This One is for The Ladies

Gentlemen, if you're squeamish, now is the time to look away. I'm going to be talking about (drum roll please) that time of the month. But if you have significant others who have a hard time coping with their symptoms, read on.

I've always had a very hard time with my monthly symptoms. Cramps were terrible, mood swings were almost worse, and it was extremely frustrating. It would take a whole day of loading up on midol just to make a small dent in the pain and moodiness. I would pretty much just curl up under a heating pad away from the world until I felt alive again.

When I first started working out, I noticed that my cramps weren't as bad as they had been. And if I continued to work out through the week even if I didn't feel like it, my mood would improve. I still dealt with days of bad cramps but it wasn't nearly like it was before. In researching this, I found some answers. Exercise increases blood flow which alleviates pain. Also, stress can make your cramps worse and exercise is a proven stress-reliever. Makes sense to me.

I also found that other natural remedies include iron-rich foods and vitamin E or omega 3 essential fatty acid supplements. That's where my next suggestion comes in. Exercising helped to drastically reduce my cramps but I noticed the biggest change when I added Shakeology to my daily diet. It has 4mg of iron (22% daily value) and 15 IU of vitamin E (50% daily value) as well as many other vitamins and amino acids. Not to mention the digestive enzymes, prebiotics and whole food ingredients to help your body detox. Since I've been drinking Shakeology I've only had a few months where I've had to take extra pain meds for a day or two.

I'm not saying all this because I sell Shakeology. In fact, I decided to become a coach and start selling it because I whole-heartedly believe in it. So, if you're looking for some natural remedies for your menstrual pain, I highly recommend giving it a try. And get out there and get moving. At least 30 minutes a day of something to get your heart rate up. Walk, swim, do yoga, do a workout DVD. I don't care, as long as you're doing something. Take care of YOU.

Mudder: Volume 2

Since I last updated, I ran another Tough Mudder. This one was much easier in that it wasn't at a ski resort and thus no ski slopes to march up. Some of the obstacles were a little tougher though. Like this one:

Crawling under barbed wire with live wires dangling down. That really sucked. I didn't fall off the Berlin Walls this time, but I only did one. By the time we got to them I had barely enough upper body strength to get over the first one and not enough nerve to try the second one. This one was my favorite:

It was called Mud Mile and we just had to climb over these mounds of mud. It was definitely more fun than getting shocked. The worst part of the Mudder was actually after it. It rained really bad and we got stuck in the dirt parking lot for 4 hours pushing every single car out of the mud. Not fun. All in all though, it was definitely a great experience and I can't wait for next year!

In other updates, I'm starting INSANITY over from the beginning. I'm determined to get my six pack back. This also means committing to a clean diet. I'm going to be honest and say that I haven't been so good at that lately. I tend to eat a lot of carbs. I don't have very much patience for prepping food so I just eat whatever is most handy. So, I'm working on that. Beachbody provides me with a customized meal planner so I'll be trying to utilize that more often.

What about you? What are your goals and what are you doing to work toward them?

Six Month Review: Shakeology

A little over six months ago I started drinking a supplement called Shakeology. It's made by the company that makes P90X, INSANITY, etc. To put my opinion very simply: I love it! It's much more than just a protein shake or a weight loss shake. It offers nutrition that you can't find anywhere else.

First of all, it gives you all the vitamins you would get in a multivitamin. It also offers 17 grams of protein. There are vegan options that are made with brown rice protein instead of whey. Then it goes beyond that to offer blends of super-fruit/antioxidants, super-green/phytonutrients, adaptogens, and pre-and probiotic/digestive enzymes. Yeah, sounds like a lot of big, fancy words but these are things our bodies need. And, let's face it, most of us are not good at eating all the good foods we're supposed to every day. How many servings of fruits and veggies do you really get in a day? I know I don't eat enough of them. Shakeology gives me a head start on that with a few servings a day.

Granted, it's hard to use as a meal replacement with only 160 calories a serving. So, I usually make it with almond milk and add fruit and/or powdered peanut butter. That makes it very filling. I love it as a pre-workout snack. It gives me energy and also gives my immune system a nice boost.

