Week 3 Update - 10 in 10

I'm watching the Golden Globes with my feet up because they ache from a 90 minute Zumbathon to raise money for earthquake relief in Haiti this morning (it was wonderful - thanks to Studio Zumba!), 45 minutes of a capella hard shoe class for Irish dance (that's where the blisters came from!), and 45 minutes of the Zumba class I taught following my dance class.

My goals for the 10 in 10 challenge are:

Food Goals:

• Cook more, eat out less - I have been noshing on a giant batch of veggie chili all week and had a yummy portabello mushroom cap with balsamic vinegar for dinner tonight.

• Bring lunch to work every day - Mission accomplished
  

• Only eat meat at one meal each day - Planning is a must in order to accomplish this, but I've stayed on track.
  

• No more soda - I haven't even been craving it!
  

• track food - I use a neat application for my iPod, "Tap & Track". Some days I'm better at this than others.
  

Fitness goals:

• Train for a Half Marathon in May - I have yet to resume running, mostly because of the snow. I haven't been slacking on my exercise, though - I am active each day with dance class, Zumba, or lifting.

My goal for this week of 17 January 2010 is to resume running. I've got to make myself get up and out of bed so I can go before work because I have no time in the evenings.

I'd love to hear from other 10 in 10 participants - even if you're not blogging about it!

10 in 10 Week 1 Recap

Here's what I've been doing to stay on track for the 10 in 10 challenge:

• Made delicious Veggie Chili from Natalie's Killer Cuisine Blog with a couple modifications - I didn't have kidney beans so I used Great Northern and Black Beans and I used both cans in their entirety. It was so yummy!
  
• I brought my lunch to work every day. If I didn't cook something, I had a couple of frozen lean cuisines for when I was in a pinch, which I was this week.
• I have only had meat once a day (I think this has been a great success).
• I've been using an app on my iPod to track my food. (This works well, but can be frustrating when I'm trying to enter food that is homemade and can't find the appropriate/corresponding food in the app. I am much more conscious of what I am eating and the portion size, though.)
• I have successfully not had any soda since 1 January. I don't miss it, really. I drink coffee and/or tea and have been upping my water intake.

I've haven't been pre-training for the 1/2 marathon in May, but I haven't exactly been inactive either. I have exercised each day, even doing yoga dvds when the Zumba and weights classes I usually take on Thursday were canceled due to snow. I have made a 12 week schedule for actual training for the mini marathon, but I need to do pre-training runs twice a week. This means I can't be a baby and will have to run outside in the cold because I don't have a treadmill or a gym membership. I'm also trying to recruit fellow runners for the 1/2 marathon.

All of this has resulted in a 4 pound weight loss, bringing my total to 47 pounds lost in 2 years. Like the tortoise, I'm slowly but surely winning the race!

It takes 21 days to form a habit - I'm hoping this 10 in 10 challenge helps me to form healthy new lifestyle habits!

NYE Resolution Run

Yay - finally got my sync issues worked out with the app I use to track runs on my blackberry. This was the NYE Resolution Run 5K I competed in on 12/31/09. Activity Route: -- Elev. Avg: 903 ft Location: Alpha, OH, Elev. Gain: +3 ft Date: 12/31/09 Up/Downhill: [+121/-118] Time: 08:29 PM Difficulty: 2.2 / 5.0 Weather: 34 F temp; 93% humidity 34 F heat index; winds W 9 mph Performance Distance: 3.12 miles Time: 0:29:25 Speed: 6.4 mph Pace: 9' 25 /mi Calories: 338 Splits Mile Pace (min/mile) Speed (mph) Elevation Gain actual +/- avg actual +/- avg 1 9' 44 +0' 19 6.2 -0.2 +36 ft 2 9' 24 -0' 01 6.4 +0.0 -10 ft 3 9' 07 -0' 18 6.6 +0.2 -23 ft end 9' 26 +0' 01 6.3 -0.0 0 ft Versus average of 9' 25 min/mile

Posted from bimactive.com

10 in 10

In order to continue my transformation from unhealthy to a healthy lifestyle, I'm joining the 10 in 10 challenge put up by the Recipe Girl. It is about taking 10 weeks to become a healthier person. In my quest for a healthier lifestyle, I have participated in challenges at Studio Zumba. In fact, I just completed the Holiday Express challenge where I did three cardio classes and two strength classes a week for 8 weeks. The drawing for the grand prize (2 weeks of free classes) is Saturday - I hope I win!

For the 10 in 10 challenge, I made some goals about food and fitness. Most of them are about food, which is my downfall. I think I have the fitness portion covered - I am active every day, but I wanted to push myself so I added a big goal:

Food Goals:
Cook more, eat out less
Bring lunch to work every day
Only eat meat at one meal each day
No more soda
track food

Fitness goals:
Half Marathon by May

I will be posting about my progress here and on Twitter. You can follow me at ZumbaZ!

Turkey Trot

Turkey Trot
Originally uploaded by elizabethw

For someone who hated to run, I've certainly changed my mind. This is me and my friend Anita after we both completed the 2009 Turkey Trot. I was very happy with my time - 49 minutes and 18 seconds for 8k. We certainly may not look our best, but we were feeling pretty good!

Fun and Friends

This past month has been very busy for me for a variety of reasons including work and travel, but mostly because of fun and friends:

• I joined a great group of Cancan dancers and performed at a festival in Milwaukee after only three lessons,
• I competed in the North American National Champtionships with my wonderful team in Nashville and we took second place, and
• The Dayton Celtic Festival is this weekend - what a great way to celebrate my birthday!

The two most exciting bits of upcoming fun and friends events happen today and next month, respectively:

• I am getting together with one of my roommates from Prague, Alice, this afternoon before she moves to California for grad school, and
• My best friend, Amber, is coming to town next month (she lives in Minnesota - at least a 10 hour drive)!

I can't wait to see these lovely ladies! It will be so nice to catch up with them!

My first new car

0625091135.jpg
Originally uploaded by elizabethw

I feel so grown up!

Sounds of Summer

I am watching So You Think You Can Dance, listening to the chirp of crickets and the rustle of wind through the trees.

These are the reasons I love summer.

BVI

Virgin Gorda - Yacht Harbor 012
Originally uploaded by elizabethw

Last month I took a trip with 12 wonderful ladies to the British Virgin Islands. We spent a week on Virgin Gorda in a beautiful villa. It was a great trip - sun, sand, swimming, and lots of island drinks. We're already planning our return trip in two years. I can't wait!

Belated St. Patrick's Day wishes

From the Celtic Academy Adult group, here's hoping your St. Patrick's Day celebration was a good one. Ours was!