I've been talking for years about losing weight. I just never got very serious about it. I've had it now! I'm tired of being tired and lethargic. I'm tired of not wanting to play with my kids because it's too hard. I'm tired of not being able to buy the cute clothes I really want because they don't fit or don't look good on me.
So to be honest with myself and with anyone who reads this blog, here is where I started from last Monday:
Weight: 210.2 lbs. Yikes!
(I'll get some pics and measurements up in the next couple of days)
My goal is to lose 65 lbs and get down to the 145lbs range. I'd like to be down in the 180s by January.
Last week I started the "Run Your Butt Off" program. It's a program to help non-runners like me work up to running a non-stop 30 minutes. I'm working on Stage 3 right now. I was able to skip Stage 1 because I could easily walk 30 minutes non-stop. Last week was 4/1 walk/jog intervals. I completed it 6 days in a row. I'll be taking Sundays off. One thing this program does that is different than most is that it encourages you when you are first starting to jog at the same speed you walk, just picking up your feet. It's made jogging feel so much easier. So this week is 4/2 walk/jog intervals. I didn't think I was really going to be able to do it without feeling like I was going to die. Nope. My legs burned, but I didn't get overly winded.
I also signed up over the weekend for a 5K run in February to benefit Pancreatic Cancer Action Network and support my brother in his battle with pancreatic cancer. So now I have a goal to work toward which will hopefully keep me moving. I also am doing Zumba at least a day or two a week. Hopefully that will increase, but the kids aren't always cooperative. I'm still contemplating joining the YMCA and maybe doing some personal training sessions to work on building my strength. And as soon as the weather cools off, I'll add some biking to my exercise routine also.
I'm gradually changing some of my eating habits, but I didn't want to change everything all at once and then not feel like I wanted or could keep it up. Once I have been exercising for 4 solid weeks, I'll really make an additional effort to change my eating. I am working on eating fewer snacks and when I do eat, eating healthier foods. I'm not going on any kind of diet because I want to make a lifestyle change that will continue after the weight is gone. I don't want something that would be impossible or improbable for me to maintain.
So wish me luck on my journey!
26 September 2011
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2 comments:
Good luck, Valerie!!
I'll be right there with you. Gotta take off all this baby weight again. (Didn't I just go through this?) Anyway, I know it can be done, as long as you make changes that you really can stick to. The "couch-to-5k" program I did originally sounds similar to your new running program. It was the first time in my life I realized that yes, I could run if I built up to it!
Just make sure you are stretching after each and every time you run, especially calf/ankle stretches. The mistake I made was not stretching and jacking up my achilles tendon. (Still have problems with it to this day. The specialist I saw said I may always have problems now.)
I'm really excited for your 5K. Its such a confidence boost to see how strong your body really is and hope much you can really do. I like to balance my cardio with strength and flexibility. I think its easier to start working out first than work on nutrition. Good luck.
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