I’ve finally been adding some cardio to my workouts.  I’ve been doing strength training regularly since Nov. and have this month added cardio to the mix.

Here is my workout schedule:

20 min. of strength training 3 days a week.

30 min. of cardio 3 days a week.  I alternate 5 min on the elliptical and then do 5 min of tae-bo.  I have found this “interval training” a lot of fun if that is possible.

10,000 steps a day which has gotten much easier.

I’ve also started to take the stairs vs. the elevator.    That has been TOUGH, three flights and I am pooped!  I have noticed that is has gotten easier.  The first day I seriously did not think I could make it to the top.

Today was a strength day, tomorrow is cardio.

If you look at the Tabs on this page, you will find Marie’s Fitness Journal!  I will be keeping a daily log of what I am doing.  I plan on making a weigh in calendar as well.  Every so many weeks I will weigh in!  I’m getting excited.  Do you have a journal??

Ive started using my “pedometer” this week. My goal is reach 10,000 steps a day. On Monday, I had about 8,500 which I was happy with. I thought Id work up to the 10,000. I have good news to report, yesterday I hit my goal……but I ordered pizza for dinner.

Self-sabotage.

Tonight we are going to a basketball game…..so I won’t get to do my cardio…..but Im on track for my 10k steps.

Grrrrr

I was looking for my last SF50 the other day and in the process found an old running journal. When I was a “runner” I always kept a journal. I started running in the 7th grade. My dad and I would go to the high school track at night and I would start on the outside lane and run 8 laps, moving in a lane as I completed each lap. 2 miles. I remember the cool nights of March and the hot nights during the summer. I remember making a hand drawn calendar, marking the days with a black felt tip pen. I’d set a goal for mileage for the week and we would be at the track 3 or 4 nights a week. This continued for years. I ran cross country my Freshman and Sophomore years. I was never a “gifted runner”, but loved being apart of the team. I had a serious knee injury my junior year and did not finish the season. My senior year I opted (brace yourself) to try out for Cheerleading. I made the squad and secretly envied the runners on the track while I was doing “cheers and stunts” in the grassy part of the field. Through it all I continued running. I kept a running journal all through my twenties. Once my son was born and I went through a divorce running fell to way side. I haven’t kept a running journal since.

The journal I found in my filing cabinet has a log of Volksmarches I ran in the early 90’s. It was so strange to see distances like 10k, 12k, 20, 10k consistently week after week.

If you’ve struggled with your weight chances are according to Bob Greene (Oprah’s personal trainer), it is tied to an emotional issue. Its never really about the food, according to Bob.

I think my story is much like other moms. When you work full time (or more), are raising kids, being a wife, throw in youth sports….prioritizing gets to be like juggling several balls…..and usually something eventually will fall. Or you juggle with less balls….which is my case. Ive put my health and fitness on the back burner while concentrating my effort on career and family. It’s not something I’m proud of or something I was even realizing at the time. With only so many hours in the day, I have not made taking care of myself a top priority.

Going into a new year, I’ve spent time reflecting on all the things I was thankful for in 2008. I also am setting new goals for 2008 and my #1 goal is the lifestyle change of getting healthy. I’ve rearranged my whole work schedule, work life and even the radio show we do on Tuesdays nights by putting the Fitness journey on the front burner.

Today I hopped on the elliptical and it felt good……once I was done. Here was my workout:

5 min. cardio
5 min. low impact aerobic / tae-bo moves
x 3
30 min. total

10 min. worth of ab exercizes

I plan on sharing my workout routines here and sharing more thoughts vs. just stats.

My current goal is to loose 10 lbs. Im breaking down this “big elephant” of a goal into bite size pieces.

Thanks for reading and joining the journey……

I can’t wait till I’m finally “running”, for now I am taking it one workout at a time.

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Tips to get you motivated to run/workout:

2. MAMA, GET A NEW PAIR OF SHOES. Two-time Olympian Shayne Culpepper puts new gear she receives as an elite athlete to good use. “It’s fun to break in a new pair of shoes,” she says. “Sometimes that’s enough to get me excited.”

