Day 118 - My 1st 5k!!!

Song of the day:  R. Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly  ...haha, yes, I picked this song because it's so corny for the occasion, lol.


Well!  Last night I decided to map out a 5k in West Salem to see what I was really getting myself into.  I ran it in 36:45 and felt pretty good about running a 5k in the morning.  My goals were to 1. run it in under 40 minutes, 2.  run it in around 36 minutes, and 3.  don't walk.  I figured those were pretty good goals.


This morning I woke up, and it's raining.  Goal change:  run in under 40 and don't walk, lol.  I woke up a little before 8 and I was nervous right away.  I got dressed and headed down to Riverside park while drinking water and eating some Honey Nut Cheerios.  I parked and headed down to pick up my runner's packet.  Then I wasn't really sure what to do.  The race wasn't for another hour and it was raining, so I headed back to my car.  I sat there for about 30 minutes then headed back to the park.  There I ran into my cousin Melissa (who is actually a runner) and that was really nice because then I had someone to spend the wait time with.  My Aunt Patti and Melissa's daughter Genevieve also came so it was nice to see them too!  I didn't get to see Kyle, Elliot, my parents, or Ethan before I had to "take my mark" but I knew they would be there when I finished.  :)


We ran through the La Crosse neighborhoods and it really wasn't bad.  The rain was actually really refreshing and kept you cool.  I was actually annoyed when it stopped raining, lol.  They had time markers at mile 1 and mile 2, and water at 1.5 miles.  There were times when I definitely wanted to walk, but I wanted to at least keep that goal in tacked!  At the turn right before we headed back into the park for the final loop was my family  :)  It was awesome to have them all there cheering me on!  I really pushed myself for the last stretch and picked up my pace (passing a few people on my way!) and I finished with an official time of 34:08, with a  pace of 10:59 min/mile!!  That felt awesome!!!  I accomplished all of my goals, and then some!  I wasn't even close to the fastest, but I wasn't last either!  I came in 414 out of 581 overall, 38th in my division (not sure what that division is) and 240th female (not sure out of how many)!!  I'm really glad that I did this and I feel like I have really accomplished something!  I have showed myself that I can do this!  --And I did it after running 3.1 miles the night before!  BOOMFACE!  I think I'm experiencing a "runner's high" because I feel like I could do anything right now, lol.  


Ah, feeling great today.  Even though it's raining, today couldn't be better!

Day 117 - exhausted

Song of the day:  Taylor Swift - Mine


OMG.  I am so tired!  We spent all day at the water park!  It was so much fun, and I figured that since Elliot only took 1 nap that he would go to bed early.  False.  And once The Office was on I stopped trying to get Elliot to bed because I really wanted to watch Michael Scott's last day!  Elliot just cuddled in my lap and when I started crying he tried to wipe my tears away.  It was terribly cute :)  After Elliot went to bed (he fell asleep in my arms :)) I knew that I should go work out.  I decided to go look at the fitness center and if there was an empty treadmill, then I'd workout, but if not then I'd let myself take the day off.  All three were empty.  I think it was a sign, lol.  I was going to run a 5k, but instead I ran for 30 minutes (just under a 5k) because I was so tired.  


I was hoping that since Elliot went to bed so late that he would sleep later.  Also false.  He first woke up at 5:30, then I brought him in bed with me and he slept until 6:30, but that's still earlier than I was hoping for.  So, yes, I'm exhausted right now.  Elliot's napping right now, and I'm going to take a nap as well, and hopefully go for a walk or run tonight when Kyle gets here.  I'm really excited for tomorrow, but butterflies excited, lol.  

Day 116 - swimsuit fun

Song of the day:  The Little Mermaid - Under The Sea


Elliot and I had a blast at the water park yesterday!  Afterwards we ordered food (probably not the best choices) then we went for a walk around the hotel.  I kept us at a pretty fast pace and we walked for about 40 minutes, so there's my 30 minutes of cardio!  This hotel is huge!  


Today we had breakfast then went to the water parks again.  We started out in the wave pool and the kiddie play area there, then we took a break so Elliot could warm up and walked to the next park.  Elliot knew exactly where we were when we walked into the 'Klondike Kavern!'  He loves the water!  We walked (him leading) all over the place and up and down and up and down the playhouse.  He even went on the swing and I had to take him out instead of him crying to get out!  Apparently he likes swings, just as long as there is water involved, lol.  


Elliot's napping right now and after he gets up we're going to go get lunch, then check out another water park.  This place has 3 indoor water parks (4 if you count the one across the lake), and 4 outdoor water parks!  I bet it's just packed in the summer!  There's so much to do!  I think it would be really fun to come back here for a weekend as a family.  


This morning I did some yoga, and I'm hoping to be able to run a 5k when my dad gets back from his conference tonight.  I'm a little nervous though because every time we walk by the fitness center, it's packed.  I know I'm still getting exercise running around the pool with Elliot, but with the 5k on Saturday, I really want to get some more training in.  


