Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Frustrating

So I have this friend (not really its not me, honest) she is a wonderful and beautiful person who is kind and sweet but she is so frustrating.  She is a cereal fad weighlosser.  In the year I have known her she has joined two gyms, when on the south beach diet, isogenics, P90X, gone organic, became a vegetarian, have went on numerous detoxes, and probably more I just didn't know about all in the name of losing weight. 

The funny thing is she is the one who motivates me to keep running when I want to stop.  She is the voice I hear in my head that keeps me going.  She is my cheerleader and I so want to help her break her dieting cycle.

I want to have a diet intervention with her.  She is interested in clean eating as there are a couple of us doing it at work.  The problem is she wants the quick fix and she wants it fast.

Does anyone have any recommendations on how I can reach out to her.  I have tried humour and joking that she must be a millionaire to afford so many new diets.  She actually jokes about the diet of the week.  I want her to be happy with herself, which she is not. 

Monday, August 23, 2010

Its Going to be a Clean Eating Week

Wholly crap. It is now less than eight weeks till I run my half marathon. I am getting increasingly more certain that I will be able to do this and it is becoming more apparent that I really need to feed and water my body better.


Yesterday was my long run day. I did 11 kilometers in 90 minutes. I was hoping to do 12 kilometers in 110 minutes but didn’t have it in me to run around my block a couple of more times. I ate like crap the day before (missing snacks, eating popcorn for supper, having pizza for lunch) and barely drank any non-carbonated liquids. My body could feel it, I was just worn down.

My problem is that I do really well during the week and then everything goes into the toilet on the weekends. I need to eat consistently better and increase my water intake. It doesn’t matter if it isn’t fun or as delicious, this is what needs to happen. I need to plan better, my lack of planning leads down the dangerous road of pre-packaged food. They are awful for you and just make me want to eat more bad food.

My goal this week (other than food journaling) is to eat cleaner. Work out a food plan and then stick to it. No ‘treats’ for being good or getting my runs in. Treats lead down the dark road of bad eating. I will eat clean this week and love it!!!

Sunday, August 15, 2010

I Think I May Just Threw Up a Bit

Okay, so in 63 days I will be running the Nike Women's half marathon in San Francisco.  Yes, only 9 weeks.  I am so scared.  I don't want to quit.  I want to do this.  I want to kick ass.  I am so scared to fail.  I am just scared to do this.  I am not on my training schedule.  I am trying to keep to it but have a hard time getting my long runs in.  Eff, eff, eff, eff. 

Please any words of encouragement of helpful advise would be helpful right now. 

Thursday, August 12, 2010

No More Exercise Excuses!

Here is an article I found on Spark People.  As much to motivate everyone as it is to motivate me.  After reading this I found the motivation to go out yesterday and do some hill training after work in 30 degree Celsius sunshine (the humidex made it hotter but I didn't even look at that as it would have been a deterrent).  It was hot and it sucked but I did it and felt much better after I was done.  San Francisco's Nike Women's Marathon is only 67 days away.  I am going to do it.  Run girl run!!!!




Busting 5 Common Workout Excuses

-- By Leanne Beattie, Health and Fitness Writer

We begin a new fitness routine with the best of intentions—telling ourselves that we’ll hit the gym three times a week—but actually accomplishing what we set out to do can be harder than expected. Combining a busy work week with other obligations and a list of errands can be a recipe for fitness failure. Exercise has to be pushed to the bottom of the list since there are only so many hours in the day, right?

Wrong.

Everyone has the same 24 hours to work with every day. It’s how you decide to spend and prioritize your time that’s the real issue. It’s easy to make excuses and kid yourself about why you’re not reaching your fitness goals, but until you take responsibility for your actions (or lack thereof) you will remain in front of the television for one more evening, all the while moaning about how you can’t fit into your favorite clothes any longer.

"But I’m tired," you tell yourself. "I’ve had a long day and I deserve to sit back and relax. I’ll just take it easy tonight and I promise to work out tomorrow." Then tomorrow comes and you’ve got to work late and you’re out of milk so you have to go buy groceries and before you know it, another day has passed and still no exercise. Why is it that you can hold down a job, make it to class, run a household and put everyone else’s needs ahead of your own, while you disappoint yourself every time you miss your own appointment with the treadmill?

Of course there are legitimate reasons to not exercise. But unless you’ve just given birth or had surgery, most of these reasons aren’t reasons at all—they’re excuses. If you’ve been allowing these excuses to keep you from the gym, it’s time to refocus.

Exercise Excuse # 1: I’m too tired.

It takes energy to produce energy, so while you may be tired now, even a short 10-minute walk will get your blood pumping and will boost your energy levels for up to two hours after. And regular exercise helps improve the quality of your sleep, meaning more energy throughout the day. Some research suggests working out can help regulate your sleep cycles, so you’ll fall asleep easier, sleep more soundly and wake up more rested. A morning workout—not a cup of coffee—could be just the ticket you need to feel more awake and energized all day long!

Exercise Excuse # 2: I don’t have time.

