Final Week is here...7 more days of RESET

Source: fairgroundswineandspirits.com via Fairgrounds on Pinterest

Finally, the last phase 3 Restore has arrived! I have to say I have had a love hate relationship with this cleanse.  I have loved the challenge but if I see another cucumber or have to take another packet of Alkalinize (supplement) I may throw up! (not really) I seriously am learning a lot about my nutrition, sleep patterns and how my body actually does actually need rest. 

Phase 3 Restore...
As I Restore, I will eliminate grains and legumes to focus on simple, cleansing fruit and vegetables-based diet.  There's an optional grain included with each dinner for those who wish to continue to have grains throughout this phase (umm ME!) Wen meals contain only vegetables, the portions can be larger.  Every breaks will consist of fresh fruit, but is limited to 3 servings a day to avoid to much sugar.

What's on the Meal...
1. Bake Sweet Pototo for lunch every day, with veggies!!  This is by choice each lunch is different on the Beachbody menu but I have decided to go with what I love and go easy!
2. Fruit for breakfast! Blackberries, Blueberries, Strawberries, Oranges, Apples, pears and pineapple!! YUMMY favorite meal of the day!!!
3. Avocado-Cucumber Soup, Roasted Veggies
4. Rice, Beans, Corn taco's...  This is not on week 3 menu but I love this meal and it really helps keep me on track.
5.  Shakeology....I plan on having a Shakeology for either lunch or breakfast with a plate full of veggies. 

What else am I doing...
I have decided to add in some light workouts this week.  I haven't done the recommended Yoga or 40 minutes of walking yet....So this week I plan on doing both every day! Why? Once this reset is over I want to start working out again....so starting to move this week will help me next week!!! Plus, Louie deserves a long walk!

How am I feeling...
WONDERFUL! Yesterday, I was so happy and felt like everything around me was super clear....I sometimes I feel foggy but I felt yesterday as if the fog has been lifted.  I have more energy than I know what to do with!!  I am super rested...I hate to say it but my body did in fact need a full 21 days to do NOTHING!! Feels great to know that my muscles and my mind is finally recharged!

Weight..
I am officially down 12 pounds! Three people yesterday told me I looked really healthy and skinny! Woot!

Exercise-Motivation required

Source: Uploaded by user via Rosina on Pinterest

Motivation or rather lack of it, is one of the key problems in weight loss.  People who need to lose weight know that they NEED to do it, they know they SHOULD do it and they most often know HOW to do it.

There are countless diets and weight loss courses available on the marker, video's, trainers..etc. but still the majority of people find it difficult to achieve their target weight.  Why is that? Why if they know they NEED to, SHOULD and HOW to fall short of the finish line?

The problem is most often not it is not about the lack of resources or the knowledge.  With reasonable effort you can get information on how to achieve weight loss.  All you have to do is Google Healthy weight loss and a million things come up.  So what happens?

They get all the information and all the successful tips to lose weight, it's like something really stops them.  Something puts a brick wall in front of their achievements.  This something is LACK of MOTIVATION.

Weight loss is hard enough for most people and it requires a good deal of motivation not only to start but more importantly to continue even after the optimal goal is met.  This is the main reason that so many weight loss diets and programs come on the market every year.  People start a diet, start a program but never seem to have the motivation to finish.  Then something slowly starts to happen, the weight comes back, the need to lose it becomes even stronger and the people start again.  It is an evil cycle, which is so unhealthy for your body.

The key to losing weight is to WANT it badly enough and to find the motivation to carry it through.  That motivation will be different for each person.  For my client Leann, it is to be there for her daughter when she gets older.  For my Dad, it is to keep the medications away.  For me, it is to never go back to the way I use to live my life.

Everyone has there motivation but everyone doesn't have that drive to get to the end result.  So I challenge you to really look deep inside yourself to find what can keep you going.

"The biggest secret in life is that there is no big secret. Whatever your goal, you can get there if you're willing to work." -Oprah Winfrey

There are only 2 choices; make progress or make excuses. -Ellen Mikesell

Source: johnsspiritist.blogspot.com via Tobie on Pinterest

Reset Day 12

Yesterday, was a huge struggle for me.  I didn't want to look at another vegetable or smell one for that matter.  This cleanse has been testing my taste buds a little but one thing is certain....I still am not in love with veggies!  I will eat them because I know my body needs them but there is NO way I could ever be vegan.  I have to given anyone who is props! 

My meal last night was going to be a very large salad full of veggies but I knew I wouldn't eat it just like I barely ate my lunch.  So I decided to add a meal in from week one.  This is against Beachbody reset rules but I knew I had to eat...I just decided to do it Kathy style which is breaking rules.  After all rules are made to be broken right?

 I have to drink this Detox stuff before every meal....It is not the best stuff ever.  So I figured if I can't have wine I might as well drink out of a wine glass! Trying to stay classy :)

 This is my favorite meal of all! I had this last night to sub out my salad.

