Still plugging along.

I still need to remind myself, almost daily it seems, that feeling great and being healthy are far more important than M&Ms or candy corn. I am adjusting to a new work schedule, colder weather, and injuries....and it seems I am struggling with being consistent on my workouts again. Why does it seem that it takes so long to form good habits, and yet bad ones form quickly? Hmmmm. I have not lost or gained any weight in several months...holding at 135-136, but I can tell that I have gained some fat. So I really feel I am at a point of refocusing, and I had a good workout on the eliptical tonight. The next adventure I'd like to take on for the winter is P90X. Anyone done that? I've heard great things about it, and winter would be a great time to take it on. I just have to break down and spend the money....not quite ready for that yet. Well, going to bed early tonight, but I am still glad that I have this venue to encourage and be encouraged and blessed! Thanks!

Kathy

Wedding pictures big enough to actually see them.

30 year class reunion

I just wanted to post a quick note about my class reunion. Even though I was a bit bruised and battered, I sure did feel great about my weight. I don't want to forget what I would have felt like if I had not lost the weight and if I didn't feel healthy. I'm not sure if I would have even attended the reunion. What a difference a year makes! (Not quite a year, but who's counting?) I admit though that I am getting a little discouraged with how slow my recovery has been. I know, I know it just takes time, but I'm ready to get going...my body isn't though. But all in all...Still feeling Blessed!!

Mountain Biking is not for wimps! :)

Well...this is how I spent my Labor Day. :) I tried out mountain biking on a trail on the north side and didn't make it far before my sense of adventure totally overruled my intellect. Oops!!! To make a long story short here's the concise version... Went over the side of the ramp instead of the ramp itself (about a 5-6 foot drop), landed on my head and face, totally unconscious for 5 minutes, semi conscious for awhile after that, ER, no broken bones, pain, lots and lots of ice packs, don't remember much but had a sense of humor throughout. I guess I need a little more practice on that mountain bike before my first adventure race. This might slow down the training a bit. :) I am feeling sore, finding new bruises daily, but mostly feeling very very blessed! Hope you had a great Labor Day Weekend too!

Tri Indy!!!

Well I haven't posted in awhile, but I am happy to say that I have been diligent in my training for another sprint triathlon. Tri-Indy was yesterday and even though I'm not thrilled with my results, I am thrilled to have completed another one. Each one motivates me to work harder, and obtain my optimum fitness. I have to admit that I had struggles with training over the summer. With all the things I had going on, I felt like I was just fitting in workouts wherever I could. Don't get me wrong, I still worked out every day, with very few exceptions. I just didn't have the same passion as before. Completing yesterday's triathlon has spurred me on again, and I am already looking forward to training for whatever is next. I've got my eye on an adventure race in Columbus in September. It involves trail running, trail biking, canoeing, orienteering, and lots of other surprises. It looks challenging but lots of fun too. It is a team sport, with teams of 2 or 3. Thank goodness because I proved my inabilities at orienteering yesterday when I couldn't even find my transition station after the bike. I wandered around for a couple of minutes just trying to figure out where to put my bike. :) Okay...not my strength. Next triathlon, I'll be putting a big smiley face balloon at my station. I finished in 1 hour and 50 minutes. The swim took 15 minutes ( and yes...the canal was pretty nasty, but I'd do it again!) , the bike was 48:31, and I took 40 minutes on the run. I had 6 minutes of transition time. It was wonderful to have Jane and Holly in the competition also. They did awesome!!! Thanks girls for joining me. I don't think I would have done this one if you hadn't decided to. So glad I did. And we had some incredible cheerleaders there again this time too. Thanks Guys...it really does help more than you can imagine. Until next time...God Bless!

Eryn's wedding

Just wanted to post some beautiful pictures from Eryn's wedding. She was a gorgeous bride and Scott was quite the handsome groom. It was a wonderful day and I am so excited for them and feel blessed that we are gaining a fantastic son-in-law. Soon they will be heading off to Savanah, Georgia. I will certainly miss them but I am so proud of them both for taking a risk and daring to set out on this adventure. Will post more later.

