goals

Don’t Panic! I’m Here.

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I know, I know. I didn’t post on Sunday or Monday.

Don’t worry: I didn’t quit. I didn’t fall off the wagon. I didn’t binge eat tacos until my blood turned into queso.

Can I confess the silly, embarrassing, and downright amateur reason I didn’t post this weekend?

I forgot my laptop charger at work.

And, since my house is currently a state of chaos, I couldn’t find ANY of my spare chargers to save my life.

It was a really good weekend. Friday morning I ran with my girlfriends (roughly 6 miles), and then hit the gym for an extended sweat-sesh after work. Burned a ridiculous 1,900 calories Friday as a result.

Saturday was a good workout (over 1,400 calories burned!), but I did eat a bit heavy – went to a soccer game and had chicken tenders and fries. I probably rounded up the calories a bit much, but figured it’s better to overestimate versus under-estimate and see it on the scale a few days later.

Sunday I ran errands, ate Greek food, and skipped the gym, giving myself a well-deserved night off to relax.

Monday, the holiday, I opted out of BBQ and opted to spend an entire day in the kitchen, prep-cooking and making meals for the week.

The Planned Work-Week Menu:

  • Keto Blueberry Muffins
  • Keto Italian Herb & Cheese Muffins
  • Miracle Noodles Chicken Alfredo
  • Spinach, Egg, Turkey Bacon Frittata
  • Greek Cucumber Salad

I’ll share some of the recipes this week, but now …it’s time to head to the gym!

Have a great night everyone!

– Tori

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Great Run!

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At least one hundred times in the last three years, I’ve bumped into a neighbor in workout clothes and we’ve chatted about our mutual love of running.

Despite this almost daily interaction, we had never run together. I had often thought about suggesting it, but I was intimidated by her fitness level: she regularly competes in triathlons and, despite my Marathon success this past January, my weight gain has really crushed my self confidence.

A few nights ago, after we’d bumped into each other walking our dogs, she told me she planned to do an 8 mile training run Tuesday morning and asked if I’d want to join. I hesitated, embarrassed that I wouldn’t be able to keep up, but then told her I’d love to.

For two nights in a row, I panicked, worried she’d be so much faster than me or that she’d feel like she had to tone down for me to keep up, and I even debated canceling on her. I didn’t want to be that person, though, so when my alarm went off at 4:45am this morning to get ready, I got up, stretched, and put on my running clothes.

I met up with her and her friend, another super fit runner, and I could feel myself getting really nervous that I wouldn’t be able to keep up. But they were so nice and friendly and excited to run together, I decided I would give it my all and hope for the best.

Nine miles later, we finished as the sun was rising over Lake Baldwin, and I couldn’t believe we were done. We talked the whole time and, except for a quick water stop, we ran the whole route. Because of the high heat and humidity, we committed to a 10:00 minute mile pace; and it felt perfect the entire way.

No pain. No stress. Just a beautiful run and great conversation.

I’m so glad I didn’t cancel, and this gave me the confidence I needed to know that my few extra pounds haven’t diminished my athletic ability or endurance. I can get this weight back off, and I can continue to get stronger and faster at the same time.

I can do this. We can do this.

Bon appetite, my friends!

– Tori

The Great Chocolate Race!

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I know I’ve been rather quiet on here the last year or so, but rest assured my interest and passion for exercise, nutrition, and weight loss has never abated.

In fact, in the last few months, I’ve developed a love for running that has become nearly an obsession.

I have always wanted to be a “runner;” that is to say, I always wanted to find the joy in running that so many people I know had, but it always seemed elusive to me. I’d sign up for 5Ks and find myself snoozing my alarm clock, looking for excuses not to go. When I did get myself there (about 50% of the time, sadly, prior to 2016), I would hate every step of the run, and would count down the mileage like a silent prayer to the fitness gods.

But something changed. I don’t know when, I don’t know how, but something in me flipped. I think it was in the Spring, at the Winter Park Road Race. I think running the 10K without stopping, setting a personal PR of sub-55 minutes, was the catalyst I needed.

I think the main reason I disliked running was because I thought I was inherently bad at it, purely because I wasn’t the fastest.

But running, unless you’re an Olympic track star, is not about speed: it’s about going.

Once I realized that running was about the mind-body connection and not about the speed, running suddenly became an addiction.

I found myself amazed by my strength and endurance, and each run I managed to run longer, faster, and with less recovery needed.

Last weekend, I ran in The Great Chocolate Race, a 10+ mile course covering downtown Orlando. My only goal upon arrival was to RUN the whole thing; no stopping unless I truly had to (i.e. shoes untied or some halt-worthy emergency). I didn’t care about my time: I just wanted to be able to say to myself that I never stopped.

Well …it worked.

 

Per my RunKeeper app, I ran 10.52 miles (must have taken wide turns?) in 1:35:37.

1:35:37

That’s a 9:05 Min/Mile pace.

That’s more than a minute faster per mile than I planned, and it was one of the best races I’ve ever had.

I went into the run with the goal of finishing, and I ended up taking 2nd place for my age/gender.

SECOND PLACE!

