If You Want to Do It, All You Have to Do is Do It

This is my first NYE spent at home, ringing in the new year whispering so that we don't wake the baby. As I type this post and sip my water (Yes, water because I've already had a glass or two of wine and don't want to go overboard.) and my husband sips apple cider and creates a template for his guitar design, (Yes, not only do I have an awesome hubby who encourages me in my endeavors, he also has his own crazy hobbies.) I look back on 2010 and realize how blessed we are. What an awesome year! I have many goals on my list that have gone untouched, but I've also accomplished things that I thought would take years.

For me and probably many of you, NYE makes you think about what you did (or did not) accomplish this year and what you hope to accomplish next year. So often we think that things are so out of reach or unrealistic or too risky, but we can't expect to conquer the world without going outside of our comfort zone. This NYE as Hunter and I make a list of things we want to do in 2011, I've decided to challenge myself and put things on my list (one of which is to run and complete a marathon, but more on that tomorrow) that require me to expand my level of comfort. I found this video (may seem cheesy to some, but what inspires you more than something that tugs on your heart strings?!) on one of my running blogs and it has truly inspired me. Not only can this inspire you to reach any fitness goals you may have, I think it can inspire you to accomplish anything- any goal that you feel is too lofty or any risk that you feel is too big to take. Just start by taking that first step forward...



And even though the road might be rough, don't give up until you have crossed the finish line.

So let's raise our glasses and make this the year that we do life.

Cheers!

Week Seven Check In: Bells Will Be Ringing

Well I must have a direct line to Santa because he certainly heard my plea for running gear! (Where was this direct line when I was 14 and wanted a phone in my room?!) Anyway...

I got the most amazing sports bra, the Three Blessings from Title Nine. Sure it might take another set of hands to fasten but once I'm in there, those boobs aren't going anywhere! I cannot get over the support. It is fantastic!! It is so great that when I was running in it, I didn't even think about my chest, not once! I'm looking to pick up another one soon.

Santa also brought Phinn and I a BOB. If you haven't heard of BOB and are a mama and serious runner who wants to tote her kid(s) along, you should check them out. I got the SUS D'LUX version because it has a fixed front wheel and is good for sidewalks and off roading. Unfortunately the car seat attachment is not compatible with our Chicco Keyfit, so I'll have to wait until Phinn has better neck control to take him for a ride. This should make going for runs much easier since I can just bring him along.

In addition to my amazing running gear, I also got two kettlebells (7 and 10 pounds) complete with a workout DVD. This week has been a little too cold and snowy for running outdoors. Plus since we were visiting family and friends, I was a little short on workout time. The kettlebell workout was perfect. It is a 25 minute workout that definitely gets you sweating and raises your heart rate to good cardio levels. I'm really looking forward to working this routine into my morning exercises because it is quick and high impact.

I did a quick kettlebell workout this morning and then made a trip to the gym. I made a deal with myself that I could try running, but if I had any knee pain I needed to change to the elliptical. I was able to run a little under two miles with an incline at a 10-11 minute/mile pace without hearing from my knee. While I would have liked to run further, I wasn't about to push my good fortune. I'm still working on rebuilding my strength so that my muscles will hopefully be able to better support my knee when I resume a more strenuous running routine in the new year.

I weighted in at 120 pounds, so no change there. I'm okay with that as I got to indulge in some pretty awesome holiday food; however, it is back to my healthy routine come January.

Here are my seven week pictures...



And a bonus picture of my adorable 2 month old (crazy how time flies!!) Lion King! He weighted in at 13 pounds, 5 ounces and is 23.5" long.

I would do anything for that smile!!

Weeks Five and Six Check In: Short on Time But High in Victories

Yes, I am combining last week's and this week's updates and I blame it on the holidays! My house has looked like Santa's workshop for over a week. Between Christmas presents waiting to be wrapped, crafty projects (that I have realized I will not have time for) strewn about, and Phinn's gear (from where I'm sitting I can see his activity mat, a handful of toys, blankets, a bear suit, and a half dozen books) that I've realized makes no sense to clean up unless I'm having company- I'm not surprised that I constantly feel exhausted after combating this mess. So to save myself some time, I'm doing one post for weeks five and six.

When I'm not playing Mrs. Claus, Martha Stewart, or Mama, I have been able to squeeze in some workouts. I have been trying to be kinder to my knees so I'm back on the elliptical and the stairmaster which has made a huge difference. I no longer feel like my knees are going to give out from under me. I'm also working on strengthening my legs by doing some leg squats, presses, and other weight resistance exercises. I'm planning to try running again this week. If I start to feel knee pain, I'll change it up to a walk-run. I have also been using my balance ball and have become a pro at doing quick 10-15 minute workouts for my arms, abs, and legs. These mini workouts have held me over on days that I haven't been able to make it to the gym.

