Friday, September 28, 2007

STC - C2W11D75

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: chest/shoulders/tris - will do cardio tonight

Bench Press: 3x12 @ 65lbs
Push Ups: 3x12
Cuban Press: 3x11 @ 12lbs
Lateral Raise: 3x12 @ 12lbs
Behind head extensions: 3x11 @ 28lbs
Kickbacks: 3x10 @ 14lbs

Workout kicked my bum. My arms are tired and wobbly right now.

Missed working out this morning because Nora was up puking last night. Only once, but after changing her sheets at 2:45am I couldn't fall back to sleep. Right around 4:30/5:00 I fell asleep - and then the alarm went off at 5:15. Wasn't going to happen. So I slept until 7:45 and did weights this afternoon and hope to run tonight. Maybe I'll run tomorrow instead, we'll see.

I'm slowly forming my plan for Challenge 3. This challenge will begin on October 9 and will end on New Years (or there abouts). I am going to put it together this weekend while I'm alone and post it next week.

Thursday, September 27, 2007

STC - C2W11D74

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: HIIT - 30:00!
2 miles: 23:24
total distance: 3.001
Total time: 35:10
speeds: 3.8, 5.2, 5.7, 6.3, 8.0 (5%), 4.0

I definitely hit it hard this morning. I decided to increase the HIIT time to 30:00 so I could hit it harder - I feel 20 is just not quite enough. And the difference was amazing. After my minute at 8mph 5% incline I thought I was going to die. I wanted to lie down on the floor and just heave. Perhaps I haven't been doing HIIT correctly this entire time - I've been doing it hard and I've felt incredibly spent, but this was a bit different. I still don't agree with people who say that you shouldn't be able to do anything else afterward... In my opinion, HIIT ends with 2 minutes of 5 exertion - by the end of those 2 minutes, I could definitely continue walking for 15:00 like I have in the past. It wasn't any different today. I was more tired and spent after the HIIT, but after the last 2 minutes, I could have walked more.

Did weights yesterday and I'm losing reps on several of the exercises. I've actually decreased my weights for the next time. I'm pretty disappointed by that. Its gotta be the decrease in calories. But I need to decide what I want - do I want to lose scale weight and then work on toning or do I want to build muscle and hope that eventually the fat will burn off, too. I think I'm leaning toward the first - I really need to see some changes to keep my motivation going. I'm okay with what I'm doing right now. And I believe I have to find the way that I'm going to be able to do this for life - not just hit it hard core for 12 weeks at a time. And I could run 5 days a week and lift 3-4 days a week and eat this way for life - I'm not sure I could keep up the obsessive high calorie stuff... I'll probably hit it hard like that for my next challenge, but I'm not sure I could maintain that eating for life.

What I do know for my next challenge:
Pictures, Measurements and Weight every 6 weeks - ONLY. Day 1. End of Week 6 & End of Week 12. No exceptions.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

STC - C2W11D73

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: couch to 5k - W 1/4mile, R 1/2mile (x4)
2 miles: 25:48
total distance: 3.257
total time: 42:00
speeds: 3.9 / 5.3

Running was good today. The first 1/2 mile I ran felt kind of torturous, but after that it was good. I'm enjoying it much more than I used to. Maybe I'll become a runner yet!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

STC - C2W11D72

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: HIIT + 15:00 walking at 5% incline
2 miles: 24:23
total distance: 2.690
total time: 35:00
speeds: 3.8, 5.2, 5.7, 6.3, 8.0 (5% incline) - walked 15:00 at 3.9

Running was good today. Not as good as yesterday, but decent. Its supposed to be tougher on HIIT days and it was. I'm hoping, though, that continuing to do HIIT will help me get to a point where I can increase my speed on my steady state running workouts. I'm not going to push it now because I'm actually kind of enjoying it, but hopefully at some point I'll be able to increase those running speeds. I should probably try to push the speeds on HIIT, too. Maybe next week:)

Eating has not been incredibly clean, but I have been staying within my points for WW. I think I'm going to take a bit of a break from the ultra clean eating for the next two weeks - I know that the last two weeks of the challenge is the time where I should be hammering down with the extra clean eating, but I need a break. I'm not going to stop eating BFL, but I'm not going to be as strict for the next two weeks - like if I have some extra carbs, I'm not going to get upset. After our weekend in South Haven, though, I'm going to get it going again.

