Illinois Half Marathon - Done!!

It was the week of Christmas.....and even though I had been teaching Turbo Kick for almost a month, I was starting to feel sluggish.  I had over indulged on Christmas cookies and treats, exercised little that week, and was feeling depressed.  So, on December 26th, my husband Curt challenged me to get out of the house and DO something.  It was the middle of winter (and what a winter it was)!!!  Luckily, Curt had some cold weather running clothes for me to borrow.  I thought I would put on his gear, and just go for a walk around town...I think it was 15-20 degrees that day.  But, something changed when I put on the clothes.  I thought to myself, why not run instead of walk?  I had tried running on and off over the years for exercise, and disliked it very much.  But this time, something changed.  I don't know if it was my attitude, my cardio improvement due to Turbo Kick, or running with less weight, but I liked it. 

There is a route around our town that is a 3.6 mile loop from our house.  So, I decided on the day after Christmas I would just start running until I was tired, and then I would walk the rest of the loop.  Guess what?  I ran the whole loop, and it felt GOOD.  It felt almost EASY!  Running had never felt that way to me.  I came back excited.....and then Curt laid down another challenge...."Why don't you run the Illinois Half Marathon with me?"  HAHAHAHA!!!!  I think I probably laughed out loud - but if not, I was surely laughing on the inside.  I mean, I had just run 3.6 miles, but I didn't think there was any way I would be able to run 13.1 miles!!!  Then, about 5-10 minutes passed, and I thought, "Why not?"  I had accomplished a lot in the last two years....lost 90 pounds, quit my full-time job, started teaching fitness classes...why not a half marathon?  So, much to the surprise of my husband, I said yes to 13.1 miles!

I found a beginner training plan, which I started in the beginning of February...12 weeks before the April 30th Illinois Half Marathon race date.  Did I stick to the plan all the time?  NOPE.  I have three kids, I'm in school 1-2 nights a week, and I teach classes 3-4 times a week.  Sticking to a training plan perfectly is difficult for busy moms!  But, I did the best I could in my training, didn't beat myself up if I missed a day or ran less than the training plan recommended, and in the words of Forrest Gump, "I just kept running." 

Race day came upon me, and I started to get slightly nervous.  My longest training run was 10 miles.  It was HARD.  I only did that 10 mile run one time, and it was 3 weeks prior to race day.  Could I really run 3.1 more on top of that?  I was about to find out!!  I had a primary goal of just finishing the race without walking.  My secondary goal was to finish around 2:20.  Based on my training run pace, I thought 2:20 was probably realistic.  Curt and I traveled to Champaign on Friday night, had our pasta dinner, and got to bed early.  On race morning, I woke up excited...ready to complete a challenge I never imagined I would be able to accomplish.  I crossed the start line, started my watch, and pressed play on my iPod.  I had my music set to "shuffle", but the first song was "Push It" by Salt-n-Pepa.  I smiled and decided to go for it!  I accomplished my first goal of finishing the race with out walking, and I blew my second goal out of the water with a 2:03:43 finish time.  That boils down to a 9:27 minute/mile pace!  (I don't think I could even run ONE mile at that pace in high school, let alone 13.1!)

So friends....BELIEVE in yourself, CHALLENGE yourself, and you may just be surprised at what you can accomplish!!!

Learn from your mistakes - and then don't look back!

Two years ago, I weighed 240 pounds and got winded going from the 1st floor to the 2nd floor of my house.  Today, I ran 9.13 miles at a 9:38 pace! 

What a difference a couple years can make!!  Nothing has given me more quiet time and reflection than when I am running.  During those miles, I reflect on a lot of things....my kids, my family, my friends - but mostly, myself.  Today while I was running, I started to wonder why I didn't treat my body better in my 20's.  I realized that I had wasted almost a decade of my life being unhealthy.  I ate terrible foods, rarely exercised, and smoked the occasional cigarette.  Why??  Probably, because I wasn't very smart.  Probably because I didn't really care about my body.  Mostly, because I was in my 20's, and age wasn't really something I thought of very often.  I had the "I'll live for forever" mentality.  But luckily, I got wiser....and luckily, I started to care more about myself.  Now, I have a choice.  I could spend a lot of time looking back and wishing I did things differently....or, I could move forward - learning from my poor choices and living to make better decisions.  I've chosen the latter!

