All I want for Christmas...

... is a treadmill. Seriously. Any treadmill companies out there that want to set me up with a treadmill to review and use for the next few months or the year or whatever, I will be grateful! I need a treadmill because I have not been able to get out for a decent run in about 2 weeks. seriously, my last good run was on the treadmills at school, and that was 2 weeks ago. The weather around here has not been awful, but it has been too cold/damp most of the time to take 2 squirmy boys that have been sick out in the jogging stroller for a decent run, and the hubby has been more less out of town for 2 weeks. The days he has been home, the schedule has not been conducive to getting out to run - but if I had had a treadmill those days, I could totally have gotten a super awesome run in anyway.

I of course have DVDs I can workout to at home, but the thought of using them has left me so depressed I cannot even put on my workout clothes. Getting back into strength training is also taking far more effort than I would like. It seems to me like everything is taking too much effort these days...

I am still working on the Paleo eating, and most days it is going pretty well. I am not stressing myself on trying to be perfect through the holiday season, but I am striving to do well every day indulge only in things I really love. No eating something junky just because it is there. And through some wonderful forums and websites and blogs devoted to the Paleo lifestyle, I am getting some fantastic ideas of things to eat, ways to cook them, and so on. So many great ideas that I think I will be able to shop very well for the coming month when I head to the store next week.

As the year comes to a close (and another "fat" birthday has passed) I am feeling a bit better than I have in a while. I am not where I want to be, but I finally feel like I am on the path to get there.

So 'Licious - Mamavation Monday

"So 'licious, so yummy" ~ the Moose "Mommy, my dinner is very alicious tonight" ~ the Monkey.

I had a tough week. Tuesday the boys starting throwing up while we were an hour from home grocery shopping. They continued all night Tuesday night. Wednesday the Moose was better, but the Monkey was so bad I got scared enough to take him to the emergency room. 7 hours (3 on an IV drip) later, he finally looked, talked, and felt like himself again. He still did not want to eat though, so on Thursday, when he told me he was hungry I was trying to shove whatever food I could into my little boy. 

I made him hot chocolate, macaroni and cheese, plied him with granola bars. No go. Grilled chicken, a big fat salad, and some Paleo style eggs worked. My carb-rific kids did some paleo eating of their own this weekend as I adjusted to eating differently. They drank all of my coconut milk (darn them!) They kept eating all my eggs, they gobbled the veggies out of my salad, and stole broccoli cooked in coconut oil off my plate. All the while they told me it was so alicious or so yummy.

My week overall was not good in terms of general stress level, workouts, or anything else. I got kicked out of one of my presentation groups at school (last minute, on Wednesday when I spent the day at the hospital) and told I would have to find something else to do for that grade. It's okay now, I got it taken care of, but it was one more stress that I did not need. I tried to get oil for my furnace, only to be told that HEAP benefits have been cut and it has not been opened yet this year. I am lucky to have an electric blanket and a space heater in the boys' room, because my house will be chilly this winter. I caught attitude from a grocery store cashier when I tried to get all natural peanut butter using WIC (my family is struggling hardcore while I am in school, so I use every available means to keep us afloat and look forward to June when I will have graduated, and pray to the gods that I have a job) when they tried to tell me I could only get the store brand - which isn't true, and I contested it. 

My head is all over the place, and I feel like I am falling behind in my life, trying to do everything I need to do. My mamavation Monday post today is late, rambling, doesn't make a whole lot of sense, so I appreciate the efforts of everyone who took the time to read it. Next week I will be more coherent, I promise.

Aiming for a better week

Despite my intentions of getting back to my runs Thursday, I was derailed. The hubby has been out of town since Thursday night, meaning no chance to run alone. Although even if I had the chance, I don't think I would have gone for my runs this weekend anyway. Friday afternoon the muscles on my left side seemed to lock up on me. By about 7 Friday night I was shaking and feverish and desperately trying to figure out how to feed the boys dinner when I didn't even feel like I could get off the couch. Saturday was not much better, but after another night of extra strength ibuprofen and snuggles with my moose (who has not been feeling so hot himself) I feel almost human today. Possible even good enough to take the boys for a nice walk before dinner later. 


