Last week, after seeing it around twitter, I downloaded the My Fitness Pal app on my phone. I’m going to count calories, I thought. It was kind of a weird moment for me because I’ve told myself in the past that I would never count calories. It seemed too extreme to me. I liked the app, however, and it was sort of fun adding my foods to see how many calories they were and then adding exercise to decrease my calories. I kept mine at a 1500-calorie/day limit, and I stayed under every day. After a few days, though, I just didn’t like it anymore.

Last weekend, on Saturday, I went running for the first time in four months. I only ran .77 miles, but I was more worried about how many calories I burned. I also worked out on my Wii Fit for fifteen minutes (before my run) to burn some calories. Then, I went for a swim later that night. (Let me tell you, swimming burns a lot of calories!) I felt awesome. On Sunday, I woke up to sore legs, but I had to burn more calories, so I biked a little over three miles that afternoon. After I worked out on the Wii Fit, of course. By that point, I was sort of exhausted. I was becoming obsessed with the idea of burning calories. After that, I continued counting calories, and I did really well, staying under my 1500-calorie/day goal. By Wednesday, though, I was beyond exhausted. I took a nap after work, and I woke up with an intense hunger.

When I woke up, I thought, what can I eat that is super-low in calories? Maybe I should just wait until dinner? But I was still two hours away from dinner-time, so I decided I was done with counting calories. We decided to go out to eat that night, and I made sure I ate until I was full. My body felt confused, though, so I didn’t eat as much as I had wanted.

During this short experience, I forgot my number one rule: pay attention to how my body feels. I was exercising to burn calories, rather than exercising to make myself feel good. I was eating based on calorie intake, rather than eating when I was hungry and stopping when I was full. I could see exactly how eating disorders can begin. I became obsessed with calorie counting, and I didn’t care how hungry I was. Even though this all took place in less than a week, I could see that it was leading me down a path I didn’t want to go down.

I’m not counting calories anymore. It’s just not for me. Sure, I wouldn’t mind losing five pounds, but I mostly care about how I feel, and this week, I’ve felt exhausted and sick. I’d much rather spend my days feeling happy and full.

Do you count calories? If not, have you tried it before? What do you think about counting calories?

I do have to say that My Fitness Pal is a great app/website. If you’re wanting to lose weight, I believe that it can help you get there. Just remember: it’s less about the calories and more about taking in the proper nutrition so that you don’t starve your body of what it needs. Oh, by the way, this isn’t a sponsored post of any sort. I just really wanted to write about my experience with calorie counting.

This will probably be my final weekly running recap. I’ve been recapping my runs as I’ve trained for my first ever 5k, but after this point, I’ll be running to run, rather than running to race. (Though I may run 5k’s and 10k’s in the future.)

I ended up taking Sunday off, but I ran on Monday. It was warm (85-degrees) and the sun was beating down on me. I hadn’t eaten much all day, so after about 1.5 miles of running, I was feeling dizzy. I stopped for a minute to catch my breath, and I continued running for a little bit. I ended up running 2.05 miles at a 10:17/mile pace. I went home and drank tons of water and scarfed down a huge dinner. I think most of my problem had to do with dehydration.

Tuesday, I definitely didn’t want the same thing to happen, so I fueled properly by drinking plenty of water and eating well. Sometime in the afternoon, though, I hit a wall, and I was suddenly very exhausted. When I got home, I immediately changed into my running clothes so I could get a quick run in, but I ended up falling asleep on my couch. When I finally woke up, I wasn’t going to run. After a minute, though, I decided that running might actually make me feel better, so I headed out. I ran 2.34 miles (my longest run yet) at a 9:51/mile pace. It really felt great to run, and it boosted my energy. I felt like I could have ran more, so that made me feel good about running a 5k.

