Where I'm at With Food

I would like to start this post by making sure you know how much I love donuts, and cake, and cookies, and especially brownies, and ice cream, and all of the delicious things that normal people like. And I eat them. I don't know people that do not like these things. I'm actually really glad that I don't know people like that. Because I would not trust them. Not one bit. Because they surely would not be telling the full truth...

Next I want to make sure that you know that I am not an expert at anything. I am just passionately curious :)  And I've found some things that work really great for me. I have never taken any nutrition classes. All of my knowledge comes from wanting to know more, and searching for answers, mainly online, or from other people that I think are really healthy and knowledgeable about health.

About a year and a half ago, I got invited to do one of those free Beachbody clean eating challenge groups. I was hesitant, but needed some motivation, so decided to go for it. Through the process, I really felt that 100% clean eating WAS NOT FOR ME. I thought I was going to die without my hazelnut coffee creamer and my strawberry greek yogurt and cottage cheese...and on and on. I did the best I could, but there were just certain things that I wasn't willing to part with. I felt that I could eat really healthy (MUCH healthier than I'd been eating) without going completely clean. And, I was right. 

Since that time, I have done a few more clean eating challenges, and I've learned that I CAN get rid of some things that I thought I couldn't survive without. I now use unsweetened almond milk instead of creamer (gasp!), and I've even cut out my 80 calorie Light and Fit Greek yogurt. Don't get me wrong, I would definitely still eat/drink those things, but I have learned that I don't have to buy them every time I go to the store.

As a distance runner, I was always a girl that literally ate whatever I wanted and never had to worry about it. But...now I'm 35 and that doesn't seem to work so well anymore. Just before I did my first 21 day clean eating challenge, I got the MyFitnessPal app and started logging my calories for the first time ever. Wow. I couldn't believe how many calories some of the things were that I was eating. I tracked my calories regularly for a few months until I really figured out what worked for me for regular meals. I'm REALLY good at eating the same exact thing for breakfast and lunch Monday - Friday. And I find it much easier to make good choices when I know exactly what I'll be eating and only bring those things to work with me. 

As for dinner, that is an area where I still struggle. I live in a house full of super picky boys that don't care one bit whether they're eating healthy meals or if their meals consist of bacon dipped in syrup and wrapped in bacon. So, dinners can be tricky. I often find myself making a variation of what everyone else is eating for myself...or at least eating a very small portion with a large side salad. 

So, when it comes to eating, overall, I feel like I do pretty well when I'm on track. But, I get off track a lot. And then I get back on track, and then on, and then off. Are there people that ALWAYS stay on track? I doubt it. And if so, I don't want to meet them either. Because then I'll feel bad about myself. HAhaha!

Okay, this is long. Sorry! I'm going to go ahead and show you what a normal week looks like for me with what I eat.

Monday - Friday:

Breakfast: currently I eat banana cakes every day for breakfast. They are perfect. The perfect amount of food, calories, protein, and carbs :)

1 banana - smashed
mix with 2 eggs
make like pancakes
amazing

Snacks:
celery with all natural peanut butter
carrots
cucumber slices
sugar snap peas
apple
hard boiled eggs
stove popped popcorn with salt and pepper 

lunch:

sweet potato chopped and steamed in the microwave in a Ziplock steamer bag
grilled chicken breast (which I prep on Sunday)

Dinner:
varies greatly...hoping for some input on this one. Always love new ideas!

I have found that if I stick to this food during the week, and I exercise regularly, and don't go overboard with dinner, I can eat much more leniently on the weekends and not worry about it so much. Because, honestly, I don't want to be that person on the weekends that worries a ton about what I'm eating. I want to work hard during the week, and then indulge a bit on the weekends when there are normally some kind of social event.

And that, is my food plan :)  I don't do shakes, and I try to eat "clean" Monday - Friday for all snacks, breakfast, and lunch. And I keep my portions in check and count calories if I am trying to take weight off. 

That's where I'm at with food :)

-Kendra

Hard is What Makes it Great

Do you remember how I decided to do that November 90 Challenge and run 90 miles in November? It was a great motivator to keep me moving through a very busy and stressful month. Well, it also kind of burned me out and left me with the attitude that I deserved some time off in December. And with the holidays and all, I also thought it was just fine to eat whatever I wanted. By the end of December I felt AW-FUL. Literally. This was me.

 

 

It wasn't good. 

 

But at the same time, it wasn't all that bad. It helped me to realize how I don't want to feel. I don't want to feel bad about what I see in the mirror. I don't want to feel guilty about what I eat. I don't want to be short on patience with my kids because I haven't had any other outlet for my frustrations. 

