May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions!

So I'm usually not really into the whole resolution thing. As I think about the past year and look forward to another, there are a few goals that I have for myself. In no particular order...more just as I think of them, here are my goals for the upcoming year.

Keep up running. Ever since I decided to train for the Buffalo Creek Half Marathon, I have been running a lot. The benefits have been amazing. Not only did I lose all the baby weight I gained when pregnant with Miles, I lost an additional 15 pounds. In addition to that, I feel good about myself and am a happier person. There are two passages that sum up my love for running from a book I am currently reading (Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving--and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity)...

• We’re running to process a bad day and, in doing so, make it better. We’re running to set a good example for our children. We’re running to feel lean, strong, empowered, and graceful. Although we’re not running the country (yet), we’re definitely getting in shape to do so.

• For an overstressed, overtired, overextended mother, there are few other sensations that rival a delicious run. Once the sweat starts running down my temples, I daydream, analyze, smile, wonder, channel something cosmic. I feel alive and, perhaps most importantly, like myself again.

Make sure to spend some alone time with my husband. This marriage won't really work if Kevin and I don't work. An important part of that is just spending time together...going out to dinner with just us, playing a game, talking, anything. It doesn't have to be special, it just needs to be us. We are planning a second honeymoon to celebrate our 6th Anniversary in the fall so that should be great relaxing along time for us!

More family time. Of course this means more time with the four of us. It's amazing that even in the past two weeks how much both Maddie and Miles have grown and changed. In addition, we definitely want to be sure to spend time with our extended families as well.

Read more books. I have such a huge list of books I want to read, but just haven't made the time yet. Usually it seems that I only read books at the beach. I would really like to read a book each month. I really would like to read a few before the movies come out (The Help and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)...of course not that I'll see the movies when they are released, but I need a goal date. 

Clean House. It became very evident as we were cleaning for our appraisal that we have too much stuff. I'm sure there are people out there who need a lot of it way more than we do. I want to go through each room, sort out what we need, and give away the rest. Very Lean/5S so I guess it works for me. 

Enjoy Life. I think this is pretty self explanatory.

2010 was a wonderful year. I am looking forward to all the the new year has to offer. I hope that 2011 brings everyone what they are looking for.

Enjoy~

What a year!

2010 has truly been an amazing year for the Doyle's. There were many milestones, events, and accomplishments in 2010. 

Of course the biggest event was Miles J finally making his way into the world on March 15th. He took his good old time and that has been his attitude ever since. He is the most laid back, happy boy we have ever met. He definitely brings a new dynamic to our lives and we are very happy to have him.

Kevin and I both turned 30 this year. Kevin in March and me in July. We had a joint party with family and friends to celebrate the milestone. Nothing too spectacular or crazy, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

In November, Kevin and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. It doesn't seem possible that it has been 5 years since the snowy November day that we finally got married and then had a blast celebrating with family and friends. We commemorated the event by enjoying a nice dinner out, staying at the same bed and breakfast as our wedding night, and going to a Pens game where we sat in amazing seats at center ice. 

Madeline turned 3 in December and continues to enrich our lives. It's amazing to see how much she has grow and changed over the years. She brings a unique perspective to our lives and it's fun to see what she thinks of and says next. For the most part she is enjoying her little brother and is very protective of him. Now that he is crawling and exploring more he's starting to bug her a little more. It will be fun to watch the two interact even more.

Both Kevin and I are running lots. We both ran well at the Buffalo Creek Half Marathon; Kevin won and I ran a PR by 7 minutes. I decided that the half was a fun distance (apparently turning 30 makes you crazy) and ran the Nittany Valley Half Marathon in December and have already signed up for the Pittsburgh Half in May. I can say that running A LOT really helps lose the baby weight and get back into good shape. Now we are doing are best to get out the door during the crazy Ebensburg winter. I think after the new year a dreadmill may be on the horizon.

It's been over a year and the kitchen is almost complete. Just a few trim pieces here and there and it's done! It's a huge improvement and even though it was a ridiculous amount of work, we are really happy with the results.

In what spare time we have between work, kids, running, the house, we also fit in time with family and friends.

It's been a heck of a year, but we wouldn't have it any other way. We hope that 2010 has been everything that you hoped and wish you nothing but the best in the upcoming year!