Also I realized that I talk about the importance of exercise and nutrition but most of my posts only discuss exercise. I tend to eat the same things every day because it is simple and an easy way to stay on track. I get my variety at dinner and on the weekends. (Oh! The weekends can really throw off my good week if I'm not careful!!)

So here is a quick run down of my typical eating habits:

Breakfast: Oatmeal with blueberries (or dried fruit and nuts) and a touch of brown sugar

Morning Snack: Fruit (Apple slices, applesauce, or clementine)

Lunch: Salad with fruit (dried cranberries, fresh pears, and/or mandarin oranges), nuts (almonds or walnuts), and occasionally tuna OR soup (My latest favorite is Butternut Squash Soup - never thought I'd say that!). Usually I'll pair this with a piece of whole grain toast (or during the holidays half of a Wolferman's Multigrain English Muffin- yum!!) And if I've been really good, I'll have a piece of dark chocolate or a few dark chocolate almonds for dessert.

Afternoon Snack: Fruit & Nut Trail Mix Bar or if I'm heading to the gym a Peanut Crunch Cliff Bar

Some typical Smith family dinners (at least lately) are Veggie Burgers and Roasted Broccoli, Turkey and Spinach Meatloaf, Beef Stew, Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup, Grilled Chicken and Roasted Spicy Sweet Potatoes, and when we are feeling fancy Salmon with a Mushroom Risotto. We have been "picking up" dinner about once a week since Phinn's arrival. (Even for two people who enjoy cooking sometimes it is the last thing we want to do or have the energy to do.)

Last but not least this Mama has had a couple wins over the past week or so. First I am down to 120 pounds! Only five more to go!! While my body still has a ways to go in terms of muscle tone, losing the weight is half the battle. Next I tried on my loosest pair of pre-pregnancy jeans and was able to button them!! They aren't comfortable enough to wear just yet but maybe in a few more weeks and with some more time at the gym. Finally my BIGGEST win, Phinn slept through the night for the first time last Friday. (Of course I didn't because I kept waking up anticipating that he would wake up and when he didn't I was checking to make sure he was still breathing!)

All in all weeks five and six have been pretty productive. I'm beginning to feel more and more confident and comfortable with myself and I'm adjusting to the new "normal." (I'll talk about the new normal more later. It has been a revelation for Hunter and I!)

Cherry Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have always loved baking and I've considered chocolate chips cookies to be one of my specialties. One of the things that I love most about them is that they are so simple to make and are also an easy cookie to experiment with- trying different types of chocolate chips or even other flavors like the white-milk chocolate mix, adding different types of nuts, or even oatmeal and raisins.

This summer I discovered dried cherries in a trail mix from Whole Foods and all I can say is where have they been hiding my whole life?! They are delicious!! I can eat them by the handful and they make a great addition to any trail mix or oatmeal. These cherries inspired me to revamp my chocolate chip cookies and I came up with the recipe below. I hope you enjoy!

Cherry Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups dark chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli's.)
2 cups dried cherries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Stir flour with baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter with sugar and brown sugar until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time.

Gradually add dry mixture to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and cherries. Drop by tablespoon onto cookie sheets. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.

Relaxin: Not as Cool as it Sounds

First of all here are the pictures from Week Four as promised. You can see that my remaining "baby weight" is hanging out in my lower abdomen and chest (for obvious reasons). Hopefully once I can shed the lower ab weight, I'll be able to fit into my pre-pregnancy pants. Tops (other than T-shirts and loose fitting ones) I think are a lost cause for the most part until I am no longer breast feeding.

On Sunday, I managed to run a little over three miles but my knees are KILLING me! Hunter is calling me "grandma" and I'm concerned that if this continues I'll be asking Santa for a new set of knees next year. I decided to do some investigating because this pain is like nothing I have ever experienced. I've had knee pain before, but never this bad or lingering.

I vaguely remembered reading about some sort of hormone or chemical that your body releases that loosens your joints and ligaments during pregnancy to enable you to physically give birth. Well according to my midwife this hormone is called RELAXIN and it does exactly what you think- causes the softening of ligaments which means you need to be extra careful of your joints and muscles. But I had a baby almost seven weeks ago, why is this still affecting me?! Again, according to my midwife as well as some online research, if you are a breastfeeding mama this hormone (along with a bunch of other ones) are still present. Your hormones won't go back to normal until you are not breastfeeding. Also research is inconclusive about how long relaxin affects your body, some believe it can be up to 12 months after you wean! It is suggested that you take it easy on your joints as you rebuild your strength.