 

So, as the new year started I got all of these great ideas of ways to stay motivated. Once again, I signed up for the Polar Bear Century Club Challenge. It's a challenge to run 100 miles in the month of January. (I'm more than 1/2 way there!) 

I also decided that I wanted to give Crossfit a try. I've been wanting to try it out for a long time, and I finally had the nerve to give it a whirl. I liked it, and I LOVE the idea of getting stronger, but I just couldn't really figure out how it could possibly fit into my schedule, or my budget. So...I decided to join the weight lifting club at my high school instead! Am I running the club? Nope. I'm just crashing it! I may have even been accused of "reliving my glory days," but the kids seem to like having their old 4th grade teacher hanging out and lifting weights with them after school. (Yes, there are seniors there that I taught in 4th grade. Sigh.)

Overall, 2014 is starting out fantastic. I have worked out nearly every day this year and I feel awesome. The difference that it makes in how I feel physically and emotionally can't be topped. People ask me how I have time for it. Honestly, I'm not sure. I'd say in the winter the one thing that allows me to have the time for it is my treadmill. (Tonight I actually got back on it for just one more mile because I really wanted to see what was going to happen next on "Breaking Bad"! - That's my best treadmill tip. Find an awesome show and don't allow yourself to watch it unless you're on the treadmill. I just got done watching "Lost." It took me one and a half winters of treadmill running!)

 

I'm sure that I won't stay this motivated for all of 2014, but a girl can hope! 

 

 

 

Sparkle. Pounce. 

You Think You Have Time

 

I'm really not even sure where to start with this one. I feel like the last few days have been full of events/situations that have caused me to stop...and think.

On Saturday night in church, our Pastor double dared us to complete five random acts of kindness this week. He also challenged us to spend more time stopping and appreciating things instead of being constantly on the go. AND, he gave each family a devotional book about living a life of generosity. Those things by themselves don't seem like much, but then the week started.

Monday I got an email about a fundraiser that my son's elementary school is holding for their former principal who needs a double lung transplant. He will not survive without the surgery, which will cost $25,000. This man was only my son's principal his kindergarten year, but he still talks about him. I know he's a special person, even though I do not know him personally.

Then, Monday evening I found out that a friend of a friend's running partner was struck by a drunk driver and killed while she was out on a run with her husband at 8:00am. The man who was driving the vehicle is a doctor of internal medicine and was on his way to work. Ironically, his own wife was killed in a drunk driving accident just two years ago.

Today, I received an email that a family member on my husband's side has to have open heart surgery this week. This man isn't even 40 years old and he has to undergo an intensive surgery that will leave him unable to work for three months.

Then, after work I was reading the day's news when I read the story about another school shooting in New Mexico. It occurred at a middle school, leaving one student in critical condition and another in serious condition. (Note...I NEVER read the news. I try to avoid hearing about all of the horrible things that are happening in our world.)

I stopped at the bank on the way home to deposit a couple of checks, and noticed a man sitting outside the bank in his car. He looked a little suspicious to me, but I went inside. Just after I walked in he walked in behind me. I got chills. Why you ask? Because all of the garbage that has happened this week has left me completely on edge and full of fear! And I can't stand it! After I finished my banking and realized that I was completely crazy, it struck me that it is only Tuesday and I have "stopped" to listen and look and hear about a lot of really crappy things happening. 

Luckily, these events have left me with some great opportunities to complete my five random acts of kindness. And they have really gotten me thinking about the fact that we need to live life today. And every day. 

Sometimes living life means that we stop and appreciate everything we have in this life. Other times though, we really need to grab life with both hands and live it full speed ahead. Work towards what you want. Don't wait for a better time to reach your goals. There isn't one.

Sparkle. Pounce. Live.

 

2014: Turn Your Dreams Into Plans

 

How do you figure out what races to sign up for? What are the best races to do? It's funny that my cousin asked me to write about this, because I have spent the last week frantically trying to figure out what my game plan is for 2014 when it comes to races. 

Here are my three most important pieces of advice for choosing races for the year:

1.) Make sure to sign up with at least one good friend. There is a lot to be said for having a buddy at the starting line to help calm some fears, but just as important is having a training partner. Even if your training buddy doesn't live close by, you can still text and chat about what your training schedule looks like, what workouts you're not feeling motivated for, and how much you hate each other for making you do the stinkin' race. Believe me, it's important.

