Fess Up Friday

So, I started out with Missy and her Hot for the Holidays campaign. I was out to lose the baby weight, and by the first part of December, I was there. Then December hit, the motivation was lost with all the good sweet stuff and the excuses of 'I am running and I am nursing. What's one more cookie?' I do believe that not all was lost, but my goal certainly was. My belly is bigger January 1 than it was at the beginning of Dec. Unlike most of you, I am not brave enough to hit the scales or the photos! Nor have I tried on my skirt that I was aiming to get back into. I am ok with it for now though! My pre-pregnancy clothes fit for the most part, but my belly jiggles b/c I was too lazy to do some crunches and too tired to exercise as much as I would like. However, I have a precious little girl to account for all of it and that I would not trade for the world. I'll be joining the campaign for the new year when it starts up and one of my biggest goals this year is to start enjoying exercise again this year instead of looking at it as a means to an end!

For those of you who have encouraged me along the way, THANK YOU so much. I run my half marathon next Sat and while my legs are not trained, mentally I can't wait!

Fit Friday

Running Report:
Last Friday = 9 miles (OUCH)
Weekend Report: anniversary trip to Austin (Hook Em) + jello legs from the 9 miles = no running
Weeday Report: Rain + sick child = 1 day of running; I am going tonight though!

Eating Report:
Overall pretty good minus last night, but it was our anniversary so that gave me a free pass. I indulged and had some ice cream. It was so good. My sweet husband gave me a special spoon for my anniverary to help calibrate my future "bites" of ice cream. You can't really tell from the picture, but it is one of those collector spoons that is tiny! That was one of the things that I fell in love with - his ability to make me laugh.



Overall, even though I didn't get to run like I wanted to, it was still a good week. I tried on a pair of pants that I am almost back into. Still a ways to go but slow and steady wins the race.

Till Next Week...

Fit Friday

Week 3 --- went about as well as the election did this week if you are in the McCain camp! I would love to say that I stayed far, far away from the Halloween candy but it jumped up, bit me in the rear and permanently attached itself there. Plus every morning my precious child says, "Pick 1 piece Mommy" and we each get to pick a piece out of his pumpkin. The Mexican food on Sunday attached to the waist and then I got mom of the year award for baking cut out sugar cookies with my 2 year old and one of his friends. I love the way they baks. A bite for Grayson, a bite for Luke, a bite for Mommy. Who can resist a cute 2 year old sharing his cookie dough? After all, I have been working on him sharing! At that point, I gave up even keeping track on how bad I blew it foodwise this week. I made the mistake of getting in the mindset of "Oh well, I've already blown it, might as well finish it off." Kind of goes with my sports philosophy - if you are going to get a foul, make it count.

On a very positive note, I have had a stellar week running. Sat I ran with my good friend Dana and we knocked out 7+ miles. On Monday I had what I am calling my postpartum break through run as it was the first fast, I feel awesome run. I ran 4 miles in 36:30 - just over a 9 minute mile. I thought, no way could I ever do that again as that is the fastest pace I have ever run. On Wed I ran the same route in 35:34 - just under a 9 minute mile. Yippee!!!! One more day to run this week, but Jamison and I are headed to Austin for the Texas game so I am not sure when it will happen.

Many of you have commented on my running so I feel inclined to give you my top 10 reasons to why I run:

10. A friend of mine 4 years ago encouraged me to run a half marathon. He believed in me and I trained in 8 weeks and ran it in 2 hours, 2 min. It can be done - I had never run over 3 miles prior to this.
9. Some friends of mine didn't think I could do it! I am competitive so proving them wrong became the name of the game.
8. Runner's high - it's awesome once you clear 4 miles and get in the grove.
7. Running is ADDICTIVE
6. Running is a stress reliever
5. Running is the only time I get some UNINTERRUPTED, QUIET time to myself - unless I am doing my long run in which I welcome my chats with Dana. We can solve the world's problems on these runs! Then I get GOOD QUALITY girl time. Either way it is a win win situation!
4. Running gives me time to think
3. Running gives me time to pray
2. Running is the only effective thing I have found to take the weight off
and the #1 Reason....
1. After a nice LONG run, there is no guilt about the Sonic tator tots and diet coke.

Yes, eating is the #1 reason in my world to run!

Here's to a better next week.

Fit Friday Week 2

Not good, but not that bad either.

For accountablity and follow up purposes from last week, I did complete my final run last Friday and went 6 miles! The kiddos were crazy that afternoon and I needed some fresh air and a lot of it. It was one of my best runs since having Hope.

