Plank-no plank-PLANK

Stage 4 of the New Rules of Lifting for Women tells me to hold plank for 2 MINUTES three times. It actually says 120 seconds to try to trick me into thinking that it's not that long, but 120 seconds is 2 minutes any way you slice it. I have been dreading my workout all day long because I knew that the 2 min planks were in my future. End of my workout and here's what happened.....

Skinny chick: Are you timing your planks?
Me: Yep
Skinny chick: Can I do it with you?
Me: Ummmm, sure. I'm doing it for 2 minutes.
Skinny chick: That's a long time.
Me: Yep

Round 1- We both did the entire 2 minutes. (Yes, Kelly, I kept my butt down!)
Round 2- Skinny chick did 1 and a 1/2 minutes and QUIT! I did the full time.
Round 3- Skinny chick asked if I was really going to do it again. "Yep!". She looked at me like I was crazy. She did a minute with me and then QUIT. I did the full time.

When I was done with the last round, she high-fived me, and told me how strong I must be. *Major blushing* It was at that point that I was able to share with her about how I did 30 seconds for weeks....and then 60...then 90...and now 120 second. Whoop! Whoop!

Oh, I almost forgot~ before my plank series, I did 8 FULL push-ups X3. (Yes, Kristi, I adjusted my form so that my shoulders were over my wrists and the work was in my chest!)

I have been so blessed with some amazing instructors over the past two years. I have learned so much. I am getting strong. Exciting things are happening. 1/2 marathon training starts next week. :)

~Kari

Still here + Diet Soda

This week at work has been crazy busy! It's a marathon of after school meeting~ 3 late nights in 4 days. Normally I work out after school. I decided last week that I'd take two rest days this week instead of the usual one. Tuesday morning I was up at 5 AM to attend a Spin class. It was actually a great class. There is something amazing about being done with your workout before the sun even rises. I have toyed with trying to squeeze in another AM workout tomorrow; but have decided to stick with my bonus workout day off, eat a little less tomorrow, and try to get in a walk during lunch. 


Big news in the area of personal growth! When I first started losing weight I would drink 3-4 regular cans of coke a day. As I had to start limit my calories, I eventually switched to diet coke to "save" my calories for other foods. My diet drinks had dwindled down to 1 to 2 a day. Somewhere along the line, the extra cans of pop snuck in and I found myself drinking 3-4 diet pops again. I've been thinking, for a while, about no longer drinking diet pop....decreasing diet pop...trying to find a good substitute...sticking to what I have been doing. I talk myself out of change more times than I can count. Last Friday I decided to stop drinking diet pop. There was no magic article that changed my mind, no show on TV that made me stop and think; it was just me realizing that I did not want a drink to control my life. 


I told a few people at work that I was going to stop drinking diet pop. It actually felt good to say it out loud. They were (of course!) very supportive, but I knew that the real test would come when I was home, the kids were in bed, and I popped my bag of popcorn. Who, tell me who, can eat popcorn without a can of pop??? I did it! I wasn't happy, but I did it. Friday night brought on killer headaches. By Saturday (24 hours since a diet coke), I was SO tired and had a headache most of the day. It was not pretty. By Sunday, I was starting to feel less fatigued, but still had a horrible headache. On Monday, the headache started to fade, the cravings were gone, and I was actually starting to feel better. Have I beat my addiction? No, probably not, but for right now I am feeling great and actually watched someone drink a diet pop today and didn't feel totally deprived. :) So, that's me. Life is busy. Finished Stage 3 of New Rules of Lifting for Women today (hope to post this weekend). 


~Kari

Today

Today doesn't feel good. The scale is up for the second week in a row. The measurements are just about the same. (I am down another 1/4 inch in my waist...) Water intake is at an all time low. Night time eating is out of control. I'm discouraged. Today doesn't feel good.

I must remember....
~ I've lost 165 pounds!
~ I can run 3 miles with ease. (Take that Mrs. Pringle!)
~ I am so much stronger than I was 2 months ago.

(Found a new muscle in my arm this week!)

~ I AM going to run a 1/2 marathon on June 22nd.
~ I have two amazing kids and a husband that count on me to be healthy.
~ I can choose today to be healthy.
~ It's not always going to feel good.

