Half Marathon FINISHER!

I ran a half marathon.

I ran a frickin half marathon and am still in disbelief that this past Sunday I ran 13.1 miles. Signing up for this half was a very, very big and lofty goal for me. It's definitely not something I ever imagined I would do - but I did it.

To say I was nervous going in to race day would be a HUGE understatement. My training didn't go as I had planned or hoped due to a knee injury, in fact training was so bad that the longest training run I had was my 6.17 mile run in New York City. I had a really hard time wrapping my head around the fact that I was going to have to go more than double that distance and was worried about how my knee would hold up.

When my alarm went off at 4:30am on Sunday morning I thought I was going to puke but as soon as my brother showed up, all nerves disappeared. My brother and I signed up together and he completed his first FULL MARATHON! When I saw my brother I realized what a big day it was for both of us and then I actually got kind of excited.

My stepdad dropped us off and we had about an hour to kill before Nate's race started. I really loved having that time with my bro before he set out to do 26.2 and am so glad I was able to be with him during that time. At 6:30am I sent him off to run his first marathon!

I had an hour before my race, so I used that time to fuel up, hydrate and stretch and then at 7:30am - I was off. My goal for this race was simply to finish but as I was running I realized that running this half marathon meant more to me than I realized. Setting this goal was so far out of my comfort zone and once I got out there I pushed myself harder than I have ever pushed before. I was able to run the first 8 miles without stopping at a 10:35 pace. Like I said, my longest training run was 6.17miles and I wasn't able to run that without stopping to walk, so to run 8 miles with no walking was a monster victory for me and I was pumped. Mile 8 required a quick bathroom break and then I was able to run the better part of mile 9 with just a little walking. It was then that my knee really started to act up so I alternated walking and running from miles 10-12 and then once I saw that mile 12 sign, I picked it back up. I could not believe I only had 1.1 miles left and immediately got emotional. Then, I see my best friend and her fiance walking up the street and when I saw them I almost lost it. They joined me for the last bit of my run and were cheering me on and making me laugh just enough to make that last mile fly by. And then I saw it...the finish line!

Crossing over that line and realizing I had just completed 13.1 miles was a feeling I'll never forget. It was such a feeling of pride, accomplishment and disbelief. I had done it, I had pushed myself, I had finished and I'd done more than I ever had before. I finished with an official time of 2:30:38 and am thrilled to tears about that!

The ONLY thing that really stunk is that Jason was out of town on a work trip. I was so bummed not to have my hubby at the finish line but the cheering squad that I did have did an amazing job of celebrating my finish!

Not long after I crossed the finish line, my baby brother completed his first marathon! Seeing him cross that line was SO special and I had a hard time comprehending that he had just done what I did but TWICE {and way faster - 8:44 minute pace}! I was so very proud of him, what a huge accomplishment!

Being able to share this with my little brother was really cool. He has been a HUGE motivator and support in helping me learn to not hate running and without him there is no way I EVER would have done this. I don't know if I have ever felt as proud as I did on Sunday morning.

Gettin' Back on Track

It seems to be the consensus that the end of the year is kind of a slack time in terms of diet and exercise. There really is no excuse for not being healthy, but it sure is a lot harder during the holidays. I know I for one really let myself go the past couple of months. Birthdays, holidays and a week in Mexico have left me with some unwanted winter weight, and so, it is time to get back on track in a big way. 

Kicking off my half marathon training has me excited to workout more and improve my running while hopefully shedding some pounds but equally as important in preparing for the race is strength training and stretching which is why I am PUMPED about Class Pass coming to Minneapolis! Class Pass is a monthly membership to the best boutique studios in the area. Basically for a monthly fee you get unlimited access to a variety of different classes and a variety of different studios all over town. It's pretty stinkin' awesome! I did a Yoga Sculpt class with Carolyn yesterday and it kicked my booty in the best possible way. 

I am doing Zumba this morning and have another yoga class scheduled for Friday. It's such a fun way to experience different exercises and different studios. I don't know about you but I get bored doing the same thing over and over, so this is the perfect solution! 

