Refocusing

More often than not, I seem to be refocusing. I refocus on workouts, nutrition, cleaning schedules, and priorities in general. Life seems to be a constant juggling act, and more and more items keep getting tossed in. It's hard not to drop something from time to time.

Running is the item that got dropped a while back and you know what? I miss it.

I set a goal for this year to hit 500 miles and I stalled out at 250 due to illness, frustration and then the heat. Frustration and heat are excuses and I know it. I know that you have to push through frustration and I know that there are ways around the heat. The time has come for me to stop making the excuses and start logging miles again. I'm a happier person when I run and I'm tired of feeling like a quitter.

This past week I started to refocus with Focus T25. The amount of sweat my body produces in 25 minutes with these workouts, is both amazing and gross. I'm hoping to build my cardio back up with this routine, so easing back into running will be a little smoother.

The next part of my refocus plan is an August "Clean Eating" accountability that I will be running over on the Facebook Page. I'll be posting the basics of clean eating, shopping guides and recipes over there each day. My eating has been pretty good, but it took a nose dive during Mike's vacation this past week. I'm hoping that as a group, we can stay accountable, help each other find new recipes and form new, healthier habits. I've always had success while working in groups and I'm hoping that those participating will too.

As well as the clean eating accountability, I plan on sharing a daily yoga workout on the Facebook page each day. If there is one thing I've learned during my fitness journey, it's that no matter how badly I suck at yoga, it is important to my routine. I'll benefit from a stretching/muscle recovery aspect as well as mentally with meditation/stress relief. I always feel better after doing yoga, yet I always manage to skip it...I clearly make no sense and need to fix this.

Ultimately, life happens, and our grand plans don't always work out as planned. As long as you take a moment to stop, see where things went wrong and refocus, your goals can still be reached.

Are you ready to refocus with me? What aspect of your routine do you need to focus on?

{Fitness Friday} Man of Steel Edition

As I mentioned earlier this week, Mike and I went to see Man of Steel in IMAX. While watching this movie, you can't help but notice the physique of Henry Cavill  (if you can, you're blind) so of course we became curious as to what he did to prepare for this role. Mike found this video and passed it along to me, so of course, I'm passing it on you!

I love that they talk about the mental and emotional side of fitness in this clip. With quotes like "He has opened my eyes to seeing past what I thought were my limits." and "...you come to a point where your mind allows you to break through your physical boundaries, and takes you to places you never thought you could go to." this clip really hit home for me.

I am 100% in the mental part of fitness right now. I know that my body is capable of things, but my mind holds me back many times. It's funny because in the beginning, I was scared that my body couldn't handle what I mentally wanted to do...and now it's reverse. You would think by this stage of the game I would have it all figured out, but I don't. I struggle and I fail just like everyone else, but I pick myself up and I keep pushing forward.

If you are interested in seeing the workouts that trainer Mark Twight did with Henry Cavill did to prepare for his role as the Man of Steel, watch the two videos below (they teach you how to get proper form) or go to the Soldier of Steel website where you can print them out in .PDF form.

Soldier of Steel Workouts...

I hope you enjoy these videos as much as I did. While the moves in this may not be for you, I hope you at least walk away with the tips on proper form and apply them to whichever workout you decide to do!

Brett Hoebel Took My Flywheel Virginity

A few weeks ago when I was at #FitBlogNYC, Brett Hoebel was one of the speakers there. At the end of his lecture, he told us that he would be returning to NYC in early June to teach a Flywheel class, and if we were interested in joining to tweet at him. Of course I tweeted at him despite having no idea what a Flywheel class consisted of. As the days went by, I totally forgot about the class, until I received a tweet from Brett with a link to enter a drawing for the class. I filled out the entry form, said a little prayer that I would be selected and went about my day.

Two days before the class date, I received an e-mail saying that I was selected to attend Brett Hoebel's inaugural ride at the Flywheel Flatiron location!! I was super excited and then panicked because once again, I was sick. I haven't had much luck in the health department the past two months, but I was on day three of antibiotics so I responded that I would be there and started looking at which train I would need to catch.

The day of the event, I was very nervous. I had never attended a spin class before and I really didn't know what to expect. I did a little research on Flywheel the night before so I knew it was stadium seating cycling, I knew that the room is kept dark to help you focus on making the ride your ride and I knew that there would be loud music and that I shouldn't be afraid to ask for help when first setting up my bike. Ok...sounds good to me!

