Training with Dad

My dad is the only person who will train for races with me. I say "races," though the only race I've ever run was the Susan G. Komen 5k back in May.

We have a 5k next month at Smith Mountain Lake, though! I also say "train with me," though we're working separately toward the same goal: finishing in 35 minutes. Initially when Dad suggested this, I thought, uhhh... But honestly, it's the coolest thing ever that he's training for a race that I wanted to run. We were supposed to compete in Color Me Rad, but that's a whole 'nother story. This race is to make up for not being able to compete in that race due to procrastination and full registration.

 

Dad texted me yesterday: Doing a little work for the 5k. Power walk and x-country run. I replied, I ran 2.5 miles today! Look at us training :)

 

I usually finish a 5k run around 39:00 on the dreadmill. Dad had told me that the excitement of the race and my adrenaline would leave me feeling as though 3.1 miles had passed in no time flat, and that I would likely finish under 39:00. He was exactly right! At our 5k in May, I was pleasantly surprised to finish at around 37:00.

 

If it weren't for his enthusiasm and his spirit about staying fit, I doubt I would have enough inspiration within myself to set a lofty goal of finishing in 35:00. Nevertheless, 35 minutes is the goal, and I'm stickin' to it!

This one goes out to you, Dad -- thanks for being my training partner, my race buddy, my cheering section, my supporter and encourager, and my source of excitement about exercise!

 

Now, I just need to muster up the enthusiasm to hit the gym this morning...

 

P.S. What type of goal do you set before you compete? My goal for the Susan Komen race was simply to run the entire distance. Truly, it was one of my proudest accomplishments.

UG Dining Hall Challenge

I swear, I will turn anything into a challenge. My latest? Eat well while eating like an undergrad for the weekend.

This weekend, I spent time with my sister and her friends at their college. Thus, it was back to dining hall meals. The dining hall isn't the worst thing ever... but I still shudder when I think of how many of my undergraduate meals consisted of bagels slathered with cream cheese, Reese's Puffs, the worst pizza that ever existed, and "salads" I barely touched that were disguised under hearty helpings of bleu cheese. Last year, when Ian was still at Hampden-Sydney, I used to enjoy challenging myself to experiment with wholesome, healthy food options in his dining hall. Granted, we usually counteracted such meals with trips to BWW or a Farmville favorite, Macado's, but I was still proud of myself for electing to eat egg white omelettes, fresh blueberries and strawberries, and raisin-sprinkled granola with skim. It's all about balance ;)

For breakfast on Saturday morning, I sampled scrambled eggs, a slice of real bacon (yum!), low-fat blueberry yogurt with granola, a cup (or two) of whipped coffee, a smattering of 'tater tots, and a much-needed bowl of Kashi Go Lean! Crunch. The breakfast of champions. Well... the breakfast of people trying to avoid a trip to Starbuck's and/or the beautifully displayed doughnuts and desserts.

Sunday morning looked much the same: a scoop of scrambled eggs, a bowl of low-fat vanilla yogurt with pineapple chunks and granola, a couple small seasoned potato cakes, a cup of whipped coffee and a cup of premade coffee with milk, and a bowl of Go Lean! Crunch mixed with Honey Nut Cheerios. I must say, I've been pretty impressed with the school's dining hall options. I left around 2:00 yesterday, but steaks and hot fudge sundaes were on the dinner menu!

Normally, I'm perfectly happy being that girl who snaps photos of her meals in public. I thought I'd avoid embarrassing Caroline and her sorority sisters, particularly as a 23-year-old trying to blend in with UGs... Overall, I felt pretty good about my dining hall choices. My weekend diet definitely could have contained more vegetables. I also simultaneously celebrated and lamented the fact that not once did we order pizza. My mouth waters just thinking about thin-crust cheesy pizza with pineapple and onions... But, my sister and I snacked on Vitamin Water and 100-calorie packets of almonds instead.

As I know from my lack of personal experience, eating well while relying on the dining hall can be done, it just requires effort, creativity, and openness. It's all about that balance.

I hope your weekend was excellent! I'm counting down the days until Friday!

I'm Officially a Runner!

It's finally here!!

Race day dawned sunny and cool -- and early. When I was a little girl, I was all about early. These days, before 10:00, you might as well not bother. Regardless, the race began at 9:00. That meant I was up at 7, out the door with Dad and Caroline at 7:45. To say I was nervous would be an understatement. Dad reminded me last night that my body has been conditioned to run; my greatest challenge would be in my mind. Quickly as I ate my cereal and my Chobani, I created a playlist on my iPod of hip-hop songs and good beats (Mann, Cobra StarShip, Sam Tsui, DNC, Jay Sean, New Boyz, Nicki Minaj, etc.). I have to say, I don't think I could have run the entire 5k without my music.

