Running

I am slowly returning to the running world. I ran 5 miles pain free on Sat, and I only have 2 more scheduled visits of physical therapy. Hopefully things are still healing well, I miss running. I will have to figure out how to run before work, although right now getting up at 430 is really early. Looks like it is heating up quickly and running in the afternoon is starting to get not safe.  When I go to my 10 hour shifts, looks like I will be utilizing the jogging stroller, I just hope Makayla enjoys it as well. I will be taking my bike to get serviced, hopefully this weekend, so I can start training for a triathlon. But back to running. Remember when I won the contest to have a professional run any race with me (she ran my half with  me), well part of the requirements were that I was to get friends to run.   Well, since my half, I have introduced running to 2 friends, one of which I believe I got addicted. ;) She loves it so much, she is even already planning a 10K race, and talked about running a half with me. I am currently cheering on 2 more friends who are getting ready to run their first 5Ks and I have another acquaintance, whom I just met, who wants to run 5 miles with me on Sat so she can see how it goes and decide if she wants to run a half with me.  I am humbled by the people who tell me that I inspire them, I just have to find that spark again in me. I am missing running, it is hard to not run, but I also know that I need to do this slowly in order to stay healthy and be able to accomplish all the things on my bucket list for this year. I love how running makes me feel, and right now I am missing those feelings, but I know that as soon as I am cleared to, I will be running at least 3 days a week and that those feelings will get better and I will start too see the weight loss kick back in.  I also have to make sure that while it is awesome to introduce all of these people to running, that I start to push myself, I NEED to get stronger...I have a time goal I need to beat for my next half.

Happy Wednesday! I hope every one has a great hump day!

If the gym fits...

Join it! Well, I am thisclose to doing just that. As you know, I am leaving my current position in like 2 weeks. With that, I am going to be leaving the hospital's gym and therefore it led me to look for the right fit.  Well, I started looking last week, and again today. Last week I went to LA Fitness and while I liked what it looked like on the outside, and it having a pool is a plus, I just didn't feel like I belonged there. I didn't get to just look around, and before I got a tour, I had to sit with a sales guy who told me that what I was doing currently at the gym was wrong, and that I would benefit from this this and this. Yes, I know they have to make a living, but I would have loved to just see what they had to offer. So, after 1 hour, I left the gym, still confused as ever, wondering if what I had been doing so far was completely wrong, and if I would fit in. So, I took some more time, to think about it, look around, and today I went to Retro Fitness.  Those of you who are familiar with Easton will know it's location because it is where the old AMC at 25th St used to be. I went in and was immediately greeted by a super sweet lady who knew her stuff. She greeted everyone that walked in and out of the gym by name, without having to look at the computer screen.  She was eager to give me a tour, told me all that would be included with the membership (2 levels of cardio, with one level in a movie theater, extended ab room, LifeFitness machines, free weights and a cardio room). She also told me up front that the tanning they offer is extra a month, and so is the daycare. Without hesitation she told me to go and enjoy the gym, and I took her up on it. I went right into the movie theater and ran 1 mile on the treadmill while watching SpiderMan. I would have gone longer, but it got to be WAY too hot for me. Other than that, I saw how clean it was, and even saw this lady cleaning the water fountain. While I was leaving, I stopped by the juice bar and had a smoothie that she recommended. It was DEVINE! It was my morning protein shake and I savored every minute of it. We chatted some more and she told me when the busiest times at the gym were and that I too with my membership get 1 hour with the trainer. That was it. She didn't try to pressure me into buying anything, that was it. Any question I had, she answered. As I was leaving, she gave me another 1 day pass but for 2 people (in case Joe wants to try it) and told me that she hopes to see me again. She asked me when I thought I would be coming back, I told her Monday and she told me to have a good weekend and that she would see me Monday.
You know how it is when you walk in somewhere and it just feels like you belong, yeah, that feeling, I got that today at the gym. It doesn't have a pool, but it has a movie theater. Afterall, it is summer and there are pools almost every where I will go to visit.  Now, for me to think about the gym for the weekend, go back Monday and see if I get the same feelings I had today, and if so, I am going to join. There is nothing better than feeling like you belong somewhere, and with that, will make me hold myself accountable for hitting the weights. Yes, finally, somewhere I think I belong!
And yes, I ran a mile, but it felt great to stretch my legs...here's to the restart of doing what I love..eating right, exercising, and RUNNING!
Happy Fitness Friday!

