Hello lovelies! Today was a snow day here in the Great Northwest and I am fortunate to have a job that allows me to work from home if needed. My daughter's school and daycare was cancelled due to the mere 3 inches of snow and I had no child care. Thankfully I was able to stave off the munchies....I tend to eat when I get too bored. But I did it! Amidst the craziness of my house (a small child and two dogs that LOVE snow) I was able to keep my food intake to three meals. Woohoo! Go me! My poor kid had to wait until my lunch time to go out and play in the snow. It hasn't been that long since I was a kid and I know that was simply torture for her! When I finally took her outside the snow was already turning to slush but she was in heaven. She went sledding down our short driveway, built a snowman (sorta) and ran around like a wild child! During her play time, I was able to get in some exercise. I shoveled snow! It was a tough workout. The snow was very wet and it was HEAVY. I think I shoveled snow for about 20 minutes before I had to go back in after my lunch time was over. So I didn't get a treadmill work out in today but at least it was something. Below is what I ate today.
- Double fiber English muffin with pumpkin butter from Trader Joe's
- 2 pancakes with coconut flakes and pumpkin butter (this was lunch! I did not eat two breakfasts!)
- 3.5 ounces of steak
- Homemade mashed potatoes
- Mixed veggies
Not too bad huh? For a snow day. I was very tempted to eat chocolate and chips today. Ha! Oh and I forgot to add that I drank 4 cups of coffee with sugar free hazelnut creamer. YUM!
So here's to snow days and the ability to work remotely! I love my job! Talk soon!
Red Kisses,
Krissy
I'm baaaack! Today was a so-so day in terms of diet. The holiday season has been particularly tough to maintain my self control. So here is a list of all the food I ate today.
- Apple Cinnamon oatmeal- 1 packet
That was breakfast. Started off pretty well right? Well that was before our office holiday party. So here is what I ate there.
- 3 pineapple chunks
- 1/2 cup macaroni and cheese casserole
- 1/3 cup 7 layer dip
- 1.5 oz tortilla chips
- 1/4 seafood salad
- 1/3 cup coleslaw
- baby carrots
- 2 gingersnap cookies
- 1 krumkake (norwegian cookie)
The damage wasn't as bad as it could have been. There was cheesecake and 2 layer chocolate cake. I sustained my will power some what.
For dinner I have been told that we are having chicken (grilled), rice (white) and veggies (steamed). Sounds yummy! I need to track my points for the day but am afraid to see the total!!! UGH!
I did get on the treadmill today. I did 3/1 intervals and went for 3.1 miles. My pace was slow but it seems as though my treadmill runs are always slower. I am hoping to get one last long run in before my half marathon on New Year's Eve morning.
Tomorrow is another day so I will try and stick as close to my Weight Watchers points for the day. At my weigh in this week I was UP 0.4 pounds. No it isn't much....and I ate terribly on Saturday but Christmas and New Year's is an awful time to be watching weight. Did you know the average person gains 6-8 pounds during the holidays? I WILL NOT be that average person. I am ok with a pound or two but not 6-8. That is unacceptable! Talk to you all tomorrow!
Red Kisses,
Krissy
Today I am deeply saddened. As a parent I am horrified by the recent school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in NewTown, CT. Since first hearing about this incident I have not stopped crying. I am sad for the families that have been affected and want desperately to hug my baby right now. My daughter is in Kindergarten so it is really hitting home that this shooting took place in a Kindergarten classroom. I think of how scared those children must have been when a masked man walked in and started shooting. We teach our children that they are safe at school and that we would do anything to protect them. They are so trusting and innocent. They look to adults to protect and shield them. So what happens when this fails to happen? How do we begin to apologize and help them heal? How do the adults heal? How do those of us that were not directly affected move on and heal? Do we have the right to be upset? Because I am deeply upset and feel guilty that my Christmas holiday will go on as planned while other families are planning funerals for children that shouldn't be gone.
But let's talk about the adults that kept the majority of those kids safe! Teachers that are SEVERELY underpaid and yet put their lives on the line protecting our future generation. That is a hero in my opinion. Reports of a teacher that locked herself and her students in a bathroom and eased their fears, telling them that they will have Christmas. It is easy to say that you would lay down your life for your own child or children but it's a special person that does it for someone else's. So here's to them! A small glimmer of hope in humanity during such a horrific event. It is so easy to lose hope in humanity when something so disturbing happens but we need to remember the heros.
