A dose of humility does a runner good!

Before I started training for my upcoming (in exactly one month...yikes!) marathon, I was feeling pretty on top of the world. I was sure I was invincible, and started my training with a bang. Experienced runners swear by the 10% rule (don't increase your distance or time more than 10% from one week to the next), but I was loading the miles on from day 1. I'm a fit person, I figured my body could take the extra mileage. And I have to say I did pretty great at first. And then I started hurting.

With running in the past, I've always been able to "run through" any pains I've had, and they've been short-lived. This time, however, the pain in my hip literally stopped me in my tracks. I was in denial, and tried to keep running, but it just got worse. It's AWFUL to feel like all the work you've done is for nothing. I found a Physical Therapist, and went for my first visit hoping she'd tell me I'd be up and running in a week. A week is not a major setback...it's a mini-vacation...long enough for the body to recover, short enough not to undo any hard work. To my dismay, she told me she hoped I'd be up and running in time for the marathon...best case.

I started telling myself that maybe I wouldn't run it after all. I avoided talking about running, blogging about running (did you notice I've been MIA?), and especially avoided talking to my running buddies (because I was mad that they were still running and I wasn't). I was mad at myself for putting such high expectations on myself. If I didn't care about my finishing time, I wouldn't have pushed myself so hard to begin with.

The last time I remember being so humbled was when I received my mission call for the LDS church. After studying Spanish for 7 years, and telling everyone how glad I was that I would never be one of those missionaries who didn't know the language (because OBVIOUSLY I would go Spanish-speaking), I was called to Finland. Yep, the country with THE hardest language. Learning Finnish was the most humbling experience of my life. But I did it. And after I did it, I realized how studying Spanish had actually prepared me to learn Finnish.

After nearly a month of NO running whatsoever, I was finally given the green light to start back up. And I'm hoping that my years of fitness preparation will come in handy as I gear up for race day. I've still been speaking the Zumba language, the Cycle language, the Elliptical-backwards language, and the strength training language, so hopefully my cross-training has prepared me to re-learn the running language (so to speak), because I've become one of THOSE runners. The kind who thought she knew everything about running, until her body told her otherwise.

My first "language" test was on Saturday. And in true Robyn-fashion, I didn't start back up with a 5-miler. Oh no. I ran 17. My leg actually felt great. I ran to my son's t-ball game (8.5 miles from home), met my husband, still felt good, and decided I could run home too. At mile 11, I tripped and fell again. I'm not sure what I was looking at, but I didn't see the dip in the road. I expected to land on ground, and felt like Wile-E-Coyote running off a cliff. The ground was gone. I rolled a few times, stood up, checked out my new marks, and started walking to the gas station across the street. A car pulled over, the driver asked if I was okay, and I started bawling, but said yes.

I got to the gas station, and called my husband to come get me. He loaded the kids in the car and started driving, then asked if I was really mentally ready to be done. I wasn't. I really wanted to finish my run. I went in the bathroom, washed my bloody hands, filled up my water bottles, and went back outside to finish my darn 17-mile run.

This marathon training has taken this overly-confident girl for a long ride on the humility train. Somehow I'm going to cross that finish line next month. I might be crawling, but I'm going to finish.

In life, when we set out to do something, things hardly ever go as planned. We stumble, we fall, we get injured. That's all part of this life experience. But when we've recovered, we have two options. We can pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and keep going. Or we can quit. This goes for WHATEVER we're trying to accomplish. Weight loss. Jobs. Marriages. Relationships. Raising children. LIFE IS HARD. But we can do hard things. YOU can do hard things. When you're down, just get back up, and keep chugging along. Anything worth doing is worth fighting for!

Happy running!

Marathon Training Week 3...I run because I can

So far, I've done a pretty good job of following my training schedules for weeks 1 and 2. The hard thing for me about marathon training, is that I don't always want to run when I work out! But I'm too competitive to not run. I can't not train. I have my running schedule in my phone, so if 14 miles is staring at me from the daily calendar screen, not checking it off will drive me crazy! So run I will. (But that doesn't mean I'm going to skip my favorite classes each week...a little cross-training never hurts, right?) Hopefully I end up at the starting line ready to run, and not completely haggard from over-training and exhaustion. Is it bad that I'm already excited for the marathon (at the end of May) to be over so I can chill out a bit?

