What? That Size Can't Be Right!

So I went shopping today for the first time in a while. It finally got to a point where my clothes were swimming on me a little and I knew I needed to buy at least one or two new outfits to get me through where I am now.

I am pressed for time so I go into the store, grab a pair of jeans in one size smaller than the last size I bought and a pair of jeans in a size two sizes smaller than the last size I bought (I just grabbed this second one for kicks, I was sure it wouldn't fit me). Then I went and grabbed some shirts, the smallest in the plus size section.

The pair of jeans that was two sizes smaller fit perfectly. I was shocked. The other pair of jeans was too big. But the shirt thing was what really threw me off. All the shirts I grabbed were not only too big, but they were SWIMMING on me. I tried on shirt after shirt and was like, this can't be right.

So I found myself going over to the "normal people's" section. Now, if you have spent most of your life overweight, the normal people's section feels like the keys to Disney World. I swear that the Hallelujah chorus started playing and people were going to start handing me golden tickets.

I looked out and had all these clothes to choose from, not just the biggest size that fit on my body, but options...tons of options.

So needless to say I settled on a couple of cute tops, and went home and had a nice a healthy lunch...because once you are handed a golden ticket, you don't have any desire to keep eating the chocolate bars:)

Accidental Speed Training

So, if you have been reading the blog, you probably already know about my extreme hatred for the treadmill. But after yesterday's cold weather run from hell, I decided that I was going to do my short run (4 miles) on the treadmill today.

What I have found on the days where I use the treadmill, I just want to get the run done as fast as possible. So rather than doing a regular pace run the whole time, I have been doing intervals of walking/sprinting. Today, I did intervals between a walk at 3.4 and a run at 7. I alternated each minute. What I found was that all of a sudden it was a lot easier to run at 7 than the last time I tried to run at 7, I even ran at 8 a couple of times. I ended up finishing my entire 4 miles in 46 minutes, which for me is about 2 minutes faster per mile than I usually run (I am a slower runner and usually run about 13 minute miles.)

I started doing these interval runs a couple of times a week about a month ago. I have been noticing that I've been taking some time off of my runs outside but I never noticed the amount until this week. This week I have taken entire minutes off of miles outside without feeling like I am pushing myself any differently. I finally realized today that it must be this interval training I am doing. My body is just naturally getting used to running faster. How cool is that?

A Very Cold 7 Miles

Today I had to take my dog to get groomed all the way across town. Because grooming takes about 4 hours, I decide to throw on my running gear and run at one of my favorite places: Lake Zorinsky. I used to walk around the lake all the time when I lived out there.

There are two trails where you can run. There is a 3 mile loop and a 4 mile loop or you can put it all together and run 7 miles. I remember when going the whole 7 miles around the lake was such a big deal. Now it's a normal, daily run. Kind of a weird shift in thinking.

After dropping my dog off at the groomer, I headed out for my run. It was about 25 degrees out, which I have been running in for the past week, not thinking it would be a big deal.

So apparently, I didn't realize that running around a lake makes things a whole lot colder. The trail had some patches of ice, the wind was blowing, and it was freezing! I really wanted to quit after 4 miles, but I knew at 10am when I was finished with my run, I would be thanking myself.

I was really happy to get the 7 mile run out of the way. But I definitely think I'll wait to run Zorinsky again until it's at least 60 degrees:)

Activity Breeds Activity

I have been basically stuck inside for a day and a half. Yesterday I did the dishes. Today I got up early and shoveled snow.

I never would have done this 90lbs ago. I always think it's funny when people say "I don't have time to workout." I find that interesting because on the days when I workout, I find that I just want to do more things. The days that I workout are the days when I have all this energy to get extra things done like dishes and shoveling snow.

I would say, "I don't have time NOT to workout."

Snow day!

Today is a snow day. As we all sit at home awaiting the 8 to 11 inches that are about to fit our driveway, I find myself eating gluten free brownies. I want to say I ran six miles this morning at the gym so I know it's ok. But I know it's not.

I don't really have a problem with eating sweets but I know that they don't help my body function the way I want it to. Clean eating, fruits, veggies, and healthy proteins make me feel awesome.

I'm certainly not going to beat myself up over a gluten free brownie. But I am going to say, I CAN"T WAIT FOR WARM WEATHER.

Somehow in warm weather I just naturally gravitate towards drinking healthy smoothies, eating grilled veggies and protein, and I have less desire for comfort food.

So all that to say, snow: go away!

Delicious Clean Eating

This is my favorite "clean" lunch. Usually if I have a few days where my diet is pretty crappy, I like to pull all the crappy foods and go clean. Whenever I cook up this lunch, I wonder why I am not eating this for lunch every day for the rest of my life. It's so good and also makes me feel so good.

