July 28, 2010 By lisa
I started Weight Watchers last week.
I weighed 175 last Wednesday.
I weigh 172 today, for a loss of 3 lbs. In one week.
This stuff works, I tell you.
I also have begun my half marathon training for the San Antonio Rock n Roll Half Marathon on November 14th. I am a runner. I am a runner. I am a runner. My BFF is joining me, so I am not doing this alone- support is SO very important.
And since I am on the subject of Christy, did you guys know that we have known each other since 2004? Way before Shrinking Jeans was around? When both of us only had one child (they are two weeks apart in age and now she has 2 kids and I have 3)? And that I am so excited that we have each other (and ALL of you!) to lean on for our weight loss/healthy living journey? And to run half marathons together? When we got together, we used to sit on our asses (as much as you can with young children) but now when we get together, we automatically build in time to exercise? And plan healthy menus? How awesome is that?
So yeah, I am counting points a la Weight Watchers, I am back in the gym lifting weights and back on the trail running and IT FEELS GOOD, SO VERY GOOD.
July 7, 2010 By lisa
I know it is weigh-in day (I only lost 0.2 lbs but hey, a loss is a loss, right?!), but other things are more fore-front in my mind.
Mainly, the nagging hip pain I have had since May 1st. The one that has caused me to limp since May 1st. The pain that prevented me from running the half marathon in San Diego the way I wanted to run it. The pain that has not allowed me to run at all and if I did, it hurt like hell.
The pain that has consumed me day in, day out….SINCE MAY 1st.
Today, I went to a local sports rehab place that had FREE injury evaluations. I met with one of their doctors- he poked and prodded my hip. He twisted it this way and that way. He dug his fingers INTO various muscles in the area, waiting for me to go “OWWWWWW”.
The diagnosis: severe tightening of multiple muscles, with limited to no flexibility in my hip
He said that I had scar tissue build-up over my muscles and that the scar tissue and tight muscles were choking my sciatic nerve; he said my muscles were not loosening (does that sound right?), just staying tight and tighter. I can still feel his finger impressions from when he was digging into my muscles.
He prescribed a treatment plan that includes Advanced Release Technology- twice a week for 2-3 weeks, 1-1.5 hours each session.
His #1 goal is to get me to where I am not limping. I agree.
His next goal is to get me back to running, pain-free. I agree.
He thinks I will be back to running by the end of next week. SO SOON?
I told him that I was scared and nervous of running, that I am afraid of being “broken” again. He said he will help me with the “brain game”. He will teach me how to strengthen my core and help prevent this from happening again.
While this evaluation was free, the treatment plan will not be. In fact, I will drop a pretty penny for these therapy sessions. However, it is worth it to me. I am sick and tired of limping, nevermind the fact that running has not been an option for me lately.
I am ready to swipe my credit card, get treated, NOT limp anymore, and run like the wind.
I AM SO EXCITED.
July 6, 2010 By lisa
I exercise.
I like to exercise.
I especially like to exercise when I am mad as hell.
I was mad as hell this morning. I won’t go into details nor with whom that argument was with but it ryhmes with shushband. I was so mad that I thought I might blow a blood vessel in my forehead.
I hate being mad. I hate yelling. I hate arguing. It literally makes me sick to my stomach.
I almost opted out of my trip to the gym this morning because I was so upset, BUT I knew once I was at the gym, I would feel better.
I slipped my feet into the pedal straps on the bike, turned on my iPod and WENT. I let the music carry me away. I pumped my legs hard to GET OUT some of that anger. I let my mind drift- thinking about everything AND nothing. As time went on, my anger faded away and I just pedaled.
I exercise so my body will be fit.
I exercise so that I can tone up….lose weight….have a cardiovascular heart.
I exercise so that my soul can be happy and free of shit so I won’t bash my shushband’s head in. IJS.
Carry on.
June 30, 2010 By lisa
Let’s skip the formalities and jump to what you’re really here for, MY WEIGHT!
Last week’s weight: 175.4 lbs (ugh)
This week’s weight: 174 lbs (yippee)
A loss of 1.6 lbs
Happy dance, happy dance, happy dance!
Although I’ll be a whole lot happier when I say good-bye to the 170′s (again)! Last week was my first time to weigh-in in quite some time and I vowed to weigh-in every week this Summer. I am also leading the mini-challenges which is keeping me accountable to actually DOING the mini-challenges-HA! This week, I have been focusing hard on what I am eating, journaling it, getting in my fruits and veggies and drinking tons of water.
