Day 2 of LLE

Things have gone very well today! I got in a good run this morning - interval training. I really feel like my running has been getting stronger. My trail run yesterday felt great and everyone else kept saying how it was such a quick pace - didn't feel that fast to me. Then today, I felt really strong while running the intervals. The woman I run them with was really struggling - she may have been having a bad day but that doesn't negate the fact that I felt strong.

I've also been able to drop my weight to 149.5. That means I'm 1 pound away from hitting my $60 leverage!

As for my assignments for LLE: I'm rereading the nutrient chapter in The Leanness Lifestyle. It is interesting to read again. Not because it is new information - I know the info - I'm just now seeing the info differently. It was a number of years ago that I read it the first time and a lot has happened since then. Last year during one of my adult Sunday school classes, we talked about how things can appear differently because of the "lenses" that we view the world through. Everyone has been through different experiences which color how you view the world. That is what I feel like right now. I'm seeing the information in the book and on the site differently because of where I'm at now in my life. It's a really cool feeling - everything is feeling new again!

That's all for tonight - tomorrow is a lifting day. Oh, and I'm going out with some out-of-state friends tomorrow for dinner. I will be having salmon and steamed veggies. No other eating allowed!

The Day Is Here!

Today was my first day in LLE. Not much new and exciting happened. The first couple of weeks deals mostly with getting better acquainted with the Club. I feel pretty confident there so I'm just going to continue to clear my To Do List and trying to better myself.

I've had a huge calorie expenditure day and must admit that I gave in to some poor thinking and some poor eating. The food itself wasn't "bad" but my meals weren't according to my plan. It was more carbs than I should have consumed. I made some good choices though. My lunch was eaten in a restaurant but was very healthy and when we went out tonight, the family had some ice cream but I stayed away. Overall, I'm OK with the day. I have a lot of room for improvement but that is ultimately what this is all about - improving each day in thoughts and deeds.

Tomorrow is the Big Day!

Tomorrow I start my LLE 1.0 program! I have been chomping at the bit for the past week. I'm really excited to start this journey. I don't really know what to expect but I'm really looking forward to jumping in with both feet.

I've also started reading a very good book. It is called What To Say When You Talk to Your Self by Shad Helmstetter, Ph.D. It deals with using positive selt-talk. It is a step beyond positive thinking. The basic idea is that not only do you need to eliminate the negative behaviors and attitudes but because that then leaves a void you need to make sure you fill it with positive self-talk, behavior and attitudes. That is very simplified so I would highly recommend the book to all. It has already made me aware of many things that I was doing that I now know need to stop.

Things have been going really well the past week. My exercise has stayed steady and my whole mindset about my nutrition is different. There have been time, during the past week, where I've heard myself saying: "You have a few days before LLE starts, go ahead and have some junk!" That, my friends, is the feast beast talking!! Normally, I would have given in to that voice but not this week - I've actually kept that beast under wraps and have reduced my weight to 150 (started at 154).

I will update what my first day is like tomorrow.

I'm Taking a VERY Important Step!

I've been a part of Club Lifestyle for a number of years now and I truly believe it is the best and most comprehensive program out there, for the transformationist - hands down! Within the Club, Coach has some pretty intense programs that you can participate in and get extra, specialized attention. You can participate in a Bootcamp or become an Elite member. These 2 programs have been a dream of mine but to be completely honest, I couldn't afford them. I know that they are worth every penny that Coach charges and that if you compared the services and expertise that you got it is actually a "steal". However, the costs were simply outside of our family budget.

Now for the AWESOME news. Coach has created a program called Leanness Lifestyle Evolution (LLE 1.0) and I have officially signed up. I'm not going to be working with Coach Dave but we have a number of other absolutely wonderful coaches in the Club. I am so excited to be getting the chance to learn about all the missing pieces and to be pushed to my absolute best. I've had some interesting conversations with Coach Dave over the past couple of days. It can be a touch grating at times but I really do love the way he just lays it out there and doesn't worry about "hurting your feelings" - don't get me wrong, he isn't hurtful, he just puts out an objective opinion. That can be really hard to hear but so very important.

I've actually been doing pretty well this week. I believe I started at 155# on Sunday and I'm now down to 151.5#. Must of this early weight loss is fluid and I know that but I was struggling so much for so long that it's just nice to see the numbers moving in the right direction. I think the better eating and the resistance training is paying off. Today's trail run (very hilly) felt really pretty easy. I led the group most of the 7 miles but did slow down a bit to back track to some of the other runners that were struggling on a particularly tough hill. I even had a couple of runners today mention how great I did. I don't need the praise but it is nice to hear.

