June 30 day Challenge Sexy Arms Dumbbell Circuit

Time for a new 30 day challenge. This is more for increasing your arms strength but also to build endurance. As you get comfortable with these exercises increase your cardio up to X20. By the end of the month aim for 20 minutes of cardio along with increasing in weight to the next higher dumbbell for you. So if you start with 5 pound weights by the end of the month your goal is to be up to 8-10 pounds. 

Good luck! And for more daily motivation be sure to follow me on FACEBOOK! 

Last Call...

It's the last call to be part of my 30 day challenge group for June! 

Why do I host these challenge groups? Because I know that exercise is easier with a buddy to join you! Seriously, how much faster does a workout go when you have someone doing it right along with you. Last July when I was a participant in my FIRST challenge group (not hosting actually a challenger) I was excited to do my workout and to tell everyone in the group about it. You could tell the ones who wanted it compared to the ones. We all supported each other, asked question and made it fun. I had daily motivation that made me think about how to better myself on the inside while I worked on the outside. It gave me confidence I didn't know I was lacking. I learned a ton about myself that first 60 days and I am so thankful to my friend Janet for encouraging me to join the challenge group. Take that first step and do it! 

I am offering that same opportunity to take that first step. Decide to do this for you. Commit yourself to 30 days of eating clean, working out and enhancing your life through positive thinking. Today is the last day that I will accept people (within reason of course) into the group! I want to be there for you. I want to help you. Let me walk you through this. Take that first step! 

Join me this JUNE for our challenge group to help you get started! Fill out the form below to let me know you are interested!
Being part of the challenge group you as the challenger get:

One on one support from me to help you set and reach your goals.

Daily motivation.

Work with a program that is just right for you to fit your lifestyle.

Provide you with recipes and a meal guide

Daily dose of nutrition.

Plus you will be with other people just like you in our PRIVATE accountability group where you can ask questions and get real answers.

Our Motto for June is: It's not about being skinny. It's about gaining confidence, better health, more energy and HAPPINESS!

(Please do not apply if you are currently a Beachbody Coach, are already working with a Beachbody coach (other than me) or are not willing to make a small investment in your health and wellness.)

Hurt So Good

Why does it hurt so good??? Am I crazy or just weird. I love it now Getting that burn from exercise. (at least on my legs. Shoulders, HA that is another story. I wimp out way too quickly!) Last night Matt and I were doing our lower body workout and man I was burning. I was on fire, but I just kept going. I pushed through the pain. I DID IT! After 3 weeks of doing my lower body exercise, I feel like I finally accomplished something huge! I didn't give up. I just kept going. I told Matt how much I hated that exercise because it hurts so bad while doing it but it FEELS SO GOOD AFTER!

But why does it hurt so good? Remember in Legally Blond how Elle Woods says, "Exercise gives you endorphins. Endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't kill their husbands." (it's true I don't get as frustrated with Matt after exercising!) But it is true. That burning sensation of the lactic acid also releases the endorphins that make you happy. And when you do enough you get that little "runners high" (even if you aren't doing running you still get that little high). Plus it is making you stronger with every single burn. Your muscles are working then recovering, then working then recovering. That is why it is so important to rest between days of working out. (don't do leg day twice in a row!)

When you don't think you can any more reps of your exercise, I dare you, no, no, double dog dare you, to do 2 more. Get that burn. Let it burn. Because it will be so good for your body and for your mind. Push past the burn. I know it sucks and that it is hard but you will love it when you get the results that you want!

Missed Opportunities

Have you ever just looked back on your life at some point wishing that you just did it differently. The other day I was talking with some other ladies. And one mentioned that they have their 20th high school reunion coming up and how they were not so excited to go to it. I asked, "if you could go back to high school, would you?" Of course this is right out of the movies, 17 Again, but why do you think movies like that are so popular? I would go back in a hot second if I had the confidence in myself that I have right now. I would be more outgoing. I wouldn't be as shy. I don't think I would be as boy crazy because it shouldn't have been my huge focus anyways. And I would have loved my body I was in. (Heaven knows I would love to be 160 again!) I would appreciate my life a little more and my parents for that matter.

