Dreadful Jogging

Hey it's Ashley.  Last week Caitlin and I both hit a wall in the jogging world.  I got sick and there was no way I was going to jog, but luckily I did make it to the gym a few times and became better friends with the elliptical.    Last week was pretty discouraging, and I thought to myself "I am just under 290 lbs and there is no way I can run 90 seconds!"  90 seconds intervals is suppose to be week 2 of the C25K.  So when I got sick I secretly thought "thank you Jesus I can put off the running".  Isn't that awful?  This week when Monday came around I knew I had to start running again.  After running for a minute, I realized that when you are training your body for anything, that when you take a week off it will set you backwards.  I was proud of myself for running and not giving up.  Today came along and I knew I had to push myself.  Instead of running the 90 seconds, I increased the amount of intervals.  I went from jogging 8 laps of 60 seconds each to 10 laps.  I figure that if I gradually increase this every week, that I will be training my body for the endurance of running a longer time as I am loosing weight.  Lets face it I am not exactly fit and the standard body fit of a person that starts the C25K program.  But let me tell you, if I have to start my running career by tweaking the program to running more laps then running time then I will do that, and sometime in 2011 I will be able to cross off my New Years Resolution of running a 5k.  Don't give up on your fitness goals for this year, but tweak what will make it right for you to keep going instead of wanting to give up. I guarantee it will get you to be more successful this year.

Eating what you want...well, sorta...

Hey Yall,
Caitlin here- Some of you may or may not know that I am currently following the new weightwatchers program. At first I wasn't a fan of it and found myself constantly hungry. That was until I learned what worked for me. I would have 10 pointsplus meals, and only get 3 meals a day. This did not work and I found I was always hungry. Thus, I tweaked it. Instead of having a 10 pointsplus meal I would have a 3-4 pointsplus breakfast and then a 7-8 pointsplus lunch, and then a 4-10 pointsplus dinner. This left me with anywhere between 7- 15 pointsplus leftover for the day, which meant I could have some small snacks in between.  This also means that I get to have a small ice cream cone every night and still lose weight. Let me tell you, tweaking my diet has made all the difference. I have also found how to make my pointsplus work in my favor. For example (i know yall probably don't care what I eat, but bear with me, it has a point) yesterday I had scrambled egg whites, 3 turkey bacon, fruit, and a yogurt for breakfast, for lunch I had a hamburger with an order of fries, and for dinner I had roasted chicken, green beans, broccoli salad, fruit, and for dessert I had an ice cream cone- and never once did I go over my pointsplus for the day. Then today I had a big breakfast- 2 big chocolate chip pancakes (like from a restaurant- so I mean BIG), 3 real bacon (turkey bacon will never quite compare), and half an order of home fries, I then had a tall java chip frappe from Starbucks with an extra pump of mocha, and for dinner I had 3 oz of roasted chicken, 2 oz of cajun fish, broccoli salad, corn, and fruit, and for dessert- an ice cream cone. Again, I did not go over my pointsplus allotment. How could I eat all that and still not go over points? Easy- learn to use your pointsplus or calorie allotment wisely. You just learn to delegate them wisely. On Friday I chose to have a lower point meal- it came out to 5 pointsplus. I then used some of my bonus points for my lunch, and it came out to 30 pointsplus. Yes, that is a huge amount, but I had the pointplus available, so I used them and have no need to feel guilty for it- I call it a win! I then had a dinner that came out to 5 pointsplus and an ice cream cone that came out to 4, totaling 45 pointsplus for the day.

