Reaping the rewards!

I have to admit, I am really enjoying reaping the rewards of all of the hard work I've put into my weight loss journey.  I had a few great rewarding moments this week and I'm so happy with how I'm doing.

Reward #1:
I made it up the Old Yale Road Hill!  This is a pretty steep hill  with an elevation gain of 99 meters, that is by the park I go to all the time.  I've started up the hill a couple of times back in February and March and ended up turning around and coming back down.  Not this week.  This week, I rocked it!  I owned that hill, not only by making it to the top for the turn around down, but I was able to keep my pace consistent as well!  An average moving pace of 12:18 when going up hill, with the dog along, is pretty good in my books!  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/370483885

Mid way up the hill, it goes around the bed at the top left.

Towards the top coming back down.

Heading for the bottom!

Reward #2
I had the pleasure of volunteering for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation's Don't Forget to Check program which launched on College campuses this week.  They are doing pop up yoga sessions while promoting breast health to students between 18-25 (www.dontforgettocheck.ca ) In the email I got advising of the time and place and what to wear, there was a note that a volunteer shirt would be provided.  I've never fit a volunteer shirt before(except for the triathlon), so I emailed Amanda to ask her what color the shirts were so that I could at least try to match the other volunteers on site.  I wore the brightest pink shirt I had and headed up to the University to meet up with everyone else.  Amanda handed me a shirt and told me to at least try it on, she thought it would fit.  Well low and behold, slap your friend, it fit!  I was so happy it fit, as was Amanda.  She told me she wanted to see this great reward on my blog, so Amanda, here it is, just for you :)  I didn't think to get a picture and it's too late right now to wake my awesome husband up to ask him to take one so I'll have to add it in later on. :)

Reward #3
Fitting into an arena seat!  I know a couple of weeks ago, I was thrilled to fit in the seats at BC Place for the White Caps game.  Tonight I took my mom to see Celtic Thunder at the AESC here in town.  The last time I was there it was for a hockey game, I was cramped in the seat and felt like I was wedged in there.  There wasn't any extra room and I was highly uncomfortable.  I was a little apprehensive, hoping for a better result today....well hot diggity darn, wouldn't you know it, I had room to spare!   I was so happy to be in a public place, and not feel like I was encroaching on the people beside me.  It was fabulous.  For once I was able to sit back, and enjoy the show, without trying to make myself seem smaller.  It was fabulous!

Mom and I at Celtic Thunder

I know I'm going to love continuing to reap the rewards of my hard work!

Double Milestone

It's been a great week! 
I've gotten in a lot of activity every day, including a few hundred squats!  I'm loving the new workout DVD I bought last week, and kicked it up from the beginner workout to the intermediate work out.  I'm loving that workout!  I wore my Garmin while I was doing it the other day just to see what my heart rate was like and it was perfect, in zone 4 for the whole workout after the warm up.  I'm also proud of the major milestone I was able to hit this week despite it being an emotional week.    

It has also been a week of Milestones.
Milestone 1.
After almost six weeks of playing with 6 ounces and landing just below that milestone of 65 pounds lost, this week I nailed it! I passed it by two pounds.  I'm now down a total of 67.4 pounds!!!  I am so excited to have finally made it over that milestone of 65 pounds!  Every week my husband does a comparison photo for me so that we can see the process and I try to wear the same clothes every week but the shirt I used to wear has gotten so big that I can't wear it.  It just hangs on me.

This is today's photo, down 67 pounds, taken just after I returned home from my solo 6km walk/run.

Down 67 Pounds and finished a 6km walk/run

Milestone 2
I went for a solo walk/run today.  I wanted to do intervals and I knew that it wouldn't work with the dog, so I left him behind and hit the road.  I walked quickly for the first 7 minutes or so and when I turned the corner onto Whatcom road, I started running.  I haven't been doing well with timing my intervals as I find I focus too much on my watch so today I decided to use landmarks.  The first one was the 2nd lamp post on the street, walked to the next one and then ran to the gas station, then I walked over the freeway overpass to the other side where I got serious.  I ran for 2 power poles, walked for one, and I did that consistently until I hit my turn around point, and then did the same thing on the way back.  I struggled a little bit and I had to keep telling myself I could do this but I did it!  In total I ran for about 17 minutes.  That may not seem that big to some people, but trust me, for me that was HUGE!  It felt so good.  I felt so good that when I turned back onto our street at the end of my walk/run I sent a text to my husband and asked him to meet me at the gate with Angus so I could take Angus around the block for a walk.  Angus was a happy puppy to be able to go for a walk without my trying to make him run with me :)

