Awesome Running App

Both business and personal problems have kept me from sharing my fitness journey over the last week but I'm hoping things are back on track enough that I can once again offer encouragement and motivation as well as helpful tips and exercise programs to those who are interested.

Since I enjoy running outside so much when I'm with my sister, I decided to give it a try on my own this week.  So, donning my incredible running shoes, a new running shirt and my mp3 player, I set out yesterday morning at 5:15am to once again do Week 3 of my Couch to 5K program.  The weather was beautiful, the streets were empty and I had the most enjoyable run ever!  So, this morning I was brave enough to tackle Week 4.

Here it is:

Walk 5 minutes (to warm up)
Jog 3 minutes 
Walk 90 seconds
Jog 5 minutes 
Walk 2 1/2 minutes
Jog 3 minutes
Walk 90 seconds
Jog 5 minutes
Walk 2 1/2 minutes

And I did it!  And I even loved it!!! 

For anyone looking for a great Running App for their phone, I'm using Runtastic.  It's FREE (as long as you're not using the Pro version, which I'm not) and it keeps track of everything for you.  You simply hit the start button when you leave and the stop button when you get back.  It tracked my route, my distance, my average speed, my fastest speed, my distance, and it even has a spot for me to record how I was feeling after the run.  It has a calorie counter included in it which I'm assuming is pretty accurate seeing as how it knows how fast I'm going.  It logs all of your runs into its history so you can see how you're improving (what great motivation!).  It has options for other types of activities as well, but I didn't look into that very much, I just select running and go for it!  

Still Unwell...

This hasn't been the best week for me.  Since last weekend, I haven't been feeling very well.  Today is probably the worst so far...and it's the day I've been trying to get better for!  It's Functional Fitness Day!


Since I'm not sure if it's the food I'm eating that's causing my feelings of unwell or if I've picked up a bug, I haven't pushed the workouts too much.  If it is a bug, then my body might need some extra rest.


I ran Monday morning and Tuesday night, doing Week Three of the Couch to 5K program.  I also did a workout Tuesday and Wednesday morning...starting with Zumba to warm up and then I did the following:
15 Dumbbell Bent Over Row
15 Dumbbell Flys
15 Stability Ball Crunches
30 Squats
15 Deadlifts
(3 sets)
then I did a combination of two exercises...

Start by doing a plank with your arms straight and your shins on a stability ball.  Do a pushup.  As soon as you straighten your arms, roll the ball in towards you until your knees are bent and only your feet are on the ball (this is an exercise that works the lower abs).  Roll the ball back out and repeat with another pushup.

 I did this one 15 times followed by
15 Crunches with a Twist (foot up on opposite knee)
(2 sets of these)


Hopefully things will improve and I'll get back to my normal routine.  
Until then...I'm resting up (a little).  :)

Not My Week

When working towards any goal,  setbacks should be occasionally expected and adjustments will be necessary.  Maybe just understanding that they are a part of the journey will make them easier to bear.  Easier....not easy. :S

This past week has been one of many ups and downs for me.  For those who believe that I am a never ending supplier of motivation and happy thoughts, please understand that I suffer the same as anyone.   Setbacks hurt...they make me wonder why I'm getting up at 5am to workout when I'd rather get up at 5am with a coffee and a good book.  Sometimes while I'm running on my treadmill, I'm going over the reasons I work out in my head the whole time.  It doesn't seem to make the miles go by any faster, however.

I did something that one day I hope to feel better about.  I took a picture of myself (in a bikini, ugh!) when I first started working out and then took another picture a couple of days ago.  I figured after a month and a half that it was time to see if the camera would pick up the same differences in my stomach that the mirror does.   In comparing the two pictures, I was not pleasantly surprised as I'd hoped to be.  The pictures look almost identical and if anything, I think I look a little thicker through the waist in the second one...damn abdominal workouts.   I needed a second opinion.  I went looking for someone who I knew could be honest...there was a large number of people to choose from.  However, the list of people who I would be willing to show the pictures to narrowed the list down to only a couple.  
I chose my sister, of course. 
She agreed with me.  
"I don't see any difference," she said, flipping back and forth between the two pictures on my phone, "you might even be a little heavier in the new one."
"That's what I thought!" I exclaimed, rolling my eyes.
"You make me sick, by the way," she said, handing the phone back to me.
Ah...kind of a compliment.  After today, I'll take anything I can get. :)

So, this is Week Three for me on my Couch to 5K program.  In looking it over last night, I was a little anxious about starting my run this morning.  
This is what this week looks like:
Week Three (do this 3 times this week)
5 minute brisk walk
90 second jog
90 second walk
3 min jog
3 min walk
90 second jog
90 second walk
3 min jog
3 min walk


