I Tried a Mile a Day for One Month

This year one of my biggest goals is to get my body into a healthy state. So I bought myself a used treadmill for Christmas and decided I should try to run a mile a day.

It's kinda a crazy idea, since I hadn't exercised much in, like, a year (except for that one month in the fall when I "trained" for and ran a 10K at Disney World). But I figured aiming for a mile a day would be easy enough to do even after a long work day, even if I just walked it. One mile is better than no miles, right?

So I started. And by day three made an exception that I could skip up to two days in a row, but I had to make up the miles (thanks a lot, insane work day that was unexpectedly 13 hours long and involved the police). Somewhere in the middle of the month I conceded that my goal would be 26 miles instead of 31, because I realized I wasn't thinking about my vacation when I made the goal.

And then by the time I left for vacation, I had done 22 miles in total.
Did I hit my goal? No. Do I feel awesome about those 22 miles? HECK YES!

While I do wish I had met my goal, this is the most consistent I've been with exercise in forever and I could feel my body getting stronger every week, which is the ultimate goal. Also? I RAN 22 MILES LAST MONTH. Every run my breathing gets easier and my heart rate is more stable. My mile time isn't great. I basically walk with little spurts of running. My pace is slower than a lot of walkers (my average pace for January was 17:57), but I'm moving my body and taking steps towards a healthier me, and that feels amazing!

What made me the most excited today (and led to this blog post), was that I went for an outside run for the first time since October because it was somehow 60 degrees in February in Massachusetts. And it was amazing. To set the stage: I spent last week walking and eating a lot of junk around Disney World with my family. I did not exercise, and I did not make good diet choices. My ankles/calves were so tight and sore from all the walking last week. BUT.

I ran my fastest mile time in, like, two years. My running spurts were longer than the last time I went out and my heart rate and breathing recovered quicker. I thought for sure it would be horrible after a week of unhealthiness, but it was the best run in a very very long time! All those little steps from January actually made a difference!

So now I'm looking at my February goals list and setting the same one: A Mile a Day. 28 miles by the end of February. I'm excited to see where I am come March first!

What are your goals for 2019?

As Cool As Lincoln With a Machine Gun Riding a Bear

Jon Acuff posted this on his Facebook today with the caption, "Dear Monday, I'm coming at the week like this. You've been warned."

I'm adopting it. I have a bunch of things I've been putting off, and this week is the week to get them done! Watch out, Monday!

I've started early. Last night I completed my first Christmas present (my brother's). And today I ran the Doctor Who Virtual 5K with my friends! Look at our smiley, shiny faces at the start of the run:

At the finish line, my brother did the honors of bestowing upon me the Coolest Race Medal Ever:

Look, K9! Look, a Sonic Screwdriver! Look, the TARDIS! Look, Gallifreyan! And it says, "Basically, run"!!! Awesome-sauce.

What kind of awesomeness do you have going on this week?

I'm baa-aaack!

Hello again, blogging world! I took a little sabbatical from blogging for a bit to relax and recharge, but I am now back, and I have a plan! I've decided to (try to) blog three times a week. And I've given those three days names.

You're already familiar with Freedom Fridays. Now say hello to Magic Mondays and Workout Wednesdays! Monday's will be whatever I feel like blogging about: life, book reviews, adventures, whatever passes through my mind. Wednesday's will be an update about my diet and training.

So without further ado, I present to you, dear reader, the first ever Workout Wednesday!

I gotta say, I'm really proud of myself this week! I have been kicking major training butt! There have been big changes in this realm since the last workout update, so lets get you caught up.

My gym stopped offering P90X....right after I got a cheaper price on my unlimited classes for agreeing to a longer contract. But, as an alternative, they started offering a Functional Movement class at a time that is so much nicer that 7am! And I am LOVING this class. A ton. I get super sore each time, I get pushed to my limit, and I love it. I've never done Crossfit, but I think this is like a non-cultish version of that. Kbs, DBs, RFTs, AMRAPs....it's like learning a new language! This week (meaning since last Wednesday), I made it in 3 times (my goal!!).

Also, since last blogging, my best friend and I decided we're crazy. We decided since neither of us run, we should sign up for a half marathon. Because that's logical. Now, in my defense, if anything would ever get me to run, it would be this:

The Disney Princess Half Marathon. We're signed up, our hotel is arranged, and the training has begun. No, seriously, I've become a runner. Why? Because I get to run through Magic Kingdom and EPCOT, before they open, including on the Disney highway and BEHIND THE SCENES while all the characters cheer me on. Did I mention they encourage costumes? And that Mickey and Minnie give out the medals? Or that you start with fireworks? So I think you see I had no choice.

This week I ran 3 times, each run better than the last, including a long run of 4.5 miles (from home to the gym for a FM class!). This week I also realized just how far a half marathon is by putting it into local landmark perspective. I'm insane for signing up for this.

Total mileage this week: 10.42 miles. I think I'm even starting to like it. Weird.

Today I signed up for this:

A Doctor Who Virtual Race! The official details are here. Basically, you sign up for the 5K or the HM, do your miles on the honor system (with an official bib and everything), and they send you an awesome Doctor Who medal!!! I'm so excited!! The whole time I'll pretend I'm in an episode. Knowing myself, I'll have a whole storyline thought up and it will be epic.

My diet has been fairly good this week. I ate out 3 times (two with friends, once because I just didn't feel like making food), but tried to make healthier choices. I've cut out all cookies, donuts, cakes, and candy for the month. I tried to also cut out Coke, but I decided to just make that one an all-the-time change and limit it to very infrequently. This month, I've only had two cokes. Which is a huge deal for me. This week hasn't been so good with fruits/veggies, but has been good in other ways.

I'm also down a pound this week! My goal is to be down 10 pounds, or one pant size, by the time I go to Iceland. Oh yeah! I didn't tell you I'm going to Iceland! In exactly one month. With my 2 best friends. We're gonna hike glaciers and ride furry horsies through lava fields and see the northern lights. It's going to be amazing.

Sore is the New Normal

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I've been kicking butt at the gym lately. Finally been consistent for any extended stretch. And by "extended" I mean three weeks. I know it's not really too long, but it's the longest stretch I've gone persistently. So far, I've done four days each week, with 2-3 days each week being p90x days. I am determined to get in shape this year!

Of course, it helps that my latest motivation is a friend who kinda literally died, then ran a 5k a few weeks later. I figure, if she can do that (and be a mommy), I can get my butt to the gym a few times a week. And so far, so good!

It also helps that I've been working days, instead of nights. I just pack my gym bag when I pack my lunch, bring it all with me, and change into my gym clothes before I leave work. Otherwise, I make excuses. Even if I think I'll just change at the gym, something happens once I sit in the car. Excuses show up and I skip out. So I head straight to the gym from work before I have a chance to really think about what I could do instead. The only time this doesn't work so well is when I actually get out of work on time and want to do a p90x class. Class is usually at 5, so getting out at 3 means I have a lot of time to kill before class, which leads to excuses. I did that Monday. My excuse was, "I kinda have a headache, and I should clean my house". Guess what didn't really happen?

So, my keys to learning to love the gym:

• Prepare for it early.
• Just go do it before excuses can show up.
• Take Motrin and/or meclizine just after lunch if its a rough day, so that can't be an excuse.
• Plan snacks and meals so they don't make you nauseated during class
• Make friends with at least one trainer.
• Follow inspiring (non-anorexic) Instagrammers and Pinners. 
• LOTS OF WATER!!
• Set goals with rewards.
• Do a fitness challenge with friends (some fun ones coming up!)

I am determined to be in the best shape of my life by the end of the year and committed to doing what I have to do to make that happen. My plan is to make healthier food choices, and hit the gym 4-5 times a week.

What are you doing to get/stay healthy?