My thoughts to-date on nutrition

Since I started my weight loss ventures a few weeks ago, I haven't really formulated an eating plan. But, I've been doing some thinking and I thought I'd share my conclusions to date.

No dieting. I really think I could've lost more weight by now if I'd restricted my calories to 1200 per day, kept track of "points," or omitted all goodies. But what I want to achieve is long-term, sustainable results. I am a busy mom of two and quiet honestly, I have a life beyond fitness and nutrition! I don't have time or energy to count every last calorie. I also have unfortunately seen folks on Weight Watchers, South Beach, or Atkins (the latter by the way I think is TOTALLY unhealthy) drop the weight fast only to regain it later. No thank you. No dieting.

Healthy, common sense choices. What I can manage in my busy lifestyle is making healthy choices and watching those portion sizes. I really think nutrition need not be overly thought out or complicated. This week, I ended up with a fair amount of fruit from the store. I put it right out in a bowl where I could see it - and naturally, I want to eat it! I think the healthy choices do start at the store. If the temptation isn't in the house, it's less of a temptation, isn't it?

Curb late night snacking. I work at night so naturally I'm up later, and get hungry. I really think this accounts for some of the weight gain in the past few months. I'd basically heat up a second portion of dinner (and dessert if there was any) at about 10:30 and eat it while working on my computer. So this really wasn't late night snacking so much as late night eating! I'm more mindful of this now. While I still get hungry at night, I'm choosing low fat string cheese, oranges, or Kashi cereal. And all in moderation.

Water intake. I'd also recently gotten into a rather bad habit of not drinking water, and indulging in too many sugary coffees and juices. Not good. These days, it's mostly water, water, water for me. Last weekend I decided to throw in some green tea as well. I also found I don't seem to "need" coffee everyday anymore. However, when I want a cup (as was the case this morning), I have Splenda and low-fat milk to add (no creamer or sugar!).

Vitamins. About the time of the first wave of H1N1, I started taking my vitamins regularly again. The key I found was to put them in a prominent place and to make a ritual of taking them with my breakfast. I also take 2 tablets of Acai per day, but only because I got it for free at Walgreens. I can't tell if it's making a difference or not. Figure it can't hurt.

Occasional indulgence. I need this and I refuse to feel bad about it. On Christmas Eve, I had a wonderful ham dinner complete with sweet potatoes, potatoes au gratin, and coconut pie. My thinking is if I make good choices most of the time, then I should be able to enjoy a treat here and there so long as it doesn't become habit. Bill Phillips, in his book Body for Life, talks about taking an "off day" once a week after eating well for the previous 6 days. I don't know if I need an entire day each week to eat whatever I want, but I definitely like having a little wiggle room to enjoy a treat and not feel that I'm a complete failure.

So...that's my philosophy on nutrition at the moment. As I transition into long-distance running, things may shift a bit. But for where I'm at in my weight loss journey, I'm perfectly content with how I'm eating.

I've noticed a lot of other running & weight loss bloggers share photos and recipes of nutritious recipes. Hmm. The next time I come up with something tasty, I just might have to follow suit.

Photo credit Sergio Roberto Bichara

"But you're older now..."

Can you believe these were the words someone (who shall remain nameless) said to me when it came up I would be doing a marathon next year? Yup. She said I was older now; I had kids. So folks, maybe I should reveal my true "old age:" 31.

I reminded her I ran my last marathon just three years ago and after the birth of my first son.

Incidentally, stuff like this doesn't get me down in the least. I pretty much dismissed it on the spot. If anything, it only fuels my desire to complete another marathon even more.

Out of curiosity, I decided to do a little Googling today about marathoner demographics. I found a report that MarathonGuide.com put out in 2007. Here's what I found:

• 39.5% of race participants were female
• The average age of the male runner? 40.5!!
• The average age of the female runner? 36.5!!

Unlike some sports and activities, it appears marathoning is something all ages are participating in. And judging from these averages, I'm actually on the young side.