 This is my breakfast every morning! A plate of fresh fruit!!! I look forward to this every day because I LOVE fruit!

This was a meal on week 1.  Zucchini cashew soup...looks like slim but taste amazing. 

What is on the menu today.... 

Breakfast-Plate of Fresh Fruit

Lunch-Sweet Potato and Roasted Red Pepper Bisque, 1 cup of asparagus

Dinner-Rice/Beans with Kale (breaking rules again today)

How I feel...

Yesterday, I went to a Yoga class.  During the class I got a little dizzy but continued to workout.  This yoga was a slow and easy stretching class...so I wasn't over doing it.  Just proves to me that I really do need to slowly add exercise back in.  I can't just jump into P90X2 and insanity :( Boo! 

Yoga was just what the doctored order.  The instructor asked us to think of one word that you feel right now.  I came up with sorrow...then she said think of one work you hope to feel by the end of the class.  I picked complete! I am not sure if it worked but I left feeling happy! :) Left the sorrow there at the studio I guess!!! I loved this Yoga class!

Weight....

Drum roll please.......... I am now down 11 pounds! BOOM! I am now lighter than I have been in like 8 years! I love this part of the reset. 

What am I craving..

I am actually not really craving anything.  I just am sick of veggies! I don't really like walking outside because I can smell the fast food joints near my house.  It makes my mouth water a bit :(

9 more days to go!

Ultimate Reset...Day 10

I have to be extremely honest to all of you.  Day 8 was super hard for me.  I had an extremely intense headache, could not stop crying and had no real desire to eat.  I started to question if this cleanse was for me...after all I hate being such a cry baby and I hate not being in control of my emotions.  Not to mention I love eating so not having an appetite was really weird for me. 
Fact is I hate quitting anything that I start...I know that nobody would care if I ended this program early and honestly I probably wouldn't care a few months from now.  It is a huge mental thing for me to quit anything....so I continue on and hope that I can continue to discover things about myself.  I have learned a lot during this cleanse... more than I ever could dream of.

Things I have learned...
1.  Holding onto feeling only makes you crazy....so I plan on trying to tell people my real feeling instead of hiding them or telling them what they want to hear.
2.  That trying new foods will not kill me.
3.  That the detox supplement will never taste good no matter what I do to it....but putting it in a wine glass makes me feel a little better.
4.  That I am extremely addicted to working out....if I wasn't able to get my daily workouts in I probably would end up in a looney bin or kill someone.  Thankfully...I can walk and do Yoga during this cleanse so it is helping a little.
5.  I don't mind salads.
6.  To eat slow....I normally eat extremely fast as I am always on the go.  This cleanse has taught me to take my time and really enough the food I am eating.
7.  I really miss peanut butter :)
8.  That you can make anything into a soup if you have a blender.
9.  Getting 8-10 hours of sleep helps me perform my job better and gives me a ton of energy during the day.
10.  This cleanse is teaching me that I can be super hard on myself.  I need to learn that it is okay to fail.

How I am feeling...
Today, I am in a extremely good mood! I feel joyful and have a sense that today will be AWESOME.  I am well rested, not hungry and excited to see how the rest of the 11 days will go.  I have no real craving but I do miss my wine, peanut butter, pancakes and chocolate.  I don't miss meat at all and I have no real desire to have cheese.  I am honestly thinking about keeping dairy or at least cheese out of my diet until after Easter.  I will only allow myself to have some cheese if I have pizza...I love pizza!

Weight...
I am so excited to say I have lost 9 pounds in 10 days! I didn't do this to drop weight at all....so this is like a bonus for me! I am one pound away from my lowest weight in 9 years! So If I can drop 2-3 more pounds I will be on top of the world! I also have dropped inches.....so this is not just water weight anymore...this is the REAL deal.

Hate..
The only thing I hate about this journey are taking the supplements 30 minutes before I eat anything.  I have to do this before all meals and even snacks.  It is hard because when I want to eat I have to wait...but this is also allowing me to get in check if I am really hungry or if it is an emotional thing.  I am excited for all this to be over!!!! NO MORE SUPPLEMENTS

What do you think you could learn on a cleanse?

Himalayan Pink Salt

Source: google.com via Wei of Chocolate on Pinterest

One of the main supplements/ingredients in my cleanse is Himalayan Salt.  I have never heard or even taste this product before.  So I was very surprised that I could actually find it in my grocery store.  I been putting the salt in my distilled water each day and in most of my menu's that are in the cleanse.  So the question is what is Himalayan salt? I did the research to find out...

Himalayan salt

• It is mined by hand in the Himalayan Mountains. 
• Color ranges from red, pink and white...this depends on the amount of mineral and iron levels found in the salt.
• Purest salt found on Earth.
• Richer in minerals than table salt.
• Himalayan pink salt is mined from sea salt deposits from ancient sea beds--meaning it doesn't contain the pollutants and chemicals found in today's sea salt.
• It provides a richer flavor than table or sea salt and does not contain additional chemicals or additives.  
• Himalayan salt is easier for the body to digest, and its high mineral content provides more nutrients, encouraging better health.
• It can also normalize blood pressure, eliminate toxins and help balance the body's electrolytes and pH levels.
  
