Posted on

How to get the stink out of your workout clothes!

P.U.!

Don’t you hate it when you pull out your favorite summer workout clothes and you pass out from the smell?! Don’t pitch them just yet…try this first!

stinky_clothes

 

Step 1: Fill a sink with warm water and add about 1/2 – 1 C. of baking soda. Swish the water around until the soda is dissolved and add your stinky duds. Push everything down into the water to make sure it’s all covered and wet. Let sit for 30 minutes – 2 hours.

Step 2: Rinse thoroughly;squeezing out the clothes as you rinse. Now fill up the sink with HOT water and add about 1 cup of white vinegar. Swoosh the clothes around until saturated. Let the clothes soak for another 30 minutes – 2 hours (longer is fine too).

Step 3: Rinse thoroughly again and run your dripping duds to the washer. Don’t overfill and don’t use too much laundry detergent (half the usual amount is good). Wash in hot water. Remove once finished and if you can, dry out in the sun for natural odor killing magic…if not, air dry or tumble in the dryer.

TIP: If your clothes still smell, you can buy a special detergent. These “sports washes” can be found in sporting goods section of stores like Walmart and Target, and on Amazon.com. They can be expensive! But it’s what the professionals use – and a good last resort for your odor-eliminating needs!
Follow the directions for the product you buy. (obviously!)

To AVOID the stink in the first place, never just throw your sweaty clothes into the hamper. Immediately following your workout, rinse or soak until you’re ready to wash. Or at LEAST just let them air dry! These fabrics wick the sweat and moisture from our bodies while we workout, but left inside the fabric – it’s a breeding ground for bacteria! P.U.!

—–

WHAT’S ON SALE THIS MONTH?

Looking for help with your fitness goals? I’ve got a new support and accountability group forming soon! If you’re interested, and would like to be notified when it’s open, just sign up below! Now go get sweaty! 🙂

Posted on

Half Marathon + Strength Training…it can be done!

I love a good training plan, but sometimes I need to make my own in order to accomplish the goals I am trying to reach! This time around…I’ve set my sights on a half marathon. BUT…the one thing that’s missing from most training plans is STRENGTH training!

I LOVE to lift, because I love how I feel, and how my body looks with lean muscle mass. Too much running, and not enough lifting, and my legs turn into little toothpicks. I also love that lifting weights turns my body into a calorie-torching machine! Ya, I burn some calories when I run. But if that’s ALL I do, my body adapts and actually starts holding on to extra calories to fuel those long runs. When I lift, I get the benefit of the ‘after-burn’! I keep burning calories even after my workout is done! BOOM!

So…with my half marathon about 2 months away, I’ve been working with a schedule that allows me to do both! I always start with the basic Hal Higdon plan, and then modify in order to fit in the strength training that I want to do each week!

If you’re interested…I thought I’d share! 12week_half_strength_pin

 

To download this FREE 12 week plan, just provide the information below, and you’ll receive an email with directions to download. 🙂 Happy running…and LIFTING!

Sign up to receive your FREE 12 week plan

* indicates required




Posted on

February – Short Month – BIG Goals!

So…I’m about one and a half weeks away from finishing up Body Beast! I will definitely be repeating this program. I have REALLY loved it! My only regret is that I didn’t chart my progress very well throughoutbeast_flex the last 3 months. Boo for me! I’m always STRESSING this in my challenge groups, and then I don’t follow my own recommendations! Really dumb move on my part! BUT…I know I’ve made progress! I flexed in front of the mirror the other day and surprised myself! Where did those arms come from?

marathon_finishOver the summer, when I was training for the Chicago Marathon, strength training sort of took a back seat. Being a busy mom of 4 AND training for a marathon takes a LOT of time! But I really missed lifting weights and could ‘weight’ to get back to it! (See what I did there? As you can see…my arms aren’t looking particularly ‘ripped’ in my marathon picture! 🙂 And that’s one of the great things about weight-training, you can really see results FAST! And in a couple of weeks…I’ll be starting my NEXT program…21 Day Fix EXTREME! (More about that later!)

So, now that I am in the ‘off season’, I’ve had time to do Body Beast AND work in some runs each week, too! I truly love to do BOTH!

Back in December, I did a fun little challenge to see if I could run 50 miles during the month. It was such a silly little thing, but it turned out to be VERY motivating! It was fun to tick off the miles as I went! And doing it in such a busy month, while living in Michigan in the winter…well…I was feeling pretty good about it!

So I’m doing it again!!!

Who wants to do it with me?

feb_50

50 miles in 28 days is totally do-able! It’s only an average of 1.8 miles per day!

I’ll have a group on Facebook for the month to help us keep track, stay motivated and cheer each other on until we reach our goal!

Who’s in for this FUN, FREE, FEBRUARY 50 group? Sign up to join me!

 

Posted on

Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Kale Quesadillas

I have been meaning to post this recipe for quite some time! Finally, today while I was out running 16 miles with my cousin-in-law (is that a thing?)…we had a llloooonnnnggg time to talk about things! Somehow or another, the topic turned to “sweet potatoes”. It reminded me that I LOVE sweet potatoes…and loving sweet potatoes reminded me that I have this awesome recipe I really wanted to share!

As per usual, I started with a couple of recipes from the world-wide internets, and made it my own. Feel free to do the same, but I assure you… this one is da bomb!

sweet_pot_quesadilla

 

Sweet Potato, Black Bean, Kale Quesadillas (4 servings)
    • 2 medium sweet potatoes – peeled and cut into 2 inch chunks
    • ½ teaspoon cumin
    • 1 teaspoon chili powder
    • 1/4 t. chipotle chili powder (or cayenne)
    • ½ tablespoon olive oil
    • 3 cups chopped kale
    • 1/4 C. diced sweet (or red) onion
    • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
    • 4 Ezekiel tortillas (or large whole grain)
    • 1/2 C. shredded cheddar cheese
    • sea salt
For sauce:
  • 1/2 C. non-fat Greek yogurt (I like Fage)
  • 1 avocado
  • 1/2 C. salsa
  • 1/2 lime (juiced)
  • *BLEND until smooth
Directions:
  1. Add the potatoes to a medium saucepan and add enough water to cover the potatoes. Add ½ teaspoon of sea salt to the pot. Boil or steam potatoes until tender (about 15 minutes). Use a potato masher to mash the potatoes. Add another ¼ teaspoon salt, cumin, chili powder, and chipotle seasoning. Mix until well combined.
  2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When hot, add in the kale and onions. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the kale is bright green and tender. Add the mixture to the bowl with the mashed sweet potatoes. Next add in the black beans and mix until well combined.
  3. Place the tortillas on a work surface. Use a spatula to smear about ⅓ to ½ cup of the filling on half of the tortilla. Top with a couple of tablespoons of the cheese (or to taste). Fold the empty half of the tortilla over the filling to form a semicircle. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
  4. Wipe out the skillet you used for the kale and set over medium high heat. When hot, spray lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Place an assembled quesadilla in the pan and cook, flipping once halfway through, until both sides are browned and the cheese is melted. Cut into triangles and serve with the sauce.

Want MORE clean recipes?

Sign up below for my FREE 7-Day SlimDown Plan! You’ll get recipes, shopping lists, meal plan, and workout suggestions. Participants who follow the plan lose up to 5-7 pounds!

 

FREE 7-Day SlimDown

* indicates required



Posted on

Week 1= DONE!

So I said that I was going to attempt weekly marathon training updates, so update I shall!

Week 1 is in the books! This is my fifth time training for a marathon, but I’m still just as nervous about it as I was the first time! It’s been four years, but I never swore it off forever – like so many do after their first one. I actually knew I’d do it again, I just wasn’t sure when. When is now! I don’t have any nagging injuries (knock on wood) and except for the asthma, I don’t have anything that will prevent me from at least making it to the starting line (knock on wood)!

I’m following my tried and true Hal Higdon Novice Marathon Plan. Why, you ask, am I using the Novice plan for my FIFTH marathon? Well…all I’m really concerned with is getting up to the mileage I’ll need to run the marathon. That means a slow and steady progression, with a few taper weeks, up to the LONG run, which is 20 miles. That happens a couple of weeks before the big day, and then I’ll taper again until the race.