Well this pesky little hormone is raining on my postpartum fitness plan! I was planning and still hoping on running my first marathon in the fall of 2011. However, my knees are too precious to sacrifice for my personal goal because obviously I would like to continue to run after 2011 and not be getting knee replacements at the age of 26! So this knee pain is causing me to revise my fitness plan. I know I won't be able to give up running now that I have had a taste of it again, but I think I will cut back to one day a week and not three. I will focus the rest of my workout time on getting my core back into shape and strengthening my legs to better support my knees. Maybe by the time the new year rolls around, my knees will be done RELAXIN and up for the challenge of taking on a little more...

Week Four Check In: All I Want for Christmas...

On Wednesday I ran again and while it felt wonderful to run, my legs were a little (ok- more like a lot!) sore. All of my muscles that had months of rest from the stress of running were protesting as I ended my warm-up and increased my speed to that of a jog. I eventually got them on board and was able to push them a little further than Sunday by running 2.75 miles with an incline and a 11-12 minute/mile pace. I finished up with some good stretching, and as I stretched I thought about what I want for Christmas. I decided that I would not be able to enter the new year without some SERIOUS sports bras (If it seems like I'm making a big deal out of needing a bulletproof sports bra, I apologize, but I've never had a chest that impacted my running so much! I think it could honestly affect my speed!!), and I could also go for a good massage (Think from someone named Helga!). I felt stiffer after running these past couple times than I did after giving birth! I think I forgot how painful it can be to rebuild muscles. Not to mention my muscles- especially my back and shoulders- are getting a work out picking-up, carrying, and Bjorning (Yes, that is a new word in the Smith household!) Phinn.

I also stepped on the scale again and came in at 123 pounds. I'll update my pictures on Saturday when I go for my next run. (I need to work on remembering to have Hunter snap some before I head to the gym.) These last remaining pounds sure are taking their time to work off! It is a little frustrating having this extra weight around during the holiday season because I feel like I have nothing to wear to holiday parties and for Christmas (Can I wear jeans to the midnight service?!). And of course this is also the time of year that you see people that you only see a couple times a year or maybe even every few years, so you want to look good for that too. I know I just had a baby six weeks ago, but you can't fight me on this one- you would want to look and feel your best too! I am trying to hold out on buying anything because I don't want to buy clothes that are going to fit me now but then look frumpy after I lose the last of the baby weight. I'm hoping that maybe since I have introduced some more demanding exercise into my routine that some of my old clothes will be able to fit over my hips and actually looking flattering, not like if I exhale I'll split apart at the seams! A Christmas miracle...

Speaking of Christmas miracles, here is a picture of me and my little miracle.
I can't believe how fast he is growing and how much he learns every day! I'm truly blessed to have such a happy and healthy son. So even if I don't fit into those clothes or look like a million bucks, I have something that lasts longer than any article of clothing or an unflattering picture on facebook :)

I've Got a Fever and the Only Cure Is...

MORE RUNNING!!!!

I just could not take it any more! I could no longer sit on the sideline and hear people talk about running, read about running, or see other people running. And it certainly did not help that the emails were flooding in about registering for different 2011 races. (Side note: If you are in the Northern VA area and run or want to start running, check out Pacers yearly race series. I have done most of them and have always been impressed with their organization as well as schwag.)

So I went for my first run (or perhaps a better word is jog) on Sunday and the whole time I was looking around in disbelief. Am I really running?! I kept my pace nice and easy ranging between 11-12 minute miles. My goal was to complete two miles, but I also promised myself that if anything felt off, I would scale back. I certainly did not want to screw anything up this close to the finish line.

I was able to meet my goal of running two miles and finished in just over 23 minutes. The only thing that bothered me slightly were my knees. I think they enjoyed the break from the shock and pounding that comes with running. I made sure to warm up properly and stretch well during my cool down. (Two things that I have never been very good at making proper time for.) It was very encouraging to see that my body not only remembered how to run but could do it without complaining too much after eight months off.

I did learn that my sports bras aren't going to cut it!! I have some great recommendations on sports bras from Title Nine (7 Wonders and Three Blessings) and was hoping a couple of them may appear under the Christmas tree. However, after yesterday's run I'm thinking Santa might need to come a little early...

The best thing that came out of my run was a renewed spirit. It was so uplifting! You know the feeling you get when you are having an "on" day- hair, make-up, outfit are in the zone- it was like that. I think I even practically heard a Hallelujah chorus!!

