Holiday Pudge is for the Birds

It’s that time of year again…colder weather is sending us into hibernation mode and our activity level slows to a crawl. This time of year can be a struggle for those who are trying to shed body fat or maintain the goals they worked so intently to reach.

It all begins with that damned Halloween where the sweet tooth gets re-activated through the temptation of leftover candy screaming at us from its bowl or worse yet, from your children’s stash – I know we have all gone there….trying to only take the varieties that are most abundant in hopes that the kiddies won’t notice the dwindling Snicker’s bars. These snack size devils reel us in with their tiny size making it easy to validate cheating with one itty bitty bite of chocolate, but who has ever stopped at one?? So, we pack on a couple extra pounds, no big deal, we’ll work it off in no time.

But wait….Christmas Bells are ringing extra early this year and we get a little busier beginning our Christmas shopping, receiving holiday party invitations and so on that we begin missing a workout here and there. Then, BAM! Thanksgiving sneaks up on us like a Jack-in-the-Box. Oh yes, thoughts of turkey, gravy, potatoes and pie begin to brew (not to mention the quantity of wine needed to deal with family drama) and with the average Thanksgiving dinner consisting of between 3,000 and 4,500 calories, that’s a hard jab cross to our fitness plans. But, it’s only one day so we’ll be okay….we think.

Before we know it, December is here and it’s officially the holiday season and we all know how that pans out. Packed schedules leading to many missed gym sessions and temptations left and right from multiple gatherings with various family and friends, work parties, food baskets and baked goods being gifted to us left and right and even our own baking pitfalls. We all have to admit to snitching cookies to “taste” just to make sure they’re edible for the recipients, completely inhaling the ones that aren’t attractive enough to give away (even purposely messing up a few to make sure you have an excuse to keep some for yourself), or if you’re like me, eating balls of dough before they even make it to the cookie sheet!

Finally, it’s New Years Eve, and we resolve to get fit in the New Year which has been our resolution for as long as we can remember. Depressing, I know, but true for many of us. The average person will gain between 4 and 10 pounds between Halloween and New Years but don’t beat yourself up if you fall into this category. It’s reality and making a resolution and setting goals to raise your fitness level each year is a great way to get back on track.

I am currently up 10 pounds since last November. I did not shed my holiday “baggage” from 2013 but I commend myself for maintaining this weight throughout the year and keeping up with my 6 day a week workout routine for the most part. I won’t wait until the New Year to start fresh…I start fresh every day and try to stay proud of my body no matter what I weigh. I’ve been 200 lbs and I’ve been 110 lbs and I have found that I am at my happiest between 130 and 140 so I’ve got a little work to do and when I want it bad enough, I’ll make it happen and so can you!

HIIT or Traditional Cardio, That is the Question…..

I do interval training semi-regularly but did my first official HITT session on Sunday and I have to say, I consider myself pretty physically fit so I aimed for 20 minutes at the intermediate level……could not make it past 15 minutes and was physically spent the rest of the evening. It was nice to read that beginners frequently vomit – at least I wasn’t in that group. My new venture!

HIIT or Traditional Cardio, That is the Question…...

A New Chapter

Fall 2011

So, a whole new world of fitness was unfolding before me…… Weight Training. I had always thought that being “thin” was what I was striving for but once I started to see the muscle definition that was materializing, I realized that “thin” was no longer to be my goal – I was going to be “FIT”.

Yeah, I had some fitness knowledge and was already using the weight machines at the gym as part of my routine, maybe 20 minutes compared to my 60 minutes of cardio in order to get “toned”, but lifting wasn’t a priority and I didn’t push myself very hard. “Muscle weighs more than fat” – I had heard that for so many years that I definitely didn’t want to overdo the whole weight thing.

