2 weeks of focus

Wow, it's been a long time! So much has happened since I last got my thoughts down that I'm not sure where to start! These last few months have flown by but now that life is settling down I figured it was time to step up the blogging again. Blogging has always helped me focus. Even though I don't really have "followers" or even strive to get any, the act itself is a great self reflection. The people that do read and comment also help hold me accountable, and it is always fun to look back on this entire journey and see how far I've come :) This is going to be a lifelong journey for me so I am really going to try to keep this up!

Since my last post we've became puppy parents, I have started a full time job, and I FINISHED MY FIRST HALF MARATHON!  I'm not sure why I didn't write about that... maybe because it still doesn't seem real, but I did it :)

After the 1/2 marathon I took a good break, and since then have struggled to get back to anything on a consistent basis. I've done a few rounds of beachbody workouts, a run here or there but have done a horrible job sticking to any meal plan. Life was pretty crazy and I needed a mental break, but now it's time to get going again and it's not proving easy. 

These next two weeks I'm going to focus on getting my mindset back. I'm not following a specific meal plan or counting anything, but I really want to ask myself what I'm putting in my body. If I can ask the question "Is this good for me?" , actually answer it, and THEN decide if I want it, I'll be moving in the right direction. Why these next two weeks? The hubby is out of town. I have free reign to stock my fridge with all the rabbit food I want :) 

Happy Saturday!

~Sarah 

My first 10k!

I know it's been a while since I've checked in with my running goals, but I promise there will be a 1/2 marathon update soon! Last weekend I accomplished a huge running goal of mine by completing my first 10k! The day was just so amazing I need to make sure I get everything down before I forget :)

Leading up to the race
The last few days leading up to the race I was pretty nervous. I had just started the 21 day fix workouts and meal plan (which I love by the way) so I was pretty sore. Leg day ended up being skipped so I could feel fully recovered before my race.  One of my biggest concerns was that I  hadn't trained enough. To be honest, the first few weeks of half marathon training were going GREAT until I started my long term sub job. After that my workouts were sporadic at best, hence the lack of organized training posts. The weather also wasn't in my favor. The below freezing temps and FEET of snow meant the majority of my training runs were done on the treadmill. However, I was really feeling good when I did get around to my runs so that did give me some confidence. As the date got closer I started to make my race plans. I knew I could run at least 5 miles because I did that during one of my training runs, so I wasn't going to allow myself to walk until that point. I told myself if I needed a break at mile 5 to take it and not be disappointed that I didn't run the whole thing.

The day of 
I woke Micah up at 5:30 (with much difficulty) and we were on the road by 6am. I had my bags packed the night before so the only thing I had to focus on was grabbing my breakfast and getting my husband moving. My breakfast consisted of coffee, 1/2 banana, and Ezekiel toast with almond butter. Soon enough we were on the road towards Marquette, which was a little over 2 hours away.

We arrived at the Marquette YMCA where I picked up my shirt and race bib. I was SUPER stoked to find out that my race bib happened to be my birthday. Since I'm born on St. Patty's day that had to be a good luck sign right?! I got dressed and decided to throw on the event shirt on top of my planned outfit because at that time it was only around 34 degrees. The hubby and I walked around a bit while I made sure everything was exactly the way I wanted it.

It begins! 
It was still super cold when we lined up and I quickly was grateful for that extra layer. I hate running with gloves but the event shirt long enough to pull over my hands while we were waiting. Then we were off!

The first mile was great. I found my groove and finally started to warm up. Then I saw that mile two was on (muddy) grass. Holy crap was that hard!!!! I hadn't really done any grass running before and it was a struggle. I started to doubt weather I could make it to my 5 mile goal at that point.

At the end of the grass section Micah was actually waiting there for me to cheer me on! He set up GPS tracking on my phone before the race so he could follow my progress the whole time. The combination of seeing him + moving back to pavement gave me the willpower to keep pushing though. The next mile or so was just enjoyable (<--- did I really use that word?!). The sun was out and I was running along Lake Superior which was just gorgeous. I took this time for some prayer. I didn't realize how much was on my heart and the next few miles just flew by.

Before I knew it I was on the grass section again (it was an out and back course) and I snapped back into reality. I just hit the 5 mile point where I told myself I was allowed to walk, but I hated that grass SO MUCH! I convinced myself that I had to keep running to get out of it faster. Somehow that mental game worked because I made it out and was headed towards the finish!