But I can't regret the way I was way back when, now. I have to learn from it. Understand that that is what made me how I am today. I would give anything to be what I weight in high school again. And that is why I am working on me. But that means that I need to love my body now and be impressed that it is as strong as it is. I am working on me.

I also can't regret any missed opportunities now. People not knowing what I do. Some people might not know a whole lot about me. Or how much I gave up to start my own business and now I have 2! I decided that working for someone else wasn't for me. I have not looked back since because I have been so blessed with finding students when I needed them and growing both my businesses! So I decided that I am going to tell you what I do so that you know from now on!

 So here it is! Me in a nutshell. I am a mommy of 2 super cute boys! An almost 4 year old and a beautiful 1 year old that is so patient with me he deserves to have anything he wants. I am a stay at home mom. And I love it! I hate working for other people. I always did. I always wanted to be the boss not be bossed around. And that is what led to me opening and starting my own business in teaching private music lessons. When we moved to VA we decided that I needed to look for a job at least until we had kids. After a week or so thinking about what to do. I dreaded going to my interviews and I said a quick prayer, "Please help me to know very quickly if this is what I should do or not." Within the first 5 minutes of the interview she mentioned something about the hours and I knew that it wouldn't work out for me in general. I just couldn't do it. I finally took the dive and decided that I wanted to teach piano privately. I have been teaching privately as a business setting for, goodness, almost 8 years now! I have relocated my studio and started it up again in that time once since we moved to another city. So I have started my business twice now. Fist time people came to me and I didn't even have to work at it. It just happened. But when we moved to a larger city, it took me almost 2 years to get to my goal of how many students I wanted in my studio. It took a lot of patience, and just getting out there and telling people. Putting myself out there. Plus a lot of word of mouth. I have taught and made a positive musical impact with over 100 students. It is amazing to see them learn and I love it!

I am also a coach through Beachbody. And that only came about because of this blog. I felt inspired to start my blog to help people start a new journey for themselves. To know that it can be done. That it takes a whole lot of work and patience but it can be done. Then a year ago I felt inspired to take my coaching through the blog to a whole new level! To work one on one, since I love doing that anyhow because of teaching. I love working with other people. I truly am a people person. I love seeing how strong my challengers get. How much they learn about themselves during the whole process is AMAZING! And for me personally it is such a blessing to have 2 "jobs" (they are so fun it doesn't seem like I am working honestly) that I am in charge of and know that I am impacting lives for the future in such a positive way! I have the freedom to still be with my kids, travel when we want to (within reason) and still be able to help contribute to our family financially.

I truly encourage you that if you ever felt inspired to do another type of work and thought that it could work. IT WILL! You just have to put your whole heart into it and go. Trust in yourself and God that he will help you accomplish the things you need to do. It might be super scary to leave what you have known for so many years but when you love what you do, your days are better, you find more joy in what you are doing and you don't feel like you are working but connecting with others! It is such an amazing experience!

If you need motivation and encouragement to help you achieve your goals in fitness or help just click on the Sizzlin' Summer Banner at the top of the page or CLICK HERE to let me know you are interested! Serially all it takes is just one decision to change the rest of your life. What are you going to pick?

Bye, Bye Gym

Well after much thought, discussions and prayer, yes, even prayer. We have decided to cancel my gym membership. Matt and I agreed that if I weren't going to the gym enough to justify the cost of it that we would cancel it. And folks, we have reached that point. It is hard with 2 kids to get to the gym. When one gets sick. I can't go. The the other gets sick. Still can't go. Than child #1 gets sick again and it is a constant battle. And I just can't justify spending the amount we were (and it wasn't cheap) only going to the gym 1 or twice a week. NO WAY!

So snip...there it goes. Thankfully I have been doing really well with my home workouts at night. Only skipping one night in the last week. AMAZING for me. And I am feeling so much better adding in strength training. It is making a huge difference.

So I said prayer earlier. I try not to get too preachy on here but I wanted to talk about the "response" I felt. So I started praying about canceling my membership. And I said something like, "I have 4 miler training coming up soon and I will need to run. I need to try and figure out a schedule with Matt on when I can run. Please help us be able to figure that out." And honest to goodness the answer I felt and felt many times was, "you can always go running at 5am when he is getting ready for work." So now I am like. "Okay, looks like if I want to go running 2 days a week in the morning I better wake my butt up at 5am and go running." And you all know I am not a morning person but it is going to have to be done and a way has been made for me to be able to get it done. So there you have it. Me getting a spiritual 2x4 to get my butt in gear and wake up early to do a little exercise.

