Where do you relax?

March Photo Challenge Day 31: Where you relax

I can't believe today is the last day of March. The word relax is something I rarely have time for. So for me it is not necessarily where but what...

A Cup of green tea... The one I am having here is the blueberry flavor by Celestial Seasonings. I love their tea. Great flavors and taste. They often taste like a treat and they are zero calories. Double yum.

I also really like to read if I am relaxing. I really love that now days we have so many options. I do like being able to have the option of not buying a book. I just finished the audible version of the first Hunger Games book and now I am reading an electronic version of book two in the series...

Do you read? Which method? What is the last book you really enjoyed?

Today I am relaxing because tonight I am headed to this....

What would you do with $640 million?

March photo challenge Day 30: Toy

Just in case you missed it, which I highly doubt you did, tonights Mega Millions drawing is somewhere around $640 million dollars. I am pretty sure we all agree we could be set if we won. Yes there is all the technicalities with which option you would take. Who you would call first? What you would really do....Although I do not think there is any chance I will win or anyone I know will win its hopeful thinking. So what toy would you buy. I am not a toy person but here are a few things I would love to do if I won...

Pay off this:


And this:

Take Care of these people:

Bucket list would also include
Move somewhere that has warmer weather
Run some of the major marathons (yes I would keep running)
I would never cook again
I might actually become a vegetarian (it would be must more affordable)
I would shop at places like whole foods much more often
Donate to the University of Cincinnati
Attend opening day every year for the Cincinnati Reds
Lets face it I am a sports junkie so I would go to ever baseball park in the United States
I might even buy one these instead of a house
Continue to figure out a way to inspire others to get what they want out of life.
Hire someone much smarter than me with money.
Who doesn't love a nice boat on open water?
Go the Europe and Hawaii and many other places I have never been
I must visit the Original in German

I would totally get one of these though because right now I refuse to waste my money

Most of all I would be lean on this guy to keep in check...

What would you do with $640 Million Dollars?

Feet.... Gross

March Photo Challenge Day 29: Feet

Gross dry feet with the never going away wart

To me there is nothing more gross than feet. In fact if you even put your feet near me I get grossed out. I have full respect for those who give pedicures for living. There are probably a million jobs I am not qualified for but this one just isn't worth being paid to do if you ask me. I have received many pedicures in my day. Since becoming a runner I have been hesitant to get them. I don't want anyone messing up my feet at this point.

Seriously I need to paint these toenails

The only thing I can say about my feet... they are typical runners feet. Dry and in desperate need of some of my lotion that I really love from Avon. They are not quite as bad as many runners feet. I have never lost toenail and don't have totally disgusting feet. I do have a small "wart" on my right foot that really doesn't want to go away. Although my toenails are no black they are fairly fragile from all the abuse and seriously need repainted before I drag my sandals back out. The key most of us is proper care... Here for a great article about foot care from Runners World.


Today's run was 5 miles. It was perfect running weather but it must have been too "cool" for bikers and walkers. The trail was fairly quite this afternoon. Even thought I was listening to my new audio book: Hunger Games which I just can't get enough of and now I am excited to go see the movie... I knew this was the topic since I looked it up earlier today and all i could think about was admit was how utterly badly I need new shoes. Good shoes and socks are one of the keys to not getting hurt... I love the shoes I bought for shorter distances but they are not going to cut it for my longer distance runs that are coming this summer as I prepare for my marathon.

Is there anything worse that feet?

Take out the trash

March Photo Challenge Day 28: Trash

Today I went for a 6 mile run. Alone. Collecting my thoughts. Out on the runs I often spot a lot of garbage and it makes me sad to think we discard so much garbage without thinking. I knew before going on my run that today's blog topic was trash. I wish I had been able to take a picture but I don't carry a camera or my phone while out running so I couldn't get a picture of all the garbage that I saw today. So here is what I started to think about....

