Race Recap: The Huntsville Half Marathon

It's not even fair to call this experience a "race".  I like to think of myself as somewhat athletic, strong, and competetive.  But there's nothing like an event to really put things into perspective.

I started training for the Huntsville Half Marathon (or Full Monte) following a 10 week training schedule, called the FIRST Half Marathon Training Plan, found here at Runner's World online.  It was perfectly suited to me, as I am injury prone, and begin to seriously break down if I am required to run every day.  So with three runs per week, each with a different focuses, I felt like this would be ideal.

I started out being able to run continuously for 3 miles.  Not fast, just without stopping.  I found myself at week 4 having made big improvements.  My long runs were planned to be mostly downhill, similar to the Hunstville route.  But a few things threw a wrench into the works:

It was summer.  I do not do well in the heat.  I was having to get up at 6 am to get my runs in before the sun melted me into a puddle.

My kids were home.  I needed to do more cross training on my non-run days, but my responsibilities as a mother made me feel like I was doing great getting a workout in 3 times per week.  That is great, typically, but my poor stability muscles got completely ignored.  It's an excuse, I know, but nonetheless, it happened.

I got injured.  I knew it was going to happen.  My left IT band would completely seize at mile 5 or 6. I developed high hamstring tendinopathy, and was popping 4 ibuprophen prior to every run, which is a really unhealthy way to train, but was my reality.  It really sucked the fun out of running.

So while at week 4 I was crowing about how I was going to smash my original goal pace, by week 6 I was checking into how I could get my registration fee refunded.  I was so grateful that my husband had talked me down from the Full Monte cliff, and convinced me to do just the half.  But I carried on, doing alternative workouts for cardio and strength, and resting my injuries.

I believe I prepared well the week before the race, resting, eating, sleeping, and mentally preparing.  I picked up my bib and timing chip the day before, and became the proud owner of an real marathon event shirt.

The morning of the race we drove to Huntsville, about 45 minutes from home.  Race start time was a chill 9:30 am, so there was no early morning issues.  I got my number and chip on, ate a snack and jumped on the bus.  I sat next to a 21 year old kid, fresh home from his mission.  The girls were worried about my being alone without a friend on the bus, but I told them I'd make a new one.  And so I did.  At the drop off we parted ways, and I milled around in the crowd.

The race started 15 minutes late, and by this time the crowd was starting to get to me.  Strange people, strange smells, combined with my anxiousness about the race, made for some unpleasantness.  I spent the first three miles in a panic, trying to weave my way out of the craziness, swearing I would never run an event again, going nutso from all the sounds, breathing, music, and varying paces of the runners.  People with phones on their arms, playing music not into headphones, but into the open air.  Seriously.  It was nightmarish.

At mile 4 I was finally in the clear, and started enjoying myself.  The scenery was gorgeous, the course was a nice gentle downhill, the temperature was ideal, and the water stops spaced well.  I found myself at a nice speedy pace for me, around 8:30-9:00 min miles.  Miles sped by and suddenly I was at mile 7.  At mile 8 the course flattened out and came out into the sun.  And things started to get tricky.  I stuck in my headphones and cranked some tunes.

"May the Course be with you"! 

super awesome aid stations

At mile 9 I was feeling good still, feeling like I would beat my goal after all.  There started to be spectators along the road, and I was recognizing where we were.  Part of the problem was that I could see the park where we finished, but then we turned away from it, and mentally that was hard.

At mile 10 both my IT bands seized, and I mean completely froze.  About this time I got passed by the first-place full marathon winner.  That was a painful reminder...  I was feeling thirsty from heat, not from dehydration, and at mile 11 I drank some Gatorade that I felt get only as far as my sternum.  I was completely topped off. Even through the pain in my knees I kept running.  At this point my oldest daughter called me.  She was in Lake Tahoe and had apparently just woken up...She was calling to wish me luck, so I answered it and asked her to cheer for me really loud, which she did.  It was just the thing I needed.  I won't lie, I was emotional by this point.  Something about pushing yourself just gets raw.

The final couple turns I focused on passing people ahead of me.  In the final stretch I could hear my parents and kids ringing our cow-bells, our family cheering tradition.  My mom was complaining that she was the only one cheering, because usually I'm the other loud one cheering with her.  I broke down again when I saw them and veered over to high-five them.  My husband was toward the finish line trying to get a photo shot of me.  I was yelling his name so he would know I was coming, since he hadn't seen me yet.  I'm sure I looked like a crazy woman because I was all by myself screaming his name 50 feet from the finish line.  Whatever.  I really wanted him to see me.

I crossed the line with a huge smile at 2:12:46 (my original goal), and became the proud owner of an event finishers medal.  I know it's kitschy and faddish to run races, but I was so dang happy to have crossed that line.   The finish corral was super, with lots of drinks, fruit, and carbs, all of which I ate.  I was feeling super, one of my athletic endowments: I can exert forever and I recover quickly.  I could feel soreness setting in, which is mostly due to the fact that I ran mechanically strained for the last three miles to relieve the stress I was feeling in my knees.

The funniest thing about this event is that I felt really great up until mile 10.  I got the event photos, which I remember having taken at mile 6.  I even threw on a smile to show how awesome I was feeling.  But they all look like I was speed walking.  Every single one.  Nothing like a healthy dose of reality.  Ouch.

