Out of the Comfort Zone

Feeling stuck in a rut can be frustrating.  You feel like you're working your butt off, and you've hit this limit...you can't get over the hump.

Maybe it's that you want the scale to drop 5 more lbs. and you just aren't making any more progress.  You're doing the same things...eating right, breaking a good sweat 30 minutes 3-5 times a week, and nothing more is happening.

Maybe you set a goal to run a certain distance, but you feel like you can't run another step if you tried.  Getting past that 3 mile or 6 mile mark seems crazy.

It's the "comfort zone".  I am the queen of Loving my Comfort Zone.  It's such a predictable place.  I never have to worry about what will happen, or how it's going to happen.  It is what it is in my little Comfy Place.

In my Zone, I have a Shakeology shake in the morning.  I add 1 cup of unsweetened coconut milk and 1/4 cup of water with 12 ice cubes.  13 ice cubes, and it won't blend without adding more water.  11 ice cubes and it's too thin.

I have a bowl of cereal and some raisins for lunch.  Cheerios, Rice Squares...I love the Chocloate Cheerios!  Sometimes I have an orange too, or a Nutra Grain Bar...occasionally I'll go for a 6 inch Subway sub...occasionally.

For dinner - oooh, this is the scary part - dinner is NOT comfy.  I struggle with planning out dinner meals.    It's too unpredictable...I need to work on dinner big time.

Working out in my Zone is VERY predictable.  I have a set 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 10 mile run that I do without fail.  I rarely branch out and run somewhere different or switch up my route too much.  I love knowing exactly how far I have left to go, and now a days, how much longer I have to get to certain land marks.

It's time to BREAK FREE!!  Yesterday I went my usual 6 mile route.  Not very interesting.  But...I had my best run to date, and I was uncomfortable the entire time!  It was Awesome!

From the get go, out my front door I had decided to push it just a little more than usual.   What did I have to lose?  If all else failed, I could walk, right?  I went for it; starting out much past my comfortable -just get into the groove at the beginning of the run- kind of start.

I remembered the days back in college, swimming hard.  Really hard, and pushing myself to the limit.  I  wanted to see if I still had it in me.  I actually felt a little glimmer of that feeling again.  I loved feeling exhausted and done.  When I hit the end of my run, I was Done, out of breath, my legs were Tired, and it was cool!

Is it necessary to push the limit of comfort for every workout from now on?  NO!  That would wear and tear so fast...but more frequently I plan to just Go For It!  Now that I know that it's possible to run just a little faster for a little longer, it's not such a scary thought.

How do you break free from your comfort zone?  


Is it hard for you to deviate from your normal routine?

In Need of a Running 101

The closer it gets to race day, the more anxious I feel about my pace!

The problem is that I have no idea what my pace should be!  I need to get this run under my belt and go from there.  There is a 6 year old half marathon PR to compare my impending March 25 time to, but can I really say that is a valid goal?  I was a totally different runner then...ugg!  Is is safe to assume I can run it under 1:50?  I have no idea!!??

Today's run felt awesome; it was an easy 6 miles, and I felt like I was cruising.  8:30+ minute miles is pretty good for me, I think, but as soon as I add on the next 4 to make 10, it all goes down hill from there.

My race background is measly at best, and I'm actually missing one of my medals.  Not that I have a shrine of them or anything, but I did go dig them out the other day just to see what I actually had.

Motivation to run is not what is lacking, in fact, I'm pretty sure I'll sign up for the Ann Arbor Marathon in June...anybody in with me?  It's pacing an specifics on training that I need...

EDIT:  Keep those dreams in sight!  He loved having those medals on...who cares if they were just "participation" ones!

I think I need to read a book.  A good book about running.  I need some guidance and some direction beyond how many miles to run each day.

Any suggestions?

Sticking To It

How are you coming along with your 2012 Resolutions?

I've got to say, I'm inspired by my husband, Kent's determination.  He sparked up his 2012 this past week and is on a mission!

He's been working out, and he's been eating right...way more fruits and veggies, lean meats and salads, less snacking, and keeping track of what he's eating.

Making a Resolution is easy.  Anyone can SAY what they want to happen.  "I want to be healthier", "I want to be stronger", "I want to exercise every day".  Those are all very admirable things to want to do!

I want all of those things too!  The plan to stick to is what will get us all there!

Some tips on sticking to your plan, whatever it may be:

• Say it out loud!  Put it out there!  Tell someone your plan.  They are bound to ask you about it, and you'd hate to have to say that you haven't gotten started yet, or that you tried it for a day, but gave up!
• Write it down...and put it up somewhere!  Kent's meal plan is taped to the kitchen cabinet!  Not the most tasteful decor, but if you ever came over you'd see how un-savvy I am with that anyway!
• Try not to look ahead.  What?  Really, take it ONE DAY AT A TIME!  
• Reward little achievements.  Maybe you'll put $1 (any amound) in a jar for every pound you loose.  OR, you'll do the same for a week of clean eating...whatever motivates you...promise yourself a new pair of kicks for 21 days of sticking to it!
• Focus on how you're feeling.  It feels so good to stick to it...the guilt of letting yourself down is totally not worth the donuts in the break room, or the bag of chips after everyone has gone to sleep!
• Target times for working out.  Whether it's by yourself or with a group.  Kent works out with his football team after school.  He's the coach, and there's nothing more motivating than to see your own coach doing what you're doing!  It's a double whammy!  He's leading by example!  The best way to do it!
• Be realistic!  Losing 50 lbs. in 1 month is unrealistic and unhealthy.  Slow and steady wins the race.  Never eating another brownie in your entire life is not going to happen either.  You almost have to allow yourself a slip up every now and again or you'll go crazy!  Just keep it in perspective and don't let a minor lapse get you off course.  Jump back on the wagon and keep going!
• Don't Give Up!  You might not be physically seeing the results of your healthier lifestyle right away.  The lbs. may not be melting away.  Give yourself time.  It's a process.  Enjoy it!
• Don't call it a Diet!  That word has such a stigma!  What you're doing is changing a lifestyle.  Making your health a priority is much more than a dumb diet!  This is a change for life!

You can always draw inspiration from your biggest fans!

He's rooting for you!

What are some other tips you have for helping us stick to your resolutions and reach our health and fitness goals?

Couch to Pavement in No Time

I just wanted to share a couple of web sites that I have been drawn to when it comes to training programs for running.

ANYBODY can run for fitness.  You don't have to have ever run a day in your life, to begin feeling the benefits of the sport...today...I mean actually from a sitting or even laying position on your comfy couch, to running in a 5K race by spring!

There really is a Couch to 5K running program that is a 9 week training schedule.  It tells you what to do, day by day starting, literally from your couch, to running a 5K.

Also, I've used the insights of Hal Higdon to train for my select few races.  His web site, halhigdon.com is great.
He's got training schedules for the Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced runners and walkers for Half and Full Marathons.
He's got online downloads and even Apps for your IPad or IPod to keep with you.  It's pretty neat.

There's nothing better than setting a goal, and accomplishing it.  Especially if it took a lot of really hard work to get there.

There are also a couple of sites I love to go to once I have a run under my belt.  Places like Map My Run and The Daily Mile will help you to do a few important things:

• You can map a run or a walk route to keep track of your mileage
• You can record your time and track your progress
• You can record how you felt on any specific route to compare with other times
• The Daily Mile will record  your total mileage for the week and for the year!  That's pretty cool to see!
• You can also connect with other runners and walkers that may or may not be in your area doing the same things as you.  It helps with accountability and it's nice to have some sort of support group.

I guess the hardest thing in everyone's busy schedule, is to find the spare time to start something new.  Putting one more thing on your plate sounds way too complicated.

These sites will teach you how to ease into a training routine.  You won't be thrown to the dogs.  And, after you've begun to see improvements, and are starting to feel really great...you will FIND the time to keep it up!

Do you know of any other great sites with training programs that you've used or are using now?

Back in the Day

The alarm goes off.  I look at the clock.  It's 4:55 a.m.
Uh.  I drag myself out of bed, look to see if anyone else is up yet.  Yep.  I'm the last one.
Down the stairs...put on my bathing suit, grab my bag, put on my Hillsdale College Swimming parka.
We give each other the look...we'd better not be late.  Out the door.
It's freaking freezing out.  We're freshmen, so we don't have a car...we walk to the Sports Complex.
5:30 a.m.  We stand at the edge of the pool, dreading the dive into the icy cold water.
"I would give anything not to have to do this right now!", runs through my head as I stand there staring at the calm water...
One day I actually remember saying, "I think I'm gonna die."  My faithful swimming partner Colleen talked me off the ledge, "Melissa, you're not gonna die."  So simple but true.
As soon as I hit the oh so familiar H2O, I flip that switch.  Now, I'm ready.  And, I'm excited to see what's in store for me for the next 2 hours.
I give it my all.  I want to make the most of the time I have to train and get better...
Go to class, then back in the water to do it all again at 3:30 p.m.

I grew up in the water.  I swam starting from the time I was 5 or 6.  I literally spent nearly every day on a pool deck.  Whether it was my own swimming practice, or it was me just hanging out at my dad's practice, I was there.  My sport was going back and forth, back and forth.  Most of the time for 2 hours a pop, twice a day.  Face in the water, staring at the bottom of the pool.  Sounds like a blast, huh?
Just me, the water, the time clock.  That's all it was about...beating the clock.  Swimming faster than the time before.  Swimming is cut and dry like that.  Either you were faster or you weren't.  If you weren't you had to train harder to be faster.  If you were, you had to train harder to be faster.
With all that training, I probably should've made it to the Olympics...ha, not even close.  But it was all worth it.

I'm so glad that I have this mindset.  It's like riding a bike.  As soon as I get myself into a workout, whether it's running, a video...whatever, I am so ready and happy I did.
It's all about the way you look at it.  You can dread it, and curse it and hate it...but why?
Doing any sort of workout at all is stepping closer to a better you!  That's the way I see it.

All it takes is just getting started.  That's all.

To sum it up, my husband Kent went to the high school the other day for a workout.  The first thing he said when he walked in the door was, "Man, I feel so much better when I work out."

You just have to DO it!