Minimalist report

Love these shoes! So, I've had these shoes for about three weeks now. They feel great while running but afterwards you can definitely feel the difference. I can see why people need a little adjustment period. Running doesn’t feel much different. Afterwards, my feet and calves are a little sorer than usual. Given the fact that there is less cushioning, this is to be expected. My analogy for the ladies: If you are used to wearing flip flops and sandals all the time and then you have to wear three inch heels and do your normal running around for a day, your feet and legs will be sore. These shoes are the same type of thing. For the guys out there, just know it’s different. But, with each run, my feet are less sore afterwards so I guess I’m strengthening the muscles in my feet and legs that haven’t been used due to wearing cushioned shoes. Lighter, minimalist shoes aren’t for everyone and might even cause injury so do some research and transition smartly. You can check out this article here.

I also joined Bellamorphis, the women’s gym on base (finally) and will start classes next week. There’s something about fall that makes me want to run and work out. Hope to see many of you at the fun run tomorrow.

Going minimal

In my quest for new shoes, I went to a running store today and basically told them I was looking for a new pair of running shoes and I was open to suggestions. The salesman had me hop on a treadmill and did a video analysis to determine the range of pronation that I might have. Turns out, I didn’t roll my ankle or do anything funky, I just needed a neutral shoe. After trying a couple of pairs, I settled on the new Brooks, Pure Flow, a minimalist shoe. Actually, they seem more like a transitional shoes to me but I'm not going to worry about the name. They felt pretty good and at 7.5 oz, almost weightless. Surprisingly, these weren’t the most expensive shoes in the place which made me more willing to try them out. I had no idea these shoes just came out on Friday and here I was on Monday with a pair on my feet. While I tested them on the treadmill, I can’t wait to try them out on the road.

If you are curious about what they look like click here.

New Shoes

With the weather gradually getting cooler, I was excited to start running more again. As I resumed my running regime, I was hampered by pain in my right hip. Rather than re-aggravate it, I would take a few days off (and in one case a week off), and try it again, only to have the pain return. I tried different stretches and exercises but nothing seemed to work. Then, Hurricane Irene forced me to take a good five day break.

The Monday after Hurricane Irene, I was so ready to get out of the house and run. We were still without power and staying at a friend’s house. The only running shoes I had brought with me were an older pair that still had very little mileage. Either way, I was ready to get out of the house. Besides, that morning was cooler than usual. I ran the two mile loop on base and surprising had little to no pain. The only difference I can attribute to this run was my shoes. I realized that my current running shoes were three years old. Various articles from Runner’s World magazine suggest replacing running shoes every three to four hundred miles. I think in three years I have run at least that. Yep, time for a new pair.

Now, the question is which one to buy? A traditional shoe with a highly cushioned sole and a steeper heel-toe drop? A minimalist shoe like the Vibram FiveFinger shoe which allows for a near barefoot running experience? Or a transitional shoe that is somewhere between the two? Honestly, I haven’t decided yet and I’m still doing the research. There are lots of articles that caution jumping into minimalist shoes since such running requires different muscles than are normal used when wearing traditional running shoes. However, those who I've asked about their toe shoes seem to love them.

Either way, I'm happy to do a little shoe shopping. Meanwhile, I'm using the pair that I ran in after Irene. What shoes are you sporting on your run?

Reformer

So, while in DC last week, I took a reformer pilates class. I had no idea what to expect but, I really enjoy the core strengthening aspects of classical mat pilates so, I figured I’d try it. So glad that I did. It was AWESOME! At first glance, reformer Pilates equipment might resemble a torture apparatus, looking like a single bed frame but with a sliding carriage and adjustable springs to regulate tension and resistance. Cables, bars, straps and pulleys allow exercises to be done from a variety of positions, even standing. The resistance created by the pulley and spring system provided a fairly challenging workout.

