigh -

Is exercise becoming fun for your family?
Is Michael still getting his train on?
Does Jakob notice you are exercising?
I am sure your heart is getting stronger!

Cheri -

How is your pace doing?
Have you noticed improvements?

What about those of you who didn't post intentions. Do you have any now?

If you do, post 'em already!


*Mock Race Info*


We are heading to MI on Friday. I was thinking we could do a Mock Race on Saturday, July 5th. I'm not sure where yet. If anyone has any ideas, let me know via email. I don't want to post anything too public just in case weirdos are checking this site out.

Also, if you want to know where/when we decide to do it and I don't have your email address, send it to me!

If the Shoe Fits

A happy runner has happy feet.

An unhappy runner has an injury, side stitches, or horrible shoes.

I wish I would have kept the shoes I wore when I started running back in late 2006. Seriously, you would laugh. The were heavy and ugly. The pinky toe portion was blown out. The first real race I ever ran was in January 2007 and my pinky toes are still upset with me. They had no shelter from the cold.

The biggest problem was that they were WALKING shoes, not RUNNING shoes.

Yes, there is a difference. A big difference. Trust me.

Walking shoes are usually stiffer and heavier than running shoes. This is because the walking motion does not require as much flexibility as the running motion. Also heavier shoes provide more cushioning for the foot. Although it may seem as though runners would need more cushioning because of the greater impact, runners typically choose lighter shoes because heavier shoes can make striding more difficult.

When I finally put enough miles on my walking shoes to prove to myself I was committed to the process, I went to a local store that specializes in running shoes. They measured my feet and determined I needed a wide shoe (*gasp* NO! Really?) They put me on a treadmill and video taped my feet from behind to see how I run, then determined which shoes would help improve my running.

The first time I went out in my new shoes I felt like the Roadrunner. The difference was amazing! Unlike most other shoes, you should never have to rely on a break in period - running shoes should feel good the day you buy them.

For my friends joining me on July 12th -

I promise you don't want to be worrying about your feet during the race. You don't have to buy a $100 pair of running shoes (I saw a nice pair of Reebok's at Sam's for $17 last week), but if you're shoes aren't comfortable you will be miserable.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for running shoes:

• Shop in the later part of the afternoon - feet get bigger during the day and they will get bigger when running
• Wear the socks that you would normally wear during running
• A number of other factors should be taken into account when deciding which shoe is best for you - such as how much you run; how heavy you are; presence of any specific foot problems
• It often can help to bring an old pair of shoes with you, so the sales person can see where your shoes tend to wear the most

Are your feet happy?

Weigh Day Week 21

*Notice I made a new blog entry for you to enter your training for Week SEVEN*

Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs

Achieved so far: Baby weight is gone!

Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0

Weight last week: 195.6

Current weight: 193.4

Weight loss/gain since last week: -2.2


TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -27.6


I totally pumped my fist in the air a la Tiger Woods when I saw the number on the scale this morning.

Why?

I feel like I am really coming into my own with this whole health kick thing. I just lived life this week - no real stressing about food or exercise - just having a good time day to day.

We had a cook out at church on Friday night to celebrate another successful year of VBS and I definitely over did it on the German potato salad and baked beans! Cook out food is so wonderful though! And I must say, I did a fantastic job of avoiding the dinners the church provided each night last week to the VBS workers. No pizza, BBQ, fried chicken, etc. for me! We ate dinner at home instead.

Then, Saturday we had Taco Bell. I had a Crunchwrap Supreme and a bean burrito. I felt pretty full after the Crunchwrap but I ate the burrito anyway. Instead of obsessing over it all night, I chalked it up as a lesson learned and next time I know I only need to order a Crunchwrap to be satisfied :)

My medication has really been able to help clear up my depression. I am feeling more like myself every day. I am happy and energetic again. I have had multiple opportunities to encourage others and it felt natural, not forced. I am feeling really good.


*Let's talk training*


Some of you are really, really coming along with getting your train on!

