On this day, God wants you to know

that decision is only wishful thinking until you take that first irreversible step. You can tell yourself that you have already decided, that nothing now can stop you, but if that step backwards is so much safer than step forwards, what will hold you true to your path when the going gets tough? Sometimes, the right thing to do is to take that first irreversible step, the one after which you cannot go back. And now, for you, is one of those times.

My run today!

Distance: 3.33 miles

Today's time: 39:00

Previous time: --

Mile time: 10:58

Slowest speed: 4.0

Fastest speed: 6.0

It was kind of a blah run though ... I did a lot of intervals because I knew from the start I wasn't going to be able to run 5.5 the entire time to run the 5K in the time I wanted. Oh well. At least I went to the gym. I consider that a victory.

Day 79

Breakfast (391 cals)
Kashi Go Lean cereal with skim milk
Thomas Whole Wheat Bagel Thin with peanut butter

Snacks (500 cals)

Kashi TLC Cherry Dark Chocolate Chewy Granola Bar

String Cheese

Small piece of cake

Dinner (425 cals)

Chicken

Fruit salad

Toast and butter

Dessert/Snack (174 cals)

Kemps 1% Lowfat Cottage Cheese

(2) Hershey's Miniatures

Total: 1,490 calories

Exercise (142 minutes)
2.8 mile walk with dad (53 minutes)

3.3 mile run at Bally's (39 minutes)
Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 1 Day 7 (20 minutes)

Kitchen cleaning (30 minutes)

Comments: The scale will NOT move. But I decided I am going to weigh myself the first and last day of every month as well as the 15th of every month. No weekly weigh-ins anymore. My plateau is too depressing to see every Saturday. I wanted to run the 5K distance in 34 minutes but due to hormones my run kind of got off to a bad start. But at least I went and gave it my all. I hope when I run on Thursday or Friday I'll do better but due to hormones I'm not counting on it, lol.

On this day, God wants you to know

that when you need some energy and inspiration, step outside. Touch the Earth with your feet, lift your face to the sun, breathe the air, listen to the birds and the wind through the trees. Glory in the creation that surrounds you. (1)

I found the God Wants You To Know app on Facebook, but I feel like I shouldn't post the messages on my wall out of respect to those who aren't Christian. I decided instead to post them here every day. Without being a paid subscriber I can't see previous messages but this way I can archive them here.

Day 78: Happy Memorial Day! God bless our Veterans.

Breakfast

Kashi Go Lean cereal with skim milk

Thomas Whole Wheat Bagel Thin with peanut butter

Snacks

Cheez-Its

Peanuts

String Cheese

Grapes

Dinner

Grilled chicken

Fruit salad

Vegetable medley

Dessert

Piece of marble cake

Total: Unknown*

Exercise (160 minutes)

1.2 mile walk to Memorial Day Parade (20 minutes)

Frisbee and Outdoor Activities (120 minutes)

Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred Level 1 Day 6 (20 minutes)

Comments: I couldn't track my snacks, dinner, and dessert. It was Memorial Day. I tried to eat sensibly and drink a lot of water (and some Crystal Light Iced Tea, which is mostly water). I didn't get home until 11. I had been outside the majority of the day, and it was incredibly humid and 90 degrees (which is miserable in Milwaukee). I was exhausted when I got home, but I already had my rest day for Level 1, so I did it. I'm glad I did. Tomorrow is supposed to be just as hot and muggy, plus storms in the afternoon, but I really want to go for a run. I haven't run in a long time, so I'll get it in tomorrow even if it means going to the gym. Even if it means a jog, because my calves are still tight (though getting better).

Day 77

Breakfast (451 cals)

Thomas Whole Wheat Bagel Thin with Market Pantry Peanut Spread

Kashi Go Lean cereal with skim milk

Grapes

Snacks (200 cals)

Kashi Cherry Dark Chocolate Chewy Granola Bar

String Cheese

Dinner (571 cals)

Jimmy John's #1 (Pepe) with no mayo

Cheez-its

Dessert (200 cals)

Mini Ice Cream Sandwich

Special K Blueberry Fruit Crisps

Total: 1,422 calories

Exercise (73 minutes)

2.8 mile walk (53 minutes)

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 1 Day 5 (20 minutes)

Comments: I wrote a blog about this but my woo-hoo moment of the day was definitely when I did the Shred. My calves were still super sore so I figured when I tried the Shred that I would have to modify a lot of moves like the lunges. I didn't! I didn't push myself to further injure myself, but I also was able to do the entire workout. So that was awesome. Tomorrow will probably be the same thing - walking and the Shred. Can't run until my calves feel better (boo).

Week 11: How did I do?

Starting weight (5/21): 149.6

Current weight (5/28): 149.2

GOALS MET (5/8)

Consume 50g of protein 5x/week

Drink 8 cups of water/day

Log 1500 fitness minutes for the month of May (Currently: 1,981)

Stay under 2,300mg of sodium 5x/week

Work out with Jillian 3x/week

GOALS NOT MET (3/8)
Log 30 fitness minutes per day 6x/week

Run 3x/week

Sleep 8 hours/night

Still in my plateau. Still in my rut. I tried a few different things this week to no avail. Next week I'm going to try something ELSE new. I'm desperate to get out of this rut. No one can say I'm just sitting back and letting it happen. I'm certainly trying to figure out how to fix it.

Day 76

Breakfast (330 cals)

Kashi Go Lean Cereal with skim milk

Thomas Everything Bagel Thin with butter

Lunch (442 cals)

Kemps 1% Lowfat Cottage Cheese

Grapes

(1) Hershey's Miniatures

Kashi TLC Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Soft Baked Cookie

Snack (120 cals)

Kashi TLC Cherry Dark Chocolate Chewy Granola Bar

Dinner (413 cals)

Thomas Whole Wheat Bagel Thin with peanut butter

Grapes

Special K Blueberry Fruit Crisps

Dessert (45 cals)

Edy's Fruit Bar

Total: 1,350 calories

Comments: Today was a rest day. Emotionally I had a horrendous day for a variety of reasons and my calves were really sore from yesterday. I decided that realistically I do need to give myself a rest day once a week and that does include the Shred, so I'll designate one rest day per "Level" (10 days).

