Weight: 214
Weekly Change: none
Overall Change: -5 from "starting weight" of 219
Next goal weight: 209
BMI: 31.1 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: still 38 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 18
Total Workouts: 1 :-(
Total Running Time: About 30 min.
Total Running Distance: 2.5 miles
Longest Single Run: 30 min./2.5 miles (no walking!)
Progress on Training Plan(s): I am have stalled in week 3 of this 10K training plan
Progress in Sit Up/Push Up Challenge: Up to 50 push ups and 100 crunches (halfway to my goal!!)
Highest Daily Step Count: unknown
Injury Report: This week it's an illness report. My cough kept getting worse and worse, causing me to miss two days of work and stop exercising entirely. There was one day where I didn't even log 1000 steps on my pedometer because I barely moved from the couch all day!! I'm back at work now but still coughing and still pretty miserable. I hope to feel better soon but I can't even guess when that will be. :-(
Last Week's Goal(s): Hmm. Well, I stuck to one piece of cake per day, so I guess I did accomplish one goal.
Next Event Goal: As soon as I register for the first 5K I've chosen, I'll list it here, but for now my next event remains the Marine Corps Marathon 10K in October.
This Week's Goals: (1) Run at least once. (2) Register for my next 5K. (3) GET BETTER.
Analysis: It has been a real bummer to be sick for the past week. I had some good momentum going with my running, and I'm worried it will be difficult to resume whenever I am well enough to try. And I hate not being able to take advantage of all the inspiration the Olympics provided me. I hope I can keep those memories fresh in my mind so they can still motivate me later! It seems like things were really moving along great, and then suddenly everything has been flipped upside down. My bike was stolen, so it may be quite a while before I ride again. And my pool is about to shut down for three weeks for its annual cleaning and maintenance. Given how crappy I still feel, I'm not sure I'll get one last swim in before that happens. UGH. I'm not happy about how things are going at the moment, but I am confident that this is only temporary. I set my goals small for this week so as not to discourage myself any further. Hopefully next week I'll be feeling 100% better and at least can get back to attacking my runs!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
First Five Gone {Weekly Summary}
Weight: 214
Weekly Change: -1
Overall Change: -5 from "starting weight" of 219
Next goal weight: 209
BMI: 31.1 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: still 38 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 18
Total Workouts: 6 (3 run, 2 swim, 1 bike)
Total Running Time: About 1 hour and 15 min.
Total Running Distance: about 6 miles.
Longest Single Run: 25 min./2.0 miles (no walking!)
Progress on Training Plan(s): I am starting week 3 of this 10K training plan
Progress in Sit Up/Push Up Challenge: Up to 49 push ups and 98 crunches
Highest Daily Step Count: 14,766 steps
Injury Report: Still doing the ice & ibuprofen after running, and it's still working. Pain is minimal, though it does randomly appear from time to time. I've also had a little pain return to the old busted toe. I'm still waiting for that toenail to come completely off eventually...
Last Week's Goal(s): I think I can say that I accomplished all of my goals last week! I definitely completed #1 and #2. I am fairly certain I've completed #3 as well, but I haven't taken the next step of actually registering for the races I've chosen, so I don't know if it counts.
Next Event Goal: As soon as I register for the first 5K I've chosen, I'll list it here, but for now my next event remains the Marine Corps Marathon 10K in October.
This Week's Goals: (1) Run at least twice, and swim and bike once each. (2) Register for my next 5K. (3) Don't eat more than one piece of cake per day.
Analysis: You may have noticed that I achieved my first mini-weight-loss goal, which was the highlight of my week! It has taken me SO LONG to finally get those first five pounds off, and it's particularly gratifying to accomplish it after making a determined effort to start focusing on my weight. I set a new mini goal -- another five pounds -- and I still have my sights set on the goal for my photo challenge. For this week, though, I didn't include losing another pound as one of my top three goals. I'm fighting a cough, which might interfere with my workouts, and there is a ton of birthday cake in my house (CAKE!!!!!), so I have a feeling this might be an off week. There's no sense in setting myself up for failure, so I'll just try to maintain my weight for now and aim for another loss next week!
Weekly Change: -1
Overall Change: -5 from "starting weight" of 219
Next goal weight: 209
BMI: 31.1 (obese) (using this calculator)
Waist Circumference: still 38 inches
Disease Risk: Very High (according to this chart)
Jeans Size: 18
Total Workouts: 6 (3 run, 2 swim, 1 bike)
Total Running Time: About 1 hour and 15 min.
Total Running Distance: about 6 miles.
Longest Single Run: 25 min./2.0 miles (no walking!)
Progress on Training Plan(s): I am starting week 3 of this 10K training plan
Progress in Sit Up/Push Up Challenge: Up to 49 push ups and 98 crunches
Highest Daily Step Count: 14,766 steps
Injury Report: Still doing the ice & ibuprofen after running, and it's still working. Pain is minimal, though it does randomly appear from time to time. I've also had a little pain return to the old busted toe. I'm still waiting for that toenail to come completely off eventually...
