So Fresh, So Clean

We are almost a month into 2013. How are those health resolutions coming along? It's too soon to quit, so save the excuses for June or July!

I survived my detox. Day one was probably one of the most miserable days in the history of my life (yes, I am THAT fat). Not eating for an entire day was far more difficult than I imagined it would be, but I did it! I drank at least two liters of water and two cups of vegetable stock. By day two, I was more than ready to chow down on some fruit! My meals consisted of pineapple, grapes, and grapefruit. It wasn't the General Tso Chicken I so desperately longed for, but it was better than pretending to enjoy the water my vegetables soaked in for thirty minutes... I hadn't prepared myself for the caffeine headaches that would go along with detoxing. I was a miserable grouch, and Blakely is the best man I know for putting up with me.

Day three was probably the most difficult. I planned my detox to where I wouldn't be a starving grouch around my kids, so the first two days were done on the weekend. By day three, I could have raw vegetables, fruits, and liquids. I woke up and began preparing my breakfast, but something wasn't right. I felt faint and my vision began to tunnel. When I saw myself in the mirror, my lips were the color of my skin. My knees were super shaky, and I felt like I couldn't stand another second. I sat in the floor and shouted until Blakely woke up. He brought my breakfast to me on the floor and it made all the difference in the world. I'm no expert, but I am guessing my sugar bottomed out due to my lack of food intake over the past 3 days.

As the week progressed, I reintroduced my body to carbs and proteins. I was bursting with energy, and most importantly, I FELT healthy. By day seven, I had dropped 6 pounds, I was sleeping harder than ever, and I was in the best mood of my life.

This detox has given me ample time (or so I thought...) to rest my foot. I rested my foot the entire week. I avoided working out too much because I wasn't taking in enough calories to burn, and I really didn't feel like dying. On day 6, Nanci and I purchased a gym membership and the YMCA. I've already put it to good use! I've been experimenting with new classes and really focusing on strength training. My new obsession is spin class! I went to the Sunrise Spin Class on Friday since school was delayed for two hours. The class begins at 5:30 *cringe*, and the bikes are in a room surrounded by windows. They turn off the lights, so the first part of the class is lit by Christmas lights. The sun slowly creeps up and fills the room while the class is going on. Somehow, I managed to take a moment to appreciate the beauty of the sunrise in between the uphill sprints. By the time the class was over, I was pouring sweat from every pore of my body. My calves and thighs burned like the flames of hell and I was convinced my ass was going to fall off my body entirely. It was the best workout I've had in months, and I had tons of energy throughout the day. It was totally worth waking up at 4:40 on a workday.

Last week was just what I needed to motivate me for my month of clean eating! I started Monday, and I can already tell that it's going to be fabulous! I've eaten 5 meals today, but I don't feel bloated or guilty in the least.

• Meal one: Peanut butter BAN-oatmeal. Mash a half of a banana in a bowl, add plain rolled oats and a tbsp. of natural peanut putter or almond butter. Add water and cook in the microwave for 5 minutes. I like to add a little bit of cinnamon for some more flava! It's my new obsession. I made if for Blakely and he added a spoonful of brown sugar because the banana wasn't sweet enough by itself. If you are eating clean, skip on the sugar!
• Meal two (post run): Oikos plain yogurt sweetened with honey and apple slices
• Meal three: Turkey bacon, lettuce, and tomato on whole grain bread
• Meal four: An avocado
• Meal 5: Turkey lasagna roll-ups made with lean ground turkey, spinach, ricotta cheese, and crushed tomatoes. I also ate a small spinach salad with it. 

Altogether, I've eaten right at 1,300 calories today. No shame in that!

Today was the first day of my 30 days of clean eating, but I've been experimenting with clean recipes all weekend.

Friday, I made clean turkey chili that was oh-so delicious and guilt free! I froze the leftovers in cupcake tins to take with me for lunches this week.

Annie came down this weekend and we made chicken and vegetable kabobs with bakedsweet potatoes and apples on the side. 

