Intervals AND1 not ANDI

I'll help you do yoga mom... I know it's not me running on the elliptical but....

My toes went numb the last mile when I ran on the elliptical for 5 miles doing intervals.  My favorite part about using the elliptical for a good workout is, I get to do it in my sandals, my AND1 sandals that I thought said ANDI, when I first got them.  I was really sad to find out that the sandals, did not in fact, have my nickname printed on them.  Intervals are good for speed training, and burning more calories and fat.  Your body is like a machine and when you keep a nice steady pace your cells get lazy (it's called cell memory, it's like Homer Simpsons at the controls of the nuclear plant...

 I've done this a million times, I don't need to exert as much energy, I'll just eat donuts and fall asleep), so even though everything is running smoothly, you plateau.    When you mix things up, your body has to work harder to switch gears and keep things flowing.  It's like you're always keeping it on it's guard, ready to do something different and new.  That's true for exercise too, switching up the exercises you do everyday does the same thing.

Yoga Inferno

Listen!  They jingle!  All the way!

I got part of the costume I will be wearing in my 1/2 marathon.  It's a Halloween 1/2.  So excited.  I'll be a belly dancer.  Kind of.  At least, if it's warm enough.  If not I'll just be wearing a skirt with sparkles on it over my jogging pants.  My in laws suggested that I wear antlers too, and then I could be a belly dancing reindeer.  Everyone believes that the jingling sound might be obnoxious for 13 miles.  It reminds me of a time a friend and I bought some anklets with bells on them.  We loved them.  Everyone else did not.  It's possible the other runners will avoid me like a pariah during the race... maybe I should just get a tutu.  It's not original, but, it's silent.

what do belly dancers do again?  I've heard belly dancing is one of the best forms of exercise for your mind body connection... I think I just might have to try it.

AND THEN... I got Jillian's Yoga Inferno... and it hurt!... I can't wait until I can actually do the moves and not have to pause the video.  Everyone once in a while, I found myself silently cursing, wondering what she was doing and why the heck she was trying to kill me.

Isaac really wanted to be in the pictures with me

the boys did their own photo shoot later.  Here's Asher/Captain America

And here is Iron man or Isaac, he's pretty tough as evidenced by how easily he throws my yoga mat around

1/2 marathon momma

                               

                                            I have decided to start training for a 1/2 marathon.

These pics were taken after a workout, Josh my hubby is mostly responsible

A few weeks ago, I was feeling lost and directionless.  I had become goalless and so I became directionless and so exercising was taking a soft simmer on the back burner.  And then my brother-in-law, Tanner, started talking about running a half marathon. It reminded me of past goals, of how I've wanted to run a marathon or a 1/2 marathon ever since my older sister Leah did when her children were younger... probably the same age as mine.  And so, in the midst of my insane life, where running a half marathon seems the least logical thing for me to do... well, I'm being a little crazy and running a marathon, 1/2 marathon that is.  Go Me!

Just an average momma 

So, far I've been using the Hal Higdon training program and have really enjoyed it. http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51131/Half-Marathon-Novice-1-Training-Program I did have one unexpected surprise though.  I got so used to just seeing the 3, 4, or 5 mile run that I missed the words underneath... and strength training.  So, I have now combined some of my runs with a good workout DVD at home.  Jillian Michaels and Patricia Moreno are two of my favorites.  In fact, I just bought the new Yoga Inferno DVD and I am weirdly excited.  Who get's excited about intentionally hurting yourself?  Me!  It's the endorphins that pay back for the pain.

Seriously, see the endorphin pumped make-up less mamacita!

At this point, I just finished my nine mile run this weekend.  I was so proud of myself and super elated that I did it without stopping, unless you count the one time I tried to drink and run at the same time and started choking.  Not advisable.  I need to invest in a cammo pack water carrying thing so I can sip and run as needed.

This is the last leg of my long runs.  Running in Utah, AWESOME!

I'm so excited to finally run in a 1/2 marathon, this will be the 3rd time that I have started training for a 1/2 marathon and I intend to finish it when I cross that stinking finish line.

