I Am a Sponsored, Competitive Athlete!

I guess I should complete that thought.  I am a sponsored, competitive athlete… in my own little magical world.  And as crazy as it makes me sound, it also makes me overcome Lazy.

In fact, I had a biking competition on Saturday.  My first rival was easily passed as he was having trouble clipping in or something.  Yeah, having clips (I don’t) are supposed to help you bike better and faster, blah, blah, blah.  Well, they certainly weren’t helping him!  Hahahaha, sucka!

I didn’t encounter my second and more serious adversary until I’d turned around and was heading back.  She and I both had pulled out onto the main road from the same turn-out at almost the same time with her being about 25 meters ahead of me.  We were on a very slight decline before we were to hit the gradual incline which leads into a serious hill.  It was evident that I was taller and heavier than she was, so I knew I had to make the most of my momentum advantage while I could before the climb turned it into my disadvantage. 

I zipped by her and almost uttered, “see you on the hill,” but decided to save my energy.  It did me no good.  She smoothly passed me a few minutes later and this was before we’d even started the major hill ascent! 

Oh well, as I was bad-mouthing the basic laws of physics (curse you, second law of motion!) – not to mention her obvious superior physical fitness - I consoled myself by remembering that my abundant height does has its advantages in certain situations.  Like at the grocery store.  Sometimes people will ask for my help in reaching something on the top shelf.  I’m always happy to comply…. Although sometimes, I admit, I have a little fun with them when I innocently ask them over and over, “This one? Oh, this one?  So, this one, then?  No?”

In my competition today, my plan was to keep my new frenemy within my sights up the hill and then let my heavy duty frame (body and bike) overcome the petite waif as she ineffectively pedaled her skinny little tires. 

Well, it didn’t quite play out that way.  She kept her speedier pace consistent enough to stretch the distance between us to a good 150 meters or so.  Hmmph.

But I’ll tell you what, I worked notably harder because of this imaginary contest I had going on in my head.  So, I thank you, Anonymous Biker Chick.  You had no idea this major rivalry was happening on the road behind you, but I was waging a full-on war!  And, as a result, I got a killer workout because of it.

Anyway, I got the last laugh as we came back into town.  It didn’t take me long at all to finally catch up to her and pass her like she was standing still… because she was.  She’d stopped at a red light to go straight and I barely yielded as I cruised by her to turn right.

Yeah, baby.  How do you like them apples?!  Eat my dust!!!

That grand finale kept me smiling all the way home!

OVERCOME LAZY!

Fitness is FREEDOM... and POWER!

Trying to keep up with the kiddo!
Not so easy when I'm on foot
and she's off training wheels now!

As I launched out on a spontaneous run with R the other day, I realized what an incredible, amazing blessing it is to be able to be fit and healthy enough to just jump into the moment - specifically, an ACTIVE moment.

A few days ago, it was spectacularly gorgeous outside.  Suddenly, R wanted to ride her bike, and I wanted to go on a run and next thing you know, we're out doing just that!

Last week, the girls begged me to join them jumping on the trampoline.  I thought, why not?!  I can, I should, it feels great and it was FUN!

Lately, I could give you a ton more examples of instances along these same lines.  But you get the idea.

Not much thinking or convincing myself wen into doing these workouts/activities.  I WANTED to do them, so I did.  That's FREEDOM!  That's POWER!  That's how I want it to be for the rest of my days on this earth...

Fitness gives us the freedom and power to...

Reach new heights!
(That's R, waaaaay up there!)

Weather the seasons.

Navigate some pretty tough terrain...

Keep the simple things of life just that:  simple.
(Like a back yard game of hopscotch)


Get Fit.  Overcome Lazy.  Empower yourself.

Happy Groundhog Day! I Ran From My Shadow, Too!

Lately, my clothes have been tight.  Uncomfortable. Unflattering.  I mean, I can still wear them.  I haven’t gotten THAT far off-track, but, they tell me that I am not currently in possession of my desired physique. 

