Drowning in my Shirts!

During the weight loss process, it's easy to notice the difference in my body when it comes to my pants because they move around when I walk if they're too big. I can start to pull them off without unbuttoning or unzipping them and they bag out in certain areas.

When it comes to my shirts, though, I never feel like I'm making progress in the belly because my shirts just seem to keep fitting. That is until this past week. I'm starting to pull out the shirts I haven't worn since the fall and I'm seeing and feeling the differences.

The first instance was with a shirt I bought a few years ago for $1 when Steve & Barry's were going out of business. I was a men's medium that said "It's not my fault I'm Awesome!" on it. I LOVE the shirt for the wacky motto and bought it as a "goal" shirt. Even though I couldn't wear it at the time I bought it (it was super tight and looked disgusting!), I held onto it thinking that maybe someday I'd wear it. That someday happened May 14th. I pulled it out of the drawer it's been hiding in and tried it on. It fit...with a long-sleeved tshirt under it! I got SO many compliments on the shirt because of it's saying. Plus, everyone can see it when you're singing karaoke!

The next occurrence was on Thursday, May 19th. I pulled out another shirt that I hadn't worn because it was too tight when I ordered it out of a catalog, but thought it would work. This one was TOO big to not wear something under it. So, out came the long-sleeved tshirt again. After wearing it all day, though, it became clear that I won't be wearing it again because it even looks too big.

Lastly was today. I'm wearing one of my favorite polo shirts and that was a big snug when I ordered it from a catalog. After I lost some weight last year, I was able to wear it without it being too tight. It was still snug, but looked fine. I put it on today after going about eight months without wearing it and it's loose! Thankfully it isn't too loose, but it no longer grazes my belly when I'm standing. I can tell from this shirt that I've lost inches in my chest, even.

Even though I've been going through my clothes and giving stuff away as I've gotten too small to wear it, it's becoming obvious I need to go through my things a little more thoroughly and get rid of more items! It's time to go shopping!

I think my mind is finally fully catching up with my body in terms of seeing myself as I truly look. I've never hated myself or how I looked, but the changes are finally becoming obvious to me as much as they are to others around me. Yipee!

Minnesota Running Events

Below is the list of websites I use to find running events in Minnesota. I've also purchases the MDRA (Minnesota Distance Running Association) book that I purchased at Runner's Gate in Lakeville. Here's their website: www.runmdra.org/



www.getsetmn.com/running-calendar

www.active.com/directory/Running/5K/MN/

www.northlandrunner.com/run?page=Races

www.raceberryjam.com

www.andersonraces.com/events

www.runningintheusa.com/Race/List.aspx?State=MN


Can’t decide what to wear for an outdoor run? Use this site for guidance!

www.runnersworld.com/cda/whattowear

The Red Leather Diary: Reclaiming a Life Through the Pages of a Lost Journal – Book Review

By sheer luck, I happened across the book The Red Leather Diary by Lily Koppel, on a table at Barnes & Noble. I’ve been focusing on reading fitness, running and nonfiction books lately, so when I read the back of this book and saw the premise, I was excited.

The book begins with author Lily Koppel digging through a dumpster full of vintage steamer trunks located outside her apartment building. Along with vintage designer clothing, she is also led to a small red leather diary.

Upon reading the book, Lily discovers that Florence Wolfson, owner of the diary, had an extraordinary life full of the arts and self-discovery. Florence is interesting and mature beyond her years.

In the years immediately following the reemergence of the diary, Lily Koppel finds and meets Florence Wolfson. They form a friendship and learn that they are kindred spirits.

The Red Leather Diary was a fantastic book. The author does a beautiful job in recreating scenes of old New York. It is easy to picture the city the way it was for young Florence. I felt as though I were experiencing Florence’s life right along side of her. Well-written and beautiful, I recommend The Red Leather Diary to readers hoping simply to experience a bygone era or feel the hope of a young woman in an exciting city. Readers with a respect for history will also appreciate this book.

