Fighting for Fit

I have something to confess. I’m not a calorie counter. Never really have been. I’ve tried from time to time to track my calories, or at least my carbs, but in the end I always determine it to be too big a hassle and give up trying instead to just eat mainly fruits, veggies and lean protein with only the occasional grain or dairy product.

I think I need to change this to truly get the results I want, at least long enough for me to start understanding what a reasonable amount of calories looks like each day.

So, I am going to commit to tracking what I eat and the calories, protein, carbs and fiber in those foods for a solid month. I want to make sure I am eating a balanced diet and I think these four counts will be the best indicator.

So, starting Wednesday (grocery shopping day) I am going to track everything in a little pocket-size notebook that I can easily carry around with me. I am hoping that after a month I will see that tracking these things greatly increases not only my weight loss success but also my energy reserves.

I ran 2 miles this morning. A very rough 2 miles with a short walking break between them, but 2 more miles than I ran yesterday or the day before that. Then, I walked the last mile home not feeling defeated, but rather reminding myself to keep perspective. To remember that just getting up out of bed and stepping out the front door was an accomplishment. Then, continuing on my 3 miles route even after feeling miserable for the first 1/2 mile was an accomplishment. Starting to run again after that short walk break was an accomplishment.

It would be so easy for me to get down because I set out to run 3 miles and only was able to complete 2 and I had to take a walking break just to get those done, but I’m not going to let myself go there. Going there will only give me excuses to give up entirely.

I can’t do it. It’s too hard. I can’t even run three miles nonstop when I was running 6 before the holidays. This goal is too lofty, I’ll just alter it to let myself off the hook a little.

But all of these excuses won’t do anything for me in the long term, they will only give me short (very short) term satisfaction.

So, even if you stumble, if you can’t do as much as you thought you could. DO NOT GIVE UP! KEEP GOING! It will eventually get better (easier), and you will be glad you didn’t give up.

Tomorrow is a rest day for me, so I think I am going to do some stretching and hopefully take the girls on a hike. Then, I have three days in a row of 2-3 mile runs, depending on how I feel. I don’t want to be too hard on my body right out of the gate, but I also don’t want to use that as an excuse to not push myself. I’ll continue setting out on the 3 mile route, and hopefully walk less and less of it each day.

How are you doing with your goals? How is your attitude doing?

I finally feel like this is truly possible. Like I a truly settling back into my healthy eating goal.

I haven’t started exercising yet, but to be honest, I was struggling so much with the eating part that I really wanted to just focus on getting that on track. Today marks 2 days in a row without any kind of binge. I know it is only 2 days, but you have to celebrate the little victories to keep yourself motivated enough to reach the big ones, right?!

I even got the girls each a little McDonald’s treat yesterday (cheeseburger for one, fries for the other) and didn’t eat a single bite. I did order a diet coke for myself, but I figured if I need something sweet, I can at least opt for a 0 calorie diet coke now and again, rather than a 500 calorie candy binge.

So, now that I feel like I have the eating under control I am feeling more prepared to start figuring out how I want to get back to exercising. I am thinking I will start with some 2 and 3 mile runs, add in a little weight training and see how that works for me. And of course, I can always do Wii dance or Zumba :)

How are things going for you?

Yesterday was a good eating day, until last night. This happens to me all the time, I’ll do good all day, and then get caught in the late night snacking cycle.

Yesterday I had two scrambled eggs and 1/2 a grapefruit for breakfast yesterday. Then, the girls and I made peanut butter and granola coated bananas for our morning snack. While Alice napped Ava and I had another little snack of an apple and string cheese. Then, a family walk through the park started with turkey sandwiches on wheat and raw veggies with dill dip. When we got home I ate what I planned to be the last little bit, an apple with peanut butter.

I tried to go to sleep shortly after that, but I couldn’t get my brain to turn off, so I decided I would hang out with my husband in bed for a while watching some shows. Next thing I know I am craving broccoli cheddar soup. I always beef it up with extra steamed broccoli, so it wasn’t the best thing I could eat, but it was at least better than some other things.