Life is constantly full of reminders (for me) that there is much more to life than getting in a good workout. A week and a half ago, our cute little niece received a phone call the family had been waiting for for 6 months. She was getting a new liver! So less than 3 months from the time our little baby nephew was leaving Primary Children's Hospital, our 10-year old niece was entering.

In church today, we learned about "giving service." I couldn't help but think of the family that made it possible for our cute niece to get a new liver. At the time my sister-in-law received the phone call, Little C's "donor" was still alive...on life support. This individual's family had made the decision to take their child off life support, and were giving the liver to our sweet niece. As they sat tearfully anticipating saying goodbye to their loved one, we were all cheering--so excited that Little C. was finally getting another chance at a healthy life. My heart aches for that family, and I hope they know that they were an answer to a lot of prayers in our niece's behalf.

Another reminder that struck close to home for me, was the passing of a dear friend's mom last week. Around the time my baby was born last year, Caroline Rober was diagnosed with ALS--Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis--commonly called Lou Gehrig disease. If you want to learn about what's REALLY important in this life, read this blog about her journey. The most recent posts are the remarks given at her funeral. If nothing else, read my friend Mark's talk about his mom and the parable of the Christmas Lace. Incredible woman who never lost sight of what really matters, and left the best legacy for her children.

Life is so very precious. And for me, my health is something I try not to take for granted. I push myself to the limits because I want to be around for the long haul. I don't have control over a lot of things, but I do have control over how I choose to take care of the body I've been blessed with.

So this week I will run because I can. Will you?

Monday: Interval--8 to 11 miles, 2x (800m-600m-400m-200m), at 5K-10K pace, 1 minute recovery, 3-5 minutes between sets

Tuesday: Distance--5 to 6 miles

Wednesday: Tempo--8 to 10 miles, 2 x 15 minutes at marathon tempo, 5 minutes recovery

Thursday: Distance--4 to 6 miles

Friday: Distance--5 to 8 miles

Saturday: Long Distance--15 to 17 miles

10 Tips for Making Fitness a Way of Life

I'm often asked how I manage to keep myself physically active as a busy mom. My simple answer is that I take things one day at a time. Each day is unique, and brings different challenges. Occasionally on a morning that I plan a long outdoor run, I wake up to falling snow. Early morning workouts don't ever work when I've spent the entire night awake with a sick child (or healthy children who spend the night playing musical beds...our bed is NOT big enough for the 4 of us!) Things happen, so I try to plan accordingly. Here are a few of my secrets for planning around life:

1. On a particularly hectic day, don't skip a workout just because you don't have a full hour to spare. Figure out how to fit in 10-minute mini sessions. Roll out of bed, and do some push-ups, jumping jacks, planks, and lunges. Later in the day, go on a quick, brisk walk. If you're reading something, find a wall, and squat while you read. Do seated Tupler's in the car! End the day with some pre-bed stretches. It may not seem like a lot at once, but throughout the day, you can easily squeeze in a full workout!
2. You may be tired of hearing it from me, but wear a heart rate monitor! At the end of the week, it's extremely motivating to see how much time I spent working out, how many calories I burned, and what zones I trained in. I try not to ever go more than two days without a workout! My heart rate monitor keeps me honest with myself.
3. Set goals for the ENTIRE year at the beginning of the year. Want to run a few races this year? Schedule them now! Even if the races aren't until late in the year, you'll have them on your mind, and will plan your training accordingly. For me, races aren't just about the race, but about the journey it takes to get to the starting line!
4. Have a nice stash of fitness DVDs at home. Workout DVDs are almost always my back-up plan. When I just can't pull myself out of bed early in the morning, I can start a DVD nearly an hour later, and still be done with my workout at the same time I would otherwise be returning home from the gym. For one, I don't have to brush my teeth (or put on mascara) to work out at home, and I don't have to account for any travel time. I still get in a good workout (as long as the kids and husband cooperate), and the day can continue as planned.
5. SCHEDULE your workouts. If you're always hoping to find time to work out, it's probably never going to happen if you have a busy schedule. You HAVE to plan it in. My workout schedule varies slightly from week to week based on my life schedule, but I always know when I'm going to work out the next day. I don't wake up in the morning hoping it will happen sometime that day. I wake up, and get moving. If you need to, put a reminder on your phone, write it on your calender, do whatever you need to do. I normally plan all my workouts a week in advance. Then when a day (or night) doesn't go as planned, I move to plan B.
6. Add variety to your workouts. If someone were to watch me and my different workout routines, they would think I have serious workout ADD. I don't do the same things day in and day out. I love group fitness classes, because each class is never the same...and I try LOTS of different classes. I LIFT. I CYCLE. I YOGA. I CORE CROSS TRAIN. I POWER PUMP. I TREK. But my own workouts are never the same, either. I run outside. I lift weights with gym machines. I use free weights. I use my own body weight for resistance. I interval train. I do the elliptical. I climb stairs. You get the idea. Variety is key for keeping workouts interesting. Variety is also key for avoiding plateaus. If your body never knows what's coming, it will never stop changing and improving!
7. Keep company with other fitness-minded people. If you try to place yourself in situations and with people where you won't have to compromise your fitness goals, you're much more likely to stay on track. At work, take breaks with the walkers rather than the donut-shop-frequenters. Eat with the brown baggers rather than with the fast foodies. Invite other health conscious couples over for a healthy home-cooked meal, and vice versa. Find a workout buddy, or an accountability partner. If you're not working out together, you can still report to one another and keep each other in check.
8. Change your workouts with the seasons. Don't hibernate for the winter just because you refuse to run outside in the snow. Right now I'm SO EXCITED for spring to come because I can truly enjoy the outdoors. Working out indoors, however, is the only thing that keeps me going in the depressing month of January. Winter months are great for snow sports, while summer is great for swimming. If your workouts change with the seasons, you'll have more to look forward to every few months than just changing colors and temperatures!
9. Forget the all-or-nothing mentality. Just because you may not always have time for a full hour workout doesn't mean you should skip the workout all together. 20-minutes is always better than nothing! The same goes for healthy eating. Just because you splurge at one meal doesn't mean that the whole day should go to waste. One healthy meal is better than a full day of indulging. (Unless indulging for a full day is planned. In that case, one bad day doesn't mean the whole week is shot!)
10. Just do it! Stop making excuses, and get moving. Use each day as a step towards your ultimate fitness goals. So what if you have 10- 50- 100-pounds to lose. Losing the weight won't happen overnight. It will, however, happen with lots of small steps along the way. Whatever the obstacles, do what it takes to get up and start. You will get better with time. You'll find what you like. Just push yourself to take the first step, to climb out of bed in the morning, to schedule your workouts. Once you make fitness a habit, it will become a way of life, and you will be that much closer to reaching your goals!

What are YOUR fitness secrets?

What I'm Reading...

So, it's Monday, and for the first MONDAY in quite a while, I'm feeling super motivated to get this week going! Why? (Besides the fact that I need to post SOMETHING new so that the real me isn't the face you see smiling when you enter FitMePink!) I spent all weekend reading (from start to end) this:

I loved how Dave Ramsey, in The Total Money Makeover compared being "financially fat" to being physically out-of-shape. It's time to take a serious look in the mirror to evaluate all areas of our lives. That's right...look in the mirror, stop sucking in your belly, and see what's really there. Of course, the point of the book is to teach you how to financially "live like no one else so you can later live like no one else," but the principles can carry over to many more aspects of life as well. Read it. Very inspiring!

The other reason I'm excited is that today I'm going to start reading this: Can't wait to learn about the fact that we, the human race, were actually literally designed to run. The author argues that running is at the heart of what it means to be human. Running, in essence, should be sheer joy! Born To Run, here I come! (Thanks, Michael, for the suggestion!)

