My lunch bag

I have been trying to eat better for a long time. I have really struggled with the sweets in the past but I feel like that’s slowly changing. With my new goal, I really need to get some more self-control in that area. Yesterday I did really well all day with my eating. After dinner, I met my protein goal and was under my sugar goal. That was the first time in a LONG time that happened! THEN – TBL came on. Last season it was a tradition for me and hubby to watch TBL and have a snack (ironic, right?!?). This season I’ve stuck to the tradition. Last night I had a bowl of Breyer’s Rocky Road Ice cream. So much for staying in my sugar range!

Today has started great and has looked more like what I need my nutrition to be! I planned ahead, which is crucial for success. My pretty new lunch tote was filled with all kinds of goodies.

Breakfast = 1 large egg + 4 egg whites made like scrambled eggs. ½ cup Quaker oats with ½ cup mixed berries

Snack 1 = 5 almonds, 1 string cheese, ½ red bell pepper

Lunch = Whole wheat sandwich thin, 6 slices turkey, 5 strawberries, green beans

Snack 2 = Chocolate protein shake

What are your favorite healthy things to have for breakfast/lunch/snacks?

Update…

Last week went really well with my miles…

10/11 Monday – 3 miles
10/12 Tuesday – 6 miles
10/13 Wednesday – Rest
10/14 Thursday – 3 miles
10/15 Friday – 4 miles
10/16 Saturday – 5 miles
10/17 Sunday – Rest

21 miles total and I threw in a few Ab exercises and strength training on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

This week is going to be tough but I’m going to do my best. My goals:

10/18 Monday – Rest
10/19 Tuesday – 4 miles
10/20 Wednesday – 5 miles
10/21 Thursday – 4 miles
10/22 Friday – 3 miles
10/23 Saturday – 5 miles
10/24 Sunday – Rest

Goals for the week…

Last week was really rough for running… Aside from the fact that my schedule was crazy busy, I was sick from Thursday – Sunday. Those days are really hard. I feel like I should be up doing things (if I’m at home, I should be productive) but then I know I need to rest too; it’s really a struggle sometimes.
On to a new week though. Here are my goals for the week

10/11 – 3 Miles

10/12 – 6 Miles

10/13 – Rest

10/14 – 2 Miles

10/15 – 6 Miles

10/16 – 3 Miles

10/17 – Rest

Race Update and Miles for this week

This past weekend was the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure. Can you see me? I'm about the 10th row back in the middle in the pink shirt. You can't miss me ;)

I was really excited for this race! I've wanted to run it for quite some time now, and I finally have! It was great and I plan to do it again! The course had more hills that my last two races, and my training last week was not so great. My goal was just to finish. I got to minute 28 and started coughing a bunch (I need to get my asthma checked again). I started walking because of how bad it was, and two people came up behind me. They said "come on, you've only got about two minutes left, you can do it!" (I love races). So I kicked my butt in to gear, ran my little heart out, and beat my last PR by 49 seconds =o) Woo-Hoo! My next 5K goal will be to run it sub 30! That's one (of the many) thing I love about running. While some people may not be as fast as the 1st place runner (he ran it in about 16 minutes), we each have our own goals and have others there to support us and encourage us along the way =o) 

Now... on to my plan for this week. I will not recap my miles for last week because I may, or may not have only run 3.1 miles the ENTIRE week! No need to dwell on the past though, so on to this week! 

27 Monday - 5 miles  (check!)

28 Tuesday - 6 miles

29 Wednesday - 5 miles

30 Thursday - Rest

1 Friday - Rest

2 Saturday - 4 miles

3 Sunday - Leisure run

Have a great week!

<3

Challenge Update 30/100 + 3 Things Thursday

Here are the updates on my 100 day challenge with Courtney from Run, Courtney, Run:

1. Create and maintain healthy eating habits
I’m doing good on this one and kind of excited about it. I grabbed a Vegan Cookbook to get some clean recipes. I’m not going Vegan and will still eat eggs and such, but I figured it’d be a great way to find new recipes. That and the blog world has a ton of good ones too! I will do a post about one of my new favorite blogs really soon!

