New blog

Thanks everyone for dropping by Those Final Ten! I've recently started blogging again and created a whole new site that better reflects where I am right now in my life. If you like what you see here, please head over and check out Expecting the Unexpected.

Hope to see you there!

So much to say, so much to say

There has been so much going on! We’re in the last few warmer weeks of the year and I have been trying to milk it for all it’s worth.

The past few weeks of running have been going really well. I did 16 miles last week and am working on 19 this week. So far, my longest run has been six miles and it felt really good. I’m doing 8 this Sunday and I am hoping it goes just as smoothly.

My pace has slowly but surely been increasing. A few months ago, I was around a 10-minute mile pace. Now, I’ve worked myself down from anywhere between 8:50-9:20 mile. If I finish the big race with a 9-minute mile average, I would be extremely happy with that.

Up until recently, I have been doing all my runs at the gym on the treadmill. I’m really weird with numbers and loved watching my distance, time, and pace on the treadmill. It made time go by fast. However, soon enough I’ll be doing 10-12 mile runs and the thought of running up to 2 hours on a treadmill was not appealing to me. Also, I wanted to get my body used to running outdoors. After all, when I run the half, it won’t be on a treadmill.

So, I bought this toy. And, let me tell you, it is AMAZING! The watch has a GPS in it and is also a heart rate monitor. So, it tells me how far I’ve gone, calories burned, my mile pace, and so much more. It even beeps when I slow down to a certain pace that I set. I love it. The only down side is that it is a little large, but I got used to it very quickly.

I’ve been looking for a couple different cross training activities to do on my rest days from running. I did that elliptical workout and I still want to do it every once in a while, but I’m just not the biggest fan of ellipticals. I always see the spinning classes going on at the gym, but have never done one.

Until last Monday that is. And, I loved it! It was so fun. The instructor was so motivating and the loud music really made it a fun atmosphere to work out in. The hour breezed by. I definitely recommend spinning to anyone looking for a new workout. It was definitely challenging. I’ve never been happier to have a workout towel. I was definitely dripping.

As far as weight loss goes, it has kind of been on the back of my mind because running and training has become so important. I have been eating really well, but I think it’s me really wanting to give my body fuel for my runs. I dropped a pound this past week and I would be happy with this slow rate of loss for the next few weeks.

Along with making sure I get all my protein and potassium, I have also been drinking a ton of water, and I mean a ton! I can definitely feel the difference on a run when I’m hydrated and when I’m not. The only down side is that I pretty much have to pee every 45 minutes, which is really a pain at work. I work in an office environment and leaving my office every 45 minutes to run to the bathroom down the hall gets kind of old. Plus, pretty sure my coworkers in my neighboring offices think I have some sort of ADHD cause I’m moving around so much.

So, that’s pretty much where I’m at.

True confession: I have really started to love running. And, I mean love it. It really helps me de-stress and definitely gives me time to clear my head. At the beginning of this whole weight loss/get in shape journey, I could barely run for 10 minutes on a treadmill and I hated it. I hated doing cardio. Now, after slowly building up my endurance, I couldn’t imagine not having this in my daily routine anymore.

I used to think marathon runners were nuts, but now I really want to run be one. It’s definitely a challenge that I’d like to take on. Hopefully, next summer, instead of training for a half, I’ll be training for a full marathon.

Training update

Just wanted to give you all a quick update as to what I've been doing as far as running. I've successfully completed my first two weeks of training for my half. This is what I've done:

Week 1:
M - Rest
T - 3 miles
W - 3 miles
Th - Rest
F - 3 miles
Sa - Cross training workout on the eliptical (I'll tell you about it cause it kicked my a$$!)
Sun - 4 miles
Total mileage: 13

Week 2:
M - Rest
T - 3 miles
W - 4 miles
Th - Rest
F - 3 miles
Sa - Eliptical workout
Sun - 5 miles
Total mileage: 15

Yesterday, before the five mile run, I was slightly dreading it. But, as soon as my feet started moving, I was loving it and in the grove. I finished the five miles in 45 minutes and definitely could've gone a little more. I don't know what it is, but I've definitely caught the runner's bug. I do not dread the runs, I enjoy doing them each day. I'm still able to get up a few days a week before work and get to the gym, too. It's a great feeling.

