Dani Dishes: Post-Boston Marathon Thoughts (2015)

On this episode of Dani Dishes, I attempt to put into words the thousands of thoughts running through my head post marathon!

Watch the video from post 2014 Boston Marathon: Here!

Face It Friday: A Gain & Overall Marathon Training Thoughts

Hey All! Unfortunately I do not have time to grace you all with one of my long-winded stream of conscious posts today. Why you may ask?

Well I had a great morning of personal coaching calls, BUT it is finally Boston Marathon weekend so I need to prep for the afternoon. The fun fun fun starts at 2pm and shockingly I have a lot to do before then including lead one final Weight Watchers meeting during lunch.

Soooo let's get right to it. Shall we? Oh and I am already doing a horrible job about NOT being long-winded. :P

I actually weighed myself at home on Thursday before leaving for work because I wasn't sure I would make it to weigh-in today. Yesterday I was up 1.8 lbs and I let it get to my head. I was angry and hurt. I wanted to see a loss or at least a gain of less than 1 lb. BUT I had committed to tracking everything through that day before taking the tracking pressure off of myself over the weekend.

As a result, I decided that no matter what I would weigh in today as well because well I was curious to see the difference a day could make.

So I had my alarm set - "You are more than a number" - and faced the scale.

Yup up 0.8 - 1 less than yesterday.

Hello fluctuation and whatever else mother nature wants to throw at us.

Now I wanted a loss, but again I was still in the negative. So a gain wasn't totally on my radar. Plus I had been losing for the past few weeks when I didn't expect it.

The -/+ represents how over I was on my points for the week. So being down 0.8 over the past 4 weeks when each was in the negative - I'll take that.

Oh hi perspective I needed you to show up.

I also needed to remind myself that I am a good 20 pounds less than last year's Boston Marathon, I didn't emotionally eat this week on the anniversary of the bombing and I am still down during the entire marathon training cycle.

Proud of my progress this marathon training cycle - Not only on the scale, but also in terms of my cross training and my core/strength work!!

12/5/14 - 159.8 1/2/15 - 160.8 4/17/15 - 151.2

I will take all of it!

Plus I rocked some pretty amazing streaks this year as well.

So overall I am accepting of the gain - not totally shocked - and ready to turn my attention to a fun weekend with friends and running. Now I am not making myself track or beating myself up if I don't, but I still will be aware. I mean once you know the Points of stuff you can't UNknow it, which leads to some subconscious tracking all the time.

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So I will walk away from the training cycle with less weight (about 8 lbs), a stronger core, some baby arm muscles and a great mental attitude!!

Thank you all for sticking with me and tuning in to my Face It Friday posts/rambles. I will be weighing in next Friday and will as always take whatever the scale gives me.

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How has your mental/emotional state about weight loss changed during your journey?

Three Things Thursday: 1st She Runs Boston, Autistic Twin Brother Runners & Race Weekend Nerves

Motivation, Inspiration and Determination can be found everywhere you turn. So where did I find it this past week?

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1) 1st She Runs Boston Group Run

We had our first She Runs Boston run of the season on Tuesday - out of Athleta on Newbury Street - and it was an awesome turnout! We had 40 amazing women join us for a 3 or 4 mile loop along the Charles River.

It was a beautiful night in Boston and it was a pleasure chatting with new friends. Some ladies had never run along the Charles before or with a group, while others were getting back into a groove after a harsh winter.

I had the pleasure of making sure both the 3-mile and 4-mile folks all made it back to Athleta. It was my honor to act as overall sweep for both runs. No lady left behind is our motto!!

I absolutely loved meeting new friends - especially some blog readers - and look forward to continued motivation from each weekly run!

Will I see you there next Tuesday? April 21 at 6:30pm at Athleta. Be there or be somewhere not as cool. ;)

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2) Autistic Twin Brother Runners

Have you heard of the Schneider Twins? Alex and Jamie Schneider are twin brothers who are both profoundly autistic.

Check out the trailer below for their book: Silent Running:Our Journey to the Finish Line with Autism

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If you are in Boston this weekend, keep an eye out for these amazing guys at the Boston Marathon Expo or race itself. I really hope to run into them and meet these inspirations!

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3) Race Weekend Nerves

"So are you ready for Monday?" - the question I have been asked countless times over this past week

My response: "I sure hope so. Not much more I can do now." <<nervous laugh>>

I nervously laugh, but it is true. Any race prep that really matters has been done. If there was anything more I could've done, now is not the time to dwell on it.

The race nerves have invaded my body and will stay until well... probably until I cross the Finish Line! <<knocks on wood>> NO I am determined to cross that Finish Line baby!

