I’m feeling old today and I’m on a deadline.

We have to go to Linsey’s Middle School orientation/tour/let’s make your parents feel old night. I have exactly 1 hour and 30 minutes before Regan’s baby sitter arrives and I have to feed the family, change my clothes, try not to smell like deli food and give Regan a bath.

So here, for your judging pleasure (don’t judge me, but please, judge me) is a calorie count, food list, photo op of exactly what I’ve eaten today.

After my workout…

I chugged my one and only cup of coffee.

For a grand total of…

Feel free to judge away…in the comment section.

Today I’m thankful for:

…chobani yogurt as a quick and yummy dinner

…cheap baby sitters that like my daughter

…Grey’s Anatomy on netflix (get used to it!)

…yoga pants and rain boots

…warm hoodies that go with my yoga pants and rain boots

~ Maria

We also got some very important things accomplished while we were in Springfield. Hair!!

I had some massive gray action going and was in desperate need of a hair cut. Both problems were taken care of by the lovely and talented Heather (also one of my very best friends).

Linsey also got to take advantage of Heather’s wicked hair styling skills. She has been begging me to let her get colored streaks in her hair and this weekend was the weekend it actually happened. I think she really loves her funky new do!

After we were both beautiful again it was time for the kids to hang with the grandparents and the grown ups to go out for the evening. Heather, Kyle, Jason and I went out to dinner and then to hang out at a local bar.

It was hard to say goodbye to everyone, but the real world beckoned and we had to come home.

This morning, after a very long night of hail, thunder, lightening, tornado sirens and kids in and out of our bed I woke up dragging ass. I really wanted to skip my workout, but knew I would feel even worse throughout the day if I did. So I got my ass up and pushed through level 2 of the 30 Day Shred.

Breakfast was a twist on my protein pancakes. I swapped frozen dark cherries for the banana and used4 tablespoons of liquid egg whites instead of wasting the real eggs. They didn’t look too pretty, but they tasted SO GOOD!!

Topped with some peanut butter and paired with a mug of coffee. DELISH!

The deli was depressingly slow today and I was a snack monster! I think the lack of sleep just had me feeling very hungry all day long. I had a granola bar for my first snack (no picture) and then a small cup of minestrone a little while later (also no picture) and tons of water.

When it really was time for lunch I wasn’t super hungry, but made a good sized salad anyway. In the mix:

• spring mix
• red onions
• tomatoes
• cucumbers
• banana peppers
• honey mustard dressing
• a morningstar farms chik’n patty

My sweet tooth reared it’s ugly head and I downed a chocolate chip cookie before I knew what had happened!!

I got home from work with plenty of time to spare so I snuck in a yoga session to help ease a bit of the stress and tension from lack of sleep.

Dinner time was a hodge podge for everyone. Jason and Regan wanted cereal. Linsey wanted pasta and broccoli and I wanted something that I could cook while I cleaned the kitchen and got everything ready for tomorrow. So I whipped up a very bastardized version of huevos rancheros.

In the mix was:

• black beans
• hummus
• garlic
• roasted broccoli
• two pan fried eggs

Regan and I are cuddled up in my bed waiting for Jason and Linsey to get home. I’ve still got laundry going and the temperature is dropping rapidly. I’m ready to curl up under the covers and read some books with my girl.

See what I mean??

I have tons of things I really want to talk about, but tonight I’m going to zip my lips and snuggle with Regan. She’s dying for some solo Mommy time!

…I’m thankful for snuggly girls

…I’m thankful for good books

…I’m thankful for great friends

…I’m thankful for my family

…I’m thankful for early bedtimes

~ 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

But after hitting the snooze button two times I got right up, changed in to my work out clothes and headed into the living room. Jillian Michaels beckoned…

This morning didn’t feel too much different than yesterday except for the slightest bit of tenderness in my arms, but once I got into it I was good to go!

After my workout the girls were still asleep (lucky little brats! ) so I snuck in a few minutes of reading with a cup of coffee. Of course I was only a matter of minutes into it when Regan woke up!

So I jumped in the shower and we got ready for our first day back after such a great vacation. Breakfast was coffee and oatmeal. Nothing special, but oh so yummy.

Once our tummies were full and we were all bundled up (the weather was so much better in Atlanta!) we headed out the door and off to school/work.

The deli was just as it was before we left! The phone started ringing off the hook right about 10:00 and by 11:00 we were in full swing again. Everyone told us how much we were missed and how they starved while we were gone (LIARS!) and how glad they were that we were back.