I do not own a scale.  Not that I’m against them, but I just haven’t ever felt the necessity to own one.  My clothes and the mirror (and my husband – he is brutally honest) are what I personally use to keep track of my body composition fluctuations.

Well, when I was home at Christmas, I stepped on my parents’ scale.  Just out of curiosity.  An’ it weren’t pretty.  I was about 10 pounds heavier than where I like to be when I’m feeling and looking my best.  It was no surprise, really, but disconcerting, nonetheless.

With today being Groundhog Day, it reminded me that I’ve been acting like a scared groundhog.  At the end of December, I curiously and tentatively stepped on the scale (the groundhog pokes his sleepy head out of his hole), I glanced at the digital read-out in shock and quickly jumped off (he sees his shadow looming and scrambles back into his burrow) and I continued my unhelpful behavior  for, roughly, six more weeks – too reluctant to make a commitment just yet to get the body composition changes that I need and want (the skittish groundhog hides out underground for six more weeks thinking he’s better off delaying the inevitable end of his hibernation).

Well, I’ve had it!  I’m sick of running away from hard work and discipline.  I’m sick of hibernating and postponing my day of reckoning.  The time has come to stop mindlessly stuffing my face and to become more consistent with my workouts.

It’s time to start casting shadows of a different kind:



If this is what 6 more weeks of winter looks like in Vegas,
then I'll take it!



Just had to throw this one in:  Those are our shadows being cast
from no other light than the bright moon!


What shadows are you going to cast this year???

Girl Power Playlist

Music is so powerful.  When I blast some kickin’ tunes during the day, the girls and I can’t help but MOVE with the energy of the music.  Countless times, just the right song has made all the difference for me in a critical “throw-in-the-towel” moment during a tough workout. 

I have been having so much fun lately making playlists from my library of music and recent song downloads.  I’ve been grouping them according to mood, mostly.  Some examples:  Ultimate Feel-Good, Anger Management, Brooding, etc.

Music is also very personal.  I choose some songs for their powerful message, some for the memories they conjure, and some simply because they just plain ROCK!  I consider myself quite eclectic in my taste and find songs in almost every genre that motivate me.

In my opinion, this Girl Power playlist is just what you need to rouse your kick-arse mojo… whether it’s for a killer workout or just a killer bathtub scrubbin’!

GIRL POWER!



Girls Rule, Boys Drool!



Wind It Up – Gwen Stefani

Trouble – Pink

Black Cat – Janet Jackson

Hit Me With Your Best Shot – Pat Benatar

Maneater – Nelly Furtado

Fighter – Christina Aguilera

Bang bang bang – Christina Perri

Bulletproof – La Roux

California Gurls – Katy Perry

Girls Just Want To Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper

Would I Lie To You? – Eurythmics

Girlfriend – Avril Lavigne

Raise Your Glass – Pink

Rich Girl – Eve; Gwen Stefani

Your Love Is My Drug – Ke$ha

Don’t Stop The Music – Rihanna

Heart and Soul – T’Pau

Note:  I’m a good girl (excuse me while I adjust my halo… there) and prefer my music cleaned-up.  I download most of my songs from walmart.com because they usually have an edited version of the edgy songs.

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: With Random Acts of Fitness, Of Course!

I didn't manage to get a "workout" in today.  But I'm OK with that because it was an active day regardless, thanks to two Random Acts of Fitness.  An "active" day and a "busy" day are different things for me.  Busy days often mean that it will not be an active day because there just won't be the time to fit in a workout. 

But since I've been focusing on these RAFs, I've been pleased to note that - though not always the case - my busy days no longer guarantee an absence of exercise.  I'm still able to make even my busiest days "active" with just a few minutes of short exercise bursts in all kinds of different ways.


Funny...I almost wore that EXACT outfit
to the playground today.