But, that just wasn’t enough because a little bit later I ate more veggies and dip. Still doing pretty well at this point. Haven’t given in to the sweets I know my body really wants. YET.

Right before falling asleep sometime around 1am I ate a chocolate cupcake and a bowl of ice cream. I know! TERRIBLE! Especially so late at night. I really need to purge the house of junk food. I’m the type of person that has to do it all or nothing. I can’t give myself the random little bit of sweets because those random little bits only make me crave more. I need to purge my system of all the sugar and flour. I need to stick to an early bedtime that will keep my out of trouble. Most importantly, I need to get back to exercising more than just a walk around the park. I think these simple acts could save me from myself.

Today is a new day. So, I need to forgive myself for yesterday and be strong today.

How are you doing with your goals? Anything you’re struggling with? How are you going to overcome your struggles so you can find success?

So, I am not doing perfect, but I am doing better.

I have been eating more fruits, veggies and lean protiens, and far less takeout. I haven’t been exercising really, but have at least been doing some MAJOR housework, which is better than sitting on my butt, right?!

I think I should dry to break this whole lofty goal into weekly goals.

So, let’s say, for this week, my goal will be to eat three balanced, homecooked meals each day, as well as drink 3 bottles (24oz each) of water each day. I have definitely been getting that much water each day anyhow, so adding the three balanced meals will be the real challenge. Ideally I would be eating three meals and three snacks each day 2-3 hours apart, but being a busy mom, sometimes I don’t have the time or just plain forget to even eat three meals, much less three snacks. I also would like to try and get out of the house to do something active with my girls 3 days this week. I will obviously have to start my first full day of this goal tomorrow since it is already past 6pm, but that gives me time to lay out my meals for the week tonight, on paper I mean, and plan some fun activities for me and the girls.

What mini-goals do you want to challenge yourself to meet this week?

I’m not at all proud of how poorly I’ve done with keeping up with my health goals, but I haven’t completely given up, nor have I ever completely stopped feeling guilty for not keeping up with them. So, that’s a start, right?

Tomorrow marks the start of 2 weeks of nothing but fruit, veggies, meat and “condiments.” I am allowing myself things like oil, salad dressing, etc. because I know I would survive the 2 weeks any other way, and I am not a HUGE condiment person anyway, so I know I won’t go overboard. I think I might sit down tonight and work out a menu for the next two weeks so I can do all this without event thinking.

I figure after 2 weeks of such extremely clean eating I will have flushed out my system of all the nasty engineered foods I seem to be addicted to. Kind of like detox for a drug addict if you will. I plan to run the Detroit Marathon in mid October, so I need to get my act together.

My complete marathon plan looks a little something like this:

2 weeks of extremely clean eating and 2 mile runs combined with Just Dance/Zumba on the Wii.

After that I plan to do 30 days of Insanity combined with 3-6 mile runs. I know Insanity typically goes for 60 days, but 1) my goal isn’t to get ripped, it’s to get healthy and run a marathon and 2) I don’t have that kind of time when you figure in a full marathon training schedule.

Starting June 15 I begin official marathon training, which involves running 5 days a week, with my long runs on Thursdays because my husband works his longest hours on the weekends and let’s face it, the long runs are time consuming.

I don’t have a big lofty goal for the marathon, I would just like to finish it without walking, even if I am only doing a glorified “walk with a bounce” at parts, and before they kick me off the road. I think that is totally do-able. Especially since I seem to have a high tolerance for running long distances, even though my pain threshold in other parts of life is rather low, and also because I don’t have a crazy amount of weight to lose before I am in a healthy range, so it’s not like I am also going to be trying to lose 100 lbs. and train for a marathon in the next 6 months.

So, who wants to set a goal with me? Anyone else want to train for a marathon? Maybe a 5k? Or just to be able to run around the block? We all have to start somewhere, right? So, let’s each set our own goal and help each other!