Exercise Addiction

I am taking some time today to discuss a serious issue that I think many of us experience, but don't say anything about.

I read this post from Fitness Blondie today and it got me to thinking about my own workout habits.

I am addicted.

• I workout for 60-90 minutes 6 days a week. Occasionally multiple times a day. 
• I HATE rest days...like seriously I often have to text Bailey to convince me not to workout.
• I run 10-15 miles a week now that I am done training for the marathon and that's "easy". 
• I push myself to lift heavy. 
• I am strict on my diet. 
• My favorite time of the day is the one to two hours I get spend at the gym. 

My ultimate goal is to complete my 60 pound weight loss by the end of the school year this coming May.  In order to reach that goal I am seriously going to have to re-evaluate what I am doing to my body.

So with this realization I adjusted my diet to pescatarian, for the month of November.  I have done it all week (woot woot) and have lost over 4 pounds.  IT IS FRICKEN HARD! I love meat way more than I thought I did. 

But tonight I got this salad at Applebee's for a fundraiser for some friends study abroad trip and it was delicious. Thai shrimp salad for under 400 calories, yes you can! 

This small change has made a huge difference in my weight loss.  I have lost more this last week than I have in MONTHS! My workouts have been much more focused on circuits with heavy weights, more toning exercises, and less distance running.

THIS type of LIFESTYLE is going to make a difference.  The type of lifestyle where I am the most important aspect and I actually take care of myself; that is my goal.

Until tomorrow,

C

PS Also in totally amazing news I got into the SKINNY MEG NOVEMBER CHALLENGE! That's the best Halloween treat I've had in years. :)

Diary

The last few weeks have been a challenge: emotionally, physically, and mentally. I have been struggling with friendships, energy, and attitude. All of which should be in full force with how I eat and workout. 

So I created a way for me to journal all of the important stuff in my life and have it in one place. 

I used an extra planner and now for each day I track: weight, workout, and give myself space to reflect in the GOOD things that happened throughout the day.

 

Here's a new WOD I did yesterday! 

This has been a very good tool for me because I am able to see my progress and positivity and now dwell on the little things! 

#transformationtuesday 

Until tomorrow, 

C

When Bailey comes to visit...we workout

Bailey is now dating a friend of mine and I'm loving it! That means she comes up and we get to workout together. We killed 4 workouts this weekend. 

Thursday we did a WOD and neither of us could move Friday. I seriously had to ask one of my kindergarteners to help me up. 

Friday we ran 4 miles and it was our first run post marathon. I'll be real. It stunk. It was hard, but I love running with Bailey! She motivates me to keep going even when I feel like dying and we ran each mile at under 11 minutes which is awesome! 

Saturday we started with a 5k trail run then we ran all the way back to my apartment. Such a fun way to start the day. 

After our run we got ready for the football game! 

Today we did a sprint mile and did a total body WOD. #killedit

1 mile sprint (treadmill) 

2:00 sets 

Rowing machine

Box jumps

Push ups

3:00 sets 

Rowing

Box step ups (1:00 each leg) 

1 minute sit ups

2x:45 second 10 pound weighted plate plank 

I'm so sad we had to say goodbye. Can't wait to see her in a couple weeks! 

Love ya Bails and I hope you all enjoy some new workouts :) 

C

Leg Day!

Well Ladies, it's that time of the week again. LEG DAY!  Here's a killer workout.  Repeat this bad boy 2 times and you'll have one sick swagger while walking out of the gym.

So here's my embarrassing story to go along with this workout. There is a very attractive trainer here on campus and he flies in the same circle as me...well he was training someone who hadn't stepped into the gym before today.  So naturally I had to step up my game to make him notice.  My legs hurt SO bad it is hard for me to walk in a straight line.  

I  sincerely hope I don't have to walk up ANY stairs within the next week....

Here are some fun meal ideas from the beginning of the week. 

Beef roast with yukon gold potatoes and carrots.  I threw them all in the crock pot with a splash of beef stock and a half an onion soup mix packet.  Keep it on low for 8 hours and it's as easy as that! 

Tonight's dinner was a seared tuna steak with a  2T teriyaki, 1T rice vinegar, and 1/2 T brown sugar reduction sprinkled on top! 