I caught my train into NYC and knew that I would be early so I packed lunch with me and upon arriving in the city, headed over to the Flatiron District. One of the my favorite buildings in NYC is the Flat Iron building so it only made sense to me to walk over there, grab a bench in Madison Square Park and just enjoy the view.

After lunch, I headed over to the Flywheel Flatiron location and signed in. I was given a special pair of spin shoes, shown where the lockers are and I grabbed a bottle of water and a towel.

On my way to the lockers, I saw Brett in the room we would be using talking to a few other people, so I popped my head in, said hello and snagged a picture of the bike set-up.

After stowing my stuff in a locker, I headed up front, said hello to few fellow bloggers and then it was time for class. I felt my nerves kick in as I selected a bike in the back and I was grateful to the gentleman in front of me who taught me how to snap my fancy spin shoes into the pedal. A girl who worked there came around and helped me adjust my bike, only we didn't adjust it correctly, and I didn't find that out until the class was already in full swing. Oops!

After Brett explained the bike display to us and how to adjust the torque, the room went dark. Only the instructor stage and bike's display screen are illuminated so you can focus on the workout, and not everyone else around you, which I really liked. The class is a mix of fast, sprint intervals and slow climbs, which help to build endurance and muscle while burning a ton of calories. There is even an upper body segment to the class which really gets you sweating!

The music playlists for each class are created by the Flywheel instructor themselves, which I think is awesome. Instructors choreograph their own classes, syncing their rides to the beat of their songs ensuring a new experience every time you take a class. I loved Brett's music selections since I'm a big fan of BPM on Sirius XM radio.

My favorite song from the workout was "Fade Into Darkness" by Avicii:

 Brett guided our workout, suggesting resistance levels and RPMs, but ultimately it's your ride, so you decide the pace of things by spinning the knob for more or less resistance on your bike. I had to dial it back a few times due to my seat issues but I still got breathless and had a crazy sweat going on.

Overall, this was one of my best fitness experiences in a group setting. Brett Hoebel is an amazing instructor. He is truly inspirational and it's like he's in your head as you're doing this workout. Every time I felt like dialing back, slowing down or saying "I can't do this" he would say something to ignite that spark within myself and I found the strength to keep going.

The class lasted about 45 minutes and we did a light stretch at the end of it, which was much needed.

As everyone was headed out of the studio, I snagged a moment with Brett to say hi again and to thank him for giving me such an amazing opportunity.

This was honestly the toughest thing I have done since week one of Insanity...although I didn't curse at Brett like I did at Shaun T! I will definitely need to keep eye out for Brett's return to NYC and try to catch another class. He truly is a phenomenal trainer!

After changing into dry clothes and collecting my belongings, I enjoyed another stroll through NYC, to catch my train back New Jersey. As I returned home I was filled a feeling of joy and gratefulness. I've been given a lot of amazing opportunities the past few weeks and each one has been an amazing experience.

Have you ever taken a Flywheel class? What did you think of it?

{Semi Wordless Wednesday} Halfway There

Yesterday I hit the halfway mark on my journey to 500 miles. It came a month later than I thought, I almost got hit by a falling tree branch on the trail and I apparently didn't lace up correctly, because I ended up with a killer blister, but I did it!

Leaving My Comfort Zone

After I shared my #FitBlogNYC news and shear giddiness, things got more exciting!

Remember I said I hoped FITNESS magazine would give us more info about the event during this next week? Well... they did!

We all received an e-mail yesterday afternoon providing information on the workouts that would be offered during the event.  We had to choose one of the following three, cardio, yoga or a power run. All three of these are being brought to us by amazing sponsors, and they all sounded great. However, I immediately felt really stressed and out of my comfort zone. My thought process went a little like this:

• CARDIO  - I have zero rhythm and will end up stepping on someone. Save that train wreck for your own living-room.
• YOGA (?) - Possibly, however you've done yoga in a class setting before. Try something new!
• POWER RUN (!) - Initial excitement, followed by self doubt.

Those of you who know me and follow this blog, know that I don't do group fitness activities. My first ever group fitness event was when I met Tony Horton at his book signing, and I at least had my husband and good friend with me. Outside of that, I've done three Bikram Yoga classes (I hid in the back during all of them) and some 5k's, which I dont' mind at all.

