New Workout!!!

I have been working on balancing exercise and eating healthy but I am going to be honest... I stink at it...I always don't feel motivated to exercise and don't want to eat healthy all the time. I have always been inspired to run a marathon and I realized this week that the reason why I have never been a successful runner is because I care more about the weight I lose then actually running. So I am changing it up this time and put away the scale and just started running again! It is going to take time for me to build up to what I could run before but you have to start somewhere. I am really trying not to be hard on myself for having to take breaks but I decided to give myself a week of working up and see where I am at...to be honest I am farther then I thought I would be. The first day I ran a half mile and then the next day I ran a mile and this weekend I ran 2.5 miles without stopping...just building it up one day at a time! My goal is to run at the Rock and Run in Seattle in June so I have four months to train!!

Below is my training for a half marathon schedule which you can switch around for what works for you!!

                   Mon        Tues            Wed     Thurs     Fri               Sat          Sun          Week total
Week 1      3 m          2 m                3 m       3 m        Opt 2 m      4 m         Rest day     15 miles
Week 2      3 m         Opt 2 m          3 m       3 m       Opt 2 m      4 m         Rest day     17 miles
Week 3      3 m         Opt 3 m          3 m      3 m        Opt 3 m      5 m         Rest day     20 miles
Week 4      4 m         4 m                 3 m       4 m        Rest day     6 m         Rest day     21 miles
Week 5      4 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       3 m        Opt 4 m     6 m          Rest day     24 miles
Week 6      6 m         Opt 3 m          3 m       3 m        Opt 3 m     8 m          Rest day     26 miles
Week 7      4 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       4 m        Opt 4 m     7 m          Rest day     27 miles
Week 8      5 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       5 m        Opt 4 m     9 m          Rest day     31 miles
Week 9      5 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       5 m        Opt 4 m     10 m        Rest day     32 miles
Week 10    4 m         Opt 4 m          5 m       4 m        Opt 4 m     11 m        Rest day     32 miles
Week 11    4 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       4 m        Opt 4 m     9 m          Rest day     29 miles
Week 12    4 m         Opt 4 m          6 m       4 m        Opt 4 m     12 m        Rest day     34 miles
Week 13    5 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       5 m        Opt 4 m     13 m        Rest day     35 miles
Week 14    5 m         Opt 4 m          6 m       5 m        Opt 4 m     10 m        Rest day     34 miles
Week 15    4 m         Opt 4 m          4 m       5 m        Opt 4 m     6-8 m       Rest day     29 miles
Week 16    3 m         Opt 3 m          3 m       3 m        Rest day    30mn jog  30mn jog    15 miles

Opt- optional
Mn- minutes


I have found an app for my phone that works amazing for keeping track of your distance. I have tried so many and this is the only one that works as well as I have heard! It's called Run Keeper (its free). Let me know what you think!

Has changed my life...

When I first became unemployed I was invited to attend a women's bible study that happened on Thursday mornings. I said yes I would love to come (but truly had nothing else going on besides working around my house). I attended that next Thursday and when I entered it had a long table full of breakfast foods and tables set up around the open room. All of the women (about 40 of them) welcomed me with open arms and showed me to the food. I ate some of the best tasting food I have ever had. The women ranged from my age to 80's and all had something about them that made you want to be around them. I studied all of these women while they all caught up, telling stories of what God has done in their life. About 45 minutes later we shuffled into the sanctuary for some worship, bulletin and then the word. Fae was teaching that day and you could tell that God was really working in her life and especially to share today. We were working in the book of Matthew and as she said its one of the most important books in the bible and especially the section she was speaking on...it really is the word of what God excepts Christians to be. About and hour and half later we broke up for small groups and boy let me tell you that these women are what I strive to be....100% about God 7 days a week 24 hours a day. When they prayed God was in the room listening...absolutely remarkable!

I left the day feeling great and the best part is that I learned so much about what a Christian is suppose to be about. It isn't about going to church one day a week and then not praying or being in your bible the other 6 days it's about paying attention to god all day every day!

