My Half Marathon Race Plan

Day 4 of six weeks

Weight today: lost 1 pounds

Total lost: 2 pounds

1/2 cup of oatmeal: 150
1 tsp of sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total:195

3 oz banan:75
vanilla protein shake: 110
1 tsp of flaxseed oil:40
total: 225
--------------
running total: 420

2 large eggs: 140
1 lefse:30
1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese:80
3 1/2 oz of sliced strawberries:31
with 1 tsp of sugar: 15
1 tbl of creamer with coffee:30
total: 326
--------------
running total: 746

2 1/2 oz banana:57
vanilla protein powder:110
1 tsp of flax seed oil: 40
total:207
--------------
running total:953

1 1/2 cup of chicken alfredo dish: 250
7 oz of sliced tomatoe:28
with 1 tsp of sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
snacking on cereal: 75
total: 393
---------------
running total: 1346

Today's challenge: staying on-calorie, was feeling "snacky" last night. Also have been slacking on my abdominals.

Actual fitness: 50 minute chest and triceps workout, two mile run.

Note on picture: I made up this really easy meatball dish for my family last night. I cooked 2 pounds home style meatballs and two cans of creme of chicken soup for 25 minutes on medium, then served it on mashed potatoes. Very simple. For my serving: 3 1/2 oz boiled potatoes:77, with 1/2 tsp of Smart Balance butter:7, 3 meatballs:135, in cream of chicken soup: 15 (est), 3 1/2 of boiled broccoli:35, 6 oz of fresh sliced tomatoes:24, with 1 tsp of sugar:15 for a total of :301

Note on weight loss: See, I told you the scale was wavering yesterday. Those jeans I wore for my picture are starting to get loose.

My Half-Marathon Race Plan

Ok...so this half-marathon is two days away and I'll admit I'm getting a little nervous.

I can feel that little butterfly faintly flapping its wings in my belly.

This race starts at 7:00 a.m. this Saturday. That means I need to set my alarm at 4:30 a.m. to eat my bowl of oatmeal and protein shake. I'll try to put in about 500 calories before the race. I'll also drink a couple glasses of water at about the same time. Then, hopefully I pee it all out by 6:30 a.m. Also hopefully, I'll have a you-know-what before the race as well. Sorry don't want to get gross on you all. But 13 miles is a long way...you want to make sure those little bodily functions are taken care of before the race.

On my first marathon, I had to to pee at about three miles in. It was annoying because my legs were feeling great, but for this other nagging issue. There was a bathroom at mile 6.5, but still. I had to run three miles with a full bladder. Then, for second half-marathon, I stopped drinking water a few hours before the race and did NOT have to pee. How relieved (pun intended) do you think I was about that?

In my first race with my husband, I drank the water and ate the energy gels that they handed you along the way. We finished together in a time of about 2 hours and 24 minutes. It was a 10 minute, 15 second mile pace. For that race, I weighed about five pounds heavier than I am right now. However, I will admit, I could have ran faster... but didn't because I wanted to finish with my husband. We were a team.

In the second race, I wore a fanny pack thing that carried two bottles of water and had pockets that I could put my energy gels in. I liked it because I could eat and drink when I needed it versus waiting to come to a water station. The downside may be that it hindered my gait. In that race, I weighed about 20 pounds heavier than I am right now. I finished with a time of 2:07.56.

For this race, I can't decide if I should race with that fanny pack thing, or not. I have a system with my energy gels during a race where I basically gulp it down in two swallows and wash it down with water. Yes, I actually practiced this for my last half-marathon.

On my 12 mile run a few weeks ago, I ran without my fanny pack and wore some shorts that had zipper pockets and then just had my gels in conjunction with water fountains. But since you really need to have water when you eat an energy gel, it will be annoying to have to wait to eat it until I encounter a water station during the race. At the same time, it does feel rather freeing to run without the fanny pack.

Hmm...I might just end up bringing the fanny pack.

When I train for these half-marathons, I don't really do any kind of speed training. I haven't evolved to trying to be competitive yet. But since I have done a few, I have begun to develop some goals. In the last half-marathon that I ran, my sister-n-law finished in 2:00 exactly.
It wasn't 1:59, it was exactly two hours. So, part of the reason I'm shooting for under two hours is to beat her time....ha, ha... Just Kidding..."No, I'm doing it for you...cause you can't run it." (see, I know my sister-n-law is reading this.)