For all my Minnesota friends looking to sign up, if you use this link, you can skip right over the waitlist and start using your Class Pass today!

 http://classpass.com/buynow?utm_source=tpblog&utm_medium=blog&utm_campaign=min&utm_content=3631

And to my out-of-state friends, check out the Class Pass locations to see if there is one in your hometown (Austin, Chicago, Denver, Columbus, Houston....you are all for sure on the list!)

While getting back in the gym has felt great, we all know there is two parts to this equation:
gym + kitchen = results
I am back to logging in to My Fitness Pal every day which helps me so much. Of course the ultimate goal is to not have to track calories but I also know this is what works for me, plus I actually think it's kind of fun. I actually enjoy entering my food, tracking what I'm eating and checking in on my nutrition. I am sure some day I will get to the point where it's annoying to track and hopefully at that point I will have met my goals, will be in the "maintain stage" and won't have to concern myself with counting. But until then, I am going to have fun experimenting with different meals and tracking them! Like this week, I made some pretty delicious and nutritious meals. A couple of my faves were the following:

Breakfast: 1 slice Little Big Bread (toasted) with 1/3 of an avocado (mashed), 1/2 cup baby spinach, 1 cage-free egg cooked over-easy in tsp of coconut oil & 1 tsp chia seeds served with half a banana. All organic. All fresh. All delicious. And a great way to start the day. Not pictured: a giant cup of coffee, obviously.

Lunch: 2 cups baby spinach, 1/4 cup garbanzo beans, 1/2 avocado, 4 black olives (sliced), 1 tbsp shredded parmesan & 2 tbsp Organic Ville Olive Oil & Balsamic salad dressing (my new favorite). All organic. All delicious. An awesome lunch. Plus, I split the beans & avocado with Kenley to create a healthy lunch for her as well. 

Dinner: 4oz Simply Balanced Shrimp tossed in 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper & cumin then grilled, 1 tbsp Annie's Organic Ketchup, 1 cup broccoli florets with 1 tbsp shredded parmesan & 1 cup baby spinach with 1 tbsp Annie's Organic Papaya & Poppyseed salad dressing. All organic. All delicious. And actually really filling and satisfying! 

It feels really, really good to be getting back to the lifestyle that helped me lose so much weight last year. I am anxious to see more results and finally hit my goals! 2015 is going to be the year and I can't wait!

Linking up with Kelsey for Motivated Monday!

Monthly Motivation: Meet My Health Coach!

I am so excited to be linking up with my Beeb and friends Pinky & Lynn for their Monthly Motivation linkup!

The purpose of the link up is to share health and fitness goals, inspiration and stories in hopes of encouraging and motivating each other to be as healthy as we can be. For the very first Monthly Motivation I wanted to introduce all of you to someone who has been my weekly motivation for the past several months. I met my health coach, Danielle, through our mutual friend Kari and was in love with her pretty much instantly. Danielle is so knowledgeable, so sweet and so fun. In such a short time she has taught me so much and has truly inspired change within me. As she always says “it takes baby steps” but the things she is teaching me and the ways she is inspiring me are going to result in permanent healthy changes for me and my family. However, if you are anything like me, you might be asking “What in the heck is a health coach?” And so I’ve asked Danielle to introduce herself and also ask some basic health coaching questions!

. . . .

Hello! My name is Danielle Zacheretti and I am obsessed with health and wellness!

Don’t get me wrong, I love a fresh baked cookie as much as the next girl, I just like mine packed with good nutrition! My quest for health and wellness started with a sudden desire to workout which turned into a slight obsession which turned into a career in personal training. Around this same time my daughter, now 8, was diagnosed with a disease where tumors would grow on her vocal chords. She needed surgery every few weeks to have them removed so they wouldn’t block her airway. This lead to a deep desire to want to help my daughter heal. I immersed myself in health and nutrition. Over the years her condition got better and better and she is now a healthy 8 year old!

My obsession for health and wellness has run over into every area of my life. It has helped my family, my friends, and it lead to an extremely healthy baby boy who is now 7.5 months old. I started health coaching 2 years ago with an emphasis on helping women get healthy PRE pregnancy which in turn leads to a healthy pregnancy and healthy baby!

I am happily married to a man who gracefully puts up with all of my quirks about food and natural living! In fact, I think he secretly loves how healthy he has become over the years.

What is a health coach?

“Someone who can help you change your behaviors in regards to nutrition and lifestyle by challenging your inner wisdom, identifying your values, and transforming your goals into actions.”

