Must Be 'Half' Crazy

Over the past few months, I've really neglected what handful of readers I have *crickets* by not posting and keeping track of my weight loss progress.

Just a quick update:  Since Nov 15, 2010, I've lost 40lbs and 38" overall.  

BEFORE:  Easter 2010

BEFORE:  January 1, 2011

 

AFTER:  Thanksgiving Day 2011

AFTER:  November 2011

I can't even begin to describe how great I feel.  Plus the fact that my neck no longer looks as if its eating my head.  *yay*

As soon as I locate my most recent measurements, I will update as far as how many inches were lost and where. 

Ok.  Now, to get back on track, somewhat.....

In keeping with my "Dirty 30" Bucket List, I've decided to participate in a Half-Marathon this year.

As of right now, I am planning for the April 28th race in Nashville, TN which is hosted by the Rock N' Roll Marathon Series. 

I've created a training schedule.  The one I started with from http://www.running.com/, was actually for a 12-week program.  Thankfully, for me, the race is approximately 18 weeks out.  So I tweaked my schedule to reflect the additional 6 weeks worth of training.   {Believe me, I'll need all the training I can get.}

I actually started training a week and half ago, but due to the crazy weather, a cold/stomach bug, and Christmas....I kinda, sorta got behind on my training. 

Today, I picked up where I left off and ran the requested 3 miles in 32 minutes.  I figured that's a pretty good deal considering I've not been in the gym or been very active since early October.  I'll take it!

I believe that this t-shirt says it all...and YES!, I shall be ordering one:



Photo Credit



March for Dimes March for Babies

I am a member of team "Impatient Aliya" which is made up of local people who care about the health of America’s babies...one in particular, baby Aliya.

Aliya was born at 26 weeks and is currently in the NICU at a local hospital fighting to survive. Aliya's aunt is one of my dear friends and she has started a team to walk in honor of Aliya in May.

Together Team Aliya has banded together to raise money and participate in the March of Dimes March for Babies. I am asking you to join our fundraising efforts today by sponsoring my event.

Contributing online is fast, easy and secure. You can donate directly from my personal webpage with a credit/debit card or PayPal. If you prefer, I can also accept cash or check. Just click the appropriate box on my webpage.

The money we raise helps save premature and sick babies. Premature birth is the #1 cause of newborn death and the biggest threat to babies’ health today, and through March for Babies, the March of Dimes is funding important research to find out why premature birth happens and what can be done to prevent it. There’s nothing more important than to give every baby a healthy start in life.

We need your help. Please join us in the fight against prematurity. Visit my webpage and sponsor me in the event that saves babies!

With your support, there’s hope. To make a donation, visit my personal my personal webpage.

If you would like to learn more about March for Babies, please visit their website. Would you like to see what March for Babies is and why I'm walking? Click below to see the video.

The March of Dimes mission is to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.

Nugget of Knowledge #3

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"The iron in lean beef (dinner tonight!) may stop a slump. It helps red blood cells bring energizing oxygen to all of your organs and tissues. Don't eat meat? Soy, pumpkin seeds and spinach are great veggie sources of the nutrient."  -Tip from Self Magazine

Nugget of Knowledge #2

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"Ginger can soothe sore muscles, a study finds. Those who had about 2 tsp of the natural inflammatory daily for 11 days cut aches by about 25 percent. Add fresh ginger to tea before you train."  - Tip from Self Magazine

Nugget of Knowledge

Here's a little nugget of knowledge to apply to your weight loss regime:

"Regularly skipping meals makes you more prone to belly fat, heart disease and diabetes, a Swedish study shows. Eat up!"  - Tip from Self Magazine

 



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This is an ideal meal schedule to keep your metabolism at its peak and to help aid with the best weight loss.

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Sunday afternoon I asked my friend B if she'd like to go for a walk.

She agreed and after a "healthy" lunch at the local Mexican restaurant

we headed for the greenway.

Our little walk turned into a 4.5 mile walk.

It was great and we had a lot of fun talking and catching up with each other.

By the time we were done, we were checking our feet

to see if they were bleeding they hurt so bad.

My toes were really sore and my right foot felt as if something needed to pop.

Regardless of the pain, it was a great walk and we definitely benefited from it.

I decided that I still needed to walk yesterday evening

to hopefully workout some of the pain I was feeling.

So I called my friend Amber, to see if she would like to join me.

I was happy that she decided to come with me!

We didn't know how long we'd walk but decided that we'd go however long we could.

We too had a good time catching up and talking with each other.

I took Birken and Mimi LaRue for the walk with us.

I believe they hated me by the time we were done,

they were walking behind us the last lap or so.  hehe

It was a good 4-mile walk with a good friend.

Amber and I mid walk

My pinkie toe is especially taking a beating from my walks.

My toe pads are really like big balls of fat

so whenever my toes are confined together,

my pinkie toe fat pad is squished

and the ring-toe sorta "steps" on it when I walk.

Therefore, leaving my pinkie toe fat pad with a good sized blister.

It hates me.

I hope it calluses so its not so painful in the future.

Sorry, I know this was way too much information.

Does anyone else suffer from fat toe pads like I do?

How do you deal with it when you walk/run?

I'm Squishy

This is how I feel today...

(good thing I will be in a 5K next weekend, hopefully it will assist in keeping me from feeling this way again.)

(Illustration by Laura Berger)

Check her other awesome illustrations/prints out by visiting her Etsy Shop, she definitely has a cute and unique style.  I love it.