Self Image

One of my biggest struggles in two words: self image.  I have ALWAYS struggled with feeling beautiful.  The last 18 months - 2 years I have felt like a million bucks!  I was far from the perfect image of myself that I have in my head but I felt beautiful.  Well, since moving to Missouri, I have lost that feeling.  That confidence that I had. 

I attribute that loss of confidence to two things.  One, lack of exercise.  I have had great stints of working out here but overall I have been slacking.  With exercise comes energy and confidence and w/o the exercise I have been losing the benefits that come along with it!   

Two, weight gain.  I lost A LOT of weight while Travis was gone.  I was about 8 pounds below my "dream number", you know, the number that you always want to be at whether it's realistic or not!  I got some REALLY cute tiny girl clothes and a knock em dead formal dress for the ball.  It was fabulous.  Well, in a short amount of time, I gained 20 pounds.  Now I will admit that even with that 20 pounds I am still within my healthy weight range.  And now I'm pregnant and have put on 5 more pounds.  No clothes fit.  Every day I have to fight those stupid "I feel fat" demons.  I HATE looking at pictures of myself.  AGH!  I hate being in a funk!!

Oh and my HAIR!!!  I moved away from my amazing hair lady and I want to cry!!  She came to my house because she knew it was easier than getting someone to watch my kids!!  She didn't charge me half a months salary!  She was amazing and I loved how she did my hair.  Well I went to someone here to color it and I thought the color was OK but she charged me A TON and she didn't even touch it with scissors!  So the last time it was trimmed was 8 months ago and it was a mess.  I didn't want to go pay someone to do it so I trimmed it myself.  It's much healthier now but it needs styled.  In a bad way.  And it hasn't been colored for 5 months and it needs it something fierce.  Ugh, I hate when I feel like I have an ugly mop on my head.

GRR!!  I hate when I get like this.  Sorry to complain.  I know nobody likes to hear complaining and I am SO anti-negativity.  I'm not looking for sympathy or compliments or anything, I just needed to vent.  I KNOW that I'll get my hair done soon {I have a killer hairstylist waiting for me when we move}.  I KNOW I will feel better with exercise {even if I'm not trying to LOSE weight}.  And I know that those numbers are just numbers.  I will find some clothes that fit {I'm sure they are in a box somewhere} and will soon feel more pregnant that fat.       

The First Day of the Rest of your LIFE!

I wish I could carry this around with me all the time and play it to myself and others at that moment when it's needed most!!  

Dirty Thirty

30.  I haven't ever really liked that number.  I like numbers in the 20's.  2, 20 & 22 are my favorite numbers.  I like BEING in my 20's.  I like WEIGHING in the 120's.  Both are slipping away between my fingers and it makes me anxious.

I turn 30 in 39 days.  I never though turning 30 would bother me.  I hated being a teen and wanted to grow up so bad.  But now that it's here it feels like a big dark rain cloud rather than the beginning of a new and exciting part of life.

I am not going to complain &/or dwell on scale numbers.  You all KNOW I hate the number on a scale.  But I will admit that I sure love being in the LOW 120's.  I've slipped back up in to the low 130's and I have been STUCK there for months!  I am haunted by thoughts that with my new "AGE" it will only be harder for me to lose weight. 

SO.  I had to get that CRAP out of the way to make way for bigger and better things!  We are going to do something great for my 30th.  VOTE on what you think I should do on the sidebar or suggest more!  We've tossed around some fun ideas {could possibly combine}:

* A steamboat cruise on the Mississippi River
* Skydive
* Zipline above the Ozarks
* Tim McGraw Concert
* Dinner at the Melting Pot {fondue restaurant}
* Dinner at Benihana {OUR restaurant for special occasions}

Pretty fun right?!  If I'm going to be turning 30.  I might as well make it something to be happy about!


