Welcome Back

I have sat down to write this post about half a dozen times, trying to explain why this blog (and my other one) has been inactive for so long. Life got busy. Real busy. The last three weeks of school were incredibly rough on me emotionally and physically. I was wearing myself out with all of the work that needed to be done, and of course the blog took the back seat. Then summer came and I was just so happy to finally be able to rest that I couldn’t bring myself to write anything.

But I have waited long enough. I am back.

Well, kinda.

On Tuesday my full-time summer job started. I am working as a staff supervisor at a camp in southern Wisconsin. Even though I have free time in the evenings, internet connection is spotty. I will most likely have time to write, but the posts may not be published at regular intervals. I’m not a big fan of that, but it is what it is.

I realize that I dropped off the map right after introducing the Dorm Cooking Basics mini-series. Since I am on a break from school until the end of August it seems a bit weird to post about cooking in a dorm room right now. So that series of posts will be saved until the fall semester.

In the mean time, you can look forward to posts about my first 5K (over a month ago now!), camp food, crazy outdoor games with campers, the beach, and anything else that happens to pop into my brain.

Thanks for being patient during my break.

Here’s to fresh starts and brighter days,

Dorm Cooking Basics: The Food

Welcome to my new mini-series, Dorm Cooking Basics!

My new lifestyle began toward the end of my sophomore year of college. I have spent the last year looking for ways to make eating smart easier. It would be easy for me to make excuses during this particular season of my life. After all, most microwavable meals are NOT healthy and the chocolate chip cookies at my university’s to-go services are so. freaking. good.

But I decided not to let those excuses hold me back. I have been learning and trying new things, and this mini-series is my way of sharing what I have learned with you. Most of my readers have busy schedules like me, but they also have full-sized kitchens and many more appliances at their disposal. So take a look at my basics, create some basics of your own, and stick to them. No excuses anymore, mkay?

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Today’s focus is on five basic foods I always have on hand for dorm meals. Let’s dig in!

1. Multi-Grain English MuffinsThis basic is something I picked up recently. Prior to this I had been buying loaves of whole wheat bread. The downside was that I just didn’t seem to get through a loaf quick enough before it was gross. For some reason, I eat English muffins much quicker.
I use these for breakfast sandwiches (my new favorite), spread with a bit of peanut butter, or with cream cheese topped off with some sliced strawberries. So good!

2. EggsGood news: you CAN make scrambled eggs in the microwave! I’ll whisk one up with a fork and microwave it in a small ceramic ramekin I picked up from Target. Then it’s a quick minute and a half in the microwave. The ramekin makes my eggs into the perfect size and shape for breakfast sandwiches. How fun is that! :)

3. Greek YogurtThis has got to be one of the most versatile foods for dorm meals. I honestly go through a big tub weekly because I use Greek yogurt for just about everything. My favorites include topping it with fruit and granola, mixing in peanut butter and chocolate chips, or putting it in smoothies.

4. Quick 1-Minute OatsOatmeal is another food with great potential. I could seriously eat the stuff every day, multiple times a day (and I have!). Some of the best mix-ins I have found are bananas and maple syrup, peanut butter and bananas, peanut butter and chocolate chips, and applesauce and cinnamon. Yumm!

5. FruitOne of the great things about my school’s dining hall is that they allow you to take out one dessert or one fruit after each meal. You’re crazy if you don’t take advantage of that! I use all of that fresh fruit on its own as a snack or cut up for yogurt, smoothies, and cereal.

Those are just a few basics. I also have milk, cereal, and peanut butter in my room at all times. These simple things go a long way. I am so excited to be able to share some of my favorite dorm room recipes with you soon!

Question of the Day: What foods do you always have in your fridge/on the shelf?

Until next time,

5K Goals

Not many people know this, but my first 5K is coming up in less than two weeks. My first 5K, guys. My hear gets all fluttery just thinking about it. I am so stinking excited.

All of my preparation has been leading to this, and it’s crazy to think that it is so close. I just started the C25K program last week, didn’t I? Nope. It has been WEEKS and now it’s almost time to put my hard work into practice.

As I began to think about prepping for the run, I wanted to set a goal for finishing time. But I realized I didn’t even know what a realistic goal would look like for myself. So this morning I got on the treadmill and decided to see how long it would take me to complete those 3.1 miles.

