[Girl♥Health]: Digging Deep to Find a Goal

Did you know that Nicole over at nicoleisbetter.com just released an e-book all about running and motivation?  Did you know you can get it super easily by clicking this link and signing up?  Did you do it yet?  No?

WHY NOT???

Here's the gist of what it's about from Nicole's blog: Stop Making Excuses & Start Running is a 41-page bullshit-free guide to redefining motivation that will give you the mental tools you need to get from the couch to the finish line of your dream race. Part e-book, part workbook, and part swift-kick-in-the-ass, this powerhouse of actionable steps will help you build a life-long relationship with running.

You guys, you all know that I've been trying to get healthy for the past year or so, right?  I mean, that's what Girl♥Health is all about.  I'm changing eating habits, trying to incorporate exercise into my daily schedule, thinking and rethinking about goals I want to make and accomplish, and planning for how all of that can actually happen when my motivation is low and my resistance is high.  So I was so excited when one of my favorite bloggers announced that this little gem of a book -- which is totally applicable to all my health-related (and some non-health related) goals -- was coming out.  I read it in one sitting and am slowly making my way through the prompts.

One thing that this e-book has already helped me to do in the few days that I've had is to really examine what I want.  I've been saying for the past however long that I wanted to be a runner.  Why?  Because I wanted to be healthy.  And that was my problem right there.  The vagueness of this goal.  Saying I want to "be healthy" is like saying I want to "be happy."  It's like, no shit, of course I want to be healthy.  Who goes around thinking they want to be unhealthy?  So, because my goal wasn't actually a real, measurable, achievable goal, I wasn't really committed to it or the process I needed to go through to accomplish it.

This also pointed out to me the glaring fact that I didn't really want to be a runner either.  If I did, if running itself is what got me going, then I wouldn't need the excuse of something else in order to do it.  I would just want it bad enough that being a runner was my goal in and of itself.  Sure, running still has it's appeal to me: I think runners are fit and lithe and I would like to be that.  I also see running as a great stress reliever (when the thought of running itself isn't causing me stress) and a time to quiet my mind and let things sort of...go.  But those reasons aren't enough for me, I guess.

Realizing all of this was, in a strange way, both a relief and slightly devastating.  A relief because I can now stop beating myself up over not being "a runner" because it's not what I really want.  But it's devastating because, if running isn't what I really want, than what the hell is my goal?!

This was going to require me to dig deep.  What did I love to do?  What health-related images kept coming to mind when I thought about my Dream Life?  Where were my self-conscious hang-ups?  What did I fear doing the most?  When I imagined being a fit badass, what activities did I do?  What did health mean to me?

The answer slightly embarrasses me.  It's embarrassing because it touches on one of my deepest shames: my weight.  Being a person who loves the outdoors, I seem to surround myself with other outdoorsy people as well.  The upside of this is obvious: camping and day trips.  The downside of this is where it gets a little bit humiliating.  Nearly all of my friends love to hike.  And when they ask me to go along, the thought that runs through my brain is: Dear God, please let it be a flat hike or I won't be able to do it.  I've been that girl who everyone has had to stop for on a hike because I need to catch my breath.  I've been that girl who has had to ask to not take a certain trail because it's just too steep.  I've been that girl who has had to turn around before reaching the top.

And can I just say: it's makes a person's self-esteem feel about as low as humanly possible.

This is what I want to change.  This is my goal.  I want to feel confident enough to go on long-distance hikes.  I want to go backpacking and not be so scared out of my mind that my weight will hold me back that I chicken out.  I want to go to the top of Half Dome.  I want to see places that you can't get to by car.  I want to hike parts of the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails.  This will be a physical challenge, a conquering of a fear, and a stare down with my insecurities.  It's specific (finish a long-distance hike) while still being broad enough to encompass meeting small, less specific goals (like losing weight, lowering cholesterol, strengthening my core, having a healthy back, eating less crap, running, weight lifting, etc.) -- after all, I'll need to "be healthy" in order to see this through, right?

