Well, good news and bad news. Good news is that I think the Whole 30 is awesome. Bad news is that I now know I will not be able to continue on the Whole 30 while training for my marathon.
Let’s start off with the good part. I know you are not supposed to weigh yourself at all during your time on the whole 30, but I was just curious to see how it was affecting my body. Remember, I started on last Monday, October 17th. On Saturday morning I weighed myself. I had lost 7 pounds. Josh weighed himself on that Friday and he had lost 8 pounds. As for my body fat percentage, I measured it again today. (I have an awesome electronic machine to do this at school.) It read 16.9 percent. Talk about some quick results. Let me remind you that we were eating as much as we wanted. We were just eating food that was nutrient rich and not the processed food and sugar our taste buds love. We used the recipes we bought from the Whole9 website. Paleo Pad Thai was a favorite. I will eat that now it was so good. I also found out that I love spaghetti squash! It is an awesome alternative to noodles. The thing is you have to get creative with your meals. I can tell you for someone who loves eggs that I could go a few days without them.
My weight dropped, body fat percentage dropped, and I felt pretty good. Now, here is the reason why I am not going to continue Whole 30 as of this moment. Josh and I ran in the Houston Half Marathon this Sunday. I was really looking forward to it because I have trained the most for this race, more so than my other halves because of my marathon training. I mean I have been running 14 and 16 miles for my long runs. So 13.1 should have been a piece of cake. Well, it wasn’t. It was probably one of the most miserable runs that I have run in a very long time. I usually enjoy the race, but not Sunday. I felt so bad for Josh because this was his first race and he had to stop a lot for me. He was very sweet. I simply did not have enough energy, not enough fuel to keep me going for that distance. Maybe I wasn’t eating enough or drinking enough. I am not sure, all I know is that I know my body and it was not happy with me one bit. My past two halves have been a little under 2 hours and one just over it. My time this race was about 40 minutes slower than before.
So with that being said, I have decided to postpone my Whole30 until January. I am kind of bummed, but I know it is okay. In fact in the FAQ section for the Whole30 it does caution you that if you are training for your first marathon you might struggle a bit. I struggled tons. So marathon training trumps Whole 30 for now. I’ll keep you updated on how training is going!

It has started! Whole 30 time! I would have put a few more exclamation points after that on Monday when I started. It is now day 4 and I am missing my comfort food. You know I never realized how many commercials on TV were for food. Did you know KFC came out with a new mashed potato bowl? And they added bacon?!! Come on now. You are killing me.
In all reality it has not been that hard. I've been preparing and planning my meals. The hardest part is not thinking about all the food I do not get to eat. Also, not loving vegetables already has been quite a challenge, since most of my meal is supposed to be vegetables. I am learning interesting ways to incorporate them into my meals. I eat a lot of spinach. It is pretty easy to eat that with almost everything. It is a lot of mental games. For now I am winning, but I hope it gets easier. I took my stats body weight, height, body fat percentage. I've never really cared about my weight, but I am interested in my body fat %. I started off at 18.8 % which is about average.I am interested in seeing the difference in results after the whole 30 is over.
As far as my running I ran the longest run ever , 16 miles, on Sunday. Yuck... let's just say that it was not the most fun run ever. But I did it, which is the important part. I may have walked more than I wanted, but I can improve. Josh, Ashley, and I are running the Houston 1/2 this weekend. I am really looking forward to that. It feels weird to say that my long run this week will only be 13.1 miles. Totally different outlook after running 14 and 16 miles. Plus, race days are fun!
I am still raising money for The Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. I am getting closer to my goal of $500 dollars. Please scroll down to my other posts to find the link to donate and read a little bit more about it.

Cramming? I think so.

I officially ran for the longest amount of time ever in my life on this past Saturday. I did okay for the most part. My knees bothered me most during my run, but today they feel fine. It was also a very muggy day, so that did not make for the best running weather, but the important thing is that I got out there and did it. Just under 14 miles, completed. It is pretty hard to imagine right now, that I have another one of those runs to complete on top of what I just finished. People said that training was the hardest part, and I believe them. Right now, I am praying for some cooler weather. It makes running so much easier.

