Movin' it with Michelle

Recipes, running, training, Uncategorized

Weekend wrap up, fitness, and food in no particular order…

February 22, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

Last week was a tough week for me. I’m not sure if it was the bitter temps, or the hubby traveling for the second week in a row but I admittedly found myself in tears more times than I care to admit. My eldest daughter tried my patience, multiple times, and I found myself with my head in my hands choking back the sobs early Friday morning. Could I DO this yet another week on my own? And then at around 9:30 a.m. while I was at work I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. “I’m sorry for being grumpy this morning.” Smiles…I immediately felt better. It’s amazing what a simple acknowledgement to even unintentional hurts can do…so as the day went on, we planned a nice dinner out after school/work to celebrate another week of surviving Chiberia 2015. J and S decided on our favorite Mexican place called Sergio’s. If you are ever in the western suburbs of Chicagoland I highly recommend it. It’s family owned and operated, has fresh ingredients, and SOOOO affordable.

Doesn't get much better than this... — Doesn’t get much better than this…

Today, as most non-working outside of the house Saturdays go, I had a full schedule. I had planned on meeting up with my run club for coffee after my dreadmill run, but I slept through my alarm and started my day an hour and a half behind schedule. The hubby arrived home late last night, but only for his Army drill weekend so I saw him all of 30 minutes. But that extra glass of wine probably was NOT a good idea seeing the fact I had 6 miles on deck this morning. I got up, ate my tablespoon of PB with chia seeds, texted Maria, and hopped on the ‘mill. I knew immediately this was going to be tough. Barely half of a mile in, and I wanted to cry. I cussed quietly, at myself, the ‘mill, and anyone who would listen. And at 60 minutes, the ‘mill reset, and real tears formed in my eyes. I wasn’t quite finished with my 6 miler, but thankfully I finished. That is all I can say. I did it. It sucked. And Mother Nature could bring on spring like temps ANY time now…please…

After my run it was time to EAT. It’s been a while since I said 6 miles was a long run, but I was famished. What did I eat? Check it out…

My go-to post long run meal. Yup...bacon and eggs. — My go-to post long run meal. Yup…bacon and eggs.

And then it was time to shower, and tackle 3 hours of housework. I turned up the tunes, scrubbed bathrooms, vacuumed floors, dusted, washed bedding, and mopped. My house now looks and smells amazing! YAY!! Then, it was time to shop for the week so the girls and I headed to Aldi to stock up on groceries. I love this store sooooo much. My basket was completely full of fresh produce, fish, chicken and healthy snacks for such a reasonable price. Winning!

So tonight for dinner I decided to make something simple after such a busy day. I made a yummy gluten free pasta dish, that had my famous semi-homemade marinara sauce.

Here’s what you’ll need for the sauce:

1 package of turkey sausage links cut into bite size pieces

1 cup of diced pancetta

1 small white onion

3 cloves of garlic, minced

4 baby Portobello mushrooms, chopped

Crushed red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, kosher salt and pepper to taste

Here’s what to do:

In a wide sauce pan heat a few tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add in your onion, garlic, mushrooms and red pepper flakes and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add the turkey sausage and pancetta and cook through for about 12 minutes. Season with kosher salt, pepper, and Italian herbs to taste. Once the sausage is cooked through, drain off the grease. Also, wipe your pan out with paper towels removing the excess grease. Add everything back into the pan, and pour in a jar of your favorite marinara sauce. Taste for seasoning, adding in more S&P if needed. Let simmer for about 25 minutes. The longer, the better…

I served over gluten free rotini, and as always it was a hit with my family.

Garnish with freshly grated Parmesan cheese!

Lessons learned this week:

1. Running is hard. Running on the treadmill? Even harder.

2. Teen kiddos will test us more than nearly almost anything in life. We won’t always pass, but there is always room for growth.

3. Knowing your passions in life, and participating in said passions is freeing…really.

4. Ask someone how THEIR day is, or what THEY are up to…it truly can make a difference.

5. It’s ok to cry. But don’t forget to wipe away those tears and move forward.

I am rounding out the week with 15 miles of running, 1 yoga work out, and strength training as well.

Questions!