Love, The Doyle's - Kevin, Julie, Madeline, and Miles

The results are in....

When I started this blog, I hoped to use it to follow my journey of getting back into shape after Miles was born. It sort of evolved to following our lives with M&M and less on the running/exercise. That's ok by me, since there is only so much running talk I can take! Saturday October 16th was my goal race, the Buffalo Creek Half Marathon. 

Since I hadn't run a step from August 2009 to April 2010, I decided to start my training routine for the half in July, 15 weeks out. At first the mileage was low and my pace was slow, but I stuck with it. There were certainly many times I didn't feel like running for one reason or another. But I stuck with it and got my butt out the door. It really helped to have a buddy for the long runs. Sarah, I doubt I could have made it through this without you!

At the end of each month, I saw improvement. My miles were increasing and my pace was decreasing. At the beginning, I couldn't have imagined being able to run an 8:40 pace during a race. By the end, I was easily running that pace for my easy runs for the week. 

Month	Distance	Avg Pace
	(miles)	(min/mile)
May	32.3	10:11
June	36.45	9:50
July	71.8	9:26
August	86.5	9:08
September	109.1	8:55
October	62.8	8:37

So after 15 weeks and 311 miles of training, how did it go?

I PRed by close to 7 minutes and finished in a time of 1:45:26. That equates to a pace of 8:03/mile. I am very happy with my time. It certainly wasn't easy. There were 2 times where I really questioned what the heck I was doing, but in the end I am really glad I went out and ran my best. On a side note, Kevin won the race in a time of 1:09:54.9. We are all so proud of him too! 

Kevin finishing the race - Top finisher!

Almost at the finish line - 4th/45 in my age group and 149/514 finishers overall

The family after the race - Kevin, Maddie, Me, Miles

My mom asked me if I have changed my mind about running a full marathon after I was done. I am still pretty firmly going to go with "no" on that one. I really have no desire to run anything longer than 13.1.  I will be taking the next couple days off to recoup. Then it will back at it to train for the Nittany Valley Half in December. This one is going to be a lot tougher; big hills to deal with and most likely really cold temperatures. This is the the type of half where you look to get out and run with other motivated people and finish. I am also looking to next Spring and what other races I want to enter to keep me getting out the door every day. I'm really thinking about doing the half marathon in Pittsburgh next May.

Getting out and training for this really got me into running again. It has also helped me lose the baby weight and then some. Hopefully I will find ways  to keep it up during the winter when it's dark, snowy, and cold. I'm thinking the Doyle's need to break down and get a treadmill. Happy Running!

A few pictures

The kiddos sure have changed a lot in the past few months! Here are a few of the latest pictures:

Miles hanging out on the patio in his bouncer

Maddie being a goofball as usual

The whole family @ the family reunion

That's really it for now. I am trying to write my blog posts during lunch at work so I update a little more frequently. We'll see how that goes.

As always, Kevin and I are both on facebook. Find us there for more frequent updates and pictures of the kids and family!

Enjoy~

Thank Goodness it’s Brecanday

Like most people these days, we Doyle’s are busy. We are going non-stop from the time we get up to when we finally collapse on to the couch for a little time until it’s time for bed. A typical day for us? Well, we both get up around 5am. Kevin is out the door to meet up with Art for a run and I try to get in a little strength training. Then we both get ready for work. I’m out the door first. Mad props to my husband who gets both kids up and ready for their day. Then it’s a long day at work. I usually get home first and try to get out the door on my run as quickly as I can. While I am out, Kevin and the kids get home and he gets them settled. I get home a short time later and we start on dinner. After dinner, we spend as much time as we can with Maddie and Miles. Then it’s time for the tag-team. One person cleans up the kitchen and the other starts getting the kids ready for bed. By the time both kids are down, it’s 8 PM at the earliest. I can’t even imagine the lives of people who work more than one job or what it’s going to be like when the kids have activities to participate it!

You would think we could get some reprieve on the weekend, but we would need some free ones! Look at our August –

• the first weekend (8/7-8) was Miles and Maelan’s baptism so we tried to finish up a few projects and clean up the house and backyard. At least we were home…

• the second weekend (8/14-15) we were away for a family reunion

• the third weekend (8/21-22) I was away for a bridal shower/bachelorette party, so Kevin was home with both kids by himself

• the fourth & last weekend(8/28-29) is finally a free weekend!

