New PB

Thank you GAF, Amber and Nurse Jackie.

We don't train together. But, you inspired me to keep up with you.

And today I ran 10 miles.

And tonight I'm wearing a slinky, sparkly dress with sky-high killer heels. And, I'm going to make my husband dance with me at least once.

All is right with the world.

I do hope your New Year starts out with a bang and that 2012 is everything you want it to be.

P.S. On Willpower

The other interesting fact I left out yesterday was this:

You can "build your willpower muscle" with any number of things. And then use your new willpower power on something bigger or harder.

So, for instance, you could choose to build your willpower muscle by stopping swearing first. Stopping swearing is "easier" than, say, running 5 miles a day. But the strength you build by not swearing will help you in the workout area later.

Stop swearing. Then stop road raging. Then stop eating after 8 p.m. You get the idea.

Exercise Your Willpower?

I heard a short interview with social psychologist Roy Baumeister on NPR today discussing willpower.

And, since this is the season of resolutions, I thought I'd relay a few of the interesting pieces as I understood them in hopes that it might be beneficial as you build your "to do" list for 2012.

Baumeister concludes that willpower is a "muscle" that can be exercised and built up. And it can also be depleted.

In other words, he claims that you only have so much willpower. And if you try to use it all at once on many different things, you simply don't have enough to go around and you won't succeed.

But if you start small, making small changes, getting small victories, you can build up your willpower for the bigger challenges.

So, instead of deciding to only eat 1200 calories of healthy food and exercise for one hour every day on January 1 ... a goal that's too big and too hard and uses all your willpower up on day one ... you might want to start smaller. Say, limit yourself to only eating candy once a week for a couple of weeks. Then once you have that conquered, you could move to two days a week of completely clean eating for a few weeks. Then once you have that conquered, you could add two days of 30 minutes of exercise a week. And so on, and so on, and so on.

Make small changes that you can sustain, build on successes, form new habits and retrain your brain.

Sounds sort of familiar, right?

He also said that willpower is a literal "thing" (don't you love my scientific explanations?) and that it has to be fed. Literally fed. Like by eating good food ... protein. And by getting good sleep. When you do those good things for your body, your brain benefits.

I've never seen this Mr. Baumeister, but I like him already.

See for yourself here: http://www.amazon.com/Willpower-Rediscovering-Greatest-Human-Strength/dp/1594203075

Vanity, Thy Name is Bucky ...

... or Jansport. Or something.

My husband was brave and ventured into the mall before Christmas. To pick out an article of clothing. For me.

For those of you who know my husband, you know what a monumental effort this was on his part. Going to the mall is one thing. Going into a store other than Sears or a jewelry store alone (where he's sure to be in good company of other lost-looking, confused men wandering around) is another. Venturing into a place that sells only clothes is yet another, as is picking out something for me.

Wrapping it himself is really pushing the boundaries of sanity. But he did. (And he used painter's tape, BTW, but I digress.)

Now, the store was The University Bookstore and the article of clothing was a sweet, white Bucky hooded, long-sleeve T-shirt deal. It wasn't exactly like buying me a pair of jeans or a dress, but it still took some courage.

Here's the rub:

1. The shirt he selected was super cute. And he smartly erred on the side of caution and flattery and bought me  a small.
2. It was super cute and super TIGHT. So I ran in and exchanged  it for a medium without a try-on session.
3. The medium was no bigger than the small. So we went back today to try the large. It was barely bigger than the medium.
4. "They have an extra-large," he says pragmatically.
5. Umm. No. Call me vane, but I didn't work this hard for this long to buy an extra-large. Shallow? I'll let you decide.

And here's the kicker:
Two young men come in the store, clearly trying to pick out a gift for a girlfriend. Young Man #1 picks something off a rack and says to Young Man #2: "Are these for women or for kids?" Then he turns to an older woman browsing the same rack, "Are these really for adults?"

Out of the mouths of babes. Welcome to the landmine of women's clothes shopping, dude.

New Running Shoes

Santa's elves were kind enough to bring me a couple of gift certificates to All Season Runner in Janesville. So today I went to pick out a new pair of shoes.

And, as usual, I learned a lot.

Shoe Facts

• Good shoes are important if you're pounding pavement or the treadmill belt. Be kind to your knees! There is a difference between the shoes you buy at a big box discount store and those that are sold at specialty stores.
• And, yes, there's a cost difference. The pair I bought was just over $100 and I'm guessing that's sort of "low-end" for good shoes. Look at it this way ... you spend $30+ for a bra at Victoria's Secret and it doesn't take the abuse, nor have to work nearly as hard as your shoes do! (Well, mine doesn't, anyway.)
• Even a good shoe only gives you all its got for a while. It's recommended that you replace shoes after 350-500 miles, depending on usage. I've also heard "replace every six months." They wear out.
• Not a runner? Walker, cross trainer? I still recommend going to a specialty shoe store and talking with someone who knows about the shoes and about many different types of training. Experts can teach you a lot.   
• Take your old shoes in with you so a professional can see how they wear. Your form shows on the soles of your shoes. If you're striking inside or outside or back or front ... there may be certain styles/brands that are better for you and a professional can help identify which.
• If you run/walk every day, it's good to have two pairs of shoes. It takes 24 hours for the sole to fully "recover" and get back to full cushion. So with two pairs, you can alternate days, allowing for maximum recovery time. (Wish I had two pair of knees for the same reason!)
• Match your shoes to your situation. Do you run outside in winter? Maybe you want to find a pair with less mesh, so your toes stay warmer.
• If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I walked out with the exact same pair of shoes I bought last time. They treated me well. They wore well. They were neon green. What could be better?

Why Does It Always Work?

Working out and eating right always make you feel better because ...

Your workout:

• Gives you time to think through whatever issue/problem/situation you have and find a solution.
• Forces you to think about putting one foot in front of the other which results in a clearer head.
• Proves you can set a goal and meet it.
• Gets your blood pumping and sweat glands oozing, which just makes the rest of you work better.
• Provides you a sense of accomplishment ... allowing you to attack the remaining problems of the day with a "win" under your belt.

Eating right:

• Gives you the energy to tackle the rest of the day.
• Allows you to enjoy the really special good stuff when it comes around without guilt.
• Proves you can set a goal and meet it.
• Lets you do something good for your body.
• Provides the basis for a good night's sleep, which is important for tomorrow's workout.

It works. Every single time.

It Always Works

When you're feeling sort of down, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

When things in your life are sort of out of control, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

When you feel bad about not working out and eating right, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

When you things are going well, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

When you're feeling sad, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

When you're unsure of what the next right step is, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

When you skip a workout and treat yourself a little too much with holiday goodies, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

When your muscles are a little sore from a good workout yesterday, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

When you're convinced you can't do this one more day, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

When you have a high-pressure project/presentation/deadline at work, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

When you're so busy you can't see straight and it's hard to work in some time for you, working out and eating right makes you feel better.

I promise you ... it works every single time.

Merry Christmas!

The best gift you can give is a healthy, long life to the ones you love. The best gift you can get is the one you power yourself ... a little sweat, a little veg, a little belief in you.

Wishing you all the joy and peace of the season.

And ...

Eat a cookie.

Let the Cooking Begin!

Time to get down to it.

Tonight I'm making Tinga for Christmas Eve and Coke Cupcakes for Christmas Day.

This year, Christmas Eve is all about the Feliz Navidad ... Mexican food for all. I'm so excited! My sister is making the Tortilla Soup and real Mexican Rice (which is very different than that stuff you get in the box mix or at ChiChis, btw).

The recipe for Tinga is here: http://carsickcaravan.blogspot.com/2010/12/viva-la-tinga.html

And then Christmas Day will be traditional American ... turkey and ham. And what goes better with traditional American fare than cupcakes? But I'm going to make mine in a slightly different way.

This is a "recipe" borrowed from Hungry Girl. I'm going to use a white cake and Diet Cranberry Sierra Mist soda.

Coke Cake
1 box cake mix
12 oz. diet soda

And, I found a "sugar free" frosting in a can. The calorie difference isn't huge (100 calories vs. 140 per 2 Tbsp. serving) and I'm guessing it's going to be weird, so I bought a regular can of frosting just in case.

Holiday Favorite Things

1. Cranberry Diet Sierra Mist ... so good! As a mixer or straight up.
2. U Bake It cut out sugar cookies (when you're paying $7.99 for two dozen cookies, you don't want to eat the dough so much ... and you don't dare treat yourself to more than one a day!)
3. Pineapple Upside Down Cake Light Yopliat yogurt with fat-free whip cream in a spray can
4. Shopping! It burns 150-200 calories an hour or something like that for a 150-lb. person. More if you're in a hurry!
5. Ihop breakfast with friends ... with healthy options and calorie counts identified on the menu!

Chew Gum

When you're in a situation where there's food everywhere and you find yourself nibbling. And nibbling. And nibbling.

And nibbling some more ...

Chew gum.

It keeps your mouth busy and prevents you from putting more calories in it.

My favorite is Mentos Sugar Free Watermelon flavor. You can usually find it at WalMart, but not everywhere else. In fact. when we go to Missouri, I can almost always find it at gas stations from Illinois south. So I buy as many containers as they have.

Mentos "mint" flavor in the light blue container is my second favorite. WARNING: The one in the white package that claims to be tooth whitening isn't fit to eat. It tastes like hydrogen peroxide.

Fighting the Funk

I'm going to be honest with you ...

