Year in Review

Howdy, howdy y'all!!

I hope that you all had a good Christmas!!  We did!

The past 3 weeks have been whirlwind, crazy hectic around here hence the lack of posts!!

The last time I checked in, we were getting ready to go to St Louis for the Hot Chocolate Run. I had fully intended to recap that race, then life happened and kept on coming at me like a freight train!!

Here's a brief recap of the race. We got there late Friday night. Hubs woke up early Saturday morning sick with what I thought was a cold. We picked up our packets and got him some cold medicine. We stayed in at the hotel that night. We got up Sunday morning and hubs was still not feeling well, but he went ahead and did the 5k. The weather was so much better than last year and I was appreciating it until about mile 7 when I decided that I was overdressed. I was way too hot!! My goal time was 1:45 but I didn't make it. I finished at 1:48. I'm ok with that. I had fun and that's what matters! Not every race has to be a PR!!  Hubs still wasn't feeling well. He was coughing and sneezing all over the place. I drove most of the way home.

He finally went to the doctor and discovered that he had pneumonia!!  That significantly changed things for me!!  I've been filling in in an area of my department that I'm not 100% oriented to. My co-worker that usually does this job suffered a grade 3 sprain to her mid foot earlier this month. She isn't able to bear any weight and employee health won't let her return to work until she can. So, I've been filling in for her. Needless to say, I got a "trial by fire" type orientation to the job. It is quite hectic and stressful. I go in early most days and don't get off until late. That made Christmas shopping quite interesting!!  I'm glad most stores were open late during the holidays!!  I finally got it all done about 2 days before Christmas. I didn't have any gifts wrapped until Christmas Eve! But we made it and everyone had a jolly time!!  We're going to Iowa later this week for 2nd Christmas with the northern relatives!!

2014 was quite a year. It didn't turn out quite the way I had planned. Last year at this time, I was preparing for my first full marathon. But I was struggling with a physical injury, which later sidelined me and also with the fact that mentally, I wasn't ready for a full marathon. I don't think I ever will be!

Here's my 2014 race bling:

not nearly as much as past years, but it was still a good year.

I had some setbacks both personally and professionally that forced me to adapt and overcome. I sustained an injury to my Achilles tendon, probably due to overtraining. I struggled with that for about 3 months until I finally had to stop running. I completed the Little Rock half marathon in brutal conditions in early March and didn't run another step until April. I was just making a come back when my mother in law fell and broke her hip in May. She was hospitalized until June when she subsequently passed away. This was very difficult for my husband as she did everything for my father in law. Now, we have to do that.

In August, I was reassigned at my job. I was devastated by this change initially, but it has ultimately been a huge blessing!

I was running sporadically over the summer but not really consistently until August when I began to coach Pathways again. And that's when all became right with my world again. I love working with the runners to achieve their goals. That is very rewarding for me!!  I worked with them from August until November. Together we trained for and completed the Fleet Feet Quarter Marathon, the Tulsa Run 15k, and the Williams Route 66 half marathon. Now, we're in our first ever winter session of Pathways and we're training for the Fleet Feet Sweetheart run 10k. I've got another fun group and am enjoying this session so far!

During my time off from running, I discovered that I actually enjoy weight training. And I plan to continue that into 2015. I was doing the Team Beachbody Body Beast program but the past few weeks, I've gotten off track with that. He wasn't able to train due to his illness and I wasn't home until 9pm some nights. I took a little time off but we're back at it this week. Monday we did a Jamie Eason upper body workout and last night we did the 21 Day Fix Dirty 30.

I've avoided gaining any weight this holiday season, so far by being consistent with my clean eating. I've had a few small treats but I've kept it about 90% clean. The scale reflects it too!!  For Christmas, my mom gave me a pressure cooker. I haven't tried it yet but I'm eager to see how this will help with my weekly meal prep.

So, my 2015 goals are:

1. Continue to eat clean, NO JUNK!!
2. Restart the Body Beast program Monday, January 5
3. Continue running with Pathways, training for the Little Rock half marathon and the Go Girl half marathon, both in March.
4. Try to get back to blogging more consistently
5. Declutter my house and downsize!!  Less is more!!

So, that's all I've got for now. I hope that your 2014 was fabulous and your 2015 is even better!!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Do you have any New Year's resolutions/goals??

Tuesday Thoughts

Good morning folks!

Just checking in quickly to say happy Tuesday. Am I the only one who thinks that Tuesday is the worst day of the week? You've got Monday in all it's manicness and Wednesday with it's humpiness, Thursday is like Friday-eve, and then of course it's TGIF. But Tuesday really has no identity of it's own. Maybe I just have too much time on my hands to think about obscure things!

I'm excited because the inaugural winter season of Pathways starts tonight. In the past, we have taken the winter off. We still run together, but it's loosely structured and not organized. I find myself struggling with motivation or lack there of because it's dark and/or cold. Well this year, Fleet Feet listened to it's participants and initiated a winter season. I'm glad. It will be good to run with an organized group during what I think is the toughest running time of the year. I'm moving up a pace group this session. I'll be coaching the 11:30 group with my friend, Dave. I'm looking forward to this session. I plan to make it as fun as possible to help keep them motivated. I've got a fun idea, team building idea that I can't wait to implement!

I believe that my job as a coach is to help keep them motivated and find their confidence. I often say that I'm not a perfect pacer, but I'm their biggest cheerleader. One way to help them be successful is to have a fun, cohesive group. Let's face it, running alone is ok sometimes; but running with a group is the best! You're sharing a common interest with like minded people and often times, you make life long friends. I'm really looking forward to this adventure!!

In other news, I'm still eating clean and sticking to the 21 Day Fix meal plan. So far, so good!!  I haven't had any candy in over a week, with the exception of peppermints. I have allowed myself  to have coffee with 1 tsp of sugar and 1.5 TBSP of coffee creamer. This doesn't seem to be too much as MFP allows for 40g of sugar a day. This is way under that!!  My stomach is much less bloated, so that's the goal that I was hoping to achieve!!  I'll keep plugging along with it. I know there will be tempations and struggles but hopefully, I've broken the sugar addiction!!