The same thing is going to happen in a couple weeks time again. We have 4 weekends in a row with travel or guests or something going on so we won’t have time to stop moving.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my life. I couldn’t imagine a place without Kevin and my kids. I enjoy working. I also love to spend time with our families and friends. I just wish there was more time for it all. Ideally I could work a modified work schedule like a 9-80 or 4-10s, but that doesn’t seem like it will be a possibility any time soon. So, to help with the lack of time, I have decided that scientists need to come up with a way to add an extra day in the week. I’m thinking it could be between Wednesday and Thursday and should be called Brecanday. That’s from the Old English word for break...I was trying to be somewhat consistent on how the days of the week were named. It would be a day when you get a break from the craziness in your life and you can use it to do what you normally don’t find the time to. I would use it to clean my house and do the hobbies that I don’t have time for now or spend time with my family. I’m sure you are thinking, “why would you spend your free day cleaning the house?” Well, a dirty and cluttered house just causes me to stress out. Having 2 kids and a husband means my house is constantly a mess. Even my fortune cookie yesterday was telling me my house needed to be cleaned. I was hoping to insert a picture of the fortune, but can't find it. In any case it said, There are domestic matters that need your attention. Having the extra time to clean and organize it would mean less stress during the week. Then I would use the rest of the day for whatever would make me happy that day. So if it means I do something fun with the kids and Kevin, I curl up on the couch and read a book, I bake cookies, or I do something crafty, it doesn’t matter as long as it’s something that makes me happy.

Next year, hopefully I’ll have some vacation days to spare. So when I need a break from the craziness in my life, I can declare it to be Brecanday.

By George I think she's got it, well mostly anyway

Three weeks ago we took the big plunge into potty training Maddie. Up to that point we hadn't really put a lot of effort into it. If Maddie wanted to sit on the potty she would, but never did anything. I finally decided I was sick of changing diapers on two kids so it was about time Maddie was potty trained. The first few days were a trial, but it got continually better. This past week she only had 2-3 accidents in 7 days. 

It all started with what I called Potty Training Boot Camp. It was a very intense 3 days of getting Maddie used to using the potty and wearing big girl underwear. On a Friday we said good bye to diapers and hello to underwear. That first day was pretty stressful for both Maddie and me. There were way more accidents than successes, but we did have a few successes so that gave us enough encouragement to keep going. The program said the child would be completely trained by the end of the third day. That didn't happen for us, but the change from Friday to Sunday was pretty dramatic. To go from a kid who wouldn't do anything to one who finally sit and go on the potty was a huge step.

So we used the 3 days as a starting point and kept going from there. We have all come to realize the signs that she needs to go to the potty and get her there in time. In fact, this past week she consistently told us when she needed to use the potty!.Giving her special treats for each success has also helped get her trained too. I'm hoping to start weaning that system because she has had way more candy/sugar in the past 3 weeks than in her whole life.

Maddie still have a little ways to go, but we are so proud of how well she has done!

I think I'll take a moment, celebrate my age...

Well, it's finally upon me...my 30th birthday. I'm good with turning 30. How could I not be? When I look at my life I just get a big smile on my face. I have so much to be thankful for so I shall reflect on that.

I am married to a man who I love more than almost anything (he and the kids are neck and neck), who makes me incredibly happy, supports me in everything I do, puts up with my idiosyncrasies, and is just an all around amazing Dad and person. It's almost unbelievable that we started dating when we were mere children of 15/16 and now, almost 15 years later ,see where our lives have taken us. I have two beautiful kids who love to laugh and play. Maddie has such a personality. It's so much fun to be around her and see what she'll do or say next.  Even if you can't always understand her. Like Will said last night, "Maddie was saying, well I couldn't really understand her because her voice is so high." Miles is just a happy and pleasant baby (even if he is crying right now and doesn't want to go to sleep). It's so fun to watch him reach milestones and discover all the new things the world has to offer.

I wouldn't be who I am today if it wasn't for my parents. They showed me that I can do anything I put my mind too. They too have supported me with all of my decisions (even if that meant going to PSU). They set a wonderful example of parenting that I now use with my own kids. I didn't have sisters, but I am lucky to have two incredible brothers. I enjoy  spending time with them and seeing where their lives have taken them. I am so proud of the men they have become. 

