100 Days Challenge

Short check in before I head out the door - time on my route today was 34:30.  I never realized how much I depend on my HRM to keep me going.  I think it needs a battery change.  If that's the problem, I'll ask my daughter if she wants it when my new one gets here.

100 Days Challenge

Hmmm, I don't even know what day we would be on if I could find my book. I have to admit that I haven't been trying all that hard. I have found my groove. If I locate the book, I will continue to post each day's lesson, but for now I am looking at the 5K I will be running at the end of May. I went ahead and ordered a new HRM from Amazon. I have gift certificate credits there so I cashed some in and got a Timex. I used to use the Sigma Sport watches, but they always hinked up on me in less than a year. The one I ordered has some really good reviews.

I was listening to Focus on the Family on the way home from a meeting last night and heard them mention Chantel Hobbs. I went to the website and found some broadcasts. At the moment I am listening to the first one. You can find it here: Chantel Hobbs. 

I don't have time to listen to the whole thing at the moment, but I'm coming back later to listen to it later.

I got up early this morning. Woke up before the alarm. Amazing. I going to post on the other blog and then head out for my walk/jog.
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I did my 2 miles in 34 minutes this morning.  I am really glad that I ordered an HRM.  According to my current one, my heart rate hovered around 225 for most of the walk.  That sure doesn't sound right.

100 Days Challenge

This is for Deb.  Believe it or not I have never heard of the Hamster Dance or the song.  Such a sheltered life I lead.



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Just got back from my walk/jog. I got out on the road at 8:40. I moved a little faster today. I went to the deadend, back to Brown's driveway, and home. It took me 33 minutes. I always stop and pick up a rock for my garden. I have the first row on the front of the porch almost done. I was hungry the whole way.

This is my training routine for now:
I warm-up while I pray the rosary. That takes about 15 minutes. During that time I get my heart rate into the training zone (121) and try to keep it there. Then I turn on the radio and do 50 steps running at a good pace followed by about 100 steps recovery- generally until my heart rate drops to 116. I rotate that until I get to the rock pile. I find a rock for my garden and finish the workout. Not exactly the training style of a Boston Marathon runner, but it works for me. I am in need of a new monitor. About 10 minutes into the workout, it will jump to over 250 and then drop down to normal which totally screws up my stats. Before my next 5K I am going to get a new one, I think.

100 Day Challenge - still can't find the book

Got up this morning and did my walk/run.  I really need to build up some endurance.  But I have to remember that it isn't going to happen in a week.  Right now my focus is keeping my heartrate in the 120s and watching what I fuel the bod with.  The sugar ban seems to be keeping me on track.  The scale was down again this morning and I am feeling really good.

100 Days Challenge

This afternoon it is my mission to find that book!  Anyway, it's been a very good week for me.  No sugar and a lot of exercise.  I am happy to say that it paid off.  I am down 6 pounds from last week. However, I am feeling the effects of wearing the wrong shoes for the 5K yesterday.  I'd like to do a few more races.  I didn't realize there were so many in our area.  For this year I am going to be content with the one I did yesterday.

I had a huge urge to ditch this 5k because I am so heavy and because I haven't trained much.  But you know what?  No one cares.  Everyone was very encouraging and supportive.  I was hesitant about posting my weight along with the picture, but Deb, from Learning to Just Breathe is my inspiration.   She has transformed herself.  In a recent post she mentions offering praise to a very overweight man who had finished a race.  I think most people wish the best for others.  I am going to remember that when I imagine people snickering at me for daring to enter a race.  I doubt very much that they are thinking negative things.  I know that I silently urge on people I pass on the road who are taking charge of their health and getting out there and doing something about it.

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Okay, I lied.  After having said I wouldn't be doing any more races this year, I signed up for the 5k at the Highland Festival.  This one I'm a little nervous about because although we technically live in Alma, I feel less vulnerable in Shepherd.  But it's too late now.  The deed is done.  LOL!  I think this is what I need to keep me motivated.

100 Days Challenge

It's only a little after 10:00 am and it's already been a fantabulous day.  Claire and I finished the 5K.  I can't wait to post pics.  (My camera is at our craft booth.  I will post them tonight.)  The only downside of the race was that I put on the wrong shoes this morning.  I could feel the difference shortly before the race.  My running shoes are Aasic gels and I really missed that cushion this morning.  But it was great quality time with my granddaughter.  This is what memories are made of.  Back later with pics and updates.  Oh, and I think tomorrow will be a great weigh-in due to my sugar ban this week.

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Okay, I am zapped. Here are a couple of pics and I am heading for dreamland.

Claire and Grandma are closing in on the first mile

Three generations did the 5K today!

