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Giving Things Up For Lent: Not So Fast

February 22, 2012
Just for Run
14 Comments

Did you celebrate Fat Tuesday? I sure as sugar did. I love a good random weeknight carb-fest!

Many of you might be preparing for Lent and have plans to give up certain types of luxuries or food. Even those that are not “religious” often take part. If you are going to be giving something up, may I offer some advice…

At the beginning of the month I gave myself a 29 Day Challenge to cut carbs, nix sugar, and get a jump on my morning workouts. I happily report that the carbs and morning workouts were not an issue, but the sugar certainly was. I’m OK with admitting I fell completely off the wagon. The wagon rolled right over me. Forgoing sweets sent my body into shock. I ended up going through an entire Cadbury candy bag quicker than you can say, “Woah, there Easter bunny!” I decided after my chocolate shame to go for more of an “in moderation” route, treating myself on the weekends, and this seems to be working out.

When giving up one thing you might replace it immediately with something else – be wise about the choices you make. Moderation is key in keeping Lent in perspective.

On what I might give up for Lent – give me back my chocolate – I could take a break from some of my social media habits. There’s something to rejoice about.

Are you going to partake in Lent? If so, what are you considering giving up?

11 Things

February 17, 2012
Just for Run
17 Comments

Tag, I’m it! I was tagged in the Eleven Games by two fabulous, fit ladies –Forever Is Composed of Nows & Miles Gone By– and how could I say no?! This was the easiest-hardest thing I’ve done in some time.

11 Things Blogging Game.
The Rules:
#1 You must post these rules.
#2 Each person must post 11 things about themselves on their blog.
#3 Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and create 11 new questions for the people you tag to answer.
Let’s do this!

11 Things About Moi
1. I listen to Christmas music when I’m stressed out. The sleigh bells and Bing sure know how to calm my nerves.
2. My bro worked at Disney so I’ve been going for frizzle since I was in high school. And I’m mildly obsessed with all theme parks, including Universal and Sea World. Ah, Harry Potter world!
3. I worked with celebrities for many years. Fortunately/unfortunately I’ve met the majority of them. I don’t name drop, but will if you ask nicely, mwhaha.
4. I love all sports. Seriously. Baseball, football, soccer, golf, racing, hockey…and basketball around March Madness.
5. “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is among the top of my all-time favorite flicks.
6. I can whistle insanely loud (two fingers), it’s my party trick.
7. I wish I was a professional photographer.
8. I set at least 5 alarms to wake me up in the morning. Paranoid I’ll oversleep and I’m a firm believer that the Snooze button likes to be slapped around a little.
9. The three things in life I’ll splurge on include jeans, purses and workout gear.
10. I was in an NSync video. Yep, the crying girl holding the poster (which I worked on all night, thank you very much).
11. Our dog Indiana Jones is deaf but we talk to him all the time. In fact, I think it’s important to talk to him, I’m certain he can read lips.

Questions from the ladies:
1. What was the first concert that you ever went to? NSync. And it was AMAZING. The event people spotted us in the top of the venue soaking wet due to the rain we were sitting through and moved us right up front!
2. Which actress would you like to star as you if you had a movie made about your life? Elizabeth Shue. Old school “Adventures in Babysitting.”
3. If you could open any type of business what would it be? Outdoor shop. It’s fun to think about taking a hike in the morning before going to work at our own shop someday.
4. When did you first feel like a runner? When I ran my first half-marathon not really understanding what I was getting into. I finished in under 2 hours and thought I could actually be good at running.
5. Night owl or early bird? People think I’m an early bird because I workout in the AM, but I still don’t talk to anyone until after 9am.
6. What is one thing that you wished you would have learned to do? Speak another language. Although – there is still time! Ciao!
7. Dog or cat person? Dog. I secretly don’t trust cat people, but I did have a cat as a child.
8. What is your favorite season and why? Fall. The season smells like apples and candles. You are gearing up for the holidays and there’s a certain romance in the air.
9. What is the longest run/race/workout you have ever done? That’d be the marathon. 26.2 miles in just over 3 ½ hours. BAM.
10. Do you prefer Facebook over Twitter or vis versa? I’m over them both about now, unfortunately. It’s a status update, not a diary.
11. What motivated you to start blogging? I’ve been blogging since I first moved from Atlanta and was living in Michigan as a way for my mom (Norak) to keep up with what I was doing. It turned into multiple blogs soon after. Too much to say I guess!

My Turn:
1. Name three things on your bucket list.
2. If you could medal at any Olympic sport what would it be?
3. Favorite superhero.
4. Who was your first kiss?
5. Milk chocolate or white chocolate?
6. Biggest pet peeve?
7. Describe your dream job.
8. First thing you’d buy after winning the lottery?
9. Favorite place to be outdoors.
10. Favorite book that was turned into a movie?
11. Favorite motivational quote?

Whew! OK, I think a lot of you have been tagged, but if not….Second City Randomness,Where’s The Beach, FitChick, Dietitian On The Run.

Feel free to answer one of the questions in the comments!

