Mary Katherine..

This is a pretty awesome topic, but I know I cannot be the only girl in the world with this problem. I have learned so much from fellow bloggers over the years, and I'm sure this may turn up a tip or two.

You know the girl, from SNL, that always smelled her pits? I've become that girl. 

I don't even remember when it started, but what I do know, is that when I was over 100lbs overweight, I didn't have a sweating problem at all. Sure, I was out of breath, and got sweaty, but not to the point that it overpowered my anti-persperant. At least my pits remained dry.

Since embarking on my weight-loss journey, I've noticed an increase in sweating. Not just when I work out, but any time I exert myself. I've read that fit people sweat more sometimes when their body temps are lower, at the beginning of a workout. Ok, I'll take "more" but not to this point.


Some time ago, my anti-persperant quit working. Not to the point where I smelled, because I glob on the deoderant. I mean, I count to 30 on each underarm, 30 passes up and down. But the ANTI quit working in the persperant.

I don't sweat at rest from head to toe. Just my pits. Which is pretty awesome at the office, when you walk around with rings of sweat under your arms in your nice clothes.

I've tried everything. Every type, every brand, and every form of anti-persperant. The worst of which is mens' brands. Theirs doesn't even stop you from sweating at all, and you smell awful! I wonder what people thought about me when I had on my Old Spice deoderant? Why don't men need anti-persperant? They have hairy pits! How come they just need deoderant?

Winter, spring, summer and fall, I suffer from excessive sweaty pits. Sometimes, I stuff tissues in there to stop it. I go to someones desk to answer a question, and leave a trail of wadded up tissues in my wake. Awesome!

I put it on in the morning. I put it on before I workout. I put it on after I shower. I put it on again before bed.  I put it on randomly at my desk. (I haven't been caught yet) it doesn't matter. I still have sweaty pits.

My last stop before confessing to my Dr. that I have a sweaty pit problem was shelling out $12 for clinical strength anti-persperant, which was somewhat a crapshoot, because it only contained 1% more of the active ingredient than the last kind I bought and costs $5 more.

Did this work? No. It didn't, and at least this time, I get to send in my receipt, and UPC code for a full refund, which I am totally doing because I am older now, and value a dollar. 

I have looked up medical conditions that cause this, which were ruled out by my recent biometric screening.

Short of botoxing my pits (Arrrrgh!!) I am at a loss.

So, anyone else in my sweaty pit boat? I don't mind floating alone. Sometimes it is pretty sweet to be the pioneer!

So I'm Not an Ironman...

One of my friends from school is on leave from the army where he is a Ranger. He told me he runs my pace and wanted to go on a 4 mile with me while he was here.

He made me bleed. And btw, he does not run my pace. He had a full on catch up conversation about the last 7 years since we've seen each other while I provided one or two word answers or questions in return.

He left me at the last mile to "get his heart rate up" and I found him at the end like 10 minutes later, doing freaking push ups.

I kinda wish my job was to be in tip top shape. But then, I couldn't sit on my ass all day at the office, and I'd have to put my life on the line, so, nevermind.

Training Day...

Yea, so..I'm in training. "I can't be out late, I'm in training". "I worked out three times today, I'm in training." "Wine 5 nights a week? Not anymore, I'm in training." And my most favorite...."Carbs? Yes please, I'm in training!!!"

This training thing makes me sound awesome, right? (wait til I start in with my Madonna concert countdown if you want annoying)

I have officially started my 10 week training schedule to get me to my 13.1 miles. Suprisingly I have to run less often than I do to get there, and progressively add distance to meet my goal. Kinda like losing weight, and having to eat MORE food to get there. Weird.

On the days that I am forced to rest (I take rest by not running miles, and still getting some cardio/strength training in because I still have 20lbs to lose) I joined a gym close to home!

I really thought I was in pretty good shape. Running 4-6 miles a day 5-7 days a week, and having been thru bootcamp, sometimes running twice a day plus a bootcamp class... I mean come on, I felt bad-ass!

