It's been a busy summer so I haven't posted for quite a while. I'm still working toward my weight goal although I find that summers can be a little tough because I'm on the go so much. Lots of weddings and weekends of drinking yummy summer cocktails and eating BBQ can really make it tough to keep the pounds off. I've managed to get down to 161 but now I need to kick things into gear in order to reach my final goal by the end of the summer so I have officially launched Operation Bikini. Yesterday I bought my first bikini top and took a few pics. I have to admit they weren't nearly as bad as I thought they would be. Now I have that top hanging on display in my closet as my inspiration reminder. I'm excited to really push myself and to see what my body is truly capable of. Operation Bikini is in full force!

Finished another 5k on May 5th and got my best time yet, 30:45. This is the first that I have finished in under a 10 minute mile and I was thrilled. For my next 5k, which should be in September, I'm hoping to finish in less than a 10 minute mile.

I'm Normal!

According to the height and weight chart below, I am within the normal range for weight for the first time since I was a kid! I've always been within the overweight range or even on the obese side at one point but never normal. As of Friday, I finally squeeked my way into normal, right at the cutoff, but still within the healthy range. Yay progress!

To Run or Not to Run

On days like today, dreary and cloudy, it can be hard for me to find motivation to workout so I found a list of 15 reasons to run and I posted it on my fridge to keep me going.



15 Reasons to Run

It's a top calorie burning exercise
It revs metabolism even while you aren't doing it
Expensive equipment isn't required
It's awesome for your social life
Solo runs provide time for self discovery
It lifts your mood
It boosts creativity
It provides an opportunity to get outside and enjoy nature
It increases self esteem
It reduces stress
It fights depression and anxiety
It gives you energy
It lengthens your lifespan
It gives you goals to work toward
It helps reduce belly fat

Happy Running!

I LOVE inspirational weight loss stories. Here is  an awesome one I found on Oxygen Magazine.com. This before and after pic keeps me motivated for sure.



http://www.oxygenmag.com/Fat-Loss/Articles/I-love-lifting-weights.aspx

5K on May 5th

On May 5th, I will be running in the Wright County 5k Torch Run for Special Olympics. I am not the fastest runner in the world, I usually run at a pace of about 10:30 per mile but I am pushing to get to below 10 minutes per mile on this one. Below is the link for anyone who is interested in participating or donating to a great cause.

http://wrightcounty.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=1010436&lis=1&kntae1010436=E15AB74CF3EF43CE954C06D2AFA992ED&supId=354648180

My mom was not the biggest fan of this recipe but I really love them! If you are following weight watchers, these are 2 points. I took out the cinnamon the  second time I made them and thought they turned out much better. Note: make sure your bananas are ripe so they add the right amount of sweetness. This will prevent you from having to add the optional sugar suggested.

Nutritional Info: 85 calories, 1g fat, 16g carbs, 4g protein (without optional sugar)

Black Bean Brownie Recipe

Servings: 9

Black Bean Brownies photo

Ingredients:

• 15 ouncesblack beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 wholebananas
• ⅓ cup agave nectar
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup raw sugar (optional)
• ¼ cup instant oats

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8x8" pan and set aside. Combine all ingredients, except oats, in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, scrapping sides as needed. Stir in the oats and pour batter into the pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes.