Fro Yo Go Go

So, we all know just how much I love all things ice cream-esque. Last summer Kevin and I discovered a lovely ice cream and sno-cone shop two miles from the house and made it our habit to walk there whenever we wanted tasty goodness. Since then, two amazing things have happened.

First, our television was stolen. We didn't watch a lot of tv anyway, but with nothing but an old console left we don't watch nearly as many movies or video games these days. Instead, we look for other ways to pass our evenings.

Second, two frozen yogurt shops moved into the area.

Did you just hear angels singing? Yeah, I know: Evening activity + Fro Yo = Natalie and Kevin walking at least three miles almost every evening.

It's totally win, win, win too. I satisfy my ice cream fix, the dog du jour gets their energy walked out, I burn calories, and Kevin and I get to spend quality time together. It's awesome! I burn 250 calories or so walking two and from the fro yo shop and only consume 150 calories (and calcium!) eating my tasty treat. Plus, it makes for a lovely cool down in the middle of working out (yes, we walk briskly!) in this heat.

There are two frozen yogurt shops to choose from - PeachWave and Yogurtini. Peachwave is a 3-mile walk through the hip part of town. Yogurtini is a 3.9-mile walk through the fancy part of town. They each offer different flavors and different scenery so it never gets boring.

Today was hot. Officially the hottest day of the year with the high at 110 in some locations. My phone said it felt like 104 just a few moments ago. When I got up this morning and saw that the temp had already reached 90, I decided I wouldn't be able to handle my Couch to 5k routine. I was disappointed because I really do like the way I feel once I'm finished.

Anyway, because I missed the run this morning, we decided to walk the 3.9 miles to Yogurtini. The weirdest thing happened on the way home. I blame the heat ... and the fro yo.

I grabbed Sadie's leash and started running. I hollered to Kevin to tell me when 90 seconds had passed. Then, I walked 90 seconds and started running again - this time for 3 minutes. As I started that three-minute run I decided to just do today's Couch to 5k routine. And I did it!

Once I got home and brought my body temp out of the triple digits using a sugar-free Fudgesicle, I was thrilled with myself. The old Natalie would have let the heat stop her and use it as an excuse. But it looks like I turned it into a challenge or something. Because I certainly didn't let it stop me.

The last three minutes about killed me. Did I mention the heat??? And I hadn't really hydrated with running in mind. And I'd already walked 2 miles before even contemplating running. And even Sadie was so exhausted she just laid down at one point. BUT I DID IT. And I kind of feel invincible. Almost.

At first I was just proud to make myself work for my treats. I recommend it to everyone. All working out should come with awesomeness like frozen yogurt, right? Plus, you'll feel like you can take on the world. Or at least 110 degrees at 6 miles an hour - in intervals.

Weigh Day Happiness

I weighed in this morning at 146.4 - a mere 1.4 pounds away from re-entering Healthy Land. I'm beginning to feel like my new self again!

I completed Day 2 of Week 2 of Couch to 5k this morning. I missed last week because I was in trial - but trust me, that is a work out on it's own. I wonder how many calories you burn writing 100 mph for 8 hours. The running isn't too terrible - hardly even painful - and I feel GREAT after.

I'm also beginning to see a lot more muscle definition. I'm not quite at a six pack or anything, but there is definitely improvement in just the past month.

Did I mention that I quit my part time job? I worked at a gourmet grocery store from Thanksgiving until the middle of June - the exact time frame when I started struggling with maintaining my weight. I don't think that's a coincidence. I'm pretty sure all the expired chocolate I consumed in that time is the culprit (as was my lack of will power) and I am VERY glad to be separated from it. Honestly, the weight loss started up again after I quit.

I just love how good I feel about myself right now. When I was gaining some of the weight back, I felt lost and out of control. But now that I am back on track I feel good again. I feel healthy and happy.

And that's how I want to feel forever!!!

Great Resources to Start your Journey

Want to lose weight? Here are some resources that REALLY helped as I embarked on my weight loss journey. Seriously.

1. Hungry Girl. Visit www.hungry-girl.com and sign up for her daily (yes, an email every day) emails with great snack ideas and meals. She takes "normal food" and figures out how to make it healthy. I loved her when I was easing into healthier eating. She is great for the beginning changes in lifestyle.