Why did you become a health coach?

"I became a health coach because I have experienced firsthand that given the chance, your body can heal itself through good nutrition. We have become so brain washed as a society that pizza is a vegetable and that pharmaceuticals are the way to fix every problem. I want to help as many people as I can learn how to create a lifestyle and learn the reason WHY Doritos aren’t good for you, not just learn to not eat them!"

What is your favorite thing about being a health coach?

"My favorite thing about being a health coach is when a client will text me with a victory moment! Something as simple as “I cleaned out my cupboards and stocked my fridge with real whole food” or “I forgave myself for for ‘x’ and now I understand why Idid that.” The breakthroughs are amazing to be a part of!"

What is the most challenging thing about being a health coach?

"It’s at times frustrating when you coach someone and realize that you want good health for them more than they do."

What is the biggest misconception on health coaching?

"There are a lot of different types of wellness coaches out there today with companies like Isogenix and BeachBody, this is not the same as a certified health coach. A certified Health Coach is a wellness authority and supportive mentor who motivates individuals to cultivate positive health choices and through education and support helps clients to achieve their health goals through lifestyle and behavior adjustments."

What is one piece of advice you would like to share with the world?

"There are so many! Probably that no matter what you suffer from; be it depression, obesity, diabetes, infertility, migraines, etc. your body knows how to heal itself when given the right tools (nutrient dense foods). That and maybe that fat doesn’t make you fat, sugar does. OH! And everything you put in your mouth will either help prevent disease or create it!"

I am so excited to share with all of your what I have been learning and the changes I've been making! 

A Trip to the Farmer's Market

In my continued quest to be healthier, I spent Saturday morning with my favorite girls at the Mill City Farmers Market in downtown Minneapolis. My mom doesn't live too far from downtown so we decided to walk to the market early Saturday morning. It was a gorgeous day and we had so much fun looking at all the local vendors, trying some Zucchini Orange Walnut Chocolate muffins, stocking up some delicious Zula Juice and of course people watching. Our walk to and from the farmers market ended up being nearly 7.5 miles which gave me just under 14,000 steps before noon!

And...congrats to Jill B. who won my Febreze Noseblind + $60 AmEx Gift Card giveaway!!!

Lifestyle Change

If I had a dollar for every time I said "This isn't a diet, it's a lifestyle change" I'd have enough money to get lipo and just be done with it already. Over the past 6 months, however, I definitely have made a change. Thanks to counting calories and adding exercise to my life I've been able to drop 20+ pounds all on my own. No programs, no gimmicks, no special pills or shakes or cleanses {though, I do love me a good Zula Juice cleanse}. Not that there's anything wrong with using programs or products to help with weight loss because I think ANYTHING that keeps you motivated and helps you achieve your goals is awesome! I just know myself too well and know that I have a hard time sticking with that stuff {and affording it} - calorie counting is literally the ONLY thing that has ever worked for me, and I have tried a lot of things. 

While using MyFitnessPal has been awesome and has got me so close to my goal, I know that I do not want to have to enter every little thing I eat in to that app for the rest of my life. I am at the point now where I want to drop these last 10 pounds and then maintain a healthy lifestyle which will keep me at that weight forever {or at least until I get pregnant again}. I want to eat healthy, I want to be healthy and I want to find a workout routine that will work for always. 

And so, I have enlisted the help of Danielle Zacheretti! My own personal health coach! This girl is AMAZING. Over the next 6 months Danielle is going to be giving me the education and support I need to not only reach my goals but to help me maintain them. She is literally teaching me how to FINALLY make that lifestyle change. We are one week in to coaching and I have already learned SO much and am really excited to share the process, the results and the information with all of you!

buzzkill.

You guys, I am SO annoyed and frustrated. 

So remember how one of my "4 weeks fit" goals was to use the C25K app to train for and actually run an entire 5k on June 1st? And remember how I worked my butt off the entire month of May to make sure I met that goal? And remember how I ate a delicious 500 calorie pasta dinner to carb load in preparation for the race the night before?{you probably didn't know that one but now you do}

Well thanks to a 4am Flash Flood Warning the race was CANCELLED. I was so devastated. I know it's just a 5k but it was kind of this grand finale end goal and I was so excited to push myself and achieve a goal I never thought I'd be able to reach {I hate running - or hated, jury is still out on that one}.