Mondays

So, back to the grind. Well, except for work, that comes tomorrow, which is better since it is a Tuesday. This weather has been amazing. Can I tell you, how excited I am to be out of winter. Anyway, the problem with having off of work is that it leads to baking. Good if you like to bake (I do) bad if you are trying to lose weight (I am). So, I compromised. I made these cookies. Remember, I made these before for my house warming party. Anyway, since I need to get back to the health kick, I also made myself some protein bars. I got the recipe here and since I didn't have enough PB, I made half a recipe. Hopefully it will turn out well. I am always up to trying new things, and they are healthy and supposedly taste like fudge...I will let you know. Other than that, I ran today 2.76 miles, which is my Wednesday work out, but my friend Steph has asked me to help prepare her for her first 5K so when we have a day off together I work my workouts around her schedule. Speaking of running, my long runs are no shorter than 7 miles. Can you believe that in 6 weeks I will be running my first half. Now, I am trying to figure out hydration, if beans, gus or gels work best for me. I have time, I am just going to try a little at a time now, so nothing new on race day. I have also begun to silence the voices in my head, or well not listen to them anyway. I have a lot to be proud of, that I have lost 54# since May, began running in Sept and 7 months later I am running my first half marathon. I am also flattered that people I work with, friends actually, are asking me to help get them running. Who knows, maybe next year I will be running a full marathon. Anyway, since I know you come here to see pics of my daughter, here is a picture from our trip to Fairview Park today. I really miss these things when I go back to work tomorrow. But, without further ado...

Hope you had a great Monday...hopefully I will be able to blog more frequently. The more I blog the more stress that is lifted. Here's to more blogposts!

It's a new day!

I always talk about joining the gym, I pay up front and then after 8 times, work reimburses me, but, that is not practical for me right now. So, I decided to take matters into my own hands. While Makayla slept I took my workout inside. We get VOD with our cable company so I shopped to see what they had for free. Well, I have a love/hate relationship with Jillian Michaels, so when I stumbled upon one of her exercise programs I thought sure, why not. Well hells bells, I NEVER thought I could sweat like this before. I did the 6 weeks 6 pack abs and let me just tell you, it is no joke! The beginner skills are good, although some of the exercises I couldn't do, not because I didn't want too, but because well I tried to do the workout without shoes on. Tomorrow I will put shoes on to do the workout and hopefully there will be different results. While I didn't get to do the whole workout without stopping (Makayla didn't sleep long AT ALL, and like I said I couldn't do some of the skills) I feel like I ran 5 miles but really it was only 38 minutes. I have decided that I make time for everyone and everything else in my life, it is time I make time for myself. I am also hoping to start walking with some friends/family on Sat afternoons to spice up my life a little bit. I figure I will do the free stuff while I can, and then in the winter, join the gym so that I can work out and so Makayla and I can continue swimming. I might not do the abs EVERYDAY maybe every other day. There are A LOT of free exercise programs, so I know that I can find something that I enjoy. Maybe tomorrow cardio kick boxing? Or 20 min Cardio Yoga, groove nBurn Disco, Less is More Cardio Workout? The possibilities are endless, but I know I really do need to make time for myself. I missed the deadline this time around, but in July I am going to do WW at Work. I pay up front, as long as I don't miss more than 2 meetings in 8 weeks, my job reimburses me. I did WW before and it worked, so I am DEFINITELY going to do it again. I am not happy with how I look, or how I feel about the way I look so it is time I did something. What I am doing is not working, so something has to change.