How was your week? How do you deal with one sided conversations? What are your favorite “easy meals?”

❤ Michelle

Three things, Thursday, training

What would Thursday be with out Three Things? TTT

February 20, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

Boring, right? Today’s three things are all in one way or another running related.

So here are my three things, in no particular order for the week.

1. I CAN DO THIS. No wait…I AM DOING THIS…I have started out week 1 of marathon #3 training quite well if I do say so myself. I’ve worked out every day this week so far, and am feeling strong despite lack of sleep due to hubby travels again. Is my endurance where I want it to be? No way…but it’s week one, right? 3 shorter distance runs, 30 minutes of yoga, daily planks/pushups, with a 6 mile long run on deck for Saturday….I got this!!! Positive thinking is in full force. Step aside any negativity, please.

2. In regards to my last post about Treadmill tips, I enjoyed reading ALL of your ideas. So today I decided to try watching the show “Chopped” on my Kindle and make the show into an interval session of sorts. Yup…I can turn just about anything in to something that involves running, especially when I am in official training. So it went a little like this.

My Kindle perfectly covered the screen of my treadmill!

While the four Chefs were introduced by Ted Allen I started slow, at about a 5.4 mph pace (keep in mind I kept the read out covered WITH my Kindle so these are only approximate speeds-in fact I am not concerned with speed this year, but that’s my next ‘thing’). After he told the Chefs to open their baskets, I sped up just a little more-maybe to 5.8?…I held this pace while the Chefs cooked, until their two minute warning, where I sped up significantly running all out for those 2 minutes. Once time was up for that round, I scaled the time back to my 5.4 mph-ish pace again and held that until the next round. I repeated this sequence for all 3 courses and it worked GREAT. I also had my friend Maria helping me out virtually, which I really can’t say enough about. There’s just nothing better than supportive friends and family during training.

3. Speed snobs. There…I said it. I have always praised the running community and how welcomed I have felt since moving to this area almost 4 years ago. But every now and then I catch myself succumbing to the speed snobs snide remarks or lack there of when I post a run on FB (for example). I will never be a 7-8 minute miler, and am honestly happy with that fact. In fact, I run for peace of mind, release of stress, AND because it’s a healthy exercise. I have no need to go ‘balls to the walls’ for EVERY. SINGLE. RUN. That is not peaceful for me. There is no release in that type of running-for me. But in the same breath, I applaud those who CAN run that fast and enjoy it at the same time. I have never been one to judge another runner, or compare my pace or goals to anyone other than ME. We aren’t all like that tho, are we? So the slight sting I felt today was brushed off quickly and replaced with the other 99% of runners in my life, as well as family and friends.

Does positive talk come in to play during your training season? Have you ever made up your own “Interval training” program creatively with a TV show or music? How do you deal with the elitist type people who seem to put everyone else down?

Keep Movin’ forward, y’all!

❤ Michelle

Tuesday Truth

Tuesday Treadmill Tips!

February 18, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

I’ve seen several posts today about treadmill training tips. One over at Marcia’s healthy slice, and one over at Taking the long way home. This made me stop and think, and I am a hater of the mill. But we have this sort of love/hate relationship you see…

Yet still my descriptive terms for the ‘mill are as follows: Hate. Loath. Despise. Sorry…til true. I run to get outside of my head, be free, release stress among many other things. Running in place on a hamster like wheel just doesn’t relieve any stress for me.

But after last winter of NOT running due to Polar Vortex madness here in in the Chicagoland area which thusly turned one once normally cheery Michelle in to a hot mess of depression – I decided to reconsider my feelings.

I started shortly before the holidays after giving myself a few weeks off after my half marathon in November. I was only doing a couple miles at a time, but I was moving.

Then I had my forced rest period after cutting part of my thumb off (which has healed miraculously by the way-you’d never know I cut it!) and started back at it about a month ago….No bid deal as I wasn’t in official “training” status.

But now, here I am in week 1 of full marathon training, and the temps are a real feel of below 0 so it’s to the ‘mill I go…

So here are my tips to not pull your hair out while running on the ‘mill, in no particular order.

1. Don’t try to beat any records if you aren’t a fan of the ‘mill. Start out an an easy pace, and just let your legs do the work.