This weekend, we're travelling to St. Louis, Missouri for the Hot Chocolate run. My friends and I ran it last year. It was so cold, but so much fun that we're going back!!  Hubs had just had knee surgery so he couldn't participate but this year he is walking the 5k. I hope this gives him the motivation that he needs to run/walk again. He has some pain in that knee post meniscus repair, probably arthritis. But he is afraid that he will reinjure himself. I keep telling him to stick to shorter distances and walking but I haven't been able to convince him. I just don't think that he is that committed. But, fear can do strange things!

I'm still slacking on my weight training. I was doing so well with consistency and not missing workouts until last week when I did the 3 Day Refresh. I had no energy whatsoever and physically felt ill, so I didn't workout. I have been so busy with day to day stuff and holiday preparation that I haven't got back to it. I'm hoping to change that tonight. When I get home from running, I'll immediately workout, then I can put on my pajamas!!  Here's what I'm hoping the rest of my week will look like, workout-wise:

Tuesday: Pathways run, Body Beast Build chest and triceps
Wednesday: Body Beast Back and biceps
Thursday: Pathways run (2.5 or 3) Body Beast Lucky 7
Friday: Body Beast Shoulders
Saturday: rest
Sunday: Hot Chocolate 15k

So, now that you're updated, you can carry on with your regularly scheduled programming!!

Until next time: get up, get out and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

How do you stay motivated to run in the winter??
Do you run with a group or prefer to run alone??

I Survived!

Hello, hello folks!!

We're almost through this week and that makes me a happy, happy girl!! It's been a rough one!!
We've been very busy at work and I haven't been 100% this week. I'm looking forward to my days off!

I survived the 3 Day Refresh!!  And I hated every miserable moment of it!!  I had heard good things about it and I was really hoping to like it, but not so much. Let me back up and explain why I decided to try it in the first place. Lately, I've been eating sweets and treats like they are going out of style. My husband and I can sit down and devour a medium sized bag of peanut M&M's in 2 nights. That's absurd! I have a weakness for candy, any and all kinds of candy. I try to justify it by eating the mini sizes or snack sizes, but I can't just stop at 1 or 2. Plus, I do a lot of mindless snacking in the evenings after work. I'll come home almost every night and "graze" on whatever I can find. Most often, it's tortilla chips. I knew if I wanted to make real progress with my weight lifting program that I would need to quit eating all the junk. Now, in the past, I've been able to go cold turkey on sweets, treats, and sugars but I've always gone back to them. And this time, I was having a little trouble with will power. So I decided to try the 3 Day Refresh to get me back on track.

Let me preface my review by saying that I am a fan of Team Beachbody. I've used several of their products in the past, Insanity, 21 Day Fix, and Body Beast, and have been pleased with those. I had heard good things about the Refresh, so I thought that I would give it a go. Now, I'm also a Beachbody coach but I don't make that readily known. Coaches make a commission off the products that people by from their websites, so I understand supporting the product that they are selling. But, I'm in it for the discount on products more than anything else. I feel that I need to be honest about my experience with the product, even if it is less than ideal.

I don't really believe that these weight loss gimmicks work. I actually think that they can set one up for failure. I didn't really expect miracles but I drank the Kool-aid and thought I would see what all the hype was about. I ordered it and planned to start it the Sunday after Thanksgiving. It was only 3 days and I can do anything for 3 days, right?  It arrived and I meal planned/grocery shopped. It includes a fiber drink (like Metamucil) and high protein shakes. You can get it with Shakeology but I chose not to as I prefer another vegan protein shake. You eat an abundance of vegetables with some fruit and healthy fats to "keep you full and satisfied". The protein sources are vegetable proteins. The theory behind it is that vegetables are easier for your body to process. I followed the plan 99% There were a couple of variables that I was not willing to budge on. I drink and Advocare Spark daily. If I had to give up coffee, I knew I would need that Spark and its allowed on the Advocare cleanse, so I didn't cut that out. And, I mix my protein shake w/ unsweetened almond milk. I didn't change that either. So here's how it went:

Day 1:

I started with 8oz of Advocare Spark when I woke up. Breakfast was my protein shake w/ almond milk and 1/2 apple. Mid morning, I had hot tea then a little while later, the fiber sweep. It was kindy clumpy but I chugged it down. Lunch was the other 1/2 apple, 1.5 tsps. almond butter, and the vanilla refresh shake from the Refresh mixed with water. Mid afternoon, I had 1 red bell pepper with 2 tbsp. of hummus. Dinner was a spinach salad with peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers, sunflower seeds and homemade vinegar/oil dressing and another vanilla refresh shake. Day 1 was actually not too bad. I did go to bed early but that's another story.

Day 2: Identical to Day 1 except I was starting to feel weak and tired, fuzzy headed and HANGRY!! The cravings, OMG, the cravings!!  Please make them stop!!!

Day 3: Same as Day 1 but HANGRY!!!  I was so weak and tired. I had such a bad headache that I was very unproductive at work. I was so glad that it was almost over!!

The PROS: I increased my water and vegetable intake. I try to get enough veggies but I usually only get 2-3 servings a day. I did not eat any candy!! My stomach is much less bloated! So, in that regard, it was successful.

The CONS: Not enough to eat. You only consume about 900-1000 calories. This is simply not enough. I was so hungry. I had zero energy. I didn't work out for 3 days while on this plan. I basically felt horrible days 2 & 3. I didn't cheat but I really wanted to. The vanilla refresh shakes were simply terrible!!

The end result: I didn't really lose any weight (maybe 3 or 4 pounds) or inches off my waist like I had seen others claim. But, my goal wasn't to lose weight and I really don't have that much to lose, so I wasn't expecting much. As I said, I did succeed at not eating candy or junk, so that was a success. And I was successful at increasing my water and veggie intake, so that's a plus. Did I accomplish what I hoped to? My goal was to clean up my diet, so yes I did. But I wouldn't go this route again. Its too drastic and too much deprivation. I wanted to binge so badly!!  Would I ever do it again? Absolutely not!! If I need to "reset" my nutrition in the future, I will do it myself in what I believe is a healthy manner.

 

Now, I plan to follow a less restrictive, clean eating plan. I'm going to follow the 21 Day Fix plan without treats or sweets. That's going to be hard with Christmas coming but I think that I can do it now that I've gotten a jumpstart.

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Make today ridiculously amazing!!

Your friend,

Theresa

December Goals

Good morning folks!

I hope that you all had a pleasant Thanksgiving holiday weekend. Ours was, for the most part.