With the new weightwatchers system I get 29 daily pointsplus and 49 weekly bonus pointsplus to use at will. My plan of attack is to be on target Mon-Thur. During those days I stay right at the 29 mark. This gives me all of my bonus points to use on the weekend. I have weekends off so I usually like to go out to eat, thus I really try to save my bonus pointsplus for the weekend. I then split up the bonus pointsplus between the three days and I  usually split them  evenly. Which means 16 extra points two days of the week and 17 the other day. I then get to add that to my daily allotment of 29 pointspplus so I get 45 or 46 pointsplus each day over the weekend. A lot can be done with 46 points. What this means is that I still get to enjoy the foods I love without feeling deprived that I am not getting them and without feeling guilty that I am eating them. Another way I help is to still eat healthy on the weekends. Yes, I may have one meal where I choose an unhealthy item (hamburger/fries/ big breakfast, etc) but I make up for it by having chicken for dinner with veggies and fruit. This allows me to use my pointsplus for items that I otherwise wouldn't get to eat because they are too high in pointsplus. I also throw in exercise. I usually exercise 3-4 times a week. This gives me extra pointsplus I could use, but I choose to never use them because then I know that I have an extra cushion should I need it.

All of this has been said to leave you with this: do not deprive yourself. You will struggle greatly if you try to live a healthy lifestyle and cut out everything you love to eat. You are setting yourself up for failure. However, if you plan your meals accordingly you can still enjoy what you eat and not feel like you are trapped in some horrible diet. Again, if you throw in some exercise this could also give you a few extra pointsplus or calories you get to have, which can aid you with what you want to eat. Just make sure you don't give yourself too many bonus points/calories. Needless to say,  I got to have a burger and fries yesterday and two absolutely fantastic meals today (I ended up not needing a third because of the big breakfast and starbucks), I still stayed within my pointsplus allotment, and I am feeling anything but deprived and I certainly don't feel guilty. In fact, I am the exact opposite. I am in a rather good mood because I got to enjoy my day and eat food that I love. Can you say the same? If not what are some changes you can make to make your healthy lifestyle work for you?

Lacking Motivation

Hey Yall,
Caitlin here- Confession time: This has been such a rough week for me! I have been pretty spot on with my eating, but exercise has been lacking.  You are suppose to do it 3x per week. The last time I ran was on Saturday. I am not able to run again usually until Tuesday's, but didn't do it on Tuesday. I kept putting off doing C25K until yesterday. Even then I didn't do it properly. Yesterday it was snowy and cold, so I decided that I was not going to go outside. However, I really knew I needed to do C25K, so I did it indoors. I have a big bedroom so I jogged around my bedroom/up the stairs/jogged in place for all of my running time. I could tell it was not pushing me as hard as when I run outside. That being said, at least I still did it. Then today happened. I decided that I was not going to give myself any more excuses and I was gonna man up and just do it, and do it right. Well, that mostly happened. I must admit, on two different running cycles I stopped with about 10 more seconds left to go. However, I am still proud of the fact that I went out and did it when I would much rather have just been cozy in my bed napping. I have come to the conclusion that having an online accountability partner slightly works, but having someone here in person would be a lot better. I am a lot more motivated when I know someone is on their way over to run with me. All of that being said has led to this statement: Ashley, you just need to move already so we can run together!!!

How is everyone else doing with their physical activity???

A few of my favorite things

Hey Yall,
Caitlin here- the last few posts have been kinda hard hitting and maybe a bit of a downer. This post is hopefully gonna be a bit more upbeat. Here is a list of some of my favorite things in regard to a healthier lifestyle:

10. Going down dress sizes
9. A boost in confidence
8. Feeling good about myself after I have finished a meal because I didn't stuff myself
7. Feeling good about myself after going for a walk/run.
6. Being proud of who I am choosing to become
5. Finding self worth- to know that whether I am chunky or tiny, I am worth knowing and being cared for by friends and family.
4.  Getting to be an encouragement to others through this blog
3. Having the support of others/being held accountable
2. Fruits being free on the weightwatchers program- that thrills me!
1.Growing in my relationship with God by spending time with him during my workouts.

How does your list look???

You never said it would be easy....

