tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40599416295952313092024-03-14T08:43:05.115-04:00Personal "Sweat Equity"Meanderings from an ACE Personal Trainer and Independent Beachbody Coach about my own fitness and nutrition journey.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.comBlogger46125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-5170306729258957942013-03-10T13:56:00.001-04:002013-03-10T13:57:46.281-04:0026.2--Check!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Greetings and salutations!!! As you may have seen from the title, yesterday was marathon day, and I did it!!! And to be honest, it wasn't awful.<br />
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To be truthful, my training over the past month has been a little sketchy. I was getting pretty burned out on training, so some of my short mid-week runs simply didn't happen. I did, however, complete every long Saturday run and all of my longer mid-week runs. I was a little worried that my slacking in the final month would hurt my ability to finish this race, but when race day arrived, I realized that I was much more prepared than I though. I can't say enough about the <a href="http://www.halhigdon.com/training/51312/Half-Marathon-Novice-2-Training-Program" target="_blank">Hal Higdon</a> plan I used. I only ran 4 days per week, but as the miles ticked off on marathon day, I felt surprisingly good. Better than I felt in any of the 4 half-marathons I've run previously and MUCH better than every single long training run I completed. I did tweak the Hal Higdon plan a bit...I added one extra mile early in training on a long run so that I could have two 20 mile training runs under my belt before marathon day, and I used Wednesday as a rest day (my day to volunteer at the <a href="http://www.csrahumanesociety.org/" target="_blank">animal shelter</a>).<br />
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One resource that I feel was a true benefit to me was a book I read about 3 months ago when I started this journey. It's written by Matt Fitzgerald and can be found <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Runners-World-Performance-Nutrition-Stronger/dp/1594862184/ref=pd_sim_b_4" target="_blank">here</a>. I really learned a lot about pre-workout, during workout and post-workout nutrition and hydration, and it helped a ton during the full marathon. I never felt that 'crash' that many marathoners feel somewhere in the later miles. I had energy, my muscles didn't cramp, and I felt pretty solid on my legs in that last hour. Granted, my training paid off, but I think my pre and during race nutrition and hydration efforts were key as well.<br />
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So, let me tell you about the Columbia marathon. It's HILLY! Not just meandering, rolling hills, either. The race begins near the capitol building, and is gentle enough, but right after mile one, it gets serious in a hurry. There's a climb that rises about 100 feet in 8/10 of a mile. It doesn't seem like much at the time, but the course is a double loop. The 2nd time up that hill, you wonder if it's ever going to end! Between miles 2 and 8, the course is gorgeous. It meanders through some beautiful neighborhoods over rolling hills, past a lake, and then you make a turn back towards downtown. This is where the going gets tough. Miles 8 through 11 1/2 are pretty much uphill and then you meander through downtown until you're at the finish...for the half marathon!<br />
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There was a great crowd for the half marathon finish, and as the half runners were veering to the right towards the finish line, I had to head left. It's nice to have your name on your number so that people can cheer you on. As I headed away from the finish area, it got lonely REALLY quickly. I never realized how sparse the runners are on course when 3/4 of the field goes away. When I got to the first aid station at that point, it was like I was in a ghost town.<br />
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I caught back up to the 4:45 pacers on that big hill at mile 1 (now mile 14) and ran with them for 4 or 5 miles. One of the men has run 157 marathons, and did 54 of them LAST YEAR!!! That means he did a marathon a week and sometimes, did two on the same weekend. That's CRAZY! The other pace runner was from Charleston and does triathlons, my next big adventure. We chatted for awhile, and I was amazed that I could carry on a conversation uphill at mile 17 in a marathon. <br />
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The 2nd loop seemed to go by much faster than the first 13.1 miles. People were still out cheering, and I even managed to see these two girls three times while out on course. They were incredible, and I wish I'd known their names (If you know who the girl in the green shirt and the girl in the red UGA shirt are, tell them I said thanks!). The energy they brought was contagious and helped tremendously, particularly in the final miles. I even saw them 2/10 of a mile from the finish where I had the chance to thank them and give them high fives. <br />
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Speaking of spectators, I have to give a huge shout out to my sister, Lynn. She woke up in the early hours Saturday morning to drive me and was my on course support staff. She was AMAZING! I saw her 4 times...right around mile 10, again at 15, again at 23 and at the finish. She'd made 4 different signs that had me in hysterics each time I passed. She even convinced a police officer to hold one of them and shout it to my as I ran past (He literally yelled, "My sister, Nancy, can kick your sister's bootie!"). The one to the right is my favorite because it was so perfectly placed...right at the bottom of a huge hill going back into downtown. No stopping...didn't want the buzzards to get me!<br />
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The spectators that were on the course over the final 5 miles were FANTASTIC as well as the volunteers who were at the aid stations. NEVER have I been to a race that had better on course support. There were 11 aid stations throughout the 13 mile course, ALL had water and medical personnel, most had Gatorade, and three had GU gels and bananas. In addition to that, many people within the community were passing out cut up fruit and bottles of water, and I even received a nice cup of Gummy Bears from a sweet child right around mile 17. Some of the aid stations were blaring music, and EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM was cheering and calling out your name. About 4 miles from town was a huge group of people blaring music, shouting out encouragement, and passing out adult beverages! A few of the half marathoners obliged...as good as beer sounded, I figured I'd pass out in a stupor if I did!<br />
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Once I got up the final climb (right at mile 24), I was able to turn the corner and know that the final 2.2 miles were flat or downhill. Well, there was a bit of a 'false flat' involved, but it was much flatter than the rest of the course. I managed just over a 10:15 pace the final two miles which really made me happy. My overall pace was just over 11 minutes per mile, and I lost a lot of my time on those four climbs and waiting at a Port-a-Potty at mile 6. My official finish time was 4:54:19. I didn't achieve any land speed records, but I did manage to come in under 5 hours. I didn't set a time goal when I first signed up...I merely wanted to finish, but finishing in under 5 hours made me pretty happy. The medal is pretty sweet, too!<br />
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Here's the question I've been asked by about 15 people: "Would you do another one?" My response so far has been, "Well, it wasn't awful." I honestly think I would because as challenging as the training was week after week, the run itself was actually quite enjoyable. That said, I don't plan on doing another one soon, though I am signed up to run the Palmetto Half Marathon the 2nd week of April.<br />
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My next big goal, though, is triathlon. I've got a sweet tri-bike and a half Ironman literally in my backyard. Need I say more?<br />
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<br />Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-66341744245954489352013-02-02T19:02:00.000-05:002013-02-02T19:02:28.421-05:00Marathon update--5 weeks to go!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Greetings and salutations!<br />
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It seems so long ago that I started this journey to my first marathon. I'm finding it hard to believe that the big day is a mere 5 weeks from today. FIVE MORE WEEKS! <br />
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Well, today's run of 20 miles was a rough one, so the fact that the marathon is looming so close is making me a bit nervous. Fortunately, I've got two more weeks of training before I start to taper, so train I will do!<br />
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Along the way, I've learned a tremendous deal about running. I've read books on marathon training, marathon nutrition, and the camaraderie that can be created when running. These are things that I expected I would learn...I'm not one to jump into something and not educate myself on the subject (I am a teacher by trade, so that shouldn't surprise you).<br />
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What I didn't expect to learn are some of the 'other' things that you learn or realize once you venture past mile 13.1.<br />
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First, and I can't say this enough, I love my shoes. LOVE THEM. I don't think I could possibly be wearing a better shoe for my foot and my running style. They're light, they're cushy, they fit me like they were made for me, and I can take them out of the box and run 10 miles in them with no problem. If you're going to run, GET GOOD SHOES! If your shoes give you blisters, foot pain, foot fatigue, or a variety of other issues, get rid of them! My current 'ride,' New Balance 890V2s are about to be replaced by the 890V3. I'm a little nervous because often those little tweaks that manufacturers make can be the difference between a great shoe and a good shoe. I hope mine stay great.<br />
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Second, all runners should own stock in Glide. I never had any issues with chafing of any sort until I ran on a particularly warm day for 16 miles. Once that sweat dried and the salt just sat on my skin, I developed some really weird chafing spots in some weird places. My biggies are the bottom of my triceps when I wear short sleeve shirts and my eyelids! Yes, my eyelids...I learned through running that I might just be a good candidate for an eyelift sometime in the near future. The good news is that if I smear a little Glide in those spots, I'm chafe free. I do some preventative 'Gliding' in some other areas, too, just to be on the safe side. Be especially mindful of Glide application if your regular running wardrobe changes due to weather (i.e. going from long sleeves to short sleeves). If that skin hasn't been in play for awhile, slather on the Glide so you don't find yourself screaming in the shower later that day when the hot water hits that chafed spot for the first time.<br />
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Third, and this might be a little TMI for you guys, but for my lady friends, we must discuss, "the girls." My girls aren't very well-endowed, but let me just say this: Running 20 miles while you're PMSing is NOT fun. I actually had to stop right around mile 17 (and yes, I was running next to a major 4 line road on an overpass to the interstate) today to readjust my girls because they were just sick and tired of being jostled and strapped down. Now I'm sure they were feeling a bit sensitive today, as this is the first issue I've had with them complaining, but bear in mind, your body isn't going to feel the same day in and day out. When you feel something 'off,' don't panic. Dump the pride, adjust and carry on like no one saw you.<br />
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Fourth, I have experienced the power in compression sleeves for my calves. Talk about a joyous experience! Seriously, for me, they diminish the amount of calf pain I have after long runs. Just finish your run, take a shower, slip them on, chillax and watch your calves recover. No more DOMS for my calves.<br />
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Fifth, don't let yourself bail. Now that I've moved into runs that are longer than 14 miles, I can longer just keep doing the circuitous loop near my neighborhood. The nice thing about it, though, is that I also can't cut a run short. My current long loop takes me 10 miles away from my house before I'm allowed to turn around and come back. I seriously almost cried around mile 17 today, but because I was still 3 miles from home, there wasn't anything I could do about it. Suck up the tears, move the arms, and get running. I figured if I ran instead of dropping into a brisk walk, I'd get home faster and the run from hell would be over that much faster. If my loop had gone near my house earlier in my run, I may have been tempted to cut it short. My running 'strategery' prevented me from doing so and will make me stronger in the long run.<br />
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There you have it...I'll check back in soon to let you know how my Feb. 24th half goes and how the big marathon day unfolds!<br />
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<br />Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-55609783289856639422012-11-19T13:56:00.001-05:002012-11-19T13:57:06.387-05:00The World is Your Oyster...<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUh_KFjyH1q3tNdHbEEOKM_9RA-u2w3tMjFhxNWbY60HAkHzltA7xDj6Afp7B1JTkz51NezHWldIUNUNE7q3fBX5YoccHHBvPGK-b_aNmO_aSGbmtbN0u7BW1zhlFccQqQuMOXg_87u0/s1600/COO+half+AuntNancy.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUUh_KFjyH1q3tNdHbEEOKM_9RA-u2w3tMjFhxNWbY60HAkHzltA7xDj6Afp7B1JTkz51NezHWldIUNUNE7q3fBX5YoccHHBvPGK-b_aNmO_aSGbmtbN0u7BW1zhlFccQqQuMOXg_87u0/s200/COO+half+AuntNancy.jpg" width="169" /></a>Greetings and Salutations!<br />
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I think Shakespeare must have been a runner.<br />
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What? You think I'm wrong? Alas, if you look into the lines of his play, "The Merry Wives of Windsor," you would know that one of this characters delivers the line, "Why, then, the world's mine oyster, Which I with sword will open." Surely he's talking about running, and running long distances, isn't he?<br />
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Okay, so maybe Shakespeare wasn't a runner, but I think those of us who are into fitness can utilize that adage in our own lives.<br />
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You see, if you've ever shucked an oyster, you know how challenging it can be. You can pry away at that outer shell for hours on end, and that bad boy isn't going to open without a fight. That barrier is our challenge, and in order to revel in what's inside the oyster, you have to be able to fight through that hard outer shell.<br />
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For the last year, I've been running, and I'm going to be completely honest. It's STILL not easy. In fact, I ran a half marathon two weekends ago and I thought my legs were going to fall off somewhere between miles 9 and 10. I finished the race wondering, "Why do you do this?"<br />
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The answer isn't so easy. Do I do it because I LOVE to run? Absolutely not. I don't love running at all. In fact, there are days when I despise every. single. step. I. take. BUT, I do love some aspects of the entire running process. I LOVE the way I feel after a 10+ mile training run. I LOVE finishing a run under a time goal that I've set. I LOVE when I'm somewhere in a long run and I think, "Wow, this almost feel easy today." In addition, I LOVE crossing a finish line and having a medal draped around my neck. It's like my own personal Olympic Games. I also LOVE the people I've met along the way. It's a pretty cool experience to be grinding around 13.1 miles with people who encourage and cheer and joke and commiserate.<br />
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At this time, I've run 3 half marathons. My times haven't been world beaters, I can only run (I know, I know...that word "only") about 7 or 8 miles without having to stop to give my legs and my lungs a 30 second break, and 13.1 miles HURTS. I could train and improve my half marathon time and it would be a great goal. The thing is...there's that oyster left staring at me. Nobody at the shucking table could get through his shell. It even looks as though he may be mocking at me, saying, "Neener, neener, nee-ner."<br />
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I think I've just started to open the oyster that is my world. To me, it would make tremendous sense to keep improving and keep training to work on my half marathon goal of finishing in under 2 hours (right now I'm running between a 2:12-2:16 half marathon). Yet I set my eye on the biggest oyster at the shucking table, the one who places his little oyster fingers in his ears and sticks his tongue out at me. Why run for 13.1 when you can run for 26.2? You see my logic, right?<br />
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Today I signed up for the Columbia (SC) full marathon on March 9th. I have my 18 week training schedule mapped out, and I'm currently 2 days into week #3. When I come out on the other side, when I get through that oyster shell, I will be a stronger and better person because of fight. I'm sure there will be days when I wonder what I've done. Days when I wish I hadn't set this goal. On March 10th, I'm pretty sure it will all be worth it.<br />
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My mom thinks I'm nuts. My sisters say that if I'm going to run one, that I had better get it done before I'm their age! My high school friend and marathoner, Angela, has been an incredible motivation (and the one that told me to just quit thinking about it and sign up already!) and sounding board. And my husband always opens the door for me after a long weekend run, smiles and says, "Everybody stand back. Stand back. There's an athlete coming through."<br />
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Maybe he's right because the world is my oyster.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-57081061120301467702012-09-16T14:34:00.003-04:002012-09-16T16:16:49.482-04:00Running isn't my thing...but I do it anyhowGreetings and salutations everyone!! As you probably could tell from the absence of my blog over the summer, I hung up my running shoes in late April and didn't dust them off again until July. I had every intention of running 3-4 miles two or three days per week during the summer, but I'm going to be honest. It's hot in South Carolina in May, June and July (and August and September!), and I just didn't feel like it.<br />
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The dilemma, though, is that I signed up for a half marathon late last spring, and the day of the half (Nov. 4) started staring me in the face come late July. I just knew I had to get started, so I did.
