Move-It Monday: March Runs and Fitness

Move it Monday on a Tuesday? Eh, it was bound to happen :)  At least I'm still posting right?

Last month, I participated in quite a few runs. Running has never been anything that has come easy to me, but I'm sticking with it and raising money for great causes all at one time.

I am getting better at running overall and my time is staying decent, considering the Wisconsin elements that I have dealt. I know that the boot camp classes that I am taking at EnergizeZone in Waukesha are definitely helping me get stronger legs. You can't just run all the time and expect to get better - cross-training is key.

Another essential is the protein shakes that I have recently become obsessed with. I have found a way to make them where I don't taste the protein and can really enjoy them everyday! This is another thing I must thank Ken at the Zone for - proper nutrition information. Let's just say Peanut Butter Cup, Mint Chocolate, Strawberry Lemonade smoothies are my fave...it's like a treat after a workout! :)

In addition to these runs, I participated in Energize Zone's Spring Into Fitness event on March 23 - this was a day dedicated to showing the offerings of the gym and letting us try new classes for one price. We started with boot camp that was brutal but awesome as ever. I'm sure my classmates appreciated that I changed clothes before class 2 - I'm sweat when I work out!!!! LOL

During the break between classes we ate some healthy snacks including strawberries stuffed with vanilla yogurt and sliced almonds, protein deviled eggs, cheese, sausage, crackers and my mom's black bean brownies with Click Protein powder.

NOTE: Here are our edits to the recipe. We used brown sugar for the sugar and for the protein powder and coffee, I used 2 oz Click & 1 oz 2 tsp vanilla protein powder (no instant coffee.) We did add 1 Tbsp of olive oil (extra virgin of course) because we wanted some form of fat in the recipe. And you will use a bit more water than the recipe calls for. These things bake thick but they are sooooo good!

Here is the recap of my runs.

Sporting purple  for Alzheimer's 

Reflectors just cuz :)

Not the worst roads I have encountered but pretty rough. 

Testing out the new ProCompression socks for recovery

My medal for participation

Lucky Leprechaun 7k - 4.49 in 56:54 - snowy, slick and COLD
This run raised money for the MACC fund

Didn't want to get out of the car - too chilly!

Shauna and I before the run in the warm-ish tent

Freezing at the start

So ready to get going!

Finally people were moving!

Guinness Beer even runs :)

Mom got me almost at the finish - yep I was still smiling

Didn't stay after for the beer and my banana was frozen so I couldn't eat that either. Getting my shoes and socks off in the car and have the heat blast on my legs was heavenly!

Happy 5k - 3.1 in 37:28 - cool but no frigid
All proceeds from the HAPPY 5K will go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Only picture I took - It was snowing on me

Cool medal :)

Health for America #50states 5k - 3.1 in 40:17 - icy yucky

Brought my face mask for the icy stuff hitting me in the face

Dry roads but there was snowy/icy crap hitting me in the face

There is road somewhere under there!

I actually haven't signed up for a single run in April yet and I'm thinking that this month should be more focus on either distance training (if I'm ok running slower but farther) or speed training. I was hoping to get a 5k done in 30 minutes this year and I'm holding pretty steady in the 35+ right now. What do you think? Speed or distance?

My Wellness Profile

I'm finally back to blogging after a Malware issue took me down for a good portion of last week. I didn't want to take the risk of getting my blog blacklisted until I could figure out what were the bad links. Now that I know and have removed them, I hope it's smooth sailing from here forward. I have so much to share!!!

About a month ago, I sat down with Ken at the Energize Zone for my FREE wellness profile. (This is offered to anyone and not just members of the Zone.) I wasn't really sure what to expect and thought that I was in decent shape and just needed to shed a few extra pounds that found me over the last few years. Before signing up at the gym, I would run about once a week and that's it - never went to the gym regularly. I would watch what I ate, but indulged probably too much. I thought that was enough. 

My wellness profile clued me in to a bit of a lie that I was telling myself. Those "few" pounds were a lot more than should be on my body for my height and frame. It was hard to hear and I have always had a skewed image of my body, so this didn't help that cause. But it's the truth and I can live with that or strive for getting healthier (definitely going for the latter)!

Summer 2012 - I'm on the left!

I also have the body type that the fat likes to lie on my front side against my organs :( I was pretty shocked with myself and couldn't believe I let that happen.  I always thought of myself as a medium framed person that was pretty active. 

Mukwonago Poms circa 2000 - I'm second row middle!

Heck I danced all through high school, practicing sometimes up to five days a week. But then in college, I stopped the activity and the pounds came on. And with those pounds came other health factors I didn't consider - blood pressure, high body fat percentage, etc. 

Ken talked to me about these factors and how to get myself on a plan that would get me to where I needed to be to live a healthy life. After college, I had joined Weight Watchers a few times and knew that I needed to watch calories, fat and fiber, but I never realized how important protein was. 

Summer 2010 - one of our many grill outs w/ gluttonous foods!

I thought of protein almost as the enemy and only what "meatheads" ate to bulk up. But good protein from chicken, eggs, fish and soy are perfectly fine for you and you won't bulk up on them.

I am now following the plan that Ken and I worked out for specifically for me, starting each day with protein and doing my best to continue that plan each day. I know that after my first 8-week challenge, I am a much stronger person physically and mentally and am not afraid of workouts anymore. I also understand what my body needs for nutrition and I don't need to eat just because food tastes good! Working out can only do so much for you if you don't follow proper nutrition. I'm glad I was provided this guidance and am ready to continue my journey. Maybe in another month, I'll get my numbers checked to see what has changed. I can almost guarantee they will be much better all around.

So if you have an hour to spare in your busy week, contact Ken and get your FREE wellness profile completed. Trust me - it's totally worth it!

Compensation for this post was provided by EnergizeZone after I asked to feature the 'Zone. Opinions expressed here are my own.