Weekend Splurges

Prednisone aside, my weight gain has to be blamed on what's going into my mouth. I do well during the week, I even track my food, but come the weekend all bets are off. I tend to be very busy on the weekends with friends and family. This leads to eating out or ordering food and no matter what I choose, I tend to over indulge and my weight just goes up and up. Of course during the week my weight will come back down some, but not enough to make up for the weekend weight gain.

So what can I do to change this? Stop hanging out with friends and family? Become a hermit? Workout all day Saturday and Sunday so I can't overeat? I don't think those are the answers. I know it's all about balance, but sometimes trying to balance can lead to overeating!

This Saturday I went to the West Virginia State Fair. I had in my head to allow myself one treat. Well I started out well with some shredded chicken with just a tad of barbeque sauce on it, with a small roll, mashed potatoes (which I only took a couple of bites of), and green beans. Then I had roasted corn on the cob (truly the best corn ever!), due to it being so hot I got an ice cream cone. I was doing pretty well, until we went to see my cousin bull ride and I got a bag of kettle corn, which I ate my weight's worth. Then I had a few bites of a funnel cake! It could have been worse, but not as good as I wanted. Then on Sunday, I started out with a simple breakfast of toast with jam and fruit. I had a snack of these two blueberry fig bars (they are yummy) so I wouldn't get hungry while out on my kayak. Theeeen my boyfriend, a friend and I went to Dairy Queen where I had a grilled chicken sandwich, small curly fries, and a small ice cream cone. That wouldn't have been so so bad, except later that evening I had two and half slices of pepperoni pizza with two pieces of chocolate chip cookie. UGH! I just can't handle it! If it's in front of me I eat it!

So I thought it would be a great idea to share this article of what to we can do on the weekends to not ruin our eating habits: You can find the article here, from Sparkpeople.com.


1. Squeeze in a longer workout. The best part of the weekend is that you have more free time. So while you might not be able to squeeze in a 30-minute run over lunch during the week, you can use the weekend to go for a longer run at a beautiful park nearby. Or go to the gym to try a new hour-long class. Use the weekend as a time to refresh your workout and get more activity in without feeling rushed.

2. Eat like it's a weekday. When you think about it, it doesn't really make much sense to eat differently on the weekend than you do during the week—especially if your food choices during the week keep you fueled and energized. It can be easy to skip meals on the weekend and then make up for it later by overindulging at dinner. So, make a point to eat breakfast, lunch and dinner while sitting down. Pack snacks for when you're on the go, and follow a schedule just like you would during the week. Your body will thank you!

3. Stick to your usual sleep schedule. Are you someone who has a firm bedtime during the week only to stay up late and sleep in on the weekends? Changing your sleep patterns could throw off your schedule (hard to eat breakfast when you get up at noon!), and could also interfere with weight loss. Just think of all those times you stayed up later than usual, got hungry and ended up eating something unhealthy! Changing your sleep schedule can also make it harder to fall asleep on Sunday night which could set you up for a tired Monday.

4. Get outdoors. Because most of us work indoors during the daylight hours, the weekend provides a nice opportunity to get outside, see the sun and connect with nature. Heading outside can boost your body's production of vitamin D, plus studies show that people are happier when they spend time out in nature. So, get out there and enjoy the great outdoors!

5. Fuel yourself for weekday success. Ask yourself honestly if you pushed yourself too hard with workouts or restricted your food or calories too much during the week. If so, come Friday, your body may be hungry and tired, which can lead to overeating and underexercising on the weekend. Remember to practice moderation every day, eating and exercising in a way that you can sustain for the long haul—not just a few days or weeks.

6. Limit your drinks. While many of us forgo the soda, beer and wine during the week, we loosen up over the weekend and drink more of our calories. Just remember that the calories in beverages can add up quickly if you're not careful. Go easy on the drinks, or try healthier drink swaps if you just can't forgo that fancy coffee or sweet tea on Saturday! Practice moderation when it comes to alcohol, too. Just because you were "good" during the week doesn't mean that it's OK to make up for that with one night of all-out binge drinking. Here's what you need to know about fitting alcohol into a healthy diet.

