Do you?

Eat before your work outs, snack during or wait until your done? Reason I’m asking is today I didn’t eat before my workout and I am still feeling sick from it. I’ve done this before and will never do it again because feeling like this an hour after my workout is preventable. I did eat a banana as soon as I got to the car but it was already to late. I got very light headed, cold and clammy and that was after sweating the fat off, and I had a touch of the diarrhea. Now a headache and still a touchy tummy.

My next question, what do you eat before your work outs? I know that you’re suppose to eat 30 minutes before you start otherwise it will come up and bug you the full work out. What I hate is adding calories that I just want to burn off but that’s not good thinking if I want to push myself as hard as I do at the gym. Heck I’m paying a fortune to go there I’m going to make it worth my while when I’m there.

Today’s run, not my best time but the best time I’ve had since I hurt myself because yet again I didn’t listen to my body. UGH!!! You’d think I’d get smarter as I go along here. I’m very happy with today’s run though and then I did some weight training but after about 30 minutes of that all I could do was try and hold myself up so I had to go home. I didn’t burn the 800 calories I was shooting for but a strong 550 calories. I am going to work out a bit at nap time to make up the last 300 since I’ve already planned my meals and exercise today. Gotta stick with the plan, sure don’t want to screw it up coming out of the gate.

Okay, if you have time please answer my questions on what you do and tomorrow I’ll be back at the gym bright and early seeing what I can do then.

Today is tree taking down day, rearranging the livingroom and cleaning up the kitchen along with daycare and a visit with my grandma. It’ll be a great day. You want to know how I know it’ll be a great day? Cuz I said so and I’m going to make it that way.

Take care and have a blessed day my friends.

Tid bits and a giveaway…

Just a few things that’s been running around my wee little brain….

14 super foods….I don’t like salmon or soy but the rest I eat, hope that’s good enough for me.

• Beans
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Oats
• Oranges
• Pumpkin
• Salmon
• Soy
• Spinach
• Tea (green or black)
• Tomatoes
• Turkey
• Walnuts
• Yogurt

 

I love, love this poster….posted on facebook….

AMEN!!!

If you’re looking for a challenge and haven’t found one yet….check this out…

One Chicks Journey is offering to host a First Day of Spring 2012 challenge, she’s in the need of some participants. I would but I have my hands full with my E2E challenge and all that life is handing me right now but I think she has some might cool ideas and goals.

***And one more thing. I am going to host a give away. I have been making a few more string scarves and would love to offer one to a winner. You can pick your color out of the ones I have made. There are 17 here and you can pick any one of them. If you click on the picture it gets bigger so you can see them a bit better. And because Pam and Michele finished up my 2011 walking challenge they each get to have one just cuz. Pick my friends and tell me so I can send one out to you. If anyone else wants one just because, they’re $7.00, free shipping so at the end of the giveaway you can chose what’s left. The giveaway starts tonight and will go though Friday the 6h. I’ll have Mike pick a random number on Saturday and as soon as I get an address from the winner will send it out. I’m only posting this giveaway here, once so we’ll just see how many read.***

That’s all for now. Just had to share. Blessings my friends!!

Days 1-3…midweek check in…

Well my life style changes haven’t been tip top the first few days of this year. Eating hasn’t been terrible except I have indulge on treats the past two days. Tiny bit yesterday, just 2 kisses but today some M&M’s a bite of a candy bar and 1/2 another. Still tracked it all but not good. My TOM showed up 7 days early along with the cravings and I wasn’t ready, today was shopping day for the temptation goodies I could of had.  Plus with no school here had extra kids and Jim and Mike are home and that means lots of food, snacks and more. We did go skating, we did go sledding and I did go for a mile walk yesterday and another one today but nothing as good as it should be.

