It's Been Ages!

I feel as though I've been doing a lot of drifting lately! My nutrition has been hit and miss, my health hasn't been all that great (wasn't able to exercise for about 3 weeks because of illness) and I've just not felt excited about much of anything. Many hours have been spent watching TV instead of doing anything remotely constructive and it is time for that to change!

Yesterday I worked on my new and updated "WHY" and will post it here. I want and need accountability but mostly I need to find the strength inside of me to fully commit to the LL and make it's principles a part of my DAILY living! WARNING: my "WHY" is pretty long but here it is anyway:

Why Now?
I’ve just looked back at my last “WHY”, which was written last July while I was in LLE. It talked about wanting to run a 3:50 marathon and how doing that would be easier at 130-135 than it would at 154 pounds. The funny thing is – I am again about 154 pounds and I’m just as displeased with the weight now as I was then. So the question now becomes, if I’m so displeased with the weight, why am I not dropping the pounds and then maintaining that lower weight? I’m not sure I have an answer to that question and to be honest, writing this “WHY” (each and every time I write one in fact) seems to give me as much trouble as keeping my eating clean.
In many aspects of my life, people have told me that I’m a perfectionist and that I’m a Type A personality. I’ve never considered this to be the case but maybe it is true. “If I can’t be perfect with my eating then I won’t pay any attention to it at all”. The funny thing is, other than making sure I run at 4:45 in the morning I don’t think I view my running the same way I view my food. We’ve discussed this type of thinking during our runs but haven’t really come up with any answers.
In addition to being a perfectionist, I’m also a people pleaser and quite content to stay back in the crowd. I do not like confrontations (I may hurt the other person’s feelings) and I’ve never been the one who stood out - I’ve always been the steady and dependable one content to stay in the background.
I now feel that these 2 factors have had a negative effect on my self-esteem. My self-esteem isn’t so low that I hate myself or anything like that but it has caused me to view myself as something less than “special”.
These feeling need to change – I need to transform my body and my mind. I am living a life that God did not intend for me. I need to become the person that He created me to be – “SPECIAL!”


Bring on the Pain!
I really can’t recall “missing-out” on things. I’ve been a part of many wonderful teams and groups – I’ve always been a great team player. Being a part of those groups gave me some of my fondest memories.
My “pain” starts more in the present. I have recently gone through a “who cares” phase and during this phase I added a good 10-15 pounds. So, there is a great deal of poor self-talk that usually accompanies those types of situations: “Great job…all that hard work last year and you threw it all away!” To go along with the increased weight you also have a clothes issue. Many of my clothes do not fit (although it is, at present, getting better) – every time I try to put them on I’m reminded of what a “failure” I am. These feelings and situations are not acceptable and will no longer be tolerated!
I’ve also come to realize that I usually try and take the easy way out of things and I’m coming to realize that this is a character trait that I do not like and one that needs to change. I was about to write that this is true with my nutrition only but who am I trying to kid? I have not been putting the effort out into my exercise programs either. Resistance training is not easy so I have not been performing it regularly! Keeping my eating according to plan during the afternoon is not easy so I have not been sticking to my plan! The truth is, there are many aspects of my life where these traits hold true – I take the easy way out or the short cut.
Finally, I have determined that I have NEVER fully committed to this program. I have not put the Six Strategies into practice and as a result I have not seen the results that I should have seen. This has also not allowed me to make this a part of my life and has kept it as a “program” or a “diet”.

Who else is impacted?
My family is definitely impacted by my current actions as well as by my future actions. My current actions are forming patterns in my kids. If they see me eating junk, they will do the same. Conversely, if they see me eating healthy, fresh foods in the correct portion sizes, they will follow that example as well.
As I start putting my needs first, they will be affected by that as well. It probably won’t be comfortable and in some cases I’m sure I’ll get resistance. That can not and will not stop me!
I am a preschool teacher and one of my responsibilities is teaching our school’s gym classes. I therefore have an opportunity to influence a rather large number of people. I am a very active person so I already get many comments from my co-workers who are amazed at just how much energy I have. I have tried to be a positive influence on their lives so that they can in turn, take it home to their families. However, I feel that my best opportunity is with the 100 children in our school. Children are sponges, at this age, and it is very important to me that I lead them in the right direction – one that will lead them to a happy, healthy and active lifestyle!

