The best run I’d ever had

This Tuesday I went for a late run at the gym (7:30pm) after Dan left for work. When I run on a tread mill I rarely watch the television but for some reason, this “commercial” caught my eye. I didn’t really know what it was but I couldn’t help but laugh out loud (YES! At the gym!). Then the commercial kept going and I was completely sucked in! It was absolutely HILARIOUS! I was laughing while running and I could feel my abs working over time. When I wasn’t laughing I was smiling and, as I looked around the cardio room, I saw others smiling too! Before I knew it two miles had gone by and I only had one left! As the show ended (with one mile left), I suddenly felt like something was missing and that all of a sudden this run was going to be a LOT longer. I just couldn’t believe how hilarious this show was and how much I enjoyed watching it while running.

What was this show?

Betty White’s Off Their Rockers. Have you seen it? If not – I highly recommend looking into it. I’m thinking about purchasing the season through iTunes so I can bring my iPad in while I run! YES! It was THAT fun of a run!

Week 2 of Insanity/Half Marathon

 

We finished Week 2 of Insanity! My big accomplishment for this week was completing the Insanity workout without Dan. It was WAY too easy to get used to having a work out buddy and it would have been SO easy to skip the day that Dan couldn’t workout with me because he had to work. But I didn’t and I suffered through it on my own!

It was also great to do the Day 15 Fit Test! I couldn’t believe the change already! In two weeks with Insanity I lost 3 inches (2 around my waist) and 1.8 pounds! I’m four pounds from my goal weight of 115! So excited!

Overall, Insanity is a BEAST. But I feel SO accomplished afterward and the high is addicting. It’s funny because on running days I’m wishing I was rather doing Insanity and on Insanity days I’d rather be running! So it goes I guess!

Week 1 of Insanity/Half Marathon

This has been a LONG time coming, I’m almost afraid to admit HOW LONG! I could come up with loads of different excuses that include the holidays taking up my time – but the truth is I just fell of the wagon a bit. Not entirely. Just my back end. I stopped drinking my shake after we got back from vacation and my routine was all but ruined and yea…it was a dark time. BUT I didn’t completely fall off because I got right back on this metaphorical wagon! On December 31st I began an Insanity/Half Marathon training hybrid program (3 days of Insanity, 3 days running, 1 day off) and my first week went AWESOME! I was sore and it kicked my butt (entirely) but it felt GREAT to be pushed again. After doing Turbo Jam/Turbo Fire for four months, I just needed a change – something new. Insanity was definitely that!

I also love that I’ve committed to running a Half Marathon in May. Can you believe it! Last August I could make it halfway down the block and now I’m training for a half marathon! That’s CRAZY to me. I fell off the running wagon in December as well and it is DEFINITELY kicking my butt catching up to this (again) metaphorical wagon but I am SO excited. I still hate running but I love BEING a runner. It’s something I’ve always wanted to be and, while I’m still saying “thissucksthissucksthissucks” the entire time I’m running, when I finish I’m like “Damn I’m awesome!”

The other thing that’s new this year is that on the days I’m doing Insanity, Dan (the husband)  is actually doing the workouts with me. I’ve never worked out with anyone at home before; when I was doing Turbo, I’d always workout while Dan was playing computer games (he’s a kid at heart). I don’t think I could handle Insanity without him. Really! We are both doing the workouts, sweating like pigs, and exclaiming “F YOU SHAUN T!” It’s kind of hilarious. I love having him there with me and time absolutely FLIES and I think it’s because we’re doing it together rather than him waiting for me to be done.

Overall, I’m REALLY excited to see what happens with me, Insanity, and training for a half these next couple months!

Our very first workout!

This Week’s Accomplishment

On Thursday, my fourth period class (right after lunch) brought in LOADS of candy (Kit Kats, Almond Joy, etc). They kindly offered me HANDFULS that I eagerly denied even when one bright girl said, “Just work it off later. That always works for me.” I said no, reminded them that food wasn’t allowed in the classroom, asked them to put it away, and went on with the lesson.

On Friday during the same class, a student came up to me with a doughnut with sprinkles. He said, “For you!” and I took it. I smelled it. It was inches, centimeters, from my mouth. All of the kids looked at me encouragingly. Half of the students said “Oh just eat it!” and there were a few who said, “Don’t!” (mostly because they wanted to eat it).

I have NEVER felt that sort of pressure weighing on a decision before. It did smell AMAZING but, in the end, it was two things that made me put the doughnut down.

1. I didn’t want to appear weak as I was able to deny the candy the day before and then not a doughnut.
2. I wanted my students to see that you CAN SAY NO. Even though it smells amazing and the opportunity is there – you can always say no to poor decisions (even with your peers egging you on). This is SO important in life and not just in regards to food.

In the end, I felt great with my decision as I returned the sprinkled doughnut.

Class ended with a firm discussion that mostly revolved around “Anyone bringing food into this class will be asked to leave.”

Turbo Fire Week 10 Complete

I finished Turbo Fire! Two weeks left! I can’t believe it! For the next two days I’m going to add the Core 20 as I prepare for Mexico. I definitely want my core in better shape (don’t we all). I’m also recommitting the last two weeks to NO CHEATS. I really want to hit my goal weight before we leave for Mexico and in order to do that I have THREE pounds to lose in TWO weeks. Not impossible but definitely beyond all cheats. This weekend was also the first of the month so I sat down and wrote my 31 day goals. This is something that I’ve really come to love because it makes me accountable. I didn’t do it in November and as a result I was a bit of a hot mess and I definitely fell off the wagon.

I can do this and so can you!

Turbo Fire Week 9 Complete

It has been a MONTH since I’ve finished a week of Turbo Fire. I can’t believe it has gotten THAT bad! I was sick for quite awhile and just busy but that’s really no excuse. I think the real reason I fell off the Turbo Fire boat was that the final four weeks of Turbo Fire are very much strength based. My favorite workout is missing entirely (Core 20) and I don’t burn as many calories on my Heart Rate Monitor and so I think my motivation just waned. But I’m BACK – I have to be because in three weeks we leave for Mexico and I have three weeks left! Here’s to getting it done!

This Week’s Accomplishment

For me the big accomplishment was Thanksgiving. I did a great job of limiting myself and I ran the Turkey Trot 10K. I ALSO recommitted to Turbo Fire and finally finished Week 9! This has been a LONG time coming but I’m back and excited to be!