Take today, for example.  It was full of the school practice walk (R starts kindergarten next week and we’ve been preparing by walking to school in the mornings this week), dropping the car off to get fixed, grocery and school supply shopping, baking refreshments for a church activity, taking the kids swimming to give my sister-in-law some much needed peace while recovering from her C-section, and then going to the church activity.  My to-do list actually had even more on it… but the rest will be put off till tomorrow, including my workout.

But here’s the magic of the RAFs:  I don’t lament my missed workout because I squeezed in some activity anyway! On the way home from the school walk, we swung by the playground so the girls could  run amok for a few minutes; and instead of taking shelter in the nearby shade like I wanted to (it’s been blazing hot lately!), I joined them for some “fun” of my own with some step-ups and plyo push-ups and pull-ups.  This only added a few extra minutes to our routine but it was fun and beneficial to us all.  We definitely got sweaty but thank goodness the sprinklers were on for us to run through on the way home!

Then later at the pool, I did some more of the pool exercises that I’ve been so fond of lately.

I acknowledge that not all busy days easily allow for even a quick RAF.  BUT, since I’ve been focused on them more, I’m finding that they’re not as hard to incorporate as you’d think. 

In this crazy life that we ping pong around in, we often have to get creative and non-traditional in our approach to getting things done.  Well, this includes fitness as well!  Start thinking more “outside the box.” 

Start thinking “randomly!” 

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: My Jekyll Tamed My Hyde

I refer to myself as a “lazy personal trainer” because I am constantly battling my two strong desires to kick butt & take names and strap on the feedbag like there’s no tomorrow.

I often feel like I have a split Jekyll/Hyde personality.  One is my "Dr." Personal Trainer and the other is evil Ms. Lazy.  I can give daily/hourly accounts of my character metamorphoses, but I’ll just share the latest blatant example:

Tuesday evening, we whipped up a fabulous dinner of grilled steaks, veggie mash potatoes and corn on the cob.  There was a LOT of good food and I ate more than my share.  Dessert presented the choice of chocolate chip bundt cake or 70-calorie Italian ice pops.  I chose the higher ground with the Italian ice.  Yum! 

So… good meal, good dessert.  Satisfaction and satiation, right? 

Uh, nope.

When we got home K’s shoulder devil had apparently been talking to him and he insisted we needed sugar cookies with frosting.  I, of course, made a cursory verbal protestation before I succumbed to my own little mischievous imp who’d overheard the whole conversation. 

And, of course, the girls were no help.  “What?  Cookies????”  They’re young enough that we can still spell words around them but K had made sure he articulated the word, “cooookeeeees” really well.

So within a half hour, we were lickin’ our fingers free of icing and sprinkles before crashing into our beds practically in sugar comas.  The next day I stumbled out of bed totally feeling my pig-out hangover.  Thank goodness Dr. Personal Trainer quickly dominated and got me out for a morning run.  Ahhhh, I came home cleansed and energized. 



Breakfast of Champions!



I scooped up a dish of nonfat cottage cheese with cantaloupe and prepared for a stellar, healthy day.



And then I saw it.  K had taken the girls to get Krispy Kremes for breakfast (I mean is he trying to kill us?  Seriously.) and had “thoughtfully” left one for me.  Ms. Lazy reared her ugly head yet again as I sank my teeth into another delectable confection.



... Sort of.



At least it was blueberry.  Antioxidants, y’know.

The bright side of all this is I think my inner Hyde has gotten enough satisfaction with this latest rampage that she hasn’t resurfaced since.  Dr. Personal Trainer has kept me active and eating clean for the last two days!

Ms. Lazy, I beat you into submission yet again… for now.

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Got Away From It All



Not the roughest trail, but tough enough for me!



I have taken my bicycle off-roading twice now.  It is a new obsession for me.  I love it!  I blogged recently about the value of stepping out of the box and trying new things as I did with Zumba and now trail biking.  Well, while I’m not exactly a Zumba convert, I’m certainly a new trail biking aficionado.  I definitely plan on incorporating this into my fitness repertoire!