Hey Yall,
Caitlin here- I must say, I am not even sure how to begin this post, there are so many ways that I want this to come off and so much I want to accomplish with it. I apologize in advance if it seems a bit scatter brained or if you feel it does not adequately cover the topic, but this is a hard topic to cover. I also apologize that this particular post is so long, but I really feel it all needs to be relayed. That being said, have you ever had those moments where you feel like God can't hear you? Where you are in such a deep valley that you can't seem to find a way out? A valley so deep that not even the light ventures down to where you are? Before I continue I want people to know I am not writing this because I am in a valley, I am writing this for those who are in the valley. I have been there, and it is not a fun place to be. There are many different things that can put us into a valley: the death of a family member, a situation where you just can't see the light at the end of the tunnel, financial issues, marital issues, the list could go on and on, and then go on some more. I have had my own valleys. My two most recent valleys have involved my job and my car.

On July 8, 2009 I got a call from my job telling me that I had been fired. I was hurt by how it all played out and not sure what I was going to do. Thus began my valley. I began searching for jobs immediately. Within one day I had put in over 40 applications, within a week I had probably put in nearly 80. I figured I would have a job in no time. On top of all of this I had student loans coming due and car problems that kept adding up. The car had one thing after another go wrong and the mechanic couldn't seem to figure out what was wrong with it. About $3000 later everything was fixed, or so I thought, but more on that later.  To make a very long story somewhat short, I started to see a light at the end of my valley in March of 2010, almost a year after I had lost my job. I had found a job near my family in Michigan. The lady seemed very interested in me and had even sent me my schedule. I began packing up my house and told my quiz team of the possibility of me moving. A few days later I got an e-mail saying she had hired someone else. I was devastated and plunged back into my valley. The only difference this time is that  I had a lead on another job, so I was not completely without hope. This job was in Maryland. After researching the company and getting details about the job, I really felt like this was where God wanted me. I truly felt in the bottom of my soul that this was the plan God had for me. I felt so strongly about it that I again began to pack up my house. I was able to arrange a phone interview and thought it had gone really well and they said they wanted to schedule a second interview. This made me very hopeful. When I called to schedule the second interview I found out they had already filled the position and had no other positions available at the moment. On top of this, I was having more car issues, but I was terrified to bring it to the shop because I knew it would be expensive. This plunged me into my darkest valley to date.

I remember going to the local community college for my morning run/walk. I put on Evanescence and began running, and while I ran I just started to cry. I was so lost and confused. To me it almost felt like God was toying with me.  Not only had I not gotten the job that I was sure God wanted me to have, but I had no other prospects or leads on jobs, I had run out of resources on where to look for jobs, and I really felt like I didn't know how to listen to the promptings of the holy spirit. The next week or two were very dark and confusing times. One song that really got me through that time is a song by Tree63 called Blessed Be Your Name. In the song it says "you give and take away, you give and take away, my heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be your name." The song is saying that in the good times and in the bad times it is my choice to worship the Lord. Even though I was singing it through tears I meant with all of my heart that even though it was a bad time I was still going to praise Him. I felt like God had taken away from me the job I was suppose to have, and I didn't understand why, but even still, I was going to praise His name. Finally, July 2010 came around, a full year and week after I had lost my job I got a call back from the company in Maryland. They unexpectedly had an opening and wanted to do a second interview. As all of you can probably figure out, I got the job. I was elated. I finally saw the end of my valley, or mostly at least.

Now I had the stress of moving and having to get my car fixed before I made the 16 hour drive. God worked that all out as well and provided the money for me to move. This in return caused a whole other valley. As soon as I moved here I got attacked by Satan. I felt lonely, I was having problems getting my car registered, I was having problems at work, I couldn't find a church that I liked- everything was just going wrong. Again I looked to the song Blessed Be Your Name, and again, God worked it all out. All of that has been said to bring you up to now. I got a notice in the mail from the maryland vehicle administration saying that I needed to get my car tested for emissions. Needless to say, I was having even more car problems and could not get it tested. I then went to take it to get the oil changed. While there I got a list of parts that needed to be replaced- and all of them were legitimate needs. The total? $3000 and some change. I sat in the waiting room trying to decide what to do and God brought another song to my heart. The song is called "If You Want Me To" by Ginny Owens. I had not thought of this song in years, but it was exactly what I needed to hear. The lyrics are as follows:

The pathway is broken
And the signs are unclear
And I dont know the reason why you brought me here
But just because You love me the way that You do
I will go through the valley
If You want me to

CHORUS:
Now I'm not who I was
When I took my first step
And I'm clinging to the promise
You're not through with me yet
So if all of these trials bring me closer to You
I will go through the fire
If You want me to

It may not be the way I would have chosen
When you lead me through a world that's not my own
But You never said it would be easy
You only said I'll never go alone

So when the whole world turns against me
And I'm all by myself
And I can't hear You answer my cries for help
I'll remember the suffering Your love put You through
And I will walk through the darkness
If You want me to. 

