**Day 455**

Today's weight:

Down .5 since yesterday, down 3.5 pounds since Monday.  I'm done with the daily weigh-ins.  My next weigh-in will be next Friday.  I'm happy with how this week went.  I tracked my food, I drank lots of water, and I exercised.  Speaking of exercise....

Yesterday's 5k training did not go great!  As soon as I started the first 90 second interval of running I knew it was not going to be a good training session.  I had pain in my lower legs, and by the second to last 90 second run interval I couldn't run, so I walked it.  I ran about one minute of the last 90 second run interval.  In total, we were out there for a total 38:27 minutes:

So, even though I didn't get all my running in, we did do alot of walking, and I'm happy with the workout.

I'm getting really frustrated with all the pain I've been having lately - my heel, my knees, my calves, my shins, my hip, my back....so, so frustrating, but I just have to work through it.  I'm not going to do any running today - just take a walk.  I want to give my legs a rest.

My dad is back from vacation, so we'll be starting back at the gym on Monday.  It's terrible that I didn't go once while he was gone.  There's no excuse for it - just plain laziness.  I'm glad he'll be out there every morning, again, to pick my lazy butt up.  I don't think he has any vacations planned for awhile - thankfully!

Have a great weekend!

**Day 454**

Today's weight:

So, up 2.5 pounds from yesterday!  Ugg!  This is why weighing daily is not a good idea, but I'm only doing it for this one week.   Anyway, I didn't exercise yesterday, and I didn't eat supper until 9:30pm, so, maybe, that had something to do with the gain.  Who knows?

I'll be going out to do my C25K training in a bit, and I'm really hoping my knees don't hurt like they did Tuesday.  I already have to deal with the constant heel pain, so I don't want to start worrying about my knees, too!

**Day 453**

I did my C25K training last night and it was a killer for me.  We moved up to running for 90 seconds at a time, and it was rough.  My knees were hurting, immediately, and the pain only got worse throughout the workout.  I had to ice them when I got home:

But I'm happy to say that I was able to complete every 90 second interval of running, and we even added an extra one at the end, and I made it!  Thank you to my running buddies, Jen and Michelle, for encouraging me!!

My weight yesterday was 235.5 - you can see the pic here.  My weight today:

Down 3 more pounds.  That's 5.5 pounds lost since Monday.  Obviously, that's not fat I'm losing.  I must be retaining alot of water, but, whatever, I'm just glad the number is going down!! 

**Day 452**

I watched what I ate yesterday, I drank my water, and I did my 5k training last night with my friend, Jen, so yesterday was a good day.  Today's weight:

So, that's a 2.5 loss since yesterday morning - whatever!  This crazy body of mine!  Anyway, I'm just going to keep at it, and, I think, just for this week, I'm going to post my weight every day just to track what my body is doing.  Hopefully, the number will keep going down!

**Days 448 - 451**

Things are bad.  Very, very bad.  My last weigh-in was on March 9th:

Today, March 26th, I weighed in at 238:

I've gained 15 pounds in 18 days.  Crazy, but for me so, so easy, and so, so sad.  I'm angry, embarrassed, frustrated, disgusted, but not surprised.  I've been eating horribly.  I've been having drinks with friends on weekends... way too many drinks!  I haven't been drinking enough water.  I have been exercising here and there, but not enough - obviously.  I can't believe I let this happen.  I've gained back almost all the weight I lost last year.  I started Jan. 1, 2011, at 248.5 pounds, so, at this point, I'm only down 10.5 pounds.  Shit.  There's not much else to say, right?  I have to make some changes.  I'll be back when I do.

**Day 447**

Most of my aches and pains were gone today (except for the heel), so I did some 5k training with two friends tonight.  We did day 2 of week 1.  I felt much better, and I didn't have any major issues during, or after, the workout- just some heel pain, but it's manageable.  Our kids came with us, and my girls really enjoyed it, so they're going to join on from now on.  It always feels great to exercise with my girls!

I'm surprised how hard it is for me to run one minute straight!  I workout at the gym often, so I didn't think I would get so winded jogging outside, but, wow, just the one minute kicks my butt!!  It takes the whole 90 seconds walk break to catch my breath before I have to run again, but it will get easier - I just have to keep at it!