I don't want to sound cliche - but truly - every day of this life is a gift and a blessing from God.  Why look back on your life and wish you would have done this, or tried that, or taken better care of the body God blessed you with?  There is no time like today...USE IT.  Learn from the mistakes of the past, and then forget them and START TODAY.  Challenge yourself, take a risk, and be happy with your decisions.  By now, you know what has worked and what hasn't worked for you.  Don't repeat what hasn't worked.  Keep moving forward.  Keep learning.  Keep growing.  Live every day like YOU are worth it....because you are!

Recipe: Skillet Pasta Florentine

Hey friends!  I tried a new recipe last week that I wanted to share.  For those of you who are not meat lovers, this is a meat-free recipe.  I also think if you wanted to tweak it to add some ground turkey or chicken, it would be delicious!  I did make a few changes to the way I prepared this, because I wanted to make it ahead in a casserole dish and bake it in the oven instead of in the skillet.  I've noted my changes in red.  Hope you enjoy!

Skillet Pasta Florentine

From:  Taste of Home Healthy Cooking

Prep: 20 minutes  Cook Time:  30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 cups uncooked spiral pasta (I used whole wheat rotini)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 cups (16 ounces) 2% cottage cheese
• 1-1/2 cups reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 jar (14 ounces) meatless spaghetti sauce
• 1 teaspoon each dried parsley flakes, oregano and basil (I used 3 tsp. Italian Seasoning)
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the egg, cottage cheese, ricotta, spinach, 1/2 cup mozzarella and herbs.
• Drain pasta. Place half of sauce in a large skillet; layer with pasta and remaining sauce. Top with cheese mixture.  I used a 13 x 9 dish.  Spread about 3/4 cup of sauce on the bottom of the dish, layer the pasta and pour the remaining sauce over the pasta.  Top with cheese mixture.
• Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 25-30 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°.   I baked at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and remaining mozzarella cheese; cover and cook 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving equals 383 calories, 9 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 73 mg cholesterol, 775 mg sodium, 47 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 27 g protein.



History is a factor, but it doesn't have to define you!

You know how sometimes you start thinking about something and you just can't stop?  I had one of those moments last night.  During my class at Lincoln College, we did an exercise where we were supposed to write down 10 single words that we would use to describe ourselves to a complete stranger.  The first two were easy...the next eight were harder.  Here is what I came up with (in the order that I came up with them):

Wife
Mother
Passionate
Instructor
Healthy
Daughter
Entrepreneur
Happy
Positive
Transformed

Next, we were to put a star next to the top three words from the list.  I chose Wife, Mother, and Transformed.  When we shared our words in class, the word "transformed" got a puzzled look from a few people.  One student said, "I gotta ask, what does transformed mean?"  So, I briefly told the class how in the last year and a half I had lost a little over 90 pounds, and that it has transformed every area of my life.  My relationships with my family, my professional life, and my home life have been greatly transformed.

After class, I was stopped by a fellow student who wanted to talk to me regarding my weight loss.  There were many parallels in my story and the questions he was asking me regarding how I overcame certain obstacles.  It seems, that many women deal with the same issues - but most importantly - giving themselves permission to take time for their own health and NOT feeling guilty about it.  Why do we do that to ourselves ladies??  Now, I'm sure men deal with this issue as well, but women have a way of beating ourselves up over it.  All the way home, I contemplated my upbringing, my emotional makeup, and what led me to make certain choices throughout my life regarding diet and exercise.