I'm going to take some time in SH to figure out what exactly I want to do for my next 12 week challenge. I know I want to only take pictures every 6 weeks. I want to change my weight exercises every 6 weeks. And maybe only weigh in every 6 weeks. I have to decide if I want to stick with Weight Watchers and eat super clean 21 points per day or if I want to go back to BFFM and increase my calories in order to build more muscle. I'm leaning toward weight watchers...

Saturday, September 22, 2007

STC - C2W10D69

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: Legs/Back/Bis

Bulgarian Split Squats: 3x10 @ 60lbs
Hamstring Curls: 3x12 @ 42lbs
Bentover Row (bbell): 3x12 @ 60lbs
Lat Pull up: 3x11
Seated Concentration Curls (bbell): 3x12 @ 35lbs
Standing BB Curl: 3x9 @ 25lbs

I'm definitely losing muscle or am not eating enough to support my weight lifting because I failed a lot of my sets. Legs were okay, but I had a hard time completing all of the rest of the exercises as planned.

Weighed in: 132.6, which means I gained a pound since last Saturday. I do not know what the heck will work for me. I think I need to just get through the end of this challenge and over the weekend in South Haven I need to decide what I want to do:
1) Go back to BFFM - increase my calories and my weight lifting. Keep cardio as is. Throw away the scale, take pictures only on W1 and W12. Weigh only on W1 and W12.
2) Go back to Weight Watchers - continue at 20 points a day, but drastically cut down on my workouts. Either do strictly cardio - 30 minutes every day and that is it or go back to cardio 3 days, weights 3 days.

I need to decide what is most important to me - losing scale weight or toning up and gaining muscle. And then I need to be set on that, not obsessed with any of it and just work it. Work more on being happy with my body as it is, not focused on what I want my scale weight to be. Then go from there. I thought that I could do WW, lose some weight and then work on building definition, but obviously thats not happening either. This has been the absolute most frustrating experience... I've lost weight twice on WW, but I wasn't working out this much. So I need to determine what I want to do.

Friday, September 21, 2007

STC - C2W10D68

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: couch to 5k & weights
2 miles: 25:26
total distance: 3.009
total time: 40:00
Speeds: 3.8, 5.3 (1 minute at 7.0)

Weights:
Bench Press: 3x10 @ 65lbs
Push ups: 3x12
Cuban Press: 3x10 @ 12lbs
Lateral Raise: 3x9 @ 12lbs
Behind Head Extension: 3x10 @ 28lbs
Kickbacks: 3x9 @ 14lbs


Workout was good today. Running felt good. Its good to keep the pace down and get through the minutes.

I did weights while listening to Dave's ipod. I enjoyed it - however, the earphones don't stay in my ears so that was a pain in the ass. If I want to use the ipod more I'm going to have to get different ear buds - I think he wants them too. I'm going to have to look for the them.

I found all new exercises for weights. I'll start these next week, but I have to figure out weights yet.

Chest: DB Flyes, Push Ups w/ feet elevated
Shoulders: Front Raise, BB Shoulder Press
Tris: Tate Press, Skull Crusher
Legs: Walking Lunges (weighted), BB deadlift
Back: Upright Row, Chin Ups (have to find a place to do this)
Bis: DB Concentration Curls Zottman Curl

Thursday, September 20, 2007

STC - C2W10D74

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: HIIT on treadmill + 15:00 walking at 5% incline
2 miles: 23:22
total distance: 2.737 miles
total time: 35:00
speeds: 3.8, 5.2, 5.8, 6.3, 7.0 @ 5%, 8.0 @ 5%

Workout was good this morning. My legs were tired, though, in the beginning and I really wanted to get off and skip it. I pressed through it, though, and made it to the end. I'm not really sure if I hit my 10 or not. I tried increasing the incline to increase the intensity for my 10, but I don't think that 7.0 was the magic speed even at a 5% incline. So I walked for 2:30 and then ran for a minute at 8.0 5% incline. That was much tougher and I think would probably be closer to a 10 if I did it immediately after the other interval sets like normal. I will try that next time. Running at 9.0 is do-able, however, I really feel a little out of control - like my feet are going to fly out from underneath me and I'm going to go sailing right into the support pole behind me. If I can do a slower pace at a higher incline, that would be much preferable.

