TTT

I feel like it has been a million years since I have dished out some randomness around here!  My brain should be bursting by now so here you go!

BIG letters...I have been on a quest to find big letters since we moved into our house almost 3 years ago...yes 3 years I have been looking for letters to put on a HUGE wall in our kitchen.  This search intensified when I started watching Fixer Upper...that Jo Jo uses big letters all the time!  It is like she was just rubbing it in my face that I couldn't find what I was looking for without dropping half my salary in shipping!!  Well last week my sister and I took a trip to Hobby Lobby....that's another post entirely about my love for that store!  It was my first time there and I was just in love!  Next trip is going to require a few more things....like more time, more money, and more babysitting!!!  We turned down one isle and it was as if the heavens opened....a whole isle of big letters!!!  I am happy to say I found my letters and my kitchen wall is no longer barren...until we move!  I also scored a big C to put in another room!!

Sister speak...I used to think my mother and aunt was crazy the way they were able to talk with each other.  They could keep about 20 story lines running at once and never confused them!  It was impossible to be part of the conversation because you just couldn't follow along!  My sister and I have developed something very similar as we have aged...even a look will set us off!  Lately we have been sending text messages that have honestly been funny...enjoy!

Training plans...even though my first race this season (I think) isn't until June, I've decided I need to get my head wrapped around a training plan!  This time around I'm going away from my usual plan and using the Own It plan from Train Like a Mother.

If I'm ever going to OWN ZOOMA, this plan is going to do it for me!  It shakes up my usual runs and routine but I think that is just what I need to really make progress!  Now if I can just wrap my head around it all I'll be golden!  Have you ever used this plan before?  How did you like it?  I have been in a running funk lately.  I don't know if it is the snow that WILL NOT STOP (seriously it's snowing right now!) or the cold or just a period in time but I haven't put in significant miles (for me) in about 2 weeks!  It of course is stressing me out because that is what I have always done to get rid of stress!!  Yesterday I told myself to get on the treadmill for at least 20 minutes...I did...and kept going!  I felt great...now if only I can do that again!  I think part of it is fear...what if I'm no longer any good!  I expressed this to a coworker today and she told me just what I needed to hear....You're a runner Nancy!  Of course you can do it!  Now go run!"  How do you get through a funk?

Cut the Cravings With Candy....Say What?

I was so excited when I was picked for a campaign by FitApproach with MealEnders Signaling Lozenges.  It honestly couldn't have come at a better time!  I don't know if you know but we currently have more snow than Anchorage, Alaska...in 4 weeks!

Add to that the fact that last week was our school vacation and you have the perfect mindless eating situation!  Enter MealEnders!  MealEnders are "signaling lozenges" that are designed to help you stop overeating and mindless eating.  They are stimulant and gluten free as well as only having 15 calories and 2 grams of fat each...much lower than the snacks that I would have grabbed!  They come in 4 great flavors: chocolate mint, cinnamon, citrus, and mocha.

I received a bag of each flavor and had fun trying them all.  I honestly LOVE the chocolate mint flavor the best even though all 4 flavors were yummy!

How does it work?  Well instead of reaching for another helping of food or continuing to eat even though you are getting hungry....or if you're like me and you snack when you're bored...you simply pop a MealEnder in your mouth and in the 20 min it takes to dissolve in your mouth the craving is gone!  Each has a sweet coating that stops the craving for more food.  When that layer is gone what remains resets your taste buds keeping you from reaching for more food!  With MealEnders you can retrain your brain to stop when you are full...or like me stop yourself from completely stopping your progress by mindlessly snacking!  They certainly helped me get through the time inside and vacation without snacking the pounds on!

Now because I'm always in elementary school and our #1 rule is to share....I'm passing on MealEnders to you!!  Enter today for a chance to win the same 4 bags of MealEnders that I received! The giveaway ends Sunday and the winner will be announced on Monday!!  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I was given 4 bags of MealEnders Lozenges in exchange for this review and giveaway through a campaign with FitApproach but all opinions are 100% me!!

Monday Motivation

Lately this year I have been feeling off...like something was missing...something was just not right.  I have goals...I'm working toward them...the time is clicking by but there is just a piece missing.  Until this weekend I wasn't quite sure what it was...it's the journey.  With no race on the schedule until June I am feeling lost.  I LOVE training for races...the focus...the plan...doing what I need to do each day...the joy.  Yes I do find joy in my life in other ways but this joy has been missing.  Don't get me wrong, the finish line rocks my socks off but there is just something about that journey to the starting line that really fills me up!  Don't overlook the joy in the journey...stay focused on the finish but don't miss what gets you there!!

Do you like the training or the finish better?

"Fixing" Things Around Here

They first few weeks of January I was extremely frustrated with my eating and just my overall progress.  A lot led up to this point including a summer where I slacked off a bit after being super strict with my eats, and a fall where I just continued to slip.  I kept up with my exercise but I found myself back where I started...working out super hard and seeing zero results due to the foods I was eating.  I tried my hand at counting macros and the whole iifym deal which I had seen working wonders for many!  I also contacted a coach who specializes in designing diets for girls going into competitions, but I just couldn't wrap my head around how to make everything fit.  I asked for help in what felt like every corner but no help ever came.  Even the coach I was talking to just never returned my emails.  It was almost as if I was not cool enough to be part of the club (my suspicion with the coach is that he figured I wasn't headed to the stage so why bother).  I have never experienced anything like this before...with running/working out I have always found very supportive people who loved to dish advice.