7. Plan for relaxation. Most of us are busy during the week and even our weekends seem to become non-stop errands, chores, work and travel. So how do you find time to relax? Take the whole weekend (or at least part of it) to schedule some downtime for at least an hour or two. Whether it's practicing your favorite hobby, seeing a movie with friends or even meditating quietly, do something every weekend that recharges you. You'll not only feel better, but also beat stress (which may also ) help you drop a few pounds.

8. Break the on-again, off-again diet mentality. If you have a history in yo-yo dieting, make sure that you're not alternating between being "good" and "bad" throughout the course of a week. View the weekend as time for you—not a time to rebel or "cheat" on your diet and exercise plan. Remember that being at a healthy weight is about sustainable healthy lifestyle changes, not just a diet and exercise plan that you can maintain Monday through Friday. Revisit your goals and recommit to making healthy and realistic choices every day that set you up for success in the long term.

9. Weigh in Monday morning. If you need extra help being accountable over the weekend, schedule your weekly weigh-in for Monday morning. Knowing that you'll step on the scale at the start of the week can help you to stay accountable and be more aware of your weekend choices.

10. Plan for the week ahead. What better way to stay healthy on the weekend than by using your extra time to continue to set yourself up for success? Take a Sunday afternoon or evening to plan your meals, hit the grocery store, and do some big batch cooking for the week ahead. That way, when your busy week gets even busier, you'll already be ahead of the curve and able to stay on track! Don't forget about laundering your workout clothes, packing your gym bag, and getting prepared for workouts, too.


 I know I need to start scheduling my long workouts for the weekends again. I've not been doing that since I got sick. I think I also need to make sure I'm drinking enough water on the weekends. I'm probably more thirsty than I am hungry and then end up over doing it on food. With these tips, I'm hoping to make better choices this upcoming weekend! I'm still working on Couch to 5K, biking, a little strength training, and kayaking when it's not raining!

Here's a couple of pictures of where I went yesterday, Bluestone Lake in Hinton, WV. I went about five miles. I love it!

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I've got to get ready for my run. Unfortunately, it will be on the treadmill since it's been pouring rain all day, but at least I get to run! Have a good and healthy week!

Biggest Loser 5K

I had originally signed up for the Biggest Loser Half Marathon in Charleston, but due to this pesky muscle disease I dropped to the 5K. I wasn't sure until Thursday that I was even going to do that much! But what can I say, I like a challenge, I wanted my medal, and I knew I would regret it if I didn't at least try!

I decided to skip the packet pickup the night before this year and just go the day of the race. I had other things to attend to Friday, such as eating delicious pizza that I was too busy eating to get a picture of. And I went to a baseball game

See important stuff!

Anyway, going the morning of turned out to be a mistake! They ran out shirts! I've been pre-registered for this race a long time and I had to choose between a shirt like the one I got last year or a generic run/walk shirt. Since the shirts last year were white and I hate white, I went with the red generic one.

I'm gonna be honest, I'm disappointed. The other shirts were kind of an obnoxious orange, but they had a pretty picture of the state capitol on them. And they ran out of bags! But I was able to go back after the race and pick one of those up. It's just crazy that they don't keep out a certain amount for preregistered people.

Anyway, so the game plan for this race was to finish! One way or another. My family doctor told my mother that I was absolutely not allowed to run or I could risk injury or cause the swelling to come back. So I tried to be conscious of that and not push it. But let's be honest I did some running. I also did lots of walking though. It kinda sucked. My legs would hurt if I tried to run too long and my arms started hurting in my bicep area. But it was totally worth it. I loved being out there again. And the good thing about the Biggest Loser races is that you see ALL different types of people. The emphasis that they put on the walk option allows for a lot more diverse people to show up. It really is inspiring to see so many people with challenges of their own get out there and move!

The last mile I decided I would walk from one light to another and then run from that one to the next one. I did that a few times, but then I could see the finish line and I couldn't let myself walk to the finish!
And I did it!

Finish Time/Chip Time:

41:51.9

Gun Time: 1:09:54.9

Minutes/Mile:

13:30/M

I actually had to email about my time. They had my chip and gun time as the same. But they quickly resolved that. I'm actually pretty pleased with my time considering my situation and the walking I had to do! A 13:30 mile average isn't too shabby! I'll post race pictures once they have them up.