When you get married or your family members get married, you get all sorts of new family. Many times that doesn't work out so well. I think I struck the in-law lottery many times over! My parents-in-law, in addition to raising an amazing son, love me like a daughter. I know that whenever we are with them, it will always be a good time. While I don't have any sisters, I have 4 sisters-in-law who I would have picked, if I had the choice, to have as sisters. I can't forget about my brother-in-law. He's definitely quirky, but a great guy who brings a fun perspective to everyday life.

I am also blessed with many friends. Missy and I can go weeks and even months without talking. But when we get together or talk, it's like a day hasn't passed since we last spoke. We have so many fun memories together she is also like the sister I never had. (Man, for someone who had no sisters, I seem to be up to 5 now!) I miss my PSU girls, but I love our yearly girls trips and how they put up with my innate inability to talk on the phone. We are lucky to now have all our running club friends who make life in Eburg a ton of fun!

In addition to all the wonderful people in my life, I have a job that I like, hobbies I enjoy, sports I love to watch, and so many other things I am thankful for. If it all gets to be too much (and even when it's all good), I can get out and go for a run to think and clear my head. 

So yeah, this post is kind of a love fest, but I love my life! I thank God everyday for all the blessings I have been given (or worked for). Here's to my next 30 years (and hopefully many more after that too). I hope they are as incredible as my first 30 years!

What's up with the Doyles?

It's been a while since I posted anything. I figured that would happen when I went back to work. With work/my commute taking up 10+ hours a day, then running and spending time with my family, it doesn't leave time for much else. So what have we been up to the past month or so? 

The Doyle's are enjoying the summer. We are spending a lot of time outside in our backyard on our patio or porch. We are still planning to do the 30 day project. The first one was going to be do 30 days with no TV, mostly because I thought we watched too much. Well, since coming back from vacation we have really cut back on the amount of TV we watch. So, since we aren't watching as much and we don't want to have to pay for TV we aren't going to watch, we are putting this off. So the first 30 day project will be from Bonnie's suggestion to buy locally. The farmers market in E-burg starts at the end of July so we are going to start this after that...don't want to make this too complicated! Onto the the family members...

Miles - He is almost 4 months old now. It's amazing how the time flies. He is still a big boy and keeps growing and growing. Miles recently discovered his feet, so now he keeps trying to eat them. He has transitioned well to day care and they just love him (I don't see how they couldn't)! Miles is just a happy guy who is always smiling and laughing.

Maddie - Her vocabulary continues to grow! Maddie also loves to repeat everything, so it's a good thing it isn't hockey season. She continually cracks us up with her keen insight into the world around her. We are working on potty training..but that's a story for another blog post. Mad is loving summer and playing and running around outside. 

Kevin - He is still doing the software engineering gig in Altoona. He isn't working the 9-80 work schedule anymore which is a bummer for both him and the kids. But he is home earlier week nights which we like. Kev has started to run more and even ran in a few races, but lately has been dealing with a nagging calf injury. Hopefully he takes care of himself so he can make his Half Marathon debut in October.

Julie - You can tell I write this because mine is the longest! The transition back to work wasn't too bad. I do miss getting to sleep in later than 5 am. I have lots of projects on, so there isn't time to spend missing the kids. I will say that it was easier to go back to work after Maddie in March. Going back in June when the weather is nice and we had just started to spend a lot of time outside was rough. I am running 5 days a week and just started to train for the Buffalo Creek Half Marathon in October. I decided to change my target race since Kevin and a few people in our running club said they would do it. This time I have a training buddy (yeah Sarah!), so that will make the long runs much easier! I am also really into Harry Potter right now. I have all 7 books, but never read 6 or 7. About a month ago, I decided that before the movie for part 1 of the 7th book came out, I should finish reading all the books. Since I couldn't really remember everything I thought it would be good to re-read the first 5 books. I am almost done with book 5. So, I think I will be able to finish the books in time.

Doppelgangers

For many people there is someone out there that looks a lot like them. In today's society, this has become known as a doppelganger. Usually the doppelganger is some celebrity, but Maddie has some ideas of her own on doppelgangers. 