I have gone back to bible study every Thursday since then and look forward to the next one each week with each one getting better and better and I am learning more and more. I highly recommend everyone getting into the word or finding a bible study to help find that inspiration and to learn more every week!!!

Recently

Sorry for the long delay in posting...life has gotten the best of me recently! 
I have spent the last two days giving my blog a much needed face lift!! Let me know what you think!

I recently lost my job...and as much as that hurts to say, I know that I am better off now then when I was there. I have been thinking about this and what was said and my Doctor's responds to the news for a good amount of time. What I have come up with is that God has something amazing out there for me. He knew how much I hated my job.  Needless to say something great is going to come out of all of this and until it does I am just going to be praying and focusing my energy (that I have not had) on my family and GOOD friends! 

Ryan has been so supportive about all of this craziness that has been happening and for that I am so thankful. Sometimes it takes a hard fall to realize what is important. I will keep you guys posted with new thoughts and activities!

When life gets ahead of you....

When life starts getting busy and I think that I would rather go home and clean my house from working all week instead of going and exercising...does this sound familiar?

It definitely is in my neck of the woods and the only way I can hold it together is to try to clean or at least do one chore a day...I try to remind myself that exercising is what really keeps me going but it doesn't always help!!

When Ryan starts going down the same swirling tunnel we try to go find something fun to do outside together that is good exercise! Like hoping on our bikes or going for a hike!! 

Fall is here and I am going to need to find a way to exercise because its going to start getting dark and cold! Any ideas??? My goal is to keep hiking and finding my inspiration but my dvds at home should help and my treadmill!! No extra weight this winter!!!

I know that life gets going and with working full time and starting my own photography business there doesn't seem to be much time left...but its all about finding those moments instead of watching friend reruns- hoping up and taking my jumping lab for a run so he will sleep for the night!! 

WE CAN DO THIS!!!

Schedule workouts

This morning I went for a run with Bodi down by the river and this was the view that I saw :) I thought to myself...WOW I could't live in a more beautiful place!!! The river is the perfect place to take Bodi because he can just run and run and swim and swim I can do my own thing. It makes for such a HAPPY DOG!!

On another note each week I write in my planner what time I am going to do my workouts. It makes me accountable and reminds me that I only get four days to work out and that I need to make it count. I even write little encouragement quotes in my planner to help me get inspired to work out. Now I am one of those girls who live around there planner and I realize that not everyone is like me in this way...so if it is even writing it on a calendar then it will work!!

I work out Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday and then work long days Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday...but everyones schedule will be different!! Do what works for you!

Tomorrow I am going for a hike up a mountain!! Post to come! :)

New Exercise...

I have decided to go bike riding for a new exercise to mix it up from my jogging!! I don't have the newest or coolest of bikes (actually it is the same bike I have had since I was 12) but boy it works perfect!! :)

I went for a 6 mile ride and tried to ride and evenly as possible. I guess that is the key to making biking a good work out!! After about 4 miles my bootie was very sore but I felt good. I really think that feeling good is what it is all about...losing weight comes second!!

My goal is to do a 22 mile one on the trail near my house!!

I do have a dream bike for when I eventually make this my new hobby/ passion...they are super expensive though so my old one works for now!! Pictures to come :)

I hope everyone has a wonderful week

12 pounds down 10 more to go...

So I think that we all have goals for ourselves... either the way we want to feel, look or weigh! I kind of have a goal for each one. Weighing myself is tough because I can feel good, look good and weigh the same. So I started measuring myself once a week and I was shocked by my results!

I was a total of 7.5 inches off from the previous week but weighed the same. I was feeling good and fitting into my clothes well so I knew that something good was happening but I wasn't able to see it on the schedule.

The way that I have been getting inches off is not eating processed foods (including gluten, which I am allergic to), cutting back on my sugar and staying away from milk products, excepte greek yogurt (which I am also Lactose intolerant). I mainly stick to fresh fruits and vegtables, Adams peanut butter, and healthy meats. I have also been walking/ jogging 2-5 miles, 3-4 days a week depending on my work schedule. I have been feeling great and with just simple changes I really believe that anyone can do it!

Below is a good example of a healthy menu for a day...I got it off pinterest! :)