How to Stop Looking Like an Apple by Eating Them

Marathon Complete!!

2009-07-03T12:25:00.003-04:00

I suppose it is time for an update. I completed the Seattle Rock N Roll Marathon on 6/27/09 in a personal record! Ok, so it's my first marathon and it's an instant PR--but nonetheless...6 hours 50 minutes and 3 seconds to complete 26.2 miles. I raised almost $6000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It was one of the most challenging yet rewarding things I've ever done in my life. I plan on doing the Disney World Marathon through LLS in January. The picture is of me just before finishing. I think I look pretty damn good for just running almost 7 hours! :)

Fundraising

2009-03-23T19:26:00.002-04:00

Whew...it's been a crazy couple of months. I am recommitting to Team in Training tomorrow. I'm really nervous, as I am just about halfway done with raising the money. I am thinking of having a big event soon, so keep your eyes peeled! In running news, my toenail is about to fall off. It's super cute, I assure you. It comes with the territory, I guess. More updates on that later. I'm insanely hungry all the time now...and whoever said running is a good way to lose weight is full of crap. There, I said it. They're lying! :) My whole team (including myself) has gained weight. Oh well, it's for a good cause. We'll just say that we're gaining muscle.

NFL Experience

2009-01-28T21:08:00.003-05:00

As part of Sean's anniversary present from me, I got him tickets to the NFL Experience. It was really nice--they have autograph signings, games, food, and lots of fun. I brought a football to be signed to include in the raffle to raise money for the LLS (read post below for more info). I got some big names, including Alstott and Garcia (of Tampa Bay Bucs).

I was supposed to run 10 miles on Sunday, but didn't. I ran 6.5 miles yesterday. I am going to start running with my friend Emily so I don't get so bored. She has been thinking about asking me to run with her, too for the same reason!

The fundraising is coming along...just SLOWLY! I have some things in the works, including a raffle and a yard sale...so hopefully those work out.

Team in Training

2009-01-16T14:30:00.005-05:00

I made the commitment and joined Team in Training on Wednesday. They train me for an endurance race (I picked the Rock N Roll Seattle Marathon, 26.2 miles!) and I raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. My goal is to raise $6000 before June. I know that I can do this.

To donate, go to http://pages.teamintraining.org/cfl/rnrseatl09/sodle

It's 100% tax deductable and 75% goes DIRECTLY to the cause.

I am so excited about this. My paternal grandpa had a brain tumor, paternal grandma had breast cancer, maternal grandma has skin cancer, and maternal grandpa is continuously battling bladder cancer. The big C is something that effects so many people. If you don't know somebody that has cancer, I can guarantee that someone you know knows somebody that does. Let's help find a cure together!

I appreciate your support--whether it's financial or moral.

My before

2009-01-15T21:44:00.002-05:00

This picture is frightening...but it will give you an even better picture of what I used to look like. I'm on the left in a blueish top. It was taken January 21, 2006 at a friend's wedding...exactly one year before I got married!

9 miles on the open road

2009-01-11T21:53:00.002-05:00

Let me be the first (or maybe not the first) to tell you that running on the treadmill is NOT the same thing as running outside. It is VERY different. Today was my first ever long run outside. I got all my "gear" ready last night so I'd be prepared...but I went to sleep way too late and didn't wake up until 8:30. I finally got out the door at 9:15 (I wanted to eat breakfast first). Bad idea. It was really hot which made it much more difficult. I did make it, though! 1 hour, 54 minutes. I think it came out to about a 12:48 minute mile, and I am perfectly fine with that. My goal is under 13 minutes for the half marathon. I am going to continue the rest of my training outside unless the weather absolutely doesn't allow it.

In other news, hubby and I also gave blood today. I am really glad that we did and that we now know where the actual place is.

Also--for his 30th birthday my present to him was an HDTV of his choosing. His family also chipped in. We keep going to the store to look, but I think we're finally settled on one! So we're pretty excited about that.

One last thing (I really need to update this more)...if any of you have the opportunity, check out your digital cable channels. We have a channel with a bunch of exercise videos on demand. Everything from strength training to cardio to yoga and belly dancing. I was pretty excited to come upon it.

Tata for now!