So now it is...no gym, workout at home either with my 21 day fix or PiYo and running outside, hopefully 3 days a week, and when we save up enough money I will be getting a treadmill.

Sizzlin' Summer Is HERE!

I don't know about where you live, but here in central VA, it is getting hot outside! To me, mid May is the beginning of summer. Being an Arizona girl born and raised mid May is when it is just plain hot out and it will only get hotter. Well now in VA this is when the humidity starts to sky rocket and doesn't let up until October. Yeah we get our nice day here and there of low humidity but for the most part it is going to be SIZZLIN' OUTSIDE!

So let's talk about this summer time. Summer time the dreaded time of year where it is swimsuit season. Time to hit up the pools, beaches and splash parks in our case to beat the heat. This year I want to feel comfortable in my own skin. I don't want to look back in my pictures and hate what I see. I am starting NOW to work on that and I wanted to invite you to join me in my next private accountability group that will begin JUNE 1st.

Something amazing happened this weekend. We had Collin's 1st birthday party and I for the life of me couldn't eat the cake. AT ALL. It tasted bland and just not satisfying. I mean it was good cake. Everyone said so and the place I got it from I have always enjoyed their products but it just didn't taste right to me. If you would have told me last July, when I joined my first challenge group, that sweets, junk food and fast food would not taste right to me, I wouldn't have believed you. I have made changes to my life that have helped me come this far. To not want to eat any of that stuff. Yeah, with the pregnancy I fell off the wagon. But I am human. We all make choices that we aren't happy with. That will not happen again! I assure you! I drink Shakeology now everyday and I know that this is what has helped me kick the sweets and to me, a person who is addicted to sweet, this drink is PRICELESS!

I promise you that I am changing my life. Making choices daily to better myself for me and my family. I have found through working out that I am happier. I have more energy and I want to do it more and more as each day passes. And I want to help you gain more energy, be happier and want to exercise. I want you to be comfortable in your own skin. Make goals and ACHIEVE them. And I know you can because you can do anything you put your mind to!

So Join me this JUNE for our challenge group to help you get started! Fill out the form below to let me know you are interested!

You will get:

One on one support from me to help you set and reach your goals.

Daily motivation.

Work with a program that is just right for you to fit your lifestyle.

Provide you with recipes and a meal guide

Daily dose of nutrition.

Plus you will be with other people just like you in our PRIVATE accountability group where you can ask questions and get real answers.

Our Motto for June is: It's not about being skinny. It's about gaining confidence, better health, more energy and HAPPINESS!

(Please do not apply if you are currently a Beachbody Coach, are already working with a Beachbody coach or are not willing to make a small investment in your health and wellness.)

Workout For Kids

Kids need exercise! I know that but I had no idea that Mason has actually been watching what I do, but he sure has. The other day he picked up my weights and said, "Look how strong I am mom!" He was so proud of himself that he was doing it and he wanted to do it. So yesterday I tried to help him with his "form" yeah that was real fun. But now I am going to try and make a little workout plan for him and me together here at the house. WHY NOT! If he wants to, right?!?

I will say last night though we did some stretching before bed. To the song: HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES and TOES. It was the cutest thing ever. I would hold the word head and have him reach his hands WAY above his head or toes and he would stretch the whole time reaching to his toes. Then I had him sit down and have him stretch to his toes and hold it with legs straight in front, straddle and butterfly. Kid is flexible!

AND IT WAS FUN! He loved it! I LOVE IT! And it was a great bonding exercise. He then proclaimed, "WHEW! I'm tired. Time for bed!" And he climbed right in, no fuss or muss.

I love that he is such a copy cat sponge! He just wants to do what everyone else is doing and will absorb it in and want to do it ALL THE TIME! So proud of him. Now to get a little routine going and I will share it with you when WE figure it all out!