While I haven't fleshed out the details yet, I know there are tons of things I need to work on in order to accomplish this. For now though, I'm sort of just sitting with it all for a minute, just to see how it feels and if it still fits when the rush of naming it has faded a little.


[Photo source: http://nicoleisbetter.com/]

[Girl♥Health]: Daily Motivation

THIS.

Someone explain to me why I'm at my most motivated to exercise when exercise is the last thing my body is able to do.  Because for the past two solid months, I couldn't be bothered to go for a run or a swim.  I couldn't be bothered to even think about going for a run or a swim.

And now that I'm on my ass midway through the slow back recovery process (yay!), all I want to do is work out.  I can't sleep at night because I imagine all the ways I'll be superfrigginfit once I'm able.  I picture myself in cute Lululemon gear I don't own and can't afford, lacing up the new shoes I haven't been able to buy in six years, running down streets that are not in my neighborhood, and doing that for miles instead of the 1.5 miles that I can actually manage.

The hard part is getting this motivation to last until I'm able to do something about it.


[Photo source: http://becausewecandoit.tumblr.com/post/3583690376/awesome-legs]

[Girl♥Health]: The Tough Decisions

Earlier this week I talked about how one of the focuses of my Girl♥Health plan for the next year is to build and nurture a healthy back.  I want to be able to move, to accomplish the goals I set for myself, to do what I want.

This was never more true than it was over this past Labor Day weekend.

On Tuesday of last week, my back went out again.  When it does this, there's little I can do besides be in bed.  I can't sit for long periods, I can't stand for long periods, I even have a hard time rolling over.  If the movement has anything to do with my hips, lower back, or my entire friggin' spine, chances are I can't do it.

The big problem was that Nate and I were heading to Seattle over the long weekend for a wedding.

Seattle.  My favorite city in the U.S.  College friends, old haunts, PNW weather, water, mountains, EVERYTHING I LOVE.

So you can see my dilemma.

Do I stay in bed, where my back can heal, where I'm not pushing it to do more than it can, where I can be comfortable and in as little pain as possible?  Where I'll also be alone and bored and without internet (it went out on Friday, not to return until Monday) or boyfriend?

Or do I chance it?  Do I pray that my back is better by Friday night, or Saturday morning at the latest?  Do I get on that plane, sit for TWO WHOLE HOURS, get out and leave myself at the mercy of the group, hoping that our collective itinerary has enough time built in for me to lay down regularly and stretch my back out before I collapse?

The smart, back-health-conscious thing to do would have been to wish Nate a good time, stay home and rest up.  Sure, I'd be miserable (I'd probably cry a lot, as I do), but it's responsible.  It's reasonable.  It's what an adult would do.

So.  What did I do?

...

I said, screw it, packed my bags, and hightailed it up north.

On a scale of one to ten -- one being the base level intelligence of a dirt, and ten being the base level intelligence of a baboon -- my decision to go to Seattle probably places me somewhere in the vicinity of -15.  Because, as it turns out, I have a slipped disk.

Let me put this another way.  I spent an entire weekend walking, sitting, standing, moving, NOT LAYING DOWN, on a SLIPPED DISK.

And now I'm in pain.  Staring at my ceiling.  Again.

But (and this is a huge but), I would do it again.  In a heartbeat.

Why, you may ask?

Well, because I have this to show for it:

Sometimes, it's just worth it, you know?

[Girl♥Health]: The Thought Behind the Plan

Now, I'm not a doctor or anything, but I think something may be wrong with my back.

Just a hunch.

Things have been mostly fine since the last time I messed up my back alignment.  Maybe I've had a few aches and pains, but I haven't been laid up again until now.  In the last few weeks, there has just been more activity happening -- dancing at weddings, carrying heavy luggage, minimizing my belongings, going on 9-mile hikes, taking road trips, sleeping on uncomfortable beds.  I also haven't been stretching on a daily basis at all.  And now I'm paying the price.