Yummy Recipe

2009-01-10T00:04:00.003-05:00

I got a new Weight Watchers cookbook for Christmas called Take Out Tonight. I made spicy orange beef with vegetables earlier in the week (it was tasty) and then I made chicken with black bean sauce for dinner last night. Hubby and I really enjoyed it. It tasted like something from a chinese restaurant. We had it with rice.

Chicken with Black Bean Sauce
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into strips
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons black bean sauce
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger (I left this out because we don't like ginger.)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 pound white mushrooms, quartered
1/4 pound snow peas, trimmed and halved lengthwise
1 carrot, thinly sliced

Combine chicken and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in a medium bowl, tossing well to coat. Set aside.

Combine remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch with broth, black bean sauce, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl, stirring well to combine. Set aside.

Heat a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add oil to pan and then carefully add the chicken. Stir-fry until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, snow peas and carrots; stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add the broth mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.

7 miles, and what?!

2008-12-21T23:48:00.002-05:00

Holy moly...I ran 7 miles today. I mean, I literally ran (OK, jog) the entire way. It took me an hour and 33 minutes, but I'm totally fine with that. I think my problem before was that I wanted to be faster. I know that my time will get better as I progress in my training...my goal now is to actually be able to jog the whole half marathon. After tonight, I have strong confidence that I can. I have 5 more weeks of training that will lead me up to 13.1 miles! Even better, my hubby got me a Garmin Forerunner 405 (looks like a watch) for Christmas. It does all this fancy stuff that I don't even know about yet. I can set my pace and have a virtual "buddy" letting me know how I'm doing. This way, I won't over or under do it. It has a GPS and heart rate monitor...and of course it tells the time!

So, seriously...anybody that thinks I'm special...I'm not. A year ago I ran a 5K in 46 minutes, wanted to vomit afterwards, and was 20 pounds heavier. Anyone can do this if they put their mind to it. Anyone. Can you tell I'm pumped today? :)

We're leaving tomorrow for a 6 day trip to Delaware to see my dad, step mom, brothers, and nieces. I'll be missing one run, but that's OK. It's Christmas!

Well, Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah!

Savannah Bridge Run

2008-12-10T20:12:00.002-05:00

A friend of mine (Emily) and I ran the 5K Savannah Bridge Run on Dec. 6th. It was a really great run--we both finished right around 33:15! They had bagels, water, beer, and brunswick stew after the race...haha, no beer or stew for me. We had a really great weekend, too. We went to some nice restaurants and even went for tea on Saturday afternoon. I hope to do it again next year, maybe even the 10K!

Yesterday was my 6 mile run. It was boring (treadmill) and loooong. 72 minutes (12 minutes miles), which I'm fine with...but I thought my legs were going to give out when I was done.

Goal, Sweet Goal

2008-11-15T15:38:00.003-05:00

I made it! I really didn't think this was a good week, but I am now .2 below my goal! I have lost 20.6 pounds since July 18th, and I feel so much better. I also actually ran 3 miles today (the whole time, only stopped to walk for a couple seconds due to a stitch in my side--gotta work on that), so that was exciting. I had lunch with the ladies from WW Message Boards. It was so great to meet the people I talk to everyday! Tonight is pseudo Thanksgiving at a friend's house. I was nervous at first about all the food, but I put everything in my tracker, so I'm going there with a game plan. I will be alright, I know it! :)

I am bringing a pumpkin angel food cake. It's tasty and easy.

Ingredients:
Box of dry angel food cake mix
15 oz. can of pumpkin
1 cup water
1 tsp. pumpkin spice

Mix ingredients together, put into a 9x13 pan (sprayed with Pam), bake at 350 for at least 25 minutes. My oven takes 30 minutes.

I am bringing cool whip to go on top. If you cut it into 12 slices, it's 3 points per piece. That's my dessert!!

4 miles

2008-11-10T19:45:00.002-05:00

So, I actually made it! And not only did I make it, but Sean made it, too! We did 4.03 miles in 55 minutes, which is a 13:37 min. mile. I know for most of you that's not too good, but we're proud of ourselves.

When we got back, I wanted to make dinner right away. I made pasta (I highly recommend Ronzoni's Smart Taste--lots of fiber, only 3 points per cup) and mixed Newman's Own (I also recommend all of their products--I love the taste and what they stand for) with bison meat. Unfortunately, bison is pretty fatty...so not the best, points wise. It was still yummy, though!