The best advice anyone has ever given me? If you think you are in good shape, try something new.

I started a plyofusion class at the gym. Which is as you may have guessed, a lot of the plyometric stuff in P90X plus some cardio, thus the "fusion" (like my cute little car!!). It's recommended for training athletes and I can see why!

I left about 2lbs of sweat on the floor, along with my ability to stand up and sit down without an audible "owww owwww!!" Just like the beginnings of bootcamp, this horrific pain too, shall pass!

We actually used barbells. Like boys use. You know those things weigh almost 50lbs on their own, right? We did an hour of weight and core training. An hour of weights. When I am accustomed to 10 minutes at the end of a workout class with 8lb weights. Driving? Painful. Using my Tivo remote? That hurts too!

I cannot wait to see how my body changes as a result of all the conditioning I will be doing. I am once again living at the gym without much time for socializing, but you know what? It's something I love to do, that is making me feel even better!

I can hardly believe that a little over a year ago, I lived my life laying around the house complaining about being "so tired". At least now when I'm exhausted, I know that I worked my ass off to feel that way!

And that my friends, is worth all the sweat!

The Beach...It's is all about perception...

This year, is my first official "race season".

I will do my first half marathon in May this year, at the Cleveland Marathon (mostly, I'm super excited to display my 13.1 magnet on the pretty white fusion!!)

As much as I still can't believe I'm a runner, I still can't believe I get caught up in all the "race" hype, but... it is oh-so-much fun to be a part of race day! And until you do it, you will never understand!

Run to the beach will be my first race this season on April 21st. I'm only doing a 5k, which is a cake walk, (I was afraid to try anything before my half but this will be easy! And my MOM is coming to watch me!!) and it's benefiting the fireworks I grew up watching. A few years back, they were in danger of not having fireworks, but now I get to be one of the citizens that helps to make it happen!

In the little city (Akron, OH) this is our beach. (It's not near as big as the 'big city' Cleveland's Lake Erie...) But...we have swimming, and lake bars, and boating and it's "ours" and we love it! I grew up swimming here every weekend! And in my latter years, spent many nights having dinner, and cocktails on the lake bars' patios, with the warm summer air blowing, and music blaring with all my awesome my friends!

One of our favorite local "haunts" this is the upper deck!

And a personal favorite is Hook Line and Drinkers. They have the best bands, and the best outdoor deck!

If you want to support a great cause, at a great lake, and have fun in the meantime, you can still sign up to run to the beach!

Otherwise just check back for an amazing race update!

I am so excited!!

Call Me Forrest..

Today I ran my first 8 consecutive miles, outside.

I ran. Like, the entire time. I didn't even have to stop.

Almost 3 of those miles were in the rain. My girlfriend told me it would make us feel bad-ass for not quitting, but I just felt wet, and sticky, and my pants got all stretched out from the rain, so I had to keep pulling them up to my boobs like Ed Grimley.

And my butt cheeks were freezing.

And I think my feet were pickled at about mile 5.

The first 6 were fairly easy, which surprised the hell out of me.

The last two I had to push myself to complete. My girlfriend kept telling me "it's only two miles anyone can run two miles, we'll be done in 20 minutes". I wanted to tell her to shut up, but she's one of my oldest friends, and she meant well. And no one offered to carry me on their backs so I had to keep going.

I didn't feel bad-ass per se, but I do feel good for completing it.

Now, laying around on the couch for the rest of the day wont make me feel so bad.

Did I mention that my bathroom is on the second floor? That's a lotta steps for these tired legs to make.

Feeling Accomplished...

I run 6 miles a day... inside. I guess I call this easy, when compared to the once a week outdoor runs I do at a little over 3 miles. Outside is hard. Tree roots, mud, inclines, humidity, no TV.

Inside, I know the first 2 miles are flat, and then I increase/decrease the incline for the next 4 miles depending on how I am feeling, and I'm watching the View, or the food network on TV.