I've been lying in bed staring at the ceiling for what feels like forever.

So as I start to plan out a new exercise regimen (because what else can you do when you're unable to move?), I think I should focus on one or two things: a main goals I hope to accomplish, and back health.

The Goal(s)
I actually have three goals that I hope this exercise plan with allow me to accomplish.

Goal #1 is bring my cholesterol down.  As I mentioned before, the last time I went to the doctor and had my cholesterol checked, it was high.  Scary high.  I was told that, unless I could lower it on my own, my doctor would recommend that I begin taking cholesterol medication.  She gave me this warning because doctors tend to not want to use this type of medication on women of child-bearing age since it has a tendency of making it difficult -- if not impossible -- for those women to have children.

I want children one day, so I want my cholesterol to be at a healthy level -- according to my doctor -- by the end of 2013.

Goal #2 is to run the 10k at the Dawg Dash next year.  I can't do it this year because I'm nowhere near in-shape enough, and I already have a job-related commitment that same weekend, so I'm looking ahead.  I'm hoping to run the entire 10k, which means I'll probably want to get in one or two 5k's as training runs before the Dawg Dash itself.

Why this particular run?  Because I'm a Husky!  Go Dawgs!

(Okay, yes, I know that was completely nerdy.)

Goal #3 is to hike part of the Pacific Crest Trail.  I'm reading Wild by Cheryl Strayed right now, so that's where the idea came from.  And I've been wanting to see the High Sierra's, but haven't felt in-shape or brave enough to make the trek.  I obviously don't want to do the entire PCT -- because that would be crazy -- nor do I want to do it alone (I think I've already convinced a friend to do it with me, but if anyone else is interested, let me know!), but I'd like to backpack along it for a few days.  I'd like to be fit enough to have the confidence to do that.

My goal is for this to happen next summer (or whenever the best conditions are -- I haven't done my research yet).

Back Health
Finally, I really have to figure out a way to manage my back because this just can't keep happening.  As you've just read, I have goals, man!  I have things I want to do, and I need a healthy back in order to do those things.  I can't have my back taken out by a mostly-flat 9 mile hike if I want to be able to do part of the PCT and live to tell the tale.

The problem is that I'm just not sure of my limits yet.  I know I can't lift heavy things -- but how heavy is too heavy?  I know I can't bend past a certain point -- but where is that point?  And does this mean I can't do pilates or yoga?  I didn't think sitting for long periods would effect me -- but am I wrong?  And will my hips always hurt after short hikes?  Does this mean I can't accomplish my PCT goal?

These are all things I need to figure out (read: ask my chiropractor) as I create this plan.

I also need to start stretching and strengthening my back daily.  To do that, here are some chiropractor-recommended stretches that I'm going to be incorporating into my daily routine:

• Hamstring stretch: holding for 10 seconds; 4 times on each side
• Hip rotator stretch: holding for 10 seconds; 4 times on each side
• Knee-to-chest stretch: holding for 10 seconds; 4 times on each side
• Quadriceps stretch: holding for 10 seconds; 4 times on each side
• Prone press-up: holding for 10 seconds; 4 times
• Partial curl-up (or crunch): 10 times
• The bridge: holding for 1 second; 15 times
• Wall slide: holding for 10 seconds; 4 times

It's a lot to think about, a lot to plan for.

But it's also a lot to look forward to.

[Girl♥Health]: How "Food, Inc." Changed My Life

Last summer, Nate and I went on a road trip from Lexington, Kentucky up to Boston, Massachusetts.  While there were many amazing, beautiful stops along the way (Whitesburg, KY; The Blue Ridge Parkway; Shenandoah Valley; The Inn Boonsboro; Philly; NYC; the North End; etc.), the one that comes to mind today is the two days we spent in Cape Cod.  While there, we stayed at the Bluefish Bed & Breakfast (which I can't recommend enough) where, upon entering our room, we saw that the Innkeepers had kindly left a copy of Food, Inc. for us to watch if we were so inclined.

