The Race Report

Well.... It was awesome! Of course. I haven’t posted the race report yet because I needed to process the event mentally & when you’re gone most of a weekend, it takes some catching up with “regular” life outside the race. Then at my first opportunity to write, I was interrupted with a reminder for my son’s high school Open House which I had forgotten. But being that he is a freshman this year & we’re in a new state: gotta go. So sit back and enjoy, it’s a long post here.

So Saturday I made the drive down to Austin, where I have not yet been. The drive was beautiful & in the car I listened to Lance Armstrong’s “Its Not About The Bike” audio book I had picked up at the library earlier in the day. Good book if you haven’t read/listened to it. Anyways, there were lots of mentions of Austin and hills & I started to get a little concerned because I am not a hill trained girl. But I was already on the way, money was paid & plans made, so hills or not: here I come! I got a little turned around in downtown but eventually found Jack & Adam’s Bike shop & picked up my race packet. On to Pace Bend Park where I would camp.

My campsite was right on the water in Mudd Cove area of the park as I wanted to camp near the race start/finish so I didn’t have to exert extra energy going to & from. It was beautiful & peaceful. I setup camp. Grabbing my camera, I drove the loop I would be riding on my bike and realized it was much hillier than I was really trained for, but oh well, I was here & I was going to have to just do my best. I found some great cliffs, coves & sunset shots & then went back to camp to get my bike & explore some more. I had dinner after the sun went down & then moved my chair and table into my tent to escape the bugs and read running & biking books from the library before trying to get some sleep. I had forgotten my pillow so I used my transition towel for a pillow. Nobody gets good sleep the night before a triathlon, so I wasn’t too upset about the pillow.

In the morning I woke early. I took advantage of the fact that I had camped and was already there so I went right over to transition at it’s opening at 6am and racked my bike in a nice spot near the front and setup my transition area. Then I went back to camp and had breakfast and got the rest of my stuff ready. I stretched out, swam a bit in the water and eventually the pre-race meeting happened and then the first heat was off.

I was in heat 3 (women 25-34, yellow caps again). I decided to start off in the front this time, feeling confident and relaxed. Hey, I’ve done this once, this should be easy I was thinking. Well, I learned that each race is unique and there’s always a challenge.

The swim was difficult. I was bummed about this because swimming is my favorite discipline and it’s where I feel the strongest. Because of all the rain this year in Texas, the water was murky green with almost no visibility past my arm’s length. This stressed me out but I tried to get in a groove anyways. As we rounded the first bouy, I was hoping to find my groove, but we were heading straight into the glaring sunrise and sighting was nearly impossible so I kept having to pause for a bit. Sighting is very important in open water swimming because there is no black line on the bottom to follow as in a pool, so you have to swim with your head up for a bit to check your bearings and adjust as necessary. Well, by the time I rounded the second bouy I realized I wouldn’t be getting my groove so I just muscled through. T1 (the swim to bike transition) went well and quickly I was running with my bike up to the road for that leg.

The bike was difficult. I have what I call a “Costco-special”. It’s heavy, not aerodynamic and has fat tires. But, it’s what I have and I’m not going to let the lack of perfect equipment stop me from competing in something I am really starting to love. Additionally, the course was quite hilly, more than I expected and more than I was ready for. Again, wasn’t going to let that stop me. There was one hill that on both loops I had to walk up it. My heart was just racing and I wanted to save my legs for the run. At first I felt ashamed walking on the bike course but I remembered the stories of triathletes who somehow still have the will to continue even when their body is giving out and they have crawled to the finish line. So again, I wasn’t going to let this little (big) hill stop me. I finished the bike course in longer than I anticipated but feeling pretty good. T2 (bike to run transition) was quick and I was ready for it.

The run is what I’ve been working on since my last triathlon. The last triathlon I literally gave it everything I had and was probably pretty close to crawling across the finish line. My max heart rate is 188 and while in the bike, I had already reached the 180s. I spent most of the run worrying about my heart rate and trying to get it to come down, which it never did much because I had been exerting so hard for so long. Since then, I’ve been doing a run/walk progressive routine to build endurance in running. I could tell it paid off. I had my strategy this time and I would run 1 1/2 min and walk 2, the whole distance through. My heart rate did not even get to 180 but twice and that was in the last 1/4 mile of the entire race. I finished strong, running and I felt good. My time was 2:01:09. This was 1:09 over my time goal, but I felt with the great progress with my heart rate, who cares about a minute? I’ll get it next time.

So, it was an awesome time! Hard no doubt, but really fun. I love working my body really hard and testing it’s limits. I’m seeing the results that as I train it more, it can do more and it really is amazing. Oh, and I burned 200 less calories on this triathlon, even though I felt I had to work harder. Progress, progress. My next triathlon will be in 3 weeks.

Triathlon #2

I haven't been posting over here as much because I've been more involved in posting in the forums at Motivation To Move. I've joined the 100 Day Challenge (of exercise) and I've been posting all my activity over there.

Well, I'll be packing it up to leave shortly and make my way to triathlon #2: The Austin Dilloman Sprint. It's an 800 swim, 12.4mi bike and 3.1mi run tomorrow morning at 8:00am. Due to convenience and budget, I'll be camping onsite in Pace Bend Park at Lake Travis. I'm pretty excited and more laid back at the same time. Now that I've done a triathlon already, the pressure is off somewhat and I'm just happy to be running it. I've been exercising so hard on the weekends lately that last weekend I thought, "I should just do another triathlon!" and so I registered on Labor Day and now I'll be driving down in under an hour. Pretty cool!

My goals for this race are:
1.) to have fun, pay attention to details and smile!
2.) run a more even paced race that "feels" better. I think with my changed workout (see below) that I have more cardio endurance and strength so I should be fine.
3.) finish at or under 2 hours. With more training (again, see below) and a shorter bike, this should be doable.

Since my first triathlon, things kindof languished for a few weeks before I got back into a dedicated routine. Once restarted, I put more of my training outside to get my body used to the humidity and conditions here in Texas being that the conditions are much more of a factor here than in northern California.

I've started a running program I found in a book by Runner's World that is a 6 month walking to running program starting out slowly and gradually increasing the amount of running each week. I reintroduced weight training back into my cardio-centric workouts and that was a breath of fresh air. I took to swimming outside in the HOA pool since it's open in the summer (till September 30 and then I'll have to switch back to the Natatorium) and I get biking in where I can, usually down to the pool and back or out for leisure rides with the fam.

The bike situation has become somewhat of an issue for me. I have an old, heavy "Costco-Special" as I like to call it and it is anything but race equipment. I really would love to have a more appropriate bike for the sport, but I just do not have the money. As much as I lamented over this, I realized, in conversation with someone about this upcoming triathlon, that it is better to take the opportunity and race, even on the clunker bike, than to not race at all because of it. Maybe the bike situation will improve for next season, but for now, I'm just going to do my thing and not let it bother me too much.

My weight loss had plateaued for a LONG time, but I think these new changes and challenges for my body have FINALLY spurred more weight loss and I'm happy to report I've said goodbye to the 200s for the rest of my life! I was down to 198 last week and I'm down to 197 today. My goal is to get down to 170 by my birthday next year; just take it slow, let my skin shrink back as much as it can and get as fit as I can. That's the plan...

Before and After

I have had a lot of request for before and after pictures on my weight loss journey. The first picture is taken the week before I started working on it and the later are after the triathlon this past weekend. Woo hoo!

The Triathlon

Well, I can definitely say: I'm hooked. I loved it, absolutely loved it. This post is going to be a long one, so sit back and get ready...

