Chicago Week 1 Training

Where on Earth did this past week go? 

I was pretty active during this past week.  I attended water pilates on Tuesday, and then did a 3-mile walk Tuesday evening.  On Wednesday evening I went to Aqua Boot camp, it was awesome.  It was nice to change it up.  On Thursday, I had physical therapy in the morning and finally had a right calf that had some flexibility.  This has been 7 weeks in the making and attending physical therapy twice a week for an hour each time.  After my PT appointment, I had Boca's agility class, well on one of the tight turns I would up buckling from my right hip flexor and was in quite a bit of pain all day.  Fortunately, Thursday is currently a "rest day", but I could not do anything.  Boca and I had his obedience class on Thursday evening, and Boca was a champ despite my leg pain.  Then Friday, I did an H2O Power Hour class, and it was an absolute blast too!  My neighbor is selling many items, and I bought her treadmill.  My good friend Pat and his stepson Josh were so kind to come over Friday evening and move it from my neighbor's house to mine.  So on Saturday, I did my 3-miles on the treadmill.  It is going to take some getting used to.  I am still trying to stick to speed walking, however the better my legs get feeling, the more I think I should push it and attempt to run some again.  I am so torn, but I figure I will try things as I continue to heal and get better.

Today, I completed a 9-mile jaunt.  I have learned that starting each one of my scheduled distances with a 5- minute warm-up has really helped me both mentally and physically.  It slows down my overall average pace, but who the heck cares.  Today, however, I was toast after 7 miles, but got all 9 of them done.  After my 5- minute warm-up, I did the first mile doing 1 minute walk/ 1 minute run intervals.  My pace for that mile was still only 13:18, but my legs and ankles felt good so I will take it.

My home project is continuing to come along.  I didn't get up all the trim as I had hoped for the week, but got 90% of it done.  Also began the demolition of taking down the crown molding.  I believe putting the new crown molding up will be a complete pain in the butt, but I have to say that I really think the room is coming along.  I can't believe this coming week is the last week in June, but I am glad that I have taken my time and done things right and well so that the room will stay looking good for a period of time.

SO....where does that leave me?  I am not real sure :).  I will begin week 2 of Chicago Marathon training. I will continue working on the home office project.  I need to buckle down with my academic work, I have still been slacking on that.  I need to work on putting together a presentation that I am scheduled to give at the end of July during this upcoming week, since it has to be uploaded by July 9th. 

I am going to leave off personal goals for this week, as this is the last week of the month that I have designated as "mine".  I will get back to setting personal goals next weekend.

Until then, wishing everyone a great week!

Running Behind...

Well the title of this week's entry is so fitting.  I am a day and a half delayed in my normal blog entry timing.  I took Sunday to add color to the home office walls and celebrate Father's day with my incredible dad.  So I guess the good news based off of that information is accomplished some of my personal goals for the week.  Here is what I set for myeslf:


Goal 1:  Get back to writing down what I eat
Goal 2:  Cook a great dinner meal at home one night
Goal 3:  Workout at least 30 minutes 4 days of the week
Goal 4:  Get to writing that manuscript
Goal 5:  Work on getting more of the spackling done

I am going to comment on these in somewhat random order.  Obviously if I was working on adding color to the walls of the home office, that means I got not just "more of the spackling done", but got it all done.  I think my total spent on spackle was around $150.  That's just crazy.  I think it looks pretty decent considering what I had to start with.  Once I get the room complete then I will add pictures to my blog to share the process.  So, I am very proud of the amount of progress that I made on that silly room during this past week.

I also got my workouts in during the week.  I have started my "race walking" training this week.  I got in a class of step aerobics, miles on the treadmill, miles on the river, and some aquajogging this week.  I also got in some miles on the bike on Sunday (which technically would count towards this week had I gotten my blog entry done on Sunday as I usually do).

I have been more consistently tracking what I eat this week, but it has not been 100%.  I am not sure what my deal is with that.  I have maintained my no sugar, no fried food lifestyle.  I really don't crave sugar that much any more.  The only thing that gets me from time to time is ice cream.  It's getting to be the hot days of summer and I really want the occasional ice cream cone.  The fried food is not challenging EXCEPT for going out to eat Mexican food.  I really love fajitas and there is nothing in fajitas that is fried, but it's the chips and salsa that sit on the table prior to eating the yummy food that is so tempting to me.  I think when June is over, I need to really evaluate why it is I want the chips and salsa so much.  I have felt very empowered to have the determination and will power to say no and not have a single chip.  I wish I could report that the number on the scale has been dropping like a ton of bricks but it really has not been.  That is so frustrating to me.

