Thunder and Rain

That's what I woke up to this morning. So I turned my alarm off, rolled over, and then got up at 6:30 anyway with a perky toddler! Oh well, such is life.

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to my first week 3 run. Wish me luck!

PS- Not doing so hot cutting out the sugar at night..... again, such is life!

The Trouble With Raw

I've been doing really well during the day sticking to my raw plan. This weekend was a huge milestone for me because I've been notorious on weekends for falling solidly off the wagon and having to recommit on Monday morning. This weekend I stuck to it! Honestly, I like the idea of giving my self a meal every week during the day that I can plan for and not be raw. I can't ever kiss brunch goodbye totally! But usually I fudge a little and start my weekend on Friday, thus giving up raw all weekend until Monday.

The result is sudden and surprising. I talked to my friend about it because I was very surprised at how quickly my body had adjusted to eating raw after just a few weeks. I find that if I eat how I used to during the day I'm much more sluggish and tired, my tummy is more inclined to be upset, and once I start on the sugary stuff I just want more and more and more (you get the picture).

Actually, the sugary stuff is what prompted this post. My most recent trouble with raw is two-fold. First and foremost, when 5-o'clock rolls around I can be pretty hungry. And then when I start eating it can be hard to keep my portions reasonable. This isn't a new battle, the battle of portion control. It's just a little more challenging when you're that much more hungry. And I do know the fix for this one- eat more during the day. Duh! But it's easier said then done. I've gotten into the habit of eating very lightly during the day and having my main meal at dinner. Plus, sometimes we are really low on fruit (like right now) and it's hard to just find something quick to grab. Again, this is an easy fix- plan better. Duh! I know, I know. I'm working on it!

My second issue is sweets. Candy, cookies, cake, ice cream, etc. All that yumminess out there. When I started raw it was during lent and I had given all of that up. I did pretty darn good too! A few slip-ups here and there, but nothing catastrophic. After lent, I decided to keep that up except on (you guessed it) weekends. Unfortunately, as soon as I start on Friday or Saturday it is VERY hard to stop on Monday. Better planning would also help this issue because if I have yogurt or granola bars in the house then I have something to reach for instead of the Easter candy bucket (which I raided last night). So I think I'll recommit to my plan for giving up sweets again and allow myself 2 sweet treats a week. Then weekends won't become the food free-for-all they have been!

And that, my friends, it my trouble with raw :)

That Was A Toughie!

My 3-year-old son just learned to say that and it's the cutest thing you've ever heard. He says it when we're playing Mario on our Wii and we both die. "That was a toughie mom!" So cute!

I got up this morning after snoozing my alarm twice (just another 10 minutes....please!), tied my shoes and headed out the door. I am on week 2: workout 2 of the training plan and the first workout of week 2 was great, it didn't feel that much more challenging, nothing hurt while I was doing it, etc.

Today was another story. My knees were a little sore right from the beginning but they were feeling better by the end. But by that time other things were hurting and I was tired! It didn't feel all that great at all! Here are my theories about why it was harder. Number one: I did one extra jogging set because my husband is home today and I didn't have to worry about being back. Number two: I took a different route which includes a rather large hill that I go both ways on. Number three: I took yesterday totally off and didn't even take a walk. Maybe all of that combined made for more struggling this morning.

On the other hand, I guess if it never feels hard then it probably isn't building up my endurance and muscles strength. Right? And I'm excited for this evening because my sister wants to try it with me. She also says she can't run but she's up for a trial I guess! She's convinced she'll be dying by the end. She even told me she doesn't want to eat before we go because she thinks she'll puke. I don't think she realizes how early on I am too and how do-able this is. So I'll show her! And then hopefully tomorrow when I finish with my morning out I won't be saying "That was a toughie!"

Small Successes

I am easy to please. Well, don't ask my husband what he thinks! I guess I should say that I feel like I'm easy to please because simple things make me happy. Let's make a list:

-McDonald's happy meals.

-Sleeping until 8 am.

-$5 shirts from Target.

-A thick Sunday paper.

-Morning coffee.

See? Simple.

I am going to be the same way for my running program. I am going to let the small success make me happy. I've actually already started. Here's another list, my list of small successes that have made me smile when I think of them.

-I've gotten up 5 days in a row by 5:30 a.m. for my workout.

-I'm into the second week of my program and I'm still feeling good- no sore muscles!

-I've gotten lots of great positive feedback when I tell people about my running plans.

The key to reaching my goal will be all about excitement over my small successes!

The Number Game

I suppose it is assumed that if a woman my age is out trying to run then one of the reasons is to aim for a healthy weight. Pretty safe assumption....

I'm no different than anyone else. I'm always trying to lose just a couple more pounds. After my first baby, I never got that last 15 pounds off, and I started my second pregnancy with more weight to lose than I should have. The good news is that pregnancy #2 weight came off quick and easy and now I'm working on pregnancy #1 weight. Maybe because it's older its more stubborn? I know my 3-year-old child is more stubborn than my 10-month-old child. Perhaps the same holds true for my stubborn chubbiness around the middle!

I've been playing around with the same 5 pounds for the last couple months. Up and down, and more up and less down. Seems like I can't breakthrough to below the 140s. The closest I've gotten is 141.4. Today I was 144.2. But that is down from just a week ago.

What I really wish is that I could just be content with keeping track of how my clothes fit and how I look rather than watching the scale. That I could just be happy with my increasing level of physical fitness. I think that would be so much healthier than tying my success and self-esteem to a digital reading. But I've always put stock in that reading and that probably won't change. I'm like an addict- I can't stop playing the number game!

Out of Bed

Well, I did it. I managed to get out of bed this morning. I have decided that to trick myself into getting my feet on the floor and walking to the bathroom I will tell myself that if I get in there and still feel dead to the world and unable to open my eyes then I can get back into bed. Once I'm actually standing in my bathroom it seems silly to go lay back down. Thus, out the door to workout.

I felt really good in the beginning today but by the time I got home the nausea had set in. Perhaps it was the heat (it is hotter than Hades out there) or perhaps I should drink more before I leave. Who knows? I'll try more water before the next workout day on Friday.

Tomorrow is listed as a day of rest. The big questions for me is whether I do nothing, which I feel may lend itself to not staying on track like I want to, or whether I will at least get up and take a walk for 30 minutes to stay in the habit of doing something in the morning. I remember reading an article that mentioned resolving that argument. I know I need to rest the muscles but I also want to nurture my 'baby' habit! I'm off to find the article so that I can decide before tomorrow morning whether or not to get out of bed!

And Finally

Wow, 4 blog posts in one day. But I think a blog is like a new plant. In the beginning you have to water it like crazy, or post like crazy, to get it to grow and thrive. Then, when it's got roots and some staying power, you can let it slide a little and still come back to enjoy it. So here is my 4th and final post today.

I will do my walk/run in the morning.

Yes, this means I have to get up at 5:30 a.m. on a day when I usually get to sleep-in till the kiddos wake up in order to be done by the time my husband leaves for work. Yes, I said I was going to do this on Monday and then didn't (my hubby snidely asked how my run was that morning...). And yes, I am lacking in support from most of the people in my life, because most of them don't know I'm trying this. I mean, most of them don't know that I am going to do this! That's why I had to write it down- then it has to happen, right?

And now I am done posting for the day, finally!