Thursday, April 15, 2010

Shhhhh...It's a Secret!

Many people have asked us about our “big weight loss secret” and wanted to know how we did it. Well, I’ve finally decided to reveal the secret…you ready??? We counted calories, controlled our portions, and exercised! Wow…shocking, huh??? We really didn’t do anything aside from changing our lifestyle, which is really the best kind of diet you can do.

When we were counting calories we used a website that really helped us. We used this website: http://caloriecount.about.com. It'll set up a profile for you and tell you how many calories you should eat daily. It’s also got a huge database of foods which makes keeping track of your calories so much easier than trying to calculate everything yourself. It's a great tool and if you combine this with exercise then you'll see great results!

Counting calories also helps you develop better eating habits, control your portions, and just teaches you what you really should and shouldn't be eating. You should spread out your calories evenly throughout the day so that you're not starving your body at any point in the day. Don't eat fruit for breakfast and lunch and then a big piece of chocolate cake for dinner. Instead, try to eat several smaller meals throughout the day. I try to eat about 300 calories for breakfast, 300-400 for lunch, 100-200 for an afternoon snack, and then the rest for dinner. And if you don’t already, then be sure to eat breakfast! Even if it’s just cereal or a granola bar…your body needs this to get your metabolism going. Also, try to eat as close to your amount of calories per day that you can. If you eat too many then of course you won’t see the results you want, but if you don’t eat enough then eventually your body starts to hold on to everything it can because it’s not getting everything that it needs on a regular basis.

For the exercise, of course running is always a good thing. When I first started running I was running 3-5 days per week for about 10-15 minutes. It was hard and I didn’t enjoy running when I first started out, but once I started seeing the results it got a lot easier. Then I just increased my running times and distances as I went along and felt I was able to. If you can, you should also say to incorporate some sort of light weight training or maybe a good 15-20 minute abs workout before you run. Doing resistance training gets you into the fat burning zone faster once you start your run. Plus good abs actually helps with the running too, believe it or not, so that would probably be a good way to go. I wish I had learned that at the beginning of my diet, but I’ve had to learn as I go!

One final thing...if you have someone who can do this with you and hold you accountable then it helps SO much! In the beginning my whole family did this together as a weight loss competition that we called Chub Club. It was great to have that support, especially during the hard times. After the wedding Chris and I kept doing it together which was great too. So if you can find someone to do it with you then it’s even better in my opinion.

Good luck and happy calorie counting! Please let us know if you have any questions. We love to help others with this because we’ve seen the results and know that it works if you just stick to it!

Run, Forrest, Run!!!

Many people have followed our progress with our half marathon training. Many others have asked how we did it. I thought it would be good to write this blog to fill you all in on the training program we used and also give you some pointers that we've figured out through our training.

We used a training program designed by Hal Higdon, a long time contributor to Runner's World magazine and author of many books about marathons and marathon training. I love this website because it not only has many programs for all different distances of races, but it has programs for all different experience levels as well. From walkers to advanced runners, it has it all! And another thing I love is that with each training program it gives you many great tips to help you with your training. Here is the link to the website: http://www.halhigdon.com/.

For my half marathon training I used the Half Marathon Novice program. Chris was a little further along in his running than I was when we started, but once I caught up with him then he began to follow along with the program as well. The Novice program is designed for people who enjoy running and can run 3 miles without much difficulty. If you can't do this, then I recommend doing the Novice 5K program first.

Many people have commented on how Chris and I make this training look so easy. Trust me, it's not. Training for a race like this take LOTS of time, energy, and dedication. Let me go ahead and recommend that you find your iPod or MP3 player and build a playlist specifically for your running workouts. I find that I like more upbeat songs on mine. I tend to run to the beat of my music sometimes, so slower songs never work for me. You might be different. Figure out what works best for you and make your playlist. My workout playlist consists of about 70 songs which is plenty! This should get you through several workouts without hearing the same songs over and over again.