During that first week back, three miles was a horror. Seriously...it hurt, I got blisters, and it felt like I was running into a wall of heat every step.<br />
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Alas, I had to keep trucking on. There's NO WAY my sister would let me back out of running the City of Oaks half marathon with her. I think it's something that my mom instilled in us as kids. If you agree or sign up for something, you ARE going to do it. No ifs, ands, buts or hot weather about it.<br />
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So I ran...three days per week. Late July and August were misery. Every. single. Step.
Tuesdays and Fridays are my 'easy' days where I only run 3 or 4 miles. Sundays are my long runs where I build and build until two weeks prior to the half. Today I ran almost 8 1/2 miles. You'd think by now running would seem easy and that I'd like it. Yeah, you'd think that...<br />
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I have yet to feel that 'runner's high' that everyone talks about. Every step for me is a mental game. Even going downhill, which should be easy, requires having to force myself to pick up the pace and not dog it. When I'm starting to tire and I want to take a walk break, I have to push myself to keep going. I make deals with myself. "If you get to the 3rd mailbox up ahead, you can stop." Third mailbox arrives and I ask myself, "Are you truly out of breath or just hurting a bit?" It's generally the 2nd, so I make another deal. "Okay, when you get to the Lakes and Streams sign, you can walk." I play this game for miles and miles. When does it get easy? When will I love to run?<br />
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Now don't get me wrong. I don't hate to run. If I absolutely abhorred it, there's no way I would lace up my shoes. So why does someone who doesn't like running keep doing it...and for 13 miles?!
Running isn't easy...I'll never be one of those people who just looks like they float as they run. In fact, when I run, I look as though I'm dragging an anvil in my pants. That said, I do like physical challenges. If I did 12 push ups on my toes yesterday, I assure you I'll do 13 the next time I do them. I don't like to slide backwards. Running is about setting challenging goals that are realistic, and achieving them. That, for me, is what it's about.<br />
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A few weeks ago I was out running 3 miles and got caught in a deluge about 1 1/4 miles from home. In the time it took me to run home, my Droid phone (that I use for my running app, Endomondo, and my music) was completely fried. There was no saving it. Fast forward a week and my replacement arrived in the mail. I wasn't about to start running with it again for fear of ruining it as well. I have an i-pod touch, though, that I could use for music, but without the GPS function available, I'd lose that voice that tells me how many miles I'd run, how fast I'd run them, and when I'd met my goal for the day. WHAT WOULD I DO WITHOUT HER VOICE IN MY EAR?<br />
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I've found that not having the GPS might actually be a good thing. After running near my house for the past 11 months, I know the approximate distances of my 'loops,' so I have a pretty good idea how far 8 miles is. The nice thing about goal setting, though, is that you can push yourself when you don't have that little voice saying "Your workout is complete. Good job." There's no one telling you to stop.<br />
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Today I didn't want to short myself on my run. I wanted to make sure I got 8 miles in, so I added one extra 3/10 of a mile loop at the end. I was exhausted and my butt was dragging, but you know what? My 8 mile run turned into an 8.44 mile run. How about that? It didn't kill me, either, and in the end, is going to make that half marathon in November that much easier.<br />
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I'm signed up for another half marathon in late February. I'd really like to run that one close to the the 2:00 mark. In order to do that, though, I really need to accomplish something during my training runs. My typical 7+ mile route takes me through a neighborhood near mine called Lakes and Streams. Obviously there are lakes and streams in it! My run takes me to the far end of the neighborhood right around mile 5 and then I have to loop around and head back to my own neighborhood. From that point, it is uphill for just over one of the 1.25 miles back to my house. There's a short steep section, followed by a gradual climb for 3/10 of a mile, followed by "the hill." The hill busts your butt just to walk up. I can't even imagine running up it, particularly because there's the 4/10 of a mile climb prior to it, the 2/10 steep, steep, steep climb up the hill, followed by another 4/10 gradual climb, a tiny breather, and another steepish climb for 2/10 of a mile and then downhill that last bit to the house (where I stash my water and a Gu gel). If I can conquer that section of my run without having to stop and pick up my left lung, I can meet my Augusta half goal in February because the Augusta half has the Patridge Inn hill right around mile 4-5. It's steep and it's long. If you want to make time, you have to be prepared for that.<br />
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So, if you live in Lakes and Streams, I'll be the one running up that hill all winter. If you see me, honk, wave and cheer me on. I'd love the encouragement.
Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-9875376948784401002012-06-19T12:13:00.000-04:002012-06-19T12:13:01.069-04:00Time for a RESET!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGCai66M3mT11tXgDqOFZgthn6sZZ5UerD-bDIuVwfkNjLCStur8wPawZ3o_QIY02gbjoKmXcyYzjYpgMqj32a1fDyyGEV9qPrWTfoHut_kWjvy9Ygg94KVzsv3rbCNqWHOwoykg2OT4/s1600/ctrl_alt_del.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLGCai66M3mT11tXgDqOFZgthn6sZZ5UerD-bDIuVwfkNjLCStur8wPawZ3o_QIY02gbjoKmXcyYzjYpgMqj32a1fDyyGEV9qPrWTfoHut_kWjvy9Ygg94KVzsv3rbCNqWHOwoykg2OT4/s320/ctrl_alt_del.jpg" width="320" /></a> Greetings and salutations my friends! Don't you love it when your computer freezes? You mash on key after key, trying to get some semblance of life out of it, hoping beyond hope that something miraculous will occur that will breathe life back into it. You know the feeling, right? And you know the inevitable next step...Control...Alt...Delete.<br />
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My body was my computer. Stuck. Frozen. Paralyzed. I was in a rut nutritionally, making some bad choices that just made me feel 'icky' (for lack of a better word), didn't have great energy, didn't have motivation (though I was still working out 5 days per week), and just needed somebody to lean over and say, "Enough!" while hitting a reset button.<br />
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Fortunately, there's a 21-day program designed to do just that called <a href="http://www.myultimatereset.com/nancyschwert">Ultimate Rese</a>t. Beachbody, the same company that created P90X, Insanity, ChaLean Extreme, Turbo Fire, and a ton of other fitness programs (most of which I've done since I'm a coach for the company), put together a program designed to release toxins from your body, reset your metabolism, and teach you to listen to what food says to you. Some of my friends had done the program, and I knew it wasn't going to be a walk in the park...headaches, muscle pains, new foods...it was a bit daunting, but the benefits at the end piqued my interest: lower cholesterol, lower body weight, more energy, no bloaty belly. I was in. My husband, however, thought I was nuts.<br />
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The nice thing about the program is the support. There are Facebook groups for each of the 3 weeklong phases and Dr. Wheeler, the creator, even posts and answers questions on there. In addition, the guidebook is phenomenal, with recipes for each meal along the 21-day journey, and the online resource/webpage and e-mail newsletter all provide tremendous insight, support and encouragement along the way. I assure you, that support is VITAL...there will be days when you need it.<br />
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The first thing I noticed when I began was that the food prep took a lot of time. I invested in a really good chef's knife and bamboo cutting board. My husband about fainted when he saw I paid $29.00 for a knife (I told him that I could have spent $100 instead!), but that knife actually MAKES me want to eat better!
