Oh the Places I'll Go...

So the challenge is officially finished.  In the morning I will post my final weigh in for the 60 day challenge to finish 2010 well.

There have been ups, downs, slips and slides but all in all I've consistently lost weight during the two toughest months of the year.  How cool is that?

Pretty cool.

My mom is reading "Oh the Places You'll Go" to my daughter next to me right now.  I love that book.  It was given to me when I left RTI earlier this year and has meant a great deal to me.  I love how it talks about how you will end up going to some places that aren't necessarily grand or pleasant on your journey but that you will at least be going somewhere.  Moving in a direction.  And that even with setbacks we are all destined for great things.  Mountains.

My weight loss journey has been much like that.  Oh, the places I've been.

This year I've become a runner, against all odds.  On January 1, 2010 I weighed 257.4 (down almost 30 pounds from my August starting weight of 285).  I lost down to 245 (40 pounds) and then fell down my front steps on February 19th and badly sprained/fractured my left ankle.  I had every reason then to give up.  And the old me totally would have.  But starting to blog rescued me from giving up.  I sat there designing the page with a cast on my leg up to my knee and dreamed of becoming a runner.  I wanted it so badly that once the cast came off I dove into physical therapy and worked my tail off.  I asked every week when I could run again.  The day my PT said yes I was ecstatic and I've been that enthusiastic about running since then.

My plan was to run a 5k race sometime this year, in spite of my injury.  I've run 4.

So the "place I went" to become a runner wasn't exactly the peachy journey I would have chosen for myself.  I would have run my first race way sooner...but man, 4 races?  And setting a PR in that last race over 4 minutes faster than my first one?  Would I have been so motivated had I not fallen like a spaz?

I'm glad things happened the way they did.  Because I became a blogger too. :)

This forum allows me to stay accountable and enables me to stay motivated.  Without having this place to check into, to download my thoughts, I wouldn't be able to look back and see as clearly how far I've gone...all the places I've been.  And each place has had some lesson, even when it was tough and I wondered if I could continue.  Each setback has made me that much stronger, more determined, and ultimately more successful.

So as you look back over 2010, and think about the places you've been, don't fret if you didn't exceed or even meet every goal you set for yourself.  Instead, look at the places you've been and see how well you came out of the setbacks.  If you're still struggling from them, decide right now not to.  Decide to learn from them and move on.  It's not too late.  After all, in a few minutes, right now will be one of the places you've been...

Be where you are!  More to come on inspiration to kick start the new year... in the meantime I'm not one of those people who thinks I have to be awake exactly at midnight to ring in the new year...sleep is calling my name!

Happy New year...and Happy Places We'll Go in 2011!

~Clara

Day 60 Checkin!!!

So Day 60 is finally here.  I am excited about my progress this holiday season.  I'm excited about losing weight in November and December while most people gained weight.  I'm excited about continuing to run even with it being freezing outside.  I'm excited that even with illness taking up half of December I will still post a loss overall.

I will weigh in the morning...may wait to count Saturday's weight - lets just see if that water weight decided to go away today...and if I am able to get up and exercise in the morning with how tired I am right now. 

Had a good run this morning - very steady and felt great.

Bought some more winter running clothes today.  I am in love with Fila shirts.  The long sleeved ones.  And I finally finally ordered gloves!  Also got some more hats at Walmart. Can't wait for them to get here.  One shirt I bought today was a medium.  Its tight, but I'm figuring I can wear it next winter too!

That said - I'm off to bed.  Here are my stats:
 

INPUT (food facts):
Calories: 1498
Carbs: 145
Fat: 67
Protein: 82

OUTPUT (exercise):
392 calories burned 2 mile run, 1/2 mile walk.

Day 59 Checkin

Day 59!  WOW!  One more full day left in this challenge.  I'll technically finish on Day 61 and may use my weight from Day 62...we'll just have to see how things "pan out" this week (aka when I lose my water weight finally - haha).

I'm excited to end this challenge and this year.  2010 held so many amazing things for me and I'll be posting motivational blogs the entire first week of the year.  I have so much to share about my year and my journey and I'm hoping to motivate others past just January.  I want to help people make decisions, not resolutions.  Resolutions historically don't last.  Decisions do.  We'll explore the difference more beginning January 1st. :)  Stay tuned...

In the meantime I want to focus on the next two days.  I didn't feel like working out this morning, very blah as I sometimes feel this week of the month.  Had a good day at work (albeit a bit silly at times, I get scatterbrained too) and then came home and did a heavy duty BL workout before church.  It felt GREAT. 

Had a pretty good eating day though I did end up going a little over my calories...darn hot chocolate chip cookies.  But the happiness that ensued was worth it. :)  hopefully I will still be able to say that on Saturday!

Here are my stats:

INPUT (food facts):
Calories: 1693
Carbs: 208
Fat: 66
Protein: 67

OUTPUT (exercise):
500 Calories burned BL Levels 1&2 Cardio Max.

Day 58 Checkin

I cannot believe I have only two days left in this challenge!  My official last weigh in will be Friday morning.  I'm nervous and excited about it!

Got up and ran in the COLD this morning.  When I say cold, its relative, of course, because I live in Florida. It was around 18 degrees.  The sweat that beaded up on my hat had frost on it when I got home.  That's pretty darn cold if you ask me!  I felt great.