The next thing I have to say is that if this is your first half marathon then your time does not matter one bit. Your focus needs to be on your running and finishing the race. Once you've completed your first one and have the experience then you can set a goal for yourself. Worry more about finding a pace that works best for you. The pace I run a 5K at is a lot faster than the pace I ran my half marathon at. I know I've found a good pace when I can keep going without my breathing getting too hard. If I find it hard to breathe and don't think I could carry on a short conversation with someone else then I slow it down a bit. You have to be comfortable while you're running or you'll be miserable. Once you find a good pace you'll realize that you just kind of get into a groove and can keep going as long as you can keep your legs moving. :)

Another thing I have to emphasize is that it's very important to take days to rest during your training. There were many weeks where I felt like I was fine and wanted to go on a short run on a day I was supposed to be resting. While I felt fine that day, it soon caught up with me and I could just tell that my body was tired. You have to give your muscles time to rest and heal or else you take chances of getting more injuries. You can adapt the training program to your weekly schedule and don't have to go exactly day by day, but be sure to rest!!!

Strength training is good for runners too. Not heavy weights, but lighter weights at higher repetitions. Ab workouts are also really great for runners. Having a strong core helps with your running, so be sure to work in some ab workouts as well. Hal Higdon's website has a good article about this here. And don't forget to stretch before and after your runs or your workouts! Also, I experienced a bit of knee pain early in my workouts and I was told by several people that lots of runners experience knee pain due to having weak hips. So feel free to throw in a few hip strengthening exercises to try to avoid future knee problems.

Another thing...if you're training for longer distances, don't expect a huge amount of weight loss. I lost about 10 pounds or so training for a 5K, however I didn't lose a single pound training for a half marathon. Don't let this discourage you from going for the longer distances, but just know that large weight loss isn't always typical. Some people might see weight loss, but the fact is that you have to eat more in order to fuel your body for the longer runs. Just make smart choices about what you eat and make sure you're taking care of your body. You'll probably see changes in your figure and a loss of inches more than a loss of pounds, which is great in my opinion!

One final thing I can say is that this is not an easy task and there are going to be times where you get really discouraged. I know many times, especially early in my training, I was expecting way too much from myself and pushing myself way too hard and didn't get the results from a workout that I wanted. Later on in the training program I had days where I just couldn't run the full distance. It was very discouraging to me and made me just want to give up, but I didn't. I hadn't come all that way to just quit. If you start an 8 or a 12 week training program, maybe start training a couple of weeks early. That way if you feel like you've had a bad week then you can just repeat it the next week and not be behind schedule. You're going to have "off days" and you're not going to complete every single workout exactly the way you expect to, but that's okay! Especially if it's your first time ever doing a particular training program! It's very important to listen to your body and to not over-do it. You're the only one who knows how you feel and what your body can handle, so listen to yourself! And don't give up! Just know that you're doing your best and it's all going to be worth it in the end!

Thanks to everyone who has supported us through all of our training and told us how inspiring we have been to you. This has meant so much to us and it inspires and motivates us to keep going. If you ever have any questions about any of this please let us know. We're definitely not experts, but we can tell you what we've learned from experience!

Ask and you shall receive!

Many people have asked us about our training for our running and about our weight loss secrets. Well, you're in luck! I've decided to just write a couple of blogs about it so that anyone can reference the information about it at any time, and so that I don't have to keep typing it over and over again! :) Don't get me wrong, I LOVE talking about all of this with people, but I just thought it'd make it easier on everyone to do it this way.

Stay tuned...

Monday, April 12, 2010

We Did It!

Last summer Chris and I both discovered our love of running. Yes, we're crazy, but it's something we both enjoy doing and it's something we can do together. Our ultimate goal was to train to run in the 2010 Peachtree Roadrace, a 6.2 mile run. We started by training for a 5K and on Halloween of last year we reached this goal! We were so excited that we did another one on Thanksgiving! But what now? Both of these races we very neat experiences, but we needed something more. And then it happened. In January we were asked by my cousin to join him and run a half marathon on March 21. A half marathon?!? 13.1 miles?!? Could we do it??? We were about to find out.