Day 75

Breakfast (330 cals)
Kashi Go Lean cereal with skim milk
Thomas Everything Bagel Thin with Earth Balance Buttery Spread

Snack (75 cals)
Grapes

Lunch @ Galena Brewing Company (400 cals)
Half Cuban Sandwich with half green salad

Snacks (265 cals)
Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Grapes

Dinner (340 cals)
Kashi TLC Cheese Crackers
Kashi Apple Spice Cereal Bar

Total: 1,310 calories

Exercise (35 minutes)
9 flights of stairs (15 minutes)

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 1 (20 minutes)

Comments: Today was a weird food day. I left at 9am to take the 3 mile drive southwest to Galena, Illinois, home of former President Ulysses S. Grant. We walked through the town, went to the Grant/Civil War Museum and toured his house. I hope my lunch estimate was correct and I'm slightly surprised to find out that half a cup of ice cream is only 200 calories. But hopefully my estimates are close. I wanted a light day due to just doing the Shred and because I went over my calories accidentally yesterday.

My run today!

Distance: 3.71 miles
Today's time: 44:55
Previous time: 46:08

Mile time: 11:51

My pace was slower this time in parts, but yet I ran more. I ran up the death hill at the end which I've never attempted before. I only walked twice - once very briefly around 2 and a quarter miles and then up death hill number one. It felt like a good run, it was faster than before, so I consider it a good run.

Day 74

Brunch (418 cals)

Nature's Path Organic Optimum Cranberry Ginger cereal with skim milk

Thomas Everything Bagel Thin with Earth Balance Buttery Spread w/Olive Oil

Apricot

Snacks (599 cals)

Cottage cheese topped with grapes

Kashi TLC Cheese Crackers

Granny Smith Apple

Hard-boiled egg

(2) Hershey's Miniatures

Luna Lemon Zest Bar

Dinner (615 cals)

(2) Granny Smith Apples

Grapes

Peanut Butter Sandwich

Hard-Boiled Egg

Total: 1,632

Exrecise (119 minutes)

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred (20 minutes)

2.8 mile walk (53 minutes)

3.57 mile run (46 minutes)

Comments: DAMNIT. I WENT OVER BY ALMOST 100. ON COMPLETE ACCIDENT. I forgot to log the Luna bar and so I planned my dinner anyway and UGH. THIS SUCKS. I won't beat myself up over it, I hope it doesn't do any damage. This was a heavy workout day, but STILL. Damnit. And tomorrow I'm going to be gone all day (day trip) and I have to try to eat light because of this. That puts a damper on my otherwise good day.

Day 73

Brunch (494 cals)

Total Blueberry Pomegranate cereal with skim milk

Thomas Everything Bagel Thin with butter

Strawberries and grapes

Snack (130 cals)

Kashi Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Soft Baked Cookie

Dinner @ Chipotle (555 cals)

Burrito Bol

- Steak: 190 cals

- Cilantro-Lime Rice: 130 cals

- Cheese: 100 cals

- Green Tomatillo Salsa: 15 cals

- Black Beans: 120 cals

Dessert (140 cals)

Jello Temptations French Silk Pie

Total: 1,319 calories

Exercise (55 minutes)

Wii Fit Plus (20 minutes)

Housework (15 minutes)

30 Day Shred (20 minutes)

Comments: No walk with dad today - the low pressure made me feel really off today. Plus it was rather cold and rainy. I did do the Shred and some Wii Fit. I wanted it to be a light day, because I was a little sore and worked out pretty hard yesterday. I'm going to do the Shred Level 1 for 10 days straight and see how that goes. When I started the Shred on Easter I was doing it every other day. But I'm going to suck it up and see if I can do it 30 days in a row!

Day 72

Brunch (405 cals)

Total Blueberry Pomegranate cereal with skim milk

Thomas Everything Bagel Thin with Earth Balance Buttery Spread with Olive Oil

Apricot

Snack (45 cals)

Edy's Fruit Bar

Lunch (337 cals)

Cheese quesadilla

Cottage cheese topped with grapes

Snacks (193 cals)

(3) Hershey's Miniatures
Banana

Dinner (400 cals)
Amy's Cheese Tamale Verde

Total: 1,428 calories

Exercise (148 minutes)

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred (Level 1) (20 minutes)

Housework (7 minutes)

3.57 mile run (46 minutes)

2.8 mile walk with dad (52 minutes)

Housework (23 minutes)

Comments: I didn't do housework last night which was an oversight, so I did 30 minutes today to make up for it. I went over my sodium by a TINY bit but I'll make up for it tomorrow by making sure I don't get too close to the top of the range. I'm really craving Noodles' Indonesian Peanut Saute again, but THAT'S high in sodium. Maybe in a couple days. :o) The Tamale was good - one of Amy's products I'll regularly buy. I'm also on the hunt for some spicy low in sodium Asian food. I had to have that third piece of chocolate bc I had a minor kitchen emergency and I was stressed out. At least I had 42 calories of chocolate instead of a 200+ calorie candy bar.

My run today!

Distance: 3.53 miles
Today's time: 46:08
Previous time: ---

Mile time: 11:46
5K time: Unknown

It was a meh run. My muscles were kind of tight from the bike workout I did last night at 8:30 as well as the 30 Day Shred I did only a couple hours earlier, but I wanted to give it my all anyway. Hopefully Thursday's run will be better, but I'm just doing casual runs this week and will start pushing myself more starting next week.

Day 71

Breakfast (338 cals)
Thomas Everything Bagel Thin w/Earth Balance Buttery Spread w/Olive Oil
Total Blueberry Pomegranate Cereal w/Skim Milk

Snacks (322 cals)
Banana

(2) Apricots
Luna Smores Protein Bar

Lunch (371 cals)
Kemps 1% Lowfat Cottage Cheese topped with red grapes

Strawberries

Kashi TLC Cheese Crackers

Dinner (276 cals)

(2) Scrambled Eggs topped with Sargento Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese

Granny Smith Apple

Total: 1,357

Exercise (123 minutes)

Upper body dumbbell exercises (25 minutes)

2.75 walk with dad (53 minutes)
Bike at Bally's (45 minutes)

Comments: I brought a book with me and read on the bike at Bally's. Well, I read for 30 of the 45 minutes. I also had it set on random which was challenging enough for me. I think I'll make that a weekly thing. It'll also help me reach my goal of reading 45 books this year. I'm going to take advantage of summer and only having two classes, and reading a ton of books "for pleasure". It's been awhile since I enjoyed a book.

Day 70

Breakfast (388 cals)
Total Blueberry Pomegranate Cereal with skim milk
Thomas Everything Bagel Thin with Earth Balance Buttery Spread w/Olive Oil

Snack (369 cals)
Banana

Kashi TLC Cheese Crackers

Kashi Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Soft-Baked cookie

Dinner @ the house (400 cals)

Mexican chicken

Brown rice

Broccoli & Cauliflower

Dessert (140 cals)

Jello Temptations French Silk Pie

Total: 1,297 calories

Exercise (15 minutes)

Housework

Comments: I wanted to vacuum .. but it was storming. So instead, I went through my book collection to find the ones I could truthfully donate/recycle. I have to go through all of my closets to weed out some clutter so I can better organize them.

