Run, run, as fast as you can!

I continue on with my fitness/weight loss goals.  I've lost about 40 pounds now and I think it will keep falling off as I continue with this new lifestyle.   I've been asked a lot recently how I'm doing it.  If you're wondering and for the sake of posterity I'll chronicle how here.

I started with running 5 days a week in July.  I could barely run a mile, slowly.  I could see that that pattern wasn't going to work because I injured my foot.  It was too much, too quickly.  I switched to running 3 days a week and biking and/or doing Power 90 (by Tony Horton) 2-3 other days a week.  In August I was discouraged that the weight wasn't coming off like I thought it should.  I decided to sign up for 3 months of Weight Watchers on-line.  I did WW hardcore for about 4-6 weeks.  Counted every point and quickly learned my problem areas: too much for breakfast, too many carbs/sugars, too many unhealthy snacks.  I made some significant changes in portion sizes too.  Once I got the hang of eating healthier, I started feeling so much better and the weight started to come off (about a pound or 2 a week).   Of all the changes I've made with food, eating more fruits and veggies is one of the biggest.  I used to make a couple veggies for dinner but that was the only time we ate them.  Now I keep a baggie of cut up peppers, celery, carrots, cucumbers, etc. to snack on throughout the week.  My kids are getting better at eating those raw veggies as well!  Instead of cookies, cereal, or muffins I'm eating fruit for my main snacks in the day.  A big apple with a little natural peanut butter is so yummy and so much healthier than what I was eating before.  The other thing I've gotten into is smoothies.  I'm drinking a smoothie for a meal 5 days a week.  Here's my recipe:

1 cup light (any flavor) greek yogurt (i prefer vanilla)
1 cup frozen fruit (anything from berries to mango, pineapple, etc) -this replaces ice, so you get more nutritional value per ounce
1 small banana
1/2 cup almond or skim milk
2-3 cups of raw baby spinach, it sounds nasty but you cannot taste it as long as you have a banana in the smoothie

I've kept running that 3 day a week schedule and now I'm doing some aerobics/weights classes 2 days a week.  My goal is to run a half marathon in April.  This weekend I ran 9.6 miles for the first time in my life.  Thanks to my wonderful brother and sis-in-law because they helped me mentally press on and ran at my pace the whole way.  They are seriously rockstars in my book.  After running 9 miles, I'm even more impressed that they are 3 time marathoners (and training for their 4th now)!!!

So, that's me.  I've come a long way. Maybe after my half marathon I'll post before and after pictures of myself... we'll see.  For now- here are a few recent running pics from my phone.

after a humid 5 mile run

My longest run so far

Most of my runs during the week are in the dark, cold.  I wear two pairs of tights, two long sleeve dry fit, warm shirts, my earmuff, and wear reflectors on both arms and carry a flashlight. i look silly for sure!