Half Marathon!

It has been a week since I ran my first half marathon. What an exhilarating experience. So many people, my mom included, asked me why I would want to put myself through it. Its hard on my body, especially with the trouble my IT band gives my knee. I paid $90 to register for it, and I didn't win any money. So why? Nobody made me.

Except that I made myself. There were so many times during my 12 week training period that I wanted to call it quits. With everything else going on in my life, this is the last way I wanted to dedicate my time. I had to take a lot of breaks to let me knee heal and rest, which was frustrating as hell. At the beginning of my 12 weeks, I wanted to give it all I had, and actually compete for a winning time. That's how I approach the shorter sprint races. I'm still new to running, having only run for a little over a year now, but I don't have fun racing unless I'm breaking PRs and placing. I'm hungry for a medal. I was never athletic in school. I cheered for my little league teams, but that was as far as it went. When I showed horses, I loved winning. I loved seeing hard work pay off. Now, I get the same feeling with running.

So after taking a lot of time off, I got to the point where I just wanted this stupid half to be over with. Just check it off my list, and be done. I didn't care anymore. My last few weeks up until the race, I didn't even do a long run on the weekends. I would run 2 or 3 miles at a time, maybe 2 or 3 times a week. When people would ask me if I was excited, I would tell them I was excited it was almost over. 

Even though I gave up caring about my finishing time, I knew that running 13 miles, no matter how slow, would still take a toll on me. I am so happy with my carb-loading experience. The 72 hours before my race, I ate over 430 carbohydrate grams a day. When they say to carb-load, it definitely doesn't mean eat some spaghetti and salad. Holy cow. 430 grams is a TON, incase anyone wasn't aware. I loved snacking so much though!! 

I'm also really glad I woke up at 3:00am to eat my final pre-race breakfast. I had some frequent marathoners disagree that waking up so early was necessary, but if I ever race a long distance again, I will definitely repeat the 3:00 breakfast. The only bad part is I never went back to sleep. While I laid there for the 2 hours before we got up to get ready, my mind must have wandered through about 30 different things. Not really what I had in mind. I raced on about 4 hours of sleep...but since I had carb-loaded and my pre-race meal was 100 grams of carbs, I have NEVER felt better during a run- energy-wise anyway. Not once did I get even slightly winded. Usually during my long training runs, I have to push myself through a wall around mile 4. Not this time. My body felt great, except of course my dang knee. It felt like it was going to snap off after the third or fourth mile. Not ideal, let me tell you.

I loved seeing all the funny signs the spectators- mostly guys with the best ones- had for us all along the course. The best ones were  "try not to suck," "remember, you PAID to do this," and "forget the race, forget the pace, lets just drink a case!" 

Around mile 10, while I was still feeling good, I knew I had it in me to speed up and finish strong. What I couldn't believe was that once I turned the corner and was making it down the last little stretch to the finish, with the biggest crowd possible on the sidelines, I went full out, as hard as I could....and nobody else made that hard push with me. No matter what my time is during a race, I will always be happy if I know I gave it all I had during that last bit to the finish and sprint my guts out. I want to know that I finished as strong as I could, despite the first leg of the race. Not that I am super fast, but I really couldn't believe nobody else was sprinting with me. But in all honesty, it made for a really cool finish, passing about 50 competitors on my last stretch of my first half marathon.

And yeah, I just said first. Before my race, I swore up and down I would never do another one, and DEFINITELY no full marathons. I would prefer to speed up my time for 5Ks. And that's true....but will I ever race another half? Yeah, maybe. I'm not addicted like everyone tried to convince me....but I would like to see how well I can do if my knee ever lets me fully recover to do another one.

We'll just see! After all, I'm only half crazy.

Oh and did I mention the perks of a Diva Run...?

Ladies and gentleman (but mostly ladies!): the fireman finish. This is who medaled me. A hunky fireman. Well, probably a model doing promotional work wearing fireman pants. Do I care? Heck no.

Plus, a champagne toast, cooooookiesssss (not a huge perk to normal people, but I hadn't had a cookie in 2 or 3 months! I ate 2, and got my professional finisher's photo holding up my cookie. I was one happy camper!), and roses. Plus, a pool party at the Baywatch Resort and tickets to the House of Blues. What an awesome day. I'm almost caught up on my sleep.