I also had some really good times in my intervals.  I forgot to hit my lap button when I started running so I will try to remember that in the future so that I can actually see my running split times with my walking times, but when I look at the player on garmin connect it shows me the pace that I was going and I'm pretty happy with that! http://connect.garmin.com/activity/368987045

Walking/Running along the Corn fields

The power poles are a fair distance apart

On my return going over the freeway overpass

I've done two 5km races this summer and I'm signed up for another two in the fall.  The Rubber Duck 5k in October and the Boundary Bay 5k in November.  I'm also going to sign up for the Santa Shuffle in December when it opens for registration.    I'm hoping that I'll be ready to run the full 5km on October 20th for the Rubber Duck 5k.   I have a friend who has signed up to do it with me.  I know that she loves running and she's good at it, so I really want to be able to actually run with her.

Step totals this week:
Sunday       13,553
Monday      15,223
Tuesday      17,829
Wednesday 13,618
Thursday    13,671
Friday         14,437
Saturday     21,066
Sunday       15,880

Non Scale Victories

I am loving how active I have become and I'm loving the results I'm seeing.  This past week was a week full of activity and non scale victories.  I didn't have a scale victory this week though. Those pesky 6oz came back again.  I had a good talk with my new WW leader and she thinks I'm not eating enough.  She wants me to eat either all of my weekly flex points or at least half of my daily activity points.  I'm having a hard time doing this as I've never used them before unless it was for a special occasion but I'm going to give it a shot this week to see how it goes.

Let's start with the Activity part of the week. 

Monday: 5.81 km Walk   30 minute Beginners Yoga - Yes me and Yoga!  Who would have thought that one!   100 squats

Tuesday: 5.22 km Walk with the dog in the morning.  1.77km walk to lunch and back with a friend.  Had a great walk, great sushi lunch and fabulous conversation.  105 Squats.

Wednesday 3.75km Walk with the dog, beginners Yoga...yes, tried it again, maybe eventually I'll be able to do the downward facing dog instead of the playful puppy but I'm trying :) 110 Squats

Thursday 3.88km Walk with the dog.  No Yoga and rest day from the Squat Challenge, my legs needed the break!

Friday 3.32km Walk with the dog, 130 Squats and a 30 minute kickboxing session on a new dvd I picked up called Punch! (Thank you to the ladies at work who gave me a gift when I left to use towards my weight loss, I used some of that gift to purchase this!)

Saturday - Walking around Vancouver with my husband including a mad dash for the skytrain, and walking back to BC Place. 15,325 Steps for the day.  135 Squats.

Sunday - A variety of activity with no true way to measure it.  Volunteering at the Abbotsford Triathlon - set up and tear down of the Transition area including the fencing and bike racks, walking around the area and assisting the public and athletes.  Arrived at 630am and left at 1230pm.  My feet are crying so yes I'm counting it as activity, according to my pedometer I walked 13, 219 steps.  140 Squats.


Non Scale Victories for the week

Tuesday - walked to the restaurant for Sushi with my friend and slid into the booth, something I couldn't have done 7 months ago.  Wahoo!   Did I mention WALKING to the restaurant...not something I would have considered doing 6 months ago!

Wednesday - I did Yoga, for the 3rd time.  I'm not the most flexible person in the world and I worked hard at it and I stuck to it.  I didn't pause it, I didn't modify it, I did it!

Friday - Kickboxing DVD.  I worked hard in that work out, doing the steps, doing the hand movements, bobbing and weaving.  I didn't pause it, I didn't fast forward it, I stuck with it.  I sweated what felt like buckets but it felt so good to accomplish that.

Saturday - This one was HUGE for me.  Truly only someone who has had this predicament in the past may understand why it was so huge for me but for some other people it's probably a no big deal thing.  I went to a White Caps FC Match with my husband....I sat in the seat...I FIT IN THE SEAT... I wasn't crammed in with my sides spilling over the arm rest.  I was COMFORTABLE in the SEAT!!!!   I FIT INTO A STADIUM SEAT!!!!!  This was truly huge for me.  It made me feel so good and so satisfied that I'm making progress. 