I'm considering doing pilates on my off weight training days. I've wanted to start doing pilates or yoga for a long time, but never could figure out how to fit that in, too. It ocurred to me yesterday that I could do it in the afternoon while Georgia is napping and the other two are at school. So I'm going to try that this afternoon.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

STC - C2W10D73

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: couch to 5k, same as Monday (but all walking was only 1/8 mile)
2 mile: 25:20
total distance: 3.019
total time: 40:00
speeds: 3.8, 5.3 (did one 1/2 mile stretch at 5.4 and one minute at 7.0)

Running didn't feel as good as Monday. I wonder if it is because I pushed myself a little bit by trying to decrease all of the walking to just 1/8 mile (instead of 1/4 mile between the two running intervals) and tried to push my speed to 5.4. It felt good enough to repeat it on Friday - but perhaps keeping all running at 5.3. I have to remember to not push myself or I won't make it through the training.

Sticking to my points. Sticking to my 6 meals & proteins and carb portions. I'm doing well, I think.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

STC - C2W10D72

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: 25:00 on the treadmill. HIIT
2 mile: 22:50
Total distance: 2.139
Speeds: 3.8/5.2/5.8/6.3/9.2
Total time: 25:00

Overslept this morning so I didn't get the additional 15:00 minutes of walking in. I may do it yet tonight since Dave will be lifting tonight after the girls go to bed. Running felt okay - HIIT is tough because the speeds are higher for shorter periods of time and the recovery time is less.

Everything is going well. I can't seem to manage to figure out how to eat my activity points, though. I want to eat clean while doing WW so I don't want to add a dish of ice cream at night or some cookies here and there to get my additional 3-5 points. I'm going to have to try to figure this out. Perhaps make my portions a little bigger or add a banana along with my shake in the afternoon.

Monday, September 17, 2007

stc - C2W10D71

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: couch to 5k + walking at a 5% incline for 10:00
2miles: 25:59
Total distance: 3.385miles
Total Time: 45:00
Speeds: 3.8 & 5.3

Couch to 5k workout today was:
walk 1/4mile
Run 1/4 mile
Walk 1/8 mile
R 1/2 mile
W 1/4 mile
R 1/4 mile
W1/8 mile
R 1/2 mile

I added:
W 1/8 mile
R 3/8 mile
Then I walked for 10 minutes at a 5% incline for a total time of 45:00 and distance of 3.385 miles

The running portion was really good today. I felt even and never like I was going to die. I think taking the speed down several notches has really helped. I would lOVE to be running at 5.6 or 5.8, but I think 5.3 is a good pace for me right now. Perhaps by Friday I'll be able to kick it up to 5.4 and see how that goes.

My weekend was good - I didn't totally lose control even though I wasn't counting points or eating clean. I think I just needed a good break for a couple of days. A break from eating every 3 hours and a break from making sure I had a protein and a carb at every meal. I ate a lot of cereal this weekend (which I miss and isn't so bad for me since I ate Grape Nut Flakes), but not a whole lot of protein.

We went out for dinner with Doug, Jenny and his mom on Saturday. We went to the Kerry Piper, which I anticipated was going to be tough to find anything healthy on the menu (irish pub), however, I was excited to see Tuna Caprese and ordered that. I don't feel like it was terrible, but I'm sure the rice was filled with butter and the 1/2 of the dessert I had afterward was not so good for me:) Not worried about it.

Chest/Shoulders/Tris

Bench Press: 3x9 @ 65lbs
Push Ups: 3x12
Cuban Press: 3x8 @ 12lbs
Lateral Raise: 3x8 @ 12lbs
Behind head extensions: 3x9 @ 28lbs
Kickbacks: 3x8 @ 14lbs

Saturday, September 15, 2007

STC - C2W9D62

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007



Workout: Chest/Shoulders/Triceps



Bench Press: 3x8 @ 65lbs
Pushups: 3x12
Cuban Press: 3x12 @ 10lbs (each side)
Lateral Raise: 3x12 @ 10lbs (each side)
Behind head extension: 3x8 @ 28lbs
Kickbacks: 3x12 @ 12lbs



Good workout this morning. I'm wishing I had lifted yesterday afternoon, but I can't go back. I'm going to see how my day goes and maybe I can fit in a lifting work out this afternoon before church. I have so much shopping to do this weekend... I can't decide if I want to try to get a bit of it done this afternoon if possible.



