Tips From A New Runner

The past couple of months have been about running, working on my endurance and setting a better PR -that's Personal Record. I have been learning from avid runners what to do and what not to do, I have a better idea of what I should be eating and what will help me reach a better PR.

I've learned to listen even more to my body, in order for one to achieve what we want our bodies to do we need to be in tune with them.  Here's a list of what I've learned that works for me and may work for you too:

- 8 hours of sleep per night is a must, it allows my body to recharge and prepare for the next day even if it's a rest day.

- Eating before running gives me more energy, in fact when I've ran without having a small breakfast I end up having reflux and have to stop continuously or run uncomfortably.

- Eating a balanced diet lets me run smoothly without feeling the need to gasp for air.

- Dressing appropriately for the weather is best. For the past 2 years we were in the tropics which means that our wardrobe consisted of mainly summer clothes. Now, we live in cooler temperatures.  I've run in 39ºF temperature and it was truly uncomfortable. My legs felt stiff and my cheeks, lips and hands were numb which is why my family prepared me even more for my runs with weather appropriate attire and I've felt more comfortable running or taking a walk in warmer clothes.

- My lips have been burning from how dry the air feels, I've tried several lip balms and ended up going back to Burt's Bess my preference is for the pomegranate one but recently tried the grapefruit one. They both work on my lips. 

- I recently read that you should change your running shoes every 300 miles or 6 months. At first I will admit I thought it was a marketing ploy to get us to buy new sneakers often, but the past couple of weeks I've noticed my right foot keeps bothering me to the point where I end up taking brisk walks and just maybe it could mean it's time for a new pair. I added up all my miles since I got this pair in Spring 2015 and although I'm not at 300, my shoes do need replacement and pronto.

- Hydration is key, as a high blood pressure patient that takes medications for to help control it I need to drink water while on my runs and my parents found the perfect running belt for me that has 2- 6oz water bottles and a place that keeps them safe on my belt plus there's a zip pocket for my phone, keys and whatever else I might need. It also helps to have my hands free of holding the water bottle. 

It's amazing how great one feels when working towards a goal and I've been working towards mine at my own pace. In running, just like anything else you shouldn't compare yourself and your achievements to others. Instead you should compare them to yourself a few weeks or months before. You will surely notice milestones and how far you've come.

Why I Run.

One foot in front of the other, pounding the floor or more like the sidewalk. 

"You can do this!"

"You got this!"

"Just 5 more minutes, pace yourself".

"Breathe in, breathe out... slowly".

...And you're done. You just ran for 45 minutes non-stop. You did it! You really did it. 

Remember how running fast for 2 minutes was all you could do? Remember, when you reached 7 minutes but nearly passed out after it? Yes, I do remember that. I was working on my time, but was really not doing it right. How do I know this? Last month while visiting family in Baja, my mother hired a family friend who happens to be called "Iron Woman" by all who know her to train me. She is a triathlete, she runs, she swims and she cycles. Her body is strong, confident and she is so inspiring. We began doing sprints, bodyweight lifting, TRX exercises and then we gave running a try. 

She saw me run and gave me great advice, not only that but she noticed how hard it is for me to walk fast. To run -for me at least, it takes a lot because my thighs rub against each other. My thighs in all honesty is where I carry most of my weight and it really isn't that easy. Lose skin plus fat plus movement not the best combination. However, I want to run. I truly do, I've been dreaming about it and attempting it since 2012 on and off. I will not give up, I have not given up on the idea because I know persistence all to well.

Two weeks ago my family and I decided we needed an outing at sunset, the kids and my husband geared up for a bike ride and me? I decided I was going to run, because I could. So I did. While they rode their bikes a few feet from me, I was struggling and hurting all over but I kept pushing. All I could hear was my mind telling me "you got this!" and so I did, one foot in front of the other. Others passed by us along the trail and some would smile at me, one man stopped and stared at me; I'm sure I know what he thought, but I don't like to assume so I continued to pace myself and when I felt I couldn't go any longer I set my timer so I would not keep thinking about how much I had until it ended and played some music, took a deep breath 1, 2 and 3 times. 

Suddenly the timer went off and 45 minutes had gone by, I did it! I got this!

