Catching Up

Howdy, howdy y’all! I haven’t forgotten about you. I’ve been meaning to pop in here more often but I’ve been so busy that this is the first opportunity I’ve had to update in quite a while.

 

March was a busy running month for me. I logged 85+ miles, the highest 1 month mileage for me since I started running and I ran 3 half marathons. You would think that would have been a big enough challenge for me, but nope. I wasn’t satisfied. I was fairly certain that I had more in me, so I set out to prove to myself that I did.

 

I’m a member of a group called the Half Fanatics. Toward the end of March, I started looking at the membership criteria to see what it would take to move me up to another level. I tried every way that I could to make the half marathons I had already done count but I couldn’t get it to add up. They were just too far apart. One thing became apparent to me, I would have to run more! So, I made a plan and signed up for not just 1 more, but 3 more half marathons!!  If I did 3 in 3 states in 10 (or less days) I would move up to Mars level. So, that is precisely what I did!!  I ran the Garmin Half Marathon in Olathe, KS on Saturday, April 18. It was rainy and I was hurting badly from a trip/near fall over a parking block so I was surprised by my finish time of 2:24. I got a post race massage, took an ice bath (as advised by the pacer I ran w/ for a while) then a hot shower.

 

After food and Advil, we loaded up and headed for Springfield, MO where I ran the Go Girl Half Marathon on Sunday, April 19. Yep, that’s right….I did 2 halfs back to back!!  I was slower on the second race, finish time was 2:27 but that’s ok. I wasn’t really running for time. I was running in honor of my friend, Crystal who was still recovering from a brain aneurysm (that’s another story).

 

 

 

I didn’t do too much running during the next week as I had one more to go. I focused more on recovery: stretching, yoga, rolling, etc. that week and just ran a couple short maintenance runs. On Saturday, April 25, I ran the Tulsa Golden Driller Half Marathon. This was an inaugural run. It was rather warm and humid that day plus I was tired. It was not my best race ever but this was definitely not about finish time, it was just about finishing upright. And I did in 2:30. I had done it!!  3 half marathons in 3 states in 8 days!!  I moved up to the Mars level as a Half Fanatic.

 

 

 

I am very proud of this accomplishment because exactly one year ago, I was struggling to find my running mojo again. I learned some valuable lessons along the way. This was about endurance. This was about setting a goal and doing whatever needed to be done to achieve it. It was about finishing what I started. And I did it!!  I proved to myself that I’m capable of accomplishing anything I set my mind to. I tell my runners this all the time, but now I’ve got the personal experience to back it up. I’ve already got my sights set on my next goal, but that’s also another story…..

 

Since then, I’ve taken a break from runner to rest and heal up a little bit. I was pretty beat up after all those miles. My IT band was starting to be a little bit irritated because I’ve slacked off of strength training pretty badly. For the past 3 weeks, I’ve been focusing on cleaning up my diet and strength training.

 

My diet was way out of control again! I was eating treats and candy like there was no tomorrow plus drinking too much sweet tea. On Monday, April 27, I did the Team Beachbody 3 Day Refresh. I did it once before and swore that I would never do it again, but I was desperate and had to take drastic measures. I was surprised that it wasn’t nearly as bad as the first time I did it. I didn’t lose lots of weight or inches, but I did succeed in controlling my sugar intake. I am feeling much better, less bloating and stomach upset without all the processed sugars. My clothes seem to be fitting better and I think I look better so that’s a win as far as I’m concerned! I’ve still got some work to do to cut out all of the mindless binging in the evenings after work but that’s drastically improved as well.

And I’ve picked up the weights again. I don’t really get as much of a rush from strength training as I do from running but I know it is a necessary evil and I do like the changes I see in my body. I feel stronger, have more energy in general and am less prone to running injury. Plus I know it increases my running endurance. Pathways summer session starts next week. I’m moving up to coach a faster pace group but I intend to keep the strength training up on my non-running days. I’ve even got a couple new workouts to share with you on Workout Wednesdays.

 

Another change that has taken place is a change in my work assignment. YAY!!  I can NOT express how happy this makes me!!  I won’t bore you with all the gory details, but suffice to say that I’m in a less toxic environment and have a much better work/life balance now!! WOOHOO!!

 

So, that’s a brief update for now. I’ll try to do a much better job of keeping you posted on the goings-on in my daily life once again. I’ve missed blogging on a regular basis and hope to get back to it at least 1-2 times weekly. So, until next time—get up, get out, and get moving.

Whatever you do today, be awesome at it!

 

Your friend,

 

Theresa

Workout Wednesday/Quick Update

Hey, hey, hey y'all!!  I'm still here and still alive!

The old ticker is still ticking, without any abnormalities!! I'm still wearing the heart monitor x 1 more week, but the arrhythmia episodes have decreased, so I'm expecting a bill of clean health from the cardiologist. In retrospect, it was all probably unnecessary, but better to be safe than sorry.

Since the first week of December, I've been filling in for a co-worker who injured her foot. She is unable to bear weight and has been off work. This role is very tedious and time consuming. I often have to stay late at work to complete my daily tasks, which is against everything I believe in. I also don't have great internet in my office. The browser on the work computer is outdated, so I can't access blogger. And the reception on my phone is poor to say the least. Therefore, my social media time and specifically my blogging has taken a HUGE hit!!  I'm sorry. I keep thinking that there has to be a light at the end of the tunnel and my life will be able to return to some resemblance of normalcy soon!!  It better because I'm exhausted and starting to feel burned out!!

