This Week of Being on My Own

This week I have been on my own. It is amazing how your body longs for exercise after it becomes acclimated to it. On Sunday, I ate unhealthy and I felt horrible. Not angry or disappointed in myself, but just horrible. I am taking this as a good sign.

I went to grocery store to replenish my pantry and refrigerator with healthy eats again. On Monday, I started back to my regime and today I feel energized. I woke up early and when the sun rises I will begin my run.

I have decided that for myself I need to set goals. To keep myself on track for OBC starting near my home in September (due to school schedule I will not be able to attend the one I started with) I must set an August goal. I have now ran almost 3 miles when I was at the beach, on flat ground. And I have ran over 2 miles in my mountainous neighborhood. So I think I am getting my goal for 3 miles run in my neighborhood, projecting to run a 5K in the fall.

Do you really think I could make an instructor for OBC by October?

Operation Boot Camp...I am back

I hope everyone is recouping from the holiday. Yesterday, as I stated, I was kicking tail at work. Why do you have to work twice as hard before and after a holiday just to take off? And then call it a holiday?

I worked a 12 hour day and got to bed way after my normal 10 pm. So when the alarm went off this morning at 4:45 am, I almost talked myself out of OBC. "This is not the real OBC, this is just a few workout days before REAL OBC start". "No one will know if you decide to just stay in bed and run later". I am my own worst enemy!!! "Get your behind up, with the first stitch of workout clothes on, you will be alert". Thank goodness my good side spoke up.

I am up and off to OBC. As I turn down the street, I am looking for the cars that welcome me. There I see my instructors in their black. I love my instructors. The head instructor (Dena) meets me with a hug and my new food diary. I love their food diary, I NEED their food diary. It makes me accountable.

There is a new group this morning, only a few familiar faces. I am happy for the new campers but I really wanted my group there. :-(. It is so weird how they become part of your daily life, like family.

We start up the d*#* hill. I know we are going to run that hill, ugh! "Today, let's try having positive thoughts about the hill" my good side tells me. "Okay, I love that hill". "I am going to make it up that hill!" I scream in my head. Hey, I am not the last one and I ran up the hill!!!! Yeah to me. Wait, we don't have to run all the way up? "I'm the woman, I'm the woman" I sing to myself as I am RUNNING down the hill to the stretches. Yeah, I am going to get to that workout area without stopping. No, walking for this ole gal. Hoorah as I channel Dena.

I am pushing through the stretches. "Who is the woman" I chant to myself. Then on to the field of exercise. Today we are working our lungs. Boy, do I need this part of my body worked out. I have never smoked, but my lungs act like it. Do you think being 52, almost 53, has something to do with it?

We are doing sprints, jumping jacks, jogging, push ups, sit ups. Quickly, we are moving through to the next set of exercises. And guess what? I am still jogging between each set. I am not fast but I am not walking. This is great. I AM going to be that size 4-6 again. At my age, my desired weight is probably too little. I read in Preventive magazine that when you are in your 50's you need a couple of pounds more for the fullness in the face. But honestly, I am not going to weigh.
All I care about is the size of the clothes and how I feel.

Til tomorrow my fellow readers......And remember, food journal....and "run Forrest run".

It was hard today!!!

Okay, I have to admit I did not want to run today. I thought about using the excuse that it was a holiday and Sunday. Then I thought about my goal. Then about the clothes I fit into yesterday, I Suwanee....okay I will get dressed.

I drank a few sips of Gatorade and off I go. It is so hard this morning. "Maybe I ran too much yesterday and my body is telling me to not do this". I am very good at rationalizing what I don't want to do. I sprint, stop, do my stretches and on to the mountain. Okay, for those people who live out west this is not a mountain. But, hey, I live just north of Atlanta, Georgia, this could be a mountain :-). I start up the hill, Dena-my instructor, voice is ringing in my head. "Yes, you are going to make it up this hill"!. Well, almost up the hill. My lungs are burning. I am bending forward I know not allowing the oxygen I need. I have to walk for just a few steps. But today, the steps are less than yesterday. I am only looking down, the thought of trying to look at the goal is too much for me. Just one step in front of the other. "You can make" say Dena, my virtual instructor.

I am at the top. "I can do this" I scream elated to myself. I am in my zone. Around the curve and I am jogging upright. I even am getting some of the fresh breath I need by breathing in through my nose. Yeah!!! I turn back to the main road. "Oh, no, not another hill!" Really it is just a very small hill but my legs are starting to feel very weak. "I am not sure I can make it today". "I think I should turn back or I may have to crawl home". "No, I started this and I am going to finish". I am really having a lot of conversation with myself. Thank you Lord, I am going down the hill (a real hill). My legs are feeling better, I may just make this.

The next part of my run is flat with only a small hill. Up the hill I go and I am again at a flat span. And here comes another small hill. "Why did I move to this subdivision?", I ask myself. I am at the last fourth of my run. Gosh I love the flat areas and am so thankful for both. I head back towards home. And of course, there is the last small hill. "You own this run, you can do this, just one step at a time" my virtual instructor encourages. I am looking down, okay just get to the fire hydrant, the mailbox, the next mailbox. I am at the top, yeah!! Dena smiles and says "you did it". I now am heading to the grass still wet from the morning dew. I LOVE that wet grass.

I drop to the ground and start my sit ups. I am going strong. Turn over and up for push ups. I am on fire now. Then obliques push ups and sit ups. Now for my favorite part...cool down. I so enjoy those stretches.

At home, I am so thankful that I did not like my lazy inner self talk me out of my run today. I am heading to my goal. I am going to fit and thin!!!!!

Til tomorrow my fellow readers. And have a great Fourth of July

I RAN!!!!!

Today, I was very motivated. I did sleep late, but I did not let myself talk me out of running. After all, are we not all our worst enemy?

I ran, with the exception of a brisk walk for about 1 minute up the hill, 1.5 miles. And as I was running up the hill, I could hear my really thin instructor says "don't give out on me, you can do this, you got it, only a few more steps". I ran...I ran. I am still so happy.

I am really liking my body again. We are becoming friends again. I looked in the mirror half dressed and there before me were legs that I was started to like. I am loving my calves. And the cellulite is disappearing. I am in shock. Even when I was thinner, my cellulite was ugly. As I told you earlier, I did not know how to eat healthy.

Then today after I showered, I went to my closet and thought "okay, try on one outfit and if it is still tight that is okay". I tried on four different outfits, some fitting correctly and some that at least I could button them. I am so happy with the results I have from OBC. This is a program that I can live and eat the rest of my life.

I am a widow, and the guy I am dating has been out of town for almost a month. With my schedule and his he will not see me until the end of July.... He will be shocked.

I am more motivated than ever now.

Til tomorrow's run....have a great Saturday.