This week I have been teaching 1st grade science! Woot Woot! Today the kiddos got to go outside and make puddles to observe liquids outside.  Teaching these lessons make me realize that I chose the right profession.  I never leave a classroom without learning something from a bright little mind.  And I mean dressing the part isn't boring either :) 

Pants: Target professional line

Shirt: Kohls

Necklace; Camy Couture (Stillwater, MN)

Can't wait to share a killer workout with Bails tomorrow! Stay tuned.

C

First day back

I took yesterday off from the gym....and it sucked. I hate not going to the gym. 

But today I was back at it and it was GrEaT! I tried my new pre workout and it is a god send. 

I decided to give my legs another day to re-coop so I killed the abs. 

Give it a try! 

25 sit ups 12 lb med ball

10 ball rolls

http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/exercise-ball-pull-in

25 push ups

1 min plank

10 leg drops

Repeat x 4

Best of luck to you! 

C 

Marathon Day

I ran 26.2 miles.

I cannot believe it. 

Three years ago I couldn't run to the end of the street and about 4 months ago I never imagined actually running 26.2 miles.  All I can say about it was that it changed my life. Did I get the time I wanted, no, but my life has changed.  I now know that I can do ANYTHING! Seriously, anything. 

This race wasn't just about the miles, who was there to cheer me on at the finish, but this was all me. 100% of my dedication and determination to training and eating right helped me to cross that finish line.  Did I shed tears, tear skin, feel like vomiting, eat too much, eat the wrong stuff? Hell yes. Would I change anything about the experience? Absolutely not. 

I chose to give it all. Literally all.  For the last four months I have had a very limited social life, school and work have kept my schedule insane, and running takes up all my free time.  

I can honestly say I would start training again tomorrow to feel the way I felt running this race.

For once in my life I felt like I did something for me!

We were all freezing and scared to say our goodbyes before the starting line.

Breaking it down!

 1-6 Great.  Felt like I choose a good pace group and loved the scenery.  I knew I picked the right race.

6-10 I began to struggle mentally.  I was running alone in the middle of cornfields.  I didn't have anyone to cheer me on or tell me what I was doing would be worth it...and the hills started.

11 Saw Lonnie, Troy, and Bria and shed some tears, but got the power to keep going.

15 Saw the pit crew again and passed a very old gentlemen who had been just ahead of me up until this point. (Thanks for the motivation Lonnie!) 

16-18 I cried seeing a nice policeman who told me there were no more hills.  He was mostly right, after mile 16 it was downhill for a little while and I was cruising. I finally caught up to the "girl with the breast cancer headband" who had been with me at the start, but then sped up and was at least a half a mile ahead of me for miles 2-15. I felt like a complete boss. 

19 I was done.  Physically.  My legs hurt, my hips hurt, my feet...I was worried to take my socks off because I didn't know what I was getting into then I turned the corner into some woods and saw it.  I saw what I needed to get me through the next 7 miles.  I saw three pale yellow butterflies.  Yes, it sounds ridiculous, and yes, I shed some more tears, but there was a good reason.  Yellow was my Papa Bud's favorite color and every run I did training for this marathon I saw a yellow sign and I knew that he was supporting me.  These little butterflies meant more than just Papa was watching.  It meant Great Grandma and Uncle Gene were there too.  I was a mess. I knew that they were behind me and wanted me to finish what I started. The tears were shed, but as I was crying and realizing how far I had come I gained the strength I needed to finish. 

20-26 My mantra was just keep going.  All I needed to do to was see Mom, Annie, Natalie, Bailey, and Katie.  I knew I could do it. 

26.2 Crossing the finish line was truly a blessing.  I turned the corner and Lonnie was there to run the last few blocks with me.  I was a mess of tears and excitement, but having her there gave me the strength to keep going. 

One thing I was a bit disappointed about was that the finish line was already being torn down when I crossed.  There were still over 50 people in the process of finishing the hardest event of their lives and people were packing up to go home...it broke my heart.  I just spend the last four months training and seriously busting my ass to finish and no one seemed to care.  There were only a handful of people left to cheer us on and to be honest I needed an entire army to help me get across.  The only thing I kept telling myself was that Mom was at the finish line and I couldn't wait to see her face.  

