Training During the First Trimester

Writer's note: These are my personal experiences with running while pregnant. My midwives/doctor know that I am a runner, and I have been cleared to exercise. I am a certified personal trainer but I am not issuing advice as a fitness professional. This is me, a mom, sharing what I did.

The kitchen. Mark, me. The laptop open. A calender marked. We counted backward. We counted forward. We studied. We stood. In silence.

The plan had been to get pregnant this year ... after the race. We were going to "try" when my body was in prime shape from hard training but my miles were down. We were going to pray for a summer baby.

But there we were, in the middle of this summer. In the middle of a tough training cycle. I was pregnant, and the race was seven weeks away. A positive test can bring so many unknowns, as can a training cycle. I didn't know how one would go, much less the other and putting them together ... well, it was a black hole.

We talked, though, Mark and I. We discussed whether I should keep following the training plan or just go with a less advanced schedule. We talked about still doing the half or dropping down to the 10K. We talked and talked and talked. But no matter how much we did, we came back around to the same answer:

I needed to try to do my best at Fort4Fitness. I wanted to give myself the chance.

When I found I was pregnant with Miles, I had just finished a 16-mile trail race. I was the fastest and fittest I had ever been. But, with the news, I dropped back my mileage - significantly. It wasn't that running felt bad. Oh, no. The decrease was just because I thought I had to. It's something I regretted since, and I knew I would change it the second time around.

Running what I could would one thing, but doing it at a more challenging level would be another.

Before I made the commitment, 100 percent, I wanted to know as much as I could about pregnancy and exercise. Even though I'm a certified personal trainer and the materials include information on special populations and pregnancy, it didn't feel like enough. It is generalized and focused on exercising for general fitness. I searched for studies about exercise during pregnancy, specifically those about intensity and duration. I was disappointed but not surprised that I could find few.

It’s understandable, however, why the medical community has been slow to endorse exercise, and running in particular, during pregnancy. Research in this area is inherently difficult. There are ethical concerns about research involving pregnant women, and much of the data comes from research on animals. Human studies have been difficult to compare because of differences in study design; maternal fitness levels; varied exercise activities, intensities, and duration; and the time during the pregnancy the exercise is performed. Despite these difficulties, when everything is evaluated together, clear maternal benefits can be gained from running during your pregnancy. 

 - Source

Much of what I found was in line with the adage: If you did it before you were pregnant, you could keep doing it. And I had been doing it. Other studies were so complicated, language-wise, that I found myself looking up every other word in the dictionary. The best thing I found was a summary of two case studies from 1989, grossly outdated by my standards.

And so I decided that I would do what I could do: Take every run at a time. I would finish the training cycle and go into the race with adjusted expectations, knowing that I would need to continue to adjust as the weeks went by.

Save for a stomach bug during week 8, I felt surprisingly good until week 10. I didn't have real morning sickness. I had no cramping or pain. I didn't spot or leak. My recovery might have been slower and my easy runs easier, but I continued to run strong without feeling like I was jeopardizing my safety or that of the baby. It was only when I hit the double digits (pregnancy wise) that I just began to feel tired during the runs, though it could have been the cumulative effect of training. And, of course, there was an increased urge to go to the bathroom. I am, to this second, surprised that I didn't have to pull off during Fort4Fitness.

The one change that was unexpected was in the bosom area. While I could not pinpoint a particular threshold, there were times during a run when I would experience a stinging sensation - as if I was going to shoot two lasers through my sports bra. It does not hurt. Rather, it's just disconcerting. I spoke with my midwife and she said the increased sensation in the area combined with the fabric rubbing could create that feeling. It doesn't help that I have grown two cup sizes and my bras are a bit snug.

Heading into the second trimester, I have no expectations. I will run what I can, when I can and do it safely.

Boot Camp Essential Exercises {A Three Things Thursday post}

My first round of boot camp is over.

It's been six weeks of workouts, bug bites, threatening rain and immense gratification. When I decided to try my hand at going on my own after the BBG, I had no idea what would happen. I didn't know whether I would find anyone who would come - and then come back. I didn't know if they would enjoy the workouts or find them worthwhile. Heck, I didn't know if they would like me.

They did come, though, and came back. I've had some positive feedback and we've all learned a few things over that time. Enough so, that as I wrap up one session, I'm busily planning the second. The participants - most of whom I didn't know seven weeks ago - asked for another round. I'm switching up session times (if you are local to Fort Wayne, we've got some early mornings)

Of course, I'll be changing the workouts - though we have yet to do the same thing twice. That said, there are three types of movement that I make an effort to include in every workout, whether it's for my outdoor boot camps, my class at the YMCA or just at home.

1. Lateral movement. The body is not two-dimensional, and we can't train it that we. If only for balance, it's important to incorporate movements to the front, side and back. It's easy to neglect the those movements when you are doing squats and lunges, especially. We stick the butt out and sit; step the leg and out drop. Simply moving these to the side will help to work the glute medius, which can be weak in runners.

Exercises: Side squats, side lunges, lateral hops, leg lifts, monster walk, skaters

2. Balance/single leg exercises. Many things we do - walking, running, going upstairs - involves a split stance, meaning the two legs are never planted right next to each other. As such, it's important to train the body that way. It also helps to prevent injuries by supporting the joints. While lunges do this to an extent, I like to use single leg exercises to strengthen the stabilizing muscles and improve balance.

Exercises: Single leg bicep curls, single-leg deadlifts, one-leg squats, pistol squats (only with good form), one-leg hops

By the way, I have to thank Kim for this one. When I was planning my first week of workouts, I asked her for some feedback and she mentioned this to me. I've never looked back.

3. Jumping Jacks. I don't have a logical explanation - I just love them. They are quick, effective way to raise the heart rate and don't require space or equipment. Plenty of variations exist to spice things up, as well. I actually planned a circuit workout that had a different jack variation in each round. I just never found the right week to use it!

What are your favorite boot camp-type exercises?

Back it up: Core Values, Week 2

"Elegance in explanation."

I was interviewing someone today for a project I'm working on, and he was describing how a switch can turn on when a person shares something so "known" in a precise, simple way that it can click. In that conversation, he pinpointed something that I had been trying to since Saturday.

During our launch this weekend, the CXWORX instructor and lead group fit trainer was talking about the program and the goal in the design:

You can't be strong here ...

If you aren't strong here.

As a trainer - even as a Bodypump instructor - I know that it all comes down to balance in exercise and program design. You can do preacher curls, bicep curls, hammer curls, barbell curls until the cows come home but you are going to do some damage if you don't train your triceps. Runners, me included, struggle with dominant quads and hips, which tend to overcompensate for a weaker posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes). Weaknesses can lead to injury.

So, when we train our abdominals as we have been with the Core Values challenge, it's equally important to do exercises for the low back. I like to include back extensions and supermans into my routine. The bird dog, which we've seen in the previous two weeks, is also a great exercise for the area. 

Core Values Check In

Two weeks in, and I'm feeling good. I am definitely getting in the habit of doing 5 minutes of core work, with the challenge becoming less of a, well, challenge. It did help that my marathon of classes this weekend included core, and I didn't need to find time beyond that to get my plank on. I'm also finding that my abs are not as consistently sore as they had been in the first week.

Exercises to try this week

Birddog with a 45 degree angle (see 0:27 in this video)
Back extension
Walking plank (alternate between forearm and straight arm, keeping hips stable)
Fire Hydrant In-Out
Oblique V-Up

How are you doing with the challenge? Be sure to comment for this week's entry into the prize.

Three Things Thursday: Fitness musts + wants

Something unexpected came when I passed my ACE certification.

Magazines and catalogs for the fitness professional!

While I think I knew, on some level, that I was now a member of the community, I didn't expect to be marketed to in that way. But I am. And it is really eye opening, educational and fun.

The IDEA Fitness Journal, by far, is the most important - sharing articles about the latest in research, trends and ways to improve your career. There are also opportunities for earning the continuing education credits I need to keep my certification.

The catalogs, though, are just plain fun. There are a gazillion and one products for gym owners and private trainers to buy - from the basic dumbbells and exercise mats to equipment used in functional training classes, such as big ropes and sandbags. It's really easy to get overwhelmed paging through them ... or max out your credit card, thinking you need all the things.

As winter settles in and our treadmill grows louder, I'm doing a lot more circuit-type workouts in the early morning and I've discovered something. You don't need a bunch of fancy equipment to get in a good workout. Here are my three must-haves for a home "gym."

Jump rope. There are lots of ways to get your heart rate up when working out at home - high knees, butt kicks, plyometrics, doing the basement stairs. A jump rope is nice to have, though, as it can add variety and is easy to incorporate into circuit routines. It's also a challenging workout as 5 minutes of skipping rope can seem like a 5-mile run. Bonus: Use it as a make-shift yoga strap when stretching.

Set of weights. Nearly any workout video on the market or on YouTube will require a set of weights, as the benefits of resistance training are numerous. Lighter weights can be fairly inexpensive and will serve one well to build some muscular endurance and "tone up" as so many people desire. Unless you are not conditioned - at all - though I wouldn't buy anything less than 5 pounds. As a person begins an exercise program, she is likely to see fast gains as the body makes neuromuscular connections and she can quickly "outgrow" the selection. To minimize the financial investment, I would select a set of weights that you can lift in a bicep curl for 10 or so reps. A lot of programs suggest 12 to 15 for basic fitness but the goal is to get stronger, and the 10 reps in the store will quickly become 15 with a bit of work.

