Dang You, You Stupid Half a Pound!

How ironic is it that as soon as I develop and implement an incentive program, it stops working?! The deal was: for every 10 lbs. lost I get a massage at the spa. I devised this plan when I reached a loss of 9.5 pounds because I really wanted a massage and figured hey, how hard can it be to drop this little half a pound?
Well, there goes that theory. This dang half a pound just will not go away!

I had a brief stint last week where I wasn't able to workout for 5 days, and I tried to watch my diet during that time, but it's just proof that I have to exercise or I won't see results. Between my day job, photography on the side, several trips out of town, and trying to take care of all the other "stuff" in life, I just didn't make it to the gym and I felt so guilty!

On the bright side, when I finally did workout yesterday, I went nuts! I woke up at 5:00 a.m., ran more than a mile, walked a mile and then did all that over again the same afternoon. I just finished a session with Wade at the gym this evening and I went into it so proud that I was finally able to run over a mile and a half! The Bergernator was proud too, but his idea of celebrating was to work me harder than ever before. It was my dreaded leg day which makes me cringe.

About halfway into it, my legs started to feel like jello and they just got more and more wobbly. There was a point at the end that I really didn't think I would be able to finish, but that's the great part about trainers...they know you can do things even when you don't think you can. So they push (much harder than I would ever push myself) and it gets the job done. I feel so great when it's all over, but man, some workouts are just waaaaay tougher than others!

In the scheme of things, I am so happy with my progress so far, and I have so much to be thankful for! My family is the best and I was so blessed to have a wonderful (and much needed) visit with them this past weekend to celebrate my great aunt and uncle's 60th wedding anniversary!

So much to be thankful for:

60 years of marriage...

...and those about to start a new one

A new generation of family members to cherish...

...And the generation that taught us how to cherish each other
We're a family that loves to smile and laugh...

...and can get a little goofy, too

We work hard with our hands, both in the kitchen...

...and outdoors

And even though we all may live in different cities...

...There's always time to get together, laugh, and eat lots of cake!
Happy anniversary Aunt Amora Lee and Uncle Wayne!

Happy Happy Birthday...

Dear Landon,

Happy, happy birthday, kiddo! One year ago today (almost exactly to the minute) I watched you come into this world and take your very first breath. I remember thinking that of all the places I have traveled to in this big, big world, nothing I had ever seen was as special and wonderful and miraculous as you.
My heart melts when you smile and laugh, my heart breaks when you cry. I love your pudgy little hands and feet and how you think I'm sooooo funny when I sing or make funny voices to you.
I want you to always find joy in the small things in life...I am trying to be better at that because of you. You find joy during bathtime, you find joy outdoors riding through the woods with your mom and dad, you find joy when you eat something good, or when someone you love walks into the room. Always cherish these things and try really hard not to take them for granted...these are the things that will bring you true happiness.
I am so blessed by you and love you so very much! Happy 1st birthday, Landon!

Love,
Aunt Laura

Oh, Geez, the Hotel Room is Booked...

This whole thing is starting to feel very real lately! I have 268 days left until the big day (which sounds like forever, I know), but I've officially booked the hotel room. That's a big step people!

Okay, so for all the throngs of you that would like to come out and cheer me on/drag me to the finish line, the host hotel for the Chevron Houston Marathon will once again be the Hilton Americas Hotel in downtown Houston. It is literally steps from the start and finish line and this is very important to me in case I am not able to walk when it's over.

The marathon website says hotel information will be posted on May 1st but I made a call today straight to the Hilton and they're already booking rooms with the special discount rate ($159). Once they post it online, the hotel will sell out, trust me, so if you are at all interested in coming out I would advise booking early (rest easy, they won't charge your credit card yet).

Many of you have have been so nice to support me in this crazy endeavor but keep in mind there's also a 5k run/walk that day that YOU can participate in to "Run for Landon" as well! I have done this and it's super fun (and you get free food when you finish!)...I encourage you all to give it a try! Need more incentive? If I indeed finish the half, there will be a celebratory victory party at Sprinkles Cupcakes afterward and you're all invited! And, yes, I fully intend on trying every cupcake in the store.

So, come on out, treat yourself to a night at the Hilton, and let's run/walk our butts off for a great cause! And then stuff ourselves with cupcakes!

The marathon start/finish line view from our room at the Hilton last year:

Le Grand Finale:

The Proof is in the Pita

Okay, so honestly, when I signed up for this half-marathon gig, I didn't really realize how much my lifestyle was going to have to change because of it. For the first few weeks, it didn't click for me that in order to complete the half-marathon, I would have to be in great shape. And to be in great shape, I needed to have stamina and strong lungs. And to have stamina and strong lungs, I would need to lose weight. And to lose weight, I would have to exercise. That's it, right?