The three of us began the race abreast. After a few minutes, Dad and I broke away from the pack. He ran with me for 2.5 miles. He touched my shoulder shortly after we passed the two-mile mark and said, "I'm going to finish the race with Caroline. You have less than half a mile left. You're gonna do it!" I gave him a thumbs up and I was on my own. His support was all I needed to finish strong. That last half-mile flew by, particularly the huge downhill slope, and the last segment that I sprinted. Just when I thought my legs couldn't handle much more, I found my second wind and I crossed the finish line with the biggest, goofiest grin:

I finished in 37:39.4 (the time on the right began when the competition runners crossed the start line; I timed myself from start line to finish line). Photo thanks goes to my wonderful man, Ian.

Dad and Caroline finished about 8 minutes after I did. I was so thrilled to be able to see them cross the finish line!

Being handed that medal was, without a doubt, the highlight of my day. I knew that I would finish the race, but I felt as if that pink and gold medal signified specifically for me that I had run the entire race without stopping once!

We ate brunch at 3rd Street Diner afterward. My short stack of blueberry pancakes and apple juice hit the spot ;) On the agenda for the rest of the day is (1) basking in the glory of my run and (2) watching Bridalplasty with Caroline. I could not be more proud of the three of us :)

I really cannot say enough good things about wearing compression shorts underneath my running shorts. Not once did I have to tug my shorts down or worry about chafing or sweat. Unfortunately, I felt my headband slipping about a mile into the race. I didn't want to lose it, so I just finished wearing it around my forearm. I ate hair for the second half of the race, but it wasn't the end of the world. Happy race day!

P.S. Thank you to everyone who sent encouraging texts, tweets, emails, and blog comments my way!

Run About It, Read About It

Interestingly enough, I ran across an article last night via Twitter about common mistakes runners make. I thought maybe these mistakes could help explain my knee pain.

It would appear that I'm making two out of three of these mistakes.

Guilty!

The third mistake, which I am proud to say I am not making due to my need to change my footwear up, is overusing the same old pair of sneakers.

Not a problem!

The article recommended that runners change their sneakers out every 200-350 miles (or about every 4-6 months, depending on how much you run). This isn't a problem for me, since I have yet to make my 50-mile monthly goal, and I keep my new sneaks almost solely for gym use.

On a related note...

As I mentioned yesterday, I took a planned day off from running this morning... but I was still itchin' for a cardio workout. I couldn't resist the elliptical, and that 45 minutes felt gooood! Well, not so much on the knee. The soreness occurs immediately following a workout, though it doesn't hurt while I'm exercising. Tomorrow, I'm definitely taking the hint and making it either a rest day or strictly an upper-body strength training day. I know I need to be smart about treating my body, but I can't help but be excited that I have fewer than 20 miles left to accomplish in the month, and 14 more days!

Have a phenomenal Monday, and take advantage of this beautiful weather!

Running Pains

This is going to sound really weird... but I'm (kind of) excited to have my first running pains. Not that I haven't felt like a "real" runner for the past 11 weeks as I've been training for the Susan G. Komen 5K, but this sort of makes being a "runner" seem more real to me.

Let me back up a bit. On Friday, I decided to challenge myself and run a 5K, even though my training schedule called for 3 miles. Afterward, I felt great, but my left knee was pretty sore, particularly when I stepped with that leg. Saturday, as I was hungover, traveling, and busy, I took the day off from exercise. The schedule called for 4 miles, and this was the second Saturday in a row that I skipped that 4-miler. I'm just not ready for that distance yet. Three miles doesn't exactly feel easy, per se, but I've come to be able to run it comfortably, increasing my speed and decreasing my time with each run. I've run more than 3 miles several times, when my schedule called for 40- or 45-minute runs. Four miles is still a (not-so-distant) future goal.

This morning, my training schedule called for the day off, but I'm used to transposing scheduled runs by now. I decided to challenge myself again, with a 3.5-mile run in 45 minutes. I didn't have any soreness, so I didn't think this challenge would be a problem. Wrong! I completed 3.5 miles in 44 minutes, 47 seconds. As soon as I hopped off the treadmill, my left knee was instantly in pain. Hence:

I don't know whether I should be heating or icing, or alternating heat and ice. The only methods I have of heating are in a bath or with a dryer-warmed towel. Fellow runners, can you help me out??

I do know that I should probably take a rest day tomorrow, or at least a brief hiatus from running. A friend recommended this as well, and she said that's what she does when she experiences soreness from running.

I'm thankful that I don't experience (or haven't yet experienced) persistent pain, shin splints, or torn or strained muscles. Infrequent soreness serves as a reminder that I'm pushing my body's limits without exceeding them.

If you have tips on treating soreness with quick at-home remedies, I'd be greatly appreciative! Have a very happy Sunday! :)

Falling Down on the Job

Okay, okay, I admit it.

I've been the worst accountability buddy.

One of my gym buddies, Lauren, has been my long-distance accountability buddy for months, and yet we've actually checked in with each other only a handful of times. She was much better about asking me whether I'd gone to the gym and motivating me to feel better before I began 5K training than I was for her. After I began my training program, I was pretty darn self-motivated, so I stopped checking in with Lauren and she stopped checking in with me. What I really need her to say now is, Don't eat those curly fries! Really? Another scoop of ice cream?! But while we were still agreed-upon long-distance gym buddies, I should have made more of an effort. She's too cute for me not to!