Stability ball. Not only is a stability ball great for ab exercises, it's a great tool for working the chest and back at home. Many of those exercises utilize a bench or fixed equipment that isn't always affordable. The ball does bonus work by giving you a base while challenging your core.

I'm lucky that I have had these things for sometime and, as I expand my equipment, I can look at some of the more "fun" things. My list includes gliding discs, to further challenge my core; a BOSU trainer, for balance exercises; and a medicine ball, for ab work and functional training.

Do you have those three must-haves? Here's the Core Values expanded workout for the week, which incorporates those items.

Plank Jacks
Standing Oblique Crunch
Stability Ball Pass
Flutter Kicks
Spread Eagle Jackknife

Got it

For the second time in as many days, I dropped off Miles at daycare while I was wearing workout gear. I'd like to think I'm preparing him for the embarrassment that will be his elementary school career but really I'm just trying to fit stuff in and sleep more.

As if that's possible.

Anyway, this morning Miles jumped out of my arms to antagonize his friend in the bathroom, leaving me to chat with one of the helpers. A mentioned that I looked comfy and I told her that I was headed to a class at the YMCA before work. (Yes, that class.)

"What kind of class is it?" A asked.

A little of this, a little of that, I told her. And a whole lot of making me feel like I'm out of shape. Seriously. On Wednesday, my arms felt like Jell-O as we did lateral and side raises with dumbbells - and that's with me modifying it and selecting lighter weights than the start of class. When it came time to do a push up-mountain climber combo, I was toast. Lying on the floor in a puddle of sweat toast. I walked out sweaty, defeated and wondering why I was taking on this class.

"It's just a challenge," said A, who is a smidge older and a lot wiser and always knows how to get in my head. "Just like the other stuff - the running, the BODYPUMP - was a challenge. You got it."

I gave her a smile and a sincere thank you, amazed that A knew exactly the right thing to say. A giant frustration with the class is that I can go out and run 8 miles on dead legs and feel OK but I'm ready to give in after five burpees. I forget that there was a time when running five feet was a challenge and lifting 2.5 kilos on each side for biceps was tough. With time and fortitude, gains were made. Just as gains (hopefully) will be made in RAW.

Before I left, I tried one last time to procure a hug from Miles. Yet another challenge to face. Thankfully, one of the other kiddos, a 2-year-old girl, is always happy to oblige my need for affection.

And then I left. Left for the YMCA, where I faced yet another butt kicking. Four circuits, with each circuit repeated three times. There were 72 tuck jumps, 30 squat jumps and 5 millions lunges in the workout. My legs screamed out in pain and my shoulders nearly gave out.

Despite A's assurance, I didn't feel like my body "got" it but, today, my brain did. Mind over muscle, baby.

Excuse me, I burpeed.

I have an exciting recipe for you today. It's so exciting that I'm not even going to bother coming up with a story to serve as a clever introduction. Nope. Just the recipe for us.

Humble Pie

1 semi-in shape gal
1 12-pound dumbbell
2 10-pound dumbbells
25 rounds
32 ounces water
120 burpees

Directions: Do that shit.

A local YMCA branch offers a class called RAW for advanced exercisers, promising them a challenge and a chance to take their fitness to the next level with circuits, strength work and plyometrics. I sampled the class last week for a column, and I knew immediately that it could do amazing things for my running.

I headed back on Wednesday for the class, which one participant described as like "Insanity," but what I took was just insane.

The instructor had a 365-rep class to kick off the New Year, with everyone doing one rep for each day of 2013. There were 25 exercises, to be performed back-to-back with little rest. The kicker? Every other round was a set of 10 burpees.

I'm fairly certain that she modeled the class after one on ZuzkaLight.com but she took it to a whole new level of pain by incorporating challenging burpee variations. We did two round of burpees with tuck jumps. There were pure competition bupees. There was a variation with a frog jump and another with a jump forward. One round incorporated a tricep push-up and jumping with the weights. Two more included the obliques - one set jumping side to side, the other a side plank with rotation.

The Mac Daddy of them all? A single-arm burpee with shoulder press at the end. And, yes, there were two rounds - one for each side. I'm going to go ahead and be honest. I didn't even try that most challenging variation. The idea of face planting after 300+ reps, 100 of which were burpees (at that point) didn't seem like fun.

What did seem enjoyable, apparently, was attending the class for a second time - this time being more sociable and dragging Mark with me. The jerk could, of course, do the single-arm burpee but did find it a butt-busting, ego-crushing workout just as I did.

And he will tomorrow, too. Of course, he doesn't have to teach BODYPUMP. Now that will be fun.