In the past, I’ve been too intimidated by the difficulty of mountain biking to try it.  Well, that and I didn’t have a bike until a year ago.  Plus, frankly, I’m a total scardey-cat: crashes, lack of control, SPEED!  Yikes! 

Yes, for me, it is tough.  It is scary.  But the exhilaration of it all far outweighs any of that, making it addictively invigorating!

When K and I stopped for water breaks on this last outing, I would gaze back at the suburban neighborhood we’d just biked away from and I enjoyed watching the houses get smaller and smaller with each subsequent stop.  We also had a good, albeit distant, view of the Las Vegas Strip and it struck me how nice it was to be away from civilization. 



Yes, that's the Strip behind me...
Far, far away.



While I enjoy working out with others, I also cherish the opportunity to be able to separate myself and revel in the solitude of my own thoughts and feelings.  As I get away from it all, sure – I mull over some of the current stressors in my life, but I find my thoughts quickly shifting to reflect on my blessings and how good life really is.  It’s hard to be anything but positive while doing invigorating activities in such vitalizing surroundings.  I also find my thoughts becoming more ambitious as I invent and then resolve to incorporate new methods to make life even better!  I usually return from these outings ready to take the world ON!

We recently took the girls on a “staycation” to the Golden Nugget here in town for a night so we could play in their pool and swim with the sharks.  As we drove through the garish, neon-flooded downtown area toward the hotel, R – my 5 year old - asked, “Are we still in Las Vegas?”

We laughed as we answered her, “Most people would consider this the heart of Las Vegas.” 

But we know better.

Get away from it all occasionally.  Exercise isn’t always something you have to sweatily slog through as you ceaselessly watch the clock.  Look forward to it as your “me” time and see if you can solve a few world problems while you’re at it!

Random Act of Fitness #2 Supertramp! (-oline, that is!)

I love my mini trampoline!  I use it in my workouts all the time.  I usually use it in combination with some strength moves and other cardio drills for circuit and interval-style workouts. 

It's also perfect for hopping on any time throughout the day for a RAF!  I was in the back yard with the girls for a few minutes the other day while they were playing in the kiddie pool.  The mini tramp was right there, so I started doing a few drills and ended up staying on there for a good 20 minutes!  The girls kept me cool by splashing me regularly with water and it was a great burst of activity before dinner.

Later when I had more time, I did my regular workout in the garage.

Great, active day!

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Channeled My Inner Shakira"



Is this me or is it Shakira?
It's hard to tell the
difference!



Well, I tried to anyway.  I apparently don’t have an inner Shakira.  I do seem to have an inner Frankenstein, however.  Not exactly what I needed for my first Zumba class.

I have to say, however, that despite my lack of choreographic grace and finesse, I actually enjoyed the class!

First off, I’m proud of myself for going way outside my box and trying something new (good job, me!).  I’d been wanting to try Zumba for quite a while.  Not because it particularly interested me as a serious workout option (I am not skilled as a dancer nor do I even particularly enjoy dancing) but I wanted to be in the know.  It’s been such a workout phenomenon for the last coupla years that I’ve wanted to experience it firsthand.

Well, I got my chance and here are some of my observations and tips:

