I Need To Go For A Run

Yesterday was a rough day. Everything I attempted to do did not go well. It was a busy, frustrating day. All I kept thinking was, "I need to go for a run." But, as the day slipped by, I felt myself losing motivation. It was a battle between my tired/lazy brain and trying to keep myself "on the list."

It took until around 6:30pm, but I finally stepped outside and went for a run. It was windy. So very windy. It was warm, but there was a storm coming. The air was heavy, and the clouds were pretty dark.

It wasn't the best run, but I felt good having some time to myself. I zoned out and just enjoyed it. It was nice not to think about anything for a while. I was happy when I got home because I had gotten it done.

This morning I got up super early to go hiking, but there was an epic thunder and lightning storm. No hiking today. I'm pretty sore from the last couple days, and the rest of the day was busy. Today's a rest day. I have TKD tomorrow - perfect start to a new week of workouts.

Doing my best to stay on the list.

Daily Goals Met

The weather today is gorgeous and spring-like. I had to go for a run. I squeezed it in after dropping the kids off at school. I got in almost 3 miles and felt great when it was over.

It didn't start out well. My shins and calves were burning, and my muscles felt tired and heavy. But, I had a new audio book on my iPod, and the weather was too perfect. I kept going. Eventually, my muscles loosened up, and the second half of my run felt great.

I'm doing well with my daily goals. I meditated this morning. I got in a run. I'm hoping to fit in some TKD practice later. I've got a little time to write, and I'm on track with my eating. I love the days when I can meet all my goals.

Night time is when I struggle with overeating. I'm tired and can finally relax. I always want something sweet. This time of year is difficult because Cadbury mini eggs are my nemesis. I can't stop eating them. Tonight I am focused on not overeating. I'm going to find a healthier way to handle my sweet cravings. Good thing strawberries are on sale. Sweet, healthy, and delicious!

Traveling Is Good For My Soul

I love to travel. So does my husband. We used to take yearly trips to Florida, and our honeymoon was driving across the country. Life has been busy, and it's been a while since we went anywhere. The kids have reached the perfect age for travel. They're interested in the world and capable of packing/carrying their own stuff. It was definitely time for a trip.

We spent a few days at the Hollywood Beach in Florida. It was amazing. The weather was perfect. We saw gators, ate gator, played in the ocean and the pool, and we went snorkeling in Key Largo. It was such a fun family adventure. 

Now, we're back to reality, and I am glad. I love traveling, but I love coming home even more. Most of the time, I prefer routine. Travel is exciting and stimulating. Home is comfort and relaxation. 

I needed this trip. I needed a chance to re-set. I've been floundering for a while, but things are looking up. My birthday was on Saturday. I spent most of the day either waiting in an airport or sitting on a plane. It gave me a lot of time to think. I want to be healthier. What I have been doing lately is not making me feel my best. I want to feel better. 

I don't really care about how much I weigh. This was a shock. I've been obsessed with my scale for most of my life. I let it rule my life and dictate my mood. I hated that it had that kind of power over me, but I didn't do anything to change it.

I want to simplify my life. I want to enjoy it. Thinking about simplifying and about being positive brought me to the realization that it's not the number that matters. If I eat healthy, exercise, and sleep my body will do what it needs to do. It will get stronger, and I will feel better. That's what I want. 

I'm setting long term goals. Life goals, really. I want to simplify my life, make healthy choices, and relax/meditate. These are goals I can work on my whole life. I have ideas for how to get started, and I know each will build upon the next. I just need to begin.

Vacation was wonderful. So much family time. So much fun. Coming home is wonderful. I am relaxed, re-set, and ready to take on the coming year.

Survival Mode and the Aftermath

For three weeks, I took a break from all the extra stuff in my life. If it didn't have a looming deadline or a scheduled time, I let it fall.

It had to happen. December is the busiest month for our family, and I didn't have time for anything extra. Just my day-to-day was too much. I went into my survival mode. I just had to get through the days and not drop the ball on anything. If I got in a walk with the dog, great. If I didn't have time for even that amount of exercise, that's okay, too. No judgements.

It applied to my eating, too. I ate things that I haven't eaten since college (with good reason). I did what was easy and pleasing, and I didn't worry about it. It was nice at first. Then it wasn't anymore. There is a reason I eat well and try to take care of myself. After days of poor eating and little exercise, I felt awful. Problems that I haven't had in six years came back.

