She's Getting Fit ... AGAIN

It's just about 2020 and almost 16 months since my last post.

Merry Christmas!  and Happy New Year! (and New ME)

A lot has happened.  My son moved out of the house.  New job.  I turned 50.  Those are the major highlights.  To sum up the past year+ would be impractical and would sound like I'm making excuses to why I stopped blogging and why I landed back. in. the. fat. seat. 

Moving forward, that's what it's about....2020 is going to be all about becoming a healthier me.  I've set some goals to work on.  Here's the short list:

1. Lose weight.  AGAIN.  Optimally and realistically I'd like to lose 25 lbs.  If I'm dreaming big, I really think 30 is a better goal, but 25 is more manageable for me.
2. De-Stress.   I'm not sure how to measure that, but I do have a relatively solid game plan in place.   The trick will be seeing if the plan results in actual outcomes.
3. Deadlifts:  10 reps at 200 lbs.
4. Pull-ups:  10 reps (unassisted)

Middle age and stress have wrecked havoc on my hormones.  I've decided to reset my nutrition to help bring balance to my hormones.

I've been reluctant to write, to come back to the blog.  To be honest, having fallen off the wagon, I haven't been able to figure out how to get back on it.  My weight has been on a gradual increase and my efforts to address it have failed.   Stress and age have brought with them more aches and pains.   Already I feel like I'm whining and making excuses for being where I am and that's not what I want to write about.

Slowly working my way back to my goal... Here's 165 lbs. for six reps.

When I first started Tracey's Getting Fit in 2015, it served as a tool for me on my journey towards losing weight and getting fit.  I used it as a way to reflect on what worked and what didn't.  It held me accountable to myself and to my readers.  But somewhere along the line, I think I felt like I couldn't measure up to myself and my expectations and I just let it go.

I'm resurrecting the blog to serve as a way for me to track my successes AND failures as I endeavor to become a healthier, new me.  AGAIN.  I'm okay with putting it out there, although with my new job, I've decided to have my name less in the focus.  So instead of "Tracey's Getting Fit," I've renamed the blog "Getting Fit...AGAIN."

I'll probably write more often, with shorter posts and more frequent check-ins.  I hope you'll share the journey with me.

You better watch out, 2020, I'm coming after you!

Raise Your Glass by P!nk

So raise your glass if you are wrong

In all the right ways, all my underdogs

We will never be, never be anything but loud

And nitty, gritty, dirty little freaks

Won't you come on and come on and 

Raise your glass?

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comment section below.)

Do you have any resolves for the New Year?  What do you hope to accomplish in 2020?

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It's easy, right?

Happy New Year!

January 1 is probably one of my favorite days!  I love New Year's.  I do.  It's an opportunity for everyone to start fresh.  Set a goal, make a change and make the best of the 364 remaining days to reach those goals.  I think New Year's Resolutions are awesome and I am a living testimony that they can and do work.  If you stick with it, no matter what.  No. Matter. What.  Never Give Up!  It's that easy!!

I weighed 232 lbs. on January 1, 2014.  Four years ago today. I felt awful.  I was fat, didn’t like the way I looked in the mirror, hated having my picture taken, was depressed and had no energy.  I was in pain all the time.

Christmas, 2013 I felt awful. 

I used to tell everyone, “I’m a lifetime member of Weight Watchers.  I know how to lose weight, I just have to do it.”  So I tried to do it my own way.  I cut back on food, ate lots of Weight Watchers vegetable soup.  Starved myself, went to the gym and did what I thought I should do.  And failed.  But the truth is, I did not fail.  That year, I learned to not give up.

While I did not lose 10 lbs, a month or even 2 lbs., per week, I did see an overall weight loss that year of about 25 lbs.

That's me on the far left...This was taken Thanksgiving, 2014.  I had lost about 25 lbs. here.

 But it wasn’t enough.  I still was in pain and still needed to lose a considerable amount of weight.

Arthritis in my left knee, used to plague me. I still have it, but it doesn't trouble me much at all anymore.

With the guidance of a personal trainer, I finally decided to stop doing things my own way and listen to what he recommended. When I told him I couldn’t do it that way, he said, “Then I can’t help you.”  That was my reality check.  

