Movin' it with Michelle

Mid week randomness

June 10, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

It’s time for my mid week check in…here are some random thoughts, in no particular order of relevance.

It’s the final countdown! This week it finally hit me after opening up my own site that the marathon is in 10 days. But this year my training has been a bit different. I LOVE that I have gone in to this training, and maintained WHILE training, the premise that this marathon is PURELY FOR FUN. WHAT, you say? I am not trying to go all out like a cheetah and break mad PR’s and qualify for Boston?

Nope…This run is all about getting away with my sister, running our race strong, yet having as much fun as possible. We never get a chance to spend time together, just US, so needless to say I am stoked.

With that, I haven’t been stressed this year in regards to pace, because I know I can complete the distance. I’ve done it twice before, along with several 19/20 mile training runs so I am not nervous in the least that I will finish. SOOOO…the next 10 days will be filled more with planning, because this is an out of town race, and the farthest I’ve traveled to run a race before.

How will I prepare?

Making lists of course! I’ve already started!!!

One thing I DO stress over, is forgetting something. Making lists are a GREAT way to alleviate this problem. I am a runner that is dedicated to routine. In making my list, I went through my morning routine for long runs/races in my head, and jotted down everything I’d need. This helps keep packing/race morning stress free!!! Which in turn leads to more FUN!!!!

Diet update!!! If you read Monday’s post, you saw that I started the Military diet. I am now on Day 3, and down 3 lbs. WINNING. Tomorrow I can to go back to regular eating, but I think I will keep my breakfast and lunch the same so I can eat a nice dinner with my family at night. I’ll continue this plan, 3 days each week though, in hopes to lose the final 5 lbs. This plan was tough, but well worth it. And I even cheated at lunch today with Egg Drop soup (which thankfully has less than 100 calories, but quite a bit of sodium), but have also been drinking a LOT of water which seems to counter any missteps I may have taken…Tips for those who want to try the plan: Drink A LOT of water. You WILL feel hungry. When it doubt, drink more water. I added cucumber and lemon to my water which seemed to help curb my appetite. Also, check out the site (see link to Monday’s post) for substitutions to foods you aren’t a fan of. For example, I am not a fan of hotdogs, so had a couple ounces of salmon instead that equated to the same amount of calories. Winning!!! I still have a way to go, but am happy to finally start seeing progress.

Moving Forward!! If you read this post from a couple weeks ago, you’ll remember I was struggling with a few skeletons that decided to rear their ugly heads. I am happy to report that I’ve broken that cycle before I let it drag me down, and have continued to avoid all negativity and self loathing. My mantras: I”f it doesn’t bring me joy, I don’t participate.” Also…”Don’t confuse my contentment with complacency.” I am simply happy with ME and where I am going. I’m not sure why it took me so long, but I’m on my way regardless, lol!!!! One thing I have learned is that surrounding yourself with like minded people, helps. A lot. Like, a WHOLE lot. I have preached it in the past, but to truly cut out as much negativity as you can from your life isn’t always that easy. Cheers to moving forward!!

How is your week going? Have you had any success with new diets or work out programs that you’d like to share? What is YOUR mantra?

Have a great week, y’all!!! ❤

Michelle

Grandma's Marathon

T minus less than 2 weeks until the Grandma’s Marathon 2015!!!

June 8, 2015June 8, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

Happy Monday everyone!!!! I hope this post finds you well rested from an amazing weekend. My weekend was filled with movie watching (we rented McFarland on Friday night, and it was amazing!), long runs (12 miler on Saturday) and run club coffee with friends, grocery shopping for the week, Cougar’s baseball game on Saturday night, and my nephews graduation on Sunday.

These ladies helped me find my smile...I had misplaced it for a couple weeks...<3 — These ladies helped me find my smile…I had misplaced it for a couple weeks…<3

MMMMM, the only time I drink beer is at a ball game. I even had 2!!