February Challenge: Short & Sweet

February 1, 2012
Just for Run, Motivation
27 Comments

Dear February,

You’re short, but that is why I like you. In fact, I like you so much that I thought you would be the perfect month to give myself a 29-Day Challenge. Thanks for throwing in that extra day.

As a recently appointed Fitfluential Ambassador (whoop!) I needed to step it up a bit. Shake off those winter blues and get ready for spring. This month, it’s simple really, I want to give myself something that pushes me, but doesn’t push me over the edge.

February Fit Goals
Cut the carbs: I’m talking to you Mr Potato Head. Seeing as though quitting
cold turkey is plain cruel, I’ll work on only treating myself once this month.

Au Revior chocolate: In France, the Swiss Miss bus hit me head on. I could
have turned into Augustus Gloop. Everyone take your seats, I’m going to
attempt to only have sweets on Valentine’s Day. I think I just heard a few
screams. Valentine’s is going to be a real choco bender people, but I clearly
have enough stored up from my chocolate getaway to get me through.

Early bird gets the worm, then coffee: I am getting back into my early morning
workout routine full-on. The days I miss a good morning workout is like someone sucked out all my brains and energy.

There you have it. On the interweb, where all truths live, mwahaha. Short, not so sweet, goals.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon on how all this goes.

What’s your favorite Valentine’s sweet?

The Little Things In Life

January 11, 2012
Just for Run
22 Comments

“Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.” -Marianne Williamson

Let’s take a moment for the little things:
Starbucks Coffee - um yes, I absofreakinglutely cannot get enough.

Fuzzy slippers – I like throwing these bad boys on and wearing comfy capris or shorts around the house. Winter meets spring.

Planet Dog - they make THE best dog toys. They are indestructible, and good thing because Dr Jones has a degree in plastic, squishy ball and plush toy destruction.

Yankz - I don’t think I’ve tied my shoes in a year. Hip hip!

Peanut butter – I think I’ve eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich almost every day since I was 4. I even carried a whole pound of peanut butter cookie mix home with me from Christmas.

What little thing is rocking your day?

An Open Letter to Me On My Birthday Eve: Time marches on and eventually you realize it is marchin’ across your face.

December 16, 2011
Just for Run
24 Comments

Dear Nichole,

Wowee wow. The big 3-0. Remember when we were little and we’d think about what we would be doing at 30. I believe it involved a few kids and a Barbie Ferrari.

A wise man once said, “There comes a time when you should stop expecting other people to make a big deal about your birthday. That time is age eleven.” Ppffffttt

You’re turning 30, and isn’t it nice to say that you are in THE best shape of your life. Take that 21-year-old me. This was a year where you certainly turned into quite the runner. Little miss marathon. You nailed 26.2, but screw running in Atlanta again. Damn hills. This year you hit your stride. You learned to not stop at the finish line. Your running seemed to be contagious and you’ve been lucky enough to see your mom develop her own passion for the sport. (I don’t know what took her so long either.) Keep at staying active. You’ve got some years to go yet and it’s best we keep looking fit. Those knees need to last us a long time, so pace yourself sister.

You learned even more this year than others how much friends and family mean to you. When your phone can’t ring to hear them back home, it’s nice to get messages and letters to know they still think of you – still not half as much as you think of them. The friends you are close with, those are the ones that will be rocking in a chair next to you in a nursing home some day. You learned how to stay close with the people that matter the most and occasionally let that big guard of yours down. Kisses to the makers of free international calling. Remember it is okay to call home sobbing about not being able to find Betty Crocker cake mix at the store, good Mexican food or missing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. It’s lovely that you have friends all over this country and that country; continue to surround yourself with the right people – even if it’s only a handful.

If you think you are emotional now, just wait, I hear it only gets worse. I know you seem to cry at the drop of a touching commercial or anytime you look at Indiana Jones, but get it together woman. We have an image to uphold. And don’t take any crap about being 30. Would you ever go back and relive your 20s again, no thank you.

Embrace Own your thirties. It’s a peak time for your athletic career. Oprah said it was the decade where she truly found herself. Take chances. We all make mistakes, but be you – and always be okay with that. Never live with regrets. Regrets lack immediacy. Keep trying to be better, at everything. Better listener, wife, friend, daughter, sister. Live life like the honey badger.

Still reading, or did you just skip to the bottom? On that note, off to go find some cobra cookie cake. xx

Five for Five

November 16, 2011
Just for Run
13 Comments

Five things you don’t know about me:

  1. I have successfully predicted all of my close friend’s pregnancies. I dream that a friend is pregnant and immediately call my gals and, sure as sugar, one of them will be pregnant. It’s the only time I have dreamt about someone being pregnant.  Freaky, I know.
  2. I listen to Christmas music when I’m stressed out. Yes, even in June.
  3. I appeared in an NSync video. Yea, be jealous. I was the one crying and holding a poster. It was beautiful.
  4. I started running after watching Lance Armstrong in The Tour de France. Seeing his performance had a profound effect on me.
  5. I can’t go one day without talking to someone in my family. Via email or phone, I harass someone I love on a constant basis.

