New Training Plan

Hey guys!

I have felt a little lost this past week in terms of what is next for me fitness-wise. I’ve been lukewarm about all of my workouts since the race because I haven’t been working towards anything specific and I wasn’t sure about any races in the future. After this week, I realized that I work better with a plan and a goal to work towards. So I created a new race/workout plan that will take me until The Blessing of the Fleet, a 10 mile road race in Narragansett, RI. I walk/ran it last year but this year I know I can definitely run the whole thing. Right now, three of my ladies from home are planning on running it too and I couldn’t be more excited! I think my running buddy Jess is going to run it as well. Hooray for a fun race!

Knowing that I already have the endurance to run 10 miles just makes me want to get better. And by better, I mean faster. And stronger. My new race plan will hopefully get me there.

Take a look at the plan below. It’s based loosely on Hal Higdon’s Intermediate 10 mile training plan. The plan includes the running I need to do to be ready for the race, the free classes that Hoboken sponsors in the summer, the yoga class we have on Wednesdays at work, and the bootcamp Living Social membership I bought. I still have a rest day scheduled each week, so I don’t think I will be overtraining. This may get wiggled around a little as time goes on, but I like how it looks and I think it will work.

While we’re talking about types of workouts, I tried anti-gravity yoga with my mom last weekend. It was such a cool experience! I didn’t get any photos of the actual studio but here’s an idea of what it looked like.

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Our swings were lower because it was a restorative class. It was a fun class and it really stretched me out. I had a pain in between my shoulders from the race that I couldn’t get to go away but this class got it out! I really want to go back and do the higher one, because I hear it’s more of a workout. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone who has the opportunity to give it a try. Flying in a yoga class is a pretty awesome way to workout!

What unique kind of workout class have you taken?

WIAW Holy Hills!

So it’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for none other than What I Ate Wednesday. (You can see my first WIAW post here.)

Since I’ve changed my work schedule (we were given the option of flex time so I now work from 8-5), I now eat breakfast at work which gives me more time to prepare and eat something delicious. Bring on the oats!

These were quick cooking oats prepared with 1/2 cup almond milk and 1/2 cup water and 1 teaspoon of chia seeds. After it was done cooking I added 1/2 teaspoon of agave, 1 spoonful of sunflower seed butter, 1 tablespoon of granola and 1/2 of a gala apple. I love oats for breakfast because they fill me up better than any other food and keeps me full until lunchtime.

For lunch I had the overwhelming craving for a chicken salad sandwich and boy did this one deliver! Chicken salad on a whole wheat hero with lettuce, tomato and spicy mustard. I may have to get this today because just thinking about it is making me hungry.

I ordered a shipment of supplies from IHerb and one of them was wheatberries.  I had never tried them before but Dan eats them at some place by work so I figured I’d add them to the cart. Boy am I glad I did! They taste kind of like brown rice but had a great new texture. I put some roasted veggies, which consisted of brussel sprouts, zucchini, and red peppers on top of the wheatberries. I also baked some chicken breasts then pan roasted them with lemon pepper seasoning.

I rounded out the night with some Cheez Its and a glass of white wine.

Holy Hills

So I told you about the Bootcamp I am doing and so far, it has been great! Yesterday’s exercise called for 50 minutes of cardio, which fit in perfectly with my half marathon training program. I was scheduled for 3.5 miles and I knew I wanted to incorporate hills into my running. I searched around and found this great workout.  I did it by the book and added in a 5 minute warm up walk and a 10 minute cool down walk to make sure I reached my 50 minutes of cardio.

Give this workout a try if you’re looking for a manageable challenge on your shorter run days!

I’m off, have a great day folks!

This is the start of something good.

Hey all! I hope you had a healthy start to the week. Did you set your healthy intention for the day?

Since my post yesterday I have decided to take on another fitness challenge. After seeing Julie’s and Courtney’s posts this morning about Best Body Fitness’s Bootcamp  I knew this was just the challenge I needed.  I was super bummed because the registration closed on the 4th, but I was so lucky that Tina reopened registration for yesterday only! For $25 I will be getting 8 weeks of a bootcamp plan with the chance to win prizes every week and a cash prize at the end. I can’t share any specific workouts but I will say that I think it is going to fit in really well with my current half marathon training.