As you can probably guess, there was very little rest for me this past weekend but I am NOT complaining at all. It was a much needed escape from the stressors of normal every day life.

With that, I’ve been thinking A LOT about my weight, and how since turning 40 I just can’t shed these dreaded 10 lbs. So starting today, I am biting the bullet and doing the military diet to see if I can jump start ~~shock~~ my metabolism so I can run Grandma’s marathon at least a couple lbs lighter. Thankfully I am still just shy of 2 weeks out for race day so I am not worried about my system getting upset. I think this is much needed reset, and have heard great success stories from others who have tried it. You can read about the 3 day ‘cleanse’ here. Disclaimer: I am not an advocate for quick diets, nor am I a certified nutritionist. I’m simply trying something new to jump start this 42 year old body that wants to hang on to weight I’d rather be rid of.

Last week wrap up: I managed to run 21.55 miles, 3 core work outs, and added in weighted side bends to help firm up my muffin top. LOL! I missed yoga due to National running day being the same day as my previously scheduled yoga work out, but still did a lot of stretching. I also took my own advice and took a nice long Epsom salt bath Friday night which really seemed to refresh my legs for my long run on Saturday.

How was your week, last week? What are your plans/goals for this week? Have you ever done a cleanse/restart diet?

Have a great week, y’all! Remember, keep movin’ forward!!!!!!

❤ Michelle

Friday Five, Grandma's Marathon, marathon training

Friday Five and mid year check

June 5, 2015June 5, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

Here’s my Friday fives from the work week and mid year check in, in no particular order…

I contemplated briefly, running a fall marathon. Yet after my 4 mile run in the heat and humidity, I changed my mind, ~~immediately~~ quickly. I’ll focus on speed and getting my half marathon time under 2 hours, instead, like I initially planned.

LOL! Photo Cred: Princess and the Frog movie — LOL!
Photo Cred: Princess and the Frog movie

I have continued to work on my moving forward mantra with lots of self-talk, doing things I love, and surrounding myself with positive people. I’ve also made more effort to reach out to people who I know too, are struggling. Yay for forward progress!

Or this...lol Photo cred: Myfitnesspal — Or this…lol
Photo cred: Myfitnesspal

I have been eating REALLY well for a few weeks now, (You can read about my shocking revelations here) and have lost maybe a lb. but that’s reaching. Argh. Someone pass me a cheeseburger and fries, PLEASE. I’m truly at a loss…and not the weight kind. Is it so much to ask to drop 5-10 lbs.?? LOL!!!

My legs/body is tired this week. I physically feel ok, but every time I run it’s like I am carrying two lead filled bricks vs. legs. I ran my last 4 miler in my long run pace of 10:30…seriously? Why does everything hurt? I am half contemplating skipping my 12 miler tomorrow…but am on the fence. Even if I’ve cut long runs a bit short, I’ve never skipped one that I can recall…

pretty much how I feel this week, and when my alarm goes off at O'Dark 30 for my long runs. — pretty much how I feel this week, and when my alarm goes off at O’Dark 30 for my long runs.

After no more than 1 day off consecutively in the last 2 weeks, I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy it’s Friday. I’ve got lots of plans filled with power washing my deck, staining said deck, and a baseball game with my family tomorrow night. Sunday is my nephew’s 8th grade graduation and I can’t wait to see my sister and her family. It always does my heart wonders to be near my peeps.

Have you ever had issues with coming to a stand still in regards to weight loss? Have you ever skipped a long run during marathon training? How are you coming along with your goals this year?

Happy National running day…week!!!

depression

And then it happens…

June 3, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

You realize almost suddenly even though it was always there, that you haven’t been walking the walk…the mantra you preach of “keep movin’ forward” is partially a front.