Thursday morning, I got up early to get in a few miles before the notorious Thanksgiving calories were consumed. I was planning to do about 3.5 miles but I only got about 3.3 I was almost back to the car when I started having a sharp pain in my lower right calf. I wasn't sure if it was the actual calf muscle or if it was the Achilles injury rearing its ugly head again, so I stopped and walked about a quarter of a mile back to the car. I kinesio taped it when I got home and ice/elevated it later that night and Friday night. It was sore after bearing weight all day but seems to be a little better this morning. At any rate, I think I'll wait a few more days before I try running again. I don't need to be sidelined with a serious injury again.

After that, we went to visit my family. It's always good to see them. I got to be the official baby holder! I spent most of the day holding my sweet baby niece, Hallie. She is my sister's daughter and is the sweetest, happiest baby ever!!  Of course, I might be a little bit partial!!

This was the first year that I've had a completely gluten-free Thanksgiving. I have to say that I wasn't miserable and bloated feeling after the meal!!  It was great!!

And later that evening, we braved the lines at Walmart. I really wanted to be home in my pajamas with my feet up, but they had some good deals that I just couldn't pass up. We got up early Friday morning for more Black Friday shopping and completed the shopping trifecta on Saturday when we purchased our first REAL Christmas tree!!  I was so excited to get it home and set up, then I couldn't find the darn lights!! I went to bed disappointed that night. I found the lights last night but I wasn't feeling well, so it's still sitting there undecorated. Maybe tonight I'll get the lights on it. The good thing is we got a lot of our Christmas shopping done!

I mentioned last week that I had some exciting news. Well, as you know, I've been doing the Body Beast workout. And I'm making progress but not as much as I would like. That means one thing: that my diet isn't clean enough. While I try to eat clean about 80% of the time, my sweet tooth has been out of control lately. And I don't mean just a little bit either! I've cleaned it up before and cut out treats/processed sugars but I'm having a hard time this time. So, I decided that I would try the Team Beachbody 3 Day Refresh. I started it yesterday. At first, I was questioning my sanity. I didn't sleep well at all Saturday night, so I was very tired yesterday morning but I went ahead and started the Refresh. I'll fully recap when I complete it, but I was pleasantly surprised with Day 1. After I finish the 3 day cleanse, I'll try to adhere more to the 21 Day Fix meal plan. This isn't so much about losing weight for me as it is about cleaning up my diet. So, Operation Ditch The Junk Food officially started yesterday and is in full swing!

As far as my fitness goals, I need to get back on track with the Body Beast workouts. I missed my Saturday workout (Bulk Arms) because I was hunting for the Christmas lights. I might have a tendency to hoard Christmas things a little bit. My search for lights turned into a purge of sorts which ultimately led to a meltdown! Then last night, I was just too tired. I had my pajamas on before 7pm and was in bed, asleep shortly after that. So, tonight is supposed to be a rest day but it will be a combo of arms and back to get back on track. Tomorrow night will be Bulk Chest then we'll be back on schedule. Pathways is still on hiatus until December 8 but I will run "tweener" runs with my friends until we start back up. I was planning to run Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday but I think that this week I'll wait until Thursday to give my right leg a full week of rest. Then we'll go from there. I'm running the Hot Chocolate 15k in St Louis on December 14, so I need fresh legs for that. And, I've joined the Fleet Feet Sports Winter Warrior challenge. I chose the 100 miles challenge, to run 100 miles between Thanksgiving and Valentine's Day. I'm planning to train for the Rock N Roll New Orleans half marathon in January and if not that, then the Go Short, Go Long, Go Very Long 25k. And, I'll be working with Pathways during December and January. Their goal race will be the Sweetheart 10k in February. I'll do that double that day, the 5k and 10k back to back. So, those are my fitness goals in a nutshell.

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, make it ridiculously amazing!!

Your friend,

Theresa

What are your current fitness goals?
Have you ever done a cleanse??

Route 66 Half Marathon Race Recap

Hello, hello!!

 

Happy Turkey-Eve!! Woohoo!!  I'm looking forward to seeing my family later this week and spending some quality time (shopping) with my husband!! 

 

But first, let me recap the Tulsa Route 66 half marathon for you. My race weekend started Friday with volunteering at the expo. I only had a 2 hour shift at the Fanzone, where individuals could make signs for their favorite runners. The expo wasn't really very busy at this time, so not many signs were made during my time there. After I finished my shift, I picked up my packet and wandered around to see if there was any new gear that I needed. I really didn't find too many goodies, but I got some really cute shirts for my nieces from my friend, Jessica with Cheerbaby She has some really cute stuff!!  I also ran into the lovely race directors from the Little Rock Marathon. They are so much fun!!  I told them that the 2014 Little Rock half marathon was a horrible disaster for me. They promised me some "happy" in my email and talked me into running it again in 2015. I couldn't really say no because it is pirate themed!!

 

Sunday morning, I woke up 2.5 hours early and couldn't really go back to sleep. I was really very excited about this race. It is one of my favorites and it was the first half I had done in 8 months. I suppose I was a little anxious too. I had my race dummy already laid out. One last check of the weather to make sure my clothes were going to be appropriate and I started getting ready. We got to Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa in time for the group photo and then made our way down to the starting line for the Marathon Maniacs and Half Fanatics photo. After that, we found my corral. I made one last pit stop and got in the corral. I wasn't freaking out like I was last year. 2013 it was below freezing and I couldn't feel my fingers! This year, it was in the high 50's, 95% humidity, with light winds. Now, in Oklahoma, the wind also comes sweeping down the plain and this was the case Sunday morning. I opted to keep my lightweight jacket with me but that lasted for about 2 minutes. I took it off and stuffed it in my hydration pack.

 

 

Now, I'm no stranger to Tulsa streets and the lay of the land in Tulsa. I've trained here long enough to know that there are hills!!  I was expecting that and we had run a mock up of the course a couple weeks prior to the race, so I was feeling good at this point. I met a couple of Marathon Maniacs from Arkansas at about mile 1.5 and ran off/on most of the race with them. I loved the course this year because it took us through more neighborhoods rather than on Riverside Drive. The weather was perfect in my opinion and the course support in the neighborhoods was amazing!! 

