Today: Day 4, ‘E’ is for English Tea Party

Yesterday’s reading was a welcome change to my usual bed time routine, making me go to bed just a bit earlier to wind down, I think I ended up with a better nights sleep!

Except for the building alarm going off at like 6am…. ugh… You win some you lose some I guess!

Today was date day, every two weeks me and the hubby take it in turns to do a date that has somethign to do with a letter of the alphabet. My turn this week, and I had ‘E’.

I decided to do English Tea Party type theme…. bit hard as the hubs isn’t a fan of tea! But we made scones, and had cream and strawberry Jam!

The full link to the Mary Berry Recipe is here [Ok not the link itself… but the pin!]

Here are our ones:

 

Pretty good If I do say so myself!

Remember to follow me on Twitter: @harriparf and my board on Pinterest

Now excuse me as I devour the rest of the clotted cream…. om nom nom…..

Today: A Pin a Day

O dear lord

So I have been neglecting this because reently I have become a little (alot) embaressed at any progress I made.

My Q2 Goal was to run a sub 35min 5km.

I smashed it :p Yeah I got a 33:33 at Buckingham Parkrun. It was Glorious!

Then we had waffles.

Im almost at the end of my Q3 goal, though, technically i guess i have until the end of September? Anyway, lose 10lbs.

It’s hard.

I’m trying to find one thing to focus on to improve, and I am really REALLY struggling.

So, I need a new plan for the remaining 6.5 weeks:

1. I know I have a half marathon to run on September 27th, which is right at the end, so I can incorporate any training for that into this new plan.
2.  I run my long runs on Sundays, my short runs on Tuesdays, and any ‘technical’ runs (sprints/tempo/hills) on Thursday. So my week kinda goes Tu – 2-3 miles, Th-         4-6 miles, Sun 6 +
3. (At least I am now at a point where I’m not scared to just hop out and run 6 miles!)
4. I love Pinterest. Far too much

So my new plan:

6.5 weeks = 6.5*7 = 45.5 days, So for ease, I’ll say 45 days.

I’ll pick 45 pins and i have to do one a day. It can be a workout, or some crafty thing, or weird breathing exercises… basically it has to be an activity.

Today, I’m running 4-6 miles (depending on how hard it is raining), then i have to do something… hmmmm

I’m searching across the ‘Everything’ Category:

 

I guess I could do a beauty thing or a house cleaning thing?

Ah! Found a simple one, It’s a list of 10 things (last one is pray… i’ve cut it off as that’s not me)

So i could do this!

• I would declutter the kitchen.
• Put Music from my phone on
• Light a scented candle (I still have one I think!)
• Skip the brownies and make a milkshake
• I have a beautiful Bouquette of flowers to arrange and find a place for
• The Hubby’s gonna get a big grin from me!
• I’ll be motivating myself by running… nothing is more encouraging than: “I’m running home now…”
• Hugs are a rule whenever someone comes in the house. Snuggling and holding tight!
• Ahhh Games… That will be played! And the Great Brittish Bakeoff from yesterday. Shouldn’t take more than an hour?
• I’d shower after this and the run so i can play games and watch TV with a job done.

So that’s my idea. A pin a day and a blog a day… 45 days.

I best set the Commit reminder on my phone to pick a pin to do.

I’ve set a new board up: A Pin a Day, come follow if you like!

Till tomorrow!!

 

Today: Next Mountain To Climb

Don’t get excited, I’m not actually climbing a MOUNTAIN, just I see my next goal as one.

In January I set myself 4 goals as my new years resolution:

1. Run the Paris Half Marathon (Jan – March)
2. Run a sub 35min 5 km (Apr – Jun)
3. Lose 10lbs (Jul – Sept)
4. Run a sub 33min 5 km (Oct – Dec)

I decided to split it into little goals instead of the usual “I’m going to be healthy” blah blah you usually do, as I was fed up of giving up.

Goal 1 has been achieved and recorded in Today: I Did That, a truly emotional experience and I’m still thriving from the buzz from it!

Goal two is well underway and it isn’t even April yet, I knew I would PB at the next parkrun after the half marathon as I would still have all my strength and motivation from the 5 days before. And I did, Running Mumma coached me to a PB 5km of 36 mins exactly (even after getting up early for the grand prix). Meaning for my next goal, I have to shave a minute off that!