 

Look-a-like 1:

My mom and I both love the brand Life is good. The store Kitty Hawk Kites in the Outer Banks usually has a section in each of their stores that sells Life is good things. Inevitably, we will go to the store and buy t-shirts, hats, or other items. The tag on each of these items has a picture of the Life is good mascot, Jake. A tag from a shirt my mom had purchased was sitting in her room at our beach house. Maddie picked up the tag, looked at it and said..."It's Daddy." What do you think?

Look-a-like 2:

Today I was finishing up the dinner for father's day (we had Beer Butt Chicken, broccoli, and potatoes if you cared). As I was working, Maddie was playing in the living room with some of her toys. After a while, she came running into the kitchen saying something I couldn't quite make out. I turned around, looked at the toy she was holding and realized she was saying, "It's Grandad." I think she was a little closer with this one. 

30 days until I'm 30

I realized yesterday that it was only 30 days until my 30th birthday. I have no fears and am not dreading turning 30. Maybe I'll reflect on that later. So what to do to celebrate my 30th? A trip to Vegas? Maybe a night out on the town? What about a big rockin' party in Crestwood? While all of those sound fun, what I really want to do is spend the day with my family (Kevin and the kids, my parents, siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews, etc). What could we do that would be fun for the whole crowd? 

Go to the Pittsburgh Zoo of course! It's been quite a while since we have been there and Maddie has never been to the Zoo. She loves animals so it should be a very fun day. Then we plan to top it off with dinner at a place that is great for a big family...Buca di Beppo! We are also going to celebrate Kevin's 30th too since we didn't really celebrate it because we were  waiting (impatiently) for Miles to arrive. It should be a very fun day to celebrate this milestone in our life!

One chapter ends and another begins

This past Wednesday was my first day back to work after Maternity leave. One of the best pieces of advice I got before Maddie was born was to start back to work in the middle of the week. My new advice for anyone about to go on maternity leave is to spend 2 weeks at the beach just before going back to work. Being a parent, especially when you have more than 1 kid, can be stressful so there is nothing like a nice relaxing vacation to help get you ready for the grind again.

I really enjoyed my leave. It was amazing to see Miles transform from a lump (as Kevin calls him) into a little boy who smiles, coos, and laughs. Maddie was home 3 days a week. It was wonderful to spend so much time with her. We got to do all sorts of crafts, read books, color, and blow bubbles.

When I first opened up Outlook on my first day, I had 1137 unread emails in my inbox, which is a bit ridiculous, but I only checked email once when off so that was to be expected. I have been able to whittle that number to under 50. Other than checking emails, I spent most of my time catching up with people and showing off pictures of the kids. The real fun starts next week when I learn what projects I will be working on and setting my objectives for the year.

Now that I am back to work, I suspect that I will have fewer posts. Hopefully I'll update soon on how my running/getting back into shape is going. I also have a few ideas to share related to our trip to the beach.

Have a wonderful weekend!

How Big is He?

There is no denying that Miles is a big boy. People always stop me when we are out shopping to see the baby and can't believe he is only 2 months old. His measurements at birth put him in the "above 95 percentile." He hasn't had an official measurement since he was 2 weeks old and he was already up to 10 pounds. I took a picture of Miles in the same swing at the same age as Maddie to compare the two. The first picture is of Maddie at 63 days. The second picture is of Miles at 60 days. The picture of Maddie is a little lower in the swing, but the scale is exactly the same. Aside from the fact that it's a terrible picture of Miles, you can see he is bigger than Maddie at the same age!

Miles goes back to the doctor for his 2 month check-up on Thursday. Any bets? What length and weight do you think Miles will be?

Maddie (2 years, 5 months) and Miles (2 months)

I CAN do this!

As anyone who is trying to get back into a routine, and more specifically get into a running routine knows, there will be times when you fall into a lull. I am experiencing such a lull. I have seen some small results. I have lost a few pounds, noticed that I am getting stronger, and am losing some inches (I even tried on my bridesmaid dress again and it fit much looser). But, the motivation from just starting out has certainly worn off. Today when Kevin got home I was very content to just stay in my warm, dry house and hang out with my kids and husband. The reality is I am still far from my goals and if I want to accomplish them, I need to get my butt out the door. So in the end I psyched myself up, got out of my comfy clothes, into my running gear and hit the road.

