Friday Check-In

So far, so good. Thought very much about each meal today; hope to continue that through the weekend. Needed to get out of the house tonight so I called up Emily who was up for a walk.

2009_09_18
M1: egg-cellent enchilada
M2: chicken caesar salad
M3: raisins
M4: open-faced spicy buffalo chicken sandwich, broccoli
WORKOUT: 20 min Quick Fit
WORKOUT: 3 mile walk with Emily
(calories consumed: 1355; burned: 445)

2009_09_17
M1: egg-cellent enchilada
WORKOUT: 1.6 mile walk
M2: slice of pepperoni pizza
M3: 3 pieces of Ghiradelli chocolate
M4: green smoothie with 1/2 nectarine
M5: protein shake
(calories consumed: 1300; burned: 125)

WWLD - Weekends are a Struggle

I've been promising Laurie that I would write a blog about my not-so-great weekend, so here is my full confession.

While she was doing awesome (no sugar for her) while on her trip out of town tempted by desserts everywhere, I was not doing so awesome. I had a soda every single day. I didn't floss. I didn't say the Rosary. And I executed no willpower. I do remember my food intake and let's just say that all the great work I did during the week was for nothing.

For some reason, I've been having free-for-all weekends. Starting at 3:00pm on Friday afternoons, I go crazy. I'm not sure why, but it's been going on for a while now, and I need to address it before the weekend starts again.

And even with all the bad eating, did I workout? Nope. Did I have opportunities to? Yep. Sure my weekend was busy, but there was plenty of time on Friday evening, Saturday morning, and Sunday morning or evening to get a workout in. Shame on me. I should know better -- hello? I've been blogging about this same kind of shit now for how many years? Since 2005 people. You think I'd have learned to not let a weekend go by without a workout or two.

The part that I don't get is how awesome I am Monday through Thursday:

2009_09_16
M1: egg-cellent enchilada
WORKOUT: 3+ mile walk
M2: 1-1/2 slice of pizza
M3: green smoothie with 1/2 nectarine added in
WORKOUT: 20 min Quick Fit workout
M4: grilled cheese sandwich, broccoli
[1300 calories consumed; 400+ burned]

2009_09_15
M1: egg-cellent enchilada
WORKOUT: 2.5+ mile walk
M2: 1 slice of pizza
M3: green smoothie
M4: protein shake
M5: chicken, protein pasta with sauce, salad
WORKOUT: 45 min elliptical
[1465 calories consumed; over 500+ calories burned]

2009_09_14
M1: 3 egg whites, 1 yolk, oatmeal
WORKOUT: 1.6 mi walk
M2: Lean Cuisine, banana
M3: green smoothie with nectarine added in
M4: 2 spicy chicken fillets with 1 slice of ww bread, glass of milk
[1580 calories consumed; over 400+ burned]

It's like I have blinders on during the week -- nothing can tempt me and my workouts are plentiful.

Maybe I get too tired? Maybe that's what triggers some cravings? I don't even know if they are cravings -- it's just bad food all around because it's convenient or what everyone else is having or what I just feel like eating.

Some of the stuff from the weekend include Uncrustables, Cheetos, Banana Nut Muffins, Pizza, Soda (a Mountain Dew, some root beer, some Sierra Mist), Waffle Dessert at festival, snow cone, Dove candy bar, potato salad. Full disclosure is tough.

Do you see any fruits and veggies? Nope. I think I had a banana and some raisins; no wonder I had issues on Monday. Sheesh.

And how many times have I written that I look forward to egg whites and oatmeal come Monday morning because it would make my tummy feel better? That seems to be a constant way of thinking for me. And that is not good.

So the plan for this weekend is to not go crazy. I need to be strong on Friday afternoon at work and make sure I get a workout in, even if it's just a walk at lunch because we might go to the River Cats game that night. On Saturday I need to do something productive fitness-wise before spending the evening at my niece's 4th birthday party. I can have some cake, but I just can't over do it.

