Category: motivation

September 24, 2013

It’s OK to be a Runner and Not Race

It’s OK to be a runner and NOT want to sign up for races!
— Jessica Collins (@BounSee_Jess) September 24, 2013

I posted this on Twitter this week and realized that I wanted to take this a little deeper. What was a passing thought quickly turned into an essay:

It’s OK to be a runner and not want to sign up for races.

As of right now, I have no real burning desire to run a marathon. I think marathons are amazing and people that finish them deserve accolades. And if you’re an ultrarunner, you’re my hero. But I have no burning desire to do so myself.

For one, it can be really expensive to pay all those race fees. Yes, they usually go to a good cause, but it can be expensive to budget for a small family. For another, I am not the most competitive person. I will compete with myself, and I’m sure the thrill of coming in first, second or third place would be phenomenal, but it just isn’t me. The extra time on Saturdays that it took to train for my Half Marathon would be pretty brutal right now. But even though these are legitimate reasons, they seem like petty excuses in the bigger picture…

I want to run faster, I want to get stronger, I want to run with better form and I’m constantly researching ways to do so, but I don’t feel like I need a race to prove it or to motivate me. I’m pretty strongly self-motivated most of the time, so I don’t need a race to push me. And I don’t need the ends to justify the means. I don’t need a better race score to justify the time I’m putting into running better. Maybe I just want to run better. I want to stretch myself in my own way, not the competitive way.

I am a simple runner. I don’t own any compression socks, nor do I regularly buy gel packs or fancy schmancy gear. I just have a pair of JC Penney running shoes and the road. It’s not that I don’t find value in that type of gear or that I’d never use them, I just prefer to do without them most of the time. I like to keep things simple. To just run and not think about it too much.

Everyone who becomes a runner seems to morph into a marathoner, doesn’t it seem that way? But what if I don’t want to? I just enjoy the thrill of the run, the distance and the experience of it. It doesn’t make me any less of a runner that I don’t have more medals hanging on my wall. I finished a Half Marathon once, and it was such a thrill to accomplish, but that’s been enough for me. I think races are a great way to change your routine and set out to achieve new goals. I love the sound of thousands of feet on the pavement and the electric energy and camaraderie at races. But I don’t think it’s necessary to be considered a “real” runner only if you pound out race after race.

And I always want running to be fun, not a chore that I have to accomplish four days per week with cross-training every other day. I want to decide to take a 13 mile run one day even if it has nothing to do with a training schedule. And I want to decide to take just a 3-miler when the sun is setting, just because. And I want to bodybuild just a little and try out Barre and so many other fitness methods without worrying about how it will affect my running pace or training schedule. I already know that I have the discipline to follow a running plan, because I’ve done that before. I don’t feel the need to prove that again and again to myself or anyone else.

I am a fitness blogger and I’d love to be a running coach alongside being a personal trainer. But I think that the fact that I’ve only finished a handful of 5ks and a Half Marathon shouldn’t strip me of my clout. I have a genuine desire to be a better runner and I want to make better runners or just plain runners out of others, and that should be enough. I just plain want to help.

I just love running for running’s sake.

I am a runner.
I am not really a racer.
And that’s enough.

September 24, 2013

It’s OK to be a Runner and Not Race

It’s OK to be a runner and NOT want to sign up for races!
— Jessica Collins (@BounSee_Jess) September 24, 2013

I posted this on Twitter this week and realized that I wanted to take this a little deeper. What was a passing thought quickly turned into an essay:

It’s OK to be a runner and not want to sign up for races.

I just love running for running’s sake.

I am a runner.
I am not really a racer.
And that’s enough.

