Out of Time!

Hello friends!  

Although it has been longer than I would prefer, rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated.  Well, maybe not, if you expand your definition of demise to mean the loss of pretty much all free or down time.  Whenever people would tell me that they "didn't have time" to exercise, I would roll my eyes a little.  What do you mean you don't have time?  Obviously, if you're not exercising, you're just not making it a priority in your life, right?  Well, now I just feel like those silly people who give out parenting advice before they have kids.  I really want to exercise, but I can't.  I just don't have the time!




My health is still (sort of) a priority in my life.  (I can say that with a reasonably straight face despite having neither a piece of fruit or a vegetable all day yesterday).  It's just that sometimes it falls down a little bit on the totem pole.  Exercise or sleep?  Exercise or study? Exercise or Young & the Restless? And so on and so.  The days when I can spend a whole hour or more in the gym are gone.  I have to focus on being efficient if I'm going to bother at all.  I've been reduced to quick runs, HIIT training or the speediest of circuits at the gym.  Suddenly, I'm feeling nostalgic about those long runs (unbelievable)!  

So, what's a girl to do?  What are some ways that you have been able to sneak fitness into a busy daily existence?  By all means, let me know and I'll try to post again before 2018.  
:)

Natasha

Good Morning, Miles!

"You only get what the day gives you." -- unknown

Hello, friends. Tomorrow is the first day of our "100 Miles of Running" summer challenge. Are you ready? Did you write it down? Did you lace up your shoes? Are you ready? Are you really? :)

My niece is back for another four week visit this summer, and I talked her into reviving our "Morning Mile" routine while she is here. I meant to write about this last summer, but I never got around to it. Quite frankly, it's hard to keep up with my writing with my work schedule as it is, and having her here makes it even harder to find the time. Alas, I found the time to write this today so here it is!

So, why a Morning Mile? When Kaitlyn visited last summer, she came across an article about a school program with the same name . Dubbed "The Morning Mile," the program was initiated by fitness expert, Fitz Koehler, as a way to encourage kids across the country to incorporate fitness into their morning routines.  The program has flourished, and can now be found in over 200 schools across the country. The purpose? To combat obesity while providing children with an outlet for their energy so they can focus remaining energy on learning throughout the day. 

While reading about the program, I remembered my running routine back in college and how much it would help me focus during the day. While I always enjoyed running in the evening, it was the days that I also ran in the morning that seemed to make me feel the best. Why? Well, waking up with a run (or walk) is a great way to quick-start your metabolism. It helps your body wake up naturally, making you more alert and more productive earlier in the day. And if you run in the morning, you're not as apt to find an excuse to cancel plans to run later in the day. Winning all around! With this in mind, I talked to Kaitlyn and we decided to take the "Morning Mile" challenge. During her three week stay last summer, we completed our Morning Mile routine for about 80% of her stay! Woot!

When Kaitlyn was planning her annual visit this year, she asked if we would again do our Morning Mile routine. I enthusiastically said yes, and added her to our "100 Miles of Running" summer challenge on Facebook. Today was her first full day with me and, true to our word, we did our Morning Mile bright and early with the sunrise. I was so proud of her. She just got out of school on Friday, and she still managed to go to bed early and rise with me and the sun. I really hope we can hit 100% compliance with our commitment this summer. It will be good for both of us!

It really gives me a lot of joy to have my niece here, and to see her so interested in fitness. It also keeps me accountable - I know she looks up to me, so my lazy days mean lazy days for her too. If you care to follow our fitness adventures this summer, I'll try to update this blog and our Occasionally Fit Instagram page. I encourage you to consider committing to a summer fitness routine too. It doesn't have to be a Morning Mile, but getting up (and getting moving) should be something that we all aspire to achieve! Have a healthy, happy week, y'all!

Cheers!

Becky

Century Run in the Sun

"Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must;

just never give up." -- Dean Karnazes

I stumbled upon the Instagram account of a girl who was starting to run shortly after I registered for the Star Wars Half last summer. To keep her motivated, she committed to a challenge she called "100 Miles of Running" for the summer. It was inspiring to watch - I had recently decided to take up running again myself, but was struggling with consistency. She ran over 100 miles last year, while I just hit the 90 mile mark by the end of what she called summer.

That was last year. I racked up well over 150 miles during December and January alone, and have run roughly that in the 3 months since my half marathon (kinda pathetic, I know, but I'm getting back at it slowly). A back and neck injury this week, combined with a crazy work schedule, led to a flirtation with apathy that I would really like to reverse. I started off the month of May strong - committed to my diet, and greatly committed to my workout routine. Post-Tinkerbell, I still did ok. Sure, I had a few slips, but I basically stuck to my diet and did 90% of my scheduled workouts. I started this week out better... but found myself eating popcorn and staying inside almost all day on Friday. This is a slippery slope for a girl who named her blog "Occasionally Fit," so I'm going to do my best to reverse this course of inaction.

Enter... 100 miles of summer! Yes, I've decided to join my Instagram friend, Jenn, and have committed to do 100 miles of running this summer. Now, if I actually stick to the running plan tacked up in my cubicle at work, I should far exceed this 100 mile number. But 100 miles seems like a good goal for two months, so I figure I'll see how it goes. Yes... this is only for 2 months. I have decided that "summer" is not the season in the calendar sense; rather, I am making my "summer" start on June 1st and run through the end of July. Why those dates? Well, most people I know consider Memorial Day weekend the beginning of summer, but I like to start on the 1st so I figured June 1st would work as well as any. I'm targeting to complete this through the end of July because 3+ months gives me too much leeway to be lazy... and ain't nobody got time for dat!

For those of you who follow Natasha and my adventures on Facebook, I'll be setting up an event for those interested in playing or following along (you can join here). You don't have to be a runner to participate - you can walk, skip, or bike to get your miles. This is more for me than anything else, but I'd love to see everyone else get committed to a fit summer too. Hope you'll join me!

Until next time, my friends...

--- Becky

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." -- John Bingham

Pixie Dust

"You know that place between sleep and awake? That place where you still remember dreaming?