Fit to be tried: Group dynamic

With the new year - and its resolutions - rapidly approaching, I'm highlighting some of my favorite fit things of 2012. 

 ◊ ◊ ◊

So we keep living, cause the feel's right/ And it's so nice, and I'd do it all again/ This time, it's forever/ It gets better, and I / I, I like how it feels

I was half-way through the chest track (release 82) as I subbed the Thursday night BODYPUMP class when I realized something. Something sort of strange.

And it wasn't the odd angle of that photo or my incessant desire to show off my new Old Navy outfit. But, while we're here, isn't it cute?

Nope. The realization was that my journey with BODYPUMP is almost a year-old. A year! It seems like forever and yet no time at all. Either way, it's hard to believe that I went from new participant to instructor in that time, and my passion for the class only continues to grow. I love how it's made me fitter, stronger and more confident while forcing me to do things (read: lunges) that I wouldn't do on my own.

As a non-gym member, I don't have the opportunity to take many classes and thus my experience limited. However, my friend and I made a commitment at the beginning of 2012 to explore new fitness experiences - including BODYPUMP - and I stumbled across some real gems.

Piloxing. A mix of boxing, Pilates and dance, Piloxing has a choreographed element that is familiar while challenging the body, cardiovascular- and strength-wise. I loved that I could take the class barefoot, and the mix of cardio tracks versus balance/strength work.

Real Ryder. I just took a class last week (here, if you are in NE Indiana), and I'm already plotting when I can go back. Many of us have taken indoor cycling classes but where Real Ryder classes differ is in the bikes. The bikes move side to side, allowing for participants to burn more than 20 percent more calories per session than Spin. I was surprised at how much harder the class was - I had to really figure out how to turn the bike and engage my core. By the end, I was wiping up my sweat (and butt) off the floor.

Zumba. OK, I realize that I was the last person on the planet to try Zumba. It just didn't seem like a class for me. I lack rhythm, dance skills and coordination, and I had a preconceived notion that it was for people who were, umm, less hard core. However, with the right instructor, attitude and effort, Zumba is no joke. It's also low-impact, making it a great way to cross train during peak season.

This year, I also tried other kickboxing workouts - cardio and Turbo Kick - as well as Group Power (similar to BP). All in all, not a bad year.

Did you try any new-to-you classes this year? What's your favorite group exercise class?

Moving freely

12:21 p.m. Monday: 3.13-mile "runch" (I said hell no to the 21 degrees that morning, opting for a perfectly brisk and pleasant noon-time outing.)

5:14 a.m. Tuesday: Jillian Michaels' "Ripped in 30," week 3 + part of week 4 (Bonus points for completing it after finding a mouse in the living room.)

9:02 a.m. Tuesday: Exercising my right to vote

The plan is working. I'm doing what I want, when I want and letting things unfold as intended.

Last week, I ran 16 miles - two 5-milers and two 3-milers, taught BODYPUMP and got in a cobbled-together cardio session before and after Miles woke up. There were a few walks in there, and I even managed to burn 2,700 calories (thanks for the info, Bodymedia) on Saturday between BP, a visit to the mall, grocery shopping and evening walk.

I will admit that it all feels a little light, as if I'm not doing enough. It's a point my pal Heather touched on when we were enjoying our girl's day out. I've planned this to give myself flexibility and room to enjoy life but there's a part of me that's not happy to just take it easy. Part of it's fear (of gaining lbs and of losing endurance), part of it's habit. But there's also the facts: I like to run. I like to train. I like to push myself.

Thankfully, I have a little trick up my sleeve. Some early morning workouts combined with runches and a December 10K for motivation, and I'm thinking that I'll hit an activity level - in intensity and duration - that I'm happy with.

When things don't go your way

My plan said run today.

But my plan didn't say it was going to be in the 30s, windy and rainy.

And the plan didn't say that my husband would call dibs on the treadmill.

So I made a new plan.

I decided to try a DVD I had borrowed from the library - Pure Barre.

 At 5:15 a.m.

My body was not pleased with this new plan.

I was sluggish, and I had to stop for the bathroom.

The DVD was nonplussed with it as well.

It paused. Skipped. Went back to the main menu.

As if my real life were actually the movie, Miles woke up just as I put in a new DVD.

So I tried to make do.

After Miles was changed fed, we visited the basement.

He chased balls; I jumped rope.

I threw balls; he ran.

He cried; I stopped.

We went upstairs.

He watched "Thomas;" I did hammer curls.

I did push-ups; he laughed.

He cried when Denali took his ball; I did overhead presses.

He cried harder; I picked him up.

Gave up.

Called it a day.

After 20 weeks of doing everything possible to squeeze in a training session, it was difficult to call this one a draw. It almost felt like quitting, and my attempts to momentarily spike my heart rate seemed vain. I (read: soul) really needed a good sweat session, and I am antsy to see some good numbers on the scale.

