Diet pills!

I was just thinking about what a mess my house is. It isn't always this bad but it is super messy today. If I look straight ahead at the computer and cross my eyes though, I can't see the mess very well but it does surround me. I was just sitting here wishing that instead of a diet pill there could be an organization pill. I am desperate and may take it if it existed. I think most people, however, would hear of an organization pill and laugh cause they would know that there is no pill that can clean up your house. It take small acts of cleaning throughout the day and some large focused cleans especially with three kids under three. It also takes some attitude and habit modification.The same is true with weight loss. There really isn't a pill out there that can do the job. It takes lots of small acts throughout the day (eating right and exercise) and some large focused efforts (exercise) and some core habit and thought change. I do wish that there were personal trainers for house cleaning and organization. I need some serious coaching at the moment.

Long runs

Here come the long runs I love this part of training. Luckily I have a partner who also likes the long runs. Once they get over 6 I really like them. 10-14 is optimal. After 14 it gets a little time consuming but still wonderful. I am not really sure why I like them so much. I am kind of a long run junky I guess. A little addicted to that feeling you get the rest of the day after a long run. Oh yeah and I love to be able to eat what I want, although I have done way better lately. When they get into the 18 and above rang I like them too. I do however have to go home and crash a few hours so I have to plan ahead and foreworn my husband.

Brilliant

Just call me Brilliant. After a hard 5k on Friday my running partner and I decided to run with our husbands for a change on Saturday. My husband decided however, that running with a television in front of him was essential so I was on my own. I called an old friend for our weekly check-in for personal training. She was talking about trying to get a run in so I asked her if she wanted to go with me. It was in the heat of the day by this time and I don't do well with nights so we decided to go in the afternoon but up the canyon on a shady trail.

We wanted to take our 6 mile run pretty easy to recover from a 5k. We drove two cars to the canyon. Mine at the bottom and hers on top. That way we only were going to run down hill. We parked hers at the top and ran down to my car. It wasn't enough miles so we ran a little further and back. By the end we were spent. It was hot and there really wasn't as much shade as I had hoped. We went to get into my car to make the drive back up to her car but I realized I had left my keys in her car up the canyon!!! Yep, brilliant. I can see doing that after a long run when there is an oxygen deficit, but before? Luckily she is a very good person and tried to make me feel like it was ok. I volunteered to make the run back up the trail but we found a ride by two walkers who were ready to load up. On our way back riding in her car she smiled and said "Hey it's a good thing we brought 2 cars."

Strength Training

Strength training is great. I ran for years and did other types of cardio but avoided the weights because I didn't want to "bulk up". About 5 years ago I started to take a strength training class. My metabolism sky rocked. I didn't realize at the time that weights are the best way to increase metabolism. Muscle takes up space like fat but it burns a lot more calories than fat. Now I can't imagine not doing some sort of strength training in my program. I am addicted. I follow basic rules. Work the large muscle groups first. 2-3 nonconsecutive days a week.

Nine Miler

We did a nine mile run today. It really seems to go by really quickly. I love to get to this point. There is something wonderful about exercising for more than an hour at a time. We decided that on our long runs we would each research an article on running and share the info with each other on our long runs. It will be kind of fun.

Yeah marathons are hard but there are much harder things in life. Any mommy of a new born can tell you that. (This is an old picture by the way)

I finally figured out how to add pictures in a post!

Eating Philosophy - No extremes

When it comes to eating I have one main theme that I try to achieve (and believe me I am not perfect but it is what I try to do ). That is the 6 small meals throughout the day. And although you are always eating and pretty much satisfied it is not an easy thing to do. It takes lots of preparation an planning. I find that when I eat this way I get less headaches and I achieve and maintain my goal weight more quickly. There are a few other ideas that go along with this. Portions sizes stay small and I add a small amount of protein to about half or more of the meals. I also try to incorporate a fruit, veggie, grain, protein and dairy in at least three meal. Either the fruit or the veggi is fresh.

Sometimes I have to get creative with my kids and make faces out of the food to get them to eat well. For example, I make a peanut butter sandwich, I cut it into squares. I use two of the squares as eyes and raisins for the pupil, then the raisins are also the mouth in a curved line. Then I take a baby carrot and cut one end off and it is a nose. Slices of aplles make good eyebrows. If they hesitate eating sometimes I have to say "Oh no don't eat his nose" and they usually do. Hopefully they will develop a taste for good food before they get older. They also love to eat "sunshines" That is apple sauce in a small bowl with little sticks of gram crackers in a circle around it like sunbeams around a sun. They dip the gram crackers in the apple sauce and have either milk or chocolate milk.

I also believe what you see is what you eat, that is why advertisers spend billions on commercials and print media. A fruit bowl in plain sight has done wonders for our family. At first I would buy fruit and would throw it away but now my kids and husband will grab it for a quick snack. I buy Gala apples usually because they come in kids size and they are sweet. I try to have them eat different colors of fruits and vegetables on different days. Variety is good.