By Stacey Colino for Live Right Live Well

Not long ago, playing video games provided good exercise for kids’ thumbs — and not much else. Now, a new generation of more active video games, like Wii Sports, is changing all that. The big question on everyone’s mind: Can these new active video games help you, your spouse and your kids get (or stay) fit?

The answer is maybe. A study at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., found that kids burn more than twice as many calories playing activity-promoting video games — such as Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and EyeToy — than just sitting and watching TV. With DDR, you control the game by stepping on an electronic dance pad, while EyeToy uses a special camera to capture an image of the player in motion and literally inserts her into the onscreen Playstation action.

In a recent study at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, 24 volunteers (ages 12 to 25) played DDR at various intensities, then researchers examined their heart rate, VO2 max (a measure of maximum aerobic capacity) and caloric expenditure. It turns out that playing DDR in “difficult mode” produced results comparable to taking a high-impact aerobics class: Heart rates jumped to 76 percent of maximum and participants burned calories at a rate of 480 per hour, reports study leader John Porcari, Ph.D., professor of exercise and sport science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Playing DDR in “standard mode” was the calorie-burning equivalent of riding a bike 12 miles per hour.

Does this mean active video games are as good as regular exercise? “I see it as a supplement, not a substitute,” says Cedric Bryant, Ph.D., chief science officer for the American Council on Exercise. “These more active video games don’t get you moving to a degree that can serve as a substitute for the real thing.” However, others see it differently: “It isn’t a replacement for exercise — it is exercise,” Porcari says. “When you’re working that hard [as hard as people did playing DDR in difficult mode], your heart and lungs don’t know what you’re doing. They just know they’re working harder.”

Ultimately, experts agree that the best approach may be to aim for a combination of regular exercise and video exercise. To that end, your family could jog, bike, swim or play (real) tennis four days a week and play active video games twice a week. Or “you could do 30 minutes of formal exercise and 15 minutes of these [video games] most days of the week,” Bryant suggests. However you divvy it up, the key to getting the most from these active video games, says Bryant, is “to move as much as possible and move as much of your body as possible.”

Stacey Colino has written for The Washington Post health section and many national magazines, including Newsweek, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Self, Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Parenting, Sports Illustrated and Ladies’ Home Journal.

By Daryn Eller for Live Right Live Well

Stiff joints, achy muscles, numb limbs — all familiar side effects of too much time spent parked in a chair. But did you know that sitting too much may actually shorten your life as well? That’s the conclusion of a surprising new study conducted by the American Cancer Society.

After tracking 123,000 people, researchers found that women who reported sitting more than six hours per day were 37 percent more likely to die prematurely than those who sat fewer than three hours a day — even if they got regular exercise. Men were 18 percent more likely to die early.

When participants reported sitting for long hours without engaging in a regular exercise routine, the results were even worse: Women and men who sat for six hours a day and didn’t work out were, respectively, 94 and 48 percent more likely to die early compared with those who sat fewer hours and were very physically active.

“Being active is beneficial — this we know from many years of research, not just from this study,” says lead researcher Alpa V. Patel, who is an epidemiologist with the American Cancer Society. “But our study also showed that being active combined with sitting less was better.” This may be because sitting has been shown to negatively affect cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, leptin (the hormone that helps govern appetite) and other factors associated with obesity and cardiac disease.

So what do you do if you have a desk job or are otherwise stuck sitting in a chair for six or more hours per day? “For optimal health and longevity, adults should engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week,” says Patel. That averages out to a minimum of 20 minutes a day. “Additionally, this study suggests that reducing time spent sitting will add additional benefit. Our study showed that less than three hours a day [of sitting] had the lowest risk.”

A few suggestions to get your daily dose of movement:

• Set an alarm on your computer that will remind you to stand up or walk around for a few minutes once every hour.
• Take a 20-minute midday stroll if you simply can’t get up every hour. It gets your blood flowing and counts toward your daily out-of-chair quota.
• Work standing up. Lore has it that Thomas Jefferson and Ernest Hemingway, among others, used a raised desk so they could stand while working.
• Skip interoffice phone and email. When you want to discuss something with a colleague at work, get up and walk to their desk instead.
• Use your feet instead of sitting in a car if you have to run an outside errand that’s within walking distance.
• Choose leisure activities that don’t involve sitting: Go to a bowling alley instead of a movie theater, a dance class rather than a concert, or a museum as opposed to a spectator sports arena.

Daryn Eller has written for O, Prevention, Health and Natural Health magazines. She lives in Venice, Calif.

