2011 Thanksgiving 5K

Nov28

Like so many of my fellow TIU team members, I did a 5K race on Thanksgiving. Ben and I both did the Run to Feed the Hungry Race in Sacramento, our home town :-) It was for a good cause and a great way to stay on track with our fitness goals.

It was a little hectic training for the race. Balancing training and preparing for the holiday was a bit tough. Gio’s schedule changed to half days the whole week before Thanksgiving. This meant that I had a 5 minute window between picking his brother up and picking him up from school. And that I had Both boys at home. Ben and I had to trade off doing our runs and workouts. Despite the craziness, we both managed to get our training in. And I was able to cook for pretty much an entire day for the holiday.

I was kind of dreading this race. I kept hoping that the forecast for rain would change, but it didn’t. This is a big race for Sacramento. There was 27,000 people doing the race. My goal was to beat my last time of 25:30 and I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to because of all the people. My First 5k was small in comparison (only about 1000 participants).

We were up at 6a. Ben’s dad decided that he would bring the boys and cheer us on. Of course, the one time they decide to sleep in is the one day they can’t. Lol. They were not happy to get up with us. But the idea of playing in the rain cheered them up. There is just something about the rain and puddles that kids love :-) We were worried about parking so we headed out early. We got there about an hour before the race started.

Sleepy Seppe ready to go.

It was crazy! There were so many people! I’ve never seen that many people in one place. We parked about a couple blocks away from the finish line. We had to walk around to find out where to pick up our bibs and shirts. And it rained the whole time. I was freezing cold and wet before the race even started. I was suppose to meet up with my friends and brother but there was just so many people there that we couldn’t really find anyone. We headed towards the finish line to find a spot out of the rain that the boys and Ben’s dad could wait at. Java City was open and we were one of the first people there so we grabbed a table and waited for the race to start.

Enjoying Hot coco and a cinnamon bun

Ready for the race!

I had a Luna bar and Zico for breakfast and was glad that the coffee shop had clean bathrooms to use :-) I really didn’t want to use the porter potties by the start line :-/ I was getting a little anxious. It was a big race and it was raining. I was really worried about slipping and falling. I was worried about not reaching my goal. I’m not a super serious race person but I trained hard and I really wanted all my hard work to pay off. There were two types of bibs handed out – one for those that were being timed and one for those not being timed. I had to pay extra to be timed.

They had separate starting places for timed and non-timed racers. I headed up to the front and put myself at the 8min/mile pace marker. It was obvious that people didn’t care about the pace markers because you could tell that there were people who were not being timed in the timed areas. I separated from Ben but he could have easily joined me. I think a lot of people were up front just to be on camera since the local tv station was there broadcasting the race.

Making our way to the start line – View from where Ben started.

Up by the 8min/mile pace marker

Getting a little closer to the start line.

cold and wet :-(

5K Walkers/Joggers heading down J Street

I always get a rush when the count down starts. I told myself that I just had to do my best and see what happened. It wasn’t raining as hard but still raining when the race started. I was able to start off at a jogging pace and got around a large part of the pack. I was hoping to catch up to my brother (who is a very good runner) but it felt like there was never an end to group of people in front of me. The route was really nice and simple. No hills. People were lined up along the streets and cheered the runners on. I really liked that there were mile markers posted. At 2 miles I sped up a bit. As soon as I could see the balloons for the finish line, I sped up some more. There was a teenager running next to me at the end and I made it a point to beat her. lol. I did see my brother at the end of the race. He finished about 5 minutes ahead of me. One day I’ll catch up :-) Ben finished about 5 minutes after me. He wasn’t timed but he did go faster this time around.

Finding Ben at the finish line.

My Results:

Chip Time: 23:40

Chip Pace: 7:38

Gun Time: 24:03

Gun Pace: 7:45

256th Overall (of 2,247 – number of those timed in the 5K)

48th Female (of 1,124)

6th (of 132) in my Age Group

So not too bad for my second race :-) I beat my last time and set a new personal best. I am very happy. I’m thinking of finding a 10K to train for in the next couple months. I’ve really come to enjoy races.

