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Saturday, October 29, 2011

We did it!

D'Feet Breast Cancer 5K - Moody Gardens, Galveston Texas

34:51
It was awesome weather, around 45 degrees before the race! The sun was barely coming out when the race began and it was actually a pretty easy run! There was a 10K and I really wish I would have had the guts to sign up for that, but it was much more fun having these two ladies there along the way! My friend, Tarah (in the pink hat) had never completed a 5K, this was her first and she rocked it! We all stayed together and crossed the finish line side by side, which was a pretty cool way to end the race! I am now officially terrified for the half marathon that is 11 weeks away!

I really wish my son could have competed in the kids 1K race. It was a HUGE race, lots of kiddos! Ages 5-12 and they were so proud to be racing! They had a huge party for the kids afterward, at Palm Beach filled with activities, games and music! Pretty cool, huh? Next year he'll definitely have to do it!

I know I've said it a hundred times, but I LOVE 5K's! I love to watch the people of all different shapes and sizes with one goal in common. We all want to be fit. Lead a healthy lifestyle. All trying to accomplish a goal. And we are all there together, all the way to the finish line. I love the families that compete together, the children that race their hearts out, the older men and women that totally kick butt, ALL OF IT! I can't wait to do another...

how about you, did you race this weekend?


Friday, October 28, 2011

how will you "treat"?

My boys are ready to Trick or Treat and have some Halloween fun! But what about the "treats"...will YOU indulge?

I know that I will have to give in to temptation when it comes to Reeses Pieces and Skittles! Ha, I don't really like sweets, unless it's cheesecake but if either of those two are in their buckets, I'm grabbing them!
We must keep in mind that every now and then it's ok if we all splurge but it's getting ourselves back in control AFTER the holiday that can be a problem for us!
My advice: If you don't eat it that evening, throw it away! Indulge with family and friends that evening and what's left...get it out of the house! If it's there, we'll tend to grab it when we're feeling hungry, right? RIGHT! Why put ourselves through that? *Some dentist offices will have an exchange program where you turn in the candy(to prevent cavities, but it can be to prevent calories too! Ha!)they'll give you a toothbrush, stickers, etc and in return they send the candy to our troops! Pretty cool, so check if your area has these programs available! Other than that, have fun and enjoy the time with your family! *Also, see if there's a Monster Mash-Halloween 5K in your area. It's a great way to keep the family active before consuming way too much candy and chocolate! I plan on waking up Halloween morning and running to start the day off right.
*Plus, tomorrow we have the D'Feet Breast Cancer 5K and I'm very excited. We have a cold front in our area, so woohoo no more 90 degree temps, we're in the 70's! And the best part, no more mosquitos. AWESOME! My friend will be running her first 5K and I am SO excited for her, I know she'll do great and hopefully if she likes it, I can get her racing with me all of the time!


HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

Don't forget to enter my GIVEAWAY for a pair of New Balance Breast Cancer Awareness sunglasses...ends 10/31!

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Breast Cancer Awareness from PlanetGear.com AND A GIVEAWAY!!!

PlanetGear.com sells active/outdoor gear and apparel at up to 70% off for women. It is a members-only site but the good news...membership is FREE!! And what I love most? They are all about helping women lead a healthy lifestyle without breaking the bank on some great, active apparel! They carry some of the hottest brands and at a MAJOR discounted price, what's not to love? I'm up for supporting this company and their efforts to fight against breast cancer, what about YOU?

The entire month of October, PlanetGear.com has pledged to donate $1.00 for every new member or facebook "fan" to help fight breast cancer.

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/planetgear
Follow us on Twitter
@planetgear


Okay, so if that doesn't have you convinced then how about a pair of New Balance, Breast Cancer Awareness sunglasses? A $49.99 value and they can be yours FREE! Just enter to win!


Here's how to win: * You must do at least one of these and leave a comment for all that you do!! Good luck- Giveaway Ends October 31st, so HURRY!!!


Head over to PlanetGear.com and sign up for a membership...remember, it's FREE and only takes a few seconds


OR


"Like" PlanetGear on facebook: www.facebook.com/planetgear






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Sunday, October 23, 2011

a new show and lots of pumpkin...

I know that this time of year is to blame for all of my pumpkin cravings...I think I could add pumpkin to every recipe and I would still want more! So this weekend was whole wheat pumpkin pancakes and then today, whole wheat pumpkin bread! So GOOD! I make sure extra servings are ready to freeze immediately, that way we won't eat too many :)

Had a great, long run Saturday morning. Perfect weather here in Texas and I'd like it to stay this way for a LONG time! Not too hot and definitely not too cold, it's just right!! I am getting really excited about the half marathon. I know I still have a while, but something about the cooler weather is getting me totally pumped up! Ha, but it is technically about 11 weeks away...

and now for a new show that I found on TV yesterday morning...Live Big with Ali Vincent! Have you seen it? I had NO idea that this show exsisted until my mom called me on Saturday morning telling me to hurry up and turn on the TV! Woohoo,there she was! If you are not totally obsessed with Biggest Loser the way that I am, Ali was the first female winner and from Season 5! Now you can see her face associated with all things, Biggest Loser!
Amazing transformation and now she uses her "fame" to promote healthy living and shares her story with millions worldwide! And now obviously through her TV SHOW! very cool! It's on the Live Well Network, which I'm a little confused about because it aired here in Texas at 10:30am on ABC. The episode was pretty neat and was dedicated to an overweight, pre-diabetic woman struggling to change her lifestyle and she uses Ali's help, along with a personal trainer and more! They shared grocery shopping tips, recipes and lots of other healthy living tips throughout the 30 minute show. I was fairly impressed, but that might be because I love ALL biggest loser contestants and how they devote their time to spreading the message of healthy living and how change IS possible, at any time and any age!

And now just talking about it has me all excited for this week's Biggest Loser! Am I the only one who thinks Dolvett is a perfect fit, along with Bob? I'm not really feeling Anna AT ALL, but maybe I'm just bitter because for female trainers, Jillian cannot be matched! Ok, I'm going to stop, because at this point I sound totally obsessed....

Friday, October 21, 2011

I love the 90's

Not only did I love these guys... I loved all of the music too! Don't get me wrong, I love the 80's but the 90's were pretty darn good too! I decided a playlist celebrating all of my favorite 90's hits might be the solution to getting me out of a boring playlist rut and turning things around with my workouts! So far it's working...and I totally catch myself singing out loud as I'm running, but WHO CARES! And just for the record, some of these were released in early 2000 but I added them anyway:





"Gonna Make You Sweat"-C&C Music Factory

"Smooth"-Rob Thomas and Santana

"Down In It"-Nine Inch Nails

"Rollin'"-Limp Bizcuit

"Independent Women"-Destiny's Child

"You Make Me Sick"-Pink

"Play"-J.Lo

"Far Behind"-Candlebox

"All I Really Want"-Alanis Morissette

"Total Eclipse of the Heart"-Nicki French version

"All or Nothing"-Athena Cage

"U Know What's Up"-Donell Jones

"Toss It Up"-Makaveli

"No Diggity"-Blackstreet

"Candy"-Mandy Moore

"Here Comes the Hotstepper"




Tomorrow morning I am suppose to hit 6 miles, so we'll see. I am hoping I can get it done! I haven't had the hip pain near as bad as last week, so I'm hoping it's gone! We've had great weather here lately and I wanna take advantage of these perfect temps and increase my mileage as much as possible! I had it messed up and the breast cancer 5K is next weekend, so that gives me another week to prepare! I want my friend to love her FIRST 5K experience, so I'm trying to prepare her and get her excited about it!!








Do you run/workout to music?




If so, what's your MOST favorite song that gets you in the zone??




Wednesday, October 19, 2011

change IS possible!

Sometimes I just can't help but get emotional when I think about my husband's life transformation. His weight loss journey. He completely turned his life around for us, our family and himself! He is a more active Dad and husband. He has the energy to play with our boys. They go outside for HOURS and play, and my most favorite part is that our oldest son has watched my husband and his journey and wants to be just like his Daddy. He has started running right along side him and that makes me SO happy. My husband says that's the greatest part of his weight loss...being able to be a positive role model for our boys!


Before Pictures:


After Pictures: Our Daddy makes us proud each and every day!








He has lost 100lbs. He has his life back. We both have heart disease in our families, so changing his life, has changed all of our lives! He is an amazing runner! Watching him race makes us SO proud. I wish as he was running, people knew his story. His struggles. And that they could see what he's overcome and where he started. He changed his eating drastically. He was drinking at least 3 soft drinks a day and fast food most days of the week, as he headed to work. He never exercised. Now, he runs at least 5 days a week. He eats a balanced diet and actually loves the food that I prepare for him...Yay!! He used to love chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes and I can't tell you the last time he's eaten that. Says it makes him sick just thinking about it and where it took him.


My favorite part: Together, we are able to lead healthy lifestyles. Teach our children TOGETHER, the importance of healthy eating and exercise. We are doing this half marathon in January, TOGETHER. Not only will it take place on our 7th wedding anniversary, but it will show that we are both capable of exceeding our goals, TOGETHER. We are showing our boys that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE! This marathon is SO much more than a race. It proves that change is always possible. It's never too late to change your life. My husband and I have both overcome being overweight, inactive and unhealthy. If you have the support you need, anything can be achieved. He makes me SO proud to be his wife and to our boys, Daddy is their hero!







Tuesday, October 18, 2011

One of the reasons I love blogging...

One of my favorite blogger friends, Bridie @ Healthy Living has just completed her first half marathon and wrote a post on her experience. She has been an inspiration to me because she has juggled healthy living and training while raising her family.
**I hope that her words might help you find motivation to achieve a goal in your life...whether it's a 5K, half marathon or 26.2, or possibly just being active again-getting to the gym and reaching and exceeding your goals...this is worth a read! I especially love #16, 17, and 18!!
Bridie writes:

For those of you just starting out on your journey to a half-marathon, here are some lessons I learned along the way.
1. Set your goal and then tell people. Tell everyone. Post it on Facebook. Offer up that you are running a half-marathon to anyone that will listen. Now you will have to be accountable.
2. Sign up for a race. If I hadn't signed up for this and paid the fee, when I started having leg issues I likely would have just not signed up and post-poned the event for when I was feeling better. It's harder to back out when you have paid for the event AND told everyone you will be there.
3. Find a running buddy for the race - one more experienced and maybe slightly better than you to run with. I don't suggest finding someone that runs a full minute or even 30 sec miles faster than your intended pace. But find someone that runs at a pace that would be your best case scenario goal. I was doing awesome with my running partner before the knee pain hit in the race. If my knee had held up, that pace would have likely become challenging towards the end, but it would be much easier keeping that pace with her than on my own.
4. Follow a beginner's training plan. I bought the beginner's plan from Runners World. It was just distance, no time or speed workouts. You can't build mileage and speed at the same time without getting injured (see next tip). If you've never run 13.1 miles, or 8 miles as the case would be when I started the program, you just need to focus on building that base.
5. Easy runs should be easy. I thought that since my fast pace was still relatively slow compared to more experienced runners, that qualified as easy. Every run I was trying to out do my last run at that distance. Not ever taking it easy and letting my body recover was a likely cause of current injury.
6. Stretch after every run, even your 3 mile easy runs. Another contributor to current injury.
7. If you have a time goal, practice running and drinking. Set up a table at the end of your driveway. It's harder than it looks!
8. Read running blogs for inspiration.
9. Take time off if you get injured. Seek help from a doctor, massage therapist, whatever you need. Better to nip it in the bud than to let it go on. If you don't know who to see, ask your running friends, and if they don't know, find a clinic that specializes in sports medicine, specifically running injuries if possible.
10. The day before the race, get all your stuff prepared early. I was in the shower the night before and realized that while I had packed my stuff, set aside my clothes for the morning, I had left the timing device and bib on my counter! Had I not packed early, I may not have been thinking about that stuff in the back of my mind - what a disaster if I had left without!
11. When buying arm warmers......note that they do come in sizes! I was shopping with kids, grabbed a pair without looking and got home to find I bought xs. While I don't have big arms, this was a little tight. Not having time to go back, I stretched them out around plastic bowls and let them sit overnight to stretch out.
12. Having a veteran runner help you navigate the race is amazing. I didn't know where to drop my bag, where to line up, she helped with everything!
13. If you are running in chilly weather, bring super warm clothes for after the race. Even though it was in the 50's and I felt fine running in capri tights and a tank, I was freezing when the race was over, even with a long sleeved shirt and sweatshirt. My sweet friend said this morning it's because I have no body fat (Ha! So nice, but so not true) - I think it's just a combination of being dehydrated, sweating, chilly weather, your body being exhausted. Bring one more layer than you think you'll need.
14. If you know friends and family will be along the course, try to find out where they may be. It will keep you inspired. Knowing my time would be sent by text to my hubby and mom also motivated me to keep the speed up before that first check point.
15. Don't try anything new in the days before the race. I switched my pain reliever from generic ibuprofen to Aleve, since that was always effective when I was dancing. I don't know if it was simply nerves, or the Aleve, but my stomach was unsettled the day before and morning of the race.
16. Soak up the encouragement - from bloggy friends, to FB friends, to real life friends - I was overwhelmed by the amount of people cheering me on, both on the sidelines and afar. Take advantage of the relationships and community that you have built. That feeling of having these people rooting for me was every bit as rewarding as finishing the race itself.
17. Soak in the experience. I did this at first, and then got lost in the pain once it kicked in. I really wish I would have paid attention to my surroundings more.
18. Soak up your accomplishment. I tend to downplay the things that I do - shoot if I can run a half-marathon, it can't be that hard, right? Add in the fact that I was injured and didn't have a great time....it's easy to underscore the achievement. When it's all said and done, look back through your training log. Remember when you couldn't run 3 miles? Remember when you couldn't run an 8:42 pace for 2 miles? Remember your 10 mile run at a 10:18 pace, and you just ran 13.28 miles at a 9:49 pace, while injured?

If you are gearing up for your first race - GOOD LUCK! I have totally been infected with the running bug now. All I want to do is get out there and race again! As soon as my knee is recovered.....and this time I'll train much slower and smarter.

Now head on over and tell Bridie congratulations and that Move It Momma sent ya...

Monday, October 17, 2011

a better day

Yesterday, my husband and I decided to take off for a short run TOGETHER! Together, meaning we START at the same point and he slowly flys ahead of me...and ugh, I don't see him again until the finish line! Ha! Anyway, I wanted to take it easy on my hip but was making pretty good time at 9:30/mile, so I kept going and make it 3 miles at that pace. I was proud of myself and guess what? No pain. Not sure if it was possible nerve being pinched, scar tissue(as my blogger friends' suggested) or something else, but so far I'm doing great. I had a little pain last night, but nothing major. Hoping that if I bounce back into my mileage this week, I'll be okay but don't worry, I'll be cautious and listen to my body!
Look at this sweaty mess after my run...
Oh and this coming weekend is the D'Feet breast cancer 5K at Moody Gardens-in Galveston, Tx and I'm looking forward to it! It's suppose to be a big race and I love the inspiration at these events! Lots of runners and survivors...all in one place. Pretty neat. It will be my friend's very first 5K, so I'm really excited for her and I know she'll do great!
Today's Workout: hasn't happened yet, but it'll be 5 miles this afternoon once it cools off out there! Seriously, it is suppose to be Fall and we're hitting 90 degrees today! Outta control! Then my husband and I will be working with our oldest on taking his training wheels off of his bike! Any suggestions? So far, we've been unsuccessful and for being a P.E. teacher, I stink at teaching a kiddo to ride a bike :( It's pretty pathetic, actually.
He wants a new bike for Christmas and we are determined to have him riding like a pro before Santa fulfills his wishes!



*Thank you for your comments on my injury. Means a lot to have all of your support and hopefully it was a temporary problem that will NOT return!

Saturday, October 15, 2011

having issues...

Normally, I would say this... However, I am having some pain issues right now and I'm not quite sure what's going on. I have been working out pretty hard for years but my journey into running is pretty new for me. I mean, yes I'd go out and run 1-2 miles as part of my workouts, BUT longer runs are something I hadn't done in my past...ever! I've run 5K's, but only from having the ability to run about 2 days a week. I have been running for 4-5 days a week for a couple of months now and I think I may have injured myself? I only run outdoors-no treadmill or indoor tracks...just the pavement-a good, free workout!

..and the bad news: I am having major left, hip pain. Bone, not muscle. A dull ache and throbbing? Please tell me this MIGHT be normal? Please? I have great running shoes, was fitted for them and they've worked great. Had some sore muscle issues in the past, but nothing like this. It hurts when I run, walk, stand too long, bend, and especially when I'm lying in bed. ?? Hope this is ringing a bell for some of you runners' out there?

With my education in Exercise Phys, you'd think I'd have ALL of the answers but I have found myself totally clueless with this pain. I have taken the past few days off from exercise completely, just stretching and some core work. That's it and I'm still having the pain :( I have told myself that I will lay off running a few more days and see how it feels, if I'm still in pain I'm afraid a doctor visit might be in my near future? YIKES.



How do you stay motivated when an injury sets you back?

Thursday, October 13, 2011

how do you veggie?

In our house, we love zucchini, squash, cucuzza, and eggplant! I like to steam them, but this variation is a family favorite that I wanted to share with you...




I like these to replace the noodle layers of my lasagna, because like I've said before...I love carbs but they sure don't love me in return! Ha! But I usually make THIS style zucchini and squash to go with my artichoke chicken that I've shared in the past.






I saute the veggies with a little extra virgin olive oil, and cover and simmer until tender. I top with panko breadcrumbs, flaxseed meal and a sprinkle of grated parmesan cheese! It turns out perfectly with just enough CRUNCH!



Any way that we, Italians can add bread to meals is a good thing...ha, but I've tried to make THIS a little better on the simple sugars! Give it a try and let me know what you think :-)






Do you have a favorite way of preparing veggies?

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Stay Fit with the new, Lean1

Smoothie King has always been a great place to find a good smoothie, however I'm afraid some people are not sure what to order when it comes to what they need and are looking for in a nutritious drink. The new Lean1 sounds like it fits most of our health and fitness needs and at only $1.99, I'm ready to try one today, how about YOU?
I think this campaign is a brilliant way for people to get on a path to a healthier life! Just another way our community helps me understand that we are making an effort to end the obesity epidemic in our country.


My run last night was incredible! I felt unstoppable and that I could accomplish anything! Definitely up there with some of my best running so far! Woohoo! Now that I'm in week 2 of training, I'm starting to feel more confident and ready to crush my goal! Also, I've been reading my most favorite runner blogs and they have me TOTALLY motivated! The full and half marathon recaps are pushing me to my finish line and that gets me excited like nothing else! Thank you fellow bloggers...I may not "know" you, but your stories are inspiring me every day!

...and now for more on Smoothie King and their campaign and new Lean1 smoothie:



SMOOTHIE KING LAUNCHES FALL FIT CAMPAIGN AND SWEEPSTAKES

Company Encourages Fans to Take an Oath to Stay Fit with new Lean1 Smoothies, Partnership with journey gym and a Trip to Super Bowl XLVI

NEW ORLEANS, La ­ October 12, 2011 ­ Smoothie King, the 1973 creator of the nutritional smoothie, announced today the kick off of its Fall Fit campaign and sweepstakes, a three-month promotion centered around encouraging healthy habits. The campaign, which hopes to motivate fans to make better food choices and get a taste for Fall fitness will provide tools to help aid in living a healthier lifestyle and incentives and rewards for those who commit to doing so.

Starting today and running through December 18, Smoothie King will distribute an Å’Oath of Oh Yes You Can¹ via its Facebook Fanpage inspiring fans to make a pledge to stay fit and entering them to win the ultimate prize‹two tickets to Super Bowl XLVI plus $1000 for travel.

Additionally, in a partnership with journey gym‹the only complete, lightweight, compact and durable universal gym‹Smoothie King will support fans on their fitness journey through video content, motivational quotes, health tips and additional journey gym product giveaways. Ten lucky participants will garner both the journey gym, known as the ³laptop of fitness², as well as a 2 year membership to the Health Is A Journey virtual gym, where they will be able to interact with journey gym¹s Star Trainers, including trainer Kim Lyon¹s from TV¹s The Biggest Loser, track their health and fitness progress and get access to premium content.

Providing guests with an affordable way to eat healthier and lose weight during their Fall Fit pledge, Smoothie King will offer special deals on its new Lean1 Smoothies throughout the campaign, kicking off at just $1.99 during the first week. Delivering 20-30 grams of premium protein that boosts energy levels at all times of the day, Smoothie King¹s Lean1 Smoothie helps burn body fat up to 68% faster, tone and define lean muscle, speed recovery from workouts and achieve and maintain a healthy, fit body. Lean1 Smoothies are available in 3 flavors ­ Vanilla, Chocolate and Strawberry ­ and are 100% lactose free, contain Omega-3 fatty acids, 14 fruits and vegetable extracts, 3 grams of fiber, specialized herbal extracts that effectively suppress appetite and heart healthy phytosterols in every serving, making them a perfect meal replacement at under 300 calories.

³Fall is a time when a lot of people lose their motivation to stay healthy‹with football season and holidays and the back to school routine,² said Steve Kuhnau, Founder and CEO of Smoothie King. ³The Fall Fit Campaign allows us to reach our guests on a personal level‹finding ways to encourage them to get and stay fit and offering special deals and incentives that will keep them inspired along the way. Providing them with nutritious smoothies is our first priority, rewarding them for their commitment to stay fit with tickets to the biggest game of the year is definitely a nice bonus.²

³We understand that lack of time and funds is a reason that a lot of people make unhealthy food choices or don¹t exercise,² said Cindy Kuhnau, co-founder and senior executive vice president of Smoothie King. ³At Smoothie King, it is our mission to relentlessly influence people to live a healthy lifestyle. Offering our Lean1 Smoothie for just $1.99 is a way to help our fans achieve their fitness goals in a convenient, accessible way.²
Smoothie King is the exclusive outlet for Lean1 Smoothies and Lean1 weight loss protein powder is available for purchase at select Smoothie King stores. For more information, please visit www.smoothieking.com, become a fan on Facebook to take the Oath to Oh Yes You Can at www.facebook.com/SmoothieKing or follow us on Twitter at @SmoothieKing.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Eating Better?

then I suggest you check out, Eat Better America!


Joining is FREE and you'll receive newsletters, recipes and much more!




When you log in, you will find a section dedicated to coupons on all of your favorite, HEALTHY products. If you've clipped coupons, you'll understand how important this feature is because healthy products are usually NOT found but at Eat Better America, you will find them!




Looking for specific recipes? You are able to search many categories when it comes to healthy cooking such as, cooking for 2, 30 minutes or less, 300 calories or less, healthified(meaning they've improved your most favorite recipes to make them more calorie/fat friendly)




Seems like lately I've been preparing the same meals, so this week I'm going to jazz it up in the kitchen with the help from this site, so we'll see how it goes and if the family approves!


Do you have a go-to website for healthy recipes?






I survived week 1 of half marathon training! I think I did pretty good, BUT I'm still a nervous wreck when I think about that day, January 15th. Yikes. But I WILL do this! Oh yes, I WILL cross that finish line...so get ready!!






Friday, October 7, 2011

It's FALL, time for baking...the healthier way!

How about some Pumpkin Oat Bread and Zucchini Muffins? They are both crowd pleasers, freeze perfectly and they are 100% family approved! My youngest son wants the zucchini muffins almost every day for breakfast and I usually give in because he is one that doesn't care for many veggies, so if he loves these, I'll take what I can get!Pumpkin Oat Bread
You'll Need:
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg, 2 egg whites
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 tbs flaxseed meal
2/3 cup oats- quick oats will work fine too!

Heat oven to 375. Use a 8x8 loaf pan, 3 mini loaves, or it will also make 30 mini muffins but these stick, so be careful!
Combine all dry ingredients and then mix with others. Combine but don't over stir. Pour into pan and allow to cook for about 25 minutes or until cooked through.
*I sliced my large loaf into small slices, put in freezer bags and thaw as needed!


And now for these zucchini muffins...
Zucchini Muffins
You'll Need:
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini. As I shredded, I drained water from cup, until zucchin was packed in
1/3 cup canola oil
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbs flaxseed meal

Preheat oven to 350. Make sure you gently drain the zucchini as it's being grated. You can use food processor, but I used hand grater.
In a medium bowl, beat the egg, add vanilla and then sugar. Stir to combine.
Add grated zucchini, then the oil, and then baking soda and salt. In seperate bowl, combine flour, cinnamon and nutmeg and then add to zucchini mixture. Gently combine and then pour into muffin pans. Bake 25-30 minutes or until cooked through.
*These freeze great too, and it's a great quick breakfast to grab on the go!

I think the reason I love fall SO much is for the pumpkin! Ha, I think I could add pumpkin puree to any and all recipes and it would make it that much more delicious...what about you?

My friend's aunt, who has run many 1/2 marathons and other races, was talking to me the other day about how my training was coming along. I told her I was good, but VERY nervous. I asked her to tell me something brilliant about this Houston half marathon that would keep me focused, drive me to get these miles in, and push me to the finish line and I think she did a pretty good job! She said, "when you are at about mile 4, turn around and you will see, you are surrounded by runners! In front of you, behind you, all different people, at different speeds...1,000's of them!" and that did it for me! All those people worked hard like you, set goals like you, pushed forward like you, and they all have ONE thing in common...they are DOING IT! Can't think of better motivation than that!!!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

in a perfect world...

A while back I sent an email to 100's of family and friends and very few responded in regards to a 5 mile walk to support heart disease. If the topic of exercise is brought up, sometimes I get a look of guilt from those around me. Why is that? I know it's not that people just don't care. But are they afraid? Afraid of letting me see their unhealthy habits? Is it that exercise just doesn't interest them? Being healthy is not a priority? They don't put themselves first? I am not judging, I'm asking why? I want to understand. What made me take the path to a healthier life and NEVER look back? I'm not even sure I fully understand my own reasons. I think maybe because I finally felt proud. Proud of my accomplishments. Proud of what I had overcome. How do I get others to get that feeling and to channel it and remember it every time they walk into a gym, or walk outside to exercise? I want to know.

I don't dislike anyone for their actions/beliefs, afterall it's their life. Plus, I am not perfect when it comes to health either, I have my faults and temptations...we all do! But I would LOVE to rally the troops, get each and every person that I know on the path to their healthiest life, but they will not all follow? What divides us? In a perfect world, I'd send out one email and 500 people would be at my doorstep ready to exercise and live healthy! RIGHT??

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

on their lunchbreak...

If you drive by a shopping strip, close to our home around noon, you'll usually see LOTS of professionals walking in their work clothes. Pretty cool, right? Some are in scrubs, some in business attire, others in their work shirts, shorts and tennis shoes! All I know is that I am amazed!! They are taking the time to take care of themselves. Making time for exercise. I totally understand that with every career, this is not possible but if it is at all an option, my goodness-take advantage! I mean, I always worked out on my lunch break-conference time as much as possible but I was a P.E. teacher, I worked in workout clothes! I knew that when the children who were at lunch and recess saw their P.E./Health teacher working out, they would know how important exercise and taking care of their heart really is! Plus, it helped take care of my exercise so that when school ended for the day, I could spend the rest of the evening with my husband and son!

It was just a really cool sight to see women of all different professions, all walking at different speeds, some even jogging and knowing they all had one thing in common... They were MAKING IT HAPPEN! THEY WERE GETTING IT DONE!! Woohoo, they sure amazed me and although I don't know who they are, they are getting a shout out from the Move It Momma RIGHT NOW!

How about you? Are you a working woman who finds time to exercise at lunch?

Sunday, October 2, 2011

One, PROUD wife and momma!

I had to sit this 5K race out, only because my oldest was unable to bring his bike to this race and we had no sitter BUT Hubby and our oldest son ran the 1K and then we stood on the sidelines and cheered on Daddy to his PR: 7:21/mile!! He came in 8th place, which is pretty darn awesome!!! and then our little man received his first 1K medal!!! He was so proud, and we were SO proud...it was a really cool moment for us as parents! Very cool that he loves it so much! Baby brother can't wait to run his first race either! He kept asking why he didn't have a medal :(


As for me, the weather was perfect yesterday so I was able to come home and head out for my own 5K around 9am! It was breezy and I was able to hit 10:00 min/mile which I haven't been able to average all summer! So, I was pretty happy and one, PROUD Momma!!!

Did you race this weekend? If you've never run or even walked a 5K, I totally recommend it! It's a cool atmosphere and very motivating! It is a confidence booster and you'll be around lots of people that care about fitness...it can be encouraging and plus, you'll meet new people that share the same interests!