Wednesday 12-31

Wednesday

group run:

AM:
Ran 4 miles @ 10:00 pace
Felt good maintaining that pace with no problems. I could have gone faster but wanted to save legs for next workout.
Core exc+ stretching with group

PM:
Ran 5 miles- easy slow pace(avg. 11:20)
Core exc.+stretching

Tuesday 12-30

Tuesday

Strength training/weights including core exc-60 minutes
Ran 5 miles-11:15 avg.pace

Stretching

Monday 12-29

Monday

Ran 10 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Core exc. with group

Stretching

Sunday 12-28

Sunday

Resting legs, no running today.
3 sets of core exc including planks and pushups

Stretching

Saturday 12-27

Saturday

Long run with group

15 mile route

Ran ~14 miles in 2 hours:47 minutes( avg 11:55 pace)
Walked ~1 mile.
Tough run; starting temp at 6 AM was 70 with high humidity, temp at end was 75 with wind.

Big storm coming to cool us down. I hope we have more consistent cool weather.

focus on replacing fluids today.
Stretching

Friday 12-26

Friday

Walked 65 minutes
Core exc.+ stretching

Thursday 12-25

Thursday

Slept in( for a change)

Strength training/weights -60 minutes
Ran 3miles-slow pace

Stretching

Wednesday 12-24

Wednesday

jogged 5 minutes as warmup
Speed intervals with group:

4x1 mile repeats with 90 second rest between
9:56,9:52,10:23,9:43

Core planks and stretching

glad this one was over, felt a bit tired toward the end.

Tiuesday 12-23

Tuesday

Strength training/weights- 60 minutes
Ran 3 miles-easy slow pace

Stretching

Monday 12-22

Monday

Ran 15 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Core exc, stretching at home

Very cold , temps in the 30s
Feeling good

Sunday 12-21

Sunday

Strength training/weights-30 minutes
Core exc+situps
Stretching

Saturday 12-20

Saturday

Long run with group:

Ran 10 miles
~1:52( 11:10 avg.pace)
unusually warm, temps in the mid 60s and muggy

Still felt good with no problems.
Stretching
2x15 leg swings

Friday 12-19

Friday

Day off.

Thursday 12-18

Thursday

Ran ~ 3 miles- easy slow pace

Walked 15 minutes to gym
Strength training/weights-60 minutes
Eliptical trainer-20 minutes
Walked 15 minutes to home

Stretching

Feeling good, no problems, staying positive.

Wednesday 12-17

Wednesday

Ran ~4 miles:
1 mile as slow warmup
Speed intervals with group:
8x 400s with 1 min. rest
(2:24,2:19,2:14,2:14,2:14,2:11,2:07,2:01)
5 min rest
1x800
(4:12)
Jog back 1/2 mile

Core exc., pushups, stretching with group
another cold run, felt good, no problems.

Tuesday 12-16

Tuesday
AM:
Ran 4 miles-easy and slow pace
Cold temp outside
Felt OK, no problems
Stretching
PM:
20 minutes on eliptical trainer
Strenght training/weights upper body +core -60 minutes

Monday 12-15

Monday

Ran 10 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 25 minutes of hill intervals with group
Core exc, pushups, stretching with group
4x15 leg swings

Sunday 12-14

Sunday
AM:
Core exc, planks

PM:
Ran the Jingle Bell 5 miler
45:12(9:03 avg.pace)

Surprised myself with this time.
feeling good, no problems, staying positive.
Stretching

Saturday 12-13

Saturday

Long run with group:
Ran 13 miles. 2 hours, 21 minutes( negative split)
avg. total pace: 10:50!!
General stretching and 4x10 leg swings

Great effort and pace control. good predictor for the actual half marathon in 4 weeks.

Staying positive,healthy, and focused on more weight loss before race day and obviously after.

Friday 12-12

Friday

Core exc. at home after work
relaxing, resting legs for long run on Saturday
will be running the jingle bell run 5 miler on Sunday too.

Thursday 12-11

Thursday

Strength training, chest, arms, back including core exc-60 minutes
Ran on treadmil at 5.5 speed for 18 minutes, 6.0 speed for 2 minutes

Still recovering from cold, but much better.

Wednesday 12-10

Wednesday

Sore throat, lots of sneezing. took the day off.
Will be back on schedule as soon as possible.

