Accountability

I know something we might all struggle with. Making health a habit. Putting exercise as a priority. Finding the time in your busy day to eek out some form of movement and healthy choices.

I also know a way to help with it. You've got to get some accountability. It comes in many forms. Maybe you join an office pool to lose weight. Or even try the online betting app called DietBet where you can join challenges and win money when you reach your goal. You can promise yourself a treat when you reach a certain goal. Or talk your significant other into keeping you accountable during mealtime. And then there is certainly my favorite...find a fit sister. Get yourself a partner in crime. Someone to work out with. Someone to call when the sugar monster rears its ugly head. Someone who will be bummed if you hit the snooze button and miss a session. 

Having someone to hold me accountable has been the biggest motivator in my fitness journey. I'm strong but my willpower wavers at times. The other evening I was this close to throwing my hands up in the air and calling uncle on my Whole30. But luckily my supportive husband talked me off the ledge. 

Today is Day 20 of your nutrition challenge and I want to know how you are feeling! What obstacles have you encountered? What has been you favorite part of it so far? What results are you seeing? And remember results aren't always on the scale. Are you sleeping better? Increased energy? Clearer skin? Tell me about it!

Catching Up and Weekly Check-In

1-12-15 Eats:
Breakfast- leftover salmon and eggs
Lunch- leftover chicken legs
Dinner- fried oysters (made with coconut flour) and sweet potato fries

1-13-15 Eats:
Breakfast- smoked salmon, avocado, and fried eggs
Lunch- turkey, avocado, remoulade' lettuce sub
Dinner- Cracklin' Chicken, steamed veggies and half a sweet potato

1-14-15 Eats:
Breakfast- bacon and salad eggs with hot sauce
Lunch- turkey, bacon, avocado, remoulade' schmaleo sub
Dinner- Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy with mashed cauliflower
After Dinner Snack- cut up banana, almond butter, toasted coconut flakes

I've really slacked on my water intake the past few days. I've gotten almost all the way once, the other few days I've only drank about half a gallon. I have had my oils in the morning and my ginger shot. And of course on Day 14 of my Whole30 I'm feeling pretty damn awesome.

The kids and I are headed out of town on an impromptu mini-vaca, and I'll be eating out. But lucky me, Northwest Arkansas has plenty of options for finding clean food. Meet you back here in a few days. In the meantime make certain and post your weekly update. The more you participate the more likely you are to win prizes!

#8WTF Days 10 & 11

Whoops! I was so darn tired I totally forgot to post last night.

Yesterday's eats went like this:

Breakfast- prosciutto and egg muffins
Lunch- roast & veggies
Snack- Larabar and banana
Dinner- shrimp and asparagus


Today's grub:

Breakfast- bacon, eggs, leftover salmon with spicy mayo
Lunch- more leftover salmon with spicy mayo
Dinner- Hot wings and sweet potato fries with spicy mayo

Hmm...lots of spicy mayo, very little veggies. I'll have to fix that tomorrow.

I've reached my water goal for the day but didn't get my oils in or my ginger shot.



I know most of you aren't doing the Whole30 but I thought I would write a little bit about how I go about it. Almost everyone will tell you to prep, prep, prep! Take Sunday or whatever and cook up a storm, slice up all your veggies, pack lunches. Some easy things to prep are frittatas, chicken thighs, seasoned ground beef, chicken legs, chili, paleo mayo, and deviled eggs. These are regular go to things for our family. But honestly I don't do a whole lot of prep. I am home all day most days of the week so I have plenty of time to cook our three meals. I just make sure and cook more than we need so there are lots of leftovers for those hungry people who wander in the kitchen and stare into the fridge as if it holds the answers to all life's questions. Since my husband is participating in this Whole30, I make extra sure these leftovers are available.

Let's take a look into my Whole30 fridge. Mind you I just went shopping today so its pretty packed. And of course you will see a lot of non-Whole30 food and a lot of non-Paleo food. My kids still have to eat. They mostly eat what we eat but there are times in between meals or when I'm not hungry myself and don't want to cook, but they still want to eat. Just overlook those items. I'm sure I've missed a few things but what I've listed is my most often used items.

#8WTF Whole30 Day 8

The hardest thing about the Whole30 to me is that alcohol is prohibited during the thirty days.

In fact all I really want to do today is drink a beer.

That's all I have to say.