Actually I love my sister-n-law, she is so cool. Did you know that she totally followed my diet blog and got so excited when I actually lost the 20 pounds in ten weeks, and then e-mailed me to congratulate me? Now she's doing a diet too. She's awesome. But she won't start a blog because she's got too much to do.

Anyway, actually going under two hours seems like it's one of those things where at first you say, "yah, I ran a half-marathon" then...it's, "yah, I ran it in under two hours." I suppose the next thing will be, "Yah, I ran it in under 1 hour and 45 minutes."

Also, I'm hoping that carrying twenty less pounds of weight on the run will improve my time.

So, my strategy? Well, that I get to the half-way point without having to pee and under 60 minutes...and if I'm close to 60...I'll have to shake a leg to make up some good time coming back."

Sunshine Meg asked about pace and breathing. Honestly, for a half-marathon, I'll probably start out too fast, because there's like 800 people shooting out like a gun and you get swept up in it, then I'll try to keep a steady but not an I'm-going-to-die pace. If you're out of breath in the beginning, you're running too fast. I usually find that between mile eight and mile eleven is when time seems to slow down or at least my legs do. Then, I'll get a burst of adrenaline around mile ten or eleven because everybody is standing along the parade route and either staring at you blankly or cheering you on. (After the race there is this huge parade that people from miles around flock to see.) What I also notice is that my knees start to hurt at about mile eight too.

Inevitably at some point during the race I will think, "I can't believe I'm doing this."

Well, I'll let you know how I do.

How I Train For A Half-Marathon

Day 3 of six weeks

Weight today: lost 2 pounds

Total lost: one pound (because of that pound I gained last week)

1/2 cup of oatmeal: 150
1 tsp of sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total:195

2 oz banana:50
vanilla protein shake:110
1 tsp of flax seed oil:40
total:200
----------------
running total:395

2 large eggs:140
1 lefse:30
1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese:80
4 oz of sliced strawberries:36
1 tsp of sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total:331
--------------------
running total:726

3 1/2 oz banana:87
vanilla protein powder:110
1 tsp of flax seed oil:40
1 Ritz cracker:16
1 Laughing Cow cheese bite:5
total:237

3 1/2 oz boiled, mashed potato:77
3 1/2 oz boiled broccoli:35
1/2 tsp of Smart Balance light butter:7
6 oz of sliced tomato:24
1 tsp of sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
1 Blue Bunny Bomb Pop:40
total:363
------------------
running total:1347

four bites of Hanover Snyder Garlic bread pretzel pieces:50
total: 1397

Today's challenge: feeling like I may be feeling better today...just sticking to calories.

Actual fitness: 2-mile run, 60 minute back and tricep work-out.

Note on picture: Ok... it looks like my six-shooter isn't so shiny any more at ten years old, but it still gets the job done. And when you're aiming to lose weight isn't that what really matters? Count those calories, people, it really does work.

Note on weight loss: It actually looked to me like a third pound was wavering. For those who don't know, I don't have a digital scale. So, things waver around here. Funny thing is I'd just told my husband that I was feeling kind of fat today.

How I Train For A Half Marathon

I'm not sure where I came up with this little formula to prepare for completing a half marathon. I think I looked over a few training programs and just put something together that made sense to me and that would work in my schedule.

Actually, now that I think of it, I remember that I had just talked my husband into completing one and I had to figure out something that he could do that wasn't intimidating, not too time consuming, and something that would build his confidence in his abilities along with building his stamina.

This is the same program that I had my sister-in-law and brother do. They have made their own improvisations, as have I, but it's pretty basic.

The running begins 12 weeks out from the date of the half-marathon.

On week 1, you run one mile, three times a week. So, you could run Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Saturday.

