Not a DIY Life

This Week in School Lunches

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 13:28:00 +0000

I missed posting last week's lunches. Lunches were packed, and pictures were taken. But time got away from me, so they never made it into a post. One thing I like about taking pictures of the lunches that I pack for my girlie is that it's a visual record for me. It reminds me to offer variety. As much as she loves grapes, I don't want her to get sick of them. So after looking at this week's pictures, I realize I need to get a different fruit for next week.

Just a few notes. 1) I pack LB's lunches in an insulated bag with a cold pack on the bottom so her food will stay cold until lunch time. 2) I pack her lunch as I'm cleaning up after dinner. I knew it would happen sooner or later that on a Wednesday night (we eat at church), I would forget. I did. So Thursday morning after my workout, I had to scramble & pack her lunch amidst the usual morning chaos. 3) One of my goals is to pack as few processed foods as possible. Although sometimes when I'm shopping, I get "seduced by the coolness" (TV show reference anyone?) of certain packaged products. They are nice for a treat, but I don't want rely on them.

Monday: cheese pizza sticks (huge victory here, until this past weekend she wouldn't eat pizza because she didn't like sauce), string cheese, whole wheat crackers, Angry Bird cheese crackers, & grapes. Snack: peach slices.

Tuesday: PB & banana on whole wheat, grapes, pumpkin cookies, & peach slices. Snack: grapes

Wednesday: carrot sticks, grapes, peach slices, mozzarella cheese, & whole wheat crackers. Snack: homemade granola bar.

Thursday: PB & banana on whole wheat, grapes, carrot sticks (grapes used as filler), & a snack mix. Snack: homemade granola bar.

Friday: corn dog muffin, grapes, peach slices, snack mix, & pretzels. Snack: homemade granola bar.

Have a healthy weekend! For more kid lunch inspiration, check out Following in My Shoes.

An Ode to Routine

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 16:49:00 +0000

Photo Credit: stock.xchng

Routine is good. Routine helps chaos feel manageable. I like routine.

This summer was crazy. So many different things going on, it was difficult to have a normal routine. My exercise routine was thrown off. Normal family life was more stressful with finally buying a house & moving (hopefully for the last time.) My focus has been on getting through the chaotic summer, hoping that fall would provide routine once again.

Thankfully, it has. I'm juggling a new routine with my girlie starting kindergarten. But it's good. Days are more predictable. Weeks have a similar schedule. I like routine. Routine helps me get things done that need done. Meal planning & prep, exercise, church, family activities, even blogging.

Six days a week, my routine starts at 5 am with exercise. Then a quick, post-workout snack before I jump in the shower. Followed by waking the family, getting breakfast for myself & my girlie (Hubby is left to his own devices), getting ourselves ready, & dropping the girlie off at school on time.

Starting the day right is so helpful for me to have routine & productivity the rest of the day. I need the predictability.

Menu planning also gives the week predictability. I can make healthy meals & snacks because I have a plan.

This is week four of our new normal routine. It feels good. I like routine.

How about you? Do you thrive with a routine? Or do thrive with the chaos? Or maybe a little of both.

School Lunches: Week 2

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Fri, 31 Aug 2012 13:46:00 +0000

Week 2 of kindergarten is under our belts. I'm feeling more comfortable with the routine & the morning rush.

LB often comes home with leftovers in her lunch box, and she tells me that she doesn't have enough time to finish everything. I'm not sure how much time they are given. At first I thought it might be because she talks a lot, but she said they're not allowed to talk when they are eating. She usually opens her lunchbox in the car to finish on the way home, which is fine with me. I hope she is getting enough fuel to keep her going during the day. (worried mama here)

I think I forgot to take a picture of Monday's lunch, so I only have four to share. And I realized after sharing last week that I need to work on my food photography skills. I'm such a work in progress.

Tuesday: carrot sticks, sliced peaches, peanut butter & jelly on whole wheat, 2 pumpkin cookies. Snack: almond butter balls & raisins

Wednesday: (LB wanted to show off the letters they are working on in phonics) mozzarella cheese on whole wheat, peeled clementine, black bean brownie, raisins. Snack: almond butter balls

Thursday: Graham crackers, cheese stick, peeled clementine, Angry Birds cheese crackers, grapes. Snack: almonds butter balls & raisins

Friday: watermelon, Angry Birds Graham crackers, grapes, cheese stick, leftover basmati rice. Snack: homemade granola bar

Have a great weekend!

First Week of School Lunches

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 22:04:00 +0000

My baby girl started kindergarten this week. One of my 2012 goals was to not freak out over this. So I've tried to focus on the positive side of her being gone & in the care of others for eight hours a day. At times, I've been okay. At others, not so much.

One thing I have looked forward to is packing her lunches. I remember my mom packing my lunches for many, many years. I was a picky child (my daughter comes by it honestly), and as much as I wanted to be like everyone else and buy a school lunch, most of my younger years were spent brown bagging it.

We had several practice sessions this summer to help Ladybug get used to idea of packed lunches and to practice opening everything. We even made a list what options she wanted for protein, starch, fruit, and veg. (There aren't many veggies that she likes raw; we're working on that.)

My goal is to pack foods that I know she will like, without using too many processed foods. The Angry Bird grahams and crackers below were a total impulse buy because she was with me in the store and we both are obsessed with the game.

Right now, we are using Easy Lunchboxes (Mon-Thurs this week) and Fit*Fresh smart portion containers (1 cup size) (Friday). I'm sure we'll add to that as the year progresses. (Disclaimer: I am not being endorsed to mentioned these two products, we just like them.)

