Checking In

Today's goal: Run 2 miles.

I got to run with my sister today.  We did the walk/run combo, but it was still a good run and I liked running with her.  I think having a partner helps, even though it will be rare for the two of us to run together much with our conflicting schedules.

Tomorrow's goal: Survive Nursery.

Does a partner help you with your goals?

Want to Help?

One of my favorite movies is The First Wives' Club.  It emphasizes the strength of women, despite the world expecting the Wives to keel over and stay out of the way.

There comes a point when the Wives realize that their attempts to find their place in the world have been too small. 

Which brings me to my point..... As I was running this morning I thought of this and when a few friends mentioned it as well, I thought I'd pose the question: Would you like to help me keep this blog on track with commentary, articles, opinions, recipes and other such things pertaining to health?  Several of us (okay, 3 people but still) are currently pregnant.  Most of us (as far as I know) are women looking for motivation to be healthier. 

Let me know if you want to participate.  Contact me (leave a comment, FB, email, whatever -- you know where to find me) if you have any other questions.

Back to Basics

In the Gospel we learn that if you're struggling with some of the bigger issues of doctrine, analyze how you are dealing with the smaller bits of doctrine. 

Having a hard time paying your tithing?  How's your daily praying? 

So it seems to be with so many things in life.  If you struggle with the big stuff, maybe you need to go back to basics.

And that's where I'm heading with this blog.  I've officially signed up to run the Turkey Trot in Syracuse, UT, in two weeks.  I plan to run the entire race.  But how am I supposed to do that when I can't even keep myself on schedule to run three times a week?  How am I going to have the stamina to run in colder weather than I'm used to, while I'm pregnant, and in the first race I've entered since I was in 8th grade?  It's a lot of swallow. 

So I'm going back to basics. 

I'm going to use this blog (once again) to keep myself accountable for my goals.  And the results.  Please feel free to comment, make suggestions, complain, encourage, or just say hi. 

My long-ish term goal: Run 5k on November 20 (in 15 days)
Today's run: 3.04 miles
Today's running time: About 38 minutes
Tomorrow's goal: Run 2 miles

I'm only allowed a total of 60 minutes of exercise time a day.  I'm trying to figure out which would be better -- do I run a little bit everyday with a longer run on Saturdays (starting next week since I had my long run today)?  Or do I run my 5k three days/wk and do a strength training video the other three days/week?  I'd just run, but my back feels so much better when I do strength training and Heaven knows how much my back kills me through pregnancy. 

Ideas?

The Bloggest Loser: Final Weigh In

Well, Friends, let's wrap this sucker up.  As was observed, my focus on staying healthy has waned a bit.  And I think everyone else has had a bit of the holiday distractions.

So, let's do a final weigh in.  Anyone who has participated is encouraged to weigh in.  We'll announce the winner next week. 

And in the meantime I'll try to figure out what exactly the focus of this blog is.  The Healthy Pregnant Woman?  The Way We Were: A Woman's Delusion of How Life is Supposed to Be?  I'm open to suggestions.

Check your total weight lost.  Remember to use your initial weigh in as your starting weight.  And tell me how you felt these last two months.  What can we do differently next time, in like 10 months?  Unfortunately, this weight loss thing is always something I can participate in, when I'm not pregnant.  So there will be a next time.

Thanks for playing with me.  Hopefully we'll all have a little easier time next year!

Bloggest Loser Day 59

Huge question:

Is it time to let the Bloggest Loser RIP?  I think it's the humane thing to do.  Back to just weekly goals.

Let me know what you think.  Tomorrow is Day 60, which is an ideal place to end.  We can do final weigh ins and start the whole thing back up when more people can participate.  Like me.

Please leave your comment and let me know what you think.

The Bloggest Loser Day 50 and Weekly Check In

Last week's winner was......

Cindy!

Okay, people.  Time to start weighing in again.  We're just over halfway through!!!  Remember, I'm out of the game, so I live vicariously through YOU!!  Lose weight for me, please.  My gut thanks you.

My goals this week: water, water, water.  And I'd like to make sure I run three days this week.  I missed last Monday.  Ironically, it was the first day after I completed the Couch to 5k.  And the first time I'd missed a day at all in ten weeks.  I think that was more mental than anything else.  Why do I give myself permission to give up?  I've got to change that.  Plus, I'm nearly sure I'll be running the Turkey Trot next month in Syracuse, UT.  I've got a few more details to hash out, but I should be there with my running shoes.  I've got to keep running so I can finish the race without much problem.  I'll be about 12 weeks along by then (give or take a week or two) so I should be able to do it.  Will you?

So despite all the Halloween candy, cookies, and any other yummy holiday treats you can think of, calculate your weight loss and TELL ME ABOUT.  (That's almost a Billy Joel song.)  Any new goals this week?

Bloggest Loser Day 42 and Weekly Goals

This week's Bloggest Loser winner was....

Carina with a loss of 1.37%!

Congratulations, Carina.  And congrats to everyone who actually LOST weight last week. 

I, for one, did not lose weight.  I'm not supposed to be gaining baby weight yet.  No, no.  I'm gaining Birthday weight.  We have yet to learn how NOT to pig out on birthdays.  Last week was Josh's.  Lots of excuses to overeat.  And then Josh got sick.  He had no appetite.  I had no real appetite.  Why the heck would I cook an actual meal that no one was going to eat?  But I have to eat something.  So I eat the ready-made junk food that I shouldn't have bought, but did anyway.  Another wrench thrown in my efforts to be healthy.

