Get Hawt – Week 7 Round-up

This week, we got all our excuses out in the open. I figured once we talked about what was holding us back, we could move past those things.

Let’s see what our Get Hawt members had to say about the topic.

First up, Stacia Misner (@GeekGirlGroks) who had a great week. She’s down a pound, and is in a weight range she hasn’t seen in 20 years.

Next is my partner Jen McCown (@MidnightDBA). Her list of obstacles includes a love of carbohydrates, easy access to less than good-for-you foods, and a general laziness about exercising (her words, not mine). She is vowing to hit the exercise hard and eat right while in Seattle this week.

Denis Gobo (@DenisGobo) is working on building up to the 5 minute plank. He had some deadlines at work that took up most of his time, but now he’s working on building core strength through holding the plank position.

Lauren Long (@LSquared83) has no excuses. Her week has gone great, as she is getting back into the swing of training. She signed up for a 10K, and is getting ready to meet her goal.

Get Hawt – Week 7

This week, we are getting our excuses out talking about our obstacles to exercising, eating right, etc. I think that if we can just get them out there, we can move past them… the reality is that our only obstacle is ourselves. My excuses include a lack of time, stress, and not feeling like cooking better food. Hmm…. what else? Yeah, it pretty much comes down to, I’d rather sit at my desk catching up on social media after a long day of work than go exercise downstairs.

Blah, blah, blah!

Anyway, here’s what I did this week. It wasn’t as much as I had hoped, but I’ve made some progress. Overall, I’m down 5 lbs. I feel good about that. My shirts are fitting me better, and I have less of my “Mommy Belly” hanging out of my jeans. Sorry, not a great visual, just being honest. I did take my measurements this week. I wish I had done that at the beginning. Oh well.

Saturday and Sunday: I know the next couple weeks are going to be crazy getting ready for Conferences at school, so I spend both days playing video games. I didn’t even regret that I didn’t exercise. I drank lots of water – that was my effort for those two days.

Monday: Was off work, and the kids were off school. We hung out. I did get in 26 pushups (on my knees, but WOW). I also did 130 crunches. I’m noticing the muscles in my abs more with the crunches. I think it’s getting to the point where I’m pushing them a bit more than I had in the past, probably since I’m really focusing on them. I try to do each crunch to the full range of the muscle (if that makes sense). I can see the muscles in my upper abs starting to become defined. Now to get the fat off the lower ab groups!

Tuesday: I woke up to a couple inches of fresh snow. For once, I woke up feeling fresh and energetic, so I decided to go out and shovel the driveway before Jason left for work, and the kids went to school. IT took me about 45 minutes. That snow was wet and heavy. That was enough workout for me! I think I also did some crunches, but I forgot to write them down.

Wednesday: I worked all day. It was kind of a rough day, so I didn’t feel like doing anything but vegging out when I got home.

Thursday: I went to the gym, I walked 2 miles on the treadmill, then did some upper body work on the machines. I also did 75 crunches and 12 pushups.

Friday: I had big plans to go to the gym, but got called in to sub at the last minute. Before going to bed, I did 75 crunches and 12 pushups. I don’t know what the deal is, but my muscles felt fatigued. I guess I’ll be resting them for a day.

Still Walking for The Cure

This may be the most controversial post I have ever written. It likely will be the most controversial I EVER write. I usually try to avoid writing on topics that are political, or that people are fired up about. When it comes to the Susan G Komen Foundation, people are definitely fired up! I ask that you respect my opinion, even if yours differs from mine. I don’t want to start a debate, or burn any bridges. I simply want to state my reasons for continuing my quest to raise funds for and walk The 3 Day for the Cure. I don’t know that I can state it any better than this post.

As I have stated in the past, I have known far too many women whose lives have been affected by breast cancer. I want to do what I can to help fund breast cancer research, so they can find a cure. There are many major organizations out there contributing to this cause. The Susan G Komen Foundation is just one of them. There is also Avon, who sponsors a 2 day walk, and many, many other organizations that contribute to the cause.

To me, it’s about breast cancer research. It’s about the community of people who come together to raise awareness for breast cancer, and who support each other. It’s about men and women whose lives have been affected. We all have the same goal – getting rid of this horrible disease that takes too many lives – of mothers, daughters, sisters, co-workers, and grandmas. It’s about finding a cure not only for breast cancer, but also to help find the cure for other cancers: liver cancer, lung cancer, brain cancer, leukemia, colon cancer, testicular cancer, prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, melanoma. It’s not just about women’s health, it’s about everyone’s health.

