How I lost weight on a cruise...

On the running deck

The Joes and I took a 7 day cruise on Norwegian Cruise Lines in December to Mexico, Honduras and Belize. I was afraid that this trip would be a fitness setback for me. I love food and I have no restraint. I will eat and eat. I eat when I am not hungry. I eat because food looks appealing. I love to eat. A cruise is all you can eat goodness all day and night long. The first step in fighting the bulge on my cruise was to plan ahead. I packed a running skort or shorts for each day, my Brooks, running socks, workout shirts and my trusty CamelBak. I forgot the armband for my phone in the car. That was a downer. I hate running with something in my hand! I talked with the Joes beforehand about what excursions we wanted to go on. Every excursion we chose required movement! I also made a decision prior to getting on the ship to only drink water and green tea. Once on the ship, the strict water regimen was easy because I am a big water drinker in my everyday life. I had water at every single meal with hot green tea at breakfast and occasionally with snack. There was so much fresh fruit available on the cruise that we probably could have morphed into fruit salads. I ate fresh pineapple, watermelon, apples, bananas, grapes and citrus fruits ALL DAY LONG. While the Joes frequented the ice cream machine, I chose to eat fruit. There were so many healthy choices at dinner in the restaurants and the buffets. I ate lots of broiled fish and vegetarian options. I may have eaten dessert at 5 meals and this includes lunches and snacks. When we were off the ship, soda was super cheap. We found that we could get a glass bottle of soda for 1 dollar. The Joes, of course wanted soda. I brought my CamelBak filled with ice cold water and drank water all day.

Getting moving on the cruise was easy! The first night out, there was a storm so I could not run on the deck. I hit the treadmill for my first vacation run. I ran outdoors on the outdoor track a couple of other times. J2 and I had planned to do yoga together on the cruise but found once we went to sign up, that she was too young. Since she could not do it, I chose not to either. We were active together during our excursions. Our first excursion was in Costa Maya. We went snorkeling at the Meso-American Barrier Reef. The second largest corral reef system in the world. I am a swimmer, but jumping down into the middle of the ocean was a bit frightening. The idea that I was in the middle of the ocean made me very anxious. The Joes had no such anxiety. They jumped off the boat and immediately began swimming around. Eventually I got used to being in the water and enjoyed myself. We spent about an hour and a half swimming in the ocean. What great exercise! My buns felt very sore afterwards. The Joes took a few underwater pictures.

J2 and I/J1 was the photographer

Our next excursion was the Mayan Ruins in Belize City, Belize.  We rode a van to the ruins with a few other tourists. We had the opportunity to see the city and the countryside and learn a lot about the history of the country. A friend of  mine had visited the ruins in another country previously and had warned me that we could not climb them. I was prepared for this, but was pleasantly surprised to find that we could climb these ruins. Climbing the ruins was like doing the Stairmaster for a prolonged period of time! We were worn out after our day at the ruins!

Me, J1 and J2 after climbing the ruin below. Human sacrifices occurred in this very spot!!

J1, J2 and I after climbing the ruin below (see the ruin above in the background?)

In Roatan, Honduras, the Joes went ziplining. I am afraid of heights and decided to just cheer them on. I thought I would try it...I had been trying to get my mind ready for it since we booked our cruise. I just could not bring myself to do it. J1 is mad that I do not have great pictures of him. He went first and I did not catch him doing tricks and then he lost his shoe and became a bit nervous. The Joes had a blast and I just petted some monkeys...The monkeys made me happy...

J1 and J2 about to zipline. They look like they are on a mission.

 J2

J2

J1/Notice he is shoeless

J1

Me and a cutie monkey

We did not do an excursion in Cancun. We walked around the city, shopped and ate. When we got back to the ship, I hit the running deck and the kids parted ways to hang with kids their own age. We had an excellent time on our cruise. When we got back, so many people were asking had I lost weight that I decided to weigh myself. I have not seen the 120s in many years, but I was down to about 129 when I got back from the cruise. I didn't starve myself. I tried new foods. I had an awesome time. And I lost weight!!!

Coming along...

