Friday, January 29, 2010

Don't Forgetta Mezzetta!

This is my guilty pleasure. I am salivating just THINKING about these babies!!! First and foremost is the Peperoncini. I buy a big jar of the sliced peperoncini and I eat them with EVERYTHING! I put them on my salad, eggs, meat, sandwiches, pizza... mmm. They are OH SO GOOD!Number two is this Italian Mix Giardiniera. For only 5 pieces there is zero fat and only a very small amount of calories {though the sodium content is a little high}. Great as hor devours or as a snack. These roasted peppers are DIVINE I tell you! Sweet and oh so good! Like CANDY!! We put them on meat, sandwiches and salads too. Oh goodness, there go my salivating glands again!! And lastly, their olives. Oh My HECK!!! I LOVE green olives, they are too yummy. These jalapeno stuffed ones are killer!!
I haven't tried these bleu cheese stuffed olives but you can bet that I WILL be!!Do I sound like a paid advertisement or some infomercial yet? Sorry. But I love these. What's something that you've just GOT to have?

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Sweet Sweet Sweat!

So this morning I dragged my lazy butt out of bed EARLY and went to Turbo Jam. I haven't been in MONTHS. There was a great reunion with all my ladies there and I am fired up all over again! I was worried that it was going to be rough but I kicked butt!! She did a new routine and varied between Turbo and Pilates... SWEET MAMA {as my kids love to say}.

I have a new resolve to get back on schedule with them. Especially since it's FREE. We are moving nearly 30 minutes away in a few weeks so it's going to be even harder to get up that early and go but I won't regret it... and I probably will if I don't!! So new plan. Go to Turbo as often as possible until Hawkeye leaves in July. Thats. It. No. Excuses!

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Eat The Rainbow

I have ALWAYS been a veggie kind of girl. Even before fast food had good salads, that was what I ALWAYS ordered {and still do}. I LOVE LOVE LOVE fruits & veggies. And I am EVER so happy that I found a man that loves them too. Our kids are following right in our footsteps and I am SO relieved. I will admit, though, that I've got one little man who has always struggled. It's a texture thing; he hates apples but loves applesauce. We've come a long way but he far from LOVES them!

We have always told our kids the crazy superhuman things foods do for our bodies. Things like: carrots help you see in the dark. Spinach helps your red blood cells carry lots of oxygen in their red Corvettes. Bananas help your body absorb nutrients. Tomatoes help you have a strong heart. Blueberries feed your brain so you can be smart. It gets them hyped about eating healthy; and they aren't too far off from the truth!

I always try to have a green salad made up and in the fridge. Hawkeye & I eat them for lunch and we have them with every dinner {unless we're a day or two from pay day, which usually means I'm plum out of produce}. We also have a veggie on the side and sometimes a fruit. And we try to have strictly vegetarian meals every once in awhile too. These guys are good about eating their salads {the boys don't even like dressing on their salads!!!}

Out latest tactic has been our new family motto: Eat The Rainbow. We talk about what colors we are eating and what those foods do for our bodies. We want them to have a love of ALL fruits and vegetables. It's been so fun to have these little minds grasp the awesomeness of what each one does for us.

One of my BIGGEST pet peeves is when I hear about ADULTS who won't eat vegetables; like they are 2 years old throwing a fit over a piece of broccoli. Grow up people!!!

How colorful is your plate?

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Troubles

I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me! ~Dr. Seuss

Monday, January 25, 2010

Good Deed

Today I had a TON of laundry to do. CRAPPY since we don't have a washer & dryer anymore {we sold them when we sold the house, but don't you -or me- fret, we'll have a new set when we move next month} Luckily my sweet sweet in-laws more than graciously opened their home 24/7 for me to come an wash load after load of laundry. We've been doing that for a lovely 5-6 months now.

ANYWAY {sorry for the tangent} we got dumped on last night with a fabulous couple inches of snow!! I had a BRILLIANT idea to shovel their driveway in between loads!! I LOVE shoveling snow; our little sidewalk just doesn't do it for me! So I was giddy with excitement to be able to shovel their WHOLE driveway, circle & all!

