FitnessVT

I haven't been as committed and dedicated to my health and fitness.

I saw a picture of myself running the Virginia Wine Country Half Marathon (1 Jun 2013).

Somewhere along the line, I have become bottom heavy.

The image I see in the mirror and the image I see in the picture are VERY different.

I have to make a change.

I've said it before.

I need to say it again.

So, for $17 a month, I've signed up for FitnessVT. 

It's a nutrition website that prescribes an eating plan based on your weight, age, body fat %age, and activity level.

It just tells you what to eat and when.

I think I just need that structure.

I can modify the foods on the list so I can stick to a Paleo preference which I like.

I like a Tshirt I saw at the gym... "I'm 100% Paleo, 80% of the time".

I think rather than try to be Paleo perfectionista, I will try to be a consistent Paleo follower.

So...I'll let you know how it goes.

I don't even know if anyone is reading this but...that's OK.

This is really for me to document what I'm doing.

The Marine Corps Marathon is coming up in October and I want to be lighter so I can run well.

This nutrition plan coupled with the Run Less, Run Faster Novice Marathon training plan should get me to my goal.  

#MarineCorpsMarathon #RunLessRunFaster #Paleo #VirginiaWineCountryHalfMarathon

Quote for the day:  

“One of the most valuable lessons I have learned in the military is that what happens in your life is what you believe will happen”

What do you believe, Star?

You can be fit, strong, cut and healthy!

Get it done, Star!

Food Pushers - why are they so insistent?

So, I'm earnestly working to make a commitment to my health...sleep, eat well (Paleo and juicing), exercise, water and repeat.

I have a new favorite juicing recipe:
3 handfuls of spinach
1 lemon
1 granny smith apple
1/2 handful of parsley
2 persian cucumbers
1 knuckle of ginger
It usually yields about 16oz / 2 cups of juice.

It's like drinking freshness in a Mason jar.  YUM!

So, I have a little rant to get out there...it's about Food Pushers.
There always seems to be the food pusher there...the person who insists you can have just one cookie.  But, right now, I'm not eating sugar, wheat, grains, etc...
But, here comes the FOOD PUSHER who:
* leaves a bag of Hershey miniatures in the common area at work
* brings cookies (or other "treat") to work and says "your metabolism is high right now since you just worked out, c'mon...just have one, it won't kill you."

And over and again, I have to politely but firmly say "No, thank you!"

But the FOOD PUSHER persists... "No, thank you!"

Again... "No, Thank you!"

What is their deal?  

So frustrating.

So how do you deal with a food pusher?

1.  Politely say no. (the preferred choice)
2.  Accept the item and then discretely toss it away (I don't like doing this...first, I don't want the temptation and second, I don't want them to get into the habit of giving me sweets.)
3. Accept the item and have a bite or two.  (Again, another one I prefer not to do because I don't want to start down a slippery slope of eating things that I shouldn't)

I'm seeing and feeling progress.  My latest chart is provided for you to view.
My clothes are starting to feel looser and I am seeing progress at the gym (more strength).
So...I will push forward with my own convictions and commitments.
I had a moment of pride when someone at work asked me what I was doing because my clothes look looser on me!  Score!  That gave me a boost to keep at it!

Learning New Habits

First of all:  Thanks to all my friends who are willing to read about this journey and be my encouragement/support system.  Your willingness to jump in and help is humbling.


So, as part of this fitness journey, I'm trying to learn new habits.
1.  Get rest (8 hours is the goal but 6 hours of sleep is usually the reality); resist hitting the snooze button and just get up
2.  Eating well (by eating well, I mean Paleo and I'm supplementing this with homemade vegetable/fruit juice...more veggies than fruit)
3.  Exercising (regular gym workouts with intensity and Crossfit on the weekends)
4.  Meditating (not easy since my brain tangential thoughts...hard to quiet all that riotous noise in my head).

I happened to read a blog that I like to follow called Zen Habits (#ZenHabits).
Today's posting talked about http://zenhabits.net/bank/ was creating compound habits (e.g., like compound investments.  Making small changes over time to lead to habits.  For example, to start waking up earlier, don't do it in a big chunk, start waking up earlier 5 minutes at a time and before you know it, you are waking up two hours earlier and not feeling the huge impact of the change).

