Saturday, June 29, 2013

I Am Enough

Jill had a very thought provoking post on Friday.  She says it so much better than I so go check it out HERE.  However, it did get me thinking.  A month or so ago I wrote this post on Comparisons- I think it really goes along with this thought so I wanted to continue in that vein and write about being "enough".


It really got me thinking about that word- "enough" and what the connotations of that word are.  I hear the word enough and think "that's enough" meaning "no more" but the word takes a completely different meaning when it is put in the phrase "I am enough".  Webster's Dictionary defines enough as: occurring in such quantity, quality, or scope as to fully meet demands, needs, or expectations".  That's it- it meets all expectations.  But, that brings up the question of WHOSE expectations?  I liken it to enough being sufficient.  And that takes my thoughts to 2 Corinthians 12:9:
 "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (ESV)

I Am Enough- because HIS grace IS enough- because in my weakness- he is making me strong and His power is being glorified.  So, to sum that up- I Am Enough BECAUSE of my weaknesses.  Those things that I perceive as "piddly", obstacles, deterrents, speed bumps- those become why I am enough- because in those is where I see Him, feel Him, and even more importantly KNOW Him.  

*I am enough even when I look in the mirror and don't like what I see.
*I am enough even when I feel like I have failed in my journey
*I am enough even when the run/workout doesn't go like I wanted it to
*I am enough even when I eat something I know I probably shouldn't (ahem- such as the cheesecake I will eat at The Cheesecake Factory)
*I am enough even when I have mixed up priorities
*I am enough because all of my life experiences make me who I am.
*I am enough for one simple reason- because HE says I am enough ("for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything." 1 John 3:20)

 

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Just a reminder

If you follow me through google reader or google friends connect- they are going away as of July 1.  You can use the button to the right to follow me on bloglovin'!  Or, carry over my url to feedly!  Either way, don't forget to update your info. :)

It's not a diet

**Disclaimer: I was compensated by Diet to Go with a week of free meals and a little bit of cash but all opinions are mine.




From the very beginning of this journey I have been "fighting" with myself and with others the mindset of a diet.  In my thought a diet is something that is restrictive, that leaves me with cravings, that cycles over and over and then as soon as you reach the goal weight you stop the diet and then sometimes (but not always) gain the weight back.  That's where the thought of it being a lifestyle comes in- WE (all of us) HAVE to get it in our heads that this is going to be for the rest of our lives.  It's NOT something that will ever go away.  Whether we overeat, have/had an eating disorder, binge, etc., it's always going to be there- IF we let it.  I'll be the first to admit that I find it easy to slip back into habits that are not good for me.  Fried foods, sodas, sweets, etc.  Does that mean I need to cut them out?  Not necessarily- what it means is that I need to follow the 80/20 rule.  I need to eat healthy 80% of the time so that 20% of the time I can enjoy a treat.  And that's what it comes down to- a treat- just because I have that treat does not mean I have to just give it all up for the day!  (and just so you all know I'm preaching to myself here- LOL)


Enter Diet to Go.  As I have mentioned before I was selected to be an ambassador for them a few months ago.  I also had the opportunity to help promote their summer shape up series.  They hosted a twitter chat, have a google + community, a giveaway on Facebook, and even a dietbet (pay $25, lose 4% of your body weight in the month and split the "pot" with others who did the same thing) Check out all of the details HERE.  As part of that I was sent a week's worth of meals.  I did go with the traditional/low-fat meal plan again and received a few of the same meals but a few different ones.  Due to some dietary restrictions I have to spread out some of the foods I eat so I have not eaten all of them.  However, I did want to share what I have tried (along with some "oops" moments- LOL).

 Stuffed shells- you have seen these before but I ate them again.  Honestly, tasty but a little too much tomato sauce- once I scraped it off and ate just the shell I was good.  This also comes with chocolate pudding which I had to throw away because I can't have chocolate but I am assuming it was good...

