Goals for December

I really can't believe that tomorrow is December 1st! I guess time really does fly when you're having fun...er, working a lot. Before I reveal my goals for the whirlwind month of December, let's check in on my November goals...

-Strength training? CHECK. I brought those dumbells in and have been working in a weights session at least once a week! :)

-New running playlist...Donezo!  I'm especially loving Florence & The Machine's "Shake it Out" right now.

-Minimum 7 hrs sleep? Not so much. :(  But I only have 2 more days of working the 6am-2pm shift, so that should help! Hopefully..

-Positivity? CHECK.

-Stretching more? Kinda...

And finally, I finished a whole 94 seconds faster than last year's TT!!! :)

A job well done if I do say so myself! So, on to my goals for December...

1.  Get rid of all holiday baking extras, IMMEDIATELY!  This time of year always means more baking--especially lots of yummy cookies-but I need to get them out of the apartment ASAP!

2.  Take lots of pictures! I'm anticipating lots of holiday fun with my friends & fam this month...so I want to have photographic evidence!

3. REALLY get more sleep.   

4.  Map new running routes.  I'm starting to tire of loops in and around the park, despite how beautiful it is. 

5.  Leave my watch at home for at least one run a week.  I like running just to run the distance sometimes, and I am easily tempted to see how fast I'm going.

That's all! Tonight is the Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony at Rockefeller Center, which is super exciting because it means C and I are decorating our little home and singing holiday tunes all night! Fa la la la laaaaa! :)

Food Consumption by Country

We all know Americans take in way too many calories as compared to what is recommended for their height, weight and age.  So when I came across this study by the Food Service Warehouse, I wasn't surprised to see the U.S. is the #1 country in calorie consumption. 


Below is the link to the interactive results from the study...take some time to click around and check it out! Of course, developed countries consume the most calories, but it's interesting to see the percent of income these countries spend on food.  If you focus on the countries taking in the least amount of calories, they are spending about half of their income on food.  On the other hand, countries consuming the most calories per person are spending 25% or less of their incomes on food.  Insane!

Source: Food Service Warehouse

MHRRC Turkey Trot 2011

I guess I should've read last year's TT post before Thursday, to remind myself of the dang hills in this course! I remembered the biggest one, right off the bat, for about a mile up Cramer Road.  It's pretty ridiculous, and I when I checked my watch after Mile 1, I'm pretty sure it said something close to 11:00!!! Not cool.  And then the rolling hills continue over the 4 remaining miles.  The only thing about an out-and-back course...if you go up a big ass hill, you know you'll be flying back down it!  Which I did...I think mile 4 split would be something like 8:30 if I'd timed it. 

I didn't spot the photographer along the course (thankfully, as I wasn't lookin hot along this pain in the butt course!), but he did catch me in a few pictures..the only clear one I posted below. 

Almost to the finish...not lookin great!

 I do love the idea of starting Thanksgiving with a nice healthy run, but those hills are killer! I honestly don't know how the people do the 25K race, with even MORE hills.  No, thank you!  I guess I'll be back next year once I forget how tough this run is!  Oh, and btw my official time was 46:14, so a 9:15 pace.  Not bad for me...and it was a minute and a half faster than last year! Woohoo! :)

Thankful Thursday: THANKSGIVING edition!

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!!! Due to crazy schedules, my family is doing the big Thanksgiving meal this Saturday.  But that didn't stop me from starting my day with a 5-mile Turkey Trot followed by watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade with Mom & Rocky.  AKA I'm a very happy girl.  And here's what I'm thankful for this week, and always:


1. First and foremost, FAMILY. Some people are not so lucky as to have the support & love of a family like mine.  We may not get along perfectly, but what family does?

2. My new BED! Wahoooo!!! My parents are oh-so-generously giving me the bed from the guest bedroom in their old house! I'm looking forward to waking up without back pain every morning.  (Oh, and we're also getting a "new" couch & kitchen table. Honestly, where would I be without these people?)


3. Grape Gatorade.  I think I have a problem. I almost threw a tantrum in the store the other day when all I saw was "Glacier Freeze" and not my "Fierce Grape". :) I hope they start making Prime & Recover versions of Fierceness too...I'm not a fan of the strawberry kiwi stuff. Yuck.

Happiness in a bottle.


4. Tea. Hot, iced, black, green, whatever. I love it. 
5. My new foam roller. If for no other reason than to crack my always stiff back.

6. Beating my time from last year's Turkey Trot! :)  Official time is still to come, but I think it was around 46:10, so that's at least a minute faster than last year.  Woohoo to accomplishing goals!


Today is the day to be THANKful...and to GIVE.  So try to do a little of both.  It'll send good vibes out into the world & make you feel good inside. Promise. :)

Motivation Monday

Ugh. Monday. 