• While Zumba’s supposed to be a dance-inspired workout that’s friendly to the mainstream crowd, I definitely feel that the “dancer-types” or wannabe “dancer-types” will get the most enjoyment and benefit from it. 
• It helps to have a great teacher and awesome music.  Both of which I had and, for me, it made the class.  Those two features made it fun enough that I would do it again.  You rock, Tammy!
• Don’t be afraid to loosen those hips!  Once I warmed up and got used to the feel of the movements, I relaxed and my shimmies really heated up!  I ain’t saying it was ever pretty, but I felt ever so slightly more adept.
• Make sure you whoop and holler at regular intervals.  This does two things:  1) It helps you convince yourself that you are enjoying every minute of feeling like an elephant among gazelles and, 2) it helps convince the teacher that you don’t blame her at all that you’re usually moving in the opposite direction and a half beat behind everyone else.
• You do want a supportive shoe (we did some stomping and hopping) but choose a pair with the least amount of traction because you do plenty of twisting, pivoting and gliding as well.  I wore my running shoes to the class and my left knee started talking to me during the class and kept grumbling discontentedly the rest of the day.  But 24 hours later, it was fine.

So, the bottom line:  I got a better workout from it than I anticipated.  I do feel I was hindered a bit by my lack of experience and skill, so I would expect an even better workout from repeated participation in the class.  I liked it; I enjoyed it more than I thought I would, but I wouldn’t say I loved it.  It just ain’t my thang. Would I try it again?  Yes!  But I won’t go out of my way to incorporate it regularly.

Ok, the BOTTOM, bottom line:  Trying something new helps you overcome Lazy, big time!  You just may discover something you can use to freshen up and incorporate into your routine and, if not, you can move on to the next thing.  Ooooo, what will I (and you) do next?!?

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Officially Declare My Independence (From Laziness)



It’s finally the 4^th of July holiday weekend!  And we’ve got a beach vacation on the agenda.

Great new novel to read?  Check

Little nest egg I’ve been saving for shopping spree?  Check

Birthday cake fixins to celebrate two birthdays?  Check

(Neither my brother nor I was born on the 4^th of July, but close!)



Ummm, I think he's declared his
independence from laziness...
but not hunkiness!!!



Oh, and tennis racquets, and bicycles and hiking boots and wet suits (did I mention it’s the Oregon coast?  Brrrrrr!) Check, check, check and check!

Yes, while there will be plenty of relaxation and indulgence, this will not be a vacation from our active and adventurous ways.

Nope.  In fact, in the true spirit of Independence Day, this week I’m declaring my family’s independence from Lazy!  Like our forefathers 235 years before us, we feel Lazy has been unfairly taxing us.  Most certainly, Lazy has been brutally taxing ON us in many ways by constantly threatening to authoritatively rule our thoughts and actions to make us virtual pawns in its imperialistic fast hold.

Well, not the “T” family.  We are declaring war on Lazy!

Here’s our official Declaration of Independence From Lazy:

(Don’t worry:  it’s waaaaaay shorter than the original… and possibly a little less dry).

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to hoist their lazy posteriors off the couch and to wrest the Cheetos bag from their steely grip and to assume among the power of human nature, the magnificent potential yet imperfect qualities with which we are all bestowed from Nature’s God, that a decent respect to their well-being requires that they should declare the intentions which impel them to pursue an improved, un-lazy lifestyle.

We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created with flaws, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unenviable Characteristics, that among these are slothfulness, gluttony and the pursuit of Laziness.  That to overcome these tendencies, Exercises and Nutrition Programs are instituted among Men and Women, deriving their degree of effectiveness from the dedication of the participants.  That whenever any Form of Laziness threatens to overtake our lifestyle, it is the Right and Duty of the People to  alter or abolish it… and kick its arse* to the curb!!!**

This is war, Lazy!  We’re sick of you trying to dominate our lives.  We’re knocking you off your high and mighty throne and wiping that smug, confident smirk off your face!  You’ve ruled our thoughts and actions long enough.  You are our dictator no longer!  We’re the new Superpower in town now and just wait till you see what we become in 235 years….or more like, 5, since we’ll be dead in 235 years!

WE SHALL OVERCOME!

We’re already winning some of the battles, however something tells me this is gonna be a looooong war.  But - like our founding fathers discovered – it’s well worth the fight!

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY, EVERYONE!!!

*When I use naughty words I tend to use a cockney accent.

