Friday weigh in - Major milestone

December 20, 2013 by Tina

Jan 14 - Start of liquid diet - 250
Jan 29 - Surgery weight - 237 -13
Feb 8 - 231 -6
Feb 15 - 222 -9
Feb 22 - 220 -2
Mar 1 - 218 -2
Mar 8 - 216 -2
Mar 15 - 213 -3
Mar 22 - 209 -4
Mar 28 - 208 -1
Apr 5 - 206 -2
Apr 12 - 199 -7
Apr 26 - 196 -3
May 3 - 193 -3
May 10 - 190 -3
May 17 - 187 -3
May 24 - 186 -1
May 31 - 184 -2
June 7 - 177 -7
June 14 - 177 -0
June 21 - 175 -2
June 28 - 171 -4
July 5 - 167 -4
July 12 - 167 -0
July 22 - 165 -2
July 26 - 159 -6
Aug 2 - 158 -1
Aug 9 - 157 -1
Aug 23 - 154 -3
Aug 30 - 150 -4
Sep 6 - 149 -1
Sep 13 - 146 -3
Sep 20 - 146 -0
Sep 27 - 144 -2
Oct 4 - 143 -1
Oct 18 - 138 -5
Nov 1 - 136 -2

Nov 11 - 134 -2

Nov 18 - 131 -3

Nov 25 - 131 -0

Dec 6 - 131 -0

Dec 13 - 127 -4

Dec 20 - 125 -2

GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!

Yep that's right! HELLO GOAL! My doctor and I chose this goal as it was exactly half my body weight and a normal BMI.

I don't really know what happens now. The surgeon said not to be surprised if I got under goal with all the exercise I do and I'm not sure if what's left of my stomach is 5 more pounds I could lose or just loose skin. I'm starting to experiment with maintenance which is weird because there's never been a day in my life where I didn't need to lose weight.

I have all the support I need from doctors office to the blogosphere so I'm ready to face this head on and live the rest of my life as this tiny, athletic person I've become - the one that was always inside of me.

THANK YOU for your unending support, cheers, prayers and friendship. I'm so happy to have shared this incredible journey with you. Merry Christmas everyone!

Friday weigh in!

December 13, 2013 by Tina

Yahoo!!! Some movement on the scale again!

Nov 11 - 134 -2

Nov 18 - 131 -3

Nov 25 - 131 -0

Dec 6 - 131 -0

Dec 13 - 127 -4

2 POUNDS TO GOAL!!!!!!!!!!!

I celebrated my birthday and got through some sad days after losing my mother-in-law so I feel pretty good about the unexpected weight loss. I have been running an average of 25-30 miles a week so that helps - add yoga and training to that and I'd say I'm doing my fair share of working out :)

Birthday boots. My first pair of Frye's. I couldn't believe they zipped.

Birthday Baklava. Perfect portion!

The hospital where I had my surgery shot a video of my success story so stay tuned for another media blitz in January! They are planning some events around my surgery anniversary date (Jan 29th!) and I'm really excited and honored to participate.

Thankfully my friend let me borrow her house. Mine is torn apart from construction at the moment!

I will spend the weekend working and replacing our stupid, broken TV that's attached to the wall and is going to be a giant pain in the a$$. AT LEAST my husband comes home today! I hope everyone else has much more exciting plans!

Friday weigh in - 10 month update!

December 06, 2013 by Tina

Can you believe it's been 10 months? I'm continually amazed at how quickly my life has changed!

Nov 11 - 134 -2

Nov 18 - 131 -3

Nov 25 - 131 -0

Dec 6 - 131 -0

click to enlarge

My body sure seems to like 131! I would still like to get to 125 but I'm not in a rush.

It's been a tough week - my mother in law passed away this morning and I've been stress eating the last few days. I've had a few more empty calories than usual and an extra day off of working out but I'm aware of it and doing what I can to keep busy and away from the kitchen. I'm also missing my husband who will be in Scotland for another week with his family.

It's also my birthday this weekend (turning 44 on Sunday!) and there's been quite a bit of celebratory eating and drinking already - with more to come! It's okay. I'll get some running in this weekend and my free birthday yoga class!

Have a great weekend everyone!

13.1

December 02, 2013 by Tina

I did it! I know ya'll had no doubts but I was beyond nervous!

The day before was one of the longest of my life. Normally I love long days but I was just ready to run and get it done!