Bring on the Pleasure!
Fully committing to something will be a new experience for me and one that I’m sure will bring me pleasures that I can’t even imagine! I know I will feel better physically and emotionally. In addition, my running will also improve! However, there is something much more important to be gained from this journey – self-respect! I will know that I not only set a goal but that I also made sure that I trusted and loved myself enough to make the best choices that I had available to me. As long as that process is occurring, the weight loss becomes a secondary outcome. I am becoming a better person on the inside which will eventually manifest itself on the outside.


Thanks for taking the time to read this!

Fell off the wagon

Things have been tough lately and I accept full responsibility for my actions. I hate when I start making great forward progress and then sabotage myself. I've lost count of how many times I've done it.

I've been spiralling out of control for the past week or so and am beginning again today. I was really sick this weekend and allowed my eating to go crazy. I've felt very bloated on top of all the achy feelings from the cold. It made for a pretty crappy weekend.

I just wish I could figure out why I do it! If I knew why, I could head it off at the pass. I'm listening to my LL MP3s again and hope to get things back on track. Gotta get off the computer - until next time!

January 25, 2009

Usually when I've not been blogging it is because I haven't been following my plan - not this time! This is especially significant because there has been a fair amount of stress around here the past few days. We found out on Thursday that my husband's truck needs a new engine and it is going to cost a boat load of money! This on top of the already strained finances and it has been a rough go lately.

The good news - I have not allowed it to spiral out of control and into an eating frenzy! I have even dropped my weight down to 154 as of this morning which, I believe, is 2 pounds ahead of schedule. I haven't been perfect but I've been pretty darn good and I've kept up my exercise. I'm finding it difficult to do a lot of lifting (especially intense lifting) because of my neck - the tightness and soreness just isn't going away - so I've improvised. I've been doing my lower body exercises on the Bosu ball. That way I can keep my weights lighter but I'm adding a significant balance element (or lack of balance element). For my upper body I've just been keeping my weights light and my reps higher.

I may not be able to get my measurements done in the morning but I want to get them taken sometime tomorrow. One thought I've been tossing around for the measurements is to take them on Fridays. I don't run on Friday and it might be easier to go that route - something to think about! I have lots of work to get done so I'm signing off!

Honor Yourself!
PWE2

January 20, 2009

It is almost 1 pm and the day has been going great! I got out for a VERY cold run this morning. I had hoped for 6 miles but settled for a little over 5 because it was so cold.



I have also vowed to myself that I will keep to my planned meals perfectly today. I inputted my meal plan last night and printed it out and so far I'm 100% on track. This is something that I'm not sure I've actually ever accomplished here at LL. I tend to make small changes here and small changes there and then if you honestly look back on the day, much of the plan was thrown out the window.



It is now almost 8 pm and I've done well today! I did have to change one meal because I didn't budget my time well this afternoon. The good part was that I exchanged it with a healthy alternative (protein smoothie for protein pancakes). I have one more meal and then I'm done for the day. I'm looking forward to seeing downward movement on the scale in the morning!

Off to plan tomorrow's meals!

Honor yourself.
PWE2

January 19, 2009

No school today because of the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday! It's nice to be able to get on and feel like I have ample time to scan my favorite blogs and get an entry in!

Yesterday was a really crazy day - I slept a lot! I actually slept until 7 am, which is really late for me but then I fell back asleep and got up at 8:30! I went down and ate breakfast and the kids started playing MarioKart. I didn't want to watch it so I went upstairs to watch something I wanted and wouldn't you know it, I fell back asleep and slept for another hour and a half. That is really NOT like me but since I'm fighting a cold, I just let it happen. I guess my body needed it!

However, today has been different! I woke up at 4 am and met my friends for a run. I was looking forward to the hilly loop we usually do on Mondays. However, some new friends showed up and were up for that course so we ran another one which is about 5.5 miles long with one medium hill. I think we will probably do the hilly course tomorrow. Then I came home and did some light resistance training and ab work on the BOSU ball. I'm afraid to do much heavy "stuff" because of my neck - the spasm is still hanging around and I don't want to make it worse!!!!!!!!

I've been doing OK with my weight loss. I've averaged about 1 pound loss per week which is my goal but I would love to get ahead of the game! I am the reason - I've not always been great on my meal plans. I take full responsibility because I am in control of my choices and my emotions. I eat nutritious food to fuel my body and to keep myself healthy and energetic! Here's to the power of positive self-talk! Today has been good so far and it will soon be time for my next meal which will consist of protein packed pancakes (leftover from yesterday).

My neck is starting to bother me so I'm going to get in the shower and let the hot water loosen up the muscles. Have a great day and stay true to your goals and yourself!