I completed my first 10k and ran the whole time!!! I finished with a time of 1:23 which, considering my PR for the 5k is 40 minutes, I was quite happy with. **you don't have to be fast to run, you compete against yourself!

After celebrations! 
Right after the run I wasn't quite ready to eat yet, so I made Micah take me to PetSmart where we miraculously didn't purchase anything. Then we headed out to lunch at Buffalo Wild Wings where I had a Southwest grilled chicken wrap. It was a beautiful day so we ended up exploring around Marquette for a while. First we went waterfalling and found this beauty

I was still pretty good at this point so we went to another Marquette favorite and hiked up Sugarloaf mountain! The view was AMAZING but at this point my legs decided they were done :) It was totally worth it ! 

We ended this near perfect day with some Froyo and a very sleepy ride back home listening to Harry Potter on audio book!

Thank you everybody for all your encouragement and well wishes! Next race is my 1/2 marathon in Eagle River, WI! Eeek!!

Indoor Triathlon

When my student gym membership at Michigan Tech expired I went back and forth for quite a long time whether I should renew my membership there or go with the small town local gym 0.4 miles from my house. Even though the local gym was more expensive, I am SO glad that ended up being my choice! It really feels like home :-) Not only am I getting to know my neighbors, but I'm also getting lots of personalized tips and attention from the trainers, AND they do these awesome challenges to motivate us such as the Indoor Yooper Triathlon!

This challenge just wrapped up a few days ago and lasted for around a month. In the beginning we got to choose what level of  'Yooper' we were and then complete the required number of minutes required for running (treadmill), biking, and hiking (elliptical or stair-master). I chose the 'Super Yooper' category so I had to do 380 minutes of running, 360 biking, and 340 hiking. Since I finished my challenge I now get put into a drawing for a prize. Isn't that fun or what??

Half marathon training week 3!

Oh goodness I am waaaay behind on getting this up! I have also fallen slightly behind in my training, but I'm not stressing too much over it. It's this darn cold! I'm really hoping the temps will stabilize above zero soon so I can attempt these long runs outside. This third week of training was particularly difficult because the long run was actually long!

Another exciting thing is that I found a 10K to run on the exact day my training plan wants me to do one! It was at this race last year where I PRed my 5K time. It was a beautiful flat course along lake superior so I'm totally excited to get back there again!

Week 3

Day 1: Cross training - 40 minutes on the stationary bike

Day 2: Easy run
-Run, easy pace, 35 minutes
-Cool down, 5-10 minutes
-stretch

Day 3: Cross training - Mid-week body blast class!

Day 4:  Intervals - Ended up doing my runs at 6.0 mph (fast for me!) then walking for my recovery
-Warm up, 10 minutes
- Run, threshold pace, 2 minutes, recovery run, 1 minute. Repeat 5 times.
-Cool down, 5-10 minutes
-stretch

Day 5: Rest day

Day 6: Cross training - My beloved elliptical while watching Grey's Anatomy <3

Day 7: Long run - This left me WIPED! It really felt like a huge jump in the training plan but I guess I'm used to the C25K. I can say that I felt SOOOO accomplished when I finished it though!
- Walk, brisk pace, 10 minutes
- Run, easy pace, 30 minutes
- Walk, brisk pace, 5 minutes
- Run, easy pace, 30 minutes
- Walk, brisk pace, 10 minutes
-Cool down, 5-10 minutes
-stretch

In other news, this book is great! If you're looking for a good laugh I'd highly suggest it :)

Have a great weekend!
~Sarah

Half marathon training week 2!

Hi friends!

Thank you all so much for your encouragement with my week 1 post! Week 2 also went well, but I'm starting to realize how difficult this is going to become when I start my long term sub position at the end of this month. I simply have NO motivation to workout after I get home from school. The question is will I hate working out after school or early in the morning more. Time will tell!

The 2nd week:

Day 1: Cross training - 40 minutes! I did about 30 minutes on the elliptical and then some lifting. 

Day 2: Easy run + body weight exercises 

-Run, easy pace, 30 minutes 

- Cool down, 5-10 minutes

- Stretch 

- Squats, push-ups, lunges, plank

Day 3: Cross training - I tried out a total body fitness class. By far one the the more difficult classes that I've taken! 

