Month: September 2010

20 reasons to lose 20 pounds

Note: This is from Men’s Health, but still hilarious and true

1.      Because you whine that you need to. Have you ever been wrong about anything?

2.      Twenty pounds of warm human fat can refill every bottle in an empty case of beer, with enough left over to fill your blender.

3.      The statement “There’s more of me to love” has an actual bedroom translation of “There’s more of me to endure.”

4.      It’s not scaling Everest or writing the great American novel. You can do it in your spare time.

5.      You’ll speak of toaster pastries the way you talk about that dirty blonde from the blues bar in Berkeley, another whiskey-soaked lament over a love too great to last

6.      It’s the difference between being thought of as jolly or witty.

7.      You’ll lose weight everywhere, including the suprapubic fat pad at the base of your penis. So as your belly shrinks, something else appears to grow.

8.      Decreased: your chances of developing heart disease, prostate cancer, diabetes, sleep apnea, depression, back pain, impotence, gallstones, joint problems, high blood pressure, low sperm counts, and an impressive collection of prescription-drug bottles.

9.      Increased: your chances of putting four fingers on a basketball rim.

10.  You’ll literally get closer to women.

11.  Holy sh– … abs!

12.  Men who lose weight never have less sex. They may not have more, mind you, but they never have less.

13.  You’ll shock the world at your local pool by being the only “big splash” champ to win the “little splash” crown.

14.  Research shows that since you’ll have less weight propelling you into the windshield, you’ll also have less risk of dying when your car hits a semi.

15.  Every time you pick up a 20-pound dumbbell, you’ll remember.

16.  You’ll be able to reach even more places to scratch.

17.  The clothing cliche: It’s liberating the first time your pants fall down by themselves.

18.  More pullups, because there’s less to pull up.

19.  Wait till you ride a WaveRunner, quad, or snowmobile when you’re 20 pounds lighter. Vroom, baby.

          20. In our society, people respect weight loss. Even if you do nothing cool or interesting or memorable for the rest of your life, you’ll have done that.

This post is all over the place

I had a great time with the professor yesterday – I find him fascinating and stimulating and intimidating and charming and I’m pretty sure he also finds me to be those things. It’s just so interesting to see my love life meet my weight loss life. Lots of insecurities and excitement at the same time. I have a lot on my mind today. 

This quote from a fellow fitblr that I saved comes to mind:

“There’s a reconditioning of your brain from fat-girl to fit-girl, to believing in what you can and have accomplished, and not psyching yourself out about it all.”

It also doesn’t help that I’m like an emotional cripple with mental problems and unresolved daddy issues. Being vulnerable is not really my scene – I have lots of walls I highly guard and being fat helped keep people away. Then I get mad about how it took losing nearly 40 pounds for people to take notice. Then at the same time I’m like well being thinner could allow me to cast a wider net and why settle first fish that I catch. God I’m a bitch. I don’t even know what I want…I’m such a mess. I need to stop thinking and just live and let be, but it’s so much easier said than done.

Labor Day 5K in Review

Going to bed was quite the challenge last night I was too damn excited. I somehow managed to sleep pretty well and popped out of bed like a poptart when my alarm went off at 5am. 

Got ready, had breakfast, picked up my friend Michelle who was coming to cheer me on and we got on the road. The race was about 45 minutes away in Georgia (at Callaway Gardens for my Southern peeps – SUCH a beautiful place I had never been before). Also keep in mind Georgia is in the Eastern Time Zone. Thankfully with the drive and time changes we made it there with 20 minutes to spare (I had a nightmare that I woke up drove all that way and we couldn’t find the registration tent/missed it).

The Gardens was hosting 5K and a Triathlon that day. Since I registered at the event I had to wear a Tri bibb and they ran out of shirts so they were going to mail me one. I also was given a chip that was a velcro band around my ankle (I’ve had the shoelace chips prior). 

I was feeling good, anxious, nervous – lots of emotions. It was quite brisk out – I’d say in the mid 60s. I got my ipod and nike+ sensor queued up and was waiting on go. The race was small – 150 of us. I told myself I was going to pace myself at the start and then push the second half. Well OF COURSE as soon as they said go I took off. I was at the front of the pack when we started and pretty much stayed towards the front the whole time. It was a lovely route around a lake and through some woods. There was some rolling hills, but overall it was an ideal route. 