As for the running - I completed my goals!
On Sat I thought it would be a good idea to get my "long" run in for the week and went another 6. Did I mention that I ran 6 the night before? I paid for it dearly! My legs were jello for the next couple of days. I am definitely not ready for the half marathon that is coming up.

On Monday my 2 year old wanted to go running with me. That is WORK, I tell you. I pushed him in his stroller for around 3 miles. I would love to say that we ran the whole way, but we mostly trotted (and walked). One of his priceless quotes this week came from this trip. He said (and I quote), "We're not running, Mommy. We're walking." As if I did not know this? He did keep me honest as he would periodically tell me to go faster! "Go faster, Mommy, Go faster." "Sweetie - you're heavy - 33 lbs heavy + stroller weight, I am going faster!" That has to count for a few extra calories.

Tues and Thurs rounded out my runs with 4.5 miles and 4 miles respectively. Although the Thurs run was more walking than running as I mistakenly ate some soup before leaving. SLOSH. SLOSH. SLOSH...and I decided to walk. On a very POSITIVE note, I did ab exercises 3 times this week - which is a record for me!

As for the eating - over the course of the week I ate a bag of candy corn. BAD JEN! However, I was really good with eating well the rest of the time. I was studying to teach on Wed and the late night called for sugar. The very POSITIVE note is I stayed out of the ice cream - not one bite; not even a little taste. I also stayed out of Grayson's snacks! I've given up on the diet coke reduction. Much caffeine is needed for a 2 year old and newborn.

I did brave the skirt last Sat. I have about 3/4" to go in the waist and my rear end and hips need to shrink! Having a girl did a number on my body; my flat tushy is not so flat anymore.

Goals for this week: run 3 weekdays and 7-8 miles on Sat; eat well.....no bad snacks

Fit Friday

I did about as well on my Hot for the Holidays quest this week as I did with keeping up with my blog. That's not quite accurate I made all week minus one day without a bite of ice cream and that is progress. The lack of sleep made the running difficult and the diet coke consumption hard to keep at one per day, although I did get down to 1.5 on a few of the days. Progress! :) I ran 3 miles Sat, 6 miles Sun, 3 miles on Tues and well....if I get my run in tonight then I completed my running for this week. I did manage to stay out of the snacks, for the most part.

Still no pictures although take my word, my belly is BIGGER this week! As the title says, "I'll think about it tomorrow!" Here's to a fit Holiday and a better week next week.

Hot for the Holidays

My good friend, Missy, is hosting Fit Fridays in an effort for all of us to get Hot for the Holidays. I am joining in on the effort, because I jiggle - all over. I know many of you are going to say, "You just had a baby," and well, I did and yes, I'm nursing (buying myself extra calories per day). However, that has been an excuse all too often for my indulgence in chips and salsa as well as Blue Bell and Magic Shell. I may look good for someone who has a 10 week old, but I still can't fit in my jeans....and that is UNACCEPTABLE! Plus, I don't want to be sitting at high school graduation saying, "It's baby weight." Not to mention that I have never made it even one week with a new year's resolution, so perhaps starting in October, I'll have a chance.

Setting Goals:
My goal is not a number per se, but my really cute pencil skirt that I wore to my bridesmaid luncheon four years ago. It's the most form fitting thing I own from when I was at my thinnest. Perhaps I'll put it on now and post a picture for after....

For accountability, here is my plan of action:
1. No more "bites" of ice cream in the evenings (a bad indulgence I have to satisfy the sweet tooth. After all, it's just "ONE" bite. Don't ask the size of the bite!)
2. I started running a few weeks back. My plan is to run 3-4 miles three days a week and to do a "long" run on either Sat or Sun. I'm training for the half marathon - so tack that on to my list of excuses to why I should get to eat more. Nursing + Training = Food
3. No more finishing Grayson's snacks or stealing them out of his back pack when I am in the car running errands.
4. No more "I've had a bad day so I deserve blue bell and magic shell" for dinner days. Caveat, unless it's on a weekend that I've run 10 miles - b/c that really is burning a boat load of calories and if I run that far, I deserve a treat :)!
5. One diet coke per day. Period and LOTS of water.

No pics for now, b/c everytime I see myself in a pic these days, I want to cry. My poor little face is not so little, it's round! Plus, I am at my mom's, am on her computer and don't have any of my pictures. Perhaps I'll post one when I get home.

Here's to a Trim Christmas.....we would love for you to join in!