Being bold - and maybe crazy - on my 41st birthday!

Today is my 41st birthday!  Yay!

And a little bit of Boo! because - well (sigh) 41. 

Last year before my 40th birthday, I made a list of 40 things I wished to accomplish in the coming year.  I've been mildly successful with that list, and you can read about it here.  It really was a fun approach to goal-setting, and I recommend it to anyone looking to stay motivated and accountable.

This year, I am trying something a little bit different.  You might remember that my one little word for 2013 is BOLD.  So I am taking the approach of having one big BOLD goal, and just going for it.

I am scared out of my mind and I might be a little crazy, but this morning,  I registered for the 2013 Nationwide Children's Hospital Columbus Marathon.

On October 20, 2013,  this former couch potato will run her first marathon. That's right - the whole freakin' 26.2 mile enchilada!

Registering online went something like this:  ohgodohgodohgod, whatamidoing, ohgodohgod, shitshitshit, ohgod..........hold breathe for way too long...........ohgodwhatdidijustdo.

And then I texted my husband:

Exhaleeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Only .5% of the population has ever run a marathon.   It's pretty cool to think of doing something so rare, but there's a reason it's rare.  It's a big commitment and it's going to be scary and hard.

For the next few months, I'm in serious, dedicated weight loss mode.  I need to get some extra pounds off before training really picks up. My exercise plan for the next 6 weeks is to run 2/3 times per week (want to hit 10 miles per week) plus jazzercise 2/3 times per week.   My food plan is:  keep it "real", measure my portions, and stop with the darn carbs/dairy/nuts as snacks!  That just can't happen any more. 

Starting March 19, I will begin training for the Cleveland Rite Aid Half-Marathon which is on May 19.

After the half, I plan to take it easy for several weeks and just run for fun, probably back down to the 10 mile per week mark.  We're going on a beach vacation from June 8-15.  I know I'm really a runner now because one of the things I'm most looking forward to on vacation is early morning runs on the beach :-)

Last summer @ Myrtle Beach. Running on the beach at sunrise is right up there with the most wonderful things in life.

On June 16,  I begin marathon training.  Gulp.


I will follow Hal Higdon's Novice 1 Marathon Training Plan.  It's an 18 week plan and can be found here:
My Marathon Training Plan

I am scared.

I've said that already, right?
Maybe three times?

The biggest fears/concerns that I need to push through:

1.  This is a big time committment, and will take a lot of time away from my family.  This is really hard for me and is likely to be the biggest obstacle. G starts high school this fall, and S starts middle school.    Am I being selfish to take on this big thing at the same time when they are also going through big transitions? At the heaviest point of training, I will be running 40 miles per week.   That's 8 hours.  Where do I find an extra 8 hours?

2.  I'm likely to be training alone.  A 20 mile training run by myself?   How on earth do you push through that kind of wall on your own?  I guess I'm going to find out!

3. What if I get hurt?   What if I push too hard/too far and  injure myself? I can't even think about what it would be like not being able to run.  HUGE fear.  Running means so much to me.

4.  What if I fail?  It happens all the time during a marathon, even to experienced runners.  I've just written publicly that I plan to do this. What if I train for months, have my family and friends in Columbus cheering for me, and I fail spectacularly before their eyes? Will my first marathon end with a "DNF" (did not finish) next to my name? 

This is going to be an epic challenge.  I'm probably nuts for considering this at 41 years old, and 40 pounds overweight.

But it also feels like high time for me to leap and build my wings on the way down.

I can build my wings on the way down, right?  I guess I'm going to find out. 

Exhaleeeeeeeeeeee.

 I'm doing this.
So it shall be written -  so it shall be done!
(Whenever I plan to do something big I talk like Yul Brenner in "The Ten Commandments" and say that line)

Here's to 41!  Here's to living boldy! Happy Birthday to me! :-)

Race Planning 2013

Since huffing and puffing my way through my first 60 second run in August 2011, I 've completed five 5Ks, and two half-marathons.
 
WWRC Cleveland Fall Classic 5K - November 2011
Cleveland Rite Aid Half Marathon - May 2012
Nick Rauser Memorial 5K - June 2012
Cleveland Oktoberfest 5K Bier Run -   September 2012
Inland Trail Half Marathon - November 2012
WWRC Cleveland Fall Classic 5K - November 2012
Turkey Dash 5K - November 2012

My 14 year old son has run every one of the 5Ks with me.  I can't tell you how happy it makes me to run with him.  I use the phrase "with him" loosely - we start together and meet up together at the finish line, but he finishes his 3.1 miles in about 22 minutes while it takes me about 34 minutes on a good day.   Still we are together...motivating each other in the beginning, high fiving at the end,  recalling tales of bad turns, poor terrain, heat and exhaustion on the car ride home.

I love that we do this together.

When my kids were little, I was nearly 70lbs heavier -  fat and unfit.  I wasn't immobile and I know I was still a good mom but I wasn't the active and healthy mom they deserved.   Good health and fitness was a gift I could have had, but one I rejected.   I am so proud that now my kids will always be able to think of me as Mom The Runner, Mom Who Got Healthy and Fit,  Mom Who Can Run Further Than Me.  Ha! They constantly tell me how proud of me they are.  That means everything to me, and motivates me to keep going!

