{Workout While Waiting}

So I'm getting my back fixed this year (hooray!!) and part of that excitement comes a small disappointment: I can't run... Or do anything high-impact... Or do anything that twists my back in funky ways...

Sooo... I can walk.  The thing is, I'm not going to settle for just walking, and I've been trying to find some things to do while I'm waiting to be completely realigned that is more than just walking.  Here's a video I've decided to try (modified for back purposes) to keep my abdomen [somewhat] in shape.

I'm trying to stay safe with my back while I do these workouts, and I understand: just because I'm doing ab workouts doesn't mean I'm going to have abs; it means my abs will be strong beneath the layer of hibernation on my belly.  However, it's something to keep my mid-section strong and flexible, and it's better than doing nothing at all ;)

As I experiment more with low-impact workouts, I'll give you some tips I learn.  Who knows: maybe this is a good chance for me to branch out a bit more? 

What are some good low-impact workouts you like to do to stay in shape?

{Revolutionizing} My Approach to Working Out

As most of you are aware, over the summer, I started a personal mini-journey to getting in shape.  I had simple goals in running and I had a routine every week as I wanted to train for a 10K.  Right before school started, I started feeling some discouragement because of an unnamed source which was followed by minor shin splints and the start of school.  Because of these three reasons, I decided to put my journey on hold.

In the past few months since school has been in, I have been thinking about Christmas break, next summer, break, and the next few years in general as far as where I want to be fit-wise.  I've mentioned before (at least a few times) I was a runner in high school.  Because of the different activities I did, for a few years in high school it wasn't uncommon for me to run between 5 and 20 miles a week.  I was pretty active.  Since coming to college, it has been hard to keep myself in any shape to run or do anything, but I want to stay fit enough to not have any physical problems.  As I've been thinking through the running option, I've been feeling more so led in a slightly different direction.

I know I'm not "old" but I am still aging, and I am already starting to feel the achy joints that run in both sides of my family.  I have been eating good foods and taking care of my health that way, but sometimes when I run, my joints and/or back start to ache.  Also, being a "well-endowed" woman it's also a bit uncomfortable to run sometimes.  When you pair that with an achy back from past injury, and achy joints, running isn't as fun for me as it used to be.  I still find a bit of satisfaction from lengthening my distances when I run, but overall, running hurts me more than I feel it helping me.

So does this mean I'm going to be giving up on working out altogether? Of course not!  Running is not the only way to stay in shape.  So what am I going to do instead?  I've been feeling more and more encouraged to try some new things that are fun, active, and don't make me pound the pavement with every step like running does.  I have started mentally revolutionizing my approach to working out.  I have yet to put it into action, but I know where I will be going from here.

I have tried pilates and did not like it.  I have tried "real yoga" twice and it was okay (it killed my poor wrists!) and I tried "work-out yoga" which was also alright.  I want to try something new, something that I think I will like: I want to try Tai Chi!  Tia Chi, Yoga, and Pilates are just a few of the many ways you can work on flexibility, agility, and toning and strengthening.  Since I've given the other two a try, I want to try something that I don't think anyone else around me seems to know how to do - which means I'm going to have to rely on my own trial and error.  But I am up for it!

Before high school, among the many sports I was involved in, I was {kind of} a dancer.  I did ballet for a few years, and I also did jazz and hiphop for a brief time.  I haven't taken up anything dance-wise since then, but now that I'm older and not in the awkward ages anymore, I want to take on some dance classes!  There's a place somewhere in Columbia that offers adult dance classes every school year and every summer.  Next summer (since I know I could do that) I am going to be signing up for that class and spend the whole summer learning how to dance, and meeting new people from around the Columbia area.  Also, I want to either a) find a Zumba class somewhere around here, or b) get a good Zumba DVD and do it on my own.  I am so excited to take on both of these things!

Something I would like to start looking around for would be a kickboxing class.  Yes, I would love to do some kickboxing!  That would be a good way to get out stress and get stronger while doing so.  I'm trying to see if there's somewhere around the Columbia area that offers a kickboxing class, particularly for women.

Another thing I would like to start doing together with Frank is biking.  Biking can help strengthen my back and I don't have to pound my joints to do it.  Frank and I are hoping to save (at least before next summer) for a couple of starter bikes so that he and I can stay active together in that way.  I've been a bit discouraged in trying to find someone to workout with, like a workout buddy, and even though I'm pretty much done trying to find an 'accountabilibuddy' I still want to be partners with my hubby ;)  Everything I want to take on alone (unless of course someone reads this and wants to be workout buddies!)

Although this is not necessarily a "workout" sport, Frank and I also want to take up fishing.  You can draw good physical benefits from doing this low-activity sport.  We are getting fishing poles after Christmas, so hopefully we can start soon!

So as other ideas come up, I will update!  But the way I am looking at my working out strategy is changing quite a bit.  In the next year, I want to take up Tai Chi, dancing and zumba, biking and fishing.  Everything is extra.  Of course, I will not be completely canceling out running altogether, but I will be doing less running overall.  If anyone has any good advice, let me know!  I am excited for this new segment of my getting in shape journey and, as I begin, I will let you guys know how I'm doing :)  I've already started walking regularly, so I'm already on a head start!

{Lemon Water}

There are so many beverages and foods people start off their day eating.  Some of them taste good, some of them are kinda weird, most of them aren't necessarily good for us - at least not for the first thing we eat.  Some people like drinking smoothies or juice blends - and there's nothing wrong with that!  Had my blender not totally died, I would be making those same concoctions every morning!  However, thanks to a dear cousin of mine, I know about something that's less obvious, blender-free, and better to start my day than anything else is:

Warm Lemon Water!

All you do is pour a glass of filtered warm/lukewarm water into your glass, squeeze some fresh lemon juice into it, and drink it!  I'm not a lemon fan, I don't like lemonade, and I'll be honest: I didn't like this when I first started drinking it in the mornings, but there are SO MANY health benefits that you receive from putting lemon water into your body first thing in the morning, and then sipping on it throughout the day.

Here are some reasons why lemon water in the morning is the best thing for you to have:

#1.  Aids Digestion The best way lemon water helps is by aiding your digestive tract.  Lemon water is actually used as ritual for Ayurveda, or Yogic, traditions used to stimulate the digestion for the day, clearing the tract of any toxins and bacteria that have settled in the intestines overnight.  Citrus flavonols are believed to be the culprit of this digestive tonic.  Plus, the antioxidant Vitamin C that is found in lemons helps reduce the risk of peptic ulcers caused by bacteria in the digestive tract.  Because of these properties, your urinary tract is also cleansed and taken care of.

