What is Girls Got Grit?

I'm going to give you a run-down of the highlights of program because I really believe that if you're serious about getting healthier, getting stronger ... and committing to it ... this program or one like it might be a great idea.  

I met Peggy at the RIPPED class held at my office. She's a fitness instructor for Zumba, RIPPED, Sculpt and other classes, and she participates in bodybuilding competitions. (And wins!) If you remember, I was struck by her killer shoulders the first time I saw her and she's really a living testimony to what hard work and dedication can do to your body.

During our second session of RIPPED, she brought up the idea of Girls Got Grit. Three of us jumped in and were joined by another woman from one of Peggy's other classes. All of us were at different points in our journey ... we were a mix of ages, lifestyles, weight/exercise histories. But we had a common goal: to get healthier. For me, more specifically, it was to get stronger. (I wanted those shoulders!)

Before we officially started, Peggy asked us to fill out some forms. She asked us for our goals, perceived problem areas (physical/functional), limitations/injuries, current exercise schedule, etc. We signed a waiver, of course. Then at our first meeting, she took measurements, weighed us, asked us about our sleeping habits and energy levels. Oh ... and she took the dreaded BEFORE photos.

She also gave us notebooks to journal our food and a suggested workout schedule.

Then, once a week, our group of four lovely ladies rendezvoused with her at 5:30 a.m. for a one-hour session. We met in the Janesville Country Club's little fitness room: two treadmills (one of which worked), an elliptical, a stationary bike, free weights, a bench, an exercise ball and a functional trainer.

This is a Functional Trainer. It allows two people

to work at the same time and has a number of 

attachments. Can be used for biceps, triceps, 

obliques, back, chest, quads, hamstrings and pull-ups.
And I'm guessing it can make coffee, too, if you push
the right buttons. I want one. Jim ... Xmas is coming.

At that weekly group session, Peggy introduced us to a circuit workout, and it changed each week. She taught us how to perform everything safely and properly. She kept us moving. She provided encouragement and challenged us to pick a heavier weight when the time was right.

We provided the sweat.

And then she'd email us the circuit, along with gobs of helpful information, healthy recipes, tips and tricks ... so we had ammo with which to face the week.

She also met with us individually and communicated with us via email to address our individual concerns over the course of the six weeks. For instance, I wanted a literal "lifting routine" I could do in my basement with the equipment I had on hand. So she came over one Saturday morning, we tried out a bunch of stuff, and she put together a three-day-a-week plan that hit the muscles groups I wanted to hit. Voila!

So, it was the best of both worlds ... the support and camaraderie of a group, but the customized attention of a personal trainer.

And I really liked it. Tomorrow I'll tell you why.

The Girls, Indeed, Got Grit!

If you remember, two of my work pals and a new friend and I enrolled in a 6-week program called Girls Got Grit as a way to combat the danger zone known as "The Holidays." The program was designed by the woman who teaches our RIPPED classes and focused on strength training and eating well.

We had our final measure up/weigh in on Saturday and I'm so excited to share our results!

1. We ALL lost inches!
2. We ALL lost pounds!
3. We ALL learned a bunch about how to lift properly and how to incorporate it into our normal workout schedules!

I know I've talked about strength training before. I have quoted all of the well-known, broad brush facts ...

"Lean muscle burns more calories when you're at rest."
"Lift weights to help fight osteoporosis in your later years."
"A combination of strength training and cardio is a better overall workout than just cardio alone."

But I wasn't sure I actually BELIEVED them.

I do now.

I have to admit ... I started this program more as a test. I wanted to try on the idea of weight lifting, but I needed someone to walk me through it so I really understood what I was supposed to be doing. I had done some Internet research, talked to a guy at work ... but I just wasn't really getting it and I knew I needed some help.

