Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a brilliant farewell to 2013 and that you are having an amazing 2014 so far!  We had a wonderful New Year's Eve, which started off with a yummy breakfast with my Mom at Bread Co., followed by some bumming at the mall, and concluded with a fun night with friends!  What a great way to ring in the New Year!

Nick also had his very first (non-family) sleepover last night! My little guy is growing up so fast!  He had a wonderful time and is already asking me when we can have his friend over to our house to spend the night.  He and Jack both stayed awake until midnight last night, but interestingly enough, Nick crashed tonight before Jack.  He partied hard, that sweet boy.

I intended to post my recap for The Final Nut of 2013 Challenge yesterday, but time got away from me and I wasn't able to blog.  As a reminder, my original goal at the end of August was to lose 24 lbs. by the end of the year, but I decided that my goal was a bit of a stretch.  I modified my goal to 18.7 lbs at the end of October. So without further ado, my final number for The Final Nut of 2013 Challenge is 4 lbs lost.  No where near the nearly 19 lbs. I had hoped to lose at the start of the challenge and a far cry from the almost 13 lb. weight loss I had attained at the beginning of November.  I'm a little pissed at myself for gaining 8 (!) freaking pounds over the past two months, but I suppose to look at it on the bright side, I still lost weight in this challenge.  It's a small silver lining and I mean small.  I really don't like not meeting a challenge, but as with my first weight loss challenge, this challenge taught me a few things:

1. When I push myself too hard for a short time to reach a goal (a la the Birthday Challenge), I tend to burn out and fall out of my routine very quickly.  The key for me in my weight loss journey is slow and steady wins the race (this is also my mantra for running).  I have to be able to find a lifestyle that is sustainable for me, even if it means losing weight at a slower rate than I want. 
2. I also learned that if I decide to continue with weight loss (or other) challenges (and I've not given up on my challenges yet; I still like a good challenge) a shorter time span is better for me.  If I break the challenges up into smaller pieces, I can focus more clearly.  I think having an almost 4 1/2 month challenge, combined with the issues mentioned above, made me more lackadaisical towards this challenge.  I wasn't as motivated because I felt like I had all the time in the world to complete my goal and I'm a pretty good procrastinator (in college I could write a massive paper like a boss...the night before it was due).  
3. Trying to lose weight during the holidays is difficult.  Certainly not impossible if I'd had the right mindset, but definitely difficult.  I hope during the holidays this year I will be in maintenance mode (fingers crossed!), which I'm sure will present a new set of challenges, but maybe it will be a bit more manageable (or I'll have better willpower). 
4. If I give myself a pass, I'm going to take it.  My mindset, willpower, call it what you will, is the biggest factor to my successes and failures.  I've seen how my mindset can work to my benefit while running as I've described before, but this challenge was a good look at how I work against myself when given the chance.  As I hit plateaus with this challenge, it didn't light a fire inside of me as it would normally.  Instead, I'd cut myself some slack and tell myself that all would right itself when I started training for the half.  While it's true that I hope to get in a better space over the course of the next few weeks while I'm in training, I can't help but think how much better it would have been to start off on a good foot (i.e. not an 8 lb. weight gain from the holidays). 
5. This challenge was a good lesson in maintenance for me.  I worry a lot about maintaining my weight loss once I get to my goal weight.  When I first started "falling off the wagon" with this challenge, I was in the same 3-5 lb. weight range, which actually made me feel good about maintenance mode.  I wasn't doing much to stay within that range and when I get to my goal weight, I am ok with being in a small range, as I know my weight will fluctuate.  When I really "fell off the wagon" and fell hard, it was because I really had let myself go.  I was enjoying holiday treats to the max, drinking a lot of soda, eating poorly, and not exercising.  So to get to my goal weight, I need to keep working hard (but in a way that is sustainable for me) and when I get to my goal weight, I can continue with my healthy lifestyle and stay within a comfortable weight range. 

So with all of that being said, yes I am more than a little disappointed to not have met The Final Nut of 2013 Challenge, but I can take the lessons I learned above and apply them to the next stage of my journey.  After all, today is the start of a New Year! 

