What #plankaday has done for me...

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Before 2011 the word plank wasn't a normal word in my vocabulary. I mean I knew of the "planking" youtube craze that really just meant people were lying down in random places around the country, not what the fitness world deems a "plank." So plank was not in my wheelhouse ... until August 2011.

Then I read about the #plankaday challenge on Twitter ...

... and I was ready.

The #plankaday craze was started by one fabulous Dr. Sherry Pagoto and I owe so much to her!! :)

I remember doing my first EVER plank while on the road in Milwaukee with the Cubs. I was in my hotel room and gave it a shot. I believe my first plank was either 30 or 45 seconds and I was IN PAIN after that.

Then I decided I was ready to start bringing it into my everyday life because I needed a way to strength my core without doing crunches.

(Side note: I suffered a sprained neck during a rugby game my Senior Year in college and my neck never regained full strength so crunches put a HUGE strain on those muscles. So crunches and I don't get along)

I made the #plankaday part of my Stupendous September challenge in September 2011 and I was HOOKED!!

It is CRAZY how much stronger my core has gotten since starting doing #plankday and how many different types of planks I have learned exist.

I have tried front forearm planks, front straightarm planks, side forearm planks, side straightarm planks, reverse planks and planks with leg raises and altered mountain climbers. And there are SOOO many other variations that I have yet to try yet.

But, wow have I earned a lot in about a years time.

When I hit 1,000 likes on my blog's Facebook page - I committed to doing 1,000 seconds of planks ... AND I DID!!! Say wha??

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Besides that, my plank durations have GREATLY improved.

In fact, on Wednesday, September 5, I hit an all-time #plankaday PR ... I held a front forearm plank for 4 minutes and 20 seconds!

Ahhhh... that is a FAR CRY from my first plank of 30-45 seconds.

#plankaday has given me the confidence to try something new and to truly stick with a core workout program ... plus I have met some pretty SWEET people through the #plankaday hashtag!!

So if you are looking for a new and fun core workout, please checkout plankaday on: Twitter and Facebook! There is one motivating and AWESOMELY cool crew of plankers out there!!

Tell 'em I sent ya! ;)

#100ozchallenge

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So I started the #100ozchallenge on Twitter early in 2012, but I never formally introduced it so I thought I would now. Better late than never, right?

So I gave up Diet Coke on December 7, 2010 ... and have remained soda friend to date! WOO!

But, I needed something else to drink to replace the many many cans of Diet Coke I was consuming a day ...

Enter WATER!

I know. I am ahead of the curve on joining the "drinking water" and "staying hydrated" craze. :)

Well, I noticed that I am better at creating a new habit when I have a challenge or community to turn to.

Then #100ozchallenge was born.

So the goal is quite simple: to drink at least 100oz of water a day.

Seems pretty basic.

The #100ozchallenge hashtag is a great way to find motivation from others and a sense of community.

But, if you feel that 100oz is too much water for you in a day - that is fine. Shoot for your own goal, but still use the hashtag to keep us up to speed on how you are doing.

So I ask, are you in for the #100ozchallenge?

 

Maintenance Meets Marathon Training

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Weight loss maintenance on it's own is a tough beast. I think many that have gotten to their weight goal can agree. Maintaining is a whole different world/struggle than actually losing the weight. Many think you will lose the weight and everything is magical and perfect ... NOT (at least for me)!

I have been working through that this summer as I have mentioned before...

As I continue to find the balance between being social and sticking to my healthier lifestyle, I also started marathon training.

With the increase of miles, I have found myself STARVING all the time.

So on top of learning how to maintain, I am also working on how to best fuel my body during this grueling training process and not succumb to the "Hungry Horrors" that can occur after a looong run.

But it is tough and I am tired of beating myself up over and over again during this learning process.

Because fitness wise I feel great, strong and lean ... but then I see the number on the scale and it is a few lbs higher than I want!

The Steps I Am Working On Now:

I am getting back to tracking all my food which is really helping ... especially since I am really listening to when my body is truly hungry or just feeling dehydrated.

I am keeping my water intake up and trying to stick to my 100oz water challenge (drinking at least 100oz of water a day) to help quelch the "horrors."

In Weight Watchers terms, I am trying to save the 49 Weekly Points for the weekends of my long runs so when the carb monster hits ... I can satisfy him! ;)

I am also reminding myself that it is normal for people to gain a few pounds during marathon training since you are really teaching your body to hold on to enough water and fuel to survive the 26.2 miles and hours of running.

So to my fellow weight loss friends, healthy eaters and runners, help!

Please share your wisdom with a new-to-maintenance friend!

