Getting personal.....

I'm ready for all of my teaching jobs to kick back into gear! I'm ready for my routine to be more routine! 

Now that summer is winding down I really feel like I can get back on track. I've been slacking a little too much on the meal plan. I've been maintaining and not losing. I need to and want to lose this last little bit of weight. 

Honestly, I've been happy....for about the past 6 months. Really happy. I've not been mentioning it, but I've been seeing someone for the past 6 months and I couldn't be happier. He is the best guy I've ever dated. 

He's the first guy I've dates since I've started all these meal plans and working out and whatnot. I've been learning how to eat on schedule, work out, and have a functional adult relationship with this guy in my life!

I've got the working out under control, but I'm still figuring out the whole eating thing again. He knows what I've been doing. I was upfront from the first day I met him about doing everything on a schedule. The whole discussion about mass weight loss came a few weeks later. 

I've gotta tell ya, it's been easy to have him in my life. Like I said, the whole working out thing is not an issue. It's the food that is tripping me up. And I've also gotta tell ya, he makes me feel absolutely beautiful; saggy skin and all.

I used to worry about how I appeared to other people; especially guys. Now, I could care less. He thinks I look great in jeans and a t-shirt. 

However, it can make it hard to focus because he is always making me feel so good about how I look. It can make it easy to "cheat". I know, I know, what a silly thing to complain about.......he makes me feel great, and it's hard to focus on my eating.....blah, blah....I'm sure you all just threw up a little in your mouths. 

I've had an awesome summer hanging out with him. He wants to do active things too. It's not problem to get him to go for a walk, play putt putt, go bowling, etc.... but I'm ready for there to be less free time and more work time! I think once my schedule fills back up I will be able to focus better on the meal plans. 

Oh...his name is Josh, and he's the awesome. 

Still Running.

The running thing is still panning out for me. I'm into week 3. It's not too bad. 

Today, I did my first run of the week. I even wore my heart rate monitor to see how many calories I can burn in a run. Today I was just under 3oo. Not too shabby. 

Like I said, I'm not trying to replace lifting; I'm looking for something else to add in with my workouts. I need something to mix it up for a while. 

I would like to start running more often, and we'll see what I can do after I complete these 10 weeks. 

It feels pretty good that I decided to do this whole running thing on my own. I felt like I was capable of doing something else and I found something good for me. 

I'm sure that as it gets colder I will lose motivation, but in all honesty this plan will get me into the holidays. After that, I might ask Zach to help me with a plan to continue running and to keep it interesting. 

I've been running...scary, I know.

So, I've decided that I need to add something to my regular workout routine. I found an interval jogging plan that lasts about 10 weeks. I do it three times a week and I'm finishing my second week. 

I'm not sure what changed and why I went from hating jogging and running to wanting to run as much as possible. I'm still lifting 5 to 6 days a week, but I 3 days a week I also jog for about 25 minutes at the end of my workout. 

Here's what the plan looks like:

Week 1:

Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 5 minutes
Repeat 4 times
Walk 1 minute
Total: 25 minutes

Week 2:

Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 7 minutes
Repeat 3 times
Walk 1 minute
Total 25 minutes

Week 3: 

Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 10 minutes
Repeat 2 times
Walk 1 minute
Total 23 minutes

Week 4:

Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 10 minutes
Repeat 2 times
Walk 1 minute
Total 23 minutes

Week 5:

Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 10 minutes
Repeat 2 times
Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 2 minutes
Walk 1 minute
Total 26 minutes

Week 6:

Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 10 minutes
Repeat 2 times
Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 4 minutes
Walk 1 minute
Total 28 minutes

Week 7:

Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 10 minutes
Repeat 2 times
Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 5 minutes
Walk 1 minute
Total 29 minutes

Week 8:

Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 10 minutes
Repeat 2 times
Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 6 minutes
Walk 1 minute
Total 30 minutes

Week 9:

Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 10 minutes
Repeat 2 times
Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 8 minutes
Walk 1 minute
Total 32 minutes

Week 10:

Day 1:
Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 10 minutes
Repeat 2 times
Walk 1 minute
Total 23 minutes

Days 2 and 3: 
Walk 1 minute
Jog/run 10 minutes
Repeat 3 times
Walk 1 minute
Total 34 minutes

So far, I've been doing fine. I've been able to get in all three jog/runs. When I'm jogging I move between 5.1 and 5.6 for the speed and I do it on a 1.0 incline. I'm able to go over 2 miles each time. I hope to increase my speed each time. I'm not looking to be a sprinter; I just want to be able to go a little further each time. 

I think this is fun. It's a challenge that I'm ready to take on now. Last year, and even before, I was not up to this task. I think a lot while I'm doing this too. I usually think about how unbelievable it is that I'm actually running. When I start getting tired and I want to put my arms on the sides of the treadmill for support, I start thinking about how amazing it is that I'm even running at all. 

It's cool how things can change over time. 

Maybe some of you will do this too. It would be nice to hear from you if you do!

As always, if you're new here, leave a comment and tell me about your blog. I try to read as many as I can!

Update time

So, here's the low down on July. I was working out like a maniac, but finding too many reasons to "cheat" on my meal plan. So what does that mean as far as weight loss? No weight lost. That's what it mean.

I'm still at the same place I was at the end of July. 133 pounds gone, forever.

I'm kind of at a crossroads right now. I know that I'm not at my healthiest weight and  my healthiest body fat percentage. I know I still have some weight to lose and it's not even that much. Maybe like 20 pounds, but I'm happy with the progress I have made. I mean, I lost 133 pounds and that seemed easy compared to staying motivated to lose this last 20. Why is this last 20 pounds so hard?

I do want to get that last little bit off, but I'm struggling. I know summer has something to do with it, but I can't use that as an excuse. I'm also worrying that I'm letting other people down if I don't lose these last few pounds.

I would feel freaking awesome to get down to my healthiest weight and fat percentage. I would probably smile from ear to ear for a month. I mean, going from morbidly obese to lean....that would effing rock. I'm almost there too.....so where has my motivation gone?

I know this turned into some random babbling, but I just had to get some of this off my chest.