Fruit at the “Post Race Party” – pears, apples, bananas, oranges

They also had bagels, granola bars, and peanut butter cookies.

Line of people waiting to get their goodies.

Bag we used to carry the food and water.

My shirt and bib

Ben’s shirt and bib – he got the only shirt that was different from Everyone else’s :-)

Good Bye 20’s!

Nov12

Yep! I turned the Big 3-0! It still seems unreal to me though. lol. I remember when I was a teenager I thought 30 was old and it seemed so far away. When I got into my 20’s, I swore that I would never admit I was 30 to anyone and be forever 29. Silly huh? But that’s changed. I am very proud to be 30 years young(as my mother would say).

I realized I wasn’t as young as I use to be a while ago. Guess kids will do that to you? Hahaha. But I really don’t feel that different. I guess getting healthy and in shape has a lot to do with it. I am probably in better shape now than I’ve ever been. Yes, including high school. I weighed less back then, but trust me, I was far from healthy. I was young and I could put my body through a lot (all nighters, junk food, tons of candy, injuries from sports and other activities, and lots of alcohol) and bounce right back…. so not the case now. And I’m ok with that. Now I’m taking good care of my body.

So what can I say about my 30 years of Life? Well, it has definitely been a journey. I’ve made mistakes. Some big, some small. I’ve learned from most of them. Looking back at it all, it’s been a good 30 years despite the hard times. What’s stand out for me is Not any big acomplishment or trip. It’s the people :-) I am lucky to have had so many great and wonderful people in my life.

My dad who took care of the 5 of us on his own – when he didn’t have to. I don’t agree with everything he did, but I am grateful for all that he’s done for me and my brothers. My Grandpa who I admire and look up to. He’s taught me so much about life.
My friend, Chris Quenga who took me under her wing and treated me like her daughter. She helped me so much in high school. My teachers. Yes, teachers. I had some really great ones who taught me more than just a subject in school. My love for learning is because of them.
My friends. I am very lucky to have such wonderful friends. I still care about all the friends I had in high school and still close to a lot of them :-) I can never forget my friends in Florida who were the best part of my 3 years there.
Ben. How many can say that they got the man of their dreams (since I was 13)? Me!!! I have spent over half my life in love with him and I am so happy to be spending the rest of my life with him.
Last but definitely not least – my sons. They have truly given my life meaning and purpose. I may not be super successful by some standards, but I am pretty damn proud to be a stay at home mom to Gio and Seppe. They are my world. They may have not been planned but I am a true believer that Everything Happens for a Reason. To me, all that I’ve gone through was to prepare me for where I am now.

On my birthday (the 28th) I asked myself if I was Happy with where I am now and who I am? The answer…. Yes! Life might not be glamorous and a little tough, but I Love My Life.
I am looking forward to my 30’s. I plan on doing a lot with my life and I know that I’m Not too old to follow my dreams. I’m living a healthier lifestyle and loving it. I’m training for races that I never even considered when I was younger. I’m excited to watch my sons grow up – even though I am also a little sad about it. I know there is still so much to learn and do. And I plan on learning and doing as much as I can :-)

I didn’t do anything special on my birthday but Ben and the boys made me cards and got me my favorite, Roses :-) But that doesnt mean I’m Not doing something…I will be celebrated in Vegas the week after with Ben and my friends :-) I am definitely Not too old to party!

So Good Bye to my 20’s and Hello to my 30’s and the rest of my Life :-)

Cards and Roses from Ben, Gio and Seppe

From My Ninja (well Samurai Power Ranger)

Gio told Ben what to type :-)

My Cool Looking Seppe

From My Seppe Rooo

My Favorite - Roses :-)

SlimDown Round 2 Results!!

Nov1

Yay!! I finished the Slim Down :-) And this time I didn’t cheat once.  I was kinda nervous stepping on the scale this morning. I was shocked with the results: 105.4 lbs! My goal weight! Ok, technically I’m .4 lbs away, but hey close enough, right? lol.

Here’s my After measurements – it was another pleasant surprise for me :-)

Weight: 105.4 lbs.