As the Reset progresses, you'll completely eliminate animal products from your diet, and by week #3, you'll find yourself following a vegan eating plan. That scared me a bit (it actually scared me a lot--I grew up in the Midwest on a farm. I'm a meat and potatoes kind of girl), but I found that vegetarian/vegan eating is tasty and actually makes your body feel SO much better in the long run.<br />
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In addition, there are supplements that come with the program...prebiotics, probiotics, alkalanize, detox, oxygenize, etc. that you take in different phases of the program. Many of the foods that are common in the diets of many people today put the body into an acidic state. What we truly need, in order to help prevent disease and other health issues, is to do our best to keep our body in a more neutrally balanced Ph.<br />
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So how did I do with my reset?<br />
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The first three days were a bit of a horror...I had a SPLITTING headache. Yes, my morning coffee addiction required a bit of caffeine withdrawals. I'm glad I was down to only one cup of coffee and hardly any soda prior to the reset. I can't imagine the headaches if your caffeine consumption was much higher than mine was. After the headaches relinquished, I felt pretty good for a few days, but everyone that I was chatting with on the Ultimate Reset Facebook pages warned of body aches as the body's detoxification was underway. Everyone's body detoxes in different ways...most people commented on lower back pain and pain in their legs. I experienced something a little different.<br />
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Right around day 8, I started feeling this nagging 'tweak' in my right shoulder. I thought that was a bit odd because I hadn't been working out at all (other than walking my dogs) since I began the reset. As the next day rolled around, the tweak became an ache and by the end of day 9, it was painful. I had difficulty sleeping that night, and the next day the arm was tingly and on a pain scale of 1-10, it was an 8+. It was agony it hurt so bad.<br />
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I volunteer at a local humane society, and while I was there on day 10, I ran into a massage therapist. I explained what I was going through and she worked on my shoulder for a bit. She asked a few questions about my workout programs and if I ever got tendonitis in my right arm ("Why yes, I get it in my elbow when I do pullups"). Well...all of those months of working through the tendonitis, not stretching properly, and making the other muscles in my arm work harder because the bicep couldn't do the job had come back to haunt me now. I never felt as though I had 'injured' the arm, but my body was doing some serious 'release' of something at that point in time. She left me with some stretches to do and I have been doing them religiously since.
The pain mysteriously vanished on day 12 and the mobility in my shoulder was better than ever!<br />
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As I was going through the 4 days of pain, I chatted with others in the support group that had experienced similar bouts of pain in similar areas. It was nice to know that I wasn't some freak, and that my body was doing what it was supposed to be doing...releasing toxins in areas that had been stressed, probably for years.<br />
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Venturing into phase 3, I chose not to eat any of the optional grains that are allowed as part of the nutrition plan this last week. There were a few days that I probably should have eaten the grains, but I found along the way that if I ate a mainly fruit and vegetable diet, I wasn't bloated, I never had that feeling of being 'full' and I still had good energy.<br />
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When my 21 days came to an end, here are the major things that I've learned. First, vegetables prepared well are really very tasty, and greens aren't so scary if you know what the heck to do with them! I've found that I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE collard greens and kale. Seriously, I could eat collard greens every day. Second, there are foods that were in my regular diet prior to the reset that really don't jive with my body. Sadly, the number one culprit (and this makes me sad beyond belief to say) is oatmeal. I LOVE oatmeal. But post Ultimate Reset, oatmeal automatically made me bloated and gave me that feeling of just being 'full' and feeling icky. I've since switched out my oats with quinoa (which was an okay swap) and today I tried millet (which was FABULOUS!) and I think I won't miss oatmeal so much.<br />
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In addition, during the <a href="http://www.myultimatereset.com/nancyschwert">Ultimate Reset</a>, I really learned to slow down and take my time while eating. My palate seems to be able to pick out different flavors when I do so, and leaves me with a feeling of enjoyment with the food I'm eating without any feelings of guilt afterwards. In fact, just this morning I was eating my morning millet with raw honey, toasted walnuts and blueberries. There were 3 or 4 bites left in the bowl, and as my spoon went in after them, my brain said, "You're actually full. You don't HAVE to eat the last bites." It was a bit of an epiphany for me(though I'm sure my grandmother is jumping up and down saying, "Somebody's eyes were bigger than their stomach."). I put the spoon down and didn't go back. That's a bit of a big deal for a 'plate cleaner' like me.<br />
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I also have a better sense of how different foods that I've added back in make me feel (see oatmeal story above). I can see myself eating more like this (with a few modifications--I'll more than likely add fish/shellfish back into my eating plan, and the occasional foray with chicken or turkey), but I like how my body feels with a diet with more plant based nutrition.<br />
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Now for those of you who like numbers (which I'll admit, I like numbers, too!). I lost just over 8 pounds (and lost another one in the 4 days post reset), two inches off my waist, an inch off my hips and thighs (which was HUGE for me...my hips and thighs are almost always the LAST place that I see changes. I shouted "Amen!" when I read the tape measure), and my belly is no longer bulgy and bloated. I feel more aware, more secure about myself, and I have a sense of pride in what I did.<br />
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If you're interested in learning more or want to ask me specific questions, please feel free to <a href="http://www.beachbodycoach.com/nancyschwert">contact me</a>. The Ultimate Reset might not be what you're looking for...it's a tough 21 days. But if your body needs to become 'unstuck' from what you've been doing, I think it's well worth every moment you're willing to invest.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-35929813285367594942012-04-15T09:04:00.006-04:002012-04-15T09:40:52.609-04:00This just in....I might be a runner!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcGEhsk7TW2UE-Pb7r3U3e7vZSgtSYk7ixsqWy8UEGSQRXt_ugyFc6mop1q6HoMD8miaOmA4Pg_gEdZZ27B2IVdChj3EN4ULQc58rrI1K2V_p_PGRUT5tCPBSUNoy-Ux7Jl91Ysi4uiQ/s1600/Palmetto+half.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpcGEhsk7TW2UE-Pb7r3U3e7vZSgtSYk7ixsqWy8UEGSQRXt_ugyFc6mop1q6HoMD8miaOmA4Pg_gEdZZ27B2IVdChj3EN4ULQc58rrI1K2V_p_PGRUT5tCPBSUNoy-Ux7Jl91Ysi4uiQ/s320/Palmetto+half.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5731613341565569010" /></a> Greetings and salutations everyone! As you may have been able to figure out, I ran a second half marathon, the Palmetto Half Marathon in Columbia, South Carolina, this weekend. Unlike my previous attempt, I wasn't sick for the ten days prior to the run, which, I assure you, was to my advantage! That said, the two weeks leading up the half, my brain really wasn't in training mode. I was pretty ready for the half to be over the day before it began, but on race day, it was quite obvious that I was far more prepared than I thought I was.<br /><br />I changed up my running schedule a bit after the Augusta Half in late February. I still only ran three days per week. My long run was always on Sunday (building to my longest run of 11.2 miles 3 weeks prior to the half), I did a short, but faster, 3 mile run on Tuesdays with another 2 miles of hill work afterwards where I simply would run up hills in the area that take between 30-60 seconds to climb, walk down, turn around, run up, turn around, run down...you get the picture. I really believe that my Tuesday runs helped my training substantially. Friday runs were generally 4 miles at a leisurely pace. I'll admit, though, that my Tuesday and Friday runs (which I had to do after work) were a BEAR compared to Sunday's runs of 10+ miles. I'm not a huge fan of running at the end of the day. Another thing that I think REALLY helped my ability to chug up the hills in Columbia was that I started a fitness program called Les Mills Pump. It's a strength training program that is very similar to the Body Pump classes offered in gyms around the world. All of those squats, lunges and dead lifts with the barbell really did make a HUGE difference.<br /><br />My sister (who graciously agreed to run another half with me although she says, "I'm too old for this crap!") and I had to drive to Columbia on Friday evening to pick up our packets and figure out where to go for the race. You wouldn't think it would be difficult to find an indoor sports complex that was next to a large shopping center, but after an hour of driving in circles, we finally found our way! Of course, that meant we didn't get home until after 8:30 p.m. and had to be back on the road at 5:00 a.m. the next day for a 7:00 a.m. start time.<br /><br />The day was absolutely gorgeous with PERFECT running weather. It was chilly in the morning, but I figured that I'd be warm enough by mile 2...and I was right. I actually ran the first 7 miles non-stop, which is pretty rare for me. There's still something in my head when I run more than 3 miles that tells me I need a very short walk break (we're talking 20 steps of walking) every now and then. I didn't feel the need and had a really good pace for the first 7 miles, even running mile 6 in UNDER NINE MINUTES--Go me!!! <br /><br />The course was hilly, but didn't involve any butt burners like the two that haunted me during the Augusta Half Marathon. The best part was that once I hit mile 11, I didn't crash and burn like I did 6 weeks ago in Augusta. Sure, I was tired, but I actually felt pretty good, even in the uphills. I finished the last 3 or 4 miles with a great group of people who were all about encouraging one another to keep going. I crossed the finish line strong, and if forced, could have run a few more miles. I'm glad I didn't have to, though!<br /><br />In Augusta, I finished in 2:18:08 (and according to my GPS app, the course was actually 13.3 miles). In that race, the final 3 miles were pretty pathetic. It was serious agony and I had major battle waging inside of my head in order to force myself to shut up and keeping running. In Columbia, my chip time was 2:12:20 (and according to the same GPS app, the course was 13.39 miles). I had to have a couple chats with my legs during a few uphills, but it was a much better running experience for me. It's quite clear that even though many of my training runs felt as though I was in my own personal hell, the training I did prepared me for the challenge.<br /><br />Now that the dust has cleared, I think I can say that I am a runner. Do I LOVE it? No, not really, but I do enjoy my runs once I get started and I appreciate the feeling of accomplishment I have after I finish a run. I'm never going to be one of those people where running is 'easy,' but I can definitely put one foot in front of the other and keep going for quite awhile.<br /><br />What's next, you may be wondering? A month ago, when my running training was going REALLY well, I contemplated a full marathon in the fall. However, that moment of running euphoria vanished about 19 hours after it popped into my head. I just don't know that I want to take the time it would require to be able to run 20+ miles. I'll be signing up for 2 or 3 half marathons in the fall (I'm tentatively looking at a half marathon in Athens, GA in October, the City of Oaks half marathon in Raleigh, NC, in November and the Columbia (SC) half in December). I'll run through the summer just to keep my 'running legs' and start back up with a real training schedule in August.<br /><br />For those of you who are saying, "I could never do that." Think again. Seven months ago, I couldn't run for 1/2 of a mile. Couch to 5K is a great program for getting a 3 mile base on anyone. From there, the running world is yours based on what you want to accomplish.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-64099651929230619182012-02-27T14:05:00.005-05:002012-02-27T14:21:39.726-05:00Success!!! Now what?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVyPoHrQ2ZllcHTts5gHf-EHOLtSD2lHmOmP73bq5ZpQoSS8kDjfvJ0gbcCZDLTtcNZbVsMBRZD0hSRevOeXZDlDfqFnqoVKE0EyrMIMu_GTPsSARFr79BHrD2y5xaPSYl1MsWWsF6dU/s1600/half+marathon+logo.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 191px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVyPoHrQ2ZllcHTts5gHf-EHOLtSD2lHmOmP73bq5ZpQoSS8kDjfvJ0gbcCZDLTtcNZbVsMBRZD0hSRevOeXZDlDfqFnqoVKE0EyrMIMu_GTPsSARFr79BHrD2y5xaPSYl1MsWWsF6dU/s320/half+marathon+logo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5713894473947007474" /></a> Greetings and salutations everyone!