Today's Whole30 eats:

Breakfast- bacon and fried eggs
Lunch- leftover Lobster Bisque
Snack- apple with almond butter
Dinner- half a ribeye and a small bowl of Lobster Bisque

I nailed my water intake and also had my oils and ginger shot.



If you are truly wanting to quit drinking alcohol, I highly recommend the community site, Hello Sunday Morning. They have a terrific philosophy about alcohol and an amazing support system.

#8WTF Day 7 & Mediterranean Roast Chicken & Weekly Check-In

Last night's dinner was one of my own recipes. Mediterranean Roasted Chicken. So good, and the leftovers are just as bomb.

Ingredients:

4 bone in split chicken breast

1/4 c. balsamic vinegar

2 tbsp. capers

3 canned artichoke hearts chopped

1 tbsp. garlic

2 tbsp. sundried tomatoes

1 tbsp dried basil or a 1/4 c. fresh basil thinly sliced

Early in the day, marinate the chicken breast in the balsamic vinegar.

Preheat oven to 375 or preheat grill.

Mix all other ingredients together. Pull back skin on chicken breasts and stuff in the mixture. Place in roasting dish and bake for 45 min to 1 hour or until juices run clear. If grilling start with skin side down to sear and seal in stuffing mixture. Continue to flip back and forth until done.

Today was rest day. A much appreciated rest day. I literally stayed in my pj's all day long. I got my water in, although it was tougher than normal with no exercise to increase my thirst. Also had my oil infused water, but didn't have a ginger shot. Whole30 still going strong. Todays eats were:

Breakfast- eggs, bacon, sweet potato hash

Lunch- leftover Mediterranean Roast Chicken and veggies with a quarter sweet potato

Snack- half and avocado wrapped in turkey

Dinner- Paleo Lobster Bisque

For dinner tonight I found a recipe to use up some of the lobster tails I have stored in the fridge. This Paleo Lobster Bisque from Cavegirl Cuisine turned out very good.

At the end of Week 1, I kept to my goals, but I'm feeling very tired today.

Let me know how your week has gone. What small daily steps have you done to reach your goals? Any obstacles get in your way?

#8WTF Day 4

What are you doing to track your goals? And I say goals because none of us are rarely easy on ourselves and just pick one goal. We must do this and this and also this. In order to not beat myself up on the days that fall a bit short, I keep a log. It reminds me of the big picture. The long term. Progress not perfection.

As you can see the last few days I've fallen short on my water intake. And today I didn't get my oils or my ginger shot. No excuses. I'll do better tomorrow. Hopefully at the end of the month I can say I drank a gallon of water 25/30 days. A few days here and there are nothing to stress about. The Whole30 goal isn't flexible though. Whole30 requires strict adherence to produce results. It requires research, planning, and commitment. I made cupcakes with frosting for my daughter and had to remember really hard not to lick any wayward frosting. Yay for me!


#8WTF links from around the web (basically good stuff to know):

8 Reasons You're Not Losing Weight

What 2000 Calories Looks Like

Whole30 Recipes and Tips

Fitness Is The Best Gift

It was a very Merry Fitmas to me!

I scored new weights, new gym flooring, a roman bench/chair, an exercise ball, and a new chef's knife. All tools to help me along on my fitness journey. 2015 is it y'all!

Christmas dinner was nice and clean. Prime rib, brussel sprouts with bacon, mashed potatoes, and these gorgeous lobster tails. Maybe we got a little crazy with the butter, but hey, it is Christmas!

Today, post-Christmas booze fest, I got in a good workout and got to try out my new equipment. I focused on legs and abs and booty.

I am beyond excited about my Roman bench. It was one of my most missed pieces of equipment from when I went to the gym. The garage gym is growing. Pretty soon, my setup will be exactly what I want and need. Who needs a gym when you have a garage gym?

Forced Break

Once I get in a regular groove again,  healthy eating, regularly running and lifting, and I'm forced to take a break, even for a few days, it totally messes with my head.

On Monday I wasn't quite in the mood to work out. But I forced myself out to the garage gym and busted out an upper body circuit. It felt good to have it done, even though it didn't get done until nearly 4pm.

Tuesday was a run day, but I spent the entire day with an upset stomach. Like bad. I was pretty sure I couldn't make it through a three mile run. So I rescheduled for Wednesday. Then I decided it was booze night! So I woke up Wednesday with a aching head, no energy, and a jacked up neck. I kept waiting around all day to see if the neck would resolve itself. But no go. I had this same type of pain right before Christmas last year and I suffered for a month before I got a cortisone shot that made it all better.

