Ah, finally. I'm done. It only took 12 weeks to finish an 8 week podcast (due to illnesses setting me back), but I'm done. And I feel wonderful. Starting tomorrow, I will begin my own schedule, to work towards running 5 miles without walking. It'll be tough to complete, but I'm looking foward to the challenge.
To cover the last week, on Tuesday I went to Dixon with Nick for a light workout. Just did 20 minutes on a bike, and then lifted weights for a bit. It was more of to relax, hang out, and still be a bit active. Wednesday, completed the first day of my Week 8 podcast, which is 30 minutes without walking. Thursday, I went to Dixon again, and weighed myself. And in 5 days, I had only lost 1 pound, and I began to panic a bit. It meant that my weight loss is finally starting to slow down. I knew this would happen, but I thought I'd easily hit 200 by my birthday. Now, I'm hoping for 205. So due to my panic, it meant that I ended up doing 80 minutes of fairly intense cardio on bikes and a bit on an eliptical. I was pretty exhausted, but I managed. Friday, I did the second day of my Week 8 podcast, and then went on a bike ride to Philomath with Nick, Maddie, and Maggie, the ol' freshman crew (group of friends from Freshman year). Ended up being about 12 miles, which was pretty tiring after my run, but I was doing pretty well. We ended up at Flat Tail Brewery in downtown Corvallis, and I got a massive burger (I had only eaten about 300 calories prior, and had 2 workouts - I deserved it). It had a 1/3 pound patty, grilled onions, bacon, peppered turkey, a fried egg, and avocado. Wow, so good.
Saturday morning, went to Dixon, weighed in at 214, so 2 pounds from the previous week (meant that I lost 1 pound from Thursday to Saturday), and did about 70 minutes on a recumbant bike (was too sore for an upright bike), but was not doing an intense workout. Just wanted to keep myself a bit active. Went home that afternoon to Lake Oswego, to celebrate my brother's and my aunt's birthdays this evening (Sunday), so I stayed the night. Went for my final 5k101 run this morning, and it went pretty well. Was beautiful, and I got to run along the riverfront, and encountered a lot of people out and about. And the day couldn't have gone any better.
Tomorrow, I think I'm going to run 2 miles to help my body recover some from the last few days, and Tuesday, I either won't workout, or will do something very light at Dixon. I might instead do a small workout in my apartment on Tuesday. Either way, on Wednesday, I'm hoping to pull off 3.5 miles, so I can start working on my 5 mile goal.
I have 5 weeks now, to lose 14 pounds... Bit unpractical at this point, if I'm struggling with just 2 pounds per week. It's still possible, but unlikely. Luckily, I'll be happy no matter what, as I will for sure be under 210, and will be at least very close to hitting 200.
Weight loss since Februrary 19th, 2012: 36 pounds
Weight loss since the beginning of Junior year: 41 pounds
Total weight loss since Senior year of high school: 56 pounds
I've pretty much decided what my future plans will be, through the summer and during next school year, but I'll talk about that in my next blog post. Until then, stay fancy.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
New Running Record
Without walking or stopping, my new record is a 32 minute run that I accomplished today. I've been struggling with moving on in my runs, and improving, and I realized that during my intervals, I lose lots of momentum whenever I walk. For example, last week I started a week 7 run, and did the first 12 minutes no problem, then 3 minutes of walking, and as soon as I started to run again, my entire body just hit the wall. My legs got super stiff, it felt as if I had never gotten a break after all, and I just lost all the motivation to keep going, being as uncomfortable as I was. So I decided that I wanted to change up my running, and steer away from the intervals, since the recovery intervals were hindering my progress.
Friday (May 4th) I ran a fairly easy 2 mile run without any breaks, at a 9:45 pace (started at my regular 9:30 pace and slowed down to a 10 minute pace by the end of it). Then went to Dixon on Saturday to just shoot hoops for a bit, and do my weekly weigh in. Sunday, I had meant to run, but I never had a decent oppertunity to do so due to a baseball game, and eating at certain times of the day, as well as when I woke up (woke up at 11, rather than 9, as I hoped for). Nonetheless, I got out there this morning, and wanted to try something longer than 2 miles, in hopes that one of these days I'll be ready to consistantly run 30 minutes without breaks. I wouldn't settle for less than 2.5 miles, but I was really going for 3, and just push myself extremely hard to finish it. And let me tell you, physically, I was done at 2.5 miles, as I got extremely exhausted by that time (right around 26 minutes or so). But mentally, I wanted to finish at least 30 minutes. And if I was going to do 30 minutes, why not just run the extra minute or two and finish off 3 miles (since my pace slowed down to about 11 minutes by the end, was 10:34 overall)? So, barely, I managed to finish, but I did it. Just over 3 miles in a little more than 32 minutes. Toughest run, BY FAR, that I've ever completed. I was afraid that if I didn't stop a couple minutes prior to 3 miles, that I might collapse - somehow I got through it though. It was actually funny, with about 3 minutes left, I crossed paths with an older man, and he gave me this look of pity, it seemed like. Almost as if he knew just what I was going through, and gave a bit of a smile. It was the look of, I'm sorry you're struggling this much, but you can do it. I know, that was a lot to interpret just from a look, but it really felt that way.
I'm thinking that I'll continue this, and start doing the week 8 podcasts until I'm ready to step up my game more. It's 30 minutes straight, but Wednesday, when I run next, I'll probably start my pace a bit slower, around 10 minutes, to make sure I don't overexert myself too much. I can see 5 miles without breaks in my future, and hopefully before my birthday, but it will sure be difficult to reach that point. I'll probably be asking my brother to help build a running schedule for me, to increase my mileage to 5 miles, in the next week or two.
I had mentioned my weigh in at Dixon. Down 3 more pounds to 216. 16 more pounds to go, in just 7 weeks! That's averaging 2.3 pounds per week, and so far over the last 11 weeks, I've lost 34, which is an average of about 3.1 pounds. Very doable. And as my birthday approaches, I will probably crack down more, to ensure that I reach my goal. Nonetheless, I'm positive that I'll reach 210 by my birthday, which was the realistic goal that I set (after making 220 my original goal). It'll be interesting to see where I'm at by the end of the summer, assuming I'm around 200 at my birthday, and then working and continuing to work out and eat better throughout the summer.