Tuesday 12-9

Tuesday

Strength training/weights including core exc-60 minutes

mostly isolation on chest and back+core exc
Tough workout, felt good overall.

Monday 12-8

Ran ~4 miles including:

6x 2minutes(medium pace-) with alternating 2 minutes (easy pace)

Felt good, no problems.

Sunday 12-7

Sunday
Cross-train day
Core exc.
30 minute walk ( from home to gym and back)

In gym:
15 minutes on eliptical trainer
20 minutes of strength training/weights ( chest, biceps, triceps, lats)
15 minutes run/walk with various speeds on treadmill

Saturday 12-6

Saturday
Ran 8 miles-step down in mileage this week!!
good avg.pace: 10:45
Stretched
2x10 leg swings
Feeling good, no problems, recovering well.

Friday 12-5

New Weigh In Day

It's the fifth of the month... time for a weight update

Original weight on 5-5-08: 280 pounds
Current weight on 12-5-08: 220 pounds.

60 pounds lost.
40 pounds left to reach the goal of 180 pounds.

Percentage lost: 21.4%

Pant size: from 42 to currently loose 38. Probably need size 36 with a relaxed cut.
Shirt size: most shirts were xxl, now most are xl.

Thursday 12-4

Thursday

Warmup on eliptical trainer-10 minutes
Strength training/weights including core exc-60 minutes
Cardio warmdown on treadmill+eliptical trainer-15 minutes

Stretching

Feeling good, but not much energy left.

Wednesday 12-3

Wednesday

5 min jog as warmup
Threshold(medium pace) Intervals with group:
2 miles-20:23
5 minute rest
1 mile-9:20
3 minute rest
1/2 mile -4:10
core exc,pushups, stretching with group
1 mile warmdown

Tuesday 12-2

Tuesday

Eliptical trainer-warmup for 10 minutes
Strength training including core exc and weights-60 minutes
Stretching

Monday 12-1

Monday
AM:
Jogged ~20 minutes as slow warmup
Ran hill intervals with group:
4x5 minutes of hard effort on hills with 90 second rest between
Core exc,pushups, stretching with group

Sunday 11-30

Sunday

Situps, core, pushups, stretching

Traveling back to Houston

back to normal schedule on Monday

Saturday 11-29

Saturday

Ran ~ 12 miles -long run pace
rolling hills for most of the run
did well, feeling good

Friday 11-28

Friday

Ran 5 miles
Stretching

Thursday 11-27

Thursday

Traveling for thanksgiving
No workout, spending time with family

Wednesday 11-26

Wednesday

Jogged 1 mile as warmup
Speed Interval workout:
3x800m, with 1 min rest
(4:34,4:34,4:32)
5 min rest
2x800m,with 1 min rest
(4:24,4:22)
5 min rest
1x800
(4:11)
Stretching calves, hamstrings, back, and quads.
4x15 leg swing stretches

Tuesday 11-25

Tuesday
Weight/Strength training including core-60 minutes
Stretching

Monday 11-24

Monday
AM:
jogged 10 minutes as warmup
Ran with group:
6x3 minutes of hill intervals(medium to hard effort) with 90 second rests
Core exc and stretching with group
tough workout but I did well actually.
Should go for a walk in the evening

PM:
Walked 60 minutes

Sunday 11-23

Sunday

Took the whole day off. Need to recover and mentally relax a bit from exercise.

Saturday 11-22

Saturday

Ran 13 miles with group
2 hours:19 minutes (10:54 avg.pace )
2x10 leg swing stretches
General stretching

Feeling good, no problems, focusing on the Houston Half Marathon on 1/18/09

Friday 11-21

Friday
taking day off. resting for long run on Saturday.