As far as preparing for the Whole 3o, this weekend was not good. Breads, fried foods, fries, ice cream, you name it, I ate it. And this morning breakfast was served at work so I ate hash brown casseroles, kolaches, egg casseroles, biscuits. Am I cramming before next week? It would appear so. However, I really do feel a difference when I eat better. I have a lot more energy, and I don't feel like well, "Blah." I felt pretty "Blah" all weekend. Here is what I have found to be one of the key factors to eating well. If I don't prepare for my meals, I will eat whatever I can. And that most likely will not be Whole 30 approved. When I plan out what I will eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and actually prepare most of it in advance, it is easy to stay on track. This is going to take a lot of effort, but I really do think I can do it. Josh and I bought The WHOLE30 Made Simple 2011 Edition manual from the Whole9 website. It is basically an 85 page book that has information about what we learned in the conference and awesome tips on how to do the Whole30 and awesome recipes! If you are seriously going to take on the Whole30 with us or on your own, I would recommend getting yourself a copy.

I finished the book Heaven is for Real. I love it. Seriously, if you have some time, pick up a copy. It is a quick read, but very good.
Short post for today. Busy week ahead, I will try to keep you updated.
Great news! I am over halfway of reaching my goal of raising $500! Still collecting donations if it is something you would like to support!
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Check out my previous posts for details. Have a great day!

I am slowly trying to work my way to be Whole 30 ready. I have been consciously cutting out grains and eating more vegetables. I still am drinking my coffee with half and half and Stevia, but you know it's not whole 30 time yet. I can already tell though that the diet change is having an effect. I am not as tired, with less caffeine. I used to drink Coke Zero at lunch almost every day because I get that half day tiredness. Now, I don't drink it at all. Here is an example of my diet for one day this week.

Breakfast is an egg and banana with coffee. I am not all that hungry in the mornings due to my coffee. Lunch is 2 or 3 hard boil eggs, some celery and carrots, and some pistachios. Sometimes I will eat a salad. For dinner, which is my favorite is usually some sort of protein, veggies, fruit and avocado. For example: chicken, orange slices, broccoli and onions, and avocado. And for someone who doesn't particularly like veggies, I have found out how to season the heck out of 'em and the chicken for it to taste awesome. Now, I wish I could say this was all I was eating, but I can't. I made cookies last weekend to try and get rid of them before the whole 3o. :) I eat at least two everyday. Annnnd yesterday I had a cupcake. That will be my main struggle I think is cutting out the sweet stuff because I still crave it. But I still have a couple more weeks to prepare myself.

Running wise, it's still going pretty well. Ran 4.5 miles on Monday. It was a pretty tough run, I think because I was still a little sore from Saturday's run. The weather is awesome!!!!! Finally, get to run in 80 degree weather instead of 90. I usually find it easier to run in the mornings, but on days when it feels this good outside it is just too good to pass up running in the afternoon. I'm going for a nice afternoon run today. My running plan calls for 6 miles. I find that the hardest part of running, going to work out at the gym, or attending a workout class is just getting there. How many times do I plan to work out that day, but then I am too tired or too busy? Josh gave me some good advice last summer. He said if you don't feel like running that day, just commit to taking a walk at the park. Chances are that you will end up ready to run once you get out there. It's so true, just getting out there is half the battle. I'm learning to stop making excuses for myself. If I want to get better, I have to just do it. Sometimes it takes a lot of self motivation, and other times I am motivated by someone else or something I watch. Just do what you have to in order to get yourself out there.

In other news, I am reading a wonderful book called Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent. My dear friend Jena gave it to me for my birthday. (By the way you should check out her blog, she sells some really amazing things. It's called Sweet Tea.) I am about half way through and have already teared up several times. Sometimes I read, hear, or watch things that just make an immediate impact. This is one of those books. If you are looking for something to read I suggest it. The book is about a little boy and his family and a near death experience for the little boy. The last part of the book I read, before I made myself go to sleep really hit me.