The class I attended had seven reformer machines in a row and an instructor described the exercises we were to do. For those who are self conscious about people watching them workout in a regular exercise class, reformer pilates might be for you. Everyone is so busy doing repetitions of the different moves that no one has time to look around. The smaller class also allowed the instructor to make simple form corrections to make each exercise more effective. Pilates does involve correct form and breathing but I wasn’t doing everything perfectly and I still felt it the next day.

By the end of the hour, I was tired but it felt great. It was a great total body workout with little or no impact. I wish we had such a thing here in Goldsboro but a girl can always dream!

Motivation and Habit

I ran across this quote today: "Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going" by Jim Ryun. Jim Ryun had personal experience with both of these statements during his career as an Olympic athlete and a former member of the United States House of Representatives.

So, how to get motivated? Passing that fitness test or risk not getting promoted or a getting a certain job is good motivation. Maybe it’s not the most altruistic reason but, it’s a real one. Your motivation could be looking good at the pool or the beach this summer. Just find something that works for you to get you to the gym or the track.

Once you are motivated, you need a plan that puts your motivation to good use. Fitness classes are a good way to start. First, you paid to go and no one likes to waste their money. If you do, I’ll be happy take it. Second, you can schedule it into your day like a meeting. Third, a class only takes an hour or so of your time. Signing up for a race works well too. It gives you a specific distance to prepare for and a specific deadline to aim toward. Marathons aren't cheap either. This is where I’m at right now, I’m just started back into a regular routine and I’m looking into classes at Bella.

Now, how to stay motivated? This is the hardest part. During this phase, lifelong habits can be built. Some of us need to get rid of old habits and start building healthier ones. Consider this thought: it gets easier to quit if you’ve done it once. The truth hurts. And to be honest, when your health and longevity are the cost of a sedentary lifestyle, you really can’t afford to quit. So, to succeed in your habit building, consider a wingman, someone who will keep you accountable the first few weeks of your workout program and to help you continue to stay motivated until workout because a habit. You may need to change up your wingman as you progress but you get the idea.

Lapses can and will happen. For me, this usually happens around the holidays, after an illness, or during a really busy time at home or work. But anticipate those lapses, plan for them, and a good workout habit will get you back on the wagon.

I found Jim Ryun’s quote to be extremely insightful. I’m going to to rebuilt my workout habit a week at a time. Hope your workout regime is going well.

Progress Check

Back in January, I outlined my fitness goals and expectations for this year. Just to refresh everyone's memory, I wanted to:
1) Fit back into my pre-pregnancy clothes
2) Score at least an 85 on my fitness test
3) Run a 5K comfortably by the end of the year.

Well, I met goal #2 and most of #1 and I’ll still leave #3 on there to work on. I’ll admit, since I’ve passed my test, I’ve slacked off and I want to reestablish some fitness goals for the rest of the year. I want to focus on strengthening my core muscles w/Pilates and yoga. Don’t laugh, for those of you who haven’t tried it, it can be tough. I plan to keep my cardio up by using the elliptical trainer and some swimming. I’ll get back into running when it cools off. Again, I just need to make time for all of this. I plan to check on classes at Bella and see what they offer.

Sometimes, changing up the routine can be good. I’m looking forward to this.

Fireworks are Over!

Hello All,
Holidays can be a challenge with treats and adult beverages. Whether you are a fitness guru or trying to buy in to the "new standards", I will do my best to give you tips from time to time.

One thing not be be discouraged about is the weight fluctuations on the dreaded scale. The average person can fluctuate 1-7 lbs. daily; more on that in a bit. The best time to weigh yourself is right out of bed in the morning. that goes for tape measurements too. As the day progresses, skin loosens and weight increases.

I mentioned the daily roller coaster effect with weight...well, it's mostly water weight. Things to watch out for are salt content and hydration. The average person should not consume more than 2,200 mg of salt per day. Start looking at labels and tracking your intake. On the flip side, properly hydrating ( not beer and soda), actually helps shed water weight. I try and consume 1.5 gallons of H2O per day. Water flushes out salts and help shed extra lbs. Another excellent aid in H2O reduction is foods with high potassium ( bananas / spinach leaves).