Like I was saying yesterday, my strength training left something to be desired. I used strength days to do a few planks and do a few bicep curls but not anymore! Yesterday’s stretch and strength workout left me tired and wiped in the best way possible. The workout focused on full-body strength.  I did the weights circuit three times through then followed up with 20 minutes on the elliptical.

The one move that was the most difficult for me was the new-to-me Shoulder Press with Leg Extension.

I used 15 pound weights for the first set but I was super struggling through that set. I dropped down to 10 pounds but I wish I could have done it with 12 pound weights (we don’t have those at my gym). This move is a killer and a total body toner.

One final aspect of this plan is that we have to set two personal goals. Mine for this week are:

• take my vitamins everyday
• eat at least one serving of veggies a day

I say eat because I usually get my veggies through juicing so I feel like I should actually eat them once in a while.

So there you have it, my new fitness challenge! I think I am going to do a before and after post with pictures…eek! I think this plan is what I have been missing and I’m hoping that this plan, coupled with my 1/2 marathon training and tracking my nutrition, will really be what makes the difference in my pursuit of healthiness. Stay tuned!

Preempting Health with What I Ate Wednesday

This upcoming weekend is going to be nutty. Two weekends before St. Patrick’s Day, Hoboken goes crazy. Hoboken St. Paddy’s Day used to start with a parade through the street, but due to the craziness of the event, they nixed the parade this year. Never one to miss a great time, Hoboken found another reason to spend all day drinking, Lepre-Con. Essentially, you dress up as a Leprechaun and go to bars. I am preparing my body for this week by being extra health conscious. I am ramping up my workouts and cleanifying my eats.

I’ve seen What I Ate Wednesday around the blogosphere for a while now and since I used to do a round up of what I ate on Wednesday anyway, why not link it up with other bloggers? You can see all the What I Ate Wednesday round-up over on Peas and Crayons. Here is what I ate one day this week.

I kicked off the day with some loaded oatmeal. I microwaved some quick cooking oats with chia seeds and added agave, a scoop of PB, 1/2 cup of strawberries and blueberries, and a tablespoon of Trader Joes granola.

For lunch I had my usual-Amy’s soups. Black bean veggie style. I also had some unpictured green grapes.

After a butt-kicking workout, I had worked up quite the appetite and couldn’t wait to make the dinner I had dreamed up.

This little baby is an amazing salad. Blood oranges, red onions, gouda on arugula with champagne vinaigrette. Yum!

Dinner part two-tomato, arugula, and mozzarella panini. Also yum.

I also had a green juice in order to up my veggie intake for the day, since this month’s theme of WIAW is “Love Your Veggies” month.

I topped the night off with a glass of Merlot and one of my most favorite things from Trader Joe’s, Dark Chocolate Powerberries. These babies are gold, I tell ya, gold!

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All in all, it was a nutritious and delicious day. I need to make that salad again, it’s definitely worth giving a try.

I wanted to share a workout that I made up yesterday. It wasn’t a butt kicker like the one I did the day before, but my poor muscles needed just a solid, steady workout. On my 1/2 marathon training plan, I had a 3.5 mile run scheduled, so I came up with this plan to make the run more interesting, which was a success. This workout, coupled with an episode of Dance Moms, went by in a blink.

Well, I’m off! Let me know if you try the workout and what you think if you do try it!

Half Marathon Training-Running Outside

Hey guys, I hope you had a great weekend! My family was in town and we went to a bunch of great restaurants around Hoboken, including Zylo, Charritos and Amanda’s.  I didn’t take pictures of any of the food but maybe I’ll do a review soon anyway.

Last week, I hit a bump in the road with my half marathon training.  Beside the fact that I took a whole week off from exercising, once I got back into it, the struggle continued. 

(Side note-I just realized that my running time I entered was totally off.  I ran 5 miles in 57 minutes, not 1:57!! I would have been barely moving to run that slowly.)

As you can see in my Daily Mile post from last week, running doesn’t come naturally for me.  It’s not something I enjoy and takes a big effort for me to want to run. I just get so bored! Many people suggested I stop running on the treadmill and try running outside, so today, I gave it a try.

I suited up head to toe so I wouldn’t feel the cold.

I was determined to run my scheduled 5 miles, or at least a few of them, outside. I set out and felt pretty good for the first mile but then I started to feel really miserable.  I’ve been battling a cold and I think the run made it worse.  It became really difficult to breathe and I started coughing a lot.  I decided that it wasn’t worth the misery and that I would try again tomorrow.  If I feel better, I may attempt the 5 miles on the treadmill tomorrow, because I want to get them in. 