But tomorrow is a perfect day to kick it in the butt. School is back in, Jim is back to work and I will be at the gym by 5:30. I will do both a cardio workout and strength training. I’ll be there for just about 2 hours so I know that it will be good. I have planned my eats for tomorrow starting out with an apple before leaving and then oatmeal and a banana when I get home. Lunch will be a salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots and 2 oz of chicken, I don’t use dressing so it will all be good for me, and a light yogurt.. Supper will be a tiny 3 oz steak, roasted veggies and a glass of milk. I bought V-8 splash so I’ll get an extra serving of fruits and veggies when I have that for my afternoon snack. All coming in at about 921 calories, 148 carbs, 15 grams of fat, 16 grams of fiber and 848 grams salt. I could skip the banana and save some carbs and also skip yogurt, milk and juice but I’m not going too because after my 2 hour work out, I’ll have worked off 877 calories and will be just fine in the numbers. I do need a few more calories if I keep up the 2 hours work outs but I’m not quite sure what to add for calories but not carbs. Maybe some whey protein. I’m still not great with that yet but I’m learning. I need to work with what’s here. I am going to make a veggie soup to have for hungry moments because I know for a fact no matter what there are lots of those days. By the way I’m back tracking with myfitnesspal. I need to use something and as long as I keep the window opened it seems to help me a lot. I wish I could learn to write in a journal, one that says a bit more then what I blog so I could remember things a bit better but my attention spans is just so short for that.

My main goal for tomorrow is no candy, no sweets except I will allow myself some sugarless gum which lets my taste buds think they are getting something. I need to get my 100oz of water in too. I’ve been close but not spot on and that sure makes a huge difference.

My book, is the best book I have read in a very long time. I’m not planning on running a marathon but training for one will get me ready for all my 5k’s and 6k skiing plus whatever other goodies I can come up with. This book is about a regular everyday woman who decided to get away from the couch, the chips and learn to move her buns. Her ideas, her thoughts are so funny and so real I am learning quite a bit. She even talks about what clothes to buy, what equipment you might think you need but don’t and your most important purchase your shoes. I’m going to make due for now with the shoes I have because getting Mike ready for college and all is taking and going to take every dime I have but after he gets settle my first “me” purchase will be some real running shoes from some running store. Not up in my area but probably the cities cuz there isn’t one up here.

So there is my midweek check in. I hope you all are doing well. It’s not easy and I don’t think it gets easy or even easier but we learn and we try and we keep going. Practice makes perfect and for me perfect will never be in the cards so that just means lots and lots and lots of practice. Take care my friends. Have a most blessed evening and day tomorrow!

Planning my 5K’s…and more…

Melanie at Upinthecosmos, is a beginner runner like me and has signed up for an amazing amounts of 5K this year. She has also joined me in my 650 miles goals for this year. Anyways, I’m checking out the 5K’s she has signed up for and this is one of them. I have now too, thanks to Melanie. I’m going to check out what else she has happening too because if I am to become a runner I just can’t sign up for the 4 that are just up here in my area. I’m not ready to race with hundreds of people like Melanie is but I’m looking.

If you’d like to think about this race, it’s January 18th, 2012 and you can do it with your friends or alone. For now I’m alone and will try and run this outside but with Minnesota weather I’m not positive but there’s always the treadmill. Just click on the picture and it’ll take you right to the page.

I just found something I might like to try too.

Lumberjack Jaunt  - Sunday, February 5th, 2012 in Brainerd, MN

It’s 6K and more for skiing.     Click the picture if you want to read more.

There’s other races too like my 5K in April in Aitkin, in May in Crosby, again in August in Crosby and my fall one in October in Aitkin.  I’ll see what else is happening as the year progresses.

Just wanted to share a bit with you.

Time to hit the hay and get ready for a new day tomorrow. Take care my friends, blessings!!

My partners…

I asked anyone in this post if they’d like to join me in my running challenge of 2012. Last year I did a walking one and Michele and Pam joined me. This year I’m going to work on a running challenge. In my running challenge I’m going to count the walking/jogging and running because you have to do all to get to where you want to be. I had three takers for my challenge, let me introduce to you…
Melanie at upinthecosmos. She is inspiring me to do a few more races and to really get my butt moving.
Angela at adayinthelifeof ang. Angela is the one who got me started in even just plain moving my behinder. She taught me to just have patience and to just keep going and trying.
Debby at debsdailylife. Debby is new to running, like me and we are going to do this together.
Thank you ladies for joining me. Tomorrow is my first day to add to my total. I did get a short walk in today but just a stroll.
Take care my friends and have a blessed New Year!!
Pam at Emptynest is joining us too. YEAH!!! She joined me last year. EXCELLENT!!
Corey Loree at cupcakestocardio is joining us also.
I am so excited more of you are joining. Yippy Skippy!!!

Looking to the future and our trip to the look out…

Mike took a picture of me today and I like it. It’s not a great picture, that’s not what I mean but it is how I am feeling right now and it shows.

