Thanksgiving- A Time to Give Thanks

Normally I am the biggest black Friday shopper you will meet - a couple years ago they moved it from zero dark thirty on Friday to late Thursday night and I still participated... this year I will not be participating - don't get me wrong I love deals, but what I don't like is that now this has been pushed up to dinner time on Thanksgiving day, this holiday is a time to be thankful for what we have and spend it with the ones we love, not go out shopping for what we want causing other people to have to work instead of getting to spend the day with their loved ones. I LOVE a great deal, but I also feel the stores are taking this too far.

This Thanksgiving weekend I will be spending it with my loved ones who I am the MOST thankful for. I love all my family and friends but there are a few who I know I would become a depressed miserable wreck if I didn't have in my life - they keep me stable and sane, I know its wrong to have favorites, but I am only human:

My heart belongs to this man, who while I was sick all week this week from the LSU game has taken care of me including making me homemade chicken noodle soup:

My best friend and baby sister - she keeps me young and fun:

This woman is such an amazing woman who practically raised me and I hate that she is struggling health wise and keeps getting worse, I hate knowing that my future babies will probably not get to know her and experience what a wonderful woman she is:

My mom who had to raise 3 kids on her own:

My brother and crazy cousins that are always entertaining at family gatherings... and Mardi Gras!

 

My chosen family members (aka friends):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last, but not least my fluffy babies:

 

I hope you get to spend this holidays with the ones you love and are thankful for!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Weekend Update- no running

 

Friday night the hubs took me out for a date night, it was AMAZING... we had planned to go to Morton's because I have a gift card from a work Christmas party from 4 years ago- that's right... 4 years... and we were going to use that, well even though it was cold and rainy - they were booked with reservations, so we walked down the road and ate at Americas restaurant, which was a first for both of us, but very yummy. I got the filet and the hubs got the swordfish - Mine was better than his but his wasn't bad either... it was delish! I may have helped him eat a little bread pudding for dessert too. It was a carb day- don't judge! :)

 

 

Saturday was "free day" and LSU vs A&M - which was cold, rainy, and I am really glad we won because I was freezing and I was dealing with a sore throat last week that's now worse and I am all kinds of congested. Yay for being sick.

 

After the game my sissy met up with us at Texas Roadhouse for dinner... we are always serious when we are together.... always!

I miss her like crazy and hate that she is in New Orleans forever away, but luckily I get to see her again Wednesday night!

No 12 miler this weekend due to the game being at 2:30 and us leaving Houston Saturday morning and me getting sick at the game and Sunday it still being cold and rainy - no point in making myself worse!

Weigh In and Workout Update Friday!

On my new carb cycling plan that I started Sunday this morning is my weigh in day, I am doing the Turbo Plan and it hasn't been easy, but I am hoping it gets easier! I am down 3lbs and really happy about that - while I wish it was more I cant complain because its a loss - if I lose 3lbs a week I will be able to hit my goal weight in time for my marathon! It would be a lot easier to run if I weighed 30lbs less!!

Here is my plan:

I also plan to take my body fat % and measurements as I go along. I haven't taken either in a couple weeks, but don't imagine the numbers changed that much prior to starting this plan. I started the fit cycle a couple weeks ago - lost 3lbs and after my cheat day never got back on it, so tomorrow being my free day will be my new test. I am trying to mentally work on my response to the day by calling it a free day instead of a cheat day.

Tomorrow is the LSU vs A&M game- a great day to have 1,000 more calories to eat!


My workouts:
Monday- REST
Tuesday- 4 mile run
Wednesday- sports conditioning (full body workout)
Thursday - 4 mile run
Friday (today)- weights
Saturday- 12 mile run
Sunday- REST

Other than Monday (was supposed to be a weights day) I was on point so far this week, hoping my 12 miler tomorrow goes well. Longest run in a couple weeks with the knee issues I had - FINGERS crossed!

My cousin sent me a text - he did a half marathon last night at a pace of 10:10- he is kicking my tail on speed and runs, he has done as much as 15 miles so far in training. I am behind, but I can catch up and I KNOW I wont be running his pace and finishing with him, my goal is simply to FINISH!

