The Cold Hard Truth I Learned From Fitbit

Whenever I visit a new doctor for the first time, I check the "moderately active" box on the questionnaire. While I run and workout at the gym 5 - 6 days per week, I also spend most of my day sitting - at my desk typing away on a computer, in meetings, commuting, or plopped in front of the TV after a long day. So I generally like to think of myself as "moderately active."

Then, I bought a Fitbit.

A primary reason why I purchased the Fitbit Charge just before the new year was to track my steps. When we lived in New York I walked all the time. It was second nature and necessary. Walking was a constant part of life. I'm fairly confident that during the nine years I lived there, I spent much more time walking than the average person on the vast majority of days. I basically made it my mission to see how much of my normal day I could spend walking. But life has changed a lot since moving to Denver. Much for the good, but one thing I don't do enough of anymore is walk. It's very easy for me now, especially during the colder months, to spend very little time on my feet.

We've all heard about the golden number - 10,000. The minimum number of steps (approximately 5 miles) we should take each day, according to the American Heart Association and other health organizations, to improve our health and decrease our risk of heart disease - a top killer among women and men. We also need that 30 minutes of activity most days of the week to optimize health. 

Now with Fitbit, I can see in big numbers and bar charts, the cold hard truth. This is what last week looked like:

I think you can see what happened. Tuesday and Friday? Dismal failures. These were my rest days. In other words, if I'm not cranking out 30 or more minutes of exercise, I'm not hitting the minimum 10,000 steps per day. I really need to step it up. 

To start, I'm adding mandatory walks - even a quick one to the market or coffeehouse near my office - during the work day. I've also started using my "standing desk" again, after getting lazy over the holidays - while a standing desk doesn't equal steps, it's still much better than sitting all day. And lastly, rather than using the restroom on our floor of the office building, I'm heading upstairs. Small changes, but helpful ones.

Clearly, I'm not doing a horrible job at hitting 10,000 steps, but I could greatly benefit from improving my habits on my rest days. 

As I'm still learning the ins and outs of my Fitbit Charge - what it has to offer and its quirks (be sure, there definitely are some) - I'll be sharing my thoughts on the wearable tracker soon.

For now though, it's time for me to get off my bum and start moving!

Join Us to Run 2,015 Miles in 2015

Last week I shared a few of my goals for 2015, well, I've added another that will help me achieve those. I've teamed up with Grace of Lean Girls Club and Woody to go after the 2,015 in 2015 Challenge! 

You've likely seen this on Facebook as I did, and you may have even been like me immediately dismissing it because it just seems so daunting! Even the 1,000 mile challenges have been out of reach for me in the past (I've tried and failed) so what I really love about this challenge is that you can do it with a team to split the miles and have a built in support system.

It breaks out like this for each person:
1 person = 2,015 miles in 365 days (5.5 miles/day)
2 people = 1,007.5 miles in 365 days (2.75 miles/day)
3 people = 672 miles in 365 days (2 miles/day)

672 miles in a year, I'm pretty confident I can handle that! It'll keep me accountable - not only to myself but to my teammates - helping me achieve those PR's I have my sights set on, and encourage Woody to keep up his new hobby. He's more competitive than I am, so it'll be interesting to see how he takes this on!

The challenge is organized by Adam Goucher (retired pro-runner, running coach and husband to Kara) and Tim Catalano (running coach and educator) - co-founders of Runner the Edge - and from what I've seen thus far it seems apparent that a lot of thought and preparation has been put into the program. 

Registration will be left open for a little longer, so there's still time to join in the fun. If you're thinking about it, here's what you need to know:

• The basic cost is $25 (more if you choose options like the finishers medal or a shirt)
• While teams are more than welcome, it's best to cap your team at 3 people or the challenge becomes less of a challenge
• You can form a team before or after you join, but each person needs to register individually
• Miles can be accumulated through running and walking however because the challenge is meant to be accomplished on foot, biking doesn't count. (But this doesn't rule out snowshoeing!)
• The challenge is open to anyone around the world
• Once you sign-up, you'll be able to join a private Facebook group for updates and to share encouragement with other participants, and there are freebies and discounts from partners including Oiselle and Nuun

If this all sounds fun to you, please join us! You can sign up HERE.