I'm fighting the funk. Have been for a couple of weeks. I just want to eat and have been skipping out on the exercise a little.

I'm not sure what it is ... if it's because it's the holidays and hard to avoid all the extra food. Or if I'm just burned out on my workout routines. Or if I've gotten cocky because even though I've been relatively "bad," I have really only gained about four pounds. So why try harder?

But I'm struggling to drag myself out of bed each morning. I'm noshing throughout the day even when my brain is screaming, "Don't!"

In fact, I just polished off yesterday's leftover popcorn.

My head is in a weird place. I know that I know how to lose weight if I want to. So clearly I don't want to. But why?

I'm sure it's a big combination of things. Emotionally, this is a hard Christmas as it's the first one without my dad. Work is stressful. I probably am burned out on a number of fronts.

But I also know that this feeling comes and goes. Ebbs and flows. Waxes and wanes.

Remember ... this, too, shall pass.

There are weeks I just can't get enough miles in because I'm so in love with running that I can hardly stand to leave my tennis shoes. There are weeks when I eat exactly on program because I want to and because I like to.

So right now I am looking for inspiration. And trying to be patient and trust myself. GaryAllanFan and Amber are helping me find a little fire. The fact that they ran 6.5 on Sunday and I only did about 4 is working on my competitive nerve. I'm also going cold-weather running clothes shopping this week.

Shopping always makes me feel better. And it burns calories.

Hang in there. January is right around the corner.

Cold Weather Run

It was 18 degrees out this morning. And I decided it was a good day for an outdoor run.

I've never run in the cold before and I wasn't sure how it would work. Or what to wear. Or how I'd feel. But I'm happy to report that it all went fine!

Here's what I wore (essentially ALL of my warm workout clothes):

• Sleeveless workout top
• Long sleeve compression shirt
• Long sleeve thin layer shirt
• Long sleeve medium layer shirt
• Windbreaker zip-up
• Long running tights
• Capri running tights
• Fleece head/ear band
• Stocking cap
• Gloves
• Two pair of socks
• Running shoes

Then I zipped my phone into a pocket, strapped my water bottle to my hand, walked around inside the house for a while to get good and warm and headed out.

Before I hit one mile, I was peeling off the windbreaker. It hadn't occurred to me until that moment that there was a fine line between warm enough and too sweaty. Not warm enough and peeling off a layer would make me too cold. Too sweaty and peeling off a layer would give me the same result.

Except for a couple of icy patches, it all went well. I was glad I remembered the lip balm before I left home.

But I forgot Kleenex again. Gotta work on that farmer blow.

Turn the Roll Up Into a Dip!

My new obsession is the guts of the roll up recipe I posted earlier this week. I've turned it into a dip that's good for raw veg or crackers/pretzels/pita chips.

This makes a big batch. And, this is completely customizable. My measurements are approximations, since I never actually measure. Just do what you like. But careful ... it's addicting.

Veg Dip
1 8-oz. non-fat or 1/3 less fat cream cheese, at room temp or nuke it until it stirs smooth with no lumps
1 16-oz. tub non-fat or low-fat sour cream
1 pkg. dry Ranch dressing mix
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 cup of red/green/yellow/orange peppers, finely chopped

I Want to Try Rock Climbing

There used to be a rock climbing place in Whitewater. Jim and I took Kati one time, years ago. They both loved it.

I didn't try it ... because I was too afraid there was a weight limit and that I exceeded it. I also knew that even if I wasn't too big for the harness thing, I certainly wouldn't have had the strength or agility to actually climb.

Jim and I drove through Whitewater today and we did a "remember when ..."

And now I can't get it out of my head. I want to try it.

I think a trip to Madison or Rockford where there's a climbing gym might be on the agenda sometime soon.

There's something so satisfying in knowing I can just go try stuff like this now. I get the same kind of feeling when I walk into a store and I know that everything in the whole place will fit me.

I dig it.

The Voices in Your Head

Do you ever pay attention to the voices in your head? What I mean is, do you ever sort of step outside of your body and think about or evaluate what that inner dialogue is?

The truth is we all "talk to ourselves" all the time. The thoughts swirling around in our heads build our identity of ourselves.

But because we don't really pay attention to them, we sometimes aren't aware when they're doing us some damage. Nor do we realize that we can change them.

Does that make sense? When I was bigger, those thoughts inside my head were not so great. Here's an example.

When I got on an elevator with a bunch of people, I'd immediately think, "Boy, I'm the biggest person on this elevator. I wonder if I'm breathing too loud and if people are thinking, 'Boy, the fat girl breathes really loud.' I bet they don't know that I'm someone's boss. They probably think I'm a temp. My clothes aren't as cute as hers. They don't make cute clothes like that in my size."

Or in the beginning of this journey, I'd wake up in the morning with the intent of working out and those same voices would start in, "I'm so tired! Today is going to suck; back-to-back meetings and it's going to be a long day. I could use the extra hour of sleep. I can always work out when I get home tonight. Or I could skip it and hit it hard tomorrow. It's not like you're actually going to lose any weight anyway. You've been at this for two weeks and nothing has really happened. And even if you do lose five pounds, who's going to notice that? You have 100 to lose ... five pounds won't even matter."

You get the picture.

The more the dialogue put me down, the worse I felt about me. It becomes such a habit and normal, that you don't even realize you're doing it.

The dialogue is different now ... partly because I choose to make it different. I literally talk myself into thinking the RIGHT stuff.

"Do the right things often enough and good things will happen. The workout is the reward ... it's you doing something good for you ... not a punishment. You deserve to treat yourself well. You don't really want that cookie. It doesn't do a single good thing for you. Eat all you want, just eat good stuff. Think of how good it's going to feel five pounds from here."

Think about what you think about. Write it down for a while so you can evaluate it objectively. If you need to change it, practice changing it.

If you can get your head in the right place, I promise your body will follow.

My Pants are Too Tight

The tipping point.

I've been doing a little experimenting and I think I found what I was looking for. Or not looking for, I guess.

I have learned that Friday fish fry, Saturday pizza, Sunday Christmas party snacks and holiday baking is just too much eating for one stretch of a few days.

I have learned that shorter workouts on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with no workout on Monday and Tuesday is not enough for one stretch of a few days.

Did I mention alcohol, chocolate, ham roll-ups and homemade ice cream cake? Oh, and cheesy rice broccoli casserole and scalloped potatoes and ham?

This morning, the scale was up five pounds from the last time I weighed in.

And my pants were too damn tight. Uncomfortable.

So it was back on program today.

Someday I'm going to get tired of losing these same five pounds over and over again and I'll put them to rest once and for all.

It's a Cycle

Eat well. Get energy. Exercise well. Feel better. Eat better ... and it starts all over again. Building to a better you.

Eat badly. No energy. Exercise is harder. Feel worse. Cheat eat ... and it spirals downhill.

Make it all work for you. The right way.

On a Holiday Roll

We're hot and heavy into the holiday season and the get-togethers are coming fast and furious. My plan is always to take some munchies I love and know aren't horrible for me. I wish I had a dollar for every time in my life I've made these.

Tortilla Roll-Ups
2 8 oz. packages low-fat or fat-free cream cheese at room temp (or nuke them until there's no lumps when  you stir)
2 big tablespoons full of fat-free sour cream
1/2 to 1 package dry Ranch dressing mix
1/2 big green pepper, finely chopped
1/2 big red pepper, finely chopped
1/2 big yellow or orange pepper, finely chopped
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1 cup reduced-fat shredded orange cheese (Cheddar or whatever you can find)

Mix the cream cheese, sour cream and dressing mix together. Add in the chopped veg and cheese. Spread an even layer on a tortilla. Roll up the tortilla. Then wrap the rolled up tortilla in a piece of wax paper, twisting the ends tight, like a Tootsie Roll. Repeat until all the cream cheese mixture is gone. (Sometimes I use the whole package of eight tortillas, sometimes I need an extra and sometimes I only use seven ... depends on how much veg, etc. As you can see, my measurements aren't exact.)

Let the wax-paper wrapped tortillas sort of  set up in the fridge for at least an hour or so. They're easier to cut that way. Once the cream cheese is sort of hard again, unwrap each roll and cut into 1" pieces. Feel free to substitute any veg you like. And you could put in ham or turkey. But you don't really need it.

My Better Half?

We ran out for Friday fish fry with my mom to one of those typically and perfectly Wisconsin kind of joints. You know the type ... converted house, low ceilings, beer signs on the walls, lots of fried cod and friendly, on-site owners working behind the bar. Where everyone knows your name. Or at least they know your face.

Jim and I hadn't been there in a long time. If I had to guess, it was more than 9 months or so. Maybe a year. We ordered a drink and started looking at the menu. The place was pretty busy, and we were chatting. Ordered drink #2.

At this point, Mrs. Owner (I honestly don't know her name) comes over, looks directly at me and says, "Where's your other half?"

I'm confused. Jim is sitting next to my mom. And yes, we're missing my dad ... but surely she doesn't think Jim and my mom are together and I'm missing my husband?

I start to point at Jim. "He's right there."

"No," she says. "The other half of you. Where is the other half of you?"

I feel the blood rushing to my face. "Oh, THAT," I say.

"She's gone."

Feel Free to Eavesdrop ...

(IM Transcript)

GAF: I forgot to tell you my big news. I ran 3 miles without stopping.

ME: HOLY SCHMOLEY!!!!!!!! YAYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!!!! That's so FREAKING awesome!!!!!! Best news I heard all day.

