Things on My Mind: Vacation, Training for a 5K, Goal Setting

Vacation
Bill and I just got back from vacation and I managed to not gain a bunch of weight - hurray! I tried very hard to focus on eating healthy and fresh foods and to not over eat at meals. I must admit I didn't feel like I was doing that great, but the scales say I did just fine. As of this morning I was up .9 lbs - nothing to cry about. Hopefully I can work that off and come Saturday's weigh in, I'll be even or just slightly up. I'll take it! Vacations have always been hard for me, but slowly I'm learning how to have fun and not always associate that fun with food. It will be a life long struggle I am sure, but I take comfort in the fact that I can see progress! That makes me both excited and super optimistic for the future.

Training for a 5K
I admit I have a thing for runners and have always longed for the ability to run - a mile, two miles, ten miles, etc. I've tried a few times before and ran in 2 5K races and 1 10K, but I didn't train for either one. After Trina took up running (hi Trina), I decided that I had no real excuse to not try and become a real 'runner.' I decided that I should run a 5K and truly train for it this time around. I enlisted Bill as my running partner and Trina helped me find a race that would be the right distance out for the 9 week couch to 5K training program. As of this Monday, we are on week 6 of the program, with only 3 weeks left to go! I am both nervous and excited for the big. Tomorrow is our first non- stop 25 minute run (slow slow jog, if you will) and I'm looking forward to seeing if I can do it. My goal is to some day run a 10- miler, but I don't see myself doing that anytime soon. I'll try a couple of 5Ks if this one goes well, work up to the 10K (6.2 miles I believe) and then slowly make it to the 10-miler. People do it all the time, why shouldn't I!? Wish me luck.

Goal Setting
In the past, I've dieted as follows: eat very little, lose weight, worry that at every moment I am going to snap and gain all my weight back. And what do you know? That's exactly how it went. I remember the last time I was slimmer - we were in Charleston and Savannah and all I could think beforehand was 'put up with your hunger until the vacation - and then you can eat all you want!' And eat I did - all the way back up to my starting weight plus some. I always thought I'd never be able to truly lose weight because it was too hard and I was always too hungry. I've given up that method of dieting and that mindset and have truly adopted something I can live with and love! (That of course being the weight watchers plan along with my own self discoveries) That being said, I'm slowly getting close to the point where I'll actually say 'ok, this is it, now I can maintain.' I admit that the thought terrifies me and maintenance does seem scarier then losing. However, I am looking forward to buying clothes and staying in one size. I've been trying to buy nicer clothes for myself nowadays to encourage myself to keep going and when I shrink out of those nice clothes it's both exciting and sad at the same time! Anyhow, I'm rambling. My point here is that the time has come for me to really try and focus on a final goal number. Right now, I've lost 50.7 lbs and want to lose an additional 16.3 for a whopping total of 67 lbs. It seems so crazy to me that the big (pun intended) part of this process is behind me (haha, also funny) and that I am truly on the last leg of the journey. If this were a race I'd be nearing the finish line, the crowd would be cheering me on! 16.3 to go - I can do this and I will do this. One baby step at a time.