Note that this book does discuss homosexuality, so some may find this book offensive or controversial.

For more information about The Red Leather Diary, please go to http://www.redleatherdiary.com

Spring Fever

On the morning of my fourth running even for 2011, it became obvious that I worry a little too much about my races. I woke up early, got dressed and left the house, figuring I would be about 30 minutes early to the race sight in order to get my registration packet. It didn’t take long to figure out I would actually be an hour early and would have time to pick up breakfast from Panera. The French toast breakfast sandwich is becoming a pre-race tradition for me, having eaten on before the Get Lucky 7k as well.

Registration went much more quickly than anticipated, so I had a lot of time to update my Facebook status and get nervous. I never know what to expect, especially since the proceeds from the Spring Fever 5k were going to the high school track team. I figured it would be a fast field.

Standing in line for the race was interesting. It quickly became apparent which participants were runners and which weren’t, based on the conversation around me and the wide variation in running apparel. You’re really going to run dressed in a parka? I understand that it is Minnesota in spring; however, it was 40 degrees with the forecast calling for upper 50s in the afternoon. Oh, and kudos to the guy dressed in the banana costume!

At the sound of the gun, the crowd took off fast and furious. Even parka lady. And the lady whose dog would have rather been anywhere but there. Banana man was just a yellow blur on the horizon.

Interestingly enough, many of those who took off in a hurry from the start were already dwindling in speed by the second block. My favorite participants of the day had to be the woman and teenage daughter who started very fast, but were among those who were walking by block three. When the rounded the corner near what I learned was their house, they sped up again to pass a crowd of their friends and neighbors cheering them on….once we rounded a corner out of sight of their friends, they were right back at a walk.

Then, of course, were the runners that you pass. Then they surge past you, only to slow down and you pass them again. Repeat. Does anyone else find this annoying as I do? The only reason this is frustrating is because I don’t change my speed!

Soon, I caught up with Banana Man, who looked warm and deflated. How many dirty comments would come to your mind?

On the last leg of the race, which finished on the high school track (did you know they’re bouncy?), I could have passed the two women ahead of me but I didn’t feel like I could do that to them. Why? One was very overweight and the other seemed to have a disability affecting her leg, which caused her to have a very abnormal gait. I have to give them lots of respect for not only running the entire race, but for finishing with a good time (by my book!). Way to go, ladies!

My finishing time was 34:55, which is a new record for me and was quite impressive considering this was my first 5k that had hills. The trail took us through a hilly, winding path through Bunker Hills park. It was beautiful! So far, it has been the prettiest race I’ve run.

My finishing time didn’t win me any awards, but try being the old lady in your division! The winners in my division were all 18-22 years old. Yikes! Next year, I’ll be the youngest in a new division and I’m looking forward to it.

It was a fun race and one I’d be willing to do again in the future. I’m definitely looking forward to my next flat 5k course!

Disappointed with Self Magazine

I am a huge fan of fitness magazines and subscribe to several. Even though the topics are often recycled and the same exercises are used over and over, every once in a while there will be a good story.

This month, Self Magazine has disappointed me. They feature an article that is several pages long giving all of the favorable details about cosmetic procedures. "Your Guide to Cutting-Edge Skin Treatments" gives the cost, down time and benefits of Botox, fillers, cortisone shots and peels, among other treatments.

While I realize that many people may be interested in reading about these procedures, I find it disappointing that a magazine that claims to be all about making women look and feel better through exercise and healthier eating would feature an article that says "If you begin using Botox or other freezers as soon as you notice subtle expression lines and continue as you age, you can absolutely prevent certain wrinkles from forming," says Dennis Gross, M.D., a cosmetic dermatologist in New York City.
"Even in your 30s, you usually end up with 100 percent smoothing," says Patricia Wexler, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Oh, lucky me, even when I'm as old as my 30s, I can get results. Um, do they prefer people to get this done in their teens or early 20s? Should we all be doing this as prevention? It sure sounds that way. By the way, did you see you must continue these procedures as maintenance once you start them?