So, how did I do it?  How do I keep the weight off?  I use MyFitnessPal to keep track of my calories and macros.  Macros is short for macronutrients.  These are the key components of the food you eat:  fat, carbohydrates and protein.  I heard the saying, “Calories in / calories out.” (Meaning you have to burn more calories than you eat.)  I believed the best way was to cut back, but was wasn’t eating enough.  I actually had to eat an additional 400 calories every day over what I had been eating previously.  Your body needs calories to burn calories. It's easy!  Seriously, it is.  Believe it!

The second thing I started to do is watch my macros.  I adjusted the amount of carbohydrates and fat I consumed and increased my daily protein.  While I was working out, I wasn’t eating enough protein, which my body needed for lean muscle.  I had heard people talk about low carb diets, but I knew that was not for me.  By limiting my daily carbohydrates, I learned to be smart about them.   Finally, contrary to everything I knew from years of being on Weight Watchers, I threw out every low fat or sugar free item in my cupboard.  Fat is not bad for you.  Your brain needs fat to function properly.  While everything I thought about counting points told me low fat and fat free was best, I learned that 1 tbsp. of peanut butter in my morning protein shake or a handful of almonds kept hunger at bay.

Because it’s learning curve, counting calories and macros can seem overwhelming at first.  Take it slow and focus on calories.  If your goal is 1700 calories / day, make sure you eat at least that many calories.  Then try to eat your protein goal for the day.  Plan your meals to include at least 20-25 grams of protein.  Eat protein rich snacks to fill in the gap.  By focusing on calories and protein to start, you can gradually work on other food groups as well without overwhelming yourself.

\

So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

I Corinthians 10:31

This strategy works and it's easy, especially once you get the hang of it.  I haven’t gained the weight back because I stick with the program.  I hurt my back last February, which severely limited my activity.  While I did lose muscle mass during the recovery time, I did not gain any weight.  (Does the holiday weight I gained from Thanksgiving - New Year's count?)

Please contact me if you have questions on how to track calories or use MyFitnessPal.  It really is easy.  My favorite thing is that I can eat whatever I want, as long as I'm not eating crazy all the time.  It's about balance.

New entries coming soon:  

10 Minutes.  For those who want to make a change, but are still stuck in first gear.  Making a 10 minute workout count.

Why have a trainer?  When you're stuck or feel like you need an extra push, sometimes it helps to have a personal trainer.   Here I will share the successes and failures in working with a personal trainer.  It's worth the investment, I promise.

Tune for your play list:  This song has a great mellow beat, great for lifting or transitions during cardio or running.

"Closer" by The Chainsmokers ft. Halsey

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comment section below.)
Do you believe in resolutions?  Do you have any resolutions for the New Year?  

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Instagram:  @tracoleman99

Email:  tracoleman99@gmail.com

The Long Road

Tracey's Getting Fit, my disappearing fitness blog.  This past year has been quite a journey for me.  Looking back, the overarching theme has been pain.  Physical pain.  Last February I injured my back, which set me back tremendously.  When school started in August, I started getting headaches that did not relent.  Headaches are a different kind of pain.  Since I worked through them all day, I came home exhausted.  And my poor blog sat neglected.

I shared with you about my struggle here, "Dark."  Followed by months of silence.  I still struggle with the head aches, but nothing like they were.  They no longer define me.

Today I'm excited to write again.  This past year has been a long, long road.  Here we are at the end of 2017.

Are you as excited about the New Year as I am?  I can't even begin to tell you how optimistic I am about the coming year.  When I started this journey four years ago, I had measurable goals which really inspired me to keep going. 

While weight loss is no longer my goal, I want to regain the strength I've lost and increase my energy.  I've already taken measures to start this and am already noticing small improvements.

That's what it's all about.  Small improvements.  Let me ask you, what do you want to accomplish for 2018?  What's your plan to achieve your goal?  How can you measure it? 

Baby steps get you to your goal.  Measurable improvements, however small, keep your motivation up making it easy to stick to your plan.  It's a great way to energize yourself.  Baby steps get you there.  Yes, it's a long road and you will have setbacks along the way.  Stick with it, though, because it's worth the journey.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
1 Peter 5:6-7

Soon I will share more with you about my new training plan, what I'm doing, and all that good stuff.  Right now I'm learning from ground zero and having to rebuild my confidence all over again.  It's humbling, but good.

Here I am in action.... If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, I shared this video earlier this week.  To help build strength, I am increasing repetitions at lower weights, versus increasing the weight to maximum.   I was super excited about this because last week when I started this, I was exhausted at 125 lbs.  This is my third set of deadlifts at 135 lbs. and I felt really good!  Baby steps.