If you haven’t been to Milton Keynes parkrun before, you’re in for an experience. There is an infamous section known as the zig-zags, which is about 2- 3mins of uphill zig-zagging steep hill at about 2km. It hurts! But I know that’s where I’m going to make my best time gain, I slow right down when I get to the top, I think I could shave about 20 seconds off that hill!

In addition to this goal, I’m also trying to consciously make healthier lifestyle choices. I’m going good with my lunches and I have three bits of fruit on postits with times on when I should be eating them. Slow going, I’m trying not to go hungry, whilst also maintaining some kind of control.

Gym going has also picked up! Two club runs, 2 strength sessions and two alternative cardio’s a week (then parkrun on a Saturday), means I’m a busy bee, but I’m also feeling better for it, a lot calmer and just better rounded. It’s amazing what a bit of endorphin’s can do for you!

I haven’t felt this motivated in a very long time, and I really hope it stays with me.

Today: 13.1 Rules For My First Half Marathon

So i’ve reached that stage, the stage where I start questioning whether I’ve done enough to last long enough, or even to last the distance.

I know I can, I’ve been through this with myself. Intervalling your way to 13 miles isn’t the most efficient way to run your first half marathon, but after the not so great start to my year, and my foot still deciding to go numb at about 3 miles I’m left with little choice.

Over the past couple of months training, I have tried and tested different things to see if I can push further. Everything from the clothes I wear to the food I eat and even analysing which toe will blister first (right foot, toe next to the big one). I think I have come up with some (13.1) golden rules for your first race, or at least, rules for MY first race….

1. Talk to people who have done it before

This. You will hear everyone talking about their goals, and their sub 2 hour half marathons when you start your programme and you will feel so motivated! You shouldn’t kid yourself though, trying and extrapolate how long your 13.1 miles will take from the time your 10k run was will make you feel miserable.

My time prediction at best, if I run at my 5km pace, is 2 hours 40 mins. I’ve taken a step back from that and I know my running time will be around 3 hours, when intervalled.

I’ve accepted it, and haven’t thought too much on me being a failure or anything as I am going to do it.

Ask your friends what they did wrong. Giggle about it, you don’t even have to learn from it. It says a lot about making your own mistakes when your friends have done them too. You’re stubborn enough to go against the advice then you are stubborn enough to train for 13.1 miles

2. French lacy knickers are a no-no

I said I tried many different clothes, So I’m going to say one word: Velcro.

Go big, go small, don’t go wedgie.

3. If you’re a razor girl… don’t go crazy

Associated with the French knickers reason. It also itches with sweat, and ladies we do sweat. It doesn’t smell nice and when we’ve gone South American down South there is rubbing, and chaffing and itching and O DEAR GOD JUST DON’T.

4. Find a sports bra and stick with it

My Boobs jiggle, but if I wore a fully strapped-back-to-prepubescent-boy style bra I can’t breathe. I went through about 3 before I found my love… I jiggle during the first km because I’m full of beans but then they settle into a nice rhythm.

5. Get the best App for you

I’m a Nike Running Girl myself, I know those who use Strava, RunKeeper, Garmin stuff… I must admit I am using my phone for all my runs, but during training I’m getting annoyed at not knowing where I am, or how fast/slow I’m going. A Garmin/Nike sports watch may be my next best investment. I’m doing this AFTER my race… I know these things aren’t always accurate, but I don’t want to mess up all things inaccurate.

Consistent Inaccuracies please…

6. SOCKS

I never believed them when they said “get running socks”. Socks are socks, right? WRONG: running socks have taken my poor arches of my feet from trench-foot through to fine after a run. They will always be sore, but I don’t have an alien pod now growing on them! Best £6 investment ever.

7. Leave the Mascara at home

I’m guilty of this on so many occasions, I would even go as far to say that anything over an hour-long, wash your face off of makeup before starting. Even though you do just ‘sweat it off’ It can turn gunky and give you panda eyes and make them sting. Which will make you cry. Nobody like a runner crying for 25 mins on the treadmill (Trust me)

8. Hair length and style matter… But not to look good

I have boob length hair (most accurate description). Not massively long, not really short, and when I first started training I tied it in a ponytail. About 30 mins in the pony tail started getting glazed with sweat from my shoulders.. then started to get stuck under my armpits. So I was pulling on my own hair…

Next I tried a bun on top of my head, which was fine till my head got sweaty and the bun kinda fell off…

I stick with a plait now. Nice and easy and it doesn’t flick sweat everywhere either.