That's where I'll always love you... That's where I'll be waiting." -- Tinkerbell

I used to be able to work out without the need to prove something. I could just go to the gym, or go for a run, for me... not for any other reason. I lost that at some point last year, and I don't quite know how to get it back. Last fall, I used my then-upcoming Star Wars Half Marathon as motivation to keep me moving. I made a running schedule, and I kept it for the most part. I didn't, however, keep up with my weight/strength training. I missed it, and I wanted to get back to it desperately.

Enter 2016... My first two races were back to back in January, and I used the successful completion of the last as an excuse to "take a break" for a while. Note to self: Becky does not know how to take a break. Much like work, love, and everything in between, Becky is an all or nothing person. Becky can't take a break! Becky's gotta keep with it, or fail miserably!

So... I signed up for a personal trainer, picked up a couple of 5Ks, and decided to get after it. My results were pretty dismal in February, but I started to get back in the swing of things in late March with the Mission Possible 5K. 

The Mission Possible Trail Run was beautiful!

This Mission Possible 5K run benefits a local non-profit benefitting the homeless, a cause near and dear to my heart. When I saw that the run was more of a trail run than a typical road race, I thought it would be fun to tackle. It was fun... but it was also much harder than I planned. 

Post-Super Hero Race (It was a 5K - I swear!)

About a week after I signed up for the Mission race, I received an email from my company offering to cover up to 20 registrations for a race benefitting CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). I had heard of the Super Hero Run in the past, but was always afraid that I couldn't do it (this was WAY before I started training for the Star Wars Half). While I hadn't been maintaining my runs with any consistency since my races in January, I decided to give this one a whirl with several friends and colleagues. The race was great! I mostly walked it, but still finished with a respectable time. (Note that despite what my picture above reflects, this was another 5K race. I forgot to start my app until a good half-mile into the race.)

These races were a lot of fun, but they also were a stark reminder of how much I had let my training lag. A 5K would have been a breeze at the height of my training last fall. Both of these 5Ks, however, were a bit tiring. I hardly ran in either race, and had to ice my knees after both. I was continuing to go to my personal trainer, but even had slipped on that recently. I had the Tinkerbell 10K run coming up! I needed to refocus!

The Monday after my Super Hero Run, I decided to take charge of my training. I created a new running matrix, and posted it prominently at my desk at work (my coworker, Joe, will always ask me how my run went when he sees this - not wanting to lie, it forces me to do the run so I can tell him about it). I asked my personal trainer for copies of our previous workouts, and started incorporating the exercises into my regular home and gym routines. About a week before the Tinkerbell 10K, I also finally caved and committed to really doing the Whole30 with Natasha (I talked about all of this in more detail in my last blog post - you can read that here). You can't work your way out of a poor diet!

The Tinkerbell Race Carpet

The big weekend finally arrived last weekend - Tinkerbell 10K weekend for Shika and me, and Pixie Dust Challenge weekend for our friend, Maggie! When I signed up for this race last fall, the thought of doing the half marathon seemed daunting and I was really worried about finishing the 10K. My recent running performance only reignited these fears, and I spent the week leading up to the race a little worried that I couldn't do it. The excitement of the Expo helped, but I still went to bed the night before the race a little worried that I would not be proud of my performance.

I took this picture fully thinking that I would be deleting it...

The night before the race was r-o-u-g-h. I didn't sleep well the night before that, and I spent the entire night before the race tossing and turning due to loud neighbors at our hotel. I didn't eat well on Friday, and woke up not willing to eat before the race. And this was before I walked out into the pouring rain!

Soaking wet and waiting for the race to start in my race corral.

Ah, yes, my friends. And rain it did! We were expecting a light drizzle, but woke up to a downpour! Let me tell ya - it was so much fun to walk over a mile to the start line when we were soaking wet! My hoodie weighed about a million pounds by the time we got to the corrals. Shika and I made a game time decision, and decided to check our jackets before the race. 

The incredibly full corrals lined up to get on their mark at the starting line.

Like the Star Wars Half, the Tinkerbell starting line was uneventful. The races once again began without much fanfare, although I did hear the Star Spangled Banner being sung this time. I was standing near a few runDisney first timers, and they were as disappointed as I was with how these races start. The actual starting line was adorably decorated, but we couldn't see it until we were right on top of it. 

I thought they said rum too! I want a refund! 

Maggie and Shika were in different corrals than I was, which meant I was once again running alone. Shika planned to catch up to me, and she did around mile 2. The first mile was predictably my hardest, and it also included two "hills," aka overpasses. My knee was killing me after the 2nd hill, so I was grateful when we turned towards the park. I spotted the one and only sign from the entire 10K at this point (pictured above). Boy, what a sight for sore eyes! Unlike the Star Wars Half, this race was sorely lacking support of any kind. I wish I would have done the Half to see the difference, but if it was anything like this, I think I would have been disappointed.

Shika and me at the finish line - just before we grabbed our medals, snacks, and Powerade!

I was so glad that my fast friend Shika was able to catch up with me and do the last 3.5+ miles with me. It was a totally different experience running with someone who was willing to match my pace. It was also good girl-time! When your closest girl friends live hours away from you, you take every chance you can get to catch up with them! We finished our race just under our expected times - not a great time, mind you, but better than either of us expected! Maggie finished impressively as per usual, and finished her half marathon the following morning. 

Tinkerbell 10K and Pixie Dust Challenge Finishers!

Maggie ran the Tinkerbell Half Marathon the next morning with another friend. Shika and I slept in as long as we could, finally trudging over to Disneyland around 7am to watch Maggie at the finish line. Maggie is among the group of runners who finishes in less than 10 minutes/mile. Let me tell ya - those are a vastly different class of runners. It was impressive to watch each of them run by - they made it look so easy! Shortly after Maggie finished, the three of us reunited at the Tinkerbell stage to take one final picture. 

The runs leading up to the Tinkerbell 10K and the Tinkerbell 10K itself helped remind me why I started running again. It's not because I want to lose weight (because, quite frankly, I don't), and it's not because I want to start collecting medals (although they are really pretty!). I run because of how it makes me feel, and it makes me feel very happy! Strength training has the same effect. I wish I could remind myself of how good it feels to work out on those days I get lazy and skip it. Le sigh. 