I also found this interesting. The winner of the female marathon event at the Beijing Olympics, Constantina Dita Tomescu, was 38, and the oldest winner ever of this event. Her thoughts?

"The experience of age helped me."

I really do think there is something to be said about improving your endurance over years of running. It isn't just for the young 'uns.

Weigh in Monday:week four

To clarify, week four is the week I'm starting - I've completed three weeks of working out.

Today I weighed in at 155 pounds! That's down 2 pounds from last week AND over Christmas week! That is exactly what I was hoping for. So far, I'm down 7 pounds (a total reduction of 4%). That means I have 19 to go to reach my goal of 136.

Why 136? That was my weight at my first prenatal appointment with my son. My starting point essentially.

Next week, I hope to have lost another 1-2 pounds - I'll be happy with anything below that 155 mark. If I can do that, I will end 2009 lighter than when I started it.

If you've been joining me on this quest to fitness, I'd love to hear how you're doing!

Photo credit Gastin Thuavin

This week's workout plan & goals: 12/28

First, an update on last week. Things didn't go as planned, but I made the best of it. My 3 year old ended up with a stomach bug (on Christmas Eve, no less), so that pretty well thwarted my workout plans I had ambitiously set out. However, in looking back, I did pretty well! I did the Shred video on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday. I got in a hard cardio session on Monday and I just did my 3 mile run. So I basically got the order messed up, but only missed one workout. And I am sort of toying with the idea of doing the Shred tonight after the kids go to bed.

By the way, my three mile run went great! I finished in 33:21 and I didn't have to stop...not even once! I was able to even kick up the pace the last lap. (I love going at a hard pace the last bit of a run.) I felt MUCH stronger than last week, and my pace was a minute/mile faster, too. Still not where I want it to be, but I'm absolutely loving the improvement! I really have to hand it to Ms. Michaels...she is helping me get fit FAST.

This next week will be pretty similar to last week's plan.

Monday: Shred, Level 2
Tuesday: 45 minutes of cardio
Wednesday: Shred, Level 2
Thursday: Shred, Level 2
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 3 mile run
Sunday: 45 minutes cardio

I hope everyone is doing well! This week I'll spend some time outlining the marathon training schedule and races I've decided on for 2010. I hope you'll join me!

Photo credit Sanja Gjenero

Feeling good, keeping at it!

I thought I'd just drop a line since it's been a couple days. The most exciting thing - yesterday and today (just now actually) I completed Level 2 of The Shred and didn't feel like I was going to pass out! Hard? Absolutely. Do-able? Again, absolutely! I can tell this video is really working to improve my fitness and I'm LOVING it. It's pushing me in ways I never pushed myself in running. And I'm excited to see how it's going to actually improve my ability to run - both the physical and mental aspects of it.

I think I'm still holding at 157 pounds - where I reported on Monday, but I have noticed my pants feeling a little looser these past few days. I'm getting excited, thinking about what it will be like to feel really good about myself again and be able to fit into some of my favorite outfits!

This can also be about the point where I fizzle and "take a break," but I'm going to continue to press on to my goal, holidays and all. I'm not waiting to the New Year to start. I'm going to get a jump on my goals by ending 2009 stronger than I started.

Incidentally, I was supposed to do a 40 minute cardio session today - obviously I opted for the Shred tonight. I plan on doing my cardio tomorrow early AM and I may do a 60 minute session because I know I will want to eat a few special treats (within reason, of course!).

I hope anyone else trying to get fit along with me is feeling good and keeping at it to. Be sure to drop a line!

Coupons for Rock n' Roll Marathon?

If you read my other blog, The Coupon Project, then you know saving money is near and dear to my heart.

So you can imagine my excitement when I was reading on another running blog last night that Rock n' Roll Marathons often have coupon codes available and that you should NEVER pay full price for one. (I'm so sorry...I don't remember the blog I read this on...I should've noted it, I know.)

Anyhow, I'm pretty sure at this point I'll be doing the Seattle Rock n' Roll Half Marathon in July, and so I Googled codes and found: AZSURVEY09. According to Retailmenot, it should work through January and will save you $10 off ANY half or full Rock n' Roll race!

