Cold Can't Stop This Girl

Today, I decided to Rev Up my running routine, and throw in the first actual long run while training for the Rock CF Rivers Half Marathon in Grosse Ile, MI.

There's a loop starting right out my front door that is a little over 4 miles.  I do that all the time.  Sometimes I veer off for a mile and then hook back up to make it longer.  There's no real way to make it shorter since right in the middle, mixed into a few neighborhoods is a huge field with a set of railroad tracks running through.

Anyway, today, I ran that loop twice.  So just a little over 8 miles.

I was a good run.  I felt really great, and I sort of felt like I could have kept going, but I didn't want to push it.

There could have been a glitch though.  Since the loop starts right outside my front door, I had to pass my house half way through.  A small part of me thought, just for a second, about stopping then.  4 miles is a good hearty amount.  But, the bigger part pushed on past and went for round 2.


The other thing was this:  it was only 16 degrees this morning!  That is super duper cold in everyday life!  Frost bite cold!

But, in running, it's not that bad at all.  Yes, it's cold, don't get me wrong.  It did make it a lot better that the sun was shining, it wasn't too windy, and the snow wasn't too deep.

When it's cold-er outside is when I prefer to run.  I'll run in any temperature, but cold is better.  I'd much rather it be 16 degrees than 80 degrees.  That's for sure.

If you decide to get outside for some exercise, and the temps are chilly, all you have to do is dress for the occasion.  Put together some simple layers, cover your fingers, cover your head and you should be good!

Here is exactly what I wore running today.  Everything but the unders.  I kept those out of the pic.
And let me tell you, I'm not winning any award for "The Stylish Runner".   You don't have to spend a fortune to be well equipped for the colder weather months.  You probably have what you need already!  As long as you're not worried about looking HOT, then you can definitely stay warm while you're out there!

Red Adidas Dry Fit:  layer 1

Yellow Cotton Long Sleve:  layer 2

Old Red Hoodie:  layer 3

Running Shoes and Regular Ankle Socks

Glove/Mittens from The Family Dollar

Kent's Adidas Winter hat

Nike Cotton Pants (from my cousin Jenny) which I love 

IPod

All stuff I've had for at least 3 years or more!  Nothing new.  The Dry Fit layer 1 is to wick away moisture.  This will keep the chills away, especially if there's wind.

That's all there is to it!

If you're walking, you'll want to bundle up a little more, and maybe add a layer on the legs and another pair of socks.

Don't let the cold air keep you indoors!

How do you feel about trekking outside in the bitter cold temps?

It's All About Moderation, Baby!

Have you ever eaten a King Sized box of Mike and Ikes?  I mean, all by yourself?

Mmmm...they just look so good, don't they?

Almost immediately after, you get this sick feeling in your stomach, and a headache.  Then you feel dizzy, then you feel tired.  That's a boat load of sugar!  Not to mention the major empty calorie intake!

If you know this is going to happen to you; that eating an alien sized box of candy will give you minutes of joy, but hours of anguish...why do it?!

I asked myself this same question not too long ago...(just the other day) at the local SavMor Drug Store.
You see, I let the kids both choose a piece of candy.  Harmless enough, they both picked ring pops.  Remember how fun those used to be?

I apparently though it a good idea to choose a candy myself.  I chose the ginormous box of Mike and Ikes.

Yep.  The King Size.

Over 100 calories a serving, with 7 servings inside, of pure unadulterated S U G A R.

I said to myself, "Melissa, it's not like you're going to eat it all at once."  Knowing that was a complete lie, I went for it anyway.

So dumb!

As the kids sucked away happily on their blue raspberry Ring Pops, I shoveled handfulls of those damn things into my mouth.

Oh, I ate all of them alright.  I felt sick, I felt guilty...not worth it at all!

Why do we do this?  It's not like we don't know it's not healthy for us.  It's the same with the half a bag of Doritos, or the portion the size of your head at the restaurant.  Must...eat...all...

Yuck!

It's really all about moderation.