I'm 29 years old and I have very fine smile lines around my eyes. Am I old? I don't think so. But I do think that these subtle expression lines are what creates and enhances facial expression. I pride myself on being able to tell whether a smile is fake or genuine based on whether it travels to the eyes. I've noticed that when some celebrities smile, it never looks genuine because their face shows little expression from Botox, fillers and other procedures.

Sure, we all want to look good as we age, but do we want to be seen as fake because no one can ever read our emotions? I think it changes the way we "read" each other and communicate. If nonverbal language accounts for 70-90% of our communication, aren't we harming our relationships with others by taking some of the nonverbal communication out?

I can see both sides of the coin on this issue, but I guess the most disturbing part of the article was that it was surrounded by advertisements. I'm guessing the staff at the magazine wasn't just doing the readers a favor by writing about the procedures to satisfy curious minds. Given the overly favorable nature of the article and the extensive advertisements, I'm sure there was a LOT of money involved.

It makes me sad that we are constantly bombarded with things to make us feel worse about ourselves, followed by the products and procedures that promise to fix it all fast and easy...for a price. I know too many girls and women with low self-esteem and confidence that they are affected by these things that try to make them feel worse.

I encourage you to give at least one random compliment to a woman today. It can be a friend, family member or complete stranger but just maybe we can counteract the negativity from the media just a little bit, without Botox. It's sure worth a try!

If you want to read the full article, here's the link:
http://www.self.com/beauty/2011/04/skin-treatments-guide?currentPage=1

Get Lucky!

This weekend, I completed my first 7k, which is officially the longest distance I've ever run. It was the Get Lucky 7k in Minneapolis and it was an absolute blast!

The day started out with preparations of the green variety. I pulled my hair into a pony tail using a green hair binder with a shamrock on it and sprayed it bright green. Then, I dressed, wearing my "I'm not Irish, but...Kiss me I'm cute" shirt. Then came the green headband with green tinsel and pigtails attached and the green and gold beaded necklace. I was ready to be feisty and fast!

I'm so lucky in that I met up with a friend and her sister for the festivities. We took pictures before the race and decided we would run together. One of us slow (me!), one of us running her first race and one of us a half-marathoner.

Let me tell you, they really pushed me into running faster than I ever would have on my own and therefore helped me hit my fastest miles yet. We finished the race in 48:56, giving us an average of 11:15 miles. Woo hoo!

This race was the first time I had actually run with someone and it sure made the time fly by faster than even the best play list on my iPod would have. We chatted and laughed, which is something I never thought would be possible while running. There were a few moments where my body wanted to slow down or walk, but I was determined to keep going and keep up with my running partners.

The Get Lucky may have to be an annual tradition because I sure love any excuse I can find to dress up and act goofy. I loved it!

I'm not 1/4 done with my New Year's resolution of completing one running event per month for the year. My next event is a 5k on April 9th and the goal will be to shave time off of the last 5k. I'm still in awe that I think running is fun...I used to think of it as pure, unnecessary torture.

Guilt, Deprivation and Fear

These are the three words I heard repeated over and over in my Weight Watchers meeting on Tuesday.
The meeting topic was deprivation and what to do when you're feeling deprived. Many of the women said they try to distract themselves or eat a fruit or veggie when they're feeling deprived of their favorite foods or are having cravings.

Next, they talked about the guilt the feel after eating something they "shouldn't" or "can't".

Last, the fear came. Fear they would fall of the diet, fear they would gain back some weight, and fear of what others would say about their food choices. Fear that someone might say, "I thought you were on a diet. Should you be eating that?"

Then, the cyle begins again.

If you ask me, guilt, deprivation and fear don't belong in a healthy lifestyle change. If the Biggest Loser and other weight loss shows have taught me anything, it's that you have to change your mental health along the way in order to change your physical health. Beating yourself up over and over again doesn't do any good.
The way I see it, if you're feeling deprived or having a really strong craving, it's best to eat what you really want...in moderation. I've found that the craving goes away, but even better, once I start eating it I realize it usually isn't as good as I remembered.

