Face It Friday: A Gain & Overall Marathon Training Thoughts

Hey All! Unfortunately I do not have time to grace you all with one of my long-winded stream of conscious posts today. Why you may ask?

Well I had a great morning of personal coaching calls, BUT it is finally Boston Marathon weekend so I need to prep for the afternoon. The fun fun fun starts at 2pm and shockingly I have a lot to do before then including lead one final Weight Watchers meeting during lunch.

Soooo let's get right to it. Shall we? Oh and I am already doing a horrible job about NOT being long-winded. :P

I actually weighed myself at home on Thursday before leaving for work because I wasn't sure I would make it to weigh-in today. Yesterday I was up 1.8 lbs and I let it get to my head. I was angry and hurt. I wanted to see a loss or at least a gain of less than 1 lb. BUT I had committed to tracking everything through that day before taking the tracking pressure off of myself over the weekend.

As a result, I decided that no matter what I would weigh in today as well because well I was curious to see the difference a day could make.

So I had my alarm set - "You are more than a number" - and faced the scale.

Yup up 0.8 - 1 less than yesterday.

Hello fluctuation and whatever else mother nature wants to throw at us.

Now I wanted a loss, but again I was still in the negative. So a gain wasn't totally on my radar. Plus I had been losing for the past few weeks when I didn't expect it.

The -/+ represents how over I was on my points for the week. So being down 0.8 over the past 4 weeks when each was in the negative - I'll take that.

Oh hi perspective I needed you to show up.

I also needed to remind myself that I am a good 20 pounds less than last year's Boston Marathon, I didn't emotionally eat this week on the anniversary of the bombing and I am still down during the entire marathon training cycle.

Proud of my progress this marathon training cycle - Not only on the scale, but also in terms of my cross training and my core/strength work!!

12/5/14 - 159.8 1/2/15 - 160.8 4/17/15 - 151.2

I will take all of it!

Plus I rocked some pretty amazing streaks this year as well.

So overall I am accepting of the gain - not totally shocked - and ready to turn my attention to a fun weekend with friends and running. Now I am not making myself track or beating myself up if I don't, but I still will be aware. I mean once you know the Points of stuff you can't UNknow it, which leads to some subconscious tracking all the time.

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So I will walk away from the training cycle with less weight (about 8 lbs), a stronger core, some baby arm muscles and a great mental attitude!!

Thank you all for sticking with me and tuning in to my Face It Friday posts/rambles. I will be weighing in next Friday and will as always take whatever the scale gives me.

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How has your mental/emotional state about weight loss changed during your journey?

I "Get" To Eat Healthy...

Every have that one sentence or moment that changes your life? You hear it/witness it and a light switches on in your head?

Yeah that happened to me at Fitbloggin during the "Stop Keeping Up With the Joneses" session on Saturday, June 29.

My friend Kenlie from AllTheWeigh.com snuck into the room late from another session.

But, her brief time in the room got my wheels turning.

She simply reiterated how someone mentioned about feeling unhappy about "having" to eat healthy to either lose weight or for health benefits.

And she then said: "But instead we can simply say: I get to eat healthy!"

*Mind Blown*

Oh no she didn't.

Why yes she did.

She simply taught me how to reframe my thoughts though a simple sentence.

For the past few weeks with countless travel and unhappiness with some aspects of my life, I have been SLACKING - I mean seriously slacking - in the healthy eating department.

(Note: this is not about needing to drop x amount of lbs - since I haven't stepped on a scale in 3 weeks - but this is about feeling good and feeling healthy! The reasons why I lost weight!)

Too many old habits have been sneaking back into my life to mask or try to bury the unhappiness I am feeling.

So what is happening today?

Today the reframe is taking place.

Today I stop the pity party.

Today I end "Vacation Mode." (Excuse Alert!)

Today I don't HAVE to eat healthy ... I GET to eat healthy.

Why?

Because I need to remember how much better my training goes when I am eating healthy.

Because I owe it to my racing self.

Because the athlete I've become (can I say that?) deserves to be fueled the best way possible.

Because I have the ability to do it.

So how does it start?

It starts by getting #back2basics. It is a hashtag I use when I need to hit the reset button.

Yup, I have hit the reset button more times than I can count. But the important thing is I keep hitting it.

What does #back2basics mean to me?

1) Take the food scale off the top of the microwave and put it back on the counter. 2) Move the measuring cups from the back of the drawer to the front. 3) Put into effect #DrinkEnd ... which means alcoholic beverages are only allowed Friday-Sunday. (Unless there is an extenuating circumstances of course. If my friends win mega millions on a Tuesday, I'm not passing on champagne! ;)) 4) TRACKING everything that enters my body. 5) Stick to my training plans, planned workouts and gym dates that I have set with friends. 6) Continue to hit my #100ozchallenge each day, which means drinking at least 108oz of water each day! 7) Do my #plankaday each day. My core will thank me too. ;)

It seems like a lot, but really there are the basic routines that I have created since joining Weight Watchers and when I hit them I have success. So easy decision is to list them out for myself.

PLUS, I always do better with a challenge! Don't you?

So if you are looking for a little support or looking to buckle down, feel free to join me in using the #back2basics hashtag!!

Can you pass me an apple?

It's GAME TIME!

#30for60 Challenge STARTS TODAY!

I think by now we have all learned I like a good challenge... #plankaday, #100ozchallenge, #pnptrackstar, #7daychip, #30daychip, etc. Obviously it was time to add another one!

Enter the #30for60 challenge created by my girl Samantha from Running and Cupcakes.

Sam first presented this challenge back in December 2011-January 2012, where I happily participated in. Here is the post I wrote halfway through the challenge: read on!

Once I heard Sam was considering bringing it back in preparation of Summer 2013, I HAD to be a part of it ... and Sam graciously agreed to let me pair up with her. YAY! :)

So here are the details:

The challenge will run from April 1-June 1 and the main just is simple - get moving for 30 minutes a day. This doesn't mean we need to hit the gym for 30 or more minutes a day since like everyone else I like/need a rest day at least once a week. But, we want to motivate people to get out there and get active with friends and families - take a walk, play some soccer in the backyard, have a dance party in the kitchen. Whatever you enjoy doing to get yourself off the couch will count!

Seems pretty simple right?

It is.

We will be tracking everyone's progress on the google spreadsheet I created - #30for60 Tracking - and you can update your stats at any point in time. Each column represents a 5-day period so if you successfully accomplish the challenge 3 out of the 5 days, you would mark a 3 in the column, etc etc.

Make sense?

You want in?

What you need more incentive?

Fine!

***PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES PRIZES***

Did that get your attention? Sam and I have been working to secure some amazing prizes for you all and will be sharing those throughout the next 60 days.

So if you are ready to get up, get moving and get ready for Summer then head on over to the #30for60 Tracking sheet and sign up!

And make sure you use the #30for60 hashtag and mention Sam (@RunCupcake) and I (@IrishEyes1982) up to speed on your progress. Use us as cheerleaders if you need to. (Note: Pom poms not included)

Let's Do This Folks!!

Who's with me?

Disney - Day 2 - Magic Kingdom

Did you really think the only thing we would do on Day 2 in Disney would be the Walt Disney World Half Marathon? Heck no!! ;)

We had to put a full day in at Magic Kingdom after the run.

After I refueled with a shower, breakfast and my low fat chocolate milk.

It was time to grab the shuttle and head back to the Magic Kingdom ;) but this time to enjoy some rides. :P

Ohhh the memories had already started on Day One (Race Expo/Hollywood Studios) and during the run, but they were going to continue...

We walked through the gates and it was a madhouse. I think all of the Half Marathoners (who had run that morning) and the Marathoners (who were running the following day, Sunday) were in the house. It was busy, but we were ready.

Heading down Main Street after having run down in it hours earlier in the pitch black was surreal and I couldn't stop smiling. :)

Seeing the Castle in the sun was just as thrilling as in the pitch black of the early morning. Again, I haven't been to Disney in about 12 years, but the Castle still took my breath away.

Our game plan was to enter the Park and immediately head to get a fast pass for Under The Sea ~ Journey Of The Little Mermaid, which we did. After securing the fast pass, we hit up Philharmagic (which was located directly next to the fast pass machine).

Philarharmagic was a cute and enjoyable 3D cartoon complete with Disney staples of Mickey, Donald and Goofy.

After Philharmagic we had to see It's A Small World, which happen to shut down for the day right after we walked through the gates.

Once we finished It's A Small World, we headed back to Under The Sea ~ Journey Of The Little Mermaid, which was a delight.

Clamshell cars take you through the ride

Following Mermaid, we headed to Space Mountain, which shockingly only had a 30-minute wait (pretty low for that day), Monsters, Inc. Laugh Floor, which was hilarious and did a great job improvising with audience participation, Stitch's Great Escape! and finished up with Pirates of the Caribbean before heading to dinner.

For dinner we met back up with my parents and treated ourselves to the Character Dinner at The Crystal Palace!! While the food was nothing to write home about (typical buffet fair) you realize you aren't there for the food. :P You are there to see the characters and we had the crew from Winnie the Pooh! YAY!!

My absolute favorite Disney character is Eeyore so I was WICKED excited when I found out who we would be seeing!

It takes about an hour to an hour and a half for all of the characters to make it around the palace.

and last, but of course not least in MY mind

After dinner we had grand plans of hanging out for the 8pm Wishes spectacular then the 9pm Main Street Electrical Parade, but the 2am wake up call was starting to take a toll on the wife & I. So we opted for one final ride before heading back to the Hotel.

The wife wanted to go on Mad Tea Party (aka tea cups) and for some reason I agreed. Even though we JUST had dinner. So it wasn't our best decision, but it was still fun!

How can they not be?

After steadying myself post tea cups, we headed back to the bus area to grab the shuttle to the hotel.

We ended up stopping to have a drink at the pool bar at the hotel "Centertown" area. Since Magic Kingdom is booze free, it took until about 8pm for me to finally have my post-race celebratory beer. We sat down and enjoyed a bit of Hercules while I relished in my victory beer.

Since the wife was really getting tired, we headed back to the room. She immediately passed out, while I continued my celebration a little longer.

Yup, I'm klassy with a capital K!

Before I knew it, I too was fast asleep with dreams of Epcot the next day dancing through my head.

Oh, but don't let me forget to tell - and show - that despite all the action of the day I still got my Plankaday in ... in costume no less!

Dynamic December

I am jumping on board with many of my fellow bloggers and coming up with some goals for December (just a week late ;)). But, now I am looking forward to a #DynamicDecember (I like alliteration so sue me :P).

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So here are the three challenges/hashtags you will see me using in the upcoming month:

1) #hlgDec2Rem - This challenge was designed by Jan (@HealthyLoserGal) and one of my favorite people in the world. :) For this challenge, I am really working on getting #back2basics, sticking with tracking (#trackstar) and getting in my Good Health Guidelines. I'm not going to beat myself up if I miss a day (since I did miss 3 of the 8 days in December), but I'll just try to do my best!

Jan is one of the best motivators, and people, around!!

2) #plankaday - This has been life changing for me. I am not one for crunches, especially with that back injury back in early 2011, so this is a great way to get some core work in without sitting and doing a bunch of crunches - I don't want to do - on the floor.

This program was started by Dr. Sherry Pagoto (@drsherrypagoto) and is open to interpretation. For me, I work on doing at least two planks a day and keeping the variety up! Front forearm plank, front straightarm plank, reverse plank, side forearm plank or side straightarm plank.

I started with a 30 second front forearm plank back in August 2011 and hit my PR of 5 minutes & 15 seconds in November 2012. Anything is possible... :)

I am going to continue to do my #plankaday every day. I am enjoying the versatility and loving the #plankaday community.

3) #100ozchallenge - This is actually the first challenge that I started on my own! I have had at times upwards of 50 people participating. Woo! I feel wicked cool. Okay, that wasn’t cool. Dammit!

Anyway, this is a pretty simple challenge: drink at least 100oz water a day. That’s it. Keep yourself hydrated during the winter months. I just saw on twitter today that “Dehydration can cause ageing & can slow down metabolism as much as 3%” – I am here to not let that happen! Stay hydrated!!

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I set these goals for myself because this is the person I want to be. The person I want to strive to be. The person I will work to be ... one day at a time.

And because of you - my family, friends, Facebook crew and twitterverse - that will hold me accountable, will support me and will keep me going.

The hashtags help to build a community. It opens the doors to new relationships, tips and most importantly more support.

So for me, this is what I will be striving for in December.

What will you be doing for you?

Variety Is The Spice Of Life...

Cardio is my safe space. Since really starting my fitness journey a few years back, I have always gravitated to the safety and familiarity of the cardio machines:

*treadmill

*elliptical

*stationary bike

I always feared the weights floor at my gym, as well as, fitness classes.

For too long, I let my weight hold me back from trying new things.

Then one day in late 2010 I somehow gathered up all the courage I had and attended a Spin class.

After just one class, I caught the Spin bug.

I was hooked.

What had I been so scared of? Why had I let the fear of the unknown consume me?

So from that point on, it was time to break out of the comfort zone and try new things ... especially when it came to fitness.

And you know what? I survived.

And now I LOVE the variety of my workouts. I'm no longer in a cardio funk. I now have something different every day, which keeps me interested and rejuvenated.

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So what did my last 10 days of workouts look like? Here it is...

November 14, Wednesday: Comcast On Demand class - Kickbox Power

November 15, Thursday: Comcast On Demand classes - The 12 Minute Blend & Cardio Dance

November 16, Friday: Pure Barre

November 17, Saturday: Zumba

November 18, Sunday: Spin and Body Pump

November 19, Monday: Pure Barre in AM and Spin in PM

November 20, Tuesday: Walking

November 21, Wednesday: 5k run

November 22, Thursday: 5k run & backyard touch football

November 23, Friday: Pure Barre

November 24, Saturday: 10k run

November 25, Sunday: Spin and Body Pump

(Note: My core work is the same circuit each day at home, including #plankaday!)

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I love how in the past 10 days I have really worked all parts of my body, which keeps my muscles wanting more and my head doesn't get bored with the same old same old.

AND what's even more exciting? I'm finally starting to see some muscles now that I am making weight training a bigger part of my workout routine...

So if you are feeling like you are in a workout rut, I recommend switching up and trying something new!

Also, if you've wanted to try a new class and are too nervous to attend one at the gym, try to find it on On Demand and give it a whirl in the comfort of your own home. That's what I did with kickboxing. So when I whacked myself in the face at one point, the only people who noticed were the dogs. :P

How do you keep your workouts fresh?

Savannah - Day Two - 11/3/12

Now what the HECK did I do on Day Two in Savannah? There was some major life-changing event in the morning, but for the life of me it's slipping my mind. Oh wait!

It was that little Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon. Duh!

Here's the recap for that... ENJOY!

We left the Finish Line area by 1pm, which meant there was a WHOLE lotta day left to be had.

So what do you do once you finish the marathon?

Find beer ... and food!

Cuhlearly you know the priority for me :P

But, first we stopped at the hotel to change and somehow this was the outfit my peeps let me out of the room wearing:

I mean it's sexy, right?

And you are seeing it correctly - Lululemon cardigan and pants, compression arm and leg sleeves, a Sparkly Soul headband, flip flops and of course my race medal.

HOT. It will be all the rage next season.

We actually ended up going back to Molly Macpherson's for lunch. It was good food and it was one of the few places that didn't have a line out and around the corner.

After filling our bellies with food and beer, Michelle and Tori decided they needed to relax for a little while and wanted to head back to the hotel. I was feeling the opposite. I thought if I went back and laid down - my legs would tighten up or cramp.

So my dad and I dropped them off at the hotel and the two of us roamed the city. He didn't have a chance to check it out the day before since he got in so late so it was nice to show him River Street, Bay Street, etc. He also enjoyed that we were able to stop at a local watering hole, pick up a beer and keep on walking. :) We also hit up one of many candy shops so he could get a praline, what Georgia is known for. I opted for some delicious homemade fudge that was in a word - heavenly!

We made a big loop around the city before heading back to each of our hotels to rest up/shower/get ready for the night.

We had made a reservation for Tara Haunted Tours at 8pm that night. A walking ghost tour around historic Savannah entitled "Boos and Brews."  You guessed it folks - you got to carry a beer while you walked around hearing about ghosts. So there were ghosts for the wife and beer for me/my dad.

And yes you read that right, we are the people that ran that morning and signed up for a walking tour for the same night. Funny enough, we weren't the only racers in the group that night. :)

We were running late so we were only able to grab some chips & salsa at McDonough's Bar where the tour started, which meant we would have to eat at the final bar.

I don't like ghosts, but it was interesting learning about some of the history of Savannah and the wife was happy.

These bricks had people's fingerprints in them from when they were made

We also got to stop in three local watering holes along the way

We finished the two-hour tour at Moon River Brewing Company, where we enjoyed a late dinner and a few more brews. :)

After that the fatigue from the race really started to set in for me so we headed back to finally get some rest. But of course, I made sure to get my situps and #plankaday in before I hit the sack.

Overall, it was one perfect day in Savannah. I highly recommend Tara Tours to anyone looking for a little history of Savannah with a possible ghost sighting thrown in!

Savannah - Day One - 11/2/12

Tearing up just thinking of last weekend... So sorry for the delay on the Rock 'n' Roll Savannah Marathon weekend recap! Emotions and life have come in the way of getting this post done sooner.

But here goes Day One!!

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We headed to the airport at 4:30am. So yes this story starts wicked early in the morning.

I think I look pretty put together for that early in the day ... and representin' the blog with my Sweatybands headband!

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And of course I was giving my wife the "Oh really" face that she loves so much. :P

After getting my final Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee of the weekend, it was time to chillax at the gate.

How cruel putting us right next to Harpoon IPA when it was closed.

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RUDE!

We had two flights to get to Savannah - layover in Atlanta. In a truly "small world" moment, I spotted a Weight Watchers Leader I knew on each flight. One sitting across the aisle from me as she headed to the Dominican Republic.

I want to thank the second flight's Flight Attendants and Pilots for giving a special shout-out to all the runners on the plane!

We landed in Savannah and headed straight to the hotel. After immediately unpacking my clothes for the next day's marathon

clothes

It was time to hit the hotel gym for a quick 2-mile run (to shake out the legs after the long morning flights)!

2-mile run

Boy was it weird running on a treadmill - I hadn't done it in AGES.

Finally, it was time to check out the local cuisine (we hit up Wild Wing Cafe - delicious) and then headed to the John P. Rousakis Riverfront to catch the ferry to the Expo.

It was the first Rock 'n' Roll expo where there was a Half Marathon and a Marathon happening so the wife and I headed to separate areas to collect our numbers.

Of course, I made her take my standard "Countdown" pic!

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I had read that KT Tape was going to be at the Expo and since I missed them at the RnR Chicago Expo I was determined to finally try them out at this time.

After picking up some Sport Jelly Beans since I of course forgot mine at home, we headed to the KT Tape booth.

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I had to choose blue. I was really hoping it would help my knee, which had been sore for the previous two weeks. Thankfully nothing sharp, but a more dull constant pain.

After checking out the locations/dates for the RnR races in 2013, we think we are going to try and hit up the Rock 'n' Roll Los Angeles Half around Halloween. It is time to check out some new cities. :)

We got back in what seemed like the never-ending line to reboard the ferry and head back to downtown Savannah.

2012-11-02 15.51.47

I will say RnR did a great job keeping the ferries moving so people didn't lose too much time standing in lines to board.

We arrived back to Savannah's famous River Street and did a little carboloading with a local brew from The Warehouse...

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... and enjoyed Savannah's lack of an open container law.

Can I just say how odd yet awesome it was walking around with my beer? You don't want to chug or leave your beer behind - restaurants/bars give you a To-Go cup. My kind of city!

As we wandered back to our hotel, we set out to find the Start Line for the following morning and check out the historic Bay St.

2012-11-02 16.26.21

We made it back to the hotel to settle in before our friend Michelle and my dad both landed/met us for dinner.

We went to Molly Macpherson's Scottish Pub & Grill for dinner. Why you may ask? They had a nice spaghetti dinner going on for runners.