I’ve returned to going to the gym, A LOT. I went four times last week, just getting back in to the groove of exercising. I took a Body Kombat class for the first time (a mix of kickboxing and martial arts) and I took a Spin class. I lifted weights, I rode the stationary cycle and I walked on the treadmill.
I have my eyes on training for the San Antonio Rock n Roll Half Marathon on November 14th and possibly even doing this event (a beach run) on August 14th, both with Christy.
Another thing I cannot stop thinking about is doing a triathlon. The one I did back in February during the Sisterhood Olympics opened my eyes to the fun of mixing it up- swimming, biking and running. I spend my evenings scouring the want ads for a used bike (OMG- who knew bikes could be so expensive? Plus the gear- ack! If money grew on trees, then I would get this bike.). I spend a lot of time reading triathlon books and checking out various races and different websites. I am “this close” to attending an “Austin triathlon training group seminar” to see if I can hook up with a local group for training.
Thinking about tri’ing gives me excited butterflies in my stomach. Not nervous-ness, not anxiety, not “can I do this”……nope, I have excitement and butterflies because I already know I CAN DO THIS.
Even though my time for the 1/2 marathon in San Diego with Team Shrinking Jeans was not what I wanted it to be and even though I did it with a bum hip, completing it gave me something I could not get anywhere else- BELIEF IN MYSELF. I KNOW I will finish whatever races I sign up for, of that, I am 100% certain. I added to “the bank” once I crossed that finish line and my mental game is even stronger now.
I’m all over the board today, huh?
So yeah, Summer 2010 is going to kick ass for me, I just know it.
June 24, 2010 By lisa
Our very smart Christie O. has asked us to re-visit something we did back in January- a letter that our “future” self wrote to our “current” self. I wrote this on Janurary 29th of this year.
Dear Lisa:
I am here to tell you that lots of good things are in store for you this year. 2010 is going to be an awesome year for you, for lots of reasons. But first, I want to tell you something very important, so critically important that you need to stop all that you are doing, pull up a chair, and read this with an open heart and mind.
You, Lisa, are a wonderful and awesome person- you are a mom, a wife, a sister, a runner, a cook, a maid, a housekeeper, a taxi driver, and many other things. The best gift that you can give yourself this year is this:
- To love yourself through and through
- To forgive yourself for not being able to do EVERY THING all of the time
- To let go of the mom guilt
I believe that you are doing the very best that you can. Now YOU have to believe that you are doing the very best that you can. Just BELIEVE.
Like I said, 2010 is a big year for you. You will accomplish so many things! You will go from running 3 miles in January to training and running a half marathon in June with Team in Training. You may think that raising $2900 for Team in Training is a daunting task right now but I’m here to tell you that you will raise that amount and then some. You will finish that marathon in your goal time and you will feel GREAT. Pay attention to your body during your training runs though. You only have one body and you have to take care of it.
Also, I am here to tell you that you have inspired others around you to “get fit”. Because of your passion for running, you have ignited the fire in your husband to get back in the running game. He ran the San Diego FULL marathon. You also inspired your brother-in-law to start running again and he, too, ran the San Diego FULL marathon. You have inspired some IRL friends to get back to exercising regularly. Look at how many people’s lives you have touched.
You will consistently start training to run a women’s triathlon sprint (swim, bike, run) for the Fall 2010. You will surprise yourself with how well you do. Swimming will be your strongest section! Hold on though- don’t get ahead of yourself and start planning for the next level up in triathlons- finish your first sprint before you start thinking about the next one. There is plenty of time, there is plenty of time for the next step.
One more thing…..go ahead and get that physical that you keep thinking about getting. You will have great blood pressure but your cholesterol will be a little on the high side. If you need the doctor’s confirmation to live even healthier, then this is it. You have only been blessed with one body, one heart and you have to take tender loving care of it.
Also Lisa, I am here tell you that by this time next year, you will have lost an additional 15 lbs, you will be wearing a Size 10, and you will be in the best shape of your life. ENJOY IT! You will have more energy than ever, you will be able to keep up with your kids even better, and you will feel AWESOME.
You are loved. You are appreciated. You can do anything you set your mind to.
Stay focused, stay disciplined, give yourself a break from time to time, look for the positives, and believe in yourself.