You have a day off between runs to allow your legs to rest. I figure that when you first begin running, your are needing the rest because your body isn't used to the physical activity. Also, running just three days a week with a day break inbetween the runs is not as emotionally intimidating as running everyday. And finally, three days a week is easier to schedule in.

week 2.) run two miles, three days a week
week 3.) run three miles, three days a week
week 4.) run four miles, three days a week
week 5.) run five miles, three days a week
week 6.) run five miles on Monday and Wednesday or Tuesday and Thursday, then run six miles on Saturday
week 7.) run five miles two days a week and on Saturday, run seven miles
week 8.) run five miles two days a week, and on Saturday run eight miles
week 9.) run five miles two days a week, and on Saturday run nine miles
week 10.) run five miles two days a week, and on Saturday run eleven miles
week 11.) run five miles two days a week, and on Saturday run six to seven miles
week 12.) run four miles on Monday, three miles on Wednesday...rest the next two days and then the marathon.

When you first begin this running program, you may need to stop and rest or you may need to walk for three or four minutes. If you haven't run before this is normal. My husband and I did almost all of our running on the local college track. We brought water and Gatorade along and had access to fluids as we needed them. He also wanted to train on the track because he felt it was easier on his knees.

I will also use energy gels on my long runs when I start running longer than five miles. I have written an article on how I use energy gels here if you're interested.

One of the reasons I keep the mileage at five miles during the week, is because I feel like five miles is a manageable time commitment, it is mileage that you could get used to doing, and after awhile it will seem like not very much in comparison to the higher mileage on Saturdays.

The reason I upped the miles by one every weekend was that your mind would feel like it could do it because you did it the weekend before. This whole training program really uses simple reasonable steps that builds your confidence and, I believe, builds your endurance at a moderate pace.

This program is also easy to change. For example, because I'm in better shape, I'm adding a few more days of running. My brother felt he needed more endurance running during the week, so he worked up to running eight miles for Monday and Wednesday and then kept his two days during the week at eight instead of five, while continuing to increase his weekend long runs.
You could also up your weekend long runs by more than just one mile (like I did for week 10). Also, if you're already in shape enough to run five miles, you could begin cranking out long runs earlier in the twelve week schedule.

The weekend before the half-marathon, I usually run about half of what the half marathon is...so about six or seven miles. The whole idea here is to make your legs completely rested so that on the day of the race, your legs feel fresh and springy.

This program worked for my husband, for me and for my brother and sister-in-law...we all successfully completed this training program when before we began it we had not done any running for several months.

This was the case for me in the last half-marathon that I trained for. I was out of shape before I began running. In fact, I began a walking program for a month, before I actually started running.

One last note. Of course you want to consult your doctor before embarking on training for a half-marathon. Also, if you get injured in the course of training, obviously, don't run it. This last spring I had been training for a half marathon in May, but hurt my back two weeks before the race. I literally could not walk for ten days. So, I decided not to run it because my back was still healing and 13.1 miles would put stress on my back.

I think tomorrow I'd like to share a little bit more about my half-marathon experiences and some goals I have and then I'll give this topic a rest...of course until I run it.

Hope this was helpful to you all.

Why Am I Running A Half Marathon?

Day 2 of six weeks

Weight today: same

Total lost: gained one

1/2 cup of oatmeal:150
1 tsp of brown sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee: 30
with sweet-n-low:0
total:195

vanilla protein shake:110
2 oz banana:50
1 tsp of flaxseed oil:40
total:200
------------
running total:395

2 large eggs:140
1 lefse:30
1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese:80
4 oz of sliced strawberries:36
1 tsp of sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer for coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total:331
------------------
running total:726

3 1/2 oz banana: 87
vanilla protein powder:110
1 tsp of flaxseed oil:40
total: 200
----------------
running total:926

3 Ritz crackers:48
with 3 Laughing Cow bites spread on:15
total:63
--------------
running total: 989

3 oz chicken breast:104
4 oz potato:88
with 1 tsp of Smart Balance light butter:15
3 oz of strawberries:27
1/2 tsp of sugar:7
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
1 Blue Bunny Bomb pop: 40
total: 312
---------------------
running total: 1301

Today's challenge: Have been hungry lately...just staying on-calorie

Planned fitness: 60 minute leg work-out, 2 mile run, my abdominal routine twice.

Note on picture: Gourmet Dining brand beef stir fry. It's only 200 calories per 1 1/2 cups and takes about literally ten minutes to cook up over the stove. You could eat this and still have calories for ice cream afterward.

Why Am I Running A Half-Marathon?

Ok...so I may be asking that question a little too late, after all the race is in hmm...4 1/2 days. But I just know that some of you think I'm a little nutty or a super-eccentric crazy fit chick to attempt to run a half-marathon.

