I was invited to a private NOW Foods event in the suburbs of Illinois mid-May.
NOW Foods
Filed Under: Wellness Tagged With: fitfluential, gut, Healthy Lifestyle, NOW Foods, product review, Thyroid
Week 1 Bigness Project
Yesterday marked the end of week 1 Bigness Project, the 14-week hybrid strength training journey I’m on.
I worked out on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday. You read that correct. It was a 6-day workout, but I’m feeling great!
During this first week, I felt re-inspired for some new things so in addition to sharing the past week of workouts, I thought I’d share these things.
- No Marathon. Dangit almighty. I’m already giving up one of my 2017 New Year’s Goals. I’m laughing as I write that. But here’s what happened to help make this final decision. On Saturday, I ran over 12 miles. And it rocked! I might have been running with a frown, but I was super happy, and it showed when I snapped the below picture at the end. Despite getting the female monthly friend just one hour prior to the run, my energy levels felt great (though my quads still fatigue fairly early on). Breathing was easy, and I actually feel like I’m getting back into the “cardio shape” I want to be in. But when the run was done, I had zero desire to keep running for a longer amount of time because there were so many other things I wanted to do with my day. I enjoyed the 2-ish hour “me time,” but really didn’t feel that dedicating more time was worth it, not from a fitness standpoint, personal standpoint, and in general life standpoint. Do you know what it means to train for a marathon? Even if I would continue on a basic 3-day per week training schedule, ultimately, the long runs would need to increase more and more and more. You can’t run a marathon training on a half-marathon schedule. I mean, you could, but not if you want to excel. And at this point in my life and on my fitness journey, doing things “just because” won’t cut it. I’m extremely goal driven, and for me “just because” isn’t really a goal. So here’s the deal, yes, running a marathon could prove me unafraid. But back to the Bigness Project…..so could building muscle. And that leads me to….
- Tough. Again, dangit almighty. Week 1 of the program showed me that I’m not nearly as strong as I thought I was. Like, at all. By far, the most challenging thing I did were the bodyweight assisted eccentric pull-ups. I’ve always been used to doing pullups with a grip where palms face each other. This pull-up version, though, has palms facing out, and the tempo is a very slow one. There is no cranking out pull-ups “kip-style.” I’d be lying if I didn’t tell you I was super frustrated. For a minute there I thought to myself, “No way. This is not for me. I’m not strong enough for this.” But that’s the point of being unafraid. Just because it wasn’t coming naturally to me, doesn’t mean I need to be afraid of it. Clearly, I have a lot of strength to work on, but after I reminded myself that it was OK to start at the beginning, I became excited for all that could be if I stayed consistent.
I still have every intention of running several races this year. I’m still going to run a half marathon at the end of March because I really love the 13-ish-mile distance. Now that I’ve already (almost) hit that distance, I can practice getting faster (which is a huge challenge in and of itself).
Week 1 Bigness Project
Click HERE to join along the journey via Instagram (+ I put a ton on my Instagram Stories, too!)
- Monday: 5K, paced at 8:08/mile.
- Tuesday: Legs, Quad Dominant. I had not done BB Back Squats in quite some time, so it felt great to hit those again.
- Wednesday: Chest and Back. In addition to the pull-ups, I will say that my chest and back are, by far, my weakest links. I hate training them, and it shows. But I’m going to work really hard on both to gain some much-needed strength there.
- Thursday: Legs, Hamstrings + Sprints. I love leg day, especially when it is hamstring-focused. I have not done Curtsy Lunges and/or BB Hip Thrusts in a very long time, and I’m excited to see how much stronger I’ll get with those exercises over the next several weeks. I did my sprints on our treadmill. All of them were 400’s. The first 6 toggled down to a 7:20 pace, and the last one was a gradual hill climb. This ends up being a fairly long workout when it’s all said and done, but the time spent with and by myself is worth it.
- Friday: OFF. Ryan and I took the kids for a long walk that night, though (we tend to do this a few nights a week).