Now, on to the eliptical workout.

Alright, if you don't like running and are more of an eliptical person, you have to try this workout. I got it from Jessica at How Sweet It Is. She's a certified personal trainer and also makes some delicious food. Her blog is a great mix of (mostly) healthy recipes and workouts. It's great!

Anyway, she always raves about HIIT workouts, which stands for High Intensity Interval Training. Basically, short outbursts of giving it all you've got and then a little bit to rest before doing it again.

This is essentially what the workout is
- 5 minute warm up (I did it at 15 incline and 7 resistence).
- Then, 20 minutes of 20 seconds high intensity (15 incline, 15 resistence, and 155-165 strides per minute) and 40 seconds of rest (15 incline, 7 resistence, 115-120 strides per minute).
- 5 minute cool down

Jessica said she only gives this workout to clients who are really in shape cause it's really difficult. I was like, "Yeah, whatever. I can run for an hour, this should be a piece of cake."

I was sorely mistaken. I couldn't even get through all 20 minutes of the repetitions. She was not messing around. The hardest part is keeping your strides that fast when the resistence is up so high. I definitely recommend the workout to someone looking for something a little different in their regular routine.

My plan is to do this workout every Saturday as a cross training workout. Hopefully I can work up to doing all 20 minutes of the reps.

Because I've been running a lot more than usual, I'm confident my weight is down a few pounds this week. I'll be back Wednesday with an update and a few picks of what's been going on in my life.

Daily reminder

Whenever the topic of my weight loss comes up in conversation with people I've just met or people I rarely see, my proof is always my driver's license. The picture was taken a few years ago and shows my about 40 pounds heavier.

Then:

Now:

It is my daily reminder of what I've done and how hard I've worked.

Alas, it may be time to get a new picture taken. I had some trouble with it at airport security when I went to New York. Plus, it may be nice to change the weight on my license which currently says I weigh 135, but is 8 pounds off.

Had a weigh in yesterday and am down about a pound and a half coming in at 127.8. I'm so close to 125! It feels great.

This was also my first week of training for the half-marathon. One of my biggest struggles is going to be getting up before work on the days I won't have time to get a run in after work.

Today was one of those days. However, I successfully woke up and got to the gym beforehand. And, you know what, it really wasn't all that bad. The dog had a harder time getting up than I did.

And, I have felt great and energized all morning. So, I'm going to try and think about how great I felt after every time I don't want to get out of bed.

I got three miles in yesterday and another three this morning. I have three scheduled for Friday (I'm going to try and go before work again just so I have Friday night to do what I please.) and four for Sunday, for a total of 13 miles this week. It's really not much more than I usually do, so it won't be that difficult.

I'm also going to try and get to a yoga class on Saturday for a day of relaxation and I'm sure my body will love the stretching.

P.S. Did you know it's already Wednesday!?!?!? I heart four-day weeks!

Mystery solved

Long time. No post.

Sorry, not really a busy week, just a lazy one. Something about anticipating a three-day weekend that makes me really unmotivated.

If you noticed, I was in here Tuesday to post an updated weigh-in. I was down .2 pounds for the week, coming in at 129.2.

I'm happy with the very small loss, but I was curious as to what was going on. I worked out a bit. Ate well and tracked almost everything.

It occurred to me that since I started keeping track of my weight here, I haven't been doing it through Weight Watchers online. So, just before writing this post, I went over there, plugged in my weight, and sure enough, they are taking some of my beloved points away from me.

I now have 19 points a day and 33 flex points for the week. (I used to have 22 a day and 34 flex points for the week.) It's kind of a big change for me.

However, I'm almost excited for it. It's like the Weight Watchers honeymoon phase. It's a whole new challenge for me to conquer. Do I have the self-discipline to only have 19 points a day?

We will have to see. I'm definitely motivated now to try and find out.

