Day 344: Working out is working out!

I have joined a gym and have a little guidance with my workouts too!   Our new insurance has a deal where they reimburse us!  Gotta love that!  The childcare for the kids is awesome too at the gym, so they get a good work out!

I have been to the gym 5 times since last week.  I am going again today to workout with my man! ;o)

I have been keeping my daily food intake again in Livestrong's My Plate and that is helping me too.  I do get really snacky but haven't been drinking enough water and I think when I start doing better with water I'll be less hungry or snacky feeling.

I did lose another pound since last week, that feels great!

I learned so much last week about gaining lean muscle.  I know I already knew that but the last few months I found myself eating what I wanted and then doing cleanses to lose a few pounds, but those stinkin' pounds always come back!  So now I am focusing on burning cals going cardio 3 times a week and doing weights 3 times a week.  One of those days I double up on doing cardio and weights.  This way I can burn my calories (lose weight) and gain lean muscle mass which helps me to burn more calories when I am at rest and helps me to keep my fat at bay for the long term.

So the journey continues.  I thought about re-starting this year, but my journey isn't starting over, it is just continuing.  So it may take me 18 months or even 24 months, but I will get this weight off and off it will stay!  So while my destination still remains I will still stay the course!

I know I can do this!  I am ready to get back to work.

Off to the gym.

Weight 194

Day 339: What NOT to do when you are trying to lose weight

Howdy folks.  Man was I going strong.  Better than I had been, if my mind is good I was well on my way to weighing in the 170s...I had hit 30 lbs lost, THEN I went on vacation, and apparently I have been there all along.  I apologize for letting you down, but mainly I apologize for letting me down.  This is my problem and it is why I have a weight problem...So since Dec 27th of last year my goal was to lose 60 lbs...WELL, that ain't looking like a possibility at this point.  I started this blog at 212 lbs, today I sit at an ugly 195.  Yeah, I have lost 17 lbs total over the year, but I am sad that I had gained 13 lbs back after the summer vacation.  Depressing really...
SO what do I do about this?
I joined a gym, our new insurance will reimburse us so that was an easy decision!  So I started on Monday and I have gone 3 days in a row.  :o)
I am also starting back recording my food intake on Livestrong's My Plate.  That really helps me out!
I am still keeping accountable with my darling friend Dana who is dealing with her own stuff on the west coast.  So we share our struggles and we will do this together.

I am ready (again)  I know it is going to be a life long battle but it is the choice I am ready to live with.

Thanks for reading this if you did come back.

Hugs!

Day 243: Choose your own...(adventure)

Howdy ladies & gents.

Well, I am coming off a low.  I am only down a net of 24# from the get go.  Yes, it is 24#s less than I was 243 days ago, but I have to RE-LOSE 6#s that I lost already.  It happens, it is reality and so I will talk about it.  I gained weight, I ate terrible and didn't exercise to combat it...so here I am again, at 24#s down.

My BFF from high school, Dana, (not to be confused with my sister, Dana, whom I will mention later) and I have started talking and are coming up with a fab plan!  She has completed 2 FULL IRONMANS!  She is amazing to me!  She is now going to coach me as I do my first 100 mile bike ride, my first marathon and my first triathlon in prep for my first IRONMAN!  I will will do the first this in 2011, and do the IRONMAN in 2012.  I am excited for the venture.  However, before any of that, I need to lose the rest of my weight!  As we chatted we discussed that the weight coming off will be first priority, as I train.

So, she (fit as can be, as you can imagine) wants to lose 10#s. She isn't overweight, but would just like to be a little more slim.  So, her and I have developed an accountability plan.  We are both different leading different lives.  She is married with no children.  She has a full time job, and is a student getting her Master's degree.  I am married with kids and have a stay at home mom job.  So for us to do an identical menu is unrealistic.  We are doing what works best for us...individually.  There is not ONE DIET that is perfect for everyone.  We are all different and need to find what food works for each of us.  However, what we are doing is...keeping one another accountable.  We have to start the day with answering certain questions, such as the following:

Will get closer to goal weight today (not further from) by:

Food:

breakfast,

lunch,

dinner,

snacks,

# of glasses of water,

Today's mantra:

Today's exercise:

We have to answer the questions.  We also have to record our food intake and caloric output each day on our online tracker (I use MyPlate, she uses FitDay)

We have a goal of losing 1 # a week for 10 weeks.  This is my short term goal...Of course my long term goal is to continue on like this until I have complete it all.  :o)

I suggest you find a friend and do the same thing.  Make sure you are a good match.  That you will hold each other accountable and won't let each other fail.