I would highly recommend the Hunstville Marathon & Half for first timers.  It is a fantastic course, the aid stations were well placed and the aid workers were legendary.  They were dressed up in Star Wars costumes at one, super hero women at another, one had a tunnel of the high school cheerleaders.  They provided Gatorade, water, bananas, oranges, pretzels, Skittles, & gels.  There were porta-potties just in case.  And the finishers corral was excellent with all the delicious treats you could want.  The only drawback was that they needed to start on time, and an hour earlier than they did to avoid the valley heat at noon at the finish.

I have done a few things that I am really proud of, things that made me dig deep and find out what I was really capable of.  The 50/20 (walking 50 miles in 20 hours) when I was 12.  Swimming a mile in open water.  Giving natural childbirth.  A sprint triathlon in 2006.  Cycling 100 miles in 2014.  And now a half marathon.  Each time I came through with a stronger sense of who I am, what is possible when I apply myself, and gratitude for the healthy body God has given me.  I wonder if I'll ever know my own full physical potential.  I'm crazy enough to want to find out, which why a full Iron Man triathlon dangles in front of me like a carrot, a possessed near-death carrot.  I don't know when that will happen, because after this event I know that I have an enormous amount of preparation to do and have a mountain of work to do to get there.

I am grateful for my family for being supportive of my crazy ideas.  My parents are the most giving and supportive people, cheering me on every step of my way, in everything, never doubting me.  My husband centers me, and helps me find success if I will just listen to him.  My girls get bored, but they make posters and ring bells, and smile and cheer with all their hearts.  I hope they learn from me that they can do anything they put their mind to, and the value of cheering someone on.

My New Fitness Toy: Garmin Vivoactive

This is my new toy, a gift from The Mr. for our anniversary:
the Garmin Vivoactive

I'm in love!

For my entire life I've been a techie.  While everyone else was rolling their eyes, snoring, or dying of boredom, my dad and I would be talking form, tech, mechanics, and constantly finding ways to improve every activity from water skiing and downhill skiing.  

Good thing I married right: we still can talk tech till the cows come home.

For an incredibly in-depth review, follow this link to DC Rainmaker.  He's an athlete who buys every fitness tech and tests it extensively.  I like his review because he actually buys every item, rather than getting things for free from manufacturers, which allows him to give completely unbiased and truthful reviews on every product on his site.

I'll give you my little rundown of my experience based on the three days I've had mine.

I love the white.  It's cute and wearable at all times.  Except to church, where it looks a little...meh...like I'm trying too hard.

The touch screen is fantastic; highly sensitive, but I'm getting the feel.  I like that there are only two side buttons.

I adore the steps and "move" reminders.  I get stuck on the computer (I've been prompted twice as I madly try to get some content on this blog) and I like to remember to stop being a stump and get up and walk.  I walked 13,000+ steps yesterday!  Take that...

I ran for the first time with it yesterday, and it was spectacularly fun.  I wore my Garmin heart rate chest strap, and it made my 800m repeats slick and brainless.  I could keep track of my pace and keep it up even when I thought I was going to die, which I wasn't even close to doing based on my heart rate.  Yay!

As far as heart rate monitors go, Garmin invented ANT+ technology, so while there are now many Bluetooth HRMs out there, Garmin is going to promote its own, so for now Garmin devices only pair with ANT+.  There are some wrist strap HRMs that are nice if you don't like the chest strap.  The Vivoactive does NOT read heart rate by itself.  This is my ONE negative mark thus far. 

I love that it pairs with my phone via the Garmin Connect app, and it syncs with My Fitness Pal to keep all my fitness related information on once screen on my phone.  This is huge for me.  All visible in one place.  

Another beautiful feature of the Bluetooth pairing is that I can get notifications from my phone on my watch face.  So when my phone is tightly tucked in to the waistband of my workout pants, and is not easily coming out, I can check my watch to see if the text or call I'm getting is vital enough to stop and remove the phone.  Handy!

And the final icing on the cake is that I can also control the music on my phone from the watch face.  No more struggling through the slow song that came at a most in-opportune moment, I can quickly skip to something more inspiring.  Ahhhh!

I have enjoyed getting data on my sleep patterns.  I am having sleep-performance-anxiety: I have never slept with a watch and it is going to take some getting used to.  I don't flat-line as much as I thought I did.  Why do I feel competitive in this aspect of my life?  I want the stillest sleep of everyone I know.  How do I train for this...?  

The Mr., in a gesture of helpfulness, downloaded an IQ app:  an added sugar tracker.  Just tap the screen to add a gram of added sugar.  After 12 taps and reaching 52% of my daily allowance by 10 am, I have probably given up on this particularly unhelpful and anger inducing reminder of how naughty I am.  Any programmer can create an app for Garmin watches, for many activities and generally fun and useless purposes that aren't on the freshly-unboxed watch.  You can explore them on the Garmin Connect site.  I am excited to do so.

I also love the customized nature of all the screens.  I can pick and choose which telemetries I want displayed and how deep I have to scroll to view them.  I can also set alarms to remind me to drink water and eat, create my own run/walk program, choose which notifications I get on the watch during an activity so I can have less distraction, set alarms based on low or high pace or heart rate.  All this will help me reach the goals I have and spend my workouts focused on working out, not changing music, checking my phone, and keeping track of minutes and performance.  Quality, people.  If you're going to spend the time, make it quality.

So far I'm sold.  I have yet to get out on the bike with it, and I'm excited to do so.  I do like to have my cycle-computer on my handlebars so I don't have to take my hand off to read my data, but luckily Garmin makes a bike mount that I can hook the watch to, so I can have it just the way I like it.