Hope everyone has a great week!

Foiled Again

2008-11-09T19:58:00.004-05:00

According to my training plan, today was my first 4 mile run. I was nervous about it this morning. We went to sleep really late last night (I'm obsessed with the Twilight series), so no rush to get up. We decided to start our errands and do the run later. Sean didn't want to run, so we got his bike out and fixed it up. Well, then we came home and I was exhausted from 6 hours of sleep and errands. Then came the 1.5 hour nap. :) When I woke up, it was 5:15 and Sean was cooking dinner. Not much daylight left, especially if we were eating first. So, to the gym we'd go after dinner. Had to get there by 7 since they close at 8....or so we thought. Apparently they close at 7. He doesn't like me running alone and we didn't really know what else to do, so we came home. I hate when my plans get can canceled, but I must carry on! I can't give up, not so soon. I will do the run tomorrow as soon as I get home from work. This is my promise to myself.

In lighter news, we tried a new restaurant for lunch. It's in downtown Melbourne and it's called Matt's Casbah. I had a "Warm Nutted Goat Cheese Salad" (yes, I giggled at the name). It was INSANELY delicious. Sean had the ropa vieja and was equally impressed.

Oh, and I've decided that I'm a runner. I'm not just a person that goes running and is signed up for this scary 13.1 mile race. I AM A RUNNER!

I'm silly.

2008-11-04T20:29:00.002-05:00

So, I started Hal Higdon's novice half marathon training yesterday. Today was supposed to be a 3 mile run. Hubby isn't a runner, so he decided to go to the gym and we were going to meet back at home. Well, while doing my warm up walk (with the dog--his name is Duke), I realized that I didn't bring my house keys! Thank goodness I brought my cell...so I called Sean (hubby) and told him the situation. Instead of following the route I had planned, I decided to jog to the gym! It. ended up being around 2.4 miles, but I was really proud of myself for doing that in 35 minutes (and that's including my 5 minute warm up walk and some walking in the middle due to a stitch in my side). Anywho, that's my silly story for the day.

I voted this AM, the line wasn't too bad. It's amazing that this day is already here. We're making history, people! I used my "I Voted" sticker at a spy store to get a free pepper spray and at Ben & Jerry's for free ice cream (well, I had sorbet--only 2 points in a serving!). I'm happy that the country is encouraging people to vote.

Weigh in is this saturday. I'm nervous, because I'm so close to goal! I really want to hit that mark. I'm only 1 pound away as of last saturday. Just need to keep up on my eating habits and exercise. I'll be trying some new recipes this week, so stay tuned for any good reccomendations.

Baking

2008-11-03T18:57:00.003-05:00

Ahhh.....baking. It's all fun and games until you eat too much batter. My friend Emily and I baked all day yesterday. We're involved with www.bakinggals.com (this is our first time). We get together in teams and bake for a soldier that is deployed. This soldier will get a ton of baked goods around the same time and will share with his/her fellow soldiers. Well, what I would want to make/eat is not the same as a soldier in Bosnia or Iraq. They want the good stuff! We made 2 batches of chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies, no bake cookies, and granola bars. Each recipe had 1 or 2 sticks of butter in it. Pretty crazy! But man, everything was SOOO tasty! I kind of went crazy yesterday, and realized that I needed to take control of myself today. I haven't been the best about tracking and getting my 8 GHG's since I got back from vacation. I decided that yesterday I used enough of my weekly points allowance, so I will not go over my daily points for the rest of the week. I tracked today, and feel so much better for getting in all of my requirements! Why is it that we sabotage ourselves? Is food really worth it? One bite of cookie dough would have been enough. Or even two. Did I really need 10 spoonfuls? Well, at least I realize now how silly that was. I don't feel guilty, because I used my points for it...but I don't plan on doing it again.

In other news, the BIG election is tomorrow. I hope you all get out and vote!

I'm back! Did ya miss me?

2008-10-29T14:58:00.003-04:00

So, I'm back after our 10 day trip to California. It was really nice to get away from work for a while. It made me realize that I really want to move onto something new...we'll see where that goes.