Through my work with The Blogrollers, Fair Winds Trading, and Macy’s as an ambassador for the “Heart of Haiti” initiative, I’ve been asked to highlight someone that is doing great things to raise awareness, empower and/or inspire others, and is all out passionate about making positive changes in her life, her community (online and/or offline), or maybe even the world! Karen Bantuveris is someone who personifies many of the themes present in the Heart of Haiti project. I chose to highlight Karen as a person who represents the “Heart of Social Good”; Karen is the Founder and CEO of VolunteerSpot; she is passionate about increasing parent participation in schools, engaging parents to fund education technology, and using new media tools to inspire social action in the ‘real’ world.

Have you ever met someone and known instantly that they were your kind of people? When we were in Las Vegas earlier this year for BlogWorld Expo, Stephanie Schwab invited me and Michele McGraw to a nice dinner at Wolfgang Puck’s Postrio in The Venetian. It was an amazing meal but most it was the quartet of women gathered around the table that made the meal. The conversation that evening covered the gamut of topics from our upbringings to our careers and we even touched on politics!

Stephanie introduced us to Karen Bantuveris that evening. I was “social media style” acquainted with Karen and had vaguely heard of the organization she is Founder & CEO of, VolunteerSpot, but this was the first time I’d had the opportunity to sit and get to know her. She’s one fabulously fun gal! Later that night, while visiting VolunteerSpot.com and reading one blog entry after another, I discovered what an amazingly brilliant thing Karen has done.

Volunteerism is essential to the economic and social workings of most communities. The organization and mobilization of volunteer efforts, whether in the wake of disaster or for a simple school fundraiser, can make or brake the experience for all involved. The “burnout” rate for volunteers is a hot topic in the news and it’s something we’ve been addressing in my own community this fall. The extraneous “noise” and hoops one must often jump through just to give of their time can be overwhelming. I have often found myself weighing the value of my time (and the time taken away from family, work, and household responsibilities) against the good I’m able to accomplish. The reply-all emails, clipboards, online groups, and late night reminder messages can be incredibly time consuming and frustrating; it was just this type of frustration that fueled the launch of VolunteerSpot in 2009.

VolunteerSpot is a free on-line organization tool that simplifies organizing and coordinating volunteers in your community, congregation and social networks. VolunteerSpot’s simple sign up application makes it easy for community members to participate without having to wait for approvals and passwords, there is no software to install, just easy, free scheduling and sign up tools.

Thank you, Karen, for sharing your talents and for your passion for empowering and inspiring others to make a difference in their communities!

Listen to Karen talk about avoiding volunteer burnout on CNN.

Several weeks ago I was contacted by a writer for Mom it Forward and asked if I would be willing to interview for the segment,  Moms Making A Difference.  I wasn’t sure what qualified me to be lumped into the same category as the many admirable women who’d been featured prior to me, but I was flattered and agreed to the interview.

On the day of my interview, I had a huge smile on my face as I realized the direction the interview was going to move in. I didn’t blog very much last summer because I was too busy living unplugged. We had such an amazing summer traveling, hiking, biking, and being outside together. We don’t even have cable television anymore. Thanks to Mom it Forward, I now have pretty darn good documentation of what the best summer of my entire life was like!

Click here to read my story, The Bantering Blonde Unplugs

This week MomActive welcomes guest blogger, Becca. A diagnosis of spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease has posed a number of challenges but has not stopped this active mom of two from being an excellent example of healthy living for her family, and an inspiration for us all! Becca hopes that by sharing her story she can help others who might be suffering from similar symptoms.

Earlier this year, I was diagnosed with a degenerative spinal defect. I was having some strange lower back pain and went to get it checked out. The pain was almost like that of an epidural, if you can relate to that. It wasn’t a muscle pain, but almost in my bones.

The defect? Ok, I lied. There are two. Spinal stenosis and degenerative disc disease. Lucky me. It was the same thing that my Grandmother was diagnosed with. She died a few years ago after being bedridden for the last 3 years of her life, in constant pain because the bones in her spine were brittle and lacked cushioning between the discs.
Also, my father was diagnosed with the same defect a few years ago and suffers from the same excruciating pain that my grandmother did.
It’s genetic, I guess. The bad part? Grandma and Dad were diagnosed in their mid-50′s. I am 32.
I was referred to an amazing bone and joint doctor, one of the best in the state, who explained to me that my age and the fact that I am active should keep me from ending up in a wheelchair… as long as I keep moving.

Last year, I was kickboxing, turbo jamming, and running in 5k’s left and right. I even joined a women’s soccer team… well, until I fractured both of my feet in a game. But that’s a story for later. Last year I felt better than I ever had, and I was showing my boys how to be healthy by example.

This year? Spinal defect. New game, new rules.

At 32, I had no idea how to react when my body told me no. I pushed. It pushed back.

One day during the summer, I ran 3 miles. That night I paid dearly. Last year, 3 miles was ok. This year, it laid me out on the couch. I didn’t understand how, in the span of 6 months, I was no longer able to run 3 miles or finish a Turbo Jam video without taking advantage of the “modified” workouts. I was embarrassed and thought my family would think I was milking this thing for all it was worth.