Surprisingly, I've felt fine in my bathing suit.  It's a one piece, pink and black, nothing special, but I was kind of self conscious about wearing it.  I realized though, that I look like almost every other mom there.  I think my problem was/is that I'm comparing myself to other people my age, when I'm not like other people my age (the same way I'm not like celebrity moms, lol).  I felt like I'd be out of place because I'm not in a two piece anymore, but really, no one else is either.  I actually felt more like I blended in than stood out.  I know that even after I lose all the weight I want to, that I'll never wear a two piece again.  And I'm very okay with that because I don't need to wear one to feel.... I don't know, hot, sexy, beautiful?  I don't really know what I was looking to feel but whatever it was, I don't need it anymore.  I don't know if it's being married, or being a mom, or maybe a bit of both, but I'm not trying to impress anyone else.  In fact, it would actually be impractical since I spend the whole time running after a little boy!


Okay, I'm going to try to get in a quick nap before Elliot wakes up!   

Day 115 - Wilderness

Song of the day:  Toto - Africa


Yesterday's eating was so much better than Monday's!  Monday's breakfast was 3 scrambled eggs (it started out as an omelet, lol) with mushrooms, tomatoes, and spinach, 2 pieces of turkey bacon, and 2 pieces of whole wheat toast with a little I Can't Believe It's Not Butter.  All healthy things, but the portion was out of control making the meal equal 565 calories.  Yup.  That's a lot of food.  When I entered it I had intentions of eating light the rest of the day, but instead I had a ton of left over shrimp lo mein for lunch, a salad for dinner, and pizza and sweet potato fries for a late night snack.  Not a good plan.  Yesterday I had 1 egg, 1 piece of whole wheat toast with a little bit of ICBINB, 2 pieces of turkey bacon, 1 oz of blueberries, and 6 oz of strawberries.  Total calories: 266.  Amazing difference!


For a workout I did some yoga, strength training, 50 extra crunches, and 30 minutes of '10 minute cardio blast dance,' or whatever it's called.  So, I got in my 30 minutes of working out, so I'm 1/1 in my weekly challenge!  


After lunch Elliot and I are heading up to the Dells to hang out at the Wilderness Resort for a couple of days!  He's going to LOVE the pool!  And, I'm glad to say, I actually kind of like my swimsuit.  I'm not totally thrilled about wearing one, but I keep reminding myself that I look better in one now, than I did 25 lbs ago.  And keep saying it over and over.... lol.  I'm sure I'm going to get tons of working out in chasing after Elliot, but I need to get myself to the gym as well.  There's also a walking path there, so maybe we'll try it out, depending on the weather.  I'm hoping this mini-trip makes the rest of this week fly by, because I'm getting more and more nervous the more I dwell on this 5K coming up.  I don't know why, I'm not looking to win anything, I'm just looking to not be last, and/or come in under 40 minutes.  We'll see.  Okay, time to pack.    

Day 114

Song of the day:  Oasis - Champagne Supernova


I'm really proud of myself, because last night, when Kyle got home, I did not want to go workout, but I went anyway!  I did a .25 mile warm up, then alternated running .5 miles and walking .25 miles, and ended with a .25 mile walk.  3.6 miles and 50 minutes later, I was done and feeling great!  Of course, I ruined all of my good work with eating 2 pieces of leftover homemade pizza and sweet potato fries when I got out of the shower :/  I really need to get my eating under control.  The problem was that I ate dinner earlier than usual so I was really hungry later in the night.  Of course I could have just had a piece of toast with some nutella, or some strawberries, but instead I went for the calorie impact.  


Today starts our new spark people weekly challenge, so there is some slight overlap with last weeks.  With last weeks challenge I need to do 50 crunches today, not hard at all.  The new challenge is to do 30 minutes of cardio each day.  Now, I know this isn't that difficult in theory, but if it wasn't that difficult, then I'd already be doing it everyday.  I just need to stop making excuses.  30 minutes is not that long or hard (twss).  Elliot's napping right now, so I'm going to get in some cardio instead of lounging on the couch while watching the Today show.  


I'm not sure if everyone saw this, but my father-in-law put a link in a comment on yesterday's blog that I think is definitely worth sharing called, Warm Up With Cardio, Then Go To Weights. Right? Wrong.  I've also read that you burn more calories during your cardio when you do strength training first.  Strength training is definitely something that I need to "amp-up" in my workout routine.  I started out by doing the "beginners challenge" on spark people and it's doing push ups, sits ups, and squats, among other light activity exercises.  I know I need to start adding weights to really get some good muscle tone and to get the most out of my workouts.  I guess I have something else to add to my "stop making excuses about..." list.  

Day 112 & 113 - Monday Weigh-In Week #16 and a happiness hangover

Song of the day:  Yolanda Be Cool - We Speak No Americano


I had an amazing Easter weekend!  Egg coloring was a lot of fun and afterwards Kyle, Logan, Cole, Carrie, and I went shopping to find things to blow up.  Yup, blow up.  Every year on Easter my dad's sister, her husband, and their two kids come over and we all go outside and blow things up.  This started about four years ago out of boredom with firecrackers and moon sand on hand.  It has since transformed into an epic event.  This year the best explosion would be a tie between a huge orange bear and a hollow chocolate bunny.  Yes, it may be an odd tradition, but it's fun :)  I didn't get a chance to work out yesterday, but I did get a chance to eat a ton of food!  I definitely went over on calorie and salt intake, so I'm not expecting much out of this weigh-in, lol.  


