Been gone so looong!!

It has been such a long time since I have wrote anything. I blame this on allergy season. I hate pollen!! Pollen sucks the very life out of you.

I still been trying to keep up with my running. Last week, the hero in blue had to take some classes for some re-certification, and the power lifting champion had to rest up for his competition last week. So I had no training partners. I basically, just walked and took it easy. I found out that I can walk at a speed of 4.5 mph. I was really excited about that because I used to run at that speed a few months ago. I did run Friday, I really felt good for that run. But Monday, I ran again and once again I was disappointed with myself. I feel like I should be running a lot faster at this point. I started running in Feb. at a 4.5 mph speed and now I can run at between a 5.0 mph and 5.3 mph. I think I just am afraid of going any faster. I still have trouble with my breathing and around mile 2 I start feeling tired. The hero in blue and I have been trying to do some of our running outside. I really struggle with that. I think it is because I try to keep up with him, and he can run at a 6.0 speed. I still am determined to be a runner. I love reading running blogs and seeing all the races. It looks challenging but also like a lot of fun. I would like to be comfortable at a 6.0 speed before I try to do a race. Today, is another run day so I will let you know how it goes!!

Happy Belated Easter!!!

I hope everyone had a Happy Easter!! We had a pretty good Easter!! Here are some photos of the kids.

The computer genius doing his favorite thing!!

The champion muscle man in a rare photo op!!

My gorgeous diva in her Easter dress

My beautiful princess also in her Easter dress!!

The princess, the diva and Mr. Buddy Bigglesworth

     Okay now I am done bragging :)!! Our Easter was pretty good. Actually, we celebrated our Easter early since my hard working hero in blue had to back at work on Easter. No rest for the men in blue. Anyway, our Easter weekend was full of exercise and over-indulging. Friday, since our gym was closed for the Easter weekend; we decided to go hiking. This is the place we chose:

This is a picture from the bottom

And a picture from the top!! (Not my pictures)

The name of this gorgeous place is Hanging Rock National Park. And we (the whole family) hiked all the way to the top. It is only about 3.5 miles, but this included a lot of steps. I told the hero in blue that I felt like I had done at least a  thousand,  hundred squats going up. It was gorgeous though once we got to the top. We actually we went back down, and went back up with the kids. Since, the hero in blue was seeing how fast we could do it. On our real   way back down, we passed a man and woman running the whole thing. I know 3.5 doesn't seem hard, but you should have seen the hills and steps. I was in awe and dumbstruck by their dedication. 

     Saturday, we decided to go to a park close by our house and play some softball and putt putt. This day I really started the indulging of the Easter treats!!:) Our first stop before the park was at Mickey D's (otherwise known as McDonalds). The computer genius wanted to share a 20 piece Mcnugget and fry. So, being the loving mother that I am, I quickly agreed. We didn't finish it, so we shared with the muscleman. We get to the park and my loving mother-in-law brought a coconut cream pie. Let me tell you I am a pie fanatic. I love it!! So, of course being the loving daughter-in-law that I am, I had to have a piece. I didn't play softball, but I knew the park had a walking trail that was a mile. So, the hero in blue and I did it twice. He wanted to do it one more time but my legs were killing me from the hike the day before.

     Sunday, we had Lasagna and Chicken Alfredo. I ate the Chicken Alfredo for lunch and supper. I went on a short walk with the diva and princess. I really wanted to do a longer walk but we all got really sleepy, possibly from all the carbs?

     Today, the hero in blue and I went on a run. More on the later since this is a really long blog.

My embarrassing and annoying problem

     Today, I just wanted to vent about my annoying and embarrassing problem. My spare tire or as a I like to call it a menopot.

This is not me but this is how I feel.

Apparently, around age 40 this lovely phenomenon starts showing up. Ok, so let me get this straight not only do I have to deal with sagging skin but also a lovely thing called a menopot. Oh, the joys of aging.

I guess this is how I am starting to look to people (LOL).

I'm so happy to be droopy with a menopot.

So I figured ok, I can once again start self-hating, or I can do something about it. 

So I can go from this 

To this.

    I started doing a little research and found out some interesting things that I need to improve on to help  myself.  First of course, you have to change the way your eating. You should get plenty of healthy fats, such as Olive, Canola, Peanut oils and Avocados. You should also increase your Calcium intake. Also, eat as much whole foods as possible. This would mean increasing the fruits and vegetables you eat. Increasing how much water you drink, and decreasing the amount of soda intake. Secondly, doing a combination of  Cardio, Weights, and Core training, such as Pilates or Yoga. Adding some good AB exercises, such as bicycles, good old fashioned crunches, and if you have a exercise ball using that. The research I did suggested laying with the middle part of your back on the ball and pulling your hips up toward the ceiling. And, lastly getting between 7-8 hours of sleep a night. 

    After, researching I realized that there are a lot of things I am doing right, but there also a lot things I need to improve on. I am following the right path by doing a combo of Cardio and Weights. But I do need to add some more Core training. Also, I need to add some more healthy fats to my diet. Well, I am off to try some of these suggestions. If anybody out there has some suggestions for me, feel free to comment. I would really appreciate it!!

   

    

   

     

Life Changes and Murphy's Law

I am sorry it has been so long since I've blogged. But my life is a-changing(not a real word one of my own :) ) !!! I have now officially become a taxi driving mom.

