Cold weather run

Well last night it was 25°F when I finished my run. It was my first cold outdoor run. I did one in November but it was not this cold.

So I wore my UA gloves, a long sleeve tshirt, Columbia softshell, base layer bottoms, Starter slicks, and a Stocking cap. Overall I think I was dressed pretty close to what I should have My bottom half was perfect. My head was sweating like a pig. Which coincidently is a common misnomer as pigs dont sweat. I was afraid my soft shell jacket would be too hot but I think it was about perfect. you can see the garmin stats below and scroll down on the right hand side. Click on Jan 30- 5k.

I ended up running just a little over 5K for my first real run back after my accident. I have to say I felt great. Im pretty sure I could have kept going for at least another 15 minutes under current conditions. Next time Ill alot more time to see how far I can go. It felt great and I pulled a 10:54 avg. Which I was happy about considering the weather and my lack of real running since November.

Additionally I wanted to give props to my killer new lights I got at Christmas I used my Zéfal Blinking Red LED for my back. It seems to be a top quality piece of lighting and I'm sure if I got hit with it on it would be deliberate. Or it put the driver into a seizure. Ill do a full review with pics and description later.

swim lesson

Yes! I finally found a swim coach. I can start after February 7th. I cant wait for him to tell me how much Im doing wrong! LOL I know this is really going to help.

Yes!!!!

I have officially lost 90lbs. In case any of you are wondering. Thats a small framed high school freshman cheerleader!

Wow. Oh this week was a struggle I had not lost anything for the past 6 days. Then bam! .6 Ill take it I know its not a pound but I don't care. Just want to get through that 200 Barrier so bad. I wanted it before the end of the month. Grr.

Workout/Injury update

Well on Sunday for the first time since my accident on Dec 14th I ran for an extended time and distance. Time and distance compared to what Ive been running. Before the accident I was running 5k without too much trouble and coming in regularly at around 30-35 minutes. So when I started running again in the beginning of this week I was really surprised that I could barely run even a mile without trouble.

I was very happy to say that on Sunday I ran 25 min without stopping at about 11 min pace. It felt so good! I miss running. The only reason I stopped was because I lost focus and my swinging arm caught my ear phone cord and ripped my iPhone off the treadmill.

So I'm feeling better and I think I can build back up without too much trouble. I'm really wanting to start pushing my distance beyond 5k and building speed.

Has anyone ever told you...

Im Proud of you!

We are all on this journey of trying to lose weight. But we dont realize how incredibly deep and complex our issues are beyond just being overweight or obese. What others see is that we are fat and out of shape and we are down on ourselves. We have low self esteem and everyone thinks its because we are fat.

What if it wasnt? What if we are fat because we have a low self esteem? Im sure anyone of us here thats been a little successful has recieved a compliment that made them feel good. Feeling good and being built up helps build that self esteem. It makes you feel good about the work you have done. You begin to see that others see you as a valuable human being with self worth. Not just a fat person.
I have had a lot of people tell me lots of things. I have had people tell me, I'm doing great!, And that I really look great. I have had people tell me Im looking hot. *Blush* - Shh my wife will hear :)

Those mean a lot and they help build you up and make you feel like people really do care, but when someone takes a the time to make a deep emotional deposit in your self esteem bank it means a great deal more.
When someone says, "Im proud of you" and nothing more. They dont try and make it sound better than it is or play it down. Its just a heartfelt honest, "Im proud of you". Thats when it means the most!

If no one has ever said Im proud of you It is the most amazing feeling you could ever feel and the best compliment. When someone says that it makes you want to try harder and keep going. Is it possible that Im fat because I have low self esteem? Maybe but its also possible the other way. Either way Telling someone your proud of them is a good thing and it means a lot.

If your reading this and you feel that emotion because you can relate to this or you have been successful even just a little. Than let me tell you.
Im Proud of you! :)
I'm proud of the commitment you have and the success that you have achieved. Im proud of the hard work you have done and the goals that you have set.

Go now and tell someone else... Now, go tell them you're proud of them!

Shin Splints?

A friend just gave me this great tip.

CURE SHIN SPLINTS!!!!
Sit down, couch or desk ---> Point your toes out --> Write out the alphabet with your toes -->
Do this three times a day
You WILL BE HEALED ! I promise

Unknown side effect to losing weight

Ya I mean aside from feeling physically great. The mental aspect of changing your life to the level that Ive changed has some actual drawbacks that I didn't realize. You know how on the biggest loser the contestants have these emotional breakthroughs. Well thats kind of whats going on with me. I feel great about where I am and how far Ive come and the accomplishments I have made but its also affecting those around me. I really have had a difficult week trying to come to terms with some underlying emotional issues that have arisen from this weight loss. I know I can get over them but be ready they hit me like a ton of bricks. Losing a lot of weight is a hard thing to do and its really hard to find someone who has gone through a similar experience and knows how your feeling.

