I love being friends with fellow bloggers on facebook and following them on twitter because I always come across some of the best articles regarding food, fitness, health, parenting, etc. This morning was no exception!

The lovely and talented Carla shared one extremely eye opening article regarding running, “skinny fat” and a load of other things that have been swirling around inside my little brain for quite some time.

You can read the full article, Women: Running into Trouble, by clicking here…

The gist of the article is that many people, mostly women, run way more than they should losing muscle mass, raising their body fat content and basically not exercising efficiently.

I am THE poster child for this problem.

I hate lifting. I can do cardio for hours. I am definitely “skinny fat”.

If any of my family or close friends are reading this they may not “get” that term, but most of my fitness friends and blogger pals will get it – totally.

I am 5 feet 5 inches tall.

I weigh 128lbs (as of this morning).

After calculating my measurements I have a 26% body fat.

That breaks down to 95lbs of lean muscle and 33lbs of fat. I really want to get down to a 20% body fat which, according to this calculator, requires only losing 3lbs.

All of this information has caused to me to stop, wait just a minute and take a second look at my 2012 challenges. Remember those…

I’ve been looking at that schedule all morning after reading the article. I’ve been wondering what I need to change to get my desired results. I have always hated strength training, but have decided that 2012 is the year I attack the things I really hate with every ounce of energy I use towards the things I love.

Good idea, right!

So after much thought (about 5 hours) this is what I’ve come up with…

January – 30 Day Shred

February – 30 days of yoga

March – P90X Classic (first 30 days)

April – P90X Classic (second 30 days)

May – P90X Classic (third 30 days)

June – run 5 days a week + swim 3 days a week

July – yoga 5 days a week + swim 3 days a week

August – swim 30 miles in 30 days + yoga 3 days a week

September – 30 day runstreak (2 miles each) + strength training 3 days a week

October – P90X Lean (first 30 days) Rock n Roll half

November – 30 days of yoga

December – 30 Day Shred

I finally came to a decision and here it is. Good or bad. Happy or sad. Easy or hard. Like it or not. That’s it – for better or worse. These are my 2012 Challenges…

Now … on with the day!!

Did you read the article? What are your thoughts? Just out of curiosity, what do you think of the new 2012 Challenges?

Today I’m thankful for:

…Grey’s Anatomy on netflix

…an extra cup of coffee (I’m weak on the weekends)

…learning something new

…the option to change my mind

…Saturday nights out with my hubby

~ Maria

It has been an odd few days. I have been blasted. I made a few decisions. I read some really great articles. Some amazing bloggers put out great posts (one was even a guest post for me!) and they pushed me to take a second look at a few things that I’ve been doing.

• Counting Calories – do you remember when I told you about a pair of my favorite jeans that were getting to be a bit snug? Well… they’re still a bit snug. I’ve been doing really well with my fitness routine so it’s now time to reevaluate my nutrition regimen. I’m planning to count calories religiously for one week just to get an idea of what I’m really taking in on a daily basis. According to this website I should be eating right around 1600 calories per day for slow/steady weight loss.

• Fitness Routine – I’ve been getting up every morning and pounded out the 30 Day Shred DVD at 5:30. I’ve been sneaking in a few extra minutes of cardio or yoga during the opening advertisements and stretching for a few extra minutes at the end as well. Apparently I’m not the only one who has grown to love working out in the mornings…

• Once a Day – I have been a two to (insert large number here) cups of coffee a day girl for many years. Ever since Linsey was born in 2001 I have been enjoying cup after cup of the creamy hot stuff. Coffee in and of itself isn’t bad for. A little caffeine isn’t bad for you. But… when you’re drinking three, four and sometimes five cups of coffee with sweetener and creamer the calories pile up. This morning I made a decision to stick with one cup of coffee after my morning workout.

• More H2O – To avoid even more empty calories and artificial things that aren’t good for me I’ve decided to stick to water and water alone throughout the rest of the day. Drinking water throughout the day helps to keep you satiated and also helps flush out toxins. So water it is…all day long.

• She’s a Horrible Woman – I bashed Paula. I called her a horrible woman. I said that her actions have been terrible. I said that profiting from her disease makes me sick. Not everyone agreed with me and that’s ok. That’s the beauty of this country and the idea behind facebook (for me anyway). I enjoy conversation. I enjoy debates on serious topics (and even NON serious topics) but what I don’t like is when people involved in the debate take things below the belt or get personal or take the conversation to something completely unrelated to the topic.

