Training + England

This week has been insane so far (I have so much to do before I leave for the great country of England on Friday night).

I did a quick (literally, 27 minute, 3 mile run) on Sunday morning and that's the last bit of activity I performed. I was very sore in my calves afterwards, so I took today off. Back to the grind tomorrow, though! I'd like to squeeze my workout in either before I go to my internship or after I come home from my night class. Hmmm...not sure what it'll be, but I would like for it to be an AM workout. They help me get powered up and focused for my day, plus I love how the workout is already over and done with.

So...I have a new addiction...

The Walking Dead-- AHH. I previously watched the first two episodes of season one and never really watched any more. I decided to sit down and watch some more episodes and now I'm onto Season 2 and I'm HOOKED! I have a feeling this will be a serious help on my long runs, especially if I do them on the treadmill :)

Anyways, Friday I go to the UK and I'm gone for a whole week! I'm so stoked, but of course I'm anxious and nervous. We'll be doing tons of walking (average 5-10 miles a day) so I don't have to worry too much about training ;) I figure it's a vacation!

I will absolutely try to post before then, but if not...I will definitely post after I come back!

Valentine's Day - Love Yourself

Valentine's Day has never really held much importance to me other than you either hate it or you love it. I personally enjoy the pink, purple and red hearts and I think that the idea of LOVE on Valentine's Day is beautiful. To me, Valentine's is a day of appreciation and kindness-- no hate allowed. Anyone can celebrate! You don't need a Valentine, you just need a positive outlook.

That's why, on Valentine's Day, I take the time to appreciate myself. I focus on the positive things in my life and I try not to dwell on the fact that my boyfriend has never once gotten me flowers EVER in the three Valentine's Days we have been dating and this Valentine's is not going to change this winning streak of his. Not bitter, not bitter at all. 

But really...we all need to hone in on the positive aspects of our health-- so why not love your body on Valentine's Day? 

If you're reading this on a computer screen, you have access to eyesight (and technology). If you're reading this, you are breathing. Your heart works, your lungs work and you are literate. You, my friends, are lucky. Some individuals are currently in a hospital bed, waiting for a heart transplant or some may be hooked up to a ventilator. 

I know I'm focusing on the internal aspects, but really, isn't that what counts? Yes, you still need to love yourself externally, but you need to appreciate that your internal organs are (hopefully) doing what they should be. 

Give your body a dose of appreciation today. Thank your body for what it does for you. In my case, I might just go for a run after work tonight and stretch it out really well! Ah, can't wait!

So, love it up!

The Cold, Day 8: there is hope.

My sniffles have subsided and after a solid two days of draining all the phlegm out of my body, I feel so much better.

I haven't had to take a nasal decongestant in well over 24 hours-- hooray! So this is real progress, everyone. This cold lasted a lot longer than I thought it was going to, but I'm so glad it's finally subsiding.

I just needed a few solid days of rest. I hope to be back to the crazy world of fitness sometime soon, but I'm not pushing it!

Stay healthy and sneeze, sniffle and cough-free!

Katie

Sniffles and Sickness and Sneezes-- Oh, my!

It's officially that time of year again...the hacking, sniffling, sneezing and coughing of post-holiday sickness. Whether you're battling the cold and slugging through your day-to-day activities or you're bed-ridden with a fever and body aches, you hate to admit your illness.

I'm the type of individual who will fight to the death as far as sicknesses go. I went to school/work with pneumonia in high school for an entire week without knowing it. I thought I had a "bad cold" at the time.

In order for me to stay in bed, I must be really, REALLY, sick.

I've been fighting this cold for a few days now (first noticed my throat was sore on Sunday) and today has been the worst. My throat is all mucousy, swollen and sore. I feel like I'm breathing out fire and my head feels like it's about to pop (it's getting better, thanks to decongestant).

Of course, this all happens at once-- when classes begin. How convenient...

I can easily say that this cold has knocked any semblance of healthy living out of me. I still eat fairly healthy, but exercising has been a no-go. I might try to walk on the treadmill tonight at the gym, but yoga is dreadful when sick (especially with a runny nose).

My best friends while I'm sick have been:

Tea

I've been an avid tea-drinker for a while now. While I do love the occasional coffee, tea helps SO MUCH when I'm under the weather. It's like a liquid hug. Add some honey and my throat feels better instantly.

Sleep

Oh, man...I love a great nap or a great night's sleep. The problem is, I'm busy and I'm a night owl...but I have been carving out time for naps, especially since I've been feeling cruddy.

Water

I try to drink a lot more water when I'm sick. The downside: I pee a WHOLE lot. However, I do feel loads better because I'm flushing all the gunk and toxins out of my body.

I hope these couple of tips helped y'all out. I don't always take medicine for colds, or vitamins, so I try not to falsify "what works for me" if I don't really do it. If I feel bad, I'll pop a few Ibuprofen or a decongestant pill. Sometimes, if it's really bad I'll take a multi-symptom pill, too. 

That's all for now. 

Stay sniffle-free,

Katie

New Year's Resolutions

Hi all,

I just want to start out by saying Happy New Year 2013!

This is my New Year's Resolution:

I'm not about to go shouting from the rooftops about New Years Resolutions, considering I never keep the concrete ones I make (except last year, I vowed to stop biting/picking my nails and I haven't picked/bit SINCE).

New Years Resolutions are ridiculous. They just are.

But, I make them anyway.