Day 4: Easy run - I was SORE from the day before and wasn't sure if this run would happen. Thankfully I only had to run for 20 minutes so I busted it out and went home for a long Epsom salt bath with essential oils! 

- walk, brisk pace, 10 minutes

- run, easy pace, 20 minutes 

- cool down 5-10 minutes

- stretch 

Day 5: Choice between yoga or rest day. I chose rest day! (I still can't seem to get into yoga) 

Day 6:  Choice between swimming, pilates, or aerobics - I chose to try a cardio drumming class. I was NOT a fan!! As a former drummer in marching band I almost had to leave because everybody was so off beat and it was driving me nuts! I won't be going back to that one! 

Day 7:  Long run

- walk, brisk pace, 15 minutes

- run, easy pace, 30 minutes

- cool down, 5-10 minutes

- stretch

Because everyone loves a pinterest motivational image right ? :-) This one really stood out to me today. I am getting STRONGER! Can't wait to see what the next few months have to bring! 

Half marathon training week 1!

I'm finally on my 1/2 marathon training plan!! To be honest it's pretty intimidating. I keep looking ahead to weeks 13 and 14 wondering how the heck I'm ever going to accomplish something like that... This sure is quite the undertaking. I can only pray that I continue to stay motivated, healthy, and that my health/weight continue to head in the right direction!

The plan: 
I chose a 16 week training plan that I got off of Garmin Connect. The workouts are sent right to my GPS watch so it tells me exactly what to do right on my wrist. What I love about this plan is that it includes so much more than running. I'll be cross training, lifting, and even doing some swimming and pilates! I figure this program will help me get on track to becoming a well-round athlete ( <---- did I just say ATHLETE!?) by the time this is all said and done.

The first week: 

Day 1: Cross training- 30 minutes! I ended up on the Arc Trainer :) that thing is HARD!

Day 2: Easy run

- Run, easy pace, 30 minutes

- Cool down, 5-10 minutes

- Stretch 

Day 3: Cross training - I got myself over to a "Core & More" fitness class that really kicked my butt

Day 4: Easy run - Same run as day 2, but I was SORE from the day before. I was SO HAPPY to make it to rest day! 

Day 5: REST DAY !!! *Today actually :) I'm planning on going to the gym with a book to do some easy walking. Trying to hit my step goal 30 days in a row! Oh, and a sauna will probably be happening too! 

Day 6: Pilates - I plan on heading over to The Balanced Life youtube channel and doing the first four videos in the Pilates Summer Series! Each video is 5-10 minutes long so it's totally doable!  

Day 7: Run - This was actually listed as 'long run' on my plan which is funny because it's actually shorter than the others! The plan is to bump up the speed a bit :) 

- Walk, brisk pace, 10 minutes

- Run, easy pace, 20 minutes 

- Cool down, 5-10 minutes

- Stretch

So far I'm loving this plan and feeling great! :) thanks everybody for your support and love! 106 days to go! 

Looking back, moving forward

Looking back, 2014 was a huge year for me. I finally took control of my health and started moving (literally) in the right direction. I lost over 80lbs, gained countless relationships, and accomplished tasks I once thought impossible. Sure, I struggled... but I pushed through. Now that the new year is here it's time for those new challenges and resolutions. 2014 was probably the first time I was aware of my goals throughout the whole year and I truly attribute that to this blog and my few followers keeping me accountable. Even though I didn't accomplish all my goals within the year, giving up is no longer an option for me. I will acknowledge my accomplishments, move the goals I didn't reach in 2014 to the '2015' list, and add a few more for good measure. :-) Thank you all for your endless support and love.

Looking back: Accomplished in 2014

- ran a mile without stopping 1/16/14

- lost 50lbs 2/19/14

- I am no longer morbidly obese 2/24/14

- raced another 5k 4/12/14

- ran 5 miles without stopping 5/31/14

- lost 70lbs 7/11/14

-  Stopped shopping in the plus size department 8/10/14

- moved 365 miles in 2014 8/25/14 

Looking forward: 2015 goals 

- lose 85 lbs

- lose 100lbs 

- Reach 'potential' goal weight of 150 *121lb loss

- Hit my step goal continuously for 30 days in a row 

- Run a mile in under 10 minutes
- Race my first 10k 

- Race my first 1/2 marathon
- Complete Jillian Michaels 30 day shred 

- RUN 712 miles in 2015

- Complete a beachbody 'Piyo' program 

- Get out of the obese category

 - Get out of the overweight category

Again thank you so much for everything. I can't wait to see what 2015 has to offer. This is MY YEAR! 