 Egg Quesadilla with a potato "hash".  These egg quesadillas were probably my favorite!  The potato "hash" was good- has pimento in it so it gave it an interesting flavor but LOVED the eggs.  The only thing- make sure it's thawed instead of frozen- I cooked it (in the oven) for the amount of time stated and it was definitely not long enough.  I think it's the way they are packaged in the black tray.

Tomato Meltovers on pita bread.  These were pretty good- a couple too many tomatoes but I just pulled them off and it was all good. This was my "oops".  In the black sectioned trays used with the stuffed shells you can stick the whole tray in the oven.  Well, this one was on foam- and not only that, I forgot to cover it with foil- needless to say I had a shriveled piece of foam when it was done.  (and sadly, I did it again with the turkey chili- and not only that- I forgot to take the plastic lid off the turkey chili- needless to say I had to throw that away- along with my cookie sheet- LOL).  I'm learning some lessons in this ambassadorship but need to wait until the end to share them all (because I keep adding to them).

I know this is long but to end Diet to go is offering my readers a chance for $50 off a weekly plan so you can give them a try.  You can pick your menu and they will send it to you.  I would LOVE for them to have something that you could log in and literally pick and choose your meals because honestly the best thing would be to have a little bit from each of the menus).  Hopefully, at some point they will :)

FYI- they are having a sale until the end of June for 20% off which makes a week's worth 76.79- if you incorporate the $50 gift card you can get a week's worth of meals for under $30.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Race Recap and What I Learned

Saturday was quite possibly one of the longest mornings EVER!  Bottom line, I did not meet my first goal which was to beat my Knoxville half time- in fact, it was almost 10 minutes to the second slower.  My Knoxville was 2:46:35.  Saturday was 2:56:33.  My back up goal was to beat three hours- which I did.  It was hot- about 70 at start time and when you add the running- they say to add 20 degrees- needless to say it was HOT!  I got dehydrated and my legs cramped big time so I ended up having to walk a lot more than I planned.  So, while disappointed in my time, I finished. 

Source: tumblr.com via MRS.T on Pinterest


(I did not finish last but thought it was appropriate).

Lessons Learned:
1. Don't do anymore half marathons in the summer (or on the shoulders of highways) the heat was ridiculous and that leads to...
2. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate- I got dehydrated- even though there were several water/gatorade stations throughout the course and I took some at each- it was not enough and I eventually ended up dealing with leg cramps.  It's time to start looking at belt systems so that I can carry more with me- whether that be water or gatorade who knows!
3. When they are going over the course before the race starts and they say they changed the course to take out a couple of hills- they LIED!  LOL :)

I'll leave you today with a couple of pictures- a before/after shot and a look at the view (which this was the best part of mile 12)







Question: I didn't wear my compression socks due to the heat (I thought that it might be too hot for them)- do you think it would have helped with the leg cramps? 

Friday, June 21, 2013

One Day...

to half marathon #2.  I have no grand illusions for this one.  With the heat, and the lack of long runs (the heat), I would like to do just one thing- beat my time from my Knoxville one.  And, if that should not occur then I would like come in under a certain time.  However, as a friend pointed out- I'm getting out there and doing it!  I have come a long way in a year- I know that, I see that, and I feel that- BUT I still have a long way to go.  And you know what- I'm okay with that.  It's not a sprint to the finish but the marathon of life and it will have the ups and downs, the strengths and weaknesses, and the adventures that any good marathon has.

Source: instagram.com via Tami on Pinterest


In the meantime- while I am on this journey- I am working on my health coach schooling (made even more imperative by the projected passing of a teacher salary bill in TN- basically making salaries LESS than what they are), engaging with friends in healthy lifestyle activities as well as dialogue, and building my blogger friendships around the world.

Oh, and in another nod to my title- ONE DAY- I want to break a 30 minute 5K and a 2:30 minute half and can't forget completing a full (someday)

Question for today: What is your "one day" plan?