#2.  Gives Your Immune System a Boost  Lemons have strong anti-viral, anti-bacterial properties.  They also have the Vitamin C our bodies so desperately need in times of stress.  When we are at the most stressed point of our day, our levels of Vitamin C drop first.  This is why it's easier for us to get sick when we are so busy and have a lot to handle.  Drinking lemon water in the morning, and throughout the day, helps to give our immune system a little boost and keep it going when times get rough.

#3.  Anti-Inflammatory Agent  It's important for everyone to include anti-inflammatory agents in their diets every day.  The reason?  Flammatory agents - like dairy products, animal products, and sugar - all wear at our joints and cartilage.  When our joints are inflamed, they are pulling double duty; of course, we can't always feel this going on, but not only do our joints absorb the shock of things we do daily (typing, walking, running, etc.) but now they have the task of attacking the flammatory agents they make them swell.  Lemon juice is a natural anti-inflammatory agent that helps reduce swelling around the joints caused by these foods and keep up the health of our joints throughout the day.  This can also reduce risk of progressive joint damage which could lead to arthritis.

#4.  Healthy Skin  The antioxidants in the lemon juice flush out your entire system of toxins.  It also combats the effects of free radical damage, such as exposure to UV light and environmental toxins.  Vitamin C helps to process the damage done by these outside effects and supports your liver in its every day work to clean you up and keep you safe.  Lemon water also improves your skin's elasticity - this means it helps avoid wrinkles. ;)

#5.  Aids in Weight Loss  Lemon water contains a few things that aid in weight loss.  First, both lemon juice and water are natural; natural foods and drinks are better for your body already.  Plus, because they are natural, they lack the typical calories that most sweetened fruit juices have.  Lemon water also contains a fiber called pectin that subsides hunger.  Not only are you not putting extra unneeded calories into your body, but you are also filling your system with pectin fiber which helps you refrain from hunger for longer.  

#6.  Cures Caffeine Addiction  This goes along with number 1, above, and I specifically put this in here for all who are currently detoxing from the wonderful liquid.  Because lemon juice and water are good for detoxifying your liver, it also aids in flushing your liver and kidneys of the elements of caffeine and the over-acidifcation that coffee causes.  This means that lemon juice flushes your system of all that is addictive in the caffeine you put into your body.  You might still go through withdrawal from it, but you can quicken the time in which you want to break your addiction.

It's important to use warm water (or preferably lukewarm) because cool or cold water shocks your sytem, and your body works to adapt the temperature to itself.  

These are all fantastic reasons to replace the food or drink in the start of your day with lemon water.  So good!  It's also cool for me to see how God has designed these natural foods for our benefit - and still we find artificial alternatives to meet the needs God has already provided solutions for!

I have been drinking fresh lemon water in my mornings for at least a few months now, and I'll usually add some lemon juice to my lunch and dinner meals to help my digestive system.  I feel so fresh after slowly drinking my lemon water, and I know everyone can benefit from adding this to their daily routines.

What healthy morning routines do you follow?  Would you try lemon water?

Here are some sources you can look at for more information:

My Vega

LifeHack

FitDay

Tasty Yummies

Affairs of Living (Tips for Kicking Caffeine)

{Gluten-free}

Frank and I have been talking about trying a month without gluten.  Neither of us have Celiac disease (that we know of) but there are some reasons why we would like to try this.

My family has a history of Rheumatoid Arthritis (I'm already preparing to be one of those in my family who have it).  The thing about RA is that you can have RA for 20 and 30 years before you start exhibiting symptoms.  There are ways to decrease your risk, or at least slow down the negative progress RA has on your body.  One of those ways is to avoid inflammatory agents, and eat anti-inflammatory and foods instead.    A list of foods to avoid involve:

* all refined sugar

*citris

* dairy products

* gluten/wheat/bread products

* corn

* soy

* pasta

* foods of animal origin

* margarine

Although we won't possibly be able to avoid all of these for other reasons, we want to try practicing the elution of gluten for a little while, and then maybe some other foods will go, too.  We've already stopped using margarine, and we have cut waaaay back on dairy products.  In fact, we just got a quart of milk - this is the first milk in the house since ...maybe June?  So we're trying to change small pieces of our dietel intake for our general health, but also for our long-term health, avoiding these auto-immune and genetic diseases we are at risk for (especially me).  Of course, even if our bodies never succumb to auto-immune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis, I know it's better for our bodies to get rid of toxins ;)

CNN

So here's the challenge: I'm already giving up refined sugars for the month of November.  All the while, I will be attempting to avoid gluten when I know I can make that sacrifice.  However, I think we might try taking on this challenge in December.  Frank won't be around the gluten in the caf as often, so there will be little temptation; we will be able to stock up our own food for the winter; and we won't have so many gatherings that will include a lot of gluten products.

I'll let you know how it goes, and ask for help if I end up needing it ;)  But if any of you gluten-free people have any advice, please send it to me!  Any advice will help and be of encouragement. ;)

{November | No Junk Food}

    Back during the summer, I got into this great exercise routine where I would run easily 9-12 miles a week, and cross train twice a week in between miles.  I was slimming up, getting toner, feeling better, had less aches and cramps and headaches.  I was also eating better, much more healthy foods than usual. {We eat fresh and healthy foods anyways, but we cut out all the little excess crap that we didn't need too!}  I was nervous about starting the semester because I knew school would come in and ruin everything... :P  And it kinda did...  I still try to run at least a mile or two...every week... just to keep myself in some sort of shape.  And I've allowed all of those little extras back into my diet, too.  I'm back to not feeling as confident in myself as I did when I was on a regular kick-butt schedule and routine.