I ended up reserving a spot for the Power Run and I am extremely nervous about it. I fear that I won't be able to keep up with everyone. I fear that I'll gas out halfway through the workout. I fear that my fears are going to make me fail. This is not a good mentality to have. I need to learn how to have confidence in these things. I can't compare myself to others. I need to give myself credit for trying, do my best and know that I'll get better with time and training. I need to lose the self doubt, because I have come so far in the past four years. It's time for me to quit trying to be a perfectionist and just have fun!

I clearly still struggle with the mental aspect of fitness, but I suppose that makes me human.

My next bit of good news also came via e-mail!

I received an invite from Physique 57 to try a barre class after #FitBlogNYC!

Once again, group workout anxiety kicked in, but it's not everyday that these opportunities present themselves, so I responded that I'll be there.

I'm sure I won't be the only person trying this class for the first time, so there is a little comfort in that. I believe that trying new things makes you grow as a person. Plus you never know if you'll like something unless you try it, right?

So... Here's to trying new things, leaving my comfort zone and learning how to relax and just have fun! Wish me luck!

Celebrating A Milestone

Yesterday was Fitness Friday and I reached a pretty big milestone! For the first time ever I hit double digits on a run/walk! The furthest I had ever walked prior, was 8 miles back in 2010. My furthest run was 7.5 back in early March.

I started out running yesterday and for some reason, I just kept going. Hitting that double digit has been something I've wanted to do for awhile now, but I never really went for it. I started to get tired and struggled for a little while around miles 4 & 5. That little voice of negativity in my head started to beat me up, but I pushed through and decided I was going for it. I shut that little voice up by deciding that my time didn't matter today, all that mattered was hitting my mileage of choice.

Once I made up my mind, the rest was pretty easy. I slowed down and walked when I needed to and picked up the pace and ran when I felt good. I have to get my legs used to carrying me for longer runs and they're not quite ready to do that yet. Until they are, there is nothing wrong with slowing down to a light jog or fast paced walk.

I know that with determination, time and practice, I will be able to run the full 10 miles. My goal is actually 13.1 with a respectable pace, but I have to remember that it takes time to build up to that. I have to remove the self imposed pressure that I place on myself to perform at great levels. I have to learn how to celebrate my milestones, instead of getting mad that I didn't reach them at a certain level, or by glancing over them to start working towards the next goal.

Over the past four years, I have skipped many celebrations and I regret that. I regret pushing myself towards the next goal instead of taking some time to reflect on where I came from and what I just achieved.

The beauty of this journey is that I am always learning...and as a result, I will continue to grow as a person.

Yesterday I put the Further in #FurtherFasterForever. Down the road I hope to add the Faster, but I have Forever to work at it and enjoy the celebrations as I go.

A Little Wisdom...

Happy Pi Day {Mini Workout}

Today's workout had me living the Life of Pi.... no no no....I wasn't stuck on a boat with a tiger name Richard Parker ...I just had to do things with the number 3.14 in mind.

I started off my morning with a 3.14 run on the trail. It was not a pretty run and my head was seriously not present at all. I was pissed off at myself after being so close to beating my PR just a few days ago, but then I switched my mind set and gave myself credit for showing up and getting it done. Good job, Nikki!

After my run, I hit the trainer for a double Pi ride and it felt great. After pushing myself for 25 mile rides last week, 6.28 feels like a walk in the park.

I haven't pushed myself this hard in a long time and it feels great! I actually like taking an active recovery day instead of a full rest day. It teaches me that I don't have to go hard all the time, and that it's nice to just slow down and enjoy the journey sometimes.

To finish off today's Pi celebration, I didn't have a slice of pie... instead I did this circuit workout and worked up a great sweat.

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A big Thank You to the Billboard Hot 100 on Spotify for keeping my pace high!

{Wordless Wednesday} More #FurtherFasterForever Badges

Click Here To See The Other Badges I've Earned So Far

{Wordless Wednesday} #FurtherFasterForever Badges To-Date

{Semi-Wordless Wednesday} 100 and Counting!

 

Monday's run brought me to my longest run to date!

 

Tuesday's 10k brought me to my first milestone ......... 100 miles ran, so far this year!

Stop It! I Beg You!

Lately, I have become increasingly agitated by "fitness inspiration" photos people have been Pinning, Instagramming and Facebooking. They usually feature a stick thin woman or a woman who clearly trains for competition, with a motivational quote. I love most of the quotes on them, however both of these image types are not realistic goals. These photos might be a dream of yours, but most times, they are not a reality and will only set you up to fail and feel miserable about your body, despite whatever progress you may make. (Trust me...I have gone through this.)