As such, I honestly didn't fully commit to the whole program. I only kept a food journal for one week because I knew I wasn't eating right. I didn't jump in with the suggested (but not required in any way) energy drink mix and Amino Acid (protein) supplements. I really just wanted to learn more about how to use weights to look and feel better.

Learn I did.

In the 6 weeks over the dreaded holidays, I lost 3 pounds and a total of 10 inches ... 2.5 from my chest, 1.5 from my waist, 2 at hips, 1 at calf and 3 from thighs.

Zippity Do Daaaaaaa!

I'm going to talk a bit more about the program, about our workouts, about the eating, etc. in upcoming days. Stay tuned.

New, Hot Dip

I'm going to a party tonight and had to think of some sort of munchie to take. I didn't want to run to the store, so I did the stand-in-the-pantry-and-then-in-front-of-the-fridge-and-stare brainstorm.

You know the one ... the "Hmmmm, what can I make with a can of black olives, box of pistachio pudding and pickled beets?" brainstorm.

And, no, I didn't really go there. I went here instead. And if I say so myself, I did "good."

Hot Tinga Dip
2-3 C leftover Tinga (recipe here)
1 16-oz tub of light or fat free sour cream ... or fat free Greek yogurt if you have it. Or any combination of these.
1/2 brick of light cream cheese
Cumin
Sauce from chipotle peppers/hot sauce/red pepper flakes (your choice ... or none)
Tajin or lime/chili seasoning

Mix everything in a little crock pot until hot. Season to your own taste. Serve with a bag of Baked Scoops or homemade Pita Chips (recipe here). Like it looser? More sour cream, less cream cheese. Want it thicker? reverse that sentence.

Plan for a Good Holiday

Well, it's here. Christmas and a week full of family get-togethers, eggnog, gingerbread men and general indulgence has arrived.

Enjoy it.

And plan for it, so you don't blow all of the work you've put into things this far.

• Stay on your workout schedule as best you can. Kids all wrapped up in their new toys on Christmas morn? Sneak in a quick 30 minutes on the treadmill. 
• Decide what you really want to eat that's out of the norm, and truly savor it. Your mom's cutout cookies only happen once a year, so don't deny yourself. Eat one slowly, tasting every bite. Then check it off the list and resist going back for more.
• Don't waste calories on the stuff you don't really love. We'll have all kinds of snacks out tonight. Some special, and some run of the mill crackers and cheese type. I don't love regular, old Chex mix and Puppy Chow. So I'm not going to eat that. 
• Remember the goal. You've put in a lot of time and effort to be healthy. The way you feel when you eat well tastes a thousand times better than that store-bought Pfeffernusse. 

Am I going to have an extra glass of wine or two? Yes. Did I already sneak a candy turtle? Yes.

Is any of this going to wreck everything? Nope.

Wishing you a blessed day filled with those you love most.

While the Jolly Ol' Elf didn't show up at my RIPPED
class this morning, we did do a butt-load of push-ups! 

Change is Good

As I mentioned last week, I have some good news to report to you.

I have a new job.

I accepted an offer from a company located north of Rockford, IL, making my commute about 7 miles longer than it was. (Oh, and my commute will now take me past Gordman's, TJ Maxx, Lowe's, Target, Kohl's and a handful of other easy-to-swing-by-on-the-way-home-from-work places!)

I'm relieved to have something locked up. I'm excited to start something quite different in many ways from anything I've done before. I'm a little nervous about starting over in an unfamiliar place, where I have to start from scratch to figure out who is on my side and who might not be.

And I'm happy that this version of me was the one that hit the interview trail.

Confidence is powerful.

It gives you courage when you might not be feeling all that brave, smart or invincible.

And knowing you've "beaten" something (like prevailing over your former self), knowing you've succeeded after working so hard (on your butt, your attitude and your outlook), makes facing a new challenge easier.

There are times I'm absolutely amazed that a self-doubting, 23-year-old chubby and insecure girl still lives in my body. I wonder if this is a "me" thing, a female thing, a Midwestern thing or a psychotic thing.