When I got home, I couldn't shut my brain off.  I started to realize how much we are our own worst enemy.  And, I figured out that until we can recognize the WHAT and WHY of our emotional history, learn from it, and overcome it, many of us will always deal with the cycle of beating ourselves up for taking time away from our families to get healthy.  So - what did I do?  I started writing.  I opened up a Word Document on my computer and really started to dissect what about my past has led me to make poor health decisions (i.e. Why did I dislike exercise for so many years of my life?  Why did I have such a low self-image?  Why did I think I was "fat" as a size 7 teenager?)  Because I think so many can learn from this exercise, I'm willing to share some of what I wrote.  A lot of this is deeply personal, but I think so many of us struggle from the same types of stories that I want to share an excerpt of it.  If it leads one of you out there to contemplate and learn from your own emotional history...I will consider it time well spent.  :-)

An excerpt from my childhood - part of why I am who I've become:

My first nickname, so endearingly given to me by my older brother, was Chubby.  Sometimes, just to mix it up a little, he would call me “chubs”, “chubster”, or “Chubby Cheekers”.  Creative, huh?  Throughout my childhood, the male members of my family (even extended family) reinforced to me how chubby I was.  Every family get together, I heard about my chubby cheeks and rounded belly.  I really didn’t feel at the time these comments were detrimental to my self-image.  I just thought they were teasing me.

Looking back now, I wonder if this reinforcement was what caused me to notice the cellulite on my backside by the age of seven when I clinched my butt muscles (and stared at it in the mirror, clenching and unclenching my butt for a good 20 minutes before my mom came in and asked me what the heck I was doing).  I wonder if the “chubby” comments are what possessed me to ask for the popular Buns of Steel workout video for my birthday when I was in 6^th grade.  Not sure…but I’m thinking it didn’t help, right?  By the way – I got the video as my birthday gift.

And a few paragraphs later.....
 

It took me years to realize it, but the tribulations I had as a teenager playing softball had a direct correlation to my lack of inactivity in the next decade of my life.  Several times over the years, my husband and I would start an exercise program to lose weight.  My determined hubby, who has a military background, would occasionally let the drill sergeant side of him come out as a way to motivate me.  The effect, however, was directly opposite.  The minute I felt “pushed” to do something, I quit.  I did not want anyone telling me to workout, do one more rep, run harder, or do more.  I usually would get angry at my husband (who had no clue what he had done to upset me) and just give up.

And a little further down.....

My mother, like so many mothers, was 110% devoted to taking care of her family.  She put this need ahead of her own needs.  While I genuinely appreciate all that she did for me and my brother (and love her more than she will ever know for all of the love and support she gave to me), that was my example to follow when I became a wife and mother.  In the beginning of my marriage and in the first several years of being a mother, I felt that taking “me” time to exercise was simply selfish.  I felt that if I left my kids for an hour to go for a walk or head to the gym, that I was a bad mother.  This is the quintessential struggle for 98% of the mothers that I know and talk to – they simply feel what I call “mommy guilt”.  They do not feel it is fair to their family to take time for themselves. 

As mothers, we devote our time, our energy, and even our bodies to our children.  We let our tummies stretch out and give up on the possibility that we will ever look right in a bikini again.  We let our breasts become someone else’s source of food, regardless of the pain it may cause us and the commitment it requires to give such a gift.  We become soft so that when our kids are sick in the middle of the night, they can snuggle into our bodies and feel comforted.  Cellulite, stretch marks, displaced belly buttons, and sagging (or enlarged) boobs become our “new” bodies.  We look in the mirror and succumb to the fact that we will never look like a movie star, so why bother?

And lastly....

What I eventually learned, and what anyone reading this who struggles to live a healthy lifestyle has to understand is that you absolutely HAVE to deal with your inner demons/mental blocks/reasons you are the way you are.  It is imperative to understand how you got to the point you are at today so that you can overcome it.  You have to know what triggers you negatively as well as what you need as positive reinforcement.  Most weight problems, in my opinion, are deeply rooted in our emotional history.  Understanding your emotions, how you react in certain situations, what motivates you, and what prompts you to “shut down” is not easy.  You have to be honest with yourself and deal with the ugly that may be lurking inside you.  Understand it.  Learn from it.  Overcome it.  Become stronger because of it. 

That, my friends, is the key to lifelong success with managing your weight and your health.

