It’s Already Been a Month

Well, 1 month into the transformation, and today was the morning to take measurements and pictures.  I can’t even begin to say how nervous I was to find out what kind of results I’ve gotten.  Let’s say I was shocked to say the least when we started using the measuring tape.  Let me first say that I knew I’ve lost some weight because my clothes feel more comfortable, but I had no idea it was this much!  Without further adieu, here is my chart from last month & this month!

 

Measurement	1/4/11 (sizes)	1/30/11 (sizes)
Height	5’ 4”	5’ 4”
Weight	200 lbs	* will weigh on Monday
BMI
Pant size	16	16 (loosely)
Shirt size	XL (16/18)	XL (16/18 – loosely)
Bra size	42 DD	42 DD (loosely)
Chest (in)	49 3/8	47
Waist (in)	48	43
Hips (in)	46	44

 

Based on these measurements, I have lost a total of 9 inches in the past 4 weeks.  That’s definitely more than I had ever imagined!  Makes me want to keep going strong!!!  I will weigh tomorrow morning since my Weight Watchers weigh-ins are on Monday morning.  Fingers crossed for that, but if it’s not as substantial, I’m ok with that :)

Bye Bye 90's

I hate to watch the scale on a daily basis, but my OCD has kicked in way to hard.  I've been getting on at the same time every morning right before my shower (w/ empty bladder :).  Today, I made it below the 190 mark - 189.5 to be exact.  While this may not seem like much to some, it is a huge accomplishment for me!  I am estatic right now! 

I wasn't able to go walking yesterday, but Brent, Kara, Zoe, Philip & I managed to walk 5.1 miles today.  It was such a beautiful day here in League City, so I felt like we needed to take advantage of all God had to offer.  It took us ~ 1 hr 28 min to do the walk.  We came in at 16 (point something) min / mile.  Much improved from the last one!  Having a partner (s) to walk/run with really helps to keep me motivated & going.  When we got back home, I was really feeling it all over my body though!  Enjoying sitting down, resting my dogs, & watching the kids play Wii :)

Till next time - M

Pics from Zoe's Birthday

Just wanted to post some cute pics from Zoe's 2nd birthday. I can't believe how big she is. She is definitely the light of my life!!!

 Zoe & her best buddy / boyfriend, Philip

 I'm 2!

 Zoe LOVES her Pop



 My little doll

Valentine's Princess

All grown up

Taco Bell = "The Jungle"

This is why I will never go to Taco Bell again!  I am sick even thinking about the crap I have put in my body from there!!!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110125/ts_yblog_thelookout/attorneys-question-whether-what-taco-bell-calls-beef-is-actually-beef

Almost a month in......

I can't believe I'm already 23 days into my training!  Wow!  Time has flown by faster than I could have imagined.  The second half of last week was a bit of a flop in the running dept.  Zoe's 2nd birthday was on Saturday, and my parents came into town on Thursday.  Needless to say, we were busy from sun-up to sun-down every day with party preparations, pictures, and visiting.  I actually felt really bad for not doing some sort of exercise.  Can you believe it?  It's like my body is starting to crave it - even though it kicks my butt every time :)

Despite blowing the diet on cake & ice cream this past weekend, I still managed to lose 2.5 lbs in the past week.  Hip, Hip, Hurray!!  As of today, I'm right at 191.5 lbs for a total loss of 8.5 lbs so far.  I can't believe it!  Hopefully, by this time next week, I will be under the 190 mark and will NEVER return there!!!  It felt so good to say goodbye to 200, 199, 198, 197, 196, 195, 194, 193, & 192.  I will definintely not miss any of those weights!!!!! 

This week hasn't gotten off to a great start.  Zoe is really sick w/ fever and sinus & respiratory infections.  I didn't do any exercise on Sunday or Monday due to her being sick & it being cold / rainy out.  I did, however, get out this afternoon for a brisk 3.1 mile walk around the neighborhood.  My walking times have improved some.  My average was ~ 16.7 min / mi up from 20 min/mi when I started.  The shin splints are still a HUGE deterrant to running long distances, but I am determined to work through them.  I've come to the realization that if I can't run the whole race, I will walk some of it too!  I WILL finish no matter what!  As my friend Kara says, I've got to rid myself of the "stinkin thinkin" to be able to accomplish anything. 

When I took Zoe to the doctor today, she mentioned to me that I look so much more relaxed that before.  I guess being able to stay at home with Zoe on a full-time basis and beginning an exercise regimen have really helped to improve my stress levels and the effects I have on others.  What a novel idea...... ;)  I should have started exercising a long time ago!!