First of all, I have to give props to my buddy Carlos Rivera for the above picture. We quickly threw together a shoot an hour before I had to leave for the airport to get the image above. Carlos is a great photographer and friend. Check him out at: http://carlos-rivera.com/

I have prepared for this race since September of last year. I remember
listening to the Ironman Hawaii on the web last fall and dreaming of the day when I would finally be ready to do my own triathlon. I set what I had hoped were realistic goals for this day and here is what they are:
1. to finish gracefully (no passing out, falling down, gasping and so on- just do what I can do)
2. to have fun ( Duh!)
3. to finish in under 2 hours and 30 minutes (this is my fastest practice time + 15 minutes)
4. to finish with at least 10 people behind me (ok, this one is a little egotistical, but I was going for the feel-good here)

I flew into Sac from DFW Friday night and after dragging my bike (in a box) through the airport, getting the rental car and getting to Carlos' house it was already 10:30pm PST. I immediately began reassembling my bike and packing my transition bag as Carlos, Sunny, Joey and I chatted. I was so excited, it was like the night before Christmas when I was 7 years old. I think I finally attempted some sleep at 1:30am PST. I got a few hours and then I woke up 1/2 hour before the alarm. I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't so I just got up and got started. No point in laying there wishing I was sleeping. ;o)

I got up, packed my bike, bag and maps into the car. I ate some oatmeal and grabbed my water bottles out of the freezer and I was off. The drive out to Rancho Seco was beautiful. The air was a dry welcome after the humidity here in Texas and it smelled sweet like field grass. The sky was clear and it was cool. It was going to be a beautiful day. I arrived at 7:15, a little after when I wanted, but still with enough time. I quickly parked, unloaded and headed up to registration. I got my number and then went off to find a spot in the transition area. After setting up and preparing my gear on my towel, I went back to registration to have someone show me how to attach my number to the handy race belt I had purchased. The darn thing just didn't make sense at home without the number to try it out and now I'm all nerves so I just need help. Then it was over to the goody bag/ T-Shirt booth, and that's where I was too late. They had run out and I had to sign up for it to be mailed to me. Then I was over to be body marked. My number was written on both arms and legs, and my age on my right calf. From there, I made a pit stop and then headed down to the water to watch the elites start and get myself acclimated to the water.

I was so nervous. How would I do? Could I finish? Had I trained enough? Was I really doing this? My head was spinning so I wandered around looking for familiar faces, but wasn't able to find them yet. One by one, waves left and then it was my wave. I'll never forget standing there in the starting area, watching the previous wave swim off towards the first buoy, waiting that last 5 minutes and repeating affirmations in my head: "You can do this", "You are a strong swimmer", "You've trained long and hard for this and you're going to do great". Finally, the countdown from 10 and we were off! Having had no open water swim practice due to the recent flooding of the lakes in North Texas, lake swimming was new to me. It was a flurry of feet and bubbles and people nudging, bumping and even seeminly trying to swim on or over me. I couldn't relax. So I kept flipping on my back and backstroking until I could calm down, get my breathing under control and flip back over to try freestyle again. I never stopped, I just kept moving: kick, kick, kick, arm over arm. After rounding the first bouy and about 1/4 into the swim, I found my groove. I just continued on, doing what I have been practicing for months: good form, consistent strokes and consistent breathing. Nearing the second bouy, the wave behind us began to overtake me. I swam on. As I was starting to tire, I was also closing in on the shore fast. I swam until I was grabbing sand, jumped up and started running. That's when I heard my name, "Yeah! Go Liz!". I saw Victor on the right and Conkey, Darcella and Drayven on the left of the crowd at the bank. I smiled and ran on. Ooops! I forgot to check my time: by then it was 21:20, over 2 minutes quicker than my brick practices. Holy cow!

I ran up to my transition spot, dropped the goggles and swim cap, donned my socks and shoes, grabbed 2 gels and a quick swig of water and unracked my bike. I ran it out of the transition area and hopped on. On the way out of the park, I pass James on his way in and give him a big wave. During the ride, I tried to keep a steady pace. But this course is more hilly than I expected. Not wanting to kill my legs like I did in brick practice, I would dial back and gear down. When the worry of time entered my mind, I just pushed it out and thought, "How cool is this!?! I'm out here, in California, doing my triathlon!" There's that smell of grass again, and the warm sun and the breeze on my face. I'm lovin' this! The bikers are awesome. There is an attitude of camaraderie and friendliness. Talking to each other while passing, encouraging each other on, warning of upcoming cars. This is cool... My only worry is that my heart rate is soaring pretty high. It's hovering between 165 and 170. Again, I try to dial back and get it down, but I'm working pretty hard. I should be OK, after all, this is the race, not everyday, so having it high for a short time should be fine, and it was...

Soon, I'm wheeling back into the transition area and mentally having to switch gears to the run. I dismount, rack my bike, get more water, my race belt and number, another gel and I'm off. Until this point, I actually didn't know where the run was, so I tagged along and followed another runner. This woman ended up being Julie. More on her in a bit. I run off and after a short time I'm heaving pretty heavy so I stop for a walk. Even at a brisk walk my heart rate is super high. This becomes my concern for the rest of the race- keeping my heart rate down enough. The run is actually pretty lonely. There are no spectators here, no crowds. It's hot and dusty trail run and I'm tired. I alternate between running and walking and I notice that Julie and I are pacing pretty similar. We walk together for a bit and I learn she's doing the same thing with her heart rate. Also, she's lost 112 pounds in the last year and a half. What an accomplishment! Julie and I urge each other on, past the next hill, or just a little further to the aid station and so on. Julie has pulled ahead. Uh, oh. Something weird is going on with my leg. My right quad hurts. This has never happened before, did I push it too hard? Did I strain something? I had my last gel in my back pocket and hoping this pain is just cramping, I tear it open, squeeze it out into my mouth and take a few big swigs of water. I'm walking along now, with a little bit of a limp. But, within two minutes that gel hit my system, replenished it and the pain went away. Julie has pulled ahead and I start to run again. Almost there... On the last bit of the race, Julie slows to a stop to turn around and give me a final call on the last length of the race and I pick it up and run. I cannot walk in; I have to run to the finish. There's Conkey, Victor and James, and the finish line is fast approaching. I swing my number back around front and cross the finish line with my hands held high. I've done it! I completed my first triathlon and I am so proud. My final finishing time was 2:13:18. This is more than 16 minutes faster than my goal!


I wander over and find my friends and there's big hugs all the way around. I then go back to the finish line and find Julie to congratulate and thank her. She wishes me Happy Birthday and then my legs begin to cramp again. We make our way back over to the transition area where I have a banana. I take that and more water and we walk back down to the lake so I can cool down. After talking for a bit, I decide to go in the water and cool down and Darcella goes with me. We all wander around for a bit, and I hear my name over the loudspeaker. I go up to the podium and it's Mike from EDHSC and The Village Life (remember that article about me, well he's the author). More hugs and I get to meet his wife Michelle. We join up with everyone else in the transition and I grab some pasta and water on the way. We all hang out for a while and I am just basking in my accomplishment. I'm just a regular chick among some serious triathletes with some serious triathlon gear. Mike notices that I have the only bike with a kickstand. "All the more convenient", I say. He asks about my fat mountain-bike style tires that curiously have no knobs and are pretty flat. "What kind of tires are these?", he asks. "Don't know", I tell him, "but I'm sure they slow me down." We all laugh and it's just a great time. This has been the best birthday in a long time. Don't know how I'm going to top this one next year...

I want to thank you all. I'm not going to name everyone, because invariably I'll forget someone unintentionally. So, to all my family, especially Lori, Nathan and Sienan who have been putting up with my crazy workout schedules, incessant babble about all things weight-loss and triathlon and my absence, to my friends, neighbors, coworkers, trainers, and anyone else: All those emails, calls or just quick, "How's the training going?" questions have motivated me so much and a big part of my success is the circle of people who care about me. THANK YOU!!!!

Not sure what I'm going to do with this blog from here. I think I'll keep it going as I continue to work on that last 20 pounds that I want to lose. This weight loss journey has been a hugely positive thing in my life. It has built my confidence in myself where I had little and that has rolled over into all areas of my life, not just my physical fitness. Plus, now I can shop for regular clothes at a regular store and that is such a treat! So I'm going to keep it up. As for triathlons, I will do more. I'm in the planning stages now, but it looks like the longest I'll be waiting is until September. I've found a friend and fellow triathlete at work and we may be teaming up. Woo Hoo!

I'm Hooked!

OK, I can't put much of a post here now because I have to gather: my thoughts and feelings, photos and stats, but let me just say this. It was the bomb! I'm hooked and I did awesome! Now I'm a triathlete! Woo Hoo!