  
  This product is so much better than Sea Salt.  I found it both in Giant Eagle and in Kroger.  Give it a try I promise you will love it just as much as I do!

  
  

Phase 2: Release ... Day 8

Finally, Week 2 has arrived! I am so happy that I am doing this cleanse but every single day I have to tell myself that this is all worth it.  Yesterday, I tried to convince myself to end the program a week early.  Thankfully, I a friend that was told me NOT to do that.  He knows how upset I would be if I didn't finish what I started.  So I plan on doing the whole 21 days with a smile! (I just really want a piece of chocolate..lol)

During the Release phase, I'll completely eliminate animal products, including dairy, eggs and meat.  I'll move into a more vegetable, fruit and whole-grain-based diet.  Everything breaks will include fresh fruit (YAY!), but my limit is 3 severing of fruit a day to avoid eating to much sugar. 

I have to add another supplement into my diet this week called Detox.  This supplement helps remove toxins and waster in the colon...JOY not excited about that.  This supplement is not the most powerful "take it and run to the bathroom" cleanse on the market.  Believe beachbody, making that type of supplement would have been easy! Beachbody wanted to strike that perfect balance, formulating a product that would "get the job done" cleansing, restoring and resetting your intestinal ecosystem-while not forcing the body/bowels into release.

So lets see how my body handles this phase...


How am I feeling... 
Overall, I am feeling amazing.  I am not as tired as I was the first 4-5 days into this program.  I have a new found energy in me that I am not sure what to do with since I can't workout.  The only thing I am not pleased with right now is my emotions are all over the place.  One minute I am happy the next I am crying like a big baby.  Looks like my body is trying to fix some mental things going on in there....I pray this week that I can get everything sorted out.  I hate being a roller coaster full of emotions.

Weight
Down 7.8 pounds

Officially Goofy

"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." -Walt Disney 

It is extremely hard to put my race weekend experience into words.  How can I list everything that happened over two magical days? This race was in fact was hardest thing I have ever done but yet I finished with a new found hope, a bright smile and more inspiration to do amazing things with my life.  I only hope that my race recap is enough to get some of my followers moving and achieving their dreams.  Who knows maybe some of you will enlist in the Goofy Challenge with me next year?!?!

Donald Duck's Half Marathon

Start time 6:15 a.m.

The only unhappy moment for me in this whole trip was getting up at 2:45 in the morning two days in a row. In order to get to the starting line by 5 o'clock we had to leave the hotel no later than 3:30.  Crazy right! Image 30,000 runners/walkers, their family members and volunteers all trying to get the same place at the same time.  It was a MESS but Disney does a great job flowing people in the correct directions and getting people to where they need to be.  There was over 30,000 runners/walkers each day. That is a lot of healthy active people!!

All runners/walkers had a little over a mile hike to the starting line from bus drop off.  That gave me enough time to really envision what the day would look like and allowed all my nervous to kick into full gear.  You would think someone who has ran over 17 half marathons, 2 full marathons, triathlons and 4 tough mudders nerves wouldn't be an issue....but like I said before nerves are a good thing!!! It was my body telling me that I was about to do something epic and simply amazing!

Disney started each race with a HUGE fireworks display.  Saturday morning I got really emotional when the fireworks went off.  As tears came to my eyes I finally realized that this was it! This was my moment to achieve the i'mpossible.  To conquer the Goofy and to prove to myself that my hard work was worth it.

 It was awesome in person I swear!

Corinne and I started in the back of our Corral Saturday for the half.  We soon realized that wasn't such a smart idea... many walkers were in the back which meant we had to run around them.  It kind of felt like we were dodging people the whole race.  It really was crowded but it allowed me to soak every single moment in.

The first few miles we ran in complete darkness.  We were entertained by some amazing kites, Jack Sparrow and some really loud music.  I could feel the excitement and joy around me as we ran into the Magic Kingdom. As we approached the the park I couldn't help but think of my childhood.  My first trip to Disney was when I was in 4th grade.  The park still had the same magic to me today, as it did back then.  I had to believe that all the people surrounding me felt the same way as I did...on top of the world.

When I turned the corner on Main Street I was able to see a full view of Cinderella's castle.  This is when my smile turned into glee! How exciting was it to run on the same street millions of families walk every single day.  Those families all stop and take pictures to remember this moment...so I also had to stop and get my photo moment.  This is what I will always remember... I was beyond excited!

 I am a little to excited :)

We ran a little in tomorrow land saw the teacups, the new part of Disney (fantasy land I believe) and got to run right in the middle of the castle.  Extremely awesome is the only way to describe this moment!  After the excitement in the Magic Kingdom came the boring part of the race.  We ran close to 4-5 miles before we hit more excitement in EPCOT!

