Getting Better

I have been icing my legs at least once a day. I slept with them elevated one night (I read that it may help on WebMd). I stretch my legs at random times throughout the day. I massage my aching muscles when I think about it. I am giving myself two days between runs instead of one. What do I get for all of this...I am finally starting to feel better! I can't even tell you how relieved I am that my legs are hurting less and less. I even lost about half a pound during this struggle. This has definitely been a lesson in patience and listening to my body that I don't want to have to learn again!

Frustrated

I am so frustrated with my body. I really want to run. I never thought  I would say that. The problem is my shins hurt when I do, and they are getting worse every time I go out. I have tried several things to try to make them better. I have stretched before, during, and after my 5k training sessions. I have been icing them. I have done yoga on my off days. I gone two days between sessions. All I can think of doing is waiting even longer, and I don't want to. I want to keep training. I want to run. I know I can get out and ride my bike, but it just isn't the same.

More Good News

Two good things happen to me yesterday to help me keep going. I got on the scale, and I had lost more weight. Later in the day, my husband told me that he can tell by looking at me that I am getting slimmer. That was awesome! I'm liking this losing weight/getting healthier thing!

Working Out Advetures

I have having more problems with these stupid shin splints. I haven't stopped my running every other day (that is probably part of the problem). I have been stretching here and there during the walking part of my training. I iced them last night after my oldest son rubbed a few knots out of my muscles along my shins (he was just curious what a knot in the muscles felt like, but ended up helping a lot).
My sore legs have made it hard to get a work out in every day. I have accomplished something each day though. I have done yoga on the days I haven't ran so far this week. I tried doing it with my kids two days ago. I won't be trying that again any time soon. Three kids and three dogs around me is the opposite of relaxing and makes it really hard to concentrate on anything other than making sure that I don't step on or run into any creatures while the vocal creature complain that they aren't doing anything fun like Zumba. Oh well. I tried. I did yoga this morning while said creatures were sleeping, and it was awesome! I ended with more energy and feeling great all over. I will definitely be doing more yoga as long as I am alone while doing it.

Good and Bad

I had a good week in some ways, and a bad week in other ways. I completed week 2 of my Zombie training, but I had some some days when it came to controlling what I ate.
My eating this week was horrible. I have access to snacks at work, and, I have to admit, I took advantage of that. I had some stressful days, and I ate to deal with that. I didn't even realize how bad my stress eating was until this week. I successfully stayed away from soda and caffeine, though. I know that my eating definitely affected my workouts. I was more sluggish, so I was slower and didn't have the intensity that I know I can put into the workouts.
It was a difficult week for training. I didn't expect to be adding stupid heal lifts to my workout. I didn't expect to get shin splints, either. However, I worked though both. I successfully completed all of my week 2 walk/run workouts. I have to say, it was hard, but it is a victory because I completed them without giving up. I know week 3 will be harder, but I will not give up. I want a runners body, and that means putting in the work needed to get there.
As for as great news goes, I did my first mile walk for charity today. Chad and I did the Set the Pace for prostate cancer this morning. It was fun for the most part. I shins were killing me, but I got over it and would love to do it again next year except to the 5k run next time.f
Last bit of news, I swear. I got a beginner Yoga set of DVDs today on our way home from the event. I did the first workout on it. It was harder than I thought it would be, but I am going to add it to my night workouts with my daughter. I can't wait to see if she likes it as much as she likes Zumba!

More Energy, Less Weight

I am doing better than I had expected. I have more energy, I am getting faster, and I weigh less. Who could ask for more?
I was really worried that when going without caffeine, I would struggle with having the energy to get though the work day. I did struggle for the first few days but once I got past the first 4 or 5 days, it got easier. Yesterday, I went to Villiage Inn with my husband, and I ordered lemonade instead of my favorite, Dr. Pepper. I was so proud of myself.
I have completed the first week of my Zombie runs. I was shocked to see that I was actually getting faster even though I felt like I was taking it a bit too easy. The work outs will be a little tougher this week. I actually and excited to find out my next adventure.
Weight has been a struggle for me for quite a while. I have gained almost as much weight in the last year than I did my last two pregnancies combined. I am happy to say, I am breaking that trend. I am down one more pound this week making my total for two weeks four pounds of weight loss. It feels great! I am out of the 190's, and I am excited to see how low I can go this week.

Zombies? Really?

 

I am still doing pretty good at getting out and exercising in the morning. I had decided last week that I was going to try to do two work outs a day. That wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. It is a bit more difficult to motivate myself on the weekends. I basically decided that I will focus on at least one work out those days.
 After only one work out Saturday and Sunday, Monday I only got one work out in as well. Last night, my daughter looked at me and asked what exercise I was going to do with her. Honestly, I wasn't planning on exercising. I was tired. She talked me into more Zumba (it really didn't take much convincing), and I was glad that she did. She is so silly when she does work out videos with me!
For my morning work outs I have started using an app on my phone to train. It is called, "Zombies, Run! 5K Training." It sync's to a website that shows the track that I ran/walked and the amount of time. I really like it! It incorporates running and walking with a Zombie story line. If I had music on my phone (I will be putting music on it asap), it would add it to the experience. I am doing this every other morning, and I plan to ride my bike on the alternating mornings. I started Monday, and I am doing great with it so far. I can tell I am getting stronger!
In other news, I have decided to drop caffeine and soda again. I had been told that it would be easier to do with some Vitamin water or Propel, so instead of my favorite drink in ever (Dr. Pepper) we got Propel during our regular grocery shopping on Saturday (it had more appealing choices in flavors and was less expensive). The first few days were difficult, but since most people that sit around me at work made this decision a while ago and my husband joined me in the effort, it makes it not so bad. Hopefully, I can keep it up longer. Today will be day 5. Last time I made it for 9 days. I will make it longer this time. I really need to live healthier!

Positive Progress

 

I can't believe the progress that I have had this week. I think it has been the most successful week I have had in a long time.
I have gone for a walk 4 out of 5 days since I started tracking! The last 3 days I have walked in the morning and either walked or done Zumba at night. It is hard to believe that I could stay on track and motivated like I am (sad to say since it hasn't been that long). I guess having a goal in mind that is not just weight related is a lot more motivating than I thought. I know I will be able to run the 5K by August 17. Nothing will stop  me.
 Even though my main goal is not a weight loss goal, I am still keeping track because I do have a goal to lose weight as well. So far I am down 3 pounds this week. That is pretty dang exciting for me. I can't remember the last time I could say that I was down that much.
I realized yesterday how bad my self talk was when taking a shower and realizing where I have gained the most weight. For the first time that I can remember, I turned that negative self talk to positive talk. I told myself that it will change. I told myself that as long as I keep doing what I am doing, I will not only be skinner, I will have a runner's body. I know that is possible. It may take a while, but it will happen.