GAF: I was excited. I was SLOW! It was on Wed. Cold outside. But the trails block a lot of the wind.

ME: Who freaking cares about slow?

GAF: I don't.

ME: Amen! Good for you!

GAF: Thank you.

ME: You have been bitten by the bug, haven't you?

GAF: Yeh. Lately, I've been on a roll. Good roll.

ME: Isn't it intoxicating?

GAF: 93 days til my half. So I'm making it a priority. 

ME: Isn't it empowering?

GAF: Yes it is.

ME: Isn't it fantastic to feel so proud of yourself?

GAF: It is. I've been eating better and that has helped too. Scale hasn't moved much.....but I feel better too.

ME: YOU did it!!!!! YOU made it happen. That's so cool!

GAF: Right.

ME: The scale will follow. It's a simple byproduct of hard work.

GAF: I know it will. Next goal is 3.5 miles without stopping.

ME: I am sooo excited right now!

GAF: Thank you!!!!

ME: Yay!Yay!Yay! Can I blog it? LOL

GAF: Of course.

ME: You rock.

GAF: Thanks.

ME: Don't you just want to tell everyone? I love walking around with that little secret ... I ran today. I did something good for me today. I feel good today.

GAF: I did tell quite a few people....and my legs were pretty stiff so I was walking funny......so then I got to tell more people why I was walking funny.

ME: YEE HA!!!!!

GAF: Now get to work so you can leave!

ME: Oh, OK. You side-tracked me. Now my day is better.

GAF: And thanks for being a great inspiration!

ME: I told you ... I am using YOU as inspiration! (I only ran 2 miles today. And none yesterday. You kicked my ass.)

ME: We'll take turns inspiring each other.

GAF: Deal!

Recipe Makeover Contest

I ate this hideous salad over the weekend. And it was so freaking good. 

Frito Corn Salad
2 cans yellow kernel corn , drained

1/2 red bell pepper , sliced and chopped
1/2 green bell pepper , sliced and chopped
1/2 purple onion , chopped
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
5 ounces of chili cheese flavor Frito corn chips

Mix all the ingredients except the chips. Add the chips in before serving otherwise the chips will get soggy. Red peppers are expensive so you can just use green instead.

The recipe sounds awful, doesn't it? The mere thought of ingesting Fritos and mayonnaise and corn is just so wrong. There are essentially no redeeming qualities at all ... the sparse veg doesn't save it.

But it really was good.

Any suggestions for how to fix it? I think I'm going to try a mixture of non-fat sour cream and/or yogurt with a smidge of non-fat cream cheese? I don't think just switching it up to light mayo and reduced fat cheese is enough.

So when all else fails, small portions, I guess.

Oh No! BO in CO!

I must say, the fitness center at the Denver Marriott Tech Center is peaches! More than a half dozen treadmills, another six or so ellipticals, bikes, weights ... and cold towels in a little fridge. Plus, open 24 hours!

In fact, by 5:40 a.m. yesterday, there was hardly an empty seat.

I was flanked by two gentlemen, one walker who kept jumping off his treadmill to take stretch breaks and one sort of granola, tree-hugging looking younger dude.

One of them smelled bad.

Guess that's another reason to run outside. Or alone in your basement ... even if that sounds sort of lonely sometimes.

And yes, I "discount double-checked" my own sweat-producing places when I got upstairs to make sure it wasn't me.

It wasn't.

Checking Out Strange Women

I have a new habit. And it's kind of inappropriate.

I find myself constantly checking out strange women.

I'm still trying to figure out what I look like and what size I am. So I'm always sizing up the woman in front of me on the jetway. And the woman examining the grapes in the produce aisle. And the woman on the elevator. And the woman bending over the baby stroller.

I'm sort of obsessed.

And hoping I don't get busted as I stare at some woman's butt for much too long.

Gravel Road Metaphors

I had two great gravel road runs this weekend. My particular gravel road was of the one-and-a-half-lane-wide variety. It was also hilly, with a .75 mile steady climb and had just been grated ... which means there were lots of loose stones. All of this made for some great metaphors.

1. When the hill is long and the footing is shaky, keep your eyes on the road right in front of you and put one foot in front of the other. The distance will take care of itself.

2. The hill and you are the only two who will know whether you ran all the way up or not. The hill doesn't care one way or the other. But you will always know if you quit on yourself.

3. The downhill sections are the reward for the uphill ... or so it seems at first. The truth is the downhills can be harder because you're trying hard to not lose focus and slip on some loose gravel and fall on your butt when you're not paying attention.

4. The uphills make the run. Conquering them makes YOU.

5. When the going is smooth, pick your eyes up from the road immediately in front of you and trust your feet to take care of the present. Use that time to assess what's to come and to get your head ready to tackle it.

6. Stand up straighter and run a little faster when a car passes you ... and don't get pissed that they're there. Use the opportunity to look good and improve your time/form/run in the process. (This metaphor is about bosses, in case you didn't get it.)

7. Enjoy today's run. It might rain tomorrow.

Today, I Caused a Stampede

Note to self:

Never approach a herd of cattle with your hot pink running shirt tied around your waist.

There's something "matador-ish" about this that can wreak havoc.

I am happy to report the stampede was short-lived and resulted in no broken fences.

Ozarks vs. Ocean

Today was an odd workout day.

Jim and I left last night to get a few hours of driving under our belt for the 8-hour trip to southern Missouri to visit my in-laws. We stopped after 10 p.m. to catch a few winks at my favorite ... The Hampton Inn. The plan was to wake up early, hit the hotel fitness center, get my workout in and get back on the road.

But I didn't make it to the fitness center. Too tired.

So, about 2 miles from my in-laws' house, I asked Jim to drop me off, so I could run the rest of the way. He, of course, rolled his eyes and obliged me.

As I cruised past the house to sneak in another mile or so, I was comparing my surroundings from this mini vacation with that of my last vacation.

While the ocean is very nice, this picturesque, winding gravel road in the Ozarks was very nice, too. I wasn't passed by a single car. The road was hilly, giving me a little extra challenge. The cattles in the pastures on both sides of the road couldn't have cared less that I was there. And I even kicked up three white-tail deer in the process.

Not crashing waves and salty air and gorgeous sunshine. But still very nice.

I'm looking forward to hitting it again tomorrow.

Inspired

Did you see GaryAllanFan's comments on the Shout Out post? Well, she got me.

I was able to run this morning and planned on stopping after three miles. But then I remembered her achievement and said to myself, "If GAF can tough it out, I can, too."

And I ran one more mile.

Grab inspiration wherever you can find it. And thank you, GAF, for motivating me this morning. I needed it.

SLOW DOWN!

Once upon a time, as Jim and I were pulling a late-night, straight-through drive to Missouri to visit my in-laws, we got a little punch-drunk, as people do in the wee hours of the morning when you're hopped up on caffeine and Cherry Nibs. 

You know ... when everything gets silly.

As we approached a sleepy, little, totally dark, quiet BFE town in the Ozarks, our speeding car was picked up by one of those mobile radar signs that flash how fast you're going.

But instead of simply displaying the MPH of our car, it repeatedly flashed a big, bright, all caps ... as if it was YELLING at us:

SLOW
DOWN!

SLOW
DOWN!

SLOW
DOWN!

It scared the crap out of us and then cracked us up. (Everything is funnier after Cherry Nibs.)

I was reminded of it tonight as I got home. After a rotten day at work and unplanned and very hurried stops at Farm and Fleet and the grocery store, I whipped in the driveway only to realize half the outside Christmas decorations were tipped over, the chickens needed feeding and watering, the garbage needed to get to the curb, there was laundry, dishes and homework to do ... in addition to finding a space for the Christmas decorations I'd brought upstairs this morning ... 

You get the idea. In fact, you all probably have more on your lists than I do. But I was feeling overwhelmed, rushed, behind and HUNGRY.

So I wolfed down a big salad (always have good stuff on hand, right?). And then two turkey dogs. And then some pretzels. All in literally 10 minutes.

And then, as I was eyeing the Girl Scout cookies and yogurt, I caught myself.

SLOW DOWN!

If I kept going at that pace, I'd have the whole pantry empty by 8 p.m.

So I've taken a break to write to you and collect my thoughts. If I really want cookies or yogurt in an hour, I might have them. But by then, I'm hoping my stomach will have caught up with my brain and will realize that I'm full.

In which case, the cookies and yogurt won't be needed and a squirt of the fat-free whip cream in a can straight in the mouth will suffice.

Shout Outs

Want to crow about some successes:

Gary Allan Fan posted a personal best distance this past weekend, clocking in at 4.8 or 5.8 miles (sorry, GAF ... my memory sucks!). In either case, it's a LOOOOOONG way and made longer by the knee/muscle issues she's been battling. YAY! And congrats!

Foxy Freda also let me know she was down three pounds after implementing a new morning treadmill routine! Three pounds down is 1) proof that it can be done, 2) better than three up and 3) a FANTASTIC jump start that should be celebrated! Way to go, FF!

Dirty Girl sign ups, anyone? One of my teammates from last year has already committed (Yay, Reba!) and I'm looking for more! Who wants to go as a team? We have to sign up in the same wave to run at the same time. So let me know if you're in. The race is Aug. 18  at Camp Whitcomb Mason outside of Harltand, WI.

Find more info here:
http://www.godirtygirl.com/locations/

I Loaned Olivia a Shirt

My nieces came for a two-night overnight this past weekend. I love these events because they fill my "mom" tank up, and just as it approaches uncomfortably overloaded, I get to send the kiddles home, full of sugar, spoiled rotten and tired.

