Composting and a fabulous hubby!!

I have been composting for a little while in tiny 3 and 5 gallon buckets, which is quite a pain.  I have wanted a large composter for a while but cannot see spending so much money on one (they range from 100$ to 200$ and up)   My hubby (T) decided he would try to make one with things we had lying around although we did need a barrel.  The barrel is where our only expense came in  we bought a pickle barrel from a man on ebay for 40$ shipped.  Once it arrived T drilled drainage holes in the barrel (up and down the sides and a few on the bottom) and two large holes across from each other about 1/3 of the way down the barrel for a rod to go through .  We had an old steel pipe that I have no idea what it went to before and he inserted it through the holes used to hold up the barrel and give it something to turn on.  Then he used some old brackets that were in the tool room and some 4x4's that were lying in the yard from when we built our fence to create an 'A' frame type stand.  Not the fanciest of composters but perfect for our needs.  I LOVE my fabulous hubby!  He did such a great job and we only spent 40$ instead of 100$+++

The completed Project!!

Countdown: 245 days til Mini-Marathon: This will get easier right?!?!?

So all in all things seem to be going well.  Some pounds lost (6), getting control of my eating (staying in my calories) and getting my walks in (at least 4 days a week).  The question I now have is when does this start to get a little easier.  I mean I know I am overweight (duh) and I know it will never be easy so to speak but when will I stop feeling like I am going to die within 20 minutes.  For Example:  Last night the entire family went out for a walk with my hubby leading the way.  I kind of like him leading the way because he is faster and it makes me work harder but he makes it look so easy.  He is never winded and I CAN NOT keep up no matter how hard I try.  It seems as we walk each trip he gets faster and I get slower and to make matters worse he tells me he is trying to walk slower so the family can keep up (it does not help that I am 5'5" and he almost 6 feet tall, I take two steps to his one) .  So there I was last night huffing, puffing, feeling like my heart was going to burst and getting steadily farther behind the family and I found myself getting MAD (so mad that at one point I ended up crying yes I know real mature and really cute too this 35 year old fat chick following behind a man with 5 kids all NOT crying while I was crying...must have been a sight).  I was FURIOUS that I could not keep up and I found myself blaming my husband at one point and getting mad at him.  Luckily, later in the walk "Rational Rachel" finally showed up and told me that it was not his fault that I am overweight and slow and then I started feeling bad that I was holding him back..ugh.  On the way home I ended up splitting off and taking a different path home and ended up getting my entire 3 miles in and was down to 19 minute miles.  After returning home still alive and no longer crying I realize I do see improvement.  I just hope and pray that soon I will be able to go out for a 3 mile walk and I won't be gasping for air, wondering if my heart will explode and praying my knees don't give out.  Lord give me strength!!

This will get easier right?!?!

Countdown: 248 days til Mini-Marathon 2 Weeks and a day Down

I am a day later than I wanted in getting this post completed but this past week went pretty well.  I am now down 6 pounds although when I did measurements to see if I had lost inches I had not so I am pretty sure it is water weight loss as for now.  I am getting closer to getting back under that 300 mark with every pound so I am happy with my current progress.

I am still slow in my walking but I am becoming consistent.  
Monday - Got in 30 minutes of walking averaging a 22 minute mile.
Tuesday - Took a much needed foot and leg rest day.
Wednesday - Got in 30 minutes of walking averaging a 22 minute mile
Thursday - Went to foot doctor to deal with some issues and took day of walking off.
Friday - Got in 30 minutes of walking averaging a 22 minute mile
Saturday - We walked another 3 miles in about an hour(20 min miles)  but it was rough.  We made the mistake of going at noon and it was HOT (93-94 range with humidity through the roof).  The last half mile I was pretty sure I would die and I considered a few times just sitting in someones front yard and telling my husband to go get the car and come get me but I persevered!!  LOL. 
Sunday - At church we talked with a friend who has ran the mini before and plans to again next year and he told me that even if I walked the mini at a snails pace I would still not be anywhere near last place.  That comforts my fears of being to slow but I still plan to try to work up to that 15 minute mile so that I will complete the race before the roads open.  He also told us about something they call the triple crown of racing that leads up to the mini-marathon the first race is 1 mile long the second race is 5 miles and the third is 10 miles all leading to the 13.1 of the mini.  I think we will sign up for those as well.  I will finish even if I am a snail..lol.  
Monday -  We went to the State fair and walked from 9am til 6pm not marathon speed but its still exercise right??  My feet hurt so badly that after resting for a while when I stand again I can hardly walk. 
Tuesday - With my feet hurting the way they do I think today will be a prop up my feet and rest day and I will restart again on Wednesday. 