For now, I'm glad to be back and writing again.  I'm giving a short presentation on nutrition at a Women's Health Conference in January.  That is exciting for me, as I hope to branch out to more public speaking.  Health and wellness are topics I get excited about, so I enjoy sharing my story and helping others on their journey.

Stay tuned for more.

Here's a fun workout song for your playlist:

It's All In My Head (Flex)

by Fifth Harmony, ft. Fetty Wap

Questions for you:  (Answer in the comment section below.)
What do you want to accomplish in 2018?  Do you have any resolutions?

Follow me...

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TraceyGettingFit

Instagram:  @tracoleman99

Email:  tracoleman99@gmail.com

Sometimes You Need a Little Help

I've been neglecting the blog again.  Whoops.

I started a different post, which needs something to make it more interesting, so it got put on the shelf.  Then we went away on vacation and ... here we are.

If you are a regular reader, you know I have been struggling with a bunch of different health related things over the past 12+ months.  After I hurt my back in March, my doctor told me not put a time line on my recovery.  "Listen to your body.  It could take a year, it could take longer."  I've already been dealing with my shoulder for a year, then my leg, now this.  The setback has thrown my anxiety into full blown depression, which I battle nearly every day.  I can have three or four really good days, followed by a week of feeling down.  It sucks the joy out of life.  To look at me, no one would really know.  I put on a good face.  I had an amazing day yesterday.  I went for a long bike ride with my friend Erica, then I went wine tasting with my friend Katherine.  I ordered a pizza for dinner, so I didn't even have to cook.  But last night I couldn't sleep, I laid in bed for almost two hours, wide awake, feeling so down.  Woke up super early and laid in bed awake for another two hours until I finally decided to get up.

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.

Psalm 34:17

Unless you have struggled with depression, it's hard to understand.  How do you have a great day, and then feel so down?  Nothing is really wrong, so you don't really want to talk about it.  Sometimes you catch yourself feeling it, realize you shouldn't be, and then you feel guilty for feeling the way you feel.  That's kind of what happened last night.  Usually a good night's sleep will help, but when that doesn't happen...

I went to church this morning.  The message was the first in a series entitled, "The Cross of Christ."  Our pastor talked about how we don't really fully understand the cross...  Christ knew no sin, but he gave EVERYTHING so we might become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21, adapted).  I left feeling encouraged.  My soul cries out, Hallelujah.  This song...

Man of Sorrows by Hillsong

Oh that rugged cross, my salvation, where Your love poured out over me.  Sent of heaven, God's own Son, to purchase and redeem..and reconcile the very ones who nailed Him to that tree.

In my last post, I told you I was going to start training with my friend Ashley.  Between my back and shoulder issues, I often feel defeated when I leave the gym.  It's one thing to have sore muscles, it's entirely different to push through back pain or to exasperate the tendinitis in my shoulder.  This is why I asked Ashley for help.  I've had two sessions with her and she's given me a workout plan, specifically to address my concerns about improving my strength and endurance.  

I have three different workouts, focusing on one of the major muscle groups each day and core strengthening each day.  She has me doing things I hate, like mountain climbers and burpees.  I hate burpees.  Really hate them.  But, she said, "It has to be uncomfortable for change to happen."  And I guess all my whining about my diminished strength and endurance means  I have to do things I don't like, even if it means doing burpees.  

Burpees are on for tomorrow.  Here are some messy mountain climbers.  I had to do 4 sets of 50.  I thought it said 5 sets of 50.... uggh.

It also means retraining my brain to muscle connections.  I've unconsciously been taking shortcuts to "protect" my back, while potentially putting myself in danger.  So instead of squats on the squat rack, it's kettle bells and focusing on depth and form...

I'm glad I have Ashley to work with me.  She's helps me with accountability too.  Today I wanted to stay home, instead I made sure I worked out.   I have to report out on how things are going at our next session.  No excuses.  No, "I was tired and feeling sorry for myself."  

Sometimes you just need a little help.  The trick is, asking for it.

Tonight I am feeling better.  I was able to accomplish a few things, grabbed a power nap, got to the gym, and even posted to my blog.  Breathe.

If you are interested in personal training, please contact me.  I can share with you my experiences and give you some guidelines for what to expect and how much it costs.

