The Annual 5k: Shakin My Bacon

Let us take a trip down memory lane.  The year was 2009.  The month was April.  I was a couple months out from surgery and had signed up as a walker in my first 5k.  It was to motivate me to start moving, because after I had healed and returned ventured back into the land of "real food" (not liquids or mushies) the scale stopped for a few weeks...and I needed a goal to get me walking.  I loathed walking.  So this was me.  At 277 pounds.  I finished in 53 minutes.

The next year, I weighed in at 195, entered as a walker, and finished in 43 minutes.

I took a break last year.  This year I entered as a RUNNER!  I had nervous poopies that morning.  I had nightmares that night...once of which included me starting the race with my laptop bag and purse...and then having to run into the hotel I was staying at to check my bags.  Tragic. 

But we showed up.  Here I am pinning my lady.  It's like prom.  But not really.  I like my shirt.  Bought it for two reasons.  Count them.  #1.  It is neon which makes me look tan.  #2...which you would have never guessed bc you can't see the back, it is razor back which flatters my lady back muscles.  Heather was terribly sick.  She got sick a few days prior, and never gets a cold...but gave up chewing her fingernails for Valentines Day...as my gift...I would have preferred diamonds....or a boat.  But whatever...and anyways...she thinks she got sick bc BITING HER nails keeps her immune system built up bc she gets germs in her mouth on a more regular basis...to which I SAY...I got some germs for your mouth.

However, that's neither here nor there.

Anyways, for this race I weighed in at 182 and my goal was to get in under 33 minutes.

Carmen and I postrace.  That's our powerpose.  Just in case you were wondering.

That's my coworker Rusty, and also my running hero. He won the race. He wins lots of races.  He ran a race in Nashville with 22,000...and came in 16th!  Rusty and I do motivational/humorous speeches together around Florida for different events.  We make a good comedic team.

This is the award Rusty won but wasnt there to accept...so they called me up to get it.  I ran up the stairs screaming "It's my time!  It's my time!"...

No one understood me.

I laughed at myself.  And that's what matters.

Group shot.  Toe point.  You dig?  Me. Carmen. Liz, and Heather.

I finished in 30:27.  Not bad.  Damn...I was close to being under 30!  Next time.  Heather, despite her sickness, one 3rd in our age group.  27:04.  Good girl.

I think we are doing a 10k in a couple of weeks.  I will keep you posted.  I am going to go home and run one tonight, just to make sure I am not so slow that "sad wagon" (I dont know what it's really called, but it follows the last person in the race and then picks you up if time runs out) won't have to pick me up.  My goal is to do it under 63 minutes.  Hmmm...might be a stretch goal.

I know there are a lot of us who have walked/ran/crawled in races.  For those of you who are hesitant or scared to sign up...I encourage you to do it.  It doesnt matter if you walk or run.  If you are giving it your all, you will feel good about yourself when you finish.  Find a smaller race if you want, get a buddy.  It helps keep you motivated. 

xoxo-

Speedy

Highest Weight in Years

Well, maybe two years...but still...this morning I saw 182 on the scale.  Which I dont think I have seen in a couple of years.  Funny thing is, my working out has been better than ever...but...

my eating has not.

And this is what I want to say.  Lapbandgal posted on FB today (or yesterday) about how you handle Food Pushers.  You know, those people that want you to eat, bring bad food into the office or house, say things like "ah, you can enjoy a little bit"...

And I told her that my biggest food pusher...

Is ME.

I dont really have anyone in my life that tries to push food or bad choices on me.  I bring them on myself.  And this will ALWAYS be my battle.  It will be my fight to fight.  Somehow along the way (probably much thanks goes to my hardcore girlfriend) I actually have incorporated working out into my EVERYday life.  I think about it.  I schedule my days around it sometimes.  I push myself.

But my addiction to food has not changed in the three years I have had the band.  It just hasnt.  Whether it is head hunger or actual hunger, I still think about, crave, and sometimes for weeks at a time, indulge in food that I think I want.  Sometimes I actually find myself eating when I am not even in the mood!  I just am eating.