9. The Internal Runner Discussions

I’ve blogged about my arguments with myself before, even the ones when I’m running. When I was doing parkrun in Milton Keynes this past Saturday I was talking to someone who has the same discussions as me. We crave pizza, and talk to our knees, moan at our ankles and wonder if we’re entering a mild psychosis during our runs as we are almost 100% sure we are having both sides of the arguments out loud…

It’s normal (apparently) and helps pass the time, so if you see me having an ‘Andy Murray moment’, it’s self-motivation at its best!

10. Music choices

DON’T MAKE A PLAYLIST THAT LASTS THE TIME YOU WANT TO RUN IN.

Make one that’s significantly shorter. That way you know your songs will have to repeat at some point, and you won’t be disheartened when you’re at mile 12 and your playlist finishes “I’ve still got 15 mins and I haven’t done it! O THE SHAME” Or other Drama Queen personality traits you obtain whilst running like a badass.

11. Training sucks… The goal doesn’t

Every training run, without fail, during km 1 and the final km. I’ve accepted it to the point that it drives me on!

12. The right shoes

I know I said in point one that you can stubborn yourself out of certain advice that is given.. Not this. Get proper shoes, trust me it saved my knees!

13. Be nervous

It’s a big thing, even if you are so calm until you start walking towards the start line. Nerves can carry you through that horrendous first km and push you past the final marker. Embrace the excitement!

13.1 You will finish.

Believe it. Say it to yourself. I’ve got it on my motivation board and I say it with every walking part of my intervals. I’ll finish, I may finish last, but I finished a half marathon.

Now I’m off to hydrate hydrate hydrate and eat a manageable amount of carbs!

You can follow me on Twitter @harriparf and Pinterest @harrietestyman

Today: The Fantastic 4

August 3rd 2012

Calories consumed 1410

Sit ups completed 200

Other toning exercises 200

Blogging on harriparf completed

That is 4 stars earned today on my star chart! My own personal record whilst other world records are being broken at the London 2012 Olympic games.

It was a burst of Energy that inspired me today, I felt I just had to achieve it and so I did!

Tomorrow will be a bit more of a challenge, I’m currently on my best streak for saving calories (2 days…) So I’m hoping tomorrow I will continue my trend!

I’m doing something a bit different to what I previously did, I’m not minusing the calories I use up from exercise, So I’m literally only looking at what I consume. I’m trying to burn between 200 and 500 calories a day from walking and running, I use my ipod as a pedometer and do about 4500 steps a day without running, which is pretty poor! 

I would say I’m aiming for 10000 a day, but I’m not sure how I could manage that. But it could be something I aim to do whilst I’m on holiday!

Monday is the next weigh in day, so I will find out how this week has gone after work, I have been well behaved all week so I’m really hoping for a loss!! 

I’m also trying to do the whole ‘ask yourself if you are really hungry or not’ thing, however I like food to much. But I did resist the second packet of quavers that fell out the macing today, and resisted more fruit just because it was there and healthy. Upward battle, but I’m beginning to push back!

I was back on my tablets today, after having 2 days off. I spent the first half of the day feeling high as a kite, and not really with it, or myself, but I am feeling more normal now. 2 days off again from tomorrow So expect a sad post over the weekend. But an honest one at least! 

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Today: Out the Window.

No… not something literally out of the window. My food plan from a previous post did. It would have gone so well, but halfway through the week I got epically bored. And didn’t eat well AT ALL.

I also ended up going to Cardiff this weekend, which resulted in more bad eating 😦 Long story as to why I went to cardiff, the short version is me not being very good at Long distant relationships.

I’ve come up with a new approach to my diet. I’ve meal planned. every day. All except breakfast, which I will see how my milkshake goes on Monday before I decide what else to have for the rest of the week. 1800 calorie aim for each day, where one day a week I’m allowed to eat whatever I want. This is apparently good because when I come off the diet, I’ll be able to maintain the weight, otehrwise my body will hate the shock of more calories and I will get my tum back!