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Goal #1 and an app review

So, as I mentioned the other day I am working on some goals- rather than saving them all up, especially knowing that they can be tweaked, changed, added to, or eliminated (as needed), I decided to share them as I solidify them a bit.  Goal #1 is simple (or maybe not).  A couple of weeks ago I turned 38 and started thinking about how there's only 2 years until 40 and what I wanted to do to leading up to that.  So, what I have decided is that I am going to run 40 races before 40.  I'm not limiting them to 40 of one kind- just 40 races in general.  My first of those 40 will be this Saturday with a half marathon (yes, I signed up for another one- this one I am also regretting- it's HOT out there!  But, I did it for the training aspect and while I don't feel completely ready and know that my time may be slower I am setting some goals with the race).  Join me on my journey of 40 before 40.


Now, as part of the Sweat Pink ambassadorship I had the opportunity to review a fitness app- I have held off so that I could maybe get a couple more workouts in with it but I want to get my thoughts up so you can have a chance to try it out.  The app is called PumpUp and it's available for the iPhone.  From what I understand an Android version is coming soon... 



Once you download the app and go through the sign up process it's pretty easy to walk through. 


You choose your goal, your fitness level and how long you want to work out.  Then you move to..

Where you work out- once you choose at home or in the gym you choose what equipment you have available to you.  Mine is marked with the cardio being the treadmill and the other being my exercise ball.  Your next step is to choose what muscles you want to work and what add-ons you want to add.  After that- it builds your workout.  While it is building the workout it gives you little tips that you can scroll through.

After it has your workout built it puts on the screen with movements that you can see how to do the exercise.  And, if the  movements are enough if you hit the little info button you can get written instructions. 

Here are my thoughts (pros and cons)
Pros:
 -can be set based on the amount of time and equipment available.  For example- when I go to a conference next month I will be taking my kettlebell and my dumbbells.  Obviously I won't take my exercise ball or my treadmill so I will adjust it for a different workout.

-perfect for a rainy day, sick kid, or any other situation found in life

-it's portable (being on the phone)

-it walks you through the workouts

Cons:
-There is a "lady" who talks through the workout
-It moves fast between exercises.  I know you can stop it/pause it but when you aren't holding the phone due to doing the exercise it's hard to get to the phone to do so to allow you to get into position.  A 5-10 second pause between exercises would be better.
-And then, there's the breaks between the circuits (because you repeat them)- some of them are a bit longer but you can hit the next button to avoid that.
-I wish it were available on the iPad.  I can download it as an iPhone app but I can't get it to open- I either can't get it to move beyond a certain point or I get a white screen when it should be opening up the app.  Others have had no issues.  I prefer the bigger screen. 

Overall- I really liked this app and the main app is free.  You can upgrade it for a small fee.  BUT, you can give it a chance by using the code PRO30 for free 30 day upgrade to the pro version. 


Oh, and there's the following: You  can enter to win a $50 Lululemon gift card and PumpUp tank by tweeting the following:  I just tweeted to win $50 @LuluLemon giftcard and a sweet @PumpUp workout tank! itunes.apple.com/app/id573070442 #PumpUpContest

Some good stuff there!

*as a Sweat Pink ambassador I received the upgrade free in compensation for my review.  I was not required to give a positive review. 

 

Monday, June 17, 2013

Refocus, recharging, reenergized

Yep, it's that time- time to get refocused, recharged, and reenergized!  Thankfully, they all work together to help me become a better person- physically, mentally, and spiritually.  Last Monday I took a visit to the doctor's office for my annual insurance physical.  I left discouraged but determined.  You see, a little over a year ago she told me that I would be just fine being around a specific number on the scale (not something I am choosing to share at this point).  At one point in this journey I was 7 lbs away from that number and then I got lazy plus started working on half marathon training and in the process gained back 13 lbs- so, when I went in I thought I had about 20 lbs to go.  She burst my bubble really quickly by informing that really I needed to go about 15-20 lbs below her original number for me and that means I now have 35-40 lbs to lose.  All I wanted to do was cry at that point- I had worked hard- yes, I had slipped up in the last few months but to hear that was discouraging.  At that point I knew I had a choice- I could let that discouragement knock me down or I could use that discouragement as a stepping stone and a wake up call to refocus and reestablish my goals. 



