Weekly Weigh In: The Scary Halloween Edition

I think I might be a Sopranos character for Halloween this year, only because I flipped off my scale this morning and was tempted to threaten it until it showed me the numbers I wanted to see. C'mon!!! I lost 0.8 pounds this week (yay, loss, she says sarcastically) but I'm 0.6 pounds away from my 50 pound mark. That's it. A lousy bit more than a half pound. I worked my butt off this week, and I'm so mad at what happened weight-wise. Grr. (okay, vent over. I am happy that I lost this week, but seriously, I thought I'd be in the 170s this morning, but I'm *STILL* in the 180s. Gimme a break!)

As I mentioned on Miz's blog, I was thoroughly disappointed in the whole BL Oprah edition. Basically, they paraded everyone from the last Ali-won season. It was like a WOW look at their transformation. It was a bit depressing, because everyone said they spend two hours at the gym daily to maintain what they lost on the ranch. Huh? That is not going to work in this little girl's life. One hour a day is what I can give up (okay, that's a lie, I probably could give more, but that would be bordering on exercise obsessiveness!) And it sounds like the guys had the biggest struggles with who they were in this new body.

This is something I've talked with a lot of you about... how you see yourself. I'm getting a lot better with recognizing myself in THIS body, my 180ish pound body vs. my 235ish pound body. One of the things I did this year was go through my closet and get rid of my once too tight size 20pluses. But there are still some things I held onto because they didn't look that bad. Uh, that's a lie. Too big clothes look as ridiculous as too tight clothes. But yet... and many of you know about this... there are days when I lay out my clothes in the morning, and I think, uh, no, I'm so not going to fit in that today. But then I do. Amazing. It's a mind-game, just like running is.

Another thing Jillian and Bob talked about was working out. Bob says you should have one rest day, Jillian says two. Hmm. What do YOU do? I try to exercise at least 5-6 times a week. But let me tell you... if I *only* exercise five times in one week, I do feel guilty. Why couldn't I have gone to the gym for day 6? Or did a video? Or gone for a walk? How many days a week do YOU exercise? Do you try to hit a certain goal? Do you feel guilty if you don't?

Have a good weekend!!

Just. Keep. Going.

OMG OMG OMG.... Bob and Jillian are going to be on Oprah. TODAY. THURSDAY. I just found out and rearranged my schedule so I can be home to watch (good thing I have no office hours/classes on Thursdays!!) Obviously, more on this tomorrow!!

There is this point on the "30 Day Shred" video that Jillian says "I know you think you're going to DIE... but you're not." That's where I was today. Today was my first 27 minute run, and I really thought about not doing it at all (stupid cold winter-like weather and stupid me for picking a 5K at the beginning of December). On Monday morning, when I did my last 25 minute run, I expanded my running area past the stadium/hospital complex and onto the roads/sidewalks around there. I decided to go in the opposite direction of where I went on Monday, just to challenge myself a bit. This is how the run went:

The first 17 minutes was fine. In fact, easy. (wow... did I just say that?) Nice, flat/downhill area. Then, around 17.5 minutes, I got hot. As in sweaty hot. I was running with a long-sleeved wicking shirt under a sweatshirt plus gloves... it's cold out there!!! So I stopped and took my sweatshirt off and tied it around my waist. Then, I faced the mountain. Ha. Seriously, I knew it was coming at the end of my run. So, I started running up it. I kept thinking as cars drove past me, that their drivers were thinking "OMG... she's going to die." In my head, I started thinking "OMG... I'm going to die." And then Jillian's voice popped in my head: "NO YOU ARE NOT." So, I started thinking more positively. Slow and steady wins the race. You're almost at the top. Just. Keep. Going.

And I did. And after 27 minutes, I saw that I had run 2.14 miles. That's a 12.5 minute mile!!!!!! I seriously was so proud of myself. Heck, I still am!!! I'm feeling a lot more confident about the 5K in 5 weeks. I kept having dreams about finishing the 5K in 45 minutes-- the last person across the finish line-- but if I continue at this pace, I'll be done in about 35 minutes, which is totally acceptable. I think that I can easily start running for 30 minutes at a time (which I'm going to try on Saturday and see how that works out). Trust me, I'm all smiles today :)

BL Recap: All Right Already!!!

Really really quick before I grade...

I missed the first half hour. I gathered about the Blue Team winning a temptation/challenge (what on earth would you call that?) and adding 40 pounds to the Black Team's weight at the actual hanging on a pulley challenge. (I also missed Bob calling Vicki "Shakespearean"... she's SO Lady MacBeth... damn.) Anyway, I think Phil is a big wimp. Dude, I was waiting for you to tighten your grip on that rope. Geez... to be shown up by Renee???? Should have put her in the middle.