Day 69: Happy birthday to me

Breakfast (295 cals)

Total Blueberry Pomegranate Cereal

Thomas Everything Bagel Thin

Snack (299 cals)

Banana

Luna Chocolate Dipped Coconut Bar

Lunch (239 cals)

Banana

Kashi TLC Cheese Crackers

Dinner @ Bonefish Grill (~620 cals)

Bread (150 calories)

Chilean Sea Bass (150 calories)

Pan Asian sauce (60 calories)

Steamed Broccoli (60 calories)

Au Gratin Potatoes (200 calories)

Dessert @ Bonefish Grill (~250 cals)

1/3 - 1/2 of the Creme Brulee

Total: 1,600 calories

Exercise (51 minutes)

First 5K race! (36 minutes)

Housework (15 minutes)

Comments: Yeah. I went over my calories. I tried not to go over it by much. But I'm also trying not to care since it was my birthday. The scale has not been my friend lately, but I'm going to run 3x next week, join a Bally's class at least once a week (if I like any of them), and start up the Shred again. So HOPEFULLY my plateau can be broken and the scale can go down again. I won't take out the scale until Saturday, and I pray to GOD it's 148.6 or less. A pound a week should be doable! Ugh.

Week 10: How did I do?

GOALS MET (7/9)
Consume 50g of protein 5x/week
Do 15 minutes of housework/day
Drink 8 cups of water/day
Log 30 fitness minutes per day
Log 1500 fitness minutes for the month of May (Currently: 1,503)

Run 3x/week

Stay under 2,300mg of sodium 5x/week

GOALS NOT MET (2/9)

Sleep 8 hours/night
Work out with Jillian 3x/week

Cut out the calories goal because I need to eat more calories temporarily to get my body out of a plateau. Cut out the weight loss goal because I'm AT a plateau and I'm sick of not even losing a pound a week. So I'd rather not put that under "goal not met". It's something I have no control over.... so it shouldn't be a goal!

My first 5k!

I didn't sleep the night before, and that was only partially attributed to nerves. It was also really hot in my apartment and I have a hard time sleeping when I'm hot. On top of that, because of the temperature, my cat wasn't laying with me. As lame as this may be, she lays with me every night so when she isn't there, I wake up because I need to feel her there. I got up at 6:15, showered, and had a bagel thin with butter.

8am was the beginning of registration so I got there right at 8. It was cloudy, foggy, and in the 40s. I went to register and got my free tshirt, which I put on for warmth (I wore my new racing tank top) for awhile. I walked around, did brief jogging spurts, ate my banana, drank water, etc. until my parents and brother got there.

Right before race time, this lady from some local gym warmed us up but she was way too intense and annoying. A lot of us were aggravated lol. Then we went to line up... I started near the front because I'd rather be passed than feel like I had to pass up a lot of people haha. In the end I suppose that was a good strategy.

I maintained basically the same pace, give or take 20 seconds/mile, the entire time, which I found impressive. When I'd train outside, I could hardly run 2.14 miles without walking let alone 3.14. But I just had to go for it. I had nothing to lose. My goal from the beginning was to be able to run this entire thing but my runs outside lately had been less than impressive.

Well, I ran the entire thing. :) Despite there being like 2 or 3 hills per way, I ran the entire thing. According to my awesome Nike+ Sportsband, it told me I ran my first mile in 11:15 (which is off by a few seconds because I started the timer before the horn was blown), the second mile in 11:27, and the third mile in 11:07. The hills were between like 1.5 and 2.5 miles. When I rounded the corner and knew the finish line was really close, I gave it all I had and sprinted as fast as I could to the finish line ... my calves felt like lead, lol! My final time was 35:53 (according to my band) and 35:44 (according to the guy at the finish line).

I absolutely loved it. I'm not a very competitive person, but it was just the adrenaline and the energy of all of the racers around me that really kept me going. It was so different running in a big group of people than running outside by myself. I look forward to my second race, which is June 26th to raise money for Epilepsy and Seizure Awareness!

Day 68

Breakfast (343 cals)

Total Blueberry Pomegranate cereal with skim milk

Rye toast with peanut butter

Snacks (190 cals)

Grapes

Kashi TLC Cheese Crackers

Lunch (232 cals)

Amy's Organic Spinach Pizza

Snacks (252 cals)

Hershey's Miniatures

Toast with peanut butter

String cheese

Dinner @ mom's (375 cals)

Spaghetti with ground chicken and vodka sauce

(1/2) Corn on the cob

Salad

Total: 1,398 calories

Exercise (80 minutes)

Walk to and from campus (25 minutes)

Hoops & frisbee with Trev (40 minutes)

Housework (15 minutes)

Comments: Scale went up. Not by much, but this is frustrating. Based on my stats/program, I'm at a plateau, and that scares me. I'm not sure how to deal with it. I need to eat more, but I don't want to eat too much. I need to mix up my exercise, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do. At least the stress of the semester is gone and I only have one thing to stress about. I just wish I could drop 1-2 pounds a week like normal people. All of this hard work only to plateau is not worth it. It's really not. Bleh. Felt full and gross by the time dinner was done. Idk about this 5K tomorrow. I'm gonna give it all I've got but I don't feel ready.

Day 67

Breakfast (198 cals)

Total Blueberry Pomegranate cereal with skim milk

Lunch (470 cals)

Cheese quesadilla

Grapes

Kashi TLC Cheese Crackers

Snack (178 cals)

Piece of rye toast with peanut butter

Dinner (390 cals)

Amy's Organic Spinach Pizza

Granny Smith Apple

Dessert (84 cals)

(2) Hershey's Miniatures

Total: 1,320 calories

Exercise (65 minutes)

2.14 mile run (25 minutes)

Housework (15 minutes)

Dumbbell Exercises (same as yesterday) (25 minutes)

Comments: I calibrated my 4.01 mile run last night (bc it said I went 4.53) and today when I went my known 2.14 mile route it was right on the money. Way to go, Nike+ Sportsband! That was a way bigger lunch than I had intended, oops. I ate it around 2pm and was hungry 90 minutes later. I hate days like that. Amy's Spinach pizza is delicious though. Downfall is that a serving is only a third of the pizza, but I can turn that into a positive: that means I can eat it for 3 different meals. :)

Me at 149 lbs.

The big difference between this and the 10 pound loss picture is the fact that these are size tens. And my mid section might seem a little smaller, too. Still baby steps, despite the fact that I lost the equivalent of an average bowling ball in weight! Still don't feel thinner. I do love putting on those size 10s, though.

