Strong Simple Spicy

Before/After, April to April

2013-04-23T13:22:00.000-07:00

I was just going through the pictures on my phone, and realized I had photos from last year's and this year's Tulip Festival. What a difference a year can make! Sometimes I look in the mirror and don't think I've changed much, especially since it has been gradual change. It is nice to be able to compare pictures a year apart. I think we both look pretty different.

April 2012

April 2013

10k Race Recap

2013-04-15T12:22:00.001-07:00

My first 10k is in the books! I am so excited I am clapping in between typing words! However, I am also sad it is over... I guess I just need to sign up for another race as something to look forward to.

I feel the race went really well. Sure there were times when I doubted myself, but I made it to the end. I did walk a couple of times, but probably not more than a minute total. I wasn't doing a great job pacing (note to self: need to learn to do that), so I caught myself spiriting a couple of times because I was so excited. That would leave me tuckered out, hence the walking.

I thought I ended strong, mainly because I was passing a ton of people at the end. However, that was just because they started the 5k after us and their loop met up with ours for the last mile. I'm not saying the 5k-ers are slow, it's just that my split was faster than 3/4 of them. That was not the case with the 10k peeps, I ended up in the middle of the pack... Well, the lower middle.

My official results:

Time: 1:06:46
Avg pace: 10:45
Place: 472 out of 801
Place in Women: 288 out of 564
Place in Women my Age: 50 out of 82

I am happy I beat my goal time of 1:10... I am happy my pace was sub 11. I'm happy my hub and son were at the finish with flowers :-)

I'm a 10k-er!!

2013-04-14T16:27:00.001-07:00

Today has been such an amazing day! Here is a post-race photo with my training buddy!

10k Countdown

2013-03-31T11:20:00.001-07:00

It's just two weeks until my very first 10k race! I am getting super excited! Ran this last night...

Happy Pi Day!

2013-03-14T21:41:00.001-07:00

No, I'm not celebrating by eating pie!

My 10k is exactly a month away. Ran 5 miles last night with a friend. A running partner really makes the mileage and time just fly by. I definitely think I'll be ready for my race! I am so excited, I can barely think about anything else.

Spice Girls... Oh Heck Yeah!

2013-03-07T11:16:00.001-08:00

My shins have been barking the last couple days since I have been upping my mileage. Therefore, the elliptical is my new best friend for training. It is a gorgeous day, so it's hard to not go for a great run.

I put my earbuds in and cranked up Pandora (how did we survive without Pandora?), a great mix of Britney, JT, Kesha was filling my ears. The elliptical can get boring, especially when you want to be running outside. I found myself finding excuses to give up early, around minute 30. I decided 35 minutes would be good enough. Right when I was slowing down as the counter got close to 35, "Wannabe" by the Spice Girls came on... Oh Heck Yeah! I couldn't stop in the middle of my jam! Then I just kept going. Ending up at an hour, a little over 5 miles. I'll take it!

Do you have a song from the past that instantly puts a smile on your face, and helps you to push yourself?

1 Year, 100 Miles

2013-03-05T21:23:00.001-08:00

Well... It is one year and one day, but close enough. I know 100 miles in one year isn't a hard thing to do if you are running consistently, but I saw it after my run today and it made me smile.

Here's to the next 100...

Where Am I Now?

2013-03-04T09:19:00.001-08:00

This weekend I realized that this was the weekend last year that I decided to make a change and lose my left over baby weight. One of my tools was starting this blog to hold myself accountable (which absolutely helped). So, it's only fair that I update with where I am a year later.

I don't get on a scale often these days. Originally, I just wanted to lose weight so that was my focus. Now, I just want to feel good and fit into my clothes. Would I be happy to be a smaller size? Of course, but the scale has tricked me several times over this journey so I try not to be focused on it. That being said, I've lost approximately 20 pounds (give or take). It doesn't sound like a lot for the course of a year, but I lost most of it in the first six months and kept it off since.

I now fit into all of my pre-pregnancy clothes, even a few things are too big. However, I don't feel like I look that different. I'm pretty tall, so 20 lbs stretched over my body doesn't seem like too much. My husband says it is a huge difference and thinks I should take after photos to compare to my before photos. I know I never posted those before photos... We'll see.