So here is her first week of packed lunches, plus her morning snack.

Monday: watermelon, mozzarella cheese slices, homemade whole wheat bread with butter, and grapes. Snack is a homemade chewy granola bar.

Tuesday: watermelon, two pumpkin cookies, almond butter & jelly on whole wheat, a peeled clementine. Snack: chewy granola bar.

Wednesday: leftover corn dog muffin, mozzarella cheese stick, Angry Birds Graham crackers, sliced peaches (sprinkled with lemon juice to prevent browning). Snack: chewy granola bar.

Thursday: peanut butter & jelly on whole wheat, Angry Bird cheese crackers, a black bean brownie (they were SO good!), sliced strawberries. Snack: chewy granola bar.

Friday: diced strawberries & peaches, watermelon, whole wheat crackers & mozzarella cheese slices. Snack: chocolate cereal, almonds, & raisins.

Are you in back to school mode yet?

Insert Witty Post Title Here

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 18:44:00 +0000

This will be a quick update as we are still settling into our new home. This summer has really messed with my workout mojo, so I am focusing on getting that back. Between a hectic schedule, buying a house & moving, plus family stuff, there hadn't been much of a "normal"routine for me. I need routine, so I am going to get it back! Throw in the fact that my baby girl its starting kindergarten next week & life is a little crazy.

So, I have my workouts planned for the week. Three days of running, two days of strength training, and one day of yoga or Pilates.

And I started food journaling again. I have been really burned out on that, but I am trying a new app, so that might make it less of a chore. Also, now that we are getting unpacked, I am recommitting to making most of our food from scratch. We relied too much on processed & fast food while we were in transition. Blech. Time for real food again!

Here's to a healthy week!

“This post is sponsored by GoVida Foods and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway.”

Staying on Track

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 15:26:00 +0000

This summer has been much more chaotic than I planned. June was filled with swimming lessons, family reunions, & making meals for youth groups staying at our church while they did mission projects.

At the beginning of July, after a drawn out process, we found out that our financing was approved, & we closed on our new house on the 11th. Since then, our days have been filled with cleaning, painting, & other home improvement projects as we prepare to move.

Add in the heat & humidity of summer in South Carolina, and it's easy to get off track. Two things have helped tremendously. One, the very physical nature of the work I've been doing. And two, daily green smoothies.

I am a creature of habit, and my preferred breakfast for the last few years has been oatmeal. I didn't think I could make the switch to a more liquid form of breakfast, but after a short transition, I really enjoy green smoothies for breakfast. I enjoy the boost from good nutrition first thing in the morning, and I am having fun experimenting with different ingredients.

Here's one of my recent faves: Carrot Cake Smoothie!

Carrot Cake Smoothie!

Ingredients: 2 handfuls spinach, 1 cup carrot slices, 1 banana, 1 Tbsp Chia seeds, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, dash each of nutmeg, ginger, cloves, coconut milk. I whirled that together in my lovely NutriBullet, and it was delicious! (You could add a drizzle of honey if you like it sweeter.)

If you haven't tried green smoothies yet, I highly recommend it. They are a great way to get your fruits & veggies in, especially dark leafy greens which are so incredibly healthy. I've been sharing other green smoothie combinations in the Mamavation forums under Nutrition if you need ideas.

Once we get moved, I'll get back to my workout schedule. For now, I've been able to run 1-2 times a week, as well as yoga a few times a week. The yoga is great for sore, aching muscles after a long day of manual labor!

Just When I Get Things Figured Out...

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:32:00 +0000

...life throws a curve ball! Two weeks ago (or was it three?), I posted about finding a new groove & shaking up my fitness schedule. That schedule has been totally blown out of the water. June has been an incredibly busy month, with extended family visits, swim lessons, extra church work, etc.

I have not been able to keep up with my original fitness plan, but I have still been able to get my sweat on most of the time. Mostly running and yoga, a few bikes rides, a family walk, a pool workout, and lots and lots of functional fitness. Carrying coolers, walking stairs, chasing the 5 year old, on my feet A LOT.

Nutrition hasn't been what I wanted either, but I am still having at least one green smoothie most days, so that is helping me get my fruits and veggies in. I've done a lot of baking, thankfully, giving most of it away. And I just can't get enough of the fresh produce from our farmer's market! This week's haul included peaches, zucchini, blueberries, corn, and green tomatoes. Yes, I treated us to fried green tomatoes this weekend, and they were delicious!

I haven't had as much online time due to our busy family schedule. Thank you to those of you who have checked in on me. I'm here. Just making family a top priority this summer before Ladybug starts Kindergarten in less than TWO MONTHS. (I will not freak out, I will not freak out....) Needless to say, taking care of my mental health is also a priority right now too. :-)

Have a healthy week!

Finding a New Groove

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 04 Jun 2012 17:19:00 +0000

I did it. I made it through three VERY busy weeks which included a dance recital, preschool graduation, my first half marathon, my daughter's birthday party, & two major events at church. Part of my half marathon recovery plan included making it through all of those activities with my sanity intact.

And I also needed to come up with a new fitness plan. I've been so focused on training & my workouts reflected that. Time to comes up with new goals & a new plan to get me there!

Short-term goal: lose 10 lbs
Activities to make that goal a reality: shake up my fitness & nutrition to bust through this plateau, to include running, yoga, strength training, & more fruits & veggies (especially greens!)

