A little runner's blog

May 24, 2012

I've had a rough few months emotionally. Made it through 2 phases of P90x2 then my life hit a wall. I don't want to go into it.
I started running. I lost my appetite. I signed up for the Cleveland Marathon.
I stuck a schedule on my fridge and it was the only constant in my life outside of work and the pets. Cats and dogs always need to be fed. So I ran and my runs got longer. I lost 10 lbs.

10 miles 2 Saturdays ago.
13.1 miles on Sunday. It was hot - 80 degrees. I finished in 2:25 despite the heat. my goal was 2:30 a 2:45. I felt pretty good until a killer hill at mile 10. I have no idea how I made it to the Detroit bridge but I looked up and saw the Guards of Traffic, thought of all the people rooting for me and kept putting one foot in front of the other.

Then I sprinted the last 400 meters. My husband was at the finish line and my friends were along the way.

And I finished and felt like anything is possible. And I'm awesome and nothing can stand in my way.

I bought 13.1 magnet for my car.

Feb 19, 2012

I hate buffets.
I always map out what I'm going to have and then get more anyway. Or I put two things on my plate, then I see what I really want and grab that too. My portions are off even though I aim small and I feel like ick afterward. Plus the food is never really that good and I never know what I'm actually eating ( is that meat or not? ).

Seriously.

Feb 11, 2012

Today the scale read 125.8. Yesterday it read 130. I don't believe either. I do see progress. I can feel my hip bones a little more and I have less of a muffin top in my yoga pants. Abstaining from alcohol and going out to dinner has helped

21 Day Detox. Day 21.
I just finished my workout. It's 11:54pm. I've developed a Must Get It Done attitude since December. Not even procrastination will get in my way. I'll work out late if I must.

I'm on phase 2 of p90x2. Today was chest & back & balance. my goal is to do at least or better than the workout before. I'm still using assists with pulls or using the black band. I am seeing more definition in my arms and back and I'm pleasantly surprised at the moves I can do ( push ups on the stability ball while my feet are on the bench).

I've lost 2 lbs (current weight 128.4) on the cleanse and 1/4" in some places and 1 inch in others. I was hoping to lose at least 5 lbs. I should have done more cardio...but lately I can't seem to get my diet and exercise aligned. If I'm eating right, I slack off on the workouts. If I'm working out, I'm loosey goosey with my eating.

I completed the cleanse. I cheated a little yesterday. Had sunflower seeds and peanuts. Today I treated myself to dairy free coconut "ice cream". It made me sick to my stomach and gave me a headache. Gross. I haven't eaten any processed in 3 weeks. I have drank coffee or alcohol in 21 days. That's pretty amazing because we went out a lot. It was a great experience. My goal is to make this way of eating the baseline for how I eat. My foundation will be vegetables, rice, and lentils. I will drink protein and whole foods shakes, but I'm going to real move away from soy and fake meats. I don't need them and my body has shown me that. I'm also going to stay away from wheat for a while. It slows me down. It makes me crash.

What I learned from my cleanse:
- I can go to bars and shows and have perfectly fine time not drinking
- I feel pretty good throughout the day without coffee.
- I don't need a morning cup of coffee to feel energized.
- I don't need coffee to get through my workouts
- meals of just vegetables are filling.
- Shakes and whole fruit smoothies are filling
- I didn't miss dairy, but I sure craved crunchy snacky carbs.
- Brussels sprouts are good raw.
- oil and vinegar is a great dressing with a little pepper.
- I like parsnips.
- I can make a wicked red lentil cauliflower curry
- I don't fake meats to get through my workouts
- processed foods are junk
- bread, crackers, cereals, are processed foods.
- I can not eat cookies and treats in the break room
- clementines taste like candy
- It's okay to bed to early if you are tired. Sometimes I'm just tired.
- I don't have to fight my body. If I'm tired, I shouldn't fight it with coffee. Just take a nap or go to bed, or close your eyes for 5 minutes.
- I deal with anxiety and stress better without caffeine
- I can abstain from anything.
- I can do anything if I put my mind to it
- i'm really proud of myself.

Cheers to good health!

Jan 31, 2012

I sat down twice today and ate without distractions. No books, no phone, no computer. It's one day at a time.

21 Day Detox. Day 15. 2 weeks down. 1 more to go.
I'm down 2lbs and started the second phase of p90x2. I already feel stronger in my core from the Foundation phase. Stuff I couldn't do very well I can do better. I even got in 2 yoga classes this month. Ahhh. Last week was a recovery week and I got 3 runs in. 1 outside, 2 on the dreadmill. I prefer outside. On day 15 of the detox and I am so impressed with how good I feel on a plant based diet. I'm a little apprehensive about coming off. I don't want to lose all my hard work by giving in to my cravings.

Yesterday we were at dinner. I was eating my vegetable soup while everyone else was dining on pork roast, bread and butter, and cheesecake. Later on my husband asked how my soup was. I said it was good but I really wanted a piece of bread. He replied, it was just bread and it was just okay.
Gotta stay the course. I will be introducing beans first. Followed by eggs. Gluten will be my last hold out. I really am enjoying plast centered eating and I know that bread and sugar are my trigger foods.
I will make a map and follow it. I will be strong.

weight: 128.4

21 day detox day 7
1 week down, 2 more today...plus post purification weeks. Surprisingly I have felt good. I'm not hungry because I have enough to eat. I feel alert and ready. There were 1 or 2 days I went to bed early, but I never felt terribly fatigued. (However, I wouldn't mind a cup of coffee to get me motivated for my work out.) I've been fine at work without coffee. I have actually been less sluggish in the afternoon. My stomach didn't feel too great some days. I felt poofy, which was a symptom I was hoping to eradicate with the cleanse.