It turned out to be the coldest Thanksgiving in 100 years. 22 degrees at start time. I was with my neighbor so we sat in the car for a bit but once we got out there it was the coldest I can ever remember being. I had on multiple layers and hand warmers in my gloves (and my bra) and was still frozen. It may have been a good thing because I felt nothing for the first 3 miles. Not my toes, fingers, legs, arms - nuttin. By the 4th mile the feeling started coming back into my toes and I was really in the groove.

My husband and neighbor were there to cheer us on at about the 6.5 mile mark so I was able to shed another layer and keep on keepin' on. The miles were ticking by really fast and I was still feeling awesome.

Somewhere around 8 miles I think?

At about the 11.5 mile mark, just as I was crossing the interstate and coming back into downtown, I had a mini anxiety attack and thought I was going to have to stop to walk. I just got a little tingly and a little dizzy so I called upon my mad yoga skills and did some deep breathing which made it go away in less than a minute. It was probably caused by not breathing well and maybe a little vertigo from being up above the interstate under all those big buildings!

After that it was a breeze despite one really big hill at 12.5 (which is cruel!!) I finished strong and happy in 2:24:15. I cannot even begin to describe the joy and pride I felt running 13 miles through the streets of my city. I'm STILL smiling :)

The best part about running a half marathon on Thanksgiving day is the Thanksgiving part that awaits after the race...

It was an amazing evening, surrounded by love and laughter with my best friends in the world. I have so much to be thankful for!

The photos from last years 5k are difficult for me to look at and I had a little bit of a hard time posting them. I can't really remember that girl - even though it was only a year ago - but I haven't lost respect for her and never will.

I owe you a 10 month update but it was just too long to add to this post. Look for it tomorrow or Wednesday!

Monday Mix Tape

November 25, 2013 by Tina

I can't believe it's Thanksgiving week already! I think it's my favorite of all the holidays and it used to revolve completely around food, this year it's all revolving around my half marathon. Times have completely changed.

The forecast for the start of my race on Thursday is 24 degrees and sunny. I tested out my cold weather gear on Sunday and was pretty comfortable. The waiting around to start will be the hardest part.

I'm so thankful to have the best friends and neighbors on earth to spend this favorite holiday with. We have a progressive dinner and we don't have to go further than a block away. Our house is out of the circuit this year because of the renovation but we'll hopefully be able to have the main course in our new kitchen next year. I will be making a few things to bring and I just keep have to keep convincing myself that I'm that person that can run a half marathon then bake a pie!

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Weigh in update - nothing much to see here this week!

Nov 11 - 134 -2

Nov 18 - 131 -3

Nov 25 - 131 -0

119 pounds total. 6 more to goal!

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Because I was tapering for the race, I had time to do a lot more yoga. Imagine my surprise when I was finally able to do this! I've been able to do the tripod position for a while but was never able to get my feet up unassisted. Tuesday in class they just went up :) I couldn't believe it and I almost laughed out loud. I had to come home and repeat it for my husband to take a picture. I've been doing it once a day since just to make sure it really happened.

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I hope you all have a wonderful thanksgiving and I'll be back on Friday with a megapost which will included my 10 month progress pictures AND of course my first half marathon recap. I'm so excited and nervous but ready! Thank you so much to all of you for your constant support!

Monday Mix Tape

November 18, 2013 by Tina

Hey all! I missed my Friday post again - Friday is the busiest day of my work week and it seems to get crazier as it gets closer to the end of the year!

SO I'll start with my weigh in!

Nov 11 - 134 -2

Nov 18 - 131 -3

119 pounds total. 6 more to goal!

It's weird and wonderful and sometimes hard to believe that I'm almost in the 120s :)

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The weekend started early when the U.S. played Scotland in a friendly match and we were in the pub with all our friends by 3:00 on Friday.

I found it really difficult to stick to just one beer but I HAD to --my official course run was getting me up at 6am the next day. Sometimes we have to do sh*t we don't want to do and that was just one of those times!

USA vs Scotland - A house divided! 0-0 was the score so they were both bad :)

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Saturday night I had a great nights sleep and bounced out of bed for the practice run. It was dark and foggy as I drove to the start and I was ridiculously nervous. Not sure why - I had already done 12 and this was only 10. I think it was the fear of the unknown hills!