A few things to mention: the above time includes a 5 minute warm-up walk. This is a treadmill. Running outside is not the same as running on a treadmill. The above time is the result of running at a mostly steady pace of 6mph. I may be good, but I know I am not yet at the point where I can maintain a steady 6mph pace outdoors.

Taking those things into consideration, my goal is to finish under or around 34:00 on the day of the run.

So now that I have a finishing time in mind, I can move forward with more preparing and planning. For my running friends, what advice do you have in preparing for a race? What things can I do in the next week and a half? What things should I do the morning of the race?

Until next time,

Fresh Air

Spring decided to make an appearance this week!

Fortunately, I only had three days of classes because of Easter Break, and during those three days I had very little homework. This meant I had a bunch of free time to enjoy the weather.

On Friday, Adam and I went for a walk.

And got some fro-yo afterward. (My favorite treat!)

The forecast for next week looks like a few more cold days, so I’m glad we took advantage of the warmth while it was here. Now I am looking forward to even warmer days so I can take out my rollerblades again!

Question of the Day: What outdoor activity do you like to do when it gets warm? Answer in the comments!

Here’s to brighter (and warmer) days,

My Three Rules for Lifting

Okay, so they’re not really MY rules.

Between celebrating Easter with my family, being home for the first time in three months, and planning new things for April, I have been busy. So I asked my friend Dave from Be Relentless 24/7 to do a guest post.

Dave received his Bachelor’s Degree in Sports and Wellness Management and is currently working as a trainer with Impact Sports Performance. He recently became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist. Be sure to check out his blog and tap into his wealth of information and advice.

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For some folks getting to the gym and working out can be a journey of epic proportions. Like that of Frodo and Sam trying to destroy the one ring by throwing it in the fires of Mount Doom - But once you’re there you realize that was only half the battle. You know these machines, contraptions, and objects are supposed to get you healthier but you have no idea where to begin; not to mention they look like something that Saruman used to make his Urik Hai –Sorry I kind of like Lord of the Rings.

For other people – you know these machines will get you healthier, but your results have stalled… It becomes hard for you to get back to the gym, and the once good habit has all but been deflated faster than balloon being played with by a porcupine.

Well no matter you’re exercise experience; beginner, intermediate, advanced, etc. it’s always important to go back to the fundamentals. And well, I put the “fun” in fundamentals. Maybe the “mental”… but in any case I’m going to present my three rules for lifting, and these apply to EVERYONE.

Disclaimer; I have a fourth rule, but it’s all encompassing for any exercising, and that is get mobile, but that is a whole other post in its own

Rule number 1 – We do not talk about fight… Sorry losing my train of thought… My first rule is master bodyweight exercises first. I’ve worked with clients ranging from people wanting to lose 60lbs to Professional level athletes and they all have one thing in common – they’re body is their greatest tool. So when it comes to lifting I tell people to avoid the free weights until they can do 10 good looking pushups (perfect will come later), 10 body weight squats, 1 pull up, and hold a plank for at least 15seconds. This will help prepare you to truly achieve the physique, and health you want. Even help reduce your risk of injury by lifting.

Rule number 2 – Learn good technique. So you’ve mastered your body weight, and you finally have the bravery to ignore the meat head doing countless bicep curls and want to start moving weight. Well now you will learn proper technique: I will never let anyone lift if I feel they’re going to hurt themselves. I’d rather you have perfect technique before hurting yourself any day. Good technique will actually get you stronger faster, and ensure a life time of lifting heavy. It takes time at first, and at first learning good technique can actually be a workout in itself. But once you get the hang of it you’re finally ready Daniel San – Karate Kid anyone? -

Rule number 3 – Get strong! No matter what your goals are you must eventually get strong in order to achieve said goals. Bottom line; don’t be scared to pick up heavy stuff - with good technique of course. But in my mind, at the end of the day strength is the oldest and truest mark of fitness. You want to be a faster cross country runner? Get strong. Want to get a better physique? Get strong. Getting stronger may be your ultimate goal, or it may be a supplement to your ultimate goal, but regardless it should be involved in any exercise program.

There you have it, follow these three rules, and you’ll be well on your way towards being a fitter, healthier, and more awesome you.