55 minutes is the amount of minutes I can now run non-stop. Oh yes I am there. Today as I ran around the park I kept looking over at the benches in the shade, seemed tempting considering it was hot and I had forgotten my water bottle. I kept going, I promised myself I would go for a run and I did. I do not pay attention to what others say, yes I hear their comments but their comments just make me think how far I've come. They're just reminders of what I can do and where I want to be. I'm not the poster child for a runner, but then again I thought all you needed to run were legs and a will to do it. So here I am, yet again with my two legs and my will to run. 

Let's go! 

You got this! 

You really got this, because you are running 30, 45, 55 minutes and you are doing it with a smile, with pride, with joy!

Let's BollyX!

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, all opinions and images are my own. I was invited to attend a class free of charge to facilitate my review and experience BollyX.*

Sometimes life takes over and you just have to surrender, you have to do what it takes to keep you calm and collected through a little caos, because as the saying goes "this too shall pass".

On the very last day of  February we flew out of Costa Rica back home to California to start a new chapter in our life. Moving was the easy part, finding a new preschool with availability for our son, our new home, buy big ticket items wasn't. This lead me to being tired and overwhelmed with the long list of decisions waiting to be made each day and I felt that was enough for me to handle while continuing to be there for my family, so exercising wasn't my priority and neither was watching what we ate.

Finally, settled into our new life in June I began looking for ways get back on track with our usual exercise and healthier lifestyle. We began with baby steps, because we were recovering from all the commotion.  

That is when I received an email inviting me to try a class of BollyX, I began researching all I could on it. From what it is to watching videos about what it looks like. Immediately I began feeling excited, because I love to dance  and I love exercising without feeling like I actually am. BollyX was co-founded by Shahil Patel, Mayuri Bhandari and Minal Mehta in June 2013 and taught their first class in Boston.

I realize now by seeing how excited I was to exercise, that it would've kept me a little more calm, because exercising relaxes and makes me happy. In addition I feel so accomplished when I do exercise and my energy levels last me throughout the day without needing a break. 

The class was being taught by Tamara a fun, energetic and always smiling BollyX certified instructor. We began with warming up to Bollywood inspired music, Tamara noticed a familiar and new faces in her class and made us all feel welcomed. She greeted us and gave us a run down of the movements and most importantly she reminded us to have fun!

FUN!

Something I had forgotten about exercising is that it has to be fun and BollyX delivered so much fun. I confess that there were moment that I wanted to break out in salsa movements, but quickly would go back to moving and stretching my arms. BollyXFitness gave us all a great workout, during class I could feel my limbs stretch, my abdomen work and my biceps were burning.

The movements are easy to follow and of course Tamara would notice if we were having some sort of challenge keeping up, this is when she would smile at us and remind us that we got it and we are doing fantastic.

During the class we were also given the alternate to jumping or other movements that were challenging us.

The class is broken down to 3 different parts: warm up, high energy and cool down. In the middle of the hour we were at our peak level and I had forgotten I was in a class, I honestly felt I was at a celebration and got caught up in the moves. The 10 minutes before cool down were the most amazing in the class, we were divided into 2 groups for a "dance off" each group would get their chance to dance to the beat of the music and the other would respond with the same moves and it was amazing. The energy and vibes felt in the class at that moment can only be described as pure joy.

During the cool down I could feel the sweat dripping from my arms and face, while exercising I tend not to look at my calories burned and this time was no exception but as soon as I arrived at my car to go back home I checked it and there it was 505 calories burned in an hour of fun.

Of course when class ended I approached Tamara to thank her for the fantastic workout and great start to my day. She encouraged me to go back and I certainly can't wait to continue and enroll after today, I'm already following them on Twitter and Facebook to stay up to date on everything BollyX.

BollyX is taught in several cities: New York City, Chicago, Boston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Houston, San Francisco, Richmond, Westwood, Washington D.C., Phoenix, Atlanta and more coming soon and they have over 300 certified instructors and are adding more! They currently have 6 regional trainers -among them is Tamara-, that expand from coast to coast. You can visit their website to find a class near you.  

*Thank you BollyX for inviting me to try a class near me.*

Go, go, go...

Last Wednesday I went for my morning walk/run, but on that day it was very different though. I decided to get out of my comfort zone/area and head to downtown where I usually go for walks with my neighbor, I had yet to do this on my own. It is all uphill, nonetheless I decided early on to run a bit. As I was running getting passed by professional runners  {you know the ones that have been running for like forever with the body to show it} In my personal opinion these people are professionals.