Besides all that, nothing really happened last week, and this weekend I'm going home to celebrate my brother's and aun't birthday on Sunday, but I'm still going to Dixon on Saturday morning for my weigh in and be a bit productive as well. Also, Wednesday will be making a vegetarian chili recipe that I found. Pretty easy, few cans of beans, few cans of diced tomatoes, bit of produce like carrots/celery/onion, and a bit of seasoning. I've always wanted to make chili, but some of the recipes can be quite complicated, or require plenty of ingredients. This one is quite simple. Also I'll be making some minestroni soup at some point, and found a good looking recipe for a cajun dirty rice dish. All vegetarian, but I don't mind. Trying to slowly reduce my meat intake, specifically with red meats anyways. Oh and I've recently been making some stir frys, just a pack of frozen stir fry vegetables, add in some cooking teriyaki sauce and sriracha hot sauce, and quite a good, low calorie dish.
I guess that's about it. 'til next time, stay fancy.
Friday (May 4th) I ran a fairly easy 2 mile run without any breaks, at a 9:45 pace (started at my regular 9:30 pace and slowed down to a 10 minute pace by the end of it). Then went to Dixon on Saturday to just shoot hoops for a bit, and do my weekly weigh in. Sunday, I had meant to run, but I never had a decent oppertunity to do so due to a baseball game, and eating at certain times of the day, as well as when I woke up (woke up at 11, rather than 9, as I hoped for). Nonetheless, I got out there this morning, and wanted to try something longer than 2 miles, in hopes that one of these days I'll be ready to consistantly run 30 minutes without breaks. I wouldn't settle for less than 2.5 miles, but I was really going for 3, and just push myself extremely hard to finish it. And let me tell you, physically, I was done at 2.5 miles, as I got extremely exhausted by that time (right around 26 minutes or so). But mentally, I wanted to finish at least 30 minutes. And if I was going to do 30 minutes, why not just run the extra minute or two and finish off 3 miles (since my pace slowed down to about 11 minutes by the end, was 10:34 overall)? So, barely, I managed to finish, but I did it. Just over 3 miles in a little more than 32 minutes. Toughest run, BY FAR, that I've ever completed. I was afraid that if I didn't stop a couple minutes prior to 3 miles, that I might collapse - somehow I got through it though. It was actually funny, with about 3 minutes left, I crossed paths with an older man, and he gave me this look of pity, it seemed like. Almost as if he knew just what I was going through, and gave a bit of a smile. It was the look of, I'm sorry you're struggling this much, but you can do it. I know, that was a lot to interpret just from a look, but it really felt that way.
I'm thinking that I'll continue this, and start doing the week 8 podcasts until I'm ready to step up my game more. It's 30 minutes straight, but Wednesday, when I run next, I'll probably start my pace a bit slower, around 10 minutes, to make sure I don't overexert myself too much. I can see 5 miles without breaks in my future, and hopefully before my birthday, but it will sure be difficult to reach that point. I'll probably be asking my brother to help build a running schedule for me, to increase my mileage to 5 miles, in the next week or two.
I had mentioned my weigh in at Dixon. Down 3 more pounds to 216. 16 more pounds to go, in just 7 weeks! That's averaging 2.3 pounds per week, and so far over the last 11 weeks, I've lost 34, which is an average of about 3.1 pounds. Very doable. And as my birthday approaches, I will probably crack down more, to ensure that I reach my goal. Nonetheless, I'm positive that I'll reach 210 by my birthday, which was the realistic goal that I set (after making 220 my original goal). It'll be interesting to see where I'm at by the end of the summer, assuming I'm around 200 at my birthday, and then working and continuing to work out and eat better throughout the summer.
Besides all that, nothing really happened last week, and this weekend I'm going home to celebrate my brother's and aun't birthday on Sunday, but I'm still going to Dixon on Saturday morning for my weigh in and be a bit productive as well. Also, Wednesday will be making a vegetarian chili recipe that I found. Pretty easy, few cans of beans, few cans of diced tomatoes, bit of produce like carrots/celery/onion, and a bit of seasoning. I've always wanted to make chili, but some of the recipes can be quite complicated, or require plenty of ingredients. This one is quite simple. Also I'll be making some minestroni soup at some point, and found a good looking recipe for a cajun dirty rice dish. All vegetarian, but I don't mind. Trying to slowly reduce my meat intake, specifically with red meats anyways. Oh and I've recently been making some stir frys, just a pack of frozen stir fry vegetables, add in some cooking teriyaki sauce and sriracha hot sauce, and quite a good, low calorie dish.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Time to Slow Things Down
I cannot believe the title of this post.
Basically, I've been trying too hard to improve my running. For example, Wednesday, I ran my scheduled week 7 run. Thursday I went for a 2 mile run without walking. Friday, I attempted the same thing, but was too tired, and only managed 1 mile. Saturday, I went to Dixon and did a fairly intensive bike workout, including some HIITs. Sunday I tried to get back to a week 7 run, but only managed to do the first interval before tiring out. Today, I went for another 2 mile run, and only managed 1.5 miles. I've been trying to do consecutive running days, and it's just been getting too tiring for me. So tomorrow, I won't be doing any running, so I can fully rest for Wednesday's run. I need to realize that I shouldn't do anymore than 4 runs a week, or any intensive cardio (such as the biking that I did - although I'm not against a lower intense bike workout). Hopefully this will help, as I just have not had enough energy or stamina to complete some of these runs.