I'm not sure what the plan is for Sunday, but whatever it is, I need to really be more aware of what I'm eating and why I'm eating it.

I'll be checking in here daily to be more accountable this weekend.

State Fair Fun

Brian and I went to the State Fair this year by ourselves. We had a great time and the weather was perfect. Normally when we go, it's 100+ degrees. This year we went on Sunday and it was around 89.

Brian's been wanting to do this "ride" for the past three years.



Not a lot going on 'round these parts. Brian starts back to school next week. He went for a month then had a month off. We are all ready for him to go back. His next month off is December.

I said I would write down my food, so here it is for the past couple of days.

2009_09_10
M1: egg-cellent enchilada (EFL)
M2: leftover tri-tip and potato salad
WORKOUT: 1.6 mile walk
M3: nectarine, piece of cheddar cheese
M4: open-faced spicy buffalo chicken sandwich, broccoli, 1 oreo (but I could totally eat the entire sleeve - I'm not gonna do it, but damn, it would taste so good)
WORKOUT: treadmill intervals (shoot! my treadmill wouldn't work so I did 30 min elliptical instead)
M5: banana

2009_09_09
WORKOUT: 30 min elliptical
M1: egg-cellent enchilada
WORKOUT: 1.6 mile walk
M2: leftover tri-tip and potato salad
M3: small piece of cake
M4: green smoothie
WORKOUT: Yoga for Runners
M5: PB&J sandwich, glass of milk

2009_09_08
WORKOUT: 30 min elliptical
M1: raisins
M2: bagel with LF cream cheese
M3: Lean Cuisine
M4: green smoothie
M5: egg-cellent enchilada
WORKOUT: 4+ mile walk
M6: glass of milk

2009_09_07
M1: yucky egg beaters with cheese added in, nutri-grain bar
M2: 1/2 of a Chick-fil-a sandwich, some fries, coke
WORKOUT: 14.77 mile bike ride
M3: rest of Chick-fil-a sandwich, 2 oreos

2009_09_06
M1: protein shake with spinach and strawberries
M2: BBQ chicken leg, 1 rib, 1 piece of tri-tip, potato salad, 2 rolls, small piece of cake
M3: split a sno-cone with Brian, ate some of his corn dog, shared an ice cream cone
WORKOUT: walked all over the State Fair for more than 3 hours

2009_09_05
M1: protein shake, oatmeal
pre-race: banana
WORKOUT: 5 mile Mather Mud Run race
Post-race: 1/2 orange
M2: PB&J sandwich, 2 oreos
M3: cheese/crackers
M4: lots of sushi, too much sushi

2009 Mather Mud Run

This year's Mather Mud Run (news videos) was the official kickoff to the official Air Force Week held here in Sacramento. How could I not attend? Like I wrote earlier, I wasn't sure I'd be able to, but fortunately, I got paid in time to register and then I had the great idea to call up my good friend Sara to watch Brian for me AT THE RACE. She lives right around the corner and is always up for earning some moula, but most of all, she loves Brian and he loves her right back.

Usually Brian doesn't go to races with me, but having him there, cheering me on, was awesome, so he might now have to go to all of them. I looked for him each lap and found him on all of them except for one. He always had a giant smile on his face.

This year was also my sister's first time racing in the mud. I think she's hooked and will definitely be doing it again.

Before the race started, we got to see the United States Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team. They flew in from Washington DC and are frickin awesome. I don't think we'd ever be that close to them EVER so it was extra special to see it from the front row. It was just perfect, only made more so by a T-38 flyover. You know I'm a sucker for jets.

The T-38s also did a low flyover during the Star Spangled Banner. And we were standing right next to the guys on the ground directing the planes and telling them which part of the song. They flew over right on time and it was perfect.