PWE2
Honor Yourself

January 13, 2009 & Jan. 14th

I'm kind of viewing today as a Day 1 of sorts. I really felt like I had a different attitude and in this situation, different is GOOD!



I have done much better with my eating today and I accomplished my workout goal of running 6 miles this morning. I was also able to get in 10 minutes of resistance training. I know it isn't much but it is more than I've done in a while and I'm viewing it as a step in the right direction.

Wednesday:
I started this post yesterday but my hubby turned off the computer so I'm combining these 2 days. Today has not been a great day because I woke up with a bad neck spasm. When I get these there is no way I can exercise (yawning hurts!). I've been taking Advil and I've had on a heat patch all day. I am really hoping that it will subside enough by tomorrow that I'll be able to meet the others for our run.

Neck hurts sitting in the chair so I'm done!

Good and Bad

I fell into the trap again! My eating has not been good since the last post so what do I do? I stay away!! Sure, I've been busy but who isn't - and, at least for me, it's an excuse and a bull-crap one at that. One of my goals for today was to post so here I am.

I took my measurements this morning and they are not good:

Weight: 157.5
BF %: 34.8%
Upper Chest 37.5 in
Chest: 39.75
Rib cage: 35
Waist: 39
Hips: 40
L. Thigh: 22
R. Thigh: 21.5
L. Calf: 14
R. Calf: 14

Just about every measurement went up and this is completely due to poor eating habits. I have continued to run most mornings. My lifting routine needs some work but that too is a work in progress.

Now some good: I came up what I think is a good leverage. I gave my boss my before pics (workout shorts and sports bra) in a sealed envelope and if I don't make my goal (147# by 3/30) she is to post them on our school bulletin board. So far, I'm on target although I know that I could be well ahead of the game if I stayed more strict with my eating. I continue to work at changing my overall eating habits so that it becomes a lifestyle and not a "diet".

More good news: I ran my first race of the year yesterday. It was the Icycle 10 Miler. My initial goal was to run it in 1:20:00 but since I had gained weight (instead of loosing it) I decided to alter my race expectations. I decided that 1:30:00 (9:00/mile) would be a good challenge to shoot for. Most of our training runs were no faster than 9:30 pace so dropping 30 seconds sounded like a good goal. The day was very cold and at times there was a strong wind. The course is also a very hilly course so there was a big challenge to be had. I ran with my friend Helenann and we were able to finish in 1:24:22 which is a pace of 8:17/mile. Needless to say, I am THRILLED with the time!

I'm looking forward to what will come next - I took the day off today (except for teaching my gym classes) but I'm looking forward to my run tomorrow. I think we are shooting for one of our hilly routes which will be a challenge this soon after the race but I know it is what I need. If the group wants to start going a bit faster I'm all for that too!

Until next time!

December 15,2008

The weekend is over which means so are the parties and the parades (well most of the parties). We celebrated our family birthday party for the kids on Saturday and it was a lot of fun. Then on Sunday my husband was driving his stations fire engine in our local parade. The weather for both days was beautiful and a great time was had by all!

This week is my daughters actual birthday, so I need to get stuff for her school party and of course we'll have another small birthday dinner with just us. I still have some Christmas prep to do (baking and presents) this week but things are winding down. Which is a good thing, because I'm feeling quite exhausted right now!

Food this weekend was only OK because of the party. I did get a great run in on Saturday but again was EXHAUSTED Sunday and didn't exercise. Today I'm still feeling run down and I think a big part of it has been my poor eating habits. This summer, when I was eating well during LLE, I had energy galore and really need to get back to that!

I will post my meals later - off to school!

Be Exceptional
Just Be Good For Today
PWE2

December 11, 2008

I'm hoping this link will take you to my food journal at LL. If it works then my time spent typing will be greatly reduced. The day has been going well. I've made a goal of trying to decrease my diet soda intake. I had one with lunch and my goal is to have no more today. There has been a discussion on the LL board about diet soda being a trigger for many people and the last thing I need is to be taking in yet another trigger.

I'm off to make a healthy dessert and then exercise.

Be Exceptional
Honor Yourself
PWE2

Accountability!

I'm taking a page from my friend Melissa and putting this info out as an accountability step. I took my measurements tonight and I will continue to post them each week. If you don't see them PLEASE call me on it!

