Tag: training

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14 years, 7 Miles, 0 Leftovers

runswithhips

Hello Hip Huggers! How’s your weekend been?

I had a pretty cool weekend, myself!

Saturday, my hubby and I celebrated 14 years of holy matrimony.

I married a great guy! I’m a good picker  apparently not of weeds though.

We went to Campisi’s for pizza (eh, I’ve had better) then to
Half Price Books (the Uptown flagship, my favorite spot) for books & coffee.
Lastly, stopped at BJ’s Brewery for carbs drinks. The night felt so live!
Maybe it was the awesome Super Moon, if you believe in cosmic stuff like me that 🙂


Long Islands may not have been the best idea in hindsight,
considering I had a run planned in the morning with
a friend/fellow runner also training for her first half…
Meet Nikki, Hip Huggers! My new weekend running buddy!


Sunday: We planned 8 miles, but spent so much time taking pictures talking
before heading out that we lost valuble time before things really began heating up.
We warmed up walking for about a mile and started good.
Then, the alcohol 91° heat got the best of me.
I couldn’t pick up speed thru the entire thing. I ran out of water at mile 4 and I was dead DONE after that.
We conceeded at 7 miles; we were just running too slow/walking too much to get back home
in 1:30 as planned to get our families ready go to church.
Walked the last 1/2 mile to cooldown. But still, it was such a great run!
I’m so happy to have an experienced runner to help with my long runs on the weekends.
Training is already looking up! We’re beating the heat next week.. 6 miles @ sub 11 pace 🙂


Swerving on..
My hubby is on vacation this week! So, it’s kinda nice having another
motivated running buddy for these super sleepy Monday mornings.
Monday: Quick 5k & Sirsasana before heading out to run some important errands…


Read: restocking on post run popcorn recovery 🙂


Tuesday: Another hot, slow run. But I was easy on myself.
Mid July runs after 7 am are gonna be slooow, fool Pam!
Must make 6:30 start time a priority!!


5 miles done!
I set out for just 3, but I think all the running I’ve tackled
over the last few days is catching up with me.
My legs were heavy and I felt like I crawled the entire run.
On a high note, I’m at 54 of 85 miles for July up there!
and speaking of long, its been a minute since
I had a good, long, heart opening yoga session at home.


Mind, Body, Heart Opened? Check.
***
Now, to catch up on Sunday’s The Leftovers, with popcorn because
we ate out last night and we have 0 leftovers.


I’m so Hooked, Hip Huggers! See Ya!!

Question: Hot Days? Treadmill Work or Slow Road Run?

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Becoming Golden

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So, looks like we got a little snow today. This was just the beginning…

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Which was fun because per the weather gods, we were only supposed to get a light dusting. No. full blown white, fluffy. edible well, to my dogs at least snow!

My only complaint was it kept me inside yet another day. I am truly a weather wimp. I do NOT like being cold! Maybe its that warm California Golden Coast blood flowing through my veins, but I am so uncomfortable when its cold… like, more than you..

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Whining aside, I had to get a sweat in today. I haven’t mentioned it really since this prehistoric post, but I am running the Hot Chocolate 15k this Saturday. I was on a great training streak until my birthday…then I crashed and burned.

Not alarmed though, I have still been working out! I’ve done 30DS more times than I can count, some really awesome HIIT workouts from Fitness Blender and the Catching Fire Challenge, as well as hitting the gym and lifting heavy — before it got dumb cold.

So, am I ready to run 9.2 miles? Yes. Now, a 4:30 wake up call? A crowd of over 15,000 people? A frigid 30 degree start? Eh.

But, I am nonetheless excited out of my mind!  My dear friend Lisa is running it with me and we always have a BLAST whenever we get together, so we’ll start painting the town tomorrow when we meet up for the Expo!

So, no more workouts, or runs…just deep stretching and taking care of this body the next 24 hours. Today, I was bored crazy found some very well timed holistic remedies for inflammation. I don’t get sick a lot, which I attribute to a good, healthy diet, regular exercise, my daily acv, and the Good Lord’s grace…but I do get flare ups from time to time with foods I eat and just random body pains…especially the tummy.

I was researching the benefits of ginger, which I am pretty well rounded in, when I came across this Ayurveda remedy for inflammation called, “Golden Milk”

So, I had all the ingredients to make the paste as well as the milk. I figured why not? I had tried my hand at oven baked cheese crisps earlier and they came out golden and perfect! Luck was on my side….

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 So I made it. I drank it. I lived to write about it. I must say, I feel very kinda weird right now. My tongue is a little numb, my stomach feels warm, and my head a little heavy….so, must be what detoxification/healing feels like!

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I’d certainly research it before trying it, but its a win for me. I am going drink it nightly for 40 days and blog about it then…I hope to have a good report!!

Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup mineral water
1/4 cup turmeric

Paste:
In a small saucepan, combine the water and turmeric, stirring with a wooden spoon for a few minutes. Once it thickens, pour into glass jar (carefully because it stains) and cover tightly and store in the fridge.