Some of you my remember when I came to Seymour in 2006. If you were here you may remember I was quite a bit heavier...try 51 lbs. heaver. I will take you through that process and how easy it is to loose the love handles or your muffin top. More to follow!

If anyone has questions regarding fitness or diet, I am always here for you. Please feel free to call or e-mail...anytime. Bob

Eat your colors and the new plate

In the last 24 hours, there have been two particular events that spurred me to go on a fruit and vegetable buying spree.

First, while I was waiting to take my fit test, I noticed all these posters about eating your colors. In my house, we do a pretty good job with the greens (spinach, broccoli), oranges (carrots, sweet potatoes), and reds (tomatoes, strawberries). But yellows (yellow squash, peppers), blue (blueberries), purple (eggplant), and white (cauliflower, mushrooms)? There are a ton of articles about the health benefits of these “colored” foods. Here’s one http://www.vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?catId=7&pageId=2560
Time for me to start branching out.


Secondly, the USDA has gotten rid of their food pyramid and has adopted a plate as their new icon. The most notable change is that fruits and vegetables make up HALF the plate. I don’t know about you but my plate doesn’t look like that most days. That’s a lot of veggies! The website choosemyplate.gov has more detailed information about the recommended dietary guidelines for different ages and fitness levels within the population. Under INTERACTIVE TOOLS, you can create a customized eating plan. At the very least, it provides a good starting point.

All I know is that I’m glad it’s summer and all these fruits and vegetables are available! Happy eating!

Woohoo!

My baby girl is 6 month old now which means my fit test was also coming up. Today was the day.

You can tell by title of this entry that I was very happy with my results! I surpassed my goal of an 85 and I did well enough that I don’t have to test for another year! Truth be told, I’ve been nervous about this since I scheduled my test several weeks ago. I checked the weather for this day and strategically planned my last few workouts giving myself a couple days to rest before the big test today.

As I walked out the door this morning, my husband wished me luck and reminded me that you always do better on test day. He was right. Gotta love that adrenaline! I was shocked when my first lap was under 2 minutes. I NEVER did that while working out. In fact, my first lap when running on my own was always around a 2:30. My pushups and sit-ups were much better than expected as well.

I also found the FAC testers were very fair. In fact, we counted pushups and sit-ups for each other and the FAC monitors corrected various individuals. The score card clearly stated the requirements and had the Fitness Assessment Charts printed right on them.

All in all a good experience! And I’m relieved. It’s a little hot to keep running outside for me. I might do a little swimming this summer and do some indoor cardio. I also started exercise TV on demand. More to follow on that one.

Where did THAT come from?

I had my annual physical a few weeks ago. Each year my husband and I make it a competition to see who's doing better. Thanks to a very regular exercise routine, I can claim victory; however even though the majority of my test results looked great, my weight did not.

Since late February I've put on 13 pounds! Now how exactly does that happen? I asked my doctors. They did thyroid tests--since that can usually explain that kind of weight gain over a relatively short period of time. Thank goodness all was normal. The doctor told me to keep a food journal. Nothing fancy, but just for 2-3 days write down what I ate and put calories with it. I found the problem--food. Actually excess food.

I've fallen into a pattern of thinking that because I work out that I'm entitled to eat what I want. That doesn't hold true anymore. Sure, I can run 4 miles, 3-4 times a week---but having two or three brownies on Wednesdays is not a plan for good health. I told a friend yesterday that I'm not into being thin, I just want to be strong and healthy--a theme you've heard from me before. Food has a place in that. I don't want to go on a diet or deprive myself of food I love, but I also need to learn that I can stop at one cookie.