If we stop beating ourselves up over being human, the guilt will subside. Do something about a choice you aren't fond of, such as going for a walk. Not to "erase the damage" but to do something to make your mind and body feel better. Make no apologies, just acknowledge that it was something you needed and move on without further thought.

Truly, what is there to fear? We all fluctuate a few pounds here and there and it's natural. Every day is it's own adventure and by not fully living life and enjoying the things around us be cause of fear, we aren't experiencing things the way we should. Those snide comments from others? Who cares?! Dismiss their comments because deep down they are either saying it to make themselves feel better by belitting you OR because they think these comments are helpful. Sometimes, it's because they want your advice on getting healthy and losing weight but they're scared to ask for it. See the vicious cyle popping up again?

Sure, by getting rid of the guilt, deprivation and fear, I haven't lost weight as quickly as I'd like to. After all, we'd all like that magic pill that takes care of it for us. But, I can say I've experienced what my day has to offer and enjoyed it. I'm happier and FEEL lighter because of the freedom of not being a slave to these negative feelings.

If I want ice cream, I eat it. Just less than what I would have eaten before my lifestyle change. Do I fear that I'll gain weight again? Nope, but I acknowledge there might be a temporary fluctuation. Am I having fun? Absolutely! Am I healthy? Yes!

These things go hand-in-hand with my previous post about playing like a kid. Do what feels right for you and your body. As long as you're healthy (by this I mean good numbers where the doctors are concerned: blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol, etc.), then you're doing something right!

Play Like a Kid!

And I don't mean video games.

 I've been reading a lot lately about playing like a kid for exercise and it all makes sense. I look at my boyfriend's seven year old son who can't sit still 90% of the time. He summersaults across the entire house (hardwood floor included!), jumps around while playing video games, runs almost everywhere and loves to scooter around the driveway. You know what? He's strong AND slim. Oh, and he sleeps like a rock.

I remember being a kid and being on the go constantly. Rainy days and extremely cold days were torturous without a good book to read with my dog on my lap. We literally cried and begged our parents to let us play outside just five more minutes, even when the sun was gone from the sky, our stomachs were growling and we were getting tired.

My sister and I rode bikes around the neighborhood, played hockey on our rollerblades, had food races, played basketball, and chased our friends around the local jungle gym. We ate whatever we wanted to and were slim, healthy kids. We were also happy because we were always moving.

The fond memories from childhood come not from playing video games for hours on end or from having the most expensive pair of jeans (remember Gibeaus?). The best memories come from chasing your friends around, beating someone in a hula hoop contest or having calloused hands from too many hours on the monkey bars.

This brings me to my fitness plan for the more pleasant seasons coming up here in Minnesota. Yes, I do think spring will come! Anyway, I'm going to play like a kid. I was already planning on utilizing the jungle gym as a way to train for Warrior Dash, but then I thought about what else I'd like to spend more time doing this summer. It sure didn't involve exercising to a DVD in my basement or running on my treadmill.

I want to ride my bike, run outside, hike, hula hoop, play tennis, do cartwheels, jump rope and ride my horse. It's going to be all about fun! Exercising isn't going to feel like work. We all know we stick to the exercises that are fun over the ones we don't care for; hence the Zumba craze.

I encourage all of you to watch how the kids around you play and copy it. Sure, it might mean looking silly to those boring adults around you, but I guarantee you'll have more fun and it will lift your mood. Let's be kids again, even if it's only for a few minutes a day. I double dog dare you!

Your Community Education Programs

Zumba! Cardio Kickboxing! Bootcamp! Yoga! Volleyball!