Here they are:
December 10, 2008
Weight: 156
1 Site Skinfold: 27 mm
% BF: 33.8%
Fat Lbs.: 52.7
LBM: 103.3
Upper chest: 37.5 in.
Chest: 39.5
Rib Cage: 34.5
Waist: 38.75
Hips: 40
L. Thigh: 21.5
R. Thigh: 21
L. Calf: 14.5
R. Calf: 14.25

Those measurements do not make me very happy but now they are out there and I will now begin to reduce them. I have also come up with some weight and running related goals. Here they are:

Jan. 11th: Icicle 10 Miler
Wt. 150.5
Time: 1:19:59 or faster

Mar. 15th Caesar Rodney 1/2 Marathon
Wt. 140.5
Time: 1:48:10 or faster

Apr. 19th Buckley's 10K
Wt. 135.5
Time: 47:19 or faster

May 17th DE 1/2 Marathon
Wt. 135.5
Time: 1:44:50

There it is, some of it is based on previous times I have run these specific races and others are based strictly on a target pace. This is going to be extremely challenging but it is something I will work at with all my ability.

Be Exceptional!
Just be good for today!
PWE2

I've been MIA

From my blog - again!

Life really seems to get me going these days. I feel like I never have enough hours to get everything done (as I'm sure many can relate).

I have tried to buckle down with LL again - the system/site/people are great, it's me that drifts away. I have joined a team to help me get through the holidays. My weight is higher that it has been in a long time but I've already been able to drop a couple pounds.

I'm hoping to be able to post here more - if anyone has ideas about stretching time I'm all ears!!!(LOL)

PWE2 - Day 3

Day 3 is in the books. I am proud that I was able to ride my bike for 30 minutes with my Cardio Coach workout. I wasn't sure my butt would last that long but it and I did well. I was sweating like a pig and it felt great!

I'm a work in progress with my eating but I'll continue to work on it every day!

Off to watch a movie because I'm tired of politics!!!

PWE2 - Day 2

I dropped a pretty fair amount of water weight yesterday. The scale read 146 this morning. I followed through on my plan for lifting this morning although my neck/back muscle spasm thing is trying to spoil my plans. I did avoid my bent-over rows but other than that things went well.

I road my bike, on the trainer, for 10 minutes. I know 10 minutes isn't much but I'm doing it more to get my butt used to the seat. There is a huge difference between my road bike and my hybrid bike. Everything is totally different between the 2 bikes and I'm trying to ease my way into everything. When I got on the bike yesterday, I felt like I was going to go head-over-heels over the handle bars because the angle is MUCH steeper than I'm used to.

I'm trying to keep myself positive about my eating. Today has not been perfect but I'm taking forward steps. I've done well with my water intake which will be key for me! I think I'm going to have to ask my dh and my kids to hide the candy. It is pretty clear to me that I will not be able to keep away from it. I'm not going to kick myself for a piece here and there but I know stopping at just one piece is VERY difficult for me.

Tomorrow is supposed to be a 5.5 mile hill run. I hope the rain stays away so that I can get it in. I'm not sure I can stay on the bike long enough to get a sufficient workout.

I'm off to plan for tomorrow!

I Choose!

I choose how I act!

I choose how I eat!

I choose how I react!

I choose to make positive changes in my life!

My kids are big High School Musical fans. So, as a result, I have heard all the songs and seen all the movies many times. I can hear you now: "What in the world does High School Musical have to do with the opening statements?"

More than you might think!

If you aren't familiar with the High School Musical trilogy, the characters are juniors and seniors in high school and they deal with all the "normal" high school pressures (OK, Hollywood's version of "normal high school pressures"). But, the part I take away from the stories is that they end up doing the things they love and the things they have a passion for - even when doing so causes them grief with their friends.

Again, you're asking "Why is she telling me this?" Here it is - they chose what was right for them and so am I! I like being healthy, I like exercising, I like the way good and healthy food makes my body work and feel. So I am choosing to make those things a priority even if it cause me problems in other areas of my life.

The kids in the movies were dealing with peer pressure, which is a huge problem for many people. My pressure comes from within - THE BEAST. For me THE BEAST is a voice inside that tries to draw me toward things that I know are not in my best interests. In the past, I have chosen to listen to this voice. I have chosen to eat the candy. I have chosen to eat the fast food, I have chosen to not do my lifting workouts. I am now choosing to not listen to THE BEAST!

I am starting today - I chose to get up early to run this morning but I was only going to do a little bit. S, I got dressed and went out to set up my Garmin but when I turned it on the charge was gone (I guess I forgot to turn it off yesterday) and since I was running alone, I thought about just skipping the run - I sometimes struggle to get out the door when I run by myself. I chose to take that positive step and walk out the door. While running, I thought 3 laps around the neighborhood would be good. But, I realized that THE BEAST was talking again and I needed to shut him up here and now! I did 4 laps which gave me 5 miles for the workout.