I don't enjoy getting sweaty...but in a sick twisted way, its like a measuring stick of how hard I work. At bootcamp, we have to wear all black, so I don't get to see the results in my clothes, but my hair gets soaked clear to the tips...and I have some long hair! That's a good workout.

This weekend, I tried a trail that when I would walk it last summer, about kicked my ass. So, this time?

I ran it.

I ran the flat, and slight hills the entire time. But then, there are about 6 hills that look like this:
Ummm, I walked up these steep, and muddy hills, and then got right back to a faster pace when I got to the top! I much prefer trail running as opposed to towpath running. The towpath is nice and flat, and crushed gravel, and oh yea, BORING! It's bad enough you are working out... why suffer with nothing but other runners to look at?

I like the deer, the water, the bridges, the chipmunks scurrying out of my way (why are these little things always so busy?) jumping over puddles, tree roots, and trudging through mud! I heart nature, and...I hate boring! I zone out and consider this a running meditation. I think about all my thoughts, and feel all my feelings.

And then...by the end of my run, I looked like this.

Boob Sweat? I got it!

Needless to say, my sweat-ometer told me that I had a successful run. (did you know that I'm a runner? shut up!)

The only shitty part about it was that I had JUST gotten 3 inches cut off my hair, tri-color hilights, and an awesome blow-out, which all went to shit a mere hour after my hair appointment.

Oh well, I kicked that trail's ass, and I felt freaking amazing!

Ice, Ice Baby...too cold! .....

Yesterday, I ran 4 miles in 50 minutes on my lunch break, on a slight incline (which is a new development this past few weeks).

Then, after work, I brought my bootcamp clothes, and did an 8 mile bike ride.

After that, I trucked it to bootcamp, where we had an hour and ten minute (usually a 45m class) ass kicking on the step, where I used a riser, which is also a recent addition to my workouts.

By the time I left, and stopped at the store for a bag of ice, there were tornado sirens going off. I spent the next couple hours consoling scared pets.

And then, I did it. I took my first ice bath!

I admit, I was afraid, and thought it was stupid, but on the recommendation of one of my running friends last weekend when I pulled an ass muscle, I gave in.

I could barely walk up my stairs to the bathroom I was so stiff and sore. I took two ibuprofin, sat in the ice bath for 8 long, and torturous minutes......

But...today? I feel fabulous! No soreness, no stiffness, and I am ready for another three workouts!

The true test of changing my eating is going to be this weekend. When I go to my family reunion. The polish side. Where I have to resist the most delicious foods known to man.

I'm taking, um, an apple, and some cucumbers, and a chicken breast.

Drill Sergeant...

Saturday, I did an outdoor run. I never do these, because, well, lets face it they are way harder than on the treadmill. I did 4 miles, at about a 12 minute mile pace with a girlfriend, she kept going to do 10 and I did two with her, and two back. Four for me inside is cake.

Outside? Ummm...I felt that all weekend!

Tonight at boot camp I was made an example of, for the first time.

After we did 200 "run it over's" (which is four run counts to the right, jump squat, and four jumping jacks, then to the left) (where I threw up in my mouth exactly three times...what IS the secret to not getting nauseus?) I was "too slow" picking out weights, so she made me do football runs for five minutes.

Then while we were doing speed bicep curls, she asked me if I thought I was in the Matrix tonight and stood in front of me while I did them faster.

Have I mentioned this is over the sound system w/a microphone?

I pay a hefty rate to be pushed like that, and it's worth every penny.

And now, some photos for the hell of it.

My Mr. Magoodle the shih-poodle and his purple elephant. Having 10 teeth pulled didn't put a damper on the cute!

Someone has a muscle!!!

Happy Post...

Someone lost another six pounds (12lb 2 week total) this past week, along with 4% body fat. While I'm super excited and proud, it is a LOT of work! I am working out 8 times in 5 days, and pretty much my life is working out right now. It's working out, thinking about working out, thinking about eating every few hours and planning my day around it, and when I'm weighing in so I can get my workouts in, lots and lots of sleep, and washing of sweaty ass clothes.