Thankfully starting tomorrow (Friday) the weekend fun will begin and prove to be a necessary distraction from the race nerves. I cannot wait to hit up the Expo (Friday and Saturday), enjoy the BAA 5k with friends (Saturday), devour some pasta at the Tedy's Team pasta dinner (Saturday) and take part in a couple of free shakeout runs (Friday - ASICS, Sunday - Runner's World/Land's End).

But first it's time to work on some last minute outfit decisions... ;)

If you are still interested in tracking me Monday: text 26786 to 234567 for updates!

ALSO if you are running the BAA 5k - meet at 7:15am behind the t-shirt distribution tent for a fun low-key meet-up!!

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Where did you find motivation, inspiration or determination this week?

Dani Dishes: 6 Days Until The Boston Marathon!

On this episode of Dani Dishes, it's less than a week until marathon #7 & Boston Marathon #3 & time to share thoughts & plans for the weekend!!

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A big big big thank you to all who have donated to my Tedy's Team fundraising to help me #FightStroke! As of now (4/14 at 4:07pm) my 3-year total is $23,266.17! I cannot even begin to say how much this means to me. I am part of Tedy's Team and the American Stroke Association in honor of my Stroke Heroes - both of my grandparents and my father-in-law! So thank you all for your love and support!

Donate Here if you are still interested! :)

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RACE GOALS:

1) Get to Start Line.

2) Do not visit ANY med tents along the course.

3) Cross Finish Line!

If above goals are met there are some others as well...

4) Boston PR - under 4:04

5) Sub-4

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On race day I will be thinking of these special donors who each sponsored a marathon mile:

1- Melissa K 2- Ryan F 3- Kathianne L 4- Mary R & Dusty H 5- Jim & Lynne K 6- Elizabeth D 7- Gregg B 8- Jamie M 9- Thea R 10- Dan F & Family 11- Carrie B 12- Chris S 13- Samantha A 14- Kelly K-C 15- Mary Ellen V 16- Frank F & Family 17- Megan A & Family 18- Sarah M 19- Neil F & Family 20- Dan F 21- John & Diane F 22- Barry G 23- Laura L 24- Dacia R 25- Angela G 26- Mom & Dad 26.2 For My Stroke Heroes :)

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Events I will be hitting up during marathon weekend:

Thursday

^Run Free Movie Premiere: 6:30pm-10pm (Revere Hotel, Boston)

saucoby

Friday

^ Expo: it opens at 2pm and I hope to be there shortly after it opens!

^ ASICS Shakeout Run (2 miles) with Deena Kastor & Bart Yasso: 5:00pm (328 Newbury St, Boston)

Bring your friends for an evening shake-out run hosted by Olympic medalistDeena Kastor and Runner’s World Chief Running Officer Bart Yasso. Evening will include:

· Fun run offered to runners of all levels · Post –run refreshments · Race day tips from Bart + Deena · Chance to check out the latest Asics apparel and running shoes · Secure bag check during run

FREE ASICS Gift Bag for the first 50 runners who attend.

^ New Balance Fun

new balance

Saturday

^ BAA 5k with friends including pre-race group photo at 7:15am behind the t-shirt distribution tent!!

^ Post-5k adult beverage along Boylston St: Time TBD & Place TBD

^ More Expo Fun

^ Tedy's Team Pasta Dinner: 6pm-9pm

^ Runner's World Fun

Sunday

^ Lands' End + Runner's World Boston Shakeout Run (2 miles): 8:00am (Sheraton Boston Hotel, 39 Dalton St, Boston, Massachusetts 02199)

Come run with the Editors of Runner's World, including Bart Yasso and Elizabeth Comeau, and check out the new activewear line from Lands' End!

Light refreshments will be served after the run.

Monday

^ THE BIG SHOW

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Wow I cannot even HANDLE the awesomeness that will be kicking off come Thursday! This will be one amazing weekend with friends. If you will be at any of the events above please let me know - I would love to meet up!

Face It Friday: Weigh-In Results, Food Find & Sharing My Relationship With My Excess Skin

Since recommitting to my weight loss journey in June 2014, I've been doing my best to weigh-in weekly and share my tracker numbers. Not so much for others, but to hold myself accountable. The past few weeks have been the worst numbers I've tracked since joining Weight Watchers. Now I'm not saying they have been my worst weeks since joining WW since there have been MANY a time where I wouldn't track the really really really ugly!