For the record, I do not agree with everything Susan G. Komen (SGK) does. I think it’s ridiculous that they sue other organizations raising money for the same cause, but use “For the Cure” in their titles. To be honest, I don’t necessarily agree with them supporting Planned Parenthood (PP) in the first place. While I think there are some good things that come out of PP, I can’t help but come back to the fact that they also support abortions. I wondered why the people who were turned off by that fact, didn’t have a louder voice when the whole controversy about SGK cutting their grant money to PP came out in the first place?? Here’s what Nancy Brinker Founder and CEO of SGK has to say about the controversy. I would have thought there would be as many people celebrating the choice as ticked off by it.

I started writing this post in the heart of the controversial changes to SGK’s funding policies. Since then, they have reworded their policies, and PP will be receiving funding after all. Officially, they released this statement. Some key quotes: “Our only goal for our granting process is to support women and families in the fight against breast cancer.” and “It is our hope and we believe it is time for everyone involved to pause, slow down and reflect on how grants can most effectively and directly be administered without controversies that hurt the cause of women.” While I admit, some things were handled poorly, I also agree, it’s time to move on. Here’s a letter that SGK sent out to those of us committed to walking The 3 Day. It has a better explanation of where their grant money is going.

It is with a heavy heart that I have come back to the draft version of this post over and over. I’ve tweaked it, debated posting it… Tonight, as I have learned of yet another name to add to the ever-growing list of people I know fighting breast cancer, my decision is reiterated. I know some really great kids with amazing moms who are fighting for their lives. I am walking The 3 Day yet again this year. I want these kids to have their moms for a very long time. I want to do what I can to help in the fight!

Next year, I may choose to walk for another cancer organization, one with a more broad scope in researching all types of cancer. I don’t know. For this year, I am committed to walking for 3 days. I believe that progress in one area of cancer research will benefit other types of cancer as well.

If you love someone who has fought breast cancer (or have yourself), please consider donating any amount to help me reach my goal of $2500. Sarah Strate’s fundraising page.

Get Hawt – Week 7 Invitation

Time seems to be slipping by quickly. We’ve already been at this 7 weeks?!?

Last week, we talked about substitutions. This week, let’s talk about obstacles. Time to be bitterly honest – with yourself. What are you letting get in your way of eating right, exercising, etc? We know there are some legitimate obstacles, and there are excuses. Let’s just get them all out in the open, so we can move past them.

We are all here to support each other, we’re not going to judge. It’s likely, many of our posts will sound the same. That said, let’s just do it! Like Jen said in her post “This week, let’s get back on the horse. Walk, work out, eat well and remember how good it makes you feel. Blog and be honest…share your week, and be fine with rebalancing.”

Ready? GO!

Get Hawt – Week 6

This week, our blogging topic is substitution. I have only been substituting little things: homemade spaghetti for the canned stuff (soup too) for a quick and easy lunch on the days I work. I’ve cut way back on the amount of pop I drink. Hardly ever do I have more than 2 cans a day. When I do, I feel like crap! I’ve been substituting water for the sugary drinks, and noticing a huge difference. I have to admit though, on my long work days, I don’t drink nearly as much water as I should, so I tend to chug it when I get home. I have to remember to bring a water bottle to work, then I do better. I have been adding in fresh veggies/fruits to my daily meals. Substituting them for the mass quantity of crackers I was eating (I still like to have crackers on occasion though). I guess you could say I’m also substituting exercise for sitting around, wasting time on social media. I still do that plenty, but I’m also exercising more. Due to the increased activity, I’m substituting some of the fat on my body for muscle. Even though the number on the scale has gone done by only 4 lbs in the last 6 weeks, I can see and feel a difference.

This past week, I have been rather lazy. I think I used my back injury as an excuse to take it easy. While it really did hurt, my not pushing through may have contributed to the additional stiffness. Sunday I did crunches and pushups. Then, on Thursday, I finally got to the gym again, where I walked about 2 miles, doing intervals of 3-18% incline. For the record, the treadmill that broke last week while I was on it, was still out of commission, and stuck on about a 45 degree incline. No wonder it hurt to walk it for so long! I also did some crunches and pushups on Thursday night. Friday, I spent the entire day walking around the Outlet Mall with a friend of mine. Though I didn’t officially track my miles, I bet we walked at least 2-3 miles.

That’s about all I’ve got for this week. Next week promises to be better.

Get Hawt, Week 5 Round-up

All right, this week we blogged about what’s going well… Let’s see if I can get everyone’s posts rounded up.

I’ll start with my partner, Jen McCown. She has adjusted her expectations some, made new graphs, and is feeling more ok with how things are going. She’s trying to add some cardio into her routine, as she feels that’s when she notices the most difference.

Next is Yanni Robel. She talks about her need for routines and goals. She talks about making sure your goals are smart, and finding a reason to do whatever it is you want to do. While Yanni had a rest week, she is getting ready to start training for her next half marathon.

Next up, fellow Minnesotan, Tracy McKibben. This guy is a machine. He’s been braving some of the coldest days to get out and walk. He’s been making small changes that are making a big difference in his energy level and eating habits. He was even able to turn down soda for 3 days and a cheeseburger. Oh, and while his blog post did not mention his weight loss, he posted on twitter that he was down 2 lbs.

Geek Girl, Stacia Misner talks about why this effort is more than just about the scale. She talks about other ways to measure progress – namely measurements, and BMI. While the scale is a useful tool, it’s progress over the long range, using a variety of measurements that are what matter.

Our second guy of the week, Jeff Rush chimes in with a great weight loss. It’s great to see more men joining in the action! He says he doesn’t look or feel much different, but 21 lbs lost is a pretty big difference.

Next to mention is Lauren Long. She’s new to our blog party. She’s working on training for her first 10K. She’s got goals, put ‘em in her calendar, and is going strong so far! She’s also working on the 100 Pushups and 200 Situps programs.

We also have Rebecca Mitchell. Since she is pregnant, her goals are a bit different. She mostly on the listening to the body and eating what it wants plan. Since foods she previously liked are affecting her morning sickness, and foods she previously couldn’t eat are what she craves, she’s going with it.

I think those are all the posts I saw in my comments box and #gethawt column on twitter. If I missed you, please link to your page in the comments section!

May the Hawt continue…

Get Hawt – Week 5

This week, we asked our Get Hawt crew to blog about what’s going well for them, or what they’re feeling good about.

I had an off week, but I neither lost nor gained weight. I’m ok with that. I’ve quit obsessing over every pound up or down. It’s like a virtual weight has been lifted. I’ve had a tiny loss overall, and my clothes seem to be fitting a tad bit better (with less over-hang). That’s what really counts.

I’m feeling good about getting some miles in, and drinking lots of water. I have a designated water cup that I keep filling with ice and water, water and ice. I drink more that way.

My designated water cup.

I’m still using my Noom Weight Loss Coach app to log weight and any amount of exercise I do. It puts a little icon on my status bar on my phone. I like seeing something there each day. It’s like a mini-kick in the butt. In addition to my phone app, I’m loving having my accountability partner, Jen (@midnightDBA). She’s been great at motivating me, and also giving me someone to vent to about what’s not working.

Here’s my info on the week:

Saturday: I was so sore from the night before’s workout. I did get out and walk 1.5 miles though. I wish I had headed out earlier in the day, I would have gone further. By the time I went out to walk with the dog, the sun was getting ready to set. The temps felt a lot colder than earlier in the day.

Sunday: 16 pushups. OUCH!!! My left shoulder really hurts, and my elbows kept popping. According to the twitterverse, I’m using too much shoulder muscle, not enough core, and I need to work on keeping my elbows close to my side. 120 crunches with legs in all different positions. I can definitely feel the muscles at work! Also, did 20 leg raises to work those lower ab muscles.

Monday: I had to take advantage of a gorgeous February day in Minnesota. With temps in the 40′s, I couldn’t not walk outside today. I walked about 1.5 miles with a co-worker in between our afternoon and evening classes.

Tuesday: I went to the gym where my plan was to walk on the treadmill, doing intervals for 60 minutes with a minimum incline of 3, maximum of 18. I had the treadmill set at a speed of 3.3 MPH. After 35 – 40 minutes, I noticed it was feeling harder than it should have. The graph on the treadmill showed it was at its lowest point, incline was supposedly 3.0. My thighs were at the height my waist usually was. I had to pause the treadmill for a minute. Then, I kept on going. I had hoped it would sort of reset itself on the next set of intervals. It was going up some, but not down at all. Finally, I tried manually lowering the incline, it still didn’t go down. I got it to where it said -3.0, but was still at what looked to be a 45 degree angle. I tried to keep going, but had to hit the cool button somewhere between 5-10 minutes early. I was struggling to catch my breath, and my legs HURT! I was sweating like crazy. Gross. Even on the cool down mode, it didn’t lower. I had to stop early, because walking uphill slowly is still walking uphill, and was pooped! According to the treadmill, I did manage to get in about 3.2 miles. I was disappointed, because I had planned on spending some time doing an upper body workout on machines, but I really had no energy left.

I did pushups tonight, and did about 13 (or maybe 17 – I forgot if I did the 2nd set of 4 or not). The pushups have been rough for me. My shoulder/neck injury from my car accident 4 years ago seem to be flaring up. On Sunday, I could actually feel the inflammation in my shoulder. What’s strange to me, is that it’s the opposite one that has given me trouble over the years. I think my neck is in bad enough shape that it’s affecting the whole area.

