Month: December 2014

Happy Healthy Holidays – Hump Day Check-in Week 3

by Courtney, posted in Fitness and Health, Happy Healthy Holidays

Starting Statistics on 11/26/2014

  • Weight:  144.4 Pounds (lost 0.2 pounds between last check (11/22/2014) and today)
  • Body Fat %:  22.4% (lost 0.4% between last check (11/22/2014) and today)
  • BMI:  22.6

Goals for the Next 5 Weeks (Ending 12/31/2014)

  • Weight:  (Weight – 3.5 pounds)  140.8 Pounds
  • Body Fat %:  (Current – 0.5%) 21.9%
  • BMI:  22.0
  • Workout Days (in 36 days):  33 Days
    • PASS Days Remaining:  1 Day
  • Strength Workouts:  10 workouts (2 a week)
  • Trips to the YMCA:  15 days (3 a week)

Week Ending 12/16/2014

  • Week 3 Statistics
    • Weight:  142.2 Pounds
    • Pounds Lost or Gained:  0.4 Pounds lost
    • Body Fat %:  21.6%
    • Body Fat % Lost or Gained:  0.6% Lost
    • BMI: 22.3
    • Workout Days (goal is 7 days):  4 Days
      • PASS Days Used:  1 Day (was sick two days)
    • Strength Days this Week:  0 Days
    • Trips to the YMCA:  1 Day
    • Time Spent Being Active:   3 Hours 34 Minutes
    • Average Number of Steps Per Day:  12,757 Steps
    • Miles Run:  22 Miles
  • Food: 
    • Wednesday – Beet soup
    • Thursday – Brisket and sweet potato cake
    • Friday – Holiday party – lots of various food, but limited amounts
    • Saturday – Pizza
    • Sunday – Sushi and broth soup
    • Monday – Chicken tortilla soup
    • Tuesday – Apple cider glazed chicken and carrots
  • Exercise/Activity:
    • Wednesday – None – 10,000 Steps
    • Thursday – Treadmill running (60 minutes), walking (11 minutes)- 15,600 Steps
    • Friday – None (sick) – 10,000 Steps
    • Saturday – None (sick) – 10,000 Steps
    • Sunday – Outside running! (66 minutes) – 18,700 Steps
    • Monday – Treadmill running (31 minutes) – 12,000 Steps
    • Tuesday – Treadmill running (46 minutes)- 13,000 Steps
  • Notes and findings: 
    • We had a guest from Australia with us all week (so fun!) so I knew it would be a tough week both food and exercise-wise, but I was committed to keeping the pace and momentum going!
    • On Thursday, I weighed 141 pounds even and things were looking up!
    • On Thursday night, both my son and I were throwing up sick… Awful
    • My stomach never recovered fully until just this morning, so I skipped 2 days of exercise to rebound from being so sick
    • Sunday-Tuesday all included exercise so I’m back on the horse (until right now because my kid is refusing to nap (holy hell!))
    • Ending a light exercise week with a 0.4 pound loss feels good, and dropping body fat feels even better. I’ll take it!
    • I am on track to hit my goal weight of 140.8 pounds and have achieved my body fat goal (for now – it could change!)
    • I’ve got to get back into strength training – will start tomorrow morning at the Y!

 

Happy Healthy Holidays – Hump Day Check-in Week 2

by Courtney, posted in Fitness and Health, Happy Healthy Holidays

Starting Statistics on 11/26/2014

  • Weight:  144.4 Pounds (lost 0.2 pounds between last check (11/22/2014) and today)
  • Body Fat %:  22.4% (lost 0.4% between last check (11/22/2014) and today)
  • BMI:  22.6

Goals for the Next 5 Weeks (Ending 12/31/2014)

  • Weight:  (Weight – 3.5 pounds)  140.8 Pounds
  • Body Fat %:  (Current – 0.5%) 21.9%
  • BMI:  22.0
  • Workout Days (in 36 days):  33 Days
    • PASS Days Remaining:  2 Days
  • Strength Workouts:  10 workouts (2 a week)
  • Trips to the YMCA:  15 days (3 a week)