Golden Milk:
1 cup almond milk
1/2 tsp. turmeric paste
1/2 tsp. coconut oil
1 tsp. raw honey
Heat milk and paste in saucepan until combined. Add oil, honey, and cinnamon if you’d like, and stir until warmed through. Enjoy!

I’m off to wrangle kids together, and get ready for a busy day tomorrow, Hip Huggers!

Question: Ever skip out on race training? Did you still do well?

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Smoke and Mirrors

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Hello, and Good Morning to you all out there! 

Guess what? I am 33 years young today, and I truly mean young! I have never felt more awake on a birthday in my failing memory as I do today. Full of energy, high on life, and looking forward to a great year.

So, let me touch upon something I mentioned a post awhile back. Today, I gave up on turned down a job that 3 weeks ago meant the world to me. No, not a dream job, but something I felt I needed to do to keep me busy and possibly enhance my hopeful future career as a fitness trainer. But, it was not for me. 

Funny how from one angle, an opportunity can look like field of gold. But really, slows you down on that path to where you have professed you want to be. Smoke and mirrors. Things look one way until the smoke clears or that mirror becomes distorted. Then, you are stuck looking around wondering how the heck you ever got wrapped up in all of it? Why your eyes deceived you. Why your thirst for something was unquenchable until you see it for what it is REALLY worth. That was a not-so scathing tough lesson as it was just a part time job, but it was a stark reminder that dreams take focus and hard work! You can’t just pure wet your way around that fear of failure, but you must tear down that wall, brick by brick..

Yesterday being MLK Day, we all are inundated with that one word… dream. What is my dream? Being a phenomenal mom? Loving wife? Well yes, those are efforts I strive most days daily to improve upon, and happy to be the mom/wife that I am. But what is my DREAM? What do I lie in bed at night and think about. When I am feeling my bossiest, where am I on my way to?

My dream is to be a fitness trainer. I want to help people lose weight and gain knowledge. I want to be fortunate enough to change lives for a living, not make a living fortune. That was corny, but I really mean it. I want my days to be filled with sessions and travelling, bands and kettle bells, spandex and hoodies. I want my biggest job expense to be a gym membership. I want my phone to constantly be going off with texts, and emails from clients about their non-scale victories and prospective clients to ask if I am taking newbies. I want to end a session and go pick up my kids from school.  I want the first GNC charge card, lol! 

From a child up until last year, I wanted to be a social worker…always. I have lived with that desire of leaving my job everyday knowing I made someone’s life better, and may even perhaps saved it! I looked forward to helping people that could no longer help themselves. I wanted them to leave knowing I was going to do everything I could to lift them out of their situation.

Well, you know what? Health and fitness IS my social work. This is me helping someone make a better life. I have transformed the eating habits of my family. I have helped friends lose 20-30 lbs and see frowns turn into smiles. The looks on my friend’s face when their body changes. That late text, “can I eat this?” That “you’d be so proud of me the way I ate this weekend”… that is life to me!

So, as I have been blessed to see yet another year of life, I am also blessed to have a passion and a desire to do something for the rest of my life that will make a difference! I am standing up and walking in what I know is my destiny.  Step by step. Onward and upward.

Even so with this blog! I am a very comical person, I live to laugh and joke. However, when I started this blog, my vision was to help people lose weight.

I found myself scrolling through older posts and realized, “wow, my blog is a whole lotta bout me!” That is not my intention for this blog, and could very well be why I have gone from hoping to post twice a day, actually posting once a day, to posting once or twice a month. Why this change? Fear. I may have to be certified to exchange fitness services for $$$ but I don’t have to be certified to share what I KNOW about losing weight, and keeping it off while enjoying food and life! I AM the expert at that, damn it.

So, the landscape around here will change a bit. More self-help and less self-seeking, sum that up as you please not too harsh hopefully, I’m still learning. So, be on the lookout for my next post… really soon! And thank you, readers! You are honestly the heartbeat of this blog. Whoever and wherever you are.

 Question: What is your dream job? Your REAL dream job?

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Work it Out!!

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As if late, I have sorely missed having a social life job. I worked at a bank up until this past summer when I decided to be home indefinitely, family decision. Well, I was recently called up and asked to come back to work at the bank, just at a further different location! I’m in a pickle because sure I miss working, and would love to have something to do all day. However, I am not sure January is a good time to return. Or, if I want to return at all! I have also been heavily considering other work down below…

 

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In other news, my new running pants arrived! I was hoping to have some beginner’s luck since I have had no luck in clothes I haven’t been able to try on first…

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The jury is still out on them. But they held up well at the gym through jump rope and running, leg day and basketball and also were a hit with the afterschool moms 🙂

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My daily 3L water intake has been awesome! I’m so mad I ever stopped because I feel so much better after just one week! That bloat I have been secretly fighting is dissipating and my jeans are kind to me again. Hey, I like looking swell…not swollen. After a week, I’m looking mighty svelt if I say so myself! 🙂

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Ok, here’s the down below. I have been considering becoming a personal trainer for 2 years now. I have heard many, many times I’d be a great trainer, which is such a humbling thing to hear. Even with that encouragement, I still think things into the ground through, and I have concluded that in this big wide world full of fitness trainers, coaches, nutrition specialists, Instagram fitness chicks there is just enough room for me, too! I’ve already seen an influx of weight loss questions on my Facebook page... I have such proactive friends.

