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.

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.

10k Training and Fitness Updates

After finishing our 5k earlier this month, Nick immediately signed up for the Snoqualmie Valley 10k and I, of course, agreed to join him. Despite having run dozens of them, the 10k is my least favorite race distance. But it is fun to have a race on the calendar that requires training, and it's really fun to watch another friend get sucked into the wonderful cult that is running.

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.

A Killer Workout

I'm really pleased with how this week has gone: T25 Monday, a run Tuesday, intervals Thursday, and a T25 core workout Friday!

On Thursdays, Elizabeth's husband has classes in the evening so when we run, we have to choose small repetitive loops so her stepdaughter can play where we can keep an eye on her. (This isn't a problem because her stepdaughter is hilarious and also doesn't mind taking a million pictures of our workouts!)

But loops can get boring, so this week we brought along our dumbbells to change things up. It felt a little weird and a lot awesome to complete our circuit out in the parking lot of our local park.

Check out my leg tan-lines. Ridiculous!

We completed eight intervals around the "track", stopping each time to do one of the following: bicep curls, tricep dips, presses, and Arnolds.

The dips were probably my favorite.

My goal for pace was to keep it around 9:30, but we were actually all over the place and fairly negative...the second interval was really slow because we stopped to say hi to a turtle we found.

He was pretty uncertain of us but seemed willing enough to pose for pictures!

I need to relearn how to monitor my own pace; this loop is short, so it makes me push to go faster. I had trouble finding my sweet spot.

.33 @ 10:30 & 24 bicep curls
.33 @ 11:00 & 12 tricep dips (turtle time!)
.33 @ 8:41 & 12 presses (making up for turtle time?!)
.33 @ 8:51 & 12 Arnolds
.33 @ 9:11 & 24 bicep curls
.33 @ 9:15 & 12 tricep dips
.33 @ 9:20 & 12 presses
.33 @ 9:25 & 12 Arnolds

Overall I was really happy with this workout. I felt strong and we finished feeling accomplished; I know this is one we'll repeat sometime in the future!

How do you change up repetitive or boring workouts?
Have you found any cool wildlife on a run lately?

ABK

"I'm housebreaking a tornado."

With only a quarter of 2014 left, I had to take a look at my resolutions from last year. I've had to readjust some due to moving and our finances, but one I let fall by the wayside simply due to laziness is cross-training. So Friday I forwent my usual after school nap and worked out with a couple teachers instead.

Arms and core...my armpits are killing me!

This week, I downloaded Matthew Inman's (better known as The Oatmeal) new book The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances. If you're unfamiliar with The Oatmeal, it's a website of informational/hilarious comics. Inman writes and draws them all; he also runs marathons and ultras. This book is a collection of comics - some already from the website and some new material - about his experiences with running.

I was crying/laughing my way through it; there are also some poignant moments that made me pause and go, "Yeah, I get that."

One such page from Inman's book.

 I think reading it just before my medium-long run was a good idea; today's run was easy. I mean, 9 miles is never easy, but my head was in the right place for it. And I had great company.

I know some of you up north are starting to see wintery weather; we're due for a cold front Sunday!

It was 79 when we started, and 75 when we finished!

Kristin met me just after mile 1 and stayed with me until mile 8. We chatted the entire time; good companionship can seriously make the run.

It sprinkled on us at mile 4. We paused at the park so I could eat a Gu and get a drink. It's so nice to not have to carry water or wear a belt when I'm running this particular route.

I highly recommend this flavor!

My new strategy is to not carry water if I can help it; instead I've started experimenting with hydrating really well the day before and sucking on hard candy during the run to keep my mouth from feeling dry.

So far, these have been working!

After Kristin left me, I finished my run with a smile on my face. We kept the pace nice and even. I couldn't have asked for a better recovery-miles week.

Mile 9, feeling fine!

 Of course, I treated myself to a nice breakfast after the run. 

Eggs over-easy and a waffle. Yum!

(Usually I'd be fasting today for Yom Kippur...this is the first year since 1999 that I haven't. Last year I fasted and moved my long run to Sunday...of course I was exhausted and depleted and nothing good came of that. I've missed too much training this year; I decided not to fast, but it wasn't a decision I made lightly.)

On a final note, Kristina's first marathon is TOMORROW! Head over to her blog and leave her a comment...she's worked really hard and is going to kick serious tuchas!

How do you like your eggs?

Do you eat candy on the run? Any recommendations?

Are you experiencing wintery weather yet?

Wishing good luck and speedy legs to everyone running the PDX Marathon tomorrow!

ABK

 

Gear Report: FitBit Flex

Winter break is over...as you can probably tell by the lack of posts this week. I ended the break with a leisurely 9 mile run on Monday night. During, I listened to NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me and laughed the entire run. I'm sure I convinced some drivers that running can be fun!

My new not-so-secret weapon against boredom on a long run. I didn't even notice I was running half the time!

Since getting the FitBit Flex, I've been wearing it diligently so that I could write a full review. The review itself will be short, because once you get into using the FitBit, you figure out pretty quickly if it's right for you.

FitBit sends out a weekly report that's easy to read and very motivational.

Pros:

Comfortable to wear

Waterproof

 Fairly accurate for a wrist-worn pedometer

Easy data input

Simple to use

Effective silent alarm

Cons:

Diet plan can't be deleted, only edited - no fail-safe

A little bulky for everyday wear

Can't replace a watch (although the upgraded version can)

Finding friends is tricky - no basic search

Doesn't track calories burned in stationary exercise

Recommendation: If you're someone who needs to hold yourself accountable and are trying to lose weight, I definitely recommend the FitBit. Inputting daily meals and water consumption is easy. Setting up a meal-plan is easy, but there's no fail-safe...If you want to cut your caloric intake to 500 calories a day, the app will let you do so and gently chastise you when you go over.

I'm not a big fan of the red X

I loved tracking my water intake, but when I created a meal-plan to experiment with it, I quickly realized I'd be too likely to become obsessed. (I circumvented this issue by changing my desired weight to match my current weight, which allows me to just ignore the recommended calorie count for the day.)

Bottom-line: I'll continue to use the FitBit Flex to track water, use the alarm, and track my runs, but I don't intend to use it for monitoring my meals.

In other news, I'm staying accountable and on top of my resolutions! Last week was NTC; this week I got back into the gym. I spent some time on the stair-stepper while Matt rowed beside me (and took this awesome pic), then lifted heavy (for me!).

Runner no-no...I wore my running shoes to the gym & didn't run!

I'm looking forward to seeing my runs improve as I work on my body as a whole.

Thoughts or questions on the FitBit?
How was your first week of the new year?
Do you ever listen to podcasts on the run? What's your favorite?

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

And it Begins!

This week begins marathon training! This is my first attempt to run a full; I'm a little nervous, but mostly just excited. Here is the schedule for training I'll be following:

Hal Higdon's Intermediate Plan

I like the look of the Hanson Method, too, especially because of the shorter weekday runs. But I don't know if I could do two back-to-back long runs on the weekends; I've never done a long run above 13 miles, so I'm not sure what I feel comfortable with yet.

I'm editing it a bit because of reality. My long runs will be done on Sundays because the marathon I'm running is on a Sunday, and I think the consistency will be helpful. I flipped my cross training days to Saturdays, but wonder if maybe I should just rotate everything so that cross is Monday and my rest is Tuesday. I'll see how I feel after the first week or two.

Because I have to be at work by 7:30 when school starts up again, I'm wary about fitting 8 mile runs into a weekday schedule. I could do two-a-days and run four in the morning and four after work, but I think I might just keep my longest weekday run at 6 miles. Again, we'll see.

Obviously I'm new to all this, so there will be some trial and error in the beginning. I want to find a plan that will work for me.

The marathon! So excited!

I know it's important to set multiple goals for something like this, so mine are: a) to put my full effort into the training and not slack off; b) to finish standing up and without injury; c) to finish under 6 hours.

(I know I shouldn't have a time goal but I couldn't help myself. And let's face it, under 6 hours isn't anything to write home about anyway.)

This will be the first time I've undertaken a big race on my own, without a training partner. Our local running store offers marathon coaching, so if I end up feeling lost I may go ahead and get a coach, but a big part of this is proving to myself that I can set a goal and go for it with only myself to motivate me.

I never fuel on runs, so I'm going to be looking into a fuel belt or vest and trying all kinds of methods for eating on the go.

This is going to be a long, crazy, life-changing journey...and I am SO ready!

What gear should I look into for my training?
What kind of fuel should I look into for during long runs?
What kind of cross-training do you prefer?
Have any random advice for me?
Wish me luck!

ABK

A Health Post

It's truly amazing how strong I'm feeling this week. I did four miles Monday, pushing myself beyond my goal of 30 minutes because I just felt so great. I was tired from it Tuesday and ran 3, and did a recovery 1-miler with Matt yesterday.

While I think "rest days" are important, especially when training for a race, the recovery mile was perfect for what I've been doing, which is just building my base back up. Today I did an interval workout to get some speedwork in. I did it at the gym because it's been a few days since I've lifted weights, and I wanted to get both workouts in.

Have I mentioned before that I have really bad social anxiety and hate going to the gym alone?

The intervals went really well, but looking at the graph I see that my changes in pace weren't as drastic as I wanted. I was changing the treadmill speed between 6.3 and 7.3, and I definitely felt the burn at the faster pace. I was dripping sweat and really pushing myself. I felt great.

But my pace barely altered by 10 seconds. Is that what a +1 mph difference is on a treadmill? Or do I just run weirdly on the treadmill?

Beat my plank-a-day time by 10 seconds & had a great run! (Also, it was really day 32. Score!)

While this has been a good week so far for mileage (and no pain at all! Knock on wood), it's been a rough one health-wise.

I suffer from all kinds of weird illnesses and ailments. The one that's been plaguing me this week is my angioedema. Angioedema is a swelling of the skin, usually (well, for me, always) around the eyelids and lips, that is intensely itchy or painful. It's related to hives, but occurs deeper in the skin and forms a big welt instead of multiple small bumps.

I have idiopathic angioedema, which means no one really knows what causes my flareups. It's really frustrating. Through the years, I've found that lack of sleep, overheating, certain foods, and alcohol can sometimes exacerbate the issue. Along with...exercise.

Nothing like a pile of prescriptions to remind you how much you appreciate insurance.

The worst part about a flareup is that my entire face burns. I cannot explain the intensity of the pain in my entire face when I'm sweating, and trying to wipe it (or pat it) with a towel only makes it worse. Because my skin is so sensitive during a flareup, I can't even rinse it with water at the gym unless I remember to bring my moisturizer because allowing my skin to dry naturally makes it worse.

So why am I sharing this? I've talked before about the things we sacrifice or put up with for our love of running. This is another. I would rather take my Prednisone (and multiple other medications I use as preventatives), carry my EpiPen, and deal with a fiery face than give up running.

I also think it's important that I stay honest here. I've been having a really good time with this running streak, but I want my readers to know that I struggle, too, and that running remains a challenge...in more ways than one.

I'm going to leave you with something that made me smile today...you know, just to lighten the mood.

Confession: I personally find birdie pictures far superior to cat pictures. Take note, internet.

What obstacles do you power through to keep running?
What's a treadmill workout you love and want to share?

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

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