I hesitated to share this.  The re entrance to the 180's.  It scared me enough to get back a little on track. So that's good.  I would rather hover around 169-172.   Mama ain't happy at 182. But I am still not ready to fully commit to eating healthy.  I want to pout like a 2 year-old and say I DONT WANNA QUIT EATING CHOCOLATE!  But I will get there...get back to more positive choices than negative.

Just know we can. You can.  I have. I will.  You will.  If you choose.  It's a new day everyday.  It really is within our power.  No one else can make us choose right, or make us choose health....we have to make that decision every day. And some days we won't make the right choice. But there is always tomorrow I guess.  Always the next hour, the next minute.

xoxo.  Here is to fighting the good fight.  Every day.  Here is to winning more battles than losing. Here's to owning up to our failures and to celebrating our accomplishments.

Yours-Amy

Just When You Think No One Loves You

I blog in my head a lot.  At times, I wish my brain had a bluetooth built in, and it could communicate with Blogger and I could blog with my mind.  It would be awesome.  Usually my GENIUS blogs are written in my head as I try to drift into sweet slumber, as this is my most reflective time of the day (night...whatever...you know what I mean).

But just when I thought no one cared anymore that I haven't been actually blogging, I received two messages yesterday from a couple of your inquiry of my life and mental status. So I am going to publish this damn blog come hell or high water. 

Nothing too extreme or scary have been going on that have kept me away from blogs.  For the first time in forever, I havent even been reading blogs.  Usually I at least blog skim to make sure I try to stay on top on things, but alas...I have not. 

With that said, let me give you an Amy update.

My plan that I initiated at the beginning of January to weigh 150 by May 1st...wellllll...unless I get a terrible stomach flu resulting in several weeks of intense diarrhea, it doesn't look like I will be meeting that goal.  I have actually been on some crazy sugar bender for weeks and weeks now, which basically means I wake up...literally wake up...and the first thing I am thinking about is how do I get my hands on some peanut butter m & m's.  Dudes.  Those are my favorite candy.  For a couple of weeks, I would go through about 3 large bags a week.  MAN!  I have scaled back a little as Mr. Scale was teetering around 177, and I dont like to see anything over 175.  Luckily, my working out had stayed constant, so I few pounds up is not that bad...considering.

With that said I may need...OKAY FINE...I do need to try to detox myself from sugar for a few days.  Nothing specific, just stop eating the candy. 

Sad though, bc today all the easter candy IS on sale....hmmmm

DAMN YOU CANDY SALES EVENTS.

Next weekend, the 21st, I am running the 5k that I walked a few months after surgery 3 years ago.  I walked it again the following year, and missed last year.  This year I will be entering as a runner for the first time.  Ideally, I would like to finish under 31 minutes...but I have been slacking off on my running...and just as running quickly becomes easier if you do it consistently, it unfortunately becomes harder if you STOP doing it consistently.

Even though my weight is up a few pounds, I am feeling really good about my body.  For what it is and what I was, it's not too shabby.  I am still taking the creatine and like what I think it is doing for my muscles.

The weekend before last we accompanied my friend and coworker on your 30th birthday journey. We rode her dads boat about an 1 or so to SanDestin, and then went out for dinner and stayed the night on the boat and at their condo.  I TRIED to pace myself with my Wild Blue beer (it's 8.7%, tastes like blueberries, and go down like water).  I even drank a bottle of water in between each beer...but at around 4pm, they caught up with me and I ended up almost dying (okay, I am slightly exaggerating).  But for several hours I was pretty sick, but nothing would come up.  I ended up taking a nap and rallied for dinner and a little dancing.  Let us look at the journey in photos.

On the boat heading towards the condo. Pre-beer.

Me and my lady.

Boat modeling. Toe point. Always.

I was talking to someone. I am including this picture so if you want to see how one must always be aware of their extra skin when posing in a bikini...check out whatever is hanging over on the steering wheel.

My girl and Carmen.  Heather's pants are about 2 inches away from being inappropriate!

Me, Carmen, and my bicep.

At the condo.  I was not feeling well here...but you can't tell.

Most of the group after dinner.

Heather was kissing the birthday girl.  I will cut a b&^%@

Yep.

On the stage dancing.  That's how we roll.

And that's it.  Hope everyone had a fantastic weekend!  Until next time...

Ames