It will mean some changes. I'm really going to have to make sure I track my food and points. I'm good at this during the week, but it's the weekends where I make mental notes of what I eat and inevitably end up forgetting how many points I ate.

Of course this happens right before a holiday weekend when I was looking forward to relaxing with a few beers and being all loosey-goosey with points.

This week I officially start training for the half marathon I'm planning on running in November. Here's a calender of my running schedule.

You can click on the schedule to see a larger version of it.

FYI: There's nothing important about Oct 14, it just happens to be where my clicker was when I took a screen shot of the Excel file. On Oct 9, I will be running an 8K road race. My company has a team and I joined. The race also has a walking group. I don't know of anyone from work running the race, so my friend Katie signed up and will be running it with me. It's just under half of a half marathon (half of a half, of a half, of a half), so it will be a good preview to running the half.

My first week doesn't look so bad. It's not really out of the norm from what I do now. So, I have a feeling week 1 will go off with a hitch.

Until next week, enjoy your Labor Day!

Mom. Dad. I'm Gaelic.

Been super busy lately. Both at work and at home.

This past weekend was Irish Fest. I had an old friend staying with me for a few days and we went down to Irish Fest all day Saturday and Sunday. Listened to some excellent music. Danced our butts off. Drank too much Jameson. Ate too many reuben rolls.


Me with my mother and father at Irish Fest. My dad has volunteer bartended for the fest for 29 years! The festival has been around for the 30 years! He's made it to all of them except the first year. Pretty amazing.


At the fest with my friend's Lauren, Brianna, and Rowan. Rowan comes all the way from St. Joesph, Michigan each year for the fest. It's that awesome.

I had a great time. Irish Fest is always a big event for my family and friends. If you want to hear some amazing music, check out my awesome friend's band called Rising Gael. They are amazing. My friend, Katie, is the fiddler. And, not only does she fiddle, she dances too. She's my hero.

I did get to the gym on both Saturday AND Sunday!! That's right, Sunday morning, after getting down with the Jamo on Saturday night, I made it to the gym and yes, I did run. My poor dehydrated body hated me, but after about 15 minutes of cramping, it got over it.

I didn't track my miles this week. I can't really use being busy as an excuse as to why I didn't do it. I mean, it only takes 30 seconds. So, I have no excuse. It just didn't get done.

Also, it's official. I'm taking the plunge.

November 14th I will be running a half-marathon in Pensacola, Florida. I'm putting together a training schedule and I'll share it with you shortly. I'm actually really looking forward to it. As I've mentioned before, I have a friend that lives there. It's an excuse to go visit her. Plus, the course is along the beach. In Wisconsin, the last place I want to be in November is on a beach. It will be awesome to get some warm weather before Old Man Winter really hits.

I'll be back with a weigh-in in a couple of days. It's that time of the month for me (sorry for the TMI) and I'd like to weigh myself after that. It's looking good though. Other than Saturday, I tracked all my points and came in for that day's worth.

Happy Tuesday!

The damage

So, here's the damage from my few days of poor, poor eating at the State Fair and a few other events. I came in at the gym yesterday at 130.2, which is actually a little less than what I expected. I was thinking about a three pound gain, but am definitely fine with just the two.

Now, I am completely re-focused and ready to get to business.

Yesterday, before I went to the gym, I was really not feeling it. I did not want to go and was just completely lethargic. But, then I sucked it up and went, and immediately felt better after and don't feel nearly as tired today as I did on Monday and Tuesday, even though I got a little less sleep last night than the previous two.

It just goes to show how much exercise really does help your body. After having the few days off from the gym, I felt lazy and tired. But, after the run and the next day I just feel great.

Everytime I complain about not wanting to go to the gym, please direct me to this post.

Facing the music

Alright, here I am. Back on track.

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. I had fabulous time on my long weekend. Went to a Brewer’s game, had a blast at the fair, and headed up north for a few days to check out a small Oktoberfest festival in my mom’s hometown.

Here's Matt and I with our friends, Cari and Ryan testing out Wisconsin's best wine at the state fair. It was so hot and humid all day. We spent as much time inside as we could.

