Putting Up a Fight…And Winning!

October 17, 2014 by writeitdownjess

Well, so far.

A few weeks ago I blogged about how I was going on a diet. And the next day I went on said diet. And that same day I asked myself, “Self? Why did you go on this diet?” The day after that I seriously pondered the link between lack of carbs and homicide. But I kept going. And going. And going on phase 1 of the South Beach diet, which lets you have yummy things like lean protein and veggies and dairy (THANK GOD) and nuts and beans and blah blah blah no carbs blah no sugar blah blah what the hell am I going to eat blah blah etcetera.

At any rate, I kept chugging along. And what do you know?

It’s working! I’m down 6 pounds. I’ve actually been down 6 pounds for a couple weeks and have basically plateaued, but you know what? That’s okay, because I’ve lost 6 POUNDS!

Other interesting things to note: when I sneak a bite of something that’s not-so-healthy, I immediately feel it. As in, “wow that was good in my mouth but no me gusta in my stomach.” It seems that my body likes the good stuff I’m feeding it, and now that I’m feeding it 90% good stuff, the bad stuff sticks out even more. I’m surprised by this revelation because I felt like I was always going to have to battle against wanting to eat the crapola foods.

Of course, I say this having just snuck a piece of brownie. But I snuck JUST a piece. That was enough, and yeah, my body’s kind of eh about it. But my mouth? Looooved it.

The best part of all of this is that I’m starting to feel good about my body again. The second best part of all of this is that my co-workers are telling me how great I look. I’m still the same size I was before. I don’t think my body looks insanely different. But my clothes fit better and I’m definitely slimmer and the scale and I are really starting to mend our relationship.

So there it is, people. I’m winning the fight so far. You were all so lovely with your words of commiseration and encouragement that I had to update you.

And, may I submit into evidence this before (left) and after (right)? Both taken in work restrooms, I’m sorry to say. I wish I had a more beautiful backdrop but alas.

I’m going to keep at it and fight the good fight. If any of you out there are dealing with the same thing (and I know you are!) I hope this encourages YOU, since you were all so wonderful about encouraging me.

Throwaways: the good, the bad and the really ugly

October 15, 2014 by vfreile

I have a stash of old sweatshirts and hats in the corner of our guest room.

Of course, they’ll go to charity. But first, they get one last use – as early morning road race throwaways!

It’s overflowing

Since the days are growing colder, and I’ve started to actually wear long sleeves while running on crisp mornings (gasp!) so I thought I’d share some tips on throwaways – including a how-to manual to create my infamous tube sock mittens!

Throwaways:

Most race organizers have volunteers collect discarded clothing at the starting line and along the course. Those items are then donated to charity. I love this. It’s such a smart form of recycling and giving an item a second – and third – life.

Typically, I scavenge my house looking for clothing (read: warm outerwear) I don’t mind parting with. I typically don old sweatshirts, long-sleeved shirts and knit caps.

If I forget or can’t find what I am looking for, I head to the Dollar Store or a second-hand store to find what I need. I even found a $5 fleece at Target in a pinch.

A Mylar blanket – the kind you receive at the finish of most large races – or a garbage bag – with a hole for your head – will also do the trick.

Me and my many layers before the Philadelphia Marathon in 2010.

For my first marathon, I was overdressed with throwaways. Sweatshirt, sweatpants, mittens and knit cap. I had it all. I also tossed it all before I started running. That taught me that its sometimes smart to hold onto mittens and hats until I warm up, typically a mile or two into my race.

The chicks and friends in a few throwaway tops before a 2014 race in D.C. Note how Meri dons a fancy shrug. (yeah, its really a ripped Lululemon shirt)

The key is to wear something that will A.) keep you warm and B.) you don’t mind discarding.

I struggle with this. I want everything to have a second life. And I hold onto some clothing for far too long. What’s that? You want an example? Well, ok.

See these duds? They are hideous and I couldn’t part with the 17-year-old fleece for about 15 years too many. That and my hubby’s torn-on-the-behind sweatpants have me looking voluminous pre-NYC Marathon in 2013. But hey, Christy Turlington Burns complimented them as we waited to start the race.

Brooke is fantastic about tossing unwanted or damaged clothes. We’ve traded throwaway layers at more than one race.

Before the 2012 Princess Half Marathon, Brooke tossed these layers.

Sometimes, I really don’t want to part with an item.

In March, I passed on a favorite pair of warm up pants I’d had for years. They were ratty, but fit over my sneakers so became my go-to pants for regattas and road races.

I memorialized these pants before I discarded them before a race in March.

Good bye, old friend.

