2013 Goals: Running/Fitness Edition

We have a lot of goals related to finances, ministry, each of the kids, personal, etc. But those don't all necessarily need sharing. I want to share my running and fitness goals for the obvious reason of accountability, with a side of future bragging (on Christ) when I succeed (by God's grace)! And I'd love to connect with more runners to keep me motivated, learn new things, and just make new friends!

And since I love running so much, I just want to talk about it!

First for fitness:
- Reach pre-Marie weight (give or take 5lbs bc I'll still be nursing) by my birthday (April 22)
- Be able to lose/maintain without constant calorie counting
- Save for and purchase space-saving weights and chalean videos

Running
- Speed training
- Half marathon in June under 2 hours
- 500 miles by December 31

I received Run Like A Mother for Christmas from my MIL (she does an excellent job of keeping my library stocked!)...

and am loving it! I highly recommend it for new, seasoned, and in-betweener runners. If you know me on Facebook, you've seen lots of quotes from this book. It's motivational and entertaining. Read it!

Do you have any running goals for this year? I'd love to hear them! And I always love a little competition ;)

Pennsylvania hills in the snow don't scare me! Well, at least this one didn't.

Um... oops.

As way more of you than should probably know... I had a rough week last week. And I did a great job of whining and complaining about it. I also did a horrendous job of keeping up with the challenge.

Oops.

Here's the problem... when I'm down, I eat. When I'm stressed, I eat. When I'm tired, I eat. I even realized in the past couple days, when I'm happy, I eat! I like to eat.

The point is, while I was having the worst labor day weekend in my memory, I could not wait for bed time when the house was finally quiet and I could turn on some netflix and browse pinterest and eat. Specifically animal crackers and mountain dew. I found comfort in those things.

Oops.

Well, finally Derek got home and different discipline ideas I tried with Marie were working and I was feeling better. So I finally looked at what the challenge was for the week and began working on my verse. And whatdyaknow, I could have used this verse days before!

Oops.

... Come to Me, all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light...

Thank You, Lord.

Now it is almost Wednesday of week 3 and I just looked at what the challenges are.

Oops.

Week 3 - September 8-15

• Light arm work
• One soda a week
• No food after 9pm

Memory Verse: "The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him." Psalm 28:7

Thankfully we just ran out of soda. I'm excited to get some arm work in. I totally forgot that was this week. As for the no food after 9pm... that's gonna be a lot harder than I thought it would be! If I really wanna lose this pesky weight, I just gotta do it! But man, even these simple challenges are so much harder than I thought they'd be!

Source: atalante.co via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

On to much happier things... yesterday (one day short of five weeks after my entire abdomen was sliced open and my sweet Kempy was yanked free) I went for a jog! Not only did it feel great, it was so easy that we (my BRF and I) did the first two days of Ease into 5k. And tonight we totally skipped week 2 and did the first day of week 3. And I still feel great!!

I was so afraid that I would be all the way back at the beginning... before I became a real runner. When I hated every minute of it. 

But no, as soon as we started jogging, I was overwhelmed with excitement and joy!

I'm still a runner. And I have the goal of attempting that beloved 4-miler next week!

So just be prepared... many running posts will likely follow. :)

Source: nice-pictures.info via Derek Lindsay on Pinterest

Self Challenge - Wk 2

Week 2 - September 1-8

• 9 cups water each day
• One dessert a week
• Meals fit on small plate (no seconds)

Memory Verse: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30

Yesterday was the start of week 2 but I totally wasn't thinking about it and did a terrible job. Thankfully I did not eat any dessert! But I did decide to make minor tweaks...

• 9 cups water each day
• One non-chocolate dessert and one chocolate dessert
• Meals fit on small (dessert) plate (no seconds)
• Cup of raspberry leaf tea daily

My problem with desserts is chocolate. I LOVE chocolate and usually find some way to eat it every single day. So I wanted to give myself a little leeway or I would probably be just plain miserable the entire week.

I added the tea because it seems to be helping shrink my belly still just a tiny bit. So I'm sticking with it!

Now for an overview of last week:

• 8 Cups of water - 6 out of 7 days.
• Vitamins twice a day - 6 out of 7 days (just missed one morning dose)
• Daily easy walk - 6 out of 7 days 
• Verse - memorized!