My run today!

Distance: 2.14 miles
Today's time: 25:28
Previous time: 23:35

Mile time: 11:28

Ugh. This is the first time I didn't improve. It was really humid out or something (plus I ran 4 miles yesterday). I'm not going to fret over it, bu I really don't feel ready for Saturday. Tomorrow I'm going to take a leisurely 2 mile walk and then I race on Saturday morning. My goal was to be able to run the 5K. If it were on a treadmill, that's a piece of cake. But being outside in that thick midwestern air proves difficult. We'll just have to see. The good news is my Nike+ Sportsband was right on the money in terms of GPS accuracy. So that's awesome. Calibrating it after yesterday's run must have done the trick.

My run today!

Distance: 4.01 miles

Today's Time: 50:26

Previous Time: 73:00 (approx)

Mile Time: 10:28

5K Time: 34:26

The numbers might be slightly off because my Nike+ wasn't completely calibrated. It was really accurate on the trial jaunt yesterday, but on a known 4.01 distance, it said I went 4.53. I mean obviously I know I ran 4 miles in 50 minutes, but still. Don't know if the mile and 5K times are accurate - 34:26 seems pretty fast for me, lol. Tomorrow I'm going for a lighter run - the 2.14 mile route and hope that it's accurate or that I can try to attempt to recalibrate it again. I know it will work eventually and that it's accurate. I look forward to being able to go on runs with it on a random route so I know what the distance is. :)

Day 66: 15 pounds lost!

Breakfast (198 cals)

Total Blueberry Pomegranate cereal with skim milk

Snacks (210 cals)

Granny Smith Apple

Kashi TLC Cheese Crackers

Lunch (289 cals)

Cheese quesadilla

Grapes

Snacks (42 cals)

(1) Hershey's Miniatures

Dinner @ Noodles (470 cals)

Indonesian Peanut Saute

Dessert (100 cals)

Mini Cadbury Creme Egg

Jello Temptations Dark Chocolate Decadence

Total: 1,309 calories

Exercise (90 minutes)
Dumbbell Exercises (25 minutes)

- Dumbbell Side Bends

- Alternating Dumbbell Bicep Curls

- Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press

- Dumbbell Hammer Curls

- Dumbbell Chest Press

4 mile run (50 minutes)

Housework (15 minutes)

Comments: Stepped on the scale this morning and saw exactly 15 pounds lost. Awesome. I'm in the 140's! I can't remember the last time I weighed in the 140s. So I decided to treat myself (staying within my calorie range, of course) to Noodles for dinner because I had a free bowl due to my birthday coming up. I didn't get enough protein today and I was 400mg away from being at the top of my sodium range for the day, but at least I didn't surpass it. I am starting to get nervous for my 5K on Saturday even though I have an American History final to be nervous for first.

Day 65

Breakfast (198 cals)

Total Blueberry Pomegranate cereal with skim milk

Snack (180 cals)

Luna Chocolate Dipped Coconut Protein Bar

Lunch (485 cals)

Grilled turkey and cheese sandwich on rye

Birthday cupcake

Snack (130 cals)

Kashi TLC Cheese Crackers

Dinner (323 cals)

(2) Kiwi

Red Grapes

Toast with peanut butter

Total: 1,316 calories

Exercise (75 minutes)

2.75 mile walk with dad (56 minutes)

.37 mile run (4 minutes)

Housework (15 minutes)

Comments: The final I took today gave me so much stress. So glad THAT class is behind me. The last two I have left to deal with are my history courses. Being a future history teacher, I don't mind so much. I got my birthday presents today because tomorrow morning my dad is leaving to go out of town and won't be back until about the time I start my race on Saturday. Some of my gifts were running related, so they wanted to give them to me now. I got the Nike+ SportsBand, which tracks your runs (super awesome!), running tops and a pair of running pants, a hat from my brother, and an iPod armband. I also got the Apollo 13 Blu Ray, an iPod dock/player, a ALUMA WALLET (lol), a gift certificate for my new favorite grocery store Graush Foods, and a cute little bag from Florida. I also got a birthday cupcake! Yum! Not bad! By the way, since it looks weird, the .37 mile run was an attempt to calibrate my Nike+ Sportsband. Going for a real run tomorrow!

Day 64

Breakfast (238 cals)

Cascadian Farm Fruit & Nut Granola with skim milk

Snack (40 cals)

Mini Cadbury Creme Egg

Lunch (355 cals)

Cottage Cheese

Grapes

Rye Bread w/buttery spread

Snacks (180 cals)

Kellogg's Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Meal Bar

Dinner (389 cals)

(2) scrambled eggs topped with mozzarella cheese

Rye toast w/buttery spread

Kiwi

Dessert (72 cals)

(1) Hershey's Miniatures

(1) Mini Chocolate Egg

Total: 1,334 calories

Exercise (102 minutes)

3.05 mile walk (57 minutes)

Housework (15 minutes)

Wii Fit Free Step (30 minutes)

Comments: The protein bars are okay but I need to find actual foods I can eat in place of those to get my protein in for the day. Eggs and cottage cheese are good but even when I eat those in a day, I need more to get my 50g. I wanted to post this but I have not yet done my 30 minutes of Free Step... I will when I get home after studying. It'll be my nice "reward", lol.

Day 63

Breakfast (332 cals)

Cascadian Farm Fruit & Nut Granola with skim milk

Banana

Lunch (390 cals)

Peanut butter on rye sandwich

Granny Smith Apple

Dinner (464 cals)

Cascadian Farm Fruit & Nut Granola with skim milk

Kemps 1% Lowfat Cottage Cheese topped with red grapes

Dessert (120 cals)

Jello Temptations Double Chocolate Pie

Total: 1,306 calories

Exercise (110 minutes)

4.99 mile run on treadmill (65 minutes)

Dumbbell Lateral Raises, Alternating Dumbbell Bicep Curls, Dumbbell Chest Presses (15 minutes)

Wii Fit Plus Free Step (30 minutes)

Housework (15 minutes)

Comments: When I joined Spark, I set goals for myself every two months. So for May 15th, my goal was to weigh 148.5 pounds. In reality, I weighed 150 this morning. (Same as yesterday.) That's not terribly off, but I changed my goals a little bit so I can hopefully meet July's based on how many pounds I lost per month these first two. Yes, I had the granola twice today - I go through granola cereal like crazy; I LOVE IT. I added a weekly/daily goal of doing 15 minutes of housework a day. I'm going to set my cell phone alarm and tidy for those 15 minutes. That is a lot less daunting than doing it all at once. I got the idea from a Sparkpeople Challenge on one of the forums.

