Another one bites the dust...ish!

So I'm sitting here in the afterglow of my 3rd day of couch to 5K week 5 training having just returned from a 20 minute jog with 5 min warm-up and cool down.  I almost convinced myself not to do the plan today, but it was so nice outside that I decided I'd attempt the workout and enjoy the weather.  Worst case - I'd get a little Vitamin D during a brief walk.  But I accomplished the plan!  Albeit slowly, but still - I jogged all twenty minutes!  Woot woot!

Next week may be a bit challenging for me, but I'm in a good place right now!  Here are the week's statistics:

Average calories per day:  1460

Average calories burned per day (sum of the three/7): 224
Average calories burned per day exercised (sum/3): 523

My workout stats:
Days worked out: 3
Average distance: 2.14
Average speed:  16 min mi.
Average HR: 139

Weight:  I lost 1.8 pounds this week!  Yay!  Finally, movement on the scale!!!!!
Current weight: 246.4

Goals:
I didn't get in any extra exercise as I had intended.  I'm going to try again this next week!  I will also continue on with the couch 2 5K workouts, hopefully they won't be too difficult for me to continue without stopping to repeat a week - I'm almost there!  There are 8 weeks total...We'll see how things go.

Challenges:
This week I have conferences until 8pm on Monday and Tuesday and a mandatory 6 pm meeting on Wednesday which will be challenging for me to get all my exercise days in.  My plan is to get up early on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to get the exercise in.  I have Friday off, so that will be a benefit!

Until next week - hope everybody keeps on hopping!

The Marsupial Maven

Another Week Down!

So I'm a bit late in posting.  Got too relaxed over the holiday weekend, then had company today.  It was a successful week - not too exciting, but things are going well!

I'm enjoying my workout area and getting tech set up to run BitGym on tv.  It makes my runs so much better!

This weeks' stats:
Weight: I lost about 1/2 pound
Exercise:  I successfully completed this weeks' Couch to 5K workouts.  It was week 4, so the workout was the same each of the three days:
5 min warmup walk (3.0 mph), 3 minute jog (at 5.2mph), 90 second walk (3.4 mph), 5 minute jog (at 5.0 mph), 2 1/2 min walk (3.4mph), 3 minute jog (at 5.3 mph), 90 second walk (3.4 mph), 5 minute jog (5.1 mph), 4 1/2 min walk (3.4 mph), 10 min walk (3.0mph)

Here are the past two days on the Garmin:

The average calories I burned were 556 for three days or 239 for all seven.

My average calories were 1533, a bit higher than I would like.  I relaxed over the holiday weekend, as you can see below.  Gotta get the intake at a better level.

Goals:
This next week I plan to add two more days of activity to the schedule.  I've already got the bike set up for a virtual ride tomorrow morning before work and if the sun shows itself at all this week I would like to hike the grade.  If not, I'll try to do an incline walk on the treadmill.  I plan to watch the calories as I have been, but to make better choices on the weekend.  I actually was down more weight at one point during the week, but after the weekend the scale is up a bit.  I also plan to take a few photos of things going on around here, but I'm too tired right now and still have laundry to fold!

Hope your week makes you hoppy!

The Marsupial Maven

Getting into the swing of things...

It's been a good week.  I felt like I had work under control as well as my eating and exercise and got many tasks accomplished around the house as well!  I'm feeling tired in a very good way.  I also saw some downward movement of the scale in the past few days, so I'm calling this week a success!

Some stats:
Average daily calories:  1306 cal.
Average daily exercise calories burned:  166 cal.
Mileage: Tue: 1.66; Thurs: 1.66; Sat: 1.72 miles
Minutes: Tue: 31:39; Th: 28:05; Sat: 34:51
Weight: At one point my weight this week was as low as 248.8

I followed the Couch to 5K plan (week 3) for three days this week.  I'm counting today's exercise toward next week, so I didn't figure that in my daily average.  I didn't add in any other activities, but plan to do so this week.  I also journaled every day at Myfitnesspal.

As far as tasks around the house, I set up an exercise area in the spare room/craft room/home office.

This had been extremely beneficial!  Ry and I have both been working out in this space regularly.  It feels great to have a space dedicated to this and we're outfitting it to work for us!  I also just joined BitGym for working out on the treadmill during the winter when I can't get outside.  It really helps!

In addition, Ry and I discovered that Biggest Loser just started up again, so of course we've got to keep up with that to help motivate us!

Hope everyone has a fantastic week and can keep on hoppin!

The Marsupial Mavin

Happy New Year!

So I didn't see any weight come off, but I can't really expect it to when I've been eating too much good food...Despite the freezing weather, ice and snow, I did exercise three days this past week - using the Couch to 5K app - it was week 2.  I walked/jogged 1.83 mi Tuesday, 1.88 mi Wednesday, and 1.9 mi today (Sunday) for a total of 5.65 miles.  My caloric intake for the week averaged at 1400 calories.  I expect that continuing to work and eat healthier foods this next week will help the scale battle.  But even if it doesn't, I'm not quitting!  I know that sometimes I have to work really hard for several weeks to a month before the scale starts to move.  That's also why I've taken measurements!  I'll take them again probably at the end of January.  I'm trying not to get too focused on my weight and focus instead on my health and really pay attention to how well I can handle the workouts and my breathing.

That's a nice transition - my breathing has been an issue.  I think it's a combination of being really out of shape and my propensity for getting brochial stuff in the winter, but I've felt like I needed to use my inhaler (bronchial thing) almost every time I've worked out for the past few weeks...I'll keep tabs on this issue to see how it goes.