My other accountability buddy, Bekah, and I go to school together, though we never run into each other because she's an undergrad and we "live" on opposite sides of campus. She was much better about texting or tweeting me to see if I'd already run. I hardly ever remembered to text her, and when I did, it usually read something like, Yeah, I ran Monday and Wednesday and did weights on Tuesday. Oops, forgot to text you (again)!

It appears that not only do I not take many photos with my accountability buddies, but that all we do is drink beer!

I think the good news buried under the guilt here is that my friends and I are able to hold ourselves accountable for going to the gym and fitting exercise in our schedules where we can. Bekah recently began using the same 5K training plan I'm using, which definitely excited me! She's tried to get me involved in numerous actual 5K events -- as opposed to treadmill marathons -- and so has Lauren, but my timing and scheduling this semester have not yet allowed for it.

I think both of them would tell me not to worry about feeling like I fell down on the job (because they're both very motivated and forgiving women), but I'm one of those people who always honors without fail likes to honor commitments I've made.

However, 32 days from today, my dad and Caroline and I will be running in the Susan G. Komen 5K event in Richmond (my first race ever!). They'll be my new short-term accountability buddies :)

Have a marvelous Monday, and don't be too hard on yourself today!

P.S. Have you and a friend ever been accountability gym or exercise buddies? If so, how long did you maintain it? If not, is it something you're willing to try?

P.P.S. Today is the last day of my H2O Challenge. Thus far, I've only managed to drink 48 oz. of water in a day once. I don't think today's going to be a different story. It looks like 24 oz. of water plus 2 cups of coffee per diem is my norm. At least now I know!

Scaling Things Down

I know I wrote awhile back that the entire purpose of my healthy living attitude and my fitness goals was not weight loss. But certainly, a part of my goals is losing weight. Several months ago, the gym at my apartment complex removed the scale. I don't know why, and I don't know what they did with it. I do know that every time I stepped on it, the maintenance men timed their arrival to coincide with those little red numbers blinking my weight. Geez, get your own damn number!

I've been thinking about getting a scale of my own for my bathroom so I can weigh myself in the buff (to get a true reading). Isn't that expression the greatest? ;)

I wish!

But, like I wrote before, I don't want to be a slave to the scale. I don't want to feel obligated by daily weigh-ins or pressure to lower the number I see. I've been enjoying the health benefits of eating well by choice, making healthy decisions when I'm away from my meticulous kitchen, and challenging myself to do better on the weekends. For the most part, all of this goes well, but I'd still like to monitor my weight.

Caroline jokes that I'm the only person she knows who can step on a scale "wrong," step off, step on again, and have gained weight. No lie -- one time I stepped on the scale in her bathroom at home, peed, and somehow weighed 17 pounds more than I had the first time. How the hell is that possible?!

All joking and indecision aside, I know I've lost at least 15 pounds since I began this endeavor. I probably could have lost more by now with a program like Weight Watchers, but I feel trapped just by the idea of counting points and having weekly weigh-ins. I don't want my health to be a guessing game, but perhaps in my optimistic naivete, I feel as though I've gained superior health benefit from making personal choices rather than feeling as though Big Brother is monitoring every calorie. Plus, my blog serves as an accountability booster. Nope, I certainly don't have to post pictures of indulgent desserts or grease-coated pizza, but being honest with myself feels far more genuine than being honest with a points program or eating prepackaged frozen meals.

Disclaimer: I'm not dumping on your diet! I'm just not a "diet" kind of chick. If you're doing WW "because it works," rock on. If you lap up Atkins meals or Nutrisystem protein shakes, keep on keepin' on. I'm doing what works for me, just as you're doing what works for you. Cheers to the both of us with a Vitamin Water!

P.S. If you have a scale in your home, how often do you weigh yourself? If you do not weigh yourself at home, how often do you weigh yourself? If you don't care what the scale says, how did you become comfortable with the decision not to weigh yourself regularly?

Fiesta Weekend

What a wonderful relaxing, productive, exciting, smile-filled weekend it was :) I was so blessed to be able to spend it in the company of family and good friends.

Friday held so many new things (i.e. my accidental 5K), I couldn't help but celebrate!

I demolished this little gem at TGI Friday's before Kristin and I made our way to AA. This go-round, I selected more wisely: the Classic Wedge Salad, the Chicken Piccata Pasta, and this, Oreo Madness. Again, I didn't finish the pasta, and the delicious left-overs are still waiting for me.

Saturday, after my new favorite healthy Subway find (a 6" Veggie on wheat bread = provolone, lettuce, tomato, pickles, banana peppers, cucumber, Chipotle Southwest sauce, and oil and vinegar), I treated myself to a phenomenal Starbuck's cake pop.