I had set out with the 2:30 pace group and ended up coming in with the 2:15 group. It was easy for the most part and I felt great!

The sidewalks were tough - it's very hard on the joints to have to go up and down curbs and avoiding obstacles. I also felt like the worlds biggest b*tch running by the homeless shelter in my lululemons with my mouth covered. You forget how much downtown smells like pee until you're running through tunnels and your respiratory system is wide open. Still, I enjoyed every minute of it - well maybe not that minute but you know what I mean! :)

I LOVE the Track Club. They take such great care of us!

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Saturday afternoon, because I worked all of last weekend, I wanted to do something fun with my husband so I told him we're getting in the car and going to Athens. We had seen on the news that an amazing little soul food place called Weaver D's was closing - they were made "famous" by inspiring the name for REM's album "Automatic for the People". That's their tagline at the place - that good service is automatic. Everytime you say thank you to Dexter Weaver, he says "automatic". He's truly a legend.

Some meals are just worth a splurge and this one definitely was. I was able to eat almost all of the chicken breast and a few bites of my mac and cheese and a few bites of the squash.


I feel like it's important mention that I burned 1100 calories before I ate this :)

Totally worth it!

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Sunday I got up and did 90 minutes of Bikram in which I sweated out every last bit of that fried chicken and then some. I couldn't believe I wasn't even a little sore from 10 miles the day before but that's how I know I'm in good shape - when recovery is quick!

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For the week ahead, have to taper and have been told by 2 people to run 3 miles a day, every other day until the race. It's totally counter intuitive but I'm going to listen to the pros. I will do some extra yoga and strength training to fill the void.

I'm so excited and so ready for this race. Now I have to not get sick or step in a hole or something stupid.

Have a happy, healthy week!

Monday mix tape and the forgotten weigh in!

November 11, 2013 by Tina

Hey peeps! I forgot to weigh in on Friday (it's getting less and less important to me!) so I did it today - even after a weekend of great food and drinks!

Nov 11 - 134 -2

116 pounds total. 9 more to goal!

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The weekend was a mix of work and play.

Saturday I got up and did 11 COLD miles. I got caught in a 5k and almost killed by 2 people walking with their twin strollers who wouldn't even THINK about moving for me. They obviously have no idea how hard it is to come to a dead stop on the 10th mile?!?!? I was already annoyed from having to stop to pee twice (maybe because of the cold???) and I may or may not have yelled some obscenities their way. I had my headphones on so I was unable to hear their response. bummer! :)

Saturday night was my first ever tailgate party! We went to see our NASL league soccer team play in the championship. It was cold and we lost but the food was awesome! I had a blast preparing for it - I made Elk chili (sorry vegan friends!!), cornbread and a very sinful buffalo chicken dip.

This was one of those situations where I could have kept eating all night but my small stomach just won't allow it. It's weird and it's a bit of a challenge sometimes but I just stopped and enjoyed the company and the atmosphere.

Sunday was no workout day so I enjoyed some mimosas and had a delish brunch with friends who were in town for the game. I had work to do but luckily in my line of work, it can help the creativity flow a bit :)

Suddenly it was Monday again! I started out feeling slow and sluggish this morning but then ended up with a PR! Funny how that works sometimes. After the first mile I was flying!

I'm feeling really ready for this race coming up! Can't wait!

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Have a happy, healthy week everyone!

Monday Mix Tape

November 04, 2013 by Tina

Another weekend gone by in a flash - and we even got an extra hour! And is it really November already???

Saturday morning at 7am, I set out to do my longest run ever! I was really nervous and really cold! I decided to do a 4 mile stretch of running path 3 times so I could run to the car to refill my water and grab my energy gummies. The first 2 of my 3 trips seemed ridiculously easy but by mile 9 it started to get hard. Just in time, at mile 10, my husband surprised me on his bike and stopped to take a picture. I'm not sure I've ever been happier to see anyone in my life - it gave me the energy I needed for those last 2 miles - up hill in the direct sun!

Mile 10 - feeling like the luckiest girl in the world!

This is as close to ready as I'm going to get!

30 mile week goal achieved!!!!!!

I was really surprised at how good I felt for the rest of the day. I stretched really well with *help* from Lucy

Sunday was a day of rest and beer drinking in the afternoon which sent me to bed at 7:30. Felt really rested this morning obviously :)

My (stupid) foot felt like it needed another day of rest from running so I'm headed to yoga this afternoon. It's so important to maintain my yoga practice and my strength training but it's really hard to fit that all in with all that running! Should be easier now as I'm starting to taper down now for my race which is just over 3 weeks away!