Photo Credit: stock.xchng

Fitness schedule: M-W-Sat, running; T-Th-F, yoga;T-Th-Sat, strength training. Yes, that will require me to double up workouts three times a week, & it will be a challenge with our family schedule. But I'm committed! And this doesn't included swimming or bike rides with my girlie.

Nutrition: a daily green smoothie (usually breakfast) to help me keep my fruit/veg intake up. My Mother's Day gift (a Nutribullet) finally arrived last week, & both hubs & I have been using it daily. It came with a huge book of smoothie recipes as well, & the basic idea is to have one smoothie a day to improve your health. The usual recipe is 50% greens, 50% fruit, nutritional boosts like seeds or nuts, & water or almond milk.

I re-checked my measurements to get a baseline of where I am as of June 1st. I'm so glad I did that! I lost 4 more inches during half marathon training, even though the scale didn't move much.

One challenge will be to make sure I have healthy snacks ready to grab-and-go. My favorite is to pre-pack almonds and dried fruit in snack bags. I'll grab one for me, and one for my Ladybug because she enjoys them too.

I decided not to schedule any races for the summer for two reasons. 1) I really need to bust through this plateau! And 2) the summer humidity slows me down (running) and I think I'll just be disappointed with my finishing times. (And 3) there aren't a whole lot of races in the summer here due to the weather.)

Wish me luck as I change up my schedule. I'm such a schedule person, and change is hard. But I know I need to do this!

Divas Half Marathon Race Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 21 May 2012 16:44:00 +0000

I am officially a half marathoner! It's almost surreal that I can say that. Although my body hurts enough to make it very real!

I woke up at 2 am on race day, not because that was when I needed to be up, but my bladder woke me up & my mind started racing so I couldn't go back to sleep. Then Ladybug (almost 5 years old) was up coughing from a lovely cold, so there was no chance that I could get any more sleep.

My pre-race anxiety was heightened by the fact that my phone decided to bite the dust on Saturday night. It wouldn't charge. I'm over-due for an upgrade, but I had decided to wait until after the race so I wouldn't have to fumble with a new phone. So I not only was without GPS to monitor my pace, but I couldn't text my family when I was done. It's amazing how dependent we can be on those little devices.

Wearing pink & purple, like a true diva!

A little bit after 4 am, I got up to start getting ready. I got dressed & made my pre-race smoothie to drink on the way to the race. I kept it simple since my tummy was doing flip-flops from the anxiety: coconut milk, Chia seeds, banana, spinach, & a spoonful of peanut butter.

I left a little after 5:00 to pick up my running-mom friend, Yvette. She blames me for getting her into to running, but she has long legs & is built for running. So I think she would have discovered running with or without me. It was nice to have someone to chat with during the 30 minute drive.

We arrived in North Myrtle Beach with plenty of time to spare, found a great parking space, wandered to the starting area, & had time to use the porta-potties. As we waited, we meet two other running mamas who had driven in from Atlanta & Charlotte. When it came time for us to line up with our pace groups, Yvette moved up & I stayed back with Tina & Val.

Not having my GPS turned out to be a blessing because I could just enjoy the race without worrying about pace. I was able to stay with new friends Tina & Val until I had to make a pit stop around 7.5 miles. Their company made the first seven miles fly by. When I stopped, I told them I would try to catch up but I never did. I hope they had a great race.

Around that time, I felt blisters forming on my right foot. It was more comfortable to jog than to walk, so my walk breaks turned into jog breaks. I still felt really good, we had plenty of shade, & I was keeping to my fuel/hydration plan.

Mile 9 was when we came out into full sun & things started to get rough. I just don't do well running in full sun. I would grab two cups of water at each station, drink part of one & dump the rest on me. My stomach started feeling yucky because of the heart too & I didn't have much to eat from this point.

Miles 9-11 were the toughest part of the course. Part of mile 10 was out on the highway, in the full sun with lots of traffic whizzing by. I started doing a lot more walking than I had planned. After turning off the highway, the course went thru a partially completed subdivision. One couple was outside their house to cheer us on, & the gentleman had his garden hose out to give us a quick cool off as we ran by. What a blessing!

In mile 11, a woman who had already finished was running the course backward, giving everyone high-fives & saying, "You are stronger than you think!" That gave me the oomph that I needed to keep going. I knew I wouldn't quit, but the heat was really taking it's toll on me.

In mile 12 we started to see more spectators as the course turned back onto Ocean Boulevard. I was walking as fast as I could, adding in short run intervals. At this point, the blisters were pretty bad & my piriformis started barking at me. I dumped more water on myself at the last water station & set my sights on finishing strong.

About four blocks from the finish, there was a station to pick up a tiara & pink feather boa. Once I got those on, I was determined to run as hard as I could. I knew my A goal of 3 hours was gone, but I wanted to finish strong. Right before the finish line, we turned from Ocean Boulevard onto Main Street. The crowd was awesome, & I started to get choked up. I had to really focus on my breathing so I wouldn't start hyper-ventilating. I did it! I finished a half-marathon!!! Official time: 3:24:18


Huge bling!

There were half-clothed fireman at the finish to give us our medals. We also got a red rose & a glass of champagne (and a bottle of water). Once I got my picture taken, I grabbed some food and started to wander toward my car. My friend Yvette was going home with her family who drove over to see her finish, so I was driving home alone. At this point, I really missed my phone. I wanted to text & tweet so I could share my accomplishment. I was ready to get home, so I quickly took of my running shoes to survey the blisters & don my flip-flops for the drive home. The blisters were bad but not as bad as I thought.