"Enjoy the journey, fight for the finish" - Me

December Goals

1. Complete my first Project10 Challenge

2. Complete all 30 days of the Jillian Michaels 30 day shred

3. Give PiYo a shot and start working on my flexibility

4. Don't be afraid of strength training

5. Use swimming as 'active recovery' instead of doing nothing when I'm sore


Short and simple. :-)

My 1/2 marathon training plan

In case you missed it in my Project10 video I have recently come public with a very intimidating goal of mine to complete a 1/2 marathon in May of 2015. I'll be doing the Journey's Marathon in Eagle River, WI! It's the hubby's home town so it's the perfect location to visit. 

I have been spending a lot of time researching different training plans trying to figure out what would be the best for me. As of now I am not promising myself that I will run the whole thing. My goal is to finish, and if that requires a little walking along the way that is ok with me. However, if I were able to complete the race without walking that would be such an accomplishment! That being said my current plan is to train and plan to run the whole thing, but not to be disappointed if I don't! 

After a ton of research I think I have finally nailed down a solid plan. Starting now I will be working through my Couch-to-10k app three days a week. If I factor in missing a few days (probably due to snow storms) and a few repeat weeks, this should bring me into the middle of January. When I complete the Couch-to-10k program I will be at a point where I can run 60 minutes without stopping (or having to rest for a week afterwards), which is exactly where I want to be when I start my official 1/2 marathon training!! 

I have chosen an 18 week training program off the Garmin training site. This program not only includes 3 runs a week, but cross-training, Pilates, and body-weight exercises! Even if I am not able to run the whole 13.1 miles by the end of it at least I know I'll be a well balanced individual. I have also decided to invest in a Garmin Forerunner 220 to help me with my training at this point. It's a GPS watch so I can track my pace, distance, and time.Best of all I will be able to download my training program from Garmin's website onto the watch so the watch will give me alerts on when to run/walk/rest etc! I am so excited to have this nifty tool. 

Well there you have it! As of now I am super motivated and excited to embark on this couch to 13.1 plan! I'll be sending in my registration soon so I will have NO OPTION to back out! I'm sure the upcoming winter will give me quite the challenge, but I think I can do it!

P.S. Anybody looking for a running buddy?

Have a fabulous Sunday! 

Feeling accomplished

I'm 11 days into my Body by Vi Project10 challenge I can honestly say I'm feeling great. I love the shakes and so far I'd have to say they are the best tasting shakes I've ever had. Perfect for someone with a sweet tooth like me! My only complaint is that they don't seem to be as filling as my beloved Unjury shakes, but there is no contest with the taste. 

My highlight of the day was my workout. I ended up bribing the hubby into working out with me and I can't tell you how much I enjoyed having company after working out alone all these months! We did week 3 of the c25k and then finished up with a circuit workout at home. . I didn't feel nearly as silly doing burpees when he was doing them too! I'm hoping to be a lot better in the future about incorporating body-weight exercises and strength training into my routine.

I've seen a decent amount of weight loss during the Project10 so far too! However, I'm being cautious because I have also cut back on the carbs in my diet which I know can lead to a loss in water weight. Either way, I'm still enjoying the lower numbers! Hope you all have a great night!

Day 4: I joined a running club!

I've never been comfortable calling myself a runner. I DO run, I just run slowly.  In fact, it was two years ago from this day when I ran my first 5K. Since then, I've completed a handful more 5Ks and even two 5 mile races. What I love about running is that it is very personal. I love racing against my own time and working towards improving my personal best. Ok, I love running only when I've been running.  When I've been training for a few weeks I feel good! I get the runners high, and have no problem motivating myself for my next run. However, when I've taken a few weeks.....or months.... off, I hate it. It's SO hard for me to get back going again. Since winter is coming soon, I had started looking for ways that I could motivate myself to say active through the brutal cold and snow (besides shoveling of course!) I wasn't necessarily looking into run clubs, but when I saw The Balanced Life Run Club it just seemed like the perfect opportunity! It did cost me $27 to join, but 10% of the proceeds are donated. Also, now that I paid for it I have another reason to actually stick with it and participate!