Winter was approaching and my new experience with apartment living turned out to be a blessing because MY COMPLEX HAS A GYM! As the days became colder and the ice and snow started to tick me off, there were days when I just didn’t want to go the half mile up the road to my gym (I know….don’t judge). So, I would walk down the hall for my trusty one hour cardio session. I wanted to stay toned so I bought a set of dumbbells and began level 1 of The Butt Bible alternating upper and lower body routines daily. Wow, this was sure a lot more difficult than those gym machines….and it was only level 1! I questioned my level of fitness at that point. “How could I not be fit? I work out every day!”

After a couple of weeks of hell, I managed to get through level 1 without having to stop due to burning, shaking or exhaustion, so it was on to level 2. Shit, I really wasn’t in shape…..but my headstrong determination told myself that I was going to conquer these damned DVDs even if it killed me! Day after day I dealt with either not being able to walk or not being able to wave then suddenly my whole world changed……I had triceps!!!!! Now, anyone who lifts weights (or any woman at least) has to know that a visible tricep muscle is not easy to achieve. This day changed my life lol.

Easy Baked Broccoli

Just for the HEALTH of it!

Such an easy, healthy and tasty way to cook broccoli!

In a Ziploc bag, shake together broccoli, a few Tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on cookie sheet and top with minced garlic. Bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes. That’s it – Enjoy!

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Lift Like a Girl: Exposing All the Secrets of Fat Loss, Muscle Building, and Strength

Lift Like a Girl: Exposing All the Secrets of Fat Loss, Muscle Building, and Strength.

Life is Not a Walk In The Park

At this point in my life, I weighed approximately 135 – I had lost a total of 65 pounds in 16 months. I went from a size 18 to a size 6. It felt great. What I neglected to tell you thus far is that my husband and I separated (peacefully) in July of 2011. This was a time of major changes in my life. I went from being a wife of 23 years to a single 39 year old woman – from living with a husband, 2 grown children, a grandson and a dog in a 4 bedroom home to living with a dog in a one bedroom apartment – from being the ultimate “soccer mom” with a schedule so full that I could explode (but loving every minute of it) to having grown children and no sports/activities to attend to. Huge changes. Exercise was my rock and through all of this, I did not quit.

Friends tell me I am obsessed and sometimes I can’t argue with that statement but working out is my outlet. It is known to help relieve depression, give you more energy and of course improve your general health. There could be worse things to be addicted to. I continued to run a couple of times per week as I find it easier to do an hour of cardio when I am actually going somewhere than to be on a stationary machine in the gym. Plus, I enjoy the scenery. A patient told me about a trail nearby so I tried it out and found it absolutely beautiful. So on dry days I ran the trail and wet days I ran on pavement around the lake. My runs were either 5 miles or 10K (6.2 miles) depending on time and mood.

But….my main focus had switched to weight lifting. I began doing On Demand workouts at home when I didn’t feel like hitting the gym and found one that challenged me and got quick results – The Butt Bible. (FYI – I am not here to promote products, I just share what has worked for me). Of course, these On Demand video’s are temporary to get you hooked so that you purchase the DVD. Unlike me, I fell for this one – lol. I began to see an amazing transformation in my muscle tone and loved the way my arms began to look. So, a new path in my journey began…

Race Day

March 2012

It was here. My official first 5K run. Since I was volunteering, I was up before 5am – Grrrrrrrr. It was rainy and pretty chilly. I think the high was predicted to be around 40 degrees that day. Arrived at 5:45am and the building was locked. We waited and waited and began to stress out. The race director could not get in touch with the owner of the building. She knew where he lived but was hesitant to do anything until the track coach arrived. Registration was to begin at 7:00 and here we were, standing outside freezing our asses off and ticked. We were going to look like idiots if runners arrived before we got in.

6:45am…..What to do? I recommended that we at least get the paperwork out so we could begin checking in anyone who might show up. So unprofessional but a last resort. Racer’s began arriving and we did the best we could with flashlight app’s and damp registration forms until we finally were able inside (the building owner thought we were setting up at 7:00 not registering at 7:00). Miscommunication…….get your shit together already.

We managed to pull it together. I worked registration until 9:15 and the race was to begin at 9:30. Made the mistake of not bringing any pre-race snack and I was STARVING. (In previous years, breakfast was provided for the volunteers!) Well, here goes nothing!