2. Run 20 miles each week
Goal #2 is going to be a HUGE FAIL for this week! Seriously, I think I’ll be lucky if I hit 5 miles.

3. Lower my body fat %
I’m doing great on this one too! I have to admit, the past few years it’s only moved up or down about 1%. I’m really seeing progress now and I love it!!!!

Three Things Thursday

1. I can’t express how busy it has been this past week. I’ve decided that I need to step down from a few things to get my sanity back and to not always be crazy busy. I let one commitment go this week and next week will be my last week for another commitment. After that, instead of having commitments Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, I’ll only have my Wednesday, Thursday commitments. I’m SOOO excited about these two things! More on those things in a later post!

2. This past Tuesday we had another team building exercise with work. This time we went to the park, grilled out, and played volleyball! SO much fun!

3. I’ve been tossing around the idea of getting a certification in Nutrition & Wellness. I don’t want to use it to change careers. I just want it to be more knowledgeable for myself and to be able to help others achieve/maintain their goals. Any thoughts or advice?

Hope you’re having a great week!

Miles for last week and this week

Here was my plan for this past week and how I actually did.
6th Monday 3 miles       actually completed 3
7th Tuesday 5 miles       actually completed 5
8th Wednesday 5 miles  actually completed 5
9th Thursday rest           actually completed 4
10th Friday rest             rest
11th Saturday RACE (5K) actually completed 3.1
12th Sunday 4               rest
Total Miles = 20.1         Total Completed: 20.1

Blue represents the days I met or exceeded my goal. I switched my rest day but I made it for the week. Woo-hoo!

Here is the Plan for this week.
13th Monday rest
14th Tuesday 5 miles
15th Wednesday 5 miles
16th Thursday 5 miles
17th Friday rest
18th Saturday 3 miles
19th Sunday 2 miles
Total Miles: 20

Week at a glance

Here was my plan for this past week and how I actually did.

23rd Monday 5 miles        Actually Completed: 5
24th Tuesday 2.75 miles    Actually Completed: 2.75
25th Wednesday 5 miles   Actually Completed: 3
26th Thursday 2 miles       Actually Completed: 3
27th Friday rest                Actually Completed: 0
28th Saturday 2.75 miles  Actually Completed: 0
29th Sunday 3 miles         Actually Completed: 3.5
Total Miles = 20.5           Total Completed: 17.25

Blue represents the days I met or exceeded my goal. I was 3.25 miles short… I’ll do better this week!

Here is the Plan for this week.
30th Monday 4 miles
31st Tuesday 3 miles
1st Wednesday 3 miles
2nd Thursday rest
3rd Friday 5 miles
4th Saturday 5 miles
5th Sunday rest

QOTD: Is there a strategic way you should plan out your miles?

7 Miles...

I know that may not sound like a lot to some people, but for me, it's a new record. 6 was my longest distance before today, but today I slammed right through that number! Well, maybe not slammed so much as huffed, puffed, poured down in sweat and drug myself through that number ;)

My main goal right now is to be able to run a 5K without walking and at a decent pace. Two years ago I could do it, so I know I can do it again. I'm not sure if I'm doing this the proper way, but I'm using the Couch to 5K plan and running as hard as I can for the allotted time; hoping this will get me to my goal at the end of the training schedule.

To treat myself for my new distance, I came home - got two bags of frozen fruit... Those are for my knees ;) Made chicken, brown rice, steamed veggies in rosemary sauce... and a sprite. Ha, Ha! I was craving a sprite for some reason, so I treated myself!

When people say the run a half or run a marathon / ultra, do they literally run the entire thing or do they ever stop and walk (not including water stops)? What are your goals?

<3