These are just pieces of my full writing....but I hope you can read it and maybe see a little of yourself in it.  I'll keep writing my story, and one day, maybe I'll publish it in full.  :-)

Traci

Goals + Accountability = Motivation & Results

For many people starting a weight loss or fitness regimen, becoming motivated is difficult.  However, STAYING motivated is the real struggle!  I can't tell you how many times I started a "diet" or workout routine, only to give up a week or a month into it.  I would lose my focus and motivation and before you know it, I had put on the weight I had lost plus a few pounds.  That cycle continued - until it all finally "clicked".

In my opinion, one of the biggest reasons for my success this time is because I was highly motivated, and remained highly motivated throughout my journey.  Wonder why?  Because I was accountable to someone (who was also highly motivated) and I had a goal.  When I started on my weight loss journey, I had just given birth to my third child.  During my pregnancy, my husband had made the decision to get healthy, and by the time I gave birth he had lost about 60 pounds!!  Embarrassingly, this put his weight about 40 pounds less than mine.  For whatever reason, that was the moment it clicked for me.  Throughout my marriage, I put on A LOT of weight, but I didn't care because Curt always weighed more than me.  So it was okay.  :-)  But now, here I was weighing in at 240 and he was down to 200 pounds!  I just couldn't have that - so my weight loss "goal" was simply to weigh less than he did.  I didn't set a certain number I wanted to hit or a specific amount of weight to lose.  I just wanted to weigh less than he did.  As a bonus, he also became my accountability partner.

The great thing about having an accountability partner is that you don't have to work out together, be on the same eating plan, or even see one another in person for that matter.  Curt and I didn't go to the gym together nor did we eat exactly the same things.  But, he knew that I was wanting to "catch up" to him.  So, at the end of the day he would ask me how I did.  When I weighed myself every week, I would tell him what I lost.  And so it continued like that for a year and a half.  My goal to catch up to Curt was always there, because he kept losing weight as well.  Finally, A YEAR AFTER I started trying to catch him, I finally did it!  He had continued to lose and got down to 160 pounds.  It took me a year to get there, and then I surpassed him!  Now, I finally weigh less than he does.  Whoohoo!

Having a moving goal like I did was highly motivational.  I never once thought about giving up.  Curt was always there to see how I was doing and we encouraged each other to keep going.  So, if you find yourself struggling to get started, or perhaps struggling to keep going, find someone (I'll help you!!) who you can be accountable to.  That person should know your goals, and you should check in with each other to report progress and/or setbacks.  Set specific goals!  That doesn't mean you have to set a final "number", but maybe your goal is just to lose 1 pound a week, or weigh less than your spouse/mom/dad/brother/fill in the blank, or get off your blood pressure medication.  Whatever it is, have a goal and a partner, and I promise you that your motivation will be stronger and stick around for the long haul!!

You can do it!!
Traci

Shakeology - What is it?

You've seen me post occasionally on Facebook about Shakeology.  I wanted to do a blog on it, because I've been getting questions lately about what it is.  It is AMAZING!!  The reason I haven't posted on it sooner, is because I wanted to use it for at least a month to see what benefits it really gave me prior to really giving my opinion and recommendation.  As a Beachbody coach, you can order this through me, however, I really wanted to use the product myself first before recommending it.  Well, I've been using it at least once a day for a little over a month now - and here's what it's done for me:

• I've lost an additional 6 pounds (after maintaining for about 7 months)
• GREATLY reduced my caffeine intake
• Reduced cravings for "bad" foods
• Increased my energy level
• Improved my digestive health significantly

Shakeology comes in two flavors, Chocolate and Greenberry.  I've tried both, and I like both.  Personally, the Chocolate is my favorite.  I blend it with 1 banana, 1 Tbs. peanut butter, 1 cup water, and 5 ice cubes.  It is absolutely DELICIOUS.  I actually crave it now....they aren't kidding when they say it tastes like dessert! 

Here's a picture of my favorite way to blend it.....on my kitchen counter.  :-)

Ready to blend....                              ready to drink!!!