There was some really cool things to look at in boring ville but I don't want to bore you will all that.  All I know is that Corinne and I talked the whole time! We laughed a lot but mostly talked about our plan for Marathon and of course our goals for the year.  Boring ville was even a little therapy session for me...This has to be one of my most favorite things about running!!!! FREE THERAPY!

As we got into Epcot we realized that we were just about finished with day one.  We posed in front of the giant golf ball, did our traditional pose with Goofy, got our medal and headed towards the bus to refuel for day two.  It was super HOT when we finished so we knew that marathon would feel like complete hell...literally.

Mickey's Full Marathon
Start time 6:15

We knew what to expect day too! I felt like a Run Disney pro! We didn't stay to the back of our corral this time, which helped with the crowd issue and running into walkers.  The first 8 miles of the race was the same as the half.  Nothing new to report but a new costume and some sore muscles...oh and let me not forget about the heat.  It was humid and extremely hot...skipping water today was NOT an option.

 Starting line Day 2

The course became new when we turned into Disney speedway....we ran a full lap on the track. They had some really fancy cars on the speedway and some loud music to keep us entertained.  Some runners were starting to struggle and some even had to sit off to the side to cool down.  It was sad to see this so early on.  We just keep trucking alone praying that wouldn't happen to us.

 This was even one of the cars on the speedway :) Love the movie Cars!

The next four miles was again another Boring ville but this time Corinne and I didn't talk.  I think we both were thinking about our own personal struggles and what this race meant to us.  Corinne was in charge of telling me when to walk and I was in charge of the pace.  We work really great as a team!!! We know when to talk and when to just remain quiet.  This is extremely hard for me because I enjoy talking but I have had a lot on my mind so running in silence was just what the doctor order. 

Next up was Animal Kingdom....There were animals along the course for runners to pet and take pictures with.  Of course there was a giant snake which Corinne felt the need to take a picture with.  I am deathly afraid of snakes so I stood on the other side of the road to wait for her.  The best part of this park was the Roller Coaster.  Yep! You read that right!!!! We rode a ride in the middle of our Marathon.  It took us exactly seven whole minutes to enjoy this part of the course.  It gave us our second wind and cooled us off.

 I love this tree in Animal Kingdom...it is BEAUTIFUL!

Roller Coaster in the middle of a Marathon....Now that is MAGICAL!

 The next part of the race was the hardest...as it should be.  Miles 14-17 was all highway, which meant no shade.  Corinne wanted to start bitching but I wouldn't allow it till we reached the bridge on the other side of the road.  This gave her time to focus on the positive as it was 4 miles to "Bitch Bridge."  We ran around ESPN wide world of sports complex....ran on the track, around the baseball field and on some really nice soft grass.  It felt like heaven on my feet as they were in a lot of pain.

Field of dreams :) We ran around the baseball field at the ESPN complex

Our pace really slowed down around mile 19...this is when I told myself that it was okay to stop and take pictures.  Let the fun nature of the course keep me moving forward.  Corinne kept running as I messed around.  I would always catch up with her! She looked strong and determined as ever.  Corinne has helped me so much during my weight lose struggles but during the marathon I knew that I was her coach....I was going to get her to the finish line even if I had to carry her on my back.  I just kept moving forward and she followed alone.

 Here are some of the pictures that I took when I was messing around!!

Bitch Bridge could have been Corinne's breaking point but she was strong enough to not allow it to break her.  We had five miles left to go... the only thing that would bring us down at this point was the heat.  Luckily Disney knew it was going to be super hot...they put out more water stations and volunteers were throwing water on us to keep us cool! It was awesome to get a quick bath after sweating and working so hard in the heat.

The last part of the course was the best! We ran in both Hollywood studios and Epcot.  Families were cheering us racers on as they walked their children to their next rides.  This really is what kept us focused and moving forward.  Disney Magic is what I would call it!!!

Probably my favorite picture of the day! This is my favorite Disney movie as a child :)

Then there it was... the finish line.  I got a little emotional thinking about what just happened.  I had just ran a half marathon and a full marathon in extreme heat.  I was about to mark the Goofy challenge off my bucket list.  I was doing it!! I never believed that I would feel so strong in the end of 39.3 miles but I did! That is when I realized that I wasn't that 195 pound girl anymore... I was the athlete, the teacher, the friend, the daughter and the person that inspires others to do amazing things. 

I took my pictures with Goofy, Minnie and Mickey before crossing the finish line.  As soon as I stepped over that wonderful line I knew that I could final leave the ugly past behind me.  I am now ready to move forward with my life! Ready to conquer the things that scare me the most.  I left behind on the course a girl that didn't believe in me....it feels nice knowing that I will NO longer allow her back in my life!

I got crowned my Mickey Marathon medal, as well as the Goofy Challenge Medal! We headed to our hotel to spend the day relaxing in the pool!