Oh, this isn't the first time I have done this. At the gym, I sometimes pull Mason out of the kids zone and we go run around the little track they have inside. He holds my hand the whole time and he runs as fast as he can. I do this on the lighter patron days (Tuesday and Thursday) and when there is really no one there or on the track. And I have taught Mason that this is for exercise even though it is fun. Once we are done with the track and running we have to get off. He loves it and it is fun to see all the people smiling at him. We get lots of ooo's and ahhhh's and "how cute!" from the older patrons! Now we will just take his exercise to the next level.

Do you workout with your kids? What exercises do you do.

To Gym or No Gym

I currently have a gym membership. We love our gym because they have a great kid care there for the kids. Mason has tons of fun and they have a whole BUCKET of dinosaurs that he requests the moment he walks in the door. He wears himself out and gets to socialize with the other kids.

The down side to the gym is that it is EXPENSIVE! Matt and I agreed that as long as the gym was being used a sufficient amount of time each week that we could continue with the gym memberships. Lately, since I had Collin really, the gym hasn't been used all that often. Our poor kids keep getting sick. They have the no green booger rule so anytime we have green boogies we can't go. And when one gets sick the other gets sick, then the first gets sick and so forth. IT HAS BEEN AWFUL! So right now I am debating on, do we keep the gym membership?

Oh this is so hard for me, especially when I know I have the 4 miler training program coming up, the 4 miler race, and then wanting to do a half marathon this fall. I do most of my training on the treadmill at the gym. But I haven't been as diligent about going, even today Collin is still sick with something so again we can't go.

I have been really good about doing at home workouts which have been kicking my butt and getting me super sore. And I have been really enjoying them! (currently loving 21 day fix!) And with such great workouts available why not just work out at home. I could get better results because of the type of workouts I do that would work different areas and truly customize it. Do yo really need a gym membership when you can do everything at home? (running on the street maybe not in the morning but at another time during the day?) But I could just get a treadmill at home. Right?

So you see I have been going back and forth. Just getting to the gym with 2 kids has been hard. Oh and Mason will be going to school this September so it would just be one kid to take to the gym again at that point so maybe suspend it until September? UGH! See my dilemma? I really love my gym BUT, the is a big BUT. I hate wasting money and I just can't get out as often as I need to justify the amount of money we are paying!

What do you prefer, gym working out or at home workouts? Would you buy a treadmill for home and forgo your gym membership?

Day Or Night...Does It Really Matter?

When do you work out? Morning? Afternoon? Night time? Does it really matter?

The Huffington Post has an article on when the best time day to work out based on what you want to accomplish, but honestly, working out whenever you can is what is best. It beats not working out. Let's say you sleep in and miss your workout time you were scheduled for...um not like I did that on Wednesday morning when I slept in until 10am... Does that mean that I have to miss my workout completely? Some people do. OOPS! I missed my workout window. I guess I have to try again tomorrow! No, no, no my friends. But I don't have time to workout anymore. Have you thought about right before you go to bed. In those quiet times when the kids are first falling asleep and you get that moment of "AHHHH, time to relax."

Night time has been my time lately. I am personally trying to workout twice a day. Go to the gym in the morning for the kiddos and then during that relaxation time just after the kids go down. I am doing this because it helps keep me in better moods. Apparently I need the endorphins right now because they are working and keeping me from being super depressed. Thanks in part to the hormone drop I had after the miscarriage. So for me. I need it, twice a day. Have I been able to go to the gym everyday this week? Nope! (again I slept in on Wednesday) But at least I am getting my evening 30 minute workout in. I have been a lot more consistent with my evening than I have during the day! (weird for me)

Even if you have to break up your workout to 10 minute increments. Do what ever you can to get some exercise into your day and I promise you that you will feel better. Have more energy. Sleep better (oh yeah, I am sleeping like a rock!) Be happier. Might be a little sore, but that's ok! The point is. DO IT! JUST WORKOUT! Make that choice. FOR YOU! You are worth it!

Need a work out buddy? Or someone to keep you accountable. Maybe you need motivation? Send me an email to join my PRIVATE Facebook group! connectthedotsginger@gmail.com! Make that first choice. Take that first step to changing you. The hardest part is the beginning!

Full Body HIIT Workout

Need a good fast High Intensity Interval Training workout? Check this out! This will do the trick for you! 