 

My previous finish time for this race is 2:23, set last year in the freezing cold.  I was hoping to finish a little better then that this year,  so I had my sights set on the 2:20 pace group. I finally caught up with them somewhere near  Peoria Avenue. I ran with them for a couple of miles,  but around mile 8, I got a sharp pain in my side that almost stopped me dead in my tracks.  I slowed down a little bit until the pain passed. I could have tried to catch up to them, but I knew I would need some gas for the hills at the end, so I continued at this pace. We were now on Cincinnati Ave, where I knew my friend, Lisa had an "unofficial" water stop. They were calling it #cheersoncincinnati They had beer and jello shots as well as photo ops, cow bells, horns, and other various revelry. I was happy to see familiar faces and stopped briefly for a jello shot.

 

We finally made it to Riverside Drive at about mile 10. This flat portion of the course was a welcomed reprieve from the hills that we had done and the hills that were yet to come. We went south on Southwest Boulevard briefly before we headed up "Hospital Hill" I've run this numerous times on training runs and it is a pretty daunting hill. I walked about halfway up it then ran the rest of the way. I took a short walk break at the top, then took advantage of the downhill in front of the convention center. This was about mile 12 and I was feeling pretty tired at this point. Even though we train on these hills routinely, they were kicking my butt!!  I started walking up the hills and running the downhills at this point. We went under the train bridge on Denver and turned east through the Brady district. At this point, the male winner of the half marathon passed us. I was so happy when we turned east on the final stretch and I could finally see the finish line. I was tired but I used what little bit of gas I had left to finish strong!

 

I quickly collected my medal and made my way through the throng of other finishers. I collected some fruit and KIND bars and tried to find my husband. After I connected with him, we went to the Marathon Maniacs/Half Fanatics tent briefly but I wanted real food. We headed to McNellies for grub. After getting my belly full, we cheered for the 5-6 hour marathoners for a little while. The sun had come out and it was now in the mid 60's. It was evident that the heat was affecting some of them. I wanted to stay and watch for my Arkansas friends, but I had no idea where they were and assumed that they had finished. I was tired, ready for hot tea, a hot bath and a nap, so we headed home. I found out later, that my Arkansas friends were still on the course and I could have watched them finish, but I was wiped out! I took a 2 hour nap when we got home!!

 

 

The Route 66 was my first half marathon in 2011. This was the 4th time I've run it and it was probably my favorite Route 66 run thus far. I finished at 2:24, so no PR for me this time. But it was still a decent finish time and I had a lot of fun, so that's what really matters.

 

My race calendar for 2015 is filling up quickly!! Pathways starts again in December. This will be the first time for a winter Pathways session and I'm moving up a pace group, so that is exciting!

 

I ran a few recovery miles last night with friends. My legs are still tired!!  Then I came home and did Body Beast Bulk Shoulders. It was all I could do to finish that!!  Tonight is Bulk Chest, tomorrow I'll run 3-3.5 miles before turkey-geddon! Friday will be Bulk Back. Saturday I'm planning a 6 mile run then Bulk Arms and Bulk Shoulders again on Sunday. Monday, we rest! Sheesh.....that's a busy week!!  Additionally, I'll try to squeeze in some Black Friday shopping and holiday decorating!

 

I've got something exciting up my sleeve for next week. We'll talk about that later!

 

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!!  Whatever you do tonight, make it ridiculously amazing!!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

 

Do you have a favorite race/run??

What are you doing for Thanksgiving?

Will you Back Friday shop??

 

Fitness Friday

Howdy y'all!!  Happy Friday!!

Whew, it's been a busy week!!  I worked in the office with the boss all week, so I had to be on my best behavior which meant limited time on my phone.....no FB, IG, or blog posting from work. I started out the week way far behind and felt relatively caught up when I left yesterday. I hope the co-worker that I was covering for appreciates my efforts!! I haven't been able to start my 3 12 hour day work schedule yet due to some unexpected personnel changes at work, but I am thankful that I have a boss who is flexible and has allowed me PTO time on Sunday so that I can run my half marathon!!

After work last night, I met my Pathways group for our last run before the Route 66 half marathon. It was an easy, flat 3 mile run. It was a little bit chilly but everyone was in a really good mood, relaxed and laid back! I think we're all ready to #rocktheroute despite a 40% chance of rain! At least it should be warmer than it was last year. That was just miserable!!

Today is technically a rest day for me, but I just couldn't sit still. I started my day with P90 Ab RipperX and TurboFire Stretch 10. It was a great way to start the day! I'm seeing great changes with the Body Beast program but my core is still pretty weak, so I think I need to do a little more concentrated core work from time to time. And stretching is always good to help relieve some of the DOMS that I have from lifting. I'm really excited about the changes I'm seeing so far and I can't wait to see what I can accomplish.

Typically, after the fall season of  Pathways, we take a break until the spring session, which starts in January. But, they've changed things up this year and we are having a winter session which starts in December. I was looking forward to some time off to concentrate on weight training but I'm excited about this new direction Pathways is going as I've got a pretty full race schedule too!! So far, I'm planning to do the Hot Chocolate 15k in St. Louis 12/2014, Fleet Feet Sports Go Short, Go Long, Go Very Long 25k 01/2015, Rock and Roll New Orleans Half Marathon 01/2015, Fleet Feet Sports Sweetheart Run 15k 02/2015, Go Girl Run Half Marathon 03/2015 and that is just the beginning!!

I found this bad boy on clearance sale at Target the other day!

I've wanted a kettle bell for some time now. I used it for upright rows the other day and it was awesome! I can't wait to use it for goblet squats, etc. I'll be perusing Pinterest and the interwebs now looking for kettlebell exercises!!

I followed up my workout with a protein shake this morning and this delicious treat from KIND snacks

 I was intrigued when they introduced these savory bars. I've been wanting to try them and I'm absolutely IN LOVE!!  They all have 10 grams of protein. I think the jalapeno is my favorite but I haven't tried the Thai chili or the smokey BBQ yet. KIND snacks is supposed to be at the Route 66 Marathon Expo this year, so maybe they'll have samples.And, speaking of the expo, I'm working it this morning, so I guess I better go get ready. Have a fabulous Friday #fitfam and a wonderful weekend!!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!  Whatever you decide to do today, make it count!!

Your friend,

Theresa

What are you planning to do this weekend??
Have you ever worked out with kettlebells??

Thursday Thoughts

Howdy, Howdy y'all!!

I've missed you!!