We began training and training and training. I don't think either of us realized how much of our time this training would take up, but we soon adjusted our schedules and stuck to the program. We trained regularly and rarely missed a day, although sometimes our bodies just needed a break. It was such a rollercoaster ride, both physically and emotionally. Some days we had an amazing run but then the next day we'd have one of our worst runs ever. It was so hard to stay committed to our goal, but we knew it would be worth it in the long run.

Finally, March 21 was just around the corner. Maybe we should register for the race??? We decided to check the 10 day forecast and low and behold it was supposed to be a rainy and cold morning. After many prayers and discussions we both decided that this wasn't the race for us. We couldn't talk ourselves into running 13.1 miles in the rain. It just didn't seem like it'd be worth it. So we found another race on April 10 to run. We went ahead and registered so we didn't have a choice and had to do it. There was no backing out now!

We trained for a few more weeks and next thing we knew it was the week of the race. Our training had gone really well aside from a few foot pains Chris was having, but of course on the week of the race I somehow hurt my foot and it was hurting and swollen all week. I had no clue what had happened, but fortunately it didn't bother me while I was running, so I pressed on. Chris and I were both getting really nervous, but at this point we were both ready for it to be over with.

The day of the race finally came and we were both really excited but really nervous! It ended up being a beautiful day...I don't think we could have asked for nicer weather. There were about 30-40 people of all different fitness levels that ended up running the half marathon, so it was the perfect race for beginners. Better yet, we had 2 of the most amazing cheerleaders there supporting us! Mom and Kristi came to cheer us on. They even made signs, which was so awesome! Then they even followed us along the course! After about 2 miles they came driving by in the Suburban and were waving and cheering and holding the signs out the window! Then, around the 4.5 mile point, they found a side street to park on and were sitting outside the car waiting with the signs and cameras! This was perfect because I was even able to toss my jacket to Mom instead of wearing it around my waist the whole time. They drove by again around 5.5 miles and then set up on the side of the road again at the 8.5 mile water station. It was just so amazing to have a few unexpected moments of extra encouragement along the way! And it made me laugh and took my mind off of running for just a bit. I also had some new music that my cousin, Megan, had recommended to me the day before. It helped a lot, expecially when I reached the half way point and turned down a nice, beautiful, long, flat stretch of road and one of my new songs came on. It was just so refreshing!

Chris and I both did SO well considering the longest either of us had run prior to the race was 10 miles. Chris ran all but 0.3 miles of the race! He did AWESOME!!! He finished with a time of 2:17:17, and his goal was to finish under 2.5 hours. I ran the first 9.5 miles or so and then started taking small walk breaks. I probably ran all but 1.5 miles or so. My goal was to finish between 2.5 and 3 hours, and I finished with a time of 2:25:32! We both placed 3rd in our age groups! We were both so relieved to be finished and it was such a rush to know that we had accomplished such a huge goal! You'd think we would have been tired, but we were both so full of energy!

I think out of all of the cool things about this race, my favorite is the fact that I was shown yet again how God really does answer prayers. All through our training we remained fairly injury free. Chris struggled with some foot pain here and there and I had a little knee pain at one point, but it really didn't hold us back. One week before the race I somehow hurt my foot. I had no clue how, but it hurt and was swollen. The pain and swelling lasted all week and I never could get it to go away. It didn't bother me while I was running, but I had no clue what to expect on race day. Friday night I put out a post on Facebook just asking for prayers...prayers never hurt! Then Saturday morning I woke up and my foot was completely fine! No pain, no swelling...it was amazing! And it never once bothered me during the race. It was such a blessing! The only injury that either of us got from the race was when my sock slipped with about 2 miles left in the race, so my heel rubbed pretty bad and I was bleeding a bit, but it really wasn't a big deal.

We really had an awesome experience and it's so fun to be able to do things like this together. We took a few days to recover but then we started back with our running yesterday because we're running in a 5K this weekend. And thanks to our awesome cheerleaders, here are some pictures from our race...





Slacker!!!