Thursday 11-20

Thursday
AM:
Ran 5 miles - 11:00 min.avg.pace
Situps, pushups
Stretching

PM:
Weights/strength training-30 minutes
Stretching

Wednesday 11-19

Wednesday
AM:
jogged for a hort warmup
Intervals with group:
3x(1 mile,1min rest, 400 m) with 5 min rest between sets
Mile: 9:45,8:45,8:47
400's: 1:58,2:05,1:58
Core exc. with group
tough workout, put a lot of effort in this, felt good but also "done" at the end.
Stretching

Tuesday 11-18

Tuesday
AM:
Ran 4 miles-easy and slow pace
Stretching

PM:
Weight/Strength training-60 minutes
Stretching

Monday 11-17

Monday
AM:
Ran 15 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Core exc, stretching with group
4x10 leg swings

PM:
Situps, pushups, core
Walked 60 minutes

Sunday 11-16

Sunday

taking the whole day off.
Just some stretching in the evening

Saturday 11-15

Saturday
AM
Long run- Ran 13 miles with group
2 hours:28 minutes ( ~11:22 avg pace)
2X 20 leg swing stretches
Stretching calves, hamstrings, quads, back

Recover

PM:
Walked 60 minutes-slow and easy

Friday 11-14

Friday
AM:
Ran ~ 6 miles -slow and easy pace
Stretching

PM:
Off. Just stretching after work. Need energy for Saturday's long run.

Thursday 11-13

Thursday

Strength/weight training including core- 60 minutes
Walk/jogging-30 minute total

Stretching

Wednesday 11-12

Wednesday

Speed intervals with group (1600,1200,800,400) with 3 min. rest between
1600- 10:10
1200- 7:25
800- 4:27
400- 1:59
Warm down with ~1 mile jog
2x 10 leg swings
Stretching

Tuesday 11-11

Tuesday

AM:

Ran 4 miles-easy and slow.
Stretching(calves, quads, hamstrings,back)
feeling good.

PM:

Weights and strength training including core exc.-60 minutes in gym
Stretching

Monday 11-10

Monday

Ran 15 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
5 minutes of core exc, situps, pushups with group


Stretching

Sunday 11-9

Sunday

AM:
Easy jog-20 minutes
6x10 second strides
Stretching

PM:
Ran 3 miles easy and slow
Walked 15 minutes

Saturday 11-8

My birthday

AM:
Ran 8 miles with group
2x20 leg swing stretches
General stretching
Got a massage

PM:
Walked 30 minutes

Feeling good, no problems, staying positive.

Friday 11-7

Day Off

Easy walk- 30 minutes

Thursday 11-6

Thursday

Weights/Strength training including core exc-60 minutes
Walked 35 minutes

Wednesday 11-5

New Weight

Original Weight on 5-5-08: 280 pounds
Current weight on 11-5-08: 226 pounds.

Weight loss of 54 pounds, 19.3% of original weight.

Original pant size: 42, now wearing pant size 38 which feels a bit loose.
I'll try pant size 36 in few weeks.

Wednesday 11-5

AM:

Ran with group:tempo run of 4 miles.
5 minutes of Core exc, situps, pushups
Stretching

PM:
Walked 60 minutes

Tuesday 11-4

Weights +core exc.-60 minutes
35 minute cardio in gym-( 20 minute walk,15 minute jog)

Felt good but with little enrgy left.

Monday 11-3

Monday

AM:
Ran 15 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 4x5 minute of hill repeat intervals with group(hard effort up and down the hill),
total=20 minutes of hills
Ran 15 minute as slow warmdown
5 minutes of core exc. with group
Stretching

PM:
Walked 70 minutes

Sunday 11-2

Sunday

Core, Situps, pushups

Stretching

Saturday 11-1

Saturday

Ran 14 miles with group
2 hours, 46 minutes ( 11:51 avg. pace)

2x10 leg swing stetches
10 minutes of leg, calf, and back stretches.

Feeling good, no problems.

14-15 miles will be my maximum this year until I lose all the weight I want to lose.

Friday 10-31

Day off

Resting legs/body for the long run tomorrow.

Stretching and light core after work.

Thursday 10-30

Thursday
Weights/Strength training- 60 minutes
Walked 25 minutes
15 minute cardio on bicycle in gym
Stretching

Wednesday 10-29

Wednesday

Ran with group:

2x1 mile with 1 minute rest between
(10:29,10:25)
5 minute rest
4x800 with 1 minute rest
(5:05,5:00,5:00,4:59,4:55,5:00,4:55,5:00)
2x20 dynamic leg swings
Stretching

Tuesday 10-28

Tuesday

Ran 4 miles -easy and slow pace
situps, core, pushups
stretching

Monday 10-27

Monday

Ran 10 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 15 minutes of hills with group
Ran 15 minutes as slow warmdown
Core exc, situps, pushups
Stretching

Sunday 10-26

Sunday

Stretching
Situps, pushups, core exc.