Tell me I'm wrong...

Well, this may come as a surprise to you, but running a half marathon is actually easier than you would think it is.

I know it's hard to believe, but I've developed a little plan to get just about anybody to finish a half-marathon. The only catch is that I wouldn't recommend training for one if you're carrying more than 40 extra pounds of weight. The reason being is that the running is harder on your knees with the extra weight, and quite honestly for women, you just may not want to have to wear four bras to keep everything in place.

But... I have talked my husband into running a half-marathon. It was our first, (his first and my first) marathon together. I know how romantic.

Then, the second one, I talked my sister-in-law into running one. At the time my brother (my sister-in-law's husband) was training for that same half marathon but was unable to compete in it.

Now this third half-marathon, my brother will also be running in, but his wife can not run it because she injured her leg snow boarding.

But how cool is all of this. My first half was with my husband, my second half was with my sister-in-law, and my third will be with my brother.

In the first half-marathon, I put together a training plan that basically took my husband from not even running at all... to finishing the half with about a 10 minute a mile pace.

With my sister-in-law, she had just had a baby about five months before the half, while I'd just had a baby about seven months before the half. Not only did she complete her half, but she beat me by seven minutes.

Hmm...so I never did explain why I'm running one.

To prove that I can?
To lose weight along the way?
To get a long-sleeve T-shirt?
As an excuse to eat energy gels?
To get the free grab bag of goodies?
To help me meet my other weight loss goals?
To work on my tan while running in the sun...you did notice my tan didn't you?
To build my endurance and physical ability?
To be a part of the churning excitement on the day of the event?
To break two hours?
To exhaust my body and sleep like log later that night?

If you can think of any more, Lindsey, let me know.

Well, I hope I've peaked your interest, because tomorrow I'm going to give you the skinny on training for a half-marathon...at least the way I do it.

Experiments, Failures And Redesigned Goals

Day 1 of six weeks

Weight today: same

Total lost: a pound gain from the day before

1/2 cup of oatmeal:150
1 tsp of brown sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total:195

3 1/2 oz banana:87
vanilla protein shake:110
1 tsp of flax seed oil:40
total:237
------------------
running total:432

2 large eggs:140
1 lefse:30
4 oz of sliced strawberries: 36
1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese:80
1 tsp of brown sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
2 Laughing Cow cheese bites:10
total:341
----------------
running total:773

1/2 cup of oatmeal:150
1 tsp of brown sugar:15
few bites of peanut butter and jelly sand which:40
total:205
------------------
running total:978

3 oz chicken breast:105
4 oz baked potato:88
with 1 tsp of Smart Balance light butter:15
7 oz of slice tomato:32
with 1 tsp of brown sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee: 30
1 Blue Bunny Bomb Pop: 40
total: 325
--------------
total:1303

Today's challenge: Keeping motivated. I'm getting a little sick. Been coughing, runny nose...nothing major just annoying.

actual fitness: 4 mile run. I won't be running as many miles this week to make sure my legs are rested and ready for the half marathon on Saturday.

Note on picture: I know I've already posted tomato pictures. But I love these things. Our neighbor just dropped off another five or so big, plump tomatoes fresh from his garden. They were still warm when I ate this yesterday. And only about four calories an ounce. This is actually like eating fruit when they're this fresh.

Experiments, failures & Redesigned Goals

Ok, that title was a mouthful.

Not that I would know about mouthfuls or anything...

Ahem...

New day! Right?

Anyway, I've been doing some thinking about my little wayyyy-off-day the other day, and I've come to a few conclusions about it.

I need to allow myself more calories in my diet. Last week I was limiting myself to 1200 or under and I do believe I was feeling weak. That combined with needing to go grocery shopping and being low on food the day before that fateful Saturday...ok...sorry about the drama...
didn't help matters. The biggest issue, though, I think was my lack of determination. I think I kind of wanted a break...because I wasn't giving my body enough calories.

If you look at the fact that I went over by 800-1,000 calories...that's the exact amount that I would have had during the week if I'd kept to a 1,400 calorie diet.

Part of what's going on here...is that I'm doing some experimenting with calories and for the first time in my life everyone gets to watch. I made a goal last week but didn't share the specifics with you all because it was an aggressive goal. It was something I had never achieved before, so I wasn't sure how quickly or slowly the weight would drop because I have less to lose than when I started this ten weeks ago.