Tomorrow is the Big Day

Wow! I can't believe it's finally here. All this work over the last 11 months to get to this point. I am nervous, but I feel pretty well prepared. I've worked hard, trained my body well and studied up on how to best mentally prepare yourself. My suitcase and bike are in the truck and when work is over, I'll be driving up to DFW and heading out to Sac. It should be an awesome time. I checked in on my weight this morning, since the whole reason I did the tri was to lose weight, so I figured I better have a weigh-in just prior to see how I did and guess what? 199.8! I'm finally getting below 200, and I wasn't sure if I could before the tri. This is awesome. Well, I've gotta get going, but I just know today is going to be a fabulous day!

It's Finally Here

What I have been preparing for during the last 11 months; the week of the big triathlon! This Friday after work I'll be flying out of DFW to Sacramento for the 8am race on Saturday morning. In the evening it's off to celebrate with old friends and eat some pasta! I wouldn't usually go out for pasta, but hey, after you burn 1400 calories running a triathlon, it's more of a concern of getting enough calories that day, not a problem of too many. I'll be returning to DFW on Sunday evening so I can get home and have a birthday dinner with Lori and the kids. I'm so excited.

I'm feeling pretty good about where I am physically. I did not meet my goal of trying to get below 200 pounds before the tri, but that's ok. Post-tri, I plan to change my workout and have a different, fat-burning focus that includes much more cardio and long-slow burn at that. I plan to really work my problem areas of the back of the arms, the tummy, the legs and the butt. I was referred to some good little mini workout videos on YouTube, which I found are pretty easy to do at home and are pretty comprehensive. They are: 8 Minute Buns, 8 Minute Legs, 8 Minute Abs and 8 Minute Arms. These are short and very focused and trust me, if you try them out, you'll probably be sore the next day. I did them all together yesterday and I'll do it again tomorrow and that'll be it before the tri. I'm planning on doing those 3-4 times a week for a month or so starting next week. We'll see what that does for the problem areas. As for the rest of this week, lighter cardio everyday except Friday, which will be a day off.

As for where I'm at mentally, I'm starting to get butterflies. I respond to this by getting organized, making lists, reading up on whatever it is and trying to ignore the nerves about what's coming up. I'm re-reading certain sections of Slow, Fat Triathlete and picking up Triathlon mags and reading online resources such as beginnertriathlete.com. Because of all of the recent, record-setting rain here in North Texas, I was not able to do any swimming in a local lake as part of my bricks. These once drying up lakes are now overfilled to the point of closure due to flooding. This makes me nervous not to have had this kind of practice, but there's not really anything I can do about it but forge ahead into the tri on Saturday. Otherwise, I've practiced my biking and learned about saving my legs for the run and I've improved my running capabilities, so I feel good about that. The last thing I've been mentally preparing for is the unknown, unexpected or the previously-not-considered and how would I react to such things. What would I do? Things like flat tires, murky water, getting kicked or punched on the swim or how I'm going to transition. This whole triathlon thing seemed much simpler when it was so far away on the calendar. Now that its here, my head is spinning a bit. But I hear that a triathlon is very mental. And I know I can do it. I'm just trying to mentally prepare myself for the possibilities.

The other news is that I am all geared up. I've got my helmet, my supertight, superwoman triathlon shorts and shirt, which by the way, how cool is that? It was certainly a different shopping experience to try to find the tightest fitting clothing possible. I wanted to find something I could do the whole race in; swim, bike and run, and something I could get out of easily if I had to , say go to the bathroom. I opted for tri-shorts and a tri tank. And apparently, this is not the time of year to be buying such things. It was like trying to find a bathing suit for Thanksgiving. In the end, I had to go out to Richardson Bike Mart, but they had a good selection and I was able to try on about 10 different things before I found the winners. I don't think they are totally flattering (see mention of the problem areas above), but I don't look half bad, almost normal in them. And it's only going to get better. I've got all my waterbottles, Gu, race belt, goggles, bike pump, running hat and on and on.

I've been looking at some other triathlon's here locally for when I get back and I've found one 3 1/2 weeks from now that I might want to do. The boys will be out of town at the grandmas (Thank you grandmas!), it's in what is supposed to be beautiful Hill Country of Texas and its a sprint distance Xterra, which is the muddier, off road sister of the traditional triathlon. Sounds fun, so I'll keep you posted about that one.

So, wish me luck, fun and to finish. I'm almost off to my first tri ever!

Uncertainty

Well, I believe because time is drawing near, my head is working overtime. I have been preparing myself for 10 months now for my upcoming triathlon and the butterflies are starting to fly around my stomach. I can't seem to stop worrying about what might get in the way; a flat tire, an injury, a lost luggage situation when I fly back to Sac, you name it. I have been jittery, and so I decided I needed something good to think about. So, yesterday, I decided to try doing the whole distance, to see if I could and to give my body a taste of what it'll be like.

And... I did it! Since I am a numbers gear-head, here's how it shaped up according to my heart rate monitor: Total Time of 2 hours, 11 minutes and 54 seconds, my average heart rate was 145bpm and I spent 1 hour, 42 minutes and 14 seconds in my target zone of 140-160 and I burned 1346 calories. I felt like a superhero, even if my hip flexors were tired and sore the rest of the day. It was nice to have to worry about getting enough calories back in my body than worry about keeping extras out. :o) I had also checked on my weight before I went out and I'm down to 202! A few more pounds and I'll be below 200 pounds for the first time in at least a decade, surely longer!

In celebration of all this, I went to the athletics store to buy some really expensive clothing that showed off every contour of my new bod. This is something I am completely unfamiliar with. I've been hiding my body in swimmy clothes for years now so to buy something skin tight was a new experience. But, that's what I'll need for the race. I got a red race shirt, but I'm still working on the shorts as they did not have an XL in stock for me to buy. I also picked up a bike helmet, water bottle and multi tool (in case of flats) and ordered a frame mount bike pump. I need to check and make sure I have 2 extra tubes to take with and I'm going to pick up a running hat and water bottle and then I think I'm set. I thought I'd be making a quick, easy jaunt to Sac for this, but my suitcase requirements are getting bigger and bigger as the list grows. Well, 3 sports, one race, all the stuff and after-race clothing; it starts adding up. This was another great way to quell the nerves.

I'm So Close

This morning I did a checkin with my weight and I'm at 203; even with a celebratory dinner last night because Nana and Grandpa were in town. We had some adult beverages. Lucretia was nice enough to pick up a piece of sugar-free, fat-free pie for me to enjoy while everyone else had cheesecake. We had chicken and shrimp vegetable skewers and salad. A good dinner but it was a little late at 8:30 when we ate. The lateness, adult beverages and the pie made me think I might be getting off course, but this mornings check proved wrong. I am working so hard that the muscles are firmed back up and the pounds are starting to come off. I might dip below 200 before my triathlon after all.

I have been listening to Motivation to Move's premium programming and hearing alot about the Long Slow Burn type of cardio-cross training. I think after my triathlon I would like to try it out. Right now, I need to train to condition my body for the tri and that is my focus. After that, I would really like to lose body fat and bring that percentage down and work on my problem areas like butt, thighs and tricep area. More to follow on this, but it is a structured way to get your body to more efficiently burn fat longer. I'm excited about trying it, but all in due time...

Welcome to the Real World

Well, I'm down to 204 officially yesterday , but I have a feeling it will be more because today I was even lighter. For now I'll just say 204. Today I did my first outside brick and boy was that an eye opener. You get real comfortable in the gym, where everything is predictable and climate controlled, and you have a nice little cup holder on your stable bike for your water. Not today baby.

I thought I'd do my workout outdoors today but sadly it was raining, pretty steady this morning. So I waited it out until about 11:30 or so when the rain broke and got other things done in the meantime. As soon as I was out with a mile under my belt on the bike, it started to rain again and continued for 8 miles. I slipped, got soaked and dropped my water bottle and had to go back and get it at one point. After the rain stopped, the wind started kicking in which made it much harder to keep a steady pace into the wind. That taxed my glutes, so when I started to run, I was beyond rubbery and walked a lot. In the end, I took about 10 more minutes than if I was in the gym. But that's OK. That is the purpose of the outdoor brick. To practice in the Real World and deal with real world scenarios like dropping your water and forgetting sunscreen and getting rained on. It was fun. But I am zapped. Out in the heat and the humidity, it was a whole different ball game. I was frustrated with it at one point, but I just kept on. I thought to myself that it's better that I have this experience now than on the race itself. I was glad to have decided to do it outside, and I think I'll do more outside in the coming weekends.