Through the end of February, the race costs $85 for the half (YIKES!), so you'd end up paying $75 with the code. After February, the cost hikes up to $100. The full costs $100 now and will move to $120.

Weigh in Monday: week three

Today I hopped on the scale to find I'd dropped one more pound. While I was hoping for 2, I'll take it!

That brings my current weight to 157, and my total pounds lost to 5. Not bad considering this is for about 2 weeks' of weight loss. (That's a 3% body loss.) In order to reach my first goal of 149 pounds, I'll need to lose 8 more pounds. I'm hoping to do this in time for my birthday (January 13th) - we'll see. It will for sure mean some hard work.

I would LOVE to be at 155 next week. While I've been at 155 since my daughter's birth, I sure haven't been there in a few months.

Unfortunately I woke up with a sore ankle today. I sure hope I didn't do anything to it. I'm going to play my cardio session by ear today. This morning, I'm going to try to put it up for awhile and then we'll see how I'm doing this evening. If nothing else, I might try the stationary bike or an exercise that doesn't put a lot of stress on it.

Photo credit Gastin Thuavin

This week's workout plan & goals: 12/21

This past week's worth of workouts were great! While it involved exercising 6 out of 7 days, it really didn't seem overwhelming. The Jillian Micheals video is 20 minutes, I headed to the gym twice, and one outdoor workout. The variety and combo of longer and shorter workouts fits in perfect to my already busy lifestyle.

I think I've also decided to do only ONE day of running weekly through January. This will help me ease back in and avoid injury while I still have a few more pounds to lose. Incidentally, I found a marathon schedule that I think will also fit into my busy lifestyle, and I'll be sharing that with you shortly. Bottom line is, you do NOT have to spend hours a day training for a marathon - in fact doing so may actually be counterproductive if you're just starting out!

Here's the plan:

Monday: 40 minutes cardio
Tuesday: 30-day shred: Level 1
Wednesday: 40 minutes cardio
Thursday: 30-day shred: Level 2 (gonna try this again....)
Friday: REST
Saturday: 3 mile run
Sunday: 30-day shred: Level 1

Diet-wise, things are going great. Again, I'm not doing anything drastic. The goal is to develop healthy eating I can do forever. I just know I'm not disciplined enough to say, count calories, or never eat a slice of pumpkin pie again. So I'm just doing my best to make healthy choices, watch portions, add water, add vegetables and fruits wherever possible and eliminate late-night snacking and "empty" calories. So far, it seems to be working!

Photo credit Sanja Gjenero

Awesome 3 mile run this morning

When I woke up, I noticed it had been raining, but wasn't currently, so I decided to do my run outdoors on a local school's track. I don't mind cold weather running in the least. While it can be hard to muster the motivation to get started, my body just does better in the colder weather. I guess I was born to live in Washington! I just layered on lightweight jacket, headwarmer, and gloves.

There was only one other runner, and he actually was wrapping up his workout as I was starting mine. So I ended up having the entire schoolyard and track to myself! It was beautiful - the air was heavy with fog and mist and it felt clean.

I ran the first mile in 11:50. While a slow time for most, it was too fast for me right now. But I'm choosing not to get discouraged about this. I want to enjoy the entire journey of getting fit and getting back into running. After all, if I'm not enjoying it and feeding myself negative messages about where I'm at, what sort of motivation is that?

I decided to walk the next quarter mile. After regrouping, I started running again. The next half mile felt great, but then I started getting quite fatigued. At this point, I slowed WAYYYY down and was able to finish the next two miles without a walk break. For my last lap, I went as fast as I could hold for an entire lap - which turned out to be roughly a 10:00 pace. To cool down, I walked another quarter mile. All told, 3.5 miles in about 40 minutes (including the half mile spent walking).

I feel so good knowing I could totally complete that 5K now if I had to, but I'm glad I have a few months to hone on fitness and improve my time. Now, off to shower and take my kids to the library (our Saturday ritual!).

