Getting It Done

The secret of getting things done is to act! - Dante Alighieri

Never mistake motion for action.  ~Ernest Hemingway

What a great week!  I've lost a little over a pound (I know it's not much but considering that I am eating and not being deprived, I think it's a pretty big deal).  I knew it was a good sign when my bra wasn't cutting into me and leaving red marks around my chest!  I also got out and moved more this week despite the cold, rainy weather.  Taking my Big Baby for easy little walks throughout the day has not only helped to make my work days tolerable but it's also helped BB and I do a little extra bonding.  And then of course, there is the Christmas shopping.  That's a lot of walking even when I really don't mean to walk so much (not that there is anything wrong with getting in a few extra steps).

All in all, things are going super duper!  I picked a very difficult time of year to try to drop a few pounds (okay, more than a FEW pounds) but I'm doing it.  It's slow moving but seeing the scale move in a negative direction is a huge positive for me.  What a great way to end the current year and a great head start to the upcoming one!  

Happy Trails!

Valeka

Taking Steps

I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is another step forward. - Thomas Alva Edison

The elevator to success is out of order. You'll have to use the stairs...one step at a time. - Joe Girard

It's been a month since I have started the new health plan that my friend E helped set up for me.  While the process has been slow, things are moving along.  So far, the scale is reading 5 pounds less than when I started, my clothes fit better and my energy level is up.  Who would have thought that high quality supplements could make such a big difference in how I feel!  Of course, I would like to be back to a size 10 YESTERDAY but I know that I must be patient.  Afterall, the weight didn't come on overnight.

One thing that I am focusing on is the number of steps I'm walking rather than mileage.  That's a big adjustment for me after years of counting miles.  My brain keeps wanting to convert the steps into miles.  The problem with doing that is that it makes me focus too much on what I'm NOT doing instead of the fact that I am at least doing SOMETHING.  I'm a runner at heart and walking only feels like, well, a cop out.  I'm doing all the pre-workout things I used to do when I would run - same clothes, same socks and shoes, same safety light if I go out at night and I pound the same sidewalks and trails.  A part of me feels sad that I'm not running but I try to squash those thoughts and tell myself that what I am doing will help me get back into running shape.  Baby steps.  The weight needs to come off so that I can run safely (I've only had one running injury and I would like to keep it that way).  

I'm happy that I'm taking steps to reclaim my health and my body.  So far, so good and it hasn't been painful which is a huge plus.  I'm not measuring food but I am being mindful of what I eat in terms of quality.  I pop a few vitamin and mineral tablets a couple of times a day and I have my protein shakes.  And I am walking and moving as much as possible.  Couldn't be easier!  While I'm not running (yet!!!), I know that taking small steps will pay off in the end so I am gonna keep on keeping on.  I'm worth it.

Happy Trails!

Valeka  

And so it begins....

If you're going through hell, keep going. - Winston Churchill

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent - Eleanor Roosevelt 

This week has been the sort with more downs than ups but, as cliche as it sounds, everything happens for a reason.  Sometimes we need a swift, hard kick in the ass to get us moving.  That is the kind of week it was for me (I am referring to my professional life, all else is pretty darn great).  I've decided not to devote any more energy to the problems there and redirect it in a more positive way - one that benefits ME.  Even though I've been progressing in my work outs, it has been a slow climb.  That could be because, even though I have been working towards becoming more fit, I didn't have an actual goal in mind.  So, my BFF and I made a bold move on National Running Day (June 1st) and signed up for the Livestrong Austin Half Marathon!!  I am soooooo very excited and am really looking forward to the race.  Of course, I would have preferred signing up for the full marathon but the training for that would have been such a huge commitment and it would have been hard for me to devote the necessary time to it.  The half marathon is a distance I am very comfortable with and there is plenty of time for me to prepare for it.  Plus, if I decide I'm ready, I can always upgrade to the FULL marathon (provided there are still spots available).  Of course, I will be sharing my training triumphs (and pitfalls) with you all.

I guess that's how life is sometimes - it ebbs and it flows.  The same can be said of training - we have good days and bad ones.  It's how we rebound from the tough times that makes all the difference in the world.  The Churchill quote I listed is one of my very favorites.  I recite it to myself any time I am going through a rough patch in my life or when I'm facing a difficult running route.  It is my mantra.  Hell, I may even get that printed on a t-shirt that I can wear to my race!!  I refuse to let anyone hold me back and I refuse to give them the power to determine my worth.  If I sound a wee bit angry, it's because I am.  There will always be people that don't appreciate you, tell you that you aren't good enough, that you aren't the right fit for something or that you can't do something.  You can let it eat away at your self-esteem or you can move on into a more positive direction.  And that's exactly what I'm going to do (in more ways than one).  I may not be fast or skinny but I am going to kick some ass at that race and I know that my family and friends will be there to cheer me on (some, in spirit only).  Because ultimately, the ones that love you aren't the ones that try to make you feel inferior.  They are the ones that lift you up, are there when things get hard and don't ever let you forget how fabulous you are.  Their positivity is what we should carry with us when things get hard and we doubt ourselves.  