But in 2015 I vowed to reclaim the consistency I lacked in 2014 so that means honest tracking! I mean if I track the 29 pts of Peanut M&Ms I had as 9 - that may look better, but the lying harms no one but myself. I might as well track honestly, own the slip-up/indulgence/treat and move on!

As we have talked about chain reactions, slip-ups and attitude adjustments over the past few weeks in WW meetings, honest tracking has impacted my relationship in all three of those areas... for the better!

So this past week was no different. Well, it was. For the past few weeks I had been sharing my tracker throughout the week on Twitter or Facebook for extra accountability. To try and help myself crawl back out of the negative. Now I was too far gone to actually get out of the negative, but I could chip away at it.

But this week I didn't. I stopped sharing it in some of the group texts I was in too. Why? Judgement. I try to create a judgement free zone on my social media channels, but it still exists. Some of the comments I got in response to my trackers were hurtful. So I thought I would save myself those comments and pain. I know some of the people are projecting their feelings about their own journeys on to me and I understand that... it just doesn't make it any less painful.

This week was a step back. I still shared with a couple of people, but for the most part I used the tracker as my own feedback.

The feedback? It was the ugliest I had ever tracked. BUT I tracked it all. Every delicious cookie and splurge were tracked, owned and accounted for.

While I am not happy to see such a negative number, I am proud of recording it.

For the third week in a row, I prepped my mind for a gain. I used the same alarm label as the week before: "You are more than a number." I didn't want to weigh-in. I wanted to hide from the scale, but I am more than a number. I needed to face the scale for feedback and to be able to once again attempt to start the week on a fresh clean page.

So Friday I got on the scale and for the third week I was shocked...

... another loss!

I again thanked the scale gods and ran away as quickly as possible. :P I cannot explain why I am so in the negative and still losing. Maybe my body needed the change? I don't really know. But as soon as the loss happened I didn't want to share. Those same people who judged me for a negative tracker also had seemed wicked annoyed that I was losing while it was happening. #Ouch

Now while training I have been trying to lose so my tracker was set for a 29 DPT (Daily Points Target). Maybe that was low? Maybe my body wanted more? I am not sure.

But I know it will be an adjustment after the marathon --- which is just a week away!

This week I am focusing on fueling for the marathon. Adding in some healthy carbs and trying to keep the snackey foods at bay. Marathon weekend will be filled with social engagements and running. Shocking I know! ;)

I made a rule with myself. If I tracked every day from the return from Disney (Feb 25) to the Thursday of marathon weekend (April 16), I wouldn't make myself track Marathon weekend (Friday-Tuesday). Again this doesn't mean all food habits are thrown out the window, it just means I won't have to worry about tracking them all during this stressful/fun weekend.

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Food Find Of The Week: Bolthouse Farms Miso Ginger Vinaigrette!

Absolutely delicious and my new obsession. 45g of dressing = 1PPV!

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I've never had a particularly good relationship with my body. I've never been one of those people with a positive body image. I'm the master of picking myself apart. Instead of improving as I lost weight, I've found it has gotten worse. I can now see more of the imperfections that were hidden behind/around/under layers of fat.

But when I share on social media or with friends about my excess skin, I normally get a confused look. Many folks think that I have none after losing over 85 lbs. I mean you are seeing me in compression pants or running shorts - those things can sometimes suck in all the imperfections we want to hide.

Folks don't see what I see when I look in the mirror - which I try to avoid. Folks don't see what I see when I bend over after getting out of the shower. Folks don't see what I see when I do my planks in just a sports bra and pants.

So I thought it was time I shared what I see... or at least attempt to.

We can start with the standing and side view.

We could debate all day and night what I see compared to what others see. But I know that I am lucky to not have as much skin hanging down as others do. But the skin is still there and it still hangs.

So I now share with you what I see when I look down during planks.

Note: I almost didn't write/share these thoughts because I knew there would be people saying that my thoughts on my amount of excess skin wouldn't be valid since it isn't as extreme as other weight-loss stories. But then I remembered that my blog is a place for me to share my feelings. So I gave myself a butt kicking and here it is. :)

It was scary to have my wife snap these pics as I had a picture in my mind of what the skin looked like, but this was actual documentation. Does that make sense?

Now I am not ashamed or embarrassed by these pics. I know it is a result of changing my life and deciding one day that I was worth a healthier lifestyle.

Do I wish I could just cut it off and have it gone? Sure.

But for now I will hold on to it as a reminder of the struggles I have gone through, the amazing changes I have made and the past that I refuse to go back to.

While my excess skin may not be as much or as loose as others, it is still a part of my journey that I felt I needed to share.

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How do you deal with the judge-y people in your life?