Weekly Update - Silver Lining

Ok so I was about to be all, "waa waaaa" about having gained a pound and a half since last week (and I'll be honest, I did eat a lot), but then I started taking my measurements in order to report my body fat, and I actually lost inches and went down in fat.  For reals.  I don't usually report the measurements I have to take in order to get my number, because they're boring: neck, arm, chest, thigh... who cares?

Well, today I do care.  waist and hips are still the same, but I am down to 33 inches at my chest, and have lost an inch and a half off my thigh since last week.  So even though my BMI has gone up slightly, I think the more important numbers here are body fat and inches.  Looks like I'm smack in the middle of the fitness range:

I do feel like I need to step it up a little bit, though, because this next 15 lbs isn't going to lose itself.  Last night I left my car at the office and ran the 4 miles home.  Then I had no choice this morning but to suit up and run into the office.  It was cold, but at least it wasn't raining.  The sun came out at lunch today, so a co-worker and I grabbed the opportunity to run at lunch.  That was another 4 miles.  So I've done 8 miles total today.  Awesome.  Toot toot!  That would be the sound of me tooting my own horn; but hey - I think I'm allowed today.

Monday Night Dinner: Marinara Baked Eggs

This is a fantastic flavorful meal that bakes up quickly

Ingredients

• 4 cups marinara sauce
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup mozzarella shredded cheese
• 4 slices French bread

Directions

Preheat your oven to 300.
Pour marinara into a pie pan and place in the oven for 5-10 min.
After 5 minutes, crack your eggs and gently nestle them in among the marinara.
Sprinkle your cheese evenly over top and bake for 15-20 min.
Meanwhile, toast you bread slices.
Spoon 1 egg and 1 cup marinara over each bread slice

Serve with a green salad.

Serves 4.

Currently On My Workout Mix - Ginuwine

Great pace for lifting weights - 2 counts down, 2 counts up.

Thoughts On Running

I've been doing a little reading up on running these days, since there seems to have been a lot of buzz around barefoot running.  I wanted to know more.  My friend Nate, a writer and runner in Oakland, put out a well-researched article last year on the matter, and other fitness sources, such as Shape Magazine, are also advocates.  What I took away from the research is I'm not convinced barefoot running is my thing, but I have adjusted my stride and am more conscious about how I land on my foot.

I've found that shorter, quicker strides help me run faster with less effort, and I expect that landing more on the middle of my foot rather than my heel will help lessen the sensitivity I've felt in my joints over the last ten or so years.

I want to be able to keep running as a lifelong fitness tool, so being careful now when everything on my body still works is important.

Weight Training - Bicep Curls

So you've been working on the Arnold Press and your squats for a couple weeks now; what do you say we add something else into the mix?  The third weight-lifting exercise in my circuit is bicep curls.  You've seen these done before, I'm sure, but for you visual learners I've included a diagram.  Guest star today is my good buddy Dr. Bruce Banner, who is here to prove he doesn't have to get angry to get buff.

The important thing to remember with a bicep curl is not to let your elbow swing back as you are lifting the weight.  Keep your upper arms tightly at your sides so that they are always perpendicular to the floor and move only at your elbow.  This isolation of your bicep muscle makes the exercise more effective.

I like to do 15 reps with 10 lb weights in each hand.  By the end of five circuits you'll feel the burn.  If you need to start with lighter weight and do fewer reps, ain't no shame.  Just make sure you are challenging yourself but not risking injury.

Weekly Update

This is a really great post for me to write.  I'm glowing about having made it past the halfway point and am further on my way toward my goal.  I'm also giddy at the possibility of getting under 150 lbs, something I haven't seen since I did weight loss the wrong way in high school.

Also awesome:  I went shopping with some ladyfriends over the weekend and just for fun tried on some pants at Ann Taylor Loft.  Heyo!  I was wearing a size six!  I think this was an isolated event, but it does mean that I am on the lower end of a size eight.  I also haven't seen this in over ten years.

What can I say?  I feel fantastic.

Running Is My Crutch

Just a quick check-in to let you know I am proud of my work-out dedication this past week.  I have been running an average of four miles a day, though Saturday was 6.5, Sunday I reunited with my Jillian Michaels abs workout in lieu of running (still sore, btw), and yesterday I did just three.  The way I see it, three miles is a whole lot better than nothing, which is what I preferred yesterday.  My fabulous ladyfriends convinced me to drag my ass to the gym and power through whatever I could, and I'm glad I did.

I was back on track with four miles today; I had initially intended for it to be five, but when I went to change into my workout gear at noon today I discovered I had left my right shoe at home along with my sweatshirt.  Luckily I always keep a spare pair of old shoes in the trunk of my car, but 43 degrees is cold when I'm in a tank top without a coat, even when I'm doing my best to work up a sweat... at the edge of a windy lake.  Argh.  So I cut it short because I didn't have full confidence in my shoes, either.  But hey - four miles ain't too shabby.

Stay tuned for tomorrow's weigh-in and stats update!