1/3/11 - 232.6 lbs
1/31/11 - 217.4 lbs
2/28/11 - 206.0 lbs
3/26/11 - 208.8 lbs
4/4/11 - 207.6 lbs
4/11/11 - 207.6 lbs
4/18/11 - 206.1 lbs
4/25/11 - 206.0 lbs

Weight loss for Week Fifteen: -.1 lbs
Weight loss Total: 26.6 lbs

Weight loss since my heaviest (5/22/10 - 264 lbs): 57.0 lbs


I guess maintaining is better than gaining!  I'm going to go work out after Elliot eats lunch.  Today is cardio and strength training, with 50 extra squats for my spark people challenge.  I'm feeling okay-ish after this weekend, but I definitely laughed a lot yesterday.  My throat is so sore and my voice is so hoarse!  I'm just exhausted and my body feels like it's been hit by a truck.  I'm calling it a happiness hangover.  At one point yesterday I was standing in the kitchen doorway watching Kyle and Elliot play and dance with a dancing singing bunny, and all our family watching and laughing together and I at one of those "ah-ha" moments and I remembered how truly blessed I am.  Not that I didn't already know that, but sometimes I need to take a step back and just look at the joy that's in my life.  Like I said before, I laughed all day yesterday.... with some screams due to explosions, lol, but I really couldn't be happier.  :)    

Day 111 - Egg Coloring

Song of the day:  Britney Spears - Till The World Ends  ... I know this was my song of the day like two weeks ago, but I listened to it on repeat for about a mile, if not longer.  So good to run to!


Yesterday I had planned on working out in the morning while Kyle was getting ready for work, but instead I slept.  I woke up at 4:30, and didn't fall asleep again until 5:30, so I didn't want to go running at 6:00.  I'm pretty sure Elliot was trying to make up for his 24 hours of laying around by going crazy.  He was everywhere and wouldn't sit still and wanted to me to hold onto his hands and walk around.  At one point he was playing near the washing machine and touched the power button and turned it off.  But I didn't notice because the dryer was also going, so I ended up doing laundry all day long, and we didn't leave the house until 7:30.  We finally got to my parents house at about 10:00 and went to sleep right away.  


This morning, I got up, got dressed, walked up to the track, and ran 3.12 miles (a little over a 5k) in 38:05 min.  Which equals just over 12 min/mile.  I would run 400 meters than walk 200 meters.  When I got back I stretched and did some strength training.  I also did my extra 50 crunches for my spark people challenge - 50 ___ a day.  And again, no shin splints!  


Some of my mom's side of the family is coming over today for Easter egg coloring.  It ends up being a ton of kids full of egg dye and a fun time. :)  And I think Elliot will really like having other kids around!  Well, hopefully my weigh in goes well on Monday!  I just have to keep my eating in control today and tomorrow!  Hmmm.... :)

Day 110 - Good Friday... Friday

Song of the day:  Rebecca Black - Friday  ... I just couldn't help myself.


Yesterday went a lot better than the day before.  Elliot's back to his normal self and when Kyle got home he was pretty much bouncing off the walls!  


It turns out that there was some confusion on when the challenge started this week, so yesterday was 50 push ups and today is 50 squats.  So I did 50 push ups again yesterday! Boom face!  I did two sets of 15 and two sets of 10... and I do "modified" (girl) push ups.  I've had joint issues all my life and when I did a set of regular push ups a month or so ago, my wrists jammed and swelled and I was in a lot of pain, so yeah, I don't do those.


I also finally made an eye exam appointment and a dental appointment (for me and Elliot).  I say finally because I've been meaning to do that since Kyle and I got married and I got new insurance... almost two years ago.  But I'm glad that they're made, and I've been trying to floss at least every other day.  I've also started using Jergen's Natural Glow lotion, about every day.  I haven't really been out in the sun since our honeymoon (June '09), including fake tanning, and I am very very white.  I don't want to fake tan again, thanks to the years of advice from Alyson, who recently sent me this when I was contemplating fake tanning: 


   "this public service announcement on the dangers of tanning is brought to you by alyson lokken, pre-phd in cancer biology: 

     -the reason you get tan is because UV radiation (even modest amounts) causes DNA damage. as a result, your cells die (apoptose) and release pigment in the process. the darker you are, the more cells you've killed. murderer.

     

     -the idea of a "base tan" is completely made up. there's no evidence at all that being tan is somehow preventing you from damaging your DNA-- it's just preventing you from seeing that you're damaging your skin. 
     

     -two moderate exposures to UV within a weeks time is way worse than one bad sunburn because you accumulate DNA damage without giving adequate time for cells to repair the damage. two events of damage = mutations predisposing you to cancer. which leads me to...
     

     -melanoma, the most common cancer in people in our age bracket. unless it's caught early (which is hard to do), it quickly metastasizes and then there isn't any treatment. at all. less than 10% survival rate by that time. 
     

     -the vitamin d argument is a joke. don't even try to rationalize it to me. stand outside for 5 minutes, drink a glass of orange juice and you'll be fine. take a supplement if you still think you're low. 
     