I hadn't had to run three minutes straight yet, so I was a little anxious about that.  Melissa is trying to follow the same program as me, so that when we run together each week (usually only once) we are on the same page.  I hesitantly texted her.
Me
<Week three is pretty crazy...I'm not going to lie to you... but at least it's not as scary as Week 4!  It's a five minute walk followed by 2 reps of this: 90 sec jog, 90 sec walk, 3 min jog, 3 min walk. EEK!>
Melissa
<Okay,  and I'm not going to lie to you: the only time I run is when I'm with you! LOL!>

So...I'm getting up at 5am to run 3 times a week, by myself, to prepare for the Army Run that she signed us up for, and she's running once a week.  And keeping up with me easily.  And moving from one week to the week with me.  This just might not be my week. :/
 

Too Determined To Be Defeated...

Today is the first day in a week that I've woken up and not had any sore muscles.  I moved around a little, stretching my arms out, lifting my knees up...nope...nothing's aching, nothing's sore.  Yay!
Then I looked at the calendar.
Uh oh.
It's Thursday.  CrossFit day.
Well, so much for not being sore!!! Guess I'll just enjoy this day and we'll see what tomorrow brings!

I started the day with half an hour of Zumba in preparation for my Zumbatomic class this Saturday.  Zumba for kids is so much fun!  The music is adorable and getting the kids to wiggle and dance is awesome!  And it is such a great workout!

I didn't have the energy to plan a workout this morning so I went back to the Do You Really Want Those Abs? program.  For anyone wanting immediate results on their stomach, this is a great one.  I noticed definition quite quickly after I started doing it.  It includes three exercises that each target one area of the abdominal muscles and is then followed by bicycles, which incorporate all the areas of your abs.  Plus, the super high reps will ensure you feel it tomorrow!
Give yourself between 20-30 minutes to do it.  And remember - slower is better when doing crunches!

When I'm needing some extra motivation...I usually look for quotes or sayings that appeal to me.  Sometimes it's all I need to get going and work harder.  There are a few that have stuck with me over the years and I have them printed out on my fridge at home.  While I'm waiting for the water to heat up for my tea, I look over them.  It's a great way to adjust your mind and attitude before walking out the door in the morning.
This is the one I use mostly for training (it's also up on the wall in my workout room) and for those days when it feels like everyone is out to bring you down. :)

"I am too positive to be doubtful. 

Too optimistic to be fearful. 

And too determined to be defeated. "

Oh yeah! :D 

Apple Pie Water

The alarm went off this morning at 5am.  A new day...a new start. :)
I am still on Week 2 of my Couch to 5 K, so I spent a glorious 25 minutes with my treadmill and my fantastic new shoes.  I managed to get just over 1.6 miles and I was dripping (yuckers!) by the time I was done. 

I headed back upstairs and did a new ab workout:
25  Dumbbell Punch across Body
12 Reverse Crunches on Stability Ball

12 Stability Ball Crunches
12 Dumbbell Flys
I did 2 sets of the above.  I realize that Dumbbell flys are 
not ab exercises but I really like them. :D

Then I followed it with 2 sets of  25 (each side) 
Crunches with Twist (foot on opposite knee).

 In my quest to drink more water, I have been looking for variations to try.  I've tried adding lemon slices, oranges slices and chunks of cucumber and they all offer a bit of a different taste, which is nice.  I've also been experimenting with a couple others.  I tried the Dr. Oz Metabolism Boosting Green Tea drink two days ago...it was 8 cups of green tea, a handful of mint leaves and a couple orange slices.  It was supposed to brew overnight so that the flavours blended.  They blended alright, but there was no way they were going to overpower that awful green tea taste.  Huge yuckers!  I drank half a cup (maybe!!!), washing down each mouthful with a gulp of plain water.  Then I poured the whole thing down the drain.  Bleh.

So yesterday I tried something new.  I filled my Blender Bottle with water and added three or four apple slices and a full cinnamon stick.  Very yummy.  It still tastes like water, with maybe a hint of apple, and it smells like apple pie!  I'm drinking this again today...it's definitely a nice change.