Grace and I will be sharing our journey on our blogs and Instagram, so if you're not already following her, be sure to head over to Lean Girls Club!

Whether this or another, what challenge are you setting for yourself this year?

HOLIDAY WELLNESS GUIDE: Stay Fit Moves

Throughout the year, stress control is one of the most common reasons for exercising, and since the holidays can be the most stressful part of our 365 day trip around the sun, it's crucial that we keep sweating so our focus can stay on the fun stuff and we can enjoy the season! I believe it's more important than ever to keep up with the regular workouts - whether that means yoga classes, Crossfit, gym sessions, runs, or any combination of activities that get your heart racing.

Since the majority of our sweat sessions this time of year happen well before the sun comes out, Woody and I spend a good bit of our time in the gym. As much as I love running, I've come to appreciate what a good gym workout can do for me. Through multiple go-arounds at physical therapy and some eye-opening classes at GenFit, I've developed a good collection of strength training moves that help me stay fit and strong so that I can continue running. A strong core and balanced strength, is crucial for runners.

Two of moves I've added into my gym workouts over the past year is the Renegade Row and (for lack of a better name) the TRX Knee To Chest. My favorite thing about these two moves is that they both work my full body. I kind of dread them, because they're hard, but then once I do them I feel awesome. They leave me feeling that burn that only a good workout provides! I can feel the hard effort even when I'm heading to work, which is a great feeling!

Because these have a lot of similarities I won't include both of them in the same workout. I will pair other arm, core and back moves with them though - like a seated or bent row, lat pull downs, weighted side bends, and definitely squats. I also do some cardio every day - either a run on the dreaded treadmill or a go on the elliptical or rowing machine. Also, while I prefer to do cardio first (it helps me wake up at 5am) it’s actually best to put strength training first. That said, it’s okay to get your blood pumping with a quick 5 minute warm-up on the treadmill, elliptical or bike before heading to the weights when you’re going to focus your workout on strength training. 

That said, some days will be cardio heavy, others are light days where I may do a quick 20 minute warm-up then spend 40 minutes on strength training. With my history of stress fractures I've learned that I have to focus on maintaining/developing strong muscles and bones. While I'm stronger than I have been in the past, I still have a long way to go. I have goals - like winning an arm wrestling match against the guys at work!

What are your favorite strength training moves? * Where are you celebrating Thanksgiving?

4 Fixes to Get Out of a Running Rut

When we moved to Denver last year I knew it was going to take me a bit of time to get used to running at altitude. A mile above sea level – 5,280 feet higher than NYC – I struggled to catch my breath on many runs those first few months we lived here. And with a lack of oxygen, came a lack of motivation. When each run is a struggle, it can be hard to lace up.

This summer I was struggling a bit too. After I got used to running the path in the beautiful park near our new house, I started getting bored. But before I realized it was boredom, I was just cutting my runs short because I thought my legs were too tired, or I couldn’t breath. And sometimes it was that, but looking back I know I was just bored. I was in a rut.

Until this past Sunday when I got to the end of my 7 mile run and felt like I could easily go another few! That’s when it finally sank in that my runs were clicking again. I’m feeling better now than I have in a long time, and it feels great!

I know I can’t go all crazy though; I have to be careful about my mileage. When I’m running well I want to run long but I’ve learned that it’s not good for my body. If you’ve been reading along for a while, you likely know that I went through a stretch when I pretty much had one stress fracture after another. My last was October 2011 – almost 3 years ago! What changed is that I drastically reduced my mileage and haven’t run a race longer than a 10k, even though I’d love to run a half marathon.

Bird Camp last month was hugely motivating for me. It gave me that first taste of really feeling good on the run, and wanting to run as much as I could. There was a bit of a letdown right after, when I struggled (again) to get out there – partly because after running trails in Bend, Wash Park was boring, and because Woody was traveling for work and I have definitely grown to rely on my workout buddy.

Thankfully though, that’s behind me now and I’m back on track!