Tabatas Circuit

 

 

This circuit will leave you gasping for air if you do it right... its only 40 minutes but its 40 minutes of INTENSE work!

If you don't know what tabatas are, I should start with explaining them. Tabatas is a form of HIIT (high intensity interval training) and its the best way to MELT fat!

Each interval is 4 minutes long and consists of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest repeated 8 times.

Tabata Circuit
20 sec intense 100% effort work
10 sec rest
20 sec intense 100% effort work
10 sec rest
20 sec intense 100% effort work
10 sec rest
20 sec intense 100% effort work
10 sec rest
20 sec intense 100% effort work
10 sec rest
20 sec intense 100% effort work
10 sec rest
20 sec intense 100% effort work
10 sec rest
20 sec intense 100% effort work
10 sec rest

I know it doesn't SOUND hard, but its no joke... I downloaded a HIIT free timer app "Seconds Free" and you can create different timed workouts and one of them is the tabata timer. I didn't realize it was programmed in for the full 8 rounds, so I selected it 8 times Saturday morning to start my workout. I started the first round and saw it had 40 minutes on my clock and realized this was going to be a challenge, but I decided to stick with the plan and do it!


Circuit 1: jab cross on my punching bag (still very glad the hubs got me this for my birthday this year)

 

Circuit 2: roundhouse kicks on the bag, alternating legs each working interval

 

 

Circuit 3: bicep curls with 15lb dumbbells and dead lifts alternating exercises on each working interval to give me 4 rounds of each exercise

 

 

Circuit 4: upper cuts on the bag

 

 

Circuit 5: front kicks on the bag alternating legs each working interval

 

 

Circuit 6: squats and tricep extensions using 15lb dumbbell alternating exercises on each working interval to give me 4 rounds of each exercise

 

 

Circuit 7: planks and side planks, alternating exercises each interval to get 4 of each type (2 of each side on side planks)

 

 

Circuit 8: hooks on the bag

 

 

After the workout I was spent... I litterally had to sit down to finish my shower so I wouldn't pass out, it was no joke! I rested a minute at the end of each circuit instead of just 10 seconds, but trust me you need that minute to recover!

 

 



Where I Have Been and a Green Protein Shake!

Nov 5-8th I was in San Antonio for a work conference

Nov 8-10th I was in the hill country hunting with the hubs

Nov 11-14th I was in BFE North Texas to review my new area and meet my new field guys

Our production facilities are camo up there, because that's what the landowner wants... pretty cool looking!

This weekend we stayed home and I was able to clean the house and mow the yard and relax a bit- I ALSO got in a 4.5 mile run WITHOUT pain Friday morning (my 9/80 off) - SUPER glad for that because I was worried I was injured... heres to no injuries during marathon training!!!!

Friday after my run and yard work I got my hair done... and I am pleased to report I FINALLY found someone here in Houston I like! SO relieved... it was a pain having to go back home to Lafayette to see my hair lady!

 

 

Yay for no more roots!!!! LOVING my new hair lady- same name as my one back home... I must have a thing with Stacey's! :)

 

 

Saturday I got in a GREAT tabatas circuit workout that I will be sharing with you all this Wednesday! I pushed too hard and almost passed out, but that's just futher proof how AWESOME the workout was and I made it up on my own... VERY proud of that! I also went grocery shopping and got some Redbox DVDs to watch with the hubs...

 

The Heat

The Purge

Monsters University

 

 

We have diverse taste, what can I say???

 

Sunday after church we grabbed yummy salads and the hubs got me these:

This morning  I made my FIRST green protein smoothie... the peanut butter was all I could taste, so I will be doing less of that next time, but it wasn't bad! It was good, just too much PB for me early in the morning.

Ingredients:
1 scoop protein powder (Pure Protein choc)
1 TBS JIFF natural PB
3/4 CU Dannon Greek Vanilla Yogurt
10 ounces Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
2 CU Spinach

Next time I will add fruit and try that route!

Being Real and a Lower Body Workout

I am in the dumps this week....


