Fitness Challenge 2012

Each year, my school holds a fitness challenge to help encourage us all to exercise and eat healthy.  Last year I really got into the challenge and kept track of my workouts each week.  Here’s my recaps from last year’s fitness challenge.

This year is bound to be another good year and just the motivation I need to bump up my exercising and running.  This year they are doing things a little different.  Here’s the challenge:

Participants will be divided into teams. Each team member will have the opportunity to earn one point for every minute of exercise (outside of the work day) completed throughout the 5 week challenge. The type of exercise you choose is up to you, but here are some examples: walking, running, biking, exercise classes, swimming, strength training and outdoor winter sports such as skiing and skating.

Additionally, we’re eating our way to wellness! Participants will receive one bonus point for each serving of fruits and vegetables consumed during the challenge. It's simple - one serving of fruits or veggies equals one point. The team with the most points at the end of the 5 week challenge wins! Weekly and Grand Prizes will be distributed!

My sisters have participated in similar challenges at their school but this year they aren’t offering the challenge so I have created our first:

Although they think I am crazy…my dad, mom, sisters, sister in law, brother in law and husband are all participating!  I drew names today and paired us up in teams of two.  I created a fitness log in excel and sent it out to everyone to log their exercise points and fruits/vegetable points.   I know SB already made a trip to the grocery store to stock up on fruits and veggies.  I will be headed to the grocery store tomorrow to do the same.   Amanda (my sister) is excited to count her green monster, fruit smoothies as points every morning.  I even made a log for my little niece, Ella, so Robyn (my other sister) can keep track of her fruits and veggie points and any baby exercise minutes.  Ella’s points will rotate to be added to a different group each week.

So I will be competing in two challenges, one at school and one with the family.  It should be a busy five weeks – but I know that I will love the way I feel and look by the end of it and finally get myself back in shape and ready for the racing season which will be here before I know it.  I think I might even train for my first 15 mile Trail Run race!

Snowy Saturday

What a great day!  Woke up to a wonderful, white blanket of snow on everything…a little glimpse of Winter Wonderland.  I got a ton of housework done and made carrot cake, brownies and chocolate chip cookie bars before I tackled making vegetable soup. 

When I got all my “chores” done I treated myself to a great workout.  I did a Yoga for Runners session which was absolutely fabulous.  I was able to stretch out and lengthen so many tight runner muscles.  More coming on Yoga for Runners in my Tuedsay’s Tips.

I also had a chance to spend a few hours with my family which was much needed.  It was good to see everyone and spend some time relaxing and watching my niece.  She is two years old and is so fun to watch and play with.  She has quite the imagination and her vocabulary is getting quite impressive. My dad got out his train set from when he was young and set that up for my niece.  She loved watching the choo-choo. 

When I finally made it home I found the motivation to get all my essays and final grades calculated for my classes and even managed to plan out most of next week with the start of a new semester and new classes.  I am ahead of the game which will make tomorrow and Monday that much easier!

What a great day!  I hope you had a great day too.

Monday Motivation

Dinner for One

I discovered a delicious dinner for one.  So delicious that after making it and inhaling it last night I waited anxiously all day to get home and make it again tonight.  It was fabulous!  I did not take the time to take any pictures for you – but trust me when I say this is a great dinner.

Before I share the recipe, I have a confession to make…  I had sautéed spinach for the first time last week and have discovered my love for cooked spinach.  I’ve had chopped spinach in a lot of meals before and Green Monster smoothies but never had spinach by itself.  So I decided to stock up and find some recipes to use spinach.  I did a search for chicken and spinach recipes and discovered this one and tweaked it a bit (reduced to one serving and left out the mushrooms)

Balsamic Chicken with Spinach and Tomatoes for One

• 3 handfuls of prewashed spinach
• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast, uncooked
• Tastefully Simple Seasoning salt
• Pepper
• Diced Tomatoes
• Kraft Light Sicilian Roasted Garlic – Balsamic Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
• 1/4 cup shredded Sargento’s Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Italian

Directions:

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray.  Place spinach in the bottom of the dish.  Place chicken on top of the spinach; season chicken with seasoning salt and pepper.  Place the tomatoes on top of the chicken.  Pour the dressing over the spinach, chicken, tomatoes.  Top with the cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Simple. Easy. Perfect!!!  I ate it just like that, but the recipe suggested serving over angel hair pasta or rice.  It was so yummy.  Only one dirty pan to clean up – my kind of cooking!  Now its time for some exercise!

QOTD:  Any delicious spinach recipe or links to share?

Wordless Wednesday

So wishing I was here….

 

 

I think it is time to plan another cruise.

Tuesday’s Tip

Today is just a short little tip and reminder.  TAKE YOUR VITAMINS!!  I always notice quite a difference in myself when I take or don’t take my daily vitamins.  I am forgetful and hate taking any kind of medicine or pills.  But I’ve found a few things that work for me.

Eating right and meeting all the daily requirements of nutrients is of course most important.  But sometimes you can’t get all your body needs from your usual food intake.  A multivitamin can help – if you are taking the right vitamin for you.  Again, I am not a health care professional so please do your research, talk to other people and most importantly talk to your doctor to find out what multivitamin would be best for you.

Right now I am just taking a multivitamin for women and a few extra supplements like vitamin C, and E. But I found that I have to take all of them with food otherwise my tummy gets a little upset.  I have discovered the gummy vitamins for adults. (YUM!!) They are a lot easier to remember since they taste like candy and I don’t have to take them with food. So sometimes I switch back and forth.

My iron levels are low if I am not taking vitamins, which tends to make me feel run down rather quickly.  That is usually the key for me to remember my vitamins.  I also notice a difference in my hair, skin and nails when I take my vitamins regularly.  There are lots of great advantages of taking vitamins and as with everything a downside can always be found too.  But I tend to think that vitamins are good for you.  Nowadays there are some many different kinds and companies are doing lots to help customers find and take the right vitamins.

Stop on over to visit Fancy Nancy, at Living the Dream.  She has a great post about Vitamins, specifically the new Centrum ProNutrients line.  Plus you take a survey from Centrum to find out what you are missing in your diet and can enter her giveaway to win products from Centrum.  The giveaway ends tomorrow!

QOTD:  How do you remember to take your vitamins?  What supplements have you found are good for runners?

Monday Motivation

 

(Source: Positive Outlook on Facebook)