My youngest son's message to me (on my arm) for my first race.

One of the wonderful things about winter is that you get to sit back and plan out all of your races for the coming year!

There are so many great races to run - fun runs, trail runs, charity 5ks, silly 5ks,  mud runs, relays, 5 milers, 10Ks, 10 milers, half-marathons, marathons, ULTRA marathons, and God knows what else.   Races of different sizes with different themes and terrains. There is a race out there for everyone!

Just go to active.com and put in your zip code, and you will get a list of more cool races than you could ever imagine running!  You want to run in your underwear?   Run the Cupid Undie Run in Tremont.  Want to get dirty and then clean again?  Run the 5K Foam Fest in Columbus. Want to run a race around the city on open streets where you need to pick-up clues and find the fastest route?  Run the Ragin Cajun in Cleveland.

I love having a specific event to train for and find it highly motivating.  I think this is one of the reasons running has worked for me.    Hey you can do an hour on the elliptical at the gym, but nobody is going to give you a cool tshirt or a medal for it!

After much daydreaming and deliberation, this is what my 2013 race schedule looks like so far:


St. Malachi Run (5 miles) - March 2013
Cleveland 10 Miler Road Race - April 2013
Rite Aid Cleveland Half Marathon  - May 2013

TBD 5ks - going to limit myself to one or two charity 5Ks between June-August

Cleveland Rock and Roll Half Marathon - October 2013.  I really want to do this one with a couple of friends, but it it might interfere too much with..........

MYSTERY RACE - October 2013  (I'm trying to not talk myself out of this one, and might have something to announce next week :-)


If money were no object, I would sign up for a 5K every weekend! LOL.  But race fees do add up, especially some of the specialty races and half-marathons.

It really is FUN to run in an organized race.  The camaraderie is fantastic.  Nobody cares if you are fast or slow - the other runners will encourage you along the way.  The spectators will cheer for you! You will get tasty eats after the race, and more strange coupons and "free gifts" than you can imagine.  When you step it up to a half-marathon or more, you really start bringing in the loot.  Why when I picked up my race bib at the Cleveland Rite Aid Marathon Expo, I came home with a bag full of tampons...even the men got them!

So get out there and race!  Do it for yourself.   Do it for your kids.  Do it for the free tampons.

Bring it? Oh, it's already been brought-en

Word on the street is that I am somewhat competitive.

This is an aspect of my personality that took some time for me to accept.

I never really thought of myself as a competitive person until I asked some dear loved ones if they thought I was. They looked me in the eye, did a spit-take/laughed/choked/ and said, "Is the Pope Catholic?!". 

Their rudeness in the face of a simple question caused me to reflect.

I liked to get good grades as a kid, but I was never out to beat anyone's grades.  I have only one sibling, and she's older and not the least bit competitive with me. I didn't play competitive sports, so no competitive spirit there. I  take pleasure in friends' accomplishments and successes so I'm not that sort of competitive person, ie, the jealous bitch type.

But...still.  If I'm playing a board game, I want to win.  I might recall taunting my children to "bring it" when playing Candyland back in their preschool days. Those guys vs girls party games?  Oh, I want the girls to win, and probably take it a little more seriously than the other ladies.   So much depends on proving our female superiority! Couples games?  I still haven't forgiven Andy for our July 2009 "Newlywed Game" loss.  Totally his fault.  Trivia games?  You are looking at the queen.  I've seen the respect in people's eyes when I plunk down at the video trivia game at Dave & Buster's, and I like it.

And if I know I'm right about something- KNOW IT - I will bet to win.   I won a puppy from my Dad when I was 6th grade and we were both *certain* of an answer on my Social Studies study guide.  I won a Coach purse from Andy when we were both *certain* of some movie trivia. If Andy and I disagree about some piece of trivia or information and I get a gleam in my eye and offer to bet him, the man has wisely learned to back away from his crazy wife.

Jazzercise North Olmsted - the new jazzercize studio in town - is having a two month weight loss contest with a cash prize.

Head cocking to the right.  Ears pricking up like a German Shepherd.

Contest,  you say?! 
 Cash prize,  you say?!  

As my girl Pink would say/sing.....
 It's so on right now.

Details: Contest runs from January 28 through March 25.  There's a $20 buy-in.  Half of the money collected will go to the winner.  Half  to Relay for Life.

I don't know yet if it's based on pounds lost or percentage of weight loss.   No matter.  I want it.  I'm going to do my best to crush them be successful.  I will report my weekly weight loss here on the blog.

I am highly motivated by this kind of stuff.  I wish I could say all of my motivation is internal, but Mama is going on a beach vacation this summer.  What great timing to move my booty off this god-awful plateau, and win some $$ for some cute summer clothes.


I won't guarantee a win. There could be someone else as crazy as me in the contest. BUT, this is exactly the motivation I need to move forward.  I'm really excited!