After my shower, it was time to deal with breakfast. Now, the candy abounds in my house right now and my dh was getting doughnuts for breakfast. I chose to have a healthy and balanced breakfast of an egg white sandwich.

These examples may not sound like much but I'm going to put many of these small steps together and end up with huge strides! Even the Sermon at church rung true with me this morning. Father Bob made the statement: "We are all broken sinners and on our worst day we choose the things that make us comfortable." That is exactly what I've been doing with myself. Change is uncomfortable and instead of putting myself in uncomfortable situations I've chosen to give into THE BEAST.

So, this brings me to my:

PWE2 Challenge

For those that don't know, PWE2 ( the 2 means squared) stands for: "Pursue a Worthy Endeavor - Persist Without Exception" and was thought up by David Greenwalt, creator of The Leanness Lifestyle. My worthy endeavor is ME! As of today, I weigh 149.5 pounds and have a body fat of 32.7% (as per a 1 site measurement). I also took circumference measurements which I will post later. So, over the next 6 weeks (Nov. 2 - Dec. 13) I plan on losing 10 pounds of ugly and unwanted fat. Will this be uncomfortable? YOU BET! Am I up for the challenge? YOU BET! I am also going to attempt to make regular updates here so feel free to send a butt-kick or an ata-girl if you get a chance.

Remember, you have the power to choose what path you take. Make it a good one!

Halloween is over!

YEAH!


Being a preschool teacher makes Halloween a very stressful time. Many of the 2 and 3 year old kids don't deal well with all the hub-bub and it creates a lot of stress at school. My kids deal well with Halloween - unfortunately(LOL)!



My kids went out and came back with an unbelievable amount of candy! Now I have to deal with trying to stay away from it. Before I get any further into this entry I want to add pics of my kids in their costume:

My daughter's nose actually made a roaring noise when you pushed the nose. My son wasn't so sure about the shoulder pads at first but once he got them on, he thought he was the coolest thing around!

I'm still struggling with my eating, it's very hard to get back on track once you've jumped off the wagon. Now with the candy in the house, it is all that much harder. I have been slowly adding miles back into my week and next week we will be running 3 days during the week and on the weekend. I'm also planning on getting back into my lifting routine this week. My goal is to lift twice a week an if I can get the third day in I'll be thrilled. It has just been difficult finding the time in the afternoon to get the session in on Wednesdays.

I'm still struggling with my family and church but regardless of how it works out, I know it is out of my hands. It is also a situation that probably won't be resolved any time soon. I'll just keep praying and asking them to come.

I'm Feeling Out-of-Control.....

....in many aspects of my life!

First, with my eating. Ever since my marathon, and maybe even a touch before, I have been absolutely awful with my eating! I've been eating things that I haven't touched in months and I'm just shoveling it in left and right. Every morning I wake up and tell myself that I'm going to have a clean day and by lunch it's already off track. I don't know how to get myself off this "treadmill" that I'm on but I know that I need to do something about it SOON!

Next, every Sunday I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle with my family about going to church. My husband believes in God but does not attend church except on special occasions. I ask him to church but he will only "humor" me on days like Christmas and Easter. I also "fight" with my kids each week. My main wish, is that my family could attend services each week together and that we would all want to be there.

This weekend, that wish was seriously shaken. I asked my kids if they would go to church with me and they both said no and it hit me. I had honestly given up hope that my "dream" would ever come true. I keep telling myself that "all things are possible through Christ who strengthens me" but right now, with this situation, I'm not sure I believe it. Let me tell you, it is a bad place to be. I was in tears most of Sunday morning. I cried on the way to church and even during the service. I had no control over it and I just had this feeling that I couldn't shake. It is a work in progress!

Tomorrow it begins again

I have given myself a week to rest but tomorrow I am starting back up again. I have developed a bit of a cold so I want to take it easy but I WILL be exercising tomorrow. I will do an easy lifting session tomorrow and then an easy run on Tuesday. After that, I will see how I feel and hopefully keep on going.

I am also making a commitment to clean up my eating again. I have not been doing very well in that department and it is very important so tomorrow starts a new program for both my exercising and my nutrition!

Steamtown Marathon

Boy has it been a long time since I've put in an entry!