By the way...Jane kicked my bootie today on the bike and she wasn't even breathing hard. She set the pace for me, and I know I have something to work toward now! I'm sure I will be feeling it tomorrow.

(Sorry the pictures are soooo little. Not sure how to change that...I got them from Eryn's facebook)

My very own bike!!

Here is a pic of my new bike. I love it, and I'm anxious to get some miles on it... I have a bike ride planned for tomorrow. I think I'll ride to Eagle Creek, ride in there awhile and then ride home. I do wish I had someone to ride with though. My next door neighbor works for Zipp and he just bought one of their $6000 bikes. (He didn't pay anywhere close to that of course.) It is amazing! I think I had a little drool dripping out of the side of my mouth while I was looking at it. He is just getting into biking so he has a pretty sweet ride for his first set of wheels.

I am really excited to be in training again. Even though I have continued to work out, it just wasn't the same. I am definitely motivated by putting that goal out there. My friends, Kim and Holly are also training for the tri in August. They have been working really hard, and I am so proud of them. This journey to a healthy lifestyle is Fun Stuff!!! Well folks, I need to get to the pool because I haven't gotten that in yet today.

See you later workout queens!

Kathy

I am still here, but a little less of me! :)

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile, but things have been crazy with Eryn's college graduation and wedding plans, and of course...softball season. Then to top things off, my internet was down for a week. Okay, on with updates. I am thrilled to say that I have made it to the 130's!!! I missed WW this past week, but the week before I was awarded my 25 pound WooHoo thingamajig. This week, even though I haven't officially weighed in at a WW meeting I have weighed between 137 and 138.5 all week at home, so I am counting it as official. I have, however, had some struggles this week in making good food choices. A bite here, a taste there...those are time I need to stop, think, pray, and close my mouth. Still working on that. I am still working out every day, either running, biking or swimming. I have decided, along with a couple of friends, to participate in another triathlon in August. Training begins next week. It should be much more difficult because of the heat and the bike is twice as long...20 miles. The swim is also a little longer (100 more meters for a total of 500 meters). I am getting excited about it though, and excited to begin official training again.

I will be using my very own bike this time thanks to Mike and Jane! I am so excited to have purchased my bike today! Yeah! Tomorrow is supposed to be beautiful so I plan to take it out for a few miles and see how it feels. I would really like to get more involved in biking and hope to bring my family on board soon. I'll try to get a picture online of my new wheels in the next few days.
Well ladies..more later because I am pooped. I promise not to wait so long before the next post.

Goodnight,
Kathy

I did it and I lived to tell about it

The triathlon was awesome!! I am thrilled to say that I exceeded my expectations on my times and had a blast doing it. I was hoping to finish in under 2 hours and my official finishing time was 1 hour, 34 minutes. Can I hear a "Woo Hoo?!" I felt so good that I ran about 1/2 of the 5K at the end. I had some great supporters there cheering me on. My mom was the most enthusiastic fan, and it sure was wonderful hearing her chants..."Go KB!!!" Kayla, Kevin, Kim W and Barb Hidde faced the elements also and made there voices heard. And since Eryn and Colleen made it to the finish line before me, they were there cheering me on as well. :) One thing I would change is that I underestimated myself on the swimming and was stuck with lots of poor swimmers. My mom wanted to be a sniper from stands and get those people out of her daughter's way. She supports me "whatever it takes." I can't even express how wonderful I feel and how blessed I feel that the day went so well. Thanks friends...I truly don't think I could have done it without such wonderful encouragement. More later. Time for dinner.

Cameras are no longer the enemy

Three or four months ago, I would have grabbed the camera from Jessica's hands or run away to keep from getting my pictured taken. Although I still don't love having my picture taken, at least I can relax and just have fun.

22 pounds...gone forever!

ONLY 6 DAYS LEFT!!