2. Music. A must have if you don’t have a TV available.

3. Turn the music UP, and allow yourself to get as lost as you can in the music without falling off the back of the mill. (yes, I’ve nearly done this a couple times)

4. Keep your eyes open, and focus on your balance. (see number 3)

5. If you have a TV near by, catch up on shows, watch a movie, or good re-runs of your favorite show.

6. Cover the read out with a towel.

7. Don’t peek…I know…nearly impossible but TRY.

8. Vary your speeds to break up the monotony. I go all out for a song, then slow it down for a song, that keeps me from having to peek at the time/distance.

9. Keep water or your hydrating liqiud of choice near by. I am a fan of plain water or Nuun.

10. Feel free to “fly” while running on the ‘mill. When I run outside and find myself running down a hill I always spread my arms and ‘fly’ with a full out WEEEEEEEEE to go with it.

11. Dancing is also recommended, but I encourage you to only do this while running at a slower pace. (See note in number 3)

12. Phone a friend. I text my friend Maria over at Running Flaps about an hour before my run. She’s my virtual running buddy, and encourages me along the way.

My face says it all...lol — My face says it all…lol

So tonight I did my first official training run on the ‘mill. I had 3 miles on deck and felt like I was stabbing myself in the eye by .5 miles in. Lord help me if it doesn’t warm up soon, because no matter how many tips I post-I still loath the ‘mill.

How do you handle running indoors? Any tips I am missing that you could pass on to me?

Keep Movin’ forward, y’all!

❤ Michelle

Military, Uncategorized

The return of the ‘other half’ <3

February 15, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

This post is part 2 if you will, to my last post about doing the single parent gig while the hubby is away. This is the part about what happens when the other half, returns…

And while I was thrilled to have him return home last night, albeit it only for a brief visit, I realized something…something that I forget. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. he travels.

Sometimes his coming home, is almost as hard as his leaving.

WHAT?!?!?!?

I know. Isn’t it all rainbows and unicorns running through fields filled with spring colored flowers and butterflies flitting through the air? Isn’t it like the airport seen with the wife and kids holding the welcome home sign for the long-awaited return of their husband/Dad, in which he comes running off the tarmac to embrace his wife and kids in his arms?

Sadly…not always. Sometimes the unicorn has had little sleep during his travels, and the butterflies have just had it with flitting, and need a nap.

Sometimes…it’s hard to re-adjust at first, because you have a very set routine in which every moment is accounted for precisely because one mis-step could be a disaster in making sure the day is successful. And the other half doesn’t always understand that routine, how hard it is to keep, and how deep down inside (ok not that deep sometimes) you have a bit of animosity towards him because while he’s off progressing in his career, you are home strapped with the kids and your job that can never truly BE a career because you must support HIS, first.

Why I am I talking in the third person? Oh, that’s right…because that was me thinking outside my head. LOL

Let’s start again…

photo credit: Pinterest — pic credit: Pinterest

And now with tears in my eyes after a night of little sleep thinking about all of this, I will slap myself in the face and remember that I promised him I’d do this, I’d support him in good and bad…this is HIS time and he is serving our country. I will stop being a selfish brat, and do my very best to support him. Because he would do the same for me. At the end of the day, he does what he does for US…for our family. #Unitedwestand

So while goodbyes can be tough, and readjusting sometimes tougher, I will count my blessings and be thankful for my awesome family. ❤

Rant…over. Thanks for listening, I think I needed to just get that off my chest.

How do you deal with stressful times? Are you able to rant and then feel better? (I know I do! Thanks!)

Here’s to a new week, and week one of Marathon training starting TOMORROW!

Thanks, y’all!

❤ Michelle

Three things

Three things, Thursday aka TTT

February 13, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

This week has been a doozy…So here’s my three things for the week…

1. Being a single parent is HARD. This is no new news, or break through in today’s society but pardon me while I whine for a little bit. Folders, homework, dinners, snacks, laundry, projects mixed in with a career outside the home and being a ‘taxi driver’ is tough. Argh!