I guess runners have their own philosophies about where you should position yourself at the start line. I had no clue but decided to start in the front 1/3. I had been using the “Map My Run” app and set it to tell me my pace every 1/4 mile so that I could keep on track and had my 5K playlist in my ear buds with songs to keep me pumped. I was ready. It was strange to feel like a part of a herd of bulls when the horn blew but I managed to find a clear pathway near the edge of the street. The adrenaline rush was amazing. Each time I passed a runner, it kicked me up a notch. I found a guy who was running just over the pace I was comfortable at and I stayed a few feet behind him to keep me going strong. Just beyond the halfway point, I saw my son ahead of me. I was keeping up with the track star! (Forgot to mention that he hadn’t worked out since graduation last June and was now a smoker lol) but so what – I was on the tail of a 17 year old kid. When I passed him he put it into full gear and passed me back in the matter of a couple minutes. This got me going and I ran him down until he had to stop and walk. lmao.

Crossing that finish line was a wonderful feeling. I ran a 25.33 – not quite my goal but not shabby either. I won my age group in my first 5K attempt and that was a huge accomplishment. Guess my competitive spirit is a true motivator. A memorable day to say the least.

Can I Run?

July 2011: So, I began to run. On my first attempt I survived 2.14 miles. Felt like I was gonna die but I was determined to run that damned 5K. Got my sore ass legs out there the next day and did it again. Took me almost two months but I finally ran my 3.1 miles. Time 34:11. Oh well, I did it.

November 2011: Continued going to the gym and was running 5K a few times a week. Got my time down to 25:26. By talking with other runners, I found that this was a pretty good pace for a 39 year old woman. Guess my son got his speed from his good ol’ mom 🙂
I was determined to take that race down! Looked up the 2011 results and it looks like I’ll have to train to get my time down to 24 flat in order to have the 36-40 age bracket in the bag. I was turning 40 in December so I’ll be with younger chicks…..

Time to step up to longer runs to get my legs in shape. Ran 5.5 miles. Hell yeah! I even continued through the winter months. Running was freeing. A great way to just let things go and clear my mind. I discovered the “runner’s high”.

December 2011: Ran 10K. 6.2 miles. Took me over an hour but what the hell, I ran 10K and burned 669 calories. My weight was still coming off and I felt great.

A New Endeavor

Running. Not for everyone. High impact. Stressful on your joints and body but an EXCELLENT calorie burner!

In the spring of 2007, my son began his High School years. Quite an athlete. An avid soccer player but it was his speed that made him a beast on the field so he continued running track even though it was not his passion. Pre-season track parent meeting…you know how that goes. Just another parental duty. However, at this meeting, the head coach announced that he was taking a huge leap of faith and beginning a 5K run/walk to benefit the track team and UofM Mott Children’s Hospital. His enthusiasm was seeping from his pores and I became intrigued. I was at my heaviest weight at this point in my life, but as the involved parent that I was, I signed up to help coordinate the race. What an amazing experience! I had never attended an organized race and the overwhelming passion that I saw in these runners was staggering. A memorable event to say the least! So, I volunteered to help with this event for the next 4 years. My son graduated in 2011 but I did not want to give up volunteering my time for such a great cause….so I didn’t!

That fall, I was exercising on a regular basis and my weight loss journey had already begun. I walked quite a bit at a park nearby and one day, I spontaneously decided to try jogging. Holy shit! That was exhausting…. I ran maybe an eighth of a mile, if that. Hahaha. But each time I went walking, I added a short jog to my routine. I remember being ecstatic when I finally made it around the half mile path.

When the 2012 race date was set, I thought, “I’ve volunteered for this since it’s inception but what if I actually try to run it this year?”. Then, my crazy competitive spirit set in and told me that not only was I going to run the 3.1 miles but I was going to win my age bracket in my first 5K race at 40 years old. What was wrong with me????

My training began…..

Courage

Courage.