As apart of this running club I will be jumping back into my C25K runs at week six and try to regain some of that endurance that I lost. Today I was able to complete my run but I sure did struggle!

I am so much looking forward to what this group of ladies has to bring! I've already been so motivated by hearing other people's stories and about their relationship with running. It's going to be great.

Have a great night!
-Sarah

Day 3: Who's perfect? My 4 minute workout

Hello there again! I've already missed a few blogging my 31 days and it's just the beginning! But who's perfect right? The weather up here has been pretty nasty the last few days. Cold, rainy, and even some snowy rain. I'm not going to call it the first snow of the year yet because it was more like slush, but it's coming soon!

The latest weather was definitely NOT motivating me to get my move on. Snuggling up with coffee and movies just sounded so much better :-) Yesterday we did end up getting out of the house a bit. The hubby is really into 'Jeeping' so we took the Jeep up north with some friends to hit the back trails and look at all the beautiful colors.

It was an amazing time, but I did spend the majority of my day sitting on my butt. We even hit up Applebees 1/2 off apps afterwards so by the time we got home I was SO ready for bed. But then I thought, "Crap, I made a goal to do SOMETHING everyday, and I can't miss two days in a row!?" and after missing the first day out of pure laziness (it happens right?) I decided to bust out my 4 minute Tabata Kettlebell workout.

I don't remember when I first heard about Tabata, but now it's become a regular for sneaking in a very quick workout at the end of the day. With any Tabata workout, you choose a high-intensity exercise, in my case I did kettlebell swings, work HARD for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds and repeat that sequence for eight rounds. I even use a Tabata app on my phone that tells me exactly when to start and stop. I love it. Even though it only takes 4 minutes, I really feel like I had a longer workout the next morning. If you're interested, you can learn a bit more about Tabata here.

Have a fantastic Sunday everyone!

Day 2: Group fitness classes

Yesterday marked day 1 of both the 31 days of writing challenge and my personal goal of moving my arse intentionally everyday.  I chose to go back to one of my favorite group fitness class called Core & More. Back when I was still a student I took the opportunity to get a bunch of punch cards at the student pricing before graduating. (score!) What I love about the punch cards is that they take a whole year to expire! This way I don't have to worry about paying for a full class with my variable schedule.  As you can see I don't go often, but it is always well worth it when I do.

I used to be SO intimidated by these classes!  It didn't take long to realize that I wasn't being judged, that my body was capable, and that it was a really fun way to get through a workout that I probably would have skipped otherwise. I tend to lean towards taking a class on days where I'm just not feeling that motivated. No one is going to know if I skip out on my treadmill workout early, but if I leave the group workout in the middle there are sure to be questions. (usually a kind instructor making sure I'm not injured). Plus, whenever I start to feel like I just can't do it anymore I look around and get super motivated by the other people sweating it out. In reality I'm sure it's the competitive side of me coming out. I'll push myself a little further and harder just to make sure I'm not the first one to drop the weights or a take a break.

If you're considering going to a group fitness class for the first time I'd highly recommend it! I am in no way an expert, but below are some tips that I would share to anybody interested!

1. Don't be nervous! In my experience the environment has always been very supportive. If you are nervous ask some friends who have gone before or recruit some to go with you! Don't worry that you won't be able to complete the workout. First check that the class isn't something like 'advanced only' and then any good instructor will suggest ways to modify the exercises to various abilities.

2. Arrive early. This way you can meet with the instructor and see if there is anything you should know before class. Explain that this is your first time and you want to be prepared.

3. Start with lighter weights and then move up if needed. There is nothing worse than shredding your muscles 10 minutes in and then feeling like a limp noodle the rest of the class!

4. When choosing what to wear, go with functionality over cuteness. Everyone is too busy working out out to care about what you're wearing. Might as well be comfortable!

5. Have fun! Enjoy yourself, get a good workout, and give the class a few tries before making a solid decision on if you like it or not.

Hope you all have a blessed day!
-Sarah

31 Days of Movement

October has to be one of my favorite months! Beautiful colors, comfortable weather, and usually the first snow flakes of the year. I don't know about you guys but I woke up this morning with the feeling that it was going to be an absolutely amazing month. The hubby and I have some exciting things coming our way as well! (No, it's not grand kids yet mom)...