Join us on our quest...

Weight: 188...(for the LAST TIME)

Will get closer to goal weight today (not further from) by:

Food:

breakfast,

lunch,

dinner,

snacks,

# of glasses of water,

Today's mantra:

Today's exercise:

Day 238: Bad Heidi!

Well, I refused to weigh in this week, because I KNOW what the scale would do.  I was SO UTTERLY HORRIBLE this past week.  So after I started feeling better, I just went NUTS.  I binged, I ate donuts, fast food, ice cream...everything!  I feel sick just thinking about it.  A friend of mine who is in incredible shape now who I will refer to as "Fun Fact" sent me her "then" photos.  It was so awesome to see her transformation.  She was beautiful when she was bigger, but she is stunning now.  She did it all the right way, exercise and eating well.  I think seeing her pictures made me wake up.  I am not sure why I let myself have such a nasty week of eating, but I did.  It doesn't get easier, it is still hard to be tempted by food.  I am still tempted, but it is just making the choice and remembering that the donut will only taste good for a second but takes an hour of exercise to burn (at least).  Clearly it isn't worth it.  I have highs and lows and today is a new day!  So again I will get back up and get back in the groove!

Day 228: Unhealthy BUT looking fabulous

First of all.  I do apologize for the giant absence!  I have been pretty sick with a belly ache for 4 weeks.  It has been getting worse and worse, until last week it landed me in the hospital for 2 days.  I have ulcers and some areas of my stomach lining are eroding.  I had a biopsy done but not sure what the outcome is.  I have been avoiding gluten since then.  We shall see...  I have NO appetite, and when I do eat, I regret it.

So "dieting" is not happening right now.  I am just trying to get through.  Exercise is on the back burner too, until I can figure this out.  I have only been eating like 300 calories a day, and even that is a struggle.  I have been drinking Vemma Next and will continue to do that to get my nutrients in.  (If you have questions about this product let me know)

I will continue to figure my guts out...

On a better note... It has taken years to feel good about how I look.  However, I feel pretty!  I even feel normal, like I don't look fat anymore.  This weekend only fed into that.  Sally had her wedding reception this week, and I haven NEVER gotten so many compliments in a 48 hour period in my life.  Not even on my wedding day!  It felt so good, to feel so good about my self.  Thanks for all the compliments.  Here is a recent photo of my body and positive self image!  I finally look on the outside how I feel I look on the inside!  It feels so good!  I looked in the mirror last night, and smiled!  

215: Weight gain, struggles and stuff

Well, I have been avoiding the topic of weigh ins for over a week now.  When I left for my trip to Seattle I weighed only pounds away from getting into the 170s.  However, after continuously making poor food choices and excuses as to why I should eat them, the weight came back on, quickly and easily.  I was devastated when I got on the scale after I got home.  Then two days later, I started the 3 day.  Dieting while on the 3 day is not recommended.  So I ate the right amount of calories and I know I burned more.  Then yesterday was the state fair... HOWEVER, I had grilled salmon on a stick, nothing deep fried.  Yeah!  Ok, back to the weight game...

So I am still in the 180s.  I am 9 lbs away from being in the 170s.  I am not happy.

In 3 months I lost 10 lbs...In two weeks I gained 10 lbs.  That is too easy and scary!  I need to stay on my game all the time.  It is a good lesson.  I love food.  I love nasty, unhealthy food.  But, food tastes good for a second and then...I step on the scale.

I need to work extra hard to get this weight back off, and then lose the rest of it...

Food never tastes as good as skinny feels.