Wednesday – Friday: I have been dealing with some pretty bad back pain and some neck tension the past few days, so I took a few days off from the workout regimen. I did focus on drinking lots of water, but still felt blah. On the upside, I have neither lost nor gained any weight.

Total miles walked this week: 6.2 miles

Get Hawt, Week 5 Invitation

How can it be we are already on week 5?

Last week, we blogged about what wasn’t working for us. This week, let’s talk about what IS working, or what we’re feeling good about with this whole experience.

If you haven’t joined us yet, please feel free to do so! Just link back to this post in your blog (on Friday) to be included in the roundup. Other ways to be included are to write a comment here with a link to your post (or comment about your progress if you aren’t blogging it). You can also post a link on twitter with #gethawt. As Jen said in her original Get Hawt invitation: “The best thing you can do for your fitness and health goals is to make them public…to be accountable to somebody else. So this is the open invitation to participate in a weekly group blog.”

I can’t wait to read about what you are all doing to Get Hawt!!

Get Hawt, Week 4

Another week has gone by. My weight is still up and down. I hit a new low this week, then went back up to just a lb under where I started. It’s slowly heading back down, but still not back to that low. I am also way off track from my gradual decline on the graph. Still within my limit, but not on the line.

This week, Jen asked us what isn’t working about what we’re doing. Here’s what’s not working: “I just did 92 crunches, that means I can eat some pizza rolls, right?” or “I just worked out for an hour and a half, I can have an extra slice of banana bread, right?” And, drinking 2 cans of pop a day after my coffee. Interestingly enough, I actually feel better if I only have one, and then drink water the rest of the day. The days my weight tends to be lower, are days after I drank mostly water the day before.

What else isn’t working is simply eating the same as I did before. I have been more aware, and not eaten that cookie when I could have. Other times, I allow myself that one piece of chocolate, which then turns into 2 or 3. While I have been more diligent about eating fresh fruit and vegetables, I have not eaten as healthy as I could have. I have not given in to the temptations of fast food (much), but I did allow myself Jimmy Johns. That’s healthy, right? I’m thinking I am going to need to give in, and cut my carbs some more. I love carbs, so that’s going to be tough. That said, eating an english muffin with peanut butter and Nutella on my days off is going to get me nowhere!

Here’s what I did this week:

Saturday: I walked on the treadmill for a half an hour, at random intervals, level 10. My speed was 3.3 MPH. Then, I walked another half hour at a speed of 3.4, level 10. By the end, I had walked 3.5 miles. That night, I did 5 sets of crunches: 17, 22, 14, 14, 25 (total 92).

Sunday: I went to the gym and walked 2.6 miles. I had a hard time finding my groove. It wasn’t until over half way in that I felt up to increasing my speed.

Monday: Mondays and Wednesdays, I work all day (8:30-8). I felt good about what I ate. I hit the lowest weight yet (still 13 lbs to go to goal). Did 102 crunches. Ouch!

Tuesday: I had to go to the grocery store to get milk and eggs. I decided to walk the 3 miles there, and carry the two items on my back on the way home. The milk sure felt heavier than I expected on the 3 mile walk home, but it was my first 6 mile walk since Fall. My feet felt good until mile 5. They started to get sore, but I didn’t get any blisters! Whew!

Wednesday: I worked all day again. I ate more snacky food than I should have. I did 126 crunches, and decided to also start the 100 Pushups Program. I only managed 3 (and that was on my knees). Talk about feeling wimpy. Oh well, guess that’s why we do a program like this!

Thursday: I did nothing towards my goals today. And, I ate at Fogo de Chao, so I overate – LOTS of meat. One off day, oh well.

Friday: I somehow managed to do 14 girlie pushups. The 100 Pushups program seems to be working, though I don’t know how. I barely could do 3 the other day. This time, I did 2, then 3, then 2, then 2, then 5! There was at least a minute rest in between sets, but still, I did it! The first set, I could barely do the 2 with my knees together. I spread my knees apart (just a little) and it made the push ups easier to do. They were still hard, and the last one hurt, but not going to complain. Later in the day, I went downstairs and worked out to the Your Shape: Fitness Evolved Game. Somewhere between an hour and an hour and a half of quite a varied workout. I did some balance work (Tai Chi and some “gym games”), some cardio boxing, and a cardio fitness test. At least it keeps track of calories based on each activity. At the end, I was able to take that calorie count and enter it into my Noom app as a custom workout.

Miles walked this week: 12.1