After all those festivities were over, it was time to stretch, eat a banana, and look for Leslie. I found her right as she was calling my cell phone. We snapped a before picture:

And then it was time to race. I haven't run in a while so I was a wee bit worried about this 5 miles, but I felt no pain and ran at a good pace. The course is not exactly 1 mile; it's more like .8 miles. I think the obstacles though make up for the missing two-tenths. You start off with a jump over a hay stack, then a quick skip through tires, then over a wall, then under a tunnel-like thingee (on your hands and knees), and then up the hill. After that, you run around the loop and then you come down the same hill you went up, they threw in an extra obstacle that wasn't there last time: 5 push-ups. Then it's time for the mud pit, which is about 14 inches deep, so you crawl through that, then jump over another hay stack, and then over another wall. Then it's time to do it all over again, four more times!

Now mind you, you have to do all of this while real-life drill sergeants yell at you. They are intense and scary.

I finished at the same pace as last year, just under 50 minutes, for which I am super pleased about.

I'm also pleased because I've found my missing running mojo.

Here's Em and I after the race.

The Night Before the Long Weekend

I think we should have more long weekends. Anyone else agree?

Although it looks as though my long weekend will be busier than a regular weekend. First up is house cleaning -- I'm a bit behind my schedule, but will catch up and have it done soon. I so love walking into my spotless family room and want that for more of the house.

Tomorrow morning is the Mather Mud Run. I wasn't sure I'd be able to do it , but things fell into place yesterday. First the issue was the $35.00 entrance fee, then the issue was daycare for Brian. Now everything's settled and Brian will actually be at the race with me -- he's gonna have a blast. Doesn't want to do the kid's run though; told me that emphatically.

The Mud Run is the kickoff to Air Force Week so during our time at the park we should be getting jet flyovers. I haven't been running much since it's been so hot in the evenings, but I have been walking and doing the elliptical, which makes me only a little bit worried about the 5 miles. Not too worried, just a little. I'm not going for time, just going for finishing elegantly, whatever that means after five laps in a mud pit.

On Monday we're going to the State Fair. Hoping to see the horse races at 1:15 and a Motorcross Demonstration at 3:00. Just got word that there is a Demolition Derby that evening, so we might just stay the entire day! Should be mid-80s which is unusual for us since all the years we've gone before have been 100+ days.

The WWLD 55-day Challenge is going well.
Floss - check.
Rosary - check.
No soda - check.
Willpower - two minor slip-ups (both involved Ghiradelli chocolate)
Food log - below.

2009_09_04
M1: cheerios / milk
snack: three pieces of Ghiradelli chocolate
M2: lean cuisine
M3: green smoothie
M4: protein pasta with parmesan cheese

2009_09_03
M1: sausage biscuit
M2: sushi roll
M3: green smoothie
M4: small piece of cheddar cheese, 1 piece of Ghiradelli chocolate
M5: three-can chicken casserole

2009_09_02
M1: sausage biscuit, little bit of cheerios and little bit of milk
WORKOUT: 1.8 mi walk
M2: Lean Cuisine
M3: green smoothie
M4: 4 egg whites, 1 yolk, 2 slice of ww toast with jam
M5: crackers, small glass of milk
[Does watching 3 kids under the age of 6 count as a workout?]

2009_09_01
M1: sausage biscuit
WORKOUT: 1.6 mi walk
M2: black bean roll-up
M3: chunk of cheese, raisins
M4: open-faced spicy buffalo chicken sandwich
WORKOUT: 30-min elliptical
M5: protein shake


You know what I'm not really having a problem with at all? Water Intake. Without even thinking about it, I'm drinking at least 100 oz. I always drink a 20 on the way into work and on the way home. I actually should have 2 20s with me on the drive home. But that's something that I haven't had to work at lately and I'm quite pleased.

Very Much Needed

My whirlwind week of cleaning has begun. I started off in Brian's room and the laundry room and tonight, I headed to the family room. I'm one day behind my schedule, but I completely forgot I had to go to a PTO meeting last night.