Wrong! Oh, the dreaded d-word...D.I.E.T.!! It has to be the one thing about this whole process that I have the hardest time overcoming. If you are reading this, it's because you know me, and if you know me, you know I just love food! Try as I may to look at food as just fuel for the body, it's not that easy...Food is so good! Carbs are soooo good! Mexican food is soooo good! And to be brutally honest, if I wasn't seeing results right now like I am, I would totally be enjoying a nice bowl of vanilla ice cream with peanut butter on top while watching House Hunters.

I try really hard, I do. Below is what I eat for lunch every day with lowfat cottage cheese:But at the end of the week, there's a beast inside me that feels like if I don't have the 6 oz. filet mignon and mashed potatoes at Texas Roadhouse, I will put my fist through a wall (don't worry Bergernator, I don't usually act upon this). The point is, how can I make myself not want the cookies, pasta, breads, and brownies? I am forcing myself now not to eat it, but at what point will I not even desire it? Any suggestions or ideas anyone???

And a quick shoutout to my friend Cas...she inspired me to photograph my food...who knew whole grain pita could look so good?

Calling All Masseuses

I am hereby implementing the LP Incentive Program:
For every 10 lbs. lost, I get a 1-hour massage at the spa.
So there.
I am one measly pound away from the first 10-pound mark and I always look for little ways to celebrate victories such as this. The real victory will be (hopefully) completing the half-marathon but that is soooo far away and I find it important to find little things to keep my chin up and keep me working hard. Pre-workout days, the celebration would have consisted of going out to eat, followed by a sweet treat at Baskin Robbins perhaps. But those days are gone and I think a 1-hour massage is the perfect way to mark the milestones! And hey, my muscles are sore so really it could be beneficial to my overall health and well-being, too...

Craaaaaazy Laura

I feel a little crazy today. I was on a high this morning after discovering I had lost another pound this week, bringing the grand total to 8! Then, something just flipped like a lightswitch and I didn't feel like doing anything! I wanted to be at home, in my favorite pajama pants and on the couch vegging out. I think I miss that so much because I really don't get to do it anymore.

So, after a long day at work, I trudged into the gym for another session and Perky Wade was ready to get started. We went outside to a field beside the gym where Marethouse (www.marethouse.com) usually holds boot camps. Yes, boot camps. There is a reason I never signed up for the military, people, and that's because I'm a giant wuss!

There happened to be a bootcamp taking place at that very moment and I was in awe of how all the girls there didn't look like they even needed bootcamp...they were toned, slender, and they all had great legs! I thought I would be self-conscious working out near them, but as soon as I got through one round of lunges and squats, I was breathing so hard I didn't care anymore what I looked like or who was watching! What can I say, some days you "feel it," some days you don't. Today....not so much.

I made it through 30 minutes of lunging, side shuffles, high skipping, squats with what felt like a 100 lb. bar, jogging down the street, and more squats with a ball (lightweight, thank goodness!). I was in a better mood when we finished and thought about heading straight home but I forced myself to get on the rowing machine for 25 minutes and I'm glad I did. Working out can be a pain in the rear in the moment (and quite literally today as I think I've pulled something in my left buttcheek) but the rewards afterward are worth it.

Another shoutout...I think I'm going to make shoutouts a regular part of my blog just because I like the word 'shoutout'...this one is for my best friend, Jenni, who with her help, I completed my first triathlon almost exactly a year ago.

My bum hurts...

Yes, the bum bum hurts but we're seeing progress....7 pounds down, 2 inches off the waist, and 1 inch off each leg in 7 weeks! I love progress! This, however, means that when the Easter Bunny visits my house tomorrow morning, he will not be bringing chocolates, jelly beans, or any other sweet treats (yes, I'm 28 but I still celebrate each and every holiday like a little kid!). Instead, he will hop in and bring some fun herbal tea, black bean salsa, a bar of 88% dark chocolate, and some really cool Norwegian bottled water.

In other news, the workouts are going great! Yesterday was cardio and I felt like a track star as I ran strategically around the parking lot. I ran slow, I ran fast, I ran sideways, I ran forward. The weather was perfect and I think I even whined less than usual (hats off to personal trainers because they hear a lot of whining...I try to keep it to a minimum, but boy are they patient!).

Speaking of patience, I have to give another hats off to my husband...since training began in late February, I don't think he's had a decent home-cooked meal! I love to cook and used to come home almost every day and whip up dinner, but these days, there's just no time! He hasn't complained once because he knows how important this is to me...so thank you babe!

And last, but not least, a shout-out to the birthday girl...Happy 2nd bday Penny!

Sleeeeeeep

It's 6:00 am and for the first time in a long time, I feel as though I've been plowed over by a truck. Last night was tough! When I got to the gym and met up with Wade he told me we would be doing legs today, which instantly instilled fear in me...for some weird reason I really like working on arms and upper body on machines vs. the lunges and squats that are associated with legs. But then I thought Duh, Laura, your legs are what's going to have to get you through 13.1 miles so you might as well start enjoying it! So, there I was...lunging, squatting, rolling ginormous tires over and over in the parking lot, and hopping all over the place on what I can only describe as a big squishy ball with a flat bottom.

