Run Ginny Run!

Today marked my sixth week of running and that is really hard to believe!
I've said for years that I never wanted to run and here I am, running.

My progress so far:
I've completed 5 weeks of running, 3 days a week. I get up at 5:00 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday and run. I am by NO means a morning person. I. like. to. sleep.
I've completed 3 weeks of the Couch to 5k program (I ran weeks 1 and 2 two times to gain strength and confidence).
I'm down 7 pounds in 4 weeks. That's 3 pounds ahead of my goal of losing 1 pound per week.
I feel more confident on my runs and more comfortable.
My feet, knees and everything else feel great.
I'm still taking glucosamine supplements two times a day to help with my joint pain.
I ice my knees after each run (most days).
I'm going to get new running shoes in the next couple of weeks to keep myself feeling great. I have a lot of miles on my shoes from all the walking I've done over the past couple of years and before anything starts to really hurt I need to get a new pair.
I couldn't do this without my husband getting up with me and staying at home and working out to a video.
I also couldn't do it without my sister who sacrifices her sleep and gets up to help me reach my goals. And keeps times for me which I know I would absolutely hate!

Well, that's my progress so far. It's great progress for me, a non-runner who's been out of the workout game for years, 80-ish pounds overweight and has no real experience in just plain ol' running. So go out there and reach your goals. You can do it!

Six Weight Loss Mistakes

As part of my usual routine on SparkPeople of browsing through the various articles looking for one to catch my eye, I found one titled, "6 Weight Loss Mistakes to Avoid."  That certainly caught my eye. The article addresses 6 areas where people can get confused and present 6 things to remember about each area. Without further ado, here are the 6 keys, along with my own comments on them...

1.) Slower is better - Do you ever see those ads/infomercials on TV about the next big weight-loss gadget?  Do your eyes light up at the thought of losing 20 pounds in 45 minutes using the GLRX-Extreme-CorePunchMaster-Fitness 3500 II?  Are you filled with anger when Ms. Six-Pack declares, "I lost 10 pounds in just 2 minutes, and now ALL the guys stop to watch when I walk by"?  Do you ever notice the fine print at the bottom of the screen which say something to the effect of, "We know you'll never read this, but these results are not normal for most people.  Just send us the 29.99/month for the next six months"?  For most people the answers are "yes, yes, no."  The point is, a slow and steady weight loss is the way to go.  Aim for a half-pound to two pounds each week.  Do an search on your favorite search engine for "rapid weight loss" studies.  Studies show that Ms. Six-Pack is likely to gain all that weight back.  I am quite happy whenever that number on the scale drops even a small amount. I'll take steady one-pound or one-half-pound weight loss each week if it means I am treating my body right. Since I started my getting fit journey in 2009, I have lost 60 pounds. I didn't lost it fast. I made slow, steady, consistent steps that continue to pay off today.

2.) Everyone is different - This is a shocker, isn't it?  Everyone is different!  Not everyone loses weight at the same rate and in the same places.  Person A and Person B eat 2000 calories a day and burn 300 calories a day but will NOT lose the same amount of weight.  A may lose more than B.  B gets upset.  Have you been in this boat before?  I can remember taking a look around SparkPeople and seeing people who joined the same day I did losing more weight than me.  Did it make me a little jealous?  Maybe a little, yeah.  Did it make me upset?  No.  The fact that I was eating better and exercising more benefits my life, even if the scale did not reflect it.  More energy, less stress, and better sleep cannot be quantified but are important changes that take place.  Don't get hung up on ____, who has lost X more pounds than you.  My thought was (and still is), "Just do what I need to do, and let the scale take care of itself."  In other words, stay on track, and there will be results.

3.) Weight loss is rarely constant from week to week - Our bodies are strange.  If you need proof, just look at your uvula.  You could do the exact same thing you did last week yet lose no weight.  You could even gain a little weight.  Huh?  How does that happen?  Our bodies don't follow a formula.  They work how they work, which is little comfort for someone at a plateau.  We just have to trust that we are making progress even if the scale says otherwise. Too much can happen even over the course of a week with water weight and food and building muscles vs. burning fat.  Again, the focus for me needs to be to keep doing what I have been doing, and I will reach my goal.

4.) Weight loss is not immediate - Exercising yesterday will not mean weight loss today.  Too many people fall for this one. Yeah, you lost two pounds after your workout, but that's just water weight.  Weight loss takes time and commitment.  The goal is to lose "fat" not water.  Be consistent with exercise and with keeping track of your nutrition.  I know keep saying this, but if you focus on changing your lifestyle to eating healthier and getting regular exercise, there will be results.  They may not come immediately.  But they will come.

5.) Setbacks are normal - Repeat this one.  Setbacks are normal.  And again.  Setbacks are normal.  If you need to, say it again.  Setbacks are normal. Starting out 3 years ago, I knew one would come eventually, but despite that I still got a little down on myself.  However, you can always replace that setback with a positive (i.e. you're wearing smaller clothes than before).  So while the scale showed a setback, I can take heart in knowing that clothes are fitting better and I look skinnier in them.  Setbacks will happen, but they will not last.  Remember, attitude is just as important to success as ability.  Bounce back from setbacks and persevere.