Saturday 10-25

Saturday

Ran 12 miles with group
Averaged 12 minute pace.
Felt good, no problems, staying positive.
Stretching

Friday 10-24

Friday

Day off.

stretching and light core at home after work.

Thursday 10-23

Thursday
Weights/strength training- 25 minutes
ran 3 miles-easy slow pace
Core and stretching

Wednesday 10-22

Wednesday
Ran with group:
5 x 1200s with 90 second rest between
(7:35,7:25,7:21,7:00,6:34)
10 minutes total of slow jog/walk warmdown
2x20 dynamic leg swings
core, situps, and stretching at home

Tuesday 10-21

Tuesday
Ran 3.5 miles -easy and slow

PM:
Walked 45 minutes
Stretching

Monday 10-20

Monday

AM:
Ran 10 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 25 minutes of hills with group
Core exc. and stretching with group

Felt good.
PM:
Walked 60 minutes

Sunday 10-19

Sunday

Needed a day off( mentally) from exercise.

Start fresh with usual schedule on Monday.

Saturday 10-18

Saturday

Ran 11 miles with group

Great weather. Started slow and picked up effort last few miles.

No problems, felt good, recovering well.

Friday 10-17

Friday

Taking it easy for the day.
Stretching and light core exc. after work.

Thursday 10-16

Thursday
15 minutes of situps, pushups, side planks and core exc.
Stretching

Wednesday 10-15

Wednesday

Ran 3 miles in total with group: 1 slow, 2 faster. ( 8x 400 meters with 90 second rest between)
400's: 2:25,2:22,2:21,2:16,2:09,2:09,2:05,2:01. Tough workout, but fun.

Core Exc. with group

Feeling good, no problems.

Current weight : 227 pounds. 53 pounds lost since May 5th,08.

Tuesday 10-14

Situps, core, stretching
Walked 35 minutes

Monday 10-13

Monday
Ran 10 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Situps, pushups, and core exc. with group
Stretching

Sunday 10-12

Sunday
Walked 65 minutes
Situps, core, stretching

Saturday 10-11

Saturday

Ran 10 miles with group (2 hours and 2 minutes)
Felt good, no problems, staying positive.

stretching and taking it easy for the rest of the day

Friday 10-10

Day off
resting legs
stretching and some light core after work.

Thursday 10-9

Thursday

Ran 4 miles
situps, core, stretching

Wednesday 10-8

Wednesday
Ran 4 miles with group: 1 mile slow, 2 miles faster, 1 mile slow
Core exc and stretching with group

Tuesday 10-7

Tuesday
Situps, core exc.
Walked 65 minutes

Monday 10-6

Half point of my 100 pound Weight Loss goal

New Weight on 10-5-08: 228
Original Weight on 5-5-08: 280
Weight loss of 52 pounds, 18.5% of original weight

From waist size 42 to comfortable 38.

Feeling good, no problems, staying positive. Continuing with running, walking, core exercises, and portion control. Still averaging 8-9 pounds loss each month.

Monday 10-6

Monday

Ran 10 minutes slow as warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Core ,situps, and stretchign with group

Sunday 10-5

another easy day. Visiting my nephews in Minneapolis.

Saturday 10-4

Saturday

taking day easy, recovering from 10 mile run on Friday.
Situps and core in the morning.

Will do some walking on Sunday.

Friday 10-3

Friday

Ran 10 miles before going to work. Had to start at 5:45 AM.
first 10 miler under 2 hours(1:51). The cool weather and weight loss together are working their magic I guess.

Felt good, no problems, staying positive.

Flying in the afternoon to see my new baby nephew.

Thursday 10-2

Thursday
Walked 75 minutes

Wednesday 10-1

Wednesday
Ran with group: 4x1 mile repeats with 3 minutes rest between. I averaged 9:40 minute pace. That's fast for me!

It felt good, no problems.
Core, situps, stretching with group

great cool and dry 60 degrees, maybe that helped too.