The key with throwaway pants is the ability to take them off in a rush – without having to untie your shoes.

Most warmup pants don’t fit over my sneakers, so I make them fit. I take a pair of scissors and cut up the seam of the pants, starting at the ankle. I make the opening large enough for my show to fit through. (If you look closely at the first pic in this post, you can see my handiwork)

And yes, this is why a supermodel/runner told me I was brilliant before we both ran NYC last fall.

How to make your own tube sock mittens:

It’s easy. Place tube socks over your hands and push your thumb through the heel area of the sock.

So simple, so stylish

If you’re like me, your socks are well worn and might even already have a hole in your heel.

If you don’t wear your socks to threads, you can opt to use scissors.

Presto change-o! Done! Tube sock mittens.

Tube sock mittens paired with an old sweatshirt. These mittens lived to see another race day.

Now that you’ve seen my hideous throwaways, I want to hear what YOU do! Share pics of you in your discard layers with us on social media! – We’re ScootaDoot on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook!

Product Review: MyOatmeal.com

October 14, 2014 by bec2point0

Every once in a while, we talk about our enjoyment of oatmeal. There may have been posts dedicated to oatmeal before.

Fine, we’re obsessed. You caught us. If you think we talk about oatmeal a lot on here, you should see the number of times oatmeal comes up in email between Mer and I.

But, when I first happened upon myoatmeal.com, I skipped email and went straight to text! And there was some back and forth flailing.

Because custom oatmeal? Where do I sign up for that??? On the My Oatmeal website, of course! (I’m not even kidding. You can literally sign up for the Oatmeal of the Month Club, and along with sending you a bag of handmade oatmeal each month, they will donate a bag of oatmeal to a hungry child in the US for each subscription purchased).

So, when I got the chance to do a review for myoatmeal.com, I was beyond excited. To say it took me a while to decide is a vast understatement. I just wanted to make sure it was the PERFECT blend. And there is a lot to choose from! Thankfully, the website is super easy and has lots of information on the ingredients.

Custom Built Oatmeal? Best ever.

First, you decide on your size (1, 2.5 or 4 pounds) and pick your oats. Rolled oats, Steel Cut, Instant… they’re all there, just pick your favorite. Then you add your flavors, which are 100% Natural, Vegan, Gluten-Free and Non GMO. Also, they’re FUN! And then, you’ve get to decide if you want to do add-ins (you really do, I swear). Fruits, nuts, protein, sweetener. There are practically limitless options to make your custom oatmeal exactly what you want it to be.

And then? The most fun part of all? You get to name your oatmeal! (I accept that this might not be the most fun part for everyone, but I got totally dorky with this part. You’ll see below.) I’ve seen some pretty cute things people have done here, including on person who named theirs ‘Don’t Touch This Bag’. I feel you, friend.

If you can’t figure out what you would want in your oatmeal (hardest choice ever), they also have some Seasonal and Popular blends already picked out for you. And, they have a Mystery Blend option if you think “I don’t care what’s in it, just send me some oats!”

Myoatmeal.com also sells PBLean, which is dehydrated Peanut Butter powder. You can reconstitute it with water for a Peanut Butter with 85% less fat, mix it with any liquid, throw it in smoothies, use it in baking, etc. And it’s just as customizable as the oatmeal!

But if you’re watching what you eat, which I always am, one of the coolest parts was the nutrition calculator. It sits on the side of the screen and updates as you add customization. So the whole time you’re making your oatmeal, you can keep an eye on the nutritional impact and make sure it fits your points/calories/carbs/macros/whatever.

All in all, it’s a pretty rocking process. But let’s get down to brass tacks. How does it taste??? I’ll break down each of the products I tried for you.

Mystery Blend Oatmeal

I decided to try out a bag of the Mystery Blend. Sometimes, I don’t have to have complete control! This was one fine bowl of oats, I tell you. It had fruits and nuts and spice. YUM. That said, this is not what I was expecting. When it said Mystery Blend, I thought that the mystery would be solved upon arrival. Essentially, I thought that when I got the bag, it would tell me what was in it, so that if I wanted to, I could order again. No such luck. I’m not sure if Mystery Blend is always the same, or if it changes every time you order. Either way, it was delicious and at only 6.99 for a 1 pound bag, it was a very cost-effective option.

Bananas Foster the People

See? I told you I was a dork. But, once I went with banana bread and dark caramel flavor, the name just hit me! For my custom blend, I added the following: Smash Blend Oats, Banana Bread and Dark Caramel Flavor, Banana Chips, Ground Flax Seed, Quinoa Flakes and Brown Cane Sugar Granules. This was SO good. On the sweet side, which I like. The smash blend oats, which have some added barley, rye and red wheat, were nice and chewy. I hate mushy oats, so this was good. I could definitely taste the banana and caramel flavors. The only thing I would change would be the banana chips. They stayed a little too hard, and didn’t add much in the way of flavor. Next time, I think I’d throw in some pecans instead.