The recipe calls for chiles, but I didn't think it would be as good with those, so we left them out.

Even Blakely, advocate of all food processed, can't deny the deliciousness of these meals! I think I am going to win this argument!

Like, I said before, I thought a week would be more than enough time for my foot to heal. I've been itching to run now that I've got all of this energy. I ran three miles on Saturday. I didn't want to jump into it and injure myself on my first day back, so I purposefully kept it short and slow. I was hoping to dive back into it this morning with a 5 mile run. The first two and a half were perfect. I was actually feeling like I could do more than 5 because the weather was so beautiful and I was deep into "the zone". About 2.8 miles into my run, I came down off a slope and landed on my foot all kinds of wrong. I took three more strides before the pain became completely unbearable. My half marathon is a little more than a month away, and I have only run 8 miles in two weeks. I should be running 8 miles everyday. This is a SERIOUS problem. I know I need to rest it, and I know I can cause long-term damage if I'm not careful, but the thought of missing out on this challenge that I have spent years training for is more painful than any injury I could physically sustain. I pride myself in never quitting. It's kind of my thing... I don't know if it's considered quitting to throw in the towel due to injury, but it would feel a hell-of-a-lot like it to me. I'm going to tryout the elliptical tomorrow. It's less impact and I can still get my cardio in. I have a follow up appointment with my podiatrist on Thursday, and I am crossing every single finger and toe that he will have some ideas for how I can speed up my recovery time. Prayers/thoughts/good vibes/whatever ya got, I'll take 'em!

The weather has been SO perfect for outside activities this weekend. If you are able to, go outside and enjoy it while it lasts! Be active and be healthy! Use this to motivate you this week! 

When you think you haven't got a single bit of fight left in you, remember that your body is so much stronger than your mind. Have faith in yourself because you are the only thing standing in the way of your success.

Best of luck on your journey toward a happier and HEALTHIER life! 

Learning the Hard Way

What a week…

I mentioned in my last post that my tendinitis was flaring up again and how dumb I’ve been for not listening to my body telling me to take a break. I paid for it. BIG TIME. On Tuesday, I worked out with a couple of co-workers after school. We did Level 2 of Jillian Michael’s 30 Day Shred. If you are looking for a low impact but VERY effective workout DVD, I would highly recommend the 30 Day Shred. Jillian Michael’s isn’t the same heartless demon in her workout DVD as she is on the Biggest Loser. She is actually quite calm and encouraging. After our workout, I was going to be tough and go for a 4 mile run. I got a mile into the run before the pain in my foot was so unbearable I couldn’t put any pressure on it. Blakely had to come pick me up off the side of the road by our house. I am not one to be easily embarrassed, but that was downright humiliating. I’m no quitter, so throwing in the towel was not an easy choice. The arch of my foot was so swollen that it looked like it was filled with Jello, and the pain was unbearable. Blakely put his mean face on and told me he would fight me if I tried to run again. I agreed to go to the doctor and take a week in order for it to heal.

On Thursday, my principal let me leave for an hour to see a podiatrist. Dr. Silvers (in Anniston) came highly recommended by many of my co-workers. I had to spend the first 20 minutes filling out paperwork describing the physical activities I participate in and the intensity and specifics of my injury. The first words out of his mouth were “you might have to stop running”. I felt my blood boil because that just wasn’t an option. I told him that it was not going not going to happen until after my half in March. He x-rayed my foot and spent some time poking around before he determined it to be plantars fasciitis. Basically, the plantars band in my foot is inflamed and has small tears. I got a shot of Cortizone in my heel (worst pain of my life) and a prescription for the pain. The swelling has gone down immensely, and I can finally put pressure on it again. I’ve stuck to my word and haven’t run since Tuesday. I’ve gotten a lot done since I’ve been forced to come up and sit around until I pass out on the couch, so I guess the break has been good for me. The reality of the situation is that I’m not going to be able to run forever. I’ve got to start exploring other forms of exercise instead of running everyday. The doctor, who used to be a marathon runner, told me “if you are going to run long distance, you’re going to have to accept running in pain”. His honestly, however brutal it was to hear, was appreciated. I'm taking this as a huge lesson. I've got to start listening to my body when it's tell me it can't keep up. I could have sat out on Tuesday and rested my foot, but stubborn me had to prove myself once again. 