Weight 188  (YUK)

Day 209: The 3 Day!!!

Got home from Seattle Thursday morning (Wednesday night) in the middle of the night.  Put the kids to bed, and went to sleep.  Woke up Thursday morning, and started getting prepared for the following days.
To be honest, the night before the walk, I wasn't jazzed up about it.  I didn't know who I was walking with.  I had met a woman at a wedding, Amanda, she was the photographer and I was the planner, she said I could walk with her team.  My team from last year wasn't walking with me this year, and I kind felt a bit lost.  At about 10pm, however I got a text from Amanda, she told me where I could meet her.  I was glad I got the text!  I felt a little hope.  Got a good nights rest and met up with them in the morning.  There was 8 of them and me, so that makes 9.  I kind of assumed it would stay that way, the 8 of them and me.  However, I was wrong.  There was 9 of us.  They welcomed me and accepted me as one of their own quickly.  All of these women are amazing, loving and kind.  They also were fun.  I got to know some pretty well.  As we walked we spoke of our kids and husbands, past walks we've done.  Many of them are runners too.  So that was fun.  I then found out that two of these amazing women are Breast Cancer survivors.  My brain tried to understand that... but they are moms, they are my age.  That doesn't happen.  Both are safe from cancer now.  It made it more real to me.  More real that I thought it would.

In the quiet moments of the walks I would think of and tear up about my best friend Kimberly, who lost her mom not to long ago and she suffered with breast cancer.  I thought how unfair it was.  How I don't understand why Kimberly (KJ) doesn't get to share so many memories with her mom by her side in the flesh.  How I don't understand why when KJ has kids why they won't get to know the awesomeness that her mom is!  So I prayed for my friend, to find and hold on to peace.

I then thought of my Aunt Roxanne, who has suffered through breast cancer two times, and survived! but still had to go through it twice.  How her life has been changed.  Why would she have to suffer two times?  Why so many women have to suffer two times.  Just one time...at all.

And most recent, my prayers and thoughts are with Beth, my sister in law's mommy.  Who is suffering from a massive headache right now as we speak from the chemo.  Her last treatment was last week.  How her life was turned upside down.  How her pain and sickness has affected her and those who love her.  Tears rolling down my cheeks as I walked!  I keep on walking with the wetness upon my face.  My knee was sore, but I'd pass by a girl holding a sign saying that we are walking because her mom can't.
As my feet became hot with blisters I'd pass another sign that said, "Blisters don't need chemo."  So I'd keep walking, sharing stories with my new 8 friends.

Walking for women everywhere.  I will always walk the Breast Cancer 3 day.  As long as my body allows it.  For my breasts, for your breasts for my daughter.  For Merideth, and Kimberly, for Candi, and Vicki. For Lily.  For all those who I know who may have it.  I walk and will walk for you.

Thanks for your support!  My team of 9 walked across the finish line hand in hand 9 across, as one team.  United to fight breast cancer.  The two women on my team that are survivors were selected to be a part of the the closing ceremony.  As we took off our shoe and raised it in the air to honor them, again the tears ran down my face.

Day 201: Knee and weight gain...

Ok, so vaca with the fam for 2 weeks isn't the greatest on the diet.  I have not weighed myself, and won't weigh in until I get home...HOWEVER, I do have to say, that it would be a miracle if I didn't gain weight while I was here.  I have thrown my diet out the window...so today I have got back on the saddle.  I am hoping that by next Monday's weigh in I can break even.  I do have a giant exercise week this week.  This week is the Breast Cancer 3 day!!!  So I know I will be burning some calories.

I have also had  some knee pain that I am trying to rest which is hard when you are training to walk 60 miles in 3 days!  I will do my best.  Last year I had some knee pain and I made every last mile without knee pain.  I am hoping for the same this year. 

Only 3 days left until I am back in the arms of my man.  I will be sad to leave Seattle, but it is always nice to be home.  Enjoy your week.

No Weigh In This Week.

Day 191: My longest training walk

Greetings folks!
I am here in the Seattle area, the weather is beautiful and so is my family.  I have been able to spend a little time with two of my brothers and their families and today we are going to the coast and my sister and her kids will be there too.  I am so looking forward to it. I can hardly wait!!!

