TEN!!

I did it!! I lost 10 whole pounds! It took me almost two months, but I did it! Actually I have lost 11, but who is counting?

That means since I last posted about weight loss I have lost 3.4 pounds!

I have been running a bunch and trying to avoid shin splints at the same time. I am always having to remind myself that it takes a long to build up the strength in the muscles needed for longer distance running.

In between my running days I have been having a hard time being consistent in what I do. Most day I still walk the dogs for an hour. Some days I add Pilates, 30 day shred, Yoga, or P90X to my walking. I need to come up with a solid schedule of what I am going to do so I don't have to decide every day what I am going to do.

With winter coming up, I have been trying to decide what I want to do. I really don't like running on the treadmill, but I can't run in my VFF's in the snow....I will lose toes. Some of the alternative options I have come up with are:

• Find an indoor track that will let me bring my stroller - This would be the ideal option!
• Get a gym membership and just deal with treadmill running for the winter
• Get a gym membership and do swimming, classes, and weight training instead of running
• Put a hold on my running until spring and focus on strength/weight loss
• Find an alternative minimalist running shoe that will keep my feet warm and dry while running
• Switch back to running in tennis shoes - Haha, not likely!

I want to start P90X soon. I think I need a little more preparation physically first though. One thing I think I might do is start and finish the 30 day shred (all 3 levels in 30 days) and then start P90X. If I am going to reach my goal of weighing 150lbs by the end of the year, I need to get on it!

As for my diet. I have been trying really hard to eat healthy choices. I track my calories in and calories burnt. Some days though, it is just tough. I need to find some really tasty healthy recipes that wont cost me an arm and a leg to buy ingredients for. One that I tried the other day that was super yummy is:

Baked Lemon Chicken

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 4 (4 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Directions

1. In a shallow dish, combine the butter, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper. Place bread crumbs in another dish. Dip chicken in butter mixture, then coat with crumbs.
2. Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Drizzle with remaining butter mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until juices run clear.
3. You can choose to double the butter and lemon juice and add 2 tablespoons of honey. Or drizzle honey over the chicken instead of the leftover butter mixture.

First Barefoot Run.....

....okay, I jogged but I was TOTALLY barefoot!!

I didn't go out planning to walk or run barefoot. In fact, it was 5:30 at night and it is February so I had my VFFs on with socks (toe socks) on underneath. I got about a block into the walk with the dogs and my little toes were feeling squished by the socks. I stopped to take them off and when I put my bare foot down on the sidewalk, to put the sock in my pocket, it wasn't as cold as I had imagined it was going to be. So I thought "why not just try going totally barefoot?" I started walking, and found that it was much easier to get my foot strike right, and was impressed to find that my feet weren't as sensitive as I thought they would be.

About a block later, I decided I would just try jogging for a little ways......well, that little ways turned into at least a half mile! I haven't jogged that far in shoes in years! I wasn't breathing hard, my feet were just fine even jogging over pebbles, rough pavement, grass, mud, and a little bit of snow. They got a little sensitive once when they had gotten wet in a puddle and then I immediately had to go over several little rocks. They stuck to my feet and wouldn't come off, which wasn't to pleasant to jog on.

I finally had to stop going up a hill because my leg muscles were starting to get tired, which was making me get out of breath. I didn't get the least bit winded until the point when my legs got tired. It was interesting. I always thought it was my lungs holding me back from running, but now I am wondering if it was because my shoes were making my legs get tired before they would have normally.

After I stopped running I put my VFFs back on just to feel the difference and it was HUGE! Once I got to the top of the hill I tried jogging a little with them on and it was not as easy as barefoot. I have read a lot of things about people who run barefoot, and they almost all say that it is a totally different thing from running in minimalist shoes. Today I found out for myself that that is really really true!

I LOVED RUNNING BAREFOOT!!! I think I might be a little addicted!