It really takes a lot of dedication and time, and effort. I don't have much time for socializing, although I did manage to go to dinner and a movie the past two weekends, and I made good choices, and still lost weight. And I probably made the waitresses think I was a fish, as I drink on average 5 glasses of water with dinner. It helps with the cravings..and the urge to reach out and steal someone elses bread, and run off with it while screaming "my preciousssssss."



Overheard at bootcamp this past week "ok jacks, 30 sets (of 10) 29....28....27....26.....26.....27....30....29"

This went on and on and on until oh I don't know we did a gillion sets instead of 30.



And on Friday, I had A GLASS of wine and enjoyed it. Not that I don't enjoy an entire bottle of wine, but I guess when you think about adding another day worth of workouts into the mix to burn it off, it puts it all into perspective.



What else did I do this weekend? Well I got my bonus at work so I had work done to the car and it drives swimmingly! Then I had work on the dog done. We sat at a shot clinic (to benefit the animal rescue so its worth it) for 2.5 hours. Then he had a vet appointment, his very first one. Where I learned what was wrong with his poopie little eye. He suffered a puncture wound as a puppy and it was never treated, and scarred over, and that is why its so much smaller than his other eye. I think every day I hate puppy mills a little bit more, if that is possible. I'm so glad he has me for a Momma now, and knows love, snuggly beds, scratches on the head, treats and "play".



At the dog park, a big dog peed on little Magoo's head. He didn't even miss a beat and kept on trucking.

I mean, look at his post-doggie park, going bye bye in the car happy face!

Like Forrest...

I have been working my ass off (literally!) trying to get in shape for my 5K. By shape I mean beating my best time.

Which seems silly because 3 miles is nothing really, when you do 4 every day. But the good thing about goals is I have been pushing myself from my 4.25 miles in 50 minutes, to 3 miles in 35 minutes. I want to get to 3 miles in 30 minutes, and then add hills, so my outside run can be around 30 minutes. Oh and not die.

I have a really slow start when I do 50 minutes. I walk at a 15 minute mile for about 10 minutes before I run.

Lame. So, I'm weaning myself off of that.

I'm pretty good on the nice even padded deck of a treadmill while watching the View. I suck at outside.

I've been working out twice a day and I can say that the only things that don't hurt on my body are my eyelashes, and my hair.

But you know what? I feel awesome!

Anything with an Itis is bad...

So on and off I keep getting this horrible pain in the side of my foot. Mostly it's on but sometimes it's blazing hot. Last Friday I had to keep taking breaks from cleaning to rest it on ice. Well as any smart American would do, I googled it,in an attempt to self diagnose.




I found a chart of foot pain, linked to a break down by area, and the only things noted in the specific area I am having pain (on the outside, NOT the inside/arch area) is tendonitis. (or a ruptured tendon) OR it could be a stress fracture, as the pain is also on top between my toes and top of foot.


Exciting excerpt for people who care:



It is a tendon that is used to stabilize the foot during the gait cycle. The problem occurs where the tendon makes the sharp turn. As the tendon moves it slides across the bone (cuboid) and therefore can be easily irritated. Of course this can happen in athletic people, also in people who do a lot of walking on hard surfaces. The one common denominator that most people do not realize is the shoe that they are wearing.



Shoes.



We're back to shoes?



I swear to the stars, I am going to go broke buying shoes. I buy expensive shoes, a couple months later, I have to get more. Why hasn't someone invented a shoe that lasts longer. 20 miles a week doesn't seem like many miles at all. How do triathletes, or distance runners do on shoes? Is there a secret someone should share with me?

I'm like, frugal. I save tins and containers cus some day I might use them. I have a ton of half empty shampoo and hand soap bottles cus one day I'll run out of shampoo and need to consolidate them (which when I lost my job, I totally did!) So, I can't see throwing away shoes that look perfectly new.