For anyone who is looking for more clean eating ideas...here's the inventory of food I brought in my lunch today.  Please keep in mind that I got here at 9am today and I'll be here until 8pm...it seems like a lot of food. :D

1 small container of Whole Grain Rice Crackers
1 small container of cherry tomatoes
1 medium container of Plain Greek Yogurt with cut-up strawberries
1 small container of apple slices
1 small container of carrot sticks
1 very small container of almonds
1 large container of salad (baby spinach leaves, sliced hard boiled eggs, red pepper and pumpkin seeds)
1 medium sized baked Sweet Potato

Hmmm....now that I write that out, it doesn't look like enough food. :P
Good thing this apple water is filling me up and I haven't touched any of my food yet. :D

I realize that I write quite a bit about Mark and I and our different attempts to keep the other from reaching their fitness goals.  I know that couples should support each other rather than sabotage each other, but we are very competitive people and this works for us. :D
However, just so everyone knows...I did attempt to help sway Mark to the way of healthy eating last night. 
With dinner on our plates, we were sitting down at the island in our kitchen and he brought
out a bag of chips from the cupboard to add another "side" to his plate.
"Did you want some of these carrot sticks instead?" I asked, offering some off of my own plate.
"Nope."
"You know those chips aren't good for you, right?"
"Yep."
"You know these carrots ARE good for you, right?"
"Yep."
"And you still don't want any?"
"Nope." he said, shaking his head and looking quite pleased with himself.
He must have some plan I don't know about. :S  
I wish him lots of luck.  Sort of.

You Just Have To Go

One of the first things I do every morning when I get to work is look up a motivational saying or expression to put on Facebook.  It gets me going and I hope it helps other people as well.
One of the hardest parts of working out is finding the energy to do it.  Whether its getting to the gym or digging the dumbbells out from underneath the spare bed, once you get started everything flows.  It's that getting started part that's hard.
Today was definitely the very hardest day for me to get going.  I had absolutely no ambition to get out of bed and work out. 
That's when the quote above really struck me as good advice.
It didn't have to be the best workout I'd ever done.  I didn't have to increase any weights or pump out more reps than ever.  I just had to do it.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly changed into my workout clothes and headed into the living room.  I put in a Zumba DVD.  Going through the motions, I went through two songs...enough that I felt I was sufficiently warmed up. 
I slightly modified one of my earlier workouts so that it looked like this today:
30 Slow Crunches
50 Russian Twists
12 Dumbbell Blast Off Push-up Hold
20 Second Plank
24 Dumbbell Pivoting Goblet Squat
15 Dumbbell Flys
15 Dumbbell Press Ups
12 Figure Eights (Slowly)
15 Dumbbell Bent Over Rows
12 Leg Circles
25 Crunches with Twist (each side)
It took me twice as long as usual to do it all...but I got it done.  And I guess that's all that matters.

It seemed very ironic to me this morning, after yesterday's blog regarding my clean eating, that when I walked back into the kitchen at 7:30 to make my lunch,  I would have the biggest craving for chocolate ever.  And I mean ever!  I had already polished off my chocolate protein shake at 6am and that had been curbing my cravings quite well lately.  But today was different.  I didn't even want my granola.  I wanted something deliciously sweet.  I wanted chocolate.
And I knew just where to get some.  :)
Hidden from my children and from Mark, in the back of the cupboard, is a box of Belgium Chocolates brought back from France for me from Cam when she was there a month ago.  Mmmmm....  
The kids weren't up yet....Mark was in the shower...I could picture myself in my favourite chair, with the box of yummy chocolates and a good book.  
But then I remembered the definition that I saw on my stomach that morning as I was changing.   Like I said yesterday, I want results...not setbacks.  Even on my bad days, I really don't want to undo any progress I've made, even if I know how completely amazing those chocolates would taste and how much better they would make me feel right now.
I had a banana instead.


 

Sabotage

I don't "do" cheat days.  I don't do one day a week when I eat whatever I want, I don't even do one meal every week when I eat whatever I'm craving.  I just don't do it.
People might think I'm crazy.  They might think that I'm being too strict.  
But I have a really good reason not to.
I'm afraid.
I'm very much afraid that one cheat meal might break the healthy cycle of clean eating that I've become accustomed to.  Do I miss chips, poutine and my love affair with chocolate?  Absolutely.  
But I never really feel deprived.  I choose clean foods that I love to eat.
HOWEVER - My husband got the best of me when he sabotaged my clean eating with a trip to Dairy Queen.
I guess that's sort of payback for the number of times I've picked up his favourite bag of chips over the last little while.  After teaching Zumba Sunday morning, we were heading into Kanata to go to Costco and I was starving.  Since we weren't stopping at home, it looked like a snack on the road was going to be necessary.  
"Well, I'm stopping at Dairy Queen to get a cherry sundae," Mark said smiling, "you can get something too!"
Ugh...I knew I should have packed food for the day.
Scanning the menu, it looked like the only things that wouldn't pack on the calories were drinks that wouldn't come anywhere close to filling me up, so I decided to make it a confirmed cheat meal.  I opted for my favourite treat - the Reese Peanut Butter Cup Blizzard.  And I thanked God that they have come out with their mini size.  Looking it up on the internet, I discovered that this little piece of heaven contains 370 calories, 14 grams of fat and 42 grams of sugar.  Eek.  
As I had stood scanning the menu at Dairy Queen, I asked Mark (somewhat jokingly) if he had planned to sabotage my day intentionally.  He didn't answer.
When I looked over at him, the smug look on his face told me everything.  Hmm.