     -pale people: audrey hepburn, anne hathaway, rachel mcadams, nicole kidman, gwyneth paltrow. tan people: lindsay lohan, tara reid, snooki, arnold schwarzenegger. you pick.

picture me giving you this lecture next time you're tempted to go tanning. if that doesn't work, just think about how many people have laid naked in those tanning beds. nasty people with excessive shoulder hair and back zits. blue moon style. you know what i'm talking about ;) "


So, no to fake tanning, yes to Natural Glow.  I've also considered trying spray tanning, but I don't really have anything to be tan for, so I don't really want to spend the money on it.  Either way, I'm not sure if the lotion is really making me tanner.  I think I look like I have a little more color, and Kyle wasn't sure if I looked tanner or not.  But as any woman who has every been in any sort of male-female relationship knows, guys aren't always known for their observation skills when it comes to changes in our hair or skin, whether subtle or extreme, lol.  I also dyed my hair last night.  I had dyed it red-red a month or so ago, and it faded to this light auburn color, and my roots were light brown/dark blonde, and it didn't look very good.  So, now my hair is a dark brown and I'm going to add in some highlights today.... and if it doesn't look good, I have another box of the dark brown so I can fix the highlights, lol.  I know I should really get my hair done professionally, but the only person I trust to do my hair lives in La Crosse (Gigi at Metropolitan Salon & Day Spa - go see her!) and we are always so busy when we're in town.


I guess that since I've decided to take better care of what's inside my body, that taking care of what you see on the outside is the next logical step.  With that thought, I think I should probably pluck my eye brows today... yikes.

Day 109 - why me?

Song of the day:  Linkin Park - Breaking The Habit


Oh, yesterday started off so well.  WARNING: TMI.  Elliot woke up at 2:45 from his afternoon nap and I could tell that he had a fever.  He was really warm and just wanted to cuddle, and he never sits still, so that's typically a sign that something is wrong.  His bottles were on the last cycle in the dishwasher so I took him into the kitchen to get some water.  Then we sat on the couch and I figured that being in the living room might perk him up a little bit.  Wrong.  He was still cuddly but couldn't seem to get comfortable.  It was really weird because he was super calm, opened my hand, and put his nuk in it.  Then he turned around and threw up breakfast and lunch all over himself and me.  SICK.  I took him into the bathroom and put him in the tub and then he threw up again.  So now I have to clean out the tub, take off puke clothes (from both of us), and clean a sick baby.  He was fine in the tub for a while, then he just started crying.  I got him dried off and some pj's on and we sat on the couch for 3 hours.  At this point his temperature was 100.3 and the nurse said that I should watch it and if it goes over 102 to give him some tylenol.  I put him to bed around 7:30 and at 10:30 he started crying.  He had thrown up in his bed.  Awesome. So I took him out of his bed and cleaned him up.  He wouldn't let me put him down so I just sat in the rocking chair with him.  His fever was now 102.6 so I gave him some tylenol and juice.  I was exhausted and sleeping in a chair isn't really comfortable, and our bed is too high for Elliot to sleep in, so I made a little bed on his floor for us.  He was fine for a little while, then started crying.  He then turned over and threw up all over the floor.  So I put him in the bath again.  In the bath he was super happy, then started crying after a while.  At this point it's midnight and I've given up any chance of sleeping tonight.  I grabbed Elliot and his clean blankets and we sat on the couch.  At about 1:00 he started crying again and then threw up all over me.  I changed my shirt, cleaned him up, and we went back to sleeping.  He would wake up every 1.5 - 2 hours crying, but thankfully no more puking.  At 6:00 he woke up and was fine.  He was back to crawling around all over the living room.  So, I gave him some juice and put him to bed in his room (I had cleaned up from his earlier episode).  We each slept til noon.  I'm still exhausted.


Thankfully I had gotten in cardio and strength training before all of that happened.  Otherwise, I would have never found a chance to do it.  Today's challenge is 50 squats, and I also want to go running today as well.  Kyle's plane lands at 4:05, so he should be home by 5:00, which gives me plenty of time to work out.  And I could totally use some alone time.    

Day 108

Song of the day:  Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah


Yesterday went pretty well.  I'm doing a "challenge" in one of the groups I'm in on Spark People and yesterday our challenge was to do 50 crunches.  Done.  Not hard at all.  Today the challenge is to do 50 push ups.... different story.  I'm pretty sure I'll be doing sets of 10 throughout the day to get to 50, lol.  


My eating is still where I'm having some issues.  I ate really really well yesterday, then it was time for dinner.  I really didn't feel like making anything, so I ordered Pizza Hut.  I've definitely gotten better at controlling my portions, so I figured this wouldn't be an issue.  Wrong.  Since they were so packed and had such a weight time for delivery I got free cinnamon sticks.  Fan-freakin-tastic.  In both a good, and not so good way.  I let myself have four.  Needless to say I did go over my calories, but there are days that I would have eaten the whole pizza and the whole box of cinnamon sticks.


Today, after Elliot ate breakfast, I packed him up and headed over to the gym.  He did pretty well just sitting in his stroller and I got in some cardio.  I did the c25k week 3 workout of 90 seconds running 90 seconds walking, 3 minutes running, 3 minutes walking, repeat.  It felt really good and I probably could have gone longer, but Elliot was starting to fall asleep and get a little cranky.  But I still got 31 minutes of cardio in, and no shinsplints!  I did some strength training on Monday, and plan to do some today as well, along with my 50 push ups.  


