Getting Fit the TRI way in The Mountain Sun

Time to Talk Cranberry Sauce!

2010-11-18T21:59:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know. Pretty pathetic. It has been 8 months since my last blog post. I think I read so many other blogs and my day is already filled to the brim with a full-time job, a pre-kindergartner, marathon training, looking for a new house and twittering, that I have left no priority for blog posting.

I am hoping this short post will help shoot me into a new orbit of blogging motivation. I got this far...so it must be working!

So, the big turkey (I am now a vegetarian) day is now approaching and although I have tentative plans to spend it in Beaver Creek (check it out and be very jealous) skiing, I have requests from my husband and son's school to contribute to work and school-place Thanksgiving festivities -both of which take place tomorrow.

Suffice it to say I am taking the easy way out and will be contributing cranberry sauce. No, not that jello-like-appearance-crap-in-a-can cranberry sauce. REAL cranberry sauce.

If you need an easy to make recipe that tastes YUMMO, then this is for you! This recipe originated in Sunset Magazine, November 2002 issue. How in the hell does cranberry sauce relate to Getting Fit the Tri Way?

It doesn't. Well, not really. Not unless you count the fact that 2002 was the last time I ran a marathon and here I am once again, training for a marathon 8 years later -ouch.

Okay, back to the recipe (by the way, I never claimed this was a healthy recipe but you can adapt it):

Anise-Pear Cranberry Sauce (Sunset Magazine, November 2002)

2 Bosc Pears
1 Orange
3/4 Cup Sugar (I use unrefined cane sugar and cut this amt in 1/2)
1 Star Anise
1 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 C. honey (you can reduce this too, to taste)
3 C. fresh or frozen cranberries

Directions

Rinse, peel and core pears; cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Grate enough peel (orange part only) from orange to make 1 1/2 t (I grate the whole orange). Ream juice from orange and measure to add enough water to make 1/2 Cup of liquid. In a pan over high heat, stir orange juice mixture, grated peel, sugar, star anise and cinnamon stick until sugar is dissolved, 1-2 minutes. Stir in honey and pears and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and stir occasionally until edges of pears are barely tender to bite, around 3 minutes. Stir in cranberries and cook, stirring occasionally until cranberries begin to pop and pears are tender when pierced, approximately 6-8 minutes. Let cool and refrigerate. You can also make this ahead of time and chill for 3 days. Makes 4 Cups. Eat & Enjoy!

How will YOU be spending your Holiday? Running? Skiing? Sitting by the beach or sitting like a beached whale from all the food?!

30 Days Until the Big Tri Day!

2010-04-16T14:04:00.001-06:00

Oh my goodness! Only 30 more days until I am running down the lake beach, goggles on, cap on and swim punches ready. Only 26 more days until I get on the plane and try to decide all the necessities to pack.

I've never planned a race out of town that required an airplane, a bike transport company, a really good friend to pick me up and take us to the race and a campground to stay for the weekend. The excitement is definitely in the air. The race is official. The timelines are now more than just scary, the timelines are here! The bike fit is done and the plane ticket is purchased. Everything is in place.

Am I ready?

That is the question of the day, of the week, of the month. I am not ready in the physical spirit that I was hoping to be ready for the race. Am I completely down on myself because of it? No! Excuses are just that, they are excuses. But I do have some good ones.

My husband is in physician assistant school, in the thick of his rotations. His schedule is not consistent. Could I get up at 4:30 in the morning and go to the gym or get on my trainer or treadmill? Yes, absolutely. Have I? No. My level of comittment to that type of a lifestyle did not click, at least not yet.

I have a beautiful 4 year old and I like to say that being a near single-mother right now does not allow me to workout like I want to but the truth of the matter is that I don't work out enough because I choose not too. It's truly not because I can't. My little one is in pre-school and although I have a more than full-time, professional job, I do work from home which allows a bit more flexibility than most other jobs.

As it is stated,

Where there is a Will, there is a WAY!

Would it be easier to get in my workouts and healthy lifestyle if I didn't work full-time, have a husband in school, a 4 year old and no other family support in my town? Absolutely, yes. But there are so many others out there that get in what they need to no matter what is going on in their lives.

If you really want something, you will do it, you will find the time to achieve your goals!

I'm hoping that my Sprint Triathlon and 2nd 70.3 Ironman in August will be my main focus this Summer and that I will find my WILL to get the WAY of what I truly want to achieve with my body, my mind and my inner, athletic spirit!

Cheers to you all and happy training along the way. Go find your WAY!