While I’ve been struggling, I’ve also been running some of my fastest times in years this summer – a 24:48 5K in July (although back near sea level), 26:09 in August (at Bird Camp) and 25:31 back at altitude this past Saturday. And when I felt great after 7 miles on Sunday, it was such a fantastic feeling to know that I could keep going (but I was smart and finished there).

After this weekend, I’m feeling pretty confident. So what else should we do but sign up for a 10K in October and a 4 mile turkey trot on Thanksgiving!

Here’s a rundown of 4 key strategies that have been working for me lately. I hope some of these tricks might help you out of a rut or just refresh your running a little:

The Problem: Lack of motivation. The Fix: Even though my regular route was beautiful and car-free, I was getting bored & my runs were suffering. So, I  found a new route with similar attributes – a park with gravel paths – but I’m am able to easily change up the route to/from the park each time to keep it fresh. Also, traveling a bit for some real trail running every few weeks really pushes my mind and body. New places to explore!

The Problem: That first tough mile of every run is tough on my legs and my mind. The Fix: I’ve incorporated a few activation exercises into my warm-up (which I’ll admit is usually shorter than it should be) and also into my gym workouts to keep my legs and hips light and limber!

The Problem: Not enough energy. The Fix: I’m convinced this is somewhat associated to boredom, but also fueling. With 5am weekday workouts, eating beforehand is difficult. I know we’re supposed to eat something before a workout so I’m making a point to do that. Even just a little. So I cut a Picky Bar into quarters and have it on my dresser so I can grab a piece when I’m getting ready to head out for the gym. It’s not much, but it’s more than I was getting before. 

The Problem: Tired legs. The Fix: Legs up the wall! Bird Camp made me a believer. After my weekend runs and almost every night before bed, I pull my yoga mat up to the wall, grab a pillow for my head and put my legs up the wall for 5 – 10 minutes. My legs feel fresh and light after each session!

And as always, having a goal, or some event to look forward to, is hugely important! Pick a race, make plans with a friend to try out an awesome trail you’ve heard of that’s a drive from home or explore a nearby city. Lots of people don’t run races, but there are still great ways to stay motivated, inspired and happy on the run!

SOUND OFF!

Have you ever been stuck in a rut with your running? * How do you keep your runs exciting and fun? * What goals are you working towards?

Oh hey, my friend Grace was chosen to participate in the Asics Editors Challenge and will be running the TCS New York City Marathon for the 3rd time this November! Read about it here!

7 Health & Fitness Favorites for August

I can’t believe where this summer has gone! It’s flown by and as I’m looking towards the last month of the summer, there are a few things that I’ve been enjoying, and look to savor as long as I can!

1. Farmers Markets – of course! Fresh cherries, sugar snap peas, greens, flowers. Farmers Markets are in full swing during the summer months and the perfect place to spend a few hours on the weekend, talk with the growers and producers, support the local economy and find really delicious, healthy foods. We’ve been enjoying the Cherry Creek Farmers Market (Wednesday’s & Saturday’s) and South Pearl Street Market (Sunday’s) in Denver, and stopped by the markets in Glen Arbor (Tuesday’s) and Alden (Thursday’s) while in Michigan.

2. Sometimes it’s difficult to eat healthfully when on vacation. Even when I have a kitchen to prepare meals, it’s not quite the same as when we’re at home. For our trip Up North, I packed a few KIND bars – perfect for travel days – and single serve packets of Vega’s Protein Smoothie. With just 80 calories and 15 grams of plant-based protein, it was an incredibly easy way to make sure I was getting enough protein each day while I gorged myself on cherries and blueberries. And it actually tastes pretty good just mixed with cold water. I’ve become a fan of this product and will be using it in my daily life, as I have a tough time getting enough protein on a regular basis.

3. August = more hot weather running. To stay cool, look cute and keep running when the temperatures are high, I live in my Oiselle Distance and Roga shorts. The Distance are a favorite because of all the pockets – 3 to be exact – while the Roga’s (below) come in a close second because of the light fabric and insanely flattering cut. I have 6 pairs combined so I’m rarely without a clean pair. If you’re wondering, they also work well for kayaking and post-run lake soaks.