I took Wednesday off because, though running feels great, it’s really exhausting sometimes. I was still feeling a bit under the weather, and I needed a break from everything that was exhausting me, and that included running. I wanted to run at least one more time before my 5k, so I ran on Thursday. I wanted to try for three miles to make sure I was ready for today. The run went great. Closer to the end, though, I felt like I couldn’t go much farther, but I needed to hit 5k, so I kept going. After I hit the 5k, I stopped to breathe for a moment and then I kept running until I made it back to the car. I ended up running 3.25 miles at a 10:03/mile pace.  I was so proud of myself for hitting my goal and then some!

Friday, I was exhausted again, so I allowed myself to have a rest day. Husband and I made the trip to Farragut, TN to get my running packet, and then we went to the movies and saw The Social Network. (Very good movie, by the way.) When we got home, we ordered dinner and watched Adam. (Another good movie.) I went to bed a little after ten, and I didn’t sleep too well. I tossed and turned, thinking I would miss my 5:30 a.m. alarm this morning. I was actually wide awake in my bed when my alarm went off. I showered, ate a light breakfast of Greek yogurt and a wheat waffle with almond butter, and we made the hour drive to Farragut for the Free to Breathe 5k. I was nervous, so my stomach was doing flips. Eventually, we were lining up to start the run.

For the first few seconds, I was stuck in the group and everything was congested. I quickly found my way through some people, though, and I left some of the congested area and we started to spread out some. The route had some hills to it (though the website said it would be “flat and fast”), but running downhill was a plus. About halfway through, I started to hit a wall, but I paced myself with the girl in front of me, and I kept going. Eventually, I got through my “moment,” and everything went well after that. I was amazed at how easy it seemed after that. I actually crossed the finish line with my brother-in-law (who had arrived late and sprinted to catch up with me at the last bit). My Nike+ app said I actually ran 3.3 miles, but we’ll go with the official results: 3.1 miles in 31:40 (10:12/mile pace). I’m happy with the results. I really didn’t care much about my time (though I was hoping to run it in less than thirty-five minutes). It was something I just wanted to do in honor of my Granny, so I was just glad to finish. Husband caught this cell phone picture of my brother-in-law and I just a few seconds from the finish:

So, what’s next? Well, I’m going to give myself a couple rest days. I really have fallen in love with running in the past six weeks, so I plan to continue. I don’t know if/when I’ll run another 5k, but I know I only plan on running if it’s for a charity of some sort. Otherwise, I’ll just run for fun.

Total Miles:
Week One: 3.04
Week Two: 3.57
Week Three: 4.41
Week Four: 2.11
Week Five: 7.72
This Week: 10.74
Total: 31.59

I decided that I needed to push myself a little bit more after not running much last week. So, I started on Monday by running 1.13 miles at a 11:02/mile pace. It was chilly and windy, and it was the first time I had ran in cold weather. By the end of the run, my legs started to lock up a bit so I immediately iced them when I got home. By Tuesday, I was ready for another run, so I went to the park and ran 1.48 miles at a 10:54/mile pace. The weather was beautiful–in the low 70s–and my legs felt much better.

Wednesday, I told myself I needed to run at least two miles. After I hit the 1-mile mark, I started to feel some leg pains, but the more I ran, the less my legs hurt. I ended up running 2.04 miles at a 10:38/mile pace. I was proud of myself for picking up the pace a bit and only stopping to walk two or three times (for just 30 seconds to a minute to catch my breath).

I took Thursday off and spent the evening with Husband, my sister, and my brother-in-law. Friday morning, though, I was ready for another run. My sister went to the park with me, and I ran 1.04 miles at a 9:46/mile pace.  I felt great because I could have ran longer, but I had some errands to run, so I needed to get home to get a shower. This morning, I told myself I needed to run at least two miles once again. Husband and I went to the park, and I took the long track around. (I usually take the short track.) I ended up running 2.03 miles at a 9:30/mile pace.