Kyle will be home by 5:00 tomorrow and I can't wait to see him!  He's been traveling pretty much since the beginning of November, so it's always nice when he's finally home.  :)  I think maybe I'll have to plan a special meal since we'll all be together for dinner.  ...and clean of the dinning room table, finally.        

Day 107 - The Goldilocks Effect

Song of the day:  Train - Meet Virginia  


Before I start writing, I have all of these ideas of what I want to talk about, then I start writing and I totally forget.  Lol.  I forgot to mention that when we were shopping I was trying on size 14 clothing.  The last time we went shopping I was trying on 18/20 clothes!  It felt awesome!  I was completely shocked when I tried on a size 14 Calvin Klein dress at Boston Store and it actually zipped up.  I could even breath!  The biggest problem that I have is that I'm still in-between sizing.  I'm too small for plus sizing and too big for regular sizing depending on the brand.  It's so annoying!  It's like I'm Goldilocks looking for "just right."  I think that in the next 10-20 lbs I'll be completely in regular sized clothing, even if it is L/XL.  The last time I was at this weight I could only shop in plus sized clothing stores.  So even though I'm the same weight, my body is smaller, more fit, more muscle.  Really I care more about measurements and how I look than what the scale says.  Granted a smaller size tends to equal a smaller weight, but weight isn't really what I'm aiming for.      


Sticking with the clothing theme... Yesterday.  I ordered.  A.  Swimsuit.  Yep, the dreaded swimsuit that I didn't even want to try on when I was 155 lbs.  My dad has a conference at Wilderness in Wisconsin Dells at the end of the month and he gets free water park passes, so Elliot and I are going to join him.  Waterpark = swimsuit.  I tried some on this weekend, but because of my chest I definitely need to order one from a plus size website.  I ordered two from torrid.com.  I'm not totally thrilled about being in a swimsuit.  Don't get me wrong, I look a lot better than I did three months ago, but I'm so not ready for this.  Thankfully we're going in the middle of the week, so I'm hoping that equals out to no one being there... or at least no one that I'll ever see again, lol.  


Oh, today, it's snowing.  Yep.  April 19th, and it's snowing.  When will it end?!  A week and a half ago it was 80 degrees outside, now it's snowing.  Yuck.  

Day 105 & 106 - Monday Weigh-In Week #15

Song of the day:  Saved by the Bell Theme Song


1/3/11 - 232.6 lbs
1/31/11 - 217.4 lbs
2/28/11 - 206.0 lbs
3/26/11 - 208.8 lbs
4/4/11 - 207.6 lbs
4/11/11 - 207.6 lbs
4/18/11 - 206.1 lbs
Weight loss for Week Fifteen: 1.5 lbs
Weight loss Total: 26.5 lbs

Weight loss since my heaviest (5/22/10 - 264 lbs): 56.9 lbs 


I'm finally heading back in the right direction!  I even got up early this morning and went for a walk/run combo on the treadmill for 30 minutes!  I also realized that I could just bring Elliot's play pen and he could play while I work out when Kyle is gone, which is every work day for the next two work weeks :(


We had a great weekend.  I baked all day Saturday, and the cake recipes are amazing!  I cannot wait for Elliot's birthday!  Sunday morning we went to a new church and absolutely loved it!  Elliot also had a great time in the nursery so that's a major plus!  After church we went to Panera for lunch, then did some shopping.  Since Kyle is traveling so much he needs some more dress clothes, and we needed to find an Easter outfit for Elliot, and I needed some jeans and tops as well.  Seven hours later we were done and had found everything and then some!  It was a great trip and Elliot did so well through the whole thing!  When we got home we were exhausted so we went to Copps and got some soup and salad bar.  


This week is going to be another cold, cloudy, rainy one.  Our only hope is that Thursday might be kind of nice.  I made all of my goals last week to workout for a total of 90 minutes and to drink at least 8 cups of water a day.  This week my add on goal is to do strength training 3x a week.  Oh - and I finally got to use my new shoes, and they are amazing!  I have absolutely no hint of shin splints!  I just wish I would have bought them sooner!     

Day 103 and 104 - so much going on

Song of the day:  Will Smith - Men In Black   I actually heard this song on the radio on my way home yesterday, lol.


I didn't get a chance to write yesterday because I got up super early (6:30) to head to UW-Whitewater for orientation and to register.  It was a day full of information and advising.  I found out that I have more done that I previously thought!  The problem is that I only need classes for my major and minor and they have to be taken in succession, so I'm not sure how my semesters are going to stack up.  But I'm so excited that I'll be done sooner than I thought!  The drive wasn't too bad until I hit rush hour in Madison.  And really "rush hour" only added 15 minutes to my drive.  


Today we got up, fed Elliot, then went to Target.  I am doing a run through of Elliot's birthday cake so I know how long it's going to take me, and I can test all of the flavors.  I've been baking all morning!  It's been really therapeutic and I'm almost done with the baking part.  