Yesterday I did my longest training walk. I walked from Mukilteo to Edmonds Beach and then back.  I walked 20.1 miles.  It was great.  I felt great the entire time too.  I have been having this hip issue where my hip slides out and it hurts super bad.  However, funny enough it hasn't happend on a training walk.  It usually happens when I am relaxing!  :o)  I make the walk in over 5 hours.  I made a few stops along the way.  I dropped the kids off at their Auntie Merry and Uncle Spencer's to play for the day.  Then when I made it to Edmonds and popped in to see the Mayor of Edmonds, Mike Cooper.  He is a friend of many years.  In fact just after college I was his campaign manager.  It was one of the best jobs I ever had.  We had lots of fun, it hardly felt like work!  Ok, then I went down to have some lunch and then made my way back.  It was a great walk.  I get these great ideas and motivation when I am walking.  I came up with some good ones!  :o)  Much of what I was thinking about involved Haiti.  I just love that place! 

Last night I went to my older brother, Dick's, house.  It was fun to play with my niece and nephews.  I had a blast hanging out with Meri and Dick as well.  It was a great time.  I just wish there were more times like this.
Everytime I come out for a visit, I think, I should live here.  It is a hard one.  I do however LOVE my neighbors beyond anything I can explain.  I also LOVE my church and friends & Friend.  It is a great place to live.  If I didn't have that, I am sure I'd be living here. 

Being on vaca makes losing weight HARD.  I am doing my best.  My travel day...NOT GOOD.  I ate nasty junky food.  Yesterday I did better, but I also walked 20.1 miles so I think I am in the clear.  I just need to make sure I continue to eat well.  It is hard, but losing weight is harder.   I do have a few meals planned during my trip that I know will be junky, and I am ok with that.  I just need to do a long walk that day and eat healthy for my other meals.

Enjoying all the compliments from loved ones on my shrinking waist line!  :o)
Just a reminder I will weigh in when I get back home. 
Enjoy your weekend.

Day 188: For over 3 YEARS I have waited for this day!!!

There were a couple of things I wanted complete prior to our first child being born.  Which is always tricky because you never know exactly when she will arrive.  One of those things, was to redesign, save up for and have my wedding ring on my hand.  So all summer long I saved all my tips from weddings and saved up enough for the redesign of my ring.  Within days of our sweet Hava's arrival my ring was ready.  

I loved that ring so much.  I designed it, made it my own.  I loved it!

Then within two weeks of that, we found out about our second child, Gabe!  I was 3 months pregnant!!!! 

Since about December of 2007 my chubby hand prevented me from wearing my ring.  I was sad, so I took it off. I figured once I was done being pregnant I'd wear it again.  However, my weight decided to stick around and my ring waited for me, for years...

To keep all the men at bay (hee hee) Gary and I got tattoos for our rings.  (He isn't a big jewelry guy, except he never leaves the house without earrings, go figure).

TODAY!  I PUT MY RING ON!!!  IT FITS!!!!

I am so happy!  I am sooooo happy!

Off I go on a little vacation so blog post will be sparse and I will not weigh in again until I return, different scales...scare me!

Ok, so have a great week!  I will, all I have to do is look down at my hand!

Food really doesn't taste as good as skinny feels!

Day 187: Another HUGE milestone!!!

Yeah!  After many months of plateauing I did it!  I lost 4.2 pounds!  YEAH!!!  I also hit a MAJOR milestone!  I have lost THIRTY POUNDS!!!!  Yeah,  It feels so good.  I do have to say that my new diet (see post from last week) is really easy, isn't anything "bad" in the world of dieting, no pills or special powders.  Just eating the right amount of foods!  It is easy, it is doable and last week I had my biggest weight loss week!  How fun is that?!?!  It is so super duper fun!!!!  It feels so great, so amazing!  I can hardly wait to get to My Plate and report my weight...ok, so I really couldn't wait and I just went in and put it in there.  I am getting my BMI closer and closer to normal.

