Whole45 Day 1...

Time to return!

I am going back to a formula that works.

1. Blog results
2. Whole45 which starts December 31st
3. Strength training and spinning
4. Focus on water
5. Plan and write out meals in my planner

I look forward to starting off the new year getting back to the basics and seeing great results for this year!!

December 31st.....it all starts again!

All is well. Pressing on....

 I am posting so much to FB these days I keep forgetting about my poor little blog!

Here is my training for the next few weeks.....

Monday - Rest
Tuesday - Rest
Wednesday - 8 mile RW
Thursday - ST
Friday - Walk easy 4
Saturday - Rest
Sunday - RW 13 mile
Monday - Rest
Tuesday - ST
Wednesday - RW 8 miles
Thursday - Rest
Friday - RW 6 miles
Saturday - RW 6 miles
Sunday - Rest

W30/300 Day 7. Training Week 2

I am running behind for my goals this month and currently I am sick, but nevertheless,  I have to press on with my goals for the month. My totals as of now are 42/300 miles.  I am far off track, but I am hoping to put in some good miles this next week and catch up if possible.

Maybe I will reach my 300 goal, maybe not, but I have to at least try my best. I am running and walking with minimal swelling and pain in my knees so for me, this is huge progress. I just need to stay consistent and remember to take it slow and not rush this process. I took a LONG time off and I cannot expect to be back 100% overnight.

Training Week 2 -

Sunday - Rest (sick)
Monday - RW 4
Tuesday - Bike 20
Wednesday - RW 6, Bike 15
Thursday - Bike 20
Friday - RW 6
Saturday - Rest

Whole30/300 Challenge!!

Tomorrow I start my Whole30/300 challenge. I will continue through Whole 30 as I did this past month but now my focus is shifting to really working hard on building my training base. I need to get back out on the road and really work hard to get in some good miles this month. I am still going in for PT so while my speed may not be there, it does not matter. This month is about covering the distance and doing it without injury.

My goal is to reach 300 miles by October 2nd through cycling, running, walking and swimming. Here is my training schedule for week 1 -

Tuesday - Bike 20, RW 3
Wednesday - RW8
Thursday - ST, Bike 15
Friday - Swim 2,000 yds
Saturday - Bike 15, RW3
Sunday - Rest

I am so far from where I need to be with my training but I have to slowly make my way back so that I can be strong for the 2015 racing season.  My eyes are set firm on the finish line, which for me is next May!

Have a great week everyone. Happy training!

My Whole 30 Challenge. Lessons learned and why I cannot wait to start again!

It was a few years ago while living in Norway where I first found out about Whole30 from a friend. I looked into the program and the corresponding book, It Starts With Food, but I was not ready to give myself over to the challenge. I was a grain girl. Truly. I loved my grains in all forms. Oats, breads. rice, pasta. Many of my grain sources where organic and clean in terms of no added sugars etc. but nevertheless, they were grains. I also consumed a lot of dairy. I began to notice I was having problems with bloating, my inflammation in my knees was increasing and overall, I did not feel well. While in Norway I trained hard the first year but the next 18 months would prove to be some of the hardest days I would face. I began to suffer with anxiety and depression. I am a very positive, upbeat person and I was just not myself. I took time away from social media and posting my journey but as a result, it took my focus off of my goals and I gained quite a bit of weight. My weight gain hit me hard. Very hard. How could I have let myself go like this. I was battling injuries from my running and ontop of this I was suffering from a lot of emotional issues we did not fully understand at the time. After going to a Naturopath and having my blood tested, we began to understand why I feeling this way. I need to change my diet and I needed to do it now!

Fast forward to the present. After moving back home to Texas and spending time in the sun, getting outdoors more and eating better, I began to feel incredible. It was as if someone gave me my spark back! I could not believe it. There was still one thing missing. I was still very overweight compared to where I used to be. I would tell myself back in Norway that it was ok, I was happier at a higher weight but this was simply an excuse. I was not happy. I wanted to feel lean again and I knew I needed a change. On August 1st I decided to let go of the reasons why I gained the weight and focus on the future, on my training and what I needed to do to become my best. I started the Whole30 challenge not knowing how my body would respond but I was going to give this my all. I was strict, very strict with the plan and it paid off. I learned that food did not control me. I had control over my cravings and I could survive without my beloved grains and diary. I could eat out and make wise choices. I could do this!!! It was an incredible feeling. I began to shed weight and I remembered the feeling of feeling leaner, lighter and healthier all around. Once you feel this way how can you stop? It motivates you to keep going and now, I cannot go back.

So many of you asked me what is Whole 30. First of all, I would recommend this program to EVERYONE! It is incredible and so very simple. In short, it is getting back to eating WHOLE, real food. You eliminate sources of sugar and preservatives. You focus on eating good proteins from grass fed animals, organic veggies and fruits and you began to see just how easy eating clean can be when you JUST EAT REAL FOOD!!!! Your body will respond in amazing ways when you rid the junk from your diet. It is like your body is thanking you for taking the time to nourish yourself instead of filling your body with a bunch of fake food your body cannot handle.