Ok, so I'm obviously not too good at this blogging thing, but one day I'll get better at it! I'm going to say that today is the day things are going to change, so everyone help hold me accountable. :) It's been over a year since my last post so there's lots to catch up on. I won't try to do it all right now, but I'll post a blog soon with mine and Chris's latest accomplishment! Stay tuned...

Sunday, March 15, 2009

Meet Dakota!

Well, we finally did it! We got a puppy!!! :)

Meet Dakota! He's our new dorkie. No really, that's what he's called. He's a dachshund and yorkie mix...a dorkie! Haha! He's 10 weeks old and weighs about 5 pounds. We got him yeaterday and have had so much fun with him! He's definitely got some things to learn, but he's a puppy so that's to be expected. He does the whole puppy biting thing, but we've done our research and hope to be able to break that habit eventually. He's only had a couple of accidents in the house, but we're trying to keep him on a routine of taking him out every hour or so until he gets used to our house. His previous owners said he was potty trained, so we'll see if they're right. He did really good in his kennel last night so we were really happy about that. He's super playful but also loves to cuddle up and take his naps. We love him so much already and can't wait to have more adventures with Dakota!


An update on life...

Life has been pretty interesting for us lately. While we've had a lot of fun, positive things happen in our lives, but there have been a couple challenges too.

In the middle of February I was put on furlough from work. While our company still has plenty of projects coming in, the projects haven't been "released" yet so we haven't been able to start working on them and therefore there isn't as much cash coming in. A lot of our existing projects were being finished up, so the money wasn't coming in from that either. While at first this was a very scary situation for us, especially being newlyweds, we've just learned that all we can do is trust that God has a plan for us and know that he will carry us through this. We've leaned on each other, shared our thoughts and feelings, and it's ultimately turned out to be a very good thing for us. It's hard for me to not have a routine and I always like to keep busy, but I've learned to enjoy the down time while I've had it. The house is really clean, I've made trips out to Grayson to see Mom and the kids, and I've been able to enjoy life a little bit and just relax. We have a meeting tomorrow to get a status update on where we stand with our furlough, so hopefully we'll get some good news!

While the furlough has been hard on us, we've had a lot of fun too! On Valentine's Day weekend, the day after I found out about the furlough, we went to a cabin in Hiawassee, GA with some of our good friends. We had a great weekend! We had no cell phone service so we were able to completely forget about "the real world" and just enjoy our getaway and each other's company. We played some Wii, soaked in the hot tub, the guys played A LOT of pool, and we played some really fun games! We also ate some AWESOME food too! It was a much needed vacation.

We also took an overnight trip to Savannah at the end of February! Nancy made All-State Chorus and so we went down for the concert and took some time to explore the city and eat some good Savannah food! We went to Paula Dean's restaurant, Lady and Sons, and had some yummy southern cookin'! We were going to have some seafood for lunch on Sunday, but the snow was coming back home and we decided to try to beat the storm and get home in time. Well, we didn't quite make it. After stopping for lunch on the way back we got to the Milledgeville area and here came the snow! It was beautiful and so neat to see the trees and wide open fields covered in snow, however it became pretty hard to drive in too. We got onto I-20, stopped at a rest stop to take a quick family photo, and then got back on the road. Traffic was moving slow and we had come to a stop at one point when next thing we knew we had been rear-ended. It was a chain reaction type accident where there were about 5 or so cars involved and one person hit another person who hit the person in front of them...and so on. We were at the front of the line. Thank goodness no one was hurt, but we didn't have time to wait for the cops or else we would have gotten stuck in the snow. So we exchanged insurance info and hopped back in the car to head home. It was a VERY slow ride home, but we made it! And fortunately my car only got a few scratches on the bumper, so that won't be too bad to fix. Just have to wait on our check from the insurance company now! Woohoo!

Other than that, we've just been living life and enjoying all of the time we've been able to spend together. All of this time off of work has given me a chance to expand my cooking repertoire too. I now love the Food Network and have tried a few new recipes lately...Cooking is so much fun!!! I bet y'all never thought I'd say that! :)