Saturday evening, Caroline, Ian and I rang in St. Patrick's Day with two friends, Phil and Bekah, and a lot of some very green beer at Macado's!

After so much indulgence, I declared today that I'm in official Detox Mode. Lauren asked me about my "plan of attack," but the truth is, I don't have one. I just have a crying need to OD on fruits and veggies. Somewhere between the pasta salad and St. Patty's Day coconut cake I swallowed whole last night and the 2 cinnamon rolls I wolfed down this morning, I lost sight of my body's needs.

Ergo... I've been excited to make and to blog about vegetarian Burrito Bowls for literally days!

I got the idea from one of my favorite blogs, A Healthy Slice of Life.

What I Used:

- Refried pinto beans

- Hard taco shell bowls (a.k.a. Tostada Bowls)

- Baby spinach leaves

- Tomato

- Avocado

- Sprinkly nacho/taco cheese

- Light sour cream

- Wholly Salsa

(I wasn't able to find fresh cilantro at my local Kroger last week)

(I ended up skipping the brown rice; I'm thinking I'll use it for a meal later this week)

(I didn't add sauteed onion as I had planned because I was super hungry... and eager!)

What I Did:

- Coated the inside of the bowl with hot refried beans

- Diced a handful (each) of tomato, avocado, and spinach

- Layered all veggie ingredients

- Added sour cream, salsa, and cheese

- Added dollops of beans

And there it is -- my very first homemade burrito bowl!

I munched on a handful of almonds and a Chobani instead of giving in to the idea of fixing another Burrito Bowl. I'll be enjoying one again soon; one of the great things about this meal idea is that the ingredients suffice for several meals.

Well, my blends, it's time for me to get back into my school routine. T-minus 44 days until the semester is over, but it sure doesn't feel like it! I've got a lot of work--hence, a lot of stress--ahead of me, so a detox goal of ODing on fruits and veggies ought to help me cope. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!



"I Have Confidence in Confidence Alone..."

Bonus points if you recognize those lyrics!

Today, I'm feeling pretty confident. Read: confident. Not cocky. Sometimes I confuse the two ;)

I feel confident when...

...I have a plan.

I feel confident when...

...I have new clothes.

I feel confident when...

...I make positive, healthy choices.

I feel confident when...

...I cross big items off of my to-do list.

I feel confident when...

...I'm surrounded by people I love (I may have had a few shots of a different form of confidence!)

I feel confident when...

I take a chance on something new.

I'm feeling confident today because it's a new day, it's a new week, it's a new chance, it's a new season, and it's a new opportunity to do something great. I hope your Monday is every bit as confident!



Giving Up

Today is about Lent... kind of.

Lent begins Ash Wednesday (yesterday) and ends Easter Sunday.

Normally, I know exactly what I want to give up for weeks in advance. I plan to give up browsing Twitter, or swearing (not an easy feat for me), or watching TV after midnight, or something of that nature. It took me quite some time to realize that from a Christian perspective, giving up something for Lent is not about punishing yourself or sacrificing something for that purpose alone, but about giving up unnecessary personal luxuries. Some very traditional believers fast during portions of Lent, or choose to offer sacrifices. Admittedly, I can't be that devoted due to the lifestyle I lead, but that's no reason I can't sacrifice something personal for 40 days.

I have previously given up that phenomenon known as social smoking. You know, having a couple cigs while drinking to heighten the sensation. Many of my friends and acquaintances at Longwood smoked socially, particularly when they were imbibing with the gentlemen of the fraternity organizations. Some of my friends smoked Black & Milds at parties because "they're not as bad for you" and because "you don't inhale them" (FALSE on both accounts). Something about smoking while you're drunk makes it feel less carcinogenic, less dirty, less smelly, less costly, and less bad. What it doesn't do is cure your hangover, heal your raw throat the next morning, refill your wallet with $4 extra, remove the ashtray essence from your clothing, cease your horrid cough, or prevent people from seeing you (especially females) sucking poison into your lungs. I can't deny that I absolutely enjoyed parties more when I smoked socially. Worth it?

When my best friend freshman year was diagnosed with a life-threatening blood clot, smoking became less of a thrill and more of a threat. She was in a wheelchair for several weeks, she had to take blood thinners daily which restricted her diet (and her alcohol consumption), she had several scary ER visits, and she was in almost constant pain. The ultra-scary part for me? The doctors attributed her blood clot to a combination of birth control and smoking.

We were on different birth controls, but both on contraceptives nonetheless. Before that time, commercials for various forms of BC hadn't included warnings about heart attacks, strokes, DVT, blood clots, or even death. They also didn't include the risks of smoking while on BC, especially for women over 35. Now those commercials and warnings are everywhere you look, and her family is four years deep in a complicated lawsuit. Worth it?

When I met Ian in 2009, he implored me to stop social smoking. I thought it just bothered him to date a girl who smoked sometimes with the guys at parties, but I would later find out that his grandmother had passed away on his birthday when he was young due to many, many cigarettes. He told me within two weeks of meeting me that he will not marry a smoker. As of this date, it's been 2 years, 3 months, and 11 days of ups and downs and ups, but he will not be marrying a smoker. Worth it?