<br /><br />Well, yesterday was the BIG day...the day of the Augusta Half Marathon. I was a bit worried the week prior to the race as I had come down with some sort of bug that gave me headaches, nausea, achiness, and both head and chest congestion. Rather than try to train through it, I decided that the previous 4 months of training had been good enough. I had run 10+ miles the 2 Sundays prior, and the best thing I could do was just rest. I felt ridiculously guilty doing that, though. You always tend to think that if you can just do one more workout, one more run, do one more of 'something,' and you'll be just that little bit more prepared.<br /><br />I was up right around 5:00 a.m., wanting to make sure my body had sufficient time to work through my morning oatmeal before an 8:00 a.m. start time. I met my sisters at 6:30, so we could travel over together, and we arrived about 35 minutes prior to race time. Just enough time to do some stretching, hit the port-o-let one last time, drink a bit of water, ditch some extra clothes, and warm up the muscles a bit. We weren't there too long before the 1000+ runners lined up and we were off!<br /><br />My oldest sister and I stayed together most of the race, but once she crossed the starting banner, my other sister wouldn't be seen for another 13.1 miles (she finished in 2:05!!!). I felt pretty good for the first 10 miles, walking up 2 particularly steep sections of hills, but maintaining just under a 10 minute/mile pace until I hit mile 10. That's when I really started to feel tired. I had to nurse myself through the final 3 miles, and my pace dropped to 11:15-11:40 minutes/mile. That said, I finished in 2:18. I'm happy. I'm also proud of myself for setting the goal, pushing through the training, and finishing in a decent time.<br /><br />So, now it's over. I got a cool running shirt and medal...what next? At first I thought that I was glad I don't have to train anymore and that I would start a new home fitness program (Les Mills Pump) as my primary workout. But then I started to think...and sometimes my brain makes quick decisions when I start to think about goals and such. I'm already fit. I know what I would do differently if I ran another half marathon. Why not run another?<br /><br />I'm contemplating another half on April 1st. Another five weeks of training...I'll let you know my decision soon.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-75402691216887775702012-02-12T13:43:00.005-05:002012-02-12T14:25:37.687-05:00So you call yourself a runner?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwcvaQj8JedJT-bFC7aW3fFK0DlBm3Mqmx67fbaHwZRsQcLg61yyCVLrSnczSNkhaCgRyeUeBrv_sJLcd8cIJ5RsrtTC5JPaUzk8SvKU3FBSqk8RaDU7UdisaLxPcsRDxrMz05UN_S_U/s1600/woman_cartoon_running.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 128px; height: 113px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwcvaQj8JedJT-bFC7aW3fFK0DlBm3Mqmx67fbaHwZRsQcLg61yyCVLrSnczSNkhaCgRyeUeBrv_sJLcd8cIJ5RsrtTC5JPaUzk8SvKU3FBSqk8RaDU7UdisaLxPcsRDxrMz05UN_S_U/s320/woman_cartoon_running.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5708323181844393314" /></a> Greetings and Salutations everyone! Once again, it's been quite awhile since I've posted to my blog, but I have a REALLY good excuse...I've been running!!!!<br /><br />Last October I had this fantastic idea. I decided that I was going to run the Augusta Half Marathon on February 26th, 2012. This would mean that I would have to ramp up my running from ZERO miles per week to a point where I could manage 13.1 miles on race day. Easy peasy, right? <br /><br />I'll be honest...the first 6 weeks were terribly difficult. Just getting to the point where I could run 3 miles non-stop was the biggest challenge thus far. Even now that I'm up to 10+ miles on my long Sunday run, there are days when just running 3 is horribly difficult. I'm now 2 weeks out from the half marathon. I wish I were a little fitter, but I'll be honest...I'm ahead of my training schedule with regards to my long run distance, so I can't complain. I've got 2 more weeks to prepare and I'll prepare my best. I've learned a lot along the way, though, and wanted to share my personal thoughts on 'becoming a runner.'<br /><br />1. Shoes--DO NOT skimp when it comes to purchasing running shoes. I am truly blessed to have an exceptional running store in my community, Fleet Feet Sports--North Augusta, and their staff and fit policies are out of this world. I've found the PERFECT shoe for me (I wear New Balance 890s) that are lightweight, easy to break in, and provide me great support. I also use an insert (SuperFeet green), which alongside good shoes has allowed me to build distance with absolutely no foot issues whatsoever. Score 1 for me!<br /><br />2. Chafing--I've been lucky that any irritation I've experienced from running has been minimal, but I have to share because my chafing has GOT to be rare. The first time I had any issues was when I was running 7 miles. I got home and my left eyelid felt like it was on FIRE. Upon closer examination I realized that I had a blister on the outside edge of the lid. I also noticed that my eyelids were REALLY droopy (you do realize I'm almost 41, right, so I am getting older--Eeek!) and that the droopy bouncing eyelid combined with sweat and salt created friction. The result, a blister. ON MY EYELID! My husband and I joked that it would be an excellent reason for an eyelift, but I decided that a cheaper and less painful solution would be to rub a little Glide (sold in running stores as an anti-chafing lube) on my eyelid pre-long run. Works perfectly. If you chafe, be sure that you're wearing clothing that will eliminate it and if needed, get some Glide.<br /><br />3. Clothes--Speaking of clothing, there's nothing that motivates me to workout more than new workout clothes. Now, you also have to understand a bit about me...I'm most definitely not a petite flower and I do NOT look good in spandex. I've got a big caboose and rather round thighs. And yes, I'm a bit self conscious about them. In addition, running shorts, on my body shape, would require me to purchase Glide in vast quantities and I would spend most of my run pulling them back down around my rather round thighs (see comment above). So, what's a girl to do? I have a two word solution...RUNNING SKIRT! Seriously, BEST CREATION EVER. Mine is a running skirt/capri tight combination which has been perfect for the weather. They're cute as can be, come in basic black or a variety of color combinations. Plus, there's something sort of fun about running and feeling your skirt bounce as you go. Sounds odd, I know, but I swear it's the truth.<br /><br />4. Motivation--When I run, I have a tendency to play head games with myself. I'm not going to kid you, the thought of running 10 miles sounds horrible whenever I think about it. However, what about 3/10 of a mile? Doesn't that seem more doable? Is sure does to me. When I run, I'm all about breaking things down into sections and I plan my running route with that in mind. There's a fantastic running/biking/walking trail nearby (The North Augusta Greeneway) that would be a great place for long runs. The problem I have with running there, though, is that it would be 5 miles out, turn around, and 5 miles in. The thought of knowing I had to run for 5 miles on a straight stretch of path just seems SO agonizing. It works for some people, but not for me. So, I run in the neighborhoods by my house. I've learned where the sections are that are 3/10 of a mile, 1/2 mile, etc. and as each 'chunk' goes by, there's always a turn to be made, a new neighborhood to go to, and it just seems so much more doable. If I think that I have 6 more miles to run, it has a tendency to take the wind out of my sails, but when I say, "I'ts only another 3/10 of a mile till the next turn," it just seems manageable. Add all those 3/10, 1/2, 1/10, 7/10 sections together, and it still adds up to the same amount. <br /><br />5. Recording--When I first started running, I downloaded the Couch to 5K app on my phone (I have a Droid). It made life so much easier...I didn't have to keep looking at my watch at how much time had elapsed and it even kept track of my pace as I progressed, announcing it to me at each change. As my mileage increased, I needed an app that could handle the increased distance, and I found it with Endomondo. It uses the GPS on my phone to determine my distance, announces at each mile how far I've gone, what my total time is, what my last mile pace was, and it'll play music. You can set both distance or time goals before your workout (I use the distance goal, but if you know your general pace and you don't want to run the GPS on the phone, the time goal is a good alternative). I LOVE IT! There's something so gratifying when I hear her voice say, "Your workout is complete. Great job." <br /><br />6. Progress--There are going to be days when running feels like agony and you could swear that someone hooked an anvil to your pants somewhere along the way. I assure you, I've dragged that blasted anvil for MANY miles. That said, there are also going to be days when you feel as though you're running on clouds, when you think it just seems too easy to be exercise. There are so many things that can affect your run...for me, I find running after a day of work to be incredibly difficult. In fact, most days my 3-4 mile runs after work seem more challenging than running 8 miles on Sunday morning. There will be days when you have to walk for 30 seconds at the end of every mile, and days when you don't. Just know that it's normal, that you are making progress even though oftentimes it feels as though you're not. Keep putting one foot in front of the other because...<br /><br />...I am a runner, and so are you.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-51335092245913316422011-10-23T13:58:00.004-04:002011-10-23T14:20:28.565-04:00Comfort zone? WHAT comfort zone?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrqTWn6cFvu0MFbSgVOBeYKr_V9B1XrICc2mJMzDJBmfHZxW-aM2fR98egL6y2mf8LD4C32D8CSPbVBEWKaWjF9_Idz1QdtptXURjicyAbk7Novz5KagTDW-LgyeUmHvN8nE73nbFuVc/s1600/Stairs--closer.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizrqTWn6cFvu0MFbSgVOBeYKr_V9B1XrICc2mJMzDJBmfHZxW-aM2fR98egL6y2mf8LD4C32D8CSPbVBEWKaWjF9_Idz1QdtptXURjicyAbk7Novz5KagTDW-LgyeUmHvN8nE73nbFuVc/s320/Stairs--closer.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5666754158133650082" /></a><br />Greetings and salutations my fitness loving friends! I realize it's been a LLOONNGG time since I've last taken the time to sit down and add to my blog. I had a busy summer accompanying my husband on the Nationwide Tour (my hubs is a professional golf caddie), and then the school year has gotten in the way. Just excuses, I know, but I've got exciting news!!<br /><br />Many of you who know me already realize that I am a fitness enthusiast. I generally work out 5-6 days each week, combining strength training, cardio and flexibility training. Recently, I found myself wanting a new goal, a goal that was different from those in my past. A goal that would make me grow in new ways. That meant I had to step out of my comfort zone. That meant is was time to run.<br /><br />I'm not a runner. I've always wanted to be one, though. I've longed to be able to run for miles and miles, the wind in my hair, the sun in my face, my heart keeping a steady rhythm. I've tried to become a runner, at one time working up to 3 miles several days each week. I just didn't love it. Unlike all of my running friends, I've never experienced that 'runner's high.' For some weird reason, I really, really want that experience.<br /><br />A few weeks ago, many of my friends (with whom I connect regularly on Facebook) were running full marathons. I found their preparation posts motivating, and on actual race day, the excitement and pride that they had post race was simply inspiring. I realized then that I needed a true running goal.<br /><br />Now, logic would say, "Self, why not train to run a local 5K race?" Sounds achievable and sensible, right? Well, I agree, but after hitting up Google to find some local 5 and 10K races, there was something else that caught my eye...the Augusta half marathon in late February. My mind screamed, "YES!!!!" while my body, quite repulsed, shuddered and shakily responded, "Are you serious?"<br /><br />So that's the goal. I realize that while I'm in good shape already, this is one of those goals where I'm really going to have to listen to my body. The goal may have to change along the way if my back or my hips or my hamstrings revolt too loudly. But it's a goal, and it's one about which I'm actually quite excited. I haven't looked forward to this type of challenge for quite some time.<br /><br />I'm now in week #2 of my run training. There are 15 weeks to go. I'm still strength training on alternate days and adding in lots of short yoga workouts to help keep the aches and pains (and possible training derailments) at bay. Yesterday's run upped the run intervals a bit, and while I thought I was going to lose my left lung while chugging up that last hill, I could feel the wind in my hair and the sun on my face while hearing the sing-song sound of my sneakers hitting the pavement. <br /><br />Perhaps it's true...maybe I am a runner after all.