On the other hand, I was afraid that I wouldn't lose any weight since the 14th (the last time I weighed myself, at 223), but I weighed in at 219, which is great that I had actually lost some weight. I figured with the way I ate last weekend (Olive Garden, Killer Burger, half a pizza, and bit of a barbeque), that the number wouldn't look so pretty. Now, there's something special about weighing in at 219. Firstly, I surpassed my first goal of 220 pounds, and am only 9 pounds away from my realistic goal, and 19 away from my challenging goal by June 15. But more importantly is that I am no longer considered obese, by BMI standards. BMI, or Body Mass Index, only plays in two factors, your height and your weight. So it's a horrible representation of whether you're under or overweight. However, it still exists, and I've always hated being considered obese by BMI standards, and well finally, that is no longer true. Saturday was a glorious day when I found that out. And speaking of weight, June 15 is just around the corner, and from Saturday, I had about 7 weeks until my birthday, meaning that I've got 7 weeks to lose the last 19 pounds. Possible, but difficult. I managed to lose 31 pounds in just 9 weeks, but my metabolism is slowing down as I lose weight.
Other than that, I don't really have anything to discuss. Oh, I guess that today I had to put a 6th hole in my belts. Always a great feeling. Definitely going to be needing lots of new clothes at the beginning of summer. And speaking of clothes, I cannot find one of my running smartwool socks, which really sucks. I've looked all around my room, so I've ruled out it being lost in my room, and the last time I thought I had it was doing laundry at my house when I went back home last weekend. So I'm certain it's somewhere around there. But they're about $5 per sock, which sucks to lose one.
So to finish things off, stay fancy, each and every one of you.
Basically, I've been trying too hard to improve my running. For example, Wednesday, I ran my scheduled week 7 run. Thursday I went for a 2 mile run without walking. Friday, I attempted the same thing, but was too tired, and only managed 1 mile. Saturday, I went to Dixon and did a fairly intensive bike workout, including some HIITs. Sunday I tried to get back to a week 7 run, but only managed to do the first interval before tiring out. Today, I went for another 2 mile run, and only managed 1.5 miles. I've been trying to do consecutive running days, and it's just been getting too tiring for me. So tomorrow, I won't be doing any running, so I can fully rest for Wednesday's run. I need to realize that I shouldn't do anymore than 4 runs a week, or any intensive cardio (such as the biking that I did - although I'm not against a lower intense bike workout). Hopefully this will help, as I just have not had enough energy or stamina to complete some of these runs.
On the other hand, I was afraid that I wouldn't lose any weight since the 14th (the last time I weighed myself, at 223), but I weighed in at 219, which is great that I had actually lost some weight. I figured with the way I ate last weekend (Olive Garden, Killer Burger, half a pizza, and bit of a barbeque), that the number wouldn't look so pretty. Now, there's something special about weighing in at 219. Firstly, I surpassed my first goal of 220 pounds, and am only 9 pounds away from my realistic goal, and 19 away from my challenging goal by June 15. But more importantly is that I am no longer considered obese, by BMI standards. BMI, or Body Mass Index, only plays in two factors, your height and your weight. So it's a horrible representation of whether you're under or overweight. However, it still exists, and I've always hated being considered obese by BMI standards, and well finally, that is no longer true. Saturday was a glorious day when I found that out. And speaking of weight, June 15 is just around the corner, and from Saturday, I had about 7 weeks until my birthday, meaning that I've got 7 weeks to lose the last 19 pounds. Possible, but difficult. I managed to lose 31 pounds in just 9 weeks, but my metabolism is slowing down as I lose weight.
Other than that, I don't really have anything to discuss. Oh, I guess that today I had to put a 6th hole in my belts. Always a great feeling. Definitely going to be needing lots of new clothes at the beginning of summer. And speaking of clothes, I cannot find one of my running smartwool socks, which really sucks. I've looked all around my room, so I've ruled out it being lost in my room, and the last time I thought I had it was doing laundry at my house when I went back home last weekend. So I'm certain it's somewhere around there. But they're about $5 per sock, which sucks to lose one.
So to finish things off, stay fancy, each and every one of you.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
FASTEST MILE I HAVE EVER RUN
First, sorry to my readers about the delay in this post. It's now been about 11 days since I last posted. I got laryngitis last week, so things changed. That week 6 run I had said I was going to do last Monday, turned into just a mile. So from there, I decided to just pace a mile for my runs until I could handle the farther distances better. Except my last few runs where I've tried to run a week 6 or week 7 workout (either 2 or 3 intervals of 12 minutes), my body could only handle 1 interval. So now I'm a bit on track, as I just finished a week 7 run yesterday.
The title says it all. On saturday I ran a 6:22 mile, and on Sunday a 5:42 mile. Okay, the title doesn't say it all... They were downhill miles, meaning there was a negative net gain on the elevation. It was about half downhill, and the other half was either flat or slightly uphill. Nonetheless, it's where I would start my runs in Lake Oswego. Now, I could say that I broke the 6 minute mile now, and I'm happy, but it was downhill. Instead, I'm going to continue a goal of 7 minutes for a mile (I realized 6 minutes was a bit too ambitious for a flat course, since my previous estimates had been off the downhill in Lake Oswego), and maybe shoot for a 6 minute by the end of summer, just to make it slightly easier on me. I already have a goal of 5 straight miles without walking before my birthday, and that'll be a bit tough. I want to push myself, but I also want to make sure I can realistically accomplish these goals without overexerting myself too much.
Luckily, even with laryngitis, I was at least getting out for a run of 1-1.5 miles, just to get something done. And I did a few weight lifting workouts as well, since I want to continue that. I really want to stay active enough that I'm doing some kind of workout, everyday. Even if it's a 20-30 minute weight lifting routine.
I ran my week 7 workout yesterday, and barely finished it. Well, not really, as I ran an extra 3.5 minutes on my last interval... But once I was done running - I was DONE running. Probably the most exhausted I've been from a run. Then again, it was technically the most I've run - 39.5 minutes total, with 6 minutes of walking as well for my two walk intervals. Speaking of which, I used to count my warm up and cool down walks (5 minutes each) into my distance traveled, mainly since before I was walking at least half of my workout, so it seemed reasonable to count it (slowed down my pace a bit though). But now, I'm barely walking at all, and I want to pay more attention to my overall pace, so once the running portion actually started after the warm up, that's when I'll be turning on my running app (Runkeeper). I did that yesterday, and I really wanted to break 4 miles (my previous week 7 run was 4.35 miles, but that was with the warm up and cool down) so I just kept going until I broke 4, and then had a block or two left in me, as I ended up at 4.11 miles. I'm pretty happy about that, especially after not being able to run long distances over the last week and a half (long as in more than a mile).