Speaking of jazzercise - still loving it, and not to get too cocky, but I think I'm getting less awkward while doing it.   I'm settling in to a 2-3x per week routine, and then running 2-3x per week.  I've only been jazzercising for 3 weeks, but am definitely seeing some changes in my body.

Real food challenge has been...challenging.   I've had two slips in the past week.   Those two slips - one eating white pasta and the other drinking a flavored-with-artificial-sweetener water  - made me feel absolutely awful.  This weekend is going to be rough as I will be celebrating birthdays three days in a row.  These were pre-planned "cheat days" at the beginning of the challenge.  I'm going to make the best choices possible, and get ready to hit the ground running for the contest on Monday!  Woot!

Not a typical week - my weekly dinner plan and reasons to celebrate

I did my usual Wednesday meal planning night, and now have a list of what we will be eating for dinner from Saturday, January 19-Friday January 26.  No new recipes this week, but this is a really yummy line up so make sure to follow the links for some good recipes!

I also have a few asides to share-  because, well,  I always have a few asides to share and next week is not a typical week.
 
* Saturday - Eating Out For G's Family Day Anniversary

Sunday -   Mimi's  roast sticky chicken,  crash hot potatoes, roasted carrots plus corn bread for kids.

** Monday -  Baked white cheddar whole wheat mac n cheese with kale and bacon - Andy's choice for his birthday dinner 

Tuesday -   Whole Wheat Penne with Turkey and Asparagus  

Wednesday -  Lemony shrimp over brown rice

Thursday -  Chicken fried rice. I always make fried rice for dinner in the same week I make a roasted whole chicken.  On Sunday night, I will pick what is left off the chicken (I hate doing this...ick) and toss in freezer to bring out later in the week. My fried rice is hearty with carrots, peas, eggs, broccoli and chicken.  I use soy sauce and Thai garlic chili paste to season.  I'll  make the adults' portions with brown rice, and the kids' with jasmine rice.

*** Friday -  Fend for Yourself! Mama's going out! 

Extras:  butternut squash soup, pumpkin spelt muffins, roasted chick peas

All of the above meets our real food/non-processed food guidelines with the exception of the items marked "kids only", ie corn bread and jasmine rice.

Now for the wonderful, asterisked events in our life!

*  This is my oldest son's "Family Day", the anniversary of his adoption.  He gets a small present,  picks where/what he wants to eat,  we reminisce as a family,  and pay honor to his birth parents.  I know Andy and I will engage in the yearly ritual of "Can you believe how lucky we are?" and taking a long moment to be in awe together of all that cosmically transpired  to bring us such a tremendous blessing.  When I held my 3 month old, 8lb baby boy in that hot and humid Cambodian orphanage,  he immediately locked eyes with me.  I'm convinced we both knew what that moment meant.  It was a sacred exchange and a promise. What a wonderful fourteen years it has been.

Our first look at our son.  This face!

When G. was little he looked at this picture and asked if we had just won the lottery because we look so happy.  It's  since been known as "the lottery picture".

** My husband Andy's 41st birthday.  I have so much love and affection for this man, and look forward to celebrating him.  We've been together since the age of 17 . I lucked out.  Married up.  Snagged him when he was too young to know better.   He's good, loving, kind, funny and hard-working.  On the day we were married he told me that he would always treat me like his girlfriend and has honored that  promise for nearly 19 years.  Andy is also an incredible father.  He has such a special and close relationship with our kids.   For ten years, he worked nights, and was the at-home parent during the day.  How he slept so little, managed the kids with good humor and patience , and drove our youngest son to auditory verbal, occupational, and speech therapies nearly every day for many years I will never know.   He's made countless sacrifices without batting an eye so we can best meet their needs.   How lucky I am that he is their father and their role model of manhood. You will never hear me bitch about my husband.  He's not perfect, of course, no one is - but his every action is motivated by his love for us. I like, love and respect the hell out him.

***The Winter Birthday Trifecta!  It shall be celebrated with much laughter, food and drink!  In my tight circle of female friends, three out of four of us celebrate our birthdays within a twelve day period in late January/early February.  This year, the trifecta shall be celebrated in a grand way.    Girls night out at Playhouse Square to see Spank!  The 50 Shades of Grey Musical Parody, and then fabulous food and drink at Wine Bar Rocky River.   Can't wait to unleash my inner goddess, bite my lip, laugh my booty off, and have a few drinkie drinks with my ladies.  

 

You can't miss me, that's for sure.

When I was in fourth grade, I went to a classmate's birthday/slumber party all decked out in what I thought was the coolest outfit ever.  Picture this, starting from the top of my head:  pink beret, red turtleneck, pink pleated skirt, pink tights, red leg warmers, and pink high top converse.  I was a vision!  A 9 year old walking Valentine!

When I got to the party, the other girls laughed at me.  I  went home, changed clothes, and came back to the party.

I have a history of this throughout my childhood and adolescence.  The love of the bold and quirky and then letting other people's  more conventional tastes change me.