Both of my grandfathers smoked heavily for many years, and they both suffered the ill effects of heavy nicotine use. My paternal grandfather, Granddad, quit smoking and recovered well, learning to lead a fruitful and healthy life smoke-free. My maternal grandfather passed away before I was born, so I never had the pleasure of meeting him. Neither of my parents experimented with tobacco, but the addiction to nicotine is generational, and affects Caroline and me regardless. Several of my extended family members are currently suffering terribly from years upon years of smoking, and their long-term prognoses are less than optimistic. Worth it?

With all of this evidence stacked against me, and with my whole life ahead of me, I am so proud that I am officially--and have been for some time--officially no longer a smoker, social or otherwise. I thought long and hard about blogging about this subject; it's taboo (especially in the healthy living blogger community), it's embarrassing, and it's a part of my past of which I'm not proud. I've known since the day I began blogging that I wanted to be "out" about it, I just had to bide my time for an appropriate, passion-fueled time to write about it. What better time than Lent? After all, I owe so much of my strength and pride in quitting to God.

Worth it to give up the social cigs? You bet.
Trust me -- I haven't been and couldn't have been accomplishing all of my fitness goals or giving my lifestyle a 180-degree turn OR blogging about my journey if I were also smoking.
No deceit here!
So what did I give up for Lent this year? This information. It's out, and I feel good about it.
"You gotta put your past, behind you." -- The Lion King

Tip-Top Tuesday

I'm really going out on a limb with this post. It wasn't easy to write, nor was it comfortable to make public. I debated about this post for many weeks before today.

It's no secret that college kids typically gain weight. Four years of late-night Papa John's, Keystone and jungle juice (full of who knows what), dining hall "food," fast food splurges, and local restaurant binges... combined with all-nighters, unspeakable weekend hours, and "priorities" above hitting the gym religiously will do that to ya. It's easy to gain weight if you passively allow it to happen. I certainly was guilty. Living proof:

Freshman year, December (that's my long-time friend, Will)

Sophomore year, March

Junior year, June

Senior year, September (with my sorority sisters)

Aaaaand thennnn....

First-year grad student, February!

Whether or not you can tell from the pictures, the difference is pronounced. I'm not quite back to the size I was when I entered UG school at Longwood, but the whole point is not to focus on my weight or my size. The point is that I'm eating, exercising, and feeling better than ever! I'm also proud of my body -- I know that I don't need to be a 00 to feel good about myself or to feel comfortable in my own skin. I don't feel it necessary to be tan year-round, and I'm perfectly fine combing the beach in a one-piece. Please don't misunderstand me -- more power to you if you're naturally quite thin or if your thing is fake-baking, it's just not mine.

When I moved into my own apartment in August of 2011, I decided that things would be different. No more microwaveable Lean Cuisines -- it would take two for me to feel full, and I was convincing myself that they contained all the nutrition I needed. Done with the Toaster Strudels and eggs sunny-side up four times a week. Ban the empty calories I was consuming regularly (Doritos and queso blanco, Pop-Tarts, Smarties, frosted animal crackers, Reese's Puffs, five-cheese or sun-dried tomato alfredo sauce, premade Starbuck's frappuccinos, real Coke, weekly thin crust pizzas, weekly Ben & Jerry's Mission to Marzipan... need I go on?)... Forget the constant "BTN" workouts and the occasional fresh fruits and veggies. As a lacto-ovo pescetarian, I knew I wasn't getting everything I needed to stay healthy; I just didn't want to admit it to myself because I didn't want to give anything up.

My fridge and pantry are now stocked with fat-free Chobani Greek yogurt; fresh tomato, blueberries, bananas, cucumber, onion, and mushrooms; brown rice; Kashi cereals; Vitamin Water; Smart Balance light margarine; fat-free dairy creamer; skim milk; light salad dressings; sodium-free canned and frozen veggies; meatless chicken and burger options; wholesome, natural granola bars; and sugar-free dessert items. I don't have to swear off of dessert, or cheese, or even pizza. I just balance what I choose to put in my body, and I consume "junk" in moderation.

There will always be room for improvement, and that's what excites me most.

Source

I promise I'm not trying to be a martyr; I'm merely speaking out about how easily I gained weight and simultaneously lost a great deal of self-esteem. I'd be lying to you if I didn't tell you that I engage myself daily in a struggle to lose weight healthily and keep it off. I waver between wanting to choose a doughnut in Ian's dining hall versus granola and skim milk. I definitely crave soda sometimes, especially when I'm looking for a little caffeine boost and that 10 a.m. cup of Joe isn't cutting it anymore. But my real, true point is that I have made these choices in my life. No one pressured me, coerced me, coaxed me, pushed me, or pulled me. I decided I wanted to look and feel different, so I did something healthy about it. I'm happy, and I'm proud.