What is YOUR nutrition plan?

2010-03-02T23:14:00.000-07:00

FOOD is the topic today. Food, glorious food! So...training is going quite well but food? Not as well. I have slowly come to terms with my lack of focus in the food arena and am admitting I have issues, yes, issues. Doesn't everyone?

I hopped on the scale yesterday with high hopes that I had suddenly entered into a new decade of numbers if you know what I mean. But, no such luck. Ya, ya, so working out intensely may add muscle and muscle weighs more than fat, right? Maybe. But we really shouldn't be using that old mantra as an excuse for what we are putting into our mouths, workouts or not!

Here is my story: I currently weigh around 179 (how in the hell can this be I ask myself?), am 5'5" and have a BMI of around 29.0. Not good. And since you probably don't know me and have not seen me naked (nor will you) I will let you in a little clue. I have fat. Too much fat everywhere.

When I was a high school athlete I weighed around 125 lbs and this was a good weight for me. That was when I was young. I am now forty. Uh huh, middle-aged (only in numbers, not in mindset). About 10 years ago I trained for and slowly completed the San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon. I was 30 and weighed around 135. I felt incredible and looked pretty darn good too. Fast forward to 2006. I had my beautiful son who is now nearly 4 and every since his birth I have weighed between 165 -182. My weight has been pretty steady for the past 3 years between 179 -170. In short, this is NOT where I want to be, not how I want to feel nor look.

So, it is time to do something about this instead of obsess myself about it on a daily basis and continue to unhappily snitch gummy bears here and there.

I have been doing P90X but did not implement the nutrition plan. Now is the time. I have set myself for level 1 and started today, officially.

I have decided to follow the daily menu plan which may be difficult: involves lots of preparation and grocery shopping for a wide variety of ingredients. I have no space in my fridge for all of the vegetables I purchased today!

The day went well and the food was aptly portioned and filling. Today made me realize that I usually make myself think I eat healthy but in between meals or during meals I am always grabbing a bite of this there and a bit of that here. I didn't do that today and it is an amazing feeling. The feeling of CONTROL is a great thing!

Spinning and A Change in My Running Plan?

2010-02-14T21:37:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone! I am happy to report that my week is improving. I made it out for a run yesterday and although my motivation was not amazing, I was able to get in around 6 miles and not completely suffer through it the whole time. Today I went to my weekly, Sunday, endurance spinning class. It is usually 90 minutes long but today it was a metric century spinning ride to benefit Haiti.

Unfortunately I forgot about this change and didn't come to class prepared to sit in the saddle for 4 hours. I did stay longer than usual and made it for 2 hours, 5 minutes. I could have purchased some nutrition at the cafe but my butt was rubbing in all the wrong places and I decided to cut it short and haul home. All in all it was a great 2 hours of spinning. We watched the Troy Jacobson Spinnerval DVD of the Ironman Lake Placid Bike Course. That video along with the very entertaining instructors and awesome selection of music made it a nice way to spend my long bike workout.

I would love to get out on the road though. When I woke up this morning it looked like a whiteout blizzard. We probably got about 4 inches and by the time I came out of spin class it was sunny and melting.
I do love living in Colorado! I have made a personal pact to get my ass out on my bike on the road, even if it is very cold. As long as the ice and snow is gone, I shouldn't have any excuses, right?

So...back to my least favorite subject -running. If I haven't said it before, running is the most difficult part of the triathlon for me. I am slow..um, very slow. My body is not a runner's body -not sleek, svelt or thin. I have breasts that were not made for running or any other jostling sport, that is for certain! Okay, maybe too much information for you but sometimes I look at pro triathletes or any athlete in general and wonder what it must be like to not have to practically strap the sisters to my body with the hopes that they won't go flying around and hit me in the head. Seriously, I get by but running with my chest in tow is not fun.

Nothing can change how amazing I feel after a run though -that is also for certain! What I need to change this week is my running plan. The tri planning I am following (see previous posts) tracks runs by time, not by mileage. I just don't feel like this is working for me. One reason is because I am a slow runner (10-11 minute miles..yes, I know that is walking to some of you!) and I fear that if the plan says to run for 40 minutes, the plan probably thinks the individual will be running 6 miles. Another reason I want to change my running plan is that I thrive on knowing how far I am supposed to run each day. Keeping track of how long and then seeing how far I ran does not give me any motivation to run faster or farther. I guess that really doesn't make much sense but even if my reasoning is psychological alone, I need to change to a mileage based plan instead.