I felt so freaking good on my run, I had no idea my pace and I didn’t care. Since I started like a bat out of hell I slowed my pace slightly for the middle of the run, but I NEVER ONCE STOPPED OR WALKED. I didn’t even want to stop or walk – I was in the zone. Once I was at about 4K I kicked it back into high gear. It was also around the 4K point that we passed some of the first Triathlon cyclists. I was smiling and cheering for them as I ran. As I approached the finish line I saw a “28” on the clock and couldn’t believe it. I wanted to badly to finish under 30 minutes, but I wasn’t sure I had it in me. I shaved over 4.5 minutes off my first/previous 5K in May. There is no feeling in the world like crossing a finish line – I’m addicted to it. 

After the race I met up with my friend and we watched some of the last Triathlon swimmers finish up before exploring some other events going on including mini golf. Well we were ½ into our game of mini golf when I think I hear my name over the PA. I was like ???? So we head over to the registration tent to see they were giving out awards. They gave awards for the overall winners and top 3 per age group. After the finished I walked up to one of the volunteers and said I thought I heard my name (I would have been HORRIFIED if they were like ummm no). So I found out I had placed 2nd in my age group (25-29) and age group winners got plaques – except then ran out of 2nd place ones so they are going to mail it to me. So now I can look forward to my tshirt and my plaque in the mail.

I also checked the website and saw my “official” time was 28:53.26

That means my average pace was around 9:18 min/mile – WHAT?!?! I’ve never even come CLOSE to that before. I guess I was channeling my inner Prefontaine:

The only good race pace is suicide pace and today looks like a good day to die

God I felt great and I am really starting to get a sense of what I’m made of and what I can achieve. I am SO READY for my ½ marathon next month. This was just the vote of confidence I needed. Also seeing the Triathletes makes me really want to aim for that this spring. Thanks everyone for your encouragement  – I love you all.

5K Playlist

  • Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run
  • Axium – Creep
  • Kylie Minogue – Can’t Get Your Outta My Head
  • Alison Iraheta – Don’t Speak
  • David Cook – Paper Heart
  • Collective Soul – Under Heaven’s Skies
  • Ashlee Simpson – L.O.V.E.
  • Katarina Graham  – Sassy

To Bed

Just got home from a fantastic Auburn victory and have to force myself to go to sleep because I’m getting up at 5am for my 5K tomorrow. The 5K is an hour away and in the eastern time zone – boo to waking up early, but I’m excited for the race.

Quickly must make a playlist!

The Right Way to Start a Weekend

Yesterday after work I went out for my long run of the week. I ran the same route as last time plus a little more, except this time it was the day before game day and I got to run past alll the RV lots and people tailgating – it was wonderful. I even saw one of my grad students who took up running this summer while he was running.

I didn’t leave for my run until 6:15pm so the weather had cooled down. I was worried after working all day that it would be a hard run, but I felt FANTASTIC. I think it was the confidence that I could run double digits, coupled with a familiar route, coupled with cooler weather. My stat’s kicked the ass of my 10 mile stats.

Distance: 11.17 miles

Time: 2:13:28

Pace: 11:56 min/mile

Calories 1566

I’m chillin’ for a bit then it’s time to go to campus to tailgate (aka not drink alcohol or eat garbage as much as humanly possible). Kick off is a 6pm tonight – War Damn Game Day!!!!!

PS – this was my 300th post 🙂

The Bachelorette

Just a little update for those of you who care about my love life.

I have been messaging with the professor all week and am going out with him on Sunday. We both also have football tickets in the faculty/staff section so there is a slim chance I see him tomorrow also.

In other news I texted Bachelor #1 yesterday despite his random “keep in touch text” because I mean I have NOTHING TO LOSE:

Me: Hey, I went to the new pub downtown it’s pretty cool. Let me know if you want to go check it out next week.

#2: I would love to, the only problem is I’m on the road till the 20th of Sept. I’ll give you a shout when I return for sure. Sorry I suck.

Innnnnnteresting. So the ball is in his court…