It happened in 6th grade (1984) when I got a bi-level haircut - oh yeah, one side super short, and the other long.  I went back the next day to the salon to get it evened out.   In high school, I had a couple of friends tease me about my "pilgrim" fashion sense - my love of big buckled shoes and vests.  I really did kind of look like a boy pilgrim, minus the hat.  But I liked that look!

One of the things I LOVE about running is that it allows me to embrace my inner 10 year old's still quirky fashion sense. Many runners like things LOUD and BOLD.  Crazy colors and patterns.   Neon hued shoes.   Sparkly tutus and headbands.   I have found my people!

And with that, I give you my new neon pink CEP Compression Socks, wonderfully paired with my neon orange Adidas Supernova Sequence running shoes!

Wow!

These buggers cost $60!  I'm wearing $60 socks!  (I'm also wearing them on the wrong feet...only after my run did I discover one was labeled "L" and the other "R" and they weren't where they were supposed to be...lol)

My dear husband got these for me for Christmas after hearing how much I wanted to try them, and also hearing how I would never, ever, ever spend $60 on a pair of socks.

He's so good like that.  He listens to me, remembers, and gives great gifts.

Apparently, good compression socks help reduce the risk of injury, help with muscle fatigue during runs, and aid in recovery.

I took them out for a 5 mile spin in the Metroparks over the weekend.  Honestly, I don't know if it was the socks or a coincidence, but I ran my fastest 5 miles ever finishing in 59:38.  I usually finish between 61-64 minutes.  My legs felt great during the entire run, and nice and loose after.  No aches or twinges or tight muscles  at all the rest of the day.

My one worry is that the socks might make me feel too hot during warmer months.  Or maybe I just feel that way now because it's a very new feeling.  I just felt very aware that I was wearing them, and that they were hugging my calves pretty snugly (warmly?)

Because they are super expensive and I  have one pair, I plan to only wear them on longer run days.  If I forge ahead with my bold 2013 running plan, there are going to be many long runs in my future.  Hopefully, these brightly colored beauties will help me through. 
******************************************
Monday night brought a new episode of The Biggest Loser.  I'm starting to lose my love for some of the contestants.  However, one of them said one of the smartest things I've ever heard on the show or anywhere regarding weight loss....

"I've learned being healthy isn't a chore.  It's a gift."

This is wise, and it's truth.  It's when your mindset changes from "chore" to "gift" that healthy changes become permanent and your life changes.  Putting nourishing food into my body, and then pushing my body to get stronger and run faster and longer isn't a chore.  It's a gift.  I'm giving a gift to myself, and to my loved ones with every healthy choice I make.

So, I encourage anyone reading this to put on your wackiest, brightest ensemble and get out there and do it!  Give yourself the gift of a healthy you.  You deserve it!

More on grocery shopping - planning and budget

Back in November, I blogged a bit about how I menu plan and grocery shop for our clean eating/real food lifestyle.  I'm going to get a bit more specific about this process because I was always really curious about this when I was starting out.

A bit of background.  Like many young couples, Andy and I were terribly wasteful and had horrible diets when we were newly married.  I shudder to think of all the money we wasted - and all the pounds we put out on! - eating out constantly and eating processed food at home.  We thought we were busy, which is hysterical in retrospect.  We are plenty busy now.  I work full-time.  Andy works 60+ hours per week in a physically exhausting job.  We have two very active kids with lots of homework, practices, rehearsals and games. 

Today nearly everything we eat is prepared at home - breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks for all four of us.  The kids pack lunches for school.  Andy and I take our lunches to work.   We might eat a meal out twice per month.  I mention this because our weekly grocery budget may seem high, but I don't think it's  too bad considering how well (and now healthy) we eat and that it is virtually our only cost of food for the week.

I know a lot of people choose eating out for convenience.  In general, the food is not good for you - it's high in sodium and fat, and the portions are way too big.   And it's expensive.  It's gotten to the point for us that one decent meal out for our family, including tip, is between $75-$100.  I can buy so much real, good food for $100!   And I swear if you do some of your planning up front, it is not inconvenient to prepare your meals at home.  I put in about one hour of planning per week.  And then we shop. We usually go to 3 stores per week, but we only go once and rarely have to stop at any point during the week to pick up an item.  Also I never have the "oh god, what will I make for dinner" thing.  I know exactly what I'm making, have everything on hand, and can usually have dinner on the table 45 minutes after I decide it's dinner time.  It's not really stressful or inconvenient.  

I sit down once per week (usually Wednesday night) and plan out our next 6-7 dinners.   I go through my recipes on Pinterest, in cookbooks and take family requests.   Additionally,  I always plan to  make one cold salad (or a soup ) per week that hangs out in the fridge for lunches or extras for my bottomless pit children.  I plan whatever baked goods and special snacks I will make for the week.  I don't really plan breakfast and lunches.   We are all creatures of habit with breakfast so that doesn't take much planning or thought. The kids have usual items they enjoy for lunches, and Andy and I often eat leftovers. 