Waist: 25 in.

Hips: 33.5 in.

Chest: 31.5 in.

Thighs: 19 in.

Total Weight Lost – 6 lbs.

Total Inches Lost – 3 inches

Yes! I am very excited and motivated.  I was not expecting to be at my goal weight until the end of the year. Now I can move on to my next goal of putting on muscle :-)

I have come a long way since I started to follow Tone It Up.  I found them May of 2011, joined the team at the end of July and started with the Nutrition Plan in August. All together I have lost a total of 12 lbs since August.  15 lbs since May :-)  There are really no words to explain how happy I am right now.  I feel so confident, strong, and toned.  My journey with Tone It Up has proven to me that I Can Do Anything I put my mind to. I Can set Goals And Reach Them :-) It’s great to believe in myself.

Here’s my Before and After Pics from Both Slim Down journeys:

Before and After

So what now? New Goals!! I have a 5K that I will be running on Thanksgiving for Feed the Hungry in Sacramento.  A 10K hopefully in January and I just signed up for the 9 mile course in the Big Sur International Marathon :-) My Big goal: Run the Nike Women’s Half Marathon next October.  The Big Sur and Nike Women’s race are still a little intimidating to me right now but I know that if I keep working hard and train, I’ll be able to do it :-)

I am off to Vegas for a week tomorrow night to celebrate my 30th Birthday :-) But I will be working out and eating healthy.  I may be on vacation but there is No way in hell I’m throwing away all this hard work.  Just looking at the pictures has really reminded me of how far I’ve come and I don’t ever want to go back.  I want to keep moving forward and continue living a healthy lifestyle.

I forgot to mention it in my twitvid today, but Thank You! Thank You ! Thank You to Karena, Katrina, and my whole Tone It Up family. I honestly would not have been able to get here without all your support, advice, inspiration, and motivation. Sometimes I feel alone because I don’t have anyone near me who is on a similar journey.  I am so grateful to all my Tone It Up sisters on twitter who keep me going every day :-) It’s so nice to know that I am not Alone. Love You All <3

Slim Down Day 7

Oct31

I made it!!! And this time I didn’t cheat once.  Not even one bite :-) I even survived Halloween and all the sugary craziness around me.  That is such a big difference for me.  Last year, I would have thought it impossible for me to walk away from sugary sweets at a party and on Halloween. I have had a sweet tooth ALL my life and it has been the hardest challenge for me with my new lifestyle.  But now, I know that I can stay away from all that candy.  Not saying that I’ll never have  another piece ever, but I am happy that I am overcoming my bad habit.  That is probably what I am most proud of from the Slim Down.

Today was great.  I felt great the whole day.  Since I was not able to go out for my morning cardio, I popped in P90X CardioX.  I really like it because it has so many different moves from yoga to plyometrics.  I didn’t feel tired at all.  I took the boys to the mall for some last minute Halloween shopping and walked the length of the mall twice.  For my second cardio session I went for 3 mile run since Ben was home from work.  I had a good run.  It was very windy on the way out so it felt like I was in slow motion but I didn’t mind because it kept me cool.  Since it was Halloween, we went trick or treating with the boys.  We got through 3 courts and then walked back home.  I tripped and pulled something in my right knee so it looks like I’ll be taking a break from running :-( I was going to give my knees a break anyways after the slim down.

Meals: Did not feel hungry at all and stuck to the slim down. Subbed steamed snap peas for the asparagus at dinner.  Of course I would forget to pick some up when I went to the store this morning, right? lol.

M1: Grapefruit with stevia.

M2: Slim Down Smoothie.

M3: Lean and Green Salad with Spinach, tilapia, carrots, and cucumbers.

M4; 1/2 cup of berries: blueberries, raspberries, and 2 small strawberries.

M5: Left over lemon pepper chicken with steamed snap peas.

70 oz. water,  30 oz. of green tea, and a Zico.

I will take measurements and weigh myself tomorrow. I am really looking forward to the results.  I can tell that I have toned up a bit.  I don’t think I have a pair of jeans that fit me anymore.  I feel stronger and healthier.