 The above are just a few classes I've taken through my local Community Ed. What I love about these programs is they give me a chance to try something new without commitment. No expensive gym membership required! Most of the classes offered are "drop-in" classes, where people can show up whenever it fits into their schedule and pay a small fee on that night (typically $5-8). However, many offer punch cards at a slight discount if you buy 10 sessions at once. Oh, and you don't typically need to live in a certain community to attend their community ed classes.

This is such a great way to add variety to a routine to avoid getting bored and to keep working different muscles. Some may choose to attend once and use moves from various classes in their personal routines at home or at the gym. Others may find they love a specific class so much, it becomes a regular part of the routine. Still others may attend a new class on occasion to move past a plateau or rutt. It's also a great way to meet other people interested in fitness!

If you need to pump a little life into your fitness routine, I suggest taking a look at your local community ed. You may discover a new passion or meet some new friends!

Freedom is Visiting the Scale Less

Yes, you read that correctly. Freedomg is visiting the scale less. It's hard to do, but it's possible, I promise.
After a nine month plateau where I literally saw only the same 5 lbs. fluctuating on the scale, I was frustrated and ready to give up. I tried everything including switching my workout routine, eating more, eating less, eating exercise calories and not eating them, drowning myself in water, watching sodium intake, etc. None of it worked! I was weighing myself obsessively (2 times a day or more!) trying to figure out what the problem was. Had it not been for my friends on MFP, who I would miss chatting with, I would have disappeared off the radar.

In an act of desperation, I decided to go back to Weight Watchers for something different. They rolled out their new plan in November, where fruits and veggies were now zero "Points" and they were encouraged. I figured I'd give it a try for a few weeks and if it didn't work, it didn't work. Nothing to lose (except pounds!).
What do you know? It worked. From the first weigh-in, I told myself I would not be allowed to weigh myself more than two times per WEEK at home. I've been with Weight Watchers eight weeks now and am down 8 lbs. What a relief.

Even though I believe in the Weight Watchers program, because it has worked for me in the past and is working for me now, I think the real magic is in having better balanced meals and weighing less often. When counting calories, I know I had a tendency to just look at the calories only. It didn't matter if I was eating ice cream, fruit or Cheerios, as long as it fit in my calories. The WW Points system takes into consideration the protein, fat, carbs and fiber, which is what is beneficial to me.

However, even more than the change in food balance, I think the stress obsessively weighing was hindering my progress. Now that I only check my own weight twice per week, I don't obsess about it and don't think about it. It's forcing me to think more about how my jeans feel, how I felt on a run or seeing definition in my biceps.

Those most helpful think I learned from my LONG plateau is to "Step Away from the Scale!" Seriously, your mind and body will thank you and reward you!

P.S. I know people have their opinions about WW, but if you have a negative viewpoint on it, please keep it to yourself. I understand that it doesn't work for everyone, but it works for me. I truly believe that each person knows what works best for them and they have to go with it. I wish everyone the best on their weight loss and fitness goals!

Tentative Running Event Schedule

With two 5ks under my belt for 2011 toward my goal of completing one running event per month this year, I'm excited that I have my running schedule figured out. I've registered for the events through July and will be signing up for the rest once registration opens for them.

Here's the tentative schedule:

January 29th - Celebration of the Lakes 5k ~ finished in 40:09

February 12th - Freeze Your Bunz 5k ~ finished in 37:08

March 19th - Get Lucky 7k

April 9th - Spring Fever 5k

May 7th - Nick Clare Memorial 5k

June 18th - Dew Days 4 Miler

July 23rd - Warrior Dash

August 13th - Stockyard Days 5k

September 11th - Defeat of Jesse James Days 5k

October 15th - Big Woods Trail 5k

November 24th - Gobble Gait 8k

December 25th - Christmas Day Joyous 5k

 

I'm really looking forward to my running journey!

Freeze Your Bunz 5k

Saturday, I completed the second 5k toward my 2011 goal of completing one running event per month!