However, I will say that it was nice that my Type A self didn't have to have a panic session that a workout didn't happen. A Zumba class tomorrow night or Piloxing on Friday morning, and I'm good for the week.

Actually, I'm good no matter what.

A gift guide, except not

I am an assistant editor for a newspaper, as some of you may or may not know. It's a fact that's not inherently interesting but it does pertain to today's post.

As part of my job, my work email is inundated with press releases for various events, products and books. Most of these emails are deleted because they don't hold broad appeal for our readers. However, with Mother's Day approaching, I've been opening many emails to see whether I can create a Mother's Day gift story from a number of sources.

It turns out that I can't - at least not a story about what to get your mom. A story about what not to get her? That I can do.

The email that started it all: "Whether purchasing gifts for a fitness fanatic, busy, or active mom, the Shake Weight is sure to please all this Mother’s Day."

I'm not joking. Seriously. Not. Joking.

Obviously, I do not think this is a good idea. I have a fair amount of reasons as to why but I am going to keep them to myself since I received the release in a professional capacity. However, feel free to guess my thoughts in the comments.

The whole release got me thinking about Mother's Day. I know I'm new to the game but I believe there are just things not to get a mom.

A barbell. I'm sorry, Mark, but I have to dog you on this one. My loving, well-meaning husband made reference to getting me a barbell set for Mother's Day in an effort to support my Body Pump endeavors. It would be nice to have, yes, but it's just ... it's just not ... well, it's not pretty. I don't know about you but I think moms want something nice to look at. How about a pedicure to disguise a runner's black toe?

Yoga pants. Unless they are from lululemon - and I only say that because of its status, not experience - I don't think mom wants something with an elastic band. Not so much because she won't like them or they won't make her feel comfy while eating ice cream after putting the kids down but because the giver will inevitably complain that Mom always wears elastic-waist pants and never dresses sexy.

Doughnut pan. I'd be lying to say that I haven't been dying for one of these, and I'd happily take one for Christmas, my birthday or because I just happen to carry one around Bed Bath & Beyond for 30 minutes while we look at blackout curtains. However, a doughnut pan for Mother's Day just screams, "Get in the kitchen, woman. And while you're at it, take off your shoes!"

A box of chocolates. Maybe I'm alone on this one but a box of candy is not really a gift to me. It's either a gift to my hips or a gift for you because you know I won't eat the whole thing by myself.

Makeup. The Huffington Post's Catherine Moellering suggests buying Mom a brightly hued lipstick, specifically J. Crew's Poppy King (which supposedly complements all skin tones), to be in trend. However, since Mark and I still have discussions about whether our living room chairs are blue or green (they are blue), I don't think I'd trust him to buy me the perfect shade of lipstick. How about a gift certificate for the spa, mmkay?

On a side note, the Huffington Post story said that $18.6 billion is spent on Mother's Day, or about $152 per mom.

Wouldn't that be nice? Sort of like a day at the spa. Just sayin'.

Baby steps

Today is National Walking Day.

So we walked.

We walked to McDonald’s for coffee.

We walked around the neighborhood.

And another neighborhood.

We walked until someone fell asleep in the stroller.

We did it because it is National Walking Day, of course. It had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that someone woke up at 4:30 a.m. and refused to go back down.

We covered just more than 2 miles during our little adventure. While I read a blog post recently where the writer said she didn’t consider walking exercise (for her, personally), I am in the “it all counts” corner. I think if you do something with the intention of moving your body for health benefits that it counts as exercise. If you go for a walk to burn calories, you exercised. If you walked down the street to deliver cupcakes to your neighbor, it might not count.

Not that it matters what I think. I am not an expert. The ones at the American Heart Association, the group behind National Walking Day, have this to say:

"There are countless physical activities out there, but walking has the lowest dropout rate of them all! It's the simplest positive change you can make to effectively improve your heart health.

Research has shown that the benefits of walking and moderate physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day can help you:

• Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease
• Improve blood pressure and blood sugar levels
• Improve blood lipid profile
• Maintain body weight and lower the risk of obesity
• Enhance mental well being
• Reduce the risk of osteoporosis
• Reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer
• Reduce the risk of non-insulin dependent (type 2) diabetes

What are your thoughts? Do you plan to take a few steps for National Walking Day?

Diaries of a preggo exerciser: Motivation

Workout: 25 minutes stationary bike, 20 minutes elliptical and 1-mile stroll (not walk) with Denali

I woke up at 6:05 in the middle of a dream about euthanasia, Taylor Lautner, vampires, vampires eating people and my father-in-law holding the vials of anti-venom to keep vampires from eating people.

Welcome to pregnancy, my friends. Welcome.