Shakeology is a combination of 70 different ingredients, including antioxidants, phytonutrients, enzymes, prebiotics, protein, and many rare ingredients - including adaptogens, camu-camu, and sacha inchi.  You may be wondering about the cost - and in the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that I first flinched at the price of $4/shake(meal).  At first, I thought there was no way I could afford it, but the ingredients and reviews had me so curious that I had to try it.  If you figure you are replacing a meal, $4.00 really isn't that bad...in fact for the nutrition you are getting, it is pretty outstanding.  If you consider your normal lunch (Subway, McDonald's, etc.) costs you in the $5-$8 range - you could save money, lose weight, and improve your health by switching to Shakeology!  In addition, Beachbody beleives in this product so much, that they offer a 30 day "bottom of the bag" guarantee.  If you use it for a month and decide you just didn't like it, you can send back the EMPTY bag, and they will refund your money! 

If you are interested in learning more about the nutritional benefits of Shakeology, watch this video!!  It is about 13 minutes long, and does and excellent job of describing the benefits of this nutritional powerhouse.

If you want to do a little more informational exploring on your own (or order Shakeology), visit my website - www.shakeology.com/tracimcginnis

If you would like to try a free sample, contact me either via Facebook or my email address:  tracim@frontier.com

Yours in health,

Traci



Restaurants - Using the internet to make smarter choices!

I've been getting a lot of questions this week on the types of things I eat.  I thought it would be a perfect time to talk about how to eat smart when you are eating out.  There are two really important tips that are a MUST if you are going to make good decisions when eating out: 

1) Research the nutritional information on the Internet before you go; and
2) Decide what you are going to order before you even step foot in the restaurant

By following those two rules, you will feel more empowered and less tempted by bad decisions when you get there! 

Many of you may have read or heard about the "Eat This, Not That" articles that are in Men's Health magazine and now in bookstores.  This is my version!  I'm calling it "What I used to eat/What I eat now".  I hope it helps you make better decisions when eating out.  I'm including links to all of the restaurants nutritional information as well, so you can see for yourself what is in the foods you eat!  These were and still are some of my favorite places....in a future post, I will include even more!

Fast Food Joints

Culvers

Link to Nutritional Information: 
http://assets.culvers.com/documents/Menu/NutritionChart_Aug10.pdf

What I used to eat:                                  Calories                 Fat (grams)

Double Cheese Butterburger w/                     680                          40

Lettuce, Onion, and Mayo

Onion Rings (regular order)                           630                          36 ______________________________________________________

Total I used to consume:                           1310                          76



What I eat now:

Grilled Chicken Cesar Salad                        340                           16

Reduced Calorie Ranch Dressing                 130                           12

______________________________________________________
Total I consume now:                                470                           28

Difference!                                                840                          48

McDonalds

Link to McDonalds Nutritional Information: 
http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/nutritionfacts.pdf

What I used to eat:                                Calories              Fat (grams)

   

Quarter Pounder with Cheese                     510                            26

Medium French Fries                                 380                            19

_____________________________________________________

Total I used to consume:                          890                            45

What I eat now:

Classic Grilled Chicken Sandwich              360                           4.5 

without mayo

_____________________________________________________

Total I consume now:                              360                           4.5

Difference!                                              530                         40.5

Taco Bell

Link to Taco Bell Nutritional Information: 

http://www.tacobell.com/nutrition/information

What I used to eat:                                              Calories                    Fat (Grams)

Grilled Stuffed Chicken Burrito                          660                                   24

Nachos Supreme                                                      440                                   24

___________________________________________________________

Total I used to consume:                                      1100                                  48

What I eat now:

1 Fresco Chicken Soft Taco                                   170                                      4

Pintos & Cheese                                                       170                                      6

____________________________________________________________

Total I consume now:                                             340                                     10

Difference!                                                                 760                                    38

Chipotle

Link to Chipotle Nutritional Information: 

http://www.chipotle.com/en-US/menu/nutritional_information/nutritional_information.aspx

What I used to eat:                                           Calories                             Fat (Grams)

