TTT

Holy moly it's Thursday!  There is something about a short week...it feels like it is dragging along until BAM it's almost over!!  Here's some randoms for your reading enjoyment!

Across the miles...My BRF Jill and I have been running together for 9 years.  We started running together after I had our oldest lady.  We ran my first post-baby race together in a local 5k.  I didn't know Jill as well then but it was meant to be...even when she told me to push harder because I didn't feel like I was going to puke yet!!  We have run countless miles and races together since then (fun fact is that she has been by my side for all my "first post-baby" races and will be there in June for Newport)!  It was much easier to meet up and run when we lived close to each other, but now I'm on the Cape and she's jamming out north of Boston.  This past weekend we came up with a plan to encourage each other to get moving without actually being together.

We told each other our goals and have been texting each other to make sure we follow through!  I know that if I get that text and am sitting on the couch or pushing snooze, then she'll know (she knows everything!)  I love it!!!

Oh my Chip Gaines...Like I needed another reason to love the Gaines, now Chip is running a marathon! 

If you follow him on Instagram you will get a few laughs as he embarks on the journey of 26.2!  He has a good sense of humor about the pain of it all!  He's getting his inspiration and advice from accomplished runner and cancer warrior Gabe Grunewald.

I'm excited to follow this journey especially since they are adding to their already big crew along the way!!

Operation Hydration...One healthy habit that I started many years ago that has stuck more than anything with me is making sure I am drinking enough water.  My husband carries a gallon of water around with him all day, so when we started dating I took a page from his book and decided that hydration was something I could do!  If you see me at work...at the beach...pretty much anywhere I have water with me! 

The lineup plus my morning shake!

My students notice even when I don't have my water with me...and often times ask me if I forgot it somewhere (which is always a possibility).  Doctors recommend that you drink at least half your body weight in good ole H2O so get chugging!  You will feel so much better I promise!!!...once you are done with your 18th trip to the potty!!

Rounding Out a Decade

Monday was my birthday...my 39th birthday.  I went out for a run yesterday morning and started thinking about the last decade of my life and about how I wanted that decade to end.  I began my 30s feeling the same way I do today...I'm discouraged with how I look/feel...I'm in the worst shape I have been in since I was 30 (I had my oldest child just weeks before I turned 30)...I'm embarrassed.  I began this decade as a new mom.  I have spent this decade of life growing our family...literally in my body.  I have carried 4 babies, one of which we will meet one day in heaven.  I have gained 50+lbs three times.  I have stretched my stomach, and unfortunately the rest of my body, to sizes I didn't know it could reach!  I have had surgery three times to meet our beautiful babies.  I have also lost 60+lbs twice....battled postpartum depression twice and am currently doing so again.  To say I have challenged my body during this decade would be an understatement!!

As I was running along, it got me thinking about what I wanted this year to be....do I want it to be an extension of the blah that I have been feeling lately (overweight and exhausted) or do I want this last year of 30 to be an exclamation point on a decade of physical challenges?  I choose the later!!  I choose that I am going to end this decade with an exclamation point!  I will NOT let depression win!  I will NOT quit trying to get back into shape!  I will NOT just quit...I can do this!!!  Here is a picture from one of my first big races after having my oldest...

I was petrified because it was a big race full of a million and one hills.  I chose this picture to reflect on because I am about 9 months postpartum in this picture...2 months more than I am right now.  I chose this picture to motivate me.  No I wasn't in the shape I wanted to be in but DAMN I was a lot closer than I am today!!  Taking short steps, my first goal is to be in this place in 2 months...in March my goal is to be here! 

Don't you worry....I have another picture for the next 3 months!!!

Fitness Friday...What You Tell Yourself

I will fully admit that I am my own worst enemy.  If others around me talked to me like I talk to myself....well let's just say we would no longer be friends. 

I am hard on myself in all aspects of my life (especially lately when all the wheels are falling off the Fancy bus almost daily) but especially hard on myself when it comes to fitness and weight loss.  It is almost as if I choose to accept myself the way that I am now, I almost fear the weight won't come off! 

My goal for my girls, and my son too, is for them to love themselves.  I am always aware how I am talking to them about being healthy...about trying their best...about being proud of themselves. 

However I do not extend the same grace to myself.  When it comes to fitness and weight loss journeys, it is so crucial that you believe in yourself.  That you know that at the end of each day you tried your best and that was enough! 

I really noticed this yesterday out on my runch with a coworker/friend of mine.  The miles flew by and I felt awesome about it when we got back to school.  Yes I was a hot sweaty mess but I felt really positive about the run.

Just a few days before...same route...but solo.  I let so many negative thoughts in about me as a runner and frankly the run stunk!  I stopped a bunch of times to walk and felt discouraged about my progress.  Positive talk and positive people around you can make such a difference!  This weekend I think I am going to start compiling sayings and images for a vision board for next to my treadmill.  A board of positive things to look at when the negative creeps in! 

Be your biggest cheerleader!!!  You can do this!!

TTT

Ahhhh!  It's Thursday!  It's been so long since I have been able to dish randomness your way!!  I am working off very little sleep so really random is the name of the game today! 

Foot funk...Our oldest daughter...our beautiful girl...has the stinkiest feet I have ever smelled!  Seriously she kills her shoes! 

I have tried washing her sneakers and Uggs...using Lysol...shoe spray...nothing takes the smell away!  Part of the problem is that she is not a fan of socks...I feel her pain...but usually the socks can trap the smell!  Yesterday she had on a pair of Sketchers and they just about killed everyone in the house!  I thought we were waving the white flag on the shoes until I caught a faint smell this morning...yup she had the shoes on for school today!!  These are so bad that I honestly contemplated dropping the girls off and going back home to get her different shoes (we live about 30 minutes one way from school)!!  No can do but I have been praying all day that no one smells them!!!  Any suggestions for getting rid of really tough foot smell???