"Absorb what is useful, discard what is not, Add what is uniquely your own." Bruce Lee



Sometimes we just have to rid ourselves of what is tempting us from the finding the success we want. It is not always easy. I tend to catch myself from time to time over doing things that make my struggle for maintenance difficult. It was candy corn in the fall. That lead to eating wayyyy to many grapes shortly after. I also fell back into my serious diet pop fixes. However fall ended and at one point I threw away about a half a bag of candy corn. I haven't bought grapes in about a month because I was tempted by them every time I opened the fridge. I gave up the diet pop for lent. I have not had one in weeks. The bonus is that I am up to about 80-100 ounces of water per day.


What needs to be discarded from your life so you can find success?

That's my name

March Photo Challenge Day 27: Your Name


We don't get to decide or name but we do get to decide what it stands for... Sometimes we are proud to see our name(Google your name for entertainment.).... This is one of my most proud moments.

University of Cincinnati Diploma

They say there are moments that shape who we will become in life. I always think to a live version of a country song by Brad Paisley. He talks about writing a letter to himself. In the live version he
jokes about high school not being the best years of our lives but that well college is different. I think that there is another deeper meeting we can learn from this song. I was so proud of myself the day I walked across that stage and officially became alumni. College was a great experience but I've learned since then that there are always be more that shape us. I do know this...

"Never too late, never too bad, never too sick to start from scratch once again." Bikram Choudhury

 If you could have written a letter to yourself the day you joined weight watchers and you could read it today what would it say? What do you need to be reminded of?

What is the key?

March photo challenge day 26: Key

Here are the keys to my life

Car Key: Gets me where I need to go. Sometimes it seems like you will never get to your goal. What are you will to do to get there. Sometimes this key is misplaced and we forget where we are going. Here something to remember..."Action is the foundational key to all success" Pablo Picasso
What actions are you willing to take tomorrow?



House Key: The one place we can control. This should be the place we set ourselves up for the most success.
"Love begins by taking care of the closest ones-the ones at home" Mother Teresa
This includes yourself. Love yourself. Take care of yourself.
Believe you can achieve.

Lifetime member Key: "Success comes in all sizes. So whatever you attempt, regardless of the task at hand, do it the best that anyone has ever seen" Napoleon Hill.
The final key I always carry around is the key Weight Watchers gave me the day I became a lifetime member. It took a lot of hard work and commitment to receive. This key cannot be bought and it doesn't open one single thing. It represents a major commitment and has forever changed my life. What are you willing to commit to get the final key to complete your ring of keys?

Breakfast

March Photo Challenge Day 25: Breakfast

Who doesn't love breakfast? Today I didn't know this would be the topic from my blog but here was my pre-run breakfast

Pre-Run Breakfast
2 pieces healthy life bread
2 tbsp PB2
1 small banana
1 Quaker Granola Bar (Oatmeal Raisin)

Obviously not my favorite breakfast but the perfect balance when headed out for a run. Sometimes I double up on my PB2... today I forgot.



I didn't have coffee before my run today because I didn't get my butt out of bed quickly enough.




During the run I had about 5 pieces of these. I love them and they don't bother my stomach when I run. One of things I also really like about eating the Mangoes is that they are actual food. Many runners like chomps, jelly beans, candy or even gu but they are just not easy enough of my stomach.

Here was my post 12 mile run breakfast

1 Gatorade Recover Mango-Pineapple flavor (I do not recommend) The other berry flavor I had was much better. This kind said it had real fruit flavors. Well they were gross.
1 cup of coffee with 2.5oz of Almond Milk (this is my new favorite coffee creamer substitute)











What did you have for breakfast today?
What is your favorite breakfast?

Cheetah

So they say the fastest "animal" in the world is a cheetah (March photo challenge Day 24: Animal).
According to what I read here, the fastest animal became a cheetah the the Cincinnati Zoo named Sara who covered 100 meters in 6.13 seconds. If my math is correct (I am really bad at math I can't lie) then this cheetah could run 8 miles in slightly less than 22 minutes.

