I really need more sleep...

The hubby and I have been staying up way too late lately. Christmas totally threw us off. Instead of falling asleep at 10 its now turned to midnight. So when my alarm goes off at 6 am for my run I DO NOT want to get up. I end up laying there wanting to sleep and willing myself to get up and go until 6:30 or 6:45 like this morning. Meaning I have less time to run which stresses me out. Totally defeats the whole purpose of me running to de-stress.

Plus when I go early there are like no cars around which is nice because Utah drivers SUCK. This morning some idiot came super close to me even though I had moved all the way over and there were no other cars. If I hadn’t moved WAY over he would have clipped me. I mean SERIOUSLY!? WTH?! No respect and just complete stupidity. It definitely spooked me though so I stayed closer to home after that. I just got my Road ID and plan on wearing that every dang day. Chances of getting hit here in Utah seem to be pretty dang likely. It’s too bad that some people just don’t give a crap what anyone else is doing.

Ok end rant :)

screw you Reese's

and your chocolatey awesomeness. Had one too many last night…so during my run this morning I felt sluggish. Blah. Only did 2 miles because I was tired.

Glad I went though :) 27 degrees felt so warm to me compared to 16 lol.

Just ordered some Nike element running tights and matching jacket. So excited for them to get here!

this right here

Um wow, was that me out there

attacking my Monday run?! Sure I’m not the fastest runner but I just ran 3 miles with no walking! Seriously I am SO HAPPY right now :) It wasn’t even THAT hard for me….wow this feeling is awesome!

Part of me always wondered if I was a “real” runner. Well those doubts are gone now and I am so excited to just keep improving :)

So glad I went out this morning even though it was 16 degrees and I’m still in my capris lol. Seriously my calves are just barely thawing! I wouldn’t trade how I feel for anything :)

Here’s to being healthy!!

p.s. took me 32:00 minutes, just so I can remember :)

Boy did I fall OFF the wagon...

I ate SO much chocolate yesterday. Plus I haven’t been running since Thursday…:(. I’m afraid of the scale today so I don’t think I’ll get on it. Maybe after my run, we’ll see. Holidays are tough but I decided that yesterday was my fun cheat day and it would be back to business today.

Have to admit that I really really want to get back in bed and sleep more. I need to get out and run though. I just need it. Must not give in to the temptation to sleep more….

Wish me luck :)

the 10 lb. race day 18

Thursday. Well Thursday has been an interesting day so far. I got up and ran which was good. Although it was 25 degrees out and windy. Running against the wind at times was hard but I got through it and ran my 2.15 miles in 1 minute faster than the day before. The first 1.5 miles was a breeze for me…A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. The last half mile was tough. I was tired and literally had to will myself to keep pushing forward. I’m glad I went and I’m glad my legs didn’t freeze off since I’m still running in capris…please Santa bring me some running tights :) I’ve been good I promise!

 

Anyway after my me time and feeling awesome things have seemed to turn towards stressful and irritating. I am trying so hard to hang on to my running induced happiness, which usually gets me through my day…but like I said before holidays are stressful. I LOVE Christmas but I’m excited for things to calm down a bit.

No weigh in today…just wasn’t in the mood :)

Hope everyone is having a good day!

the 10 lb. race day 17

Which was Wednesday. I actually got up to run. Amazing. It was so hard though. I did not eat enough Tuesday (not on purpose, just stressed and BUSY) so running was really REALLY hard. Making it not very fun, which sucked. I still ran 2.15 miles BUT I was so tired the whole time. Not eating enough and running DO NOT mix. I like to enjoy my runs and I run because I LOVE it. That was the first run I DID NOT love and it was my fault. Never again.

the 10 lb. race day 16

Which was Tuesday. I did not get up to run and was so mad. Stayed up too late Monday night. Its so hard around the holidays and I have been so stressed! Ahhh. Anyway just needed to get day 16 down for the books.

 

Weigh in:
Me: 135.4 
Hubby: 137

the 10 lb. race day 15

After 2 days of sleeping in past 6 am I had a really hard time getting up this morning. I knew that after 3 days off though I HAD to get out and run. So I got out the door at 6:45. Decided I would run as far as I could in the time I had left before the littles had to get up for school
.
As usual my first half mile was tough. It always is but I appreciate the challenge. What fun would it be if it was too easy? Anyway I figured I’d do my usual 1.5 run but when I got there I thought no my legs can do more. So I ran until my legs got tired and I was panting like crazy. At one point I felt like I had to put out very little effort, almost as if I was gliding on ice. When I decided to stop I had gotten to 1.95 miles with no walking, which for me is HUGE :). I honestly could’ve gone further but I hate the thought of pushing too hard to fast and getting injured again
.
I’m really excited about the progress I’ve made. The fact that I can run that far without stopping makes me SO HAPPY. I dream of running for miles and miles without having to walk and I know I’ll eventually get there :)

Today is turning out to be a very good day :)

Happy Monday everyone :)!

the 10 lb. race day 14

Which was Sunday, was a rest day. 3 rest days in a row killed me! Although I really enjoyed yesterday because the whole family slept in(which NEVER happens) and we took the littles to see Santa. 

It was a good day :)

Weigh in
Me: 135.8
Hubby: 136

the 10 lb. race day 13

Rest day :) We’re going to get a Christmas tree today and to talk to Santa, well the littles are ;). 

Hope everyone is having a great Saturday :)!

Weigh in
Me: 135.8
Hubby: 137

the 10 lb. race day 12 and the case of the missing running shoe

So I got up at 6:30 this morning instead of 6:15 which is not a big deal if I can get ready and out the door in 10 minutes. Usually this is pretty easy for me but today one of my running shoes was MISSING. I looked around our shoe area and it was nowhere to be found. Then I looked EVERYWHERE. I was starting to panic because my small window of opportunity was closing fast and I still hadn’t found my dang shoe. My sweet sweet hubby even got out of bed to help me look :). I love him :)! 

Anyway he couldn’t find it either….and so there I sat on our bed venting and throwing a little pity party for myself. I just knew that not running would just RUIN my whole day. My hubby gently told me to not be so negative about it and that maybe I was not meant to run today, that maybe I would’ve gotten hurt or something. I agreed and got over it fairly quickly. I decided to break out the ankle weights and did some legs workouts which made me feel so much BETTER.

I then went in and decided today would be a weigh in day.

Me: 136.6

Hubby: 139.2

I’ve lost 3 lbs since we started and it shark week :). So no I am not having a lousy day due to my lack of running. I’m actually having a pretty great day and know that I’ll just make up my run later ;).

p.s. was putting a toy away in the cupboard and lo and behold there was my shoe crammed up in there lol. My kids are so funny :)!

the 10 lb. race Day 11

Oh how I wanted to stay in bed this morning. I tried to talk myself into staying in bed and just making today a rest day…well I couldn’t talk myself into it ;) thank goodness! It was 19 degrees out and COLD so it was a little tough for me today. My littles had moved my mittens and hat so I could not find them this morning…so I wore different gloves and a different beanie. They were awful. The gloves did NOT keep my hands warm and the beanie fit funny and slipped off my head making my hood fall off. So my last half mile was a COLD one and my ears were screaming at me to get the heck inside. I was determined to keep going until I hit my 1.5 mile mark.

I got there and was SO happy to be done but was sad when I saw that my mile went from a 9:55 yesterday to a 10:42 today :( Total bummer but I at least got out and ran :).

To top it off I have not lost anything, but it is shark week so I’m not beating myself over it. I would be SHOCKED if I actually lost weight during it lol! I do feel skinny though which is strange :) I do love it! Excited for tomorrow!

Hope everyone is having a great Thursday :)!

the 10 lb. race Day 10

AMAZING run this morning! I ran 1.55 miles without stopping (:) yay me) and it was HARD. I felt like I was having to push myself to keep going with every step. I figured my time would be so slow….I’ve made it a rule to not look at my gps until I’m done. It helps me to focus better and not get discouraged.

Anyway, when I hit stop and looked at my time it said 9:55 min mile! Now I know that’s super slow to a lot of you, but for me that’s :35 seconds FASTER than my previous PR :). I was so surprised because it felt slow to me and I had to push the whole time. So another morning where I really didn’t want to get up turned into a I’m so glad I got my butt up!