It felt great! It took me 70 minutes to finish; all but one TINY part that I didn't get to, but they'll knock it out in no time with their plow. Yes, they have a plow and could have done the very same job {plus the part I neglected} in no time at all but what's the fun in that?! It was a fabulous workout {burning over 400 calories}. Plus I got to do a good deed for a couple people who are ALWAYS doing wonderful things for me & my family.

Oh, and I shoveled our sidewalk, the neighbors sidewalk AND their driveway. So tack on another 30 minutes of shoveling, plus the 30 minute run... I burned some MAJOR. CALORIE. BUTT. today!!

From the Front Lines (kinda)

Hello Fitness Blogger World! Hawkeye checking in with my weekly (at least that’s the assignment I’ve been given) progress update. A little about me before I begin- I’m a physically active father of four in my early thirties preparing for the adventure of joining the Army. I’m fortunate enough to be married to your ever gracious and (if I do say so) incredibly attractive hostess. In preparation for boot camp I’m training for a marathon and doing some muscle building routines. Here’s the skinny on how it’s going so far.

Jeff Galloway Marathon Training Week 7- I love this schedule. By the time I’m done with my run on Mondays and Wednesdays I’m still aching for more. I’ve been trying to push myself to really maximize the thirty minutes. Sometimes I imagine a Drill Sergeant screaming in my ear ‘YOU THINK YOU HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO LEAD FROM THE FRONT HAWKEYE?’ and then I bump the treadmill up a notch or two. I’m looking forward to the next few weeks when the Saturday runs are longer. My legs are begging for it.

100 Push Ups Week 1- Let me just say that I hate push ups. Always have. I have been blessed with a slender build that easily keeps weight off but the downside is that my shoulders are built like those of a middle school girl’s. At the beginning of the week (I’m following a 6 week program even though I could begin in the middle {I can knock out 45 if I really push it}) the sets seemed really easy. By Saturday I was really having to dig deep to knock them all out. Little did I know that I had looked at the wrong set of numbers and was doing what I should have been doing for the sit ups routine- Doh! Next week should seem easy now ;)

200 Sit Ups Week 1- Great week for my abs. Because of how the 200 sit ups routine is set up you shoot for a max each day after a taxing group of sets. Each day I exceeded the recommended number for the max! Wahoo! I know it won’t always be so ‘easy’ but it’s nice to start strong. I’ll keep you updated

Hawkeye over and out.

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Ah Yeah Baby!

"A lot of people run a race to see who's the fastest. I run to see who has the most guts." -Steve Prefontaine

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Coming SOON!

I am WAY excited about this. In preparation for our marathon in June & Basic Training in July, Hawkeye {I think that suits him more than "Stonewall"} has set up an awesome workout schedule for himself. AND he's agreed to post about it!!

So he's already been following the same marathon training schedule as me {see Jeff Galloway's link on the sidebar}. That's going great. NOW he's started his strength training; perfectly scheduled to land him right into Boot Camp. Here it is:

January 18 - March 2: 100 Pushups & 200 Situps Challenges {see links on the sidebar}. Three days a week performs a given number of reps & sets building up to March 2nd, when he knocks out 100 pushups & 200 situps in a row. Perfect prep for Boot Camp.

March 8 - June 5: P90X. Intense workouts. Due to marathon training may have to substitute some of the cardio workouts for running; though I think his plan & hope is to do them both.

June 7 - June 20: Two weeks of rest. Though the first week will still be training for the marathon that lands on the 12th. Second week will be full rest.

June 21 - July 10: 100 Pushups & 200 Situps Challenges. Only 3 weeks of the 6 week program so the plan is to start halfway through and just finish off the last 3 weeks. OR push for more than the 100 & 200.

July 11: Leave for Basic.

Be watching for his progress & results; they are going to be AMAY-ZA-ZING!!

Friday, January 22, 2010

What the HECK!!

Okay so I'm definitely frustrated. I have oddly been gaining weight. Not too big of a deal but I have gained more SINCE the holidays than I gained DURING the holidays. What's up with that? I am working out regularly, so I'm telling myself that it's MUSCLE from all the strength training I've been doing... don't pop my bubble, my self esteem is on the line!