When we were done (30 minutes flies by fast!) my legs felt like jello but I went and hopped on the treadmill anyway. You see, I had brought with me a little piece of paper with walk/run times on it from a year ago. One year ago exactly, I had been training for my first triathlon and it had taken me about 4 months to work up to the notes on the piece of paper which has been taped on my treadmill at home for the last year (3 mins walk, 7 mins run, 4 mins walk, 7 mins run, etc.). I made it my goal yesterday to do what was on that list...what took me 4 months to work up to before, I wanted to do it after only 6 weeks of training.

41 minutes later, I was done (and boy did I feel like it). I had just completed a leg workout followed by "the list." I was so happy but could only celebrate by making my way home, into a hot bath, and finally into bed!

15 Minutes Down...

Short post, but I just had to document that for the first time today, I was able to run 15 minutes straight without stopping or walking (that's over a mile!)! I started with a 5 minute warm-up and then just went for it. Too bad it was on the treadmill at my house where I didn't have witnesses to prove it, but I did it nonetheless! A special thanks to Johnny Cash, Our Lady Peace, Itzhak Pearlman, Nirvana, Beyonce, and Eminem for joining me on this momentous occassion--what would I do without the ipod?

Ahhh, the Weekend!

Lah de dah, I am in such a terrific mood! Don't get me wrong, I feel great when I work out, but Wade has warned me not to burn myself out and that's just what I think I'll do today...not work out! I pushed it the hardest yet this past Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (30-minute training sessions followed by a hard 30 min. cardio workout). I should take back my words about the soreness being gone...it came back a little this week as we tried some new machines and started working muscle groups harder (not to mention the tractor-tire flipping!). But, I feel like a pro at this soreness thing and in a weird way, it almost feels good. Almost.
Tomorrow starts back up another week of workouts and as my body changes and becomes stronger, I look forward to the exercise more and more.
For today, though, it's time to walk the dog, do some laundry, rent a good movie, and relax!

Week 5

Here we are at week 5! Some parts of me feel like I have been working out forever and other parts feel like I just started! I have such a long way to go but have seen such a dramatic difference in the past 5 weeks, which keeps me hopeful that in 10 months I'll reach that 13.1 mile mark (yikes...I'm still having the self-doubt issues!). I mean, this sounds crazy, right?!

I'll have to backtrack again and let you know how these last five weeks played out. After not getting picked for the radio/fitness contest I referred to in my last post, I realized quickly that if I wanted to even remotely get in shape before I started a running program, I would HAVE to get a personal trainer. I've never been a "personal trainer kind of person" before but for 10 years I've been trying to lose weight on my own and that obviously hasn't worked.

The thought of a trainer terrified me. They are in great physical shape, take really good care of their bodies, and the thought of them watching me workout while things shook and produced sweat did not really appeal to me. Plus, they weigh you! Yeah, I know. What's worse?...the weighing part or the part where they take my measurements and have to wrap that skinny little tape around the rolls and cellulite?! Yeesh.

Well, it was now or never I decided. I picked up the phone and called Marethouse Fitness (www.marethouse.com) and set up a consultation. I chose Marethouse because they were the ones that were holding the contest that had been advertised on the radio. Why on earth would you choose to train with the people that did not choose you for the contest, you may be asking. And I don't really know the answer. Yes, I was upset that I didn't win but the fact that they were giving away life transformations to people just to be nice and give back to the community was a good reason to support them, even if I wasn't one of the "chosen few."

After a consultation with Bear Moore (scary name, nice guy!) I felt a little more comfortable but the gym was still a threatening place to me...lots of fit people in spandex all over the place. Before I knew it, I was signed up for 4 weeks of training and I was to start the very next week with Wade Berger.

You'll read in my previous post that I couldn't move my body for the first three weeks of training and I would now say it was well worth it. It felt as if Wade (aka The Bergernator) was torturing me but the fact was I was just SO out of shape that any exercise I would have done would have resulted in the indescribable soreness I felt for three weeks straight. It felt as though it would never go away, and simple tasks like getting off the commode turned into moments of fear and dread. Everything hurt all the time. Until the three week mark. I woke up the next morning after one of our workout sessions, got out of bed, waited for the pain to reveal itself...and it never came! This was my first milestone and needless to say, I felt like I had made a huge accomplishment!

And now here we are the 5 week mark and I feel great! I've lost 6 pounds, a couple of inches here and there and I'm just stronger! Yesterday was the first workout with Wade of our new 4-week session and he has definitely up'd the difficulty levels! The neatest part is knowing I could never have done these things 4 weeks ago and now here I am such a short time later and I'm doing them. Woo hoo! More to come!