Tuesday, August 21, 2012

5K Finally :)

Not my best look, but I was getting ready to exercise!


Here's my virtual trophy! It's my gold medal (LOL)

This picture was taken before my first official 5K.  Walking/running a 5K may not be a huge accomplishment for some people, but for me, it was a great big deal (see earlier posts to see why).  My picture was also featured on MapMyFitness’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mmfit), so if you visit it, you should be able to find it under the August photo contest. You can vote for me, or anyone else featured there. 

MapMyFitness is a good iPhone app as well as a website. This is just a cool picture found on Google search.

While, I may not be Usain Bolt, I achieved my personal best 5K time of 29.12 minutes. I will definitely walk/run a 5K again and my new goal is to run at Disneyland!

The Disneyland Princess Half Marathon. Training for someday!

Monday was a sad day for me. My trainer, loving referred to as Killer Kyle, told me he would be moving back home to Memphis. Our last training session is this Wednesday and I must admit I will miss him.  Now, I will have to break in another trainer. I’m sure there will be many great stories to come!

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Keep On, Keeping On


Well, it’s been a while since my last post, but I’m trying to make up for it today.  My trainer, Kyle, finally decided it was time to repeat my measurements (much to my dismay), so as promised—my starting and current measurements.



                       Start        Now    Difference
Chest              45.5         44.38       1.13
Right Arm       15.75       15.5         0.25
Waist              45.88       45.75       0.13
Hips                56.00       56.5         -0.5
Right Thigh      25.75       28.5        -2.75
Right Calf        18.75       18.13       0.63


While I can’t say that I’m satisfied, I’m not as disappointed as I had expected. My weight was only up 2 lbs., not the 15 lbs. I had originally thought, so that was promising.  I’m beginning to think I will always have "junk in the trunk" and turkey legs, but other than that, I do not hate my progress.  I’m also hoping that Mother Nature had an influence this time (ladies, I know you understand), so again, I keep on, keeping on. That is the focus of this post and I anticipate that it encourages you as much as it does me!

Finding Your Inner Keep On

1. Tap into Your Inner Warrior: Sometimes a big ego can be a good thing. Telling yourself that you are better than X, Y, Z (whatever your challenge is) can help keep you going. “I won’t let this beat me” is one of my workout mottos. I also like “Sweat Happens” and “Save a Treadmill, Eat a Donut”, but those are better for another time!

2. Set Limits: Want to run a marathon? Begin with a small 5K and work your way up. If you set out to run the Boston Marathon, but can barely get off the couch, then of course, it’s going to be challenging and ultimately, discouraging. Start with 1 mile, then another, then another. When those miles get easier, add more. I will share my 5K story in the next post, so I can relate to this challenge. Since I had been working out, I thought 3.1 miles would be a breeze, but in reality, even training was hard. With FMS, my legs start aching after 5 minutes, so I have to slow down, stretch, and sometimes, stop before reaching my goal. Knowing your own body and health can help you set realistic goals and expectations for whatever challenge you make.

3. Celebrate the Small Victories: I will be the first one to admit that I often get angry and frustrated at my slow progress.  Other notice the changes more than I ever do, but I’m learning to shift my focus to the small improvements that I see and feel...clothes are looser, able to walk longer, faster, etc. I like so many others expect to lose massive amounts of weight overnight after 1 workout. I exaggerate, but you get the idea. Focus on the bigger picture—better health, confidence, whatever your motivation. The small snapshots can help encourage you onto the bigger picture.

Thanks again for reading! The big 5K results will be posted next time!!