21 day challenge

My bootcamp started a no junk June challenge which is essentially how I got started losing my weight in January. To date I have lost 76 pounds (60 since jan). Well I am about 18 days late in starting.....so I'm starting today! I haven't done terribly the past few weeks errr month...I just haven't been as strict as I was in the beginning. I'm hoping by keeping a strict and compliant diet and work out schedule I can lose 10 or so pounds by July 13. So for the next 21 days I'll be posting short updates each day with what I ate, and how much workouts I did. Today.... Ran at 5:30, 2 miles Bootcamp 5:30-6:30 Atkins shake for breakfast Atkins shake for lunch Bandanna for snack Awesome chicken with cheese, squash/onions and tomatoes, black beans, white rice Few handfuls of emeralds coco roasted almonds. Btw I was on vacation last week and bootcamp kicked my booty tonight!

More than half way there!

I have been on my weight loss journey for 20 years......but only been serious about it for 9 months!! In those short 9 months working out has become my passion, my habit and helped me to keep my sanity! I love the change I see in myself and can't imagine any other direction I would rather be taking my life. [insert drumroll] Yesterday I had a weigh in at bootcamp and I have lost 73 pounds and 36"!!!!!! In 9 months!!!!! I never thought I would see this day...and I am so proud of the way I did it...no pills just hard work! This Sunday I have the 11.5 mile run that I have been training for....the weather seems to be pretty cool,this weekend which is awesome! I was doing the snow and rain dance for the last week!!!! It's going to be difficult buti think I can do it...at least we shall see!!!!!!

Training

I have about 2 weeks left until I run the Navy Nautical Mile race, which is 11.5 miles. That will be the longest distance I have ever run..I was so nervous about signing up and committing myself to that long of a race! I have been training for it for the last month. I don't have as much time as I would like to have but I'm able to dedicate 1-2 days a week to running and one of those days has been distance. I started about 4 weeks ago at 6 miles, then Rogresed for 2 weeks to 7.5 miles and this past weekend I did 9.5 miles It took me 2 hrs and 35 minutes and I burned 1800 calories (thanks bodybugg for keeping track!). The course I'm training on is pretty much all Jill's and is gravel so it's definitely a trail run. 9.5 miles wiped me out....it was hard and I wanted to do 10 but I couldnt drag myself the last 1/2 a mile! I had my daughter pick me up in the golf cart! I am doing the zoom through the zoo on Thursday night, which is 4 miles, then I will do some running this weekend....but I don't think it wil be 10 miles.....sometimes my personal life gets in the way!!!! Lol I'm currently at a 69 pound loss! Looking forward to the next 50!!!!

Keep Runnin...Runnin and Runnin!

Was a gorgeous cool, rainy day here in Olive Branch today. It was a fantastic day for a run! Today was the Olive Branch MayFest 5K run. I was ready to redeem myself. The last few races have not improved my time! So today I was determined to give my all and push harder than I have before. The funny thing about pushing yourself....I seem to never think I gave my all. I always think back and say maybe I could have ran more in that stretch or maybe I could have done better on the hills. But I think that's just normal! I think I will always want to improve...that's how we grow and conquer more goals and dreams. Today was a great day! My best 5k time so far has been 42:27 and today I did it! (insert drum roll)....my time was 39:23! That's 3 minutes and 4 second improvement! I guess the last few weeks of running distances has really helped me! I am so excited! Its not a time that will win me any awards but it's a major accomplishment for me!! I don't really have any time goals in mind...but I'd like to at some point be able to do a 5k in 36 minutes. If it takes me 2 years to do that...then I will be jumping up and down at the finish line!!!! I have 2 weeks left until we run the Navy 10 Nautical Mile race in Millington, TN. I'm going to do some more distance training over the next few weeks. I really hope it rains it's butt off that day....snow in June? Maybe that's a reach!

Wash that April right outta my hair!!!

April was a difficult month! I lost both my dad and my grandmother in April this year. Both of their deaths were difficult and happened just a few days apart. Needless to say I wasn't on track or as focused for a few weeks....but I still managed to get my work outs in....eat right most days nd even participated in a few 5k races. I don't intend this blog post to be a remanifistation of my feelings....I'll just say it was the hardest things I have ever been through/ am going through and I am working everyday to sty focused and begin moving on. WARRIOR DASH!!!! I had the warrior dash race in Jackson, MS planned for nearly 6 months with 2 friends and my son. We went! We had a blast going through the obstacles, running and falling in mud (even if that last part was only me)!!!! It was a pretty chilly day....but running the race.....made even that cold frigid water feel great!!!! Byhalia 5k This past Saturday me and a lot of my boot camp pals ran in the Byhalia, ms 5k and it was fun.....errrrrrr ......being honest it was HOT and HILLY!!!! But I placed 18th. Lol out of about 50. My time was 45. Remember I'm not a runner.....I'm a finisher!!!!! Today my friend tonya and my daughter Briley (7) went to the Shelby farms Green Line trail and ran/walked about 7.5 miles. We are preparing for the Navy, 10 Nautical mile race (11.5 land miles) that's to be held on the sweltering, June 3rd! I hope I can finish in under 4 hours! It will be hard and very hot!!! We are praying for the rain god to shower us that day! We want a torrential down pour!!!! ....well I do! Zoom Through The Zoo Two friends and I are running in the local zoo 4 mile run on the 24 th of this month....i That should be fun....I'm looking forward to that! Planning: Green Mile 1/2 and St.Jude 1/2 Still doing the bootcamp everyday...but planning to try and work in a mile or 2 run before work a few days per week.....just need to increase my calorie burn. In the last month I have lost about 7-8 pds..... Onside ring the month of April....I'll take it! Watch out May....I have a biggest loser contest to win! Hey.....for a non runner I sure am doing a lot of races! Till next time....aim at your goals, take action and just get up and move! Happy early Mothers Day!