The run today wasn't easy. I still feel out of shape since I'm not as fast as I used to be (not that I am fast by any means). Towards the end of my run, I stepped off the side of the road to move away from a car and right into a puddle. But, I did it. I got out and ran even when I really didn't feel like it. My pace was even 20 seconds faster than I had been averaging (and I have dropped about 2 minutes from my pace since starting). Plus I feel great for getting out and running. 

If I get to a point when whatever I am doing seems too hard and not worth the effort, I always think about my relationship with Kevin. The first 2 years were the easy just starting out period. Then we went away to college. For the next 7 years, we lived at least an hour apart. For two of those years we were 7 hours apart. There were many times during those 7 years that I was completely miserable. I loved Kev and knew that he was who I was "meant to be with." So I did what I had to do to make it through. Now we have been married for close to 5 years and have 2 amazing kids. I couldn't be happier and I always try to remember this.

So for anyone out there, especially a new Mom, who is trying to lose weight and get back into running, you can do it! There will be times that it will be hard and you don't want to run or workout, but it will be worth it. If you need any motivation or someone to help psych you up, let me know how I can help!

On and off the wagon

This past weekend was the Curve Home Run 5k Race at the Blair County Ball Park and Lakemont Park. All the participants got a free ticket to the Curve game that evening and the overall winners got to throw out one of the first pitches. It sounded like a fun event for members of our running club to do. So after at least a year of all of us trying to get Kevin to run in any race, he finally decided to do one. It had been 4 years since he last ran in a race, so I was looking forward to the kids seeing Daddy doing something that had been such a huge part of his life, he loved doing, and was really good at. Even though he may not admit it, I know he was nervous since it had been 4 years since he ran a race. In spite of the fact that he doesn't have as much time to run as he once did, Kevin was able to go out and win the race.  Congrats to all who ran. Here are the results. Unfortunately, the weather was not on our side, so the kids and I ended up staying home. Hopefully, he'll decide to do another race this summer and we can watch Daddy run in that one. I'm also trying to convince him to run the Great Race, so we'll see how that goes. No matter what, I am very proud of him and can't wait to actually see him race since I love to watch him run. Since Kevin won the 5k, he got to throw out a first pitch at the game. Below is a picture from that. It's a little blurry since I was trying to wrangle both kids and take the picture. The very tall guy behind him is the actor Quinton Aaron from The Blind Side.

We also got to take a family picture at the game. It was very cold and windy, which is easy to see by the look on Maddie's face.

So Kevin got back on the wagon this weekend and I sort of fell off. I think it was a combination of being busy, tired, and just wanting to be lazy yesterday, but I haven't run since Thursday. Plus with first Friday and going to the Curve game, we really didn't eat very healthy either. I must say I definitely feel the effects from not running and eating too much pizza...I feel like a slug (as Kevin often says when he hasn't run in a while). It's not a good feeling, so today I'm getting back on the wagon. I've already done my circuit training and will be going out for a run when Kevin gets home from work. I know that when I go back to work in a month it will be a lot harder to make sure I get ample exercise in. I really need to use the next few weeks to get into a good routine that I can keep up exercising either before or after work.

Checking up on myself

Each year, my company sponsors a health risk assessment (HRA). It entails getting your vital statistics checked (height, weight, body fat %, and BMI) as well as a blood draw to check your cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides, etc. There is also a questionnaire to be completed that asks about your lifestyle. Based on both parts, you receive a biometric score. If you fall into the "increase risk" or "high risk" group then you have to complete a health coaching program. For the most part it's a voluntary thing, but they do offer a pay incentive (a small lump sum to be paid in a future pay) if you complete everything (including the health coach part if you fall into that group). I know many people who don't want to do it because they say it's just another way for the insurance companies to have information against you to deny a claim. Even if that's true, wouldn't you want to know where you stand so you can become a healthy person and reduce your risks for many diseases?

Our occupational nurse called me prior to the two dates when the assessments would be offered to let me know that since I was on maternity leave, I didn't have to complete the first part and could just fill out the questionnaire to qualify for completing the HRA. Being only 7 weeks postpartum, my weight, body fat %, and BMI certainly aren't where they were prior to getting pregnant and are higher than I want. So do I take the easy way out or realizing that I am trying to improve my health partake anyway to get a good base to measure my improvement? I decided to do the latter and partake anyway.