Total Miles:
Week One: 3.04
Week Two: 3.57
Week Three: 4.41
Week Four: 2.11
This week: 7.72

The Free to Breathe 5k is exactly a week from today, so I’m glad I was able to run more this week. For the next week, I’m hoping to get my distance up to three miles so that I’ll be ready for the 5k. It’s really amazing that I am able to easily run two miles now when just a few weeks ago, I could barely run half of a mile. I really love seeing the progress I’m making, and I’m so glad that I’m falling even more in love with running each day.

P.S. Lung cancer is the #1 cancer killer of American men and women. As you know, I’m planning on running a Free to Breathe 5k on October 16th in honor of my Granny who passed away on August 6, 2004. If you have spare change, please donate to help me reach my goal of $300. The money will go toward raising awareness for lung cancer.

After taking both Saturday & Sunday off from running, I decided I need to push myself a little bit further on Monday. I ate well all day:

Breakfast (around 6:30 a.m.): Kashi Go Lean Chocolate & Pretzel protein & fiber bar, blueberry Greek yogurt, and Horizon’s organic milk.
Lunch (11:30 p.m.): Caesar chicken wrap, blue corn chips, carrots & hummus, and water.
Afternoon snack (3:30 p.m.): Smoothie (blueberry, strawberry, blackberry, almond milk, vanilla Greek yogurt, and a spoonful of almond butter.
Dinner (5:30 p.m.): Creamy tomato shrimp pasta and a piece of wheat bread with Earth Balance.

Right now, I can’t run in the morning unless it’s a weekend, and it’s much too hot right after work, so I’ve been waiting until after dinner to run. About an hour after dinner on Monday, Husband and I went to the park, and I told myself I was going to run two miles, whether I liked it or not. I stretched, and when I started out running, I was stiff. I pushed through, though, and I took a different route because I knew my mind would want to give up after my normal two laps around the same route I have been doing for the previous two weeks. After running (and listening to some great music), I started feeling awesome, and I ended up running 2 miles at a 10:23/mile pace. I was so proud of myself for finishing what I had set out to accomplish! I admit that I was speed walking through some of my run, but I ran much more than I thought I would. When I got home, I showered and ate a Kashi Go Lean Chocolate & Almond bar so that I wouldn’t wake up in the middle of the night due to hunger. I think my metabolism is starting to speed up a little bit because I’ve been getting hungry more often.

On Tuesday, I decided to give my legs a break by running 1.20 miles at a 10:56/mile pace. Overall, it was a good run.

I took Wednesday off because I had some homework to get done, and I ran again on Thursday. At first, my Nike+ sensor was giving me trouble (I use it to track my runs), so I was frustrated. To top it off, I was already sweating by the time I got to the park because it was above 90-degrees. I decided to just take a deep breath and restart my ipod, and everything worked fine, so I started my run. I ended up running just 1.21 miles at a 10:09/mile pace. Toward the end of the run, I was starting to feel overwhelmed because my legs were hurting. It may sound corny, but I then looked up at the sky and saw a rainbow, and rainbows remind me of Granny. It reminded me of WHY I’m doing this 5k, and I decided to push through and make it to over a mile. Suddenly, my legs didn’t feel like they were hurting anymore. I ended on a happy note, knowing that maybe she really is there pushing me through it.

Friday, I decided to take off and focus on myself a little bit, and Husband and I went out to lunch and did some shopping. Now, it’s Saturday, and it’s just after 7am. I woke up at 6am because we’re leaving in about an hour to go to a Tennessee Vols game, and we’ll be tailgating. I’m hoping I can run tonight, if I get home at a decent hour.

I’m slowly realizing that I will have bad runs, but especially if I’m in a negative mindset before I even start my run. I’m learning to just take a deep breath and remain positive.

P.S. As you know, I’m planning on running a Free to Breathe 5k on October 16th. If you have spare change, please donate to help me reach my goal of $300. The money will go toward raising awareness for lung cancer.