So if we are counting...that is two days of missed workouts. And its messing with my brain. I know rest is crucial especially where pain is involved, but I can't help but feel like I lose all the progress I have made when I have to take time off.

I'm gauging my neck carefully today. It feels better. Possibly okay enough to run, but probably not to do any shoulder presses. Or pushups. Even if I have to just go for a long walk today, it will be better than nothing.

8 Weeks To Fit

This is an invitation. A chance to take the promise of a new year with all its resolutions and ride it all the way to the end of February. Use that momentum and motivation and do something with it!

I invite you to start something new, continue on your path, pick back up where you left off. Whatever it means to you. Because that is what this challenge is about. You. I'm not going to tell you what to eat or give you a daily workout. Those are your choices. You are much better equipped to decide your fitness road than I am.

Along with my friend Ashley over at Maniac Mom, I am offering up this challenge (with prizes!!) too you.

Here are the nitty gritty details:

• This is a two month challenge. January will focus on nutrition. February on fitness.
• Participants set their own goals.  In January you will choose a nutrition plan that you have been interested in trying or unable to stick with in the past. It's your choice to count calories, do a sugar detox, eat clean, or try paleo.  In February you will pick a fitness goal. Things like completing your first 5K or setting a new PR. Maybe you goal is to work up to a 10 mile run. Maybe you just want to be able to run a mile! Practice yoga everyday for a month or try crossfit for the first time. The goals are yours and yours alone.
• Prizes will be given at the end of each month. They include a $50 Academy Sports giftcard, a goody bag of running related treats valued at $40, and other things to be announced at a later date. 
• Participants must check in by commenting on a weekly update post here on Ashley In Arkansas.
• In order to be in the running for a prize, you must set a goal and reach that goal. You will also be judged on your level of participation on the Facebook page, the weekly blog check-ins, and you stand a better chance if you volunteer to write guest posts detailing your experience working towards your goals.  E-mail me or leave a comment if you are interested in guest blogging. Also gratuitous hashtagging on social media of #8WTF is a good thing!

Some tips on reaching your goals: 

• Your nutrition plan should be something that is right for you. I personally feel like counting calories is the easiest way to go about it. Sparkpeople is a terrific website for this but there are many others. Check out Sarah Wilson and her I Quit Sugar program if you are most interested in kicking the sugar monster to the curb. Tosca Reno has several books on Eating Clean. Mark's Daily Apple is a great place to get started on primal and paleo plans. And of course for you hard core girls, there is always a Whole30.
• Take it one day, one hour, one minute at a time. Fight cravings with healthy substitutes or just plain walking away. Does the donut shop always tempt you on the way to work? Drive a different route to avoid it. Know you have a problem avoiding your kids treats. Don't buy them for that month. It will be good for your kids too.
• Drink water!!!!
• Drink water!!!!
• I can't say it enough...DRINK WATER!!! Sometimes you think you are hungry and you are really just thirsty.
• Make your fitness goal attainable. If you've never run a mile in your life don't sign up for a 10K. Try a 5K instead. 
• Make fitness a priority. You need this. It's good for your body and your brain.
• If you can't fit it in anytime but first thing in the morning, then get your booty up and get it done. You won't have it looming over you all day and your day will most certainly go better.
• Find a friend! Get your best girlfriend to sign up with you and spark a little healthy competition and accountability. You are less likely to skip a workout when someone is waiting on you.
• Use our Facebook page. Everyone will be struggling through this together. You will find support and solidarity on our group's page. Use it to your advantage.

Ready to sign up?

I'm doing it!

Leave a comment on this post or on the Facebook page outlining your goals for January and February. Make sure you leave an e-mail address you can be reached at. You have until December 31st to do this. If you have a blog, please link to it as well. I will be posting a roster of all participants on January 1st. 

And...if you are one of the first 10 people to sign up you have a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card. Use it for a new cookbook, kitchen gadget, whatever you need to give yourself a leg up on the first part of the challenge. 

Make sure to Like the Facebook page, Ashley In Arkansas on Instagram, Maniac Mom on Instagram and please follow along on Pinterest for inspiration. My favorite boards are Eat All The Food, What To Do When Not Running, and Run Happy. If you are going to document any part of your challenge on social media, please use the hashtag #8WTF so we can find you. 