If you haven't seen TIME magazine for July 6-13, 2015, it is called the "Answers Issue", and here's a link to the good bits. Eeeek!  I am a TIME magazine groupie. (Why don't we get heart cancer?  The answer is fascinating!) I saw it at the dentist and was so engrossed that I made them sit me up every chance I could so I could read, and I very nearly stuffed it into my purse to take home, thought about asking, then left it on the table with a sigh of regret and a wave goodbye, with a promise to run to Walgreens and see if I can still buy it.  Let's hope.  The main idea of this issue is that it is possible to have too much information, and I wholeheartedly agree, in some cases.  I removed one screen of telemetrics from my running activity because really, who needs that much info during a run?  How much info is too much?  With the Vivoactive you are grown-up enough to decide for yourself.

I am perfectly content with my new toy, and madly collecting data about my everyday life that really no one cares much about.  But it makes me feel empowered and knowledgeable, and that helps me improve.

Here's to improvement and drowning in data!

Half Marathon Training Plan

I've made a commitment, which is usually the only way things get accomplished for normal people, like me.  I've always had a goal to run a marathon, mainly in conjunction with a full Ironman 140.6, which is 2.4 mile swim, a 112 mile bike, and a 26.2 mile run.  Sounds fun, yes? Did I mention I wanted to complete it the year I turn 40?  That'd be next year.

With my lofty goals in sight I decided to bite the bullet and sign up for a marathon.  I chose the Huntsville Marathon, on September 26, 2015.  I liked the idea of training over the summer, keeping me accountable, and helping me beat the summer blahs.



Huntsville is quickly becoming very popular because of its downhill terrain, time of year, and beautiful scenery.  As I filled out the entry form, sanity happened, which it doesn't very often, and I entered the half marathon: 13.1 miles.  The only running race I've ever entered previously was a whopping 5k (3 miles).  So this progression made more sense.

I was immediately overcome by panic, and then turned panic into focus.  The only way to accomplish goals is to have a plan.  When I rode the 100 mile Little Red, I had a very specific training plan, and by following it, I beat my own time estimate by 2 mph, and it was pure fun to ride.

Unlike biking, running pesters me with pain and injury.  I have plantar fasciitis in both feet and IT band pain in my left leg.  I feel sluggish, slow, and crippled.  This makes having a plan even more critical.  I started looking up half marathon training programs, of which there are millions available thanks to the internet.  But I was looking for a very specific kind: low mileage, 3 days per week, with varied focus.  This is what I found:

Runner's World FIRST Half Marathon Training Plan.  Not FIRST as in 1st, but as in "Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training".  It is 10 weeks which is the right amount of time to stay focused but not get bored.  Here's what it looks like:

THE PLAN

Week	Tuesday	Wednesday	Sat/Sun
1	4x400	3-mile tempo	6-mile long run
2	4x800	4-mile tempo	8-mile long run
3	3x1600	5-mile tempo	10-mile long run
4	6x400	6-mile tempo	6-mile long run
5	3x1600	4-mile tempo	10-mile long run
6	4x800	8-mile tempo	8-mile long run
7	6x400	6-mile tempo	10-mile long run
8	4x1600	8-mile tempo	12-mile long run
9	3x800	3-mile tempo	6-mile long run
10	4x400	2-mile tempo	Half Marathon

Monday: Speed Work.  Head to the track and do the prescribed 400m, 800m, or 1600m repeats at a super fast pace, based on your projected race pace.  Details and pace calculations are in the link.  I have really enjoyed these workouts.  Think HIITs for running.  Sometimes we get stuck at our comfort pace and forget that in order to increase fitness we must push.  Hard.  The focus is not on mileage this day.  But this week I did 800m's with a warm up and cool down and it ended up being 5.2 miles.

Wednesday:  Tempo Run.  This is a short mileage run above your comfort level.  This trains you to run faster and mentally capable of handling the discomfort, which is what you will be doing if you race your event.  Again, the link has pace calculations for how fast this tempo run should be.  It's not super fast, but only 15 seconds slower than your planned pace.  Very doable.

Friday: Long Run.  This is a slower run than your planned pace, adding 30 seconds per mile.  It should feel comfortable, and builds your mileage so that you are sure you will be able to finish 13.1 miles on event day.

Take a rest day.  ONE.  I rest Sunday.  But cross train the other three days.  This will improve your overall fitness, give you muscle balance, and help you recover.

I do 20 minutes of yoga after every run, to keep loose.  I use the Yoga Studio app.  It's perfect.

I also roll my IT band and calves after every run.  I used to think I should roll right on my IT band which runs on the outside of your thigh from your hip to your knee, but I found this fabulous article and video from ASM Wellness, and it has made all the difference:

 

For cross training I have been swimming with my neighbor ladies, a sort of bob-and-talk, that is super light intensity, but warms and stretches and targets muscles in a very low-impact way.  I also ride a few hours a week.  I need to focus on core and arms more, so am going to add a day of focus for those muscle groups.

So far I have been in less pain, my IT band made it through 6 miles last week, and I feel like my running is improving, mechanically and cardiovascularly.  Taking care of your body and listening to the signs it is sending is vital to a successful event or training program.  Slow down if you feel pain.  See a physical therapist.  Get a massage.  Take your rest day seriously.

Nutrition is another key to feeling good.  Eat healthy & drink tons of water.  One of my goals during this 10 week training program (read: lifetime) is to cut out added sugar.  This is more difficult for me than getting up early and getting out the door, but I know it will make me feel drastically better, lighter, fitter, healthier, and happier.