Its been a crazy busy hectic week, but it's almost over. This is my Friday!!  WOOHOO!!

This weekend is going to be a crazy, busy exciting weekend! And I CAN NOT WAIT!!  It's Route 66 Marathon and Half Marathon weekend. I'm running the half again this year. It was my first half and this will be the 4th time for me to run it. It will be my #13 half marathon.....lucky 13!!  I'm really excited about it this time. I don't really have a goal time in mind (a 2:20 PR would be nice though) It might be a little bit wet, but at least it should be warmer than it was last year!!  I've perfected my running nutrition. I've recently switched to Humagels. These things are amazing!!  They don't have the disgusting texture that most other gels have. And, I've also started carrying a mix of gummy bears/Skittles for a quick burst of energy. I've tweaked my playlist and I've got a pretty good idea of what I'm going to wear. Even if I set my race dummy out the night before, it is always subject to change based on the weather or if my mood changes, etc,

I think that I might have hubs interested in running/walking again. He hasn't really done much since his knee surgery last year. I think he misses it. Last weekend, I took him with me for our last training run. He was going to walk the park while we did our 8 miles, but we talked him into joining us for 1-2 miles, then he turned around and went back to the store to wait for us to finish. He was really pleased with himself. I've got to encourage him to keep moving, so I'm signing him up for a 5k next month. My friends want to go back to St Louis to run the Hot Chocolate 15k. I told hubs that he might as well do the 5k while he is waiting for us to finish. The cool thing is the 15k and the 5k follow the same course for the first couple of miles, so he'll get to be with me.....well, for a little while anyways!

We're still on the Body Beast bulk phase right now. I've noticed changes in my ability to lift heavier and I'm seeing that I'm building some muscle. I'm still not seeing as much change in my stomach as I would like to see and I'm trying not to eat so much crap but clearly, something isn't working. So, after next week, I'm going to try the Team Beachbody 3 Day Refresh. I'm not really a fan of cleanses, but I need to do something to help reset my diet and nutrition. I'm hoping with the holidays coming up, that it will help me to clean up my diet even more and resist all the damn holiday treats!! 

Ok, so that's all I've got for now! Here are a couple of  #TBT pics from the 2012 and 2013 #rt66run. And, Happy National Hug a Runner Day!!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Updates

Howdy, howdy y'all!

 

It's been a while! I really miss being able to connect with everyone on a daily basis. 

 

Let me bring you up to speed on what I've been up to lately. Immediately after I agreed to the schedule changes I mentioned previously,  one of my co-workers went on medical leave and has subsequently resigned. With me working only  Sunday -  Tuesday,  that left our department short staffed on weekdays.  So,  my boss asked if I would stay on I hour shifts through the holidays.  She plans to have an additional staff member hired and trained by then. Since I have the luxury of being a little flexible,  I  agreed.  It makes it difficult for me to keep up with daily posts,  but I'll try to do my best to post more frequently.

 

Since my last posting,  my Pathways group has compete their goal race,  the  Tulsa Run 15k. Race day was an unusually warm day for October.  The forecasted big temperature was in the  high 80's -  90 degrees!  I knew that was going to be a challenge.  I chose to use my Nathan minimist hydration vest as there were water so issues last year.  We met so a group at  Fleet Feet  Sports Tulsa for photos then made our way to the start line.  I planned to try to beat my previous 15 PR time of  1:45.  I helped my runners find the appropriate place groups for them,  then  I went in search of the 1:40 pacer.  I found  her and decided to start behind her but in front of the  1:45 pacer.  As the gun sounded,  I immediately regretted not stopping for a Porta potty one last time.  We weren't even a mile into the race and is already drenched in sweat.  I passed up the  McDonald's and a Panera Bread store hoping the urge to use the rest room would pass.  It did not.  By mile 4, I caught up to the  1:40 pacer.  I was keeping pace with them just fine,  but I couldn't wait for the rest room any longer.  I had to stop at mile  4.5 for the porta let. After about a 3 minute  delay,  I wood and running again.  I lost the 1:40 pacer but was still ahead of the 1:45 pace group.  I managed this page until about mile 7 when we were in direct sun.  There was no shade or breeze.  The heat was wearing me down.  I walked most of mile 8. Somewhere around this time,  I spotted the  1:45 pacer.  I kept thinking that if I could stay just ahead of him,  I would still PR.  We leap frogged from mile 8 to  mile  9. Finally,  at mile 9, I decided this just wasn't my day and changed my focus to just finishing.  I felt tired  and didn't really have anything left in the tank.  I finished with an official time of 1:46 but   by my  Garmin my finish time  was 1:43. I was OK with this.  There was no water at the finish,  which was  a big problem as over heating and dehydration were real concerns that day.  I probably will not run the  Tulsa Run again,  but I'm glad that I had this experience.

 

Now that they've completed their goal race, some have decided to continue training for the Route 66 half marathon, which is now 2 weeks away. We extended the training/coaching for those who wanted to go on. This is the second year that I've coached the "Path to Half" training. Our last long run before the half marathon was this past Saturday. I was nervous as it was the longest run for me in 8 months. The weather was a little bit cool to start with a strong breeze but it turned out to be a beautiful day. And, it was the best run I've had in quite some time!!  We did 12.5 miles in about 2:40. They were worried about finishing under 3 hours, but I don't think that will be a problem for them. I think that 2:45 is more realistic and completely doable. We tried to run most of the race route so that they would know what to expect. It's going to be a very hilly course!!  I'm excited that we won't be on the flat of Riverside Drive as long as we usually are. I don't know why exactly, but that's always the hardest part for me. I still haven't committed to the race yet. I'm reluctant to sign up and pay $90 because the weather was so bad last year and its looking like a repeat of that again this year. I think that I'll give it 1 more day before I fully commit. ;-)

 

Hubs and I are still doing the Body Beast program. We're in the bulk phase now. I'm still enjoying it. I think that I'm going to have to start increasing my weights if I want to see more growth.

 

And, as always, I'm still struggling to clean my diet up. My issue is sweet treats. I wish I could just say no, but I love them too much!!  I'm going to try to really back off on the sugar intake this week and if that doesn't work, then I'm going to do a cleanse/sugar detox the week after Thanksgiving. I'll keep you updated.

 

So, that's what's up lately. I'll try to check in at least 1-2 more times this week. Hopefully, I can get back to regular posts soon.