    To battle this mindset and way of feeling, and in an effort to help my body out a little since I truly don't have a whole lot of time to exercise, I've decided to stick to something for the month of November; you know how guys (and some girls...) do the whole No-Shave November?  I'm going to [attempt with all my might!] do my own rendition: {November|No Junk Food}.  That's right, I said it.  Two things that are ever present in typical American, and even more so, Southern culture are going to be cut out for at least a whole month.  Obviously, I know that this alone won't do as much for me as combining diet with exercise, or prolonging this diet over time, but it's the least I can do right now.  Besides, small goals are good places to start ;)  I'm already noticing when I'm craving foods that aren't good for me (like every flavor of ice cream in the caf...) and have been working on avoiding them, and also working on moderation of those kinds of things.  I know that, like any other habit and addiction, it takes time to break yourself of them.  I have hope that God will equip me with the strength to stick to the denial of such foods beyond November 30th.  I am already getting started by weening myself back off of these foods again.

    I still have goals of getting in shape and feeling better about myself just because I know I'm healthier.  I am still working towards that!  And I still have a goal of running my first 10K, and running the Cooper River Bridge Run! :D  I will make it there!  Because of my workload and stress, it's hard for me to find motivation through all of the exhausted evenings of homework to want to go out and spend more energy on something that doesn't count towards my GPA.  (I don't want to hear about how exercise really does improve your sleep and work ethic and yada yada yada - yeah I know, that's not the point I'm making though.)  I'm going to avoid all of these following types of foods:

• French Fries
• Pizza
• Tater Tots
• Chips (Sunchips; I don't eat chips anyways unless they're sunchips)
• Refined sugars as found in candy, ice cream, not-dark chocolate, hot chocolate, pie, brownies, cookies, pudding, soda pops, white bread, enriched white flour, etc.

Dark chocolate (in moderation) is acceptable.  The only time any of the fried food options will be acceptable are in the rare case that it's the only food served that isn't covered in meat, or if it is merely courtesy that I eat what's given to me - in both cases, they will be taken in moderation.  Otherwise, all such foods will be avoided.  Natural sugars from wheat, dairy, fruits, and vegetables should be enough to suffice since that's what my body was actually made for, food-wise.  I could you could also consider this as {November|No Fried Foods|No Refined Sugars}!

    Yeah... this will be pretty tough to conquer... but I can do it.  I have God and His strength on my side, even for this menial, man-made, me-made thing.  Because of Him, I can do this.  Now the question is: who wants to do this too?  You can tell me, we'll be accountabilibuddies!  You don't have to tell me, and you can get into better shape in thirty days than you are right now!  Obviously, this is not some weight loss program, but it is a "help your body feel better and work better" idea that I am after.  You are welcome to join!

    Weekly, I will give updates on how things are going on my end, and post a few recipes (just in time for Thanksgiving!)  If you happen to do this with me, feel free to let me know about your progress!  We have exactly two weeks to start weening ourselves off of the bad things, two weeks to find healthy replacements, and making more healthy decisions before we take on this battle!  We can do this!

Frank's First 5K!

Saturday, September 7, 2013 marked a wonderful day for Frank: He ran his first 5K!

What was his finishing time?

Frank ran a 5k in 25:37!!!

Pretty great, right? He did such a great job, and I am so proud of him!  Unfortunately, I could not get photos of him starting this race because my camera died as they gave the beginning shot.  And more unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a photo of him crossing the finish line because some guy thought I was a race photographer for a newspaper and totally took up the space right in front of Frank... :(  However, these are the pictures I was able to get of him running! :D

So none of him crossing the finish line, but my baby still did fantastic in his first ever 5K! I'm a proud wife ;)

Cross Training For the Win

    There have been a few people who have asked me, "what is cross training?" or "what do you do to cross train?"  I want to help give a few answers to these questions for those of you who share the same query as others.

    To start, cross training, in plain terms is anything you do besides your regular fitness workout.  I will be using running as my main example.  There are countless things you can do to improve your running besides just running.  I want to answer this question though:

"I run all the time and I never cross train - I do fine!  What's the point?"

    I guess, technically, in a way, that's fine if you don't do cross training while you're training to run.  Technically, running does a lot for your body that will make you faster, able to endure more, you'll burn fat.  Sure, just running isn't a bad thing.  What cross training does for you, though, is strengthen all parts of your body, not just your legs and lower abdomen (and a select few other muscles).  With cross training, you can help your body reach it's best potential for you to run.  You can be more agile and limber, and this helps your whole body join in the task of being a better runner.  Want a few examples of cross training now?

Agilities

What are agilities?  These help you become more agile - simple enough.  You're probably already familiar with a few agilities and don't realize it.  Ever heard of butt-kicks?  What about knee-highs?  Or burpies (also known as frog-stars)?  These are all to build agility in your legs.  They tone your muscles and build muscle memory so that you have a better runner's position while you run.  Look at this picture:

 

Do you see how close their legs come to their derriere's?  Or how high their knees come in front of them?  Look at how thick their thigh muscles are, and look at that wide gait between each step.  Because of doing exercises like agilities, those runners have been able to train their legs to give their best and all while they run.  Now they have excellent strides and faster times, and a better feeling while running overall.  So the purpose of agilities is to be able to make your body (particularly your legs) more agile, or flexible, so that you can use those muscles even more than when you just run.

Weight Training

This one you may see as not as big of a deal if you're running.  Why should you work out your arms if you're using only your legs to run?  That's just it - you don't use only your legs to run, you're using your whole body.  Arms included.  Keeping your arms in shape help your blood flow well throughout the rest of your body while you run.  You don't have problems with poor circulation or having your heart beat faster than necessary.  Also, having your arms in shape can help move you forward better while you run.  They're light, toned, don't flop around and let your legs do all the work.  It's important to keep your arms strong and able to help your body keep moving.  

Your arms aren't the only thing to be worked out with weights.  There are weight machines designed for other purposes.  There are weight machines geared towards your abs, your back and your inner and outer thighs (among many others). Again, why is it important for you to keep those areas in shape?  Your ads and back are key for making your legs work well.  Keeping a strong core help keep your breathing under control, and those muscles have way more to do with your legs than you may realize.  Your abdomen muscles pull the muscles of your legs in order for them to move the way they do.  Keeping a strong back helps for good posture which means an easier and more beneficial run.  

Yoga, Pilates, Medicine Ball

Yoga, Pilates, and the use of a medicine ball - these are all good techniques for core strength.  As I said earlier, keeping your core strong is vital to your overall performance.  Sit down in a chair, now try lifting yourself up out the chair to stand straight - all without activating your abdominal muscles or back muscles.  It isn't exactly easy to do, right?  Now imagine running without using those same muscles - nearly impossible, right?  It's not only important to use these muscles to perform tasks, but it's very important to keep these muscles strong and functioning properly.  Yoga and pilates, as much as they're stereotyped for women only, are meant for humans in general.  The strength that can be attained from doing these stretches and exercises can be some of the benefitting for your overall run.  Just look at the picture below; how much better wil your stride be when you can do that!?