I just started journaling (last night) in an actual, real life journal using--wait for it-- a PEN! Goodness. So high-tech. I'm excited to keep myself on track physically, emotionally and mentally. No matter how exhausted I am I need to write one thing per day.

I just want to get to know myself better and try to figure out what I want to do with my life after college. So, we'll see!

In other news, my dad got me a gift certificate to a REAL YOGA STUDIO!!!! GASP!

I'm a little too excited about that.

 I've always practiced yoga at the YMCA (with basketballs bouncing and sneakers screeching above the ceiling tiles) so it will be refreshing to try something more intense!

Well, that's all for now!

Stay motivated, y'all!

Katie

When You REALLY have no time

Finals week, projects at work, family challenges, vacations, holidays, birthdays...these are all time-consuming events and usually leave little to no time for a workout. There are some things you can do to manage your time, stay productive and  multitask your way

Use Time Wisely

Using your time wisely is something that all individuals have difficulty with, especially if you're a beginner when it comes to exercising.

I try to make some time in between school, work and going home to hit the gym, but there are many days where it is just not meant to be. It helps to have a gym that is convenient for you. It's even a larger plus if your gym/fitness center is on your way to work or school.

I try my best to bring shower supplies/change of clothes with me. I usually keep at least a pair of sneakers and a change of workout clothes in my car-- just in case workout inspiration strikes! If you have somewhere to go right after, maximize your workout time by showering at your fitness facility instead of running home and grabbing a shower.

Productive Procrastination

Do you have cleaning to do around your home? How about school work or a work project, do you not want to do that? Don't want to go home and cook dinner? Then, try to workout.

This is a great mental strategy to adopt and it truly helps me. I give myself the option of working out or doing schoolwork almost all the time. Yes, I know, I avoid schoolwork -- bad-- but I make sure to do something productive like workout. I often find my mind cleared from the stress and I am more focused when I reapproach my assignments and studying.

Multitask!

Sometimes, getting a workout in is just NOT POSSIBLE. It's an unfortunate issue, I know.

How I solve this:

• Calf raises in the shower / while brushing my teeth.
• Park far away and walk!
• Take the stairs instead of elevator and RUN up them.
• Stand instead of sit.

So, you don't need to workout to be healthier! All you need is a few ideas on how to change up your routine and you'll see a change. Of course, getting active and making time for a workout is extremely important, but some days it doesn't happen!

Stay in motion,

Katie

Gobble, Gobble!

 Ah, the savory smells of roasted turkey linger in the kitchen. The fluffy, hot mashed potatoes are sitting on the table. Cranberry sauce is ready for consumption. Pumpkin pie and ice cream are all set for dessert.

The problem is you’re trying to eat healthy! All these smells wafting from a relative’s kitchen (or more dangerously, your own) will be tempting.

Here are some tips on how to eat healthy and keep in check come turkey time:

• Keep your plate colorful. This is the best way to avoid a carb overload! Too much bread, potatoes and stuffing (beige food) can be a bad thing. Try to fill your plate with nutritious options first like carrots, peas, corn, string beans, spinach, asparagus, salad, cranberry sauce, or sweet potatoes. Then fill in your plate with the carbohydrates!
•  Eat slow. Eat less. The idea of eating slow (allowing 10-12 seconds between loading another forkful of food into your mouth) gives your stomach time to realize it’s full. Your brain will get the signal to stop eating before you overindulge.
•  Choose only what you really want. This is a great way to “rank” your food. Take what you really want on your plate and put the rest aside. Ask yourself, “Will I eat all of this?” and "Do I really want this, or is there something I like more?"
•  Don’t load up on unhealthy hors d’oeuvres and appetizers. First, Eat small amounts of appetizers. Yes, the Ruffles chips and onion dip that my family serves are sinfully delicious, but is it healthy to load my plate up on just that? No. It’s not! I’ve got an entire plate of delicious Thanksgiving goodness that only comes once a year. If you can't resist those unhealthy options, just eat small amounts and you can always indulge on a fruit or veggie platter instead!
• Live a little! You may not feel guilty about overindulging once you start eating, but come Black Friday, you might have a case of the post-Thanksgiving blues. Try not to think about it. Most likely your Thanksgiving overindulgence only lasted one day, or one evening. Keep that in mind! 

I find that it’s best to just let the holiday be exactly that—a holiday. Don’t count calories or force any strange healthy options down your loved one’s throats. Thanksgiving will not sabotage your healthy lifestyle unless you allow it to. Come Monday, get back in the swing of healthy eating and activity! You will be just fine! Your healthy life will resume at some point, I promise!

Happy gobbling your Thanksgiving meal!

Katie

Motivational Moments

I just want to give to one of my favorite fitness bloggers, Allie, a sincere congratulations on completing her first marathon (and first race). Check out her recap here.

Allie is a perfect model of setting a goal for yourself and reaching it. She documented the bumps along the way, but she crossed the finish line!

I'm setting a tentative goal for myself...

I want to run the Philadelphia Rock and Roll Half Marathon in September 2013!

13.1, babies!

I told myself, once I run a half marathon I can buy this beautiful piece of running gear/technology as my reward.

It'll happen one day and I hope in September 2013!

My advice would be to set a goal for yourself and don't cheat! If your goal is to lose 20 pounds, your present to yourself isn't a night out for ice cream and pizza. Try a spa day or a shopping spree! Your body goes through a lot, so you're better off treating your body right rather than sabotaging your fitness feats.

Happy goal setting!

Katie