Spring Inspiration

This weather is awesome! It definitely is helping me in the motivation department. I want to be outside and doing something all the time!

 Victoria's Secret also sent their swimsuit catalog this week :) I love getting these because it is a constant reminder of why I am doing all these physical activities. Of course it is for my health!

And to Find My Inner Bombshell!

I am seeing hoards of women in my neighborhood all throughout the day that seem to have the same goal in mind. Kudos to all those women who are getting out there, getting fit, and finding their bombshell too. Seeing those motivated women out there also helps me to stay motivated. Thanks ladies and keep it up!

For when the weather changes and the rainclouds come out (which they will be doing soon) I purchased a couple new DVDs to help me on my quest. I bought Carmen Elektra's Aerobic Striptease, and Latin Grooves Cardio Dance. I heard great things about both of them, and hopefully they will be a lot of fun.

Valentine's Day Run

So I started my 1/2 marathon training on Monday! What a perfect V-day gift to me! The twins and I completed 3 miles (I know we were scheduled for 2 so I ran 2 and walked 1 hoping this will get my body ready for next week when 3 miles is the requirement!). It was gorgeous outside! The weather was nice at about 55 and sunny with a nice breeze (to help push me up the hills!), and the sites were beautiful. It is always fun to see signs of spring- the bulbs poking through the mulch, the trees beginning to sprout, and the grass starting to get greener. It was so peaceful and definitely a stress-reliever. I think that's my favorite part about running. It's not about how far or how fast you run; it's more psychological than that. It's the leaving everything else behind, clearing my mind and just letting go that makes me love running, finding that inner peace and getting me "right" before I start the tough parts of my day. It's just a bonus that it helps the physique too! What makes you love to run?

1/2 Marathon Training

The Country Music Marathon is now only 10 weeks away! I downloaded the Runner's World Smart Coach Training App for my Ipod and it mapped out a training schedule for me...Here it is:

Week 1
M- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
W- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
F- Cross Train
S- 2 miles, easy run
S- Rest
Week 2
M-2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
W- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
F- Cross Train
S- 3 miles, easy run
S- Rest
Week 3
M- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
W- 3 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
F- Cross Train
S- 4 miles, easy run
S- Rest
Week 4
M- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
W- 3 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
F- Cross Train
S- 5 miles, easy run
S- Rest
Week 5
M- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
W- 5 miles, speedwork
T- Cross Train
F- Cross Train
S- 6 miles, long run
S- Rest
Week 6
M- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
W- 5 miles, speedwork
T- Cross Train
F- Cross Train
S- 6 miles, long run
S- Rest
Week 7
M- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
W- 5 miles, tempo run
T- Cross Train
F- Cross Train
S- 7 miles, long run
S- Rest
Week 8
M- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
W- 6 miles, tempo run
T- Cross Train
F- Cross Train
S- 7 miles, long run
S- Rest
Week 9
M- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
W- 7 miles, speedwork
T- Cross Train
F- Cross Train
S- 8 miles, long run
S- Rest
Week 10
M- 2 miles, easy run
T- Cross Train
W- 5 miles, tempo run
T- Cross Train
F- Cross Train
S- 13.1 miles Race day!
S- Rest

Hopefully the groundhog was right and warm weather is upon us. That's the only way this will work for me. Running in the snow and ice just isn't going to happen.

What Should I Be Eating?

Everyone knows that in order to lose weight, you have to use up more calories than you take in. How do you figure out how many calories you need to consume (and from which foods) in order to get to the bombshell body you are striving for? Check out Healthy Body Calculator for  your results.