After my run on Saturday, I was ready to run on Sunday. I was busy all morning, so I went for a late evening run. I made sure to stretch my legs, and I ended up doing okay. I ran 1.15 miles at a 10:48/mile pace.  My pace was better than Saturday’s run, but my distance was lower. I was really having a hard time breathing, and though my legs could handle a longer run, my lungs couldn’t. (I was never an athletic child, so I never learned the proper techniques of breathing while running. I’m still trying to teach myself.) After going home, my shins started hurting a bit, so I iced them to lower the possibility of shin splints (something I’m terrified of).

I decided to take Monday off from running. Mentally, I wanted to run, but I knew I needed to give my body a break. Instead, I read up on proper breathing while running.

Tuesday, I couldn’t wait to run. I was antsy all day, and I still wasn’t sure if I’d be able to run because I had a lot of homework to start on. I ended up making some time, though, because I really wanted to get a run in for the day. I started out by practicing some of the breathing techniques I had read about, and it really worked! I ran much farther than I had (without stopping to walk), and my pace was much better. At the park I run at, though, I ran into a couple of people smoking next to the track after about five minutes of running (without walking!), so it sort of threw my breathing off, and I was soon feeling pretty crappy. After that, I alternated between running & walking, but I was really bummed every time I ran by them. I ended up running 1.21 miles at a 9:58/mile pace (my best pace yet!), and I truly think the proper breathing is what helped me pace myself.

Wednesday was my first run with my Nike Frees, and it wasn’t a GREAT run, but my shoes felt great. It was hot, and it made me cranky, but I ended up running 1 mile at a 10:26/mile pace.

I took Thursday off. I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t fit running into my schedule. I had a lot of studying to do for school. Friday, I had a test to take, and I made a trip to Chattanooga to run a few errands. I bought a new pair of Nike Dri-fit capris as well as a tank and t-shirt. That afternoon, I was able to fit a run into my schedule. It was a rough run, though. I started off well, but I wasn’t feeling great by the end. I think I pushed myself too hard, too quickly, and I ended up hurting my hip in the process. I ran 1.21 miles at a 9:45/mile pace. It was also extremely hot, so I’ve decided to either run in the evening (on work days) or in the morning (on weekends) until the weather cools down during the day. I really need to slow down my pace a tiny bit so that I don’t get overwhelmed so quickly.

So far, I’m still enjoying my runs. I have realized that it’s very easy to become overwhelmed during a run, and once that happens, everything goes downhill from there. Even during bad runs, I’m trying to maintain a positive attitude so that I can push through.

How do you push through a bad run?

P.S. As you know, I’m planning on running a Free to Breathe 5k on October 16th. If you have spare change, please donate to help me reach my goal of $300. The money will go toward raising awareness for lung cancer.

Remember when I said I wanted to run a 5k on October 16th? Well, I’ve ran three times since I posted that.

The first day was Wednesday, and I ran/walked a total of .87 miles with about a 10:00/mile pace. I probably did an equal amount of walking and running that day, but I felt amazing. The next day, though, my run was a little bit harder. I ended up running .84 miles with a pace of 11:06/mile pace. I slowed down some, and my legs were in pain. I was hoping to run for at least ten minutes, but I couldn’t even finish that. I think a lot of it had to do with not eating well on Thursday.

I ended up taking Friday off because my legs were REALLY hurting, and I didn’t want to do anything that would cause an injury. Instead, I did a quick 10-minute stretch, and then went shopping for new running shoes. I’ve had New Balance 790s (which are actually a trail-running shoe, if I’m not mistaken) for YEARS, and I wear them even when I’m not running, so I figured it was time for something just for running purposes. After trying on shoes (Asics, New Balance, Nike, Saucony, etc…) for quite some time, I decided on Nike Frees. I had to order my size, so it’ll be a few days before I get them, and I can’t wait!

