Running Playlist

I cannot run with out music, I just can't, I think its actually impossible!

So I take my iphone with me on every run. 

I like to choose songs that:

A- I like

B- Have a good beat

C- Make me wanna move!

Heres what I currently have playing when im logging the miles..

All Night Long - LMFAO

Bellas Finals :Price Tag/ Don't You (forget about me)- The Barden Bellas (Pitch Perfect)

Ready Or Not - Bridgit Mendler

Hey Porshe - Nelly

I Cry - Flo Rida

Just What I Am - Kid Cudi

Let's Roll - Yelawolf

Lights - Ellie Goulding 

Payphone - Maroon 5

Mirror - Lil Wayne

One More Night - Maroon 5

Whistle - Flo Rida

Don't You Worry Child - Swedish House Mafia

Last Friday Night - Katy Perry

Pound The Alarm - Nicki Minaj

Some Nights - Fun.

Thrift Shop - Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

Va Va Voom - Nicki Minaj

Wild Ones - Flo Rida

What gets you moving?

- J

This to That!

Eating healthy means that I will have to starve myself? 

WRONG!

Just because you've decided to watch what you eat and the calories, doesn't mean you have to starve yourself! You can eat great and feel full with out any extra guilt!!

Take these two ingredients here:

Jasmine Rice and Campbells Soup.

Im going to tell you how to turn these base ingredients into a delicious, filling meal for only 300 calories, yeah, you heard me

300 calories!!!

First follow package instructions to make a serving of rice, I was cooking for my hubby and I so I made 1 cup of rice (dry). After the rice was done cooking I heated up the soup according to package instructions, you can use any flavor of soup you'd like I prefer this or Campbell's healthy selections soup as they are the best for you.

Divide the rice between to plates and spread it out, Next divide 1/4 cup of low fat mozzarella between the two plates and sprinkle on top of the rice. Then I added some fresh cut tomatoes. Once the soup is heated, drain as much liquid as possible and divide the good stuff thats left between the plates and VIOLA! 

It was DELICIOUS and so filling!!

 and only 300 calories!!!

Can't beat that!

What soups would you top it with?

Other topping suggestions?

Enjoy!

- J

Bring On The Kettleball

                           Ooooh baby, I've found me a new favorite!

                                               The kettleball!

 I was looking for a new workout to add to my mix and well my free weights needed a new friend! So Kettle ball it was!

I did my first workout with it and dang! I like it! It doesn't feel crazily intense when your doing it but you feel it working new and different parts of your muscles and you feel an accomplished 'burn' after you set that baby down! Since I am just beginning my journey with the Kettle ball I only have one solid workout I found and liked. You do each move 10-15 times and then repeat 2-3 times! Easy enough right! Also after doing this routine I did 50 Russian twists and 30 French curls! The possibilities are endless! You can use them with your squats or lunges to up the difficulty or even with crunches!

                                                     Do you kettleball?

- J

Weak Knees for Pizza Pie's

Mhmmmm pizza..

Pizza is that one food that's my absolute weakness. I'm a fond lover of all things pizza...

Pizza Huts El Rancho is my favorite, he love of my life, my pizza vice. Even though this pizza is tipped with veggies and chicken, pizza huts crust is super greasy.

Wahh!

So as my once every few weeks, I make my own version of it at home, with more of a healthy spin.

I either used a pre-made whole wheat thin crust or I get the whole wheat mix and spread the crust out pretty thin. Then I spread a layer of fat free ranch to cover the crust, next I cut up two pre-cooked chicken breasts and two pieces of turkey bacon and spread them across the crust. Now I scoop up a serving of skin milk mozzarella shredded cheese and sprinkle it around. Now for veggies, the Pizza Hut version has peppers, tomatoes, and onions, I like to add green onions, green and red pepper and red onion. Feel free to add the veggies that you like best and don't skimp on them either! Now into the oven it goes, depending on the crust I use it takes anywhere from 14-22 minutes usually at 425 degrees. While the pie is cooking get out either a head of lettuce or roman hearts and chop up a good amount of lettuce, I like the darker green pieces so I scavenge for this pieces.(yes this pizza is topped with lettuce!) when the pizza come fresh out of the oven, throw on the chopped up lettuce let it sit for a second and the cheese will stick to the lettuce for easier cutting. Cut, server, enjoy!!

Now of course this isn't the best meal for being healthy but I don't think it's half bad of a spin on an unhealthy vise. I know by making it at home I can watch serving sizes and I control the quality of the ingredients used. I use only organic produce, turkey bacon, and fat free ranch, that right there helps A LOT with the calories in this circle shaped devil of yummy-ness.

The hubby even says he prefers my version of El Rancho vs Pizza Huts. So I have obviously got to be doing something right, right?! Ha!

