Blogilates, running, and the permission to be me

So, I'm going to go about this a different way. I don't know that anyone is even reading this, so that being said, I am truly going to treat this like a web log....an on-line diary of my fitness routine, thoughts and randomness that I can look back on to see what worked what didn't and what motivated me at my best times. So with that little disclaimer out of the way, here I go!

     So, I downloaded the Blogilates app the other day. I can honestly say I don't know why I waited so long to get on the Blogilates train like a beast to look like a beauty bandwagon!!! I am in LOVE with the program after only 2 videos!! I can see this becoming a regular addition to my running. A new addiction. A new passion.  I love that there are videos, forums and recipes at my fingertips. I tried the mug muffin recipe (but added some pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and honey) and it was AMAZING!

As I type I'm also making a grocery list in my head of the things i need to buy to try other recipes! Number one on my list? Healthy boba tea!!!!

After having an awesome run on Saturday I am feeling some serious achiness in my ankle. I think I'm going to be trading in views like this...

for views of a cinder block wall for a good chunk of my runs. I can really tell a difference when I run on the more forgiving treadmill deck. Also going to be doing more research on what more I can do to treat my ankle at home.

Well, I just have to get through one more shift and I have two whole days to devote to family, fitness and my favorite things. Have a great Sunday!!

Much love,

The tiny tigress 

But what if it is broke?

If it's not broke, don't fix it! It's a saying we've heard many times, and there's a lot of truth in it. If you find something that works for you...consistantly...you get results from it and it makes you happy, by all means don't change it!! An example in my personal experience is running. For me it is the most effective exercise to lose weight and (besides that) running just makes me insanely happy.

     On the other hand it can be hard to let go of something that used to work for you but no longer does. I don't know if it's the memories and happy thoughts you get from remembering how it was working for you. Or maybe holding on to the hope that things may change and it will work again, but in all honesty, sometimes you need to take a step back and take an objective look at something and decide if it's worth holding on to. Case in point...one of my social media accounts. I struggle every day with the decision of do I keep or delete it. It was the account that got me back on track. I met lots of great people and found so much motivation there. It was a joy to log in everyday and see what was new, get inspired then crush my workout. Not to mention to just have a community of people who didn't think you were crazy for wanting to run/lift/yoga/exercise your day away. I loved it. Then in recent months it changed. The spark was gone and it morphed from fitness focused to sarcasm, pity parties, vulgar posts with the occasional fitness post thrown in. To be honest I've only been on that account a couple times in the last week. It makes me sad to see what it's become, but for some reason I just can't bring myself to delete that account.  

    I think this applies in other areas as well. Your job. Relationships. People in your life. Habits. Things change...people change, and you need to listen to you heart and your gut and make the changes you need to to make your life the best possible life you can live.

    Things in life can lift you up or pull you down. Everything you do can be viewed as a balloon or a lead weight. Some things morph from one to the other. The trick is to be able to see that change and to know when to cut free from the lead weight so the balloons can lift you higher.

      I've found new social outlets. Ones that are much more focused on the things I want to be. Ones that make me happy, and truly my heart is there, not with my old account. I really feel it's time for me to move on to bigger and better. Time for me to cut that lead weight loose so I can turn my focus to the higher places the balloons are going to help me reach. I challenge everyone, if you are going through a rough patch, if you've backsliden, if things just aren't making you happy like they once did, take a step back. Look at what might have changed. Then muster up your courage and cut yourself free from the weight pulling you down. Soar to higher heights, let yourself be happy and reach toward your goals. I have faith in you that you are capeable of great things! Go out there and make them happen. Let's do this! I know we can!

Much love,

The Tiny Tigress

RACING: The good, the bad and the moving on

It's been years since I ran my last race. I was looking forward to this morning's race and the blog post overflowing with glowing energy that was to come after. Unfortunately, or fortunately, that wasn't necessarily the case. What happened? Let me elaborate....

     It started off with a late night at work last night. Not uncommon for the work I do, and I was able to get myself to bed by 1am. My alarm went off all too early at 6am and as I dragged myself out of bed I thought, "OK, self, this is gonna be tough...but you can do this!! It's going to be a GREAT race!!" I got dressed, got my coffee and breakfast, and made my way out the door. Everything seemed to be going well, then 5 minutes into my drive I took a wrong exit. I got flustered and just wrote it off to nerves. Little did I know it was just the start of things to come.

     I finally DID make it to the race site and made my way to packet pick-up. The atmosphere seemed happy, but in the same breath just "off". Again, I just wrote it off to nerves and having not raced for years. After getting my packet I made my way to the starting area. It seemed odd, stand-offish, almost self absorbed...just uncomfortable. The starting line wasn't much better. I made my way into the crowd with my daughter (who was also running) and we awaited the starter's gun.

The crowd stared moving slowly. People crowded together making it nearly impossible to move ahead. It seemed no one had concern for the runners/walkers around them. It was frustrating and saddening at the same time. This is not what races had been in the past for me. Usually the runners are courteous, paying attention to others, generally just as concerned for the other runners as themselves...I just didn't feel that here. I kept a positive attitude for my daughter and we eventually made our way to some clearer road and were able to move forward. She did so well!! We took several walk breaks, but she pushed herself which made me incredibly proud! While on the road it was relatively easy to find our way around some of the groups that were traveling along 4, 5, 6 people wide. The people on the course were very encouraging and I was thankful for that. 