4. For me, summer is synonymous with water. While we haven’t yet found many opportunities to get out on the water in Colorado (although they do exist), we certainly took advantage of the opportunity while visiting the cottage. Kayaks provide an easy way to enjoy being on the water and get a bit of an upper body workout in. They’re also great for both lakes and rivers. I highly recommend finding a rental shop while you’re on vacation near any body of water, packing a picnic lunch, slathering on the sunblock and enjoying a beautiful day on the water.

5. As you know, it’s incredibly important to stay properly hydrated and have snacks with you in case the hunger pangs strike throughout the day – whether you’re at work, running errands, running miles or hiking mountains. Like many others, I’m a big fan of Picky Bars. While I admit that I’m not a member of the club, I often pick up bars at our local REI store for hikes, pre-run fuel and to throw in my purse when I know I’m going to be out for a while. If you haven’t tried them yet, I highly recommend them. There’s real substance behind the drool-worthy Instagram feed. I’ll be packing a few of these when I head out to Bend for BirdCamp in a few weeks!

 

6. Woody’s cousin, Liane, and her daughter stayed with us for a night while we were at the cottage. It was great to spend some time with them – we don’t get enough of it – and Liane introduced us to a super-easy, delicious and healthy avocado & corn salad. Just 5 ingredients: avocado, corn, grape tomatoes, fresh cilantro, and some lemon juice. Avocados are a staple in our kitchen so I’m looking forward to making this often!

7. Lastly, I recently found this amazing hair product when visiting the Celestial Seasoning Factory Store in Boulder. One of many reasons why I love living in Colorado is because the low-humidity environment means that I don’t have to deal with unruly hair all summer! Unfortunately though we’ve gone through a rather rainy period and the humidity has spiked. With Alba Botanica’s Hawaiian Anti-Frizz Serum, I work a few pumps into my hair just after I get out of the shower, pull my hair back with a clip to let it it dry a bit, and I’m set! There’s still a little frizz when the humidity is 70%+, but it definitely helps. I love this stuff.

Now it’s your turn! What are some of your health & fitness favorites for August?

(For reference, I was not contacted by any of these brands to write a review, these truly are things I’m loving now.)

#LetsMove Isn’t Just for Kids

I am a big fan of Michelle Obama’s. From my point of view, she is a strong, educated, outspoken, funny and caring woman. I also love that she has taken on health and childhood obesity as her main cause as First Lady. It’s an incredibly important issue that touches more than just children, but in reality, everyone in this country.

The “Let’s Move” campaign has been actively working to actively engage children, parents, teachers and communities so that our future will not reflect our recent past. So that children in our country will grow up to have lower obesity rates than their parents. It’s a tough task, but someone has to do it. Really. They do!

If you’ve watched Jimmy Fallon’s first week as host of The Tonight Show, you probably saw the genius “History of Rap 5” performance he did with Justin Timberlake (if not, watch it HERE – it’s worth 5 minutes of your time), but hopefully you also saw Michelle Obama’s appearance earlier in the week. During the, let’s face it, odd sketch she did with Jimmy and Will Ferrell, and her couch interview, she talked about the need to move, be active and eat well. All to reinforce the “Let’s Move” campaign and its importance in our society. (You can also watch this here & here) As is typical, the focus was on children, their parents and their schools – that the tagline is: America’s Move to Raise a Healthier Generation of Kids. In celebration of the campaign’s anniversary, Mrs. Obama kicked-off a week long campaign, asking people to “show her how they move” through fitness, food or helping the community, by using the hashtag #letsmove on social media.

As you know, I don’t have children, but I’m invested in this cause as well. I hope that by being active, working out, eating well and talking about it (a lot), my choices might have an effect on someone else and help them realize that living healthfully is the best way to spend their years. For me, it’s not just about kids, it’s about everyone. I don’t have to have children to make a difference. When you live in a country with places like this, why stay inside all day, every day?