2. Eat This, Not That, from Men's Health. Again, this is a daily email. I like daily emails bc they remind me, first thing - everyday - that my goal is to eat healthy and make good decisions. Sign up for the free e-newsletter here: http://eatthis.menshealth.com/home

3. Find an app or site that will help you track calories and foods. I love Sparkpeople.com a good friend of mine loves Loseit.com ... Also, Weight Watchers has one too, I think. After each meal (snacks too!), enter your foods and keep track of your intake. Don't do too little, but of course don't eat too much! Sparkpeople also allows me to track my fitness stuff and then gives a differential so I know how many calories I burned over what I consumed. Know this: to lose ONE pound, you must burn 3500 more calories than you consume.

4. Fast Food Salvation: We are busy people and can't always cook every meal. For that, I keep a list in my glove compartment of 35 fast food options that are less than 500 calories. VERY handy! http://weightloss.about.com/od/eatsmart/a/052207a.htm

5. Not a resource, but still important: Eat breakfast. Seriously. Everyday. Kick off your metabolism within an hour of waking up and your body will learn to trust that you are going to feed it. Then, eat every 3 hours or so. A lot of times our bodies horde calories out of fear it won't get fueled again soon. Give your body what it wants (and what you probably love if you are like me): FOOD. Just not too much :)

Challenge Accepted

A local company has issued a challenge to Kansas City ... the KC Slimdown. Basically, teams of 4-6 people compete to see which team will have the highest percentage of weight loss by Oct. 9, 2011. The winners get a trip to the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa.

Since Abigail and I are so competitive, we called up friends and started a team.  We plan to win, of course. This morning, 4 of our 5 team members met at the local farmer's market to go for a morning walk and get to know each other. The contest officially starts tomorrow.

We all had to officially weigh in at a local YMCA and received free t-shirts and tape measures (The shirts say "Challenge Accepted" on the back). It's a great idea to get friends and co-workers together with the goal of getting healthier. Each of the members of TUFF STUFF is shooting to lose at least 10% of our weight during the contest.

We walked two miles this morning, burning about 150 calories.  Then we hit the farmer's market for fresh veggies to eat this week. I'm excited to have a team to help me out of this plateau. I've lost a couple of pounds already! Another teammate and I weigh about the same, but I think she's thinner. Abigail has dubbed it a contest between the skinny girls. I don't know about that - I'm really competing against myself, but I'll happily serve as someone else's motivation if they need it!

Anyway, I sent an email to my teammates yesterday with resources I found most helpful while losing most of the 50 pounds I've lost so far. Since the resources are probably useful to others who stumble upon this blog now, I'm going to repost them in their own entry for 50n50 readers.

And to my competitors, see you at the finish line!

Thoughts on this Weigh Day

I'm happy to announce my weight this morning was 149.8. I'm back in the 140s. Five pounds more and I won't be overweight anymore. Ten pounds and I'll be in new territory. I want new territory!

There are a million thoughts running through my head and none go together to make a lovely blog entry ... so, here are the top three.

1. I'm excited to hear from 4 of the "Ladies (and Gentleman) in Weighting" who are still hanging with me and wanting to get back on track as we head into the second half of this year. I challenge each of you to write a blog entry this week all about your plans for getting back on track. For me, I'm counting my calories each day and running the Couch to 5k program (again).

2. After the morning I had (involving cat pee and fleas - a dreaded 4-letter word in my house), it's a miracle I got out of bed, much less went running. But I did and things are already looking up. Mainly because this means I don't have to run again for almost 48 hours. This morning's run wasn't all that terrible to be honest. I was glad to get out of the house and away from everything that needed doing there. Also, Monday's run felt great during the first two (of eight) intervals. By interval four I was hurting ... and by eight, I wanted to die. Today felt great through interval four, by six I was hurting and by eight I was nauseated. But I didn't want to die so yay!