I have been reading / hearing / downloading podcasts a lot recently about the Paleo Diet. I've done low carb before - I did Atkins a few times (best when I was away in college. Lost all my progress when I came home and had carb laden foods tempting me). The more I read about Paleo, the more it seems to be a clean eating version of a low carb diet. It emphasis real foods, whole foods, no processed food. No to low grain consumption, lots of vegetables and fruits, nuts and nut butter (but not peanut butter as peanuts are a legume). Lean meats, poultry, seafood... I feel like that is a way of eating I can get behind and sustain. I know I feel absolutely awful when I eat too many wheat products. When I put a greater emphasis on vegetables and lean protein I feel better about what I am eating, get fewer headaches and no heartburn. When I start eating too much wheat (pasta especially) I suffer from awful heartburn!


So as I plan out our grocery list for this month it will look more like a paleo list. Nuts, lean meats, frozen vegetables, a little dairy, some healthy fats. I am hoping that this will help jump start me in the right direction and set the end of my year on a good course. 


Mamavation Monday question: How has Type II diabetes affected your life?
I'm lucky that even with my weight being so high, I do not suffer from type II diabetes, in fact that last time I had my blood work done and asked to check that out, my doctor said my numbers were so good I did not have to worry about it. However, my father was diagnosed as pre-diabetic 3 years ago and my MIL has Type II diabetes, so I have seen how it can complicate a persons life. My MIL has to take extensive medication everyday - and I am fairly certain that most of her more sever health problems (including the diabetes) are directly related to the fact that she is at least 100lbs over weight, if not more. That thought more than any other makes me motivated to be healthy. I want to be able to play with my children and eventual grandchildren and not suffer from weight related illness. 




“This post is sponsored by Better’n Eggs and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women“” 

Race Report and a Call For Help

Okay, I am way late with my race report on my first race!

Saturday October 29, 2011 I ran the Pumpkins in the Park 5K in Rochester, NY at Cobbs Hill Park. I grew up in a suburb of Rochester and have moved away and back to the area more times than I would care to admit.

On the Thursday before the race we had our first official snowfall of the season. Big fat flakes coating my yard in white. The snow nixed my initial race outfit of lightweight capris and my Race Ragz tech shirt. A desperate call to my mother provided me with warm compression tights to run in on Saturday.

I almost did not get to the race on time. I live in the middle of nowhere (seriously, NOWHERE) and my house is difficult to find in full daylight. At 5AM in the pitch black it is impossible! My mom was picking me up (she was in town staying with some friends for a long weekend) and taking me to the race. She got lost a couple of times and only got to my house at 7:00AM. The race started at 9, and registration (which I still needed to do) opened at 7:30 - and I live 1.5 hours away from the city. I bundled my half sleeping boys into the car, grabbed my bag to make sure I had everything and we were off.

I drove way faster than was legal just fast enough to get there in time. A pleading call to my dad (my parents are divorced, but very friendly, which makes my life so much easier) had him registering me to ensure a spot at the starting line. We managed to find the perfect parking spot - right at the starting line! I put on my shoes, grabbed my fanny pack and phone, and ran inside to the bathroom (a long drive, a large coffee... had to pee before the start). With 2 minutes to spare I got outside and at the starting line, ready to go.

It was a costume race, and there were some great costumes. Unfortunately the one thing I forgot to throw in my bag was my camera. Next time, I promise!

I had my miCoach app running, my 2:1 run / walk timer set, I was ready to go! The starting gun went off and on mass the crowd moved. I started with a v v e e r r r y y slow jog and kept that up for a good portion of the first mile. I started actually listening to my run/walk timer at about 10 minutes - when I was out of sight of most spectators! :D

The course itself is quite hill, but it is nothing compared to my daily running route! The hills outside my front door are higher and steeper, so I really felt like I had a training advantage on those hills. I was able to run up at least part of every one.

I passed the first mile at 13:26 - easily my fastest mile for starting out. I felt like my pacing was good throughout the race, and I followed my timer after the first 10 minutes, without taking any extra walk breaks. Mile 2 was a little slower (mostly uphill) at 14:46 - still faster than my average pace. My face hurt at that point from all the smiling! Mile 3 looped around the reservoir and was downhill to the finish. Downhill for most of the last mile! Mile 3 had me at 12:53! The fastest mile I have run since high school, maybe even junior high! I crossed the finish line, sprinting it out for the last few hundred feet, at 42:18. My goal for the race was 45:00 so, I was more than 2:30 better than my race goal!