Not a cheetah... Me after running today

Today I ran 8.13 miles as part of the Kal-Haven Trail Run Relay Race in Michigan. It goes from Kalamazoo to South Haven Michigan. We had 18 people total and were separated into 3 teams of 6. I am not a cheetah and it too me much longer than the cheetah would have to run this leg of the race. I did run really well by my standards today and really felt like Sara the cheetah. Enjoy these pictures I took today that hopefully show how great it was to be running with these awesome people today.

All 18 of us.... we ran 3 groups of 6

My 6 person team

Cheers to a job well done!

Don't let another sunset or moon rise

Photo Challenge Day 23: Moon

Here is a wonderful clip art Moon... lets face it with rain there is no moon in the sky today.

Yesterday I read a link to an article from a running friend of mine Rick that Indiana was the 15th most obese state in the United States(click here to read full article). My home state of Ohio ranks 13th, my father lives in West Virginia who ranks 3rd and another state where a good portion of my family lives Kentucky ranks 6th. I found it almost sad that I haven't discussed this more on my blog. I love being an inspiration to others but there are many more out there like my running buddy Rick.

Rick is a great inspiration he has lost over 100 pounds and all he did was adapt a new lifestyle and began to move more. Click Here to read about my friend Rick and his weight loss success. I really love his motto if I can do it you can to. I really truly believe if you commit nothing can stop you. In fact this weekend Rick and I are part of 3 teams of 6 who will run a 33 mile relay race from Kalamazoo to Westville Michigan. Do you think Rick or myself ever thought we would be part of such a wild adventure?

What is stopping you? If you really want to commit yourself to the weight loss you can. Do not let anything hold you back from reaching your goals. Do not let the sunset or the moon rise tonight. Start today with a plan and do not let anything hold you back.

Remember this... "You are braver thank you think, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." Christopher Robin

What will do commit to starting today?

Pizza for him and her

Who doesn't love pizza?

The march photo challenge today was kitchen sink. Here is a photo of one of the recipes near my kitchen sink I was working on.

Dinner For Him
 I found this recipe from the same blog as the green monster... Iowa Girl Eats. I really liked that she adapted the idea from seeing bagel bites at Costco. Of course that made my think of my bagel bite loving boyfriend. So I made these for him:
Mushroom Cap Pizza Bites I also used the black olives because my boyfriend does like black olives. I used a pepperoni flavored pizza sauce I already had.

Mine didn't turn out as pretty as Iowa girl but boyfriend liked them and that is always a success.

Dinner For Her:
My dinner is brought to you by Recipe Girl 
Cauliflower crusted Pizza:

Cauliflower Crust

I used about half a head of cauliflower (enjoyed some as a snack while cooking)
The spices I used were pizza flavoring, oregano and Italian seasoning blend. Instead of 1 large egg I used egg beaters since that is all I had on hand.
 As well as about 1/3 cup Mexican Style Cheese (weight watchers) This was all I had on hand.

I didn't put the Canadian bacon on mine but I love pineapple. My toppings were pineapple and mushrooms. Then I topped it with the Mexican blend cheese. I used the same sauce that I used for the mushroom recipe.

The entire pizza was 8 Points Plus values. Not pretty but yummy

Do you  have any pizza substitutes that you really like? What do you think of these recipes?

Delicious

March Photo Challenge Day 21: Delicious

My friend Sara sent me the link to this recipe and I had always thought of trying and when she told me how good it was I knew I had to. The recipe is thanks for one of my favorite recipe blogs Iowa Girl Eats. She refers to it as her diet secret weapon. I didn't have all of the ingredients but I knew it would be a great substitute for dinner when I get home so late on Tuesdays.

The Green Monster


1 slice frozen banana (I didn't have frozen one so I sliced up a banana and added a few ice cubes)
1 Tablespoon Peanut Butter (I totally forgot to put this in)
1/2 Cup Greek Vanilla Yogurt (I used Fat Free plain and 1 tsp of Vanilla)
1 Cup of  Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Breeze Milk (I used Fat Free Milk because that's all I had)
Fill Blender with 4 cups fresh spinach (more or less)
Start blender and let it all blend together well.


It came to 4 points plus values since I forgot the peanut butter otherwise it would be about 6 points plus values. The best part is if you are not really a breakfast eater this is a great substitute. If you are ever in a hurry on the go this would also be a great quick meal. 


