Week of May 26 - 30 (first week back from yet another weekend of gluttony)

• Tuesday, 5/26
  Exercise: Sprinted 1 mile in 9:41 minutes. Worked out on exercise bike for 30 minutes, targeting 123 - 153 heart rate (10.7 miles)
  Diet: Breakfast: small cup of coffee, Luna bar. Late Lunch: 1/2 turkey & swiss sandwich on multi-grain bread. Late afternoon snack: 1/4 turkey & swiss sandwich, South Beach snack bar. Dinner: leftover pasta salad, two mini cucumbers, a banana, and a few pieces of beef jerky
  The " scientific metrics":
  Weight: 141.6 lbs
  Waist: 31 inches
  Hips: 36.5 inches
• Wednesday, 5/27
  Exercise: Lifted upper body free weights (Duration: 35 minutes)
  - 6 sets x 20 reps bicep curls (8 lbs, one arm each: 2 lower, 2 upper, 2 full)
  - 4 sets x 20 reps tricep extensions (8 lbs, both arms together)
  - 4 sets x 20 reps tricep extensions (16 lbs, both arms together)
  - 10 sets x 20 reps crunches
  Diet: Breakfast: Luna bar. Lunch: 1/2 turkey & swiss sandwich on multi-grain bread. Afternoon snack: 1/4 turkey & swiss sandwich. Late afternoon snack: South Beach snack bar. Dinner: one spicy tuna roll, one salmon roll, edamame, two glasses of Michelob Ultra. Late evening snack: a few pieces of beef jerky
• Thursday, 5/28
  Exercise: none
  Diet: Late breakfast: a banana. Pre-lunch snack: another banana. Lunch: South Beach snack bar. Late lunch snack: Luna bar. Pre-dinner snack: leftover pasta salad. Dinner: seared Ahi tuna salad, chips & salsa, ... and a drink or five... =)
• Friday, 5/29
  Exercise: none
  Diet: Late breakfast: Vitamin water. Lunch: vegetable soup and Baked Lays. Early afternoon snack: Luna bar. Late afternoon snack: uncooked ramen noodles. Dinner: Phara's Lamb La Zeez (grilled lamb, basmati rice, with roasted habanero garlic sauce), hummus, pita bread
• Saturday, 5/30
  Exercise: Ran 3.02 miles, 39:44 minutes (13:09 min/mile)
  Diet: Breakfast: none. Lunch: a small bowl of fried rice with low-fat Chinese sausage and lean flank steak, baby bok choy soup, with pickled baby eggplants
  