My run today!

Distance: 4.99 miles (ugh, wish I had hit 5!)
Time: 65 minutes
Walking speed: 4.0
Fastest running speed: 5.5

5K time: 38:20
Previous 5K time: 38:48

Mile time: 11:25

Previous mile time: Didn't record

So it was 45 with wind gusts up to 41mph. As much as I wanted to run outside, per usual, Wisconsin weather still blows. So I went to the gym to use the treadmill. I had set the treadmill for 60 minutes which would automatically go to a cool down for the final 5 minutes. I should've pushed it a couple more seconds to get 5 miles, lol. Busted up my leg in the same place again. Aggravating. I don't get the side cramps anymore, and I COULD go longer ... if it wasn't for that one upper thigh muscle that always seems to get sore!

Week 9: How did I do?

GOALS MET (4/10)

Lose 1-2 pounds/week

Run at least 3x/week

Stay under 2,300mg of sodium 5x/week

Sleep 8 hours/night

GOALS NOT MET (5/10)

Consume between 1250 and 1350 cals/day

Consume at least 50g of protein 5x/week

Drink at least 9 cups of water/day

Log 30 fitness minutes per day

Work out with Jillian at least 3x/week

GOALS IN PROGRESS (1/10)

Log 1,500 fitness minutes for the month of May (Currently:935)

Changed my nutrition goals (minus my water and calorie ones) to 5x a week instead of every day. I'm going to strive to meet them every day, but I'll feel better if I meet my goals once in awhile, lol. :) And yeah, it looks like I did horrible this week. But I DID drop a pants size and the day I didn't log 30 fitness minutes, I logged 26. This is the end of my semester so I'm BUSY. I also added a goal: sleep 8 hours a night.

Day 62

Breakfast (262 cals)

Cascadian Farm Fruit & Nut Granola with skim milk

Plum

Snack (87 cals)

Edy's Fruit Bar

(1) Hershey's Miniatures

Lunch (399 cals)

Banana

Cheese quesadilla

Snack (140 cals)

Kashi Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Soft-Baked Cookie

Dinner (344 cals)

Beefsteak Soft Rye Toast w/Market Pantry All Natural Peanut Spread

(2) Scrambled Eggs topped w/shredded mozzarella cheese

Snack (110 cals)

KAME Sesame Rice Crackers

Total: 1,332 calories

Exercise (60 minutes)

Wii Fit Free Step (x2)

Comments: 150 pounds! Woohoo! If I'm PATIENT and wait until Saturday to weigh myself again, most likely the next time I weigh myself I'll be in the 140s. Honestly I can't tell you the last time I was in that range. On a different note, I can't believe it's been almost a week since I've done the Shred. I pulled a muscle in my shoulder/arm/upper back yesterday as I tried to use the dumbbells so when I did Free Step today, no dumbbells, so I increased the time to 30 minutes. I like turning the sound off and going at a faster pace than they suggest. I also do punches the entire 30 minutes, and I definitely get slightly flushed by the end.

Day 61

Brunch (220 cals)

(3) Mini Muffins

Pita Chips

Lunch (360 cals)

Kemps Lowfat Cottage Cheese topped with black grapes

Granny Smith Apple

365 Organic Cheese Crackers

Snacks (220 cals)

Kellogg's Protein Meal Bar

(1) Mini Muffin

Dinner (458 cals)

Raspberries

Black Grapes

(2 pieces) Toast with peanut butter

Total: 1,257 calories

Exercise (99 minutes)

2.14 mile run (23 minutes)

Wii Fit Plus Free Step (20 minutes)

2.75 mile walk (56 minutes)

Comments: I tried free step yesterday and decided to not only do it 20 minutes to the TV today, I decided to use my dumbbells and do bicep curls as I stepped. My goal was to do it for the first ten minutes. And I did - but I pulled something in my shoulder, ugh. I never KNOW I'm pushing it too hard until afterwards when I get an injury. I am going to make Free Step a regular thing, maybe do it daily for 30 minutes, and without the dumbbells until my shoulder and upper arm heals. :|

My run today!

Distance: 2.14 miles

Today's Time: 23:35

Previous Time: 25:41

I was able to run the entire route except for the quarter of a mile at the end, because it's kind of uphill and I had run out of gas. I was really psyched I managed to push myself to run the entire route, because two days ago I only ran the first half and then did intervals for the second half. The weather was also better today - 50s, cloudy and humid vs. mid 60s, sunny and humid. I'll run Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, and then Saturday is the race (and my birthday). AHH.

Day 60

Blogger was down for over 24 hours. So here is what I did yesterday. I backdated it to publish on Thursday (the right day).

Brunch (428 cals)

Toast with peanut butter

Cascadian Farm Fruit & Nut Granola with skim milk

Snacks (400 cals)

Raspberries

Edy's Fruit Bar

365 Organic Cheese Crackers

Kellogg's Special K Protein Meal Bar

Dinner (420 cals)

Kemps Lowfat Cottage Cheese topped with black grapes

Raspberries

Granny Smith Apple

Total: 1,249 calories

Exercise (78 minutes)

Wii Fit Plus (23 minutes)

2.75 mile walk w/ dad (55 minutes)

Comments: I love those walks with my dad, so much. I'm so proud of him - aside from going on the 2.75 mile walk with me, my dad did that route TWO OTHER TIMES yesterday. :)

I'm a size 10!

Dropped a pants size. This lifts my spirits a little bit (considering the scale is not moving). I want to be 2 or 3 sizes smaller than this, so I'm going to buy secondhand until I reach my first goal size (6)! Bye size 12s. Hello size 10s. Got 2 pairs of jeans (one pair that are kind of tight in the tummy; looking forward to those fitting better) and a pair of capris.

Day 59

Breakfast (193 cals)

365 Organic Maple Spice Oatmeal with skim milk

Snacks (702 cals)

365 Organic Cheese Crackers

Edy's Fruit Bar

Granny Smith Apple

Hard-boiled Egg

Luna Smores Protein Bar

365 Organic Maple Spice Oatmeal with skim milk (again)

Dinner @ Jimmy John's (385 cals)

#6 (Vegetarian) without mayo

Total: 1,280 calories

Exercise (26 minutes)
2.14 mile run (26 minutes)

Comments: I wanted to do the 3.48 mile run I did on Monday but I knew I didn't have the time, so I shortened it and hoped to actually run the entire thing. I didn't, but my time was almost 3 minutes faster than when I did it before. As I was running I felt it was a horrible run. I already blogged about it so I won't again. I can't believe 11 days into May and I'm the same weight I was on May 1st. I have lost and gained the same 6/10 of a pound this entire time and it's really stupid. On the plus side, my size 12s definitely seem loose enough where I might be able to fit into a 10. So tomorrow or Friday my mom and I are going to Goodwill to see if I can find a pair that fits, to hold me over until I fit into a size 8. (Size 6 is my goal size; that's when I buy the new pairs.)