Half Marathon- Carb Loading

Finally leaving for the beach today after work with the girls. We are heading to Myrtle Beach, SC for our first half marathon, the Diva Run. Even though its only 3 hours away and a frequent vacation spot for us North Carolinians, it will still be a fun destination race to add to our growing list. 

One major thing to remember when running marathons or half marathons is your diet- CARB LOAD! Carb load like crazy. Eat a ton of carbs, and when you think you're full, eat some more. 

The reason for this is to stock your glycogen stores. That's probably one of the most lengthy topics I could write about, but for now, we'll keep it short and sweet. Your glycogen is stored in your muscle as fuel. All food you eat is either turned to glucose-which goes right into your bloodstream, or glycogen, which is stored for later. 

Here's some quick tips for carb loading before a race:

• You'll need 3.5-4 grams of carbohydrates per pound of body weight per day. Since I'm a smaller female, I leaned towards 3.5- giving me a grand total of 437.5 grams a day.
• Start carb-loading 72 hours out (my race is Sunday morning at 7:10am, so I started today- Thursday at breakfast)
• Carbs should make up 70-80% of your diet during this 72 hour period
• Limit fiber intake- high-fiber fruits and whole grains, for example
• On race day: pre-race meal should be eaten 3-4 hours to completely digest
• Pre-race meal: 15-20grams of both proteins and fats is ideal 

Some of the foods I included are quinoa, spaghetti, asparagus, and brussels sprouts. Lots of snacks too. All simple, but do the job! 

But more importantly......BEACHHHHH. Sun. and tanning. and listening to the ocean. Ahhhh. As soon as my race is over, I'm drinking a big Coors Light (or well, a normal size one, whatever) and all the seafood I can choke down. I haven't had a proper cheat meal in almost 45 days. It. Is. TIME. 

Fasted Cardio...Why even go there?

Hi, I'm Erin, and I have a love-hate (mostly hate) relationship with cardio. But, this half marathon I'm training for? Yeah, gotta fit in the extra cardio. Do I like it? Heck no. Would I rather be lifting something heavy, you betcha. But, gotta suck it up and do it. 

Got up this morning and got in fasted cardio. Here's the thing. If I've gotten enough sleep, I am your most obnoxious, cheerful morning person. But if I don't get my 8-9 hours of sleep, I am probablyyyyyyy comparable to the devil before I have my coffee. So with that said, I'm trying to get back in my morning routine of waking up at 5 and getting started. Anywhoooo. Yes. Fasted cardio.

For those of you who have never tried it, it actually is better than it sounds. Yes, you are up before your brain is, and you're working out before breakfast. But there's the key- do it before your brain realizes what you're doing! 

Here are  some of the benefits to fasted cardio:

• Burn extra calories throughout the day 
• Forces your body to use fat as an energy source (taps into those stubborn areas, like hips and thighs for women/lower abs for men)
• Burn more fat on empty stomach than with pre-workout meal hours beforehand
• While fasting and while exercising, your body releases HGH (human growth hormones), which prevents muscle being burned as an energy source 

This is from both researching the subject, and my own experience. This is totally just my opinion that fasted cardio is beneficial. Many academic types would argue it has adverse effects, and this has been a controversial topic for some time. While both sides have merit, I choose to believe it does have benefits from seeing results in myself. My advice to you? If you're really on the fence, check your own results. Just measure your body fat and calculate your lean mass. This goes for all aspects of fitness- the case studies are still fairly new, and all of the experts all have their own opinions based on their research. How do you know what to believe? Stick with what is working for you personally.

Whether fasting or not, to make your cardio count, you've got to add intensity. The joke about the girls who go into the gym and come out looking just as good as they went in- its true. You've got to work up a sweat and really work for those results, or they won't come. Its all up to you! I like to throw HIIT (high intensity interval training) workouts in my weekly routine at least 2-3 times a week. No one likes cardio, but it IS vital to every person's fitness journey, no matter the goals. 