Question for you (answer in the comment section below):
Did you celebrate the 4th of July?  What did you do?

Musical notes ♩♫ ♪ ♬ ♪

Not only does this song have a super rhythm, which is perfect for longer runs, but it reminds me of my husband.  He is my superhero, my fairy tale bliss.  He's the one I want to turn to, the one I can kiss.

Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

But she said, where'd you wanna go? How much you wanna risk? I'm not looking for somebody with some superhuman gifts, some superhero, some fairy tale bliss, just something I can turn to.  Somebody I can kiss.

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It's Humbling

Happy Father's Day!  I hope you were able to celebrate with the man or men in your life that you love.  I had my dad over for lunch and spent the whole day with my husband.  It was nice.  Relaxing.  No fuss.

Dad & I
My biggest cheerleader

Brian & I
My heart

Back to the blog...so here is the bare honest truth.  This whole getting my game back on thing is extremely humbling.  I am perpetually feeling like starting all over again is just too much for me and the desire to throw in the towel seems to be nagging at me like crazy.

Discouragement knocks at my door every day and this afternoon I caught myself truly feeling sorry for myself.  Stop everything, get out the violins because poor, poor Tracey.  Oh my, when I realized I was wallowing in self pity, I pretty much slapped myself in the head and said, "Cut the bullsh** and get it together!"

So me!

Last week I set some pretty steep Goals for myself.

In my last post, I said to set realistic goals.  Realistic means ones you can actually attain.  Me?  I had a crazy busy week and planned two runs and two bike rides in one week.  I am lucky I got in one of each.

It's probably smart to a lot of people to set high goals so you can push yourself.  But me, I get discouraged too easily if I don't meet my goals.  I feel like I've failed, even if I've tried to reach them.  It's rubbish, but it's my Type A personality.

Courage.  That's what I need.

I did legs at the gym yesterday and my shoulder is bothering me, so I was going to skip working out today and just do some yoga at home.  Instead, I decided to do an at-home workout, followed by the yoga.  It was great.  I feel energized and encouraged.

I did 10 minutes going up and down the stairs, followed by a circuit of Kettle Bell swings, walking lunges, Kettle Bell Squats and bent over rows, that I repeated three times.

at home Yoga....feels so good.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong.

1 Corinthians 12:9-10

I also realize that I'm going to need some help as I work my way back.  Even though my proud self feels like she knows everything, I need someone to kick me in the butt.  I do.  So I asked my friend Ashley to help with me and we have plans for Wednesday.  It feels weird to have a new trainer.  This will be number four.  But I like Ashley, so if I feel like I can trust her after our first session together, I know it will be good for me to work with her.

6 Reasons Why Hiring a Personal Trainer is Worth the Money

For me, working with a trainer is less about having someone tell you what to do, and more about having someone to kick you in the butt, to encourage you when you're feeling down and to push you when you just don't want to.  I feel super whiney, so hopefully she won't be annoyed with me.

Looking forward to getting rid of the dueling voices and rebuilding my confidence.

This week's goals are a WHOLE lot more reasonable....

Question for you (answer in the comment section below):
Did you do anything for Father's Day?  What?

Musical notes ♩♫ ♪ ♬ ♪

A perfect workout tune for me...

There's Nothing Holding Me Back by Shawn Mendes

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Email:  tracoleman99@gmail.com

The Value of Meal Prep

Last month was crazy and I took several shortcuts with my nutrition.  I realized where it all fell apart.  I failed to plan out my meals for the week and "played it by ear."  This meant I was either eating nothing and starving or I was eating stuff I shouldn't eat...or too much of it.

When the moment of truth came and I got on the scale after New Year's, I knew what had gone wrong.  It wasn't just the overeating at the holidays, it was a cumulation of poor choices and a lack of planning.

I made conscious choice / effort to go back to basics.  Nutrition 101:  Eat smart.  Count all of my calories and macros.  Have healthy choices for food on hand.  Make sure I eat when I'm hungry.  Cut out all the crap.

In one week I lost 5 lbs.  Week two, I've seen zero movement on the scale, but I'm okay with that because I know my nutrition has been spot on and I've been killing it at the gym.

Go Patriots!

I think I'm going to make a better effort to drink more water.  I always neglect that and I feel the difference when I drink enough water.  (The first week of January, I had the flu, so I was drinking lots of liquids.)