Until next time, be relentless, and never settle

-Dave

Wishful Thinking

I have been doing my workouts in shorts this week as a means of protesting the very un-Spring-like weather.

I live in the Midwest, so I’m not about to complain about the weather. It’s totally normal for it to be cold in March. But wishful thinking is okay, right?

Looking forward to brighter (and warmer) days,

Running is a Mental Sport

It’s been a while, but I’m back in action! France was wonderful for my soul. I truly believe that taking care of yourself needs to extend beyond the things you do for your physical body. If you’re not healthy emotionally and mentally, your physical health doesn’t mean as much.

That being said, this post will be an attempt to draw a connection between mental and physical activity. Here we go!

Most of you know I have been working my way through the Couch to 5K training program. Starting out, I could not call myself a runner by any stretch of the imagination. I remember doing distance running in track my senior year of high school. I quit after three days. It was not fun.

So when I decided that I wanted to start running this year I knew I would be facing some hurdles.

The first four weeks of the nine week program went smoothly. I worked my way up from doing 1 minute running intervals to eventually doing 5 minute intervals. After every run I felt good about what I had just accomplished. And then came week five.

Week five had me doing eight minute intervals, which was intimidating enough since I had never run for eight minutes in a row EVER. But I did it, and it actually seemed pretty easy. Unfortunately, the last day of week five calls for a five minute warm up walk, followed by a twenty minute run, and finished up with a five minute cool down walk. TWENTY MINUTES. I was terrified.

I put up a post on Fitocracy about how nervous I was for this one. I received so much encouragement from people who have successfully gone through the program. They assured me that while it looks scary on paper, the twenty minute run isn’t as bad as it seems. I was confident that my body could handle it, but I was really looking at a mental hurdle. The true test would be whether I could overcome my fear of this thing.

And I did. I woke up at seven this morning and I killed it. As I finished the last thirty seconds of the run, I must have looked like the biggest goofball. I had a huge smile on my face because I was so proud. Proud of what my body was capable of, yes, but mostly proud of my willpower to overcome fear and intimidation.

Recognizing that running is more than just physical determination, but mental determination as well, made me think about how many times I have made excuses and held myself back. How many times have I claimed that I physically can’t do something when it was really just an issue of errors in thinking?

In light of these events and realizations, I am determined not to let my brain hold me back. I am going to set goals and run at them.

Looking forward to brighter days,

Taking a Sick Day

Ughhh, I have been dealing with an ugly cold since Friday.

Normally I’m all for pushing through discomfort and challenging myself to workout even when I don’t feel like it, but this time I knew I needed to listen to my body. That meant no morning run today.

My body is thanking me, and I’m sure all my fellow gym-goers are thanking me for not coughing/sniffling/sneezing all over everything.

Anyway, the plan for today is tea and (maybe) some yoga. Hopefully I’ll be back in the fitness center Wednesday morning!

The Challenge to Change

One thing I have noticed is that it is really easy to hit a plateau and get discouraged. When you’re still working hard and eating well but you don’t see any victories, scale or otherwise, it’s hard to keep going. But in my experience with plateaus, both my own and others’, I have learned that the best thing you can do is to change it up.

You have to challenge yourself. Push beyond what has become normal to something that makes you uncomfortable.

That’s why I have decided to switch up some things with my diet and exercise plans. I haven’t quite figured out what those changes will look like, but I know I want it to be something that challenges me. Of course, I am open to suggestions.

Question of the Day: What is the last thing you did to challenge yourself?

To My Goal Weight and Beyond!

I did it, I did it, I did it! I hit my goal weight!

After eight and a half months of hard work I am officially down 32 pounds, taking me BEYOND my goal weight of 150. That’s right, when I set goals I don’t just reach them –I exceed them.

I recently asked what I should do to celebrate this achievement. You all had a lot of really great ideas! I have decided that after I get back from my trip next month I will be buying myself a new bathing suit. Something new to show off the hard work (although I tend to pick suits that are on the more conservative side). I’m thinking about this one.

If you have read my 2013 Fitness Goals post you know that 150 isn’t my stopping point. When I started this journey, that number sounded good to me. I can’t remember the last time I was this light. Early high school? Middle school maybe? But now that I reached it, I realize that I can and want to go farther.