Here's Matt and I at the Oktoberfest. Can't you tell how excited he was to take this picture? I loved it.

Not gonna lie. I did not eat well at all this weekend. I was going to go to the gym last night, get a run in, and survey the damage. But, instead I decided to watch like 4 hours of Intervention.

I know. Wrong decision. But, it felt so good at the time.

Anyway, I’ll be back at the gym tonight and will have a weigh in for you tomorrow. I’m expecting a gain. Just hoping it’s not too much.

I did get some running in too. Here are my miles for last week:
Mon: 4.31
Tues: 2.03
Wed: 4.31
Fri: 3.36
For a total of 14.01 miles for the week.

As you can see, I definitely did not run Saturday or Sunday. I was too busy laying in the sun and stuffing my face. ☺ Sorry, it’s the truth.

My miles are going to be down this week. I skipped my usual run yesterday and I don’t think I’ll get one in tomorrow, Thursday, or Friday because I have a super busy week of work. I’m planning on getting to the gym Saturday and Sunday, along with tonight. So, I’m going to set a goal of 12 miles this week. Hopefully, next week I will have more time and can shoot for 20 miles.

I’ll be back tomorrow with the weigh in. Think light thoughts for me.

Leaving to be gluttonous … See you in a week

I’m not sure how many of you are familiar with the Wisconsin State Fair, but I think this article, oh and this one, pretty much says it all.

My summer is not complete without the Wisconsin State Fair. State fair park is my Mecca. I live for the state fair. Among all those deliciously fattening foods on a stick and the cheeseburger stuffed between a Krispy Kreme donut, the fair also features cream puffs (Oh, how I live for cream puffs!), amazing corn on the cob, gi-normous turkey legs, grilled cheese featuring the best cheese the Dairyland has to offer, beer from a ton of different Wisconsin micro-breweries, and a variety of flavored milk (including cherry vanilla, root beer, and mocha) at 25 cents a pop.



Mmmmm ... turkey legs. This shot was taken last year at the good ole fair.




With my good friend, Katy at the fair last year enjoying the quarter milk. Stomach ache always follows. Nothing leaves you feeling better than four glass of flavored, sugary whole milk.

Other than food, the state fair offers a ton of shopping opportunities in the expo center (It’s like live infomercials. It’s amazing!), a giant slide that you have to do, and lots of animals for us city folk to look at.


Riding down the giant slide. Walking up those stairs will be the most exercise I will get that day.

I’ve given up a lot of food this summer. I’ve been so good at avoiding custard and brats and other foods that make me think of summer. With that said, I am prepared to do damage this week.

My good friend Cari, and her husband Ryan are coming up from Pensacola, Florida for the fair. (and also a wedding, but mainly the fair. Her friend knew how much she loved the fair and made sure to schedule her wedding so that Cari and Ryan could kill two birds with one stone on their trip back home to Milwaukee. Ok, not really. It’s just an amazing coincidence. The fair gods were looking down on her. Sorry, I digress.)

So, I am taking the day off of work on Friday to go. Matt doesn’t have to work either, so he’ll be able to go, too. Not only will I be taking the day off from work, but also the day off from dieting.

I don’t feel bad about doing it. Months ago I knew this day would come. And I’ve prepared for it. I've worked hard. My original goal was to be down to 125 when the fair came around. I am almost there and am so proud of all the work I’ve put in so far. So, I’m ready to indulge.

I’m sure I’m going to feel super gross afterwards, which could be a positive. It will remind my body and mind what this food does to me, making me extra motivated to come back and work hard starting next week. Maybe this planned binge will give me the extra push I need,

But, while I’m eating it, I will enjoy it. After all, it will be 365 days until I eat like that again.

I will be running a lot this week. I’m hoping to hit 20 miles. I already got 4.5 in last night. I have a busy night tonight, but am going to try to get in a few tonight. I’m also going to skip a weigh in this week and just wait until next Tuesday to survey the damage, which I’m sure there will be lots of.

So, until then, I shall be stuffing my face.

P.S. Does anyone know how many Weight Watchers points there are in a cheeseburger on a Krispy Kreme donut?