Week Ending 12/09/2014

  • Week 2 Statistics
    • Weight:   142.6 Pounds
    • Pounds Lost or Gained:  0.6 Pounds lost
    • Body Fat %:  22.2%
    • Body Fat % Lost or Gained:  0.2% Lost since starting (0.6% lost since the jump up last week)
    • BMI: 22.3
    • Workout Days (goal is 6 days this week):  5 Days
    • PASS Days Used:  1 Days
    • Strength Days this Week:  1 Day
    • Trips to the YMCA:  3 Days
    • Time Spent Being Active:   5 Hours 23 Minutes
    • Average Number of Steps Per Day:  16,914 Steps
    • Miles Run: 29.68
  • Food: 
    • Wednesday – Smoked chicken nachos (it’s true)
    • Thursday – Smoked chicken, green beans, jalapeno creamed corn
    • Friday – Curry bison burgers, Brussels sprouts
    • Saturday – Veggie pizza
    • Sunday – Turkey pepperoni pizza
    • Monday – Butternut squash soup, one curry burger
    • Tuesday – Spinach salad with bacon, egg, and bacon vinaigrette
  • Exercise/Activity:
    • Wednesday – Treadmill running (46 minutes) – 16,600 Steps
    • Thursday – None – resting in prep for 8 mile race on Saturday – 9,700 Steps
    • Friday – Treadmill running (50 minutes), walking cool down (5 minutes) – 16,500 Steps
    • Saturday – Trail race (85 minutes) – 25,900 Steps
    • Sunday – None (rest day after race) – 10,700 Steps
    • Monday – Treadmill running (58 minutes) – 20,100 Steps
    • Tuesday – Treadmill running (61 minutes), strength and ab work (18 minutes) – 18,900 Steps
  • Notes and findings: 
    • I got the boys’ cold and was feeling very little motivation to do anything. I never feel run down from a cold but now understand what people are talking about.
    • I deliberately took a rest/pass day on Thursday in preparation for my 8 mile race on Saturday. I may make up the pass, I’m not sure yet
    • I’ve been eating like crap this week. No free days this weekend for this girl
    • I ran my trail race on Saturday (7.65 miles) and came in under my desired time, even with a fall and a 7 minute break as I recovered.  I am beyond happy with that!  I could have run faster but I was running with a friend who was struggling a bit.
    • This week is a bit off because I took a rest day on Thursday before my race and the Sunday afterwards. I re-figured the Sunday rest day into the overall goal of 32 workout days this period (was 33 days) as resting after a long race is advised, especially if there’s been an injury
    • Three days to the Y this week. Yay!
    • I didn’t get enough strength in this week as I prepared for the race.  Back to that next week!
    • Great week – really finished strong in the end!

 

Winning 😉

by Courtney, posted in Fitness and Health

I ran an 8 mile trail race today, and about 2.5 miles in, and 10 seconds after my friend told me about her first spill on this particular trail, I tripped on a rock and was airborne. I landed on my left shoulder before slamming my face into the ground. It hurt… It hurt a lot.

But, it was nice and chilly so my face went numb pretty quickly. I laid on the ground a bit to be sure nothing was seriously wrong, but I thought I’d broken my nose. There was blood and pain and the most horrid gasps from passersby. So many people stopped to help and their looks scared me more than anything. As my BIL approached, I asked my friend to go back and prepare my husband before he saw me. I didn’t want him freaking out at the sight of me on my back covered in blood.

My husband was concerned and wanted to call for transport but I said no. No, no, no – I’m fine! An awesome older guy (grandpa age) stopped and told me I was prettier with the dirt in my face, checked me for a concussion, and patted my knee as he announced that I was “good to run.” My hubs obliged and we all walked 5 minutes before I took off again.

It felt good to pass a lot of the folks who passed as I was on the ground, and it felt good to up my pace as we progressed. Before we knew it, we had just a couple of miles left. Easy peasy!