Weighed myself again this morning - just curious. I was at 131.6. Okay, so how does one lose 2 pounds over night? Yesterday I was 133.2 and now 131.6. Whatever, I'm going to take it and run with it. It gives me the motivation to continue eating well over the weekend - I have to say, yesterday was pretty much a bust in terms of eating clean. Since I was so discouraged (and I believe TOM is coming this weekend) I just decided to forget it. I didn't go crazy like free day crazy, but I didn't eat clean, either. Instead of having a sandwich for lunch like I usually do, I had an apple and a 100 calorie klondike bar (they're small, hmph). I also had a bowl of cereal before we left for the ballgame so I wouldn't be starving by the time the ballpark smells hit me - I have to say that it worked. I smelled it, loved the smell and refused all of it:) We went to the stadium club to grab something to eat - and there was nothing remotely healthy on the menu, so I had 1/2 of a beer (let Dave finish it) and 3 (small) buffalo wings. I also had a few spoonfuls of Dave's soft serve waffle cone (jerk) and 1/2 of a package of mentos on the way home. But I think all things considering: my mood, TOM, my surroundings, etc. I did a really, really good job yesterday. I'm not at all unhappy.

Today I will eat clean all day and then do my best for dinner (we're going out with Doug, Jenny and Doug's mom - not likely to be the healthiest restaurant). Tomorrow I will eat clean, but free and try to count my points the best I can and try to keep it at 35ish.

Friday, September 14, 2007

STC - C2W9D61

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: Run and walk on treadmill - couch to 5k & 15 minutes additional
2miles: 26:37
total: 2.908
total time: 40:00

Trying to decide if I want to lift this afternoon and tomorrow morning or just tomorrow morning.

Weighed myself this morning. Still at 133.2. I'm getting severely discouraged by this whole situation. Now weight watchers doesn't even work for me? What is the fricken deal? Maybe I need to be eating my activity points in addition to my regular daily points. I don't know. I'm just really sick of trying so hard and losing nothing - its not even that I'm losing slowly... I'm just losing nothing.

I go back and forth between thinking that maybe I'm not eating enough - but then when I increased my calories that didn't do anything either. I cannot believe that I'm one of those people that is going to say "I've been struggling to lose these last 15-20 pounds for the last 6 months." But when people normally say that, I believe that the struggle lies in their diet (cheating) and lack of exercise. Clearly that is not my issue - why have I been working this hard and am still struggling to lose these last 15-20 pounds?

I think I need to quit the weight lifting portion and just go back to what I had done before on WW. I'm going to think that through over the weekend. This is just crazy.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

STC - C2W9D60

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: HIIT on the treadmill & 15 minutes of walking at a 5% incline
2 miles: 23:59
Total distance: 2.689 (I think)
Total time: 35:00
Speeds: 3.7, 5.2, 5.8, 6.3, 9.0, 9.2

Running was good this morning. HIIT kicks my bum in a serious way - that last minute makes me want to cry - 2 minutes before I even get there.

Eating has been good, but I've caught myself cheating a little here and there - you know just one little cookie that won't even equal 1/2 a point, or just a few goldfish crackers. I need to end that - I never cheated when I was doing just BFL, I need to get back to that. I've also decreased my water consumption because I was just sick of spending so much time going to the bathroom. So I'm aiming for 128oz a day instead of 160oz.

Can't decide if I want to weigh in on Friday, Saturday, Sunday or Monday. Officially on WW.com I weigh in on Monday, but I use my weight from the weekend. We're going to a white sox game on Friday night, but I don't plan to eat much of the ballpark food... however, Dave got tickets that include passes into the Stadium Club restaurant, so we might go see what we can find there for dinner. Saturday night we're going out for dinner with Doug, Jenny & Doug's mom. We're going somewhere downtown and then they're going on to a jazz club. I'm going to have to be careful with my choices over the weekend so I don't mess up whatever progress I've made.

And if, after going back to weight watchers, I am not below 133 this weekend, I predict life will be unpleasant. I'm sick of working so hard at this - I just want the weight to melt off.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

STC - C2W9D59

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: couch to 5k
2 miles: 26:31
total distance: 2.947miles
total time: 40:00
speeds: 3.8, 5.4, 5.8

Workout was good this morning. I did feel, at times, that 5.4 for 3 minutes at a time was pushing it a little too much. I looked back at my tracker and saw that I had done the 3 minute runs at 5.3 last time... but I think I'm going to stay at 5.4 and try to build from there.