Photo credit Jacque Stengel

A day off

After having worked out 4 days in a row, it's time for a much needed day off to let my body repair. Tomorrow I'm going to be doing my 3 mile run. I'll either tackle this on a treadmill or a track - I hope a track, weather permitting.

In order to ensure a good run, I'll be drinking my water and trying to put my feet up a bit. I'm going to treat this as if it was a long run (even though it's not). While that might sound silly, I know that in a few short months I'll be in the thick of marathon training and I want to gear up my mental muscles for what's ahead.

As I approach the end of my two weeks, I can say I'm feeling really, really good. A lot more energy, and a lot less bloated! Downing all the water has definitely been helpful, and I've also been trying to avoid sugary treats - especially late at night.

I'm currently camera-less, so I can't share a picture of this, but one of my favorite new "dessert treats" is frozen berries (defrosted slightly in the microwave) topped with 1/2 cup yogurt and 1/2 cup cottage cheese (both low fat). I made this yummy treat last night after my cardio session. To give it a little crunch, I topped it with a handful of Kashi's heart-to-heart cereal. Delicious!! Once I get my camera situation squared away, I'll be taking more pictures of my food creations and workouts.

I'll check back tomorrow after my run to let you know how it went.

Photo credit Stephen Eastop

Avoiding boredom on a longer cardio session

So tonight my game plan was 40 minutes on the elliptical.

Why 40 minutes? In my experience, I just burn fat more when I add a couple longer sessions of cardio into my week. But this does not mean mindless walking on a treadmill or lazily pedaling a stationary bicycle. No sir. My time is valuable so I need to make each opportunity I have to workout count big.

Because it's easy to struggle with "cardio boredom" I thought I'd share with you my workout tonight.

First 7:30 minutes - forward elliptical movement
7:30- 10:00 - reverse cardio movement, hands on steady bars
10:00 - 11:30 - forward elliptical movement, bent at waist to target glutes (flat back, abs in!)
11:30 - 17:30 - forward elliptical movement
17:30 - 20:00 - reverse elliptical movement
20:00 - 21:30 - forward elliptical movement, bent at waist
21:30 - 27:30 - forward elliptical movement
27:30 - 30:00 - reverse elliptical movement
30:00 - 31:30 - forward elliptical movement, bent at waist
31:30 - 35:00 - up the intensity and level
35:00 - 37:30 - up the level and remove hands from bars - push hard
37:30 - 39:00 - reverse elliptical movement

39:00 - 40:00 - forward elliptical movement

Again, you do not want to just "go through the motions." Push yourself. If you're doing a treadmill workout, try jogging for a few minutes, hills for a few minutes, walking fast for a few minutes, working in some arm exercises, etc. Not only will this keep you physically challenged, it works to mentally break up the time - which is an essential skill for completing a marathon (our goal in the end, remember?)

You'll also notice I pumped up the intensity at the end of the workout. Why? I believe, as much as possible, making the second half and end of the workout harder than the beginning. It helps develop stamina and mental toughness. Don't fizzle out at the end, sprint hard.

Photo credit Jos van Galen

"You think you're gonna die..."

Those were the words of Jillian Michaels at the end of Level 2 of her 30 Day Shred video.

And, she pretty much summed it up.

After doing Level 1 for a week, I thought, "what the heck? Let's give Level 2 a go." Oh. my. goodness. If Level 1 is Level 1, Level 2 feels like it should be Level 10.

Many of the exercises, including her cardio and ab moves were done in plank position (kind of like a modified push-up position), and boy do I realize I have some serious upper body work training to do. I ended up taking about 2 or 3 "5 second" breaks and I had to do one "10 second" break to splash my face with cold water so I didn't pass out.

While this was a hard workout, Micheals is absolutely right. If you're going to do a 20-minute workout, every second MUST count. There is no time to waste. And if you stuck with her workouts faithfully, I fail to see how one could NOT achieve results.

In fact, I feel her workouts are perfect for building the fitness and strength I want and I will most certainly use them to cross train with my running.