I've been eating salads all week (love Wendy's Baja salad with no dressing or tortilla chips-- chili and salad taste great together) and incorporated fresh fruit and veges back into my snacking diet. I've cut back on the coffee. I feel better. I actually had a very late brunch today and told myself I wanted a hamburger --YUCK! It just didn't settle well w/me.

I realize that my goal of having a Demi-Moore-at-40-body might not be a reality. But I would love to return to where I was last summer when I took my fit test, felt great about myself, fit smashingly into my clothes and when food was still a friend. Time to rekindle an old friendship!

An unexpected break

It’s been too long. An infection, treated with antibiotics, followed by a cold kept me from working out the last two weeks. I ran and did pushups yesterday for the first time after my hiatus. Not my best run ever but it felt good to be out and about again. I ran for twenty minutes. While my legs would have been happy to continue, my lungs were ready for a break. I experienced firsthand what a lapse in exercise diligence can do to one’s cardio endurance. Just another reminder that fitness takes time and must be done consistently. My fitness test is a short four weeks or so away which also serves as a good motivator.

I missed the April blog topic about music and what people listen too. I’m one of those non-music listeners. In fact, I prefer to listen to NPR in the car. I never have been one to run to music. I’ve always found ear buds annoying and trying to get the right music playing was just a distracter. I just take in the scenery and mentally get myself to the next point. To pass the time, I’ll purposely come up with a topic or problem and mull through it as I run. I’m not talking about anything of huge importance like rising gas prices or the nuclear reactor in Japan. But it helps me pass the time. I choose to look at running as a chance to relax and get away from my other responsibilities. Strange, I know, but it works for me.

Grrrr

I hate it when the day gets away from me and I don't get a chance to work out. I had such great intentions too. I've increased my runs to two miles now and my last run was under 19 minutes so I was actually looking forward to running today. Since my schedule can be a little erratic, I told myself that if I can work out at least 3 times in the last seven days, I'll be good. Hopefully, I'll fit it in another time this week.

It's all about the music

April is our month to blog about music! On March 17 I ran the St. Patty's Day 5K on-base. More than 200 people turned out to run the event--the biggest crowd they'd had to date. Right before the run we were told that we couldn't use Ipods since we were running on the streets and it was a safety concern. There was a HUGE rumbling among the crowd. It goes to show how much music motivates us in our workouts. I've talked to people that coordinate their ipods and music to match a certain pace for their runs...12 mins worth of music can help ensure a 12 min run time...pretty smart.

I have different music for different moods. For races I load up on Pink, KeSha, AC/DC, All American Rejects, JLo, Shakira, Lady Gaga and some good dance beat music. For my 'slower days' I like Train, and some old-school 80s music like Africa, U2, Bon Jovi and Tesla (Love Song is just eery when you run!) I actually award myself by buying new music for my Ipod-- KeSha's Blow is my next purchase!

If you're looking for some new music check out some of the fitness magazines that provide 5-10 good song recommendations. Also do a Google search for 'workout music' --and ask friends. Music can inspire and motivate -- let it help you increase your intensity or just let it take your mind off what you're doing -- either way, add it and enjoy it!

Progress!

I ran my first mile and a half today! It took me 14:06 minutes which already gets me 52.8 points on the chart. Wahoo! Two week ago I was TDY in northern VA for a week where I ran twice and lifted once. The hills out there were killer and the loop was only 1.3 miles. Last week I didn’t work out at all so I decided to get back on the wagon this UTA. My plans to run Saturday were derailed so I had to get out today and I was only planning on running a mile and then go workout. It could have been the nice weather or the fact that the track was flat but I felt pretty good at the mile point. So I kept on going and before I knew it, I ran by the mile and a half marker. To celebrate I did 10 pushups - still need to work on those. But I’m glad to be able to share this!