Memorial Day Weekend log

• Thursday, 5/21
  Exercise: Worked out on elliptical trainer for 60 minutes (4.84 miles).
  Lifted weights for upper-arm toning.
  - Tricep Press Machine - 3 sets x 15 reps (50 lbs, both arms together)
  - Bicep Curl Machine - 3 sets x 15 reps (20 lbs, both arms together)
  Diet: Breakfast: skipped(bad). Lunch: light creamy potato & sausage soup, salad with Italian dressing, 2 breadsticks. Dinner: lean pocket, 5 lychee jellies, Bueno hazelnut chocolate wafer bar (a Spanish version Kit Kat), half a bag of uncooked instant ramen noodles (God, it gets worse and worse...), a few (like, 4) kettle-cooked jalapeno potato chips, unsalted almonds, dried cranberries
• Friday, 5/22
  Exercise: none
  Diet: Breakfast: none. lunch: grilled chicken southwest salad with 1/2 packet of creamy spicy dressing. Afternoon snack: half a grilled chicken wrap, a third of a fried (damnit!) chicken sandwich. Dinner: a little bit of hummus, a spring salad with Italian dressing, two plates of spaghetti & meat sauce (eek!), 3 slices of french baguettes, 3 of Sarah's famous "low fat" cranberry & white chocolate oatmeal cookies, and half a slice of a fruit cream tart. .... oh, and a couple of bottles of Dos Equis beer (but, it was so worth it)
• Saturday, 5/23
  Exercise: Worked out on elliptical trainer for 60 minutes (4.98 miles)
  Diet: Breakfast: a bottle of water (so, none, again). Lunch: asiago bagel with reduced fat sun-dried tomato cream cheese, a bowl of vegetarian vegetable soup, a piece of french baguette. Dinner: (... what's the point...) lots and lots of eggrolls (I probably ate about a dozen), beef fajitas, beef jerky, two of Sarah's famous "low fat" cranberry & white chocolate oatmeal cookies, and half a slice of Oreo cheesecake.
  The "scientific metrics":
  Weight: 140.0 lbs
  Waist: 30 inches (hm... am I measuring myself correctly)
  Hips: 36.25 inches
• Sunday, 5/24
  Exercise: Ran 3.02 miles, 39:29 minutes (13:04 min/mile... arg, so slow! even though it was my first time running .. in THREE months... I thought I could have done better)
  Diet: Late breakfast: eggs, 3 pieces of turkey sausage, a couple pieces of bacon, hashbrowns, tortilla. Lunch: one bratwurst, one hotdog, German potato salad, baked beans. Afternoon "happy hour": 4 glasses of Moscato =) Dinner: grilled chicken breast, pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil
• Monday, 5/25
  Exercise: Walked for 35 minutes
  Diet: Breakfast: 2.5 breakfast tacos, 2 waffles (no syrup). Pre-lunch snack: two of Sarah's famous "low fat" cranberry & white chocolate oatmeal cookies. Pre-lunch snack part 2: a few pieces of dried squid. Late lunch: pho with lean tai meat, small bowl of rice with braised lean pork and quail eggs. Dinner: pasta salad with sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil

So, the net of this Memorial Day weekend is: A LOT of eating... but I was able to fit in some kind of work-out between meals - not that it negates all the eating, but I would still consider this a success (especially if you know how the Dangs eat...)

Getting back to running

Saturday, 2/21

• 3.02 miles - 38:13 minutes
• Average pace: 12:39 min/mile
  

• Running: Ran 2.94 miles - 35:49 minutes (Ave pace: 12:11 min/mile)
• Thoughts: I ran 3 "Wilsons" (the block around my old middle school and elementary school). Physically, it was an easy run. Emotionally, it was draining. I don't think I like running anything three times in a row. I need some variety. Otherwise, I just feel like a hamster on a wheel (which is why I avoid treadmills if I can). On another random note, I am reading Twilight! I'm transitioning from children's literature about magic and wizardry to adolescent teen vampire romance.
  
  Merry Christmas Eve!
  

• Running: Ran 3.02 miles - 35:39 minutes (Ave pace: 11:48 min/mile)
• Thoughts: It is so freakin' cold outside!!!!! I can't feel my ears, arms, legs.. I should have checked the weather before I decided to run in a tanktop and shorts. 32 degrees.... I thought my body could warm itself up, and I was too determined to continue to turn back. I hope I don't get sick..... Stupid.
  

I completed my all of my "running goals" for 2008!
Update: I completed all of "Harry Potter goals" for 2008 (completion date: some time in early Dec)!

New Year's Resolutions Update:

• Run a 10K race - Done: Capitol 10K (March 30, 2008)
• Run a 5K race every 3 months
• Winter 5K - Done: Mardi Gras 5K (Feb 2, 2008)
• Spring 5K - Done: Schlotzky's 5K Bun Run (April 13, 2008)
  
• Summer 5K - Done: IBM Uptown Classic at the Domain 5K (Oct 19, 2008)
  ... okay, sure this isn't technically "summer"... but let's let this one one slide =)
  
• Fall 5K - Done: Run for the Water 5K (Nov 9, 2008)
• Read all the Harry Potter Books
• Book 1: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
  - Done
• Book 2: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
  - Done
  
• Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
  - Done
  
• Book 4: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
  - Done
  
• Book 5: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
  - Done
  
• Book 6: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
  - Done
  
• Book 7: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
  - Done
  
• Go snowboarding again
  - Deferred to Feb 2009. Whistler, Vancouver. Tickets booked!
  

