This weekend

This weekend has been a mini mommy vacation. I had an opportunity to go to a quilt weekend and have some time doing what I love just for me. But this quilt weekend meant a lot of eating and no exercising. But the weekend is not over. Tomorrow is Sunday so I still have the opportunity to do my long run for the week. The only training I really missed having this weekend vacation is my 30 mins of cross-training on Saturday.

Not sure if I will be able to do the 1/2 marathon

Not for the reasons you may think.

I don't think the running will be a problem because I have been progressing very nicely. Today I did my 3 miles in 32 minutes. I am more concerned about how famished I am after just 3 miles. I am afraid my stomach will start eating itself after mile 6.

Wednesday

Yesterday I missed my run. I was home with our little boy cause he was "sick". (he had a reaction to his 4 mos shots and had a fever) I had planned on running in the evening but by the time I would be able to go it was too late. I know I shouldn't make excuses but its what happens. Today however I did get my cross training in by taking the cross fit extreme class. Good workout today and tomorrow I will get a run done.

Stretch and strengthen day

I did the cross-fit extreme class.

4 miles

Today I did my 4 mile run. I was anxious to do the run for various reasons. The first being I have never run that far before. The second it would not only be my longest run it would be the first non-treadmill run (since I started training). It went well though. I ran at Young Arena. I did it in 44 minutes. Not bad. I guess my natural pace is faster than what I have been doing on the treadmill.

On Friday I did the cross-fit class. It was an interval workout. I took Saturday off. Tomorrow back to the cross-fit class.

I did it.

Yesterday I did the Cross Fit Extreme class (just like P90X) and today my muscles are killing me. But even though it hurts to stand and sit I still made it to the Y and ran my required 3 miles. I ran it in 35:44.

I am also supposed to strength train today but there is never enough time. So I think instead of resting tomorrow I will do the class again and then rest on Saturday. Then Sunday I am supposed to do a 4 mile run.

Nutrition

I try to eat healthy and focus on good nutrition but I don't always succeed. I lack self control when treats are brought into the office. I can never have just one. When chocolate is brought in I am ecstatic. The reason may surprise you. I am allergic. Which means I don't have to have self-control the chocolate does it for me.

Self-control is not my only food issue. I don't always make ideal choices. When we go out to eat I ALWAYS veer towards the meals that come with fries. Fries are my downfall. I know that ordering fries is not a bad thing but it isn't good that I ALWAYS order them.

I know that to run the 1/2 marathon and meet my other future goals (see my kids get married, maybe a triathlon or a full marathon) I need to focus on my health. Therefor I have been working on making some life changes. The first change was my exercising. Now I am focusing on my nutrition.

These are some of the life changes (not a diet) I am trying to incorporate:

• eat a fruit and/or veggie with every lunch and dinner. Ideally both but sometimes thats just not possible.

• Drink more water.

• Focus on lean proteins, fruits, veggies, and whole grains as snacks. At work I always have a morning and afternoon snack. Those snacks are one of the following:

- hard boiled egg and fruit

- Pretzles

- yogurt with granola

- nuts

- apple or banana

- raw veggies with ranch dressing

- english muffin or frozen waffle with peanut butter or honey

- and my most recent favorite: a whole grain wrap with peanut butter, honey, and apple or banana slices.

• Eat Breakfast

• Eat dinner at the table. Until recently we were eating dinner in the living room in front of the tv. This is not good for any of us. It makes us eat in a hurry not focusing on what or how much we are eating. At the table we are focusing not only on what we eat but our family too. Eating at the table has also been shown to minimize the amount of food that you eat, helps digestion (you eat slower), and helps families bond.

• Finally one of the simplest yet most difficult - AVOID THE OFFICE CANDY DISH.

These are just a few steps I can take to be healthier and ensure that I have the proper "fuel" to make it through the day. None of these steps can be considered a diet they are simple "rules" that will aid in making better choices most of the time. And none of them force me to deprive myself of the things that I love. I can still order fries, I just should get a side salad too.

So there you have it my thoughts on nutrition and how I plan to work towards a better diet.

PS I did my 3 mile run today - however I missed my 4 mile run on Sunday.

Reference: These are some of the places that I got my info to help me make better choices.

http://www.mypyramid.gov/index.html

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/

Wow

First off - wow I worked out everyday this week!

Second of all - Wow I had a tough workout today. I did a class a the Y which was based on the P90x program. It focused on arms but worked all of my muscles. I felt like it was my first work out ever. It felt great!

Day 4

Today I was supposed to run 3 miles and do strength training. Well I started running and realized my calf was super tight. So I stopped and stretched. I made it to the one mile mark and had to stretch again. I ran another mile and had to call it quits. So I got 2 miles done. Better than nothing. I think tonight I will spend some time doing more stretches to keep the muscles loose.

As for the strength training I am saving it for tomorrow. Tomorrow is supposed to be my rest day but I have been roped into trying this exercise class call cross fit extreme. So I plan to do that. Hopefully I am still able to move when I am done. I have heard stories about the class.

Also, I figure that the training is a guide. I know that between work and two small children I will not be able to get every day of the training done perfectly. But I am starting it at 24 weeks instead of 12 and I know that I can manipulate the schedule and my week to accomplish what is required just in my own way.

Day Three

The day three of the training allows for either a 2 mile run or cross-training. I didn't want to run. I didn't even want to work out. So I decided to bike on the recumbent for 30 mins. I did 5 miles on the weight loss mode.

today

I did day 2 of the training... 3 mile run. I accomplished it in 36:24 minutes.

First day of training

Today I did my first day of training. Monday means stretching and strengthening. Therefor I did the circuit weights, stretching, and a lot of work on my core. Tomorrow should be a challenge.... 3 mile run.

http://www.halhigdon.com/halfmarathon/halfnovice.pdf

The attached link is the program I intend to follow. It is a 12 week program so I plan to do each week two times.

The rest of the week

This was another week effected by weather. Wednesday I had a meeting but figured it was fine cause I could go the Y on Thursday and Friday. Well the Y was closed due to weather on Thursday so I didn't make it there. But I did get there on Friday and ran for 20 mins. I had an appt at 1 so I could only get a quick workout in.

I did get some exercise equipment for Christmas that I need to start using on the days I can't go to the Y.

JANUARY 5TH

Today I got to the Y and planned on running a mile and then doing some strength training. Well I guess its good that I was planning on doing more than just running today. All of the cardio machines were full. So starts the crazy month of January and everyone's new years resolutions.

So I did a lot of ab work. - leg lifts, planks, crunches, and an exercise that my dad showed my daughter this weekend. Then I did some free weights. One of the girls at the Y told me about a new strength training exercise. Its a 3 minute routine where you stand with your arms straight and curl low weight dumbbells for one minute from straight to 90º. Then for minute 2 you curl from 90º to your shoulders. The final minute you do the whole move - straight to shoulders. I was only using 5 lbs weights and I was hurting 1/2 way through.

I did run for 5 minutes at the end just to get my muscles moving since they were sore from yesterday. I ran part of the time at 5.5 mph and the rest at 6 mph.

Starting next week I plan to start a training plan I found online. Its for a 12 week period but I figure I can do each week twice.

A new year....

Today I ran... I did 30 minutes at 5 mph. I've come a long way in a short time. When I started this journey I could barely do 5 mins at 4 mph....

So today I met short term goal #2. Next is the equivalent of a 5 K.

Just 25 weeks until the 1/2 marathon, the holidays are over, time for some serious training.