Tuesday 9-30

Tuesday
Ran 3 miles- easy and slow pace
Situps, core, stretching

Monday 9-29

Monday
Ran 10 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Core exc, situps,stretching

Sunday 9-28

Sunday
Situps, Core exc.
Walked 80 minutes

Saturday 9-27

Saturday
Ran 10 miles with group
Felt good, no problems
2x20 of dynamic leg swings
Stretching

Friday 9-26

Friday

Walked 60 minutes

Feeling good, getting back to usual routine with limited distractions.
Sary

Thursday 9-25

Thursday
Situps and Core exercises
Ran 3 miles -easy pace

Wednesday 9-24

Wednesday
situps, core execises
Ran with group: 1 mile fast effort, 4 min rest, 1/2 mile fast effort, 1/2 mile jog, 1 mile fast effort

Felt good, no problems, staying positive.

Tuesday 9-23

Tuesday
Slow and easy run for 25 minutes
10 minutes walk
stretching

9-19 to 9-23

Continuing with walking, situps, and slow easy runs.
No power at home, staying with friends, schedule has been different.
Will be back on track starting 9-23

9-13 to 9-18

Hurricane Ike interrupted my exercise routine significantly. Most if not all of my favorite running and walking routes were blocked by fallen trees, standing water, or trash. I still do not have power.

I should go back to the usual schedule in few days. I am going on walks and staying mindful of calories intake until I start running again in few days.

Friday 9-12

Friday
Ran about 7 miles (breezy and warm, hurricane coming in 16 hours)
felt good, no problems

Most likely no running on Saturday or Sunday due to Hurricane Ike winds and rain.
Will continue with situps, core, pushups, and dynamic stretching until the storm clears.

Thursday 9-11

Thursday

Situps, pushups, core exercises

Wednesday 9-10

Wednesday
Ran 3 miles with group
Core exercises and stretching with group
Weights/Strength training-20 minutes
Walked 60 minutes
Stretching

Tuesday 9-9

Tuesday

Easy jog for 30 minutes
Situps, core, stretching

Monday 9-8

Monday
AM:
Ran 10 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Core and stretching with group
PM:
Weight/Strength training-20 minutes
Walked 35 minutes

Sunday 9-7

Sunday

Day off. Needed a mental break from exercise.

Saturday 9-6

Saturday
Ran 11 miles
Stretched

No problems, enjoyed the cooler weather, felt good, staying positive.

Friday 9-5

Stretched
Walked 45 minutes

Friday 9-5

Friday

It's the fifth day of another month, time to get on the scale again:

New weight on 9-5-08: 237 pounds
Original Weight on 5-5-08: 280 pounds
Weight loss of 43 pounds, 15.3 % loss of original weight
Waistline: loose 40, should try 38,.

Thursday 9-4

Ran 4 miles -easy and slow pace
3x10 second strides
Core and stretching

Wednesday 9-3

Wednesday
Ran 4 miles with group ( faster pace of 2 x2 miles with 4 minute rest between)
Core and stretching

Tuesday 9-2

Tuesday
Ran 3 miles
easy and slow pace

Monday 9-1

Monday
AM:
Ran 15 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Core and stretching with group
Felt good, no problems.
PM:
Weights/Strength training-20 minutes
Walked 60 minutes

Sunday 8-31

Sunday
Situps,core
Stretching
Walked 75 minutes
Stretching

Saturday 8-30

Saturday
Ran 10 miles with group
General Stretching
Dynamic stretches

Good run, no problems, feeling good, staying positive.

Next weigh inn is on September 5th.

Friday 8-29

Friday
Day Off-some stretching in the evening after work

Thursday 8-28

Thursday

Jogged easy for 30 minutes
stretching

Wednesday 8-27

Wednesday
Ran with group:
1 warmup mile
1/2 mile fast,1/2 mile slow
1 mile fast
Rest 4 minutes
1/2 mile fast,1/2 mile jog

Stretching and core with group
Great workout. felt good, I was able to run "faster" .

Tuesday 8-26

Tuesday
Ran 4 miles- slow and easy pace
Stretching

Monday 8-25

Monday
AM:
Ran 10 minutes as slow warm up
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Core exercises and stretching with group
PM:
Weight/Strength training-short cycle of 10 minutes
Walked on treadmill for 25 minutes

Sunday 8-24

Sunday
Situps, pushups, core
Weight/Strength training- 20 minutes
Walked 75 minutes

Saturday 8-23

Saturday

Ran 10 miles with group
Learned new "Dynamic Stretches for hips and hip flexors"
General Stretching

Feeling good, no problems, staying positive.