• You Don’t Know Me – Obviously people who don’t live with me can’t know everything about me. Hell! Even the people who live with me don’t know EVERYTHING about me. That’s an impossible task. However, I really don’t like it when people assume things about me without having all the facts. My “spiritual health” was called into question during the Paula Deen rant. I was told that I should spend more time on my “spiritual health” because that’s what will stay with me rather than my “physical health” because I’m going to die regardless. I realized a few things yesterday; 1) not going to church every Sunday = poor spiritual health, 2) I’m obsessed with fitness and nutrition, 3) I get too passionate about the things I find important, 4) I’m able to NOT get passionate when having a debate, 5) Jason needs to run EVERY facebook comment by me before hitting send. (editor’s note:  comments 1-5 were my poor attempts at sarcasm.)
  
• Money Makes The World Go Round – I didn’t just realize this, but it was definitely made clearer to me yesterday. People will do and say whatever their told to do and say for the right price. Paula Deen’s “buttah is bettah babay” lifestyle and her pack and a half a day smoking habit along with her genetic make up turned her into another American cliche. Overweight, out of shape and determined to save herself by popping pills instead of changing bad habits was just the catalyst Paula needed to get into bed with Noro Nordisk. Not only has she been pedaling her high fat, loaded with butter, bacon cheeseburger between two doughnuts for years on the Food Network, but for the last three she’s been doing it KNOWING she had a serious disease brought on by diet and lifestyle. Instead of coming out and saying that she is sick and she wants her fans to join her in lightening the way they eat to make a change in their health, she opted to become a paid spokes person for Big Pharma, pop their wonder drug and pretend like she had nothing to do with what has become of her. I read two things today that really put it all into perspective, 1) “I am not mad at her business decisions—but I promise you from this moment forward people, myself included, will always question her integrity.” 2) “Now that she sells cookbooks, food, AND diabetes meds, the next logical step for Paula Deen is to team with over-sized casket manufacturers.” And that is all I have to say about PD.

(photo source)

What do you think about Paula Deen? Do you count calories? How many do you aim for in a day? Are you good at debating or do you get too passionate? Facebook or Twitter??

I’m off to put my girls to bed and cuddle with my hubby.

…Today I’m thankful for people who love me

…Today I’m thankful for my self confidence

…Today I’m thankful for learning to love moring workouts

…Today I’m thankful for nice people

…Today I’m thankful for sugar free chocolate vita tops

~ Maria

After having another beautiful day in January (temps have been in the 50s for days!) I talked Jason into going for an afternoon run before picking up Regan from school.

I had already gotten in my 30 Day Shred workout earlier in the morning so the run was just cheddah baby, but being out with Jason was lovely.

After the run he said, “Hey! Let’s take the girls out to dinner. What do you think?”

I said, “If I don’t have to cook or clean up, no one will fight about what they’re eating AND it’s yummy – I’m so in!”

So we took the girls to their favorite place (because we’re old I had coupons!) and met our friend Jeff as well. Sweet Tomatoes is always a win win in our house. They have yummy salads, a dozen or so soups, baked goods, pastas and always something sweet to finish off the meal. SCORE!

This morning went like every morning:

• alarm goes off at 5:00
• in the living room by 5:30ish
• workout with Jillian Michaels

This morning did have a slightly different twist. My workout was crashed…

We pretended to jump rope just like Jillian instructed us too and Jason thought it was so cute that a picture just HAD to be taken. (don’t tell him, but I think it’s pretty cute too)

Then the normalness of the morning came back and I got in the shower where I could still hear the girls fighting over who got play with my hand weights.

Breakfast was a smoothie and coffee.

In the mix was:

• one frozen banana
• four frozen strawberries
• two handfuls of fresh spinach
• one cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk
• two scoops of chocolate protein powder

By the time I got to work I was hungry again. That smoothie was super filling, but it just didn’t stick with me like oats or toast and eggs do. I guess I’ll be leaving that to mid afternoon snacks or lunch paired with something else.

I got all my opening duties done and immediately ripped open my snack.