 

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you do today, make it ridiculously amazing!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

Friday Follow Up

TGIF folks! Woohoo for finally Friday!! Even though I'm off work today, I'm still glad it's Friday!

I'm enjoying the new work schedule so far. I was especially thankful for the break from work this week. I got sucked into a workplace drama vortex of astronomical proportions and it has been quite the ordeal!!  I guess I must be kind of a Pollyanna, because I just expect that people will always do the right thing for the right reason and be kind to one another. Every now and then though, the hateful side of people rears its ugly head and it is almost more than I can bear! I typically try to avoid those situations but I got brought into this one by default as I happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I so badly wanted to just tell them all "it's not my circus, not my monkeys"! I think the worst of it has blown over now and hopefully when I return next week, it will be forgotten!!

 

This is the final week of Pathways, with the Tulsa Run 15k being tomorrow. I'm so proud of my group! They started strong and finished strong! They endured heat, humidity, rain, wrong turns, etc and still stuck it out!!  Their longest run (9 miles) was in the rain. Our maps quickly turned to mush that day, so we had to wing it on the route a little bit. They were probably annoyed but they took it in stride with grace!!  Last Saturday, they did Golf Ball Hill which has become a rite of passage for Pathwayers. It is a long, fairly steep hill with an elevation of 800-ish ft. At the top of the hill sits a water tower that resembles a golf ball on a tee, hence the name. There may have been a couple of wrong turns that day as well, but I plied them with mimosas at the end of the run to keep them reasonably happy! And tomorrow, they will run with perseverance the race that is laid before them like the champs that they are!!  Last night was our last run as a group. We tried to keep it fun and light hearted but I couldn't help feeling a little bit somber and somewhat melancholy. They've been such a fun group to work with. 3 of my girls gave me a really sweet card and QT gift card that will help fuel my sweet tea addiction for a while!  I can't wait to line up at the start line with them!! I've got the 12:00 min/mile group but we have anywhere from 11:45 - 13:00 minute/mile runners. And, until this week, they have been running intervals. My plan is to start at about an 11:45 with them but my goal finish time is 1:40 so I will need to maintain an 11:15-11:20. I don't plan to run intervals either. I run until my body feels like it needs a break, then I walk for a few seconds and run again. The weather is going to be quite warm for October and this is a new route, so I'm just hoping for the best really, but a shiny new PR would be nice!!

 

 

Hubs and I have been consistently strength training. I was a little pressed for time when I got home from work on Monday night. I wanted to workout but didn't want to spend an hour doing it, so we tried the BodyBeast Bulk Chest. Holy sore pecs Batman!!  The bulk workouts are no joke!!  They are about 30-35 minutes in length. They incorporate the same super sets and drop sets as the build phase but there is less rest between sets. There is more stress/tension on the muscles therefore we should see some serious growth soon!! 

I'm still trying to clean my diet up but I just like sweet treats too much!!  I'm going to try a couple of different things for the next couple of weeks to see if I notice any difference. Cross your fingers for me!!

Ok, that's all I've got for today! Until next time--get up, get out and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Its Been A While

Good morning folks!!

It's been a little while since I last posted, so I thought I would pop in and catch up.

I hope that you've all been doing well.

My life has been a little busy, hectic and unpredictable lately, hence the lack of posting. I've trying to get to work earlier therefore I've had less time for posting. It really started a couple of months ago at work when my work assignment was changed. There was a mistake and a misunderstanding. Consequently, I was reassigned. I was removed from the unit that I had worked on for 2.5 years. I felt like I had built good relationships there and I was devastated when the change was made. I was hurt and I was angry! I was now the "float" case manager, meaning I didn't have a "home". I would just go fill in where there was a need. I often don't know my work assignment until the morning of sometimes. It felt like I was being rejected, like I was just an after-thought. I got up and kept going to work because I didn't know what else to do.  I tried to be as positive as possible while I pursued other options. I applied for a transfer to another department and got it. But, along the way, something else happened. I began to realize that I enjoyed working with and getting to know other co-workers. I realized that working my 8 hours and going home, not having to own any of the drama wasn't so bad after all.

Well, my boss must have picked up on this. She called me into her office and said "you seem a lot happier since you've been reassigned. What can I do to keep you in the department?" I didn't really have an idea, but I told her that I would like a permanent assignment as soon as she had one available. She then told me about some changes that are in the works for our department. I told her I would consider staying. Several days later, after much consideration, I told her I would stay. My co-workers have been so supportive during all of this and that's the primary reason I chose to stay. Then, last Friday at our staff meeting, we were discussing the future changes to our department and the subject of weekend coverage came up. We were brain storming about how we could cover the weekends with the staff that we have currently when someone suggested that she could work 4 10 hour shifts from Wednesday - Saturday. The boss said "we just need someone to cover Sunday - Tuesday and that could work" I used to work 3 12 hour shifts Sun, Mon, and Tues and loved it! I immediately piped up and said that I would do it. So, effective next Sunday, I will work 3 12 hour shifts, Sunday - Tuesday. I will have 4 days off every week. I'm so excited that I almost can't stand it!!  Now, I will be able to pursue the personal trainer certification that I've been wanting to pursue but haven't had the time!!

What I've learned from all of this is that sometimes you have to give up the good to go for the great!

And in other news, hubs and I are negotiating on a house at our favorite lake!! I'll post more on this later when it's a done deal but it would be amazing to be able to live full time at our happy place!

I've been keeping up with my Pathways running group. Saturday, we did 9 miles in the rain. It was our last long run before the Tulsa Run 15k. This week, we begin to taper.

I'm also trying to keep up with my cross training on a routine basis. And I'm still eating about 80% clean. Last night, I meal prepped ground turkey, turkey burgers, quinoa, sautéed veggies: tomatoes, onion, peppers, mushrooms, baked sweet potatoes, and hard boiled eggs. I do fairly well with my nutrition most days, I just wish I didn't like treats so much!!  I need someone to follow me around and slap me really hard when I pick up something crappy to eat!!  Any volunteers??

Ok, that's all for now.

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving. Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Workout Wednesday--October Goals

Hello y'all!

 

Happy first day of October!

 

 

I've been super busy since our last visit!