After all, I'm a 46-year-old woman who has managed to finish college, get married, co-parent a great kid, build a house, pay taxes, manage budgets, run a company, make Thanksgiving dinner, arrange a funeral, get a mammogram, file an insurance claim, learn sign language, attend both fancy and total Redneck dinners without embarrassing myself ... and yet I can't get it through my head that I just might know something or be good at something or be, well, capable.

I admit freely that hitting the interview trail after 23 years was not easy. The first couple of Round 1 events were strictly practice. But, just like a muscle you haven't exercised in a long time, you keep going, and get stronger with each attempt.

(In the end, it felt like dating. How charming could I be? Can I get someone to like me? Once I realized that it was just a different kind of flirting, I actually had a really good time.)

The version of me that existed a few years ago would have struggled more. Doubted more. Worried more. Sabotaged myself with self-depreciating thoughts more.

The new me put on high-heeled boots, took a deep breath, and repeated, "You can do this," a thousand times or more.

High-heeled boots are not that different from running shoes, are they? A deep breath is a deep breath. And my brain has gotten used to being convinced to take on things it doesn't really believe possible.

For that, I am grateful.

New Runner ... The FINAL Chapter!

Yay! She did it! And here's her take on it all:

NEW RUNNER: I did it!  

It wasn't easy at all, but I did it!!! Miss Daisy wasn't lying about the conditions. Snowy, slushy, yucky, cold, and windy. I was a bit scared driving to the run, but there was no way I wasn't going to finish what I have been working so hard for over the past several months.

The whole atmosphere of the bells jingling, people donning their fun 'jingle' attire, and knowing that I was going to be a part of the 'running' population had me so pumped up that the conditions of the weather didn't get me down at all.

Filling out a poster in my daughter's honor to hang on the wall prior to the run had me feeling extra warm inside. It also meant so much that she was there to experience my first 5K. (Poor girl stood in the elements with her arthritis nurse by her side awaiting my finish)

Several of my friends from work who have collectively run MANY 5K's joined us. One ran right along with Miss Daisy, her niece and me. I was grateful that I didn't have to go it alone during any part of the morning.

The only real surprise I had were the hills. Now, SOMEONE said there were a few SMALL hills. From my perspective, they were like the Rocky Mountains, and I know I was getting a bit whiny after the 4th one. They were really HARD to run, especially with the snowy roads. I've learned that I need to train more on hilly terrain before our next one! Miss Daisy kept telling me to think about my butt as I trudged up them. (Interjection: Hills make your glutes look good!) My butt kept telling me that I needed to take a break!

I felt great the whole time. I still need to work on breathing. I can't seem to figure that out. That's my greatest challenge right now. My body doesn't seem to scream at me too loudly that I need to stop or slow down, but I just can't breathe. I hope to learn how to breathe as I prepare for my next 5K!!!

Crossing that finish line was just amazing! People were cheering for their friends and family, but I really felt almost like they were all cheering for me.

I have an incredible sense of accomplishment. I have to say, this is one of the most memorable things that I've done in my recent past. I think it feels so good because I know I'm taking care of myself, I'm losing weight, getting healthier, and have learned about the cool camaraderie that seems to exist among runners. I'm so thrilled to be one of them.

And then New Runner says a bunch of nice stuff that I'm too embarrassed to put in the blog. I'm comfortable telling you that she said she was happy to have someone cheering her on and she hopes to do it for someone else some day. And that makes me very happy. Then she reminds me of a trip to Shakey's pizza where we wore matching outfits. Ha! She wraps it up this way:

Together, we have checked one item off my bucket list ... and now my bucket is overflowing!

Change is Scary

Hey all. It's me. And I want to share some things that are going on in my world that will explain the lack of posting and the general malaise you've been picking up if you've been reading between the lines.