Here is my info: 

Your Data

Measure: US Age: 27 Gender: Female Height: 5 feet, 5 inches Weight: 136 pounds Activity level: Sleeping 10 hours Sedentary 8 hours Low activity 3 hours Active 2 hours Very active 1 hours Weight goal: Lose 2 pounds per week Body fat: Goal 18 percent Calorie distribution: Fat 30 percent Protein 20 percent Carbohydrate 50 percent Waist to hip ratio: Waist 27 inches Hip 40 inches

Healthy Weight Range

Your weight: 136 pounds Healthy body weight range is: 111 to 149 pounds

This is a healthy weight range for you based on your height and gender. The weight range does not consider your level of fitness. If you are a lean athlete, your weight goal based on your percent body fat would be a better indicator of what you should weigh.

Body Mass Index

Your BMI: 22.7 Healthy BMI range: 18.5 - 25 You are at a healthy weight for your height.

Body Mass Index indicates your risk of chronic diseases. If you are pregnant, you will not get a BMI report. Underweight BMI means you have a low risk of chronic disease. If your BMI and body weight are low, you should consider gaining weight by eating more food and lifting weights to increase your muscle size. If you are an athlete, your weight based on your measured percent body fat would be a better indicator of what you should weigh and you will not get a BMI report. Healthy BMI means you have a average risk of chronic disease. Overweight means you are at risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, stroke and cancer. You should consider losing weight by making healthier food choices, controlling portion sizes and exercising to decrease your body fat. If you are an older person (> 65 years), your BMI may underestimate your body fat due to loss of muscle mass. Weight lifting would be beneficial.

Waist to Hip Ratio

Ratio: 0.68 Pear shape: lower health risk

This tells you where most of your body fat is located. Apple shape (a ratio of .95 or greater) means your body fat is located above your waist which indicates a higher health risk for heart disease, elevated triglycerides, high blood pressure, stroke, longer time to get pregnant, and diabetes. Pear shape (a ratio of less than .95) means your body fat is located below your waist which indicates a lower health risk.

Your Nutrition Facts

The calories, protein, fat and carbohydrate are customized to your calorie distribution and are adjusted according to your weight goal (maintain, gain or lose). The lowest Calorie Daily Value that will be calculated is 1,200 calories per day.

Your Nutrition Facts Calorie Daily Value 1,200 Calories from fat 360 Total Fat 40 g    Saturated Fat 4 g Cholestrol 300 mg Sodium 2,400 mg Potassium 3,500 mg Total Carbohydrate 150 g    Dietary Fiber 25 g    Sugars 64 g Protein 60 g Vitamin A 5,000 IU Vitamin C 60 mg Calcium 1,000 mg Iron 18 mg Vitamin D 400 IU Vitamin E 30 IU Thiamin 1.5 mg Riboflavin 1.7 mg Niacin 20 mg Vitamin B-6 2.0 mg Folate 400 mcg Vitamin B-12 6 mcg Biotin 300 mcg Pantothenic Acid 10 mg Phosphorus 1,000 mg Iodine 150 mcg Magnesium 400 mg Zinc 15 mg Copper 2 mg

The calories, protein, fat and carbohydrate are customized to your calorie distribution and are adjusted according to your weight goal (maintain, gain or lose). The lowest Calorie Daily Value that will be calculated is 1,200 calories per day. Your weight goal was calculated to less than 1,200 calories. Your expected weight loss per week has been re-calculated. At 1,200 calories per day you can expept to lose 1.1 pounds per week. After each 10 pound weight loss, re-try the Healthy Body Calculator® because your Calorie Daily Value will change as you lose weight. This should help prevent a weight loss plateau or as you reach a 1,200 calorie minimum it will show why your weight loss has slowed. Increase your exercise minutes to improve weight loss. Food labels contain the amount of calories and nutrients per serving of food. To work towards your weight goal, subtract the calories and grams of nutrients that concern you on food labels (for the number of servings of food you eat) from the calories and nutrients in Your Nutrition Facts. For foods not labeled, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, the calories are low as long as you eat moderate portions, don't add fat or deep fry these nutritious foods. The remaining nutrients are your Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) for vitamins and minerals. These include your Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA). Pregnant women need 30 mg of iron per day. This level can best be reached with an iron supplement. Talk to your doctor about taking a prenatal vitamin with follate.