Hello, my Healthy Stride family!

I hope you are all healthy, happy & doing well.  I have really missed the “Healthy Living Community”.  I carried so much pain and sadness with weight and I just really want to help people.  I want people to know there is hope and that if I can do it, they can do it too!  I am nothing special and was able to achieve great goals. I want to show you that you can also achieve great success.  

I am super stoked to introduce a project that has been several months in the making and you are the first to find out about it!  I am now blogging and consulting over at www.pretendingiknow.com

As a special gift to my past readers and fellow supporters I am offering 50% off any of my e-consulting packages with the code HealthyStride, making them even MORE affordable.  It is my way of telling you THANK YOU for remembering me, sticking with me and believing in me.  I can’t wait to catch up with you over on www.pretendingiknow.com.

Love and healthy wishes, 

Lindsay @pretendingiknow on IG

First Long Run

Saturday was my 1st long run....long being a whopping 2.5 miles! However I am in Utah this week visiting family. So my run was on my old stomping grounds! Which also happens to be MUCH higher elevation. It was fine though the first half wasn't my favorite...the second half was much better. I was pretty sure I was GOING to die when I was done I was wheezing and panting. I survived it and had my headphones nice and loud so that I couldn't hear myself TRYING to breathe. My pace was almost 3 minutes faster. So it is true that I am getting a little bit faster :)

My tip of the day is-
Run with headphones nice and loud so you don't hear yourself ALMOST dying :)

I am excited for this week, lots more time playing with family seeing old friends and a few more training runs this week!

HAPPY MONDAY EVERYONE!
Make this a great week :)

Picking a Training Plan-

I have searched training plans several times before, and always end up back at Hal Higdons plans. I love how easy it look and how do able he makes it seem. He spells it out so well that it makes me feel like I can do it! He says "Put one foot in front of the other and run. It sounds pretty simple, and it is. Don't worry about how fast you run; just cover the distance-" That sentence alone confirmed that YES anyone can do this. 

I also really liked this plan too because let's be honest who doesn't like PINK.... I found this one here. 

It is pretty close to Hals Plan so I am doing a combo of both of them!  I might just even cover the completed days with and awesome gold star. 

I know I am only 4 days into training this go around however I really think what is helping me mentally is knowing I don't have to worry about week 7 or even week 3 I am taking it day by day and not STRESSING out about the weeks ahead. I think that is what will make it doable. 

Remind me of this when in a few weeks I am questioning.....

 WHAT I have gotten myself into?

Until then....Find yourself a race pick a plan and hit the road :)

Day 3 Done-

Today was my kids first day of SUMMER!!! Late I know um hello it is the 19th of June but....here in the PNW that's how things roll. So I let them sleep in when they woke up I greeted them with these awesome lists :)

 

(I had forewarned them so they were not totally shocked.)

Knowing how thrilled they would be to kick their summer of with these list! 

 

I laced up my shoes and headed out for my 2 miler.

 

I was greeted with this sweet message!  Uh oops I guess I haven't turned this baby on for 2.5 years. 

I headed on out for 2 miles...

 

Ran past these beauties....

Finished Strong and 2 minutes and 30 seconds faster then Mondays run!

I felt great and didn't hate it. Yes I know it is slow but... as they say...I am lapping everyone on the couch ;)

Tomorrow bright and early we head to UTAH for a summer visit. I'm excited to see family and friends!!! I am hopeful that I will get my runs in and stay on top of my training....I am a little worried about the elevation change! I am banking on it making running easier when we return from our trip.

I'm off to pack...long day of driving ahead!

I am alive and crazy-

 I AM alive...

 

I must be crazy!  I swore I hated running got into cycling and LOVED it still do. However I am scared for my life riding here Oregon...yes is it considered VERY bike friendly. I swear that the roads here have zero shoulder, no bike lane and the speed limit is like 50 MPH everywhere...  Because I really love my husband and kids I find myself not wanting to ride here, for fear I will never return.  Plus it's not the same riding without my Utah BFFs. So I have done the unthinkable and signed up for a 10k....I specifically remember pulling out of my half. I wrote there I was hoping to have running be my passion, however right now it isn't! WELL I am hoping that it can be my passion again because as Brittany Spears says OOPS I did it again.... 

 I signed up for another 10k!!! BOOM August 10th I will rock the Huckleberry Half and 10k. Will I be as fast as I was 3 years ago probably not, will I finish? Absolutely! Have I talked my friends into doing it too? You betcha MOTIVATION in numbers! 