Not the mini kind

Happy Monday, everyone! I hope your weekend was as good as mine. I had so much fun, I was asleep at 8 last night. That’s right, 8! I swear I’m an 80-year-old woman in a 23-year-old’s body.

Anyway, did a lot of fun things this weekend. Went to the Brewer’s game yesterday and tailgated beforehand. It was lots of fun. But, definitely ate too much. Pretty sure it’s going to affect the weigh-in for tomorrow.

I golfed, and not the mini kind ☺, for the first time ev-a on Saturday. It was so much fun! We were playing in a memorial golf outing for a family friend of my friend Brianna. (Did ya follow that?) Brianna and I were on a team with two guys and we played best ball. That’s when each player on the team plays his or her own golf ball throughout the round, and on each stroke the best ball of the group serves as where everyone leaves their ball for the next stroke. You have to use at least 4 strokes from each player, making sure every member of the team contributes.

Brianna and I in the golf cart. She's actually driving it in the picture. Thank goodness there's not a lot to crash into on a golf course.


Preparing for awesomeness. And I know I'm in everything you're not supposed to wear when golfing, but I do what I want. So there. :)

Tiger in training. And not to gloat or anything, but I love the way my back looks in this shot. My back has never looked like that! I love it!

I had a few good drives. I suck at chipping though. There was this one time it took me like 9 swings to hit the ball. No joke. It was pretty comical.

Also, I went to the gym on BOTH Saturday and Sunday! I think that’s the first time that’s happened in … well, quite possibly it’s the first time ever. Here’s my running schedule for the week:

Mon: 6.15 miles in 60:00
Tues: 3.35 miles in 30:05
Sat: 3.26 miles in 30:00
Sun: 4.35 miles in 40:00

I ran a total of 17.11 miles in 2:40:05. Which I’m super pumped about! Ideally, I would like to run 5 days out of the week, but I am very proud of what I got in. I also did some yoga on Saturday. I’ve never really been a yoga person before, but for whatever reason, loved it on Saturday. So, I think I’m going to try and get it in a few times a week. It really makes me body feel less sore after running and helps me relax.

On a side note: I was using a weight machine on Saturday and one of the trainer’s at my gym came up to me and gave me a few tips. She told me that I should be lifting a lot more than I am. Now, I’m always afraid of my arm’s getting too big and looking manly. I’ve been told in the past do less weight and more reps. That way I’d get toned and not super big. I told the trainer this and she basically laughed. Apparently I don’t have to worry about getting manly-big because I don’t have enough testosterone in my body. She told me that I should be lifting enough weight so that it’s work every time and on the 8-10 rep, I should really be struggling. It was a huge epiphany.

I’d also like to say that I honestly really love my gym. And, the trainer coming up to me out of nowhere and helping me is a great example as to why I do. Everyone is awesome and friendly and super helpful. There’s no one telling me I can only spend 30 minutes on a cardio machine and I never have to wait to use any equipment. I used to hate, hate. HATE going to the gym. But now I have really come to enjoy. It has become my time of day to de-stress and relax. I’ve never loved a gym as much as I love the one I have now and I know that plays a huge part in me actually going.

So, make sure you find a gym you actually like before you get a membership. All gym’s offer a free week’s pass before you commit to a membership. Make sure you shop around and can really see yourself spending lots of time there each week. Trust me, if you can’t see it, it won’t happen.

Weighing in

So, to start off, I got in 6.16 miles in 60 minutes yesterday at the gym (plus a half mile cool down but I'm not going to count that in my miles for the week). I felt amazing after and wish I would've gone 7 miles like I originally planned. I haven't run more than 3.5 miles in a long time, so just knowing that I can run that far felt great.

I also thought I would be super sore this morning, but my legs feel great today! After yesterday's run, I am slightly more motivated to work towards running a half marathon. I've signed up for an 8K in October. If I enjoy that race, I think I'll plan on doing a half marathon next summer.

I'm also going to try get my long run in for the week on Sunday mornings. I usually have the time and if I start to get that into my routine, it will be much easier.