I have decided to use the half marathon training plan I used last year to prepare for the Mill Creek Classic to prepare for my races next season. Check out that schedule here... My goals thus far include completing the RiteAid Cleveland Marathon 10K in about 63 minutes and completing another half marathon. I started my training last week with a 5 mile run on Sunday. I was able to complete 3 of the 4 runs on the schedule. I ran into a problem!! I have not found a happy medium between weights and running. I tried to run after leg day and my legs said "No-way!" There was some success with my weightlifting.  I was able to increase the number of leg presses that I do and the amount of weight on my high bar back squats from 75 pound to 90 pounds (at the insistence of my son). This week, I have changed up my schedule a bit and have been able to get a couple of runs in AND hit the weights at the gym. I repeated week 1 of the training plan. This is what week 1 looks like:

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Sun

Week 1

off

3 miles

off

3 miles

off

4 miles

3 miles

I am feeling quite successful this week!! Another success has been my eating. We have tried some new recipes this week that were a hit. We tried Turkey and Spinach meatballs with whole wheat pasta. Loved this recipe because both of The Joes were able to get involved and help. The meatballs were made with 1 pound of ground turkey, about 2 cups of fresh spinach (sauteed in coconut oil) 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs, 1 egg, minced garlic, oregano, Adobo and pepper to taste. We rolled them into about 20 meatballs and baked them in the oven on 375 for 20 minutes. They were a little ugly but were pretty yummy!

Leg Day

Leg day for me is not successful if I can walk sans pain the next day. A good leg day will yield some soreness a couple of days later. I have been working to perfect a leg day routine that will yield these desired effects. My current routine incorpates running and weightlifting. I start on the treadmill and finish with squats. I usually do 5 assisted chin-ups between each machine.

15 minutes on treadmill

3 minutes on 5.5 (comfortable pace)
3 minutes on 7 (fast pace)
3 minutes on 5.5
2 minutes on 7
3 minutes on 5.5
1 minute on 7
(You can change the speeds to match your own fitness level. Running on 7 for me is a fast pace.)

After the treadmill I head to the leg press. I usually work my way up to 400 pounds. I start at 290.

Leg Press            Hip Abduction                   Calf Raises         High Bar Back Squats

1x10 290             5x10 at 170 on inner        5x10 at 110        4x10 at 75 lbs
1x10 310             5x10 at 150 on outer
1x10 330
1x10 350
1x10 370
1x10 390
2x10 400

Of course, I cant keep doing the same workout and expect to see the results I desire. I have set some goals for myself with regards to changes to my leg day routine. I currently use a leg press machine that only goes up to 400 pounds. The leg press with the free weights intimidates me. I plan to woman up and use the other machine. I want to increase the weight I can press by about 50 pounds in the next month or so. My inner thighs are stronger than my outer thighs. I want to see some equality in the amount of weight I set for the hip abductor machines. Additionally I would like to increase the weight to 190. I plan to increase the number of calf raises over time. I think that I will gradually add 1 set of 10 until I am doing 10 sets of 10 during each leg day workout. My son constantly fusses at me when I squat. He thinks that I should be using more weight. I don't feel that I am ready. I am working on it, though. When I get to that last set of 10, I can see my muscles quivering in the mirror. I don't know if those muscles can handle more weight yet!!! I plan to try, though. My goal is to be squatting 90 pounds in about a month.  I am hoping that stronger legs will translate into a faster 10K and of course great gams!!!

 

The poopy truth about running

I try to imagine if I would have started running if I had known that there was a possibility that I would experience intestinal issues when running. Perhaps I should not be so general and explain that running gives me the runs. YUCKERS!  I didn't know this at first. Apparently, I can run shorter distances with minimal distress. When I started running longer distances, I found out that my body punished me by giving me the poopers. I took to the internet and found that this was a common affliction for runners, often called "runner's trots". I adjusted my pre-run diet to save me from the trots and made arrangements for conveniently located bathrooms to be made available to me on race days. Unfortunately, this was not the end. I began to notice that I was experiencing abdominal pain and cramping even when I had not run. I ignored the pain for awhile and attributed it to my increased level of physical fitness. I began to find that the texture of my stool was inconsistent and that there was blood and copious amounts of mucous in it. At this point, I went to my PCP, who wrote an order for a sigmoidoscopy. When I went in for the consultation, the MD did not do the sigmoidoscopy but did check my rectum and reported that he did find an abnormal amount of mucous. Despite that fact, he suggested that perhaps my symptoms were secondary to a medication I was taking for my arthritis. He suggested that I wait a couple months to see if the problem resolved itself. I was flabbergasted! I tossed around the idea of seeing another doctor but didn't put too much effort into it. I was working from home one day and experienced pain and cramping so severe that I was on my hands and knees. It almost brought tears to my eyes. I called a group of colorectal surgeons associated with Lake Health Systems. The woman who answered the phone listened to my complaints and then directed me to a gastroenterologist. At this point, I felt optimistic. Someone was listening to me!!! I called The Center for Digestive Health and made an appointment with Dr Nicholas Golden. When I saw Dr. Golden, I explained to him what I was experiencing. He quickly dismissed the idea that I was experiencing these symptoms secondary to my medication. He was shocked that the other well know health system had dismissed my symptoms. He ordered a colonoscopy and a hydrogen breath test. The hydrogen breath test is used to determine if an individual is lactose intolerant. After this appointment, I was feeling more positive about my situation. During the colonoscopy, the doctor found inflammation in my colon. He sent samples out for a biopsy. I was pretty nervous about that. The doctor was reassuring and knowledgeable. He answered all questions I had and explained what the inflammation could be an indicator of. The hardest part about this process was waiting for the results. I finally got the results and some much needed relief. The hydrogen breath test indicated that I was not lactose intolerant. My love for cheese,yogurt and all things dairy can continue!!!! The doctor diagnosed me with Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS.  I am currently in the process of finding which foods trigger my symptoms but I am excited that things are not as bad as they could be. Not everyone who runs experiences runners' trots. If you do, it may be a normal occurrence. If you are experiencing symptoms that concern you , you may want to talk to your doctor about them. The most important lesson I learned throughout this process was to listen to my body. I'm now ready to train for the Cleveland Rite Aid 10K and very excited about it!!!!!