I have officially started my outline for my next manuscript. I have started working on the concrete information in documenting the methodology and organizing articles that support the concept behind the research.  I really have to get on the ball with this goal as time is just ticking by.  These articles aren't going to write and publish themselves.  And if I don't get after it, I will be up for review at my job and be up a creek without a paddle, not having enough peer-reviewed publications to maintain my job.  It is true what they say in tenure positions: publish or perish.

As far as cooking a great dinner meal at home one night, well I made chicken sausage and sweet potato fries (baked in the oven of course).  It was quite delicious.  Not so sure if it counts as a great meal or not, but I thought it was good and it was filling.

I find it so hard to believe that there are only 12 short days left in June.  I have really enjoyed taking a true break from going into the office.  I had to go into work today to meet with some students about their research projects.  I think having the break from the office made me prouder of them for pushing through and finding their way.  It opened my eyes that maybe in some small way I am an enabler. I try to help too much to make students successful.  In reality, if I would just lay low a little these students will step up to the plate and do a great job.  I have to keep the faith that I am a good teacher, and that I have valuable things to add to the profession and not push so hard.  It will happen if it is meant to be.

So this will be a shorter week for me, so going to limit the number of goals I have:

1) get all the trim up in the home office (with my dad's help)
2) start my training for the Chicago marathon and get the 9-mile speed walk in on Sunday
3) begin actual writing of the manuscript
4) write down a compliment to myself each day (that is not about Boca)

Hoping everyone has a wonderful rest of the week. 

Home Renovation, Tulsa Tough, and Getting off track

Wow week 3.  It was a very busy week in my household.  This week consisted of a large project related to the home office makeover.  Removing an old door, discovering there was a second door, removing the second door and installing a new door that leads to the driveway.  I was thankful my parents returned from their Florida stay to help with the labor and knowledge to get this done.  The sad news is that none of the painting or spackling got done.  All efforts were put on getting the door situation taken care of.

I had several personal goals throughout the past week.  I was successful in some, and not so much in others.

Goal 1:  get all of the creases in the home office spackled and taped and the 2nd coat of primer on all of the walls

Well, as I stated this did not happen.  I did get a first coat of primer on all of the walls.  This goal was moved to this upcoming week because the door project absorbed so much time.

Goal 2:  continue the no sugar and no fried foods

This is going well!  I have to say that after riding 40 miles in the Tulsa Tough Grandfondo ride on Saturday I really wanted to delve into a yummy sno cone, and debated eating some yummy nachos made on delicious fried chips, but I did not!  I let my power of health win out during this time.  I utilized Stinger wafers made with honey sugars and dried pineapple as my "fuel" during my bike riding.  These tools worked well for me.  I have finally gotten to the point where when offered a cookie I don't long to eat just one bite any longer.  I mean I am sure they still taste absolutely delicious, but at this point I need to put my health first.  I greatly wish the weight was just melting off which it is not, but it gives me mental strength that I am making good choices throughout each and every day....

Goal 3:  document what I eat

I did great on this through Friday.  Tulsa Tough came along, and endurance events just throw me off of my whole game.  This is something I am going to really have to work on as I begin to think of marathon training in just a week or so..

Goal 4: attend 2 group fitness classes at the Y

I went to yoga!  I went to one class during the day, and one in the evening.  I really enjoyed the one during the day as it really focused on stretching and posture.  The Thursday evening class was more focused on working the muscles and building strength.  Both classes were good.  I definitely need to work on muscle flexibility.  I'd like to do a couple more classes throughout this upcoming week, but I have bizarre appointments spread out during the days.  So we will see.

Goal 5:  aquajog at least once for at least 45 minutes

I am really sad to report that I did not get this done this past week!  Some of the reason was because of the house project and the times I had available.  The other reason is because my physical therapist taped my quads on Thursday to help me on Saturday and I didn't want to risk the tape coming off on Friday.

Goal 6: begin e-reading manuscript for vocabulary acquisition

Well....this goal wasn't a complete fail.  I worked on pulling up research articles to provide the introduction and support for the study my friend and I completed.  I just have to find a couple of days to get into a writing zone.  I could use a couple of rainy days to get this done.  I am hoping it won't take me too long once I get started, I just need to get started.