I also would like to get in 15 miles this week. As of today, 6.16 miles down. I'd like to get in 3 more today after work.

Also, the moment you've all been waiting for, I weighed myself after the run yesterday and I actually lost a pound for the week! I came in at 128.2. Even though this was after the run, it was also after chugging a bunch of water.

The fact that I thought I ate bad the previous week showed me two things.

1. I'm a lot more active than I think I am. Between at least 2x daily dog walks and work, I get in a lot of walking.
2. My idea of what is healthy and what is not has changed drastically since I started Weight Watchers. I am now programed to recognize when I may be consuming too many calories and can compensate for the day with everything else I eat.

On a side note, the Center of Disease Control has issued a new report that says nine states in the U.S. now have an obesity rate of 30% or more. That's almost 1 in 3 people! The scariest part of the report: in the year 2000, there were zero, yes ZERO!, states that had a 30% or more obesity rate. It's really scary to think about and definitely motivates me to keep going.

Confessions

Hate to say it, but there were two things I was lacking this weekend: self-discipline and motivation.

Confession #1: I didn't run the 10 miles I wanted to this weekend.
Confession #2: I went out to dinner on Saturday and Sunday.
Confession #3: I didn't even run 1 mile this weekend.

Phew ... feels good to get that off my chest.

But seriously, I was pretty busy this weekend and sadly did not find time to make it to the gym. When I did go out to eat, I did choose relatively healthier meals, but eating at home would have been better. So, remember last week when I said I was ready to focus? Well, this time I really mean it.

I'll be back with a weigh in tomorrow and we'll find out the real damage. As far as the seven mile run, my plan is to do that today after work. I'll tell ya all about it tomorrow.

Until then ...

I will ...

Run 10 miles this weekend between Saturday and Sunday.

I have been toying with the idea of running a half marathon. I'm not quite motivated enough yet to do it though, I'm afraid.

My general 3-4 times a week routine is a 3.5 mile run at the gym followed by weights and abs.

I'm challenging myself to make run of the runs this weekend a 7 mile. If I can do it, I really think I may be more motivated to actually buckle down and commit to a half marathon.

I hope everyone enjoys your weekend. Here are a few pics from good ole NYC.




At Yankee Stadium. Jay-Z is sitting behind home plate. No joke. Can't you see him ...

Central Park ... so gorgeous!!!

P.S. I just joined a network called Blogs to Lose. Check it out on the side of the page. --->

Ready … set … focus!!

Alright, I’m back! It’s been a busy week. I had an amazing trip to NYC visiting a few friends. I was back to work on Monday, but so unbelievably busy. It was crazy.

But now, I finally feel like I am back into my routine and can begin focusing again on my weight loss goals.

With that said, I’ve decided it is time to set myself an ultimate goal. If I give myself something to work towards, I will work towards it. I checked out a BMI calculator to find a healthy weight for my height. A healthy BMI falls between 18.5 and 24.9. I decided I want to shoot somewhere between 19 and 20.

After a few quick calculations, I have chosen a final goal of *drum roll please* ….

115 pounds.

Now, the question is, how much more do I have to lose in order to get there. I weighed myself yesterday, and before I did it, I was really nervous. I thought the trip to New York would definitely have put a few pounds on me. I had my fair share of drinks and food when we were there. I definitely wasn’t eating as healthy as I usually do. I mean. it was a vacation after all.

Needless to say, I was prepared for the worst yesterday. But, it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. I guess all the walking and sweating (It was unbearably hot the whole time) really helped keep the weight gain down.

I weighed in at 129.2. So, I only gained about a pound on the trip. Feeling pretty good about that.

This leaves 14.8 left to lose. And, I’m ready to get it off! So, here we go. The journey begins.

On another note, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s very important to set mini goals for yourself. It makes everything so much more attainable. I’m setting my first mini goal at 125 and hope to be there within the next three weeks.

I've also added a tracker in the left column of the screen. I'll continue to weigh myself weekly, but now we'll all be able to easily see the progression (or regression on a bad week).