Two more things, then I'm done, I swear.
So today I want to run again, but I won't be up to another week 7 run like yesterday, but I still want to challenge myself a bit. I think I've decided that I'll run 2 miles straight. Which shouldn't be a problem. But then again, I've never run more than a mile and a half straight without walking. So it'll be something new to me. I want to do this, so I can get more used to these intervals, since I'm always exhausted after each 12 minute interval, and the only way I can continue is with the help of the walk intervals. That's my biggest problem right now, and if I don't improve, then there's no way I'll be able to run 30 minutes straight. Let alone 5 miles without walking. But now I'm looking outside my window, and it just got very windy and gloomy, yet it was a bit sunny out just an hour ago. I'll wait up to an hour, hoping the weather turns out a bit better before heading out the door.
And now I'm done with the fitness part of my blog... I got a new game! Well I pirated it, so I could try it out. It's Skyrim. And it might be the best game ever. I've already put in 20 hours in 3 days - that's how awesome it is. But I don't like keeping pirated games, so I'll buy it once it goes on sale, as the price of it is still fairly steep. Until then, I'll just continue doing quests and killing dragons and such. One reason I want to run today is so I'm not inside playing the game all day long. Oh, Skyrim...
Anyways, glad to have finally posted this, as it's been a while. Until next time, stay fancy.
P.S. Really? It's now sunny out, but also raining...
The title says it all. On saturday I ran a 6:22 mile, and on Sunday a 5:42 mile. Okay, the title doesn't say it all... They were downhill miles, meaning there was a negative net gain on the elevation. It was about half downhill, and the other half was either flat or slightly uphill. Nonetheless, it's where I would start my runs in Lake Oswego. Now, I could say that I broke the 6 minute mile now, and I'm happy, but it was downhill. Instead, I'm going to continue a goal of 7 minutes for a mile (I realized 6 minutes was a bit too ambitious for a flat course, since my previous estimates had been off the downhill in Lake Oswego), and maybe shoot for a 6 minute by the end of summer, just to make it slightly easier on me. I already have a goal of 5 straight miles without walking before my birthday, and that'll be a bit tough. I want to push myself, but I also want to make sure I can realistically accomplish these goals without overexerting myself too much.
Luckily, even with laryngitis, I was at least getting out for a run of 1-1.5 miles, just to get something done. And I did a few weight lifting workouts as well, since I want to continue that. I really want to stay active enough that I'm doing some kind of workout, everyday. Even if it's a 20-30 minute weight lifting routine.
I ran my week 7 workout yesterday, and barely finished it. Well, not really, as I ran an extra 3.5 minutes on my last interval... But once I was done running - I was DONE running. Probably the most exhausted I've been from a run. Then again, it was technically the most I've run - 39.5 minutes total, with 6 minutes of walking as well for my two walk intervals. Speaking of which, I used to count my warm up and cool down walks (5 minutes each) into my distance traveled, mainly since before I was walking at least half of my workout, so it seemed reasonable to count it (slowed down my pace a bit though). But now, I'm barely walking at all, and I want to pay more attention to my overall pace, so once the running portion actually started after the warm up, that's when I'll be turning on my running app (Runkeeper). I did that yesterday, and I really wanted to break 4 miles (my previous week 7 run was 4.35 miles, but that was with the warm up and cool down) so I just kept going until I broke 4, and then had a block or two left in me, as I ended up at 4.11 miles. I'm pretty happy about that, especially after not being able to run long distances over the last week and a half (long as in more than a mile).
Two more things, then I'm done, I swear.
So today I want to run again, but I won't be up to another week 7 run like yesterday, but I still want to challenge myself a bit. I think I've decided that I'll run 2 miles straight. Which shouldn't be a problem. But then again, I've never run more than a mile and a half straight without walking. So it'll be something new to me. I want to do this, so I can get more used to these intervals, since I'm always exhausted after each 12 minute interval, and the only way I can continue is with the help of the walk intervals. That's my biggest problem right now, and if I don't improve, then there's no way I'll be able to run 30 minutes straight. Let alone 5 miles without walking. But now I'm looking outside my window, and it just got very windy and gloomy, yet it was a bit sunny out just an hour ago. I'll wait up to an hour, hoping the weather turns out a bit better before heading out the door.
And now I'm done with the fitness part of my blog... I got a new game! Well I pirated it, so I could try it out. It's Skyrim. And it might be the best game ever. I've already put in 20 hours in 3 days - that's how awesome it is. But I don't like keeping pirated games, so I'll buy it once it goes on sale, as the price of it is still fairly steep. Until then, I'll just continue doing quests and killing dragons and such. One reason I want to run today is so I'm not inside playing the game all day long. Oh, Skyrim...
Anyways, glad to have finally posted this, as it's been a while. Until next time, stay fancy.
P.S. Really? It's now sunny out, but also raining...
Monday, April 16, 2012
Stepping Up My Running Game
The only way to improve something is to step it up a notch!
I had discussed with my brother during Spring Break of how to improve my running (both distance and pace) and one suggestion he gave me was to get used to running two days in a row, which will build up general stamina in terms of just running more, but also build me up to the point where I can run almost every day (eventually). Over the course of running the Week 6 schedule (2 intervals of 12 minutes), I noticed I really wasn't making much improvement. Ultimately it came down to how much energy I had the day (as well as the time) of the run. Not to mention I'm still recovering from being sick (from the cold, not the stomach flu), so that's been affecting my running. Nonetheless, I decided I wanted to change things up, and do something to see some improvement. I've barely been able to finish these Week 6 runs, and I'm going to be moving to 30 minute runs soon enough that I really should be able to handle 12 minutes much better than I have been doing. So I decided that I would run today (Sunday - note that I'm still considering it Sunday evening right now) as well as do a run tomorrow morning prior to classes. Firstly, Monday/Wednesday/Friday all work very well for my class schedule, so it's easiest to run on those days. Secondly, this allows for a schedule of 4 runs per week, which is perfect, considering I have been doing 7 runs every 2 weeks.