Overall, I came in 45th place out of ALL runners, and came in 22nd out of all females.

When did I become a runner?

The day I decided I was one.

Bon appetit, my friends, and happy running (or whatever sport tickles your fancy),

~ Tori

Almost 2016

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It has been several weeks since I posted on here, and several months since I posted with any regularity.

I’ll admit, 2015 has been a rough year for me in regards to my weight, but it has been a beautiful year in almost every other way.

I decided sometime around late August to stop worrying about my weight -which was climbing steadily despite ardent (translation: OBSESSIVE) exercise and dieting- and instead focus on enjoying my day-to-day LIFE. You know the old adage about a “watched pot never boils,” right? Well, I was watching that pot like a hawk, and it was lukewarm (and growing colder by the moment), so it was time to step out of the kitchen.

That being said, I didn’t stop caring about my health. God, no. Exercise has and will always be a part of my adult life: it’s my daily stress relief and something I do just for myself.

I’ve continued working out and trying to eat well, but I’ve stopped beating myself up after every cheat. I’ve also let myself indulge way more than normal, and it has been downright glorious. Chocolate and red wine have been in good company in my belly for several months.

Yes, my weight is up. As of this morning, I’m back up to 137.8, a weight I haven’t touched in over three years. This time last year, I was swinging from 124-127, so this is a big jump, and I’m not denying I can see it on more than just the scale. This Yo-Yo has some dough-dough, and it’s mostly sitting on her butt and hips (a first, honestly, since it used to all gather in my belly).

That being said, not watching the scale –and not letting my weight dictate my emotions– has been a beautiful, freeing adventure. And, surprisingly, it really didn’t cause much damage. At least, not as much as I expected.

I thought when I gave up weighing in daily, religiously using my GymPact and MyFitnessPal, and posting here, my weight would spiral out of control. I figured I’d be over 145 lbs by now.

Looking at the day of my last weigh in – the day I decided to “unplug” from my obsession almost four months ago – I am happy to say I’m only three pounds heavier on the scale. Huh. Three pounds heavier, but emotionally lighter than I’ve been in years.

That being said, instead of setting a New Year’s Resolution to eat healthier or lose weight, this year I want to focus on accomplishing goals. I want to run a 10k in March, a half Marathon in November, and a marathon in December.

I’ve already registered for two of the three races, and will register for the third as soon as registration opens in the Spring. I’m putting my money where my mouth is on this one.

Starting the week of the 4th, I’ll begin a running program to train for distance running. I won’t worry about my weight; I’ll focus on my breathing, my stamina, and my distance. I won’t worry about my pant size, but rather the soreness in my muscles and the strength in each leg.

While 2015 was about letting go, 2016 will just be about GO.

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

P.S. Isn’t my mother-in-law beautiful? The picture is of her and I on Christmas Eve at my house. We’re so in-sync, we dress to match on accident.

Low Carb Diet Underway

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OK, OK. Let me start this post off by saying this: I’m a bit of a hypocrite.

I’ve been very good about not stressing my weight for several weeks, and just eating well (for the most part) and exercising, trying not to pay attention to the scale but focusing on how my body feels instead.

Well, after a weekend of binging on junk food and drinking copious amounts of Tequila, the scale was NOT my friend this morning.

And, coincidentally, I’m just 12 days away from my 31st birthday/.

Yeah, so, about that “peace with my body thing” …it’s crunch time.

My husband and I agreed to hold one another accountable to a low carb, moderate-to-high fat diet between now and Friday, July 10th to see if we can undo some of the damage (aka, spare tire chub) caused as a result of our weekend-drinking for the past few months.

We grilled a bunch of lean meats (chicken breasts, turkey burgers, etc) to get us through the work week, and stocked up on spinach, kale, and broccoli to make our meals as healthy as possible.

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STACK ‘O MEAT!

Between now and July 10th, we’re aiming to eat under 25g carbs per day (easier said than done, by the way — EVERYTHING has carbs!) and stick to 1,200 to 1,500 calories per day.

My lunch pal at work has 4 cups of broccoli, 3 chicken breasts, spicy deli mustard, and 2 cups of spinach.

For breakfast, I actually made my go-to egg muffins, which are just egg whites, whole eggs, turkey bacon, and broccoli mixed together and baked in a muffin pan:

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Just five minutes of prep and then 15 minutes in the oven to get a dozen of these little beauties, which are roughly 70 calories each and taste amazing!

My hope is to go from today’s weight (133.2 – yipes) back down to 127-128 in time for my birthday on July 11th.

Now, before you go saying, “Heyyyyy, you can’t safely lose that much weight in 10 days,” please know that I’m expecting to lose 2-3 lbs in the next two days purely from water weight.

My husband and I had a lot of salty and decadent foods this weekend, and it’s pretty normal for me to drop 1-3 lbs between Monday and Wednesday just from the shedding of the salts from my system. So, realistically, I’m aiming to lose about 2-3 lbs in the next 10 days, which is doable with moderate exercise and a clean diet.

I’m not going to go to any extremes; my goal is just to tighten up a bit between now and then to ensure I can enjoy my weekend on the beach, which has become a birthday tradition.

Wish me luck!