Cause when I cross over Jordan  

I'm gonna sing, I'm gonna shout  

I'm gonna look into your eyes and see 

You never let me down  

so take me on the pathway 

that leads me home to you 

and I will walk through the valley 

if you want me to.  

Yes I will walk through the valley 

If you want me to.  

What a song! I played that song over and over while sitting in that waiting room. I told God that I didn't understand why I kept having so many problems with my car. I love my car, it has been my favorite car yet, and God knows I don't want to get rid of it. God also knows of my desire to go onto the mission field. I do not want to take all of that money to fix a car that will keep breaking when I could use that money to pay off my student loans. Nor do I want to take out a loan for another car. Thus, while sitting in that waiting room I told God that I would sell my car, if he wanted me to. I refused to go back into a valley over my beloved car. I may not want to sell my car, but if that is the path God has for me, then I will take it.  

My favorite line from the song is this: I will remember the suffering your love put you through and I will walk through the darkness if you want me to.  

I know that maybe right now is a valley time for you. Maybe the pathway you are on is broken and you don't know why God has allowed to happen everything that is going on right now. God never promised us it would be easy- but he did promise us that He would never leave us nor forsake us. He also promised us "lo I am with you always"- even in the valley. Just remember, God loves you, and he is in control. He has a plan for you. Although you may not understand it, God does. Remember His love for you. It makes no sense that God would come to this earth and become human for us. Then on top of that he would make the ultimate sacrifice and give himself up for us. God gave up his son so that we could be with him. God has a plan, and it may not make any sense. What I pray for you is that you are will tell God that you are willing to go through the valley, and through the darkness, and even the fire if God wants you to. Remember, fire isn't always a bad thing. It does more than just burn,destroy, and leave things in ruin. It refines- burns out the dross and brings forth the gold. Fire also can reforge that which has been broken. At this moment your trial may seem like a fire that only destroys, but it could be a fire that is refining you into who God wants you to be. It may seem like your valley has no end, but trust me when I say this- it came to pass. You will eventually climb out of that valley. In the mean time seek God and be willing to do what he says. Turn to him as your strength and as your refuge. Read Psalm 27. God shows that even in the valley he is with us. Not only is he with us, but if you keep reading David goes on to say that he is confident he will see the goodness of God. In other words remain faithful, seek God, and you will see an end to your valley and there will be joy on your lips. God has a reason and purpose for everything, even if it does not make sense to us. Just stay on the path God has for you- even if it leads through valleys. I pray that Ginny's song helps you get through your valley as it has helped get me through mine. If you would like to listen to the song here is a link: 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMKp4g_ZrGk&feature=related 

With a broken heart for the hurting, 

Caitlin 

Loneliness

Hey Yall,
Caitlin here- so a part of the blog is physical fitness and the other part is spiritual fitness. This would fall under the spiritual fitness category. In my quite time with God I am reading a few different books, one of them is Passion and Purity: Learning to Bring Your Love Life Under Christ's Control by Elisabeth Elliot. The book follows the romance of her and her husband and she uses it to show how to let God rule your love life. So far it has been a very interesting book. The chapters are short, so it makes for easy reading. Last night I read chapter 17: What To Do With Loneliness? and a few things struck me that I wanted to share.