Only 6 days left until the triathlon. Today was my last hard workout before the race. Now for the rest of the week I will be tapering. I even have a day off tomorrow. That is going to be really weird, but I know it is necessary for recuperation. Today, I swam 400 meters, followed by a 10 mile bike ride and a 20 minute walk. I still have to stop for breathers during the swim, but I figure if I can just make it 50 meters at a time, I don't mind letting people pass me so I can catch my breath for a few seconds. I am really excited about my bike ride tonight because up to this point I have done most of my rides on an indoor bike and it is so different. I was concerned that I would have a hard time riding the full 10 miles on a regular bike. Well...I did it. Yay! I can say with one week left that I am not exactly where I hoped I would be since I won't be running the 3 miles ( I'll be walking), and since I can't yet swim the entire 400 meters. I am thrilled to be where I am though, and the way I look at it is that I have left myself room for new goals. I am currently looking for another tri similar to this one that I can train for, and hopefully I'll be able to accomplish those goals for the next one. I remember looking ahead in my training book, and thinking..."I can't even imagine doing these workouts, but I want to believe that I can do this." All I can say is "God is good!!"

Another thing I am pumped about is my mid-point bod pod results. I went tonight and found that I had lost 10.7 pounds of fat and gained 3.3 pounds of muscle. Woo Hoo! It feels wonderful to have that confirmation that I am losing weight the right way.
My percent of fat pounds lost was 20.5% , lowering my body fat percent down from 34.8% to 29.1%. I would love to see that around 25% next time. One thing I plan to do after the triathlon is increase my weight lifting to 3 times per week. Hopefully that will help me to reach that goal.

What a journey we are on gals...and it sure feels great to reclaim my health. Thanks for all of the encouragement and for being wonderful examples! Keep reaching for your goals!

Hip Hip Hooray under 145 and here to stay!

I missed my WW meeting on Wednesday because Jessie had her first varsity softball scrimmage...in the freezing rain. Anyway, I found another place that met today and I went there and weighed in and I was down 2.8 lbs. That puts me at a total loss of 22.6 pounds. I weighed in at 144.6 lbs. I am very excited, but I must admit that it seems that the closer I get to my goal weight, the more nervous I get about gaining it back. Not sure what to do with those thoughts, but pray about it and talk with fellow Weight Watchers about my feelings. I am staying on track with my workouts although I have been dragging a bit this week. I feel good though that I have still worked out even though I haven't really felt like it a few times over that past week. I get to swim again tomorrow and those continue to get harder for me. I love the challenge though, and am still very focused on accomplishing my goals. April 19th is just around the corner. I think I am hooked and I am already looking into where and when the next triathlon will be. Hopefully a couple of you will be joining me in the next one!! You know who you are! :)

Kathy

POINT 2 STRIKES AGAIN

Well the good news is that I lost 1.8 pounds this week. I was a bit disappointed though, that I was .2 lbs short of the illusive 20 lb mark. So close I can taste it...no pun intended. :) I think I figured out why I plateaued over the last week or two. I have continued to eat 20 points worth of food each day, and hadn't recalculated since I lost weight. Well, I should be at 18 points now. Bummer. Anyway, I still lost a little due to my exercise, but much more slowly. Now I know, so hopefully I can get back to losing a couple of pounds (or so) each week. My goal weight is 135 or 130, depending on how I look and feel at 135. I want to continue focusing on fat loss and muscle building. I am looking forward to my bod pod retest in April. Now for my training update. I think I am now at the part where God is showing me how much I need to trust Him and depend on His strength. I do believe that God led me to this triathlon. I know it may sound silly, but I am so happy that He did. I feel like I have turned a corner in my life in regards to discipline. I will try to put some more thought into that, and maybe put it into words at a later date. Anyway, I have had to back off of the running due to constant back pain. I am walking instead for those workouts. I am a little disappointed, but as long as I finish the thing...I am okay with walking the 3 miles if I have to. The swimming has gotten much tougher..in fact it is kicking my booty! I am doing it though and hoping it will get easier again, like it did before. The workout now is 100 meters then rest 30-45 seconds, 75 meters then rest 30-45 seconds, 50 meters then rest 30-45 seconds, then another several 25 meter swims to finish out the time. I am pretty much feeling like I am going to drown again, but I am getting it done. Eryn swam with me today, and she did a wonderful job. Ahhh to be 21 again...she made it look easy and swam at least 400 meters with no trouble at all. Well, keep up the outstanding commitment ladies and thanks so much for the encouragement. It truly makes a difference!!! If I can ever find a camera that has both a memory card AND a battery, I will post another picture.

