treadmill talk

We're experiencing a BAD snowstorm in Chicago today. I headed down to the treadmill this morning & I have to say, although it is convenient for a mom of 3 to get a workout in while the kids sleep, it is not my favorite way to run. I love being outside, the changing scenery, the elements, just the freedom of it all. I ran cross country in Highschool for 3 years  and could only take track for 1 season. I just couldn't handle the monotonous running around the track, I ran the mile, so it was 4 times around. UGH, the.worst! Anyways, the treadmill reminds me a lot of the track. It's just the same thing over & over. We've lived in our loft for over 5 years and just a few months ago we FINALLY got TVs in the workout room.That HAS made it better, but I still can't go more than 5 miles on the treadmill. Who are these people that can go over 9?! Insane, I tell you! Tomorrow will be another treadmill day, which sometimes I don't mind, I do appreciate the controlled climate of our workout room, as opposed to the very cold weather outside.

Do you talk to people around you while you work out? I am curious, b/c there are a few regulars who are down in the workout room in the mornings when I go down, but we've never talked to each other! I look at them & smile if they catch my eye, but no one has ever introduced themselves to me & I would feel weird being the one to do that. I would love some pointers on gym etiquette! :)

In other news, I am getting faster & I am SO happy!! I always jack up the mph on the treadmill so that I am not going to same speed for a whole workout, I always try to go faster at the end. Anyways, I am beginning to notice that my old "fast" pace is now my normal pace. I am at a 9 minute mile now, when just last year I was at a 10 minute mile. I ran the Turkey Trot 10K at a 9:15 mile pace & I was ecstatic, now when I run outside, I can go ever faster than that!! I can't even imagine running under a 9 minute mile pace, but I am hoping it will happen this year, if I keep my training up. I have run every day so far in March ;) I ran ALMOST every day in February, I think I missed either 5 or 6 days, but out of 28 days in the month, that's not SO bad. I can definitely tell that it's helping me get my pace up there.

Goals & being an example

I've been unmotivated lately. That's not to say that I haven't been continuing the Whole30 Challenge or working out...I have been, but the desire hasn't been there :( Today should be day 4 for me on the Whole30 Challenge, but I messed up on the 2nd day, so it's really day 3 for me. Anyways, I don't know if that's why it's been so difficult for me, I hope so because that means that this will pass & I'll get fired up again. I am struggling like mad with sugar cravings. That makes sense since that's what I added back into my diet once January was over. I have been able to resist temptation so far & I'm thankful for that! I can't wait to get over these first few days & start to feel amazing.

Today I needed to run 8 miles. I have to admit that I KNEW I should & I KNOW it is part of my training, but did I want to?! NO! It was cold out & I would rather have sat in a coffee shop & done my Bible study. However, mind over matter & I start to run. I have to say, that's the hardest part, the starting....but once I started I just kept going. I am also thrilled to say that my pace is picking up. I'm getting faster!! I now run about a 9 minute mile!! SWEET!!! I am so excited to run my half-marathon in April & get a sub 2 hour time. That was my goal last year & I never achieved it, so I would love to accomplish that this year.

So I have to say, I love living a healthy lifestyle. I love eating clean & I love working out. I love the way I feel when I am living this way, but like I said above, it's not easy. The thing that keeps me going are goals. I love to have have something to train for & look forward to. I also love that I know I am being a good example for my kids. I've said before that I don't tell them I'm on a diet, I tell them I am eating healthy. They know I run & workout & I am excited that my girls have said that they want to run with me someday. I try to keep healthy food around the house & we talk about what is good for them to eat & what isn't good for them. I really want them to grow up to love a healthy lifestyle, to move & be involved in sports. I want them to eat right for their bodies. This is not something I obsess over or emphasize to them, but the conversation is started & I am being the best example I can be for them. So hopefully for them it will eventually be a way of life.

Whole30 Round 2!

Today is Day 2 of my second round on the Whole30 Challenge & I have failed!! I ran out of my wonderful & lovely coconut aminos & used soy sauce for our dinner tonight. Sadsies!! So I am starting again tomorrow & going through the 31st. Anyways, I am feeling pretty good, I am eating pretty much what I was eating before, so it's not a huge change for me. The only thing I am really missing is my evening dark chocolate :( However, I know it's ONLY 30 days & I can make it through!!