I rode the high of that race for the whole day, and a good part of Sunday. Unfortunately I seemed to take a downturn after that. I have not really gotten a good run in since the race. I feel apathetic and unmotivated. I want to sit around and eat candy and kind of give up on getting fit and healthy. Of course at the same time I want to run another race (4.4 mile Turkey Trot) on Thanksgiving, and another in December, and another and another and another! The race was great, and I can't wait to run more. I just need to find my motivation again.

Do you have any motivation tips? A way I can find my get up and go again?


How about races? Ever run one, or are you planning a race?

Running Blog

I have noticed that more and more of my posts have become about running (or at least mention it) and I am okay with this. :) This is moving into being a running blog, and running makes me happy.

I think about running all day. It's first in my brain when I wake up, last thing I think about before I go to sleep, and I even have had dreams about it. It lifts my mood better than anything except the joy I get in my hubby and my kids.

So more posts will talk about my runs, the things I think about on my runs, the things that running makes me feel. And as of Saturday there will be race recaps too - my first race is Pumpkins in the Park and I cannot wait. I'm going to have a little pirate theme rockin' for the race. I'll be sure to get pics :)

I hope I don't lose readers (I value all of you so much) as I grow and figure out my place in the world of running blogs. I know there will be struggles along the way, and the advice and support I get from my tweeps and readers is really what keeps me going.

So come on in, take off your sneakers, grab a cup of coffee (the pot is always on) and tell me your story. We have so much to talk about.

My Personal Health Brand

How would you brand your health and wellness lifestyle?  How do you want others to know you in this area?

My healthy brand. It is an interesting question, and it ties into my post last week about searching for a way to incorporate my passion into my life full time. I want my personal healthy lifestyle brand to be about perseverance, whole life health, and reaching for your goals. A brand that supports you in all areas, that knows that there is a life to live and that perfection is not the goal, progress is. 

I am making progress. I ran again this morning, not even 12 hours after my super fast night time run last night. And I am signed up (sort of) for my first race! I am doing a 5K next Saturday. I am excited and nervous. I am going to work on that distance all week - but I will also make sure to be easy on my legs Thursday and Friday.

My brand would also be about being a role model for those around us, and I am beginning to realize that I am a role model. I was designing my personal logo this afternoon the Monkey look at it and that's a mom, and she's running. Because mommy runs. Because mommy is a runner.

Mamavation and New Balance are giving away a pair of shoes on Mamavation TV tomorrow night. I still remember when I started playing volleyball in high school and New Balance had women's sneakers in my size - a hard thing to find a lot of the time - so they have a special place in my heart. Go here to enter the enter the giveaway, and to find a new place to get the support you need on your fitness, health, and wellness journey.

 “This post is sponsored by New Balance and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women“” 

Faster

Wow - training and consistency work! I am actually running faster - faster than I can ever remember, faster than I was a few months ago... I can look back over my training and see how much I have improved. I can even look at this point and I can tell when I have the stroller with me and when I don't. The stroller adds a minute to a minute 30 to my per mile pace. My per mile pace is around a solid 15:30-15:00 (fast enough for runDisney! :) )

And do you see that right there? My pace tonight was UNDER 15:00 per mile! And I ran at 9:30 at night (yep, night) in the pitch black on my empty country road. Great run, no cars, no people, nothing but coyotes howling in the distance. I will do similar dark runs again, but the dogs and my flashlight/headlamp will come with me every time.

I have not hit all my weekly goals this week, but I am moving forward and feeling really good about it.

If I Had a Million Dollars

Have you ever had the "if I won the lottery" day dream?

No? Just me? Hmm, maybe it's because I am always broke...

Anyway, there have been commercials on TV for the latest Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes. I am not planning on entering, but the giveaway/prize is $1million dollars and $5000 a week for life. That is the part that always interests me. You could blow through $1 million pretty quick and be in a worse situation than you were before, but with money coming in every week, if you were the least bit responsible, you would really be set for life. Not an extravagant life, but a nice comfortable middle class one (that is really what I aspire to).

