The Challenge Is Officially Over

Well, we wrapped up the 100 Day Heart Challenge last night with a celebration dinner, and we found out our results.  I lost 11.5 pounds, and although I didn't lose as much weight as I had wanted, I had two really great things happen:

• I lost 10.5" around my waist - Paul Brown and I tied for the most inches lost around our waists.
• I increased my HDL (the good cholesterol) by 10 points, which is very great almost unheard of in challenges past.  There were several of us who made great improvements in this area, including Janice who increased her HDL by 16 points!

This heart challenge has been such a great, rewarding experience.  I've been blown away by my fellow contestants and by their desires to become healthier.  I've been so amazed by the progress people have made with their triglyercides and with their cholesterol levels.  This has been a real eye opener for me.  I've literally witnessed people no longer needing medication for cholesterol, for diabetes, etc. 

I'm not saying it was easy for anyone, but it only took less than 100 days to make this happen.  I hope everyone catches the vision.  Isn't your health worth it?

Thanks to our great cardiac team Traci, Maria, and all!

Say It Ain't So...The 100 Days Are Over (After Sat's Run)

This morning was a bittersweet one for me.  I and all of the other 100 Day Heart Challenge Participants weighed in, took measurements, and had our blood drawn.  These factors along with blogging and along with reporting to Traci each week are our "measurement of success", however we won't get the results until Tuesday.  I'm disappointed in the fact I've only lost 10 pounds (at least according to my home scale), but I'm very happy with how strong and with how fit I feel I've become. 

Part of me is relieved to have the challenge over, but another big part of me is worried about no longer having a trainer and about not have to report weekly to Traci.  I'm worried about making a backward slide; what can I say I just love food, and I love cooking.  The nutrition classes were helpful, and I'm really hoping I can get better at intuitive eating, so I won't fall back into old habits.

I'm very grateful to have had the opportunity to compete in this challenge.  I know I was very lucky to have had this program.  I was extremely lucky to be paired up with a great fitness trainer who always knew how to push me to my limits.  I appreciated the comradery I felt from the other participants; it was comforting for me to know the others were like me and it wasn't a cake walk for anybody.  Everyone worked really hard towards their goals.

I'm looking forward to the closing dinner on Tuesday night where we will be presented with our results...if I'm brave enough I may just share my results on this blog.

Is It Too Late?

Do you think it's too late to lose 10 more pounds between now and next Friday morning when I weigh in?  JK.  Ugh, I'm not really losing weight, but I do feel really good.  I'm so thrilled to have had this opportunity.  I've loved working out in the wellness center, and I've been so lucky to have Alex Morgan for a personal trainer.  It's been great to see all of the other heart challenge participants working so hard, which helps to keep me motivated!

Mt. Nebo 1/2 Marathon - Saturday, September 10, 2011

My amazing trainer Alex ran the Nebo Half Marathon with me.   This is a picture of us before the race started.

It was a beautiful fall morning.  I was so glad to have run this race.  It was a huge challenge especially after declining 3,300 feet, then running gradual hills for three miles; but Alex was by my side every step of the way.  It was truly a rewarding experience. 

This is a picture of Alex and I after we finished:

A memorable day to say the very least...I am still super sore!  I also have to give a big props to my ipod shuffle, which had some great, inspirational, eclectic music.  My favorite tunes of the day:

1. It Keeps You Runnin' - Doobie Brothers
2. Live A Little, Love A Lot - Kenny Chesney
3. Sad But True - Metallica
4. Message of Love - Journey
5. Immigrant Song - Led Zeppelin

Wish Me Luck

The 100 Day Heart Challenge has not been super easy for me as of lately.  My job is very demanding and is very stressful this time of year, which generally means missing a few workouts and stress eating:(  I have missed a few workouts, and I have eaten my fair share of bad food over the past three weeks.  However, I am proud to say I've stayed true to running my long runs on Saturday mornings, and I've stayed true to my goal of attempting to run a half marathon. 

I signed up for the first annual Nebo Half Marathon, which is this upcoming Saturday morning.  I'm really looking forward to completing this run, but I know it's gonna hurt.  This past Saturday I ran 10 miles, which is the most I've run during this challenge, and it wasn't easy.  So when you wake up on Saturday morning and if you think about it, then please send me your positive vibes.  I'll need all the luck I can get!