It is very satisfying seeing improvement in yourself.  Making goals and a plan to accomplish them is how we see progress and change in life.  Taking things one step at a time is a great way to avoid discouragement, baby steps being key.  I'm so glad that I went for the half marathon instead of the full.  Successfully accomplishing the Huntsville Half Marathon will give me the running confidence I need to meet my next major athletic goal: a Half Ironman.

Wish me luck, keep moving, and get outside! 

Summer Slim-Down FINAL RESULTS!

What have I been thinking!?  I absolutely MUST post the results of our fun & highly successful contest!  I'm just going to post it all: the results, the winnings...everything.  I am really just that proud of what happened!

The relief in the air at weigh-in was palpable at the Week 10 weigh-in!  

Here are the results (tell me this wasn't worth it!):

Overall % Lost:

1 - Nann : $150

2 - Ashlee : $100

3 - Tristan : $75

Points Total:

1 - Lori : $60

2 - Kristin : $40

EVERY participant who weighed in more than twice LOST WEIGHT!  As a group we lost a total of 181.5 pounds!!! That is an amazing and huge accomplishment!

Keep up the good habits you've created, now that the competition is over.  The purpose of this challenge was to establish healthy habits that will help you to maintain your weight, or continue your weight-loss journey.  Also to prove that if you keep the guidelines you are guaranteed to lose weight!  Ask Tristan: she really didn't want it to work, but it really did, to her benefit! 

I know everyone will be happy to ditch the tracking sheets and relax a little, with less focus on the scale.  Try to stick with MyFitnessPal, though.  It really is a simple tool that helps you stay in touch with healthy eating and exercise.  Remember: weight control is 80% eating & 20% exercise!

I would recommend that if you are looking to maintain your weight, honestly track 3-4 days each week, continue to get all 5 fruits & vegetable daily, and drink your water.  Occasional tracking helps you avoid pitfalls and sliding back into bad habits.  Feel free to increase your calorie count to around 1700-2200 of healthy whole foods if you are continuing to exercise.  MFP will guide you if you change your goals in the profile.

You are amazing ladies!  It was a real treat to host this challenge with you!  You are beautiful, strong, funny, sweet, healthy, happy women & it's a blessing to know you all!

Have a super slimmed-down summer!

SHAPE + Fitness Mag's Plank Challenge!

I love planks!  Your core is essential to ALL movement, as I'm finding out this week as I recover from umbilical hernia surgery.  I got this challenge in a weekly email I get from SHAPE magazine and I was instantly intrigued.  I love the idea of doing a little each day, building your strength over the month.  We all have a few minutes in the day to spend getting a little stronger.  Try this 31 Day Plank Challenge from SHAPE.  When combined with a healthy diet and cardio, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the results!

The Penultimate Week 9 - Pass on Sugar

We. Are. Almost. Done.  I can't stand it.  I am inspired, impressed, excited, jealous, and amazed at the progress you've all made!

Week 9's challenge is eating no added sugar. It will be the push that will make a difference if you really commit.  We've gone over the ways that sugar sabotages your diet and your body's wellness.  Today I want to talk about coping strategies for when the cravings hit.  Which they do!

1. Reward yourself with something besides sugar: yes you had a great day!  You worked out!  Yay for you!  Do something good for yourself that doesn't involve sugar.  Paint your nails, read a book, buy a clothing item or accessory, go on a date with your husband, play with your kids, take a nap, call a friend, workout, take a class, watch a movie or your favorite TV series.  Take sugar out of your reward equation.

2.  Don't have it around: you can't eat what's not in the cupboard.  Don't buy candy, dessert, soda, etc.  Stock up instead on fresh fiber-filled fruit.  Reach for grapes, berries, and apple, something snappy that will provide texture, interest, vitamins, and natural sweetness.

3.  Don't substitute with fake sugar.  Fake sugars only help to reinforce your mental need for sweetness.

4.  Pay attention to how good you feel when you cut sugar out.  Your body will tell you it's happy without sugar.  It's your brain you have to convince.  Read #1.  You will be less bloated, less gassy, less sick, your blood sugar will balance out, you will have fewer blood sugar lows, you will feel more energetic.  That will be all the convincing you need.

5.  If you do have sugar, and we all will, don't throw in the towel and eat the entire cake.  Back away, be kind, start again, call for moral support (you can always text me for a shot of support!).  Pass on the self-loathing and all-or-nothing mentality and stay in control.  You are the boss of you; don't let your cravings have the upper hand.

Enjoy this week!  Do good things for yourself!  Reach your realistic goals in these last two weeks and be so proud!

Workout Wednesday: Fun Workout YouTube Channels

Today's Work-It Circuit was KILLER!  3 rounds, plus some glute toning and pleeennnntttyyyy of stretching time.  Perfection!  Thanks Tess, Kristin, & Nann for joining me!

I found this great YouTube Channel, Jessica Smith TV.  She has been the model for SHAPE magazine's at home workouts for a while, and I have always loved the fact that she just looks real.  She's got some really great moves that help every aspect of your fitness, speaks to all levels, and ages. She has 10-40 minute workouts that are great if you are in a rut and need direction, like I do, as in always.

Here's one that looks killer and I really want to try!  No barre needed, just a chair.  Who's with me?

Have fun and don't do the same old thing every day.  Here is a link from Healthista of their picks for 10 Best Workout Channels on You Tube.  I've had experience with Tara Styles, Blogilates & Fitness Blender and I concur!  Here are the links to my faves so they'are all in one place for you to try:

Tara Styles

Blogilates

Fitness Blender

Have fun doing your workout today, and DO NOT get bored!  And I SWEAR I will get the last two HIIT workouts posted.  They were sooooo good!  I just keep running out of room on my phone.  Tell me I'm not the only one...