Thank you running for making me feel ALIVE each and everyday!

the 10 lb. race Day 9

So…it SNOWED last night and this morning. I had no idea until I was shutting the door to go run. I paused for a second and thought, hey it snowed, then went to go run. Now it was a slippery out there so I went at a slower pace, since I did not want to fall on my butt and be soaking wet the rest of the run or worse injure myself. I only did 1.5 miles but hey, I started my pleasant “gift” last night and I didn’t stop to walk once…SO I am happy :). I am very tired though and my body is hating me. Can’t wait for this week to be over. I do intend to tough it out though and keep up with my runs.

Weigh in
Me: 137.4
Hubby: 140.3

the 10 lb. race Day 8

Dear asphalt,

Oh how I missed you over the weekend. Our reunion this morning was hard but sweet. I kicked your ass and you kicked mine, just the way it should be. See you in the a.m. tomorrow.

Love, me

Run: 2 miles (25 min) slow but I ran 1.5 miles without a walk break which may not be a huge feat for most but for me its quite the accomplishment and I’m HAPPY :).

weight:
me:137.4
hubby: 140.3

the 10 lb race Day 7

Another rest day from running. Had a great weekend with my hubby and littles :). Ready to get back at it in the morning :)! See you soon 6 am!

the 10 lb race Day 6

Rest day from running today. It was nice to sleep in past 6 am:) I did miss it though. Doing some weight training today and having a family fun day :)!

Weigh in
Me: 137.0
And my hubby resisted :)

the 10 lb. race Day 5

So my run this morning was hard. First I did not want to get out of bed, so I had to force myself to get up and get dressed. Then I contemplated just riding the bike in the workout room instead of running…I knew I would not be happy with myself if I did that. SO I got my butt outside and started my run.

It was HARD for me. I felt like my feet weighed 100 lbs. and my heart just wasn’t in it. I had to force every single step and had to take THREE walk breaks during my 2nd mile making it a whopping 14:00 minutes! Right now I am kicking myself for being such a baby about it this morning. I had felt pretty sick last night so I don’t know if that was what made me feel so lethargic or what. My first mile was 11:00 minutes which is 30 seconds faster than yesterday, but 30 seconds slower than Wednesday…I suppose I need to stop worrying about my time and just focus on enjoying my run. All week I have felt great and positive about everything, especially once I started running outside again. I figured I was due for a tough day after so many awesome ones lol.On a positive note, still NO KNEE PAIN :)!! So awesome and amazing! I’m feeling truly blessed :)

In the end I am very happy that I did in fact get my butt out the door and ran. I know that I would be one moody women at work right now if I hadn’t. I’m enjoying a strawberries & cream lean shake right now and am excited to attack the rest of my day.

Almost forgot that we weighed again today…see I told you I was obsessed!

Me: 137.4
Hubby: 138.4
I’ve lost 2.2 lbs since Monday and hubby has gained 1.2 lbs.

Have a feeling it is going to be a close race! Here we go :)

the 10 lb. race Day 4

I keep waking up earlier and earlier for my runs. I love waking up on my own and turning the alarm off before it even goes off. Today I dressed appropriately for the weather..which consisted of a hoodie, beanie and some mittens. I put my hood up over my beanie just to be safe since the ache inside my ears I felt yesterday was so unpleasant. Yesterday running outside was a breeze for me although I only ran a mile, I think I was just so excited to be outside again and not on the treadmill. Today the start of my run was TOUGH for me and I struggled through the first mile. Then like yesterday I found a rhythm that worked and made it another mile with little trouble. I stopped at 2 miles not wanting to push my luck with my knee. I’ve decided I will continue to run 2 miles the rest of this week and then increase by 1/2 a mile every week. Of course I will be listening to my body since I refuse to be out for weeks again due to an injury.

I’m just so excited and feel so blessed that so far I have had no pains. I’ve never ran everyday before and so far I am loving it. I pray that I am able to keep this up and reach my goals of being able to run miles and miles without stopping. In my dreams I am that awesome runner I so want to be and I know that I will get there as long as I am consistent and don’t give up. I ordered my road ID the other day and am excited to get it :)! People here in Utah come awfully close when they drive by…
Run: 2 miles 23:18 min (first mile was SLOW and tough)
Today was a weigh day
Me: 137.8
Hubby: 137.4


We are so close and I am SO sick of weighing more than him and I know he is sick of being skinny. His metabolism is just so amazing that he can eat whatever and not gain weight. He has been lifting so he has gained in his upper body but lost in his waist. Thinking we need to go get him some protein shakes and some supplements.

I want him to succeed just as much as I want to win. Really though if I don’t win its not a big deal because this has gotten me back into what I love and that is running and I couldn’t be happier, no matter the outcome :).

the 10 lb. race Day 3

Went to run this morning and the dang treadmill would not turn on! Now I really have a love/hate relationship with that thing. One thing I love is that it keeps me nice and warm inside when it is FREEZING outside…one thing I hate is how I feel trapped and miserable. So when it would not turn on I zipped up my hoodie and headed outside into 16 degree weather determined to RUN.

Let me tell you it felt AMAZING running outside again :)! I was literally in heaven and for the first time in my life running outside was actually easier than running on the treadmill. My feet didn’t hurt, my knees didn’t hurt and I felt alive. The only bummer is that I was not dressed well for the cold so at the mile mark inside my ears started to ache and ache. The pain got so bad that I went back into the workout room and rode the bike for 1.5 miles and did some weights for my arms.

All in all I am pretty happy with my morning workout. Next time I am definitely wearing a hat or even…earmuffs to keep my ears warm since I am so excited to run outside again :).
Hubby and I have another weigh in tomorrow morning…hope I have lost more because I really want that phone lol!

p.s. since I have started running everyday I can tell my mood has literally sky rocketed! I feel as if I am on cloud 9 and have an AMAZING amount of patience with my littles :). A healthy/active mommy is a HAPPY mommy!!

the 10 lb. race Day 2

So I ran again this morning :) I have missed running everyday and the only person standing in my way was ME. Well not anymore! I love how I feel and I haven’t had any knee pain! It really is amazing and pray that the pain stays away. My toes are getting rubbed raw though so I either need to run barefoot or get new shoes asap. I’ve never ran barefoot before so I’m a little nervous about that idea. Anything is better than continuing to run in my current shoes though. Don’t know how much more my toes can take lol.

So my hubby decided we should weigh ourselves every 3 days instead of once a week. Since I’m a compulsive weigher :) I was happy about that decision. I did how ever weigh myself this morning just because I couldn’t help myself.

Day 1: 139.6
Day 2: 138.2

Runs
Day 1: 2.5 miles 30 minutes
Day 2: 1.10 miles 10:30 min.

the 10 lb. race

So the hubby has watched me get incredibly lax with my diet and exercise this holiday season. I kept telling him and myself that I had to under control and was just having a little fun. Which yes, I was having fun but I had gained 4 lbs and was starting to feel pretty down.

Well my amazing hubby challenged me to a 10 lb race. He wants to gain 10 lbs of muscle and I want to lose 20 lbs, but we’ll start with 10 :). We have one weigh in a week(which was today) and there is a prize for the one who wins. Whoever loses(my hubby ;))has to buy the other(that WILL be me :)) the new iPhone 4S! Now he has the 4 with a big crack in the screen so he really wants it and I still have the 3GS SO I really want.
Basically AWESOME MOTIVATION for the both of us! We’re both VERY competitive so this should be fun :).

This morning I got up at 6:20 am and went to run on the treadmill and it was HARD. I am having a really hard time enjoying the treadmill. It took me 30 minutes to get 2.5 miles in...I had three 3 minute walk breaks too...So I am struggling but I refuse to give up. I miss running outside SO bad, but it is SO COLD out. I should just suck it up and run outside...First I need to get some running pants because I may lose my legs to frostbite if I run in my capris ;). Also NO KNEE pain woohoo!! Only thing is that my shoes HURT my toes :( They feel as if I have rug burn all over them...OUCH. Hopefully Santa will bring me some new running shoes :) I promise I've been good ;)!

 12/5/2011

Starting weight for me 139.6
Starting weight for hubby 137.2

Running and The Hunger Games

Ran for the first time in two weeks. Maybe it’s my post-THG depression or my hubby waking me up telling me to go that essentially pushed me out the door. No matter the reason, I am so happy I went. It was definitely needed. I finished the final book of THG series yesterday. It was definitely bittersweet.