Could I have gone to the gym and done a treadmill 5k? Sure. Could I have faceD the rain and mapped out a neighborhood 5k? Yes, I could have. But there's something about the crowd, the giant red clock and a mini fan club waiting at the finish line that pushes me.

So I was super mopey for about two days. Mopey and super irritated that the pasta dinner went straight to my gut. And then this happened:

i need a pedicure! bad!

Good news is I don't think it's broken because it's less and less swollen and less and less bruised each day. But it hurts like a mother. Definitely hurts too bad to run, or go to kickboxing, or even walk around the block.

So for the past week I have done pretty much ZERO physical activity and have been extremely lackluster about what I am eating. I NEED to find that fire again. That kick in the butt and motivation.

I feel dumb even asking "how do you come back from an injury?" since I just have a bruised frickin toe {and no I won't tell you how it happened because it's just too stupid} but seriously...how do you get back in the groove after you've been out of the game for a few days...or a week?

HELP ME! 

#4WeeksFit - The Results

Can you even believe that tomorrow is the last day of May? Time is a-flying and I can't say I mind because June is my favorite month of the year! The end of May also means the end of our 4 week fit challenge. I was SO excited to see how many of you linked up with me and Erin and joined in to challenge yourself to get healthier in whatever way you wanted. I was so inspired by all of your goals and following along with your progress has been a huge motivation for me this month! 

If you read my goals post, you know that I set three different goals for myself. But, in truth, I had more. When I originally sat down to write that post I came up with 7 goals but decided to narrow them as to not over-promise and under-deliver...the point was to set myself up for success, right?

I decided that I would strive to achieve all these goals but really focus on the first three and not beat myself up if I didn't meet the rest. 

I am so proud of what I've accomplished this month. I didn't necessarily achieve each goal but I achieved a lot. I think the biggest lesson I learned over these past 4 weeks is to listen to my body. I've really been striving to push myself {something I have not been good at in the past} but I do need to know when its too much and I need a break. I had a little meltdown on the Friday before Memorial Day and realized my body was flat out exhausted. I took a couple days to rest and then came back totally energized and ready to finish the month strong. So let's get down to the details, shall we?

Here's how my month went down...

1. Drink 100oz of water per day - almost nailed it!

I gotta tell ya, this was a really hard one forme. I reached 100+ ounces 22 / 29 days and am PUMPED about that. My lowest day was 64oz which is my daily goal on fitbit and also significantly more than I was drinking before I set this goal. Overall, I averaged 105oz per day and feel like I've FINALLY made drinking enough water a habit. Success!

2. 30 day plank challenge - not-so-much!

I. HATE. PLANKS. Hate, hate, hate them! As you will see on my calendar I made it to a 3 minute plank and then threw in the towel. I think anything over 3 minutes is completely unnatural and absolute torture. I take that back, anything over a one minute plank is unnatural and torture. I will say, I am MUCH better at planks now than when I started and I do want to try and make a 1-2 minute plank part of my every day routine. 

3. Finish C25K - kind of nailed it!

Yesterday I completed the C25K training app! I will admit that as the distances got longer it got much harder to run every other day, especially with all the other workouts I was doing, so I did skip over a couple of the days to give myself a break. BUT, the point of doing this was to train for the 5k I am running this Sunday and I feel ready and excited to achieve a new personal record! Wish me luck!

4. 10,000 steps every day - we're going to say nailed it!

I missed TWO frickin' days of 10,000 steps but I averaged 13,300.5 steps a day this month so I'm totally considering this one a win! Thanks FitBit!

5. 25 {non-walking} workouts in the month of May - sooooo close!

13 C25K training sessions + 4 kickboxing classes + 2 yoga practices + 1 TC Bump Club Stroller Strides Class + 1 Moms on Mats Pilates + 1 Zumba Class + 1 Jillian Michaels DVD = 23 non-walking workouts this month! And...just for fun I counted up all the walks I took with Kenley & Bailey this month which came out to 12, so I guess you could say I exercised 35 times this month! HOLLER!