Missed the last chance workout half hour... on the phone with my mom. But the weigh ins??? I hate Brady (but you already know that) AND Vicki AND Heba. I'm glad Phil went home (big wuss, and really? A vote for Michelle??) BUT I can't wait for next week. I love when they let old cast members rejoin (yay!! like Ali last year!!!) and that they're all going individual. Think that Vicki and Brady will end up hurting each other when they turn individual?

That's all for now. Need to grade before I head to the gym. I have another hot date tonight with the elliptical :) Tell me what YOU thought of BL!!

My motivation for the gym

Sorry for the lack of blog updates this week... work/life is crazy.

What make me go to the gym when I don't want to? The fact that I shell out $36 a month for it. That's what is making me go there right now and fulfill my date with the elliptical. I could do a video. I could do nothing. But I want my money's worth :)

There very probably will not be a BL update this week. Sorry kids!

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Here is my post gym update. Yes, I go to the old people gym (E will tell you that). But what drives me crazy is that the people in the 50+ range don't give a CRAP about form when they are lifting weights. I saw this guy do a tricep kickback today, and I swear, I thought he was going to hurt himself. I also saw some 50 year old lady doing bicep curls, and again, lifting with ridiculously heavy weights, and doing exaggerated Sly Stallone movements. Oy.

Music Motivation

I read on The Daily Spark that we should make different playlists to go with the different activities we do: running, elliptical, cross-training, etc. I decided to spend a little bit of time on my Saturday to do this (so much better than cleaning my bathroom). In the process, I learned a little bit about myself and my music.

1) According to my "Top 25 Most Played" list, I've played "Waterloo" by ABBA 190 times, by far the most played song in my Itunes. "SOS" by ABBA was a distant second, played 83 times. I blame a random watching of "Muriel's Wedding" and then my viewing of "Mamma Mia!" And, seriously, who does not love "Waterloo" or ABBA?

2) My friend R and I exchanged CDs back in September of running music. My list to her included: "I'm Every Woman" by Whitney Houston, "Stronger" by Britney Spears, "Lose Yourself" by Eminem, "Labels or Love" by Fergie, "Stronger" by Kanye West, "Celebrity Skin" by Hole, "You Can Do It" by Ice Cube, "Canned Heat" by Jamiroquai, "Stupid Girls" by Pink, "Hung Up" by Madonna, "I Don't Wanna Be In Love" by Good Charlotte, "Fighter" by Christina Aguilera, "When I Grow Up" by the Pussycat Dolls, "She Bangs" by Ricky Martin, "Gonna Fly Now" from the Rocky movies, "4 Minutes" by Madonna and JT, and "Brand New Day" by Sting.

3) My recently purchased music includes "Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry, "Keeps Gettin' Better" by Christina Aguilera, "Mama Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J, "Groove is in the Heart" by Deee-Lite, and "Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads. I've started noticing that my radio listening turns into "running song analysis", as in, "this sounds like a good workout song."

4) Prior to this new playlist kick, I had 162 songs on my Ipod Shuffle. Unfortunately, I found myself shuffling to some specific songs, so I think these playlists are going to help me. Like "Thnks fr th Mmrs" by Fallout Boy. Not a Fallout Boy fan at all, but it is perfect for a mid-elliptical pickup.

5) Cheesy songs get me moving. Take, for instance, "Baby Got Back" by Sir Mix-a-Lot. Yes, it's on my Shuffle. Yes, it is cheesy beyond belief and it makes me think of that episode of Friends where Rachel got her baby to not cry by singing it. However, if you got some JLo-type authentic booty (like me), you've got to embrace it. (Sidenote: I love on the 30 Day Shred when Jillian tells us to stick our butts out when we're doing squats... "Ain't no shame ladies!" She cracks me up.) "So Cosmo says you're fat? Well, I ain't down with that. Cuz your waist is small and your curves are kicking..." Yes, in all the misogynistic lyrics that are included in this song, sometimes, Sir M. comes up with some nice points.

So what songs are you totally loving right now? Tell me some cheesy/wouldn't tell your friends you like them songs that you LOVE to work out to. I'd like to know that I'm not the only one obsessed with teeny bopper music at the gym!

Weekly Weigh In: Basking in the Love

I lost 2.2 pounds this week... which brings me to my lowest weight since starting this weight loss journey. WOOT!!! I reached my lowest point back in June before I went to Spain and then spent a month at home with my family, barely exercising and eating whatever I wanted. (Bad Kiki!) But look! Look!!! I'm 1.4 pounds away from reaching my 50 pound goal. I'm hoping to reach it next week, but....

I've made a decision not to hang things up on deadlines. For instance, I'm not going to tell myself that I need to lose my next 50 pounds by June. It took me over a year to get these 48.6 pounds off. I refuse to get hung up on those deadlines. I look better than I have in a long time and I feel fantastic. I'll probably look better and feel even better when I'm rid of these last 50 pounds, but you know what... it'll happen. For instance, I told myself that I wouldn't redesign my blog until I hit that 50 pound mark. Well, I was REALLY getting sick of my old background. So, I changed it. And you know what? I think it motivates me a little bit to giggle at my "pound" ticker at the top of the page (I'm such a nerd, forgive me) and to see the new cute argyle background. Why do we do this to ourselves? Are we going to continue punishing ourselves for losing "only" a half pound or a pound a week? THAT IS THE AVERAGE. Just roll with it.

