Eat, Pray, Run

Run Like the Wind

I have always hated running.  In high school, I yelled at my gym teacher during the dreaded (and mandatory) one-mile run – the one and only time I got in trouble in school.  I love the idea of being a runner.  I love the freedom running gives you and the sense of accomplishment at the end of a workout.  Still, I could never get over the feeling of not being able to breathe.  I was never comfortable with that initial lack of oxygen that kicked in after I ran a block or two.  Nevertheless, I have been determined to become a runner and hell I’m still stubborn enough to hold myself to that goal.

I recently began running on the treadmill at school (not the same as being outside – but it’s a freakin arctic tundra out there!).  I decided to hold off setting any mileage goals because I was completely unaware of my own capability.  Instead, I told myself I was going to go for at least 20 minutes regardless of the distance or the pace.

I made it about 2 miles in 20 minutes, which isn’t very fast and not a record breaking distance.  What-ev! I still was proud that I got myself to do it anways!  I’ve been averaging about the same time this whole week.  I’m hoping to push myself farther and faster next week.  I don’t feel physically dead by the end of the 2 miles, but mentally I can’t seem to convince myself that I’m able to go father.

Once I go as long as I can with the running, I switch to the recumbant bike and ride that for about 20 minutes at a medium level.

I feel much more comfortable being out of breath than I did in the past.  I attribute this to my P90x exercises and plan on to still keep those videos in my workout rotation.  My legs are much stronger from doing the program before and it seems to have kept them from aching while I run.

My goal?  To run a 5-K by this summer.  I know physically I’m totally capable.  I could probably do it now, although I wouldn’t be nearly fast enough.  So I have plenty of time to train and get myself prepared mentally and physicaly.

Why am I so determined to run?

1. To prove to myself that I can.

Born to Run

2. I saw this book called, Born to Run which is about a man’s quest to find the world’s “superathletes” which leads him to a tribe which runs for miles upon miles in the mountains…barefoot.

3. Runner’s World Magazine – just reading it makes me want to push myself harder.  Hearing other people’s stories lights a fire under my butt.

4. My husband – he has always told me I have the build for running and is always supportive.

5. Food – I like to eat and running is a great way to burn off those extra calories that comes along with a passion for food.

For anyone who is also interested in running, there are some great sites that can help you get started – as well as some amazing tools to keep you on track!

Map My Run – this website is great if you want to plan a run through your community.  Other runners map out their favorite runs that you can use or you can map out your own favorite spots!  Tells you how far you’ll end up going, etc.

Cool Running – fantastic site with lots of helpful tips and plans to get you from your couch to running a 5-K in no time. Tons of helpful info including gear, safety, nutrition, injury prevention and training plans. Even great for experienced runners and marathoners.

Run the Planet – another great website for finding routes, proper shoes, upcoming races and much, much more.

Related Articles

• Running Amok (thegsb.wordpress.com)
• How to Start Running (webmd.com)
• Runner’s World Challenge and the Chicago Half Marathon…my conversation with Bart Yasso (chicagonow.com)

Help! I’m a diet slacker!

Argh, I am so bad with blogging.  I feel like I never have time to just sit and pump out a good post!  I haven’t had a whole lot to write about as I haven’t been as strict with my workouts as I was a few weeks ago.  Nick is working and involved in a ton of campus activities and I’m still trying to get into a schedule.  We have been eating out a lot because we’re at school from 2-8:30 on some nights and by the time we get home it’s 9 and I’m definitely not in the mood to cook.  I know I need to start cooking meals or prepping them in the morning so they’re done or ready to go by the time we get home.  I know this is what I need to do and yet I haven’t practiced what I preach and just do it already!

Tomorrow night this will all change.  I’m going grocery shopping and stocking the house with healthy lunch materials that can be taken on the go as well as quick dinner fix-ins.  I am researching our campus gym so I can’t let school get in the way of my working out.  It’s about $50 or so per semester which isn’t bad.  They just tack the cost onto your tuition, so you don’t have to pay up front if you don’t want to.

All in all, I’ll be getting back on track here in no time.

As if one blog wasn’t enough for me to keep up with, I’ve decided to add another blog.  It’s called, My Life as a Disaster.  This will be a humorous personal project where I’ll write about the daily happenings of life in general.  I’ve added the link to the top of this blog, so please check it out and hopefully it will blossom into something fun for you all to read as well!

When Hard Work Pays Off

A long awaited update to my blog, but at least this time I’m posting an actual picture of the results I’ve been seeing.

I love that I can see my abs now!

Now, my weight has remained about the same. I wasn’t really concerned with dropping pounds. I mainly wanted to get strong and toned. I can honestly say I’m happy with the results so far!

I haven’t been doing P90x alone though. I sort of got burnt out on it when classes started back up. I began doing my 30 Day Shred video and the EA Active 2 to supplement on days I just couldn’t get up early enough for P90x.