Now for fitness in my 30's.  Things are going to be different.  But this is what I've learned:

{from Runners World complete runner's guide}
* The average marathoner is 38.  Fast-twitch muscle fibers {used for sprinting} are in the decline, slow-twitch fibers are still strong making it easier to go for distance rather than speed. 
* On average those people in their 30's need 120 fewer calories per day {based on age 35 vs age 25}
* What really causes a slower metabolism is less lean body mass {caused by lack of strength training & less activity}.
* STRENGTH TRAINING!!!  Prevents sprains and strains by building up connective tissues around joints.  Resistance training also increases your running economy {you need less oxygen to attain a certain speed}  
* DO NOT SKIP MEALS. 

Some I already knew but these are things that are specific to runner's in their 30's. 

So is turning 30 going to be all that bad?  Nah.  We'll make the event itself something worth remembering.  I might even like being Sexy Thirty Fine & Flirty!

Confession

Last week was a total wash.  I mean complete. and. total. wash!  I didn't work out even one day!  Well, unless you count Friday and Saturday walking all over a theme park and back again!  My feet are KILLING me today and don't get me STARTED on my calves {HILL is officially a 4-letter word in my book}.

But ANYWAY.  Weeks end up like this sometimes.  I have reasons {ahem.... EXCUSES} that it ended up this way.  The good thing is, I'm not going to have another week like it!  THIS week is going to be GREAT!  The weather is looking POOPY so it looks like a treadmill week.  K-Lo's baby is out of the hospital so hopefully that means we'll get to have our Army Wives workout.  My freighbor isn't teaching preschool this week so we'll be on the treadmills.  Everything is set for a great week of caloric burn!

And on THAT note.  That's ANOTHER thing that's going to change.  We've indulged a little more than normal lately and I feel ICKY!  Seriously.  I feel heavy, greasy, frumpy and crappy.  Enough of the sweets and unnecessary snacking.  I'm going to EAT the good breakfasts I make for the kids.  That alone will help me throughout the day.  I'm going to drink more WATER {even if it is far from the perfect water of the valley}.  I'm going to take my vitamins. 

Simply put, I'm going to make better choices this week and I KNOW it will result in me feeling A LOT better next week than I do at this moment!  And I'm very much looking forward to it.  

Blasted Blisters & Bruises

It's no secret that my feet are, well, not so gorgeous. I take stinkin {hehe} good care of these babies; so they will take good care of me! I don't have athlete's foot, they aren't dry and cracking... so in that sense, they are quite nice!! My toenails are another story entirely!

I will spare you photos of my RIGHT foot's toes. But here is what my LEFT foot is looking like. My first bruised toenails of the year. There is at least one blister on each of these poor toes! And if you look on the left side of my little pinkie there is a brand spakin new bad boy blister. OUCH!At least once a week I really give me feet a pampering. I soak them in the tub first. One of these days, hopefully in the not too far future, I will be getting myself one of these beauties:
Then I give them a good scrubbing with a foot file. I can change the attachments for little blades for any really tough spots.Then a good fine filing. Feels SO GOOD!
Then I use a little cuticle cutter. I baby my blisters, usually popping and cutting off skin. Should I pop them? I don't know, but I do it anyway. I think it helps. The cuticle cutter helps get rid of the edges really well.Another thing I really want is a parafin bath! Oh wow I would love this baby!! But until then I skip that step and break out the fingernail polish and get those nails all gussied up! Then I slather my feet and ankles with a good lotion or foot cream. These are some of my favorites:Top them off with some really soft and fuzzy aloe infused socks!Then I curl up in bed with a good book!! The next morning my feet feel like a million bucks!!

Ugly Monster

I'm not trying to lose weight. I've been in what I feel is my perfect weight range for quite some time. But there is a part of me that is so frustrated. There is that STUPID number in my head that I want to be. That STUPID number that I am ALWAYS telling ya'll to ignore; and it's haunting me. That STUPID number is at the bottom of my ideal weight range and it's not far from where I am {we are talking 3 pounds, 5 pounds MAX}. I think that's part of why I'm so frustrated.