Does anyone have any 1/2 marathon running plan suggestion? I know there are a million plans out there but if you have a specific one that worked well for you, please let me know!

This coming week is supposed to be a recovery week but I slacked off the last two weeks and really was off plan. I'm contemplating not doing a recovery week but doing last weeks plan instead. Does anyone have any advice about this? Do you remain on course, even if you slipped in the plan? Part of me thinks I should just do the recovery week to keep on my schedule but the other part of me feels like working like crazy this week.

Until next time have a fabulous day, stay healthy and make great choices!

I Need to Get Back on Track!

2010-02-10T13:44:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone. I have been absent from the blog world. I was contemplating not coming back to my blog. I have been out of town lately -went on a ski trip with my family and then out to San Diego for a belated 40th birthday girls weekend. I found it quite lovely to not have my computer with me on these trips and not a slave to technology. Is it a waste of time? I can't decide. On one hand, it seems to keep me more accountable to myself and my training plan. After all, I have not been on plan since I stopped blogging and updating you tube. Hmmm....a pattern or direct relationship? Maybe.

For that reason alone, I am back!

This week for me will represent getting back on track. I fell off the wagon if you will, during two of my most heavy weeks of training to date. I haven't been swimming for over a week and have put in a few pathetic runs and minimal time on an indoor bike. Pretty darn sad.

I think the weather has contributed to my lack of plan but I shouldn't be using that as an excuse. Yes, there is snow on the ground and I can't really get on my bike without an encounter with road ice and lots of sand in the shoulder. Paths are definitely covered with snow and not appropriate for a road bike. Running and swimming? No good excuses there. We can always run no matter the weather, right?

The plan this week is to get in the right mileage and time and add on if needed. Today is either a 90 minute bike or a 1 hour 15 minute run and 2,500 m swim. Time to decide and get my ass in gear!

Hope all of you are on track in your plans! Stay healthy and make great choices!

TYR Transition Bag Review

2010-01-18T11:14:00.003-07:00

One thing on my Christmas List this year was a tri or transition bag. I had been using a very old backpack for triathlons during transition and just getting to transition to carry my gear.

Here is a link to the bag on the TYR website. It retails for $66.00
TYR Transition Bag
My review in summary:

Although I have not used the bag for a race yet, I give it a very high rating and am very happy with the bag to date. The main features I love about this bag:

SIZE
COMPARTMENTS -Internal and External
WATER-PROOF BAG
QUALITY AND VALUE
COMFORT

SIZE

The bag is larger that I thought it would be based on a first glance on the website. It seems to have ample space for everything I will need to take with me to a race, including running shoes, bike shoes, swim cap, goggles, phone, keys, wetsuit, extra clothes, water bottles, towel and enough space for any extra clothes or nutrition.

COMPARTMENTS AND WATER-PROOF BAG

The best thing about this bag is the large number of compartments, both inside the bag and on the outside of the bag. As you can see from the pictures below, on the outside of the bag are great pockets with velcro closures for a phone, wallet, keys, sunglasses or other smaller items.

Also external is netting, meant for a helmet. If you have a larger helmet or an aero helmet, it may not fit in this designated space but it could also be attached on the outside with the clip attached to the bag.

The other great part is the waterproof bag that is detachable. It attaches to the inside of the bag and can be removed. I use this for my swimsuit, goggles and cap when I go to the gym. It's nice to not get the rest of the bag wet!

The bag zippers all the way down on both sides of the bag; unlike a backpack that usually only zips 1/2 way down each side, this bag zips all the way down both sides for easy insertion and removal of your gear.

At the very bottom of the bag is a separate, zippered compartment that was made for wetsuit storage. I haven't used this compartment yet but look forward to the day when I have a wetsuit to put in there!

Inside the bag are individual netted compartments, suitable for storing bike shoes, running shoes, dry swimming gear, paddles or clothes, nutrition and toiletries. My swim fins also fit within the main section of the bag. This bag has more than enough storage space for everything.

QUALITY AND VALUE

Keeping in mind I've only had the bag for a month, it does seem like a high quality bag. It really is more than I was expecting at this price-point. Some of the other transition bags on the market retail for upwards of $100.00. At my level, I'm just not ready to spend that kind of money on a bag and I'm glad I didn't -there is no need to! I can't think of anything this bag is missing -it has everything I need and the material of the bag is nice, thick, and doesn't look or feel cheap at all. It will be interesting to see how it wears over time and if it holds up to constant use and abuse.