**Days 445 & 446**

Monday night I, finally, got my butt outside to run!  My friend, Jen, started the C25K, so I decided to do it with her, since I haven't been doing the Hal Higdon program, as I planned.  Unfortunately, the training did not go good for me.  For months, I've had pain been here:

And it's been getting worse.  I think, I've started walking different to compensate, and it's affecting other parts of my body now.  My foot was hurting when we started the training, and by the middle of it my knee and lower back starting hurting, too.  I should have stopped but I didn't, and getting back to my friend's house was not easy.  When I woke up Tuesday morning it was very painful to walk!  I had pain in my right heel, right knee, lower back, and my hip - I was walking with a limp.  So, I had to skip the gym, and I spent the day in alot of pain.  I still have pain today, but it's not, nearly, as bad, so I'm thinking about going out for a little walk.  I should probably go get my foot looked at, but I'm thinking it's Plantar Fasciitis, and I don't think there's much the doctor can do for that - maybe make me wear a boot cast (no!), or give me a steroid shot (ouch!), so I don't know.  What to do?  What to do??

I'm not weighing myself until March 31st.  Why?  Well....because I've gained since my last weigh in - mostly, from my weekend away.  Seriously, it's crazy how fast I put the weight on!  One weekend of bad choices can undo two weeks of hard work for me!  So, I'm ignoring the scale, and working my butt off.  Of course, it would be easier to work my butt off if I wasn't injured, but I'm doing what I can. :-\

**Days 441 - 444**

We had a great weekend away.  We took our girls to a homeschool conference, and it was alot of fun.  The girls attended classes, enjoyed a fun night of dancing, participated in a talent show, and they did some swimming.  I relaxed with my hubby and friends.  I drank a little too much, and I ate a little too much, and I didn't exercise, so I have a lot of work to do this week!

I went to the gym first thing this morning and I started with 30 minutes on the incline elliptical:

After the incline treadmill I jumped on the regular elliptical for 15 minutes and I ended with a 10 minute walk on the treadmill, so 55 minutes of cardio for today.  It's so great to get my workouts over with first thing in the morning!

There's a storm rolling in:

I can't say I agree with the Carpenters - rainy days and Mondays, definitely, don't get me down.  I love an occasional gloomy, stormy, rainy day, and, really, there's nothing wrong with Mondays!  Rainy days are a great excuse to be a lazy.  We love to snuggle up on the couch, and watch a movie, so, I think, that's our plan for the day, and I won't feel a bit guilty being lazy since I got my workout out of the way.

Have a great week!

**Days 438, 439, 440**

Quickie post!!  It's been a busy week, and it's going to be an even busier weekend - we're leaving in a few hours to go out of town.  I did go to the gym today for a quick workout:

20 minutes on the elliptical, and then I did 15 minutes on the treadmill.  So, only 35 minutes of cardio, but with the busy day I'm going to have I'm glad I took the time to do something.

I've been having a hard time blogging because I don't feel I have much to say, and I feel like a broken record talking about my struggles, and lack of progress over and over again.  Plus, I'm not a writer - I'm not great with words, so I have a hard time getting my thoughts out.  However, I know when I was blogging every single day at the beginning of last year I did much better with my weight loss, so I need to get back into it, but I'll be out of town for the next few days, so I'll work on it when I get back.

Have a wonderful weekend!

**Days 435 - 437**

I didn't exercise over the weekend, but I was back at the gym today.  I had planned on going at 7:45am this morning, but when my alarm went off I couldn't keep my eyes open - I was so tired!  I sent a text to my dad and told him I needed some more sleep, so we met up at the gym at 10:45.  I jumped on the elliptical, and I felt like crap the whole time I was on it!  So, I did 40 minutes on the elliptical:

and then I got the heck out of the gym!  It was just one of those days!  I wanted to stop after 20 minutes, but I pushed through it, and did 40, so that's something.  I'm confident my workout will go much better tomorrow.

**Days 433 & 434**

I did go to the gym yesterday, but my phone, once again, ate my pictures!!  They're on there somewhere!  I'm going to have my hubby find them.  Anyway, I went with my dad, so he can vouch for me - right, Dad? :)  I did 30 minutes on the elliptical and 20 minutes on the treadmill.

I didn't weigh-in until almost 12:30 today.  I had a busy morning - around 7am I started texting with a friend about a dog she found (she lives in my neighborhood), and the dog was going to be in a crate for 12 hours because she was going to be gone all day, so we made plans for me to let the dog out throughout the day, and then I started posting about the dog on different sites to try to find the owner.  Also, my girls had a couple friends spend the night, so I was distracted by the kids this morning.  Anyway, I just forgot to do my weigh-in first thing in the morning, like I usually do.  So, by the time I weighed-in I'd had a glass of almond milk, and about 36 ounces of water after my gym workout, and the scale showed:

So, that's a half pound gained - I was at 222.5 last week!  Also, I started my period yesterday (3 days early - dam!).  Let's see, I can't think of anymore excuses for my gain - that's it!!  Seriously, though - even though I worked out alot this week I did struggle with my eating, so that's why I gained, and didn't lose.  I only have myself to blame.

