2015 Goals~~Secrets to Success.

Good morning folks!!

It was a mad dash to the finish,  but we made it through the holidays! I hope yours were fabulous, that you got everything you wished for and more,  and that you escaped the usually holiday weight gain.  I tried to stick to my clean eating as much as possible and was pleasantly surprised when I got on the scale the other day.   

Here we are at the beginning of the new year. For many of us,  that means New Year Resolutions. It is estimated that 40% of Americans make resolutions but only 8% will keep them.  So,  why not call them goals and make them something you can achieve?  

Now the trick is how to successfully achieve those goals and deal with inevitable set backs. I believe that it was Zig Ziglar who said " be firm about your principle but flexible about your methods"

 

 The first step to successful goal setting is to write it down.

The key is to set "SMART" goals:

Specific--A goal needs to be as specific as possible so you can work toward it and achieve it. If your goal is too vague, it will be nearly impossible to achieve. For example, "drink more water" is too vague. Drink 60 ounces of water is much more specific and easier to track/measure (see #2)

Measurable--keep track of your goal. If your goal is to lose weight, keep a weekly log of your weight and a daily log of your calories. If your goal is to run a 5k, etc then keep track of your miles. Seeing the progress will help keep you motivated!

Accountable--sharing your goal with a friend or family member will help keep you on track. There are many online tools and apps that help with accountability, My Fitness Pal and Dailymile for example help you keep track of calories/miles and connect with others for accountability.

Realistic--Make sure your goal is realistic for you. You don't want to make it too difficult because and get discouraged. You need to be able to see yourself reaching the goal. It needs to be challenging without being overwhelming. This is where you might need to be flexible. For instance, last year I set a goal of running a marathon but for various reasons this was not a realistic goal for me. I had to re-evaluate and reframe my goals. You might experience what seems like a setback. The important thing is to keep going. There is often more than one way around it!

Timeframe--If your goal doesn't have a time limit, you will have trouble starting and staying motivated until the end. When you start seeing results, it will ultimately keep you motivated. Hang in there, if it takes you a little longer, keep going. Don't stop otherwise you'll never get there!!It's gonna be a busy but great year!! This is the year that we're going to achieve those goals, I just know it!!

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

Your friend,

Theresa

What are your goals for 2015?

 

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

New Week, New Day

Howdy folks!

Happy Monday!

I hope you're having a great day so far.

We had another relaxing weekend at the lake. The weather was so perfect yesterday, it was really hard for me to leave. We only have a few more warm,  boating weekends this season.  I usually fight the end of summer tooth and nail, but this year has not been quite as enjoyable as usual. So,  I'm not going to be real sad to see it end. I am looking forward to some fall camping,  sitting around the campfire and relaxing though!

I flew through the chores and weekly meal prep when we got home.  I fixed  ground  turkey,  turkey  burgers,  brown rice,  baked sweet potatoes,  broccoli,  mixed vegetables,  and hard boiled/baked eggs in literally  1 hour!

I've been running with my Pathways group,  but have been neglecting my strength training workouts the past 2 weeks.  I'm am hoping to get back at it this week.  My fitness goals for the week are:

Monday: Chest / Triceps
Tuesday: 3 mile run ; Body Beast Lucky 7
Wednesday: Back / Biceps
Thursday: Shoulders
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 5-6 mile  run

So,  that's what's up with me right now. 

I hope that you all have a great week!

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

Your friend,

Theresa

Monday Motivation

Good morning!! 

Here we go again!!  It's a new day and a new week, lets make it count!!

We had another fabulous weekend at our lake place. Yep, we just left and we went right back! That's how much we love it there! Plus, there aren't too many more summer weekends left, so we're trying to take advantage of it while we can.

So far, Pathways is going GREAT!!  I'm so excited to be back. It's so exciting to work with these runners. I enjoy watching them pursue and achieve their goals. It really is very rewarding! We ran 3 miles last Thursday night and 3.5 on Saturday morning. Its been rather hot and humid here recently. We really aren't acclimated to that because we've had such a mild summer. I keep telling them to hang in there, it will get better. I'm not sure if they believe me, though. :-)

I really enjoyed our time at the lake recently but I'm ready to get back into our regular routine. I haven't been as careful with my macros as I should have been and I've slacked on my strength training. When we got home last night, I meal prepped, of course! I fixed ground turkey, baked chicken breast, brown rice, black beans, baked sweet potatoes, broccoli, mixed veggies, salad, and HB eggs. Tonight, we'll get back on track with our strength training with Body Beast chest and triceps.