I haven't had a computer for nearly a week; the darn thing just decided not to start one day. I was in a panic for fear of the THOUSANDS of pictures and important files that I thought were surely lost. Luckily I just got the darling back from the computer-fixer-man and he was able to recover it all... sigh. I will now be busy completing the back-up files I had begun earlier; though now I will be sure to finish!!! I'm so happy to have it all back!!!

We're moving AGAIN. This will be #7 in 10 years. Moving sucks! I'm looking forward to this move though. New house. 1 acre. Out in the country. Closer to my family {and still close to my husband's family}. More room. Better school. It's going to be FABULOUS!!!

Still training hard and feeling great. I am hoping to run on Saturdays {my big run day} with some friends. We went out last Saturday and it was great fun. And I scored BIG time... my friend's husband offered to watch my kids too... maybe I should build him a cake or something! Thanks D, you're so awesome! 5 miles tomorrow, it's going to be GREAT!

Friday, January 15, 2010

Weight Loss Secrets

The Reader's Digest had a couple AWESOME articles this month. Today I'm going to highlight their article "Weight Loss Secrets from around the world" by Joe Kita. It's safe to say that we are not the only people who are trying to manage our weight and our health. A global poll was done and these are the results.

Every culture has their own way of managing weight in a sense. There are traditions that govern the way we eat, when we eat, how much we eat and what we eat. I thought is was SO COOL. My family actually buys into a lot of these things already and we are excited to try out a few others as well!!

THAILAND: Like spicy food? Thailand is the place for you. They've got some of the spiciest food in the world! Now I've always known that spicy food raises your metabolism but this article says that it's not just that but that because of the spicy food, you eat SLOWER!! Which is a great habit!!

UNITED KINGDOM: We've all heard about fast food sizes being completely over the top huge right?! Well in the UK you won't be ASKED about super sizing your meal. They prefer smaller portions. A large Coke in the US has 100 more calories than one in the UK!

BRAZIL: Rice and beans are served with practically EVERY MEAL! Low in fat, high in fiber! Brazilians are well known for having beautiful beach bods!!

INDONESIA: Fast. As in, skip a meal or two every now and then. They fast from dawn to dusk. They connect this with breaking mindless eating patterns.

POLAND: {Can I just say that I SWEAR by this one? LOVE IT!} Poles spend about 5% {got that?} of their budget eating out!!! In comparison, the average American family spends 37%!!! Seriously. Knock it off!

GERMANY: {again, one I can't encourage enough...} EAT BREAKFAST!!! 75% of Germans eat breakfast DAILY. Yeah, just 44% of American claim the same! What are they eating? Fruit, Whole-grain cereals and breads.

NETHERLANDS: These people know how to get around... on a bike that is!! BIKES outnumber people! 54% of Dutch use their bikes DAILY!! The average Dutchman pedals 541 miles per year! AND they also consume about 85 MILLION herring per year!!! Herring is one of those oily fishes that has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids.

SWITZERLAND: Muesli: porridge made from oats, fruit and nuts. The Swiss eat it for breakfast or evening dish. Loads of fiber and those ingredients are all linked to better health and weight control.

RUSSIA: Grow your own fruits & veggies! Eat them. Can them. They're SO good for you!

MALAYSIA: Curry. {oh, I LOVE curry} Studies with mice have shown that the ingredients in curry gained less weight. But besides that, curry just rocks!

HUNGARY: Pickled things {cucumbers, bell peppers, cabbage, tomatoes...} can help reduce blood pressure, blood sugar levels and the formation of fat!

NORWAY: I think I need to move to Norway; I'd fit right in!! EVERYONE {no matter the season} goes on a hike on Sunday, well practically everyone! They go walking, hiking, cross country skiing... GREAT; sign me up!

INDIA: Yoga. Yoga is awesome! I love yoga! It is great for stress, flexibility & it facilitates weight loss too!

JAPAN: Apparently everyone in Japan takes a 20-30 minute nap every day! Chronic sleep deprivation raises the risk of weight gain. Who knew?!