**Also, I try not to use massive amounts of run-on sentences (not that I haven’t!) like our friend Tommy Jefferson but I wanted to remain true to the style of this historic document.

How I Overcame Lazy This Week: I Ditched The Kids!



I ran across this pic at
The Great Fitness Experiment

My daughters are one of the greatest joys of my existence.  I feel so blessed to have them in my life and to be able to spend my days with them full-time.  I love my little family. 

And yet, I have to say, as Grandma chauffeured the girls off for a sleepover, I stood waving good-bye and was awash with a giddy feeling of… freedom!  What to do first?!  My initial action was to do a kind of involuntary happy dance; it just sort of spontaneously sprung forth.  Next, I ran inside and blared the music that I wanted to listen to without worrying a whit about its appropriateness for the five-and-under set. 



And then… I got down and dirty.  Oh yeah, folks, I went into a House. Cleaning. FRENZY!!!  The carpets hadn’t been shampooed for months, the tile hadn’t been mopped for days and I had nobody getting in my way, demanding sippy cups and potty breaks nor making me feel guilty for not paying attention to them.  I was in heaven!

Ugh.  I’m a full-fledged, boring “housewife,” aren’t I? 

In my defense, my very first fantasy was, in fact, to hop in the car and go on a shopping frenzy.  However, that yearning was quickly quashed by the fact we have no expendable income and K was at work with the car; hence my enthusiastic focus on the next available option.

As I came to a cleaning break, it hit me that, despite my lack of motorized transportation, I wasn’t tethered to the house like I usually am.  I realized I could go out and do any type of workout I wanted to do for as long as I wanted without having to worry about the usual 20-minute prep of sunscreening, pottying, packing snacks/drinks, etc.  Nope, I just had to lace up my sneaks and head out!  I went for a neighborhood run.  I was in paradise!

Then when K got home later that night, we were discussing what in the world we were going to do with our kid-free morning the next day.  We were glumly listing the errands and home projects that we needed to get done when suddenly, it hit me that I’ve been wanting to go trail biking.  K’s been able to go a few times recently with friends, but I’ve had to stay with the girls because it’s not a very-young-kid-friendly activity. It struck us that we were unencumbered with the kiddos and we would be remiss to not take advantage of this sublime situation.  We were in ecstasy!

Quick aside: Two words for my mountain biking experience:  Awe.  Some.  This will be a topic for another blog posting very soon here, but I’ll just leave it at that for now.  Incredible.  Okay, now I’ll leave it.  Exhilarating.  For real, I’m done.  FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!!!

What was a happy realization from all of this is that, when faced with the delicious prospect of some self-indulgent free-time, what I truly was most excited about was the option to do some lively, un-lazy activities that I haven’t been able to do recently and I actually got out and did them!

Now, don’t get me wrong, I LOVE relaxing down time that involves a good book or a good movie.  I LOVE indulging in some yummy treats that I don’t have to share with anyone else!  And I manage to do those things occasionally as well, but I like being in a place right now that, when give the choice, my first desire is to do something fun and active and to just jump in and enjoy life!

I also want it understood that I LOVE adventuring with my girls and even thrive on the challenge of ensuring their participation and enjoyment of our active lifestyle.  But, boy, it sure was nice and a bit refreshing to be a little selfish! 

So, my advice:  take a break from something that usually gobbles up your time and energy (kids, work, America's Got Talent re-runs, etc.) and do something un-lazy for YOURSELF!  It’s usually a win-win situation.

When we went to pick them up, the girls didn’t even complain when we smothered them with sweaty, stinky hugs and kisses.  They'd had a blast with the grandparents and I think they enjoyed their little break from us as much as we did!







Shooooooooz

Whenever I start a conversation with K by saying, “Y’know what I’m thinking…?”  He ALWAYS quickly jumps in and says, “Yes.  ‘Shooooooooz.’” As in shoes.  Right.  Like that’s all I ever think about.  C’mon, my brain is filled with a few more thoughts than just shoes.  It’s more like, “Shoooooz.  Chocolate.  Shooooooz.  What should I make for dinner?  Shooooooooooooooooooooooooz.”