Well, off to get dinner.  I didn't cook tonight, so I think we will head to Subway for one of the 'under 6' subs (sans soda & chips).  Till next time - keep pushing!! M

Friends are Friends Forever (Day 17 - w3)

So, It's been a few days since I last updated this blog.  Since I am up at the butt-crack of dawn (with so much wonderful peacefullness), I figured this would be the perfect time to write.  It's been quite a good week so far.  After sufferring through the run/walk at Memorial Park last Friday, I decided we had to go find me a pair of shoes.  At the advice of the salesman at the running store, I rehabbed my shins over the weekend with plenty of ice, heat, & rest.  As of Monday, almost all of the pain had gone away - thankfully!! 

That leads me to present week.  Weigh-in #3 was on Monday.  Drum roll, please....... 193 lbs!!!!  A net loss of 6 lbs.  Of course, I wish it would be faster & more drastic, but 2-3 lbs / week is the safe and most effective way to lose weight. At this point, I am continuing to meet my original goals of weight loss and no [real] Coke.  Actually, I haven't even had Coke Zero in about a week.  Can you believe it???  I have substituted my sodas with unsweetenend or diet tea, which still gives me my daily shot of crack / nah - caffeine.  I am beginning to realize that caffeine is a drug that is just as addictive as nicotine and alcohol.  My body absolutely CRAVES it! 

I have completed 1 walk/run this week during the day with my BFF Kara.  I'm still on the Week 1 cycle of walk 90 secs / run 60 secs because the shin splints have really been hindering my progression.  Well, let me tell you that the new shoes, compression socks, and ice really DO help!!!  I was able to complete the whole training plan without stopping early or being unable to walk later in the afternoon.  In fact, I really liked doing the workout in the morning.  It gave me so much energy all day - I don't know that I've had endorphins like that in a long time.  Probably the last time was when I was still riding on the fire truck!  I've decided that I will have to attempt most of my workouts in the morning from now on! 

Kara surprised me with some good news during our run.  Her hobby is fitness training.  We used to take kickboxing together.  In fact, our first "bonding" experience was when she fussed at me for eating gum during our kickboxing workout.  Hahaha!  I still laugh when I think about that day.  Anyway, Kara has decided that she will be accompanying Sonya, Adrianne and myself on the run in April.  She's never been to Charleston, so this will be a fun time to workout and see the sights in my homestate.  So, she told me yesterday that she's decided to run with me at my pace for the whole race just to provide support.  Kara is an avid runner, so the fact that she is going to stay at my pace means a TON.  It just got me thinking about how lucky I am to have such supportive & non-judgemental friends!  All of my BFF's (& Brent!) have been so supportive of my goals thus far, and I am so thankful that God has blessed me beyond words!!

Zoe had a rough night last night, so I spent most of my sleeping time in the rocking chair.  By 430, I was wide awake and couldn't go back to sleep.  So, I decided to get up and do some Yoga.  Call me crazy, but it was so wonderful to be up early doing exercise.  It was so quiet, & I could really focus on what I was doing.  Will I be doing this every morning?  Probably not!  But, I'd like to think that I will do it several times per week. 

Finally, in the spirit of having such great friends, I am posting a link to one of my all-time favorite songs by Michael W. Smith.  Till next time........ M

FRIENDS by Michael W Smith

Training - Day 12 (w2)

It's been a LONG week!  Physically, I feel like I am about 30 years older than I really am.  So far, I have completed 1 running program, walked 2.5 miles yesterday and walked 3 miles today at Memorial Park.  I tried to run today, but I was only able to finish 3 cycles of my training program due to my horrible shin splints.  They have been getting so bad that I can barely put one foot in front of the other.  This pain is worse than almost any other I have felt before - possibly because it never goes away..... it's always there!

So, on the way home from Memorial Park, we stopped at On the Run in Webster for an evaluation and fitting.  I had previously been to Fleet Feet in Houston several years ago, but the shoes they recommended for me (Asics) there just aren't cutting it any more.  So the guy that helped me out at On the Run was great!  He found a new & improved shoe for me.  Apparently, I am an underpronater so my ankles roll out when I run - leading to severe shin splints.  After trying on several pairs of shoes, I chose another pair of Asics - just a different style.  The new shoes are the Asics Gel Cumulus 12, and already I love, love, love them!!!!  They feel great just wearing them around the house..... the true test will be on our run tomorrow.  I found this video online about pronation  http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-240-319-327-7727-0,00.html

