Pages

6.2 Mile run/walk

Ok, so I am kinda getting bored of my same workout mornings. It usually consist of me dropping my son off at school and then heading to the gym for an hour or so. This routine is something I do non stop weekly. Well yesterday I caught myself feeling like I didn't want to hit the gym. I knew that if I went I was probably going to end up walking for 15min and the other time walking around the gym deciding what weight machine to do. To top it off I would be driving home feeling unaccomplished for the day.

So I decided to change it up. Its true when someone tells you running on a treadmill is nothing like running on the actually ground. When I am running on the treadmill I can last anywhere from 4-6miles. Ask me about the ground run and thats a different story. Eventhough it maybe a little struggle running outside I push my self just as hard as I do in the gym. Defeat for me isn't an option. I will push myself until I can no longer push. As scary as it sounded I took my workout outside today.

It was very nice out today. It wasn't too cool or too hot. I had already mapped out the route may days ago. I am currently training for a 5K run here and needed an alt place to run a 5K. This is only to see how much my body can take and how much work I needed before the race. Feeling kinda blah at first I walked my first 2 miles. This is only so I could warm-up my muscles. After seeing another person across the road running I was like heck no he isn't going to be the only person running today. Yes I know it sounds wicked! I tend to trick my mind into things so I can get pumped to run, even if it mean the other person not even knowing it. After reading that section back I don't think that made much sense, lol!

Anyways,the run/walk turned out to be the GREATEST workout ever. I might be doing that again very soon just because I got fresh air, and a chance to clear my mind!

Hope everyone had a great work out today!



Workouts

Looking back from where I am now on my workouts and where I started I literally amaze myself. When I first started going to the gym I could barely work out for 30 min. I started off by walking on the treadmill for 15 mins. Everytime I went back I would add a minute or two onto the 15 min I orginially started.

At my first trainer meeting I nearly choked when she told me I needed to walk at a 4.0 speed to burn any calories. Okay did she not see that I was OVERWEIGHT, but I listened. I figured she knew what she was talking about since she was the trainer. Needless to say I did try the 4.0 speed and well I could barely keep the pace. Sure I was sweating, but I don't think it was from the walking it had to be me concentrating so hard not to fall off the darn machine. Honestly, I think that was the last day I walked at a 4.0. I am no trainer, but I do know my body and how much it can take. In saying that I of coursed walked at a speed of 3.2 to warm up. After 5 min I would bump the speed every 5 min until I reached 3.8. The incline is another portions that I would continuesly move up. I kept this routinue until I thought I could carry a conversation with someone without getting winded.

Many overweight people would never step into the gym because of fright. Fright because the crowd you bump into at a gym are individuals who work out and look their best. Personally I was one of those people who NEVER saw my self at a gym. I always felt that someone would judge me for stepping foot in one. I've been extremly hard on myself since beginning this journey. I felt like people would be looking at me with judegment eyes while I worked out. But when enough becomes enough and your tired of being tired none of that crap matters. Once I stopped worrying what others thought about me and accepted me for me. I was able to go into that gym and not care if some skinny chic on the treadmill was looking at me while I did my routine. Its from that point when you actually get tired of accepting what others think of you. When in reality only GOD can judge.

Now I am glad I got over my fright bump because the gym is my santuary. Its a place now where I can escape this crazy place called "life." I can now say proudly that I am gym junkie and careless what you think of me. The gym has become my 2nd home from home. Gym members are the sweetest people I could have ever met. And I now know that they aren't judging me, they are encouraging me.

I change my workout routinue weekly due to getting bored very easily. Its good for the body to try new things. Once your body gets used to your daily workouts no progress will show. While I am training for runs I run daily. I start my workouts with a brisky comfortable warm up walk..usually at a 3.5 speed. Then gradually moving the speed up to 4.2. Once I warm up I start running at a 4.9 and finish with a 6.0. Depending on time I try to run anywhere from 15-60 minutes. Stretching is very important before and after your walks or runs. I also do some weight training. My workout consist of 60-120min sessions.