For those of you who don't know, my nieces are 9- and 7-years-old, or, as Bella would say, "Almost 10" and 8.

They each packed a full suitcase for the big sleepover. As we all changed into our PJs about an hour before bed, Miss O comes into the living room rocking her summer jams: spaghetti strap top with short bottoms. Umm, yeah, a bit to chilly for Thanksgiving.

"Did you bring a sweatshirt or something to wear over your PJs, Liv?" I ask. "You're going to freeze between now and bedtime." 

"No." She's not overly verbose, that girl.

I venture ahead, "Do you want a long sleeve shirt or something to wear over your jammies?"

 She nods, characteristically.

So I head to my closet, find my tightest-fitting long-sleeve running shirt and take it to her. We slip it over her head, roll up the sleeves and she's good to go.

Now, it doesn't FIT her. It's too big. But the shoulders are roughly in the right spot and she can keep it on.

I marvel at how different this picture would have looked 18 months ago. To be clear, my goal isn't to wear the same size as an almost-8-year-old ... but I could have fit four of her in my old shirts.

I Get "Recovery Time" ... Finally

You can Google "half marathon training plan" or training plans for 5K, 10K, marathon, etc., and find any number of workout calendars to get you ready for the race of your choice.

They all include running days, cross training or weight lifting days, and rest days.

Up until the past month or so, I didn't understand the "rest days" concept. My occasionally obsessive-compulsive-leaning personality didn't really dig the idea of a day off. Afraid, I think, of sliding back into some hole, I pressed forward, running or walking every day, or at least six out of seven days in a week.

But after my longest run ever a month or so ago, I made a critical mistake and have learned the rest day lesson the hard way. (See post: http://carsickcaravan.blogspot.com/2011/10/10-rule.html)

After that 8.75-mile run and the walking I did the following day, I lost more than two weeks of working out. No treadmill, no outdoor running. My bad knee hurt morning, noon and night. Walking in and out of work was painful. Ice, ibuprofen and rest ... and a lot of sit ups and weight lifting ... carried me through to vacation. Ultimately, that time off allowed me to pick back up slowly on the beach and by the time I got home, I was happily running every day.

(This is where you say, "Duh, Lisa. You are a moron. I can see where this is headed.")

So, it's no surprise that after a day-long shopping trip in heeled boots (fashion before brains), my  freaking knee started acting up again. This past week brought me three more days of no treadmill.

I'm learning. Slowly.

Friday I ran about a mile and stopped when I felt some pain. Saturday, I walked a half mile, ran for 2.5 and stopped when I felt that twinge. Today, my knee felt great. But I only walked. Tomorrow, I'm not going to walk or run ... so that I can run on Tuesday.

Recovery is important. Rest is important. Make sure you schedule it like you do your workouts. Listen to your body ... it will tell you what it needs.

Green Bean Casserole Twist

Green Bean Casserole Twist
2 6-8 oz. packages of steam in pouch green beans (I like the whole beans b/c they are prettier)
Olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 to 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or 1T to 1-1/2T chopped garlic from the jar (more if you like garlic!)
8 oz. baby Bella or white mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. Shitake mushrooms with stems removed, chopped
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1/2 c light or fat free sour cream
1 to 1-1/2 cup low sodium chicken stock
1T fresh chopped flat leaf parsley
1t to 2t dried tarragon
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted in dry pan on stove top
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steam beans according to package directions in microwave. Heat a non-stick skillet and go a turn or two around the pan with olive oil. Saute onions until soft and translucent. Add garlic and cook until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until browned and juices have been released. Salt and pepper at this point to taste. Add water chestnuts and heat through. Add sour cream, stock, parsley and tarragon. If it seems too tight, add more sour cream and stock. Salt and pepper again to taste.

If you're making ahead, stop here and refrigerate overnight.

I put mine in a crock pot and added toasted nuts and cheese right before serving.

Get 'Em While They're Young

How do you make a kid who's not so fond of fruits and vegetables eat more of them?

Promise to buy a Wii game for her if she signs up to eat more of the green stuff between now and Christmas.

Bike Shorts, Hunters and Fog, Oh My!

My primary combat-the-pie strategy was to get on my bike and go 20 miles or so today. So I waited for the 56-and-sunny weather to begin this morning before I hit the road.

And, as you know, 56-and-sunny never showed up.

So, in 30-and-windy-and-foggy, I set out.

This is what I took with me: running tights, bike shorts, sleeveless workout top, a long-sleeve compression shirt, a wind jacket, a fluorescent bike jersey over it all, a warm ear/head band, gloves, helmet, socks, shoes and my cell phone.

This is what I forgot: Kleenex. 

To those that saw my hocking lugies from the snuggly comfort of your kitchen, warm coffee in hand: sorry and too bad.

To the hunter that took not one, not two, not three, not four, but FIVE shots as I was rolling past on the downhill: if you don't have him after three shots, you're not going to get him. (And you scared the crap out of me! You noticed the fluorescent yellow, right?)

And to my toes, who required a 30-minute hot shower to bring the feeling back: my apologies. I will look into proper bike shoes, another pair of socks and toe warmers next time.

Hope you had a great day. There's so much to be thankful for and in my life, the list includes YOU.

Spaghetti Squash Doesn't Freeze

Just a helpful hint from me to you.

I roasted it, packaged it up in individual serving sizes and then popped it in the freezer. Tossed it in the microwave tonight and it was watery and gross.

Do You Have Your Thanksgiving Game Plan?

Last year at this time I was kind of freaking out about the idea of Thanksgiving and "the holidays" in general. I wasn't too sure how I was going to manage the minefield of eating ... and stress.

I noticed today that I hadn't really even given it much thought this year. I'm lucky enough (and I've worked hard enough) to feel pretty comfortable with my situation. I know what this body is. I know what it takes to keep it here. I know what I can "get away with." And most importantly I know I'm in control.

Here are some strategies to help you be in control during this festival of food that's upon us:

1. Maintain your workout schedule. And crank it up a notch if you can. I plan on doing my normal morning routine throughout the weekend, while also working in some extra activity like bike riding, chicken coop cleaning, lawn furniture moving, mulch raking ... and POWER SHOPPING!

2. On Turkey Day, have an eating plan and stick to it. Know what you are going to eat. Think about it before you get there. Tell your husband or wife or lab partner. Write it down. Do whatever you need to do to take control of the situation so you don't mindlessly add on calories.

3. Eat breakfast. In other words, don't show up for dinner hungry.

4. Eat the stuff you REALLY love and leave the rest. Do you adore stuffing like I do? Then eat some of that. But leave the pumpkin pie if you're really not that crazy about it.

5. Bring a dish to pass that's good for you. For instance, I've been tasked with green bean casserole and a veggie tray. The veggie tray is simple ... and the dip will be with fat free sour cream. For the green beans, I've been comparing some healthier alternative recipes online and am going to blend a few together to create what I hope will be a delicious, lower calorie/fat/salt version. (Let's be honest ... no one cares about the damn green bean casserole anyway. It's filler at best. So I don't think anyone will be too disappointed if it's a little different or weird.)

6. Smell it, taste it, savor it. Slow down and pay attention to what you're putting in your mouth ... and truly enjoy every forkful. If you've been eating really clean, this whole day is a "treat" of sorts. If you just shovel the food in your piehole, you won't fully enjoy it and you'll want to eat more tomorrow.

7. If you have to or want to eat more, know what is the most safe to eat more of ... lean turkey, raw veg, fresh fruit. Pick out the healthy stuff when you first sit down so you know can have a plan.

8. Get everyone up and moving. Organize an afternoon walk with the whole family. Play soccer or football. Create a Wii tournament. Organize some relay races with silly prizes for the kids. Then run along. 

9. Send the leftovers home with someone else!

10. And if you have been really good ... if you've been eating on program and exercising regularly ... enjoy the day. Eat a little more than you normally would and don't feel guilty. You've earned one day of moderate reward.

Scale Tales

I weighed in with trepidation this morning.

I did no cardio this weekend. On Saturday, I lifted weights and did 500 sit-ups, then whipped up a delicious hungry-man breakfast for the neighborhood hunting crew, sampling along the way before joining them for the actual meal. Then dinner out where I behaved fairly well, but snuck some French fries and ice cream from others.

Sunday brought no workout at all, another big breakfast, some more shopping, and another dinner out with more French fries. Plus some chocolate.

So you can understand why I was a little nervous to hop on the scale today.

But, to my surprise, I was down four pounds from last Thursday.

Sometimes the scale makes no sense at all. Sometimes you do everything right and the needle doesn't move down. And maybe it even moves up.

Then there are other times when you swear you've done everything wrong, and you drop.

The scale is only one measure of how well you're doing. The cold, hard truth is that if you eat well, and you exercise enough, the pounds will come off. Nobody's perfect, but if you do the right things often enough, good things happen.

Believe you can do it.

Cold Weather Tips

CC Reader GaryAllanFan shared a really good article about running outside this time of year. Whether you bike or run or walk or rake and shovel, much of it still applies.

Thanks, GAF!

9 Tips for Running in Cold Weather | Active.com
http://www.active.com/running/Articles/9-Tips-for-Running-in-Cold-Weather.htm?int=23-45

The LBD

That's Little Black Dress, BTW. (That's By The Way, FYI.) (And that's For Your Information ... umm, yeah, I'm done now. Sometimes this blog is really only to entertain me.)