ALSO, this weekend, I put on and wore a size 14 pant!  I was elated.  I started out as a size 22.  It feels amazing to be 30 pounds lighter.  It seems that the first 20 came off so fast and then I had a huge long plateau, and then this 10 pounds came off pretty good too.  I just don't understand why I had such a long plateau.  Last week, my friend Cheryl said that our bodies sometimes need change.  If that was it I love the change too.  Having a diet that isn't hard makes my life so much easier.  I was never hungry last week, I got to eat plenty of food and I lost tons of weight.

This weekend, I walked again, like a crazy person.  I walked a nice 6.6 miles with Gary and we pushed the littles in the stroller.  It is much harder to walk at a good pace and push the stroller.  We took turns pushing.  Pushing a stroller while walking burns just about 100 more calories an hour!  So there is that bonus too.  I enjoyed the resistance.  Then yesterday i walked the 12.2 miles home from church, I got home at 3:15, took a shower and turned around and left at 3:40 for a super fun photo shoot!  Then Gary and I took the kids to the park.  So I definitely burned my calories yesterday!!!

This is a new week with many fun things ahead!
I am proud to report 182.4!  30 pounds lost!!!  I am excited about my next small goal of being in the 170s!  :o)

Have a great week!!!

Day 184: Importance of water

I am terrible at drinking water.  I drink it, but never enough.  I don't drink enough of anything.  In fact the last two days I was supposed to drink 80 oz of water, but going from 8 oz ot 80 oz was a stretch.  I know for sure I got about 65-70 oz a day.  So, if I have survived all these years without 80 oz of water, what will it do for me now?  So I did a little research and found:
(This information was taken from: http://www.mangosteen-natural-remedies.com/benefits-of-drinking-water.html)
I realized I can benefit from water, even if I have deprived my body from enough of it on a daily basis.  I have noticed that I have been going to the bathroom more, but I have to say, I do feel better at the end of the day, more refreshed.  So read on!

Top 11 Health Benefits of Drinking Water

You will be amazed of the benefits of drinking water as follow:

1. Lose weight: Drinking water helps you lose weight because it flushes down the by-products of fat breakdown. Drinking water reduces hunger, it’s an effective appetite suppressant so you’ll eat less. Plus, water has zero calories. Here are the further details on how to achieve fat loss by drinking water.
2. Natural Remedy for Headache: Helps to relieve headache and back pains due to dehydration. Although there are many other reasons contribute to headache, dehydration is the common one.
3. Look Younger with Healthier Skin: You’ll look younger when your skin is properly hydrated. Water helps to replenish skin tissues, moisturizes skin and increase skin elasticity.
4. Better Productivity at Work: Your brain is mostly made up of water, thus drinking water helps you think better, be more alert and more concentrate.
5. Better Exercise: Drinking water regulates your body temperature. You’ll feel more energetic when doing exercises and water helps to fuel your muscle.
6. Helps in Digestion and Constipation: Drinking water raises your metabolism because it helps in digestion. Fiber and water goes hand in hand so that you can have your daily bowel movement.
7. Less Cramps and Sprains: Proper hydration helps keep your joints and muscles lubricated, so you’ll less likely get cramps and sprains.
8. Less Likely to Get Sick and Feel Healthy:Drinking plenty of water helps fight against flu and other ailments like kidney stones and heart attack. Water adds with lemon is used for ailments like respiratory disease, intestinal problems, rheumatism and arthritis etc. Another words one of the benefits of drinking water can improve our immune system. Follow this link for further information on how lemon water can improve your health.
9. Relieves Fatigue: Water is used by the body to help flush out toxins and waste products from the body. If your body lacks of water, your heart, for instance, need to work harder to pump out the oxygenated blood to all cells, so are the rest of the vital organs, your organs will be exhausted and so are you.
10. Good Mood: Your body fells very good that’s why you soul feels happy.
11. Reduce the Risk of Cancer: Related to the digestive system, some studies show that drinking a healthy amount of water may reduce the risks of bladder cancer and colon cancer. Water dilutes the concentration of cancer-causing agents in the urine and shortens the time in which they are in contact with bladder lining.

