A couple of weeks ago, we celebrated America’s birthday, our Independence Day. Seven years ago, July 4th was more than just America’s birthday; it became my personal Independence Day. You see, seven years ago, I started something that would significantly change my life. I became a runner.
For years, I had been envious of runners. Runners seem like happy people. I had attempted to run a few times and gave up after a week. Then I turned 40. I had some extra weight to lose, and I wanted to feel better about myself. Each year on July 3rd, my family and some friends head to Patriot Place in Foxboro, MA, for some 4th of July fireworks. Before the fireworks, Harvard Pilgrim, a health insurance company, puts on a 5K and a 10K race called Finish at the 50. Each route is different, but all runners finish up by entering Gilette Stadium ( home of the 6x Super Bowl champions, New England Patriots) and running down the field. It is a pretty neat race. As I sat and watched the runners come across the finish line, the pure joy I saw on their faces was inspiring. I wanted to experience that.
The question was, could I do this? I had tried running before and hated it. I was out of shape. I had my doubts. Then two people came to mind, my Dad and my friend Traci. You see, in 2009, my Dad was diagnosed with lung cancer. He was 57 years old and found himself having surgery to remove half his lung. Thankfully, the cancer was caught early on, and he received a second chance at life. As part of his recovery, he started walking 7 miles a day. 7 miles! The last time he had exercised that much was when he was in the Marine Corp. If he could get out there each day, I could give this running thing a try. My friend and co-worker, Traci also inspired me. In the same year, Traci was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer. Despite fighting that horrible disease, Traci still kept on running each day at lunch and rode her bike in the Pan-Mass Challenge, twice, while undergoing cancer treatments. Unfortunately, Traci lost her battle with cancer in Sept. 2011. Little did I know she would leave an everlasting impression on me. That night, I made a promise to myself that I could give this running thing another try.
I got up the next morning, laced up a pair of shoes and out the door I went. I did not have a training plan (not such a smart idea), I did not have the right shoes (I learned very quickly why I needed them), and I ran. It was the 4th of July and hot as hell. I wanted to stop. I had all these negative thoughts flooding my brain. You are too old; you are too fat, you have no business doing this. As these thoughts ran through my head, a beautiful orange and black butterfly fluttered by me. You see, butterflies are the symbol for ovarian cancer. Butterflies represent those that we have lost. Traci had made us all butterflies for our office name plaques. She had a tattoo (a fake one) on her bald head. Butterflies were her favorite. Traci was with me on this run. She was there encouraging me and cheering me on. I finished up, clocking just over 3 miles. On that hot July 4th, I had become a runner.
Now seven years later, I have done numerous 5 and 10ks, over a dozen half-marathons, multiple challenges and completed my 1st marathon. If you had asked me seven years ago if that was what I would be doing, I would have said you were nuts.
Marathon medal 
My 1st marathon
Running has transformed me from the inside out. Running has taught me so many things. These are just a few that come to mind.
- The importance of setting goals.
- How powerful it is to achieve these goals.
- How to overcome obstacles.
- It has taught me patience.
- To believe in me.
- To never give up.
- Hard work will be rewarded.
- Pushing beyond my comfort zone is necessary to grow.
Running is my therapy, my outlet, my escape. When my Mom was given the devastating diagnosis of stage 4 breast cancer and laid dying, I ran to cope. I used that time to cry my eyes out. I could fall apart without my children watching. When I have a terrible day, the first thing I want to do is lace up my shoes and hit the pavement. Running has changed me for the better. God willing, I will continue running well into my senior years.
Hi everyone! It has been a while since I have posted my Love of the Week. Summer has gotten off to a crazy start. We have been busy every weekend. It is all good and I think I now have some sort of writing schedule figured out.
Today I want to share with you a fantastic product that has been a game changer in terms of my nutrition. Seven years ago, I started my running journey. Three years into my journey, I realized I needed to do more than just run to continue building my stamina and strength. I reached out to a friend, who is a health and fitness coach. She recommended a strength training program called PiYo. At the same time, she inquired about my nutrition. I thought my diet was okay, but I was triggering a migraine every time I ran over 6 miles at a time. It was not only annoying but would keep me down for the remainder of the day.
So what is it? The product is called Shakeology. It is filled with vitamins, nutrients, and minerals to support a healthy body. It has protein and fiber, so it fills me up and helps keep my cravings at bay. It has antioxidants to help keep me healthy, pre and probiotics, along with digestive enzymes to help with digestion. I have included more information about there product here.