I will do legs/back/biceps this afternoon after the girls go to school and then I really, really want to take a nap!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

STC - C2W9D58

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: 20:00 HIIT, 15:00 walking at 5% incline
2 mile: 24. 16
total distance: 2.680 miles
total time: 35:00

I have some weird kind of stomach pains going on right now - have been since yesterday. Of course since I can't fully explain what they are and how they feel, I've decided that I must have some sort of parasite from eating tomatos right out of my garden. I've seen some stuff crawling and flying around the garden that make me believe that I must have eaten some eggs or something... mmm. yummy - can't wait to chop those tomatos for my eggs this morning.

The stomach pains are also affecting my back so its all around nice right now.

My run was good. I slowed the speed down a tad bit again in order to help my endurance - I really think it helps. It just feels better while I'm running - I'm not miserable the entire time. I will work myself up again, but for now, I need to take it a little slower.

Monday, September 10, 2007

STC - C2W9D57

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: treadmill - Couch to 5k
2 mile: 26:40
Total time: 35:00
Total distance: 2.757 (I think - will have to check my notes)
speeds: 3.8, 5.5, 5.3

Lifted right afterward since I wanted to watch a movie while the girls are in school.

Bench Press: 3x12 @ 60lbs (will increase to 3x8 @ 65lbs)
Push ups: 12, 9, 10 (will do as many as possible for each set)
Cuban Press: 3x12 @ 10lbs each arm (keep the same, work on form)
Lateral Raise: 3x12 @ 10lbs each arm (keep the same, work on form)
Behind Head Extensions: 3x12 @ 24lbs (increase to 3x8 @ 28lbs)
Kickbacks: 3x12 @ 12 lbs (keep the same, work on form)

Couch to 5k this week is: 5 minutes walking, 2 sets of
run 90sec, walk 90 sec, run 3 min, walk 3 min.

I lowered my running speed in order to increase my endurance. I think it helped a lot. I didn't feel so fatigued and ready to die by the end of the 3 minutes. I understand this about myself: I want to push myself to be where I want to be right now. I have a hard time learning to get there slowly. I want to run 3 miles in less than 30:00 RIGHT. NOW. But it is going to take time to get there and that means I need to slow down so I can endure what I'm doing right. now.

I also did 3 sets of those intervals because I wanted to run for longer than 20 minutes. I ended with a 5 minute cool down walk at a 3% incline.

My weights were good. Heavy. And my form is treacherous and needs work. I'm going to leave some of my weights the same so that I can work on getting each rep completed with good form. Right now I'm getting the reps completed, but doing so is not pretty. Again - I want to be there right now, but I need to work my way to the point where I can truly lift those weights.

I think I'm going to go down to 3 days of lifting per week. I'm going to have to fight myself on this one. Have been thinking a lot about all of this over the weekend... will add more thoughts later.

(Saturday and Sunday went well in terms of eating. Having to count points makes it harder for me to go out of control on my free day. I didn't really count points either day, but knowing that I was going by points made me more aware of what I was doing and not so willing to splurge).

Saturday, September 8, 2007

STC - C2W8D55

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: Legs/back/biceps

Bulgarian squats: 55lbs 3x11
Hamstring Curls: 42Lbs 3x10
Bent over row (bbell): 60 lbs 3x11
Delt Pull up: 3x10
Seated concentration curl (bbell): 35lbs 3x10
Standing bbell curl: 20lbs 3x11

I have been staying within my points and will be trying to stay close today and tomorrow. We're having friends over tonight, so it may become a little more difficult to keep it at 21 points, but I'm going to try to stay as close as possible.

Weighed myself this morning: 133. I don't think there is any change since last week, but then I had a pretty free 3 day weekend so I'm not going to worry about that. Next Saturday I hope to see more of a change on the scale. I know I can do this - I've done it twice before.

Friday, September 7, 2007

STC - C2W8D54

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: HIIT for 20:00, steady state treadmill for 10:00 (5% incline walk)
2 miles: 24:05
Total Distance: 2.374
Speeds: 3.8, 5.1, 5.8, 6.2, 9.1

Run was better since I didn't have it on a 1.5% incline:) Although for some reason my 2 mile was longer and my distance was shorter. I need to work on that - not sure why that was.

Nothing much to say about the workout today. I'm going to lift this afternoon after I put Georgia down for a nap - then I'm going to spend the rest of my alone time laying on my bed watching tv - because I can.

Thursday, September 6, 2007

STC - C2W8D53

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: Steady State running - couch to 5k: run 90 sec, walk 2 minutes.
2 miles: 26:32
Total distance: 2.673 miles
Total Time: 35:00
Speeds: 3.8 & 5.8 (last running minute at 7.0)

These runs are good for me. I need to take it at a slower pace and try to increase my endurance, so doing the steady state cardio is good for me. And I need to occupy my time with changing speeds every so often.