Here's what I came up with for the coming week:
 
Saturday: dinner at Mom's - bring whole wheat spaghetti noodles,  "big italian salad" with homemade dressing
Sunday:   slow cooker pulled pork with homemade kansas city style bbq sauce and mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli
Monday:  chicken a la Ceci, wild rice and green beans
Tuesday:  breakfast for dinner: pancakes (BL pancakes for grownups), bacon and eggs
Wednesday:  sweet potatoes stuffed with chick peas, spinach and mozzarella cheese
Thursday: whole wheat pizza (homemade sauce) with lots of veggie toppings
Friday:  beef curry with brown rice (purchased from my friend Kim's at home meal prep business!) and salad

extras to make:  black bean and couscous salad,  granola (adult) and granola bars (kids),  whole wheat banana bread, hard boiled eggs, and kale chips.  I tend to make many of these extras on Sunday night.  Helps get us ready for the week,

***** Everything written above meets clean eating/real food guidelines**************

When I plan these meals, I  sit in my kitchen so I can double check the fridge and pantry and make a list of all the items I need to complete each meal.  I then add additional items we need for the week.

On Thursday, I receive an email from The Basketeria, our favorite produce stand at the West Side Market , that details their specials and what's available for the week.  I pre-order anything I need from my grocery list.

For instance this week, I ordered the following for a grand total of $37.50:

2 pints of  blueberries  (organic)
1 lb bag of  kiwi  (organic)
3 red grapefruit  (organic)
flat parsley 
1 bucket of basil 
Romaine lettuce 
1 pint grape tomatoes 
1 english cucumber 
3lb bag of sweet potatoes (organic)
1 box of baby spinach  (organic)
1 head of broccoli 
1 lb green beans 
1 pack of white mushrooms
1 bunch of cilantro
1 bunch lacinato kale (organic)
3lbs bananas  (organic)
4 limes 
4 lemons (organic)
1 dollar bag of red peppers  (you get 3 red peppers in a bag for $1!)

On Saturday morning by 7am, we are on our way to the beautiful West Side Market! Here's what else we bought/spent.

Some of the wonderful options at Cleveland's West Side Market

Additional produce not available at Basketeria (grapes, clementine oranges, additional grapefruit because it looked good and big baking potatoes) - $15

DW Whitaker - 2lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts (fresh, all-natural, hormone free)  - $11

Meister's Pork - 3.5lbs boneless pork loin roast -  $15

Meister's Cheese - 1.5lbs whole milk mozzarella and fresh ground peanut butter - $9.25

Christopher's Bakery - 1 loaf of organic whole wheat bread, 1 loaf crusty Italian (to take to a family dinner) - $7.25

Ohio City Pasta  - fresh whole wheat pasta noodles - $3

Rita's -  8 ounce gouda stuffed green olives (OMG) and 8 ounces pepporicini poppers (OMGer). - $10

Pierogi Palace - 6 potato cheese pierogi (for kids because they love them) - $4.50

Frickaccio's -  2 organic whole wheat frozen pizza dough - $4.50

A grand total of $117 for the all the meat, cheese, produce and bread we will consume this week.  Not bad!

The dinner I will purchase from my friend's home business will cost $20.

The rest of the items on our list - things like black beans, couscous, honey, tomato paste, eggs, yogurt, cereal, oatmeal, nuts for granola, lunch items for kids, two junk food snacks for kids (we let them pick one each per week...hopefully, one day we will eliminate that)  plus all household cleaning supplies will be purchased at Aldi and Marc's, local discount store.  

Andy does that shopping solo.  He's awesome at it.  The man can follow a list, and will not waiver.  I will waiver, which is why I don't go.  We really do have a great and natural division of labor.  I do all the planning. He does most of the shopping.  I do all of the cooking.  He does all of the after meal clean-up.  It works very well for us!

This week at Marc's we spent $50.    At Aldi's we spent, $48.

That puts us at right around $240 for the entire week.   This represents breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks for two adults, 1 teen boy, 1 tween boy.   My kids both play sports and eat a lot.   My husband works a physical job.  We eat a lot of food!  This week was a bit high for us.  We are usually a bit under $200.

We could probably do better with the budget.  It's definitey a work in progress!

Three New Things!

I tried three new-to-me things this week.  All of them really good for my mental and/or physical health. I seem to do things in 3s.  Hmmm, curious.

First,  I'm learning to knit.  I've had two lessons from a wonderful co-worker, and have learned to cast on, knit, purl (sort of..it's difficult), and bind off.  Apparently, if I practice, practice, practice those things I will soon be knitting up a storm!  I told my teen and tween sons that my first project is making them baby booties, and they better wear them if they want to make Mama happy.

I knitted a hat for my dog.  Not really.  I just put the first thing I knit on her head.  She loves it! ;-)

My not-so-hidden secret is that I'm equal parts hardcore liberal feminist and wannabe 1950s style housewife.  The knitting and all the cozy things I will soon make for my family greatly appeals to the happy homemaker side of me.  I'm also imagining that a new hobby that keeps my hands busy will be great for cutting down on snacking, which is a big weakness for me.   Every extra moment  I've had this week has found me running off to practice my stitches and not shoving Ak Mak crackers and smoked gouda cheese in my face.  Winning!