I'd be a crazy liar to say that I'm never eating a Mike and Ike again.  Or never buying another bag of Doritos.

No, next time, my smart sensible self is going to kick in and tell the googly eyed self when enough is enough.

There's no reason to give up "junk food" and eat rice cakes and drink water from here on out.  Part of the journey is to become more aware of my weaknesses, and hone in on those and just make changes!

Pushing every tempting food out of your life forever does not follow the idea of moderation.  There's got to be a balance.

I'm finding it, and  I find that the better I feel, the less often I'm tempting myself with a "box of doom".

It all goes together, it's all a process and YOU are in control!

Is there something you just can't resist?  You know you shouldn't, but you cave anyway?

My Breakfast Video

If you've talked to me in the past 60 days or so, you may have heard me mention something about my breakfast shake.  Maybe you've seen me at school with my big turquoise cup and straw.
I know a few people have asked, "Are you really drinking a  shake for breakfast?"
Why, yes I am, and I love it!

One major purpose in my writing in 'cyber space' is to talk about my everyday travels in health fitness...and I drink a Shakeology shake everyday!  So that fits right in!
I actually really do believe in this stuff!  It's good stuff.

I've mentioned the food pyramid before.  It tells us how many servings of fruits and vegetables to eat each day to maintain a healthy and nutritious diet.
Let's be honest here, shall we?  How many times do you sit around eating 5-7 servings of carrots, apples, green peppers...if you're like me, very rarely.  In fact, I hardly ever eat fresh fruits and vegetables.

The whole thing is ironic and just plain pathetic, because in the almost 5 years that I have been raising my 2 kids, they have had a fruit and a vegetable portion on their plate with every meal. (ok, breakfast maybe not the vegetable).  My son used to ask for peas as a snack, no joke.  And for snacks, I really push things like grapes, and raisins, they love apples and strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, you name it.
Why don't I eat like my kids?

Brings me back to my 2012 Resolution #2...Take my own advice!

Anyway, I'm loving Shakeology.  If you have just over 4 minutes to spare, you should watch this video.  It makes sense, and like I said....It's good stuff.  Really, it is.

Shakeology Video - Less than 5 minutes...

Eyes Bigger Than Your Plate

How shall I say this delicately. Can I make it sound less, well, piggish...It's just that, one of my favorite things about family getting together on Christmas is...the family, of course...but it's...the FOOD! There I said it.

I have always been one with the food, if you get my drift. I'll hang out by the shrimp and cocktail sauce all night. I'll make cheese and cracker sandwiches till the cows come home. Not to mention the cheesy potatoes, the stuffed cabbage, the deviled eggs, not to mention that fact that we have 3 separate Christmas celebrations...I could go on, and on.
It's all I can do to hold myself back from the 2nds and 3rds......

But, today, I read an article in the Detroit News entitled "Half a Meal Can Still Mean Full Enjoyment". Really? How?...Here's what it said...
"When you enjoy your holiday meal, do a mental calculation. How much do you normally eat? Whatever it is, reduce it by 25 or 50 percent. You will be full. I guarantee it."

Sounds easy enough. I think I'll give it a try this time around. I'm always feeling overstuffed and gross after a Holiday meal. I've obviously just eaten way, way more than a normal amount of food. And for what? Do I really get enjoyment out of feeling like I could burst, or that I don't want to move? NO! And this year, I'm going to keep it under control. End of story.

Don't know about you, but the grosser I feel, the less motivated I am to get up and go for a run, or pop in a workout video. That seems pretty ironic! But so true! By not totally overdoing it, you can save on calories for sure, and save yourself the agony of feeling like a slug for the next couple of days. It'll be so much easier to stay on the workout wagon and not fall off into a ditch somewhere!

So, I'd like to thank Terry Foster from the Detroit News for telling me information that I already knew, but somehow didn't click until I read it in his article, and my husband Kent for sending it to me today in an email.

Kids are in bed, and I'm off to pop on a Rockin Body DVD...Dance Workout Video by Shaun T from BeachBody. I can't dance at all...that's a whole other bag of marbles for another day!