Today's gym workout was 30 minutes on the elliptical:

and 25 minutes on the treadmill (5 min. cooldown):

460 calories burned - I'll take it!

Ben shared this woman's story on his blog today: http://lindsaydoeslife.tumblr.com/post/18627475629/progress-pictures 


It's impressive what she's accomplished since Jan. 2011!  Amazing!  I could have been there by now, too, if I hadn't let myself slack off, but, again, I only have myself to blame.  It can be done though.....Lindsey, and so many others are proof!  I just need to keep my head in the game!

Have a great weekend!

**Days 431 & 432**

I had a great workout at the gym yesterday - 40 min. on the elliptical:

And then I did 20 minutes on the treadmill, but I forgot to take a picture of the treadmill workout because I was ready to drop after doing 60 minutes of cardio!  I didn't exercise today, but I'll be back at the gym Thursday and Friday.

I haven't been eating as good as I should be - I don't know what my problem is...I mean, it's stupid to exercise, and then eat a not-so-great meal.  I've been feeling really down, lately.  I don't even know why, but I've always been an emotional eater, and, sometimes, I still give into the need to comfort myself with food.  It's a hard thing to break - as I'm sure most of you know!  I know it's always going to be a battle for me, and I need to fight it better.  Why can't I want to comfort myself with exercise, and not bad food?!!

**Days 428. 429, & 430**

I went to the gym this morning and did 45 min. of cardio - 30 minutes on the elliptical and 15 minutes on the treadmill:

I took a pic of my treadmill workout, too, but my phone ate the picture, or something, because I can't find the picture anywhere!  I hate my phone!  Anyway, I burned 252 calories on the elliptical and 100 on the treadmill, so not a bad workout.  My dad and I will be at the gym every morning this week, and I'll be working on my 1.5 mile outdoor runs, too, so I'm hoping to see another good loss this week!  Maybe I'll even get out of the 220's!

I'm so behind on reading blogs, and I'm very sorry that I haven't been commenting!  I'm going to try to get caught up by tomorrow night - promise!

Have a great week!!!

**Day 427**

Weigh-in results:

Down 2.5 pounds!  Yes!  I'm happy with that, but not super excited because I've been lower than this before, so I won't be really, really excited until I get down to 215, which is the lowest I've been since I started on this journey last year.  And once I get there I'm just going to keep on going!  Anyway, the number is dropping again, and that's what's important.

Today's plan - track my food, drink 120 ounces of water, do my upper body dumbbell workout, do the 30 Day Shred, and do a 30 min. walk on my treadmill.

Have a great weekend!

**Days 425 & 426**

Well, I was right - I can't run 1.5 miles without stopping, but that's okay because I'm going to keep at it until I can - it shouldn't take long...I hope!   I have some pain in my mid-upper back, which I'm thinking is from the upper body workout I did, but, I guess, that's a good thing - it shows I worked my muscles good, right?  I'm going to do the same upper body workout tomorrow.  I really want to firm up my arms, and get some nice looking shoulders for all the tank top wearing I WON'T be doing - ha!  I've been really good at tracking my food, but I didn't do great on my water yesterday, so I'll be making sure I get in 120 ounces today!


So, my girls are sick again!  One has the snotty nose again, and the other has a stuffy nose and a fever, and my nose is a bit stuffy again, too.  I don't know what to do!!  I've cleaned and disinfected the house, washed all the bedding and towels, I've had the windows open on two different days to try to air this place out.  I've been making sure everyone washes their hands alot! What else can I do??  Any suggestions?  I think, we're just passing and back and forth to one another.  My sister's family has been sick for the last few weeks, too.  Her two year old has a nasty cold, and a couple days ago her 3 month old baby girl was diagnosed with RSV, which is virus that can turn pretty serious for an infant, so they are keeping a close eye on her, AND my sister has a nasty cold, and she ended up in the ER this morning because her whole face swelled up like The Elephant Man!!  I'd post a picture of what she looks like right now, but she would kill me!  They don't know what's causing the swelling, but they put her on an IV and gave her some medicine, and the swelling has gone down a bit.  So, anyway, there is just some nasty crap going around, and everyone is having a hard time kicking it!!

I'll be back tomorrow to post my weigh-in results.  I'm hoping to be down another two pounds!!!