My run today!

Distance: 2.14 miles

Today's Time: 25:41

Previous Time: 28:32

I wanted to run the 3.48 mile version of this route like I did on Monday, but I had to shorten it because I knew I didn't have the time. I needed to get on campus as soon as possible to continue studying for my 2pm exam. I didn't run the entire thing, and I thought I had a horrible run (though my time was better obviously). My legs were immediately tight when I started running and I just felt like a big fat blob who has made no progress. I know stress with school and my bad day yesterday contributed to my negative attitude as I ran, but still. Despite my times being better running is still way too much of a challenge for my liking. I work so hard and make microscopic baby steps. A lot of days it doesn't seem worth it.

Day 58

Breakfast (193 cals)
365 Organic Maple Spice Oatmeal

Snack (140 cals)
Jello Temptations French Silk Pie

Lunch (358 cals)
Peanut Butter Sandwich

Dinner @ Chipotle (515 cals)
Vegetarian Burrito Bol
- Cilantro-Lime Rice (130 cals)
- Black Beans (120 cals)
- Green Tomatillo Salsa (15 cals)
- Guacamole (150 cals)
- Cheese (100 cals)

Dessert (60 cals)

Jello Temptations Dark Chocolate Decadence

Total: 1,265 calories

Exercise
Upper and lower body workout from Sunday (30 minutes)
- Alternating Dumbbell Press Curls
- Dumbbell Chest Press
- Dumbbell Lateral Raises
- Single Leg Squats With Chair
- Bridges
- Calf Raises With Chair

Comments: Today was a bad day emotionally plus I was stressed. The good thing about a bad day is that I go to bed knowing the following day will be a clean slate. I really wished I could fit more exercise in, but I just couldn't. The last two weeks of my semester are crazy (a week and a half officially now). I'm just proud that I can eat within my calorie range in all of this stress.

Day 57

Breakfast (230 cals)
(2) Scrambled Eggs topped with Organic Valley Shredded Mozzarella cheese

Snacks (87 cals)

Edy's Fruit Bar

(1) Hershey's Miniatures

Lunch (237 cals)

Blueberries

Granny Smith Apple

365 Organic Cheese Crackers

Snack (335 cals)

Peanut butter sandwich

- Market Pantry All Natural Peanut Butter Spread (135 cals)

- 365 Organic Mighty Multigrain Bread (200 cals)

Dinner (310 cals)

Amy's Black Bean Chili

Toast w/Earth Balance Buttery Spread w/Olive Oil

Desserts (sort of) (98 cals)

Lundsberg Honey Nut Rice Cake

(1) Marshmallow Peep

Total: 1,297 calories

Exercise (54 minutes)

3.48 mile run (46 minutes)

0.4 mile Warmup/Cooldown (8 minutes)

Comments: This is my week from hell (school wise), but I wasn't going to let that interfere with my workout schedule. At least when it came to running - the Shred has to wait. I weighed myself this morning after having that huge dinner and I was actually down 0.6 pounds from the morning before (putting me at my weight on Friday). That isn't going to give me an excuse to push the limit at a restaurant very often, but it does make me realize that if I stick with my exercise schedule and go back down to my normal calorie range the next day, things will be fine.

My run today!

Distance: 3.48 miles

Today's Time: 46:20

Previous Time: --

It was windy but otherwise nice. I ran the first 1.75 miles at a fast pace and then ran in intervals for the second 1.75. I did better than I thought, I guess, but I'm nervous about that 5k if I can only run 1.75 miles without walking. May 21st is so soon! :/ I'll run on Wednesday, most likely, maybe in the morning again. It's crazy to think I'll probably only run 4 or 5 more times before the race.

Day 56

Breakfast (193 cals)

365 Organic Maple Spice Oatmeal with skim milk

Snacks (340 cals)

Luna Chocolate Dipped Coconut Protein Bar

Rye toast w/peanut butter

Dinner @ Bravo Cucina (Unknown)

Small piece of bread

Penne Mediterranean (Whole wheat penne with spinach, pine nuts, feta crumble, and sun-dried tomatoes in a light butter sauce)

1/3 of the berry cake dessert

Total: 533 calories + dinner

Exercise (30 minutes)

Alternating Dumbbell Press Curls

Dumbbell Chest Press

Dumbbell Lateral Raises

Single Leg Squats With Chair

Bridges

Calf Raises With Chair

Comments: I most likely went over 1,550 calories (Spark's top of my intended calorie range) today with that dinner. I'm still full from it though, which is a good thing. I hope I didn't go too far over my calories for the day (I had a little over 1,000 calories to spare for the meal), but my weigh-in isn't until Friday. I know if I drink 9 cups of water a day and make sure to stay as close to 1200 as I can for the next couple days, but always under 1300 for the rest of the week, I'll be fine come Friday. I do know when I wake up tomorrow I'm going for a run. Not only am I scheduled for one (I try to run every other day), but I need to burn off some of the excess calories from tonight. Not only that, but my 5K is quickly approaching! On another note, the jeans I picked to wear today were my "progress" jeans. They're the ones in the 161 and 154 pound pictures (and will be featured in my 149 pound picture, when I get there). It's the first time I've worn them since I washed them, and they were definitely pretty loose in the stomach region. Mom said she'd take me to Goodwill one of these days so I can try on some size 10s to see if I fit! (I'm not going to spend a lot of money on jeans until I'm an 8, then a 6, and then hopefully a 4.)

Day 55

Lunch (496 cals)
Peanut butter and banana sandwich on 365 Organic Mighty Multigrain Bread
Green grapes

Snacks (288 cals)

(1) Marshmallow Peep

365 Organic Cheese Crackers

Kashi Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Soft Baked Cookie

Dinner (380 cals)

Matthew's Black Jack Burrito

Dessert (90 cals)

Edy's Lime Fruit Bar (x2)

Total: 1,254 calories

Exercise (83 minutes)
Coach Nicole Upper Body Workout Video (7 minutes)

3.05 mile walk w/dad (56 minutes)
Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred (20 minutes)

Comments: I woke up not feeling well, so I stayed in bed for quite some time and watched some TV, so I basically skipped breakfast. Peanut butter is SO FILLING. I couldn't believe how full I was after eating that sandwich. I adore peanut butter though, and try to fit it into my day whenever I can. This is my worst day of the month so I didn't feel like bouncing around with the Shred, but did it anyway. Today was the 7th day of Level 1 and I am starting to get scared to move up to Level 2 due to people saying how hard it is. I feel like I'm nowhere near mastering Level 1 yet. I also had a horrendous workout today because of my lack of energy/headache/fatigue/lady yuckiness. I had a popsicle to cool down from the hour long walk with my dad but then decided I wanted another one to cool down from the Shred. They're so tasty! My freezer will be consistently stocked with those throughout the summer.