As for my doctor's appointment... first off, I got weighed in, fully clothed and shod, which is not what I do at home. According to the doctor's chart, I lost about 22 pounds since I was last there in November (ear infection, which is when she mentioned putting tubes in my ears... thank goodness that cleared up). Anyway, the nurse (who's chubby herself) starts asking me what I've been doing to lose my weight, and I told her that I'm just eating better and exercising, to which she gave me a "Yeah, right" look. Why is it that fat people think that other fat people are using some magic recipe to get rid of excess weight? It's all about calories in/calories out!!! Oh, and as a former hypertension patient (complete with meds), I'm happy to report that my BP was 124/78. Woot! Then the doctor comes in and also commends me for my weight loss. I ask her about my exercise induced asthma, which is triggered by the cold weather, and she suggests that I might want to exercise indoors. I told her that I will, but for now, I'm training for a 5K on December 7, and I need to work on it outside. To which she was like, that is AWESOME. Seriously, I thought she was going to high-five me. So, her solution is two fold: take a hit off of my inhaler BEFORE I exercise (rather than waiting until I get asthma related symptoms) and if it's REALLY cold, think about putting a scarf or something over my mouth and nose. Since I've moved my training to the afternoons when it's warmer, I'm hoping that it isn't much of an issue .

Don't Call It a Comeback

I've had "Momma Said Knock You Out" by LL Cool J stuck in my head over the last few days, especially that one line. This whole fitness thing is a lot of ebb and flow, between not being motivated, being sick or being too busy. Yesterday, I had a flu shot around 12:30. By 3:30, my arm was in total pain. I read online that they administer the flu shot directly into a muscle, which is why it gets so sore. I decided to skip the 30 Day Shred last night (ha! plank on that arm? ha!) and again this morning, even though I'm feeling better. I don't want to push it. I did 45 minutes on the elliptical last night as well as this morning. Today was supposed to be a running day, but because I run near/around my university's football stadium, and we're having a Thursday night football game, that wasn't going to happen. I went to the gym and attempted to make nice with the treadmill. Nope, couldn't do it. I gave up after about 2 minutes of uncertainty and just went on the elliptical. I'll attempt my run tomorrow, and then again on Sunday.

I'm going to the doctor today. It's time for my annual checkup, plus I really want to talk to her about my exercise induced asthma. I've been battling asthma since I was 3. What I had when I was a child was ridiculous, but it got better as I grew up. The only time my asthma started bothering me again was when I moved from Florida to West Virginia and started walking up the hills and steps in and around campus. I needed to get an emergency inhaler for those attacks (and still, I didn't do anything about my weight. D'oh!). Since I've lost weight and gotten more fit, it isn't much of an issue anymore, but since it's gotten cooler (and now colder) my asthma kicks it into high gear after a run. I get kind of wheezy and raspy and (TMI) really phlem-y. So, I want to discuss this with her, because I don't want my asthma to stand in the way of me kicking my fitness into high gear. Wish me luck!

My horoscope... again

Geez... what is up with my (aries) horoscope lately. Check out the one for today: You are much more playful and physical than usual, which may be saying quite a bit! Today is great for starting a new routine at the gym, getting back into yoga or taking the stairs instead of the elevator. Hmmm.... interesting.

Biggest Loser: Black Widow

Just a little update on me before I start hating on the Biggest Loser. Went for my run yesterday, and honestly, I seemed to run into everyone I know. The priest from my church. One of my grad students. Geez. I never run into people, but today I did. I did 1.89 miles in 25 minutes, which is about a 13 minute mile. Yeah, I'm slow. But I have seven weeks until my race, and so I'll just be happy doing it in 35-40 minutes, which translates into a 11 or 12 minute mile. I guess my biggest issue with running where I run, is that there are a lot of hills, hidden and explicit (as in, "oh, that didn't LOOK like a hill, but ouch" vs. "gd, that is one big hill ahead of me"). All in all, I'd say this run was a-okay.

Biggest Loser time.... you know the drill if you didn't watch it.


I hate Vicky. I know, my mom told me to never say that I hate someone, but really I do. She is manipulating the show, she and Brady are throwing their weights, they totally made up that story about Phil going up to Brady and asking for them to save his wife, and Heba is just dumb if she thinks that she can depend on them to stay in the game. I hate that she said they were there to win $350,000. Not to lose weight. Not to get healthy. But to win the money. Ugh. I hate her.