I got a sense that a few of you thought I was picking on you about slacking off...

(for everyone BUT Cheri - girl, you just had a fairly major surgery!)

I was!

And might I add, I noticed that it worked!

Way to go to Mechele and Rena for taking the initiative and walk/running a 5K Saturday. I know it was tough but you did it!

Way to go Leigh for getting 3 days in this week!

Way to go Kate for pushing extra hard and running 20 minutes without stopping!

Way to go Andrew for keeping it up week after week and being consistent!


*From training to Race talk*


I get the feeling some of you will want to venture off on your own during the race on the 12th. To the rest of you, don't worry!

I still plan on ONE MINUTE jogging, TWO MINUTES walking.

Some have asked about the pace -

I want to push you all a little bit but I also want you to be able to do it. Some are more advanced physically than others. We'll figure out a pace once the race starts!

If it happens to be too slow for some - I'll encourage you until you get far enough ahead that you can't hear me! :)

I can't wait!

Also -

I am not 100% sure if/when but I'll be in MI sooner than I originally planned so I am trying to figure out if I can get a day where we can get together and do a "mock race".

What do you all think about that?

Getting Your Train On Week SEVEN!

Hola friends!

This is the post you should use to enter any training you do this week. Instead of me searching through each of my daily posts, I will come here and ONLY HERE to see where you all are at with your training!Please include the date that you trained in your comment.

Make it look something like this..."Hey Chelle! On 6/23/08 I got my train on!"

On Sunday night I will review this post and update the results for the contest.Please keep in mind that to keep things fair I am only giving credit for THREE training days per week. I am counting Monday to Sunday as one week. So if you got two days in one week and four days in the next, I will only be able to give you credit for five days.

I don't want to discourage anyone from exercising more than that but I got to keep it fair somehow!!This week will be the most challenging week yet! You guys have already stuck to it for 6 whole weeks though, and I know you will continue to succeed!

This week the training schedule calls for SEVEN INTERVALS of one minutes of walking and four minutes of jogging for a total of 35 minutes.

Good luck!

You guys are doing great!

100th Blog!

Whew!

Just got back from getting my train on!

It was a nice, cool, cloudy morning - my favorite kind of summer morning to run.

Special thanks to my hubby, who did a great job of motivating my lazy behind and getting me out the door. I sounded like a whiny high school kid..."Just five more minutes!!!"

A few of you seem to be slacking a little when it comes to getting your train on. You had a lot of momentum at the beginning and a few are tapering off a little.

Don't come this far and give up!

There are only about 2.5 weeks left of the training. I KNOW you can DO IT!

I'd like to give a quick shout out to Anne who started getting her train on two weeks ago. She says she is amazed at how it really does get easier to run if you just stick with it. YAY ANNE!

Take a moment to review the goals set for yourself. How are you doing with them?


*Pause for a Milestone Moment*


Can you believe this is my 100th blog?????

WOWZER!

We've talked about so many things in the last 20 weeks!

• Weight loss
• Weight gain
• Fast food addiction
• Coke addiction
• Cereal addiction
• Sex (anyone at 200? LaVonda??)
• Depression
• Motivation
• Bras
• Kids
• Self confidence
• The Bible
• The Neighborhood Jerk
• Obesity and the Media
• ME!

Anyone have a favorite entry or a story about how a specific blog helped them or enlightened them?

*Update on Race Stats*

So, they finally posted to official results for last Saturday's race. I ended up ranking 20 out of 121 for females age 24-29! Overall I was 211 out of 1226!

Way to go LaVonda for finished 13th in her age group!

To my faithful readers -

You rock my world!

Have a great weekend!

Comments of the Week

Time for another weekly installment of Healthy Chelle's Comments of the Week!



Cheri said...
Hello, your less than 5 pounds from goal!!!!! Congrats on the weight loss and the new time! I'm still at about 11 minutes a mile walking in the mall. Now with school out and the teenagers walking around in there, its more like 15 minutes. Did we used to be that young?