Though I do not know the exact ingredient that has helped to keep the headaches away, I know it is there, and it has been a lifesaver. Nowadays, I tend not to drink my shake, instead, I made a nightly treat out of it. I have a sweet tooth and always crave something sweet after dinner. I discovered Shakeology ice cream. I take a packet of the chocolate Shakeology, mix it with a little water, just enough to give it the consistency of brownie batter, add a tsp. of peanut butter and stick it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Viola! A nice sweet, refreshing treat to be enjoyed.
I may add a squirt or two of fat-free whipped cream and some sprinkles for some extra goodness.
Shakeology for the win!
This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
This week I kicked off a new training plan. I have been running for almost 7 years and it was time to try something new. I listen to Another Mother Runner, a great podcast about running. AMR designed several different training plans for purchase. Each plan includes expert, accessible coaching and fantastic support. I had heard several other runners speak highly of their heart rate training plans and decided to give it a try. My goals are to improve my overall running and fitness. In doing so, my hope is to achieve some PRs (personal records).
Heart Rate Training (“HRT”) is keeping your heart-rate, the number of times your heart beats in a minute, within a set range. The harder one works out, the higher the heart rate. The idea behind HRT is to train your aerobic system without putting stress on the rest of the body and risking injury.
How to calculate heart rate.
There are a few different ways to calculate your maximum heart rate (“MHR”). All of these require the use of a heart rate monitor. There are fitness trackers, like the FitBit Versa and the Garmin Forerunner 235 running watch, that have built-in monitors. However, a heart rate monitor with a chest strap is the most accurate. I use the Garmin Dual Heart Rate Monitor. The experts recommend that you run all out for about 15-20 mins, at race pace, and by the end, this will be your estimated MHR. Once you have this number, you multiply it by a percentage. For example, to find Zone 1 or Recovery Mode, multiply your MHR by 60%. Any number under 60% would be Zone 1. Zone 2 would be 60-70% of your MHR, Zone 3 70%-80% of your MHR, Zone 4 is 80%-90% of your MHR, and anything over 90% is in Zone 5. With HRT, Zone 2 is where you should be spending the majority of your training. Zone 3 is for tempo runs, where you are teaching your body to run for more extended periods. Zone 4 would be a 5k or 10K race pace.
Benefits of HRT
Besides keeping injuries at bay HRT helps improve one’s overall health and fitness. It teaches how to be in tune with our bodies and improve our cardiovascular health. By recovering properly with easy runs, it keeps the legs fresh and allows for the body to really push itself when it matters, like on race day.
I am excited to embark on this journey and will be writing about my progress along the way. Follow along and decide if HRT is for you.
Has this happened to you? 3:00 pm rolls around and BOOM, you hit a wall? In fact, I am experiencing it right now, and it is the inspiration for this blog post.
I find when I am not doing certain things daily, the witching hour, as I like to call it, hits me like a ton of bricks. I am cranky, tired, and want to go home and to bed. However, 99% of the time, this is not realistic. I usually have an hour or so of work left; I have places to be in the evening, I sometimes still have to get my workout done, make dinner, etc. It can be neverending. It begs the question, how do I move past this and stop feeling this way. It is quite simple. I need to go back to the healthy habits I created a while ago. Here are eight things that I try to do regularly and that you can too, to keep my energy up all day long.
- Wake up and go to bed the same time each day. I find I am at my best when I am in bed by 9:30 pm and up between 5-5: 30 am. This goes for the weekends as well.
- Get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. In law school, up until I hit 40, I lived and prided myself on the fact I only needed 4 hours a night. Those days are long gone.
- Eat a healthy, hearty breakfast. It should include protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fat. This fills me up and keeps me full until mid-morning.
- Do not go more than 3-4 hours without eating. I make sure to pack enough snacks during the workday to keep me satisfied. It also keeps me away from the vending machines. I pack a no/low-fat Greek yogurt, hummus and veggies, apples and peanut butter, slices of deli turkey, or some nuts and seeds.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate Often I find when I am tired, it is because I have not had enough water. I drink half my body weight in ounces, plus more due to my running schedule.
- Fit in exercise. Exercise not only makes us feel better physically but mentally as well. When I start my day with a workout, I feel energized and, it carries through the day. If I work out at lunch, it gives me the boost I need to get through the afternoon.
- Get up and move every hour to an hour and a half. Sitting at a desk all day is one of the worst things we can do. I make sure to get up and move every hour.
- Take breaks throughout the day. Talk a co-worker, take a walk outside, call a friend. 10 mins are all it takes to re-energizer the next couple of hours.
What about you? Do you do any of these things to recharge during the day?
