***WARNING TOPLESS PICTURES***

Another Thursday  weight in now in the books... Down 2lbs this week!!! 

So today is Day 189

I have been asked to see before my goal and up to now pictures... I have yet to post these because lets face it NO-ONE wants pictures of themselves out there that they may be ashamed of or for people to judge. My weight has always been my biggest insecurity!

Throughout the years I guess my mind has played a trick on me thinking my clothes hide it. Which to some degree is true. I had become a master at just enough baggy clothes to hide the weight but not look sloppy. (well sloppy in my eyes) Its amazing what you can hide in a hooded sweatshirt or a pair of jeans that are relaxed fit aka baggy.

When people looked at me they would ask, "Why are you on a diet?", or say "No Way your 300 lbs you do not look it." Well the reality is I was 300 lbs and it was wearing on me. I could see it. Underneath the clothes before a shower, face all puffy in the cheeks.  I could feel it in workouts... Running was damn near impossible to do for a city block, and don't even try to run a mile unless I wanted my knees to throb, lower  back to ache, and shins to explode! I could always run well what I called running around the bases in baseball pickup games or softball games. No problem it was my slow pace. You know guys say "hey pick up the piano" in a fun teammate razzing... But it got me thinking. Can I lose weight and go back to the outfield? Hummmm... I'd have more fun in the outfield than playing the infield... Or even enter 5k and 8k races could be a challenge... Hell why not throw in some Warrior Dashes and a Tough Mudder this year while I'm at it... Hell next year Nashville Half Marathon ok ok well maybe haha we shall see..

I am down to 250lbs now. Feel much better than I did when I started. Its been tough but well worth the challenge. Just think only 176 days left...

Now the moment you all been waiting for... Picture time. Here Goes nothing

Shirt Size Before: 3XL - 2 XL 

Shirt Size Now: 2XL - XL

Workout Shorts Before: 3XL

Workout Shorts Now: 2XL

Jeans Before: 44W 

Jeans Now: 42W

Dress Pants Before: 46W

Dress Pants Now: 42W

Dress Shirts Before: 18in Neck, 3XL
Dress Shirts Now: 16.5 Neck, 2XL

January in Illinois

Well its yet another Thursday! So I went to the Dr. and he told me no running, elliptical, or Jacobs ladder for 1 - 2 weeks... So this week I watched even closer what I ate and only worked out with weight lifting... I was expecting maybe a small increase in weight... I feel different when I do not run now. Its not a bad different just a seance of I didn't do enough or sweat enough. My left leg has gotten alot better and is no longer swollen but I still ice it 2 times a day and stay off it as much as I can. Race day is only little more than 2 months away!

So i get on the scale today and I actually lost... 1.2 lbs down from last week. Its not my normal 2-3 but hey its a loss with 0 cardio, other than walking our dog... But hey that's good, I will take it! Now that the holidays are over I can get back on the weight loss track. Having that food around was just too tempting and tho I did not gain during the holidays I did not lose either. So lets get this going and make it last. The gym actually has not been that much busier than before the whole new year. But I guess going at 5 am will do that. I have went to the gym a few times after work and it is a little busier than before but thats what those new year resolution people do...

Its looking like when I get to start running again, I will have to take them inside to the treadmill. It is January and if you know Illinois weather that means snow. It has been in the 40s here lately and sometimes into the 50s. I dread running inside. It gets so boring, running watching a tv or staring at a blank wall is not too much fun. Then the gym thinks that running inside when they have the heat up to 80 is good for you. Do they not read that running in colder weather builds your lungs better for running.. Geish get with it hahaha. I enjoy running outside because I can go at my own pace. In the gym on a treadmill you set the speed and it never changes, unless you set up intervals but do not want to take that much time on a treadmill. What I like about outside is that the scenery changes, terrain changes and best of all I get to run by Teds Garage (restaurant), Pizza Hut, Mexican, and McDonalds...  Why do I like running past these places? Well since I gave up french fries for the new years and do not eat the greasy pizza and teds right now I love the SMELL... Yes yes I am one of those people that can get over the craving by just smelling it. Weird I know, but meh it satisfies my craving for that food. Breath deep during those sections of my run! I am going to try to start running again on monday... Lets hope for the best and that my leg will cooperate...

15-Minute Skillet Cassoulet


9 Pts Per Serving
Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

	2 spray(s) cooking spray, or enough to coat skillet
	1 medium uncooked onion(s), chopped
	1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced
	8 oz low-fat sausage(s), smoked variety, sliced 1/4-inch thick
	1/4 tsp dried thyme
	3/4 cup(s) canned chicken broth
	30 oz canned great northern beans, rinsed and drained
	1 1/2 Tbsp canned tomato paste
	1/2 cup(s) dried plain bread crumbs

Instructions

• Preheat broiler.
  
• Coat a nonstick ovenproof skillet with cooking spray and heat. Add onion, garlic and kielbasa and sauté until onion is tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add thyme, broth, beans and tomato paste; simmer 10 minutes.
  
• Sprinkle bread crumbs over beans. Place skillet under broiler until bread crumbs are browned, about 30 seconds. Yields about 1 3/4 cups per serving.

Happy New Year!

So here we are 2012! I have alot of plans for this year, will I make them happen????

So in 2012 I would like to accomplish these tasks!
1) Wear and Fit into XL T-Shirts (went from 3XL to 2XL so far)
2) Finish Tough Mudder (Sunday, March 17th 2012)
3) Run 15 Miles without walking (currently at 4 miles)
4) Walk into a store and purchase jeans (AE only Carries up to size 38 in stores, currently 42)
5) Stay Determined and Motivated


Well its been awhile since my last update. The 5 goals above I am hoping to accomplish this year!

I have had a minor setback in running. For the past 2 weeks I have felt a slight pain in the side of my left knee to mid shin... Instead of getting it looked at I did what the inner athlete does "FIGHT THROUGH THE PAIN" I mean come on I have a race in 2 months that I have to get ready for!!!  But it finally was so bad that it hurt to walk let alone run. So went into the Dr. He told me that i almost ran myself into a fracture... Its right before a fracture he said. I am now on some meds to make the swelling go down and if I am not better in 2 weeks I have to go back in for an X-Ray... Great 2 weeks of no running! I was doing so good I told the Dr. he then told me its a case of too much too soon... My body was not used to running at all so going from walking/jogging to 4 miles put alot of strain on my shins/knees and ankles. After 2 weeks I can start to run again but only a mile to half mile at a time. Once I feel any pain I have to stop... Once I reach 3-4 miles again with NO pain on a treadmill he said then I can go back to running outside. I have to avoid hills until then.

Oh well I must learn to walk before I run I suppose...It just gets discouraging. I feel like I am at the Dr. more now than when I was just eating what I want and sitting on my arse! This getting into shape thing hurts haha.

Well more later