You, my friend, are truly special.
Love Always,
Yourself
I have to be honest guys. Reading this letter that I wrote 6 months ago brought tears to my eyes, AGAIN, especially that first part. WOW. I need to print out this sucker and stick copies of it everywhere. Why am I so damn hard on myself? Still, to this day?
Anyhoo, Christie wants us to do a “reality check” if you will. Here is what I have accomplished so far:
- I did run that half marathon. It was not exactly how I envisioned it to be stupid hip injurybut I did it and it’s done and I will do it again. This year. In San Antonio. November 14th. With our very own Christy. Anyone care to join me? The experience with Team Shrinking Jeans was above and beyond anything I could have imagined.
- I have inspired others around to get moving and to get fit. My husband did indeed run the FULL marathon in San Diego. My BIL did run the FULL marathon in Los Angeles in March. I have received several emails on Facebook from old high school friends that have touched my very core- old friends that I have not spoken to in YEARS, emailing me to tell me that I have inspired them to get moving. How powerful is that? I have also motivated some IRL friends to get exercising and I have convinced ONE (I’m calling you out on this one Chris M.!) to do her first half marathon, with me in San Antonio. I’m working on two more : ). Instead of meeting in coffee shops, I now meet my friends at the gym- woot, woot!
- I have not “officially” began training for a triathlon….yet. I am trying to figure out the biking thing- I don’t own a bike. I do cycle at the gym and I am swimming at the gym (love love love the swimming- I’m actually excited to do an open water swim. I know, call me weird!). My next thing to look into is finding a triathlon group that I can hook up with for training. I am reading all about tri’s, I am building my CORE, I am beginning weight classes next week- I’m on my way! I’ve even checked the tri schedule for my area to see which ones will be most conducive for my schedule.
- I have not gotten a physical, but I’m working on it : ).
- Still working on the weight loss!
This has been the reminder that I so desperately needed, the kick in the ass that I needed. Thank you Christie!
June 8, 2010 By lisa
It seems that Team Shrinking Jeans has set some of you on fire with all of our talk about running and half marathons. I can see why, after completing my first half mary this past weekend.
My last post was about my peaceful acceptance of not being able to run the entire half this weekend. It’s true- I did not run all of it.
My goal was to finish the half marathon, just like my Bondi Band said: 
I did run/walk the first 7 miles (a very slow run). I most certainly felt like crawling around mile 11. But most importantly, I finished, regardless of the amount of time it took.
I may have even cried a few times, not from pain although there certainly was pain the last few miles, not from all the sweating and thirstiness and general hot-ness….. but from the emotion of it all. From seeing the sea of purple Team in Training shirts, each person running “in honor of” or “in memory of” special folks in their life. So. many. names.
It was overwhelming.
It made the stupid ache in my hip seem inconsequential.
I’m pretty sure that without the support of my Team, I may have given up when I was was plagued with injury after injury during training. They kept me going. They encouraged me. The motivated me. They made me laugh. They made me feel NOT alone during this journey.
Thank-you, Team Shrinking Jeans. You are more awesome than words could ever describe. You, too, Coach Joe (the guy in purple, in the middle, our wonderfully fantastic running coach- YOU ROCK!).
Also, I totally want to give a shout-out to my husband. 
While I was training for the half marathon, he was training for the FULL marathon (that’s 26.2 MILES, people). We trained at the same time freakin’ crazy. The logistics of our weekend training runs was a nightmare at times (someone had to stay home with the 3 kids, ya know?!).
He supported me with all of my fundraising efforts and I am fairly certain that a large portion of my fundraising monies came from his group of friends, family and business contacts. He was heavily involved in the two fundraising events I hosted, leading one of them.
He is a runner by nature and has been a runner ever since I have known him. His marathon this past weekend did not go as he had planned, with him puking around mile 10 (not a good sign) and having to visit the medical tent TWICE. He says he is done with running and it hurts my heart to hear this. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A RUNNER.
I am hoping that with time and a little rest and relaxation that he will return to running sometime in the future I think he will.
Anyway, I am SO freakin’, stinkin’ PROUD of this group of women. We raised a little over $42,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. We ran a bajillion training miles plus the actual half marathon. We cried many painful tears along the way. We stuck with it, all the way to the end. Because we believed in the cause and we believed in ourselves. All I can say is this- GO TEAM!