So, you want to be a runner? Almost seven years ago I had this same thought. My family and I were at Gillette Stadium getting ready to watch some 4th of July fireworks. We arrived early to secure a prime spot for watching the show. As we were sitting around waiting, I noticed runners were running through the stadium. Every July 3rd, a local health insurance company sponsored a 5 and 10k race. It was at that moment; I knew I wanted to become a runner. The next day, in 100-degree heat, I started my journey. Was it easy? No! Did I make mistakes? Yes! I made them all. I never took the time to seek out advice. I just grabbed a pair of sneakers (ones that did not fit well) and ran. So that your journey may be a bit more painless, I am offering 8 tips to get you started.
- Invest in the right tools. This includes the proper running shoes, running bra and socks. I recommend taking a trip to your local running store. They will properly fit you based on your gait. They will watch you walk either on a treadmill or out in front of the store to analyze your gait. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have properly fitted shoes. Since it is such an individual decision based on your own body, I really can’t recommend any particular brand. I can say, I wear Brooks and love them. Just as important, running socks. I swear by Balega running socks. These are the most comfortable socks. I never get blisters and are just as comfortable at the end of my run, as they are at the beginning of my run. Lastly, a good running bra. Again, I highly recommend going to a local running store and getting fitted. Brooks makes my favorite bra.
- Invest in an app. There are several apps on the market for runners. Many of them are free, and most can be upgraded for a price. Couch to 5K is very popular. RunKeeper is another good one. You can set the apps so that you are running for so many minutes and walking for so many minutes. RunKeeper has plenty of programs for beginners. I wish I had done this. I started training too fast and too far. My first run was 3 miles. Much too far for my first time out.
- Track every run so you may track your progress. Again, I recommend either RunKeeper or Strava.
- Pace yourself. Slow down and run at a pace you are comfortable running. The risk of injury is high if you go out too hard and too fast. Over time, you will get stronger and faster.
- Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.
- Add some simple strength training moves. This helps prevent injury. I strength train 3 three times a week. If you are not sure what to do, drop me a note, I would be happy to make some suggestions.
- Rest days are important. Rest days are part of your training and should not be ignored.
- Sign up for a local 5k. This will give you the motivation and incentive to keep on training.
I hope you find these tips helpful. Running is such a joy for me, and I would love it if more people could experience that joy.
A little bit more about my running journey: I started running almost seven years ago, at the age of 40. I began to lose a few pounds, but it quickly became something more. I love talking to new runners and helping them start their journey. If you are looking for support, advice or just some motivation, feel free to reach out.
We are a little more than a week away from May 1st. The unofficial kick off to summer, Memorial Day weekend is six weeks away. My birthday is five weeks away, but I digress! Are you where you want to be in your health and fitness goals? I know I am NOT and starting today, that is going to change.
First, I want to make it clear, I am talking more than just weight loss. I am talking about going into the summer feeling our best, physically and mentally. This means fueling our bodies with the proper food, moving our bodies daily, taking time for self-care, sleep, and surrounding ourselves with positive, uplifting people.
At the beginning of the year, I committed to all of the above. Except for running, I have not kept up with the rest, and I can feel it. I have let my strength training slide, my eating habits have been less than stellar, and I lack sleep. I am not feeling comfortable in my own skin. I do not want to head into summer feeling this way. With my training season in full swing, I need to implement some changes. I am putting this out in the universe for two reasons, one to keep me accountable and two, to see if I can entice you to join me!
In looking over the last couple of months, I have concluded there are two reasons I have let my health and fitness goals slide, discipline and not being an active participant in my online accountability group. Accountability groups are key. Here are five reasons why accountability groups work.
- The group is always available. The group is right there, on Facebook, just a click away. If you have a question, facing a struggle, or just want to clelebrate a milestone, simply clikc on the group and tell them about it. Chances are, there is someone on the other end of their phone waiting to respond.
- Third Party accountability. It is a LOT harder NOT to follow through with your goals after you have declared them in a group.
- Learn from each other. Each of us bring something new to the group. As we share share our tips on nutrition and fitness, we learn and grow in our journey to come healthy.
- Positivity. There is no room for drama in these groups. We spend time building each other up, not tearing each other down. Need I say more?
- Like minded women working toward similar goals tend to shine. I have seen it over and over again.
As you can see, there are some great benefits to belonging to an accountability group. It is time I stop the talk and walk the walk. I have been just going through the motions, and that needs to stop. I learned a long time ago, I can’t, nor do I want to do this alone. On April 29th, I am starting up an accountability group on Facebook. It is a free, private, judgment-free group. We will share our goals, struggles, our daily food and fitness logs, exchange recipes and more. The goal is to be an active participant in the group; however, if you are not entirely ready to commit, you can be added and check it out. With summer coming, I want to be as healthy, mentally and physically as I can be. I would love for you to join me. Comment below or send me a message at lifeatmyownpace@yahoo.com. Let’s do this together!