Girl, if you can make an 11 minute mile while walking then you are well on your way to a great running pace! When I started training I couldn't even get an 11 minute mile while RUNNING!

And just in case someone didn't see my response to this comment -

Not only were we that young once, I assure you I was that obnoxious as well!



Susan said...
I have been doing the limited sugar thing still, since eating at your house and I tell you what, it is a miracle! I am so thankful to God that I was able to see the way you eat and hear what you eat and find out what was wrong with me. I have lost weight and inches since starting that after being at your house. Your diet inspired me!

I am so glad you are finally seeing the results you deserve to see. Like I told you that night, I don't struggle with sweets so for me sugar isn't hard to avoid.

Now that pizza last night at VBS - that was SHOUTING my name!

I totally noticed your cheeks and neck looked slimmer when I saw you on Monday at VBS! And in case I need to clarify, I am talking about the cheeks on your face! :)

p.s. Leigh, VBS is Vacation Bible School :)



Ashleigh said...
Great Job!It's crazy how long you have been doing this blog. And all the people you've encouraged!Amazing, you're just amazing.

Awwww. *tear* *sniff* *tear*

I am sooooo looking forward to seeing you guys! It's gonna be so much fun!

Nobody But Me

What to blog, oh what to blog?

I have been lazy.

I have not exercised since my race on Saturday morning. Nobody can make me but me.

I have not done my strength training in almost two weeks. Nobody can make me but me.

I think my reason for not running is fairly justifiable. I don't want to run on the treadmill anymore. I think part of the reason I got tendinitis is because the treadmill only goes up to 5.2 mph. So I am running, but running slower than I want to and I think my knees take added stress because of it. SO - I need to run outside. But with VBS this week there is no time for me to run outside.

That being said - I totally could be, and should be, incline training on the treadmill. The last two days I have opted for a cuddly nap on the couch with Baby J. I don't feel bad. It was time well spent. Today I am making incline training a priority. I WILL DO IT.

As far as strength training goes, I am not sure why I haven't been doing it. I am going to make that a priority today too. I WILL DO IT.

*Other news*

I found out last night that we'll be in Michigan for a week longer than originally planned. Octavio's plant here in KY is shut down for the entire month of July. The company is requiring all employees to use all their vacation time, then get unemployment.

Of course, Jehovah Jireh, the Lord is our Provider. Listen to how cool He is -

Octavio has been asked to help out in the plant in Michigan for two weeks. He won't have to use any vacation time but we'll be on vacation. We were already planning on going to Michigan during that time.

Our gas for the trip there and back will probably be paid for by his company.

Octavio's aunt and uncle just purchased a second home. No one is staying there but it has some furniture, electricity, and running water. A place to stay that is bigger than a hotel room and although I can't really stand him, we can bring the dog.

I am ready to get out of dodge for a few weeks.

Yes, I do have an itinerary in the works in the form of an Excel spreadsheet.

You know me too well! :)

Banning the Tube

I was already considering unplugging the TV's for a week when I received this email from sparkpeople.com -

TV Found Guilty

TV is bad for kids, according the researchers at the Children's Hospital and Regional Medical Centre in Seattle, along with scores of other doctors and researchers. They found that for each hour of TV a child watches, there is an increase in the risk of attention deficit disorder (ADD).

Why? Possibly because TV gets kids accustomed to a level of stimulation that is much higher than they would experience in life. Combine this with the rapid changing of images characteristic of children's programming, and you've set kids up to be ill-suited to deal with school, homework, concentration, reading, and real life in general. Three recent studies show that as TV viewing increases, academic performance decreases.

Before formal schooling even begins, however, the damage of TV viewing is well underway. A 1996 study found that exposure to television causes delayed acquisition in toddlers. That's why the American Academy of Pediatrics advises that children under the age of two be kept away from TV altogether.

TV turnoff week will be observed during April of each year. The challenge is to abstain from any TV viewing for an entire week. Mark your calendars! Are you up for the challenge?