The episode was kind of boring in my opinion. The teams did some different exercises: The Blue Team was all Cirque d'Soleil with some rope/material type aerobatics. The Black Team did a challenge course which reminded me a lot of a challenge course zip cord that challenged *me* as a RA my senior year in college. Then, they had their weekly challenge that involved balancing. The prize was a video from home, which Vicky quickly deemed as "unworthy" and "non-beneficial". Whatever. Lots of people have commented on how Vicky doesn't play the game, she doesn't consider her team... this made me wonder what kind of mother she is that she doesn't want to see her children. WTH? The Black Team won, and they were surprised to find that the videos weren't videos, but instead, live teleconferencing with their families. Awesome. The weighins were awesome... geez. The Black Team kicked some major behind!!!! The Blue Team lost, with Vicky being the "biggest loser" and therefore, winning immunity, and they all ganged up on Red Amy and kicked her off. It was so dumb. And what is up with Bob's hair? What is he doing that makes it look so different.

Sorry for the short BL rundown. I'm in the middle of a research project, and I would like to go vote early today. Leave me a comment and tell *me* how you felt about Vicky and the negativity surrounding the Biggest Loser this year.

Written in the Stars

So, here's my horoscope for today (it's yours too, if you're an Aries): Your energy today is perfect for physical exercise of any kind, from walking an extra block to running a marathon. Don't overdo it, of course, but expect a little boost just when you need it most. Funny, because today IS a running day for me. I'm doing it after work, which seems to be working out best for me. I'm starting week seven of C25K, which are 25 minute runs. I'm excited. I've been planning out a new route for my runs, and I think I have enough there for a good 25 minute run.

My weekend was great. Friday night, went to the gym and sweated it out on the elliptical. Saturday, got up and did my first 25 minute run. I was dying by the end of it, but at the same time, I totally pushed through it. My pedometer guesstimates that I ran about 1.8 miles in that time, so I want to work on my distance (um... don't want to be running a 5K near the 50 minute mark!!!) and speed. I also went hiking with E on Saturday. We got a bit lost, but at the same time, had a lot of fun... 5 miles total, half of it uphill.

My week is a busy one. Done with grading until next week, working on some research (read, entering data), and still advising... I'm scheduling my workouts for the evening as a kind of reward for the day spent working hard.

A Note from Dr. Kiki

I've been at my current university for three years now, which has given me plenty of time to get some Dr. Kiki groupies. You know those kids... the ones who take every single class you offer because they think you're 1) cool, 2) easy, or 3) both. I had my first groupie group during my first and second year here, and yesterday, one of these groupies came to visit me. This young man ended up sitting in my office for close to an hour shooting the breeze (it was a Friday, and quite honestly, all I had to do on my list was grading, and I was avoiding it as much as he was avoiding his work). E stopped by before she was heading home, and asked if we were still on for hiking tomorrow. After I said "definitely!", my groupie turned to me with a big smile on his face and said, "Really? You don't seem like the hiking type."

Granted, I was sitting in the office in my blue cashmere sweater, black pencil skirt and heels (yes, it was Friday, but I had lunch with the dean earlier in the day... be thankful that I didn't wear my pearls, which I whip out for ALL career related moments). Stylewise, I like to think of myself as someone like Charlotte out of Sex and the City, classic but chic. Seriously, when I reach my goal weight, I'm going on a shopping spree at Ann Taylor and Talbots. I love that stuff. And yes, I wouldn't be caught dead in public without my hair flat ironed. Or makeup. Or earrings. And a bracelet. And my favorite ring. But does that make me prissy? Does that make me a non-hiker?

The answer to that question is a big old Whitney Houston "hell to the no". Just because I like hiking and running outdoors doesn't mean that I need to be granola crunchy 24/7. It means that I can shop at Ann Taylor for cashmere (yay! nothing makes me happier!) AND Target for cheapo sports bras. I can wear four inch heels AND Asics. I can flat iron my hair AND pull it back under a cap for a run. Don't judge a book by its cover :)

Weekly Weigh In: A Pink Post

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and a ton of my favorite bloggers have already talked about it. Breast cancer has touched my life in more ways than I'd like to think about. My aunt is a survivor. My mom has had a few biopsies to see if her lumps are or are not cancer. I have friends whose moms, sisters, aunts are dealing with the disease. I'm an avid GMA watcher and love Robin Roberts (and her funky hair!)... people, the disease is everywhere. Take care of yourself. Check your boobies for lumps. Buy a fun lunchbag that supports breast cancer awareness (I've had one since last year, it's insulated and it rocks!). Participate in one of the many breast cancer walks or runs that go on this month or in the spring. DO SOMETHING.

On the other hand, I gained a bit this week, just about 1.5 pounds. Ugh. I'm getting so sick of this plateau/maintaining/whatever awful name we want to give it. I think part of it is that I've become active again after not doing much for two weeks, plus, it's that TOM. Lovely. I'm sure next week will be MUCH better.

Have a good weekend! Enjoy the lovely fall weather!