- Saturday: 12.4-mile run, paced at 8:24/mile.
- Sunday: Shoulders and Arms. Focusing so much on eccentric training, I had to greatly reduce the weight I’m used to doing for shoulders. But still, they are my favorite body part to work!
I’m heading into Week 2 Bigness Project with the mantra/quote I put up on Instagram Saturday after my run,
If you continuously compete with others, you become better, but if you continuously with yourself you become better.
That quote is super legit.
Up today…..back to the Quad Dominant leg day and increasing to 4 vs. 3 sets. Back squats here we come!
The possibilities are endless.
Xox,
SKH
Hot Chocolate 15K
Yesterday was the San Francisco Hot Chocolate 15K. It was my first race of 2017, first race “back,” and well, sort of a 15K, but not even close.
I recently shared all my big running goals for 2017.
What I didn’t share is that I have been fairly sick since November 10, so heading into all these lofty goals has been super scary for me to imagine getting through much less with a halfway desirable pace.
No, I’m not sick with SIBO, Colitis or anything like that. In fact, as they are concerned, I have been feeling fantastic!
But I got a cold on November 10, and it morphed into a sinus infection. I got antibiotics in Minnesota, and they sort of worked. Once we returned home to California, Ceci got the flu, and then I think I picked up on some version of it plus the sinus stuff returned. I had to get another round of antibiotics late last week, and the doctor said that if it didn’t start subsiding soon, we should run some further tests since it’s been a really long time of illness for me (and up until now, I haven’t taken antibiotics for illness like this in a few years).
I spent the weekend drinking a ton of water and did zero activity until the race. I felt better almost overnight.
Once the race hit yesterday, and I was freely running, I stumbled upon so many ah-ha moments around health, running, and life. And here they are.
Hot Chocolate 15K
- Just go with it. So the 15K ended up being a 9.8K, which yes, I think is super weird that they couldn’t at least figure out how to turn into a 10K. Regardless, what happened in San Francisco was that in addition to awful rain, they were expecting up to 50mph winds on the highway, so they had to stop the race at 5.8 miles vs. 9.3. The night before, I thought to myself several times, “I’m just going to stay home and run 9.3 miles to avoid the misery.” But then, “No, just go with it.” In racing, and in life, circumstances are just not always perfect. You just go with it, and then it’s over.
- Too fast. I started way too fast. I think I got frustrated because I could not get around people fast enough, so then to make up for it, I went too fast too soon, and it caught up with me – quickly.
- Music. I didn’t even make a playlist for the event. In fact, I forgot my headphones for my phone, but luckily someone I went with borrowed me a pair, and so I just threw on a random playlist and went. The problem with that? Probably 90% of the music was slow, and that did nothing for my motivation levels. When the 10% awesome running music was on, I felt good as ever. There is something to be said for a killer playlist, so I’ll start working on one for the next race ASAP.
- Too hot. I was so paranoid about the wind, rain, and cold, that I overdressed. I wore a tank top, fleece jacket, a hat, one arm warmer, and a poncho. 1-ish mile in and I felt too warm. I know races are cold during those first moments, but they go by so quickly and then you’re left with way too much on.
- Hills. So Golden Gate Park isn’t stacked with hills by any means, but I have done zero incline training during these past couple of months. There were a few times with inclines (combined with the wind), and they kind of did me in. Hill training will be on my new schedule.
- Quad Fatigue. My quads fatigued big time around mile 3.5, and I have no idea why, but I’m guessing one of two things: not enough muscle memory in general and/or the hills and wind factor. Either way, I need to work on my leg strength because in no way, shape, or form should I be fatigued at mile 3.5. Ever.