That was one of the things that made me fall in love with this place to begin with.  I mean, that's a pretty strong statement, right?  Having Food, Inc. be the only DVD in your room?  I adore this place.

Anyway, I was not so inclined at first.  I'd somehow managed to avoid watching this movie since it first came out in an all-out effort to maintain my comfortable, enabling dietary habits.  I thought (correctly) that if I really knew what was going on behind my food, I'd have to make some serious and difficult changes.  Because animal rights is a sticking point for me.  Animal welfare is pretty non-negotiable.  So, if I didn't know, than I didn't need to change, right?

But then Nate wanted to read a book on our first night in Cape Cod.  And I had just finished my book.  And Food, Inc. was the only DVD in our room.  So I thought, what the hell?  I popped it in.

And spent the next hour and a half crying.

Since then, I've been in a continual state of turmoil.  We've changed our buying practices so that we now buy all pasture-raised, grass-fed/finished and organic beef or pork, free-range and organic chicken and eggs, and we buy less meat altogether (because the ethical stuff ain't cheap).  When we do buy, we try to stay local and make sure the animals were as humanely and naturally raised as we can get.

But that hasn't eased much of my guilt.  I still picture cows in CAFO's getting plowed over, or pigs getting squished before slaughter, or baby chicks...okay, I'm not even gonna talk about the baby chicks.  This is the shit I think about before biting into that burger, people.  It's sick.

However, I also know my current limitations.  I know what my willpower can and cannot do in a fell swoop.  I know my history and my cravings and the excuses I'll give myself.  I know I'm weak.  Food, in so many, many areas of my life, has always been my weakness.

So I'm starting small.

In addition to the more descent buying practices highlighted above, I've also decided to go lacto-ovo pescatarian (eats fish, dairy and eggs, but not meat) three days a week.

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays = no meat.  

And this is me, one week in, saying it's going well.  Actually, it's really not as hard as I thought it was going to be.  In my head, I thought cutting meat out was going to signal the end of the world.  WHERE'S MY BEEF?!, I would scream as I starved, withered and eventually died.  Stupid.  It's so much easier.  We eat a lot of roasted veggies and pastas and egg salad sandwiches (because I can never stop eating egg salad sandwiches...though this has now got me thinking about the egg industry...).  Because our garden has been producing like it's preparing for the next famine, we have boatloads of tomatoes and basil that I can mix with some olive oil and balsamic vinegar, throw on some toast, and call it a day.  And the zucchini, oh, the zucchini.  We've started leaving some on our doorstep hoping passersby will abscond with them.

In terms of how this non-meat diet three days a week thing has been making me feel, I can't say I've noticed a huge difference.  I have noticed that I now crave meat at times when I don't think I used to actively crave it.  I'm hoping this is just my body adjusting.  And maybe I've noticed feeling a little...lighter.  Whether that's physically or morally is anyone's guess at this point.

But it looks like vegetarianism hasn't killed me.  Success!

Another big dietary change lately has been that I've begun keeping a food and exercise diary.  And while the exercise diary is sadly, sadly empty at this juncture (because my back is out YET AGAIN), it's been great seeing not only what I've been eating, but the emotions behind it.  If you'd like to begin keeping your own food journal (highly suggested), I'd suggest using this template from Nicole Antoinette.  She's fantastic.  It's fantastic.  Go forth and eat well.

So that's the update on the food front.  Less meat.  Better meat when it's on the menu.  Food and exercise journal.  Back is out.  Food, Inc. changed my life.

 
[Photo source: http://www.documentaryfreak.com/documentary/food-inc]

[Girl♥Health]: Crickets

Things have seemed quiet over here in GirlHeartsHealth land lately, hasn't it?  Ever since the big back debacle of March and April, I haven't really given any indication of how things have been going for me health-wise, and maybe it's seemed that I've given up on the whole exercise thing.

Well, not so, my friends.  Not.  So.