Despite my strange nocturnal shenanigans, I felt rested. I wasn’t necessarily energetic or enthusiastic about the day but I was rested. I got up, went to the “little room” and took my prenatal vitamin. And then, in a snap decision, I put on the workout gear that I had laid out last before. Energy and case of the Mondays be damned – I was going to the gym.

And so I did. And because I did (and my workout was just that – a workout), I’m going to talk a little bit about how I stay motivated to workout during pregnancy.

Self esteem. First and foremost, I know that if I workout – even just a little bit – that I will feel better about myself. I don’t like the feeling of being lazy or sitting around for too many days in a row.

Normalcy. From the hormones to the changing body to the frequent doctor visits, it’s hard to feel like yourself, the healthy self you knew preconception. Breaking a sweat, logging miles, lifting a weight reminds you that you are still you. Even if everyone now calls you mom and asks about the baby before asking about you, you are still you for that time on the trail or on the bike.

The big “D.” It should come as no surprise that Denali bugs the heck out of me motivates me to exercise. If all I manage to do is walk him, it’s still a couple miles and a good 40 minutes on my feet  … and a few hours of sanity saved.

Being an example. Sometimes, when I feel really unmotivated, I think about how I want my child to see me and the stories that I want to tell him. I want to tell him that I ran into the third trimester. I want him to see me as the cool, fit mom. I want to do things that inspire him, make him proud of his mom.

Post partum. Size 2 pants, running (not power walking) the 4-mile Fort-4-Fitness course and my BOB Ironman stroller – working out now will make all of those things more possible and more fun in 6 months.

2012. When things start to seem discouraging, I think of one thing: 2012. October 2012. My comeback. Next year, in October, I plan to run the Chicago marathon – my first. I think about training for the race, running through Lincoln Park, Mark and baby boy cheering for me. Each run now, each workout now, will make it that much easier to achieve great things then.

Healthy mom, healthy baby. While I hate to admit that these perks are not immediate motivation, it does make me feel good to know that exercise is doing both of us some good. According to BeFit-Mom, “fit women experience easier adaptation to the lower-intensity endurance activity of early labor; shorter first and second stages of labor; enhanced pain tolerance; increased stamina for labor and delivery, with less perceived exertion during labor; lower incidences of intervention during labor; substantially fewer caesarian births; and good pelvic muscle tone-resulting in fewer episiotomies/tearing. … Also, fit moms give birth to leaner, stronger, healthier, and even smarter babies, who may even have better motor-functioning, cardiovascular capacity, with a greatly reduced risk for developing obesity, diabetes, and other related health challenges as adults.”

Besides the perk of the the whole shorter labor, smaller size baby thing to get you going, this list isn’t too different from a list I would have made 25 weeks ago. I ran to feel good about myself; I ran to feel normal or get some “me” time (always the perk of a solo tempo run); Denali always wanted to go; new pants were always nice; and a big race was always a goal.

What motivates you to exercise? Let me know, and I can post the suggestions later in the week.

Let me hear you scream

Pre-workout breakfast: Oikos Honey Greek yogurt with banana slices and crushed Quaker True Delights Toasted Coconut Banana Macadamia Nut bar
Workout: "Personal Training with Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training" and 2.2-mile walk with Denali

You wanna know a secret. A big, juicy, delicious secret ...


I eat ice cream every day. Every. Single Day. Kind of weird, right? Yet totally awesome, too.

I knew that when I embarked on this journey that deprivation was not the key. I had done that before and all it got me was four years of playing with 25 pounds. Now, I make calculated indulgences - Vitatops, low-fat pudding, Skinny Cows, Weight Watcher frozen treats and pumpkin fluff.

Oh, and a delicious concoction of Pumpkin Cheesecake Ice cream, graham cracker crumbs, caramel and whipped cream.


Yeah, that happened to me last night. I heard an ad for Cold Stone Creamery on Pandora, which led me to check out their website ... which led me to dream of it as I sweltered in the office ... which led me to e-mail my mother-in-law to see if they wanted to meet Mark and me for an ice cream-Barnes and Noble date.

She said yes. Cold Stone was on. Yay!

Now, I will say that I could have gotten sinless sweat cream ice cream with berries and blah, blah, blah BUT sometimes you just gotta have what you want and like it.

And I did.

What's your favorite indulgence?

Mine is definitely ice cream, especially this time of year - pumpkin, peppermint, egg nog ... yeah. Yeah!

To the Xtreme

Pre-workout breakfast: Bowl of Cinnabon cereal and a banana
Workout: 30 minutes "Personal Training with Jackie: Xtreme Timesaver Training" and 2.2-mile walk with Denali

Jackie Warner ... oh, that lady ... she's just mean. Mean. And hardcore.I've been discussing my purchase of her DVD for a week or so now, and this morning I decided to give it a go. Sure, my legs were still a bit tired from Saturday's race but my arms wanted a workout.

