Day 10.....not quite 10% done

I'm doing pretty good on the Challenge. Some nights I'm on the treadmill at 9 pm, but I'm getting my time in. Took the new running shoes out for a test drive Monday evening - they feel different, but very comfortable.

Back to Zumba tonight - had to find a different class since Viterbo is on Easter break - but it's the instructor that I'm comfortable with, so thats a good thing.

I'll launch back into the Couch to 5k in the next several days. Trying to figure out a schedule to balance running, Zumba, lifting, and everything else in life. Read something yesterday about running on empty stomach helping with buring fat - is there a 5 am wake-up looming in my future ?

Busting through barriers....

It was a little barrier, but this morning I broke through a one on the scale.

I could not get below 247. Some days I'd go up a pound, then drop back down. It was getting really frustrating. I'm actually behind where I should be on the fancy chart I made for myself - thats depressing in itself.

This morning's weigh in - 246.5 Woohoo !!!

We're supposed to celebrate the little things right ?

My 100 (plus 4) Day Challenge !!!

I see things online for 100 Day Challenges, 99 Day Challenges and more, I decided to mold one to fit me. The 100 (plus 4) Day Challenge started yesterday. Why March 22nd ? because that is when the Gundersen Lutheran Minutes In Motion program started and this year I doing it.

Last year I signed up, but really never got going. I found an excuse the first few days, then another, then figured "why bother." However, since I signed up I kept getting e-mails about the program - that was some awesome guilt. Part of that guilt is probably why I tried the Couch to 5K program last summer only to be derailed by shin splints.

Why 100 (plus 4) Days ? Because that leads up to the Chileda Classic 5k run on July 3rd in La Crosse. I'm doing the run. And I will finish it. I don't care if it's raining, I don't care if I have to crawl across the finish line - I'm doing it.

Yesterday was day 1, and I have a bad chest cold. Don't remember having a chest cold like this for a long time, where sometimes it even hurts to breathe. So last night, I went downstairs and hit the treadmill - mostly fast walking, but I did include several 60-90 seconds of running. That should get me loosened up for revisiting the Couch to 5k program in a couple weeks.

Minutes in Motion calls for 30 minutes of activity a day. I want to hit it every day, and not count hour long Zumba classes for two days. At the middle and end of the six week program I'm supposed to submit my minutes for a chance to win prizes. Prizes are nice, but I'm doing this for me - and my wife and kids.

Biking will be included, golf (as long as I walk), Zumba, weight-lifting, and as mentioned before - running.

I've been working hard on eating better for several weeks and it's made a difference, now adding in lots of exercise should really kick things into gear.

I'm going to try to set my follow up Dr appointment at the mid-point of my program. I really don't want to go on medication for cholesterol

This won't always be fun. It won't be easy. But I need to do this. For me.

Not going to post every day, sometimes slapping something on Twitter or Facebook is easier than coming here, but I'll keep you posted. (whoever you are)

It hates me.....the scale that is

I've made progress up to a 12 pound loss - now I'm stuck. Somedays I'll go up a little, then slide back to the 12 pound mark, but I can't seem to break through. It's getting frustrating.

I'm not perfect on my eating plan (trying hard not to call it a diet) but I try VERY hard. The next thing will be to up the workout side. There is a local program called "Minutes In Motion" that begins next week - it asks participants for 30 mins of activity a day. I think it will be challenging, but I'm on a mission.

The mission(s): run a 5k, wear the nicer clothes sitting in a box in the basement, and get my cholesterol under control.

I will be launching my own "100 Day (plus 4) Challenge" next Monday as well to match up with the "Minutes in Motion" program. Stay tuned for details.

Spring Break

Made through the first half of the semester - finished one class, and wrapped up an incomplete from fall semester. Coming up soon: Business Law, and a First Aid class. Should be an interesting combo.


For many college students spring break is a time to relax, maybe travel somewhere warm, but not for me. Two projects for this week - get taxes and FAFSA done (plus some praying to the Pell Grant gods) and get organized for the indoor rummage sale on Saturday.


Borrowing all the money for school is hard on me mentally, it's such a long road to graduation and I'm really worried about how much debt will be piled up. Maybe I can find a position where they help with tuition and encourage continuing education.


I'm by no means a rummage sale expert, I want to price stuff low enough to sell, but high enough that I can actually make some money for my effort. Everytime I turn around lately I see something in the house and wonder -"would somebody buy that"


Weight-wise things are moving, slowly, but I think I'm still on track. Since there is no school this week, that means no zumba, so I'm going to try to get some weight training mixed back into my routine. Gunderson has a "Minutes in Motion" promotion starting soon which I plan on using as an additional accountability program. Maybe it's time to see what kind of workout the WiiFit can really provide.

Brain overload.....

The weight battle is moving well. It's been two weeks and I'm down 11 pounds as of this morning. Still a long way to go but feeling encouraged. I'm not following any specific plan, but have a few things that are keys to me - 2 cups raw carrots everyday, and an orange in the morning and the evening, plus tons of water.

I might have to miss Zumba this week - too many other things going on. Maybe next week I can get to both sessions. Actually hoping for another one with weights, kicked my butt but felt good.

Feeling overwhelmed in other areas - need to complete my incomplete class by Friday - and that includes writing a paper that I'm clueless on how to do. A fair amount of work for theatre class too.

On top of that I'm the chair for a political convention on Friday night.

ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH

Oh yes, there are several jobs I want to apply for, but my resume needs some polish. Maybe I won't sleep for a couple days, that could do the trick.

The "reset button" has been stolen....

It seems that lot of political talk over the last month has included talk about "hitting the reset button." Whenever I heard that, I thought "I better start blogging again"


Well, here I am. And here I go again.


Since I started doing this 10 months ago my posts have been far from frequent, although it turns out a couple people were actually reading.


Just finished up a three day "quick start" from the weight loss program I did over four years ago - it was somewhat successful, I lost eight pounds in three days. Wahoo !!!


Now comes the harder part, keeping going. I could follow the program I did back then, but I'm not sure I have the discipline with so many other things going on. I've read quite a bit about good eating plans etc, and I'm a fan of the "Eat This, Not That" books. Plus, I want the whole family on board. Too often we go for the easy stuff, which is usually not as healthy. It's time to get off the couch, turn off the TV and work at it. Wife and oldest son are on board, younger son is like me - won't try things, gets stuck on certain foods.


I have to schedule a re-check with the doctor and if things aren't better, I know I will be put on some medication for cholesterol. I do NOT want that.


Monday morning I weighed in at 260 pounds.

My goal weight is 210-215. When I got there before I felt really good about myself.


By my birthday (April 30) I want to be at 230. For the 5K that I will run on July 3rd, I'll be at my goal weight. I might even talk about this on Facebook, just to build accountability.


And yes, I've been doing Zumba........