Staying...

You don't drown by falling in the water. You drown by staying there.

~Unknown Author

Today is the first of the month. So, if you have made the choice to get healthy, fallen off the wagon, or took a flying leap like I have these past few days, lets all start this month.

Here's to a healthy November!

Choices

It's not a secret that we all like quick, easy, and convenient. It can be a real pitfall when it comes to snacking...or even meals for that matter. It's easier to grab a cookie than to peel carrots or cut up an apple.

Since running season is over, I have to get back on track and focus on how much I am eating. I am so used to being able to eat basically whatever I want, but now that I am not putting in the miles like I do from April-October I need to watch it.

When I was doing weight watchers after I had Landon, it really helped me to measure out everything I was going to eat for the day for breakfast and lunch and set it aside. That way I could actually see what I was going to be eating. It made it easier to not wander to the cupboards.

Get in to the habit of washing all fruits and veggies when you get home from grocery shopping. Sometimes, that's the thing that gets me from grabbing something healthy first...I just don't want to take the time to wash something...I would rather just open a wrapper or reach in a box.

On a tight budget? Don't want to spend the extra cash for the packaging of those 100 cal snacks?? Measure out your own at the start of your week. Use the little snack baggies...it will make the 100 calories look like a lot more.

Bottom line....measure and plan ahead. Happy eating!

Playlist

Once I settle in to my pace around mile two, I like slower songs and songs that are not so heavy. I really like Beyonce. I don't consider myself boodtylicious, I am not a single lady, and Dan is definitely not replacable, but her songs get stuck in my head. So, here's a suggestion for your playlist. :-)

Another Season Over

We finished our last race of the season on Sunday. It's been a good one! Here's to an even better season next year!

Keep on...

The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.

~Unknown Author

And may I add...

Life is a highway so keep driving!

Ultra Goal

Goals are not only absolutely necessary to motivate us. They are essential to really keep us alive.

~Robert H. Schuller

I had a crazy idea on Saturday.
It always seems to happen when I am bored.
I had a crazy idea while pregnant with my last child that I could run a ten mile race.
I have finished two so far.
It's a tradition that I don't intend to break.
I had a crazy idea after my last ten mile race that I could run 13.1.
I ran 13.1 and loved it.

Saturday, I had the crazy idea of setting a date for my first marathon.
I picked a tentative date of May 16th, 2010...I will be 28. Lucky?
That gives me time to do two more before my 30th birthday.
Then, I got a crazy idea.
Ultra comes to mind.
I have set a goal to complete my first Ultra Marathon within the next two years.
I am looking in to a few.
The soonest being the end of next summer.

Run for 10 hours? Sounds like a plan to me.

Your body

If you don't do what's best for your body, you're the one who comes up on the short end.
~Julius Erving

I work at a hospital. I see many different patients come in and out of there...many, over half, are overweight. I talk with them and the most revealing part:I get to see their lab results. You cannot convince me that being overweight is at all healthy.

Obesity is defined simply as too much body fat. Your body is made up of water, fat, protein, carbohydrate and various vitamins and minerals. If you have too much fat — especially in your waist area — you're at higher risk for health problems, including high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

-58 Million Overweight; 40 Million Obese; 3 Million morbidly Obese
-Eight out of 10 over 25's Overweight
-78% of American's not meeting basic activity level recommendations
-25% completely Sedentary
-76% increase in Type II diabetes in adults 30-40 yrs old since 1990

See up there, the bold? Eighty percent of people over 25 are overweight! We have to do something about this. It starts with you, living a healthy lifestyle for your children to see. Start with the kind of food you buy, the portion sizes they are getting. Make exercise a priority and include them. My kids know that when Mommy gets her sweats on and heads for the closet for her running shoes that I am getting ready to go out and get some exercise. Take the opportunity to explain it to them. Let them ride their bike while you make an attempt at jogging (I always say that everyone has a runner in them somewhere). Play a game of tag or one on one soccer. Show them that exercise and eating healthy is something that is very important. It's never too late.

Want to find your BMI*? Here's a neat calculator.

*The body mass index (BMI), is the measurement that compares a person's weight and height to determine the overall fitness of the individual. BMI calculation does not actually measure percentage of total body fat, but it is a tool used to estimate what is considered a healthy weight based on a persons height.