Move your Booty

I can't exercise without music. It is impossible. Usually I listen to upbeat hiphop music when I run because it is impossible to stay still when I listen to it. Recently I've been branching out a little bit. I've added a few songs for when I do yoga, strength training, and running (mamma mia)! Enjoy.

It is done

I wore my spandex shorts running yesterday. Embarrassing for sure, but it is over with. My new running shoes are working out great. I'm still trying to break them in so I have a few blisters on my feet at the moment. On Monday one of my patients invited me to join her and her friends for the Moab Half-Marathon in March. I'm tempted for sure. Moab is beautiful...and I love any excuse to get away from Provo.

Retirement

So today I retired my old nikey running shoes. I couldn't run in them without getting shin splints so they had to go! I replaced them with some cute New Balance shoes. I took them out for a test drive tonight and felt like I was running on air. I can't believe I kept my other ones for soooo long. Anyway I'm happy with my purchase.

I'm running in my spandex on monday. Its official. I look SOOOOO unbelievably bad in them, but i said i would wear them out in public...so I'm going to. Wish me luck!

Still In Love With Everything

I ran 8.5 miles last night in 35 degree weather...not really smart since I wasn't properly dressed. It felt good though, until i stopped running. I was shivering for 30 minutes after I got home. I piled on sweaters, blankets, and even drank hot chocolate to get warm...nothing really work, but I eventually felt better after an hour or so. My run was amazing though. I ran to the chevron near the riverwoods and then back down university and over to the quarry, then home. The best part was running in the dark and seeing the stars somewhat clearly and the snow on the mountains. I love the way the mountains look in the dark.

Anyway, I love exercising. I think even if I was as thin as I wanted to be I would still exercise everyday. It makes me feel so good and I just don't think my day would be the same without an hour or so of aerobic activity. Anyway, I'm looking forward to December 1st when i get to run my booty off in public.

Want to Live Longer? Exercise!

So I'm an article junkie for sure and today I found a very interesting article on exercise and ageing. Find the abstract below:

You already know exercise makes you look and feel younger. But here's a news flash: Exercise actually does make you younger—right down to your DNA.

When researchers examined the lifestyle habits and DNA of more than 2,400 twins, they found that regular exercisers had significantly longer telomeres (a region of DNA that acts as a biological marker for aging) than their sedentary peers. Those who exercised a little less than 30 minutes a day had telomeres that looked 10 years younger than those who did just 16 minutes a week.

Ready to roll back the years? Our age-defying plan includes all the elements you need to get slimmer and feel younger—total-body strength, high-energy cardio, and stress-busting yoga.

Interesting huh? Find the rest of the article and work out plan here: http://health.msn.com/health-topics/aging/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100218234&page=1

This is LONG overdue

Alright I admit I fell down when it came to running in my spandex, but don't worry it is going to happen. My boss has nagged me about it constantly for the past few weeks and so I decided to set a new spandex date--December 1st. There is no getting out of this one because several people have demanded pictures of this blessed event.

I have even more good news. After taking a break from training my shin splints have dissappeared. I was so excited while running on Tuesday, but I didn't want to overdo it so I only ran 2 miles. On Wednesday I just couldn't contain myself and ended up running 7.5 miles....ahhh it felt like heaven. This weekend I'll be doing my running on the streets of Salt Lake. I've always loved running in the city, so I'm really looking forward to it.

Get Up Off of That Thing

I saw this article on foxnews.com and thought it was interesting. Get out there and exercise people! One week from Wednesday I'll be hitting the streets of Provo in my spandex....yikes. I still look horrible, but I'm just going to have to deal with it.

Regular Running Slows Aging Process, Study Says

If you want to stay young, lace up those sneakers and hit the pavement.

New research suggests regular running slows the effects of aging, according to a new study from the Stanford University School of Medicine.

Researchers tracked 500 older runners for more than two decades. What they found was that elderly joggers have fewer disabilities, remained fit for longer than non-runners and are half as likely to die early deaths.

“The study has a very pro-exercise message,” said Dr. James Fries, the study’s senior author, in a news release. “If you had to pick one thing to make people healthier as they age, it would be aerobic exercise.”

The new findings are published in the recent issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.

Natural High

Tonight I started running, and just kept running and running. Eight miles later I arrived at home...slightly more exhausted then when I left. Running gives me such a high....it is my escape from the world, from my problems,etc. When I run i forget about everything except putting one foot in front of the other. The wind rushing through my hair, the occasional sprinkers that soak me as I run by them, and my heart beating loudly in my chest all contribute to the experience. My thighs are looking better and better everyday. Hopefully soon the spandex shorts will come out.