I know this isn't a very scientific review, but I'm not a very scientific person. I love the way Shakeology makes me feel and that's what matters. I know it includes a blend of superfoods that you can't find in the grocery store. Drinking Shakeology is one of the best things I've ever done for my body. In fact, it's one of the driving factors that led me to becoming a Beachbody Coach. I wanted to be able to share this information with other people and help them lead healthier lives.

So, there's my opinion. If you want any more information on Shakeology, or to see the ingredients list, see my website here. Hope you all are having a fabulous week!

Running

I started running this week. A friend of mine is doing the 8 week beginner's running program from runnersworld.com with me. We're trying to get into good running shape for the next Tough Mudder either in September or October. I'm trying to gather up a team to go this time. I think it would be a lot of fun with more people.


If you know much about me, you know that running is my nemesis. I've always hated it. But now that I'm doing a good intro program and have another beginner doing it with me, it's much more tolerable. I'm even learning to like it. At the end of a stressful day, I even look forward to it. Tomorrow is a rest day and next week we'll be increasing our running time. I'm a little nervous about that, but by the end of the 8 weeks we're supposed to be able to run for 30 minutes without stopping. I'd like to find a 5k to do between now and the Mudder to test my running endurance.

I'm still doing some Turbo Fire with the running, usually doing a more intense Turbo workout on the walking days and still observing my rest day. I'm hoping to try Brazil Butt Lift soon as well. I like to keep challenging myself with new workout routines. I ran this morning and I think I'll probably do a toning DVD later today.

Staying motivated is always a challenge, so I think it's good to have something to work towards. I would be much less inclined to run if I wasn't going to do a Mudder or a 5k. The Mudder also requires strength and agility so the cross training is essential. That's where my Beachbody workouts come in.

So, tell me, what are you working towards? Are you training for something or are you just looking to improve your health?

Resolutions

Hey folks! Happy 2012! I hope you're having a great year so far and getting a good start on whatever your New Years' Resolution is. I didn't really make a resolution this year. My goals are sort of day to day. I do need to drop a few holiday pounds and get into my new skinny jeans. I've started a business as a Beachbody Coach, so I'm taking a few small steps each day to grow that. (If you're interested in what I do as a coach, please visit my website here.) Also, my husband is working on getting his teaching credentials for California so we can start working on moving back there.

So, I don't think I'd really call those "resolutions", but they're something to work on. Tonight I'll be starting Turbo Fire again. I have a small challenge group doing it with me for support and accountability and I plan on doing EVERY workout every day for the whole 90 days and putting every ounce of energy I have into them. I'm more than determined to get into my skinny jeans!

On another note, how is everyone doing with seasonal depression? Has it been affecting you? I know I've been feeling some seasonal affective disorder (SAD) even though the winter has been very mild so far. To counteract it, I've been focusing on my workouts, taking my multivitamin religiously, and getting out and socializing as much as I can to keep my mood up. I'm a very social person, so being around people energizes me and makes me feel good. My introverted husband is the opposite, though, so finding a balance for us is always a little tricky but we make it work.

My biggest problem right now is housework. As I sit here typing, there are dishes in the sink, clutter all over the living room, laundry to be done, floors to be swept and I have absolutely no motivation to do all that. I think I'll be turning to flylady again very soon. I feel like I need someone to follow me around all day and yell at me to do things so that I'll do them. Too bad I don't still live with my parents. My mom can be very persistent. ;-)

So, what are your resolutions? What are you doing to achieve them? What energizes you and puts you in a good mood?

Tough Mudder Virginia - Final Installment

If you haven't read any of my posts about the Mudder yet, read the first one here and the second one here . To start with today's blog, I've walked/jogged a couple of miles and done some climbing over and under things. After the last of the long walking/jogging area, we came upon the second and last set of Berlin Walls. The first set was only 8 feet high. These, however, were 12 feet. Upon my first sight of them, I felt rather discouraged. The closer I got, the higher they became. I got in line and slowly inched closer and closer as the people in front of me went up and over. Standing next to me was a blond girl in a pink shirt. She was shorter than me and looked just as terrified as I felt. I struck up conversation with her and we discussed the logistics of getting over the wall and down the straight drop on the other side. It seemed pretty straightforward; just very, very high.

