Monday, October 31, 2011

Week 1: October 24-30, 2011

Weight: 154 #
Monday - first day post-marathon; legs sore - especially front of left ankle. Going to try and do some yoga today (need to cut out the word try and just do it!).
   Breakfast (9:15 AM): 1/2 of a large bagel - half smeared w/butter, half w/blackberry preserves, 8 oz oj, 2 cups coffee with sugar and skim milk, 1 scrambled egg
   Snack (11:40 AM): granny smith apple with 1 tblsp chunky peanut butter
   Lunch (1:30 PM): 9.5 oz minestrone (100 cal), 5 saltines (60 cal) with butter, 8 oz skim chocolate milk
   Snack (3:00 PM): 1/4 french toast muffin (200 cal)
The 800 calorie muffin I won at the 5k race on 10/22. I've cut it into fourths; though I know I should toss it.
   Workout (4:45 PM): 25 min yoga. I know I need to do more strenuous workouts but its the first day after a marathon and I'm having issues with both ankles.
   Dinner (6:15 PM): One scoop of bean & vegetable chili (from Runner's World), 8 oz, skim milk
   Snack (2:00 AM): 2 pretzel rods, can of diet coke, 0.5 oz dark chocolate with hazelnuts

   Bed: Much too late to write down. This is something that really needs to change as I do it way too often.
   Trying to drink lots of water. Seem dehydrated (dry lips) - perhaps due to Sunday's race or might be getting sick (I hope not!)

Tuesday: Awake at 6:10 AM.
   Breakfast (7:30 AM): Eaten while driving to campus. Large Dunkin Donuts coffee w/2 Splenda and skim milk, untoasted cinnamon raisin bagel
   Lectured for 3 hours
   Lunch (1:00 PM): PB&J on whole wheat bread (2 slices), diet coke, Stonyfield raspberry yogurt (130 cal), 15 roasted/unsalted cashews
   Snack (4:45 PM): Starbuck's grande skim mocha (no whip cream), reduced fat cinnamon swirl cake
   Watched a movie at the NY Academy of Sciences - "No Dinosaurs in Heaven" about evolution, science teaching, and creationism.
    Dinner (9:30 PM - while watching the Biggest Loser): 1 scoop of bean & veggi chili, 8 oz skim milk
   Fell asleep on the couch before 11 PM, in bed at 1:30 AM
    Didn't work out today. I was too tired from being up so late so decided to stay on campus to work before heading into the city later.

Wednesday: Awake at 7:30 AM
   Breakfast (8:45 AM): 1/2 c homemade granola w/3 tsp apple sauce and skim milk, 8 oz oj, 2 cups of coffee with sugar & skim milk
   Lunch (1:00 PM): 9.5 oz minestrone (100 cal), 7 saltines with butter, 8 oz skim chocolate milk
   Snack (3:00 PM): Stonyfield strawberry yogurt (110 cal), 6 roasted & unsalted cashews
   Snack (4:30 PM): chunky peanut butter - eaten with a spoon from the jar so I don't know how much I ate
   Dinner (9:00 PM): scoop of bean & veggie chili, 12 oz beer
   Bed at 12:15 AM

Thursday: Awake at 6:15 AM
   Breakfast (7:40 AM): Breakfast (7:30 AM): Eaten while driving to campus. Large Dunkin Donuts coffee w/2 Splenda and skim milk, coffee cake muffin (probably one of the worst muffins by Dunkin Donuts you can eat - ~650 calories!)
   Lectured 3 hrs
   Lunch (12:15 PM): PB&J on whole wheat bread (2 slices), diet coke, Stonyfield lemon yogurt, 15 roasted/unsalted cashews
   Should have gone to the gym but was tired.
   Snack (4:00 PM): 12 oz beer
   Dinner (9:00 PM): scoop of bean & veggie chili, 8 oz skim milk
   Fell asleep on couch; bed at 4:15 AM

Friday: Awake at 8:15 AM
   Breakfast (9:15 AM): Breakfast (8:45 AM): 1/2 c homemade granola w/3 tsp apple sauce and skim milk, 8 oz oj, 2 cups of coffee with sugar & skim milk
    Lunch (1:30 PM): slice of mushroom pizza, diet coke, 1 oz dark chocolate with hazelnuts
   Workout (4:00 PM): 3 mile run in 34 min; some stretching
   Snack: string cheese; three 5 oz tastings of beer, chips, 2 cookies
   Dinner: 2 pints of beer; pasta with shrimp and moz cheese, 1 pc garlic bread. This is where I need to do a lot of work - need to make better choices when eating out (would have had a salad but none looked appetizing). Didn't see in the description of the pasta that there would be lots of mozzarella cheese.
   In bed before midnight

