Butt=Ouch!

Ok, so I did the BL on Saturday, my abs and butt are killing! For reals! But, ya know.

I just found the coolest iPod ap-a pedometer! I was like two seconds from buying one and B said I should look into that, yeppers I did and dude...its FREE! I love free!

Biggest Loser/TN

Since mother nature is having yet another fit and provided the great state of NY with more snow-I plugged into the Biggest Loser game from the Wii-it was a workout.  I did the beginner-23 minutes and then I also did 18 min yoga workout...damn that Bob!

But, I have a few end goals in sight, I am going to TN in June for the CMA music fest! So excited. I am going to drive down by myself and just go on an adventure! Can't wait...anyone want to join you are more than welcome...so its time to get serious and shed the lbs.

I will tell you about my other goals once I get more details...happy Saturday!
T.

29 degrees

Today was the day-or should  I say tonight was the night.  I left at 7:50 pm to do my first 'walk/run'.  And here I am alive to report the situation.  The weather was 29 degrees no wind, and it was actually really peaceful-which lately I need.  Just hearing my feet on the track in beat with my ipod.

Let's start with Mother Nature's sick joke of having it snowing, windy, and cold....again.  Half the track was covered in snow therefore leaving me to the option of running half, turning around, and going back to where I started...no big deal to me. Luckily the part of the track that was clean was the part mostly lit up. 

I walked a total of 1.25 miles and ran .25 miles. Not very much in the grand picture of things for running but still over all 1.5 miles for day 1 is pretty good, so I think.

Now, the funny part, dear lord-I thought I was going to seriously die from the little part of running I did. I was packing some serious wind-it was cold and it hurt.  But I kept going, just concentrating on the music on my groovy running play list (thanks Fergie) and it worked. So I have changed the plan a bit-I am going to run .25 this week and walk the rest and next week bump it up to a half. Its going to take time, I am not going to become a marathon runner over night-pretty sure on that one. 

I am however going to ask my friend E on how the heck I am supposed to breathe while practically dieing!  She is a huge runner so I know she will hold the answer!

Til later...T.

I've got friends in all places...

So last night after grocery shopping I said to myself "Tomorrow is the day, starting going". We I wake up this morning and BAM-the wind is blowing 25+ mph, the snow is everywhere, roads covered. Ok, so the track would have been cleaned from yesterday's weather of nearly 60 degrees but now that is a high of 30--not so much! Ugh.

Last week after telling B about my 'plan', she is very supportive *unlike some people*.  A few days later she facebook's me and says I have a litle something coming along to show her support...hum. That women is so thoughtful! 

Today is son's birthday (shout out to D-dog, thats really not his name, just a nickname, Happy 7th Birthday) so I drop Alyvia off and she gives me the gift.  Wait for it:

 

Yep she got me the Wii Biggest Loser 'game'.  She was scared I was going to take it the wrong way...but, after seeings Mother Nature's sick joke this morning....not so much! I would say perfect timing B!

Thanks-

T.

New kicks

Lets start with this statement...I have never had a lot of sneakers from high school until now. I was a cheerleader in high school so we needed special sneakers-matching sneakers-so its safe to say I have never been a huge fan.  I have had the current pair since college, 12 years ago! (I will post a picture someday) Secondly, I have a small situation with my foot, I cannot have arches in them, only in one foot however. Therefore I never took the effort to find sneakers that actually work for me...lazy, perhaps. But, its been very frustrating with not just sneakers but all shoes. My favorite shoes are my Nine West kitten heal pumps, I don't wear them very often due to they KILL my feet. 

Off I went, since step 2 of 'the plan' is find good running sneakers. I searched all over, I googled, looked, googled and found:

They look comfy, have low arches (per the google search of them), fun (LOVE THE COLORS) and were in the budget. Originally $59.99 I got them for $31.99-can't complain about that.


I will keep you posted on the actual fit and use of them!

This is it, one shot, one time-that is all you get.

LISTEN. CHOOSE JOY. LIVE BRAVE. And FEAR NOT.

T.

The plan

Like I previously said I Googled for my help and from this website, http://www.wikihow.com/Begin-Running, I came up with: How to Begin Running.