So...this is what a "typical" day of eating looks like for me:
5:30 am - 1 bottle of water (while working out)
6am - 1 protein shake (1 scoop of protein 30g mixed with 1 cup milk)
7:30 - 1 cup of granola with fruit on top (blueberries today) and peppermint tea (I LOVE THIS!!!)
9:30am - 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt with strawberries 
11am - 18 multi-grain rice crackers
12:30pm - 1 1/2 cup spinach salad with mango, plums and pumpkin seeds
2:30pm - carrot sticks and celery sticks, 20 almonds
4:00pm - can of tuna mixed with a tbsp low fat mayo, with shredded carrots and shredded cheese
9:00pm - chicken (cooked in the slow cooker all day), sweet potato and salad (mixed greens with various veggies)...dessert? Either a banana or a small yogurt 
I also drink another two bottles of water during the day and sometimes have another peppermint tea during the afternoon.  I have one coffee (black) as soon as I get to the gym every day.  
So...am I feeling deprived? Hardly!  I eat all day long! I'm never hungry!  And how can I possibly feel deprived when I'm eating strawberries, blueberries, yummy chicken and sweet potatoes, almonds, tuna, salad...all good stuff.  And the chocolate protein shake every morning following my workout is so delish!!!!
I am trying to change my body...I want results, not setbacks.  The closer I follow my plan, the sooner I'll reach my goals.  That's the best motivation ever!

My workout this morning:
Couch to 5K Week Two Plan (again)
5 minute brisk warm-up walk
Alternate 90 seconds of jogging and 2 min walking until you reach 25 minutes.
This was super easy with my new shoes!!!! Loved it!!!!
Then I did the following ab workout:
50 Regular Crunches
50 Side Crunches (Each Side)
15 Crunches on a Stability Ball (Plank position with feet on ball, tighten abs and roll ball towards you)
15 Crunches on a Stability Ball (knees on floor, hands clasped and roll ball away from you, keeping forearms on ball at all times)
and then I gave up for this morning...I hit snooze twice and didn't have quite enough time to finish what I'd planned.  But I met with Cam at 8am to do kata for an hour this morning so we'll say that that makes up for it.  :)
Also, I needed to sit down with my tea for a few minutes to plot my revenge on Mark...
 


 

The Fitness Warrior's First Attempt at CrossFit

Despite my sore back, my grumpy mood and my desire to lay out on the couch feeling sorry for myself, I went to the first class in the Functional Fitness program last night.  
Okay, truthfully, I went because Jo-Ann told me to.  :D
"Just come and watch," she said, "you don't have to do anything, just watch and listen to Kelly explain the technique."
Ah, she had me at technique.  For anyone who knows me well, they know that I am a huge believer in perfect technique.  This is due, in part, to my karate training.  As a small person with relatively little muscle, I need the best technique I've got to make self defense work.  I can't muscle through it like bigger people.  Plus, when it comes to working out, I believe that proper form will get the best results while leaving me with less injuries.
"Okay, fine, I'll come," I said, somewhat begrudgingly, "But I'll have a hard time not doing it."
Jo-Ann just smiled.  Of course, she understands. 

At 7:26pm, I arrived at the gym, grumpiness still wrapped around me.  However, when you are in a place that oozes motivation and a strong work ethic, it's pretty much impossible to avoid being pulled into it.
Kelly was well aware of my sore back and frequently made sure I wasn't doing anything to hurt it.
"Just do what you can.  If it hurts your back, don't do it."
Sounded good to me.   I've never really been a "watcher" anyway. :D

The class was amazing.  A short introduction and a thorough warm-up was followed by comprehensive teaching of technique.  Then we went through the WOD (Workout of the Day!).  We had to do as many rounds as possible in twenty minutes.  What an incredible workout!  I was completely soaked, my water bottle long emptied and my grumpiness was completely chased away.  Nothing like a great workout with fantastic people to bring me around!


Thanks so much to Kelly for a great class and to Jo-Ann for ensuring I was there to enjoy it!


