I ran 5 miles!

With no stopping!
It took freaking forever, but I did it.

Too bad slow and steady doesn't really win the race.

Tom Bergeron? Hi, it's Jane calling. Will THIS video make it on the show??

Me scaring the boys with the Scary Maze website.

Wednesday Weigh-In and ROOM

Weigh-in today: -2.2

Total loss to date: -33.4

Feeling: Good. I have been moving "with purpose" every day this year, I have "started" my 10K training (a whole 'nother story about sore calves coming soon....), and I have been eating a lot of POWER foods. The show goes on.

New topic! I just read this book, ROOM, by Emma Donoghue and it was great. Very emotional and scary and sad and happy and awful and good. Hated it and loved it. Loved the writing, loved the story, hated the fact that shit like this happens. When I was finished with it, I felt like sobbing. If you like that kind of read, GET IT. It's great. And awful. And fabulous.

I think I'm a runner! Maybe.

How do you know if you are a runner? Is there a distance or speed requirement? Is there a weekly requirement?

Yesterday I ran 5K with the Sisterhood. Well, not really with them, I was totally alone, but with them in spirit. I ran the 5K in 33 minutes. AND in the snow. Like, a good amount of snow, too! It was covering everything!

I am starting a NikePlus training program on Tuesday to run a 10K in April or May. Then, I'll start working on my training for the Army 10-Miler in October.

I found a podcast on itunes from Motion Traxx called "Tribal 5K" that helps you run at an 11 minute mile pace. It plays some good "tribal" music (ha ha, with a few shout outs to Miami!) with a strong beat to keep you running. I enjoyed it a lot and will definitely use it again. I felt like I could have gone further.

I am going to get some new running shoes today because my ankles start hurting when I get to 4 miles. And my Nike training says to go 5 miles next Saturday. AHHHH! 5 miles!? What happened to 4?!

So, I guess I'm a runner now. Maybe?

Wednesday Weigh-In

This past week, I had the "Magic Tracker" from my weight watchers meeting. This is something (I think?) most meeting leaders do - get a 3 month tracker and pass it from member to member each week. I started with it because last week I was saying at my meeting how I needed a kickstart to get back into tracking and exercising. So my leader, Becky, passed me a new 3 month tracker and I got going. It definitely helped me get back on track. I tracked every single thing I ate, and I exercised 7 days this week. I decorated the book, I wrote inspirational messages in it, I shared websites, and I even shared my resolutions. I was super proud of my progress and my tracking.
I lost 0.2 this week, and while I know "a loss is a loss," I can't help feeling bummed about my hard work only paying off a little. I also know that next week I will lose a lot more (my body seems to be a week behind) if I stick with it. This is a journey and a lifestyle change, not an immediate reward system. So, while I feel a little bummed about my loss, I also feel rejuvinated by knowing if I keep at it, the scale will show it in the long run. I am in this for the long haul and I am excited to be able to say that I KNOW I can do this.

2011.

Last year, I wrote this for my new years "resolution":

This year my goal is to be happier by making others happy.

In retrospect, I feel as though I was successful about 50% of the time with this goal. I think I met this goal in my professional life, with students, and with most colleagues. But I don't think I met it with my family. In 2011, I hope to revisit this goal with a focus on family.

Here are my goals for 2011:

1. Be happier by making others happy, especially my family.

2. Do my best to teach my children how to love others and treat others with kindness all the time.

3. Run the Army 10-miler in October (yikes!)

4. Run 500 miles this year.

5. Reach my goal weight of 150 pounds.

Here we go. Happy New Year, everyone.

"Take the keys and jolly bolly, fa mana na na nana na na"

Christmas morning at our house was fun and crazy. Charlotte loved opening her gifts - here she is bringing one to the carpet to open:

Here is Henry with his new crane and Owen with his new dump truck:

Todd and Char opening a gift together, and then Owen watching the next gift:

Can you spot the real animal here? It's like ET!

Wednesday Weigh-In

Up another 0.6 tonight.
I need to REBOOT. Going on an all-tracking, all-focused, all-exercising resolution week. ACTION.

Winter break begins! (wednesday weigh-in, too)

The kids had their Christmas program tonight - and it was a adorable. Here are the boys singing their songs, and a picture of Char working on her gingerbread house, grumpily....

WW weigh-in: +0.6

Feeling: Good, despite the gain. I didn't track OR exercise this week. So, back on track. Hooray for Christmas!

Lesson Learned.

December 17 – Lesson Learned. What was the best thing you learned about yourself this past year? And how will you apply that lesson going forward? (Author: Tara Weaver)
The best thing I learned about myself this year is that I am stronger than I thought. Not physically - I can barely open the kids' sippy cups - but mentally. I have willpower that I didn't know I had, and the strength to change my habits to lose the weight I want to lose. Going forward, I am going to keep using this strength to get healthier and physically stronger in the process. Screw you, sippy cups!
Reverb10

Wednesday Weigh-In and Reverb10.

Weekly Weigh-In: -3.6
Cause of losing 7.2 pounds in 2 weeks: The stomach flu.

Appreciate. What’s the one thing you have come to appreciate most in the past year? How do you express gratitude for it? (Author: Victoria Klein)

This prompt makes me a little sad. I, unfortunately, have done a bad job this year of expressing gratitude or appreciation to anyone or anything. As I have been getting healthier, I have also been thinking a lot about the other aspects of my life that I would like to improve. One of those things is, in fact, expressing gratitude for the wonderful things in my life.

I am quick to complain. I am quick to criticize. But I am slooowwww to praise some people and things in my life. At school, I am the praisemaster - positive behavior system? check. passing out those stickers? check. praising the kids for breathing? check. But when I am home, I forget to dole out praise to the boys that clean up without being asked (not often), that eat all their food (almost never) and that give their sister a kiss (once in a blue moon). I also forget to praise the other boy at home that I appreciate all he does around the house for me, for the kids, and for the dogs.

I have come to appreciate more things in my life - what I have, what I can do, the family I have created - but the outward ability to express my extreme gratitude to these people and things is something I need to work on.

2011 resolution? I think so.
Reverb10