Saturday: Awake at 8:00 AM
   Breakfast (9:25 AM): 1/2 of a large bagel - half smeared w/butter, half w/blackberry preserves, 8 oz oj, 2 cups coffee with sugar and skim milk, 1 scrambled egg
  Lunch (2:00 PM): or should it be snack? 1 small gala apple
  Workout: if I ran 1/2 mile in the snow and ice cold water in the woods I would have been lucky
   Dinner: 2 beers, chicken & mozzarella sandwich on chiabatta, mashed potatoes (quite good, I forgot how much I liked mashed potatoes!), 3 french fries
   Snack: diet coke
Fell asleep on the couch while watching football. In bed at 12:00 AM

Sunday: Awake at 8:00 AM
   Power went out at 9 AM so rest of meals have been eaten away from home
   Breakfast: 2 scrambled eggs, 1.5 fat breakfast sausage, 1 pc wheat toast with butter & jam, home fries, 6 oz oj, 4 c coffee with skim milk and sugar
   Snack: Starbuck's grande skim mocha (no whip cream), reduced fat cinnamon swirl cake
   Dinner: filet mignon sandwich on garlic bread with mozzarella, roasted red peppers, & romaine, onion rings, 4 pints of beer (only planned on 2 pints but two patrons brought me beer).
   Bed at 11:30 PM. Slept on a friend's couch

Hopefully next week will be better - but the first couple of days likely won't be as the electric company doesn't expect to have electricity restored until Wednesday!

Sunday, October 30, 2011

exercise this week?

During my first week of trying to lose weight I haven't been very good about exercise. And I can only put part of the blame on recovering from a marathon. So far this week I've done 25 min of yoga on Monday and a 3 mile run on Friday. Had hoped to get a nice run in the woods on Saturday - in costume - but there was a freak storm that hit the East Coast. First it rained and then it snowed. A lot! Just getting to Great Swamp was quite an adventure. And getting home after dinner was even more adventurous! Lots of downed trees and power lines.

So what have been my excuses? Tired - a few nights of staying up late makes it difficult to work out. Wednesday was pure laziness. I should have gone to yoga at a local studio - I want this guy to succeed since his studio is close to me and his rates are really good! Thursday I had my gym gear to go to the gym and ride the stationary bike but by the time I left the office, I was tired and unmotivated. And frankly I am still recovering from the marathon. I wish I could have some of the energy and recovery capabilities of my friend Jessi. On Saturday she ran in the morning and in the afternoon. I won't bother posting her mileage - she runs ultra-marathons and does IronMen races - so the number of miles she ran less than a week after winning the marathon are insane. Plus she's 17 years younger than me so she can recover faster. But the one thing she does is she gets out there nearly every day and works out for 1 hour or more.

So here are my exercise goals for next week: (1) work out nearly every day; and (2) when I do work out, do so for 1 hour.

Friday, October 28, 2011

A marathon

I'm still logging my diet, sleep, and exercise. This definitely won't be a good week yet each morning my weight is a little lower than the previous day. Not sure why (you'll see why with my next post on Monday morning). Perhaps residual increase in metabolism post-marathon? Muscles recovering and using energy after all the running I've done? Don't know but I'll take it if the loss is maintained!

In the meantime, here's a link to my other blog and my race report for the marathon that I ran on Sunday: D-L Marathon.

Monday, October 24, 2011

The beginning

I've known this for quite some time and have only made feeble attempts at it, but I really need to lose some weight.


The minimum would be 10 pounds but ideally I should lose 20 pounds (goal is 135#). So I'm going to journal what I eat and do (including sleeping habits) and make it public. I am actually going to post my weight at the start of each week. So here it goes!

I'll take suggestions as to what I should change. Dave suggests lots of small meals every 2 hrs - and nothing after 2 PM! I know the no eating after 2 PM will not work for me. I'll be much too hungry in the evening and so hungry in the morning that I'll feel sick! Jessi & Dave suggests lots of fruits (I know I have to work on this) and vegetables, some protein, and cut back on the carbs. And yeah - minimizing sweets and alcohol. Of course working out consistently is needed for this to work.

Not sure how often I'll post updates. Every day? Or at the end of each week?

Today starts the weight loss. Beginning weight: 154#; Height: 5' 4"; BMI: 26.4 (that puts me in the overweight category). Will post a picture soon from yesterday's marathon.

Start of Delaware-Lehigh Heritage Marathon in Northampton PA, with Dave, Jessi, and Ron. I'm wearing #37.
Finishing last in the marathon in 5 hrs 24.5 min.