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What is your dream job?

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Countdown…

runswithhips

Happy Friday! Still ice cold weather here, Déjà Vu from yesterday, but I woke up in such a fantastic mood today! I was ready to work this body! I had planned to really get it in yesterday, but instead, I did diddly squats nothing.
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Listen, I struggled between bracing the cold garage and running a few miles to get the blood flowing, or doing a full body workout inside. I really, reeeeally 4 e’s needed to do some strength training. I had only focused on it one day this week… slap sigh.

So, to break even, I did Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred Level 3. I also worked my stems with this 7 minute glute workout. You need this glute workout in your life! Add ankle weights and the burn is intense! Hey, I’m trying to Upgrade You.
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In other news, I used to drink water like a fish! When I lost my weight, I was drinking at least 6-8 bottles of water a day! After that, I drank about a gallon a day, up until last summer. When I took on a new job last October, I cut back because of all the bathroom breaks, lol, and I didn’t want it to be all about Me, Myself, and I and my water addiction sadly dwindled down to a few bottles a day.
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But, I am starting back today! Jay-Z and Beyoncé are challenging themselves to be vegan for 22 days. Not interested in living vegan, living la vida loca maybe but I too have heard it takes 21 days to start a new habit and albeit it’s not new, it needs to be a part of my daily again and will…

I want to be a habitual water chugger until the End of Time. So, this is happening.
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                                              All measured and ready to H2O!

Countdown begins!
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What’s your daily water intake? Is there a healthy habit you’d like to adopt for 22 days?

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Texas State of Mind…

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Aloha!!! Well, there isn’t anything tropical about the climate here right about now! Boy, are we bracing for some ridiculously cold weather here in the Big D!! Geez, feels like every time I get into a good running rhythm (read: training for a race) weather happens, hot or cold!

Please just let my power stay on! 5 kids, with no power for who knows how many days?? I’ll be a full time referee, or someone won’t make it out alive

Anyway. Here is a rewind of my week so far…
Monday was a 4 mile run, speedwork because I think I am training for a race…

I found this outside a neighbors house on my way back… I knocked asked, it works!

Tuesday was more of the same, I just have been in a cardio state of mind..
3 easy sunny miles.

Came home and baked some Flax Muffins. I have been trying to use the flax up before it’s no good. I keep it in the fridge, its cool.

Butter, flour, oil, and guilt free. Delish!

Wednesday ran 3 of these miles and….

Hit the gym, finally! It has been 1 week and I have maybe 1 no excuse for it. I have been missing running, yes, so that’s really it. Running is my anti anxiety drug… really is! Still, I am still working on balancing these 2.

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I have really been missing home lately. I’m from SoCal – born in San Diego, lived there til I was 8. Moved to San Francisco and that was home until I was 18, then moved back to SoCal. My mom, brother, and sister all still live there.. so a BIG piece of my heart resides there. I have been sulking lately thank you, holidays in all my favorite Cali songs…

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Boo. I was feeling pretty blue when one of the many Fitspos I follow on Instagram posted this…

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I must say, I laughed out loud! God has a very subtle way of reminding you of scriptures you need to carry you through tough times. I needed this 🙂
Well, I’m hunkering down for this cold weather coming. What are you doing to keep on track with all these weather changes?
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Sore Success!

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Whoa, I woke up sore. Good thing it was all upper body from Monday’s workout, because it was light Leg Day!

Went about 10:30am. Gym completely empty, so I hurried to the squat rack. I threw up 3 sets of 10 @ 135# easy.. confirming my husband’s theory that I can lift more… even on light days:-)

I am really proud today! I have always sat on the sidelines and watched other women squat with such intensity and wondered, “what is wrong with me!” Squats have always been intimidating to me — that is until last week. My husband pushed me and showed me it is all mental. I want my body to change and now I know I have the physical power to do it! I just had to get my mental there. Finally — I ❤️ squats!

Leg Day Done! Came home, grabbed my new Prevention magazine, brewed some ginger tea, and started stretching. I really began stretching after my runs over the summer and it has helped substantially with my recovery. I have been doing the same with weight training, and I have been much less sore than anticipated for such heavy lifting. My legs thank me!

Maybe this article explains why I am not curled up in a ball after 2 days of intense weight training.. I love my java!!

What exercise do you need to work on to gain confidence in? Do you stretch post workout? Are you a coffee lover?

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