I get like this after I finish reading a book that has truly captured my full attention (happened with the Twilight series). I’m a little embarrassed to say that the chapters of the books still haunt my thoughts constantly. I dream about it as if I’m actually there in the games with them. So running this morning was a great way to get out some frustration and a great way to kick my pity party to the curb. Even though I did think about THG a few times…

The question I’m left with now is….now what? What do you read after THG? What could help me transition away from this obvious and somewhat embarrassing obsession???

**update: Ok so I am so impatient...just ask anyone I know. I went and bought Divergent by Veronica Roth and have only read 5 pages...so far. All I can think about is how I wish I was reading more about Katniss and Peeta (so team Peeta by the way :)). I'm sure I'll love it once I get into it more, since so many THG readers have said what a great read it was. I'll keep going deeper in the book and see what happens :).

Hope everyone is having a great Friday :)!

I can so deal with this...

getting some muscle thing :). So amazing to actually see some definition in my legs and especially in my arms =)! I haven't ran since Saturday...BUT I have been working out at home and using weights. Light weight and high reps and boy does it BURN after awhile and I have learned to keep PUSHING. It is definitely paying off and the best part is I feel great! I want to be strong and toned, and I am finally working for that for the first time in my life. My stomach is SO SORE which is so exciting because I know I really worked out my abs ;). Now I just need to kick up my running a notch so that nice layer of fat on my tummy can disappear and show all my hard work. Granted I still have my stretch marks from my amazing littles, and I would not trade those for the world. My littles ARE my greatest achievement and I am PROUD to have my "memories" on my tummy. Speaking of my littles they are just LOVING working out at home with me. They try so hard to do all that I do and they give me that extra push to keep going even when I am dead tired. Hearing "come on mommy keep going!" is all I need to hear for that second wind to kick in. I sure hope that they carry on these good habits and enjoy being active for the rest of their lives :). The greatest blessing in our lives is to have each other and to be HEALTHY. We are so fortunate to be HEALTHY and have the ability to eat good food, and to drink CLEAN water. I have taken these things for granted far too much in my life. We're now teaching our littles to appreciate every little blessing in our lives and to give thanks for them. I'm a very proud mommy because they have the purest of hearts and care SO much for others and truly are the epitome of innocence. I love them more than words can describe and they ARE my happiness. It is a blessing to watch them grow and to be the one to help guide them towards being the BEST they can be.

One of our favorite books is Oh the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss and our favorite line is "You can move mountains", and I truly believe that they will :).

finally

After 5 LONG weeks of not running I did it! I ran this morning and it felt great! Yes, it totally kicked my butt and I even felt a little nauseous at the end...but I loved it! A bonus was that my knee didn't hurt and my ankles feel fabulous :)! Granted my ankles tend to act up when I've ran for a few days in a row so we'll see how they are next week. I followed one of the days from C25K where I did an easy 5 minute warm up walk, ran for 3 minutes, walked for 90 seconds, ran for 5 minutes, walked for 2 minutes, ran for 3 minutes and then 5 minutes cool down. There was another run to do before the cool-down but I decided to take it easy. Sad how when I was running everyday I thought that this program was too EASY and now it is kicking my trash!

So that was on Friday 11/11/11 :) Great day to start getting back into something I literally can not go a day without thinking about. I got up Saturday 11/12/11, got the littles ready and headed to the gym. My friend Katie works in the gym daycare and was there that day. Thank goodness she was there because mr. man hates that place. If she hadn't been there they would've came out to get me because mr. man was crying :(, but being the AWESOME lady that Katie is she held him so that I could get a workout in. Unfortunately I think this means no gym until he grows out of this phase. Anyway I went straight to the treadmill and got in a run. I did the C25K again and did the whole thing this time:)

5 minute warm up walk
3 minutes run
90 sec walk
5 minute run
2 1/2 minute walk
3 minute run
90 seconds walk
5 minute run
5 minute cool-down

Now I was TIRED and sweaty BUT I was pain FREE :) Seriously a HUGE thing for me. So I walked for probably 15 minutes after that and wanted to run some more....well my issue is I push too hard too fast and I had knee pain immediately and only lasted a minute. I stopped to stretch it out which helped but thought it wise to walk to out. I walked until I got to 3 miles and stopped to stretch like crazy. I ALWAYS want to do more and obviously my body can not handle it. I NEED to LISTEN to my body and just BE PATIENT. Anyone who knows me, knows how good I am at that lol.

I did not run yesterday...obviously and I have no knee pain today. I plan on running tonight so hopefully it will go smoothly. I'm DETERMINED to get through this and be able to run miles and miles without having to stop. I KNOW I WILL get there I just need to be DEDICATED and persistent.

Here's to a pain free run tonight :)!

Food IS Fuel

So I hate to admit this but I have not worked out in a week! I went on a mini vaca with the hubby ate bad and swore that I would get back to working out and eating healthy when I got home. Well I did one of those two things…From our trip I went up 3.5 lbs and was less than thrilled to say the least. My stomach HATED me because of all the CRAP food I consumed. So I cleansed my first day back and felt TONS better the next day. Since then I have been eating really well and am really making an effort to eat every few hours. I have had a BAD habit of not eating all day at work and then stuffing my face when I got home. I wasn’t gaining BUT I wasn’t losing either and the most important thing was that I didn’t feel good. SO I have been SO good at eating, eating healthy and NOT binge eating :).

I also have a REAL problem with weighing myself every morning…I am obsessed and know that its not just about the number but I can’t seem to stop myself. So because of this obsession I have watched my weight decline everyday, not by a lot since I am not working out, but by a few ounces. It honestly gets me SO excited because I eat A LOT and I love it. I am losing MORE frequently now than when I was skipping meals. I’ve been reading and hearing “eat every few hours to keep your metabolism going” for years and I never believed it until now.

I LOVE this healthy journey and all the things I am learning, even at 26 ;) You’d think I would know better by now. Seriously though I am going to start working out again TODAY. I get off at 3 and it is on when I get home. I’ll most likely get my littles :) to workout with me. They LOVE our little dance parties.

Hope everyone is having a GREAT day :)!

Inspiration

This had me on the verge of tears. Such an inspiration.

8 Common Running Myths Busted!

Myth: You Should Always Stretch Before You Run
The Truth: “Static stretching is not the optimal way to warm-up before you run,” Olson says. Believe it or not, you could actually strain your muscles with static stretching, and it might even slow you down. Instead, focus on getting oxygen to your muscles and warm them up—literally, Olson recommends. “Start out by walking and trotting: swing your arms; shrug your shoulders and slowly elevate your heart rate for about 10 minutes before you pick up your pace.”
That doesn’t mean you should skip stretching completely, Olson says. Just make sure to do it after your run, when your muscles are very warm and full of oxygen and nutrients; and then engage in static stretching, focusing on your leg, hip, and low-back muscles
.
Myth: Muscle Cramps are Always Caused by Too Little Potassium
The Truth: Muscle spasms can certainly put a cramp in your running style, but that doesn’t mean you need to load up on potassium to prevent them. “Cramps are primarily caused by either being low on glucose (the form of sugar your muscles thrive on for energy) or low water and sodium levels,” Olson says. When you are working out very hard (like lifting weights or with intense intervals), you use up glucose faster than what can be delivered to the muscles, and this causes that muscle-burning lactic acid to form. The best way to get rid of cramps caused by low glucose levels is to take a 60-90 second break to help rid your body of lactic acid and allow glucose to travel to the muscles, Olson says.
To prevent cramps caused by excessive sweating during steamy outdoor runs, be sure to stay well hydrated and nourished, Olson says. “When you sweat, sodium is also excreted, and water and sodium go hand-in-hand. Losing significant levels of potassium is actually quite hard to do. Potassium lives inside our cells and is not excreted as readily as sodium. Sodium, like water, resides outside the cells in your body.”

To read the rest click on Shape below :)
Shape

Sprinting Vs. Long Distance Running

Running can be used as a tool for weight loss, no matter your goals or your current conditioning. The speed that you start out jogging or walking depends wholly on your beginning fitness level, but will likely increase with time, endurance and practice. Either way, lacing up your running shoes and heading out the door is a step in the direction toward improved health and weight maintenance.