Can you see the importance of water to your body after understanding the above benefits of drinking water?

Day 183: I stepped on the scale and...

Although I don't report my weight on days other than Monday, I do step on the scale all the time.  It is never a surprise (but a let down, yes) and I have been known to pray a small prayer before stepping on the scale.  It is more begging for the numbers to change, rather than a prayer.  I go through phases where I don't weigh myself for a week too, however, it seems those phases are short.

I did step on the scale today and a smile spread across my face.  I am not going to share the numbers until Monday.  I did talk to one of my friends who is doing great on a diet plan, and she showed me the menu and food she is eating.  Yesterday I did it.  I did it and today I stepped on the scale, and I smiled!

Does anyone want to do this food menu with me, and report weight loss on Mondays?  If so post a comment with your name, the amount of weeks you want to do it.  Then on Mondays you too can post your weight on my blog via a comment, also if you are a blogger you too can add a link to your blog.  It will be fun to see how everyone does.  I am hoping it works for me and you.

The first two days eat:
2 eggs for breakfast
1/2 Orange in the morning the other 1/2 in the afternoon
Unlimited proteins
Unlimited raw green vegetables (no peas)
80 oz of water
1/4 tsp of Morton's Lite Salt

After those days you can eat:
2 portions of protein
4 portions of veggies
2 portions of fruit
1 portion of fat
2 portions of starch
1 portion of milk
80 oz of water

Sample menu:
BREAKFAST
1 egg + 2 oz of cottage cheese (1/2 protein)
1/2 cup blueberries (1 fruit)

SNACK
1 cup of asparagus (1 veggie)

LUNCH
3 oz skinless chicken breast (1/2 protein)
1 piece of 45 cal whole wheat bread (1 starch)
side salad with fat-free dressing (1 veggie)

SNACK
1 small apple (1 fruit)

DINNER
4 oz Steak with 1 tbsp of horseradish (1 protien)
2 cups Salad (2 veggie) with 1 tsp olive oil (1 fat) and vinegar dressing
1/4 cup cooked brown rice (1 starch)
1 cup of milk (1 milk)

WATER
drink 80 oz of water throughout the day

Day 182: Tuesdays with Heidi

I had such a good training weekend, then yesterday the weather was so hot I didn't think that I should go for a walk, and now today, my Gabey is sick.  It is so crazy how life gets thrown a wrench when things start going well.  I was going to title this blog post Twofer Tuesdays, because I expected to get in two work outs today.  Now I will aim for one, once the hubs gets home.

I can honestly say my least favorite thing is a sick kid.  I feel so sad for them.  Both my kids do something different, my daughter is quiet and just wants to be held.  My son, screams and wants to be held.  I would do anything to make them better.  However, while they are sick they both like to be held.  I would trade that for a healthy kid in an instant, but since I can't, I do enjoy the snuggly kid.  Last night my Gabe fell asleep in my arms.  I loved that.  I let him sleep in my bed and he kept grabbing my hand and even putting his hand on my cheek while he was sleeping.  Sweet boy!

So, today we will rest, drink plenty of fluids and get healthy.

Day 180: Sunny Monday

Nothing is better than waking up before the kids, enjoying a full cup of joe alone and looking out the window at the beautiful Minnesota sunshine.  I think today we will go swimming someplace!  I am looking forward to it, my kids LOVE to swim.

I am a little frustrated at the scale.  I am guessing that the weight will come off this week, but I did so good last week that I thought for sure I'd see a fun change on the scale this week...but only 2 ounces less.  I walked like a mad woman the past two days and no weight loss.  I know it doesn't always come off the way we like, but seeing a little pay off from my past two days would have been nice.  Maybe next Monday!  :o)

In the mean time, I will continue to walk, may institute Cheryl's two a days, and focus on Jo's water challenge as well this week.  I keep trying to drink more water, and I just don't follow through.  This week, I will. I also haven't been doing much weight lifting and I know that can help lots.  So this week I will focus on those.