Grilled Tequila, Citrus And Jalapeño Chicken

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This recipe came from the Weight Watchers "Best Darn Food Ever!" cookbook. I LOVE this cookbook is full of comfort foods ... without the extra Points Plus values! ;) As we know, I personally can't cook, but my wife and dad like to cook so that saves me! I am more than happy to shop/supervise/clean up the meals as long as someone else does the cooking...

The Grilled Tequila, Citrus And Jalapeño Chicken is a recipe we have made quite a few times since purchasing the cookbook. It is different, fun and easy to cook ... plus you can't go wrong with tequila in the ingredients!

Doesn't the pic look DELISH??

The wife had a great time mixing the ingredients all up:

* Lime Juice

* Orange Juice

* Tequila

* Jalapeño Pepper

* Garlic cloves

*Canola Oil

*Salt

*Black Pepper

... and boy did it smell good!

The directions were easy - just combine all the ingredients - add chicken - and let marinate for up to 4 hours.

Simple. Direct. Doable.

We threw the chicken on the grill and opted to add some corn on the cob as well - why not, right? :)

I love grilling since the whole cooking process takes about 10-15 minutes and BAM dinner is served.

Doesn't this look awesome?

And it tasted as good as it looked. You could taste all the flavors - tequila, orange, lime, jalapeno - all for just 6 PointsPlus Values per serving.

Have you tried this recipe yet?

Twist & Shout On The Charles River 5k - 8/30/12 - 23:23 (7:33 min/mile)

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Time freakin' flies my friends. I cannot even believe we already had the fourth of the five-race "Let's Run, Have Some Fun And Be Fit" Summer Series... The Twist & Shout On The Charles River 5k was Thursday night!

My dad and I did this same race series together back in 2005 when I started running, but due to injuries he hasn't been able to run in ages, but for this race he decided to volunteer. Why not, time to see some old running buddies of his ... and we got a free ride out of it. ;)

Well since we actually had to park the car and there is limited limited parking at these races - we cut it CLOSE to getting to the Start Line in time for the run.

Additionally, this is an old school race without timing chips/etc so once the clock starts your time is based off that - no matter what time you actually cross the Start Line.

So I usually try to get as close to the front as I feel comfortable going, but since we got there so late - I was much farther back than usual.

Which led to a TON of bobbing, weaving and running on the grass for the first 1/2 a mile or so. It was also a task running on the grass and avoiding the large divots, dodging the tree branches and not tripping on the tree roots. It was like a mini trail run at the beginning. ;)

But I really didn't mind since I love these races - great fun atmosphere!

As I got myself back up to where I would normally be running and actually seeing many of the familiar faces, I remembered one of the bridges was out - finally after years and years it was deemed unsafe - so we had a slight detour, which actually didn't alter the flow of the run at all.

On my Runkeeper, I was averaging a 7:13 or so pace, which is what I normally shoot for in the Summer Run series so I was excited. I knew it would be altered at the Finish because of the timing they use, but I was happy with how the run was going.

Especially since on Wednesday morning I had to cut a 5 mile run to a 5k, I was glad to be running painfree!

After that the race was pretty much the same as the others. ;)

I tried to really dig deep and push it when I got within 1/2 a mile of the Finish.

I knew the race would be longer than 3.1 miles because of the detour, but I have run the course so many times I still knew when it was time to kick it up a notch. :)

According to the official results - I finished in 23:23 (7:33 min/mile) - I would probably take off at least 30 seconds for the time it took me to get to the Start Line, but either way I am happy ... I came in 164th out of 917 overall and 32nd out of 515 females.

Either way I was stoked to be done :P It was wicked humid.

I got my Harpoon IPA and went to the usual meeting spot to wait for the rest of my crew!

Mmm... beer! :)

My dad (one in red) was actually helping with the beer distribution and "overseeing" the keg issues:

Well, the final run of the series is just 3 days before my birthday and I think my dad will be volunteering again! YAY!! :)

**REVIEW** Running On The Wall

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I think everyone knows my love ... okay obsession ... with race medals! I just love them sooo much. It is a great way to remember a fun race! Plus, every medal is so unique - just like the races themselves. Well, I LOVE to show mine off. I hang them on the wall right across from my bed! They serve as that extra motivation to get up and get my workout on. ;)

So I wanted the wife to experience that same feeling. She has been doing a great job in her races and I wanted to show off her hardware.

Enter: Running On The Wall

They have amazing wooden race medal and bib holders ... for all sports!!

I bought my race bib holder from them in early 2012 and it is sturdy, secure and holds all sizes of bibs.

They have so many great running related sayings that it was hard to pick which one I wanted for the wife.

Examples:

Pain Is Weakness Leaving The Body

Running: Run, Eat, Sleep, Repeat

Bling Chasers

But, then it crossed my screen. The one ... "Race Bling"!!! How perfect, right? That is exactly what I call my medals - my bling!