Step 1: Pan to spend 20-30 min. at a time three days each week

Step 2: Obtain some good running shoes

Step 3: Stretch after a run

Step 4: Learn the basics of good running technique

Step 5: Find your stride

Step 6: Breathe (yes a good reminder)

Step 7: Enjoy your self

Step 8: Make a running habit (See below)

I added step 9-load your Ipod! I will share that list with you later.

Expanding on Step 8: Make running a habit.

o    Week 1: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

o    Week 2: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk. Then alternate 90 seconds of jogging and two minutes of walking for a total of 20 minutes.

o    Week 3: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then do two repetitions of the following:

§  Jog 200 yards / 180 meters (or 90 seconds)

§  Walk 200 yards / 180 meters (or 90 seconds)

§  Jog 400 yards / 365 meters (or 3 minutes)

§  Walk 400 yards / 365 meters (or 3 minutes)

o    Week 4: Brisk 5 minute warm-up walk, then:

§  Jog 1/4 mile / 400 meters (or 3 minutes)

§  Walk 1/8 mile / 200 meters (or 90 seconds)

§  Jog 1/2 mile / 800 meters (or 5 minutes)

§  Walk 1/4 mile / 400 meters (or 2-1/2 minutes)

§  Jog 1/4 mile / 400 meters (or 3 minutes)

§  Walk 1/8 mile / 200 meters (or 90 seconds)

§  Jog 1/2 mile / 800 meters (or 5 minutes)

o    Week 5:

§  Workout 1: Brisk 5 minute warm-up walk, then:

§  Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

§  Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)

§  Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

§  Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)

§  Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

§  Workout 2: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then:

§  Jog 3/4 mile / 1200 meters (or 8 minutes)

§  Walk 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

§  Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)

§  Workout 3: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog two miles / 3200 meters (or 20 minutes) with no walking.

o    Week 6:

§  Workout 1: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then:

§  Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

§  Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)

§  Jog 3/4 mile (or 8 minutes)

§  Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)

§  Jog 1/2 mile (or 5 minutes)

§  Workout 2: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then:

§  Jog 1 mile /1600 meters(or 10 minutes)

§  Walk 1/4 mile (or 3 minutes)

§  Jog 1 mile (or 10 minutes)

§  Workout 3: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog 2-1/4 miles / 3600 meters (or 25 minutes) with no walking.

o    Week 7: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog 2.5 miles / 4000 meters (or 25 minutes).

o    Week 8: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog 2.75 miles / 4400 meters (or 28 minutes).

o    Week 9: Brisk five-minute warm-up walk, then jog 3 miles / 4800 meters (or 30 minutes).

There you have it...the plan of action. Now I need a start date.

This is it, one shot, one time-that is all you get.

LISTEN. CHOOSE JOY. LIVE BRAVE. And FEAR NOT.

T.

Thought into Action

Here we go; a new adventure. I am mother of two young children, working full time, with another blog, too many things on my plate-so I say why not add one more! So I am.  Am I nervous? YES. Am I scared? YES. Excited? YES. I have never been one to welcome change…hardly ever in my life was I willing to allow and accept it.  I am the type of person who is ok with the norm, ok to just keep at the pace I am at; new adventures are few and far between for me. I need to do this to prove to myself that I can count on myself, that I can put my mind to something and finish…alone. Do I need to do it by myself? Absolutely not! I have amazing friends and family who I know would encourage me every step of the way.  I need this for me and my kids.

Why do I need to prove this to myself? I honestly cannot answer this question directly. Many things have had me recently pondering. 

·         My Mema passed away around 7 months ago from the big “C” word-cancer. (Lord, I am so sick of cancer taking good people from others!-I will not get on my soap box about that now) She was a wonderful, caring, fun, women that I miss dearly.  I often thought: did I grieve for her fully? I am not sure. I cried, sure. I have memories, sure. Miss her, Absolutely-more than anything. It was so fast-she fell ill in March and passed on in July…it wasn’t enough time to say goodbye…permanently. 

·         My kids-I need to prove to them I can run, play, skip, and be that fun mom every kid deserves. I do those things now…with limitations. I want no limits-I want them to one day say “that’s my mom”- proud. Like I am of my mom.