The workout is going great during the week. The only problem is that I can't seem to get in the swim workout in the evening. I'll try to work on it this week. I recognize there are only so many hours in the day, but dang it, I want to do it all... :o)

Making Progress, Feeling Great!

Last weekend, I set out to make a schedule for my remaining time before my tri. My goals for the tri are simple: enjoy it, finish and be ahead of the last 10 finishers. I made a pretty aggressive schedule of 6 days a week workouts. I tried to make sure I was putting in a push to prepare my endurance, my cardio strength and my form in each discipline, while also doing a little resistance training and working the booty as that is my biggest area of improvement. My schedule includes 2 bricks on the weekend; Saturday is swim/bike and Sunday is bike/run. My schedule is pretty tight, but it's only for a few more weeks, so I just have to hang in there and remember that. Last week, with studying and the new job, I missed out on two days because I just needed sleep. But, I kept the diet dialed in and continued to make progress. Physically, I am feeling excellent. I think I am definitely addicted to exercise at this point. When I don't have the time to workout, my body feels kind of crappy and my mental state is a little down. This must be the endorphin addiction I've heard about? Not sure, I just know I can't take more than one day off, or I'm really off.

I reconnected with the Motivation to Move website/podcast/forum again and decided to become a premium member and pay for some stuff. I am on such a huge personal growth pattern, the message and motivation that Scott from MTM delivers is really invaluable to me. So I thought I would put a little plug for him on my blog... :o)

On the professional side of me, I had a last minute push for studying for my Network+ test and successfully passed it yesterday. YAY for me! This was an important certification to validate my skills and open some future doors for me professionally. Now it's time to move on to the Security+ and then Cisco. I am really enjoying my new job and it has so much opportunity for me to grow, not only technically, but also with my professional skills such as time management, self management and project management. I'm pretty psyched about it.

So with weight loss- I finally started to lose! This week I lost 2 pounds and I am now down to 205. Under 200 is so close I can taste it. I haven't been under 200 pounds in at least 10 years. I don't even remember what that's like. But I am excited to get there. I think I might be able to do it before the triathlon; who knows? I'll just keep plugging away with the workouts. My focus now is more to be ready for the triathlon rather than weight loss. So I've been experimenting with changes in diet and also with changes in workout. I figure the rest of the weight can come off after the tri if it has to. Well, I hope you who is kind enough to be interested in my progress is having a great day and come back and visit me soon! Feel free to leave comments. Thanks.

My First Brick

I feel like Superwoman again. And it's great! I've been wallowing in self-doubt and poor eating and exercise habits for the past couple months. I was very stuck in having to be able to do things just the way I was used to them, and with moving to Texas and learning and finding everything anew, starting a new job and so on, that's just not possible. I eventually gave up and realized that I had it real good in EDH as far as workout setup goes, but that was then and this is now. So I recently had just given myself the virtual kick in the butt and started up again with diet monitoring and regular exercise. I've been so focused on losing weight for some time now, but ultimately my goal was to be more fit and be able to do the things I want when I want, like run for example. And although I haven't lost much weight save a few pounds over the last couple months, I can't let that distract me. After all, I've got a triathlon to prepare for.

So after cruising through a few key sections of Slow Fat Triathlete this morning in bed while the thunder and lightning roared, I thought, "Self, this morning is the perfect morning to do your first brick." And so it was. For those who do not know, a brick is a practice workout for an upcoming triathlon wherein you perform 2 of the 3 disciplines (swim+bike or bike+run) at the distances you'll be completing in the actual race. So, I biked 16 miles and then ran 3 miles. I tried to pretend I was actually in the race, not just tucked away in a corner of the gym sweating it out. I pedaled and ran with a sense of urgency, I simulated hills and straightaways, kept my heart rate under control by slowing it down and then speeding back up and at the end, I put in a strong finish and pretended I was either transitioning or crossing the finish line. I can't lie; I got a little emotional when I was done. I had biked 16 miles and then ran 3 miles immediately after. It's something I've never done and frankly a year ago wouldn't have thought I could do. I am just so proud of myself and I'm looking forward to the actual race when I can put it all together.

I'd like to keep track of my brick times for tracking purposes. Also, my run today was better than the last time I tracked a 3mile run for myself... Just goes to prove that I haven't totally lost it. :o) So the bike was 16 miles completed in 59:42 and the run was 3 miles completed in 39:43.

As for weight, I know I got down to 205, but I haven't kept to a regular weighing schedule. I'll try to get back on that and do it next Saturday morning, before I go do a brick.

On the Upswing

Long time no talk! Its been a rough ride over the last 2 months. We had a quick and unfortunately no-so-smooth move from Cali to Texas at the end of March. It has been tough because it was not a move we had planned on making, but a move we had to make due to financial reasons. Things are getting straightened out, and everything is getting better and better by the day and I know deep down this was a good move for us, forced or not. We've got family here who have been an excellent support system for us, the schools and neighborhood have been awesome for the kids and the job market is very active. But the last two months have felt like an eternity. When the going gets tough, it's easy to let yourself get sucked down the drain. I had been in a major funk during that time and it was hard to see the way out. But, after some time, I just picked myself up, focused on what needed to be done and started knocking things out one by one.

With regard to a club, I looked and looked, but there just aren't any like the one I left that are anywhere nearby. This was a major disappointment. I couldn't get the combination of close, the right price and a good gym with a pool all in one package. In the end, I finally chose LA Fitness because they are close, inexpensive and have most of what I was looking for. For swimming, I'm going to do most of it at the KISD Natatorium, which is a pretty sweet facility. Yesterday, I got back to working out in a way I am used to. (Now I'm pretty sore...) For me, the hard part is the diet and eating what is right. It is so much easier for me to keep the diet roped in when I have a regular exercise routing going. They compliment each other well and I can't really do one without the other and be successful. I tried to do an at-home workout built by Sharon back at EDHSC, but I found that that is not for me. I need the structure of going to the gym. Today, I swam a 2000 yard workout in 1:06. Over this past 2 months, I have actually lost 1 pound, but my health has been on a downward slide. I've become "softer", which means that I've lost muscle and it was replaced with fat. That's OK, I'll be toning up over the next 2 months in preparation for my triathlon.

Speaking of which, I purchased my airline tickets yesterday for my trip back to Sac for the triathlon. I was lucky to get a non-stop flight both ways, because I'll be taking my bicycle with me of course and I didn't want to go there with layovers and all that. If you're in the area and want to meet up with me, I'll be in town on Saturday July 14 (which happens to be my birthday) and Sunday morning. I'd love to see any and, if possible, all of my local peeps! So, I'll be training hard for the next 2 months. My plan is to tone my body, improve my cardiovascular endurance with swimming, biking and running and if it works out this way, lose some more weight. I still have 27 more pounds to lose to reach the initial goal I set of losing 88 pounds, so we'll see what I can do with that. I've decided to scale back my swimming workouts to a total of 1650 yards or 1 mile. This is more than plenty preparation for my triathlon and I'll need to focus on other things as well. Starting tomorrow, I'll be participating in the spin classes at the gym to get that discipline some work. Lastly, I'll need to put in a lot of work with running, as it is my weakest discipline of the three. For fun, I am going to try out the cardio kickboxing classes.

The last piece of news isn't really health or triathlon related, but it's a big piece of my life, so it warrants a mention. I got a job doing what I would like as far as responsibilities, where I would like to drive to, with a great employer, and with tons of opportunity to learn and grow in my areas of interest in my career. I am super excited and I'll be starting tomorrow. This will mean I'll have more demands on my time, but I am looking forward to the challenge of being an integral part of a business' success and improving their efficiency and productivity. I'll have to learn and practice great time management in order to accomplish all the things I'm setting out to do this year, but I think with perseverance, I can do it. That's all for now.

I'm back

Whew, it's been some stressful last few weeks. We've moved from the Sacramento, CA area to the Fort Worth area of Texas. It came pretty fast. We moved about 2 weeks after it was decided in mid-March. Unfortunately, took a long time for our things to get here from California, like 3 weeks. Turns out the company who moved our stuff isn't the quickest or the winner of customer service awards. We had some rough weeks, not having any information or assurance from them that our belongings were not being pillaged, or sold along the roadside. Finally it got here.

