Goals for July

It's July 1st, which means it's time to reflect on the month of June and the progress I made on my goals as well as set new goals for this month!

June's Goals

1. Get into the 180's

2. 15 runs in June

3. 90 oz water per day

4. Track w/integrity EVERY DAY!!

I'm happy to report on each of these goals!! WOOHOO!

Get into the 180's

I'm happy to report that as of this morning I'm fluctuating between 189 lbs and 188.4 lbs!  I recorded the higher of the two for HappyScale!  This means I met my milestone 4 and can start work on Milestone 5!  Slow and steady wins the race!

15 Runs in June

I'm counting this one done -- on a technicality... technically my "Month of June" started mid-week, So I'm counting all the runs that week instead of just the calendar mark.  Training calendar trumps actual calendar, right?

90 oz Water Per Day

This one is a bit tricky -- I didn't necessarily track the water I drank... I just made sure to drink a LOT especially after a hot run or after being in the humidity for a while.

My Go-To mug is a 32 oz double wall insulated deal that I refill multiple times per day.  I also fill it to the brim with ice at each refill, so the actual water content may be significantly less than the 32 ounce mark.

Moving forward, I'm just going to keep pushing water...

The silver lining is that I haven't had pop (or soda if you're southern) in a long time.  Well over a month -- so this pushing water focus is helping in that arena.  I'm a long time diet coke addict, but realized it was slowly killing me so I've since reformed.  I now obsess over coffee, tea, and water.

Track with Integrity every day!

I nailed this goal -- and I can honestly say that it's so much easier when I'm doing the 21 day fix meal plan.  I usually can bust through all my portions for the day and still have points leftover.  Cooking at home helps with this too -- as it gives me more control over what I add to the food, how my meals are prepared, and how big my portions are.

I'm trying to fall into a rhythm with eating that goes something like this:

• Breakfast - eggs or a smoothie
• Snack - Protein shake if I workout in the AM, coffee + fruit if I workout later that day.
• Lunch - Leftovers, a Big salad with lots of veg + protein, or avocado toast w/egg
• Snack - Fruit usually, or I skip it if my lunch was sufficiently large.  My go to around this time if I'm starving is an apple with almond butter.... mmmm
• Dinner - Protein + veg + carb,  I like to designate a carb to this meal time.  Something about having a carb at dinner helps me feel full and satisfied, even if it's just a half cup of rice.
• Dessert/Snack - Date Rolls (homemade), Greek yogurt w/ honey & nuts, or skip if I'm full.

Goals for July

1. Crush my Runs!!  (As planned)
2. Be active every day!! (Workout, run, or active recovery - yoga, pilates, foam rolling, stretching)
3. Drink up!!  (Water, water, water, unsweetened tea, water, water, coffee...)
4. Hit Milestone #5 -- 180!

I've got this!

What are you goals for this month?

Did you crush your June Goals?

What's your rhythm for meals throughout the day?

Marathon Monday #4

This is week 4 of my marathon training and it's the first week back without worrying about re-injuring my side.

Here's the plan for this week:

Tuesday - 30 min walk/run

Thursday - 30 min walk/run

Friday - 30 min walk/run

Sunday - 30 min walk/run

There will also be three strength sessions and a yoga session mixed in.  Not to mention some housework *Cleaning & organizing*.

What are your plans for runs this week?

How is your training going?

Do you do any crazy spring cleaning?

Marathon Monday --Update

Marathon training on hold while I heal from a minor side injury -- two weeks off :(

My injury is a minor scrape on my side -- right on my ribs -- that I've been given explicit instructions on how to care for to prevent infection.  I was told specifically to (1) not wear a sports bra due to the location of the injury, (2) avoid sweating, as this would affect the healing, and (3) to limit stretching the area which could break open scabbing and cause further bleeding.

Next run will be this Wednesday!

How did your week of training go?

Have you ever had to limit exercise?

Marathon Monday #6

Planned//Actual

Monday -- Foam Roll//Stretched

Tuesday -- 2 miles // 2 miles

Wednesday -- OFF//OFF

Thursday -- 3 miles // OFF

Friday -- XT // OFF

Saturday -- 2 miles // 2 miles

Sunday 4 miles // OFF

Missed Runs!

What do I do with so many (2) missed runs this week?  I feel like if I try to cram them into this week, my body will be wrecked... but like any runner, I want to get them in!

This week was a week of prep for travel -- hubby and I have some pretty intense travel plans, so we had a lot of chores to get through to pack and ready ourselves.  I realize this is yet another excuse, but training was not the priority this week -- prepping for safe adventures was.

Goals for Next week

• Make my training a priority
• Don't wait on the runs!  This week, I'd get up and get my running clothes on, but then get back into bed and "wait" -- "wait" for it to get warmer, "wait" for it to get more light out, etc... this meant I fell back asleep a few times and ended up missing my runs
• Eat like a champ -- lately, I've been eating what I feel like and tracking my calories.  This week, I'm going to try to balance that out more with high quality nutrients... it's so tempting to eat poorly when we travel, so I'm making "eating like a champ" a priority.

How was your week of training?  

What do you do when you miss a run (or two)?  

How do you eat when traveling?

Just for Fun Friday #5

Too Many Clothes!

This week, hubby and I are battling our laundry mountain -- how do we let it build up?!?!

We're trying to do the laundry and decide what we'll pack, but that's easier said than done. 

We have too many clothes!!

What's the Problem?

 Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink!!  

I have what feels like a gazillion items of clothing -- most of which I do not wear!  I cycle through the same few outfits, that are my current favorites, and the rest stay tucked away in the closet, in the drawers, or on the shelf!

This mountain of clothing makes packing for travel even harder!  It's hard for me to anticipate what I'll want with me when I get to my various destinations.  With fewer clothes, I wouldn't have such a problem with the "what if" portion of the packing experience.

Having these clothes around that don't quite fit or don't look right or aren't in style make me feel "less than".  But I keep them around "just in case" -- which is so idiotic.

How did it get so bad?

I have a hard time letting go of clothes that "might" fit one day or "could" look good, if I just did the thing and got the right whatever -- madness is what it is.

The cycle started in college -- I didn't have much money, so I made due with the clothes that I had.  Even when I started gaining weight, I would squeeze my dupa into too tight clothes and hoped no one would notice.  

Once I started working more and was able to buy some more clothes, I made sure to stock up on essentials (jeans, tees, etc...).  My wardrobe today still consists mainly of what I purchased back then -- in 2005... Yikes...  I can't believe my wardrobe is mostly a decade old.  

It wasn't until the last two years (with weight loss and working out) that I would allow myself to by more clothes.  I started rewarding myself with a few new items of clothing.  I shop mostly at outlet malls or T.J.Maxx or other affordable clothing stores, so it wasn't a splurge to get a few items that are more current.  

I can't believe what a difference new clothes make.  I FIT into my clothing -- and it actually makes me look smaller!  My most recent purchase was a super thrifty "buy one get one free" jean-legging situation.

I know, most people hate leggings, but they are so comfortable and flatter my shape -- my legs are my favorite body part, so I try to show them off without being too revealing... instead of short skirts/shorts, I wear skinny jeans or leggings.  I pair them with long flowy tops to conceal my trouble spots (basically my whole torso).  

I wore the jeggings for the first time yesterday and I was amazing -- normally when I wear jeans, they're tight and stiff and I'm constantly adjusting them and pulling them up.  These jeggings were so comfortable and made me feel so confident (and no one knew they weren't just skinny jeans, HA!).  

Wearing clothes that fit and that make me feel fantastic is refreshing!  It's also renewing to my spirit and sense of purpose.  I feel WORTH IT!  It makes me want to gather up all the clothes that are from the 2000's and donate them -- or otherwise get rid of them!  If it doesn't make me feel fantastic, I don't want it around!

For this Just for Fun Friday -- I challenge you to either:

(1) Clean out your closet!  Limit yourself to just those favorite outfits that fit nicely and make you feel fabulous -- donate the rest!

(2) Pack your suitcase and travel!   There's nothing more exciting and liberating than traveling and experiencing new things with friends and family!

What will you do Just for Fun today?  

What's your favorite traveling outfit?  

Do you have any travel plans this year?

What to Eat Wednesday #5

What to Eat on the Road

December means Holidays with families -- and for me (*and I'm sure many of you*) that means some time on the road traveling.

Hubby and I will be road tripping it this December to visit as much of our family as possible.  We're all scattered, so we'll log over a two thousand miles this holiday season -- and with so much time on the road, we need an eating plan!

Normally, we'll do an adlibbed combination of packing some foods and snacks and supplementing with drive thru for the rest.  We bring our doggy, so eat-in restaurants aren't really possible (our doggy would freeze in the car while we ate... no okay with me).  

Fast food isn't going to help me reach my goals, especially when you consider that once I reach my destination, I'll have tons of holiday treats awaiting me!  It's not like the fast food road food will be the only thing I'd have to contend with -- combining holiday with road trip could mean derailing my training and that's something I'm not going to let happen!

So I did some research... (as always!)

Road Trip Eats 

It really boils down to two categories for me (1) What to bring and (2) What to buy.  Traveling is expensive, so I'd prefer to plan on bringing as much as possible and only have a list of things to buy in a pinch...

For road trips, I like to bring things that are easy to eat, don't make a mess, and don't require super cold temperatures to keep fresh.  Basically the opposite of a cup of greek yogurt.

What to bring:

• Fruit: Grapes, berries, already peeled/sectioned oranges, apple slices
• Veggies: baby carrots, celery sticks, cucumber sticks, broccoli/cauliflower florets, snap peas, 
• Bite Sized Snacks: Nuts/trail mix (that I'll make myself), seeds, popcorn (already popped), Granola, dried fruits, LaraBars (or other clean snack bars)
• Wraps or Rolls -- I like Turkey or Ham with cheese, lettuce, and maybe a bit of hummus/guac/mayo, although I really try to stay away from chicken/tuna salad and mayo on longer trips since it'll warm up even in the cooler in the car!
• Hard Boiled Eggs!  For a quick protein fix!
• Cheese cubes -- not many, as they pack a caloric punch, but they are sooo satisfying!
• Pickles or olives -- easy to eat and salty, I love salty -- but I prefer these super cold so they don't go with me on really long trips

What to buy:

• Almond butter/peanut butter individual packets/containers
• Whole grain cereal cups -- although I try to limit these since they're a carb bomb... they are still better than a candy bar!
• Energy bars -- I try to find Larabars if I can...otherwise I watch out for the sugar and carbs... Kashi Go Lean isn't bad...
• Nuts in the shell -- Peanuts or Pistachios -- or any nut that's not salted/glazed 
• String Cheese
• Fruit Cups
• Bananas

What to avoid:

This is really about what I'm trying to avoid, because in the past I've used road trips as an excuse to overindulge... 

• Starbucks -- ten thousand times.  I apparently think I need a venti latte at every stop -- which causes more stops for potty breaks and then more lattes... endless loop!
• Fast Food Places! -- If I see one that we don't have near us, I'll use the road trip as an excuse to pull through, even if I'm not hungry!
• Ice Cream/Candy/Sugary Treats/Energy Drinks/other convenience store nonsense -- I use the excuse of "I'm driving" to load up on sugar, resulting in less than stellar moods and tummy troubles!

What do you do for road trips?  

Do you have any "go to" snacks/meals?  

Do you have anything you're avoiding on trips?

Marathon Monday #4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Week of Training Planned//Actual

Monday -- Foam Roll // Rested

Tuesday -- 2 Miles // Rained out -- Weight Lifted Instead

Wednesday -- Yoga // OFF

Thursday -- 2 Miles // Rained out -- stretched instead

Friday -- Prehab and Stretch// Weight Lifted & Stretched

Saturday -- 3 miles // 3 miles

Sunday -- OFF// OFF

 

Torrential downpours this week, left me washed out.  Stiff/sore muscles left me stretching and resting instead of pushing it too much.

How it felt

 

The weight lifting workouts I included this week were not intense.  In the past they were "recovery" workouts -- to keep my muscles moving without pushing it...

Tuesday was a wakeup call!  I'm out of shape!!

What was once almost a joke -- because it was so easy -- was actually really challenging and left me feeling it for days...  By Friday, I was still feeling the burn, sort to speak.

Goals for Next Week

• Fidelity to training plan!!!!!!!
• Nutrition -- eat like an athlete!
• New goal  --  read a chapter of my book per week.

 

What are you goals this week?

How did last week's training go for you?  

How do you stay motivated throughout training?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marathon Update Monday

Marathon Update:

Life is definitely full of twists and turns -- my plan for my very first Marathon has changed, again.

The date has moved from March 3rd to April 3rd -- adding another 4 weeks to my training cycle.  This is both a good and a bad thing.  Good because more training means more prepared.  Bad because it's even further away :(

Why?

I had to move my marathon date due to scheduling conflicts beyond my control.  Darn you adult-ing!! Full of responsibilities and stuff... BOO!

Turning stumbling blocks into stepping stones

I'm going to use my additional 4 weeks to do a "prep" cycle -- where I'll do lower mileage and focus on quality miles versus quantity.  I'm also going to hope that these extra weeks will help when it comes to "adjusting for weather".

Have you ever had to adjust your race dates?  

How did this effect your motivation?  

What stumbling blocks have you had to turn to stepping stones?

Tuesday Treat Day #1

This Tuesday treat day is the start of something official -- I'm going to have a treat day every Tuesday of my marathon training cycle -- to keep my spirits up and to reward my hard work.  Some of these treats will be free (self care, nap, meditate, relax, etc...) and some of these treats will cost a small amount of money but nothing too wild.

The last few Tuesday Treat Days went along almost unnoticed -- I have been alternating self care (skin brushing, meditations, naps) and going to the nail salon and getting Gel Manicures.  If you're prone to breaking your nails or chipping nail polish, gel is for you!

It literally will last 2 weeks or more and I am HARD on my nails...  I make my nails suffer through all of the following and more...

• I do dishes by hand (no dishwasher :(... )
• I am constantly digging through boxes, bins, drawers, etc... at work
• I type NON-STOP
• I scratch my dog -- he loves it
• I pull weeds in the garden
• I fight with the copier and printers at my work daily
• I cook!  (Love trying new recipes from scratch! -- Leave me some in the comments/replies if you have a great one to try!)
• I lift/workout -- dumbbells, barbells, kettle-bells, burpees, pushups, ... this polish will last!

Last Tuesday, I went in for my manicure and decided on a beige-grey color that I'm loving!  It's so perfect for the gloomy rainy fall weather we've been having!

This Tuesday, I decided on a Starbucks Flat White -- which is a must try if you've never had it.  It's super rich, frothy, foamy, strong espresso drink that feels so decadent.

Tall Flat White with 2% 140 Calories

Tall Pumpkin Spice Latte with 2% w/Whip - 300 Calories w/o Whip - 240 Calories

The top layer of milky foam is so light and micro-foamy that it feels like whipped cream.  I got a tall with 2% milk which only set me back about 140 calories -- which is just right for a treat.  Compared to my old Fall favorite, a tall pumpkin spice latte with 2% milk, which has over twice the calories of the Flat White -- 300.  Even if you skip the whipped cream (which is arguably the best part) it'll still clock in at 240 calories.

So for this treat Tuesday, I saved 100 calories and still felt like I was treating myself... yum!

What will you do to treat yourself?  

How often do you remember to re-center and re-focus during your training?  

Do bigger rewards work for you or smaller more regular ones?

Weeks 3 & 4 of Marathon Training

Blah!

The last two weeks have been just been "BLAH"!  I'm sure you were probably able to tell this from the last few posts.  My runs have been a mix of good and bad.  My moods have been a mix of highs and lows.  Enough excuses... here's how the weeks went

Week 3 Planned//Actual

Monday -- Cross Train // Rested

Tuesday -- 25 min run // OFF

Wednesday -- XT // OFF

Thursday -- 25 min run // Ran 38 mins

Friday -- OFF//OFF

Saturday -- 5 miles // OFF

Sunday -- OFF//OFF

Week 4 Planned //Actual

Monday -- Cross Train // Yoga

Tuesday -- 30 min run // Ran for 25 mins

Wednesday -- XT // Stretching + REST

Thursday -- 30 min run // Ran 27 mins

Friday -- OFF//OFF

Saturday -- 3 miles // OFF

Sunday -- OFF//3 miles easy + 0.6 mile walk

How am I feeling

After the tragic loss of a family member, running seemed impossible (notice Week 3).  But the more that time passes, the more life is returning to normal (week 4).

My body feels fine -- I'm actually acclimating to the new shoes, remember to stretch a bit more, and eating what feels good and makes me feel good.

Goals for Week 5

• Fidelity to training plan - 100%
• Listening to my body -  (i.e. -- sleep when tired, eat when hungry, stop when full, stretch and recover when sore...)
• New goal  --  read a physical book.

What are you goals this week?

 How did last week's training go for you?  

How do you bounce back after a sad/tragic/stressful life event?

Rained Out!

The eastern seaboard of the US is being hit by hurricane Joaquin.  Even here in my little town -- far from the beaches -- we are feeling the effects.  It has literally rained every day this week.  This crazy weather has flooded our streets, broken tree branches, and caused all around chaos with my running plan.

Photo Courtesy of Cnn.com

Normally, I try to run outdoors as much as possible and sprinkle in a few treadmill runs whenever it feels right.  This makes running on the treadmill, something that is normally a bit like slow torture, bearable -- since it feels like a treat.  Unfortunately, when I have to run inside, it's like the worst thing ever.  Each minute feels like an hour, each mile a marathon -- not enjoyable.

To spare myself from 5 miles of unbearable boredom today, I'm deciding to diversify instead.  I will be using my very small in home gym (i.e. adjustable barbells and a yoga mat) to complete a CrossFit WOD instead.

This will give me a bit of cardio, a bit of strength, and then at the end I will stretch stretch stretch.

What do you do when it's raining?
What do you do if it won't stop pouring?
What type of indoor workouts keep you sane?

Week 2 of Marathon Training

This week's Workouts

Monday -- Walk/stretch/XT

Tuesday -- 20-35 min run

Wednesday -- Walk/stretch/XT

Thursday -- 20-35 min run

Friday -- Off/Stretch

Saturday -- 4 mile run

Sunday -- OFF

How did it go?

Monday -- Walked/stretched

Tuesday -- 35 min run outside, overcast/cloudy 65 degrees, Lovely run!

Wednesday -- Stretched

Thursday -- 20 min run inside on treadmill, bored, wanted it to be over...

Friday -- OFF

Saturday -- 4 miles, drizzly/misty, 65 degrees & cloudy -- Listened to podcasts and had an amazing run!

Sunday -- OFF

This week's eating plan

Saw this youtube video which is a Ted talk about intuitive eating...

Intuitive eating:

• Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're full -- 
• Nothing is off limits -- eat what brings you joy
• Eat mindfully with limited distractions
• Enjoy each and every bite

How did it go?

Physically -- Down 1.4 pounds (maybe even more) from last week.  More in touch with body's needs.  Getting to know what hunger feels like, what fullness feels like, and how uncomfortable it is to be too fully or to have indigestion from eating too fast.

Mentally -- So relaxed!  Not thinking about food every minute of every day.  Honoring myself, my body's changing needs, and my hunger.  Not constantly reprimanding myself about "good" or "bad" choices -- food is food... some will recharge me and fulfill me better than others, sure, but that doesn't make them bad... Emotionally an apple can be as emotionally fulfilling as an apple pie and my body knows the difference.

How did your week go?

 What eating rules do you make yourself?  

Are you in touch with your body's needs?

Last Training Run & Some Randoms...

How did that happen?

Today I ran 3 miles on the treadmill at a medium/hard pace.  This marks the last training run before my half marathon!  I can't believe it!  I really can't!  How did this happen?  It feels like I blinked and boom race day is this weekend!!
 

Here are some Random pictures from this training cycle:

• Running for over 3 hours with this very old iPod nano in my shorts pocket killed it!  Apparently my body heat and perspiration were enough to render it dead...  
• I'm always hungry -- and you wouldn't like me when I'm hungry.  Keeping snacks like these pretzels stashed in my office help calm the beast.
    
• I've dabbled in baking with yeast lately.  I've successfully created pizza dough, dinner rolls, and now Cinnamon Rolls (as seen below).  They are my current obsession and I want one or ten every single day.  SO GOOD!  
• 

I've also become slightly obsessed with naps --- I've never been a good napper, but lately I've had one after every long run and felt SO MUCH BETTER after each one.  Naps on a normal day just result in me lying awake in bed staring at the ceiling or my phone.  Naps after a long run result in serious sleeping -- with drool and messy hair and everything -- but I wake up less sore and less stiff!

How is your training going?  

Have you ever killed an Ipod?  

What's your current food obsession?

Week 7 of Half Marathon Training

Seven weeks!!  It's almost race day!!!  

Progress report

This weeks runs were a mix of indoor and outdoor with my longest run outside.

Here’s what I had scheduled for this week:

• Tuesday –2 mile walk 2 mile run 2 mile walk -- On treadmill at work.  Felt good!
• Thursday – 3 miles easy.  This run felt REALLY good.  I was able to run out at a good pace without feeling exhausted.  
• Saturday – 11 mile long run at super easy pace.  I forced myself to run even slower than I could so I would focus solely on distance instead of speed/time.  This run took a lot out of me, but was SO encouraging!  I felt it in my body, but I was able to do it!! :D

Goals for this week

• Try to stay calm!  I've been freaking out about the 3.5 hour time limit, the rain, spending the night with a friend the night before, etc... YUCK
• Stay focused on the goal -- my goal is to finish!  Not in any set amount of time.  I'm just going to try my best and do what I can

How were your runs this week?

How is your training going?

Do you fuel and/or hydrate mid-run?

Tuesday treat day!

Today I treated myself to 

• a treadmill run to beat the heat and humidity 
  

  

• Starbucks snack after run!  This tasty passion tango tea and a chocolate chip cookie!  They were BOGO!!

• Pancakes and turkey sausage for breakfast!
• A nap!!
• Homemade pizza for supper!!

How did you treat yourself today?

What's your favorite pizza topping?

Do you take naps as treats??

Week 4 of Half Marathon Training

Four weeks!!  We have reached the halfway point! 

Progress report

This weeks runs were all outdoors and a little later in the morning to get some heat training in. I was blessed by cool weather on my long run day!

Here’s what I had scheduled for this week:

• Tuesday – 1 mile walk 4 mile run 1 mile walk. On this day I ran two miles instead of four and had pasta in my stomach.  Not good!  Ended up throwing up – I was reminded of the scene in Band of Brothers when the mean drill sergeant fed his men a huge pasta dinner and then made them run in full gear up a 20 mile hill. Ugh. 
• Thursday – four miles easy.  This run felt good.  I was able to run out at a good pace without feeling exhausted.  
• Saturday – rested instead of racking up more miles
• Sunday – 6.5 miles at an easy conversational pace.  Pushed this one a bit too much and felt wasted!  

Goals for this week

• Try including different fuel and hydration strategies on long run
• Try new shoes!!!

How were your runs this week?

How is your training going?

Do you fuel and/or hydrate mid-run?

Week 3 of Half Marathon Training

Progress Update:

Yesterday marked the end of Week 3 of my Half Marathon Training.  In total, I've been in training for 12 weeks!  I can't even believe it!

This week I had the following scheduled:

• Tuesday -- Walk 2 mi, run 3 mi, Walk 2 mi -- Treadmill
• Thursday -- 3 Miles easy -- Treadmill
• (missed) --Walk 2 mi, run 2 mi, walk 2 mi
• Sunday -- 5 miles easy -- Road Run!

I was able to finish all the runs except the second walk/run combo.  I'm glad I missed it because the 5 miler ended up taking a toll on me.  I'll be stretching later today for sure -- maybe even doing a little icing!

Goals for This week:

• Complete all Runs -- make most of them outside!  (The race will be outside after all!)
• Eat Consistently and with Fueling in Mind (Since I'm addicted to tracking each bite I eat, I'll be using myfitnesspal.com but only to ensure I'm consuming enough fuel).
• Sleep in at least once (I love sleep!)
• Enjoy at least 1 fun outing with hubby

What are your goals this week?

How was your last week of training?  

Have you tried anything new lately?