We don't really have any other plans for this weekend, especially since it is currently snowing!  April 16th and it's snowing.  Ick.  Well, back to baking!

Day 102 - thank you google maps

Song of the day:


Yesterday was awesome!  It was so gorgeous outside!  Elliot and I went on a 3 mile walk after lunch.  We stopped at a park and he walked (holding onto my fingers) around the park, then lead us right back to the stroller to keep walking, lol.  Kyle got home about 7:00 and wanted to go for another walk.  Elliot was fed, bathed, and pj's were on, so it would be ok if he fell asleep on the walk.  The area that we live in is so nice!  There are parks everywhere and it's so residential.  There were a ton of other families on walks and people running and soccer practices at the park.  It's just such a better feeling than walks at our old place.  If you saw anyone they were standing in their garage and it was just awkward.  We aren't very aware of how the area is laid out, and there are a lot of cul de sacs, streets that don't go through, and sidewalks that just end.  Thankfully we had Kyle's phone so we could use google maps to figure out how to get back to our house!  And our walk ended up being 5 miles long!  Even though it was a lot longer than we had planned, it was still really nice!  And Elliot was up for the whole thing!  It was about 8:30 by the time we got home and 8:45 by the time Elliot was sleeping.  But he was happy when he got up this morning, so that's good!  


The weather today is less than enjoyable today.  The temperature is back into the 40's and there's no chance that we'll be going on a walk.  Yesterday I didn't get around to cleaning off the table, and with the weather like it is, I should be able to do it today.  On the plus side, I had a ton of water and ate pretty well.


I'm starting to feel a little better, but I still have this icky sinus stuff and it's affecting the sound of my voice.  Hot.  I'm hoping that the cooler weather over the weekend will help this go away.  


Tomorrow I'm going to go register for classes and do a campus tour!  I'm excited, nervous, and so glad that I'm taking this step, and that I'll be done sooner than later!  Okay, enough random thoughts, time to decorate.      

Day 101

Song of the day:  Adele - Rolling in the Deep


I'm glad to say that yesterday I met almost all of my goals!  I drank a ton of water, and Elliot and I went on a 35 minute walk (to Target to get me some allergy meds).  I didn't hang up our photos or order prints, but I did get all of the laundry cleaned and put away, unpacked our luggage from this weekend, and put our bathroom in order, so I really swapped one goal for another.  


Today my goal is to drink water, and to do some push ups, sit ups, and stretching.  Maybe a video depending on my balance.  My non-health related goal is to clear off the dining room table.  We may take a walk this afternoon, but it all depends on how I'm feeling.  I think it's just allergies, but I could be wrong since the allergy medicine isn't making me feel completely better.  My ears are plugged, as well is my nose, and I'm starting to cough quite a bit.  And this post nasal drip has kept me up most of the night.  Last night I did take a bath before I went to bed and I think that helped loosen things up, but kept it loose all night.  I didn't sleep very well. :(  


Kyle is going to be home early tonight!  His plane lands around 6:00, so depending on the traffic he could be home as early as 6:40!  I'm really excited to actually be able to be a family at home this weekend!  I really want to go to the farmers market on the capital square, and this Saturday is the first day of the outdoor season!  I'm really ready for it to be the weekend!  Which kind of starts early this week since Kyle took off Friday so I can go to UW-Whitewater for registration!      

Day 100 - triple digits

Song of the day:  Jesse J - Price Tag ft. B.O.B.


I can't believe it's day 100.  I guess I can't really say that I "stuck with it" for 100 days, but I've been conscious of what I'm doing for 100 days.  I had every intention of starting to get back into it this week, and my eating has reflected that.  Unfortunately, I am sporting this awesome seasonal allergy head cold and have stuffed ears and a stuffy nose.  I thought that maybe I could work out, but everything just makes me dizzy, probably due to my stuffed ears throwing off my balance.  


I'm definitely not where I was hoping I would be at this point.  I was hoping to be about another 15 lbs further than I am.  I really need to remember why I want to lose weight.  I want to look better, feel better, and just be better.  I don't want to have weight related health issues later in life.  I want to be someone that I can be proud of.  


I need to restart this commitment not just jump back into it.  When I first started I was going slow, just trying to drink 8 glasses of water and get 30 minutes of cardio 3 times a week.  That's what I need to do again.  I need to stop trying to look at the big picture and just look at each day.  My goals for this week are to drink 8 glasses of water a day, and go on a 30 minute walk with Elliot 3 times this week (today being number 1).  Easy, doable, maintainable, and something that I can add onto.


I also think that part of what's hindering my getting back into working out and eating healthy is that our house still isn't organized.  Not everything has a place and it really does effect how I'm feeling.  I don't even know where I want to put everything and that's the problem.  We had a fireplace mantle that held all of the photo albums and frames and now I don't know what to do with those things.  I know that I just need to buckle down and do it, but I just don't feel like it.  I have a problem with finishing things, but I always feel so much better when I do.  Okay, to add to my goals for today I am going to hang up our frames, and order pictures for the frames that need them.  Now to be my own motivation!           