The last two weeks have been hard. Hard in the sense, I can’t get my act together when it comes to healthy, clean eating. I was doing great, down 7lbs and boom, something happened and it has been downhill since then. Well, I have to stop. I need to get back to my good, healthy habits. Not only does it help me lose weight, but more importantly, it makes me feel amazing. I have so much more energy. My running is better. I feel more confident in my clothes and myself. So, I sat down and sketched out what I need to do to reach this goal. I am going to Disney this weekend, and I would by lying if I said I was not allowing myself treats. I make this a lifestyle and not a diet. It needs to fit into my life. With that being, I still like to eat clean 85-90% of the time. In order for me to do that, I HAVE to meal prep. This is a non negotiable. If I don’t meal prep, then what has been happening the last two weeks, will continue to happen. So, off to the grocery store I went and stocked up on some things.
Now, you are probably thinking, I don’t have hours to spend in my kitchen, on a Sunday, prepping all my meals for the week. Well, neither do I, nor do I want to. I have plenty of other things I want to be doing, so here are my hacks to meal prep
- Cook batches of food, like chicken, turkey, pork or lean beef to have during the week as your protein. For example, I cooked a turkey breast in my crock pot for dinner this weekend. There was enough leftover for two meals. This, along with a bagged salad, will be my lunch for the next two days. This week, I plan on making a pork tenderloin in the crockpot. Leftovers will be used for lunch and probably one dinner. The same thing can be done with veggies or a carbohydrate. I will make a batch of butternut squash, roasted broccoli and roasted brussel spouts to have with the pork. Again, there is enough for 2-3 meals.
2. Buy your veggies and fruit already cut up and ready to go. Yes, it is more expensive, but time is money. These make great grab and go snacks. Throw in some dip or hummus and there you have a healthy snack.
3. Have the same breakfast during the week. This way you are only prepping one thing and it is ready to go. I have 2 go-to breakfast ideas I use through the month. My first is non fat Greek yogurt, with a tablespoon of chocolate hummus and a tablespoon of granola. Quick and easy to pack in my lunch bag. My second favorite requires a bit more work. I make egg cups on the weekend and portion them out for each day I will be eating them. I usually eat them for 4 days and then have yogurt on the 5th day during the week. I freeze the remaining egg cups and use within the next couple of weeks.
4. Have other convenient, yet healthy things that don’t take any time at all to cook. For example, frozen turkey burgers, chicken apple sausage, rotisserie chicken, hard boiled eggs, etc. These make great, quick meals. Add a side of frozen veggies and you are good to go.
5. If you eat out during the week, even the healthy options tend to be HUGE. Immediately ask that half of the meal be wrapped up and put in a box. Viola! You now have two meals.
6. Have meals you like and keep them in your rotation. Then it becomes second nature when planning your week ahead.
If addition to these 6 hacks, I thought I would share what my meal planning looked like for this week. This will help give you an idea on how simple, yet effective it can be.
Breakfast- Monday-Thursday: Non Fat Greek Yogurt with hummus and granola.
Lunch- Monday-Wednesday (Leave for Florida Thursday afternoon) Monday & Tuesday will be left over turkey with a bagged salad, Wednesday: left over pork tenderloin with left over veggies and whole wheat couscous.
Dinner- Monday- Flank steak and roasted broccoli. Tuesday- Pork tenderloin and roasted squash. Wednesday- Turkey burger on the grill with brussel sprouts.
I hope these hacks are helpful. I know I need all the help I can get when trying to get back on track. I have a big goal I am trying to reach in terms of my health and fitness and would love for you all to help keep me accountable.
This post may contain affiliate links and I may earn compensation when you click on the links at no additional cost to you.
Welcome to this week’s Tip Thursday. Today’s tip has to do with hydration. Drinking plenty of water does more than just quench your thirst. The majority of our bodies are made up of water. It has numerous health benefits.
Drinking water
- Flushes the toxins out of our systems.
- It aids with weight loss.
- It makes our skin and hair look and feel better.
- It impacts our performance of physical activities.
- Helps with mental clarity and more.
The amount of water we should drink, varies depending on the person. Everyone, at a minimum, should aim to drink half their body weight in ounces. For example, if someone weighs 120lbs, they should drink 60oz of water. So, what if you don’t like plain water? Here are some tips to jazz up it up.
- Infuse the water with fruit, veggies or herbs. Water with cucumber and mint, is delicious.
- Try herbal tea. As long as the tea is decaffeinated, count it toward your water goal. I am a huge fan of David’s Tea.