Overweight And Exercise

We all have to start somewhere. Right? Did you wake up this morning and think, it is time for a change! I need to change? I don't want to be like this anymore. Now what do I do? Exercise is hard. It doesn't matter if you are a size 0 or a size 24. Exercise does take work and effort.

~2010. Picking my hubs up after a deployment and surprising him with all the work I did to lose 35 lbs!~

Here are a few pointers to think about as you begin this new journey in your life style change. YES! LIFE STYLE CHANGE! This is not an easy battle. It will take time, it should take time. There are no quick fixes to losing weight. There are no pills, special drinks or wraps that will accomplish the results that last. It is a total mindset. How can she say this. She is overweight and hasn't been able to keep the weight off herself. Why listen to Becky. Because I have been there. I am there. But I have also lost the weight. I lost 40 lbs and not just once I have done it a couple of times. I learned to eat right and what my body wanted and needed. I have also fallen off the wagon and I trying to climb back in. I am just like you who has dieted, tried pills, drinks, HCG, meal plans, starvation, Atkins, I have tried it all! 

~Hard work and dedication to exercise and eating right and her is what I looked like. I will be here again! I AM WORTH IT!~

The one thing that worked? Eating right and exercise. When I finally started to eat right the weight just fell off. I didn't even have to workout for an hour or 2 a day. I was doing 30 minutes of exercise and the weight just fell off. Well if it is so easy... IT IS NOT EASY! It takes work and a total commitment and I'm human. I really like ice cream, sweets, candy, cookies, pasta. I mean I really like them. I lose sight of what I really need to be doing. And I am worth more than that. I know I am. And it isn't about being SKINNY. I want to be HEALTHY. I want to be able to run more easily. I want to be at a healthier weight when I get pregnant again so that when I do gain weight through the pregnancy I am not pushing 300 lbs. That scares the crap out of me. And that is just more work to do in the end. So today, eating better. Shakeology so that I know I am getting my super foods that I need. More veggies. Exercise. I can and I WILL do this. WE CAN DO THIS! 

~3 months into my nutritionist given plan and I lost 20 lbs by this point. Time and dedication! That is all it takes!~

Let me know if you want to join my Facebook group to become the healthiest version of you!

Training Begins

So I am saying that my training for my half marathon this fall begins yesterday! Yep, I am definitely thinking that I will be doing my 2nd half marathon this fall. And why start yesterday? Because I honestly think it will take me that long to get me in running shape. So sad, but I have to start somewhere and yesterday was that somewhere.

I went to the gym. Ideas of grandeur were in my mind as to what I was going to do. I was going to just walk at about 3.7 on the treadmill, like I always do, for 30 minutes. Then do 30 min of the elliptical.

Things didn't go as planned. I started at 3.5 for warm up and I could already feel it. My heart rate was getting high and making me out of breath. I then went up to 3.7 and used the heart rate monitor on the machine and my pulse was above 160. Nope. Time to slow it down. So I just continued at a leisurely 2.8-3.5 pace the whole time. Increasing the pace for a couple of minutes then backing it down for a couple of more. I made it 30 minutes. And just over 1.75 miles. But I was worn out. Sweaty and breathing like I just ran 2 miles. So my starting point. Walking at an 18:30 min mile pace. UGH! Hate that but at least I can only get better. And I skipped the elliptical. I did 30 minutes. I did well for my first day back.

Goals for this week. 2 days of strength training and 3-4 days of cardio. 1 day down only a few  more to go! Here we go! LET THE TRAINING BEGIN!

It's Running Time...Almost

~Whew! I need to look into a wrinkle cream because I am looking my age! Unintentional photo bomb by Mason!~

Yesterday I got the all clear to start normal activities again. Doc is happy with my physical progress and says that everyday will get better with the mental progress. But there will still be good days and bad days.

I told him about my cleaning frenzy and how that is how I am getting my anger/frustrations out. He said to divide up the energy towards cleaning the house and running/exercising. Funny thing, most of  my appointments are spent talking races. My doc casually says today, "I think I am going to do the park to park race this weekend just for fun..." Yeah cause running a whole marathon takes no effort at all. My doc is pretty awesome because he will be up most the night delivering babies and wake up at 5 am to do an 18 mile run, for fun. And he needs the break to clear his head too I guess.