Also, did you know that we writers here at Shrinking Jeans can be very, very, very silly? I know, SHOCKING.
Alcohol may or may not have played a role in the silliness. There may or may not be a video floating around supporting this silliness. (Top: me, Heather; Bottom: Christy, Melissa, Christie O.)
I am officially hooked and have already decided to sign up for my next half mary- the San Antonio Rock n Roll Half Marathon on November 14th. Christy will be joining me…..anyone else?!
May 10, 2010 By lisa
Yesterday, I did my long run for Team in Training. I *ran* 8.5 miles.
To say it sucked would be putting it lightly. Here is what I posted at www.dailymile.com.
I don’t even know what to write. How about this? I cried my entire drive home. Disappointed. Pensive. Tired. Ache-y. Relief. Pressure. Mad. Emotional. So much more…..
Taking on running and this half marathon journey has been the most difficult thing I have ever done physically. Running does not come naturally to me, it is not easy, I could stand to lose a “few” pounds, etc etc. I want it to be easier for me, but it is not. I want to cut myself some slack and just be happy with the journey but apparently, I am not there yet. I want to be lighter on my feet as I run. I want to relish how far I have come but instead, I focus on how far I have yet to go. I am trying to reach a place of Zen, where I can just “let it go” and relax. I am not there yet.
With one day behind that horrible run, I am not feeling so low. My legs don’t hurt as much as they did yesterday and my spirit is a little more positive….not quite back to my uber-positive self, but slowly mending itself.
Running long distances is so much harder than the shorter distances. I can remember thinking back in February- What’s the big deal? Bring on that stinkin’ half marathon.
How naive I was about this journey.
I have never worked so much, nor for so long, with such aching muscles, tired muscles, a weary spirit, so very tired all of the time. That’s just the physical part of it. Then, there is the mental part of running and a whole lot of it is mental.
Like yesterday.
My brain was bringing me way way way down and I pretty much had an entire sucky day of suck because of my horrible run and because I just couldn’t shake it off.
I was talking to Christy about all of this and I said to her: I want to get back to where I actually ENJOY running, where it doesn’t hurt from all of the wear and tear, where I am running for me and not for a race. I will get back to that place.
But first, I will finish my goal of running a half marathon, raising buttloads of money for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and meeting my fellow Team Shrinking Jeans teammates in the process.
I’ll be OK. I will reach that place of Zen…..one day.
- Miles run since I started tracking my running in Nov 2009: 327.98
- Miles this past week: 16
- Miles since I started training on 01/31/10: 170.02
- Miles to go until San Diego: 66.5
I’m still about $100 dollars short of my fundraising goal if anyone has anything left to give : ). Click here.
April 5, 2010 By lisa
Oh, where do I start with this post?
Let’s start with the facts:
- We just finished Week 9 of our Team in Training program.
- Last weekend’s 8 miler (as in 7 days ago, last weekend) did me in. My calves had finally reached their limit and were officially fatigued. It hurt so bad and I thought my calves might forever be stiff and sore. I ran one more time last Tuesday and kaput- that was it. No more running for me since.
- Coach Joe’s orders me to rest and relax, that my body was tired. I agreed. Plus, with my aching calves and an annoying popping sound in my hip, I knew my body was literally screaming at me to take it easy.
- I have not exercised since last Tuesday.
- I had a massage on Friday- ahhhhhhh. My calves felt even better after that. Unfortunately, the hip pain did not and proceeded to annoy me even more. My stride became uneven. Uh-oh.
- I saw a sports doctor today. I so badly wanted him to tell me all this “bleepity beep” was in my head. He did an xray of my pelvis area. He did different “orthropedic” moves on my legs, pushing them this way and that way, pushing and pulling. Inconclusive results. Scheduled an MRI for Tuesday to *hopefully* rule out a stress fracture. Fingers crossed, praying to the Running Gods that I do NOT have a stress fracture (a stress fracture would end my running career for the time being). ORDERED me NOT to run until he figures out what is going on. Did give me the green light to cross train.
- Headed to the gym tonight after the kids were in bed.
- Did the elliptical for 1.25 miles and the recumbant bike for 3 miles. Felt OK. Cried no less than 3 times. Not from pain, but from disappointment that I was not running.
Now for the feelings:
- I have been feeling sorry for myself since I was benched. I have been stressed and worried that I might be benched long enough NOT to be able to run the half marathon in June. I have been a teensy bit worried that maybe I really damaged myself.
