Pointless

I have come to realize I do not like pointless workouts. By pointless, I mean workouts whose only purpose is make you sweat. Not that they aren't good - they certainly are and can even be loads of fun! But after a while I get bored with riding the same elliptical, doing the same leg machines, running on the "dreadmill" (I so love that word) or walking endless stair over and over again.

Now, before anyone gets mad, I am not saying these machines and workouts aren't useful, occasionally  wonderful, and often fun. I am saying I get bored. I get bored e a s y. I mean, I can't even sit and watch TV with out also reading a book or working on the computer, or playing a game or something.

I like functional fitness. 

I like running outside because I am moving, I am going someplace, I have scenery and weather and fresh air. And as much as I am coming to love running, it cannot do everything for me. I need to strength train too. 

I have loved lifting weights since I was in high school. I always loved it more than cardio. On the cardio machines I got bored and in the classes I got lost - I have no rhythm unless I am singing, and I am a super klutz so dancy-cardio easily confuses me. But with free weights or weight machines I could be strong and lift weight and felt like I did something.

I have access to a weight room here at school. And it has some good machines, and a large selection of dumbbells and barbells, but even this is beginning to leave me cold. I just don't want to take the time to do a full workout with these machines.

That is where the BodyRock website comes in for me. I love this site. If you have not checked it out, I highly recommend you do so. Look at Zuzanna. She is super fit, and the workouts she posts are the only ones she does. You could grate cheese on her abs I swear (mmm, cheese...). 

The workouts are short, intense, killer workouts. They get your heart rate up, the work your muscles, and they are (to me at least) and functional fitness workout. When you do them you do real body movements, not just limited machine movements. 

So I am adding the BodyRock workouts into my running routines. I will start off with 2-3 days a week and build up from there. Between running and bodyrocking I know I will be able to change my body!

Do you like cardio machines and classes? How about the weight machines?

Have you tried functional fitness or tabata training similar to BodyRock, what did you think of it?

Variety

If you can name a workout DVD infomercial program I probably have it.

• TurboFire, Check
• Zumba, Check
• Zumba Exhilarate, Check
• P90X, Check
• Insanity, Check
• Hip Hop Abs, Check
• the Firm, Check
• Slim in Six, Check
• Brazil Butt Lift, Check

I have them all, I have tried them all, and I have come to the realization that DVDs are not for me. I like the schedule. I like having something specific to do. Sometimes I even like the lack of planning - I don't have to think about my workout, I just have to pop in the scheduled DVD and do it. But after 2 or 3 weeks of the same program and the same rotation I am so bored I want to cry! It takes more effort and will power than I have to do the same workout even one more time. I just can't stick to the schedule. I hate it, I hate myself, and I give up on my fitness goals when I try to force myself into the DVD mold. 

But running. I love running - I tolerate treadmill running, but getting outside to do my run excites me. Every workout is different. Different air, different time, different scenery. Even when I run the same road over and over again, it changes as only the country side can change. My music is on shuffle, so I don't even get the same songs or playlist with every workout. 

And I think about getting out on the road every day. Practically every minute of every day. "When can I get my run in? How will this (weight, food, water, pace) affect my run? Should I take the boys in the stroller? Should I take the dogs? Should I go by myself?"

I see more changes in my body from running. I have rock hard calves. And I can feel tight, strong muscles in my quads - even if I can't see them yet. 

I love running, and I only wish I had found my pace and my place on the road before now.

What workouts do you look forward to? 

What is guaranteed to get you off the couch and moving?

I am not the best

It never really occurred to me before, but I am extremely competitive. I want to be the best - at everything. And if I can't be the best, I don't want to do it. I want to be the best mom, the best students, the best teacher, the best wife, the best friend, I want to be A#1 perfect.

And I am not. I am not perfect - far from it my family will be happy to tell you. And recently the monkey has decided I am not the best mommy, but I think that is just to mess with me :) 4yr olds, go figure.

I am good - in some cases very good. But I am not the best. And I need to let go of the mentality that I need to be the best. Have a good day running is better than not running - and sometimes better than be the perfect best runner. Have a good day eating is better than bingeing on cookies all day long. Getting a 97% on my test is better than the rest of the class did, and should be good enough for me (it's totally not though!)