Diet has been going well.  I DID cheat yesterday and have a taco salad at lunch.  We ended up going to a Mexican restaurant, so I felt like the salad was the best thing to choose from..... my weakness though - the shell!  After just 2 weeks of eating healthier, I felt absolutely GROSS after lunch!  I didn't even eat the whole thing - but I haven't had any greasy food in almost 2 weeks.  Hoping for good results at weigh-in on Monday morning :)

Till next time!  M

Training – Day 10 (w2)

Well, I’m already half way through Week 2 of my transformation!  I posted 2 YouTube videos of songs that have inspired me this week.  The first is Revelation by Third Day.  They are one of my all-time favorite bands.  It talks about asking God to lead you on the right path to avoid a life of uncertainty.  My “revelation” from God has been to become a healthier and happier mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, and nurse.  The second song is The Great Adventure by Steven Curtis Chapman.  I am currently embarking on my great adventure!

Yesterday was a day of many victories!  Let’s see….. can I remember them all?

1. I passed up cinnamon rolls in the break room and didn’t even think twice about it!
2. I ate a 3” subway sandwich with no mayo/oil and skipped the cookie for dessert at a lunch meeting.
3. Successfully completed my training day (run/walk). 

Brent & I made it out to the track last night after work.  I decided to repeat last week’s run/walk training schedule this week b/c I just don’t think I’m ready to increase my run times.  When I say it was cold, I am not saying that lightly.  Most of my friends and family know that I am ALWAYS hot, so for me to say it was cold – it must have been really cold!  At any rate, it is really hard for someone with asthma to run in cold weather!!!  I really struggled with my breathing.  It felt like I was trying to breathe through one of those tiny little coffee straws while running.  Even sucking down the inhaler didn’t help much!  Finally starting to feel somewhat normal after that 3 week bout of bronchitis, so that probably didn’t help matters. 

Despite my breathing troubles, I actually completed 2.25 miles during my 31 minute cycle.  This time last week I only went 1.5 miles in that same amount of time.  Improvement feels SOOOOO good – even if it is small!!!  It makes me want to do more so I can see even more improvement. 

Besides my asthma, my other difficulty right now is shin splints.  Last night they were so bad, I actually felt nauseous.  I’ve had lots of surgeries, so I can definitely handle pain, but this was really bad!  I’ve been walking around today with both shins wrapped with ace bandages, and it’s helped a good bit.  Anyone have any other good ideas about how to prevent / treat them?  I will probably be looking at some new running shoes in the very near future!

Diet is going well!  I did cheat today a little bit.  I woke up this morning with the worst chocolate craving, so I ate 2 chocolate truffles – without hesitation.  I guess it’s ok – once in a while – to indulge (but not go overboard).  In the past, I could have sat and eaten 5 or 6 truffles.  My new motto is moderation!  I definitely want to live long enough to watch my daughter get married and have kids!

Getting ready to head to bed with the little one.  I am trying to break her of sleeping in the bed with us, so tonight I will be sleeping on the Aero Bed in her bedroom floor.  She thinks we are having a slumber party.  Fun times!!! I LOVE being a Mommy!!!

Till next time,

Adios!! M

Steven Curtis Chapman - The Great Adventure

 

I'm embarking on my great adventure!

A little mid-week inspiration!!! Revelation - Third Day

One of my all time favorite songs from Third Day!!!

It’s Done

Well, there is NO backing out now!  I officially registered for the 2011 Cooper River Bridge Run in Charleston on April 2nd.  Can’t back out now that the fees are paid & the training plan has been purchased.  Hehehehe!  I’m actually getting excited about this challenge!  Thanks to my #1 cuz, Sonya, and her BFF, Adrianne, who encouraged me to join them.  Love you guys!

Training – Day 8 (w2)

It’s been a few days since I’ve written, so I thought I’d catch up on my posts.  The last few days have been very busy between starting spring cleaning in our house and trying to get some exercise in.  On last Friday, I completed the whole 8 cycles of my training schedule.  I was so thrilled!  Many thanks go out to my friends Kara & Nancy for encouraging me along the way. 
I had a “cheat” day on Saturday because our friends’ daughter, Allison, was baptized and we went to a celebratory brunch afterward.  I tried to stick with the fruit and veggies (sans dip), but the cake looked sooooo delicious!  So, I decided to forgo some spinach artichoke dip and have a piece of cake instead.  It was a good decision!! :)
I still haven’t had a real coke or any sweet tea in a week.  That’s a huge accomplishment for me!  I’m sticking with Coke Zero, unsweet tea (w/ Splenda) and water.  It’s not quite as bad as I thought!  At one point, I was CRAVING real sugar, so I went to order a large sweet tea at Chik-fil-A.  When I got to the window, my drink was a medium unsweet tea instead, so I asked them again for a Large sweet tea.  The second time, I got a large unsweet tea.  I thought - Are you kidding me?! I guess that was God’s way of keeping me on track! 
Weigh-in was this morning.  I weighed 197 lbs for a net loss of 3 pounds this week!  Woo Hoo!!!!  Not only that, but my jeans feel a little roomier in the waist.  I hear that you will notice loss in your clothes first (generally).  Of course, I would have liked to lose more, but I made MAJOR accomplishments this past week :
#1 – Being able to finish an entire training schedule on Friday
#2 – Loss of 3 lbs
#3 – Avoiding “real” coke or sweet tea.
My goals for Week 2 are as follows:

• Continue eating healthy – avoid “leaded” cokes and teas
• Run at least 3 days
• Do some type of exercise / walk on the days that I don’t run
• Sign up for the run!!!

So, here I go……. 1 week down, 11 more to go. On your mark. Get set.  GO!!

Training – Day 3 (w1)

Well, I don’t have too much to say today.  I skipped my workout today so I could rest my hip – which already feels much better and several major meltdowns by Zoe.  We are planning to go out tomorrow and do a run after Brent gets off work.

I DO have a major accomplishment for today.  I met a friend at Chik-fil-A today for lunch, and I skipped the trash food for a healthy lunch (salad with grilled chicken, fruit, fat free / low cal dressing, and Coke Zero).  Another major accomplishment is that I haven’t had REAL Coke in 4 days….. traded it in for Coke Zero.  So, even though we didn’t run tonight, I made some positive steps forward in the diet department. 

I am using Weight Watchers (online) to help me eat sensibly and healthy.  It’s really a reasonable program and they have an improved app for the iPhone, so I have NO excuses to eat poorly – even on the road :)

More to come tomorrow!  Nitey Nite :), Megs

Training – Day 2 (w1)

Exercise today was not part of the official training plan; however, I decided I’d give it a whirl – don’t want to lose momentum this early!  I repeated the same schedule from yesterday, except this time I ran alone.  My hip and calf are still KILLING me, so this time I only got 5/8 cycles completed.  I did do the warm up & cool down walks though.  Brent thinks I’m trying to dive into this way too fast.  He thinks I should have waited another day before starting the next schedule….. In retrospect, I completely concur!  I think my over-zealousness pushed me to go way too fast, way too quick.  So, I will stick with the official training schedule and run 3 days / week with a day of rest in between.  Well – not completely rest……. I plan on at least walking on the “off” days to keep the momentum going.

So, I was thinking about why my hip hurts so bad, and I started looking at my measurements / stats.  What they don’t show is that my legs are like bean poles (short ones though).  If they were cut off, they probably wouldn’t weigh over 25 lbs, which means they are holding up 175-180 lbs of FAT.  ICK!!!!!!!!  It’s just nasty when I say it out loud.  I’m hoping that as the weight starts to come off, the running will become easier.  Even when I was a firefighter and carrying around 75 lbs of gear and tools, I didn’t have aches and pains like this.  I would much rather be doing that again :)

I’m adding a link to a fitness website about body shape. http://www.freedieting.com/body_shape.htm   It appears that I am currently classified as an “apple” where the majority of my weight is centered around my torso.  This body shape is probably one of the worst you can have, because fat tends to settle around the heart, kidneys, GI tract, etc…… This puts “apples” at high risk for heart attack, stroke, diabetes, high cholesterol……. and the list goes on and on and on…. 

I challenge you to visit the following website:  http://www.epigee.org/fitness/body_shape.html  It will help you determine your body type / shape and plan exercises that maximize weight loss for that shape.  I have always liked using the elliptical trainer at the gym, but I just found out that “apples” who use the elliptical will end up losing weight in their legs faster, making proportions even more out-of-proportion!  Running seems to be a good alternative :O)

Well, that’s it for today!  Thanks to all who left inspiring and uplifting messages on this site as well as my Facebook!  It’s going to be an early night!

**** Another picture that inspires me to succeed!

Training – Day 1

Let me preface this posting by telling you that I am in the process of recovering from a 2 week bout of bronchitis.  I’ve been having several asthma attacks a day, so I was very apprehensive about starting today.  However, the run is only 3 months from yesterday – NO TIME to lag behind!

After a lot of planning and shopping, I started my training schedule tonight – Couch potato – to – 5K  http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml   I went to Academy today and bought a new Polar heart rate monitor/watch and running armband for my iPhone……no, I won’t be talking on the phone!  It’s so I can listen to peppy music that will inspire me. 