I have been avoiding the scale more than usual {typically I only weigh in once a week, now it's more like 3-4 weeks}. For me that's probably a good thing right now though; I know my limits and my weaknesses and it would be stupid to let them get the better of me. But I'm frustrated that this inner demon has decided to rear it's ugly head.

So I have been trying to strategize a little bit. I NEED to do my strength training workouts. I need to change things up. I honestly haven't done a strength training workout since April 1st. Before that was March 16. YIKES!! {There's an eye opener for me} So. The plan is to get in all my strength training workouts THIS WEEK. I'm not looking past this week.

All the while I am going to be watching over my shoulder for that feisty beast. Wish me luck!

Note to Self...

This family is a home cooking kind of family. We rarely eat fast food. Tonight we decided it would be fun to take the kids, grab them some kids' meals and let them watch a movie in the car. I know... thrilling!

Not. So. Much.

We first went to Sonic Drive-In. You know the place, where the car hops ride around on roller blades and greet you with a smile?! Yeah, that's the place. We {the man and I} have been wanting to try their new Ched 'R' Peppers Supersonic Cheeseburger. Then we drove across the street to McDonalds where the kids got themselves some Happy Meals. Yay {full of sarcasm}.

Check out this monster of a burger. I will fully admit that this beast tasted scrumptious. I ate 1/2. I ate all the free tots that came with it. No Soda. The kids were thrilled with their food too.

Skip forward about 1.5 hours. We are all feeling kinda crummy. The kids can't sleep; their tummies hurt. There was nothing "wrong" with the food {besides being loaded with calories}. But when you don't eat this kind of thing, your body is sure to tell you that it REALLY DOESN'T LIKE IT!!! We aren't puking or anything, but we sure as heck don't feel very well.

It's like a rock sitting in your gullet. It's heavy. It makes you feel sluggish. At least I do anyway. I was going to do a workout tonight... I for sure would be tossing my cookies after the first 5 minutes. Now I'm ticked. Next time, I think we'll head to Arby's or Subway!

A Slump

I'm in a bit of a slump. I am still running 3 or so days a week but my cross training days pretty much never happen. BLAH! I am still eating the way I should; I'm an all things in moderation kind of girl! So I'm not sure what the deal is. I'm an AVID {understatement of the year} reader and I haven't read ONE book all the way through since I moved. What's up with that?! I have been the biggest blogger slacker; only posting sporadically about only running or running video clips. Hmmm... Nothing on nutritional benefits of foods; which is actually my favorite topic to research and blog. Nothing on various exercises and routines. Nothing on general health. Nothing profound or even slightly encouraging.

I'm not sure why I'm running along side the wagon {not the blog wagon specifically, there's alot of wagons I'm neglecting I think}. I'm not off; but I'm not ON either. Maybe it's because I've been so preoccupied with the massive life changes in our near future. Maybe it's just because I've been lazy about it. I honestly can't tell you why. But I think it deserves some deep pondering.

Not any better

Today I headed out expecting a MUCH better run than Saturday. I felt great for about 2 miles and then my dang knee started hurting again. I tried to just slow down and take it easy but it gradually got worse over the next mile. At 3.2 miles I stopped and was going to call it good and just walk the rest of the way home. But Hawkeye was home with the kids and would be needing to get to work. So I ran/limped and walked on and off the rest of the way home! I am so ticked!! I don't think I'd be so worried if I hadn't JUST BARELY forked out the money for this race!! So the plan is that I'll ice again today A LOT. 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off... I'll do that 2-3 times. Then Wednesday I'll walk instead of run so hopefully by Saturday I'll be 100% again.

*Stay tuned for a cool homemade ice pack!!

Ticked Right Off!

Yesterday I mapped out an awesome 12 miler for today. I paced it off in the car to make sure I had my bearings and everything. I've been feeling great but haven't been able to get all my runs in with moving and being sick. My Mom was driving nearly 45 minutes to watch the kids so Hawkeye and I could run together! Plus a girl friend of mine was coming along too. I was SO STINKIN EXCITED!!!