Also, part of the push was driven by the fact that I wanted this weight to drop by my birthday. But after this weekend, I can see that I probably won't hit it. Don't worry, I won't cry...at least not in front of you all.

So, what I learned from this last week is that I will put my calories back up to between 1,200 to 1,400 depending on how I feel. I will be running fewer miles this week because I am tapering for my half-marathon that will happen this Saturday. So, I may not need as many calories.

I've also decided to re-start my goal and give myself six weeks to lose 12 pounds, which is a continuation of a two pound a week average. This goal seems reasonable and safe for my body.
But, since I've never really documented whether or not I can still maintain a two pound a week weight loss average when I have less weight to lose, I really don't know if I'll reach that goal in six weeks. It could take longer. Or maybe I might just decide that I don't want to lose twelve pounds after all.

I do know that I want to lose at least several pounds.

See? I'm using Saturday's failure as a learning experience to help modify my goals and make them more reasonable and attainable.

And, honestly? I'm really curious to see how this will all work out.

Sunshine Mama vs The Fatty Food Bandits

Weight today: gained 1 pound

Total lost: 1 pound gained in six days

1/2 cup of oatmeal:150
1 tsp of sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total:195

single shot coffee house mocha with whole milk: 300 (est)
----------------------
running total: 465

2 large eggs: 140
1 lefse:30
7 oz of fresh picked still warm from the sun tomatoes: 32
with 1 tsp of sugar:15
total:217
----------------
running total: 682

fruit roll-up:50
3oz banana:75
vanilla protein shake:110
1 tsp of flax seed oil:40
total:315
-------------------------
running total:997

1 1/2 cup of beef stir fry dish:200
1 slice of Rotello white Italian bread:50
with 1 tsp of Smart Balance Light butter:15
1 tbl of powder creamer for coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total: 295
-------------------
running total:1293

1 Blue Bunny Bomb pop:40
------------
total: 1333

Today's challenge: Keeping on calories

Planned fitness: took off

Note on picture: I went to the Liz Logelin 5K walk benefit yesterday and a friend made these nice cookies. I had one and estimate them to be about 50 calories.

Note on weight gain: This is why you weigh yourself everyday. Seeing a gain on the scale will help you to refocus on your goals. After I over-ate yesterday, the scale reflects it this morning. This is really annoying because I've spent the last week trying to lose and with just one mess-up, I've gained. Part of this gain is probably a combination of not drinking enough water, more salt then usual...but still. Now I'll have to wait it out a few days before I can see the loss I want. Arggg!

Sunshine Mama vs The Fatty Food Bandits

Well...the unthinkable has occurred, folks.

Sunshine Mama just lost her first shoot-out with the fatty food bandits.

What haven't heard of them? Well, they've been on the loose for a little while now. They're a sneaky kind of rascal...they go from town to town and insinuate themselves with the locals making themselves look harmless. Then, when you least expect it...they challenge you in the streets for a shoot-out.

Okaayyy....so, I went out of town to attend the Liz Logelin benefit with a friend. I thought that just one day of not bringing my own food, I would be ok. That's where I made my mistake.

I know you already know the ending of this story...but here it is if you're interested.

The day began innocently enough. We had to get up early to be there on time. I had my usual offering of oatmeal and sugar with a coffee and creamer to go.

The drive was two to three hours away so, I packed several ounces of strawberries sprinkled with sugar as a snack. So, about halfway in, I had the strawberries. So good so far.

We got there, and I knew about the cookies ahead of time, so I had planned to have one of these specialty sugar cookies that someone made for my friend for the benefit. I had one cookie and my friend gave the rest away. Still doing good. Yeah for me.

We did the walk. I then ate a 50 calorie fruit roll-up, no big deal. I have calories for this. The roll-up was one of the snacks that we received in this snack bag for taking part in the walk. At around 11:30, I'm starting to get hungry. This is when, if I had brought my own food I'd be safe. But considering the circumstances, I was still doing ok. I ate a 120 calorie cranberry pomegranate bar, which I noticed tasted divine, and hey, not bad at 120 calories.