Yes, like most women, I have a deep, abiding love/lust for shoes.  It started when I was very young and has persisted into my adulthood.  If I had the means to be Imelda Marcos, I would be. 

So on Christmas morning, you can imagine my utter delight at being genuinely surprised by receiving TWO pairs of new shoes!  The first were running shoes from my incredibly thoughtful husband.  I have needed a new pair in the worst way but kept putting off buying them because some other little expense would pop its annoying head right in my face and cackle viciously as my plans for new runners were once again relegated to the back burner.

Hot pink running shoes!  I wish these would've worked.

This is how I know that K does occasionally listen to me.  He’d ordered the pair of running shoes because I’d mentioned a couple of times that I’d seen that the new Saucony Kinvaras had some good reviews and was interested in trying some out.  Well, he thoughtfully ordered them but they ended up being a half-size too small and when we did manage to get out and shop, I found my love for Brooks is still burning strong, so that’s what I ended up with.

My feet are happy in my Brooks Ghost 3



The other shoes were sassy peep-toe booties from my daughters that once again displayed K’s attentiveness.  He’d apparently heard me mention more than once that some booties were just what I needed to update my wardrobe.  OK, I realize that it’d take more than just some booties to update my nothing-but-jeans-and-t-shirts-and-workout-clothes wardrobe.  But I had convinced myself that’s all I needed.   So he had the girls help pick out a pair.  And I must say they did extremely well.  I loved the high spiky heels and slight platform sole (I was at least 6’4” with them on) and the lace-up detail was rockin’!



Check these out!



But as I sat there and drank in their beauty and delicious impracticality, it hit me that what I really did need and, in fact, really did want when it all came down to it, was practicality.  Another rant K has heard from me lately is that it’s ridiculous that I don’t have any decent hiking boots to wear to Red Rock Canyon and Mt. Charleston for our climbing and hiking outings.  I mean, we’re out there weekly, if not more, and I end up wearing the oldest, rattiest shoes I have because I don’t mind if I get them dirty and scuffed.  But what I really need is a sturdy pair that can withstand the terrain and conditions I put them through and feel good while doing it.

I tried on the sassy booties.  I saw how smokin’ they looked with some hot-pink tights, but I realized that I just wouldn’t get the same value and use from them that I would from a pair of sturdy, comfortable and practical hiking boots.  With the kind of lifestyle I have, I’d wear the booties maybe a few times a year.  And I would indeed love feeling so stylish and edgy while strutting down… well, the grocery aisle, I guess.  See what I mean? As much enjoyment as I would surely get out of the occasional fashion upgrade, it’s a much bigger – and more frequent – rush for me when I lace up some new athletic performance shoes in preparation for my next sporting venture.

So at this time when, for us, every dollar counts, I responsibly packed up the whimsical foot candy and returned it to the store and will now focus some energy on finding the right hiking boot.



These could work.  They're Keen's "Red Rock"... perfect!

Sometimes you should simply enjoy your presents and the spirit in which they are given but sometimes it makes more sense to redirect the love and kindness of others by investing in a more suitable and rewarding gift.  If they love you, they’ll understand… and be happy that you’re happy.

Our Rainy Day Adventure



A rare sunless morning in Vegas



As nice as we have it here in Vegas during winter, it is still sometimes hard to convince ourselves that we want to bundle up and exercise/play outdoors.  But K didn't get to ride his bike to work this weekend due to the rainy, blustery weather and wanted to make up for it by doing a run this morning.  He planned to head off jogging out toward Redrock Canyon and have us girls meet him out there to hike around and scramble. 