Would you try the green monster? How would you modify it? Do you have any similar recipes I should try?

Before and After

March Photo Challenge Day 20: Before and After

I think a picture can tell a 1,000 words or even more. What do these pictures say...

Myself and Maggie at her wedding May 2006

Two years. Many rough days later...47 pounds gone.
Happy Before and Happy After.
Healthy now. 

Amanda and myself at her wedding August 2008

"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit"    
~Napolean Hill

Is this funny?

March photo challenge day 19: Funny

I always say there is always a way to figure out a way to get in some exercise. There are a million and one excuses not to. I don't really belong to a gym anymore but I do have this awesome setup in my unfinished basement...

I know your jealous. My laptop plays DVD's so I just set it up and go to work. I also find workouts online that just say do these 10 things 10 times and I will do activities like that. I don't need much... as you can see. Even if it is only for 20-30 minutes... Today I found a core video on Comcast on demand and it was only 20 minutes. 20 fairly tough minutes. No excuses. You don't need a gym, large space or tons of equipment. Find something you can do and run with it. It always feels so good when you complete it.

Do you think this is crazy? I kind of do... where do you work out? Whats your favorite way to get in some form of exercise?

ABC's

Are you loving this weekend as much as I am? Today's post is a survey about me that I found on one of the many blogs (Onion in my hair) that I frequently read. She is a vegan so I really enjoy getting some vegetarian ideas from her even though I am not a Vegan/Vegetarian. Plus she is also from Chicagoland and often has great ideas for restaurants you may want to try.

Age: 29 (and holding)


Breakfast... today was egg beaters with California blend vegetables along with 2 corn tortillas with peanut butter and banana (pre-run)


Currently Craving: Smoothies... had my first one this weekend. Yum.


Dinner: Tonight I will be having Chicken coked on my grill


Exercise favorite: Of course running is my favorite. Today's run felt great.


Fear (Irrational): honestly thinking that I will wake up and all the weight I lost will be back overnight



Gross Food: Nothing grosses me out more than Caviar


Hometown: Mason, OH

That's where I met this girl. She's the best!

I is for Something Important To me its family.

J is for Favorite Current Jam: Stronger Kelly Clarkson Keeps me motivated to keep going.


K is for kids maybe someday


L is for Current Location: Here... I love my porch. 

March Photo Challenge Day 18: Corner of your house

M is for most recent way you spent money: Obviously I am still really excited about these

N is for something you need: More donations for the Chicago Marathon

O is for occupation: Flowers and Weight Watchers

P is for Pet Peeve: When someone says "Well you do all that running so you don't have to worry about what you eat.." I wish.

Q is for Quote: "Scars remind us of where we've been, they don't have to dictate where we're going."

R is for random fact about you: I have a large scar under my left arm from a mole being removed. 

S is for favorite healthy snack: Greek Yogurt with fruit

T is for favorite treat: This changes up a lot but right now I really love these

U is for something that makes you unique: My love of sports. 

V is for Vegetable: Asparagus... yum

W is for today's workout: 10 miles in Lowell with my running group.

X is for Xrays you've had: The one was my teeth... yea not exciting at all.

Y is for yesterday's highlight: Lunch Click here

Z is for time zone: Central... which I have totally learned to love.

What do you think of the ABC's... how was your weekend?

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Thanks to Jeff, Debbie, Jan and Daryl for coming to lunch with Deanna today.

Be safe and enjoy this amazing weekend.

Run, Fun and Sun

Photo challenge topics
Day 14: Clouds
Day 15: Car
Day 16: Sunglasses

The weather in Northwest Indiana this week has been nothing short of amazing. I think I  heard on the radio driving into work today even record setting. What have you been doing to enjoy it? Of course I have been getting my runs in. Wednesday I enjoyed a great run from the Crown Point squared organized by the local YMCA... they even had a deal on pizza afterwards. It was a great group. Look how beautiful the sky was that night....

Are you taking time to enjoy this weather?