Countdown: 256 days til Mini-Marathon 1 Week Down

The first week is over and I think I did pretty well.  I have lost 3 pounds this week and considering it was my birthday this week and I had cake and bad food at my birthday party and my hubby took me for Indi's Chicken (yum) I still lost.  I know most or all of that loss is probably water weight loss and not fat but it feels good to see the scale move a little bit.  I have decided that my weight loss goal will be to lose at least 1 pound a week, 52 pounds a year slow but steady (I would love to hit 2 pounds a week though).  I have read that the slower you lose it the easier it is for your body to deal with the change and not fight to make you gain it back, I hope that is true. 

As for Marathon preparation I am doing ok for a week in.  Yesterday I walked 3.08 miles in a little over an hour and although I was out of breath I did not feel sick and still managed about a 22 min mile.  This is good progress considering one week ago I thought I was going to be sick or maybe die after 20 minutes!  Once I can maintain fast walking times I will begin to introduce some small jogs to my routine.  So far we have made our outings a family affair and hubby or my daughter have pushed the baby in the stroller.  Our stroller is not good for speed so I now have my eye out for a jogging stroller to replace our current stroller.  B loves the outdoors so he is really enjoying the outdoor trips and has been walking to the door several times a day chanting "Bye Bye? Bye Bye?"  As for the other kids I get mixed reviews.  Once the walks increase in speed I am not sure what will happen.  I think they may not be able to keep up but they may surprise me.

Well it is time to get dinner started and then talk a walk later tonight.  I will keep updating.....

Countdown: 262 days til Mini-Marathon -- and a bit about Weight...

Today I got in my 20 minute walk and was able to walk a mile in that time.  Some improvement I know that is was a small step but it is in the right direction.  I will keep working up the minutes and also trying to improve the time that it takes.  Also, I did not feel like I was going to be sick this time just way out of breath.  My daughter bless her kept asking "are you ok mom?"  I can't believe I let myself get this out of shape.
Now, a bit about weight.  I initially did not want to post my weight on here as I am very embarrassed by it.  My mom was very overweight when I was a child and ultimately had gastric bypass,  Then due to complications and just not taking care of herself this lead to an early death at just 42 years of age.  As a result of this (although I have always been overweight since around age 8) I always swore that even though I was "fat" I would never let myself get to be over 300 pounds.  Guess what.. after baby number 5 was born June 2010 my weight hit 300 and over the last year has slowly risen.  Last weekend when I stepped on the scale my weight was 310 the highest EVER!!  I was so saddened, disgusted, and embarrassed of myself.  I am 35 this year and I have 5 children that I do not want to leave at an early age.  I mean I am only 7 years from the age my mother died.. I do not want this to be me.  So even though it is embarrassing and I am ashamed of my weight I want to put it out here so that I will be more motivated to get rid of the pounds.  Even if no one ever reads this blog I want to have a bit of accountability to myself.

I had my daughter take this as a starting pic. ick..

Countdown: 263 days til Mini-Marathon -- New beginnings!

Well, its day one and I must admit I am in Biiiiiigggg trouble lol.  I spent the day pumping myself up for my 30 minute walk and even downloaded a jog tracker for my phone to track my progress.  I put on my shoes and headed out for my walk.  I kept up a brisk pace and at somewhere around 8 minutes and .45 miles into the walk I was pretty sure I was going to throw up.  Maybe the 90 degree heat was not helping but wow 8 minutes.  I sucked it up and kept going but at 15 minutes and .69 miles I was done.  Wow, reality check..  On the up side according to jogtracker.com app my average was a 22 minute mile.  So now I just need to get that down to a 15 minute mile (or better..  I really want to get to like 12 minute miles) that I can keep up for 13 miles.  I did not get in this shape overnight so I know I will not get in better shape overnight.  Tomorrows goal 20 minutes at the same walking speed without throwing up.  Good thing I have 8 months as I am going to need every minute!!

Ok! A Marathon! Really!?!

So, the other day T (my husband) and I are talking about the need to be healthier.  So he suggests that we need a goal a big one like say getting healthy enough to run a mini-marathon.  My first comment IMPOSSIBLE! have you seen me??  Which he replied to this with a yes I have been noticing you are getting more round..rude..lol.  Once I sat down and thought about it I thought wow what if I could run/walk the marathon what a great goal.  So starting monday August 8th 2011 I will begin a small program I found that recommends walking 30 mins a day for 4 weeks then an 12 week program to work up to running/walking 2 miles,  then work up from there.  This is gonna be hard but the payoffs will be so worth it so here I go.  Wish me luck!

8 Months to go.......

This is a picture of me!  See LONG way to go. 

Baby B is ONE!!!!

We were visiting Pennsylvania on B's actual birthday so we had ice cream at Friendly's to celebrate.  He Loved it!!!  Here he is with his first milkshake for his birthday ice cream!  Love those Eyes!!!
It is so hard to believe he is a year old already..

12th Birthday party for M & S

Twelve I cannot believe we are on the edge of having teenagers.  They have really grown up to be great kids!  I can only wish that they continue and grow up to be wonderful people!

I think they had a great time.

 

B was having a good time as well.  My niece was practicing some baby wearing.  :)