Took a trip to Worcester yesterday because my son is sick.  I figure he probably got it from me, so I brought him what I needed to survive when I was sick.

So, what is all the talk about meal prep?

Meal prep helps you to plan out your food for the week with controlled portions.  It means getting up in the morning and having everything that you need all ready.

The trouble with meal prep for me is that typically you eat the same foods every day for the week.  And that can grow really old, really fast.

I fell in love with egg whites last summer when I tried a new nutritional program.  I saw how much protein is in the whites, without the fat and calories.  So I started making scrambled eggs or frittatas (omelets) with one egg and 1/2 cup egg whites.  Add some vegetables and BAM! there's breakfast, or lunch, or even dinner with lots of protein, very little fat and super easy to make.

Right before New Year's I bought broccoli florets at Costco.  A giant bag for like $5.  How can you go wrong?  Steamed broccoli, raw broccoli, roasted broccoli for days.

Yeah, so about that.

For the first two weeks in January, when doing meal prep, I made egg frittatas for breakfast (with steamed broccoli florets).
Every day.  Steamed. Broccoli.

Pretty much this was breakfast every day, but broccoli instead and no cheese.  

And in my lunch?  Chopped broccoli.

And for dinner?  At least twice we had roasted broccoli.

On Thursday, I couldn't take it anymore.  Instead, I ate cereal and brought chili for lunch.

Friday I fed the frittata to the dog. 

I don't think I can ever eat broccoli again.

So, I realize that meal PLANNING is more beneficial for me than meal prep.  I have typically prepped my meals for the next day the night before.  But I was taking shortcuts in December and that wasn't working for me.  So, it's back to basics.

This weekend, I made a pot of vegetable soup.  As long as I don't have that all the time, I really like this.  It's super easy to make.  Add some protein and it's a complete meal.

I add a couple TBSP grated Parmesan cheese.  Delicious!

Saute some onions, garlic and chopped carrots with just a little cooking spray.  
When the onions because translucent or start to brown, add 32 oz. chicken stock.  
While that is cooking, chop up some cabbage, or kale, if you prefer.  
Chop up some green beans, or add a box of frozen cut green beans.  
Cook until the cabbage is tender. 
Then add some zucchini, cut into small bite-sized pieces.  
Add more chicken stock (as much as you need, depending on how many vegetables you are cooking), salt, pepper and seasonings to taste.

In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr., I don't have to work today.

This quote is not one of his more well known quotes, but it still rings true.

Knowing I have to change things up, but at the same time, I need to be prepared for my week, I took advantage of the morning and went to town.

Meal Prep for days...

I started with breakfast...

My cousin Jamie get me into these.  Super healthy AND taste good too!

Had some for breakfast with sugar free syrup.

Then I made these Kodiak cake carrot breads.  So yummy!

Then lunch...

Tomorrow I'll have this tuna wrap.  (I can only handle tuna one day at a time.)

Remove the lettuce and it's no longer salad.  I can eat tomatoes and cucumbers like they are going out of style.  (I do need some more containers though.)  

I mix 1/2 cup of the low fat cottage cheese with 1/2 cup cottage cheese with chives.  210 calories, 5.5 g fat and 28 g protein.  Add veggies and viola!  I'll probably eat this 1-2 days this week.

Dinner in the crockpot... (This is today's dinner and probably lunch for 1-2 days this week.)

1 lb. ground turkey, browned with 2 small yellow onions
3 large carrots. peeled and chopped
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (or chopped)
1 14 oz. can chicken broth (low fat/sodium)
chopped garlic
1 1/2 C lentils (dry)
Seasonings:  salt, pepper, cumin, chili powder and curry to taste
Cook in the crockpot until carrots are soft and lentils are fully cooked.

Don't forget the snacks...

I pre-measure the granola into 1/2 serving sizes.  It's perfect for my Greek yogurt.

Almonds

Now that I'm done, I'm ready for the rest of my day.  I'm thinking about taking the dog for a walk.  I'll hit the gym after I bring my son to work. 

Day off = pajama day
Pajama days make me happy!
(What IS that thing on my chin?)

If I take her for a walk, I have to disturb her...

Why I do Meal Prep:

1.  I eat the right foods and can control my portions.
2.  I don't have to stress about what to eat from one meal to the next.
3.  I don't go hungry.  When I am hungry, I have healthy snack options to eat.
4.  If I'm not stressed, I can enjoy the week.