I remember when I first started, I chose running as my main exercise. It happened to be the form of exercise many of my friends used, and all of them were training for some race. I was training for a 5k, and it was a struggle to run 2 miles. I'd look at FB and see my friend's Nike+ posts about their "4 easy miles" and I'd want to punch them in the face and quit all in one swoop.

I'm glad I didn't quit. Even though I really haven't done much in the last six months... I started running again a few weeks ago, and I found myself pushing every time I hit the pavement... Faster mile, longer time, longer distance. I've found the first 2 miles are always hard for me and make me want to quit. However, at the 2 mile mark a miraculous change happens and I could run all day. I had to stop myself at 4 miles last week because I am prone to shin splints if I up my mileage too quickly, but I felt like I could've run another 2. That was the nail in the coffin for signing up for my first 10k. I am so excited and nervous at the same time. If you would have told me last year that I would be running a 10k this year, I probably would have fallen down laughing.

I'm happy to answer any questions about my journey, I just don't know what things people would like to know. So, if I've left something out let me know...

Motivation Tip #1

2013-01-20T12:47:00.001-08:00

As the New Year's Resolution Glow is wearing off... I wanted to share an exercise tip that had really helped me.

Whether you are enjoying yourself or not, put a giant smile on your face.

Even if you have to fake it, just do it. It tricks the brain into releasing "happy" chemicals into your system. Within seconds you will start feeling a pep in your step, and then actually smiling on your own.

Sure, the people around you might think you are a crazy person... But who cares about them, this is about you. This is all you need to care about: your success.

It is a lovely day here in Portland, so I went out of a jog. I got some inspiration from a friend last night, and I was amped. I haven't hit the pavement in about a week, so I wasn't trying beat any records.

I found myself using my smile tip between a quarter and a half mile. I started feeling good. Then Nike+ told me I complete my first mile in 9:45, then my second at 19:15, then my third at 29:15. At that point I decided to do the extra 0.1 to call it a 5k. I sprinted and got it done in 29:55.

What?!? I've never ran a 5k under 30. Usually I'm around 33-34.

You can bet there has been a big ole smile on my face ever since.

New Year's Resolution

2013-01-15T11:51:00.001-08:00

I'm usually not the type of person to come up with a NYR. I try to fix problems as they come up, not wait for a special day in the future. However, I did come up with one this year... Eat More! Yes, you read that right. I won't try to fool you for too long, I am talking about vegetables.

I've reviewed my eating habits, and while I am eating smaller portions, I don't think I'm getting enough good stuff in me. Sure, I could just take a multivitamin, but it is better to get it from the source. More fruits and vegetables it is!

I think this was inspired by all the "Green Smoothie" recipes on Pinterest. A lot of people try to be healthy this time of year, and therefore the Popular page of Pinterest has just been FULL of smoothies.

I have visited several websites for various recipes, and tried lots. Some with Greek yogurt, some without. However, all of my concoctions have had a healthy handful if spinach. Honestly, I haven't been able to taste it in any of them.

I'm posting today because I decided to ditch the recipes and just started throwing stuff in the blender, and it is my favorite smoothie so far. Here's what I did:

1/2 of a banana
1/2 cup of applesauce
Big handful of spinach (approx 1 & 1/2 cups)
6 frozen mango chunks
1/2 cup frozen blueberries
1/2 cup water

I put it in the blender in that order and turned it on. Pretty simple, and delicious!

Hint: before you start enjoying your wonderful smoothie... Clean your blender the fast and easy way. After you've poured your luscious treat into a glass, fill your blender with hot water and a small squirt of soap. Then purée. Now all you have to do is rinse the soap off your blender and you are ready for tomorrow.

Two Month Catch Up

2013-01-14T08:33:00.001-08:00

Sometimes I wish they would come up with a way to blog what's on my mind, without me having to do anything. I've started this post countless times... all in my head. I just never get around to sitting down and typing it out. Actually, now that I am thinking about it... Maybe a magic blog that posted my thoughts wouldn't be such a great idea, I think about a lot of stuff that shouldn't be read or said.