       ***So, my own personal dilemma with this strategy in 2014 is that some of my favorite go-to racing buddies are pregnant or are going to be pregnant (fingers crossed) and therefore, aren't signing up for any big races! And my sister just had a baby, so her racing season is still a question mark. Although I did sign up to run the Lansing FULL Marathon with her on May 4! (NOTE...this race definitely follows advice tips #1 and #3, but I'm not so sure about #2.) And I just sent her a text today letting her know that if she decides to do a 1/2 Ironman I will be joining her. Yup, that's how important having a buddy is. I absolutely will not sign up for any hugely terrifying races without one!

2.) Sign up for a race that's in a location you are excited about. I have found that my favorite races have been in beautiful places where I enjoyed the view during the race. The Bayshore Marathon in Traverse City is a great one for this! Also, Back to the Beach 1/2 marathon, 10K, or 5K at Stoney Creek Metropark is a beautiful race in Southeast Michigan. You don't necessarily have to travel far, but I do think it's important to pick a race that has a great setting. This also makes it more fun if you want to try and convince the whole family to come and cheer you on!

          ***So, my own personal scheme for this in 2014 is that I am dropping hints to my husband about taking a family trip to Grand Island at the end of July. Why, you ask? Because there is a FULL TRAIL MARATHON on Grand Island on July 26! It would be the perfect family vacation AND I could do a race in a beautiful place! (NOTE...I have myself convinced that this would NOT be a hugely terrifying race and I would sign up without any buddies. Insert super scared face...)

3.) Sign up for at least one race that scares the bageezers out of you. This will keep you motivated to stick to your training. If you don't have any races planned that require you to train hard, you might not train hard. Plus, let's be honest, there is a definite amount of added excitement when we are scared of something! So, step out of your comfort zone and try something new! Maybe it's just a longer distance, maybe it's a trail race or a duathlon or a triathlon. Whatever it is, make sure you're excited and pretty stinkin' nervous about it. That's what makes it a good race.

      ***In 2010 I signed up for the Bayshore Full marathon. I was TERRIFIED. I hadn't run a marathon in 8 years because I was THAT scared to run one again. Also in 2010 I signed up for my first triathlon. Then, for 2011 I signed up for my first Ironman, and in 2012 I signed up for my second Ironman. In 2013 I signed up for a 50K trail ultramarathon. All of those races scared the pants off of me and made me work my butt off to ensure that I would be successful in reaching my goal of crossing the finish line. And it worked. And I loved every second of it.

       For 2014 I am signed up for the Lansing Full marathon. I'm definitely nervous about it, but I will be much more nervous if I decide that I want to run it fast. I am still debating on that. I haven't decided how uncomfortable I want to be...

        But, I am also planning on signing up for an additional race in 2014 that scares me. I'm not sure what it's going to be yet. It will most likely be a 1/2 Ironman, a 50K or, gulp, maybe even a 50 miler. I'm just not quite sure yet.

I really think that if you can stick to those three things in choosing your race/s for 2014, you'll have a good year! Get your races on the calendar, then make your training plan and get to it!

Happy training!

Sparkle. Pounce.

Loving Yourself in Your Own Skin

Take a minute and think about all of the girls you know. Think about the women that you work with, exercise with, have as friends, and have as family. Now, think about what makes these women beautiful. Who are the most beautiful women you know, and why do you think they're beautiful?

When I think about these things, I realize that the most beautiful women in my life are the women who think they are beautiful. If I took pictures of 15 women that I come into contact with on a regular basis, and had someone who didn't know them order them from the most beautiful to the least beautiful, based solely on the photographs, I am confident that the pictures would not be arranged in the same order that I would arrange them in.

Why is that? Because being beautiful involves so much more than what you can see in a still photograph. These two quotes are what first come to mind when I think of beautiful women:

   

Both of these sayings are so very true. Woman who think (and KNOW) they are beautiful are so much more beautiful than women who are not comfortable in there own skin. And knowing that you are beautiful does not mean that you think you are perfect or that you think you're better than everyone else. It doesn't make you conceited or arrogant. It means that you are happy with who you are, flaws and all! Think about it, when was the last time that you heard a beautiful woman talk about her love handles or her flabby arms? Can't remember?! That's because those women don't dwell on their imperfections. It's not because they don't have any, it's just that they choose not to bring them up in conversation.

"Happy girls are the prettiest."  AMEN to that!!! I know some girls that could be really pretty if they would ever have a smile on their face! There really is nothing prettier than a happy, confident girl who loves herself.

So, how do you get to the place where you love yourself in your own skin? I'm not an expert, but I think there are a couple key factors in getting to that place. First, you need to take care of your body. Treat it like you love it! That involves eating a healthy-ish diet, getting some exercise, and getting enough sleep. Those three things will help your body and mind feel good and give you more energy. When you feel good about the healthy decisions you are making for yourself, it is so much easier to be confident and happy, which is what truly makes you beautiful!!