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-88285064926787440612011-07-04T14:44:00.006-04:002011-07-04T14:50:38.851-04:00Happy 4th!!!Greetings and salutations everyone, and happy 4th of July to those of you celebrating today in America! In honor of those fighting for freedoms across the globe, I decided that I would pump things up a bit here at home, and I headed right into the insane asylum...well, sort of. Asylum is the name of a 30-day intense conditioning program created by Shaun T. I'll be honest...I stayed away from his program for a few months out of fear. The thought of it filled my veins with sheer terror. Alas, I put on my 'big girl panties,' and got to work. It's tough, but not worthy of sheer terror. Here's a little peak of what the Speed & Agility workout entails: <br /><br /><iframe width="425" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/foQBaBG52zw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />If you'd like more information, drop me a <a href="http://www.beachbodycoach.com/nancyschwert">message</a> and I'll fill you in. Perhaps YOU could join me in the ASYLUM!!!!Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-68325995152640200972011-06-21T12:41:00.007-04:002011-06-21T14:57:41.632-04:00Moving forward by looking ahead<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.sportsportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/rory-mcilroy-05.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 218px; height: 298px;" src="http://www.sportsportal.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/rory-mcilroy-05.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a> Greetings and salutations my fitness loving friends! I realize I've been gone for quite some time...I'm not even going to waste your time by giving excuses. I simply haven't given my blog the time it deserves. My apologies.<br /><br />As you may see, today's blog is going to have a bit of a golf-themed feel to it as I've been traveling the road with my husband who is a Tour caddy (most recently returning from the U.S. Open in Bethesda, MD). Being on the road in a 35' RV with 3 dogs could provide me with weeks and weeks of blog worthy material. However, my point today isn't to entertain you with the details of leaking RV roofs, black water tank dumping, or walking into the campsite every night from the locked front gate, 1/2 mile, in a raging electrical storm. Today's point is about looking ahead at the possibilities rather than dwelling in the past.<br /><br />For those of you know know golf, Rory isn't a stranger to the top of the leaderboard. He's been there before. What was so great about Rory's win at the U.S. Open this week, though, is how he handled the stress of coming up dismally short at his last major, The Masters, and how he handled the constant criticism and doubt that he'd play well on day 4. After the Masters tournament, I'm sure that Rory replayed his Sunday round over and over and over. If he didn't, the world's media did it for him. It was shoved in his face day in and day out. When he was atop the leaderboard at the U.S. Open last week, the world's media didn't stand idly by wondering to themselves whether Rory would play well...they questioned it hour by hour, day by day, as did all of the 'armchair quarterbacks' that follow golf around the world.<br /><br />Instead of looking back and focusing on what he didn't do in his last major, Rory kept his eye on the prize and his focus on what needed to be done. He was there to play golf, not rehash what didn't happen two months prior in Augusta. There's no reason to constantly keep looking back...it's another tournament, another golf course, and another day. Period. Simple as that.<br /><br />If we think about our own lives, there are far too many of us who rehash, over and over, the ways that we came up short in our own lives. We may get to the end of the day and question why we ate as poorly as we did, or why we didn't push harder in a workout, or why we made the decisions we did for whatever reason. I'm not saying not to analyze those things, but at some point in time, you simply HAVE to move on from it. It's not going to do me any good three days from now to be beating myself up for eating cheesecake on Sunday or not working out for three days in a row, is it?<br /><br />So if at the end of today, you're not happy with the way things went, vow to make tomorrow a better day. Don't beat yourself up over what happened 24 hours or even 24 minutes ago...MOVE ON and be better because of your experiences. <br /><br />In my humble opinion, it's okay to make a mistake as long as you don't allow it to compound on itself. Make the mistake and get on with it. In golf, it's far better to go bogey, birdie than to go bogey, bogey. You just never know, with the right attitude and foresight, there might even be an ace in your future.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-1475738003096420952011-03-06T10:01:00.005-05:002011-03-06T10:22:24.987-05:00What's it going to be?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgL81NAou_UjjB9djEnb2k6at_I0dn_vGp4cjvb2ItGJTvVilulsTr5R4zI0f6AkgpCD1uTegtMwZ4jiH6ix6vx7mXCZzrky7FMrkdcLxUr1WcoU4MNFUK8eRj23TSwaHSJohpmfIL2s/s1600/time-management-process.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzgL81NAou_UjjB9djEnb2k6at_I0dn_vGp4cjvb2ItGJTvVilulsTr5R4zI0f6AkgpCD1uTegtMwZ4jiH6ix6vx7mXCZzrky7FMrkdcLxUr1WcoU4MNFUK8eRj23TSwaHSJohpmfIL2s/s320/time-management-process.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5580987280320337954" /></a><br />Greetings and Salutations everyone! As many of you know, I'm a busy girl. I work full-time as an 8th grade teacher (and bring work home with me regularly), I'm a doggy mom to three pups who insist on 60+ minutes of walking every day as well as my undivided attention throughout the evening and on weekends, I'm a wife and manager of a household, I volunteer two days per week at the CSRA Humane Society where I'm an adoption counselor, and I workout a lot. Sometimes it's tough to find the time to fit it all in. But you know what? If you want it badly enough, you find the time. Simple as that.<br /><br />The way I see it, you have a choice to make. You can decide to either make changes that will improve your life, or you can decide to just let the status quo in your life reign. It's about priorities. What do you want the most and what are you willing to give up in order to get it?<br /><br />I have a busy schedule, just like the majority of you. However, I had to learn to let go of some things that were simply time wasters. If you feel you don't have the time to fit exercise or proper nutrition into your day, I challenge you to write down every single thing you do for a week. I'd venture a guess that you'll find 30-60 minutes, probably more, that you could utilize for preparing healthy meals or fitting in a short workout. My biggest time waster is the internet...I LOVE pogo and their games. I can pop balloons, whomp moles, and put numbered balls into a grid like no other. However, I need that time to fit everything in, so I simply limit my mental downtime to 15 minutes (I actually set a timer and when it goes off, I'm done with pogo) and then move on with my day.<br /><br />Busy people are multi-taskers and prioritizers. They get the most important things done first, and combine things that can be combined. I have a fitness acquaintance whose priority is her personal fitness. She feels that she can't be the best mom she can be unless she stays fit and remains fit. It's important to her because she knows that the example she sets will affect her daughters. So, she wakes up at 4:00 a.m. every single day (except Sunday), goes into her basement and works out for an hour. It's her priority. It may not be fun getting up at that hour, but it can be done. I know a lot of busy moms who do exactly that. <br /><br />One thing that's important to me is reading books that are going to help me grow as a person. Alas, reading takes time. Because time is an issue, I download a lot of books onto my I-pod and listen while I walk the dogs or listen in the car on my way to work. It's simple things like that that make fitting it all in easier.<br /><br />So I don't want to hear the excuse that you're too busy for yourself. YOU are important and your health is key to the success of your family, however big or small it may be.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-77673717604965709692011-02-20T14:52:00.015-05:002011-02-20T15:33:36.220-05:00Team Gregor!!!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSTs9NKRaCrzBvl2bex4NJaN0e5X8CJwB_BaQYjGc_oZMpT-VtcUsvqNcxCnCreJTaOuYzyPZyUFttL1TFuHDFH9yqR4hykH5pyjr6GdVn155Yv8VxLHmHWlX8Bgt8HMvVJp01_z1QXQ/s1600/Gregor%2521.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 222px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMSTs9NKRaCrzBvl2bex4NJaN0e5X8CJwB_BaQYjGc_oZMpT-VtcUsvqNcxCnCreJTaOuYzyPZyUFttL1TFuHDFH9yqR4hykH5pyjr6GdVn155Yv8VxLHmHWlX8Bgt8HMvVJp01_z1QXQ/s320/Gregor%2521.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575862516941504194" /></a> Greetings and salutations my friends! Today's blog is a bit out of the ordinary for me...it does involve fitness in some ways, but it's main focus is the other passion in my life, dogs and dog rescue. <br /><br />I'm a dog mom...I have three boys, all multi-cultural canine Americans, aged 12ish, 8ish and 1 1/2ish. They're as different as can be, but they truly bring joy and fitness into my life. Dogs need walked. Period. In my opinion, a walked and tired dog is a happy dog. Thus, every day I put on my walking shoes to the tune of happy tails beating the ground in delight. My boys know that walkies will begin shortly! During my 45-70 minutes with the dogs, I'm improving my own fitness while aiding in their physical and emotional fitness as well. It's win-win for all involved. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xybrDeUaIXEkihl_NIDE7GuGxgJyub2_-7fdFaeYFh61ykX0QTJGuHA_eU4kZH8gh1sfs7lv07wYec0ZMv2uOyJMmXa2o8YxajOyW6dxJZTC2kXFrmZi0_6mVs4ItT4EcQKjhGKQ4VU/s1600/James+litter.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5xybrDeUaIXEkihl_NIDE7GuGxgJyub2_-7fdFaeYFh61ykX0QTJGuHA_eU4kZH8gh1sfs7lv07wYec0ZMv2uOyJMmXa2o8YxajOyW6dxJZTC2kXFrmZi0_6mVs4ItT4EcQKjhGKQ4VU/s320/James+litter.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5575868968659575186" /></a>My youngest dog, James, came to us from the CSRA Humane Society animal shelter in November of 2009. He was the last in a litter of 4 puppies left at the shelter (the photo is of all 4 littermates when they had reached an appropriate age for adoption--James is on the far left and Gregor is in the back right of the photo). His brothers, Ian, Samuel and Gregor, all founds homes before James was able to enter our lives. Unfortunately, Gregor's home didn't work out and he is back at the shelter awaiting a 2nd chance for a forever home. Gregor (his photo is at the top of this blog) is the reason that I originally began volunteering at the shelter and became an adoption counselor. As James' brother, I wanted him to have a great home, too. <br /><br />The shelter is run mainly by a large group of fantastic volunteers who raise over $300,000 each year to house, feed, and provide veterinary needs to over 200 cats and over 50 dogs each day. On March 19th, the shelter is having their annual <a href="http://www.csrahumanesociety.org/paws_in_the_park_2011">"Paws in the Park" pet walk</a> in an effort to raise much needed funds to care for the animals until they can find their forever homes.<br /><br />In honor of Gregor, and the other great dogs and cats that are at the CSRA Humane Society waiting to find their 'people', James and I will be walking in the 4th annual Paws in the Park pet walk for "Team Gregor." If you would like to sponsor James and I in this endeavor, we would greatly appreciate any financial contribution you would be willing to donate. You can do so by going to the <a href="http://www.csrahumanesociety.org/donations.html">donation page</a> and clicking on the "In Honor Of" in the 'One-time donation' section of the page. Your donation can be in any amount, and simply mark that it is for Team Gregor. If you would like to write a check, please make it payable to the CSRA Humane Society and send it to: P.O. Box 14667 Augusta, GA 30919. Be sure to mark that it's for "Team Gregor" in the memo. Of course, as a non-profit, your donation is tax-deductible.<br /><br />Of course, if you're in the area and are looking for a dog or cat of your own, PLEASE stop by and see if one of our <a href="http://www.csrahumanesociety.org/adoptable_pets.html">current residents</a> might fit into your family. We are open for adoptions on Wednesday night from 5:30-7:30 and Saturdays from 11:00-4:00.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-66967061332212697332011-02-06T11:45:00.006-05:002011-02-06T12:01:05.205-05:00That Tastes Grea...YUCK!Greetings and Salutations everyone! Hope this Super Bowl Sunday finds you in good spirits with good weather (especially those of you who have been dumped upon by the snow gods of late!).<br /><br />As I'm sure you're all aware, Valentine's Day is upon is...it's a mere week and a few days away, and of course, along with Valentine's Day comes all kinds of confections sold in the store that promise someone will feel loved only if you offer them such a wonderful delight.<br /><br />Just yesterday, I was offered a Valentine's cookie from a friend. She had gotten them, and not really wanting them herself (smart girl!), wanted to pawn some off on me. I hadn't eaten yet and was feeling a bit hungry, so after looking at the label to see what sort of damage would be done, I allowed myself one of her tempting looking Valentine's cookies (they were small, a serving size was actually three cookies). I promised myself to truly enjoy that little morsel of delight, so I promised to take small bites of the almond cookie dipped in white chocolate frosting with pink sprinkles on top.