Swimming

Swimming is a great way to work your muscles everywhere.  If you have ever gotten in the water and tried to swim correctly (not just float), or if you've even done water aerobics - you know exactly what I mean.  You feel muscles you never knew existed from how great a swimming workout is!  These muscles, like every other muscle in your body is actually toned and used while you run.  Also, the demand of breathing exercises is high with swimming.  This can help to expand your lungs and muscle memory as you learn how to take fuller breaths for longer.  You will not regret this as you train to run longer distances.  Doing real swimming strokes and exercise is a great way to take some pressure off your joints while you cross train, improves your breathing, and really works your muscles in strengthening to improve you for the run.

I just thought was a cool picture ;)

Bicycling

Bicycling is another good way to expand your lungs, work muscles you usually don't work, and take some pressure off of your joints.  Even if you go on a short ride, do you ever notice that achy feeling you have in your buttocks?  Part of that might just be the seat you were riding on, but a lot of it is also the muscles you worked and stretched from riding around.  This is also a great leisure activity that can be done by anyone and with anyone.  If you'd rather not spend time walking, take a ride on your bike, you'll have a great distance covered, and might actually work a few new muscles in your body!

Kick Boxing

This is something that I REALLY want to try doing!  Apparently our school is now offering a small kick boxing class in the fitness center for anyone who wants to come and try it out!  I'm going to ;)  Kick boxing, while not too much like the previous things I've mentioned is not necessarily all about flexibility - even though this activity does require you to be limber.  This activity if more about toning and training your muscles where to lead your movements and how to execute each movement correctly.  Kick Boxing requires good agility, strength, and energy.  I'm pumped about taking this class, and I hope that if you try it, you'll love it too!

Remember, I focused on training to run races in this blog post, but each of these activities can be used interchangeably; whether you're training for a bike race, training to swim, or training to kick box - each of these activities, when used appropriately, support each other in your end goal.

Understanding the importance of cross training is crucial to your routine of exercising.  Yes, you can run and run and run and you're fine, not feeling anything getting harder.  In doing that, you're creating the same muscles memory over and over and over again.  Cross training helps train your muscles in other ways to make you stronger, faster, and more agile.  Cross training benefits you in so many ways; your bones grow stronger, your muscles are firmer, you prevent regular injury, you feel better, and you perform better.  When you cross train, give the same kind of intensity you want to have in your running - this will produce the best results.  You'll feel more energetic, more lean, and much better about your overall performance.  That's not a gimmick, that is a truth.  

Getting There + Anna's First 5K!

This was a fun-filled week in the running world here!

Monday

Monday was altogether a good day, start to end.  First of all, my best friend, Anna Donovan, RAN HER FIRST 5K!!!  Not only was it her first 5K, but she finished with a time of 31 minutes and 14 seconds! AND she came in first place in her age group!!!!  Hot dang!  Great job, Anna!! :D

Again, she did a great job, and she had only been able to get up to 2 miles before she embarked upon this race!  Commemorative quote from the journey: as she and her dad passed the 2 mile mark, her dad alluded to Samwise Gamgee saying, "this is the farthest I've ever run!"  Proud o' you!

------------------------------

Next, Frank and I ran tonight as we've been trying to stay consistent on.  And Peter joined us about a month ago, so he was there.  AND we had someone else join us today: Terrance!  The cool thing is, that I would like to let Anna know is that she's the cause for all of this ;) Ask me, why? How? Anna running at the beginning of the summer inspired me to run; I inspired Frank to start running; we inspired Peter to start running; and then the three of us inspired Terrance to start running!  All because of you, Anna ;)

Here were our times and distances from Monday night:

Frank ran one last 3.1 miles before his race this Saturday.  Frank ran 3.1 miles in 30:46!  He's a bit nervous right now, but I KNOW he'll do great this weekend!

I ran 2 miles with a time of 22:55.  I need to remember not to beat myself up; I've been trying to get my pace faster, but I keep ending between 22 minutes and 23 minutes for my two mile run.  I know that's still a good time, but it's hard to feel good about it when I'm consistently making the same time no matter what I'm doing different.

Terrance ran and walked his first mile, and did great!!

Peter also ran a full mile, even though he wasn't feeling the greatest.  He still did a great job!  

Neither Terrance nor Peter recorded their times.

Tuesday

Today we cross trained.  Peter wasn't able to make it tonight, we missed him, but we still had a great time!

Terrance, Frank and I all started with a quarter mile warm-up run on the treadmill.  After running for the past few months, a quarter mile was a breeze.  

Next, the three of us took turns doing the weight machines.  They use them for strengthening, I use these machines for toning... so I felt a little like a wimp when I lifted 20 and 30 pounds. Ha!

After that, we did a few agilities - this was the first time for both Frank and Terrance!  But they admitted - it wasn't so bad ;) And then I told them they 'd be feeling it tomorrow!  Sure enough...

Wednesday

Tonight was another great night!  

Frank ran 1 mile for "fun" tonight in an effort not to kill himself before his race on Saturday!  During this, he helped Terrance finish his first running mile!  Way to go, Terrance!  And although he was late, Peter also ran, he did a mile and a half though!  Great job Peter!!

I didn't do so shabby either!  I ran 2.5 miles in 28:44!  I'm still a bit discouraged, because as I crossed the 2 mile mark, Frank read me the time: 22:55 - the same 2 mile mark time as Monday.  I thought I was pushing it a little bit more tonight, but I guess I wasn't... I know I still didn't do so bad, but I would really like to beat 33 minutes for my first 5K of the season.  I can do it!  

One thing I noticed in growing in my relationship with God through all of this:  as I've grown closer to Him, He has encouraged me by putting songs of praise into my head.  Not secular songs, not slow songs, but songs of praise to Him that glorify Him and give me a good beat to run to while I'm running :)  That's my love language between God: singing.  And He's sure using that to help me!  I can run, focus on Him, praise Him, give Him the glory, and He gives me the strength to keeping going and to finish!  Praise God!