Then as we're leaving the event to go see my sister, we get lost. So, I eat the second pomegranate bar, all the while thinking in the back of my mind, I still have lunch to eat, this doesn't bode well for keeping to my calories. At this point, I can already see the rest of the day beginning to unravel.

When we finally do sit down to eat at a Mexican restaurant, I'm not really that hungry, but I felt a little lost with what to do. They served these tortilla chips at the beginning of the meal, which I know I had several too many of. I ended up ordering two chicken tacos on a 50 calorie corn tortilla, except each taco had two corn tortillas. So, I ate the first taco with the two tortillas, then ditched the second tortilla with the second taco. Did I mention my friend had guacamole dip? Yahh, ate that with the chips too.

Then, as I was leaving, my sister gave me a chai filled chocolate truffle. Thanks! It was the same bunch of truffles I had given her for her birthday a few weeks back. Oh, did I mention that as we were sitting outside enjoying our Mexican meal, some lady solicited us to buy candy bars for the benefit of ...I can't remember what. Hey, I was in the benefit mood, so I bought some Reeses Pieces.

Which I ate later after I had a coffee. And actually it was a low-calorie coffee, which at that point...was damage control?

But what really submarined the day was the four smallish squares of my favorite pizza that we ordered after I got home.

Man did that pizza taste good. The greasy sausage, cheese...the Reeses Pieces. I figure I had about 2200 calories altogether. Oddly enough, I don't feel too down about this. After 10 weeks of having a vice grip on my diet, a 2200 calorie day is something I can live with and recover from.

Okay, erase that, I just weighed myself this morning, I am feeling annoyed now.

How does that song go, "It's a new day...a new life...and I'm feeling fine..."

Well, I'm feeling pretty re-determined right now. I think even before yesterday happened I was getting tired of cutting my calories and my resolve was weakening. But after my weigh-in this morning, well...I'll be back at it.

Today is a new day. I'll figure out what I did wrong, and try again.

Cleaning House Versus Losing Weight

Weight today: same

Total lost: 0 in five days

1/2 cup of oatmeal:150
1 tsp of sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total:195

5oz strawberries:45
1 tsp of sugar:15
1 sugar cookie:50
2 cranberry pomegranate bars:240
1 fruit roll-up:50
total:400
----------------
running total: 595

tortilla chips: 200 (est)
chicken taco with 2 tortillas: 200
chicken taco with 1 tortilla:150
guacamole dip:100
chocolate chai truffle:60
total: 710
----------------
running total: 1305

coffee with 2 tbl of powder coffee creamer:60
Reese's Pieces:220
4 slices of smallish pizza:500 (125x4)
1 coffee with powder coffee creamer:30
total: 810
--------------
running total:2115

Today's challenge: Not overeating while going out-of-town for the day.

Planned fitness: 5K walk

Note on picture: I've started adding flax seed oil to my protein shakes to give my body more of the good oil it needs.






Cleaning House vs Losing Weight

Remember when I said I was shutting off the computer during the day so that I can be more productive?

Well...it's worked. I'm more productive. Yesterday, I finally cleaned the "family room". I took before and after pictures, but won't be posting them...because...well, the before pictures were just a little too messy to be comfortably viewed by the naked eye.

So, instead I thought I'd compare how cleaning a messy room is a little like losing weight.

When you first look at how the 200 Lincoln logs, the 50 tiny toy soldier guys, the 50 some pieces of train tracks, random pieces of paper, broken crayons, 60 piece set of fake food for the kitchen, the entire toy box that is dumped and mixed in with all of this and more... you wonder how can you ever figure it out and get everything in order.

You feel overwhelmed...

When you first start a diet, and look at the idea of counting calories...looking at the back of labels, weighing and measuring your food, then writing it all down, pulling out a calculator to add everything up with, looking on-line for the food that doesn't have labels, exercising, weighing everyday, drinking enough water...you wonder how can you ever figure it out and lose the weight.

You feel overwhelmed too.

So, you breath deep, and say there has to be a way. You begin to do the easiest and most obvious things first...you put the couch cushions that the kids used to play "tent" with back onto the couches. You take anything that has fabric...clothing, blankets, stuffed animals...and put them on a couch.

With a diet, since the most obvious thing is to cut your calories, you begin writing down what you ate on scratch paper and simply estimating what the calories are because you know the very act of writing them down will help you slow down your eating. You know getting started with this will lead you to the next step.