When I first began this venture, I dreamed of all the pounds I would be shedding... I mean it's about 500 calories a workout, a day, and then the long run on the weekend.  How do you not lose weight.  Well, I've done some studying and it may not be as easy as it looks.  From what I have seen, just exercise alone is not a guarantee that you will lose weight.  It's mostly about the fuel you put into your body.  Sort of like Premium gas vs. Regular unleaded... one will help you to burn more effectively than the other.  Food, in it's basic, utilitarian, non emotional element, is fuel.  So, I've been studying, looking around at what I can do.  And here are my goals for the next two weeks

the road less traveled, more or less... well Utah is full of runners and bike riders

To help myself, I calculated my BMR (how many calories my body needs just to lay around all day) and AMR (how many calories I can eat without gaining any weight because of how active my life is, not including exercise) and know that I can eat between 1350 (BMR)-1600 (AMR) calories a day, plus any extra calories that I burn off in a workout.  So, if I burn off 500 calories I can then eat 1800-2100 calories that day.  I definitely know that I shouldn't go under 1200 calories a day after I subtract the calories that I already burned.  So, if I do a 9 mile run and burn 900 calories I should eat at least 2100 calories that day (2200-900= 1200... there are some diets that go under the 1200 calorie mark but they should never be done for long periods of time and if you do them, you need a plan for the end of the diet.  Going off it without having a healthy way of eating or exercise to replace the diet, you probably will gain back all that you lost.
http://bwsimulator.niddk.nih.gov/
(AMR I found in Jillian Michael's book Slim For Life:  My Insider Secrets....)
With that in mind

1.  I will drink H20 before every meal and sometimes even after
2.  I will avoid sugar and Soda Pop
3.  I will count my calories
4.  I will eat grains like quinoa and oatmeal and do my best to avoid pastas and bread
5.  I will have a little protein with every meal or snack
6.  Fruits and Veggies are free

I think that's good for now.  I will keep studying the ins and outs.  And I will post some meals so you have an idea of what I'm doing.  This really is an experiment of sorts for me, figuring out what will or won't work

Confessions of the Day

I went to Oregon for a weekend to celebrate with my sister on her wedding day.  It was beautiful.  It was awesome.  But MAAAN the food was so heavy, but delicious.  Maybe it was the Fast Food on the way there and back that made everything seem heavier.  When I came back, my schedule felt so off kilter and my body was feeling heavyish from all the food... I mean, I tried to eat the wedding cake, but it was so sugary I couldn't.   Which is funny, because I could eat the chocolate covered strawberries and the cream puffs (especially if I put a homegrown blueberry inside of it).  Delicious.  I have to admit, when I came home I felt a little depressed, a little directionless.  I knew I needed to start exercising again (it's so hard to keep up the routine when you're on vacation, I mean I did go on one killer walk with my sisters and my brother in law Frank... a walk that made strange muscles on my legs, really, really sore... more importantly though, I loved having a good conversation with them).  I will also admit that by Tuesday, I was feeling so out of sorts, I tried to devour a bag of Peppermint Patties (I failed, too much sugar again, but I made on valiant effort :)... and I thought... I might was well start my diet back up before things go too out of hand.
By last Saturday, I just needed to have a run, up in the Canyon... it's so beautiful up there.  It was awesome! The next day, my back hurt, really, really bad,  I have an old back injury, were the padding between my spinal chords likes to squish out, causing all sorts of pain.  My solution.  Yoga and rest.  It's better now.  But not perfect yet.  I also, made the goal to start exercising earlier in the morning.   I told Josh before going to bed about my plans.  That morning, and the next and the next my kids either woke up earlier or didn't sleep all night.  Last night, I told Josh I wasn't going to wake up earlier to work out.  The kiddoes slept in and slept all night.  Unfortunately, so did I.  I was trying to trick the fates or my kids, but in the end I couldn't convince myself to wake up.  I'm not giving up yet though, I realize now that I have to be stealthy about it.
Later in the week, I had some sort of crash, I'm not sure what it was.  But my body felt like lead.  My brain felt dizzy and foggy, I went off the diet to make sure I was getting enough food.  Nothing changed.  I bought some Dr.  Christopher Herbs and I started feeling better, it was a detox for the liver and improvement for brain function herb collaboration.... exercise is back on the table.