I don’t actually do scheduled “tempo runs” and “intervals”, etc. My method is very unscientific. If I feel good, I run fast. If not, I don’t. If I get an itch, I’ll pick up and sprint for a spell, if not, I don’t. That’s it. I’m not trying to win…just survive.

 

The other reason is that I don’t want to give up some of my other workouts. I love lifting weights and I love doing other cross-training workouts, especially my favorite DVD workouts. I have been doing The 21 Day FIX workouts, since finishing P90X3. And right now I’m looking forward to PiYo, which is set to be released this week! I excited to pair this program with my running schedule because I ALWAYS need help with flexibility and strengthening. 🙂

Ultimately, I don’t care so much about my finish time, I just want to arrive in Chicago healthy, strong and capable of finishing. If I have a good day…GREAT!

I’m also trying to run this time a little more au natural. I will, however, be wearing clothes. I just mean I’m trying to avoid the fuel of the past. I used to rely on Gatorade and GU shots for hydration and food for long runs, but these days I’m just not that into food coloring and massive amounts of corn syrup. I’m trying out some cleaner, more natural alternatives…so we’ll see how that pans out. So far I’ve discovered that I’m not a BIG fan of the way plain coconut water tastes. I could choke it down, but I might need to doctor it up a bit! I’m looking for ideas on the interwebs!

So this week’s schedule consisted of 3, 3 mile runs (I did 2 of them, and walked on another day). And my long run today was a 6 miler. It’s easy now, the weather is nice and the miles are short…but boy when it gets hotter and the miles get longer…it’s going to be rough!

week 1Today’s LONG Run Report

Weather Conditions: sunny, warm, almost perfect ☀

Injury Report: NONE (knock on wood!) ✔

Nature Sightings: loads of wildflowers ❀ ✿ and 1 chalk drawing of male genitalia (does that count as “nature”?)

Songs that Inspired: “Let it GO” by Elsa ❄

Passers-by: friendly, smiles, though not a lot of “hello’s” 🙂

Chaffing: mild

On a Scale of 10: 8 – Legs felt good, it was a success.

 

 

Posted on

The Stuff NIGHTMARES are Made Of

So, I had my first (of MANY, I’m sure) marathon nightmares. This one was relatively tame compared to some that I’ve had in the past.

First of all, I’m training for the 2014 Chicago Marathon! Ah! What was Irun_girl_Collage thinking? Yes, I’ve completed 4 marathons, but it’s been 4 years, so I’m feeling pretty nervous about it. My OFFICIAL training hasn’t quite begun yet. I’m in the PRE-training stage of my training. Does that make sense? I’m just trying to get my legs, heart and lungs used to pounding the pavement again. I’m doing about 3-4 runs per week, with a maximum distance SO FAR of 6 miles. That mileage will begin to jump up very soon! It’s going to be a looonng summer!

So anyway…back to my nightmare.

Previous nightmares have been things like, suddenly I get lost in the middle of the race! Or that they’ve decided to throw in some obstacles, like running through buildings, along tight spaces, climbing things, etc… One of my nightmares actually came true! In 2010 (my last marathon), I showed up late and had to sprint across downtown Chicago BEFORE starting my marathon. I was also attempting to pin my bib on myself at the same time. This is not the way you really want to start your marathon. I had to run 26.2 miles after that nonsense!

So last night I had a similar dream. I showed up on time, but realized I hadn’t gone to the Expo the day before to pick up my bib and microchip. The race organizers directed me to a building where I had to stand in line to get my bag, quickly try to attach my microchip and bib, find a place to put my belongings and make my way back to the start. At that point I of course experienced the dreaded ‘running through quick sand’ feeling, where no matter how hard I tried… I couldn’t seem to run! UGH! Thankfully at that point, I woke up and all was well. Crisis averted…for now!

Now…only 138 more sleeps until the race.

I’ve decided to attempt a weekly blog entry to chronicle my training. I’m hoping for lots of nice weather, no injuries and a mild year of asthma symptoms! Is that too much to wish for?

running_momAlso, I started a super cool running group just for moms – or people who have moms – who like to run, or walk, or move briskly from one spot to another! We talk about things like chaffing and running bras and just encourage each other to be awesome! Sounds fun doesn’t it?!


