Spring Chick Challenge Update: Week 7

Time for the weekly update for the Spring Chick Challenge hosted by Stormy at Real Chicks Getting Fit.

Here's my update:

WALKING/TRAINING: 

• Monday: 3 miles (TRAINING)
• Tuesday: 2.34 miles (WAKLING)
• Wednesday: 3.57 miles (TRAINING)
• Thursday: 2.56 miles (WALKING)
• Friday: 3.19 miles (TRAINING)
• Saturday:  2.16 miles (WALKING)
• Sunday: 2 mile (TRAINING)

My TOTAL HOURS of exercising for the week: 5.03 (18.82 miles)


WATER INTAKE: 

• Monday: 96 oz
• Tuesday: 88 oz
• Wednesday: 80 oz
• Thursday: 96 oz
• Friday: 96 oz
• Saturday: 112 oz
• Sunday:  80 oz

CALORIE INTAKE:

• Monday:1391
• Tuesday:1350
• Wednesday:1337
• Thursday:1274
• Friday:1284
• Saturday:1237
• Sunday:1357

WEEK TOTAL:9230


Probably still need to get back to the 1200 calories/day but, seriously, I get way hungrier with running than when I was only walking. WTH?!


TRACKING: YES- every single day.

EATING AFTER 9:00 PM: YES

ORGANIZING: HA

SUPPORTING OTHERS: I can always do better on this one.

DAILY WRITING: Yeppers!

WEIGHT: I am not OFFICIALLY stepping on the scales until the end of the month. The running/walking/training program I am on is all about learning to run and weight loss.I'm still on Phase 2 of the program and do NOT see myself moving up to Phase 3 this week. I'm doing it, but it's still really hard and, until it starts becoming a tad easy-ish, I will stay in Phase 2. In other words, Phase 2 is still a challenge. Once it slacks off from being a challenge, I will move up.

I did step on the scale yesterday and I am only 1 lb down BUT my clothes are feeling way bigger than only 1 lb so I have to wonder if this running is perhaps having a larger effect on toning right now? Plus my daily calories are not really conducive for bigger weight loss.But, the month isn't over yet!

STORMY ASKS:

• How was the 7th week- see above
• Did you remain sweets free? No. But I don't use refined sugar. I only use honey, Turbinado and coconut sugar to sweeten. The really nice thing about these sweeteners is that they do not cause the craving for more like refined sugar does.
• How were your workouts? See above
• How was your water consumption? See above
• What do you think of the mini challenges? Even though I've already done all of them early on in this weight loss journey, I think they are great! They really helped at the beginning of the journey and I have continued with them- I believe they've become lifestyle changes.
  
• What did you do for yourself that was fun? I was able to hang out with DoodleBug several times this week and enjoyed every minute of it! And Hubs and I watched a couple of movies together via Netflix- suspense, crime thrillers- awesome!!!
  

WEEK 8 GOALS:

• I will continue to train 3-4 days and walk the other days. 
• I will continue eating healthy as this has become a lifestyle change not merely something for weight loss
• I am surrounded by support from my wonderful bloggy friends and my fantastic family!
• I will have fun --well, I'm not sure about this but I'm nearly certain that it will involve lunch with my BFF and some time with DoodleBug.
  

WEEK 8 MINI CHALLENGE: 


STORMY SAYS: "Be a buddy... This is a touchy one sorta. Do you have a friend or family member who you think may need to be a bit more healthy. Invite them to do something fitness/health focused with you. This one is close to my heart because I had to get fit by myself for so long. NO one asked me to go on a walk, swim, or anything when I was heavy and not working towards better health. It feels awesome know to know that I am not alone. You could be that person to help someone else take the 1st step to better health."

I've already done this since my journey began back in June (2011). My dad has lost 25 lbs from walking and changing his diet and my mother has seen the benefits of walking and going gluten free. I'm about to share the oil pulling with my mother this week- dad would laugh me out of the room on this one. LOL I've also been talking to my oldest younger brother about changing his diet and starting running again and all of the lovelies and BestSonInLawEVER are aware of what I'm doing and have made changes as well! And then there's Hubs who has noticed a tremendous difference is his well-being and is going to start running with me soon!

So, Stormy is quite right about the positive impact we can make in someone's life if we just put it out there!

Speaking of Stormy, guess who won a copy of A Cluttered Life? That's right- STORMY!

I've contacted her and received her information! Congrats Stormy! 
(I'll get that in the mail tomorrow- no postal service today)

Spring Chick Challenge Update: Week 5

Time for the weekly update for the Spring Chick Challenge hosted by Stormy at Real Chicks Getting Fit.