·         Finally—ME. Yes, probably the most important right? I want/need to be healthy. I want to live to 99.5 years old like my great-grandmother.  I was once a healthy person-weight wise-before I got married I was about 100 lbs lighter. A 100 pounds! That’s more than Mema weighed the vast majority of her life. I know it will be good to lose the weight but I think deep down, I think that it will be good for my mind.  I am not going to lie; no holds bar, I have anxiety and depression issues I have for about 9 years, since Sept. 11.  I couldn’t handle it, wrapping my head around the fact why the rest of the world would hate the US, more specifically people they didn’t know. Innocent people. I did some very scary things and finally saw a therapist and worked on them. I am getting there again, not with global issues but personal.  I am not sure when the ‘book’ hit me but more so how many times. Probably since I have had so many deaths in the last handful of years, the light flicked on-This is it, one shot, one time-that is all you get. I need to stop mooping, stop being cranky, stop be sad…change. 

So what are you going to do you ask? I always had this dream of running, why, seriously no clue. I guess when I watched that movie “What Women Want” with Mel Gibson-remember when they pitched to Nike- “You don’t stand in front of a mirror before a run and wonder what the road will think of your outfit. You don’t have to listen to his jokes and pretend they are funny in order to run on it. It’s not easier to run if you dressed sexier, the road doesn’t notice if you are wearing lipstick, doesn’t care how old you are, you do not feel uncomfortable because you make more money than the road.  And you can call on the road whenever you feel like it. Wither it’s been a day or a couple hours since your last date. The only thing the road cares about is you pay it a visit once in a while. Nike-no games just sports.” That movie came out 11 (dear god) years ago, why I remember it now. Tricky mind games I guess; or really good advertising! Either way, totally inspiring.

Speaking of inspiring I have a few people in my life I consider inspiring, do they know it…some do, some don’t, and to me that’s ok.

My mom-need I say more. I love her, I trust her, welcomes me and quirky little family with open arms-unconditionally.

My Mema-we already touched base on this one

My old friend Diane-She is in her mid 30’s and had to overcome something that nobody should have to-her husband Matt die of cancer, they were married only a couple years and he was in his 20’s. Again-announce with Cancer is coming up. She is strong, so strong. Matt and Di had this crazy connection; I seriously have never seen two people as happy on their wedding day as they did.  Since Matt’s passing, Di has lost weight, ran a marathon, finished another college degree, and has Luna, her very large and cuddly great dane. (I point this out because as kids Di had so many allergies-dogs were outside, period.)

My ladies-the Thursday crew (ok we hang out way more than that-oh you get the point) each of them different, each of them with a special gift, and each of them contribute something different to our group of friends. B-she is the glue, the one that connects us all. A-she is an amazing teacher, thoughtful, kind; I think we are the most alike.  J-she is a busy body-for real-she gets up at the butt crack of dawn to run-miles…I mean miles. K-she is quirky one in the group, funny, athletic, a coach.

I am sure there are more somewhere along the line….ok-the nitty gritty-I am over a 100 lbs over weight I want that bye bye-asap. But, realistically not going to happen overnight, or months, time; lots of it. I need to have patients, because I assure myself there will be ups and downs every day. Better decisions need to be made. I have currently come up with:

ü  No more coffee-tea only-I put an unbelievable amount of sugar and cream in my coffee-calories to the hilt.  When I drink tea-I feel better, still get the caffeine fix I desperately need but zip cals.

ü  I need to change the items I eat, the amount I eat- Seriously no brainer. Difficult-sure. My family is so picky! Well, 2 of the 4 are.

ü  No more snacks prior to bed-I eat it and lay down…right to my butt it goes as I drift happily, fully into dream land! Darn that ice cream man anyway!

ü  Start the plan of walking/running. I Googled-overweight people who want to run. And like every time Google didn’t fail. I found a lot of great websites. (I chose to listen to: http://www.wikihow.com/Begin-Running) Seems doable-right? Yes Tina, it does.

What to expect-truth, and a lot of it. Tips-I will Google tips and such. Funny stories-those who know me know I have the worst luck, I am always getting hurt!

I should put a disclaimer: I often go on tangents, sorry, and I am a little goofy.

This is it, one shot, one time-that is all you get.

LISTEN. CHOOSE JOY. LIVE BRAVE. And FEAR NOT.

T.