When I pulled onto our street, Hubby & Ladybug were waiting outside for me, clapping & cheering, & I got choked up again. LB immediately took ownership of my tiara & pink boa, as I knew she would. She is definitely a future diva. After I showered & stretched some more, we went out for a celebratory lunch.

Diva Heather (after a shower!)

Although I feel disappointed that I walked more than I had planned, I am very proud that I finished strong. I'll definitely do another half marathon, but I think I'll wait a little while. And kudos to the Run Like a Diva team - you put on a great race!

Thank you for your amazing support & encouragement throughout my training! I learned a lot about myself, I know that I am stronger than I thought I was, and I'm proud to call myself a diva!

Half Marathon Training: Week 11

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:30:00 +0000

Eleven weeks of training are DONE! That means the race is less than a week away!!! I look back at my training and remember how intimidated I was to embark on this journey. I'm still intimidated by 13.1 miles with 4800 of my BFFs, but I've come a long way, Baby!

This past week was spot on with my training plan. I love my new medicine ball workout! I needed a way to shake up my routine and that has been a great way to do it! Also, I started to ease back on my mileage and started thinking through all of the logistics of race weekend.

Wardrobe: check! I have run in everything at least once to make sure nothing will rub or chafe or be uncomfortable.

Hydration: check! I'll take my 20 oz hand held bottle filled with Nuun, and use the course water stations to supplement and/or dump on myself to combat the heat.

Nutrition: check! I know what I can eat while running and how often I need fuel. I also bought a small Fuel Belt waist pack and have taken that for a run to make sure it would give me any problems.

I know what time I'll have to leave the house on race morning, and that I'll make myself a pre-race smoothie, and that I'll definitely have to visit the porta-potties once we get the car parked.

I'm sure I have forgotten a few details, and if they're important, I hope they'll come back to me during the week. If not, oh well! I've got the basics covered! Right?

Here are my workouts from last week (you can read more details on my dailymile.com page):


Lovin' my medicine ball workout!

Monday: 4 mile run
Tuesday: cardio/strength circuits with my workout buddy
Wednesday: 4 mile run
Thursday: strength circuits with my medicine ball
Friday: very short Pilates workout
Saturday: 8 mile run
Sunday: rest day

This week is officially taper week, which means I will run only two short runs, do my usual strength training, then take Friday AND Saturday as rest days. (Saturday will be crazy busy with Ladybug's dance recital so I don't know how much "rest" I'll get, but at least no official workout.)

Sunday morning, the starting gun is at 7:00 eastern time. So send me your prayers and positive thoughts, if you're awake!

Half Marathon Training: Week 10

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:29:00 +0000

Week 10 started with some serious mental obstacles. But with the encouragement of friends, I switched my focus, changed my mental attitude, and had a fantabulous finish to the week! It hit me this week that as challenging as endurance running can be, the mental challenge of training for a half marathon is just as great. "If you think you can, you can! If you think you can't, you're right." I think I can! (In fact, I know I can!)

Okay, enough cheerleading. Back to my week in review (you can see more details for each workout on my dailymile page):

Monday: 5 mile run
Tuesday: cardio/strength circuits with my workout buddy
Wednesday: 5 mile run
Thursday: strength workout using my medicine ball - seriously intense AND fun!
Friday: 2.6 mile bike ride, I'm thinking beyond my race and maybe I'll do more biking this summer
Saturday: Longest run-to-date, first time in double digits! 10 mile run!
Sunday: rest day

Yes, I am already thinking of "what's next?" In order to keep myself from building up anxiety about the half marathon, I'm looking beyond it. I know I'll still keep some running workouts, but I think I'll add more yoga and cycling workouts too. I think my body will thank me for it.

Other than training, life is very busy. Ladybug will be 5 at the end of the month, plus she has her dance recital and preschool graduation. A busy schedule always challenges my organizational and planning skills. So if I'm not around social media circles much, I'll be buried under tutus, tap shoes, and party supplies.

Thanks so much, especially to my Mamavation sistas, for your continued encouragement as I train for my race. Less than two weeks to go!!

Half Marathon Training: Week 9

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 18:08:00 +0000


Not my belly, just how I feel

I have decided that half marathon training is like being pregnant. Sometimes it's not a lot of fun. Sometimes it's a lot of hard work. And a lot of times, you just wish the big day would hurry up and get here already!! The anticipation is killing me! Only TWENTY more days.

Last week was a good week of training. I upped my calorie intake and had tons more energy. I felt a little more organized with meal planning and meal prep. And I feel like I made good choices (lots of Greek yogurt!) to keep my food choices healthy. It helps that I don't buy junk food any more, so I can't indulge if it's not in the house.

I think I over-did it a bit with my strength training session on Thursday however. I woke up Friday with a bad case of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness). I did the same thing the week before. So Friday, I took extra time to stretch and foam roll my legs to prep for Saturday's long run.

For Saturday, I was scheduled to run 9-10 miles. I don't know if it was the muscle soreness or something else, but after 8 miles, my hamstrings decided to cramp up, and I had to quit just short of my planned mileage. I was sort of okay with that, but was kicking myself later for not pushing the last 4/10ths of a mile to make it to 9.

I did take extra care with more stretching and more foam rolling on Saturday, and that helped my legs. But I still felt sort of deflated. Not a great way to end the week.

I am definitely feeling that I need to work on my mental toughness. I need to start preparing my mind for the challenge that 13.1 miles will throw at me. This week I am going to start some positive affirmations and visualizations to mentally prepare myself for pushing through on race day. I am strong and I know I can do it!