I have been struggling with a life change and the truth is, it's been affecting me more than it probably should. After 23 years, a few promotions and perhaps one of the coolest jobs I could imagine with a team of people I dearly love, I have been told my last day is Dec. 31. 

The companies I was in charge of have been sold off or integrated into our parent company ... with the last one officially closing Dec. 20. The remaining "children" companies have been sold and there is no spot for me with the new owner. 

I'm a man without a country, so to speak. 

For the first time in my work life, I have been told that I'm not wanted. Not needed. It's been a tough pill to swallow for me. A very big blow to my ego and my pride. 

I wasn't prepared for the stress. The depression. The constant worry. And, to be honest, I haven't been handling it very well. And yet, in an attempt to be cheerful and plow forward, I didn't notice or allow myself to consider how much it was bothering me ... until ... 

I fell off my eating program. I stopped sleeping with any regularity. I skipped workouts because I was too tired in the morning to do them. I let myself play the "Oh Poor Me" loop tape in my head. Over and over.  

Adding complication to the mix, dear family and friends have been going through even more serious trials. Every time I allowed myself to "notice" my own issues, I'd come face-to-face with someone I loved who was going though a much more difficult time. A cousin with cancer. A friend with a dying father. A father-in-law with dementia and a mother-in-law shouldering the burden.

I'd end up beating myself up even more for daring to feel "bad" about a stupid job, something so inconsequential comparatively. I piggybacked their worry onto my own, shoving all those feelings down my gut, pretending everything was just fine.  

It all sort of came to a head Friday afternoon. I left a third round job interview, got in my car, and cried the whole way home.

It just all came bubbling out. And it made me take a good hard look at it all. Here's what I learned:

• I'm amazed at how much the turmoil in my head and in my heart affects the rest of my body. And I'm also amazed at how important it has become for me to make the attempt to do what's right by my body and my health in an effort to help my head. 
• There are days I just don't want to work out. But I try to do it anyway because I know I NEED it. I know that no matter how tired I am from the stress, I will feel BETTER when I eat properly and get some exercise. There are nights I don't sleep well, and I can feel how raw my nerves are the next day and how foggy my brain is. So I try to cut the caffeine and climb into bed early the next night, hoping to find a few ZZZZs before my now-standard 4:20 a.m. wake-up and worry time. 
• It doesn't always happen the way I want it to. Yet I know finding a way to control ME in the middle of a bunch of things I can't control gives me some power, a more steady footing and helps me stay strong.

I know this is all going to end just fine. I'm hoping to have news to share with you shortly, as a matter of fact. In the end, it's just a damn job. It doesn't define me and it doesn't control me. It's not life and death. No one is hurt or sick. 

Best case scenario, I will have the opportunity to learn something new. I know I'm happiest when I'm challenging myself and the biggest successes of my career (and my life) began when I was out of my comfort zone and scared to death (like when the 200+ pound me decided to start exercising). 

Worst case scenario? I work at Sentry and Jim and I live in a yurt. 

I'm pretty sure my MacGyver husband can rig something up where the energy I create by running on the treadmill powers the water heater or something.

New Runner, Chapter 20

We did it! We raced in the snow to raise money for arthritis!

By now, those of you who know me, know that our mystery runner is CC reader MarthaMac. Martha and I have been friends forever. 

We missed the bus together in 1st grade and had to get a ride home with Mr. Merriman. We were in the Bicentennial play together in 2nd grade. (I think she was Betsy Ross and I was the Statue of Liberty.) We both decided to become teachers after being in Mrs. Dyson's 5th grade class. She had a singing part in our 6th grade musical production of Huck Finn. I had a speaking part, for obvious reasons. Her mom and my dad worked together at a radio station. Fast forward a few years, and I want to say we both took our GMAT the same day, though I'm not sure about that. 

She actually became a teacher, while my career took another path (sorry, Mrs. Dyson), but we've stayed in touch over all these the years. 