On an exciting note, you might notice a new badge on the side of my blog...I just received an e-mail today indicating that I've been accepted as a Girls Gone Sporty Ambassador (http://www.girlsgonesporty.com/)!  I was drawn to their founders and their community of women who work, and play, hard to be their best selves.  They "encourage women everywhere to embrace whole health and an attitude of adventure - body, mind, spirit and lifestyle- right where they are now."  I love the concept of whole health and I've really taken this to heart this fall.  I have to take as much time to take care of my mind and spirit as I do my body and lifestyle.  One of my goals for the New Year relates to my whole health and I will be sharing my goals with you soon!  In the meantime, I am thrilled to be a part of the Girls Gone Sporty community and I look forward to meeting fellow members of the community! 

In light of my post above, I came across another great quote on Cori's (http://olivetorun.com/) Facebook page.  I think I would feel a bit better about The Final Nut of 2013 Challenge if I had put my whole heart into it.  I know that I wasn't successful because I wasn't in the right mind space, so going forward, I plan to keep the below quote in mind. 

"Satisfaction lies in the effort, not in the attainment, full effort is full victory."

Weight Loss and Nutrition during training

I have been thinking a lot the past few days about fueling properly for my half marathon training and wondering if I should stick to a formal nutrition plan for the next few months.  With that being said, I know myself and I know that I am not one for following a routine to the letter of the law, so I don't want to set myself up for failure in that regard.  When I had gestational diabetes, I had to follow a fairly strict diet and I was able to do so, but it wasn't for me and I admit that freely.  I stuck to that diet for Jack; I wanted to do everything I could to make sure he was healthy and unaffected by my gestational diabetes.  I would do just about anything for someone else, but why can't I do the same for myself?

I digress.  My real point with this post is to see what others have done while doing long-term training for an intense race.  Did you increase your protein intake and decrease carbs?  Or did you carb load? Or did you stick to your regular diet?  As there is with just about any other subject, including half marathon training plans, there is a lot of great info on the internet, but I'd love to hear from fellow runners about what worked best for them.   

In addition to starting my half training after soon, I also want to get back on MyFitnessPal to track my caloric intake and start losing weight again.  Although, much of what I've read indicates that during training, weight loss might be unattainable and unrealistic as your body builds muscle.  Am I taking too much on by training for the half and trying to lose weight?  Should I just focus on the half marathon until April?  What has been your experience during training; did your weight loss stall as you built muscle?  I should note that I don't feel like my weight defines me, but I still have a weight loss goal that I would like to achieve in 2014, so I want to be realistic and if I need to stretch that goal a little further into the next year to accommodate my training plan, then I will.

I can hardly believe that tomorrow is the last day of 2013.  As usual, I feel like the past year has flown by, but it is a great time to reflect and I have so many wonderful memories from the past year that bring a smile to my face.  I also love the promise of the new year; a new start, a blank calendar, a blank journal to set new goals (I might have a slight obsession with blank books. I have several in my nightstand just waiting for their purpose in my world), and a myriad of opportunities to make new memories.

Tomorrow I will post my update on The Final Nut of 2013 Challenge!

Cori at Olive to Run (http://olivetorun.com/) had this great quote posted on her Facebook page a few weeks ago and I love it!  I feel like I always put limits on myself, but running has shown me that there really aren't any limits on what I can do in all areas of my life.  While I have felt off the past few weeks as far as working out and eating well, I just need to keep in mind that this is just a plateau that I need to move beyond..

"If you always put limits on what you can do, physical or anything else, it'll spread over into the rest of your life. It'll spread into your work, into your morality, into your entire being. There are no limits. There are plateaus, but you must not stay there, you must go beyond them." 

Getting excited for Half Marathon Training

It was a gorgeous day here again with mild temperatures, so after putting away an inordinate amount of clean laundry, I took the boys to the park for some fun on the swings and slides.  We were not the only ones with that idea and the park was busy, but the boys had a great time.  I think Jack could spend hours in the swing and Nick had a blast running around like a madman.  My mom met us at the park, which was nice, and then we went to Target so the boys could spend some of their Christmas money.  It was pretty cute watching Nick check out at the register.  He was really excited to buy his toys on his own and use his "credit" (gift) card.  He looked so grown up!  We also had dinner with my Mom and one of her good friends and we had a great time.  

I am starting to get excited, yes excited, about training for, and completing, my half marathon.  I know it is going to be difficult, challenging, and exasperating at times, but I also know that it will be rewarding, uplifting, and fun at other times.  I cannot wait to cross the finish line on April 5th and see my hard work and training pay off.  So today, I took one step towards that goal and I purchased stickers for my training schedule while we were out running errands!  It may seem silly, but I was pretty darn excited to buy those stickers.  I can't wait to start doing my training runs so I can start putting those stickers on my paper training log.  Next step is to actually print said paper training log.  Baby steps!  