3. After yesterday's post, I received an email from my aunt full of words of encouragement. She pointed out that everyone is always starting over because things happen in life and we get distracted. "Don't beat yourself up anymore, you have just joined the starting over club." And she's right - except for one thing (I was wrong on this too, so it's not just her). I'm not starting over. I'm starting again and there is a BIG difference in those two ideas. Starting over would mean I was back at the beginning, but I'm not. Mind, body and spirit, I'm not where I was two years ago. I truly thank my aunt for her kind words - and for thinking I'm beautiful no matter what I weight. Love you!

Friendly Reminder

Me and Kevin pre-5k Sept. 2010

I got to talking with some of the interns at work yesterday and introduced one to 50n50. She was shocked when I told her how much I used to weigh. I needed it hear it. I'm sorry to say it, but I needed the reminder of how far I've come in the past two years - how hard I worked and how much success I found. I needed to be reminded that the sacrifices involved are worth it.

Lately, I've been battling issues in my head because I still think like a fat girl. I still look in the mirror and find a million flaws in my body.

"You do?" She said to me, shocked. Yes, I do!

Basically, it comes down to this: I always assumed 150 pounds was a lot smaller than it is. I thought my legs would no longer rub together when I ran and that I'd look amazing in a bathing suit. But here I am, buying Body Glide to prevent chafing and refusing to even try on a swim suit until my thighs get under control.

If you follow me on Twitter (@50n50), then you know that I started the Couch to 5k (C25k) training program yesterday morning. It's the program I used last fall to get into shape for my first 5k and it worked really well. I mean, I actually ran a continuous 3 miles so that's a win, right? After the Race for the Cure, I trained a couple more weeks with the idea of running a 10k, but I didn't get very far. And since then? Nothing.

And that's where I screwed up. I stopped being active ... So, I'm starting over.

Now, don't go thinking I've suddenly found a piece of me that loves running - because I haven't. But the Couch to 5k program take about 30 mins a day only three times a week and I've decided I can handle doing something I don't really like for a mere 90 minutes a week. I've also been adding in some strength training for 15 minutes on my off days, courtesy of Women's Health.

For yesterday's run, I decided to change how I approach C25K. Usually, I jog it - pacing myself to make sure I have energy for the finish. But a couple of weeks ago, while jogging with Kevin I asked him to look at my form. We decided I run like a fat girl (my words, not his!).  I take shorts, clomping steps and roll my hips. I look like I'm lumbering down the road. He suggested I lengthen my stride and run like I'm free, not like I'm carrying the weight of the world.

So, that's how I ran yesterday. No jogging - all running. And I felt free for the first time in a while!!! (Well, until I felt like I was going to die, but that's why I started the program at the beginning).

Plus, I found a piece of me that loves the feeling I get after I run - the feeling of accomplishment, control, and yes, energy. Because of my morning run, I spent yesterday in a great mood.

I spent yesterday being reminded of all that I have done and all that I can do. And I needed that friendly reminder.

Not another round

I've really been crapping out this summer and for that I'm sorry.
I'm sorry to y'all and I'm sorry to me.

Now that I've covered that, it's time to get my butt back on track. Somehow.

I'm back to weighing 152 on a consistent basis and thus back to being upset with myself. You'd think that would be enough to wake me up, and most times it is. But when it's not I really screw up.

Let's just say I've been having a really enjoyable summer full of a lot of ... adult beverages. Not daily, by any means, but it seems at least 3-4 times a month I can be found on the happy cloud with half a bottle of cherry vodka wondering what happened to the rest. Well, that has only happened once this summer. But you get my drift, right?

Take last week, for example. July Fourth involved 3 beers and a peach vodka and 7-Up concoction. To make up for it, I woke up early July 5 and walked 2.25 miles. Then, that evening, I mowed the lawn and walked another 2.75 miles (to get fro-yo, but still!). All was good. I had a lovely week sticking to my calories and adding exercise when I could. Then came Friday and a cook-out with friends. And 3 beers and (Skinny Girl) margaritas. Hello, backslide. 

I feel like I'm treading in scary waters - I don't want people to walk away form this post thinking an intervention is needed. This isn't that kind of cry for help.

If there is one thing I should be an expert at these days it's moderation. So, it's time to remind myself of my goals and not lose sight of the long term just because the moment is so tempting.

A drink here and there isn't a bad thing - but it's important to remember those drinks aren't free. Sure, MGD 64 only has 64 calories - but my tastes are much more refined than that!