Which makes Saturday's race and Martha's journey so much more fun for me. 

So let's cut to the chase ... 

Race day conditions were truly quite horrible. Snowy, blowing, cold, dark, dreary. Even the dozens of cheerful elf socks, cute Santa hats and a dude in a polar bear suit couldn't change the fact that it was really sort of awful. 

We huddled in the shelter at Vilas Park until forced to head out to the starting line. By the time we started, my fingers were frozen. It was nice to hear the jingling of bells as we ran (each entrant was provided with a couple on colorful pipe cleaners), though. 

This is what the registration table looked like. Snow-covered
gum swag and jingle bells for your shoe laces.

The course included some walking paths, some sidewalks, and some actual roads. Most were greasy with slush, and very few were completely plowed, making fast running out of the question. You really had to pay attention to where your foot was going to land and my knees hurt by the end from the constant adjustments my body had to make for the slick footing. We climbed a few little hills, too, much to the chagrin of many. 

Both Martha and my niece did great! It was a really tough race for the "first" one, but they both stuck with it and crossed the finish line with BIG smiles. 

My niece ... in her fancy new running gear.
Including a Symplified camo hat!

There she is! At the finish line! With a lovely elf who not only
picked up our packets on Friday night, but ran with us the
whole way! Thanks and hope your back feels better!

I'm proud of what they accomplished. It was no small feat.

I'm hoping Martha will share her perspective with us one day this week. 

And I hope we can do another 5K when the sun is shining. 

Tomorrow is the Day!

Look out, Madison! New Runner, my 11-year-old niece and I are coming tomorrow and we're going to kick the Jingle Bell 5K in the chops!

I talked to New Runner last night. She's READY! She hasn't actually done a full 3.1 miles yet ... but she knows that she can. And so do I.

The weather sounds like it's going to be perfectly AWFUL. Warmer, yes, with the high predicted to be over 20 ... which seems like a heat wave compared to the rest of this week. But it's also supposed to be breezy and snowing. Which translates to wet and cold. But we'll be done in 40 minutes or so ... that's manageable, right? Besides, the faster we move, the warmer and drier we'll be!

I promise there will be photos and celebration at the finish line.

I can't wait!

(And, thanks for bearing with me this week and not being pissed off over the lack of posting. I'm working on a post that will explain it all.)

New Runner, Chapter 19

(We are one week out from the Jingle Bell 5K to benefit arthritis. The weather looks OK. Not great, but OK. I'm hoping for no wind and no wet. The weather has really sort of sucked this past week to run outside ... let's see what New Runner has decided to do about that.)

NEW RUNNER: Well, I did something yesterday that I didn't really want to. I joined the local gym. I really hate exercising in front of other people. I realized that winter running in temps that are in the teens, as well as rain and snow, is something that I just can't tolerate. So ... I have assumed my daughter's membership while she is away at college.

I was actually nervous. Years ago, I went to the gym religiously. I was the Queen of the Elliptical. Now, I have my own, and don't need to go. That was great until I started running. The elliptical isn't running ... nothing like it.

So, in I went at 7:30 on a Friday night and I felt like a fish out of water. I chose the treadmill way on the end so that people couldn't see me through the window from the parking lot. I got my Pandora all ready, set my C25K program and off I went. I turned on the TV, but didn't really watch it. 

I was so conscious of if I was breathing loudly, jiggling wildly, or just looking ridiculous, that before long, I realized I had been running for a really long time. I was expecting the program to say, "You're half way," at any second. But I didn't hear anything. And, yes, I checked my phone and the darn program stopped ... again. GGRR!!! 

When I looked at the treadmill, I had run 1.5 miles already and was actually feeling pretty good. (VERY slow pace, might I add.) What is a good pace? I felt that I was probably just over 'fast walking'.