On that note, I’m going to bed soon I think. I’m feeling rather gross right now and it seems to be getting worse. Womp womp.

Do you have any suggestions with training through a cold? I need to keep going!

Surprisingly…Upbeat!

The first person to get remember where that title came from gets a virtual cookie.

So here I am, one week away from finishing Part 1 of my half marathon training and I have surprised myself with how far I’ve come. I think I could almost call myself a runner…almost.

As I’ve said before, each long run is a new PDR (personal distance record) for me. While I’m still truckin’ along in the single digits mile-wise, I did something this week I never thought I’d ever do. I ran 5 miles, in a row, with. out. stopping! It was truly one of my proudest moments, and honestly, those 5 miles FLEW by. I probably could have kept going, too!

If anyone had told me 4 years ago, heck even a year ago, that I’d be racking up the miles like it ain’t no thang, there’s no way I would have believed you. Running was always a source of angst for me-I remember dreading each cheerleading and softball practice because there was an off chance we’d have to do some long distance running. I was even on the track team in high school and I would feign sore knees to get out of running more than a mile. (That is also why I took up the javelin, but that’s another story.) It makes me smile while the miles tick by now, I welcome the exercise. I love the way I feel at the end of a run and I don’t feel like curling over and dying anymore…I guess that’s a positive thing!

While I did feel great this Sunday when I reached my 5th mile, I need to remember how much farther I have to go until I have reached my goal. I am still 8 miles away from where I need to be in May, so I cannot be complacent.  I still have a long way to go but I really love celebrating these mini milestones. While the work is hard, I do enjoy it. I am happy that I have decided to embark on this journey and I can’t wait to continue racking up the miles!

What mini milestones have you hit on your way to your final goal?

Surviving the Dreadmill

Hi everyone! I hope you had a fabulous weekend and enjoyed the snow a little.

Due to the snow and overall cold weather, I have taken my training inside the past few weeks.  Typically I find running on the treadmill to be sooo boring. The scenery never changes, which make it feel like forever. Also, I find I run a lot slower when I am controlled by the treadmill, so it almost makes me feel like I am taking a step back when I can’t go at my usual speed. I am learning to embrace the treadmill and even starting to enjoy its company. Here are some of the things I do to make the time on the treadmill tick by faster.

Watch a TV show or movie.

When I know I’ll be on the treadmill for longer than 20 minutes I have started to watch what’s available On Demand. Recently, my series has been Rachael vs. Guy’s Celebrity Cook-off which is about 46 minutes long. Perfect for my 4-5 mile runs.

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I get my NSYNC fix on during the show with this guy.

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I’m pulling for him to win (I’m a week behind so don’t tell me if he’s been kicked off), but I digress… Once I start getting into even longer runs, I am going to start watching movies On Demand, since they last about an hour and a half. I like that these shows keep my interest because there are no commercials and I usually forget that I’m running.

Cover the mileage counter.

I always forget to bring a towel to the gym so I cover the mileage counter with my phone.  I drive myself crazy when I watch the mileage slowly tick away, so covering it puts that dreaded number out of your mind.

Listen to a podcast.

Listening to music isn’t usually enough for me. The music doesn’t distract me from what I’m doing. Listening to a podcast is more interactive because you actually have to listen to what is being said. I think this could also work well with a book on tape. I am going to try that next.

Don’t think of the distance in terms of a total amount.

This is the best trick I have. This can apply to inside or outside running.  Rather than dwelling on the fact that you have to run 4 miles, think that you have to run 2 miles twice or 1 mile four times. I like to have milestones in the run to make it seem shorter. At one mile, I’ll think “this is no big deal you’re already a fourth of the way through.” This type of internal motivational conversation is very helpful for me.

Do you have any helpful tips to make working out inside a more enjoyable experience?

So onto this week’s training. I completed week 4 of Hal Higdon’s 10k training plan, which means I’m half way done with my first (of two) training plans! I feel much more confident this week that I will be able to run 13 miles come May. Bring it on, Cox Providence Half Marathon!