In the Cold (WV) Rain

I had a really stressful day at school today. Between advising and dealing with a problem student, I needed to get out of there. So, I came home, changed, and went for a run. Today's C25K interval was a 10 minute run, a 3 minute walk, and then another 10 minute run. Been there, done that! I was so proud of myself of pounding it out. I also noticed that I feel like a better runner when I go in the afternoon. Maybe I'm just not a morning person all around? I'm not awake enough to actually run in the morning? Maybe I just have a lot of aggression after work? Who knows?

Anyway, I've been tagged by RooBabs to tell y'all 6 random things about me. Hold on, let me get my water bottle before I start....okay, now I'm set!

1. I love tap dancing. I mentioned this before, but seriously, I looooooooooooooove it. I tapped from age 5 until age 17, and then quit when I was in college. I was involved in a competition group for five years, and it made me love it that much more. We danced a lot to swing and big band music, and once in a while, I'll bust out a little move in my kitchen, just to see if I still have it in me.

2. I wanted to be a screenwriter for as long as I can remember. Okay, that's a lie. I *still* want to be a screenwriter. My dream was to go to NYU film school, but my family didn't have much money, and my mom convinced me to do something more realistic, something that I could actually make a living off of (I'm not blaming her for any of my choices in live... my life is pretty darn good as a professor). Anywho, I took a creative writing class in college, and was slogging through with Bs, until it was time to write a small play. I thought this was my big test, to see if my prof thought that I could actually write something that I wanted to make a living off of. And I got an A+. And a note from my professor telling me that she thought it was one of the best student plays she read (and she's an Iowa MFA if that means anything to you). So, I still have that play... and I would like to turn it into something. Some day. After tenure.

3. I'm allergic to all pets. Never had one. Woe is me.

4. I didn't eat pistachios for over a decade. I used to love them, but I was at a family party when I was 10 and ate a WHOLE bunch of them. That night, I got violently ill, with an awful stomach flu. I blamed the pistachios. Only recently have I had some pistachio gelato and really enjoyed it. I guess I'm over my pistachio stomach flu blame.

5. I'm not a true girly girl (I wouldn't say that I'm a complete tomboy either... I fall somewhere in between there), but I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE the color pink. Sorry. I denied it for years. Now I buy everything in pink. It's almost disgusting :)

6. I have an addiction to stationary. Seriously, when I'm in a city and there's a Papyrus or a Paper Source or a Crane's stationary store... I need to go in. I need to buy something. And yes, I still send letters to my friends. One of my best friends from college and I send each other weekly letters. It makes me feel very Jane Austen/Elizabeth Bennet. Love it!

I won't tag anyone, mainly because they've been tagged already, but if you want to join the fun, please do so!!!!

Sore Loser

The soreness refers to me, the loser bit, obviously Biggest Loser, which was on last night. But let's talk about me first. Sorry about the lag in blog posts... this is a pretty busy time of year at work, when we advise undergrads as to what they should be taking next year. Basically, it takes a big bite out of my research time, so I've been spending some extra time at the office. However, it doesn't mean that I haven't been working out. Yesterday, I got up and went for a run. I'm still on week 6 of C25K, which meant that I redid that weird interval (5 min walk, 5 min run, 3 min walk, 8 min run, 5 min walk, 5 min run, 5 min walk) and again, I kicked its butt. Time to move on. I've decided to continue on Level 1 of Jillian's 30 Day Shred, mainly because I was so sore after Monday's workout... I'll reevaluate what I want to do at the end of the week. Move on before the ten days are up? Stay, rinse and repeat?

And y'all will be so proud of me (especially you Miz!)... I got up at 6:30 this morning. 6:30!!! Granted it was completely dark outside, but I got up, put my clothes on and went to the gym. I can't believe that I had my workout in for the day before 8:30AM!!! I rock :) And I think I'm going to keep doing it, because, in all honesty, it wasn't that bad.

Okay... Biggest Loser SPOILERS ahead. Stop now if you don't want to know!

I'm really starting to dislike Heba. Wah wah, my husband went home, wah wah, I really need to stay with Bob. As much as I don't like Phil, he did have a point in trying to sway the game his way. So, we start with a Temptation. Ali announces that all the teams will be dismantled, and the players will become individuals competing against each other, but forming the infamous black (Jillian) and blue (Bob) teams. The temptation is that whoever eats the most calories (in the dark) will be able to pick who goes on what team. Heba starts arguing, saying that she wants to control this because Ed is gone, and she needs this control, blah blah blah, arguing with Purple Amy, when Phil just gets up and tries to sneakily eat some PB cups. Then Heba starts eating donuts... and Purple Amy flips out and eats a brownie. Doesn't matter, because Heba at the most calories. She splits the two teams who worked against her: Red and Purple. So, Heba's on the Blue team, with Vicki and Brady, Red Amy, and Purple Amy. Jillian's Black team includes Phil, Shellay, Coleen, Michelle, and Renee. Seems pretty fair because the guys are evenly distributed on both teams (and we're obviously set up for another female Biggest Loser).