What has you excited on this wintery Monday morning? What are you reading?

5 unconventional fitness tips

Thanks to Evelyn for directing my attention to a few crazy, somewhat unconventional fitness tips. Here are a few:

1. Don't exercise with your BFF. I actually agree with this one. If a friend gets you to the gym, that's great. But don't sit and chat! You will work out at a much lower intensity. A great solution? Group fitness. You're there together, but you're doing the work out at your own level of intensity!
2. Wear RED! I've never heard this one. Supposedly the colors red and orange cause certain light waves to enter the eye. They convert to electrical impulses in the brain, which increase body temperature temperature, energy levels, and appetite (does that mean that red makes you hungrier, too? There's a new diet for you...the NO RED diet...except when working out!) So you'll be able to work out longer (and harder) if you wear red! Anyone want to test the theory?
3. Drink pickle and pineapple juices to help with recovery! It makes sense, but gross! Pickle juice? I guess the salt and vinegar in pickle juice help muscles recover from sodium loss and decrease cramping. Isn't that what gatorade is for? Pineapple juice (which I'm much more willing to try) can also reduce post-workout inflammation. Enzymes found in pineapple juice help with lactic acid buildup in the muscles. Interesting.
4. Run barefoot. I'm not going to promote this one. Don't do it. I'm all about GOOD RUNNING SHOES. Shoes can take the broken glass. My feet? Not so much.
5. Shout empowering affirmations while you workout. I would love to walk into a gym to hear the members chanting, "I. AM. STRONG. NOW!" with each repetition. IntenSati is a fitness program which means "moving meditation." The idea is to use the mind, and more importantly, the voice to intensify workouts. While jumping, lunging, whatever, you repeat a single statement such as "I. CAN. DO. THIS." IntenSati creator Patricia Moreno says, "The repetition of a single statement moves you into a state of focused awareness." She claims these motivational chants boost emotional strength, increase self-confidence, and distract participants from feeling fatigued, which increases the effectiveness of their workouts. I like it. Try it!

For the wisdom behind these unconventional ideas, and more, click here.

What do you think? Are you willing to wear red and drink pickle juice to improve your workout? What other strange workout rituals have you heard of (or practice)?

Gorilla Quote

I found this quote, and had to share it:

"Success is like wrestling a gorilla. You don’t quit when you’re tired, you quit when the gorilla is tired!"

Robert Strauss

Let's hope for a wimpy gorilla!

The TENTH Day of Fitness...my favorite pick-me-up quote!

Happy Monday morning! The countdown to Christmas is still on...just a few days left! Come back tomorrow to find out the winners of the healthy recipe contest...woo hoo! For today, I'll leave you with my all-time favorite quote. It's helped me survive MANY of my hardest life challenges...from being an exchange student in Japan, to serving an LDS mission in Finland, to being married (Dear DH: no offense! As much as I adore you, it's true...marriage is hard!), to being a mom...the hardest challenge yet! It is all about persistence...in whatever I'm trying to accomplish!

Here's the quote:

That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased.--Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here at Fit Me Pink, we're believers in persistance! Health and overall fitness are NOT achieved over night, people. Make some goals, and then persist! It DOES get easier!

Have any of you had experiences where something hard became easier because you kept working at it? Join in the commentversation...give us all some motivation!

See you tomorrow!

CHANGE: The Gratitude Edition

With Thanksgiving upon us, what better time to introduce GRATITUDE as a way of change? I know I always use my toddler as an example, and I have to again. When I really pay attention, my little guy teaches me SO MUCH! For one thing, he's really good at saying "thank you." And he's thankful for the smallest things..."Mom, thanks for making me pancakes!" "Thanks for getting my shoes." "Thanks for the water." "Thank you for finding my legos." "Thanks for buying me this yogurt." The list could go on. We've taught him to say "thank you," and "thank you" he says. A lot.

There was a time in my life where I was pretty depressed. I was a missionary for the LDS Church in cold, dark Finland. It was in-the-way-negatives-freezing. The people weren't very receptive to our message. The language was hard. I was tired. And did I mention that it was dark and cold? It was difficult not to focus on the hard stuff--not to complain with my brain and my mouth.