I think the music nicely adds to the whirlwind feel. Yes?

W W L D ?

My good friend, Laurie, has invited me along for her 55-day ride. She's giving up sugar and asked if I wanted to ride along with her. I don't necessarily have a sugar problem, so I've chosen some other things to work on for the next 55 days, with Laurie's approval.

So here goes:

1. Floss daily.
2. Say the rosary daily.
3. No soda. I haven't been bad with it, but I can tell I'm headed back down that road, so I'd like to nip it in the bud before it gets too crazy and out of hand.
4. Be more diligent in practicing willpower.
   
5. Write down food intake.

I'm thinking that #4 will help me when it comes to eating out at lunchtime. I'm so bad -- I'll go out even though I've brought my own lunch from home, just because I can. So silly.

Yesterday's Food Log
08/31/09

• M1: sausage biscuit
• M2: black bean roll-up
• M3: raisins
• M4: open-faced (meaning one piece of bread) spicy buffalo chicken sandwich (EFL), broccoli
• M5: strawberries

Chores for the Week

Sunday
Brian's room; laundry room

Monday
family room

Tuesday
master bedroom

Wednesday
kitchen

Thursday
hallway; fitness room

Friday
Who am I kidding? I never do anything productive on Friday nights.

Saturday
Same here

Sunday
Nope

Monday, Labor Day
No Labor -- worked my butt off earlier in the week; time to enjoy the State Fair.

Gussied Up

As you can tell, I've prettied up my blog in an effort to use it more. I know it's been rather boring round these parts lately, so I'm hoping to change that.

This past week I decided that I wanted to start hiking with Brian. With some guidance from Leslie, I checked out a hiking book from the library. The book I found was Best Hikes With Children Around Sacramento. It's exactly what I need -- I'm not nature girl, so this book is perfect and shows me where to go and how to get there. Brian and I plan on doing one of this weekend. To get him extra excited about our adventures, I think I'll let him pick out where we go.

The book lists 65 hikes within 60 miles of Sacramento. So my one of the new focuses (foci?) of my blog is our adventures into hiking. Stay tuned.

Tuesday Muse-day

A whole bunch of randomness:

My son is gone for the week. In an effort to save money, my parents took him for the week so I wouldn't have to pay for off-track day care. He's super excited -- thinks he will be able to swim from sun up to sun down. Actually he probably will knowing my parents. They have difficulty saying no to their grandkids.


Since I'll be kidless this week, I will finally clean my home office. It looks like this right now.

How embarrassing!


Miles run for the month so far: 13
Miles still needed to make goal: 22
Miles I should have run last night: 2-½
Miles I will run tonight: 2-½
And then again on Thursday: 2-½
And Saturday: 3-½


Number of yoga sessions for the month: 5


I hate it but I am 100% addicted to The Office. I'm almost done with Season 5 and then I'll be all caught up and I can watch it with Em and Ryan when the new season starts.


We are starting to plan a family trip to Italy for next April. My parents want to take us (us being the adults: me and Em and our husbands) to Rome for Easter Sunday and then to visit the Shroud when it goes on display in Torino. It's still in the early stages, but it's looking like my dad wants to get a farmhouse in Vinci for most of the trip. He also wants to go back to Ivrea (near Torino) and stay at the hotel we stayed at when we went in 2000. So I think we'll start the trip in Rome, then go to the farmhouse for 6-7 nights, then to Ivrea.

Run Report

Activity: Run
Date: 08/05/09 7:10 PM
Distance: 2.0 miles
Time: 19:45
Pace: 9' 52 min/mile
Calories: 250

Well. This was not expected. When I started running, I wasn't sure I'd get an 11-min mile. I was just "blah" on the first half mile and not at all feeling it. Then I stopped thinking and all of the sudden I turned around at the 1-mile mark and it said 10:02. The next mile was more of the same and I ended up with another single digit mile: 9:43.

