returning from vacation and seeing some supportive comments was wonderful!!!  The cruise was very nice.  I was with my mother.... and we don't have the best relationship (because she is an annoying psychopath), but we managed pretty well.  I was still not drinking for lent during the cruise so I didn't have a drink until the last day we were there... and I'm glad.  It may not have been as much "fun" but it was much more relaxing, and saved me plenty of calories that I spend on food (sadly).  I weighed myself when I got home the morning after a large dinner and I'm up to 144.  Not exactly thrilled about it, but I'm also not surprised.  I only ran 1 day during the cruise, and I made up the other run Monday when I got back to land.  This morning I ran 2 sets of 8 minutes.  I stopped for 30 seconds half way through each run to catch my breath.... probably not what I'm meant to do.  On Friday or Saturday, I have to run 20 minutes!!! STRAIGHT! AHHHHH.  I need to get out of the habit of saying "have to" and "need to."  I WANT to do this.  I WANT to be able to run a 5k, and eventually be able to run a 10k... and just think... I never thought I could run for 8 minutes straight in my life, and now I can.  And hopefully soon 20 minutes will seem like a breeze.

Lots to catch up on at work.... seems like it's never ending.

ya'll would be so proud of me... I went tonight to the gym... and ran my miles :)  so technically, i did 1.5X my total run... 26 minutes!  pretty awesome!!!

It's a learning process...

Things I learned today.

My body will not let me run if I have a) gotten less than 6 hours of sleep and b) fasted for 2 days beforehand.

I am home on my couch, thoroughly defeated... and feeling very shitty.  But, like I said.  it's a learning process.  I got through my first 3 minute run, and my first 5 minute run, and then I hit the bathroom.  I hadn't gone because of the juice so I guess the movement helped me... move.  And you know when you sit down after working out hard and not cooling down?  You get all hot and sweaty and have (personally) a pounding headache.  I got back on the treadmill determined to finish, but I only made it 2 minutes into my 3rd run before I decided it wasn't for me.  I had a Seder last night (Jewish passover dinner) where I ate some extremely delicious (and non-running worthy) food, then came home and talked to my Colorado boy til after midnight. 
I am determined to finish this series this week and stay on track... so what I may have to do is run Thursday and Friday on my cruise to get both runs in.  Then Sunday I'll start week 5.  The little podcast says you must skip days while training... but what are your thoughts about that?  I'm not entirely out of shape... so the only thing I really would worry about is not giving my knees a break.  I guess TECHNICALLY, I could run thursday and saturday, then do my Week 5 run on Monday.  But our boat docks on Monday at 11am.  I guess I'll just have to see.  I'm very disappointed in myself.  I guess now I know!

138!!!

Ummm I am 138. I have about 4 hours left in my juice fast befor I eat... Obviously I am insanely thrilled. I made 2 gallons of this juice stuff but I only manages to get through one. Maybe it's because I started At noon on Sunday and didn't really feel the need to eat for most of the day so I only got through a little juice.

Later.... When I was at the doctor this morning I weighed in at 139. The nurse said I was 11 lbs down since last April. Pretty awesome. That is measurable progress. A lot of my pants dont fit me anymore and I went shopping this weekend and bought a size 2 dress- not all that impressive considering it was Macy's Womens section. But when I went to old navy I picked up some size 6 khakis. They were a little big when I tried them on but I just dOnt FEEL like a 4. Big mistake because today they are swimming on me. Oh well... They were on sale. I ate salad and curried rice for lunch as well as carrot and a granola bar and sone oatmeal later in the day. When i got home from work I was 139.6. Still under my goal, so I'm not complaining. I know a lot of the loss was water weight.

Ouch!  I was wrong... the run was 16 minutes... not 11!  When the woman on my podcast said "and you just have 1 5 minute run left" I about died... BUT I made it.  I am running slow... but I'm running.. and I can't believe that in 3 weeks I've doubled my time.

I made my disgusting looking juice... and I've let me friends know what I'm doing.  I don't really care if they think I'm a crazy person.  I am a crazy person....

Finished week 3!!  Week 4 starts tomorrow.  Run 3 minutes, walk 90 seconds, run 5 minutes, walk 2.5 minutes, run 3 minutes, cool down.

I can't believe I can do this!!!  I'm leaving for my cruise on Thursday, but I will continue to run... Friday and Sunday are the days I regularly run...Sunday I'll be into week 5, which seems super hard... but I'm not going to think about it just yet!

I'm trying to get under 140 for the cruise... so I'm doing a juice fast half of sunday, all of monday, and half of tuesday.  I've bought all my juice, just need to actually make the stuff!

Running week 3:

90 seconds of running, 90 seconds of walking, 3 minutes of running, 3 minutes of walking. x 2.