Countdown to Wedding Fitness!

Goal for Michelle's wedding on 9/27 (in 3 weeks): Work-out 5 days per week. Continue to maintain a low-fat, low-carb diet, and refrain from carbs after 5 PM (allowing some moderate exceptions on weekends).
The bottom line: Just look thin and healthy at Michelle's wedding!

Here we go!

---

WEEK 1 OF 3

• Sunday, 9/7
  Running: 3.02 miles - 40:16 minutes (Average pace: 13:20 min/mile)
  Diet: Lunch: Raw veggies. Dinner: First, a Vietnamese minced prawn & egg soup (bun rieu) with fried tofu. Then, a potluck dinner complete with meatballs & French bread, Parmesan-crusted halibut fillets, tomato & mozzarella salad, green bean & crab salad, rotisserie chicken, turtle cheesecake, fruit custard tart, and red wine. (I am stuffed, which is NOT good! At least, most of the food was healthy, but it's just too bad that I ate so much of it! Not a perfect start...)
• Monday, 9/8
  (Rest)
  Diet: Breakfast: small cup of coffee. Lunch: half a turkey & provolone sandwich on wheat. Early afternoon snack: half a turkey & provolone sandwich. Late afternoon snack: a banana. Dinner: rotisserie chicken breast, raw baby carrots. Midnight fuel (as I work into the night..): a medium cup of coffee.
• Tuesday, 9/9
  Elliptical Trainer: 45 min (~3.5 miles)
  Diet: Breakfast: small cup of coffee. Lunch: half a turkey & swiss sandwich on wheatberry. Early afternoon snack: a banana. Late afternoon snack: half a turkey & swiss sandwich on wheat. Dinner: Mushrooms in clear chicken broth soup, brussel sprouts, a pickle, and an apple.
• Wednesday, 9/10
  Elliptical Trainer: 45 min (~3.4 miles)
  Weight Training - Upper Body Machines: triceps, biceps
  Diet: Breakfast: small cup of coffee, an orange. Lunch: half a turkey & swiss sandwich on wheat. Afternoon snack: half a turkey & swiss sandwich on wheat, a banana. Dinner: turkey and chicken cold cuts, a banana, an orange, and a pickle.
• Thursday, 9/11
  (Rest)
  Diet: Breakfast: small cup of coffee, Special K Protein Bar. Lunch: beef jerky (while shopping). Afternoon snack: an orange, Atkins "Day Break" Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp Bar, G2 energy drink. Dinner: Chinese buffet =( (but it was for Megan's 18th bday!!! I'll eat well on the weekend.)
• Friday, 9/12
  Running: 2.29 miles, 28:39 minutes (Average pace: 12:31 min/mile)
  Diet: Breakfast: Special K Protein Water. Lunch: half a turkey & provolone sandwich. Early Afternoon snack: an orange, half a turkey & provolone sandwich. Late Afternon Snack: a banana, an orange. Dinner: turkey cold cuts, raw baby carrots, hummus, a pickle, Atkins "Day Break" Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp bar (for dessert). Late Night Snack: Special K Protein Bar
• Saturday, 9/13
  Elliptical Trainer: 1 hour, 5 minutes (~5.1 miles)
  Diet: Lunch: spaghetti & meatballs. Afternoon Snack: small bowl of spaghetti & meatballs. Dinner: egg rolls, fried rice, a slice of ice cream cake, a slice of chocolate mousse cake (Megan's Birthday Part 2). Late Night Snack: turkey cold cuts.
  