If you’re interested, send a request to join to HERE!

 

PS – I don’t run that fast. It wouldn’t be that hard to “keep up”! 😉

Posted on

Don’t Be Like ME!

Apr_help_wantedIt took me 4 years to jump into coaching…WHY WHY WHY did I wait so long?! If I only I could have told myself THEN, what I know now…it would go something like this:

 

Dear Old Me,
You should not wait another minute! You know that thing you’ve been considering, that looks too good to be true. It’s not. You will be SO passionate about being a coach, that you would do it for FREE…but you’ll make money anyway! Actually, you’ll make enough money in just a year and a half, to help your family take 2 vacations and open up some additional college savings accounts!
Earnings_April13-14
What could you do with an extra $1,400/month!?
Also, you know that Facebook profile picture that you’ve had up since Facebook was invented, because you HATE having your picture taken and you don’t have any others to choose from? Well, you’ll have SO much more self-confidence that you’ll not only allow pictures of yourself taken, you won’t delete them from the camera anymore, and you’ll FINALLY change that profile picture….SEVERAL times! (Also, you’ll have an entire Facebook page where you post pictures of yourself almost daily!…sometimes in just a pair of shorts and a bra top!!!)
– Somebody get the smelling salts…’Old Me’ just passed out!! –
Get this…you know those pounds that you keep packing on and can’t seem to figure out WHY? Even though you’ve run 5 marathons, you’re still not seeing the results you want to see. There are programs that will work better than anything you’ve ever tried. AND you can do them at home, and ask your friends and family members to do them with you! Your friends will workout with you, and your family members will all get RIDICULOUSLY fit! Your husband will lose like 40 pounds, because he sees you getting fit and healthy and he wants to join you! 
Remember how you were nervous you wouldn’t know what to do, or how to do it? PSH! You’ll meet such a cool bunch of people that will help you and encourage you along the way! You’ll meet new friends and have a BLAST!
Oh and by the way…you know that friend who warned you that it was a pyramid scheme…it’s NOT!!! P.S….ALL corporations are structured like pyramids!
pyramid_scheme
The only difference here, is that YOU get the opportunity to be a the top of your own pyramid! And you’ll get there by HELPING others succeed! *A little different than a traditional corporation!
Don’t wait 4 more years to jump on this opportunity! Do it today and you’ll be amazed at the many positive changes that will come from it! You’ll lose 24 pounds, gain killer confidence and help hundreds of people get fit and confident, too! It’s the most rewarding thing you’ll ever do!
What are you waiting for? There’s NO risk…if you don’t love it, you can quit, any time!! (But you WILL love it! I KNOW!!!)
Love,
The NEW Me!

I’m excited to announce another 30 Day NEW Coach Training group!

One of the reasons people hesitate to sign up is that they fear they won’t know what to do, or how to do it (I had that fear)! That’s why I run these groups for new coaches! I am going to walk you through EVERYTHING you need to go to get you up and running; building and growing your own successful coaching business!

*Sorry, not available to coaches, or anyone already working with a coach.

My next group will start on Monday, May 12.  Deadline to get signed up is Sunday, May 4. 

With consistent work, growing and building your business, you can expect your income to double every 6-12 months.

I sat on the fence for 4 years! My only regret about coaching is that I didn’t start sooner! Don’t make my mistake. If you’ve been on the fence…get OFF! If you’re ready, or just want more information, fill in the form below and we’ll talk about how you can get started, too. 🙂

Posted on

I’M BACK!

I’ve been MIA for so long because 1) It’s vacation season, and we chose remote locations this year, making any sort of computer-use completely impossible! And 2) I decided to update my blog and host it myself, giving me some bells and whistles I didn’t have before! So bear with me…as I try to figure it all out!

Back to vacations…

We had a great time this year camping with 7 of my high school girl friends and our camping2013 (72)combined 22 kids! I am always amazed that we manage to pull this off every year! The kids have so much fun, and we just get to enjoy each other’s company – even as we deal with leaky tents, bug bites, boo-boos and the occasional raccoon!