I'm a little tired today as I only got 7 hours of sleep last night.  This was part of our lunchtime conversation today - much of those conversations wouldn't belong on this particular blog (lol) but back to sleep, I'm one of those people that needs 8 hours.  All 8 hours.  If I get 7 its terrible.  6 hours is better than 7 for me.  I wonder why?  I don't know enough about sleep to know it but I do wish I didn't need as much sleep as I do.  I got things to do!  I really envy those people that can survive on 5 hours.  More power to ya.  No retraining in the cards here.  I perform better athletically when I have the full 8 hours so that's what I'm sticking with!

Got a package from California today from my younger brother.  He sent us some awesome fresh San Francisco sourdough bread.  I had plans for grilled cheese and tomato soup for dinner so I just made cheese toast instead with the bread.  It was AWESOME.  We really enjoyed it.  I did ask him to make it whole grain next time.  But bread like that, every now and then, is not going to hurt me since I rarely eat "white" food.

I'm excited to be helping my friend make her family recipes/menu more healthy.  We're talking and discussing little changes to make here and there and I'm excited to see the changes it will make in her family.  I would love to do something like that for a living, coach people on healthy lifestyles.  Hmmm, maybe a life coach?

Anyway, off to spend some quality time with the family and then probably enjoy some hot tea before going to bed.  Then up early again to exercise - I have some huge goals for this week and need lots of activity to get there!

Here are my stats:

Tuesday:
INPUT (food facts):
Calories: 1610
Carbs: 209
Fat: 68
Protein: 51

OUTPUT (exercise):
392 Calories burned intervals of running and walking for 2.73 miles.

Day 57 Checkin

I cannot believe I've written in this blog almost every day for almost 60 days.  That's kind of a record for me...for doing anything for that long.  

Though there are other records to be celebrated here...



Someone asked "How Far Have You Come?" on SparkPeople the other day...

I've tracked my calories and activity for 60 days.  This is the longest streak I've ever had with that since I started my journey.  Cool, huh?

I've run 170 miles and burned 23,562 doing it since June.  


I ran four 5k races this year. Last year I couldn't give my daughter a bath.

I went from a size 24 to a size 14/16. I've never been so happy to shop in normal size stores.

285 pounds to 208. I have another 30-40 pounds to go.

I am stronger, more confident, and determined.

I've lost 59 inches. 

Now that I've come this far there is absolutely NO WAY I'm turning back.  Looking forward to finishing this year STRONG!


80 POUNDS DOWN, HERE I COME! :)  Then 100, then 120. :)


Here are my stats:

Monday:
INPUT (food facts):
Calories: 1601
Carbs: 186
Fat: 66
Protein: 75

OUTPUT (exercise):
400 Calories burned Biggest Loser Cardio Max Level 1.

Day 56 Checkin

Hey out there!

Had a good Sunday.  Huge lunch at Pizza Hut but just adjusted my eating the rest of the day to stay within my range.  :) Did NOT get up and run, my running partner texted this morning to cancel and I decided 20 degrees was no match for my warm bed.  Slept in which was great.  Did not take a nap this afternoon so planning to go to sleep soon then wake up early to exercise inside since its an early work day.

That said here are my stats:

Sunday:
INPUT (food facts):
Calories: 1693
Carbs: 240
Fat: 61
Protein: 54

OUTPUT (exercise):
Rest day (impromptu).

ONLY 5 DAYS LEFT IN THE CHALLENGE!  Will I get down to 205, for a total of 80 pounds down so far?  We'll see!

Clara

Day 55 Checkin

Wow, doing a checkin at the end of the day its actually about...startling, I KNOW!  This is what happens when I have a day of rest, where I change from PJs to running clothes, shower then back to PJs.  No makeup, no leaving the house kind of day.  I honestly can't remember the last time I had a day like this.  It's been wonderful.
So I ran today for the first time in two weeks coming off of my illness.  It was AMAZING!  I loved being back out there.  I did just under 2 miles, mainly because it started drizzling as soon as I headed out.  But it was probably good to only do that much since I need to ease back into it.  Planning to go out and run tomorrow morning too.  It's forecasted to be 25 degrees, but if I decide now not to get up due to the cold, it will be a long, runless few months. :)  And thus, I'm getting out tomorrow morning, bundled up, but out there!

I'm on the hunt for good running gloves now.  I have a hat, which was incredibly helpful today when it was raining, kept my head dry (its just one of those pull on hats for $2 from Walmart).  It was so effective I'm totally buying another few this week.  It covers my ears too which was great for warmth.  And kept my ipod earbuds in place.  Another plus.  Did I mention it was only $2?  In looking further I have found some have a pony tail hole. Nike makes them for almost $20.  Maybe I can cut a hole into the ones I have and someone who sews (not me) can stitch around the hole to reinforce the fabric?  Yes I am cheap...you didn't know this??

More good news - I'm down another .4.  Kind of lame, I know, but given I only got to exercise one time in 12 days due to being sick, I'm pretty proud of having lost at all!  So I'm down 77 pounds as of today.  My new goal is to be down 80 by the end of the year!  This is my week to lose, so I should be able to do that.

All that said I'd better get to bed so I can be up at 6am.  I'm excited to meet up with my running buddy again, its been awhile since we ran together!

Another good day numbers-wise.  :)  Yay for staying on track during the holidays! It IS possible!

Here are my stats:

Saturday:
INPUT (food facts):
Calories: 1687
Carbs: 176
Fat: 64
Protein: 101

OUTPUT (exercise):
303 calories burned with a 1.78 mile run and warmup walk in the rain. :)

Good night & Merry Christmas!

Clara