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

Your friend,

Theresa

Motivation Monday

Howdy,  Howdy y'all!

I hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend.

We were at the lake for an extended weekend. After my mother in law passed,  we decided to take my father in law with us.  We knew it would be challenging but we didn't feel like leaving him home alone for 5 days was the right thing to do. It was a fun but exhausting weekend and I think a good time was had by all.  I know he enjoyed himself. He tried very hard to keep up with us all weekend and did a fairly good job of it actually.  Other than one potential heat exhaustion episode,  there were no major mishaps.

I ran Wednesday and Friday.  I walked on Thursday and Saturday. I was fairly good food and beverage - wise until yesterday when I ate some Fritos. I ate WAY more than the recommend serving size...oops!

So,  the past few weeks have been very hectic for me. I've tried hard to maintain consistent workouts and clean eating despite all that we've had going on.  I'm happy to be able to get back into a more consistent routine today.

I meal prepped when we got home yesterday, as usual so I'll have healthy food choices for the week.  I've been doing the 21 Day Fix workouts for a while now and I'm looking forward to changing that up this week.  I've ordered the Beachbody Body Beast program.  It should arrive tomorrow. I'm really looking forward to starting that! I'm planning to continue running in the morning with my friends and will do the strength training program in the evenings after work.

I'm also excited that I'll be coaching my Pathways group again beginning next month.  They'll be training for the Tulsa Run 15k. Meanwhile,  I'll be training for my next half marathon.  I've decided that I would like to run the Big Cottonwood Half Marathon in Salt Lake City in September. I'll be ramping up my mileage again and am more than a little nervous.  I'm tired of being injured all the time.  Hopefully the cross training will make a difference.  I've also decided to get a gait analysis at the OU Tulsa human performance lab. They will put me on a treadmill and film me running for about 15 minutes then they will break it down and tell me what I'm doing wrong and hopefully how to correct my form to help prevent future injuries. I'll post specifics about that tomorrow.

So, thats all I've got for now.  Until next time-get up, get out,  and get moving! Remember to be awesome today!

Your friend,

Theresa

Monday Motivation~~Update

Hello, hello!!

Happy Monday everybody!!

I'm sorry I didn't post much last week. As usual, I had good intentions, but the life went sideways.

As you know, we've been dealing with my mother in law's failing health since her fall/hip fracture last month. It was just too much for her body to overcome. A couple of weeks ago, we took her home with hospice. I was hopeful that she would rally, but it was painfully obvious that she was fading fast, right in front of our eyes. Last Tuesday, my husband got the call that she had passed quietly and peacefully. The rest of the week was a hectic blur. I think we are both still numb. And now, we're going to have to be a greater presence in my father in law's life.

He is 88 years old and lives in an apartment about 13 miles from us. He was living with his wife until she fell. She was the chief cook for him. She made his coffee and warmed up his meals. She waited on him hand and foot. Now, we're concerned that he won't eat or take a bath, etc. We're worried that he will grieve himself to death. We thought about moving him in with us. But, we also want him to maintain as much independence as possible. We're going to try letting him stay in the apartment for now. When I meal prepped last night, I made extra so that he would have something that he can heat up in the microwave. His one request for the week was baked fish, so that's what he got. We're also going to have to include him in some of our activities, including the lake. I'm not sure how it will all work out, but we'll figure it out as we go along.

I did manage to stay somewhat on track with my fitness goals last week despite everything being pear shaped. I ran with friends on Tuesday and Thursday morning. Wednesday, I doubled up on my 21 Day Fix workouts: I did upper fix in the morning and lower fix in the evening. Thursday morning, after my run, I went to the gym to workout with my trainer. I feel like I got in a really good workout that day!!  And Saturday morning, I attempted a 3 mile run at the lake but the humidity was oppressive! I ended up walking with my husband.

I prepped weekly meals when we got home from the lake. This week, I prepped baked chicken, baked fish, hard boiled eggs, black beans, green beans, mixed veggies, salad, and mac/cheese for my father in law.