It's funny how my life isn't so much of a mix tape but more of an extended, one track remix right now. I eat, sleep and breathe running but I will (honestly honey, I swear) not be obsessed and I will slow down a bit between half marathons :)

Have a happy, healthy week everyone!

Friday weigh in - 9 month update

November 01, 2013 by Tina

Happy Friday! Hope everyone had a great halloween. I would say I ate my fair share of candy but I got up and ran 6 miles in the rain and it cancelled it out :)

I just got back from my 9 month follow up with the surgeon and everyone in the office was blown away by my progress. The coordinator/dietician who was a huge part of the process even popped in to see me. Obviously Dr. Dreamy was thrilled - my favorite thing he said was "if everyone worked out like you I'd be the worlds best surgeon!" I'm 11 pounds from my goal weight in 9 short months. Feels amazing!!

Weigh in time!
Jan 14 - Start of liquid diet - 250
Jan 29 - Surgery weight - 237 -13
Feb 8 - 231 -6
Feb 15 - 222 -9
Feb 22 - 220 -2
Mar 1 - 218 -2
Mar 8 - 216 -2
Mar 15 - 213 -3
Mar 22 - 209 -4
Mar 28 - 208 -1
Apr 5 - 206 -2
Apr 12 - 199 -7
Apr 26 - 196 -3
May 3 - 193 -3
May 10 - 190 -3
May 17 - 187 -3
May 24 - 186 -1
May 31 - 184 -2
June 7 - 177 -7
June 14 - 177 -0
June 21 - 175 -2
June 28 - 171 -4
July 5 - 167 -4
July 12 - 167 -0
July 22 - 165 -2
July 26 - 159 -6
Aug 2 - 158 -1
Aug 9 - 157 -1
Aug 23 - 154 -3
Aug 30 - 150 -4
Sep 6 - 149 -1
Sep 13 - 146 -3
Sep 20 - 146 -0
Sep 27 - 144 -2
Oct 4 - 143 -1
Oct 18 - 138 -5
Nov 1 - 136 -2

114 pounds total!

click to enlarge

We're getting to the point where there's less of a shocking difference in the photos but I can still see some improvement - especially my muscle definition (shoutout to Karen for that one!)

At some point this weekend (most likely tomorrow morning) I'm going to attempt 12 miles. One week ahead of my training plan but I think I'm ready. That will put me at my goal of 30 miles for the week!?!


That's how you get rid of 3 pounds gained on vacation!

I shall leave you with a smile! Have a beautiful weekend everyone!

Monday mix tape - Tuesday edition!

October 29, 2013 by Tina

Hey all! Just back/recovering from my trip to Sarasota, Florida for my 25th high school reunion. The only bad thing about growing up in paradise is having to leave it!

It was a great trip - too short for sure but full of laughs and even some much needed relaxation.

I love that I love to run on vacation. I could have easily done 10 but time was precious!

Outfit night one

Outfit night two

date night dinner at our favorite seafood place

A too-short day at Siesta beach

No retouching here - just the beauty of my home town!

Sneaky Tiki's at the Bahi Hut. The recipe is a secret and has been around long before I was born!

I was so proud to be able to go to my reunion feeling better than I ever have in my life. There was a slide show and of course my before and after pictures made it in. Lots of applause and lots of compliments - even from the mean girls.

I came back 3 pounds heavier even though I ran but it was totally worth it to me. I had about 25 mojtos, Doritos for dinner, chocolate and even pancakes but unlike my past life, my vacation ended when we got back and didn't go on another week or two or five. I got right back to to it starting with a 7 mile run on Monday. I was only going to go five but I knew my butt needed a kicking after the long weekend of debauchery!

On a side note, I had to give my halloween candy to the neighbors to hold until Thursday. It was in my house for less than 24 hours and I was OBSESSED with it. At first I was disappointed with myself for not being able to ignore it but I purposely turned it around and felt good about being able to recognize it and move on. If it's as simple as not having it around, I just won't. I promised myself one fun size of my choosing on Halloween and I'm already thinking about what it will be. They don't fix your brain when you have weight loss surgery - that's totally up to you!

Have a happy, healthy week everyone!