Since I took yesterday off from running, I decided to run today. When I woke up, it was pouring, so I waited that out and went for a quick 15-minute run before the rain returned. I ended up running/walking 1.33 miles at a 11:50/mile pace. Though my pace slowed down a bit, I felt like today’s run was much better than Thursday’s. My legs felt better, and I slowed down and balanced out my running & walking a bit more. I intended to do a 10-minute run, but I felt well enough after the ten minutes to walk/run for another five, even though the sun was glaring at me and the temperature was above 90-degrees Farenheit.

I’m still trying to figure a few things out (my breathing, what to eat, what stretches work best for me before and after my runs), but I’m feeling good about it. I’m really trying to listen to my body when deciding when I should run and how much. I don’t want to overdo it, and I definitely don’t want to injure myself.

You know what excites me the most about this? The fact that I’m actually looking forward to my next run (it’s really kind of addicting) and that Husband is extremely proud of me.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend! If you have any advice for me, I’ll gladly take it.

I often write about my late grandparents because they were and will always be a source of my inspiration. They both taught me a lot, even when they didn’t know they were teaching me anything. Granny died from lung cancer (from smoking most of her life), and Pawpaw died from congestive heart failure (from not being as healthy as he should + high blood pressure, I’m sure). Both of my grandparents had high blood pressure, as does my dad (though he takes medication to control it). I believe, if I continue living the lazy lifestyle I live, I will have high blood pressure as well.

I don’t want that.

Right now, I’m at a very healthy weight, but I can see that it will rise as my metabolism slows down and as I age. That is, if I don’t do something about it now. I’ve had several family members pass away due to lung cancer, and while I know there are some cancers that cannot be prevented, I believe lung cancer CAN be prevented. I’ve never smoked a day in my life (nor do I plan to–that’s one of the many things my granny taught me), and I know I can prevent heart failure, too.

That’s why I’m thinking about running a 5k in honor of my Granny. A 5k that will take place on October 16th (less than SIX WEEKS away). A 5k called “Free to Breathe.” Here’s the problem: I don’t run. I haven’t ran in years. Is there a way I can do this? Can I train for this 5k in less than six weeks? (I’ve looked at the C25K program, and I saw that it’s a 9-week program.) I know that I can walk the 5k as well, if I just can’t run the three miles, but I really want to run it.

Any suggestions for training? Whether it’s a training program or running gear, I’m open for any suggestions at this point. What should I do so that I can run this 5k on October 16th?

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I’ve been seeing “4 simple goals” posts around the blogging community lately, and I love writing down my goals, so I thought I’d join in. The point of these simple goals is not to focus on the end result but to focus on the journey that gets you there. So, this fall, I’m going to focus on these four goals.

1. Plan dates with Husband that we can BOTH enjoy. I often plan things that I know he’ll be okay with but not necessarily like (going to the movies, walking around in a city). For the rest of the year, I want to plan dates that we’ll both be excited about: hiking trips with picnics, riding our bikes to the creek, camping adventures on the weekend, board games & movie nights at home, making s’mores over a fire in our backyard. My husband LOVES these things, and I really want to take these next few months to appreciate him and show my love for this amazing man that I’ll be spending the rest of my life with.

2. Find a healthy routine for my lifestyle. I go through phases of eating healthy, but I really want to make it a main priority in my life. I want to know and understand what is going into my body. Though I know I’ll splurge occasionally on cupcakes and cookies (because I love to bake!), I want to make a point to bring healthier foods for lunch at work and cook dinners with healthier aspects. I also want to take some time to tone up and get into shape. I’ve been very lazy lately, and I want to start running and biking this fall to lower the risk of high blood pressure and an unhealthy weight later in life.

3. Work less, live more. I’ve written about my thoughts toward working less and putting my focus on my marriage and school, but I haven’t taken any action yet. For the rest of the year, I’m going to start making final decisions on what the next plan of action will be, and then I’m going to actually do it.

4. Find a clear separation between my offline life and my online life. I need balance. I need to step away from the computer/cell phone/television/ipod and really focus on myself within. I need to spend more time outdoors and more time doing nothing and loving it. Life is always go-go-go, but I’d really like it to have a few pauses in there when I just step away and enjoy sitting in the grass while the wind blows.