Here's my update:

WALKING/TRAINING: 

• Monday: 3 miles (TRAINING); 1.5 miles (WALKING)
• Tuesday: 2.31 miles (WAKLING)
• Wednesday: 2.53 miles (TRAINING); 1 mile (WALKING)
• Thursday: 2 miles (WALKING)
• Friday: 2.85 miles (TRAINING); I mile (WALKING)
• Saturday:  2.43 miles (WALKING)
• Sunday: 2.56 miles (WALKING)

My TOTAL HOURS of exercising for the week: 6.8


WATER INTAKE: 

• Monday: 96 oz
• Tuesday: 80 oz
• Wednesday: 96 oz
• Thursday: 72 oz
• Friday: 80 oz
• Saturday: 64 oz
• Sunday: 80 oz

CALORIE INTAKE:

• Monday:1346
• Tuesday: 1457
• Wednesday:1233
• Thursday: 1432
• Friday:1128
• Saturday:1226
• Sunday: 1233

WEEK TOTAL:9056


Yes, I wanted to keep my daily calories UNDER 1500. Yes, I was successful. BUT, giving myself that upper limit is making me try to hit it and I don't like that. So, I put myself back on my timer eating schedule on Friday and that is helping me keep those daily calories closer to 1200. 


TRACKING: YES- every single day.
EATING AFTER 8:00 PM: More like no eating after 9:00 pm
ORGANIZING: Working on it.
SUPPORTING OTHERS: I can always do better on this one.
DAILY WRITING: Yeppers!
WEIGHT: I am not stepping on the scales until the end of the month. The running/walking/training program I am on is for weight loss not for running a 5k. Another 50 lbs off will make training for the 5k much easier so I won't start that until later. Right now, it's all about learning to run and weight loss. If I keep stepping on the scale and don't see immediate results, it will act as sabotage which will lead to frustration and, possibly, quitting. And I refuse to let that happen.

I will post the training details before challenge is over (I hope). I am keeping a close eye on everything by keeping a journal about the training and---oil pulling.

That's right. I'm trying this oil pulling that I've heard so much about. I had head of it before but had not tried it until I read about it at Divine Health. Just click the link and go check it out if you want. She offered a challenge to pull oil for one month and I joined in. Today is DAY 6 and, YES, I already notice a difference. These details will come later with the training deets!

NEEDS IMPROVEMENT/WEEK 5 GOALS:

1. Support and encouragement off others
2. Exercise- STILL need to add some strength training in there somewhere. 
3. The mini challenge is all water all week. That's what I drink all day every day already with the exception of a glass of green tea at the end of the day as a reward for all that water! So, I'm good here.

I'm also linking this post up with Inspire Me Monday with Ramona over at Create With Joy. 

This week I am inspired by:

• Lydia at Divine Health who provides daily encouragement to stay healthy and get fit (and the oil pulling)
• Stephanie at Hookin', Knittin' & Livin' who inspires me to keep knitting even though I'll NEVER be as good as she-incredible, go check out her creations- and also inspires me to relax and enjoy life.
• Kim at My Field of Dreams, Joyce at From This Side of the Pond, and Patrice at Everyday Ruralty who all inspire me to be a better mom/wife/friend---person.

Click on the button if you've been inspired this week and link up to share your story!

I Know Where Winter Is AND-- About This Running Thing...

Winter is with Deanie and NicholAss in UTAH. Who knew?

Meanwhile, DoodleBug and Gibbsterrific (Evwardo was sick, HannahBanana was busy, Benjamin was working, Wes was busy---we missed y'all!) came over for dinner and I made this for dessert--

Yep- fresh strawberries and homemade gluten free chocolate peanut crunchy thingys. They were so freaking delicious!

On the exercise note- I started an actual running program type thing this morning. 

And survived. 

All I have to do is follow the schedule and I should be able to run for 20 NONSTOP minutes at the end of one month. 

Right.

I know myself pretty well at this age. And I know that if I go too fast with this, I will become frustrated and quit. Not quit exercising but running. And just walk. I don't want that to happen.

I realize that running without a plan was not working. So I DO need a plan. 

I thought about turning their days into weeks- for example, DAY 1 is run 1 minute, walk 5 minutes. Repeat 3 times. DAY 2 is run 2 minutes, walk 4 minutes. Repeat 3 times. And so on...

Instead, I thought I would turn DAY 1 into WEEK 1- for 3 days. Then DAY 2 would become WEEK 2 for three days. And so on...

Ok, all you runners out there- considering my age (over 50 HOWTHEHELLDIDTHATHAPPEN) and my tendency to get frustrated (and bored and to over-do) coupled with my desire to run but to take is SLOW--the questions are:

1. Does this sound feasible?
2. Is there a better way?
3. Do you have suggestions?

What I would love is a printable schedule that takes it slow. I'm not in a hurry because I really want to do this. The 5k I'm planning to run is not until Thanksgiving! I have plenty of time to do this. And do it right.

Any and all suggestions are more than welcome and appreciated!