And that's really all there is to say :)



Little Time, Big List

This is my "Good morning! Living alone + a camera with no timer = mirror pics" face.

I was rarin' to go, stretchy hairband and all. I normally don't wear those; it aggravates me when they slide off after 30 seconds. Today must've been some sort of miracle day, because my hairband inspired me to push myself.

May I just say that all the hype over medicine ball planks is totally accurate?!

Best. Ab. Workout. Ever.

Source

I'd like to think that my form looked this good, but I know I at least felt this good.

I also accomplished my 25-mile running goal for the last half of January -- first time I've set a realistic yet challenging goal and accomplished it! Happy Tuesday to me :)

Tonight, I'm wishing I didn't have class. One, because Group makes me nervous. There are only 8 other students in my class, so things are very intimate and thus far, uncomfortable. Two, because Matt Roloff of Little People, Big World is speaking tonight at H-SC. I used to watch the show all the time; I was fascinated that two little people could create twins, one of whom was a little person and one of whom was not, and a "normal" sized daughter. I also found the Roloff family's work ethic and their desire and efforts to fit in in a world of everything tall very inspiring.

Source

Mr. Roloff's presentation begins at 7:30, and I'm not out of class until 7:00, plus it's an hour drive. Too many to-do lists and not enough hours in the day.

Well folks, no more time spent lamenting today. People to see and places to go! Right after another scrumptiously healthy breakfast and a little blog love:

This week's favorite -- Kashi cereal plus fresh blueberries, Chobani topped with Whole Foods granola, mini-muffins, and Dunkin with a splash of hazelnut creamer and a splash of half-and-half

P.S. How do you start your morning off right? Do you prefer to exercise in the a.m. or the p.m.?

New Day, 5K

It seems that a lot of healthy living bloggers and readers are tired of everyone posting pictures, semi-novels, and extensive discussions of what they ate, how they prepared it, where they ate it, with whom they ate it, etc. Well, I'm new to this game, and I'm enjoying posting these sorts of things.

I've seen lots of bloggers posting W.I.A.W. (What I Ate Wednesday) and other types of weekly gigs, but I think I'll stick with my same-old-same (for now). I'm actually enjoying reading labels, calculating vitamins and minerals, meal-planning and mindful grocery shopping, researching tips and exercise regimens, and living a healthy, energized lifestyle.

On that note, I began my 5K training program this morning with my long-distance accountability buddy, Lauren!

We're working on different programs, but we're still working toward the same 5K goal. She's a perfect buddy for me, because we're both novice runners.

Today's plan called for a 15-minute run, which sounded great to me. Easy, actually. As I mentioned previously, I like the gradual nature of this program, as well as its increasing time (as opposed to distance) increments. Dad and I are talking about participating in some 5Ks this spring and summer, and so are Lauren and I. Dad reminded me not to think of them so much as a "race," but rather a philanthropy event. I'm quite familiar with philanthropy... Ronald McDonald House, anyone? Most of the Richmond-based events are looking for high participation rates and contribution to a cause, rather than the world's fastest sprinters. I can really appreciate his perspective while, at the same time, still wanting to complete a 5K sans walk breaks. Everybody has to start somewhere!

As of today, I'm 0.66 miles away from accomplishing my goal of 25 miles in the last 15 days of January. Tomorrow is supposed to be an "off" day, but as it's the last day of the month, I'm planning to use it to power-walk and do some strength training.

As far as mental well-being is concerned, I registered for the 2012 V.A.C.E.S. Graduate Student Conference this morning, which will be held February 25 at Lynchburg College. The conference, which is a subset of the Virginia Counselors Association, will feature 35 workshop sessions, 10 poster presentations, and participants from 12 counselor education programs. I can't say I'm thrilled to spend 7 hours on a Saturday at a conference, but there are always the prospects of networking, learning about my chosen field, and taking advantage of opportunities that are right in front of me. Besides, two of my closest graduate school friends, Jennifer and Kristin, will be right there beside me.

If you are in a counselor education program or you are considering such a program, the conference costs $30, which includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Click here for more information.

I'm off to enjoy some of my new cereal topped with fresh blueberries and Truvia, plus a Chobani and some Dunkin, of course! Have a happy Monday!

P.S. Have you ever participated in or attended a professional conference? If so, was your experience positive or negative? Would you attend an all-day conference on a Saturday?

How DOES She Do It?

I've been asked several times in the past week or so, "A.K., how do you stay motivated to go to the gym?" I'd be lying if I said my numero uno source of motivation were anything but a desire to be fit and healthy. My close second is healthy and gradual weight loss. That doesn't necessarily answer the question, but it is my honest motivation. That sounds so uppity and Suzie Sunshine, doesn't it? Well, that's just how I roll. I set an alarm every weekday morning, I complete my morning routine, I procrastinate here and there, but then I haul my butt to the gym.