As a result, I'm acquiring quite a collection of useless, yet still stylish looking sneakers. I did bring some to work during earth week to recycle for the kids playgrounds. (cus you know how I care about the kiddies!) What else do you do with them? They are broken, so you can't really give them to people, cus then they'll get tendonitis too and probably sue me.

Injured. Down for the count. Manfriend (who...mind you is a cute paramedic..) gave me a hard time about it, after he set me up with my elevated foot, and ice pack and said you can tell its fractured cus its swollen. (cute) Then he said that even though I don't think a stress fracture is a big deal, that if you leave a windshield alone, the crack gets bigger.





Then I argued that unlike windshields, bones have the ability to heal.




Then he said I didn't want to be crippled when I get older, and he made me promise to call the Dr. Ugh. I hate the Dr. I guess until then I'm going to ride the stationary bike as a workout. There isn't a working TV for the stationary bike. Which makes working out less appealing. I don't like to admit defeat.

I promised the manfriend. Now I'm in deep shit. I'm a horrible liar. So....I have to go.



P.S. Speaking of Dr.'s 19 days until I go to the dentist. Help. Me.

This and That...

As I was saying yesterday...Happiness is, putting on your summer clothes, and they are too big. So, Pictures! This is a picture of a waist line. Something that has started to show up recently, that I havn't had in....well years. I had a tire around there.

This was me Saturday when I put on my shorts from last year. I also took a picture from my point of view, which is I can see right down the leg holes to the ground. I remember when I first bought them, I had to squeeeeze into them.











In cute news, when I had trouble getting my contact out this weekend, and showed my cute manfriend my red eye, he took me into the bathroom and rinsed my eyes for me with saline, and then kissed me on the forehead. I've never in my life had a man take any kind of care of me. But I'm liking it a whole lot! It makes me get all sappy and weepy. He still puts me in the car like a gentleman too. I think its the most adorable thing in the world!

I bought these treats for my dog at Trader Joe's, that are made with people stuff. They are peanut butter flavored. I tried them. I found them to be quite good. Like a slightly overcooked peanut butter cookie minus the sugar! I might be on to a new diet trend or something. Stay tuned.


It's earth day week at work. We have to clean out our desks. What we don't want they are making into a "re-store" in one of the training rooms. On Wednesday, we get to go shopping for stuff in there. We also have a petting zoo at work for earth day. I already told the girls, they know where to find me. I'll just die if there are goats and llamas!

Do you watch Medium? I love that show, but last nights episode kinda freaked me out!

P.S. My foot hurts so horribly. I think I really hurt it inside. This working out stuff is for the birds.

Good things come to those who wait...

I inherited another support person at work. Which doesn't work in my job but I supervise. (doesn't alleviate my work load) I will know all aspects of the company now my boss said. Which makes me valuable. I like value! My only employee to date, has pneumonia and has been at work like 2 days in 2 weeks, and it's stressing me out. I'm learning the not so new girl's job, and enlisting her help as much as possible.

Well, I didn't go out on St. Patty's day. I think thats the first time in 12 years (since my 21st bday, shhh) that I didn't at least have "a" green beer. It's not socially acceptable to me to go to a bar alone, because I flake when boys try to pick me up. I completely suck at turning people down so they get the picture. So, I stayed home. I did have plans but a friends BF was ill and she stayed home. I watched dancing with the stars. What did you do that was cooler than that?

(don't tell me, I'll feel worse......)

Did you watch Tool Academy, and catch the recap show? Oh-m-gee! I might have had that same fight on national TV back in the day, and put up with a tool like this. It's called insecure. I love reality TV, it reminds me how far I've come in life! It was worth watching the whole season just for this recap show!


Tough love is also a pretty good show. You should watch it for dating advice, its common sense stuff like, if you walk around with your boobs hanging out, guys will look at you as a skank. Or you are so annoying when you are skinny and you say how fat you are in order to fish for compliments from guys. (P.S. girls hate this too) Or, when you put yourself down, it's a turnoff.