Here goes nothing …

One year ago

This is what I looked like in this dress:
Definitely fabulous. Just slightly rounder :) Also, I'm not sure if it was a suubconscious thing or just a I'm-carrying-a-bouquet-and-don't-know-what-else-to-do-with-it thing, but I couldn't find a picture where you could see my midsection.

Today, this is what I look like in this dress:

The dress is now definitely too big. I love it. My favorite comparison is in the arms. That's probably my current favorite part of my body.




Sorry for the lame DIY shots, it was all I had. But, you get the picture.

Happy Anniversary, Cari and Ryan!!

Disclaimer: Yes, I know it's not til the 24th, but this girl is leaving for the Big Apple tomorrow and will be having too much fun til Monday!

See ya then.

It only took me 9 years

Yesterday at the gym, I did something I have never done before: I ran a 4K in under 20 minutes!!

I did it 19:14 to be exact.

See, I ran cross-country all through high school, and could never break that 20 minute mark. I came short by a few seconds a couple of times, but still couldn't hit it. Now, I now that is not particularly fast. But, I have never been a fast runner. I am more than happy with my ten-minute mile pace.

Now, I think there are a few reasons for this:

1. I was at least 10 pounds heavier all through high school. I'm sure the extra weight had to slow me down a bit.
2. Although I enjoyed cross-country, I mainly enjoyed the camaraderie and the organized activity part and was never much concerned in excelling in it. I just had fun doing it. So, you see, I was always too busy talking to run fast. (I know what you're thinking: You? A talker? No way! But, alas, it's true.)
   

So, yesterday at the gym, I decided to plan my run at a pace to finish the 4K in under 20. I figured if I really couldn't do it, I would just stop. But, that never happened because I did finish it!

And, I must say, not only do I feel pretty good today (I thought I would be kind of sore), but at the end of the run, I wasn't completely beat. So, next time, I'll up the pace a little more and see what happens.

For all the naysayers that are calling out the fact that everyone always runs faster on treadmills because there's never any incline, I would just like to point out that I beat it by 46 seconds and I think that's enough wiggle room to add the time I would have lost running outside. So there!

I took a vacation day from work tomorrow. So today is my Friday! Woo hoo!!! Matt and I will be joining his family for a weekend getaway to Chetek, WI for some action-packed days of swimming, water skiing, and relaxation. I'm really looking forward to it.

I'm also pretty excited to unveil my newly transformed bikini body. The last time everyone saw me in a suit, I was 40 pounds heavier. I'll be sure to take some pics.

Also, we're saying good bye to Jax for the weekend and leaving him with my parents and brother. It's the longest I will be away from him since he came into my life. *Tear.* What ever shall I do? *Sniffle.* It will be a sad goodbye.

So, until Monday ...

P.S. Please send all the self-discipline energy you have my way. I'm going to need it to avoid all the horribly delicious food I will be around all weekend.

I just don’t understand

Why are some people reluctant to mention to someone when they notice a weight loss? Are they worried they might offend them? Is it insinuating that they used to think they were fat?

I don’t think so at all. Personally, it makes my day, no week, when someone asks me if I’ve lost weight and how I did it.

It honestly feels good that others notice the hard work. It’s amazing validation. And, let’s be real, I love the attention.

But, on the other hand, are there others out there that genuinely don’t like the attention? Does it really make some uncomfortable when their weight loss is pointed out?

For whatever reason, I don’t believe that. I think if someone is working hard to lose 10 or more pounds, they want people to notice.

So, I believe, if you think someone looks slimmer, tell them!

Now, you sure as heck don’t have to say something like: “Wow, your stomach sure jiggles a lot less these days” or “Your ass actually fits in those jeans now.”

Just a simple: “You look amazing! Have you done anything different lately?”

I feel like that approach will elicit a long conversation from those like me (AKA attention whores) or just a simple thanks from those who may be a bit shyer about the situation.

Either way, I promise it will boost their confidence and, even if it doesn’t happen immediately, it will make them smile.