Give it a shot! Tell me what you think!
Enjoy!

- J

The Process is so Much Stress But it's the Progress that Feels the Best

Here I am! Im make progress  by the mile!

I have managed to drop 2 more pounds, and I have gotten my mile time to 11.5 minutes per mile, not to shabby for only running for a few months! 

I ran 2.14 miles in approx. 25 mins yesterday, no stops, up hills, down hills, and on lots of different surfaces. 

I'm feeling really proud of myself!

So I posted this picture to my facebook, I usually post them on there when I feel like i'm looking like I have made progress on my weight or even just losing inches and getting some muscle tone. And well so many people liked it and commented on it and dang it was such a good feeling to hear all the support and encouragement! That really helps keep me going when I don't want to. Some people have even called me inspiring in comments on my pictures or statuses or through texts or private messages and I'm just.. Honored. I never thought of or would call my self a inspiration. I'm just a girl who decided this year she was going to run a 5k and get healthy. I never set out to do this for anyone but me, and I feel thats important. If you set a goal for others it will be harder to keep, I set this goal for me myself and I because I wanted to do something, I don't care if people hate on me or support me (I prefer support) I'm just going to do me!

People have been asking for my help choosing workouts or with help on how to choose and prepare healthy foods, and I am all for helping I will help any one who wants the help. Not to show off but if someone wants to better their life by making healthier choices then I will support them a 110% No questions asked. Support really makes a difference. Now with people who see me as an inspiration  I push myself a lil harder because I don't want to let others down let alone myself. I know my body is capable of whatever I tell it too and that I'm tired mentally long before it really is physically and I have to overlook that and look towards the finish line.

Im literally just so blessed to have such supportive people in my life!!

Here are some of my new workouts Im incorporating:

And no I don't do every single work out I post everyday. I run at least 3 days a week and do 2-3 quick little workouts after and the days I don't run I pick random workouts to do for 30 minutes or more. I do all my workouts in my living room with my small set of free weights, resistance bands and furniture, and I run outside. I figure if I can loose 30+ pounds with out a gym then any one can with or with out a gym. So don't let no gym membership be an excuse to keep you from bettering yourself!

(find these and other workouts under "work it out" tab or click HERE )

12 reps each repeat 2-3 cycles

And my prayers go out to those injured and effected by the Boston Marathon Bombing, such a terrible thing. Incredibly sad, I hope for fast healing and an easy grieving for those and their families! Much love Boston Runners and Spectators!

- J

 

BIrchBox! -- April

Here is April's Birchbox!

This months box is sponsored by Woman's Health Magazine!

The green part is a sleeve that was over the box.

 And heres the content of the box!

This month I received:

Malin+Goetz Peppermint Shampoo!

Ooo its a really cool, ha, cooling and tingly shampoo that gets down to the scalp and provide a great clean and refresh your scalp as well. I like the tingly cool feeling, a lot.

Ruby Wing Color Changing Nail Polish in Peony

SWEET! I love nail polish, and this one is a really pretty bright tangerine-y melon-y color when it goes on and is a dark Pink when your out in the sun, freaking cool, thats what this is. I love it, Im currently wearing it on my nails and Im in love.

Supergoop! SPf 37 Anti Aging Eye Cream

It firms skin and protects it! Take that sun rays! I paired it with my daily moisturizer and I noticed it helped with the under eye circles in the mornings!

Whish Shave Cream

This stuff is awesome, it comes out of the tube all foamy like a can of shaving cream and it freaking smells like blueberry muffins, I may or may not have licked it....

It covers great and leaves your skin super smooth due to its organic shea butter!

Mighty Leaf Tea Pouches, 

Three flavors of whole-leaf hand picked teas in biodegradable pouches!!

Haven't tried them yet, I like hot tea when I'm sick or its cold out, and it just hasn't been hot tea weather yet, But it smells heavenly! 

Also was a card to fill out for a FREE years subscription to Women's Health Magazine!

I have to say I'm loving BirchBox!

I really look forward to getting this package every month and getting to sample new and different products. It is like a Christmas present EVERY month!!

Get your own BirchBox HERE

To see my last months BirchBox go HERE

-J

And I Tell Myself that I'll Be Strong

I had a break through tonight. So as I have said I'm working towards my goal of running my first 5k in Kansas City on June 1st. I've been doing the C25K program and am loving it. I have finished it once and am 3/4 of the way of finishing it for a second time. I have always ran on a treadmill due to the CRAAAZZZY Kansas weather, for real it was 80 degrees yesterday and today it was 32 degrees, windy, then it rained, then we had a severe thunderstorm then it was sleeting/snowing, then it was freezing rain all with the occasional hail storm and high speed winds mixed in. Why Dorothy was in a hurry to get back to Kansas, I will never understand. But back to running, So the last like 6? times I have run around a field in my back yard. Tonight crazy weather in tow, I was not going to let myself down, I had been working so hard at adjusting my self to "outdoor" running and  no way, NO WAY IN HELL! was I going to throw in the towel now!