Friday 8-22

Friday
Day off
some stretching and situps in the evening after work.

Thursday 8-21

Thursday
Ran 3 miles, easy and slow
Situps, pushups, core
Stretched

Wednesday 8-20

Wednesday
AM:
Ran 3 miles with group( 3x1 mile" faster"with 2 minute rest)
Situps and core at home
Stretched

PM:
off-watching some Olympics, going to bed early and saving energy for next morning's workout.

Tuesday 8-19

Tuesday
AM:
Too much rain to go for a run
PM:
Weights/Strength training-20 minutes
Ran 3 miles
Stretched

very nice and cool breeze after the rain, it felt great.

Monday 8-18

Monday
AM:
Ran 15 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Core, situps, pushups with group
Stretching
PM:
Walked 50 minutes

Sunday 8-17

Sunday
Situps, stretching
Walked 75 minutes

Saturday 8-16

Saturday
Ran 8 miles with my group
Stretched

Feeling good, no problems, staying positive.

Friday 8-15

Friday
AM:
Situps, core, pushups
Walked 60 minutes

resting in the PM so I can have energy for the Saturday run with my group.

Thursday 8-14

Thursday
Ran 4 miles slow
3x10 seconds strides
stretching

Wednesday 8-13

Wednesday
AM:
Ran 4 miles with group( 1 slow, 3 at medium effort)
Slow jog after run for approx.10 minutes
Core, situps, pushups, stretching
Had a healthy smoothie(fresh strawberries and blueberries), with no added sugar and nonfat yogurt
Lots of water.
PM:
Weights/Strength training-20 minutes

Tuesday 8-12

Tuesday
Just stretching and situps. Taking it easy. Back on schedule Wedensday.
A nice change of schedule, I spent some time with my nephew Ziyad and had a good dinner with Fady, Hana, and Mona after work.

Monday 8-11

Monday
AM:
Ran 15 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Core and stretching
PM:
Situps, pushups
Walked 60 minutes

Sunday 8-10

Sunday
Situps, core exc, pushups, stretching
Walked 60 minutes

Saturday 8-9

Saturday
Ran 10 miles with my group
Stretched

Feeling good. Staying healthy and positive.

Friday 8-8

Friday
Day Off
just some stretching

Thursday 8-7

Thursday
Ran 3 miles nice and slow
Stretch

I felt really sleepy this morning, so I pushed the run to the evening.

Wednesday 8-6

Wednesday
AM:
Ran 3 miles
Stretched
PM:
Situps, core exercices
Walked 70 minutes

Tuesday 8-5

Tuesday
Weight/Strength training 20 minutes
Ran 4 miles
Stretched

Tuesday 8-5

Three month weigh inn point
1/4 of the way into this 12 month quest to lose 100 pounds(or more)

Here are the latest numbers
Weight as of 8-5-08: 247 pounds
Weight on 5-5-08: 280 pounds

Weight loss of 33 pounds, which is 11.7% of original weight.
Waist line: very comfortable 40, trying 38 in few weeks.

Monday 8-4

Monday
AM:
Ran 10 minutes as slow warmup
Ran 20 minutes of hills with group
Stretched
PM:
Situps, pushups, stretching
Walked 30 minutes
Stretched

Sunday 8-3

Sunday

Walked 70 minutes
Stretching

Saturday 8-2

Sarturday
Ran 8 miles
Stretching
Weight is fluctuating now between 246-248 pounds. Tuesday August 5th would be exactly 3 months from the starting point (May 5th,280 pounds). I'm looking forward to getting on the scale that morning.

Friday 8-1

Friday
Day Off
some stretching throughout the day

Thursday 7-31

Thursday
AM:
Weights/Strength training 20 minutes
Walked 45 minutes
PM:
Situps, pushups
Ran 3 miles
Stretching

Wednesday 7-30

Wednesday
Situps, Core, pushups
Ran 3 miles

Tuesday 7-29

Tuesday
AM:
Ran 3 miles
Stretching
PM:
weight/strength training for 20 minutes
Walked 45 minutes

Monday 7-28

Monday
AM:
Stretching, situps, pushups
PM:
Circuit training:biceps, tricpes,chest,back(15 minutes)
Ran 3 miles(33:45 minutes)
walked 20 minutes

Sunday 7-27

Sunday
Core exercises, situps, pushups,stretching.
60 minute walk.