I've been so thankful to be a part of this heart challenge as I feel like I've regained my old self.  I feel much happier with me and a lot more confident.

Things Are Looking Up

I'm almost finished with budgets, which means I won't need to miss any more of my workouts.  I actually hate to miss a workout especially when I miss due to too much work, so I'm glad budgets are almost finished.  I haven't really lost a ton of weight, but that's ok because I had three people today tell me I sure have lost a lot of weight!  It was just what I needed to hear to get me through my slump.  I'm really hoping I'm just a solid mass of heavy muscle...which is why my scale isn't lowering as quickly as I'd like.  A girl can dream can't she.

 I have had a pretty good week dispite missing a couple workouts.  I reached a running milestone.  I was able to run all the way up the Summit Ridge hill by my house without stopping.  No joke, the hills like a mile long, and it is brutal.  I've never made it before without stopping about half way.  I had my ipod on and ironically the Doobie Brother's song "It Keeps You Running" came on.  This song mixed with mental images of Forest Gump running across the country kept me running!

Cheers to the weekend.

The Time Is Flying By Way Too Quickly

Well, I haven't lost as much weight as I would like at this point in my heart challenge.  However, I received so many compliments this past weekend from friends and family about how much better I'm looking.  I'll take that any day!  I've decided to skip the scale, so I focus on becoming strong/fit - not a number.

I feel extremely fortunate to have a great trainer - Alex is the best.  He motivates me and pushes me to my limits.  I will miss him once this challenge is over.  He's helped me to be able gain my running confidence.  I was able to successfully complete a 10K a few saturdays ago when Santaquin had its Orchard Days.

Currently, my job has been very demanding and stressful.  I'm learning how to deal with that without turning to food.  I haven't always been successful, but I've always been able to get myself back on track.  I'm learning how to be kind to myself - I've always been so hard on myself.  If I've ever made a food mistake or if I've skipped an exercise then I've told myself I've ruined myself permanently.  I'm now more realistic, and I know that one or two bad days isn't the end all.

It's Been a While ...

I've been without my trainer now for two weeks - he's on vacation.  I miss not having him around to push me harder than I can push myself.  I don't have anything too profound to say.  I'm not really losing a lot of weight, but I have had several people this week tell me how good I'm looking.  I guess I need to take that positive reinforcement and run with!

Thank Goodness for Alex My Trainer

I'm so glad Alex was able to snap me into shape this morning in the gym.  He's a great trainer and a great motivator.  He pushes me to worker harder than I think I possibly can.  I'm thankful he's my trainer.

Your Help Is Needed

I'm trying to be a good little blogger, but for some reason I'm hitting a mental/emotional wall.   I'm not sure what to write about.  I'm feeling very frustrated, and I don't really know why.  I'm doing well with my exercising and with my eating, but I'm feeling emotionally bankrupt.  I enjoy reading the blogs of the other heart challenge participants, so please share your feelings regularly on your blog.  I find it easier to dig myself out of my mental hole when I read about your successes (and your disappointments).

It's a Miracle

I finally lost two whole pounds!  It's taken me forever to lose weight.  Highlights from my weekend:

• I ran/jogged 7.1 miles on Saturday.  I feel really great/really strong. 
• I didn't chew gum Sat or Sun, which is really huge for me.
• I only had one Coke Zero this weekend.
• I tried really hard to not only log my food; but to really analyze what I ate over the weekend, which I believe contributed to my scale success.

It's been a great Monday morning so far.  I already went to the gym, so I feel great.  I love seeing several of the heart challenge participants in the gym at the same time as me.  Helps me to remember others are working at it and can symphathize with my plight.

Intuitive Eating Nutrition Class

This week in our nutrition class we talked about intuitive eating, which is a nondiet mentality.  You eat what you want, but you need to really listen to your body's natural hunger fullness scale.  This concept is very foreign to me because I'm so used to eating based on a diet mentality.  My whole life I've been used to being restricted to certain foods, which is probably why I've failed to maintain any kind of weight loss.

Our instructor clearly explained the Dieter's Cycle:

• Desire to be thin
• Go on diet
• Cravings pop up and you have reduced self-control
• Loss of self-control, over eat
• Weight gain or regain occurs

She hit the nail on the head with this explanation.  This is the story of my life.  I'd like to break this cycle.  I really like the concept of intuitive eating .  I want to implement it in my life and to change my psyche; but I'm really afraid I won't be able to change the "food policing", which is ever present inside my mind.

This "Thing" Is Emotional

Looking back at my weekend I can see how this 100 Heart Challenge is very emotional.  On any given day I feel like a success and a failure within a three hour time span:

• I started out my Saturday by stepping on the scale, and I hadn't lost any weight - I felt like a failure. 
• I put on my running shoes and ran my guts out - I felt great by the time I came home. 
• I went to the Kenny Chesney concert on Saturday night and had a great time.  My husband and I decided we were going to eat dinner at the concert.  I was going to get a bottled water and a salad with dressing on the side, so I was in control - I felt great.
• I found out the salad was premade and was already coated with dressing - I felt like a failure.
• I didn't eat the chips or the tortilla on my salad and I only drank water - I felt great.
• I let my kids bake a Sunday treat and I only had a bite - I felt great.
• On Sunday I realized I didn't eat my 5 fruits and veggies - I felt like a failure.   

We had a class early this morning to discuss how to succeed beyond the 100 days of the competition.  One of the things we talked about was how emotional our eating and our health really is.  We discussed fear.  The instructor suggested we add another column in our daily trackers and identify our emotions - log why we eat and/or behave the way we do daily.  I really liked this idea.  It was great to be with the other participants and to hear they have similar hopes and fears.

Back from Vacation with a Vengence

I've been gone for a long time, without internet access, so sorry about the lack of posts for a while.  I spent 12 heavenly days in St. George on summer vacation with my family!  The 100 Heart Challenge vacation highlights... I was able to exercise EVERYDAY (but Sunday) while on vacation.  I played a lot of tennis, which was so awesome considering I just had Achilles tendon repair last year.  Now the lowlights...I didn't follow my nutrition plan; I was on vacation and NO ONE wanted to "be on a diet". 

Now I'm back and feeling very commited.  I've had two great workouts this week and my eating has been top notch.  I've been pop free for over 60 hours  - is it obvious I have struggle with a pop addiction?

Another Day With My New BFF

I'm referring to my trainer Alex as my bff.  He's an amazing trainer, and he's done a great job at pushing me to my limits.  I've really enjoyed getting back into exercise...the exercising since the challenge started has gone very well.  I'm not going to lie and say it's been easy, but I can feel how worth it the exercising is.  It's been great to go into the wellness center and see the other 100 Day Heart Challenge participants working out.  Bruce is awesome...I consider him a warrior.

Tomorrow's the first day of the nutrician class.  I can't wait to see what the dietician has in store for me.  I've kept a food journal since we started, but the eating part is definitely my biggest struggle.  I feel so fortunate to be a part of this program.

Reality Check

I've completed the first week of exercise, which went well.  I was really happy with the way the workouts went, I even ran over four miles on Saturday.  I felt good.  I also completed the first week of logging food in a journal, which didn't go quite as smooth.  You sincerely think you are doing all the things you need to be doing, but then you have to admit you went to most of the snack ladies at Costco and sampled all of the unhealthy, quick to prepare foods they were peddling. And Father's Day was a little rough because I had to eat the yummy cobbler I made for my husband.

I work up today looking at a fresh start for the week.  I met with my trainer early this morning and had a great workout.  I'm committing today to increase my water intake, which I hope helps me with better eating habits.  I'm not perfect, but I'm going to keep working towards improving.

Met my Personal Trainer

June 16th I met with Alex my personal trainer and with Traci from the Wellness Center.  Alex and Traci worked on creating my personal workout regimen; I feel so lucky to have professional help.  I've been most anxious about hard core workouts.  Last June I had my Achilles Tendon surgically repaired, and I've been very scared to workout hard for fear of rerupturing the tendon.  I know I need to get over the fear.

I did some interval training on the treadmill, and I was thrilled to find my legs still work!   I told Traci I want to be able to run a half marathon; she and Alex were very encouraging.  We've come up with a solid interval training schedule, so I will be able to run a half marathon later this year...it'll be a dream come true for me.

I'm so thankful for this opportunity to work with Alex and Traci.

First Day in the Gym!

I'm very excited to start the 100 Day Heart Challenge!  I bought a food journal note book, and I went to the Wellness Center today for my first workout.  The workout was good, but I'm looking forward to meeting my personal trainer tomorrow.