I know that I can push myself harder. I have just scratched the surface of all that I am capable of doing. After giving it some serious consideration, doing research on healthy weight ranges, and realistically considering how much work I am willing to put in, I have set a new goal for myself: 135.

It will be fun to keep up with this forward motion. Even if I never make it to the next goal weight, I am happy knowing that these lifestyle changes are not impossible. I am more than satisfied with how far I have already come.

I will try to keep up with the encouragement and the stories as so many of you have encouraged and shared your stories with me. Will you continue on this journey with me? The road may be long, but travel is more fun with friends. :)

Here’s to brighter days ahead!

A Cold and Quiet Morning

You know what I like more than an early morning run? A walk through the snowy trees before my early morning run.

Campus was so quiet and calm this morning. No one was out and about yet since we don’t have classes today. It was my time to take a deep breath, gather my thoughts, and take everything in. My alone time. My peaceful time.

And to think that I would have missed this if I didn’t have the discipline to get up early and run.

Ice Cream and Bacon and Burgers, Oh My!

Hello bright eyes! I haven’t posted in a week-ish, and in that week I experienced a setback. This setback took the form of SuperBowl food. That’s right: bacon, pigs in a blanket, burgers, and ice cream. How can something so wrong taste so right?

Anyway, my encounter with ice cream on Sunday night left me craving sweets for the next three days. My body was practically demanding sugar every few hours. And I had extra ice cream in the freezer, so I gave in. I admit it: I’m weak.

But that is in the past. Today is a new day, and I am refocusing. This is Week 3 of my Couch to 5K plan and those mornings in the fitness center still feel good. I am trying to wean myself off of the sweets until I get back to the point at which my body no longer craves them. That isn’t easy with all of the Valentine’s candy that has begun to find its way to me. My willpower is obviously being tested.

I’m just trying to take the journey one decision at a time right now, because that’s all I really can do. I’m going to make some stupid mistakes sometimes (SuperBowl food was a stupid mistake), but that doesn’t mean I should give up. Fall down seven times, get up eight, right?

2013 Fitness Goals

1. Reach First Goal Weight

When I first started this lifestyle change I had a goal in mind…150. For the last three weeks I have been hovering right around 155, and I really want those last five pounds to disappear ASAP. So that’s my first goal for the year. And when that’s done (because it WILL be done), it will be time to set a new goal. I am still deciding how to reward myself for hitting that first goal. Any ideas?

2. Run a 5K

I never would have thought that I could be capable of running 3.1 miles, especially when it was difficult for me to run 1/4 mile straight in high school for our tennis warm-ups. Is it crazy that running a 5K sounds super fun to me now? Even more fun is the idea of participating in the Color Run this summer. But I’m going to do it. Registration opens on Friday and you better believe I’m signing up that very day. I am already on week two of the Couch to 5K running plan, and I plan on signing up for the Habitat For Humanity Habitrot 5K this spring.

3. Do More Yoga

I have seen so many pictures of nearly-impossible-looking yoga poses and I want to do them so bad! On days when I’m not running, I try to squeeze in some Jillian Michael’s Yoga Meltdown. This isn’t merely stretching. It’s yoga that makes you sweat. I love it! I’m trying to teach myself as much as I can via the internet, but I would really love to take a class somewhere.

4. Sit Down Less

Ugh, I spend way way way too much time on my butt. I sit in class, I sit in meetings, I sit at my desk to do homework, I sit and watch TV with Adam, I sit and played Bejeweled Blitz (it’s my guilty pleasure), I sit and watch hours of Netflix. I have a serious problem. So the plan is to spend more of my free time doing something fun that requires me to be active. That might mean taking a walk around campus, more skating dates with Adam, mall-walking, playing tennis and rollerblading (when it gets warmer), or inviting my friends to come to the fitness center with me.

5. Keep Blogging

Finally, I want to keep up with this blog. I realize that when times get busy it might be hard to post updates as often as I have been, but I don’t want to give up completely. Putting myself out here in this way is incredibly motivating for me. I work harder when I know there’s an audience, when there’s someone to keep me accountable. Not just for me, I have already heard from some of you about the encouragement you have received from my story. I want to continue to be here for you and run right alongside you. I’m in this for the long haul.