That being said, it was very difficult to have any kind of routine or diet and exercise plan I could consistently stick to. I had 3 outfits, no fridge and no gym membership. I did take up some running and home workouts. The diet did suffer. But all things considered I think I did a pretty good job. I incorporated the healthiest choices I could where it was an option and I didn't sweat it if I couldn't do anything about it. All said and done, I did not gain any weight, so I'm happy at a consistent 208. I think my muscles shrank down a bit and I probably increased my fat. I know I need to build my muscular strength back up, but that will take a few weeks. And I am still in the process of scoping out a good gym.

I did get back to swimming this week and that felt just awesome. I elected to get a short term pass for the adult open swim times at the Keller ISD Natatorium. It's the first time I've swam in an indoor pool, and that was a whole new experience. Check it out at: http://campus.kellerisd.net/swim/index.php.

So, now that I'm looking at all of these gyms in the area, I am realizing just how good I had it before. My old gym was close enough to bike to, had great personal training and masters swimming and all the facilities I like using. I have not been able to find all of those in one. Either they have no pool, or a meat market feel, or they are too far away and so on. I am being choosy and it's holding up the process of getting back to the workout, but I want to get the right one the first time.

Moving sure is tough. Not only does it take a toll on you emotionally and mentally, but it makes the physical upkeep difficult as well. I am happy that things can start getting back to normal. Day by day it gets better and better.

Transitioning

Well, as I've posted, we'll be moving shortly. My days have really been consumed with trying to get everything required to move by next week completed this week. I had oral surgery on some stubborn teeth last week and that set me back a few days. Normally, I keep this blog pertaining to my exercise, workout and weightloss topics, but there hasn't been much of that lately. Between the crazy eating limitations due to surgery and the lack of time to workout, I've not got a whole lot to say in that department.

But, I know it's an area for improvement and I am happy to say that I'm laying the groundwork to get back going on it next week. I'll be meeting one last time with my personal trainer, Sharon, and getting a workout targeted towards not having a gym membership and being on the road and in transition in life. At her suggestion, I've picked up a few small items to create a little traveling home gym: 10lb dumbells, a set of resistance bands, a jump rope, an 8lb medicine ball and a fit ball. I'll be using these items on the road to Texas and while I get situated in order to keep myself going in the interim. I can't wait til things settle enough for me to get in a regular workout. I feel so much better when I do. I never thought I'd say this: but I'm jonesin' for a workout!

And Life gets in the way...

Well, it's been a tough last two weeks. Life has been getting in the way with Lori out of town. I tried to do my best, but with a limited schedule for exercise and my cook out of town, things were not ideal. I worked in some exercising, and lots of chores and housework, so maybe that gave me some movement. Stand up, take a step, repeat. On the food, nothing overly bad, but not the greatest. More refined starches found their way into my meals, a a bit of pizza. So by the end of last week, I was holding tight at 212. This week, the saga continued and I was shocked to see that I've somehow lost 4 more pounds and am now at 208! Not sure what's up with that. Possibly a muscle loss due to lack of workout?

Next week I'll be back on it. Today I have some oral surgery matters to take care of. The bigger news is that Lori has secured a job, in Texas. So, we will be moving out of town shortly. The wheels are already turning as to how I'll get in the exercise that I need while on the road there. Bummer is: can't do the Ice Breaker swim, which I was seriously looking forward to. However, the GOOD NEWS is this: I will fly myself and my bike back for the triathlon in July. I've set a goal and I think it's important to follow through.

Before my pre-surgery valium kicks in, I wanted to address the anonymous poster who asked about how, and how often I work out with a trainer. Feel free to contact me directly with questions at: giveitatri @ sbcglobal.net. Briefly though, I have someone who works well with me because she targets my weak areas, she's lost a lot of weight herself and has the right perspective for me and we "click". I meet with her once a month or so, to refresh and get myself a new workout. For cost reasons and independence reasons, this is often enough for me. I have enough internal motivation to keep it going on my own. Anyways, gotta get going to the oral surgeon's office. Have a lovely day and do something today to get your body moving, no matter how small that may be. It'll make your body feel better. Take care! :o)

Weird Week

It has really been a weird week. I was very sore from starting my new workout with Sharon last Saturday. I haven't been that sore after starting a new workout for quite some time and it was frustrating. I guess I kind of felt that this would just start getting easier for me now that I've lost so much weight and gotten so much stronger. But that is a false expectation I had last week about this process. When it gets too easy, I'll be changing it to make it harder otherwise I'll just stall and that is not what I want to do. I just have to remember that in the back of my mind.

But last week, I didn't remember that. And I was not working out much because I was so sore. And something inside me just let go and I reverted back to bad habits of eating poor foods and too much of them. I also had a few rum and cokes one night and that just throws things off the next morning. Monday I was too sore for anything at all. I had a short swim on Tuesday because my legs still hurt from working out. Wednesday I didn't work out at all. Wednesday I was recognizing that I was falling off the wagon so to speak, but I still had a crappy cardio workout. I resolved after that to pick myself up and get going again. Thursday, Friday and today were great workouts. I set another new swimming record today 2300 yards. I was very, very tired but it felt good. End result, I got my sh%t together and ended up losing another pound this week despite it all. Down to 212 now!

I have so much going on in my life right now, not all of which I want to publish on my blog, and I feel that working out and losing weight is like my one constant that keeps me grounded. I love it and it helps me hold it together while the world is moving and groovin' around me. So I prioritize it really high and always get it done. I guess that is a bright side; the stress of the challenges in other areas of my life are kindof forcing me to keep at the workout. So a potential negative has just become a positive. Thanks to Carlos, because he is so good at taking a crappy situation and finding some silver lining in it and I am trying to mirror him. Talk to you later.

Here it is...

It is the long awaited progress shot. It's a little cold outside right now (47) so I'm not pulling out shorts and a tank to make the pictures the same, but I think you'll get the gist of it. I've lost 55 pounds over the last 5 1/2 months. I've gone down 2 going on 3 pant sizes and 2 shirt sizes. Seems like even my shoes fit better. My fingers have shrunken, because now my wedding ring falls off and I wear it on a chain around my neck. I've gotten so much stronger and put on lots of muscle. I had nearly none when I started and now I'm starting to see definition in some areas and vascularity on my arms and hands. Cool! Now I just need to work on those areas that are a problem for a lot of us women: the butt, legs and thighs. I just got a new workout on Saturday and I'll work that for a while and see what progress I can make there. In the meantime, check out the smaller me! :o)

Ok, Alright Already

I have been getting the prod from many of you to get pictures up on my blog to show the progress I've made. Well, first off, I haven't had time to take new ones, but I'm working on that. But, prior to showing the aftershot, I've gotta show the before shot. This will of course motivate my butt to get an aftershot done. And I want it to be good. I don't just want to slap something up here just to do it. I want it to be representative of the work I've done and the progress I've made.

But, to get the ball rolling, here is the before shot. This was taken about 7 weeks before I officially started working on my weight and I think it's pretty representative of my size back then. My buddy James and I had rented a Ditch Witch to dig sprinkler and drainage trenches in his backyard in July and this was after we were done. Whew! A lot has changed since then, and I can't wait to show you just how much...

Whew! What a day...

Yesterday was an absolutely amazing day. I didn't have time to really process it then, so here I am on Sunday morning.

First things first, I lost 4 pounds last week which now puts me at 213 and officially, I am no longer obese! I am now happy to say I'm overweight. I have been anticipating this day for some weeks now and I am so proud to say that I've achieved it!

Yesterday I was ambitious after my newfound overweight-ness. I went for a short 1100 yard swim before teaching my senior computer class. It's so funny, because that distance used to be something I hoped to get to, and now it's just, short. :o) Anyways, after my class I had a meeting with my personal trainer, Sharon Felts, at the EDHSC. It was time for a new workout.

Something I haven't written about here is the fact that a friend (Mike) I've met at the club who is also a reporter for the local community newspaper was interested in putting together a story about me. A transitional story about weight loss and getting it done. Well, I met with him to talk about my journey on Thursday and yesterday during my workout, he wanted to take some pictures for this story. I am completely flattered that he noticed and wanted to do something like that about me. I'm doing this for me, and when I workout, I'm in the zone and don't really notice the people around me so much. I was very surprised that I was being noticed. Thanks Mike!