COMFORT

As you can see in the picture, the bag has nice, thick backpack straps, a chest buckle and waist buckle too. It also has a nice, sturdy handle at the top of the bag. I have been using the bag nearly everyday when I go to the gym to swim, spin or run on the treadmill. It works great! It is nice to finally have a bag that divides out my gear and I don't have to go digging around in one main compartment to find everything. It is a little large for the gym, a bit bulky but it still fits in the 1/2 size lockers without any problems. I also put the bag on while riding my bike since there is usually a need to ride the bike to transition with gear. The comfort level was great -no issues or rubbing. The straps are fully adjustable so slipping shouldn't be a problem either.

What kind of transition bag do you use? What features do you like best about it?

Happy training everyone! Stay healthy and make great choices!!

At the End of Week 3

2010-01-15T21:19:00.000-07:00

It is Friday and this means I am nearing the end of Week 3 of my tri training plan. I must pat myself on the back!

Okay, maybe the pat is a bit premature. After all, I do have 17 more weeks to go until my race. No, I deserve it. This really is the most working out I have done in 10 years. The last time I worked out this much was when I was training for the San Diego Marathon in 2000. That was all running, strength training and Pilates. I was in the best shape of my life.

Fast-forward ten years, one move from San Diego to Colorado, a new job, a marriage, a now nearly four year old and other life moments and here I am. I like where I am but I can't wait to go where I want to be -completely fit, confident and ready to take on the world!

So I am still roughly following my tri training plan by Matt Fitzgerald. For any of you out there familiar with the book/plan I am following Level 4 of the 1/2 Ironman Plan. In part, I randomly decided to follow Level 4. I have always been the type of person that would sign up for and complete lots of races: 5Ks, 10Ks, sprint triathlons...but I never truly trained for them. Well, Level 1 of the plan is for those that want to be able to complete a 1/2 Ironman. I want to do more than just complete this race. I want to feel great doing it and establish a strong personal record. Based on these thoughts, I chose Level 4 since it falls right in the middle of Level 1-7.

To date I've been substituting my long weekend rides for a long, performance based spinning class at my gym. The spin class is awesome -very challenging and also quite educational. I'm lucky in that the instructors are both amazing and at least one of them has completed multiple Full Ironman races not to mention a plethora of many other races around the country. They are great resources and it nice to have access to such experienced athletes.

Speaking of spinning, the class is great because they talk about cadence and hill climbing and sitting in the saddle, getting out of the saddle and getting into aero position, throughout the class. Working on my cadence and even the awareness of my cadence and power is high on my list of things to focus on during my training. For previous races, I showed up with my bike, got on and biked. I never trained for the cycling portion. Sad, I know, but very true. I think I have the potential to be a pretty strong cyclist if I train right and put my mind to it as well. My goal is to maintain or exceed a 18.5 mph average. I'm hoping to beat this for my first 1/2 in May.

Today was an 1 hour 10 minute run at moderate intensity (I ran outside today on trails) and also got in around 1600 meters of swimming. Tomorrow will be another run -around an hour. I moved my plan around the past few days so we will see how I feel after doing a few days of back to back running for the first time.

Off to bed....we can't forget how valuable our sleep is, now, can we? Stay healthy!

First Week of Official 70.3 Training Done!

2010-01-04T21:21:00.000-07:00

I did it! I made it through my first week of tri training for the Florida 70.3 Ironman on May 16th, 2010. The nice part about the first week is that I was on vacation the whole time. This made it much easier to get to the gym everyday or run outside to get in the time and miles. This week should be a bit more challenging since it is back to the daily grind and typical schedule with work, family, cooking and everything else in life.

I did feel pretty amazing all week. My body is not used to working out 9 times in a one-week period. This week has made me realize what a slacker I usually am about my workouts. I've realized that "working out" 3 times a week does NOT cut it at all! No wonder I still need to shed some pounds. No wonder I am not as fit as I want to be. By following the Triathlon plan this week, running for longer that I would on my own, swimming more total meters than I would on my own and by spinning and pushing myself more than I have in over 10 years -I realize that my own way of working out is not working! I don't push myself like I need to!

If you don't have a workout plan -GET ONE! I'm telling you -it will make amazing differences in your life. Would you do a swim or run Fartlek workout on your own? I didn't. Would you push yourself to complete more than you really feel like doing mid-stream during your session? I will now!