Getting Back on the Horse

Well after a short hiatus I am back running. My shins still hurt a little, but I'm taking it slow. Last night I ran 5 miles and it felt so good. As I was putting on my shoes a strange thrill came over me. I was actually shaking from the excitement of being able to run again. This was an odd feeling to experience because I've never really been obsessed with running before. Well since I haven't been able to run for the past week I'm moving the spandex-wearing day back a little. I'm not sure what day I'll do it, I have to consult my planner. Anyway the thighs are looking better and better everyday!


Oh and if anyone wants to run with me on Spandex-day (or size too small day as i like to call it) just let me know. I would love your company as I embarass myself in public!

Pain Is Weakness Leaving the Body

For the last few months I've been going to the gym about 4-5 times a week...and during those months my body has done beautifully. Unfortunately, I think my body is about to break down now. Last week I started to feel some pain in my shins, but figured I would just tough it out. Each day, as I've been running my 5 miles, the pain just gets worse and worse.

Tonight just as I reached the 2 mile mark on the treadmill I had to stop because the pain was just too unbearable. I couldn't even step down off the treadmill with out tears of pain coming to my eyes. I eventually was able to limp out of the gym. I decided to stop for ice on the way home and am now sitting in my bed with large bags of ice laying on my legs. Obviously I was stupid to think that I could just keep running with such horrible shin splints....so now I guess I'm going to take a few days off from running and exercise in general. My knees are also giving me trouble so I'll rest them as well this weekend before heading back to the gym on monday.

This doesn't effect the event of the century though. I'll still be wearing my little spandex on the 8th...flabby or not.

My gift to you---an UPDATE!

Well I've been diligently working on perfecting my tush recently and I'm starting to see some improvements. This is what I've been doing everday:

200 squats
200 lunges
200 bridges
300 crunches
Running 5 miles

Unfortunately I've started to get shin splints recently so today I did 20 minutes of elipical, 20 minutes of cycling, and then ran two miles. Getting in shape definitely is a longer process than I thought, but I'm committed to it the way John Edwards is committed to his wife....ha ha wow that was a low blow. Politics aside, I am actually enjoying this whole processes. I've started to crave going to the gym and love the high that it gives me. My mom thinks I'm an addict, but I always tell her I could turn to other substances to get high if she really is against running.

As for the shorts, I tried them on this morning.... and well they still look horrible, but the picture in the mirror is improving.

The Dreaded Shorts

Well folks, here they are...the completely unforgiving spandex shorts that I'm going to be sporting in less than a month. Why am I doing this again? No idea...I'm bored and randomly come up with ideas to entertain myself. I came up with this idea at about 2 in the morning when I was supposed to be doing my astronomy homework.

I'm not really doing this to lose weight, but to tone up. I'm actually completely, head over heels in love with my body, especially my ghetto booty...it just needs a little boost.

The plan for today is to do 200 squats, 200 lunges, 200 bridges, and do cardio for 60 minutes. I can't run today because of ankle problems (ran 10 miles too far on saturday), so I'll probably just do cycling or eliptical. I'll be posting pictures at the end of every week so I can track my progress....and you can too if you really have nothing else to do with your time than to stare at my butt.

The Explanation

Yes, I know I already have a blog...but this blog was created for a specific purpose. You see about a month ago I bought a pair of very tiny red spandex shorts to wear for my half marathon. Now I was assuming that I would get tone enough by now to actually look halfway decent in these things, but the perfectly shaped thighs I have wanted so badly seem to be more elusive than i once thought. Since I still look horrible in them I haven't worn them out in public...this my friends has got to change. So I've decided to set a timetable on when I'm going to go running out in public wearing the tiny, tiny red shorts. Oh goodness, I'm already getting sick to my stomach just thinking about it. Well desperate times call for desperate measures. So this blog is going to be all about the day to day things I'm going to do to prepare for ...Size Too Small Day..i guess I'll call it. I'm always buying everything a size too small because i always plan on losing weight, but never do...so i end up with a ton of clothes I can't fit into. Oh the interworkings of the female mind. Over the course of the next month I'm going to post my exercise schedule, my food diary, and other things having to do with the blessed shorts. I've chosen October 8th (exactly one month from today)as Size Too Small Day. So let it be written, so let it be done.