It was a snack for the tummy and the mind…

I completely forgot to take a picture of my hugh jass salad that I made for lunch, but it was two big handfuls of spring mix, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, banana peppers, hard boiled eggs, four veggie buffalo wings and honey mustard dressing. Then, to top it off, I had a chocolate chip cookie!

We had another amazingly beautiful day (maybe winter is going to just pass us by this year?) so I convinced Jason to hurry home and run with me again!

He has become very interested in moving towards a healthier lifestyle this year and even wants to run a half marathon in April. These shorter runs (afternoon delights) are really helping him get focused on training, plus, we get to spend a little time together with no work, no customers and no kids.

After the running was over he left to pick Regan up from school and I took Linsey to dance class. I am currently eating my brown bag meal and typing at the same time!

I’ve already eaten the apple and the sugar snap peas with roasted garlic hummus.

VAMPIRES BEWARE!! That was the absolute garlic-ey-est (yes that’s a word) hummus I have ever eaten in my life. I hope no one wants to get very close to me before I get home to brush my teeth.

I’m eating a crunchy peanut butter and cherry jam sandwich in hopes that will cancel out a bit of the garlic smell.

Question of the day:
this is in the name of research for an upcoming blog post so pretty pretty pretty please answer in depth…

Why do you work out? Honestly? I reeeeeeeeally want to know.

…I’m thankful for cherry jam

…I’m thankful for sunny days

…I’m thankful for afternoon runs with my husband

…I’m thankful for extra crunchy peanut butter

…I’m thankful for trash rag magazines

~ Maria

I woke up pretty tired after having a battle of wills with Regan around 1:00 in the morning. She said that she “had a strange dream” and no longer needed to sleep.

Really??

Well, her not needing to sleep ending up meaning that she needed to scream! She screamed for more lights on, for me to come and pat her back, for Jason to come and pat her back, she just screamed.

Finally we talked it out (I threatened her life!! ) and she decided that going back to sleep was the best option at that time. When my alarm went off at 5:00 I yawned and stretched and rubbed my eyes for 20 minutes and then got up to go work out.

Regan snored until almost 7:00.

Once my workout was done I made a cup of coffee and settled in for some reading time before everyone woke up.

The usual morning affairs transpired (the girls argued about getting up, they fought over who got to the bathroom first, the argued about what to eat for breakfast, they begged to watch the Today Show) and then we had breakfast.

While I was eating Jason texted and asked me to make a bread run after dropping the girls off at school. When I was right around the corner I got stuck for 13 minutes behind this…

Bollocks!!!

Oh well … this too shall pass.

We had a decent day at the deli. Nothing phenomenal, but we made it thru even though some of our BEST customers (you know who you are!!) didn’t come in. I had a snack (well half of a snack since Jason stole part of it) around 11:00.

I’m newly obsessed with these granola bars. They are sooooooo good!

Lunch was a bit of a switch up from the usual. I did have some tomato soup and crackers because I love it and that’s how I roll.

But today, instead of garlic cheese bread, I made myself a salad filled with yummy veggies, tossed in honey mustard dressing and topped with four veggie buffalo wings straight from the toaster.

I was so full after all that food, but it was so worth it!

Since the weather today was record breaking (66 degrees!!) I just had to go for a run after taking Linsey to dance class.

Look at how fast I can be when it’s nice out and I’m running a short distance!! Now I just have to work my way up to keep that pace for longer distances.

Dinner was uneventful, but very tasty. I love pineapple Chobani and I really love to mix it with banana slices and a scoop of crunchy peanut butter.

Would you ever…

A friend from high school (who is so freaking lucky that she lives in Hawaii) posted a question on her facebook page regarding plastic surgery. Would you or wouldn’t you have plastic surgery if money was no issue??

I answered a resounding YES!! I have wanted a tummy tuck since Linsey was born. I gained 65lbs when I was pregnant with her and then had a c-section on top of that. My stomach was stretched and sliced and pulled and yanked so that little baby could come out. It’s never been the same since!