Later friends,

Kathy

Disappointed but definitely not discouraged!

At weigh in last night, I dropped a whopping .2 lbs. Yes, that is point two. As the title of this post says, I am disappointed but certainly not discouraged. I know I am doing the right things, and sometimes the pounds just don't come off as quickly as we would like. But I have to say that after I left the meeting, I was walking the halls at BD when it suddenly hit me, I just got my hair cut and that had to be at least .2 lbs. I wanted to scream and crack up laughing at the same time. I guess I picked a good week for a haircut or I may have gained weight. Anyway, I am continuing my triathlon training workouts and swam 400 meters again the other day. Tonight I had a swim lesson that was really helpful. I love the swimming now that I don't feel like I am going to die before reaching the wall. I'm starting to get anxious for nice weather to take the biking and running outside. I know it will be harder, so I want to get to it. Well, I am tired tonight...so goodnight all.

Kathy

Feeling the burn.

I did my first actual combination workout tonight which involved swimming and running. I swam 400 meters ( I think...I'm doing well remembering to breath, lift my elbow out first, lengthen my stoke, keep one eye in the water when I take a breath, kick slower and rotate my hips,...so I'm not really sure how many laps I completed) Of course I am still stopping for 30-45 seconds after each 25 meters. I have come to really look forward to my swim days. Anyway, after the swim, Kim and I did a 20 minute walk/run, running for 1 minute, then walking 30 seconds. Let me tell you, that 30 seconds sure flies by! It felt good, but I am a bit stiff tonight. I definitely need to add some more stretching exercises to my routine. Well, keep up the great work ladies. I love hearing about your successes: it keeps me motivated.

Watch out Dara Torres!

Kathy

Hit the 10 % goal. Woo Hoo

I have a few updates since I haven't posted in a week. First, last night I hit my 10 % of body weight loss with a total loss of 17.8 lbs. Also exciting is that I weighed in the 140's for the first time! (149.4) Can you say "Woo Hoo"? I never want to see the 150's again!! My wardrobe is slowly increasing to include some items other than sweatpants. Because I always hoped I'd get back into my smaller clothes, I kept them. I have sizes ranging from 14 down to size 6. I still can't fit into most of them, but it is nice to have a few more choices.

Secondly, I wanted to tell about my bod pod experience. I joined the Biggest Loser contest (along with Jane) at Target Metabolism on Monday. It is really a great way to monitor actual fat loss. The winner is determined by greatest percent of fat pounds lost. In fact, you are disqualified if more than 10% of the total weight loss comes from lean pounds. This deters people from crash dieting. It was only $30 and they take a fat percentage measurement in the Bod Pod 3 times over the course of 4 months. Check out Jane's blog if you want to see pictures of the Bod Pod.

Here were my readings from Monday:

Total weight: 150.3
Fat pounds: 52.3
Lean pounds 97.8
Total Body Fat 34.8%

The Healthy range is 23-35% so I made it in the healthy range but only by .2% so there is certainly room for improvement.

Lastly, the triathlon training...
It is going great, and I have not missed a workout. I am really enjoying the swimming, and I can tell such a difference in my breathing and endurance. The running...not so much. :) Seriously, I am so happy that I am training for this crazy thing. I think God knew this is exactly what I needed to get disciplined about exercise. I am sure that I would not have worked out every day if I weren't doing this. Occasionally, I look ahead in my book at the upcoming workouts and they seem almost out of reach, but I know I am getting stronger each day and it is a slow progression. Eryn has been very disciplined with her workouts as well, so come April 19th we will be as ready as we can be.

Keep plugging on to better health!

Kathy

Feeling good and enjoying the journey

Well weigh ins were tonight. It was not the loss I was hoping for, but it was still a loss. I have been plugging along with my training. I have 10 days under my belt so far, and I am keeping up with the training schedule. I thought I was going to die Monday when I was swimming, but tonight went so much better that I am very encouraged. It sure does feel good to get stronger, especially with the swimming. Even though it is the hardest thing I do, I think I enjoy it the most. I just wish I had a little better technique so that I would be more effective. Anyway, I am enjoying the journey!