I do not fancy myself much of a camper, but I’m getting better each year. This year, I even stayed a little longer than I normally do. I decided to suck it up, and take one for the team, which made my “team” very happy! I managed to stay on track pretty well with food and workouts. I abandoned the cooler this fridge_campingyear for a full-on refrigerator! I packed it with lots of fresh fruits and veggies, and of course all of my standard Shakeology fixins! My fantastic Target find, personal Oster Blender was PERFECT! I blended my shake every morning either for breakfast, or after my morning workout. I love when I can stick to my routine. It just makes me feel better, and then I can relax and enjoy my vacation, know that I didn’t set myself back so far that I need to start over as soon as we get home. It’s a win-win!

camping2013 (69)

For workouts, I just packed my running shoes and some workout clothes and counted on some runs, walks or stair workouts. There is a BIG long stair case leading down to Lake Michigan, and I wore a path up and down them MANY times!  I went for a couple of runs, too. Running or walking is such a portable exercise! You really can do it just about anywhere and any fitness level! And when you do it on vacation, you get to see new things, smell new camping2013 (77)smells and it just feels good to get out and do something active!

Apparently, my pepper-eating technique was intriguing enough that one of the kids went home and asked his mom if he could eat a bell pepper the way that he saw me do it while we were camping. He thought it was pretty funny that I just picked it up and ate it like an apple! camping2013 (123)

All in all, it was a very fun trip! Between rain showers and thunderstorms, we managed to get some beach time! And we had a LOT of laughs and made some new memories that will be with us until next year, when we’ll do it all again!

StarvationLake-2013 (66)After that trip, we had a couple of days to unpack, unwind and then re-pack for a quick family get-away ‘up-north’. I wish we could have stayed a little longer, but we had a nice time relaxing, fishing, playing cards and board games, and just being together without the usual distractions.

no_tv

So…as summer winds down, I hope that you all found some time to relax, unwind, unplug and spend time with the people you love. I also hope that you have a healthy, happy fall and make your goals a priority. As always, if you need help getting started, don’t hesitate to ask. I’ve always got a new support group starting up each month. Want information? Click the tab “30 Day Challenge” at the top of this page.  Now I’m hitting the pool! I’m holding on to summer until the bitter end! 🙂

Want to sign up for my newsletter for fit tips, recipes and special offers?

[mc4wp-form]

 

Posted on

Chicken, Veggie, Berry Workout Salad

chicken_workout_salad

Do you like salads? Are you a multi-tasker? You simply HAVE to try this recipe! It’s so good, AND good for you! In just a few simple steps, you’ll have a beautiful and delicious salad that you can feel GOOD about eating! The ingredients are flexible, use what you like, don’t use what you don’t like, get it!? But the steps are absolutely a MUST! Non-negotiable! The salad won’t turn out right if you don’t do it right!

Ingredients:

  • 2-3 chicken breasts (or more, depending on how many people you’re feeding, and how chicken-y you like your salads)
  • 1 lemon
  • garlic salt
  • ground black pepper
  • olive oil
  • lettuce of your choice
  • veggies of your choice, but might I suggest the following: tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet bell peppers, green onions, avocado, celery…
  • berries of your choice: Strawberries and/or raspberries are deelish!
  • nuts or crunchy bits of your choice: I prefer slivered almonds.
  • reduced fat feta cheese (or not, up to you)

For the dressing:

  • olive oil (extra-virginy, of course)
  • balsamic vinegar (a goon one!)
  • Dijon mustard
  • s&p, or Spike, or Mrs. Dash…whatever you prefer

Equipment

  • meat pounder or rolling-pin
  • gallon-size Ziploc bags
  • gym shoes/clothes
  • wrist watch/clock/timing device

STEPS TO TAKE (a.k.a. Instructions)