And I think to myself, I I won $5000 a week for life and didn't have to work, what would I do? Would I still want to be a teacher? Maybe, I really do love being in a classroom, and if I was not dependent on the salary, I think I would teach at least part time, and probably in an economically disadvantaged school.

But I don't think teaching would be my primary passion. I think I would want to devote my life and my work to getting healthy and fit, to getting my family and loved ones healthy and fit and to teaching/helping other people be healthy and fit.

And when I think of that, I think of the scene in the movie Office Space where the main character asks another "What would you do if you had a million dollars" (I would link to it, but the language is a little PG13) and he goes on to say (basically) your answer to what you would do if you didn't need money is what you should be doing with your life, because that is what would make you happy.

So I am left thinking, if I would devote my life to getting healthy and getting other people to be healthy and fit - what should I be doing now instead of trying to be a teacher? Am I on the wrong path? And if I am on the wrong path, what should I do so that I can merge my current path with one that will allow me to bring health and fitness to myself and others?


What would you do if you didn't have to worry about money?


If you were going to devote your life to health and fitness, what would that path look like to you?

You Are Here...

But is Here where you want to be?

I am here and here is 256.4lbs. Here is not where I want to be. Here is not the top of my mountain. Here is where my journey has to begin for real.

And I have no excuses. I am the reason I am Here. I am the reason I gained 4lbs this week. I did not work out for 3 days. I ate too much every day. Not always bad, not always a lot, but too much. I did not follow my plan or do what I know I needed to do. And it is my fault. No one forced me to sit on my butt, no one stuffed my emotions down with food but me.

I am Here and I am the reason for it.

I am Here and I need a plan. I am Here and a I need accountability. I will keep my self accountable this week by posting meals and workouts on Twitter (please follow me if you don't already - I can use help staying accountable).

I will keep myself accountable by weighing in on Wednesday and on Sunday and posting it online. On Flab to Fab, on Facebook and on Twitter.

Workout Plan
Half Marathon Training Schedule (Cardio) Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday
Long Walks (Cardio) Wednesday, Friday (much slower than training pace)
Strength, body weight or machine training/lifting Monday, Wednesday, Friday

I know there are no rest days in this list, but when I take one rest day I take 3. Not every day will be hardcore, some will be "active rest" but I will move every day this week.

Meal Plan
Keep it at 1800 calories every day
Emphasis on Fruits and Vegetables - at least 8 servings a day
Good fats
good/lean protein
fewer grains (no more than 2 servings a day)

If you want to help keep me accountable you can follow me on Twitter or friend me on Lose It

I am Here, and I can go a little longer.



This week's Mamavation Sistahood Question, brought to you by Grunt Style - a fashion site by Veterans that helps to support those who serve and their families.


What body part are you proud of right now and why?

• I am extremely proud of my calves. They are rock solid muscle from all the hill running I have done this summer. I can't wait until more parts of my body have the same definition and strength that my calves do.

Perfect Fall Crockpot Oats

I really don't do a lot of food posts - food is so subjective to taste - but I love reading other people's food blogs and getting new ideas even if I don't follow the recipe exactly.

This morning I tweeted to the #mamavation #breakfastclub that I was eating Crockpot oats after my run for breakfast. A couple people asked me what my secret was.

Come a little closer, I'll whisper it to you....

Sweet potato. Seriously, mashed sweet potato. I know, I was amazed too. I mean, who would think a little potato would make such a huge difference?

My other secret is milk. Anytime I try to make the oats with water they turn out bland and tasteless.

So here is the recipe for Pumpkin ./ Sweet potato Crockpot oats

Ingredients

• 1C steel cut oats - not rolled, not quick, MUST be steel cut
• 4C Milk - I use 1%
• 1/2C pumpkin puree
• 1/2C mashed sweet potato - I baked about 10 sweet potatoes in the Crockpot, they slid right out of their skins and I have been adding them to all kinds of baked goods. Gave me about a quart of mashed sweet potato
• Cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, ginger, cloves, to taste - I add about 2tsp cinnamon and a few good dashes of everything else
• 1tsp vanilla - best quality you can get

Pour everything in the pot, stir, cover, if your pot has a timer that will turn to warm set it on for 4-5 hours and leave it on warm until ready to eat. If you don't have a slow cooker with a timer set it to low, and check it in the middle of the night, switch it to warm after about 4-5 hours.