EATING WELL
I think I'm changing gradually with the exception of food.
In a book that I read called, IT STARTS WITH FOOD, six pack abs are made in the kitchen (what you eat)...So, I'm trying their Whole 30 program and eating Paleo for 30 days.

Today is day 2 of my Paleo journey.
I had pot roast for breakfast (a homemade crockpot concoction that I made on Sunday and will eat off of most of this week), a pre-made Paleo lunch by PowerSupply (they deliver pre-made Paleo meals to Crossfit Gyms in the DC region (I go to #CrossfitManassas), and I'll have pot roast for dinner.  For snacks, I had two 16 oz vegetable juices that I made with my juicer at home last night. 
Biggest thing that I have noticed, I'm not having the crazy, grumbling stomach cravings that I usually do when I'm eating candy and other sweets during the day.


EXERCISING
Today's small add, I did assisted pull ups (112# assist).  For the tough mudder, I'm pretty sure I need to be able to schlep myself over things...I need to start improving that upper body strength now.  I'd like to be able to do 5 pull ups by April.  Do you think that's doable?


REST
Last night, was only 6 hours.
Will try better for tonight


MEDITATION
Will endeavour to meditate tonight as part of my bed time ritual. 
I'll commit to 3 minutes per night (a small change).

Wish me luck!

I'm Back!

Took some time off.
Some muscle relaxants and a power NSAID and I feel brand new.
Started yoga twice a week since I haven't been able to get a physical therapy appt.
Seems to be helping with core strength... YAY

I have new metrics.  Breakthrough on my hip measurement.  And finally below 180 consistently...a plateau I didn't think I could get off of.

	28-May-12	10-Jun-12	24-Jun-12	8-Jul-12	22-Jul-12	7-Oct-12
Waist	33.5	33	32.5	32.5	32.5	32.5
Hips	43	42.5	42.5	42.5	42.5	42
W:H Ratio	0.779	0.776	0.765	0.765	0.765	0.774
Weight	184	182	180	180	179	176
Inches on waist	-	0.5	1	1	1	1
Inches on hips		0.5	0.5	0.5	0.5	1
total inches lost		1	1.5	1.5	1.5	2
Pounds lost	-	2	4	4	5	8

I also found a fun website http://www.modelmydiet.com/
You can make a virtual model and see what you will look like before and after.
I like the after shot...gives me something more tangible to work toward.

Pretty paleo most of the time but still enjoy pizza and non paleo foods.
Although...everytime I eat bread, I think I'm noticing a gassiness which is now fun.

Let's try a good paleo week and look at metrics again on 14 Oct...

Day 1, Monday - 28 May 2012.

Ends:

(1) Be more fit / healthy

(2) Able to comfortably complete the marathon

(3) Lose weight / inches

(4) Gain energy and vitality




Means during this 30+ day journey:  
(1) Eat Paleo
(2) Exercise
(3) Drink Water consistently


* Eat Paleo - what does that mean?  (From Robb Wolf's website)

Okay To Eat	Avoid
Fruits	Dairy
Vegetables	Grains
Lean Meats	Processed Food & Sugars
Seafood	Legumes
Nuts & Seeds	Starches
Healthy Fats	Alcohol

Highlight meal of the day was dinner.  I followed a recipe from "Everyday Paleo" website.  I made Pan seared mahi mahi with ginger mango salsa and cilantro sauce.  (recipe:  http://everydaypaleo.com/2012/05/08/pan-seared-halibut-with-ginger-mango-salsa-and-cilantro-sauce/) 
It was supposed to be halibut but I used Mahi Mahi instead.  The homemade mayo was a rousing failure so store bought mayo was used instead.  And, I misread the recipe and put a tsp of cayenne in the mayo mixture...not bad!  I was also supposed to use a lot of cilantro in the mayo mixture but went with 2 generous pinches instead....was like a tartar sauce.  It will be a repeat recipe to keep in the meal line up.

