Fit by 40: 1 Year In

...and 6 months to go!

In September 2024, I finally joined Matt's gym. It took me a few months to get into a rhythm of attending, but by early 2025 I had found a schedule that worked for me and was going even when Matt couldn't join me. I've now had 12 body scans, a whole year's worth, and I want to take a look at the changes I've made, both physically and mentally.

Fit by 40 update

I wish I'd had the appreciation for slow and steady progress in my twenties that I do now. It would have saved me a lot of grief and frustration.

I'm Doing Something Right

(As usual, this progress update will discuss weight, body fat percentage, diet, etc)

Last month, my InBody scan showed I'd lost weight, but it was mostly muscle. So for the last month, I've changed my approach. I stopped using Noom, which was starting to feel tedious. I let myself indulge. I enjoyed two Passover seders without a concern in the world. I added snacks back into my daily habits, ate Passover leftovers (including cake every night) and basically ate however I wanted. I tried to prioritize protein, but I didn't actually track it. My lower back was hurting so I skipped a few runs and workouts. 

And somehow, the  numbers on my InBody scan were...good.

The wake-up call

When I joined the gym back in September 2024, I didn't have a real goal in mind other than to build some muscle. In November, I got on board with my sister's goal to be in the best shape of our lives by 40. But it wasn't until late January that I finally realized I needed to do more than workout consistently: it was really time for me to take my diet into account.

And for the first time in my life, I'm doing it for the right reasons.

Warning: This blog post covers body image, weight, calorie counting, eating habits, and all the sensitive topics that come with all that.

A fitness update

It's been awhile since I've updated on my running. Since deciding not to run Loch Ness, actually. But all sorts of things have happened, so an update feels necessary.

TW: Medical photos of my endoscopy and discussion of weight and body fat under the jump.

Some Summer Stuff

I officially go back to work July 27th to start training our new teachers, so summer is basically over for me. It's been a good one. Our travel plans fell through and my leg debacle caused some stress, but mostly I really enjoyed my time off.

In June we had a week straight of heavy rain, but I was able to take advantage of the few days of sun and enjoy our backyard.

I took time off from working out to catch up on reading and writing for fun. It felt so good to be a total hermit and avoid socializing for a couple weeks.

We went up to Sarasota for Father's Day and Matt taught my family how to use his One Wheel. I always love it when all of us are able to get together, because it usually only happens at Thanksgiving.

This video of my mom on the One Wheel always cracks me up. She did a great job! My brother was so nervous; he really didn't want her on there.

Although we didn't get to New York this summer, as was our original plan, this past weekend Matt and I made a weekend trip up to Mark's family beach house in St. Augustine to see a handful of our college friends; it's always a treat to see them and catch up.

Sean always cooks for us when we do these trips, and this year he made sure everything was totally gluten free!

In big workout news, I finally joined a gym. Planet Fitness totally got me with their $1 signup special. After doing the math for the yearly cost, I decided it was worth the membership, especially if it means I'll have some accountability for going. I also talked Elizabeth into joining! I just feel like I need more beyond our classroom workouts this year.

I was brave and went by myself the first day I joined!

The gym is a half mile from my house, so I can run there, which is a major plus. And when my runs get rained out now, I'm a two-minute drive away from a treadmill! No more excuses!

Although I worked a little here and there over summer, it definitely felt like a long enough break. I am excited and ready to head back to work!

Did you go anywhere this summer?
How do you most like to spend your downtime? 

ABK

The Perfect Weekend

If I can manage to fit a dinner out, a run, and social hour into a weekend I feel pretty satisfied and ready for Monday. This was just such a weekend.

Archie is doing much better. After the initial day of his illness, he only threw up once. He's been tired and a little clingy, but has been eating and drinking normally again, and his stools are normal again. (I jokingly mentioned to Matt that we're as bad as our friends-who-are-parents with our poop-talk and he replied, "That's what happens when you have a sick baby." Accurate.)

Cuddling in my shirt.

We're keeping him in the hospital cage as long as he's clingy because we think it's mostly due to his being cold. Today he gave himself a bath, so I think he's feeling much better.

So excited to eat, he took a seed-bath!

Snoozing on my hand while I was attempting to grade midterms today.

Friday night Matt and I had my favorite meal for long runs/races: sushi! It really is my favorite fuel, and once again it worked like a charm.

I could eat my weight in sushi and still not be tired of it!

Saturday I was up early for my long run. I met Tracey (one of my GGM teammates) at Tropical Smoothie and we ran a gorgeous 7 miles.

Feeling accomplished!

I was so distracted by the lovely route and good conversation that I didn't take any pictures...Oops! It's funny, because 7 miles is still a challenge to run physically, but in mental terms it doesn't seem that long anymore.

Thanks for the smoothie, Tracey! Next one's on me!