FINLAND: Nordic walking. {Okay Norway, I may have to choose Finland instead... sorry}. Basically it's hiking with poles or sticks any time of year. Because you're using poles you are burning more calories too. Plus your OUTSIDE getting loads of fresh air. I'm convinced!!

MEXICO: My husband has been telling me this for YEARS!! 1. Eat breakfast. 2. Eat a BIG lunch {between 2-4}. 3. Eat a SMALL dinner. Well, here it is in writing. Here's the thought. You eat the majority of your calories between 2-4 and you burn them off during the day. Eat a small dinner and you'll be hungry in the morning and actually eat breakfast every day. Makes a lot of sense!

So. There you have it. Tips from around the world! Thank you Joe Kita for this article. I loved it!

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Sentimental

Okay, I admit it. I am a sentimental sap! This year is going to be FULL of sentimental events and I can't wait!! Here are a few of the things I am looking forward to this year:

February - 10 years ago I got engaged to my best friend at Grand Targhee Ski Resort. We will be going back to celebrate. Two/three days of snowboarding, snowshoeing, sitting in the hot tub, relaxing at the spa... It's going to be AWESOME!

March - My sweet little girl will be turning 8 years old and will be getting baptized! It's going to be a very special day for our family! Click HERE if you'd like to learn more about what we believe.

June - 10 year anniversary with said man of my dreams! Not sure exactly what we're doing but I'm sure we'll be going to Benihana's SOMEWHERE. We ate there on our honeymoon and go there for a lot of special occasions.

June - First marathon EVER. I will be running with my man. It is just a couple weeks before he leaves for boot camp. It's going to be a COOL experience for us.

July - Marathon #2. Me and my sister-in-law will be running this one together. It's a race that winds around my old stomping grounds. I am SO excited for this race. It's going to be beautiful. Two mom's getting back in shape and having a great time.

August - I will be running in the Tacoma Narrows Half Marathon. I have a cousin who I am hoping to run with. She is my HERO!! She's been working hard to be healthy and get in shape. I can not begin to tell you how proud I am of this girl!!! I am trying to work my magic on a few other cousins too.

December - A brief reunion with Stonewall for Christmas. I am planning on an Army Christmas. Lots of projects and crafts will need to be done. It's going to be SWEET!

When it comes to running and races, I am NOT focusing on time AT ALL. I am in it for the experience and the sentimentality of it all. AND I am looking forward to toning up this hot bod and enjoying the ride. This is going to be a GREAT year!!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

The Pursuit of HappYness

I am taking the day off today, my knee was bothering me yesterday after my run {I REALLY REALLY need new shoes} so I've iced the thing and I am going to rest it up really good. But this has given me the chance to write about something that I am VERY passionate about. Being HAPPY!

I am a happy person. I like to look on the bright side of things and see my glass as overflowing {rather than just half full}. Over the past couple years I have tried to distance myself from negativity in general. In addition I have really been focusing on good things and I can not even begin to tell you how AWESOME it is!

I've always been the kind of person who cares too much about what people think about me. I finally decided that I'm NOT a mind reader and really I have NO IDEA what someone REALLY thinks about me. So I just don't CARE what kind of looks or nasty vibes I THINK they are sending my way.

I have made a VERY conscientious effort to focus on the good things. Life can throw all kinds of crazy things at a person but I am CONVINCED that if you're more focused on the good things, no matter how "small", those will be the things that you'll remember!

For example, there was a REALLY rough time for our family awhile back. The economy has had it's nasty effects on a lot of people and we were keenly aware of how crappy it was. Many tears were shed and late nights discussing our options. Despite that we tried VERY hard to keep our kids in the dark about it. We did A LOT of little things that summer. And now when I look back on that time and see all those fun little things... I hardly remember how difficult a time it really was. I just remember all the fun that we had together!

Since that time life has brought with it a lot more ups and down, challenges and triumphs. And it will continue to do so. But I can GUARANTEE you that we will be smiling our way through it.

Here's to finding HappYness!

