Melt my Heart

I decided to get my butt in gear this morning and get my workout out of the way so there were NO excuses later on. Here i am on the treadmill doing my thang and i looked to my left to make sure Chayton was no where near me and this is what i saw...

These are the 2 sweetest boys and the little one thinks that his big brother rules the world!! My heart melted right there on the treadmill. But i will tell you one thing, seeing them so sweet together gave me the motivation to keep on going until i hit the 4 mile mark. Whatever it takes right?! When i started, my legs were a little sore and i wasn't sure that i would be able to run the entire 2 miles that i had planned. But after my get up and go kicked in, it was on. I told myself that i would NOT stop running until i made it to the 2 mile mark...and that i did. I could have gone farther but i didn't want to be so sore tomorrow that i couldn't run. I have to give myself a pat on the back because i have not ran since the beginning of fall (and i was only running about 1.5 miles then) and in 4-5 workouts, i am back to running 2 miles. That is not a lot but it is better than i thought i would be doing at this point!!
Saturday Treadmill exercise:

4.0 miles (ran 2.0/walked 2.0)
570 calories burned*
96.3 carbs burned
53:56 total time
*after using my Garmin yesterday, not sure how accurate these calories are but they look impressive!

REFRESHED

 

That picture accurately states EXACTLY what i am trying to do! I could have not said it any better. It has been almost 1.5 weeks since the mark of my new mindset and boy do i feel better. I really forgot that it didn't take that long to notice a difference in the way you feel after you commit to eating healthier and exercising. This week has been MUCH better in the fitness aspect of my new goals. I have already been able to run/walk 3 times since Tuesday and i will be adding Saturday and Sunday as well bringing my total to 5 workouts in 6 days! I really cannot be happier about that. Last night was a busy night with basketball so i already knew that i could not fit in a workout unless i woke up before 5am or stayed up late. And since a good night sleep consisting of 7-8 hours is part of the whole "healthier" process, i did not want to knock that off track. That 1 day was totally ok to take a break. Tonight, JJ and i went on a walk/run since it was 64 degrees out and Chayton was excited to go for a stroll. We totaled 3.92 miles and we walked the 1st half and ran the 2nd half and i cannot begin to tell you how good it actually felt!!

Post-Run Photo!

Here are the stats from my new Garmin...

Summary

Distance:	3.92 mi
Time:	53:02
Avg Pace:	13:33 min/mi
Elevation Gain:	128 ft
Calories:	395 C

Details

Timing

Time:	53:02
Moving Time:	51:33
Elapsed Time:	53:02

Avg Pace:	13:33 min/mi
Avg Moving Pace:	13:10 min/mi
Best Pace:	8:54 min/mi

Speed

Pace

Elevation

Elevation Gain:	128 ft
Elevation Loss:	135 ft
MinElevation:	254 ft
MaxElevation:	343 ft

Heart Rate

Avg HR:	147 bpm
Max HR:	181 bpm

Zones

% of Max

bpm

Laps4

View Splits

Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 53:01.8 3.92 13:33 1 15:18.6 1.00 15:19 2 15:26.0 1.00 15:27 3 10:37.6 1.00 10:38 4 11:39.5 0.92 12:45

  
                                         AMEN!!               

Progress

I am going to try to update my progress on this weight loss/healthy living journey that i am embarking on. I am SO not brave enough to post the before pictures that i took (plus i was totally bloated due to women issues HA)...but maybe in due time when i feel a little better about myself and am proud of my progress. I also took measurements of my arms, bust, waist, hips and thighs just so i can see the difference. I am really happy at this point that i have done some of the above things that i have mentioned because i truly plan on totally making over my body! I am in the right mindset right now with my exercising and also with the healthy eating habits that i have been sticking to. I have done better overall since the first week of January but my start date for sticking to what i said i was going to started Tuesday 01/10. So i am measuring my weight loss from that point since i have been more strict about my habits. I am going to update my workout info on here as well just so i have even more of a reason to push myself! I walked/ran last week but didnt log anything because it was utter chaos and i was not able to do it more than once last week. So far this week, it has been better. Here we go...
Tuesday Treadmill exercise:       

2.5 miles (ran 1.5/walked 1.0)

384 calories burned

65.5 carbs burned

33:20 total time

Wednesday Treadmill exercise:  

3.0 miles (ran 1.75/walked 1.25)

453 calories burned

76.7 carbs burned

39:29 total time

                                            

And hopefully i will have a lot more to add before next Tuesday! I am really wanting to do at least 5 days, possibly 6 with weight training to be added as soon as i can better time management just with the treadmill workouts. I am happy to report that as of Tuesday 01/17 i had lost 5 lbs!! I hope by next Tuesday i can add more to that number.
I will be getting my new Garmin today and i am so excited! But i think that it only calculates calories burned, which is ok, but those calories burned should be a little more accurate with the tracking.

~ Shopaholic ~

As some of you know, i prefer to shop online rather than in stores. I honestly do not have much patience with some things and standing in line to pay for things is one of them and trying on numerous things for myself and not liking any of them is another! So i usually surf the internet for things that i want for myself and also for others. It is so much more convenient (to me) to be able to do this and not as time consuming as driving from place to place to shop. I get my feel for that when i go to the grocery store, Target, Hobby Lobby and Home Depot. Ever since i made my 2012 goals for myself with weight loss/living a healthier life, i have purchased a few things for myself that otherwise i probably would't have. I am trying to do things to make me feel better about myself and, to me, it starts with my outward appearance. I am not a spring chicken anymore although i am trying to get back in shape and do things to make myself look a little more youthful. I have been drinking lemon water because they say that helps. I have also purchased a Clarisonic Mia that...

