Sweeet2th's Journal

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21 October 2014

Hi, Folks!
Nothing terribly fascinating to report today, I guess. I spent over an hour this morning trying to find a nice outfit in my closet that actually fits me, and was unsuccessful. Most of my clothes are sizes 2X-XL or 12-22 (the usual range of sizes I've been over the last decade, or so), and I'm now a Small or size 6, so I might have to go clothes shopping if I don't want to look like a boxcar hobo this holiday season! It feels so strange being this small. I had one person handing out t-shirts at the race tell me I was "tiny" and needed a small shirt and I actually looked behind me because I thought she was talking to someone else! Oh well, if being too small for my clothes is the worst of my problems, I'll quit complaining and take it, gladly.

On the food front, I've been trying to decide how I want to increase my calories and overall nutrient density (read: more veggies!!) to my daily food intake and think I'm going to reinstate adding a "green juice" when I break my fast in the late afternoon. I used to have a green juice everyday and loved them, but stopped doing it (I think it was because I hated cleaning out the juicer!). One of my favorite green juices was cucumber, celery, kale, pear and ginger! So yummy!

OK, I better get a move on if I'm going to get a run in today! The weather is cold and grey today, but I'm still smiling & whistling "zip-a-dee-doo-da" from my fun weekend!

Have a fabulous day, everyone! Go make it extraordinary! :)

I couldn't resist adding this:
Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah - Original

(8 comments)

20 October 2014

Contains Before and After Pictures Plus Half-Marathon Results!

I'm back from my half-marathon, Folks! And it was so much fun!!! Albeit chilly at the starting line, the sun came out, and the weather warmed up a bit for a beautiful Autumn run! There were so many people cheering on the sidelines, it was difficult for me not to be smiling from ear-to-ear the entire time (with the exception of a monstrous hill at mile 6!). I finished the race in 2:09:00, a 9:50/mile pace, which is a full 21 minutes faster than the original goal I set for myself 9 weeks ago! I'm really pleased with that time, seeing as it's my first half-marathon. My legs are a little sore today, and attempting to walk down the stairs this morning was a bit comedic, but with a day or two of active recovery, I'm sure I'll be back out hitting the pavement in no time!
I also figure it's about time for me to post a before and after picture here, seeing as I've basically hit my goal weight. So, click on this post to be able to view the pictures, if you're interested.

Before:

After:

When I see these pictures, there is so much more lost and gained than the 72 pounds. I was so ill and miserable in the before picture, and I really couldn't be happier now! Most importantly, all of my medical conditions have vanished solely through the foods I choose to eat, including a debilitating auto-immune disease that was slowly chipping away at my will to live. I had been unsuccessful at losing weight for most of my adult life, and it wasn't until I began making choices for my HEALTH instead of just to lose WEIGHT, that the pounds fell off effortlessly.

Hope you're all off to the start of an amazing week! Go make it extraordinary! You deserve it!

(38 comments)

17 October 2014

Well, Folks. I looked in the mirror this morning and said, "Hey, not too shabby for 40! Happy Birthday, Gorgeous!" Then, I strapped on my running shoes and headed out the door for a short 2-mile run as the last part of my half-marathon training program. Now, I just have to keep myself healthy and uninjured for the next 48 hours! *fingers crossed*

I don't have fancy birthday plans. No cake (eww, blech!). No party (I'm not one for loud parties, these days). Most of the rest of the day will consist of preparing food for my overnight trip to Bethlehem, PA for my race on Sunday morning. I don't ever travel without my own food anymore. I'm thinking I'll make some pesto hummus and veggies, a little black bean and broccoli salad with tahini, lemon and garlic, and lots of yummy organic fruits, nuts, oh and this stuff I like to call "pumpkin pie in a jar which is canned organic pumpkin, dates, tahini, shredded coconut, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves all whirled together in a food processor and put into little glass canning jars. It's so delicious and I could eat a mountain of it! I'm definitely bringing some of that for after my race!

Maybe between cooking sessions, I'll jump around a little on my rebounder to some fun music and maybe go for a walk in my quaint little Pennsylvania mountain town (it's a gorgeous Autumn day here!) and finish up my day with some yoga and the latest episode of American Horror Story. Like I said, I don't have a terribly exciting or dramatic life here, but boy is it a good one!

Have a fantastic weekend, Everyone! I'll be sure to report back to all of you on Monday about the race and dish all the details.

Quote for the day, "If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you." - Fred Devito.

(23 comments)

14 October 2014

Warning: Long Journal Entry. But I have a good story to tell for my readers who might need a little inspiration today.