At some point I realized that my situation wasn't going to change, but that if I was going to survive mentally, I had to change. My companion and I decided to come home every night and say a prayer of gratitude. We weren't going to ask for anything. We were merely going to recognize the good that had happened that day, and say, "thank you."

It was amazing. Nothing changed, but the way I felt did. I was noticing small things--a smile from a stranger, a warm bus, and many, many small miracles. Miracles that would have gone unnoticed if we hadn't decided to mentally take note, and to thank.

For me, this was a major turning point. One of life's BIG a-ha moments. Wonderful things happen EVERY DAY. We just need to notice.

Our world and country are in turmoil, as well as many of our personal lives. We can do many things to change our circumstances, but many things are out of our control. Instead of focusing on the negative, try focusing on the positive. What are you thankful for? What good things happened to you today? Try keeping a "gratitude journal," saying a prayer of "thanks" at the end of the day, or just trying to be grateful in your heart and mind for life's little miracles.

This also works great in marriage and other personal relationships. If your marriage is suffering, list the things you are grateful for in your partner. Nothing will really change, but as you notice the positive, see what happens. Things will start to change. For the better.

In this month of Thanksgiving, what little (and big) things do you have to be thankful for? Give us all some ideas as we change our attitudes with gratitude!

CHANGE: the attitude edition

I looked out the window this morning and saw snow. A few days ago, it was 70 degrees outside. We were wearing t-shirts and sandals. When I saw the snow, my mind started whirling with negative thoughts about how much I dislike winter, cold weather, driving in the snow, bundling up to go outside, wet snow puddles on my floor, etc.

Fast forward a few hours to the awakening of my 2-year old. The minute he looked out the window and saw snow, he saw beauty. He started running around the house saying, "It's winter outside!" He was THRILLED. He ran and got his new winter boots, put them on over his pajamas, and started pestering us to go play in the "winter." His enthusiasm was contagious. I couldn't help feeling a little giddy to go run in the snow. His optimistic outlook changed everything.

Since we're talking about change this month, I thought a change in attitude for many of us might just be what the doctor ordered.

I've read lots of anti-Obama blogs this morning filled with doom and gloom at the prospects of where this great nation is headed with our new Presidente. I have to admit that Obama wasn't my personal choice. But he is our newly elected President. And maybe it won't be such a bad thing. I'm all about optimism, and this is one area where I believe pessimism won't do us any good. We can all continue praying for our country with a hope for a bright future. Let's keep moving forward, people!

As for attitude, according to this study, your outlook on life may help you live longer, and also improves the quality of life.

In the Mayo Clinic study, Toshihiko Maruta, M.D. reports, "The wellness of being is not just physical, but attitudinal...How you perceive what goes on around you and how you interpret it may have an impact on your longevity, and it could affect the quality of your later years."

I'm not encouraging the "blissful ignorance" often associated with optimism if it leads to poor choices. However, an optimistic outlook is said to have a positive effect on the following:

Superior Health
Greater Achievement
Persistence
Emotional Health
Increased Longevity
LESS STRESS (who doesn't need some of that medicine!)

Here are a few quotes to get you going...

The average pencil is seven inches long, with just a half-inch eraser - in case you thought optimism was dead. ~Robert Brault

An optimist is the human personification of spring. ~Susan J. Bissonette

An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day. ~Irv Kupcinet

Optimists are nostalgic about the future. ~Chicago Tribune

If an optimist had his left arm chewed off by an alligator, he might say, in a pleasant and hopeful voice, "Well, this isn't too bad. I don't have my left arm anymore, but at least nobody will ever ask me whether I am right-handed or left-handed," but most of us would say something more along the lines of "Aaaaah! My arm! My arm!" ~Lemony Snicket

The place where optimism most flourishes is the lunatic asylum. ~Havelock Ellis, The Dance of Life, 1923

Now go run in the snow, look to the future with hope, set some goals for this month, and keep plugging away as the positive influences you already are to so many!