Winter in New England...The weather here lately has been...well very typical of weather in New England!  The last few weeks have been dangerously below zero...like don't leave the house with any exposed skin or it will certainly chip off your body!  Today and tomorrow however it is above 40!!!  I was so excited getting out the door for school not wearing a jacket and all the other accessories that I needed last week!  It's a heat wave!!

 

Hang tight thought because I'm sure it will change soon.  After all it is only January!

Sleep precious sleep...Our two girls were sleep champions.  They slept through the night after just 4 months and really haven't given us an issue to speak of since as long as they are healthy.  Next comes the little man.  Right on cue at about 3 months he was sleeping some big chunks.  I thought he was following in his sisters' footsteps and would be a great sleeper too!  I thought I had dodged the bullet that so many moms talk about....until I didn't!  I love the little man but he is up at least once if not twice in the middle of the night.  He eats and is back to sleep but sometimes I have a hard time falling asleep!  A few nights ago I figured I would stay up and do 4 loads of laundry!  The downfall is that I am ALWAYS tired...and so is my husband who helps but making the bottle.  It's tricky because we should let him cry it out but he is in the room with his sister who has to go to school the next day. 

I am ready to go crazy!  I am missing my morning workouts because I am barely falling back to sleep when my alarm is ready to go off at 4.  I am dragging through my night workouts (or missing them completely because I fall asleep) because I am so tired!!!!!  I am thinking that I just need to stay up after his last feeding and workout then...even if it's 3am!  I know it sounds crazy but I feel like I am at that point.  I'm not losing weight...I'm not getting in super workouts...I'm not sleeping...yeah recipe for a crazy mother runner!  Do any of you have any suggestions???  Anyone else struggle with this???

Mantra Time!

Usually every year along with my goals I pick a word or phrase to focus on during the year...something to repeat to myself when things get hard to keep me pushing.  I remember back several years ago when I was at the Runner's World Half listening to Deena Kastor talk about mantras. 

She talked about making sure they don't have any negative things in them because when you are dog tired and just trying to finish, your mantra may turn against you.  For example, Don't Quit when fatigue sets in could be reduced to just Quit.  I certainly don't need motivation to stop pushing my legs these days!!

This past week I have been thinking about my goals and what I really want to focus on when I am doing my workouts and trying to motivate myself to get going.  I think to look at this next year as a big picture it is very overwhelming...lose a significant amount of weight, get back to distance running, purge and organize our house/life...wowzer!  However if I just take it piece by piece...what I can do today...and repeat that over and over...this time next year I will be where I want to be! 

This year I am going back to a phrase that I have used before...and it really is something that I can apply not only to running and weight loss but also to things around my house...to relationships...to life. 

Finish What You Started

A push to keep going until I get to the finish no matter what that finish line is!  This year I WILL finish what I start!!!

Have you ever chosen a word or phrase for the year?  What is yours?

Goals for 2018

I love new years...new school years and new calendar years!  I love new planners with special markers...anything that I can color code and make me at least look like I have my shit together!  Here we are in a new year and I'm ready to make this a year of the badass Fancy Nancy!  I mean not only is this 2018 but it is also my last year in a certain age group....so why not make it fabulous!

Looking back on last year's goals it was very simple...Relax...have a healthy pregnancy...invest in healthy relationships.  I would say best 2 out of 3.  Baby boy was born and was super healthy...I have been able to really invest in some healthy relationships around me and I am really feeling the love...however relaxing is still a struggle.  I mean 3 kids is a friggin CIRCUS!!!

I split my goals into 3 different categories...running/fitness, nutrition/weight loss, and life.  Here you have it!!

Running/fitness:

• Run 1000 miles.  I know this will be a challenge this year since I am currently fighting the running kiss of death known as plantar faciitis, but I also know that I can do this!
• Run Newport 10 Miler.  I love this race and I was sad to not be able to run it last year ( I was a little busy healing after my c-section).  I'm excited to have a race to train for!
• Heal my foot and gain strength...both mental and physical.  This mama needs to get her grit back!
• Lift weights 3x a week...I know that injury free running is in weight training and make my structure strong!

Nutrition/Weight loss:

• Lose 50lbs...I know that is a big number but believe me I need it!!!  
• Eat clean, whole foods...foods that make my body not only smaller but HEALTHY
• Get our children to make good food choices...I know it comes from the top and if I can be a good example, they will follow.

Life:

• Collect memories not things...Last year it was all about decluttering.  Yes we still need to do that (my goal for January is to fill 1 trash bag a day) but I am looking forward to having fun experiences with our family
• Lower the pressure...enjoy the roller coaster!  This is our last baby and he is already 7 months old!!!  I just need to remind myself to breathe....and enjoy!

• Be intentional about spending time with the people I love...Time speeds by and I need to be more intentional about taking time to spend with those around me...plan dates for my husband and I to have fun together...have girls nights..etc

Cheers to a new year!!!  What are some of your goals in 2018???

Is This Thing Still On?

After a long time of trying to carve out time to post, I stopped....gave myself the grace that I needed...and took one thing off my plate.  In that time though...I really feel like I lost a part of me.  I've missed posting...and the accountability that goes along with it.  It has been amazing time with my family and adding a new bundle to the crew but I have certainly put my health on the back burner. Soo Happy New Year I'm back!!  And how nice of 2018 to fall on a Monday!!  Nothing like a new year to give you a kick in the pants! I have many goals this year that I will post about tomorrow, but for now I am trying to land on a word...a mantra for the new year.

I know I have a long way to go to feeling (and looking) like myself again but I know that I am worth it...I am going to make myself so proud!!!

What are you going to do this year to make yourself proud?