 My record holding power-lifter has gotten a job!!! It is his first job and I have to admit I have been impressed with his work ethic. He will be working at a frozen yogurt shop (hmmm I wonder if they give discounts to taxi driving mom's?). It is a brand new shop, so the owner has been using his (Luke's not the owner's) big muscles to set the shop up. I am so prooud of him!! The diva has been working for a-while now as an after-school teacher for the YMCA. She is also really good at her job, and she works hard with the kids she watches. She also has taken up running, her goal is to run the Disney princess half-marathon. I am proud of her commitment.And then the princess has started playing softball. So I have been pretty much living in my car, and trying to juggle this new crazy schedule.

     Despite these new changes, I still have been working out and running. My running has been going okay. I am not pleased with the way my endurance has been. It seems like I am not improving. The hubby said that it probably is because I am over-thinking it. I believe it, because there is a lot of thinking going on when you are running. And I have a tendency to really doubt myself. But still I like to remind myself that at least I am running and working on improving. Which brings me to another subject. Lately, I have noticed a change in the way I think about exercising. Before all I thought about was how many calories do I have to burn today to lose this amount of weight? Instead my focus has changed to how far can I run today? or How much time can I finish a 3 mile run in? I love this change in thinking because no longer is it about the weight but it is more about how much stronger I feel after each workout. It is incredible!!! 

     Lastly, I wanted to share this funny tidbit I found on one of the blogs I read. I thought it was hilarious and so fitting for a new runner like me.

  

St.Patty's Day, Green Ketchup, and Luke

First off let me say Happy St. Patrick's Day!!! 

 

  Today, I celebrated St. Patty's Day with a handsome red head and FREE FRIES WITH GREEN KETCHUP!!! I took the computer genius out to Burger King because it was free fries all day !!! He had been waiting and talking about it for a week.  The green ketchup looked gross, but tasted just like ketchup. The bad thing was it dyed anything it touched green, I wondered what it did to our insides? Oh, well I think it will be okay for one day.

      In running news, my runs keep getting stronger and faster. Yesterday, I dreaded it all day to the point that I told the hubby, "forget it I'm just not going today!!" Wonderful, encouraging husband, that he is, he ended up talking me into it. I got on the treadmill and once I started going I felt great!!! I felt one with the run (so to speak). 

I really am starting to feel like this after a run!!

     I also have had a good week with strength training. When, I first started squats, I could not learn the proper form. I thought I knew how to do squats, but let's just say I didn't know squat about squats (no pun intended :)) But lately, I have been getting stronger in that area too. I think I have said in the past that my strength trainer, is a world record holding power lifter AKA my son Luke. 

Yep, folks he can really lift this much!!!

But there is another reason this mom is so proud of him. He recently lost almost 30 pounds and he has joined his mom and dad running!!! He is a natural athlete, so running is coming easy to him. As I said in my previous post, it is so important as well as fun to make your children part of your fitness program. As many of you have read in recent reports, so many children and teens are overweight,  becoming diabetics, have high blood pressure, and many other health issues. When kids see their parents enjoying a healthy lifestyle,they want to do it too!! We never pressured Luke in anything he chose to do. My husband has been power-lifting since he was a teenager. And he gradually helped Luke along. We are very proud of the things Luke has accomplished, but if he decided he didn't want to do this anymore, that would be okay too. He is very good at training me as well. He loves to switch up my strength training. It is never boring when I train with Luke.

     Well, I hope everyone enjoys their St. Patrick's Day!! And if you get a chance go by Burger King, and get some free fries and green ketchup!! You won't be sorry.

The blog post I needed!! And a great giveaway you need to know about!!!

I know, I know I already posted today. But when I came across this blog post by Too Tall Fritz: I just had to post it. I fell in love with it!!! It was brilliant!! Here is the link: http://tootallfritz.com/2012/03/08/dont-count-yourself-out/.There are a lot of my friends, and other people out there who are struggling with their weight loss and fitness journey. I should know, I have been struggling quite awhile with this myself. But if anybody read some of my past post recently. You can see how great a challenge it is just to overcome the voices in your own head. She covers this and so much more in this post. So I would like to say Thank You Too Tall Fritz for writing this wonderful post. And just when I needed it the most too!!! Also Too Tall Fritz is giving everyone a chance to win a great pair of Aspaeirs Compression Shorts. Here is the link if you are interested in entering: http://tootallfritz.com/2012/03/13/i-won-heres-a-giveaway-aspaeris-pivot-shorts/

"Running on Sunshine"

If anyone out in blogland has been reading my blog, you know that the last few running days I've had ended up miserably. But yesterday was a totally different day. It was a lot better. I was able to run longer and even beat my time. 

I still have a lot more in common with this guy

Than with this guy!!!

 

But hey, I feel like I am making progress!!! In fact yesterday, I felt so good, I literally felt like I was "running on sunshine". I also felt a lot of improvement on my squats and dead-lifts. Each time I feel like I am stronger. It still a struggle, but in the end it feels great. 

     In other news, I have been enjoying the beautiful weather we have here. I have been doing a lot of my walking days outside. Sunday, I took Jessi and Sammy with me. I wanted to share some of the pictures we took.

Me and the famous Mr. Buddy!! 

Miss Sammy Waffles

My gorgeous diva girl Jessi!!

My two bookends!!

We had so much fun walking and enjoying the gorgeous day. My advice for anyone with teenagers or really any age, if at all possible include them in your exercise plans. It not only benefits everyone's health, it is also a fantastic time to spend quality time with them. Trust me they grow up way to fast!! It is so much fun to enjoy exercising while finding out what is going on in their lives. These are some of the best memories for me and hopefully them as well. Then today I walked my 3.1 miles with my hubby!! Another great bonding day. Well, I hope tomorrows run will go just as well as yesterdays. I will keep you posted!!