Friday wrap-up

Howdy folks!

I hope you're having a fabulous Friday so far!

It's been a pretty good week here thus far.  On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, I met my friends at 0530 to run.  And today I got my but kicked by my trainer at 0530. I am adjusting to the morning workouts much better that I expected.  I have officially gotten ready for work at the gym more times than at home. And that's not necessarily a bad habit to have.  Tomorrow, I'm going to meet my friends for a Saturday run.  I haven't run with them on a Saturday since I don't remember when. We're planning to run 4-6 miles.  I'm a little concerned because I'm having a little pain in the posterior heel today.  I hope it's not related to the Achilles injury I had early this year. I'll try to tape it and hope for the best. I haven't been as good about my cross training this week as I should have been. But I've worked out our run 4 out of 5 days,  so it could be worse.

I've been playing around with my macro nutrients on My Fitness Pal this week. I don't think I have a good enough understanding of it yet,  but I'll do a blog post about #iifym when I do.

I'm starting to plan my fall racing schedule and that's always exciting!  I'm hoping to have a big announcement for you all soon!

So,  thats it in a nutshell.  Until next time--get up,  get out, and get moving! Whatever you decide to do today,  be awesome at it!

Your friend,

Theresa

Workout Wednesday

Good morning folks!

I hope that your week is going well so far. Today is Wednesday, so that means we're halfway through another work week, which makes me immensely happy!!  Today is one of those days that I would gladly work from home in my pajamas, after a nap of course!!

Now that it is officially summer, things are starting to heat up around here. It hasn't been as hot this summer as it was a few years ago (2011 and 2012 were among the hottest summers on record here in Oklahoma) but it is warming up and it has been extremely humid, which can pose problems. I've been joining my friends at 0530 to try to beat this a little bit. Yesterday was great but last week was a different story and I suspect that trend will continue until fall. Now, don't get me wrong, I love summer and I've run through some of the hottest summers ever on record in Oklahoma, it's just that I prefer running in the 50's -60's with low humidity. I thought that I would share some tips for running in the heat and humidity with you.

 

Personally, I'm trying to get my run in earlier in the day. I drink plenty of water and electrolyte replacement drinks throughout the day. I prefer to run tank tops and singlets in the summer to help keep me cool. And I slow my pace considerably. I do most of my running in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tulsa is notoriously bad for "ozone alerts" so I pay close attention to the heat index. If it is 105 or higher, I will reduce my mileage or take my workout indoors, either to the treadmill or resort to cross training.

Yesterday, I ran 4 miles with my friends in the morning and did an upper body (chest/shoulders) workout after work. Today is LEG DAY!! I used to dread it, but I'm growing fond of it now.

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

Your friend,

Theresa

How do you beat the summer heat?

Monday Motivation~~Update

Hello, hello!!

Happy Monday everybody!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your friend,

Theresa

Monday Motivation

Good morning friends!!  Happy Monday!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your friend,

Theresa

Workout Wednesday

Hello, hello!

Happy "my second favorite day of the week" aka Wednesday! I love Wednesday almost as much as Friday! It means that we're halfway through the work week. And it's the day I share one off my favorite workouts with you.

Today, I'm going to take it a little different direction though. Instead of sharing another workout you, I'm going to talk to you about feelings I've been having recently. In May, I did the 21 Day Fix. Although I loosely followed the meal plan, I was pleased with the results I was seeing from the workouts. Then, Memorial day rolled around. We had 2 weekends at the lake. I did my level best to eat as healthy as possible, but there were some cheats and adult beverages. Plus, I've had quite a bit of stress with my mother in law. Consequently, I've been bloated and my progress has waned. :( I've noticed about a 4 pound weight gain on the scale that I just can't shake. 4 pounds doesn't sound like much, but it is enough to make me feel bloated and my clothes feel tight. I've been about 80 % with my eating plan and 100 % with my workouts but the damn scale isn't moving! I feel so discouraged! I love Instagram but right now I cringe when I log on there. I follow a lot of fitness accounts for inspiration. However, right now I'm finding them very discouraging. I'm asking myself "just because they have perfect, ripped abs why do I have to"

So, this week, I'm doubling up on workouts and sticking to the plan 90% This morning, I noticed a 2 pound change. Yeah, me! And that was after a 5:30 am butt kicking from my trainer! I actually puked after my workout! I'm not used to working out in the morning, I didn't eat and I got way too hot. I felt better as soon as I cooled down. And I felt great because it was a good workout!

