Forced Patience

Bronchitis has reared its ugly, ugly face and caught up to me last night.

It seems like a pretty bad case, and I am fighting off a fever and chest infection.


I am now being "forced" to take a break from everything:

-work
-running
-the gym
**not eating ice cream....hahahaha


I hope to get on some antibiotics a.s.a.p. and get back into my routine.
I hate being sick mostly for the feeling of missing out on the day!

I may post about some other things like recipes, fashion posts, etc. but my running posts will definitely take a backseat this week.

They (I am not sure who 'they' are, but they are legit I'm sure) have said that taking a week off once or twice a year is good for your fitness level. AKA when you return to your routine your body is forced to work harder than before due to the break.

Let's hope these mysterious professionals are right ;)

Stay healthy and have a wonderful and safe time celebrating NYE!

dotsnyc.com

Fitness Friday: Goals

These are not "New Year's Goals."

These are Allison needs to continue to work hard...and then work harder to reach her goals she has had for several months now.

GOALS:

1. Eat 3 FULL servings of veggies every day.

2. Run a 1:50 half-marathon (long term goal is a 1:45 PR).

3. Do more interval runs outside rather than on the treadmill.

4. Worry more about toning up/getting stronger rather than my weight.

5. Fit comfortably in this dress (It fits, but my mid-section needs to be tighter for me to be able to not 'suck it in' while wearing it).   -------->  

6. Run early in the morning..i.e. stop procrastinating in general.

7. Make wholesome dinners more often for my husband and I.

8. Get my Master's in Historical Preservation.

9. Visit Germany and Poland (to be able to SEE what I study).

10. Measure out my portions for snacks...I have gotten away from this and have noticed (negative) differences.

11. Read the Bible and my devotional daily, no matter the excuses I may try and come up with.

As you can see, many of my goals are fitness or health related, but they delve into other parts of my life. When I eat better, relax about being a certain weight (or being the weight I "used to be"), stop procrastinating, and workout regularly, I am happier and more at ease. I want to enjoy a healthy life, indulgences included. 

I don't have cheat days, I have dessert when I want it, but sometimes it is lighter and sometimes it is disgustingly chocolately. 

Keep me accountable! And, if you have goals you are looking forward to accomplishing, please share. If you need support or encouragement...or a kick in the rear, I would be happy to be your I'm not going to let you fail buddy :)

Happy Fitness Friday! 

Eating the Holidays

How will I eat throughout Christmas and the surrounding days that I consider party of the holiday?

I am going to eat what I want.

I am going to try what I want.

I am going to indulge.

I am going to try my best to NOT reach the point of feeling ill.

If I do not really enjoy something I will NOT continue to eat it.

I will continue to work out.

And, that's it!

Voi-la!

ENJOY yourself; just don't pop and turn into a big Christmas cookie ;)

Merry Christmas and enjoy this blessed time with the people God has placed in your life.

Re-learning the Same Lesson

Cold weather running= it can be a beautiful blessing and a horrible, icy curse. 



This depends on: 

1. Your own personal abilities
2. The right gear
3. Running smart
4. Easy tips and tricks


1- If you know for a fact that when it dips down below 30 degrees your chest becomes inflamed when you run, then take that into consideration. If you have an injury that becomes tight/worse when outside in the cold during exercise, then take that into consideration. If you are coming up with excuses to not run in the cold, take that into consideration.


2- Shoes spikes, face masks, thermal tops/bottoms, fleece zip-ups, tech gloves and thin scarves that are breathable. All of these are some tools that are necessary when running in winter weather. Not every run will you need spikes or face masks, but if there is snow and ice covering more than half of the ground you will be running on then I say wear the spikes...and if the temps start dipping into the low teens/there is a cold wind, the face mask will help protect your skin. (Remember this is small enough you can always take it off, better to bring it than regret not having it 1/2 through your run).


3- Treadmills, dreadmills; however you refer to these machines, they do come in handy for winter running. (Intervals too for us soft centered runners). If it is TOO cold (aka your chest/breathing cannot keep up with your activity) or the ground is too slick to run on, then hop on the treadmill, turn on a podcast and pretend you're running through the Swiss Alps with the Von Trapp family. Be smart, be safe. I learned the hard way that running when it is too icy, without the right gear can very often result in an injury, a bad run, and taking unwanted days off from activity. Don't let your pride get in the way of your fitness :)


4- One little trick I have always done is drinking a mug of coffee before a run. It not only warms me up but it also helps to open up my air passages better [in the cold weather]. Another is my warm-up. I do 10 reps of jumping jacks, high knees, butt kicks, squats, and arm stretches before I head outside. My body is more prepared for the cold this way.

These may be things you have already read or heard from someone, but reminders aren't a bad thing right? If I start to write about these same things more than 3-4 times, then please say something then. 

Good luck out running old man winter, and run hard, run smart!

Perfect.

I love to encourage and help my loved ones out whenever possible/necessary. But when it comes time to sit down and eat my own words, I lose my appetite.

I am not perfect, sure I know this. But it still absolutely sucks when I make a mistake and cannot pick up my own pieces. 


For example, when I go off my attempt to eat healthy and inhale too much of something deemed 'junk food' I do not forgive myself. I replay it over and over in my head and beat myself up about it till I am black and blue with guilt and regret. How is this helping? Oh, it's not. But I seem to make sure it is my only option.

I am a continuing work in progress, as we all are. I need to love myself the way I love others, and the way God loves each of us. I need to have that same mercy on myself. I still need to kick my behind in gear when I know better, but who do I think I am? 

I am not perfect.

Fitness Friday: What a Twist!

Thank you M. Night Shamamlana and late night cartoons for my oh so creative blog title today.

Another Fitness Friday post is here! 

What did Allison learn this week?

Slow and steady & Fast and Feisty are both necessary and productive. What?

Gross, I have to do both?

Yes.

I am finally committing to learning how to pace myself. This means I need to slow down on my long runs and give it all I got on my [race] pace and interval workouts. AND take it easy on my easy runs.

I have been sticking to this for about 3 weeks now and I have felt a noticeable difference in my pace and overall running performance (for the better, I might add). 

Your body should not get used to stagnant activity. I learned this last year and had to change up my routine enough that I can keep it guessing most of the time. This means that once in a while I take off 2-3 days in a row and then get right back into my routine to "shock" myself a little and continue to get stronger.

I hope this helps, and PLEASE share what you've got goin' on...or what you need to have goin' on.