And that my friends, hurts…

I realized in the last few weeks that I really ~~hated~~ didn’t like the person I used to be. I’ve mentioned it in recent posts, you can read about it here, that I truly work hard at NOT being the girl I once was…I want to be the woman I have worked so hard to be…

Yet the past sometimes creeps in, and in recently I have visited the “On this day” app on Facebook and was blown away by what I read. Posts from 5-6 years ago haunted me, and I couldn’t believe what I was reading. No wonder I drove so many people away…I was down right DEPRESSING. Yuck. Delete…delete…and delete some more!

So this past week I’ve dug deep to redefine my goals of the future, who I want to be, and what I need to do to get there successfully.

First up…quit looking back. I am SURELY not headed in that direction.

Secondly, one of my yearly goals was to be more present. That being said, my husband travels and works A LOT with his job and the military, so my kids need me to step up for them, and away from time wasters. I need to be present for THEM, because I am essentially a single parent from here on out and I need to embrace that vs. hold anger and resentment.

So today, I started fresh by celebrating National Running Day by running just over a mile with my youngest, and making me and my daughters a yummy salad since my husband is going working late.

One of my favorite pics from 2013, my youngest daughter running me in to the finish!

Romaine lettuce, shredded broccoli, Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and shrimp!

Lastly, I need to quit doubting myself, and beating myself up over things I can’t control.

It’s time to move forward, y’all!!! I’m back in the saddle!!

How do you battle past demons? Did you run today? What are your favorite salad toppings?

❤ Michelle

marathon training

Running please forgive me, for I have sinned…

May 30, 2015May 30, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

See, I let self-doubt ALMOST win this week. And I feel I must confess…

It’s time for some Runfessions, as well as the good, bad, and scary from today’s 20 miler…

I’m linking up with Marcia from Marcia’s Healthy Slice (please head over to her blog if you don’t follow already, she rocks!) to confess my deep and dark confessions from recent times, and today’s long run. So sit back with your beverage of choice and enjoy…

Today’s run was not like any normal long run. Nope…see, it was my last longer run before I run the Grandma’s Marathon in 3 weeks time. And it wasn’t just any long run…it was the infamous 20 miler! Those that have run a marathon before know this distance is key to overcome, not just for the physical aspect, but for the mental strength it gives you when hitting this milestone. Yet although I have done this distance several times, and completed 2 full marathons I was letting self doubt steal my joy. Runfession #1.

I set my alarm for 5:30 am this morning, my only day off this week, and set my gear out for the run. First mistake…I should’ve set it for 4:30, but I digress. Deep down, I was doubting my ability. Runfession #2.

The first few miles hurt. My right LEG has been killing me, with random aches and pains that really started to freak me out. It hurt in places it never had before, and I wondered the entire first 5K if this was a good idea. Here I go…self doubting…So I stopped at my favorite place in Geneva to fill up my water bottle and hit the bathroom since it was a real bathroom ~~not a porta-john~~. I popped 2 Motrin in hopes my LEG would knock it off, and kept running. I didn’t find my groove until around mile 6.5-7 when I came upon a couple bikers who were taking a rest that wished me well. I smiled, continued on, and crossed the bridge in North Aurora to get my last mile in before I hit the turn around mark.

And that’s when the hornet started chasing me…and I screamed like a girl…oh wait, I am a girl…Here I go, being silly and finally I smiled when I hit the turn around point. But just as the hornet left me alone, the NEED to use the restroom entered my body, and I started to panic. There was no bathroom for miles, and it was just me and the trails. Please don’t let me pants my poop…please don’t let me poop my pants…please…Runfession #3.

Watch this for Marathon thoughts!!!

FINALLY the running God’s heard my cries, and there was the porta-john sitting out in a park at around mile 12.5 Emergency averted…thank goodness…after texting back my friends who were cheering me on, I continued…

A spot near and dear to my heart where my friend Andrea nearly had an asthma attack because we were laughing so hard... — A spot near and dear to my heart where my friend Andrea nearly had an asthma attack because we were laughing so hard…

If I wasn't going to go fast, I might as well take lots of breaks with pretty pics, right? — If I wasn’t going to go fast, I might as well take lots of breaks with pretty pics, right?