I've also started jazzercising. We have a new jazzercise studio in town, and several of my friends have joined with me.  Oh goodness..that's one good,  fun, sometimes ridiculous workout.   Each class is one hour and includes cardio and abs/light weight training.   I love that I can have fun, get a good workout, hear some good music, and hang out with my wonderful friends.  Some of the moves are silly to be sure.  I'm pretty sure the on-the-floor cool down dramatically performed to Jason Mraz's "I Won't Give Up" would be worthy of an SNL skit.  But I absolutely love it, and I'm looking forward to adding these classes to my workout routine.  I'm hoping to get into a 3x running/2x jazzercising weekly routine.

 

I'm about this coordinated, and I still love jazzercise. 

Last but not least, I had my very first mammogram.

Let's talk boobs.

Last year, a high school friend was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 39.   This beautiful woman, a wife and mother of two young children is active, a non-smoker,  at a healthy weight and has no history of breast cancer in her family.  Thanks to a routine mammogram, her cancer was diagnosed at an early, but still life-altering stage.  She's been through a lot with her treatment, but today is cancer-free and doing well.

When she learned of my aversion to doctors - basically, that I hadn't been to one  in ten years - she made made me promise to go and have a mammogram.

In January 2012, I went for a GYN apppointment and I got the order for a mammogram.  By the way, that appoitment?  Was hysterical.  I  was nervous, and went directly from a enjoying two Mimosas at a friend's birthday lunch, and I was feeling a bit relaxed by time the appointment started. At the end of the appointment, my doctor said to me, "That was great!  You're fun!" HAHA! My gynecologist thought I was fun, and my appointment was good for her!  I'm pretty proud of that.

Almost an entire year passed, and I never went for the mammogram.  Way too much of a big chicken wussy baby.  The order was almost a year old and set to expire and I started to feel guilty about breaking my promise to my friend.  So I sucked it up, and went this week.

Long story short: the actual mammogram was the biggest non-event of my week.  It didn't hurt.  It wasn't even uncomfortable, really.  And it wasn't nearly as embarrassing as I thought would be.  It was over in minutes.  I simply can not believe that I was so anxious and put it off for so long.  I also can't believe that I was a nervous wreck - dropping my pen, clipboard, phone, purse AND coat in the 10 minutes I was in the waiting room.

If getting your first mammogram is on the horizon for you and you are anxious and thinking of delaying it, please don't.  It's nothing.  Mine was only two days ago, and I've already gotten the results.  I'm pleased to say the girls are looking good, and I now have a baseline for future mammograms.

Promise kept.  Good results.  Much relief.

Feels great to be back on track!

I've been back on track with "real food" for one full week.   It feels great!

Ain't gonna lie - the detox from the holiday sugar bender was really tough for me.  I knew it would be, and I had all the expected headaches, grumpiness, and sleepiness that I had when I first made the lifestyle change back in November. One good thing is that the detox period was definitely shorter this time lasting about five days versus ten.  I'm feeling very strong, and completely back to clean eating right now.  I have no cravings for processed food or sugar.

Andy is doing great.  The jerk is already down 7 lbs.  I kid, I kid.  I'm extremely proud of him, and a bit jealous - I'm only down 2lbs and that's because I managed to gain 4 during Christmas!.  He also has had no side-effects to changing his diet.  That doesn't really seem fair, does it?

I need to note that Andy is not eating completely clean at this point.  He works a physically demanding job with 12 hour work days and no lunch breaks.  He's forced to eat on the go, and can't eat a lot because the physical nature of the job makes that rough on his stomach.  His job is really terrible for his health in so many ways (sigh).   So, he is still drinking Gatorade during work for calories and hydration.  I'm going to look for alternatives to that for him.  Since he detests wastefulness, he's also finishing up some of the "work food" he purchased before the challenge - certain granola bars and mixed nut combos that don't meet the clean eating rules we've established.

It is great having him on board though.  This past week, every shared meal has been clean for the whole family.

There is one thing in parenting I'm sure Andy and I have done right.  And if you are a parent, you know any things you can be sure of and have no doubts you've done right are very few and far between - practically non-existent, really .  Andy and I have raised two non-picky, adventurous eaters.   We were very careful not to cater to signs of early pickiness, and as a result we have two kids who will pretty much try any food and seem to like most of them.  There's never a struggle at dinner time, or times where I need to make special foods or the kids won't eat.  That said when making stir-fry, I will continue to make them jasmine rice, while I make a pot of brown rice for the adults.  My kids just love, love, love jasmine rice (so do I!).  I just don't want to deny them the joy of their jasmine rice.    Any rice casseroles will be made with brown rice so that both kids and adults can eat it.

The boys have made the transition to whole wheat so well! Last night, I made a fantastic lasagna using my bolognese sauce and whole what lasagna noodles.

100% whole wheat durum flour is only ingredient in these noodles.  Available at Giant Eagle for $2.99.

While my youngest son looked at the finished product and immediately exclaimed, "Oh my God, even the lasagna is brown now!", he tried it, and loved it after the first bite.