Not exercising? Not an option. I exercise for stress relief, fresh air, and a healthy body. I now have an amazing physical therapist who helps me maximize my workouts and feel the best that I can.
These are my new rules:

1. Listen to your doctor. Take notes, listen to what he or she says, and ask a lot of questions. A few days after the appointment when everything settles in, don’t be afraid to call and ask more questions.

2. Find a physical therapist. I underestimated what physical therapists do. They help you strengthen the muscles around your weak areas to reduce injury, while slowly building up muscles in the injured area. My PTs provided me with exercises that, on the service, seem elementary… until I do them. I woke up last weekend in a lot of pain and exercised for 10 minutes using the “bad day exercise” sheet I was given. Not only did I feel better afterwards, but the next day the muscles I worked were fatigued. Seriously – if you could have seen how easy these exercises were, you would have laughed. But they targeted exactly the right muscle groups.

3. Exercise isn’t everything. Health, wellness, nutrition, and exercise all work together on a daily basis. If you wake up and change into your workout gear only to discover that you can’t bend down to tie your shoes, maybe today is the day to do some strengthening exercises or yoga. I make up for those days in other areas. I make an effort to eat less calories to balance out the lack of cardio. Exercise isn’t the goal; feeling good and being healthy are the goals.

4. {Responsibly} Test the waters. I can run 2 miles without having to ice my back. I know this because I ran 3 and it was too much for my spine. So I ran 2 1/2 a few times, and it was still too much. 2 miles? I feel accomplished, and my spine doesn’t yell at me. I could have easily decided that running wasn’t for me after the 3 miler, but… (see #5)

5. Don’t stop moving. The day you decide to give up and stay on the couch is the day you have lost. If your legs hurt, lift some light arm weights. If your arms hurt, do a few leg lifts. Do something. Try something different (the game has changed, you know). Do what you can.

*Becca is a mother of three boys (ages 6, 10, and 35), and a part time speech therapist. She enjoys two mile runs, modified Turbo Jam workouts, reading books, and eating M&Ms. You can find her personal blog at  OurCrazyBoys.com.

This weeks featured Active Mom, Chelsea shares tips for getting moving and staying motivated!

It is hard to get moving. This is especially true for busy moms. But guess what? It is even harder to keep moving.

About a year and a half ago, I needed something. I am a busy, working, tired wife and mom to two young children. My sister and some of her friends were talking about the running that they do, and invited me to join them. I was not a runner and had never been a runner. But I went and, over time, have fallen in love with running.

That being said, running is hard for me. I am not all that good at it, I don’t have time to do it as often as I’d like, and I tend to be very hard on myself when I don’t run as far or as fast as I’d like to. There have been times when I thought that maybe it was just too hard. Maybe I should just stop trying to be a runner. But, you know what? The feeling I get from it FAR outweighs the struggle. While running last week, I reflected on things that I have learned that keep me running and active. Today, I’d like to share those things with you.
1. Find your support group. This doesn’t have to mean a group of people that you actually, physically run with. It’s easier to run with a partner, but it can be tough (think: impossible) to schedule time when two or more people are available and ready to go on a regular basis. What it does mean is a group of people who know your plans and your goals. If you want to do a 5k in 3 months, tell your friends and ask them to check in with you each week about your progress. It’s easier to tie your shoes and get moving if you know you have someone else to answer to.
2. Buy some equipment. I’m not saying to spend a fortune, but buy a cute running outfit or perhaps an interval watch. Something that makes you look at feel like a runner. Call it motivation or call it guilt, that item could help nudge you out the door.
3. Start with what makes you feel successful. If you have never run before, please don’t hit the streets thinking you’ll run a quick 5 miles before heading out to work. Nothing will break your desire to be active like feeling unsuccessful. Start with promising to run one minute for every 3 that you walk, and work up from there. Set a realistic goal, based on either distance or time, and meet that goal no matter how many walking breaks you have to take.
4. Plan for realistic progress. Running, or any physical activity, is hard. It takes time to improve and, even then, it’s not always upward progress. Personally, I have been running for a year and a half. I have run two half marathons, many 10k’s and countless 5k’s. My time varies greatly, even from week to week. Some days I can’t run a full mile without walking. Improvement comes in the form of how you feel after running. It has to be ok for you to be slower today than you were last week.
5. Plan good routes. It is nice to have a couple of different running routes to choose from. I have one near my home, one between work and my kids’ daycare, and one that works well for nighttime (because it’s well lit and populated). When AT ALL possible, plan routes that don’t include many small loops. If you want to run 3 miles, try to find something that is 1.5 out and then back. It is so easy to turn your goal of 10 laps into 7… or 5… or “oh I’ve lost count so that must be good enough.” Having a physical location you have to get to and then back, or one large loop that you run once, makes it tougher to talk yourself out of it half way through.
6. Be ok with breaks. Plan your running intervals – for example 5 minutes running and 1 minute walking, and stick to them as much as you can. That being said, if you need more time, or an extra 30 seconds in the middle of a running interval… do it. It is better to take extra breaks and finish your goal distance (or time), than to give up, go home, and feel frustrated. Running should make you feel good about yourself, not stressed or unsuccessful.
7. Get others involved. As much as you can, get friends, colleagues, family involved in what you do. I have been called the “running instigator” of my school district due to getting people involved in running. It’s very hard to quit when people you have gotten involved are watching.
8. Give up perfect. See how this list is going to end on #8? That is not perfect. Neither are you, and definitely neither am I. If you goal is to win marathons, none of my advice applies. The rest of us? We need to keep our eyes on our prizes. For me, that includes physical fitness, emotional stability, and social aspects. What are your goals?
Running, or whatever physical activity you choose, needs to benefit your body, mind, and spirit. Keep these goals in mind, and stop being so hard on yourself. Just get out there and get (and keep) moving!