I guess it is good to be a gangsta!

I forgot my snack so by the time lunch rolled around I was STARVING!! I literally could’ve eaten my own arm off, but I opted for tomato soup and garlic cheese bread instead. Whew…

I helped get the deli put back in order and then left to go pick up the girls. It was still freezing outside so I decided to skip my scheduled run. I’m a wussy like that. It’s going to be nicer towards the end of the week so I’ll get one or two short runs in before it’s all said and done.

At home I got the girls each a snack and got busy on the laundry and dinner. Linsey went down to a friends house to work on their science fair project which left Regan and I to get dinner going.

We decided that I looked the part in my new apron… Isn’t it cute?!?!

It was a Christmas present!!

Wearing something like that really gets me in the mood to do some “fancy” cooking. So does this little baby…

Drizzled on top of my red potatoes it paired well with some fragrant rosemary.

Don’t I sound so knowledgeable?! Actually – I had no idea what would go well with it and just took a shot with the rosemary. WINNING!!

I also made these brussel sprouts and some morningstar farms veggie riblets. It hit all the right spots and pleased every one in the house!

My dinner…

I also had three undocumented sugar cookies, but they were so tasty that they got eaten before I could snap a picture.

After dinner Jason took the girls with him to his meeting so I had some time to get things ready for tomorrow, do more laundry and squeeze in a yoga session.

It was lovely and now it’s time for bed. That will be quite lovely as well.

Hope that everyone had a great day back after the holidays!!

…I’m grateful for good friends

…I’m grateful for cute aprons

…I’m grateful for quiet time

…I’m grateful for solo yoga sessions

…I’m grateful for our furnace (it’s a cold mother outside!)

~ Maria

I managed to avoid most of the bad things (mainly because they had meat in them) but did over indulge on some of the desserts (my weakness).  I enjoyed peach cream cake, apple dumplings and pumpkin beer bread pudding.

So today, after getting in a solid 40 minutes of P90X Core Synergistics done before everyone else woke up, I made sure my food intact was clean, healthy and satisfying. But I didn’t snap one food picture today!!

I’m still getting used to my new iPhone.

Breakfast:

• 1/2 cup cooked steel cut oats with splash of almond milk
• 3/4 of a large banana
• 1 tbsp dark chocolate chips
• 1 big scoop crunchy peanut butter
• 2 mugs of coffee

Snack:

• luna protein bar (chocolate & peanut butter)

Lunch:

• Broccoli Cheddar Soup
• 6 saltine crackers
• chocolate chip cookie (not so clean)

Dinner:

• TJ’s mildly spiced vegetable burrito
• topped with peach salsa and light sour cream
• 2 mint oreos (not so clean)

I’m so over the food today!

I’ve been feeling a bit frustrated lately. I work out 6 days a week for an average of 45 minutes a day, but my weight hasn’t changed and my body isn’t changing either. I really hoped to be back in my favorite Gap jeans by January 1st.

And now – something completely not food or fitness related!

I stuck to one of my Family Goals for the week this evening. Jason and Linsey had to be at Nutcracker rehearsal by 5:45 and won’t be home until right around bedtime. So Regan and I were on our own. I asked her on the way to school this morning what she wanted to do with all of her Mommy time and she didn’t hesitate with an answer.

Jason bought these for the girls and put them together over the weekend. We had to let them dry completely before decorating and Regan had waited long enough. She quickly got busy making plans, instructing me where to put the icing and sticking the different candies in just the right spots.

She was really good at designing the look of her gingerbread house and knew exactly what she wanted. We spent a good hour getting everything just right.

When it was all exactly the way she wanted it and we had used every drop of icing and every piece of candy – she finally decided to stop and smile for the camera.

Her master piece is complete…

It was some of the greatest Mommy/Regan time EVER.

Now I have to take a minute to brag on Linsey.

When the school year started about two tons of paperwork came home during the first week. Teacher introductions, calendars, volunteer forms, school policies and school year time-lines. Mixed up in that paperwork was a form for the kids. They got to enter their own drawing into a contest for this years cover of the Buzz Book (the school directory).

Linsey loves to draw, but never thinks any of her stuff is “very good”. You know – that whole “being your own worst critic” thing. Yeah. She’s got that down pat. So she drew a number of pictures and then finally, the night before the entry was supposed to be turned in, she sat down and really drew a picture. I thought it was cute. Linsey thought it sucked. But she entered it anyway.