I ate within my points the whole time, but I didn't follow the 8 GHG's (Good Health Guidelines) well enough. The meeting I went to near my father-in-law's house was really nice. They have computers at their location! Wow, fancy! :)

On Sunday, my friend and I are having a baking day (for soldiers that are deployed). It's for bakinggals.com. I highly recommend it! Afterwards, I'll be back with some yummy recipes! I'm going to try and incorporate some fall recipes. (I love pumpkin---hopefully they will, too.)

So long, farewell!!

2008-10-17T21:42:00.002-04:00

So, I'm leaving tomorrow morning for a 10 day trip to California! I won't have much internet access, so I won't be blogging until I get back. I'm nervous about being out of my weight loss comfort zone, but I'm bringing some of my own snacks (including Fiber One cereal, which is a staple for me). I'm going to check out a WW meeting on tuesday morning in Cali, so that should be interesting.

Before and After

2008-10-15T10:19:00.008-04:00

As promised, here are some before and after pics. It's not so much an after as a during, but it is a fairly noticeable change. The first picture was from 4/27/06 at my highest weight of 178. The second pic is from somewhere around 10/1/08 at around 157 pounds. I am currently 155. I apologize to all whom I have blinded with my pale stomach. My WW goal weight is 153, which I feel is maintainable. My personal goal is 147. I'm almost there! I still need to (obviously) tone up, but I'm on my way to a better life!

Here's one for you

2008-10-14T17:05:00.002-04:00

So, I promised recipes, and I want to start this blog off right! I have a ton of favorites to share, but this is my recent dinner fav. If you haven't heard of hungry girl and her newsletters, you need to go google her. Right now! :) I get the daily e-mails and have the cookbook, which is awesome. So, enough free advertising for HG, onto the recipe: (the only change I'll make next time is to possibly saute them in a pan...I put tin foil on a cookie sheet and a lot of the coating fell off. If you have any other ideas, let me know!)
This comes from http://www.hungry-girl.com/chew/chewdetails.php?isid=1309


	HG's H-O-T Hot Boneless Buffalo Wings
	Right Wing!
	Ready for a crispy, hot boneless buffalo wing swap? You BETTER be. These spicy nuggets will blow your mind! And for an all-out b-wing experience, serve 'em with celery sticks and some low-cal bleu cheese or ranch dressing (mmmm!)... *Ingredients:* 8 oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast, cut into 10 nugget-shaped pieces 1/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original), ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor 1 oz. (about 14 crisps) Pringles Light Fat Free Potato Crisps, Barbecue (or another fat-free BBQ-flavored potato chip) 3 tbsp. Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce dash onion powder dash garlic powder dash cayenne pepper dash black pepper dash salt *Directions:* Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Crush potato crisps completely and, in a small dish, mix with cereal crumbs. Add a dash of each of the seasonings and mix well. Place chicken pieces in a separate dish, and cover and toss with Frank's RedHot. Spray a baking pan with nonstick spray. Give each chicken piece a shake (so it's not dripping with RedHot), and then coat it evenly with the crumb mixture. Lay the battered nuggets on the baking pan. Place in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Then flip the wings over, and return them to the oven for 10 more minutes, or until outsides are crispy and chicken is cooked throughout. MAKES 2 SERVINGS
	Serving Size: 5 wings (half of recipe) Calories: 175 Fat: 1.5g Sodium: 1,153mg Carbs: 14g Fiber: 4g Sugars: <1g Protein: 27g POINTS®** value 3*

And so it begins....

2008-10-13T15:25:00.000-04:00

I'm not big on blogging, so excuse me if I commit a faux pas at any point. I've been heavy my whole life. I've been wanting to lose weight since middle school. Why did I always have to be the "big" friend? After finding out that my insurance would reimburse me for it, I joined Weight Watchers on July 18, 2008. I have lost 18.4 pounds as of October 11, 2008 and I'm really enjoying my new lease on life. I eat better and exercise more. It really is that simple. In my blog I will discuss my day-to-day life, my weight loss journey (along with progress pics), tips, recipes, and anything else that may interest me. I hope you enjoy it! My brother came up with the name of the blog, which is PERFECT considering I was surely an apple shape....so thanks Jonathan!!