It's no coincidence that WTF is part of the challenge's acronym. You might be thinking WTF on Day 3 of a sugar detox, or 5 miles into your 10 mile run. Just know that you can do this. Embrace the pain, trust the process, work for that goal. And don't be scared to drop an F-bomb if it helps get you through one more rep. 

Until then...

Gym Rat? Not So Sure About That

Well I broke down and did it. I joined a gym.

After a month or so of babying my knee and running through the pain I decided something had to be done.

So off to the gym I go to engage in some low impact cardio and strength training to correct my knee problem so running isn't altogether out of the picture.

Any tips for a newbie?

Got Protein?

I need some obviously.

I've noticed since hitting my goal weight, that I've been fraternizing with carbs a little too freely. Carbs are good. They give you energy, help your brain function, and loads of other stuff. But like anything, too much is just too much.

I'm going to start watching them again. Making sure I eat enough of the yummy suckers but not overdoing it. I'm feeling a little pouchy in the belly and I don't like it! Upping my intake of lean protein and limiting my carbs to breakfast and lunch should help that.

My run was rained out this morning and I am hoping to get it in around 2pm today. The sky had better cooperate because I haven't ran since Friday and I am feeling antsy. I don't normally take such a long break, getting in at least 3 miles on Sundays. This weekend I was under the weather and opted to clean the house instead of run. Now I'm regretting that decision.

The cookbook giveaway ends tonight. Winner announced tomorrow. Also I will be posting a new giveaway from a women's running clothes company. You do not want to miss this one!

I Give.

Three days into the experiment and I call uncle.

I NEED to be held accountable. I absolutely cannot trust myself with food.

I inhaled a massive amount of sweets just now. I kept telling myself it was justified since I ran 6 miles this morning. It is not. I know this.

I ate perfectly fine the remainder of the day. I'm not sure what is up with this sugar craving I've got going on but it is bad.

It's time to count calories and take a sweet/chocolate hiatus.

I am also perfectly aware that one binge is not going to ruin me. But....I need to record my food and I need to get serious about it again. The only thing is that I feel like I eat too little when I count calories.

I will figure this out. I will win this war.

Food 1. Fat Girl 0.

Experiment Time

Starting today I am going to stop counting calories.

But only for a week.

I woke up early and weighed myself. 130lbs even.

I plan on eating the way I know how to this week and weighing in again next Monday. I eagerly await the results. I want to just listen to my body, eat food that's good for me, and not obsess on meeting or beating my daily calorie limits.

Please do not misunderstand me. I am a huge proponent of tracking what you put in your mouth. It was one half of the awesome duo that was key to my weight loss. I just feel like I've been obsessed with it for almost a year now and I want to see if I can just EAT, not count and maintain my weight.

Wish me luck.

In exercise news, I pounded out 4 long boring miles on the treadmill this morning. I missed my long run this weekend and that put me in a running funk but things will be fine. I know this.

Have a great week and Happy Running!

9 Miles In and it's Only Tuesday...Wait, it's Monday???

• Wooohoooo! Super duper awesome 6.3 mile run on Monday morning. 1 hour exactly. Longest I have ever ran in my life! Phyllis is the perfect running partner. No, you can't have her.
• 3 miles in intervals this morning, hill walking and strength training tomorrow. Longish (maybe 4-5 miles) run on Wednesday. Two days of rest to follow.
• Cause ya know what? ------ The Dam Night Run is on Saturday! Hoop hoop! So excited for this 5K. It will be my first chip timed race, they supposedly have a great afterparty and....it is all downhill!
• Hopped on the scale this morning. 130.5lbs even. Well that goal wasn't hard to reach. What do I set if for now?
• I had three pieces of Squash Pie for dinner. 120 calories a piece. Does anyone want the recipe? Southern savory cooking at its best.
• Also, someone got mentioned in a little list of running blogs on a great site called Traxee. Check it out, yo.

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Motivation? Inspiration? Perspiration?

I've had more than a few friends tell me I inspire them.

Some said I inspired them to start watching what they ate and maybe start to exercise a bit.

Some said I inspired them to eat a cheeseburger, sit on the couch, and be happy that way.

Either way, it's nice to know I'm an influence on someone.

Over the past 11 months, my husband has continually told me how proud he is of me. That he really didn't think I had the willpower to accomplish what I have. He says I motivate him and inspire him to get healthy.

