Mile.

Today, I walked a comfortable 3.8 mph mile. That translates to a 15:50 minute mile.

Less than 3 months ago, I clocked in at a 16:11 minute mile, including a .10 mile sprint. :)

That feels DAMN good.

I also found a good link on Women's Health online for people as anal retentive as I am about grocery shopping: 125 Best Packaged Items.

Today, 3.5 mph on the treadmill didn't seem as bad as last week. :)

I'm going grocery shopping here in a few minutes. Matt (my boyfriend) is coming down for the weekend and I have planned out three healthy dinners that are "meat and potatoes"-ish for him, but still healthy for me. I'll share the recipes and how I've tweaked them to make them healthy here in a little bit. I'm hoping I can make myself behave around food and continue going to the gym (though I've promised him I would take Friday night off so I can spend time with him) while he is here. I've got a hike on part of the Appalachian Trail (a dream of mine) penciled in for Sunday with him. That leaves tomorrow and Saturday where I've got to buckle down and make myself go.

Things I need to get in the right mindset for this week..
1. Dinner out on Saturday afternoon after touring Troegs Brewing (I think we're going to Arooga's, a local sports bar chain.. nervous about that because it looks like there is NOTHING healthy on the menu.. grr.)
2. Chuck e Cheese birthday party for my friend's daughter Saturday morning
3. Making myself go go the gym
4. Not drinking Friday night since I'll be tasting beer on Saturday
5. GROCERY SHOPPING. :)

Kilimanjaro.

Today I did the "Kilimanjaro" course on the eliptical at the gym. I set it at level 15 (out of 25) because with 25 miles of mountain looming in front of me in October, I can't afford to be sissy. I thought I might die, haha. I could feel my heart beating in my neck even!

During my cool down, I was just kind of moseying along, enjoying the ease of those 5 minutes when I noticed the machine changing levels. I was only down to level 5! I had to laugh because just last Sunday when I made my return to the gym after 3 weeks, I set the eliptical to level 5 and couldn't take it for half an hour.

My, how quickly things change. :)

Love letter to my body #1

I went to the gym last night in a bad mood.. rough day with kids, irritated at friends. I decided to kick it into high gear and I dug out the "death intervals" workout I found on the web awhile ago. The last time I did it, I couldn't go above 3.5 mph and did my runs at 5 mph. This time, I followed the regimen almost exactly as it was... 3.5 mph at 2% interval increases every 30 seconds, recovery, 5 mph sprint, recovery, 4.5 mph at 2% interval increases every 30 seconds. Then I had to do a 3.2 mph recovery instead of a 3.5, but I did the two 6 mph one-minute sprints! I couldn't do the 5 mph intervals, so I dropped back to 3.5 mph. My chest was tight and I was wheezing, but my god, I did it. I did 3/4 of the entire program!

After I wrapped up, I did 8 minutes at 15% incline, trying to build up my incline endurance. (Is that even a thing?) I'd like to do that for an hour sometime this weekend. I try to do that, then drop it down to a negative, down-hill incline, then back up to prepare myself for the hike next year.

I really am amazed at how my physical abilities are changing. That's more motivating than actually seeing the weight come off.