Thursday

Today, Anna and I went to church before Women's Bible study because our church wonderfully offers a pilates class for women to attend!  Oh my gosh, my hips were cramping, and I kept laughing because some things made me feel awkward!  But we had a great time, and I'm glad she and I did it together :)

Friday

Rest Day - getting ready for Frank's big day tomorrow!

Saturday

To be continued...

Trying To Get Into It Again

Monday

Frank, Peter and I all ran together this time.  I was a little nervous at first since I hadn't run since last Monday, and since I'm a girl and therefore typically a little slower than these big buff men.  However, I was able to keep up with them for the first lap.  On the second lap, Frank sped up a bit (since he's little speedy Gonzales) and Peter was only a few feet behind me (doing great!)  We all finished our first lap at 4:48.  In the last leg of the second lap (since Peter and I only ran two laps each) Peter sped up and passed me.  I didn't think to clock his time, but I would have to say that he finished roughly 8-10 seconds before I did.  I came in finishing one mile at 9:35!  Frank finished 2 miles at 18:10!  And Peter, I'm estimating, finished at about 9:26!  We all did a great job, stretched and cooled down.  I'm still not back up to par with where I once was only a few weeks ago, but I'm getting there ;)

Tuesday

Peter, Frank and I cross trained today.  We went up to the gym to do this.  Here's what I did:

I started off with the guys doing a quarter mile run.  Then I moved to the weight machines.

20 reps of lower back at 60 lbs.
20 reps of Glutes at 40 lbs.
20 reps of Pectoral Fly at 30 lbs.
20 reps of Chest Press at 30 lbs.
20 reps of Row at 30 lbs.
20 reps of Shoulder Press at 30 lbs.
20 reps of Lat Pull Down at 60 lbs.
20 reps of Adductor at 35 lbs.

I finished this by riding a mile on the bike at level 8.

Wednesday

Today I ran two miles!  Peter, Frank and I met and ran separately tonight.  Here were my lap times and final 2-mile time:

Lap 1: 5:41
Lap 2: 11:20
Lap 3: 17:12
Lap 4: 23:00

I ran 2 miles in 23 minutes!  Frank ran 2.5 miles in 23:15!!!  And (sorry Peter!) I don't remember Peter's time, but he did an excellent job at finishing two miles!

I didn't do as well as the last time I ran two miles, but hey jack, I think I still did pretty good in my effort to bounce back.  I honestly don't think I'd be able to keep going like this if it weren't through God's encouragement through my sweet husband :) Thanks sweetie, I love you :)

Thursday

Today was a really long day... that ended lovely with returning from Bible study with my friend Anna :)  Since we got back around 9-9:30ish, I decided I was going to stay in and spend some time with my hubby.  My health and fitness is important, but my husband is my priority :)

Friday

Rest Day

Saturday

I went and saws a baby today... Somewhere in between that and the football party Frank and I had, I forgot about running :(  I've been very slack about it this week...  However, one of the things Frank and Peter did tonight inspired someone else.  Another friend of ours, Terrance, came over for the football party we had.  That night, Frank and Peter were prepping for a run, and Terrance helped by timing them.  When they got done, Terrence said he wanted to join them next time.  Now Frank's duo is a trio! :D


Prayers for my Getting in Shape Journey

Please pray that I continue to grow closer to the Lord in understanding my purpose for His Kingdom.  I have learned more how God is using me in this process to reach out to other people - believers and unbelievers alike.  Please pray for God to continue to use my journey and struggles that accompany to help someone else, even if it's only one other person.  Please pray for me to continue growing physically in strength and endurance so that I can learn how to discipline myself better, take care of myself, and do what is best for the body God gave me.  Pray that the enemy quits attacking me in these many different ways (through distraction, injuries, stubbornness, etc.) and that, when he does attack, I'll be prepared to defend myself.  Finally, please pray that I not see myself in a negative light, that I don't put myself down or speak poorly of myself when I mess up, don't do well, or don't do anything.  Please pray that I can learn to love myself more and see myself as a child of God, and not as a separate entity from God.  Thanks to all of you who already pray for me, I love you!

Getting In Shape: The First Week Back To School

This week was so dishearteningly slow... I hardly did anything in terms of working out... :(  Here's my week:

Monday

Monday night, Frank ran with our friend, his running buddy, Peter.  They both did a great job!  All of us chose to only run one mile.  Peter finished at 9:36, Frank finished at 9:42.  They ran a mile in under 10 minutes!  Great job, guys! :)

We only chose a mile because it was soooo muggy outside.  As I started running, I felt like I was going to collapse from suffocation.  So I didn't go too far.  However, these were my times:

Half mile: 4:52
1 mile: 9.46

So I didn't do all that bad.  I really need to get back on the bandwagon with running though!  My body keeps giving me these little pains and it's effecting how I feel while I run.

Tuesday

This was the first day of school... I was exhausted when I got home, and ended up not doing anything... :(

Wednesday

Today was Frank's birthday! Yaaaayyy!  Happy birthday, Frank! :D And it was the second day of classes, so I had three classes - all pretty stressful classes - and then he and I celebrated his birthday.  I did not go out and run... :(

Thursday

I did a Pilates DVD!  With Karen Garcia.  It was just strange.  I definitely like yoga better.  And I don't really fell it did anything to help em at all...  I just rolled around and held my legs a lot - haha!  But I didn't do anything else :(  I feel unreasonably overwhelmed.  Not that I have waaaaay too  much to handle right now, but because I'm letting myself be more overwhelmed than is reasonable at this point.  I got a good amount of homework done on time last night, and I am ahead of the game in reading for one of my classes :) I really need to get back into running again...

Friday

Rest Day

Saturday

I didn't do anything today, it was the day we were going out to lunch with friends and going to dinner with family to celebrate Frank's birthday!

If It's Not One Thing, It's Another!!!

Sunday

Rest Day

And Frank came home!!

Monday

I made myself go out and walk and run.  It felt really good to do something physically active again!  I started off by walking the inside loop of the apartments three times, just to warm my body up and see how my leg would be working.  I felt fine!  So I ran a lap, thinking that if I felt the need to, I would stop and just walk the rest of the time.  Well I finished one lap and went on to run a second lap!  That would equal approximately just over a half mile :)  Then I walked around once more for cool down.  I felt fine until I was walking up the stairs...