I'm 2 1/2 months into my internship now and I'm busier than ever.  I "work" full-time and then have a ton of assignments to do when I get home @ night and on weekends.  I've forced myself to stay on track with running by signing up for races and penciling (ok, highlightering) a training schedule into my dayplanner.  As the days get shorter, it's definitely hard to stay motivated to run.  Which is why I'm so glad I have twitter, and that I follow so many inspiring and motivational people! It seems like every other tweet in my timeline is a fellow runner sharing their running stories & tips.  Someone shared this the other day, and as I find myself complaining about how busy I am, it hit home.  So I figured I'd share:



That's a true story..

 On that note...I'm going to head out for a quick run.  Bye! :)

Thankful Thursday #2

Thumbs up to thumb holes!

1. Thumb holes. I love zip-ups with thumb holes! Your hands are free but sleeves are "pulled down" over your fingers a bit!

2. My iPod. My music is my instant motivation to get through big hills or long runs (hey, 6 miles is still long to me..)!  My playlist features artists from DMX to Bruce Springsteen to Florence & the Machine. 









3. Amazing views of NYC.  What could be more inspirational than the backdrop of the city that never sleeps?









4. Nail polish.  I might be one of the least girly girls I know, but I have so many bottles of nail polish.  I paint my nails at least twice a week and love changing the colors! I currently have my eyes on OPI's "What's Brooklyn Good Lookin?" from their Manhattan minis collection.

5. Lots of fun running coming up! Turkey trot, Jingle Bell Jog, Ringing in 2012 with a 4-miler through Central Park!? Sounds like a perfect way to stay healthy through the holiday season! :)

What are you thankful for this week?

Thankful Thursday

Once again, I'm snagging great ideas from my fellow health bloggers! To keep up with my goal of staying positive and being thankful, I'm going to start writing "Thankful Thursday" posts.  This week, I'm eager to start because I feel like I have a lot to be thankful for!




Not so easy to leave this guy snuggled in bed to go for a run!



1. My snuggly dog.  This is Rocky's blog debut!  Many people use their dogs as an "excuse" to workout, but with my English bulldog, this doesn't work for me.  Most days I have to persuade him to get out of bed to go on a walk, so he may not be my running partner, but he's always a bright spot in my day!

 

2. Mini Clif bars! I always have these on hand in my bag, car, etc. as my go-to snack whenever I'm in a pinch! Just 100 calories and they're so darn cute!



My life.



3. My dayplanner. And Post-it notes. OK, all things organizational (highlighters, pens, folders..you name it!)  I might be a tad OCD, but I'd be a disaster without my planner to tell me when I'm working, running, having fun, etc.



what a handsome man!



4. My dad.  I have him to thank for not seeing the NYE Times Square ball drop until I was probably 10 years old and countless Thanksgiving mornings spent freezing my butt off because I was out cheering him on for a road race.  I also have him to thank for my love & passion for running.  Whether he knows it or not, he's taught me so much about hard work and determination.  He may not be an elite runner and has never won a race, but he inspires me everyday.







5. All things pumpkin.  Bread, muffins, pie, PANCAKES! Try this recipe from Fit Chick In The City! YUM!

Try to take some time today, this week, this month...and think about what things (however little or big) you're thankful for! Tune in next week for more things that make me happy! :) 

Going for my Goals: November

It's a few days into November and the kickoff to the holiday season, where it's so easy to fall off track from your health and fitness routine.  So many of the bloggers I follow have been posting their monthly goals, so I am inspired to follow suit.  It's so important to set goals and hold ourselves accountable in order to be successful!  I set goals for myself all the time, but have never written them down to be sure I achieve them before.  So here goes:

1.  Get back to strength training.  I may not be able to afford a gym membership right now, but I have awesome adjustable dumbbells that haven't been touched since I moved almost 3 months ago.

2.  Create a new running playlist.  My iPod always gives me a much needed boost, but it's time to switch up my tracks!

3.  Be sure to get a minimum of 7 hours of sleep each night! This will tough since I now have to be up at 4:30am to get out to my internship by 6!

4.  Continue to focus on positive people & things in life! Be thankful everyday.  (Lately if I'm struggling to get through a workout, I take a step back and remember that I am lucky to be able to do it, when so many others can't.)



 5.   STRETCH more. And maybe finally buy myself a foam roller!?

6.  Beat my time from last year's Turkey Trot! I'm not a competitive or fast runner, and this is a fairly hilly course, so I'd just like to be faster than last year's 47:48 (9:34 pace).


That should be more than enough for me to work on this month! In December, I will reflect on my achievements and set new exciting goals going forward! :)