Let's start with a brief update on my back.  Yes, I'm still deformed.  But my back and hip area aren't giving me pain any more, so that's a plus.  After my initial diagnosis, I started seeing a chiropractor regularly.  At first, adjustments were coming daily, then eventually only a few times a week, then only one day a week.  Eight weeks later, and I'm down to one maintenance adjustment a month, and regular self-care treatments like stretching every day.

All that's left of what went down a few months ago is the lingering fear that I'll twist or overextend or stretch or bend or move my body in such a way that I'll be on my back, staring at my bedroom ceiling with nothing but my own thoughts for company once again.

And that would suck.  Like, suuuuuck.

So I try not to think of it while simultaneously never forgetting it.  It works, for the most part.

As soon as my chiropractor gave the okay, I also began running again.  And I can't tell you how good it feels to do that -- which is something I didn't really ever think I would feel or say.  But there it is.  I love running.  Well, okay, maybe it's too soon for love.  Let's just say I'm really happy to be running, and to be running in a way that feels self-motivated, rather than guilt-motivated.  I'm currently training for an as yet to be determined race (I have a crazy friend who wants me to do this...and maybe I'm equally crazy because I'm not telling her no immediately), and probably another 5k in November.  For full disclosure's sake, I just started week 3 of this training regimen.

Side note: If anyone (and I mean YOU, little sister!) wants to run any of these upcoming races with me and said crazy friend, give me a shout and we'll make it happen!

I'm also swimming laps a few times a week, which is just the excuse I use to go to the university pool and sunbathe as often as impending skin cancer (a bad joke, but probably true) will allow.  The rule is no sunbathing without laps.  It works as well.

I'm trying to work pilates back into my routine, particularly for cross-trainings' sake on my non-running days, but that gives me and my weak ass back a bit of a pause when I think about some of the poses and the pressure it can create at the hip joint area.  I feel like a geriatric but, like, an inflexible one.  If pilates doesn't work out, then I may just cave and get myself a little (read: light) set of free weights -- the pretty, colored girl ones, obviously -- to use around the house.

But from here on out, barring any more insane injuries, it's full steam ahead!

[Girl♥Health]: It's Baaack... (Pun Totally Intended)

If you've been reading my G♥H posts for a while now, you may remember that I've been experiencing some back issues in the past few months.  Truth be told, I'm currently going through my third episode of crazy back pain in the past year.  If I had to describe it, I would say that it feels like a thick band of tension across my lower back, with most of the pain focused on my lower left side, right at my hips.  When I move my legs in certain directions, I'm rewarded with acute pain near my spine.  I can't rotate at the hips or bend toward my left, nor can I straighten my posture -- I'm sort of stuck in a hobbled over position leaning towards the right.  The only time I'm comfortable is when I'm laying down with an ice pack.

I was finally able to see a chiropractor yesterday to get some x-rays and an evaluation.  After talking to me for a few minutes, Dr. Eric thought this seemed like a classic case he's seen many times: I've essentially locked my ilium (hip bones) into a misaligned position to my sacrum (fused lower back vertebra).  This in turn causes inflammation at those joints and, in order to protect itself, my body has me favoring one side (the right) so as to keep weight off the focus of my pain (my left hip joint). 

Then I went in today to go over my x-rays and the story got a little more complicated.  Hey, I'm a complicated girl.

Apparently, on top of this misalignment, I also have a spine anomaly called a lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV).  What this means is that the last vertebra of my spine can't decide whether it wants to be a vertebra or part of the sacrum. Being so indecisive, it has an "accessory articulation," which is a fancy way of saying it looks like a vertebra that's grown wings which sort of mimic the look of the sacrum.  "But don't those wings mean you have extra bones along your spine?" you ask?  Why yes, yes it does.  And these extra bones taking up all that extra space makes it impossible for me to bend or rotate like a normal human being. When I try to, stuff like this happens.