Here's a brief summary of my workouts last week (more details for each workout are available on my daily mile page):

Monday: 4.45 mile run (felt strong!)
Tuesday: 45 minutes cardio/strength circuits for cross training
Wednesday: 4.45 mile run (again, felt great!)
Thursday: 45 minutes cardio/strength circuits
Friday: yoga, stretching, foam rolling
Saturday: 8.6 mile run
Sunday: rest day

My plan for this week is the same, adding a bit more mileage, and pushing myself to 10 miles on Saturday's long run.

Thanks so much for your words of encouragement on last week's post. I appreciate your support so much!

Photo Credit: stock.xchng

Dream Big

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:10:00 +0000

Ladybug (almost 5 years old) has been attending dance classes this year at a local dance studio. I've enjoyed watching her confidence & ability grow. Although she has never lacked self-confidence because I think she would try teaching the class if she had the opportunity! She is definitely not shy & she loves the spotlight.


Rainbow Fish

This week, her preschool had the opportunity to attend a performance at the local arts, science, & technology magnet high school. They did an adaptation of the popular children's story "Rainbow Fish." The production included large puppets & lots of dancing, and it was very well done. I was most impressed with the jelly fish & stingray dancers.

After the field trip, I asked LB what she liked best about the play. Of course, she loved Rainbow Fish. Since she has been taking dance, I wanted to instil in her the need to continue with dance class. I said, "If you keeping taking dance, you could do something like that some day."

Then yesterday as we were getting ready for dance pictures, I asked her if she wanted to take dance again next year. She responded with a resounding, "Yes!" Followed quickly with "I want to be Rainbow Fish!"

There's nothing like dreaming big, kiddo!

Half Marathon Training: Week 8

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:26:00 +0000

Week 8! Week 8? Yes! Week 8! It was a really good week. I had several revelations this week that really helped me feel more confident in my training and my ability to complete a half marathon.

Revelation 1: I wasn't eating enough. I was still focusing on eating for weight loss. But, I'm at a point in my training (18+ miles last week), that I need to eat and give my body the fuel that it requires. Sure, I was hoping to lose a few more pounds during training, but if I don't I'll be okay with that. Food = fuel. And a well-fueled body performs well!

Revelation 2: It's getting more humid here in the South and my runs are longer, which means I am a salty, sweaty mess after a run. Salt means I need to replace more than just water. On my long runs, I've been taking only water (plus fuel). This week, I filled my hand-held bottle with Nuun, which is my electrolyte drink of choice (I can't have the artificial colors that are in most electrolyte drinks). It made a HUGE difference! Again, giving my body what it needs so it can do the job I'm asking of it.

Revelation 3: Also because of the heat and humidity, and the fact that my half marathon is 4 weeks closer to summer, I realized that I probably won't be able to keep the pace that I was planning. I have adjusted my pace goal for the race, and I'm okay with that. I know I won't run as fast in summer-like weather. Since this is my first half marathon, I don't have a previous time to beat. My primary goals are to finish upright and uninjured, and slowing down will help me achieve that.

Colorful veggies waiting to become a salad

Revelation 4: Because life doesn't stop just because I'm training for a half-marathon, I need to find ways to still get everything done in spite of the extra time hitting the pavement. So I have started more advanced meal prep, especially for our lunches. Hubby and I both like to eat salads for lunch, but I have to pack his. And there just isn't enough time in the morning to run, eat, shower, get Ladybug (almost 5 years old) ready for school, and pack lunches. So last night, I prepped all of our salad ingredients. All I had to do this morning for Hubby was assemble his salad in his to-go bowl, which took less than 30 seconds. Huge win for this disorganized gal!

Here's my training from last week (you can read details for each workout on my dailymile page):

Monday: 4 mile run
Tuesday: cross-training with cardio/strength circuits
Wednesday: 4 mile run
Thursday: cross-training with cardio/strength circuits
Friday: 2 mile power walk
Saturday: 8 mile run (longest run to date)
Sunday: rest day

This week will be similar, but adding a bit more mileage. Two more weeks of intense training before taper time! Call me crazy, but I'm looking forward to tapering my miles before my race. (We'll see if I enjoy it as much as I think I will!)

Half Marathon Training: Week 7

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 17:27:00 +0000

Why is it when I follow the training of other running bloggers that their training seems to whiz by and going through my own training it feels like it's plodding along? I wish race day would hurry up and get here. Not because I feel ready. I'm far from it. But how is it still five more weeks until my first half marathon???

Week 7 was full of a wide range of emotions. Yay for getting my mileage back up after being sick in March! Boo for having to split up a long run on Saturday in the heat. Yay for being able to run a 5k for a charity that is near and dear to me! Boo to the walker who thought my spitting (away from her) was "disgusting" and felt the need to say so just loud enough for me to hear.

Yay for a brand new running store opening in our area! We didn't have one before, so for any running gear, I would have to order online or go to a big box sports store. I stopped in at the grand opening of the new locally-owned store on Saturday and picked up a foam roller. For any runners out there, you'll know how important these can be. I've been using a tennis ball for selfmyofascial release, but felt like I needed what a larger foam roller could give. Holy trigger points, Batman! My pretty pink foam roller and I will be getting very well acquainted during the remainder of this training cycle!

Also yay for a new pair of running shoes - thanks, Mom! I have absolutely loved my Saucony Kinvaras, but they now have over 300 miles on them. So I "graduated" to a pair of Saucony Kinvara 2s and will be breaking them in this week.