This race was extreme but this race is probably the best moment so far in my life.  My Dreams are not just dreams anymore...I was able to put them into action!  I got my happy ever after ending in the most magical place on earth! I even got to kiss the mouse that started it all!  What an amazing experience!!!!!   I plan on signing up for 2014 Goofy's Challenge....ANYONE want to JOIN?

 

Magical Disney Kiss! I don't even care if it was a Mouse :) 

 I love my medals :) 

It really is fun doing the i'mpossible!

Yet to come... Goofy Shout outs! 

I have to many people to thank that I need another blog just for that.

Day 6 cleanse..

Day 5 review

Yesterday, was the only day that I got really hungry during the cleanse.  I honestly believe it was because I was active most of the day cleaning and shampooing my carpet upstairs.  I also was really emotional yesterday...I cried at church and I had this feeling of being all alone.  I hate feeling alone and sad because I am very cheerful upbeat kind of girl.  To beat that feeling I took a nap during the day and headed to bed super early.

It's not unusual during the reset to find yourself experiencing feeling, memories or sensation from the past or earlier periods of your life.  Somehow, clearing the blockage from within your body has a way of freeing up your emotions too.

It looks like I am starting to deal with some serious issues from the past.  I find myself feeling as if someone has broken my heart.  It is really weird because no one has broken my heart in over two years.  Hopefully, this phase doesn't last very long.

Day 6

Vivid dreams happen to a lot of people who are taking the reset challenge.  Beachbody says that your subconscious may simmer out solutions while you sleep and that past events might come back alive.  I had a terrible dream....

I woke up in a really sad mood today.  I had some really vivid dreams.... Louie got hit by a car in the dream.  I had to carry his torn up body to the vet across the street.  They told me they were not sure if he would make it.  Then the vet's office caught on fire.  I ran over to help get Louie out of harms way.

He was really weak but wagged his little tail to let me he was happy to see me.  I told the vet I was going to bring him home till they knew where they would take the sick animals.  They ended up bringing the animals to a big gym at one of my schools I work out.  I took Louie to the make shift hospital.  They were able to pump him with meds there.  Thankfully, I was allowed to sit with him.  I saw dog's around me die :(

I am not sure if Louie made it in this dream because the real Louie woke me up with wet doggie kisses.  What does this dream mean? I don't know but it makes me think of my childhood dog Midnight who was hit by a car when I was very young.  Breaks my heart to have a dream like this.  Looks like Louie will be getting extra spoiled today!

Food Day 6
Breakfast: 1 cup of oatmeal, 1 cup of berries, 1/2 Greek Yogurt
Lunch: 1 severing Zucchini-Cashew Soup, Microgreen salad, 1/4 slice avocado.
Dinner: 1 serving Baked Tempeh, 1 serving any steamed vegetables and 1 serving of Brown Rice.

Little nervous about Tempeh but I have decided to give it a try.  I know if I keep skipping out on some of these meals I will not learn anything from this process.

Weight: I am down a total of 7 pounds! Before the reset I was really puffy with all the carbs I was eating for the race.  The puff is not down and my stomach is looking super flat! This has to be one of my favorite parts of the reset so far! I missed my stomach and I can't wait to get some ab work in to get my abs back!

Sleep: Besides the dreams I continue to have 10 hours of sleep each night.  Makes me feel refreshed when I wake up.  I wish I could sleep 10 hours every night.  This might be something that I try to continue after the reset. 

Overall feeling: I am really loving this even when I felt so upset and sad yesterday.  I fully understand that my body needs to deal with somethings that I been holding onto.  Maybe if I allow some of the pain from the past leave my body I might be able to move forward in my life. 
I am loving the food! I feel satisfied after all my meals.  I am proud of myself for trying new foods that I normally would look away from.

Going the Extra Mile:  Beachbody suggest a few things you can do to enhance your reset experience.  I plan on doing a few of them today since I have the day off work.

1.  Spend time in nature.  Today, I plan on walking Louie for 40 minutes at the local state park.  He loves the dog path there and he deserves it after the dream I had last night.
2. Take a warm bath, adding 1 1/2 to 2 cups of Epsom salts.  I love taking baths and the last bath I took was an ice bath.  To actually take a warm bath would feel like a little piece of heaven.

Day 4 Cleanse....

I know many of you are waiting for my Goofy recap.  I promise that I will get it out as soon as it is finished.  I want it to be perfect just like the race itself! So bare with me while I try to get photos together and get the right words together for all of you!

 

Day 4 Breakfast YUMMY!

The Beachbody Reset is in full swing! I feel like I have made it over a small hump but today I will be dealing with a really tough challenge.  I will be going to one of my favorite restaurants in Columbus with the guy I am seeing and his family.  This restaurant not only has amazing food but it has AMAZING wine!  So it will be tough sitting there watching everyone eat and drink.  Hopefully, I don't sit there with drool running down my mouth.  I told Matt that it is highly important to NOT let me get anything.  This will be a huge test on how bad I want to complete this journey.  Hopefully, I pass it!