Now on to my next “ah-ha!” moment of the week… Regardless of the amount of weight I’ve lost or the distance I’m able to run, I have continued to see myself as being fat. My body image is all kinds of screwed up because I don’t feel like I’ve done enough. I’m constantly snacking and I always feel bloated. I stumbled upon this website http://www.eatcleandiet.com/.

Clean eating is NOT a diet. It’s a complete lifestyle change, and you know how often I preach about a lifestyle change. Basically, clean eating boils down to the food that the good lord intended us to eat and NO PROCESSED FOODS.

Here are the perks of eating clean:

1.    You eat 5-7 small meals a day. I love to eat!

2.    Eating unprocessed take away the feeling of being bloated.

3.     I can still eat sweets, pastas, and cheese! Eating clean doesn’t require me to cut out the things I love. I just have to find unprocessed choices with few ingredients.

I would be giving up fast food, cereal, and candy, but I feel like this is a change I can live with. I’m ready to take it to the next level. I’m tired of feeling lethargic and bloated 24/7, so I am going to give this “eating clean” thing for a month starting today.

To prepare my body for this change, I am detoxing. Check it out because detoxing is a great way to prepare your body for a big change. After 7 days, it’s on to clean eating! Wish me luck!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-185047/Week-seven-day-detox.html

Mind Over Matter

"Change is the essence of life; be willing to surrender who you are for what you could become." 

That quote is profound. I saw it for the first time today. My year has started off on a very swollen and injured right foot. I think I am going to actually see a doctor this time. I have every intention of completing that half marathon on March 2nd, come hell or high water... or injured foot.

I have to give myself credit, I have really stuck to my guns this past week by watching my eating habits and making sure I exercise regularly. I was running 20-25 miles per week this past summer, and I felt better than I've felt in my entire life. Ideally, I'd like to get back to that, but between grad school and my job, it's very difficult to make that kind of commitment.

In my fat days, I was relatively outdoorsy. We grew up camping, swimming, biking, all that jazz. The summer I worked for the YMCA consisted of mountain biking (mostly mountain bike walking) adventures, white water rafting, horseback riding, and lots of hiking. I LOVE being outdoors, so I am really trying to get back into it! My co-workers and I mountain biked a local trail on Saturday. What was supposed to be a 2.4 mile ride on an easy trail turned into an almost 7 mile ride consisting of rocks and hills. I am still not sure if we were on the easy path. According to the signs, we were, but Kelly and I both agreed that parts of the ride were far from easy. My thighs burned and my hands are still chapped from the death grip I had on my bars for the downhill portions of it, but I had an absolute blast! Maybe I was blinded by my fatness in my past mountain biking experience. Like I said, a lot of them consisted of pushing my bike rather that riding it. This ride was full of cardio bursts! There were several times I found myself gasping for air. I woke today feeling soreness in my calves, thighs, arms (surprisingly), and back. It was really a full-body workout. I felt so accomplished afterward because I only walked a few times, and they were for very short spells. I could see myself really getting into mountain biking!
Here was our course. It was on the Coldwater Bike Trail, which was part of the trail I ran for my race in December. I said I would never run it again, but the easy leg wasn't at all as hilly as the trail I ran.

