Exercise of a different kind

This pile isn't even complete...I have about 5 more books and a handful of dvds that I've already taken back. The bottom book is for fun reading and not for learning but still...

It's dang cold here. I'm talking it's 19 feels like 2 kind of weather. The kind of cold that makes your head hurt just from breathing that kind of air. Yeah. Not so much running going on around here. Even though I've slacked on my physical workouts I've been exercising my brain.

I've been a reading/learning fool lately. I just can't seem to absorb enough. I've watched several documentaries on the food industry and on the health care industry. I've read or am currently reading books about raw eating, becoming a vegetarian, and mindful eating. I've also been reading a few books for pleasure and I've even been doing some reading into the Foster Care program.

Seems like this season is a season of learning and growth for me. It's been an interesting couple of weeks with making decisions (we are not moving to Portland after all but staying here in KY), we just got a dog (today actually), we found a place to volunteer on a regular basis after the new year. Lots of really awesome changes and with change comes learning. It really is a wonderful time for us.

So yeah I'm not working out. I don't feel bad about it. I'm not pigging out on food and I'm drinking my shakeology regularly. We are avoiding major sweets and just being reasonable about what we eat. Should I work out? Probably but for now I'm counting the scrapping ice/snow off my car as exercise and I'm going to curl up in bed and read until I just can't absorb any more information.

Fitness update December 1st 2010

The Good:

-Just got Turbo Jam in and will be starting that really soon
-Was talked into doing another 5K this year. On the 11th I'll be running the Reindeer Ramble 5K at Keenland Park with my sister Siobhan and her fellow teachers.
-Shakeology arrived today...I think I might have even started singing I was so happy.
-I survived hosting a holiday meal (see my 30 before 30 list) and that was really awesome.
-Found a sitter so I can try and go to some Fit Clubs in the area that is if there are any more mtgs before the end of the year

The bad:
-Have not run since my last 5K which was the Turkey Strut
-No real workouts either
-Ran out of Shakeology  for a week and was feeling bleh
-Spending a lot of time reading since I've been kinda feeling bleh

The Ugly: (or the reality)
-Weight stats: 169.5lbs (which is the same weight I was back on Oct 30th.) Haven't lost weight but haven't gained either. Guess I'm doing a good job maintaining but still am not in my healthy BMI range.
-I got really winded doing the kids workout video the other day that is like 20 mins long. Not hard but man of man was I tired from that. I guess I shouldn't be so hard on myself since I was wearing a wool sweater and jeans when I did it but still I was tired when I got done and I really shouldn't have been.
-Must resist empty calories at work. Lots of baked goods have been showing up at work and it's very difficult to stay away from all that goodness. I have a feeling that's part of why I've not really lost much weight. It's all so good but also so very very bad for me.

I have a mix of it all going on right now. While I know that I should kick myself into high gear I'm finding that as the cold weather sets in I just want to read and eat soup and stay in bed all day. Obvisoulsy that's not the best thing for myself or for my family but I'm having a hard time finding the motivation to get moving. Wondering how do you handle the winter blahs? Do you give yourself a bit of break when it comes to working out and focus more on your eating or do you kick it all into high gear and workout even harder? In any event I'm gonna have to suck it up and go buy a pair of running tights since I did just commit myself to running another 5K. Eeeek!

Turkey Strut 5K Shirt

It took me long enough to post these huh? Anyways here they are. Not sure why the second one is so blurry but I think you can still see what it says and all.

Turkey Strut 5K

Today I ran my last 5k of the 2010 year. I was kinda worried since I wasn't feeling so great and I don't think I'd actually gotten in a proper run since my last 5K that was 2 weeks ago.  Well....I did it. I did a LOT of walking and I felt sick for most of it but I did it.  I finished the race in 37:50 (not my best time) but I did place 3rd for my age bracket.

 I stuck around for the awards session and was surprised to see that I had placed. The guy who did the timing and stuff was from a local run/walk shop and said that he recognized me from the last race I did. Made me wonder if I placed at that race too but didn't know it since I didn't stick around. hmmm... Anyways I'm now the proud (and I do mean proud I'm actually really giddy) of a little gaudy turkey statue.

 I'm very thankful for my determination to keep running and to push myself to do a 5K (or 3) when just a year ago I would have laughed at the very thought of doing it. Even though I felt like this was my worst run to date I'm actually considering doing more. I'm actually finding the runs to be fun (running can be fun say what?!) and enjoying the challenges. Am I ready for a half or anything? I don't think so. I think there is a lot more running to be done before I do that but if I keep at it I could really see myself doing one at some point.

  

In the meantime I'm going to focus on getting back to P90X another challenge I'm ready to complete. This time I will finish it. :)

My Holiday Hustle 10

1. Try a new Shakeology recipe each week.

2. Start P90X again and finish it after the new year

3. Go to Fit Club at least once (gotta get over my fear of working out in public)

4. Go for a good 30-40 min walk once a week. Since in theory it's going to get colder as the year goes on I don't know if I'm cordinated enough to run in snow and stuff. Walking I can do.

5. Download and listen to church podcasts twice a week (it's not only important to challenge your body but also your brain)

6. Purchase a copy of Shaun T and the kids from my beachbody store (shameless plug www.beachbody.com/nikkishay717) so the kids and I can workout together. Have you tried doing P90X with a toddler trying to sit on your back in the middle of the yoga? yeah not easy. Hopefully this program designed for the kiddos will be the answer to my problem.

7. Decide if I want to do more running after the new year and if so figure out what races I want to do or if I'm just going to move on to a new sport. Yes, running is a sport!

8.  Read a book a week. I'm not saying it has to be big or anything but reading for fun/learning is really great for me. In 2 days that my internet was down last week I actually read two books. Yes a book a day! I know I know I'm a major dork but I love reading and would really like to keep this up.

9. Get involved with a charity. Not sure which one or how yet, but one of the best feelings (not the best but one of) is that you get to do something great for someone else.

10. Go see a movie with my husband. I'd love to do this every month but the reality is that it's impossible to do. I'd love to just go see one movie with him (Harry Potter maybe?) and then enjoy a good cup of coffee and convo with him. How much I miss the days when we had all the time in the world to reconnect and talk for hours.

What are your 10 things?