Day 3 Food
Breakfast-2 eggs, 2 slices of toast, steamed spinach
Lunch-Lentil mix and a huge salad with homemade dressing.
Dinner-Rice, Bean and Corn taco with guacamole and steamed kale. 

Lentil mix was not for me :( I tried really hard to eat it but I couldn't stomach it at all.  During this program I am not allowed to drink when I eat.  If I was able drink while eating I know I could get that Lentil mix down. 

The reason behind not drinking during meals is this...Drinking liquid while eating tends to dilute digestive juices and acid, which slows down your digestion.  I am slowly getting use to enjoying my meal without a glass of water but there are times I would rather wash my food down then actually taste it...Yesterday's lunch was of those times.

Day 4 Food
Breakfast-2 cups of fresh fruit, 1 slice of dry toast, 1/2 cup of Greek Yogurt
Lunch:Quinoa Salad, 1/3 cup hummus, raw vegetable plate (10 carrots, 10 slices of red bell pepper, cucumber)
Dinner: Rice, Bean and Corn Taco again

I know today will go great because I love Quinoa and I have had the Taco's already.  I bet you are wondering why I am eating just Taco's for dinner? There are meals on this menu that I know I wouldn't be able to eat so I am just skipping them.  You can change the menu up as you please so I felt like I could do a better job sticking with some foods I know.  Plus this is cheaper for me to make the same foods over and over again.

 How am I feeling?

• I slept for 11 hours last night! I seriously can't remember the last time I slept that long.  It feels great waking up knowing that I am completely rested.  
• I woke up with some major cramps in my legs.  This is normal during the detox process. They say muscle soreness is a sign of the toxins being removed from your body.  So I guess it is being removed from the calves and hips. I told my trainer that I hope that it takes all the fat cells that are stored in my hips with it!! (I carry all my weight in my hips so I wish that could actually happen). 
• I am really emotional.  Another thing that is normal during this process.  I cried yesterday when a co-worker gave me a card.  She wanted to give me a congratulation card for the Goofy.  It was probably the sweetest thing anyone has ever done after one of my races.  I sat in my car and let out some tears I probably been holding back for a while.  Then I watched a movie last night and I cried during half of it.  Yep, I am a cry baby but today I feel super happy so I hope no tears today! 
• My weight is down 5 pounds!  I am extremely excited to see the scale move down instead of up.  I understand this is probably water weight but hey I will take it! 

Are you wanting more information on this cleanse? Sent me a quick email and I will send you a link to the product.  katmorgan2004@yahoo.com

Day 3 Cleanse...

How did day 2 go?

Day 2 was a little rough for me.  I got the dreaded headache I been reading about and I was extremely tired.  I also a huge craving for anything sweet.  I wanted so badly to have diet coke, any kind of chocolate and honestly I would have had a spoon full of sugar.  It is hard to believe that I am already learning a few things on this cleanse.  Here is the list below...

1.  I have a giant sweet tooth! I knew I loved sweets but I didn't know how much I loved them till I couldn't have them.  I honestly feel bad for the people around me because I am sure I will get grumpy about with this sweet tooth not getting what it needs.  The sound of a giant candy bar sounds like complete heaven.  I pray that this cleanse will teach me that I don't need the sweets to feel satisfied.

2.  I am such a picky eater but getting out of my normal food box feels great.  I know that at the end of this I will feel differently about food. Trying something new is so hard for me specially when it comes to foods.  Yesterday, I had kale for the first time.  It was actually really good!

3.  My body really does need the rest.  I normally get 7-8 hours of sleep a night.  Since I started the cleanse I been sleeping 9-10 hours.  I don't feel sluggish when I wake up in the morning. 

Day 3

Breakfast-2 eggs, 2 slices of toast and steamed spinach
Lunch-Lentils salad and a huge salad full of cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots and sunflower seeds.  Homemade dressing as well
Dinner-Rice, Bean and corn taco with guacamole, salsa and streamed kale

I am extremely worried about the weekend. How do I handle going out to dinner with friends or being around foods that I want so badly?  This is when I have to dig deep and realize that this cleanse will not kill me.  I only have 19 more days to go... I got this :)

Ultimate Reset Day One

The Ultimate Reset is just what my body needs.  After a solid year and a half of intense training my muscles and mind need a break.  What is the Ultimate Reset? It is a 21 day program that helps restore your body and clean out all the junk that has accumulates in you over time.  The junk can be food, pollution we breath and even the negative energy that we hold onto.

The program comes with a complete guide on what foods to eat (recipes included) and 6 different supplements that you take during the whole process.  No exercise is allowed but light walking and some yoga.  No caffeine, no drinking and a hell of a lot of sleep.

Day One:
Breakfast-2 eggs, 2 slices of toast and spinach
Lunch-Chicken, red potatoes and asparagus
Dinner-Rice, Bean and Corn taco with kale, salsa and guacamole

Snack-Vegan Chocolate Shakeology (not on the plan but I decided it wouldn't kill me)

Pictures from pinterest...

