Post-Thanksgiving Fitness Challenge

Okay, so after the gluttony of Thanksgiving, I have decided to challenge myself next week and thought I would pass this along to my other fitness friends!!

I usually strength train 3-4 days a week. This coming week, I will be doing 4 days of strength training. And I try to get an hour of cardio in 5-6 days a week. So, my challenge for the week to burn off some extra calories is two-fold.

Step One....This next week, I have to be 100% perfect with my nutrition which means no cheat meals at all. (I think this is doable because the thought of eating anything unhealthy makes me want to vomit!) It means, I have to do everything according to plan without any variations...all of my meals, snacks, supplements, vitamins, etc.

Step Two....Since I normally try to do an hour of cardio every day, I am going to try doubling up at least two days next week. This means that I will be getting 2 hours of cardio in. Now, this doesn't have to be done all at the same time. I plan to try getting some morning cardio and some afternoon cardio in. Honestly, I am thinking that if at all possible, I am going to shoot for getting 4-5 days of double cardio. I think I can do this and I really want to just kick my butt this coming week and get myself out of the rut that the past few days have put my fitness in.

So, fitness-minded friends, what do you think? Are you up for a challenge?? Can you handle it??? Go forth and be healthy!!

Where Does the Time Go...

Wow...it's hard to believe it has been a month since I last posted anything. Life has just been so very busy and there is so much to do and so little time to sit and write. Some days that is a good thing but other days, it becomes a frustration.

So, what's been going on?? I am still working at Staples part-time. And I am still keeping Jacob and Jillian at least one day a week. I do so enjoy our time together. I love their sweet spirits and have a blast playing with them!!

I have a new trainer now. Tye accepted a job elsewhere and I had to try out a new trainer at the gym. Luckily, I adore my new trainer, Tripp. I admit I was very skeptical at first. I was nervous that he would not be what I needed. It turns out that I was very wrong because he is exactly the trainer that I need right now. I love his enthusiasm and I love his wisdom. He has given me some amazing advice in regards to nutrition and supplements. And his workouts are just plain awesome. I am reaching muscle failure quite often and I am finding myself sore for a few days after our workouts. All in all, I absolutely think this change was a good thing. (And for a girl who is not fond of change, that's really saying something!!) I find myself even more excited about training than before. My time with Tye was precious and we did great work together. My time with Tripp is about learning new things and pushing myself further. I cannot wait to see how things progress!

I am relearning things in regards to running. It has been so frustrating having to rethink the way I used to run and having to relearn the proper form and improve my running. But I am thankful that I have the opportunity to do so. I am also thankful for my friends who run that help me to continue to push forward and continue to work on improving my running. They challenge me and keep me going in so many ways. I just did a 5k this past week and now I can see some things I need to work on in order to improve. Every race, I learn more about myself and my running. Some days and some races, I get frustrated and want to quit, but I persevere. I am not a quitter. I have to keep pushing.

I have also been spending lots of time with my friend, Ann. I have enjoyed helping her with several projects at her house. I love being able to use my talents in the art of organizing as well as painting to help others out. And I have really enjoyed the quality time that I have been spending with Ann and her hubby, Charlie. I do love the both of them...they're so much fun and so awesome!!!

And I got a brand new tattoo this past month. It's a 13.1 with flowers to represent each of the half-marathons I have completed. I LOVE it!!! So awesome!! It's totally different from what I was looking at getting, but I am so thrilled with the concept that Matt Terry (my tattoo artist) came up with!! I cannot wait to run more half-marathons and add more flowers!!! And I love the fact that this tattoo is a one of a kind piece of artwork!!

Other than that, life is just keeping my quite busy. It's been a strange year, but I really feel like I am growing into myself and learning even more about who I am and who I want to be.

What's in store in the next month or so...to be quite honest, I have no idea. I am just trying to stay in the here and now. I do know that I will be looking for another half-marathon to run at the beginning of next year. As for anything else, I am up in the air.