•  DAY 1 01/13/08OK, as I promised.  I’m weighed in and writing.  Today was Day 1 and it was great.  I had my husband and children participate!  This led to a whole other workout. . . LAUGHING!  We did a “fitness challenge” where we all did sit ups, crunches, push ups, and jumping jacks.  We found that Zach doesn’t do push ups, he does “the worm” and Kay. . .well, let’s just say that she gets her grace from her mother and was all over the place.  We laughed so hard that we cried.  The laughter alone was a work out, anything else was a bonus.  What a great way to start off my fitness quest! 
• DAY 2   01/14/08OK, this first few weeks are not going to be easy!  I did some more sit ups, and my knee was hurting a lot today, so I stopped with that.  I don’t want to delay my doctors release back into the real world!  My abs are aching! 
• Day 3 01/15/08 Just some crunches again!! We also had a basketball game!  That got my heart rate up and kept me moving! I have promised to go slow . . .really slow
• Day 4 01/16/08 Walked  today. . .And basketball practice. . .now, time for some ice!!
• Day 5 01/17/08 Basketball practice again tonight.  9 and 10 yr olds have too much energy!!!  I think I need a hot tub! :o)  Wouldn’t that be nice.

I have no intention of doing any of these exercises. . .I just liked the scenery. :oD Hee hee.

I hope that this motivates you! Enjoy!

Oh crap. This is not going to be the highlight of my fitness quest. I hope “Some day” soon, I will look back on this day and smile, knowing it was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. As you all know, I had my second knee surgery three and a half weeks ago. I haven’t been cleared yet to resume working out, but I can do light weights, stretching, walking, and if I carefully get down on the floor, sit ups! I do have, sorry, my husband has an Ab Lounge. He is the one who uses it. I sit in it when I talk to Wendy on the phone. It’s very comfortable for long conversations. :O) I think I’ll start using it for it’s original purpose. Not only am I doing this challenge, my family is. We are eating healthy and will be doing one family fitness activity a day together. The kids are excited because it means having fun together. We’ve come up with some great ideas. The kids get a huge say in what we do, from bike rides, walks, playing soccer, playing tag, or even a friendly competition of relay races, sit ups, and push ups! Starting tomorrow, I will be writing a daily entry. The entries may be short, but I’m committing to it. Ok, here is . . .Que. the dramatic music, “Don Don , DON!”Starting weight: 179lbs . . .yep, sitting around after knee surgery also helped me gain 10lbs. Eeek!Goal weight: 145lbs

Jumping back in I’m excited for 2008.

I’ve continued to do my workouts in Dec and Im happy to report the success I had with my loosefitting pants…..are still loose.  Yea!

I probably could of titled this post “New Year New Shoes”.  Im on the quest for a new par of running shoes.  I have a pair of walking shoes and an old pair of Nike Pegasus that I’ve been using for workouts.

I purchased a new pair of running shoes this month, but discovered I need to return them.  I wish we had more of a selection of good running shoes at the exchange.  I overpronate vs. underpronate and I prefer a light shoe.  For years I wore Nike Air Pegasus, but the new shoe I found looks like it now cut more for an underpronater.  grrrr.

I’ll be looking for a new pair today…… at the mall…..

Tips to get you motivated to run:

 1. CREATE A BLOG where you post your daily mileage, then give out the Web address to your friends and family. Do you really want Aunt Ellen to ask why you skipped your four-miler on Wednesday?

From runnersworld.com

So I’ve been diligently doing some form of movement during the month of November and trying not to obessively weigh myself. Well today I had an appointment that I wore a pair of pants I hadn’t worn in awhile. I was amazed when I put on my pants, they were actually quite baggy in my legs (thighs specifically). Im sort of in denial about it and keep thinking well maybe there is something wrong with the pants…maybe they stretched?!?

It sure felt good!

More workout details:

Wed 11.28
30 min. resistance training

10 min. sit ups (im not counting anymore just going for “time”)

Thur 11.29
30 min. resistance training

Tomorrow will be a cardio day.

Yea!

According to a study done by John Hopkins University 75% of Americans will be overweight by year 2015. That is an estimated 234 million people. This is scary and should be an eye opener for all of us. We have to change what we are doing now, not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren. If we set a better example, we can change that statistic.