100 Days Challenge

I still can't find my book.  Maybe after this weekend, when things slow down, I can get caught up on Challenge information.  In the meantime, I have not been slacking.  I am sugar-free for several days now and today I can feel the energy kicking in. My sugar numbers have stayed around 90 - go me!  I woke up this morning and told myself that I would skip the workout because we have so much to do, but once I was up I really wanted to get outside on this beautiful day!  The scale has been steadily moving down this week.  Today I have Mass with the school kids and then we have the craft show all weekend.  After Mass, I'll come home and pack a lunch for the day.  I'm having a higher carb breakfast this morning to get me through until lunch.  On days like this I have oatmeal with peanut butter.  Oh, don't look like that - it's really good!

Day 60: 100 Days Challenge

We're having internet issues again.  Today was good, but the last couple of days have been very frustrating.
Mondays and Tuesdays are hard days for me to get on and blog due to babies and kids.  I wouldn't have it any other way because I love my little peanuts - and they're growing up fast. I am so blessed to have them so close.  Monday and Tuesday I got up early to get my workout in.  I used to be able to jog the whole way.  I really hope to get there again.  I'll be going out in a little bit.  There's nothing like the country in spring time to inspire a person to get up early.  I cut out sugar yesterday and checked my blood sugar levels.  They never got above 100.  As hard as it is for me to come to terms with, I just can't do sugar or highly refined carbs.  They set me up for an all day food fest and my joints ache in the morning.  Today I got up pain-free.  I wish I could remember this when I am rationalizing that one or two chocolate-chip cookies won't hurt me. (And they probably wouldn't if I stopped there.).

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I know I am two days behind on Challenge topics, but I misplaced my book again.  This afternoon Claire and I practiced for Saturday's 5k.  I sure hope I can keep up with her.  I'm not kidding.

I got up this morning and did my walk/jog.  It looks like I'll be doing the Syrup Run with my little Claire bear.  That would be about right.  Except that I'm not sure I can keep up with her. We have to check and see if she needs to be registered. 

Day 59: 100 Days Challenge

We had to be at tax office early this morning so my workout had to wait for afternoon. I wrote yesterday about a solution the problem of an afternoon workout. Today I have pictures.

I'm telling you, Jillian is a peach compared to these slave drivers.  This actually solved a couple of things.  It gives me something to do with the kids, lets me get my workout in, and Harold's resistance bands are getting some use. 

Day 58: 100 Days Challenge - Heart Hunger

Well, I got all but 2 things done from today's list. I didn't get my candles made and I didn't get a chance to do my zone work. I did, however, get a very unique workout. This was a bit of serendipity. To back up a little, Monday and Tuesday are Madison days and she arrives around 8:00. I was good at getting up really early for a while but then I would fall asleep and be tired all day. Clayton and Claire are here for a couple of hours in the afternoon Tuesday-Friday. I had planned to workout after they went home. Melisa needed to work a little later so I decided that I would go outside with the kids and do what I could to get my heart rate going. Little Claire got tired after the first 10 minutes and asked me to pull her in the little read wagon. That kept my heart rate up, but walking with one hand pulling was a bit tiresome. Then Clayton decided he wanted a turn to be pulled. I had a brainstorm. Harold has this really big resistance band that he is no longer using for his back therapy. I hooked it through the wagon handle and was able to pull both kids with the weight equally distributed in front of me. I pulled them up and down the road and they thought it was really cool. I got a better workout than I did last night on the treadmill. Go me!!!

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Today's topic - Heart Hunger
Heart Hunger is a feature of an emptiness inside. I suspect that my first problems with weight came from this kind of eating. Things in my childhood contributed to this. My mom died with I was twelve. My dad died 34 years ago today, 10 days after our wedding. Yes, I suspect that this is the type of emotional eating that causes me the most problems. I was watching Biggest Loser tonight and Jillian was trying to get Victoria to figure out what got her to 358 pounds. Victoria couldn't name it right away, but she eventually came up with the revelation that it was because she didn't deserve to live life any differently - that she wasn't a good enough daughter. That resonated with me. I have always beat myself up for not being a good enough (6 years old - room cleaner)(8 years old - daughter) (12 years old - daughter and big sister) (14 years old - student, musician, stepdaughter, friend). As the years went by the list got longer. Lately the one "not good enough thing" in my life is being a mother. I look back and see how I could have done so much better. But I can't change it. The kids will have their issues with me and they may or may not forgive, or they may or may not forget, but I can't do a single thing to change the past. I need to decide to stop punishing myself. And I think that's what I've been doing. I have to stop doing that because even though I'm not a perfect daughter, mother, sister, friend, musician, wife, etc. I am still me. I wouldn't punish my worst enemy the way I have been punishing me. Sheesh. I think I just had a Jillian break through.