I then saw a group on Facebook with a great coach named Danielle that was starting a 21 Day Challenge using the 21 Day Fix made by Beachbody.

I talked with hubs and decided to join in.  It comes with workouts and an eating plan to follow.  It also comes with color-coded containers that help you to portion out your foods.  Once you eat all your colors, your done.

I am 1 week in and I really like the program!  I feel like I am gaining control of my eating again and have people to support me and answer my questions (imagine that!).  The workouts aren't impossible but they are leaving me sore...which of course I love!  This week I am adding in more running...and more next week as I ease back to where I was...but even after a week of just the workouts and one slip up on Valentine's Day, I was down 3lbs!  I really feel though that the gain in control is what if really feeling a lot better.  I was feeling so out-of-control...binging on Sunday and starting over again on Monday week after week.  I'm looking forward to seeing where this week and next take me...and also going forward!  I'm certainly not ready to show before and afters but I'm on my way!!

Have you ever used 21 Day Fix?  

Monday Motivation

With blizzard after blizzard and temps well below the teens, it is safe to say that the winter blahs have hit me hard these past few weeks.  It's hard to get outside...hard to run outside since everything is coated in ice (however I am gunning for a pair of yak traks)...hard to keep the little ones from tackling each other all over the house!  Saturday I decided that enough was enough....with another blizzard looming, I joined up with the Marathon Sports running group.  I didn't care what our mileage or pace was, I just wanted to be outside...to be breathing cold, crisp air...to be with others!  It was glorious!  Today I was up and hit the gym for a brick workout and came home with a smile on my face.  I need to remember these moments...to be pushed to go workout so that my grouchy face will melt away!

How do you beat the winter blahs?

Monday Motivation

It's February...snow is piling up outside...the temps are well below freezing...and there is no major race on my calendar for months.  Now COULD be the time I let it slide...phone in my workouts and just get them done.  However now is NOT the time to do that!  I'm committed to my goal...committed to the time I want to see flashing on my Garmin.  Committed...and in order to do that I need to work...hard...even when I'm not in the mood! 

What goals do you have in the future?  Stay loyal to them...loyal to the promise you made yourself!!

When to Say When

For whatever reason, and I am venturing to say that I am not alone, I push myself until I hit a wall...fall down and regroup again.  Instead of learning from the falling down piece, I will admit that I have a tendency to do the same thing over and over leading me to the same result.  What is the definition of insanity?  The path there may look different each time but it usually contains a lot of yeses when I really want to say no...times when things I plan go completely wrong...and flying by the seat of my usually organized pants! 

This time around I hit the wall yesterday...hard.  I was sneaking off to a much need trip to the gym (after being snowed/iced in for 6 days) and I was just about to open the door with my family sleeping soundly when I hear...."Moooooom!  I peed my bed!"....Actually it was "Moooom!  I pooped my bed!" but our youngest thankfully mixes up her words and she really had just peed.  After cleaning her and her bed up and begging her to go back to sleep, my window to head to the gym had closed and our oldest promptly woke up 10 mins later!  After the whole morning routine, I found myself in the shower....crying.  It wasn't the fact that my daughter woke up and I couldn't go to the gym rather the mounting and never-ending to-do list in my head...the doctors appointments that are long overdue (I mean who wouldn't want to spend a personal day having a mammogram and visiting the OBGYN!?)...looking in the mirror and seeing roots that needed to be fixed months ago...Valentine's to be made...the long list of things to coordinate in order to spend the weekend teaching away from home...it goes on and on.  When I get to this point everything seems to be the straw to break the camel's back and unfortunately my family suffers. 

Yesterday as I drafted this post in my head it was less about having a brain dump and more about reflecting on how to NOT get to this point...seeing the signs of this wall/nutty coming and stopping it before I hit it.  I'm sure other people have this same issue but Moms seemed to have honed the skill of putting everything else before themselves.  Now I wouldn't say I never take time for myself, my hubby gives me lots of time to run all by myself and I'm blessed to have his understanding, but I'm awful at seeing the signs of stress piling up.  Reflecting back on my behavior the past few days, I realized that I not only needed to apologize to my family but that it isn't fair to them to let myself get to this point.  Stopping before I hit the wall not only benefits me but them as well.  If I want to be a good example for my girls, it not only needs to be of a strong mama but also one that takes care of herself.  I'm sure this will be a work in progress but at least I can start the bus in the right direction!

How do you deal with an accumulating to-do list?  How do you destress?

Monday Motivation

While I sit here this morning, watching yet another storm dump snow on our seaside town, I'm not only basking in the glow of a 4th Patriots Super Bowl win but I'm also reflecting on the commercials from last night.  I found so many of them bringing me to tears...wanting to buy a bus and equip it with computers and driving it around the city...thinking about the safety of my children...suddenly wanting a puppy and some GIANT horses...but my favorite of the night was the Always #LikeAGirl commercial.  It reminded me of whose watching...how I'm making a mark in the next generation of girls...how I'm showing my girls that doing things #LikeAGirl is badass!

There are little eyes watching me get up and get sweaty...little eyes that see what things they can do!  It is an honor to be the one they are watching and each day I'm reminded of this.  I am proud to be raising up two powerful and determined girls...and I can't wait to see them rock this world!!