I am feeling a bit lost, a bit worried, a bit apprehensive, a bit sad but at the same time I am feeling this…

A lot happy, a lot proud, and so pleased that Mike has figured out where he wants to go in life. It took him a couple years pass high school to figure it out but he knows.

Today we went to the overlook in Crosby. This is the first year it has ever been opened on new years eve and we had to go up there and take some pictures. Take a peek at something we never get to see this time of year.

You know how I love taking pictures of Mike so I’m going to share some more.

And me and the dogs…

 

So to every single one of you wonderful, terrific, blessed friends out there HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Ice-skating…and…

It was 1988 the last time I was on ice-skates. We were working with Disney On Ice traveling the USA and the skaters we were guarding and traveling with tried to teach me to skate. It was sorta like teaching a dog to climb a tree but I did learn how to move frontwards and backwards and you know something else, after all these years I strapped on a pair of skates and didn’t fall plus was able to teach 3 of my wee ones how to move a bit.

Yesterday I took Rachel, Abby and Anton ice-skate at our local fitness center. We had a blast for 3 hours. Froze our feet and fingers and laughed the whole time.

  

  

Love these guys!!!

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Another bit of news….And for me a mom of an only child…it’s great news but heartbreaking too. Mike has picked a college, gotten all the paperwork done, has set a start date and will be 1000 miles away from home. Before my 50th birthday, our 32nd anniversary, the end of E2E challenge Mike will be heading to Laramie Wyoming. I am so very proud of Mike, beyond any words I am. I can’t imagine life here without him either. Tons and tons of mothers have gone through this, I know and they’ve lived, I know that too however this is me and I’m not everyone else and I am going to find this one of the toughest 4 months ever. I will not let Mike know just how much this effects me because I only want him to see just how proud of him I am. He knows how sad it makes me but he does know I know how important this is to him and I will support him every single way possible.

I just wanted to share.

Take care everyone and have a blessed weekend.

Eve to Easter Challenge

 
14 weeks to work on toning my body, losing the last few pounds and to begin to become the runner I want to be. I really, really want to become a runner.  Now last year I started running and until I got hurt I was doing pretty decent but now I haven’t really done any running since October so I’m going to start over and see where I am and work from there.
Also another super cool thing about this challenge, it ends 2 weeks before my 50th birthday and my 32nd anniversary. How cool would it be to be in the best shape of my life before I’m 1/2 through my life? You know I plan on living to be 101 years old. Also my first 5K for the year is in April or 1st week in May. I am going to run the full race and have a better time then my 32:48 (which was a terrific time last year but something to do better this coming year).
This challenge has some requirements I’ll list each one with my responses.
The first one is two blog twice a week on the challenge. One to be linked to the challenge and one to just tell you how it’s going and what’s I’ve learned or done towards my goal. I love to be accountable, to have and to read what others are doing and what they have to teach me each week and me to teach them.
The second is my weigh in and a measurements. I’m not ready to share my measurements so I’m going to add my bust, waist, hips, arms and legs together as one measurement and will post a total number each month of what I’ve lost. However you’ll get a weekly weigh in though I’m not going to be trying to lose weight I’m trying to tone up and become a runner.

Here’s my weight….     
Here’s my total measurement….166” from bust, waist, hips, arms and thighs. A little more then I expected but gotta start some where's. Mir insists I put my waist measurement, I hate sharing it...you don't know how much I hate sharing it. But rules are rules...39".
The third is a list of what I want to accomplish in exercise, calories, fluids. I am going to start working to become a runner. I have the information from Brads 5K in 100 days and will also use the C25K program from my itouch. Mike also bought me a nikeplus that keeps a running tally of my speed and distants.

I’m going to keep my calorie intake under 1500 calories and my fluids at 100+ oz a day. I started back at the gym this week and my goal will be 3 days a week there and 2 days of week out here. 3 days of cardio and weight training at the gym and 2 days of running out here. It’s winter time here so it may be more fast walking then running for now but with the yaktrax’s that Michele sent me last year I can get out no matter the weather.
The forth is an item of clothing I’d like to fit into. I found on clearance a beautiful swimming suit. Well really the top. The bottom was a mismatch but for now I’ll use the both as my clothing item.
The fifth a picture in said clothing but for me it doesn’t go on yet so that won’t work, yet. Here’s the picture. It says it’s a size 14 but I’m sure that’s for a midget because I’m wearing 14 now and this is way on the tight side. But by April, look out Jim, here I come again.