I did get on the scale today (Mondays are rest days for me) and after one week of working out like crazy I gained about 5 lbs. Not kidding. I'm not sure what is going on -I doubt I built 5 lbs of muscle in one week. I want to believe that I did not eat more due to the increase in training but I can't be certain. I did not count calories last week but think I need to for Week Number 2. Maybe I am kidding myself and did eat a bit piggishly to compensate.

So, for week 1 workouts -swam Wed, Friday and Sunday, biked on Tues, Thurs and Saturday. Unfortunately the weather was not great and besides one run workout outside, all biking and remaining runs were in a spin class or on the treadmill. The weather isn't going to improve this week either (highs around 10-20 F) so tomorrow my bike workout will be in a spinning class at my gym. I think spinning classes work me harder that I would bike on my own. Anyone else feel this way?

Have a great week and make great choices -stay healthy! See you next time!

1/2 Ironman Training Post #1 -The PLAN

2009-11-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

My anxiety level is slowly deflating. I finally buckled down to make my plan-of-attack for my 1/2 Ironman in May. I purchased the "Essential Week-By-Week Training Guide" by Matt Fitzgerald to use as a guide and basic plan for my training regimen.

Well, the book is exactly as the title reads -it is a week by week plan with not a lot of filler information, even though it has over 460 pages. It is mainly so lengthy because it covers all types of triathlon distances from Sprint to Ironman and also offers plans at different levels (number of workouts, intensity and total distance/time). The one thing that makes it a bit like reading a letter in Morse Code, is that he has a code name for each type of workout. So, for instance, Swim Fartlek Intervals are abbreviated SFI. But then each abbreviation also has a number or two listed after it. For example SFI2A = Swim Fartlek Interval level 2A which is equal to 6 x 100 (25 build/25 descend...), 10 sec-rest. So, the actual plan you choose is not simple to decipher unless you flip back and forth in the book 3 million times to figure out what each abbreviation and level is equal to in the front of the book. Not too keen on that format but I suppose as I reread this section and perhaps write out what each week really means, then it won't be a problem. With the 9 weekly workouts, I'm sure I will have every letter and number memorized by the time the 70.3 comes around!

But, it still makes me wonder...is there a better way? I don't want to get so bogged down in the details that I don't even want to go out to do the workout. Sometimes it is difficult enough just getting out the door, let alone, the correct workout, with the right intensity level and for the right amount of time. Hmmmm. A coach is sounding really good right now, even if it means getting rid of cable (I won't have time to watch tv anyway, right?) and other daily materialistic things that don't make us smarter human beings!

One thing the book was good for is forcing me to count 20 weeks back from my May 16, 2009 race. This will put me at January 3rd. That is the date I need to start the 20-week program. Wow, that is coming up really quickly and I don't quite feel prepared. I had hope to lose about 20lbs by the time I started the official tri training plan. I have lost 10lbs so I should be happy about that, and I am, but feel like I still have a very long path ahead of me.

I was concerned that I needed to buy a new road bike -I have a pretty simple Specialized Allez Elite, around 6 yrs old set up with Aero bars. No, it is not set up as a tri-bike. Then I truly realized (and had others confirm) that it would not be a better bike that would make that big of a difference in my performance. It is me, losing the extra pounds and getting as fit as possible that will really make a difference in how I will feel during the race and just in the daily training as well. So that is my focus.

Although there is only a tad over 1 month until the official training start date, I will choose to get as fit as possible in this next month. Eat as much raw fruit and vegetables and lean proteins as possible and get in at least 3-4 runs per week with preferably a longer run once per week. I will also bike at least twice per week, even if the mileage is not big and will get in some good drills and workouts in the pool, hopefully 1-2 times per week. If I stick to this plan over the next month, the pounds will drop.

Until next time...stay healthy and make the right choices!

Getting Serious

2009-11-13T13:35:00.000-07:00

Okay, the time has come. The time to get seriously serious about REAL training. Time keeps ticking right on by. Does every day get faster and faster? Where does the time go each day?

In the back of my mind I am starting to panic a bit. My 1/2 Ironman triathlon will be here in just over 5 months. I had hoped to lose around 25 lbs by the end of 2009. So far, that number is around 10 lbs but not anywhere close to where I need to be. The reason? I have not ramped up my workouts enough or more simply, have not worked out enough, period.

Well, the time has come. No more excuses. No more procrastinating. No more reasons to NOT work out or do what I should be doing to get in the best shape of my life. I have continued to find myself doing things that just simply waste valuable time. Like watching TV. Like spending too much time on the computer.