My workout today was a beautiful 8 mile run and 10 minutes working on my abs. I always tell Blakely that at this point in my running career, endurance is just a trick of the mind. I am used to being out of breath, sweating, and feeling uncomfortable all over. My usual run is between 4-6 miles, but to prepare for my half, I have to start improving my distance. The farthest I've ever run is 9.9 miles. It was for my trail race and it was grueling and miserable. For regular, slapping the pavement running, I know I am capable of going farther. To improve my distance, I am having to put my time on the back burner. My goal is to simply FINISH the half marathon without dying or walking. Time is of no importance. I always like to keep my mile pace under 10 minutes, and on any given day, my average mile time is 9. 30. Instead of having my GPS give me the distance and pace for every mile, I changed my settings to only distance to focus only on running 8 miles. It made all the difference in the world! I felt more motivated because I wasn't trying to beat my last run time. I was able to listen to my body and go at a steady pace. My average mile was 9 minutes 45 seconds, and I can live with that. I am proud of my run, however, I broke one of my most important rules: I ran on an injured foot and completely ignored my body when it was screaming at me to stop. The swelling in the arch of my foot has gotten really bad this weekend, so it's back to compression socks and elevation. Everyone loves a woman in a compression sock... you know you do. 

I really feel like exercising is a mind game. Once you have gotten used to being out of breath and you can get over the smell of your own body odor, endurance really boils down to how far you are willing to let yourself go. I am more motivated than ever to complete this half marathon, which I registered for today. I originally said I was going to run in the Mercedes Half, but $100 is unreasonable. My first half marathon will be the Tuscaloosa Half on March 2nd. That givens me just short of two months to get to where I need to be. 

Here are some really awesome pins that I pinned this week. 

The first one is a list of workouts for runners to do in addition to running for targeting those muscles that running doesn't. 

Switch Hit Your Workouts

The next pin is an article written by nutritionists describing ideal eating habits. This article is FANTASTIC and helpful for those that struggle establish an eating schedule. 

What A Perfect Day of Eating Looks Like

Finally, I have been having non-pregnancy-preggo cravings for sweet potatoes lately. They're considered one of the healthiest things you can eat, so I found this list of recipes! I cannot wait to try them out!

Yuuummmmm

Best of luck to you this week! It's too early to give up on your resolutions, so work hard!

Great Expectations

I am convinced that my friends and I reached the fun limit last night. No more fun can be had than was had last night. I hope your New Year's Eve was spent making beautiful memories with your loved ones, and I also hope you as excited as I am to begin a new chapter of your life. 

Surely, you've set some resolutions for the new year, and if I had to guess, they are something like living a healthier life, losing weight, cutting back on your guilty pleasures, etc... This year is going to be different for me. Instead of setting health goals and making promises to myself that I probably won't keep, I am going to make an effort to be more appreciative of what I have done and what I have been given. 

I'm sure I've blogged about my body image obsession before. When I was fat, life was simple. I ate what I wanted whenever I wanted because it didn't matter... I was already terribly unhealthy. Now that I am less fat, I am constantly aware of what I can so easily fall back into if I am not careful. Let's face it, once a big girl, always a big girl. I love to eat. My love for all things tasty causes me to feel guilty anytime I eat, even if I am eating healthy. Every bite I take, every snack, every meal is plagued with fear. I'm fearful of resorting back to my old lifestyle. My greatest fear in this world is letting myself down because I KNOW what I am capable of, and I know I have the ability to control myself, but I just can't shake the feeling of immense guilt. 

The root of the problem was pointed out by my father a few months ago: the expectations I set for myself, for others, and for my life in general are unrealistically high, so I can never be fully satisfied. What a profound thought... my daddy is so smart. Don't get me wrong, setting goals and having high expectations for yourself and others are not bad qualities, at least they're not in my opinion. But my ridiculous expectations are blinding me of seeing how far I have truly come with my health and in other aspects of my life. I never feel satisfied with what I have accomplished because I have yet to reach whatever ridiculously high goal I have set for myself. Sadly, I really can't pinpoint what this unattainable goal is that is causing me to feel like this. I've done all I've set out to do and more. I live a comfortable life, I have an incredible supportive and loving boyfriend, I am living out my dream of teaching special ed., I've lost a ton of weight, I've traveled, and I am working toward my second degree. What else could I possibly ask for in this world? Knowing that I have such a beautiful and successful life, how could I possibly feel like there should be more to it?