6 miles in, and smiling, sorta... — 6 miles in, and smiling, sorta…

This bench always makes me smile. #memories

I may or may not have been chased by these dudes...REALLY, I am NOT going to attack your chicks. I promise! — I may or may not have been chased by these dudes…REALLY, I am NOT going to attack your chicks. I promise!

The Geese...with just 2.5 miles to go, right before the sky opened up. — The Geese…with just 2.5 miles to go, right before the sky opened up.

So while this run was TOUGH, both mentally and physically, I caught myself laughing the last 2 miles as rain poured down on me, and I ran as fast as I could. I ran with my heart, even when my legs wanted to quit. I laughed, I nearly cried, and I cussed at myself several times. I sang, I spread my arms open like wings and “wheeeeeee’d” down a few hills. I danced on the flats, pushed up the hills, and held my arms up when a gust of wind blew over me. I smiled and greeted every single biker, pedestrian, runner and motorist I saw. And when I wanted to quit, I physically smacked my right leg, and said, “KNOCK IT OFF, MICHELLE!!!”

I thought of each and every one of you who takes the time to support my average running abilities because you see the passion I have, even when I forget I have it myself. I thought of my amazing family and friends both near and far who’ve shared in my heartache as well as cheered on my success.

And I thought of those who can’t run…and I ran for them for a mile or two.

20.13 miles done. Another badass run in the elements Mother nature loves to provide.

My last Runfession, is that while I am my own worst enemy I too truly believe I can do this. Running, life, you name it. I won’t quit. And I have running in part, to thank for that. Thanks, Running…I think you are pretty cool. Oh….and I didn’t even pants my poop….

Have you ever had an “accident” ~~a near miss~~ while out on a long run? What is the longest distance you’ve run solo? Do you have any Runfessions you want to share?

❤ Michelle

marathon training

The Eve of my 20 miler

May 28, 2015May 28, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

‘Tis the Eve of my 20 miler, and all I can think of is, “Holy crap, can I REALLY run 20 miles by myself?”

Even though I ran my last 2 long runs and all of my short runs solo this training season, I am still terrified.

Why?

More than likely because last week I was sick, and this week I am just in a funk I can’t shake. I keep catching myself looking back on my past and revisiting old ways of thinking that were simply ~~NO DAMN GOOD~~ terrible. Yet I keep doing it…self doubting, self loathing, and self torturing to boot have all been beating my positive self talking mantra, BADLY.

What on earth am I doing? Back…back…BACK IT UP. GAH.

I am going to be my best to shake this funk…I am PRAYING tomorrow’s solo 20 miler will go off without any major hiccups so I can regain some sort of confidence. I have NO IDEA what the heck has come over me, but I DO NOT like it one bit. I have come too far to feel this way. Ever. AGAIN.

Yet I do…and it scares me a little. Because I hated that person that I was…and I don’t use the word hate, lightly.

So tonight I am going to lay out my running clothes and gear, beef up my play list, and run with all my being tomorrow. I am going to head to my favorite part of the Fox River Trails in the morning, and have a nice long 4 hour talk with myself. We are going to discuss believing in oneself, confidence, positive thinking, and moving forward.

I’m sure all of this is part of the normal “pre-taper” and “taper” madness. But sheesh…I feel like I am mentally spent, and need a vacation ASAP. I even asked my sister if we could leave a day early for the race just to ‘get away’ for an extra day, LOL.

Ok, no time like the present to move forward. Thanks everyone for joining me on this crazy journey of training for my 3rd full marathon, LOL…I promise, I’ll be back to normal (what IS normal, anyhow?) in a few weeks!!!

marathon training, Recipes, Sunday Supper

Week 14 recap and a recipe!

May 24, 2015May 24, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

Training:

Well, sad to say last week SUCKED. I came down with a rotten cold, which left my chest heavy and my heart even heavier. I managed to get in Tuesday’s 4 miler, and Yoga on Wednesday but the rest of the work week I was down for the count. So yesterday when I hit the road for my 12 miler, I knew it would more than likely be tough. See, solo long runs when you are feeling strong can be really awesome…but when you are already feeling low, the miles can really hurt when you are alone with your thoughts.