Anyway... It has been a few mouths since I posted, so here is the dirt. We flew to KC the first week in December. It was a great time, lots of fun was had by all. I ate responsibly, and ran a couple of times. That is when the fun slowed down, I came down with a nasty sinus infection at the end of the trip, and I had to fly being sicker than I've been in a long time.

The infection moved to my lungs and I was sick for close to two weeks. I had zero energy and my little man wasn't feeling great either. I had no appetite, and was too tired to cook. So I didn't eat much. I jumped on the scale just for giggles, but was definitely giggling when I got off. 159. I haven't been below 160 for years, I mean YEARS. Like a long time before baby.

Then I started feeling better, got my appetite back, and it was the holidays. Big meals and parties were everywhere. I weighed in again right before New Years to see 173 on the scale. Ouch.

I'm happy to report that with not very much effort I've settled back into the 163-165 range. I am completely satisfied being right where I am. However...

My sister just announced she is taking me on a Mexican cruise! Whoo Hoo!! So, I need to turn up the dial to look better (be comfortable) lounging in a swimsuit by March. So, hopefully this boost will get me back to posting more frequently. It seems I stay more motivated when I'm accountable on here.

Surprising Myself

2012-11-09T13:44:00.001-08:00

I headed out for a run today... I know, 5th run in 8 days, who am I? Anyway, thought I was going to die at the half mile mark. Like really die, I felt I had no control over my body and was so tired. I honestly thought I was going to trip, fall, and get hit by a car all before my heart exploded. This was weird for me because the last few runs I never had this extreme of a struggle, plus it was so early in the run.

I made myself keep going, didn't break my stride. Before I knew it the Nike voice was telling me I reached my first mile. I felt okay, so I just kept running.

Before I knew it, I was approaching the end of my normal 2.5 mile loop. So I took a few detours to extend this run because I was still feeling okay.

Then I heard the Nike voice tell me I completed 5k and it was in record time. Who is a rock star? This girl.

Three Months; Where Does the Time Go?

2012-11-08T10:20:00.001-08:00

So... I've been absent from this blog for a little over 3 months. I've meant to write a post here and there, but I am the ultimate procrastinator. We've had a lot going on the last few months and being accountable was one thing I let slip.

I am happy to report that even with vacations, great houseguests, and football parties (both college and NFL), I've been able to maintain my weight. I've been hanging out in the 165-170 range without really trying. Well, I guess that isn't completely true...

I've been consistent with making it to Zumba at least twice a week, and also getting in an elliptical workout here and there. Plus, I've been pretty good with food. Watching portion sizes and/or balancing my meals (know there is a football party Saturday, eat healthy all day Friday).

With the holidays upon us, I need to get myself focused. It would be pretty easy to gain back some of the weight I so painstakingly lost. That would be a huge bummer.

So... As I write this, I am already back on track. I've got out and ran 4 out if the last 6 days. One of those days was completely my own choice, the other 3 were needed. We are watching a friend's dog and he is a lot more active than our dog. So to keep him calm and happy, he's been my running partner. I must say, he is a excellent running coach. My pace has been a lot quicker than the last time I was regularly running, and he keeps me from walking. I'm going to miss him, but I know I can do it on my own.

The really exciting thing is I haven't had a ton of pain, either shins or knees. I think it is because I am not pushing too hard and I am in better shape than the last few times I ran. I've had a few twinges of shin splints, but I've focused on stretching and it is helping.

I think I need to find a 5k in the next few months to keep me motivated. and training for something. Anyone know of any good races coming up?

The Comfort Zone

2012-08-29T19:45:00.001-07:00

So... I've been enjoying the last month, give or take a week. I've been eating every night like it's my last night on earth, plus haven't really been working out. To my surprise, the scale has stayed in the 166-169 range. Just proves my body is comfortable...

But I want to change its comfort zone... I'm back on the plan: eating clean and working out. I'll do an official weigh in on Friday.