I navigated 4 outings this week, a brunch, a gathering at a friends house, and two shows. I prepared by bringing my own snacks; clementine, celery and guac, and my shakes, and sticking to just raw fruit and veggies. At brunch I had a bowl of fruit and sweet potato fries. At the two shows, I just drank water with lime. Not bad, but I realized I don't like to stay out as late when I'm not drinking.

My workouts have slackened. I got in 5 workouts but not the ones on the X2 plan. Sunday was yoga, Tuesday I ran and then did Core, Wednesday I went to bed at 10, Thursday I did plyocide, and yesterday I did Total Body and shoveled the snow. This weel I'll be more on track.

On my plate for tomorrow:
breakfast: shake with fruit
snack: pear
lunch: brussels sprouts and cabbage salad with oil and vinegar
snack: 1/2 lentils
dinner: carrot curry with brown rice and spinach salad

Today:
breakfast: shake with blueberries, clementine, tea
lunch: brown rice & lentils,
snack: celery and guac
dinner: vegetable only stir fry with raw carrots

21 day detox day 2

I'm on day 2 of a 21 day detox. It's whole foods, brown rice, lentils, green tea, and produce. No dairy, bread, grains... Plus supplements. 

I haven't "needed" the caffiene like I thought. I've been drinking a lot of tea and eating a lot of produce. As long as I have something to eat, I'm good. Tonight I snacked on guacamole and celery sticks. Suddenly I love celery sticks. 

The goal is to cleanse my system. I haven't gotten a break in 33 years. My pancreas and liver need it. I'm also learning a lot about food from a nutrition perspective. Food can heal and kill. Processed food is crazy bad! It's so confusing though, coming from a fitness background where protein is king. As a vegatarian, I don't have a lot of options and the more I read about soy, the less I want to consume it. Over the weekend I even had a chai with milk instead of soy. 

I feel pretty good. Resting and still working out. On week 3 of p90x2. Scale read 132.2. this morning. Not happy. I'm suppossed to lose weight during the cleanse. I have to give it time and remember I'm doing this for my whole body. 

p90x 2 challenge: week 1
completed 5 workouts. Gave each about 3-4. I pushed myself on some moves but felt flailing on others. I bashed my head on renegade row lolasona. My husband has been doing the workouts too. He's saying they are killer, so I know I'm not pushing myself as hard as I can. I have to modify and start from the bottom instead of just giving up because "I can't do that move".

I bought a Max Air pull up assist thing. I really like. It engages all the correct muscles of a pull up (arms, shoulders, back, abs) and I don't feel like I'm cheating.

I planned out my meals and made big batches and meals ready to go. I even overcame my desire to eat everything on sight on Thursday because I felt stressed out! Then Saturday came and even though I had the "It's the Weekend Desire to EAT" cookies and beer, I kept myself in check. I wasn't perfect but It was good. I've been more conscious about protein (protein shakes, tofu, and greek yogurt) and carbs (less).

The scale says I lose 3lbs but I'm sure it's the batteries or I just less full of toxins and water and stuff because I've been eating healthy.

I've been really practicing self compassion. Last night we went out to a local rock show. I started to feel unpretty and uncool and like I would never be skinny enough. Then I stopped my thinking and said "I'm okay". I don't have to be perfect all the time. I can just be me and that's okay.

p90x 2 challenge.
Starting point.
NAME: Angeline
HEIGHT: 5.1 3/4
WEIGHT: 130.08
BODY FAT%: 25%
CHEST: 34 1/4
WAIST:29 1/4
HIPS: 40
RIGHT ARM: 11 1/4
LEFT ARM: 11 1/4
RIGHT THIGH: 18
LEFT THIGH:18 1/4

Angeline's Background and Goals:
I've been working out and following fitness programs since 2008 starting with Body for Life. I like to run, I like cardio, and I like lifting and being strong. I'm wrapping up a Turbo Jam challenge currently. I've done p90x, Insanity, Body for Life, Chalean Extreme, New Rules of Lifting for Women, and Turbo Jam. (Each year, I workout pretty strong until fall - then I lose all my motivation and give up until Jan. blarg.) I've been juggling the same 5 lbs for 3 years when my goal is to remove 10. I've previous lost 20 lbs after a 30 lbs gain. I like to eat and like most, that's my biggest struggle. I've always been a clean plate girl. I snack too much. I see food I eat food. I'm a vegetarian and I like the way I feel when I eat healthy, which i do most of the time. I eat whole foods, cook most of my meals...it's all the extras that get in the way the candy jar, the beer in the fridge, the side of fries, the cookies during the Holidays. I need to learn a new relationship with food and I'm working on that. I'm am glad to be a part of this challenge. I'm excited to do the X again. My start date is Jan 2.

Goals:
Complete all workouts.
Get back into yoga It's good for my heart, my head, my body and my soul.
Plan weekly meals using Google docs template.
Plan Meals on weekend and shop accordingly.
Track calories using sparkpeople app.
Read books: Mindless Eating, Geneen Roth, finish self-compassion
Lose 5 lbs.
Do 1 pull up.
Follow p90x2 with an equally intense program.