Well, I ran in the Steamtown Marathon last weekend and I didn't reach my goal of running a 3:50 marathon time. However, because of all the difficulty I had I'm pleased with my effort. I finished in a time of 4:32:59, which is about the same time I ran the MCM last year. The difference? I had to walk the last 5 miles of Steamtown.

I was running with my friends Helenann (who finished in about 4:05) and Cathy (who finished in about 4:12) and we were doing very well. The weather was beautiful and we felt great! Our time was right about where it needed to be through mile 18. I did have to stop for the bathroom twice in those first 18 miles which was not expected - I think I'm going to have to change my long run fuel source.

Like I said, at mile 18 we had to cross a chip timer and I was 4 minutes over my desired pace but feeling OK. I actually thought I just might be able to make up that time or at least come close. Then the wheels started to come off, so to speak. Somewhere between miles 20 and 21 I felt like my legs might want to cramp so I stopped for a second to do a little stretch. Of course, when I stretched my quad, my hamstring cramped - go figure! The cramps weren't too bad though and I got right back into the race. Then, shortly after passing mile 21 I turned a corner and got a VERY sharp pain in my right knee. The pain was enough to make me stop and walk a little. I thought that if I walked just a bit, maybe I could shake it off and still finish near the 4:00 mark - I would have been absolutely thrilled with that time. Unfortunately, I was not able to do much more running. I was completely unable to run any of the uphills, I could run a few steps on the flats but then the pain would really shut me down again and I could do some shuffling on the downhills.

I have to admit that quitting crossed my mind for about a millisecond but I told myself that it was not an option. I had put too many training hours in and Coach Mary (at LL) had helped me too much for me to not honor this commitment. I even put on my shirt PWE2 to help me remember what I was doing this for. I kept telling myself to stick with it and I would be a success - honoring commitments and keeping self-promises is the important part, not the time it takes you to cross the finish line. I will have other opportunities to run 3:50 marathons and that will be an awesome accomplishment. However, this one may actually mean more to me because I didn't give up even when parts of me really wanted to.

Anyway, I decided that I would walk until I reached the last downhill to the finish line. At that point I really wanted to run that last downhill. I was able to accomplish this and the rest is history as they say. I've taken this week off but want to get back into some easy runs this upcoming week. I've also let my nutrition slip a bit the past week and need to get back into that groove as well. I think I'm experiencing some of the depression (for lack of a better title) that I've read some people experience after a big event like this. Most of it has manifested itself in my inability to eat right this week. I just want to eat fatty, junky stuff and am having a really tough time getting the ship righted. I will do it though!

Remember, the journey is the important part and not how long it takes you to get there! Oh, and the Steamtown Marathon is a great marathon to run. If anyone reads this and is considering doing a marathon, I would highly recommend this one. It isn't easy but the scenery is breath-taking (leaves were in full color) and the race itself is well run and well supported!

PWE2

Finally a LLE Update 8/12/08

WOW I can't believe so much time has gone by since my last post! LLE has really been keeping me busy but I am SO enjoying every minute. The program includes reading, listening to audio, watching videos and even quizzes!

The shoes pictured are my new Adidas Supernovas. I got them through the mi Adidas program that Bill gave me as a Christmas present. You have to actually go to their store and have the shoes custom fit to your feet and then you get to create the design. And you create the ENTIRE design from the stitching color to the base shoe color. It was an awesome experience and I highly recommend doing it at least once. There are all sorts of shoes you can pick - basketball, tennis and soccer are the ones I know for sure (other than running of course).

My training is going well. I need to update my miles on the side bar but I've been not only hitting my mileage but also feeling great doing it. Through my work with Coach Mary, in LLE, I've come up with a mantra that is all so true: "I Run As I Eat!" I've always known it to be true but I've never really followed through with it. Since starting LLE I can see the difference. I see it in the fat that I've lost and in my ability to run fast, run long and run hard but smooth on the hills. I am actually pulling away from most of my running group when we go up hills. In fact, the other day we got caught in a thunderstorm and the last bit of our run was up a steep hill. The comment I heard when we were finished was that I "broke them" on the run. I just wanted to get out of the storm so I kind of felt bad but when I look back, I'm proud of the way I was able to maintain my form, power and speed up that hill especially since I significantly picked up the pace over the last 3-4 miles of the run (it was about 12 miles total).

Anyway, I hope to update a bit more often. Oh, I forgot to mention - my shoes are my leverage for the challenge. I will not be wearing them until I reach my goal weight!

New Addidas Shoes

A detailed explaination will follow shortly - off to play some tennis with the kids!