I have found EA Active 2 to be really pretty good. I don’t use the bands, I use weights usually between 5-10lbs. depending on the exercise. Also, I make sure I really go at it hard and get my heart rate up there the entire workout.

I haven’t been dieting, but I do watch what I eat and make sure not to over indulge. I don’t beat myself up if I have a scoop of ice cream, I just don’t do it everyday!

I do use protein powder drinks with breakfast (usually a bowl of oatmeal). That breakfast keeps me full well into lunch time! Be careful to read labels on your protein powder because some are better than others.

So there you have it!  I’m excited I finally got this update on here…I’ve been quite the blog slacker lately.

Exercising the Mind Does a Body Good

So last night I hosted our book club meeting.  I feel so lame admitting that I belong to a book club, but it’s a nice way to get together and chat with the girls. I’m surprised they haven’t kicked me out because I’m terrible at finishing the books we pick.  It’s not that they aren’t good, I’m just about the worst procrastinator known to man.  This month we’re reading Pride and Prejudice, which is my ultimate favorite so I’m not too concerned with this one.  Plus, my brother bought me a Kindle for Christmas so I’ll be able to read it on my new technology!

For dinner, I made the Everyday Mac and Cheese recipe that I posted the other day.  I was seriously impressed with how it turned out!  Delicious!  I don’t think I allowed the sauce to thicken enough as it was a little on the soupy side, but still really good!  My husband loved it.  I used the whole wheat noodles and skim milk instead of 2 percent.  The perfect comfort food for a cold, winter day.

Now I just need to figure out what I’m making tonight!  Any suggestions?

 

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I recently set up a facebook account and twitter for the Fit Chick Diaries!  I’ll post regular health tips and updates via those social networking sources as well.  Check them out!

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My Favorite P90x Moves

It took me forever to finally break down and buy the P90x system.  The price was the absolute biggest factor.  I couldn’t get myself to pay $120 dollars for a workout dvd.  Then I realized that most people pay at least that much going to a gym, so I found it to be more of an investment that anything.  Plus, even if I wasn’t the perfect P90x-er, I was still going to get a great workout.  In the end, I went on Amazon.com and found the system for $80 used.  I couldn’t say no to that price!

So I’m going to share with you my favorite moves from the workout dvd’s.  Now you can try these at home or at your gym and see if they work for you.  At the very least, you’ll see what I’ve been doing these past few weeks! I’ll try to explain them as best as possible. I’d much rather demonstrate them, but I supplied pictures to help you see what I am saying in my description of each move.

Here are my Top 5 Exercises

5) Balance Lunges

Balance Lunge

This move belongs to the Legs and Back series of exercises.  I love this move and was doing them even before P90x.

Place top of foot (or tiptoes) on chair. Lunge outward with other leg. Be sure to keep knee over ankle.  Dip down without allowing your knee to move past ankle. If necessary, modify by placing top of foot on chair. To intensify: Add light weights and increase range of motion.

4) Dive Bombers

Dive Bomber

The dive bomber is awesome.  I can usually only do 8-10 because my arms literally collapse.  This is part of the Chest and Back workout.

Begin in a “downward facing dog”-like position but with wider feet and arms.

Lower your head to the ground as you arch your bad – pretend there is a fence and you are going to go underneath it.  Stay on your toes as you do this move.

Finish by pushing yourself upwards.  Your back will be arched.  Your chest should be up with straight arms – this is like an “upward dog” pose in yoga.  You should still be kind of on your toes, your knees shouldn’t be touching the ground.

To go into the next move, either push back into a downward dog or do the move in reverse by lowering back into the second part of the exercise and again back into the downward facing position.  Either will work, but doing the move in reverse will be harder.

3) Right Angle Pose and Extended Right Angle Pose

 

Extended Right Angle Pose

This one is kind of tricky to explain, but I’ll do my best.  This is my favorite move from the Yoga series.  Begin in a deep lunge, don’t allow your knee to extend over your ankle in the process.  Next, raise your arm over your head.  Your other hand can balance on the ground nearest your front foot for now.

Next, bring your raised arm back behind you.  Use the other arm to reach under your front thigh and grab your wrist.  Hold this pose for 30 seconds or so.  Then do the other side with the opposite leg in front and the opposite arm reaching behind and underneath you.

2) Jump Knee Tuck

 

Jump Knee Tuck

This is fairly straight forward.  The jump knee tuck exercise is part of the Plyometrics workout.  Basically, you’ll want comfortable shoes for this one and a cushy mat under you.  You’re going to spring off the ground and tuck your knees into your chest then land on your toes.  Try to make sure you don’t come booming down to the ground – you should land relatively quietly if you’re landing on the balls of your feet.  Do this multiple times for at least 30 seconds.  The last 10 seconds, pick up the pace and do as many as you can very fast.