I admit, weekends are where I fall down on the job a little bit. My weekends are still spent alternating between Ian visiting me here and visiting him at H-SC. Fitting in workouts on his campus are trickier because I don't have my own gym or gym privileges, routine, shower, or gym regulars. But, I digress. Here's how I do it:

(1) Allotting time. Because I'm a full-time grad student who has class in the evenings and doesn't eat dinner until 7:30, I set aside time for my workouts in the a.m. I allow myself a specific amount of time in the gym before I need to accomplish other things, like reading and note-taking. That way, I'm reminded to make my time count and to give it all I've got.

(2) Accountability. I accomplish this in a number of ways. I tweet about it. I blog about it. I text about it. I have a long-distance accountability buddy. We aren't necessarily working out "together," but we are keeping one another on track. If I feel that I have to answer to people about whether or not I exercised, I'm motivated to at least be able to tell them something.

(3) Goal-setting. I set goals on daily and monthly bases. For example, I woke up this morning and decided I would do 40 minutes at level 7 or above on the elliptical. This ended up being almost 5 miles, so I was doing about an 8:00 mile.

My goal for the second half of January (the time after I returned from Christmas break) is to run 25 miles. As of today, I have run 17.81 miles, so there are 5 days left to complete my goal. My knee and toe soreness have hampered this a bit, but I set the goal before I injured myself. My goal for February is to run 50 miles, which I think will be challenging, but doable.

(4) Record-keeping. And last but certainly not least, I record it. Here it is--my beloved color-coded Excel spreadsheet.

I record my goal, what I accomplish, the machines I use, and the length of time I was in the gym on my iPod as I work out. I enter the data in the spreadsheet as soon as I get home. Let me tell ya, it does not feel good not to enter data two or more days in a row. What does feel good is looking back over what I've accomplished each day, week, and month.

Oh, and I also don't beat myself up over missed workouts. If it's not gonna happen, it's just not. Next subject. I'm working out because it's a pleasure for me, not a chore :)

Not everyone is naturally or intrinsically motivated to go to the gym, especially when it's cold, rainy, Friday, a waning crescent moon... and a host of other excuses. If you're one of those people who needs a little push to get going, try one or more of these ideas!

Disclaimer: I'm no professional, and I still consider myself a novice runner who is learning all along the way. These are simply my motivators. I'd love to hear how it's going for you!

P.S. What are your workout or gym motivators? Do you work out alone or with a buddy? How do you get back on track after an absence from your workouts?

Uh oh...

Sometimes, when I'm reading a particularly difficult chapter in a textbook, or divulging very personal information to my classmates, or even just pondering my chosen path in life, I wonder, Did I choose the right career for me?

There are an awful lot of unknowns out there, and career placement and job security are high on my list right now. As many of you know, I'm a new Master of Education student on the Clinical Mental Health Counseling track. I still have two years of school plus two summer sessions after this semester, and each day seems to offer new challenges and open a new can of worms.

I just finished reading a chapter about how not to get sued by clients... That sounds reassuring, right? There are a lot of variables that go into the formation of counselors, such as ethics, legality, techniques, client rights, best practice, accurate representation, theory, and professional identity. How am I supposed to manage all of that, and then some?!

I wonder if one year spent in high school, four years at Longwood, now three years in graduate school, and then two years full-time gaining 4,000 hours of experience will be worth the career choice I made. Oh, and then there are all the membership fees for various counseling organizations, testing fees to take the national counselor certification exam, and the licensing fees -- all before I can officially and legally call myself a Licensed Professional Counselor. Doesn't all that sound fun?

Source

When I'm having a less-than-fabulous day, I like to remind myself why I've "known" I wanted to be a counselor since high school (these are in no particular order):

(1) I'm smart. I'm hard-working, I'm driven, I'm goal-oriented, I refuse to procrastinate, and I'm excited to learn and grow as an individual each and every day.

(2) I'm genuinely interested in other people; I don't mean this in a voyeuristic sense, but I truly care about others' well-being and ways to help people accomplish their life goals as so many people have helped and inspired me to accomplish mine.

(3) I'm meticulous, and I enjoy documenting everything (e.g., logging my fitness hours in a color-coded Excel spreadsheet), which will be quite beneficial, if not legally mandated, in the future.

(4) I like the idea that I am joining the "helping professions." Participating actively in a line of work in which people are working constantly and collaboratively to better themselves sounds brilliant to me.

(5) I have a humongous, potentially unhealthy obsession with fondness for Post-Its notes and organization.

(6) I'm happy here. I have no regrets about the path behind me, and I love looking forward to the road ahead of me. Isn't that what this is all about, after all?

When I think about all of these things, plus all of the other benefits I will reap from counseling, I feel like I'm in the right place again. I feel like the stress, anxiety, worry, time, expense, and exhaustion are worth it. Honestly, who doesn't have moments of uncertainty or doubt? May your day be filled with hope, wonder, and pride in what you do!