2. Stress can cause migraines. Migraines can suck terribly. Yeah…coming off my second one in a month has been NO FUN. Those that suffer from head colds, sinus issues, or headaches/migraines realize that this is a show stopper when it comes to running, working out, or fitness of any sort if you get these issues to the extreme I do…so yeah. Insert lazy slug slogan, here…I did get my plank in today…does that count?

This pretty much sums it up...(pic via google) — This pretty much sums it up…(pic via google)

3. Taking forced time off from fitness isn’t always easy. But it leaves time for snuggles on the couch with my girls, phone calls later in to the evening with my sister, and scratching my head as I compose my next blog post. So it’s not all bad, right? Although I may have a felt a little like this, this week….

So tomorrow I am off from work, but still am getting up at O’dark 30 to get my kids ready and off to school. I requested a massage appointment, realizing it’s last minute, but praying all the same I get to use the gift card my friend Melissa got me for my birthday….WIN. I work Saturday and Sunday so this would be epic!

Do you deal with migraines? Have kiddos you have to take care of on your own?

Happy Thursday!

❤ Michelle

Tuesday Truth

When is the last time you told the truth?

February 11, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

I like to remain on the side of positivity and happiness. The last few years I’ve made that my mantra, my goal, and my daily prophecy so to speak.

I was recently asked, "Do you ALWAYS smile?" Why yes...yes I do...or I at least try to! — I was recently asked, “Do you ALWAYS smile?” Why yes…yes I do…or I at least try to!

But some days. Days like today when the temps are plummeting and the skies are bleak, I catch myself lying. I caveat this statement with the fact I haven’t slept more the 2 hours each night in the last several nights yet am a creature who requires 5-6 hours of sleep each night, so my judgment with what I share could possibly be swayed.

I digress…

I hit a few bumps in the road of positivity today. I caught myself looking in the mirror investigating the 42 years of ‘stuff’ that was now imprinted on my face in the disguise of wrinkles, pores, and fine lines that are no longer regarded to as ‘fine.’ I listened to myself speaking to my children in a way I swore I never would, and suddenly I found myself feeling very old…and very sad.

Where did I go?

Have I been lying all along when I say I’ve embraced aging?

No…I am telling the truth.

But it isn’t without struggle to see my youth pass me by…to see the once lean and fit body start to deteriorate. The sagging skin, the droopy eyes, and the night sweats are truly for the birds. Yes, I am missing my early/mid 30’s terribly, I won’t lie….

I dug up pictures from 20 years ago tonight. Maybe in efforts to remind myself of the youthful and spunky spirit I once had…maybe more so to remind myself that I didn’t always look ~~and feel~~ so tired or hide my bags behind my unwanted glasses. I am also listening to my favorite early 90’s music. Don’t judge.

There I am, on the left without a care in the world.

But I’d be lying…if I said I didn’t miss that girl. Man, I had such fire back in the day. I was fun. Sure – I was troubled. BUT I lived on the edge…always. More digressing…sorry, y’all…

So here we go…

My fire is still there…refocused, rechanneled, and in need of a good recharge…

I will continue to run, and delve in to my gazillion other passions. But a part of me will always, miss, that girl.

But she’s still there. And I am reminded of that…daily. ❤

My advice. Be you. Be true. Always.

❤ Michelle

moving forward

Motivation in many ways…

February 10, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

I didn’t sleep very well last night. The never ending thoughts of, “Can I do it all” haunted me as I rushed around packing lunches, drying snow pants, and signing the infamous “daily folder” to avoid the nasty note from the teacher. Oh, and did I wash S’s ballet uniform for Monday night? Crap…her tights need to air dry. Lemme throw that last minute load of clothes in at 10 p.m. LOL

But we had a ~~mostly~~ successful Monday morning with only minor drama as I dropped off S at the neighbor’s house before taking J to school. This calls for a win in my book. I also woke up to a loss of 1.4 lbs. Double WIN for a Monday!

But as I drove to work this morning sipping my yummy protein shake, (insert sarcasm here-pass me the bacon and eggs please and thanks) I thought about several things. What motivates me, what inspires me, and what keeps ME movin’ forward.