Beginning Stages of Running for Weight LossIn the beginning of your running regimen, you can likely only run for short periods of time. Implementing a walk/jog cycle into your early stages of running will help you run further and, therefore burn more calories. Jeff Galloway, Olympian and running coach, estimates in his book “Galloway’s Book on Running” that “running burns about 100 calories per mile,” no matter the pace. Particularly in the beginning of your training, walk and jog to build exercise endurance.

Slow, Steady-Paced RunningAs your endurance increases, you will be able to jog further for longer periods of time between breaks. The more miles you are able to accumulate during your runs, the more calories you will be burning and the more unwanted weight you are going to be able to shed. At this stage in your running, keep your pace slow and steady. Do not push yourself to go faster than you easily can, as that will keep you from running as far or for as long as you could at a slower pace. 

Speed WorkAs your body acclimates to running, your pace will likely increase naturally. According to authors Michael Mejia and John Berardi in their book “Scrawny to Brawny,” high-intensity running burns approximately 1,323 calories per hour and low-intensity running burns approximately 514 calories per hour in a 150-pound person. The harder you push, the greater the calorie-burn, even if you have to take breaks between high-intensity run intervals.

The Fast vs. Slow DebateFast or slow, you will be burning essentially the same number of calories per mile when running. The harder the effort, the fewer miles you will be able to cover, and vice-versa. Keep in mind that your body tires of doing the same workout every day, no matter the sport. If you head out to run three miles every day at the same pace your body will slow its response to your efforts, and your weight loss and performance will likely plateau. Change your training up from day to day, incorporating fast and slow days into your weekly run plan, and your body will continuously respond to your training.

Running for Weight LossGalloway states that in order to mobilize fat and lose weight, “it is better to run 40 to 60 minutes three times a week, than 20 to 30 minutes six times a week.” These longer training sessions help you to lose unwanted weight while building endurance and overall fitness. You can incorporate 40 to 60 minute runs into your training through long, slow distance or speed work with periodic rest breaks, and your body will respond by burning calories and losing weight.

Source: Livestrong.com

9 "diet" foods that make you hungrier

Put down that light yogurt, it may be making you fat. As it turns out, a number of foods that are commonly thought to be great for weight loss can actually stimulate the appetite. We spoke with Marjorie Nolan, R.D., National Spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association, to get the skinny on foods that can trigger hunger and sabotage your diet.


1. Light yogurt
The blast of sweet (often artificial) flavor causes the stomach to start producing gastric juices. With only four to six ounces of yogurt and no fat in a typical container, the body doesn’t have enough food to digest leaving the tummy rumbling for more.
Better choice: Nolan likes the creaminess and high protein content of plain, low-fat Greek yogurt. Add fruit and a sprinkle of cinnamon for flavor. If you choose the non-fat variety, add a tablespoon of sunflower seeds for crunch and satisfaction—the fat in nuts and seeds is slow to digest so a small serving keeps you feeling full.
Related: The new Nordic diet: The next big weight loss trend?

2. Puffed cereal with skim milk
The combo of skim milk and puffed cereal has too few calories to keep you energized for long. Many dieters reach for puffed cereal because it looks filling in a big bowl. However, the low fiber content leaves you wanting more soon after breakfast. Puffed cereal also has a high glycemic index, which causes blood sugar to drop after an initial boost of energy.
Better choice: Rolled or steel cut oats. Oatmeal is high in fiber, which makes it a satisfying breakfast. Add a spoonful of maple brown sugar if you need something sweet. Cooking your own plain oatmeal and adding a small amount of sweetener is much more nutritious than using pre-sweetened packets. Nolan likes to cook oats with low fat milk or stir in a tablespoon of peanut butter for even more stick-to-your-ribs goodness.

3. Big green salad with low fat or fat free dressing
The typical dieters’ lunch of a salad with low fat dressing can have a boomerang effect on the appetite. It’s full of fiber and visually filling but the low protein and fat content won’t satisfy for long. Stay away from fat-free dressings, which are loaded with sugar.
Better choice. Add three to six ounces of lean protein such as lean beef, chicken, or beans (the leaner the choice, the more you should eat) to your salad bowl.

4. Rice cakes
One rice cake=good, four rice cakes=overindulgence. And that’s about how many it will take to feel truly satisfied. Low in fiber with a high glycemic index, these classic diet snacks won’t leave your tank full for long.
Better choice: Spread a tablespoon of peanut butter or cream cheese onto a rice cake for a more balanced nosh. Or choose whole grain crackers with a spread or small portion of cheese for fiber and carbs plus protein.

5. Chewing gum
A little stick of gum is a stealth saboteur. While some chewing gum advocates say that it can stave off snacking, Nolan disagrees. She explains that the burst of flavor gets the gastric juices flowing. The act of chewing revs the digestive system even more, preparing it for a meal. If you want an express ticket to the all-you-can-eat buffet, chomp on some gum.
Better choice: We all have our munchy days, so if you are just looking for something to keep your mouth busy, air-popped corn or raw veggies are a safer bet.

6. Diet soda
Like gum, the sweet flavor wakes up the digestive process with no nutritional pay off which stimulates the appetite. Caffeine and carbonation may dampen your hunger pangs for a short time only to have them come roaring back along with an energy slump. If that’s not enough to make you rethink your daily fix, a study carried out by the University of Texas Health Center in San Antonio showed that people who consumed diet soda had a 70-500% increase of abdominal fat over ten years compared to those who didn’t drink diet soda.
Better choice: Drinking a hot beverage can slow down the appetite and allow you to think through your craving. Also, sometimes thirst signals are confused with hunger, so you may just need hydration. Non-caffeinated herbal teas won’t cause an energy crash.

7. Apple
Yes, apples are great for you—they contain lots of vitamins and fiber, but a single apple is not a balanced snack. If you don’t eat anything else with your afternoon apple, you may overeat at dinner.
Better choice: Apple with 5-10 almonds or a cheese stick. Spend a few more calories on your snack so you won’t be ravenous later

8. Low-calorie frozen entrees
Light frozen entrees contain little fiber and only about half the calories you will need to feel satiated. They are also loaded with salt. If you don’t have another option, look for a frozen dinner that contains 400-500 calories, 20-30 grams of protein, around 5 grams of fat, and 5-10 grams of fiber.
Better choice: If you are too busy to cook, Nolan suggests an “assembly based meal.” Roast chicken from the deli, a slice of whole grain bread, some salad bar vegetables, and a piece of fruit add up to a quick, healthy dinner.

9. Fat-free graham crackers or other baked goods
Nolan says people who are watching their weight tend to automatically reach for food labeled “fat free” on the package assuming it is more diet-friendly than the regular version. However, when manufacturers make fat-free foods, they often up the sugar content. Check the nutritional information on the back--the light versions sometimes contain more calories.
Better choice: Regular graham cracker. A small indulgence such as a graham cracker or square of quality chocolate keeps things interesting and won’t break the bank calorie-wise. Nolan points out that boredom is the enemy of dieters and causes people to fall of the wagon. “You are better off eating real food and more calories and feeling physically and emotionally satisfied than eating ‘diet food’ and being hungry in an hour.”

Source: Shine from Yahoo! 

Running for Beginners

Running 101 found on Runnersworld.com

LOVE this article! I have taken 5 weeks off from running due to a knee injury and lack of motivation. Because of this I have been down on myself a lot more and finding myself stressed about a lot more, a lot more frequently. I am missing my stress reliever and my ME time. I decided that this was the last week of self loathing...that I will get out and run! I NEED it in so many ways. I hate feeling icky and seriously attacking my cuticles. A horrible habit I have when I am stressed out...my poor hands need to be saved. SO I found this article and decided to start running with a clean slate :). I am so excited to take it slow and to not get injured from pushing myself too hard too quickly. Here is to a better tomorrow :)!

10 Tips For Running In The Cold

1. Get Motivated
“Make a date to meet someone for a run,” says Jean M., a reader in Colorado. “There’s no wimping out when someone is waiting.” John Stanton, the founder of the Running Room in Edmonton, Alberta, says the club’s Wednesday and Sunday group runs are popular in winter, when the average high is 17°F. In January and February, the Running Room hosts the Hypothermic Half-Marathon, which attracts 3,500 runners in 14 cities across Canada—even at temps as low as -40°F. “There’s a big, free brunch afterward,” Stanton says. “People will do anything for omelets and pancakes.” Solo? “Tell yourself that you can go back inside after five minutes if it’s really bad,” says Patti Finke, a coach in Portland, Oregon. “Usually you stay out there.” Of course, not everyone objects to winter weather. “A night run during a light snowfall is one of the most peaceful things you can experience,” says Justin Lord of Kenmore, New York.