"I'll be fine," I thought. "Just do what you can."

Yeah, doing what I can meant the "less intense" modifications for a number of the moves. It's not that I couldn't do the exercises. No, I could. I just couldn't do them for the minute straight as required by Jackie, especially when I had worked the same muscle group the minute before. It's total muscle burnout. And then you move onto the next fiber-torturing exercise to do the same thing.

And you want to know the worst part? I thought I was in shape. I've been committed to upper body work twice a week for six months. I could go through many a DVD with little to no fatigue. (I guess that's my fault - bad choices.) I can do a real push-up. I use weights from 5 pounds to 10 pounds. I have muscle definition. No matter. My shoulders, chest, biceps were all screaming at the end.

Jillian Michaels - eat your heart out.

Awe, shucks

Pre-workout fuel: Instant oatmeal and a banana
Workout: 50 minutes "Biggest Loser: Power Sculpt" and 2.15-mile walk with Denali

I'm awesome/ A quarter of my life gone by and/ I met all my friends online/ Mother $%#@# I'm awesome/I will run away from a brawl/I'm awesome


Yeah. I'm awesome. This morning, I managed not only to get in my workout but I baked chocolate chip cookies, cooked and consumed an egg white-veggie omelet, actually styled my hair, stopped at the grocery to pick up snacks for tutoring and (my favorite part) picked up coffee on my way to work. Oh, and I actually got there 5 minutes early, too.

See what I mean? Totally awesome.

I'd like to think that time moved extra slow for me this morning but I think a small change in my routine helped me out. I got up and ate a small breakfast - per the usual - and did my sculpt challenge for the day. Rather than immediately leash up Denali, though, I headed to the shower. Ten minutes later, I was clean and within 15 minutes we were on a walk. My hair was able to air dry a bit on the walk, cutting my quality time with the blow dryer, and I also felt an urgency in the shower (as opposed to standing under the hot water for 20 minutes just because it feels good).

Of course, with all that time you would think that I would have managed to come up with an outfit that didn't make me look like I was in my student's second-grade class.


Alas, I didn't. I guess child-like enthusiasm for my cookies distracted me.


Super-Duper Easy, Make-Before-Work Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 box white cake mix (I like Duncan Hines)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the cake mix, applesauce and egg substitute until just combined. Add mini chocolate chips and mix just until there are no lumps. Drop cookies onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes - until the tops of the cookies start to crack.

I got about 32 cookies out of the batch and they are about 100 calories a piece. Pretty awesome.

What is this ... Augtober?

Pre-workout fuel: Instant oatmeal and half a banana
Workout: Ran 6.53 miles in 58 minutes, 53 seconds; average pace, 9:01.

Today, it went a little like this ...


It wasn't a pretty run but it was a run.

P.S. I dare you to try that last one while managing a dog. I just might be Superwoman.

P.P.S. That top is over at Zazzle.com and is available in a variety of styles - even a tech tee version.

P.P.P.S. I wear a size small.

P.P.P.P.S. That last note was for Mark :)

(Belated) Friday love

(Friday) Pre-workout fuel: Peanut butter and jelly on whole wheat bread
(Friday) Workout: Ran 5.25 miles in 44 minutes, 52 seconds; average pace, 8:33.

I had no love for Friday. Despite my best efforts, I just couldn't find it in me. Sad but true. If it gives you any indication, though, my day started off with a visit to the dentist's office. It was there that I found out that I have not one but two cavities - on either side of my mouth - and more than likely will have to have them filled separately. Boo!

It's not all gray skies and ugly puppies in Kim-ville. There are still things making me happy.

Food. I was just sort of staring blankly in the frozen food aisle on Monday, tired from our trip to Louisville. (Note to self: Taking a day off to recover from vacation was the best idea ever.) I had selected Mark's meals/lunches for the week and was trying to see if anything appealed to me. While they might not have been the M&M cookie ice cream sandwiches that looked so good, I decided to give the Morningstar Farms Grillers California Turk'y burger a try. Let me tell you - it was a good decision. I've enjoyed them all week on sandwich thins with a wedge of Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle and lettuce, tomato, onion and red pepper slices.

Fitness. It seemed like such a splurge but I bit the bullet this week and ordered the Brooks Nightlife Infiniti Half-Zip to wear on my early-morning runs. It ended up being $53.95 at Running Warehouse after clicking to the site from Skinny Runner and using the 10 percent discount. The pullover seems a bit ridiculous - I think I look like a bug in it - but it is bright. And visible in the dark. Safety first, I guess.