As I've transitioned to serving only real food for the whole family, I've definitely been making some  high caloric meals.  I'm trying to keep them all reeled in with tastiness!
This has made portion control so important!    Saturday night's dinner was bacon-wrapped pork medallions with mashed potatoes(organic) and roasted brussel sprouts.  Sunday's dinner was whole wheat lasagna with organic green beans and salad (all organic veggies and homemade balsamic vinaigrette).     All real, but all will make you - or keep you - fat if you don't control your portions.

Last night after dinner, we watched the premiere of Season 14 of The Biggest Loser.  I do find that show pretty inspirational, and a great reality check.  God, what we do to our bodies.  We get this one miraculous body that carries us through this life and we treat it like a garbage can.  I really wish I had a time machine and could go back and undo all of the abuse I've put myself through. I know I'm doing the next best thing, but, ugh, I still have so many regrets.

These are a few of my least favorite things....

 

This is exactly as I remember disliking him.  RIP, Robert Urich.

I'm a pretty positive person, I think.    I love life.  I believe in the inherent goodness of people.   Smiling's my favorite. But I must be wearing my cranky pants this morning because I feel like creating a list of some of the things that annoy me.  Why not?  People/places/things mentioned herein range from mild-persistent annoyances to sources of dread and something approaching irrational hatred.  Step inside my cranky mind!



Robert Urich, 99.9% of the world's cats, Fox News, Fox Anything (except "New Girl" - it's delightful!), Pink Floyd,  licorice , racist people, homophobic people, Jennifer Aniston, co-dependent people, the words "moist" and "slacks" and if you put those words together in a sentence then I'll hate them both twice as much!, when people crack their knuckles, public restrooms, xenophobes, jazz music (to my core!), most unitaskers -  you know things that do one and only one thing when another object you already own can do the same job with precisely .1% effort!

You don't need this!  This is cute, but dumb!  Use a  knife!

people with no tolerance for kids being kids, people who let their kids do ANYTHING because "kids will be kids", candy corn,  when babies smell like cigarettes,

This song!

when people don't put their grocery carts back, people who complain about everything!  ;-) :)

There's probably more - probably a lot more - but this will do nicely right now.  I feel cleansed.  

Happy Saturday!

I like to move it, move it....

I love to run while listening to music and I've embarrassed myself a plenty while doing it!   Once while running in the park, I accidentally found myself belting out Flo Rida's "Wild Ones" when two extremely fit, good-looking 20-something guys ran passed me.  They were really nice about trying not to look like they were going to pee their pants laughing at me, but they totally were about to pee their pants laughing at me. C'est La Vie!
 
Don't let that little story stop you from making a playlist of music that inspires you and may even cause spontaneous singing and dancing (yeah, I've done that too).   Choosing the right music is a great tool to help push through the "God, I want to stop this second" moments and get the most out of your run.

I put my music into three categories:   inspirational message songs, songs that are special to me, and stupid/ridiculous songs with good beats.    They all help me in different ways.

Inspirational Message Songs

If you want a good inspirational song for the beginning of a new year/new life, I highly recommend some Mumford & Sons "Roll Away Your Stone". 

 

And so I'll be found

With my stake stuck in the ground
Marking the territory of this newly impassioned soul

Also recommend:

Eminem - 'Til I Collapse and Not Afraid.  Dude, that part in Not Afraid when you hear "Time to exorcise these demons. These motherf*ckers are doing jumping jacks now!"? You will soar when you hear it. I promise.

Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky) - Goes without saying.  Every time I run a 5K, I try to get this song to play last so I hear it as I see the finish line.  Stop laughing at me.

Pat Benatar - All Fired Up.  Kickin' it old school.

Florence + The Machine - Dog Days Are Over and Shake It Out.  Flo's got the inspiration thing down! 

Gym Class Heroes - The Fighter

Christina Aguilera - Fighter

The Roots - Here I Come

Songs with personal meaning to you 

I think we all have a soundtrack to our lives.  Songs that make you think of special people and times in your life.  If you are are a parent, I highly recommend putting songs on your playlist that remind you of your kids.  Nothing inspires me more than my kids.  I can't tell  you how many times during a difficult run, I think of my kids and know I can keep going.  "What if baby boy was 5 minutes or 5 miles down the road and he needed me?  Could I get to him?"  Well, that's a stupid question!  Of course, I could! Each and every time. Having songs that make me think of my loves has the same effect on me.

 

Katrina and The Waves - Walking on Sunshine.   This is baby boy #1's song.    On October 29, 1998, I learned I was going to be a Mama, and our 6lb dream come true - Rath Khemara - was waiting for us in a Cambodian orphanage.   I got the news at work, and couldn't get in touch with my husband.   I drove home to tell my husband while laughing, crying, speeding  and experiencing  complete to-the-marrow joy when this song came on the radio.  It was a perfect moment, and this song still gives me that euphoric feeling.  A much appreciated feeling towards the end of a loooooong run.