They have to participate in an all day challenge, hiking up and down a hill and taking pictures at the top and the bottom. They get a point for each person in the picture, and a bonus if the whole team is in the picture. Vicki starts complaining about her knee, and that puts the Blue team at a disadvantage. So, while the Black Team is working as a whole, getting six points a pop, the Blue Team decides to do it as individuals. The two teams all agree to take a break, and Shellay fears that someone is out there cheating. I have to agree with her. I could totally see Heba, Vicki, or Brady being completely sneaky, but we find out that she's wrong... and the Black Team won, getting a two pound advantage in the weigh in.

The weigh in was great, with the Black Team going first. Michelle (who created some drama this week about leaving because she felt she was betraying her dad by being on the ranch with Renee, but in the end, decided to stay) had the highest loss on the Black Team, and with the pass, they set the bar with 33 pounds lost (er, or 32? I can't remember). The Blue Team starts to weigh in, and by the end, Red Amy and Heba need to lose a combined 12 pounds... and they loose more!!! Red Amy lost 6, and Heba lost 8 (pays to be the heaviest woman at the ranch, no?) and so, the Black Team had to choose who on their team was going home. (Side note: NBC it was SO WRONG of you to play Heba's victory dance in slo-mo... I so didn't need to see every bit of her fat ripple as she danced. I still have issues with the men wearing shirts through the weigh in while the women have to stand there in their sports bras.) It was a dumb choice in sending Shellay home, mainly because NONE of them were playing the game. Shellay is NOT a threat for the Biggest Loser, mainly because she was already in the 180s, and she was losing slower. I did feel bad for Purple Amy though... it will be rough for her when she finds out her mom is gone. And wow-- Purple Amy is looking GREAT. I think I'm noticing a lot of changes in the women, especially, but Amy is looking good. Could she be this year's Brittany?

My alarm = my nemisis

I set my alarm for 6:30 this morning, and when NPR woke me up to some discussion about our financial crisis (seriously, I'm sooooo sick of the news), I hit snooze. For an hour. Finally got out of bed around 7:20, and decided that, yes, today was the day that was going to go back to the gym. I have not been to the gym since September. At first I hurt my knee, then I was sick, and then I went home for the weekend (nothing like a nice relaxing weekend at home to get you recharged!!!). So, it was back to the gym for me. A lot of you have been asking about the 30 Day Shred. That went on the shelf as well after my injury/sickness/mini-vaca. So, today, I did Level 1, because I was worried that after 10 days of not doing it if I would be able to jump back into Level 2. I could have, because even though I broke a sweat, Level 1 was not all that challenging. So, tomorrow will be Level 2 Day 1 for me, and I'll progress from there.

Hope y'all had a good weekend. Can't wait for my run tomorrow!!!!

Weekly Weigh In: A Day Late and Early

Biggest Loser last night was a bit boring. Maybe I'm just a tough customer to please today, but I feel like I'm watching the same thing, week after week. SPOILER ALERT: Ed went home. Heba is left by herself. It was close... Coleen found herself under the yellow line early, but then Ed didn't lose any weight (Heba lost 8 pounds-- you go girl!) They decided to leave Heba there, because their ultimate goal is to have children soon, and they'd like to get Heba ready for that. And in the "where are they now?" segment... wow! Ed is doing a fantastic job on his own at home. He lost somewhere close to 80 pounds. Awesome.

As for me, I lost 0.2 pounds this week. That makes me happy, because I was sick and didn't work out at all this week. So, maintaining = good. I'm going to visit my mom this weekend, which is ALWAYS a diet wrecker. My family is a big "social" eating family. Sometimes I behave, and others I don't. I'm guessing since I'm hormonal, I might not be behaving, but what I like about being home is the fact that I can go running or walking on sidewalks, not like here, where sidewalks just run out or the railtrail, which is a bit of a shady place for a girl to go running on her own. I'm going to use the weekend to ease back into my training, and then when I come back next week... as long as I am feeling well, I won't be pushing myself if I'm still in the blah category... it'll be full force. Looking forward to that makes me excited :) Have a good weekend!

My Officially Whiny Post

Yesterday just stank. Woke up over my stomach bug... and around 1 or 2PM, felt the beginnings of a cold coming on. Seriously, folks, put me in a bubble and allow me to get sick. I have not had any full blown symptoms on ANY of this, which is really frustrating. I didn't puke my guts up, I don't have a fever, but yet, I'm miserable. So, instead of running last night, I went home, put my jammies on, and watched a few episodes of Frasier on DVD until 8PM...

Which is when the Biggest Loser started. I thought it was only going to be an hour long because of the debate (which don't even get me started on how awful and boring that was, Tom Brokaw was the most awful moderator ever), but then... nope, continued at 9PM on Wednesday. Which means I was stuck watching my least favorite portion of the show (I really just enjoy the last chance workouts and the weigh ins).