Tomorrow's workout will be interval training. I'm very interested to see how that goes. I'm really looking forward to fast times and strong running as my nutrition improves and my training progresses. I honestly feel that with everything I'm going to learn in my class, the weight I'm going to lose and the training (and better nutrition) I'm going to put in - I WILL qualify for Boston on October 12th at the Steamtown Marathon!

I Have Taken Action!

It is time to get this extra weight off! My first step was to come up with a leverage - something that I give to someone else to "hold". If I make my goal then I get it back and if I don't make my goal then I lose it. I'm not usually very good at coming up with effective leverages but I've chosen cash. I have given my husband $60 to hold as my leverage. That amount my not seem like a lot but it is 30% of my monthly spending money so it will be a substantial hit to me if I lose it. My goal is to lose 6 pounds by July 31st.

When I reach this goal I will then set a weight lose goal for August and add another $60 to the pot. Yes, that's right! In August, if I do not make my goal I will lose $120! I am determined to get my weight down for Steamtown and for my health!

I've also come up with a mantra for myself: Better lifestyle; Better life! I know that it is time to view this whole process differently. I feel like I'm still working on this like it is a "diet" - something I'm going to do for a set period of time and then stop. I need to change that point of view and consider this a lifestyle!

Today I ran 5 miles, at a nice quick pace (8:24 m/m) and then started the Afterburn lifting program. The Afterburn program is very challenging and I think it will really help my running as well! I started with 2 sets of the exercises and my whole body was pretty shaky when I was finished. In addition, I can already feel that I'm going to be a touch sore tomorrow - I Love That Feeling after a good lifting session!

I'm very pleased with the way today has gone. My husband and I went to some outlets today (actually got some Christmas presents bought) which meant that lunch was eaten out. I had a nice salad with some chicken and some Asian-sesame dressing. Dinner was here at home and I did well with controlling any "trolling". I am excited to see if I have a weight drop in the morning. I also took the step today of taking some body measurements. Both circumferences and a 1 site skinfold. I will take these measurements on a regular basis to make sure my efforts are progressing me forward.

Day 1 is over and it has been very successful!

Commitment and other ramblings

Let me start by saying that some of this may ramble and go off in who-knows-what direction so please bear with me.

What is Commitment?

1. To be responsible for.
2. To entrust; consign.
3. To place officially in custody, a confinement.
4. To pledge or obligate (oneself). This is the definition I am concerned with!

I have come to realize that commitment is something I have trouble with. That is......commitment to myself!

I recently listened to an interview with Curt King on the LL Blog Site. It really seemed to describe what I've been going through and I highly recommend you listen to it. He has made an amazing transformation and is reaping the benefits of all his hard work. It is where I want to be!

My goals are to run a 3:50 marathon at Steamtown (this would qualify me for Boston) and to weigh 135# while doing it. I am currently 155# and I honestly don't feel like I will be able to accomplish my race goal at my current weight. Yet, I can't seem to avoid eating those crappy carbs.

I'm running 30-35 miles per week and trying to do resistance training 2-3 times per week. And yet my weight continues to rise. There is a saying at Club Lifestyle: "You can not out run what you can potentially eat." I am living proof of that statement!

I have gotten myself to a weight that is uncomfortable. I feel bloated and my clothes don't fit. You would think all these factors together would be enough to get me back in the groove. However, that hasn't happened yet. This led me to the conclusion that I just have trouble making and keeping a commitment to myself. Is that nuts or what?!

I'll be honest - I don't have a solution to my problem and I feel like I'm in a very dangerous place. I'm standing on the proverbial fence. One side has me back on track - exercising hard and eating correctly. The other side has me saying "Who gives a f#@* - this is too dang hard and it isn't worth it!"

The other thing I don't understand is the fact that I honestly feel that fitness is a passion for me. But, if it is such a passion, why do I have trouble putting all the different aspects together? I truly want to get to a point where I view food as a fuel, which would allow me to say no when food is offered and it's not the correct time or food.

I don't have a great end for this post. I would love to be able to say that writing this has made things crystal clear and I now know what road I will take and how I'm going to get there. Unfortunately, I can't. I know what side of the fence I want to be on - I just don't know how to get there. Or, maybe I'm afraid to go there. Not sure why I'd be afraid of being healthier and looking better but on some level I'm sure it's there.