Chicken Burrito with rice, black                     975                                         38

beans, salsa, cheese, sour cream,

and lettuce

Chips & Guacamole                                             720                                         40

____________________________________________________________

Total I used to consume:                                  1695                                        78

What I eat now:

Chicken burrito bowl with rice,

fajita vegetables, salsa, and lettuce            345                                        9.5

___________________________________________________________

Total I consume now:                                        345                                         9.5

Difference!                                                           1350 (WOW!)                   68.5

Noodles & Company

Link to Noodles & Company Nutritional Information:

http://www.noodles.com/nutrition/nutritioninfo.pdf

What I used to eat:                                    Calories                               Fat (Grams)

Wisconsin Mac & Cheese                          1030                                           33.5  

(Regular size) with Chicken

_____________________________________________________________

Total I used to consume:                           1030                                            33.5

What I eat now:

Small Cesar Salad w/ Chicken                 290                                              16.5

Small Chicken Noodle Soup                    150                                                    2

_____________________________________________________________

What I consume now:                                440                                               18.5 

Difference!                                                    590                                                15

Potbelly Sandwich Shop

Link to Potbelly Nutritional Information:

http://www.potbelly.com/Food/Nutrition.aspx

What I used to eat:                              Calories                                  Fat (Grams)

Original Turkey sandwich                     573                                                 22 

on wheat with lettuce &

mayo

Sheila's Dream Bar                                  434                                                 21

__________________________________________________________

Total I used to consume:                     1007                                                43

What I eat now:

Skinny TKY on wheat with                  364                                                   9

mushrooms, lettuce, and

mustard

Original Baked Lays                               130                                                  2

Potato Chips

__________________________________________________________

Total I consume now:                           494                                                 11

Difference!                                               513                                                32

Sit Down Joints 

Olive Garden

Link to Olive Garden Nutritional Information:

http://www.olivegarden.com/menus/garden_fare/nutrition_information.asp

What I used to eat:                           Calories                                 Fat (Grams)

Fettuccine Alfredo                             1220                                                 75

3 Breadsticks                                           450                                                   6

2 plates of salad                                    700                                                  52

_____________________________________________ ____________

Total I used to consume:                  2370                                               133

What I eat now:

Venetian Apricot Chicken                380                                                   4

1 bowl Minestrone soup                  100                                                    1 

_________________________________________________________

Total I consume now:                        480                                                    5

Difference!!!!!!!                                 1890                                              128

Monicals Pizza

Link to Monicals Nutritional Information:

http://www.monicalspizza.com/UserFiles/file/Nutrition.pdf

What I used to eat:                         Calories:                                 Fat (Grams)

Individual Sausage &                         811                                              28.4

Cheese Pizza

Individual Salad with                        230                                              19.8 

Ranch dressing

________________________________________________________

Total I used to consume:                1041                                              48.2

What I eat now:

Individual "Cheese-Free"            403.5                                              1.2

Pizza

Individual Salad with                     160                                                 4.8

Light Italian dressing
 _______________________________________________________

Total I consume now:                    563.5                                              6

Difference!                                        497.5                                           42.2

Buffalo Wild Wings

Link to Buffalo Wild Wings Nutritional Information:

http://www.bloogue.net/BWWNutritionalSept08.pdf

What I used to eat:                     Calories                                Fat (Grams)

8 Boneless Wings in                        704                                               48 

Asian Zing sauce

Ranch dipping sauce                       320                                               30

Potato Wedges                                 280                                               14

_______________________________________________________

What I used to consume:             1304                                              92

What I eat now:

4 Naked Tenders                           173                                                   8

Asian Zing Sauce                             90                                                    0

Side Salad                                        210                                                 15

Fat Free Ranch                                  40                                                  0

______________________________________________________

What I consume now:                 513                                                 23

Difference!                                     791                                                 69

You can see how by just arming yourself with the information prior to eating out you can make HUGE differences in the calories and fat consumed.  I honestly do not feel like I have had to sacrifice eating out due to living a healthier lifestyle.  Use the tools that are out there for you, and you can still enjoy going to your favorite places!

Yours in Health,

Traci