Today was the annual fall shopping trip for me and my oldest and dearest friends. I have mentioned this trip before, I think. I used to sort of dread it. Not the hanging out with my friends part ... always loved that. But when I was bigger, the clothes shopping part was just NOT fun for me. My feet hurt all the time and I never liked hiding out in housewares while everyone else was in the fitting rooms.

This year's trip came with a mission that was 180 degrees from any previous outing: Find an LBD for a New Year's Eve wedding.

I've never owned an LBD before. BBDs, yes. Even MBDs. (Big and Medium, in case you're not tracking with me.) But this dress had to meet a list of requirements. Be sparkly enough for New Year's, but not so shiny that I'd look like I was trying to be in the wedding vs. just a guest. Be form-fitting enough to take advantage of all the hard work I've put into this new body, but not too slutty/cheap/cheesy. Be youthful enough to belie my 44 years by a few, but not so young as to make me look desperate. You get the idea.

I can't tell you how much fun it was to try on no less than 10 sparkly, shiny, form-fitting dresses ... knowing without a doubt that all of them would fit and that I would have the opportunity to choose the one that looked great ... not just pick the one that "worked" enough.

And best of all, I had the best built-in selection committee and cheering section a girl could ask for.

Now, for some strappy high heels ...

(The moral of this story is: The work it took to get here is WAY worth it.)

Winter is Coming ...

I've been accumulating cold weather gear for the past few weeks in an effort to make sure I have no excuse to not work out when the mercury drops.

I struck gold today as my beloved brother-in-law brought me a few goodies from the Trek sample sale ... including gloves and a windbreaker. I'm so psyched to try them out!

How is your workout going to change in the winter months? Leave a comment and share your cold weather tips for other CC readers.

Damn Girl Scouts!

The Girl Scouts pretend to be do-gooders. Merit badges, that "I've something in my pocket that belongs across my face" song, campfires and the like.

But they're evil.

They guilt you into buying those freaking cookies and then they have the audacity to make a new flavor that hits my weak spot.

Have you tried the Lemonades?

At "only" 75 calories per cookie, these shortbread and lemon icing bundles of deliciousness have attacked my better senses.

And yes, I ate a whole box between Wednesday and today. A whole box.

Let's just hope I don't come across a troop member on one of my weekend runs. I may make them hoof a few extra miles along with me to wear off the extra calorie intake.

My advice? Don't buy the cookies. And if you do or must, don't open the boxes. Give them away. Put them in the freezer immediately so they're out of sight, out of mind. Or send them to your husband's work ... whatever it takes to get them out of your own house.

Grapes vs. Heroin

I have a problem: I'm addicted to grapes.

I spent $12 at the grocery store today on grapes. Grapes to get me through until my normal shopping day on Saturday, mind you. Grapes that I had to stop and get because the $8 worth I bought on Tuesday afternoon when I got home were polished off this morning on my way to work.

I think a drug habit would be cheaper. And heroin doesn't cost me 100 calories a cup.

P.S. Weigh in went well! I was up one pound ... and that's just a normal fluctuation.

Nine Days ... No Weigh!

Tomorrow is judgement day of the post-vacation kind.

I haven't weighed myself since before I left for Florida and I'm a little nervous. Yes, I worked out every day. I actually put on more miles than normal, just because it was so GORGEOUS outside and I could walk everywhere ... well, wanted to walk everywhere. And because we only ate out once, I had good control over what my calorie intake.

So I think I should be in fairly good shape. I mean, my summer clothes still fit just fine. I also have the last vacation to use as a comparison. If you remember, I ate and drank in Mexico last February and ended up dead even upon my return home.

But it's still a little scary to step back on. This is the longest time I've gone without checking the scale since this whole thing started. Couple that with the three weeks before vacation where I wasn't doing as much cardio as usual ... and the three Girl Scout cookies and half bag of sourdough pretzels I ate today ... and there's good reason to worry.

But tomorrow I will step on the scale and I will know if how I lived this past week was OK. It's part of my transition to the "I-am-done-dieting-and-this-is-now-a-way-of-life" mindset.

Like my thighs, my abs and my ass, my brain has to learn a few new moves.

Daylight Savings Reset

Has your body clock readjusted to the time change?

If you're still waking up an hour too early, remember there's a way to put that extra hour to work. Morning workouts give you extra energy for the whole day and start your day off right.

Goal Met!

I ran the whole beach this morning. From the pier to the bridge and back again. I didn't know this would be my challenge when we landed here in Tampa, but it quickly became such.

I'm pretty sure I didn't set any land-speed records. And I'm also pretty sure keeping up the distance will be harder at home without all this sun, sand and warm.

But it was a fun vacation game that kept me focused and kept me engaged during the week.

I bet the old, limping Asian woman in clogs isn't going to miss seeing me every morning.

New Vacation Strategies

OK, we've discussed how to work a workout into your vacation. We've talked about how to plan your eating before you go, how to navigate the endless buffet, how to pack healthy snacks.

Well, here's a new one for you: Try a condo on the beach!

I've never vacationed this way and I have to admit ... it's pretty freaking awesome. Here's what I like about it.

1. You control all of your food in the same way you do at home. We're making small trips to a nearby grocery store, which means we're saving money AND eating much healthier than we would at a restaurant.
2. Everything is in walking distance. Because this is a high tourist area, options abound. Grocery store, pharmacy, dollar store, 7-Eleven, ice cream shop ... even this town's main "boardwalk" attraction ... . all of it is just a nice afternoon jaunt away.
3. The beach just makes you want to eat better and move more. I have a hard time sitting still when I know I could be out there walking around. I don't want to eat heavy when I'm wearing a swimming suit.

Try it!

Earn It

Two days of ice cream in a row? Why yes!

But I earned it. I walked about 2 miles to get it yesterday and not quite so far today, but I don't feel a bit guilty about eating it.

(Doesn't hurt that both ice cream shops offered low-fat/less-sugar and sugar-free versions, either.)

Older, Wiser and Faster?

Here's a strange bit of trivia regarding me and old people: I have used them as training aids for a long time.

When I first started walking, I heard a story on the morning news about how an 80-something woman walked three miles a day, regardless of the weather. Then, I overheard a couple of retired neighbors discussing how they walked three miles every night after supper. I decided then and there that 43-year-old me should be capable of knocking out a mile or two every day. And whenever I didn't want to do it, I'd conjure up an image of an 80-year-old woman walking in a snowstorm and feel like a schmuck for trying to weasel out of my workout.

And now, hanging out here in Florida, the snowbirds have figured into my training plan.

This morning, I hit the beach early ... just after 7 a.m. It was breezy and cold, by Florida standards. (With apologies to my Wisconsin friends ... I know 60 degrees doesn't sound so terribly cold right now, with your first snow and all.) A storm rolled in last night, dropping the temperature considerably, so not many people were out cruising in the sand this a.m.. My goal was to cover the whole beach ... from the pier on the north end to the bridge on the south end ... about 4 miles I think.

Since I've been here, I've been walking every day. My knee has decided to cooperate and has allowed me to walk. I've been trying to take it easy ... and not push it.

But this morning, as I was thumping along at a steady but conservative pace, I got passed by a jogging blue hair.

And all bets were off.

Though my knee was still feeling wobbly, I could no longer hold back.

So, I ran. I RAN!!!!!!!!

It was probably 1.5 to 2 miles tops. It was slow. It was on a very forgiving surface that causes, I think, less stress on my joints.

And it was SO FUN!

Fingers crossed already that I can do it again tomorrow. How I love those old people!

P.S. I also lapped the limping Asian woman in the clogs. She looked pissed.

No More Limits #3

Remember my freak out last February about wearing my bikini in public?

Umm, yeah. I'm over it. Walking back and forth between beach and condo without a cover-up and second thought. Walking into half a dozen swimwear stores today and trying on new suits without worrying if they'll fit.

It feels good.

I Made My Mom Sweat Today

My mom is a fast walker. Always has been. (Whereas, my dad was more of a saunter-er. Made trips to the mall or Great America or anywhere difficult ... as my sister and I would have to sort of fill the gap inbetween.) At my heaviest, and well into my get-fit-extravaganza, I had a hard time keeping up with her.

This morning she suggested an early morning walk on the beach and I jumped at the chance. We laced up and headed toward the shoreline.

After 30 minutes or so, she said, "I think we should turn back."

And I looked at her. She was sweating. Whoops. I think I may have accidentally forgoten she is almost 70.  The trip back to our condo was a little slower.

I sure hope I'm moving that far and fast in 25 more years.

Walking on the Beach ...

... is better than walking on a treadmill, any day of the week.

Just sayin'.

Hurry Up!

Here's a strategy for burning a few extra calories.

Hurry up.

Yup. That's it. Hurry. Scurry. Zip around. Leave you lumber, meander and stroll at home.

There's a woman I know who never sits still. She scoots everywhere she goes. She's a real whirling dervish, s they say ... always in motion. I've seen her blow in from work, pick up a dust rag on her way up the stairs, wipe things off as she makes dinner in one fell swoop. Then in a flurry of dish soap bubbles and flying leftovers in plastic wrap, dinner is over and she's out the door for her nightly two mile walk.

This walk is really a scamper, half-jog-like shuffle. Rain, snow, sleet, dark of night ... she's out there.