Had an interesting talk with Chief Parris about nutrition this weekend too. He had met with a nutritionist at the HAWC. After keeping a food diary, he found out that he wasn’t getting enough calories which was why he felt tired in the afternoons which was when he worked out. She suggested eating a little more substantial snack to get more energy to go run. Makes sense to me.

I’ve also decided the fitness test is like a spelling test. To study for a spelling test, you have to study the words which might mean you write them over and over again on the board. Same thing with the fitness test – you need to run , do sit ups, and pushups in the same format as the test. Doing extra workouts (spin class, the elliptical trainer, bench press, etc) is fine but you have to practice the test in order to do well on the test. A month before your test, see how many pushups you can do in a minute. If you aren’t where you want to be, you know what to do. Enjoy this Spring weather and hope your workouts are going well!

I hate to love it!

Food. That's right food. My friend, my enemy.

This month's blog topic focuses on nutrition. Oddly enough I think I overdid it on food this week too. We had a great trip with a number of our local civic leaders to Arizona and Louisiana this week. It was ridiculous how much food we were offered. My self-control is pretty non-existant when it comes to eating. I figure that I workout so that I can eat, but this week was off the charts. I paid for it Tuesday and Wednesday. Time to get refocus!

I've noticed that when I eat right, I feel better. Odd how that works right? But seriously, when you eat whole grains, lean meat, fruit and vegetables, you feel stronger, you have more energy. I've cut soda out of my diet, even diet soda. Think about it-- what in that stuff is natural? Our bodies work harder to break that artificial stuff down, detracting from where it should be working to burn calories/fat. I'm focusing on eating good food that gives me continued energy and I'm increasing my fish intake.

One thing that most military people have at their disposal, but never use, is a nutritionist. As we get older, it gets harder to lose right? Well what if you've been doing it all wrong? What if the food you eat is working agaisnt you instead of working for you? A nutritionist can help you pinpoint the right food, and the right amounts.

Warm weather is finally here and as I start to transform myself back to where I was last year, I know that my diet will be a major factor in getting me there!

Turkey Meatloaf recipe

As promised, the recipe for Turkey Meatloaf (adapted from Barefoot Contessa):

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (1 large onions)
• 1/2 cup diced bell peppers (optional)
• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/4 teaspoon dried)
• 1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey breast (use the 85% fat free or else it’ll be really dry)
• 1 cups plain dry bread crumbs (I normally take some whole grain bread, toast it and chop it up or put it in the food processor)
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 3/4 cup ketchup

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, peppers, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Enjoy!

Good eats

Food and nutrition are a significant part of a healthy lifestyle. When I get busy, not only does my workout time suffer, but my eating habits also go. Here are some ways that I try to keep myself and my family eating properly.

- Whole grains – These things are showing up everywhere: breads (tortillas, english muffins, bagels), pastas, cereal, brown rice. Why are they so good for you? They armen’t as processed as their “white” counterparts and more of the nutrition is left behind. It also takes longer for your body to digest whole grain foods so you feel full for a longer period of time. If you can’t stomach an entire serving of whole grain pasta, try mix regular pasta with whole grain or whole wheat pasta. Kashi products are a personal favorite and we eat their cereals, crackers, and granola bars. We’ve also discovered Tostitos makes a multigrain chip that’s actually rather healthy if you need a chip. We served these at my son’s birthday party last weekend:
http://www.fritolay.com/our-snacks/tostitos-multigrain-chips.html

For other info on whole grains, take a look at this site:
http://vegetarian.lovetoknow.com/List_of_Common_Whole_Grain_Foods

- More fruits and veggies – I love the spring and summer because more fruits and vegetables are in season. In a pinch though, I keep frozen vegetables on hand, the kind without butter or seasoning. This way I can control the amount of salt and fat that is added. I’m always adding frozen corn to my soups and chilis too and I’ve been known to add some chopped spinach to a chicken quesadilla. I also steam lots of broccoli and carrots and then season them with a little bit of salt or not at all. I found that the whole carrots actually taste a lot better than the little ones. As a side note, I’ve heard that the USDA has revised their fruit and vegetable recommendation by saying half of your plate should be fruit and vegetables. That’s a big part of my plate that I know I’m not getting.