* Exercise - what does that mean?  Well.  I want to be on that Runners World streak to run a mile a day for 38 days until the 4th of July.   Today, I did a Crossfit workout called Murphy.  Murphy is named after a Navy Medal of Honor awardee.  It entails, run 1 mile, 100 pull ups, 200 push ups and 300 squats and run 1 mile.  I did 1/2 of a Murphy with 112# assisted pullups and on my knees pushups.  First 1/2 mile was 5:00 mins; Second 1/2 mile was 4:34 (faster!).  So...got that one mile in for the streak to continue.


* Drink Water - I've heard two different theories on this.  
(1) Drink 1/2 your body weight in water in ounces.  Today I'm 184# so that would be 92oz of water.  Whew...that's a lot.
(2) Drink 8 cups a day:  That's 64 oz of water.
I tried a happy medium and got in 8 1/2 c today.


Statistics: (I'll do this every two weeks)
Morning weight on home scale:  184.0
Circumference measurements:
* Waist:  33.5 inches
* Hips:   43 inches
* Waist to Hip ratio:  .779
(I learned that a waist to hip ratio of .8 or higher for women or .95 or higher for men is an indicator of increased risk such as cancer, diabetes and heart disease.  Source:  The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf)


hmmmm.  I'm pretty dang close to that .8 number.  Better giddyup!


I'd like to track progress through blood work as well...will have to find a doc who is willing to play in my commitment.


Oh...and the dreaded before photo...I'm not even sure if I'll post that now...but will get Damion's help to take this blasted photo.  I'm fluffy in spots...and somehow it snuck up on me.  Now it's time to return the favor and sneak up on the fluff!


OK...well...I never thought I'd have a thing to blog about.  And now I'm just blathering on.


Signing off...til 'morrow or so.

Today, I heard to a sermon.  It hit on the topic of self-discipline.  I know it's an area I could serve to work on - especially in the area of eating healthfully and exercise.    So, I decided that I want to go on a streak!  Not the kind of streak that involves running around in my birthday suit.  But a streak of self-discipline when it comes to eating and exercise.  What do I hope to gain?  Better health...better quality of life...which means I can better serve...God, my family, myself, and my career in the Navy.  A little self-love through self-discipline to be able to be a better servant.  OK!


Here's some background on how I came to these thoughts - 


Running:  So, I'm surfing on Facebook today and see an article posted by a friend by Runners World magazine called "RW Summer Running Streak 2012" (http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267-269-14350-0,00.html).  The article talks about running at least one mile....every day...between Memorial Day and Fourth of July.  That's 38 days of consecutive running.  Hmmmm...that was a sign to me and fell in line the self-discipline sermon so... I said to myself, "I can commit to that".  And so I am.


Eating:  Also, during the sermon, the minister gave testimony to his own angst with overeating.  The ill effects he suffers/has suffered as a result of too much food; too much wrong food.  So, I've been nibbling around the edges of eating more healthful.  And at times I'm hugely successful and at other times I'm epically inadequate.  So, today...I commit to eating in a Paleo way.  I had a coach when I lived in Memphis name Paul Eich.  He was committed to Crossfit (http://www.crossfit.com/) and eating Paleo (http://robbwolf.com/).  He was quite fit and gave testimony to his own results (as shown through improved blood work/diagnostics) and increased strength/stamina/speed....even as he ages.  LOL!  Because we are all supposed to slow down as we age...right?  Not so.  


So...I'm going to get on a streak!  


And, I thought I'd blog about it too.


Why?
Because...1 Thessalonians 5:11 says:
"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing."


And I definitely could use some encouragement from you...my friends.

During this streak, my training for the USMC Marathon begins (first week of June).  
The Marathon is on 28 Oct 2012.  So I need my streak to turn into a positive habit to ensure I'm truly prepared for this challenge.  This will be my 2nd Marathon ever!  The first one was in 1995, California International Marathon in Sacramento, CA.  I finished in 5:34:52.  (http://www.runcim.org/page/show/259941-female-results).  I power walked it with my good friend, Kathleen Kastner.  We finished it together.  So...since I walked it 17 years ago...and this time, I'm going to run...I want to be able to finish and finish faster than I did 17 years ago. 

Thanks for your support.  (Use your Bartles and James voice here).

I leave you with this verse.

Hebrews 12:11 - 

¹¹ No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it’s painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.