I officially have less than 6 months until my 10K/Half Marathon races (Lumiere's Challenge) at Walt Disney World, and I cannot wait! I have friends from Denver and Houston meeting me there, and my friend Eugene will hopefully be able to stay with us for the weekend too! All this excitement aside, I know I have some work to do! Luckily, I have friends that read this blog (well, one friend in particular) and friends like Shika and others that will be encouraging me while I train. Alas, I now must hit the hay. I have to be up at 5 to meet friends to walk our dogs, and it's already past midnight! Have a great weekend!

Cheers!

Becky

Fear of Falling Isn't Fear Enough

"I hate the point where you have to get off the ladder, or get back on. I don't know if that's a fear of heights, or literally a fear of falling. I want to be afraid to fall. That seems like a good fear." -- Chuck Klosterman

Hi friends. I know I've been slacking, but it's been a tumultuous couple of weeks (to say the least). I won't get into all that on this blog - those of you who know me best know exactly what has been going on in my life, and I appreciate you for being there for me more than you know. Alas, I figured I better blog now or this little blog of ours is surely to just die. 

So.. about that whole "Whole30" thing. I totally failed. I lasted about a day before I gave up, citing work stress and vacation as excuses for why I couldn't do it. I suck, and I know it. I have been watching everyone else's posts and progress on the FB group, however, and I gotta say - I'm impressed! So impressed, in fact, that I spent all of today buying food and doing food prep so I can stick to that this week. I'm still only going to do it for 2 meals/day (I can't give up my greek yogurt breakfasts), but that's better than nothing! Wish me luck!

In other news, my vacation (staycation) proved to be very busy and very active! Eugene and I racked up an impressive 20,000 steps over the course of 13 hours on his first day in LA, and we spent the following day hiking in two counties! (Side Note: The weekend he visited was National Park Week, which meant free admission to all National Parks. I really wanted to do a park, but we didn't have time to fit it in with everything else. Le sigh - I hope I can talk someone in to going to Yosemite for the day with me soon!)

I can't remember if I mentioned it, but I recently joined and became an admin for a group called "Girls Who Hike LA." It's a group of over 1,400 women in Southern California that enjoy hiking as much as I do. The founder schedules hikes nearly every month, but other girls schedule impromptu hikes now and then too. One of the hikes I was dying to do was a hike the group recently did to Paradise Falls. (I missed it because I had promised to hike Wind Wolves the same weekend.) Paradise Falls is one of many hiking destinations within the Wildwood Regional Park in Thousand Oaks, CA. The hike is rated by experts from easy to moderate... I think it really depends on which path you take to get there and return. We chose the shortest route (measured at around 2.5 miles), and the only hard part was the 250' climb back up after hiking down. 

The trails at Wildwood Regional Park were very active while we were there - several hikers had their dogs and/or babies (in strollers) with them. I think quite a few regretted those strollers on the way back up :) The falls themselves are pretty but small - I heard they were fantastic a few weeks prior when we had a good deal of rain, but they were still pretty steady when we were there. Eugene and I enjoyed it and thought it was a good workout after breakfast - just enough to get you sweating without making either of us sore later on. 

Later that same day, Eugene and I made our way northwest to Sequoia National Forest. Eugene had his heart set on seeing "the big trees;" alas, the roads to the Trail of 100 Giants was still closed for the season. As somewhat of a compromise, I offered to take him through Kern Canyon for a short hike in the Sequoias. It was absolutely beautiful. We got there just in time for the "golden hour" before sunset, and the temperature was cool and crisp. 

Our hiking adventures left us famished, and we ended the day with burritos from my favorite burrito joint. It was really nice to bring Eugene on a couple of hikes with me, even if they were small ones. Hiking is, and always has been, one of my favorite things to do - I'm lucky to have people in my life that like to do it with me! As with most things, hiking is always more fun with friends :) And it doesn't feel like working out if you're gossiping while you're doing it! Ha!

Since Eugene left, I've been trying to keep to my running schedule. I can't believe how much I have fallen off that wagon. I was averaging 100 miles/month from October through January (we won't talk about February or March...). Next week is my Tinkerbell 10K race, so I knew I needed to up the ante a bit this weekend. I have a bit more free time these days, so I figured why not use it? On Saturday, I did a quick and dirty 5K... Quick because I'm lazy, and dirty because I was sweaty as hell! I never sweat, so I'm going to blame it on the humidity. It wasn't a fun 3 miles. My feet had been hurting, so I stupidly thought adding another insole would make it more cushiony (is that a word?). I was totally wrong - it made my feet feel like bricks, and hurt even more! After the first mile, I sat down, tore those friggin' things out, and went about my run. It made a world of difference - miles 2 and 3 flew by!

I had planned to get a 6+ mile run in today, but that didn't happen. I decided to meet a friend at 6am to walk our dogs - I thought it would be a good warmup since my first mile always sucks anyway. I was wrong - after our walk, I brought my dog home and promptly fell asleep on the couch. D'oh! When I woke up at 7:30, I panicked. I thought I had plans to attend to later today, and didn't think I could still squeeze in a full 6 or 7 mile run. So... I decided to squeeze in what I could so I would at least get some running in today. I was able to get just over 5 miles done. It was a better run than yesterday, so that was good. But I still worry I am vastly underprepared for my upcoming race. 

Distance running is so weird. My body argues with me the whole time. Do any of you have this problem? 

Mile 1: "I hate you. I hate running. We aren't doing this. Just stop." 

Mile 2: "Ugh, you aren't listening to me. I guess we will do this. Don't your feet hurt? Yeah, they do. Let's stop and get ice cream instead."

Mile 3: "I guess we are doing this, aren't we? Why can't you just bike like a normal person? Ok. Let's do this."

Mile 4: "Feet? You there? Oh, you're numb. Got it."

Mile 5: "We can do this. We are doing this. Look at you, legs! Lungs, don't fail us now!"

Earlier this year, I decided that the 10K is my favorite distance. The 5K is too short - my body just complains the whole time, so I'm super slow. I start hitting my stride around mile 4, and can usually carry myself through to the last 2+ miles on euphoria alone. After mile 8 (in a half marathon), however, my body starts to negotiate with me again. It becomes a mental game - Can we do this? Should we do this? How badly do we want to do this? I don't remember having these conversations with myself when I ran when I was younger. Ugh... why do we have to get old?