Thank goodness it was a warm(er) morning here in Minnesota. The race took place on a path that had been plowed, but was still snowy and icy in spots, with the snowmobile trail running next to it. I wasn't sure how I'd do, but I did have my WinterTrax on my running shoes, in hopes it would give me the needed traction.

 There weren't very many participants, with only 50 pre-registered. Let me tell you, it was a FAST group! Thankfully, I know my limitations and am only competitive with myself when it comes to running. I think it says it all when I say the first few people were making their way back before I'd made it to the half way point, which is somewhat discouraging when the trail is straight and flat with a turn-around half way. It's hard to watch the fast people zoom past you! Courses that loop so you can't see those speed demons kick your butt are much easier to handle.

Anyway, I heard someone say "Eighteen minutes" when I hit the turn around and I thought to myself, "if I keep this pace, I will definitely beat my last time." The last time, or my first 5k, was two weeks ago at a 40:09. Not too shabby for someone who has only been running (sporadically) for a year, if you ask me.

I made it 2/3 of the way when I felt myself starting to run out of steam. I slowed to a walk for about 10 steps, ran for a while, walked 10 steps, ran for a while, walked 15 steps and then ran the rest of the way. Had I brought my iPod with, I may have been able to focus on something else, but since I knew the course was flat, I thought I'd give it a try on my own.

Once I could see the family of three standing to the side of the path, cheering people on, I felt like I couldn't let them down. I picked up the pace again and held it through the finish line. I mean, really, who could walk past the adorable little girl in her pink snowsuit, waving and smiling at you? She needs role models in her life, or so I told myself.

My time? 37:08. Yep, 3:01 faster than two weeks ago. I just wanted to finish in under 40 minutes, so I surpassed even my goals and expectations! I'm proud of myself, but to be honest, nothing can compare to the feeling of crossing the finish line on my first 5k because I didn't know if I could do it. Now I know I can do it and it's just a matter of how fast I can do it.

The best thing about this race, though, was how friendly and encouraging the other runners were. Even those passing me on their way back threw out encouraging words and high fives.
Just after the turn-around point, two middle school-aged girls were cheering participants on. One of the girls, a stocky, bubbly girl said, "You're doing great! You're more than half way!" I said, "I'm getting there." Her response? "I couldn't do it."

Her comment almost stopped me in my tracks. I wanted to go back to her and say, "But, yes you can!" I wanted to tell her about how I was never a runner and turned myself into one. It almost broke my heart that by her voice I could tell she really thought she couldn't do it. Hopefully, someday she'll realize that she can do it if she really wants to.

As for me, I've already signed up for all of my running events through July! Once the registration opens for those beyond July, I'll be signing up. Happy running!

I did it! I ran my first 5k!

January 29th, 2011 is a day that will live in infamy.

Well, maybe only for me. I ran my first 5k in 40:09. Amazing. A little over a year ago, if someone had told me I would RUN a 5k, I would have laughed. Me? Run? No way!

It all started in fall of 2009 when fellow MFPers suggested I try the Couch to 5k program. I thought, well, I'll do it but if I hate it I'll quit. Keep in mind I was someone who never, ever ran the mile in gym class at school. I "power-walked" it in 15 minutes, so didn't see any reason whatso ever to work harder than that.

I ended up finishing C25k, but didn't follow the program religiously or on the time frame suggested. I did it here and there as I could talk myself into running. Winter months are hard here with the snow, cold and ice and the treadmill is dreadfully boring so I'd do it for a few weeks, give it up for a few weeks, pick up where I left off for a few weeks, etc. But, I realized I kind of liked running, which was weird to think let alone say out loud.

Prior to last week, the last time I ran was probably early October but in the midst of making New Year's goals, I decided I would do one physical (running) even each month for the entire year. That meant I had to find a January event! Only two weeks to train? Yikes!

Then, I caught a cold and that put exercising out of my mind for a week. Shoot! Only a week to train? I can fit a few runs in on the treadmill and maybe one outside. Then, as it usually does, life happened. I ended up running one time on the treadmill five days prior to the 5k. Even then, I walked almost 1/3 of it.