Traveling again this week for work - making it hard to eat healthy coupled with the fact that my knee is messed up and I cant run I had a bad night last night. I called in Pizza Hut and the guy was like "It will be $2 cheaper to get a large" so I did... and I ate HALF of it, by myself... I was going to keep the leftovers to eat tonight, but luckily I felt so horrible that I threw it away...

I need to just admit this and move on, so that's what I am doing here. Admitting and moving on. I cant change yesterday, and I cant change whats already happened today- what I can change is tonight and tomorrow and every day after that. No more looking back, only looking forward and I am looking forward to eating healthy tomorrow!



I woke up early this morning and got in a great lower body workout:

5 minute warm up on elliptical


dead lifts with 15lb weights in each hand - 20 reps

lunges with 15lb weights in each hand - 10 each leg

standing resistance band working both outer and inner thighs 25lbs each direction with both legs 10 reps each


45 second wall sits

Repeat twice

plank for a minute

My legs are burning already!



Its hard to eat healthy on the go, but I went by Walmart tonight and got a few protein bars to help with tomorrow- for me, no snacks lead to over eating at meals. Luckily I get home Thursday and will be spending this weekend at home- first weekend in a while. Going to cook up a lot of healthy stuff and get back to the carb cycling! I plan to do my best at sticking with the carb cycling plan tomorrow and Thursday, but I also know that being on the go I may not be 100% on point, but that's ok! Better to be 90% on point than to eat like total crap and then feel even worse afterwards!

This past weekend my knee was killing me, even just standing still or sitting, its no longer just hurting for the sake of hurting, so I am glad I rested it this weekend and didn't try to eek out those 12 miles. I may try to warm up on the treadmill tomorrow morning and see how I feel- I have an upper body workout planned, but I may run a bit too if my knee isn't hurting. FINGERS CROSSED my knee is better!!!!

Working Out of Town and Injuries

I am going to be very Debby Downer this morning and I apologize in advance... I was in San Antonio for work last week and Wednesday morning I got up early and got in a great 4 mile run along the River Walk...

 

 

 

 

I tried to take pics while running and they were blurry, but if you haven't been is beautiful, a little scary early in the morning, but as the morning run when on more runners joined me and it was less scary.

 

 

 I stopped to take this one because the bridges are so pretty and I wanted at least one good picture!

 

 

That night after the conference I went out to eat with some of the other people there... its always easier to make new friends with big a** beers and huge margaritas!

 

 

We went to "Dicks" after dinner- they put hats on you with mean sayings... and mine was probably the nicest of all of them... "My nickname in high school was the little easy" - one of the guys in our group had a backpack on him.. this is what you get with you party with engineers... we are nerds, so I put it on for my picture! I was the first to get a hat, but by the end of the night we all had one... my favorite was on one guy "I farted and my gerbil got away"

 

 

 

After the conference Friday I headed up to meet the hubs at the ranch and stopped at the outlets at San Marcos on the way up- I wanted to get some Christmas shopping done, got my sisters gift, the hubs gift, and my MIL her gift... Coach was having a sale so I got her a purse... and the hubs told me to pick one out too so I got myself a gift from him for Christmas- now I just don't know which one I want and which I want to give her, because I love them both!!!

 

Saturday the hubs got the most amazing deer!!! The biggest one on our place- a nice 13 pointer... and I wont go into Sat night that was a horrible game... :(

 

 

I am in the office for this morning and then I head back out of town for work again- I had one lovely night at home last night and wont be back til the end of the week... BFE North Texas here I come... and here come the freezing temps... I am NOT looking forward to this weather...

 

 

 

On to my injury- I dont know what or how I did it, but Wednesday during the day I noticed my right knee (the good knee) was killing me.. its not like my bad knee its a different pain.. Thursday after a night out I was in no mood to workout so I rested, but Friday morning I hit the hotel gym and did upper body weights, I was going to warm up with 1 mile on the treadmill, but half a mile in I had to stop because of the pain. I did the second half on the elliptical. So no 12 mile run for me this weekend, the hubs told me to rest it and ice it and I didn't argue. I do not want to cause major damage and I do not want to not be able to do my full in February. I am going to try running at the hotel with a brace this week and see how it feels, but I will be foam rolling and stretching and icing like a beast to hopefully get better... and if it doesnt improve this week I will make an appointment with a sports medicine doctor- I have a full in 3 months, I don't have time for this!