- WP Thyroid. I think it’s working, I think it’s working, I think it’s working. Yesterday was the last day of my female cycle (I thought it had started, in fact, but no), and that’s typically one of the worst days for cramping (mid-cycle to Day 2). I made it all the way through with barely a cramp. In fact, most of my runs these past couple of weeks have been the same. I need to knock on wood immediately, but I still believe that this lingering issue has been all hormone related, and now that I’m almost done with month 2 (I think it’s been that long anyways) of WP Thyroid, I can safely say that I believe the pain is lessening. If ever a month comes and it’s gone, I’ll cry. Like literally. It’s been years.
- Kindness. I went with 4 women to the event. Three of them ran the 15K as well, and the 4th just decided she would drive us there, drop us off, and pick us up. Can I just say that what she did for us was incredibly kind! We left at 5:30 am. It rained and poured the whole way there, and she just did it all for us. She made what could have been a much worse experience, simple and great. (Side note: I didn’t know these 4 women very well before yesterday, but learned through conversation that they all love the Lord like I do, so that made me super excited, too, to share faith + running with them!)
- Water. I hate water, but towards the end of my 2-month sickness, I had this ah-ha moment. “What if the lingering sickness, body aches, and pains are simply due to my lack of hydration with the amount of running I’m doing?” So the past few days, I infused my system with water. I started aiming for 1/2 gallon to a gallon a day. Like a miracle, all my aches and pains have gone away. I mean, was that really all it was?! Time will tell, but I’ve sparked a new interest in hydration, hydration, and more hydration.
- The road ahead. Let me be perfectly honest with you…..those running goals I have set for 2017 are probably way over my head. But I’m not changing them, not now, and not unless I need to. What I’m doing is focusing on one thing, one day, one run at a time. So what’s next? The plan is to run the Livermore 1/2 at the end of March. Next weekend during my wellness retreat(!!) I’ll write the plan. I need to do more runs to build muscle memory, more lifting sessions to build strength and endurance, and more sessions with intervals and hills. I really want to run a great 1/2 marathon. But for today? A light warm up on my new (used) treadmill (!), an upper body workout, high-quality food, a new batch of bone broth, and nothing crazy on the legs.
The rain never lasts, and after the rain always comes the rainbow.
Upwards and onwards.
Question: If you’re reading this, and you’re a competitive runner, what do you think have been the things that have helped improve your speed most?
p.s. I might be getting “old,” but for all the battles that made up yesterday, 51st out of 531 females aged 30 – 34 made me very happy. And I still have another year in that age group!
Xox,
SKH
Spartan Training, Week 6
My new shoes arrived for Spartan Training, Week 6.
{This post is part of my 101 Days of Blogging series, inspired by Experience Life magazine’s 101 Revolutionary Ways to Be Healthy, authored by Pilar Gerasimo.}
Day 41: Filter Your Water
You’ll drink more when it tastes pure and you know it’s clean — and when it’s readily available. If plain water doesn’t turn your crank, enjoy water with a slice of lemon, orange, cucumber, or a splash of juice. Revolutionary Act #41, powered by Experience Life
I got the Reebok All Terrain Super 2.0‘s.
I loved them the first day of training, but after my Thursday run, I had the worst blister that I couldn’t even use them for my long run on Saturday. I still love them, and I think they just need much more time to be broken in.
They have “cleat-like” bottoms, which I already found is great for gripping on those uphill sprints. And seriously, how awesome are they in red, white and blue?! (Note: I realize they are never going to stay looking this good. Even after one day of doing my uphill sprints at the gym, they are dusty and dirty.)
I learned this past week that my body doesn’t want or need 5 days of training. More is not more, and for me, more is just simply not better. During this past year I have worked out zero, then 2 days per week, 3, 4 and now 5.
I am learning that 3-4 is my sweet spot, and for the duration of this training, I’ll do 4 days. I’ll reassess post-race. My workouts have been so hard that 5 days is too much for this recovering autoimmune and adrenal fatigue girl.