It’s never to late for people of any age to lose weight or just adopt a healthy lifestyle. It drives me nuts when someone comments in that condescending and judgmental tone when I mention I’ve gone for a run or taken a bootcamp class or while I’ve ordered a healthy meal at a restaurant. What’s wrong with that? I’m not ashamed of it, I’m proud of it! It shouldn’t be cool anymore not to take care of ourselves and live healthfully. It’s been proven time and time again that what we eat and how we live has a huge effect on how long we live.

Back to the campaign’s anniversary: if enough people – the number of which has not been revealed – use #letsmove in their posts within the week, the President and Vice President will show us how they move. Well, I’m not all that excited to see how they move, we’ve seen the President on the basketball court enough times we’ve got it. (Has he finally quit smoking yet though? That, I’m interested in). But I do like the idea of using #letsmove on social media.

But I don’t think they should limit this to just one week or to just people who want to see the President and Vice President move! I’m going to start using #letsmove with my #runchat #runner #instarun #fitness, #runlove and #oiselleteam hashtags not just this week but for as long as I’m hashtagging. In reality, fitness is moving!

One of the main reasons for blogs and social media is to influence others. To make an impact, share our stories and get people to listen to us and to see what we’re doing. All of us reading this blog know that living healthfully is a lifestyle and a commitment, but one that is worth it. Hopefully we’re all making an impact on others, so we’re part of a ripple effect that will create a healthier country – from toddlers to great grandparents.

How do you encourage others to live healthfully? * If you’re on Instagram, leave your link in the comments & follow someone who left theirs (you can find me here) * What activity or recipe is on your “must try” list? * What’s your favorite part of the “History of Rap 5”?

Have an awesome week! Big changes for us coming this week, stay tuned.

Taking My Workout to the Bar

Tomorrow we leave for Pasadena (Go Spartans!), but today I have the day off and wanted to really take advantage of having a week day off and be in town! I finally took some time on Saturday to just relax, do some walking around the city and sit and have a glass of wine in a local bar and read a book. It was the first – “there is nothing I absolutely have to do today” – day in a long time, and I made it count.

Today, to make it count, I tried out a Bar Method class at a studio in Cherry Creek, one of my favorite neighborhoods in Denver. I took a similar class years ago in NYC, but thought I’d give it a try again. Plus, at this particular studio, new students get to try their first class for free!

While I was the first to arrive the studio filled up quickly and the class was pretty full. I was a little surprised given this was a 12pm class on Monday, but I’m guessing many others had the day off too! I loved that there were women of all ages in this class, probably partly to do with the fact that it’s a very low-impact activity and great building muscles.

This studio, along with one in Boulder, is owned by Leslie Rosenberg, who also taught the class I took. I was quickly welcomed to the studio, given the run down of where everything is and what to do once I got in the studio. If you haven’t taken a Bar Method class before, the studio floor is carpeted and students are required to wear socks and pants that fall below the knee.

I grabbed some weights and found a spot before the room filled up and class started. To my delight, Leslie knew my name and encouraged (and correct) students throughout the hour long session by name. I am notoriously bad at remembering names so the fact that she knew everyone, including me, was quite impressive.

The class was a mix of strength exercises with and without weights, at the ballet bar, in the center of the room and on a cushioned mat. The moves focus on arms, thighs, butt, abs, and back, resulting in a great, full-body workout that makes muscles ache and legs quiver.

While I didn’t work up a big sweat, like I do running or doing my Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred videos (which I’ve been doing regularly lately, including this morning before The Bar Method class) I know it was a really good workout and I’m feeling great, albeit a little sore! I definitely want to take this class again.

I haven’t tried a new class for a long time, so I’m glad I was able to get one more in before the end of the year. I’m definitely going to make it a priority next year to try more fitness classes and adventures. Including snowshoeing!

Okay, time to get packing. Off to Pasadena tomorrow for the Rose Bowl! I hope you’ve all been enjoying a great holiday season! See you in 2014!

What new fitness activities have you tried lately, or are planning to try in the new year? * Have any plans for NYE? * What’s been your favorite part of the holidays?