Sunday -  This one honestly made me want to cry.  I volunteered at the Abbotsford Triathlon today, the largest size shirt they had was an XL.  I haven't been able to wear an XL t-shirt in probably 15-20 years.  In all seriousness.  I took the t-shirt and when I got to my area with my husband I decided to try the shirt on just to see.   Well hot diggity damn IT FIT ME!!!!  An XL shirt fit me, on top of the shirt I was already wearing.  My husband gave me a high five, a hug and a kiss and told me how proud he was of me.  I have to say...that t-shirt fitting me....made my day!

Coping

It's been a rough week and a half for me.  I'm hanging in there and I'm really proud of how I've done.  In April of 2012, I left my travel job to take on a new opportunity for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, a cause that I support 150% and always will.  It was originally a 12 month contract that was extended to 16 months.  The end of the 16 months came on Friday.  It was my last official day as a contract employee with CBCF and it was a hard day.  To be honest it was a hard week.  I loved working there, I loved the people who work there, I love the volunteers that work there and I loved the interaction with my co-workers on a daily basis.   I've made some wonderful life long friends working there and I've met and made some wonderful friends on the daily train ride in.

It was a week full of challenges, from not eating through my emotions (very difficult for an emotional eater like me), to having lunch out with my co-workers on Thursday, to dinner out with my husband because I simply wasn't in the mood to cook!

I didn't get all of my walks in during the work day but I still got a lot of activity in.  When I went to my new WW meeting place on Saturday,  lo and behold I was amazed to see I had lost 1.3lbs.

I'm pretty surprised by that, I'm not quite sure how that happened, but I'll take the loss any way I can. :)

I'm also glad to know that I've got the coping skills to get through the week the way that I did.   It was a hard week, leaving such wonderful people behind! 

Mixing it up a bit.

It's  certainly time to mix things up a bit.  I had weigh in on Friday, and once again, those pesky 6 ounces reappeared as a loss this week.   I was a little frustrated with how things are going.  I'm not the most patient person in the world and I really had set myself a goal to be at 75 pounds lost by this week and instead I've spent five weeks playing with the same six ounces over and over and over again!

I had a good talk with my leader Paul.  I really love his style of leading he's so blunt and honest and thoughtful as well.  We discussed my exercise and how your body gets used to doing things.  Yes I'm walking, but I've been walking for six months and my body has gotten used to the exercise I'm doing so it's time to switch it up.

I had my husband get my bike road ready for me this weekend so that I could take it out, but I have to admit, the last time I rode it I fell off it and I'm a little nervous abut riding it.  I hate that as I used to love bike riding when I was younger.  I would get on my ten speed and ride for an hour or two without thinking about it.  I did go to ride my bike on Saturday evening when my husband was at a soccer game but I couldn't find my helmet so I didn't go.  I will rectify that one night this week and get out for a bike ride.

I did however do my first Yoga session.  I have never tried Yoga before, I have several co-workers who love Yoga and go all the time.  I thought I would give it a try, but instead of doing a class or a group session, I found some beginner Yoga sessions on Youtube.  I did two of those sessions on Saturday morning and quickly realized that I was very glad I wasn't doing this in a group session as I am not flexible at all!  I hurt in places I didn't know you could hurt, just by stretching!  Ah well.  I will continue on my Yoga quest and perhaps one day I will feel comfortable enough to go to an actual Yoga class.

Planning for a Challenging Weekend.

This past weekend was a long weekend here in BC and it made for me a few challenges.  First of all, it was my husband's birthday weekend which included lunch out the day before his birthday, and Birthday dinner at his favorite restaurant The Keg.  It was also his cousin's 25th Wedding Anniversary party and BBQ.  Then we also had to have birthday cake.    A lot of challenges with a lot of not necessarily good for me food so this is what my plan was, account for everything, get a lot of activity and don't sweat the small stuff!

Saturday morning - as soon as I got up, I got dressed, and grabbed the dog, to my delight my husband decided he wanted to come with us for our walk so the three of us headed out for our 5km walk.   We did our 5km in just over an hour.  Not bad for an early Saturday morning walk with my husband and the dog, without music. 

After we were done our usual Saturday morning chores it was time to take my hubby for his pre birthday lunch.  I knew that I was treating him to lunch  at Ledgeview Golf Course Bar and Grill.  I had been there on Friday for a cheque presentation for work and they are featuring a sandwich that the proceeds get donated back to CBCF so I knew we were going to have lunch there so I could try out the Cranwich, which was absolutely delicious!  It's a  Roast Turkey Sandwich served on Cranberry Bread with a side of Seasoned Fries.  I planned for the Fries, and they were worth the points they took to have them.  They were hands down the best french fries I have ever had!  If you live in the Abbotsford area, you have GOT to TRY them out!  Kevin at the Ledgeview Golf Bar and Grill, truly is a fabulous chef!  Here is the link to their website if you're interested, http://www.ledgeviewgolf.com/blog/?page_id=4537

The Cranwich at Ledgeivew Golf Bar and Grill, you have to have this!