Bananas Foster the People Oatmeal with Fresh Bananas and Caramel Bits

Sticky Toffee Pudding Butter

PBLean is not my first rodeo with powdered peanut butter. I’ve had products like this before, and I’ve always enjoyed them. But this was the first time I could customize it! I went with Light Roasted Peanuts, Dark Caramel and English Toffee flavors, and Brown Cane Sugar Granules. This was complete and told win. I made a smoothie with vanilla protein powder, milk, ice and PBLean. Dude. So good. And below, I reconstituted it with water and thinned it more than I normally would to make Caramel Toffee Peanut Butter syrup to go with Double Chocolate Waffle Sticks. Insanely good.

Sticky Toffee Pudding Butter ‘syrup’ with Double Chocolate Waffle Sticks

All in all, I’m a huge fan of this company and their products. They were incredibly nice to deal with, and they’re selling an awesome, healthy product line. I will totally be making myself some more. If you think this all sounds like the most fun ever, or even if you just want some PDT (Pretty Darn Tasty) oatmeal, you can use coupon code Scoot15 to get 15% off of your order. Do it! No pressure. Seriously, though. You won’t be sorry. And then you should come tell me what you picked and we can talk even more endlessly about oatmeal!

Win/win.

*The products I tried were provided by myoatmeal.com in exchange for an honest review.

Tales of the Wild Sisterhood

October 13, 2014 by camoozle

I’ve always considered myself a natural kind of girl. So when one of my bestest friends, Kinsie, mentioned she was going to be barefoot dancing in the mountains of North Carolina, I jumped on the bandwagon. We participated in the Wild Woman Sisterhood’s Wild Feminine retreat. The Wild Woman Sisterhood focuses on reconnecting with Mother Earth and getting in touch with the inner wild feminine inside. They began in the Netherlands as a response to the conflict so many females find with other females. I’ll admit it. I’ve said it before: “Oh, I just don’t connect with other girls.” But after high school, I had the opportunity to travel the state of California for a girl’s service organization with a group of amazing young women. And I connected with them. For the last 15 years, I’ve shared many unforgettable experiences with these three ladies.

We recently celebrated 15 years of friendship with matching tattoos.

The Wild Feminine retreat wasn’t what I expected. It was so much more. Three whole days of self-introspection. Three days of group therapy. Three days of getting in touch with emotions I stifle and brush aside in order to get through my daily routines. Three days of dancing and meditating and singing. It was exhausting. And like any detox, the hardest part is entering back into the real world.

wild sisterhood collage The whole time I was there, I felt light, that weightlessness that comes with emotional release. It rained the first night we were there and living in California, this was glorious. I felt connected with nature. I felt strong and powerful in my femininity, dancing in flowy skirts with scarves and anklets made of bells will do that to you. I felt quiet and still. Reality is a culture shock. And I’m still adjusting, slowly incorporating all the things I learned into the chaos so that there’s balance. Don’t get me wrong, I love the chaos. But the quiet is nice too.

Pumpkin Yogurt Throwdown

October 10, 2014 by bec2point0

Can we talk about pumpkin? Can we talk a lot about pumpkin?

I have a serious crush on pumpkin this year. And because the universe is kind/cruel, it seems I am not alone and the product gods are blessing all of us pumpkin lovers with an abundance of items.

Ahem. Anyone want to stage a Pumpkintervention? (Please don’t, I’m happy in my obsession).

While many of the pumpkin-y items aren’t all that healthy or Weight Watchers friendly, there is one standout that I saw a lot of this year.

Pumpkin yogurt. And boy, is there plenty of it to go around.

In the interest of scientific research, I decided to do a little compare and contrast of all the different pumpkin yogurts I could get my hands on. Really, I did this for you, fair readers. #denial

Over the past week or so, I’ve been taste testing one of these beauties every day, and keeping a handy dandy spreadsheet for notes on taste, nutrition, cost and availability.

So, without further ado, I give you my findings, in really gross to OMG order.

Yo Crunch Pumpkin Pie with Pie Crust Topping

This came in dead last in both taste and nutrition. This was too sweet and very artificial tasting. It also didn’t really taste like pumpkin. As one of the only two regular (non Greek/Australian/Icelandic) yogurts, it was also too thin. Ingredients wise, this wasn’t a winner either, with a lot of additives and preservatives. The only thing this had going for it was price (about .55 per 4 ounce cup/ 2.29 for a four pack). But with an ingredients list that reads like stereo instructions and a horrible protein to carbs ratio (3 grams to 25 grams), coupled with a terrible taste, you could give this away and I wouldn’t eat it. Not even with a little cup of pie crust sprinkles on top.