After the run, Matt and I hit up JoAnn Fabrics and got crafty making festive sweaters for Meg's Sweater Party. We enjoyed an amazing home-cooked meal, homemade eggnog, and some of the best sweaters and outfits I've seen in a long time.

Meg's coworkers are some of the funniest guys I've ever met. They make me miss our college friends!

Mmm, eggnog!

For those wondering, yes, those are authentic paisley pants from the '60s.

And because I love you guys, and am a sucker for public humiliation, here's a fun picture from Thursday when I did some speedwork at the gym and finished it up with weights for the first time in months:

Yes, 20 lbs hurts that much.

You're welcome.

How was your weekend?
Have you attended any holiday parties yet this season?
What's your go-to meal before a long-run or race?

ABK

Running on Fire

This week I started (and finished) Scott Jurek's memoir Eat & Run. Although I took exception to some of it, I highlighted more than I expected. I think some of his mantras and keep-going attitude rubbed off on me this week.

Even if you're uninterested in running ultras, this is worth the read.

Yesterday I had one of those mid-week mini-long runs of 6 miles. I’m still having trouble fitting more than 4 miles in before I have to get back home for work, so I saved the run for after a full day of teaching.

My calves burned the entire time. I was going to cut it short but I decided to push through. I was really glad that I did the entire thing. I walked at the halfway point, just to have some water, but then continued and ran the whole time.

I think the burning calves were caused by the cross training that I did earlier in the week.

Here's a picture of all the people on the treadmills during rush hour at our gym. I'm glad this was on my cross training day, so I didn't have to claim one for myself!

It's hard to take a non-blurry picture while on the stair-stepper! Whodathunk?

I would still rather be sore during a longer midweek run than on my real long run on the weekends, so I think that I'm going to keep doing cross training early in the week (on Tuesday or Wednesday).

This might be TMI, but I also have another UTI…seriously the worst illness to have while running. I felt like I was going to wet myself for the first three miles of this run. I seem to be getting them more and more often. This might have something to do with how often I'm working out and how much I’m sweating.

Post-run collapse...But inside I was grinning.

Anyway, I was on my first dose of antibiotics when I went for my run last night, and that definitely didn’t help. I didn't feel very well or have a lot of energy, but I pushed through.

I was playing with the idea of only doing 4 miles. I bargained with myself, wondering how many miles I could add to a scheduled shorter run to make up for it. But in the end, I stuck with it; the run was tough, but that made it good.

The hard runs are what train us for greater distances; finishing this one will do more for my marathon training than hundreds of Good, easy runs ever would.

Needless to say, I'm really, really glad I finished.

Oh, also, I listened to Pandora on this run and "Come On Eileen" definitely gave me the boost I needed around mile 4.5.

(Look for a guest post from me in the near future on Alyssa’s blog, See This Girl Run, on building mental toughness!)

How do you find the silver lining of a tough run?

How do you fit in longer mid-week runs?

What's the best 80s song to run to?

ABK

MTWR 5

Last week, after a disappointing 7 miles total, I set myself some goals that ignored the plan I've been following and focused more on what I felt was right for me. The goals I set were:

Goals for this week: 
    1. Run at least three weekdays, at least 4 miles.
    2. Complete my long run.
    3. Complete a real crosstraining workout at the gym.

This is what training looked like in reality:

Monday, Aug 5	4 miles. Did 4x1 intervals run/walk. Super humid and pretty slow, but so glad I went.
Tuesday, Aug 6	XTrain. 15 minutes “fat burner” setting on stairstepper, 2:00 plank, abductors/adductors (55 lbs x 20 x 2), leg press (50 lbs x 20 x 2), ab machine (50 lbs x 12 x 2)
Wednesday, Aug 7	4 mile progression run on treadmill. Last mile at 8:55. Definitely a morale booster.
Thursday, Aug 8	Rest
Friday, Aug 9	Rest (Summit – all day travel and exhaustion)
Saturday, Aug 10	Rest (recovery from Summit)
Sunday, Aug 11	9 miles on treadmill. 4 or 5 SportsBeans pre-run, 2 Gu Chomps at 2 miles (with water and walk break), 1 Chomp at mile 4. Felt AWESOME. Fast & Furious on TV helped, too haha. Ran in Kayanos. Definitely the right shoes for me.

 
I missed one of my 4-milers, but it was necessary. I was going to run it on Thursday, but had to be up and on a bus by 5am to go to Orlando for an all-day event for school. We didn't get home until well after 9pm. I ended up taking three rest days in a row, which was a little much, but I didn't want to run the day before my long run.

I finally got a fuelbelt that I'm super excited to begin using, but I somehow forgot to turn my alarm on. I woke up with the sun and thought blearily, "Why is is bright out?" Yeah. So I had to do my run on the treadmill.

I refused to let this long run fall by the wayside. I got it done, even if it meant using the treadmill.

I usually get really bored on the treadmill, but I was lucky. I forgot my headphones, but refused to let that stop me. I asked Matt to bring them to the gym at his leisure, and I'd do the first few miles without them. This ended up being okay, actually. I wasn't distracted by trying to skip songs. Plus, The Fast and the Furious was on TV! (I'm such a sucker for those movies.)

I was scheduled for 8 miles. Matt brought my headphones at mile 4. I felt so good, I did an extra mile. I could have even done 10, but I began to have some knee and hip discomfort, and there's no reason to push myself and possibly cause injury at this point.

Feeling so strong left me feeling really positive. I'm excited to tackle 12 miles next week!

I'd been so worried about this run - testing fueling again and doing it on the treadmill instead of outside - that the relief of it being a success has really broken down a wall I was mentally fighting.

Despite keeping the treadmill at the same MPH the entire time, my pace still fluctuated. So weird.

I ate 4 or 5 SportsBeans about 15 minutes before the run. (They're caffeinated.) I was going to run 4x1 intervals but felt too good, so instead I chose to take water breaks every two miles or so. At the first two-mile mark, I ate two Chomps (caffeine free) and had some water; I ate a third Chomp at mile 5.

These things are EASY to eat, tasty, and WORK! Definitely my preference for fuel.

I was still feeling really strong; added an extra mile and pushed my pace.

I did have some "intestinal discomfort" around mile 7. I'm just not used to eating on the run yet. But I didn't have to stop, and the feeling passed.

It was really fun to watch people come and go. I got there just as rush hour began, so there were people on the treadmills on either side of me. As they came and went, I kept on trucking. And my pace was easily under 10 minute miles the entire time, even including my walk breaks. Love it.

The glow of success!

This run also solidified for me that I need to return the Brooks for my Asics. My feet just felt so perfect in my tried-and-true shoes. Now I know that Kayanos are my sole-mates for life!

Did you have a long run or race this weekend?
What are your plans for next week?

ABK

Smile! You're Running!

Remember back in the old days of AIM and AOL, when you could design a profile complete with quotes, fancy colors, and inside jokes? A friend of mine always had this one in hers:

"The first time I see a jogger smiling, I'll consider it." - Joan Rivers

I wasn't a runner the first million times I saw this quote, but now that I am, I find it running (haha) through my head on particularly brutal runs. I think to myself, "Self, that person driving by thinks runners are crazy. Show them how wrong (right?) they are!" And I slap a big ol' smile on my face.

Smiling through a hard run is a great way to turn it around. So yes, I smile while I run. Take that, Ms. Rivers!

(My natural resting face is quite bitchy looking, and people tend to judge me on that before they meet me; it's almost ironic that my default expression while on a taxing run is a smile.)

I felt the need to toot my own horn a little bit today. For one thing, I set my mind on intervals for day 23 of the streak. Even though the treadmills at my gym don't have a pre-programmed option for speed workouts, I was able to accomplish it, banishing boredom and successfully completing my run.

Borrowed from Remy's World.

I'm feeling ecstatic for being into week three of the RW streak and still going strong. My shin splints are totally gone, and I've been feeling better about pushing my pace and distance this week. Today at the gym I was able to complete my interval run, lift weights, do planks and core work, and do some leg work besides just the run.

All that on my period.

Things that never fail to make me feel badass on a run include running in the rain, running before the sun comes up, and running/working out while on my period.

If I have any male readers, I apologize.

Anyway ladies, remember that regular exercise diminishes symptoms like cramps and bloating. Just another reason to workout!

This post is all over the place. I guess over-exertion is having an effect on my brain. I hope everyone is having a good Tuesday!

Do you smile while you're running?
What element never fails to make you feel awesome on a run?
Share something random with me. Join the random party!

ABK

Runner's World Run Streak: Week 2

Well, vacation is over. We had a few beautiful days, and a few stormy days. Tropical Storm Andrea made an appearance and brought with her quite a bit of rain.

This fellow hung out behind me during breakfast one morning, before the storm got bad.

How do you spend a beach vacation when it's pouring? For one thing, you realize how grateful you are for your state-wide gym membership.

The storm toppled some boats. We don't usually see waves like this in the Gulf!

I love that LA Fitness is always a clean, well-lit, beautiful gym to go to, no matter what city you're in. This one was brand new - they haven't even had their grand opening yet! So the first day of the storm, Matt and I saw my parents for lunch and then got in a nice workout together.

He's so helpful with the post-run-stretching business.

Yes, that's right; we drove around the city in tropical storm conditions. We are those people.

There are some beautiful nature trails in the area, and I was hoping the storm would pass enough that we could run them.

Post-storm sunsets are the best.

Sure enough, Friday was bright and beautiful. The nature trails are partially maintained.

A bridge at the beginning of the trail tapered off quickly into dirt road.

There are some nice little bridges, and a few spots where the dirt road is "paved" with packed sand or shells. But there were some muddy spots and felled trees we had to run through. Obviously our pace was a little slower, but it was such a nice change!

We took a path that led us up some steps to a nice lookout point, and enjoyed a view of the early-morning sun glancing off the water.

 The storm had washed up quite a few starfish.

Of course, I threw back the ones that were still alive.

 We spent Friday lounging on the beach. We had dinner with my parents and brother,

 collected Archie from Matt's mom,

Reunited! I missed this little guy.

and hit the road. We got back late last night.

This is my first successful time working out daily on a vacation! Matt is paddling all day today, so I hit another milestone and went to the gym all by myself! I'm not letting weather of any kind (or social anxiety) get in the way of this run streak.

Mmmm, sweat!

We're back at home-base this week; this weekend we'll be going to the wedding of one of my oldest friends! I've known him since I was three; it's seriously crazy and exciting to see someone you've known since childhood take such a huge adult step! His fiancee is a runner, too, so of course I highly approve of her!

How do you stick to your running schedule when weather tries to stop you?
Does the gym intimidate you?
Do you prefer trails, roads, or indoor running?

ABK

RW Streak: Week 1

I am so pleased with how this week has gone! I've never done a streak before and I was a little nervous, but having made the commitment, I knew I would stick with it.

Day 4: I rediscovered my appreciation for the treadmill.

The first few days, I got up early and did outdoor runs. When I re-enrolled at LA Fitness, I did a couple runs there. I'd forgotten how refreshing the treadmill can be! Plus, I didn't have to worry about summer storms getting in my way. I purposely kept my mileage on my runs low; I was worried about the lack of rest days.

Day 5: ready to rock!

 But rejoining a gym means I'm also doing full-body workouts. It's amazing how quickly strengthening and weight-lifting can impact runs. Today, for the first time in a long time, I had a run that just felt good. It didn't feel like a chore. I wanted to go farther, rather than cut it short at the bare minimum distance of a mile.

Matt and I partake in a post-workout stretch.

 Part of this was that I slowed my pace. I'd forgotten that sometimes, pace comes second. I allowed myself to start slow and build the speed on the treadmill, and I kept the top speed slower than yesterday's. The result was a longer run that left me happier, satisfied, and stoked for tomorrow.

Another benefit of being a gym member again is that it motivates Matt to go. He loves working out, but he has a very physical job. When he's tired from working, it's hard to get him to the gym. My going guarantees he'll find the energy and get himself out there.

Doesn't he look manly stretching his quad?

The last week of school, a student generously presented me with a gift card to Fit2Run, my favorite running store. I happily spent it this week, purchasing what are now my all-time-top-choice running shorts and my first BIC Band.

New favorite shorts! Please excuse my unruly hair and unruly floor. I'm a mess.

Much better! At least the BIC Band can tame my hair.

I love how these shorts come in different inseam lengths, aren't spandex but aren't "fluffy" (suffering from too much material), have a wide waistband that's comfortable and flattering, and include three pockets. Definitely worth the splurge!

We finished this week with dinner for Kim's birthday at Mad Fresh Urban Bistro.

I like living where she chooses to vacation!

Next week, Matt and I are going to be spending some time at his dad's timeshare. It's a huge family event. Matt has promised to run with me while we're there. I hope to stay motivated, even with some travel and beach time thrown into the mix.

How has your week been?
What is your favorite piece of running clothing/accessory?
Can you believe it's almost June?!

ABK

Once More a Gym Member

I'm not a huge fan of cross-training, but I'm learning to take it seriously. For one thing, I know the summer months are going to drive me indoors for some runs on the treadmill. For another, if I want to remain uninjured through this run streak and, more importantly, through my marathon training, I'll need to really work on building up my strength.

So, I've reopened my gym account and headed over there tonight for a late-night workout.

I'd already run today, so I did just a couple minutes on the rowing machine to warm up. I've never used this before! I was pretty proud of myself.

This may be the first time I didn't wear my running shoes to the gym.

I did mostly core work, some light leg work, and upper-body lifting. I did my planks and stretches. I took it pretty easy, but was happy to get some weights in.

After the workout, I had a Luna Bar and some chocolate soy milk. I can have regular milk, but Silk is so tasty AND has more calcium than regular milk! Plus, protein!

I'm feeling great about the run streak so far! I'm going to do just a mile again tomorrow, then start building up at the end of this week. No rest days means low mileage, but I'm starting to get bored/antsy with the distance. It has been nice, though, to just roll out of bed and out to a perfectly calculated path, without having to drive to a starting point.

This was some much-needed motivation today.

How is your week going so far?

Do you prefer the treadmill or outdoor running?

Do you like going to the gym?

ABK