Five for Friday

1. If you haven’t heard, March Madness is officially ON! I have three brackets going in the company pool and I’m not doing so well. I’m gonna have to blame Woody though; before he left for his latest trip to Atlanta he helped me make my picks for two of them and those are the ones that are doing the worst! Oh well. All that really matters is that MSU wins. We play tonight at 9:20pm. Hope you’ll be watching!
2. I’m seeing a nutritionist this morning. My sports doctor recommended it and I’ve wanted to meet with one anyway. Hopefully she’ll be able to help me reach my goals: drop the weight I’ve gained through multiple injuries, follow a diet that will support and strengthen my bones and also in line with my activity levels. I feel like I eat well, but I know I can do better and this is what I need. I’m really looking forward to this and wonder how it’ll change our visit to Trader Joe’s tomorrow!
3. It was 73 degrees here on Tuesday. As amazing as that was, it’s weird. It’s still March. I didn’t have to wear a jacket to the gym the other morning at 5:30 because it was so warm. Perfect running weather. Running…something I haven’t done since I tried a few weeks ago. I want to get out there again this weekend, even though it still won’t be for much of a distance. I am definitely feeling stronger with each workout so my extended recovery seems to be going well! However, I won’t be running any long distances for a while.
4. Speaking of which, this Sunday is the NYC Half Marathon. The route is a little different this year as the runners don’t have to do 1.5 loops of Central Park anymore and instead of finishing on the West Side Highway near Battery Park, it’s ending on the Eastside just south of South Street Seaport! It’s coming right near our apartment! Too bad we can’t watch it from our window, but I’ll be out there cheering. I’m so excited for everyone running. It’ll be a gorgeous day and I hope they have fun in our neighborhood!
5. This week I’ve been reminded that just by stepping a little outside the box can remind you of great things. Recently I started taking a different route to work and walking a bit out of the way. Instead of taking some crowded, dirty and loud streets I’ve been taking Park Ave. Then the other night I got to visit with Grace and walked to Times Square before getting on the subway. Even though I’m not usually a fan of Times Square, it, along with Park Ave and Grand Central is a whole different world; one that reminds me how much I love the romantic New York that dreams are made of.

• Are you cheering for any particular team in the NCAA tourney?
• What are you looking forward to this weekend?

************

Today’s workout -

• None. I needed sleep so I took today as a rest day.

Not as Easy as it Sounds

When I was home a couple weekends ago, my mom gave me a pedometer. I know what you’re thinking… a pedometer? Well, the crazy thing is that I had actually been thinking about getting one for a while. Even weirder, right? Here’s the thing: I used to walk a lot. I’d get off the subway two stops early and walk the rest of the way to work. Then, I’d do the reverse on the way home. But when I was actually at work, and sometimes on the weekend, I didn’t walk all that much. I work at a desk all day and don’t always make it outside at lunch. So… I had the idea that using a pedometer would tell me how much I’m actually walking and how much more walking I need to do.

It’s generally accepted that we should all walk 10,000 steps a day. I just read on PBS.org that this is a rough equivalent to the Surgeon Generals recommendation of 30minutes of exercise each day. But doing a little Google search for this post I found a study reported on in Science Daily that states 10,000 steps isn’t enough for men and women under the age of 50. It’s actually more like 12,000. Great.

So, let’s see how well I did. And…not so well.

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

What I’ve learned:

It is easy to get to 10K steps when you go to the gym and workout. It’s also helpful to get way above 10K when you go on an extra long walk, miss the street you’re supposed to turn on, then go even further than planned and forget your Metrocard so you have to walk all the way back home. It’s not so easy to hit 10K when you don’t go to the gym, when you’re at work all day, and you spend long periods of time stuck at your desk. Which means it’s probably really hard, on a daily basis, for people who don’t work out and don’t commute by public transit, to hit 10,000 let alone 12,000 steps a day.

This particular pedometer is pretty cool because it keeps 7 days in memory, converts steps to miles, calories and fat grams, has an activity tracker, and, you might have noticed on the first three pictures, that once you hit 10,000 steps a little guy cheers for you! It sounds cheesy, and it is, but it’s also kinda fun and motivating. I actually compete with myself each day to go farther. So simple, yet so effective. I have a feeling I’ll be keeping with this for a while as I try to lose a few lbs. I gained while injured, gain strength and build endurance.