 So, this week- I have been working on that.  My mom reminded me that it really is taking small steps- one step at a time- one pound at a time.  So, that's my plan for the rest of the summer- to refocus on my diet and refocus on exercise.  I'm considering taking part in one of the dietbets that are available- because who doesn't work harder when money is on the table.  I have a month and a half to get myself recharged and reenergized before school starts again and I have a few goals that I am setting (but I am still working on them right now so not ready to share).

Again, I know this video is a baseball video but every time I hear these commercials come on tv it gives me pause because these men have a goal in mind- they are working for a common goal and I need to approach my goals the same way- to do what it needs to take to get the job done... (legally of course ;) LOL)




Sunday, June 16, 2013

Counting my Blessings- Heroes edition

Source: Uploaded by user via NJ on Pinterest

This isn't the blog post I was originally working on but there's no way I could let the day go without acknowledging my earthly heroes.  There are several definitions of what hero means but I turned to Merriam Webster online and found their definition said:

a : a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability
b : an illustrious warrior
c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities
d : one who shows great courage 
 
I am focusing on C today.  So, in my words- a hero is someone(s) who is looked up to for what they have done and most importantly WHO they are.  So, who are my heroes?  This guy and this lady a.k.a. my mom and dad.  I know, I know it's Father's Day so I should just concentrate on my dad, right?  I did extol some of his virtues here but today is a little bit different.  You see, today is also my parents' 40th wedding anniversary.  Yep, his 38th Father's Day and 40th anniversary in one day- can't beat that!  Anyway, I just want to say thank you to my mom and dad for setting a godly example for me.  Life has been full of ups and downs for them (just like everyone), they have sacrificed for each other and for my sister and I, they have set an example of a marriage that seeks to serve the other person (are they perfect?  no but nobody is) and they have set the bar high for me.  So, Happy Father's Day to my dad and Happy Anniversary to an amazing couple who I am honored to have as my parents.  Your support and encouragement has carried me through dark days and uncertain times.  Your love for me, and for each other, has given me an example that I hold close to my heart and treasure.  I love you and miss you both!


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Summer Shape Up with a Little Common Sense

Honestly, there's not much bad about the summertime- except for the heat- which today was HOT (but I just stayed inside all day).  Early morning sunrises means earlier runs (will hit that in the morning to try to beat the heat). Summer showers means time available to study, work on school stuff, or read.  Seasonal fruits and veggies means a break in the prices and hopefully some trips to the farmers market on Wednesdays or Saturdays!  It also means it's time to Shape up using some Common Sense.  As I have mentioned before I was named as a Diet-to-Go ambassador a couple of months ago.  I ate some of their food and then gave an honest review on my blog.  A few weeks ago (okay- about a month ago) I was also given the opportunity to participate in their fun summer activities- activities for a Summer Shape-Up with a Little Common Sense.  Because really that's all it is- shaping up using what we know. 

As part of this campaign there are LOTS of chances to win;

Join in on any one of these exciting online opportunities for a fun summer shape-up and your chance to win great prizes!

Facebook Sweepstakes: We are excited to announce our June summer sweepstakes, which will give you a chance to win up to one month of free meals! Like us on Facebook for your chance to win!! For sweepstakes details and official rules, visit our Sweepstakes Page, or ENTER HERE.


Twitter Chat: Join us Tuesday, June 18 at 9-10 p.m, (EST) for a Twitter chat to discuss common-sense methods and practices YOU can use to stay fit and get your summer shape-up on. Use hashtag #diettogo to join.  1 randomly drawn chatter will win a Fitbit Flex Wristband.  3 randomly drawn chatters will win a week of free meals.


DietBet: DietBet is a great way to get motivated to lose weight and get fit. How does DietBet work? Join a bet by putting $25 in the pot. You then have 4 weeks to lose 4% of your body weight, and if you reach your goal, you split the pot with other winners.
Diet-to-Go will be hosting our very own DietBet: Diet-to-Go's Summer Shape-Up, which will give YOU the opportunity to win money for losing weight. In addition to splitting the pot, we will give all winners a $50 gift card to use towards the purchase of any 7-day meal plan! Click here to join and take advantage of this incredible opportunity!