So, let the games begin!!  I'm ready for the challenge and I'm ready to begin a new chapter in my life.....and there will be no looking back. 

Happy Trails,
Valeka  

Setbacks

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty. - Winston Churchill

Never, never, never give up.  - Winston Churchill

Maintaining my healthy lifestyle has been going very well the last few months.  I have been running/wogging regularly and eating well.  That is until......*cough*cough*cough*.  I'm not sure where it came from really, but the day after my weekly visit to Town Lake, I began coughing.  It started out as just a slight tickle in my throat and by the end of the week, I was losing sleep and had sore abs from hacking so much.  Needless to say, I decided to take a break from my workouts for the rest of the week in hopes that the irritating cough would go away.  It didn't.  Aside from a missed day of work (I hate missing work because of cooties), I had to visit the doctor so I could try to nip this illness in the bud.  

I became very annoyed that this cough and congestion was keeping me from doing one of the things that I love most - running.   This happened to me in November of last year when I got bronchitis that turned into walking pneumonia.  Then at the end of December, after FINALLY getting over my illness, I slipped on some water on my parent's tiled kitchen floor and sprained my ankle.  That took a couple of months to heal well enough to allow me to run on it (I still have to use kinesio tape for it if I plan on doing more than a few miles to give it a little extra stability).  My brain started to question whether or not I was fighting a losing battle.  As my dad sometimes says "I feel like I am swimming against the current".    Having to endure one set back after another gets really old and really discouraging after a while.  It was making me wonder why I was even bothering if I keep running into all of these setbacks.  I was on the verge of throwing my hands up in the air and yelling " I GIVE UP".    
 

Then I thought that maybe this was the universe's way of testing me to see just how badly I want to run.  I decided to turn this situation around and make it into a challenge for myself.  Maybe, just maybe, setbacks are a gift in disguise.  If we didn't have to put in extra effort to reach our goals, would we actually appreciate them as much?   We all encounter roadblocks as we make our way through life.  Where we go and how we get past those blocks is up to us.  We can choose to lay down or we can get up, dust off and continue to move forward on our path.  I choose to move forward.  True, I may not be able to run right now because I can't breathe deeply without  busting out into a coughing fit but I sure as hell can eat healthy, get plenty of rest and do a less rigorous type of exercise in the meantime.  Doing those things will keep me on track towards reaching the fitness goals I have set for myself.  The way I look at it, there are bound to be plenty of obstacles (both mental and physical) during a 50 mile race and there is no way I am going to lay down on the course.  I'm not about to let a cough set me back.  So this week, I'm going to keep my goal in mind every time I get frustrated with this stupid cough.  I will think about what I CAN do rather than what I can't do.  Soon, this cough will be a thing of the past but my decision to not give up will be with me every time I hit the trail.  

Happy Trails,

Valeka  

Direction

"An object at rest tends to stay at rest and an object in motion tends to stay in motion" - Newton's First Law of Motion

"Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that." - Lewis Carroll, Through The Looking-Glass

This was my first week back to reestablishing my habits of healthy eating and consistent running.  I don't run right now as much as I "wog" (half walk and half jog) but at least I am making my body move.  I'm really not up to speed (no pun intended) but I know that is something that will come with time.  I fell off the wagon on my first day though - I had pizza for dinner.  I know better but I did it anyway and found myself thinking that it was okay because I had just run 3 miles.  The evil pattern had reared it's ugly head on my first day but I stayed strong and didn't give in to temptation the rest of the week.  In the past, I would never have given it a second thought and would have kept right on doing that even though it was counterproductive.  I think that is a sign of progress - a glimmer of hope.  So, YAY ME!!!  Hey, gotta celebrate the small victories because if you get enough of those, it means you are on the right path.  I am trying to be better about patting myself on the back when I do the good stuff and to not beat myself up when I mess up because, I'm human and I'm gonna mess up from time to time.  The key is to do more good stuff than not so good stuff.  Stay on the path.

One of my favorite running movies is Run Fat Boy Run.  It's a far cry from being Chariots of Fire but there's a theme in it that resonates with me - there is a difference between running toward something and running away or in the wrong direction (not all running is created equal).  There was a time in my life where I ran because I loved it and damn was it awesome (running in the right direction)!  I didn't run because I was overweight or because I was stressed.  I did it because it felt good.  When I started running a few years ago I did it because I needed to lose weight for my brother's wedding (running in the wrong direction - it was done to fit into a dress).  Once the wedding was over and bridesmaid dress was packed into the back of my closet, I relaxed and put some (fortunately not ALL) of the weight back on.  This time, my hope is that I can recapture the love I have for running AND lose weight.  I don't want it to be one or the other.  I need to run towards a healthy happy me rather than running from the weight that is holding me back.  I want to look at this from a more positive perspective.  Maybe being kinder and gentler to myself will help to keep the weight off this time.  I am the only one that can make that happen and I will do it one run at a time.    

Happy Trails,
Valeka