Positive Advertising Verses Competitive Bashing

Here's my thought for the day; and I see this all the time, which is what inspired me to write about it. I think there's such a significant difference in marketing your business, verses bashing your competition. If your product or service is worth investing in, you shouldn't have to highlight the flaws of your competitors. This goes the same for politicians. I don't care how good your policies are, or your records...I will have so much more respect for you and a willingness to vote for you if you are concentrating more on showing the public what good qualities you can bring to the people, instead of bringing out the opposing team's dirty laundry. 

I am a consultant for Arbonne, and I love the company and the products. I stand behind everything Arbonne believes in because I have seen the high standards Arbonne stands by. Their integrity seems to be unmatched. We have no animal products or by-products, and it is 100% vegan certified. I could go on for hours on why I believe Arbonne is scientifically second to none. That difference is what made me start using the products in the first place- long before I made the decision to join the company. We have no rendered products, and I have personally seen life changing results in myself, my family, and my clients. I am tremendously proud of this company, and love sharing the products and what I have learned with others. 

Because of the biased opinion I've developed for Arbonne, it is safe to say you will not catch me buying other popular brands for very specific scientifically researched reasons. I do not, however, feel the need to point out those brands on my facebook posts, or mention the companies in my presentations. Arbonne International stresses greatly to we consultants a high code of ethics, another reason I love Arbonne. They do not want us pointing out flaws of other companies. We have products that speak for themselves, and there's just really no need. 

I tell you this, not to promote my Arbonne business, (but hey, if you want to check it out, who am I to stop you?)  but to show you that when you are truly passionate about whatever product you are selling, or service you provide, that is enough. Your passion shows. I am truly in love with Arbonne, and I believe that when I talk about Arbonne, the positive light will have more of an influence on my sales than if I went around bashing other companies. Sure, it can be tempting, but it is not as effective. Doing what is right always wins in the end.

Baked Crispy Brussels Sprouts

This is such a easy recipe. 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Cut Brussels Sprouts  in half lengthwise. 
3. In a bowl (or ziplock bag), add olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 
4. Roll the brussels sprouts around in your mixture, and lay flat on a baking sheet. *I always put aluminum foil down, less to clean up later!
5. Bake around 20-30 minutes, depending on your oven! I like them a little brown on top, it doesn't mean they are burnt! I also turn the pan around about halfway through, just because my oven cooks a little uneven. 

So yummy and healthy, I normally eat them all right away!

Why You Experiment with smoothies!

So the other day when I got home from the gym, I started making my protein shake, and decided to mix it up a little. I love trying new things, and sometimes when you mix weird ingredients together, you get something amazing. Other times, your drink is nasty and you swear to never tell a soul you tried such a horrid combination. That's what I thought I would have the other night. Here's how my smoothie started:

• A lot of the time, I will put greek yogurt and almond milk as my smoothie staples. 
• I've been seeing people add oatmeal and decided to give it a go.
• I've never put pears in my smoothie, but had one in the fridge so I cut it up and added it.
• Sometimes when I make smoothies with oranges, I'll add in ginger and I love it, so in it went. I use a ginger paste, by the way. So much easier.
• Then I got to my last ingredient- another must-have staple. My chocolate vegan protein from Arbonne. Pears, chocolate, and ginger? I would have bet my first-born child (if I actually had kids) that it was be disgusting and going down the drain.

End result- it was AHHHH-MAZING. It definitely tasted different, but I will for sure make it again. Don't be afraid to try new things- you never know what you're missing out on!

Easy Breakfast Ideas- Egg Whites on English Muffin

As much as I love to meal prep, I do love a good hot breakfast. But who has time in the morning? I just got this egg cooker from Pampered Chef. It. Is. AWESOME!!!! 

1. Pour your egg whites (or a whole egg, whichever you like) in one side of the bowl. Yes, I know it looks like a dog bowl! Cracks me up! Anyways. In the other side, put another egg or water- but definitely don't leave it empty or it will crack. 

2. I put salt and pepper, but you could get creative...whatever you normally put with your eggs! Peppers, mushrooms...and microwave usually about a minute- more time for more eggs. Makes sense.

3. And voila! Toast your english muffin and you have a sandwich! Who needs McDonalds? I can make this quicker at home than sitting in line, and way cheaper too! And who knows how much more healthy.

Enjoy!

Why I love English muffins- 

• No cholesterol
• Low in saturated fat
• Good source of folate, thiamine, manganese, and selenium
• Provide a small amount of protein

Why I love egg whites-

• Lower calorie, fat, and cholesterol content than whole eggs
• Great source of protein- and same amount as in a whole egg

*The whole egg is where you find your vitamins B2, B12, D, and iron! I do still eat whole eggs as well!

Cheesy Kale Chips

One of my all time favorite snack recipes! Anytime we have a movie night..or I'm just in a snacking mood, I turn to this simple snack! It's healthy, and has that salty satisfying taste like potato chips give you. You can play with different variations (roasted red pepper flakes, garlic...) but here's my favorite- garlic and parmesan cheese!

• Set the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spread the kale out on a sheet pan (I like to put aluminum foil down so there is less mess!) and use BIG pieces! 
• Spray/drizzle with olive oil evenly over kale
• Use a little bit of salt/pepper
• Cover with fresh parmesan (you can use the other kind too but it doesn't bake quite as well!)
• Sprinkle with a bit of garlic salt
• It depends on your oven, but I usually bake mine about 12 minutes, check often! I also rotate mine half way through.

YUM!

The cross before me

Awesome worship this morning at my church! When I lived in Oklahoma, I was a member of my perfect church.  The pastor, the congregation, the music, Awana, my sweet, beloved Sunday school class. It really was perfect. When I moved back to North Carolina, the hardest thing was leaving my church. I remember my first Sunday back, sitting in the back of my parents' church crying and having to leave early because I missed my old church so much. That was my other family I left behind. As terrified as I was that I would never have that experience again and find a new church home as good as in Oklahoma, I knew God had called me back to North Carolina, and he wouldn't leave me hanging. I've prayed and prayed over the last year for God to bring a new church home into my life. I went to a few churches here and there, but it seemed I was always searching for Todd, my Oklahoma pastor. I was expecting to see Amye on stage singing, and Keith, my neighbor and  my Sunday school teacher, playing the guitar. The messages were always worth waking up early on a day off, but I never felt at home.

Just over a year later, I visited what is now my new church home. God finally brought me to Richfork. Todd and Keith aren't there, but Michael is- my new pastor. And he's hilarious. And his heart is bursting with love. And his messages leave you thinking about them hours and even days after church is let out. I have to write about that this morning because I feel so incredibly blessed. No, this doesn't have to do with eating healthy, detoxifying, or exercise. But this is the most important thing we can do for our bodies and our minds all week is to spend time with our Lord and celebrating Him. He is my refuge and my strength, and without Him, I have nothing. If you don't truly know this feeling of being loved by the Lord, message me. I'd love to talk with you or pray for you. God bless.

Goal Setting

They say goals are dreams with deadlines. I think goals go hand in hand with dreaming big. I was reading the other day about a man named John Goddard, who, when he was 15 in 1940, sat down one afternoon and wrote down "My Life Goals."  127 of them to be exact. Here's a few of them-

• Milk a poisonous snake
• Skin-dive to forty feet and hold breath two and a half minutes underwater
• Learn jujutsu
• Study primitive culture in Borneo
• Land on and take off from an aircraft carrier
• Run a mile in five minutes
• Go on a church missions trip
• Retrace the travels of Marco Polo and Alexander the Great
• Learn French, Spanish, and Arabic
• Light a match with a .22 rifle
• Climb Mount Kilimanjaro
• Study Komodo dragons on the island of Komodo
• Read the Bible from cover to cover
• Circumnavigate the globe

One of the coolest goals he had on the list was to visit the moon. This was in 1940! Nobody had even left the atmosphere at that point! Mr. Goddard didn't achieve all his goals, but how many of those do you think he would have actually done if he had never written them down or dared to dream them? 

I believe goals go hand in hand with dreaming big, and praying big. God wants us to live life to our fullest capacity. Why would there be so many amazing places waiting for us to experience them? Goals turn into prayers, and prayers turn into goals. 