I tend to be one who goes through cycles of loneliness. Right now I am actually feeling pretty good, but I know that probably within in the next few weeks or so I will probably start to feel lonely again. This chapter I think has really helped me to face it. One line that specifically caught me what this: "Let not your longing slay the appetite of your living." Jim and Elisabeth had to spend some time apart and he was reminding her to live to the fullest, even though they weren't together. I think we all need that reminder now and again. Yes, I may be lonely at times, but that should not determine my life. It should not keep me from living to the fullest! A friend of mine has a poster that says "Where you live should not determine whether you live." I think the concept is similar in this situation. How you feel should not determine whether you live. Don't be afraid to go out on your own and have some fun. Also, don't be afraid to get together with couples and hang out. You just need to keep perspective. Don't hold a grudge because you are the only single in the group. Choose to enjoy the time out with others.

Another thing that struck me what this: "God has me single for a reason." God is in charge, which means that if you are single it is for a purpose. God has a purpose for everything. He has not forgotten about you, he has not just decided to disregard how you are feeling. He has a grand plan. Right now that plan could be for you to be single. Instead of constantly worrying about your loneliness remember that God has a plan. You may not understand what that plan is, but he has a plan and a purpose. Your job is to seek God with all of your heart and search for His will above your own. Remember God's promise to us: Jeremiah 29:11-13- he has a plan for us, and he will show himself to us if we seek him with all of our heart.

I want to leave you with this, a pamphlet from the book on how to deal with loneliness:
Be still and know that he is God: When you are lonely too much stillness is exactly the thing that seems to be laying waste to your soul. Use that stillness to quiet your heart before God. Get to know him. If He is God, He is still in charge.
Remember that you are not alone:  The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deut 31:8. Jesus promised his disciples, "Lo, I am with you always" Matthew 28:20. Never mind if you cannot feel His presence. He is there, never for one moment forgetting you.
Give Thanks: In times of my greatest loneliness I have been lifted up by the promise of 2 Corinthians 4:17,18, "For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
Refuse self-pity: Refuse it absolutely. It is a deadly thing with power to destroy you. Turn your thoughts to Christ who has already carried your griefs and sorrows.
Accept your loneliness: It is one stage, and only one stage, on a journey that brings you to God. It will not always last.
Offer up your loneliness to God As the little boy offered to Jesus his five loaves and two fishes. God can transform it for the good of others.
Do something for someone else: No matter who or where you are, there is something you can do, somebody who needs you. Pray that you may be an instrument of God's peace, that where there is loneliness you may bring joy.

Great News!

Hey Yall,
Caitlin here- I just heard some of the best news I think I have gotten in a long time. Ready for it? Chocolate milk is a great item to drink after a hard work out. Yep, you heard me right- chocolate milk. And the angels rejoiced! Okay, I doubt the angels rejoiced, but I sure did. For anyone who knows me, they know I like chocolate, in almost any variety, and especially in my milk. Now I am not sure if it is just any milk that is good for it, or if it is specifically chocolate milk, but I at least know chocolate milk is allowed. That being said, just remember, everything in moderation. Also, it is only suggested for hardcore work outs that are at least an hour long or more. Here is some more information on it- let the rejoicing commence!

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2XHP3m/pharmacytechniciancertification.net/100-healthy-remedies-that-are-right-in-your-home/

A New Creation

Hey Yall,
Caitlin here- So this week has been a rough week for me. I am not sure why, but it just seems like I am hungry all the time. I don't mean I'm bored so I want to eat. I mean, I'm hungry that I could eat another entire meal. I go through phases like this, so I'm not too surprised- I also have phases where I take 5 bites and I'm done. Anywho, that being said, it has been very difficult to keep myself accountable when I am always hungry. I am following the new weightwatchers program and fruit is 0 pointsplus- which is nice, but lets face it- I don't always want fruit or veggies to snack on. It is very easy to get into the routine of beating yourself up for having an off day (or in my case, week). Today I caught myself saying "what's the point, you've already had a crappy week and have most definitely blown all of your bonus points- might as well not worry about this week." But then I was reminded of Luke 9:23, " 23 Then he said to them all: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me."

