Busy day today, but I am determined to get back into my health and fitness... so even though it wasn't till  after I'd prepared dinner, and even though I had very little time... I still went for a run. 

Only 30 minutes today, but a run nonetheless. I'm aiming for 21 runs in 21 days lol.. lets see if I can do it. 

My other goal is to try and lose 8kg during that time, I'm not being ridiculously obsessed about that, it's a goal. If I lose 5, that's cool, if I lose 3 - well ok... but usually when I'm running I can lose around 400g a day - so 8kg seems realistic we'll see how it goes, but if I can achieve it I will be 1/2 way to my goal weight YAY!!

K

Well after a couple of months of no running - I am back!! To be fair I have done a few walks, but I haven't run in ages.

I've had some interesting times the past few months, not all good. I've felt lethargic, down, paranoid, emotional and lacking in confidence - and all felt beyond my control. I have been convinced for some time that I have hormone imbalance, and that's what is behind how I feel. Years ago I read about a product called 30+ Nu Woman that was a natural way to treat hormone imbalance. I found it at the supermarket but felt it was a bit pricey, well I got picked to trial it, a 2 month trial, and I have to say after a month on it I am starting to feel better. Hopefully this is the kick up the bum I needed to get me back on track.

The good thing is that during this time I haven't put on any weight - haven't lost anymore... but I haven't put any on. This makes me feel really great, and gives me some confidence that when I have lost all this weight I will know how to keep a balance to ensure I don't pile it all back on again.

So today I was determined to get back running. I am SO pleased with how it went. I ran for 15 mins before I felt my legs tiring, I then walked at the same pace for 7.5 mins as a recovery, ran again for another 15 mins and then walked another 7.5 mins to recover again. I finished with a final 15 mins run. So all up an hour of exercise and 5.23kms done and dusted - and I ran for a total of 45 mins! Oooh I can feel it in my thighs now though lol.

Well I have a goal in my head that I want to achieve over the next 3 weeks, there is a run/walk in August to aim for, there are plans afoot for where I want my weight to be too, because if I can get there I will be over 1/2 way to where I wanted to be with my weight and in 7 months. I knew this was a year long process and soon I'll be back on track :)

K 

Run ticked off again today - YAY.

Got into a nice easy stride that felt really comfortable and was achievable, so that's good. I am quite sore now though, feeling it behind the knees and in my hips. I am sure it is because I didn't do a very good warm-up and stretches first, so that is something to work on, I also may be going a bit hard out for someone going back into running, I maybe should have eased back in, but that's ok.. I'm learning and reflecting on it.

Tomorrow I might just go for a brisk walk, rather than a full on run, that may just help, then back to a run on Tuesday. I certainly don't want to lose the momentum.

My mind was all over the place today, attempting to solve the troubles of the world, I can report I have not discovered the answers.. bugger.. think I'd have to do a run of Forrest Gump proportions to do that, but ah well, it passed the time.

K

Nailed it again!! so feeling really good about myself.

It feels so good to be back on track.

Perhaps the break is what I might need every so often to keep me focussed on the end goal??

Funny what you occupy your mind with while running. Today I ran forming an opinion on the value of your big toe. For years I've read all about how our big toe defines us, it's what made us stand tall and walk etc etc but it's when you're running and you can feel the placement of your toe and then how it influences the rest of your foot as you run, that you truly appreciate it's value. Weird eh... 

While running I try and work out how fast I'm going over 100m and then what that means per km and it's funny how my brain just can't cope with maths lol 

I am trying to learn to find my pace by myself so that I can run at an even pace, rather than go hard out, then not cope and have to walk, I'm trialling songs in my head. So far the Irish Rovers - Wasn't that a party seems to keep me at the right stride - in my head I hear coulda been the whisky, mighta been the beer.... I tell ya, running really is some time to yourself you can think about anything lol

Ah well.. I'm feeling proud of myself and focussed on this next goal of getting under 90kg, it feels achievable and I am going to make it happen. Once that's achieved that'll be 19 kgs gone, I'll then set the next goal. I like these smaller achievable ones because they're more "here and now" and not way in the future. I tell ya, I am treating myself to a pedicure once it's achieved, running does not make my feet look very nice.

K

Well I'm back!

I have had a very busy few weeks and have done very little exercise wise.. so haven't had anything to bore you with ;)

But I'm back.

I haven't been totally useless, I did have a couple of runs, a walk and my daughter and I completed a 5km funrun last weekend in a mix of walking/running.

I was petrified to jump on the scales, I really didn't know what they would tell me, but I plucked up the courage and did this morning and I hadn't put on any weight at all, so YES!!! still have lost over 13kg's. The good news about that is that I know that when I finally get my weight down to where I want it to be I will know how to maintain it, I'll know how to create balance, if I indulge a little more today then I exercise a bit more tomorrow. I can't wait for the day when I have the mix right, where I can eat and drink, but will understand the counterbalance to that in terms of the exercise and diet to keep me on track. This does feel like progress from the other times I have journeyed into losing weight, I feel like I'm setting myself up for more of a long term commitment to weight loss.

I have gone back to running again as of yesterday, and that feels good. I ran 3.8km's yesterday and aimed for 4km today, which I did in 43 mins. I'm pleased with that, but I did go a bit fast again and I was struggling to finish. I think I need to decide whether I want to go the whole distance and just not worry about the speed yet, until I am consistently completing the distance, or I go for speed, get as far as I can and then try and get further and further as I get faster and faster.. Anyway I'll get it right eventually. I'm finding my stride and it feels really good to be off again. It's such a motivator, I've done heaps more today than I usually do and I'm sure it's because i built exercise into my day and had to be organised. Jumped on the scales afterwards and had lost 800g today alone - woohoo! I feel re-invigorated and it's only 6kg and I'm under 90kg, that's where I got to last time I seriously tried to lose weight, so I want to beat that, it feels achievable too - BRING IT ON!!!

K

Had a rest day yesterday, mostly out of necessity... was just busy.. 

Today I was heading off early with my Aunts to visit with my Dads elderly cousin who was 87 today, so I got up at 6am, made birthday cupcakes, then went for a run. Upped the pace quite a bit today and managed to do 3.02kms in 30 mins. I was wrapt with that.

Weighed in this morning and my weight was the same as last week, so a bit disappointing, but at least there's no gain, and I'm not letting it get to me, I'll keep going! I weighed myself after I ran and I'd lost 400g lol, if I can do 400g a day it'll make a difference.

SO onwards and upwards :)

K

Gosh it's nearly 1am Sunday and I meant to post this yesterday (Saturday) but I had such a busy day I just didn't get the chance.

I was determined today to keep up my renewed commitment to my goal, I had so much to do and not enough time, but I put my running clothes on and just got on with things and as soon as I had the cheesecake out of the oven, and the relish bubbling on the stove, I snuck off and had a run. Because I was so pushed for time I could only do 30 mins, but I figured that was better than nothing, and I picked up the pace and ran faster and further than yesterday. I did 2.75km in 30 mins, if you double that its 5.5kms in an hour. So I think I was doing a pretty good pace and I was so pleased I could complete it. I'll be running the full 5kms in no time :)

So I managed to do it 2 days in a row. I feel forward focussed and positive.

Had a wonderful night out for dinner with good friends, and now, as 1am approaches I must go to bed - another really busy day tomorrow!

K