When I don’t run, I am not able to release all the life crap that piles up, which leads to a very unhappy Michelle. As the sunshine beamed down on my face, I could feel the energy draining from me rapidly. WHY did I pick a route that had NO shade when I set out for my run mid morning? DUMB DUMB DUMB. Realizing I would run out of water, and had picked a route with NO fountains and NO shade, I decided to turn around for home early. But 9 miles are better than no miles, right?

This week I work all but Friday, so while seeing everyone post on social media about the ‘holiday’ weekend filled with BBQ’s and vacations I am left feeling slightly bitter. And I don’t like this feeling. So today I am going to get out of the house for a couple hours and go consignment shopping with my neighbor in hopes to regain my smile. Gosh, where the heck did I put it, anyhow?

A Free People dress, for 25 dollars? Yes please!

Weight Loss:

None. Nope. Not a single lb. My nutrition was good minus a few bites of artichoke dip at Friday’s work pot luck, and I’ve cut back on my nightly date with wine but so far, no luck with losing anything. So glad I bought one size bigger capri pants and shorts…sheesh. LOL!

Weekly Goals:

My goals are to get through work and weekend duty with out any casualties, to include myself. I’ll be doing my 20 miler solo, on Friday which is my one day off, and to say I am nervous would be an understatement.

Recipe:

Despite being sick all week, I really wanted to get my recipe posted for this week. I’ve made a healthy and tasty dish!

Baked Trout stuffed with lemon and herbs

4 previously cleaned trout-ask your fish monger to make sure they are fresh

1 lemon, sliced

Fresh herbs-dill, thyme, parsley are great!

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Spray with cooking spray. Season your fish both inside and out with the salt and pepper, and stuff with the lemon and herbs. Drizzle with EVOO, and cover with foil. Bake for 25 minutes. I removed the heads and tails to serve, because they wouldn’t fit on the plate, LOL!

Nest time I'll add even more herbs, but this was so tender it literally fell off the bone! — Nest time I’ll add even more herbs, but this was so tender it literally fell off the bone!

Sautéed Kale with Sopressata salami

6 pieces of sopressata salami sliced, and chopped

1 bunch of kale that has been rinsed and de-veined

Drizzle of EVOO

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Drizzle the extra virgin olive oil in a pan, and heat to medium heat. Add in your salami, and sauté until golden brown. Drain any grease from the pan. Add in your kale, and toss gently in the salami and remaining oil. Season with kosher salt and pepper and cook for 5-7 minutes.

I prefer cooking my kale, and love how vibrant and green it is!

Sweet Potato hash

One sweet potato, peeled and cubed

Smoked paprika, kosher salt, pepper, dried oregano, fresh thyme and one clove of garlic, smashed but keep in tact so you can remove.

Pat of unsalted butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar (shhh, my secret to get the potatoes to crisp up)-save this step for last.

Heat coconut oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add your potatoes, seasonings, herbs and garlic clove and cook for 20 minutes. Five minutes before serving add the butter and brown sugar, cooking still at medium to high heat.

My family has transitioned from the good ole russet potato to sweet potatoes to my delight.

Dinner is served!

How do you deal with ‘off’ weeks? I’ve found my delving in to my ‘other’ passions it helps keep me centered somewhat still. Have you ever cooked a fish whole? What was the best part of your week?

Have a great week, y’all. Remember, to keep movin’ forward!!

❤ Michelle

Recipes

Sicilian inspired braised chicken

May 19, 2015May 19, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

Today’s recipe was inspired by a dream to…well…be something more. You see, I never wanted to work in a hospital, I never wanted a job in healthcare for that matter. But when I joined the Air Force 24+ years ago and signed on the dotted line, this was the job that was chosen FOR me. The rest is, as they say, history. (Note: I am very lucky to have an amazing job, and people to work with every day. It’s simply NOT my passion.)