And guess what…?!

Hers got picked!!!

She was so excited this afternoon when she showed it to me. She couldn’t stop smiling and couldn’t wait to show it to Jason. As much as that girl makes me crazy, it breaks my heart when she’s down on herself. This was definitely something that she needed to lift her self esteem a bit.

Even Regan was so proud. She carried the Buzz Book all the way home and displayed it neatly on our desk for everyone to see.

Today I’m thankful for:

• a loving family
• my beautiful daughters
• Mommy/Regan time
• Jason and all that he does for his girls (have I used that one before?)
• a working furnace

Which means there’s only ONE MORE work day until Thanksgiving!! I’m super stoked for a four day weekend, the St Louis Thanksgiving Day Parade and a day with friends and family.

Tomorrow I’ll be working with one eye watching the hands on the clock for sure.

This morning it was so gloomy and rainy! All I wanted was comfort food. So after I slammed through a 30 minute kettlebell session with Jillian the girls and I whipped up some scrambled eggs (I put spinach in mine) and toast with raspberry jam.

I’m not in love with gluten free bread. I haven’t found one that I really adore yet, but I’m dealing with the denseness. Three mugs of coffee made it go down so much smoother.

All together now…

Today was the Thanksgiving feast at Regan’s school and family were invited to attend, but it was from 11:30-12:30 … The busiest possible time at the deli! Needless to say, I didn’t get to go so drop off was extra excruciating this morning. Regan cried, pulled on me and begged me not to go to work.

Talk about heart breaking.

I snacked on a chocolate peppermint luna bar before things got crazy busy at work. I really like this flavor. It totally reminds me of Christmas!

Once the deli was closed and it was time to eat lunch I went with my old stand by because it was still cold, rainy and not pretty out at all. Tomato soup was screaming my name!

It continued to rain the rest of the day. So I picked Regan up from school early (so not running in the COLD and the RAIN!) and we met Linsey right at her dismissal time.

Since Jason’s on Thanksgiving break already he had planned on taking Linsey to her dance class tonight – which meant that Regan and I were free for some Thanksgiving baking!!

But first…dinner. I literally had 45 minutes to put food on the table and get Jason out the door with Linsey.

So this…

Turned into this…

Once we ate, I got Jason and Linsey out the door and had cleaned up from dinner – Regan and I got down and dirty. I love to bake, but I almost NEVER have the time.

I had seen Kristen make this pumpkin beer bread a while back and knew I had to make it. It’s the Schlafly Pumpkin Ale Bread and it looked DE-LISH. So I tweaked the recipe a bit (made it vegan and gluten free) and got out everything we would need.

Regan was stoked to bring a chair into the kitchen and help me bake for Thanksgiving. It’s something we love to do, but rarely find the time for these days.

Once the pumpkin, beer and every other ingredient was put into their appropriate bowls – Regan got busy mixing.

And a bit more mixing had it all…ummm…mixed together.

Then we divided the batter into three small loaf pans to put into the oven.

As soon as it’s all done I’ll let you know how they turned out. Jason plans on turning the bread into a Pumpkin Beer Bread Pudding tomorrow. YUM-O!!

Today I’m thankful for:

• pumpkin
• holidays
• long weekends
• little helpers in the kitchen
• the smell of bread baking

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

Jason and Timmy picked up dinner at Noodles and Co while the girls (all six of us) stayed at home and chatted, played and basically ran around like crazy people.

Isn’t that what girls do best??

I had the penne rosa (sub gluten free rice noodles) with baked tofu – like usual.

After our tummies were full and we were all satisfied it was time to play some games!! The big girls were playing a Wii game, the little girls were playing … a little girls game and the grown ups were playing…

Like it always is when we get together and play a game, it was boys against girls.

Can you guess what Jason’s word was – the category was Role Play (occupation or hobby)…

Timmy guessed all around it saying Rapper, Gangster, LL Cool J, Thug and Pimp, but the word was Gigolo.

I don’t remember what this one was, but it was funny…

In the end the girls DOMINATED the boys … like always.

It was well after 11:00 when Timmy and Amanda packed up their girls and headed home and by then all the kids were tired. Ours were in bed and asleep within 30 minutes of them leaving. And so were the grown ups!

This morning after everyone was up, dressed and ready to go we headed out on our usual Sunday morning walk to First Watch. The weather today is BEAUTIFUL!!

We actually got toasty while walking and took off our jackets. It’s a good thing that we got out to enjoy the weather early because it looks like we’ll be getting hit with some thunderstorms later today.