In other news, I'm still running with the Pathways group. We're on week 9 of our training, just about 1 week away from our goal race: the Sweetheart Run 10k. They are a very fun group to work with. I've enjoyed this inaugural winter session of Pathways!!  And we've been blessed with some really great weather thus far this winter, so we aren't complaining too much!!

I'm also still trying to stick to eating as clean as I possibly can. And I'm still accomplishing that about 80% of the time.

I have kind of fallen off of cross training the past couple of weeks. Hubs and I have been doing the Body Beast workout. We enjoy it and we will get back to it but we're taking a little break from it at the moment. Right now, we're doing a program I found at www.simplyshredded.com 

 

This is a 12 week program. This is week 1-4. On week 5, the reps decrease to 6-8. And on week 9-12, they decrease to 4-6. You should be getting stronger each week, so the amount of weight that one lifts should ideally increase. So, we'll see. We worked up quite a sweat doing legs last night!!  We have to make some modifications here and there as we don't have machines at home but I think this will be a good program to follow while we're taking a break from the Beast. As you can see, there isn't a workout scheduled for Wednesday, so I'll probably throw in the 21 Day Fix Dirty 30 dvd or find some HIIT workout for us to do.

And, speaking of the 21 Day Fix. I'm so excited that the 21 Day Fix Extreme was just released by Beachbody. I ordered it as soon as it became available and we'll incorporate that when it arrives!!

Ok, gotta run! That's all for now!

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever makes you happy, do more of that today!!

Your friend,

Theresa

What workouts are you currently doing??

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?

 

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??

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?

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

Hello,  hello!

Just popping in here quickly to say Happy September! 

It's a new month,  so time for new goals.

My goal for September is to start the Body Beast program and actually follow it as it is designed instead of hit and miss.  Hopefully,  that should be a little easier to accomplish now that we sent going to the lake every weekend.

My fitness goals for this week are:

Wednesday--BodyBeast chest and triceps
Thursday-- 3.5 miles with Pathways,  BodyBeast back and biceps
Friday--BodyBeast shoulders
Saturday--5.5 mile run with Pathways

I prepped baked chicken for meals this week to keep our healthy eating on track even though it's a short work week.

Last week,  I was talking to my Pathways group about the importance of cross training regularly.  I explained that strengthening non running muscles helps prevent injuries and makes them better, faster, stronger runners. I was excited to find this article about exercises to build your running body to share with them.  So,  since it is Workout Wednesday,  I thought I would share it with you as well. There's some good information here.

I hope that you have a fabulous week!

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

Back to Reality

Hello, hello!!

I hope that you're all doing well and having a good week, so far. Hang on, we're almost there!!

Its been a great week for me, but its back to reality today. Hubs and I decided to take a little extended time at the last this past weekend and I am so glad that we did!! It is always so beautiful there but I was surprised at how peaceful it was. Monday and Tuesday were nearly perfect. There were very few boats, so the water was very calm. The weather was perfect! We had the campground all to ourselves. It was so quiet and relaxing! I could have stayed for days and days!!  Hubs got the chance to do a little fishing while I got to float and soak up the sun. The highlight of our trip was getting to see the goats on Goat Island. We've gone to this lake for several years now and just recently learned that this island is called "Goat Island" We heard there were goats on the island but we were skeptical, as we had docked there before and never saw or heard one. We've seen pictures of them recently but until Sunday, we had not seen them with our own eyes. We had a chance to see one of them Sunday and then on Tuesday, we saw them both.  Needless to say, it was a great week!

I didn't work out as much as I had planned. I probably ate way too much junk and consumed a few too many adult beverages, but it was all worth it! I think that we spend way too much time wrapped up in our daily lives-working, working out, watching what we eat, etc. Don't get me wrong, that's all very important. But I believe that if we truly want to be the best that we can be, we need to learn to lighten up and relax. Rest is just as important as exercise and clean eating!!

I packed my gym bag for a run after work today. And for the first time in about 6 months, I packed this shirt:

I have to admit that I'm more than a little bit excited about returning to coaching this group! It was such and integral part of my identity then I got injured and a little burned out. I've taken a break and now I'm looking forward to working with this group, preparing them for their goal race, the Tulsa Run 15k. I had such a fun group last fall. I haven't met them yet as I missed the first run Tuesday night but I'm hoping that we have as much fun, if not more! Some of our Pathways alumni have graduated to coaching, including my sweeper coach. It will be as much fun working with them too. Don't worry, I'll keep you posted with frequent updates and pictures!!  I just hope that I can keep up!!

 

And, back to reality for us includes back to our healthy habits: eating and working out. Of course I meal prepped when we got home yesterday. I fixed turkey sausage w/ potatoes, peppers and onions, baked chicken, baked sweet potatoes, salad and HB eggs. In addition to running tonight, I'll continue my strength training with an upper body workout.

 

OK, gotta go get ready for work now. I'll check in with ya again tomorrow!

 

Until next time--get up, get out and get moving!!  Whatever you decided to 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