Today's run went quite well actually, after just saying that I've been struggling a bit. Which is funny, because I moved to Week 7 today, which is 3 intervals of 12 minutes. Let me say, going from 24 minutes of running to 36 minutes of running is a huge leap, and I definitely noticed the difference. But I started my run in the late afternoon (4:30) and I don't know if that played a factor, but I just ended up with a lot more energy overall, which was great. I completed each interval without walking (which once again, is funny, because my last run on Friday, I had to walk part of, and that was only 2 intervals) and made it to 4.35 miles, which is my new distance record for a run. My pace was one of my slower ones of the last few weeks, but that is expected, considering that I had to run for much longer. But I did keep the same pace for the entire run, which is fantastic; this means I'm doing a much better job of pacing myself, which is something I've always struggled with. Oh and since I had a longer run today and I'm planning to run tomorrow, I decided I will repeat a Week 6 run, to make it an easier transition for my body.
Saturday morning, I went to Dixon with Ryan (Nick was on a stupid field trip and couldn't go). We rode a bike for about 10 minutes (my legs were killing me for whatever reason, so I didn't feel the need to go any longer) and then we hit the basketball court up, shot for a bit, and then got started with some basketball games (5v5 for most of it, 4v4 in one game). I had a hard time finding my niche in the game, considering that the last time I played a game of basketball with a team was back in fifth grade. I really did a poor job of communicating to my teammates at first, just due to my inexperience with a team, but after the first game, I really stepped it up. I played all my offense in the key basically, and I had a ton of offensive rebounds. Made 2 baskets total, and in the third game, I couldn't make a single shot. Was probably 0 for 8 shots (all right by the basket); someone told me the rim must be greased because the ball just did not want to go in for me. But hell, with a bit of practice, I bet I could be a powerhouse. If I even made half the shots I took, we would have won each game so easily.
While at Dixon, I also weighed myself, as usual. Ended up at 223, which is another loss of 2 pounds since last week. That's great, because it's a healthy weight to lose per week, and that's also considering eating a lot of Easter candy. So that's good. I haven't been using my food journal since the beginning of Spring Break, but I do keep a pretty accurate mental note of how much I've eaten (including the calories), so at the end of the day, I'll just give myself a mental note of whether I should eat food number 1, or food number 2, based off the nutritional value. On top of nutrition, I've decided to start limiting the amount of red meat that I eat. I'll still eat it for now, if it's either made for me, or I'm at a restaurant or whatever, and it's calling my name (I mean, burgers are like my favorite food...), but I just want to cut down the amount I eat. I never mentioned this, but I stopped buying hot dogs (just horrible for you anyways), and haven't had bacon in a while, and eating more poultry rather than pork for example. Only thing I eat is black forest ham lunch meat for sandwiches, and I have had a couple of pork chops in the last couple of months (in terms of the food I've bought and made for myself). I was tempted to buy some canadian bacon yesterday, but the limitation of red meat made me decide not to buy it, which ultimately is probably a good decision. Eventually, I want to go without eating any red meat for a period, which will then hopefully lead to trying out being vegetarian for a little while. Mainly just to try it out, and challenge myself to it. But also to just aid towards my overall health - making me think of more health conscious foods over fatty meats.
And my last thing to talk about. I keep mentioning and coming up with new goals (hah like those push ups? Haven't even tried continuing, although I really should, as well as doing some weight training. Maybe this week...) but I've got something to throw in about running. All of my goals lately have been to accomplish it by my birthday, such as my big goal of weighing 210 pounds (or 200 if 210 is accomplished early enough), so I wanted to give myself a running goal. First, I want to be able to run 5 miles without walking (at any pace, just have to finish it), as well as be able to run a 6 minute mile. Simple enough. Within the next couple of weeks I should be able to run 30 minutes straight, and from there, it's just building up my stamina to last that long on a run.With the mile time, I wonder if I could do that by now. I'm sure I could get down to a 7 minute mile easily, but we'll know when I start timing myself. There are a couple of tracks around town that I could use that are close by. I want to use a track because it'll be more accurate than my phone's GPS, which wouldn't be a great representation of my distance and pace, in comparison to a track. Once I finish the running podcasts that I've been using (which will be in the next 2 weeks if everything is on schedule) then I will time my mile to see where I'm at now, and then will work on getting down to a faster mile by the end of Summer. Combining a faster mile as well as the endurance to run longer, should help me towards a decent 5k time.
I realized that was a lot that I just talked about, but it was all on my mind, and nothing else has really been happening this week/weekend, so I thought I'd share. Oh and I'm 2/3 through The Fellowship of the Ring, some of these chapters are just so damn long. Anyways, stay fancy.
I had discussed with my brother during Spring Break of how to improve my running (both distance and pace) and one suggestion he gave me was to get used to running two days in a row, which will build up general stamina in terms of just running more, but also build me up to the point where I can run almost every day (eventually). Over the course of running the Week 6 schedule (2 intervals of 12 minutes), I noticed I really wasn't making much improvement. Ultimately it came down to how much energy I had the day (as well as the time) of the run. Not to mention I'm still recovering from being sick (from the cold, not the stomach flu), so that's been affecting my running. Nonetheless, I decided I wanted to change things up, and do something to see some improvement. I've barely been able to finish these Week 6 runs, and I'm going to be moving to 30 minute runs soon enough that I really should be able to handle 12 minutes much better than I have been doing. So I decided that I would run today (Sunday - note that I'm still considering it Sunday evening right now) as well as do a run tomorrow morning prior to classes. Firstly, Monday/Wednesday/Friday all work very well for my class schedule, so it's easiest to run on those days. Secondly, this allows for a schedule of 4 runs per week, which is perfect, considering I have been doing 7 runs every 2 weeks.