Unsure of what I'm referring to? Here are a few examples:

 

These ladies have amazing bodies, but it's not the norm.

Now, before you jump all over me and tell me that they are attainable with hard work, I am well aware of that. ANYTHING is possible, and I'm not knocking that. I'm simply speaking of the average overweight mom or woman who is obsessing over losing weight.

A typical woman works a desk job, has evening activities to attend with her children, a house to clean, laundry to do and is forced to grab fast food from time to time. That doesn't mean that there is no time to workout....you make the time for that....however, the type of strict diet and workout routine needed to achieve the super fit, sculpted bodies in some of these photos is very hard to follow.

Using photos like these as motivation also makes it hard to appreciate the progress that you do make during your weight loss, because you're always comparing yourself to something that isn't the norm.

Do you know how many times I have had people message me saying they don't understand why they are following a program and only losing a pound? They are genuinely upset by losing a pound when they should  be happy they are making progress, being active, eating healthier and not gaining. As a generation, it's all about instant gratification and this is not the place for it.

This leads me to another pet peeve of mine, which I have seen all over Facebook since the new year.  Obscene diets and "miracle" pills. I've said it a million times, so what's one more?

THEY DON'T WORK!

Just stop it! You didn't gain the weight over night, therefore you shouldn't expect to lose it overnight. There is no quick fix. There is no magic pill. Do you really think the super fit girl in the commercial simply popped a pill and woke up with those six pack abs and super perky ass? NO! She worked her ass off for it in the gym and ate super clean. If it was as simple as popping a pill, we wouldn't have an obesity problem in this country.

Please....just stop with the fad diets, popping pills that claim to block fat and help you get fit and lean without exercise. I beg you! They are unhealthy and if you do have any success, you will just end up gaining it all back, plus some when you stop following the diet or taking the pills, not to mention the damage you can be doing to your body by following these plans.

The road to getting healthy is not an easy one, but it can be a rewarding one. I've been at this for over three years and I've battled a lot of demons (thanks in part to photos like the ones above), but I've learned so much. How to eat healthy, that it's okay to have a cheat day, that my body is much stronger than my mind and when my mind shuts the fuck up...my body is capable of amazing things! The most important lesson is one I'm currently working on, and that's to love myself. I'm learning to accept the flaws of my body, because they add character.

Yes, I had a tummy tuck and some people might view that as shallow, and that's okay, because it doesn't matter what they think. It's what I needed to do in order to move on with my life and to finally say goodbye to the fat girl I spent so many years of my life being.

In closing, I ask you to simply to keep realistic goals when you start trying to lose weight. Take it slow, keep it real and know that's okay to be human and make mistakes. It takes time to break bad habits and form new, good ones. Most importantly, take the time to appreciate all of the things you achieve!

{Update} 26 Miles For 26 Victims

Last week I blogged about signing up for the 26 Miles For 26 Victims event that #FurtherFasterForever was running over on their site. When I decided to do this, I knew it was a lofty goal, but I knew I was capable of doing it.

This was not an easy to do, especially for a newbie to running like me. My legs were sore, my knees started to hate me and I ended up doing quite a bit of speed walking during some of these miles, but I did it and that's what counts!

I am over the moon happy with this accomplishment, but the cause I did it for is such a somber one. Each one of those miles I ran represented a child or teacher that was taken from their loved ones too soon. A person who set out about their day like we all do, everyday. A child who was excitedly waiting for Santa to arrive and teachers who were planning their shopping and holiday festivities with loved ones, but never got to see those anticipated moments.

Each mile made me appreciate all that I have, especially the two miles that we did as a family. It might not be much, but it is mine and I will treasure it for as long as I am blessed enough to have it.

{Wordless Wednesday} My Week In Fitness So Far

What's Your Super Bowl Game Plan?

It's quickly approaching! Super Bowl Sunday is right around the corner and that means Super Bowl parties and snack food galore!

You know what I'm talking about.... Nachos, Wings, Dips, Pizza, Chili, Chips, Desserts....you name it! All lined up on a table, waiting for you to stuff your face with them while you scream, laugh, curse and catch up with family and friends.