I don't know how many people actually read this blog but I would love to hear your comments. I also sincerely hope that this post could, in some way, help at least 1 person out there. It is worth it to strive for your best. It is hard but I have to believe that I will come out a better person physically, mentally and spiritually if I honor myself by committing to not only myself but also to a proven program. Leanness Lifestyle is that program! It's not easy but if you commit to it 100% it will take you farther than you could ever dream.

I'm going to take that first step right now - anybody want to join me?

Cool Video

I found this video on You Tube and thought some of the exercises were really cool. I want to try the hamstring curl exercise he does on the plates!

First camera pictures

Here are the first 3 pictures. The first one is my son Will, the second one is of my daughter Ally & the last one is of me (my son took a picture just as I started to speak - hence the squinty eyes & funny smile) & my first baby Boomer.

Have a great day!

Birthday Pictures

Here is a picture of the camera that I got for my birthday! It is awesome and I love it! I will post the first couple of pictures that we took with the camera.

I've been doing much better with my nutrition and fitness programs over the past couple of days. It isn't much but I was able to drop 1/2 a pound. I'm also going to try a little visual incentive program with myself. I'm going to put a sticker on the calendar every time I have a successful day. Note, that it doesn't have to be a "perfect" day - I'm trying to get out of my all-or-none mentality and move toward a lifestyle.

Today's run was difficult because of the humidity. We have been in a pretty bad heat wave over the past week or so. It was nice for the kids swim lessons though - the hot temps and heated up the pool water nicely so that it is refreshing but not freezing! Speaking of swim lessons, the kids did well yesterday. Will struggled a touch because of his lack of confidence and I was actually nervous that they might try to move him down a group but he made it through yesterday and then we worked on some things when we stayed afterwards. He seems to be gaining confidence so I'm happy. Ally is her normal fish self and did great!

Off to get some work done before swim lessons!

The Day Has Come!

I'm officially 40!

It has been a really fun day. Early this morning, the kids and I loaded the dog in the car and went to the park. There is a pond there where you can let the dog off the leash and let him run and swim. My dog is 11 years old so he isn't as spry as he used to be. However, he did get in the water and retrieve some sticks (he's a choc. lab btw) and ran around with an obviously much younger dog. We all then did a little bit of walking on the trails and then came home.

In the afternoon, some of the kids friends came over and we ended up playing hide-n-go-seek and then we got the bubble machine out and chased bubbles. The whole afternoon was just a blast!

Then my hubby took us out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. I ate way too much but it was delicious! After dinner they gave me my totally fabulous present - I got a digital camera! I will post more about the camera in my next post. I'm still trying to figure it all out and the battery is charging. I can't wait to take my first picture!

Gotta run!

Not so good lately!

Talking about my food intake - I am making poor food choices AND eating way too much of it! The worst part (to me) is that as I make those poor choices, I'm conscious of what I'm doing and pretty much say f*** it and go ahead with an action that I KNOW I should stop dead in it's tracks. An action that I KNOW will make me feel worse afterwards. How utterly messed up is that?

On a positive note, my exercising has been going well. I've done 3 lifting sessions this week and have had some pretty good runs. However, I must keep reminding myself of something that Coach Dave says:

You can not outrun poor nutrition choices!

It is so true! I could run and lift for hours and hours every week (OK, I already do) and if I continue to eat crappy food and make crappy choices - I will continue to gain weight and not lose it, no matter how much I'm exercising!!!!!!

A friend from LL is having a "Junkless June" competition with 25 of her relatives. Each person writes down 3 thing that they feel will be difficult to live without for the next 30 days and then everyone much avoid every item on the list. Every "cheat" costs you $5 and if you drop out you owe $20. I thought this was a great idea and asked my parents if they wanted to join me in a similar competition. I will also ask my dh but I have a feeling he is going to say no - but it can't hurt to ask.

Off to do some chores around the house - until next time!

Saturday 5/24/08

I read something totally awesome on the LL website. The post was about putting a face to your Beast. What is the Beast you ask? The Beast is that little voice inside you that tells you: "go ahead and eat that crappy food - you've had a hard day and you deserve it!" I give into that Beast WAY TOO OFTEN!

Anyway, back to the post: it talks about how Coach David talks about putting a face to the Beast so that you have a picture in your mind when it calls. To me, that makes the Beast become concrete - something I can actually fight against - not an abstract concept that I just can't truly grasp. The person posting put a co-workers face to her Beast and obviously found motivation galore!