If you had to choose four goals (focusing on the journey) for the rest of the year, what would they be?

Ever since returning from Asheville, I’ve been in the mood for fresh, local foods. Asheville began to turn me into a food snob, I suppose, because everything there was fresh, healthy, locally grown, and/or organic. I felt great after every meal I ate, rather than feeling sluggish and unsatisfied.

I’ve never been much of a junk food person. I’ve always enjoyed my vegetables, and I hardly ever ate candy as a kid. Even now, you’ll rarely find junk food in our pantry. Husband hasn’t had caffeine in nearly a year, and I stopped drinking sodas over two months ago, so we mostly have water and juice in our fridge. We have been looking at the labels lately as well, and we’re trying to stay away from high fructose corn syrup. Honestly, anytime I get anything, if I see high fructose corn syrup as an ingredient, I’m immediately turned off. Just the sound of it is bleh to me now.

I’m not a vegetarian, nor do I have any intentions of becoming one anytime soon; however, I’m cutting red meat out of my diet for now–I’ve never been a fan of it, anyway. Mostly, the only meat I’m eating is chicken and seafood (tilapia and shrimp, mainly), and even chicken grosses me out at times. I’ve always thought of a meal as meat being the main ingredient and veggies being the “side dishes.” Now, I’m seeing it the other way around. In reality, meat isn’t something I’m requiring in a meal anymore.

I’m still learning to look at labels on everything. I want to make sure I have enough protein if I don’t eat meat for every meal. (If you have suggestions for cooking tofu, send them my way!) I’m also buying fresh produce locally (it’s cheaper, closer, tastes much better, and it isn’t mass-produced) when I can and when it’s available.

Even though we’ve only been home from Asheville for a little over a week, I’ve felt healthier. I’ve had more energy, and I’ve been craving fruits and salads and homegrown vegetables (which should be ready soon)! It’s a nice feeling.

Ingredients in the salad above: Spring mix, chopped apple, dried cranberries, sliced almonds, snack mix (whole almonds, raisins, cashews, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds), fresh tomato, fresh cucumber, cheddar cheese, and poppyseed dressing. I also had a slice of bread with almond butter.

What I’ve been up to since my absence from the blog:

• I made an A+ on the paper I wrote for Dante’s Inferno.
• I’ve been spending two evenings a week at my brother-in-law’s track meets. They last around four hours, but we were at Thursday’s meet for over six hours!
• I am now a contributor over at In It To Gym It. It’s helping me get my butt in shape and on track with a healthier lifestyle. You can read my introduction post here.
• I took Friday as a paid day off from work. It was greatly needed, and I enjoyed it. I spent the day eating lunch with Husband and Brother-in-law and then going on a hike with Husband.
• Saturday was spent doing the 30-day shred, wii fit workouts, and going on a bike ride at the park with Husband. After that, we took a trip to the creek to relax and listen to the water.
• Sunday was a day of Easter celebration (and waking up at 5:45 a.m. for Sunrise service).
• I made a smoothie for the first time. A handful of strawberries, a banana, a couple splashes of 2% milk, a few spoonfuls of vanilla yogurt, and some honey. It was delicious! (I’d love any recipe suggestions you might have!)
• I’m dealing with a ridiculously uncomfortable sun rash that popped up after hiking on Friday. It will go away after being inside for a few hours, but just a few minutes after stepping into the sun, it flares up again. Luckily, it’s on my arms and chest/neck, and not on my face. (I’m trying to look at the bright side.)
• I registered for two classes in the fall so far–Intro to Abnormal Psychology and Religions of the World. I’m still debating on what other classes I’d like to take.
• I woke up to find that I’m featured on IndieInk today! IndieInk has been on a brief hiatus, and today is the first day back online, so go check it out and submit!

What have you been up to since I’ve been gone?