After separating out the clothes, you place boxes next to a pile of mixed up toys and designate a box that matches a certain type of toy. This is the fake food box, this is for the train track, this is for the Lincoln logs, this is for the toy box because it's a mismatched toy, this is for the "wait-till-the-end-when-we-have-it-altogether-box", this is the garbage... Slowly we work through and address each item until all the items find a home.

With losing weight, you have to get organized too, you have to set a weight loss goal, you have to schedule a time to work-out, you have to schedule a time to eat five to six small meals a day, you make a food diary to keep track of what you ate and to write down your feelings. You begin doing each of these things...and slowly you lose weight.

It took me three to four hours to clean that room right. After going through all the toys and finally putting them in their boxes, I then had to organize those boxes in the room. Then I had to put the fabric stuff where it belonged...dirty clothes in the hamper... clean clothes in the drawers.

It took me what seemed like a long time also to lose weight. After I started my work-out program, I had to change it a little and challenge myself a little more. The more I counted calories, the better I got at getting the calories figured out just right. It began to develop into a habit.

When I was finally done cleaning, I was glad I did it. I still remember the frustration and anger I felt at looking at that messy room and trying to wrap my arms around the idea of organizing the mess I had let it become. But still the hard work was worth it and I want to keep it clean now.

When I finally lost my weight. I was glad I did it. I can still remember the frustration and anger that I felt at looking at myself in the mirror and trying to wrap my mind around the idea of how I was going to go about losing the weight and changing what I had let my become. But the hard work to getting here was worth it, and I want to keep my body like this now.

Wow. I guess some of those good habits I picked up on my diet can be applied to other areas of my life.

How To Lose 20 Pounds In 10 Weeks

Weight today: same

Total lost: 0 in four days

1/2 cup of oatmeal:150
1 tsp of sugar:15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total:195

vanilla protein shake:110
2 oz banana:50
1 tsp of Flaxseed oil:40
total:200
---------------------
running total:395

1 large egg:70
1 large egg white:10
1 lefse: 30
1/3 cup of fat free cottage cheese:53
4 oz of sliced strawberries: 36
1 tsp of sugar: 15
1 tbl of powder creamer with coffee:30
with sweet-n-low:0
total: 244
-------------------
total: 639

4 oz banana:100
vanilla protein shake: 110
1 tsp of flax seed oil:40
total:250
----------------
running total: 889

1 Ritz cracker: 16
1 Laughing Cow:5
1/2 cup of brown rice:85
3 1/2 oz chicken breast:123
1 tsp of Smart Balance light: 15
6 oz of broccoli: 60
total: 304
--------------------
running total:1193

4 oz banana: 100
1 tsp of peanut butter:33
total: 133
--------------
running total: 1326

Today's challenge: It hurts to swallow, I may be coming down with something.

Planned fitness: 7-mile run, my abdominal routine twice

Note on picture: I Ritz cracker:16 with 1 Laughing Cow Swiss Cheese light bight:5. One of these bites is the perfect size to spread out on a Ritz cracker. This is pretty guilt-free yet tasty for only 21 calories.

How To Lose 20 Pounds In 10 Weeks

In this post, I'd like to give you all a quick little review of what I did to successfully lose twenty pounds in ten weeks.

Some who have been following this blog, perhaps already know and understand what I did while others who have perhaps just started their diet would appreciate a little overview. In this post, I've also include links to articles for your convenience which I've written that addresses certain items in more depth.

1.) I decided in my mind...that I was sick of the current weight I was at. I wanted a change and was emotionally ready to commit to a change. Not a half-way change...but to a change that would yield results. For more info click here.

2.) I set up my food diary. I went out and bought a notebook that I would use to log my food and the calories of everything I ate. Click here for how to set up your food diary and here for why calorie counting works.

a.)I found one or two photos of myself at my current weight to put in.

b.)Then I put in several photos of myself looking the way I wanted to look. And if I didn't have any photos of myself that looked the way I wanted to look, then I found photos of other people in magazines with the type of body that I eventually wanted to obtain. Then I put my head on these bodies. And put them in my food diary. The purpose of this is to help our mind to begin envisioning our success. The more it "sees" how it is suppose to look, the more it will strive for that look.

c.)Also, I put in my food diary an inspiring poem that I have written about myself that describes the essence of who I am.

d.)Also, take note that the food diary is also a place where you will journal your feelings and thoughts as you work through learning to control what you put in your mouth.

e.) You adhere a calendar in your journal to help plan how you want your future weight to be.