It was great having everyone in one place the night before the race so we could come up with a game plan for the next morning: pre and post race meetups.

I also loved how almost every bar and restaurant in Savannah were so welcoming and supportive of the runners in town.

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After getting back to the hotel, it was time for a little compression time with Zensah...

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... before doing my #plankaday and setting the alarms for the morning!

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Dear Social Media...

Dear Social Media, I don't know how to say this so I thought I would write you a quick note. I've been trying to gather my feelings for you, but didn't quite know how to really approach you on the subject. So I figured I might as well just put myself out there.

So here goes nothing.

Social Media ... I Love You.

Okay, there I said it!

I 100% with my whole heart love you and all that you offer:

I love OkCupid.com.

I love Wordpress.

I love Twitter.

I love Facebook.

I love Tumblr.

I love Pinterest.

I love Instagram.

I like Google+.

I even have a small place in my heart that still likes MySpace. (not sure why, but it does)

So this isn't getting awkward is it?

Good.

I want to simply Thank You for all you have done for me through all of these avenues.

You want examples? Sure, I have plenty.

**OkCupid.com gave me my wife for who I would be lost without!

**Wordpress.com, you have bestowed on me a tiny piece of the internet here at Weight Off My Shoulders where I can share my inner thoughts with anyone that wants to read them. Even if no one wants to read them, you allow me the chance to bare my soul and release the negative in a new and more therapeutic way!

**Oh Twitter, where do I begin. I thank you for the endless 24/7 support I have found...

-For opening my world to such awesome groups as #runchat (@therunchat), #Fitfluential (@FitFluential), #SweatPink (@fitapproach), #GirlsGoneSporty (@GirlsGoneSporty), #wwchat/#weightwatchers (@WeightWatchers) and #Fitbloggin (@Fitbloggin).

-For helping me share my life, my ups, my downs, my accomplishments and my faults with people who accept me no matter what and are always there to offer advice, a shoulder to cry on or a new perspective for the situation.

-For connecting me to other Weight Watchers members and Leaders all over the state, the country and the world overall. It is great to share recipes, success stories, scale and non-scale victories and struggles with people reaching for the same goal you are.

-For numerous motivating challenges, especially Brad Gansberg's #7daychip and Dr. Sherry Pagoto's #PlankADay, and allowing me to even start my own: #100ozChallenge.

-And finally, for motivating me to get out of my comfort zone by sharing wicked personal stories, for reminding me that I am worthy of what my life is giving me and that I can put myself out there and survive.

**Dear Facebook, you have taken hours of my day away and I thank you for that. Love, Dani ;) But really, Facebook allows me to share my blog to another group of people who I might not be on Twitter. Also, I know now that if I don't post my workout on the blog's Facebook page, it didn't happen ... right?

**While I still don't know how to totally use you Tumblr, you provide me endless laughs with such things as Dog Shaming and Texts From Dog.

**Pinterest - oh Pinterest - you make me want to eat everything in sight, work out 24/7 and snuggle a bunch of adorable animals all at once. No one has done that to be before. ;)

**Instagram - you allow me to know EXACTLY what my friends are eating at any point in the day. Now I know whose house to go to because I can preview what they would cook me ;) Also, you inspire me to try new workouts, but new work out clothes and attempt all different types of planks! Additionally, you have helped ME perfect the art of the self-portrait either using my phone or the bathroom mirror. I will never look at the bathroom mirror the same way again. Oh and thanks for offering so many glorious filters to choose from - I shall never look pale again! :)

**I got nothin', but love for ya MySpace... you still exist right?

So there it is Social Media, you truly reach every aspect of my life like no one else has before so in one word: Thanks!

Love,

Dani

PS What site will you come up with next for me to get addicted to?

What #plankaday has done for me...

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??

[embedplusvideo height="281" width="450" standard="http://www.youtube.com/v/R_K8U0UUF-4?fs=1" vars="ytid=R_K8U0UUF-4&width=450&height=281&start=&stop=&rs=w&hd=0&autoplay=0&react=0&chapters=&notes=" id="ep1113" /]

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! ;)