- Healthy snacks – Yogurt w/some low fat granola and fruit dumped in. Yoplait now makes a Greek yogurt now that has less sugar than their regular yogurt – I dig it. The Organic Stoneyfield vanilla yogurt is also a favorite. A Nature Valley granola bar also works for me in a pinch – 2 bars at 7g of fat but you get some grains at the same time. Low fat cheese and Kashi crackers is another popular option at home.

- Lean meats – We try to eat ground turkey and chicken more than ground beef. I have a great recipe for turkey meatloaf which I’ll share later. Of course I enjoy a good burger but I just try not to do it as often. Pork tenderloin is also an easy option as well: season with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast @ 425 for 20-22 minutes.

I think the bottom line for us is that if I don’t buy it, we don’t eat it which means, I need to buy more of the healthy stuff and leave the other foods at the store. Someone once told me that if you buy the majority of your food from the perimeter of the store, you’ll do pretty well. If you think about it, that’s where all the fruits, vegetables, meats, and dairy products are. I know when I eat better, I feel better.

What are your healthy food tips?

I've fallen off the wagon!

I don't even remember the last time I blogged, or the last time I had a consistently good week that included proper diet and exercise for seven days straight. I feel terrible and I can tell I don't look good either. Time to get back on the wagon!

With the start of March comes a renewal to a past mindset. I will work out six days a week. I will be responsible for what I eat. I will make healthier choices. I still have that 10-miler coming up in April, and while I've had a couple 6 mile runs over the last few weeks, that might be all the exercise I do for a week. That's not good. My pushups are in a sad state.

But here are a couple motivators and highlights- We'll be posting to our 916th Facebook page soon a technique to build your core and help you do more pushups. It's hard, but it works! I implemented the elevated work station before Christmas and guess what? It is actually catching on! I found a great influencer in Lt. Col. Dave Pike. He bought into it and has other people across the wing buying into it. This simple lifestyle change can help you burn up to 500 extra calories a day! Finally, I'm accountable to help mentor others and reach my own goals. Falling off the wagon on occasion is ok, life can get in the way, but you have to get back on and do it quickly. I just feel terrible and I hate feeling this way. At least I've taken the first step in admitting my problem back to the masses. Look for improvement, and more blog posts, in the near future.

Back in the saddle again

I ran for the first time this week in nine months. Not very far and not very fast but I consider it a step (literally) in the right direction. To become a better runner, you need to run. There's no way around that. You can condition all you want by working out on the ellitical trainer, walking, riding your bike or taking a cardio class but it still isn't running. In order to improve your fitness run time, you need to run.

On the quarter mile track, I ran, well, let's be honest, I slowly jogged a half a lap and then walked the other half. I did this for four laps. The first bit was tough but it actually got easier as I went on. Yes, I realize that I didn't even complete the 1.5 miles required for the fitness test but, then again, I haven't run in nine months and injury prevention is key in a good fitness program. Once you get injured, the quality of a workout decreases. I plan to increase the duration and distance of my running as I build back up. I take my fitness test in May.

As for concerns about making time, I've realized that it doesn't take much time to fit a quick workout in. A quick 20-30 minute workout is better than nothing. If you know you only have 20 minutes, increase the intensity by running a little harder than you normally would. Then, take an extra 2 minutes and knock out some pushups. Something is better than nothing! Most importantly, I've decided to make fitness a priority so I look at my schedule and find time to fit it in.

So enjoy this weather and get out there and run. And yes, I did feel it the next day but it felt great knowing I'm a little closer to getting back into shape.

What did I do?