With all of that being said, here it is, my resolution... I am going to appreciate what I have been given and all that I have accomplished. I am done with feeling like nothing I have is good enough because it absolutely is. I live a beautiful, successful, happy life, and I am going to soak it up for all it's worth. That doesn't mean I am not going to still work toward a healthier life. I think that appreciating what you've accomplished is part of that. 

Whatever your resolutions are for the new year, always be mindful of your role in accomplishing them! Write them down and post them somewhere to avoid overlooking them as the year progresses. Best of luck to you in your journey toward living a happier and healthier life! 

Ground Zero

I'm back, and I'm fat. I'm back to fat.

To update you on the happenings of my insanely insane life since August would take too much of your precious time. Just know that by the grace of God and with the help of a lot of fried food, I made it through my first semester of grad school with a 4.0 GPA.

Since my last post, I began my new job at CES. My new babies are the most incredible people I've ever know. Everyday I have the privilege of being their teacher and loving them for 8 solid hours. There are no words to describe how much I appreciate my job and the children I work with.  They are my most prized possession, my most cherished gift.

So, like I said, I'm back. As much as I'd love to tell you how good I've been about sticking to my healthy meals and strict exercise regiments, I cannot bring myself to lie. I have completely fallen off the bandwagon. It really started in November. I registered for a 9.6 mile trail run because I felt like I wasn't challenging myself enough. Instead of preparing for my run by fueling my body with healthy foods and lots of water, I panicked and began stress eating, which I am so awesome at doing.
The day of the race was cold, windy, and rainy. I had been running my usual 5-7 miles to prepare, but I couldn't find the motivation I needed to squeeze those last 2 miles out before my race. I was praying adrenaline would take over and give my that final boost to the finish line. WRONG.
The first 2.5 miles were rainy but across relatively flat terrain. I thought to myself that I could totally bust out this trail run, regardless of my lack of preparation leading up to it. Just before the third mile, I came across the hill of all hills. It was like a giant hill that consisted of rows of mini hills that zig-zagged to the top, and it was by far the most intimidating thing I've ever seen. I looked up and saw the experienced trail runners trucking along without hesitation. I told myself I would do what I could. I think I ran up the first three mini hills. My quads burned like the flames of hell and I started to feel the oatmeal I had eaten prior to the race creeping up my throat.
I was able to run the last hill that led to the most beautiful scenic overlook I've ever seen. I wanted to stop and admire the scenery and forget about all of the running nonsense, but I had to keep on keepin' on. My goal was to complete the race in under two hours. After the hell hills, it was was 3-4 miles of downhill running. I wish all running was downhill. Don't get me wrong, running downhill on a mountain with loose rocks and uneven terrain is terrifying, but it's such a rush because you can really let your body take over. I rolled my ankles at least 30 times.
The mile 7 was my mile. It was through the most beautiful wooded area, and the ground was relatively flat. I felt like Katniss Everdeen, for all you Hunger Gamers. It was probably the only leg of the race that I truly enjoyed because miles 8 until the end were a steady uphill climb that ended with my gagging across the finish line with a time of 1 hour and 57 minutes. Blakely and Nanci were cheering me on as a crept up the last hill. By the end, I was physically ill and pissed off at the world. I have never experienced such agony, and it infuriated my to know that I had paid money to put myself through such torture. My legs cramped, my stomach turned, and my arms and face were wind burned. For the next four hours I choked back vomit and soaked my aching body in the hottest bath ever taken. Even though it was the most grueling thing I've ever done, I can't say I walked away empty handed. I finished second in my age group, and I learned A LOT about myself and running in general.

Things I learned from my trail run:
1. Trail running and running are two totally different forms of physical activity. It requires much more strength to run trails than it does to run on a flat surface, and unfortunately, I learned it the hard way.
2. Adrenaline is not always reliable.
3. Running cannot be the only form of exercise you do. I have been really bad about relying on running for my only means of physical activity. Trail running works your arms, back, abs, and legs, so targeting those prior to my race would have probably helped a lot.