My friend Maggie told me about an app for the iPhone that is for the Couch-to-5K regimen.  I downloaded it for only $1.99 and added some “running” songs to it before we headed out.  The program is actually really cool!  The training schedules are loaded into a calendar and you just push the START button on your particular training day.  You can listen to your music while running the program. I was a little worried about having to keep track of time with my watch, run, push the stroller, and listen to music, but this program has a bell / voice that tells you what to do & when to do it. 
The regimen for W1/D1 (week 1 / day 1) was to do a brisk 5 minute walk, followed by 60 seconds of running then 90 minutes of walking for 20 minutes.  At the end of the run/walk cycle, you have another 5 min walk for cool down.  This all works out to 2 / 5 minute walks and 8 cycles of run/walk (30 minutes total).
Brent, Zoe & I headed out for the track at Creekside Intermediate.  We stretched a little before starting – MAN – I really wish I had stretched better! 
I actually did pretty well for my fist day!  Don’t get me wrong – I struggled and my whole body hurt as I ran, but I DID finish and I’m NOT dead!  I actually did 6 out of the 8 cycles of R/W (I walked the other 2 in the middle of the workout).  I think I could have done all 8 running; however, my R calf seized up and was rock hard. I could hardly even walk it hurt so bad.  Note to self – I must develop a good stretching routine before doing this again.  Nothing a little Motrin 800 and whirlpool bath wouldn’t take care of ;)
When we got home, we ate grilled pork tenderloin, 1/2 sweet potato and some steamed veggies.  Not too bad for my first day!  Like I said, it was hard, but I met my goals for the day and I didn’t die in the process.  Mission achieved!  Hopefully I will be able to walk tomorrow……Only time will tell.

I want to mention 2 of the songs that especially gave me inspiration during my run tonight:
Run to You by Third Day 

The Change by Steven Curtis Chapman 

A New Year….. A Fresh Start

So, after being inactive for way – way too long, I have decided to get back on the blogging bandwagon.  The primary reason is to hold myself accountable to becoming a healthier mom, wife, friend, & daughter. 

I have always been a thin person.  When Brent & I married nearly 12 years ago, I only weighed 110 lbs (soaking wet).  I wore a size 2 and looked great in a swimsuit.  Fast forward to present – after 7 years of fertility treatments, surgically-induced menopause, and multiple abdominal surgeries, I have gained way TOO much weight, developed hypertension, and fed multiple bouts with Depression.

After visiting my family in SC over the Christmas holidays, my cousin, Sonya, mentioned that she is going to start training for the Cooper River Bridge 10K in Charleston on April 2, 2011.  I never have liked to run, but a bell started going off in my head…. Wow, training for a 10K would be hard, but the benefits would include: losing weight, becoming a healthier / happier person, run a fun race with my favorite cousin, and have a girl’s weekend in Charleston.  Hence, my quest to write a blog about the struggles and triumphs I face in training for the race.

I am going to go beyond my comfort zone here, and post some pretty personal facts about my weight / measurements.  I am probably even going to post pictures to show my progress (slow or quick).  I would normally not do something like this, except I feel that exposing my current state of fatness / grossness will finally hold me accountable to returning to the cute, fun, bubbly, and healthy MEAGAN. 

My goals:

1.  Train for the Cooper River Bridge 10K using the Couch Potato to 5K program – I’ve always hated running, but I’m going to stretch myself here!

2.  Lose weight – I don’t have a set weight goal for myself.  My primary goal in losing weight is to see results in my clothes and losing my double chin.  It would be nice to be back in a size 8 pants.  I know, I know….. this is a big difference from the size 16 I’m in now, but I have to have goals……

3.  Work out at least 5 days / week – My plan is to do my 10K training schedule on Mon, Wed, and Fri and either yoga or kickboxing on Tues & Thurs.  Sunday will be my day of rest!  & Saturday…….. I’ll find something to do :)

4. Eat healthy – That means NO MORE fast food!!!!!  Brent & I have decided that to be healthy & good role models for Zoe, we are going to cook ~ 90-95% of all meals at home. 

So, in order to accomplish these goals, I have to put it all out on the table….. fat rolls and all!  My stats as of today are as follows (START):

Measurement	Size
Height	5’ 4”
Weight	200 lb
BMI
Pant size	16
Shirt size	XL (16/18)
Bra size	42 DD
Chest (in)	49 3/8
Waist (in)	48
Hips (in)	46

 

Brent & I took starting photos, but I haven’t downloaded them from the camera yet.  I will post as soon as I have done that.  So, join me on a whirlwind  adventure as I make some drastic life changes!