There is definitely a difference between the first time I did the Slim Down in August  and this time around.  I physically could not run every day back then.  My legs were not strong enough and I would have had shin splints like crazy.  I remember taking it easy and not pushing myself because I was worried that I would get hurt. Drinking the required amount of water was such a challenge and I would do little cheats by taking bites of food from my boys.  Planning and being organized with my meals and workouts really really helped me stay on track.  That is the one advice I would give to anyone who is thinking of doing the Slim Down.  This time around, it felt like it went by faster. Most likely because it wasn’t such a chore :-) I am glad that it’s over though. I want to get back to my smoothies and try out some new protein pancakes.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween.  Here’s me in my Halloween Costume:

Panda costume: Shorts and shirt were mine (along with boots). Bought, Vest, ears, paws, tights and fur boot covers.

Mamma Panda, Power Ranger Samurai Red Ranger, and Werewolf

Hulk and Mamma Panda

Slim Down Day 6

Oct30

I’d have to say that Day 6 has been the toughest so far.  I was very tired all day today. My bootycall was a 3 mile run.  Not a fast run but I felt good during the run.  For my second cardio session I did a Nike Training Club Interval Cardio workout. Some of those moves are tough to do for a minute at a time. Even though there wasn’t a workout for today, I did Pop  Pilates Fit 4 Fall workout X 4 sets. I just like to do something light at the end of the day to help relax. Working out does relax me :-)

I wasn’t hungry, but I did have craving for bread today.  It’s really tough when everyone around you is eating food that you can’t have.  The boys were snacking on air popped popcorn and it was so hard to Not take some.  I really have no idea how I stayed away from the bowl, but I did.

Meals: Followed pretty close to the meal plan, except for the asparagus at dinner.  Didn’t  have any so I had green beans instead.

Meal 1: Slim Down Scramble. No Salt and No tomatoes. I don’t like this very much. I like the flavor the tomatoes add.  I forgot to take a pic before I ate it. lol.

Meal 2: 1/2 grapefruit with stevia

Meal 3: Salad with spinach, chicken, celery, and carrots. Balsamic vinegar dressing.

Meal 4: 1/2 cup of berries – used the last of the blueberries I had and 3 small strawberries.

Meal 5: Lemon Pepper Chicken seasoned with Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper and lemon juice with green beans.

After Meal 1, Meal 3, and Meal 5 I had a cup of Decaf Green Tea with stevia. I am not a big tea drinker so getting the 30 oz. of green tea in is a challenge.  I figure if I have it in between my meals, I can get pretty close. I had 70 oz. water and a Zico too.

Decaf Green Tea with Stevia

I could have stopped today… the thought crossed my mind, but I Want to get through this slim down.  I know that I would feel badly if I just quit and that I’d feel great if I finished.  So I’m finishing strong! One Day left :-)

Slim Down Day 5

Oct30

Day 5 was a little tough for me.  I felt tired pretty much all day long.  After doing my 1 hour bike ride in the morning, I didn’t really want to go and do another workout.  I kept hoping to get a chance to take a quick nap but got busy cleaning up the house before my brother and his wife came to visit.  I seriously considered using them as an excuse to Not do my afternoon workout. But I didn’t.  Instead, I took advantage of having Uncle Ed and Lynee around to watch the boys so I could workout.  They took them to the park and I went for a 3 mile run.  Since it’s one of my goals to run 3 miles every day, I was really glad they were there because I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise.

My run actually gave me a boost of energy. I didn’t go fast, but I felt good during my run.  The surge of energy helped me get through my total body workout.  I did the One Day Fat Blast workout 1. I need to do that one more often because I’m still not strong enough to keep with those girls :-) I was really tired after working out, but I managed to do  a few ab workouts to end my day.  15 leg lifts, 15 side plank crunches (each sides), 15 tummy tucks, 15 bicycles, and 15 vsit crunches X 3 Sets.

Meals:

Meal 1: Slim Down Scramble without salt.

Meal 1: 1/2 grapefruit with stevia.