So, the point I want to make to you today is don't give up, no matter what. If you have a set back, get back up and keep going. You'll be disappointed with yourself if you quit! Trust the process! Slow progress is still progress! If motivation is the issue, then change things up. Workout with a friend or try a new routine. Whatever it takes to just keep going! 3 months from now, you'll be glad you did!

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

Your friend,

Theresa

How do you handle a setback?
Do you ever find "motivational" photos/posts/etc discouraging?

Tuesday Thoughts

Hello, folks.

I hope that time all having a terrific Tuesday so far!

I had a workout related post planned for you yesterday, but once again life got in the way.

I was planning to post from work. But shortly after I got here, there was an episode with my mother in law. She was having severe shortness of breath. She was in respiratory distress. The staff handled it very well and got her stablized quickly but the decision was made that she would not be able to tolerate rehab. It was recommended that we take her home with hospice. So, that is exactly what we did.

It was a very difficult decision. I'm still not sure it was the right one. I guess only time will tell. The one thing I know for sure is that no matter how prepared you are, end of life decisions are never easy.

I'm going to keep this short today. I'll try to be back with a workout post for Workout Wednesday tomorrow. I have a 5:30 am appointment with my trainer in the morning. That should be interesting!

So, have a terrific Tuesday!

Your friend,

Theresa

Workout Wednesday~~Benefits of Running

Good morning folks!!  Today is my favorite day for several reasons. 1 - it's Wednesday and that means that we're halfway through this work week. We all know that I'm just working for the weekend!!

And 2, Wednesday means that it's Workout Wednesday. And today just happens to be National Running Day!!

I run because I can, because of the sense of accomplishment I get from a good run. For me it's about the adrenaline rush, the thrill of it. But it's different for everyone. Today, for workout Wednesday and National Running Day, let's talk about the benefits of running.

Improve Your Health

Believe it or not, running is actually a great way to increase your overall level of health.  Research shows that running can raise your levels of good cholesterol while also helping you increase lung function and use.  In addition, running can also boost your immune system and lower your risk of developing blood clots.

Prevent Disease

For women, running can actually help to lower your risk of breast cancer.  It can also help reduce the risk of having a stroke.  Many doctors today recommend running for people who are in the early stages of diabetes, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis, and it is proven to help reduce the risk of having a heart attack.  By helping the arteries retain their elasticity and strengthening the heart, your chances of suffering a heart attack can be significantly reduced.

Lose Weight

Running is one of the best forms of exercise for losing or maintaining a consistent weight.  You will find that it is a leading way to burn off extra calories and that it is the second most effective exercise in terms of calories burned per minute, following only after cross country skiing.

Boost Your Confidence

Not all of the benefits of running are physical.  Running can provide an noticeable boost to your confidence and self-esteem.  By setting and achieving goals, you can help give yourself a greater sense of empowerment that will leave you feeling much happier.

Relieve Stress

Stress can actually cause a number of health and mood problems.  It can also diminish appetite and sleep quality.  When you run, you force your body to exert excess energy and hormones.  Running also helps to reduce your chances of developing tension headaches.

Eliminate Depression

When you are depressed, the last thing you likely want to do is to get up and go for a run.  Yet you will find that after only a few minutes of running, your brain will start to secrete hormones that naturally improve your mood.  In fact, there are few things in the world that can better or more rapidly treat depression than exercise such as running.
It may seem surprising to learn all of the different ways that running can improve your health, but the truth of the matter is that these are only a few of the many benefits that it can offer to your body.  Running really is incredibly beneficial to the body, mind, and spirit, and you will find that even short runs can leave you feeling more energized, more focused, and better able to enjoy all that life has to offer.

Jog Your Way to Better Health

Whether you’re a fair-weather runner, or a running enthusiast, it’s no surprise that jogging has proven health benefits. www.healthperch.com has created an infographic entitled “Jog Your Way to Better Health” giving even more weight to the argument for strapping on your running shoes every day – especially if you suffer from depression. Recent studies have shown that jogging increases levels of the “feel good” hormones and chemicals in your body, such as dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin.  In fact, jogging helps individuals recover from depression more successfully than with medication alone.17-20 million people suffer from depression each year. With an average age at onset of 32, Americans have a right to be concerned. However, simply increasing your activity level may be just the thing to help you overcome depression. The American Journal of Nursing found that exercising three or more times a week over 10-16 weeks, along with achieving 60%-85% of your maximum heart rate may show a benefit benefit in as little as four weeks. Be cautioned, however, that over-exercising may cause depression and anxiety. The key is to stay in the safe zone of 2.5-7.5 hours per week. This infographic also offers a number of different tips and tricks to help you get on track to becoming a happier, healthier you.