My Kinvaras with 300 miles & my brand spanking new Kinvara 2s

Here's my training from last week:

Monday: 3 mile run, with speed intervals
Tuesday: cardio/strength training circuits
Wednesday: 3 mile tempo run
Thursday: cardio/strength training circuits
Friday: took an extra rest day to rest a pulled latissimus dorsi & prep for Saturday's race
Saturday: 1.55 mile run warm up, Autism Clinic 5k, 1.5 mile post race run/walk
Sunday: rest day

On Saturday, my goal was 8 miles in total. Originally, I was only going to run the 5k and call it a day. But because of being sick last month, I feel like I'm behind in my training and that I needed to get more miles in. Because of the race, I broke up my mileage, and had planned to run 3-3.5 additional miles after the race. I couldn't do it. By the time the race was done, the sun was out in full force and park where I was running doesn't have much shade. I felt completely zapped. I only finished 6.15 miles for the day.

And unfortunately, I allowed that to affect me emotionally. I started having serious doubts as to whether I could really finish a half marathon, whether I would be ready. I know that the mental aspect of such a challenge is just as important as the being prepared physically. And I know that the mental battle can make or break a race.

Thankfully, some tough love (from myself in the form of "Suck it up, cupcake!" talk) and a good run this morning has snapped me out of that funk. I still question whether I am crazy or not for undertaking this challenge. But when I cross the finish line on May 20th, upright and with a smile on my face, all those questions will be answered.

2012 Autism Clinic 5k Race Recap

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 17:09:00 +0000


Austim Clinic 5k 2012

Running a race that supports one of my favorite charities is a no-brainer. I get to do something fun (and challenging) knowing that part of my entry fee goes to provide programs for children with autism.

I committed to this race last fall before deciding to train for my first half marathon. Three miles may seem like no big deal in the midst of training for thirteen point one. But it is still a challenge for me.

I knew it wouldn't be as hot at race time this year as it was last year. But running after sunrise at Grand Park is always going to be scorching. There is not much shade, and by race time (9:00), the sun was beating down with intensity even though it was only 63 degrees.

Because I am in the midst of half marathon training, I knew that I needed more than 3.1 miles. So I decided to run a 20 minute warm up before the race, then finish up my miles for the day after the race. I've never done such a long pre-race warm up before. But in some of the reading I've done recently, a 20 minute warm up is highly recommended for a 5k race. Since I needed the mileage anyway, I decided to try it.

My warm up was good, although maybe a little fast. After my warm up, I hit the porta-potty one last time, and grabbed a few dates and some water. I had time to chat with another female runner before the race started. She wasn't sure of the race course, and we jokingly agreed to just follow the people in front of us because we wouldn't be leading the pack. She ended up finishing as first place female overall!

The first mile was good, and I found my pace easily once I got out of the crowd. As I passed the one mile mark, the clock read 12:40. Right on my target pace. Mile two started getting tough. I was out in the sun. I had decided to carry my own water because I knew the water station was at the end of mile two and that I would need hydration before that if I was going to last the morning. But the sun was beating down, so I decided to start run/walk intervals.

I got to the water station, drank a little bit of the cold water, and dumped the rest on me. At this point, the course did a little out-and-back. So as I made the turn, walkers were still coming up toward the two mile marker. When I run, especially during allergy season, I get phlemgy. So I spit. Sometimes a lot. One woman who was walking with her husband were coming toward me, and when she saw me spit, she muttered under her breath "that's disgusting." I turned as they passed me and said, "sometimes it has to be done." Yeah, I usually avoid confrontational situations and thankfully she didn't respond. But ya know, if you're going hang out with runners, sometimes runners do things that you might think are disgusting (like last year when I had to pee in a ditch during a race).

During mile three, I continued doing run/walk intervals, so I would pass the same people over and over in a leap frog fashion. We kept encouraging one another, which made that mile more bearable. As we came up on the three mile mark, we all turned up the energy and ran to the finish.

I'm not sure of my official finishing time, I think the clock said 41 minutes and change, which is better than my 42:13 finish last year. I wasn't expecting to PR because of the heat, so I'm happy with my overall pace for this event.

After getting some water and a banana, I had a chance to chat with a few folks I know, then I went back out for a few more miles to finish my half marathon training miles for the day. It made the race a bit anti-climactic but it's still a race day that I want to celebrate and remember. The only thing I would change would be the start time. Even though it's only April, an 8:00 start time would be better. But then again, it's April, so who knows what the weather will be like next year!

Happy Running!

Half Marathon Training: Week 6

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 12:28:00 +0000

Week 6 of training for the Divas Hall Marathon was a good week. I still feel like I'm behind after dealing with a urinary infection in week 4, but I tried to focus on what I COULD DO instead of what I SHOULD DO.

My goal was to get all of my workouts in. However, I did miss my Tuesday workout because my Ladybug (almost 5 years old) was under the weather & needed extra mama time. Just part of being flexible & keeping priorities in check.

Monday: 2.5 mile run in the a.m., then a 30 minute power walk in the evening
Tuesday: missed workout
Wednesday: 2.3 mile run
Thursday: light strength workout
Friday: cardio/strength circuits
Saturday: 6.2 mile run
Sunday: rest day

I don't know if it was adding strength training back in or if I'm finally recovered, but by Saturday my energy was almost 100% again, which was a great feeling! I think I could have run farther on Saturday, but I didn't want to risk injury.

My goal for this week will be to get my mileage back up to where it should be. Originally this was scheduled as a step-back week, with a 5k race this Saturday. I'm still running the 5k, but I'll tack on a few extra miles afterward to get me close to 15 miles for the week.