Today's run went quite well actually, after just saying that I've been struggling a bit. Which is funny, because I moved to Week 7 today, which is 3 intervals of 12 minutes. Let me say, going from 24 minutes of running to 36 minutes of running is a huge leap, and I definitely noticed the difference. But I started my run in the late afternoon (4:30) and I don't know if that played a factor, but I just ended up with a lot more energy overall, which was great. I completed each interval without walking (which once again, is funny, because my last run on Friday, I had to walk part of, and that was only 2 intervals) and made it to 4.35 miles, which is my new distance record for a run. My pace was one of my slower ones of the last few weeks, but that is expected, considering that I had to run for much longer. But I did keep the same pace for the entire run, which is fantastic; this means I'm doing a much better job of pacing myself, which is something I've always struggled with. Oh and since I had a longer run today and I'm planning to run tomorrow, I decided I will repeat a Week 6 run, to make it an easier transition for my body.
Saturday morning, I went to Dixon with Ryan (Nick was on a stupid field trip and couldn't go). We rode a bike for about 10 minutes (my legs were killing me for whatever reason, so I didn't feel the need to go any longer) and then we hit the basketball court up, shot for a bit, and then got started with some basketball games (5v5 for most of it, 4v4 in one game). I had a hard time finding my niche in the game, considering that the last time I played a game of basketball with a team was back in fifth grade. I really did a poor job of communicating to my teammates at first, just due to my inexperience with a team, but after the first game, I really stepped it up. I played all my offense in the key basically, and I had a ton of offensive rebounds. Made 2 baskets total, and in the third game, I couldn't make a single shot. Was probably 0 for 8 shots (all right by the basket); someone told me the rim must be greased because the ball just did not want to go in for me. But hell, with a bit of practice, I bet I could be a powerhouse. If I even made half the shots I took, we would have won each game so easily.
While at Dixon, I also weighed myself, as usual. Ended up at 223, which is another loss of 2 pounds since last week. That's great, because it's a healthy weight to lose per week, and that's also considering eating a lot of Easter candy. So that's good. I haven't been using my food journal since the beginning of Spring Break, but I do keep a pretty accurate mental note of how much I've eaten (including the calories), so at the end of the day, I'll just give myself a mental note of whether I should eat food number 1, or food number 2, based off the nutritional value. On top of nutrition, I've decided to start limiting the amount of red meat that I eat. I'll still eat it for now, if it's either made for me, or I'm at a restaurant or whatever, and it's calling my name (I mean, burgers are like my favorite food...), but I just want to cut down the amount I eat. I never mentioned this, but I stopped buying hot dogs (just horrible for you anyways), and haven't had bacon in a while, and eating more poultry rather than pork for example. Only thing I eat is black forest ham lunch meat for sandwiches, and I have had a couple of pork chops in the last couple of months (in terms of the food I've bought and made for myself). I was tempted to buy some canadian bacon yesterday, but the limitation of red meat made me decide not to buy it, which ultimately is probably a good decision. Eventually, I want to go without eating any red meat for a period, which will then hopefully lead to trying out being vegetarian for a little while. Mainly just to try it out, and challenge myself to it. But also to just aid towards my overall health - making me think of more health conscious foods over fatty meats.
And my last thing to talk about. I keep mentioning and coming up with new goals (hah like those push ups? Haven't even tried continuing, although I really should, as well as doing some weight training. Maybe this week...) but I've got something to throw in about running. All of my goals lately have been to accomplish it by my birthday, such as my big goal of weighing 210 pounds (or 200 if 210 is accomplished early enough), so I wanted to give myself a running goal. First, I want to be able to run 5 miles without walking (at any pace, just have to finish it), as well as be able to run a 6 minute mile. Simple enough. Within the next couple of weeks I should be able to run 30 minutes straight, and from there, it's just building up my stamina to last that long on a run.With the mile time, I wonder if I could do that by now. I'm sure I could get down to a 7 minute mile easily, but we'll know when I start timing myself. There are a couple of tracks around town that I could use that are close by. I want to use a track because it'll be more accurate than my phone's GPS, which wouldn't be a great representation of my distance and pace, in comparison to a track. Once I finish the running podcasts that I've been using (which will be in the next 2 weeks if everything is on schedule) then I will time my mile to see where I'm at now, and then will work on getting down to a faster mile by the end of Summer. Combining a faster mile as well as the endurance to run longer, should help me towards a decent 5k time.
I realized that was a lot that I just talked about, but it was all on my mind, and nothing else has really been happening this week/weekend, so I thought I'd share. Oh and I'm 2/3 through The Fellowship of the Ring, some of these chapters are just so damn long. Anyways, stay fancy.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
An Uneventful Week
Wednesday night at the moment, and it's a pretty "chill" week.
Monday I attempted to run, and it went... not great. I got going for almost a mile at a pretty fast pace (I thought I'd manage it but before I knew it, my body died) and then had to walk for a couple minutes, ran for a bit more to finish off the first 12 minute interval, and then walked for a recovery. Then ran for maybe 4 more minutes of the next interval, maybe 6, and that was all I could really manage at the time. Nonetheless, it was better than I faired last Monday when I first started feeling ill.
Today's run went much smoother, as I was able to completely finish each running interval (of 12 minutes). It was tough, and I had to take it at a pretty slow pace (slower than I ran it in Lake Oswego, which contains hills), but I finished it, and that's what is important. I'll do this run one more time on Friday, and then if I managed alright, then I'll move on to Week 7 on Sunday. Week 7 is still 12 minute intervals, however instead of just 2, it moves up to 3, so it becomes 36 minutes of running rather than the 24 I've been doing. It's just about building up endurance, so that third interval will sure be tough.
School has been going well so far. I've got a two hour break from 12-2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I'll be spending that time in the library, finishing up homework, so that I can spend more time at home, doing whatever the hell I want to. I usually have a couple math assignments due each week, as well as weekly genetics, and with 3-4 hours of time each week, that will cut down the work that I have to do back at home, which is always nice. Plus, I'm trying to create better studying/work habits, so I'll be trying to get things done earlier than I usually do. For instance, I have math homework due Saturday, so naturally, I'll work on it tomorrow, to free up my weekend. In terms of how my classes are going, they're not too bad. I wish I had a more fun class, but I need to focus on my academics at the moment, which is far more important than a fun class. However, I'm really enjoying my Invertebrate Biology class, just because I finally get to learn about animals, and nothing but animals. Something I thoroughly enjoy. Not that I'm too fond of invertebrates, but it's better than stupid plants.