I was thinking of this yesterday as I was rolling into Target. I wasn't in any particular hurry. And out of nowhere, a little sprite of a thing buzzed in front of me toward the door. She was moving, too. My head snapped up. My thighs tightened and I kicked it up a notch. All of a sudden I didn't want to get passed.

And it dawned on me that I could probably burn more calories if I ran errands at a faster pace.

Is that weird?

Why Not Before?

One of the other questions I get asked is:

"Why didn't you do it before?"

And here's the answer:

I didn't do it before because I didn't think I could.

I didn't believe I was capable of eating better, exercising a little and keeping it up long enough to make a difference.

In fact, I talked myself into believing that BS for years. I bought into the voice in my head that said, "You have gotten too big to turn back the clock. You are heavy enough where small changes ... like losing 5 pounds ... won't matter. Who will even notice 5 pounds?"

But guess what?

I learned that I was flat out, absolutely, unequivocally, without a doubt wrong. Plain, ol' W-R-O-N-G wrong.

Part of me was afraid of trying and failing, sure. But the truth is I had never really tried too hard before, so that was more of a convenient excuse. I thought I was too big, too weak and too lazy to try ... and too numb to care enough to want to.

Did you hear what I said? I was wrong.

I wasn't too big. I wasn't too weak. I wasn't too lazy. And when I looked in the mirror, really looked, I knew I wasn't too numb to care. This me was in there. I just had to get out of her way.

Why Now?

Every once in a while, I get asked:

"Why did you do this now? What was different this time? What made you decide to do it?"

And here's the real truth.

I did it because I could no longer see me when I looked in the mirror. I just saw a fat girl.

I was a fat girl before I was anything else. It's what other people saw first. It's what defined my life. It entered the room and met the people in it before I did. It dictated what I could do ... or not do. It put the perimeters on the way I lived.

And when I went looking for the me I thought was inside, I literally couldn't see her. The face that looked back at me in the mirror was unfamiliar. Her eyes were small and sunk into overstuffed cheeks. Her smile wasn't big enough to break through the extra face that surrounded it.

The bigger my body became, the farther away from the surface I fell. I eventually was so far away from my life and myself, that I could no longer identify me. No amount of squinting or staring or searching could bring me into focus.

And when you feel that invisible, you sort of stop feeling entirely. And when you stop feeling, you stop participating in your own life.

And that's no way to live.

Great Grapes

Run, don't walk, to Woodman's in Janesville.

The green grapes are the same size as your big toe, hard, crunchy and sweet. Absolutely perfect.

I think they're $2.59 per pound, but worth every penny.

Chicken Chili Cheers!

It's cold, windy and gray here this morning. And you know what that means ...

Chili time! And chili is infinitely adaptable. I've given you the ingredients I used this time first, but suggested alternatives so you can adjust it to what you like and what's in your pantry.

Chicken Chili
1 small onion, chopped
2 T minced garlic
Olive oil
2 cans white beans (I had Canellini in my pantry), drained and rinsed
2 chicken breasts, cooked (Or, whatever chicken you have ... or turkey ... heck, the stuff I used today was roasted "Italian" style with garlic, oregano and basil ... this is chili, after all, any leftovers work!)
1 can low sodium chicken stock
1 can Niblet corn
1 can fire roasted tomatoes or 1small jar of salsa verde
1-3 pickled jalapenos, diced ... or chipotles ... or fresh jalapenos or serranos
1t to 2T cumin (I like cumin, so I use a lot. Start small and adjust to your own taste.)
1t to 1T chili powder
Salt and pepper to taste

In a stock pot, soften the onion in olive oil. Add the garlic when they are translucent and sweet. Let it cook through before adding the beans, chicken, stock, corn, tomatoes/salsa, jalapenos. I usually reserve 1/2 of one can of beans and mash them up before putting them in the pot. It makes the whole thing thicker. Add seasonings, adjust salt and pepper. Let it simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with corn bread or a crusty baguette and a green salad. You could even throw some kale or spinach in this if you were trying to kick up the vitamins. Or you could probably substitute oven-roasted mushrooms for the chicken. Remember, it's just chili. Toss in whatever you want!

No-Vem-Brrrrrrrrr!

Me and Gary Fisher went out for a bike ride this morning.

HolyMoses.

It's COLD. And WINDY.

Just added a new "to-do" to the list for this afternoon: Check TJMaxx for cheap, wind resistant outerwear. And get a headband (earband? what do you call those things that go around your head, but don't cover the top of your melon, yet keep your ears toasty?).

There's no such thing as "too cold" to work out. But there is such a thing as improper gear.

Hope you get some sunshine today, too. Load up ... it won't be long before the sky won't give us this abundance of warm, yellow light.

Boot Update

Word to the wise ... They make such a thing as "Wide Calf Boots" ... who knew?

One of our CC readers passed on this information today. Find some at Kohl's here:

http://www.kohls.com/kohlsStore/landingpages/bootshop/widecalfwidewidth.jsp

A Google search revealed MANY other source, too.

I've been told that they're not only good for plain, ol' bigger or more athletic calves, but also good for when you want to tuck jeans into your boots!

Aren't our CC readers a helpful bunch? Thanks, Ms. JT!

Not Well Thought Out

For lunch today, I had a cup of black bean soup. For dinner, I had some cauliflower with dip and steamed brussel sprouts. Then I went to church.

Sounds like a plan that might literally backfire, doesn't it?

(I'm so classy, aren't I?)

Yummy Favorite Things

1. Spaghetti squash
2. Reduced Fat Nilla Wafers
3. Smuckers Low Sugar Strawberry Preserves
4. Fat-Free Whipped Topping in a Spray Can
5. Werther's Sugar Free Original Hard Candy
6. Steam-in-the-Bag Brussel Sprouts
7. NEW Whole Wheat Blueberry Bagel Thins!!!
8. Sweet Tango Apples (a little spicier than Honey Crisp)
9. Frozen Edamame (mix with other veg and toss in a vinegar-oil-dijon dressing for a snappy side salad)
10. Plain Sparkling Water (La Croix or Mendota Springs or whatever brand) mixed with those single serving powder mixes you put in bottles of regular water ... it's like make-your-own-soda.

Time to Tone

What do you do when your nursing an injury of an as yet undetermined sort and can't get your early a.m. treadmill workout done ... AND it's too dark by the time you get home to ride your beloved bike after work?

You swap cardio for toning.

I am still waking up early and heading downstairs, but I am doing something very different once I get down there.

I'm doing sit-ups on my exercise ball. (400 this morning!) I'm doing standing leg lifts: front, back and sideways. I'm doing planks, free weights and butt lifts. I may be down, but I'm not out.

It's not the cardio I'm craving, but it's going to have to do until I can figure out what the H-E-Double-Toothpicks is wrong with my blasted knee or until I can get home at a reasonable hour for a rendezvous with that sexy Gary Fisher before nightfall.

Cowboys Like Fat Calves

Remember that treasure chest of "Jim-isms" I mentioned a few days ago? This is one of them. And I think he honestly means it as a compliment. As in, no one likes a skinny girl ... they're better with a bit of meat on 'em.

("Friday night girls" and "Skinny girls hate themselves" are two more sayings along this line that I can explain to you in person someday.)

But back to the subject at hand. Or leg, as it were.

I needed boots this weekend. Fashionable ones. With heels. I need them because I don't know how to hem pants and I just bought a black pair and a brown pair that were a smidge too long. Hence the need for two pair of boots ... a black and a brown.

I tried on several pair, looking for just one that would actually zip over my calves. Holy Toledo. My legs are not stick skinny. Never have been, never will be. But boy ... I didn't expect to battle four out of five styles of boots to get them closed. The two I bought are not exactly comfy, but with a little effort and elbow grease, they'll work.

What would I have done two years ago?

Ankle boots, I guess.

Zero to 13.2 in 6.0

If you're having trouble motivating yourself or think you just can't do "it" (whatever it is) because you are too sore/tired/out of shape, etc. ... listen to this little story:

My 45-year-old cousin, who hadn't run since he was a sprinter on his high school track team, decided to run a half marathon with his son. He had six weeks to train. (A quick Google search will give you 12-week plans, nine-week plans ... even an eight-week plan. I didn't find one for a total beginner with just six weeks.) He's a dad with a full-time job. He didn't have a lot of time to train. But he worked it in because it was important.

Before race day, his longest run was eight miles.

And, not only did he finish, but he finished 16th out of 72 in his age division.

Your body can do amazing things. If your mind will get the hell out of the way.

(And if anyone wants to do a half with me, and my cousin, in the LaCrosse area this spring, let me know. It's on like Donkey Kong!)

I (Heart) Gary Fisher!

I love my bike! I love my bike! I love my bike!

What I'm trying to say is, I love my bike!

Hopped on the treadmill this morning and ended up in tears. While my knee (after a week of continual ibuprofen) doesn't hurt too much to move, it's still "wrong." It feels like there's too much stuff inside the casing. And it feels like it could just collapse at any moment.

So I walked at a measly 3.0 mph for a mile just for spite and cried most of the way, cursing myself for being so stupid last Saturday. Part of me was hoping the damn thing would just explode so I could get it fixed once and for all.

(Dear God, I'm bitching because I'm frustrated. Please don't take me seriously ... I don't really want my knee to explode. Others have had injuries worse than mine and had to deal with them much longer. We both know I'm kind of a wuss. Thank you. Amen.)

This afternoon, I noticed that my knee wasn't throbbing. I was aware of it's "fullness," but there was no sharp, shooting pain.

