Take this quiz to find out.....
http://www.foodday.org/quiz
I scored a B. How about you?
Thanks for sharing Lori!!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Monday, September 24, 2012
Lady Speed Stick Women's Half-Marathon in Nashville
This past weekend was my trip to Nashville to run the Lady Speed Stick Women's Half-Marathon. We were up early and ready to run! Here is my group...Jess, Me, Lori, Tammy, Lisa, and Paula.
We had shirts made....Women Hooked On Running. Get it? WHOR! Hee hee!
I took some video while we were waiting for the race to start. It seems like it takes forever to just get going!
This was towards the beginning.
There were a few guys that ran. They weren't eligible for any prizes though. This guy was dressed up as a fairy. He carried a wand and had a long blond wig! Funny!
These are for you Jess! She is an accountant. She is all about figuring everything that has to do with numbers!
Mile 3....25:21
Mile 4.....
Mile 10. We were rollin' right along but it was hilly!
I did PR which I am very happy about. My previous best was 1:51 and some change. That was a flat course though so I didn't know what to expect since I knew Nashville was hilly. I came in at 1:50:01! How annoying is that 1 second?! So close to being under 1:50. I will be there. Trust me!
Overall, I placed 102 out of 2911 (This includes the guys.)
25 out of 469 in my age group (Top 25! Woot! Woot!)
98 out of 2823 of all women (I am so happy to be in the top 100!)
November 3rd, here I come!!! Running through Cherokee Park! Yes please!
We'll be back in Nashville in April for the FULL Rock and Roll Marathon! I can't wait!!
How are your goals coming along?? Get out there and get it going! You can do anything you set your mind to do!!! You know you can!!
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Motivation
Hi. My name is Tammy Nuxoll, and I am the final guest blogger in Alicia's motivation series. I am a 41 year old mother of a high school freshman and a seventh grader (man time flies). I have played sports all of my life and have always worked out for the sport I participated in at the time. When sports were over after college, I felt I deserved a "break." I quickly learned it is hard to come back after a "break" and I needed to make exercise a daily part of my life.
I wish I could say that I'm a work-out-aholic like Alicia (and some others that I run with:)) Their motivation and commitment to fitness is amazing. I, on the other hand, find myself really motivated at times, but there are also times when I hit a fitness slump and find myself not exercising or eating as well as I should. When my pants don't fit right or the scale reaches too far beyond where I want it to be I start back again and think, "Why do I let myself go back to bad habits. If I would just stick to it, I would feel so much better." When I lose focus on my health and fitness, I have found a few techniques to get me back on track:
1) Set Goals-I remember when my youngest child, Maddie, was about three years old. I had not lost any of my baby weight, and I was the heaviest I had been in my life. I decided it was time to do something, so I put on my XL t-shirt, doubled up on the sports bras and wore my husband's shorts. I was extremely winded as I ran/walked (mostly walked) one lap around my neighborhood. As a former college athlete, I was depressed about the shape I was in. Thankfully, I'm pretty competitive so I just started to set small goals for myself. I would try to walk less each time I ran and slowly I increased my distance. Once I started adding miles, I decided to set a bigger goal of running the Louisville Triple Crown which included a mini-marathon.Signing up for events is now a huge motivator for me. Once I have paid my entry fee, there is no turning back because I don't want to waste money, "die" or "look stupid" in the process of completing it. Setting fitness goals has allowed me to complete several mini-marathons, three marathons and two Warrior Dash runs. I am really proud when I set a fitness goal and accomplish it.
Setting goals not only helps me with my fitness goals, but also my eating habits. About the time I started running, I realized that I needed help making healthy food choices. I started attending Weight Watchers, and it really helped. The program helped me learn about making healthy choices and taught me how to set goals to lose weight. I will admit that I have had to return to Weight Watchers a few times to get me back on track when I hit those "unhealthy" slumps, but when I set goals for myself I quickly get back on track and feel much better about myself. You can do it too!! Set small goals at first and "Just Do It!"