365 Organics Pumpkin Spice

This was almost a tie for last, but it wasn’t quite as artificial tasting. This was the other ‘regular’ yogurt, and again, I found it too thin. I think that is likely due to the fact that I’ve just gotten used to thicker, Greek-style yogurt over the last few years, so now regular yogurt seems watery. This didn’t seem to have much pumpkin or spice flavor. This is organic, but that doesn’t always mean healthy or good for you. This was another fairly low protein/high carb item (7 grams/25 grams). 365 Organics is a Whole Foods brand, so you won’t find this anywhere else, and this was around 1.00 for 6 ounces.

Trader Joe’s Greek Nonfat Pumpkin

Mehhh 🙁

I love Trader Joe’s almost as much as I love pumpkin. Maybe I love it more? It’s close, at any rate. Sadly, I did not love this yogurt. I wanted to. Other people had been raving about it, so I went in with high expectations. I found this to be nice and thick, but it had a sour taste to it (even for yogurt), and was more spice than pumpkin. This one did have a decent ingredients list, with the exception of corn starch, and the protein is much higher (18g) but the carbs are on the high side (29g) for something not very sweet. Only carried at TJ’s (obviously), and 1.09 for 6 ounces, this one just wasn’t a winner for me.

Oikos Pumpkin Pie

Yumkin Pie, more like it.

If taste were the only consideration, this might have won. It was really delicious. On the sweet side, but not too sweet, with the perfect amount of spice, I wanted there to be more days that included this item. Ultimately, this one wound up in the middle of the list due to ingredients (can we please not put corn starch in my yogurt??) and mid range nutrition (11 grams protein/20 grams carbs – I like a little more protein and a little less carbs from my yogurt). This was reasonably priced, 1.19 for 5.3 ounces, and is available at major chain grocery stores.

Chobani Pumpkin Spice

Topped with TJ’s This Pumpkin Walks Into a Bar. See TJ’s, I still love you!

Now we’re getting to the good stuff. I loved this! It was creamy, had good pumpkin flavor, was spicy and sweet, without being too much of either. This also has a good ingredients list, mostly clean, and no corn starch! With a 14 g protein/13 g carbs ratio, this is the first item on the list with more protein than carbs. This is also probably the most readily available, as I’ve seen it at grocery stores, Target, etc. And the price was average, 1.19 for 5.3 ounces. For me, this will totally be in regular rotation.

Noosa Pumpkin

The cheesecake of pumpkin yogurts.

Okay, have you tried Noosa? If you haven’t, I highly recommend it. Unless you shop at my Target, in which case, don’t go there. It’s all mine. Noosa is Australian style, which seems similar to Greek, but a bit less tart. It is incredibly creamy. Made in Colorado, this product is made with milk from a local dairy, and local honey. Awesome. And the ingredients list doesn’t suck at all. Nothing unpronounceable, except the yogurt cultures. But, let’s talk taste. The pumpkin Noosa is incredible. More than any of the others, this tasted like PUMPKIN. It was lighter on the ‘spice’ element, which totally let the pumpkin through. It had decent protein (14 grams), but high carbs (30 grams). This one had by far the highest calories, and was the highest price (2.39) but also the biggest portion size (8 ounces). The container is almost too big to eat at once, and it has an almost dessert-y taste. My advice? If you’re eating this for breakfast or a snack, have half a container. And then you get some for later! Noosa is starting to be more widely available, but the pumpkin flavor is a Target exclusive.

Siggi’s Pumpkin Spice

Hello, new favorite yogurt!

Top spot. Or bottom, since we went from worst to best. Guys, this one won it for a lot of reasons. I had never had Siggi’s before this, so this Icelandic (again, similar to Greek) yogurt was brand new to me. And wow, am I glad I found it. This was incredible. Very creamy, not too sweet (bordering on tart, but not quite), it had the perfect (for me) pumpkin and spice ratio. Also, this was one of the only two that had more protein than carbs (14g/13g). But the ingredients list! Short, clean, natural. The pumpkin flavor I could only find at Whole Foods, and at 1.99 for 5.3 ounces, this was the highest price per ounce. But you totally get what you pay for and this worth every penny.