September 18, 2013

Lately I’ve Been…

Sewing Build-A-Bear accessories for my Peanut’s stuffed animals. Those clothes get expensive and I found the perfect DIY projects online.
Fixing a workout bra that I somehow melted in the dryer. Didn’t even know that the fabric store carried bra hooks until I went looking for fabric for the above project. All I had to do was cut down the strap to the right size, burn the raw edges down with a lighter and sew the new piece on. So glad to have saved that one, since it fit really well. I’m mighty proud of my re-purposing skills on this one.
Re-seaming a thrift store T-shirt I found in college that I still like and has been sitting with pins in it for like 7 years. Ha!
Thrifting some necessary household items like 16″ x 20″ frames and some supplies for a jewelry storage makeover I plan on doing.
Spray-painting that thrifted shelving unit for my jewelry. I believe the wooden shelf I bought was once a spoon holder for collectors. Oh, you just wait and see what I did to it. I even went to the hardware store all by myself to DIY this one.
Hanging a collage wall in my dining room. I see these art displays in all my favorite home tours and decided to tackle one all by myself. It turned out sooo cute. I found this adorable $.50 vintage 3D picture that totally makes the wall. I’ll be sharing pictures soon.
Trying to keep my house from turning into a bachelor pad/frat house. Roomie just bought a beer brewing kid and a Soda Stream to add to my already cluttered counter space. Thinking of reworking the space a bit. This stuff doesn’t blend well with my vintage-chic aesthetic, as you might imagine.
Putting together bags of stuff to take to the thrift store. It feels good to get rid of more than we’re bringing in sometimes, especially when things start accumulating beyond my comfort level.
Registering for an EIN number with the IRS. I am now a registered business owner!
Eating soup alone at home while Hubster, Peanut and my Daddy-O go hunting. I’m really relishing this time alone.
Cleaning (finally!) one of the dreaded spots in my home. We have some high windows that accumulate spiders and webs and dust and ick. Whenever I clean it, I feel like the whole house is somehow much cleaner.
Making my bed with the brand-new quilt that I sewed. Can’t wait to share pictures of it on here soon. Just looking at it makes me happy.
Starting a new e-book project that I hope to launch on here in a few months. It’s in the baby stages right now, so I don’t want to share too much.
Buying tickets to the Sports and Fitness Expo being held in my town this weekend. Can’t wait!
Trying so hard to figure out how to connect my camcorder to my computer. I have a new cord on its way after a Radio Shack one didn’t work. I really want to add some workout videos for y’all. I may have to bite the bullet and buy a new, more laptop-compatible camcorder.
Dreaming up another trip “up-north” in October or November. I want to make this a regular tradition if we can swing it and Hubster can successfully get off of work. We stayed in Crivitz last year.
Writing up a job posting for the open pastoral position at my church. Since one of the committee members knew I was a writer, he thought I’d be the perfect person for the job. I like to help where I can.
Adjusting to having a child in all-day Kindergarten. Paying for hot lunches, meeting teachers, already dealing with bullying, packing snacks, collecting Box Tops, etc etc etc. I already get up at 5:30 to work out, run, and get ready, but we’ve somehow been running late anyway. This school thing is like a whole new world for me. However, I just love looking through the Scholastic Books order forms with him. I get all giddy like I did in school when those pamphlets come out. My wallet is never more open than it is for a Peanut who gets excited about reading and learning.

I think Chalene’s book was just the kick in the back end I needed to make myself even more productive than a Type-A person like me already is. I can’t believe all the things I’ve checked off my to-do list already. I use Wunderlist on my phone and it’s a true lifesaver and life improver, plus just seeing all the check marks I’ve accumulated already makes me happy. I have my to-dos broken down into “Today,” “This Week,” and “Soon.” Every day I try to do one thing to tackle one aspect of my priority list. For example, my home environment is one of my priorities. Therefore, many of the above listed items are helping make my environment more desirable from cleaning to small space makeovers. Another goal is setting up more of a solid personal training side business, so I am planning on networking at the Sports and Fitness Expo I signed up for and I finally signed up for an official EIN number (so simple to do, it’s pathetic). I’m taking steps each day to make this dream more of a reality. It’s really quite simple once you break it down into steps.