Ketchup......not on my approved food list!

I guess I should "ketchup" my blog....cause I have not posted in almost a month!

I finished my busy travel schedule for work and all in all I'd say I did pretty good! I didn't gain any weight...and I lost I think 10 pounds in the last 30 days. Starting today I'm going to startwriting my weight down everyday! It is getting so hard to keep dates and losses in my head! I'm planning to hang a sheet of paper above my scale and just write it everyday!

So for the last 6-7 weeks I have been haunted by bad weekends! Every weekend I would gain 2 pds on sat morning and maybe a pound on Sunday then I'd loose it around Tuesday and show another positive pound or 2 by Friday. Those weekends were so annoying! I don't know what was causing it but my inactivity or reduced activity was probably a good cause.

I seemed to have beat that weekend curse as of about 2 weeks ago. I didn't really do anything differently on Fridays except really watch the calories and sugar I am consuming. But I'm now working out on Saturday or sunday or maybe both days! I have really gotten into running since the beginning of the year. I'm not a fast runner....or a long distance runner....but I am a beginner...and I'm trying to really learn how to be a good runner. I have a friend that I am running with on the weekends. She is training for a full marathon and I'm training just to train...but I do plan to run 2 half marathons at the end of the year this year. Wish me luck!!!!

Soooo my big update is that I have lost a total of 60 pounds!!!!! I'm so excited about it...it's totally driving me to continue and see what I can do this summer! I set a goal at the beginning of march to lose 40 pounds by sept. now I only have 30 pounds to lose..to hit that goal, but I want to lose 78 more pounds in total by April 2013.

A few weeks ago I cleaned out my closet....I mean I really cleaned out my closet. I pulled out like 45 pair of pants, probably double in shirts, 13 shorts, suits, dresses, jackets,etc. it took up 3 rooms in my house. I put an ad on Craigslist and sold all my cloths! That was a scary moment when someone walked out with my clothes leaving me 1 or 2 outfits! Yikes! Terrifying moment!!!!!!

Well I went shopping last weekend and ended up being able to shop In a store that I have never been able to shop in ( well in years) and buying sizes I haven't worn in over 10 years!!! Was an amazing feeling to pick something up....try it on and it fit!!!!!

Well this week I'm back to my regular Workout schedule and I have a 5k scheduled for this Saturday ....actually I'm registered for 4 more races through the end of may...but I'll actually probably do 5-7.

I'm turning 36 in a few weeks and I'm actually looking forward to what this year will bring! My life has been transformed in the past 8 months!

....my daughter won 5th place at her very first dance competition!!! Her group got platinum in her category!!!!

....if you want to change your life....then make the decision...start small..and don't except excuses from yourself!

Been about 2 weeks since I have blogged and my life has been a F4!!!

I have an assignment at work that has required me to travel several days a week for 6 weeks....I'm half way through the assignment and I'm looking forward to it being over!!! It's hard to maintain a good workout schedule and make good food choices when your away from home. I could so easily go to bed early with some Bon bons and watch uninterrupted tv!

But I don't.....

Rewind to last weekend.....

I ran my first official 5k race!

It was fun and I did pretty good. I don't know that I'll ever say anything I did was great bc ...there's always something more I could have done. I did the race in 42 minutes....I think my placement was 111 out of 150 or 160 racers.

Today I am going to run another one. I'd love to reduce my time....at least 1 or 2 minutes. It's going to be raining today.....I don't know how much it will slow me down....but I bet it will reduce the # of runners.....which will hopefully not push me to the back of the times!!!!


I just don't want to be last!!!!!

Yesterday I ran almost a full mile without stopping! I'll keep working at it. I can't wai to see what I can do in a year. At the track I'm making quarter mile laps at about 3 minutes at a steady jog/ run pace.

My weight loss now is 45 pounds....for some reason it's slowed down....I'm sure work schedule is to blame....but a pound is a pound and I'll take it!