So, that’s the skinny on all yogurts pumpkin. I hope this is helpful in your search! Have you guys tried any of these? Like ‘em? Hate ‘em? Know of another pumpkin yogurt that I missed (don’t even say the Yoplait, I looked for that everywhere!)? Tell me all about your love of yogurt, or pumpkin, or pumpkin yogurt below!

Wineglass Half Marathon & tube sock mittens

October 8, 2014 by vfreile

I’ve wanted to run the Wineglass Half Marathon in upstate New York since it was launched back in 2011.

Wine, a (mostly) downhill race course and a glass medal.

That’s a no-brainer.

But it never really fit into my fall training schedule – until now. It was well worth the wait.

I ran the 13.1 mile course from Campbell to Corning morning with much of my running group –Traci, Gary, Ray, Mark and Andy.

Most of us decided to skip the two-day expo in at the Corning Museum of Glass and instead, wake up insanely early to hit the road from Rochester well before dawn. I loved that race organizers allowed us to collect our bibs at the start line and our goody bags at the museum after the race.

It was still dark when we drove the 90+ minutes south, dropping Mark at the highway’s Bath exit so he could log an extra 5.5 miles before the race. We parked near the finish line in Corning and, after a waiting in a lengthy line of shivering runners, hopped a bus to the start area in Campbell.

This was the first year runners were required to travel by bus to the starting lines – previously, runners were allowed to park near the start and return post-race. We were among the last to reach the starting area, but race organizers waited until everyone arrived before kicking off the race, even though it meant starting our run about 15 minutes late.

Posing with my homemade mittens on the bus. I felt brilliant for coming up with this one. No worries on tossing these “gloves.”

And Sunday was chilly – just 33 degrees before we started running, so the extra throwaway layers we brought along were vital. And me? I decided to take it one step further with my lovely tube sock mittens. I created thumbholes and kept my frigid fingers toasty for much of the run.

In the mass of 3,000 half-marathoners milling at the start, Mark and I somehow spotted each other near the 2-hour pacers. The race began moments later as we chatted race strategy.

We were off.

The first few miles were crowded and hard to get a good pace going – but rather than weave around other runners, we hung back and waited for it to clear, then we bolted. Side by side, Mark and I settled into our race pace and decided to just run how we felt. We’d aim for sub 9s for as long as we felt strong. If we hit a wall, we’d slow down.

Time really didn’t matter to us. We were just there to run.

As our feet slapped the pavement, we both felt fantastic. We chatted as we ran, high-fived most children we encountered, thanked numerous volunteers and police officers and cheered for other runners. We even pointed out different picturesque spots along the course, many with colorful fall foliage over waterways.

Sometimes everything comes together on race day. Sunday was one of those days.

Around mile 11, Mark noted that we were on pace for 1:57ish finish (which is my PR) and I decided to pick up my pace to try for an even better time.

We spotted a running friend in the last mile and Mark encouraged me to sprint to the end as he ran in with our friend. I did. I pushed. I pushed hard.

I sprinted that last 1/4 mile, gritting my teeth as I crossed the finish on my unsteady legs.

DONE! I appear surprised to see a camera at the finish. HA! And I still have the mitten-socks on.

Success! I finished in 1:56.37, a new Personal Record by nearly a minute. But better than that, was running with friends, who were all pleased with how they fared. Traci also ran her fastest half-marathon time. Way to go, lady!

Celebrating our finish. From left, Mark, Traci, me, Ray and Gary

After the run, we each received a coveted glass medal. And we were treated to post-race goodies, including my fave chocolate milk and Wegmans chicken noodle soup.

Post-race we also had the chance to take a nice warm shower at the Corning YMCA (I did, ah!) before we collected our goody bags from the still-running expo. I was initially worried that I wouldn’t get the correct shirt size by waiting until after the run to collect my items. Not an issue.

Highlights in the bag included the race shirt, (Asics! Women’s cut! Long-sleeved! Huzzah!) a small bottle of bubbly and a wine glass. (Note, I meant to take a pic of this and got distracted. I’ll share one later.)

And if you want to read more about how others fared at Wineglass, here’s my work blog on Sunday’s race.

Have you ever run a race after skipping the expo? What’s the coldest temp at a start line that you’ve faced? How did you cope? Tell me in the comments

Biggest Loser RunWalk NJ – Giveaway

October 6, 2014 by Meridith

Fall is upon us and that means FALL RACING. Fall racing is, in my non-expert opinion, the best racing. Or, at the very least, the most comfortable racing! I’ve got the AC 10k/half and Philly, and I was looking for at least one more race to fill in the fall race schedule.

So, let me ‘fess up that there’s a race series I’ve been stalking since it first came into existence a few years ago.