Sunday was Easter, which naturally means, I now have Easter candy. Sweets that my dad gave me, as well as some candy that I bought for 25% from Fred Meyer. Luckily it's been alright to eat the candy, since I still haven't been eating all that much, although my eating habits have become a bit more normal in comparison to my constant 1200 calorie days like before. Today has been about 1500 calories, but that's because I only had a banana for breakfast, as I was trying to get out on my run as soon as possible in the morning, and then had pasta and a small protein shake afterwards which has kept me pretty full for the majority of the day. However, even though I have been eating less, even with the extra sugar, I don't like how much sugar I'm taking in. So after my sweet supply is gone, I'll be lowering my sugar intake greatly, and that way, if I still need extra calories, I can get them from better, or more natural sources rather than just chocolate.
I'd say that's it for now, so stay fancy.
Monday I attempted to run, and it went... not great. I got going for almost a mile at a pretty fast pace (I thought I'd manage it but before I knew it, my body died) and then had to walk for a couple minutes, ran for a bit more to finish off the first 12 minute interval, and then walked for a recovery. Then ran for maybe 4 more minutes of the next interval, maybe 6, and that was all I could really manage at the time. Nonetheless, it was better than I faired last Monday when I first started feeling ill.
Today's run went much smoother, as I was able to completely finish each running interval (of 12 minutes). It was tough, and I had to take it at a pretty slow pace (slower than I ran it in Lake Oswego, which contains hills), but I finished it, and that's what is important. I'll do this run one more time on Friday, and then if I managed alright, then I'll move on to Week 7 on Sunday. Week 7 is still 12 minute intervals, however instead of just 2, it moves up to 3, so it becomes 36 minutes of running rather than the 24 I've been doing. It's just about building up endurance, so that third interval will sure be tough.
School has been going well so far. I've got a two hour break from 12-2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I'll be spending that time in the library, finishing up homework, so that I can spend more time at home, doing whatever the hell I want to. I usually have a couple math assignments due each week, as well as weekly genetics, and with 3-4 hours of time each week, that will cut down the work that I have to do back at home, which is always nice. Plus, I'm trying to create better studying/work habits, so I'll be trying to get things done earlier than I usually do. For instance, I have math homework due Saturday, so naturally, I'll work on it tomorrow, to free up my weekend. In terms of how my classes are going, they're not too bad. I wish I had a more fun class, but I need to focus on my academics at the moment, which is far more important than a fun class. However, I'm really enjoying my Invertebrate Biology class, just because I finally get to learn about animals, and nothing but animals. Something I thoroughly enjoy. Not that I'm too fond of invertebrates, but it's better than stupid plants.
Sunday was Easter, which naturally means, I now have Easter candy. Sweets that my dad gave me, as well as some candy that I bought for 25% from Fred Meyer. Luckily it's been alright to eat the candy, since I still haven't been eating all that much, although my eating habits have become a bit more normal in comparison to my constant 1200 calorie days like before. Today has been about 1500 calories, but that's because I only had a banana for breakfast, as I was trying to get out on my run as soon as possible in the morning, and then had pasta and a small protein shake afterwards which has kept me pretty full for the majority of the day. However, even though I have been eating less, even with the extra sugar, I don't like how much sugar I'm taking in. So after my sweet supply is gone, I'll be lowering my sugar intake greatly, and that way, if I still need extra calories, I can get them from better, or more natural sources rather than just chocolate.
I'd say that's it for now, so stay fancy.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Second Week of the Term - Now it's Time to Start
To explain the title of this post, I didn't make it to class at all last week, which sucked, big time. I was getting ready to go to class Monday morning, and then bam, my stomach hit me bad, and there was no way I'd be making it to class, and then I got really sick throughout the week (combination of the stomach flu and my cold). Now, it's time to get back into classes. My last couple of terms have been awful, and I haven't been proud of them at all; rather ashamed to be honest. And I hate myself for it. I really dislike using the word hate, but in this case, it really does apply. So I'm really going to apply myself this term - who knows, it could be my first 4.0 term of college! Hah, yeah right. But hell, I'll try. I need this bad, because I've been on a slippery slope for a while now. Just need to get some momentum going again! So tomorrow is a big day for me, as it's finally get back into school, and taking things very seriously. I can't afford to make any mistakes now. And I figured out my finals schedule, which is important since I'll have Zoo Camp training that week (probably Friday/Saturday of that week - June 15/16) as well as my birthday being on that Friday (June 15). So I've got 1 final on Monday morning at 9:30, then on Tuesday, a final at 7:30 AM (UGH) and then at 9:30 AM (MORE UGH), and finally one at 9:30 AM on Wednesday. An interesting schedule! I don't mind the 9:30 finals, but I don't really like the 7:30 followed by another right afterwards. But that means that I'll be back in time for training (assuming it is on the 15) and I'll be able to be back home for my birthday (probably for June 15, get the Zoo crew to go to Sylvan Saloon or McMenamins after training is done for that day - remember, it'll be my 21st birthday). Anyways, moving on.
I'm going to attempt to run tomorrow morning, prior to classes. If I can't do the two intervals of 12 minutes, then I'll just do what I can without killing myself, and try to at least get 30+ minutes of activity in. We'll see what happens, but I would love to get back into a running routine again, I just don't know if my lung capacity can handle it while still having a bit of a cold. If I don't do very well, I might throw in some weights in the evening, and continue that until I can run 100% of my intervals, slowly building up to it again. Whatever.