I think it’s worth it for everyone to use a pedometer for a few days to see how many steps we’re actually walking. I bet it might be a bit enlightening!

Happy Friday!

• Have you ever used a pedometer? What did you find using it? 
• Outside of your workouts, how active are you each day?
• How crazy do you think I am because I find this cool?

************

Today’s workout -

• 35min elliptical
• 2x15 (ea. side) cable pull twist
• 2x15 seated row
• 2x15 lateral arm raise
• 2x15 kickbacks
• 3x10 leg press
• 100 ab exercises
• 2x10 bridge
• stretching

Making Strides

Happy Monday! I gotta say, I really hope this week isn’t quite as crazy as the last. I looovvveee long weekends, but I am not a fan of the four days that follow as they are usually jam packed with 5 days worth of work. Add to that the fact that the internet and email were down ALL day at my office on Friday and you have a bunch of exhausted and frustrated publicists. By the time our email started working Friday evening and emails started trickling in, in no specific order, most people had left the office in hopes to salvage the day by working at home on their own internet. This morning will be interesting.

Anyway, I mentioned progress. Well, I saw Sports Doc Wednesday afternoon and she was happy enough with my recovery that I didn’t have to schedule another follow up to see her! As much as I like her and everyone in her office, I am not eager to go back there. We discussed my next steps. I’m free to do yoga (yes, I jumped the gun last weekend) and slowly increase the intensity of my workouts, including running! To be totally truthful with you, she did say that the only way to guarantee that I won’t get another stress fracture is if I stop running. But she understands that for my psyche, this isn’t a great option for me. I’ve already given up the notion of long distance running, at least for the foreseeable future, but I am not ready to give up on running completely. With that established, she said that she is okay with me running shorter distances as long as I mix it with other, less stressful, activities. Okay, I can do that.

I haven’t run yet, but I’m going to give it a try next weekend. I’ll start slow with only a few minutes of jogging time on the treadmill at the gym. I’ll take it slow and see how it feels. I’m going to be smart about this. Grace and I already have a yoga date set for Sunday morning so I won’t be tempted to run two days in a row. I’m hoping to make yoga a weekly workout. This, plus more time spent on strength training and continuing with calcium and Vit D supplements will hopefully get me to a place where I can run without much worry and bring good bone density scan results.

After seeing Sports Doc I’m going to start thinking about my next race. Part of my love for running includes my love for racing. Even though I’m not going to challenge anyone for first place in a race, I love the camaraderie and excitement of race day. The buzz of anticipation at the start line. Unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be able to do my favorite race – the NY Mini 10K – in June, instead I am going to set my sights on a few shorter races, like 4 and 5 milers. I don’t think NYRR does a 5K, so I’ll be on the hunt for a non-NYRR race or two. If you know of any good ones around here, let me know!

One last quick thing. Speaking of running, I recently ordered this awesome top from Oiselle’s Spring line.

I’d post a pic of me in it, but I got Woody to take one at the gym Sunday morning and it didn’t turn out well. Mac is a much better model! Anyway, this top is awesome. It has a cute keyhole back, it’s super lightweight and wicks moisture like crazy. I’ve worn it a few times now and love it. Just noticed it’s now available in thee solid colors. (I might need to make another purchase soon!) As always, I definitely recommend checking out Oiselle’s site for cute, fashion-forward, yet functional running clothes!

Okay, this is a long post for Monday morning. Hope you had a great weekend and are ready for a great week!

• What was the best part of your weekend?
• Do you have favorite races you do each year?

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Today’s workout -

• 35 min elliptical
• 125 ab exercises
• 1x50sec plank
• 2x15 (ea. side) cable pull twists
• 2x15 seated row
• 3x12 lateral arm raise
• 3x15 (ea. leg) kickbacks
• stretching

The Dreaded Cold Invaded My Life

I’m sick. I hate being sick. It’s really gross and annoying. And I think I can say with good certainty that Woody would agree with that statement. A bug has been going around my office since the New Year and I felt this coming on when we were in Charleston but it hit hard Saturday morning. I had to finish a project for work on Saturday and it took me for-ev-ah cause it was so hard to concentrate. You know that feeling, right?