2. Arm Your Feet
To keep warmth in and slush out, run in shoes that have the least amount of mesh. If you have shoes with Gore-Tex uppers, all the better, says Mark Grandonico, president of theMaine Track Club in Portland. Wear socks that wick away wetness but keep your feet warm. Runner Joe McNulty of Philadelphia swears by nonitchy SmartWool socks.

3. Get Dressed
You want to be warm without sweating so much you get a chill. “The rule of thumb is to dress as if it is 20 degrees warmer,” says Maine Track Club president Mark Grandonico. “You should be slightly cool when you start.” Think layers of technical fabrics, to wick sweat, with zippers at the neck and underarm area to vent air as you heat up. You’ll learn your own preferences, but readers Darrell Arribas, of Cumberland, Rhode Island, and Eric Maniloff, of Stittsville, Ontario, both helped create these general guidelines. Assume you always wear gloves or mittens and a hat.

30 degrees: 2 tops, 1 bottom. Long-sleeve base layer and a vest keep your core warm. Tights (or shorts, for polar bears).
10 to 20 degrees: 2 tops, 2 bottoms. A jacket over your base layer, and wind pants over the tights.
0 to 10 degrees: 3 tops, 2 bottoms. Two tops (fleece for the cold-prone) and a jacket. Windbrief for the fellas.
Minus 10 to 0 degrees: 3 tops, 2 bottoms, extra pair of mittens, 1 scarf wrapped around mouth or a balaclava.
Minus 20 degrees: 3 tops, 3 bottoms, 2 extra pairs of mittens, 1 balaclava, sunglasses. Or, says Arribas, “Stay inside.”

4. Be Seen
With limited daylight, chances are you’ll be running in the dark (Alaskans, sadly, get only a few hours of dim light per day). Tall snowbanks on plowed streets make you even harder to see. Wear reflective, fluorescent gear, and don’t be shy about lighting yourself up like a Christmas tree, says RW’s own Ed Eyestone, who runs in snowy Utah. Says Adam Feerst, a coach and trail-race director in Denver, “I use a headlamp or carry a flashlight, less so I can see where I’m going and more so people can see me.”

5. Warm up Prerun
Move around inside enough to get the blood flowing without breaking a sweat. Run up and down your stairs, use a jump rope, or do a few yoga sun salutations. A speedy house-cleaning works, too, says D. A. Reng from Kentucky. “The cold doesn’t feel so cold when you’re warm,” says Laura Salmon of Akron, Ohio. If you’re meeting a group of running buddies, don’t stand around in the cold chatting before you run. “We sit in our cars,” says Denver’s Feerst, “waiting for one person to get out before we all get out.”

6. Deal with Wind
Start your run into the wind and finish with it at your back, so the breeze doesn’t blast you after you’ve broken a sweat. To avoid a long, biting slog, you can break this into segments, running into the wind for about 10 minutes, turning around to run with the wind at your back for five minutes, and repeating. You can also seek man-made wind protection. “When we get wind here, it can be like a hurricane,” says Chuck Bartlett, the team director of Seattle’s Club Northwest. “The buildings downtown block it.” Protect exposed skin. “I use BodyGlide on my nose and on my cheeks to prevent frostbite,” says the Canadian Stanton. Other options include Vaseline (a bit messy) and Kiehl’s All-Sport Non-Freeze Face Protector.

7. Forget Speed
“Winter running is more about maintenance miles than speedwork,” says Feerst. In very cold weather, look for “inversions,” places that are elevated and where the air will be warmer. “Even 300 feet up, the air can be 20 degrees warmer, which makes a big difference,” says Steve Bainbridge, the trails liaison for the Fairbanks, Alaska-based Running Club North, the northernmost running club in the United States. Bainbridge’s coldest run took place in minus 50 degree weather. “My eyelashes were freezing together,” he says. If you can’t run in the middle of the day when the temperatures are warmest, run twice a day, says Stanton, three miles in the morning and three miles in the evening: “That’s better than doing one long six-mile run where you might get very cold toward the end.”

8. Change Quickly Postrun
Your core body temperature drops as soon as you stop running. To avoid a lingering case of the chills, change your clothes—head to toe—as soon as you can. Women need to get out of damp sports bras quickly. Put a dry hat on wet hair. And drink something hot. “We go to a coffee shop after our runs, and take turns using the bathroom to change,” says Grandonico. “Then we all relax with coffee and bagels.” Driving to a run? Bring a thermos of green tea or hot chocolate in your car.

9. Deal with Rain
Runners in Mobile, Alabama, the wettest city in the United States, are always prepared for rain—67 inches per year, in fact. “In my car, at all times, I have a spare pair of sneakers, a running outfit, and three beach towels,” says Allyson Lamey, a member of the Port City Pacers club. “When it’s raining, I slip my stocking feet into plastic baggies, then put on my running shoes,” says Darryl Dalcerri of Lompoc, California. “The baggies keep my feet dry even when I run through puddles.” Most Port City Pacers rotate pairs of shoes. If you have to dry shoes overnight, crumple up newspaper and cram it tightly into your shoes, with the insoles removed. The newspaper soaks up the moisture.

10. Go Someplace Warm
For runners in the South who want to race close to home, winter is the only time when temperatures are moderate enough to go after a personal record, which is why Florida alone offers seven marathons in February. Not up for 26.2 miles? Other popular races include theLos Angeles Chinatown Firecracker 5-K/10-K, the Hilton Head Half-Marathon and 10-K, and the MyoMed Ragnar Relay Del Sol in Arizona. Or go to the Race Finder to choose your own distance and destination.

What more motivation do you need?

Source: Runnersworld.com

106 days

It has been 106 days since I got serious about eating healthy and exercising.

I've lost 17 lbs and 19 inches
** update** I feel silly venting yesterday about my weight....this morning I woke up to find I was at 135.8 sooooo I am happy. I have the motivation now to keep pushing forward. It WILL be so worth it in the end, especially doing it the HEALTHY way :)**

I honestly wish it was more but considering I have completely slacked this past month I'm happy. A loss is a loss and I'm going to be proud :).

Here's to more success and more POSITIVE thoughts in the future for everyone :)!

Hope everyone is having a GREAT Tuesday :)

WHY??

Why am I such a baby when it comes to running outside in the a.m.?? I literally refused to get my butt out there this morning....SO mad at myself. I can't believe I actually said to my hubby that I would rather run on the treadmill than run outside in the cold! Yea I should've slapped myself for that comment lol. My wish is to be able to run in the evenings when its not FREEZING, but with my hubby's work schedule I would be out at dark and to me that's no bueno. I need to just suck it out and get outside while there is still no snow on the ground. I know I will be hating the treadmill this winter, so why, WHY do I not take advantage now...? Can you tell I'm a little frustrated with myself?? I think too much and let my comfort zone stop me from doing what I love and what I NEED. Now I have been working out in my house which I have to admit has been AWESOME! To not have to go anywhere and play with my kids while getting my sweat on is the best of both worlds. I do however know that I will not get the body I dream about without adding in weights. So when everyone is 100% healthy again...can't wait :), we will be going to the gym EVERY day. Because a FIT mommy is a HAPPY mommy :). Plus my kiddos LOVE being social and WILD lol!

Is it weird that I have not been able to get past 137 since 9.24.11(because I haven't been consistent, at least I can admit it right?) but my size 6 pants are becoming super loose on me? I eat 1200 cal a day and workout at home and lately have been carrying my 23 lb. son around A LOT. So much so that my arms are actually sore lol! Today I am wearing my size 4 petite (because I am so short lol 5' 2" to be exact) pants that I have not worn since 2008. I'm not complaining, believe me, but I am surprised. Being busy and going on a cleaning frenzy to get the germs out of my house has really paid off. Plus I am being SO much better about eating regularly. I used to not eat all day at work (BAD) and then binge when I got home. Not like junk food but way too much of my healthy snacks. Now I make sure to stop and eat every few hours and I am fitting into my clothes better than I have in months. EATING is awesome and I don't know why I have gone so long with seriously thinking if you skip meals you'll lose weight. I mean you will eventually(duh) but it is NOT healthy and it takes LONGER AND when you do eat you GAIN IT RIGHT BACK. Trust me I know...talked about that in a previous post.