He encouraged me to keep signing up for races and just to keep on doing it. He loves that I enjoy running and thinks it is just an overall great thing for me to do. However, I am still a little anemic so for the next 2 weeks he said light exercise. No sprinting exercises (like I do that anyway!) And that if I get light headed, dizzy or out of breath than I am pushing too hard. Here is to 2 weeks of light exercise then off I go. I have got to get run ready for the woman's 4 miler training program that begins in like 6 weeks! EEK! Oh and I decided that I will be running my 2nd half marathon this fall. So my training will ultimately be for the 1/2 in November. YEA! Start the countdown to kicking my own butt!

~Pix above is me excited about getting to get back to it and not be stuck in my house! I also did my hair differently. I have never curled it like this (excpet for family pictures) but I thought I would try something new. I didn't get it cut. Honestly, I need a change and I don't want to cut it and I am getting to that awkward "funky length phase" for growing out my hair! So what do you think on the hair? Yea or Nay???~

Can't Run? Walk!

Check out some of the benefits to walking! Running can be so hard on your body. Walking is just as good. Go out and enjoy the awesome weather you are having right now!

Start with walking a 1/4 mile at a nice pace. Something faster than walking around the mall. Enough to feel like you are working a little. Gradually increase the distance and/or faster pace. Your goal should be doing at least 30 minutes of walking a day at a brisk pace. 16:30 min per mile or faster! You can do it. Remember the tortoise beat the hare. You don't have to be fast, just steady and consistent!

5 Minute EASY Chair Workouts

I can't do squats or lunges, it gives me that wonderful WOOZY feeling that I am just getting accustomed to, but I need to keep up the strength in my legs. Wanna see what I did today to help me out? Here ya go! No squats or lunges here people. Safe exercises that weren't heart racing cardio workouts that would make me pass out.

On a bright note. I can't bend over to pick things up. Does that mean that I just let my living room that is scattered with toys stay a mess? YEP! And I am ok with that. Thankfully today, Mason decided it was a good day to help me out and pick up all the toys. So thankful for his "good days."

Wake-Up Workout

I love my bed in the morning, and on cool mornings like this I just don't want to get out of bed. So why not start your morning with a little workout right in your bed! Check out below to start your day right! Happy morning! 

The "NO" Syndrome

Why is it that when you are told "NO" in doing something that it is the only time that you want to actually do what you are told not to do?

I feel like a kid. "Don't push that red button!" "Don't jump on your bed?" Seriously, my legs were burning all day yesterday to go running. It is so weird. Have I had this insane desire to go running the past week or so while my kids have been sick and I have been exhausted from taking care of a sick family? A little, but not like this. My legs last night were seriously on FIRE wanting to go running. And I can't.

I am ok with that because I want to do what is best for the baby. But I guess that my legs didn't get the memo.

So right now, running and exercise in general is on hold until the 20th until I have my ultrasound. It is going to be a long 8 days. At least I know that I still want to keep exercising. Maybe this is the turning point in my pregnancy where I will get some of my energy back and will be able to make it to the gym on a regular basis. This modified bed rest momma can only hope!

Just Roll With It

This pregnancy has been HARD! I have suffered from massive migraines, morning sickness, motion sickness while on exercise machines and just overall exhaustion. No wonder, I am making a baby, nursing another baby and trying to train for my 10 miler which is only 10 days away.

Sadly today, I was told that one of those things has to go.

I had some spontaneous spotting today. I was doing nothing. Just relaxing, as I had just told Matt. Needless to say it ended up with me going to my doc 2 days earlier than my regularly scheduled appointment for the week. I was freaking out. A crying mess. I can't go through another miscarriage. Is all I kept saying in my mind.

Thankfully my doc's office got me in right away. I didn't even have to sit out in the waiting room. I was sent right back. Doc did an exam. Noticed the bleeding. Then he said that my uterus is growing and has already popped out of my pelvis (I'm just shy of 12 weeks and that happens at 12 weeks).

Next came the doppler. We needed to hear the heart beat. Doc was listening. I reminded him about my tilted backwards uterus. So he did some pushing on my belly and then we heard this thump. Thump, thump. Like his hand knocking the doppler, but it wasn't. He said, "I think that is the baby kicking." Then a few more thumps. "Yep, that's the baby. Now where is your heartbeat little feisty baby!" Then within just a few seconds he found the solid strong heartbeat.