Source: hatchedit.com via Jeanna on Pinterest

Source: hatchedit.com via Kik and Meg on Pinterest 

Source: bodywizefitnessandnutrition.com via Kareena on Pinterest

I normally eat healthy and don't drink a lot of caffeine...so day one wasn't as hard on me as it is for others. A lot of people report headaches and feel fatigue within the first few hours of starting the reset.  For me I felt a little tired and could actually feel some sort of cleanse happening.  I have to say I felt great after day one!

It took me a long time to finally make the decision to do this reset.  One thing I was completely worried about was the food.  I am extremely picky when it comes to foods.  Just looking at the menu put a dark cloud over me wanting to do it.  After talking to Corinne and others who have done the reset I decided to give it a try.  I am following the menus but but every single recipe.  I basically am finding a few meals during each week that I know I will like and throwing out the others I know I would hate. 

Here's a super quick glimpse at each week of the reset... WEEK 1 - Reclaim. This week you are reclaiming your health. Dairy and Animal protein is removed slowly week one.  WEEK 2 - Release. This will be the detox week.  This week will also be moving into vegetarian only meals. WEEK 3 - Restore. Eating will be vegan.

I know many of you are thinking... Gosh you are so healthy why do it? Well for me the reset is not about losing weight.  Of course, I will be super happy to lose weight but that isn't my focus.  My focus to learn to challenge my taste buds and to give my body the break it deserves.  I have read that many people deal with some crazy emotions during the cleanse.  I know I been holding onto some demons...so hopefully this will be the thing to release them out of my life.

I will be blogging about my journey...and I might throw in some video's! 

Do you think your body needs a reset?

Post race depression

Source: peanutscomics.tumblr.com via Vasiliki on Pinterest

I have been faithful to my training program since June.  I logged hundreds of miles and devoted many hours.  I crossed the finish line, with a fist pump and a huge smile on my face.  Triumph, success, achievement... I felt on top of the world but yesterday I felt really down.  How can I go from feeling amazing to feeling like I have a dark cloud over my head?

The feeling of "being down" is common for most endurance athletics after their events.  It maybe caused by exhaustion or the foods that I ate after the race.  I truly believe it is my body and mind saying now what do we do? It kind of feels like I have to leave such a huge part of my life behind...like part of me died when I crossed the finish line.  After all I did spend at least 5-10 hours a week on the road running....what do I do with all that time now?

I am forced to recover and focus my energy on other areas of my life.  Which means that my normal daily dose of endorphins will no longer jump start my day.  I know I am a type A personality. People with type A personalities tend to be goal oriented, driven, competitive, time concious, and feel a need to be an over-achiever.  Many people complete this major life goal, and after basking in its glory for a couple days, they feel the need to find another challenging goal to test themselves again — to find more validation.

I think maybe this is why I am feeling so blue and down.  I have no real challenge coming up in the next few months.  I do have a half marathon but I am pacing a friend which means that the challenge is just not there for me.  It is super hard to go back to normal life and leave behind my race life.  But I know my body needs time off to recover and get ready for my next adventure (whatever that might be). 

Post race depression is real...I feel it every single time after I accomplish something amazing.  This race is no different and I can honestly say that I feel more blue this time round.  I hope that in the next couple of days I can find something to hold onto that will bring my spirits back up.  With three solid weeks of working out that is going to be hard to do.  So what out friends I am sure it will be a while before I get my spark back.... Blah.

I DID IT!

I will sit down later this week to write a blog about my awesome Goofy experience.  I feel like I am on top of the world.  It is hard to leave a place where dreams come true and possibilities seem endless.  Don't worry I did bring some pixie dust and a little bit of Mickey magic home with me.  What I realized this weekend is that I can do anything!!! As long as I have cheerleaders (all of you) and have faith in myself! Running 39.3 is extremely Goofy and exhausting but it is now my favorite memory of all times. 

So what does one do after a HUGE race like this? Recover and Rest.  I am taking a solid 3 weeks of running and all weight lifting.  I am allowing myself to walk 40 minutes a day and planning on taking some Yoga classes.  I will also be challenging my taste buds with the Beachbody Ultimate Reset diet.  What is the Ultimate Reset? Follow my blog for the next three weeks to find out!

Be on the look out for my Goofy Blog!

Until then...
Thanks for every single one of you that cheered me on and encouraged me.  I know so many people say I am an inspiration but all of you inspire me to keep chasing my dreams!

Before the big day

As I sit in the Columbus airport I realize that my dream is coming a reality. I look around and see some familiar faces....runners! We all look alike in a way! Wearing our favorite race gear, tennis shoes on and all drinking bottles of water. We smile at each other with delight as we realize all our hard work, sweat and tears are for this very moment..race weekend. 

You will never understand this moment if you never raced... Well maybe that isn't totally the truth.  I am sure this moment happens for brides on their wedding day or for an event that you put your heart and soul in....I would have to think that is feels close to the same way runners feel. 