I told you…not pretty!! (I swear that’s me)

So I started to wonder: Would you ever…

1. have plastic surgery
2. go on a reality show
3. date someone whom you’ve already dated & broken up with
4. have an affair
5. go all weekend without showering
6. visit a nude beach AND participate
7. give up your car for a month
8. give up restaurants for a year
9. run a marathon
10. do a cleanse

My answers…

1. yes
2. yes!
3. not now, but I have before
4. no
5. isn’t that EVERY weekend
6. ummmm… IDK
7. TOTALLY
8. I highly doubt it
9. yes
10. yes

…I’m thankful for the beautiful weather

…I’m thankful for social media

…I’m thankful for burned glee CDs

…I’m thankful for peanut butter

…I’m thankful for sleeping children

~ Maria

It was hard.

I was wobbly.

I knew five minutes into it that something was off inside me.

I feel like lately different aspects of my life are completely stifled and unbalanced. I worry about hurting people’s feelings here, offending readers (ones that I know in person and those that I don’t) and my creativity seems to really be waning these days.

I’ve been very consistent with my workouts, but haven’t been mixing it up as much as I could.

If I’m being completely honest I have eaten the same thing EVERYDAY all week long. And I’m talking breakfast, lunch AND dinner. Not that I’m bothered by that, but I guess after a while that too can become a bit stifling.

My Blog:
This started out as a place for me to go to stay accountable with my marathon training. It was a way for me to connect with people out in the great unknown who might be doing the same thing as me…marathon training, raising children, staying healthy against all odds.

But as I’ve been doing it now for over two years I’ve realized it is more like my diary, but a diary that anyone can read. I pour my heart out here sometimes. There are moments when I open up and say things I can’t say out loud, but then I end up deleting or never publishing many things because it’s too much to send out into the void of the internet.

What if what I’m saying upsets someone I love?

What if it’s something they didn’t know?

What if they don’t want people to know that much?

If I’m really being honest, sometimes I wish that my family and friends didn’t read this blog.

My job:
Owning a deli can be a lot of fun. I’ve met some really amazing people. Made some really great friends and enjoy getting to know the new people that come in every day. Having a restaurant is a great way to bring together people from all walks of life because we ALL have to eat.

I often find myself chatting about a myriad of things between the hours of 9:00 and 3:00 Monday thru Friday. One conversation about Christian Slater in Pump Up The Volume can quickly turn into a conversation about why I plan on voting for Obama again in the next election and then move to a discussion about the lyrics to a Ludacris song.

But maybe I had a different dream for my life. Maybe working in a deli isn’t as fulfilling as something else may have been. Maybe I was too scared to pursue that something else so owning a little deli is all I’ll ever do. Maybe…

My family:
I love my family. My daughters mean the world to me, but being the mother to two little girls can sometimes be trying. The constant drama, the screaming, the fighting, the crying, the boy trouble…

I want to be a good role model for Linsey and Regan and teach them everything they need to know about life, but how can I do that when I don’t feel fulfilled in my own? How can I give them self confidence when I lack it so much in myself? How can I tell them that the most important thing they can do is get an education and a great job so that as they grow older they don’t have to depend on a man for anything when that’s not even close to what I did?

My husband:
Speaking of depending on a man, Jason is amazing. He’s working so hard to make things better for us by going back to school and finishing his degree. He’s up every morning by 5:00 and out the door no later than 7:00. Some days he doesn’t make it home until close to 10:00.

He thinks this is hard on all of us.

He would be right.

I completely understand that he has to work at the same time he’s finishing school, but understanding something doesn’t make dealing with it any easier. I feel like since he went back to school I have become nothing more than Jason’s wife and Linsey and Regan’s mother. I’m nothing more than a housekeeper, a chauffeur, a cook, a secretary and a nurse.

I know that I’m not the only woman out there who feels this way!

I know that many women out there right now can completely relate to what I’m saying.

I know that I sound like I’m whining.

I know…

I guess what it all boils down to is that we all have to listen to that inner voice inside of us that gives us signals when things aren’t right. We all need to listen to our hearts and follow where it leads us. We all need to make sure that what truly makes us happy is what we are doing. We all need to stop stifling our dreams.

We need to figure out what they are and then fight like hell to make them come true.

What’s your dream?? Are you living it?? Are you truly living the life you imagined for yourself??

One of the reasons why so few of us ever act, instead of react, is because we are continually stifling our deepest impulses. ~ Henry Miller

Tonight we took full advantage of it by walking to get Regan from school and then heading over to the Loop for dinner and coffee.