A little background on my darling spouse. He is not overweight. He smokes, he drinks, he spends a lot of time on the computer. He also spends a lot of time walking at his job. He likes to eat, but not excessively. He also does not like diet food. Low fat anything does not pass his lips. It had better have real butter and possibly some bacon somewhere. Interestingly enough, he loves salads and regular fat cottage cheese. He played basketball in high school and was a very active kid. Point being, dude is not that far off the healthy track. And lately he's been talking about running. He has seen the positive side effects in me and I think he wants a taste. He also thinks having a physical hobby might help curb the smoking. As I tell him all the time, "You can't smoke and run. I tried. Didn't work."

This morning my handsome hunk of a husband hopped on the treadmill and asked me to write down W1D1 of C25K for him. I did, and then sat back and watched him complete it. I was seriously impressed and proud.

I hope I don't jinx it but here is hoping I can have my husband as a running partner some day.

Random Saturday

• I've reworked my goals. Set a new goal weight of 130lbs. Only 4 lbs to lose but at least it is something to work for. 1500 calories tops a day. 6 good eating days followed by one "treat" day. I am choosing to call it a treat day instead of a cheat day. Hopefully I'll feel like I am treating myself instead of devouring everything in sight. Run 4 days a week, weight train 3 days a week.
• My 6 miler got cancelled due to a raging thunderstorm this morning. Postponed until Monday morning.
• We're going out tonight so the hubs can play music at the local dive bar. I'm allowing myself 4 beers and have already documented it in the food journal. Thank goodness for light beer.
• I had Overnight Oats for breakfast. If it weren't for the whopping 100 carbs in the dish I might have it every morning. I made the rest of the family whole wheat blueberry pancakes with blueberry syrup and whipped cream. The kids loved it, didn't know the difference. The husband scoffed for a minute but devoured it like I knew he would.
• I'm sad I'm not running today. I could hop on the treadmill but it just wouldn't be the same. Hopefully some hard core cleaning, combined with eating right will suffice. I could use an extra rest day. I guess.

Confession #5

Aaaaah!

I'm craving salt, irritable, bloated, retaining water, snapping at everyone (even the dog), and breaking out. Anyone want to take a stab (did I mention I am stabby) at my general ailment?

I freakin' hate PMS.

Confession time: I have stuffed my face for the past two face. Literally. Did not stop eating. Nothing was safe. I am so ashamed yet I feel that I should put if out there. I even went through a whole carton of Hiland Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream in two days. Popcorn, steak, jalapeno poppers (not with light cream cheese either) wrapped in bacon, cereal, the list goes on. Sure there were a bunch of healthy things, like the nearly pound of cherries and peaches and egg whites and veggies and salads. But the sheer amount was just ridiculous.

Nothing was satisfying me. And to top it off I feel like I was really lazy with my exercise. I only got in about 7 miles on the treadmill. I did do some strength which is more than last week but gah!

I am really looking forward to my run in the morning. I'll be getting up super duper early and meeting Phyllis for 5.5-6 miles. I think it will make me feel so much better and turn me right back the way I need to be. I've set a new goal of 130. I'm sure right now I am at 135 due to all these damn munchies. I just have to remember how hard I worked to get here and how much I love it.

My new mantra is going to be: "Size six. Size six. Size six."

Planning Ahead

A few posts ago, I was lamenting about where to go from here. What to do. How to maintain.

I love this calorie intake calculator. And I also really like the idea of calorie cycling. I think I've been doing calorie cycling all along by having cheat days and then really low cal days. Anyways, I plugged in all the numbers and got myself a schedule that falls between weight loss and maintenance. I really like it and when I weighed myself this week, I was down another half pound.

Many of you suggested I set another goal. Great advice! I signed up for another 5K and am planning on signing up for a 10K in November. I have a great running partner now and we have a set weekend date for a long run. Long for me anyways. I don't know about her but right now 5 miles is long. I'm hoping I can increase it up to 7 or 8 miles before the 10K. And...if the 10K goes well and life cooperates then I really think I want to attempt to train for the Little Rock Half-Marathon. But that isn't until March. Plenty of time to figure it all out.

I read an interesting little article in Women's Health last night about how to order fast food, healthier. Every other weekend, we find ourselves on the road at dinner time on Friday night and Sunday night. Like clockwork, we have no choice but to eat out twice a weekend, every other weekend. And we're not talking sitting down and eating. No time for that, and I'm not a huge fan of dining out with cranky, road tired children. So we grab something and hit the road again to get home as quickly as possible.

The article gave a few good suggestions:

• At Pizza Hut you can order any pie "fit and delicious". They give you extra sauce and veggies and only half the cheese. I don't know about you but I freakin love pizza!