WEEK 2 OF 3

• Sunday, 9/14 (Note: Started Crest Whitestrips this evening)
  (Rest)
  Diet: Lunch: egg rolls, fried rice, a slice of chocolate mousse cake. Afternoon Snack: Atkins "Day Break" Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp bar. Late Afternoon Snack: an orange. Dinner: turkey cold cuts, raw baby carrots, hummus, a pickle, an apple.
• Monday, 9/15
  Elliptical Trainer: 45 minutes (~3.5 miles)
  Weight Training - Free Weights: triceps, biceps, shoulders
  Diet: Breakfast: medium cup of coffee, plain bagel with cream cheese. Lunch: half a turkey & provolone sandwich on wheat. Late Afternoon Snack: other half of the sandwich, Atkins "Day Break" Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp bar. Dinner: (I cheated!!! ... but just a little) one slice of white meat chicken quesadilla, one very small beef taquito, 4 white corn tortilla chips, guacamole, salsa, and a bunch of raw baby carrots
• Tuesday, 9/16
  Weight Training - Free Weights: triceps, biceps, shoulders (30 min)
  Diet: Breakfast: medium cup of coffee, plain bagel with cream cheese. Lunch: half a cajun chicken wrap. Afternoon snack: other half of cajun chicken wrap, Atkins "Day Break" Peanut Butter Fudge Crisp bar. Dinner: a glass of wine, 4 pan-seared pork dumplings, sauteed beef & water spinach, Vietnamese squash (bau) soup
• Wednesday, 9/17
  Elliptical Trainer: 30 minutes (2.5 miles)
  Diet: Breakfast: medium cup of coffee, plain bagel with cream cheese. Lunch: half a grilled chicken & swiss sandwich on wheat, a banana. Afternoon Snack: other half of grilled chicken & swiss sandwich on wheat. Dinner: chicken & salsa salad, turkey cold cuts, Vietnamese pork cold cuts (gio). Late Night Snack: fresh fruit (banana, apple, orange)
• Thursday, 9/18
  Exercise Bike: 30 minutes (4.1 miles)
  Diet: Late breakfast: small cup of coffee. Lunch: half a turkey & swiss sandwich on wheatberry. Afternoon Snack: other half of sandwich, Special K protein bar. Dinner: half grilled pork sandwich on French baguette, braised pork, fried tofu, bittermelon soup
• Friday, 9/19
  (Rest)
  Diet: Breakfast: small cup of coffee. Lunch: minestrone soup, salad, 3 breadsticks. Afternoon snack: small cup of coffee. Late Afternoon "Snack" (aka Happy Hour): 3 beers. Dinner: Sauteed shrimp with Thai chili peppers, chicken coconut curry with green beans, ground pork & bean thread patty, Vietnamese spinach soup
• Saturday, 9/20
  Running: 3.02 miles - 38:57 minutes (Average pace: 12:54 min/mile)
  Diet: Breakfast/Lunch: small bowl of chicken pho. Dinner (at Shady Grove): Thai grilled chicken salad, cup of Mexican tortilla soup, chili cheese fries. Late Night Partying: jello shots & vodka cocktails =D
  

WEEK 3 OF 3

• Sunday, 9/21
  (Rest)
  Diet: Breakfast/Lunch: small bowl of lean beef brisket & eye round steak pho. Afternoon Snack: 2.5 Round Rock doughnuts =( Dinner: tacos (one double-decker, one crunchy)
• Monday, 9/22
  (Stood on my feet for 5 hours straight for a recruiting event today!)
  Weight Training - Free Weights: triceps, biceps, shoulders (30 min)
  Diet: Breakfast: medium cup of coffee, fat-free peach yogurt. Lunch: chicken marsala, green beans, side salad with small drizzle of ranch dressing. Dinner: (Cheesecake Factory) Weight Management Spicy Chicken Salad (chicken spring mix salad with low-fat vinaigrette), small appetizer plate of Mitchell's meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and mixed vegetables, pumpernickel bread & butter (yes, I know, carbs... )
• Tuesday, 9/23
  Weight Training - Free Weights: triceps, biceps, shoulders (30 min)
  Diet: Breakfast: medium cup of coffee. Lunch: half turkey & swiss sandwich on wheatberry, a banana. Late Afternoon Snack / Early Dinner: other half of turkey sandwich
• Wednesday, 9/24
  Diet: Breakfast: bottle of water. Lunch: half turkey & swiss sandwich on wheatberry. Afternoon Snack: 2nd bottle of water, a banana.
  