1) The Push-Up

 

Push Up

Surprise!  Anyone who has read through my blog knows I am a stickler for push-ups.  They really are the best exercise that hits all the best places on your body.  You’ll work your chest, butt, arms and abs.  No more saggy anything with this move.  Heck, if it’s good enough for those tough army soldiers, it’s good enough for me!

Now, start in the plank position.  Lower yourself, keeping your back straight (not saggy and don’t allow your butt to stick out in the air).  Keep lowering your body until your arms form a 90 degree angle.

Next push back up onto your hands, keeping proper form and then repeat the exercise.

Your wrists may hurt, so try getting the push up bars as these will keep your wrists from straining and will also extend your range of motion.

So there is just a taste of my daily burn.  I’ll post more exercises as I go.  I hope this helped anyone who was curious as to what the P90x program entails.  Obviously there is a LOT more exercises, these are just my favorites that I look forward to sweating through.

P90x Update Part 2

So it’s been a while since I posted an update, but after the holidays I decided to sort of start the program over. I had missed too many days and I didn’t feel like I was doing myself any favors by pretending my slacking wouldn’t matter.

This time I’m not using the same recipes that is recommended in the P90x nutrition manual; however, I am cooking healthy meals for myself. I am mainly using my Taste of Home cookbook, which has a whole section dedicated to 30 minute healthy meals. I haven’t had a flop yet and even my husband agrees that they taste delicious. The P90x meal plan was fine, but it required a lot of random ingredients that may only be used for one recipe. Overall though, their nutrition plan is probably good, but I find my healthy cookbooks and allrecipes.com to be my personal favorites.

I’ve been strict on getting my workout in every morning. I’ve noticed that the more I do it, the easier it is to wake up and do it again. My body is sore the next day, but I’m sure that’s because of the long holiday hiatus I embarked upon and will get better as I go.

The good news is I have lost 3-4 pounds and it is staying off. I weigh myself consistently first thing in the morning and before breakfast. This makes it more accurate of a measurement of my progress.

I will post a before and after picture for all in the next couple days!

Bouncing Back from the Holidays

Ahh… I haven’t posted anything new in so long!  I apologize for my hiatus.  Between finals week and trying to prepare for Christmas, I sort of let things fall through the cracks!  This includes my exercising, which unfortunately hasn’t been my top priority.  I managed to watch what I ate throughout the holidays, but I didn’t practice what I preach and of course found reasons why I could put off my workouts.

SO! That being said, I’m making a come back of sorts and making up for lost time.  I am starting a new job which will also open up my schedule and keep me from feeling like I have no time for myself.  This will be wonderful in the sense that I’ll be able to do my 1-1 1/2 hour workouts without feeling rushed or guilty for not doing other things that need to be done.  Problem solved!

 

Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

So now that one of my favorite holidays has come and gone, I have no excuse not to be up doing my P90x! My parents were staying with us this weekend and I had so much to do that, to be honest, I just didn’t feel like getting up early yesterday to do my video on top of all the cooking and entertaining.

I helped my mom get a workout in though. She has MS and her muscles are pretty weak. She can’t walk very well anymore and it makes it hard for her to do things. I popped on a simple yoga video and in between cooking, I’d help her get into the next pose. I know its hard for her to so it on her own, but I also know that she needs to be doing something to keep strong!

So despite my lack of physical activity over Thanksgiving, at least my mom got some in her day! And tomorrow I’ll be back to my routine of early mornings and workout videos!

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful!

Getting Fit In Your Living Room

As soon as the cold begins to set in, we immediately dread going out for our morning jog. Some days it’s just so not worth freezing your bazoobies off!

Instead, this year invest in workouts you can do in the comfort of your own warm and cozy home. Workout dvds are a cheap and fantastic way to workout without having to step out into that winter chill.

If you aren’t ready to commit to an expensive dvd program like P90x, but still want an intense workout, try these!

30 Day Shred – Jillian Michaels
I love this video! 3 different levels of intensity and each workout is only 30 minutes. Great if you are short on time, but want an all over workout. You’ll need light handweights and a mat if you want. If you don’t have weights, use two cans of soup. It’s honestly better than nothing!

Jari Love Slim and Lean

Jari Love workouts
I love her dvds! She does a lot of weights with high reps and she doesn’t have an expensive studio or videographer, but her videos provide a great strength workout. The exercises are broken down into sections, so you don’t have to do the full hour long video if you don’t have time. Also, she demonstrates proper form for each exercise as well as modifications. No cardio specific workouts here, but you’ll break a sweat…trust me!

These are just some suggestions. If you want to try before you buy, go to your local library!! If they don’t have what you want, they can get if for you from some other library. And they are free to check out (usually for up to a week)!