I forgot to mention! I got new running shoes! My brother and I went to Foot Traffic (in LO) to get me some new, good running shoes. Tried out quite a few, tested them out for a bit, and it came down to a pair of Asics for $140, that have a very nice gel cushion in the shoe. I decided to go with this shoe because of my weak ankles (from my many, many sprains), I need to lessen the impact if possible when landing on my foot, so the gel helps support it better, and also will last longer. And since my brother used to work at Foot Traffic, he got me 30% off, so it came out to be $98 which is awesome. Of course, I only got to run in them for 1 mile last Monday, and then a mile and a half of walking. A shame, but hopefully tomorrow will be different. (Note: The following picture is what my shoes look like)
On Saturday morning, I went to Dixon with Ryan and Nick, and the only real reason I went was to get out of the apartment finally, as well as get a weigh in after Spring Break/working and then being sick. I weighed in at 225 prior to working out, and 223 afterwards (which is usually when I've been weighing myself, but I'd rather consider myself 225, especially coming off of the stomach flu, so it's possible I might gain some weight back actually). So there's another 5 pounds off, and I'm now on my last notch of my big belt, so soon enough at this rate, I'll be making a new notch! While at Dixon, spent 25 minutes on a bike at a medium intensity, and then watched Nick and Ryan play some basketball (definitely wasn't up to playing). Then afterwards just shot hoops with them. After a couple hours at Dixon, went to the covered bridge with Nick to look at some native plants for a project of his. While there found 2 garter snakes (one of which he picked up, and then dropped because he got freaked out), and also found tons of deer tracks by the creek. Apparently today he went again and saw 3 deer. What a lucky duck he is. I ended the day at 20.8k steps on my pedometer, always nice after being inside all week.
And on a completely unhealthy sidenote, I went to this French bakery at about Circle and Highland (right next to Market of Choice) in Corvallis with Hannah, and wow, what a meal. I had a chicken crepe that was delicious, and even better was a vegetarian hot sandwich and salad - the sandwich had bell peppers cooked in garlic and olive oil, with melted brie cheese and some basalmic vinigar dressing on it as well. It cost $12.50 but it basically filled me up all day long. I'll be going back to try out one of their sweet crepes for breakfast sometime - nutella and cream with banana. I can't wait. (Note: My crepe looked nothing like the picture)
It's funny how easily I get filled up now, as well as how long I'm satisfied for. For breakfast today I had probably around 200 calories of greek yogurt and granola with tea, then lunch (which was a ton, and I was so stuffed I barely could drink any water after the meal). Then some chocolate in the early evening, some tea, a slice of French bread, and a cup of juice throughout the evening. And that's it. And I've been full all day long. Most of my days have been 1200-1400 calories once my stomach stopped aching from the stomach flu. Crazy. I've even personally been eating more sugar, just because I haven't been able to eat as many calories from filling up so easily. We'll see if this continues at all once I start routinely running and working out again.
I think that's about it for now, I swear I had one more thing to talk about, but oh well. I at least covered quite a bit. Well until next time, stay fancy.
I'm going to attempt to run tomorrow morning, prior to classes. If I can't do the two intervals of 12 minutes, then I'll just do what I can without killing myself, and try to at least get 30+ minutes of activity in. We'll see what happens, but I would love to get back into a running routine again, I just don't know if my lung capacity can handle it while still having a bit of a cold. If I don't do very well, I might throw in some weights in the evening, and continue that until I can run 100% of my intervals, slowly building up to it again. Whatever.
I forgot to mention! I got new running shoes! My brother and I went to Foot Traffic (in LO) to get me some new, good running shoes. Tried out quite a few, tested them out for a bit, and it came down to a pair of Asics for $140, that have a very nice gel cushion in the shoe. I decided to go with this shoe because of my weak ankles (from my many, many sprains), I need to lessen the impact if possible when landing on my foot, so the gel helps support it better, and also will last longer. And since my brother used to work at Foot Traffic, he got me 30% off, so it came out to be $98 which is awesome. Of course, I only got to run in them for 1 mile last Monday, and then a mile and a half of walking. A shame, but hopefully tomorrow will be different. (Note: The following picture is what my shoes look like)
On Saturday morning, I went to Dixon with Ryan and Nick, and the only real reason I went was to get out of the apartment finally, as well as get a weigh in after Spring Break/working and then being sick. I weighed in at 225 prior to working out, and 223 afterwards (which is usually when I've been weighing myself, but I'd rather consider myself 225, especially coming off of the stomach flu, so it's possible I might gain some weight back actually). So there's another 5 pounds off, and I'm now on my last notch of my big belt, so soon enough at this rate, I'll be making a new notch! While at Dixon, spent 25 minutes on a bike at a medium intensity, and then watched Nick and Ryan play some basketball (definitely wasn't up to playing). Then afterwards just shot hoops with them. After a couple hours at Dixon, went to the covered bridge with Nick to look at some native plants for a project of his. While there found 2 garter snakes (one of which he picked up, and then dropped because he got freaked out), and also found tons of deer tracks by the creek. Apparently today he went again and saw 3 deer. What a lucky duck he is. I ended the day at 20.8k steps on my pedometer, always nice after being inside all week.
And on a completely unhealthy sidenote, I went to this French bakery at about Circle and Highland (right next to Market of Choice) in Corvallis with Hannah, and wow, what a meal. I had a chicken crepe that was delicious, and even better was a vegetarian hot sandwich and salad - the sandwich had bell peppers cooked in garlic and olive oil, with melted brie cheese and some basalmic vinigar dressing on it as well. It cost $12.50 but it basically filled me up all day long. I'll be going back to try out one of their sweet crepes for breakfast sometime - nutella and cream with banana. I can't wait. (Note: My crepe looked nothing like the picture)
It's funny how easily I get filled up now, as well as how long I'm satisfied for. For breakfast today I had probably around 200 calories of greek yogurt and granola with tea, then lunch (which was a ton, and I was so stuffed I barely could drink any water after the meal). Then some chocolate in the early evening, some tea, a slice of French bread, and a cup of juice throughout the evening. And that's it. And I've been full all day long. Most of my days have been 1200-1400 calories once my stomach stopped aching from the stomach flu. Crazy. I've even personally been eating more sugar, just because I haven't been able to eat as many calories from filling up so easily. We'll see if this continues at all once I start routinely running and working out again.
I think that's about it for now, I swear I had one more thing to talk about, but oh well. I at least covered quite a bit. Well until next time, stay fancy.
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