Turkey Burnoff

Every year my local running club puts on a Turkey Burnoff race the Saturday after Thanksgiving. You have the option of running either 5 or 10 miles. Last year I did 10 and I really enjoyed it. This year, being 19 weeks pregnant, I knew I would not be able to do 10 but decided to go for the 5!

I've been running 30-35 minutes (2.5-3 miles) a couple of times a week and it's going well. I was thinking a 5K would be my limit but knew I'd be able to do 5 because I could walk if necessary. I did end up walking up the hills but ran the rest of the time, just more slowly.

About half way through, an obviously pregnant woman passed me and ended up finishing before me. I mention that she was obviously pregnant because I don't think that I am there yet. If you know me, then it's obvious! But if you don't know me you might just think it's how my body is shaped. Or maybe I had too much stuffing on Thanksgiving. ;)

After the run I asked her how far along she is and she was 29 weeks! She looked great and it's definitely motivating. I've decided to run the New Years Day 5K the running club puts on every year. I'll be 24 weeks pregnant by then!

My dad has been volunteering with the club, taking pictures at some of the races. He happened to be at the finish line of the Turkey Burnoff and it was great to see him!

Here are some of the shots he got of me:

And one from another photographer who was on the course:

My belly looks huge in these photos! I don't think it's really as big as it looks. And these are one of the only pairs of pants that are fitting me right now but I refuse to buy new ones that I'll only wear for a couple of months. I'll make it work! Thankfully I have some bigger shirts that fit well.

This is a new experience but I'm loving it. Being a woman who is growing a life, I already feel strong and amazing. Add running to the mix and it goes to a whole new level. I'm amazed at what my body is capable of doing!

I'm doing my best to make more time for exercise and to eat (mostly) healthy. I know it'll make a big difference come delivery time and for that alone I'm highly motivated to continue!

My Motivation

I ran 4 miles this morning and came home to do a PiYo workout to stretch my lower body. Jack jumped right in and joined me.

He really wants to work out and be strong. He loves lifting his 1-pound weights (which I need to upgrade!) and doing lunges and squats. It's so cute! I haven't been working out at home as much as I used to, but his eagerness for wanting to work out inspires me. I know he's watching what I'm doing and following my example.

I'm glad I have the opportunity to show him how important it is to exercise and take care of your body. I need to continue to be a good example. He is my biggest motivation to succeed! Also, he really wants me to win a race. He doesn't understand that I win just by finishing. He wants me to come in first. Motivation to do that speed work! ;)

What is something your kids do because they see you doing it?

Running Grateful

My motivation has returned and I'm enjoying running again. I've been feeling very grateful for all that I have and the direction our lives are going. My husband started a new job this week, my son starts kindergarten at the end of the month, we're all healthy, we have everything we need, and I was able to cut back my hours at my second job (more time with the fam!). Life is good!

I'm feeling very blessed and I know God is with us every day.

Happy running, friends!

Who's ready for Piyo??

Let me be real honest. I do NOT like yoga. It's just not for me. So when I heard about the new program coming from Chalene Johnson, I wasn't all that thrilled. It's called PiYo and it's a combo of yoga and pilates. I like intensity and I like to sweat. I don't want to hold long, awkward poses.

But I bought the program and have committed to doing it. So what are my thoughts 4 days in? I seriously, and surprisingly, LOVE it!! It's low impact, which is great for my runner's knees. You don't hold long poses. Instead, you're constantly moving. And you're definitely sweating! The day after doing Define: Lower Body, my thighs were burning! And the day after doing Define: Upper Body, my triceps, shoulders, back, and chest were all burning.

I'm building strength without using any weights. I'm sweating and burning fat without jumping all over the place. Which is great! Especially since I have Insanity for that. ;) I'm also working on 2 areas I desperately need help with- flexibility and balance. I'm so glad I decided to give this program a try. It's not what I expected at all and it's definitely something I need.

The best part? Anyone can do it. There's a modifier as well as a guy doing an advanced version. I'm in between!

The current challenge group my coach and I started is in full swing and filled up quickly! So I'm starting another one on July 28th. If you want in just contact me and let me know! You can also go HERE to buy your challenge pack. This month it's on a super duper special and you get PiYo for just an additional $10 when you buy Shakeology! Such an awesome deal and only good until the end of July!

I'd love to have you in our next group. You'll get lots of support and motivation as well as accountability, which is so important and helpful. You'll also get a nutrition guide, help with calculating and tracking calories, recipes, meal planning and prepping, shopping lists, and honestly anything else you may need that we can help you with. We're here for you, every step of the way! Even when the program is over and the challenge group closes, I'll be here to support and help you. It's a lifelong journey and we have better success when we're not going through it alone!

Busy Moms Getting Fit!

I have a 4 1/2 year old son, I'm married, I cook healthy meals, I work 3 jobs, and I still make the time to workout every single day. There are a lot of reasons why we put everyone else ahead of ourselves. We can make excuses as to why we can't find the time to exercise and eat healthy foods. We can say we're too out of shape to get started. we're embarrassed and don't feel comfortable in the gym. We don't know where to even begin when it comes to eating clean.