It's freezing, I'm tired and sweaty from my treadmill workout, and I've got to teach high schoolers for the first time in two weeks tomorrow morning...so I'd better get to bed!

Hope you keep on hoppin!


The Marsupial Maven

Coming clean...

So yesterday I said my next post would update you on where I currently am weight wise and my measurements...so I decided to get that done before I chickened out!

Here goes:
My current weight is 250 lbs.
My height is 5'10"
My measurements are as follows:
Bust - 51"
Waist - 48"
Hips - 56.5"
Upper Arm - 14.25" (avg of both)
Upper Thigh - 27.75" (avg of both)
Wrist - 6.75"
BMI (Mayo) - 35.9

Here are the glamour shots, please don't be too jealous! ;)

So, as you can see, I have a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead of me, but persevere I will!

Today I re-started the Couch to 5K program with a 30 minute workout, 1.85 miles, 285 calories (5 min warm up walk, 1 min jog, 1.5 min walk x 8, 5 min cool down walk) and yesterday the fam hiked up the grade for 20 minutes, then turned and jogged back down.  Total workout was about 33 minutes and 1.64 miles, 395 calories.

Hope you keep on hoppin!

The Marsupial Maven

New Beginnings...

I find a new year rapidly approaching with a sense of failure.  I've lost most of the progress I gained 2+ years ago.  Rather than continue to hide my head by avoiding my blog, I've decided I need to address things head on!

Not all of the reasons for the weight gain and fitness loss are negative in their entirety.  I just need to finally figure out how to make my health a priority instead of trying to fit it in around my busy life...

So as I mentioned in my last post, a few health/injury events caused initial setbacks.  Then my work schedule changed.  It needed to for my family's financial security, but I've always struggled with stress and put others (read work, followed by family, followed by self) first.  And finally, in August I began teaching full-time again.  I enjoy my job immensely, my only frustration is being able to balance my needs with the needs of work and students and family.  My youngest daughter will be graduating in 6 months and I will have most of my summers free, so I feel that I have an opportunity to balance things and I want a fresh start now!

My family always does a gift exchange for the holidays and when asked what I want, I can only respond "My health and happiness back!"  So I'm taking the break to get some habits established and set some priorities.

I've spent the past few weeks scouring the internet for inspiration, and I finally found that my own posts on this blog are the most inspiring for me.  I know how far I've come before and I know that I can do it again.  I'm scared because I know how much work and determination went into my journey previously, but I'm hoping to capitalize on this self-knowledge to help me this time around.  I know how to eat to be successful, I know that I can take a lot of physical activity and that it makes me proud of myself - and I miss that!

So, without further ado, here are my plans:

* I will photograph my progress as these help me to see how far I have come, and though they may be embarrassing, they also are a way of holding myself accountable
* I will plan my meals with purpose instead of just stuffing whatever happens to be convenient at the time in as well as journal my eating
* I will complete the Couch to 5K plan (got a cool app on the phone), then progress to the 10K plan
* I will hike the grade 1-2 days a week (weather permitting this winter, if not safe, I'll supplement with a walk on the treadmill at a steep incline)
* I will find a way to swim at least one day a week (difficult right now as the pool at the gym is under construction) - I'm having my daughter take me to the gym in the town where I work to help me get started with this one!
* I will register for a race this summer - at least a 5k, but I'd prefer a sprint triathlon...this one will take some investigation!
* I will blog here once a week

I guess since I'm setting goals, I will set some rewards as well!

10 lbs - some new running gear - probably gloves and ear warmer or balaclava
20 lbs - new running shoes
30 lbs - more running gear
40 lbs - wetsuit??
50 lbs - start researching skin removal surgery


My next post will be about where I am currently:
* weight
* measurements
* BMI
* info on my goal race for the summer

In the meantime, hope things keep hoppin' along!

The Marsupial Maven
Amber

Way too long...

I have started several posts since the last published, but I never quite finished them, and now I find myself back over a year later.  Way too long an absence!  I'll try to quickly summarize for you:


Weight:  I got down to 214 for a while, but then ended up at about 219 following an outpatient procedure in November of 2013.  This put me out of commission for a while - I wasn't allowed to walk for about 2 months.  Then I found myself coaching boys swim again until mid-February.  The late nights and long weekends led to more eating out and some weight gain - about 8-10 pounds.  By August I was at 229.  I decided to re-focus at that point, and increased my running, but then mid-August I suffered a foot injury - probably a torn tendon that put me out of commission until very recently.  I am currently in physical therapy for the injury.  The lack of exercise and frustration and coaching girls swim until mid-November caused me to gain more weight putting me at about 244.  I made some commitments with family members about 2 weeks ago and now I am down to 240 and working in the right direction.


Goals:  As I stated previously, I had a goal to complete the Splash and Dash triathlon in Prineville in July 2014.  I am happy to tell you that the whole family, even the nay-sayer Kaylin, competed in the event.  Kaylin and the girls also all won medals for their age divisions!  I finished the course (500 yard swim, 13 mile bike, 4 mile run) in 2:04.49, just a few seconds behind Kassidy!  A cool thing was that I finished with Lew Hollander, actually holding hands with him as we raced across the finish line together!

I'll provide more details later, but I thought I'd get some basic information out there.

Hope you keep on hopping!

The Marsupial Maven!