Yesterday I set to Hobart because I thought there would be more shade on the bike trail. I forgot my trusty hat that I normally wear on runs. When I drive to the places that I run from I always get really excited when I can see my car in the distance. Yesterday's run really was tiring and rough on me. The sun was just absolutely blasting me. My watch also decided to have some issues so I had no clue how fast or slow I was going. I did y very best to just listen to my legs/body for the pace. Then I got back to my trusty car which is always prepared after a run. Water and a place to sit. Open trunks are a great spot to sit when you have leather seats on a hot day. So I took a rest for few minutes. I was a mess...

Did you get in any outdoor activities this week?

Today was a great day. At halftime of course I enjoyed a nice lunch on my front porch. Do you enjoy eating outside? I love it on days like today. I find that enjoy my food more and take the time to enjoy it. I think this allows us to be satisfied longer.

Can you tell how happy I was at half time.... I can't say I stayed this happy but in the end my team WON.... so we move on in the basketball tournament. (I am such a sports nerd).


However my lunch was so good I forgot to take a picture of it before I ate it. So this is what I combined for my yummy lunch.

1/4 cup of the black beans

1/4 cup of the corn
2 serving of the Boca Crumbles
About 2 servings from a bag of frozen broccoli
Topped with salsa
I think this is my new favorite lunch....

Did you try any new lunches recently?

A sign

Photo Challenge Day 13: A sign

When I saw this topic today I was going to take a picture of a stop sign because I often think that is what we need to tell ourselves sometimes. STOP and reassess a situation. Sometimes I wonder if I should just put one on my refrigerator. Although I also feel like we need it when we make excuses. "Too tired to workout, don't feel like cooking, I am sure I will gain anyway." This week we talked about eliminating negative thoughts. I really challenge you to keep track when you start to feel those negative thoughts and keep track of them so you can better assess a situation. So STOP... these were my thoughts until....

When I got home tonight I read this online...

This is very compelling and absolutely true. I do think it is important to recognize when we do well. Some of the rewards I really like is doing something you really enjoy... For example get a massage/pedicure/haircut take a day/weekend trip, buying something you have been wanting (like really cute shoes). No matter what remember that food didn't get you to this goal so try not to reward yourself with it.

What kind of rewards have you given yourself for your success?

Boring dinner and fun shoes

March photo challenge day 12: Fork

Quick dinner Weight Watchers Smartone Chicken Oriental with added broccoli. 

Not very exciting but it does the job when I work late. If I opt for a frozen meal then I always try to add more vegetables to make it more satisfying. 

What kind of quick meals are you favorite?

In more fun news I got these fun running shoes in the mail today. They are bright, they are pink and I am excited to try them out. I decided to try a new brand this time around. They were rated well by one of my favorite running magazines. I also  As a runner it is very important to have the right shoes to prevent injury. I am hoping to break them in this week so they will be good and ready for my half marathon in April. I do love shoes though and I am trying to find an organization to donate my old running shoes to. 

Running Friends

March Photo Challenge Day 11: Someone you talked to today

Myself and Nora at the Ragnar Relay

This is Nora.

I didn't take this picture today but I did see Nora today. We were both at a group practice run of a half marathon the two of us are running April 15th. Today was the perfect day to get outside and enjoy the weather... There was a fairly large group out there checking out part of the route will be running.

Anyway back to my friend Nora... we finished our first Marathon together back in November. She is a great friend, running partner and inspiration. Nora used to be a professional boxer so she is kind of scary. If I ever need to bring a friend to a fight I think I will bring her.

Training for a marathon with another person means spending a lot of time together. I often say you to surround yourself with people who support you through your weight loss and having that person there to talk to when you are at a tough spot is pivotal to success. Nora was this person for me many times when we trained for our marathon. We have often talked about who we are at totally different stages in life. Nora is an amazing mother and wife.... I am just a 29 year old who is trying to live life to the fullest....
Running brought our lives together.  I am so glad that running brought me to a great friend like Nora.

This year Nora and I will tackle Chicago's Marathon together and I can't wait.







so tell me who is on your support team?