The jitters are kicking in and you look back on all those months in panic....did You do everything right? Did You put in the correct time and work in all the training/planning?  One will only  know if the plan worked when they cross that finish line, leave the wedding and have that award they hoped would come from the event. 

This moment is really why I love racing so much. It all comes together like the final chapter in a story  book. Still unsure about the ending but so close that you feel you might know the final line in the chapter....that she finished with a smile and lived happily ever after with sore muscles but a heart full of complete joy. 

I been told by several friends that I should really slow down and let my body rest.  That if I keep this pace up I will either get injured or that I will burn myself out. A friend told me that he feels that I will fall out of love for this passion that has literally become who I am. Maybe he is right, maybe they are all right?

Maybe I do need to slow down and work on other areas of my life I keep pushing aside. I just don't know how to hang up the one thing in my life I feel I have complete control over.  The past two years I been living for these race weekend moments....it's the one thing that brings me complete joy and happiness in my life. 

So this weekend is not just going to be the best moment of my life but it will be a time for me to discover what am I really running from in my life. Why do I always need to look for the next race, when I haven't even reached the finish line in this race? I hope to figured this out and can come to peace with whatever I am running from or even if I am running from something at all?

As I sit on the plane and wait to land. I eye the other runners wondering if they too are running from something in their lives or are they like me endurance junkies who need moments like this to feel complete? 

What I do know is that the runners surrounding me all want the same ending in their book. They all want to have a picture of a happy healthy finisher, they all want those medals and they all want their own happily ever after ending. 

I am positive that this will not be the end of my series of race books.  I have  so much more I want to do, so much more I want to discover and mostly I just want more moments like this....when I feel that I can do anything and that every mission I set out to do is possible!  These moments make me believe that I have complete control of who I want to be....and that simply is to be amazing! 

Wordless Wednesday #3

 

Source: flickr.com via Emily on Pinterest

Scoopable Chinese Chicken Salad

Source: valsfavoriterecipes.blogspot.com via Suzanne on Pinterest

Can you say YUMMY!!!! I am not a big fan of chinese food but I love Broccoli Slaw mix!!!!! So I figured that I might like this.  Let me tell you it is SOOOOO Good!!! It healthy, delicious and super easy to make! I got the recipe from Hunger Girls 200 under 200!

Scoopable Chinese Chicken Salad
1 16 oz. pkg. dry broccoli slaw mix
12 oz. cooked skinless lean chicken breast, chopped
1 c. canned water chestnuts, drained and sliced into thin strips
1 can canned mandarin orange segments packed in water, drained and chopped
1 c. chopped scallions
3/4 c. low fat Sesame Ginger Dressing (Newman's Own)
In a large bowl, toss all ingredients together until well mixed. 

 Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Stir well before serving. Makes 5 servings. 

Makes 5 Servings

Per Serving: (1 1/2 cups) 195 calories, 2.75g fat, 21g carbs, 4.5g fiber, 22.5g protein

I plan on having more veggies with this to complete the meal! 

ENJOY 

Building a Healthy Relationship with Food...

Do you have a healthy relationship with food or a relationship that makes you feel quality?  I been trying for years to have a healthier relationship with food but IT IS SO HARD! I can control my choices in my own home but when I step one foot out of my house my healthy relationship with food turns into an ugly one.

Food addict? Maybe.  I think having an addiction to food is probably the hardest thing to admit and definitely the hardest addiction to beat.  Think about it! If you are addicted to alcohol, gambling, drugs...etc you can remove yourself from the addiction by not partaking in it or participating in that activity.  You can't do that with food.  You have the addiction in front of you every single day....tempting you to over indulge once again. 

So how does one overcome this addiction? You HAVE to start to build a healthier relationship with food.  Our relationship with food is very important. We either ‘live to eat’ or ‘eat to live’ and within those two statements there are infinite ways to make music that will either heal us or send us to an early grave losing limbs along the way.

Why on earth would we eat something that gives us joy for one split second and then makes us feel miserable because we ate it hours later. This regardless of who enticed us to eat it. It sounds like a form of addiction and deservedly so.

I have decided to take my control of my food addiction! I eat to live now...of course there are moments when I fall hard into a mountain of french fries or a giant bowl of ice cream.  I don't have regret after those moments anymore because I have complete control to move forward.

I am excited to start a new food journey.  I will be taking part of the Ultimate Reset when I return back from my Goofy race.  I will be testing my taste buds sort of speak.  In these three weeks I will be eating foods that I normally shove away.  I don't even know what a beet, pine nutes or tempeh taste like....I haven't heard of or even seen some of the items that I have to buy at the grocery....BUT I know this reset will be good for someone who is continuing to build a stronger relationship with food. 

I will be blogging my journey along the way!

Are you a food addict or need to build a better relationship with food? Maybe the Ultimate Reset is just for you!

Wordless Wednesday #2

Source: Uploaded by user via Amy on Pinterest