Well, off to bed. I have my food prepped, my training scheduled, and my bed made (wait... crap... no, it's not... off to make my bed!). 

Have a great week, y'all! Onward and upward!

Becky

These are my confessions...

"Never confuse movement with action." -- Ernest Hemingway

I'm a control freak. I always have been. The more that I can control things in my life, the happier I am. There are probably a million psychological reasons for why I am this way, but that's a tale for a different post in a different blog. Suffice it to say, however, that I do try to control most things that I can exert some control over. So why is controlling my food so friggin' hard for me? (Full disclosure - I had a Krispy Kreme donut tonight while thinking about this blog.)

As I mentioned on a recent post, I've had a love/hate affair with food when I was just 7 years old. I've been working on it a lot as of late, but it still isn't where it needs to be (See: Krispy Kreme mention above). I don't know if the fates are trying to tell me something or what, but I've had a number of invitations to try new diets or programs this week. A mentor challenged me to attend an Overeater's Anonymous meeting by the end of the month. A number of friends have invited me to try the beach body/Shakeology plan. Another friend has tried to get me to do some tea diet with her. And Natasha has invited me to try the Whole30 Challenge with her running friends (you can join that challenge by visiting the Facebook group here). Can I ask for a bigger sign? (As if the glaring, growing number on the scale isn't sign enough. Ha!)

I'm taking a few days off to staycation with a friend of mine visiting from Florida. I'm going to do my best to make healthy choices, but... vacation. (Can't have vacation without a Mojito!) That said, I have already committed to Natasha to join her Whole30 challenge for at least 1-2 meals a day for the remaining duration of that group (end of April). Something has got to give, and while I don't like the idea of eliminating whole food groups to kickstart a healthier lifestyle, this may just be the kick in the pants I need to succeed. The trick will be finding Whole30 compliant meals when eating out as that's usually my social time :)

Speaking of usual, I'm up WAY past my bedtime. I need to be at work at 6am if everything is going to go according to plan tomorrow. Ugh. In the meantime, I wanted to take a moment to write down my commitment to Whole30 starting on Tuesday (April 19th) - even if that means I'm only participating for 10 days out of 30. Additionally, I want to publicly commit to my other health/wellness goals for the remainder of the month, including:

• Increasing my water intake from 90oz/day to 120oz/day
• Limiting my sugar intake to 25-30g/day
• Eliminating fast food (exception: The Flame Broiler's veggie and chicken bowl without sauce)
• Running at least 2x/week for 30 minutes, and 5 miles on the weekend
• Meeting with my trainer at least once/week, and committing to strength training at least 2x/week

These are realistic goals, so I should meet them. If I don't, I may just need to give one of the other plans/programs recommended to me some more thought. The thought of keeping a food diary just kills me. But... if it helps, it helps. What do you do to keep yourself accountable? Have you tried any diets/plans/etc. to help change your eating habits?

Well, I'm off to bed. If I'm lucky, I might squeeze in 5 hours of sleep tonight. Here's hoping! Hope the rest of you have a great weekend. 

Cheers!

Becks

Race Crazy (So I signed up for another runDisney race)

"I have to pretend, when I run, that I'm avenging the murder of my husband. I have to have these elaborate fantasies to motivate myself... I can't just be motivated by, like, 'Oh, this is good for my health! I should be trim because I'm an actress in Los Angeles.' That won't work for me. I'll just stay in bed. So, I have to be like, 'Okay, what am I doing?'"

-- Mindy Kaling

It's after 11pm on a Sunday night, and all that I can think about is how much I do not want to run in the morning. Let's be honest here - the only way I'm running in the morning at this rate is if my dog runs away from me on our morning walk or a bee starts chasing me (or both). Me thinks a morning latte and a nice walk will have to suffice for tomorrow... but I can only give myself one more pass.

For a good 6 month last year, I actually liked running in the morning. It was a great way to wake me up - it felt good to get my blood moving. After a month or so of running a mile every morning, I decided to sign up for the Star Wars Half Marathon at Disneyland. Yes, my little morning mile every morning gave me the stupid confidence to think I could 12.1 more (in a row!) just six months after registering. If you've read this blog for a while, you know exactly how well that went... I finished, but I know I could have done better!

Since finishing the Star Wars Half Marathon, my running has been... nonexistent. I think I've ran a collective 20 (?) miles since that race, including the 10K I ran the weekend after (again... the word "run" is used incredibly loosely here) and two 5Ks that I have yet to blog about. I knew I wanted to do another half after I finished the Star Wars half. One of my best friends from home has tried to convince me to run a half marathon near my hometown, but a hilly half in Durango, CO kind of scares me to death! The elevation where I train is a scant 300' - Durango is over 6,500'! I almost signed up for a half in Ventura... but chickened out and signed up for a 10K instead. But then I heard about Wine and Dine, and...

image via Disney

I signed up for Lumiere's Challenge! Scratch that - I actually signed up for the Wine & Dine Half Marathon with the Disney Annual Passholders, only to upgrade (after much debate and $45 in transfer fees) to the Challenge like a crazy person. I don't know what I was thinking. Not familiar with runDisney challenges? During each runDisney half marathon weekend, Disney "challenges" runners to do a 10K on Saturday followed by a half marathon the next day. Successful runners earn both the 10K and half marathon medals, plus they get a super sweet challenge medal to commemorate the feat. This will be the longest I have ever "ran" in a single weekend, and will be the most expensive race I have ever run. But if I finish (make that - WHEN I finish), I get those three medals plus the Disney Coast-to-Coast challenge medal for finishing two half marathons at two Disney parks in the same calendar year!

So... why did I do it? Training for the Star Wars Half Marathon last year was the best decision I had made in a really long time. It was hard work, but it was inspiring. Talking about it to friends at work (and abroad) helped keep me accountable, so I stuck with my training (even when I really wanted to binge Netflix and eat cupcakes). I wasn't perfect - there were days I should have trained and didn't. There were days I should have pushed myself, and I walked instead. But... I did it. I finished it. I haven't been so proud of myself in a very long time.