Once we got to First Watch we saw the crowd waiting outside and realized that everyone else had the same idea as us.

The girls made the best of the wait though…

And so did Jason.

Breakfast was super yummy … as always. I shared my fruit cup and english muffin with Regan and enjoyed way too much coffee … as always.

Now that we’re home I’m jumping right back into the house work that didn’t get finished yesterday and some that has to be done again since having all the girls over. I might even get some pumpkin beer bread baked later this afternoon.

Enjoy your Sunday!!

Today I’m thankful for:

• another beautiful Fall day
• great friends
• yummy restaurants in walking distance of my house
• naps (cause I may just take one today!)

I started this morning off with my 5:30 workout session. I’ve been doing really well at keeping the body promises thus far. I started the day with a 40 minute P90X workout in my living room.

I did the Core Synergistics DVD which is a total body workout that really works your core as well as sneaking in some good cardio. I always feel like I’ve worked my body hard when the DVD comes to an end.

I started P90X back in August, opting to do the Lean Program first. When I started it was extremely hard. I realized how intensely I would be working out while on the program, but decided to stick it out as much as possible. By the end of the 90 days my body hadn’t changed all that much (I actually gained a few pounds) but I definitely felt stronger.

This time around I’ve decided to sort of make up my own schedule, mixing it up with some yoga and a few Jillian Michaels DVDs as well. I understand that to truly see results from your workout routine you have to continuously shake things up…keep your body guessing. So that’s what I plan on doing until January 1st when my body promises prove to have been a success!

An Interesting Read

While on the subject of P90X; I read a very interesting and uplifting article while browsing through twitter this morning. Nicole Nichols, a writer, blogger and fitness expert for Spark People, wrote all about programs like P90X, Insanity, 30 Day Shred and Crossfit.

The article entitled Stop Exercising So Hard! Why Moderate Workouts Really Do Work, talks about how programs like the ones listed above can discourage and even be dangerous for fitness newbies. She discusses why someone just starting out shouldn’t be overtaken by the late night ads telling you how P90X will transform your body, but instead go with the notion that slow and steady wins the race (my words not hers).

Apparently there is some “love/hate” commentary after the article that I did not get involved in, but I agree with what the article states overall. Exercise and health should be an enjoyable process from the beginning. If you start a program that kicks your ass and you feel completely defeated when it’s over you are probably not going to do it again. However, when you start on a fitness regimen and begin to increase flexibility, strength and stamina THAT is the time to increase the intensity of your workout, but it is always ok to come back to an easier workout from time to time.

In my book burning calories and moving your body is burning calories and moving your body whether you’re doing it running a marathon, walking your dog, climbing Mt Everest, riding a dirt bike, skipping with your children, cleaning your house, working in your garden or punching it out on a punching bag. If you stay active you stay healthy. In the end you have to do what feels most comfortable to you regardless of what the next big thing is.

For me – I will continue to use P90X DVDs, get in some walking, drop into a yoga pose or two at D’s Yoga Home, sneak in a few runs on the weekends and swing around a kettlebell with Jillian Michaels.

Time Flies

I cannot believe it’s already November! Where has the time gone? I know that I say that every year (and possibly at the beginning of every month), but I really am completely flabbergasted at how quickly the month flew by. The holiday season is my absolute favorite time of the year, but right now it so doesn’t feel like November 2nd. The weather is so amazing here right now, but according to the weather channel that’s getting ready to change.

The past few days I’ve taken full advantage of the beautiful weather because I think I have it in the back of my mind that this may be the last nice day of the year and I feel obligated to enjoy it. I’ve already begun keeping track of my mileage for the Pile On The Miles challenge. Have you joined us yet??

I got in a great 3 mile run/walk after work and am now officially in the running for this week’s prize drawing. WOOT WOOT!!

Dinner

I’m currently plopped in a super comfy chair at Linsey’s dance school with the thump, thump, thump of Hip Hop music beating in my chest. Jason just texted me and said, “How bout sloppy joe’s and mac n cheese for dinner?” My response is always the same when he makes a suggestion…”If I don’t have to cook it sounds great to me.”

Looks like I will be making a pit stop at the grocery store for gluten free hamburger buns so I can enjoy the meal as well. I hope that you’re loving your Wednesday!!

A Month of Thanks

• I don’t have to cook dinner tonight
• Jason will be home to hang out with us
• We’re that much closer to the weekend

See ya tomorrow…