Just know, inside your still the same as you were, except now your better :) Dont be surprised if I write more about this as its a weighing pretty heavily on my mind.

The Weight of Change: My resolve...

The Weight of Change: My resolve...: "My resolve as I start the next book of my life - is to strive for better balance. What? My life isn't perfect? Nooo.... far from it.  ..."

Another great inspiration from my pals over at MFP. Love the quote at the end.

Our worst fear is not that we are inadequate; our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be?
~Nelson Mandela

About to get sick?

I hope I'm not about to get sick. The alarm went off at 4:30 AM and I was not having any of it. I felt like I slept good although I felt a bit dehydrated. Aside from sleeping good my body felt tired. I really hope I'm not about to get sick. So instead of getting up I succumbed and allowed my weak will to over power my drive.

No workout this morning and ate a bunch of chocolate last night I feel horrible. Now I gotta figure out a way to squeeze an evening workout in without irritating anyone.

Feel a bit grumpy :(

Workout Changes

So over the last year I did a few races and the biggest thing that I learned was that I struggle with hills and speed. Since the accident I have not done much running and have strictly focused on cycling alone. Sadly I haven't done any real distance running since probably November when I started that boot camp class. I was running on the off days and it was just too much stress. My shin splints started to come back so I had to quit the off day runs. Now I'm feeling very stressed about my Swimming abilities and I want to pick back up on running and I know that my running has suffered.

In the coming weeks I'm going to transition to a new workout routine.
M,W,F 5-5:30 Swim. I will be trying to work on my stroke to get more comfortable with it and my breathing. 5:30-6:15 I will be Picking back up on C25k at an advanced pace to get back where I was. Once I hit the 5k mark again Ill transition to Bridge to 10K program. Wednesdays I will be doing increased incline on my runs.

T,TH 5:30-6:30 Ill be doing Track runs with 2 sets of stairs every lap. At the bottom of each set of stairs I'm alternating Push ups, Jax, Mountain climbers, Wall sits etc... Ill do that for 20 min then finish with 40 min of cycling.

Also I went back and looked this morning. I've lost 8.4 pounds since the beginning of this year. I'm really feeling like I'm on track and could potentially hit 199 by Feb 1, 2011. Awesome!

Today is my Birthday!!

Not my real birthday, my weight loss birthday. The new me is 1 year old today.

1 year ago today I started on my weight loss journey. 1 year ago today I stepped on a scale and was 1 triple stacker super sized value meal from weighing 300 lbs. I was tired, hurting, depressed and unhappy. I couldn't allow myself to ever get to 300 lbs (unofficially I never weighed myself but I'm certain I had been over 300 before). 1 year ago today I changed from making excuses and lieing to myself about my weight to a realization that I was the problem.

This morning I weighed 210.2 lbs I'm so close to 199 I can taste it. It tastes delicious!!

This has been a long, hard, emotional road. I'm a different person than I was a year ago. I have goals that are fitness oriented and activities for my weekends. Like training for a Triathlon instead of plans to watch a "Big Bang Theory" Marathon. Anyone that is struggling with where they are let me tell you, NEVER EVER EVER GIVE UP! You wont regret it.
You may feel like your not progressing but you are and you will look at your scale and say, "Ive only lost 10 or 15 lbs", but if you keep going it will turn into 20 and 30 lbs and more!

Deep inside each one of you is a tiny spark that wants this. Thats why you're here, you wanted this. That spark is starving for oxygen and struggling to catch. Every time you workout, every time you make a healthy choice over an unhealthy one that spark burns brighter and hotter. Over time your spark becomes a little fire burning within you. Build that fire until your glowing on the outside. Then when your fire is burning so hot share that fire and give someone else a spark to start their own fire!

Thank you to all who have supported me, encouraged me, and inspired me in the past year. It truly means a lot and I couldn't have done it without all of you.
Thank you to my God and savior for giving me this temple and giving me the desire to rebuild it!

Workout recap 1/10/11

Video test

This was actually from a few days ago. I think I might start doing post workout videos once per week.

New year

Well happy new year to everyone. Sorry Ive been gone so long this accident has really limited me to workouts that are low stress I have been trying to do everything I can but I just feel really restricted.

That Triathlon is coming way to fast for me. I feel so behind on swimming.

On a positive note. I have a fantastic week of diet and weightloss. I have really been pretty solid on my diet staying on track eating fruit and all my snacks daily as well as plenty of water.

Since Jan. 2nd the day I recommitted my actual weight of 217. oh I gained a few lbs over the holidays, not quite 5. Any way this week Ive gone from 217 to 210.6.

Heck ya 6.4 lbs Im 10 lbs from 199 baby! Im so close this is going to rock!

shout out!

To my MFP Pal Dinos

You made my day! I can now say my blog is read internationally :)

Great People over at MyFitnessPal.com check it out.