I've been really busy with inspection preparation lately, but that hasn't stopped me from working out. I ran five miles today-- the first time I've run that far in awhile. I'm not sure what I was thinking signing up for that 10-miler in April. Five miles was not easy or fun, I can't imagine what 10 miles is going to be like.

I'm still working on my pushups too. I'm dreading that "resolution" too. I'm practicing though, and encouraged that there is ONE WOMAN in our wing that got the maximum score for them. I'll talk to her soon.

In this New Year we'll be unveiling topics each month-- music, exercise tips, clothing ideas. Stay tuned b/c I think we've got some good blogs ahead of us...just gotta get past Feb. 7!

Starting from scratch

Hello 2011! I feel like I'm coming out of hibernation. My little girl was born the day after Thanksgiving and I'm not sure where December or the beginning of January went. What better way to get going than to set some goals.

Obviously, this being a fitness blog, one of my goals is to get back into shape. This to me, means fitting back into my prepregnancy clothes, getting at least an 85 on my fitness test in May, and running a 5K comfortably again by the end of the year.

The question is how to get there from here. I haven't run in months and I can barely do 3 good push ups. My main challenge will be finding the time to workout - after all, I now have the demands of two kids, my husband's TDY schedule is impressive this spring, and there's so much to catch up on. I know I just need to make the time and do little things like walk to the Wing building instead of driving the short 100m. A visit to the HAWC is probably in order but for today, I will settle for 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer. I'll let you know how it goes.

Welcome to 2011!

Welcome to the New Year! Will this be the year of the new you? I've had a lot happen in the last few weeks that I can't wait to blog about, but this post is dedicated to goal-setting.

Most of us do it. We set resolutions for the New Year. And, not surprisingly, most of us break them. I'm going to set two resolutions for 2011. One has been a goal since 2010 and the other was a recent challenge.

My first goal is to run a 10-miler. I thought I'd do the Army 10-miler in D.C. in the Fall; however an opportunity presented itself to do one closer to home in Chapel Hill. Here's the catch-- it's in April! Before I thought I had all summer to prepare, now I only have a few short, cold months. I'm registered and paid my money- I'm committed. The good thing is that this is a great start (jump start) to my training. I gained 6 pounds during the holidays. I ate everything! This forces me to start running 5-6 miles again vs. 2-3. The pounds should be off in no time.

The next goal is a lot harder. And I'm VERY hesitant to state it, but I read somewhere that if you write your goals down then you're more likely to achieve them. So here goes...I will score a 100 on my fit test this Fall. I really want to hit the back button on this one. Thus far, no women in the 916th have made perfect score. I'm sure I won't be the first, but someone stated that they thought I could do it. I have to shave 46 seconds off my run AND do 38 pushups. The pushups are the hard part. This will be my motivation through the summer.

I turn 40 this year. I'm actually looking forward to it and being a strong, healthy, vibrant woman. These two goals may not seem like a lot to most, but they're two huge challenges for me. I hope you are thinking about what goals you can reach in 2011. Even if you're reaching for the moon then you're bound to land among the stars!

Happy New Year

I've been sick. So sick that I have not worked out, I mean, really worked out, since October. There have been a couple attempts, but, they have all resulted in short workouts due to cough, breathing issues, etc. It started with the flu, worked it's way to bronchitis, and finished up with sinusitis. I like to think I'm completely over it, but, I still have some breathing issues. I will troop through.

Okay, I have to troop through. I have my fitness test the beginning of February. I also just signed up for the Air Force Marathon in September (although I will only be doing the 10k portion of it). My other two goals for the year are the Army 10 Miler the beginning of October and the Marine Corp Marathon (again, just the 10k portion) the end of October. There will be a couple other races sprinkled in here and there (Warrior Dash in August and the Run Amuck in June are the two fun, "dirty" races I'm looking forward to). The plan is to have my son join me. He's 14, a football player and a wrestler, and perhaps together we can motivate each other.

Good luck in all your New Year's Resolutions for 2011.