What does your Beast look like? I definitely have a face to mine now!!!

I had a great workout this morning! Got out and hit the trails first thing. If felt great to be back out there again. It was really tough but the weather was beautiful and the sunrise - awesome! We saw deer, squirrels, herons and rabbits. Part of the run was along a creek so we had the sun shining off the water and the wonderful sound of running water.

The run itself was slow and easy - most of us are either recovering from races last weekend or illnesses. We ran a touch over 7 miles and did it in a little under 1:30. I really didn't care how fast we went I just needed to get back out onto those trails. We are heading back out tomorrow too!

Nutrition has been good so far also. I stayed away from the donuts the kids had this morning and from the fries at lunch. I will also keep the rest of the day clean because my Beast now has a face and I WON'T let that face win!!!

Race Results and a Long Week

This past Sunday was the Bell Supply 10 Miler that I've been training for. Last year I ran it in 1:16:00 and placed 3rd in my age group. Over the past year, I have logged many "slow" miles and not many "fast" ones. I've also put on probably a good 10 pounds. However, I still had a goal of running this year's race in a faster time and moving up in my age group win. Well, I'm proud to say that 1 of those goals was achieved and I came really close to the other one. I was unable to run the 10 miles in a faster time but I was able to complete it in 1:18:10. Even though I didn't reach my goal, I'm thrilled with the time. I left it all out on the course and I honestly don't think I would have been able to go any faster than I did!

The goal I did achieve: I was able to move up a place in my age group and ended up with a 2nd place trophy (see above). They are cute little bobble head trophies! I was also the 4th woman to finish and 23rd overall finisher.

The busy/long week stems from the fact that it is our last week of school with the kids. So, there are programs, trips, picnics and report cards. I still need to go in next week and clean up the room and take things off the walls and those sorts of things but at least there aren't any after hours planning etc. I'm really looking forward to having the summer off so that I can get my head straight. It has been a challenging year with my co-teacher and I'm looking forward to moving on to something new!

I have also been maintaining my running. I've been able to get in 1 lifting session (still need to finish 2 more by Sunday) and I've gone out for 2 runs. My legs were still pretty tight and tired on Tuesday but felt much better today. I'm hoping to get out for 5 miles tomorrow.

Time flies when your blogging.....off to our school picnic!

Sunday 5/11/08

This was a really great weekend!

Saturday looked like it was going to be an awful day because of an insane schedule. We were supposed to have soccer pictures, soccer games and a birthday party that my dd was going to. As it turned out, the rain we've had lately cancelled the pics and the games which lightened the load tremendously. Instead of running around all day long, we actually got a chance to sit and relax. The birthday party was also good because it turned out to be a drop-off type party. So, instead of sitting in a bowling alley for 3 hours I was able to go home and relax - again. That never happens!!!

My workout was also good on Saturday. Because of the supposed insane day, I stayed at home and ran (1 less hassle). I was able to cover 8 miles in a little over an hour. Today's workout was also good. I met Cathy and we ran 10.6 miles in about 1:41:00. Not real fast but not real slow. Overall a good weekend of running! Next Sunday is my 10 miler and I really want to try and beat my time from last year so I probably won't run on Saturday. My schedule is also up in the air for this week because dh will be working some more overtime and the weather forecast is a bit iffy.

I also had a great Mother's Day! My dd tried to give me breakfast in bed - unfortunately, she put cereal in a bowl (with the milk) at about 6 am and I didn't get home until about 7:45 am. Needless to say, it was a bit soggy! However, I loved the thought and the effort. The kids made me some beautiful crafts and my dh bought me some Techwick running shirts - love that material. It's from EMS at it is absolutely awesome!

Total Different Topic!
I was reading a post by IronWil and she posted something right on the mark for me. Here is a section from her post:

I'm learning that habits, good or bad, are pretty powerful things. They're so powerful in fact, I've recently come to admit that some of mine have involved behaviors I didn't even enjoy, but simply felt compelled to repeat regardless of knowing I'd just feel like crap in the end. From oversleeping to letting people regularly waste my time, my actions and interactions weren't benefiting me at all, and I only felt regret and anger with myself for allowing them to continue. Problem was, however, I didn't know how to make myself stop.