Tonight, I plan to check on my father in law on my way home. I'm planning to fix him a fried egg sandwich for dinner. After that, I'm going to continue the 21 Day Fix workouts for now. This is what I'm planning to do this week:

Monday: Total Body Cardio Fix
Tuesday: Upper Fix
Wednesday: Lower Fix
Thursday: Pilates Fix
Friday: Cardio Fix in addition to getting my butt kicked by my trainer!
Saturday: Dirty 30 and 3 - 4 mile run
Hopefully I can fit in a run on Tuesday and Thursday mornings as well.

That's all I've got right now. The next few weeks will be challenging until we settle into a new routine. I never dreamed that I would be caring for an aging parent. I will be reading and blogging about it and role reversal over the next few weeks. Hopefully we'll figure out some tips and tricks that I can share with you.

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

Your friend,

Theresa

Monday Motivation

Good morning friends!!  Happy Monday!!

Here we go again with a brand new day and brand new week!

Most folks grumble and complain about Mondays and sometimes I'm in that category. But lately, I've started to think of Monday as a day to get a fresh start. Now that doesn't mean that it's ok to completely "blow it" on the weekends however! 

We had a good Father's Day weekend at the lake. We arrived late Friday night and enjoyed the Friday13 full moon on the dock for a little while, until I got too cold. I went for a nice 3 mile run Saturday morning. After we ate breakfast, hubs got the boat out and we went out for a ride. It was VERY windy! We had a good time tying up and visiting with our friends. We made some new friends and enjoyed spending the evening on the dock visiting with our campground neighbors. It was just what my sweet hubs needed for Father's Day...a little R&R. He has had a lot on his mind recently with his mother's health problems.

She is still hanging in there, barely. Right now, we're just playing a waiting game. We're expecting the phone to ring any minute. Poor hubs is trying to be as prepared as possible but I know he is going to fall apart when it happens. It is so hard to watch someone you care about go through this. I'm thankful for my previous experience as a hospice nurse. It is much different on this side of it, but it helps that I have an understanding of what to expect. He keeps asking me how much longer and unfortunately, I just don't have an answer for that. :-(

We arrived home from the lake early yesterday. I was able to get all the laundry caught up, meal prep done and the dishes all done. It was a very productive day!!  I kept meal prep very simple this week because I'm sure it will be a disrupted week. I prepped baked chicken, ground turkey meat, mixed veggies, green beans, black beans, baked sweet potatoes, cut up lettuce for salad, and hard boiled eggs.

I'm on week 3 of the 21 Day Fix and still not seeing the results that I did the first time. But I'm going to stick it out and finish this round. Then I think that I need to shake up my workout routine. I'm scheming on something right now!!  I enjoyed Insanity when I did it last summer. It is a lot of cardio though and I'm interested in gaining strength and building more muscle right now. I'm thinking that I'm going to do a hybrid of Insanity and the Beachbody Body Beast program. But for now, here are my fitness goals for the week:

Monday--Run, Total Body Cardio Fix
Tuesday--Upper Fix
Wednesday--Lower Fix
Thursday--Pilates Fix
Friday--Cardio Fix
Saturday--Dirty 30

I have 3 more weeks with my trainer and I'd like to squeeze in another run or 2 in there somewhere. I have a feeling that I'm going to have to be flexible with this schedule this week and adjust it as needed.

So, that's it for me today. Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving!!  Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Motivation Monday

Good morning folks!!

Sorry I've been a little absent lately. I've had so much family stuff going on, that it's been tough to keep everything up to date. I'll try to do a little bit better job of it because I've got so much stuff to tell you about!!

Let me update/recap:  last week was a difficult week for me. I did a back, shoulders, biceps workout last Monday. On Tuesday morning, I woke up with a stiff neck and shoulder. It hurt to turn my head and lift my arm. I ended up doing more cardio than anything else last week.

Another thing that has been tough for me lately is the situation with my mother in law. Last week, I thought that was improving and that we would be transferring to rehab soon. But now, I'm not so sure. I sincerely think that the best we're going to be able to hope for is to transfer her to a long term care facility and to keep her comfortable. She just doesn't seem to have the desire or drive for rehab. It's so sad and I know that it's hard for my husband to deal with.

I'm excited to announce that I became an aunt again last Friday. My sister had a beautiful baby girl last Friday morning. My sister is 43 y/o. Because she got married later in life, she thought that she would never have any children but apparently it was meant to be. She was worried because of her "advanced maternal age" but all in all, she had a normal, healthy pregnancy. She had a little bit of high blood pressure so she had a C-section last Friday. Her little girl is so perfect and so beautiful! She named her Hallie after our dad, who's name is Hal. He is so excited!!  She lives next door to my parents, so I'm sure she will have all the help that she needs with the new baby, but I've volunteered my services as needed of course!!