A few summers ago, I broke my tailbone... A problem I have had since it's healed is swelling in the SI tendon that surrounds that part of my backbone and pelvis.  If I do too much unexpected physical activity, I feel it swell up and get tight, and it hurts to walk or move my leg or hip or really do anything.  Sooo....

Tuesday

...I didn't really do much.  I even drove to work... My leg is feeling so much better, but now my back is on my nerves - literally!

Wednesday

I wake up and my back feels fine! :D  Thinking about the catch-up I need to do in order to continue training properly, I go to give my husband a good morning kiss and what happens?  KINK IN MY NECK!  Not a small glowering kink, not one on the side either.  It's down on the left side right above where my neck meets my spine.  And it is so painful... :'(  It's made my day horrible, I feel little spikes of pain every way I turn my head, I keep having a dull headache, and I'm having a bad day as it is!!!!!!  I just don't understand!!!!!!  What is going on!!!!!!!!!!  Advice to everyone: if you have an exercise schedule, stick to it - don't take an irregular break for any reason!!!!!!!  Ever since I took the day off from running to go to Charleston, I have had nothing but physical injuries to take care of - one right after the other!!!!!!  :(

I'm not going to let this bother me anymore!!!  I know better than to start where I left off after an extended period of time.  So I started back at week one tonight :)

I ran for 20 minutes.  Actually, I ran 2 miles in 19:57!  Frank drove around the apartment loop that we run around and measured with the car how much the distance was.  He recorded just over .4 miles= 1 loop.  So with the extra bits of feet that we add in from running further outside the driving loop, we estimated basically 1 loop = 1/2 mile.  I ran around 4 times!  Frank did an excellent job in running 3.1 miles in roughly 30 minutes - proud of you, babe ;)

Thursday

Tonight is cross-training.  I wanted to take Frank up to the gym with me to do some agilities!  But here's what we did instead:

Frank ended up running with our friend Peter (he found a new running buddy! yay!) They ran 1.5 miles together, so proud of him!

I ran half a mile in 4:21, did some agilities in 30-40 yd intervals, and then finished with a half mile (4:58). The next morning: my legs feel like lumber, but I know that's a good thing ;)

I still have a pretty painful kink in my neck, and little pains are bothering me, but I'm working through them :)

Friday

Rest day... and it was raining... again...

Saturday

Frank and I have been getting into the habit of running late at night... like midnight... HA! So, we went outside for a run in the cool misty air. We ran 2 miles together, since I'm trying to work back up to where I was while I was out with multiple injuries.  We ran the first 3 laps together (each lap is half a mile); these were our times for each lap:

Lap 1 - 5:41
Lap 2 - 11:35
Lap 3 - 17:27
Frank's 4th lap - 22:20
Jessica's 4th Lap - 22:58

So not that bad, right :)

Sunday

Rest Day

Oh, My Leg!

I am at Week 5 on my 10K training guide!

At this stage, I can look at the possibility of doing 2.5 miles, and I don't feel so bad.  3 miles, I am starting to feel a bit more comfortable with, and anything beyond that, I am still a bit nervous about.  I am already starting to notice small changes in my appearance, my belly has lost a little extra fluff, and my face is getting a little thinner.  My legs are much stronger than they were, and the rest of my body is getting stronger.  I don't feel aches and pains regularly anymore like I used to, and I notice that I breathe better - even when I'm not running!  Even though I have thinned just a little bit, I have gained 6 pounds (probably from muscle weight) but I won't let that discourage me.  I'm eating much healthier foods (even though what I already ate before wasn't bad, now it's even better).  We'll be running our first 5K for the season in September, and then another one in October, November, and December.  We've even started looking into the Spring semester, and have already decided on a few of them!  So that is where I'm at right now :)

Monday

I got sick today... I drank too much caffeine, and I started feeling dizzy and nauseous... My body can't handle too much caffeine, and it sucks, and it effects me negatively whenever I drink it.  So I went home early from work today and went to sleep for 3 and a half hours :(  But when I woke up, and as I started feeling better, I went on a walk around the apartment complex.  I walked around four times, which I assume adds up to be about a mile and a half, maybe close to two miles (I have no real way of telling...) And then I went to sleep.

Tuesday

I decided that, since I hadn't run since last Wednesday, I would run a little bit tonight.  Frank and I went to Ben Lippen track to run laps (4 laps around a track = 1 mile).

Frank did his second best time for a mile in 8 minutes and 13 seconds!

I did pretty well (since I can't remember my ultimate best) =

I ran 1 mile in 10 minutes and 20 seconds!  

I beat my recent 1 mile mark of 1 mile in 12:07!  Go Jessica :)

However... after we were finished and we walked a lap to cool down, I started feeling a dull ache in the back of my leg...  By the time we got home, it had worsened and I was starting to get scared... I thought for a while that it might actually be a blodd clot... :( scawwy.  But I survived the night, and my pain hasn't spread, even though it hurts the more I walked.  I looked up some symptoms and treatments, and it turns out that I have shin splints.  And it hurts...

Wednesday

Since I have shin splints, I can't run, or even walk extensively on it, for a few days.  I need to ice it for 15 minutes every 4-6 hours,and I need to keep it propped regularly, and I need to stretch it very carefully every hours.  So for the next few days, I will be focusing on upper-body strengthening, and maybe some cycling if I can handle it.  This is fine by me, since my legs are very solid right now.  Whenever I started, I didn't have a whole lot of fat in my legs (thanks, genetics) but just a lot of fallen, unused muscle.  So now that that muscle in strengthened again, everything in my legs are solid.  Upper-body strengthening doesn't seem so bad then ;)

Thursday

I didn't do anything, my leg was hurting a lot and Frank left, so I took the night off and hung out with a friend :)

Friday

Rest Day

Saturday

I cleaned house... My leg was hurting a little bit still from the shin splints...  I felt so lazy without Frank here...

Oh, My Lungs!

So this week started off a bit rough - at least more so than usual.