So... here's my whiny, half-watching-the-show-because-I-was-talking-to-my-mom-on-the-phone review of last night's BL. Vicky (brown witch) was complaining that she has a lot of knee injuries so she can't run. Boo hoo. And that her hubby holds her back. Boo hoo. Does that give you license to be mean to everyone else on earth??? The Purple Team was getting on Jillian's last nerve (I actually giggled when the preview before commercial said that)... it all culminated with Jillian telling purple Amy to leave the gym (which the idiot did, smirking...won't be smirking at weigh in tonight!) and making the pink team cry (they know how to turn on the waterworks, don't they?) The Red Team got to go home and see their kids, which looked pretty cool (I was busy discussing Cloris Leachman's performance on DWTS on Monday night with my mom at this point... HILARIOUS!) and then there was the challenge. They had to stand on a little trapeze like beam in water, balancing with their arms and legs on these little handles, while the water rushed out of the pool, making it harder for them to balance themselves. The prize was a care package from home. Brown Witch and Purple Amy were the last two left... and Brown Witch won. But she was a kindly Witch, and gave the Purple Team the other care package. And that's all. BO-RING. Little did I know what was to come in the debate later....

My biggest whine of the evening is that I haven't worked out since Sunday. According to my scale, I haven't gained anything, but that's probably because I've been barely eating anything either (thank you stomach bug). I just feel so lazy (and tired and stuffy, but that's another thing). Seriously, when you work out, you just feel so good about yourself. Working out makes me feel strong and hard, like nothing can stop me. Except germs, obviously. So, are my muscles any smaller or less hard because I haven't worked out in 72 hours? From my perception, they are. But that might just be me, sitting on my couch, whining.

Racin' Frustration!!!!!

So, let me tell you a bit about trying to run in a 5K in my hometown. My university gets the whole week of Thanksgiving off, so I plan on heading to my hometown the Thursday beforehand, since I don't teach on either Thursday or Friday. After doing a google search of 5Ks in or around my hometown (runnersworld.com is great for this as well), I found that there is a 5K in a township near my hometown on Saturday, November 22nd. AWESOME. I can race in that, and then not have to worry about my turkey/pumpkin roll obsession on the 27th. I email the contact dude, and this is the response I get: "Sure, I'll send you the registration packet, BUT the race is on the 8th NOT the 22nd." Hmm... curious, not what runnersworld.com said to me. So I send him the link, just so he knows that his name, email address, and November 22nd are linked up somewhere in the internets and his response again: "Hmm... that link isn't working for me." At this point I want to scream at him through the computer screen!!! Don't be an idiot! It worked for me! It worked for my cousin who said she would run the race with me! A few days later, I double check on it. It now says November 8th. Hmm.

So, where does that leave me? There is another "turkey trot" in my hometown the Saturday AFTER Thanksgiving. It's at 9AM on the day that I usually do my five hour drive back to the university where I teach. And no, I don't want to be on the road on the Sunday after Thanksgiving. I remember having issues when I was in college, sitting for an hour, waiting for two interstates to merge nicely. No, thank you. So, the race on the 29th is out for me.

Which leads me to the race that I now have my eye on. It's the last 5K in my university town... at the beginning of December. I really didn't want to wait that long to race, but it's either that or wait until the spring. I definitely know that I'll be ready for a December race, and it will be something doable, as it's the Saturday before finals, which means there really won't be anything on my (grading) plate. So, there you have it. I'm adding another ticker to the top of my page to help me count down to my first 5K! I think it will be great to get this done at the end of this year, since really, this is the first calendar year that I've been active in a looooooooong time!

Gonna Fly Now

I pretty much took it easy this weekend due to my knee injury. By Saturday, thanks to my new Ace bandage and Walgreens ice pack, I was feeling a lot better. So much so that I went for another C25K run on Sunday afternoon. This was the first day of week Seven, so my run went something like this: a five minute warm up walk, followed by a five minute run, a three minute walk, an eight minute run, a five minute walk, and a five minute run... followed by the five minute cool down walk. I swear, that's the most complicated sequence that I had to remember. Anyway, the run went great! I was ready to be done about four minutes into the last five minute run, but then I turned on Gonna Fly Now (who knew the Eagles were blowing their game against the Redskins as I was doing this?) and images of Rocky Balboa running through the streets of Philadelphia inspired me to kick some butt. I completed the run, with no walks other than the ones that were scheduled for me.

I'm still feeling kind of crappy healthwise. Friday, I continued to feel off, but felt better on Saturday. Last night I went to sleep with a tummyache, and I continue to feel that was this morning. Slept in a bit, hoping that it would go away, but it hasn't. I got sick like this last year, around the same time. What is it with the weather changing and stomach aches? Good thing that I'm stocked up on BRAT diet necessities (okay, I don't have applesauce, but I don't live too far from Kroger) so I can meander through my day.