The rest of my day consisted of going to heave, aka a Teavana tea shop. I'm trying to drink hot tea in the evenings instead of eating, so this place was fantastic! Wish we had one in my town!

Enjoying a cup of Caramel Salt Tea (with a splash of milk)

Then I rode with my mom after getting back home to watch my sister and boyfriend play softball in a charity tournament. It was a lot of fun! They lost horribly in both of the games they played, but it was still fun.

Starbucks Softball Team aka Bad News Bears! haha

After their final game and getting a bite to eat, we headed home. Then my boyfriend and I went to his parents house to celebrate his grandmother's birthday. They were setting up a pool so they were all doing that, but I was feeling tired and my arms were hurting so I decided to just go lay down for a few minutes on their couch...

TWO HOURS Later....

I woke up. I had completely passed out. I'm blaming it on the muscle disease, but it was slightly embarrassing.

As far as an update on how I'm doing. I still experience muscle pain and some trouble swallowing but it all continues to get better. I may have pushed it at the race on Saturday, but other than some arm pain and some tightness in my legs I feel like I'm doing pretty well. My weight is just out of control though. I don't even like looking at how round my face is right now. At this rate I'll have to buy a whole new wardrobe! The only thing I know to do is try my best to eat healthier foods, which can be a bitch because prednisone is making me want to eat all the freaking time! But I'm trying. I don't know if it will help slow down the weight gain, but it has to be better than just going free for all on junk food! And I'll continue to walk. I have to take days off in between to give my body rest, but it's just what I have to do right now.

I just have to keep in mind it's not forever, it's a temporary set back. And you better believe it will make me appreciate running and biking a lot more!

Failed Week

This week was yet another fail! I continued to drink soda, ate without abandon, and didn't get even four measly workouts in! (I had three workouts that actually count as workouts). It will get better, it will get better, it will get better!!!

I was stupid and let my emotions talk me out of working out as planned on Thursday. For some reason when I get mad, I just want to eat junk food and wallow and not workout. Do I think that gets back at the person I'm mad at?? No, I just feel like crap, let my anger grow, and don't let it out constructively.Yeah, I'm a work in progress that's for sure!

Thankfully it was in the upper sixties today (wth right?) and I not only walked the dogs this morning, but went on a run after we ran some errands and before a work party. Unfortunately, yesterday I was just lazy and didn't workout in the morning. I did lift boxes full of books all day, does that count for anything? (The only thing it counts for is making my sciatica act up! haha).

Needless to say my weight is still at 170. Oh and get this. My feet and legs are retaining water. This never happens to me! Sign that I'm eating too much salt and not enough water!

So my goal for this week, yes I have goals for Christmas week, is to drink more water everyday, get FOUR workouts in at least, and try to make better choices where food is concerned. I know Christmas will probably be a bust, but I also don't have to keep eating and eating and eating. Small portions are my best friend and I need to be reacquainted with her.

I can really tell that I've gained weight. Running is harder, I feel like my stomach is sticking out worse than usual, and I just feel gross. Ten pounds might not sound like a lot to some people, but when you've worked so hard to lose weight, ten pounds is disheartening and frustrating. But I will not let this get the better of me of course. I'm starting to really feel the need to go back to telling people no, passing on desserts, and being picky about where I eat out. It's freaking worth it and I have goals in 2014 that I want to accomplish damn it! Food is not more important than that!

On that note, I'm going to catch up on some Biggest Loser and continue to enjoy my holiday vacation! Happy Holidays everyone!!

WI #5

I'm not sure why Blogger keeps turning this sideways...

Bummer up .4 pounds this week. Even though I chose healthy foods this week, including not eating any chips or tortillas at a Mexican restaurant! I was still very snacky this week and I think I went overboard a few times. C'est la vie. Perhaps next week I'll be a little more strict.

Right now I've got more important things to think about, like running 13.1 miles tomorrow! Eeeep.
I'm nervous, excited, and nervous some more. I don't feel prepared and I just keep hoping that my legs hold up (mainly my ankle and knee).

I can do it. I can do it. I can do it.

I still have to go pack and take a shower so this is short and sweet. Have a good weekend all!