For those of you who don’t follow my every move (basically everyone other than my mom – HI MOM!), I started my “running career” in 2011. After having my second kiddo it really kicked my fitness into a gear I hadn’t seen in many, many years.

2006to2013

I’ve said it before but it bears repeating, I don’t always particularly like running. I’ll be the first to admit that the benefits far outweigh the fact that I’m not always thrilled to be training.

However, I do love race day; I love the camaraderie with other like-minded individuals who will drag themselves out of bed before the sun and get out there to push, push, push themselves. I think what speaks to me most is that while we are all at different levels and all at different parts of our journeys… every person out there is putting themselves first and bettering themselves.

As I mentioned earlier, I’ve been (not so) patiently waiting for this race series to come my way. Last year there was an event in Erie, PA but that’s still a good seven hour drive from my house which isn’t exactly a hop, skip, and a jump away!

This year, the Biggest Loser RunWalk is coming to the Garden State! They’ve teamed up with Six Flags theme parks and will be at Great Adventure on November 2nd. Huzzah!

As soon as I heard the news, I contacted them. Well, wait, no… first I did a happy dance around the living room. Then I reached out to them and as fast as you can say “Bob’s your uncle” (wouldn’t that be the coolest? I love Bob!), I’m doing the 10k! Hello, favorite race distance!

What’s more is that my 9-year-old, Pooks, and I are avid watchers of the Biggest Loser and I was really excited to see that there’s a Kids Fun Run. Pooks will be doing the mile run; he can’t wait another kids race (and get a finishers medal)! He has also requested that he has a starring role on the blog. No one can deny he’s my son.

The metaphoric cherry on top of the sundae (of course it’s a metaphor – this is the Biggest Loser we are talking about here, there are no sundaes to be had) is that some of my all time favorite Biggest Loser contestants will be there: Dan and Jackie, Pam, Jay, and Jenn! No doubt, I’m going to be on total overload on November 2nd.

I know my Jersey area folks all love a good time and would love to join my family for an awesome experience! Am I right? I’m so right.

The Biggest Loser RunWalk is a non-intimidating race series designed to challenge America to get fit. You’ve been inspired by the hit reality show “The Biggest Loser,” now it’s time to get off the couch and hit the pavement and achieve your fitness goals. This race series will include a challenge for everyone. – The Biggest Loser RunWalk website

There is seriously something for EVERYONE, so no excuses!

Click the pic to enter!

This giveaway is for one entry to the Biggest Loser RunWalk NJ – winner’s choice of distance. You are responsible for getting to and from the event. Winner will be notified via email and on our Facebook page.

The Biggest Loser Run Walk Race Series has compensated entry for both my son and myself, as well as the giveaway. All opinions are my own.

Did Good, Feeling Really Good: Alex’s Million Mile Wrap-Up

October 3, 2014 by beewhobabbles

What a month! We walked, we ran, we rode. We made lemon food and wore yellow clothes. We talked about it here, there and everywhere. All with one goal- to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer and Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.

This has become my favorite time of year for our little corner of the internet. Running for a cause, and seeing the momentum build among our community of friends is nothing short of amazing. Watching our miles and donations climb every day, exchanging shouty-caps texts with Mer because we’re so excited about our team’s successes, seeing that my own local friends have joined our team or donated, reading Megan’s almost daily Facebook posts just pushing for more donations (Megan really should go into professional fundraising because she’s a rockstar, and not at all pushy about it, either.) And of course, the running. I am actually running regularly again and it feels almost as good as my donation to ALSF did.

I just have to say it again- WHAT A MONTH!

First, I have to thank our team. Together, we logged 1,871.13 miles. We all deserve a refreshing glass of lemonade!

But that’s not all…

Together, we helped raise $2,070 for childhood cancer!

Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation has funded over 450 projects with the goal of curing pediatric cancer, so you know those funds are being used for something GOOD. I’m raising my glass to you, Team Scootadoot:

Thank you. Thank you, very much.

At the beginning of the month, we told you about a few rewards we had…

For the second year in a row, our top fundraiser is Megan! Her posts to Facebook and Instagram were funny, heartfelt, and obviously very effective. Megan, you’re the BEST! I’m sending you big hugs from Florida.

Our next award goes to Bonnie, for logging the most miles this month: 193.90! High fives to you, girl!

And finally, the winner of our random draw for our #onwednesdayswewearyellow campaign is Jenn! I like your style, Jenn!

Thank you, Megan, Bonnie, and Jenn! We’ll be in touch to get your prizes to you. We’re so grateful to have you on our team!