Day 57: Hundred Days Challenge - Head Hunger Insteads

I woke up today feeling like I'd been run over by a truck. My head is stuffed up, my nose is stuffed up, I'm coughing. I decided that I was not going to get through the day without a list of things I wanted to accomplish. Here was my list for today:

Laundry - done, but needs to be folded
Bills - done
Soap - lye water is mixed and oils melted - will make soon
Defrost and brown 4 pounds of hamburg - done
Mix up cookie dough (I either make them or buy them because the guys want them) - done
Decluttering - got rid of a ton of paper
Zone work - this week is the bathroom, but mine is always clean so I did Harold's.
Workout - Done - but my head hurts.
Make Christmas stockings -
Mondays I also have Madison so she helped me with all of this. Really - she made me laugh so I wouldn't get bored. Hahaha

Having structure to my day helps me stay on track with food. When the house is clean there is less chaos and far less stress eating.

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Today's topic - Head Hunger Insteads
You may have noticed that I am losing enthusiasm for this book. Not that it's not a good book, but I'm just not finding anything new here. Hopefully, my blog readers are finding some useful tips. I committed to 100 days so I am doing 100 days. Period.

Basically, as you might expect, we are instructed to make a list of "insteads." My instead is a "27 Fling Boogie" a la Flylady. As I declutter my body, I am also decluttering my house. It will take a lot of "insteads" to make a difference in each case.

I have finished my workout and am tackling the last three things on my list; I have to fold the laundry, finish the soap, and make a Christmas stocking.

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Did the soap - it's in the mold and looks beautiful. The stocking has to wait until tomorrow. I'm pooped.

Day 56: 100 days challenge - Head Hunger

Today was an unscheduled Madison day. I didn't work out. I could have. I was up early enough, but I have discovered that I have sinus problems. I thought it was a cold, but it's not. I felt like crud. Of course, once Madison got here, I felt better. She's a great distraction from stuffy sinuses. Not sure what tomorrow's weigh-in will bring. I am dreading the 5k I signed up for. I guess I'll be walking it. It's only 2 weeks away. I feel like I have not done real well on this 100 day challenge. Some of it is the internet connection problems we've been having, but mostly I have not been as focused as I should be. I have a hard time not having a fixed schedule. I need to learn to be more flexible and that's something I'm not comfortable with. Changes in plans and routines cause me to lose focus - and I also use it as an excuse to slack off.

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Head hunger, according to today's reading, is associated with the emotions of anger, frustration, or resentment. With head hunger we tend to choose "crunchy" foods. The theory is that we smash food in our mouth as a substitute to smash whoever or whatever is the source of our emotion. We are instructed to ask ourselves if eating will change the situation. Of course we know that it won't. What it does is put the bad feelings on hold for a bit.

Day 55: 100 days challenge - Food is the consolation prize

As I mentioned on my other blog, I went to Kohl's and bought some clothes. The tops were 2x's. The pants were "slimming solution" pants. Okay, now there is no way, no matter how "slimming" the pants are that I am going to look that much smaller that anyone would notice. But, they are comfortable. Everything fits. In the past I bought things that were too small promising myself that I would fit into them soon. After all, I don't want to "waste" money buying things that fit me now since I won't be in them that long. Okay, I've been telling myself that for several years now. I have punished myself by not wearing clothes that fit. How dumb is that? In addition to having gained weight, I am wearing clothes that are frumpy and old because I don't want to waste money buying something that fits. As if I'm not worth spending the money on myself until I am at a reasonable weight. Gosh, we beat ourselves up, don't we?

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"Food is the consolation prize."
This is kind of a continuation of yesterday. Food heals all wounds. It really doesn't but at the moment we are stuffing our faces, there is nothing you can say to convince us otherwise. The book suggests that when we are tempted to reach for food when we are hungry, to ask ourselves what it is we really want. Well, gee, what do I want? I've been asking myself that question for years. I can remember a visit to the doctor's office for vaccination shots and my mom promising me a hot fudge sundae afterwards. I'm not blaming my mom for my food problem. Most kids are bribed with food at some time. But I think that because my mom was sick, we didn't do a lot together. Food was a bond and I think I may still use food to bond with people who are not available to me in my life. Food is always there in a way that people are not.

Updates coming soon - I promise.

Day 54: 100 days challenge - Eating to Feel Better

Well, things have finally settled down from Holy Week and the bathroom remodel. I went way off track. This is one of the things I really need to work on. I have a tendency to start stuffing my face when I feel like my world is spinning out of control. I got up this morning and did 23 minutes on the treadmill. I argued with myself for about 20 minutes before actually getting on.

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Today's topic is "Eating to Feel Better."
I think we can all identify with this one. I can remember as a child, when my mom was so sick, how I often ate because I couldn't control anything else. After my mother died, I ate to keep from having to face my grief. I can remember stuffing my face with donuts the day my dad died. I didn't even notice I was doing it until my cousin touched my arm and I became aware of what I was doing. We do it because it works. It temporarily suspends our thinking and keeps us from having to deal with life.

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Sunday, April 4, 2010 - Easter Sunday

Happy Easter!!

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I know that my posts have been sporadic this week, but I have not given up the quest.  Holy Week is intensely busy for me as a church musician.  I will try and update later today.