I'm done with it. I do not want to eat like this anymore. I'm looking forward to a day of salads. I'm itching to get in a run -  even if I have to run on my treadmill. I'm ready to go back to what works and what I enjoy.

I'm ready to start training again. It freaks me out to admit it, but I am starting to work toward a running goal. A half marathon. I used to run 13.1 miles without a problem, but I am pretty far away from that now. I'm starting over. Not quite back at square one but close.

I'm setting mini-goals and trying to remember how I started the last time. I'm definitely ready for the change. My friend asked me about my resolutions for 2016, and I started thinking about what I really want out of life. What's working and what isn't. Mostly, I am pretty pleased with my life.

I don't usually make resolutions since I tend to always have mini-goals going year-round. In the past, I would make resolutions about my health and weight, but I'd fail or change course during the year. I like mini-goals better. They're easier to achieve and create lasting habits. It works better than trying to change everything all at once. Baby steps.

I am going to make fun resolutions this year. I want to read a new book every month. I want to climb 10 mountains this year. I want to go somewhere new.

I have other goals - health, writing, peacefulness - , but they are not resolutions. They're big goals that may take longer than a year to complete. They may change as I go along. They're the constant goals that I am always working toward in one way or another.

I want my resolutions to be something I look forward to. Something I enjoy and can share with others. I won't want to blow them off, and they'll add so much more to my life than a resolution to lose 20 pounds.

Now that I'm getting myself back on track, I'm going to try to keep up with the blog. It will help keep me accountable for my training, too. I'm really going to focus on sticking to a training plan and training with a positive attitude. I've been feeling very negative about running, and that's not going to help me achieve my goals.

I'll write another time about my goals and what I'm doing to reach them, but for now, I am back to the blog, back to taking care of myself, and looking forward to a fun 2016.

Circuits and Plyos and Yoga...Oh My!

Two posts in one day!? Anything's possible if you start the day at 4am!

Today, I actually took a little time for myself before diving into the non-stop activities of the day. I saw a free moment and embraced it 100%. It was pouring rain this morning, so I decided not to run. I will run in the rain, but I don't enjoy it. It was too wet today, so I decided to do a circuit workout.

I need to add more circuits to my life. I used to do them all the time, and they're one of my favorite ways to train (after lifting, of course). I decided to do a mix of plyometrics and cardio. Not my favorite things, but ones that are necessary if I am ever going to get back in shape and get faster at TKD. So, I did some Plyos, some jump rope, some TKD moves, and threw in some weights for a bit of a break.

Proof!!

It was one of the best workouts I've done on my own in a long time. It was hard, but I felt good when it was over. I worked on this one move that we did in class on Monday that I was struggling with, and I saw a little improvement. I tend to have a difficult time getting up quickly from the floor. It was one of those moves, and it was hard. Still, I started to see improvement, and if I keep working on it, I think it will get much easier over time.

I followed my circuits with a half hour of yoga. Yoga is a necessity in my life, and I haven't been making time for it. Everything has been really tight, and I know I need to stretch more. It was great to really take the time to stretch and focus on my problem spots. Plus, it's great for my mental well being. This week has been a challenge, and when I am stressed it all seems to pile up. I felt better about everything after just a half an hour of breathing and stretching. Note to self: start making time for yoga!

I've also managed to stay on track with my eating. Considering that this has been one of the most stressful weeks I've had in the last 6 months, this is a huge victory. I'm feeling so much better after a week of eating healthy and controlled portions. Of course, now it's the weekend, but if I plan I should be okay. This is my mini goal - get through the weekend healthfully. I know I'm going out to dinner tomorrow night, but if I plan around it, I should still be able to stick to my plan.

Running With The Moon Dog

I had a pretty good class last night. We did some tournament prep, which was fun. I'm even more excited about the tournament this weekend. I'm feeling good about my pattern and my break, but sparring continues to be my weak area. When we're training, I understand the way to put things together, but as soon as I am up against someone, it all flies out of my head. It's frustrating, but I know what I need to work on. The kids and I will will be practicing this week, and I'll try to focus on my weaknesses. I'm excited to learn new things at the tournament, too. It's such a fun day, and there are so many talented black belts to offer advice.

