Update

No, I didn't fall off the face of the earth this week - I have just been swamped! Work, housework, running, everything just boiled over on me. A summary:
- 18 miles in this week, including a hilly 8 miler in 1:42
- Pretty good eating, including at least two servings of fruit a day
- A 36.02 5k race
- Some strength training
- A 74 hour work week

The boy who was hit by the car is home now - one bruised lung, a broken rib, and staples across his head, though no internal brain injury. The driver fell asleep and didn't wake up until the car hit the rumble strip - right where the boy was running.

How was your week?

Prayer Request

4 of my nieces run cross country at our local high school. During the boy's team practice, one of the boy's team members who was running behind the pack was hit by a truck. He has been lifelined to a major children's hospital with a massive head injury. Please keep this boy and his family in your thoughts, and BE CAREFUL on your own runs today.

Tempo Runs

Last night, I ran a 30 minute tempo run, at my half marathon goal pace of running a 5:1 run/walk ratio. I kept it shorter than planned because of a little bit of remaining shin pain, but overall it felt pretty good.

My calories went way up last night, when the husband and I finished off his birthday cake. I estimate I ended the day around 2000 calories.

Today I've been oddly hungry, too - I had to be in work super early and I think that messed with my body clock. I've already had:
5:00 am: 1 cliff bar, 240 calories
8:00 am: 1 weight watchers yogurt, 100 calories
7 - 9:30: 1 cherry diet coke, 90 calories
10:45: 1 pack of planter peanuts, 170 calories
Total for the morning: 600 (!!)

How do you sprent out your calories? I am happier eating smaller items at spaced intervals, but would a bigger breakfast better stave off hunger?

Tuesday Calorie Counting

I'm trying to get back on the wagon after a super indulgent weekend. I got to the Y too late to swim last night, but biked 30 minutes instead. Thankfully, my shin feels a million times better, so I'll be able to get in a run tonight.
Calorie counts so far:
6:30 am - Clif Bar, 240
7:00 - 11:00 - Cherry Coke Zero, 89
10:00 - Peppermint, 30
11:45 - Two whole wheat Eggo waffles with chocolate PB, 300
Total for work day: 659

How has your day been?

Weekend Recap

I didn't count this weekend - it was the husband's 35th birthday, which included a fancy dinner, lunch with the in-laws, and several pieces of white cake with buttercream.

The HusbandThe cake

On Saturday, I ran a 5k with my older sister. We started out together, but she quickly sped in front of me.

Mile 1 was almost all uphill. I was able to keep up with my sister for about 7 minutes, finishing this mile in 11:01

Mile 2 was flat but full of turns. It was getting to be sickeningly hot. Mile 3 was a downhill return, finished with a final lap around the local school's track. Total time: 36:34, not too bad for me.

Yesterday started with laundry, some house cleaning, ab work, and a quick run. I woke up this morning with a funny shin pain, so tonight may be first foray into swimming at the Y instead of my planned run.

I ended up getting the husband a grill for his birthday, so be prepared for plenty of grilled food in the upcoming weeks! What is your favorite thing to grill?

Thursday Evening

4:30 pm and 8:00 pm - 2 cups chocolate milk: 320
7:00 pm - taco filling (ground lean beef, black beans, red pepper, onion, and taco seasoning) with shredded cheese, eaten with 4 tortilla chips: about 400

Total for the day: 1940
Not too bad. When I say I have an "1800 a day goal" it's much more a sense-check guideline that something I feel the need to obsessivelt stick to. Having struggled with disordered eating, I'm not willing to put the mental stress of "Must make the number" on myself. This is a good learning process though - today will undoubtably be a high-ish day, since it's the husband's the birthday, but I find myself being more thoughtful about my choices when I think about their numbers.

Anyone watching Top Chef? I had tivo'd Wednesday's and watched it last night. What's with all the hook ups? Anyone remember Angelo talked a few episodes ago about his baby/toddler-aged son, and now he's all up on Tanisha?

Thursday's Eats at Work

3:00 am - 1 cup chocolate milk:160
7:15 am - Luna Bar: 180
7:00 am - Cherry Coke Zero: 89
9:30/10:30 am - 2 pieces whole wheat bread with 2 tbps natural pb: 350
12:12: 1 sandwich with 1 piece of cheese, 2 pieces of ham, and mayo: around 450 (That's insase. no more sandwiches for me!)

Total for the work day:1220


Super hungry today - thought bread and pb would be a good snack - but it didn't hold me over at ALL! I think I can see two big problems in my eating:
No fruits and veggies! I struggle digesting raw produce, but I could work in some cooked!
That Luna bar meal needs to be more filling - glad to be able to have Cliff bars after tomorrow's grocery trip!

It's amazing how things I eat regularly have way more calories than I thought about. This may be a good tool, after all.

PDR!

Real quick post: Did my 7 mile long run - a PDR - in 1:34:15! Pace felt good - was even able to do strides at 7 mph in the last mile!!!

The rest of my Wednesday

1:00pm - 1 Diet Pepsi: 0

2:00 pm - 1 Peppermint: 20

4:30 pm - 1 cup chocolate milk: 160

During run - 1 Powerade Zero: 0

3 large slices homemade veggies and cheese pizza (estimate):650

1 cup ice cream and chocolate syrup: 279



Total for the day: 1870
I was trying for 1800, so I was suprised how close to that I came! Here's what became obvious: that a 20 CALORIES peppermint *so* isn't worth it; that I checked the calories counts of different types of ice cream and toppings before I made my choice, easily saving 100+ calories; that this isn't as awful as it seems. I may keep this up for a week or so, just to see if it helps!