I recently found out about this awesome 31 days of writing challenge through a few other bloggers I follow and thought why not join in the fun.  This challenge encourages bloggers to pick one topic to write about everyday in October. My topic of choice is directly connected to my single goal for October.

Move.Every.Day.

I'll be checking in each day to discuss and share with you all the ways I'm discovering to incorporate more movement into my everyday life. This will range from things like taking the stairs to the new exercise classes I'm planning on trying. My goal is to be intentional. Here's my catch. I can't just talk about how I could be moving more each day, but I actually have to get other there and do it!

It should be fun and motivating right?! Hope so!

Day 1: Introduction (you are here :)! )
Day 2: Group Fitness Classes
Day 3: Who's perfect? My 4 minute workout
Day 4: I joined a running club! 
Day 5: Goal setting + my 2014 goal updates!
Day 6: Moving day is MOVING day
Day 7: Project10 Challenge for Kids
Day 8: Feeling Accomplished
Day 9: My 1/2 marathon training plan

Our Kayaking Adventure

Since I've been trying to include more exercise into my life I've had a difficult time pulling the hubby along. Micah, my naturally tall and skinny husband, just isn't a fan of traditional workouts. He hates the gym, and since we have such a difference in athletic ability it's been very hard to find active things that we can do together. 

Despite his strong dislike for running, he did agree to go with me to try it out. We had a plan that we would do week one of my couch-to-5K program; me sprinting and Micah slowly jogging. (ok this guy is ALL legs...) The hope was that using this method we would be able to stick together. It worked OK I guess. I was really struggling to keep up with his slow jog so he ended up switching between that and power walking. I am just at that awkward speed where I'm too fast for him to walk but too slow for him to run. Even though it didn't work out as planned I had so much fun! It was so encouraging to have the love of my life out there with me! In an otherwise pretty isolating journey I truly felt supported. After the run I reached out on my facebook page for other ideas of active things that we could do together. I received so many amazing ideas (thanks everyone!!!) ! We decided to rent some kayaks for the weekend and go on an adventure! 

We woke up bright and early Saturday morning to pick up our kayaks! Our college has an amazing outdoor adventure program which offers services like kayak rental for a great price. I'm surprised we didn't take advantage of their services earlier! We loaded up the jeep and headed north into the Keweenaw Peninsula! 

We ended up at Schlatter Lake. It's a remote lake that took some serious off-roading to reach. We unloaded the kayaks, and had a great time paddling around the lake! It was absolutely beautiful! 

We attempted to get some pictures of us together but my front-facing camera was being annoying and washed out all the pictures.

We were sad that the camera wasn't working....

One of the highlights of the trip was finding a river off of the lake to explore! It was a blast trying to navigate all of the fallen trees and other obstacles. It was a great workout too! My arms and shoulders were definitely burning by the end! 

After we were done paddling we headed out to the Keweenaw rocket range for a cookout! It's a really cool spot on Lake Superior ! It was the location of Michigan's first rocket launch!

I built the fire and was pretty proud of myself. The campfire pit and logs were already set up from previous visitors!

Micah cooked the brats right over the fire! 

Can't forget the veggies! Even if they are from a can :)

It was such a great adventure! I loved that we were able to do something active together without out having a huge ability difference. We had such a great time that we hope to purchase kayaks of our own in the future. Thanks everybody for your awesome suggestions! 

If you are working on adding more activity to your life I'd highly suggest getting your spouse or significant other involved! It is super motivating and a great step towards maintaining your healthy lifestyle changes. 

Do you have any healthy activities that you like to do (or want to try) with your family?

On our future list: Badminton, biking, hiking, and rock climbing!

God Bless,

Sarah 

July food and fitness goals

Hello! It's so hard to believe that it's July already! I'm loving the 60 and 70 degree weather that we've been having lately :) This has to be the most comfortable summer I've ever experienced! July also marks the 1/2 way point for our 2014 New Years resolution goals. I recently updated mine here, and am proud to say I have completed about 37% of my goals. I consider this a victory because I don't think I've met ANY resolutions in the past.

Here are my food and fitness goals that I hope to accomplish this July

Food:

1. Track all my food intake honestly and accurately! This month I have started to slack with my food logs. Tracking is really important for me not only so I can see what is and isn't working, but so I can share the information with my nutritionist as well. No more 'accidentally' forgetting to track those late night treats or my grazing snacks during the day. Those calories add up! If anybody is interested in friending me on MyFitnessPal my username is skuiper317  

2. Continue to experiment with lower carb intake. So far I have been able to cut back on my carbs slightly, but they are still heavy in my diet. This month I am going to experiment a lot more with low carb options and continue to listen to my body. I plan on putting my new spiralizer to good use! 