2) Fitness Friends-I would not be able to meet my goals if I didn't have "like-minded" friends to keep me going. My running friends are amazing. We are all extremely busy people, who have "extra" jobs beyond our main work, and have kids that participate in after school activities. Last Spring, I was in one of my slumps. I wanted to exercise, but I was either too tired when I got home from work, got home after dark or had to have the kids at an event. Some of my running friends were meeting before work in the morning, but I didn't think I could meet that early, get the kids ready for school and arrive to work on time. When my friends found out I wanted to start running early, they started meeting at my house at 5:30 a.m. and we haven't looked back since. We met all summer and continue to meet two to three times a week for our early morning runs. I never thought I could get up that early and run, but now that I do I feel amazing. I am getting my exercise finished before work, and I do not have to worry about fitting it in and taking time away from my family. I feel like I am more productive at work and have a better outlook on life.
I know it sounds like we are all just "happy runners," but it's not always that way. There are days when I do not want to wake up early, but I can't let my friends down by not meeting them. There are also mornings when one of us feels sluggish. If we were by ourselves, we would probably quit early, but there is always someone who pushes us to finish the run.
Try to find a fitness friend that will meet you at the gym for an exercise class, a run or a walk. Having a workout partner makes you more accountable.
Luckily, for me, I am in a "good" place right now in my fitness life. I just finished an 18 1/2 mile run this morning! I know that sounds crazy, and I don't normally run that far, but I have set a goal of running my fourth marathon in a few weeks. There is no way I could meet this goal without my friends training with me.
You can do it too!!! Set a goal, find a friend or two, and get started today:)
I wish I could say that I'm a work-out-aholic like Alicia (and some others that I run with:)) Their motivation and commitment to fitness is amazing. I, on the other hand, find myself really motivated at times, but there are also times when I hit a fitness slump and find myself not exercising or eating as well as I should. When my pants don't fit right or the scale reaches too far beyond where I want it to be I start back again and think, "Why do I let myself go back to bad habits. If I would just stick to it, I would feel so much better." When I lose focus on my health and fitness, I have found a few techniques to get me back on track:
1) Set Goals-I remember when my youngest child, Maddie, was about three years old. I had not lost any of my baby weight, and I was the heaviest I had been in my life. I decided it was time to do something, so I put on my XL t-shirt, doubled up on the sports bras and wore my husband's shorts. I was extremely winded as I ran/walked (mostly walked) one lap around my neighborhood. As a former college athlete, I was depressed about the shape I was in. Thankfully, I'm pretty competitive so I just started to set small goals for myself. I would try to walk less each time I ran and slowly I increased my distance. Once I started adding miles, I decided to set a bigger goal of running the Louisville Triple Crown which included a mini-marathon.Signing up for events is now a huge motivator for me. Once I have paid my entry fee, there is no turning back because I don't want to waste money, "die" or "look stupid" in the process of completing it. Setting fitness goals has allowed me to complete several mini-marathons, three marathons and two Warrior Dash runs. I am really proud when I set a fitness goal and accomplish it.
Setting goals not only helps me with my fitness goals, but also my eating habits. About the time I started running, I realized that I needed help making healthy food choices. I started attending Weight Watchers, and it really helped. The program helped me learn about making healthy choices and taught me how to set goals to lose weight. I will admit that I have had to return to Weight Watchers a few times to get me back on track when I hit those "unhealthy" slumps, but when I set goals for myself I quickly get back on track and feel much better about myself. You can do it too!! Set small goals at first and "Just Do It!"
2) Fitness Friends-I would not be able to meet my goals if I didn't have "like-minded" friends to keep me going. My running friends are amazing. We are all extremely busy people, who have "extra" jobs beyond our main work, and have kids that participate in after school activities. Last Spring, I was in one of my slumps. I wanted to exercise, but I was either too tired when I got home from work, got home after dark or had to have the kids at an event. Some of my running friends were meeting before work in the morning, but I didn't think I could meet that early, get the kids ready for school and arrive to work on time. When my friends found out I wanted to start running early, they started meeting at my house at 5:30 a.m. and we haven't looked back since. We met all summer and continue to meet two to three times a week for our early morning runs. I never thought I could get up that early and run, but now that I do I feel amazing. I am getting my exercise finished before work, and I do not have to worry about fitting it in and taking time away from my family. I feel like I am more productive at work and have a better outlook on life.