Image from Pintrest

Getting out on the road or in the gym and doing my workout is good. Cooking and eating health foods with my family is good. Studying and doing all my homework is good. Taking the time to appreciate my life, my family, my friends, and the good fortune I do have is good. 

I don't need to be perfect. I just need to be. 

Mmm, Chicken Fingers

My boys are not all that different from your average toddlers/preschoolers. They want to run and play and jump around. They are super stubborn and that stubbornness will often show its face at meal times.

Not tonight! Earlier this week I discovered an excellent trick to making chicken nuggets from scratch instead of relying on store bought packaged nuggets chock full of things I do not want my kids eating. Yogurt, specifically Chobani yogurt (of course). I made the nuggets as chicken fingers tonight and had another successful batch, and thought it was time to share :)


Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/2 - 1 C Chobani 0% plain yogurt
• 3 chicken breast, sliced into strips or nuggets
• 1-2C whole wheat bread crumbs
• 1C rolled oats
• Garlic, pepper, onion flakes or other spices to taste
• 1T oil to fry the chicken in (I used coconut oil)

Direction

• Preheat oven to 425
• In one bowl combine bread crumbs, oats, and spices, set aside
• In a separate bowl whip together yogurt and eggs
• dip chicken pieces in egg/yogurt mixture - be sure to coat the chicken completely
• place coated chicken pieces in the bread crumb/oat coating - shake and mix to cover completely
• once all the chicken pieces or "breaded" fry lightly in oil, 1 min max on each side
• put all the chicken in an oven safe dish and bake for 10 minutes at 425 
• serve and enjoy!

The yogurt really keeps the breading on the chicken and the chicken itself moist. Monkey ate most of his (inhaled really) and Moose ate 1 finger before falling asleep in his chair :) I ate four (or um, maybe 5) myself and they were yummy! I am so glad to have a crowd pleasing chicken nugget/finger recipe that is so easy to make.

Oh - and the ranch dressing Monkey has to dip his finger was made with half mayo / half Chobani yogurt :)

Are there any family or kid-friendly favorites you have remade into a healthy meal?

Little Changes

The hubby (my wonderful hubby) had to pick me up / drop me off at school today to deal with some car issues. Unfortunately, on our way home one of the rear tires on the car completely blew out. Never a good thing, but I took advantage of the situation by fitting in a second workout. The garage we got the car towed to was straight down hill from where the tire blew. I knew that the total distance was a mile or two and thought to myself "I can at least walk down the hill and burn an extra 200 calories for the effort - that means I can eat more for dinner!"

I grabbed my sneakers out of the car, kissed the hubby, and waved as he and the tow truck driver headed down the hill.

I started up my miCoach app, set my playlist for shuffle, chose "free workout" - meaning I had no pace or distance goals for the workout - and headed down the hill.

I started off around a 17min/mile pace for my warm up and thought I would "wog" with my usual walk breaks down the hill. After my first 5 minute jogging stretch I thought "I can go a little longer".

I can go a little longer - it was my mantra down that hill. I can go a little longer. And I did. I jogged for 20 minutes straight with NO WALK BREAKS! I ran for 1.54 miles - I have never run that far without walking. I have not run a mile since high school or junior high - and even then I had to take walk breaks.

And I know that the downhill run is slightly cheating, but I am not letting it diminish my pride. I felt good when I hit the bottom of the hill. I was still thinking "I can go a little longer".

I can go a little longer. I can run a little faster. I can make a few more small changes. I got this. I can make it to my finish line this time. I can go a little longer.

429 days

It is 429 days until I turn 35 (and 63 days until 34, for those of you who are counting :)). I am sitting here, thinking about that and trying to plot out what I want to achieve for myself before I hit that birthday. I want to have goals, to have a list I can cross off to see the things I have accomplished before I hit 35. So what do I want

1. I want to lose 100lbs
2. I want to run the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon or the Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon (preferably both)
3. I want to graduate college
4. I want to get a job teaching
5. I want  to get better at housekeeping

What do I need to do to accomplish these goals?
1. I want to lose 100lbs

• I need to eat clean
• I need to watch my portion sizes
• I need to eat when I am hungry, not just by the clock
• I need to get out and move everyday
• I need to plan my meals, and not just eat whatever because I am tired and bored

2. I want to run the Disney Princess 1/2 Marathon or the Tinkerbell 1/2 Marathon (preferably both)

• I need to train seriously for a race of this distance
• I need to come up with the money for the registration fee, transportation, lodging, and park passes for Jacques, the boys, and me
• I need a job that I can work around school, pay my bills AND save money for this (or friends and family that want to help me by all going in together giving me the trip for my birthday and Christmas hint hint!)