We had another wonderful weekend at our place at the lake. We got there Friday night in time to unpack and head to bed. I went for a run Saturday morning while hubs did a little walking. It was about 65 degrees with 100% humidity. I got in 4 hilly miles and worked up quite a sweat doing so. I had to stop for a couple of photo opportunities because it is just so beautiful there. After breakfast, hubs went to get the boat. We had no sooner got it in the water and got all our stuff loaded when it started to rain. We were expecting random showers but I thought that the radar was clear. It lasted about 20 minutes, just enough to thoroughly soak everything. We went back to the dock and tried to dry everything off a little bit, got fresh towels and headed out for a boat ride. It turned out to be a beautiful day after all. Another downpour came through later, but we were far enough south that we missed it. We went out for a while yesterday. I really wish we could have stayed another day because yesterday was the better boating day by far. But we had to get home and get chores done for the start of the week.

 I prepped meals when I got home last night. This week I prepped grilled chicken, turkey burgers, roasted sweet potatoes, quinoa, green beans, mixed veggies, hard boiled eggs and lettuce for salad.

No matter how hard I try, I always gain a few pounds at the lake on the weekends. I've got to get my clean eating and proper portions in a little bit better control. That's why I'm starting another round of the 21 Day Fix today. I'm also planning to get in a 2-3 morning runs each week in addition to the 21 Day Fix workouts.

So now you're up to speed with what I've been up to lately.

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

Your friend,

Theresa

Motivation Monday~~Boston Strong

Good morning sunshines!!

I hope that you all had a fabulous weekend/Easter.

It was a good weekend here. Saturday morning, we went to Stillwater and I got 3 miles done at Boomer Lake. I had a little bit of pain in the right Achilles but it wasn't too bad. I am glad that I taped before I ran and stretched well after. Later, I remembered that I was using a new pair of Superfeet that aren't really broke in yet. Maybe that was part of it. Or maybe it's because my pace was a little fast. I don't really know, but it was better later that day and on Sunday so maybe it was just a fluke.

After my run, we ate some lunch, did some shopping then we came home and did some front porch sitting. I think that's my current favorite past time!!  The weather has been fabulous recently and I love sitting out here watching the birds, rabbits, etc

Yesterday, we did our usual household chores including weekly meal prep

Lemon pepper pork tenderloin, grilled chicken, turkey meatloaf stuffed peppers, baked sweet potatoes,
steamed squash, steamed asparagus, roasted carrots, green beans, mixed veggies, brown rice,
turkey sausage egg muffins, hard boiled eggs, fresh veggies for snacks
 

After the chores were done, it was time for more porch sitting! Afterwards, we had a fabulous dinner and then we tried to watch SALEM, the new series on WGN. But it was too disturbing for me.

Today is the Boston Marathon. There are 36,000 expected to run today. That's all my Twitter feed is about this morning. I've got a personal friend running it, so I'll be checking on her progress as often as I can.

There is a Run for Boston run at Fleet Feet Sports Tulsa tonight, but I don't think I'm going to run tonight. I've got something else up my sleeve and we'll talk more about that later.

I've got to get back on the wagon with my working out/cross training. That was one of my goals this year but I just haven't had the motivation. I'm hoping to try to change that starting tonight! So, with that being said, here are my goals for the week:

Monday: cross train
Tuesday: 3 mile run
Wednesday: cross train
Thursday: 3 mile run
Friday: REST
Saturday: 4 mile run
Sunday: Yoga

Hopefully I can stick with it!!  Wish me luck!

Until next time--get up, get out, get moving, and be awesome today!

Your friend,

Theresa

What are your workout goals this week??

Monday Motivation/Meal Prep Monday

Good morning folks!!

It was an absolutely fabulous weekend here!