So... here we go! I know that signing up for the Challenge was crazy, but a year ago I thought that a half marathon was impossible. What impossible things will you strive for this year? :)

Cheers!

Becky

The Whole What?

*Please be advised that this post includes references to poop.  Reader discretion advised.

I'm sure that you've heard of this madness called the Whole 30 by now.  The basic premise is that everything that you are eating is making you sick and you need to stop.  When I first heard about this I wasn't particularly interested in eliminating anything from my diet.  My diet was pretty solid until about Halloween, but it's been going downhill pretty steadily since then.  I think I've officially hit rock bottom (see illustration below).  It's true that I've never met a cake, pie, cookie or doughnut that I didn't like.  However, I've just been feeling sick lately.

Fortunately, I don't live in SoCal or Hollywood and no one is looking at my beach body on a regular basis. Even if they were, I've developed the "if you don't like it, don't look at it" attitude with regards to my figure (ah, the blessings of growing older).  I just don't feel good, and something has to give.  When I say I don't feel good, I am talking about being tired ALL THE TIME for no reason.  They say to nap when the baby is napping.  I still do that and my baby is almost 3!  That's two hours that I could be spending binge-watching Hulu or doing laundry ( probably Hulu).  I crave sugar all the time, all day long and I'm grouchy without my morning coffee or Big Gulp.

Also, why is my bra so tight?  Is the dryer shrinking my pants?  Oops!  Lately, I've been afraid to look down.  I've been wearing hoodies and big shirts because I'm afraid to look at and confront whatever lies beneath!  Let's not forget the adult acne issue.  Junk food equals no poop!  Anything that stops traffic in your colon for 4-7 days at a time can't be good for you.  We need roughage!  Fun times all around, I know.

These are all of the reasons that I'm giving Whole 30 a try.  I was thinking about trying the whole moderation thing, but I'm just not good with moderation.  I'm an all or nothing kind of gal.  I almost forgot about the kiddies.  They want to eat sugar all day every day too and that's probably my fault.  My gothic adventure starts today.  I'm going to try to remember why I started and what could possibly be gained.  I can't promise that I'll last 30 days, or even until lunch time, but here's hoping!

For more information, you can visit their website:  http://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/.

Natasha

Occasionally... Fat (Adventures in Dieting)

"I feel that you need to know... Your good friend, Miranda Hobbes, has just taken a piece of cake out of the garbage and eaten it. You will probably need this information when you check me into the Betty Crocker Clinic" 

-- Miranda, Sex and the City

For the record, I have a love-hate affair with food. I love it, but I kind of hate how much I love it. When we were growing up, all of my social interactions centered on food. My parents didn't have much when I was growing up so anytime they had a little extra, we were "treated" with food. Whether it was Friday night (payday) pizza, or a Hershey bar surprise from my dad... we celebrated everything with food! I distinctly remember the day that my mother had my brother... because that was the same day that my sister and I were allowed to have our own happy meals (we usually shared). Seriously? The birth of one of my favorite people is memorable because of... a happy meal! (I even remember the "toy" - a toothbrush, of all things. Ha!)

Anyway, it should come as no surprise to anyone that my love-hate affair with food has led to a roller coaster of weight loss and weight gain. I was fairly average most of my childhood until my senior year, when I decided to try the Freshman 15 out a little early. Strangely, I lost 30 pounds my first semester in college (mostly due to a combination of the absence of my mother's delicious New Mexican cooking and good ol' college poverty). When I took a nutrition class the next semester, a slight obsession with food began.

Between my the fall of my first year of college and the fall of my second, I lost just over forty pounds. I was easily the smallest I had ever been... and quite enjoyed it too! I was also very active - I ran twice a day, and went to the gym at least an hour every other day. Unfortunately, I didn't learn what I should have from that nutrition class: I learned that dieting is calories in vs calories out, and that to lose a pound you had to consume 1,500 calories less. What I didn't learn or comprehend, however, was that these were net calories. I restricted my diet again and again until I was down to roughly 900 calories a day - a feat that I was stupidly proud of, despite my workout routine and full time job. I should have known that working out more means that I should eat more, but I was careless (and obsessive). It took fainting on a treadmill to give me a wakeup call, but I still didn't learn. 

Since that fateful fall on the treadmill, I haven't quite figured out the whole diet thing. I had several ups and downs throughout my twenties, and went into a full-fledged free fall after 28. My weight ballooned after having to do steroid therapy for my pneumonia, and I never quite seemed to get rid of it. Add two more years of steroid therapy after that, and you have where I was about a year ago - fluffy, tired, and constantly sick.

For the last year and a half, I've been on a much better trend. I workout more often, and I definitely trend toward more healthy choices overall. Well, I was trending that way... In November, I really started ramping up my runs in preparation for my half marathon. As any runner will tell you, running is a terrible way to lose weight. You're hungry... ALL - THE - TIME! The weight on the scale didn't move much, however, and I was ok with that. I kept telling myself that as long as I wasn't gaining weight that it would be ok, and I could get back on track once I started tapering.

Well, we're now at the end of March, and guess what? I'm sooooo off track. I haven't ran much, I'm not working out as much, but I'm still eating like I did during the height of my half marathon training! And my sweet tooth has gone insane! Saturday was a bit of a wakeup call. We went out for a pancakes after my 5k race, then I had a strawberry and kale grilled chicken salad for lunch, we treated ourselves to an afternoon cupcake, and I had a giant burrito for dinner. Oh, and did I mention that I at about 3 cups of popcorn? By 9pm, I felt bloated and exhausted. Why was I eating so much? And how can I make it stop?

My friend told me today that his diet was horrible this weekend. Friends - my Saturday glutton-fest made his cheeseburger and fries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner look nearly healthy by comparison! I know that this is wrong, so I'm going to actively work to stop it. Despite my younger mistakes, I have done a TON of research on healthy diet and nutrition since then. I know what I should and shouldn't eat, and I know that I can control it. I went and bought much healthier groceries tonight after work, and I'm going to endeavor to stick to what I purchased this week (except for lunch... I have too many plans to take my lunch to work, but I can pick healthier options!). Wish me luck!

In the meantime, I'm going to try to stick to a modified diet and slowly go back to healthier eating. I know I can't go to an all-or-nothing strategy, so I'm just sticking to small changes this week. Let's hope this works. 