Anyway to all you busy mommas out there make sure you stop and feed yourself every few hours(something healthy ;)) because you will be amazed at what happens. I know it is so easy to forget to feed yourself...being a momma is hard work and so rewarding, but we need to remember to take care of ourselves :). Our families will benefit from it :).

I hope everyone is having a great Monday :)!!! If there are any runners out there who would LOVE to PLEASE share their advice on running outside in the cold please please comment. I need some encouragement and some pointers :).

See you tomorrow!

make it work

True words stolen from Tim Gunn :) Oh I love Project Runway....my guilty pleasure for sure!

Anyway, I decided last night that I was fed up with not running and said "HEY WORLD! I'm going to shake my booty right now!". Well I didn't literally say that but that's how I felt ;)! So I turned on my running play list and did my run/dance around my house workout. Yes, I LOVE to shake it, when my hubby isn't around that is...afraid he would die from laughing at me lol! My girls LOVE to join me and mr. man hangs out on the couch, safely out of harms way (we get crazy), and he dances right along with us. I love that my children love music as much as I do :). I did a combination of running in place, running in circles, jumping jacks, jumping lunges, squats and calf raises. I'm proud to say that although I had to workout at home I still worked up my infamous dripping sweat. I still can't get over how much I sweat when I workout. It. is. extreme. TMI?? Sorry, but this is my journal :).

It felt AMAZING to be TIRED, I have been missing that tired legs feeling. Granted I SO prefer running outside BUT you do what you have to do. I seriously took the NO EXCUSES to the MAX. No more will I sit and throw a pity party when I can't get outside to run or go to the gym. I now will workout wherever, whenever I can...NO MATTER what! It made my mood soar through the roof and I REALLY NEEDED that. I still dream about running every night but hey, it'll still be there for me when I can get back to it. Not like those roads are going anywhere and besides when my kiddos are sick they need their momma. Plus I got their endorphins going too and endorphins never hurt anyone :).

See you tomorrow!

p.s. I am SO over feeling sick so I am cleansing today. Had Green tea this morning and am drinking water like my life depends on it...because lets face it, IT DOES!

I MISS running

We're in our third week of sickness in our home. Needless to say I have not, tear, been running since my last post. I have been working out at home and have even discovered a LOVE for yoga :). But I MISS RUNNING. My hubby has been working late everyday to finish his car as well so I feel like I've had no chance or time to go out and run. I know everyone says if you really want it you'll make time for it. But when your 4 kids are sick and you're basically playing single mom it seems near impossible to find time to use the bathroom....seriously! So I am making it my GOAL to go run at least once this week. Until my kids are healthy and I can get help from my hubby it'll have to be slow going. I can tell I'm super moody from not being able to run.
Although I do love yoga and it makes me feel AMAZING! definitely a new addition to my daily routine :). I'll be better at blogging, it really helps me to clear my head.

See you tomorrow!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

"paid" an old friend a visit this morning...

So I finally did it. I got up at 6 am and went running this morning after a week and a half hiatus. I stretched A LOT before I went out because I was determined to have a GOOD, PAIN FREE run. When I first got outside I walked for about 5 minutes just to get warmed up and get pumped about my run. I'll admit I was still a little nervous about it...

Well I started to run and it felt A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! My stride was fantastic and I felt like it was so effortless, almost like I was floating in air. I never feel light on my feet so it was AWESOME! I was SO incredibly HAPPY to be out running, feeling the cool morning air on my face while listening to some new running music :)! I had missed this SO MUCH and this is what I have been missing. This past week was HARD for me. I felt sluggish and depressed. I tried doing other workouts at home, but nothing even came close to giving me the same high that running gives me. I even ate SO BAD this weekend and gained 4 lbs! I'm not too worried about that though. I'm back to good eating, portion control and no eating after 7 pm this week :). The thing about eating fatting, greasy food is that it HURTS your stomach when you haven't had it for awhile. So my stomach was hurting and feeling SO bloated...not fun.

Anyway back to my run lol...I knew that as soon as I felt ANY kind of pain I was going to STOP because I DO NOT want to take another 2 weeks off to recoup. I ran about 1/4 mile and then I felt it...this little dull pain in my left knee(on the outside), the same pain that bothered me at the Dirty Dash. The first time I ever felt this pain was when we moved into our 3rd floor apartment last December. It was AWFUL and I do not like the feeling that my knee has dislocated from my leg. So I ran a little further to see if it turned into anything or if it was all in my head( I wish!), the pain started to increase so I stopped to stretch it out. Stretching was the only thing that got me through the Dirty Dash. After I stretched I walked for probably 5 minutes and then started to SLOWLY run again just to see where I was at. Well I didn't make it even a 1/4 mile before it started to hurt again so again I stopped, stretched and walked. After 5 more minutes of walking I was determined to run a little more just so I could feel a little satisfied with my efforts. I got to one of my usual corners and started running and yes because its me here I pushed it and went fast to get more in before my knee acted up. I got in another 1/4 mile in and then the pain. Now I was SO beyond FRUSTRATED at this point because I WANTED to run so bad. I am 26 years old and have so many issues with my body and running. Why can't my body just DEAL?? It was KILLING me to have to walk but I did not want to do more damage...so there I was walking home. I walked until I hit 2 miles just so I felt like it was worth it.

Although I am upset about the fact that I couldn't just run, run ,run like I wanted I'm still happy with the fact that I got some motivation back. I have been really missing it and am determined to take baby steps towards complete recovery. I have been dreaming about running non stop lately and to my pleasant surprise woke up 5 minutes before my alarm this morning ready to attack my day. All I can do is keep trying and keep stretching and icing until I get better. I don't know why I feel so ashamed when I have to walk because that stills gets me sweating if I walk fast and far. If walking gets me back to where I can start running again then I am all for it! My hubby thinks I should stick to the treadmill for awhile since it isn't as hard on your joints. I tried explaining to him that it is so exhilarating to run outside in the morning and its about to get cold soon so I need to take advantage. I know he is only looking out for my best interest and he may be right, but I would rather walk outside than run in on the treadmill at this point. Although I may throw in a treadmill run this week just to see if there is any difference with my knee.

Oh also this was my first run since the Dirty D and washing my muddy shoes lol. I washed them twice because well you saw the picture in the previous post...and did not dry them because I was afraid of them not fitting well anymore. Well they were STIFF and my toes rubbed a lot this run, which did not feel too nice lol. Once I get new shoes I will keep these as my Dirty D shoes :) since I plan on doing it again next year!

I may run/walk in the morning or I may go to a spinning class so we'll see :). Also some GREAT news my Achilles Tendon did not hurt at all :)!! One injury down and one to go...



See you tomorrow!

where has my motivation gone??

It has been so hard to motivate myself to get back into a regular running schedule...I find myself so afraid of hurting myself again. When I think about getting up in the morning to go run I get so EXCITED, I lay my stuff out, get my shoes and headphones ready but when 6 am rolls around I just CAN'T or I should say WON'T get out of bed. I feel like I just can't because I have been SO TIRED lately. Granted this has been a tough week in mommy-hood with the twins sick on Monday night and Tuesday and baby boy sick last night (getting up every hour...not exaggerating!). I am SO drained and it has unfortunately made me a bit of an emotional mess. I'm not handling work issues as well as I should or normally do and I am stress eating which is BAD. I KNOW that getting out and running will make me feel better but I feel like I've missed my chance for the day. I would LOVE to go run in the early evenings but the hubby works late and is tired from work by the time he gets home. I feel like 6 am is my ONLY option besides the gym where the treadmills are....but to be away from my kids all day just to drop them off at the gym daycare with someone else for an hour just doesn't sit right with me. When I wasn't working I was all about the gym daycare...well except when the sicky kids got my kids sick :/, but now I can't justify spending more time away from them. Plus after running outside you realize that the treadmill BLOWS. Granted I WILL use it in the winter because I am not a big snow person and running in the snow sounds incredibly unappealing to me. Although I will try it at least once just to see if by some miracle I do in fact enjoy it.