Things went downhill rather quickly. Within the first mile I already had a side ache. Hawkeye starting limping around 2 miles {he hurt his ankle last week and apparently it wasn't as healed as he had hoped}. The hills came in to play at 3.75 miles. Hawkeye had to turn back about a mile later. He called my Mom and had her come pick him up. NOT what either of us were hoping for!

Annie and I trudged on up the hill. Luckily my side ache had subsided but those were some tough hills!! At 6.75 we had reached the top of the hills and made our way down. That's when I started having real problems. Both knees and my left ankle started hurting... CRAP!

I blame two things. 1. The Common Cold. I've been fighting with that bugger for about a week. Still coughing and sinuses are congested. 2. New Shoes. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my new shoes. BUT, they aren't exactly broken in yet {just 6 miles on them prior to this run}. There. Perfect explanations for the crappiest run EVER!

I managed to run fairly hard at the end; I HAVE to give all I have left in that last quarter-ish mile. But nearly instantly afterward my knee tightened up and hurt something awful. It seriously hasn't hurt that bad since my high school sports days.

So now I have a head game. Next week is an easy "off" week. But the week after that I've got a 14 miler. I WAS planning on just adding two more miles to this route; it's a great route and I need the hills. I was feeling confident and psyched for this and now my brain is trying to convince my body that it's too much. Hawkeye HAS to be at top performance level entering Boot, so if that means pulling out of the marathon... so be it. ARGHHH!!! I hope you can hear that cream through the ethernet!

On a positive note, cause I am ever so about being positive, aren't our bodies AMAZING?!! I just ran 12 MILES! Not only that but I am capable of running farther or faster... both actually! It's AWESOME!!! Monday is the beginning of a new week. And it is going to be GREAT!

Got Toenails?

My friend told me about a shirt that she saw that said, "Got Toenails?" and she thought of me!! I don't know if I should be flattered that she thought of me or embarrassed about my toenails. I know no offense was intended so I'll take the flattery; heck maybe I'll even buy me one of those t-shirts!!!!! Yes I have all 10 toenails BUT they aren't exactly the most beautiful nails in the world. One of them is horribly afflicted and another {despite my meticulous clipping} loves to dig into it's neighboring toe, so unless I tape it up really good you can bet I'll have bloody socks after every run!

Like today, we went on an AWESOME 5 miler. It was just cold enough to make you want to keep moving. We have quite a little running group now and it is so much fun to run and train together. Anyway, we pushed it hard: 45:57. And it felt GREAT! So back to the toe, I look down at my shoe and I could see a red hue to my shoe right where that blessed toe is. GREAT!

UGH! I really just need to go to Costco & buy a great big huge box of band-aids!!! That or dig out the duct tape and use it again. Now that I think of it, duct tape worked great. Scratch that mega box from Costco, I'm pulling out the duct tape!!!

Please tell me I'm not the only one with toe woes!

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!

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?

The Countdown Begins

So my Sister-In-Law did it. She convinced me to run a marathon. GASP! I've had my reasons for putting it off. And despite the fact that the requirements I've given myself haven't all been met, I'm going to go for it anyway. This is going to be my "MARATHON Year!" Stonewall and I are going to run one together before he leaves too. It will help him be tip top shape before heading in to Basic.

SO... I am starting Jeff Galloway's Marathon Training Schedule TODAY!! On the rest days I will be doing a variety of strength training workouts... pulling from P90X, Wii Fit, Jillian Michaels workout DVD's and the like. I like to mix things up, keep my body {and mind} guessing!

I have already identified my BIGGEST HURDLE: the darn treadmill! I hate the thing. I hate that I'm not outside. I hate that the speed isn't the same as running outside. I hate that time & distance seem to EEK by. I hate how it's so noisy {I don't like to listen to ANYTHING while I run, well except for my feet hitting the street & other outdoor noises!}. UGH! There is more BUT I have GOT to change my attitude.

I picked myself up a couple books on tape: Hitler Youth {I am a WWII geek} and my M-I-L brought over The Time of My Life by Patrick Swayze and Lisa Nieme. I am REALLY hoping that they keep me occupied enough that I forget I'm on the treadmill or at least make it bearable.

Got any pointers for my first marathon?

In A Frump

I'm in a major workout slump. Our temps have been in the negatives for what seems like an eternity, but in reality is probably only a couple weeks. It was warmer today {20°} which was great because it was finally able to snow!!! But even then I am lacking motivation {I have a MILLION reasons to leave those running shoes in the closet, some are actually pretty good ones too}. But alas I know better and need to get my butt back in gear.

Aside from that I have had, dare I admit?... a case of the blues. GASP! Could it be connected to my lack of exercise? Maybe... probably. I always feel better if I'm working out regularly. I have really been looking for some change {yes I realize I will have more change than I can stomach in 7 months} and every avenue has brought dead ends. Today it hit me hard. Tonight Stonewall is giving me a good back massage and hopefully after a good night's sleep I'll feel better in the morning.

The Soda Pop HAS to Stop

My family is really good about NOT drinking soda. Our kids don't even get their first drinks of soda until, oh... 4 years old. My husband doesn't touch the stuff; okay maybe the occasional Henry Weinhard's but seriously, that's ONLY for special occasions... like maybe holidays! I, however, am a closet soda lover!! We NEVER buy the stuff... because if it's around... I WILL DRINK IT!! There, I said it. Do I favor one soda over another? Not really! If it's bubbly, I'll drink it... unless it's diet, no way will I drink diet. What's sad though is I may not even really LIKE it but I STILL DRINK IT!! I HATE the way my body feels afterwards too. But does that stop me? No. Sigh.

As of late I have been drinking A LOT of soda too. 7Up has to put out their so super yummy Pomegranate flavored drink on the shelves this time of year and I cave... big time. Plus I took my four kids on a little road trip and I think I drank more soda in that 2 day period than I did in our entire 8 day vacation in October. YUCK!

Why do I do this to myself? I feel dehydrated and grimey. Carbonation is so horrid. Whether it's in soda or water {don't even get me started on how stupid I think THAT is} carbonation is just not good for you! Those little bubbles detroy the nutrients and digestive enzymes in the food we eat. It makes bones brittle. For crying out loud I use Pepsi to clean off my car battery!!! I can only imagine what the stuff is doing to my digestive tract. And though those Diet sodas may toot the Zero-Calorie horn, the sugars in diet soda are WORSE for you!! Thank goodness we're down to just 2 cans of soda left in the house. I've got my bottle of water following me around the house again and I'm sure I'll be feeling MUCH better soon!

Holiday Struggles

"THE" holidays are nearly upon us! One of the most difficult times of the year for SO MANY of us, myself included. So I thought I would do a little introspective searching and admit to some of my biggest struggles. All in hopes that I will be able to avoid making some grave mistakes this holiday season!

* The TREATS! The plates and plates of goodies brought by well meaning and dearly loved friends. I am a sucker for home baked goodies and they more than bounteous this time of year! My favorites? EASY! Pumpkin roll, carmel, carmel apples, dipped pretzels, toffee, huckleberry, pecan & pumpkin pies, cookies, fudge... okay, you get the point. SEE? I am in serious trouble!

* The COLD! I have THEE hardest time dragging my butt outside to run when it's cold! But even worse, I HATE running on the treadmill {though it's better now with books on tape}. So my exercise drops off dramatically for November-February or March! Not this year though... right?!

*The FOOD! Totally different category in my opinion. I do try not to over eat at Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. But how can you NOT when it starts before the meal even starts? Veggie trays, cheese ball, salsa, dips, mazzetta's peppers and more? Then there's turkey & homemade stuffing, cranberry sauce, salads, rolls, potatoes, beans and more!! Top it all off with a variety of homemade pies... I'm a lost cause. I'm sure to eat twice my body weight!!!!

*TAMALES! This technically could fall under the "food" category but it probably deserves one of its very own. We love tamales. We make A LOT of tamales. It's a tradition that we started nearly 10 years ago and it is one of my favorite things about this time of year. The problem is even after sharing with friends and neighbors, there's always a lot left over {intentionally}... and you guessed it, I eat my fair share of those "left over". Oh but they are SO GOOD!

Sigh. That about sums it up. Though I'm sure that I'll think of more things as they surface! What about you? What's your Achilles Heel?

Recovery Time

This week was initially supposed to be P90X Bring It Week!! It has turned into RECOVERY WEEK! Wow. I haven't taken a whole week off from working out for 10 months!! Double WOW! I listen to my body though and it's telling me that it needs a break!

See. My sweet little family had some AWESOME pictures taken on Tuesday {I will post a pic when we get them back; suffice it to say that they are totally FABULOUS}. My hot hubby and I decided to do some water shots. It was cold outside; 42 degrees cold, not freezing but cold! That water was snow not too long before!! We waded out waist deep and got some really REALLY sweet pictures!! We had towels and a change of clothes, didn't think anything of it.

We did dinner. Put the four sprouts to bed and whipped out PLYOMETRICS {a tough leg cardio workout}. I'm thinkin that was a bad idea! Both of us were really struggling. We didn't complete the workout and we have been SO SORE!!!

So I think the cold water combined with the intense leg workout was a bad combo. LIVE & LEARN right? My point though is A} LISTEN to your body and B} let your muscles RECOVER!! Know how hard you can push your body and when to back off! And what MOST people forget is that RECOVERY is JUST as important and working those muscles!!! You should NOT do the same thing {sit-ups, push-ups... whatever} every day! You NEED to recover in between!! And sometimes that recovery process takes LONGER than 48 hours {hence my week long-ish recovery period}! Listen to your body. Let it Recover!

Body Fat Percentage

It's been ages since I calculated my body fat percentage. I started P90X this week so as part of the BEFORE stage I figured out what mine was. I also found some great information on the subject from HERE.

Your body fat percentage is simply what portion of your body is made up of fat. A certain amount of fat is NECESSARY!! It helps with body function, insulates & cushions organs and tissues. And it's the body's main storage of energy. It's IMPORTANT to know what your body fat percentage is so you know a REALISTIC weight loss/gain.

AGE (Years)	HEALTHY RANGE OF BODY FAT FOR FEMALES	HEALTHY RANGE OF BODY FAT FOR MALES
18 - 39	21 - 33%	8 - 20%
40 - 59	23 - 34%	11 - 22%
60 - 79	24 - 36%	13 - 25%

Have you taken the time to determine your body fat percentage? I found a cool little website that makes it easy cheesy!! All you need to do is measure your waist, figure your height & weight. Click on Male or Female & enter you age & you're set! Go HERE and check yours today!

Vacation Run

I love to run while I'm on vacation. It all started about 4-5 years ago. I was battling postpartum depression; I had three children ages 3, 2 and 4 months. We had traveled to the Washington coast for the wedding of a very dear friend. Our hotel was ON THE BEACH!!! It was FABULOUS!! Anyway, I went walking alone out on the beach early in the morning and it was that moment that I once again felt peace and an inkling of happiness! Whenever I go anywhere near the ocean I HAVE to duplicate that morning.We have been planning a trip to Disneyland and San Diego {gasp! I HATE crowds}. One of my FIRST thoughts is, "where am I going to RUN?" I have had more fun planning this run than much of the rest of this trip! I've been scoping out beaches and parks near our accommodations and there seems to be a lot of options!! We will have Gramma & Grampa with us & they have offered to stay with the 4 monkeys so my husband and I can go run TOGETHER; a rarity but something we both LOVE to do!!! I am SO EXCITED!!!Do you know of any good running spots in San Diego? We'll be there for 3 nights; we'd LOVE to run a different place every day!