In other news, I have been having a hard time sleeping in my bed when I'm not with my manfriend, which is 97% of the time. It bothers me too. It's my bed. I think it bothers me most because I never really enjoyed sleeping with someone before. I liked my space.

But now, sleeping on my couch doesn't make me look at the empty side (empty, aside from one stinky dog) and think about how much I miss him. And then I start to wonder, how he can say that I'm everything he wants, and wants to be with me more, but not want to be with me all the time cus he isn't ready. I'm just at a different point in my own life. So, to avoid thinking about it, and obsessing over it, I sleep on the couch. Distraction.


I get my panties all in a bunch over that stuff, and then I forget it when we're together, and he tucks me in under the blankets, or puts burn medicine on my arm cus I burned it with a curling iron, (after kissing it...*melt*) or the millions of times he tried to help my blisters (which I don't get anymore with mah new fancy shoes, hollllaaaa!)

Or when hes cooking for us he'll bring me in a peice of cheese (I loves the cheese) Or pours my drinks for me in a gentlemanly way, or puts me into a car when we go somewhere. Or, that writing all that stuff actually made me tear up like a sappy fool. He does a lot of cute stuff that makes me mad, because it makes me love him more and I can't help it. Argh. I feel taken care of with him. And....that's why I'm patient. Not because its easy.

Some things are worth waiting for. Plus, I've never had anything worth having that I didn't have to work for in some way. This is what I get for telling the universe years ago that I wanted to learn patience.

Be careful what you wish for.

Let's Be Honest Like Oprah...I Hate To Work Out Too!!...

My flippin feet hurt. Specifically, the part just under the pinky toe. I can't really tell in reflexology what it relates to in the body. Maybe thats the spleen? It's by the kidney on the right foot. Liver? Too much drinking? Ack!

Nah...I'm pretty sure it's in direct relation to the fact that I have had the same shoes for like 8 months, and I put a minimum of 20 miles a week on them, plus bootcamp 3 days a week. I got some gel inserts, and on Monday, they hurt my feet even worse. Tuesday, I had developed new blisters. I was to the point where my old blisters were calloused over and no longer painful.

I swear in a past life I must have been a sheep herder or something, and inherited the love of animals, and sore feet. I mean my feet hurt. Maybe I should stop working out. Kidding. But for a moment I felt a wave of excitement. I wish.

You would think the more weight I lost the less they'd hurt. I will say that I am up to jogging for 15 straight minutes, and no knee pain. Shazam! Yea I know I said shazam, but I think it should make a come back.

I've been snacking ravenously on celery since I can have as much as I want and never gain weight you know, of course I'm eating, but in between meals...celery! The batch I bought was horrible. It's really green, and fibery. What the hell? How does one survive the winter with crappy vegetables. Good thing I bought 4 stalks of it, cus it was 2 for $4. I love to waste money. It's my favorite.


I got a book like this about polish food and cuisine on sale at Borders. Because it has a recipe for peirogis. With Cream cheese ok? Aaaaand potato dumplings. I blame my love/addiction for carbs on being polish. It outta get me something besides stupid jokes, right?

My whole reason for going to Borders, was to get a 2009 calendar for my cubicle. I'm lost without one. I spot a Madonna calendar, for $6. All half off, awesome! I get to work on Monday, and it's not a calendar. It's a thing of Madonna pictures with the dates listed. You can't write anthing in there. its just dates. Not even days of the week.

Seriously? Madonna? You have more money than P Diddy, and you have to rip one of your biggest fans off? I think I'm going to give this in my Valentine's Giveaway. Oh yea, You can enter to win this Friday!

I added my weight loss ticker there to the left. Why? Because I'm over halfway to my goal. The goal set by bootcamp nazi. I've lost 54 lbs. 39 to go. 13 of those are thru bootcamp. But it's nice to know I'm over halfway there!