My next race is in February, and it's my biggest run yet... a HALF MARATHON! 13.1 miles through the dangerous streets of Birmingham. I feel completely unprepared and oh so terrified that I won't make it. I have to get myself back on track. The mere thought of the race sends chills down my spine and makes me want to scoop Nutella by the spoonful savagely into my mouth.
I'm trying so desperately to find self-control and willpower again. No more stress eating, no more excuses. The holidays are officially over and I am more than ready to rededicated myself to healthy living. If you are looking for a starting point, let's do it together. I feel like I am back at ground zero. It's going to be a long, ugly fight back to the top, but I know what I'm capable of. I have pushed myself far beyond anything I ever thought possible, so this I'm turning this set back into a come back.

Remember this: The motivation you are looking for comes from within. No outside forces going to make the changes for you. It's not going to be easy, and it's never going to feel comfortable, but nothing is impossible.

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time."
-Thomas Edison

Big girl panties

I feel my updates coming farther and farther apart. School is just around the corner, and I am up to my ears in supplies and paperwork. I'll do my best to update at least 3 times per week, but with graduate school and a full time job, I can't make any promises.

If every hour of my day isn't occupied, I'm not satisfied. I love staying busy; it keeps my mind focused on something other than food, which is surprisingly very rare. It's my goal to find a happy balance between my job, graduate school, my boyfriend, and my healthy habits. Those are a lot of things to juggle, so I suppose it's time to go shopping for an even bigger pair of big girl panties. Growing up is too difficult. Adult decisions and responsibility aren't as fun as I thought they'd be. Sometimes I daydream about not caring about anything. I think how nice it'd be to eat what I want and lay on the couch, watching trashy reality t.v. when I should be preparing for the week ahead. Then reality slaps me across the face in the form of screaming children, piles of paperwork, and miles of pavement. I just have to keep telling myself that this is the life I chose. I'm really not complaining. I wouldn't trade it for the world. The school year hasn't even begun and I can already feel myself slipping into a less healthy/more convenient routine. Last year wasn't so bad. I was able to get into a solid workout schedule where I'd hit the gym right after school and make it home with enough time to cook dinner, talk to Blakely for a bit, and then it'd already be time for bed. It was a nice schedule for me, but I was devoting too much time to all the wrong things. My job became my life and the gym was my best friend. I'm making it a point to make more time for the important things.

Since my soon-to-be schedule is so outrageous, I am going to have to rely on calorie counting to ensure that I'm not gorging on all the wrong things. Weekly meal planning will be strictly enforced in the Bridges/Duke household, and no eating will take place after 8. I've got to come up with some sort of schedule for everything I'm trying to balance. Time management is totally my thing, so I'm not worried... yet.

Confession time: I have been a total stick in the mud as far as running goes this past week. The heat and the humidity are always agonizing, but I really let it get to me this week. I felt like a quitter because every time we'd try to run, I would come up with some sorry excuse after 3 or 4 miles to stop. Maybe I'm a little burned out with running. We took two full days off from exercise in the attempt to make our bodies crave running, but I feel like it had the opposite effect on me. I could totally get used to a more slothful lifestyle. I read part of a book, got tons of stuff done for my classroom; it was fantastic. Although I enjoyed my break from exercise, it was time to get back into the swing of things this afternoon with an ass-kicking circuit routine. I think that in my next life, I want to be a personal trainer. Rachel and I met at the high school stadium for an hour of some seriously serious aerobic activity. I felt like Jillian Michaels. It was such a nice change of pace and I can really tell that I got something out of it! My clothes were sopping wet and my legs were shaking afterwards. Can't wait to do it again!