6.) Eating less isn't always better - Ah, the paradox of weight loss.  We think it is simple - eat less to weigh less.  This, however, just is not the case.  Dieters restrict themselves to X calories per day, expecting rapid weight loss.  Unbeknownst (I like that word) to them, their bodies can go into "starvation mode," slowing their metabolism down.  This of course precludes any weight loss and actually can lead to weight gain, because your body will hang onto every calorie.  SparkPeople calculates a daily calorie range based on current weight, goal weight, and your goal weight date.  Your mission is to hit that range every day - even if it seems like a lot of food.

You can find the main article here. Have a look, and see what mistakes you may be making.

-D

Setting Realistic Goals

Three weeks ago I began the journey of weight loss... again. 3 years ago Daniel and I joined Spark People and loved it. I lost 20 pounds before getting pregnant with Nyla and then about 10 more before getting pregnant with Naomi. Daniel continued to eat well and exercise and has lost about 60 pounds in the last 3 years and kept it off. And now, we're back on it again.

I've struggled with my weight all through my 20's. I played basketball in high school but the second that was over I quit exercising and kept eating the same foods and the same portions. This, of course, was not a good combination and I quickly gained 15 pounds. Ever since then I've just gotten bigger and exercise has become less and less.

Getting married and having two kids has made me realize that I want to be around a long time for my family. I want to have energy all day to keep up with my girls and I want to show them how to live an active lifestyle and teach them portion control. I struggle with emotional eating as well and I want to show them that you can control this and it's possible to maintain a healthy lifestyle. It's not all about being super skinny to me, it's about living a healthy life and being around for people. Type 2 Diabetes runs in my family and that's the last thing I want too. I don't want to have to struggle with this all my life.

In the past when I've set goals for myself it's been too many and too much. For example, "lose 50 pounds in 30 weeks" has been one. While that's definitely doable that's not giving myself any room for error. I like sweets and pizza and that's not something I'm willing to give up. But, I know I can have all that in moderation. And I do. Another one is "exercise for 30 minutes 5 days a week." While this is a goal I may try and have in the future it's again not very realistic for me. I've set that goal SO many times and SO many times I'll work out 2 days a week (which is great) but beat myself up for not working out the other 3 days. What's the point in continuing to beat myself down about it? It's not helpful to my emotional eating or my self-respect. I've set too many unrealistic goals in the past, this time I wanted to set realistic ones.

My 3 realistic goals this time are:
1. COMPLETE the 'Couch to 5K" program. That's right, just finish it. It's 3 days a week building up to run a 5k. All I want to do is complete this program. I've set no mile times or anything, just finish it!

2. Track my food intake on Spark People 5 days a week. Seven days a week would obviously be better but sometimes the weekends get away from us so I'm not so good with the tracking.

3. Lose 1 pound a week. I know that's not much but I can still eat what I want, in moderation, and not beat myself up about not losing 2 or more pounds some week. Slower is better with weight loss anyways. I'm not looking for a quick fix. I'm looking for long-term weight loss and then maintenance after that. While I would love to lose a bunch of weight quick I just don't see that helping me long term. I've set a goal on Spark People to lose 10 pounds at a time so I don't get bogged down with the 80 that I really need to lose. Eighty pounds sounds so daunting but ten pounds isn't as scary. I've set my tracker to lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks and then I'll adjust. If I happen to lose 10 pounds before the 10 weeks are up, I'll readjust and set it to lose another 10 pounds in 10 weeks. It seems so simple. And I wonder why I didn't get to the realistic goals sooner? But I'm not going to beat myself up about it. I'm going to keep trekking along and lose weight.

I'm thankful for an encouraging husband too. I told him I couldn't do it alone and since he's been wanting to lose a few more pounds and get more exercise he immediately jumped on board. I'm also thankful for my sister for getting up at 5:00 a.m. three days a week to train with me. I'm thankful she's my timekeeper and encourager when those hills get tough!

I am 80 pounds overweight with plantar fasciitis in both feet and a bad left knee. I'm pushing through the pain to accomplish my goals. And it's a daily struggle to keep my eating in check. God is constantly with me and I'm praying before each run and during each run. I know He's with me through all this. How many times have I left God out of my journey? Too many, but not this time. I need Him to accomplish my goals!

What are some realistic goals you could set for yourself? Have you set unrealistic goals in the past?

Note: Check out Spark People. It's free and easy to use. You can track you food, your fitness and your weight loss goals. You set your goals and they set your calorie intake for the day. You can join teams to constantly be encouraged and find people who struggle with what you struggle with. You can read encouraging blog posts and create your personal page to connect with people. The site also has tons of information on doing weight loss the right way and making it a lifestyle change and not a diet. It's such an encouraging site!