Saturday morning, we got up early and went to Stillwater, Oklahoma for the Lake McMurtry 12k trail run. I've lived in this area all my life. I've been to Lake McMurtry on more than one occasion but I never knew that the trails there existed and how pretty the area was. Hubs and I have never run a trail race/run officially. We didn't have a goal time in mind. Our plan was to run/walk and just enjoy nature. That's exactly what we did. We started out toward the back of the pack. Most of the other runners passed us early on. The trail started out fairly wide but quickly narrowed. We were meeting the 25k and 50k runners at times. There were quite a few steep declines/inclines and the trail was dry as we hadn't had significant rainfall for a while. It could be slick and treacherous in places if it were wet/muddy. It was an out/back course which I didn't mind because it looked quite different on the way back than it did on the way out. I stayed fairly close to hubs for the first 4-5 miles but I ran ahead on mile 5 and walked most of the last mile as I was following 2 walkers. This was the longest run I've done in several weeks and I didn't want to do too much, too soon so I didn't mind the walking. I lost some endurance and conditioning while I was recovering. Initially, I felt out of shape but then I got warmed up and felt better. Overall, it was a good experience and I'm so glad we did it! Hubs has a little bit of pain in his knee but he did great too!! 

 

 

After the run, we had lunch then did our weekly grocery shopping. It was a beautiful day so I finished putting the groceries away, took a shower and then we sat on the porch for a while. It's been so long since we did any front porch sitting that I forgot how enjoyable it was!

 

Yesterday, I got up and did our taxes. Yeah, I know! Nothing like waiting until the last minute but I wanted to prolong the inevitable as long as possible. We sold a home last year so I was dreading the outcome. The damage was bad enough but it wasn't as bad as either one of us expected.

 

When that was done, I did a little closet clean out. Then I tackled the weekly meal prep.

 

I don't have time to cook during the week, so I do weekly food prep on the weekend, usually Sunday. I try to start making my meal plan on Thursday or Friday. I usually try to plan at least 2 protein choices. I try to fix things that will make multiple servings. And I use my crock pot when I can because its a huge time saver!!  Ideally I will shop on Saturday and prep on Sunday.

 

I have a subscription to Emeals.com and I'm currently on a low calorie, 2 person plan. I get some of my meals ideas from there. I also find good ones on Pinterest. And we've got our favorites that I rotate. I don't do anything that isn't easy because I simply don't have time! One of my favorite, go to meals is what I call "dump chicken".  I put 1.5 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast in the crockpot with whatever seasoning you choose (taco seasoning, Rotel tomatoes, salsa, barbeque sauce, soysauce w/brown sugar and garlic, etc) and cook on low 4-6 hours. This will make several meals. It can be shredded for salads or lettuce wraps.

 

I also use steamer bags as often as I can. They are another huge time saver because they don't take long in the microwave and there is no clean up. Birds Eye steamer veggies and Minute Rice steamable brown rice, found in the freezer aisle make meal prep a breeze! I try to prep at least 1 starch (brown rice, quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes) and 2 veggies. Sometimes, I will chop raw veggies for hubs lunches or lettuce for mine, too. I always fixe hubs sausage egg muffins. They are so easy and he loves them. I typically spend 2-3 hours meal prepping including clean up. I keep my trash can on one side of me and a bucket on the other for veggie scraps. Those go out to a compost heap. So, that's how I do it. I find that if I don't do a good job of meal prepping for the week, we make poor choices during the week. Failing to plan is planning to fail.

Weekly meal prep--upper left: turkey sausage egg muffins; upper right: jalapeno turkey burgers, roasted sweet potatoes; lower left: balsamic mustard pork chops, zucchini ribbon salad; lower right: grilled pesto chicken, grilled mixed veggies

 

Until next time--get up, get out, get moving and be awesome today!!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

 

Do you meal prep?

What's on your menu this week? Ever tried Emeals?

 

 

An InLinkz Link-up

Motivation Monday

Good morning folks!! Happy Monday!!

That was a great weekend!!  We had fun with my family at my niece's birthday party Saturday. I tried to get a picture with my little "mini-me" but with her friends and pony rides, it was hard to get her to sit still long enough.

Saturday is typically my "long run" day but I wasn't able to this week due to the party. I agreed to meet my friend Kelly on Sunday morning instead. Kelly hasn't been running much lately.  Neither have hubs and I. We're all trying to get back at it and gradually build up our miles. Since this would be hubs' first attempt at running post meniscus repair and not sure what to expect due to my recent injury issues, we decided to try something different. We met at Turkey Mountain in Tulsa. It's known as Tulsa's urban wilderness. The main trailhead is only 7 miles from downtown Tulsa. One can run/bike for miles without seeing another soul – a testament to the many trails at Turkey Mountain. Crowded with roots and rocks, blessed with views of the Arkansas River, and basically untouched by humanity in general. There are multiple running/hiking/biking trails.