I was naive about food and I used to eat a lot of junk. I was a runner and figured I could eat whatever I wanted because I would burn it off. I never even gave it much thought. I'm also an emotional eater and struggle with binge eating. I may not have been overweight, but I was very unhealthy.

When I could no longer wear my skinny jeans and my big jeans were getting tight, I knew I had to make a change. I started counting calories and adding in additional exercise to go with running. I still struggled.

It wasn't until this year when I discovered Beachbody and all they have to offer. I started drinking Shakeology every morning for breakfast (and still do), I joined online challenge groups for daily support and motivation, and starting doing the fitness programs. With T25, all I needed was 25 minutes a day and I could do it at home whenever it fit best into my schedule. I did it for 11 weeks straight and only missed 2 workouts.

I stopped the excuses. I made the time. I committed to getting healthier for myself and my family. And I feel amazing! I'm in the best shape of my life, I'm strong, confident, and have the energy to run around with my son.

With Shakeology, my cravings have almost vanished. It's seriously amazing! I've always had a huge sweet tooth but now I don't even crave that stuff. And when I do eat it I don't enjoy it like I used to. I can do without it and that is such a great feeling. A big emotional weight has been lifted.

And now I want to help you get healthy, feel strong, be confident, and have the energy to be the person your family needs you to be. Being a busy mom is no excuse for not making time for yourself. I'm now running my own challenge groups and I've currently got a client who has 5 kids and she's making the time! If she can do it, so can you.

Contact me today to join our next challenge group. It's exclusively for moms who want to get healthy and strong! I want to give everyone individual attention, help with meal planning, workouts, time management, even daily phone calls and text messages if that is something that will help you. So spots are limited to the first 10 people who sign up. I want to help everyone and I'll definitely do a similar group in the future. I believe it's so important that we make time for ourselves so we can be around to enjoy our grandkids! And a happy mom = a happy family!

Get healthy while setting a great example for your kids. Don't wait another day. You are worth it! If not for you, do it for your family.

Quality not Quantity

I'm still running every Tuesday night, doing speed work with a great group of women. This past Tuesday we did 5 1/2 miles total and it felt great! It's crazy that at this time last year I wasn't running at all and when I started again in March, my long run was 3 miles. Now I'm running over 5 miles on a random week night!

When it warms up I plan to take Jack with me to run with them on Thursdays for an easy run. Back in October I was running no less than 3 times a week and most weeks got in 4, sometimes 5 runs. Now I'm only running twice a week but they're quality runs that I know are making me stronger. And I crave them. I can't wait for the next run. My legs are itching to get out there. In fact, it's not terribly cold today (in the high 40's) and I considered taking Jack tonight. But we have special dinner plans for Valentine's Day and I'm not going to disappoint him (or take him out in what is sure to be colder than anticipated weather!).

I seriously can't wait until I can add a Thursday night run and make it 3 runs a week, but I think running less often is making me a better runner. I look forward to it more. Before, my runs were about quantity not quality. I don't plan on taking Jack for little 1, 2, or 3 mile runs during the week just because "I have to get in a run". I'd rather take him to the park and chase him, push him on the swing, and go down the slides. All of which won't be tracked, logged, or trying to figure out how many calories were burned.

Don't get me wrong...I love burning calories. But getting in 3 good runs a week and doing a workout at home in the mornings, is plenty of calorie burning for this busy mama! On Tuesdays run alone I burned over 600 calories! And last Saturday I ran an extremely hard 10 miles for a burn of over 1100 calories!! Plus every morning this week I've gotten up to do a Jillian Michaels workout (mostly Ripped in 30), burning over 200 calories with each workout.

Now if all you have time for (or if you're just getting started) is a 1 mile run, then please do it! As long as your moving, you're doing great! When I first started running I always ran 1 mile and nothing more. Then I started running the 1.25 mile loop around the lake that I still run at today. I can remember the day I ran over 2 miles on a treadmill and I thought it was so cool. And it was. I'm just at a different level now. And you will be too.

Running still isn't easy for me. I always need to warm-up some before I find my stride. And at times I make noises that aren't pretty! On Saturdays run I was one of six female runners. For the majority of those 10 miles I was looking at their backs. It was hilly and hard. 3 of them looked like they were trotting along like it was no big deal. And they were doing 13 miles! But you know what? As hard as it was and as much as it sucked (and it did!), I enjoyed those 10 miles. I don't run because it's easy; I run because I can. And I love (almost) every minute of it.

You don't have to be fast and you don't have to go far. Just go out and run. You won't be sorry!

A Little Motivation

10 days ago I did my longest run since the half marathon- 8 miles. But I haven't run since last Tuesday. I'm changing that tonight! I also started Jillian Michaels' 30-day Shred and will update on how that's going as I get further into it. I can't get off track now!