All 3 of them cheered me on! they said:

 "Go, Go, Go"

 "you can do this!"

 "Yes! go for it!" 

"dale!" 

I have to say that I smiled and it truly encouraged me to keep going, I am truly thankful that these rockstars took a second to cheer me on! It really empowered me to keep going, I didn't last long though running like I said uphill and I'm just starting out I felt like I was going to hit the pavement and not in a good way... but the fact that they said that, means a lot! 

Next time you are going for a walk or run instead of just glancing over the person you pass by walking smile at them and cheer them on! I am sure going to do the same. Sometimes we need cheerleaders to remind us that we got this.

Today I pushed myself even further and walked over 3.5 miles, that felt incredible my legs didn't feel tired at all. They feel stronger each and everyday and today is proof better yet I know at the end of today I will have walked a little more as our car is still in the shop getting fixed and I am walking everywhere! 

Wordy Wednesday {I see progress!}

When you are on a weight loss journey, some days are easier than others. There are days that I feel I am the same as I was a year ago and then there are days in which I feel accomplished and proud. Losing weight and making lifestyle changes is definitely not easy, there are daily decisions to be made and with so many choices that can make you lose focus on what you are working towards. At least in my case I've had my ups and downs. The scale sometimes doesn't move and that makes me feel sad or frustrated, then there are moments when I realize how far I've come.

This past weekend I felt happy to wake up on Saturday, prepare a nice breakfast for my family and then head out for a nice walk. A nice walk that turned into 2.5 miles, that resulted in me burning 385 calories and what made me happier was that my daughter joined me. :D This made me feel accomplished as it was her choice to stay home with dad and brother but she wanted to join in on the walk so off we went. 

As I got home I realized that my top felt different from what I remembered it feeling it snug. It's no longer snug. In fact while walking I felt the wind move it a bit, that is one of the best feelings for me! It meant I've been doing something right and that maybe I have been making progress in the last 2 weeks. I sat down at my desk and searched for the first time I wore this shirt and all I could see was progress. It may be a year difference in the photos, however I see progress! 

Then going through more pictures from the last couple of months and I'm beyond myself excited! I didn't realize I had let go so much when we were moving! The one in the middle was taken the day after we landed in Costa Rica and whoa! not a good image. But then look at the most recent one in August, I'd say I've turned it around pretty good! 

I see a happier, healthier me. A more confident and active me... and that is awesome! 

This past week I began journaling what I eat, this time I'm using My Fitness Pal app. I've also been walking the last 3 weeks at least 3 times a week anywhere from 2.5 miles to 5 miles a day{my total miles walked to date in August only are 26.6 miles!}. Most recently I've been in contact with the amazing Diana who blogs and has a design shop called Livy Love, I found her on Instagram through other friends I follow and she is keeping me inspired. She's lost 60+ pounds in 6 months by watching what she eats and exercising daily! If you are on instagram I highly suggest you follow her for inspiration, she is super sweet! Thank you Diana, for all the communication we've had and all the support and encouragement you've been giving me and others. 

Another big supporter of my journey has been my friend Melissa who blogs over at The ValentineRD, she is amazing and always finding new ways to workout. I love her dearly because not a week goes by in which she is cheering me on! Thank you my dear friend! 

So here's to progress, even if it was choosing to eat fruit instead of chips. Drinking water instead of a sugary drink. Cheers! ;-)

Someone's trying to tell me something!

Over the course of the last 6 months of 2012 I changed my lifestyle, eating habits and overall my well being. Not only that but my story, weekday challenges and triumphs were documented on this blog and other social media platforms.

The past couple of weeks I've found myself at a crossroads where one road leads me to continue on the journey and go well beyond what I thought was my ultimate goal and the other one that leaves me where I'm currently at and just stop here. It's funny how life has a way of letting us know what we are meant to do. Where we are meant to walk towards.

Last week was full of reminders and motivational encounters to let me know to continue on my journey and not to stop. The reminders were in different settings, in different ways. All of them were a kind reminder of how far I've come and how much I want to continue even if sometimes I lose my focus.