Saturday, January 9, 2010

BMR

I just found THEE most AWESOME website!! I am ELATED, EXCITED, ECSTATIC even!!! Check THIS out! Ever heard of your BMR? It stands for Basal Metabolic Rate, it's the number of calories needed to sustain life. So basically, it's the number of calories you would burn if you never even got out of bed during the day.

WHY is this so cool?!! Because if you can calculate your BMR {which I am going to show you HOW} you can calculate how many calories you should make sure to INTAKE on a daily basis so that you can BURN or GAIN weight! {Like the "BURN weight" jargon? I like it better than "LOSE weight", but that's just me}

So the article I linked above is seriously CHUCK FULL of info. It's got EVERYTHING you need to know about BMR's and what to do with that number!! It's just AWESOME!! But the jist of it is this:

*Figure your BMR. Click HERE {or use the link above} All you need to do is enter your height, weight, age and gender and the calculator will do the rest.
*Figure your CALORIC NEEDS. Are you trying to burn, maintain or gain weight? The link above will tell you how to do this.
*Adjust your caloric intake &/or your activity level according to your goal. If you're wanting to burn weight then you'd best be increasing your activity level and decreasing your caloric intake!

What I LOVE though and a MUST read is the part about adjusting PROPERLY!!! We don't want anybody going crazy!!! Adjust your caloric intake gradually.

I just think this is so GREAT! How COOL is it that we have tools like this available?!!

Friday, January 8, 2010

Ice or Heat?

I have been thinking more on the heat/ice debate. Ice seems to be the answer {even though heat sounds more appealing}. Ice should be used after a good hard workout; your muscles are strained, they've been worked hard. Ice makes your blood vessels smaller which reduced swelling. Heat does the opposite!

I found THIS little article that I found super helpful. A couple points they made are:

*Applying heat to a muscle strain within the first 24 hours will actually increase swelling and pain!!
*Ice for 20 minutes! {This is what we did with my man's back last week and it worked WONDERS!!}

So though a good long soak in a hot tub sounds like HEAVEN; it's best if you hold off for a day!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Meal Plan

My good friend requested that I post a monthly menu. I debated for a second whether or not I should; I wondered if we practice what we preach!! But part of my philosophy with nutrition and health is being REAL. Feeding a family of 6 good and nutritious foods in this economy {with our income being in retail sales... not exactly lucrative at the moment} can be REALLY hard!! So we make exceptions and do our best. It IS possible to be healthy even if you can't afford to eat all natural foods; we eat A LOT of rice, pasta, potatoes... it's all about portions!

So just last night I worked out our meal plan and my man did the shopping this morning. We haven't been to the grocery store FOREVER so we had to do things a little differently. Albertsons had a GREAT sale on meat so we stocked up and then built our meals around that. So here you have it; this is what we'll be eating for the rest of the month! We don't set specific meals to specific days, we just have a list and pick what we're in the mood for.

BREAKFAST: {you will NOT find cold cereal on this list!!! Do NOT skip this meal!! It boosts your metabolism & decreases urges to snack! It's the MOST important meal of the day!!}

720's {a breakfast roll that the man made up, it's like a mix between a breakfast burrito and a cinnamon roll. Hard to explain but KILLER DELICIOUS!!}
Quiche - loaded with meat & veggies
Omelets
Biscuits & Gravy
Breakfast Burritos
Breakfast Sandwiches
Pancakes
Waffles
Huevo Ranchero {our version has refried beans in addition to eggs, corn tortillas and salsa}
Eggs, Hashbrowns & Toast
Eggs, Sausage & Grits
Oatmeal
Malt O'Meal
FRUIT - we eat A LOT of fruit
Smoothies {pre workout, with protein for the man... he keeps encouraging me to add it to mine too}

LUNCH: {Our lunches are generally the EASY meal of the day.}

Leftovers
Turkey Sandwiches
PBJ's
Mac & Cheese {homemade ONLY}
Chicken Salad

SNACK: {after school the kids are usually REALLY hungry. So they have a snack before hitting their homework}

Turkey Rolls {tortillas with turkey, cheese and pickles}
Cold Cereal {IF we have any}
Sandwiches
Fruit {usually apples, bananas or oranges}
Crackers with turkey & cheese