I cannot begin to imagine what goes through the mind of a person that thinks of killing children. What enables them to think that it's a viable option or ok in some way. Normal people can't rationalize it because the kind of person that does that is irrational. As a nation we are once again grieving. A mere three days since the shooting in Portland and a few short months since the shooting in Aurora CO. How do we move forward? All of these questions that I can't answer. I am a mother, how do I explain this kind of evil? Where are the words to describe this? I have the instinctual need to hug my daughter right now and take comfort in the fact that she is ignorant to what is happening right now. She is playing at school happily and blissfully unaware. And I am glad. She is merely 5 and thankfully will remain unaware. For that, I am thankful.
I will not be posting a normal post today regarding the food I ate and my workout. It seems too trivial in the face of such tremendous grief.
Krissy
Happy Thursday everyone! How did you all do today? I did much better today than yesterday. I ate better and yes....I got on the treadmill! Woohoo! So here is a run down of everything I ate today
- Banana
- Cutie (one of those little oranges)
- Salad with cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, 1/4 cup of crab meat, 1 tablespoon of real bacon bits and raspberry vinaigrette
- Humus with pretzel chips (pre-packaged)
- 5 ounce pork chop
- Baked potato
- Steamed Broccoli
During my day I also drank a few things. I had 1 cup of chai tea with 2 Splenda, 1 liter of Sparkling Arrowhead water with lemon essence (yes essence), a diet RockStar and a Diet Pepsi. So the RockStar isn't the greatest choice but I was tired yo! I have been trying to drink more water everyday and honestly it isn't that hard. I just get lazy and don't want to get up and pour the water! Ha!
Back to my workout.....I told you all that I was going to get on the treadmill today and I stuck to my word! Got home and immediately changed in to my workout clothes before I could get involved in anything else. So my iPad, iPhone and I (yes I'm codependent) went upstairs and got on the treadmill. I like to watch Netflix while I run on the treadmill. It helps me zone out, thus making the time go by faster. I did 3/1 intervals on the treadmill. It started out as 5.5 speed on the jogging and 3.5 on the walking but by the end I was doing 6.5 speed on the jogging and 3.7 on the walking. In all I did 4 miles in 45:30. So roughly an 11:22 min/mile. Not too bad I suppose but certainly not as fast as I normally do outside.
So that is my day! I plan on having a Skinny Cow Ice Cream Sandwich (MINT!!) as a reward. They are only a 4 Weight Watchers Points Plus value so it isn't much of a splurge. Feel free to subscribe to my blog or follow me on Twitter or Facebook
Happy Thursday and Red Kisses,
Krissy
Soooooo....today was a rough day on the food front. We celebrated my coworkers big 4-0 today at work. Typically we go out to lunch but this time we decided that we would have a potluck. At first I thought that was a great idea! I could hand pick everything I ate and stay within my Weight Watchers Points Plus budget for the day (which is now 26). Boy was I wrong!!! Everything was so yummy and I had a moment (ok a couple of moments) of weakness. The Lil' Smokies are what did me in...they are 1 point per smoky! WHAT?!? Who knew? I certainly didn't. Here is a list of all I consumed.....
- 1 Chicken drumstick (didn't eat the whole thing. It had skin on it. ICK)
- About 1/4 cup of Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
- Several pieces of Asparagus (steamed at least! This was my contribution)
- Around 10 Lil' Smokies
- 2 Lemon Cheesecake Bites
It was all so delicious that I couldn't resist! I felt sick afterwards though. That was my punishment. After work my husband and I decided to go to Fred Meyer and exchange some snow suits we bought for our kids. We were out late enough that we decided to stop and get dinner. We had our youngest daughter with us who has a bedtime of 730 sharp (she's 5 and in all day kindergarten). It was faster just to go out to eat than drive all the way home and cook. I decided to order the Nachos. Yes this was loaded with melted cheese, refried beans, salsa, chicken, etc. In my defense, I ate less than a third of it! I was proud of myself. Here's to small victories! A few months ago I would have cleaned that plate and still wanted more. After 5 weeks of Weight Watchers I have lost 7 pounds! Yes! I did gain 1.8 pound the week of Thanksgiving but weight loss is an up and down battle.
No work out today unfortunately. The meal was just too heavy to jump on the treadmill after. I hope to get on the treadmill tomorrow after work, Saturday I will be sledding with my family in the mountains and Sunday I have a 10 mile run planned with some buddies from my running club, Moms RUN This Town (MRTT). I will check back soon and let you all know!
Red Kisses,
Krissy
I am currently suffering from a bout of the Winter Blues. When I leave for work in the morning it is dark and when I get home from work in the evening it is almost dark! How am I supposed to run in the dark? I understand that I can wear a reflective vest and a head lamp but that doesn't keep you safe from everything. So I have been resorting to using my treadmill on the weekdays. Which, to be completely honest, is very hard to force myself to do. Treadmill running is BORING to me. I feel like I am exerting so much more engery for less output. I try to keep myself distracted by reading a book or watching something from Netflix on my iPad. But it's inevitable....I hit that point around 2 miles and I am sick of the treadmill. I need something to keep me motivated but I haven't found it yet. I have tried zoning out on a spot on the wall, reading, watching shows, listening to music, counting, changing the speed and incline....nothing has helped. To top it all off this last weekend I was sick and didn't feel up to running out in the cold. Terrible excuse...I know. I need to find my focus, force myself to stay on and complete my run. I am going to try setting a time goal rather than a mileage goal. Maybe that will help???? Wish me luck!
Red Kisses,
Krissy
Two years ago if you had asked me if I wanted to run a half marathon I would have laughed in your face! I was nearing 30, had a 3 year old that kept me busy, worked full time and I was a smoker. Most things that took cardiovascular endurance made me short of breath. There was NO way I could have run 1 mile let alone 13.1! After I quit smoking a year and a half ago I gained 30 pounds. I figured that a little weight gain wouldn't matter in the long run since I would be adding years back to my life. Boy was I wrong. I lost all of my self worth, self confidence and my figure. I just let myself go and then I let myself go further. Those 30 pounds changed me. And not for the better.
Then I joined Weight Watchers and started losing the weight! It was an amazing feeling. I was starting to feel worthy again, to feel like I mattered. I was planning a wedding during all of this too and the stress was mounting. I started talking to a friend of mine at work who was a runner and I decided to start the Couch to 5k program. Her advice was pivotal in my journey. She told me that even on the days that the program feels easy, don't skip a day. At first that seemed silly to me! If I can do it, then why should I do it again? Right? WRONG! Taking your time during a training program is very important for injury prevention. I should have listened. I jumped in too fast and ended up with the world's WORST shin splints. Part of that is because I was wearing improper shoes. So with that in mind I went shopping.......at a reputable running store near me. They fit me for my shoes and sent me on my way. From then on I was ready to go. I graduated from Couch to 5k with honors! I knew that I was a slow runner (average around 11:30 min/mile) but I was running 5k without stopping. I felt great! That's when I decided that I would run a 10k that fall. The Poulsbo Marathon offered a 10k option and I was interested.
So we all know that I did not run the 10k that weekend. So how did I go from wanting to run a 10k to a half? Vanity! Ha! Upon further research I found out that the 10k finishers receive a ribbon but the half marathon runner.....they receive a MEDAL! And I wanted one! So began my training.
I am a computer nerd. That being said I did a lot of research before choosing a training plan. It is important to note that you should not begin a half marathon training plan until you can run at least 3 miles without stopping. When I finally chose a plan I put it on my calendar so that I wouldn't weasel my way out of it! The plan indicated that I would run 4 times a week. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Weekday runs averaged in mileage between 2-5 miles with the long run on the weekend. I slowly built my long runs, never increasing by more that 1-2 miles with each passing week.
At this point I should note that I had a great running partner. She introduced me to the Galloway method of running, intervals. We started out running 2/1 intervals but I felt guilty holding her back. So we stuck with 3/1 intervals mostly, occasionally throwing in 3/:30 or 4/1. This helped shave time off my mile time. She is faster than me and was always encouraging me to go faster, keep up and not complain. And she kept me accountable. We only live about 1.5 miles away from each other so it was easy to meet up. She stuck with me through all of my aches, pains and blisters. Oh the BLISTERS! They were (and still are) the bane of my existence. I am an overpronator. Which means I run on the inside of my feet. So of course my blisters were all on my arch. I had great shoes but at that point I had already put hundreds of miles on them. So for a few weeks I just powered through the blisters and dealt with them.
About two weeks prior to the race I broke down and bought a new pair of shoes. This allowed me time to break them in with some short runs. I was excited when the package arrived (I bought them online this time. Same shoes, different color). I was like a kid on Christmas! I shoved those shoes on my feet and out the door I went! It was great! No blisters! I ran my last long run of 11 miles in those shoes and no new blisters!
Then I entered the taper zone. Typically this is the saviour of the training. This is the time your body need to rest and recover before the race. It is crucial. Unfortunately I took it a bit too far. I did not run the 7 miles I should have the weekend prior and I think I only ran 2 times the week leading up to the race.
But race day arrived and I was ready. I had confidence in my training and I had my husband and kids there to root me on. By the end of the race I had learned exactly what I was capable. Both physically and emotionally. But that is a story for another day!
In closing, I have gone from an overweight smoker to a non-smoking half marathon finisher in less than two years! I am so proud! I am currently training for my second half marathon on New Year's Eve and I'll let you know how it goes!
Red Kisses,
Krissy
Instead of crazy Black Friday shopping last week I decided to sign up for my second half marathon. They were having their own Black Friday sale and were offering $20 off registration! PERFECT! Except for one small issue.....since my last half, I have done very little training to speak of. My longest run was 4 miles on the treadmill. Ugh! This race is going to HURT. I am hoping to run about 9 miles this weekend so that I can begin ramping up my mileage. So folks, wish me luck! The race is on New Year's Eve morning and it'll be COLD. I'll keep you all posted on my training (hopefully there will be some).
Red Kisses,
Krissy
As with most Americans, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. Of course I love the togetherness of it and the family time that comes along with the day but mostly I LOVE THE FOOD!!! In an effort to offset my food intake, I will be running a 5k Turkey Trot. Anyone else going to be out there running???? A 5k is the perfect distance for the morning of a holiday. It doesn't take too long, and you can get home, shower, get pretty and head out to family and friends. So I wish you all well on your Day of Thanks!! But remember, that 1 day of bad eating will not completely ruin your efforts thus far. Just eat when you're hungry and stop when you're full.
And remember......
May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey be plump.
May your potatoes and gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious,
May your pies take the prize
And May your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off of your thighs!
-Unknown
Happy Holidays!
Red Kisses!!
Krissy
Yes, that's right, Bruno Mars was the composer of the soundtrack that is my day today. I sat around all morning (after sleeping in of course). Worked on a knit blanket I'm making for my nephew, watched some DVR recordings, ate breakfast, ate lunch, etc. Pretty lame and immensely boring. All I wanted today was to sit around in my pj's and eat junk food. And honestly I almost gave in and ate a candy bar but I reminded myself of my goals and candy certainly wasn't going to get there. So....after my lunch of Progresso Light New England Clam Chowder (only 100 calories or 2 Weight Watchers points per serving) I forced myself on the treadmill. I set up my iPad, turned on Netflix and watched a rerun of Gossip Girl. Yes, I am too old to be watching that but I find it very easy to turn my brain off while I'm watching and it makes the run go by faster.....don't judge me! All in all it was a decent run, for the treadmill. I wish I had been able to do it outside but Husband is at work and Daughter was here with me.
So that brings me to my question. Where do you draw your inspiration from? What is that one thing that encourages you to lace up those sneakers and get out (up) there? For me it is the goal of cutting my mile time speed and weight loss will help with that. I constantly remind myself that I am doing this for ME and to teach my daughter that fitness is fun. I love that she is interested in running and doing push ups with me and sit ups with me. Feel free to post your comments so that we all may draw inspiration from one another!
Red kisses,
Krissy
my inspiration
Running is hard, being a mom is hard, doing both??? Extremely hard! I love being a mom, I have 4 children, 1 biological and 3 step children! Life can be hectic and it is often difficult to find time in my day to run or do any other fitness-related activity. Often times I just don't feel like doing it but when I put on my running gear and spread on some red lipstick I feel like I can take on the world!!! There is nothing in this world I can't conquer without a pair of running shoes, a sports bra and red lips! Who's with me? I recently completed a bucket list item by running my first ever half marathon. It was exhilarating, it was empowering, it was ROUGH! Don't get me wrong, I am glad I did it and I will continue doing them. But.....during my 12 week training plan I had more blisters than I thought humanly possible on one woman's feet! Gross?? Totally! But a reality for distance runners! Before my daughter was born I used to run 5ks and I loved it. I was satisfied with that being my little niche in the world. After becoming a mommy (and gaining about 40 pounds) I felt down about myself, thinking day after day that I would never lose the weight. I joined Weight Watchers and lost 22 pounds! With that weight loss I felt my self esteem and self worth coming back! It was awesome. It was then that the idea of running a half marathon started percolating. I knew there was a half marathon in the town next to mine coming up later in the year and decided I would go for broke. I threw all caution to the wind and signed up. That was it! I was paid up, signed, sealed, delivered. I was freaked out! I immediately started researching training plans. I had a mere 12 weeks to train and during that time I was getting married and going on my honeymoon. I was NOT going to run while in Cabo! As the weeks got closer my Saturday runs got longer. Until I reached the 11 mile mark and began tapering. The race was hard! Many hills that I did not anticipate or train for. In the end I finished in 3:00:24. I had hope to finish sooner but that's ok. I finished. I did something that most people will never do. I was addicted instantly. I am signed up for a virtual half marathon that is sponsored by my running group Mom Run This Town. It's called Winter Runderland. We will be running that in January. However, I am hoping to run my second half marathon on New Year's Eve morning. I have several more half marathons lined up for the next year and hope some of you can join me!
Remember, fitness should be fun! Otherwise we won't do it! So put on your running gear and your red lips and get out there. It might be hard at first but you'll look great doing it!
Red kisses,
Krissy