I don't know how this is happening, but I like it a lot.

Next run is 3 miles on Saturday morning. Need to do at least 45 minutes of yoga tomorrow night and then rest on Friday.

August Goals

I know the four people who read this are going to shake their heads, but here is my goals for the month of August. Really? Katie's making plans? Is she really going to stick to them this time? Who knows? But for some reason I just feel like planning it out this month. I even wrote the workouts down on the calendar.

So here goes. For the month of August, I would like to:

1. Run 35+ miles (Mon/Wed/Sat)
2. Bike 25+ miles (Sun)
3. Do Yoga at least 9 times. (One session is anything over 20 minutes.)
4. Stretch Psoas muscles daily.

I'm eventually shooting for 3 miles each time I run, but this month, I'm starting off slowly with 2 miles and by the end of the month, some of the Saturdays will be 3.5 or 4 miles because I'm planning on doing the Mather Mud Run again. That's on September 5th and it's 5 miles.

Run Report

Activity: Run
Date: 08/03/09 7:30 PM
Distance: 2.0 miles
Time: 20:01
Pace: 10' 00 min/mile
Calories: 250

I feel great after this run -- it was short, but fast. The first mile was 10:10 which pleased me to no end. I turned around and tried to go for another 10:10 or even a 10:00, and shockingly ended up with a 9:51 -- single digit!!! I know. It was short, but I like it and that's all that matters. What also matters is that I felt no pain or twinges ANYWHERE.

Run Report

Activity: Run
Date: 08/01/09 8:09 AM
Distance: 1.9 miles
Time: 20:58
Pace: 11' 02 min/mile
Calories: 254

It's been a long time since I ran. July 5th actually. WOW. Today's goal was to start small. And that's what I did. On Wednesday, I decided that Saturday would be the day to get back to it after hurting my back, so on Thursday I did Yoga for Runners in anticipation. And today, I got up and did it.

I was planning on doing 1.5 miles which I have a loop for in my neighborhood. I was feeling good about halfway through so I told myself to add an extra street after the 1.5 miles -- that's why it's 1.9 miles and not 2.0.

GOD CREATED CHILDREN

To those of us who have children in our lives, whether they are our own, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or students... here is something to make you chuckle.

Whenever your children are out of control, you can take comfort from the thought that even God's omnipotence did not extend to His own children.

After creating heaven and earth, God created Adam and Eve.

And the first thing he said was "DON'T!"

"Don't what?" Adam replied.

"Don't eat the forbidden fruit," God said.

"Forbidden fruit? We have forbidden fruit?
Hey Eve ... we have forbidden fruit!"

"No Way!"

"Yes way!"

"Do NOT eat the fruit!" said God.

"Why?"

"Because I am your Father and I said so!" God replied, wondering why He hadn't stopped creation after making the elephants.

A few minutes later, God saw His children having an apple break and He was ticked!

"Didn't I tell you not to eat the fruit?" God asked.

"Uh huh," Adam replied.

"Then why did you?"

"I don't know," said Eve.

"She started it!" Adam said.

"Did not!"
"Did too!"
"DID NOT!"

Having had it with the two of them, God's punishment was that Adam and Eve should have children of their own. Thus the pattern was set and it has never changed.

If you have persistently and lovingly tried to give children wisdom and they haven't taken it, don't be too hard on yourself.

If God had trouble raising children, what makes you think it would be a piece of cake for you?

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT !

1. You spend the first two years of their life teaching them to walk and talk. Then you spend the next sixteen years telling them to sit down and shut up.

2. Grandchildren are God's reward for not killing your own children.

3. Mothers of teens now know why some animals eat their young.

4. Children seldom misquote you. In fact, they usually repeat word for word what you shouldn't have said.

5. The main purpose of holding children's parties is to remind yourself that there are children more awful than your own.

6. We childproofed our homes, but they are still getting in.