So here I am at work wishing I could go home change and go for a nice run. Not far, but enough to get my fix and to see how my body feels. Baby steps now since I've had a couple injuries (and have no health insurance), so I have to be super cautious. Maybe just maybe I can ask my hubby real nice and he'll come home on time and let me run for 30 minutes :). That sounds so nice...hey I'd even take 15 minutes :)! Even talking about running makes me feel better....If that's not a sign I don't know what is! 

Tell me all you runners out there, what do you do to stay motivated? When you've hit a slump how do you get yourself out of it??

See you tomorrow!

Dirty Dash

The 10K Dirty Dash was Saturday September 24, 2011 and it was SO MUCH FUN! There were 5 girls on our team sponsored by Gold's Gym Utah :). We ran at 11:40 and got done around 1:30.

There were so many mud pits and obstacles! So one of the first mud pits was a lot deeper than I realized so I ended up in a puddle of mud within the first 10 minutes lol! It was AWESOME though! So much for "trying" to stay semi clean until the end. Seriously though it was IMPOSSIBLE with all the mud pits and besides it is SO MUCH MORE FUN to get MUDDY :)!!! I never thought that I would enjoy doing something like this so much. I was definitely very nervous because lets face it I do not enjoy getting super dirty, but I thought what the heck why not get out of my comfort zone?! I am SO glad I did because it was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G :)! I had the best team EVER and had so much fun with Nathalie, Katie, Rachael and Sara :)! They were awesome and I couldn't have done it without them.

Unfortunately my knee started to act up because of all the hills, so I would have to stop and stretch it from time to time...but that helped and got me through it :). Good news though my Achilles tendon did not hurt one little bit...YAY!! Besides a few bruises lol and sore muscles I came out feeling GREAT! I am already planning on doing it again next year and trying to talk my hubby into doing it! Well enough talking....enjoy the picture OVERLOAD!

The girls: Sara, Nathalie, Rachael, me and Katie

So excited to be getting started!

Hay bales...there were A LOT of these! Although tempted to walk around them at times I did not and climbed over every one :)!

I laughed almost the whole way through :)!

Yay!

Muddy tunnels with water spraying in! I about lost my contacts at this point! Thinking I may need to take goggles next year....or just get Lasik ;)!

Katie making a mud angel ;)

Yea I do not climb walls....I have a nice bruise on my inner thigh from this lol.

Nope I think I'll get muddy and crawl under this time :)!

The Jell-O "shots" (just Jell-O cups) were a GREAT energy booster :)!

I had red Jell-O and had some on my face after this and everyone was asking if I was bleeding lol.

These were so FUN and it was awesome when you'd step on the other side and fall in because it got deeper suddenly lol!

TIRES :)! This was a little tricky because they were muddy/slippery in the middle, so it made it a little difficult to go fast.

Love that I am ALWAYS the short one lol!

Photo op!

Going for a mile long swim lol...I don't want to know what was in that water. It sure felt icky by my feet though!

Ok so I am terrified of heights and at this point I was panicking inside, but I felt amazing once I was over and on my way down. SO empowering to face your fears!

You can hardly see me but I am on the rope swing :)

Watching Nat swing

Now this was AWESOME! I went down on my stomach for the first half and when I stopped I got up ran a little and then slid on my butt to the bottom. I wanted to go again SO bad. Although the combination of water, dirt, plastic and speed made for quite the burning on my arm...so worth it though!

Here goes nothin ladies!

SO FUN and so HAPPY to have made it to the end :)!

  The aftermath of the Dirty D!

Oh trusty shoes you did me well :)

ps. they washed up real nice...although they do stink like mud a little lol.

 

My first race...#3707 :)

I will NEVER forget it! Can't wait until next year :)!

Thank you Gold's Gym for sponsoring us!!

dirty dash here I come...

The Dirty D is tomorrow and I am SO EXCITED, but very nervous at the same time lol. I mean have you watched the video I posted a few posts back?? You get SO DIRTY!! I'm just hoping I don't pop out a contact while swimming in the mud pit haha. I guess we'll see huh?! We run at 11:40 am tomorrow in Midway :). Stay tuned for a post about all our DIRTY fun :)!!

See you tomorrow!!

just keep spinning, spinning, spinning...

So the spinning class I went to Saturday ignited the flame to my old passion for spinning classes. I am IN LOVE right now and it is such a NICE RELIEF for my Achilles Tendon. I did learn some exercises to help strengthen my tendon so that I can get back to it :). I am just taking it easy with running right now to avoid rupturing my tendon. I have HIGH hopes that after a few weeks I'll feel as good as new :)!

Anyway, SPINNING is my saving grace right now. I have been SO DOWN because of my injury and not being able to run without pain. So I now look forward to my classes and my weight training! I woke up at 5:30 am, willingly, to go to Gold's for a spinning class. BOY did that teacher KICK MY BUTT! She totally blew the teacher from Saturdays class right OUT OF THE WATER...seriously that was cake compared to this morning. I literally had no time to think about my butt being SO SORE from Saturday because we were UP almost the ENTIRE time. My legs they were a BURNIN'! A good burning though :). I LOVE nothing better than starting my day off all sweaty and exhausted...it makes me feel like I could conquer the world! I had a protein shake and LOTS of WATER, and been snackin on my fav...CASHEWS :) not too many though. I want to go do some weight training now...see who needs energy drinks?? I could bounce off the walls right now from pure adrenaline and excitement for exercise! Seriously who is the person that I have become?! Never thought I would be OBSESSED with working out and wanting to be so HEALTHY....I'm not complaining at all, just shocked at where my mentality has decided to take me lol. I dream about running LONG distances and running FAST and now to also be toned and STRONG. It would be nice to give my husband a little bit of a fight when we "play", because I am such a weakling right now lol.

Well I AM DETERMINED and I KNOW I WILL GET THERE. I just have to stay consistent and stay POSITIVE :). I CAN AND WILL overcome any obstacle that gets in my way :)!!

Weight training tomorrow with a short run...(pray for no pain) and then Thursday in the a.m. is SPINNING!

See you tomorrow!

oh how I've missed spinning classes

Yesterday I went with my sister in law and her sister in law and cousin to a spinning class at 8 am. While I was waiting for her to pick me up I ran around our complex a couple times. I hadn't run since Monday and I wasn't going to stand outside doing nothing while I waited. Every moment is an opportunity to choose to do SOMETHING. Unfortunately running that short distance, guessing .5 mile, made my right foot Achilles tendon hurt... So frustrating.

Anyway we got to the class and it was AWESOME! But my butt hurt SO BAD! I looked forward to standing up just to give my backside a break from the seat lol. I remember last time I got into spinning, which was over 4 years ago, it took me about a week of going consistently for my body to get used to that HARD seat. I felt great after the class though and want to go to many more! Afterwards we walked around the track a few times and then went and lifted some weights. I did the leg press (3 sets of 25 @ 90 lbs), lat pull (3 sets of 15 @ 40 lbs) and tricep pull-down (3 sets of 15 @ 30 lbs).

When I got home I had a whole banana and a chocolate TNI rebuild protein shake. I felt so GREAT! I LOVE working out and the feeling it gives me! Plus my Achilles tendon didn't hurt at all during spinning! YAY!! I'm NOT giving up running though. I'll get through this issue and get back to it. Just having to take even smaller baby steps for the time being.

I'm obsessed with drinking LOTS of water and it has really helped with my weight loss efforts. Last night I did have an ENTIRE Mesquite grilled shrimp burrito from Rubios. It was SO GOOD and I enjoyed every single bite! I've noticed the days where I had a really great workout I am starving. I'm usually better at making healthier choices, but it's the weekend and I tend to relax a little with my eating lol. There was quite a bit of sodium in the burrito so I can tell I am retaining quite a bit of water. I'll just sweat it out tomorrow :)!

So yesterday was a good day :)!
My legs are a little sore today but I'm hoping to be able to go run a little in the morning.



See you tomorrow!





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my life four years ago and the journey to NOW

I hit 138 this morning (yes, I am obsessed with weighing myself everyday, working on that). I have not weighed this since November 2008 when I was first pregnant with Bugaboo. Granted 138 is 15lbs more than I weighed when we got married in March 2008 (those 15 lbs were apparently "happy" lbs :)). None the less I am SO HAPPY to have lost ALL the baby weight from my two precious babies that I had in TWO years! Haha, that'll teach me to not lose the weight quickly after having a baby because....surprise you may be pregnant again a short 6 months later :). They were and ARE completely worth it though and although I was SO upset about the weight it has been an awesome, long, HARD, sometimes depressing but such a LIFE CHANGING journey to get here today. Is it weird to say I am so grateful to have been where I was because now I no longer take my health for granted and I've come to enjoy the HARD work it takes to see results. It has seriously been LIFE CHANGING. Still didn't run today because of this dang head cold...Do any of you runners out there still run when you're sick? Or have any suggestions of how to get over this SUPER FAST? I'm SERIOUSLY running tomorrow no matter what...I just NEED to.