The last few years have been pretty huge for me. Between Marathons, my MasterChef tryout, and moving on to a new job this past year-I finally feel like I am finding my groove. But that underlying voice saying “GO chase your dreams” is still very real.

repeat, sorry, but a darn proud moment! (MasterChef try out)

See, I’ve always been an oddball. A stand out…a person who never really fit in with any crowd. I’ve always felt…well…different. And that’s ok…truly. I like who I am…who I’ve become. But I’ve always felt I had a bigger purpose in life…

So while driving home tonight, I decided to think, pray, and reflect on what motivates me to keep movin’ forward. Here is the list I came up with, in no particular order:

1. To be a better Mom. I’ve failed sucktastically at this more times than I can count. But may my girls never have to feel an ounce of the sadness I did growing up. (To no fault of anyone-just life circumstances).

2. To be a better Wife. See…there’s this dude, that I call B around here, whom I love dearly. He’s made me a better ME. I can only hope to do the same for him.

and lastly…

3. To be a better ME. I have done more, pushed myself further, and tried harder to live life to the fullest in the last 3 years than I did in the last 42 years combined. And isn’t this the example I want to give to my girls?

You’re darn right it is.

I drove home tonight nearly in silence as I thought about ALL of this. And I realized, no matter what, my voice matters and I need…to KEEP MOVIN’ FORWARD.

And in perfect time for this post, my J came downstairs to say goodnight, in tears. Someone told her today she looked ugly, and immediately my Mama bear came out in full force. I took a deep breath, reminded her of the importance of kindness and hugged her tightly. Being a parent is so tough, yet rewarding…And THIS fuels my fire. daily.

What motivates you? Tell me!

❤ Michelle

weekend wrap up

Weekend wrap up and stuff

February 9, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

Well my writing/running/cooking streak came to an abrupt end when I woke up Thursday with a terrible headache/migraine. This also sidelined my run, and when this happens a dark cloud likes to hang over my head…such is Midwestern life in the winter, at least for this runner.

Knowing I wasn’t feeling myself, my hubby brought me THESE beauties to cheer me up.

Flowers for no reason? Yes please... — Flowers for no reason? Yes please…

See, he is leaving (now has left) for the better part of the next 3 weeks which leaves me in charge of not only my job, but managing my kids, the house, the kids activities and my sanity. No easy feat, let me tell ya…I’ve done it a million times before, but sadly it never gets easier. Maybe because he really is my best friend, through and through, so being apart from him leaves me feeling low. I don’t need someone in my life to make me happy, don’t get me wrong…but the select few humans I’ve chosen to keep near are a part of me-people I WANT in my life. My people…so now that my #1 person is far away, well, let’s just say I saw him off at 4:30 a.m. and several tears were shed.

Also, every time I see him off, I am reminded back to a time when I saw him off to war. This was a time when war meant you may never see your loved one again. And every time he walks out the door, I have to swallow the lump in my throat. My life just doesn’t work without him in it…Ok sorry, babbling over. He is gone, and time to suck it up…lol

I woke up with yet another headache brought on from tears I am sure, so when I got a text from my virtual RBF Maria asking if I wanted to run, I almost said no. But I didn’t say no…I drank some water, washed my face, and changed clothes to run on the ‘Mill. I only ran 2 miles, but it definitely helped turn my morning around.

2.2 miles and my #Plankchallenge to start my day!

Lastly, I took my mini-persons to see the movie “Into the Woods” today, and we enjoyed it. A bit drawn out, but I am guessing live this show is amazing.

Aren't we cute? LOL — Aren’t we cute? LOL

With that, I’ve prepared snacks and helped the kids prepare for the week. Ballet outfits are washed, school papers signed, and Valentines filled out for my mini-me who has a party this week. The trash cans are even taken to the curb. Go me, LOL!

My goal is short term this week, as I pray to just make it through Sunday because I also am working all weekend. The hubs will be home Saturday afternoon, but turns around and leaves again shortly there after. Weekend duty is always my nemesis, so wish me luck!

Questions! How was your weekend? Does your spouse travel for work/military? What was the last movie you saw?

Have a great week, y’all!

