Wednesday, April 13, 2011

I don't like to run...

I had the fabulous New Year's Resolution this year to lose weight... again. Very pathetic. At least my motivation is higher this year as I realized that I have put on 50 pounds since I finished my undergraduate degree in 2002. Yeah, it is that scary. I tried at first just to watch what I was eating, but wasn't having much success. My sister talked me into try a website call My Fitness Pal (that has a very handy iPhone app). The first day I tracked how much I had eaten that day and realized that I had consumed around 2500 calories, so much for watching what I was eating... The app suggested that I should eat around 1650 calories to lose a pound a week. After the first week of really watching what I was eating, I lost 3 pounds. It is amazing what a little self control can do! After I got over the hump of being hungry all the time, it has been pretty easy. I have managed to stick with it and have lost 13 pounds so far. I feel fabulous! Part of that is because I have started working out as well, which moves on to the next point of insanity in my life. I am going to compete in a triathlon.

I know... I'm nuts because I hate to run! As I started working out I realized needed a reason to keep going. I love to swim, but there isn't really a marathon for swimmers. So I looked up the types of triathlons and found out that there is one called a sprint where on average you swim 500 meters, bike 13 miles, and run 3 miles. So armed with a new inhaler, I started running. I still suck at it, but I am getting where I can run for longer. The swimming will be really easy as I typical swim about 1000 meters during my morning workouts. So far the longest distance I have bicycled has been 6 miles, but that is how far I can go in my half-hour workouts. I need to start working on my distance. I have a goal next week to increase the distance (even if it takes longer the 30 minutes!) But the running will be the hard part. So far I have only been able to run a mile... I know. I can totally walk 3 miles though! I try to run twice a week and each day I increase the distance I run. My stamina is getting better, so maybe in 6 months I can run 3 miles. To make me feel even more pathetic, my sister (who is insane and loves to run) is working on running a half-marathon and can run 10 miles, last time a I checked. It makes it even more pathetic that I can't run a lousy 3 miles. Oh well, I will still keep trying. Now I just have decide on a which triathlon I will compete in...

Monday, March 7, 2011

Enabling instant gratification since 2010

As one of my New Year's resolutions, I decided to actually start budgeting. I know, it is quite shocking. As a strange side note I realized that I am not spending money on "real" books anymore. I I haven't bought a "real" book since last year. But that doesn't mean that I'm not buying books anymore... I've just switched to ebooks. Sadly, last month I spent over $40 on ebooks. I have decided that my e-reader has enabled my instant gratification needs. With it if I want a book at 1:30 am I can get it. And I can have it with me wherever I go. I'm frustrated when there isn't an ebook available and I have to actually read the "real" book. Part of me whines the whole time... the book is heavy, it won't stay open and I can't carry 30 books around with me at once. I know, I'm such a baby. I really want to buy the Harry Potter books, but they just aren't available. Come on publishers, get with the times! As an attempt to be better about my book spending habits, I will check to see if the library has the ebook available first. It helps that I can check out a book from the library at ridiculous hours as well. No need for waiting in my life. I am lucky to live in an area where the public library is actually spending a bit of money on ebooks. I have noticed that their collection is continuing to grow and I am able to get more of the books that I want to read from the library. With that I can have me ebook and keep my budget too!
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