Maintaining a Healthy Diet While Traveling

I have just returned from a long business trip and found this article to be helpful.  Eating Well On the Road

I find it very difficult to maintain a healthy diet when I'm out of town. The projects I've been working on have required me to work long hours which makes it very hard to make healthy choices. Even though I try to keep healthy snacks and plenty of water in my bag, when people bring in donuts and sweets it is hard to resist especially if I haven't eaten a meal in hours.I definitely put on a few pounds on this trip. I recall one day all we had was donuts and chocolate pie! I'm very ashamed of that!

 My goal is to eat clean and get back to the gym this week. I've got to get in shape for the 5k I'm doing on St Patricks Day!

I consumed too much sugar this week and need to cleanse the toxins from my system. I'm also looking into a therapeutic massage.I'm glad I am receiving some much needed time off. It's time to rejuvenate!

Labor Day weekend

Long weekends are so much fun. I love doing things with my family and having a few days off work. I wish we had some sunnier days in the forecast but we need the rain and it will be much cooler here in a few days. I'm looking forward to fall!

I started the day with a hearty breakfast bowl, that was not very healthy. So, after indulging in cheesy scrambled eggs with sausage and hash browns, I got out my Tae bo dvd and had a great workout. There's something about kickboxing that makes me feel so powerful. I followed up my workout with a 20 minute ride on the stationary bike.

Now, that I've got my workout in I'm looking forward to spending some time with my daughter. I was hoping for a cookout for Labor Day weekend, but I'm not sure that the rain will hold off for that to happen.

What do you have planned for the long weekend?

Overindulged today - must go to workout!

I watch my caloric intake pretty closely. So, today I knew I was in trouble when Gigi's cupcakes showed up at my office. I resisted the temptation for an hour or so, but finally gave in. Here is the one I chose:

Kentucky Bourbon cupcake from Gigi's -photo compliments of their website

I don't know the exact nutritional information for this decadent cupcake, but I'm sure it exceeded the amount I needed. Their website doesn't publish that information. But I'm glad to say that I didn't eat the whole thing. I only ate a few bites of the frosting and only about half of the cupcake.

It's a good thing that I brought my clothes to work with me, so I could head to the gym right after work. If I have to go home to change first, sometimes I don't ever make it there.

My workout clothes and new running shoes

I got a good treadmill workout in and tried out my new running shoes. They feel great so far. I'm glad I didn't talk myself out of going to the gym. I have been able to do that over the last few weeks and don't like that. It's been a while since I have set foot on a treadmill. I have been walking/jogging outside more often since the humidity in Tennessee has slacked off some. I'll be glad when fall gets here and it will be more comfortable to exercise outside.

Walking trail

Running - Ups and Downs

Now that I'm an official member of the MAC, I went to workout after work on Monday. I decided to try a different running routine this time. I used the 5k loop setting on the treadmill instead of setting a specific time to end the workout. I also wanted to test myself to see how long I could run without stopping. I've been doing the run/walk intervals for about a month now and felt the need to challenge myself. I was able to run continuously for 10 minutes! For me, that was great! I also felt like I could have kept going, except my right foot began bothering me. For the last few times I have run on the treadmill, I have had problems with my foot feeling like its going to sleep. This is very irritating to me, especially since I felt like I could run more. Even when I switched to walking, my foot still feels numb. I had to end the workout before the 5k was reached, after about 30 minutes. :( This is the same foot/ankle I have sprained multiple times. I have sent out facebook and twitter comments for any advise from fellow runners. I have gotten several responses. Here are a few of them:

• Are my shoes laced too tight?
• Have I been properly fitted for running shoes at a specialty store?
• Am I stretching enough?

The one I am most guilty of the the second one. I have never been to a specialty store to be fitted for shoes. I usually buy shoes that I like and that feel comfortable. The shoes I use most of the time currently were a gift from my husband for Mother's Day. I suppose if I am going to be serious about running, I should listen to this advice. I guess my main reason for not doing this is the fear of spending a fortune on shoes. I read an article earlier that stated that this is not necessarily the case. If this is the answer, I am willing to do it.

For now, I plan on switching to another pair of shoes that I have and see how that works. I am also going to do less running over the next few days and more cross training, such as Body Pump classes or Zumba.

I am not going to give up on running. I will find out what is causing my problem and find a solution. Walking is fine, but I really want to RUN!

Do you have any advice for me and my running problem? If so, please comment!

Welcome Weekend!

I'm glad the weekend is here! Even though it was a short work week for me, it seemed to last forever. Tonight I did my cross training workout. It was a breeze compared to my running workouts. I biked almost 6 miles on the stationary bike and followed that with strength training. I ate a healthy dinner while the rest of my family had fast food. I'm proud of ME!

I have a busy weekend planned. Tomorrow I am visiting the college I graduated from for Alumni Day in the MTSU Recreation Center. All alumni members and their families can attend for free and use the facilities which include an indoor and outdoor pool. Nice! I also plan on doing my running workout on the track to take a break from the treadmill.

Later in the day, I have an appointment for a much needed massage at Massage Envy. I am looking forward to that! I've had two migraines this week and the best medicine for that is a massage.

On Sunday, I plan on attending church in the morning with my parents, resting in the afternoon and surprising my sister by going to hear her sing her first solo in her church choir. That should be wonderful.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend and do something to pamper yourself! You deserve it! Summer is here and there's so much to do. Be sure and stay hydrated if its as hot in your area as it is here! The south officially has a heat wave!

Zumba + running = happy

I did a Zumba workout on the PS3 before getting on the treadmill to do the last Couch to 5k workout for week 2. I thought doing a pre-run workout might help me. I love Zumba! I know I'm not the best at it - my hips just don't move the way the instructors do. But that is the joy of doing it at home in my living room. I sent my hubby out for errands so I could have the living room (and the t.v./remote) to myself.

Zumba for PS3

I'm going to be ready for the next 5k I do, which looks like will be the Komen for the Cure in October. That is...unless I find another one to do in the next few months.

I finished the 3rd workout for week 2 on the C25k challenge. It seemed easier today. Maybe that's because I warmed up with Zumba before doing it. I was able to do the intervals with little trouble and able to increase my speed a little. After I finished the workout, I decided to do some 30 second sprints, like I've seen on the Biggest Loser, to push myself. That was exhilarating! Its amazing what you can do when you push yourself! I'll definitely do that again.

I feel good about finishing week 2 on this challenge and looking forward to starting week 3. Now its rest and relaxation time for me. It's time to prepare for another week. Have a great week!