As I crossed the finish line, there were quite a few gasps, lots of high fives, and big kuddos from the race director. It was embarrassing, but also empowering. Most people couldn’t believe I finished. I finished with a 10.5 minute pace which was under my goal (when we took out our 7 minute pause for my injury) and that’s a respectable pace for a single track trail race. I was thrilled! I wanted to finish in 1:27 for 8 miles and finished the exact 7.65 miles in 1:25:42 before the 7 minute removal.

Another race in the books, another major injury averted. Win win (even if I didn’t really win)!

Happy Healthy Holidays – Hump Day Check-in Week 1

by Courtney, posted in Fitness and Health, Happy Healthy Holidays

Starting Statistics on 11/26/2014

  • Weight:  144.4 Pounds (lost 0.2 pounds between last check (11/22/2014) and today)
  • Body Fat %:  22.4% (lost 0.4% between last check (11/22/2014) and today)
  • BMI:  22.6

Goals for the Next 5 Weeks (Ending 12/31/2014)

  • Weight:  (Weight – 3.5 pounds)  140.8 Pounds
  • Body Fat %:  (Current – 0.5%) 21.9%
  • BMI:  22.0
  • Workout Days (in 36 days):  33 Days
    • PASS Days Remaining:  3 Days
  • Strength Workouts:  10 workouts (2 a week)
  • Trips to the YMCA:  15 days (3 a week)

Week Ending 12/02/2014

  • Week 1 Statistics
    • Weight:   143.2 Pounds
    • Pounds Lost or Gained:  1.2 Pounds lost
    • Body Fat %:  22.8%
    • Body Fat % Lost or Gained:  0.4% Gained
    • BMI: 22.4
    • Workout Days (goal is 7 days):  6 Days
      • PASS Days Used:  1 Day, but earned it back Tuesday night with a second workout that day
    • Strength Days this Week:  1 Day
    • Trips to the YMCA:  0 Days
    • Time Spent Being Active:   6 Hours 1 Minute
    • Average Number of Steps Per Day:  14,914 Steps
  • Food: 
    • Wednesday – Squash soup
    • Thursday – Turkey, meatballs, prime rib, Brussels sprouts, stuffing
    • Friday – Frozen pizza, meatballs
    • Saturday – Date Night!  Tortilla soup, shrimp adobo, short rib sliders (2)
    • Sunday – Prime rib, sprouts, carrots
    • Monday – Smoked chicken, green beans
    • Tuesday – Smoked chicken, green beans
  • Exercise/Activity:
    • Wednesday – Treadmill running (53 minutes) – 15,000 Steps
    • Thursday – Treadmill running (45 minutes) – 15,000 Steps
    • Friday – None (used a pass day – ugh!) – 6,000 Steps
    • Saturday – Outside running with my little dude!!!!  (83 minutes) – 19,200 Steps
    • Sunday – Treadmill running (45 minutes) – 17,100Steps
    • Monday – INSAN.ITY (60 minutes) – 16,200 Steps
    • Tuesday – Treadmill running (40 minutes), strength training and core (35 minutes) – 15,900 Steps
  • Notes and findings: 
    • So here we go again!  The week started out great with a 0.6 pound weight loss after one day, so I’m hoping to ride that momentum to finish the week with that same loss.  Will be hard after the holiday since we’re doing a “Thanksgiving dinner redux” on Sunday since my family’s meal was far from memorable (rare prime rib – yuck!)
    • I had to take a PASS day on Friday due to travel and a night of no sleep.  I have decided that I can earn PASS days back by doing two FULL workouts in one day within the same week that the PASS day was taken – but only one day can be re-earned a week.  My program, my rules!
    • On Monday night, it’s looking like I may just break even for the week.  That would be fine given that we had Thanksgiving this week and that involved three nights of fattening eating!
    • I tried out “quiet time” for my son on Tuesday instead of a nap since he slept so late that morning – and he did so great that I got to run on the treadmill for 40 minutes while my little guy napped and my big kid stayed in bed resting.  Huzzah!
    • Body fat gain makes sense given food content this past week. I’m not concerned (yet)!
    • I am shocked that I dropped weight this week, and 1.2 pounds at that. I did work really hard keeping Thanksgiving weight at bay. That paid off!