Week 8: How did I do?

GOALS MET (3/9)

Log 30 fitness minutes per day

Run at least 3x/week

Work out with Jillian at least 3x/week

GOALS NOT MET (5/9)

Consume at least 50g of protein/day

Consume between 1200 and 1300 cals/day

Drink at least 9 cups of water/day

Lose 1-2 pounds/week

Stay under 2,300mg of sodium/day

GOALS IN PROGRESS (1/9)

Log 1,500 fitness minutes for the month of May

Even though I didn't meet some goals this week, I'm not that discouraged. I mean, for example, I always drank 8 cups of water. I only went over my sodium once since I started Spark, and this is also the first time I probably went over the 1300 calories by more than a few calories (and in reality, it's not harmful for me to do that every once in awhile since my range goes all the way up to 1550). I was mindful of how much I ate at lunch at the Korean restaurant, but the same time it felt nice to not worry about tracking my food for just one day! I did not expect to meet my weight loss goal this week because it's my time of the month which ruins lots of things for me (weight loss and energy level, to name a few). But I DID lose; it was just less than a pound.

Day 54

Breakfast (180 cals)
Luna Chocolate Dipped Coconut Protein Bar

Lunch (235 cals)
Kashi GoLean Crisp! Toasted Berry Crumble w/Skim milk and topped with blueberries

Snacks (439 cals)

Banana

Kashi Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Soft-baked Cookie

Blue Diamond Country Ranch Almond Nut Thins

Lundsberg Apple Cinnamon Rice Cake

Dinner at parents' house (approx. 360 cals)

Grilled turkey and swiss on rye

Kemps Nonfat Cottage Cheese topped with red grapes

Dessert (42 cals)

(1) Hershey's Miniature

Total: 1,266 calories

Exercise (80 minutes)
2.14 mile walk/run (28 minutes)

2.73 mile walk w/my dad (52 minutes)

Comments: My day started off weird since I had to take Paisley to the vet- "breakfast" wasn't until 11am and it was just a protein bar. I'm really glad I did as much exercise as I did based on how crappy I feel today (and yesterday). I guess I've learned that exercise doesn't make me feel worse. The only downfall I can sometimes face is my energy level is way down so I can't run as hard or whatever. Hunger once again was a challenge today, but I tried to once again load up on the fruits and other low calorie things. That 2.73 mile walk I took with my dad now gives me 100.44 total mile walked/run since I started Spark. Awesome!

My run today!

Distance: 2.14 miles
Today's time: 28:32
Previous time: --

Mile time: 10:35

Comments: Too lazy to post what I ran to. I may edit this post and do that, but I might not. I'm on my TOM, so my energy level is shot (plus I really don't feel well). That plus the wind and rain made me decide to modify my 4 mile route and basically cut it in half. I ran the first mile and a tenth and then walked the way home, jogging for tiny spurts (but my dumb right leg started to bother me, as it always does, so I didn't want to push it today like I usually do). I'm glad I ran the mile so fast though. I'm taking a 2+ mile walk with my dad later, too. This is a nice, pretty flat easy route to do that I will probably try to do more often. So now I have mapped out a 2, 3, and 4 mile route which is nice because I won't always feel like trying to run one specific distance.

Day 53

Breakfast (233 cals)

365 Organic Maple Spice Instant Oatmeal w/Skim milk and topped with blueberries

Lunch (310 cals)

Green Grapes

Kemps 1% Lowfat Cottage Cheese

Kashi TLC Oatmeal Dark Chocolate Soft-Baked Cookie

Snack (204 cals)

Green Grapes

Raspberries

(2) Hershey's Miniatures

Dinner @ mom's

Southwestern Chicken Skillet

Total: 748 + dinner (probably around 1260 calories total)

Exercise (107 minutes)

4 mile walk (73 minutes)

Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 1 (20 minutes)

Coach Nicole Bootcamp Video (x2) (14 minutes)

Comments: I really wanted to run today, but since I skipped the Shred yesterday I knew I had to do it today. I wanted to do some cardio despite how badly I still felt today, so I took that long walk. It's frustrating bc I'm not tired by the time I finish such a long walk but my right thigh ALWAYS gets the same injury. It doesn't matter if I run or if I'm walking. If I've been exercising for x number of minutes, the same spot on my leg starts to hurt. The pain does away in between workouts, so I think I'm fine until about 30-60 minutes in and the pain comes back. It'll be awesome once I can actually run that 4 mile route. I wish my hard work could pay off faster. I want to become a good runner. I know I've made progress since I restarted a month and a half ago but I want to be a (half) marathon runner. Badly. Those Kashi cookies are so good ... and might be at Pick N Save but are definitely at Target. I think as much as I love Whole Foods' stuff, it's too expensive. I'll go there once a week for produce but that is it. I can buy Kashi, Amy's, and other organic stuff I like much cheaper elsewhere.

Day 52

Breakfast (193 cals)
Fresh Market Multigrain Apples with Cinnamon Oatmeal topped with blueberries

Snack (190 cals)
365 Organic Cheese Crackers
Green grapes

Lunch (315 cals)
Kemps 1% Lowfat Cottage Cheese
Raspberries

Jello Temptations Double Chocolate Pie

Snacks (242 cals)

Hard-boiled egg

365 Organic Cheese Crackers

(1) Hershey's Miniatures

Dinner (360 cals)
Whole Kitchen Chicken Taquitos
365 Organic Mighty Multigrain toast with Earth Balance Buttery Spread w/Olive Oil

Total: 1,300 calories

Exercise (52 minutes)
2.48 mile walk with mom (52 minutes)

Comments: I'll try my very best to stay within my calorie range tomorrow too, but I really think I need to give my body a break when I'm ravenously hungry on my period. Spark says my range is 1200-1550 so eating between 1300 and 1400 isn't going to make me balloon up or something. I was constantly hungry today not to mention fatigued. So I decided I had to give my body the night off.

My run today!

