Does it Matter?

I have not lost any weight in 6 months. Oh sure up a couple pounds, down a couple pounds, but not real significant pounds on the scale. I have not lost inches either (gained some though :P). I have not been consistent with my food or my workouts, so really it is to be expected.

I have not been without accomplishments though. I have graduated college, gotten a job, and moved to New Orleans. Since being in New Orleans (almost 2 weeks now) I have worked out at least 4 if not 5 days a week. I have done strength training and gone running. I ran 4 miles today and met a couple people from a running group that meets at Audubon Park every Sunday evening to run. I am meeting up with them tomorrow. I am positive that I will be the slowest and heaviest runner there, but I will still go and hold my head up with pride.

Why? Because I am moving foward. I am making progress. My eating has been more on track, my workouts have become consistent. I am happy (with the exception of missing my hubby and my boys, but they will be joinging me down here in the next few months) and I am making friends and I am joinging groups of other like minded people.

Eventually I will most likely lose weight - actual weight - on the scale. I will likely go down inches, lose a couple dress sizes, and gain some decent muscle. If my runs remain consistent I will get faster. If my strength training remains consistent, and I keep pushing myself, I will get stronger. So eventually it will have to workout. And right now, as much as I would like to lose a large amount of body fat, I don't think it really matters that much. I am happier. I am healthier. I am doing the things I want to do with my life. And I think, in the long run (pun intended) that is what counts.

What do you think?

Still trudging along

Still here, still going, still Paleo...

Big News - I am finally a college graduate! Didn't think it would ever happen. Hopefully before too long I will also be able to report that I am employed as a teacher. For now I am trying to get my feet back under me.

I will be back again soon...

Failure

I am a failure. Ever have those days? When the negative thoughts in your head are so loud you can't concentrate on the fact that you are actually spectacular and awesome and feel like the biggest loser out there (please tell me it is not just me!).

My weight has stalled and stagnated again, and it is all my fault. Easter candy and jelly beans (man I love jelly beans) ripped into my mind and grabbed hold and I found myself buying and eating loads of candy. I did not run three days last week, or yesterday, or Monday... so my goal of 4 miles a day is falling flat. I am already not sure I will be able to get 4 miles in today. I have a speech presentation due tomorrow, a paper due tomorrow, an assignment that was due yesterday still to complete, plus classes the rest of the day today.

Plus, it is snowing, and with the cold my motivation is practically non existent. And I do not like my daycare anymore and do not want to take my boys down there. I have 2 hours until class and enough to do to fill 10 hours more. I just want to hide and avoid it all. I need the sun and the warm weather to come back. Maybe then I can find my happy thoughts again.

Goofy Plans

I have mentioned before that I want to do the "Goofy" in 2013 - Disney World Half Marathon on Saturday, followed by the full on Sunday in January 2013. And possible the 5K or 1M kids fun run with the Monkey, he loves to run with me :)

So I am going to train for long runs. No tempo runs, no track, no speed work - the thought leaves me cold. Just 4-5 days a week of hills with a long (1-2 hour) run on Saturday and an even longer (3-4) run on Sunday.

For April, my goal is 4 miles a day, every day. Some runs, lots of walking. May it will be 5 miles a day, with of course longer weekend distances. Some 5-10K races thrown in when I can find and afford them. June 6 miles... you can see the progression right? Every month I will increase the daily mileage to match the month. I will be going s l o w... to decrease injury, and building overall stamina and speed. And I will keep eating a Paleo-Primal diet. No grains, lots of meat, veg, fat, some fruit and the occasional sweet potato (most likely on long run days).

I reserve the right to adjust this when I need to, but right now, this plan makes me feel good.



I'm goofy, and next year, I'll have proof :)

Crazy

Am I crazy?  I feel crazy - well a little crazy. Warm spring weather brought back my desire to get outside and run. Of course when I saying "run" I don't even really mean run. I mean, not in the sense of being able to go fast or keep a pace or do tempos runs or speed work or anything. I mean, push the boys (each kid 35+lbs, stroller at least 30lbs...) up and down hills (all I got around here) for as long as I can without them trying to make me crazy (er).

I am going to run the Goofy challenge at Disney World next January. A half marathon on Saturday, and the full marathon on Sunday. It sounds nuts, running 39.3 over 2 days, but I feel like I can do it. So I am going to train with that in mind. My goal for running will be a medium long run on Saturday with a Long long run on Sunday.

I have crazier dreams too, but I am not ready to lay them out just yet.

Kettlebells and Cold Baths

Okay, so I don't want to brag or anything, but I am looking hot lately. Like super hawt :) I have energy galore, I don't want to pass out and fall asleep in the middle of the day (as long as I avoid dairy) and I am running again - and I am going to do my first half marathon in 6 weeks. :)

But back to becoming a rock star paleo running mom. Kettlebells. Kettlebells are awesome! My neighbor and I have been doing them for about a week now, and I can see some toning benefits in my lower body. I need to make them heavier (I made my own kettlebell so I could adjust the weight) to get more out of the upper body, but this is just the best workout. 8-12 minutes and I am done with strength training. Another 20-40 for a good walk/run and I have hit all my fitness goals for the day.

And my upper body is losing fat. My weight really hasn't changed it is staying steady at about 249+-1lb, but I can almost see my overall body fat percentage dropping, so I know that the weight will eventually have to follow. Right now I am doing my best not to freak about it, keep eating my healthy Paleo-Primal diet, and enjoying the want/need/desire to move and be active again.

Overwhelmed by Information

I have been lifting weights since I was 15 years old. Way before it was "cool" or even very common for women to lift anything heavier than a vinyl covered 3lb dumbbell. I have tried every variation of every program there has ever been - I think almost literally. I have lifted light weights for a ridiculous amount of reps. I have lifted heavy weights for 6-8 reps. I have done body weight, I have done free weights, I have done machines. And I feel like I have never really made real progress. I admit I have had issues sticking with stuff sometimes. But when months of consistent and ridiculously hard work have yielded little visible results, it gets harder and harder to keep going.

Starting my Leptin Rx six weeks ago the program meant no working out. My muscles are/were sugar burners, not fat burners. I need to work on changing my brain chemistry and body chemistry so that I burn fat. Now that I have meet most of the change requirements, I am ready to start getting back into exercise. And I feel a little mental pressure in that I am getting some interest from schools out of state to teach next year. I want to be in the best shape of my life when I start teaching in 5-6 months. So I am trying to figure out a program that with 6 months of hard dedicated work will yield some visible results. I just don't know what to do anymore. One of the Beachbody programs I already have? Something cobbled together from my fitness magazines? Something from one of the countless exercise books I have? Something from any number of DVD programs? I just don't know anymore. I love lifting weights, I feel strong when I do it, but I feel like I need some structure, and my brain just isn't up to figuring it out right now. Part of me thinks I should do a program I have that is laid out for 90 days so I don't have to think about it, but I get so bored... I don't want to start the same program I have started and never made it past 2 weeks again... I haven't even watched most of the workouts because I never get that far in the program...

I just feel a little hopeless and confused right now (as well as extra fat and out of shape today). I need to do something, but what?