No Excuses!

Do you ever struggle to get your workout in? Some days I just don't feel like it. Other days I wake up with exactly what I have in mind that I want to do that day. Lately I have been in a "I don't feel like working out funk". I am tired, G hasn't been feeling good, I would rather eat some pizza or I just want to sit on the couch watching tv. 

The problem is when I don't work out I don't sleep as good and I feel guilty at night. I also don't feel as bad if I eat a little extra that day if I got in a workout. G had a fever for a couple days. We had plans to do some fun things, which had to be cancelled because of the fever. I am not exactly sure what he had or why he had a fever. If he had some meds he was running around like crazy. I decided some fresh air would do both of us good. So I put G in the Bob and off we went. We ended up going for a 3 mile run. Normally when we get to the park G jumps out, plays and I sit there watching him. I decided to add a little extra to my workout. 

One of my friends posted the workout below. I thought this was perfect to do at the park while G played. At first I didn't think I could do pushups and crunches because the ground was wet after the morning rain we had. I decided to use the picnic table. I laid on the seat portion of the picnic table to do the crunches. I used the end of the picnic table to do a standing version of pushups. A little dirt doesn't hurt anyone, so I did my burpees and got dirty hands.  Let me just say that 60 second squat hold was a KILLER!!!! This was the perfect workout to add to the middle of my run. By the time I completed it G was ready to go. There are some big stone lions outsides one of the houses. He loves to go see them and have me stick my hand in their mouths. 

Some days a run sounds better than an aerobic workout. Other days a run sounds horrible, so I turn on Chris Freytag for a great sweaty workout. I really LOVE Get Healthy U TV. They offer discount memberships. I paid $10 for the year. You can find lots of free workouts on YouTube. I just really enjoy working out with Chris Freytag. I can't stand doing workouts where people don't workout along with you. When they constantly take breaks. Listen here folks I need you to workout along with me, so I push myself or I will want to take a break. I don't mind if they show you how to do a move or the proper form. 

How often do you workout? What is your favorite workout?

Disclaimer: All thoughts and opinions are my own. The post No Excuses appeared first on Because Chocolate Can't Get You Pregnant.  

No More Excuses!

I love using the app TimeHop. I love seeing pictures and comments on Social Media from 1-8 years back. The pictures of G always make me smile. I was looking at the pictures as I was walking on the treadmill the other day. I was shocked to see the picture on the left pop up. Holy cow! At times I don't feel I have lost that much weight or changed that much until I see some pictures. 

I took the picture on the left for a weight loss challenge I was doing 2 years ago. At the time I felt I looked pretty good. I had lost 25 pounds after having G. I felt like garbage though! There were times I wasn't sure how I was going to make it. My body felt seriously awful! I recently wrote some blog posts about how awful I was. I wasn't even sure I wanted to join that challenge because I was returning to work full time with a baby, I was exhausted, and who had time to add in trying to lose weight. I did it anyhow. I am glad I joined because it really helped push me to get back to being healthier. 

After I finished walking on the treadmill I decided I should take a picture of now. Seeing the pictures side by side really made me see the difference in how much weight I have lost in 2 years. I have lost 45 pounds and 38 inches. I no longer feel like garbage and my skin is so clear. I would say my skin hasn't ever been this clear since childhood. I have struggled with acne for 20+ years. I feel it has cleared up because I eat clean and use safe products. 

I have all the excuses in the world to not exercise and eat healthy. I could use my cancer or MS as an excuse. There are days I would rather just order take out food because I don't feel like cooking; Instead they are all reasons to exercise and eat healthy because I want to see G grow up! 

I started with taking small steps to getting healthier. Over the past 2 years it has really shown. Each day is a new beginning for you to take steps to become a healthier you! 

111

111 days ago was the last time I ran. I marked it in my phone on 1-3-13 I ran 1.5 miles. I was keep track of how many miles I ran because my goal was to get to 100 miles in 2013. Little did I know life was going to change forever the next day. On January 4 - 110 days ago I had my first biopsy, met my surgeon and life was completely changed.

Today is the first time I put on my running shoes and actually ran. I have exercised since surgery. I have walked, elipitcal and even did a cardio class, but I haven't run. I keep saying oh I am going to start running again and then I do something else. Today started off very frustrating and I needed gym time! I headed to the gym on my lunch and went to the treadmill. As the speed increased and I started to run It felt FABULOUS!!!! A part of me felt alive, back to normal for 30 minutes and the thought of cancer never entered into my mind. Thrity glorious minutes and huffing and puffing. lol

Slowly but surely I am finding my new normal!

5K Recap

This past Saturday I ran my first 5K. I woke up on Saturday morning and thought what in the world did I decide to do!  Too late it was game day and I needed to get my game face on!

I had 2 goals for the race

1. Run the entire race

2. Run the race in 35 minutes

On the way there Art told me he wanted me to run the 5K in 28 minutes. I told him to make his own goals and let me make mine. My goal was 35 minutes. 