I continued at that pace until the treadmill said I had gone 2.25 miles, and I was actually really, really tired. Sweaty, and tired. Thankfully, I brought a towel! I slowed down to a walking pace for 5 minutes to cool down, then cleaned the machine and left. (Actually, before I walked out the door, I ran into a former student ... that was awkward! Sweaty, in my workout clothes, and feeling just lovely. He said he hardly recognized me. Gee, I wonder why!?)

For a first treadmill experience as a 'runner', it wasn't as bad as people told me it would be. Other than the social awkwardness, it was actually okay.  

Only one week til race day. I still need to go .75 further! I think I can do it!!!

MISS DAISY: Where there is a will, there is a way! It's fantastic that you found a way to keep going in spite of weather that has been doing everything to stop you. That's commitment! 

Let's face it. Life is rarely schedulable and perfect. It's easy to sit on the couch or stay in bed and say, "I just don't have time." Or, "My day is too busy.." Or, "My-hamstrings-are-too-sore-My-kids-won't-let-me-I can't-The-planets-are-not-in-alignment-It's-too-hard."

But when you have a goal and your head is truly committed to it, you have a Plan B when Plan A can't work. And a Plan C. And maybe a Plan D. Let's face it. No one in the whole world cares if you work out and eat right. This is your promise to yourself. And when you don't find a way, the only one you're lying to, the only one you're disappointing is yourself.

It just feels so much better when you find a way to keep that promise to yourself.

And did anyone else notice what New Runner said at the end there? She's no longer doubting herself. Just .75 miles more to go ... and we all know she can do it.

As for pace, there is NO RULE! You go as fast as you can. It's YOUR run. Today I ran indoors at a 5.6 mph rate ... about an 11 minute mile. When I first started running indoors, I ran in the 4.5 mph range. In my first half marathon, I maintained a pace of over 6 mph or 9.6 minute miles (and where the hell that came from, I'm still not sure). When I run outside on a good day, I average 10 minute miles pretty consistently or 6 mph. My brother-in-law would call all of those insanely slow. Kenyan marathoners do 26.2 miles at under 5 minutes per mile ... or 12 mph. 

Every single treadmill measures differently. There's play in every app for your phone. In the end, IT DOESN'T MATTER! It's YOUR run and you get to do it however you want.

And if you're running 8 minute miles, you're going to have to wait for me and my niece at the finish line next Saturday!

Inches Lost: Fact or Fiction?

Today was "update" day for my Girls Got Grit program. What that means is that we are at the halfway point of our 6-week session (actually, it's week 4 ... our busy schedules threw us a bit behind) and therefore time to take tape measure to body to see what's happening.

Since the past few weeks have been a bit crazy, and since I know I'm not eating or sleeping that well, my expectations were not high.

In fact, my very best hope was that I maintained. I fully planned on gains.

I also knew, that no matter what the tape said, I had earned the numbers on it. I was accountable for them.

So imagine my surprise when they weren't actually that bad.

Per Peggy, I lost 2.5" in my chest, a fraction in my waist, and I think she said 3" in my thighs, which must mean 1.5" in each?

She was a little surprised and took each measurement twice to verify. It didn't ring true to either one of us, especially after I told her that I wasn't eating very well and that my clothes weren't really fitting any differently.

So there are a few options:
1. I wore tighter clothes today, though they're the same kind of thing I wore the first day.
2. She measured "wrong" or differently the first time ... the tape was in a slightly different place.
3. I was uber-bloated the first time and not so today.
4. I actually lost something.
5. Some combination of all or some of the above.

I'm happy to take it. Again, I'm not necessarily FEELING a significant difference in my body, but I can tell I'm getting stronger and that is good.

Plus, the three other ladies on this journey with me also ALL lost inches.

There's something to this combination of cardio and strength training that I am starting to love.

I'm in Love with a Dip ... and You Can Win a Prize!

I have a new infatuation.

It's called a tricep dip and I just can't get enough.