DINNER: {A lot of our dinners are the fix it & forget it type (crockpot). I teach piano & violin lessons after school and I rarely have time to fix a good dinner after wards. Keep in mind that with MOST of these meals there will be a green salad as well; we also try to have some type of veggie &/or fruit side. We also on occasion will have desert, usually on Monday (family night), but not often}

Loaded Chicken w/ mashed potatoes
Reuben Sandwiches
Open Faced Sandwiches
Roast Chicken w/ potatoes, carrots & onions
Pork Chops w/ CousCous
Russian Pork Loin w/ rice
Beef Roast w/ baked potatoes
Elk Meat Loaf w/ mashed potatoes
Spaghetti Carbonara
Spaghetti {loaded with veggies}
Chili w/ baked potatoes
Hawaiian Haystacks
Tacos
Veggie Burritos
Shepherds Pie
Pizza {homemade}
Chicken Noodle Soup {using leftover chicken from roasted chicken}
Chicken Enchiladas {also using leftover chicken}
Curry w/ rice {using leftover beef from roast}
Leftover Night {we have to schedule at least one of these a week, sometimes two. We make up menus by what is leftover in the fridge. We have waiters and a chef. VERY FANCY!

So there it is. We VERY RARELY eat out. We drink A LOT of water. I'd LOVE to see what's on YOUR table... with the adjoining recipe of course!!

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Preventing Injury

I have been lucky in that I haven't EVER really injured myself {KNOCK ON WOOD}. I listen to my body. I rest when I need to and push hard when I need to. This week I worked my legs HARD {thank you Jillian Michaels, it ROCKED}. Well the next day it didn't rock so much; I was pretty sore. That same day my husband pretty much spent the entire day shoveling HEAVY snow. He got us dug out and while he was at work he had to shovel TWICE! We were DUMPED on! He hurt his back in the process; we were quite the pair!!

So I set to work to fix us both up but lo and behold I had NOTHING for us!! No ice packs; only one bag of frozen veggies {don't judge, we haven't been to the store for awhile} and nothing else that would work! No IcyHot. No ICE even!! Thank goodness for my in-laws who let us borrow an ice pack and some BIOFREEZE & my sister gave each of us a rice pack for Christmas. They saved the day!!

This little ordeal has added quite a few things to our shopping list!! And it's got me thinking about how to prevent a real INJURY!

What I already knew:
*Get yourself a good pair of shoes! Speaking of which, I am DESPERATELY in need of a new pair; I am LONG overdue! Though I hate that they still look so great, but that doesn't matter. You should replace your shoes somewhere between 350-550 miles, depending on your running style, body weight, and running surface.
*REST!! Your body needs recovery time!!! I NEVER run two days in a row {if I can help it}. Same goes for strength training {even abs}, your muscles need time to repair and recover between workouts. I really can't stress this one enough!
*Stretch!!! I really make a point to warm up, stretch, workout, cool down and stretch again. That last stretch I like to be a good one too! You're less likely to be sore and you'd definitely prevent injury by simply stretching after each workout!
*Drink A LOT of water! Without adequate water intake your muscles will be more tired and more likely to be pulled or strained.

Healthy Ashley did a post on the subject that is GREAT! Check it out! She has some other great tips too! What do YOU do to prevent injury? Seriously... I'd love to know!

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Yukon Charlie

Today was GREAT! I decided to break out my Yukon Charlies and go for a little walk around a nearby lake. It was AWESOME!The scenery was great. I could have gone for an even more secluded place but this was the best I could do. I still managed to break my own trail and enjoy the fairly fresh snow!
I got a great little workout too! I did a few switchbacks of sorts, up and down the banks. It felt FABULOUS! I can't wait to go again!!

When I started looking to see how many calories are burned when snowshoeing I found that it depends on a few different things: terrain, snow conditions {packed or powder}, pace {& whether or not you use poles... I did}, and your body size. So according to MY calculations I burned somewhere between 350-450 calories in about 45 minutes. SA-WEET!

A couple things that I LOVE about snowshoeing. It doesn't cost much; buy or rent your shoes and then you're good to go! I get to be OUTSIDE & in the SNOW {one of my first loves}. It's a GREAT workout that's FUN! Definitely something you should try... given you are lucky enough to live where there's snow!