“Common-Sense Healthy Living” on Google +: Looking for a place to get real healthy living tips, weight loss ideas that actually work, recipes and much, much more? Then join ourfun Google + community, where people just like you share what’s worked (and what hasn’t worked) for them. You can come be a part of this fun community on Google + by clicking here.

 

I will be participating in a few of these- hope you join me! And the post I am working on is tied into this campaign but it's why I am excited about it and looking forward to it!

**as part of this campaign I was provided with a week's worth of free meals and a small amount of monetary compensation

New Winner

The last winner never contacted me (and she won because she liked my FB page but she's not on there so I couldn't tag her) so I "redrew" the winner and it was.... Janna Pullins for liking the Procompression FB page!  Now, for those who know me- yes, this is my sister and no this was not rigged ;) LOL  I hit the pick a winner button in the giveaway and it popped her name up.  In the meantime I am working on a new blog post (along with some health coaching studies, and trying to stay cool! 

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Counting My Blessings- Adversity

I had another thought in mind for today's blessing but I am holding onto it until next week.  The reason why is very simple- several people who I care about- both friends and family- have been dealing with some adversity in their lives.  It has been everything from emotional and spiritual adversity to a physical adversity (a "thing" not body). 


C.S. Lewis had a lot of wisdom in these words.  A lot of the thoughts from this came from my drive home and then this song that came on while traveling: 

along with a book we are reading in our Singles ABF (Sunday School) class at church called Trusting God by Jerry Bridges.  In my reading this week I came across this verse from Ecclesiastes 7:14  "In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him."  

From the book (page 51-chapter 3) "God controls both the good and the bad.  God has not looked the other way or been caught by surprise when adversity strikes us.  He is control of that adversity, directing it to His glory and our good."  They used the comparison of putting yourself in the shoes of James' wife and Peter's wife after James was killed and Peter was saved. Jerry Bridges says, "Trusting in God does not mean she doesn't suffer grief, that her heart does not ache.  It means that in the midst of her heartache and grief she can say something to the effect of, 'Lord, I know You were in control of this dreadful event. I do not understand why You allowed it to happen, but I trust You.' I readily admit it is difficult to believe God is in control when we are in the midst of anxiety, heartache, or grief... just as we must learn to obey God one choice at a time, we must learn to trust God one circumstance at a time...Our first priority in times of adversity is to honor and glorify God by trusting Him."

Now, I know that most of this post is made up of quotes and the thoughts of others.  However, here's my bottom line- I know that life is not easy- there's a lot of people who struggle daily with the various ups and downs of life.  And, it's even harder when that person is a Christian because there's the tendency to throw doubt or lack of faith in the mix (even when it's thrown there by others because then it gets into your head).  I have found that the blessing is found in being faithful in spite of adversity.  The staring the problem in the eyes and not letting the problem "beat you" but instead choosing to trust that there is a lesson and growth in the circumstance.  I keep coming back to these two passages:

"We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair;  persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;  always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies." (2 Corinthians 4:8-10)  and

"
"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4).  I placed the emphasis on WHEN because that's exactly what it says- WHEN, not if, not maybe but WHEN.  I WILL face trials- but those trials are there for me to grow from and share my experiences with others!  


So- to those who are struggling with the day to day adversities in life- or even the ones that come up every now and then- hang on- the tree you are hanging on to- will be the very one that will save you.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Winner winner chicken dinner ;)

Here's the winner of the ProCompression socks: Cassie McIntosh Channell

Please contact me with your full name and address as well as your shoe size.  Thanks to all for joining in with me on this first giveaway. :)  Hopefully I'll have some more in the future!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

The Runner's Life

So much of running is parallel to life- from the detours one must sometimes take, the obstacles to work through, the pain of an injury, and the joy of victory.  There's the pride in accomplishing a task that may, at one time, have seemed out of reach, the peace that comes from knowing you are in your "zone" and using the gift you have been given, and the broken heart that comes from realizing that, sometimes, that running dream isn't going to happen... this time.  Today, I just feel like I need to touch on the four basic areas and just go in depth about they impact my run.  See, today, June 5, is National Running Day- so this is "why I run"


Physical- this one is an obvious one- I run to feel healthy, to feel strong, to know that, physically, I am pushing my body out of the comfort zone.  I run because I can...