I know I am getting healthier and more fit.  I know my body is changing, I can see it!  So I won't let the scale discourage me, not today!

Weight 188.4

Day 179: Minnesota Sunday

I love Minnesota in the summer, long days, warm weather. Even the storms are fun.  I love Minnesota in the summer.  I walked another 12.2 miles today (see map below).  It took me just over 3 hours.  It was a nice walk. I listened to music, thought about people I love and enjoyed the exercise.  I felt like I could feel all the muscles in my legs as I was walking and although that felt good then, it is starting to hurt now!  :o)
Monday is a rest day, and I plan on doing that!  :o)

It was not my intent to offend anyone regarding my comment about those I walked past yesterday, just an observation...

Last night after my run, I went to Target to buy some new exercise pants.  The ones I wore all day yesterday were slipping down.  It was frustrating to continually pull up my pants.  Although new clothes are not in the budget, a new pair of workout pants was do-able.  I was so excited, the last pair of pants I bought from Target were XXL, these pair of pants were L!  I was so excited.  It feels good.

Enjoy your week.

Weigh in tomorrow...

Day 178: What a journey: 23 miles today.

Today I was to walk 18 miles in preparation for the Breast Cancer 3 day.  I thought I'd change it up a bit, since I am also training for a 10 mile run in September.  I set off on my journey this morning via bike.  I biked from my house to Lake Calhoun.  It is about 10 miles.  I didn't mind the first 5 but the last 5 were through downtown, and I had to stop at many stop lights which made it less exciting. It took me 55 minutes. I got to Calhoun and met Kim (we missed Krista today) we ran 3.2 miles in 32 minutes.  Kim can run much faster but all I could commit to was an 11 minute mile.  We had a fun time running.  It was over so fast!  Then I stopped for lunch before my next journey, from Lake Calhoun back to Roseville.  It was a great walk, and I made some amazing time my first hour, but decided to take the last 5 miles a little slower, as to not injure myself.   I made the 10 mile walk in just about 2.5 hours. Tomorrow I get to walk 15 miles.  So I will walk to church in South Minneapolis it is 8 miles each way.  I may consider walking home, but may also do 8 miles in the evening.  We will see how I feel in the morning.

As I was walking through Minneapolis today, I noticed how people looked at me.  I was wearing knee-length spandex yoga/walking pants and a tank top.  Not fashion first, comfort first, I am exercising.   I am not a size 4 or even a size 14.  You can see on peoples faces as they looked at me.  It was rude and disheartening.  I would have thought people would think like I tend too...she is out losing weight, but instead their looks were almost that they were embarrassed for me.  They needn't feel that way, because I am not embarrassed, I am working it!  I am feeling good.  I was bee-bopping to music, smiling and generally enjoying myself.  Ironically these were the people drinking their large frappuccinos weighing in at a whopping 650 calories, and likely the same folks out drinking and eating last night, but there they sit, skinny on the outside...and past them I walk, skinny on the inside.

When you do that much alone time, you have time to think.  I thought about life and how good it is.  I thought much about Beth, my sister (in law)'s mom who is battling breast cancer right now.  I thought that I can do this to raise awareness, so more people do their self breast exams.  (Have you done yours this month? If not, do it right now, my blog will wait)  I thought about how I am doing this to raise money to help stop cancer.  Then I started to think, I hope myself or my daughter, mom, siblings, friends don't ever have to know the pain and hardship of breast cancer.  I will walk, my feet may get sore.  I will walk, my back may hurt...but I will walk.

Day 173: BMI, Milage and Cancer...

Yesterday was a great day!  We started off at church, a great message, my heart reminded me just how amazing our God is.  He loves us, no matter how we have dealt with our lives.  He waits for us, and still loves us, but allows us to make the choice!

So, I use LIVESTRONG My Plate, a tool to measure my weight, exercise and food diary.  I really like it.  There are many tools on there.  One of them is they calculate your BMI.  :o)  I started out as an OBESE woman my BMI was 33.  Anything over 30 is obese, I checked my BMI yesterday...and I am the proud owner of an OVER WEIGHT BMI of 28!  I was so excited to NOT be obese anymore.  When I hit 24 I will be in NORMAL range!  That seems so doable!!  Yeah!  It really was a freeing feeling.  I actually felt more normal sized yesterday.