This has to be a good sign, right? Maybe I just needed to get on it?

So, this afternoon, I broke out the bike and did 15 miles. I just couldn't sit still any longer. And, the bike is easier on knees, right?

Wearing some killer heels this evening, too. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Cross your fingers.

Better Spaghetter

Jim loves spaghetti. Bottled spaghetti sauces are cheap, but full of sugar and salt. So I make my own. It probably turns out different each time because I just toss in whatever I have on-hand. So I think this really isn't a recipe, so much as a suggestion. And an invitation to experiment.

This makes enough sauce for a 1.25-lb,  package of ground turkey for a mock bolognese

Better Spaghetter
1 small onion diced
1-2 tsp diced garlic
A turn or two around the pan of olive oil
1 big can diced tomatoes (find the ones with the least sodium)
1 small can diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 cup water
1-2 T oregano
1-2 T basil
To taste: garlic salt, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper

In a big stock pot, sautee onion in olive oil until it starts to soften up. Add diced garlic. Let it get all yummy and smelly. Add tomato products, some water, and green spices. You have to have it "loose" enough that it can bubble away on the stove for a while and not get too thick. Add other stuff to your own taste. Let it simmer away for as long as you have. Add cooked ground turkey and ladle over whole wheat noodles or spaghetti squash.

Or keep the ground turkey out and use it over a chicken breast with some parmesean or mozerella for chicken parm.

Without Exercise ...

Here's the difference between the me that exercises and the me that doesn't:

• Without exercise, I have a hard time concentrating during the day.
• Without exercise, I wake up tired and stay tired during the day. I'm assuming I'm getting more restless sleep, as the circles under my eyes will attest.
• Without exercise, I have to be so much more careful about how I eat. The "relaxed" habits I've acquired don't work now that I'm not burning those extra calories.
• Without exercise, I'm freaking ornery. I'm mad that I'm off my pace to add miles and will have to start over. I'm scared that I'll gain 95 pounds back in a week or so. I'm worried that I'll start to like this not exercising thing and fall off the wagon all together.

So, I went back to basics today. I stopped at the grocery store and loaded up on the right stuff. I made a pot of spaghetti sauce tonight and planned my meals out for the upcoming week. Kale, edamame, spaghetti squash, zucchini ... it's all back in rotation.

And while the run of pizza, Mexican, ice cream and sugar cookies ... all in one week ... was fun, it had to end!

Now I have the confidence to know that I can do this. I have done it before. I will be OK.

Bummed

I'm not going to be running on Saturday. At least I don't think I will be. And I'm so disappointed. I really wanted to go 10 miles, before it gets too cold and while I was on this roll. I knew I had the wind for it ... and I was hoping for the leg.

It's still so strange to me to get my head around the fact that I'm disappointed I can't work out. That I WANT to run and am so genuinely upset that I can't right now.

Trying to be careful and patient so that if this is just an "overdid it" situation, it can heal and I can get back to work as quickly as possible. Scared to death that I screwed something up in a big way.

Either way, my Saturday this week isn't going to nearly as much fun as I had planned.

The 10% Rule

When I acquired a husband, I acquired his treasure chest of charming, should-be-copyrighted turns of phrase. Some of them aren't fit for public consumption. But some of them are downright prophetic.

One of them is "The 10% Rule."

He throws it out whenever I am having trouble doing something simple or ordinary. Like when I'm struggling to get the cover back on the battery compartment of the TV remote. Or when I'm packing and repacking my computer bag, trying to get 10 pounds of crap in a five pound space. Or when I'm reading assembly instructions for installing software. You get the drift.

As little beads of sweat break out on my hairline, I hear, "The 10% Rule, Lisa."

The definition/tagline of The 10% Rule is as follows: "You must be 10% smarter than whatever you're playing with."

There's another 10% rule commanded by runners and trainers everywhere. I've heard it from my sports med doc and my running friends.

It goes like this: "When trying to add miles, only add 10% more per week."

I broke both of these 10% rules this past weekend. And I'm paying for it.

Not only did I 1) add nearly 20% more miles last Saturday, but then, like someone who apparently is smarter than the sports med doc who told me not to run at all, I pushed it a bit more and 2) walked for 3 miles the following day.

My bad knee is killing me. By the end of the workday, it's throbbing and I can't bend it properly to walk down the steps. I haven't been able to work out in three days. And it's not getting better, it's feeling worse.

Tonight I'm loading up on ibuprofen and icing it.

Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

My Point?

I rambled a little yesterday. I was leading up to this:

You can do anything for a little while.

You don't have to give up all pizza forever and spend two hours exercising every day for the rest of your life. You don't have to eat rabbit food and be hungry all the time and wake up a 4 a.m. to get a walk in every morning from now until you're old and gray.

You do have to commit to changing the pattern that's not working for you now ... for a while. Until you get where you really want to be.

Then you can eat pizza again. Once in a while. You can skip a day of exercise. Once in a while.

And you'll feel better. Every day.

You can do it.

How Hard is It?

A little while ago, a friend declared sort of publicly that she was making a change. Getting healthier. I let her know I was in support and wished her the best.

I also told her that it wouldn't be as hard as she thought.

I've been thinking about that this past couple of weeks. Why would I say that? Losing weight is hard, right?

Well, yes. It's hard. But now that I can look back on it, after 18 months, it really doesn't seem like it was that hard. And it was certainly not as hard as I thought it would be all those years I was too afraid or too stubborn to try. And it was most definitely not as hard as carrying around those pounds and all the baggage that comes with them.

It took me six months to lose 70 pounds. And another 12 months to lose 25 more. That's more than 500 days of waking up and deciding to do the right things. Eat better. Exercise. Believe I could do it.

Compared to the 25 years I felt like crap about the way I looked and the way I felt, 500 days doesn't seem like such a long time.

And you've heard me say it before, the biggest regret I have about the whole thing is that I didn't start earlier. That I couldn't figure it out, that I couldn't trust myself to try.

So what was different about this time? I didn't think about 100 pounds. I thought about five. I didn't think about the 18 months it might take me. I thought about making good choices for one day. I didn't dwell about being hungry and wanting to eat. I thought instead about how nothing I could put in my mouth would make me feel better than being healthier.

Most of all I didn't think about the 25 years of failing or being disappointed. I thought about how much I mattered to me. I thought about how I only get one life, one body, and how I am in control of me.

And this time it worked.

No More Topless Sunbathing

They're cutting the corn in the field next to my house. That means the people that live on the road off to the side of my house can now see my deck again, after a long summer of lovely, green camoflage.

Guess that means any racy sun worshipping is officially over for the summer.

Not that I lay out there half naked.

Much.

New Schtuff

I have never understood my husband's fascination with Gander Mountain. I mean, how many different kinds of camo does one person need? Or fishing lures. Or bullets. Or things to attach to a bow. I mean, I think fish bite at things when they're hungry (after all, what else is there to do down there?) ... so I just don't get why they'd bite at the fluorescent yellow thingy more than the not-so-different fluorescent green thingy.

But I do know he enjoys having a whole treasure trove of "schtuff" to feed his addiction. When he needs a whatchamacallit, he heads to his stash and finds a whatchamacallit. It makes him happy.

This week I got a taste of the same thing. For myself. And my new HOBBY. (This word still makes me smile.)

I stopped at All Season Runner earlier in the week just to browse. I was thinking my new outdoor running program required some sort of revamp to the current water bottle situation. For the past three weeks, I've just been carrying a normal 16 oz. plastic bottle of water. But my hands aren't really big enough to carry it comfortably. So I'd drink half the water and collapse the bottle a little, making it smaller in diameter and easier to carry. But it still wasn't right.

At ASR, I found this adorable smaller bottle, curved to fit in my palm, with a strap that wraps around the back of my hand. For $15, it wasn't exactly a bargain, but it fit the bill. I also checked out reflective stuff for running when it's dark, pepper spray, compression shirts ... but I left with just the water bottle.

Today, while Jim was at Gander Mountain ... again ... I dashed over to TJMaxx to see if I could find some running tights and a long sleeve shirt that would work. I already have one of each, but thought I needed another set, should I want to run two days in a row without laundry in between. Sure enough, I found upgraded versions of what I have. An Avia pullover and a pair of Brooks running pants ... both with reflective stripes sewn right in and both with POCKETS for my cell phone!

And now I'm totally thinking I need to go back for the pepper spray. After the Zanesville OH wild-animals-on-the-loose thing and the cougar-on-the-trail-cam thing in northern WI, I had a burst of probably unfounded fear today long about mile 6.

Unexpected Downside of Being Thinner #14

Used to be that when I sat down at a restaurant, I had an instant place to tuck a napkin so that it wouldn't slide off my lap and onto the floor. My belly, or "chunk" as I preferred to call it, created a fold into which I could secure the napkin. If you can picture it, there was a crevice formed between my chunk and thighs.

There isn't one there anymore. So now my napkin falls to the floor more often.

Unexpected Benefit of Being Thinner #27

When Jim reaches an arm around my waist in bed, to pull me closer, spoon style, I don't instantly tense up and suck in my gut, hoping that he won't notice my "chunk."

There's no chunk. Squeeze away, sweetheart.

Unexpected Benefit of Being Thinner #26

When getting a pedicure during a season other than the dead of summer, I am able to "reverse fold" my blue jeans and pull them well up over my knees so they can get at my entire lower leg for the relaxing moisturizing calf rubdown.

In other words, the flare of my bootcut is bigger than my thigh.

What Makes You Happy?