So, in summary, I'm currently suffering from a spinal subluxation (misaligned, pinched nerves) -- probably a result of me not knowing I had an LSTV and trying to do things my spine is unable to do -- which has caused painful, limited range of motion, joint problems, nerve problems, acute muscle spasms, pain at the sight of the subluxation and pain radiating from the sight of subluxation.  Because of all this, I am also in phase 1 of spinal decay, where I'm experiencing a loss of spinal curve,  narrowing of disc spacing (that plastic-y sort of substance between the vertebrae) and impaired turning and bending.

Dr. Eric suggested a treatment plan for me that requires regular chiropractic adjustments, but that's something I'll have to think about.  Being without a job also means I'm currently without health insurance and, in this country, getting back to healthy is not cheap.

Until I do get this straightened out (Hah!  See what I did there?), exercising is definitely on a back burner.  Whatever I decide, I'll post an update here.

[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout: Walk around the neighborhood with Finn, and run/walk on the treadmill.
Duration: more than 35 min.
Calories Burned: no idea
Description: 1 mile walk with Finn, 1 mile run on treadmill.  Walk on treadmill.

Today's workout was a little uncharacteristic in that I forgot to keep track of anything, took a pretty big break between my walk with Finn and my run on the treadmill, and used my workout more for stress relief than because I actually wanted to work out.

Whatever works, right?

[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk around the neighborhood with Finn, and run on the treadmill.
Duration:  32 min
Calories Burned:  139 cal.
Description:  1 mile walk with Finn, .75 mile run on treadmill.  Stretch.

It's yet another slow start Monday (why is it impossible for me to begin the week with a strong workout?), and I only ran 3/4 of a mile.  But I did get a mile walk in with Finn before it started to rain, so there's a silver lining to it.

I spent a bit longer stretching today since, after the 2 mile walk Nate and I did yesterday (when I was wearing some less-than appropriate foot wear), my shins were a little tight.  It reminded me that I haven't yet begun to incorporate back stretches and strengthening into my workouts.  Maybe that's something I'll concentrate on this week.

All in all, a pretty standard morning.  Until my instant oatmeal exploded all over the microwave.  But that's another tale for another day.

[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk around the neighborhood with Finn, and run on the treadmill.
Duration:  35 min
Calories Burned:  184 cal.
Description:  1 mile walk with Finn 1 mile run on treadmill.

I don't know why, but today's run felt great.  My pace is getting quicker without me even realizing it, and I'm less exhausted after running a mile.  Plus, I've discovered the awesomeness of listening to audiobooks while running -- makes the time fly so fast.

Right now it's "The Hunger Games".  I tried to read it once before for my bookclub, but a bunch of stuff happened and I never got to finish it.  Now, because the movie is coming out next month (I think), I really do have to finish it.  But I've got a bunch of other stuff to read and free time when I'm running -- voila!

Best idea ever.

I'll take Finn on a second walk this afternoon, so I'll add that to these daily stats after it happens.

[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk and run on the treadmill.
Duration:  27 min
Calories Burned:  168 cal.
Description:  1 mile walk on treadmill, .5 mile run on treadmill.

I got sort of a late start on the day; woke up nearly an hour after I intended to.  And between all the things I have on my to-do list today -- Stratejoy work, grocery shopping, a conference call, errands, planning for my trip with my sister next month -- I cut my run short so I could get started.

I'll try to fit in a secondary workout (or I'll just take Finn for a walk) later this afternoon, but for now it's off to the shower and then getting to work!

[Girl♥Health]: Kicking February's Butt

I know I've been slacking off in terms of posting my monthly exercise plans (was November really the last one I created?!), so I wanted to be sure to post one this month.  It's also just really useful for me to outline my goals and to feel somewhat accountable for reaching them because I've sent them out in the interwebs for all to see.

I will say this about February's plan: I am super excited about my reward, which means I'll be trying extra hard to reach my benchmarks!