Event Recap: Biker's Edge Cinco de Mayo 2105 - 50 Miles

Saturday was our 50 mile ride: The Biker's Edge Cinco de Mayo ride, sponsored by America First Credit Union.  Entry was free, making it all the more appealing!  My friend Brooke talked me into registering so we could ride it together.

The 50 miles fit right in with my overall training plan for my Little Red 100 mile event in June.  I was really looking forward to having a riding partner since most of my long rides are solo.

We pre-registered and got our event bracelets, showing that we signed the liability waiver.  No responsibility parties here, people.

Our start time was a totally reasonable 8 AM.  We pedaled over from my house and found the starting line.  At 7:50 it was apparent that there was little organization so we headed out, avoiding the crowd of departees.  Crowds = wrecks.

The weather was perfect, the signs with arrows were plentiful and easy to follow.  We tooled along at around 16 mph, getting passed by pelotons of riders, male and female.  My competitive streak was taking a beating, but Brooke kept me at bay, thus allowing me to not burn myself out trying to jump on to a crazy train out of pride.  See why having a riding partner is a wise idea?  We soon found ourselves at the 25 mile rest stop.

There were porta-potties and scouts handing out homemade peanut butter and honey sandwiches.  We skipped the sandwiches, stretched our legs, and got our feet wet in the swampy grass.  I knew there was a reason none of the semi-pros bikes were in the grass...

As we left we made a joke about using the potty before we set off again, you know, the way you hound your kids to use the facilities before heading out on a car ride or other bathroom-less activity. Yeah, it was pretty funny.

This was us 7 miles later, frantically finding a city park with an open restroom.  Thank you, City of Hooper.  What?  We thought we didn't have to go...

On the ride home we had a slight head-wind which is just plain demoralizing.  I had discovered that instead of breaking in my new riding bibs, they were actually going to break ME in, and that just added insult to injury.  Again, with the zooming pelotons, but with me really no longer caring.

Brooke's back was killing her, so we stopped at her MIL's house about 7 miles from home for a much needed stretching session and a good dose of "mom, can I have a drink of your water bottle" cheering and support from Brooke's family.  Kids really do love watching and cheering their mom, and as a mom it really is nice to be cheered for once in a while!

We limped home at 3 hours 43 minutes.  It was no easy ride and really showed us how much work needs to be done to be prepared to enjoy 100 miles.  It's easy to lose momentum when training starts to get long and hard, or rides/runs/workouts don't go like you wanted them to.  Take a step back and decide what needs to be done.  For me, things to do include:

• Bike tune ups: squeaky gears and dirty chains make really annoying background noise.
• Better shorts: break out the broken-in shorts, comfort trumps cute every time.
• Body work: a trip to the chiropractor (her) and way more stretching (me) will keep joints, backs, hips, and muscles happy and functioning at their best.
• More bike time: I've been doing a lot of cross-training and feel really strong, but only hours on the bike can prepare tush, lower back, and neck for hours on the bike.  I'll be riding 4 times a week for the 5 weeks I have until Little Red. 

Some positives were that I felt strong, I can still eat like a champ on the bike and stay fueled, water and Gatorade still work for me, I have the right layers to keep from getting chilled, my hands and toes didn't go numb from pressure on my hands or in my shoes,  and I could walk after, lots after, and the next day.  These are all good things.

The course was a tad frustrating.  There were too many miles on super busy streets.  I felt there could have been a few route changes that would have kept us out of the busy Saturday traffic.  After the turn around the arrows went missing for a bit, and we ended up turning around and following the herd, back to retrace our route out.

Thanks to all the cars who didn't hit us, even though SOME people were riding 7 abreast.  And sorry to the Saturday Warriors who got swallowed up and really annoyed at everyone riding side-by-side.  There's nothing like getting yelled at by a fellow cyclist, who is probably just lonely.

I cannot overstate the importance of having a riding partner with whom to pass the miles.  We laughed and chatted the whole way.  Those pelotons really took things way too seriously.  It wasn't a race, but a ride, and riding is supposed to be enjoyable.  I'm so glad to have friends who share my love of cycling.  

What do you love?  Whatever it is, do it today!

Book Review: 5 Nutrition Books That Will Change the Way You Look at Food

I don't know about you, but I love information.  I also love to read.  And eat.  And cook.  So that's why nutrition books are something I enjoy.  

If you are on a fitness journey, and you are trying to guess your way through it, you need to get another plan.  Information is power.  Power to change.

These are my five favorite books about food, nourishing our bodies, and eating for change.  There is an absolute truth that calories in < calories out = weight/fat loss.  But it also matters what you are eating for calories.  Here's what these books taught me:

1. "Burn the Fat Feed the Muscle" by Tom Venuto - this is basically a weight-lifter's book, but the method is sound.  It teaches the calorie equation: how many calories you need to eat each day.  It follows the "clean eating" model, which is basically high protein, veggies, fruit, healthy fats, & low/no sugar or bad fats.  It has a meal-assembly guide based on your metabolism type, which is figured out in an entire chapter.  Lots of math. Love.

2.  "The Eat Clean Diet" by Tosca Reno - Tosca's story is inspiring: around age 40 she changed her eating habits and exercise pattern & became a body builder/fitness model.  She sets out all the positives for eating clean & exercising from skin improvement to energy level and overall health, and every other reason in between.  She has a separate cook book with additional recipes that are all simple to follow and delicious.