Ok, so there you go! Now, you've got numerous reasons to get up, get out and get moving!!  Be awesome today!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Why do you run??
How will you be celebrating National Running Day??

Tape It Up

Good morning folks!!

I hope that your week is going well so far!

I had a mini-meltdown at work yesterday. I felt like we were making progress with my mother in law last week, but she was moved to another floor over the weekend and it seems like all progress has come to a grinding halt. Well, that is not acceptable. In my opinion, it is neglect and I made no bones about telling them just what I thought!  I think that I got my point across and I think they got it! At least I hope they did! Because they haven't seen anything yet! If they think that I was harsh yesterday, they have another think coming. I try very hard not to be "that family member" but sometimes it's hard not to be. I know how I would care for her if she were my patient and I expect them to take care of her just like I would. It's really not too much to ask!  And no, I don't think my expectations are too high. So, we'll see how everything goes today. I'm not afraid to escalate my concerns if need be. She deserves good care!! I feel sorry for patients that have no one to advocate for them.

Last week was a little frustrating for me regarding my workouts. Tuesday morning I woke up with terrible pain in my right shoulder and neck. Here's what you may not know, I've had arthritis in my cervical spine since age 26. At that time, I was experiencing constant pain in my neck and shoulder. I had several steroid injections. It would get better for a while but it would always come back. Finally, my PCP referred me to an ortho doc who did an assessment and informed me that my problem was chronic and there was nothing to do for it. I took anti-inflammatories for a while and learned to live with it. Usually it doesn't bother me but every once in a while, it rears it's ugly head and I'm miserable for a few days. And that's what happened last week. I still have full range of motion but I can't really move it comfortably. I don't want to do anything to exacerbate the problem, so I didn't do any strength training last week. I use ibuprofen to help decrease the inflammation and alternate heat/ice until it goes away. But last week, I tried something a little different to see if I could get it under control more quickly.

I've been a firm believer in kinesio tape for a long time now. It's helped my get through several injuries and has kept me running, maybe even when I shouldn't have been. I've been using a cotton tape lately with good results but was contacted by KT Tape recently. They offered to send me samples of their PRO synthetic kinesio tape. Well sure, I'm happy to try it!!  So I grabbed some tape and applied it to my shoulder. I put it on Wednesday and was finally able to move it comfortably on Saturday. I think that it definitely helped my shoulder pain.

Kinesio tape is an elastic sports and fitness tape designed for muscle, ligament and tendon pain relief and support. It is lightweight, comfortable to wear and can be used for hundreds of common injuries. It is applied along muscles, ligaments and tendons (soft tissue) to provide a lightweight, external support that helps people remain active while recovering from injuries. Think of it as a flexible version of a brace or splint. It supports sore muscles and joints without the bulk or limiting the body's natural movement. It is lightweight and comfortable to wear so it won't slow you down. It creates neuromuscular feedback (proprioception) and inhibits (relaxes) or facilitates stronger firing of muscles and tendons.

I've been taped many times by my chiropractor, so I've learned some techniques from him. I would recommend that you see a doctor to diagnose any nagging injuries. But, if you've been diagnosed and are looking for treatment options, check out KT Tape. Their website is very informative and has general information regarding kinesio tape as well as instructional videos for many common sports injury. I used the recommended taping while recovering from my Achilles tendonitis and I'm convinced that it helped me get back to running without pain faster.

KT Tape comes in 2 varities: the original is made up of reinforced cotton fibers and provides up to 3 days of support. The PRO version is made from a specially engineered, durable synthetic fiber that provides 4-7 days of support and is water proof. KT Tape is available at major sporting goods retailers, drug stores and more than 25,000 retail/clinical locations in the US, Canada, and more than 30 countries worldwide. For a list of retailers and instructional videos,  visit www.kttape.com. Follow @KTTape on Twitter. You can even tweet them pictures to make sure you've got the right application! And see success stories on the KT Tape Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kttape

This is a sponsored post. KT Tape provided me the product free of charge to try out. All opinions are my own.

Until next time--get up, get out, and get moving! Whatever you choose today, remember to be awesome!!

Your friend,

Theresa

Motivation Monday

Good morning folks!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Your friend,

Theresa