This sparked me to do a little research and I found an article published on usatoday.com that says the average home has more TV sets than people.

For once, I am proud that we are below average :)

What do you guys think?


*Off topic, but important nonetheless*


Ever read something first thing in the morning, when you are still tired and thinking about going back to bed, that makes you instantly have energy and confidence?

It happened to me this morning -

"I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world." - John 16:33

Man, awesome! I love it when there is an exclamation point after something Jesus says. Most times I picture Him calm and peaceful. When He says here "but be brave" I picture him with His fist pumping in the air.


*Another type of 10 Commandments*


Lastly, here is yet another great help I received from sparkpeople.com. I love that site!

Number 9 is my favorite!

The 10 Commandments of Healthy Eating for Parents

It's as simple as counting to ten!

1. Thou shalt not force, bribe or coerce thy child to eat.
2. Thou shalt set a good example by eating at least five fruits and vegetables, three whole grain products, and three dairy servings per day thyself.
3. Thou shalt make mealtimes pleasant.
4. Thou shalt encourage thy child to help in meal planning, preparation, and cleanup.
5. Thou shalt back off when mealtime becomes a power struggle.
6. Thou shalt accept food "binges" as phases that will
7. Thou shalt accept the fact that thy child is an individual and thus will dislike certain foods (and there may be many!).
8. Thou shalt not give up on introducing thy child to new foods. Thou shalt realize it sometimes takes ten tries to get a child to accept a food.
9. Thou shalt use this division of responsibility for eating: As the parent, thou art responsible for deciding when and what to serve. Thy child is responsible for deciding how much (if any) will be eaten.
10. Thou shalt give thy child a multivitamin-mineral supplement if he is a picky eater.

Weigh Day Week 20

*Notice I made a new blog entry for you to enter your training for Week SIX*


Goal: Lose baby weight + 30 lbs

Achieved so far: Baby weight is gone!

Pre-pregnancy weight: 221.0

Weight last week: 199.6

Current weight: 195.6

Weight loss/gain since last week: -4.0


TOTAL WEIGHT LOST (not including baby weight): -25.4


I can't believe I am at WEEK 20! That means this Friday will be my 100th blog!

Wow! 20 weeks of me going up and down with both my weight and my emotions. I am so thankful to my friends for faithfully reading and encouraging me for 20 weeks!


Did you guys have a good weekend?

I had a fantastic weekend, thanks for asking!


Where to begin???

Friday I went to Fashion Bug because I had a $10 coupon to spend. I am officially out of the plus size side of their store. I bought a size 14 - and it was a 14 in the misses department, not a 14w!

Woot! Woot!

Also, Octavio and I went to JcPenney and found a great deal on some new running clothes. I got two sports bras, a pair of spandex (for under my shorts of course), a pair of running shorts, and a shirt for under $40! The bras alone should have been $22 a piece!

Saturday I ran the Champions 4 Her 5K with LaVonda. Well, I ran the first two miles of it with her anyway! Then she took off like a bat out of you-know-where.

The course for this race took us over the Clark Memorial Bridge which connects Louisville to Indiana. It was really pretty.

So, how did I do?

Well, you might remember my race back in April, where I raced my way to a new personal record of 31:25. I was hoping to do better than that this time but was a little concerned. I haven't had much outside training because of my tendinitis. In the last two weeks I had only ran outside three times and the last time I struggled a little.

I knew LaVonda would push me, but I also knew I wouldn't be able to hang with her for the entire race. I had a little bit of a tough time during that last 1.1 mile but I won the mental battle. I kept telling myself I could do it!

And boy did I do it...

My new PR is...

28:23!

I found this awesome calculator that allows you to easily figure out your pace time. My pace for this race was a 9 minute 8 second mile. That is 6.6 mph!

Watch out Andrew! Pretty soon you won't be able to keep up with you sister!

You all are already at WEEK SIX of your training for our 5k! In only a few short weeks we'll all be sweating together!

