Couch to 5K

I did it! I didn't think I could, and I was afraid to try, but I just pushed really hard and I did it! I felt like I would die halfway through, but the last 1/4 I got my second wind. 

That's probably what I will say when I finish a 5K, but today I said it after jogging for 3 minutes straight. When I started I could only jog for 15 seconds at a time. The couch to 5K program starts with intervals of jogging 60 seconds and walking 90 seconds, so I had to create 3 levels before that of 15, 30, and 45 seconds. 

I started working on it last fall, walking/jogging outside. But then it got cold and rainy, and it took me a while to figure out a schedule that I could get to the gym. On the treadmill I found that my natural jogging pace was 5 mph. After a couple of weeks my shins started hurting, a lot. The gradual progress and walking and jogging intervals were supposed to help me avoid shin splints, so I was frustrated.  I felt myself wincing every time I did a jumping jack, or any other jump. I didn't consult a doctor, because I hate figuring out how to do that, but the internet made me think maybe I was getting stress fractures. Whatever the cause, I needed to back off and come back at it differently. 

This new year, I knew I still wanted to train to run a 5K, but I needed to keep it low impact until I get under a certain weight. I don't think my shins are made to handle the force of this much weight jumping. I decided to go with a "jogging" pace of 4 mph. True, many people can walk this pace. It's a really awkward pace for me, but it's the fastest I can go without leaving the ground. My heartrate goes all the way up and I have to push myself to do the intervals, so I guess it's enough. 

At my new pace, I've been able to keep going 3 days a week for 6 weeks now. My progress feels slow sometimes, but I felt a huge high today from the progress I did make!

The Pain is Gone!

Halfway into my second 24 day challenge, I realized something...my joints had stopped hurting! I can't remember how long ago they last hurt. What is different? What fixed it? Do I just have less depression from all this exercise? Is it from getting enough of some random vitamin? Is it caffeine in the Spark making me just feel good? I fear it has something to do with gluten...

http://www.thelifeisamazing.com/everyone-ignores-12-signs-you-should-stop-eating-gluten-immediately/

With symptoms 1, 2, 3, 5, and 10 that have all gone away during this time that I happen to have not been eating bread, do you think it means something?

Rewards

For losing weight I needed some extra incentive. Being healthy, feeling better, looking better, and having more energy are all obvious and natural rewards for getting into shape and losing weight. But there are days when I want to eat a doughnut and can easily decide I don't care about those things. An additional reward is needed to get through those days. I've heard of, and tried many times to give myself some kind of incentive like this including a clothing shopping spree, new highlights for my hair, and a vacation. All of these incentives were "when I lose 30 lbs" or when I get to a certain weight. Sometimes I gave myself a deadline, sometimes not. The problem every time has been that I get discouraged because it's so far away, or the deadline is too close and I can't get there in time, and I give up. Even worse, it has made me hold off on doing things I really want to do because I'm saving it for me at my goal weight. This time is different. This time I will get a reward every 2 months no matter how successful I am. I feel like a genius because I have figured out how to give myself rewards that scale, thus eliminating discouragement. 

Every 2 months I will take the number of pounds I have lost and add a zero to it. This is the number of dollars I can spend on a spa day!  So even 4 pounds would be $40 which would get me a

manicure and pedicure or a mini-facial, both great rewards. If I lose more like 20 pounds, that is $200 which would get me a super awesome and relaxing day with a fancy facial and a massage. It's such a great plan because working harder gets me more, but roadblocks and struggles don't put an end to it. 

I've thought a little about how this reward system could work for other people, maybe on a tighter budget. You could reward yourself with time spent on a home facial or manicure and pedicure, 10 or 20 minutes for every pound you lose. Just imagine rewarding yourself by spending 2 whole hours taking care of yourself! Hopefully your significant other will be in on your plan and be supportive by taking care of everything you would normally be doing during that time. Maybe they will even want to contribute by giving you a massage for part of your reward time!  

I had to think long and hard about what thing I always want to do, but I have a hard time treating myself to. Maybe your thing has nothing to do with a spa day or relaxing. Maybe it's buying supplies for your favorite hobby, or going on a fancier or longer date than usual. My advice is just not to make it something you need or want to do regardless of your weight, you don't want to wait to live your life. And my big advice is to have a reward that scales up or down according to your success, life isn't a win or lose game!

2016 FTW

This is what I call my plans for this year (FTW means "for the win"). You may call them "resolutions", or "goals", but it's my plan for losing weight and I'm sticking to it. 

My plan has 3 components:

1. Healthy eating 

2. Cardio

3. Strength training 

For eating healthy, I still can't wrap my head around the "lifestyle" concept. If you tell me I can never eat chocolate again, then I will eat all of the chocolate immediately. But, I am so competitive at heart, that the idea of a "challenge" works for me, I will win all of the challenges. The Advocare 24 day challenge was very doable for me, so I'm thinking that I will do a challenge every month this year, and then take a week break between each to eat the foods I've been missing. This will work well for a few reasons. First, this follows the 80/20 rule I mentioned here, just on a monthly basis instead of a weekly one. Second, when I want and crave a food, writing it down on my "break week" list and knowing I can have it then really helps me move past it. Third, I have found that Spark works really well for me at first, but my body builds up a tolerance so I need to take a break from it to reset its effect.  (Note that you cannot do the herbal cleanse tablets part of the 24 day challenge every month! I don't do that part anyway because it isn't allowed with breastfeeding)

For Cardio, I tried to fit it in last fall, but I didn't make it a priority. This year I plan to do Zumba on every Monday, Friday, and Saturday because those are when they have classes I can get to. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday I plan to go to the gym and walk/jog on the treadmills, just 25 minutes for now, followed by some time stretching. It turns out that the kids LOVE playing at the kids club at the gym, so all the time I'm spending there is good for them too!

For strength training, I will continue going to Bootcamp 3 days a week.  On the other days I do it with my friend, we aim for 2 days a week.

That's my plan! What do you think? I have a great reward system figured out, but it's a little long so it got its own post.