This is a stir fry with a mixture of colored peppers (I like several colors because it's aesthetically pleasing), mushrooms, a yukon potato, and an onion. Then I bake a chicken breast and put it on the side. I eat a banana and grapes (if in season) for dessert.

Delicious!

Why Dave Ramsey's Plan Sucks

Currently, I am doing Financial Peace University by Dave Ramsey. That means I am changing my spending behaviors, getting an emergency fund together and going to start paying down debt.

It also means I can't buy what I want when I want to.

This is why it sucks.

Normally, when I start a new hobby (running) I buy everything that goes with that hobby and get very excited about it.

But when doing Dave Ramsey's plan I have to settle for my free mileage app on my cell phone and carry a bottle of water and a protein bar rather than put them in a fuel belt.

Getting debt paid off is a lot like weight loss, you have to say "no" now for a better result later.

So I decided to put my running "wish list" on my blog in hopes to get it out of my system. This is the stuff I will be buying in two years when my student loans are completely paid off.

1st item

This Garmin looks amazing! And since it's a wrist watch, I don't have to worry about where to put it. But I have a free app on my phone that I wear on an arm cuff. Sometimes it turns off in the middle of a long run. But thankfully, I know my route by mileage pretty well now. Dave would be proud!

2nd item

On a long run such as 8 miles or more, I really feel like I need to drink water. I used to put my route together so I would go past the drinking fountains, but they don't turn on again until March. Thankfully, my friend has one of these fuel belts and usually lets me borrow it for a long run. This is definitely a "want" rather than a need.

3rd Item

I have heard incredible things about Under Armour Sports Wear. And if I had my way, I would buy most of the clothes. But alas, Walmart running clothes really do work just fine.

4th Item

Now this is just crazy talk. See, I did just purchase a good pair of running shoes about a month ago. But I figured since I was making a wish list anyway, I would just go ahead and put a second pair of running shoes on there. Sometimes it's nice to have two.

Ok, wish list out of my system. Onward to the baby steps...

"Live like no one else so that later you can live like no else," -Dave Ramsey

Don't Get Caught Up in Things That Don't Matter

So I was at my Weight Watchers Meeting today and I was having trouble paying attention. Now, don't get me wrong, my Weight Watcher's leader is very cool. But I just wasn't feeling it today.

Today, they were talking about weighing and measuring everything. They were saying "If pasta is weighing in at 2.2 then you need to take away .2 to get a serving."

Sure, I mean they aren't wrong.

But it kind of made me realize why I may not have stuck with Weight Watchers when I was 90lbs heavier. I mean when you are over 100 lbs overweight, .2 of a serving is not your biggest problem.

Lying to yourself about the .2 of the serving is your biggest problem.

See, I've been counting calories through 90lbs and have rarely if ever weighed or measured anything. Getting healthy was a lot more about me being honest with myself. It was more about behaviors of me not taking responsibility for my eating and my health.

I think if you get caught up in the .2 of a measurement or the 1/3 cup of a measurement you are missing the point.

If you are just beginning your weight loss journey, just start being honest with yourself about what you are eating. Did you eat 2 cupcakes instead of 1 when 1 cupcake is the appropriate serving? Did you snack on chips all day? Just be honest and the rest will come.

Plus, eating is not very fun when it becomes a chore. It is possible to enjoy food and still lose weight, I promise.

Did I mention I lost 4lbs this week? Not to shabby for someone who doesn't weigh and measure...:)

Stomach Flu

I haven't written on this blog for about a week. First, I was planning my 30th birthday party...and then I was in bed with the stomach flu on my 30th birthday.

Total bummer.

During the three days of the stomach flu, I lost 6 lbs. I was extremely nervous about this. You see, part of my eating disorder before involved long periods of time without eating and then rapid weight loss followed by a binge and rapid weight gain. Since I started to be in recovery from my eating disorder, I haven't gone a single day without eating.

So I was terrified when I went almost three days without eating. I was scared that I was going to lose my mind and fall back into old patterns.

You know what though? Somehow I survived.

The first day I could eat again, I just counted calories and somehow I have avoided going down the rabbit hole.

I think that is how I know I have changed.

I realized this was such a good thing to happen because in reality (and as much as I would like to), I probably won't go my whole life without getting sick again. What a wonderful thing to realize that I can get sick, get through it and come out and get right back on my plan.

In the end, I think that was the best 30th birthday present ever:)

12 Miles

Today, I did 12 miles at the gym. I really really want this weather to get better so I can start running outside. The initial 4 miles was fine and then I just had to play games with myself. I did the fifth mile as fast as possible. Then I did the sixth mile a little slower. I had to get off the treadmill to get more water and the come back. I thought I would be refreshed, I wasn't.

Who the heck decided to do this marathon anyway? Either way, 12 miles is done. I guess the best way to become a marathon runner is to do it even when you don't want to. It's amazing what our bodies can do whether we want to or not.