On Wednesday, after fasting for 12 hours, I drove down to the Mill to get my measurements and blood drawn. While, I'm not going to say exactly what my measurements are, I will say my BMI is in the overweight range and my body fat % puts me in the obese range. It will be a few weeks until I get the blood results back. I realize that these numbers are higher than if I hadn't been pregnant (the nice nurse was going to write all over my charts that I had just had a baby on 3/15 to be sure that was taken into consideration at the insurance company). This information definitely gives me more motivation to eat healthy and continue to exercise so I get back to being in healthy ranges. My hope is that next year when it's time for the HRA again I will have exceptional numbers and show a huge improvement.

The 30 Day Project

In my last post, I mentioned a project I was thinking our family should do. In honor of the fact that Kevin and I are turning 30 this year, the project would be to try something for 30 days straight. Since Kevin has no idea who Morgan Spurlock is I figured I should explain that too. 

So, who is Morgan Spurlock? He filmed the documentary Super Size Me where he at at McDonald's three times a day for 30 days. He also had a TV Reality Series called 30 Days where he or other people completely immerse themselves  in a lifestyle. So Kevin, that is who Morgan Spurlock is and why I referenced him. If you want to know more about him, here is a link to his website.

When I Googled '30 day project' there were a lot of hits and ideas. Seems to be a pretty popular thing to attempt. So what are our ideas? Well, here are a few of them:

1) No TV

2) All home cooked meals (no take-out and as little processed food as we can manage)

3) Go green/reduce our carbon footprint

4) Spend no money (other than current bills and absolute grocery essentials)

We are looking for more ideas of things to try. Please leave any ideas in the comments for us. When we decide on a project and start, I'll post how it goes.

Go Pens!

And now for something completely different...

I decided that I need to have a post every once in a while that has nothing to do with working out or running. I have sat through many conversations that were all and only about running. Trust me, it can get very boring. 

Anyway, few weeks ago, Kevin got a phone call to complete a survey about our TV watching. He must have answered the questions correctly because based on that and our age range, we were asked to be a Nielsen Family. It doesn't seem too hard, for a week we have to record what everyone watches on each TV. To make it even more enticing they pay you $30 to do the survey. Kevin and I have debated what we should watch and if you can throw off the ratings. I think we may watch shows for an older demographic anyway. I won't go into what the commercials are, but let's just say I hope I don't have half those issues when I get older!

Yesterday we got the package in the mail with our survey booklets. They actually send you $30 in cash at the start and not after you send the booklets back. Makes me wonder how many people don't fill out the survey and just pocket the money. Our survey starts tomorrow, May 6th so for the next week we get to see how much TV we actually watch. That may be a scary and eye opening thing. Kevin and I have actually talked about doing some "projects" where we try something for 30 days a la Morgan Spurlock. One of the things we talked about was doing 30 days with no TV. Maybe once we see how much TV we actually watch that project will become a reality. Of course we will have to wait until after the Stanley Cup playoffs are over...we can't miss a game (even if the Pens somehow don't make it all the way)! We'll let you know how the TV watching/survey filling out goes.

Go Pens!

Congratulations to all who ran in Pittsburgh today!

Congratulations to all the runners who participated in the Pittsburgh Marathon, half marathon, or marathon relay today. You braved the terrible weather and a bomb scare (which is crazy) to finish your race. No matter the conditions, finishing the race is quite an accomplishment! Special congratulations go out to Pat and Ed. Pat finished his first marathon in 3:34:02 and Ed finished in 4:42:21. Great job! Congratulations to Ryan Sheehan, a friend and SFU teammate of Kevin, who won the half marathon in 1:05:13. Also, congratulations to Trent Briney, a former Hanson's teammate of Kevin, who finished fifth in the half in a time of 1:08:10. If there is anyone else we know that ran today let us know how you did! Hopefully next year I'll be able to participate in one of the races.

My running has been going well. Each time I go out I have been able to go a little further and run a little faster. So while I still feel out of shape, at least I can take away that with every run I am getting stronger. I also tend to go out and run too hard so I end up walking more than I would like. I am trying to keep my pace slower so I can maintain it longer and reduce the amount I need to walk. On my last few runs, that philosophy has worked and I have really reduced my pace and also reduced how much I walk. The warmer weather has been a good motivator too. It was so chilly and windy at the beginning of the week that in addition to feeling so out of shape, the weather was a big deterrent. I still got out on the road, so that's what counts.