Going into the 5k, I told myself I wasn't out to prove anything to anyone but myself. If I ended up walking 1/3 of it, that's fine as long as I finished. That morning, I got there early and spent a lot of time debating over whether to wear a jacket, which hat to wear, etc. You should have seen me when they gave me my registration packet with a timing chip! "What do I do with this?" Luckily, I spied someone who had their strapped around their ankle with the velcro strip attached to the chip. Whew! Didn't want to look like an amateur!

Soon, it was time to line up. I kept inching back further and further in the crowd, willing the serious runners to get in front of me. I didn't want to hold anyone back with my super slow jogging. I ended up finding the walkers and lined up just in front of them. When they gave the cue to start, I started off jogging, only to see that the first leg of the race was all uphill! "Oh, crap!" I thought to myself, followed by "You totally have this!"
It wasn't long and I found a good pace and some good tunes to get me through it. I started passing the power-walkers, then the walkers who started out jogging, and soon I was passing other joggers. What? I'm passing people? No way!

About 1.5 miles into the race, I hit another uphill portion that was covered in 2" of slush, which made it feel like running in sand. Gotta love Minnesota winters! I ran as much as I could, even passing two more people, but had to give my legs a break. I walked maybe a 1/2 mile, then started jogging again. One of the women I passed whizzed past me but she had a great pace, so I fell in behind her and kept pace with her. Before I knew it, we were on the last mile, which was mostly downhill. Yes!

 As we passed the signs for 100 yds, 50 yds, 25 yds, etc., I kicked it into gear and started running faster and faster until I was sure my heart was going to explode or my legs would give way beneath me. The annoucer called my name and I crossed the finish line. I did it! I did it!

After a brief conversation with the woman I followed, I walked back to my car with tears in my eyes. I was so proud of myself for doing something I never thought I could do. I did my stretches and wiped my tears before going to the awards tent. I figured, I should experience all of the 5k.

Just as I was walking in the tent, I heard them call my name but given I have a terribly common name I figured they couldn't possibly be calling my name. It had to be another Heather J. So, I watched as awards were given out, then snuck up to the announcer and asked. He then confirmed that he HAD called my name. I then received my medal for placing 3rd of 6 in my age bracket! Unbelievable!

My official time was 40:09, which I thought was fantastic given I had never completed 3.1 miles on my treadmill in less than 42 minutes. I was told by my MFP friends that I would automatically run faster on race day, but never believed it to be true.

As I crossed that finish line, all I could think about was how I couldn't wait to tell my friends on MFP that I did it! I never would have started running, let alone have the courage to do a 5k had it not been for my wonderful, supportive friends here. Who would have believed that someone who started running at 200 lbs would run a 5k just over a year later?

 For those of you who encouraged me and supported me through this, I can tell you how much it means to me. For those of you who want to do a 5k but don't think you can, I'm here to tell you that yes, you can!! You may have to work up to it, but I promise you it will be worth the time and effort.

As for me, my next 5k is in two weeks. Runners aren't joking when they say it can become addictive!

Seeing Progress Again

Today starts my fourth week of Weight Watchers and I'm seeing progress again on the scale after being stuck since March! It's renewed my motivation and I'm so glad I didn't give up this journey. Trust me, there were several times that had it not been for my MFP friends and weight loss sisters, I would have given up. I don't like to admit that I would have given up, but it's true.

I've lost all of the holiday gain plus a little bit and this morning's at-home, morning weight sans clothing was the lowest I've seen yet at 183.8! Exciting! Of course, I'm only counting my official Weight Watchers weekly weigh-ins on my ticker right now, but it's nice to know something good is happening again.

It's time to pick up momentum and work on those fitness goals! Being sick with a cold this weekend threw a loop in my plans to start training again for 5ks, but I'm jumping back on the exercise wagon starting tonight. 2011 is all about self-improvement and being the healthiest, fittest person I can be.