February Action Plan

My main EXERCISE goal for the month is to push and incorporate.  I want to push myself in terms of my running.  I want my physical activity to be consistent and progressive.  And I want exercise to be my default activity.  I'm bored?  Why not exercise.  I have a few spare minutes?  Why not take a walk with my dog?  I'm stressed out?  Wouldn't a run be great?  And I want to find another 5k to enter for the late spring.  For a specific goal, I want to run half a mile farther every 2 weeks (with my current baseline being 1 mile).

In terms of my FOOD goals this month, I want to focus on maintaining the progress I've made so far -- no drastic changes this month, just normalizing the changes I've already made.  So, that means continuing to cook, or to help Nate cook, every meal; continuing to eat breakfast and lunch during the day; continuing to eat less meat and buy only free-range, organic, humanely-raised meat products; and continuing to buy organic for veggies that are heavily sprayed with pesticides.

Key Activities:

Wake up before 8:30am (weekdays)
Eat breakfast, lunch and small snacks throughout the day (daily)
Cook dinner (daily)
Walk with Finn or on treadmill (daily)
Run (3-4 days a week), going half a mile farther every 2 weeks
Back strengthening exercises (daily)
Pilates or yoga at home (2 days a week)
Read food labels -- don't buy what I can't pronounce and what's not naturally raised

Reward:

Lunch at the Cliff House in San Francisco (I'm currently reading Laurie R. King's "Locked Rooms," a Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes novel, and this restaurant is not only pictured on the cover, but the couple have dinner there one night.  Plus, I've been wanting to eat here for about 4 years).

[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk and run on the treadmill, and a walk around the neighborhood with Finn.
Duration:  54 min.
Calories Burned:  236 cal.
Description:  .5 mile walk on treadmill, 1 mile run on treadmill.  Then a 1.25 mile walk with Finn.

What I think I love most about running is that it's a form of instant gratification:  If what I want is to run a mile, than I can make that happen immediately.  In that way, running is such a positive cycle -- it's so easy to accomplish your goal if you just push yourself, and then when you do accomplish that goal, you want to do it even more.  Maybe it's like that with all things, but with running, it's just so much more obvious.

I didn't intend to run a mile today.  I was going to be lazy [again] and only run half of it -- especially since I'm working from home today and needed to get to it.  But then there was the music and the adrenaline and pace, and sooner or later, the mile was done.

Love it when that happens.

[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk around neighborhood with Finn, finished up on treadmill.  Followed by a run on the treadmill.
Duration:  48 min.
Calories Burned:  216 cal.
Description:  1 mile walk around the neighborhood, 1 mile walk on treadmill, half a mile run on treadmill.

My workout question today is this: how do you feel about doing less one day (i.e. not running as long or far) than you did the day before?  Is this okay, since you're ultimately in control of your own workouts and there's really no Exercise Police who're going to come around and scold you for not going as hard.  Or is this something you should try and avoid doing, simply because you should keep pushing yourself, especially if the doing less comes from a place of laziness.

I obviously already know the answer to this.

I'm just looking for someone to tell me I wasn't a lazy ass today for running only a half mile instead of the full mile I know I'm capable of.

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I'm currently working to figure out The Mystery of the Disappearing Comment Link.  Until then, if you'd like to comment on this post, just click on the post title.  It'll take you to the posts' individual page and you can comment at the bottom.

[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk around the neighborhood with Finn, then on the treadmill.  Pilates at home.
Duration:  1hr (and 2 min)
Calories Burned:  at least 174 cal. (not sure how much I burned during pilates)
Description: 1 mile walk with Finn, followed by a 1 mile walk on the treadmill.  Finished up with 20 min of the basic Malibu Pilates workout.

After about 10 days of not working out because of a cold Nate gave me, I started back today pretty easy -- I definitely decided to do Pilates instead of breaking myself back in with a run.  Unfortunately, a mile into my walk with Finn it started to drizzle, and since neither he nor I felt like a chilly walk in the rain this morning (actually, Finn never feels like a walk in the rain.  Poor guy hates it.), I cut it short, came home, and finished my 2 miles on the treadmill.  Pilates, as usual, followed.  And the great (read: really not great) thing about Pilates is that, if you stop doing it regularly, even just for a little while, getting back at it is like starting all over again.  Core-weakened, muscles flimsy. 

