Looking and Feeling Your Best

 It's a new year.  New resolutions.  New goals.  New outlooks.  I'm right there too!  With a new year brings new hopes.  A sense of a refreshed start.

Every year one of my resolutions/goals is to 1) lose weight by 2) exercising more.  But here's my problem.  I don't like to exercise if it feels like exercise.  I can't just go to the gym or pop in a DVD, because that is exercising.  Give me a garden to weed (not my own though) or furniture to move and I'm in!  Because that doesn't feel like exercising.  So what are some other ideas or suggestions that I found?

1. Dance the night away - Yes, I admit, I'm totally jealous when I see the folks that are part of any of those dancing shows.  But for me personally, I have 2 left feet.  I even took ballroom dancing in college to try to get help.  It didn't help.  I can do a mean sprinkler move though, so I have that going for me.  But apparently, dancing is one of the best ways to burn calories, tone muscles, and feel incredible. Maybe I need to work on my lack of skill in the comfort of my own home.  With the blinds closed.
2. Take the long way home - No, that doesn't mean drive the long way home and waste expensive gas.  It means, walk to places that are within walking distance instead of driving.  I do this.  Sometimes at least.  I walk or jog the entire .3333 miles to the post office to get my mail.  And I take my little plump doggy too.  She needs it just as much as I do.  I haven't been brave enough to walk the 1/2 mile to work, only because it's down the busiest roads in town.  Scary!
3. Nature Calls - You know those perfectly beautiful days in the spring?  The days that you just yearn to be outside doing something since you finally can without freezing or the sun going down early.  Yea, so do that.  Go outside and do something.  Go hiking, walking, or whatever.  I'm pretty darn lucky.  2 hours from Yosemite, 2 hours from the ocean, 2 hours from San Francisco.  In 2 hours, I could be anywhere but home and walk around enjoying the scenery, different scenery.
4. Sporty Spice - As a kid, did you play any sports?  Or enjoy any physical activities?  Me you ask.  Sure...  There was that one year in 5th grade I played soccer.  I could kick a mean soccer ball, but I couldn't run around chasing it for the duration of the game.  And I ran cross country one season.  Then I realized I couldn't run the duration of the meet.  (See a trend here.  And why do I want to run a 5k?)  One thing I loved doing though, was roller blading.  In fact, I still have them and plan on pulling them out one of these days.  Here's some trivia for you, did you know you can burn 400 calories per hour fishing?  I know, crazy!

So there you have it.  Easy ways to get out and get moving.  By getting off the couch and moving those limbs can improve your fitness level, reduce stress and increase happiness.  So...what are you waiting for...?

For the full article go here.

5 Steps to Running a Marathon for a Couch Potato

aka: ME!

Not only did I stumble upon this site somewhere on the web (can't remember), but my sister also sent me the link. Geez!

So 5 steps, eh?

Step 1: Drop the "jogging myth"
Jogging does count as running! Jogging is running!

Step 2: Slow down
Run (jog) at a comfortable pace so you don't get tired. This will help reduce the lactic acid build up in your muscles that causes soreness.

Step 3: Listen to your body
You want to maintain a certain heart rate. So pay attention to your breathing. Listen to your heart. How's your vision?

Step 4: Become a fat burner, not a sugar burner
You want to burn fat, slowly. Sugar burns up quickly. Imagine lighting a match, sugar is the head that flares up then dies. Fat is more like burning coal, slowly. Become a fat burner by consuming more good fats and less sugar.

Step 5: Believe!
If you truly believe you can do it, you will!

So who's ready to run a marathon???

Ok, maybe a 5k...?

Get a Flat Belly Without Diet or Exercise

YES PLEASE! That's exactly what I want. A flat belly. Sans the diet or exercise.

Can you make that happen please?

No...? Fine! Here are some tips from MSN Health and Fitness.

• Perfect your posture - stand up straight! it'll help tone your tummy muscles.
  
• Drink up! - the more water you drink the less you retain. doesn't sound right does it? but it's true!
  
• Have a seat! - in regards to the bathroom... hummm...
  
• Masticate mindfully - sounds dirty doesn't it? don't scarf your food, chew it slowly and enjoy it.
  
• Turn to the "pros" - probiotics that is. they help with your digestive system.
  
• Walk it off - 30 minutes a day, that's all you need. a little metabolism boost never hurt anyone.
  
• Give up gum - something about ending up with more air that makes you puffy. but I use gum as a hunger suppressant.
  
• Supplement! - take your vitamins!
  
• Relax already! - stress causes bad hormones to be generated, so take 20 minutes a day to relax and unwind.
  
• A chuckle a day - apparently laughing will target a muscle that most ab workouts won't reach. plus, who doesn't love a good laugh?
  

Ok, now go read all about it for more details and information.

Time Change

I love the time change. The extra daylight. The sunny weather. The blooming flowers. A-a-a-choo!

But boy do I hate the time change. About this time every day since Monday I hit a brick wall. Then I want to lean against or lay down next to said brick wall and take a nap. I have every intention of walking when I get home because it's lighter later, but I end up sitting down and falling asleep. All energy and intentions are out the window.

To Run a 5K

Remember how one of my new year resolutions is to run a race of some sort? Like a 5k?

Confusion time. I haven't "trained" really at all. I've gone on a couple walks so far, but nothing serious or consistent.

So I was wandering around the web and came across this page, The Couch-to-5K Running Plan.

I like plans. And I like following directions. So maybe I have something to train by.

3 times a week, huh? That's doable!

Kaitlin, are you ready to train with me?