Distance: 3.43 miles
Time: 43:50
Walking speed: 4.0
Fastest running speed: 5.4

5K time (treadmill): 38:48
Previous 5K time (treadmill): 40:22

What I ran to (in this order):

Rammstein - Du Hast

Beach Boys - Fun, Fun, Fun

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop Til You Get Enough

Rodney Atkins - If You're Going Through Hell

NSYNC - Pop

Sugarland - Stuck Like Glue

Common - Universal Mind Control

AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

Yellowcard - Lights and Sounds

Brad Paisley - Mr. Policeman

Elvis Presley - Promised Land

AC/DC - Fire Your Guns

I barely walked - just once - and when I did it was at 4.0 which is a really fast walk for my little legs. My "cool down" speed was my previous running speed - 4.6. I tried to run 5.0 as much as possible with spurts of 5.4 thrown in. Definitely a hard workout, but it makes me feel better after how I ate today. On a sidenote, Yellowcard is great to run to.

Day 51

Breakfast (386 cals)

Fresh Market Apples with Cinnamon Multigrain Oatmeal with skim milk

Lunch @ Seoul Restaurant

Buffet: bulgogi, brown rice, a little kimchi, almond cookies

Snacks (289 cals)

Banana

Special K Protein Meal Bar

Dinner (unknown)

2 pieces of rye bread with peanut butter

Total: 874 + Korean lunch + dinner

Exercise (50 minutes)

Coach Nicole's Hips, Thighs, and Glutes video (6 minutes)

3.43 mile run on treadmill (44 minutes)

Comments: Only thing that sucks about going out for delicious Korean food is my sodium intake. It was pretty off the charts, I would guess. It was also buffet style and I have no idea how much I ate. I didn't overdo it on the portion, but I have no idea how many calories it equaled. I think it was pretty high though which leaves me feeling incredibly guilty right now. It made me want to run my ass off at the gym but yet I felt so guilty and defeated that I didn't have the energy to do so. I tried to eat as little as possible the rest of the evening despite being really hungry at times. The Korean lunch was awesome ..... but it sent me into a spiral of negativity. I'm obsessed with losing weight and staying on track that when I "slip up" (which to most people don't even qualify as slip ups) it gets me incredibly emotional. I have my reasons, but .... this isn't healthy. All I wanted to do was go home and skip my second class, despite it being a documentary on one of my favorite Presidents. I just felt awful, physically and emotionally. But the documentary was awesome. I love Ronald Reagan. I got to the gym around 7:30 and kicked butt on the treadmill.

Day 50

Breakfast (321 cals)

(2) Scrambled Eggs topped with Organic Valley Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Banana

Lunch (268 cals)

Kashi GoLean Crisp! Toasted Berry Crumble w/skim milk

Snacks for campus (539 cals)

Raspberry Hamatash

Gnu Foods Flavor & Fiber Oatmeal Raisin Bar

Quaker Chocolate Crunch Rice Cake

Banana

365 Organic Cheese Crackers

Dinner (173 cals)

Vic's All Natural Lite White Popcorn

Total: 1,297 calories

Exercise (90 minutes)

15 minute walk to and from parking spot (x4) (60 minutes)
Coach Nicole's Crunchless Core Workout Video (10 minutes)
Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred Level 1 (20 minutes)

Comments: If gas wasn't so expensive, I'd drive every day, find 2 hour parking spots, and move my car after every class until the 2 hour limit expired at 4. Aggravating, but it did make for some nice cardio. The Crunchless Core video was KILLER. I gave it my best shot but I'll be feeling that tomorrow - my run won't be very pleasant. I was scared to go right into the Shred, especially considering it starts with push-ups and there are 3 ab portions. Yowsa. If this isn't jump starting my weight loss, I dunno what will! Last week was intense, but this will be moreso! This week is my time of the month, too, so I know the scale is going to disappoint no matter what. More incentive to try harder I guess.

Day 49

Breakfast (268 cals)

Kashi GoLean Crisp! Toasted Berry Crumble w/skim milk

Snack (180 cals)

Luna Smores Protein Bar

Lunch (267 cals)

Kemps 1% Lowfat Cottage Cheese

Fruit salad of blueberries and raspberries

365 Organic Cheese Crackers

Snack (100 cals)

Raspberry Hamatash

Dinner (360 cals)

Whole Kitchen (Whole Foods) Chicken Taquitos

365 Organic Mighty Multigrain Toast w/Earth Balance Natural Buttery Spread w/Olive Oil

Dessert (84 cals)

(2) Hershey's Miniatures

Total: 1,259 calories

Exercise (64 minutes)

3.37 mile run on the treadmill at Bally Total Fitness (44 minutes)

Coach Nicole Kickboxing Video (x2) (20 minutes)

Comments: As if doing the 30 Day Shred and running on alternating days isn't enough, I also joined the Spring Into Shape 4 Week Challenge this May. Each week we'll have a specific goal and each day we'll have a specific workout video to complete. Today was the kickboxing video and I loved it! I did it shortly after I got back from Bally's and I also did it in the 10 minutes that my Taquitos were cooking in the oven, lol. I hesitated because they're chicken but they were super tasty! A lot fewer calories and I couldn't even tel chicken was in there (vs beef).

My run today!

I decided I'd make a post like this for all of my runs regardless if they're outside. Today the wind was gusting between 20 and 30mph, and while the temperature was lovely and the sun was out, I just didn't feel like fighting the wind. So I went to Bally Total Fitness and ran on the treadmill.

Distance: 3.37 miles

Time: 44:03

Walking speed: 3.8

Fastest running speed: 5.4

5K time (treadmill): 40:22

Previous 5K time (treadmill): 41:36

What I ran to (in this order):

Lady Gaga - Born This Way

Rodney Atkins - It's America

Keith Urban - Some Days You Gotta Dance

Elvis Presley - Promised Land

NSYNC - Just Got Paid

Josh Turner - Firecracker

No Doubt - Hey Baby

Bloc Party - Price of Gas (x2)

Justin Timberlake - SexyBack

Black Eyed Peas - Don't Stop The Party

Songs I Skipped:

Eagles - Rockin' Down The Highway

Ke$ha - Blow

Black Eyed Peas - The Time (Only bc it's been on my running playlist since day 1 and some times it gets a little old)

Rush - BU2B

AC/DC - T.N.T

NSYNC - Pop (Only because an Nsync song had come on 2 songs before it)

Fall Out Boy - I Don't Care

So there are quite a few songs on my playlist that aren't great running songs, I've found out. I need to find more songs to add to take their place. It needs to be a big playlist so I don't get bored! I rarely went the 3.8 walking speed - 3 minutes total, I think - and I mainly ran 4.6 and 4.8 with spurts of 5.0 and 5.4.