A lot of people get sick with colds and such during the winter, but I think it might be worse this year because the temperatures have been all over the place (this could just be an old wives tale that the weather has anything to do with colds, but I’m going to go with it). Unlike the flu, it can be tricky to know whether it’s okay to workout or not when you have a cold. Woody swears by sweating out a cold. He’ll wear long pants, a sweatshirt, and knit cap then doing a long cardio session on the treadmill or elliptical before hitting the sauna. Here are the guidelines Woody and I have come to follow, and which seem to go along with ‘expert’ advice I’ve read over the years.

Workout if….

1. You can breath without much trouble.
2. It’s all in your head, not in your lungs.
3. You got a good nights sleep.

Stay home if….

1. You can hardly get out of bed.
2. Every muscle in your body aches (or even half of them).
3. You’re coughing and/or sneezing frequently.
4. You have a fever.
5. You have a throbbing headache.
6. You simply feel like rest is more important.

I did go to the gym Saturday and actually had a pretty good workout. Sunday was a different story though. I just didn’t have much energy but I’m glad I got my heart rate up for a bit. Today I slept in, skipped the gym, and because I’m still feeling pretty nasty and don’t want to give this to my co-workers, I’m staying home from work.

Two things I did all weekend, and plan to do today, was load up on citrus fruits (thanks to my mother in law who sent us another shipment of grapefruits and oranges straight from Florida) and drank tea. Lots of tea….

• When you have a cold, how do you decide whether or not to workout?
• What’s your go to remedy for colds?

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Saturday’s workout -

• 2 circuits:
  • 15 cable side twists (ea. side)
  • 15 cable push-down
  • 15 weighted side bends
  • 25 kickbacks
  • 15 squatting rows
• 2x15 lateral arm raise
• 30min elliptical
• 30min stationary bike
• 2x40sec plank
• 100 ab exercises
• stretching

Sunday’s workout -

• 20min stationary bike
• 30min elliptical
• 2x15 upright row
• 2x15 lat pull down
• stretching

Today’s workout -

None.

Using Pinterest to Achieve Health & Fitness Goals

It seems like there are about a billion different social media platforms already and I’m sure we’ll see a lot more pop up this year. It can get a little overwhelming and annoying but one that I’ve started to explore lately has been Pinterest. While it’s still technically ‘invite only’ it’s not very exclusive because it’s now broken the top 10 of social media platforms. Pinterest can definitely absorb a ton of time, like all the other digital distractions, but I have found some pretty interesting stuff on the site related to health and fitness, and a lot of other topics too.

If you’re not familiar with Pinterest, it is basically an online inspiration board or notebook. The co-founders developed the platform as a way to create online collections. I had resisted checking it out for months because I didn’t feel I had time to devote to another platform, but when I read THIS article from Businessweek that I was inspired to check it out.

While there are 32 categories (a few of which are pretty broad), you can find workout tips, cute clothes to lust after, beautiful places (and great races) to run, healthy recipes, and inspiring quotes and images. You can also start up conversations with other pinners through posting comments on pinned images. Some of what you’ll find might be a bit questionable, but let’s face it, that happens everywhere now and there is a lot of good stuff to be found on the site too. When you have time, it can be a fun and inspiring place to spend a few minutes!

A few of my boards…

Like I mentioned earlier, you’ll definitely find the need to wade through some junk, but there are great ideas and lots of motivation. And you don’t have to join to browse.

THIS article, posted on Mashable recently, gives some great tips for using Pinterest!

• Are you a Pinner?
• Are you sick of social media?

Follow me on Pinterest HERE

I’m off to Minneapolis this afternoon and will hopefully get to see my sister and my cute little nephew and niece! Then off to Charleston this weekend! Let me know if you have any suggestions for while we’re in SC.

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Yesterday’s workout -

• 2x40sec plank
• 40min stationary bike
• stretching
• 100 ab exercises

Today’s workout -

• 2x15 cable ab twists (ea side)
• 2x1min rope pull down
• 2x45sec rope pull ups
• 1x40sec plank
• 2x15 back extensions
• 30min stationary bike
• stretching