Runs for Cookies

Posted: 01 Jul 2012 06:00 PM PDT

On Sundays, I will answer some readers' questions in a post. If you have a question that you would like me to answer here on the blog, just send me an e-mail with the subject "Q&A", and I may include them in a future Q&A post. They don't have to be about weight loss or running--anything is game! (Remember, I'm not a doctor or dietician, or any sort of medical professional--I can only answer questions from my own experience).

Q. Did you talk about your weight loss as you were doing it? I feel so self conscious telling my friends I'm dieting! It's like admitting I'm fat (not that they can't tell...).

A. I was embarrassed to tell people at first--not because I was afraid to admit I was fat (I knew that was obvious)--but because I was afraid of failure. I had tried to lose weight so many times before only to gain it all back, so I "knew" that it wasn't going to last. I just wanted to save myself the humiliation.

However, once I realized I was really sticking with it, and a couple of months had gone by, I was pretty open about it. My friends learned that I was completely determined to stick it out, and I wasn't going to cave in at get-togethers (Winers meetings, mostly). I think telling people is actually a good thing--it makes it harder to quit, because it's embarrassing to admit to the people you've told ;)

My first Winers meeting that I was "dieting"... nobody knew
at that point.

Actually, that was one of the reasons I started this blog. I wanted there to be people I had to be accountable to, whether I was losing weight, maintaining weight, or even gaining the weight back. Knowing that I will have to admit my weight on my blog helps keep me in check (sometimes--it doesn't always work!). But anyway, you don't have to get specific with your friends about what you're doing--just maybe tell them that you're making healthier choices to try and lose a few pounds. They don't need to know the details.

Q. How long did it take before friends started to notice your weight loss? I'm down 25lbs, and no one I go to school with or work with has noticed or said anything! Only my family and boyfriend! :(

A. It's so frustrating when you work so hard and it seems nobody notices, isn't it?! Nobody said anything to me until I had lost 40 pounds. Forty pounds is a lot of weight! It took me about four months to lose that much, and sometimes I wanted to give up because "nobody noticed". But once I got to a certain point, it was like everybody noticed all at once, and I got a lot of compliments. It helped me to stay motivated. Just keep in mind that you're losing weight for YOU, and not for the compliments (although they are definitely nice to hear!). And if you keep on going, people will take notice eventually ;)

50 pounds down--people FINALLY started to notice!

Q. Do you recommend one over the other for the Garmin? I plan on buying one, but I can't decide if I should go for the more expensive one or not. I do listen to music while I work out, maybe the vibration feature is enough of a reason...

A. I wish I had experience with all of the Garmin models so that I could recommend a specific one. The only ones I've used are the 205, the 305 and now the 910XT. I don't believe that Garmin makes the 205 and 305 anymore. The 910XT is awesome, and has all the bells and whistles--but if you're not a triathlete (*cough* ME *cough*), then you'll be paying for features you won't use.

There is a great blog that has a review of all of the watches, and it can definitely help you make a decision! You can find it here: DC Rainmaker Product Reviews. That said, I definitely recommend getting one that includes a heart rate monitor (some models don't). Even if you don't think you'll use it, you may change your mind later (as I did) and wish you had it.

Q. Do you know of anyone through your channels who lost weight, became a runner with ASTHMA? I find it hard to find runners with asthma. I am looking for tips for starting a running plan from someone with asthma.

A. This is a question that I actually cannot answer, because I don't know anyone with asthma who has become a runner (at least that I know of). But I wanted to post this in case any of my readers have dealt with it and may be able to offer some encouragement...?