What is your daily calorie goal?

The numbers game

I've never been one for counting - calories, ww points, carbs, anything. But I though, after yesterday's and the past few weeks binges, I'd do a count of my daily intake on a "good day" to see where I am. Counting tends to make me fixate way too much on food, and that preoccupation is a bis part of the reason I struggle with my weight. But for the sake of experiements, today I'm going to count calories.

Here's how my day started:
6:30 am - 1 Luna Bar: 180
8:30 am - 1 cup of coffee with sugar: 50
9:00 am - 1 small chocolate chip cookie: 100
6:30 - 11:00 am: 1 Cherry Coke Zero: 85 (the syrup)
11:00 am - 1 can Cambell’s Low Sodium Chicken Noodle Soup: 175
Planned afternoon snack - 1 Fage yogurt with honey: 180

Total while-at-work intake: 770

All info is from calorieking.com I'll count dinner tonight, too, just to see where I am on an on-track day.

Do you, or have you, ever counted calories or points? I'm so sick of the 172 lbs rut, and think this may help me get out of it. If you cook at home (sans recipe), how do you figure out what the calorie count of your food is?

Back on the wagon

Yesterday was one of those eat-everything-in-the-universe kind of days (anyone else have those?) I've a grazer, and I think I spent more time eating than not. I had:

5:30 am: A chocolate peppermint Luna bar
7:00 am: A small-size cake donut
10:00 am: A fage yogurt
12:30 pm: A salad with 1 cup lettuce, 1/4 grilled chicken breast, 2 Tbs shredded cheese, a slice of tomato, and 1 packet of fat free ranch
2:00 pm:A glass of sweet tea
4:00 pm: 1 cup of chocolate milk
8:00 pm: 1 slice pepperoni pizza
8:15 pm: Leftover taco filling: black bean, brown rice, shredded beef, and hot sauce
9:30 pm: 2 Neuman-O cookies

WAY too much food! My female vistor is almost here, so I account some of this to hormones, and the rest to not eating enough filling protien early in the day, setting myself up to be hungry later. I'm trying to get things back together today - I already turned down a homemade chocolate chip cookie in this effort!

On a sidenote, I've switched from Cliff bars to Luna bars this week because the Lunas were on sale. Not at all a fan of these - they don't seem to hold me over at all. What are your favorite bars?

Falling for running . .

Last night, the husband and I went to the Y after work. I lifted weights for 35 minutes:
Lat pull downs, 2 sets of 12 at 30 pounds
Bicep curls, 2 sets of 10 at 20 pounds
Chest press, 2 sets of 12 at 25 pounds
25 calf raises with 10 pound weights
Tricep extensions, 2 sets of 12 with 15 pounds
Tons of ab work - crunches, twists, planks

Then I ran home, about 3 miles. It was the first time I've ever done this, and it was suprisingly nice to run to *get* somewhere. The first mile is on sidewalk, and the second is on a local coverted railroad that is a very popular running and bike trail. I finished the trip in a little under 35 minutes, including waiting on two stop lights.

When I got home, I began to water my flowers, and thanks to the combination of wet concrete and bare feetm promptly fell off my front step - only about a foot off the group, thank fully. I now have concrete burn on both knees, and a sizeable bruise! Be careful around water, ladies!

I have hatha yoga planned for tonight, with maybe a short run afterwards. What are your evening plans?

Goal of the Week

Happy Monday everyone! Hopefully this week will be a little less stressful than the last few have been. My health goal for the week: strength train for at least 30 minutes 3 days this week.

The husband's birthday is Friday, so I need to get a present and a fancy dinner planned for him. What do you do for your significant other's birthday?

Muddy waters

My week in summary:
- Am working evening shift this weekend, which will result in a total work week of 68 hours
- Ran 40 minutes with no walk breaks (on the mill), 3.71 miles at a varying pace
- Weight: 172
- Ate okay, too many yummies during 4th of July celebration, but not bad the rest of the week
- Cooked lentils for the first time
- Ran a cross country 5k today, in super muddy rough trails - a horrible-but-great kind of run

How did your week go?

*Also, shout out to my *****followers*****! So happy to have you here!

Happy 4th of July!

I'm actually working all three days of the "long weekend," but hopefully all of you are off having fun! I have a 65 minute run planned for tonight, outside since the Y is closing early today and tomorrow for the holiday.

My eating hasn't been awful - or great. My IBS has hit hard since Thursday, and any raw veggies or fruit are not agreeing with me. I'm been living on peanut butter, yogurt, and cliff bars, as well as one stomach pain ease-r: Coke. I know, pop is "bad" - nausea is worse.


I'm heading to a pool party after work tonight - what are your plans?

Long "Run" and update

Admittedly, it was more walk than run, but last night I five miles in an hour and 15 minutes. I'm suprisingly not sore today - everything but a little place on my left shin feels fine. It was super hot outside, and I lost a crazy 3 pounds from my before-run weigh in to my post run weigh in.

How do you hydrate when it's hot outside? When I'm inside at the Y, I keep water or Powereade Zero on my treadmill or along the track. Outside, I either try to pick a route with drinking fountains, or do a loop that lets me stash water in my car. I don't fuel during runs, since my stomach has enough issues without food + activity.