<br /><br />So there I was, cookie in hand, ready to take my first bite. And I did. I was bound and determined to REALLY enjoy that cookie, so I chewed slowly, allowing my taste buds the time to really savor the almondness and the white chocolate. However, about three chews in something happened. I realized that the ONLY thing I could taste was the sprinkles on top...you know those cute sparkly little pink ones I mentioned? Clearly, a dye had to have been added to make them that shocking pink color, and that was ALL I could taste. Chemical dye. It left this aftertaste that was not appealing in any way, shape or form. YUM! NOT!<br /><br />I think you probably get my point. Far too often, we rush through our food, not really even tasting it, just eating it to eat. If we were to slow down and really savor the taste of our food, how many of us would eat less because our brains realized it doesn't really taste as great as we thought it would? <br /><br />It was quite the epiphany moment for me...a reminder to slow down, taste the food, really enjoy it, but if it tastes like crap, don't shove another handful into your mouth! Heck, even if it doesn't taste awful, does it taste good enough to want to eat more of it? Probably not. <br /><br />So slow down and take your time with your food. I know it's tough sometimes...my husband was a Marine and eats a meal in about 15 seconds flat. I always feel rushed to keep up with him. He, however, can learn to wait...I plan on enjoying the taste of my food from now on.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-5719635286848001162011-01-30T09:56:00.004-05:002011-01-30T10:07:57.211-05:00Back in action!Greetings and salutations my friends! So, here we are, 10 days after my first experience with shin splints, and I can honestly say that I don't ever want to experience them ever again as long as I live! I'm no wimp, but geesh do they hurt!<br /><br />I'm not 100%, but I did do a very low impact workout yesterday and walked one of the dogs. There's no way I'm going to try to go full-bore with a workout until I know that I'm ready to go. If I do, I realize that I'll just be back to square one, icing my shins and feeling icky about how I feel because I can't workout.<br /><br />All too often, those of us who live for our workouts push ourselves to get back into the game too soon. When I rode horses competitively, if my horse had a tweaky tendon, or some mysterious lameness, there's no way I would put him back into work until he was ready to go. Six months of hand-walking an off the track Thoroughbred who is on stall rest is no fun. That said, I now totally understand their exuberance when finally put back to work. It's easy to do too much too soon. You just have to ease back into it, whether you're a human or equine athlete. Somehow, some way, you have to temper your enthusiasm at first. It is for the best.<br /><br />So, no impact exercises for me during the next week. I can walk the dogs and do my weight workouts, but sadly, no Turbo Fire, no plyometrics drills, no running. It's for the best...you have one body, and you need to take care of it.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-10834483893741940312011-01-23T14:57:00.006-05:002011-01-23T17:55:02.072-05:00No pain, no gain, right? WRONG!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWbBEMQnsxx1sjrQjyxMI0RAO5npCHvaMvuqxGstY87aOBpaU87xmBj1xslN8hDUG_Zwyh-YaOKbESCGox8ZYG7BRf0BjaNXKdMqWjHHhDZP_KqzC4pDYM9bmVHq0DW_-H_K_MZDbz88/s1600/Nopain-300x300.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 200px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNWbBEMQnsxx1sjrQjyxMI0RAO5npCHvaMvuqxGstY87aOBpaU87xmBj1xslN8hDUG_Zwyh-YaOKbESCGox8ZYG7BRf0BjaNXKdMqWjHHhDZP_KqzC4pDYM9bmVHq0DW_-H_K_MZDbz88/s320/Nopain-300x300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565475099188067202" border="0" /></a><br />Greetings and salutations everyone! I know that all of us have experienced some sort of pain caused by injury at some point in our lives, right? So, what do you do? Does it require an immediate trip to the doctor, do you rest, or do you push through?<br /><br />Many people, myself included in the past, would just push through the pain. We would grit our teeth, hope that we 'worked out of it,' and push on. No pain, no gain, right? Sadly, it really should say, "Pain, no gain," simply because if you ignore it long enough, the pain is going to get louder and louder until you finally are forced to listen.<br /><br />The problem is this...if you're anything like me, I LIKE to workout. In fact, it's a major part of my day that leaves me feeling good about myself. I feel sort of lost without exercise every day, even if it's just a walk with my dogs. There's a part of me that NEEDS to exercise. So, if I'm injured and need to rest, I have some major issues with the fact that I can't walk the dogs, do P90X, or push play with Chalene and Turbo Fire. Injuries just honk me off!<br /><br />Alas, here I am again, injured (insert frustrated sigh here). On Monday afternoon I did my scheduled P90X Legs and Back workout, bright and early Tuesday morning I did a 30 minute HIIT, and by Tuesday afternoon, the front of my left shin felt like it was on fire. Wednesday was a rest day, so I didn't workout, but I did walk my 3 dogs for an hour. Just walking, right? I figured it would be no big deal. Sadly, by the end of the third mile with the third dog, I had to grit my teeth against the pain in my left leg just to make it home. My poor little pupster, James, couldn't quite figure out why mom was walking so blasted slow!<br /><br />It's been four days and I'm SO sick of this. But here's the deal. When you're in pain, your body is screaming at you to listen up. If you hurt enough to notice it, you had better listen to what your body is trying to tell you. If you choose not to, a week of inconvenience may very well turn into a month or longer.<br /><br />I did manage to do some push-ups and core work today, things that won't aggravate my left shin, and I am icing and stretching the injury like a good girl. I am feeling better...almost good enough to walk some dogs! But, I am going to force myself to stay immobile for a few more days to make sure that I've given my body time to heal.<br /><br />Pain doesn't necessarily mean you're doing something right...pain means you'd better listen and you had better listen NOW!Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-50658320018937873042011-01-16T20:10:00.006-05:002011-01-16T20:39:06.133-05:00A New Day Dawns--Facing Reality and Taking ActionGreetings and Salutations! Today's blog is a challenging one for me...it's one in which I finally take a really close look at the things that stand in the way of my goals regarding my personal fitness. It's a look I've been dreading, but one that I know must be dealt with. <br /><br />As many of you know, I've been able to lose just over 30 pounds in the last 20 months by revamping my nutrition and working out regularly. I'm excited about the changes I've made, and proud of what I've accomplished. But now I'm stuck...and I know exactly why. It's 100% my nutrition.<br /><br />Now, keep in mind that my nutrition has improved by 150+% in the past two years. I was a Dorito eating, drive-thru loving, Starbucks caramel macchiato swilling girl. I ate too much and I made really bad nutritional choices. Fast forward to today...for the most part I eat about 85% 'clean,' I combine a complex carb with a protein at each meal, I eat 5 small meals per day, and I really try to fuel my body rather than just 'eat.' On most days, I stick to my caloric allowances. Alas, Houston, we still have a problem. <br /><br />I overheard one of my family members last summer mention that if he or she worked out as much as I do, that he or she would easily lose weight. Granted, I do workout for 45-60 minutes each day and then I walk my dogs on top of that. I probably workout more than the average person, but I relish in it and I love it. That I'm not going to change. But I don't 'easily' lose weight like my family member would...what, pray-tell, could be the problem with Nancy and her struggle?<br /><br />I've known for quite sometime that I have emotions that trigger certain eating behaviors. I don't binge or purge or starve myself...but I'm a habitual 'snacker.' I'm learning that food, to me, is comfort. When I'm bored, I grab a handful of pretzels or peanuts. When I'm stressed, I dip into the peanut butter jar. I also tend to look at my day as time between meals. Instead of planning my workout mid-morning on Saturday, I have to schedule it appropriately around the mid-morning snack time. It's just ridiculous that I allow the concept of food to control my life the way it does.<br /><br />I also am learning that I tend to use food as a showing of love. In fact, just last weekend when I was at the grocery store, I bought a chocolate cake mix and icing for my husband because he likes cake (seriously, I affectionately call him Mr. Little Debbie, which is his favorite food group). Back in the recesses of my mind, there was probably some pleasure sensor going giddy with delight because that stinking cake proved my love for him. WHY? <br /><br />So today is the day that I start working as hard on this aspect of my fitness as I do the actual workout aspect. My plan is to utilize a workbook that came recommended to me by another emotional eater, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0936077204/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER">The Food and Feelings Workbook: A Full Course Meal on Emotional Health</a>." I'm excited about the next phase of my journey and welcome any comments you may have along the way. <br /><br />Feel free to drop me a <a href="www.beachbodycoach.com/nancyschwert">message</a> or stop by my <a href="http://www.facebook.com/#%21/pages/Coach-Nancy-Schwert/116584248413047">Facebook page</a> if you'd like. If you're on the same journey, support is always welcome!Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-28253695505443789712011-01-09T08:54:00.007-05:002011-01-09T09:31:35.647-05:00Beginnings...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoi0UygMRG02-OY5hmvFP1ZaoRYI0RTgatMUpSZakRZRfrF_j-9s78YuQNKlx-k7XL1V__lUywcDbiOYKp0VOD6TZYfmgLFF9woWagUgg4h3ZAxgJuQdRnL-AuV8NxhiF7UVdOi4gx9o/s1600/yesterday-you-said-tomorrow-nike.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 297px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihoi0UygMRG02-OY5hmvFP1ZaoRYI0RTgatMUpSZakRZRfrF_j-9s78YuQNKlx-k7XL1V__lUywcDbiOYKp0VOD6TZYfmgLFF9woWagUgg4h3ZAxgJuQdRnL-AuV8NxhiF7UVdOi4gx9o/s320/yesterday-you-said-tomorrow-nike.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5560184360813489634" border="0" /></a> Greetings and salutations my friends!!! I'd like to start off this Sunday with a quote from Jeff Olson who wrote the FANTASTIC book, <span style="font-style: italic;">The Slight Edge</span>. In it he says, "Success doesn't come from nowhere; it can't be conjured up out of thin air. It comes from a very small, tiny beginning--but there has to be a beginning. That beginning is the thing (other) people miss, the thing they don't see. And they don't see it because it's so tiny, it's almost invisible."<br /><br />For those of you who are contemplating a beginning, be it for your fitness journey or some other lifestyle change, what is holding you back from achieving your dreams? I know, I know...change is hard, but you have to start SOMEWHERE. If you don't take that first step, you'll never get whatever it is that you want. Period.<br /><br />Maybe yesterday you said, "Tomorrow I'm going to start." Perhaps its the beginning of an exercise program, or you're going to create a budget and stick to it, or you're going to work more on your faith. Well, guess what? TODAY IS TOMORROW. Don't fall into the rut of always waiting for tomorrow because tomorrow never comes. It's always a day away...get it going NOW. <br /><br />Perhaps you've already had your beginning. If so, how's it going? For many of us, when we commit to change, we tend to get discouraged because change doesn't happen fast enough for us to see. If we're working on fitness goals, too often we want to see a drop in the weight on the scale, or smaller pants, but we expect it too soon. I hear from people all the time who tell me that they worked out for a week and NOTHING. You know what, though? You DID have improvement...it was just so small at that stage that you couldn't see it with your own two eyes. But, the change was there. Perhaps it was only an improvement of 1/3 of 1%. Sounds tiny, right? But what if you keep proving by that much every day? In three days, you will have improved your fitness by 1%. What if you keep going...where will you be at the end of a year, 365 days of improvement? <br /><br />You have to be patient, you have to keep diligent, you have to keep at it to see those results over time. You can't just expect to wake up the next morning and see a svelte new you the next day. It just doesn't work like that. But compare day 1 with day 365...you just might be surprised at the change you see then.<br /><br />A few years ago I had the opportunity to hear Tony Horton (of P90X fame) speak. What he said was so powerful to me, and you might use it as a reminder for yourself. "If your worked out today, you're already healthier than you were yesterday." What a concept, right? It also works for quitting smoking, or eating healthier, or using stress reduction techniques. If you make the change today, you've already improved your health. What happens if you do it again tomorrow? And the day after? Eventually, you'll string 30 days in a row together. Imagine how much improvement you will have invested in your health!<br /><br />If today is the day, then let's begin. If you're struggling, don't give up. Invest in yourself. You deserve it.