  1. Put your chicken breasts into a Ziploc bag. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice (or the bottle kind will do in a pinch), a little drizzle of olive oil (maybe 1-2 teaspoons) a dash of garlic salt and some ground black pepper (to taste). *I don’t often measure when I cook…so that’s the best I can do. pounded_chicken
  2. POUND out your frustrations until your breasts (correction: the CHICKEN breasts) are the same thickness throughout, about 1/2″-3/4″
  3. Place chicken in the refrigerator.
  4. Lace up your gym shoes.
  5. Get dressed in the appropriate workout attire.
  6. CRITICAL STEP! Workout for at least 45 minutes! No less! (More is acceptable, as long as it’s not overnight) Feel free to choose whatever exercise method you like. Might I suggest: a jog/run/walk outside if it’s nice weather, pop in your favorite workout DVD (Insanity, Chalean Extreme, Turbo Fire, Les Mills Pump, P90X…etc…), a yoga class, pump some iron! You get the idea! lacing_up
  7. When your time is up, place chicken breasts on a pre-heated grill and cook for about 5 minutes on each side.
  8. Chop up lettuce and veggies. *Don’t forget to flip those chicken boobs after 5 minutes!
  9. Whisk approximately 1 part olive oil to 2 parts balsamic vinegar + 1/2 part Dijon , minced garlic + seasonings in a small bowl.
  10. Toss the dressing with lettuce.
  11. Top with chopped veggies.
  12. Retrieve chicken from the grill, slice into strips and place desired amount on top of individually portioned salads.
  13. Don’t forget the nuts and berries!
  14. Enjoy!
  15. Shower!

have-a-nice-day

Posted on

Let’s Catch up, and Plan Some Meals!

First, here’s what happens when you’re not the greatest muti-tasker in the world. I get big ideas, and try to spin as many plates as I can at the same time. So, earlier, while I was preparing and putting our dinner into the crock pot to enjoy later, I had some leftover ground turkey that I didn’t want to freeze. I thought, “Hey, I’ll just patty these suckers up and throw them on the grill to enjoy later on this week”. I like to add them to salads, wraps, etc…so I’m thinking ahead, right? Well, thinking ahead is no good, unless you continue thinking until your project is complete. I slapped them on the grill, as planned, and got busy spinning at least four other plates and totally forgot about them until about 45 minutes later. And the only reason I remember them at that point, was because someone randomly used the word “turkey”. TURKEY!!! $#*T! And this was the finished product of that experiment.

fail1

Luckily dinner was a success! That meatloaf recipe is SO good and SO easy! It turns out GREAT every time! And the only thing that I do differently is to add 1 C. ground oats (the old-fashioned, rolled kind), because I don’t know nothing bout no whole wheat panko – I haven’t located such a thing as of yet! My mom always uses oats in her loaves of meat, so I knew it would work out just fine!

I made it through my first week of Insanity…relatively unscathed! It’s become evident that I will be doing extra loads of laundry for the duration! I get sweatier during this workout than any I’ve done thus far. Even sweatier than when I run! I don’t mind it though. It’s a challenge for sure, but I love the feeling of doing something that has been a little out of my comfort zone and finding that I CAN do it! Yes it’s hard, but if it wasn’t, there’d be no point in doing it! I’m flirting with the idea of doing a hybrid with Chalean Extreme and only because I LOVE lifting so much. I really love the results that I get when I do it and I don’t want to lose ground on all of the hard work I’ve put in with Chalean Extreme AND Les Mills Pump. I want the benefits of both cardio AND weights! Also, I’m a little ADD…and it helps to mix it up a little during the week.

And now on to the meal plan…I sat outside on this glorious, sunny, summer-like spring day with some of my Beachbody cookbooks. I grabbed the Food Guides from Les Mills Pump and Chalean Extreme; there’s some good eats in there! Just trying a few different recipes this week…mixing it up…keeping it fresh…you know. Also, I had to include a couple of meals that STILL have not been cooked from like 2 weeks ago. This is the time of year when wrenches are thrown left and right! You gotta stay on your toes! I WILL cook those pizzas on the grill if it KILLS me!!! I’m going to be grilling up some flank steak this week, too. I’m a little nervous, because I don’t believe I’ve had beef more than once since about October! I hope it doesn’t wreak havoc on my already ‘iffy’ digestive system! Fingers crossed!

meal_5-19
Click here to print and link to recipes.

Have an over the top FAN-FREAKIN-TASTIC week! 🙂