Back Outdoors!!! Running and February Project Link up #2

Well I was ecstatic this week when I saw the weather forecast was calling for temperatures in the 50s and 60s!!!! Here in frigid Boston it has been rough but this finally showed me that there is hope yet! I was hoping to get in a long run this weekend because my Half Marathon is next weekend! I cannot believe it is here already and only 1 week away. I am filled with emotions on this but I will save it for a pre run post ;)

This week I worked on my speed again and I failed because the treadmill at the gym only goes to 9 MPH! Body fail due to equipment failure LOL. Needless to say I was disappointed!  I did succeed in one way I ran my fastest ever 5K! On Wednesday I ran a 5K in 21:39 this is my fastest time I have ever run one! my old fastest time was 24 minutes, but I thought about this project and I thought to myself I can push myself a bit faster, and sure enough I did!!!

After that run I felt great, I thought back to my first 5K race back in October and how excited I was to finish it in 29 minutes. I thought about now how a few months later I was whittling down that time and working on running my first half marathon. It makes me a little less anxious about next Sunday and more confident since I know that when I set my mind to something I work on it until I make it.

So today I finally got outside to run!!!! To a woman who has been stuck on the dreadmill for almost 2 months this run outdoors meant everything to me! Now granted our sidewalks are still not cleared:

And there are mounds of snow everywhere :

But I was determined to get out there and get it done today I ran 8 miles in 74 minutes! Not my fastest time but I had a hard time setting a pace and sticking with it, I have gotten so used to the treadmill I need to get my legs back to working on their own pace. I was happy running up and down hills and dodging puddles. I forgot how fun it could be :) I also love how many calories a long run burns :)

Yes 748 calories!!!!!!!!!!!! In 1 lovely long run :)

Next week 13.1 here I come!

Do you have any races coming up?

Mac N Cheese Gluten Free Points Plus style!!!

A few times I create these things in the kitchen and like to share. I am in no way one of the professional foodie bloggers, so I do not take tons of pics etc. Sorry, I will leave that to my favorite foodie bloggers :) But I will share with you my latest creation!

Being gluten free is a challenge sometimes and I miss things like Mac n cheese :) so I try to create them in my own way while also staying on Weight Watchers because lets face it tinkaydia makes a yummy gluten free pasta alternative but having a tiny bit for 5 points is not enjoyable to me at all.

In comes spaghetti squash! I buy the biggest one I can find every week I swear because it is so versatile. I cut a whole one in half and bake it in the oven seeds side down for about 30-40 minutes. Now they are tough to cut in half so i nuke it in the microwave for about 5-7 minutes this softens the skin enough to cut it. When it is done baking I scrape out the seeds. I leave the seeds in to bake because I think it keeps the moisture in more. IDK just preference not a big deal. SO then you just scrape out the meat of the squash, its the texture of spaghetti and I use it just like pasta, i stuff peppers with it, put tomato sauce on it with my chicken parm, really anything. Tonight I used it for for my favorite way yet.

Spaghetti Squash Mac N Cheese

	3 cup(s) cooked spaghetti squash
	1 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
	1/2 cup(s) red onion(s)
	1 cup(s) sweet red pepper(s)
	1 cup(s) cheddar, shredded fat free
	6 slice(s) Low-Fat, American Cheese Single
	1 Tbsp garlic powder
	1 serving(s) Gluten Free Bread Crumbs

I get 6 servings out of this for 3 Points Plus a serving.

I heated the milk and melted the cheeses in it and while doing that I sauted the red onion and red pepper with some pam spray. You do not need the veggies but I like the flavor.Then once everything is melted and the pepper saute is ready I combine the 2. Then I spray a casserole dish with pam and put in the squash. Then I pour in the cheese sauce mixture and mix it up a bit to get it in the squash. Then I top with some gluten free bread crumbs I think the serving is a 1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons of low fat parmesean cheese. I bake it for about 30 minutes on 350 and thats it. it makes a yummy side to whatever I am having for lean protein for dinner! As you can see tonight was 6 points of chicken breast and the squash macaroni cheese so a 9 points plus dinner!

Weigh in Wednesday and power of One Week 7!!!

I cannot believe we are almost at the end of the challenge!!!!!!!!!!

I have loved doing this challenge as I have come to love all the Sisterhood challenges because it kept me going even when I did not feel like going. I am kind of disappointed that the challenge is ending next week and I did not hit my weight loss goal I set for myself during kick off.  I just looked at this post today and cannot believe I did not even come close to my weight loss goal! I wanted to lose 18lbs and be at a healthy BMI weight. Well Since we began I am down 7.2lbs. Very very far off.

It was a rough week numbers wise only a .4lb loss. I had an OK training week got in 7 hours or working out and burned 2455 calories. I got myself some new jeans which was exciting, I was shopping in the junior department! I could not believe that!!! I got a pair of jeans size 5/6 :) I normally stick to the woman's department but the juniors department has such cute stuff sometimes I cannot resist it! Plus in woman's the size 4s are becoming lose and the size 2s are a lil too snug so I am in between sizes there. I cannot wait till I am at goal and can just get into clothes and sink some money into them and stop sizing out. I am not complaining about shrinking, just the cost of looking good LOL

I am getting ready for my half marathon in less than 2 weeks! Eeek!!! So I am not sure if training for it has slowed my loss or what but I hope to get to goal sometime soon! I want to get to 145 so I can become a lifetime Weight Watchers member. I am just getting frustrated with making it there it seems like it is taking forever. And really for me it is. It has taken me 6 weeks to lose 7 pounds. My old average was about 8 pounds per month. So my weight loss has slowed down quite a bit this year. I know slow and steady wins the race so I need to just remind myself this more and more everyday.


How was your week? Are you excited for the challenge to end next week and measure your progress? I am getting excited to measure my inches and see if all this hard work is paying off!

The Great Clothing Exchange!

Well this website has been born and let me tell you I am beyond excited about it!!!!
 
The great clothing exchange is for all of you shrinking and needing clothes in smaller sizes. In turn you can donate your bigger sizes.  It comes from a wonderful lady whom I adore here at leaving fatville.

I really wish this website had been set up when I started losing weight. It gets hard buying new clothes every few months and expensive.So please pop over there and check it out! I will be sending in my whole summer wardrobe from last year and lots of winter goodies too!

I am excited to clean out my closet and get rid of all my bigger clothes once and for all! Plus I should be reaching ultimate goal very soon, this means I can go on a big shopping spree and stay in my clothes forever :)
So go through your closet and get rid of anything you do not need anymore and come shop for some new stuff! There is also accessories, and shoes who does not love shoes?