<br /><br />Drop me a <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.beachbodycoach.com/nancyschwert">message</a> if you'd like some help. I'd love to chat with you. If you're a Facebook user, please feel free to drop by and <a href="http://www.facebook.com/?tid=1066468907131&sk=messages#%21/pages/Coach-Nancy-Schwert/116584248413047">'like' the page</a> I created to support others who are on this same journey.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-77032372866123822602011-01-02T09:44:00.013-05:002011-01-02T10:21:11.861-05:00You ARE Great!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:wmWnvwQJAHtgqM:http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l108/monkeyhugstree/flower.jpg&t=1"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 194px; height: 259px;" src="http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:wmWnvwQJAHtgqM:http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l108/monkeyhugstree/flower.jpg&t=1" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Greetings and salutations my friends and happy 2011! <br /><br />I realize that every time we roll into a new year, millions and millions of people make resolutions. They resolve to make changes, to do things better than they have previously. Sadly, much of this resolve will dissolve over time, and many people feel stuck, and sad, and frustrated, and angry at themselves for not following through. Others will make excuses why their resolve failed, pointing fingers are others rather than looking inwardly at him or herself.<br /><br />I'm not here today to try to make people feel badly about not finding success in past resolutions...instead, I'd like to offer hope in a new way. Positivity.<br /><br />You see, I've been the 'big boned girl' (that's the nice way my friends and family would help me to defend the fact that I was fat/overweight/obese) most of my life. For awhile, I'd resigned myself to staying firmly in that role, as it seemed that there was no way to make those changes no matter how hard I tried. It took its toll, though. I felt pretty worthless in my own skin...it isn't a good place to be, even for a short period of time (let alone for 20 years).<br /><br />Finally, for whatever reason, I had my epiphany, my breaking point. I WAS going to do something about my weight. I knew it wouldn't be easy, I knew there would be good days and crappy days, but I would push through. Along the way, I learned something really valuable...positive self talk. Too often, we get stuck on the negative aspects of ourselves. We focus on our fat thighs, the last minute run through the McDonald's drive-thru that resulted in 1000+ calories consumed, the 'muffin top' above our jeans, or whatever negative aspects of you that you just don't like. Let me share a little secret with you...and listen up because this is big...the more you focus on loathing who you are, the less successful you'll be in changing any of those things.<br /><br />When you start to make changes and work towards goals, you CANNOT focus on those stubborn things that are refusing to get with the program. I'm almost 2 years in on my own fitness journey...I've lost a considerable amount of weight, I've built a lot of lean muscle mass, but you know what? I still have fat thighs! Yep, there I said it...the top six inches of my thighs still carry a lot of lumpy, gross fat. There's clearly still work to be done. But you know what else? There's several inches less of lumpy, gross fat there now than there was two years ago? And you know what else? I can do push-ups on my toes! LOTS of them. And guess what else? I have developed some abdominal definition, and shoulder muscles that look good in a tank top, and calves that look great even when I'm not wearing heels! Most importantly, I've realized that I'm not worthless, that I'm intelligent, have a great sense of humor, am eloquent, have a kind heart, and that I'm strong both physically and mentally.<br /><br />So while you may feel discouraged during parts of your journey, I have to ask (and I'm borrowing this quote from Chalene Johnson--the creator of great fitness programs such as Turbo Jam, Turbo Fire, and ChaLean Extreme), "What positive things have you said to yourself today? Acknowledge your greatness." Come on...shout it out there, if not to the world, at least to yourself. It's important, it will help you stay on track and remain true to yourself.<br /><br />Take a look at the picture at the top of this blog post. That concrete block wall and concrete pad are pretty darned ugly. They're a bit crumbly around the edges, it's a boring grey color...it's tough to find something beautiful and great in that. However, look at what it was able to do...it allowed a beautiful pink flower to grow in its midst. Instead of seeing the ugly crumbling concrete block, see the beauty in you. Look for and find your beautiful pink flower and remind yourself daily of how great you truly are.<br /><br />Drop me a <a href="http://beachbodycoach.com/nancyschwert">message</a> or join me on <a href="www.facebook.com/nancyschwertfeger">Facebook</a> so you can have the opportunity to share with me your greatness. I'd love to hear all about it!Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-78521030945107239422010-12-20T12:47:00.009-05:002010-12-20T13:02:55.253-05:00Love the Fire!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbykpaNgZT-sNI8YTey00omLt1MMNpGJc5IkC5JVuR7FvcJLmIsYRjdqBNYLXr11Fs_Zd1-VB5l4aHLawsz4cpnRZXG06sVLs7Gqj0G0f7iSl_Ay3pbMqNw3pipIr65swkRJ1daxO6Q8/s1600/turbo+fire+logo.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 140px; height: 140px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKbykpaNgZT-sNI8YTey00omLt1MMNpGJc5IkC5JVuR7FvcJLmIsYRjdqBNYLXr11Fs_Zd1-VB5l4aHLawsz4cpnRZXG06sVLs7Gqj0G0f7iSl_Ay3pbMqNw3pipIr65swkRJ1daxO6Q8/s200/turbo+fire+logo.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552822972219270402" /></a> Greetings and salutations my fitness friends! Hope today's blog post finds each one of you happy, healthy, and solidly moving towards your fitness goals, regardless of whether it is the holiday season or not!<br /><br />Many of you know that many months ago I started the 20-week ChaLean Extreme/Turbo Fire hybrid. I'm pleased to say that I finished said hybrid earlier this fall, and have just been bouncing around from workout to workout, making sure that I lift weights 2-3 days per week, walk my dogs 6 days per week and fit some cardio in wherever I can. I really liked the hybrid, but really wasn't ready to jump right back into 20-weeks of training. That said, I can honestly say that I have found that one workout program that speaks to my heart, and it's Turbo Fire.<br /><br />Honestly, I started out as a Tony Horton/P90X girl through and through. I wanted to do massive amounts of push ups and my nemesis, the pull up bar, challenged me every day. I was never a cardio girl, so P90X was a good fit for me. Then I upped the challenge and made myself do Insanity. I appreciated the program for what it is...butt kicking cardio that will get you into GREAT cardiovascular shape. However, it wasn't until I pushed play on Turbo Fire that I fell in LOVE with cardio.<br /><br />Seriously, the music is fantastic, Chalene Johnson has powerhouse moves, she pushes you to work harder, and I burn, on average, 100 calories for every 10 minutes of the workout. Just today I did the Fire 55 EZ workout (which by NO means is EZ!) and burned a good 542 calries in 53 minutes. I burn more in Turbo Fire than I do in Insanity (which leaves me exhausted on the floor), probably because the moves incorporate lower body, core and upper body movement versus one or the other.<br /><br />Anyhow, I'm here to say that I LOVE Turbo Fire. Honestly, I can say that it will be a part of my fitness rotation for months and years to come. If you're unfamiliar, here's a little taste of what <a href="http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/NancySchwert?bctid=82703972001">Turbo Fire</a> is all about. Also, please feel free to <a href="http://facebook.com/nancyschwertfeger">JOIN ME</a> on Facebook if you're on there...I'd love to help you on your own fitness journey as well!Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-41565774714724820582010-11-28T15:08:00.012-05:002010-11-28T15:26:59.346-05:00I am a WARRIOR!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.c3white.com/blog/images/WARRIOR.PNG"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 150px;" src="http://www.c3white.com/blog/images/WARRIOR.PNG" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Greetings and salutations my fitness friends! I realize it's been a long time, and I'm going to be honest...I've been in a funk. While I've still been working out consistently and eating fairly well, I honestly have been dogging it a bit here and there and not really attacking my goals with the enthusiasm I once had.<br /><br />It's difficult sometimes being the only one in my household that is interested in working out and eating well. Sometimes I allow myself to fall back into some old patterns that I don't like just because it's easier. However, I've recently realized that I can count on some others that aren't in my household to encourage me to really push myself.<br /><br />Recently, a Facebook fitness friend, Daniel Beggs, posted this link on his Facebook. It was to an event called the <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.warriordash.com">Warrior Dash</a>. I looked at it, and honestly, it scared the living crap out of me! It's a 3+ mile run through chest deep water and mud. It requires the strength to climb up and over walls, the ability to balance on a beam over cold water, crawl through pitch black pipes, trudge through water while ducking under low beams and the grand finale, leaping over fire! However, as scary as it seemed, it also seems like a total gas as well! Plus, by participating and finishing, you get a free shirt, a cool medal, beer and a warrior helmet!! Come on...who wouldn't sign up immediately?!<br /><br />Here's the thing. I love fitness. I really enjoy lifting weights and doing my cardio workouts at home. I also love walking my dogs every day. What I don't love is running. Seriously...CANNOT. STAND. IT. Despise every single stride. Running, jogging, walking with a bounce, they're just not my thing. That said, it's a new challenge...<br /><br />It took me about a week and I relented. I'm signed up to run in the 1:30 heat of the May 14th Georgia Warrior Dash. I am completely out of my comfort zone. I will prevail, though, because I AM a warrior!<br /><br />Take a look at their <a href="http://www.blogger.com/www.warriordash.com">website</a>, see if there's a Warrior Dash near you and sign up. We could train together (via the net) and commiserate on our warrior lumps, bumps and bruises afterwards. Come on...I know you, too, are a warrior!Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-18029747931338864332010-10-09T13:49:00.005-04:002010-10-09T13:54:35.099-04:00PersistenceGreetings and Salutations!<br /><br />I just wanted to do a quick check-in to see how you were progressing towards your fitness goals and to share a little something about the value of persistence.<br /><br />You see, I get messages from people all the time on Facebook about how I commit to my fitness regularly, day after day, week after week, without fail. "How do you stay motivated to do it?" they ask, or "I missed a month...isn't it pointless to start again now?"<br /><br />Let me tell you...I'm by no means perfect, and the past two weeks have been a perfect example of my own imperfections. I was finishing up week #12 of the ChaLean Extreme/Turbo Fire hybrid and I simply felt WRECKED. I hurt, I ached, I was tired, I was run-down...I didn't want to workout. So I listened to my body and took two days off from workouts. After two days, I felt pretty good, but not awesome, so I took two more. I was ready to jump back in...but you know what? I didn't.<br /><br />Instead, I just made excuses. I still was walking my dogs for 60-90 minutes every day, which is a workout in itself, but for 11 days I didn't push play. I felt guilty, but then I convinced myself that since I wasn't really staying honest to my fitness goals, I may as well let my nutrition slide. Yep, I'm going to admit it right now...I ate an entire carton of Ben & Jerry's Boston Cream Pie ice cream in an 18 hour period (though I did feel like crap the day after!). Finally, after 11 days of this nonsense, and starting to feel sluggish and 'thick' in the middle (hello...Ben & Jerry's...see comment above), I decided that enough was enough. It was time to get back on track...no ifs, ands, or buts (or ice cream in the house).<br /><br />By now, I knew where my weaknesses were...I was allowing myself to push my regular after work workout time to the side, so I needed to workout before work. Period. This past Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, I was out of bed at 4:15 a.m., pushing play at 4:30 before work. It's not the perfect arrangement for me...I can't do a long workout as I have to leave for work at 6:15 a.m., and my body is pretty creaky in the morning, so high intensity cardio doesn't really feel good. But I will admit that I felt great for the rest of the day, got my dog walk in during the afternoon, had time to do the things that were plaguing me in the first place (mainly grading student work), stayed more committed to my nutrition, and eventually got back to my TF/CLX hybrid schedule today.