So, when I workout, I just do my thing, at my high intensity level and just keep rockin' it day in and day out. But, when I workout with Sharon, I kick it up a notch, because, after all, I need to look good, strong, capable. ;o) Well, in addition to Sharon, now Mike was watching, and taking pictures. Which meant in turn, that the whole gym was watching, wanting to know what was going on, who was I, why were they taking pictures? I was working on staying focused; it was just me, Sharon and the weights. But, peripherally, I could hear Mike and Sharon telling people about me, my journey and the story, they had such kind, supportive, acknowledging remarks. Thank you so much! The thing that was amazing to me was that I heard other people saying things like, "Yeah, I know her... She works out hard all the time", or "Oh, she's here everyday and she's lost a lot of weight". Wow! These other people noticed me too. That was way cool. To have all these people notice the hard work I have been putting into myself and recognizing me for it.

So yesterday I was elated; flying high. This journey is so personally important to me. I am becoming a physically healthier person and I feel so good. I am also growing mentally and emotionally and am much stronger within. I am "New Liz", who is healthy, strong, emotionally stable, giving, active and happy. I am so glad to have left "Old Liz" behind. She was obese, unhappy, selfish, timid, unsure, emotionally weak. I want to remember Old Liz so that I will never allow myself to regress back to that state. That is part of the purpose of this blog, to document the process of getting to this point.

I appreciate my readership, my family, friends, coworkers, neighbors and so on. Even if it is small group, you are sharing with me these vulnerable thoughts and realizations. It is intimate and makes me feel important that someone else might be interested in what I'm going through. I want to thank Lori, my partner for being as supportive as she is at home; making healthy meals, working out with me, encouraging me, supporting me and most importantly, listening to all my jabber about this process. :o) I want to thank Trish P, my masters swim coach for being ever positive, encouraging, enabling and for pushing me just right to achieve more and more in the pool. I want to thank Sharon for her awesome, targeted, challenging workouts. She is the best for me when it comes to a personal trainer as she has experience with weight loss herself and knows how to help me help myself. Sharon, you are the best. I would also like to thank Mike. You have added a little spark of excitement and fun to my daily routines that were frankly, becoming tedious as my weight loss slowed down this year. For a day, you made me a celebrity and I won't ever forget it. Thanks!

It's Been an Awesome Week...

This week has been great because I just keep achieving more, and more. Monday was a great weight workout and I worked really hard on that. I decided to run a mile before the weights and guess what? I ran it in 12:36! This beats my previous mile time by like over 2 minutes! I was stoked. Tuesday I kept pushing in the pool and got myself to a total workout of 1900 yards. I was so proud, but so close to 2000, so I decided to push for that. In the gym on Wednesday, I did 1/3 of a mile on the StairMaster to warm up, ran a mile in 12:23 and rowed for 20 minutes. I was trying to mix up the cardio. To further make my day, someone who works at the gym and I see her from time to time gave me the compliment that I looked great and she could tell I had lost a lot of weight. Woo Hoo!

Today in the pool, I was on a mission. I was going to get my 2000 yards. Well, a storm rolled in this morning with some good rain and wind blustering around, but that wasn't going to stop me. I did a 1000 yard warmup before Trish got there and she brought a 1200 yard workout and I... did it! 2200 yards today, a new record. I am on fire! I'm so excited and proud. I think I will swim again tomorrow and take the day off for weights because on Saturday I'm going to workout with Sharon again and get a new weights workout. My body is feeling great and ever-shrinking. I think it's time for a new bathing suit; it's starting to get too loose and baggy. That's all for now... :o)

Another Week, Another Pound

It's been a good week of working out. End result, lost another pound and now I'm down to 217. Three more pounds until I'm going to get to have my overweight party! ;o) This week has been cool though. As I workout more, I feel more and more like a part of the group that I have been longing to be a part of for some time: athletes. I no longer feel like a fat person trying to catch up. Or like an occasional exerciser who doesn't fit in. When I work out, I feel strong. I feel confident and I feel like an athlete. I'm meeting more people at the gym, talking to them, networking with other people who swim, do triathlons or who are trying to lose weight. I am an athlete.

Swimming Accomplishments

I felt great swimming today. Strong. Good form. Good breathing control. Ready to go long distances. Today I set another record for distance. Its been a while since I have and it's kindof exciting. I got to 1800 yards in my workout. I warmed up with 100 and then a400 yard set of IMO patterns and then 2 75's. Today I did interval swimming for the first time officially. Trish put together a 1000 yard workout that had intervals of 25s, 50s, 75s and 100s. Interval swimming is swimming a 25, for example, on a certain interval time, which for me in this case was every :45. So, every 45 seconds, I started out on another 25 yard swim. The workout included 6 25's on the :45, 5 50's on the 1:30, 4 75's on the 2:15 and 3 100's on the 3:00. My cool down consisted of 150 alternating freestyle and backstroke. 1800 yards in all! Woo Hoo. The intervals are hard in that they push you from a cardio standpoint in that you're mostly swimming continuously without much rest. It was challenging, but good, because we've been focusing on distance so much that speed hasn't been a focus.

As far as weight loss is concerned, I'm not really focusing on that much at all. I'm at the point now where I HAVE TO WORK OUT. If I miss a day, it throws me off, so I really prioritize it. When it comes to diet, I have been eating things that I didn't touch for months, but I have learned some moderation and I can stop after eating a little, instead of binging on chips or something. And I have been trying to average my calories as I heard about on Motivation to Move. Lots of calories one day means not so many the next or the next few. It's working out.

I just bought some new shirts this past weekend. My old ones have just become tent-like mumu's. For the first time in I don't even remember how long, I bought a T-shirt from the women's department, NOT the plus size department! It felt so good. Now my pants are starting to get too big. Alas! I could have worse problems... :o)

More Numbers

A quick post this morning before I take off for my computer class I started teaching at the Senior Center downtown. I've lost another 2 pounds this week and I'm down to 218. This week, I just stopped looking at the scale, plugged away at the gym and ate right. It paid off! 4 more pounds til I'm no longer obese. Woo Hoo!

It's All About the Numbers

As I am sure you have come to realize, for me it's all about the numbers. I am numbers driven. This is a good thing, and a bad thing at the same time. It's good and fun even, to track yards, miles, reps, beats per minute, pounds and so on. It adds a objective angle to the tangled emotional web of trying to lose a significant amount of weight.

Numbers have had me dragging the last few weeks. My weight loss has slowed significantly and it's been discouraging. I've gone from 2-4 pounds a week to 1 if I'm lucky or just stationary. I am a big numbers person and I am addicted almost to seeing that scale move, so when it's not, I get so frustrated. But, thinking about it today, I've been sick and not able to exercise the way I wanted to. I did not eat poorly. Although lately I have not been as strict about my diet and I know I need to work on that. But, even though the scale isn't moving fast, I FEEL good. My clothes fit well. I move quicker and lighter. And those are things that are just as important that can't really be quantified with numbers, but they are just as important. So for this sluggish weight loss time, I am trying to focus on these positives to keep me going.

There is definitely an upside to numbers. Nothing is more exciting to me than breaking an old record, setting a new one, lifting more or swimming farther. I have a new record to document today. Yesterday during my swimming workout I set a new record. Previously on my 50 yard sprint swim, I had the record of 53 seconds, but yesterday I did it in 50 seconds! I know I've said this before, but this time, I felt like I had a little outboard motor behind me as I took off from the wall when the "whistle blew". I'm getting faster and faster and able to go longer distances and that just excites me.

I've been thinking about swimming the Ice Breaker which is either a 1/2 or 1 mile swim (depending on what you sign up for) in Folsom Lake on April 7. If I can procure a wetsuit for my big 'ole booty, I'm in. I'll keep you posted...

Refocusing

Well, I haven't written much because there just hasn't been much to write in the way of the fitness and diet aspect of my life. Last week I worked out twice and only 1/2 the workout due to the fact that I have just felt cruddy. I decided starting today I would be getting back into the workout despite the cruddies, because they haven't left yet but I don't want to lose my edge. ;o)

I've enjoyed my body as it's changing and the clothes I'm able to fit into. Several people have asked me to post some pictures. That request has been noted and I'm just trying to fit in the time when it's still light out. I did find a picture of myself from the summer, just before I started working out and man was I a porker! I'll post a side by side here soon to show the progress that I've made thus far.

Speaking of progress made thus far, I've been uber-focusing on the fact that my weight is not dropping as fast as it had, and it had been kindof getting me down. I've decided I have a new mini-goal I can focus on for the next few weeks or month or so. My weight is now down to 220, and it's exciting to say that after losing 6 more pounds and getting down to 214, I will no longer be "obese", but just "overweight" by the average BMI calculator. That's pretty exciting, since I've been so heavy for so long that I don't even know what that would feel like. So, exciting news will be coming soon about my new and exciting "overweight" status. Stay tuned...

Moving, Slowly

Well, things are, as I say, moving slowly. I think I am trying to adjust to the new me and that is keeping me from forging ahead with incredible amounts of weight loss each week. My body is getting used to itself being almost 50 pounds lighter. Emotionally, this has been tough, because I "want it now", but it's going to continue to take some time and I just need to deal with that.

Additionally, the entire family has been sick for the past few days, myself included. This slows down any progress I can make by working out, but I'll just have to be patient and take care of my body. I seem to have recovered pretty quickly, so I am trying to protect myself from any further reinfection. Sorry kids...

The one thing I could do to keep my motivation going during this slow and now sick time was cleaning house. I went through everything I own in the closet and got rid of over half of it because it was just too big. It had been getting to the point that it was comical seeing me wear these clothes that fit me fine before, but are now just cinched up and terribly baggy on me. I really need to pick up some new clothes, but finances are dictating that it isn't an option right now. Hopefully things clear up with that soon. Anyways, it was a great motivation to try on all those clothes and see them fall right off and have to get rid of them. These are clothes I used to "sausage" into really, really tightly before and now they just fall off!

So, my advice this post, is if you're in a rut with your workout and weight loss, find something to do that can otherwise motivate you, like purging out "fat" clothes or picking up some new "skinny" clothes. This can do wonders for your motivation. Have a great day!

Miles and Miles

What a week it's been. I haven't written for a while, because I have been so incredibly busy between working out, working, and doing things around the house. I have been wanting to write here since Tuesday morning, but it just hasn't come together til now.

I am very, very excited and proud to say that I reached my goal of swimming 1 mile in my workout. I did it for the first time on Tuesday and again today. It was challenging and I pushed really hard to get there. Woo hoo! Last week I swam a 400 for the first time on Thursday and again on Saturday, just to make sure I really could. Trish and I started out trying for the mile on Tuesday and hit it. Today was another mile in preparation for the 500 continuous that I'll be trying next Thursday. That should be interesting. So yay for me, I did it.

That and someone complimented me on my hair at the gym Wednesday morning. This may seem silly to mention, but in a way, what I do with my hair while working out is a personal sign that I am a warrior. I'm there on a mission and I don't care what I look like or what anybody thinks about it. Self confidence building here... Anyways, my hair has gotten quite long (for me), but not long enough to be in a true ponytail or anything. So, I put it up in a samurai style ponytail right on top of my head. (This way I can still wear my headphones and they're in the right spot and don't fall back off my head.) So, this lady told me that my hair rocks, and she wishes she could do that. I just said, "Hey, it's all about working out and losing weight, so I don't care about what my hair looks like, so long as it isn't getting sweaty and stuck to my face." Her reply was, "You go girl!", and that was a pretty cool start to my day that day.

A Killer Compliment

Good morning. As I struggle through the professional portion of my day, I am recalling fondly the events of this morning. First off, it was a celebratory swimming session today. I have resolved to stay at 1400 yards or greater from here on out with swimming. I spoke to Trish about this. I don't want to hit a plateau with swimming. Right now it is really tough to be swimming. I have a lot of demands on my time and it's tough to get up at 5:30, in the winter, when it's below freezing and go swim in the dark. I want to continue to be challenged as I first was when I started this whole swimming gig. If I'm challenged, then I'm not bored, and not losing steam and motivation in those cold dark mornings. Anyways, I talked to Trish, and we're going to start working more on endurance and getting in a lot of yardage in preparation for my triathlon. Today's test was a test of endurance and pacing myself. The challenge was to swim 400 yards continuously, allowing 4 "bonus" rests of 20 seconds anywhere I felt I needed it. I ended up pacing myself very nicely, although initially it felt slow, and was able to finish the 400 and use only 3 of the bonus rests, so that was pretty awesome. We're going to keep working on it next week and get me to a 500 (continuous) and maybe an 800 (continuous) by March.

Afterwards, I was warming up in the hot tub and decided to make small talk with a guy I see every day at the gym, on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the hot tub. He's kindof a big guy, in the same way I'm a big girl, and is always working out. We talked about what we're doing and what we've accomplished at this point. And that's when he delivered the killer compliment. He said that whatever I'm doing must be working because I "move like a fit person". Well, that was enough to make my morning. So thanks again to Mike, and I hope you have a great day too.

So on that note, give compliments. You might just make someone's day. :o)

A Few New Records

Yesterday I set out to break the funk. Ever since I have been sick with the cold a few weeks back, I just haven't felt myself in the pool. You know how sometimes when you fall out of habit of something, it's hard to get back? Well, this was the case for me. I had fallen out of habit of working hard in the pool, initially because I couldn't and then later because I was afraid to. Well, I was determined to challenge myself and see if I was up to it. I took the new workout from Trish that was a total of 1450 yards, 150 more than my longest workout so far. I completed it, in under an hour! Not only that, it included 2 sprints after the main set. I beat my best of 23 seconds with a 22 seconds and then a 21 seconds. I was rocket propelled through the water. At the end of that workout, I was very proud and happy to sit in the hot tub and warm up, loosen up and relax.

This morning, I got a late start out to the gym and found myself with not enough time for my new workout. I almost gave up because I was being inflexible and feeling like if I didn't do what I planned on, the whole thing would be a failure. But, I flipped the coin and thought, "I wonder if I can run 2 miles in the time I have left, and do the weights after work?" And that's what I did. I'm on my way to the gym now to do weights, and it felt great to run this morning.

So, todays community service is this:
1. Set aside some time and get a serious plan and challenge yourself when you've been down for a bit. Likely you will meet the challenge and end up feeling great about it and get yourself out of the slump you're in.
2. Do what you can do. Don't consider a change in plans or a smaller workout a failure. Something is better than nothing.

Half Way There

I didn't really expect to be at this point already, but here I am. I have lost half of my total weight loss goal of 88 pounds. As of this morning, I am at 44 total pounds lost from when I started. This is pretty awesome! I started a new workout with my personal trainer, Sharon, on Thursday. I scheduled it just at the right time to when my body gets used to a routine and isn't challenged anymore, then I shake it up. Should be fun as there's lots in this workout for my legs, butt, abs and obliques.

I am a Warrior!

Before my day gets off to a crazy start as usual, I wanted to take a moment to jot down my thoughts from the gym this morning. During a rest period in between sets, I reached down to put my hands on my hips for a rest and, my hips WEREN'T THERE! I mean they weren't where I am used to them being! This was a great motivator 1/3 into my workout. I stood there for a minute, probably looking like a total dork, putting my hands on my hips for a minute, taking them off and putting them back. Wow! I am really starting to notice the change in me. I have been fighting hard for months now. And while the numbers show it, and people have been noticing it, for the first time, I am really noticing it. I have been fighting the good fight with valiant effort. I am a warrior! And I will succeed!

Community Service

Seems like I always do my thinking in the shower. So this morning, like the great thinker I am, after a great swimming workout and in the shower, I began to think about the community I have been building and becoming a part of when it comes to weight loss. And I have so much appreciation for the folks out there that I learn from or simply can relate to because they publicize either on their blog or podcast, what have you, their struggles and successes. Dave O, Heather, Scott, Beth, Adam, and many, many others who are escaping me at the moment: THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO! I think part of this journey for me has been enabling me to reach out more, and I try to do that by way of emails, blog comments, podcast reviews and so on. This lets these people know that their efforts are reaching people and its making an impact. I have noticed that I am becoming more intertwined into others webpages, podcasts and blogs. And as a "community service" I am open to questions and comments about weight loss, diet and exercise, as over this time, I have learned quite a bit. I just don't have the time to post it as others do, but I'll try to incorporate more of that as time goes on. It's amazing what one learns about the body, mind and spirit through this process. And, thinking to myself in the shower, "Why keep it all to myself?"