Note: My back felt much better after the class...I was so stiff from sitting at my desk all day, it felt great to be moving and I stretched a lot after the class and again at home later.   The only problem was the shower I took as soon as I got home.  My arms were so tired from the class that it was almost impossible to wash my hair...seriously, it was the hardest time I ever had! All I could do was laugh...nothing could ruin such a fun night!

 

The Fitness Warrior is Down for the Count!

I got up yesterday at 5am, as usual, and left the bedroom eager to start my workout.  I can't believe I actually look forward to it now.  :)
Since I get bored so easily, I hate sticking to one workout for too long.  It's a great idea to change up exercise routines often because your body adapts to them quickly, but if you change them too much (like me!) you aren't able to track your progress as well.   Oh well!
I love keeping things fresh and trying new things!

So for Tuesday morning's workout, I did half an hour of Zumba to warm up (which worked really well, by the way) and then did the following:
15 - Squats
15- Stiff Legged Deadlift
15 - Lying Dumbbell Press
15 - Lying Dumbbell Flys
15 - Overhead Dumbbell Press
50 - Regular Crunches (slowly)
10 - Lateral Dumbbell Raise
15 - Bent Over Rows
15 - Bicep Curls
15 - Lying Tricep Extension
50 - Russian Twist (with weight)
50 - Side Crunches (Each Side)
25 - Reverse Crunches
10 - Leg Lifts (super slowly)
15 - Squats 
15 - Stiff Legged Deadlift
15 - Dumbbell Blast-Off Push Up Hold
15 - Leg Circles
(I used 10 lb dumbbells for any exercise requiring weight)
I also did a lot of stretching before calling it quits.  :)


Then the worst thing ever happened...after my shower, my back felt a little sore.  As the day went on, it got worse, until I was almost hobbling along.  When I woke up the next day, I could barely get out of bed.  A sore back??? Are you kidding me???
Did I overdo it?  Maybe.  :S

So...no workout this morning and I've been icing it often.   I'm struggling with taking it easy, but I will do my best.   I am signed up for the Functional Fitness Class that starts tomorrow night (Thursday) and I really don't want to miss the first one!  


Also...finally got some awesome shoes!  Got properly fitted and they are amazing!  I so badly want to try them out!!!  There will be no stopping me in my new shoes....when I can finally wear them. :(
 

Gettin' Goin' on Granola

My fitness journey continues this week with more running and ab work. :)

I started the second week of the Couch to 5K program that I chose.  I didn't realize there were so many until my sister and I were comparing the two we printed out.  
My program for this week is as follows:
5 Minute Brisk Warm-up Walk
Alternate between:
90 seconds Jog
2 min Walk
up until 20 minutes.
I have to admit....this morning's run was really hard.  Especially when my mp3 player died at minute 14.  I looked down at it when it stopped, wondering what was wrong...it actually read Bye Bye across the screen.

I haven't talked a lot about nutrition in this blog, mostly because I really haven't changed my eating habits at all....except that I gave up chocolate after dinner, substituting fruit instead.  I have a chocolate protein shake after my workouts in the morning, which helps to curb the chocolate craving that never entirely goes away.

The protein shake also fills me up for a couple hours since it's usually not until around 7:30-8am that I'm able to fit in some breakfast.  Since I get up at five, there's no way I can make it until then without some food so the shake fits perfectly into my schedule.
My breakfast every day consists of a bowl of granola with milk and fruit on top....raspberries, blueberries, strawberries or banana...anything I can find in the fridge.  I make the granola myself using the same recipe I've used for years.
For anyone interested in trying it out, here it is:

Old Fashioned Oat Granola


1 cup whole wheat flour
3 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ


1/3 cup water
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla


1/2 cup raisins


Mix the dry ingrediants all together in a big bowl.  I measure out the honey in a 2 cup measuring cup and then mix the rest of the wet ingredients in that cup.  Pour the wet into the dry and mix it up, once mixed, add the raisins.  Spread out the mixture on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet and bake for an hour at 250 degrees.
I always make a double batch and use two cookie sheets.  About halfway through, I take them out, give it a little stir and then switch their positions.  Depending on how you like your granola, you can adjust the cooking time.  Colton likes bigger pieces so I leave it more in chunks if he's going to be snacking on it as well.  Cassie likes it soft so less baking time is required, while I like it a little crunchier so I leave it in there for about an hour and a half.  I then store it in a covered container in the fridge. 


These quotes are for 1/2 cup servings: 299 calories, 6 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates, 11 g fat and 4.5 g fiber.  

Super yummy!!!