I know it sounds like we are all just "happy runners," but it's not always that way. There are days when I do not want to wake up early, but I can't let my friends down by not meeting them. There are also mornings when one of us feels sluggish. If we were by ourselves, we would probably quit early, but there is always someone who pushes us to finish the run.
Try to find a fitness friend that will meet you at the gym for an exercise class, a run or a walk. Having a workout partner makes you more accountable.
Luckily, for me, I am in a "good" place right now in my fitness life. I just finished an 18 1/2 mile run this morning! I know that sounds crazy, and I don't normally run that far, but I have set a goal of running my fourth marathon in a few weeks. There is no way I could meet this goal without my friends training with me.
You can do it too!!! Set a goal, find a friend or two, and get started today:)
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Motivation
The story behind my motivation is pretty simple. It's my need for a little 'me time' in my world that is dedicated to my family and supporting my family. My name is Jess Lord. I have three boys - seven year old twins and my little one is four. I am an accountant and I work 40+ hours a week and insane hours during tax season. I also teach Jazzercise. My husband went back to school a few years ago to pursue a teaching degree and he is in his last year of school. He also works so his school schedule consists of a lot of evening classes. My boys are all involved in sports and we are at the ball fields 5 to 6 days a week. Oh yes and how could I forget.... because I didn't feel like I had enough to do already I decided to join the PTO board this year and volunteer as room mom. I've got to keep close tabs on all these boys - ha! Can you tell I'm a busy body.
That was a lot of background but I just want you to understand where I'm coming from when I say that I need exercise to keep myself in check. I cannot really ever remember a point in my life that I did not do some form of exercise, but my need for it has grown over the years. I have been Jazzercising since I was in college and I have been teaching it for four years. I absolutely love the Jazzersise program and the people in the program - everyone is like family. Once upon a time I was a new mom with these two little boys that seemed to make me crazy some days. Jazzercise was my escape. It brought me back to reality from mommy land. Even if it was just an hour a day - it was MY hour. I took my love of Jazzercise up a notch and I started teaching it. Being up on that stage and in charge of motivating a room full of people really makes you step up your workout. The harder I work out the better I feel - it's like a legal, good for you drug!!!
This spring I signed up for a mud run. I had never been a big runner and I did not want to find out the day of the run if I was in shape enough. Alicia invited me to join them for early their morning runs and that is how my addiction started. I will admit getting up at 5:00am in the morning is not my idea of fun, especially on the weekends. But once my feet hit the ground from that bed I am ready to go. Plus I am back before my family is even out of bed in the mornings. Alot of it was about creating new habits in my daily routine. I have to give most of the credit to our running group though. They are my true motivation. I love our time together - the conversation is the best and even on three hour runs we never seem to run out of things to talk about. I love that we all understand and value what exercise adds to our lives and we all have common goals.
My motivation is really just the need for the mental balance that exercise provides. I have more on my plate now more than ever but I can honestly say I have never felt better. I am a better mom - I have much more patients and I am teaching my kids healthy habits. I am a better wife because I feel good about myself. I preform better at work because I can keep my stress under control. I am healthier because I have learned what my body needs to keep up with the workouts. And I am happy because I know that each morning I get to put my shoes on and hit the road with good conversation and great friends and later on in the day I get to bust out some moves at Jazzercise. Insert a little work, sports and volunteer time here. I get to end each day with my family and a smile on my face... and that's what its all about!
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Nursing your sweet tooth.....
Check out this website about sugar. Wow! What a shocker!
http://www.onlinenursingprograms.com/nursing-your-sweet-tooth/
Thanks Lori! :)
http://www.onlinenursingprograms.com/nursing-your-sweet-tooth/
Thanks Lori! :)
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Today was an exciting day for me!
I ran 16 miles!! That's the farthest these legs have ever taken me! I've done several mini-marathons but never more than 13.1 miles. I did it today. It was definitely with the help of these people though. Mark, Danielle, Jess, and Tammy.....
I wish the pictures were more clear. We were just moving to dang fast!