3. Be mindful of portion sizes. For a gastric sleeve patient I have a much larger capacity than most. In some instances I find that I can eat almost double of other sleevers. (yes I'm guilty of the comparison game) I tend to get really stressed out about this and worried that I messed up my tiny tummy. This month instead of focusing on how much I CAN eat, I am going to focus on how much I NEED to eat. I don't need to leave every meal feeling super full. 

4. Find at least one healthy meal that my husband enjoys enough to eat regularly. I'm married to a super picky eater who is NOT a fan of salads or vegetables. He is no where near overweight and while he is supportive of me eating healthier, it has been difficult to find healthy meals we both can enjoy together. Traditionally, he does most of the cooking, but this month I hope to do a lot more in attempt to find healthy meals for the both of us! 

Fitness:

1. Run 3 days a week. I've been slacking on my running lately but I have a 5-mile race coming up! Time to continue with my Couch-to-10K program! 

2. Attend a bootcamp class. I purchased a punch-card for this class early this summer but have yet to attend one. Time to get my butt out of bed super early and get a great workout!

3. 10,000 steps a day! I track my steps on my Garmin Vivofit. 

4. Plan my workouts, put them in my calender, and do them! I love planning :-) time to treat my workouts as appointments and become more consistent! 

Also, I have made a Facebook page dedicated to this blog! Please feel free to stop by, check it out and give it a 'like'. On Facebook I'm a lot better at updating about my day-to-day journey and I also share a lot of great things from other sources such as recipes and motivation :)

https://www.facebook.com/projecthealthandfitnessblog 

What are your short term food and fitness goals? 

With love,

Sarah 

Transformation Tuesday

My transformation so far..

I'm feeling stronger, I'm feeling healthier, I'm feeling happier. I now know that my body is capable of so much more than I ever gave it credit for. I am learning to take care of myself properly, eat for fuel, and become more active in my everyday life. The gym is no longer a place of dread, and I am starting to call myself a runner.

Loving life and looking forward to what the future has to hold.

Love, 

Sarah

When life isn't in your favor

When I am at home I have the ability to be in complete control of what I eat. As a control freak I thrive in my own environment. I can plan out all my meals, weigh and measure all my portions, and know that I am doing exactly what I am supposed to be doing. The reality of the situation is that I can't always be at home and there will be times where I am put into a situation where the world isn't about me and my weight loss journey.

This week I found myself in one of those situations. I went out to a camp for a few days to serve as the waterfront director for a local school. It was a BEAUTIFUL location and I welcomed the opportunity to get out of town for a few days. I honestly had a great time; everyone stayed safe the the kids really had a lot of fun.

What I did not prepare for when I was out at camp was the food choices. There was one lady in the kitchen that was responsible for cooking for about 75 people, so as you can imagine we weren't given many (if any) alternative options. Our meals consisted of things like hot-dogs, french fries, french toast, sausage smothered with grease... almost no healthy options. There were a few meals where they did put out some celery and carrots, but for the most part I was struggling. On top of the meals they had a ton of cookies and candies that they served as snacks, and of course what's camp without s'mores! They even had a special cabinet of 'goodies' for the counselors and staff. I have a major sugar addiction and at home I am able to fight it some by keeping 'treats' out of the house, but at camp.... things didn't go so well on that front. To make matters worse I didn't have service on my phone so I couldn't even use MyFitnessPal app to see how bad things actually were.

I think was surprised me the most was how my body felt. Even though I was eating more than I had in months, I was constantly hungry. My energy levels were super low, so even when I tried to get moving and do some light exercise the motivation dwindled quickly. I stopped craving my yogurt and protein shakes while my mind turned toward that next cookie or candy bar. Bluntly, I felt like s***. I have can't believe I used to live like that all the time with that much sugar in my body. It was truly a wake up call and a great reinforcement that I am moving in the right direction with my health.

At camp, life was not in my favor. It wasn't the ideal environment that I had set up for myself at home and I struggled. I gained weight, felt like crap, and I've moved on. It's time to put all of that behind me and continue with my journey towards health and fitness.