Unpaved trails are generally softer and provide less resistance during running. Your feet sink in slightly upon impact on an unpaved trail, which partially absorbs the force of impact with each stride. Also, trail running not only helps save your knees from intense jarring, it also intensifies your overall workout. Trails are almost never straight and even. They generally include various inclines and declines, roots sticking out of the ground, tree branches, water obstacles such as streams and puddles, and a variety of other natural elements. Such terrain typically doesn't allow for steady, paced running. Trail running incorporates lots of jumping, twisting, directional changes and pace variations. The natural obstacles can give you a more effective overall workout and help improve your sense of balance and reaction time.

We decided to try the yellow trail, which is about 4.4 miles. We agreed that we would take it slowly. We implemented a run/walk/run approach. It was a beautiful morning! We got to the yellow turn around point and decided to take the pink train back for a change of scenery. It was much more narrow so we ended up hiking most of the way back. We eventually intersected the blue trail and took it back to the trailhead. It was so much fun!!  Even though we didn't run all of it, it was still a good work out! Hubs did really well. And I'm pleased to report that I minimal pain in my heel/foot/etc. I had taped my foot up with kinesio tape really well. I used my green Superfeet inserts in a pair of broken in Brooks Ravennas. I'm not sure if it was the taping, the inserts, the shoes, the trail, or a combination of all of the above but it was a good run. I've now got so much more hope than I did last week!!  :-)

After a great brunch, we did a little shopping. When we got home, hubs worked to prepare our garden spot for the summer. We're going to plant squash, okra, cucumbers, beans, peas, corn, peppers and tomatoes. Meanwhile, I meal prepped for the week. This week, I fixed sirloin steak, peach chipotle pork tenderloin and oven roasted turkey breast with green beans, asparagus, and salad. That should be enough to feed us for the week! I'm not good at taking pictures of my meal prepping as I go, but one of these days I will so you can see that it really isn't all that difficult.

Last week, I really wasn't feeling well at all so I really didn't do much cross training. This week, I'm feeling much better, so I'm planning to get back at it!!

Until, next time--get up, get out, get moving and be awesome today!

Your friend,


Theresa

Monday Run-day

Happy Monday, lovlies!

I hope that you all had a fantastic weekend!

Mine was good but rather uneventful. It consisted of household chores, grocery shopping, and weekly and meal prep. I did go see the new movie, Divergent. And that was by far the best movie I've seen in a long time.

It's been 3 weeks since my last run and I'm starting to have withdrawals. My last run was the Little Rock Half Marathon. It was such a horrible experience that I was really not sure I would ever run again. My Achilles and peroneal tendons were so angry. This past week, I've really had minimal pain so I think the I might give it a go tonight! I think that I'll try to do a couple of slow, miles after work tonight. I'm planning to take it easy and will walk if I have to. There are only 2 weeks left in the Pathways session and I know the program coordinator is expecting me to return tonight. I'm nervous about that. I think I need to try to run on my own instead of trying to lead a group in case I have to stop. My calves have been really tight and sore the past couple of days. And I'm fairly certain that was a contributing factor to my injury in the first place. Hopefully, all will go well and a cam start building my mileage back up gradually.

That's all that I've got going on right now.

Until next time-get up, get out, and get moving!

Your friend,

Theresa

Motivation Monday Link Up Weight Lifting Tips

Good morning folks!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Here we are at Monday again. Man, where does the weekend go??  Mine flew by so quickly!! 
Hubs had to work until noon on Saturday, so I got to sleep in. I got up around 8 am, caught up on emails, etc, did an intense HIIT workout, got my hair trimmed, then got ready to spend the afternoon w/ DH (darling hubs).

When he got home from work we went to lunch then shopping. I've got a college reunion in a couple of weeks and I was on a mission to find the perfect outfit. I was struggling to find it!!  We went to 5 stores and weren't having any luck. I found an awesome bikini at The Buckle that I just knew I would look amazing in. Well, I tried it on and was immediately disappointed. :( I made a comment on my Facebook page about it and was scolded by several friends. Let me set the record straight here. I don't have a body image issue. I'm proud of my body and my curves. I've worked very hard to get where I am and I'm exceptionally proud of that! I'm not afraid to rock a bikini!! It was a beautiful bikini, it just wasn't flattering on me and obviously not the right suit for me. What discouraged me was I'm not making as much progress as I think I should be. I feel like I'm working hard and should be closer to where I want to be than I am. It's easy to get discouraged when we don't see immediate results. I just need to remind myself that slow progress is still progress and to keep going!!

