Getting in shape??!? Could it be?

Something CrAzy happened at the gym this afternoon!  The treadmills I work out on have a heart rate monitor on the handlebars.  There is a target heart range posted on the machine that I've try to keep my heart rate at, and it usually isn't too much of a problem...until today.

I started off with my usual 5 minute warm up and tested my heart rate to make sure it was at the low end of the zone. Nope, way too low. "Strange," I thought and started doing  my interval jogging.  Right before I run and right after I test my heart rate (I don't like keeping my hands on the monitor the whole time) and my heart rate was much lower than it has been in the past.  Usually I have to slow myself down after a few jogging intervals because my heart rate is out of the target zone, but not today! I had to speed myself up a few times to stay on target.  Am I getting more in shape? Is that what could be going on? I hope so!  My body has gotten nearly 3 weeks of consistent exercise, so maybe!

Here are my results of the day:
Eating: 
1761 calories (Costco chicken bake did me in!)
Exercise: 
54 minutes on the treadmill (494 calories, 3.33 miles, 3.7 pace, 16:12, 135 av. heart rate)

My sister and her family are coming into town for a few days tomorrow. So I will be busy cleaning and getting ready for some fun guests. Have a great weekend!

Day 18 Results

Exercise:
55 minutes on the treadmill (477 calories, 3.26 miles, 3.55 mph, 16:52 Pace, 142 HR)

Eating: 
1361 Calories

Day 17

Today was kind of a "meh" day. Not super, not horrible. My workout definitely reflected that. I finished my 5K distance, but not until 50:30.  My knee was bothering me a bit during the last 1/3 of the workout so I stopped jogging.

Hoping my "get up and go" will be back in the morning. :)

Eating:
1557 calories

Exercise:
55 minutes on the treadmill (484 calories, 3.27 miles, 16:47 pace, 136 heart rate)
15 minutes abs

Results Day Sixteen-Channeling my inner Jillian

I'm finding it hard to believe it has already been 16 days since I started Win, Lose or Blog.  It has been a great experience for me so far.

One of the questions we were asked in the application process was, "Why is this time going to be different?" It was a hard question to answer, because when you try to lose weight over and over again you start to doubt yourself, your self confidence (at least in the weight loss area) takes a huge hit every time you fail: "Why can't I do this? What is wrong with me?"

So why is this time going to be different?

First, I have an accountability that I've never had before. Every day I'm expected to report on how I ate and exercised.

Second, I'm focusing more on meeting an athletic goal than on how many calories I'm burning. Seriously, this is making such a huge difference for me! I've always admired runners, I love seeing them cross the finish line, I'm impressed by their drive to keep going and accomplish a goal. THIS time, I'm working on a 5K distance, with the goal of jog/walking one in 45 minutes.  When I'm on the treadmill, I'm watching my time, I'm checking out my pace, I'm trying to step it up and finish a little faster each time.  Before Win, Lose or Blog when I was on a treadmill I'd be constantly checking out "how much time do I have left? Have I burned enough calories yet?" And that made my exercise miserable! I'm finding it amazing that I don't even notice the time left, I'm not worried about the calories. That feels great!

I'm going to visit my family in Utah in August and I'm trying to find a 5K I can run while I'm there. It would be wonderful to finish it in a time FASTER than 45 minutes.  I'm thinking of moving my goal to 38 minutes. Kind of a random number, but it sounds good doesn't it?

Third, I'm pushing myself.  I absolutely LOVE the show "Losing it with Jillian," and how hard the people on the show are pushed by Jillian.  She tests them to show them how capable they are of doing hard things.  When I'm on the treadmill and the time comes to jog, I think about what Jillian would say to ME and I push myself to run longer and faster each interval.

So why is this time different for you?

Eating: 
1331 Calories

Exercise: 
Treadmill: 55 minutes (476 calories, 3.23 miles, 3.52 mph, 17:00 pace, 120 Heart rate)
Weights: 15 minutes arms (dumbbells, kettle balls)

Woohoo!

I went to the gym tonight and finished my 5K at 47:10...I'm thisclose to hitting my 45 minute goal. Woohoo! I was on track for the first two miles (finished each at a 15 minute pace) but I got super tired at the end and just didn't have it in me to run anymore.

That's all.

I'm just excited about it. :)

Helloooo!

Hi everyone!
I've been out of town without internet access (AAAuuuuggggh the horror!) all weekend. We had a great time, and I did pretty good! I found a way to exercise every day (although probably not to the normal intensity I've been used to) and did good on my eating.
I'm totally excited to be back and am getting my shoes on to hit the gym as soon as I'm done with this quick update.

I was a little sad that our results didn't get updated on the main page because some people didn't weigh-in.  I sent my weight in on Friday (down two pounds) since I knew I'd be away from the computer. I'm hoping my fellow contestants send in their weight soon so we can see where we're at.

I'm hoping for a bigger loss this week, I need it to reach my Win, Lose or Blog weight loss goal!

How was your fourth? Hope it was a good one!

Full Disclosure

Did you know, that it only takes 11 Doritos chips to equal 150 calories? Also, did you know, if you eat some you might very well be outed by your 2 year old when she says, "You have Cheetos fingers mommy!"

I told you in the beginning there would be full disclosure. And this afternoon I screwed up. At the risk of too much disclosure...I am about to start my period and get INTENSE salt cravings right about now. The Doritos tasted really, REALLY yummy. Yummy enough that I ate (gulp) TWO servings of them.  So today wasn't great calorie wise. But the good news is I *mindfully* ate the chips (counting as I went) and didn't just give up my whole eating healthy because of one slip up.  I also went to the gym afterwards and did a hard workout.  Just trying to look on the bright size.

Tomorrow we leave to go out of town for the weekend. I'm worried because I'm not sure how I will exercise. Any tips about what to do at a friends weekend condo? No gym, not sure if there is a close by running path.  I am bringing some of my own food and will be watching calories as usual, but it is a bit scary! Wish me luck!

So here are my results for the day:
Calories:  1480
Exercise:
Treadmill: 55 minutes (520 calories, 3.36 miles, 3.67 average mph, 16:19 mile, heartrate 128)

Wanna know something cool? I shaved 30 seconds off my 5K time today, I finished a 5k at 48:30. Woohoo!