• Sunday, 8/24
  Toning: triceps, biceps, shoulders
  
  
• Monday, 8/25
  Walking: 2 hours
  Toning: triceps, biceps, shoulders
  

• Monday, 8/18
  Weight training: Body Pump class
  
  
• Tuesday, 8/19
  Elliptical trainer: 45 minutes (~3.25 miles)
  
  
• Wednesday, 8/20
  Running: 3.02 miles - 39:53 minutes (Average pace: 13:12 min/mile)
  
  
• Friday, 8/22
  Elliptical trainer: 45 minutes (~4 miles)
  
  
• Saturday, 8/23
  Running: 2.22 miles - 26:25 minutes (Average pace: 11:54 min/mile)
  Toning: triceps, biceps
  

TRYING to get my high school figure back! (Reunion coming up!!)

GOAL FOR THE WEEK OF 8/10 - 8/16:
Fit in 5 work-outs before my 10-year high school reunion on Saturday night!

RESULTS:

• Sunday 8/10
  Elliptical trainer - 33 min (~ 2.5 miles)
  Weight training: Upper-body machines - triceps, biceps, shoulders, chest, abdominal
  
  
• Monday, 8/11
  3.02 miles - 37:44 minutes
  Average pace: 12:30 min/sec
  
  
• Thursday 8/14
  3.02 miles - 40:00 minutes
  Average pace: 13:15 min/sec (sloooowwwwww!!)
  
  
• Friday 8/15
  Exercise bike - 30 minutes
  Toning: triceps (dips), abdominal (crunches)
  
  
• Saturday, 8/16
  Exercise bike - 30 minutes
  Toning: triceps (dips), chest (push-ups), abdominal (crunches)
  

I did it! 5 work-outs before my 10-year high school reunion!!
I'm a little disappointed that work got in the way. I really think I could have fit in a little bit more had it not been for work (working late hours, early morning conference calls). Saturday morning, I was cycling away on the exercise bike at my parents' house while listening to a release status call! Oh well, I'm happy that I achieved my weekly goal! =)

Keeping track...

Sunday, 7/20
1 mile - 10:28 minutes
Weight training: Upper-body machines - biceps, triceps, chest, shoulders, abdominal

Monday, 7/21
1.98 miles - 22:26 minutes
Average pace: 11:20 min/mile

Tuesday, 7/22
Exercise bike - 20 minutes (~7 miles)
Weight training: Upper-body machines - triceps, biceps, lats, shoulders, chest, abdominal

Slow progress...

I can only fit in one run per week =( ... better than that one-month lull at least...

Saturday, 7/12
2.29 miles - 27:55 minutes
Average pace: 12:11 min/mile

Saturday, 7/19
3.02 miles - 39:46 minutes
Average pace: 13:10 min/mile

Holy Moly, it's been a month...

After moving to my new job (I got promoted to management in mid-May), there has been no time for anything anymore! 60 to 70-hr work weeks leave less time for family and friends, and even less time for working out. It's been a month since my last run... a month!!! When work is busy and stress is high, usually the weight comes off on its own (albeit in a very unhealthy way), but lately I've been feeling as though I've let myself go because in the short spurts of leisure time that I can find to spend with family and friends, I try to compact in there as much merriment and relaxation as possible; this includes food, drink, and plenty of unburnt calories. As a result, I'm soft and and flabby! (.... Oh, but that juicy ribeye, fries, garlic bread sopping with butter, and cold beer I had at Mitchell's dad's house was so good...) I need to get my flabby bootie into gear!