 Did this medal have anything to do with it? Totally! Look how cute it is. eeek!

So far I am 2 days into my training!

 I ran 2 SLOW miles yesterday and swam tonight for 25 minutes for my cross training!

Wish me luck!

Water Bottles.....

I had to laugh my friend sent me a text this week and all it said was "What is your secret to drinking lots of water?" I replied its my magic water bottle! It turned into a HUGE facebook thread about the water bottles and I have to say  A LOT of my friends are now owners of these magic water bottles too. Who would have thought that my simple response could cause such a stir in the FB world!!!!   However it never leaves my side and I refill it a BILLION times a day.  I refill it with water that is not ice cold,  that way I can drink it lots faster.

Plus my kids refill it nonstop for me too just so they can drink out of it! They all are "earning'' their own water bottles now! Best $15 bucks ever spent! Okay they really are not magic I just love the convenience, lots of water in every swallow and plus they are super cute! I  used to get all my water down this way . Now I  just use my magic water bottle.... No you do not have to use this water bottle....just pick a favorite cup, with a lid and a straw and you'll be golden :) Turn it into your FAVORITE way to drink lots of water.

Which brings me to why water is so important in weight loss and in general health!

• When you lose weight your body creates toxins/ waste, and water helps flush them out of your system.
• Keeps your joints and muscles well lubricated and helps them move smoothly! Water is the WD-40 for your body! 
• Helps with hydration. When you are dehydrated you feel sleepy, and lethargic which makes you GRUMPY!
• Helps with the "BLOATED" feeling. 
• Ice cold water actually burns calories as your body heats up to digest it and adjust to the cold water you just drank. 
• Helps with muscle soreness.   
• Keeps you feeling full, which in turn helps with cravings. 
• Keeps your skin looking fresh and clear. 

My water bottle goes everywhere with me, if I go upstairs it goes with me, when I go to bed its on my nightstand. It goes to PTA meetings, church meetings, girls night out, date night. Oh the stories my water bottles could tell......

Do you drink enough water?

What are your secrets to drinking lots of water?


*I bought my water bottles at Costco!

EXCUSES

Today would have been a GREAT day to say aww I'll miss out on my workout.... I was woken up at 3 am to limbs falling off the trees! Those things crash and are freaking scary.....even more scary when you are home alone! Then again at 4:30 to loud thuds of more stuff crunching and breaking! 

 Back to sleep until 6:30 to find it was a SNOW DAY!!! 

 Say what....growing up in Utah the weather didn't look like a snow day to me....but none the less!

NO SCHOOL....

I'll take it though.....So we slept in until 10:30ish I knew I still needed to shower and had a lunch I needed/ wanted to be at at noon. So I left my house all dressed and ready for the day! Enjoyed a great lunch, came home treated my kiddos to Happy Hour @ Sonic! Wasn't even temped for a DDP....yay must mean I have gotten those craving out of my system. 

So now here I am writing post workout and I had a million and one reason/ excuses to NOT go!

  I am proud of myself for staying dedicated and getting my workout in. It would have been much easier to sit home and do nothing....However leaving for the hour and getting my workout in will make the rest of my day SO much better I won't have guilt for cheating myself out of a workout. Plus it shows me mentally that I am dedicated and driven to achieve my goals.

NO EXCUSES!!!!

So I formed a list of LAME excuses that NO one should use :)

• I don't have the time! PLEASE everyone has 30 minutes your reading this right now right.....you could be getting a workout in.
• I don't have clothes to workout in! Sheesh Pajamas work great then. 
• I don't have shoes.....Come on now...EVERYBODY has a pair of tennis shoes! Gym shoes do NOT need to be anything special!
• I ate bad so why work out??? Um HELLO the more reason to get a quick workout in.
• I don't have a gym membership.....LAMEST EXCUSE in the book! You have 2 feet walk out your front door walk 15 min one way turn around and walk home. Now you are thinking the weather isn't ideal then do some simple circuit training at home, a DVD, and online video or On Demand!
• I'm to fat to exercise....Nope no your not! Get off your booty and get moving. 
• I don't want to get my hair sweaty I just washed it! YUP I have totally used that one :)
• I'm to tired!!!! Well then a workout is exactly what the Dr ordered. You will feel those endorphins and they will power you through the rest of the day!

These were just a few I thought of real quick off the top of my head! I am pretty sure I have used everyone of them plus a million more!

What EXCUSE do you CHOOSE to use???

Make the CHOICE today to NOT make any EXCUSES!