The sixth must link up every Sunday for all 14 weeks. Because I never know what my weekends will bring I do my weekly post on Fridays and link up as soon as Mir has the linky up.
The seventh stop by and visit and support at least 3 fellow challenge buddies and our own personal challenge buddy. My goal is too check in with everyone of my fellow challengers once a week and I will enjoy having a personal buddy.
The eighth, a quote that means something to me, something that will make me think each week. "If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don't spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it."
-Priscilla Welch
The ninth is a book or books that will in help my journey the next 14 weeks. I have three that I’ll be using during this 14 week challenge.

The first one is for me to figure out where I am in life. This is sorta like a guide to help me into the second half of my life. The other two are pretty self explanatory, at least so far. I got them from Mir for our last challenge, our Christmas Dress Countdown Challenge.
And the last rule, NO QUITTING!!! I’m not a quitter so I’ll be here from beginning to end.
So there is my first post about our challenge, my goals and what I intend to do to get to where I want to be.
We all can do this. It’s so important to do this for you, for me. I need this and I know it. How about you? You can do this, I know you can….I have the utmost faith in all of you. Let’s get to work and become the person we want to be.
Take care my friend. Blessings to you all!!
P.S. If anyone has a bodybugg or any one of those armband type of devices they do not use I would be interested in buying it from you for a fair price. Or can anyone tell me how well they work and are they worth $200.00?
Oh everyone, I just got my challenge buddy. Meet Casey. I can't wait to learn from her. YEAH!!! I am excited.

Games….

Mike wanted Electronic Monopoly for Christmas so that’s what I got him along with a couple pairs of work pants and a sweatshirt. On Christmas day it was beautiful, something very unheard of here in Minnesota. Most years it’s cold, windy, lots of snow but this year we have had maybe a total of 2” of snow and it hasn’t stayed around. Our average temp up here has been in the 20-30’s and we’ve even had some 40’s. It’s been awesome except for the resorts, snowmobilers and kids that really want to play in the snow. To give you an idea, here is what Mike wore Christmas day.

And he’s been riding his dirt bike everywhere. Mike’s been working off and on and yesterday worked in Wisc for the day. Tomorrow North Dakota. All with an insulation company. He loves the travel but the days are very long, usually 8 hours of travel with a 10 hour work day plus then he has to drive home too. It’s working and thank goodness he’s young, it would kill me off though I do get up with him, go and exercise (yes yesterday I was at the gym at 4:30 in the morning) and I wait up for him at night plus of course daycare during the day.

Okay, the game….Mike is such a snot, I have never, ever won a game of monopoly, even when I’m the banker and could cheat I have never won, however the turd wins just about every time and this time was no different but he loved it and I so love playing with him.

Today I am going through a few of our toys the kids no longer play with. I put then on freecycle and have a woman coming by tomorrow morning to pick up whatever I come up with. Really I already have a tote of them but will get a few more out of here. Daycare is shrinking and it’s time to purge a bit. Rachel and Abby are here and I’m not sure what we’ll do for sure. I am betting a visit to great grandma, some baking and a movie then tonight I need to go and clean the Odd Fellow’s Hall and just maybe go out to dinner with a dear friend. Gotta call her first and see if tonight is the night she’s available.

That’s my day and it’s time to fix some breakfast and get moving. So take care my friends and have an awesome blessed day!!

My 400 mile walking partners…and 2012 challenge…

Michele and Pam joined me in January for a goal of walking 400 miles in 2011.  I walked almost 650 miles Pam walked better then 870 and I’m not sure the exact number for Michele but she’s way up past the 400 miles also. We did great and I am very proud of Pam and Michele for joining me in this challenge. It was a great way to really kick my life style journey off and to keep me accountable all year long. Thank you both Michele and Pam for joining me.

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Now I will have a new goal for 2012….anyone want to join me? Here it is…

It works out to 12.5 miles a week. It is a goal that will really take some commitment for me but I so want to become a runner in 2012 so I am going to try my very best. As my practice gets going maybe it’ll become easier but I know for the first few months it will really in hard.

So again, thank you to Pam and Michele for this years help and commitment and support. I so appreciated it.

Take care my friends and have a blessed day!!