I can't wait to get all stinky with you!

Well, we spent Saturday afternoon and a lot of Sunday lounging around at my mom and dad's in Clarksville, TN. My mind and body are still in "lazy mode" but today is going to be a busy day. Grocery shopping, cleaning, exercising and VBS are on the agenda so I'd better scoot.

P.S. Please pray for a healthy, speedy delivery for my great friend, Karrie, who is being induced as I type. I can't wait to meet you Elliott!

Getting Your Train On WEEK SIX

Hola friends!

This is the post you should use to enter any training you do this week. Instead of me searching through each of my daily posts, I will come here and ONLY HERE to see where you all are at with your training!Please include the date that you trained in your comment.

Make it look something like this..."Hey Chelle! On 6/23/08 I got my train on!"

On Sunday night I will review this post and update the results for the contest.Please keep in mind that to keep things fair I am only giving credit for THREE training days per week. I am counting Monday to Sunday as one week. So if you got two days in one week and four days in the next, I will only be able to give you credit for five days.

I don't want to discourage anyone from exercising more than that but I got to keep it fair somehow!!

This week will be the most challenging week yet! You guys have already stuck to it for 5 whole weeks though, and I know you will continue to succeed!

This week the training schedule calls for EIGHT INTERVALS of one minutes of walking and three minutes of jogging for a total of 32 minutes.

Good luck!

You guys are doing great!

A Week's Worth of Thanksgiving Prayers

I thank you Lord for Monday.

I woke up calm. I was not anxious or worried. I was not (too) sad that Octavio had to go to work. I did not feel lonely. I felt Your Peace.

You allowed me time in the afternoon, quiet time, to read Your Word. You let me get almost a whole chapter in before You allowed me an almost 30 minute nap.


I thank you Lord for Tuesday.

You placed me in a friend's mind and she called and invited Ori and I to the zoo. Your sun shined bright and the kids had fun. I got to chat with a girlfriend for a few hours and we talked about everything but the "recent drama". It was a fantastic break.

You made sure Octavio and Ori made it to tball practice safely and gave Jocie and I time to cuddle and giggle alone.


I thank you Lord for Wednesday.

For the first time in a long time I had playgroup, and not because I felt I should have it, but because I really wanted to have it. You gave me time to talk with other Godly women. You gave us the perfect amount of shade in the backyard in the perfect spot, so we could be cool AND have a good view of the kids. You gave me the idea to build the kids a little obstacle course and gave them the focus to want to do it. You filled my backyard with laughter and my heart with joy.

You allowed me to get to my evening appointment safe and on time. You allowed me to discover things about myself, about my character, about my personality, that I didn't really think about before. You are beginning to help me make a major transformation.


I thank you Lord for Thursday.

You allowed Ori and I to actually find a lizard on our lizard hunt. You gave me the opportunity to talk with her about your creatures and a little about The Circle of Life ("Lizards eat spiders. Spiders eat flies. Flies eat garbage. Right mama?")

You let me realize right away that I left my diaper bag and wallet in the cart in the parking lot of Hobby Lobby and protected it until I returned. :)

You brought my husband home safely and early enough for me to get a run in. You gave me strength in my legs and when you moved a cloud in front of Your glorious sun it gave me the break from the heat I needed to get in my fastest mile to date (8:51).


I thank you Lord for Today.

I got a good night's rest. You have blessed me with a husband who ALWAYS wakes up happy. You have given me two girls who wake up with the same demeanor as their daddy.

You have allowed money to come to us at just the right time, so that we can take a trip to visit my mom without feeling the "gas price pinch".

I can feel that You are slowly filling my mind and heart up with contentment where unsettled energy and anxiety has lived for so long. (I am sure the slowly part is me, not You).

I know once I evict the nervousness from Your Temple that I will truly be on The Highway to Health. I know You will get me there.

For all these things and so much more Lord, I am thankful.

Amen.

Comment of the Week

This week I want to focus briefly on one comment.