Monday

When Frank and I got to the gym on Monday, we were supposed to run for 25-30 minutes.  But once we got there, Frank realized that he left his dad's movies at home (we were supposed to meet them that night to give them back to him) and we didn't want to run for half an hour, go back and shower and change and get the movies and then be way late to meet them.  So I suggested that he run there and back.  He didn't want to, so I offered.  Well we decided we would go together. :)

We started off at the fitness center and ran down to the Boulevard (which we estimated to equal about .15 of a mile).  When we got to the Boulevard, we ran up and back which equals out to be about 3/4 of a mile.  So once we got back to campus from running the Boulevard, we ran approximately 9/10 of a mile.  From there we ran from the Administration building down to our apartment (taking no short cuts) and that is about a mile away from where we were.  After turning back around with the movies in hand, we ran the long way back up onto campus and down the road in front of Walk, Founders, and Petty, up the hill on the other side of the Grad/Sem buildings and back to our car.  This was probably about a mile and a quarter or a mile and a half.

Overall, we ran approximately 3.15 -3.4 miles in about 25 minutes.  Who knows, maybe it was more like around 3 miles, but either way it sucked!!!  Haha!  I had such a hard time breathing in all the pollution and smaug and humidity and manure and all that other stuff!  And I could not handle running up alllll of those hills!!!!  So many hills!!!   My legs are still killing me from that run yesterday!  I really needed God for strength and He really encouraged me.  At a certain point, my head started to feel light
(from running up a steep hill) and I thought, "just push it!" but I felt God telling me, "take it easy, take care of yourself."  So I slowed down to a point I could handle, and I never stopped the whole way!  I'm proud of myself for finishing and not giving up :) But my lungs just aren't quite ready to start training outdoors yet.  I'm working on getting my muscles in shape first so that, when I do go outside to train, my body will be fine and I can focus on my lungs.

Tuesday

This was a cross-training day for me.  My legs were KILLING ME!  Yesterday was really challenging.  So today for cross-training, I pushed through, which is the best thing to do when you're sore :)

I did weight machines:
Low Back - 25 reps at 60 lbs.
Glute Machine 20 reps at 40 lbs.
Pectoral Fly 15 reps at 40 lbs.
Chest Press 15 reps at 40 lbs.
Row - 20 reps at 45 lbs.
Shoulder Press - 15 reps at 45 lbs.
Lat Pull Down - 15 reps at 75 lbs.

And I did agilities:
50 butt kicks
40 knee highs
13 hoppers
20 frogs
16 lungs
50 jumping jacks

Biiiiiig stretch!

Wednesday

Today I needed to run either 25-30 minutes.  I was going to do 30, but I needed to leave quickly so that I could help Frank with something, so I only did 25 minutes.  I ran 2.08 miles in 25 minutes!! So I'm making progress.

Thursday

More weight machines for cross-training today!  I need to find other things to do, like real yoga, the bar method, other things that tone.  See the problem for me is that I really want to tone - I don't want to be buff.  It's especially hard for me because, if you've known me for at least a few years, you would understand that muscles grow on me and stay.  And they don't go anywhere.  And it's hard to make them look more feminine.  They're just... big muscles.. and I'll be honest... I sometimes feel embarrassed by those muscles because they are so big... :(  So until I can make it back to the library to get some sort of female-toning dvd to follow, here is the weight machine toning I did:

Weight machines:
Low Back 20 reps at 60 lbs.
Glute Machine 20 reps at 40 lbs.
Pectoral Fly 20 reps at 30 lbs.
Chest Press 20 reps at 45 lbs.
Row 20 reps at 45 lbs.
Shoulder Press 20 reps at 45 lbs.
Lat Pull Down 20 reps at 75 lbs.
Adductor 25 reps at 40 lbs.

After I finished with this, I did 40 lunges with 3 lb. dumbbells in each hand.  It felt good in my legs at this point.

Friday

Rest Day.

Saturday

Today I was supposed to run 3.5 miles today but instead... WE WENT TO CHARLESTON with our friends!!!!  And it was a blast!  The reason we decided not to run after we got back (as originally intended) is because we ended up parking 3 miles away from where our destination was... and we walked there... and then walked around the battery and the market place... and then walked almost 3 miles back... so I have lots of blisters on my feet and I am exhausted... I think walking instead of running today is okay...

We had fun though!  Look for my soon post about the fun time we had there!!

Encouraging Tips

As most of you know, I began a little bitty journey to getting in shape near the start of the summer.  I only recently started blogging about it though.  You can look through my gradual process here if you want to know more about it!

I understand that I'm not overweight, or anywhere near obesity.  I'm a pretty fair size for a young working, married, college student, and I LOOK like I'm probably in alright shape as it is.  I probably LOOK like it wouldn't take much to get myself in shape, if I wasn't.  So some of you may be wondering why it's such a big deal to do what I'm doing or to even blog about it.  However, while I'm starting off much smaller than the typical Biggest Loser contestant, it's still just as much a struggle for me to keep going and sometimes to even start this process of making my body healthier.  Even for me, it's really hard to avoid foods that truly are not good for anyone - especially if I like them, it's really hard to tell myself that running isn't as hard as I'm making it out to be to myself, it's hard to not want to stop, or to skip a day, and it's hard to want to do anything sometimes.

Some things I've learned throughout my life are resurfacing now that I'm really trying to do something good for myself again.  For those of you who are struggling with some of these things - wanting to start, wanting to keep going, wanting to fill your belly with good foods, and so on - I have a few encouraging tips to share with you and I really hope they help you.

One of the first things you can do to simply get your mind motivated for getting in shape:

Find Goals

-  Start small.  If you want to lose some body fat weight, make a small goal of 5 or 10 pounds in a period of time.  Naturally, our bodies do not lose weight quickly, so maybe plan for 5 pounds lost in a month - that is really a terrific start!  If you feel ambitious, make that goal 8 or 10 pounds in a month, but don't make unrealistic goals.  Unrealistic goals lead to disappointment and frustration which leads to discouragement which leads to stopping.

-   In the same way, start small: If you can only walk half-way around a track without stopping, aim for walking one full length around a track.  If you can only run one time around a track without stopping, aim for running twice around a track without stopping, and so on.  Don't try to push yourself after only one or two workouts or tries.  Let your body work up to a certain point of fitness before you ask it to do something it can't handle.

-  One of the best goals to work for is through finding races around the area.  Again, start small.  Find a local 5K walk/run and start planning towards it.  If you want to walk 3.1 miles - train to walk for 3.1 miles.  If you want to run 3.1 miles, train towards 3.1 miles.  If you want to go in between, train to run for a mile, and fill the rest with walking.  I promise, though, you will want to work harder as you know a date is coming for you to give everything you've got and use what you've been training towards!