We reached the wall and I offered to help the other girl over, but she opted to watch me do it first. So, pushing aside my trademark indecision, I walked up to the wall and began the ascent. There's a small, useless foothold toward the bottom, but I put one foot on it and the other foot in someone's hands. Chad and another guy hoisted me up to the top where I swung one leg over and then looked down and became instantly terrified. Watching the others go down, I decided it would be simple. Just lower myself to where I could hang on with my hands and jump from there. Well, something went wrong and my hands slipped off before I could catch myself and I hit the ground hard. My feet hit first and then my butt. I got up and turned to face the other wall. I didn't want to do it. Then Chad came over the first wall and asked if I was ready, so up I went. I got down the other side without incident and then sat while I waited for him to follow.

My ankles were hurting pretty bad at this point so when Chad started off at a jog, I fell behind. I wanted to work out the injury before going at a faster pace. Finally, we reached the illusive Mystery Obstacle, which was something called a Smoke Chute. Basically, it's a very large slide. I'm not sure exactly how tall it was, but definitely taller than the Berlin Walls. We had to climb a ladder up to the top while a vicious lady with a fire hose made sure we stayed wet and cold. Everyone hated her. I climbed as fast as I could and then hid myself in the little cubby hole that started the chute. I thought it was going to be a slide. Nothing awful about that. The problem I found at the top, however, was that it started as a vertical drop before ending in a slide.

Now, if there's one thing you need to know about me right now, it's that one of my phobias is a fear of falling. This obstacle gave me no choice but to let myself fall. I dangled my feet over the edge for a few seconds and tried to figure out if there was a better way to start this thing. I realized that the only way to do it was to simply drop. So, I placed my feet on a wall in front of me, edged myself over the side and then let go. It was a terrible, terrible feeling. To me, it was worse than the Chernobyl Jacuzzi. My heart jumped into my throat and I let out a scream that would wake the dead. When I reached the bottom, I was sliding so fast there was no way I could control what I was doing. I simply had to hope that I didn't hit anything hard. I slid to a stop in the mud and everyone who had come out before me looked shaken up and somewhat injured. Chad was doubled over holding his arms, saying he thinks he broke his elbows.  (He didn't.)

On we went, down a very steep slope. A girl came down beside us in emotional turmoil. She was crying and said she didn't even do the Smoke Chute because all she could hear was people cursing and getting hurt. I knew exactly how she felt, even though I was feeling almost invincible. The hill was long and slippery and when we got to the bottom and rounded the curve, there was Everest. This is a quarter pipe which is oiled that you have to run up and grab on to someone at the top before you fall down. There was a very long line for it, as it was incredibly difficult and took most people more than one try. We waited in line for close to an hour, getting colder and stiffer every minute. I got close to the front but knew it would still be a bit of a wait for me to even try it, so I opted out of it. My muscles were so stiff there was no way I was going to get up that wall. I walked around it and waited while Chad came over it, emotionally scarred.

I have problems with my right hip flexor and it had been bothering me on and off the whole day. Now that I was so cold and my muscles were so tight, it was torturing me and I had another hill to climb. At the top of the hill was the Fire Walker. This was a path lined with fire and full of smoke. I started it at a walk but had to end it at a run because the smoke in my lungs was one of the most painful experiences of the day. Last but not least, straight ahead was Electroshock Therapy, and then the finish line. Chad had been talking about this obstacle all day, afraid to go through it. Before you get to it, you have to get hosed down one last time. We stared it down for a few seconds and then Chad took off toward it, so I took off after him. I could hear the live wires snapping on each other all around me. At first I was able to get through without touching any wires, but to get over some strategically placed hay bales I had to touch a few. I lucked out, though, because none of the wires I touched actually shocked me.

Finally, there was the finish line! Chad and I looked at each other and took off toward it at a sprint. I saw a big dip in the ground in front of me, and instead of doing the smart thing at the pace I was going and jumping over it, I stepped into it. My body was too weak to handle the jolt and down I went. I fell right on my belly, my chin hit the ground, and the crowd and announcer all yelled "OOHHHH" in unison. Chad came back for me, helped me up, and we crossed the finish line together. I felt tears in my eyes at this point. I was so happy to be done, and so frustrated that I fell, I was shaking. I grabbed my orange headband and stuck it on my head. Then I grabbed a protein shake which I had to have Chad open for me and got my shirt and my beer.