How I do it:

I make a mental list on Saturday night or Sunday of what I want to eat.  Then I go shopping for the ingredients I need for my meals.  I make sure I have plenty of produce on hand.  I'll make a pot of soup or chili and set it aside for the week.  I package up snacks.   It works better for me to make my breakfast / lunches the night before.  That's why I have some variety this week, so I don't repeat what happened with the broccoli.

It is worth the time and effort.  More importantly, my body shows the results.  It's a habit that promotes healthy living.  I can't afford shortcuts.

Questions for you: (answer in the comment section below)

Food prep?  Meal Planning?  Meal Prep?  Yes or no?  What does it look like for you?

Are you up to speed on my series on wellness?  Check it out!

Radio Silence

The Empty Fridge Syndrome

Put a Little Love in Your Step

On Friendship

Breakfast 101

Not a Runner

With Us
Worthwhile or Gimmick?
Three Years, Really?
No Time to Stretch!
Do you believe?

Subscribe to new posts!  When a new post is added, you will receive an email notice so you can check it out.  I promise:  no SPAM and I won't share your email address with anyone.  Look at the top right side of the page to subscribe.  

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NOT a runner

Please pardon the interruption to my series on wellness for this news briefing.  I am sooooooooo excited to share this with you!!!!

Last Sunday I ran my very first 5K race.  Yep, my very first one!!!  It felt fantastic and I loved it.  Okay, so let me be honest.  I hate running.  It stinks.  But the feeling after you run is addicting.  The "Whomp!!!  You did it!  You kicked some serious @$$!!!!" feeling.  It's hard to describe, but it's a pure adrenaline rush.

Yeah me!!!  Time:  28:09   

There are a whole lot of reasons why I shouldn't run, the number one being that the orthopedic surgeon told me two years ago, "NO running!"  But I'm a bit of a rebel.  Since I hurt my shoulder, my training has been limited.  Then came in the "I'm going for a 'NOT' run" (as I would tell my husband).

I have arthritis in my left knee.  No torn meniscus.

The "NOT running" started last summer when I was doing interval training on the treadmill.  I walked for two minutes, then increased my pace to my maximum for one minute.  This maximum pace increased steadily to the point where I was running.  "One minute, it's not too bad."  Repeat this rotation for 24 minutes.  I loved increasing my speed on the treadmill each time.  Pushing my maximum effort to more than what I did before made me feel like I was accomplishing something.  And I sweat like crazy, which proved to me I was working hard.  I loved it.

drip,drip, drip

 Then I started run / walking outside.  Basically, I did the same thing as on the treadmill, only instead of timing it, I used driveways to mark my distance.  This was even harder.  Run:  "Try to get to the end of the street."  Walk.  "Breathe, catch your breath.  Breathe."  Run:  "Try to go a little further this time."

I even started running laps inside work on my late nights.

In November, I started running further distances without walking.  I started at one mile and worked my way up a little bit gradually.  And then I ran my first 5K race.  Yeah!!!  So psyched!!!

Our Team

So, why run?  Why go against the doctor's orders?   Here's the thing, I am by NO means telling you to go against your doctor's orders.  Not by any means.  Two years ago I weighed 50 lbs. more than I do now.  I was no where near as strong as I am today.  Not by a long shot.  Not only that, I am a lot smarter about my own abilities and my own body.  I recently saw a segment on The Doctors about this woman with MS who is running 7 marathons on 7 continents.  If she can do that, I can certainly run a 5K.  (Woman with MS to Run 7 Marathons on 7 Continents.)  So, I took a calculated risk and so far it's come up okay.

Don't you just LOVE the pink headband with the cranberry shirt?

If my knee is wobbly or achey, I don't run.  Running is nothing like riding my bike. But it's too cold to ride  my bike and the roads are a mess due to the recent snow we've had.  So...this lets me push myself.  And...even though I hate it while I'm doing it, I like the way I feel after I run.

Sweat man...nothing like a good run to majorly sweat!

Questions for you...
Do you run?  
Do you want to run?  
Do you think you could ever do a 5K?  Do you wish you could?  
Send me an email and I'll give you some tips on how to get started.  I am NO expert, not at all, but having JUST started, I can tell you what worked and did not work for me.'

Are you up to speed on my series on wellness?  Check it out!

Radio Silence

The Empty Fridge Syndrome

Put a Little Love in Your Step

On Friendship

Breakfast 101

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