<br /><br />I could have, however, decided that since I had already missed almost 2 weeks of working out that it wasn't worth jumping back in. It happens too often...people miss a day, a week, a month, or even two months of working out and then talk themselves out of getting back on the workout train. They tell themselves that it's pointless because they're a month behind schedule or that they can't commit to working out 5 or 6 days per week. Don't let it happen to you.<br /><br />Nobody said that P90X or ChaLean Extreme HAD to be done in 90 days. Nobody said that you HAD to commit to a 6 day/week workout schedule. I assure you, neither Tony Horton or Chalene Johnson is going to come to your house and yell at you if you don't. They key, though, is to make fitness work for you. If you only have 3 days/week, do three days/week. If you missed 2 weeks, push play and jump back into where you left off. Yep, it might be more difficult than when you quit, but you can modify until you're feeling stronger again. Do NOT let excuses run your life...set a goal, practice persistence, and feel the power of accomplishment.<br /><br /><a href="http://beachbodycoach.com/nancyschwert">Message me</a> if you need some support, answers to questions, or even if you just want to say hey. I'd love to hear from you.<br /><br />Crush play!<br />NancyNancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-77211034066947081342010-07-24T17:37:00.005-04:002010-07-24T18:09:09.090-04:00You have to walk the path...just you.Greetings and salutations my friends. So what do you do when your partner or spouse isn't on the bandwagon with regards to the changes you want to make in your fitness and nutrition? Do your rely on someone else to motivate you to workout each day or to eat well? <br /><br />All too often I hear from individuals who started P90X or some other fitness/nutrition program with a wife, husband or partner and loved it, but when the significant other quit, they did too. They felt it was just too much of a challenge to do on their own. To this, I have to ask, "Why?"<br /><br />This journey isn't about your spouse's health or about your boyfriend or girlfriend's fitness, it's about YOURS. YOU are the one who has to make the decision and the commitment to make your life healthier through proper nutrition and exercise. It's not your responsibility to drag anyone else along with you, nor are you their responsibility either. <br /><br />Sure, it would be a heck of a lot easier if my Little Debbie breakfast eating (seriously, I wish I owned stock in Swiss Cake Rolls), Coca-Cola swilling, Big Mac loving, cigarette smoking husband would embrace the changes that I've embraced over the past 16 months. But he hasn't. He's 6'4", thin, and every year at his annual physical, his doctor says he's in good health. He says he wants to stop smoking, he says he wants to eat healthier, but he always has an excuse for why he doesn't. He always is talking about tomorrow, and tomorrow has never come. If I waited for my husband to join me on this journey, I'd still be a miserable, 200+ pound woman who couldn't stand the sight of herself in the mirror.<br /><br />Instead, I had to go it alone. And you know what? It's okay. In fact, I've relished in the fact that I've done this all by myself. I've become empowered by the process, and love myself even more for doing it all by myself. <br /><br />Perhaps one day, Mr. Little Debbie will realize it's time to make changes. I hope the day will come soon, but I know that the more pressure I put on him to make those changes, the more he'll keep them at arm's length. He's got to do it for himself, just like I did, and right now, he's not ready.<br /><br />For those of you who ARE ready, find your motivation. Ask yourself, "WHY do I want to make this change?" Write down your answer. When you're tempted to cheat on your nutrition or not workout, go back at look at your why. It'll remind you to stay focused and to keep fighting. <br /><br />Find others who are like-minded and surround yourself. There's something very powerful in finding others on the same journey, even if you only are in contact with them through Facebook or through myfitnesspal. I have over 700 individuals who are on my Facebook friends list. I don't personally know 75% of them, but the majority of them have impacted me in a positive way and helped me stay focused on my own goals. I hope in the process that I have helped them as well.<br /><br />If you're ready to start, but don't know where to begin, send me a <a href="http://beachbodycoach.com/nancyschwert">message</a>. We can talk about your goals.Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-91278214512021593932010-07-21T16:35:00.006-04:002010-07-21T17:10:28.949-04:00I LOVE FOOD...too much sometimes...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZZ5TJOQE5pxnJ0uvZTwBr4mRnFspX18PUNqVnRbhdby0ZRvzQc7-54fxBQpMHjehZp079LNJEX_0wYeX2-wjDLiHRIbV1tkBghoMa4Khpi3mumKWpirKV1U8kWyssXQq51t5Kssu6uU/s1600/grocery-store-produce.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 128px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1ZZ5TJOQE5pxnJ0uvZTwBr4mRnFspX18PUNqVnRbhdby0ZRvzQc7-54fxBQpMHjehZp079LNJEX_0wYeX2-wjDLiHRIbV1tkBghoMa4Khpi3mumKWpirKV1U8kWyssXQq51t5Kssu6uU/s200/grocery-store-produce.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496468837296317810" /></a><br />Greetings and salutations my friends!! So here's the deal...I love food. I love it a lot. Sometimes I love food too much. Seriously, I wake up in the morning and the first thing I think about (well, perhaps the first thing I think about after going to the restroom and letting the dogs out) is breakfast. Then I think about my mid-morning snack, and after that it's what's for lunch, then an afternoon snack, and then it's dinnertime, and I'm off to bed and once again waking up thinking about...BREAKFAST!<br /><br />For many of us, our struggle with our weight isn't our lack of fitness or exercise time, it's food...mainly too much of it. I'm fortunate...at 5'9", I carry more weight than your average height female, so lucky me, I get to eat more! However, I find nutrition to be a battle almost every single day. Bad habits, such as taking the entire bag of pretzels into the living room to watch t.v. (as Chalene Johnson says, "Open bag = Saddle Bags!"), 'grazing' while fixing dinner, or convincing yourself that since you did workout today you can eat the 2 dessert servings, rear their heads from time to time, and sabotage your results. So...what's a girl (or guy) to do?<br /><br />With regards to my own nutrition, the best thing I have done so far is log my calories every single day. I got out of the habit this spring when I was injured, and slowly, but steadily, I started to pack on a few pounds. Now that I'm back in the habit, it really helps keep me accountable and makes me more aware of what I'm putting into my body. I use an online food diary called <a href="www.myfitnesspal.com">My Fitness Pal</a>, and I like it for it's ease of use, the fact that it's free, and it's extensive food database. If you join, I'm on there as "Glfprncs2." Look me up, friend me...we can support one another! If you're really brave, make your food diary 'public' and let the world see. Talk about some major accountability! There's also a really nice group of supportive people on the message boards who really want you to succeed. <br /><br />If you are going to utilize a food diary, you've got to be TOTALLY honest with yourself. You can't have the candy bar at work and not log it in...period. No grabbing a handful of pretzels or peanuts as you fix dinner without logging it in. You eat it, you log it. You want results, you track it. Simple as that. It's truly an eye opening experience.<br /><br />The other thing that's key for me is setting myself up for success when I hit the grocery store. My biggest piece of advice: DON'T GO GROCERY SHOPPING HUNGRY! You know as well as I do that you'll buy the Chex Mix and eat the bag before the kids get home from school. Go after you've eaten so you don't make those 'munchy' purchases because it looks good. <br /><br />Second...shop with a list and stick to the list. Yep, I'm sure that when you walk through the pastry section the pound cakes, sugar cookies, and glazed doughnuts look appealing. Well, unless it's on your list, you dont' put it in your cart (and I'm here to tell you, the pound cake, sugar cookies, and glazed doughnuts shouldn't be on your list!). If you're tempted...keep reading...<br /><br />Finally...if you pick something up that's not on your list, I want you to really think about it before you put it in your cart. Ask yourself, "Will this food item nourish my body and provide it the nutrients that it needs to sustain my life?" If the answer is no, then you need to put the object back on the grocery store shelf and allow someone else, who doesn't mind gumming up their own gut with preservatives and non-nutrients, pick it up. I know that sometimes things just look yummy...it can be agonizing, especially when your head says, "Buy it! I want it!" On Monday, I agonized over Honey Graham Crackers. It's just a graham cracker, I know, but was it something I needed? I think I put it on the shelf and picked it back up 3 times. I WANTED the graham crackers. After reading the label for the 3rd time, and knowing that the honey grahams really weren't going to provide my body with much nutrition, I put them back, and went on my way. The inner battle was maddening!<br /><br />Food can be tough...take it one day (or even one meal) at a time. If you mess up, and totally blow a meal, don't allow that to be an excuse to ruin the rest of the day. Pull up your big girl (or big boy) panties, forgive yourself, and do better next time. It's a process, and little by little, you'll win the fight...<br /><br /><a href="http://beachbodycoach.com/nancyschwert">Message me</a> if you'd like some help on your own journey...Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4059941629595231309.post-51910095890321692732010-07-05T07:56:00.005-04:002010-07-05T08:52:45.442-04:00Feel the FIRE!Greetings and Salutations my friends! I can't believe it's already July...that means my summer vacation as a middle school teacher is already halfway over and I'm going to have to change the spinning of my wheels from fitness, fitness, fitness to fitness, reading and writing. I'll be honest...I'm not ready for the kiddos to come back into my classroom just yet. I'll get there, I promise, but it'll probably be August 9th at 7:25 when my new sweethearts walk down the hallway as the biggest, baddest 8th graders the school has seen. You see...THIS is the real reason why I workout! <br /><br />I finished my first 90-day round of ChaLean Extreme on Saturday even though it took me about 110 days to finish (due to a muscle injury in my groin, hip and low back. I absolutely LOVED the program. The injury, though, inspired me to listen even more to my body (I wish I would remember this lesson as I tend to forget it from time to time) and I've started studying yoga at a local yoga studio. Let me just say...Yoga IS TOUGH. Seriously, those yoga peeps are strong, strong, strong. The thing is, I'm strong too, but not yoga strong. Yoga will identify every single one of your weaknesses within the first 5 minutes of class. It's a very humbling experience, but I know that if I keep up with it, it'll make me a better person overall as well.<br /><br />Anyhow, my purpose today is to talk about FIRE...as in Turbo Fire. <br /><br />I started my 20 week (yes, I said TWENTY WEEKS) hybrid schedule that combines ChaLean Extreme and Turbo Fire yesterday and I am SO psyched about the results I know I'm going to get. Chalene's Turbo Fire workouts (both the Fire and HiiT) workouts are killer calorie burners (seriously, I got 700 calories in a 55 minute workout the other day!!), and combined with the strength training with ChaLean Extreme, I don't know that there's going to be a better combination.<br /><br />One of the 'new' things in the Turbo Fire program is a concept called HIIT...High Intensity Interval Training...short bouts of high intesity exercise for about 45 seconds followed by short rests. Rinse, repeat. Granted, you may be looking around for your left lung between HIIT intervals, but the good thing is that the HIIT workouts are generally short (15-25 minutes) compared to the Fire workouts (30-60), but continue to give you the 'afterburner effect' once finished. <br /><br />Here's just a little sneak peak of what the HIIT 15 workout entails (though this is just 2 of the 3 intervals...I somehow managed to erase the 3rd circuit off my camcorder and my body was too toasted from fatigue to try to record it again once I'd realized my faux pas):<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GJ-jU-M3tKc&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GJ-jU-M3tKc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Now, I know, I know...many of you want to tell me that, "I don't jump." Well, you know what? I didn't either a year ago. I was too fat to get my big old booty off the ground. It was like trying to jump with an anvil in my pants. But here I am today, a regular old jumping bean! Don't fear, though...every single move on every class session of Turbo Fire has been modified for those of you who don't want the impact of jumping. You'll still get a great workout, but without stressing your knees.<br /><br />There you have it...my two favorites...<a href="http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/NancySchwert?bctid=82703972001">Turbo Fire</a> and <a href="http://beachbodycoach.com/esuite/home/NancySchwert?bctid=4605548001">ChaLean Extreme</a>. Who would like to join me and fuel their fire?? <a href="http://beachbodycoach.com/nancyschwert">Message me</a>!!Nancy S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02415934879038261160noreply@blogger.com0