Check out THIS article; it's cool!

1 YEAR

One year ago I started the wee little blog. I just wanted to keep track of my goals and progress. My personal fitness journal. It morphed as I learned things along the way. Thank you all for visiting... for your comments... for your support. I'm excited to see what this next year will bring!! BRING IT!!!

Monday, January 4, 2010

My Story

All this 2010... New Year... Resolution... Goals... talk has got me thinking. I have thought a lot lately about being healthy and what holds people back from actually DOING what they NEED to do to get what they ultimately WANT. I've thought about my own health history and the journey I'm on.

WAY back in high school I was VERY active. I participated in basketball, track & drill team. I had always been small but I still struggled with my self esteem {as most/all teens do} and I experimented with anorexia & bulimia for a couple years.

I got married young, 2 weeks after my 19th birthday. A year later I was pregnant with my first child. 17 months after she was born, our first son joined our family. 22 months later, another son. 3 1/2 years later we had our fourth child, another son. Four kids in 6 1/2 years. I wanted that and I defy anyone to criticize me for it.

This brings us to December 2008. My baby was 3 months old and I decided that I was going to change my LIFESTYLE. I have ALWAYS hated diets, I even HATE the WORD {in my opinion it's a four letter word for FAILURE}. I didn't have a lot to change, mostly I just needed to get off my butt and be more active; even chasing 4 kids around isn't enough! That and I needed to learn some portion control with my eating {a complete 180 from my teens}. I started this blog one year ago {TOMORROW} at first as a fitness journal; over 3000 hits later I can't help but hope that in helping myself, I may be helping others too.

My husband made the choice too and it has been AWESOME. We helped keep each other focused & motivated. We did this together and now we're both enjoying all the benefits! I also got my parents, siblings & their spouses/girlfriends to run a 5K with me last June. It was the start of a fun racing year with at least one race every month during the summer and fall. That continues to be a great motivator for me.

I continue workout regularly and I LOVE it. I eat healthy {yes I indulge but I deserve it too} but I'm not fanatical about it; I am trying to feed a family of 6 on a tight budget {thank you very much crappy economy}. I think more positively; I surround myself with positive, encouraging, supportive and happy people {that makes ALL the difference}.

So that was it, I changed the way I live.

What's YOUR story?

Friday, January 1, 2010

Brand New Year

I went back home a couple days ago to help my sister clean her room and teach her a piano & violin lesson. I came prepared with my running shoes and my snow shoes! I DIDN'T come prepared with a pack & play crib for the baby {yes, I still call him "baby" even though he's 15 months old}. That was a BIG mistake!!! He slept terribly and therefore I didn't sleep AT ALL!! I didn't let that get in the way of my workout though!! I borrowed my sister's under armor and I headed out the door for a beautiful winter run.

It had snowed A LOT the day and night before and I chose a run that was out in the sticks. 5 miles out & back with only a few homes breaking up the view of fields, trees and mountains. It was gorgeous. It was AWESOME!!! It was one of those runs that bring me peace. It was the PERFECT way to end 2009.

While I was running I thought about all the things I've accomplished this year, especially concerning my health. I was pretty proud of myself! I got rid of those baby pounds {20 pounds or so}. I ran in a number of races. I eat better and sleep better. My self esteem is higher & my energy level is higher. I look better but most importantly I FEEL better! I have succeeded in accomplishing some of my goals and it's only looking better from here!!

I am not a HUGE fan of New Year Resolutions. I feel like people all too often set goals too high and set themselves up for failure. I'm more for setting smaller goals more often. However, I am going to set a few goals for a more healthy self, and hopefully I don't become one of "those" people!

*Run a marathon {I have my eyes set on two, hopefully we can find babysitters}
*Keep my weight in my healthy range
*Surround myself with positive and kind people
*Cut out soda {though I will allow for RARE indulgence}
*Go to bed early and wake up early

Thank you for your support and encouragement. I hope that you too are finding success and that you're making the choices TODAY to live a HEALTHY life! Bring on another year!!!!

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