After Kevin got home from work on Friday, I went out and ran my 3.1 mile loop into town. I didn't get in a run on Saturday as I planned. Both our kids let us get a good night sleep Friday night/sleep in Saturday morning so Kevin and I decided to take advantage of that instead of getting in an early morning run (Thank you Maddie and Miles!!). Friday night, Miles slept for 7 hours before waking up at 5:30 to eat. After that both he and Maddie slept in until 8:45. That's in complete contrast to last night when Miles was up every 3-4 hours. So as much as I wanted to get a run in, a good night sleep is a rarity so that won out.

Today, just before the Pens game there was a break in the weather and I was able to get out and run my 3 mile loop around Crestwood (my neighborhood). Since I went out a little slower and didn't walk as often, I was able to complete the run in 31:33. It was very humid, but overall I felt good during the run. My pace for the run was 10:29. With my first few runs closer to 11:30 - 12:00, I can really see my efforts paying off and it motivates me to keep working.

The first week back has been tough since I really want to be able to run the pace and distances like I used to. I know if I keep going out each day and putting the effort in, I will be able to get there. Nothing in life comes easy and what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger, right?

Helpful Apps I'm using

So to help with the baby weight loss and to keep track of my running, I downloaded two apps to my iPod touch that have been very helpful.

The running log is awesome and you can tell that runners have had input in what is included in the app. The app is titled Running Log and it's by Winkpass Creations. It was 99 cents to download at iTunes. It has a lot of features to track all your runs including distance, time, effort, type of run, route name, if it's a group run, a rest day, and any notes you want to add. On the main page, it has a quick overview of your stats (distance, duration, and pace) for either the week or month. Plus it will graph your runs based on pace, distance, and time. Here is a link to their website with info on the app and other apps they have available. They actually have an app to track the life of your running shoes.

To help with losing the baby weight, I downloaded an app called Tap n' Track by Nanobit Software. This one was $4.99 at iTunes. Here is a link to their web page with more information. It helps you keep track of the calories you intake during the day, how many you burn with exercise, and what you daily need is based on your weight loss goals. It reminds me of Weight Watchers although you really track calories instead of points. To start off you need to enter your starting weight, gender, age, height, job type (the activity level of your job from sedentary to exceptional active), your diet plan (from maintaining weight, to losing up to to 2 lbs/week, to gaining up to 2 lbs/week), your goal weight, and any calorie adjustments or fat/carb/food score budgets. It then calculates out what your daily caloric intake should be. Then everyday you input foods you eat for each meal or snack. The app has an extensive database you can look the items up in. You can also add any exercise you do and for how long and it adds those calories to your daily amount. So far it seems to be a pretty good app so we'll see how the weight loss journey goes and if it does help.

Starting Out

So I am now at 6 weeks postpartum and starting to get back into shape. I needed the first 6 weeks to recover from having a c-section. We can't all be as amazing as my sister-in-law Nicole who was dancing the night away 5 days after having Maelan!

I'll be using most of the summer to get back into some semblance of shape and then about 8 weeks before the Great Race start in on my 10K training plan. I started to run again on Tuesday. I did 1.5 miles at the track and it was a little painful. It didn't help that it was chilly and very windy. I hadn't run in around 8 months since a scare with the pregnancy made me stop. You have to start somewhere, right? I was able to get out for a run again on Wednesday on the roads. I ran/walked 2.5 miles in about 30 minutes. That puts my pace at 11:49 min/mile. For most of my runs prior, I was around 8:30 - 9:00 min pace. So that's what I am looking to get back to. I was hoping to get in a long walk/run with Miles today, but Maddie was sick so she is home too. So it looks like I won't be able to fit something in before going out with the girls tonight.

I found a full body circuit training workout to help get back into shape. The workout is Lose the Baby Weight Fast from fitnessmagazine.com. It's easy to do at home and seems good for my current fitness level. Hopefully as I get stronger and more fit I can find some harder workouts to do at home.

We are also making changes as a family to eat better. If I expect to lose the rest of the baby weight (and maybe more?) we definitely need to change the eating habits of our family.

To achieve my goals, I need a way to be held accountable. So having a blog is my way of helping to achieve my goals and get back into shape. I'll be chronicling my journey to get back into shape and hopefully running in the Great Race this September.