Jessica at A Little More Each Day (http://littlemoreeachday.wordpress.com/) blogged today about some awesome new running toys she got for Christmas and I love the 13.1 princess themed car decal she got from her husband! (http://littlemoreeachday.wordpress.com/2013/12/28/new-running-toys-for-christmas/)  I admit that I cannot wait until I can get a pink 13.1 decal for my car this spring!  

I hope you all had a great Saturday! 

"Setting running goals is the first step in changing how you look, think, and feel." 

Friday Funday

I love winter break, I really do.  I know I'm spoiled in that I get the week between Christmas and New Years Eve off, but it is good for my soul.  I feel caught up on life (laundry, dishes, quality time with the boys, picking up clutter, etc.) and it feels great!  I think the festivities of the past few days caught up with Jack, because that sweet little boy slept off and on all morning, which he never does.  It was lovely.  Both boys were in bed with me and Nick watched cartoons for awhile while Jack and I cat-napped.  Blissful, I tell you.

When we finally dragged ourselves out of bed, I realized how nice it was outside and we headed to the zoo for some afternoon fun.  Going to our local zoo is probably one of my favorite things to do with the boys and we haven't been in a few months.  We, of course, rode the train first at Nick's request.  My oldest has been into trains since he was about a year and a half and I think he is going to be a lifelong railroad enthusiast.  Then we took a little walk to visit the elephants, because it was Raja's (one of the elephants) 21st birthday.  We also went to the children's zoo and the insect house before heading home for the afternoon.  It was in the 50's this afternoon, so it was nice to be outside for a little while without freezing!  I think all of the fresh air did us some good!

I came across this video a few weeks ago and have been meaning to share it for some time. I guess there is no time like the present!  http://www.upworthy.com/first-these-women-were-offended-then-they-realized-who-was-being-offensive

It's an interesting look at "fat talk" and how we have been bashing our own body images.  We would never dream of saying these hurtful things to our friends or family, yet we say them to ourselves, and about ourselves, all the time.  I admit, I do it to myself and I have to stop.  Matt will sweetly tell me how beautiful I am and sometimes my response is something to the effect of "you mean beautiful and fat?"  What on earth is the point of me saying that?  It was actually embarrassing to admit to saying the above comment, but I have honestly said it before and I have to get out of that viscous cycle.  Yes, I would like to lose weight for my health and to feel better in general, but I am also damn proud of the body I have.  It has birthed and nourished two beautiful boys, it has walked me through countless miles in life, holding me up sometimes far longer than my brain though it could, it has provided comfort and love in the form of hand holding, snuggles, and hugs for my loved ones, and it has given me good health and vitality for the past 31 years.  What is not to love about that?  Food for thought on this Friday night. 

Have you found yourself saying detrimental things about yourself and your body recently?  Let's vow to change our mindset when it comes to our body image!

"There is nothing more rare, nor more beautiful, than a woman being unapologetically herself; comfortable in her perfect imperfection. To me, that is the true essence of beauty." 

Stress Eating

Hello, major setback.  I have got to find a better means of dealing with stress than snacking.  I realize that much of the problem is that I have a lot of deliciousness in my house right now (baking day was, after all, a success) and a lack of willpower, but I was pretty out of control today.  I was snacking on just about anything and everything I could find, but it did little to quell my stress levels.  I know better than that, I really do.  Binge eating like I did today, in fact, has the opposite effect, because now, in addition to my other stress, I'm also stressed (and a little pissed) about all the crap I ate today.  Viscous cycle, stress eating.  I should have gone for a run instead. Gah.

I guess it should come as no surprise then that I am more than likely not going to meet The Final Nut of 2013 Challenge.  I will do a complete post on this challenge next week closer to the 31st (since that was my deadline), but I am not feeling confident at all.  Honestly, I haven't been on the scale in a few weeks and my pants feel a smidge tighter. As I mentioned recently, I have been allowing myself some flexibility the past few weeks in anticipation of a pretty intense training and diet regimen for the half in April, so I'm only a little disappointed, but I may feel differently after I do a weigh-in.  More on the challenge next week!