Since all my weight is between the bottom of my boobs and my knees, it looks like I have alot of cardio work to do!

It’s a nice running week this week, M/T/W/Th runs, then Fri off. I can’t run at the weekend because I just get freaked out running outside at the moment. I’m so conscious about road running! It’s ok when I go home to visit my parents because I run round a field. But in Cardiff it’s up and down a main road. With loose paving slabs… as my rolled ankle from the weekend will testify.

I haven’t discovered anywhere in Cheltenham yet, I could go exploring, but since my gym is on my route home, I just go there straight from work! Means I can do weights as well, I think when I get to running for 5 miles I will need to run outside. But that;s still quite a way off, as I get hit with cramp from about 1.5 miles in. I’m excited to make it to 2 miles non stop.

I’m also going to start up the sponsored diet thing again. I’ll start a new graph and I will keep you all updated. I’m determined to not only lose the final 15lbs, but raise the remaining £85 to get to my £100 target.

This is the start of the “I will be a size 10 bride” project. But that will be on my tumblr site more than here… (take a look! http://www.harriparf.tumblr.com)

Right. Off to bed. got a hefty Monday ahead of me! got a morning weigh in for the start of the new sponsored stretch!

Today: The food plan

Staple for an interesting day drink

It’s really really hard to diet when you are depending on someone else buying the food for the week.

I’m not depending, I mean, It’s my other halfs Nan, who lets me live with her, for free, won’t let me contribute to the food shopping either. She will let me tell her what I would like, however due to refrigeration/freezer space (She likes to be prepared for say… a Nuclear attack) I don’t ask for anything more than salad things.

I would like to say now, I’m not complaining.

It just means that my diet will revolve around what hasn’t expired in the fridge/freezer, and after a couple of close calls with food poisoning and one actual case which knocked me for six, I’m very picky about what I eat.

So I’m writing this to be a plan for my food. depending on what is in the fridge.

So on Monday, I will still be in Cardiff:

Brekkie: Tea, Bacon x 3, 1 x Chiabatta roll, butter (1 serving) 390 calories

Lunch: Fajitas x 2 chicken. – 190 calories per serving. Contains 1xOnion 2xPeppers 500g chicken, fajita mix, salsa.

glass of coke 105 calories

Then I return to Cheltenham,

So for tea, I was thinking                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           Can of diet coke, 3xfish fingers, 2x bread, 1 serving of butter. 399 calories.

Total for the day to then be: 1274 calories.

I’m planning on going to the gym tomorrow night so that I can do my run, I’ve missed my runs since thursday because I really messed my feet up. I couldnt even walk the next day so I decided it was for the best!

It’s another 3 mile day, So I will defo try to whack it out! gotta try and get it less than 38 mins this time.

The rest of the week will be very similar, owing to when I say what food I fancy that day, Nan will buy me a weeks supply…

Brekkie: Coffee, Sugarpuffs and milk – 170 calories [I have this every day, I’ve tried fruit but I just get hungry later on in the morning!]

Lunch: cous cous, 1/4 onion, celery, 1/2 can of tuna – 222 calories. I like it with the onion, It adds a nice kick to the flavour 🙂 [May sway cous cous for a half portion of pasta]

Snacks: Banana, special K bar – 158 calories. This may increase as I am going to the gym on Tu/Th/Fri

Dinner: Protein shake and bananna – 320 calories. Again, may go up as I may need a bit more to keep me going!

I’m in cheltenham at the weekend as well, which means I may have the protein shake for lunch on the saturday (It’s a roast at the in-laws on the sunday) Then something a bit more creative for dinner on saturday evening.

I also have found a magic special drink I use for running. I’ve read that cramping can be caused by lack of electrolytes including salt, So I make a strong Orange squash with just a pinch of salt in. It really works wonders, and I don’t get thirsty as much as to compared when I drink water on its own. which is a pretty massive win!!

I just hope this time when I run My right foot won’t lean inwards, or that I have to run with my left foot facing outward!! I’m compensating for something, but I can’t figure out why, I know I run pretty flat footed, and I’m conscious to make an effort to change that, but I’ve run before and I was fine, so I’m not 100% sure what’s going on.