Week of 6/29 - 7/5
Thursday, 7/3
3.02 miles - 39:15 minutes
Average page: 13:00 min/mile

Saturday, 7/5
Town Lake, 4.5 mile trail - Ran for 40 minutes, then ran/walked the rest of the way for approximately 15 minutes, yielding a total time of around 55 minutes.
Average pace: ~ 12:13 min/mile

Weekly Workout Summary Backlog

... I've been too busy to post, not to mention run! I've been maintaining my one-run-a-week streak. It's far from stellar, but at least it's something!!

Week of 5/25 - 5/31
Thursday, 5/29
2.36 miles - 29:15 minutes
Average pace: 12:24 min/mile

Week of 6/1 - 6/7
Thursday, 6/5
2.22 miles - 26:52 minutes
Average pace: 12:06 min/mile

Weekly Workout Summary, 5/11 - 5/17

Wednesday, 5/14
Excercise Bike - 60 minutes

Saturday, 5/17
2.54 miles - 30:49 minutes
Average pace: 12:08 min/mile

Weekly Workout Summary, 5/4 - 5/10

Friday, 5/9
3.02 miles - 35:44 minutes
Average pace: 11:50 min/mile

My Stack o' Bibs

Recently, I started organizing all of my race bibs to put into a scrapbook later (to prove that I was actually "physically active" at some point in my life).. and I realized that since November of last year, I've run five organized races! Count 'em, biatch!

1. Susan G. Komen 5K Race for the Cure - Nov 4, 2007
2. Wellstone's Dallas White Rock Marathon Relay (5-mile leg) - Dec 9, 2007
3. St. Gabriel's Catholic School's Mardi Gras 5K - Feb 2, 2008
4. Statesman Capitol 10K - March 30, 2008
   
5. Schlotzsky's 5K Bun Run - April 13, 2008

For an "indoorsy" gal like me, this is 5 more than I ever thought was possible... and I'm proud to say that, Yes - I RAN all of them. This is a pretty cool feeling.

Weekly Workout Summary, 4/27 - 5/3

Monday, 4/28
2.36 miles - 25:50 minutes
Average pace: 10:57 min/mile

Weekly Workout Summary, 4/13 - 4/19

Tuesday, 4/15:
3.02 miles - 36:22 minutes
Average pace: 12:02 min/mile
Notes: Overall, this was a nice light jog through the neighborhood park in awesome weather - about 60 degrees with a slight breeze while the sun was about the come down .. but I felt kind of stiff during this run, and I don't think I stretched enough before and after the run. After the run, I got on my tip toes to reach for something, and I felt a weird pull in my left heel. It didn't hurt, but it felt strange, like something in my heel.. snapped? Sounds really bad and painful, but it didn't hurt... What could that mean?? This has happened before once, but I didn't notice any effects later...

This morning, I ran the Schlotzky's 5K Bun Run. My chip time was 31:40, which averages out to 10:13 min/mile - my best time yet =) This was also the first time I registered as a timed runner, which I think helped because I had more space to run - this time, I was running with other runners instead of working my way around all the walkers.

Timed running is a different league, though (for me at least!). I saw an old lady, probably in her late 60's, zoom right by me!!! Nevermind my thoughts of failure as a 28-year-old, but I did manage to break away from my self-pity for 2 seconds to admire this older lady. I hope that to be me one day. Silver hair, skin barely hanging on my bones, but zooming by all the 20-somethings and laughing while they cough on my dust! - for me, though, I think I'll wear spandex pants =)

I think a goal I will set for myself is to run a 5K at 10:00 min/mile flat. Sounds easy, but the Texas summer may very well block me from victory. I guess we'll see..

Details of the 5K:

• ~50 degrees F, clear skies, slight breeze (perfect running weather!!)
• 1364 Total Finishers - 703 Males / 661 Females
• Min Time: 00:15:09
• Max Time: 01:01:04
• Ave Time: 00:29:07