I got to the gym early for my Zumba class. So I decided to hit the treadmill for an easy warmup. I set the mill to speed 5 (12 minute miles) and started jogging. My brain started wandering since I didn't have my earbuds. Next thing I know I look down to see I had been jogging for 15 minutes straight! What? No break for walking? This boggled my mind. Previously I had not been able to run for 15 minutes without a break. This is crazy, especially since I have been a sedentary lump for the last 4-6 weeks.

What can I say? I guess these past 6 months have not been useless... I am stronger than I was, and it is easier to move around in a lighter body.

Week 23 Weigh In

2012-08-08T13:58:00.001-07:00

I almost didn't weigh in this morning. I haven't been diligent with my food and I can't remember the last time I worked out. I didn't want to be disappointed, but I knew I needed to get on the scale.

Last Weigh In: 166.6
Today's Weigh In: 166.4
This Week's Difference: -0.2
Total Pounds Lost: 18.6
BMI: 24.6 (normal)

I am shocked out of my mind. I've eaten pizza until my gut hurts and drank more fresh peach daiquiris than I can count. I guess my body is comfortable at this weight. It is unfortunate that my head is not comfortable where my body is, so I guess I have to get back to work.

I do have new motivation... A few weekends ago I found a ridiculous deal on Lucky jeans. I picked up a 10 and figured they would make great goal jeans (we all know Lucky's run a little small). I didn't try them on, just brought them home and put them on my dresser. My lovely husband saw them and joked,"Who are these for? You can't fit into these. These are skinny girl jeans." We both had a nice laugh. Then he made the comment that opened a new challenge for me. He told me that if/when I can fit into this particular pair of jeans... Wait for it... He will treat me to a week at the all-inclusive resort of my choice! Oh, it is on!

I tried the jeans on because he didn't think I would be able to pull them up past my thighs. I was pleased to show him that I could indeed pull them all the way on, and was even more pleased that I am only an inch shy of buttoning them.

It is good to have a prize to try to win. Gives me something to strive for... Sunshine and cocktails! Now I just need to get my head back in the game and make it happen!

Weigh In Week 22

2012-08-02T10:33:00.001-07:00

Sorry about the hiatus, you know how I am...

It has been a busy, stressful two weeks. I am not proud of the choices I have made. It seems I got a little confidence and that turned me into a cocky bitch. Needless to say, the world stepped in and I have been humbled.

My little man turned 1 this past week. I had a small gathering and it totally stressed me out. I wanted everything to be perfect.

The day after the party I got sick, sore throat and achy all over. I turned to comfort food to make me feel better, but it made me feel worse. My tummy can't handle big portions or a ton of greasy anymore. I just felt lethargic for days.

I see the error of my ways... I am back on track and will weigh in next week. I don't need to add insult to injury right now.

Today's Forecast, Mid-160's

2012-07-19T18:10:00.002-07:00

So... This might sound a bit dramatic, but I feel like something changed in me yesterday after my weigh in. The thought of being well into the 160's left me feeling confident and strong. Something just clicked in my mind, I can do this. Plus, my body feels different... like a changed sizes overnight. It is super weird, yet awesome.

I had spent a long time in the 170's, I was nervous it was what my body thought was comfortable and I would be forever stuck. Looking back at my weigh-ins (I write them in a list in eyeliner on my bathroom mirror), I saw that I entered the 170's on March 18th. So exactly 4 months later I finally got out of that decade of weight. You could say, it took me 4 months to lose 10 pounds. Crazy.

I'm not thrilled I was stuck in the 170's so long. However, I am thrilled I am on the cusp of hitting my 20 pounds lost milestone. Like I mentioned before, I have this new confidence. I jumped on the scale this morning to see this number...

Beautiful... Almost there.

Weigh In Week 20

2012-07-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

Wow, 20 weeks... That's a long time. This blog has really helped keep me on track. I know I am not losing the weight super fast, but I haven't given up. There has been several points in this journey where I wanted to throw the towel in, and absolutely would have if I didn't have an audience. I don't want to fail publicly, that has been one of my motivations to keep going through gains and soreness. So... Thank you for reading and holding me accountable!