Meal 3: Salad with Spinach, carrots, avocado, and tuna. I ran out of cucumbers and snap peas :-( Need to pick some more up.  The tuna was from Trader Joes and had no salt added.

Meal 4: Mango.

Meal 5: Oven baked tilapia seasoned with Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper. Side of quinoa, spinach, peas, and mushroom mix. Seasoned with Mrs. Dash Garlic Herb.

Drank 100 oz. water and 1 Zico.

Besides being tired, I felt great.

Slim Down Day 4

Oct28

Day 4 was definitely a challenge with fighting temptation and cravings.  I was at Seppe’s Halloween party at his preschool and surrounded by candy, chips, pasta, and every possible kind of sugary sweet you can imagine.

Normally, I would have indulged in at least a couple of my favorites (pudding and cookies). What made it even harder was that it was snack time (Meal 4) while we were there and of course, I don’t have one of my handy Luna or Larabars in my purse :-( Luckily it wasn’t too long of a get together and my boys actually didn’t want to keep stuffing their faces full of sweets (I know surprising!) . It was a bit longer than usual between Meal 3 and 4 but I enjoyed my slim down shake as soon as we got home.

And Yes, even though it was my birthday today, I decided to stick to the Slim Down. No cheats :- ) The body I am working hard for is the best present I can give myself.

Meals:

Meal 1: Slim Down Scramble – the one for today is my favorite because I can add sea salt :-)

Slim Down Scramble: with tomatoes, mushrooms, and spinach

M2: 1/2 grapefruit with Stevia.

M3: Salad with Spinach, Chicken, cucumbers, carrots, and 1 strawberry.  Half a Mango on the side.

Salad - Added a strawberry for a pop of color :-)

M4: Slim Down Smoothie – so yummy and refreshing.

M5: Chicken, Spinach, Peas, bell pepper and Zucchini mixed with quinoa and seasoned with sea salt. Just had a little bit of quinoa left and I needed to finish it.

I like to put my quinoa mixes in a bowl.

I consider today a big success :-) Only 3 days left!

Slim Down Day 3

Oct27

Day 3 Done! Today went great. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to get up for my bootycall because my 4yr. old crawled in bed with us last night. I was so tired that I didn’t even realize he was in bed with us until before my alarm went off.  He had taken the blankets and I woke up because I was cold.  I got up when the alarm went off and got dressed. Drank some water and headed out for a run as soon as it was light enough outside.

My run went great. Did 3 miles at my usual pace.  It’s definitely getting colder out.  Going to need some running gloves soon.  My original plan was to do the Shredmill for my second cardio session but I’ve been really wanting to try out TIU’s new workouts so I did the Ghost Buster Cardio at the gym. OMG! That was a workout!! The 2 minute sprint interval was killer.

Did the spooky workout when I got home. The Black Widow was really tough for me but I got through it. 20 reps each for 3 sets. I planned on doing One Day Fat Blast workout 1 and almost skipped it since I did the Spooky workout, but I didn’t :-)  I ended my night with NTC Ab Burner workout. Yes I am tired! But I feel great.

Meals:

M1: Slim Down Protein Pancake – This one came out bigger and a little messier but it still tasted good. I topped it with a little almond butter, truvia, and cinnamon.

Protein Pancake topped with Almond Butter, Truvia, and Cinnamon

M2: Half an Grapefruit with Stevia. Again, shared with my son. He loves grapefruit.

M3: Salad with tempeh, spinach, cucumbers, snap peas, and carrots. Balsamic Vinegar dressing. Mango on the side. I love Mangos and I could eat it every day :-) I didn’t finish it all. It was very filling.

Tempeh Salad with Cucumbers, Snap peas, and carrots. Mango on the side.

M4: Veggies and Hummus. Celery and cucumbers with Eggplant Hummus. I would have had some carrots too but I foot I had them in the fridge. I wasn’t really hungry during this time either so I didn’t have a lot.

M5: Chicken Breast with green beans and zucchini. I marinated the chicken in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Seasoned it with sea salt and mrs. dash garlic herb seasoning.