So what have I learned from this whole experience? First of all I need to think ahead. I need to remember that most places I go will not be set up for WLS patients. I had the ability to pack and bring food from home if I would have thought about it. Also reflecting back I realized that exercise was always an option. No matter where you are all you have to do is keep moving. I am confident that next time adventure strikes I will be prepared with better food and exercise options. :-)

NSV (non-scale victory) of the week: I now fit in my husbands jacket!

I hope all of you are doing well! Enjoy your memorial day weekend!

TWO 5K races and a new commitment to fitness

The last time I updated I was preparing for a single 5K, but I am so proud to say that I've actually completed TWO! I am really starting to fall in love with running and am looking forward to challenging myself with longer distances. What I love most about running is that it is a very personal sport. You can race against yourself and set very personal goals. Coming from a competitive swimming background I love racing against my own time. I may not ever win first place, but I always am striving to beat my own personal best, and that's good enough for me!

Race Day overview: YMCA Run/Walk in Marquette, MI

This race was FREEZING! I think it may have hit 38 degrees by the time we ran... I'm sure glad I have thick yooper blood these days! Here is me before the race! I'm not sure what was going on with the guy in the apron behind me though...

I ended up finishing the race in 40:03 which was MUCH faster than I had anticipated! Micah actually missed me finish because I told him that if he was back in 45 minutes that he could have plenty of time to go to a store. 

The second 5K I did was a part of Journey's Marathon in Eagle River Wisconsin. Signing up for this race was a spur of the moment decision (the night before the race!) so I didn't have as much of a solid training schedule leading up to it. I am SO glad I did it! I was really starting to become lazy with my exercise and this race really put me back on track!

This race packet came with a ton of awesome swag! 

It was the most beautiful day that we have had all year! In the 60s with a light breeze and sun! Here I am before the race enjoying the beautiful weather and awesome shirt!

And after the race: I was a hot mess, but I finished! 

 I am also starting to notice more dramatic changes in my body. Even though the scale has been at a dreaded stall for the last month, I have been fitting in my clothes much differently. I can actually feel muscle coming through in my legs and calves, I feel STRONG! Loving it :-D Some not so nice things have started to show up as well. My boobs are definitely deflating and I'm starting to notice some loose skin. I'm trying to ignore it the best I can for now, but I know it is going to start getting to me sooner or later. 

As mentioned before I've gotten fairly lazy towards exercise after my first 5k, so I have decided to recommit myself to exercise and really focus on fitness this month. With the warmer weather finally arriving I figured there couldn't be a better time. I'm also hoping it will help get the scale moving again!

Wish me luck! 

Fat girl running

For the last two months or so I have been training for a 5k. I actually completed my first 5k in 2012 and it was a great experience. I went with a group of friends and they were all cheering me on at the finish line. The atmosphere was amazing and it became even more special as the first snow of the year started to fall during the race. Afterwards I knew that this would be something I would be trying again. Looking forward to my next 5k April 12th!

Through talking with many other runners and friends, I have come to the conclusion that running as a larger woman offers many different experiences and challenges. Here are some of the things that I have learned during my process so far.

1. People will look at you! Yes, the dreaded stares will happen, but maybe not for the reason you think. In your mind all they see is every inch of you bouncing up and down in a semi-uncoordinated fashion. In reality, they are impressed! It is not common to see people such as yourself run for that far or that long! While staring may not be the most effective way of communicating this, they may be wondering how to best express their feelings without pointing out the fact that you are clearly heavier than the other runners.

2. You may not be able to progress as quickly as others. If you are doing a training program that says it will take 8 weeks, it may take longer. Repeat some weeks if needed. It's much better to ease into those longer runs than risk an injury!

3. You may be more sore than you wish. Don't be afraid to take your recovery days, ice, and ask your significant other for a massage! 

4, Your feet may hurt. Make SURE to invest in some quality running shoes! Not only will this make your more comfortable but it can also help prevent injury. I also found out that my insurance covers custom orthotics and they made a world of difference.

5. You will be more prone to injuries. Take it slow! Don't try to progress to quickly. Stretch and never skip your warm up or cool down

6. And lastly, it will be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do. This is not an easy task, and pushing through those additional challenges will make it even more rewarding. I would highly encourage you to find a couch-to-5k program and (after talking with your doctor) give it a try!