 

My Pathways group is ramping up their mileage in anticipation of their goal race,  the Tulsa Run 15k.  We've increased our intervals to 10:1 and our pace to 12:00 minutes/mile. We've  had some pretty good hill training recently.  They  really dislike hills, I think! I have heard quite a bit of grumbling from some of them.  ;)  But,  overall, they are doing a great job! This has been one of the most enjoyable groups I've had the opportunity to work with.  I hope some of them are planning to run the Route 66 half marathon.  I have run it for the past 3 years. I wasn't really going to run it this year  but they have  changed the route again so I think that I'll go ahead and do it. I just hope the weather is better than last year. It was  so cold that it wasn't an enjoyable run at all!

 

Last night, before our run, I stepped on the scale at  Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa. I really can't recall the last time I weighed myself. I'm not really sure what I was expecting.  I haven't lost any weight. Actually, I might have gained 2 or 3 pounds. I was surprised when I saw  127.8 on the scale. Usually a 2 or 3 pound gain makes me feel fluffy.  But, not this time.  My clothes don't feel any tighter. As a matter of fact,  they may be a little more loose. I've been trying to watch my macros and keep my diet "clean" for the most part.  I plan and prepare, but I have a difficult time curbing my late day snacking. Somedays, I want sweets and other days I want crunchy and salty.  I know if I cleaned up my diet even more,  I'd see the results that I'm wanting to see. But in the meanwhile,  until I learn to kick the snacking for good,  I'll keep doing what I'm doing and just trust the process! Obviously, its working!

 

A new month means new goals!

 

This month, I'm planning to clean up my diet even more. I'm hoping to reduce my "treats" from a daily occurrence to 1or 2 times/week.

 

I've been better about doing my cross training / strength training.  And I'm planning to continue this trend for October.  My goal is to workout at least 5 times  / week.  I'm still doing the Body Beast and plan to continue it.

 

Sometimes,  time is a factor when it comes to working out. The  BB workouts are about  40 minutes each.  I'm always  looking for things to do if I'm pressed for time.  And that brings us the W.O.D for this Workout Wednesday.  I got this from one of my friends at work.  He said it's pretty intense. I'm eager to try it!  Check it out and let me know what you think!

 

 

Until next time - - get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you decide to do today, be awesome at it!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

 

What are your fitness/nutrition goals for this month?

Workout Wednesday & Active Nation Day

Good morning folks!!

I hope that you're having a wonderful week so far. We're halfway there!!

We're having some fabulous early fall weather here and I'm loving it!!  The lower humidity makes for some wonderful running weather!!  Last night, Pathways did a 3.5 mile recovery run. They are such a great group to work with!!  After the run, I came home and did the 21 Day Fix Lower Fix workout. I felt really out of shape! Those squats kicked my butt, literally!!  I was sweating profusely! It was just more reinforcement for me that I need to continue to cross train consistently to build up my endurance and stamina.

Tonight, hubs and I are scheduled to do BB Build Back and Biceps. 

Its no secret that upper body, especially shoulders, is my favorite body part to work out. And my poor, sad little triceps need a lot of work!!  So, today, I've got an upper body workout for you. You can do this routine anywhere, home or gym. All you need is a set of heavy weights and a set of light weights. And you will need either a chair or bench for tricep  dips. Choose weights that are challenging but not uncomfortable so that you don't get injured. This is a good, quick routine in case you're pressed for time because it only takes about 25 minutes. It's easy to add to your current routine or can stand alone.

This Sunday, September 28 is Active Nation Day. Since I'm going out of town for personal business this weekend, I'll get me #Active on by running 7 miles with my group on Saturday morning. What is Active Nation Day?? Active Nation Day is a movement created in 2012 by Lorna Jane to help women live an authentic and active life. On 28 September 2014, we’ll be hosting events all over the world, where sporty sisters can learn and take part in a specially choreographed fitness routine. In just three years, the Active Nation Day sisterhood has collectively moved over eight million kilometres together. – that’s 21 times to the moon! And with this year marking Active Nation Day’s global debut, that number is set to soar.

Here's how you can participate:

Download the new LornaJane app to help keep you motivated and inspired!You can download the LornaJane app here:  iTunes app store or at Google Play. This awesome app is designed to help keep you inspired to follow Lorna Jane’s mantras of Move, Nourish, and Believe. To Move, you can choose from a long list of fitness choices, and the app will help you track your activity.  Nourishing yourself is easy, find information, encouragement and delicious recipes on the Nourish tab, and if you need more inspiration, updating the Believe page will offer up a variety of motivational quotes.

Move!! LornaJane has their own dance move for Active Nation Day. You can learn the LJ Move, share it on social media for a chance to win a $1,000 Lorna Jane Gift Card. To enter to win a $1,000 gift card to Lorna Jane Active remember to take a photo or video of you (and your friends if you want), doing the LJ Move. Post it to Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook and be sure to use the hashtags #ActiveNationDay and #LJMove. Then tag your friends and invite them to try out the LJ Move themselves!  Here are the #LJMove Contest Terms and Conditions.



Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

How will you get active on Active Nation Day, September 28 2014??

Monday Motivation

Good morning folks! Here we go again!!

 Happy fall y'all!!

 I hope that you had a great weekend!!  It was a whirlwind busy one here, as usual!

Friday was my birthday. I took the day off work and ended up driving my son to the airport in Oklahoma City to pick up his friend. It was a long day but I really didn't mind. At 25 y/o he doesn't really ask to hang out with mom very often so I took advantage of the situation, even though I think I was only there to navigate. :-)

Saturday morning was the Quarter Marathon at Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa. We usually have a Pathways training run on Saturday mornings, but we were running the race for our training run instead. I encouraged them to consider it a "dress rehearsal" for their goal race, the Tulsa Run 15k next month. I had already warned them that I was going to run my own race. I wasn't planning to race this and didn't have a goal finish time in mind. I started with a group of my runners but I was feeling pretty good, so I passed them. We've been running intervals. I didn't run intervals in my race. I usually don't. I run until I feel like I need a break. This is exactly what I did Saturday morning. The humidity was ridiculous at 97% and it was warm, plus I've been dealing with copious amounts nasal and chest congestion. But, I was feeling pretty good, so I just ran. I finally had to take a short walk break at mile 4.4 I couldn't breathe anymore so I had to blow my nose.....YUCK! I only walked for about 30 seconds then I picked up the pace again. I ran loose run/walk intervals for the remaining 2 miles. At mile 5, I met another Pathways coach. He was walking too! We both commiserated about the heat, humidity, etc, for a couple of seconds, then started running again. I ran with him for a short little bit then he stopped to walk again, I kept going. The course was VERY hilly!!  I was so glad when I topped the last hill! I knew I was about 3-4 blocks from the finish. I turned the corner on 2nd street and kicked it back into high gear. I saw my hubs waiting for me. I high fived him, smiled big for the camera and pushed onto the finish line. I stopped my watch at 1:13 which I was fairly certain was a PR for me. I checked my previous finish times later and discovered that it was in fact a 3 minute, 49 second PR!!  What a birthday present!!  The rest of the day was spent visiting with good friends that I hadn't seen in a long time and watching college football! It was all around a great day!!