I'm sore, but I feel great!

Well...day three of training and I must admit, I'm a bit sore. I feel so good though about having a goal and about getting healthier. Tomorrow's workout is a walk/run. Should be interesting. Official weigh in tonight was a loss of 4.6 lbs. That's for 2 weeks since I didn't weigh last week. I am pleased and that puts me at 13.8lbs for my total loss so far. I must have been wearing my blue jeans really tight because they are just barely loose after losing almost 14 lbs. Guess that explains why they were so stinking uncomfortable. Well, have a wonderful day and keep up the great work ladies!!

The training begins!!!

Well I am on day two of my triathlon training, and it is going well so far. As I said before, I am starting a week late, but I'll have to make it up some time during the next 11 weeks. Tonight was lap swimming. Whew, do I have a long way to go...it was hard. I've never been one to lap swim, (I've always preferred floating around on a noodle.) but I have to say there is something about it that feels great and different from other workouts. Hard to explain, but I like it. Tomorrow is biking and I've done that workout a few times now, so it shouldn't be too hard. Oh, yeah...tomorrow is weigh in too. I am so thrilled to have friends on this journey right along with me. I need the accountability and I truly enjoy the privilege of rejoicing in my friends' successes. We are going to be some hot and healthy mommas by spring. Go Girls!!

Back among the living!!

I am so glad to be among the living again after last week. I was very ill beginning with a visit to the emergency room Saturday night and lasting until Friday. I am still fighting fatigue but I'm sure that is to be expected after what my body has been through. Most disappointing is the fact that I was unable to start my training routine as planned. I will have to start a week late (today) and make up the time somehow over the course of the next 11 weeks. Pretty discouraging way to start, but I am still very determined, and I am so happy to be feeling better. Of course, counting points last week was not even an issue since I only ate a few crackers a day for the most part. Now I need to get in the habit of writing everything down again and I am trying to be very intentional about getting the most bang for my buck on my food choices. I know I need to choose foods that will help to build up my strength. Well I have a week's worth of work to make up, but I wanted make a quick post. I'll post again after Wednesday's weigh in. Thanks for all the prayers this past week!

Kathy

Dropping the poundage

I am happy with this week's weigh in, dropping 3.4 lbs. Down to 158 lbs. Yeah team!! I had another swim lesson tonight and it went well. 400 meters sure seems far off, but I have to remember I am on a journey, not a sprint. I often look back at these verses that Jane posted on her blog the first few weeks of her weight loss journey and they have really spoken to me in my decision to become healthier and to go for the triathlon.

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)

Finish what you started in me, God. Your love is eternal—don’t quit on me now.
Psalm 138:8 (The Message)

I'm going for it!

Well, after much research, thought, and prayer, I have made up my mind about the triathlon. I am going for it! Eryn is too, and Scott may even join us. My official regimented workouts start Monday. The triathlon we decided to participate in is on April 19th at Carmel High School. It is a 400 meter swim, 10 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run. I am so excited about it, but of course a little nervous also. I had my first swim lesson last night, and the coach was very encouraging about where I am as far as my stroke goes. Now endurance is another story. I was really happy that I made it 25 meters without stopping, so needless to say, I've got a ways to go to make it 400 meters. It will mean no skipping workouts, no excuses! No turning back. It also means looking good and feeling good in that "Mother of the bride" dress in June.
Wish me luck.

Still on track

It is such an encouragement to me to have friends on this journey with me. I heard from Dawna and Denise today, both excited about losing more pounds. Way to go ladies!! Come spring we are going to be some fit, hot mommas. As my friend Barb said, we'll be Lean Mean Mother Machines! As for my progress, I showed no weight loss at my last weigh in, but I'm really not concerned. I had not weighed in with WW since before the holidays, so I know I had gained and then lost that weight. Unofficially, my weight loss to date is 9 pounds. Yeah team! I am getting the workouts in almost every day, and increasing my time on the elliptical each time. I am meeting with the swim coach tonight, and I'll need to make a decision about this crazy idea of a sprint tri by the end of this week.