But I am over having my career chosen for me. I work, because the bills won’t pay themselves. But I refuse to believe this is my permanent path in life. And it’s all I can think about lately. With that, I’ve taken up studying recipes again. I read cookbooks, magazines, blogs, and websites to get inspiration for new dishes. Because someday I hope that someone will read MY recipes and get inspired. I want someone to cook up one of my recipes, and have the food bring a smile to their face and joy in to their home.

So tonight, I have prepared braised chicken thighs in a tomato, Kalmata olive and caper sauce. Get out your Dutch oven, and a hefty appetite. You’ll need it for this dish!

Sicilian inspired braised chicken-low carb style

1 package of boneless skinless chicken thighs

1 jar of tomato sauce-(I use Mario Batali’s sauce-YUM!)

1 small white onion, finely diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 cup of Kalmata olives, roughly chopped

1 tbsp. capers, rinsed

The zest of one lemon

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of water/chicken stock

1 zucchini-noodled

Seasonings/Spices: kosher salt, pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, rosemary, basil, oregano (all to taste-about a tsp. each)

Pre-heat your Dutch oven on medium high heat. Season your chicken with salt and pepper, and brown on both sides. Remove, and set aside. Deglaze the bottom of the oven with water/chicken stock to get all the brown bits up. Add in your onions, garlic, capers and olives and cook for about 5 minutes. Next, add your chicken thighs back in to the oven and cover with the tomato sauce. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, rosemary, basil and oregano, and lemon zest – stir well and cover. Lower the heat to medium-low and let braise for 30 minutes.

I served mine over zucchini noodles for a healthy touch!!

This is a great weeknight meal, taking only about 40 minutes total to prepare and cook.

Questions! Did you chose your current profession, or was it chosen for you? What’s your dream job?

Have a great week, y’all!

❤ Michelle

marathon training, Recipes, weekend wrap up

Running long, cooking slow, and Lily Trotter sock review!

May 18, 2015May 18, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

As most of you know, I had 19 miles on deck this weekend for my week 13 of marathon training. While I normally prefer to run my short runs by myself, the thought of running 19 miles solo was not giving me peace of mind. Add in the forecast of 50-60% chance of thunderstorms and you could say I was nearly dreading the miles. I didn’t sleep hardly a wink Friday night, but had my rain poncho and gear all set. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. and was out the door by 5:15. The first few miles were VERY wet, and I was thankful for my poncho despite it’s lack of comfort. If you read my mini recap on my FB page, you saw that I accidentally ‘dismissed’ my first 3 miles of running when I ‘paused’ to take off my poncho. Damn. Thankfully I knew were I was and had just looked down at my watch. Here we go with more runner’s brain math, ack, lol.

I was lucky enough to run into my friend Melissa around mile14!

The miles ticked by, and something happened out there that even surprised ME. I was…HAVING FUN out there, running between raindrops, enjoying the trails, and listening to music. I COULD run solo, no matter the mileage, and this made me smile. It was liberating to be out there on my own, with claps of lightening in the distance to cheer me on. And even when it started to POUR cats and dogs, I smiled. I took cover briefly to fuel, but when I realized it wasn’t letting up I continued on for a good 3 miles in some pretty hard rain. And I do believe, I was smiling from what I’m told from friends who saw me out on the trails that morning. I felt/feel nearly renewed. My legs hurt, my knee ached, and my ITB yelled at me the last few miles, but nothing was going to bring me down. YAY for a good long run.

I was contacted by Lily Trotters a couple months ago to try out their compression socks. But I received the socks, on the very day of my daughter’s accident and honestly forgot about the review. Saturday seemed to be the perfect day to try the socks out after my long run to aid in my recovery. Here’s what I thought:

1. They were very easy to put on, unlike some other compression wear that you have to tug and pull to get on.

2. The colors were really fun, and I loved the polka dot print.

3. They were SOOO comfy, and I actually slept in them last night and woke up with happy legs.

All in all, I loved them and will use them in the future. I am particular with my socks, but am hoping they will make sleeves too so I can run in them as well.