I've been enjoying some quality time with the boys while we are on winter break and I've been fairly productive, too.  It's amazing what you can accomplish without the daily grind of school and work!  Nick had a play date with a friend today, so Jack and I got some one-on-one time, which was nice.  He was a little more snuggly this afternoon, so I enjoyed it while it lasted.  I guess he wasn't trying to keep up with his big brother, which left more time for cuddles!

On a random note, I was so excited to hear that The Sing-Off was coming back this year!  I've loved the past three seasons and I was pretty sad when it didn't return last year.  This season has been great and I've spent the past few nights catching up on Hulu, although I did get a spoiler alert about the winner via Facebook.  I managed to avoid the reveal of the winner on my E! app, but alas, the show's FB page posted the winner plain as day.  Oh well, I still enjoy watching the shows, even though I know the outcome.  I'm pleased with the winners (I won't reveal the name, in case anyone else is still catching up), but I loved so many of the groups this season.  On the finale one of the groups, Ten, sang Joyful, Joyful with Shawn Stockman (of Boyz II Men fame) and it was fantastic.  For your listening and viewing pleasure:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnqauML85vs

Have a great Friday everyone!

"Dealing with stress in a better way is the key to breaking the cycle of stress eating." 

Merry Christmas!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that you have been enjoying the magic of the holiday season!  I have found myself incredibly busy over the past week or so between finishing up Christmas shopping, crafting (I might have stayed up until 3 this morning finishing a sock monkey for a little boy I know), baking, and enjoying time with my family.  We had a really wonderful Christmas and we are looking forward to a few relaxing days for winter break.

I hadn't originally planned to bake this year, but all of the memories of my Grandma baking around the holidays inspired me to do some baking with the boys on Monday.  We made chocolate chip cookies, snickerdoodles, nutty marshmallow fudge, and buckeyes.  Yum!  Jack enjoyed watching us and eating the chocolate chips and Nick was my helper.  We had a great time!

I do admit, though, that I have been really lax as far as running and eating healthy, so I'm looking forward to getting back in the groove next week.  I've decided that in addition to using an app of some sort for my half marathon training, I am also going to use a paper schedule.  I saw someone post their paper schedule complete with smiley face stickers for days completed and that really spoke to me.  I like to see the big picture as far as training goes and this worked really well for me when I was training for the marathon relay earlier this year.  One of my awesome teammates made a 12 week calendar countdown to the race for me and included stickers so I could mark the days I ran or worked out.  It was a wonderful tool for me and I think having something similar for my half will be valuable.

I'm also looking forward to getting back into the blogging groove! :)

I'm trying to keep the below quote in mind daily.

"Love who you are." 

Things are getting serious...

I had a little panic attack yesterday afternoon about my upcoming half marathon training.  I was talking to a co-worker about all of the plans I was considering and I realized that one of the plans I have looked at (the Another Mother Runner Half Marathon: Finish It Plan) is actually a 15 week plan and not 12 weeks.  I have said all along that I will start training after the first of January and that would give me approximately 12 weeks  (but closer to 13 in actuality) to train for the half marathon in early April.  I thought that all of the plans I was looking at were 12 week programs, but when I realized the AMR plan was 15 weeks, I started to (irrationally) think that I wouldn't have time to adequately prepare for the race.

It took me a few minutes to come down off the ledge and accept the fact that it will be ok if I only get in 13 weeks of training.  The reality of it is that I am going to do a hybrid training program anyway so I won't be sticking to one specific program. I think my freak-out is probably a natural part of the process of committing to do a half-marathon and I guess it was good to get it out of my system now.  A little bit of pre-training jitters never hurt anyone.

I forgot to mention in my Hot Chocolate Race re-cap that I got to try out my new Saucony Curve Crusader sports bra!  I l.o.v.e. it!  It has been ages (and ages and ages) since I got a new sports bra and it was long overdue.  I love the hot pink color I picked and more importantly, the style of the Curve Crusader, particularly the crisscross design in the back which gives much needed extra support.  It was so nice to not have to double up on sports bras for the race!  In my sleepy haze the morning of the race, though, I forgot to wear my Saucony Runderpants, but I'm looking forward to trying them out soon!  (Disclaimer:  I won the Saucony Curve Crusader bra and Runderpants in a contest sponsored by Another Mother Runner.  All opinions expressed are my own) 

Have you experienced any pre-training jitters?  How did you alleviate those jitters? 

"Allow yourself to be a beginner.  No one starts out excellent."