Emotional/Mental- this one is a tough one for me- because, as I mentioned in my previous post- I fight the comparisons all the time.  However, I run to feel free, to "let my hair down", to relieve stress (and so much more).

Spiritual- This one is another obvious one for me- I have mentioned it before- but when I run, I feel, and I know, that I am NOT running alone.  I live my life for the one who died for me- so, as I live my life- I take joy in the gifts that He has given me.  In the abilities He has placed in my hands (or feet)- I may not be the swiftest but as long as I am serving him with my hands and feet-- well that's all that's needed.

Source: society6.com via Amanda on Pinterest

Heart- This is something I am seeing over and over- a runner has to have a heart for it- a passion somewhere inside of them to run.  The more I run, the more that grows.  If I take too long of a break from running (such as recently) it still grows, just at a slower pace.  Where is your heart?  What is your passion?  What are you running for? 

I know this is in regards to baseball but it does use my favorite team so I have to share ;)  Instead of why I play- this is why I run- for that unfinished business....(oh, and for the record- I couldn't decide which video to share- so you may see the others added in to other blog posts in the future)


Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Just an FYI

I am out of town with limited Internet connection. I will post the winner of the ProCompression socks on Friday.

Monday, June 3, 2013

Final 5 by the 5th

My original goal was to run a race yesterday- a 5K to commemorate the year from when it hit me just how much I needed to begin this journey.  However, life took a strange turn with an unexpected trip out of town (just for vacation but the original plan brought the vacation to me) so that didn't happen quite like I had planned.  So, instead, to commemorate the final month in the 5 by the 5th I decided to run a 5K route from my sister's house.  I didn't know the route well, and it was hot, so my time was a bit slower than normal but it was completed and I felt good upon finishing!  The biggest difference between central Ohio and East TN?  The elevation!!!  In TN it's nothing to have differences of up to 400 ft.  39/49 ft were the most of a difference in elevation that I dealt with :)  Flat, flat, flat... :)






So- what have I learned through this running journey?

This:
Source: theberry.com via Tami on Pinterest


and this:
Source: p.twimg.com via Tami on Pinterest




Sunday, June 2, 2013

Counting my blessings

I have decided that my Sunday posts are going to be all about counting my blessings, they may not come every week but as often as possible I will be focusing on things that I am thankful for.



Today's blessing was brought about by the fact that tomorrow, June 3, I have a birthday.  I will be 38- and as one three year old reminded me this week- that's a big number ;) LOL and as my nephew reminded me- that's close to 40 (yes, I know that- thank you for that) ;)  I have really been contemplating my life and the impact that I am making on others.  Am I sharing His love with those around me?  Am I letting my heart, my passion, for others come through when I talk with them.  More and more I keep thinking of where I want to take my health coaching business- I know that I want to do something with children, and possibly even with medical coaching.  However, as time goes by, my heart is reaching out to how to best tie in my faith in these areas- I remember my reading of Made to Crave and how it helped me and I think that's part of where my heart is.  Thankfully I am just starting this journey so I have lots of time to refine my direction with it.

My heart keeps coming back to these words in Psalm 90: "So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." I desperately need to gain and grow that heart of wisdom and know that it can only come through consistent time spent in the Word.  

So my blessings come from the realization that I have been giving these days for a reason.  They are not to be complacent and just sit around.  They are to be used to seek Him and serve others- not self. 

 As I come to the end of this "long" post- I'll recap quickly- my blessing for today are the days that I have been given.  They aren't always easy, they aren't always good but they are "mine" and they are what I make of them.  So, my goal is to make the days count- I have one earthly life to live and I want to live it to the fullest. 


Source: facebook.com via David on Pinterest
 

 oh, and this week I hope to have a few posts scheduled but I am on vacation with my parents and nephew with limited access to a computer.  We shall see if they get written- if not, I will post when I get back (see, I am taking care to recognize the blessings in my days)