Onward and upward!

Becky

Adventures In Fitness: Vol. 1

Today I decided that I would be adventurous and try a new fitness center.  There are few things that give me as much pleasure as new fitness centers.  It's the first thing I look for when I check into a hotel and I love visiting other people's gyms.  Anyway, this one was located just one town over so I decided to stop on in and see what all they hype was about.  Well, it was great.  The equipment was up-to-date and maintained, and they had all of that extra stuff that I would order for my home gym if I wasn't too lazy to exercise at home.  I spent some quality time with the treadmill, the weights, the medicine balls.  I was sufficiently worked out when I decided that I would move on to shower time before my stagecoach turned back into a pumpkin.

A little background:  I worked a job for about two years and I maintained a locker there throughout my employment.  I opened it in the morning, at break time, lunchtime, and after work probably 5-6 times daily for about two years.  A couple of months ago I found my old lock and, hooray, the old combo still worked!  I've been using it at the gym once in a while.  

I was stinky, sweaty, and ready for my shower, but WTF???  Why won't my locker open?!?!  Was it 5, 7, 9? No, 9, 5, 7?  Sh#$!!!  It wasn't these particular numbers, but you get the point.  I was starting to get frustrated and embarrassed.  "OMG, are these people looking at me?"  I bet they're wondering why I'm taking so long.  I bet they're wondering why this random black girl is trying so hard to get into this locker that she clearly doesn't have the combination to.  "I know, I'll call home!  Wait, my phone is in the car and car keys are in this damn locker along with my ID to prove that I'm not some shady locker burglar.  FACK!!!"

Still unwilling to admit defeat, I asked a stranger for paper and pencil so that I could write down all of the possible combinations of numbers that I believed could be part of my locker combination.  The seniors were done with swim aerobics and they were trying to help.  Finally, I just went to the front desk and said, "I need help, I can't get into my locker (cause I'm a dummy)."

The front desk people were totes casual about it, so it must happen more often than I thought.  They brought out the jaws of life for lockers and my stuff was free!  Thank goodness.  I don't really know what the moral of the story is.  I could buy a new lock, but I'll probably forget that combo too.  The good news is that I was able to take a break from the kids, get in a nice full body strength training workout, and that I am blessed enough to be able to complain and blog about first world problems such as these.  

As Becky likes to say, Onward and Upward!

Natasha

Discovering the Wilderness (Hiking at the Wind Wolves Preserve)

Oh, play me some mountain music,

Like grandma and grandpa used to play...

Then I'll float on down the river...

To a Cajun hideaway.

-- Alabama 

Hello, friends! Sorry I have been so bad about posting lately. I've been a little overwhelmed with things at home and at work, and just haven't had a chance to capture all the ideas that are floating around in my head. First - a confession. I have not ran in over 3 weeks, and have multiple races coming up in the next 5 weeks. Yes, MULTIPLE. YIKES! I have a 5K tomorrow morning, another 5K next weekend, and a 10K at the beginning of May. Yes, I know I need to get back at it. Yes, I have allowed to give myself excuse after excuse to not run. And no... it's not funny anymore. So, I start my running training again tomorrow starting with that 5K, and with God's good grace, I might be able to finish that 10K by May. We'll see!

So, what have I been doing? Well, I have been lifting weights here and there, so that's good at least. And on the weekends, I've been hiking! One of my favorite things to do as a kid was to go hiking with my parents, and I sort of took it for granted that I would always live somewhere that hiking was accessible. After college, however, I found myself living in the very flat Houston, TX and similarly flat New Orleans, LA areas, and discovered that I had to find other ways to entertain myself outdoors. There were other things, mind you, but my heart longed to hike a mountain! Heck, I would have settled for a solid hill!

Since moving to California four years ago, I have quickly rediscovered my love for hiking. I'll probably post about several hikes in upcoming posts (I already posted about the Hollywood Sign Hike and my hike in Muir Woods), but today I will dedicate to my favorite hike as of late - the Wind Wolves Preserve in Kern County, California. 

The Wind Wolves Preserve is part of The Wildlands Conservancy, a non-profit nature preserve system "... comprised of fifteen preserves encompassing 147,000 acres of diverse mountain, valley, desert, river, and oceanfront landscapes." The Wind Wolves Preserve is the largest of the fifteen, covering over 93,000 acres. The elevation of the park ranges from over 600' to just over 6,000', which gives it the unique ability to expose visitors/hikers to a variety of climates and ecosystems in one area. Late winter and early spring are my favorite times to visit - this is when the hills are at their greenest, and the wildflowers are in impressive bloom!

There are a number of established trails throughout the preserve, but I've really only mastered two. I want to do the others, but they're just far enough to be too far for my dog, so I haven't made it out there yet. (My little basset hound is a trooper, but 3 to 4 miles seems to be his limit.). The trail I most often take with my dog is the San Emigdio Canyon Trail (pictured above). The full length of the San Emigdio Canyon Trail is just over 9 miles long, but we never go that far with Diego (my dog).

When hiking trails like this, I always look at the trail map and establish a goal turnaround point. I know my dog's limits (and mine), so I plan ahead. The worst thing you can do when you're hiking is get ahead of yourself, hike too far, and not have the stamina (or enough water) to get back safely. We always hike out to the willows/wetlands on this particular trail, and turn back. To this point, San Emigdo Canyon Trail is easy enough for almost all fitness levels and you get just enough elevation gain to feel like you have to work for it. It's not very shady, however, so take plenty of water and wear sunscreen! I've been told that you get greater elevation gain as you continue toward the reflection pond (approx. 1.8 miles further), so I rate the entirety of the trail more moderate than easy. 

The other trail I like to take is the Tule Elk Trail. Both the San Emigdo Canyon and Tule Elk Trails start at the same location, just south of the parking area. You'll veer to the left (east) for the San Emigdo Canyon Trail, and to the right for the Tule Elk Trail. The Tule Elk Trail looks deceptively easy. It's not easy, but it's not too hard. During the first two miles, you will steadily gain roughly 1000'. But then you get to the top... Oh, how it's worth it!