Leigh Ann said...
I have a love/hate relationship with training. The hate part is that 6am comes way too soon for me. ha! Yet it's the only time I really have to run. Also, I have weak ankles and if I run for too long, they kill me. Blah blah. The love part is that I finally have ME time and instead of timing myself on the run (one minute, two minutes) I've been "talking" with God instead. I also love how energized I am throughout the day because of my run in the morning. I usually feel pretty good about myself on the days I run. I've only been going, at most, two miles. My ankles, not wanting to get up sooner than 6am, and not knowing what route to take all factor into that reason. Lame, I know. I'm interested to hear about how training is going with your other readers.


The same day I read this comment I received an email that was on the same subject.

Coincidence?

Of course, me thinks not, so I have to pass the info along!

I know some of you have probably heard one or two of these before, but take the time to read them all and carefully consider whether exercising in the AM might be right for you.

Taken from Learn to Love A.M. Exercise by Rebecca Pratt on sparkpeople.com

...I’ll share with you my “Top Ten Reasons” for getting up with the early birds to get moving:

1. Exercising early in the morning "jump starts" your metabolism, keeping it elevated for hours, sometimes for up to 24 hours! As a result, you’ll be burning more calories all day long—just because you exercised in the morning.
2. Exercising in the morning energizes you for the day—not to mention that gratifying feeling of virtue you have knowing you’ve done something disciplined and good for you. (Much better than a worm!)
3. Studies have shown that exercise significantly increases mental acuity—a benefit that lasts four to ten hours after your workout ends. Exercising in the a.m. means you get to harness that brainpower, instead of wasting it while you’re snoozing.
4. Assuming you make exercise a true priority, it shouldn’t be a major problem to get up 30 to 60 minutes earlier—especially since regular exercise generally means a higher quality of sleep, which in turn means you’ll probably require less sleep. (If getting up 30 to 60 minutes earlier each day seems too daunting, you can ease into it with 10 to 20 minutes at first.)
5. When you exercise at about the same time every morning—especially if you wake up regularly at about the same time—you’re regulating your body's endocrine system and circadian rhythms. Your body learns that you do the same thing just about every day, and it begins to prepare for waking and exercise several hours before you actually open your eyes. That’s beneficial because your body’s not “confused” by wildly changing wake-up times, which means waking up is much less painful. (You may even find that you don’t need an alarm clock most days.)Hormones prepare your body for exercise by regulating blood pressure, heart rate, blood flow to muscles, etc. Also, your metabolism, along with all the hormones involved in activity and exercise, begin to elevate while you're sleeping. As a result, you’ll feel more alert, energized, and ready to exercise when you do wake up.
6. Many people find that morning exercise has a tendency to regulate their appetite for the rest of the day. Not only do they eat less (since activity causes the release of endorphins, which in turn diminishes appetite), they also choose healthier portions of healthier foods.
7. People who consistently exercise find, sometimes to their great surprise, that the appointed time every morning evolves into something they look forward to. Besides the satisfaction of taking care of themselves, they find it’s a great time to plan their day, pray, or just think more clearly—things most of us often don’t get to do otherwise.
8. Exercising first thing in the morning is the most foolproof way to ensure that other things don’t overtake your fitness commitment, particularly if you have a hectic family life. (It’s so easy to wimp out in the evening, when we’re tired or faced with such tasks as rustling up dinner and helping with homework.)
9. More than 90% of those who exercise consistently have a morning fitness routine. If you want to exercise on a regular basis, the odds are in your favor if you squeeze your workout into the a.m.
10. Non-morning people can always trick themselves in the a.m. Having trouble psyching yourself up for a sunrise jog? Do what I did—tell yourself that you’ll still be so fast asleep that you won’t even remember—much less mind!

So, I know Leigh has gotten some of the benefits of AM exercise. Anyone else out there want to share their experience?





*In closing and off topic*

I had an appointment last night so Daddy had the girls. This picture was taken about 30 seconds after I walked in the door. He's such a good daddy!