Here are 10 steps to goal setting:

1. Start with prayer
2. Check your motives
3. Think in categories
4. Be specific
5. Write it down
6. Include others
7. Celebrate along the way
8. Dream big
9. Think long
10. Pray hard

Good Reads

Does anyone else start 4 more books before they finish their current one? I can't help myself! Maybe its the inner ADD I try to keep bottled up, letting loose. 

So here's what is in my current 'book bin.' ...I have a bin beside my bed. Anyways.

The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson. My former Sunday School class (from when I lived in Oklahoma, I still get the email updates) read it, and it took a long time before I finally decided to pick up a copy for myself. I usually read this at night, but I probably shouldn't- it gets me too pumped up! Mark challenges us to dream, dream BIG. Inspire God in your life and reach for ridiculous miracles you feel silly for even thinking of, much less expecting. He will having you praying circles around any situation you are facing, and bring you to a deeper relationship with God. 

I've told several people I would let them borrow this but...I may have to re-read it a couple times first! Its pretty brilliant.

This devotional by Joel Osteen is definitely not for nighttime reading! Joel is so talented in light people on fire. Not literally of course, but spiritually! Some people I have talked to said they didn't like Joel because he wasn't a good preacher- he was just a good inspirational speaker. I have to disagree! God put Joel in his position for a reason, even if it is just to encourage people. But think about this- if a non-believer is flipping through the channels, who are they more likely to stick to and watch- Joel, or somebody like Charles Stanley? Now don't get me wrong, Dr. Stanley is incredibly wise, and I enjoy watching his sermons. I even have his edition of the Bible! But to someone who doesn't believe in God, he's probably about as boring as watching paint dry. Whereas Joel hits home on a lot of his sermons. Everyone can relate to what he talks about. This book is no different. I love starting my day with this little jewel! Each page is a different day of the year, and the devotionals are short enough that you can read it pretty quick and move on- perfect for people like me who have busy mornings! 

What? Its interesting! Beginning with anatomy, this book breaks it all down. I've flipped through it a bunch, but I'll let you in on a little secret...Its taking me a long time to get through the anatomy! I took equine anatomy in college and this feels exactly the same. It feels like death. But to be a personal trainer is so much more than 'getting big' and knowing how to do all the different exercises. When you're training different populations (the elderly, working around special injuries, college athletes, etc) you have to know how the body works. So, now you know what the nerd does in her spare time! 

I also have different binders I've started writing in on different topics. I have iRun for all things running, Eat Clean, Live Lean for everything nutritional, and I actually haven't named my weightlifting book yet.Any time I come across useful information, it goes in the book! 

One book I will forever read, over and over and over again, is this beauty right here.

As I mentioned earlier, this is an awesome version of the Bible! It has all sorts of add ins- the "Life Principles" are Charles' way of explaining how to get the most out of life by living a Holy life. I know I can turn to the Bible for any problem I'm facing. 

Vegan Protein

Recently, I have switched off of my whey protein to vegan. Am I totally vegan? Heck no! I love meat. This protein source is the bomb though! (are people still saying the bomb? ...hmm)

I switched to Arbonne Essentials Chocolate Protein Mix. 

At first I was a little skeptical how it was going to taste, and I'm not going to lie...it has a different taste to it. Its pretty dang good though! And way better than whatever beefhead crap my brother drinks after his workouts. 

So here's why I like it-

When it says vegan, it is actually a pea protein- made of pea, rice, and cranberry proteins. Sounds strange, I know, but it is highly absorbable and easily digestible. When the pea protein is combined with the cranberry and rice proteins, it provides a full amino acid score- very important! Pea protein provides essential amino acids and is a good source of the amino acids arginine and glutamine (those words sound familiar, my fitness enthusiasts?). It is also a good source of glutamic acid and branched chain amino acids (leucine + valine + isoleucine). Arginine participates in the supply of nitric acid and branched chain amino acids, which are essential amino acids that need to be supplied by the diet. 

In this protein, there are 20 grams of protein (which has been proven is the amount your body needs after a good workout!) and 21 essential vitamins and minerals and plenty of other beneficial nutrients. Also included in the ingredients are coenzyme 20 and ginseng. 