My uber-excited-about-everything-life toddler helped me change my attitude this morning. How do you change your thinking when you're not feeling so positive?

Fall is in the air!

After a heaven-sent extended summer, Fall is actually really here. Change is in the air! I can feel it. The leaves are changing, the wind is blowing, holiday decorations fill the stores. A new president will run our country NEXT WEEK! It's a change of seasons in more ways than one!

With all of these changes, what a great time to re-evaluate where you are, and where you want to be. Think about your body, and your overall health (including mental, physical, and spiritual). Are you living your best life? Use the month of November as a month of change for you. See where you're going, determine if you need to change course, and make a plan to get where you want to be. Don't wait until January to make New Year's resolutions...change with the seasons NOW!

Throughout the month, we will post tidbits on dealing with change in a healthy way. Let us know if you have any suggestions! The comments are always open for personal shout-outs!

Also, if you have anything you'd like to contribute to fitmepink, email us at fitmepink@gmail.com.

HAPPY NOVEMBER!

Today's Topic...Falling Off Course

Just in case you've missed us, we're back! We fell off the fit-a-wagon for at least a week, but we're jumping back on.

Sometimes in life, you just need a break. Sometimes while blogging, you just don't have the words. Sometimes when you're dieting, you just need a sweet. Sometimes when you're in a crazy streak of working out, you may have days when you just don't wanna. And that's OK. Maybe the right thing to say would be, "Do it anyway." And yes, if you can force yourself to actually do it, more power to you. But that's not the horn I'm tooting today.

It's OK to occasionally relax. Let your body recover. Rest. Sleep in!

While my husband was training for his last marathon, I felt like I was too. Only I never crossed the finish line. I just ran with him for the workout and the company. After his marathon, my body was tired. So one day as I put on my running shoes, I just couldn't do it. I took them off, pulled out my Yoga mat, and let my body recover with some relaxing poses.

I would probably call myself a compulsive worker-outer. I totally beat myself up if I miss a workout. Especially cardio. I'm addicted. But sometimes a girl just needs a break. And I'm trying to learn to give myself permission to take one.

And I'm giving you permission, too. Are you going on vacation? Take your workout clothes if you feel like it, but if you don't, don't. It's really not the end of the world. And life awaits you when you get home. If you wake up tired and the thought of running is pure torture? Don't run. If you'd rather die than do Turbo Jam one more time, don't do it.

I obviously don't preach this way of not working out for every day life, but sometimes your body knows what's best for your body better than your mind does. If your body feels tired and achy, it probably is. Relax! Or find something new that re-energizes you. Get a video from the library. Go to a new class at the gym. Jump rope with your kids. Working out shouldn't be torturous!

So here's my advice for the day, to be taken with a proverbial grain of salt. Take. A. Break. or Try. Something. New. or Take. A. Nap. Make some time to fill your motivation wells, get organized, make a plan, then when you're ready (and only then), get moving.

Now give me some motivation. My wells are near empty. How do you fill yours?

LOTS OF TIPS FROM THE FITALICIOUS FAMILY OF READERS

***Only a few more days to enter the healthy recipe contest! Send in your recipes***

When we decided to start this blog, we hoped not only to impart some of the little knowledge we have of health and fitness to our readers, but to gain some insight as well. You ladies (and Michael) know your stuff! So in case you aren't keeping up with the comments, here are a few of the tips we've learned from our fitalicious family of readers (that means you!).

In response to a question about fitness for pregnant women, Tami said:
The elliptical kept me sane as a prego mom. Also, fast walking/jogging to the park every day helped me feel better. Exercise is said to reduce swelling in the legs and to shorten labor. Good luck!

For skin-care products, Christie recommends Origins Perfect World moisturizer and Bare Essentials make-up. They are just the best.