❤ Michelle

Recipes, Wordless Wednesday

Never a wordless Wednesday

February 5, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

Although I haven’t joined the 30 day Yoga challenge, I have decided to include Yoga in my weekly routine, at least 1-2 times per week. Those of you that know me, know I am NOT flexible…But I am working towards being a leaner, stronger, more flexible runner in 2015…so here we go…

Balanced and even?? Heck no...but I sure am trying. — Balanced and even?? Heck no…but I sure am trying.

And meet my amazing yoga partner, my mini Mover.

My 8 year old held strong for 30 minutes tonight; So proud! (notice my photobombing dog, yeah…lol)

After work, and Yoga, we decided to prepare a healthy meal. The chicken wings I had (again) in the Caf at work were NOT healthy. Argh. Someone please pass me a side of will power, please…lol. I am down 2 lbs so I won’t complain-too much…8 lbs to go…

We made a yummy salad with mixed greens of baby kale, arugula, and spinach along with some chopped romaine. I added radishes, tomatoes, green onions and a healthy yogurt dressing.

Top your salad with crab meat that has been seasoned with a little Old Bay and YUM!

Tonight we hunkered down on the couch and watched American Idol. Yup…still a junky 13 years later. There are very few shows we can catch on our ONE channel, but I’ve been trying to gather the family more at least a few nights per week for at least an hour. We all love music in our house, so this show is a win/win. And it’s an hour spent with my favorite people. What more could I ask for?

And now I sit here, with my thoughts and honestly I think I’ll go to bed soon. In my efforts to disengage from FB, I still find myself checking back far too often seeing people’s posts that just (sorry) piss me off. Why do I bother? As my sister says….FB sure can be a ‘Life suck’…I need to not let it suck the life out of me. This brings #SMDH (shaking my darn head) to a whole new level….

So tomorrow I have a good ole dready run on deck, and despite work, kids, housework, etc, I’ve decided to MAKE the time. Because guess what….I NEED it. This…is no longer a want.

OOPS, my laundry timer is going off…Back to reality gang!!!

What are your favorite cross training work outs if you are a runner? Have you ever tried Yoga?

❤ Keep Movin’ Forward, y’all….Michelle

depression, moving forward

Fear and frustration = FUEL for marathon motivation

February 3, 2015 Movin' it with Michelle

In 2013 I ran my second FULL marathon. I swore I’d never run a second full, but got the bug after the first training run. I PR’d by nearly an hour (58 minutes to be exact, I SHOULD know the seconds, but don’t, lol) and I SWORE I’d never run another full marathon. I ran a couple half marathon races in 2014, to include my husband’s first half…did you read about it? You can read about it HERE!

So today while on my break I decided to catch up on blog posts. My friend Kim asked when training for the Grandma’s Marathon started, and after scratching my head and thumbing through my calendar I realized official training starts in TWO weeks. WHA???? Here. WE. GOOOO! In two weeks I need to be back up to a steady 6 mile run. Easy peasy, right? I’m a marathoner for goodness sake…Ack…I haven’t ran more than 13.1 miles in 4 months…but I’m ready. And a little scared, too…<3

Have you heard of this race? If not, read here! For those that don’t know, this is my hometown race, where I grew up watching marathoners crossing the finish line, thus my dream of being a marathoner began.

And a marathoner I am…to me, this is one of the hugest mental and physical accomplishments of my life. I have loved, I have lost, and I have ran 26.2 freakin’ miles. yeah…quote THAT. 🙂

But the last 2 days I fought with some mental demons, past hurts, and irrevocable YUCK that just can’t be ~~forgiven~~ forgotten. I ALMOST let it get to me….but NOPE. Sorry y’all, I’ve got a marathon to train for…#movinforward

So I thank you all for your positive feedback in regards to my last post. I know we all struggle, we are all human, and we all have those negative forces that try to creep in…BUT…I also know, only some of us decide to move forward…and not let that crap in. (Yes, I was literally shaking my head today)!!!!

At the end of the day, I managed to finish my plank challenge (Day 2) and added an additional 10 seconds, as well as did the push up challenge I am participating in this month. Tomorrow is mill day, and I hope to get in at least 3 miles. I’ll be taking all of my fear and frustration and ‘running it out’ tomorrow…who’s with me? Let’s leave the crap behind us, right?

What are your plans for the week? Do you have any upcoming races?

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