Life. I borrowed "Wicked" on audio book from the library to listen to on the way down to Louisville (I hate flipping through stations trying to find something decent.) I was a bit surprised at the raunchiness of the prose but have since found myself hooked on the story. After growing up to hate the Wicked Witch of the West, it's a bit odd to find this more likable side.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

What a loser

Pre-workout fuel: Life Banana Bread Walnut bar with peanut butter
Workout: 50 minutes "Biggest Loser: Power Sculpt" and 2+ mile walk with Denali.


Can you believe it? I'm on the cover Esquire magazine. Seriously. I am. Mark always tells me how great a cook sexy I am, and this is the photo he's been looking at while waiting for "Wheel of Fortune" to start. It must be. After all, the photo is labeled sexiest woman alive.

Anyway ... that's not what I'm here to talk about. I'm hear to throw in my 4 cents (yes, I get 4) about last night's "Biggest Loser."

You see, I was watching the second half of the show this morning as I ate my pumpkin chip pancakes and drank my coffee. I saw the weigh-in get thrown, Jillian getting all exasperated and the "Where Are They Now?" clip.

(Spoiler alert! Spoiler alert!)

Rick was looking awesome. He was down 120 pounds, eating good dinners with his family and playing with his grandchildren. Of course, those caught-on-camera moments are probably the only times he has seen his family since leaving the ranch.

The 54-year-old shared that since he's been home, he works out 1.5-2 hours before work, 1.5 hours after work, goes home and eats dinner and the heads back to the gym to workout for another 1.5 hours.

Hold. The. Phone. Seriously. That's up to FIVE HOURS a day of exercise. Count 'em: 1 ... 2 ... 3 ... 4 ... 5. And I've been thinking that the next two weeks of level 3 "Boot Camp"/"Power Sculpt" might be too time consuming at just shy of an hour when you factor in runs/walks with Denali and my desire to shower before work.

I don't know how he does it. More importantly, I don't know how he is going to keep doing it. One of the most important factors in any weight-loss effort is doing something that you can MAINTAIN over a lifetime. I exercise no differently now than I did when I was losing weight. I really don't eat that differently, either. I just eat more of the same things (and put chocolate chips in my pancakes).

What do you think? Do you consider Rick's efforts to be healthy, well, healthy?

I exercise because ...

Pre-workout fuel: "Grilled" cinnamon raisin English muffin with peanut butter
Workout: 45 minutes "Biggest Loser Bootcamp" and 2.2-mile walk with Denali

My grandma ... you can't help but love. I was chatting with her as I walked to the library, and she was discussing the young ladies she sees at the fitness center where she takes water aerobics. There was one woman in particular who caught her eye.

"Skinny as a rail," she said. "I don't know why she goes to exercise."

"Maybe the exercise is the reason she's skinny," I told her.

Pfft. She has to work - she leaves the place wearing heels, Grandma says. "I don't get it."

I do.

I exercise because ...

I like the definition that I see in my arms.

I like feeling in control of my body.

I can't stand to watch "The Doctors" in the morning.

It makes me feel invincible.

It gives me a reason to wear Lucy yoga pants.

Denali never lets me sleep in.

A good sweat can cure 99% of life's problems.

If you don't have health, what do you have?

It brings out my inner competitor.

It's a way of life.

Why do you exercise?

What's next?

Pre-workout fuel: Peanut butter bread
Workout: Ran 4.27 miles in 37 minutes, 31 seconds; average pace, 8:47.

I woke up this morning, hobbled out of bed, and went to the bathroom - the thinking room if there ever was one.

While most of my thoughts were trying to sort out an odd dream that involved wild critters invading my house and Denali munching on a raccoon, I did devote a moment or two to deciding on a workout for the day. I could do yoga and walk the dog. I could run with the dog. I could get out the bike. I could ...

Ugh. For the first-time in more than a year, I don't have a schedule dictating runs, paces, cross training. And, to be honest, I find it a bit unsettling. I like knowing what to do and when to do it. It works for me.

So I'm on the hunt for my next challenge though I don't know what it is.

What I do know:
*I need a break from the half-marathon and will sit out the rest of this calendar year in terms of that distance.
*A full marathon, while seemingly more possible after my showing at F4F, isn't a goal. IF I were to do one, I'd want to start training now and run in January and the idea of running 20+ miles in the winter isn't appealing.
*I want to stay in 10K shape and plan to run the River City Rat Race next month.
*I have neglected other forms of exercise in the interest of keeping running a priority, mainly lower body strength training. I tried Jillian Michaels' "Shred It With Weights" yesterday, and I've since had the privilege of being reacquainted with my inner thigh muscles.
*I am becoming increasingly curious about a set of DVDs being released by Bob Harper. The clips sort of remind me of a less intimidating P90X.

Speaking of "The Biggest Loser" trainers, did anyone catch last night's episode? I would so like to get in on those workouts! And the numbers? Insane.