In the back of my mind I really wanted to run the race in 30 minutes. Art and I did this same charity walk 3 years ago. I hardly could do the walk. After the first mile Art says my wind just was let out of my sail when I realized we had only gone one mile and we had 2 more to go. I thought I was going to die that day.  I finished the 5K walk 3 years ago in 59 minutes. I wanted to cut that time in half. 

Pinning my bib on prior to the race

36 minutes until race time!

Getting warmed up! Look at those girls socks! Aren't they fun!

That is a man beside me in the pink....I thought it was a woman. lol

Getting ready! I had my hip hop music blaring!

I told Art I would see him in 35 minutes. 

Next year I want to be the guy on the bike. lol

The horn sounded and we took off. Holy cow it was time to run!  The first 5 minutes of the run was very emotional. First I was running a real 5K. I was actually doing it!  Second I was going to cross that finish line 90 pounds lighter than I did 3 years ago. Part of feeling successful in my weight loss journey was to run a 5K. It was just something I had to do to prove to myself all I had accomplished. I had to take some deep breaths to get myself under control to focus on the run. 

As I was running I came up on all these people walking. I looked at my watch and we had only been running 1 minute and 50 seconds.....yet here were all these people walking. I had to laugh to myself. I told myself then I couldn't take a break until I had ran 15 minutes. It made me feel good because some of these people were a lot smaller than me. I had trained for 7 weeks very hard to get my endurance up. 

I focused on a couple in front of me. They were keeping a steady pace and I just kept my eye on them. I had some peppy music on and that kept me going. I was starting to feel tired and my throat was SUPER dry. I was REALLY hoping they would have water at mile 1. I told myself when I got to mile 1 I could walk for a little bit. I arrived at mile 1 and grabbed a bottle of water, took a couple sips and continued running. The water bottle was making me crazy, sloshing around in my hand, so I ditched it at the nearest trash can. I told myself if I threw the water out I couldn't get more water until the end. 

The woman of the couple I had been trailing stopped running at mile 1. Oh man who was I going to keep pace with. Right then a chick started running beside me. I thought she was going to pass me. Instead she ran near me the rest of the race. I don't know who she was, but she kept me going. I kept thinking if she stops then I can walk, but if she keeps going I have to keep going. 

Up ahead I could see this hill that I haven't ever been able to run up previously. I had practice on the course 4 times prior to race day. Ugh I was nervous I wasn't going to be able to get up that hill. I ran up half way. Then I walked about 30 seconds. I could see the girl getting ahead of me, so I had to take off and I finished running up the hill. I passed mile 2.  I just wanted to get to the pavement and run. I felt it might be easier to finish the run on pavement. That girl was just a little ahead of me and I had to catch her. 

I looked at my watch and I had been running for 27 minutes. HOLY COW! I was almost at mile 3. I knew if I picked up speed I could finish the race in 30 minutes. The goal I had in the back of my mind was actually do able. I picked up speed and started to catch that girl in the blue shirt. I had to finish this in 30 minutes. 

As I was nearing the finish line I kept looking for Art. My eyes were darting all over...where is he?  He isn't going to be ready with the camera. He has no idea I am almost there...oh great what if he isn't even near by to see me finish. I started to feel sick to my stomach at this point. I thought oh crap I am going to throw up! I just kept going. 29 minutes & 30 seconds. I took off and ran as hard as I could. I remember hearing my watch beep and looked at it. My heart rate was around 171. Then I saw Art. He was standing near the finish line. He saw me and started fumbling with the camera trying to turn it on. I kept thinking oh great he isn't going to get my picture as I cross the finish line. Then I saw the time at 34:15. I was irritated...how could it be 34:15 when my watch said 29:50. Well the 10K people took off first and that was their time. 

I was so worried about getting my pink ribbon. I should have been running to the side because I started to dry heave. I grabbed my ribbon and I ran to the side to throw up. Ugh! I got all the way to the end and I threw up. I had drank a small little bit of lemonade earlier on an empty stomach...MISTAKE. 

At this point I still didn't know what my time was. I had stopped my watch around 31 minutes, but that was after throwing up. Then I spotted the blue screen with the times. I ran over there and waited for my name to come up. They were putting the times up in bib # order. #78, #79, #82,  #87...#88 Becky Post 30:06

I fist pumped in the air! I had done it in 30 minutes!!!! I was sooooo excited. If I had enough strength at that point I would have jumped up and down. 

Crossing that finish line was the best feeling in the entire world!!!  I didn't care if anyone else was proud of me....I felt the proudest of myself! I had accomplished what I set out to accomplish! 

First 5K

Today is the big day! I am running my first 5K!  

The past 8 weeks I have been running 3 days a week trying to build up my endurance. I have been excited and scared about this run. I have ran the course numerous times in the past few weeks. I can't wait to get to that finish line! 

Here is where I will be running.