Eliminate 30 minutes of television viewing each night and exercise for half an hour instead. Unlike couch time, this method will strengthen muscles, burn fat, lower your cholesterol and reduce your risk of diabetes and heart disease. Record your favorite shows and watch them while lifting weights or running on the treadmill to multitask. Get up an hour earlier in the morning and go for a walk before you start your day or bring along your sneakers and go for a walk during your lunch break. There are many little time stealers in your day, from surfing the Internet to watching reruns to accepting calls from people you don’t really want to talk to. Getting rid of these distractions can add hours of free time each day—time that can be spent improving your health.

Exercise Excuse # 3: I can’t afford a gym membership or equipment.

While going to the gym is a great way to get in shape, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get a good workout. Either sign up for the bare bones membership package (are you really going to use all the perks the gym offers anyway?) or exercise at home for free with help from SparkPeople’s exercise demos, workouts, videos and other fitness resources. Push-ups, lunges, crunches and aerobics can all be done in the privacy of your own home and cost no money at all. Don’t forget to borrow some fitness DVDs from your local library to ensure you don’t get bored with your routine. Exercising at home also eliminates another avoidance excuse—the weather. Your home treadmill is available rain or shine, 365 days a year.

Exercise Excuse # 4: I’m embarrassed by my appearance.

It’s tough to the gym if you don’t feel good about your appearance. A well-fitting pair of yoga pants and a new T-shirt go a long way towards making you feel better about your body. Baggy, oversized shirts and track pants may be comfortable, but they make you look bigger, so find some fitness clothes shaped to play up your best assets. If you are afraid of being the biggest person in the exercise class, sign up for a class specifically designed for overweight individuals or a beginner’s class where there will be others just starting out, too. And remember: Everyone at the gym has the same goal in mind and everyone had to start somewhere. You may feel self-conscious, but chances are that no one is really paying attention to you and if they are, they’re probably silently cheering you on for working toward your goals!

Exercise Excuse # 5: I’m too depressed.

A Harvard University study found that after 12 weeks of weight training, nearly 90% of seriously depressed seniors no longer met the criteria for clinical depression. And just 20 minutes of aerobic exercise boosts the levels of your brain’s feel-good chemicals, making you happier and more invigorated. So exercising will actually improve your mood, even if you feel like biting someone’s head off before you begin. Many bad moods are the result of stress and exercise is a proven way to relax and lower the amount of cortisol (which is produced in response to stress) in your system. High cortisol levels have been linked to the accumulation of harmful abdominal fat.


We are all busy and have lives outside of the gym, but we all need regular exercise to help us stay healthy, lose weight and cope with the stresses of everyday life. By making excuses to avoid exercise, all we’re really doing is telling ourselves that our physical and mental health is not important and doing the dishes, driving the kids to their activities or watching mindless television is a more worthy endeavor. And nothing could be further from the truth.

Monday, August 9, 2010

I Love Me Some Fair Food

I went to the fair this weekend.  It was hot, sweaty and wonderful.  I asked Kari what should I eat before I went and her suggestion was to eat salad with no dressing and maybe some corn on the cob.  Well, um, I, um, like, sorta, um...

Honestly, I did not see a salad at the fair.  I barely saw any vegetables.  I saw some fried onions (for perogies), some small pieces of veggies in fried rice (that glisten), and not a cob of corn to be seen.  OKAY, I did see one salad, it was coleslaw with enough mayo on it to feed a small Vietnamese village for a year.  

I did not eat the best.  I ate more fried food in one day than I ate in the past six month.  My baby daddy, my daughter and me shared mini doughnuts, corn dogs, fries, slushies, an elephant ear, a snow cone, and a funnel cake.  It was delicious and gluttonous.  We did a lot of walking and considering that and not eating lunch or supper I didn't eat that much over my calorie intake.  I was only about 100 calories over which really is good.  I didn't go full hog but did have a sampling of everything.  Wonderful.  Not really nutritious but that was remedied on Sunday. 

On Sunday, I also had my long run for marathon training.  I could only do about 4 miles as it was smoking hot when I went.  I wanted to double the distance but couldn't push pass the heat.  This week I am definitely going out earlier.  I did eat better that day and doubled up on veggies to make up for the lack of them the day before. 

Setting up a marathon running plan tomorrow.  Going to set some goals to meet and beat!!!

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Okay, Not so Proud

I rocked the first half of July.  I really did.  I was careful (although not perfect) in what I ate and workout every second day.  Then I had to go back to work.  Although when I was at work I tracked my food (being close to a computer allows you to do that) but made poor food choices and got little exercise.

For the month I actually gained half a pound.  Now whether that was an actual gain or due to the 8 hours I spent in a car eating road food and limiting my water consumption (no need for extra bathroom breaks) the day before I weighed in.  (Actually, I weighed in late too.  I thought my sister had a digital scale - which she didn't.  It was a crazy go-go-go weekend so I just held off the weigh in as I didn't think I was in the running for a prize anyway.) 

I am bummed that I didn't do better but not surprised.  I let myself go the last couple of weeks.  It is so easy to become a sloth.  Plus, I only have 72 more days till my half marathon and need to step up the trainign majorly.  I was on track at the beginign of July but have missed the past four long runs and need to get my endurance back up. 

I was so ashamed regarding the weigh in I almost didn't blog about it.  But really I would only be lying to myself.  I am going to win the good fight, I will kick ass.  I will, I will, I will.  This is the last weight loss compittion that I join that I don't see results.  I am tired of losing and being in the middle of the pack.  I will do great.