There’s something about fall that makes me feel like nesting. The little bit of chill in the air outside makes me want the inside to be the most cozy place my family could ever enjoy. Listening to the sound of Feist and blowing trees while tackling all these projects is just making my heart swell. I’ve decided that fall is officially my favorite season.

What have you been up to?

September 18, 2013

Lately I’ve Been…

Sewing Build-A-Bear accessories for my Peanut’s stuffed animals. Those clothes get expensive and I found the perfect DIY projects online.
Fixing a workout bra that I somehow melted in the dryer. Didn’t even know that the fabric store carried bra hooks until I went looking for fabric for the above project. All I had to do was cut down the strap to the right size, burn the raw edges down with a lighter and sew the new piece on. So glad to have saved that one, since it fit really well. I’m mighty proud of my re-purposing skills on this one.
Re-seaming a thrift store T-shirt I found in college that I still like and has been sitting with pins in it for like 7 years. Ha!
Thrifting some necessary household items like 16″ x 20″ frames and some supplies for a jewelry storage makeover I plan on doing.
Spray-painting that thrifted shelving unit for my jewelry. I believe the wooden shelf I bought was once a spoon holder for collectors. Oh, you just wait and see what I did to it. I even went to the hardware store all by myself to DIY this one.
Hanging a collage wall in my dining room. I see these art displays in all my favorite home tours and decided to tackle one all by myself. It turned out sooo cute. I found this adorable $.50 vintage 3D picture that totally makes the wall. I’ll be sharing pictures soon.
Trying to keep my house from turning into a bachelor pad/frat house. Roomie just bought a beer brewing kid and a Soda Stream to add to my already cluttered counter space. Thinking of reworking the space a bit. This stuff doesn’t blend well with my vintage-chic aesthetic, as you might imagine.
Putting together bags of stuff to take to the thrift store. It feels good to get rid of more than we’re bringing in sometimes, especially when things start accumulating beyond my comfort level.
Registering for an EIN number with the IRS. I am now a registered business owner!
Eating soup alone at home while Hubster, Peanut and my Daddy-O go hunting. I’m really relishing this time alone.
Cleaning (finally!) one of the dreaded spots in my home. We have some high windows that accumulate spiders and webs and dust and ick. Whenever I clean it, I feel like the whole house is somehow much cleaner.
Making my bed with the brand-new quilt that I sewed. Can’t wait to share pictures of it on here soon. Just looking at it makes me happy.
Starting a new e-book project that I hope to launch on here in a few months. It’s in the baby stages right now, so I don’t want to share too much.
Buying tickets to the Sports and Fitness Expo being held in my town this weekend. Can’t wait!
Trying so hard to figure out how to connect my camcorder to my computer. I have a new cord on its way after a Radio Shack one didn’t work. I really want to add some workout videos for y’all. I may have to bite the bullet and buy a new, more laptop-compatible camcorder.
Dreaming up another trip “up-north” in October or November. I want to make this a regular tradition if we can swing it and Hubster can successfully get off of work. We stayed in Crivitz last year.
Writing up a job posting for the open pastoral position at my church. Since one of the committee members knew I was a writer, he thought I’d be the perfect person for the job. I like to help where I can.
Adjusting to having a child in all-day Kindergarten. Paying for hot lunches, meeting teachers, already dealing with bullying, packing snacks, collecting Box Tops, etc etc etc. I already get up at 5:30 to work out, run, and get ready, but we’ve somehow been running late anyway. This school thing is like a whole new world for me. However, I just love looking through the Scholastic Books order forms with him. I get all giddy like I did in school when those pamphlets come out. My wallet is never more open than it is for a Peanut who gets excited about reading and learning.

What have you been up to?

September 7, 2013

Jillian Michaels Hard Body Review

I was killing some time at a two-story Target in Chicago, waiting for Hubster to pick me up after my NASM workshop. I perused the workout section and was a little hesitant to pick up this video. I have three of Jillian’s videos already, and sometimes they can be a bit repetitive. But it was only $10, so what difference does it really make, right? Plus, Hubster had bought himself something from me for our anniversary, so I decided to buy something for myself from him. Old married people, I tell ya. I put this DVD and Tracy Anderson’s Mat Workout (the only thing related to her that sells for $10!) in my cart. I have to say I’m pretty happy about this purchase, because Jillian really mixes things up in this series.

Let’s break this down:

The video consists of two levels, 45 minutes each.

These were my stats for Level One:

Heart Rate: I averaged 130bpm and stayed inside my target heart rate zone for 21 minutes.

Calories: 527 (based on my body weight, exertion level and heart rate)

Pros:

In each circuit, there are three versions of most of the moves. One model shows the basic move, one model shows the intermediate move, and Jillian sometimes chooses one model to take it up to the advanced level. Given the three levels of the moves within the two levels of the workout, there is plenty of room for growth.
The moves are mostly compound moves, hitting multiple muscle groups at once. For instance, there’s one move where you perform a sumo squat with a calf raise and shoulder press for a total-body hit. You get a really effective workout in a short-ish amount of time because you’re targeting more at once. I never once felt like I wasn’t getting anything out of a move.
Like the back panel states, Jillian finally uses some fresh new moves, even some that I’ve never seen before. Such a relief! This coming from a person who gets bored with workouts quite quickly.
Jillian is always great about giving proper exercise form cues. She stops to point out different aspects of the exercise on her models, which is really helpful especially when working out at home.

Cons:

The only drawback I really saw with this video is the scant amount of stretching at the end of the workout. I would suggest doing quite a few more stretches after these workouts, holding each stretch for at least 30 seconds.
I would also be hesitant to suggest this video for beginners. You can modify most of the moves, but it might be a bit too much for someone who is just dipping their foot in the fitness-spiked water. Something like Barefoot Cardio would be a much better option for a beginner.

Bottom line: If the 30 Day Shred feels tough to you, this will feel tougher.

My favorite motivational sentiment from Jillian in this video is her encouragement to dig deep, to think about what you’re doing this all for. She says to think about why you’re here and let that motivate you. It really is important to reflect on that to keep your athletic spirit from waning.

Thanks Hubster for the Anniversary gift. You’re the best:)

Tracy Anderson’s mat workout is up next. I hope to share a post about that too, just as soon as I can.

*This post is based only on my opinions and results. I was in no way compensated for this post, I just thought it was a great DVD to share.

June 17, 2013

On Turning 30

Today, I woke up and I was 30. And I’m ok with that. I sort of have neutral feelings about the number. I didn’t dread it like some people do. I didn’t mourn the loss of my 20s. In fact, let me tell you about why I’m going to be lovin’ on turning 30 today:

A cake: that was Peanut’s idea

I have never felt so strong and healthy in my life as I do right now. I work my behind off (literally!) every day to stay strong, vital and disease-free. I like feeling this way. Instead of focusing on all the progress that could be made, I like to think of it as having more opportunities in the future to get even better. It’s not all downhill from here, and I take pleasure in knowing that.

I have never felt so completely sure of what I want to do in this life. I’m sure this vision will morph and I will always feel some level of self-doubt, but up to this point, I have never had such a clear picture as to what I was made for. Even just recognizing the desires of my heart as I grow older is so reassuring. If you had asked me what I wanted 5 or 10 years ago, I would’ve had some wavering answer about some fleeting thing. Or I may have said something about how I just didn’t know and I’d wait for the greatest opportunity to present itself to me. I probably wouldn’t have even been able to tell you what I wanted for my birthday, let alone my life. Through trial and error though, I’ve come to know that some passions are just hobbies, some depend on mood, and some…oh those beautiful “some” are delicious. Those are the passions that you just can’t get enough of. That your mind wanders to when it wanders. That your whole body vibrates for. Never have I felt this so strongly as I do right now.

Never have I felt so sure of who my friends are than I do now. In high school, friends are fickle. In college, friends move away. In your 20s, you find your place in the workforce and community and begin to make new connections. In parenthood, you find that your lifelong friends are the ones who forgive you for being late or cancelling when your kids are moody. The ones who are still there…those are the ones you keep close to your heart.

The most perfect card from my sweet co-workers. See, at work, I’m the birthday banner lady:)

Never have I felt more secure in my marriage. Like they say, those first few years are really rough. Any good family psychologist would probably have suggested a separation. But that’s not what we do. We work through those pains, put pieces back together, and make sure they’re super-glued this time. We’ve built a family, we’ve merged dreams, we’ve chipped away at our fixer-upper home, we’ve combined our efforts to make our little world better, and we’ve learned to value one another. I’m sure this part will only get better and I look forward to that, but I can tell you that we’ve already come a long way.

Flowers from my sweathearts

My spirituality has never been quite so intimate as it is today. So many things about God had seemed obscure to me growing up, but make so much more sense now, especially with more experience. It’s something that is difficult even for this writer to explain and so intimate that I don’t know that I’d be able to. This is another relationship that I know will only get much sweeter as I grow older, and I look forward to that. In fact, I thrive upon that.

My biggest tangible goal for turning 30 was to earn my personal training certificate. It’s not just an end in itself. Although I plan to pursue this passion on the side, I have deep-seated desires to make something happen with this. I want to share what I know and help other people live with more vitality and rigor. This was one of those deep-seated passions that I just didn’t want to shelve or ignore. That’s how regrets are born. My first passion has always been writing, which I do for a living. But health and fitness needed their own place in my repertoire. I take the CPT exam in less than 4 weeks and I am so proud of myself for following through on this dream of mine instead of taking the “easy” way out and ignoring it.

In my next 30 years, I hope that my family has expanded whether it be with new in-laws, dear friends, children or grandchildren. I know now that this heart of mine has room for whomever and whatever it is blessed with. There’s no limit to the amount of love that it can handle. I hope to be able to see even more of this Earth than the scant territory than I’ve been exposed to already. I hope to be able to spread my passion for fitness and personal strength to as many people as I can. I hope to use those talents that have been graciously given to me to the best of my potential. I hope to give God an even greater percentage of my focus than I do now, as He so deserves, and grow more deeply in love. I look forward to this next season of my 30s to establish an even firmer base in this world (and derriere) and expand my existence. I’d like to give as much as I possibly can.

I’m lucky to be here in the first place. I’m lucky to have made it to 30. And I look forward to how these next years of my life will transform me even further.

***Also, my workout buddy and I are taking a day off from the gym to have cupcakes for lunch. Now that’s a good friend:) I am also soooo looking forward to that!

June 14, 2013

Chicago Part Two: The City Scenes

Hubster doesn’t like the big city. The air quality was getting to him, the traffic was making his blood thicken, and the sheer number of people put him on edge. He’s a country boy, through and through. I, on the other hand, am completely energized by the big city. The lit-up city skyline makes the place seem magical to me.

Friday, we left home early and got to Chicago by about 1pm. After checking into our hotel, we went to visit the Museum of Science and Industry. Our EAA passes got us into the museum for free. We did end up paying $20 for parking in the ramp though. There is other free parking nearby that we didn’t know about until we left. Parking in a high-security ramp is always a safe bet though.

We only went for general admission, which was definitely more than sufficient for us. That’s not to say I wouldn’t have loved to see the Animals Inside Out exhibit though. Interactive weather stations, business-building kids’ workshops and medical exhibits were more than enough to keep us busy and enthralled. In one of the hands-on biology labs, they were even dissecting cow eyeballs! Our little city life just doesn’t compare sometimes.

Light spectrum piano

Use the wind to keep the balls in the air

Classic static moment

Mini Chicago

Look, they even had a model UPS truck, where Hubster works

We had dinner at a White Castle. We’d never been to one. They don’t exist in Wisconsin. We just watched an episode of Undercover Boss involving the CEO of White Castle, so it was even more interesting to experience the place first hand. I am not exaggerating when I say Hubster ate about 15 sliders. Eating at a White Castle was on his food bucket list, mostly because of our limited exposure to it in Wisconsin. Ok, maybe it’s because he’s a fast food addict, but I digress. Either way, we checked that classy, super-healthy item off the bucket list (sarcasm anyone?). On the way back to the hotel, we caught a glimpse of the Jennifer Hudson Weight Watchers studio, which is very inspiring to someone such as myself.

All day Saturday, I spent at John Hall Studios for my NASM live workshop. You can read about my experience here. Meanwhile, Peanut and Hubster played in the pool, visited the Toys R Us a few doors down (I was the first victim of the water guns they bought), napped and just took it easy. Peanut wasn’t feeling the greatest when we left on Friday, so the slowed-down pace was just what he needed.

After the workshop, we ate at a place called Mattson’s Bar and Grille, which was two doors down from our hotel. We weren’t sure what to expect, and the process was sort of like half fast-food and half hometown restaurant. You order your meal at the front, kind of like at a fast food place. But they bring your freshly cooked food to you at your table. There was a full fresh salad buffet–that’s what I had! Hubster ordered the flatbread beef sandwich but didn’t have room for it after his buffet run. Leftovers! It was an interesting place. A warning though, they charge you just to walk in the door. We found that we had a $2.00 charge just for dining there. I’m sure this is to supplement tips and such, since they really didn’t have waiters.

Interesting mural over the ordering area

Beautiful stained glass around the building. Cell phone pics do no justice.

On our way home on Sunday, we stopped at an Oasis over the freeway just for the experience. Not a huge deal for most people, but for us (especially Peanut) it was something new. It’s not every day that we get to order a smoothie from McDonald’s while watching traffic pass under us.

We also made a short stop in Port Washington to visit a family friend on our way home. Port Washington is one of the most amazing Milwaukee-ish suburbs. You could almost describe it as a quaint little resort town. Fresh fish is in abundance and if you ever stop by on Fish Day, you’ll see one of the best parades and festivals you’ve ever seen in Wisconsin. Even the public restrooms down by the pier were nicer than some restaurant restrooms I’ve seen. It’s pretty much a prerequisite in Port Washington that you must visit their historical lighthouse.

We ate dinner at Tello’s Grille and Cafe in Port Washington before making the rest of our 1+ hr trip home. Tello’s offered an interesting mix of Greek and Mexican food. It was like a Greek and a Mexican got married, decided to open a restaurant, and couldn’t decide on what type of food to make, so they made both. After digging deeper, the story is much cooler than that. Check out some of their history here. The interior was segmented between a dining area and a bar area with a small dining section in the middle. This worked well since there was a graduation party going on, and we didn’t feel like we were imposing or interrupted by it at all. The restaurant also had a cute outdoor setup, where a couple was dining with their pup. It’s one of those quaint little settings that looks just as cute in person as it does in pictures.

I thoroughly enjoyed this giant Greek salad

The architectural details in Tello’s are beautiful

It’s always amazing how one short three-day trip can re-energize a person. I need to keep that in mind when I start to feel overwhelmed and wanderlust-full. Just a few simple three-day weekends sprinkled throughout my mortal days are enough to give me a jolt of renewed energy.

This coming weekend, we’re already taking another trip to a cabin in Door County Wisconsin. My parents are treating us to a weekend getaway to celebrate my birthday (which is Monday). Hopefully I’ll be back with some fun stories about that.

June 10, 2013

What’s Happening

As I told you, I was in Chicago this weekend for an NASM live personal training workshop, so it was a little quiet around here as our internet connection was touch-and-go and we were enjoying our mini vacation. I will be back tomorrow with Part 1 of the trip and give you a lowdown on all of that. Then, Part 2 will come later in the week. I have so much to share!

For now, I just want to say how excited I am to have been featured on Totally Tutorials. With the number of submissions TT receives and the rules you must abide by, I’m honored that my yoga mat holder tutorial made the cut. It totally made my weekend!

Happy Monday!

May 13, 2013

A Peek into my Daily Planner

Today I am giving you a sneak peek into my real-life planner to show you how I plan out everything from blog posts to workouts to family events.

I originally intended to create my own planner in Microsoft Publisher or some other program, but it was getting too tedious and, as I decided, unnecessary. The problem is that I wanted to track too many things in one place and that got a little bit out of hand.

All the things I’d like to track:

Blog posts
Family events
Birthdays and special occasions
Workouts: time, type, calories, miles
Daily gratitudes
Bill due dates
Work-specific projects
My son’s milestones/memorable moments
Weekly menu planning
Daily to-do list
Bible reading plan/notes
Goal-tracking

Ok, so you can see how this might get a little overwhelming. Taking a step back, I thought about how I could get all of these onto one page or how I could narrow down all of these trackers a little bit. The answer came to me from inside a little bag from a vendor here at work. Colored gel pens!

With that, I grabbed a leather-like journal cover I had, a 2013 planner already in my possession (cut down just a bit to fit inside the journal), and a few sheaths of paper and got to work.

Instead of tracking everything separately, now I track everything together, just in different colors. That way, it’s easy to see what’s what and to see everything at the same time. Also, it helps prevent me from lugging a giant-sized planner with me everywhere. I really didn’t want something else to lug around. I’m a mom, so that’s a constant concern of mine.

Here’s my color key:

Orange=special dates
Purple=workouts
Green=blog topics
Blue=family events
Red=work-related items

On each date block, I record all things listed in my color key above. I try to keep family events and birthday reminders toward the top, blog post topics in the middle and workouts toward the bottom. That way, I have a nice consistent structure. I just write out workouts as you can see below, with miles and calories listed if I’m tracking them. Simple enough!

I then record milestones and memorable occasions in the little “notes” section. I transfer those dates and events to a yellow sheet tucked in the back of the journal. This way, when the year is over, I can recycle the planner right away but still keep a record of important moments throughout the year. Sometimes I’ll use these dates for scrapbooks or memory books. It’s just nice to have a list of each year’s accomplishments, even if they aren’t put into a scrapbook. We all know how hard it is to remember when you took that amazing vacation or which day your toddler learned how to form a sentence. I’ve been doing this since my son was a baby, and I can tell you for certain that had I not written his first steps, first tooth, first haircut in my planner, I never would have remembered when they happened. It’s also neat to be able to go back over these sheets each year and see what you were able to accomplish.

Isn’t this just the cutest?

My entire planner stays on my desk at work so I don’t have to cart yet another thing around on my poor shoulders. Sometimes I take the planner home on the weekends if we have a particularly full weekend planned. However, I do sometimes get into trouble when people ask me what I’m doing three weekends from now and I don’t have the planner in front of me, but oh well.

Grocery lists and meal plans, I’m keeping on separate sheets. I just use a printable like this to plan out my meals and what ingredients I’ll need to pick up. Then, I hang the list from the fridge and reference it throughout the week. This way, I don’t have to lug around a separate food journal and I can simply recycle the sheet at the end of the week. Plus no one ever asks what we have to eat in the house/for dinner. The act of actually eating healthy is strongly dependent upon a healthy meal planning system–fail to plan, plan to fail. If I’m tracking my food calorie for calorie (I do so occasionally to make sure I’m on track), I use the online calculator on SparkPeople.

Daily to-do lists I’m also keeping separate in a teeny little Tone it Up journal from the Cyber Monday deal. I may insert a post-it here and there to remember this or that without wasting pages. I keep the journal in my purse to stay on task each day. This is where my goals are broken down into steps and phone numbers are written down for those I need to contact–that sort of thing.

I have another separate notebook, divided by subject, that I keep blog brainstorms and tips of the trade in. I also jot down helpful blog layout tutorials and traffic-building ideas in there. This notebook usually stays at home next to my computer and I only reference it or transfer ideas into it when needed. It’s not something that I need to worry about keeping track of on a daily basis, because my blog post ideas are usually spread out over the week in my planner already.