• Popeyes offers "naked chicken" on sandwiches and salads. Saves you about 100 calories over fried. But I love Popeyes fried chicken. Especially the super spicy kind. I'll try this though when I know I need a light day and I'm traveling and the husband insists on this Southern favorite.

• We love Subway (kids included) and evidently you can order any sandwich as a salad and save up to 520 calories depending on the size and type of the sandwich.

• Starbucks will give you an 8oz. drink if you ask for it short and this will save major calories depending on your poison. They will also add protein powder and according to the magazine article, theirs is only 30 calories a scoop.

• And at numerous burger joints you can order a veggie burger or sandwich and it comes without the patty. Or order it protein style and get the sandwich without the bun. I wouldn't do either of these. I like my protein and carbs. But just an FYI.

I personally love Taco Bell and their Fresco menu. I know you could order like this at the Bell forever but they are finally advertising it and listing calorie counts and such on the menu. I can eat like three tacos for dinner and not go over my limit!

What do you order in a pinch on the road?

Achieving My Goal and Now What?

Yummy! Asparagus is almost out of season

so I'm eating it all hours of the day.

Calories: 255 Carbs: 18 Fat:15 Protein: 13

Today's breakfast: 1/2 english muffin

3 spears asparagus

1 egg

1 slice swiss cheese

1 tsp olive oil

Saute' asparagus in olive oil, meanwhile toast muffin. When asparagus is tender, fry egg in leftover oil. Assemble on toasted muffin and top with a slice of swiss cheese and ground pepper. Enjoy!

******

A few days ago I stepped on the scale (actually my Wii Fit the only scale in the house) and low and behold my goal smacked me right in the face. The number read 134.8, the exact number the Wii Fit had set for me as a healthy weight. My BMI coming in at 22.89 which is also healthy. I was shocked. Which I realize is a strange reaction to finally achieving something you've been working for.

I've been on this fitness/health/weight loss journey since August of last year. It has taken me almost exactly 10 months to lose 32lbs. That comes out to 3.2lbs of weight loss a month. But that is deceiving. Some months I dropped 10 lbs. Other times the scale didn't move for over a month. And then I have to take in account all the muscle I gained from running and strength training. I had my holiday setbacks (cheesecake anyone?) and many a birthday party and girl's night occasion. I also like to drink. That will definitely slow down the dropping of the pounds.

Back to my reaction though. As I said, I was shocked. I could not believe I had actually done it. But it is real. The proof is in the size tag in my new shorts. A six! I haven't seen a size 6 since before my first kiddo was born. I've gotten to an eight, once and only for a short time before getting pregnant again. It wasn't a toned eight either. More like I can stuff myself into a pair of eights but I should really be wearing a ten for the benefit of the people around me.

Despite my shock, I am elated. And also, kind of scared. How do I maintain this? I know that my activity level will probably continue to increase as it has been doing. I've got plans to train for a 10K and maybe (I keep saying this) a half-marathon. But the eating? I've worked so hard to change my eating habits and I still count my calories religiously, but I find myself cheating more and more. I make sure and write down all my cheats and my bad days but that is not doing much to deter me from doing it all over again a day or two later.

Is this a normal reaction to finally reaching that magic number?

How My Day Got Better

Today's run SUCKED!

Honestly. No joke. Major suckage.

I waited until noon to run on the treadmill. Errands and doc appointments kept me from getting it done at 7am as usual. And as usual, a middle of the day run was terrible for me. I made it 1.75 miles before calling it quits. I had no energy. I had not eaten in almost 5 hours, my legs were lead. I hopped off and did some quick SparkPeople videos. Specifically the Butt Ball Workout, 6 Minute Upper Body Ball Workout, and the 15 Minute Abs Workout.

Once that was done I made myself a sandwich and had some super yummy dark chocolate with espresso beans and felt much better. I think I just needed some food!

About 2pm my doorbell rang. Mr. FedEx man had dropped a package at my front door and to my delight it was my long awaited FREE pair of Asics! A while back I won a gift certificate from Run Like A Mother and my shoes finally came.

Look at these beauties! So clean and shiny. It was totally time for a new pair cause I think I had about 400+ miles on my old pair. They will now be my running around town when I'm not actually running shoes. I can't wait to take these new Asics out for a run. It was a great little pick me up to get these right after a really sucky run day.

On a side note, I bought some chia seeds and some quinoa today. Recipes and suggestions please!