I was freezing at this point and couldn't stop myself from shaking for a long time. But I drank that beer, got my bag, and made sure to get some pictures before I changed out of my cold, wet, muddy clothes.

My chin is a little bloody and my lips are a lovely bluish-purple.

Mud from head to toe.

My favorite shot of the day. We look pretty badass.

I then changed clothes, got a burger and Gatorade, bought another shirt and then we left for our 3 hour drive home. So, if you're thinking of doing a Tough Mudder, I say go for it! Just make sure you train hard and no matter how tired you get, stay positive and finish strong!

Here is my final tally of injuries: Small cut and bruise on my chin; Right elbow was scraped and swollen; Right knee was bruised, scraped and swollen; Large bruise on the inside of my right thigh and also one on my butt; and various bruising all along my arms and legs. My ribcage was very tender and every single one of my muscles has been very sore and stiff.

Tough Mudder Virginia - Part II

Alright, if you haven't read yesterday's blog, read it before continuing. After the first couple of miles in the Mudder, I was feeling tired but also very invigorated. I was ready to tackle this thing.

Here's where the fun stuff really starts. It's the obstacle everyone fears and always remembers how they felt going through it. You've seen the awful pictures and heard the terrible stories. Yes...the Chernobyl jacuzzi. Basically, this is a dumpster full of gross colored water full of ice. You have no choice but to simply plunge in. With Chad on my right and another mudder on my left, the three of us stood there staring at it for several moments. Chad and the guy on my left finally lowered themselves in slowly and started toward the middle, where you're forced to plunge your head under to get on the other side of a plank with barbed wire on top. I debated jumping in after hearing some people talk about jumping in as close to the middle as possible. But, I ended up following the lead of the other two and lowering in on the edge. I think at this point my adrenaline reached an all-time high because I don't remember being as cold as everyone else. I was very cold, though. Once I reached the middle I couldn't allow myself any time to gear up for going under. I just plunged under, came up the other side, and swam to the other edge. However, upon reaching the edge I realized that it was very high and I had no way to get myself out. Chad had already taken off in fear of hypothermia, so I thought I was on my own. Luckily, some other mudders were behind me, saw me struggling, and pushed me out. I yelled my thanks and took off screaming like a banshee.

In that moment, emerging from that dumpster, I felt incredible. Yes, I was cold. Yes, my limbs were numb. But, if I'm going to be honest, I've never felt so alive in my whole life. My screams were half from fear and shock of being the coldest I've ever been but also from sheer joy of being alive and running through the mud in a beautiful place with a bunch of other fun, motivated people. It was simply fabulous. I felt like laughing and crying and screaming all at once.

After the jacuzzi was the next obstacle of climbing up and over a cargo net. People on the other side were taking turns anchoring the bottom. When I reached the other side of it, the girl who had been beneath me looked like she was going to pass out, so I took her place and the next guy after me took mine. It was a good system. Then there was climbing over and under logs, scrambling over rocks, and then reaching Twinkle Toes. This involved planks about 3 inches wide suspended over freezing cold water. Walking across those planks was very challenging, especially when I got to the middle because they were swaying terribly. But, I've always prided myself on my balance and I managed to get to the other side without going into the water.

The hardest times in the race were simply all the mountains/ski slopes we had to go up and down. In Hold Your Wood, we had to pick up a log and carry it up and then back down some tubing hills. I chose a log that would be heavy enough to be challenging but not so heavy that I wouldn't be able to carry it the whole time. I knew that was the right choice when I was half way up the hill and a group of guys was off to the side sitting on their logs. After trudging up another ridiculously steep hill (suffice it to say you almost had to bear crawl to get up it, people were sitting/lying off to the side every 20 feet, and it was probably a whole mile long), we had to crawl under barbed wire placed 8 inches off the ground. I didn't foresee this as being as hard as it was. The ground underneath was hard and rocky and putting my elbows and knees into it was quite painful. Luckily, after that obstacle was an aid station with bananas! A banana has never tasted so good or felt so fulfilling.

Then there were miles of simply walking/jogging through and around a golf course. This was the best part because it allowed some recuperation and it was simply beautiful. Then there was climbing over/under more logs, jumping up hay bales (very tall ones, which most of us mudders needed assistance with), and the mystery obstacle. I'm going to save the mystery obstacle and the finish of the Mudder for tomorrow.