My eating has been good. I've stuck with 21 points for each day. I'm not missing out on those additional calories that I was eating before. I'm hoping that this change makes a difference - my mental game is totally wacked out right now and I need something to get me back in.

I often wish I could just be happy weighing 135 pounds because I can maintain that weight very easily - I can maintain it when I'm not paying any attention to what I'm eating and I can maintain it when I'm doing BFFM. I would be happy at 135 pounds if I saw any other changes happening. If I noticed a difference in my photos or if any of my measurements had changed, I could be happy at 135. But those things weren't happening. I think I need to just drop some weight and then I can concentrate more fully on toning up and getting some muscle definition and really lowering my bodyfat.

I may take a day off from lifting today. Haven't decided. Can't decide if I want to go to the grocery store this afternoon while the girls are at school or stay home. We'll have to see how it goes. I do think I need a day off from 2 a days. Then I'll run and lift again tomorrow and just lift on Saturday... maybe I'll run again on Sunday, who knows.

I am going to lose 20 pounds before the end of the year. I WILL. I have enough time. I've done 24 weeks of training myself to eat clean. I can do this.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

STC - C2W8D52

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: HIIT - 25:00, walk at 5% incline - 5 minutes;
2 miles: 23:40;
Total distance: 2.400 miles
Speeds: 3.7, 5, 5.7, 6.3, 9.0

Lift - legs/back/biceps; changed to the kind of rep-ping that Dave does... same number of reps for each set instead of repping to failure for each set. He says he enjoys it more, I'm going to see what I think. Today and yesterday I did 10 reps for each set of every exercise.

I was getting pretty discouraged during my run this morning. It was tough. I could barely make it through the interval sets without stopping at some point during them. I had to increase my walking time to 2 minutes between each interval set because I couldn't catch my breath. I was getting kind of ticked off, but what could I do?

When I went to increase the incline for my last 5 minutes of walking I saw that I had been running at a 1.5% incline the entire time. That made me feel much, much better!

Eating was good yesterday. I didn't miss all of those calories that I had been eating before. I feel good about going back to weight watchers, but combining it with BFL with good, lean proteins and good complex carbs. I feel like I'm getting the best of both programs and will be able to not feel guilty about my free day on Sunday - but yet still need to watch it so it doesn't get out of control. I feel like I'm on a good path and hopefully by our anniversary weekend in South Haven I will have lost at least 5 pounds but hopefully closer to 10.

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

STC - C2W8D51

Summer Tracker Challenge
Beginning Date: July 16, 2007
Ending Date: October 7, 2007

Workout: Steady State run - couch to 5k training plan: 90 sec run/2 minutes walk. 2 miles in 26:58; total workout time: 35:00

I had a major meltdown on Saturday morning after weighing and taking pictures. I have been working my bum off for the last 3 weeks and have been eating totally clean for the last 8 weeks and absolutely no changes. None. No changes in the pictures. My weight fluctuates between 131 & 133 every week. I can't handle this anymore. I don't know why I can't figure this out - why I can't make this work. I have GOT to be doing something slightly wrong that is messing everything up.

I don't want it to be about the scale, but ultimately, right now I need to see some change in order to not be so discouraged and upset. I could have dealt with no scale change if I saw changes in my photos, but there were none - and I lost it. Cried and cried and cried.

So I've gone back to weight watchers - joined last night. I will be incorporating both weight watchers and BFL together. I figured out an extremely clean daily menu that will end up being 18-21 points. My target daily point total is 21, so this should be okay. Basically I brought my portion sizes down and am staying within my points.

I feel like such a loser - like I'm a quitter, like I can't handle it mentally. But its been 24 weeks since we started BFL - thats just about 6 months. My weight has gone down by 2-4 pounds total in that amount of time. I'm not silly enough to think that 12 weeks is long enough to make the kind of transformation I wanted to make, but I should have been able to lose more than 4 pounds.

So I'm going to try it this way. 21 clean points per day max. 30:00 of running minimum. 3 days a week of lifting minimum. Counting my points on the weekend, too.

I want to get down to 115... if I lose 2 pounds a week, that would be 10 weeks - November 10th. So by Thanksgiving, I hope to be at 115.

I weighed myself today: 137.2 (I'm certain thats inflated because of water retention, but I don't care). Here we go.