Last Week's Goal(s): I think I can say that I accomplished all of my goals last week! I definitely completed #1 and #2. I am fairly certain I've completed #3 as well, but I haven't taken the next step of actually registering for the races I've chosen, so I don't know if it counts.
Next Event Goal: As soon as I register for the first 5K I've chosen, I'll list it here, but for now my next event remains the Marine Corps Marathon 10K in October.
This Week's Goals: (1) Run at least twice, and swim and bike once each. (2) Register for my next 5K. (3) Don't eat more than one piece of cake per day.
Analysis: You may have noticed that I achieved my first mini-weight-loss goal, which was the highlight of my week! It has taken me SO LONG to finally get those first five pounds off, and it's particularly gratifying to accomplish it after making a determined effort to start focusing on my weight. I set a new mini goal -- another five pounds -- and I still have my sights set on the goal for my photo challenge. For this week, though, I didn't include losing another pound as one of my top three goals. I'm fighting a cough, which might interfere with my workouts, and there is a ton of birthday cake in my house (CAKE!!!!!), so I have a feeling this might be an off week. There's no sense in setting myself up for failure, so I'll just try to maintain my weight for now and aim for another loss next week!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
"Not Winning But Taking Part" {Inspiration of the Week}
If you know me at all, you should not be surprised that I'm posting about the Olympics again. Just count yourself lucky that this is only the second Olympic post so far, after nearly a week of competition!
The Olympic Games provide me with an endless source of inspiration, but today I'd like to focus on the people we don't see too much on NBC's main coverage. I'm talking about the athletes who are both not American and not very good. Well, I should clarify: I mean "not very good" by Olympic standards. I'm certain the slowest swimmer, runner, and cyclist could all lap me on my best day! But within the realm of athletes actually competing in these Games, there can be a pretty wide discrepancy of talent between the best and the ones who are lucky just to be there.
I love these little-known, little-seen athletes. They compete only in the earliest rounds of competition and rarely make it anywhere near a medal stand. They probably know from the start that they don't have much chance of winning, and yet they train as best they can and show up at the Olympics ready to give it their all while representing their countries. We tend to be myopic and focus only on the competitors from the powerhouse countries who send tons of elite athletes to these Games, but what we may not realize is that about half of the more than 200 participating countries send fewer than 10 athletes each. Some of these small teams happen to be among the top in the world at their sports, but many more have won their greatest contest just in earning a spot in the Games. To me, each one of these athletes is as much an Olympian as any gold medalist -- even Michael Phelps himself.
With a little over a week left in these Olympics, I challenge you to catch some of these athletes in action -- the ones who do it for the love of sport and not for the glory that comes with winning medals. You'll probably have to watch some live coverage online or on your smartphone in order to find them, because they're unlikely to make the mainstream coverage unless they unexpectedly emerge as stars for some reason. Watch them put forth their best effort, appreciate their commitment, and resolve to put that same degree of effort into the things you do -- the things that won't bring you glory but will change your life for the better if you take them on like an Olympian.
Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, best expressed what I'm trying to say here: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”
Fight well, my friend. Fight well every day, and you will be the champion of your own life.
The Olympic Games provide me with an endless source of inspiration, but today I'd like to focus on the people we don't see too much on NBC's main coverage. I'm talking about the athletes who are both not American and not very good. Well, I should clarify: I mean "not very good" by Olympic standards. I'm certain the slowest swimmer, runner, and cyclist could all lap me on my best day! But within the realm of athletes actually competing in these Games, there can be a pretty wide discrepancy of talent between the best and the ones who are lucky just to be there.
I love these little-known, little-seen athletes. They compete only in the earliest rounds of competition and rarely make it anywhere near a medal stand. They probably know from the start that they don't have much chance of winning, and yet they train as best they can and show up at the Olympics ready to give it their all while representing their countries. We tend to be myopic and focus only on the competitors from the powerhouse countries who send tons of elite athletes to these Games, but what we may not realize is that about half of the more than 200 participating countries send fewer than 10 athletes each. Some of these small teams happen to be among the top in the world at their sports, but many more have won their greatest contest just in earning a spot in the Games. To me, each one of these athletes is as much an Olympian as any gold medalist -- even Michael Phelps himself.
With a little over a week left in these Olympics, I challenge you to catch some of these athletes in action -- the ones who do it for the love of sport and not for the glory that comes with winning medals. You'll probably have to watch some live coverage online or on your smartphone in order to find them, because they're unlikely to make the mainstream coverage unless they unexpectedly emerge as stars for some reason. Watch them put forth their best effort, appreciate their commitment, and resolve to put that same degree of effort into the things you do -- the things that won't bring you glory but will change your life for the better if you take them on like an Olympian.
Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, best expressed what I'm trying to say here: “The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not winning but taking part; the essential thing in life is not conquering but fighting well.”
Fight well, my friend. Fight well every day, and you will be the champion of your own life.
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