My skin is starting to crawl...this means I am ready! Ready to dive in and start a true triathlon training program. One that will not only get me to my goal, but one that will make me feel GOOD when I am in the midst of my 1/2 Ironman race. I am investigating which 1/2 Ironman training plan I am going to follow. I am contemplating hiring a coach but need to stay within a budget. Any suggestions out there to good training programs or one that has worked especially well for you?

In the coming weeks, days, I plan on posting my workouts. I hope to post at least once per week with the workout I completed each day of that week. I also plan to discuss more specifics about my nutrition and other activities.

Thanks for reading -I would love to hear from others. Until next time...just do it!

Hum Drum Day

2009-05-07T23:37:00.000-06:00

Unfortunately it has been one of those days. An all-around sort of downer; not even sure why. Hmmm. I just feel out of sync. Maybe it is due to the margaritas and red wine I had last night, right along with going to bed too late -around midnight.

And here I type, another late night. I think I stay up sort of wondering what I should do with my life career wise and then I always get side-tracked, watching You Tube or wasting time doing other non-activity related things.

I should be learning how to play guitar!

My husband bought me a guitar over 3 years ago and I was determined (at the time) to become a self-taught acoustical player. I never had high expectations, just wanted to play basic chords and tunes. Instead, I find myself always on the computer, whether for work or for social networking or messing around. I guess this all feeds back to my issue of master procrastinator.

I did make it to the gym and worked out on the elliptical for 30 minutes, the treadmill for 30 minutes and lifted weights and continued with some compounding training. Has anyone out there ever used the automatic "fat burning" routine on the treadmill? I am finding it impossible. Not because it is too difficult but because it is way too easy and boring. It says that based on my age and weight, I should try to maintain a fat burning heart rate of 118. That seems very crazy to me. How can that be possible? I had to walk at 2.7 at a 4.5 incline to maintain at 118 and meanwhile I was about to fall asleep I was going so slow. Let me know if anyone else has run into this problem.

Gotta run, my bed is calling my name. My agenda for the weekend is to build some new boxes for a garden, buy soil, wood, galvanized nails, zucchini, beets, carrots, cabbage..other yummy veggie seedling plants to get started. If you have any ideas for other good dry, mountain veggies, please let me know!!

Carry On!

Feeling Great and Working Out -DIRECT RELATIONSHIP

2009-05-01T10:54:00.000-06:00

The direct relationship between my mental and physical happiness is amazing...

truly amazing! Since beginning to work out at least 5 times per week for the past 3 weeks, my mood has been fantastic. The quick difference in my mental state, general happiness and feeling of 'being alive' is undeniable.

I think I have always been this way. Looking back over the past 10 or even 20 years (yes, I am middle aged but not middle-minded!), it seems the patterns of my well-being has always had a very direct correlation to if I was working out. Growing up, I was always very active. Maybe this was only because we had 3 TV channels to choose from, no real computers or Internet and no cell phones. We basically had to play outside or play with friends inside or read. We didn't have the technology options to keep us from staying active. I was always going to swim practice or when I was in elementary school, ballet, ice skating, gymnastics or swimming. There was always some sporting activity. I remember my parents deciding I needed to choose which sport I wanted to continue in as my classes and sports became to hectic. I chose swimming.

I joined a year-round team and we were required to swim 5-6 days per week, and as I got older, two times per day. I did this for around 10 years straight. Doesn't it all become habit after this long of a period of time? I think being this active, at any age in life, certainly sets a personal standard for you to assess if you feel well or not.

After I had my son, who is now 3, I really didn't do much physical activity. I would get re-involved in hiking, skiing or running -but only for a week or two and then I would quit, for no real reason. Life perhaps, was the reason. This has always been my tendency...to start something and never finish or to ride the roller coaster of life, up, down but never accomplishing much in the end as far as a finished product, an improved physical fitness or a new learned hobby.

I am hoping to change my history.

I joined a gym recently and this is what has helped to spur my new hope on life and on physical fitness. I have been doing aerobic workouts (treadmill, elliptical, bike) for about an hour each, 5 days a week. The best part, is also the addition of compounding movements, interval training with free weights, balls, balance boards, resistance bands and kettle balls. I bought a few sessions with an amazing trainer and she got me started on the basics of heart rate monitor training and really honing in on the proper workout heart rate zones for me..what will get me in better aerobic capacity, what zone will help to best trim fat and other training methods.

I will talk more about specifics next time. For now, time to head to the gym for another workout. Nike really got it right when they started using the slogan "Just Do It". That is really the only thing that matters in the end. Off to "Do It"! Have a great day!