If you are one of the many people who made getting in shape your New Years resolution, it means you've been putting in some serious gym time and watching what you eat. Why toss that all out of the window for one party? Granted, some of you are reading this and thinking, "I'm entitled to a cheat day!" or "One evening of eating these foods won't kill me." and you're right...but why waste all of those calories or tempt yourself to travel back down the road of poor eating habits when you don't have to?

What you need a is a healthy game plan!

Here are two links to some recipes that look great and will save you calories, while giving you the flavors and foods you associate with Super Bowl parties:

Better Homes and Garden: Healthy Game Day Snacks

Eating Well: Healthy Super Bowl Recipes and Menus

For the most part, it comes down to using lower fat/calorie dairy products or substituting some Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, baking instead of frying and using as many fresh ingredients as you can. You will always have more control over what you put into your body if you are the person preparing it because you are in charge of the ingredients. I know it's easier to pick up the phone and order a few pizzas, but I highly recommend preparing some items from scratch, on your own. (If you do order, at least opt for a thin crust with veggies....please!)

If you are hosting the party, or just staying home to watch, you'll have a little more say on what gets served for the game watching festivities. However, there is nothing wrong with bringing something to party if you are invited somewhere. Your host will appreciate it and you'll know there is at least one healthier option for you.

Also, don't forget that beer can eat up a lot of your calorie allotment for the day, plus it also contains a lot of sodium. If you choose to have a few beers during the game, opt for light varieties and don't forget to drink water between drinks!

Another tip? Don't skip your pre-game workout! Hit the gym or go for a run before you head out for the big game. Doing so will not only burn calories, but it'll start your day off with a healthy mind set and you'll be less temped to sabotage yourself once you arrive at the party!

If you try any of the recipes from the sites above, please let me know. Also, if you have lighter versions of football snack food favorites, please feel free to share a link to the recipe on your blog or post the recipe below!

2012 - A Year In Review

Last year I couldn't wait for 2012 to arrive. I was fed up with 2011 and thought things had to get better. Well....I was wrong. My 2012 had a very shitty start, then improved, then bottomed out and finally fixed itself for the most part. One might say it was a roller coaster but I always thought those were supposed to be fun....hmmmmm.

Now were was I? Oh....right.... I learned a lot over the past year. I learned that I can handle a lot without breaking (although I came pretty damn close), who my real friends are (and that there aren't many), that as much as it's nice to have fun with people - you have to be able to enjoy being alone as well.....cause happiness comes from within and if you aren't happy with yourself, it's hard to be happy with others. There were many other lessons but that's the gist of it. Or at least all I'm willing to openly discuss ;)

As 2013 prepares to make it's grand entrance tonight at midnight, I'm both excited and a bit nervous. I have high hopes that 2013 leads me towards new, exciting and happy things, but as I mentioned above, I learned a lesson in 2012 ...things could always get worse.

Anyway, I'm going into this new year positive, happy and with the mind set that anything can happen. I have a list of goals and things I'd like to do in the up coming months and I have a new focus on what's important to me.

With that being said, 2012 wasn't all bad and I have the photos to prove it! Here are some of my most treasured moments from 2012...

As much as they drive me crazy, my family is the most important thing to me. Top Left: Mike & I at a BBQ over the summer, Top Right: Family photo while visiting Lady Liberty. Bottom Photos: My amazing kids at the beach.

 

Good friends are hard to find! Top Left: BBQ with Mike's coworkers. Top Left: Mike with Beth at the Jersey Shore . Bottom Left: Me with Kris during one of my OH trips.

Bottom Right: Cheers to new friends!

 

Fitness Goals & Fun! Top Left: I can finally rock a bikini. Top Right: The fitness trail & my goal of being able to run a 5k. Bottom Left: The Color Run. Bottom Right: Me sporting my "tough" look.

 

The Sky's The Limit! If you know me, you know I love taking pictures, especially of sunset and landscapes. Here are a few of my favorites from 2012: Top Left: Times Square while walking to Sweet Suite at BlogHer. Top Right: Open field on my way to the mall. Bottom Left: Sunset on my drive home. Bottom Right: My daughter and friend swinging high above Point Pleasant.

 

This quote is so true and I know I'm capable of making great strides in my fitness this year.

 

If there is one thing I hope to do...it's to never lose focus on this.

There is always good to focus on, despite the bad that might be plaguing you. Here's to a very Happy and of course Healthy New Year! Thanks again for following my blog and keeping me focused on what is important to me. You all inspire me so much and I'm forever grateful to everyone who takes the time to read my ramblings.