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Monday- Sunday’s run was on the treadmill so I wasn’t that sore. Still, I rolled the leggies and did some great stretching. I also did the 100 workout while watching The Bachelor (go Kacie B!). It occurred to me that the perfect substitution for stretch and strength would be yoga. I don’t know why I didn’t do this before! Looks like this Monday I’ll be yogacizing. Here’s the 100 workout that I completed (I did 10 burpees at the end instead of 10 minutes of running.)

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Tuesday-I went into the city after work to take part in the Self Magazine Healthy Food Awards taste testing and was exhausted by the time I got home. I postponed the 3 miles until Wednesday.

Wednesday- We do yoga at work every Wednesday, so instead of 35 minutes of cross, I did an hour of yoga. I’d say that’s a pretty good substitution. I also ran my 3 miles from Tuesday on the treadmill as soon as I got home from work. Two-a-days baby.

Thursday-I busted out 2 miles on the treadmill with ease. I am beginning to love that running is becoming something I enjoy and not just a strenuous chore! I also did Courtney’s build your own bootcamp workout. Here’s what it looks like, except I only did it one time through.

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Friday-A glorious day of rest. It was marvelous to not worry about working out. I saw friends in the city after work and didn’t have to think about running. What a relief

Saturday-For my 50 minutes of cross, I rode the recumbent bike at the gym. I programed it to bring me through different resistances and levels and boy, was it a good workout! I was a tad worried that my legs would feel like bricks for my long run on Sunday, but alas, I was fine. I love my cross training days because I can read my Kindle or magazines while I am getting my sweat on. I tried to do this while running one day but I got pretty nauseous from the bobbing up and down. I wouldn’t recommend it!

Sunday-Nothing like long run Sundays! I am starting to enjoy building my Sundays around when I’m going to run. Today’s run had to be scheduled around the now AFC Champs Pats! I used all of my tricks for running inside and the miles flew by. I also challenged myself to complete the run with negative splits. I ran the first mile at 5.0 mph, the second at 5.2 mph, the third at 5.4 and the fourth at 5.6. Obviously, I was not doing this run for speed, but I’m glad I tried this type of workout. I think it accurately simulates how the race will go. Perfect practice make perfect.

I’m really pleased with how this week went and that I am really getting into the groove of this running thing The next few weeks will be a challenge because we have big events at work. It’s going to be a challenge to fit all of the training in, but I am going to try to make it happen!

Have a great week everyone!

First Week of Half Marathon Training

So that’s it, ladies and gents…I’ve completed my first week of half marathon training, which means I’m fully committed to this race!
This week I had to juggle the plan a bit because I was on vacation and traveling for the beginning of the week. Can’t complain though, because I was running in 70 degree weather until Tuesday!
Some scenes from the runs in Marco Island, FL:


It is honestly my most favorite place to workout because I have all of the time in the world and the best views to take in. We had a yoga instructor come to the house and teach all 10 of us yoga lessons a few morning that week.  We practiced outside by the pool-I can’t imagine a better way to spend vacation! I ran almost everyday, so while I didn’t follow the plan to the T, I did get a lot of great workouts in!
In other running news, I got this baby when we were in Marco…

A Garmin Forerunner! This baby is pure running gold.  It uses GPS locators to accurately track your pace, time, and distance. It can also tell you your calorie burn among tons of other statistics. I’m in love!
Here’s what the 8 week Hal Higdon 10k training plan looks like:

Since I am starting the half marathon plan as soon as this one is over, I am skipping the tapering week and moving right along. I worked out on my own the first week because of the holidays, but I did as much as I could.
This week I started and finished the second week of the training plan this week.
Monday: I was still on vacation on Monday, so I ran to and from the gym and did a total body circuit while I was there. I used the stretching cage to get my stretch on. It was a butt-kicking workout that looked like this:

Tuesday: Tuesday was a travel day, so I wasn’t able to workout.  I flip flopped Tuesday and Friday and worked out on Friday instead and got my run in on Monday.
Wednesday: Half hour on the Pre Core machine while reading my Kindle.
Thursday: I completed my scheduled run on the dreadmill at a 5.5 mph pace.  I cranked it up to 6.5 mph for the last minute of the run.  I was surprised that running on the dreadmill felt pretty okay.  I thought that after a week of running outside in the beautiful sunshine, running inside would be a snooze but I was wrong. I distracted myself by listening to the Britney Spears station on Pandora and thinking of my New Year’s resolutions (post to come tomorrow).
Friday: For the longest time, I have wanted to be a morning exerciser.  It sounded so good to get the workout done before I did anything else and not have to worry about it after work. There have been so many mornings when I’ve set my alarm earlier but I don’t even think about it and turn the alarm off and go back to sleep.  I decided on Friday to get serious and move my phone to the other side of the room.  This way I was forced to get out of bed to turn the alarm off. I got out of bed ready to roll but I decided to do a yoga DVD which made me even sleepier. It was so tough to stay awake and I felt so weak even in downward dog. Note to self, no yoga in the morning.
Saturday: I rode the bike on a high resistance for 40 minutes while reading.
Sunday: Sunday was a big day! I ran the farthest I ever ran! While to many, 3.5 miles doesn’t seem like a big deal at all, it was a huge deal for me. I always wanted to be a runner but never thought I had it in me. My pace was 9:49 per mile, which is a little bit faster than I usually run.  Every time I tried to slow down I would find myself back in the 9 mile/hour range.  I guess that is where I am comfortable now. Every mile-stone I make in this training will be one step closer to becoming a real runner. After the run I fueled with tons of water and a shake of dark chocolate almond milk and whey protein powder.
Long runs mean lots of ice on my left knee and ankle.

I’ve always had problems with my left knee, so I am going to make sure I ice it after runs and wear a brace when it bothers me. Don’t want any injuries during training!
So that’s it for this week’s training, I feel great about my progress so far. I’ll be posting my progress every Sunday night. Tata for now!

Weekend Recap

Hi everyone! I hope you had a fabulous weekend full of healthy choices.

I was pretty successful in eating well this weekend.  I only had one small plate of food and one cakepop at my cousin’s shower, so I call that a success!

Since I wasn’t able to workout at all on Saturday, I knew I couldn’t go the whole weekend without a good sweat, so I hit the gym with my dad on Sunday morning. I did the following high intensity interval training on the treadmill.  These speeds may seem fast to some and slow to others, so adjust so it is comfortable for you (but not too comfortable!).

This seems like a confusing workout, but it really isn’t.  Walk 2 minutes, run for a minute increasing the speed by .5 mph each time you run.  Once you hit 8.0, decrease by .5 mph each time you run. It will get you sweaty for sure!

What’s your favorite HIIT workout? Post links in the comments!

Super Easy Turkey Chili

 

Hi all! I hope everyone had a great weekend :)

While the weekends are always fun, this one was particularly fun! Saturday we went to the ING New York City Marathon Race Expo at the Javits Center then some friends from school came to Hoboken for a night out! It was so great to see them. Sunday was a lazy day filled with marathon and football watching and some great eats! Dan made delicious egg sandwiches for breakfast and we ordered Indian for dinner. I tested out some recipes and ended up making chili and granola. I have the recipe for the chili below and will post the granola recipe this week. They are both easy to make and good for you, too.

Chili is the perfect fall dish because it is hearty and good for you.  It's a low maintenance dish to prep and let sit for as long as you’d like.

Crock Pot Turkey Chili

Print this!

Ingredients (6 servings)

• 1 pound ground turkey (can use beef, chicken or more beans instead)
• 1 red onion
• 1 red bell pepper
• Olive oil
• 1 (16 oz) can pinto beans
• 1 (16 oz) can kidney beans
• 1 (29 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
• 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
• 1 tbsp Chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• Italian seasonings to your taste
• Fat-free sour cream
• Shredded cheese

Instructions

• Heat up a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan on medium heat. Turn crock pot on low.
• Brown the meat in the pan. Half way through browning, add the chopped red onion and red pepper to the meat.
• Add ingredients from pan into the crock pot. Add all other ingredients and mix everything together.
• Let the crock pot heat the chili on low for 7-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours.
• Serve with sour cream and shredded cheese.

Let me know what you think if you make it! I can cross off “create a crock pot recipe” from my November goals now.

Workout

Today’s workout was a sweaty one! It was a 5 mile treadmill interval workout that took me about 70 minutes and torched over 500 calories.

0.0 mile-0.5 mile: Walk @ 3.5 mph

0.5 mile-2.0 mile: Run @ 5.5 mph

2.0 mile-3.0 mile: Walk @ 3.5 mph

3.0 mile-4.5 mile: Run @ 5.5 mph

4.5 mile-5.0 mile: Walk @ 3.0 mph

Have a great Monday and I’ll see you tomorrow with the granola recipe!