C25K: Week 1, Day 1

I did it!

I've only been saying for, oh, forever that I was going to get up early and workout.  (Where early equals 5:15 am.)  And for, oh, forever, my morning has looked like this:

5:15 grumble as alarm goes off

5:20 cat's crying obnoxiously, get up and feed cats

5:22 climb back into bed and settle in for another hour of sleep, set new alarm for 6:30

6:30 phone alarm vibrates - hit snooze

6:40 snooze again

6:50 snooze "just one more time"

7:00 "Ugh, I'm so tired but I need to get ready for work!"

7:05-7:10 force self out of bed and into shower, end up late for work

Not anymore.  I started seeing a chiropractor about a week ago.  I've had only 3 adjustments so far, but immediately after my second, I noticed something that had previously seemed unfathomable: I woke up well-rested! Okay, so well-rested just once, that's fine.  But it continued.  It's now been 5 well-rested wake-ups in a row.  I'm utterly amazed.

And delighted, because it means when my alarm went off at 5:15 I was awake enough to actually stay out of bed.  So I completed Day 3 of The Beck Diet Solution and then I started Couch to 5K.  In case you're unfamiliar with C25K, the idea is to ease you into running by alternating walking and jogging, until you build up to the point where you can run for 30 minutes, or a 5K, straight.  I'm completely proud of myself for starting!  But I didn't quite fit in all the jogging.  My asthma started up a little bit (not awful, just a little wheezing) and I clearly didn't stretch enough.  I still did the jogging portions, just not necessarily for 1 full minute at a time, and I might have walked through some jogging sections all together.  But that's okay, I'll get there. Even if I need to repeat Week 1 next week.

Total time: 30 minutes

Distance: 1.78 miles

Pace: 16:39 min/mile

Calories burned: ~240 (I stated my HRM a little late)

Color Run, here I come!

Goals

Remember when you were a kid and Mom would make you a sandwich and whatever condiments were used ended up in a smiley face?

Yep, I just did that with my hand cream.  And I gotta say, it made me smile!

Anyway, moving to the topic at hand (ha, I'm punny today!): Goals.  I've got a few of them.  Have you ever heard of the SMART goal setting concept?  In short, the idea is that your goals should be:

Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Timley

And not to brag or anything, but I'm really awesome at setting goals.  In the past, I haven't been so awesome at actually achieving my goals.  Why?  This can be applied across the board, whether I'm talking about weight loss goals, fitness goals, or business goals: I am not consistent.

That changes right now.  I have some new fitness and weight loss goals.  I have a discovered a new book.  Or rather, I have finally picked up a book that has been recommended to me by various weight loss friends over the years.  The book is The Beck Diet Solution by Dr. Judith Beck.  Dr. Beck guides you through making the mental and emotional changes necessary to succeed at weight loss and weight maintenance. She does this by setting up a 6 week program of 42 daily tasks to help you change your behaviors and though patterns.  (Bonus: The book cover is hot pink!)  I will begin Day 1 tomorrow so it lines up with my Weight Watcher's week.

I've also decided I'm going to run The Color Run in NYC in August.  I can't remember the last time I ran.  Well, I can't remember the last time I ran and wasn't trying to catch a bus.  In order to train myself and get ready for the 5K, I will be starting Couch to 5K (C25K) on Monday.  It's a 9 week program, but they suggest repeating weeks if you find it necessary.  I hope to be able to complete it within 12 weeks.  The race is in 14 weeks.  Why The Color Run?  Because it seems like fun!  And I've found a couple local boardie friends who might team up with me.  I have no idea if I'll be a runner at the end of this, if I'll enjoy running and want to continue and do more races.  I might, but I might also say "Well, now I can say I've run a 5K."  This particular goal is more about knowing I can do it rather than creating a life-long habit or hobby.  If it turns out I hate running, I won't ever have to do it again after this August.

The Prodigal Weight Watcher Has Returned

Yep, that's right.  I have resumed my role as perpetual point-counter.

But I thought you didn't want to count points forever?   
I thought you were all about eating real foods?

Both of those still apply.  Here's what I realized:

1. I can eat real foods and still follow Weight Watchers.  (I know, this absolutely crazy, right?)
2. I don't have to count points forever.  I do have to count points for now.  Because I was enjoying all those real foods, but a little too much.  "I can eat it because it's food" became too common a phrase in my head.  Yes, I can eat it.  No, I can't eat all of it.  Counting points will help me keep those portion sizes in check until I learn to really listen to my hunger signals.  Not just acknowledge them, but actually hear them and respond appropriately.

Here's what happened:  I turned 28.  Really, that was the catalyst.  I just didn't want to go through another year of my life feeling sick, lacking energy, having inflamed joints, being chronically out of breath, and hating what I saw in the mirror.  So it was time for a serious conversation with myself.  It came down to this:

I keep saying I'm going to do x, y, and z.  I keep not doing neither x, nor y, nor z.  Something has got to change.  Maybe I really do need the help of Weight Watchers.  Something to give me more accountability.  But how will this time be different from the others?

How will this time be different than the others?  That really is the most important question.  I decided to rejoin meetings instead of doing it online.  But I didn't join just any meetings, as I have before.  I have a friend who is a Weight Watchers leader and I decided to join her meetings.

So on Saturday April 21st, after one final birthday celebration that resulted in just a bit too much booze, I dragged myself out of bed at 7:30 in the morning.  I got myself ready and, despite the fact that there's a Weight Watchers center within walking distance of my apartment, I drove half an hour so I could specifically attend M's meeting.

I weighed in at *gulp* 211.2 lbs.

This gives me a 5% goal of 200.2 lbs and a 10% goal of 190.2 lbs.
My healthy weight range is 113-141.  I think I'll aim for somewhere around 135, but I'm not sure yet.

As of my first weigh in this past Saturday (the 28th), I was down 2.6 lbs!  Color me excited!