Jason and the girls wanted Qdoba so that’s where we ate dinner. I went with my usual and ordered the grilled vegetable burrito, naked, with guacamole, pico de gallo and corn relish.

I couldn’t even eat half of it because I wasn’t really hungry. So I know what I’ll be having for lunch (or dinner) tomorrow!!

We headed over to Starbucks afterwards because the girls wanted “warm chocolate” ( ) and Jason wanted an eggnog latte. GROSS! I got a tall peppermint mocha latte.

I love the holiday season and the red cups!!

Look … it’s Starbucks for the three bears!

Just to be clear…

It appears that there was a bit of confusion this weekend.

A few people were very concerned with my level of vegetarianism.

According to wikipedia being vegetarian is “the practice of following plant-based diets (fruits, vegetables, etc.), with or without the inclusion of dairy products or eggs, and with the exclusion of meat (red meat, poultry and seafood).”

Wikipedia states that veganism is “the practice of eliminating the use of animal products..”

Tonight I want to clear a few things up.

I have been a vegetarian for almost 9 years. When I started I simply wasn’t eating meat. I ate fish and still ate eggs, cheese and drank cow’s milk.

About one year (or so) into this switch I did away with fish all together. I adopted the idea to not eat anything with a face. And that was that. I didn’t think past what I ate. What I wore never crossed my mind. I still owned a leather jacket, leather belts (though I never actually wore those) and a closet full of leather shoes.

About two years into being a vegetarian Jason (who is an omnivore) bought me a pair of Manolo Blahniks for our anniversary (just call me Carrie Bradshaw!) and I loved them. I wore them often and thought they were the best things EVER!

For Christmas that year he bought me a pair of UGG boots because I had been begging for them for a few years. He hated them! He actually called them UGGly boots, but because he loves me and knew I liked them, he bought me a pair.

Isn’t my husband awesome!?

Fast forward a few more years (maybe two more – so five years into being a vegetarian). I really started thinking more and more about veganism. I switched from cow’s milk to soy/almond milk and went through my closet and got rid of all my leather items of clothing. The leather jacket was too big at that point and I never wore those pesky belts even when they did fit. I wasn’t going vegan, but I was leaning more towards it.

Did I get rid of my Manolos?? NO!

Did I get rid of my UGGS?? No.

Have I purchased anything else made of leather since then? Yes. Linsey is a ballet dancer. Her shoes are made of leather.And I have owned running shoes with leather sections on them.

Do I work in/co-own a deli that serves meat? Yes I do. That is something I struggle with, but in the end I realize that Jason was a chef long before I became a vegetarian. After becoming one he served meat in his restaurants and that is how we made/make our money. Is it weird that I take portions of that money and donate it to organizations like PETA, the ASPCA and the Humane Society…maybe, but that’s what I do.

I guess it’s safe to say that I fall somewhere in between a vegetarian and a vegan. That may not be good enough for some people and it may be too extreme for others. The point is that it’s where I’m at and that’s ok. I think very in depth about my diet and what I feed my daughters.

These days I steer clear of leather furniture, cars with leather interior and fur. I still own the UGGS and Manolos, but the companies already have my money. What good will it do to get rid of it now. When the boots wear out they’ll be replaced with the faux version. My Manolos will probably spend the rest of their time in the pretty box on the top shelf of my closet (they’re not comfortable at all)!

I would estimate that 75% to 80% of our diet comes from the outside perimeter of the grocery store and I buy organic fruits and vegetables whenever possible. Is this something I expect everyone else to do as well? Absolutely not. This is what is best for my family and my family alone.

If by writing this blog and sharing with you guys what I eat, drink and workout to I inspire someone into making a healthier choice or lifestyle change then great. That does NOT mean that I’m trying to “turn you into a vegetarian” or convince you to buy all organic produce.

All I’m hoping to do is to open your mind and think a little more about the choices you make in your everyday life. Because when I read other blogs that’s exactly what happens to me. I am opened up to another way of thinking, or a new food or another way to work out.

I hope this has cleared up any confusion, questions or ideas that you may have had about me. I hope I didn’t come across preachy because that’s something I never want to do!!