     We then turned on to the trail part of the course and it turned congested and rather unfriendly. It was hard to pass so we were running in spurts, we were being jostled by others trying to pass, we did our best and tried to have fun. Before we knew it the end was in sight. We were going to run the whole way to the end once we saw it and we did. My daughter finished strong in just over 44 minutes! We got through the finish line and it became a slowed down jumbled mess. The people were just pushy and I got separated from those I was looking for. Just getting to the water at the end was a struggle. It was just disheartening. But we finished, my daughter got her first medal and we were some happy girls.

Later in the afternoon I was left with this nagging feeling. So much didn't go as planned, so many emotions still racing through my mind, so many things that bothered me, that I made my way out for a second run around my neighborhood to get my head straight. 

     If you would have asked me right after this race if I would run another my immediate answer would have been "No." I love running, but maybe I'm just a runner who strictly runs to run. Now that I've had time to let things settle and think about it I've come to some conclusions. 

1. A bad race is just that. One race. One experience...a LEARNING experience. There is something to be learned from every race. Some races are good, some are great, some...well...not so much, but you learn from each and every one.

2. Acknowledge but don't dwell. I had expectations of what I thought would happen today. They didn't come to fruition. I actually got to the point of tears later in the day. Probably because this was honestly the first bad race experience I've ever had. I think it helped to acknowledge that I was dissapointed, hurt, and let down. To ignore those feelings would have probably made them linger longer. 

3. There is always something positive to be found. Looking back if nothing else this was a great mother/daughter experience. I wouldn't have missed it for the world! It also got me back out of the comfort zone of just running around my neighborhood which WILL lead to continuing to move forward.

4. I WILL run another race. I'm not going to let this get me down. I want to get that warm fuzzy after race feeling again. I know it's out there and I won't find it if I DON'T get out there and run another race.

So that was my day. I hope that my sharing my experience will help all of you look at every experience as a learning experience. Everything has it's positives and negatives. We just need to focus on the positive things and learn from the rest. Now, with all that said, I think I'm going to go read some back issues of Runner's World, enjoy some coffee and find my next race. Stay strong everyone!!

Much love, 

The Tiny Tigress

Goals

I have several apps on my phone that I use on a daily basis (I'll blog about those another day), and I love them! They keep me motivated, accountable, and teach me something new every day. There is one thing I see, however, that I have to admit really kind of bothers me. I blame it on a society that places a heavy emphasis on the way you look. The number of people, especially those that are quite young, that put up a picture with the label "goal body". Why would I dislike this so much? Because I really feel that in some ways it's truly unhealthy to do this. Now before you call me crazy, hear me out. 

     Everyday we are overwhelmed with images of what society thinks the perfect male and female should look like. Both women AND men see these pictures and think that is what they should aspire to, and while aspirating to be in the best shape you can be is a good thing, aiming to look EXACTLY like them can be unhealthy. Why? Because you need to take YOUR body shape and genetics into consideration. Not everyone will have a thigh gap. Not everyone will be able to get to a size 2. Not everyone is going to be able to pack on muscle like a bodybuilder. Then on top of that add photoshop, professional photography that is trained to take pictures from the best angle, and the fact that many pictures (especially of fitness athletes) are taken as they are getting close to compition and at a very low body fat percentage, and it's no wonder body image issues run rampant! Again, don't get me wrong...there is NOTHING WRONG with training hard to try to reach these goals or get as close to them as possible. The problem comes when you end up hating YOUR body because as much as you train and watch your diet it never quite reaches the same shape as your "goal body". 

     I personally deal with the aftermath of distorted body image everyday. I was in high school in the 80s. Everyone was expected to be thin and blond with big curly hair, flat chest, flat butt, size 2....just go watch some classic 80s tv and movies. Well I didn't fit that mold at all. I was short with dark, poker straight hair, weighted over 215lbs when I graduated, wanted to lift weights and be strong....and was the butt of every joke in the book. When my senior class did the "most" list for the yearbook, I was "most noticeable from behind". Those things leave scars. Even now I have days where I see myself as the fat girl. It breaks my heart to see some young people (I'm talking 10, 11, 12) hating their bodies so young! Please, please, PLEASE listen to me when I say your health is so much more important than looking like a picture. Aim to be healthy and strong, not skinny, and be the best version of YOU!

     I want to finish up with saying this really hit home today when my 10 year old looked at me and said "mom, I'm fat. I need to go on a diet. I need some green coffee bean pills to speed up my metabolism." Now mind you she is average weight, is training with Girls on the Run to run a 5k and likes to play outside as much as possible. I was taken aback for a minute. I then looked at her and said "You don't need to diet! You're still growing! You need to make sure you're eating healthy and getting active. Let's choose some healthy recipes to make this week." She seemed happy about that, and so was I, and I certainly don't want to discourage her from trying to be healthy at a young age, but in the back of my mind I can't help but be all kinds of upset about a society that would make someone so young think they need to diet. 

     This week while you are going out and completing your fitness routines I want you to look at yourself and find at LEAST one thing you love about yourself. Focus on being healthy, being strong and becoming the best YOU you can be...because YOU are pretty darn awesome!! Remember that!

Much love, 

The Tiny Tigress