On a personal note, our #journey2amillion was exactly the push I needed to start running regularly again. And it only took two weeks of that for Meridith to convince me to run the Disney World Half Marathon with her in January. Looks like we’ll be having a lot of virtual runs over the next few months.

This is my last blog post for the foreseeable future. I love my Scootadoot chicks! When I say we all became friends within minutes of meeting, I really do mean it. But life is beautiful and crazy here, and I’m a girl who likes to volunteer for all the things, which leaves very little time for me to share my story on the internet. I’ll still be running and reading though (especially here!)- link your blog for me, please? I’ve enjoyed talking running with all of you, and I thank you for reading. Happy Friday, runner friends!

Getting Bec to Basics

October 1, 2014 by bec2point0

It all started with an Instagram post. 10 Day Back to Basics Challenge (#10dayB2B). Steph/@getting_2_goal over at Light Bites Done Right is one of my absolute favorite Instagramers. She posts beautiful pictures of real food, and talks about her weight loss journey. So when she posted the idea of a 10 day challenge, I was immediately intrigued.

The ‘what not to eat’ list was short, and looked simple enough.

No ‘white’ bread, pasta, potatoes, added sugar (white cane sugar)

No artificial sugars/sweeteners

No deep fried food, like chips, breaded and fried chicken or fish

No chocolate or candy

No cakes, cupcakes, cookies

No alcohol

Add in a couple of good, healthy ‘to do’ items.

Drink at least 64 ounces of plain water a day

Eat 5 servings of fruit and veggies a day

The idea was that people that wanted to would all do it together, for the same 10 days (9/22-10/1) and share pictures on Instagram using the hashtag above. (If you want to see all my food pics, of which there were MANY, you can check out my Instagram).

Having tried, and miserably failed, at Whole 30 earlier this year, this looked doable. It was only 10 days, after all, and this was far less restrictive. Grains were still fine, as long as they were whole grains. Sugars were not forbidden, just limited to less processed sugars like honey, real maple syrup and turbinado sugar. Dairy was still very much an option, which meant not trying to make ‘compliant’ coffee creamer out of strange ingredients. It also meant cheese was still an option, which meant less of me crying my eyes out. All good things.

I decided to do it. I found recipes that would work with the program, and made a shopping list full of healthy ingredients. With some sadness, I pushed the bevy of delicious, but highly processed, pumpkin flavored items I had recently purchased to the back of the cabinets. They’d still be there in 10 days.

Stocking up

From day one, I saw two similarities to Whole 30. I was going to do a lot of label reading, and I was going to spend a lot of time cooking my own food. That didn’t deter me. Whole 30 had already opened my eyes to just how many food items contain added sugar, and I really love cooking. So, I knew I’d be fine. This would help get me out of the cookie aisle and into my kitchen.

As I’m writing this, I am at the end of day 9. When I say that I have stuck to nothing for 9 days in a damn long while, I’m really not exaggerating. My Weight Watchers pattern has been pretty steady since rejoining in May; two or three days on, a week off, one day on, two weeks off, etc. And since May, I was down 3 pounds. Which hey, it’s down 3 pounds! Except no.

So, let’s be real. The main reason I embarked on this challenge was weight loss. I thought this could be the jump start that my floundering Weight Watchers efforts needed. A little push in the right direction. 10 days to give me a nice loss on the scale, and maybe get me out of the low points prepared food rut I’d been in.

It was so much more than that.

Physically, this challenge has been incredible for me. My taste buds are already adjusting to less sugar, and things the used to seem not nearly sweet enough taste fine, good even. I no longer feel like every night has to end with dessert. I pack plenty of food for work, so I’m not constantly hungry and searching for something. I’ve discovered how much more satisfied I am when I eat real, whole foods. Not full, satisfied. There is a difference. Not that I’m going hungry, I’m not. But being satisfied, for me, comes from things like having a smaller amount of full fat sour cream on my taco salad, instead of a lot of light sour cream. Label reading showed me that light sour cream is full of additives, things my body doesn’t need.

I have more energy, because I’m eating a balanced diet of good proteins and whole grains and plenty of fruits and veggies. I’m still tracking all my foods and counting my points, and this works well with Weight Watchers, especially considering the meeting last week was all about eating power foods. My skin looks better. I’m sleeping better. I feel better. I feel lighter. Oh, and as of my Weight Watchers meeting last night, I am lighter. By 8.8 pounds. (Booyah!)

But those things were probably pretty predictable. Physically, if you are eating less crap, you should feel less like crap. Not rocket science, right?

What I didn’t expect was the ways this would impact me mentally. I didn’t expect to feel so much more hopeful that I could actually lose this weight once and for all. I didn’t expect the feeling of being in control of my diet, and my body, for the first time in a long time. I wasn’t anticipating how much this would change my feelings about food, about what I put into my body, and the direct correlation that would have to how I feel about myself.