Doc said that I had a ruptured blood vessel and that since we heard the baby's heartbeat, and it was kicking that everything is fine. HOWEVER, I am on a modified bed rest. UGH! First thing I asked, making sure that the baby was fine, then I asked, "so no 10 miler this year." NOPE. And guess what. I am a little sad about it because I have been training my butt off for that run and have already run most of the course but for the safety of the baby and for me, it is just going to have to give.

10 days away from my big race I have been planning and prepping for since, what? Last summer. Is now not happening. I will be volunteering though. Helping out in anyway I can. Here is the thing, there are other 10 milers. I know I can do it now and I am kind of strangely excited to run the race, next year, or when it is right for me. But for now. Time to take it easy. Take care of my baby growing inside me and enjoy the fact that my baby is fine.

I am excited though, because in 9 days, I will get to see this feisty little one again with my next ultrasound. I will keep you all posted and can't wait to share the pictures then!

Thanks for reading along and following along in this crazy adventure of my life!

Spring Race Season IS HERE!

It's time to lace up your running shoes! IT IS RACE SEASON! I don't know about you but my Facebook feed and Twitter are exploding with more and more of my friends participating in a spring race this season! I LOVE IT! What a great goal for everyone to have.

Let me tell you that if you want to start running or maybe change your lifestyle to be more active, participating in a local race is the WAY TO START! I know that the thought of running in a 5k is scary and it just might not be you. But what I have seen is that more and more races are walk friendly or a slower run/walk pace friendly. Race coordinators are noticing that walkers are taking the race circuit by storm now! AND GUESS WHAT? It doesn't matter if you walk a race or run it. The mileage is still the same for everyone. If a race is not walking friendly the race page will say, "run only" or it will give a time limit for the race or pace per mile required. A walking pace per mile is a 15 min per mile and slower.

Don't let the time limits hinder you from registering either because some of the races will say that roads are closed for X amount of time and you may continue, but you must move to the sidewalk and obey traffic signals. 

Why look into a local race? So you don't have to travel very far and hopefully the cost will be a little less than a "bigger" race. There are tons of St. Patricks Day race themes right now. But because the weather is AMAZING in most of the country this is the race season. Go ahead and try.

Need to find a race in your neck of the woods? Go here! Runners World Race Finder

Morning Sickness and Exercise DON'T MIX!

Here is what I am dealing with right now. Getting motion sickness on the treadmill or elliptical from my morning sickness. UGH! How awful is that. This past Saturday I was supposed to do 8.5 miles. Things didn't quite go as planned.

Matt was being super awesome this past Saturday and let me sleep in. And then he kicked me out of the house around 10 to go to the gym, since I hadn't made it there all week since Mason had pink eye. I ate a good typical breakfast before heading to the gym, and that was probably why I got sick. I normally don't eat eggs and toast before I go on a long run or before races. I eat a banana and cereal bar and drink a ton of water. That is my Saturday morning regime. I then eat a bigger breakfast after my run.

I headed off to the gym and found a treadmill. The place was packed. Around mile 2.5 I started to feel a little off I wanted to get off the machine. But I kept going. By 3.5 miles I knew I was toast and forced myself to make it to an even 4 miles. I puked in my mouth a couple of times during that last .5 miles but I did it. Sadly, I didn't get my long run in, and it was supposed to be my last BIG long run before my 10 miler in 3 weeks. So this Saturday I have to do at least 8 miles to make up for my lack of milage from this past Sat.

I even came home and rested for a little while then decided to try an in home walking DVD I have. I couldn't even make it .5 miles without getting sick. My body just said NO WAY to me doing anything. I went upstairs and took a nap and felt better when I woke up.

I am 10 weeks pregnant now and I am looking forward to my morning sickness going AWAY! And hopefully it won't be that bad for the 10 miler where I will be 13 weeks.

Moral of the story. Don't eat a regular sized breakfast before a long run. And to listen to your body. There are going to be days where your body says NO! And you just have to listen to it. And it is ok! I still have 1 Saturday left to do 8 miles and still feel prepared to run in the 10 miler. I know I will do the 10 miler and be fine. I might not do it in the time I want to but darn it I will do it!