 

At the sixth store, I finally found the perfect outfit! Then, we did the weekly grocery shopping. Yesterday, I did weekly meal prep. I fixed: baked egg/sausage muffins, turkey meatloaf stuffed peppers and muffins, baked chicken breast, red beans and rice w/ turkey sausage, roasted sweet potatoes, brown rice, steamed veggies, salad, and veggies for snacks. After I got that done, I spent the rest of the day relaxing with my feet up and catching up on some of my favorite TV shows.

Today is Motivation Monday and we're talking about Weight Lifting Tips. Strength training is something that I'm really interested in right now. I've been reading and researching as many resources as I can. I'm certainly not an expert, so the best advice that I can give you is to do your homework. There are LOTS of reputable resources available. I'm going to share a few of my favorites with you.

Here's a great article that I found on Pinterest. I've also found a lot of good information on the FitnessRX Women website including the Jamie Eason program that I'm currently following. It's a great workout and I've been able to easily modify it to do at home. There's also a ton of information at http://www.bodybuilding.com/ And another great resource is The New Rules of Lifting for Women book. I bought mine from Amazon and thanks to Prime, I had it in 2 days with no shipping costs. So, that's my advice to you. Be sure to link up with us and see what the rest of the team has for you today.

Until next time: get up, get out, get moving and be awesome today!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Do you lift weights/strength train?

Tuesday Musings

Good morning folks!

Monday is usually my day to coach Pathways, but I haven't run with them for nearly a month now due to this tendonitis issue I'm having. I'm hoping that I can get back at it before the session ends. I think they did speed work at the track last night. It was a beautiful night for a run, too!!  Since I am allowed to do low impact activities, I went to spin class. After I got home, hubs and I did our core and upper body strength training workout. I think we got in a pretty good calorie burn!! 

I had to wear my sunglasses on the way home from gym. I had almost forgotten what it's like to have sunshine in the evenings like that. And I love it!!  I like daylight savings time (sorry, Christy. I know you don't like it) I love the sunshine and thrive on it. It does my heart and soul good. I might have a touch of seasonal affective disorder. I feel more productive and more motivated on warm, sunny days so I'm definitely happy about the time change and am looking forward to spring/summer.

Tonight, we're scheduled to do lower body. I'm going to have to modify some of the exercises for hubs because of his knee injury. I'm enjoying this program so far and am eager to see where we are in 30 days.

Alrighty, I've got to get ready for work now. I hope that you all have a terrific Tuesday!!  Get up, get out and get moving! Don't forget to be awesome today!! 

What do you think of daylight savings time?

Motivation Monday~~Weekly goals/Progress pictures

Howdy y'all!  I hope you had a fabulous weekend.

Ours was fast and furious! And all did not go as planned, but for the most part it was good.

We went out to dinner with some good friends Saturday night and were supposed to go to a concert with them. We arrived at the concert late. It was standing room only and very crowded. I don't do well at all in big crowds and am certainly not a "fly by the seat of my pants" girl. I'm definitely more organized and detail oriented. I was very uncomfortable in this situation. My husband sensed my anxiety and suggested that we leave. The people we were with are definitely "roll with the flow" folks and got upset with me for leaving. So that was a little unpleasant but hubs and I made the best of it and still had fun!

Hubs had an eye opening experience the other day. He had his biometric screening last at work last Friday. His triglycerides are high and his weight isn't ideal. He eats the meals that I prepare for lunches and dinners. He's not gluten or dairy free but should be because he has problems with dairy. He has problems with portion control (ate 4 hot rolls at Texas Roadhouse the other day even after I told him that they are 225 calories each!) And he makes poor snack choices (doughnuts) too. So, he decided that he's going to clean up his diet a little more this week. He also decided that he needs to start working out again. He hasn't done any activity since he tore his meniscus last fall. He's nervous about any high impact activity and I can't blame him. So, with me on the running DL, I think this is a good time to incorporate a strength training program for both of us.