Chicken, Green Beans, and zucchini.

I’m feeling great and on track with all my goals. Another 110 oz. of water :-) And a Zico. That Zico was a great pick me up :-)  So bring on Day 4!

SlimDown Day 2

Oct26

Today was pretty good. I did have a few cravings here and there but I’d just go and drink some water. I’m really glad that I planned out my meals this time around.  Being organized has really made it easier for me to stick to the slim down. And I think that since I follow the Nutritional Plan, it’s not such a drastic change from how I do things normally.  It definitely feels easier this time… at least for now :-)

My Meals:

M1: SlimDown Protein Pancake – I got some Brown Rice protein powder and although I don’t like it, I am sticking with it for the slim down.  It might just be I’m not getting a good brand but so far it’s just been too chalky for me.  The pancake did taste pretty good though :-)

SlimDown Protein Pancake Topped with Blueberries and sprinkled w/ Stevia

M2: 1/2 grapefruit with stevia – gave the other half to my son who loves it :-)

M3: Salad with Salmon, spinach, cucumbers, snap peas, and carrots. Balsamic Vinegar for dressing and half of a mango on the side (shared the other half with my son again).

Meal 3: Salmon Spinach Salad

M4: Luna Lemon Zest Bar. I decided to stay away from anything with chocolate while on the slim down.  I planned on having the protein shake but I wound up on the go for Meal 4 and I was glad to have a Luna bar in my purse :-)

M5: Tofu, green beans, and snap peas seasoned with sea salt. I am loving Snap peas right now so I’ve been adding it to everything :-)

Meal 5: Tofu and Green Veggies seasoned with Sea Salt

Workouts:

3 Mile run – Didn’t go as fast as I usually go. I think I was tired from yesterday’s workouts.  I still felt pretty good during the run though. 30 min HIIT workout on the bike at the gym for my second cardio session.  Hump Day is when I like to work on my booty and along with TIU’s 200 bootylifter challenge for today, my booty got worked! I did TIU’s One Day Fat Blast workout 2 – focusing on abs and booty.  I ended with Pop Pilates Hot Abs and Cinch That Waist X 3 sets. I switched off between the two – I did one workout then the next and that was a set.

Drank 110 oz. of water today  :-) I’m really happy that I’m keeping up with my goals that I’ve set for myself for the slim down. Having these goals helps keep me focused.

*Drink 100 oz. of water every day.

*Run at least 3 miles every day.

*Do 2 Ab workouts every day.

Ready for Day 3!

Round 2 of 7DSD

Oct25

Today was Day 1 of the 7 Day Slim Down for me :-) This is my second time doing it. I am hopeful that I will get great results again. I’m not sure if I will lose 6lbs again though. I was heavier the last time I did it so I had more to lose. But I plan on kicking up my workouts this time around so we’ll see how it goes.

Today went pretty well. Stayed on track with my meals and was able to get my 100 oz of water in :-)

My workouts for today:
3.4 mile run
Shredmill – increased my sprint speed to 8.5mph :-)
One Day Fat Blast Workout 1
Lean Abs x2
Itty Bitty x 3

Meals:
M1: Slim Down Scramble
M2: Grapefruit and stevia
M3: Salad with chicken, spinach, cucumbers, snap peas, and carrots. With a Mango
M4: Protein Shake – I used brown rice protein powder that I don’t like very much but I will do it for the slim down
M5: Salmon seasoned with Lemon juice and mrs. Dash lemon pepper. Steamed Snap peas and a small side of quinoa. I’m not sure if quinoa is ok to have during the slim down but I only had a little. Quinoa is my substitute for rice so I like to have it with fish :-)

Here are my Before measurements and weight:

Weight: 111 lbs
Chest: 32in
Waist: 26in
Hips: 34in
Thighs: 20in

It’s going to be a crazy week for me. I have lots to do to prepare for my trip to Vegas. I hope I’ll be able to juggle everything.

Before Pics:

20111025-195611.jpg

20111025-195738.jpg

You can follow me on twitter: @Mia_Butterfly to see my check in videos for the slim down :-)