" 'I tell you the truth,' Jesus said, 'unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.' Whoever humbles himself like this child... What is childlike humility? It's not the lack of intelligence, but the lack of guile. The lack of agenda. It's that precious fleeting of time before we have accumulated enough pride or position to care what other people might think. The same un-self-conscious honesty that enables a three-year-old to splash joyfully in a rain puddle, or point out loudly that you have a booger hanging out of your nose, is what is required to enter heaven. It is the opposite of ignorance-- it is intellectual honesty: to be willing to accept reality and to call things what they are even when it is hard. "---Heaven is For Real

I am looking forward to continuing reading this. It's one of those where I get goosebumps all the time. :)

Still collecting donations for Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children. Check out the link, and donate if you can spare it. Trying to reach a goal of $500 dollars. At $100 right now, and I could use your help.

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Help me raise money for The Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

You can be a part of something great! Please take a look at my last post and watch the Dateline report on Cody. The Scottish Rite Hospital does some amazing things for children as amazing as this young man. I showed this clip to my PE classes this year, and I gaurantee it had an impact on them. I hope it has the same impact on you. If you can spare even $5, it would be ever so appreciated. Let's raise some money!



My donation page. You can create one too if you like!

Donation Progress and Page

Time for a change

So Josh and I signed up for the White Rock Marathon benefiting the Scottish Rite Children's Hospital in Dallas. The race is December 4th, otherwise known as rapidly approaching. I have been keeping up with my training for the most part. I ran my longest run yesterday. A big 12 miler. Yes, I know I am nuts. However, it has not been that bad for the most part. During the week, I usually run 2 or three times. Each day consists of about 4-6 miles. The long runs are the most difficult part in this training. Check out how awesome the Scottish Rite Hospital is, and just one story of how it helps kids. If you have some time, watch this short clip and then the MSNBC story It's very inspiring. Cody's Story

The Susan G Komen Race For The Cure 5K was also occurring yesterday. The course was set just outside my house near the park. There were over 35,000 people there. Just having the people out and around makes running so much easier. I would have much rather participated in the race, but I knew if I did I would not want to run another 9 miles after it. So instead I ran my run early making my course from my house to and around Memorial Park and back through the Bayou so I could meet up with my roommate, Ashley. She was in charge of a group running the race. It is so inspirational to see other's giving their time and money to support those who have struggled with breast cancer. If you ever have the chance to run or walk in a race like this, I encourage it. Get a group together, make it a social event. You get to be active, start your day off right, and be supporting a great cause. Check out the website to see if there is a race near you! Susan G Komen

I believe that it is always easier to exercise if you have a goal in mind. What the goal is will be up to you. Mine of course right now is to get ready for this marathon. So what is your goal? I also think that it is not only getting your mind ready for your goal it is getting your body ready. With that being said, what you feed your body has a lot to do with how you perform. Not just while you exercise, but in everyday life. Tired or being tired all the time? I know I am. Josh and I attended a nutritional workshop put on by an organization called The Whole 9, which has serisouly made me think about my lifestyle.

It was an eight hour workshop, and let's just say that after really listening to what they have to say, I constantly think about what I eat and how it effects my body. Now, I have taken classes in college about nutrition so it is not all new information, and in fact one of my favorite college professors was at the same conference, but some of the information did go against what I have come to understand as healthy. I have made a rut for myself in my everyday diet. I tend to eat what I want, what I crave. Now I do watch what I eat most times, but I have lately been very lax in my choices. Those choices tend to be sticking on me a little longer in places that I'd rather not have it sticking. Hardest part of this change, is mental. Mentally giving up the food that I love, the cookies, the bread, the pasta, the dairy (Cheese!) will be THE hardest part. However, I have come to terms with my self. I need to change. I need to get myself healthy again. Now, I cannot do this program justice by talking about it here on my blog. But I will give you the link to the whole9 website. Read it...with an OPEN mind. Really think about it, not about how hard it will be, but about the result whether it be weight loss, or reduction of inflammation in your body, or just an overall lifestyle change.

Read about the Whole 30 challenge. This is what Josh and I will be doing starting on October 17th. One month of an extremely strict diet. I will be blogging about how I am preparing, mentally and physically. I will also put on here some recipes that I enjoy. Also be prepared for some major struggle and success stories. Leave a comment if this is something that you may be interested in doing with us. It always helps to have a support group.

I am getting really excited about this change and the results it will be bring. If you are ready for a change, now is the time to start, whether it is the whole 3o or just choosing to exersice a little more, or eat a little better. Please, leave some comments and let everyone know what your change is.