As my husband's cousin Kevin and his wife Judy were holding a 25th Wedding Anniversary Party on my husband's actual birthday, I also took him to dinner on Saturday evening.  For his birthday dinner he chose to go to the Keg,  I looked up the points online before I headed out and I knew that I was going to be going over my daily points allotment, but strangely I was all right with that.  I knew that I had them and although I try not to use the weekly points I figured this weekend, I was going to have to dip in to them.  Birthday dinner at the Keg was great, I made the bet choices I could, including passing on the rice and potato and ordering double steamed veggies instead.

A birthday toast!  Happy Birthday!

Sunday Morning dawned bright and early and away we all went on another 5km walk to start the day, with it being another jam packed day of celebrating I knew I had to get my activity in.  Once again, my hubby joined Angus and I on our walk.  I have to say, I loved having Gary along for our walks, usually he's on a bike ride when we're walking on the weekends but it was great to have him along.  I do have to admit though, I need my music to keep my pace up.  The weekend walks were a little longer than they should have been due to walking without my music.

A man and his dog finishing up a Birthday 5km walk.

On Sunday afternoon Gary and I headed into Langley to Kevin and Judy's place, it was fabulous to be able to celebrate their anniversary with so many family and friends there.  It was wonderful to see Gary's cousins and Aunt and to meet some great new people and say hello to other's we have met over the past several years.   There was  a great selection of food at the BBQ and I had to really keep myself in check.  I made a plan to have a salad before we left for the BBQ so that I wouldn't be overly hungry and I could steer clear of temptation.  Gary brought his iphone with him and with the WW app I was able to track my food right then and there so I would know how I was doing for points.  I knew full well that I would probably have to dip into my weekly points again but all in all I did really well!  I only had to use 3 weekly points towards  a piece of birthday cake.

Birthday Cake on the front deck

On Monday morning as it was a holiday, you probably know how I started my day.  Gary went for his bike ride and Angus and I suited up and headed out to meet Gary where he parks the car for his bike rides.  I decided to do intervals and low and behold Angus was cooperative for the most part.  I decided that instead of using timed intervals, I would use the power poles on the road.  I would run/jog (I never know if I should say I'm running as someone has pointed out previously that I do more walking than running) from one pole to another, walk to the next pole and  I alternated that way for the majority of the road.  I was absolutely thrilled with our time!  We did the 31/2 km's in just over 30 minutes.  http://connect.garmin.com/activity/354146596  (I forgot to turn my watch off when we got to the car so I'm going by the moving time on the page not the actual time.  Oops)

All in all it was a great weekend, over 14km's were walked including intervals, and I had a plan in place for all of the celebrating that was going to happen.  If there's one thing I've learned so far on this journey is that failing to plan, is planning to fail.  I don't want to fail, so I will always have a plan!

Patience is a virtue, right?

The past month has been a study in being patient.  I'm not a patient person by nature.  If I see something that needs to be done, I get it done.  If I want something, I need to go get it now!  If something is taking too long,  I tend to get fidgety.  Go through the Jiffy Lube and it takes more than 10 minutes for the oil change, I'm itching to get out of the car to see what's taking so long.   I want to lose weight, I want to see consistent losses week after week.

That isn't happening right now.  I've spoken to my WW leader about it and simply having lost 64 pounds in six and a half months is a lot.  He thinks my body just needs to catch up with what I've done and what I'm doing.  My problem is I set that pesky goal for myself a month or so back that I wanted to hit  75 pounds lost by the end of August.  (I guess I got a little cocky there huh?)  My body seems to be telling me, not so fast lady.  Have patience.  You'll get there when you get there.

I have to remember that this isn't a sprint, it's a marathon and as anyone who runs will tell you, you have to pace yourself for a distance run or you'll hit that wall.   I don't want to say that I've hit a wall, not yet.  I'm not considering these pesky 6oz up and downs to be a plateau.  I'm not sure what I'd call it but I do have to keep myself in check.  I have to have patience, and boy sometimes, that, in and of itself is the struggle right there!