I’m not perfect. I’m just a person tying to make it through this crazy life, have a good marriage and raise happy, healthy little girls to be strong, independent women.

Have I opened your mind to something new?? Have I inspired you to do/not do something?? Leave me a comment telling me what it was!!

I also want to apologize to any readers who may have been offended by things that were said over the weekend (in the comment section, on twitter or via facebook) because being offensive is not my intention.

I tend to get very passionate about things sometimes and that passion can quickly turn intense. It’s a character flaw I have…

If you were a reader who was offended by anything please accept me deepest and most sincere apologies. I truly value and cherish each one of my readers more than I could ever tell them.

Today I’m thankful for:

• our jogging stroller
• the beautiful fall weather (again!)
• comfortable sneakers
• peppermint mocha lattes from Starbucks

However, this Thanksgiving ad by PETA struck a cord with some on facebook this morning causing quite the back and forth between me and a few other people.

What do you think??

Today I am thankful for:

• patience
• the ability to walk away when I want to fight
• an open mind

Do I rant and rave about unimportant things?

Have I been gloating about my lifestyle choices?

According to Jasmine I have been…

Dear Real Fit Mama,
I have read your blog for a while. I am a vegan, cyclist, runner, and baseball fan, however I feel your blog is offensive to everyone who is all of the above. We as healthy clean living individuals do not have to gloat every day about all of the above.

You seem to rant and rave about non critical issues and always want praise for your lifestyle? Are you that insecure?

Jasmine

I try to always be nice. I try to always be polite. I try to always be fair. I try to always be real about who I am, what I believe and how I live my life. Most of all I definitely try not to offend people … or so I thought.

Have I missed something??

Life’s too short to waste time on pretense. Laugh, be merry, and enjoy life the way you want to. ~ Author Unknown

I know I’m not alone in this.

We (not women, but everyone) have that one pair of jeans that fits you like a glove. The pair of jeans you search to replicate every time you hit the mall, but nothing seems to quite do it for you. I have a drawer full of jeans (11 to be precise) but none of them measure up to this one pair of Gap jeans.

Well … Now I don’t measure up!

True story: My favorite Gap jeans no longer fit me like a glove – unless that glove was painted on and zipped up with the fatty part of my palm pressing with all it’s might to bust through them and gasp for air.

Today is Love Your Body Day and I decided that, since I’ve kind of been hating on my body lately, I would show it some love. But not the How Do I Love Thee kind of love because in my heart of hearts I know that I adore my body for all the great things it has and will do for me. I’ve even exposed it more than once for all the world to see!

Today I’m going to show my body love in that you can’t keep doing the same thing and expect different results kind of way. The I love you, but have to teach you a lesson kind of way. The kind of way that only I can show it. I’m actually going to play a game and it’s called…

Let’s Make A Deal!!

Between now until January 1, 2012 I will keep the following promises:

1. I will not weight you.
2. I will not say mean things about you.
3. I will not sleep past 5:30 on weekdays.
4. I will not skip workouts on weekdays.
5. I will take you to D’s Yoga Home one time a week.

In turn my body will keep these promises:

1. On January 1, 2012 it will kindly fit back into my all time favorite jeans!!

How are YOU loving your body today??

Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

I haven’t slept well in a few more.

My previous workouts haven’t been that “great”.

I can feel the cold weather coming and as much as I try to convince myself that I’m still the same happy, cheerful, upbeat person in Winter as I am in the Summer it just isn’t the same. I can feel the shift inside my body, my head, my mind. Winter is my Achilles Heel. It sneaks in, takes over and tells me it’s time to hibernate, eat and wear baggy clothes.

I will not let that happen!

So I’m going to do something about it…

Thanks to D’s Yoga Home, their big move and a special they are offering new students I will be getting closer to my Chidanand before you know it!!

If you still have reservations regarding yoga then Run!

Don’t Walk!

Click on this link right now and read the guest post at Miz Fit Online.

Hopefully … after sometime with regular yoga I’ll be able to do this too!

(photo source)

Does the changing of the seasons and the intrusions of Winter change your mind set?? How do you handle it??

Vogue and Self are putting out the message of yoginis as buff and perfect.  If you start doing yoga for those reasons, fine.  Most people get beyond that and see that it’s much, much more.  ~ Patricia Walden