3.  "Practical Paleo" by Diane Sanfilippo - Paleo is a gatherer diet, based on vegetables & fruits that have not been domesticated or genetically altered, high in protein, and avoids all legumes & grains, since those are "man-made".  She is heavy on the research based on her own experience with benefiting from Paleo, and provides several tweaks in the Paleo diet to combat diabetes, weight loss, systemic inflamation, IBS, and other issues that can be solved with Paleo.  

4.  "Shred: the Revolutionary Diet" by Ian K. Smith - this book promises big things, and again is based on eating clean.  The book outlines a week by week eating plan based on food groups.  The meal plan is filling, and I especially like the 8 or so pages of 100, 150, & 200 calories snack ideas.  

5.  "Thin Side Out: How to Have Your Cake & Your Skinny Jeans Too" by Josie Spinardi - this is a fun and eye-opening read about all the pitfalls of restrictive dieting & the reasons we eat or overeat.  It goes in-depth about the psychology behind why you reach for firsts or for seconds, & how to get yourself to stop, feel satiated on less, and get out of destructive eating habits.  Even if you aren't a binge-eater, this book provides the key to understanding why we eat beyond fueling.  

All of these books boil down to four things:

Eat clean: 

protein & veggies are the answer to long-lasting health & fat loss

Exercise: 

when combined with healthy eating it's the one-two punch that'll make a knock-out

Processed Sugar is bad: 

and we all need to eat less. it is the hard-work-eraser.

Results:

if you can stick with anything long enough, you'll get them

We are all different.  One book or author will speak to you more than another.  One eating plan will seem easier to you, and so you'll be more likely to follow it.  Find out what it is and do that.

Also, knowledge alone won't help you. Use your new-found knowledge and become wise.  Apply it.

And last, nothing will change unless you are willing and ready to commit.  It's like potty-training.  There's no point in starting unless there's interest.  Forcing leads to failure leads to lower likelihood of you ever trying again. 

I fall into the category of lots of lots of knowledge and a little application.  I have lots of room for change and improvement.  I've started and failed lots of times, but I know that when it's time I'll know.  Make sense?  I knew it was time when I kicked of the Summer Slim Down.  I felt ready to commit, ready to make it public, and ready to have a support system of women to come along with me.

Happy reading!

Week 6: Half-Way Point!

Are you feeling your resolve slipping? Are you feeling worn out?  I was last week; it was rough, and I felt like quitting.  But I'm hanging in there, because I'm seeing results and changes.  Not so much in weight as in strength gain and improved fitness, as well as a healthier gut.  After 4-5 weeks is when we start seeing real results, increasing strength, and feeling healthier.  Hunker down and keep going!  If you get frustrated by the scale, remember that it is a good indicator of progress.  Keep in mind not to get caught up in worrying about weight day to day or week to week, but focus on a good, steady, downward trend over the 10 week term.  A healthy and sustainable rate of weight loss is 1-2 lbs per week.

For this week it's the same challenge: NO EATING AFTER DINNER.  Many of our group said this was really helpful and eye-opening, being aware of how many empty calories we consume after dinner.  It was also freeing: out of sight and mind!

Remember:  It means no eating or drinking calories after your REGULAR & REASONABLE family dinner time.  The rules say 7 PM, because that's typical for most of us.  If you work nights or have other situations that make that difficult, remember there are 7 days in the week, so use Saturday & Sunday to get the max 5 challenge points for the week.

Points Break Down for Week 6:

1. Write it Down (5 pts) Keep using that tracking sheet!

2.  5 Fruits & Veggies each day (5 pts)

3.  8 cups (8 oz) water each day (5 pts)

4.  Exercise 60 minutes daily (5 pts; .5 pt for 30 min)

5.  Challenge: no eating after dinner (5 pts)

6. Come to weigh-in (5 pts)

7.  Lose weight (5 pts; no loss/gain 0 pts)

This week we are having another Work-It Circuit group workout, Thursday, April 30, 9 PM at the upper Crestwood church building.  No bonus points, just come have fun! 

Bonus Points opportunity this week: Track, meet goals, challenge & workout Saturday & Sunday for up to 9 bonus points!  No working out Sunday...we all need a rest day! 

Protein sample table next Friday at weigh-in, and the weekly weight winner gets 2-33 oz bottles of Simple Truth Infused Water!  It has a hint of flavor but zero calories, and no artificial sugars.  Yum!

Weigh-In this week is on FRIDAY, May 1, from 9:00-9:30! 

Have a super week!

Training Tip Tuesday: Make Time for Exercise

Let's be real. Going through your day thinking you're going to "fit in" a workout usually ends with it never happening.  Any role you are in right now comes with a plate-full of responsibilities clamoring for your attention, all day long.  Being a mom is probably the most demanding 24-hour job, while also being the most rewarding, by far.  Some of us have small children & infants.  Some have teenagers or young-adults.  Some have both, and I really am in awe of that place.

No matter where you are in life, exercise is important.  You've heard that before.  But I'm going to say it anyway, and tell you why.  

I believe exercise is for people who want to: 

live longer

be happier

be centered

meditate

be alone

be with friends

be with family

live an active lifestyle

play with your kids

increase your focus

be healthier

help others

set a good example

have active children & spouses

It's a winning thing to do for pretty much everyone.  As a mom, I'm going to go out on a limb and say it is an absolute must.  From personal experience I can tell you that no one benefits from a martyr-mom.  And the time you take for yourself will have long-term benefits for those people you live with and love.  Once I realized this, nothing could stop me.

So don't try to "fit in" your exercise.  Make time for it.  Set aside a certain hour, wake up before everyone, stay up late, sign up for a class, get a partner, do a babysitting swap, put the kids to bed, make a club, find new friends, whatever it takes to make sure you do one of the most important things you'll do all day: improve your physical & mental well-being.  

This is why I began this @fitnessinreality Instagram project, and hosted the Summer Slim Down.  Because having a reminder & being guided as to what to do makes it that much easier.  That leaves you with the only job of setting aside 60 minutes in the day.  And checking Instagram.

Generally, don't get too stuck on what kind of exercise or how long.  Make it at least 30 minutes, ideally 60, and make sure your heart is pumping hard and you are breathing fast & heavy.  It will be hard at first, but stick with it.  It won't be long before you realize you love it, too.

Take time for yourself.  Your family will thank you for it.

Summer Slim Down Challenge Week 5 - We're on a roll!

So much success again during Week 4!  The Cut-it-Out challenge was a tough one, but we muddled through somehow.  We lost 13.3 pounds together, and we missed 5 ladies at weigh-in.  I think we all have learned that we can go without unhealthy foods more often than we thought, and have learned to have just a little sometimes, rather than a lot all the time!  Calorie counts were lower for those who didn't eat out or consume fatty/fried food, and your body was full of sustaining fiber if you cut out sugar & processed grains, choosing whole grains instead.  I'd call that success!

It really is so much fun to see you all and chat during weigh-in.  It's the highlight of my week to hear how everyone is doing, and I'm not just talking about weight and fitness.  I love hearing how life is going for everyone.  It really is true that women need each other.

For Week 5 we have a new challenge: NO EATING after your reasonably timed family dinner.  The guideline is 7 PM, which is a good standard for 98% of the population.  We all have extenuating circumstances, but 7 PM is the baseline.   Here's why:

1) Most snacking after 7 PM consists of high calorie, low nutrient foods.  Do you reach for a salad for your nighttime snack?  Yeah, I didn't think so.

2) Late eating can throw off your circadian rhythm, which is the balance of sleep and wakefulness that your body naturally attunes to.  Loss of sleep is directly related to weight-gain.

3)  If you've eaten 3 meals and a couple of snacks throughout the day, any food you consume at night is excess calories.

4) People who closed the kitchen after 7 PM reported that it was easier to skip late snacking, simply by setting a time to be done eating for the day.

Is 7 PM a magic number? Nope.  It's just the typical time people across the nation have finished dinner.  Your body doesn't metabolize calories differently after a certain hour.  Eating after a certain time isn't going to make you fat.  Overeating will.  And throughout our Summer Slim Down Challenge, our main goal is to create healthy habits, not count and restrict ourselves to death.  Eating the right number of calories spread fairly evenly over your waking hours will keep you healthy and going strong.

Your body does benefit from doing some activity, as low-intensity as a 10 minute walk, after each meal.  Some of the benefits are:
Boosts metabolism
Increases the rate your food moves through your digestive system
Induces sleep by reducing stress
Improves blood circulation
Maintains blood sugar levels by using up excess glucose
Aids in weight loss by burning calories

Some ideas to make it easier to avoid late snacking are: brush your teeth right after dinner, close the kitchen, chew gum, drink water, & stay busy.

So this week concentrate on eating your 1200-1500 calories during the day, and then closing the kitchen (at least to yourself) after dinner.  Remember that you have 7 days to get your 5 challenge points, so if some nights don't work, use Saturday & Sunday to get back those points.

Points Breakdown for Week 5:

• Write everything down - 5 points
• 5 fruits & veggies daily - 5 points
• 8 cups (8 oz) water daily - 5 points
• Workout for 60 minutes daily - 5 pts
• Challenge Daily: no eating after dinner - 5 pts
• Come to weigh-in - 5 points
• Lose weight - 5 points; no change or gain - 0 points

Weigh-in will be Saturday April 25, 8:30 - 9:00 AM.  

This week we are having another Work-It Circuit group workout, Wednesday April 22 @ 9 AM, at the Upper Mutton Hollow church building.  No bonus points this week for coming, just the satisfaction of getting your workout done and having a blast!

We will be having a drawing this week: text or email me if you did strength training this week. The winner will get a box of high-fiber low-fat popcorn, a perfect low-cal snack when you get the munchies! (but not after dinner )

What qualifies as strength training: 30 or more minutes of exercises that use weights or resistance bands, including exercises that use your legs or your upper body.  I will post some ideas on the blog, and there are already some videos posted on the YouTube channel.  You can get there from the blog.  Or go to the drop down menu "workouts".  

Saturday's weekly weight winner will receive a "Bedtime Snack Buster" kit!

Have a super weekend, and get outside to enjoy this sunny spring weather!

Training Tip Tuesday: Muscle Confusion

Most of us get in a rut with our exercise.  We do the same thing repeatedly.  This can obstruct our goals of increasing fitness or losing weight, due to a little phenomenon called "muscle memory".  Basically, when we do things over and over our muscles get trained to do them more efficiently.  Sounds good, right?  Yes, if you're training for a marathon or long bike ride.  When your muscles are efficient they use less energy, or calories, to do said exercise.  But for weight loss and muscle gain,
we want more!

What we want is for our muscles to work hard and burn more calories.  The way we can get this is by creating "muscle confusion".  This means keeping our muscles on their toes! It helps us avoid a fitness plateau, where we stop gaining strength or losing weight.

Some common ways to achieve muscle confusion are HIITs, cross-training, and bricks.

HIITs are High Intensity Interval Training.  It's just what it sounds like.  High intensity in short duration.  They involve every muscle group and keep your muscles doing different actions.