I’ve decided to go with a gratitude journal app on my phone instead of keeping paper copies of that too. I do like to look back on these (i.e. don’t want to throw them away), but I don’t want to keep a paper notebook of them (more clutter). So, I’m recording these digitally, only when I feel I need a boost or have something really special to record. Yes, I do think a gratitude journal is important enough to not exclude. There is so much research out there that correlates gratitude journals to happiness. They help change thought patterns to the positive, encourage you to embrace what is going right, remind you of all that you have, and help you feel fulfilled (just Google it). I ain’t giving that up!

So there you have it, a glimpse into the real-life planning system of a regular momma, writer, and fitness fanatic. Doable right? How do you keep everything straight?

April 30, 2013

Weekly Workout Rundown

Monday:

25 min AM interval run, 2 miles, 377 calories
20 min circuit training at lunch

Tuesday:

30 min Insanity Cardio Recovery, 162 calories

Wednesday:

20 min solo walk at lunch
35 min PM run, 2.64 miles
14 min Sunkissed Abs x 2

Thursday:

15 min Bikini Strap Workout
20 min HIIT the Beach from the Beach Babe DVD

Friday:

35 min AM run

Saturday:

60 min AM run (45 min Bikini Cardio pictured below + 15 min extra)
15 min strength (TIU in Foam Magazine)

Sunday:

40 min AM run, 3.1 miles

15 min of Tara Stiles Slim Calm Sexy Yoga before bed

On Monday, my friend and I got schooled by a nice-looking boy at the gym on how to do pull-ups on the available equipment. Now, I know some people are averse to unsolicited gym advice, but my friend and I were grateful for the pointers. He may or may not have had his pretty looks on his side:) I’ve also been practicing pull-ups at the parks whenever I take Peanut. It’s one of my goals to be able to do 5 in a row by the first day of summer.

Tuesday was the start of the Tone It Up Bikini Series. I am one full week into the Tone it Up Bikini Series, and pretty much right on track. This week, I’m going full back into the Nutrition Plan, after Hubster does the grocery shopping. This morning I finally tried Perfect Fit pancakes (see Insta pic #1). I had been hoarding the one packet I got on Cyber Monday (ha!), and was dying to try the pancakes from the welcome packet, so I finally did.

The weekend finally brought temperatures in the 70s and our town came alive again. After battling winter temperatures for the past, oh, 6 months (no lie!), we were all more than happy to spend our entire weekend outside without jackets. Literally, if we weren’t sleeping, we were outside. We did some work in the yard, had a picnic at the park, worked out on the porch, did some meal planning in the backyard. Oh, it was beee-you-tee-fulll! Every window in our house was open to infuse it with that spring scent.

On Sunday, I realized I hadn’t hit my goal of incorporating at least 15 minutes of yoga into my week. Determined to reach that goal, I did 15 minutes of Slim Calm Sexy Yoga before bed. Oh, yoga right before bed is the most amazing thing ever. Maybe this is how I will incorporate more yoga into my routine, by doing it at bedtime. Sounds delicious.

I’m so excited to dedicate another week to my goals and dreams. Next weekend, I’m taking a mini weekend retreat, so this is a short week for me. Weee!

Images

TIU Perfect Fit protein pancakes with peaches
Meal planning in the backyard, TIU nutrition plan in-hand. Find my menu planner printable here.
My makeshift porch workout station. Dumbbells + picnic blanket + sunshine = best workout idea ever.
The kiddos played with chalk and bubbles while I worked out, natch!
Flowers growing in the gutter are special: A view from my morning walk.
My Tone It Up journal. Got a mini portfolio at work and decked it out. You’ll see my motivational quote and measurement printables tucked in there.
Practicing pull-ups at the park.
Glazed chicken and broccoli, a healthy meal at Ihop.
Peanut pretend fishing with a stick down by the river.
Peanut and I walking the trails after church.

How was your weekend?