So, todays tidbit is this: To make your workout routine easier to adjust to and stick with, PREPARE THE NIGHT BEFORE. I always pack my lunch, water and vitamins as well as get the materials needed to make my breakfast out and ready. I'll lay out my workout clothes and accessories and pack my gym bag with my work clothes, towel and toiletries. Having little things like your own towel and toiletries make the shower at the gym nicer. I also have my cell, wallet and things nearby for quick access. So when I get up, I can grab everything and go! Works for me...

Back on Track

Well, I started out this week with a reduced intensity workout and gradually increased it up to full intensity by the end of the week. I got back on the regular eating plan. It felt good to be back to a normal schedule. By Friday, I was back in full swing and loving it. I found I had actually missed running before my weight workout and lifting and so on.

The gym was not as terribly crowded as I had expected, in the morning. Tuesday morning I was still recovering from the cold and wanting the extra sleep, so I didn't get up and go swimming at 5:30. But, not wanting to miss it entirely, I went after work. That was BUSY. It's funny, the old schoolers in the gym scoff at the newbies, that they're getting in the way and they aren't really going to stick with working out and they are getting in the way. Anyways, that night was busy. But, starting Wednesday, I was back to my regular morning routine. And it wasn't busy! Thursday was much of the same. There were a few more people than in November and December, but not very many at all. I guess getting up that early to exercise just isn't for everyone.

So, my hard work has paid off and I have lost the extra pounds I gained between Christmas and New Year's plus 1. I'm down to 227, and as I think I mentioned, I bought for the first time in many, many years, size 20 jeans. Woo Hoo! It's only downhill from here.

Thanks to all the people who keep me motivated when I struggle including but not limited to: Lori, Nathan, Sienan, Mom, Dad, Andrew, Dixie, Shawn and Michelle, Dave O, Scott Smith, Heather on NetLoss, Trish, Sharon, Bev, Conkey, Carlos, Ron, James, my various family members spread out everywhere, my neighbors, my coworkers and so on. And for Matt at work, I have news for you buddy: Fitness does ROCK!

Recovering

Well, it has been 8 days since I first started feeling under the weather and I am excited to say that this cold is almost completely out the door. Woo Hoo! I was disappointed to come down with the cold in the first place, because that has been a workout showstopper for me in the past. But this time I didn't want that to happen.

I researched by Googling "working out while sick" and found that if you pass what is known as the "neck check", you're good to go on a reduced intensity workout. The neck check basically stipulates that if all your symptoms are above the neck, ie. headache, mildly sore throat, stuffy nose and so on, you are good to work out. It's when you have a fever and other "below the neck" symptoms that you really want to take some time off to recouperate. So, I worked out last Tuesday morning before I started feeling sick. I took a few days off and didn't go back to the workout until Saturday, where I did a half workout. Again I took a few days off and went in yesterday for a 3/4 swim and was back at it today with a 3/4 weights workout. Tomorrow I'll be back on my regular schedule.

I can't help but notice how working out makes me feel so much better. First off, I am over my cold in a week?!? That didn't used to happen before; try two weeks, minimum. Secondly, I just feel better overall. Working out just energizes and jump starts me like nothing else. I have a much better day when it includes a workout. My eating is back on target and I look forward to some more progress on my weight loss goal soon.

Check me out!

Hey, I got recognized for recognizing my masters swim coach, Trish! I've talked about her in my blog before; she's the bomb and I totally dig how she is so good at challenging me and teaching me. Check out the following link to see me in the Moments of Magic section of the El Dorado Hills Sports Club monthly newsletter, which got me a free month's worth of dues: Cool!

http://www.eldoradohillssc.com/st_media/pdf/edh_200701.pdf

Goals for 2007

I have spent some time thinking over what I want to accomplish in the next year. As we know, I am on a quest to lose weight and get healthy. I want to do this for the following reasons:
 1. to feel better about myself
 2. to live healthier and longer
 3. to accomplish something that requires great discipline and long  term effort
 4. to get back to my hidden athletic nature :o)
 5. to have fun along the way

My goal I set last year was to lose all of my extra weight and try to get down to a generally healthy weight for my size of 180 pounds. That meant a weight loss of 88 pounds from the time I started this quest. Last year I lost a net of 37 pounds, so this year I'll need to work on losing 51 pounds. I have had great progress and successes, but there is still work to be done. In order to make this manageable and less intimidating, I have broken it down into two mini goals that compromise the larger goal. I am going to push myself to get this done by my birthday this year, when I will compete in my first triathlon, which is where the following dates come in. If I don't hit that date, it's ok. I will continue to push on as 2007 is my year and I will reach the goal weight of 180 pounds this year!

1st Goal: Lose 31 pounds by April 15, 2007. This keeps my progress moving, but at a slightly slower pace than I had this year. It allows more time to reach the goal because as I get healthier, the weight loss will begin to slow down.

2nd Goal: Lose 20 pounds by July 14, 2007. This again allows more time for the progress from the previous goal as I get healthier.

Trigger Identification

Happy New Year to everyone. I am looking forward to the successes of meeting the challenges I will lay out for myself in this coming year. Last year I did extremely well with managing myself, my behavior when it comes to food and exercise and working towards my goals. I lost 40 pounds in just over 3 1/2 months! I was excited to go and buy a couple new pairs of jeans and found that I had gone down 3 sizes from a 26 to a 20! Wow! I can't remember the last time I bought jeans in that size, seriously. It was an awesome treat!

My last week of 2006 didn't happen as I planned, and I did gain 3 pounds. But it's nothing I can't bounce back from. This wasn't a total disappointment though. Importantly, I learned some triggers for my poor eating and exercising habits. I am still building up the emotional maturity to be strong enough to overcome these triggers, but I'll get there. Here is what I learned:

Trigger 1: Sugar Cookies with frosting: These are made in our house every year for Santa and let me tell you, Santa enjoys eating them. Once these were made, I had one and then two and then a few. This was the segway into nibbing on other not-so-healthy foods and eventually eating entire snacks and extra snacks that were not-so-good. I think by next year I'll have to have built the emotional strength to control my response to this trigger or remove it from the equation and get something different for Santa. I'll work on this.

Trigger 2: Company: This may not be so much family as it is just company over in general. I have spent a large part of my time in the last 3 months in a cocoon of sorts with my homelife, exercise and work. I did this unintentionally at first, just adjusting to my new routines but then as time wore on, intentionally to protect myself, from myself. I realized that many of the relationships, gatherings and events in my life were centered around eating poorly and doing nothing in terms of physical activitiy. And the worst part is, I was orchestrating much of this. I really feel that right now, I am redefining who I am, which will redefine my relationships with the people I know and love and also redefine the types of events, gatherings and activities I choose to be a part of in coming times. Company has historically meant more food than normal, poorer food than I usually eat and less time for activity among many other things. Again, I do not have the emotional maturity to fully withstand the pressure of company at this time, so I need to work on this also.

Trigger 3: Being sick: On the 26th, I started coming down with a cold. I still have it today, but I feel I have managed it very well and it's on the way out. There are many things to say here. First, this is a success of my diet and exercise, I believe, because this is the first time this season I've been sick, this one is on the way out already and did not become a sinus infection. That is much improved over previous years, where I was sick more often, for longer and was seriously prone to sinus infections every time. So I am improving my health and my immune system. But, when I am sick, I am a wimp. I eat and drink to sooth the discomfort. I didn't do this with good foods, although more good foods than previous years. I have to figure out a better way to cope with the discomfort. I also want to do more to boost my immune system to keep myself from getting sick again. After researching working out while sick, I worked out on Saturday for the first time since the 26th, doing a 50% intensity workout. As I had read, it felt great to move, cleared my head for a while and didn't make me sicker due to exertion as I had feared. I'll be heading out to work out again shortly. So, while this is a trigger, it has also been a lesson and an accomplishment of sorts.

So, for the last week of the year, I had thoughts of losing beyond my goal of 40 pounds, but in reality, I gained back 3. I also registered for a 5K for last night, which I did not think it wise to attend while on the mend from this cold. And I rang in the new year on the couch, using Kleenex and drinking Zicam. But, it was only 1 week in a long line of many other successful weeks and as I said, I'll bounce back from it. And smarter now that I've discovered a few of my triggers that I can start to formulate plans of attack against. I am going to hammer out my goals for 2007 today and post them shortly.