I did not mess up all on the same day so that's good! I decided that I'm not gonna be strict about taking my vitamins twice from now on because they are seriously expensive.

I've been fluctuating between the same 4 pounds so no real weight loss during week one. :/ Serious set back but I still feel confident because I know that I'm growing in my desire to please the Lord in my eating and my desire to eat well!

How are you doing?

Self Challenge Update - Wk 1

Reminder of this week's challenge...

 

Week 1 - August 25-September 1

• 8 cups of water each day
• Take vitamins twice a day
• Daily easy walk

Memory Verse: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." Psalm 139:23-24

I haven't missed taking my vitamins yet. I may have counted a trip to Kroger as one of my walks, but I think that's acceptable :) And I think I'm doing good with water. I have trouble keeping track. My verse is memorized, also. Go me!

But I wanted to share a couple tips as far as water. I learned this many years ago during one of my many weight-loss adventures:

1. It is a lot easier to drink lots of water when it is not ice cold. I've heard that ice cold water can help boost your metabolism, so I'm not saying don't ever drink ice cold water. But when you're not super thirsty, but you have some cups of water to catch up with, go tap cold and it'll be a lot easier to gulp it down.
2. It is also a lot easier to drink lots of water when you love your water bottle and carry it with you at all times. 

I have barely been without a water bottle in reach for almost our entire marriage. {{That's 6.5 years.}} That is a lifestyle change that actually stuck! I highly recommend taking on this habit. 

The other day I decided to leave my water at home because I was going somewhere that I knew would have water available. During the drive to this place I kept catching myself reaching for my absent water. It was annoying. Not doing that again. 

Yes, I totally had my water in the diaper bag last time we ate out. And it came in handy because Marie had finished her chocolate milk and wanted a drink. I didn't want her sipping on my coke so I whipped out my trusty water bottle (which is currently a cup with a straw from BBC that holds ice so well. LOVE IT!).

I've been through my share of water bottles (this is BBC cup #2 and yes it is broken, but still works!), but they do not go to waste! 

Oh, here's a freebie: commit to only using your water bottle/cup for WATER. Trust me, it's a good idea.

(If anyone out there reading this is joining me on this challenge or a challenge of your own, I want to know about it! Post some updates in the comments. I'd also love some ideas to add to the challenge or for future challenges! Oh, and tips are welcome.)  

5 Week Self Challenge

We leave for vacation in 5 weeks. We are very excited! But I don't really want to be hanging on to all these excess baby pounds.

I am going to be realistic, tho. Nursing has never helped me drop the pounds like it does for some people. In fact, I'm one of those "lucky" few who's body hangs on to extra pounds for the purpose of nursing.

Yay.

Giving my baby what is best is much more important to me than being thin. BUT, that doesn't mean I'm not gonna try for thin anyway!

Keeping reality in mind, I'm going to give myself 2-3 challenges each week for the next five weeks. These are things that I want to make a part of my life, so they will continue through the rest of my life. Each week will just be in addition to the previous weeks.

Some of these will probably seem silly and simple but I need to start here. Also, I won't be cleared to do any real workouts til just before leaving for vacation so the exercise challenges are going to be light until after vacation when I work toward my next milestone goal!

First milestone = Pre-Kemp weight by vacation.

Week 1 - August 25-September 1

• 8 cups of water each day
• Take vitamins twice a day
• Daily easy walk

Memory Verse: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way." Psalm 139:23-24

Week 2 - September 1-8

• 9 cups water each day
• One dessert a week
• Meals fit on small plate (no seconds)

Memory Verse: "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matt. 11:28-30

Week 3 - September 8-15

• Light arm work
• One soda a week
• No food after 9pm

Memory Verse: "The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped: Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him." Psalm 28:7

Week 4 - September 15-22

• 3 fruits a day
• 1/2-1 hour focused daily walk

Memory Verse: "Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Week 5 - September 22-29

• 3 veggies a day
• 10 cups water
• No processed food (just for this week. This will be a gradual process!)

Memory Verse: "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

Vacation - September 29-October 6

Second milestone = Pre-Jack weight by Thanksgiving (+ Thanksgiving 5k/10k)

Third milestone = Pre-Marie weight by Kempton's first birthday (+ half marathon/s in June/September)

Prayers would be appreciated :)