So It Begins

First of all, my first weigh-in...DOWN 7.2 POUNDS.  7.2 pounds!!!  (214.8 to 207.6)  Hello, water retention! Geez, I love week one.  I felt like I was on Biggest Loser.  I was weighing every day and watching the number drop and even moving the scale around to make sure the number didn't change.  Hopefully, this won't be the dreaded week 2!

You know, all this running and all these races seem like a really great idea BEFORE I've even done a run.  I can always picture myself running and picture it going really well.  When it comes right down to actually running, I procrastinate.  I think of every reason why it's totally okay to 'start tomorrow'.  I was supposed to start this past Wednesday.  I didn't.  I told myself Thursday.  I didn't.  Then I told myself Friday afternoon.  I had the day off and was meeting my friend Tracie for breakfast.  Then I had grocery shopping to do and I needed some more workout clothes.  Had an awesome breakfast and did all my errands and then I got home and really didn't want to go.  By 8:45 PM, the war with myself was in full battle.  Two of the people I had encouraged to register for events in June had both done their first run this week and I still hadn't done it.  By 9, I was so pissed off at myself, I threw on my stuff and drove to the Y.  I did my scheduled 3 km and I actually managed to run for 21:40 straight.  I walked the first three minutes and started running.  I figured I would just run till I needed a walk break since I didn't know how long I could go.  I kept looking to the next level.  First it was five minute, then I was so close to one mile, then I was so close to ten minutes, then 15, then 2 miles and then THE END!

I was so pumped.  I'm always so proud of myself for actually working out.  I always feel so good after, I wish I could remember how good I feel the next time I don't want to do it.  Oh, and incidentally, I thought I was going to pass out when I hit stop at 2 miles and I took a picture of myself because I know that my face turns beet red.  This might be the worst picture I've ever taken and the worst picture that I've ever posted.  Baha!!  I should have smiled, it would have helped but I didn't have the energy to turn the sides of my mouth up. This is my gasping for air look. 

The following morning (Sat, about 10 hours later), I was back at the Y for my first spin class since November.  It was great to be back and oh man, does my ass hurt.  I'm so sad my butt doesn't remember the seat and it has to learn all over again.  Ouch, ouch, oh sh*t, ouch.  

After spin class, I ventured on over into Barbell Blast class.  Another first since November. If my good friend Nicole hadn't been there with me, I probably would have crawled home after spin class.   My whole body felt completely worked out and this morning, my legs and butt were killing me.  On my super colourful training calendar, I was staring at 4 km.  But oh my legs.  4 km.  I had myself convinced that today would be a rest day.  Then I had a green smoothie and a cup of coffee and watched a bit of TV.  Got mad at myself and threw my stuff on and went to the Y.  I didn't run 20 minutes straight or anything, I took three walk breaks varying in length from 1 to 2 minutes but did get in my scheduled 4 km.

I am loving vegetables these days which probably makes it much easier to stay on track. This is what I came home with from the grocery store.  I can't even believe that these are my main groceries.

And hopefully, I manage to eat all these before they turn on me!  That's the goal.  I bought for a bunch of recipes from Happy Herbivore.  Some familiar recipes like African Kale & Yam soup, Black Bean burgers, and Smoky Black Bean wraps, and a few new ones like Hippie Loaf (veggie meatloaf) and BBQ chop wrap.  

I was watching the Engine 2 Diet documentary (sort of a spin off of Forks Over Knives) and he made a grilled panini sandwich with hummus, sauteed mushrooms, cilantro, spinach, red peppers & avocado.  I had all the stuff to make it so I paused and made the hummus and then went to work.  I don't have a sandwich press or panini maker so I used my George Foreman grill and put a 5 lb weight on the lid for the "press" part.  In the documentary, they had used one of those grill frying pans and a weight as well.  Delicious!  Definitely doing this to so many sandwiches in the future.

My planned running days are Mon, Wed, Fri, and long run Sunday.  On deck for this week, running and everything else:

Monday -- run 3 km, spin (6:45am, never done this one before, I'm not entirely convinced I will but maybe.

Tuesday -- yoga at lunch, and bowling party in the evening (it's active :)

Wednesday -- core & more at lunch, run 3 km.

Thursday -- spin

Friday -- boot camp at lunch, run 3 km

Saturday -- spin, barbell blast

Sunday -- run 4 km

I'd really like to get some more yoga in there.  I found that the beginner yoga class, as well as, some of the stretches in core & more (pilates type fusion class) really helped my tight hamstrings.  I think I'll be checking some youtube videos!

Oh and last but certainly not least, this is my friend Tracie.  She registered for the 5 km in June and it will be her first race!  She went for her first run this week and she actually went outside.  It's so effing cold here right now that I decided to give myself the first two weeks inside to get my running legs back and then go outside no matter how cold it is.  She sent me this picture when she was done. I told her it was making the blog and she didn't beg me not to, so here it is :)

And to give you an idea of how cold it's been for a couple weeks now, here is today.  For cross-border reference, -34C is -29F.  GULP.

Hope all is well with all of you!  It's good to be back to regular blogging and regular reading!