What A 150-Pound Weight-Loss Looks Like

As you know I am on a constant struggle to stay active and healthy on a budget, which gets extremely hard. I like to keep my weight loss total at 100 just because I flaunt that line between pounds simply because the summer here in Charleston is hot and that allows less time during my lunch breaks to walk three miles, I burn, like wood on a fire, in the sun and my schedule has gotten extremely hectic.

I have told bits and pieces of my story multiple times on my blog but today I want to highlight someone else. I read this story via Fit Sugar and it is very inspirational! He highlights the importance of maintaining a successful lifestyle change and gives hope to all who struggle with their weight. Just from reading this article he has given me added hope even though my plateaus are too often now and I haven't seen huge drops in my weight in several months. I always like to live by this: "If you don't want to keep starting over, never stop. If you fall off routine just keep going because standing up after a complete fall is harder than standing up after a minor slip."

Please check out Tony Forte's fabulous story by clicking here.

Tips For Free 5K Registration

Since December 2012 I have successfully registered and participated in three 5Ks for free! That is a $112 value (at early registration prices). Want to know my tips and tricks? Well, here you go.

1. Volunteer, volunteer, volunteer
2. Look for freebies, sweepstakes, giveaways, etc.
3. Have friends with the in. 

Volunteer:
I volunteered the night before the Run or Dye 5K and got free entry into the race. I volunteered four hours of my night doing something that I actually found to be real fun and saved me a $47 registration fee. If you count that up into hourly wages, it equals right at $11.75/hour. Not only did I get to volunteer with my boyfriend, each of us get free registration, two free t-shirts and met some nice people but it helped reach my bucket list item of participating in at least one 5K a year.

Freebies, Giveaways and Sweepstakes:
Another 5K I got free registration to was through my workplace. I was one of the first 30 employees to turn in the 5K application and got free registration. That's it, that's all I did. Not only did I get the exact same packet as the participants who payed the $30+ registration fee, but I got it all for free!

Have Friends with the In:
My first free 5K came when a friend asked if I would like to join her team and, of course, I said yes! How could I pass up a free 5K with a friend? Also, I recently had another acquaintance mention her team's 7K team and if I would join, but unfortunately I had to turn that invitation down due to other commitments.

That's it friends; that's what I have. There aren't a lot of tricky secrets to getting free registration. Just be on the lookout and you'll find free registration!

UPDATE: As of today, yes a day after this original post, I snagged another free 5K! So, knock this list up to four free 5Ks. I snagged this free registration by being another giveaway. See guys, they're definitely out there you just have to look!

100 Pounds Lighter, Three 5Ks Later

Today marked my third 5K since December 2012. I set a goal for myself when I turned 25 that I would jog a 5K before I turn 26. Today was not that day, but I did jog more than I had anticipated on this 5K.

My coworker and I did the 5K together and we came in right under 50 minutes (my picture says 50.3 but that is because I forgot to turn it off when I crossed the finish line). This 5K wasn't as carefree as the other two I did. These runners were here for business, but it was definitely still a blast!

P.S. Every 5K I have done I've gotten for free!

I just want to end this post by saying that 100 pounds ago a 5K didn't seem possible, but never give up on a dream!

Plus Size Fitness

When the weather turned crisp and the days got shorter I slacked off on my fitness routine. I went from jogging and walking four - six miles a day, five days a week for a total of between 20-30 miles a week to a maximum of 12 per week. My weight has maintained, but my weightloss has been at a plateau. 

The candy corn, Thanksgiving feasts, Christmas meals and Valentine's candy got the best of me this year. Now that all those holidays are behind me I am back and better than ever! Really, I logged my best lunch-time record today! I jog (mostly walk) at during my hour-long lunch break and the most miles I ever logged was 3.4/5. Today I busted that wide open; I started this year's routine with a bang. I kept up my pace and within 12 minutes of walking I had already logged a mile. I thought that surely my GPS was messed up or something was wrong, but sure enough I kept my pace and logged another mile 24 minutes in. My typical mile is 17 minutes, but I shaved right at five minutes from each mile today. 

Thanks to the wonderful Southern sun and some good music I felt like my old self again. I can't wait to see the pounds start melting off again. 

Thankful for the 73° Charleston weather to make myself feel normal again. 

Colonial Lake and The Battery never felt so good as it did today.