Today doesn't feel good, but the choices that I make today will make tomorrow feel amazing! How are you?

~Kari

Just a number???

Miles ran this week: 10.75
Calories burned this week: 2,952
Hours spent working out: 4:12 (5 days~ skipped a workout and only did 1/2 of a normal one due to an injury...)
Time spent holding plank: 90 seconds X3 in two different workouts
Pounds lost: gain of 2.5 lbs from 3 weeks ago
Hmmmm....Yep, you read that right. A gain.... My ring is tight, I am sore, I had a high sodium dinner last night; I know it's partly fluid retention. I stopped recording again... I've been eating too much in the afternoons/evenings...

If it wasn't for that stupid BMI chart telling me that I am *suppose* to be 174, I'd be totally content at 194. (I feel amazing at 191, which was my lowest of lows.)

At 356 pounds my weight was SO MUCH MORE than just a number. It was an indication that I was killing myself and robbing my loved ones of the best Kari that they could have. I'm sitting here in my 5'10", size 11 shoe, frame wondering how much stake I now need to put in my weight and the BMI chart. Next week I'll have hubby measure me since it will have been a month since the last measurements. I feel great. I'm getting compliments. People are asking me if I'm still losing weight. (The answer is no just in case you missed the first paragraph...)

Here's my struggle- When does your weight become just a number and not a life sentence???

~Kari

Just checking in....

It seems like I haven't had anything to share lately. Tomorrow I'll weigh in for the first time in 3 weeks. I'm really anxious about the results. My eating was out of control a few weeks ago and that's why I've been avoiding the scale.

Even though I am anxious about my weight, I have to admit that I feel fantastic! The weight lifting has been going really well. It seems like I am sore pretty much all the time. My hamstrings and quads, in particular, are really sore. There is definately more defenition and I am able to squat lower than ever before.

The weeks seem to be flying by. Training will start the first week of April for my 1st half marathon! Super nervous and excited about training. After asking around, I've decided to do the Hal Higdon training program. It calls for 4 days a week of running (some days are only a 2 mile run) and 1 day of cross-training. My desire is to continue lifting while training. Calling all lifting experts.....have you ever trained for a running race while continuing to lift? I am currently lifting 3 days a week, but *could* do it twice a week if necessary. Also, I currently work out 6 days a week. He has two rest days built in. I know that I will be exercising the same amount of hours (especially on those lonnnnng runs), but I'm not sold on only working out 5 days a week. I'm hoping to find some blogs of runners that are also into weight lifting. Any suggestions????

~Kari

Sciatica Pain

Do you suffer from sciatic pain? I do and it is a pain in the butt. (Yep, pun intended.) Since I became pregnant with my first child, the pain has been consistent. It is almost always worse around "that" time of the month. Since I started going to the chiropractor there has been a huge decrease in the severity of the pain. This month is the exception to that new rule. I was adjusted yesterday and am still in intense pain today. I struggled to make my way through a class at the gym tonight and was able to make modifications, but was not at all pleased with my workout. Massage therapy has helped in the past, but work is super busy tomorrow and hubby has to work early. I don't see a massage in my future... :(

On Tuesday I finished Stage 2 of New Rules of Lifting. I am feeling really strong. Today at work I was lifting some boxes off of a high shelf. I put these boxes up in October and was amazed at how heavy they felt in October and how light they felt today!

I continue to notice increased defention in my arms, thighs, and abs. The thin lines in my abs are starting to become defined lines. Don't read too much in to this- I am not "ripped" nor am I sporting a "6-pack", but my body is changing and it's exciting! When I do ab work I can actually feel my abs working. I use to take classes and the instructor would say something like, "You should feel the muscle contract while doing (insert random ab exercise)". I thought that they were crazy. I felt nothing. I now understand what they were talking about! I should be starting Stage 3 tomorrow night, but if I can't get this pain under control, then it will have to wait until the weekend.

My eating has been less than stellar lately. The cool part is how horrible I feel when I don't eat right. My body is craving healthy foods. I need to give it what it wants. Life seems to be going so quick these days. I am looking forward to the weekend and getting some time to slow down. How about you? Do you have big plans for the weekend?

~Kari