- I have been whining and complaining about it non-stop.
- But today, while on the bike, crying for the third time, I had an ephiphany.
- I realized that I cannot undo what is done, but I can choose how to react and behave to whatever news is given to me.
- I choose to fight.
- I choose NOT to give up.
- I choose the accept that my body is the only body I have and that I need to treat it with respect and love.
- I choose to exercise however I can in the meantime.
- I choose to listen to my body even better.
- I choose to learn even more about the physiology of running- the why’s, the how’s, the what-not’s.
- I choose to fight hard and not throw in the towel.
This time-off is but a blip in my entire journey of running. It is allowing me to learn even more about myself and life and how I deal with unforeseen circumstances. I can’t control everything, no matter how I think I can.
You gotta roll with the punches. I am rolling.
March 29, 2010 By lisa
I ran 8 miles today and to say it wore me out is putting it lightly. It was my longest run E-V-E-R. My legs and shoulders are so very sore, but hey, I did it and I survived and I get to do it again Saturday- Yippee!!!!
After my run, I purchased some new running shoes. My old ones are 6 months old and have seen lots of mileage and I think that may be why my calves have been extra-sore the past two weeks. I went to Runtex, a local runner’s store, and got properly fitted with the right shoe. I am so excited to hit the trail again but in my new shoes. I think they will really make a difference in how my legs feel.
Fundraising has been heavy on my mind. I am only 1/2 way to my goal of $2900. That means I have raised $1454 of $2900 but obviously, still have a ways to go. Recommitment is quickly approaching, which means that I have to “commit” to raising the entire $2900 or cough up the remainder of what I don’t raise. I am 100% committed to raising the entire amount and hopefully, more. I am not giving up, I am not throwing in towel, I am not saying “it’s not possible”.
I am making it possible. It’s a TON of work, but it is possible. The fundraising is way harder than the physical training. To that end, I have several events lined up to hopefully raise some more money and get me closer to my goal.
- Neighborhood Block Party (food being sponsored by Chick-Fil-A)
- Wine Tasting at my House
- Garage Sale
As Amanda and I were handing out flyers around the neighborhood for the block party, I knocked on the door of someone that I had seen before but hadn’t officially met.
I introduced myself to her, told her what we were doing and why. Susan (I think that was her name) responded with this: Thank you so much for doing this. We have two friends- one survived it and the other did not. And then we just looked at each other, my eyes started filling up with tears and hers did too. She hugged me and said “we’ll be there”.
THIS IS WHY WE ARE DOING THIS. This is why I am working so hard at fundraising, fundraising, fundraising. Stories like this are everywhere and keep smacking me in the head when I least expect it.
Team Shrinking Jeans is doing wonderful things for a wonderful cause. I could not be any prouder of our group than I already am.
GO TEAM!
March 21, 2010 By lisa
With Team in Training, our group is given a “coach” to guide us through the training aspect of preparing for our half marathon. Ours is Coach Joe and he is a super-fast runner and he knows what he is talking about. At the beginning of our season, he gave each of our training plan. The training plan tells you exactly what you need to be doing on what days of the week.
I love this- I don’t have to think about what I should be doing or why I should be doing something or when I should be doing it. I just look at the chart he gave us (it’s four pages long) and I execute the training plan. I like not having to make decisions like this, especially since I have ZERO experience with 1/2 marathon training and very little to no training on running.
So yeah, I just do what he tells us to do and when he tells us to do it and trust that his plan will work, without really questioning why.
I am here to say that his plan (and I would even venture to say a lot of training plans) WORKS.
Coach Joe told me that A+B+C = D and by golly he was right.
This past weekend, I ran 6 miles and I ran it faster than I did last weekend. I have a new PR (personal record) and I am so freakin’ proud of myself that I can’t stand it. I wrote about all the gory details over here, at the family blog. A lot of ya’ll already commented over there so please, don’t feel like you have to tell me how great I am over here too : ). Of course, if you are so inclined, then yeah, my ego would love some more strokin’- HA!!!!!
6.03 miles in 1 hr 3 min 3 sec with an average pace of 10:27/mile, my fastest time EVER.
One more thing, right around Mile 4, all I could think about was all the support and love I receive from you guys, my sisters, mis amigas. I hit an endorphin high at that moment and I think that is what spurned me to continue my quick pace.
Thank you.