Enough is Enough

Howdy folks!!

I realize I haven't been here in forever, and I'm sorry for that. Life has just been so hectic lately & I just didn't really have much new or interesting to talk about.

I've been busy with weight training recently as I've had a little set back in the running world. About a month ago, I started having pain in my foot which has progressively gotten worse despite the typical rest, ice, compression, elevation treatment. So, this afternoon I'm going to my PCP for an xray. I'm hoping and praying for no stress fracture but I'm fairly certain that's what it is. Bummer!!  I was planning to fun the Route 66 Marathon this fall but that plan is currently on hold. Usually I would be upset that I couldn't run, but I'm really enjoying the weight training right now.

I've also tweaked my macros some and consequently, I'm seeing some results that I'm really pleased with. Last week, my stomach was flatter than I've ever seen it. Now, mind you, I wasn't very careful over the weekend and may have had a couple of high carb days in a row. But I'll just keep plugging along and try to trust the process. 

What I came here to talk to you about today is "body shaming". Body shaming is defined as: shaming someone for their body type; they're too fat, too skinny, etc.  Now, I am not going to deny that I have found myself doing this from time to time. I've looked at an over weight person and judged them harshly. And that was wrong! I don't know that person. I don't know their story or their struggles and I don't have any room to judge them. I really never gave this much thought until recently.....when it happened to me.

Two times in the past week, I've been judged harshly by women because of my body type: too skinny. One woman made derogatory comments to my husband about me "Well, she's got an 8 inch waist" Another commented about me wearing a bikini. Well guess what? My body isn't perfect and I'm not really where I want to be yet. But I'm much better than I used to be. And I'm DAMN PROUD OF IT!!  So, I'm going to continue to wear bikinis or skirts that accent my waist because I have worked for it and earned it!! 

I am sure this is just the old green-eyed jealous monster rearing its ugly head. I'm sorry that they aren't happy with their bodies. That really is unfortunate. However it is their problem, not mine. And my self worth doesn't depend on their acceptance of me.

I wish every woman felt confident and comfortable in their own skin. Body shaming is the primary reason that we don't!!  Women judge each other so harshly. When we first began boating several years ago, I wouldn't be caught dead in a bikini. I was scared to show my body. I knew it wasn't perfect and was afraid I would be judged for it. But I saw other women who weren't perfect either and they were in bikinis so I eventually overcame that fear. It made me strive to work harder and be a little bit better every day. I'm proud of where I am in my journey. I realize that it is much easier to project one's insecurities onto the other person rather than facing them & dealing with them. But it's time that we stop this trend. Instead of bashing the other person who you know nothing about, reflect on what you like about yourself and what you could improve. If you're jealous then do something about it!!  Everyone can change their story....I did!!  We're all born with traits & characteristics that make us unique and individual. When we learn to let go of our own insecurities & quit sweating the small stuff (yes, it is small stuff) then we truly are happier. So, ladies....stop with the childish, jealousy, mean girls stuff! It's so middle school and really isn't very becoming. I truly says more about you & your character than that of the other person.

Confidence is the most beautiful accessory a woman can wear! Strong women build each other up instead of tearing them down! So, be strong, be courageous, accept yourself for who you are & where you are in your journey, and most importantly, learn to LOVE yourself!

So, let's quit with the body shaming, judging, and jealously stuff! 

Or anyone, for that matter!

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

Your friend,

Theresa

Have you ever been body shamed?
Have you ever body shamed someone else?

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??

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! 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

Tuesday Thoughts

Good morning folks!!

Happy Tuesday!!

I hope that you're having a fabulous week!

Last week was a little bit rough for me. I was sick and couldn't quite shake it. I thought that it was my gallbladder. I ended up going to the doctor last Friday. My lab work was normal and am supposed to have an ultrasound, but the symptoms are mostly resolved so I think I'll hold off for now.

Pathways is moving right along and my group is doing an amazing job. I'm so proud of them! We did hill repeats last Thursday. It was hot and the hills were so challenging! But they powered through and got it done. They were rewarded with a cool, rainy run last Saturday morning. We went 5.5 miles which was a distance PR for several of them. After the run, we got together for a nice brunch. Hubs and I watched my favorite college football team after that then we went on a pedi/movie date later in the day. It was a perfect day!!

Sunday, I did a little shopping. Hooray for retail therapy!!  Then I did the weekly meal prep, as usual. This week I prepped baked chicken, ground turkey, brown rice, baked sweet potatoes, salad, green beans, mixed veggies, and HB eggs. We had breakfast for dinner that night and it was fabulous! I need to do that more often!!

 

I'm back at it with my cross training this week. I'm hoping that I can be consistent this time. My fitness plans this week include:

Monday--Body Beast Chest and Tris
Tuesday--Pathways, speed work at the track; 21 Day Fix Upper Fix
Wednesday--Body Beast Build Back and Biceps
Thursday--Pathways 3.5 mile progression run; Body Beast Lucky 7 or 21 Day Fix Dirty Thirthy
Friday--Body Beast Build Shoulders
Saturday--Cherokee Strip Celebration 5k

This is one of my all time favorite weeks ever!!  I've come to the sad realization that we've had our last warm lake weekend, but fall will be arriving this week just in time for my hometown's celebration of the 1893 Oklahoma Land Run. We call it "Celebration Week" The county fair and carnival runs throughout the week and the festivities conclude on Saturday with a parade around the town square. I haven't been to it in a few years but I'm going this year. My brother and his wife will be there with my niece. It will be nice to have my whole family together. There is a 5k that morning and I'm going to run it. My goal is to win my age group!!  There is a fall cool front predicted for this weekend, so hopefully the cooler temps will give me a little boost and I can do it!!

So that's all for me now. I know it's short and sweet but I've been slacking again so I just wanted to pop in and update you quickly on what I've been up to. I hope that you all have a fabulous week. We'll meet here again tomorrow, same time, same place for Workout Wednesday. I've got something exciting to share with you this week!

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

Friday Wrap-up

TGIF y'all! Happy Friday!

We made it to the end of another week.

It's been a pretty good week here,  all things considered.  Last night was the first hill night for  Pathways. Despite a couple of snafus, it was a good run. I'm proud of my group thus far. They are eager and ambitious. That will serve them well over the next 10 weeks.

Tomorrow morning we are  running  a relatively flat  4 mile route.  After that,  we're either going to the lake to make the best of the remaining summer weekends. Or  we're  staying home because I've got some errands I need to run.  I'm torn and undecided.

I've been hitting my macros pretty close this week but  have been slacking on my strength training....oops! I've got to get back at it!  I was worried that I had lost my endurance during my running hiatus.  But,  I think that because of the strength training that I have been doing,  I'm not as far behind as I initially thought.  And for that,  I'm glad.  I am having some of the pain in my lower leg,  heel,  ankle area that I was experiencing with my  Achilles issue.  I'm going to try taping in  the  morning and plan to do  some rolling/stretching or maybe even yoga tonight.  I don't want to be injured again!

Wel,   I've got a lot on my mind,  but I won't bore you with all that today.  We'll save that for next week. Ok,  so  y'all have a super weekend! Same time,  same place next week!

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

Your  friend,

Theresa

What's on your agenda this weekend?
How many miles are you running?