Saturday 7-26

Saturday
AM:
Ran 8 miles with my running group. It went well .
Stretched 10 minutes.
Breakfast, recovery nap.

Friday 7-25

Day Off
some light stretching in the evening after work

Thursday 7-24

AM:
Core, sit-ups, upper body routine, stretch
PM:
30 minutes on stationary bicycle in gym( didn't feel like running in the rain especially since it was more than a drizzle)

Wednesday 7-23

AM:
Core, biceps, push-ups, plus stretching
PM:
Ran 4 miles:

• 2 miles fast(compared to the norm)
• 2 miles slow
• 10 minute walk

Tuesday 7-22

AM

• Core exercises and stretching

PM

• Ran 40 minutes -easy pace
• Attended a free fitness and nutrition seminar

Monday 7-21

Monday
AM:

• Ran 15 minutes slow and comfortable
• Ran 15 minutes of hills with group
• Core exercises and stretch

PM:

• 15 minutes with weights
• 60 minute walk

Sunday 7-20

Sunday

15 minute core and strength routine
90 minute walk

Saturday 7-19

Saturday- Ran 9 miles.

I ran with my running group at 6 AM . I started slow at the end of the pack, picked up the pace a little, but finished really tired. Cold water and gatorade given by the coach were so good today.

Stretched, showered, ate breakfast. I Feel good already!

Friday 7-18-08

Friday- Day off
light stretch in the evening
I start new job on Monday, 21st!

Thursday July 17,08

Summary of results

I decided to weigh myself , record it on a chart, and put it on the fridge for motivational purposes. I weigh myself about every week or 10 days. However, The official Weigh Inn is on the 5th of every month since I started on May 5th. So here are the most updated results from that chart:

May 5th: Weight= 280lb Starting Point , pants size: 42 relaxed
June5th: Weight= 270lb , 3.5% loss
July 5th: Weight= 255 lb, 7.5% loss, pants size 40 but a little tight
( and getting better, now that I am running/walking 5 days a week)

Instead of these big summaries, I will try to make daily jounals/entries so I can stay focused.

Food and Drinks, Hmmmmm

I definitely need to control portions and the way my food is cooked. So here's what I live by (loosely based on the Glycemic Index(GI) diet which is better than all this crazy low carb junk out there). To my family and friends: I am NOT diabetic, please don't freak out!!
Based on the GI lifestyle
I focus on :(obviously with exception of beans and lentils due to my food allergy)

• Lots of raw vegetables, salads, roasted or grilled vegetables,
• All Fruits are allowed but moderation with mango ,watermelon, and banana is recommended
• Skim milk, fat free yogurt, reduced fat Feta, cheddar, etc
• Whole grain and bran cereal with high fiber content,oatmeal,bulgur,quinoa(whole grain that cooks like rice but has higher protein), and occasional small portion of brown rice
• Lean chicken, beef, salmon, tuna(canned or fillet),tofu, grilled veggie burgers, and other lean soy protein products. I may try ground turkey soon!
• Eggs: occasionally, on Saturdays of Sundays
• Little bit of olive oil for cooking
• Occasional 8-10 raw almonds or walnuts
• Olive oil, lemon, and vinegar for salad dressing
• Occasional carbonated water and splash of lemon/lime for flavor
• Lots and lots of water, almost 90 oz per day

I do my best to avoid:

• Fried foods, fast food, candy, hydrogenated/trans fats, and high fructose corn syrup
• Fatty meats
• High sugar items and starchy food(baked potatoes, sticky rice, white pasta, white bread, etc)
• High caffeine and Diet Coke( the sugar substitute interferes with weight loss actually)