Regardless of the 191 miles I've run since school let out, I've not seen a lot of results on the scale this summer. I have been eating more because I have been burning so many calories during my runs and whatnot, but I really think that I've been mostly gaining muscle. My legs are rock hard. I'm so close to Tina Turner legs that I can taste it. Even though I've improved my distance and toned up a good bit this summer, I am 14 pounds shy of my overall goal weight. Too much time and sweat has been devoted to achieving this amazing task, so I can't stop now. Ideally, I'd like to have it off by the end of the year. Now that Blakely is willing to make more changes, I am really going to step it up in the kitchen. Meals are not the issue in my house. The problem is in the amount of snacks we eat. I tried to make apple chips tonight, but they turned out to be a serious Pinterest fail. They tasted like pure brown sugar and had the texture of bark.

Bleh.

Even though my apple chips were a serious disaster, I managed to stir up a few delicious and healthy meals this week. I am proud to announce that I have finally tried eggplant! I don't know why but I have always had an irrational fear of it's texture. I stopped by a local produce stand the other day because the peaches and watermelon were irresistible. He coaxed me into trying it, and it was outstanding!

Skinny eggplant parmesan

I also tried this amazing crockpot recipe that consisted of several of my favorite ingredients. I don't know anything about calories, carbs, or fat in this recipe, but I didn't care. Watch your portions and you'll be fine.

Cilantro Lime Chicken

Here is a really great article that give advice for what to do and what to avoid when taking a break from working out. I tried to stick to it during my two day hiatus. Maybe it will help you too!

6 ways to stay lean

Lastly, I will leave you with some words of wisdom. As always, shoot me a message if you have any questions or are looking for any advice! Good luck this week in your attempt to live the life you deserve! 

"The only person you should try to be better than is the person you were yesterday."

Drinking your calories

I've spent the last two days glued to a chair learning how to teach nonverbal children how to communicate through picture choices. I'll spare you all of the details since I'm sure there are very few of you that are actually interested, but it was a real eye-opener for me. It gave me tons of motivation and ideas for how I am going to manage my classroom next year. It also gave me hope for my friends (students- I call them friends) that I have that lack communication, which is essentially, the most important thing we can ever learn. Sixteen hours well spent if you ask me!

Sixteen hours in a classroom also meant sixteen hours of sitting, which is borderline torture for me. My legs became quite restless and I just couldn't get comfortable. Sitting for so long actually made me want to run. Usually, after a day full of work-related things, I am anxious to plop down on my couch and read a book or watch Law & Order until I fall asleep. Rachel and I ran Monday and Tuesday. Monday was an incredible run for me. I accidentally ran 6 miles again. It wasn't my intention to that long, but I though Rachel had been kidnapped, so I took an extra mile to try chase her down. Luckily, she was just following behind me, so there was really no emergency at all. She runs with a Sweeney Todd razor blade tucked into her arm band. I imagine a very dramatic fight that would involve me breaking into a show tune should anyone approach us in the wrong way. Tuesday was also a fantastic run! We have a new running buddy! I am so excited that the two teacher I will be working with at my new school are just as active as I am! It will really help with the whole accountability thing that I speak of so often. Kelley told us yesterday that she was a runner and could do 5 miles, and what do ya know?! So do we! We hit up the fort for a 5 miler, which soon turned into a very humid 3 miler, followed by a very wet 2 miles. I learned that rainy runs make for much quicker miles. I was at a pretty consistent 9 minute 25 second mile until the last two. I finished those in 8 minutes 40 seconds. You know what that tells me? I'm not running at my full potential. I could give a thousand excuses that would consist of me complaining about the heat and how I spend all day at work before I run, but I won't. I know that I am capable of a faster mile. Like my fear of distance, I also still fear being out of breath. It's comfortable for me to run at the pace that I do, so I cling to it. No more! My goal for the Color Run is to finish in 27 minutes. That would be at least a 9 minute mile throughout the race. 