My running days this week? Well as I’m not heading to Cardiff to allow my Charlie to prepare for exams, It’s M/Tu/Th/F/Sa. I may go to the gym on Wednesday anyway and do more toning and stretching exercises. Maybe look into strength and conditioning training, then Post what I decide to do here :p

I’ll keep you all updated anyhow. Just wanted to let you know I hadn’t just given up!!

Side note: I haven’t had a McDonalds in 130 days.

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Today: End of Week 10

I seem to have become awesome at maintaining my weight. I can’t shift anything even though my diet/exercise hasn’t varied from previous weeks.

I’m rapidly losing motivation, so this post will be short, but will also be a cry for help.

 

How do you stay motivated? Are you like me in that you need people to notice to make it worth it? Are you doing a sponsored activity and lacking in sponsors?

I need help here.

My next couple of blogs will be off topic a bit from the diet, but that’s because there are ignorant people that need to be shamed, and the F1 season will be starting soon….

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Today: End of Week 6

Image via Wikipedia

And i’ve done it.

I’ve reached the second big milestone that I wanted to reach:  The loss of one stone.

This means my weight is now down to 160lbs!!! (72.6kgs for all you metrics)

My first big milestone was beating Mark Webber‘s weight of 75kgs (a point which I have now marked on my graph below)

So i’m pretty chuffed right now!

The only issue this week is that I had food poisoning, so i didn’t eat ANYTHING for 2 days, which has had a bigger impact on my fitness more than my weight, as I just feel exhausted all the time! I have made up my fluid levels again so I don’t have my epic headache on anymore, and I’m looking forward to going back to the gym, back onto the weight and running training stuff 🙂

I have a couple of new goals to work towards again:

1. Run the mile
2. Run 2 miles
3. Go to the gym 3 times in one week
4. Save 4500 calories in one week (650 calories per day)

i know running the mile and then 2 seems to just lead into each other, but i’m doing a training program for the 2 miles and I just want to beable to run the mile again, to say that I can!

REMEMBER! I’m doing this in aid of the British Heart Foundation, and if yuo would like to sponsor me, even just £1, you can text “DIET59  £1” to 70070. It’s really that simple, OR visit http://www.justgiving.com/harriparf

Thanks for reading and following!

 

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Today: End of Week Three

and here it is:

Previous end of Week Two weight: 168lbs (after realising that 12st dead is 168 and NOT 170)

End of Week Three weight: 165lbs (OR 75kgs for all you metrics out there)

I felt pretty disheartened this morning when I weighed myself, because it said I was in the same place I was before. – if not more. However when i then weighed myself on a hard surface (type of surface I usually weigh myself on) because my scales are crap and need stability, I found I had lost 3lbs!

Relief in my eyes, i didn’t want to report to my regular followers –  Miss Jennifer Walker – writer of “The Year of the Detox” being one of them, who is trying the old age saying of 8 glasses of water a day, a difficult thing to do by what I have read! Personally, myself and coffee have far to great a dependence relationship to be parted… though I am trying to cut down at work!

Had a pretty active week, burnt over 400 calories at the gym both times I went this week, and as there are no snack vans around where my new job is, I am just stuck with my lunch that I make the night before, usually wraps with lots of salad and either ham or cheese. The sainsbury’s “Be Good to Yourself” wraps are only 130 calories each and are pretty filling if you add mushrooms and peppers. I’ve also had a diet coke too just to add a bit of varience to my day, and then variations of fibre bars, and peanuts.

Thinking about adding fruit into it, possibly bananas, not apples. Apples are a bit sweet for me at the moment! as it seems I have cut out anything and everything sweet.

Everything has been pretty similar this week, I’m loving the routine of the new job, 9-5 <3. only issue is what feels like the mission to and from work. hour there and an hour back along a road which is just notorious for arseholes. So i’m always super stressed when I get home in the evening, the only way I found that will calm me down and not make me want to punch anything that moves is the gym. The glorious and loud and punishing gym. the 2 times I went last week I felt like a god, totally exhausted but so much better after I had taken out all the punishment on myself and not say stressful tweets of facebook messages… nope… So i’m looking forward to going to the gym 3 times next week!

in total I saved just over 4000 calories this week, I aim to do the same next week and the week after just to try and track my progress. I’m so proud that I have stuck to this and I hope you recognise it too! If so, please share this, or sponsor me – as all of this is for my personal well-being and for the British Heart Foundation! – by clicking here.

 

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