So I am feeling pretty discouraged lately. The fitness convention I mentioned in a previous post is next weekend & it doesn't look like I'll be going. We missed the early bird cut off of Feb 28th for cheaper admission & now just one day is almost what the cost of 3 days would have been. It's hard to want to do something that will feed your passion & goals for yourself & yet not be able to do it. I am feeling like I have no direction & will never be able to meet my goals. I don't know if I am pushing to go too far, too quickly & I just need to slow down to meet my goals, or if I will just not be able to do it. Right now I am terrified that I will never be able to meet my goals & I'll just have to let go of them. I have had to do that before & it stinks. I want to be able to set goals & meet them, but mine take time and money that we don't have right now. I know that sometimes we have to wait, and maybe I'm just in that waiting period right now. I will continue praying & waiting for God to guide my steps as I figure out my future.

Look what I got in the mail yesterday!

Wordless Wednesday

Fitness wrap up

The last few days have been amazing!! The sun is shining, it's been warm, the perfect days to get outside & RUN!! I got in 9 miles on Sunday & it was awesome. After spending all of last week in the basement, on a treadmill, it was glorious to feel the sun on my face! I had to play around with my route a little bit & try to make my run longer. I did my usual loop, but it's only 5 miles normally, so I kept adding on here & there to get to 9. Monday morning I got together with my loco running buddies. Seriously, we are a crazy bunch!! You don't see many runners out there on the trail when it's snowy, icy & wet. We need to get a long run of about 12 or 13 miles in SOON, but time only allowed us to get in 8 on Monday. Today I dropped the ball on the mile-a-day challenge today, I only got in weights this morning. However, I think I have running fever! When the weather started to change & the snow started to fall, I actually thought to myself "I bet it would be awesome to run in this". LOL I might be going a little crazy...

The mile-a-day challenge is extended into March & I am not sure I can keep it up. I guess I might as well try though, right?! I haven't been perfect about it in Feb, but my goal is run as much as possible & I think I should keep doing that through May, especially if I want to get my marathon in that month.

Speaking of March, I am re-doing the Whole30 Challenge. YAY!! I am excited to get started with that again. I have been mostly paleo this month, with slip ups here & there and a few blatantly, NOT paleo days. I know where I want to be though & clean eating will get me there. I am excited to start on Friday! Just a reminder for those of you wondering what the Whole30 Challenge is: Intro to Whole30. This challenge I am looking forward to burning FAT, to getting leaner & building muscle. I am really going to focus on being sugar free & eat more lean proteins. Y'all, I am saying Good-Bye to BACON this month!!! What the what?!  No lie, THAT will be the challenge for me, for sure! HAHA

I'm skurred!

I'm SO excited!! I signed up for a half-marathon in April. It's in KY, so my plan is to stay with my sister & her family for the weekend. I can't wait :) I am also planning on signing up for a marathon in May. I will have already been trained up to 15 miles for my race in March, so I figure, I might as well continue training rather than stop & then start again for a fall marathon. I would LOVE to reach all of my running goals for 2013 by May :)

I am scared of something though. I want to start something new-to-me fitness wise. Something I've never done & am totally excited about, but also scared of it too. I have only told 2 people that I want to do it, I'm scared to really talk about it until I feel more confident about it, but I am really the most nervous that people will laugh at me b/c it's not something you would think of when you think of me. Sorry to be so cryptic!! I am excited to talk about it when I feel ready, but for now, I'm still kind of preparing for it, so I can only talk about it vaguely.

Do you do things that scare you? I think it's a good practice to have. We'd never do anything new, or grow as a person if we didn't try things that scared us, right? Sometimes you just have to go out on that limb & take a chance, right? Honestly, I love the feeling I get when I accomplish something I thought I could never do. I love proving myself (and others) wrong. I am hoping that the new thing I want to pursue would give me that feeling too. It would certainly push me out of my comfort zone & would give me a bunch of new experiences & hopefully make some new friends & meet new people.

Tropical Salad

Feeling down in the dumps due to the gray skies & cold weather?? Longing for the bright sun & scents of the  tropics? I got a yummy salad for that! :) I had a few chicken breasts left over after making dinner the other night & I've been wanting to make coconut crusted chicken breasts for awhile, so I decided to give it a go! I melted some coconut oil in my pan & crusted the chicken breasts in some shredded coconut & almond meal. I cooked them up & threw in my salad along with some tangerine. I am usually not one for sweet salads, I like them to be savory, but my husband ordered a salad over Valentine's Weekend that had spinach, grapefruit & orange in it. It was YUMMY!! I really wish I had pineapple to add to my salad, but I could only come up with tangerine to fulfill my tropical whims today. I always add some nuts to my salads to give them some healthy fats so that I'll stay full longer. I topped off my salad of mixed greens, coconut chicken & tangerine with some chopped up cashew pieces & oh my YUM!!! All I need is a daiquiri to go with it...maybe some sun & a nice sandy beach....