Half Marathon Training: Weeks 3, 4 & 5

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:09:00 +0000

I had a week 3 training update all ready to go, but I became very sick at the beginning of week 4 and it never got published. So I'm smashing everything into one post for time's sake.

Week 3 was a good week, although a felt slower than usual. I kept up with all of my workouts and was still feeling good about training for my first half marathon.

Then week 4 hit. I eventually went to the doctor and found out that I had a bad UTI (urinary tract infection). I had chills and fever, plus body aches and vomiting. It was not fun at all. I didn't eat much solid food, and I obviously didn't have the energy to work out. I was registered to run an 8k race at the end of week 4 and had to scrap those plans.

Into week 5 (last week), I started getting some energy back. So Thursday I went for a run with no expectations. I made it 2 miles and felt like I was going to keel over. My legs had no strength. I started to worry about how this was setting me back in my training, but I had to switch my focus from training to simple recovery.

Saturday, I was able to go for a 4 mile run. Again, reminding myself that I needed to still be in recovery mode. It's a hard place to be. Training for 13.1 miles is huge (H-U-G-E) and my training plan is aggressive (for me). But I was pretty sick, and my body still needed time. Still needs time.

So my goals for this week are continued recovery and to work on building my endurance back up. Even if I can't get all my miles in, I want to get all of my workouts in. Three days of running, two days of cross training and strength training, one day of yoga, and one day of rest.

This is the first time since making a commitment to healthy living that I've had a set back due to illness. Thankfully, I'm a healthy person, and I haven't been sick enough in over two years to miss more than one workout, let alone miss ten days. This has been a mental battle for me, to remember to listen to my body, and to be okay with doing less than what the plan calls for.

Do you have any tips to help me? Have you been through an illness or injury that set you back during training for a big event?

Healthy Snacks for St. Patrick's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 19:15:00 +0000

Preschool party + healthy isn't a typical equation. I was the "party mom" for my 4 year old's St. Patrick's Day party this week, and I was determined to find a way to make it work.

I wish I could remember where the inspiration came from, but I didn't bookmark it or pin it, so all I can say is this is not a totally original idea. But I took an idea that I saw on the interwebs and ran with it.

Healthy Leprechaun Sandwich

Here are my two issues with the typical party foods for the preschool set: 1) it's usually full of sugar and preservatives. I know most moms are busy, but making treats from scratch doesn't have to take a long time. And 2) typical party food is also full of artificial food dyes, to which some kids (including this big kid) are sensitive and even allergic.

I wanted to have fun party treats that were healthy, and not full of sugar or fake dyes. I think I succeeded!

The hat is a peanut butter and jelly sandwhich on whole wheat bread (I used natural peanut butter and reduced sugar [not no sugar] jelly.) The shamrock cookie is a butter spritz recipe using avocado as green coloring. Two grapes for the eyes. Mozzarella cheese for the smile. And shaved carrots for the beard.

Isn't he the cutest leprechaun you've ever seen? I was so pleased with how it turned out.

St Patrick's party table set up

I did all of the prep at home in less than ninety minutes, including packing all the food for transport. (Not including the cookies. I made those the day before.) That way they could be easily assembled in just a few minutes before the kids came back into the classroom. We also served green chips (French onion sun chips) and green juice (kiwi-strawberry).

If I had had more time to prep and possibly could have had time with the kids prior to the party, I would have liked to have a healthy green food tasting party. Four and five year olds LOVE to give their opinion, and it would be fun to have healthy green foods for them to try. Green grapes, broccoli, spinach, kiwi, and avocado are just a few that come to mind.

I think my Ladybug liked it. What do you think?


My girlie enjoying her leprechaun treats

Half Marathon Training: Week 2

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 17:46:00 +0000

My second week of training for the Diva Half Marathon was fabulous! I got all of my workouts & miles done according to plan. I ate well, focusing on real food & minimal processed food. I'm even trying to get back into the habit of tracking my food intake. (Two years of constant food journaling is tough & I took a much needed break.) I was able to add core work to my strength workouts as well.

You can see all of my workout details on my daily mile page. Here are the highlights:

Monday: 3 mile run including speed intervals
Tuesday: 45 minutes cross-training with strength circuits
Wednesday: 3 mile tempo run
Thursday: 45 minutes cross-training with strength circuits
Friday: 40 minutes yoga
Saturday: 6.5 mile run
Sunday: rest day

An awesome highlight of the week was meeting Mamavation Mom graduate, Shannon. Her husband has been stationed in North Carolina, and they had been planning a quick trip to Myrtle Beach before they get moved later this month. It was so awesome to talk about our health and fitness journeys while we walked around one of the shopping/tourist attractions here. (Excuse my crazy hair - it was windy!) Yay for getting extra steps in!

My training for this week will be similar, although I'll add a couple miles to my running workouts. And I registered for an 8k race on March 24th! It will be my first race longer than a 5k, and I'm looking forward to getting more race experience under my belt.

Half Marathon Training: Week 1

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 17:51:00 +0000

My first official week of training went well, with the exception of Saturday. But part of that was the weather & since I don't have any control over that, I'm not going to dwell on it. I have confidence in my training plan even if I don't have confidence in my body's ability right now. The main reason that confidence wavers is because of my weight.

Yes, I am hoping that I'll lose weight in the process of training for my first half marathon. But I'm also realistic in that I know my body & it likes to lose weight slowly. The question in my head is: will being 50 lbs overweight put me at higher risk for injury? So I am amending my goals for the training & running of my first half to include remaining injury-free.