The routine

In general, here's the routine

Monday through Thursday
I started with 2, then 3, then 4, and now up to 5 days a week of exercise
Wake up at 5:30 AM
Meet my running group at 6 AM(Mondays , Wednesdays, and Saturdays, and run on my own on Tuesday and Thursdays)
Warm up and stretch
Finish the designed workout by the coach
Stretch and do core exercises(sit ups, crunches, planks, push ups, etc)
Back at home by 7:10 AM
Shower and have my oatmeal , or fruit smoothie, or ALL Bran cereal, and of course lots of water Go to work with my healthy packed lunch and WATER
Back from work around 5:30 PM( although I was out of work for a while, which helped my running, I accepted a new position that starts 7-21-08)
Take a short rest
Finish 15-20 minutes of weight lifting(in apartment complex gym)
Finish 50-70 minute walk in the park or neighborhood
Shower, light dinner, lots of water, stretch, read something useful
Go to sleep

Exceptions

• I take Fridays off. I meet my friends for dinner, watch movies, etc
• After Saturday's long run( which is why I rest on Friday), I stretch, have a good breakfast to recover and take a nap. NO evening workout on Saturday. Need some personal time
• Sunday, I do more weights, core routine, and a 70-80 minute walk

The walking is helping a lot. My legs recover better, and I'm losing more weight, so then I run better, so then I feel better, and so on, it's all connected.....

Tough Start-First day 5-5-08

Weak legs, out of breath after 5 minute jog, not good. Finished the workout holding on to my hips and gasping for air and trying not to empty my stomach in front of everybody..


At 280 pounds, on May 5th, 08 I laced my running shoes, rejoined my running group lead by a an elite runner and former Olympian coach, and began the Beat the Heat program of the Kenyan Way running club. I have done this 12 week program before, it can be tough, but it's a lot of fun and the results are always good. Starting at 6 AM three days a week, workouts consisted of running hills on Mondya, running speed intervals on Wednesday, and then a Saturday long run. This is all relative of course, what I consider is running fast or for a long distance, might be slow and easy for others. That's actually why I like running,walking, etc, because you can do your own level of intensity and still reap the benefits. This time though, I am training to lose weight first, which means I cannot stop after 3 or 4 months, it has to be a lifestyle change. I now believe that I am one that needs constant exercise( at least 5 days a week) to keep the weight off. I know from experience that when I slack off the weight creeps back up again. Unfortunately, it's that simple. To be on the positive side, when you have a lot of weight to lose, and you start moving, you burn so much more fat and calories than the relatively lighter person. Again, it's simple physics, you are working harder to move your weight around, resulting in bigger and harder effort, which translates into larger calorie deficit(assuming you are watching portions.. more on that front). But because I'm carrying all this weight, I had to relearn how to stretch, warm up before running, and recover from my workouts.

Decision made and action was taken

So the decision to get as close to my "normal weight range " as possible was taken. At my height, what is acceptable is somewhere between 160-170 pounds. This meant that I have to lose 110-120 pounds. That was overwhelming to think about. I lost 50-60 pounds before and gained it back. I knew how hard that was. So I know that if I give myself more time( maybe 10-12 months from May 5, 08), exercise harder and more SERIOUSLY and with good nutrition, maybe I can achieve the century mark and lose 100 pounds. This would result in weighing 180 pounds. To weigh less than 200 pounds seems like a good enough goal for me as I honestly do not remember when was the last time I maintained such weight.

What I know best is that running,walking, some weight lifting, and eating healthy is what works for me. So I rejoined my running group, The Kenyan Way, added some evening walks and weight lifting on my own time.

My big decision

I hope that this blog will keep me motivated and focused.....

On May 5th, 2008 I decided to return to a more consistent routine of eating healthy and exercise. I don't know why I picked that date, no reason really, but the ultimate reason is that my struggle to lose weight and be fit has worsened to a new shocking level. After taking an unjustified hiatus from running and healthy eating habits, my weight escalated to 280 pounds. I didn't feel that I weighed that much, which is a blessing, but three different scales confirmed this bitter truth to my doubting eyes. Over the past 5-6 years, I lost and gained and lost weight again to train for marathons and other social occasions. I was able to finish 5 marathons(barely) and endure all the tough training that comes along with it. However, I never really took weight loss seriously enough to be even close to my normal weight. While I have some reservations about the accuracy of the BMI index, I certainly agree that at 5 ' 9"(on a good day), there is no way 280 pounds would be acceptable. In fact, it hurts me to admit that I am in the "very obese " range, which is how I felt on May 5th.