So, looks like I'm at about 50% for accomplishing personal goals this week.  The house project really absorbed a lot more time than I had planned throughout the week.  I have to share that I enjoyed participating in Tulsa Tough! Even it was "just" the 40 mile ride on Saturday.  It is tough...super hilly and it gets warm quick.  It really pumped me up to start training for the Hotter than Hell Hundred in August.  I was proud of myself for playing it smart and not riding on Sunday with how sore my quads got on Saturday.

So now to determine my personal goals for this next week:

Goal 1:  Get back to writing down what I eat
Goal 2:  Cook a great dinner meal at home one night
Goal 3:  Workout at least 30 minutes 4 days of the week
Goal 4:  Get to writing that manuscript
Goal 5:  Work on getting more of the spackling done


Hope everyone has a fantastic week!  Can't believe it's already the middle of June.

Getting on Track!!

Well week 2 has passed, and I did well with my stated goals. 

Goal 1:  Cardio activities for at least 30 minutes 3 days

I accomplished this goal through power-walking and joining the YWCA.  I walked for at least 30 minutes on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday.  I then got "off the wagon" a little while I worked on my home renovation project.  Then on Saturday I joined the YWCA and did 45 minutes of aquajogging in the pool. I also got in a lot of "cross training" while working on the home office makeover project.

Goal 2: Document what I eat
This really makes such a positive impact for me.  It keeps me accountable for everything I put in my mouth.  It also gives me some accountability that I am being good to me.  It also helps me to really focus on whether I am truly hungry or attempting to avoid something, or trying to console my stress level.  Of course this is much easier for me to do during the summer when I am not on contract with TU.  I have been really trying to eat more at home too.  It's amazing how much you can consume when at a restaurant, even if you order a simple salad.  I bought a cool little contraption at bed, bath and beyond that let's me take 2 tbsp of my own salad dressing with me.  I think this is a huge saving grace as it allows me to know exactly what is in the salad dressing and how many calories of salad dressing I have eaten.

Goal 3: Starting June 1, no fried foods for the month of June or sugar
Thus far there have only been 2 days in June and this is going well.  I lost 5.6 pounds during the month of May.  I think this is due in part to the fact that I did my best to cut sugar out of my diet.  I wish that I was one of those people that when I cut out sugar I would drop 10-20 pounds, but I am not.  It gives me a little self-confidence that I'm not eating a horrid diet, or I do think that would have been the case.  I am hoping that removing the "fried" from my diet will help me get rid of another 5-6 pounds during the month of June.  Of course, who knows if it's the above 2 goals that will accomplish this result or removing fried food, but I think I am worth giving it a try.  I teaching in my class that it is silly "To expect significant results without significant change".  I have adopted this motto in regard to my weight and well-being.




Goal 4: Empty the home office, vacuum and get the wood paneling washed
I got all of this done, and have been way ahead of schedule.  So far I have cleaned out the room, washed all of the paneling, and applied the first coat of primer to 3/4 of the walls.  I have spackled many of the creases between the wood slats.  It is quite the undertaking.  I am really hopeful that it will turn out great, and become a great room in the house.


So where does this all leave me now?  Good question.  I am going to schedule myself to do 2 group fitness classes at the Y during this next week as well as go aquajogging at least once for 45 minutes.  I must continue to document what I eat.  I have found that with my new eating habits, I make more "short" trips to the grocery store to buy fresh fruits.  I love that it is watermelon season!  I ate a half of watermelon all on my own during this past week as well as an entire carton of strawberries.  There really is nothing quite as tasty as cold watermelon after a workout outside during the summer.

I am really feeling more centered and full of positive energy.  Again, this could be in part due to the fact that I am not on contract with TU.  I am however working, just not at work which is making a huge difference.  It's been a rough week professionally this past week.  So finding a happy place about my career choice and job is critical.  I actually have to include a work related task on my to do list for this next week.

So what are my weekly goals?  Here ya go:

1) get all of the creases in the home office spackled and taped and the 2nd coat of primer on all of the walls
 2) continue the no sugar and no fried foods
3) document what I eat
4) attend 2 group fitness classes at the Y
5) aquajog at least once for at least 45 minutes
6) begin e-reading manuscript for vocabulary acquisition

Hope you all have a fantastic week!