My workouts for last week were:

Monday: 3 mile run with interval training
Tuesday: cardio/ strength training class
Wednesday: 3 mile tempo run
Thursday: power walk, full body strength training
Friday: yoga
Saturday: 5.8 mile run in the rain
Sunday: rest day

I want to incorporate more strength training, especially core work, so I'll be extending my Tues/Thurs workouts to at least 60 minutes. Also, my cardio/strength training class partner can now only meet on Tuesdays so I'll either do a video that includes strength training or do a Workout Trainer app workout on Thursdays. The rest of the schedule will remain the same as above.

13.1 miles seems very daunting right now. Do you ever set goals that scare the crap out of you?

Healthy Chicken Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:32:00 +0000

Healthy Chicken Salad on Whole Wheat Bread

I love food, I love to cook, and since being on this journey of healthy living, I love to make healthy food! I especially love taking favorite recipes and giving them a healthy makeover.

The typical chicken salad sandwich is over 500 calories. Yikes! Not including the bread, my recipe has around 130 calories per serving.

I was asked to make chicken salad sandwiches for a church luncheon this week and received the okay to provide this healthy version. I quadrupled this recipe & I think it was well received!

(Note: If making this for myself, I would serve with lettuce on homemade whole wheat bread. But since this was for the luncheon, I prepared them without lettuce on store-bought double fiber bread.)

Healthy Chicken Salad

1 1/2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
4 oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1 medium apple, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 medium stalk celery, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 garlic powder

Add all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix until well combined. Use your favorite bread to make sandwiches or serve on cool, crisp lettuce for a low carb lunch.

Makes 4 servings

Pin It

Half Marathon, Here I Come!

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:24:00 +0000

When I first started running almost two years ago, my goals were small. Actually, I only had goal: to run a 5k and not die in the process. If you had told me that I would fall in love with running and would someday train for anything longer than a 5k, I would have laughed.

But here I am. I officially start training for the Diva Half Marathon today. My first (of hopefully many) half marathon.

I've been gearing up for this over the last six weeks. I knew I needed to have a higher base of weekly miles. I have written out a training plan and it stays in the kitchen where I will see it often. I have planned at least one longer race (an 8k, and possibly a 10k) between now and May to give myself additional experience before the big day. Now it's time to begin!

My workout schedule will be similar to what I've been doing, with built in step-back weeks and emphasis on building endurance. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday will be running days. Saturday will be for long runs, Wednesday a tempo run, and Monday a speed workout. Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday will be for cross training. Tuesday and Thursday, I have a cardio/strength training class, and Friday will be my mix-it-up day for whatever kind of workout I feel that I need. (Lately I've been doing yoga and I love it!)

My goals for my first half marathon are to finish upright, and hopefully do that in three hours or less. Unless my pace dramatically picks up, I think that is a realistic goal.

My husband thinks I'm crazy and sometimes I agree. I'll make my final decision on May 20th. I plan to blog about my weekly training as I go along. I hope you'll join me in this journey!

Chickpea Burgers

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:05:00 +0000

I have been wanting to try more vegetarian recipes lately. However, my husband loves meat. So I have to tread lightly and not go overboard with an entirely meatless menu plan. I came across a recipe for Chickpea Burgers a while back, and finally had the chance to try it. They were a hit!

I made quite a few changes to the original recipe to suit our family's tastes. You can certainly change the spices up. We love onion and garlic, but cumin would make a nice addition too.

I was hoping that this would be both meat-loving husband approved as well as picky preschooler approved. The preschooler said she liked it but only ate two bites. So one out of two isn't bad.

Chickpea Burgers

2 cups soaked, cooked, and drained chickpeas
1 medium carrot
1/2 large onion
1 Tbsp minced garlic (about 2 cloves)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup bread or cracker crumbs
1/2-1 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper
a dash of crushed red pepper flakes
a splash of lemon juice
1 egg

Combine all ingredients except egg in a large food processor. (Mine isn't big enough, so I did the vegetables first, then the chickpeas, crackers, and seasonings.) Empty into a large bowl. Add egg, and mix until well combined.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1-2 Tbsp olive oil. Make small, flat patties of the chickpea mixture, and cook patties until golden brown on each side. (about 3-5 minutes)

Serve as you would a regular burger.

Makes 10 patties
Serving size: 2 patties

Giving Up (for Lent)

noreply@blogger.com (Heather Underwood) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 15:24:00 +0000

I had this post all crafted in my head telling y'all about what I'm giving up for Lent. Until I went to Ash Wednesday service this morning. The sermon was on Matthew 6:1-4:

“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

²“Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. ³But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

This made me stop and re-evaluate what I was planning to write. I don't have as much time to share here as I would like, and I want what I write to meaningful, not just to me, but to others as well. But I had to ask myself WHY I wanted to share what my Lenten discipline would be. To receive pats on the back, and a few "you go, girl" comments?

If what I give up for Lent is for my own personal spiritual discipline, then why do I want to share it? Granted, it is health and weight loss related. And it might give someone else inspiration.

But my goal for my Lenten discipline is to draw on God's power to accomplish something that I can rarely do on my own. I need His strength to see it through.

And that is exactly what a Lenten discipline should be. We shouldn't "give something up" for Lent just because we always have, or because others do it, or to lose weight. Giving something up for Lent should center on deepening our relationship with God.

And that's what this needs to be for me. He alone is my audience, and I need to focus on receiving His praise and His praise alone. Not that anything I do could be worthy, but only through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ can I hope to achieve His approval.

So I decided that I would not share here what I'll be giving up for Lent. If you are insanely curious, you can tell me in the comments and I might e-mail you to share (or I might not).