Doing a lot of soul searching these days, trying to answer that question.

While every life has many reasons to fret, worry and fear, I am doing my best to accept those things I cannot change, as the saying goes, and put my time and energy into the activities and people that make me better.

The parts of my life I look forward to? The nights my family hangs out at my house, eating a little, drinking a little, talking a little, laughing a little. The afternoons when Jim comes home from hunting and pretends not to care when he sees that it's salad for supper.

And, these last three weeks, I look forward to my Saturday morning run more than just about anything.

Who would have ever imagined that?

I'm challenging myself. Seeing how far I can go. Last week I ran 7.25 miles and felt so amazing I can't find words to describe it. I can't wait to see if I can add a mile or maybe two this week. I'm obsessing about it and already anxious for the sun to come up on Saturday.

Makes me think I should find a way to focus more of my time and energy there. Find a job that feeds that part of my soul. Find a way to help others discover what I did inside myself.

I wonder what that might be?

One of the Best Things I Ever Ate

Restaurant: Hotoke, Smithtown, NY

Food: The Hot Girl Roll (I'm betting very few men order this. That's OK ... more for me!)

Description: Spicy crab and avocado inside, topped with seared salmon tataki and dressed in a slightly spicy sauce

Divine. Simply deeee-liciously-vine. I'm still dreaming about it two days later. It's perfectly worth a flight from Milwaukee to MacArthur Airport in Islip NY. Go Southwest ... you'll make a stop in Baltimore, but you won't have to get off the plane.

I simply can't tell you how good this was. And I'm dead serious about taking a flight to get it.

http://www.hotokejapanese.com/home.html

Sitting Not So Pretty

So there I am. In a conference room. With swiveling black vinyl chairs. And, I'm in a skirt. With bare legs. In a meeting with just four people.

I go to recross my legs. First the uncross, then the one on the bottom starts to swing over the top of the other and ...

"Pppfffffftttttthhhhhhhttttttttt!"

The air between my legs and the chair makes a gawd-awful and embarrassing-as-if-it-came-from-another-orifice sound.

A very loud sound.

It's all I can do to not crack up. Is there any point in explaining what it was?

What would you do?

Like is a Matter of Perspective

Question asked: "Do you really LIKE to run?" she asked. "I have tried it and I just don't like it. I mean ... " her face kind of scrunches up in a combination of disbelief, doubt and disgust, "do you REALLY like it?

Answer I gave: "Yes. I really like it. I spent a lot of years as a fat girl. And I like running and the way running makes me feel. It feels so much better than that did."

CC Readers Complete First 5K!

Our good friends GaryAllanFan and Amber attacked their first 5K this morning and kicked its hiney!

Way to go, ladies. You set a goal, you worked through injuries and related training challenges ... and you finished! With big, proud smiles, I hope.

You earned them.

Curiosity Killed the Cut

The Internet is a wonderful thing.

From the comfort of my couch, I have a whole world of research information at my fingertips. Tonight's "online class" explored plastic surgery and what you can do to get rid of extra skin.

Via the DeanCare website, I landed on a Before and After photo gallery of tummy tucks, arm lifts, breast lifts and something called "full-body contouring."

Full-body contouring apparently involves cutting a ring around your midsection ... a full circle all the way around the trunk of the tree, so to speak. Then they cut a ribbon of skin off, pull everything tight from the top down and bottom up, and then just sew it all back together again. Liposuction may also be a part of the procedure.

You can do that?

The arm lifts were the least gross and seemed the most successful. What I mean by successful is that the new arms looked normal ... like there hadn't been surgery. The tummy tucks came in next. Fairly good results. The thigh lifts were moderately yukky, with the afters not looking that much better than the befores. The breast lifts were most disappointing and verging on bizarre. Not a one of them (two of them?) looked anything less than obviously tampered with. And the full-body contours were just a collage of horror.

The whole experience has me wondering, "How did Picasso know?"

I had all but decided that even though my arms and boobs aren't cute, I could live with them. But I was toying with the idea of going on a consultation to see if there is a solution for my stomach and my thighs.

Not any more. So grossed out at the moment, I think I'll table it for now.

If I'm going to look freaky anyway, might as well look naturally freaky and not Picasso freaky.

Plane. Plan. Prevent Pizza Pigouts.

Getting ready for yet another work trip. Leaving on a jet plane Sunday, returning Tuesday. The weekend leading up to the departure is pretty booked and if I don't think about my eating now, I'm going to be sunk in the moment.

Here's what we're looking at:

Friday night, dinner with Crazy Cousin and hub. Saturday night, dinner with the fam-damily, for my favorite Mexican. Sunday dinner will happen late upon landing on Long Island ... land of pizzerias and delis. Monday lunch and dinner out with business partners ... that means drinks, appetizers and desserts. Tuesday a late flight home, screwing up the dinner hour.

Ugh.

So much eating. So much potential bad stuff.

Here's how I play defense:

1. Staying at the Hampton Inn, where I know I can get a healthy breakfast and there's apples for snackin'. And a nice fitness center.
2. Deciding now what I'm eating for lunch Monday and Tuesday ... regardless of the restaurant. Lettuce. If there is no lettuce available, I'll have a stolen Hampton Inn apple in my bag.
3. Taking an extra set of workout gear to squeeze in a walk Sunday night.
4. Packing my favorite traveling nibbles in those adorable, half-size snack bags, of course.
5. Getting a solid game plan together now ... and telling you about it so I have someone to hold me accountable.

Daybreak Danger

I've developed yet another bad habit while on the path to my "maintain" phase. And when coupled with my too-frequent-and-too-much after dinner nibbling, it's a potential hazard.

For the past few weeks, I've allowed myself to lay in bed a bit in the mornings ... catching 10, 20, 30 more minutes of sleep instead of dragging my ass up and out as soon as I'm conscious.

The danger isn't in the actual extra sleep. And it's not in the reduced amount of time I have to work out. The danger is in the thoughts that creep into my head in the pre-dawn darkness.

"I'm REALLY tired this morning. Maybe my body is telling me that I'm overdoing it. Maybe missing just today wouldn't be so bad. I have reached a certain level of fitness, so missing one day isn't going to kill me. Maybe I'll get up, but I'll just walk instead of running. Maybe I'll just lift weights. Maybe I'll just do three miles instead of four ..."

You get the idea.

Remember, your brain is the strongest muscle in your body and it can talk you into or out of things that are not good for you. It will tell you you're too exhausted to run five more minutes. It will tell you that you can't stop eating Cheetos after 9 p.m. It will tell you you deserve a day off or half of a cheesecake.

You know what's right and healthy and good. Tell your brain to shut up.

And tell your convictions to step up.

Body Image Issues

I'm still surprised by how unable I am to see my body for what it is now. And I'm fascinated by the brain that processes the information.

Indulge me, please.

When I get ready for bed at night, I brush my teeth in our master bath, then walk to the kitchen for a drink of ice water and then traverse back to the bedroom, passing by a sliding glass door. In that glass door, I am able to see my back lit reflection.
I have watched the back lit me get smaller over the past 18 months. And for quite a while, I reveled in the shrinking vision.

Lately, I swear I see "bigger." And I know it's not true. The scale and the dressing room let me know I'm not expanding. But I see flabby thighs. I see a saggy butt.

I guess my standards for what is "big" have changed. That's OK, I think. My inability to see just how big I was before was part of the problem in the first place, as  I've discussed in previous posts. But it's hard to not get down on myself for the perceived flab, even when the logical me is smacking the emotional me in the forehead with the heel of my figurative palm.

Those feelings, of "it's not quite enough," are really powerful. And they can get my brain off track, causing needless worrying, off-program eating and weird training obsessions.

I can get beyond the emotional stuff by now. I know I'm healthier. I know my body is in a good place and I have no real reason to complain. I know my extra skin is a much better alternative to all the extra fat.

It just pisses me off.

Why did I let myself get that big in the first place and why didn't I do something about it at 25 or 30 or even 35, when my skin was more elastic and would have been more forgiving?

And every time I'm at the mall or the gas station or grocery store and I see a young girl who is carrying way too much weight, my heart breaks. I want to grab her and put my face in her face and make her understand that what she's doing, how she's feeling, the way she's living is so much harder in every way than taking control and getting healthier.

I don't want her to waste the time I wasted being miserable.

Maybe she could come look in my sliding glass door and see.

Prom Dress Attempt

Sunday night's attempt: Failed.

I can't zip the freaking thing. My rib cage, and the stuff that surrounds it, is just too big. And while I have room to pinch an inch here and there, I'm not sure losing five or 10 or even 15 pounds would result in losing the couple of inches I'd need to for the zipper to go all the way up.

But I am going to find a way to wear that dress. In some form.

If It Feels Good ... USE IT!

Wouldn't you know it?

After kvetching about how I couldn't run yesterday, I decided to try something different today. As soon as the sun was up, I strapped on my neon green Brooks, grabbed a bottle of water and set out to run outside.

The plan was to run down my road, take a right and run until I hit the next crossroad ... about 1.8 miles. Then run back.

So I did. When I got to the crossroad, I thought I could go farther. And I added another quarter mile. Then I turned around and ran back.

Barely broke a sweat. (It was still kind of chilly.) Didn't really feel winded. Felt like I could have run all day.

But, alas, I had plans and had to get showered and in the car.

My point? If it feels good, use it. Know there are just some days that feel good and some days that feel not so good. When you unexpectedly bump into the good ones, keep going!