Cross-training would be mixing different activities on different days.  Running or walking, bike riding, HIIT, weight training, swimming, roller blading, trampoline jumping, basketball, soccer, etc. This ensures that we strengthen all our muscles including our lateral-movement muscles (important for women in avoiding injury), our core, our arms, backs, etc.

Bricks are usually what triathletes do.  It means doing 2-3 different exercises in one session.  The three disciplines are swimming, biking, and running.  The toughest is to go from a bike ride to a run, which is the order of events in a triathlon.  Even though running and biking are forward motion leg-centric disciplines they use vastly different movements.  When you start running after a bike ride, your legs really do feel like bricks!

From this we can learn that the best way to avoid efficient low calorie burn movement, and the best way to burn lots of calories is to create muscle confusion.

During your workout hour, mix it up by doing a combination of two different exercises;

Walk + 15 min squats and arm presses

Run + jumping jacks and plank

Bike + 15 min running

HIIT + 15 min Yoga

These are a few examples but the sky's the limit!  If you have 30 minutes, do 15+15, and so forth.  Play with your kids, shoot hoops with your hubby, climb on the jungle gym, do the monkey bars, have a family dance party.  Fitness and muscle confusion doesn't have to happen only with typical "exercise" disciplines.

Confuse those muscles today, and get your max calorie burn for your time!

Make It Monday: Paleo Poppyseed Muffins & A Healthy Dinner

Today on the docket are two recipes.  One for grain-free & naturally sweetened muffins and the other a super simple healthy dinner idea from the group.

Katrina sent me this fantastic easy dinner idea:

1 Costco Turkey Burger, broiled or grilled

1 cup steamed broccoli

Add a small red potato, 1 cup sweet potato, or 1/2 cup brown rice to make it luxuriously yummy!

       

The nutrition info for the turkey burger puts it at 200 calories it has a monumental 35 grams of protein!  That's worth every bite!  Turkey is a great low-fat high-protein meat.  Thanks, Katrina!

The other recipe is one I found from the blog Civilized Caveman Cooking.  It's a blog dedicated to Paleo eating.  I got a hankering for poppyseed muffins after I made Challa bread, sprinkled with poppyseeds for dinner last night.

Without going into huge detail, Paleo is a hunter/gatherer way of eating, avoiding agricultural products & domesticated animal products.  The diet is heavy on animal protein, vegetables & fruits. There are many levels of Paleo, and I like some recipes for their lack of grains.  There are lots of Paleo desserts that look amazing. You can read more about Paleo on Diane Sanfilippo's website Balanced Bites, or read her outstanding book "Practical Paleo", found here.  Paleo diets in various forms are used to help solve health problems like diabetes, IBS, auto-immune disorders, and more. 

For baked goods Paleo recipes use almond flour or coconut flour.   Alternative flours lack gluten, which is what makes bread chewy and helps them rise.  So baking with almond or coconut flour results in a slightly different texture and crumb than you're used to.  Paleo baked goods typically have more protein than the usual, and while these flours are low in carbs, they are high in fats, albeit healthy ones. So just like always, moderation is key!

You can find the recipe for the Paleo Lemon Poppyseed Muffins I made today here, or below.  (And I'm still loving the date bites from last week.  So satisfying!)  As a testament to my weird pursuit of health foods of all types I had all the ingredients on hand.  You can find everything you need at your local store, usually in the health food aisle.

Ingredients

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

• 2 cups almond flour (185 grams)
• 3/4 cup coconut flour (90 grams)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 tsp baking soda (3 grams)
• 2/3 cup raw honey, melted
• 2/3 cup coconut oil, melted
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsweetened full-fat coconut milk
• 1-2 teaspoons pure lemon extract
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176 Celsius).
2. Sift almond flour, coconut flour, sea salt and baking soda in a large mixing bowl and stir with a whisk to combine.
3. Place oil and honey in the bowl of a food processor and process for 2 minutes.
4. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
5. Add coconut milk, lemon extract, and lemon zest, and poppy seeds. Continue to process until well combined.
6. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients and thoroughly combine using a wooden spoon until smooth
7. Pour batter into muffin liners in a muffin pan and bake for 20 minutes
8. Remove from the oven, remove from the pan and let cool

This week I'm starting my 100-mile Little Red Riding Hood training in earnest. Time to commit!  You can read more about the non-competitive women-only Little Red 2015 event here.  I feel really strong with all the cross-training I've done, even though I haven't devoted a ton of time to the bike.  My neck and sit-bones are what need a lot of conditioning!  This week I'm looking at 5 hours on the bike, and 3 hours of cross training.  I couldn't find my training schedule for last year (boo), which was ideal and put me it terrific condition for the event, so I tried to recreate it as closely as possible.

The trick with training and trying to lose weight is to time my meals to fuel me throughout my workout, and to have a high-quality recovery meal after, particularly after long rides.  Wish me luck!  When I train like this I just start eating everything in sight!  The Summer Slim Down has definitely taught me some great skills in choosing healthier foods, rather than digging in for a handful of cold cereal 3 times in the afternoon.   

I had a cheat WEEKEND, and it was horrible!  I was gassy, bloated, lethargic, had a stomach ache, and a sore tongue.  Sugar and those darn refined grains are not all they're cracked up to be!  I really savored my eggs+cottage cheese+veggies & my whole grain+oat pancake this morning.  And a good helping of my daily water to wash it all down.  I feel better already!

So, what's on your agenda for the week?  Hopefully some healthy menu planning and a bunch of fun exercise!

Have a happy Monday and get back on that wagon!