Here's how it goes:

Find a sturdy chair. Preferably "hard" ... not a poufy, lounge chair. Like a kitchen table chair. Or a weight lifting bench.

Sit on it. And slide your butt forward so that it's no longer on the chair, using your arms to support your weight, keeping your legs bent at 90-degree angles as if you are still sitting. Then drop your hiney toward the floor and pull yourself back up.

Repeat for three sets of 15. Or 20. Or do as many as you can for one minute.

You should feel it in your triceps ... that's the muscle opposite of your bicep on the back of your upper arm.

Mine have been sore for a week.

I love it because you need no equipment. Zero. Zip. Nada. You just need a damn chair. That means you can do it in a hotel room. Or at the airport. At your kid's soccer game, using the metal bleachers.

My hope is that it helps shrink some of that wavering chicken flap skin on the back of my arms.

Let's have a little fun. Have a loved one take a photo of you doing a tricep dip in an interesting or unusual place. I'll send the winner a present. I'm the judge. You have one week. GO!

New Runner, Chapter 18

We are at two weeks and counting. Well, actually 12 days and counting. And New Runner is still worried that she might not be able to do this. (Even though we know she can.) See the difference a few days can make ...

NEW RUNNER ON NOV. 27: FINALLY got outside to run today. Dressed in MANY layers, and stayed warm. I have to say, I am not good in the cold weather. Took several breaks to walk for a bit. Frustrating. My total time/mileage was 2.5, but I probably only ran about 2.25. Ugh!!! 

I ran a different path due to the snowy roads on my usual route. Went on the bike trail that begins just south of the city limits, then continues in town. It was clear of snow and ice. I did like that it had no hills and most of it was without an 'audience.' The hard part for me was to keep going where there was a lot of traffic. Somehow, I hoped my sunglasses prevented people from knowing who I was. I'm looking forward to a few warmer days this weekend so I can get outside and do this!

I had an appointment with my OB/GYN today. She congratulated me on my weight loss and running. She said she could tell right away that I was healthier and thinner. That made my day! 

I'm going to need a major push to get to 3 miles in 2 weeks. Yikes! I'm feeling doubtful ... I know I'm almost there ... but it seems like it's almost unreachable. I think we need to look for cute jingle bling ... maybe that will help??

MISS DAISY: You are going to be fine. I promise! If we run, we run. If we take a break, we take a break. The cool thing about all of this is that you learn that the race isn't really about the race at all. The race is the "victory lap." The training is the hard work. And by race day, you've already done that! I can't wait! Just praying it isn't 20 below 0 or a wet, sloppy blizzard! 

(And, as your OB/GYN said in perhaps not so many words ... you've already won because you're healthier now than you were and you found something that you like to do and that you can continue to do. I love it! And I hope you're taking a little time to look yourself in the eyes in the mirror and tell yourself how proud of you you are.)

NEW RUNNER ON DEC. 1: So, I ran Friday on the bike trail again. It was almost as pathetic as Wednesday's run. I didn't even want to admit it, but, I didn't think that I could really make it to the 5K ... I was ready to give up and throw in the towel. I was frustrated, mad at myself and my body for not allowing me to do what I really wanted to do.

And then, today happened.

Today was different!!! I ran my regular route and it felt so good! Right before my you're-half-way-there mark, I took a small break to walk a few steps and catch my breath. When the C25K program woman gave me the 'half way' signal, I decided that I was going to try to make it all the way to the end.

And I DID IT!!!!!!! The last little bit wasn't pretty, I'm sure, but I did it! Compared to where I was feeling a couple of days ago, I am on top of the world! Now, this is only 2.5 miles. I need to get to 3 in 2 weeks!!! Today, I'm feeling like I can actually do it! I am really hoping the rain stays away this week because I have a really busy schedule and I need it to be nice.

Maybe it just took two really crummy days to equal one good one. At this point, I'll take what I can get. Maybe the scale will thank me too! 