The next toughest choice was color. I hate having so many options ;) 14 different colors. Oh the choices. :) But we went with Blue since it would match the motif we had going in the bedroom and to match my bib holder.

And to top it all off shipping was quick and easy ... I received the holder within two days! Score!

All I had to do was install the hooks - which was super easy with a pair of needlenose pliers - and it was ready to be hung!

I presented to the wife and she LOVED it! Yay!!

Doesn't it fit perfectly between the windows?? :)

So if you are in need of your own bling holder (again for any sport) or a bib holder - check out Running On The Wall on their website or on Facebook. They are friendly, fast and affordable.

PLUS, for a limited time only they are offering 10% off any purchase of $40 or more!!

Show off your own bling friends!! :)

I Should Be My Own #1...

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The past few weeks for me have been a negative spiral inside my head. I'm not good enough.

I'm not strong enough.

I'm not worthy.

Why do you bother trying?

I shoulda ... I coulda ... I woulda ...

Now, I think everyone knows that for me the toughest struggle in this whole weight loss journey is switching the mental part from being the first to point out my flaws/self-deprecating humor to being my own biggest cheerleader!

In the deep part of my brain, I know I am worthy of all that has happened in my life in the past 2.5 years, but for some reason it keeps getting blocked by the negativity.

I should be my #1 priority ... ALWAYS!

Then on Saturday morning during my long marathon training run, Jessie J's song "Who You Are" came on my phone. Despite hearing this songs dozens of times before, the lyrics hit me differently this time around ... I really listened to what she was saying.

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I stare at my reflection in the mirror Why am I doing this to myself? Losing my mind on a tiny error

I nearly left the real me on the shelf No, no, no, no, no
Don't lose it all in the blur of the stars Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing It's okay not to be okay Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart

Tears don't mean you're losing Everybody's bruising Just be true to who you are

Who you are, who you are, who you are Who you are, who you are, who you are Who you are, who you are, who you are

Brushing my hair, do I look perfect? I forgot what to do to fit the mold, yeah The more I try the less it's working, yeah, yeah, yeah
'Cause everything inside me screams
No, no, no, no, no

Don't lose it all in the blur of the stars Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing It's okay not to be okay Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart

But tears don't mean you're losing Everybody's bruising There's nothing wrong with who you are

Yes, no's, egos, fake shows like boom Just go and leave me alone Real talk, real life, good luck, good night With a smile, that's my home, that's my home, no No, no, no, no, no

Don't lose it all in the blur of the stars Seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing It's okay not to be okay Sometimes it's hard to follow your heart

Tears don't mean you're losing Everybody's bruising Just be true to who you are Yeah, yeah, yeah

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It's like she's been in my head the past few weeks. But, she speaks the truth.

WHY do I let myself get so wrapped up in one mistake? WHY do I beat myself up constantly when I don't reach my own expectations? WHY after all this time do I hold myself to this regard of being perfect all the time? WHY do I care so much about what other's think of me?

I. Am. Human.

I. Am. Me.

And now it is time to remind myself of that.

I don't want to miss out on celebrating my successes because I failed to reach the ideal results that I had in my head.

Life isn't going to go exactly how I want it to, but I need to enjoy the ride while I'm on it.

So today is a new day. I'm ready to be proud of my accomplishments and to pick myself up when life doesn't turn out how I want it to.

I am ready to be my own biggest fan because if I can't do it for myself how can I do it for others.

Okay, it's actually WAAAYYY easier to do it for others than to do it for myself.

So let's rephrase : I owe it to myself to be my biggest cheerleader because I am so many other people's biggest supporter - friends, family, Weight Watchers members - and I need to be there for me ... so I can be true to who I am!

I just need to remind myself that no one is perfect so why do I expect to be?

It's time to love me ... imperfections and all! Because accepting me will allow me to be a better friend, a stronger Weight Watchers Leader and a happier runner!

Marathon Training - 16 Miles

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I was apprehensive going into this morning's run. I had been bumming all week about the Rock 'n' Roll Providence Half Marathon results and had no idea how today's 16-mile run was going to go ... ESPECIALLY since it would be my farthest run since completing a marathon (with a lot of walking) in 2006. We had a nice low-key evening in last night. Now that we have a couch we can just veg out again - it's been so long. :) I wanted to get out and hit the Charles River running path early so I had to set a motivating alarm setting:

Yup! Those definitely worked...

I leaped out of bed by 5:30 and got all of my stuff ready. It was going to be a training run in more ways than one. I was planning on testing out some new running accessories and trying some current accessories in different locations.

1) Sunglasses

2) New Snuggbud earbuds

3) My water belt ... without leaking

4) My new moving comfort shorts

5) Nuun hydration post-run

I got to my usual parking space near the Charles and was ready to get started by 6:20. My goal was to finish the 16 miles under 2 hours and 30 minutes and by 9am.