Just registered for a 5K

I decided that prior to running a full marathon, I wanted to get back into racing mode. So I decided to register for the Tacoma St Patty's 5K on March 13. This will be perfect for me. I know I could run a 5K now if I had to, so I won't be worried about the distance.

I've only ever run one 5K - the Seattle St Patty's Dash back in 2000. It was my first race, and the one that hooked me. After that, I took a fondness for 10Ks and then quickly moved up from there.

If you've never run a race before, why not join me? If you live outside the Tacoma area, try and find a local 5K race for early spring. (A 5K is just over 3 miles for those that are wondering.) In the next few weeks, I'll be shoring up my half and full marathon plans. But for now my focus will be shaping up and getting in 5K race shape.

I'm very excited. This will be my first event since 2007!

Weigh in Monday: week two

Each Monday morning first thing I'll hop on the scale to chart my progress.

Today I am at 158 pounds! Hooray! That is 4 pounds down from my high of 162 a week and a half ago. I'm sure glad to be below that 160-line.

My first weight loss goal will be to get to 149 pounds. Why 149 and not 150? Because I haven't gotten below 150 since the birth of my daughter a year and a half ago. So partly psychological I guess. At 149 I should also start fitting into some of my old clothes again. 149 will also be 13 pounds down and halfway to my goal of losing 26 pounds.

I'm not too worried about dropping it all quickly - in fact I'd rather I lose it at a rate of 1-2 pounds per week in order to keep it off for good. So to reach my first goal, I should be there anytime in the next 4.5 - 9 weeks. I hope maybe somewhere near the 6-week mark.

If you started this challenge with me, I'd love to have you "weigh in" on how you're doing!

Photo credit Gastin Thuavin

This week's workout plan & goals: 12/14

So first let me report on my workouts last week. Overall, I did very well and am proud of myself! While I didn't stick with the plan exactly, I managed to workout 4 days and am getting ready to do a quick workout tonight. That's 5 out of 7 days working out and I don't remember the last time I did that!

I managed to make it to the gym only once this week. I did 30 minutes of cardio that evening blended with 30 minutes of strength training. The rest of my workouts have been the Jillian Michael's. I really, really love this workout! She combines cardio, abs, and strength in a short - but intense - session. I for sure will be incorporating it into my plans for the week.

Sadly, I did not do the 3 mile run I'd wanted to do today. My 18-month old daughter decided to wake up at 3:30 FOR THE DAY and I never truly recovered from the shock of 3 1/2 hours of sleep! No harm done though, I'll work it in to next week's schedule.

Here's the plan:

Monday: 40 minutes cardio
Tuesday: Jillian Michaels 30-day shred
Wednesday: 40 minutes cardio
Thursday: Jillian Michaels 30-day shred
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 3 mile run
Sunday: Jilliam Michaels 30-day shred

While this might seem a bit much, I truly am hoping to "jump start" things and get used to activity. I also created this based on my workouts from last week, which I was able to complete easier than I expected!

I haven't talked much at all about diet yet. I'm still trying to determine how to "tweak" things into healthy balance. I don't want to do anything crazy drastic for fear I won't be able to keep it up. So my plan at the moment is to begin to slowly incorporate long-lasting healthy eating habits into my diet.

Right now my focus has been to increase my water intake and replace my usual cereal breakfast with a protein choice.

Photo credit Sanja Gjenero

The courage to start

If you follow my other blog, you know that I'm into saving money. So last week I decided to check out some books at my local library on marathoning for inspiration. Would you believe they were all checked out? Wow! They all made it in today and I've been having fun thumbing through them this afternoon.

In doing so, I came across a particular quote that I wanted to share with you today. Ready? Here it is:

"For all of us, the miracle isn't that we finish, the miracle is that we have the courage to start." - John "The Penguin" Bingham

I whole-heartedly agree with Bingham! Do you? What do you have to overcome in order to start your marathon journey?