Hope this helps some of you all! :)



Getting Started

It was hard for me to actually notice what I had done to myself. I finally got a wake up call when I was in a dressing room one day trying on some new clothes. My jeans had been fitting a little tighter than normal. At first I thought it was because the pair was getting a little worn out. Like any woman I grabbed the current size I was wearing 24w then not getting them past my hip. “GEEZ,” immediately popped into mind along with thinking I had to walk back out there and pick up size 26/28w. Every excuse and beyond was being thought on why I no longer could fit into my size 24w. “I just ate, bloated,C-section, baby weight, etc...” the list could have gone on for miles and miles. Every thought except “I did this to myself!” was admitted. Sure I’m a mom and like any mother carried baby weight after pregnancy, but that wasn’t the whole answer. I had to come to terms with I ate like there was no tomorrow and gained this weight. Eating too much of BAD foods and NO exercise would lead you to a path I was on. I simply made these changes below that would lead me through my weight loss journey.

Its important to keep in mind once I finally convinced myself that I needed to do this I did most of my start diet through cold turkey. I tended to be very hard on myself in the beginning. And this does not work for everyone. This is the only way I could have begun.


NO MORE:

Sweets
Sodas
White Bread
White Pastas

ONLY ALLOWED

Veggies/Salads
Some Fruits
Sugar-free Jell-O
Chicken
Fish
Lots of water (about 10 8oz cups per day)


How I got inspired to start this journey..

"Only you can make a change in yourself when you are ready..not when others are ready for you to make the change..."



I absolutely live by this quote. I have always struggled with my weight. I think the last time I was a size small was when I was 10. I can almost recall that once I entered my high school years the weight gain started increasing. I guess it could have been taking other courses instead of gym that contributed to my weight. As the numbers on the scale starting becoming high digits my parents started harping on me to lose weight. Though they never seemed to help the situation either by always buying "us" snacks that weren't healthy, but I knew me being healthy was a concern. The fact of having diabetes on both sides of my family could have played apart on why my parents harped so much. The odds would definitely be against me: overweight, Hispanic, and genetics, but thoughts of getting that disease honestly never crossed my mind. Seriously, who in high school is thinking about getting an incurable disease? Especially when the pressure of having high grades so you can get into a good college or fitting in with the "cool" crowd thinks about long term health. I can be honest and say now that it never crossed my mind.

Officially I have been dieting ever since I could remember, but never loss much weight. I have never been an athletic person or really cared much about playing sports. Growing up in a family full of boys you would have thought I would have been a (n) sports junkie. Sports just weren’t my thing growing up. The pressure of losing weight became very annoying to me due to not seeing anything wrong with my weight at the time. Plus, I was no where near weighing 200lbs. My highest weight during my teen years was probably 183lbs and again to me that wasn't fat. To weigh that much and still be able to fit into the "in" jeans I considered myself normal.

I have been through many obstacles that probably should have inspired me to make changes in my life. I believe that everyone could want the best for you, but until you want the best it means nothing. As much as everyone wanted me to lose the weight and be healthy I never did it. I felt like I never had the drive or need to lose weight. The quote at the beginning of this blog is basically my story. How could I make a change in myself if I just wasn't ready or want it bad enough. As a parent you want the very best for your child, but in my case just because my parents wanted me to lose the weight I didn't want it. Basically no one can make you do anything you don't want to do. The pressure of being healthy just misdirected me more from becoming healthy.

Until a year ago I felt like I was happy in my oversized body. And never took into consideration death. My dad passed away July 8,2008 of an illness that had nothing to do with obesity. He was a very active man who served our country and moled his children to be the best people they can be. Looking back I never felt that such a death would turn my world upside down for the better. I started realzing that tomorrow isn't promised to us nor the day after. Flashes of life suddenly began entering my eyes of all the things I still hadn't done or the people I dearly loved that I would leave behind. One of those people being my son. Once having a child you want nothing, but the best for them. In my case I didn't want my son growing up without a mother or telling his friends his mom died because she was too selfish to lose weight. The emotions I felt not having my dad around effected me to a point where the light bulb finally turned on. I needed to lose this weight once and for all. I needed to be around to watch my son grow up. I needed to experience all lifes obstacles.


Photobucket



"Because of you dad..I am finally doing something that I never thought possible...Its never too late to be the person you always dreamed yourself being."

Jessica



This is me..

I am an outgoing 26 year old mom,college student, sister, and daughter who was sick of being overweight. I was tired of being tired and not feeling good about myself. I've lost approximately 60 pounds with diet and exercise. I am proveing to family and friends that you can lose weight without a MAGIC pill. Seriously they don't exist. Though I am still on this journey I hope to inspire and help someone along the way.