Here I am outside at 1130pm (after I got off work)  putting in my miles in the adverse weather conditions. Nothing will stop me! 

I decked out in my "Storm" Under Armour Gear, Its GREAT! It is perfect cold weather gear, it is warm and fuzzy on the inside, water resistant on the outside and it traps your body heat and uses it to keep you warmer! It does a fantastic job too of keeping you nice and toasty:D 

Here's good view of my hoodie.

Learn more about "storm" gear HERE .

So out I went in sleet, as freezing rain slapped me in the face, my nose was cold and I could see my breath, but that didn't phase me. The sky was crazy dark blue black with a rosy pink swirl and the weather didn't go easy on me. But music turned up I pounded the pavement, as a sense of self accomplishment arising with every step. Then Lights by Ellie Goulding came on and there is this one part that says  "and I tell myself that I'll be strong"

and I did, I told myself to be strong. Then I started belting the lyrics as they came out horribly due to my breathlessness I had during my pace. I didn't care, I felt EMPOWERED! I felt great! I threw my hands in the air and yelled "AND I TELL MYSELF THAT I'LL BE STRONG'' and I kid you not, at that moment in time the weather cleared, all rainy gunky stuff stopped falling, the wind came to a screeching halt, the song ended and in that brief 3 second pause between songs all I could hear was my feat slamming down on the wet pavement and my heavy breaths coming out and It was in that moment in time I felt so proud. I was so proud of myself that I started smiling like a dummy and whether it was due to the weather on my face or just pure happiness I shed a tear. That feeling right there, that brief euphoria  I felt, made every single mile I had logged worth it. I just can't describe how amazing I felt and feel. Then the next song started, the wind began to blow and the rain fell and began to freeze. But it could have started to blizzard and it couldn't of ruined my mood. My pace picked up and I strode through the rest of my run. 

I can do anything that I set my mind to and so can you! Your body is capable of anything you want it to do, it's your brain that tells you to quit, or give up or sit down because you can't go any further. 

It lied.

You can, tell yourself you will be strong and go! Go the extra mile or pick your pace up, whatever it is. But don't be discouraged.

You can do it. I NEVER thought I would actually be on this journey of weight loss and training for a 5K, but here I am. I always said "oh I'll start tomorrow", and tomorrow never came then finally it did. And I haven't looked back since. Determination becomes Motivation, Motivation becomes Habit and Habit becomes Success. Rinse and Repeat. 

 So get up, get out there and tell your body that you can, when it says you can't. Prove it wrong, prove yourself wrong.

And tell yourself that you'll be strong.

- J

So You've Only Lost ONE Pound?

In anyones journey to lose weight, get in shape, tone up, or whatever their individual goal maybe, there remains a common enemy:

the scale.

(duh duh duhhh!)

Well get over that fear, face it, embrace it, what ever it takes; hell, fake it til you make it.

See the scale only represents a number of mass, it doesn't represent the volume of space that it occupies. 

Losing a pound, a single, "measly"  pound, means you have BURNT off 3500 calories!

So if you have lost a pound, congratulations, you have obviously made a change of some sort whether it was cutting calories or adding in exercise.

This is what different amounts a fat look like. Still disappointed about the few pounds lost?

Muscle and fat weigh the same amount, muscle is just firmer and takes up A LOT less space!

Which would you rather have?

Don't be disappointed when you go gain weight or the scale doesn't move but you have lost inches. 

Inches are as important as pounds, if not more important, the help reflect the toning and development of muscles.

Everyone, please, PLEASE don't be discouraged about the number on the scale. So what you've only lost one pound, its still a big deal!!!

Every time I lose, even just ONE pound, I celebrate.

I congratulate myself, let myself know how proud I am, and I hold my head up a little higher. I use that as motivation for the next workout or the next time I'm tempted for a bad bad meal. I remind myself that I have come this far already, I have lost 31 pounds, and I worked my ASS off to lose each one of those suckers and I'm not about to wreck it, nothing tastes as good as victory and success. I can always relive the feelings of accomplishment I have but I only get to eat that *insert bad food of choice here* that one time and in minutes its gone. Self confidence and pride is something that lasts all day and longer. 

Don't be discouraged about how long it takes to reach your goal, the time is going to pass anyways.

One pound lost is still one pound lost. 

You can do it. 

Now Do it.

-J