Of course, I took some video for you! Mark, Rhonda, and Danielle did the first 10. Tammy, Jess, and I went 16.
Truckin' along! We were almost done here!
15 miles in! It felt sooo awesome!!!!!!! I could have gone further!! A full marathon is definitely in my future....near future!
true.....oh so true!!!!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Motivation...I have thought so much about this since Alicia asked me to post. I have exercised most of my adult life (when I was in school it was all about the sport) so I had to think about this because I thought exercise and health is just a habit for me now. I realized it's not! I choose and search for motivation all the time. I am so excited to share these with you!
First, my name is Lori Gavin and I am the elder of our running group. I usually pretend I am Alicia and Jess's age but truth is I am 12 years older. I have two girls, Lindsay and Madison. Lindsay is a junior at IU Bloominton and Maddie is a junior in high school. I work at instilling in them the improtance of exercise and healthy eating. I really believe teaching my kids how to be healthy is one of my jobs as a mother. My exercise is part of modeling for my kids but mostly it's for me. I love the way I feel relaxed and energized after working out. Through the years, I have walked, swam, and jazzercised for exercise. I started running about 4 or 5 years ago and totally fell in love with it.
What motivates me is the feeling of being healthy, fit, and happy! Exercise creates endorphins to stimulate the feeling of happiness. Who doesn't want that! Keeping motivated is the tougher part that everyone, including myself, has to work through. Here is how I handle it....GOALS, GOALS, and amending GOALS. When I really started thinking about motivation for myself it all went back to setting goals. I set them all the time and they are nothing fancy. Just something to keep me going. When I first started running my goal was to add mileage. Believe me it was hard because I was a new runner. Positive self talk was crucial to get to my goal. You may think this is silly, but in my head I would say, "C'mon Gavin you can do this!". Positive self talk can really help but you might not want to say it out loud. Ha!
Don't stop at one goal! After you accomplish one set a new one. After adding mileage my goal was to run a half marathon with my brother and sister-in-law who come in town every year to run the Derby mini. I was going to surprise them! The feeling of accoomplishment was so rewarding and I was off setting another goal.
Goals really work to help keep you motivated!
I have to mention that goals sometimes need to be amended. Life happens but that is not failure! Recently I have struggled with injuries. When this happens goals should not be dropped; just amended. Do I sometimes get down when this happens? YES! Just recently my goal was a half marathon with the girls in Nashville, I was so excited because it was my "return" from my previous hip injury. I fell one day (not while running) and now have a torn MCL and meniscus. Doctor said running is out! I was so disappointed I went straight to the store and bought my favorite treat animal crackers and cool whip. I ate the whole tub! Doc said I could swim and do the elliptical. I was not motivated to go through this again but...I went. I decided to take a picture of myself on the elliptical and send to my running buddies. It actually made me feel better, and so I set my amended goal. Don't be afraid to do silly, little things to motivate yourself. My new goal...during recovery hit the pool and elliptical so as not to lose too much of my fitness level. I really want to get back out there with my friends who motivate me as well and make exercise fun.
I wanted to include quotes from two people that inspire me, Chuck and Kathleen Schuler. They are all in when it comes to fitness, exercise and health. I asked them what motivates them...Katleen says, "I come from a family of obesity and don't want to live the life I see them live. Being healthy and fit is a lot more comfortable." Chuck says, "Physical activity has always been part of my life and not doing it wouldn't be normal. I enjoy competition!"
Everyone has reasons and things that motivate them. Set your GOALS, use positive self talk, and find friends TO KEEP YOURSELF MOVING! You will enjoy your life of fitness!
Love, Lori
First, my name is Lori Gavin and I am the elder of our running group. I usually pretend I am Alicia and Jess's age but truth is I am 12 years older. I have two girls, Lindsay and Madison. Lindsay is a junior at IU Bloominton and Maddie is a junior in high school. I work at instilling in them the improtance of exercise and healthy eating. I really believe teaching my kids how to be healthy is one of my jobs as a mother. My exercise is part of modeling for my kids but mostly it's for me. I love the way I feel relaxed and energized after working out. Through the years, I have walked, swam, and jazzercised for exercise. I started running about 4 or 5 years ago and totally fell in love with it.