Oddly enough, this reminded me of living a healthy lifestyle. Every day it is a choice. You must daily choose to live a healthy lifestyle just like you must daily choose to follow Christ. I then thought of 2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" Now, I know this is talking about the spiritual life, but again, I also feel it can apply to living the healthy lifestyle. Yesterday is gone, the decisions I made yesterday are done. Today is a new day, the old has gone and the new is here! That means that I refuse to beat myself up for not having a stellar day (or week). It means that today I am going to make the choice to stick with it. The me of yesterday is gone, and the me of today is going strong. Don't forget to pick up your cross every day and follow Christ, and stick to your healthy lifestyle. In the end both will be worth it. Any thoughts? Agree or disagree with something I said? Let me know!

Mexican Chicken

Hey Yall,
Caitlin here- as we promised, there is a lot that we want to do with this blog that we have yet to unveil. This is one of those unveilings. Not only do we want to share in our journey toward health, we want to help you in that journey as well. One of the ways we decided to do that is through recipe posting. If we find recipes we like that are healthy we will post them to share with you. Now understand, these are not original recipes. Almost all of them will be from cookbooks or online- but we will make sure to tell you where we got them from. Also, if you have any healthy recipes that you like, email them to cnh822@cccb.edu and I will give them a try. If I like them I will repost for everyone to enjoy. Thus without further adieu- our first recipe:

Mexican Chicken- my dad concocted this a few years ago and it is surprisingly tasty and healthy. Here is what you need:
Skinless boneless chicken breast
Salsa
Fat free cream cheese.

How to make it:
First, preheat your oven to 350.
In a bowl mix 1/4 c fat free cream cheese with 1 cup salsa.
Mash the cream cheese until it is blended into the salsa- the creme cheese will still be lumpy, but mashing it helps the flavors to mesh.
At this point you should have a medium thick sauce- it should have an orange tint to it.
Pour the concoction over each of the chicken breasts (you may need more sauce, depending on how much chicken you are cooking. I found that my sauce covered 3 pieces of chicken weighing roughly 3.5 oz each, plus another piece weighing 2 oz.).  You could also stuff the sauce into the chicken, like chicken cordon bleu- but frankly I am just too lazy to do that- so I pour it over.
Cook at 350 for 30-40 min depending on your oven. Bake until fully cooked. Pull out of oven, serve.

Pretty easy right? The best part- each piece of chicken is only 3 pointsplus (if you are following weight watchers)  Here is the caloric information for you:
For a 4oz chicken breast with sauce:
Calories: 200 (probably less, but I would rather overestimate than under estimate)  

Hope you enjoy- happy eating!

New Years Resolutions

Hey all, it's Ashley.  Sorry for the quietness but life has been busy as I am preparing to move.  So Happy New Years!  It's the fourth day into the new year, and I want to know, how are your resolutions playing out?  I have never been one to make resolutions for the new year, because I like millions of other people are notorious for breaking these goals.  But this year is different.  This year I framed my goals in a picture frame and placed it on my wall, so every time I walk by it I remember that I have a goal to obtain, and not some far off fantasy.  I decorated it and placed a boarder around it, it totally looks like a piece of art on the wall, and to any random person that comes into my house will think of it as art, but to me, this is what my life will be focused  on this year. This year my goals are spiritually related or fitness related.  I want to learn to love to run, so when I move out to the East Coast Caitlin and I are going to train to run a  5k.  I was thinking the other day, why wait till the end of February to start training, why not start now, it's a new year, so a new exercise program is mandatory. 

So yesterday I started the Couch to 5K training.  It's basically slowly working up to running a 5k in 9 weeks.  You train 3 days a week, for 30 minutes a day, by intertwining jogging and brisk walking for recovery.  Yesterday was day 1.  All I had to do was a warm up and cool down walk, then jog 1 minute then walk 90 seconds, and back and forth for 20 minutes.  60 seconds doesn't sound to long, right?  HAHA well when you are jogging and staring at the clock waiting for the 60 seconds to be up, it seems like forever!  But I felt so accomplished when I was done, and thought "that wasn't too bad"....today my legs are a little sore but not too bad.  Here is too meeting my New Years Resolutions and hopefully encouraging you to do the same....