Yes family and friends' support mean a lot and keep me encouraged but sometimes we still need a little pat on the back or someone to tell us "continue on your path, you're doing great!". 

The first reminder was while shopping for groceries, a lovely lady reached out for a bag of Lavash Bread as I was trying to figure out between pita bread and Lavash. As I looked at her I asked what she did with the Lavash Bread as I'd never used it in my recipes. While sharing ideas she explained about ingredients and nutritional value, how this ingredient is terrible for your metabolism and that ingredient is easier to digest. She taught me in just less than 5 minutes a little about nutrition and how to read labels. Thank you to this kind woman for her words of encouragement. I am sure you might be reading this, so I hope you know you are in my thoughts. :)

My second reminder was completely unexpected, I've shared all about my pinterest board to keep me motivated and where I share all I've written about my weight loss journey. For the past 3 years I have enjoyed going on bike rides with my family, just last week I was on a 5 mile bike ride on my own while everyone was at work/school and I couldn't stop smiling even as I was pushing myself to go up a hill. The only distraction I had was my old helmet that kept jiggling and pulling on my hair. Which led me to search online for my future helmet, one I would like to get before our big move. As I pinned it to my board I did not think much about it, however a day later I received a comment on that pin that made my day and again reminded me to keep going! So I am still going, stronger and even more focused.

The last reminder was Friday morning as I logged onto instagram I got a notification about a comment on an image I shared over summer. It was none other than the star of my favorite workout video. She was so sweet and we even chatted over on instagram. How special you made me feel and excited to continue doing the samba to your routine. Thank you! :D

Documenting what I ate or what I did was not only intended to hold me accountable but also to perhaps inspire and motivate others. It was also a way to remind myself to keep going and when that going got tough, well I could/can just go to my iPhone and see images of what I ate, what I did, how much water I drank, how I exercised and other changes I've done.

I decided to continue documenting what I eat and shared how I'm exercising even when I can't do it as "me time", because even when the kids are home I can workout. I can certainly make it work. I just have to do it.

The most important reminder I am having is that if I trip or fall I can still get up, dust myself and continue on my journey because I want to and need to continue on this road. 

It's hard to believe how much one can accomplish by sticking to their plan and keeping their focus. I myself am amazed of all I've done and plan to continue on my journey as I'm halfway there. It's all about balance and knowing what to chose. It is not easy, my lifestyle had stayed the same for the past 11 years. But I am certainly willing and wanting to take it one step at a time. I can't say I won't eat something or chose wrongly because it would be a lie. The fact that I am giving it my best shot is the best I can do, focusing on what I've done and what I'm doing not on how much I still have to do. 

5 Ways to Workout with Kids!

As a parent I can attest to somedays I can't fit doing exercise in our day, my son is with me 24 hours a day and though he does go to preschool twice a week I still take that time to run errands. Basically working out without him is rare. I've been coming up with ideas on how to accomplish doing exercise even with my children. 

I figure it's a win-win situation, first of all you get to move and burn calories but also your heart thanks you for it and your body feels amazing after you've worked out. Ever notice how you can feel your blood flow rush through your body after a great workout?? I have and I love it!

Second you teach them to be active, nowadays I know people complain about kids not playing outside as much. Have you ever thought if you are leading by example? If you are teaching them and encouraging them to go outside and play? 

Third they burn energy and are ready for a good night's sleep! This is key for me, because the past couple of days after a whole month of our son waking up he is sleeping through the night again :D 

Here is a short list of ways I figured out to include exercise and get it done even with my own children in tow. This is what I am doing to stay active and healthy.

1.- Bike Ride: You know how much I love riding my bike, back in 2010 a close friend in San Diego invited me on a bike ride along Coronado Island. My son was only a year old, she offered to loan me her bike trailer so that was my first time using one. I was hooked after that ride! It was a 7 mile bike ride alongside the beach, the city and beautiful views my son was safe and comfortable in the trailer and he was enjoying the bike ride as much. A couple of weeks later I got my own bike trailer and have used it so much. The trailers are very stable and run anywhere from $89 - $600 depending on brand. They hook -up to any bike and they fold flat which makes it easy to store.