She was crying, I was crying, we were hot messes of happiness.

She was so proud of me and I of myself.  I never thought I could accomplish something so amazing.

Bailey's post race treat was doughnuts...super yummy

Mine was a mint chip shake from DQ. Legit, I had been waiting to have one since July. 

Totally worth the 26.2 miles.

I couldn't have imagined doing this without these two lovely ladies. 

And I can finally say that I was the first Brine to run a marathon.  Thanks Papa :) 

Until tomorrow, 

C

T-2 days until race day!

This week has been one filled with tons of race prep questions.  How did you train?  What do you wear?  Why are you willingly running 26.2 miles?  Who are you running with? How do you prepare?  What was your longest training run? What’s your goal time? 

I am so glad people have been curious because it helps me to reflect on the insanely long journey it has been to get to this point, but I really have no idea how this is going to go!  Everyone I have talked to says ditch the ideas you have about the race and just run.  Don’t go into it with ideas about how you want to do, when you want to speed up/slow down, what miles you’re going to eat at, when you’re going to get water, ditch it all! It’s time to listen to your body and just run!

I’ve had some great inspirations while training.  These three rock stars know the trials and tribulations of training for long distance runs and have graciously given us some of their advice for the big weekend!

Amy

I think anyone can do a marathon if they decide it is something they want to do.  I tell people this, and they look at me like I am crazy.  If you set out with the goal of simply finishing a marathon, I really think it is possible to complete.  My first and only marathon, thus far, was not at a very fast pace.  I took my time and now looking back wish I would have tried harder.  However, I finished and that is a lot more than others can say.

The first thirteen miles was a breeze.  Then, I hit eighteen.  18-26.2 was difficult, but not impossible.  After months of training, I believed I was capable of finishing.  Even though I was pain toward the end of the race, I believed it would have been a waste of all the hours I spent running preparing for this day.  I cried at the finish, not realizing how much emotion I had while I was running.  It was quite a feat, but I really believe that anyone can do it if they put their mind to it. 

:) 

(Ok, maybe not if they are in serious pain, but otherwise--Yes!)

James

Running a marathon is tough. Towards the end it becomes a mental game and your physical state is irrelevant. I remember slowing down and the drop-outs looked increasingly tempting. Suddenly, I felt a hand pat my back accompanied by encouraging words. Looking up, I saw a fellow Johnnie (Affectionate term for a student from St. John's University, MN). His encouragement fueled a strong finish, as it reminded me I wasn't the only one who paid $170 to run 26.2 miles. For me, running a marathon is about appreciating human mental and physical capabilities and is a rite of passage into the running community. Finishing your first marathon will be one of your proudest moments--best of luck!

GOOD LUCK!

Hannah

If you are planning on running your first marathon, my advice is to do all the research you can. Training for a marathon requires just as much mental training as it does physical. Do your research, buy proper shoes, try out different strategies for long runs, try new fueling options, and push yourself to get through the several months of training.

When you get to the race, forget everything. Forget about all the strategies you've read up on, forget about the horror stories people have told you, and forget everything you've practiced. When you get to the race, focus on where you are and what's going on around you. Remember the faces and stories of the runners you're with. Remember giving high-fives to the group of kids on the corner. Remember how great you feel at some miles and how horrible you feel at others. Remember seeing your family and friends cheering for you on race day, and go give them a hug if you can. Remember the volunteers and the strangers cheering for you outside their homes.

And when you get to mile 25, remember how far you've come. Take out your headphones, tuck them into your shirt, and just take it all in. When you see the finish line, your legs will no longer hurt, and your lungs will no longer burn. Your eyes may water and your throat may tighten, but that's okay, keep going, you've been training for this. This is a moment you will never want to forget. Once you've crossed the finish line, you've earned the title "Marathoner." Congratulations, and welcome to the club!

I’ve said it before and I will say it again.  I can’t wait to share this experience with my family and friends.  It has been such an emotional roller coaster I can’t imagine how it’s going to feel to see this finish line.

 

Here we go ladies! 