For me, it was thinking that I wasn't athletic. I never participated in sports in high school and came to the conclusion that an athletic lifestyle just wasn't for me. I also had to overcome the idea that I couldn't complete such a distance - that I simply didn't have the endurance to do so. After all, marathons were for Olympians and super elite athletes, right?

After having run three marathons, I now believe differently. Let me tell you - I have seen many MANY different people finish that distance. Young, old, fit, overweight, and the list goes on. And let's not forget those in wheelchairs or prosthetics. I fully believe the marathon starts in the mind. You must first make a choice to believe you can do it. Does a marathon require physical training? Without a doubt. But if you lack the mental toughness, you will fizzle. All the bystanders cheering you on will not make you complete the race. Only you can convince yourself to continue on even when you are tired and ache to stop.

Many times I've heard folks say that they just can't do it. I fully believe most healthy people CAN run a marathon. But you must want it...you must have the "courage to start."

Photo credit Grizka Niewiadomski

New blogroll added

My goal is to make this blog inspiring and informative. I've spent a little time digging up some blogs that seek to do the same thing for their readers. They have been added to my blogroll which you can now find at right.

I hope to add to it, so if you either write a fitness blog or know of one you think would provide value to my site, please let me know so I can review it. The blogs chosen will primarily focus on fitness, weight loss, and/or healthy eating.

It's about the little choices

While it might sound rather simple, I think I've made an important discovery. Ready for this profound truth? Reaching a big goal requires making positive small choices over a period of time.

Here's the thing. It's so easy to miss a workout saying, "it's only one, it doesn't matter." But missing one makes it all the more easy to miss the next one and thus begins the snowball effect of excuses. Same thing with diet choices. How many times have I dismissed a cookie (or two...or three...) thinking "just today I'll indulge...it really won't matter."

If you want to tackle a goal such as weight loss or completing a marathon, you have to accept the fact that the goal must be tackled bit by bit. By making the right choices over a period of time. I believe that each of those small decisions matters. A lot. Over time, those small decisions help form positive habits and results beyond fitness. Don't underestimate the power of one "small" decision.

Lately I've also been pondering my mental outlook in achieving these goals. It's easy to focus on where I want to end up - thinner, fitter, and with a marathoner's medal around my neck. But what about the months leading up to that? Everything I must accomplish to get there? I think it needs to be enjoyable. I want to enjoy every step - and every mile - to the finish line. If I can't enjoy the journey, I know I will be more apt to quit.

I want to encourage you today to enjoy every day of your journey, too. Find ways to appreciate where you're at as you move to the finish line. I fully believe it's your mental fitness that guarantees your success in completing your marathon - not just your physical abilities.

So let's go make some positive choices today. Choose to workout 5 minutes longer than normal. Choose that glass of water over the juice. Choose to enjoy the process of becoming a fitter, stronger you.

Photo credit G & A Scholiers

"Before and After"...but not in a good way

Yesterday I asked my friend Susan to take some pictures of me before I start looking really good from working out! (In fact, I even delayed working out yesterday until she took these pictures...silly, I know.) I've had a few friends recently tell me I don't look at all that bad, but I want to share some pictures of what I looked like at the peak of my training and where I'm starting out today.

So let's start with before. Unfortunately, ALL the pictures I have running my races were professionally taken by the race photographers, so I hesitate sharing those for copyright purposes. So these were taken from vacations.

This first picture was taken five years ago on a trip to Yellowstone with my husband. I had just started training for my second marathon (Seattle) and was so dedicated to my schedule, I kept up with my running on this vacation. I remember doing 8-mile runs in both Jackson and Cody.

This second before picture was taken in Hawaii about a couple weeks after finishing my first (and only to-date!) sprint-distance triathlon. I was also 8 weeks pregnant with our first. This sort of marks the end of my era being super fit. That was four years ago. And I weighed about 135.

So what do I look like today and where am I now? There you have it. While not terrible, you can tell I definitely DO NOT look like the fit gal in the previous pictures. Last week, I was at 162 pounds. Except for pregnancy, I've never weighed so much in my life. Let me tell you, it's not fun. Especially because I've enjoyed being slim and fit for most of my life.