It contains no artificial sweeteners, colors or flavors; as well as no cholesterol. It is also forumulated with no gluten or fructose. That is awesome! I hate when all these big name whey proteins boast about all the good stuff in their product, but fail to mention all the chemicals they add. NO THANKS!

Here are some other sources you can find vegan protein-

• legumes
• nuts and seeds (almonds, cashews, filberts, hemp seeds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts-black)
• spirulina (nutrient-rich, blue-green algae)

Arbonne

I do my research. My skin has been horrible my entire teenage/adult life. Until now. I tried everything under the sun and nothing ever helped. I didn't think Arbonne would either, but it did. When I learned what made Arbonne so different, I made the decision right then I was switching everything over. So did my mom, my aunt, my other aunt..even my 19 year old brother who is "too manly" to use products uses Arbonne now.

This is why we love it!

ARBONNE PRODUCTS

Arbonne's premium skin care products are formulated in Switzerland at the Arbonne Institute of Research and Development (AIRD) and made in the U.S.A.

Our proprietary formulas are:
*Botanically-based
*PH correct- not just PH balanced
*Hypoallergenic
*Dermatologist tested
*Never tested on animals
*Formulated without animal products or by-products
*Formulated without mineral oil
*Formulated without dyes or chemical fragrances

Arbonnes product line is represented by Independent Consultants who used to be employed in the following fields: Dermatologists, Aestheticians, Plastic Surgeons, Massage Therapists, Chiropractors, and Professional Makeup Artists.

Scientifically Advanced Nutritional Products:

Based on the same principles that propelled the success of our skin care products, Arbonne expanded into total body care with the introduction of Arbonne Essentials. Developed for every stage of life, these nutrition, weight management, fitness products are convenient, safe, backed by the latest scientific research and contain:

*The finest pharmaceutical grade ingredients
*Standarized botanicals and herbs-(Meaning you get the same quality and strength every time)
*Proprietary herbal blends that work synergistically with active components for optimal results.

Arbonne offers a complete line of Skin Care, Aromassentials, Men's Care, Baby Care, Glamour products.
IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE PRODUCTS ON YOUR BODY, WHY WOULD YOU NOT USE THE PRODUCTS THAT ARE PROVEN TO BE PURE, SAFE, AND BENEFICIAL TO YOU!!!

Now to the gross part...which is always my favorite part to tell people!

I love Arbonne because it works so well, obviously. But what if other products work....why would I still use Arbonne?

In Europe, they have banned over 1500 chemicals and ingredients, and considered so bad, you could go to jail or receive a huge fine....America has only banned TEN of these. Thankfully, Arbonne goes by European standards!

And if that isn't enough...who has heard of a rendering plant?

I hadn't ever heard of this either. But its where they send leftover parts from slaughterhouses, roadkill, and restaurant grease....they boil it down, and the fat that rises is called the "good juice." That's what is shipped to all of your cosmetic companies as fillers. It is in your lotions, shampoos, makeup, you name it. They have a whole episode on Dirty Jobs on rendering plants. 100 years ago, this was how the cosmetic industry got started- it was too expensive for companies to not use fillers. They don't even have to tell you there is animal in your product either unless it is an active ingredient. The word you're looking for is "propyl-paraben." Most people don't even know what it is, so when I first heard this, I found it plainly listed on almost all my products- Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works, and Jergens were a few that I checked. 

And you know how they say to throw your makeup out after 6 months? That's how long it takes the animal in your bottle to go rancid. You know when your bottle of liquid foundation gets that line in it, and you have to shake it up? That's the animal fat separating. Unless your product says "100% Vegan," there is animal in there. 

Grossed out yet? Gotta love FDA standards. 

Neon, Neon

For my debut blog post....let's do a fun one! 

I love neon! For anyone who hates working out, my suggestion is simple- go buy something NEON! I totally forgot I had this top, I bought it on a trip to the Outer Banks last October (I crashed the men's fishing trip...it smelled horrible but I survived! That's a whole different story there...) 

No, really though. It always pumps me up in the gym and I could swear it is a form of pre-workout! Plus, it just gives this "hey, i'm friendly!" vibe. If you're going for that sort of thing. 

Life isn't meant to be taken so seriously- find things, even silly small things like this brighten your own day!