New Year's Resolutions

I am not really a New Year's Resolution type girl. I generally set goals around my birthday as it is a meaningful time for me. As 2013 approached, I repeatedly thought of changes I wanted to make in the New Year and things I wanted to add to my life. I decided to actually write them down and share them.  Last year was a significant year of physical changes for me.  I ran a half marathon and found myself to be much stronger than I thought I was. I also shed some pounds that have been hanging around for the better part of my 30's. This year I plan to add a lot of muscle to my newly lean frame. I am very excited about the idea of being a muscley-fit chick. I WILL achieve that this year. I plan to continue lifting and running and I want to add yoga for flexibility. I will also be starting an indoor running group at the gym where I workout for people like myself who cannot brave the snow. Personally, I plan to spend more time with my friends and loved ones. I am a homebody. It is comfortable for me to hang out at home with The Joes. This year, I plan to spend more time away from home loving, laughing and enjoying my relationships. I took a little time off from grad school in 2012. I plan to get back on that horse in 2013. I also plan to learn to crochet/knit. I have not decided which one yet. I plan to learn which ever one is easier. Additionally, I will take another much needed super awesome vacation with the Joes.  There are a few other changes I am praying for in the New Year. I will reveal them as they happen... Have you set any goals for the New Year? Are you planning to reclaim your sexy in 2013?

Abs: Before and After

Thought I would post a quick pic of my ab progress. I have been doing my Abs for Christmas workout and seeing progress. The before picture is from October of 2011. The after picture was taken today on a whim. This is after a 7 day cruise and feeding frenzy AND a big Christmas dinner. The key in both instances was moderation and healthy choices. I just pulled my turtleneck up today to get this pic. I know its not professional quality but please forgive me!!

More of my favorite things...

I run with a CamelBak. No matter what...I wear my CamelBak. Mine is a "women's specific pack" called the Annadel. When I first started running, I did a lot of research to find a way to stay hydrated during my short 2 -3 mile runs. I was pretty good about drinking enough water throughout the day and prior to a run. I was able to make it through the shorter number of miles. When I started training for my first half marathon, my mileage increased. On my first five mile run, I felt like my stomach was eating itself. I felt so sick that I consulted the trusty interwebs to see what the problem could possibly be.After reading a couple different articles, I discovered that I was most likely dehyrdated. I quickly changed my search from what is wrong to what can I do to fix it. There were all kinds of water bottles and belts with bottles available to me. I did not fancy the idea of carrying anything in my hands. I happened upon the CamelBak and felt that it would be the perfect solution. I ordered it and it arrived very quickly. The first time I ran with it, I was supposed to run 4 miles but felt so great that I extended the run to 6 miles. I was well hydrated the entire run. I love my CamelBak. It is lightweight and functional. I have talked to others who are not fans of running with the CamelBak. The have complained that the fit is cumbersome. I love mine. I love that I never have to stop at a water station during a race. I am a "slow and steady wins the race" type girl. I run slowly but I can run for prolonged periods of time. When I stop running, though, it is difficult to start back up. Stopping at a water station could curtail any race for me. The CamelBak may possibly be responsible for success in some of my long runs...

   You can find one here...