Another Good Day

I love my family. My grandparents are going to let me borrow their stationary bike until I am able to really get back on my feet. I am going to try to go and pick it up this weekend so I can get started right away!

Finally Some Good News!

I went back to the doctor today and received some great news. My foot is healing well and I am now cleared to do the stationary bike, swimming and elliptical. I am so excited. I go back to the doctor in 2 weeks and I am hoping that I will be cleared to be able to start my walking routine. It may be a couple months of walking every day once I am cleared before I can start running, but I am okay with that. I just want to be able to get out there and exercise! I am now on a mission to find a stationary bike. I have some family members that have one so I am going to see if they don't mind me borrowing it during my recovery period. What a great day!

Some Success

I was bad and took my boot off today to see where I am with my weight loss. So far so good! I have dropped 7 lbs. Yeah! This is great and will definitely keep me going.

Keeping Up My Spirits

I have been very bored and I can only do those couple exercises with my injured foot. I really hope that my visit back to the doctor Wednesday I hear good news. I am ready to put back on my running shoes!

Coping with My New Challenge

I am trying really hard to not get depressed about lack of mobility right now. I want my foot to heal quickly so I can get back to my running routine. I have continued to watch what I eat. I am hoping that I will drop some weight during this down time. It may make it a little easier for me when I can start my training again. I have found a couple exercise solutions I can do with my injury. I elevate my feet on the couch and I do sit-ups. I am also using 3 lb. weights to do some curls and other arm exercises that I can do sitting with my leg propped up. I go back to the doctor next Wednesday and I hope that she will tell me I can get back to my training soon.

The Journey Gets Harder

I fell yesterday, not running, but off a sidewalk. It was brilliant. It ends up that I fractured my foot. So no running for a little while. I am going to have to be creative in how I keep in shape and I will have to be extra careful about what I eat. I was not anticipating this bump but I will have to stay positive to overcome this.

Starting week 2

I was told that my second week would be the hardest, and so far it has been. However, I did have a good first week. I lost 4 lbs and I was able to increase my pace. I have decided to continue my 1 minute run and 2 minute walk intervals for 10 reps for another week or two. I want to make sure I have a good baseline. I have been doing well with my eating habits but I have to work on making sure I drink more water during the day.

Today, I did a 1 minute run and 2 minute walk with 7 intervals. Hopefully, things will start to get easier.

Days 3 & 4

The routine is still hard. Yesterday, I did another run for 1 minute walk for 2 minutes interval training and I was able to do 7 repetitions. My goal is to get up to 10 reps and then I will be able to start increasing my run and walk time.

Today, I did my 30 minute walk. My family decided to accompany me. Unfortunately, they were not able to keep up. As strange as this may sound, it gave me some confidence that my endurance must be getting better.

Day 1 & 2

My training started yesterday and I would run for 1 minute then for 2 minutes. I was only able to do this for 6 reps but I will continue to build. I am proud of myself for doing this. There is no disputing that I am completely out of shape so I have a huge barrier to overcome.

Today, I did a 30 minute walk. My daughter convinced me it would be a good idea for both of us to walk to her school this morning. It was a good walk and she was a trooper.

I have also increased eating lean proteins and high fiber foods. My way to deal with stress is for me to eat, and eat unhealthy foods. Sweets are my downfall. I have found some Fiber One oat and chocolate bars that are filling my sweet fix.

My legs are a little sore but I know that will get better with time. Tomorrow my goal is to run for 1 minute and walk for 2 minutes but to do 10 reps. If I can do 6 with no previous physical activity then I can definitely work up to 10.

My Journey Begins Tomorrow

Like many people, I have had a weight yo-yo problem for years. I can remember being in high school and thinking about how fat I was. In reality, I had a poor self body image. I was thin and just did not see it. Now, I am at my highest weight and when I look in the mirror I cannot believe it is me. I have a daughter, and I am afraid that my bad habits will rub off on her. I don’t want her to go through the same challenges that I have.

Recently, I visited my doctor for my annual physical and he said to me that my body is handling the weight now, but as I get older I will definitely start to have problems. I am closing in on being forty. I always hear about how your metabolism changes once you hit your forties. Clinically, I am considered "obese" and that is not something I thought I would ever be. I get really sad and embarrassed about it. I want to lose the weight but it will be harder than just exercising. I am going to have to work on how I think about myself and how I handle the stresses in my life. I will also have to learn to eat better and cut out the large amount of soda I consume each day.

The reality that my weight is out of control led to my decision to take 2009 and focus on me. I am a mom, wife and employee and I give so much of myself to them but I don’t give anything to me. This is my time. I have decided to train for a half marathon. I have set a realistic goal of January 2010 to accomplish this. I know that I can achieve this goal.

Unfortunately, I do not have the money right now to hire a trainer or join a gym. So, I had to be resourceful in finding the best way for me to train. I have researched multiple websites to determine how I should train and I found a good schedule for beginners on the Runners World website. I have also been checking other health websites to find out other tips on nutrition and training. My other resources are family and friends that have done triathlons and marathons to share their experiences and tips. I have created a binder with all of the information and tips I have found so I can use it as a reference. I also use it to log my workouts and my diet. It is a good way to keep me honest. I have included my workouts in my day-to-day calendar so it is scheduled just as I would schedule a work appointment.

So, now, I begin my journey. I am completely out of shape, so it is going to be a hard long road, but in the end, I know it will be worth it.


My Information
Age 36

Height (Feet) 5

Height (Inches) 9

Weight (Pounds) 288

Chest (Inches) 47

Waist (inches) 43