6. All calories entered in to MyFitnessPal - nailed it!

I've been a calorie entering machine! Even when I splurge I've been entering my calories which is hard because when I splurge I really don't want to face the harsh reality of the amount of calories I consumed. BUT, I really can't tell you how much counting calories has helped me. I've learned that for me it's all about what I eat, no matter how hard I work out.

7. Lose 5 pounds - nailed it!

During the month of May I dropped 5.2 pounds! Which puts me down 20 pounds since New Years and 44 pounds down from my pregnancy weight!  Holla!

I'm so excited to read how all of you did and share in your success! Just because May is over doesn't mean your goals need to be! I'm busy working away on my goals for June!

Healthified Summer BBQ

Now that it's warming up outside we have brushed off our dusty little grill and have once again been putting it to good use. We absolutely LOVE to grill at our house and it's pretty inevitable that the summer will be filled with BBQs with friends and family. But let's face it BBQs, while fantastic, aren't always the healthiest. Typically you'll find yourself downing burgers and/or brats and/or hot dogs with some potato salad, potato chips, maybe a teeny portion of fresh fruit and then some kind pasta salad packed with carbs and calories. 

Well no more my friends. I'm here to share my new Summer BBQ obsessions. 

 Pretty much the easiest thing ever....get some brats of your choosing, get some veggies of your choosing, slice them up, throw them on skewers and grill! We use Chilli Cheddar Brats with Red Bell Pepper, Zucchini and Onion. YUM!

1 head of Broccoli cut down to just florets, 1 container Hormel Less Fat Real Bacon Bits, 1 cup reduced fat shredded Cheddar Cheese, 1 cup reduced fat Mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/2 tbsp Sugar

And, if you just absolutely can't avoid a pasta salad {let's be honest, it's my favorite part of a BBQ} make this one:

1 box Whole Wheat Penne Pasta, 50 Turkey Pepperonis, 2 small cans sliced Black Olives, 1 cup low fat shredded Parmesan Cheese, Fat Free Italian dressing to taste {I used a little less than a cup}

--it's still high in calories but is MUCH better for you nutrition wise!--

OK, so who is coming over to cook out?

Life Lately

Hi my name is Kristin and I am the world's worst blogger. I really thought leaving my 9-5 would turn me in to some kind of super blogger and I'd have all this time to sip coffee and channel all my inner creativity but as proven by this little old blog of mine, leaving my job has done quite the opposite. It also hasn't helped that the snow is melted and back-to-back spring & summer plans have started to fill our calendar, here's what I've been up to...

My friend Kari and I joined my friend Nadine for a super fun Zumba class that benefited the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It was my first attempt at Zumba and I absolutely LOVED it!

 

 We found out that one of my besties and her hubby are welcoming a baby GIRL in September!!! This exciting news also means that I have a baby shower to plan which you all know makes me as happy as a clam!

Carolyn and I have been taking kickboxing classes and are having a blast. It's an insane workout and don't be fooled by our pink boxing gloves....we are pretty bad ass. 

I got together with some of my favorite MN Bloggers {Jess, Carolyn, Katie, Kelly, Dawn & Bridget} for a wonderful yoga practice and a Zula Juice tasting with the owner Renee - if you read my post on Zula from a while back you already know I'm obsessed and I was really excited to get my girls obsessed as well!

 

I sent my baby sister off to prom! Kara is just finishing up her junior year of high school and it is beyond me how she is already this grown up and this beautiful. It's making me feel old. 

 I'm spending as much time as humanly possible outside with my love bug. We are READY for summer and READY for the pool to open! C'mon Mother Nature!

We celebrated my dad's birthday - complete with sister selfies, a family dance party to Whitney Houston, a group plank session and of course pies because our family can't get together without pies. 

This past Friday night our best friends Colin & Sharisse welcomed their baby boy, Wesley, in to the world and to say I was excited t meet him was a HUGE understatement. We are all so excited to have this bundle of joy here safe and sound and I am excited to watch him grow {so is Kenley}.

 

Also this weekend I met Dawn & Melissa for a blogger coffee date {and failed to take pictures}, I met my mom for dinner and a movie {we saw The Other Woman} and Jason and I took Kenley to a Twins game - which they won! We were shocked!

I got myself a fancy blog planner {more on that soon} and let's hope it helps get my butt in gear!