3. I want to graduate college

• study, study, study
• check with the registrar to make sure there are no other classes I need besides the ones I am planning for next semester

4. I want to get a job teaching

• I need to graduate college
• take my last 2 certification exams and the Praxis so I can teach out of state if necessary
• get my name and face out to area school districts by applying to substitute teach

5. I want to get better at housekeeping

• stop procrastinating
• devote an hour every day to keeping things picked up and organized
• get up early on Saturdays to power clean 1 room of the house before everyone else is out of bed

Sorry for the wordy post, but I needed to get my wants/needs/goals down in black and white so I could plan them out and really take a look at what I need to do to have the life I want.

I deserve to be here

I walked into the weight room at my school's gym today, and almost walked right back out again. I have not been strength training in any serious way since my car accident at the beginning of summer. I love strength training. I have been lifting weights for at least 17 years (since my Y membership when I was 16). I never subscribed to the "don't lift too heavy because you'll bulk up" theory. I know that it takes some serious testerone to be able to "bulk up". I know that I build/gain muscle at a MUCH faster rate than I lose fat (mainly due to eating habits that I have never gotten under control). But I almost walked out of the weight room because it was slightly scary to be there. I felt like I didn't deserve it; I felt like I would be "judged". But I talked to myself - a little head talk - and said "just do it, you DO deserve to be here, you are working and getting healthy and who cares if these 20 something college kids judge you, just go in there, and do what you planned to do today!"

And I did. I sweated, I pumped, I pushed. I felt it in my arms (did chest and triceps today). And I looked at myself in the mirror as I finished my workout with tricep cable extensions and thought "I really do deserve to be here. I am working it, and soon that flabby part under my arm will be gone."

I do deserve to be there - and I am going back tomorrow.

Hills

So I totally missed my "blogaverissary" last week. Loser :P I started this blog September 2, 2010 and I am somewhat sad to say that I am still in a very similar place to where I was a year ago.

That is not to say that I have not grown and changed in the last year! Certainly not. I am a runner now :) Even if I still can't run a mile straight I am calling myself a runner because of the way I look at things now.

I look at the miles on my GPS from school to the boys' daycare and think how long it would take me to run it instead of drive - and that it is only a mile more than my half marathon distance.

I drive up and down all the hills in my "neighborhood" and wonder - how long would it take me to get up them - and how fast could I run down?

It has become much easier to convince myself to go for a run than to do any other kind of workout. I have in fact been meaning to start Jamie Eason's Live Fit Trainer series for 2 weeks now and haven't quite gotten there yet. I love her and think she is an inspiring trainer and fitness model - and I love all the stuff she has done for Oxygen Magazine. My goal for today is to finish this post and head over to the campus gym to do my 20 minutes of running (treadmill, yuck!) and do the first day of the Live Fit training. I have not lifted weights or done any serious strength training since my car accident, so it is certainly time to get started.

And as hard as it is, I love my long runs! I love going for 6, 7, 8 or more miles. I love the feeling of accomplishment I get when I am done. I love burning an entire day's worth of calories in one workout ;). I am so excited about going longer and longer distances.

Unfortunately, my training this fall may be somewhat for naught. I will not be able to do the Buffalo Creek Half-Marathon that I have been training for the last 10 weeks. The money is just not there for the drive down, a motel room, and the registration fee. I am hoping to have enough to sign up for the Out of Bounds trail run at Bristol Mountain on October 2nd and then switch my winter training to train for a spring 1/2 marathon (maybe even the Rock n Roll 1/2 in New Orleans if the gods smile upon me). I don't know why, but I feel like the 1/2 marathon is "my distance". A good struggle, something it takes dedication to complete - and not for everybody. It adds to my feeling of accomplishment when I tell people I am training for a half marathon.

At any rate I am going to find some race to run this fall - a 5K a Turkey Trot, a 10K or 1/2 marathon, I will race in something before winter sets in.

Alright - off to the gym!