More progress!

It has now been 6 months since getting the official PCOS diagnosis, (though probably years that I've had it.) and 4 months since getting serious about cracking down on diet and exercise since all the pain started a year and a half ago.

Here's where things stand:
SEPTEMBER 2012

Weight: down 12 pounds
Neck: down 1 inch
Chest: down 3 inches
Waist: down 4.5 inches
Hips: down 1.75 inches
Arm: down 1 inch
Thigh: down 2 inches
Calf: down 0.5 inch

 

BP 132/84 (getting closer to that 120/80 mark!)

 

On September 8 , I finished my first official 5K race, A Run to Remember, in honor of the fire/rescue/police staff lost on September 11, 2001. I was not last;-) My time was 46:30. This was after working my first full week back in the classroom. These days, three weeks into school, I can finish in 42 minutes! My goal for next year is 36 minutes.

I only need to take off 6 more pounds to be able to say that I weigh less now than on my last day pregnant:-) The over all goal is 63 more pounds. 

Progress Photos:

13.67!

Started week 5 of my C25K program tonight and I averaged 13.67 minutes per mile! I know this is no great time or anything, but at the beginning of summer break it was taking me 17 minutes to complete a mile and around an hour to finish the course. Today it too me 41 minutes. Yay for progress. Small steps, I know; but steps nonetheless.

C25K Week 4

Today was a milestone! It was the first day that I jogged (because I can't really call what I do running! I am sloooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwww.) for the same amount of time that I walked during the training session. This training session was walk 2.5 minutes, run 2.5 minutes for 6 cycles. 15 minutes of running and 15 minutes of walking. Of course, I always finish a the 5K out after the training session is over, so at this time, it takes me 42 minutes to complete the 5K or about 14 minutes a mile. But in reality what it looks like is 13.5 minutes for mile 1, 14.5 minutes for mile 2, and 14 minutes for mile 3. I have NO idea why that second mile is always so difficult for me!

Week 3 down!

The trail that was taking me an hour to complete at the end of the school year took me 42 minutes today:-) Starting week 4 of C25K Tuesday and it will be the first week with running periods longer than the walking ones. I'm excited!

Week 3

Started week 3 of my C25K (Sparkpeople's 5K Your Way) and let me tell you: my legs were SCREAMING the whole time! Last week's runs felt really good and easy, but adding that 30 seconds on per cycle really made a difference. It felt really good when I was finished though;-)

This weeks cycle has me walking in 3 minute increments still, but then running for 2. Day one and two I do 6 cycles and on day three I'll do 7. I'm still not seeing a ton of improvement on the scale, but in measurements I am and that's ok for me right now.

Remember, if you want to sign up for Sparkpeople, it is free and they have TONS of great resources! Just click the link I provided there and it will take you to the sign up page.

Week 1 down!

This morning I finished week 1 of C25K. I started this time with the walk/run plan because of the extra weight I'm carrying from the PCOS. The first week is a walk 4 minute/run 1 minute plan. Today was an increase day so I did this 5 times for a total of 30 minutes. The second week, which I will start on Wednesday is a walk 3.5 minute/run 1.5 minute cycle. I'll do that for 5 cycles Wednesday and Friday and increase it to 6 cycles on Sunday. Then I'll increase the run time an decrease the walk time incrementally over the last three weeks of the program and end with a "race day" where I officially record the time it takes me to run/walk a real 5K.

After I finish this run/walk 5K module, I am going to move on to the full out running module, which is also a 5 week plan. That should bring me through the end of summer and I am looking for an OFFICIAL race to sign up for in the early fall. My long term goal is to be ready for a 10K maybe in time for the Turkey Run in November.

This photo meme still really resonates with me, though;-)

C25K

Started Week 1 of Couch to 5K this morning. Again. I was really on a roll there for a while, running a solid 5K 4 days a week for almost a year before all hell broke loose in my body and those cysts rupturing took me too my knees for 10 months.

So anyway, I think I have all that under control now but man. It sucks to have to start back at the beginning. Oh well. I'm doing it. I've even scheduled a run/walk 5K race 5 weeks from now. I know that's too soon and I'll do terribly. But I'm doing it. Got to get back on this horse.