If you're smarter than me, you will follow the trail as it makes it way to the valley south of the summit, circling back to the parking area via the El Camino Viejo Bike Trail. This will give you a total distance of 7.8 miles, but your legs will thank you. If you're not as smart as me, you'll turnaround at the summit and go back the way you came, shaving off only 2 miles from your trip, but it's a steeper descent. (oh, my burning shins!) Haha. Lesson learned!

One of these days I'll go without my dog and hike the full length of the San Emigdo Canyon Trail. The folks at Nobody Hikes in LA did the full hike - you can read about it here. It looks awesome! Kern County is home to some of my favorite hikes in California, several within an hours drive of Bakersfield (Sequoia Park, Kern Canyon, Tehachapi, Wind Wolves, etc) and only two short hours from LA. I definitely recommend adding it to your list of hiking destinations! Hope you have a fun and active weekend, my friends. Happy Easter!

Cheers!

Becky

Too Many Words

"Very often we write down a sentence too early, then another too late; what we have to do is write it down at the proper time, otherwise it's lost." -- Thomas Bernhard

Ok, ok! Stop clamoring! I'm here! (Yeah, yeah... I know only one of you missed me. But my friend's not-so-subtle jabs got me to write this, so here I am! Thanks a lot...)

I've been sitting with this laptop on my lap for the last 30 minutes, and I'm still at a loss as to what I should write. My motivation to do anything lately has completely gone away. I'm not working out much (maaaaaaybe 3-4 times/week), I'm not sleeping much, and I'm definitely not writing much. I am working a lot, but that's not new. So as I sit here pondering what to write tonight, I decided that I wouldn't actually write at all. I have a couple of hiking blogs to post, but I'll have to get to those after I return from my mini vacation this weekend. In the meantime?

Well, for now I thought I would share a couple of articles I thought other people might enjoy - people who, like me, seem to have lost their motivation lately. I selected articles with only 4 points each, so these are super easy to read:

• No motivation? Check out "4 Science-backed Ways to Motivate Yourself to Work Out" by Sarah Elizabeth Richards at the Dailyburn.com. 

• Want abs like Jessica Alba, but hate laying on the ground to do crunches? Read "4 Best Ab Exercises for Women" by Laura Williams at GirlsGoneSporty.com. And guys - you can do these too!

• Want to get healthy? We could pretend to be ignorant when we were stupid college kids, but we gotta be smarter now! Choose either "4 Essential Vitamins That Women Should Eat Every Day" by Anna Patrick at EveryCollegeGirl.com, or check out "4 Essential Nutrients You're Lacking - and How to Get Them" by Chris Mohr at MensHealth.com. I know I should have read these sooner!

Hope that these articles help you find your mojo. And I hope that I find mine soon too! These cupcakes are going to catch up with me sooner or later. Humph. 

Until we meet again!

Becky

Rest Is A Four Letter Word

So, if you've spent any time in your life on an exercise program, you've probably heard that you should have some designated rest days.  These days are supposed to be times for the muscles to heal from all of the damage that you've unleashed upon them.  Perhaps they are intended as a special time for self-reflection and stretching, or maybe a leisurely walk around the block.  Any runner will tell you that rest days are an integral part of any good training program.  However, ain't nobody got time for that!

I don't think I've had many intentional rest days.  They usually come as a result of injury, extreme weather conditions, or sheer boredom with a training plan.  The countdown on the race calendar does not stop  while you take a break right?  Wrong.  My body is dead.  It decided at some point last week that it was just over me and all of the things that I wanted to do.  What's that Natasha?  You'd like to run hill intervals, lift heavy and then go to the pool for some laps?  I'll show you!  So now I'm sidelined with my back and hip hurting, bunion throbbing, and eyes rolling cause I need to get back to it.  I didn't feel so good on Saturday so naturally I thought it would be a good idea to run 8 miles at dawn on Sunday morning.  The run was amazing!  The cold that I have now, not so much.

Listen to your bodies people!  Your body always knows what it needs.  I know that Rome was not built in a day, but I am always afraid of losing momentum.  I'm afraid that 1 day off will turn into 100 and my motivation will be lost forever.  (Also, the way I eat, exercising is really not optional!) Tonight, while I take my NyQuil shots and groan in bed, I will be secretly plotting my next escape to the trail or the gym or the pool.  I'll just have to wait another day or two.

Happy Resting!

Natasha

Whatcha Got Cookin', Good Lookin'?

"The secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside." -- Mark Twain

I love food. I like eating it, I like buying it, and I like talking about it. Tell me about a good restaurant, and I'll probably eat there at my next opportunity. As a self-proclaimed chubster, this is probably not something I should be admitting in public... and certainly not something I should admit to on this blog! But in the in spirit of transparency, here I am! Waving my foodie flag proudly, and asking for forgiveness. 

As a food lover, you would think that I enjoy cooking, right? Well... I often joke that the best thing I make is reservations :) It's not that I can't cook, mind you, because I totally can. I just choose to be lazy! Why? Well, it's oftentimes cheaper for me to eat out than eat in, and cooking for one is hard when you hate leftovers. Oh, and I really hate doing dishes afterwards. All this being said, I know that this is a bad habit that I really need to kick so I've been trying (with varying results) to do the same for the last few months. 

In an attempt to save my health (and my sanity), I've been looking for the easiest version of my favorite foods to recreate at home. My rules are simple - it has to cost less than eating out, has to take around 30 minutes from prep to plate, and it has to taste and look good. Sound good? Let's begin!