Today is all about getting in whatever exercise I can. I started the day with a walk with the Moon Dog. The weather is amazing today - sunny, mid-60s, so very unlike a normal November in VT. I wanted to take advantage of it and decided to take Moon Dog running.

I wasn't sure how it would go. It's been almost a year since I ran with him, and I wasn't sure if he would be agreeable. He settled into it immediately, and we had a great run. We only did 1.11 miles, but it was enough for him. I'm thrilled that he was so agreeable. Now, we can substitute a couple runs for our daily walks. Good for both of us.

Happy, tired pup!

I've got circuit training and yoga tonight, which should be a lot of fun. I like the small bits of exercise throughout the day, but I am ready for a good, long workout. My food is on track for the day. I just need to make sure I drink enough water. So far, I'm still on track. Day 3!

The Month Of Goals

This week is not off to a great start, but I am determined to stay on track. No more stress eating. So far, my November goals are going well. I got in an interval run yesterday and ate well. Today, I'm planning another short run, and I have TKD tonight. Last class before the tournament on Saturday. I'm excited for the tournament. They're a lot of fun, and we get to spend the day with our TKD friends.

November is full of goals and projects. In addition to my health goals, I am participating in NaNoWriMo again. It's been a few years since I did it, but this year the beginning of the month lined up with the beginning of a new book. I have a lot of editing that needs to be done, but I am feeling the urge to write.

I'm also starting three plays this month. Two for the holidays and one that will go up in February. I love the beginning of a show. It's all creativity and almost no stress. Plus, holiday plays are my favorite. So much fun.

I'm really looking forward to this month. It's going to be as busy as last month, but I feel like I am going into it with a much more positive attitude. That's my last goal for the month. I need to get back into a more positive head space. I like the idea of posting something I am thankful for every day this month. But, I need to be realistic. It probably won't be daily. I will be thankful daily. It just may not make it into a post. So, I'm just going to try for a thankful moment in every post I manage to write.

Today (and every day), I am thankful for my friends. They're the best. We had a blast trick-or-treating, and then I took the kids to one of their houses to watch a movie. I'm an introvert, and I like relaxing at home - especially after a whirlwind day like Halloween. It says something when it's just as relaxing to hang out at a friend's house. It was a great end to the day.

Standing Still

Stasis.
noun

1. 1.

   a period or state of inactivity or equilibrium.

That's me. I've been going through the motions most of the time, but I haven't been putting much effort into exercise, my eating, or my writing. I haven't felt that bad about it, which is surprising. I just haven't had the motivation.

I feel like I'm coming out of it now. I've set some definite goals, and I am beginning to plan how to achieve them. I want to run again. I want to do a half again. Maybe more than one. I am planning on splitting the Burlington marathon next year with my friend, Michelle. She's super fast and in crazy good shape, so I want to start training now. Plus, part of me really wants to do a half this fall. It's the best time of year to run, and there are some great races in VT in autumn. 

I also want to improve at Taekwondo. I really enjoy it. I have decided to stick with it and get a black belt. (It makes me nervous to even type that.) I need to start working on it at home. My first step is to practice my pattern every day. I've been keeping track for almost a week and logging the number of times I run through it. It's a small, attainable goal, and I feel like it's helping. Even if it just helps me relax about doing it in front of people. I get really nervous and don't do as well as I could. I need to work on my focus.

I've started thinking about how to strengthen and improve myself for Taekwondo. I'm going to start working it into my home workouts. I want to not only get stronger but also improve my skills and plyometrics. I feel like I'm ready to work for it.

My only other goal is to be calm and enjoy my life. 

I feel like I'm doing pretty well with exercise lately. I've worked out and pushed myself for the last two days. This morning I got up and did a workout. It doesn't seem like much, but I have been literally doing no exercise. I need to start being active again. I feel so much better when I do.

On the other hand, food has been a crazy battle. I've been overindulging and not caring at all. Until the next day. I've slipped back into my old mentality. Just a little, but enough to scare me. I will not go back to the way I was. It doesn't feel good.

Today, I read something amazing. It brought me back to the right frame of mind. It reminded me that strength is important. I remember how empowering it feels to be strong. My love of lifting is back. That's always the first thing to come back. 

Read it here.

Life is good. I'm back on track. I've let myself slip. I accept it. I'm not thrilled that I have so much to undo, but I am ready to do it.