I have raking in the milage as I train for the Breast Cancer 3 day.  Yesterday I did 8.7 miles at a 14 minute mile pace.  I walked alone with some good music.  I had a great time doing so too.  I felt clarity, I felt clean and for the first time in years, I felt like an average person exercising.  I usually feel like a fat girl exercising.  So, to have this feeling was again, freeing.  :o)

The reason I started walking was to do something, anything to help the stop of Breast Cancer.  If you have been following me long enough you know my connection to breast cancer.  My very best friend from college, Kimberly, had to endure the loss of her mother.  Her mother suffered with cancer for over 14 years.  She lost the battle, breast cancer took one of her breasts before the cancer took her life.  Within a few weeks of find that information at, my Aunt Roxanne had to endure breast cancer for a second time.  She has won the battle two times.  This year, my sister-in-law's mom (Beth) is fighting the fight.  In fact she will endure the 3 treatment of chemo this week.  She is bald, she is getting through and she is tough.  I know winning the battle is in her future.  Look down, look around, those breasts you have need saving.  Maybe not today, but maybe someday.  1 in 8 women will get breast cancer, maybe that will be you, or your daughter, your mother, sister, best friend.  Until we can stop it, it stops at nothing.  It also affects the men in our lives.  I have decided that as long as I can walk, each year I will walk in the Breast Cancer 3 day.  In order to even walk, we have to raise $2300.  Last year I raise over $3000, this year I have only raised $690.  I do need your help.  If you can make a donation, to save the boobies in your life, that'd be amazing.  However, right now, today, I am just trying to save Beth's boobies.  You can make your donation by clicking here.  Anything you can give will be a blessing!  When my training gets hard, all I have to do is think of the survivors, and their treatment and I can keep walking.  Let's save the boobies!!!

7 miles and deep fried goodness...

Yesterday morning I woke up early, and started walking.  I needed to walk 10 miles for my training for the Breast Cancer 3 day training.  So I figured if I could walk 7 or 8 miles then, I'd get the last few miles in while I was at Valleyfair.  So I did walk 7 miles, I finished it in 94 minutes.  Pretty good speed.  I felt good, and even healthy!
Then off to one of the least healthy places, Valleyfair!  On our way Gary and I stopped at Subway (after my dearest bosom friend, Kathleen, talked it up the other day, I couldn't stop thinking about it) so I started the day very healthy!
After many rides and even some waterpark, the weather changed on us and the park shut down for over an hour.  So, what else should we do besides indulge in the nasty Valleyfair fare.  I started with a Spicy Gyro. It was so good! Then Sammi had this deep fried cheese on a stick, it was SO GOOD.  I had never even heard of it.  It was so good, that I had to get one too.  The cheese coated my teeth and mouth and I had to kind of pry it off later.  What is a place like that, without Funnel Cakes?  So Sammi, Floyd and I shared one.  It was NASTY, it was so good!
I do have to say that I did plan on eating nasty there.  I allow myself a few days a year to just forgo my diet.  This is one of them, the other one is the state fair, and my first/last day in Seattle I indulge in a Dick's cheeseburger and fries.  I enjoyed the treats and know that it will be another year before I have cheese on a stick again.
The park was fun!  We did get to ride all the rides, that we wanted too!
Gotta get ready for church and worship my Amazing God!
Have a great day!

Day 171: Garden Day

I was craving a snack and didn't have much in my house (a good thing, cuz if it is there, I eat it) so I walked out to the garden and plucked a zucchini, squash and green tomatoes and a jalepeno.   After washing and slicing them, I lightly brushed with EVOO and sea salt, popped them in the oven at 400 for 10 and flipped them for 7 more mins.  

These crunchy tasty treats were healthy, and only took a few minutes!

So worth it.

For dinner tonight I made spaghetti, and put the squash in the sauce, I fried up some green tomatoes (I baked mine) and we had a nice, colorful meal.

Love that!