In my attempt to eat healthier and lose 10 lbs. I decided to make crock pot pork carnitas for dinner so I would have yummy left overs for lunches this week.

Pork Carnitas

Pork roast, boneless-pat dry and season with kosher salt and pepper

1 large red onion, roughly chopped

4 cloves of garlic, minced

3 small red chili peppers, chopped

The juice of 1 large orange, 3 small limes

Spice Rub

2 tsp. ground cumin

2 tsp. smoked paprika

1 tbsp. dried oregano

Drizzle the roast with extra virgin olive oil, and liberally apply the rub. Place in your crock pot with the fat cap up, and add your onions, garlic, and peppers. Drizzle over the juice of the oranges and limes, and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or low for 6-8 hours. Remove the pork, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. Pull apart with two forks, and place in a bowl.

Drain the liquid from the crock pot, and add the strained liquid back in to the pork to keep it nice and juicy!! I served it over a salad of mixed greens with black beans, corn, and avocado. No dressing needed, just drizzle a bit of the drained juice over the top!

Weekly mileage-27 miles, a few miles short but my knee is happier

Core fitness-6 days=600 sit-ups

Lb.’s lost-NONE…but I blame it on girlie crap this week.

Did you run long or race this weekend? Have any good crock pot recipes you love?

marathon training

Shocking revelations..

May 13, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

Preface: This post is to hold me accountable. I am by no means a nutrition expert or health care provider. I am just trying something that I know has worked for me in the past. Discipline.

You’ve heard me discuss before about my disdain with the numbers that show up on the scale each week, and several times I decided this was it, those TEN lbs were going bye bye…

Yet just as quickly as I decided I was going to do about something about the “oh you’re 40 now, and can’t just eat whatever you want” weight, I found myself having late night snacks or splurging at the taco bar at work…I’m a distance runner, and am constantly hungry. Normal, right?

Sure…but if I am going to snack, I need to find healthier alternatives than handfuls of pita chips loaded with roasted red pepper hummus. A little hummus=good fat. An entire container of hummus=bad ~~choice~~ fat.

My clothes were all feeling tighter, and despite the fact I know that SOME of it is muscle (my legs), a lot of the weight well, ISN’T muscle…my every growing gut tells me so, daily.

But I didn’t truly realize it, until I saw the free race photos we could download from the half marathon I just ran. I was super excited to see the pictures after seeing several friends post their pictures online, until of course, I viewed my photo. Upon viewing said photo, I was appalled. And I may or may not have lowered my head in shame.

I haven’t weighed what I weigh right now since the following months after my second daughter was born. And I need to stop using my age as an excuse.

So this week, I’ve shut down my previous ways of thinking, and am restarting my system. I’ve been making my own lunches, snacks, and a protein shake to start my day. I’ve been tracking all of my food in My Fitness Pal, and exercising daily. I’ve limited snacks at night (Ok, last night I DID cheat with a piece of Italian salami, YUM), and making sure I am in bed by 11 pm which gives me 6-7 hours of sleep (still working on the sleep issues but its been better, at least). I’ve also been trading pasta and rice for veggie noodles instead.

I can feel the toll this extra weight is causing my running/knees and it’s time.

“It’s only 10 lbs.,” I hear so often…”You look great!” everyone says. But 10 lbs is A LOT on a smaller framed person and I don’t feel great about myself right now.

3 days in, and I’m down 1 lb…praying this is the road to a positive change.

Just because I am a distance runner and a Chef wanna-be, doesn’t mean I can EAT. ALL. THE. FOOD.

Put the fork down, Michelle.

How do you control cravings? Any good go-to healthy snacks?

Thanks, y’all! Keep Movin’ forward!

❤ Michelle

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