What motivates me is the feeling of being healthy, fit, and happy! Exercise creates endorphins to stimulate the feeling of happiness. Who doesn't want that! Keeping motivated is the tougher part that everyone, including myself, has to work through. Here is how I handle it....GOALS, GOALS, and amending GOALS. When I really started thinking about motivation for myself it all went back to setting goals. I set them all the time and they are nothing fancy. Just something to keep me going. When I first started running my goal was to add mileage. Believe me it was hard because I was a new runner. Positive self talk was crucial to get to my goal. You may think this is silly, but in my head I would say, "C'mon Gavin you can do this!". Positive self talk can really help but you might not want to say it out loud. Ha!
Don't stop at one goal! After you accomplish one set a new one. After adding mileage my goal was to run a half marathon with my brother and sister-in-law who come in town every year to run the Derby mini. I was going to surprise them! The feeling of accoomplishment was so rewarding and I was off setting another goal.
Goals really work to help keep you motivated!
I have to mention that goals sometimes need to be amended. Life happens but that is not failure! Recently I have struggled with injuries. When this happens goals should not be dropped; just amended. Do I sometimes get down when this happens? YES! Just recently my goal was a half marathon with the girls in Nashville, I was so excited because it was my "return" from my previous hip injury. I fell one day (not while running) and now have a torn MCL and meniscus. Doctor said running is out! I was so disappointed I went straight to the store and bought my favorite treat animal crackers and cool whip. I ate the whole tub! Doc said I could swim and do the elliptical. I was not motivated to go through this again but...I went. I decided to take a picture of myself on the elliptical and send to my running buddies. It actually made me feel better, and so I set my amended goal. Don't be afraid to do silly, little things to motivate yourself. My new goal...during recovery hit the pool and elliptical so as not to lose too much of my fitness level. I really want to get back out there with my friends who motivate me as well and make exercise fun.
I wanted to include quotes from two people that inspire me, Chuck and Kathleen Schuler. They are all in when it comes to fitness, exercise and health. I asked them what motivates them...Katleen says, "I come from a family of obesity and don't want to live the life I see them live. Being healthy and fit is a lot more comfortable." Chuck says, "Physical activity has always been part of my life and not doing it wouldn't be normal. I enjoy competition!"
Everyone has reasons and things that motivate them. Set your GOALS, use positive self talk, and find friends TO KEEP YOURSELF MOVING! You will enjoy your life of fitness!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Boy, do I have a treat for you!
Motivation. What motivates me? I get that question all the time. It's a hot topic. Well, do I have a treat for you! There are three gals that I love very much....Jess, Lori, and Tammy. They provide me with a ton of motivation!! They are each going to blog about motivation and what it means to them.
Lori will post this week. She's recovering from a couple of injuries so her workouts right now are altered but she is still out there moving! I can't wait for you to hear from her! She's definitely a no excuses kind of gal!
Jess will post next week. She's also a Jazzercise instructor with me. She's in the "I have 3 young kids yet I still manage to find time to work out" club. She's running the Nashville mini with me later this month. It will be her first mini!!! SOOO exciting!!
Tammy will blog after Jess. She's training right now to run the Chicago Marathon in October. This will be her 4th marathon, I believe....maybe 5! She's also running the Nashville mini with me. She's amazing. She will get out there and push herself like no one I've ever seen!
I am so looking forward to what these gals have to say. You guys are in for a treat!! I can't wait!! Stay tuned!!
Lori will post this week. She's recovering from a couple of injuries so her workouts right now are altered but she is still out there moving! I can't wait for you to hear from her! She's definitely a no excuses kind of gal!
Jess will post next week. She's also a Jazzercise instructor with me. She's in the "I have 3 young kids yet I still manage to find time to work out" club. She's running the Nashville mini with me later this month. It will be her first mini!!! SOOO exciting!!
Tammy will blog after Jess. She's training right now to run the Chicago Marathon in October. This will be her 4th marathon, I believe....maybe 5! She's also running the Nashville mini with me. She's amazing. She will get out there and push herself like no one I've ever seen!
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