I spent a lot of time and energy trying to find the big cause... that subconscious, psychological need now manifesting itself as said habits, but you know what? I finally just woke up and realized they were all just simple practiced actions, and like all animals, I'd been trained.

The comments that I've put in bold really jumped out at me. Many of my poor food choices are just unhelpful habits that I have felt compelled to repeat over and over again. I then also go through that painful experience of trying to figure out "WHY" I do these things to myself. I think I really just need to start "sucking-it-up" and work on breaking those habits. I know it won't be easy but as they say: It takes 2 weeks to form a new habit. I need to start working on those new habits right away!

Triple Crown Race Report and other stuff

I'll admit it - I'm not going to get a race report typed in here. I am mentally and physically worn down from work and it just isn't worth trying to get it typed. Suffice it to say, I had an awesome time and I honestly believe that I WILL do it again next year. The official results are in:

Finish time: 5:51:46
87th Overall finisher
13th Female finisher
3rd in my age group (30-39)

I am thrilled with the results especially knowing that I walked a number of miles with a friend who was struggling. I could have had a better time but friends and safety are (and always will be) much more important!

This week has been crazy with work, kid activities and hubby working OT. I haven't gotten in much running but it's probably a good thing because of all the other types of stress recently. I'm still hoping for a good showing at the Bell Supply Ten Miler on the 18th!

I had a rude awakening of sorts last night. We had a school function and I get my nice shorts out to put on and they were TIGHT! I know that I'm heavier than I would like to be but those shorts were pretty darn loose last summer. This has prompted me to get off my horse and set some goals (they aren't necessarily finished and polished but it's a start). My transformation goal is to get down to 130 and 19% body fat. I may not maintain that weight but I will get there! I still need to work on some intermediate goals but they will be up soon too.

Gotta go!

I'm Working on a Write-up

I have it written but it is taking a while for me to type it onto the computer. Short version: the race was awesome and I definitely want to do it again next year! I finished in 5:51:46 and made it through the river without difficulty. The only problem I had was a small blister on my right foot - it really wasn't a bad blister, it was just under my toe nail so that was a bit of a problem. The good part was that it didn't bother me until after the race so things were good.

I was able to run 3 time this week (Tues - Thurs), for a total of 13 miles, but then really crashed last night. I even started to get a sore throat. As a result, I'm running tomorrow (weather seems like it is going to cooperate more on Saturday than on Sunday) and taking Sunday off. Hopefully, the extra rest day will be enough to keep me healthy.

I'm hoping to get back into a lifting routine next week but will let my body tell me if it is ready. I also want to start performing track workouts and am hoping my friend Cathy will want to do them with me again!

That's all for now - will post that write-up when it's finished!

This is it!

Today is my first Trail Marathon! I've been looking forward to this race for a long time and I'm really excited that it is finally here. I will post a write-up as soon as I can.

Preparation for the marathon

I've done my last run before the race and I'm now trying to increase my carbs. I have to say that it isn't doing much for my weight loss goals. The good thing is that I know a lot of it is carbs and the water that goes along with it.

I want to make a public declaration: When this race is over, I WILL concentrate on my weight loss goals and I will lower my weight and my body composition. I will determine the specifics in the next couple of days.

Off to school!

Confession Time!

I have had a couple of days of: "I JUST DON'T CARE ANYMORE!" - speaking of weight loss and healthy living of course. There have been many factors contributing to this attitude and as a result I haven't been checking in here and I haven't been following a good program either. The only constant has been my running. I'm in my taper week so I ran 5 miles on Monday, 4 miles today and 4 more are on tap for tomorrow. After tomorrow, running will cease until the marathon on Saturday. I will admit that I have started each day with the best intentions but have given in to that inner brat each and every day. I'm writing about it now so that I can get the ship going in the right direction today!

Today has been going well. Here are my meals (actual and planned):
1. Fritatta
2. Smoothie
3. Crab & pasta salad with veggies
4. Veggies & cc dip (planned)
5. Buffalo steak, baked fries & salad (planned)
6. LL cheesecake (planned)

I will write again tonight to update today's results and plan for tomorrow.

Friday 4/18/08

Not much time but I did want to check in. Today wasn't a great day - started first thing when something wonky happened with my alarm and I overslept by an hour. Eating was only so-so and I never got my lifting in.

Tomorrow is my last long run before the marathon. I want to go at least 10 miles but that is going to depend on the people I'm running with. I won't run the trails alone so if they need to leave I will finish with whatever I have.

Gotta go - better planning tomorrow!