Weekly Weigh In: 20 minutes to save the world

I've been having a crazy last few days. On Wednesday, I went to school/the office and felt off. You know those days where your balance is just off, and you're not feeling on your game? Well, that was me. Taught my class, ran to Kroger for some BRATs supplements (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast for those of you who don't know the ultimate upset stomach diet), and came home to my jammies. Spent the rest of the night on my couch with stomach cramps instead of going for my planned run. Ugh.

It must have just been a passing bug, because yesterday, I was feeling fine. So fine that I decided to go for a run. It really is autumn. It was chilly, the wind was a bit blustery, and the leaves were everywhere. This was my night for my 20 minute run, in order to finish out Week 5 of the C25K. And it went really well. Around minute 17, I seriously thought I was going to die, mainly because I didn't realize what kind of an incline this one hill is that I run on... and at that point, a little incline was a REALLYBIG incline for me. So, I walked for 15 seconds and ran the rest. I did a mile and a half in 20 minutes. I'm really proud of that. Sure, it's about a 13 minute mile, but I'll worry about speed later, after I build up my endurance.

The problem? I didn't Shred when I came home because I was still feeling a little nauseous/not hungry yesterday, so I did an old Biggest Loser strength training video. And I can't decide if it was that or the run, but somewhere along the line last night, I think I twisted my knee. It hurt a lot more last night that I does this morning, and it doesn't really look swollen, although I was good about icing it last night during the debate and then again before I went to bed. So, I'm taking a few days off. I don't want to push my knee and I definitely don't want to hurt it more if I'm healing, so I'm not going to do anything physical today or tomorrow. E and I want to go hiking on Sunday, so I'm hoping that I'll be ready for that.

Weight wise... can I just say how happy I am that my little weight loss ticker at the top of the page is moving positively?? I lost two whole pounds this week! I don't know how much that has to do with my tummyache on Wednesday, but I ate pretty normal yesterday, so maybe it's not reflective of that. Either way, I would have been happy with 1 pound... but 2?? That just makes it that much better :) Have a good weekend!!

Biggest Loser Recap: So Long Good Man

I apologize for the short recap, but I have 14 more exams to grade prior to 3PM, which doesn't sound bad... but if you were reading them, you'd know what torture they are. Therefore, as always, if you didn't watch last night's Biggest Loser, STOP READING NOW!!!


I admit to missing the first few minutes of it (I blame Jillian and the 30 Day Shred for making me do some evil types of plank twist moves before I could watch BL). Anyway, they're going on a road trip! To the Grand Canyon! C'mon guys! Climb on the bus! Oh, wait... you're all smooshed into seats that you really can't fit in. (This gave me flashbacks to my own weight issues. When I was at my heaviest-- and did a lot of flying-- the seatbelt justfit around my waist. When I went to Boston in August? I had to tighten it and had about 5 inches of slack. WOOT!) Here comes their first temptation: Gamble and guess how many calories are in a certain piece of food. If you are the closest without going over, you win that round (at this point, I was wondering when I started watching the Price is Right). If you don't win, you have to EAT it. The prize after three rounds? You get to stay in a posh RV. The rest? Camping outside. Ed and Heba win, which I'm glad for! They're pretty rockin'.

So, while everyone minus E&H are hanging around the campground, they notice some exercise equipment. Well, looky here. How do we exercise outside of a GYM???? Can we exercise without Jillian and Bob?? I think the consensus was no, and some of them took some walks. How many of the men were like, "I'm not gonna lift any boulders." Um, dudes, jumping jacks? Running intervals? Squats? Lunges?? Needless to say, they didn't get any exercise until their kayak challenge, which was seriously the most confusing challenge. I don't blame Shellay for being so confused about it. When Ali explained it, I was thinking, How is that going to work? Well Heba and Ed won an RV for themselves. Rock on!

Back to the ranch. Bob and Jillian are super mad that no one worked out. So they beat them to death in a last chance workout. Jerry isn't feeling well, so the med staff check him out... and they are concerned that he might have a blood infection or a blood clot. YIKES. They send him to Cedar-Sinai (hanging with birthing celebs, Jerry?) and he has a torn hamstring. That HAS to be painful. He comes back in time for the weigh in. But Ali throws them a twist. There will be only one team below the yellow line, and ONE person needs to go home. The Yellow Team falls below the yellow line (Jerry gained, Coleen lost big time) so they had the back and forth about who was going home. Needless to say, it was Jerry.

But WOW!!! Jerry is looking good. He's lost 70 pounds total since he's left the ranch. He's even off of 4 of his 5 heart-related meds. I'm amazed at all these transformations we've been seeing for folks who've left the ranch. I have to say that the race for the At Home BL is going to be tight this year. What I think is dumb is that the rest of them are going to be competing in teams, but Coleen is going to be by herself? Right? Why do the things that come out of Ali's mouth make me so confused?

Back to the grading... ugh. It's like my own last chance workout. Get this done, go to work, and I'll be rewarded with a nice run later this evening.