I make these before bed and breakfast is warm and ready in the morning. Depending on how much you scoop out there are easily 6-8 servings, and it makes a very hearty  breakfast.

You can reheat this in the microwave, on the stove top with a little more milk, or in the over at 500* for 5-10 minutes. I use the oven method because it is easier to clean and I don't have a microwave :)

And next time I make this, I will take pictures of all the steps and stages.

Do you have a go-to recipe you have perfected? 

Are you a breakfast eater? What is your normal breakfast fare?

Why Can't You?

I can't. I don't want to. I don't have time. It's too hard. There are so many things we don't do because we have convinced ourselves we can't, that it is an impossible feat. Some things are impossible, others are improbable, but most things that we consider impossible are just difficult. They are out of the realm of our experience.

When I was in second grade, I assumed everyone had 3 sets of grandparents because I had 3 sets of grandparents. In 4th grade I thought everyone was Catholic, because I was Catholic. Until we are confronted with something completely outside of our experience and thought process, we have no reason to consider persepectives outside of our personal world.

I have never run a race. Not a 10K or a 5K or a half marathon, but I think that I can. I have no reason to believe I can other than my own thought that it is possible. Not only do I think it is possible, I think that I will enjoy it. I think I will enjoy it so much that I am adding to my "fitness bucket list" a new goal.

I will run 50 races in 50 states before my 45th birthday.

I know it won't be easy. I will have to train long and hard for them, and save up money to be able to travel around the country running races. That is why I am giving myself 11 years to do it. I figure that will average out to about 5 races a year - plus at least one Disney race a year. :) 'Cuz, come on, who doesn't want to run around Disney World and Disneyland. Not everyone? Seriously? Hmm, okay.

I will have to make significant changes to my life to do accomplish this goal. My eating will have to improve. My health will have to improve. My training will have to be consistent. I will probably lose weight, but if I don't change other things it is not garaunteed.

But I will do this. Starting with a 5K before Halloween and hopefully a 4.4 mile race on Thanksgiving. These races will be close to home, so New York state will be the first one checked off my list. Other states in the Northeast will be next. Possible NV if my mom stays out west. Florida and California will come early (those Disney races you know - and I want to do all of them including the Goofy Race and a Half challenge). But then I will need recommendations of what to try next.

So what are the best marathons/half marathons/10Ks/20Ks/50Ks/Mudders near you?
What races would you run?

What is on your bucket list - fitness or otherwise?

And, my Canadian readers, I am only a couple of hours from Ontario - any good races up north I should hit?

1st #Mamavation Monday Post - I deserve better

I was listening to Talk of the Nation on NPR on my way home from school yesterday (I love NPR, makes me feel smart when I listen :)) and they were talking about the violence in Mexico. It struck me when one caller said "I feel bad for Mexico, they deserve better than that". The host said "as we all do".

As we all do. We all deserve better. Isn't that an amazing epiphany like thought? We all deserve better. Maybe I am the only one struck by the enormity of that simply comment. Maybe it just resonates with me as I begin to realize that I deserve better. My family deserves better. My town, my state, my country, my world deserves better. Better schools, better environment, better health, better jobs, better living conditions, better governments and politicians. We have good ones, but everything can be improved. We can always strive for better.

I can't fix better for everything or everyone. But I can start with me. I can start with my family. My family deserves better. They deserve a mom/wife that is happy and healthy and fun and active. They deserve a wife/mom who loves herself and loves them as much as they could possibly be loved. They deserve a mom/wife who loves them enough to take care of herself.

When I take care of my self, my family gets the better they deserve. When I go for my runs every day my family gets the healthy happy mom they deserve. When I feel good about my self my husband gets the loving, affectionate wife he deserves. By taking care of myself I can give my family what they deserve; I can give them "better".


This isn't the same (at least in my mind) as putting myself first. I can't do that. I have too many responsibilities to put myself first. My family always comes first. But if they always come first, then ensuring that I am fit and healthy and happy takes care of their needs.

So I am going to put my family first and take care of them, and me, so they get the best; so they get what they deserve. Because they deserve better... and so do you.

What about you? Do you put yourself first? Do you consider taking care of your family and taking care of your needs the same?