3.) I set my calorie limit to 1,400 a day. I wrote down everything I ate and how many calories were in it. If I didn't know...I estimated. The important thing here is to get in the habit and act of writing everything down. When you first begin, it's not important if you underestimate the calories of things...because you will by about 30%. The very act of writing things down...slows your eating down. It's like magic that way. (note: on days where my work-out activity exceeded 75 minutes, I upped my calories so that I would have enough energy to complete the work-outs without losing muscle.) Click here for how to count calories without using a scale.

4.) Plan a fitness goal that will occur in the future say...about two weeks after you hit 10 weeks. A fitness, goal that you have to train and work-out for. Maybe it's a 5K walk to benefit your local charity. Maybe it's a bike race. Maybe it's a half-marathon. The fitness goal helps to direct your work-out efforts, and gives it more purpose. We're not designed to work-out to just lose weight. We stick to a work-out plan better if there's an event we are training for. Click here for how to plan your cardio exercise.

5.) After you've planned your fitness event, plan the type of work-outs that you need to do to be prepared for that event. For some it may simply be walking. For others, it may start out with walking to slowly adding a little running or biking. Whatever you do, try to increase each week the level of cardio activity that you perform. After I'd just had one of my kids, I started out running only six minutes on the treadmill, three times a week. Each week I added two minutes and before you knew it, I was at 20 minutes. However you plan it, make it seem un-intimidating...Just like writing down what you ate, it's important that you begin to do something... anything. If you make it seem too hard, you may not even get in the gym.
Click here for why you should work-0ut.

Click here for an overview of my fitness program.

6.) I embarked on a weight lifting program. I weight lifted three days a week. On this particular dieting stretch, my weight training was more intense than usual because I lifted for about an hour each time. But when you first start out, 20 minutes of weight training three days a week is a good start. In fact, this is what I did for many years. (The only reason I'm lifting longer periods is because I have it in the back of my mind that I might like to train for a body building competition.) But seriously, a weight training program is an essential part for me being able to sculpt my body to the way I want it to look after the fat drops away. Because the fat will drop. Also, weight lifting increases your metabolism and helps you to burn more calories. Click here for an overview of my weight lifting program.

7.) I weighed myself everyday. I wanted to stay on track more than I cared that the numbers might offend me. Weighing first thing in the morning reminds me of my daily focus. Click here for the benefits of weighing daily.

8.) I ate five to six meals through out the day to keep my metabolism running high and to not allow my body to think it was being deprived. Also, smalls meals throughout the day kept me from getting hungry to the point that I would yield to snacking. Click here for how to space your calories.

9.) I planned my meals and snacks around my work-outs in such a way so that I had energy going into my work-outs and had a recovery meal of protein plus carbohydrate within 20 minutes after my work-out. If my work-out exceeded an hour and 15 minutes, I brought additional carbohydrate to replenish my energy stores so that my body would not resort to using muscle. On my long runs, I gave myself energy gels for the same aforementioned purpose. Click here for how I plan my fitness around food.

10.) When going to functions that involved an offering of food that I could not control, I brought my own food to use "in case" they didn't have food I could eat. Or I just used my own food. Click here for how to take your own food.

.)11 I tried to drink 8-10 glasses of water a day so that my body would be able to function to its best potential and so that my body would not try to retain fluids.

12.) I tried to eat at least 100 grams of protein a day to give my muscles the protein it needed to grow. Click here for how I use protein shakes, and here for how I use energy gels.

13.) I began an abdominal routine three days a week. Then, in the last two weeks I increased it more to obtain a flatter belly. Click here for my abdominal program.

14.) I started a blog...it made me more accountable. Also, it encouraged me and helped me connect with other individuals who were pushing for similar goals.

15.) Finally I had a vision for how I wanted to look. Click here for Defining Your Dream, and here how to set your next goal.

Well, I hope this helps you understand how I lost twenty pounds in ten weeks. I have more helpful articles that if you're interested are in my archives and I will also be writing more articles on what I did to lose this weight.

Thank you for your interest.