Yesterday, we went to the store and bought a curl bar for me, another standard bar and more plates so that we can workout together. Tonight we're going start a weight training program that I found online. It's designed for women, but I think it looks like a good program for both of us. There are a few moves that will need to be modified a little bit but I'm excited to start this with him. I'm going to spin class first, then we'll do this workout when I get home. I will be more motivated with more daylight in the evenings now. :-) Fitness goals for the week are:

Monday: Spin class, upper body
Tuesaday: Lower body/legs
Wednesday: Spin class, Urban Fit bootcamp
Thursday: Upper body
Friday: Lower body/legs
Saturday: Full body circuit

I did weekly meal prep yesterday. In addition to the lunches/dinners that I usually fix, I prepped veggies for snacks for him and made sausage and egg white muffins for his breakfasts. I also made baked Mediterranean chicken with spaghetti squash, sesame chicken and veggie stir fry, and ground turkey with quinoa and veggies. I'm excited that he has decided to clean his diet up! I'm hoping he can stay on track!!

Today, the Motivation Monday team is sharing progress pictures. It's difficult to notice small changes and often times, I think this is where some folks get discouraged and give up. They tend to focus on how far they had to go instead of how far they've come. Progress pictures are a great tool to help one stay focused and motivated.

Here are my most recent progress pictures:

And that's just from clean eating for a week!!  I can't wait to take these again in 30 days and see how far I've come!!

Ok, that's all for now!!  Be sure to link up with us and see what the rest of the team has for you!!

Until next time, take care and remember to be awesome!!  Get up, get out and get moving!!

Your friend,

Theresa

http://new.inlinkz.com//luwpview.php?id=357195" title="click to view in an external page.">An InLinkz Link-up

An InLinkz Link-up

Motivation Monday!

It's a double post day!! My race recap was too long to do one post, so I split them up.

Today is Motivation Monday and the team is talking about their Top 10 Weight Loss Tips.

Wendy

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Google+ / Bloglovin’ / Instagram

Alisha

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / You Tube / Instagram

Betty

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Google+ / Bloglovin’

Brandi

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Gwen

 Twitter / Pinterest / Bloglovin' 

Jen

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest /  Bloglovin’ / Instagram

Jennifer

Facebook /  Instagram

Morgan

Facebook  / Pinterest /  Instagram

Theresa

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest /  Instagram

Tiffany

Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest /  Bloglovin’ / Instagram

People ask me all the time how I lost my weight and how have I kept it off. I've compiled my favorite weight loss success tips for you here:


1: No excuses! Begin where you are with what you have.

2: Set SMART goals. In order to achieve your goals, they must be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

3: Write things down. Keep a journal, track your progress, log your calories, etc. Progress pics are great!!  They help you see where you've been and how far you've come.

4: Sign up for challenges, races, group events/activities, etc. Give yourself small goals to work toward and accomplish. With group activities, you get the support, motivation and accountability that can you achieve your goals.

5: Find a mentor or a workout/weight loss/fitness buddy. Again, you'll be more successful with the motivation, encouragement and accountability.

6: Be honest with yourself. If you're not seeing results, re-evaluate your goal and re-adjust if needed. If you've had a slip up, that's ok. Don't give up, just pick back up and keep going!

7: Be proud of yourself. Love yourself not matter where you are in your journey. Be patient. This is about progress, not perfection. Reward your self for successes. For instance, if your goal is to lose 10 pounds, buy yourself a cute new workout outfit when you achieve your goal. This will help keep you motivated!

8: Read and educate yourself. There is a vast array of knowledge about health, wellness, nutrition, and fitness at your fingertips.

9: Plan ahead. Meal planning is the biggest key to preventing a disaster for me. I typically try to plan and prepare meals for a week in advance. This makes it easy for me to stay on  track with healthy eating. If I don't plan, then I'm at the mercy of my work cafeteria which usually has greasy, fried or fat filled choices to offer.

10: Do something every day to get you one step closer to your goal. Sometimes baby steps work better and that's ok. Just start with one thing, be it clean healthy eating or increasing your activity and do it every day. After you've mastered that, then move on to the next step.

Feel free to link up with us and see what the rest of the team has for you today!

http://new.inlinkz.com//luwpview.php?id=357194" title="click to view in an external page.">An InLinkz Link-up

Until next time,

Your Friend,

Theresa