The Beatles' - Here Comes the Sun.   This is baby boy #2's song.  I won't even get into the long story, but the journey to our second child was long and difficult.  This kind of became the family theme song during the torturous wait.  Every night during, my husband played this on his guitar as a lullaby for baby boy #1.  The song makes me a little sad, a lot hopeful, and is a great reminder of miracles happening through great love and perseverance.   It's not a traditional running song, but it's such a biggie on the soundtrack of my life that it's perfect for me.

Brandi Carlile- The Story.  I love you, honey.

Other songs:

Usher - Love in this Club.  Memories of a drunken 5am hotel room sing-a-long in Vegas with your best friends?  Priceless.  Smiles for miles :-)

Rihanna - We Found Love.  Uh-oh.  I've had too much to drink again.

Edwin McCain - I Could Not Ask For More - a love song for my kids.

And many, many, many more.........................................


Stupid/Ridiculous Songs with Good Beats

Ok...a little bit embarrassing,so let's get this over with.

Black-Eyed Peas - Fergilicious.  Yeah, I said it.
LMFAO - Shots
Nelly - Hot in Herre
Rob Base and DJ E-Z Rock - It Takes Two
Britney Spears - I Wanna Go
Wreckx-N-Effect - Rump Shaker


Tons more on this list, one more embarrassing than the next.   Whatever gets you moving and keeps you moving!

Spend some time creating the perfect playlist for you.  It's a great tool to keep you running.

A trio of winning recipes for the new year!

Like so many people, I recommitted myself to healthy eating/living on January 1.

I fell off the wagon - hard - over the holidays.  I'm a bit disappointed in myself because I was doing so well for nearly five weeks with my real food challenge.  But on December 23, I had a shortbread cookie for no particular reason.  I wasn't really craving it, but got it in my head that I deserved it.  Hmmmmm.....that cookie started a free fall that lasted through New Year's Eve.   Eight crazy days and nights of sugar, sugar, sugar.  Blech.

A few small glimmers of hope - I ran and worked out during that same time period.   Exercise is a part of my life now, whether or not I am eating well.  I've got to give myself credit for that even when I falter diet-wise.   I had some great runs outside in the snow this past week.  I hit the elliptical hard on New Year's Eve (Hills on Level 16 for 60 minutes burning 1,100 calories!).  I even had a 3 mile run on the treadmill, and I hate the treadmill with the fire of a thousand nuns.  Seriously.

Also, I am still soda-free.  Over three months now, and I did not break that streak during SugarFest.  So that's a good thing, too.

And now, I'm ready to move on, and get back on track so that I may go BOLDLY into 2013, and reach my goals.

And this time, my husband Andy is totally on board.  I'm excited about this, and a bit nervous, too.

Andy has always been super supportive, and has never once complained about any whackadoodle plan/dinner I've made.  However, he would also snack on other things (non-"real food") or otherwise supplement any light meals I might serve.   Since Andy 1) does not cook - his one and only "flaw" and 2) works a very physical job, I'm a little concerned about providing enough filling food/calories for him.   He is also looking to lose weight, and I know one of the frustrating things is that he will probably lose 20lbs before I manage to lose five.  Because men do suck like that, don't they?

Yesterday I did a little prep, and tried a few new recipes.  I've got some keepers for sure!

1.  Kolder Salad Dressing Bottle

You need this!  It was a Christmas gift from my mother-in-law, and it's the bomb diggity.  Commercial salad dressing is just loaded with sugar. Pick up a bottle of salad dressing, and read those ingredients.  Yuck!  And the "low fat" dressing is the worst.  This inexpensive little glass bottle comes with all sorts of recipes and measurements right on it ( Asian, Caesar, French, Greek, Italian, Vinaigrette, Balsamic Vinaigrette and Honey Mustard).   You would need to tweak some of the recipes to eliminate refined sugar, but some are usable as is, and there are a ton of good salad dressing recipes online.  Yesterday, I followed their measurements for balsamic vinaigrette and it was very tasty (salt, pepper, garlic, Dijon mustard, olive oil and balsamic vinegar).

2. Homemade pizza sauce (from Tasty Kitchen)

photo courtesy of Tasty Kitchen

 Absolutely delicious! The whole family really enjoyed this sauce, and appreciated that it still has that sweet pizza sauce taste they prefer.  In this recipe, the sweetness comes from maple syrup and red wine.  We had some fantastic whole wheat crust mushroom pizza last night.  Yum!

3. Whole Spelt Pumpkin Muffins

photo courtesy of 100daysofrealfood.com

 I did not have high expectations for these muffins, but was so pleasantly surprised.  Really, really good!  And the kids loved them, too.  Did not see that coming as neither is a big fan of pumpkin, and make a point to crinkle up their noses and appear repulsed at the sight of my spelt bread.  A big win!  I enjoyed a muffin, plain Greek yogurt and a banana for breakfast this morning, and it was all sorts of yummy.  Andy took a couple to work today.   I plan to double the recipe this weekend, and freeze a bunch for quick breakfasts/snacks.

Hope everyone is having a fantastic beginning to 2013!

We're in this together.