It really isn't that hard.  I've completed 1 of 3 days.  Obviously I'm gaining endurance... but I've also cut my pace down.  After my 3rd run of week 2, I couldn't freaking walk the next day.  Not like the sore pain, but the pain pain... lower inside knees.  Is it because I am weak kneed? Or is it my shoes (I have new ones... I'm pretty sure they are cross trainers but I'm not positive)?  Do I not stretch enough?  The first 90 seconds of the run yesterday hurt, but after that I just had a dull ache.  This morning during  my weight work out I had no trouble doing squats, but a hard time straightening my legs all the way to stretch... weird?  I'm not sure what it is... and since I'm not a regular runner everything feels weird.

I'm weighing in at 141.2 this morning with my period... so I think I have a good chance of making it to 139 by the 21st.  Especially being on the "My Client Sucks" Diet.  Let me tell you how it works.  You worked so late the night before you sleep in or go to the gym in the morning and don't have time to make breakfast so you run to starbucks on your way to work and grab a Venti misto and a tasty treat (400 calories total).  You sit in the same chair for 12-15 hours, getting up to go to the bathroom and the printer.  You aren't in your office, you're at the client, so there isn't coworker's food to nibble on, just what you brought.  And since you were running late, you brought a frozen meal and an apple (400 calories total).  By the time you get home after 9 pm, you're too tired to drink, too tired to cook, and you resort to rice cakes with salsa on top, or a banana (100 calories).  Then you go to bed so you can wake up for the gym in the morning.  Voila... you have burned roughly 2000 calories, and eaten 900.  No wonder I'm not gaining weight eating doughnuts for breakfast every day.  Honestly though.. that should stop.

Hopefully everyone filed their taxes.. I owe my state $18.. so I'm putting it off until the deadline.

nothing new to report.  Week 2 of my running program... doing ok!!! I have plans to run again tomorrow morning.  I've been going to the gym with a friend and that makes it a lot easier.  When I go alone, I tend to run slower, breathe harder.  And I listen to this podcast that tells me when to run and walk.. I think she doesn't do a very good job of keeping the time.  I assume when she's talking that doesn't count as time... so I'm probably walking a lot more.

Gosh I just don't have the energy to continue this post... I need to get ready for work :(

Have a good day ladies

ok quick update.

Good news:  I've been keeping up with the running.  Shocker, I know.  I've finished the 1st run in "week 2".  I mean, when I read Harlow's blog about how she runs 14 miles at a time, my nine minutes seems a little weak, but hey, everyone has to start somewhere right?  I am determined to keep this up.  I don't think my partner will.. but she is a few weeks ahead of me so I guess if she falls behind then that wont be so bad.  She needs this WAY more than I do.  A big girl.... but hey, if she can run more than me, then she must be doing something right!
More good news:  I had gained a bit of weight at the end of busy season, but I've finally lost it.  This morning I weighed in at 142.2.  I want to be 139 by the cruise on April 21st.  I think I can do it... if I actually stick to exercise and eating right. NO MORE HOT CHOCOLATE!
Boy news (good or bad):  Boy number 1 is SUPPPERRRR hot.  Too bad we work together... and so we're not telling anyone we work with.  And then when we were at a work event at a bar he got drunk and somehow got it into his head that I slept with a stripper.  I didn't.  But he was SOOOO angry that the entire night I had to watch him dance with another coworker... like grinding and all that.  It was super immature of him. But I wasn't drinking so I handled it well I guess.  And 2 other coworkers asked for my numbers... so at least I know there is nothing wrong with me.  To clarify... as an accountant, you are either Audit or Tax.  I am Tax.  The guys I am talking about work in Auditing.  So they are my "coworkers" but we NEVER see each other, we occasionally have the same clients and have to chat about it, but its rare..  so not really any worries there about interoffice interference.
 Anyway... Boy 1 doesn't want a relationship... just sex.  But the kind of sex where we still go on dates, cook breakfast together, and talk on the phone.  So I don't really know what that means.  A little confused actually.  And I want to be a needy girl and say that's not okay with me.. But the truth is that if he wanted to be my boyfriend, then I couldnt talk to boy (man) number 2, and I probably wouldn't like that type of commitment.
Man 2 (he's older) still hasn't touched me.  No kissing, hand holding, or anything, but we've gone out 4 times... with a few opportunities.  I finally texted him and asked him if he was not interested in me romantically, and his response was "it has been killing me not to touch you, i find you very sexy and i am definitely interested in you."  Ummmmm so I don't exactly know how to handle that.  And he also takes me to insanely high class restaurants without telling me where we're going.. so I am wearing flip flops and jeans and look entirely stupid.  Oh well.

Bad News:  I put a wet towel on the towel rack to dry not thinking that it would drip all over my scale.  Yesterday the scale kept giving me an error message, and today it gave me the 142.2.  Can I trust this??  I should probably go weigh in at the gym tomorrow morning.

Yesterday before my run we had a "Katball birthday bash" (b/c my name is Kat, and my bff's name is Kat).  It was a lot of fun being a kid, and I'm a sore in my hips which is always nice.
I'm in the pink shorts... look at how large my legs look!!  At least I have a little middle.  I'll take what I can get right??