I cannot summarize it in any better way than using the quote I already used.  "Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful."-Sophia Loren 

Love yourself in your own skin. Love yourself. Really, you can forget about the skin part all together. Just love yourself. Be the person that you want to be, and love that person.

You are beautiful.

Sparkle.

Pounce.

 

The Person You Want to Be

Guess what. Today I am having a day where I am proud of the person I'm becoming. I feel like I am always changing and trying to become a better version of me. Don't take that the wrong way, I realize I'm far from perfect, but I'm having little moments of, "Hmmmm...the younger Kendra wouldn't have had the courage to say/do that." And I like it!

I started to notice this more assertive side of me come out when I became a mom 8 years ago (EEEEKKK!). And I think that happens with a lot of moms. They are willing to do anything to defend their children. And that is awesome. And often necessary. 

But slowly, over time, this assertiveness has spread to other areas of my life and I'm not only sticking up for my two wonderful children, but I'm sticking up for myself! Suddenly, (but not really suddenly since it's taken 8 years!) I feel like I can hold my ground and not back down on things that are important to me. This is true with situations at work, with friends, and with family. 

So, where did this assertiveness come from? I think it's been growing in me steadily with each new challenge I tackle. Every time I set a new goal for myself, and then I reach that goal, I am filled with a little more confidence. Through hard work in all areas of my life, I have taught myself that I CAN do the things I want to do. 

Today I challenge you to start being a more confident version of yourself. Set goals for yourself, and then prove that you can reach those goals. Your confidence will grow with each challenge you tackle.

Continue to grow into the person you want to be.

Sparkle. Pounce.

Getting Comfortable With Discomfort

Today is Wednesday. On Sunday night, during the annual Fall wind storm, we lost our power. This morning when I woke up and left for work, the power was still out. No power = no heat, no water, no lights, no internet, no heat, no lights...you get the idea. Luckily, we have a wood burning fire place to keep one room in the house nice and warm, and we've been camping out in there.

From a distance, it looks as though I have been taking this whole situation in stride and not letting it bother me one bit. But, to be honest, there was a desperate, whiny group text that went out to my sweat sisters yesterday informing them that I wasn't handling the situation well at all and someone needed to help me snap out of my funk because all I wanted to do was run away. 

In response to my whiny, emotional text, I got exactly what I needed. This quote: "Adversity does not build character, it reveals it." And then a prompt to face my frustrations head on in the form of a growl, a Miley style twerk, or a run. And if that didn't work, wine was recommended, in addition to offers of hot showers and warm houses to stay at. How could you not love these girls?!

Luckily, I had already packed my running clothes and knew that that was the only thing that was going to help me feel better. Unfortunately, I got stuck at work late and only had 45 minutes to get in a run, take a shower (at my sister-in-law's house), and dry my hair before I had to pick the boys up from daycare. As I was driving to start my run, I was contemplating whether or not it was even worth it. The most I'd have time to do was 3 miles, and that was if I was pushing it. I was having a little pity party (for the second time in one day) when I suddenly just decided I needed to suck it up and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. I decided that I was going to run those 3 miles as fast as I could and really push myself (which I really dislike doing). After all, it was only 3 miles.

So, that's what I did. I parked my car in my sister-in-law's driveway (which just happens to be my old house), got out of the car, started my Garmin, and took off. I had decided to do an out and back in the subdivision because I knew I could run that faster than heading into the park and running through the woods. I was pushing it pretty hard. When my Garmin beeped for the first mile, my time was 7:35. Wahoo!!! I was pumped, but immediately thought I was going to die. It's that whole mental game. I wonder if I would've started feeling that awful if I hadn't looked at how fast I was running...

Anyway, I continued on as fast as I could without hyperventilating. And it was hard. Really hard. I kept telling myself that the more uncomfortable you are with something, the more you need to do it so that it gets easier. By the end of 3 miles it did not feel any easier. But, I was able to finish all 3 miles in under 8:00 min each. It felt awful, and yet so good. And although it wore me out physically, it gave me the mental toughness to go home to my dark, cold house and enjoy the evening stress-free with my family.

What an amazing thing to be able to do. I love when I can recognize my bad attitude and fix it! That is what running can do for me. And that is what makes it so amazing.

Today, after work, I came home to a house that was lit up and being warmed by more than just the wood burning in the fireplace. That was pretty amazing too. Because even though I am pretty good at handling discomfort for a short time, I certainly wouldn't say I'm comfortable with it.

 Sparkle. Pounce. Boom.