Regarding skin care, Michelle had some great at-home remedies:
I like to use just plain old, regular, white sugar to exfoliate my entire body. It's important not to push AT ALL, just move the sugar around gently and thats enough. It works everywhere, except for my feet (I use Ped Egg and then moisturizer on my feet, I recommend it highly...Exfoliation has been the number one way for me to rid myself of acne (which I am also prone to.) My skin is so hyper sensitive I can no longer use even Proactive Solution's sensitive formula anymore. I use banana boat sunscreen for babies spf 50. For whatever reason it doesn't make be breakout. It feels a little greasy going on, but soaks right in after a few minutes. Then I do the rest of my make-up.

Michael (yay for male readers...nevermind that he's our brother and has to...) said on acne treatment:
Dr. Fulton gave me one free bottle of this:
After one bottle, I was sold. Nothing gets rid of acne like that stuff.

Lots of you helped set the record straight on work-out myths as well!

Melissa said:
My physical therapist told me that stretching before a workout can actually hurt you. Always do most of your stretching after you've worked out.

On ab-work (Listen up, here! We all want to lose our mummy tummies...) Tami said:
Watch out for doing crunches and sit-ups. Not the best way to work the ABS! The abs are postural muscles and we definitely don't walk around in a hunched position all day, so why would you do this to work out. Besides that, it can create or worsen a diastasis ( a separation of the rectus abdominus muscle that comes from being pregnant or doing sit-ups and ab work wrong). Do work the abs by holding them in on all the work you do. Planks are great, heel slides are great, holding the abs in as you do bicep or tricep curls or holding them every time you stand up from a chair has you working them all day long.
For more info check out the book "Lose Your Mummy Tummy" by Julie Tupler

Christie attests to the importance of strength training:
I've been working out with a trainer for almost a year now. Strength training really has made a difference for me. And no, women can't bulk up unless they do steroids. You're right on!

To which Erin responded:
Yes, women can bulk up and do without the use of steroids...I'm a living example!!

Any thoughts? Just for the record, though, Erin definitely doesn't look like a woman on steroids! She's a hot, buff mama!

On to the food stuff!

On eating healthy, Lyenna (who happens to be 5 lbs. from her pre-pregnancy weight 8 weeks after giving birth!) suggests portion control.
I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm satisfied, not full. I also cut out extra fat. For example, I use mustard instead of mayo, for a sandwich and pile on the veggies to make it more satisfying. Also a good rule of thumb is to pay attention to serving size. If it's bigger than your fist (use this for fruit, potatoes, etc) or palm (use this for chicken, steak, etc) it's too big. Also with dessert, have it, just don't go overboard.

Aly (the beautiful cake maker) suggests:
Lots of...Fiber/Grains
Fruit and Veggies

2 servings...dairy
Easy on the...leans meats

8 glasses (or more)...of water

Essential Fats/Oils: Very small amount

All in moderation 6 days/week...

AND one over induldging day that I throw it all out the window!

Tami (who really is a health and fitness expert) says:
I try to avoid the five whites which are well known for giving you a "gut," "rice gut," "spare tire," whatever you want to call that extra around your waist line.

The five whites:
White flour
White pasta
White sugar
White rice
White potatoes

So what the heck do I eat? Hmmm.... good question!
Whole wheat bread
Whole wheat couscous
Quinoa (said to be the most nutritous grain, it's high in protein - use like rice, or like oatmeal)Brown rice (brown rice cakes are nice to snack on)
Oatmeal
Whole wheat pasta
And I try to eat my vegetables
Go for variety in color

And finally, some extra motivation...cuz I know we could all use some!

Christie nailed one of my motivating factors for exercise on the nose:
The only thing that motivates me is my extreme desire to eat bad food. I work out so that I can eat bad. Sure, I'd like to lose a few pounds, but if I can keep myself from gaining, I've done good.

And we know she runs like crazy...she ran a marathon a few years ago...

Miguelito said:
I guess one motivation is to keep up with you two. There's nothing better than a mid-morning jog in San Diego with my sisters.

We love our cute little brother!

And my favorite from Evelyn:
It is the one thing I can fully accomplish during the day.

If you cross nothing else off your to-do list for the day, you can feel accomplished knowing you did something good for yourself!

Thank you so much for making this blog better than we can make it ourselves. We hope our readership keeps growing so we can keep learning from you inspiring people! Have a great weekend!

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