Yes, you will not eat grains, beans, dairy or sugar. You will be out and see foods you cannot eat but it is ok. You can do this! I promise drinking coffee without sugar will not be in the end of the world and if you do everything you are supposed to do, the results WILL be worth all your hard work! EVERYONE who is thinking of starting a Whole30 program should get the book It Starts with Food and join the FB page for Whole 30 as well. There are also many FB Whole30 teams as well for added support. Surround yourself with others on the same mission, it will help more than you know!

Here are a few tips for first timers....

1. Do not focus on what you cannot eat. Instead look at the huge variety of foods you CAN eat!!
2. Cookbooks - look at Well fed, Well fed 2, Practical Paleo and Nom Nom Paleo just to name a few.
3. If you are struggling with Autoimmue disorders please look at the book called The Paleo Approach. It is amazing. I just began reading this and love it.
4. Learn to LOVE coconuts, avocados, walnuts and almonds.
5. Do not forget your water. It will help cravings between meals and keep you hydrated.
6. Take food with you to be prepared when out.
7. Tell everyone you know that you are doing this program to gain support. Be proud and when eating around others who are not eating Whole30 foods. Just think about how good it is going to feel knowing you finished the program and did not give into eating something off plan. FOCUS on the end results, not the cravings in the moment. Your stronger than your cravings I promise.
8. Eggs, eggs and more eggs! Enough said :)
9. Kale, kale and more kale! Seriously. Learn to love it! Sauté Kale with walnuts and coconut oil along with a grass fed steak, yea, you tell me you do not love this plan :)
10. Take it ONE meal at a time!!! Do not look at the 30 days before you but just the next meal. Stay on plan, meal by meal and the results will follow!

After my first round of Whole 30 I am down 13.8 lbs and I am ready to start round 2 on Tuesday. My goal is to be as close as I can to my goal weight by November 27th, Thanksgiving :) For the next challenge my goal is to lose 8 lbs and to complete 300 miles of cycling, running, walking and swimming. So for September it will be my Whole 30/300 challenge! It's going to ROCK!

Good luck to everyone starting your own challenge and thanks as always for the years of support each of you have given me. Through the highs and lows you guys have really encouraged me. I am forever grateful.

The move...

We moved into our new home here and Texas and while there are still boxes yet to be opened, it is SOOO good to be back!!

This month has been crazy and my training took a back seat to injuries and the move but I am happy to say that I will be back with a Whole 30 challenge on August 1st! I will be posting here as well as my FB and Twitter page!

Until then...keep pressing on!

Training W4 6/21 - 6/27

I guess I cannot stay away from my blog too long as once again I am longing to be back posting regularly again. As of now I have been posting mostly to FB but I want to continue my training blogs here as well. I need it. I recently went through old blogs of my races and it was motivating me to press harder even now.

I really do not know where to start as so much as happened these past few months. I guess for a start back here is my W4 Training schedule for this week....

Saturday - 57 min RW, ST and evening 45 min run/easy 

Sunday - 45 RW 

Monday - Swim 2000 yds, evening 45 min run/easy 

Tuesday - Short DB - Bike 10, Run 2, Bike 10, Run 2 

Wednesday - Swim 2500 yds

Thursday - Rest 

Friday - RW 90 mins 

Loads of blogs to catch up on! Will post more later today. 

Training starts again.

June is here and while we are still waiting to move into the new house, I have to get back to regular training despite this busy time in our life.  I have been doing well but recently I was sick for a few days and it knocked me off my program once again. But I am doing better and ready to work hard this week.

My training for this week is as follows.

Monday - RW easy 3 miles with PT
Tuesday - RW 6 miles
Wednesday - Bike 40 mins, Swim 800 yards. 8x25 with RI 20 seconds
Thursday - Bike 40 mins, RW easy
Friday - Swim 800 yards. 3 x100 RI 15 seconds
Saturday - RW 6 miles
Sunday - Rest

I am going to start posting training logs again. They will be short, most likely boring with a bunch of numbers but it will help my training.

Happy to be back. :) Wishing everyone a stellar JUNE!!! Press on!

Raising the Bar. Training this week...

Sunday - Strength - 45 mins
Monday - Sufferfest DVD - Angels - Climbing 62 mins
Tuesday - Strength - 45 mins and easy run - 30 mins
Wednesday - Rest Day
Thursday - Sufferfest DVD - Islagiatt - Endurance  2 hrs
Friday - Rest Day
Saturday - Easy brick  30/30 followed by Strength - 20 mins

Training this week...

My first blog back is a short and sweet one...my training schedule for the week.

Sunday - Wharton Flexibility DVD and PT work
Monday - AM - Build a better runner series DVD, HIIT spin - 25 mins with CD - climbs with sprints and a steady state 20 min ride PM
Tuesday -  30 min Run and 20 miles on the bike - mixed intervals
Wednesday -  REST
Thursday -  30 min Run and 20 miles on the bike - mixed intervals
Friday - REST
Saturday -  Trail run

Have a fantastic week everyone - KEEP PRESSING ON!!!