I'm really not sharing these pictures to discourage myself, but to remind myself of my goal and how good I can look when I exercise and take care of myself. I also want to share my progress with you in pictures. I'll aim to take updated photos about once per month.

No time for pity parties here, it's time to workout baby!

Great little workout at home last night

In thinking about jump starting my fitness goals, I decided to check out the Jillian Michael's 30-day Shred on Amazon for reviews. I'd heard a little about it, and thought it might be good to include over the next couple months at just building fitness.

Sure enough, it got rave reviews! Over 1500 reviewers and an average 4.5 stars. I was nearly poised to buy it, when I read on a forum - or somewhere Googling - who knows - that the Level 1 and 2 videos are actually On Demand for Comcast customers! So guess what? For a total cost of $0.00, I got to do a quick and good workout at home.

My husband was working last night, so I had the kids with me, but just made do. My 18-month old daughter decided it would be fun to crawl under me as I did the push-ups and then crawl on me while I did the abs. I think I burned a few extra calories as a result.

What I liked about the workout...it was simple, fast, and effective. She uses several muscle groups at a time, and combines cardio, strength and ab training. I also like that it only requires 3 or 5 pound weights, no fancy equipment. I didn't have weights handy, but just used soup cans (which of course, prompted my daughter to go back to the pantry and grab about 20 more cans of soup to "help" me!).

Why am I sharing this? Because for me, it's so easy to come up with excuses to not exercise. Not only was this a fast workout, it was free, and I didn't have to organize childcare or go to great lengths to do it. So...if you're a Comcast subscriber, go to On Demand, and then choose the Fitness option and I think you'll find the workouts under Celebrity Workouts and then Jillian Michaels.

If you're not a Comcast subscriber, you can still find it on Amazon for under $10. That would be $10 well spent to have a nice little workout available!

This week's workout plan & goals

Each Sunday, I'll simply share with you my plan for the week. Remember, I am not in marathon training shape...yet. So December and January I'll spend the bulk of my time establishing a base fitness level.

These plans are meant to give you an idea of how to get started. Feel free to create your own schedule. The cardio will probably mostly be spent on an elliptical trainer this week, although I may also opt for a stationary bike one of the days. One weight session will be upper body, and one will be lower.

Monday: 30 minutes cardio, 30 minutes weight training
Tuesday: 30 minutes cardio
Wednesday: 30 minutes cardio, 30 minutes weight training

Thursday: 30 minutes cardio
Friday: OFF
Saturday: 3 mile run around a track (that's 12 times for most tracks)
Sunday: OFF

I also want to pay attention to my water intake this week. Sometimes I just plain forget to drink it!

What is everything thinking they'll try to do this week?

Photo credit Sanja Gjenero

My first marathon

Here I am...nervously smiling minutes before running my first full-distance marathon in Vancouver, B.C. Excited to be meeting this lifetime goal head-on, but also wondering what exactly I'd gotten myself into.

Months before, I'd finished my first half-marathon in Seattle. It had been a feeling like no other crossing that finish line. And yet, I felt it was a goal half-finished. I felt I needed to complete the entire 26.2 distance, if at least just once.

My friend Kim also decided she wanted to work towards this goal and thus began our grueling training. Grueling, because we ran the same route over and over and over. It was mentally exhausting. I remember on days we had to run 16 miles and over, we'd have to run miles around a local school track to make up the distance. Boy, I do NOT recommend that!

Come race day, I was feeling pretty good. Our longest training run had been 20 miles and I was pretty comfortable with the idea of tacking on an extra 10K. The first 8 or so miles of the race I felt great, really strong.

I decided at that point to take one of the Power Gels Kim had given me just prior to the race. It wasn't one I'd had before, but since I'd had similar varieties during our training, I didn't think twice. Bad idea. Two miles later I began feeling sick...really sick to my stomach. I couldn't believe this was happening.