MISS DAISY: It would be nice if it got easier as we get stronger. But some days just aren't easy. And sometimes there's no rhyme or reason to it. You think you got enough sleep, ate well, put your head in the right place ... and it still just doesn't go well. But you keep running anyway because the only way to get to a "good run" is to get through the "bad run." In fact, I think the bad runs make us stronger. 

It's time to start telling yourself that you got this. Because you do. 

Can You Crack an Egg with Your Butt Cheeks?

(Subtitle: What I'm Learning About Strength Training)

I'm going to give you the end of the story first. That way, if you don't want to read all the details, you don't have to.

Here it is:

I'm a hurtin' unit today. After doing some sort of lifting three out of the last four days this week, I'm sore. So very sore. It hurts to cough. It hurts to sit. It hurts to get up. It hurts to twist.

And, I love it!

Now, here's how I got here.

Tuesday, I did about 25 minutes of triceps, chest and obliques (or at least I think they're called obliques ... the muscles on the sides of your waist). Wednesday, Peggy came over and she ran me through a 15-20 moves to make sure I knew how to do them properly. She concentrated on form. (She will then build a routine for me to do three days a week.) Then on Friday morning, I put an hour in at Girls Got Grit, plus hit a Zumba class that had a glutes and abs concentration.

Ow.

I'm actually a little surprised that I'm sore, especially this sore, and I'm so happy I am. I'm happy because being sore means that I'm doing something right. Finally. Up until this point, I haven't been sore.

Little did I know, weight lifting is hard. 

It's a "detail" endeavor. And I'm a broad brush kind of girl. 

In other words, you can't just lift the damn weight. You have to lift it right. The right motion may be very small. You have to concentrate on that small part of the motion that you can FEEL and you have to find it every single time. 

It reminds me of golf, honestly. In golf, to get a good swing, you have to have your feet just right and your shoulders just right and your head just right, etc. It's a series of all these small, little details that must be done perfectly if you want the ball to actually go anywhere. 

And it's the opposite in just about every way from running. While I'm sure there can be intricacies in running, I don't know what they are. I just run. As fast and as far as I can. Broad brush. 

So here's an example. 

Feet shoulder length apart, 15-lb. weight in right hand, arm hanging loosely at your side. Left arm bent, hand on left hip. Bend sideways to your left to work the left side obliques.  

Sounds easy, right? Bend, straighten. Bend, straighten. Done.

Except, it's not that easy. 

Peggy can tell by looking at me that I'm not getting it. 

"Can you FEEL it?" she asks. 

"Nope," I reply honestly. 

"Right here," she says. She takes two fingers and pokes me in that muscle. "You should feel it right here." 

"But I don't," I say. Then she holds her fingers there while I bend and straighten. 

"Pretend it's an egg. Crack it. At the very end of that motion, squeeze that muscle and crack that egg."

What. The. Hell?

I don't even know I have a muscle there, so how do I concentrate enough to feel it and then CONTROL it? 

Which means I have to try again. This time with a new focus. Feet shoulder width apart, knees loosely bent, butt tucked under and abs tight. Shoulders square, neck loose, just a relaxed grip on the weight and eyes straight ahead, looking at myself in the mirror. 

Begin bend, keeping shoulders above hips ... no leaning forward or backward ... exhaling on the contraction of the muscle. Can I feel it? Am I feeling it? Getting to the end of the motion. Visualize that muscle and squeeze it. Squeeze it!

But you're only half done. Now you have to stand back up. Unbend, as it were. And all of the same considerations must be taken into account because the "lengthening" or eccentric contraction of the muscle is just as important as the shortening or concentric contraction. 

It's exhausting. 

But I must have found that muscle, because today it hurts. And I think I found a few other ones, too.

Just don't get me started on that move when you're down on all fours and donkey kicking your leg out behind you, squeezing your butt cheeks. 

With any luck, I will be able to crack an egg there soon.