Also, a huge thank you to Hannah, James, and Amy for helping me with this post! 

Until tomorrow, 

C

T-3 days until Marathon Day

Well y'all Bails and I are officially famous.  We've been pictured on two advertisements for the Unleash the she race we did this past weekend.  That's pretty darn cool if you ask me! 

I had to document this occasion...I wore regular clothes for the entire day yesterday, which is a rare occurrence while marathon training.  Crops, a sports bra, headband, and tank are my recent faves.

 I will admit I made dinner for a bunch of friends a couple of weeks ago and I snuck a 6 mile run in before they came, so I was wet from the shower and in my jammies and they were all in nice clothes.  Whoops. #sorrynotsorry

I was home this past weekend and my Mom surprised me with some new tennis shoes  and her reasoning was "I bought these so that you have a reason to a) finish the marathon b) you can't let nice shoes go to waste and  c) so you keep running even though this race is over."  

Have I told you how much I love this lady?  She knows me so well. 

Today, Christmas (Marathon treat) came early.  I ordered myself some fun stuff a last week so that I would have something to look forward to in the mail and have some extra precautions on hand for blister protection. 

 Desperate times call for desperate measures. 

WELL IT CAME!  I can't wait to wear my new hat on race day.  Coral? Always a good idea. 

I will definitely be giving y'all a thorough review of the products I used for the big day sometime next week. 

I have a super amazing surprise in store for you tomorrow! Be sure to check back. 

Happy Thursday! 

C

T-5 days until the big day....

I can't believe it. I signed up in July and now the day is fast approaching. This time next week I'll have run/walked/crawled/been dragged (depending on how this goes) 26.2 miles. Who does that? 

This weekend I had a long weekend from school so I got to come back home and hang out with Bails. We ran out last "long" run together and I PR'd my 10k and my 5k split was also a PR. I felt like a boss. 

I don't know if I'll really ever be ready to run any race. I get nervous. I think something is going to go wrong or I'm going to faint. Or my pants won't stay up. #runnerproba But despite all that, I'm excited to be part of the 1% of the worlds population that has run a marathon. 

In true Brine fashion my mom and I went to a concert to celebrate the big day. I'm definitely not complaining. We saw Sam Hunt, Chase Rice, Maddie and Tae, and Cole Swindell. They were all great! 

Prepare yourself for a bunch of marathon posts this week! 

Much love, 

C

Homecoming Recap

It was a great weekend to celebrate with family and football.  

In true me fashion I rang in the weekend with a cross fit workout.  

This may have been the hardest workout of my life, so you should probably do it :)

My time was 11;29. CAN YOU BEAT ME?

I survived!

Found this new muscle milk and had to give it a try. Although it costs a small fortune it was delicious! And it packs 40g of protein and only 2g of sugar. Talk about awesome.

 Saturday was all about Football, Family, and Friends.  

Kenzie and Bails came up for the weekend and it is always a blast getting to show them around.  The Johnnies won, so that made for a fun afternoon. 

Then this cutie came to visit!  It was John and Jesse's anniversary so we had LJ over for a nap and some dinner with his favorite ladies.  He had a blast eating some Gary's pizza and mac and cheese. 

 Then got to read some books with Maria. 

Doesn't he just melt your heart?

Sunday was a relaxing day of homework....

Then Monday...I decided to run....

It was a blustery 10 miles and about mile 6 when I started having some foot pain, but I powered through until I got home and discovered this bad boy.  I haven't had a blister this bad in a while. 

THIS NEEDS TO BE HEALED IN THE NEXT WEEK!!! 

I've always had issues with blisters, but I can't seem to solve the problem.  So I asked some of my new friends from the October SM Challenge and they suggested some WrightSocks and Rungoo.  So naturally I ordered both and pray to Jesus that they will be here by next week.  

(CROSS YOUR FINGERS because I need to finish this race!)

 Since it's Wednesday, here's a workout.  I'll be honest.  When I read this I thought it was going to be easy, yeah....about that....it sucked.  I could barely blow-dry my hair this morning my arms hurt so bad.  

Good luck and post pictures when you've completed it. 

 

Until tomorrow, 

C