- Seltzer Water. This is all I drink (besides coffee and Shakeology). Just make sure it has zero artificial flavors and sodium.
- Add something like Nuun to your water bottle. Nuun comes in yummy flavors and jazzes up plain water. I actually take one tablet of Nunn Immunity in the morning for about a week prior to travel. No one wants to be sick on their vacation.
So there you have it, 4 ways to turn plain water into something you look forward to each day.
Not every week, but a couple times a month, I will share with you a tip related to productivity, goals, health & fitness, travel or just life in general. We could all use more tips in our life. Today’s tip has to do with working out and scheduling in that time. I am going to share what works for me.
I am a pen to paper girl. I am not a fan of electronic calendars, scheduling apps, etc . There is nothing wrong with them, it is just not my thing. However, this tip can be incorporated into your life, whether you are put it on paper or in your phone. I am often asked how I find the time to workout. I am a full time attorney, raising two busy teenage boys, with a husband, a dog and two cats. I also run this blog as a side hustle and do online health and fitness coaching. I have a full plate. Which is why it is so important for me to schedule my workouts, like I would any other appointment. I don’t just schedule them a week in advance, I schedule them a month out. Take a look.
As you can see above, I schedule out each of my cross-training days and each of my run days. I do take into account everything else on the calendar, but didn’t want to publish my every move, so left it off for today’s purpose. As you can see, I even schedule in my rest days. You will notice, there is not a time associated with each workout. That gets put down on the daily page in my planner. For example, April 2nd is a lifting day. On the page for April 2nd, I will put next to 5:00am- Liift4. Again, you make it like any other appointment on your calendar. By doing so, you are making it a priority and more likely that not, you will not cancel on yourself. Makes sense? So there you go.. your first Tip Thursday. I hope it helps!
What do you think when you hear the word “diet”? I can tell you what I think. I think of deprivation, temporary solution, not sustainable. Diets do not work because it usually involves in depriving ourselves of food, for a certain about of time, and as soon as the weight is gone, we go back to our old ways. What happens when we do that? The weight comes back! So what if, instead of going on a diet, you make it a lifestyle? By making it a lifestyle, you are implementing behaviors that you can stick to. Here are six tips to help you do that
- First, we are more than a number on the scale. The scale is a tool that we use, with all our other tools, to see progress. How about instead of being a slave to the scale, you go by how your clothes fit? Take your measurements and redo them once a month, every six weeks, or after you complete a workout program. Finally, take progress photos. Once a month I put on the same workout clothes and take a series of photos. I compare each month and see how I am doing. This right here tells me more than a number on the scale.
- Exercise regularly. It is true, you can’t outrun the fork, however exercise is so important. Exercise increases our energy levels. It helps reduce risk of chronic diseases. It aids in weight loss. Those who exercise, sleep better and have an easier time relaxing. It helps with brain health and memory. It makes us feel like a badass ;). Another important point about exercise, find something that you like and will stick to. If you hate running, do not commit to running 4 times a week. For example, I hate cardio, but LOVE to run. My workout routines involve strength training for the most part and my weekly miles. I am not going to stick to a routine that is all cardio.
- Eat healthy, whole foods that nourish your body. Food is your body’s fuel. It is not going to run properly if you feed it crap.
- Everything in moderation. No food or food group should totally be cut out of your life. Instead of simple carbohydrates, chose complex carbohydrates. This includes high fiber, whole grain breads, pasta, oatmeal, brown rice and sweet potato. Also, when you do have a treat, like Mom’s chocolate chip cookies (I make the best!), don’t feel guilty. Having a couple of cookies is not going to derail you. If you are eating clean 80-90% of the time, you can indulge and enjoy a treat. Notice I use the word treat and not cheat. Remember, this is not a diet. Cheats only happen on a diet.
- Drink half your body weight in water. For example, if you weigh 150lbs, you should be drinking 75 ounces of water a day. If you exercise, that number should be higher. By the time we start to feel thirsty, our bodies are already dehydrated. Water will help keep you full, clear up your skin and keep your body working properly.
- Learn to listen to your body. A good example of this. Every day at 3:00pm I need a snack. Or I think I need a snack. Sometimes, it is true, I am hungry and my body is sending me signals to feed it. However, there are other days this is simply not the case, yet I go to reach for something out of habit. I am putting something in my body unnecessarily. My being in tune with myself, I can stop the unnecessary snacking.
I hope you found this to be helpful. If you are looking for some help or support implementing these changes, I run a free Facebook group. It is a place where we lift each other up, cheer each other on and share ideas. Drop me a note, I would be happy to add you.