The only thing I REALLY wanted to do this morning was survive the 16 miles. ;)

I set out at a pretty slow pace (9:30ish min/mile pace) and knew I wanted to be closer to 9 min/mile. I didn't have any specific goals, but I wanted to work on getting in a rhythm and rocking one pace throughout the run ... which is what most people do in the marathon.

The weather was perfect and the path was close to empty - both in my favor.

I did notice that around Mile 4 that my legs seemed to wake up an come alive!

I was cruising right along and before I knew it I was over halfway through the run. Sweet - it's all downhill from there, right?

Well, once I got to Mile 10 my legs started to feel a little heavy (not sure if it was from the swim the day before or they were just tired), but I pushed through. I just kept telling myself you did 13.1 last week, you got this.

Plus, I always run on a loop so no matter what I need to finish to get back to my car. Good planning, right? :)

At Mile 12, I was getting a pain in my left foot - it was like the nail on my toe was getting squished. So I stopped to investigate and everything looked fine so I soldiered on.

By Mile 14, my head was getting the best of me - knowing that I was so close to the finish. It took a lot of self-coaching to make it through the final 2 miles.

Since I run the Charles all the time, I knew I had to change my route for the final 2 miles to avoid seeing my car prior to Mile 16 and just stopping. ;)

Once I saw Mile 15 on my Runkeeper, I tried to pull it into a new gear and finish strong. It was really reassuring to know I still had some gas in the tank after completing 16 miles.

I caught the Runkeeper distance note totally on accident!

I was wicked happy with the results today!!! All of my running accessories worked like they were supposed to. I was FINALLY able to run comfortably in a pair of shorts - YAY!

And if I ran the full marathon at a 9:04 clip, I would finish in 3:57:37 - I'd take that in a heartbeat.

I was so excited I even asked a stranger to take my pic ;)

Yet again I proved to myself that I am stronger than I think I am ... and I am DAMN proud!!

Just Keep Swimming...

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This morning I did my first swim workout in far toooo llooonngg!! Okay one main reason for that was the lack of a bathing suit made for lap swimming in my size. Yes I had one that I have had for years that was WAYY too big, but I just never could get around to buying one that fit. (See: my fear of buying bathing suits in general! :P)

So finally yesterday I decided that since I had a 16 mile run on Saturday, I wanted to get a low impact workout in on Friday and what better way than in the pool. So I asked the wife to borrow one of hers. She is a good 2 inches shorter than me, but I thought it would be able to stretch enough to make it work. I set that aside and proceeded to dig out my goggles and swim cap.

Ohh it felt good to even take those out of the bottom draw!

After my final Weight Watchers meeting of the week, I hit the Boston Sports Club pool near my house - since they always have at least 3 lap lanes available at all times - and was ready to get back to the pool.

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Growing up I always loved swimming. My mom always said I was a natural born fish. I was on a swim team constantly until I hit High School. In junior high, I even coached my own little swim team at the local Boys & Girls Club - Dani's Divers - and had a blast.

But then it just went to the wayside as other sports took the forefront of my time. I tried to get back into swimming after college whenever possible as a way to get back in to shape .

Thankfully our gym in Chicago had a pool, but it seemed every time I tried to hit up the pool it was jam packed.

So I was psyched when we got the Boston to find that this pool always had a couple lanes open and since my schedule is more flexible now I could pay attention to when it is dead.

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So this morning I put the suit back on and I can tell you it felt awesome! I was excited since my ActiveLink (Weight Watchers activity monitor) is actually waterproof so I could wear it in the pool as well! :)

I went into the pool without a clear cut plan and just made one up as I went along. I couldn't remember how much a mile was in "lap" speak so I focused on getting into the rhythm instead.

I felt AWESOME throughout the swim. I loved how I didn't have to worry about my back or my knees or my ankles. I could just let go and swim.

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Since there isn't much thought needed in swimming laps or outside noise to bother you, it is a GREAT time to just think. And as I swam I thought about how it relates my life and my weight loss journey.

No matter how long it had been since I was last in the pool or the last time I even thought about lap swimming ... as soon as I started the freestyle it came right back to me. The breathing. The strokes. The kicks. It was second nature.

My weight loss journey has been the same way ... especially this summer.

As many know I used to work many days straight without a day off when I worked in baseball, which led to a much more regimented schedule - which overall lent itself very well to weight loss and Weight Watchers during the tricky summer months.

Well, this summer is completely different, I feel like a New Member trying to navigate the world of Happy Hours, weekends away, BBQs, etc.

But, I am learning that even if I take a couple of weeks of what I call a "relaxed adherence to the plan" (thanks fellow WW Leaders for that phrase), I know that I can get right back into the swing of it when I need to.

I just need to jump right back in and start swimming...

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So in the words of Dori when it is time to bear down and get back to basics: