A time you hate being a woman.....

I'll tell you what....when that "time of the month" is approaching I am just a big ball of bloaty blah-ness.  I have no motivation to exercise and all I want to do it eat!  And not just normal eating....junk food eating.  Chips, ice cream, chocolate.  You name it....I want to ingest it!

I have been feeling so out of sorts all week and this morning I didn't even look forward to my PT (personal training) session.  Those are the highlight of my week so that I can get back into the groove if I was slowing down.  So this morning I look at my handy little calendar and there it was.  BAM it starts next week.  I knew it.  Otherwise why the hell would I feel this way!?

Our kids have been FINALLY feeling better after being sick for almost 2 weeks.  I started giving them a Claritin every morning because our son keeps saying his head hurt and we have decided he has awful allergies and sinus issues.  It has helped him so much!  I hate taking medicine and I hate giving it to my kids, but in this instance it was worth it.

SO, now that they are starting to get better I can refocus and get back into the swing of being healthy.  I signed up for one 5k every month through september and I am so excited.  I am thrilled too because my husband has decided to train and run with me!  To be able to share this part of my life with him really makes me super happy.  We are together all the time but something like this really gives you a different connection.  To run with him will be so fun.  My heart is so full!

Our daughter graduated Pre-School since my last post and she is so excited to start kindergarten.  I am not as excited that this time has gone by so quickly, but here we are :)  Our son starts pre-school this fall as well.  Both of them starting school....where has the time gone!

This post is kind of all over the place, but I enjoy emptying my brain even if it isn't all fitness related.

Ok, I need to shove off here.  Thanks for stopping by!  My next race is June 29th in the Danny Parmertor Memorial Run to raise money for scholarships in our cousin Danny's name.  I can't wait for it in just a few short weeks!

Enjoy your day and stay active!!

~ <3 ~
Me

Recovering From Vacation

I know I haven't been posting, and the reason was that we went on our first family vacation!  We left on Labor Day and headed to the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee.  It was wonderful....hot and muggy, but nice!  I think the kids were a little young for this trip as they didn't have much to do so they got a bit bored no matter what we tried.

I was petrified!  I didn't run all week.  I TRIED to keep up with my good eating and failed except for our last day there because I was mostly in the car.  Couldn't keep up with my steps!  I honestly felt depressed and down.  I was lazy this week and my body was telling me!  I can't do that!

Surprisingly enough, I weighed myself last night right before bed (mistake #1).  Mistake #2 was that I even bothered to weigh myself after our vacation HaHaHa.  I did it anyways and my weight was the same!!  Still 20lbs down!  I couldn't believe it!

This, I can honestly say, is the first picture I have seen of myself where I didn't think "Oh wow I look HUGE!".  My husband has told me I am looking great.  My Mom has been telling me that I am looking great.....everyone has said something small or big in the same sense that I am looking better.  For the first time.....ME!!!  I FINALLY see it!  I plan on taking my new picture this weekend and posting my before and after for my 20lb loss.  I am PETRIFIED to compare but excited all at the same time.

My Fitbit numbers have been awful.  I spend two full days in a car and the other days we were really only walking so often.  BUT we enjoyed ourselves!

Starting fresh today!  My eating is better...i COULD be more active, but I am getting there :)  I am watching some incredible motivators.  Through their blogs, on My Fitness Pal , in life.  They really are inspirations, so thank you to all of you for keeping me on my toes and healthy!  You all being on my case really is great!!

Ok, I just wanted to touch base, I will try to post more soon!  Thank you for reading :)

~ <3 ~
Me

Humans never cease to amaze....

"I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear."-Martin Luther King, Jr.

Seriously, the human race never ceases to amaze me.  I was very productive this morning and had time to start my 5k to 10k app.  Off I went.  Feeling good to start my new goal for the day.  As I make my way around our block I hear a faint noise.  I decide to turn down my music to take a listen and I hear a young boy screaming from somewhere "Keep running fatty!  You're so fat!".  I didn't turn around, and I just keep on trucking forward.  It didn't hurt me or my feelings.  It made me agry.  At his parents!

Growing up, we picked on kids.  I was even picked on a bit, but it is NOTHING like the kids these days.  Call it bullying, call it picking on someone.  Whatever you call it, it is wrong.  I don't understand how parents can allow their children to behave like this.  NOW, mind you something to think about is "Where did they learn it from?".  Some can say TV, some can say video games, music.  You know what I say?  PARENTS!  Parents need to start taking responsibility of their children.  Molding them into loving caring human beings.  Faith and religion in their lives is a whole different blog post that I will allow some other daring soul to endure.  I have my feelings and I am sure you all have yours on that as well.

Back on track.  Kids these days are not taught to respect people.  They are rude, vile little things and it saddens me that our children will soon be put into school with these kids.  Now, I know it isn't ALL kids, but wow is it a lot.

So, my PSA for today is.... Parents: Please teach your children about love, and respect.  Teach them to treat others the way they would like to be treated.  Teach them how to TALK to people instead of staring at their phones all the time (yes I am guilty of this and am trying to break the habit for my own kids).  Teach them to strive for goals and successes in life.  Kids these days have no direction and it is because we don't expect things from them any more.  They need responsibility and and expectations.

I know every child is different, but we can teach them how to be nice!  I mean sheesh it is pretty simple!

As a side note, I completed Week1 Day1 of my 5k-10k program and cut our front and back lawn as well.  Lots of steps already from my fitbit!

I have been pretty busy today, but that is good.  I have been a lazy bum the last few days :)  I am loving my Fitbit by the way.  It really let me know that I WASN'T moving as much as I thought I did at work!  It has been amazing.  I am a very visual person, so all of the grafts they use really keep me motivated and keep me seeing how I am doing.  I got mine super cheap on eBay!  Just do a search for a used one!  That's what I did!

Ok, enough of my product placement :)  Have an amazing day and enjoy everything and everyone!  Peace and love my friends.....peace and love ;)

~ <3 ~
Me

Pull Up People!

So...When people have ALL this space in front of their garage, yet THIS is where they choose to park!  It isn't SO much of an inconvenience when I am running.  It IS an inconvenience for our 4 year old daughter who just started riding her first bike with training wheels.  I mean COME ON people!!  I honestly can say that she fell twice while trying to get around multiple driveways.  It's just so silly!  It makes me want to do this:

Yes, I think that would make me feel better :)

So on our bike ride, we went for just over 3 miles.  Our daughter was so exhausted and sweaty.  I was a bit worn myself but it was a slow pace so it wasn't so awful :)  I looked at my monthly work out calendar on Map My Run  I have been busy, but not as busy as usual!

At least the biking has made up for the lack of running.  Well, sort of.  My improved time last night has really made me want to push myself.  I read in my Runners World magazine they say for the 5k to pace yourself to start out how fast you want to end I believe.  I started to do just 1 mile runs to work on improving my time, and maybe it helped?  I don't know!  I will have to see if it does.

Our kids are napping so I figured I would have some blog time this afternoon since I plan on being busy the rest of the weekend.  I plan on, after the kids go to bed tonight, to go online and find some good recipes to try.  We need to start eating better dinners too.  It's hard for us because working full time I get home later and I refuse to eat dinner at 7pm so I am thankful that my husband helps out as much as he does.  I want to find some easy quick recipes.  If any of you have any recipes to recommend, please email them to me!  HappyMommyHealthyLife@outlook.com

Have an amazing weekend everyone!

~ <3 ~
Me

My Personal Best

Well, I did it!  I ran tonight. What was different?  I was able to run a mile in 10:40!!!  I stopped twice equaling almost a minute, but I DID IT!!!  My goal is to get faster more than increasing my distance. 3.1 or even 4 miles is plenty. 

I wish I could go back and show my former self and tell her "See!?  This is the life you could have. To feel good. To not be out of breath from playing with the kids. To feel good about yourself in your own skin. Even your kids notice!  Your daughter encourages you to exercise so you can 'be healthy'.  Your husband even noticed how wonderful you look and said something about it!  Your self esteem is up. You are no longer depressed. You have an amazing job that you finally enjoy. You are surrounded by amazing people who love you and who support you. Can't you see that YOU ARE WORTH IT!?"

You know what?  I AM worth it!  For me, my kids, my husband, my family and my friends. To be with them and to enjoy being with them instead of being a bump on a log. Screw that woman. I am so glad to leave those bad things behind. This is MY TIME, and it feels freaking amazing!  I have proven that anyone can do it!  There are no excuses and there will never be the perfect time to change your life. You just have to DO IT!

So, get up off your butts and go for walks with your kids or your dog. Just go alone to have some meditation time to reflect on your day and to thank God for the life you have :). You don't have to start running or walk for miles. Start small and work your way up. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish!

~ <3 ~

Me

6am?? REALLY!? Eating?? REALLY!?

This is how I felt when our 2 year old son stomped into our room at 6am today. Why he won't sleep past 6 lately is beyond me. I guess he is prepping me for waking up at 5:15 this week to get everyone ready and to the sitters. 

I plan on running at some point today. Hopefully my husband will be back from man bonding over catching and skinning fish for food by nap time today. At least I'd get a tan today while running. 

My body is craving sweating out all this s^#% I've been eating lately. It doesn't help that my wretched Aunt Flo has come to visit for the week.

Yup. I went there!  That's how I feel. It's like I slither around eating EVERYTHING in site!  My poor kids.  They must thing I'm a crazy food monster!

Back on track today though!  I can honestly say my inner demon is food. If it is there, I want to eat it!  That's why when the kids ask "can we have crackers for snack?"  I say "no!  We can't keep that in the house!  Food is the debil!"

I really don't say that but it is my constant evil and constant challenge!  Going out to eat is the worst. As I sit and use my www.myfitnesspal.com app to figure out what I can and can't have. I love the app and maybe that's why I rarely go out to eat!  It's disgusting seeing how high in calories and fat everything is!  My FAVORITE dish at The Macaroni Grill is their Carbonara. It's AMAZING!  Just for the dish alone it is 1,260 calories!!!  Why do they do this to us!?

Well after that venting I am going to sit and have my protein meal bar for breakfast. YUUUUUUUUUUUM!

~ <3 ~

Me