In other words, pathetic.

But it was nice to work out again, to get back to a healthy routine.  And speaking of, I know I haven't posted my January action plan and, since it's nearly the end of the month anyway, I'm not going to.  We'll pick it up again in February, kay?

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[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk around the neighborhood with Finn
Duration:  29 min.
Calories Burned:  100 cal.
Description: 1.3 mile walk.

This is just a bad morning all around.  There's no particular reason, except that I'm super irritable and I have shin splints.  So Finn's walk was cut pretty short today, and I'm sitting at my desk at home totally not in the mood to do pilates. 

Any suggestions for lifting yourself out of a moody funk?

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[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk and run on treadmill (at 7am)
Duration:  56 min.
Calories Burned:  at least 139 cal. (accidentally turned the treadmill off halfway through and restarted the calorie count
Description:  2 mile walk on the treadmill, followed by a 1 mile run on the treadmill. Stretch.

I was not feeling the run today and sort of dragged my butt through it.  Mornings are always tough for me.  Plus, when the workout is particularly blah, it's so much easier to cut corners, you know?  Especially when the alternative is sleeping in for an extra hour.

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[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk around the neighborhood with Finn, and pilates at home
Duration:  1 hr. (and 2 min)
Calories Burned:  at least 159 (not sure how much I burned during pilates)
Description: 2.1 mile walk, followed by 20 min of the basic Malibu Pilates workout.

Pretty standard work-out.  I find myself wondering if I'll ever be able to do all the pilates positions and reps without stopping because my arms or legs feel like they're going to fall off.  That's a nice little goal to set, I think.

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[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk with Finn around the neighborhood; run on treadmill
Duration:  59 min.
Calories Burned:  276 cal.
Description:  2.1 mile walk with Finn, followed by a 1 mile run on the treadmill.  Cool-down walk and stretch.

The one mile run is still kind of a beast for me, but I'm hoping that by next week I can move up to running (no walking, no stopping) 1.5 miles.  I'm still pretty psyched every time I run the mile, especially since for the first half of it, I'm thinking, "OK, so maybe I won't run a mile today because God this is tiring!"  But then I push through and it happens and I do a mini-celebration (read: singing and dancing in the shower) afterward.  I'm a happy gal these days.

In case anyone is wondering, for my walks around the neighborhood, I'm using the free iMapMyRun app on my iPhone to keep track of distance, time and calories.  Does anyone else use this app?  If you do, are you liking it?  I can't figure out if it's accurate or not, and I know for sure that my treadmill isn't 100% accurate -- every 4 seconds or so, it'll get stuck for about 3-4 seconds before moving on, so I'm definitely running more than I intend, but that's fine with me.  If you use another app and you're liking it more, I'd love to hear about it!

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[Girl♥Health]: Daily Workout Stats

Type of Workout:  Walk around the neighborhood with Finn, and pilates at home
Duration:  1 hr. and 10 min.
Calories Burned:  at least 171 (not sure how much I burned during pilates)
Description: 2.2 mile walk, followed by 20 min of the basic Malibu Pilates workout.

This was a nice way to ease into the week. In keeping with that theme, I followed pilates with the most amazing bowl of yogurt ever consumed in the history of the world.  If you don't currently eat Saint Benoit yogurt, you need to hurry up and get on this train.  Especially if you live in Northern California, since it's completely local, sustainably produced, and you get a deposit back when you return their jars to them through your grocery store or their stand at local farmers markets.  It's also just absolutely delicious, and this is coming from someone who traditionally hasn't cared for any yogurt ever.

Yummy yogurt.

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I'm currently working to figure out The Mystery of the Disappearing Comment Link.  Until then, if you'd like to comment on this post, just click on the post title.  It'll take you to the posts' individual page and you can comment at the bottom.