Yesterday, hubs and I got up early to go get our shopping done. When we got home, we did our usual household chores, including decorating for fall and meal prep. This week, I made: crockpot chicken, turkey burgers, brown rice, baked sweet potatoes, green beans, mixed veggies, cut up raw veggies for snacks, and HB eggs.

I'm really excited that the fall TV season starts tonight! I'm eager for my favorite shows like the Voice and Blacklist to return. I plan to DVR them so that they don't derail my fitness goals though!
I'm continuing the Body Beast/21 Day Fix hybrid this week. Here's my schedule:

Monday BB Build Chest and Triceps
Tuesday: Run w/ Pathways, 21 Day Lower Fix
Wednesday: BB Build Chest and Back
Thursday: Run w/ Pathways, 21 Day Dirty 30
Friday: BB Build Shoulders
Saturday: Run w/ Pathways 7 miles
Sunday: 21 Day Fix Upper Fix and/or BB Lucky 7

So, that's all I've got for now. I hope you have a fabulous Monday!!

 

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!! Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

What TV shows are you looking forward to this fall?
What did you prep this week?
What's your workout schedule look like this week?

Monday Motivation

Good morning folks!

Happy Monday!!

It was a busy but otherwise great weekend here! I was off work Friday, so I had a 3 day weekend.

Saturday morning, we got up early and drove to my hometown of Perry, Oklahoma for the Cherokee Strip Landrun 5k. This is the 3rd year I've run this race. My goal was to win my age group. It was about 45 degrees when we woke up that morning and about 47 - 50 when we started. I wore a tank top and shorts in spite of the cold. I knew that I would be running as fast as I could and would warm up quickly. There was a very small turnout. It was chip timed, though. We lined up and at 7:30, they told us to GO because the gun wouldn't work. The cross country track team was there and they lined up in front. I've made the mistake of lining up right behind them before, so this year I tried to start more mid-pack.  It's a downhill start though and I always have a tendency to start too fast. And I did again this year. I looked at my watch as we rounded the first corner and I was at a 7:30 pace. I knew there was no way I could sustain that so I tried to back off a little bit. It was at this point that the one person I knew I had to beat passed me. She strutted right by me and made a 7:30 look effortless! I wanted to quit right then. But I didn't, I kept going. I got close to my parents house and thought about quitting then. No one would ever know if I got a DNF. But I would! I kept going! I knew that I wasn't going to come in first in my age group, so now I had my sights set on 2nd. So I kept pushing myself as hard as I could. I knew that the finish is also downhill so I kept plugging along. I flew across the finish line at 29:00!!  AMAZING!!  That's a 9:23 pace and was a 2 minute and 30 second PR for me. It was not good enough for 1st in my age group or even 2nd, but it was still a decent finish time! I've wanted to run a sub 30 minute 5k and now I've done it. The point here is that it isn't really about being better than anyone other than myself. Its about being a little bit better everyday and I certainly accomplished that!!

The rest of the day was spent with my family at the parade and at my parents house where we had a big spread for lunch. It was great to see my parents, brother and sister, and my baby nieces. It was a great day!

Yesterday, I did the weekly chores and meal prep. This week, I fixed fajita chicken for homemade "Chipotle" salad bowls, crockpot BBQ chicken, grilled turkey burgers, baked sweet potato fries, mixed veggies, green beans, salad, and HB eggs.

My fitness  goals this week are to continue my cross training and complete the  Quarter Marathon with my pathwayers. 

Monday: Body Beast Build Chest and Triceps

Tuesday : 3.5 mile run with  Pathways; 21 Day Fix lower fix

Wednesday: Body Beast Build Back and Biceps

Thursday : 4 mile run Fartlek  run with Pathways; 21 Day Fix upper fix

Friday: Body Beast Build Shoulders

Saturday : Quarter Marathon

Ok,  that's all for now. Until next time--get up,  get out, and get moving. 

Whatever you do today,  be awesome at it! 

Your friend, 

Theresa

Workout Wednesday

Good morning folks!

We're halfway there!! 

Last night was track night for Pathways. We did 4 800's. Our splits were 5:21, 5:14, 5:21, 5:17 I was very proud of them!! The track can be scary and intimidating but we had a large turnout. I spoke to them beforehand about not worrying what everyone else was doing out there, to just do the best that they could do and that's exactly what they did. This is such a great group!! Thursday nights we usually do hills, but tomorrow night we're doing a progression run. I'm a little bit concerned because that's 2 speedwork days in 1 week. And I'm planning to race my 5k this weekend. And by race, I mean HARD! My goal is to win my age group!!  I guess I'll be in recovery socks and doing yoga this weekend!!

After the run, I came home and did the 21 Day Fix Upper Fix. I've got to stay consistent with my cross training because I know its good for me and I LOVE it! I feel so good after I finish my workouts! Tonight I'm doing Body Beast Build Back and Biceps.

As you know, I'm always looking for new workout options to keep things fresh and keep me motivated. Well, I recently discovered DailyBurn   It is a total fitness site with video workouts, meal plans, etc. There is a 30 day free trial then it's $10 / month which is pretty reasonable compared to most gym memberships. The nutrition plan is an extra $5 / month but that's still pretty cheap. I pay much more than that for a gym membership and personal trainer. I would like to try the CORE workout program. I think that I could stack that with my Body Beast workouts. And, if I like it, then I will drop my gym membership and use this instead. I really prefer working out at home anyway.

Ok, that's all for today.

Until next time -- get up,  get out,  and get moving!  Whatever you do today,  be awesome at it! 

Your friend, 

Theresa