I am choosing to share these struggles with you because I know nothing runs perfectly.  I have ideals and I work for them, loving myself inside out... but I also have days where it's just poopy, and devouring a bag of peppermint patties seems like a good way to enhance the joy of my pity party... I'm not perfect.   I don't love myself every day.  But I strive to.  And I strive to live in a way that will enhance my health and my joy inside and out.

As I said, I went back on the Get Fit For Life Program. And I'm losing weight. 5lbs in one week.  While I was off of it, I lost 6 more pounds and was enjoying running (about 1 month).  Why is this important?  Not because I'm getting skinnier or healthier.  I am glad to be healthier.  It's nice to see a thinner me (although imperfect still).  But mostly, it's empowering to make and achieve healthy goals.  I am also NOT starving myself at all.  I have 4-6 medi fast meals (|I know it's more than the recommended amount but I'm not going to starve myself, if I'm seriously hungry I am going to eat)  and two healthy meals with lots of veggies and a lean (or as close to lean) meat.  I feel good on this diet, eating in this modified way.

P.S.  If I was talking just about family and what an amazing event my sister's wedding was, this conversations would have been completely different.  But here, I'm talking about health, thus food. :)

Unpredictable control

I feel empowered by the idea that I need to strengthen my inner self and my outer self.  I like the idea that how I feel about myself on the inside can be an outer reflection of what I do and how I treat my body.  But, I also know we do not always have control over every aspect of our lives.  Illness and injury (or just life) can wreak havoc, create anxiety and depression, cause us to believe that we aren't worth while and beautiful, that we aren't powerful and able.  Or in other words, we may not always be able to control how we look on the outside.  I believe that's one of the reasons we should not base our confidence on our appearance, it's subject to too many different variables.  So, it would seem that focusing on who we are inside and loving and embracing ourselves would create more confidence/peace/ and love. (I believe part of embracing ourselves is loving ourselves enough to accept who we are perfections and imperfections, but also loving ourselves enough to allow change, progression, and growth). On the flip side, we don't always have control of what happens to our minds.  My grandma suffers from dementia.  She can't develop her inside being anymore. We don't always have control over those things that make us healthy.  The last thing we should do is feel guilty about it or judge others for it.  But I do believe that you should do the best you can with whatever you have and that is what brings a sense of peace and that's why you should do it.  Inner peace, self love, acceptance, loving others better because you aren't beating up on yourself all the time, a sense of wholeness or health, strength and ability... those rewards are worth the battle to become as healthy as you are personally able.  When we do our best without comparing ourselves or belittling ourselves... remember we are strong and able, powerful to make a change, beautiful and intelligent... we are super beings, divine beings with limitless potential.  Let's embrace that.

Empowering my inner self

I have come to this belief that what we change on the inside is much more powerful than what we change on the outside.  But, I'm also coming to the belief that it's possible that if our outside does not reflect what we feel about ourselves on the inside, in a positive way, then we struggle emotionally.  I believe that we are happiest when we are healthiest, as a whole... when on the inside we believe that we are beautiful, strong, capable of achieving our dreams and goals, making a positive change in the world we come to accept and love ourselves and others better.  We are all amazing people in all sorts of different ways... and when that inside light is a true reflection of our beliefs on the outside it may be easier to find peace with yourself.  I'm not talking about perfection here.  I'm not saying you should be perfect on the inside and perfect on the outside, I'm saying you should be a true reflection of yourself with all your perfections and imperfections. Inside and Out.  Knowing who you are and who you want to be physically, emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and socially and then working for those goals as a whole, brings satisfaction.  I'm coming to believe that. 



                                                 

I didn't actually watch all of the video below, but what I did listen to I mostly agreed with.  I understand that it could sound a little zenny/yogaese strange sounding talk (like the video above), but the ideas behind it are pretty powerful.  I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-D_YzQYGzM

This link was one of my favorite videos, but I couldn't find it via the blog to post it here.  One of the most impressive things, I believe, that she says is that although she had worked hard to become thin and healthy she still wasn't happy once she had arrived.  She needed to work on how she felt about herself on the inside just as much as she did on the outside.  I love her ideas of working out using mantras to remind ourselves that we are able to make a change, we are powerful and strong, we are beautiful and intelligent, we can achieve our goals and dreams... seriously, it's awesome.  And then to do that with a group of people, I think could be powerful too.  I always felt a connection to those people I have worked with ie: weight training classes, Cross Country, Track, and Choir.  We have the ability to feed off of one another's positive energy and grow from it.