Okay I am going to go back a few years for my journal purposes. This is something I have never written down and it should be done. I haven't talked about these things with very many people. I believe now that it is better to embrace your past and move forward knowing that you are doing the best you can do NOW. So please don't feel like you have to continue reading :).

After I had my twins at 21 it took me a year to lose all the weight...a year! I was going to spinning almost everyday(I really miss that, spinning really does KICK your butt! It's AWESOME!) and going to use the elliptical on my off days from spinning. BUT I however did NOT change my lifestyle. I still ate SO BAD and felt down about being a single mom, rather than embrace it and move forward...which I did eventually with help :). I was living at my mother's house in IF town and life was HARD. Anyone who has moved out and then had to move back in with their parents knows that it is NOT easy, especially when you have kids. My mother graciously took me in and helped me through a VERY TOUGH time in my life(so please don't think I'm ungrateful, because I would have been lost without her at the time. I appreciate all that she did for me!), but as I became more confident as a mother of two little girls my own mother wasn't willing to let me "spread my wings" and be the mother I wanted to be. She wanted and needed to have control of how things were done with the girls, so long story short we were at each others throats every single day. It was AWFUL. I KNOW it was hard on everyone involved. So my step father got me and the girlies into a nice little townhouse in IF. I LOVED IT! Yes, it was built in the 70's and had nice orange-ish/brown shag carpet and super old appliances, BUT it was OURS :). It was such an awesome feeling to have my first place with just me and the girls :).

Now I was so happy to have my own place, to be working at Vicki's and to be going to school at BYU-I. But all throughout this I was STRUGGLING with my weight. I had it in my head that no one would want to be with me if I was "fat". To top it off it was a very lonely life after all the chaos subsided and the girlies were down for the night. Sure I enjoyed most of my quiet nights in my living room doing homework or just relaxing lol, but there were many times where it was just too lonely for me to bare. I had a routine that I followed to a "T" every day, and I knew that was the only thing getting me through the days.

Daily Schedule back in 2007
6:00 am wake up, shower, do hair and make up
6:45 am get the girlies up, dressed and fed
7:15am get the girlies off to daycare, which was just down the street
8:00 am be at work for morning meeting or at school for classes depending on the day.
Some days our routine started an hour later because work wasn't until 9:00 am
5:00 pm get off work or out of class
5:30 pm pick girlies up from daycare
5:45 pm start dinner
6:15-30 pm feed girlies
7:00 pm bath, story time(if I had the energy)
7:30-45 pm bedtime for girls.
8:00 pm homework, sitting on couch alone :( or just going to bed.


So, LONG day but every parent knows how that goes right?! Now I enjoyed the chaos very much because I got used to it and it kept my mind off of things like, I'm a single mom living in IF(this fact bothered me the most I guess, although IF does have its moments for me and some special people who are very close to my heart live there), I hate feeling so alone and like I'll never find someone to accept me and my girls and how I was always so tired. Throughout the day I have to admit that I was VERY bad at making sure I took time to eat. I liked things being busy busy so I did not want to pause for food, only for coffee, green tea and energy drinks. I also did not want to eat dinner until I could relax and that was after the girls were in bed. I felt like I had such little time with them that I didn't want to waste any of it by me eating( my thought process was a little warped). By the time the girls went down I realized I needed to get LOTS of homework done so there I sat on the couch with my laptop working hard...while my body was working hard at giving me a HORRIBLE headache. This was a normal occurrence due to my lack of food intake. So I would think about eating, but then thought how unhappy I was still with my weight and how much happier I would be if I didn't eat and weighed less in the morning. So I was excited to go to sleep and couldn't wait to wake up to weigh myself. I had become OBSESSED. I felt like my weight was the key to my happiness and THAT was something I COULD CONTROL. It's not like I never ate, but I ate very little and surprisingly did develop some healthy eating habits along the way. I just wasn't getting enough nutrients and energy drinks are SO BAD for you. I can't tell you how many times my coworkers told me to stop but I never listened...surprise there, NOT. Because I was basically starving my body into losing weight I started to notice things like my nails would break very easily and my hair seemed to fall out in larger quantities and more often. Even though I knew what I was doing was NOT healthy it didn't matter to me because I had lost weight and felt so good about myself. I was so shocked and so happy that I weighed less than I did before I got preggo with the twins.

November 2005 (when I got pregnant with the twins) I was at 128 and November 2007 (when the girls were 16 months old) I was at 119. I look at pictures of myself and I think wow I look skinny but also no muscle tone, just soft and flabby. So moral of my story is: Starving yourself is NOT the answer! Working out, running and EATING is! Fortunately Kevin came back into my life in January 2008 and I felt so HAPPY :). My whole world changed and I loved eating with him(he can eat a lot and stay slim...so jealous lol). We got married in March 2008 and I had gone up to 123 lbs. and then in November 2008 I was 138. So I gained 19 "happy" lbs. from living life and not depriving myself of food anymore. I used to think why on Earth would I gain weight if I'm happy?! I honestly was quite upset at first but it was SO much fun to eat right along with him :). If Kevin hadn't come into my life again I'm not sure where I would be right now. I know I was headed down a bad road and things were most likely going to get worse. Kevin has been such a BLESSING in my life and in a way he saved my life :). He is my ROCK and my soul mate. He supports me in all my new "adventures" even if he may think I'm a little crazy at times lol. I still can't believe how blessed the girls and I are to have such an AMAZING man come and save us from our situation. Yes, we made the best of it, and yes we had hard times after we got married, but we have come such a long way as a family and are CLOSER and STRONGER now then we've ever been. I am grateful for all our struggles and the opportunity we have had to grow from them.


I've really gone on and on but this is something I have always thought about and kept telling myself to write it down. Its hard to face the fact that I had a real problem when I tried so hard to disguise it and lied to myself saying I was "happy". I refer to those days as me just going through the motions. I clung to my routine and if it got messed up I was a wreck. Poor Kevin will tell you how hard it was when we first got married...I had a hard time letting him in and allowing him to help with the girls. I was so used to doing everything on my own and I needed to be in control of that. So like I said we had struggles but we got through them because now I am more than happy to let him do anything and everything :) I welcome it with open arms now lol!


My point from all of this rambling is that it means SO MUCH MORE to me to have lost this weight this time by HARD WORK, DEDICATION and a LIFESTYLE CHANGE. I can't believe I still eat so much and LOSE WEIGHT! It literally boggles my mind lol! Well not really anymore but I can't believe I didn't try this a long time ago. I can now say that I am HAPPY WITH MY BODY :). Granted I am not going to stop working on it because this is a lifestyle NOT a diet and yes, I do mess up from time to time...like eating Goldfish Crackers more often than I should lol! I'm far from perfect and I am always trying to work on myself but that's what is so fun about it. I started measuring myself on July 11, 2011 with the first 2 WEEK CHALLENGE and I remeasured myself on September 2, 2011 and was pleasantly surprised! I have never done this before but let me tell you it is SO MUCH FUN to see how many inches you have lost! I recommend everyone do it and just be amazed at the results. It is WAY more fun then stepping on the dreaded scale lol.


Body Measurements and Weight July 11, 2011:
Arms L/R: 12 and 3/4 in.
Calves: 16 in.
Hips and Butt: 41 in.
Chest: 39 in.
Waist: 36 and 1/2 in
Thighs: 24 in.
weight: 152.8 lbs.

Body Measurements and Weight September 2, 2011:
Arms L/R: 11 and 1/2 in.
Calves: 15 in.
Chest: 36 in. (why do we women have to lose it here so quickly lol??)
Waist: 35 in.
Hips and Butt: 39 in.
Thighs:21 and 1/2 in.
Weight: 141.6 lbs.

Today's Weight: 138.6 lbs.
























p.s. love my new Hello Kitty shirt, can you tell? lol :)

See you here tomorrow!