Late night tricks

Hey Yall,
Caitlin here- Okay, so a while ago I posted a blog about food tricks and the games we play to allow us to eat food we shouldn't. This blog is going to be more about what we do to keep from eating food we shouldn't. I thought about this last night as I was eating a spoon full of ice cream. It was about 11pm or so and  I told myself I could have two spoons full of ice cream. I then asked myself how I was going to keep myself from going back for more. My solution? Fluoride. I brushed my teeth, flossed, then used fluoride. For me, I know brushing alone won't work. Why? Cause I can get a big tube of toothpaste for .99 cents. I don't feel bad about brushing my teeth, then 20 min later deciding I want more food,  then having to brush my teeth again. Fluoride however is a whole different story. That stuff is expensive. The store brand type I buy is 3.50 for a bottle! That is more than the cost of gas- slightly ridiculous if you ask me. Thus, I know that I will not waste that stuff- so once the fluoride has been used I will no longer be eating for the evening. What tips/tricks do you use to control late night snacking???

Ba Da Bap Baa Baaaaa....Not lovin' it.

Hey Yall,
Caitlin here- Today was day 1 of C25K. My love for running will definitely not develop overnight. It went okay- although I must admit, I made a few tweaks. First tweak- I began with a six min brisk walk instead of  a five min brisk walk. This was because when I hit the 5 min mark I was on a hill- and I just refuse to begin my running up hill. Thus, I decided to give myself time to finish the hill. The nice thing about that is I began my running going downhill- made it seem a bit easier. Second tweak- instead of running for a min and walking for 90 seconds, I ran for a min and walked for 2 min. Trying to watch the seconds pass on my watch is difficult for it is very small- so I just decided I would give myself the extra 30 seconds. I also think I am going to do week 1 for two weeks instead of just one. I really want to work myself into running and not take on too much all at once. With all of that being said- today went okay. I wasn't constantly looking at my watch begging for the minute of running to be over until the very last run. I consider that a success. I really think the worst part was that my mouth was constantly getting sticky- which made it hard to breath and drink. Also, I could tell I was pushing myself because I was starting to slightly feel my lunch, and my legs were beginning to tense up (although that could just mean I need to stretch more).  I am looking forward to when I can look back at this moment and say to myself "man, running for a min is so easy!" One of these days that will happen. The weirdest part of it all? My lungs didn't really start feeling the burn until after I was done with my walk/run- but right now they feelin it- slightly phlemy- but that will go away with time and training. Overall- day one: success!

I hate running

Hey yall,
Caitlin here- Okay, I admit it- I hate running. I want to love it, I truly do- but I just don't. I think I enjoy being lazy too much. That being said- Ashley and I are beginning the C25K, which stand for Couch to 5K. It is a running regiment that is suppose to help you go from being a couch potato to running a 5K in 9 weeks- so just over 2 months. Ashley is suppose to start it today- and I will be starting it tomorrow. I must say, I am not overly thrilled, but I have chosen to live a healthier lifestyle, so it is worth a shot. Besides, I can't let Ashley start without me. I refuse to be outdone- REFUSE!!! *imagine me pumping my fists in the air while yelling this- cause really that's what i'm doing lol!) I have to say though, I may end up eating my own words. I very well could be outdone by her- and I kinda hope I am. This does not mean I want to do poorly or just give up- it means I want her to do exceedingly well. Once she gets to the east coast her and I plan on training together. This will definitely be a motivation for me. It is a lot easier to keep going when you have someone besides you telling you that you can do it. It also helps when you know you have to keep pace with someone. Thus, I am going to start practicing now- but the real work begins when Ashley gets here in Feb. I believe the goal is doing a 5K together by her birthday in May. We will keep you updated on our progress. Please, I beg of you- ask how we are doing- it is a great form of accountability. As yall know, I want this blog to be interactive- let me know what you think and how you are feeling. With that I leave you with this:  What is your best motivation for working out? What is your favorite workout? Add a comment and let me know! Until next time- peace, love, and toilet paper- cause without toilet paper it is difficult to have peace and love :P Cait