Also, this week I completed my Couch to 5k program.  I'm very happy about this.  You may have picked up on that fact since I mentioned it on my other blog and Facebook.  I just need to figure out what to do about it. 

As far as my goals for last week go, besides the cruddy eating and not enough water consuming, I did pretty well.

Goals for this week: Eat more fruit and less junk.  Drink more water.  I feel like I should be wearing a cow costume and holding a sign that reads "Drink mor watr" instead of the usual "Eat mor chikin."  But I don't need to imagine myself as a cow.  Not yet.

So tell me.  How'd you do?  Calculate your weight lost.  Successes?  Challenges?  You know, the drill...

The Bloggest Loser Day 34 and Weekly Goals

Here it is again.  The weekly check in for our weekly goals.

And the winner of last week's weigh in is:

Cindy! 

Who gained the least weight of 0%!

Last week must have been the week of gains.  We all struggled. 

So, in case you've missed my numerous announcements, I have the need to step down from the competition.  Pregnancy is not the best time to try to lose weight, weekly weigh myself, or take any sort of body measurements.  But I will happily continue to host the competition for the next 56 days.  And be prepared for a Season 3 in about a year or so.

Now my focus has changed to new weekly goals.  Suddenly, all the foods I've been avoiding sound over-temptingly good.  Never heard that expression before?  Well if you've ever been pregnant, you can figure out what it means.  And water doesn't appeal to me.  I desire nothing more than sitting around and watching TV or playing around on the internet.  It doesn't help that my check up with the doctor included her telling me that she's giving me permission to not exercise so intensely and only eat what sounds good.  Oy.  I'm in trouble.

So, here are my new weekly goals: get my water intake back where it needs to be, keep my running going but make sure my intensity is low, and try to stay away from the simple carbs.  Now that Josh's birthday is over, it should be a lot easier.  The German Chocolate cake I made from scratch was devastatingly good.

And, in case anyone is looking for a new 5k to participate in, my friend Tara is fundraising for her project "Choe's Sunshine Playground."  I think almost everyone that reads this is a mutual friend of hers and mine.  But this race would benefit a good cause and be a motivator to keep running.  I have to tell you that I'm very tempted to make the trip up for it.  The following Tuesday I'll be in St George for my sister and BIL sealing in the LDS St George Temple.  It would just be a matter of starting my vaca a little early.  I'm running nearly 5k now (I'm about to start week 9 of the c25k program) so I could do it, but it would mean taking off without Josh because he has to work that weekend in order to get the days off we need for the sealing.  I hate making trips without him.  In fact, after the last one I swore I'd never do anything without him again.  Of course, I said that after the trip I took without him before that as well.

In any case, if you're still in the running for the Bloggest Loser, find your loss percentage.  And jot me a note.  How'd you do?  Like Carina said last week, no subject is taboo.  I'll listen to anything.  And I hope everyone had a MUCH BETTER week this week!!

The Bloggest Loser Day 28 and Weekly Check In

This week's winner in our Bloggest Loser competition is.... (drumroll, please)...

Me!!  With a 1.41% loss. 

This is the first time I've won a week.  Ever.  I'm so happy!

As for the weigh in for this week, I have NO IDEA where I stand.  I'm a scale-aholic.  I step on the scale once a day.  Sometimes more.  It depends on how confident I feel.  Or how masochistic I feel.  Depends on the week.  But this week I just haven't thought about it.  So I'm clueless as to how my weigh in will go this week.  According to my bodybugg I should be on track, but we'll see.

I also had a set back with my shoulder.  I did something to mess it up on Thursday when I was doing my strength training.  Ugh.  It hurts.  Josh told me to lay off the weights for a few days.  I, of course, didn't want to, but I've learned one thing over the years: You always listen to your nurse-husband.

But enough about me.  Tell me how you did this week?  How are your goals coming along?  What did you do well this week?  What was your struggle?  Any new goals to add this week?  Figure out your loss percentage and then tell me all about your week!  I'm bored and need something good to read.

Who Are the People In Your Neighborhood?

I've made a new discovery this week.  Workout videos are boring.

To do a workout video, you have to clean the room you're working in (always a pain with 1 or 2 2-year-olds hanging around), take over the TV so no one else can watch anything, and be surrounded by the reminders that you have other things to do (those stupid dishes mock me every single day).  Plus, it's the same routine every time.

I've learned this week that I'd rather go running for 5 days in a row than break it up with a cardio video in between my runs. 

Being outside is invigorating.  I know I'm at an advantage by living in Arizona, but it's starting to be more tolerable in the mornings and soon it will be absolutely heavenly.  I love the sounds, the smells, the freedom of the open road. 

Every morning I have someone to wave at.  It makes me feel a part of our neighborhood.  And if you've ever heard of Sesame Street, you know how important that is.

I have noticed that we have a few more people in our neighborhood than what the song describes.  We've got the electric company guys, the pest control guys, the pool guys, the landscapers (they even stop their work to wave as I run past them), the moms with strollers and dogs, the roller bladers, the "in shape" runners, the old guy, and many kids of different ages waiting for the school buses. 

However, I have yet to discover cheese in my neighborhood.  Or Ben Stiller.