• Leaves skin feeling and looking younger and smoother.
• Increases product absorption.
• Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
• Helps reduce oily areas, dry skin patches and blemishes.
• Helps reduce the appearance of visible pores.

And also a Clarisonic Opal that...

• Just 30 seconds around each eye immediately refreshes, firms and hydrates skin.
• After 4 weeks there is a noticeable improvement in skin's elasticity.
• After 8 weeks, fine lines and puffiness are visibly reduced and eyes appear brighter.
• ARCONA Eye Dew helps combat dehydration and is perfect for under-makeup application.

I started using the Mia today and it made my skin feel so soft so i cant wait to see the results after repeated use. And i have not received the Opal just yet but hopefully by the end of the week! I read about these products on a blog that i ran across and they are things that Gweneth Paltrow uses and here is the picture they showed of her at the age of 39...

Just GORGEOUS! She looks better now at the age of 39 than i think she did in her earlier years. Now granted, diet and exercise definitely play a part in her youthful appearance and i am working on that as well!! Makes you want to fast forward to 40 huh?! No, not really but i hope to be looking fabulous well before 40! Here is the link to the blog that i just love. 

http://www.mythirtyspot.com/2011/11/gwenyth-paltrows-beauty-secrets.html

Keepin' it Positive

Ok...i could really bitch gripe right now about the not so fabulous weekend that we had but i have decided to keep my blog as positive as possible so i will not be able to tell you about our weekend of basketball. Now, on a more POSITIVE note, guess what i ordered myself on Friday??

Yes...it's a Garmin Forerunner 110 GPS heart rate monitor watch! And i could not be more excited. I am trying to get back in shape and get my fitness level back to where it was ages ago. I am a huge planner and logger when it comes to anything and what better way to be able to save all of my workout information. As you recall, my last blog post was about finding the time to exercise. Some things have opened our schedule up a bit for the next few weeks (until soccer starts) and i will be able to get a jump start on my weight loss program with the exercise that i have been longing for! It is going to be a few days before it is here so until then i guess i will just continue on with my old timey treadmill stats. HA! Now back to spending time with my sweet, broken hearted Basketball Star!!

~ Workout Chaos ~

Ok...so it has been a few days since i have been on here. Our week was a little busy with sports for Jackson, trying to cook things at home and then trying to find the time to exercise. I really didn't think that fitting in my workouts were going to be that difficult since JJ is home in the afternoons now and has not started baseball games yet. But, WOW, was i wrong. My treadmill is upstairs and that is where it has always been and it is usually really convenient just to walk up the stairs and get to it. Well since i now have a 20 month old in addition to my 9 year old, the easy peasy upstairs trip has turned into a circus! HA! I try to sneak off up there and then here comes Chayton climbing the stairs. There is a gate at the door for when he is playing upstairs, he is unable to just come down the stairs alone. So once i am on the treadmill and have started my workout, there he is standing at the gate and wants me to help him over. Naturally this happens every time Jackson is still downstairs. Then i have to help him over and constantly watch him the whole time because he is a little BUSY and i am terrified that he is going to try to get on the treadmill with me!! Jackson will come help when he is home but that usually involves him playing xBox while i still worry about Chayton getting near me. But, oh well... Those are the joys of parenting! And i would not trade it for the world! I am going to devise somewhat of a better plan for the weekend and next week for workouts. What that will be?? I have NO CLUE but i am going to find a way. I need to be exercising at least 5 times a week to get to where i want and when i want it. And i am going to do whatever it takes.

Laid Back Saturday Night

Our Saturday night started without plans and ended up with an impromptu friendly get together! We were planning on just staying at home, cooking dinner, having drinks and were going to watch the TIGERS game. Well, it all started with 2 irritable boys that were both crying. Jackson was dying for a friend to come over and spend the night and i had no clue what was wrong with Chayton. He wanted Seth to come spend the night so i called Gena and Seth was ready to come so that worked out perfectly! At the same time, Sonya called and wanted me to ride to the store with her and with all of the CRYING in my house, i jumped at that! When we got back, things were  little more settled at my house. Jackson and Seth were playing and Chayton was in a better mood. So, JJ, Gena, Sonya and I chatted for a bit and then here comes Brad (our neighbor down the street) and Jack, Brennan and Carley (Sonya's clan). We all just hung out and chatted and watched the Memphis vs UAB game. I LOVE unplanned evenings that end up as a really good hangout!! What a great ending to a pretty stressful beginning due to basketball!!

 Brennan & Chayton

 Seth & Jackson

 Seth, Jackson & Carley

 Jack & Chayton

 Sonya & Brad

Jack & Brennan

Jackson jumping over Chayton

Chayton LOVED it!

A small sidenote...Jackson jumped over Chayton a few times and it was all fun and games but that ended with Jackson's leg hitting Chayton in the mouth and Chayton had a very bloody busted lip. Poor baby... and that pretty much ended the night for him. Poor baby.