~ Tori

“Savages, Savages, barely even human!”

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I did it! I finally did it!

I managed to convince my husband to run in the Fall Savage Race with me in Florida! Wahoo!

I’ve done it two out of the last three years (missed 2013 due to work commitments) and it has been one of my favorite events: a true test of strength, perseverance, and willingness to get filthy.

In 2012, I ran it just to say I did it:

savage3 savage2 Savage1

I don’t remember what my final time was, but considering it was 25 insane obstacles and over 6.5 miles (and I wasn’t in peak shape), my guess is that I was over two hours.

When I did it again in 2014, I had dropped about 15 lbs and trained significantly more. As a result, I did the race in about 1 hour, 38 minutes – and completed all but two of the grueling obstacles!

savage6 savage5 savage4

This year my weight is a bit up (about 8 lbs more than last year’s weight), but I’ve also been doing significantly more strength training and I’m finally working to shed the “sugar weight” I gained from my 9+ months of working two jobs and not sleeping. I didn’t gain it overnight, so I can’t expect to lose it overnight. I’m hoping to be back around 125-127 by the time October rolls around and it’s time to compete.

Fortunately, regardless of my weight, this time I’ll have MY HUBBY to support me on the course! I’m so excited and we’ve committed to train together, so we’re going to finish and finish strong. Will this be the year I beat 1:30? We shall see!

Bon appetit, my friends!

~ Tori

Wednesday’s Accountability Report

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Today was a great day!!

I had a record low weigh-in, had a kick-ass workout, and really enjoyed the first day of my other class. It seems like it’s going to consist of engaging discussion and very interesting content.

I also managed to save my extra calories to have a special treat tonight: a Cadbury Creme egg! For anyone that has followed this blog for a while, you know that these are my favorite. I normally don’t have enough leftover calorie allowance to eat one (they’re between 150-170, depending which flavor), so I really savored it tonight. YUM!

Here’s my report for the day:

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Like I said, my workout was awesome: elliptical, weight training, lunges, squats, and the Stairmaster! Tons of calories torched!

On that note, time for some sleep!

Bon appetit, my friends!
– Tori

Monday Update and Accountability!

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So …hopped on the scale this morning to discover a pleasant surprise:

128.2!!

That means I went down -gasp- seven pounds last week!

Granted, I know the vast majority of it was water weight, but it still makes me feel good. Plus, it doesn’t hurt my motivation to stick with it this week!

I ate a little more than planned, but that’s because we had a family dinner and I hate to eat restaurant food. I made the healthiest choice possible (grilled salmon salad, no dressing), but it still adds up.

Here’s my daily summary:

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I’m off of work this week (it’s my first week back in school, so I took the week off to get ahead), and with that extra time I want to hit the gym hardcore every day.

Wish me luck!

Bon appetit, my friends!
-Tori

Accountability for Thursday

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OK, it’s my fourth day of clean eating (counting a daily cheat of chocolate and/or wine), and I definitely felt challenged to stay on track.

I had four pieces of chocolate, and it took every ounce of self control not to have 1,871,491 more. Ugh.

My appetite is crazy, probably from the massive amount of cardio I did yesterday. Here’s how I managed for the day:

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As you can see, I definitely toned down the cardio today. I’m sore (and tired), plus I have a bit of a sore throat/sniffle thing starting …uh oh. Hope I don’t catch something, as that will completely throw off my exercise routine.

I’m dosing up on NyQuil and hoping a good night’s sleep knocks it out of me.

On that note, bon appetit, my friends!
– Tori

Today’s Accountability Report

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I’d originally planned to post pictures and measurements, but I hit the gym TWICE today and I’m too exhausted to move.

I weighed in this morning at 134.4, down 0.8 lbs from Monday. This seems like a lot, but considering I gained almost 6 lbs during a five day trip to NYC, I’m sad the number isn’t moving faster (which would indicate water weight). This leads me to believe I really did pack on some “insulation” during those few days.

Mathematically, it doesn’t add up (considering what I ate versus the excruciating amount of walking I did), but I guess that’s just my body.

Here’s how I did today:

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Yeah, I definitely overdid it. An hour of elliptical before work, two hours after, and just one short walk during the day.

Keep in mind my Jawbone Up tracks the movements of my arm as “steps,” so the three hours elliptical make up a HUUUUGE part of those 33k steps. That’s why those steps don’t actually count to my workout, because the mobile app recognizes that I’ve already given myself the credit from the elliptical exercises logged. I swear, I’m not walking laps all day, every day. Hahaha!

Here’s hoping the scale is a little better to me in the AM!

Bon appetit, my friends!
– Tori

P.S. For those curious about my breakdown of nutrients:

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I normally have a protein shake (whey protein, banana, strawberries, and almond milk) for breakfast, a pear or apple for a morning snack, a giant salad (no dressing) with grilled chicken for lunch, hummus and carrots for a mid-afternoon snack, grilled chicken or steak (or fish) for dinner with tons of veggies (cooked in salsa), and then a daily cheat of one glass of red wine (Malbec) and 1-3 pieces of chocolate.

Normally equates to 1,300-1,500 calories.