Find Accountabili-buddies

-  Do you have a friend or close co-worker who really wants to help you, or really wants to improve themselves, too?  Talk to them about working out regularly or running/walking once or twice a week.  It's best if you ask someone whom you have always known to be persistent, someone you can rely on to not give up.  Try finding at least one person, but as the saying goes: the more the merrier!  This way you can keep each accountable, and because there's someone there to "make" you do it, to encourage you, and for you to encourage, you will want to make yourself push it!

-  Maybe with this person you find for accountability, you can find classes to do for cardio, aerobics, zumba, etc.  You can also check out your local library for DVDs to rent of different workouts (yoga, Pilates, the bar method, P90X, Insanity, etc.)  Find something that you know you'll be able to handle for the most part, and then push yourself a little to do the things you can't.

-  One more thing I have found to be easily encouraged by is blogging!  By blogging, I feel that everyone who reads my updates expects me to fulfill my goals and not let myself down.  This motivation gives me encouragement to never miss a day.  Try starting a blog! I recommend Blogger ;) But i you already have a blog, start posting your own journey and things you go through so that the rest of the world can support you!

Drink Water

-  This one should be a no-brainer.  Except for the fact that it is!  Your body is made up of roughly 70% water, while your brain is made up of roughly 90% water.  The more water you have in your body, the more toxins are flushed out and replaced by good energizing water that refreshing your body, restores your muscles, and keeps your brain content.  Water is very important especially if you're working out regularly.

-  You've probably heard of all sorts of amounts of water you should in-take.  Listen to what you want, but consider this: if 90% of the liquids you put into your body is not water, there's a problem that you need to fix.  I don't think it's wrong to drink things like tea, soda and coffee, but drink them as treats and don't drink them every day.

-  Drink water even when you're not thirsty.  Drink water even when you don't plan on working out that day.  Even though you don't think you need it, your muscles are still working 24/7 to repair and rejuvenate for next time.  Don't let your muscles down and they won't let you down.

Eat!

-  All of these crash diets, and diets in general are ways the world are trying to manipulate you.  Think back to a time (when we weren't alive) and there were healthy people all over the place.  They had fresh farm-grown foods from down the road, not all this processed junk.  They drank water or milk, not soda and sugar water.  Their sweets were fruits and a little sugar to sweeten, not candy and ice cream and junk like that.  And they were just fine.  When you go shopping, keep that image in mind.  Shop for fruits and vegetables, but not the ones in the can - shop through the real produce.  Don't look for beans in a can either - bagged beans are much better for you!  Eat rice and whole grains.  Whole grains are better for you than whole wheat!  Eat foods you like, but in better condition!  Some of these things may be cents more expensive than the easy stuff, but momma always said, "the health of your body is worth the price of good food."

-  Look online for recipes that are fresh and good for you.  Make sure they don't ask for loads of butter, sugar, oil, or salt, but instead explain how the foods in it are what gives the great flavor.  Buy vegetarian cookbooks.  Yes, I know not all of you are vegetarians like me, in fact most of you probably aren't.  However, in the real vegetarian world, our cookbooks are recipes that are really very good for you.  Most vegetarian/vegan cookbooks don't only focus on meat-free plates, but they focus on health and how good the food is that you are eating.  Simple way to add meat to these recipes: add a little bit of meat to these recipes.  Real meat.  Not that packaged stuff.  Find the good things that will keep your body working well, and don't eat too much of it at once.  I promise, the more delectable recipes you find, the more excited you will be as you're checking out at the register with tons of good food!  You will be so excited that you'll go home and put your culinary skills to the test - even if you don't have any of those skills!  I personally recommend a cookbook that was given to me by a dear cousin: Crazy Sexy Kitchen by Kris Carr.  What she makes is amazing!

-  An hour before your workout, eat a good portion of carbohydrates - this will give you good energy to burn off while you are exercising.  Within the hour after you finish, eat or drink a good amount of protein to help your muscles restore from your workout.  Don't over-do it on either of these things; too much of a good thing is bad for you.  Use Google (or another search engine) to learn more about portion control.

-  Do not avoid calories!!  Eat roughly 2,000 a day (more or less, depending on your body weight and level of activity).  Your brain cells restore on calories.  If your brain cells are lacking energy, they will send signals to your brain saying that you need more calories.  Your brain, in-turn, makes you feel hungry and you will be tempted to eat more.  Just be sure that whatever you eat with calories isn't bad for your body.  Make sure it's fresh, organic, unprocessed, and good for you.  That way, your brain gets the energy it needs and you aren't hungry as often!

Rest & Stretch

-  Can't be stressed enough!  Resting is terrific after a few days of hard physical activity.  Every two or three days, take a day off and let those sores muscles take a break.  This is okay to do!  I recommend, however, not taking a that lasts more than one day.  Give your body time to recover, but don't let it become stagnant - if you get used to resting for too long, you won't have much motivation to continue.  For me, I take rest days on Friday and Sunday.  That works best for me - find out what works best for you!

-  Stretch before and after a workout.  Some people say it avoids injuries, some people say that's irrelevant.  Regardless the case, it's good for your muscles to be flexible and agile.  The best way to make them this way is to stretch.  When you stretch, you're allowing your muscles to let go of toxins that may be stuck in some deep muscle tissue.  Your body will thank you :)

Have Fun


The one thing I have noticed repeatedly about myself as I've been trying to get back in shape is that I have a hard time not letting become a chore.  Making myself healthy should be exciting!  It should be fun!  And no one wants to do something that isn't fun!  Make the best of the time you have while you are exercising, working out, running, dancing, etc.  Don't let it be the same dull thing every time - mix it up!  Keep it interesting for your mind and body.  Every day you plan to work out, tell yourself (best in a mirror!) that you are really looking forward to running and getting into better shape, and you can't wait to start!  There was a psychologist of the 20th century, Carl Rogers (I hope I remembered the right name!) who made himself feel better after coming close to death because he told himself every day that he was going to heal (psychotherapy!).  So if you tell yourself that you are doing a great job, that you are looking better, that you are excited about running - all of those things will be more and more true.  God designed our bodies to have great potential; but the enemy knows our weaknesses and he will do what he can to manipulate us into thinking we will fail.  Praise God for the way He designed us!

I hope many of these tips have been encouraging to those of you who struggle to find confidence in yourselves.  YOU CAN DO IT! I promise, and once you do it, you will feel so amazed at the fact that you did.