I've been doing some research on what to eat before and after workouts. Obviously, I know not to eat a Wendy's number 5. I did it once when I was first trying to get in shape and I spewed all over the place during a step aerobics class. That was a good lesson for me to learn but also a dumb thing for me to do in the first place. I've also learned the hard way that Oreos are not a good pre-run snack. I got aboout 30 seconds in to my 5 miles and suffered agonizing stomach cramps the entire time. I've found a lot of information about the importance of WHEN you eat before you workout. This is something I never thought about. My research has shown me that eating at a certain amount of time prior to your workout will affect your energy level during your workout. Here is an awesome website that lays it out in an easy to read format. 

What to eat before you run

I have to brag on amazing boyfriend. Blakely and I have finally, after almost 5 years together, found a common goal that we are both incredibly serious about. We want to hike the Appalachian Trail. All 2,000+ gorgeous miles of it. We would have to do it on our summer breaks, but it is the first time I have seen him really passionate about something that involves any kind of physical activity. He is already research and planning for it. He realizes that he cannot just go on this incredibly rigorous adventure without preparing himself physically, so he is all of the sudden motivated to make changes in his life to prepare for it. His exact words were, "I'll do all of the planning if you will help me get in shape for it." Talk about music to my ears! 

I've said it in previous entries, Blakely despises working out. I think it's understandable. There are days when I'd exchange my finger nails for to opportunity to skip the gym. The first part of living a healthier lifestyle is CHANGING your lifestyle. It's hands down that hardest thing to do. Making the transition from a completely worry-free, eat what I want, when I want lifestyle to a calorie counting, water chugging life is a big change. You really have to analyze what you're eating and drinking as well as your activity level before you can even commit. Blakely eats relatively healthy because I am the one that cooks in our house. Blakely's problem, and I see it often in my friends and family, is that he drinks his calories. I'll bet that it never occurred to some of you that the majority of your calories are coming from what you are drinking everyday. I know that I never realized it until I read an entire article about Starbucks Frappuccinos. My favorite thing in the world when I was 18 was the brownie frappuccino from Starbucks. I probably drank 4 or 5 of them every week. Not only was that a lot of money wasted, but I was also drinking an additional 400 calories in one drink. That disgusted me. That's the amount of calories I eat for dinner! 

I started looking at all of my drinks and realizing that they loaded with calories and high amounts of sugar. That was when I really began to appreciate the simplicity and nutritional value of water. Any who, back to Blakely.

Blakely loves soda more than anything, maybe even more than me. Who can blame him? The fizzy goodness of an ice cold fountain drink is too tempting for words. He drinks mostly soda when he is at work because it is convenient for him. When he is home, we have juice, milk, and sometimes tea or green tea. We always have water, but he hates it. I could never get him to understand the benefits of drinking water on a regular basis. It's hard to believe someone that a drink can change the way you feel and, maybe it's just me, improve your mood. When I am hydrated, I feel happier because I know that I am making healthy choices. Maybe I'm just weird. He made the suggestion that we buy a case of water bottles the other night, so we went right out and picked them up. He is also taking my advice about drinking water at work. He says that the past few times he's worked, he has drank nothing but water until he gets ready to leave and allows himself a soda. This is huge. I don't think you understand what this means. Soda is Blakely's dirty mistress, and I've been trying to shake her for years! It's small changes like this that I know are going to lead to bigger and better changes. I am unbelievably proud that he is taking the first step toward joining me on the healthy side! 

I don't remember the exact article that I read years ago, but here is another good one that is really helpful for making proper drink choices. 

Eat your calories, don't drink them

I found this on Pinterest a few months ago, and it shows several popular snack items and the amount of sugar in them. It also shows popular drink choices. Consider the amount of sugar in your drinks. It will really open your eyes to the importance of cutting back. 

For those of you that want to enjoy an adult beverage, Weight Watchers offers an amazing cheat sheet for choosing low calorie alcoholic drinks. I guess I should tell you to drink responsibly, for more than one reason! 

Cocktail Cheat Sheet

Don't hesitate to shoot me a facebook message if there is anything you'd like for me to talk about on here! If I don't know the answer to any of your questions, I will do whatever I can to find it!

Good luck this week in your pursuit of living a happier and healthier life! 

Here's some motivation for you!