Honey Mustard Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients: 

• Pork tenderloin - small
• Fresh rosemary 
• Honey mustard - 4-6 tablespoons, depending on the size of your pork tenderloin
• For the adventurous, I would use this recipe. I tried it, and totally approve of it. It's easy and very tasty! I add crushed pecans or walnuts if I make my own, but you don't have to do that. 
• For the lazy, I would buy honey mustard of your choosing. My favorite? Terrapin Ridge Farms Pecan Honey Mustard, which you can buy online here. It's all-natural, gluten-free, and vegan friendly :)

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. You should also prep your baking pan at this time. I like using Pyrex, which I lightly grease with olive oil (just coating the bottom). If you use a metal pan, however, you should line it with foil and use a greased rack.
2. Baste the tenderloin in the pan using the honey mustard. (Recommendation: If using a store bought honey mustard, take about 5 tablespoons and microwave until very soft. For the Terrapin Ridge Honey Mustard, I microwave it for about 30 seconds.) Set aside the remaining 2-3 tablespoons for additional basting while cooking. 
3. Top the tenderloin with rosemary. If you leave the tenderloin whole, use 4 sprigs and place them diagonally along the length of the tenderloin. If you cut the tenderloin prior to cooking (as pictured), lay one sprig of rosemary on top of each cut tenderloin slice. 
4. Bake the tenderloin in the oven uncovered, occasionally basting with the remaining honey mustard glaze as needed. Cook for approximately 25 minutes, or until your meat thermometer reads 150 degrees. 
5. Allow the meat to stand for five minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information:

For a 3oz serving (pictured with Terrapin Ridge Honey Mustard, less vegetable side): 212 calories, 7.5 g of fat (1 g saturated), 62 mg cholesterol, 18 g total carbohydrates (9 sugars), 368 mg sodium, 22 g protein. [Values will be slightly higher with homemade honey mustard using the recipe linked above]

Fast Food Burrito

Ingredients:

• 1 slice of flatbread (I recommend and use Flatout Flatbread - Light Original)
• 1 small chicken breast (alternative - 1 turkey burger patty; different texture but great taste)
• 1/4 cup (or 1 slice) of jalapeño jack cheese
• 1/4 cup black beans
• 1/4 cup of cilantro (optional)

Directions:

1. Lightly toast the flatbread in a pan on the stove. I use a quick spritz of olive oil on the pan so it won't stick, but you can skip that step if you have a non-stick pan. 
2. Thoroughly cook the chicken breast (I like to do this on a Foreman grill, which takes about 5-6 minutes). Slice the chicken breast into strips and set aside.
3. Lay the flatbread flat on a plate. Layer the slices of chicken breasts on the flatbread, and top with the black beans and cilantro if desired. Top with cheese, and wrap tightly.
4. Place the burrito back in the pan, cooking for about 30 seconds or until the cheese melts. 

Nutritional Information:

For one serving/one burrito: 412 calories, 20.8 g fat, 577.5 mg sodium, 37.6 g carbs (12.4 g fiber/1.3 g sugar), and 36.2 g protein.  (Compare to Chipotle, which would be approx. 700 calories, 25.5 g fat, 69 g carbs (15.5 g fiber/1 g sugar), and 52 g protein)

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Hope you enjoy the easy-peasy meals I have shared with you here. They're definitely worth trying if you're looking for something tasty and easy. My goal for the remainder of the month is to eat at home more often than I eat out. I know this is a pathetic goal for most people, but it will be harder for me than you think. Do you have any easy recipes you'd like to share? Please do! As I play with more food options and recipes at home, I'll try to remember to share them here. Until next time, have a happy and healthy week!

Cheers!

Becky

Guest Post: Awesome Anushika's Virtual Runs (#SoMuchGood with the Hogwarts Running Club!)

I've introduced the awesome Anushika ("Shika") in previous blog posts, but only recently thought to ask her to do a guest post for this blog. While "Awesome Anushika," as she is known on the Mike the Fanboy fan blog, has been blogging for a while, she's relatively new to the whole race craze that Natasha and I have been into lately. It all started with an invite to join me in the Disneyland Tinkerbell 10K in May. What sounded like a crazy, lofty goal soon turned into an obsession, and well... I'll let Shika take it from here. So, without further adieu, introducing... Awesome Anushika!

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Greetings awesome humans!

This one goes out to anyone struggling to get themselves out there - To anyone who thinks running is not for you... To all who believe you have to be in great shape to get out there.

Sure, I enjoyed the occasional charity race, but it wasn’t enough to motivate me to run regularly. Knowing my obsession with the Harry Potter series, your Occasionally Fit friend (Becky) introduced me to the Hogwarts Running Club. Yes people, this is a real thing. Hogwarts Running Club exits! Becky sent me a link to one of their races thinking it would be a fun thing to do together. I was pretty much hooked instantly. I kept signing up for more and more races until I ended up doing them all (during the Time Turner yearend event).

The best thing about this running club is that it's a virtual running club, so you have absolutely NO excuse not to do the races. After signing up, you can complete your miles whenever you want. You can even break the mileage into comfortable portions and complete them in different sessions. It's perfect for a person like me who loves to go out running during ungodly hours. It would be a crime not to talk about the wickedly awesome medals. If you are a Harry Potter fan, these medals are a must. They are beyond fantastic!

The club itself is absolutely amazing. They have their own Facebook group and each Hogwarts house has their own group with awesome head-girls/boys to help out all their fellow students, especially the first year "students" that are new to the group. In addition to be fan friendly, the Hogwarts Running Club does so much good! It’s definitely more than just a simple running club. It’s more like a massive fandom coming together to do so much good in every way possible. A portion of each race's proceeds go to charity, and runners also use the Charity Miles app to help even more charities while keeping track of all the exceptional miles done by all the members. (Anushika Note: If you are serious about your pace and miles, please do not rely on the app. We have experienced some glitches with its accuracy. We simply use it to earn our chosen charities funds with every mile possible.) 

On top of doing such a stellar job with all the charity races, the groups log miles daily to compete for the House Cup end of each year. I mean seriously, how fun is that? I can’t imagine a better way to keep me moving than a friendly competition with all my fellow witches and wizards.

I don’t want to ramble on and bore you guys because trust me I could go on talking about this forever. I love this running club! Go check out the Facebook groups and see if the Hogwarts Running Club is for you. They’ll have answers to all your questions. The only regret you might have is not knowing about this club sooner.

(Note from Becky: Of course, Shika would run into Harry Potter himself on the same day she did the Voldemort V-Miler)

If you aren't crazy about everything Harry Potter related, there are other virtual running websites that celebrate other randoms and causes you might be interested in. Who knows? Maybe this will help you to get back on track or bring the inner runner within you. It sure helped me to get my butt out there. I have to thank Becky big time for getting me into this. I went from being a simple walker to logging some serious miles each week. Yup, she created a monster! =D

Expecto Patronum!

Awesome Anushika