New Gear

After babysitting so much last week I took some time to go shopping and spoil myself. Does anyone have the problem of walking into Target and losing all of your money? Yes? Me too. Fortunately, they had some awesome sales/clearance which this college girl loved. Check out some of my purchases:

Those shoes were only $9! I had been considering buying new tennis shoes, and these are so cute! Over the summer I bought a water bottle from Old Navy and the straw mechanism didn't work so I had to deal with twisting the cap off every time I wanted a drink. It was kind of inconvenient. So when I saw that Target had Camelbaks on sale for $12, I jumped on the deal and picked up this purple one.

Buying new things for working out is starting to become more fun than buying real clothes. Who knew? :)

A Look the Obesity Epidemic

I stumbled upon this TED Talk by chef Jamie Oliver, and I knew I needed to share it with all of you. I believe the first step toward life change is education. Watch this, educate yourself, take a look at your choices, and make a change.

Wednesday Morning

Hit the fitness center early today (7am).

I love getting my workouts done in the morning.
I have so much energy for the rest of the day!

Fitness Sites to Follow

Hello lovelies! For today’s post I thought I would share with you some websites that have played a big role in my fitness journey. Hopefully you find them as helpful as I did (do)!

Fitocracy is an online community in which members can log workouts, join groups, ask questions, and give/receive encouragement. Members are challenged to live more active lifestyles by gaining points for every activity they complete with the goal of “leveling up” with the more points they accumulate.

This site motivates me to work out because I get excited to see which activities will rack up the highest points. It has been such an encouragement along the way as followers give me “props” (similar to the Facebook concept of “likes”) for workouts and give me feedback whenever I have questions. Getting involved in a community like this is helpful because it allows me to see what other people are doing and how I might be able to apply those things to my own fitness journey. Find me with the username: brittanybelieve

Myfitnesspal is a website (and app) that allows users to track their daily food intake. Users set goals (weight-loss, maintaining weight, weight gain) and the site gives suggestions for daily caloric intake and calories burned each week through cardiovascular activity. These goals can be pre-set by the site or customized by the user.

MFP has been one of the biggest factors in my fitness journey so far. Getting an accurate picture of what was going into my body was humbling at first. I was eating far more than I should have been. As I began to think more carefully about what I was eating every day, it became easier to make better nutrition choices. Now, I often find myself being able to enjoy a small treat while still staying within my daily calorie limit. Once again, find me with the username: brittanybelieve

Blogilates is a website run by Pilates instructor Cassey Ho. Cassey records her own Pilates videos and posts them to her site and YouTube. The site also includes features such as recipes, meal plans, and workout calendars. Site visitors can search for workouts that are full-body or cardio or targeted to specific parts of the body (i.e. upper body, lower body, abs).

I love love love Cassey’s videos. Some are shorter than others, allowing me to have a quick workout or to watch several videos in a row to get a better burn. Cassey’s fun and girly personality shines through in her instructing, but the workouts are still challenging enough for me. Head over there and check out some of her videos for yourself. My favorite is POP Kicks: Total Body Cardio Kickboxing.

What about you? What are your favorite fitness sites?

The Road So Far

I have always thought of myself as a chubby kid. Even though I was in softball, dance, and skating I saw myself as the biggest girl on the team. In the beginning it didn’t bother me. But middle school and high school came, and along with that came the whispers and the comments. I wasn’t happy with my body. I didn’t feel beautiful and I lacked confidence.

                I got to college and faced depression and late night trips to Taco Bell. One day during my sophomore year I got on the scale and was taken aback by the number I saw. I was disappointed in myself. I had been gaining weight every year since high school and I was tired of it. It was time to change.

It started with little things like doing Zumba with my suitemates and choosing to pass on dessert. Then there were things that took more discipline like getting up early to work out before class and writing down everything I ate. I had really good days and I had really bad days, but I kept going. After about seven months of carefully tracking my eating habits, workouts, and weight I was down 20lbs.

                Now that I am closer than ever to my goal weight, I want to step it up. I’m learning more about my body and how to nourish and move it. There are a ton of resources out there to take advantage of as I continue making these lifestyle changes. I am researching and goal-setting and working. And I am inviting you to join me.

Looking forward to brighter and lighter days,