Hearing those comments from people pushes me to continue on my diet and exercise plan because it shows that what I’m doing is working. Sure, seeing the numbers on the scale go down feels really good, but when other people notice, it really feels amazing and makes all the hard work worth it.

Now, go, get out there, and boost someone’s confidence.

Things that weigh 40 pounds:

• a 15-foot canoe
• a 3-year-old child
• an average human leg
• a Soft Coated Wheaten Terrier
• five gallons of water

So, did a weigh-in yesterday, and was so ridiculously happy with the results!

I came in at 128.4!!!!

That means I have officially hit the 40-pound mark! 40 pounds! I cannot even believe it.

I lost a 15-foot canoe!

So, this previous weekend of healthy eating, going to the gym, and no drinking really paid off. I rewarded myself with a glass of wine last night.

The craziest thing to me is that when I started this weight-loss journey, I had no idea I even had 40 pounds to lose. I mean, I thought 20 or so and I would be good.

It just shows how your weight can get out of control without even realizing it. It shows that you should always be conscience about your weight and how you treat your body. However, it does not mean that your weight/what you eat should control your life. There needs to be a level of awareness between that extreme and the other: eating whatever you want with zero working out.

After all, your body is a temple, and you only get one that you’re stuck with for life.

This number also puts into perspective how much left I have to lose, which isn’t much. I definitely don’t want to go under that 120 mark.

On another note, after weighing myself, I excitedly asked Matt how much he thought I weighed.

Guess what his response was?

You won’t believe it.

I’ll give you a hint: it made me not want to tell him what the actual number was.

He guessed 105!!!

105!!!! MATT!! You’re crazy!

He responded by saying he’s really bad with numbers. So, I guess I forgive him.

And, let’s face it: I absolutely do not want to weigh 105 pounds. If there’s ever a point where I weigh 105 pounds, I’m going straight to Culvers.

At that point, I need custard and fried cheese curds. Lots of ‘em.

My blood type is custard

As you already know, one of my favorite things about summer has been the summery foods. Things like brats, burgers, beer, taco dip, custard. All the deliciously simple things that make me think of summer.

But, this summer has been different. I've been on this (seemingly never ending) journey of weight loss, and I have had to condition myself to enjoy different, and healthier kinds of summer foods. 

And, I must say, as long as no one says the word 'brat,' it's been working.

I often find myself craving corn on the cob (no butter, simply pepper and a little paprika, pretty delicious), all kinds of fruit, and pasta salad (I make this version that Matt even loves using whole wheat pasta, canola oil, soy sauce, sesame oil, ginger, and lots of vegetables).

But, there is one delicious treat that I will never be able to forget about, and that is custard. Being a Milwaukee-native, custard has it's own section on our food pyramid, as do burgers, beer, and cheese.

So, even though I've been able to swap out most of the non-healthy summer foods with healthier versions, there is and never will be a substitute for custard.

Can I get an 'Amen'?

Oh, the heat!

It has been so ridiculously hot these past few days. Almost unbearably hot. The humidity is pretty awful, too.

I mean, you literally walk outside, and you’re sweating. It stinks.

Literally.

Not much going on in the weight-loss front this week. What can I say? It was a holiday weekend and there was lots of good stuff around all the time. It’s not that I really indulged in food this past weekend, just that I may have had that extra beer or two.

I’ll do a weigh-in next week and properly assess the damage (or rejoice in the achievement) then.

This weekend, I’m taking it easy. I have been just completely worn out this past week at work and it’s because I had such an action-packed holiday weekend. I feel like I should use this weekend just to relax and do nothing. I’ve also decided to stay away from the booze this weekend. It’s just empty calories I don’t need.

As of today, my only plans for the weekend are to actually get to the gym on both Saturday and Sunday, eat healthy, take Jax for lots of walks, and sleep.

I think I can handle that.

On a somewhat related note, Wisconsin bars are all officially smoke-free! My lungs are jumping with joy.

Lord knows I spend enough time in bars. I’m not a smoker, but I’m sure it affects me when I’m spending lots of time in smoke-filled rooms. So, I’m excited to breath in the fresh hair and not have my clothes/hair smell like smoke after every night out.