Well, my fine FS Friends, it's almost Race Day! T-minus 5 days and counting! I start tapering my mileage today and only have a brief 3-mile run (Hahaha! ONLY a 3 mile run! It feels so good to be able to say that! The Sig-O laughs when I say, "Oh, it's just a short 5-mile run today.", but I digress...) I've been watching the race course video online, which gives a tour of the half-marathon course through scenic Bethlehem, PA and it makes me a little teary eyed, because it looks like it's going to be so much fun and I'm finally at a fitness level where I can totally do this!

You might be thinking, "Why won't this girl shut up about this race, for Pete's sake?" But I have a little story to tell you about why I'm so tickled pink by accomplishing this goal. When I was 3 years old, I went with one of my neighbors to her pee-wee soccer practice, and everyone laughed at me because I ran funny, "like a girl". It was humiliating and I still remember it like it was yesterday. Even to this day, the neighbor's mom brings up how funny it was to watch me run. I was THREE years old, for crying out loud! Cut me some slack! But that isn't where the story ends, my dear readers. In elementary school, I had a bullying gym teacher who belittled me and insulted me in front of the other students because I was the "smart nerd" who wasn't athletic. I prefered math textbooks to kickballs, and spelling bees to pull-ups. The "jocks" in my school would whip the ball at my head and laugh and so would my gym teacher. They even conspired to knock me over and humiliate me in front of the whole class while playing kickball. So, I learned in the 5th grade to wear slippery heels to school so I wouldn't be forced to play kickball and I could work on my extra credit science homework instead. I was ALWAYS picked last in gym class. Dead last. In high school, I had my doctor write me a note so I didn't have to take gym class and I took other electives instead. When I joined the Air Force, I barely squeaked by doing the minimum fitness requirements, and after I left the Air Force, four years later, I watched my weight creep up... and up... and up.

Three years ago, I decided to say to myself, "I'm not going to let this hold me back anymore. I will reclaim my athleticism. I will make myself proud. I will be successful. Those bullies, teachers and students alike, do not control how I think about myself anymore!" I bought myself a t-shirt that said, "Picked last in gym." and then I wore it to the gym! It wasn't long before my fellow gym friends told me they couldn't imagine me being picked last because I was so much fun to work out with, I worked so hard, and I never gave up. They helped me believe that there wasn't anything I couldn't do if I set my mind to it. I wasn't some awkward uncoordinated klutz who couldn't run if her life depended on it. I was now an inspiration to others; others who weren't going to let someone else define who they were for one more day! Now, I catch a glimpse of my reflection when I'm out running and I look like a serious runner... because I AM a serious runner. I had always said, "Oh, I'm so slow. I'm not a good runner. I'll never be a runner.", but really, the only thing that was stopping me from doing it was that voice in my head that said I couldn't. When I made the choice to silence that voice, it was just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other and believing in myself.

Now, there isn't anything I can't do, and I'm about to prove it to myself yet again this weekend, when I run a half-marathon for my 40th birthday. Like several of you commented in my earlier entry, reaching this milestone IS a pretty amazing present to give myself. I couldn't be more proud. That 3-year old little girl who was laughed at on the soccer field would be really proud of who she would grow up to be! And for those of you who are struggling with making healthy decisions and quieting that voice that says you're not good enough, I want you to know that you can do anything you set your mind to. You can make the right choices for your health because you deserve a life filled with joy, health, vitality, love and laughter. Just put one foot in front of the other, and believe in yourself.

Thanks for reading, Folks. Now, go out and make this day extraordinary! You deserve it!

(18 comments)

13 October 2014

I crammed in as much food as I could yesterday and I still dropped a few ounces the day after my ten-mile training run. Eating whole, unprocessed plant foods makes it very difficult to overeat, apparently! My weight always drops a little after my long runs, so I'm not that concerned about the loss.

My training run yesterday went really well! I ran it about 5 seconds/mile faster than I did last week, and it was 15 degrees hotter. The weather forecast look pretty decent for Sunday's race: mid-40's by 8 a.m. and partly cloudy. A little chilly, but I'll take it!

Today, I'll be spending the rest of the day bagging up the last of my veggie garden's bounty of chard for frozen green smoothies, and fermenting the rest of my beets. In addition to hitting the books for a couple of hours, I also think I'll bounce around a little on my rebounder and do some yoga this evening for some active recovery since today is a rest day from running.

Hope this week is off to a smashing start for you! Go make it extraordinary!

Weigh-in: 134.0 lb

lost so far: 72.0 lb

still to go: 9.0 lb

Diet followed 100%

(9 comments) losing 3.5 lb a week

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