Day 99 - Monday Weigh-In Week #14

Song of the day:  Neon Trees - Animal


1/3/11 - 232.6 lbs
1/10/11 - 224.2 lbs
1/17/11 - 220.8 lbs
1/24/11 - 218.8 lbs
1/31/11 - 217.4 lbs
2/7/11 - 213.8 lbs
2/14/11 - 214.8 lbs
2/21/11 - 211.2 lbs
2/28/11 - 206.0 lbs
3/7/11 - 207.0 lbs
3/14/11 - 205.4 lbs
3/21/11 - 205.9 lbs
3/26/11 - 208.8 lbs
4/4/11 - 207.6 lbs
4/11/11 - 207.6 lbs

Weight loss for Week Twelve: 0.0 lbs
Weight loss Total: 25.0 lbs

Weight loss since my heaviest (5/22/10 - 264 lbs): 55.4 lbs 


Well, I guess that losing nothing is the same as gaining nothing.  Really I thought I was going to gain for sure.  I've just eaten crap this past weekend.  Well, I guess not really horrible food, but a lot of food.  


This morning I was thinking back on how kids on the MTV show "I used to be fat" would lose like 80 lbs in 100 days and I cringe to think about where I could be if I would have just stuck with it.  I mean, I'm still glad that I've lost weight, and more glad about the inches, but I know that I have done some major major slacking.  I feel like I'm back in the defeatist mentality because this is the weight that I've been carrying for a long long time.  What's stupid is that I've lost weight, and now I know how to actually do it and keep it off.  I just really need to buckle down and actually do it!      

Day 98

Song of the day:  Barenaked Ladies - If I Had A Million Dollars


Now that it's over I can finally say why we were in town!  Yesterday was Carrie's (my sister-in-law) surprise birthday party!  It was a lot of fun, and we had a lot of great food!  Elliot really really enjoyed my ice cream cone!  Yep, I got about 4 licks in before he decided that it was his.  He just devourer'd it, and it was adorable.  It's probably good that I didn't get a chance to eat the rest of it.  Kyle and I also walked over there (about 8 blocks) and walked back, then went on a walk later that night, so a plus for some exercise!


We did a lot of shopping for Elliot's birthday and I got a ton of tools for his cake!  I'm really excited for this cake, and I hope it turns out well.  I'd really like to make cake baking and decorating my new hobby, so hopefully I have fun with this one!  I'm going to do a dry run of the  whole thing this coming week/weekend.  Normally I wouldn't, but I am really nervous and want everything to go off easily on the actual day.  


I'm not too excited about weighing-in tomorrow.  I've been so-so about my eating and non-existent about working out.  I guess the only thing I can hope for is to maintain where I'm at.  Kyle's still traveling a ton, and will be for the next few weeks, so I think I'm going to have to discipline myself to do some videos while Elliot is napping.  


Well, we made it from West Salem to Madison, Madison to Whitewater, and Whitewater to Madison without a speck of rain, so I guess we'll have to wait and see what kind of weather we'll get!  I'm all for the thunderstorm, but not a big fan of tornadoes.

Day 97

Song of the day:  Bruno Mars - Grenade


Ahhh, sleeping in!  I slept until 8:36 and it felt awesome!  We have a big day planned of shopping for things we'll need for Elliot's birthday party, but right now both Kyle and Elliot are napping :) I guess I've just kind of given up on working out and completely diving back into eating right this week.  I'll consider it my adjustment period.  I haven't eaten horribly, but it definitely hasn't been good.  Kyle's gone again this next week, but thankfully only until Wednesday night, but I really need to push myself to eat right.  And hopefully the weather works out so Elliot and I can go on walks!    

Day 96

Song of the day:  Britney Spears - Till The World Ends


I feel like I'm running on empty.  I know that a lot of my mood and exhaustion is because of TOM, but I could really use a day off.  Today Elliot and I are going to go check out his new daycare and put down a deposit for this fall.  I've really liked the people I've talked to on the phone, so I hope that the tour goes just as well.  We are also picking up Ethan so he can come with to West Salem this weekend.  I'm excited to go up there, but I could really use a weekend that we don't have anything going on.  It seems like every weekend now through June we have some sort of family get together, birthday, graduation, or holiday.  I love all of the events, but I am exhausted.


We had a really good walk yesterday and it really solidified how happy I am about living here.  It was pretty sunny so we walked to Target and got Elliot some sun glasses (we had to get kid sized glasses because the baby ones were way too small for his head, lol) and bubbles.  We then went to the park and went on the swings and slides and blew lots and lots of bubbles.  It's really nice to have everything so close!  


I ate okay, but I was definitely on the higher end of my calorie range.  I didn't go running when Kyle got home because I was just so exhausted.  We hadn't seen each other for 4 days, so we ended up staying up until midnight talking and catching up.  It's weird, because we talk to each other every day on the phone, but we never really have much to say, then as soon as we see each other again we talk for hours.  Needless to say, 7:00am came too quickly.  


I'm now on my second cup of coffee.... it's going to be one of those days...   

Day 95

Song of the day:  Vicki Lawrence - The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia


Ugh, I'm feeling super sluggish and lazy.  I know exactly what I need to do to continue to lose weight, but I just don't feel like it.  It's about that time of the month, so I kind of understand where this feeling is coming from.  It's supposed to be nice out this afternoon, so I'm thinking that Elliot and I are going to be able to get in a good walk.  Also, Kyle is coming home tonight, and since our fitness center is 100 ft from our apartment, I have no excuse not to work out tonight.  