A Healthy Spaghetti Recipe!

Here is my deer from this weekend... I am SUPER excited about all the venison we will get from this weekend! Its VERY lean and yummy at the same time!

I actually used some of the ground venison from the hubs doe he got a few weeks ago during bow season to make a yummy, healthy spaghetti last night (the hubs fav meal and it was a light version and he still had seconds and ate it up!)

Healthy Venison Spaghetti:
1lb ground venison
Garlic, Onion, Italian Seasoning to taste
Fresh basil from our herb garden (chopped and sprinkled on top)
shredded parmesan (sprinkled on top)
1 container Prego Heart Smart sauce
Ronzoni smart taste pasta with added fiber and calcium (its the only healthier pasta he will eat)


I didn't take a picture, but it was delicious and quick and easy to make!


I had a surprise delivered to the office yesterday, flowers, just because... I have an amazing hubs if I haven't said that already.... adore him!!! They smell DIVINE and I love that my office smells pretty!!!

Today is picture day at work... do I look professional to you?!? I like blue in pics, I think it helps me from looking washed out- gotta have a pop of color!

Marathon Training Update

My goals for last week:
Monday-4 mile run REST
Tuesday- 7 miles on bike and weights bootcamp
Wednesday- 4 mile run  3 miles
Thursday- 7 miles on bike and weights
Friday- 10 mile run

Saturday- rest

Sunday- 3 mile run REST

 

 

Goals for this week:

Monday: weights

Tuesday: 4 mile run

Wednesday: weights

Thursday: 4 mile run

Friday: spin

Saturday: 12 mile run

Sunday: rest

 

 

I will be on the road for work starting tomorrow and that will make getting in workouts rough, but I can do this! I also plan to stay on track with the carb cycling. Last week I wasn't 100% on point with it and that's why I didn't lose again.

 

 

 Halloween I got away ok considering I had to hold this all night and hand out candy to kids... I had 3 Reese's, not great, but not bad. A guy on the radio Friday said the average kid eats 3500 calories that night alone!!!!! I told the hubs to hide or give away the leftovers... I just don't want to see them, so they are gone now. I just cant have that crap in my house!

 

 Friday morning was my scheduled 10 miler, luckily I had two friends meet me at the park to run- no one going as far or as fast as me (NEVER thought I would say that) BUT its nice to know you aren't out there alone... one friend walked about an hour and a half and the other walked two laps then ran two laps. I got in my new tank, LOVES IT!!

This totally happened Friday morning and I could not be more proud... I was FAST, as I mentioned before I am training for the marathon with the 3:1 training idea, run 3 minutes, walk 1 and repeat til you finish... this in turn makes me run faster because I know I will have recovery time.

 

 

My fastest mile was mile 5?!?  and my slowest was mile 8, for some reason around mile 8/9 I always struggle...

 

 

 

 

A little comparison for you, a month and a half ago my 10 miler was 13:25 pace- just running no walk breaks, with the walk breaks my pace is SUB 12 min/mile!!!!! It makes me wonder what my half marathon time would be with this strategy and with better weather- it was so nice Friday morning!

 

 

 

It was opening weekend this weekend so we went to the hill country. Had dinner at Hondo's in Fredericksburg and I ate a piece of grilled chicken while watching the hubs eat a cheeseburger, but I did help him with the sweet potato fries, I am only so strong! :)

 

My brother came this weekend and got his first deer, a nice doe!

 

 

Our neighbors have exotics, these are so pretty, a nice close up of the schimitar horned oryx.

 

 

I got a nice 9 point buck, but the pics are on my camera not my phone, so those will have to come later...

 

For November I am doing TWO challenges, Pile on the Miles and Planksgiving! Who is in with me?!?!