About halfway into the race things started to go downhill pretty quickly. I remember looking for medical personnel or racing staff for assistance. I didn't think I could finish. It was also about this point I had to slow down to walk. I was miserable! But because I never found anyone to assist me back to the finish line, I HAD to keep going. Over the next few miles I was able to alternate running a little with my walking. I was in beautiful Stanley Park, and the scenery definitely encouraged my spirits.

At mile 17, I passed the beautiful gazebo my husband had proposed to me in a few years before! It was another nice surprise and encouraged me to keep pressing on. I also remember making the decision to complete the race about this time. I had completed 17 miles, had trained for months, driven all the way up and taken time off work...I couldn't quit. I'd cross that finish line if I had to crawl.

About mile 20, I was really fatigued. Exhausted. I recall seeing volunteers handing out what looked to be lemon popsicles. Famished, I grabbed one and nearly popped it into my mouth when I told it was Vaseline. Great!

I was completely dragging near the end. I remember meeting a man from Mexico City and we encouraged each other towards the finish line. By the time I approached, the finish line had been moved along a sidewalk to start making way for traffic. No matter - it was still beautiful to cross that finish line! I was proud, relieved, and tired all at once. It was a wonderful rush of emotions. I finished in about 5:45. My next marathon I'd train smarter and shave about 35 minutes off this time.

As difficult as this race was, I still completed it and am glad I did it. It's funny how all the hours of training and racing and effort pay off the instant you cross that finish line and receive your finisher's medal. And then you say, "that was fun. When's the next race?"

A blog about marathoning, weight loss, and seeing your goals through

In high school, I hated when we had to run even a mile. I wasn't fat by any stretch, just not very fit and certainly not convinced in my athletic abilities.

It wasn't until college I discovered that if I put my mind to it, I could run a few miles. Stepping out of my comfort zone, I entered my first 5K in 2000 - the St. Patty's Day Dash in Seattle. I instantly fell in love with the spirit of racing and the rush of the finish line.

Over the next few years I completed about a dozen 10Ks, a sprint-distance triathlon, three half marathons, and eventually went on to complete three full marathons. While I'm not a fast runner, I'm a determined runner. So I'm proud to say I've finished every race I've signed up for.

My last race was the Disney World marathon in 2007. While I finished, it was by far my most difficult race. I had had my first baby just 9 months prior via C-Section, was tired, and unaccustomed to the heat and humidity of running in Florida (I'm a Western Washington native). I was exhausted and decided to take a break from racing.

In 2008, I had my second baby, and once again, put on more weight than I intended to. I also found it has been more difficult to lose weight the second time around. Life as a stay-at-home mom of two has taken it's toll. In addition, I work from home as a freelance copywriter and blogger, so I'm frequently tired and short on time.

However, I can't stay where I'm at physically. I often feel sluggish. I miss getting the 'high" from a good, long run. I miss the excitement of gearing up for a race and the pride I feel after successfully completing a training cycle and race. And let's face it, I miss being able to wear some of my favorite pre-baby clothes!

So what am I proposing to do, exactly? Jump start my New Year's resolutions: lose the weight once and for all by training for, and completing my fourth marathon. I intend to lose 26 pounds - one for each mile of a marathon. I will be doing some shorter races leading up to the big one. I'm currently deciding on the marathon I will run, but it will most likely be late fall 2010.

I'm currently in the worst physical shape of my life, so this will mean having to attain a base level fitness before launching into marathon training. So I'm pretty well starting from scratch.

Would you like to join me in my adventures? I hope you will consider. Whether you've completed marathons before, or can't currently run a mile to save your life, we can do it together. If you have a few pounds to lose or just want to get fit, running is an excellent way to do it.

I'm going to share with you my very best ideas for training and racing, and I hope to inspire you with my own story along the way. While I'm generally pretty private about my weight - especially now - I'm willing to be open about how I'm doing and feeling in order to help you along the way.

Over the next few days, I'll share some pictures with you and my thoughts about forming a training schedule for the year ahead. In the meantime, I hope you'll consider joining me...1 pound at a time, 1 mile at a time.