Here's the stats for today:

Last Weigh In: 170.0
Today's Weigh In: 166.6
This Week's Difference: -3.4
Total Pounds Lost: 18.4
BMI: 24.6 (Normal!!)
Dress Size: 10-12

I am ecstatic with this week's results! I ate really super healthy on the weekdays, but I did give in to a few indulgences this weekend. Even though I "indulged" I still watched my portions. The funny thing is, I'm not having to "think" about all my food choices. I'm starting to just make better decisions. Does that mean that I don't have cravings? No, it just means I am figuring out a balance between cravings and nutrition. Plus, I am making an effort to exercise more, and getting more activity because I am chasing around my mobile little monkey.

I had a couple goals when starting this journey: 1) get back to pre-pregnancy weight, 2) feel better and have more energy, 3) once I got to my first goal, lose about 15 more pounds because I felt flabby before I got pregnant. Before pregnancy I fluctuated between 160 and 165, so I've been using 163 as my pre-pregnancy target. I really, really want to get there by July 30th (my son's 1 year birthday). I always thought I would be back to my old self within a year of being pregnant.

I decided to take my measurements today to compare...

April 29th July 18th

Chest: 39" 37"
Waist: 35" 33.5"
Hips: 43" 41"
Thigh: 23" 22.5"

A NSV (Non-Scale Victory) this week, some of my clothes I lived in pre-pregnancy, are now getting loose. Even though I am not at my pre-pregnancy target weight, I think I have built a lot more muscle than I used to carry around. So, I count that as a serious win.

Weigh In Week 19

2012-07-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

We arrived home from our Montana adventure on Saturday evening. I did a test weigh in on Sunday, just to see the damage of a week of careless drinking and eating. I was horrified to see 173.6! Wow! Could one "bad" week add close to 4 lbs?

While I think I made smart choices when it came to food (portion control, and healthy choices)... Drinking was a whole different story. Summer is my favorite beer season, the microbrews taste like candy. However, they ring in close to 200 calories each, sometimes more. Throughout the day (I was on vacation, sometimes we started drinking at noon), I could easily put back 5 and that's an extra 1000 calories! Some days I didn't limit myself to just 5. Ouch!

Anyway... I decided to eat clean and get back on the workout wagon. I officially weighed in this morning.

Last Weigh In: 169.8
Today's Weigh In: 170.0
This Week's Difference: +0.2
Total Pounds Lost: 15.0
BMI: 25.1 (Overweight)

Do I actually think I lost 3.6 lbs since Sunday? No, not really. I think Sunday was a fluke, but I do think I gained while on vacation and seeing that high of a number was what I needed to get back on track.

... Shame on me

2012-07-17T14:13:00.001-07:00

The saying, "Fool me once, shame on you..." is ringing in my ears right now. I just tried another faux pizza crust recipe. I think I try one at least once a month, and everytime, as I am waiting for it to bake, I believe it is going to be brilliant, just like crispy pizza crust. However, each time I end up disappointed.

Why do I continue this crazy cycle? I don't know. Pizza is one of my loves and I just want it to be low calorie.

It isn't like I am so strict that I don't allow myself a piece of pizza every once and awhile. C'mon face it, I've lost three pounds in the last two months... I'm not really on the fast track here. But, I am making smarter choices, even when I 'indulge', and I and exercising regularly.

I'd rather enjoy myself and have the weight come off a little slower than restrict myself to the point that I am a cranky bitch 24/7.

I'm enjoying the ride, even though it might take a long time to get to my destination.

Hope on the Treadmill

2012-07-12T09:30:00.001-07:00

I decided to try Zumba again at my gym. I got to the gym at 5:55 pm for the 6:00 start time. I then found out that over the week I was on vacation, they changed the start time to 6:30. What's a girl to do?

I thought about just sitting in the waiting area and doing something real productive, like dinking around on FB... but I ended up heading to a treadmill for a warm-up. I intended on just walking, but felt ready to jog. So I did 2 min jog, 1 min walk intervals for 20 minutes. I purposely made myself take it easy; I was about to go into an hour class plus I didn't want to trigger any injuries.

Here's the hopeful news... I am a little sore from Zumba (there are a surprising amount of squats in this class), but I don't have any knee or shin pain. Such a huge victory!