Prayers appreciated

All kidding aside, I really would appreciate prayers on this triathlon decision. I am not taking it lightly and don't want to say I'm going to do it and not follow through. But if this is something that God is truly putting on my heart I want to go for it. Anyway, you all let me know if you get some divine wisdom. In the meantime, I'll keep brooding...I mean praying, waiting, researching, pondering.

Feeling good and excited about weigh in

Just a quick post to say that I have hit a new 10's digit! I weighed in at 158.5 this morning. WooHoo! I know it will be up tonight with clothes and all, but I am very excited to be out of the 160's. I also feel great that I am eating healthy and drinking and drinking and drinking. Okay now I am going to confess something that keep haunting me. For some crazy reason, I keep thinking about joining Eryn and my wonderful friend Colleen in a sprint triathlon in June. The week before Eryn's wedding. Okay...I know all of the obstacles. I could make a very long list, beginning with the fact that I am not currently running, biking, OR, swimming. A sprint triathlon is a .5 mile swim, 13 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run. It just won't go away though, it's stuck in my brain. I have not totally decided yet, and I'm reading a book about it so that I have a realisic view of it. Can I possibly take this on and help plan Eryn's wedding? But there it is. My deep dark secret. I have to decide soon because registration is probably filling up. What an unbelievable challenge it would be, but I think that is what intrigues me. The desire to take on a challenge and conquer it. And Lord knows I would have to depend on him to get there. Maybe that's why it is on my heart. Hmmm. I wouldn't care about where I finished, just finishing. I also think the journey getting to that point would be awesome. I say that now, but what about when I have to fit in workouts around our crazy softball season? Anyway, I have a call in to the swim coach at Ben Davis to inquire about private lessons. It's been awhile since I swam competitively. Okay, it was 6th grade, but who's keeping track. Guess this wasn't a quick post afterall.

Have a wonderful day. God Bless!

Stenghthen that Core

I "attempted" pilates this morning with Denise. I just need to say that the whole "get your energy from your core" thing... not working very well for me. If that's where my energy is coming from, then no wonder I'm tired all the time. It wasn't pretty, but it was exercise and I'm looking forward to getting stronger in that area. If I let myself really dream, I can see a six pack in my future! Anyway, I feel very good about how well I'm doing on my food intake and logging of food and points. I am lacking motivation on exercise though and I'm not really sure why. I think part of it is just making sure to schedule it into the day and make it a priority. My days are busy, but so is everyone else's. I also think part of the problem is that I find it hard to make "me" a priority. It's much easier for me to take care of everyone else. Anyway, I guess it comes down to balance. I also think it is a must for me to start my day with some God time. I feel better and have more focus for the day.

At 48 yrs old, it is amazing to me that I still feel like I have so much to work on. I guess when I was in my 20's, I thought I had it all figured out. Now I've spent the last 20 years (especially the last 5) realizing how very little I know and how much I still need to grow.

Thanks to my friends and family for the encouragement, accountability, and prayers on my journey to a healthier me. And thanks for allowing me to be a part of yours as well.

Picture Time

Well, well, well...I decided to wear something that would not camouflage the fat rolls when taking my "before" picture. Well, I was certainly successful with my wardrobe choice. All I can say is "motivation"!!

Day one of my journaling

Well, here is my first entry. I started my weight loss journey in late December, but fell off the wagon a bit over the holidays. I have gotten serious about it this week and am very happy with how I have been doing. I'm keeping track of my points and writing down everything that I eat. Quite a pain, but I can certainly see the benefit. That hand full of chocolate chips isn't really worth it when I have to go get my purse, take out the Weight Watchers guide, sit down with the guide and the chocolate chip bag ....realize I can't read it so I then go on a 10 minute quest to find my reading glasses...find the calories, fat, and fiber and calculate the WW point value. Just not really worth it. It's much easier to eat some grapes. I have also made a commitment to drink 8 glasses of water a day. That is not as easy as it may seem, and I feel like all I do is drink and visit the bathroom. Who has time to eat with that schedule? I got the exercise in 2 x this week so far and plan to exercise tonight and tomorrow, so still room for improvement there. That's all for now. I am anxious for Wednesday's weigh-in as I know I have dropped at least 2-4 pounds.