P.S. Do/did you ever question your job or career choices? Do/did you have a long road to your ultimate career goal? I like to believe that "the end justifies the means." :)

I Resolve

Happy Monday! Being that it's only January 2nd, I thought it would still be appropriate to share with you my resolutions for twenty-twelve. They are as follows, in no particular order: (1) Stop planning for the future so much and focus more on the present, (2) Be nicer to Ian and stop allowing outside pressures to affect our relationship, (3) Follow up on the fitness goals I've set for myself, and (4) Treat my body better.

Being that I'm a grad student dependent upon a full-time job as early as May of 2014, of course I need to plan for the future (e.g., plan my course load accordingly, note employers hiring, befriend professors and guest speakers for possible future endeavors). But I don't need to plan to the extent that Post-Its overwhelm my other school supplies, or such that my poor planner snaps in the middle from the strain of constant frenzied flipping back and forth. I plan to spend more time in 2012 enjoying the present moment and savoring time with the ones I love. The recent hospitalizations of one of my godfathers, Bill-Bill, and the recent passing away of my former employer at ACAC have only reinforced this resolution for me.

I really should be nice to my boyfriend, shouldn't I? After 2 years, 1 month, and 21 days, he's still by my side, "warts and all," as my Human Development professor says. Sometimes I tend to say things without thinking about how they'll affect his feelings or how they sound to those around me who don't necessarily share my somewhat warped sense of humor. If I could make fewer jokes at his expense and pay him more compliments, I think it could go a long way in our relationship. It's my firm belief that partners in committed relationships should be equals; thus, Ian deserves to be treated as such.

People ask me constantly whether Ian's "The One," when I think I'll be engaged, how many children we'd like to have, blah blah blah. Any sane person would smile and nod and answer the endless string of nosy questions before wondering to herself, When am I going to be engaged? How many children do I want? These questions placed strain on me, which in turn placed strain on Ian. Hey, we're two (reasonably) broke college kids. I'm unemployed by choice and I've just finished my first semester of grad school, while he's heading into his last semester of undergraduate school before heading off to med school at VCU to study pediatrics. We don't have the time, money, or resources to be planning a schmaltzy event right now! What I do know is that we are planning on doing all of these things someday when we are in the same place at the same time :) For now, we are supporting each other in living our dreams.

Source

I began the 2011-2012 school year with strong fitness goals. I went to the gym between 4 and 6 days a week, spending 20-40 minutes on the treadmill before gritting my teeth and hitting -- wait for it! -- the multi-press, ab crunch, inner and outer thigh, mid-row, bicep curl, leg extension, and tricep pushdown machines. When I arrived home December 9 for my five-and-a-half week Christmas break, my fitness activities (and sadly, efforts) went to hell. My dad loves to ski and I love to snowboard, but for the past few years, the slopes at Wintergreen have kicked my ass. It's not a secret that I could and need to be in better shape, and not just for a 4-hour lift ticket. Snowboarding with Dad is part of my motivation; losing weight and feeling better overall is my main source of motivation.

Source

On that note, I need to treat my body much better. Everyone always says "You only get one life so live it up" and other cliche mantras, but so many of them are alarmingly true. I am only going to get one body, and I can only keep funneling alcohol into it or spending whole evenings in smoky frat parties for so long. I want to die peacefully in my sleep, not wasting away from disease I could have prevented. High cholesterol, heart disease, osteoarthritis, clinical depression, diabetes, and macular degeneration are all heredity factors in my family; emphysema and liver cancer are not.

Whew! Okay, so maybe this online account of my resolutions will hold me accountable. Maybe you can help, too! What are some of your resolutions for 2012?

That Pesky Holiday Guilt

Welcome back!

Well, now that I've written my initial post, I figured it was time to write about something more substantial. You see, my mom and my sister, Caroline, began Weight Watchers this week, and they're working hard (sort of) to keep track of their points, enter them in the website, eat smaller portions, etc. I chose not to sign up for it because I despise the idea of counting points and being on a diet. Sure, I'd like to lose weight, and like every other American, it's one of my New Year's resolutions. I plan to do it through (1) portion control, (2) more servings from the bottom of the food pyramid and fewer servings from the top, and (3) more work-outs.

The past few days have been entirely too lazy, and I intend to do something about it! It's a lot different running on the fancy-shmancy treadmills at the YMCA as opposed to the simpleton machines at my apartment complex's gym, not to mention competing for time and space at the Y. But I'm not writing to complain! I'm putting my resolution into writing, which I learned from a good friend can help people better accomplish their goals.

We'll be visiting my mom's family tomorrow at her niece's house in Goshen, Virginia. I'm very excited to visit with my myriad of aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins twice-removed (and all of those other sophisticated and ever-confusing titles) and eat lots, and lots, and lots of excellent homemade food! I'm not sure how Ruth and Caroline plan to keep up with their allotted points tomorrow, but my only tasks are to enjoy the deliciousness and enjoy spending time with my one and only, Ian! Being that tomorrow is December 30th, I suppose I have another day or two before I put my plan into action... I won't let that pesky holiday guilt get to me!

Ta ta for now :)