Don't worry, I don't plan on going out and running a 5k tomorrow... But it does give me hope that maybe someday (soon) I can be a runner again!

Testing, Testing 1, 2, 3...

2012-06-29T18:48:00.001-07:00

I'll be traveling the next few days... So I am going to try out posting from my phone. Hopefully this will be a success, and I'll never look back to the days where I had to use my old desktop computer to post.

Wish me luck!

Week 16/17 Weigh In

2012-06-29T18:39:00.001-07:00

Seeing as how the week is almost over, I figured I should probably post something to keep myself accountable. I did weigh in on Wednesday, then I had a wonderful lunch date with a friend that I haven't see in a long time and lost track of time. Thursday was the same story; I weighed in, then my mother came over with lunch and we chatted the afternoon away. So, here's the scoop (yesterday's numbers)...

Last Weigh In: 170.8
Today's Weigh In: 169.8
This Week's Difference: -1.0
Total Pounds Lost: 15.2
BMI: 25.1 (Overweight)

I am SO excited that I have broken into the 160's, barely I know, but I am still excited. I can't wait to lose my "overweight" classification, which is anything under a score of 25 BMI. Since I am so close to the "normal" range, I am nervous that it is going to get even harder to shake any pounds off. I mean, it has taken me almost 4 months just to lose 15 pounds...

I just keep reminding myself, slow and steady wins the race.

Is it Tuesday Already?

2012-06-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I had an "oops" moment this morning. My husband was working from home this morning, and having him around threw off my routine. My normal routine for a weigh in day is: wake up, take a few sips of coffee, wake up/change/feed the baby, take care of "business", then weigh in at what I imagine is the emptiest I can be. Is this the smartest routine, probably not... but it is what I have done all the other weigh in days. My husband and I were chatting and drinking coffee and then I ate some breakfast, forgetting that it was Tuesday. Oops. I will weigh in tomorrow, and all will be right in the world.

My detox water (read about it here), turned out great. When I say great, I mean it was tasty... I didn't really feel it as a detoxifier, but it did get me to drink a ton of water that day. Since then I made my own flavored/detox waters; orange/ginger is delicious, also lemon/cucumber is refreshing. I'm going to continue to try new combinations, I'll let you all know if I come up with any other winners.

My sister was in town for her birthday, so I decided to make her happy birthday cupcakes. She has also been working out and watching what she eats, so I figured she would appreciate healthier cupcakes. I tried the cake mix with greek yogurt recipe that has been floating around Pinterest. They turned out great; moist and fluffy with no tangy yogurt taste. I'll definitely do that again.

Friday Funday

2012-06-22T17:21:00.001-07:00

Since my last post, I've wanted to post almost everyday... But, I never find the energy to go downstairs to the gloomy 'man cave' to use the desktop computer. So, this is what has been happening...

I've been working out like a beast! I'm hitting the elliptical pretty hard for two reasons:

1) it is convenient, I can do it while the baby is napping and
2) I did a lot of reading in Hawaii and some runners use the elliptical to build muscles up to prevent shin splints.

I am hoping that a couple weeks of elliptical training will get me ready to start running again. It has been so beautiful outside, it has taken a lot of strength to not go for a run. Also, I did two workouts in one day (that was a first); 30 minutes of elliptical in the morning and a Zumba class in the evening. It was my first Zumba class, it was a little different than I expected. I was sore the next day, so I believe it was a good workout. I am going to try another class at my gym tonight, RIPPED.

My friends at MyFitnessPal decided that I have lost enough weight to recalculate my goals. Basically that means it cut 100 calories from my daily intake. Lame. I guess you gotta take the bad with the good.

I made a detox water last night, I found the recipe on Pinterest (you can follow me, StrongSimple)... Basically you mix 2 liters of water with a sliced cucumber, a sliced lemon, 10 mint leaves, and a few slices of ginger and let it 'steep' overnight. Then, you try to drink the whole pitcher the next day in place of the water you would normally drink. Cucumber is a diuretic, lemon (or any citrus) detoxifies the liver, mint purifies, and ginger is an anti-inflammatory. I had a glass this morning, and it is quite refreshing. My hubs even thought it was tasty.

Well, that's all for now...