I'm now struggling with the same weight that I was struggling with before I got pregnant.  I think that's why I feel so 'blah' about it.  It's been there for so long, and I've failed time and time again against it.  I know this time is different because I have a completely different plan in place, but I feel like it's going to be a lot harder.  I know I need to just get back to what I was doing, and that it's not hard, but ugh.  I don't even feel like making coffee this morning!  I'm hoping that a walk with help give me an energy boost! 

Day 94 - Eating for one.

Song of the day:  The Airborne Toxic Event - Changing


It always so hard to find motivation to cook when Kyle is on trips.  I made the vegetarian chili, had it for three meals, and I still have some leftover.  Last night I caved and ordered Chinese food.  Ugh.  By the time I put Elliot down I just have no energy left to cook, or do I want to cook something that I'm going to have to eat for the next three days.  I'm not going to order food again this week, but I guess once in a while isn't the worse.  Maybe I'll go back to getting lean cuisines when Kyle is on trips.


Julia is coming over today to hang out.  I was hoping we could go for a walk or something, but currently it's raining.  The weather channel says that it's going to stop soon, fingers crossed!  I'm still not sure where I want to put some of our stuff.  Our old place had a fireplace where we could put pictures, and now we have lost that picture space, so their all laying on our dinning room table.  Maybe I should take this time to actually put pictures in the frames, lol.  


My brother, Ethan, and I are going to enter into a little weight loss competition with each other. We have yet to set an exact date, but at the end of the year we're going to see who has lost the most weight.  We're going dollar for pound.  Example: if I lose 50 lbs and he loses 40 lbs, then he has to give me $10, and vice versa.  I'm hoping it will help motivate both of us to get this weight off!  He's even giving me my 25 lb head start, so he must be pretty confident!


The 5k is in 2 1/2 weeks and I haven't ran in about that long either.  I guess I should have realized what our lives were going to be like in March and April, but I still want to do it.  I will probably end up walking for a while, but at least I'll be trying.  

Day 93 - I see London, I see France

Song of the day:  Larry Platt - Pants on the Ground

As you can probably guess by the title and the song of the day, I'm having an issue with my clothes fitting.  The problem really comes into play when Elliot pulls himself up using my legs as leverage.  Jeans, pajama pants, sweat pants, workout clothes, all the same problem.  Now, I do consider this a good thing, but I really don't want to buy clothes until I absolutely need them.  I am going to have to buy a belt though.  


Yesterday I made vegetarian chili from the South Beach Diet cookbook.  I don't have the cookbook, but Brian (Kyle's dad) made it once and it was delicious, so I just google'd the recipe.  This recipe was a little different, but it was still really good!  It's really filling and has really good flavor.  


This afternoon, Elliot and I are going to take a walk to go vote and get some more formula for him.  It's really nice and supposed to be in the 50's this afternoon!  Yay!  Then it looks like rain for the rest of the week :\  Hopefully that will change though.  The Charter guy is coming to hook up our cable again, which is good because The Biggest Loser is on tonight!  I missed last week, but I read all about it online.  On a completely random note, I fell asleep on the couch last night and my neck feels horrible today. :(       

Day 92 - Monday Weigh-In Week #13

Song of the day:  Avril Lavigne - What The Hell

1/3/11 - 232.6 lbs

1/10/11 - 224.2 lbs
1/17/11 - 220.8 lbs
1/24/11 - 218.8 lbs
1/31/11 - 217.4 lbs
2/7/11 - 213.8 lbs
2/14/11 - 214.8 lbs
2/21/11 - 211.2 lbs
2/28/11 - 206.0 lbs
3/7/11 - 207.0 lbs
3/14/11 - 205.4 lbs
3/21/11 - 205.9 lbs

3/26/11 - 208.8 lbs

4/4/11 - 207.6 lbs

Weight loss for Week Twelve: -1.2 lbs
Weight loss Total: 25.0 lbs

*Weight loss since my heaviest (5/22/10 - 264 lbs): 55.4 lbs 

*Granted I was 9+ months pregnant at my heaviest, but Elliot only weighed 10 lbs, so I'm going to track that as well.  :)

Well, needless to say, I am absolutely shocked that I lost weight this past week!  I've had nothing to eat but McDonald's, Buffalo Wild Wings, and Pizza!  I'm pretty sure all the heavy lifting from moving helped out!  I am disappointed that in a months time I've gained .6 lbs, but I checked my measurements and I'm either the same or smaller than they were 4 weeks ago, so I'll take that!  We are done unpacking boxes, and now I'm focusing on finding the right place for everything.  I'm in love with our new place though!  It's so nice and the location is amazing!  Kyle's gone in Milwaukee until Thursday night, so unfortunately I can't go to the fitness center, but hopefully this rain holds off a bit and Elliot and I can go for a walk.  Elliot's not too sure what to think about the new place.  At first he was really timid going into a room and now that he's realized all of his toys are he, he's much happier, lol.  I guess that's all I really have for now, I'm just so glad that this whole thing is over with!  And now, back to weight loss!!