Five things I’m good at:

  1. Whistling. It’s my party trick. I can call a man from a mile away, works well when the hus wanders off.
  2. My job. I am dayum good at working in communications. I have a passion for my work and have been blessed to work with some amazing, and famous, people.
  3. Baking. Move over Betty Crocker and Sandra Lee. It’s fun, you work with sweets and everyone loves a cupcake.
  4. Making people laugh. I get my wit from my father and I am fortunate to have the gift to make people smile and laugh. Laughter takes the edge off, and it’s important to never take yourself too seriously. There is no better feeling than when your face and stomach hurt from laughing hard.
  5. Running. You knew that was coming, right? On my first half marathon when I came in under 2 hours, I realized I might actually have a shot at being good at running. Persistence and hard work has helped me place in races and set my half PR at 1:38 and marathon at 3:40. #bam

Five things I believe in:

  1. God and Christianity. (enough said)
  2. Forgiveness. Everyone deserves to be forgiven. It’s the whole, “let go, let God” belief. You don’t do it for anyone else, you do it for yourself to move on.
  3. Soul mates. My working week and my Sunday rest, My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song.
  4. Family. I don’t care if your family tree is a bush or a branch. Families keep you grounded. I can only hope that the family I start will have as much love as I am surrounded by.
  5. Music. It’s heartache, it’s salvation, it’s love. It’s what your feelings sound like.

Your turn! Share what we may not know about you, what you are good at or what you believe in…

Find Your Pace

November 14, 2011
Just for Run
6 Comments

How was everyone’s weekend? We had an amazing few days, still enjoying some perfect fall weather. Hold on as long as you can fall!

As I continue my 21 Day Challenge, I actually discovered something that I never learned throughout my training for various races. I have learned to listen to my internal pace.

When training for a race you have a set goal in your mind, but through my everyday, patient, running I’ve learned to listen to my body and look less at the Garmin for guidance.

This natural running ability might be second nature to many but I feel as though I never truly owned my own pace. The best part about finding my own pace is that I have learned to encourage the hus more during his runs. Typically running with the man would be frustrating; I couldn’t keep up and my pace would tank fast. When we went for a run this weekend I kept up for the first few miles, but when he broke from our pace I found myself cheering him on and admiring his strength. Typically if he left me I’d throw invisible air daggers at him, mwahaha.

This might sound like a one-off thing, but I feel much more comfortable and relaxed running. Breaking through my runner’s envy with my hus is a huge accomplishment for me. You can take the “find your own pace” mantra and apply it to other things in life. Sometimes slowing down or speeding up is what you need to create your own natural movement.

No matter if you’re a speed racer or in it for the long haul, it’s essential to take time and find your comfort zone. You’ll exude positivity and get more enjoyment out of whatever it is you are doing.

How do you find or define your own pace?

Halloween Candy: Don’t Be Scared!

October 31, 2011
Just for Run
12 Comments

Happy Halloween! Nothing beats the smell of all the jackolanterns lit on Halloween night. Does everyone have something fabulous planned for this evening? My friends and I always get together and pass out candy to the little trick or treaters. Aren’t they the cutest?!

As I come out of my own candy corn indused coma, no doubt that by this time of the month you’ve seen countless articles on the scary health hazards of Halloween candy. I say, take it all in moderation and enjoy the candyfest. It’s Halloween! For all those who have a sweet tooth that needs to be satisfied, Vitamin G shares their 5 Healthy-ish Halloween Candies.

Those tasty treats making the list include:
- Hershey’s Special Dark: Dark chocolate has the heart-healthy antioxidants.
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: Yes! These tiny cups of awesomeness are made with non-hydrogenated oil, better than candies with trans-fats. Plus they are cup-size!
- Junior Mints or Peppermint Patties: Lower in fat than many other choco sweets. I love to put them in the freezer.
- Almond M&Ms: No trans-fats and they have the healthy almond right in the middle.
- Jolly Ranchers: Rumor has it they take longer to eat. Meh, these are my least favorite on the list.

Do you have a candy that should have made the list? I was pulling for Reese’s Pieces or Snickers. What candies can you absolutely not live without on Halloween?

Passion Points

October 27, 2011
Just for Run, Trainer Tips
5 Comments

I have an exercise for you, but it doesn’t involve sweat, stretching or balance. This exercise is for the old noodle.

I’ve been participating in Oprah’s Lifeclass, which I could ramble about for hours, and have been taking the lessons about learning your purpose in life to heart. Oprah has an amazing tool to help you start learning more about yourself and start driving towards your goals.

O’s 4-Step Guide to Discovering Who You’re Meant to Be
It’s about figuring out what you’re great at, what it takes to keep you moving forward, and exactly what you need to succeed.

You start off with 10 quick, fun, fill-in-the-blank questions about the activities that get the fire in your belly going. From there, you can “Take Stock of Your Strengths” and begin to identify your goals and fuel your motivation to get set and GO!

Take a few moments today and test it out. I’d love to hear how you turn out and if there are any good surprises.

Any other tips you have on how you have found your passion in life?

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