I’m proud of myself for sticking with this. On some level, I don’t think I believed I would be able to do it. But that’s part of what got me here, anyway. Not believing in me, and in the fact that I can do anything I put my mind to. But I did do it. I even got through a birthday celebration for my husband at a Chinese restaurant. I passed on cupcakes. I did that!

Credit where it’s due, there is definitely another factor in my changing attitude towards food, towards myself, and in my changing behaviors. I’ve been working with a nutritionist for the past couple of months, one that specializes in eating disorders. She’s really helped me to see how disordered some of my habits and patterns of behavior are. She’s helping me learn to look at things in a less black or white manner, helping me understand that there are grey areas, that overweight does not have to equal unhealthy, that small changes will make a difference over time. Had I not already been working with her, I don’t know that I would have been in a good enough mental place to do this challenge.

I’m glad I was.

Tomorrow is Day 10, and I’m going into it feeling strong, and not a bit nervous about what happens the next day. A few people have asked me if I’ll stick with those guidelines longer. I thought a lot about that, and the answer is… no. Not all of them, all the time, anyway. I mean, no alcohol forever? Not reality. No cake or cookies ever again? Nope. I would, and plan to, repeat the challenge again, probably a few times a year, as a means of making sure things stay in check. But permanent? No.

With the exception of artificial sweeteners, which I can vehemently say will never cross my lips again (my nutritionist will be so happy), I will integrate those foods back into my diet, in a much more occasional manner. Because this wasn’t supposed to be a forever thing, really.

It was about getting Bec back to basics. Mission accomplished.

Putting Up a Fight

September 29, 2014 by writeitdownjess

I like to do things the hard way. I would list all the things I do the hard way, but we would be here for a long time, and who wants that? Not me, and probably not you.

But lately – well, probably longer than lately – I have been struggling with my weight. Like a full out tug-of-war with the scale, with food, with my body. And I know I’m making it harder than it needs to be. I know that I am making it bigger than it needs to be, because in the grand scheme of things I need to lose 10 pounds. That’s it. It’s not a lot, and I still fit in all of my clothes, and I don’t think people I know think to themselves, wow, she’s really let herself go. If they do think that, I hope I never realize it.

My anaconda don't...want to be this big.

This is how I walk down the street. Just kidding. Kind of.

I’ve talked about this before here, so none of this will be news, but it’s something I’m continuing to grapple with and sometimes I just have to put it out in the universe so that I can make heads and tails of it. I am slim by nature, but having a baby wreaked havoc on my body. I think to some degree it’s still in trauma mode. Maybe some hormones are evening themselves out. Maybe my metabolism is just different.

Whatever the case, I can’t eat like I used to. I can’t step on the scale (which I do too, too many times per day), grimace at the number, and just cut back on my calories for a few days until things get back to normal. The struggle with the number on the scale is a much tougher one now and I resent that. I resent that I’m 145 pounds instead of 135. I resent that I catch my reflection as I pass by a mirror or a window and my gut reaction is ugh. I hate that 10 pounds is dictating how I view myself as a whole. But it is, and I either have to say “fuck it” (excuse my French, I am practicing for Paris in December) and be okay with this new body, or I have to fight against it.

I am going to be very honest and say that my choice right now is to fight against it.

I realize, on some rational level that is buried beneath all of my irrational, illogical, vain levels, that my body isn’t terrible. That I am not defined by how big my thighs or butt are, or what jiggles when I run. But I think that maybe I’m just not there yet. And for what it’s worth, my diet could absolutely be better, so it’s about both losing weight so I can be skinny again (there’s the vanity part of it) and about feeling good about what I’m feeding my body (healthy thoughts!). It’s 70% about being skinny and 30% about being healthy, but hey. We all have to start somewhere, right?

I’m starting South Beach phase 1 today because my mom recommended it and I am clueless when it comes to diets otherwise. Bye, carbs. I loved you. And sugar. You were cool, too.

Sometimes I like to use this blog as a bit of a diary so that I can see if anyone else feels some of the things I do. I am introverted by nature and can get so caught up in my hamster wheel of a brain that I lose track of what makes sense and what doesn’t. So I use you all, along with my trusty friends and husband (who is so sick of hearing about this that I can no longer talk to him about it), as my barometer for where I am on the scale of hey, that’s normal and Dude.

Anyone else struggling with some stubborn poundage? Do you have words of advice? Or woulds of encouragement? Healthy snack ideas or recipes?! I will take them all!