We named this "Gigantic Puddle Lake"



When he suggested it the night before, I told him that was a great idea and he could drive the girls home while I ran back.  We'd attempted this before about a week ago, but it was in the afternoon and it got too dark for me to safely do my run home (darn!).



Lots of great rocks to throw



I have to admit I was kind of regretting my late-night enthusiasm come morning.  Although it wasn't too rainy (slightly sprinkling on and off), it was chilly and dreary and it was... well, it was morning (I'm not an AM kinda gal).

But K took off before I could offer much of a protest and I had no choice but to stick to the plan.  Well, I guess I could've just stayed home but that wouldn't have been very nice, now, would it?  It's about 6 miles out to Calico Basin where we met him before, so I gave him about 45 minutes and then we headed out.  We found him plugging along the road about 4.5 miles away from the house and he was ready to be picked up.  Exhaustion was unsurprisingly setting in after his usual all-work, no-sleep weekend schedule. 



Displaying some majorly muddy shoes



So although we didn't make it out to Calico to hike, we'd spotted a new lake that formed in the drainage basin on the way and just had to stop there to check it out.  The girls were absolutely thrilled to run around, throw rocks and "Pooh sticks" (as they called them) into the lake and get muddy!  We almost lost a couple shoes!



Ah, the joy of getting dirty

 And, no, I didn't get out of my run home again (darn!).  Believe me, I gave a pretty decent attempt at wimping out by muttering some of my misgivings about the bad weather and my near ankle-sprain in the mud but K wasn't having it.  He mercilessly booted me out of the car at the corner.  Well, he did display a little leniency by at least driving to the 3 mile mark. 

And it was all down hill. 



I even brought a change of clothes! 
See, sometimes I'm on the ball.



It's good for us to have him around. 

It was a great morning!

My Best Advice For Getting Healthy



My main motivator for being healthy and fit:  My daughters!



Many people ask me what they should do for a workout. 

Common question:  “What’s a routine that I should do to lose weight or tone up?”  

My not-so-common answer:  I don’t have a routine I’d recommend for any kind of fitness goal until you can prove that you are willing and able to schedule the time necessary to pursue such an endeavor.

So if you’re currently not doing anything on the workout front but want to; or have been so haphazard about your workouts that they aren’t benefiting you much, then listen up!  Or read up…whatever.



Another motivator: 
I wanna look good in leggings!



First, realize this:  being healthy takes effort and time.  Just accept that.  Also accept that it is, without question (to me, at least), totally worth it.  But so many people don’t even get the ball rolling because they are too intimidated or overwhelmed or confused, etc. on how to even go about starting.

So this is what you do:  Think as minimally about what you are going to do for exercise as possible.  Instead, focus on WHEN and WHERE you will be doing your exercise. 



Take a look at the upcoming week.  I usually do this on Sunday.  Pick 3 days when you have 45 or so minutes to dedicate to a workout.  It doesn’t matter at this point what days they are; just pick 3 days and pencil them into your activities. 

Then, set yourself up for success. 

Be dressed for your workout already when you drop the kids off so you can swing by the gym.  Or have your workout clothes laying out for you so you can change into them when you walk in the door after work.  First thing, without having to think about it. 

Then choose an exercise that takes no brain power or much thinking at all.  Walking/jogging is a great choice.  Get outside if you can.  Pick an easy-to-use machine at the gym or whatever you’ve got at home.  A simple home DVD workout.  Just do about 20-30 minutes or so.  It honestly doesn’t matter WHAT you do at this point.  What matters is that you DO it.  Like you planned.  And you get used to doing it. 



Mostly, I want to enjoy life to the fullest with my family.





Yes, specific routines, variety in your workouts, dietary issues, etc….  All those will matter eventually.  But don’t overwhelm yourself or defeat yourself or unnecessarily complicate things before you even start.  You first need to accustom yourself to your new status as “an exerciser”. 

This is how you successfully start. Do this for 3-4 weeks.  Then, and only then, we’ll move on from there.