2.- Walk: I love walking, it's easy and you can do it anywhere! We have gotten into the habit of doing pickup walking. Leave the car parked at home and walk to pickup or drop off your child, I have been giving my son the option of walking or sitting in his stroller for our almost 4 mile roundtrip to school and back. Sometimes he chooses to walk and others he chooses the stroller, but when he is in his stroller I can do a brisk walk while pushing him {this is double the work and helps me burn more calories}. We also like taking walks to our local park, it's a great way to get to and from places too. 

3.- Dancing: It's late afternoon, homework is done and the kids are in a bad mood. They are cranky and have energy to go well until next week, you could use some fun. What do you do??? You put on some music and dance with them! It will shortly change their moods into happy ones sometimes even silly ones and you don't even notice you are exercising. You feel happy and your body is moving left to right, front to back. Did you know that when you dance for 30 minutes you burn at least 200 calories? 

4.- Play at the park: I can't count how many times we've been to the park and I join in the fun! We chase each other or play kick ball or even try to finish the monkey bars. Climbing the structures is also a great way to have fun with your kids and burn calories. Plus your children will always remember how much fun they had at the park with you. ;)

5.- Another great way to exercise with kids is to just do a routine at home, every time my kids see me doing jumping jacks, ab-crunches, squats they are sure to join in without me telling them. Then they ask me to count how many jumping jacks they do. 

You can get creative with exercising with your family, the important thing is that you do it. Don't make it too complicated and have fun because when you enjoy exercising they learn to enjoy it too and then it becomes part of your life.

For more routines and ideas make sure you check out my "I'm a work in progress" board on Pinterest where I share my journey as well as others and have pinned workouts I enjoy or products that help keep me inspired to exercise.

Alphabet Veggie Challenge {week 5}

We are on week 5 of our Alphabet Veggie Challenge and last time we choose a letter it was the letter:

While we took some time to visit beautiful Baja Mexico I found that the vegetable I wanted to try was:

You guessed it! Radishes! and yes I had them in the raw, just washed and cut the ends and sliced them or as a whole to accompany my meals. One of my meals of choice to enjoy it with was 'carne asada' tacos as well as 'quesadillas' and let me tell you it adds a little kick and flavor to any meal!

I am now a Radish fan :)

I found when shopping for Radishes they have to be a deep shade of red and in addition leaves should be bright green and the texture can not be soft to touch. Some of the radishes I purchased were spicy, but others were juicy and sweet. 

And now onto the next letter for week 5! 

Let's get creative with our vegetables and try them in different ways! 

Remember to share with us what vegetable you tried this week.

The Veggie Alphabet Challenge

When was the last time you ate fresh vegetables with your meal or as a snack? As I am changing my eating habits, eating more fresh vegetables, drinking more water and exercising regularly. I'd like to invite you on a special challenge, I am calling:

This week's letter! 

The Veggie Alphabet Challenge

It's very simple to participate, all you have to do is visit every Monday when I post the new letter of the week and then you have to find a vegetable that its name begins with that letter, prepare it or enjoy it fresh and raw and leave a comment of how you liked it or what it tasted like. 

You may also post a picture of your vegetable prepared on our Facebook Page, so others may learn your recipe.

 Easy, right?

For example, if I say letter "A" then you would visit a local farmer's market or grocery store and in the produce section find a vegetable that starts with the letter "A" i.e. Artichoke, Avocado, Asparagus, Aubergines. 

How did I prepare it?

So last week I purchased and cooked for the first time ever fresh Artichoke. I used a medium sized stock pot and filled half of it with water, sprinkled 1/2 tsp of crushed black pepper, sprinkled 1/4 tsp of salt, drizzled the juice of 3 key limes and drizzled 1/2 tsp of olive oil. I then boiled it until it was tender and served.

How did I eat it?

I pulled out each leaf carefully and sucked on the end of it that was connected to the "heart" when I got to the "heart" or middle of it I enjoyed cutting it into little pieces. I did not expect the texture to be so soft. 

What are the benefits of eating Artichokes:

High in Antioxidants

Helps prevent cancer 

Great for your liver

Promotes better digestion

Aids in reducing Cholesterol

High in Fiber

I am changing my eating habits to get healthy, lose weight and feel great. Read more about why I am doing this here, here and here.  This is a sponsored post as part of the  Shaklee Corporation’s Team #Cinchspiration Campaign. I have received free products, online support and incentives for participating. All opinions are my own.