Let's get this party started

I really can't believe I'm going to post these, but I really want to have some motivation for my strength-training program that I started today. So, here are my "before" pics. I decided to wear tighter clothes than I normally take these pics in so that I could really see some differences throughout the next 3 months.

I can usually cover up those rolls and my thunder thighs with different clothes, but these are the areas I need to target here. Anyway, so here it is...mostly for my own motivation and benefit.

I did the first workout this morning, and it went pretty well. I'm actually excited to focus more on strengthening my muscles and toning up these next few months.

Join me

So I am doing one of Erika's challenge groups that starts Monday, Oct. 14. I mentioned I had been talking to her about a strength-training program, and I am going to do it! Who wants to join me? You don't have to do strength-training program to be part of the group....Erika can help you pick a program that is right for you.

The challenge is 3 months long, so it'll get us through the holiday season with support, motivation, nutrition plans, workouts, etc. It's kind of like having an online personal trainer!

I think the last day to sign up is next Monday, and it does have a cost. But it's much cheaper than a personal trainer and you get workouts, meal plans, etc.

I have seen awesome results from people who have done these challenge groups, so I am excited to join one! I know that I have much more success when I have someone to motivate me and hold me accountable. If you're interested, check out her FB page and message her for more info.

My workout room

In our new house, I actually get to have a room dedicated to be a workout room! I actually prefer to get out of the house and go outside or to the gym to work out, but that's not an option for me every day (I have to trade gym days with the hubby) so it's nice to have this space.

In our workout room, we have an elliptical, a bike trainer, a punching bag, some free hand weights, yoga mats, an exercise ball, and we store our bikes there too. We've got a TV mounted on the wall, a DVD player and our stereo.


Sometimes I tape up workouts to the wall. One of these days I want to paint it a fun color. Or maybe do some chalkboard or magnetic paint to post things on the wall.

But this is my favorite part of the exercise room...our race wall! These are all our numbers and medals from races we have done. It makes me happy every time I see it.

Where do you work out? Do you prefer the gym or exercising at home? What color should I paint my workout room? :)

Garden goodness

I've been using all the produce from our garden this week. Yesterday I made homemade salsa, chocolate zucchini bread, and we also had a watermelon from the garden. Yum!



The recipe for the skinny chocolate zucchini bread can be found here. It's not super sweet because it is made with applesauce, zucchini, whole wheat flour, no butter, and not a ton of sugar. But I think it's delicious.

Homemade salsa is one of my absolute favorites!!!! We have almost eaten that whole bowl full in one day! I put in: 1 onion, 1 pepper, 2 jalepenos, 1 bunch of cilantro, about 8-10 tomatoes, juice from 2 limes, and salt. I just chopped everything up in my food processor and mixed it together. It is amazing!

What are your favorite recipes using stuff from your garden?

Ab challenge recap

So in the past 30 days of doing this ab challenge, I have lost an inch in my waist! I haven't really been focusing on anything else, so I'm pleased with these results. I loved doing this challenge and having someone to be accountable to. I did every single exercise on that list. I missed 2 days, but I made up the exercises the next day.

I'm excited for my next strength-training challenge!

They fit!

Today is a big day for celebration...a pair of my pre-children jeans fit!!! I don't know why this pic is blurry, but who cares...I can zip up a pair of my size 8 jeans again!!!!

Yeah, they're still tight, but I can wear them and still breathe. I still have a few more that I can't zip up, but this is a major milestone! And hopefully I'll be posting pics of those ones soon. :)

And here's just a fun pic of a mom and her stinkin' cute boy....

I have been talking to Erika, the fitness coach, and she recommended that I try a strength-training focused program to help me lean out and lose some inches. I'm nervous because although I do some strength training, it's never been my main focus. And I don't want to lose the cardio endurance I've built up. But I'm also excited to try something new and see how I like it! I'll let you know how it goes.

The tri recap

Last weekend, I did my first triathlon since having kids. It was the Ogden Valley Triathlon up at Pineview Reservoir. It was a "sprint plus" distance, so it was a 3/4 mile swim (1000 meters), a 15.4 mile bike, and a 4 mile run. I've only ever done regular sprint distances, so this was longer than any other tri I've done before.

It was hard. But I finished. And I beat my dad and won $100. (He offered any of his kids $100 if they could beat him in a triathlon before he turned 60. And he turns 60 in Feb. so this was my last chance.)

Anyway, it wasn't a pretty showing by any means, but at least I did it right? :)

Here we are getting ready for the swim.

About 30 seconds after I started swimming, the zipper on my wetsuit broke and started to create this huge drag. And I had a panic attack about swimming in the lake, so needless to say, my swim was AWFUL!!! I don't know what it is about swimming in open water like that because I do just fine in the pool, but I totally panicked in the lake.

Anyway, after the swim I was totally dead and I thought that for sure I would not win my $100.

But then I recovered on the bike and did really well on the bike portion. It was fantastic...we biked around the lake and it was beautiful and I was cruising along. Then came the run. My legs felt like bricks for the first mile or so. Then the next couple of miles were on a muddy trail. So my run wasn't so great either.

But I finished! And I didn't die.

Matt finished as well.

And so did my dad. We were watching the clock intently to see if I won (since his wave started about 20 minutes after mine.) But I still beat him!

There was a group there that was racing for their handicapped family member. They pulled him in a boat, a trailer, and then a stroller so he could do the race too.

Pretty cool.

Anyway, I'm glad I did it even if it was hard. I could definately feel the extra weight I'm carrying since I did my last tri, and I'd really like to lose the rest of it. But I did come in first place in the Athena category (girls over 165 lbs.) I hate that I'm big enough to be in the Athena category (even if it's only by a few pounds), but I was still first! (Even if I was last in my age group.)

My final time was:

Overall: 2:35:44
Swim: 36:21
Transition 1: 6:00
Bike: 56:50
Transition 2: 3:38
Run: 52:53

And so I accomplished my New Year's resolutions of running a half marathon and doing a triathlon this year.