PS

Also, the reflection of inner and outer self is a personal thing.  I know that some aspects of my body will never be the same because of child birth, that should be celebrated, it shouldn't be something to be ashamed of.  But when I look in the mirror and can see that I'm taking care of myself, because I love myself inside and out... that's what feels good.  I don't have it down pat.  I do have days where I struggle.  I do have doubts and insecurities, but that's okay because I'm working towards something that's healthier.

24:29

So, there I was.  I was tired.  I didn't want to run hard.  A relaxing run would be nice, something that pushed me a little, but not too much.  But sometimes, it's hard not to try a little harder, go a little faster, especially when I see my time and mileage constantly.  I try not to look, I don't want to feel the minutes and inches go by, but somehow I'm still transfixed by the numbers.  .6 miles, 5:45 minutes, 60 calories burned...maybe running at 6.5 rotations per minute is not fast enough.  I know it's not fast enough to beat my goal.  I'm running around a 9 minute mile, which means I'll probably finish the run around 25-27 minutes.  I thought I was doing better than that.  I feel irritated, but I keep on running.  I try running even faster.  My muscles ache, especially my quads and my calves, but I remind myself to ignore it, take your mind out of the pain, enjoy the movement, enjoy the adrenaline and the endorphins, enjoy the battle between mind and body... it creates tension, but when you win, it makes you feel powerful.  Now I'm at a 1.5 miles, somewhere around 14:00 minutes, and 150 calories burned... I know I'm not going to make it... I'm running so much slower than what I had calculated, what I thought I was doing... I was so sure that at 7-7.5 rotations per minute I would be able to run this baby faster then ever before.  I did a quick calculation, I didn't think I could do it... I wouldn't be able to reach my goal of 3 miles under 25 minutes.  Why push myself more, when I already hurt.  The pain wouldn't lead me to victory :) .  In Spanish I would say, "No vale la pena."  The pain is not worth it.  Why not just enjoy the run at a more leisurely pace?  I wavered.  A small voice, or gut feeling told me, "Don't let your mind push you out of the battle.  Listen to your body.  It wants to run.  Don't slow down.  Just keep the pace.  Just keep going.  Miracles happen."  So, I did.  I kept running at 7-7.5 rotations... sometimes 8.0.  Finally, I was at 2.6 miles.  I had so much more time left, before I reached 24 minutes... more time than I have ever had before.  If I could have, I would have jumped up and clicked my heels in the air, I could do this.  I was like a toddler chasing after a freshly opened bag of candy.  I got it.  I can do this.  I ran faster.  My lungs were sucking in the air, but still not getting quite enough.  Don't give up, don't give up you're almost there.  2.9 miles... just .1 miles left almost at 24:00 minutes.  I ran even faster.  I have to make this.  I have to.  I watch the seconds slip by... each one not bringing the barometer to 3.0.  I'm not sure I'm going to make it.  I have to.  24:25... only half a minute left... the last time I was here... it didn't change until 25:00 minutes on the dot. I'm all out at 8.5 and above rotations per minute.  I can't lose again.  Faster!  And then, the miracle happened.  24:29 seconds, 3 miles and 300 calories.  I finally PRd.  PHS.  Buckaroos.  Fellow Cross Country runners.  Past running partners.  I did it.  All along, I was fast enough.  I just didn't believe it when I was younger.   Now, I know that I do have some fast twitch muscles in my body after all and that a little extra weight won't necessarily slow you down.  Those were my two main excuses in High School.  Body Weight and no fast twitch muscle (the muscles that give you speed for sprinting). All Conquered now.

Technically, I know I need a picture on this blog.  It's so hard to take pictures of me exercising, something about the logistics of it all... running and taking a picture of myself.  I'm brainstorming for what sorts of pictures I should be putting on here.  Me caressing the squeaky elliptical.  Me dripping sweat with my face burning a sweet cherry red (remember that?, I try not to)...  I guess it's supposed to be real, not perfect.  Gotta think of something.