My weekly workouts:
Monday: Spartan 300 + general upper body + abs circuit
Tuesday: Legs + 16 uphill bodyweight sprints (8 with 35lb plates + 8 without) + 1/2 round Spartan 300 “Cardio” Circuit
Wednesday: OFF
Thursday: 4-mile run (3 of those miles at 8:10/mile pace)
Friday: Upper body with abs circuit
Saturday: 9-mile run
Sunday: OFF
Susie, who I am doing the race with, told me that the uphill climbs are with 40lb sand bags. For that reason, I increased my uphill sprints from the 25-to-35 pounds. It’s hard, but felt good!
I took the day off from working out yesterday as I had dental work done, and so I’m feeling refreshed and ready for a hard workout early this morning!
Xox,
SKH
To get involved in the #MyRevAct campaign, follow @ExperienceLifeMag on Instagram and post your own revolutionary ways to be healthy using #myrevact. In the meantime, read the best in healthy living at ExperienceLife.com.
Polar Loop Review
The Polar Loop Review and #ReThinkYourDay post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Polar. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
My Monday – Sunday Minimalist Workout Schedule
Many of you wanted to know more about my workouts, so I promised to tell you about my current one(s) today!
As I’ve mentioned several times over the past few weeks, I no longer have the time or desire to spend countless hours in the gym. My goals and my priorities are different. I’m loving the change, and so is my body!
Less is more for me, for now.
I currently have 3 workouts I toggle between. I’ll break them down for you.
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RUNNING
My first goal with running in 2014 is to run a 1:45 half marathon in June at the Rock ‘n Roll San Diego. In case you don’t know how that breaks down, it’s an average pace of 8:00/mile for 13.1 miles. Currently, my half-marathon PR was in 2009 with a 1:48:30 finish at the Nike Women’s Half in San Francisco. My “true training” begins Monday, April 7. I used to train for months on end, but I learned that that did nothing for my gut healing and/or fitness levels. Less is more, and being smart is critical. (The crossed-out days for weeks 1 and 2 mean that I’ve done these already. I have this template in Excel, and if you want it, just contact me and I’ll email it to you. Or, simply Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board. And yes, they were awesome runs!)
I began training a couple weeks ago. I only run two days per week. On those days, I only run (and foam roll, stretch). I run fast (intervals and tempo). I am not doing any “long runs” yet. I will save these for my true training. This running schedule will take me to about mid-March, which will allow a couple week break before true training begins.
LIFTING
I am doing the 14 Week Total Beautiful Badass-ification Nia Shanks Workout Program. It’s a bodyweight program. My 14 weeks will actually be longer because I’m only doing it 2 vs. 3 days per week. I’m finding that the more balance I put into my workouts: running + strength + cardio-strength, the better I feel – the quicker I heal – the stronger I get.
This program of Nia’s ROCKS, though. I always recommend Nia.
RANDOM CHALLENGE-ING
So I’m “that girl” who decided to take on a 30-day challenge. No, I’m not doing the 30-day squat challenge and 30-day ab challenge because I want my butt to lift higher or abs to pop. I’m doing it because they are both helping with cardio-strength for me, which is an added benefit for my half-marathon training. I need to get stronger and quicker if I’m going to run a 1:45, so each day when I do these challenges, I don’t take breaks. I don’t do 10 squats, rest, 10 squats, rest, etc. I crank them all out at once. I am currently up to 150 squats and 100 abs. My 30-day challenge will last longer than 30 days because I don’t do it every single day.
Again, my priorities do not lie in and around the gym any longer. 45 minutes is all I allow myself (some of the longer tempo runs will take more than 45 minutes once I get to them – the only exception). I take two FULL rest days, and one day where I’m only doing something for about 15-20 minutes.
This new, more minimalist way of approaching workouts is working for me.
If you’re burned out, not seeing results or simply just have shifting priorities like I do, I’d strongly recommend creating your own minimalist workouts. Feel free to copy mine 🙂
p.s. I’m going to get some new, cute workout gear today. I realized after writing 10 Must-Have Fitness Gear Essentials for 2014, that some new cuteness will complement this nicely.
Love your guts,
SKH
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