Last week I signed up for the Virginia Beach Anthem Half Marathon (part of the Yuengling Shamrock Marathon) on March 20th. So with this first successful run my training has commenced for my first post-baby half marathon!!!

Orange Ya Ready for New Recipes?!

"Orange Ya" jokes... terrible I know, but you don't know how challenging it can be to come up with a catchy title for each post. I will blame this on my lack of sleep (which actually is a lie because *knock on wood* Phinn is sleeping really well!). So in my last post, I promised a few recipes. Well here they are! Give them a try- you will not be disappointed!

Cranberry Orange Bread

I recall the first time I made this, I actually passed on eating it because I didn't think I'd like the taste combination. I was so wrong! The cranberries and orange pair perfectly for a flavorful explosion in your mouth. I promise that you will not be able to have just one piece. Trust me! I think I ate it for every meal the other day.

Preheat oven to 350

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh cranberries
2 cups all purpose flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour.)
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 large egg
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
3/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine beaten egg with orange juice and vanilla.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour with sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Cut the butter into small pieces and mix with flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs.

Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Add cranberries. (I chop the cranberries in half so there are more to go around.) Pour into a loaf pan and bake 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool.

Try not to eat in one day :)


Green Beans with Orange Essence and Maple Pecans (Cook's Illustrated Nov. 2003)

My mom made this side dish for Thanksgiving this year and I'm pretty sure that there weren't any leftover. My brother whose plate usually consists of ham, mashed potatoes, and a roll even grabbed himself some (after of course learning that it wasn't asparagus) and actually enjoyed them. If that doesn't speak volumes as to how good these are, I don't know what will!

Ingredients:
3/4 cup pecans, chopped coarse
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
Table salt
2 medium shallots, minced
1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
pinch cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons unbleached, all-purpose flour
1.5 pounds green beans, stem ends trimmed
2/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon minced fresh sage leaves
Ground black pepper

Directions:
Toast pecans in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in 1-tablespoon butter, maple syrup, and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Return skillet to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly, until nuts are dry and glossy, about 45 seconds; transfer to plate and set aside.

Wipe out skillet. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter in skillet over medium heat; when foaming subsides, add shallots, orange zest, and cayenne and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallots are softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour until combined, then toss in green beans. Add chicken broth, orange juice, and sage; increase heat to medium-high, cover, and cook until beans are partly tender but still crisp at center, about 4 minutes. Uncover and cook, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender and sauce has thickened slightly, about 4 minutes. Off heat, adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle evenly with pecans, and serve.

Orange ya glad you have some new recipes ;) Enjoy!

Week Three Check In: Holding Steady but Ready for More

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with family, friends, and good food! I certainly did :) I think my Mom made the best Thanksgiving dinner ever! I'm hoping to get her recipes for the green beans and carrots which I will make sure to share.

Now down to business... While I may have had last week off from the gym, I certainly did not slack off - other than my indulgence in the delicious food my parents prepared while we stayed with them (They have become quite the foodies since their kids have grown up!). I took daily walks ranging from 45 minutes to an hour, and my parents' neighborhood is made up entirely of hills which gave me more of a challenge especially with a stroller.

Today, I was back at the gym. I managed to do 35 minutes, at a resistance of 5 to 6, on the elliptical and actually worked up a decent sweat. As for my weight-in, the scale read 124 pounds. While it wasn't quite the change I was hoping for, I guess it is alright considering the good food I had last week. I'm thinking that the last nine pounds aren't going to come off as quickly as the first 20! I just need to make sure that I am eating wisely which means no more days where I eat half a loaf of the cranberry-orange bread I made (SO GOOD! I'll be sharing that recipe as well.). I also need to make time for the gym or one of my fitness DVDs. (Hunter and I have been discussing scheduling time for our hobbies. Surprisingly it was his idea not mine, but is a darn good one!)

Also below are my pictures as promised- this is me nearly five weeks since Phinn was born. (Gosh! He is getting old!!) And, yes I colored my hair. I was feeling up for a change, and with me potentially only going back to work part-time, I've been looking for some ways to trim back on expenses (More on the whole work situation later...).





Speaking of Phinn, he went to his one month check-up and is already 11 pounds (Another good reason to incorporate weight lifting back into my routine!) and 22.5 inches long! What a cutie!!



So my goal for this week is to keep up with the gym, possibly add some time for weights as well as continuing my cardio, and to send the rest of the cranberry orange bread to work with Hunter ;)