Chelsea blogs at VicariousChelsea.com . She commonly writes about running, but also about her family, her full time job in education and whatever else pops into her head. You can read more about her love/hate relationship with running HERE and a little bit about her latest half marathon HERE .

Nurture. As parents, when we think of the term “nurture”, it evokes a great sense of responsibility. We take our role as parents very seriously but, ironically, many of us stop short of nurturing the most important piece of our children’s growth. Ourselves.

For some parents, the question, “How do you nurture yourself?”, evokes feelings of guilt. There seems to be a disconnect in our minds between what it means to be a good parent and what it means to take care of ourselves. The fact is, a parent who takes time to nurture their own well-being not only has more to give, but sets the tone and example for how their children, and the family as a whole, will take care of themselves.

Are you nurturing your own sense of well-being? Or, are you so frazzled you have absolutely no idea where you would begin?

To help you get started, I’ve listed five simple things I do to nurture myself:

1. Schedule An Appointment with Yourself

Exercise is the most important piece of my sanity. The other day I was bemoaning a week’s worth of missed morning runs and yoga classes because of my crazy schedule.  When my husband asked why I didn’t just put a recurring appointment in my calendar, it occurred to me that if I schedule an appointment with myself each day, I would have to justify rescheduling or canceling it. Now when I look at my calendar I can decide where the priority is and, if I need to, I can reschedule my appointment with myself! Either way, that appointment is important and it deserves a place on my daily calendar.

2. Invest in A Really Great Water Bottle

A large percentage of the human body is made up of water, so it only makes sense that drinking water isn’t just good for you, but can make you feel pretty darn good. It might seem silly, but I have found that if I really like a water bottle I am more likely to keep it full and with me throughout the day. When you buy a water bottle consider things like the size, shape, and how the spout works.

3. Buy Fresh Flowers Once A week

I have to admit, my Scottish upbringing made this a hard one for me at first. On the surface, buying fresh cut flowers that will eventually die seems wasteful, but flowers make me smile. People who smile are happier and there is even a study that proves flowers can improve your emotional health. Whenever possible I buy the Star Gazer Lillies, their fragrance is so powerful that I can smell them the minute I walk in the door to my house, and that makes me smile…

4. Make Your Bed

It’s the simple things that impact us the most. No matter how chaotic the day gets, if you make your bed you have at least accomplished something! For whatever reason, I feel a sense of calm when the beds are made. In our house, breakfast is only served to those who have made their bed and have their shoes on.  For some people a clean sink, a clear desktop, or an orderly closet might take the place of a made bed. Whatever works for you, be consistent!

5. Always Have A Goal or Future Plan

Happiness. A sense of purpose. Motivation. Positivity. All of these things are bolstered when you have something to look forward to. Whether it is a fitness goal, a professional goal, or a planned vacation, make sure that you always have something to look forward to.

How do you nurture yourself?

This article was first published as Responsible Parents Model Healthy Self Care on Technorati.com

By Karen Asp for Live Right Live Well

With swimsuit season fast approaching, you’re looking for a quick way to shape up. The trouble is, motivation isn’t your strong suit. The solution? Sign up for a boot camp class. Although boot camps have been around for several years, they’re now hotter than ever. In fact, the American Council on Exercise lists boot camp classes among the top fitness trends in 2009. So what’s behind their popularity?

Mega Calorie-burn
For starters, there’s the calorie burn. Boot camp classes incorporate body-weight exercises and cardiovascular intervals, which can be intense, thus boosting the burn. Body-weight exercises might include push-ups, squats and sit-ups, while cardio intervals could entail jumping jacks, squat thrusts, step climbing and running, says Stacy Berman, a New York City-based trainer and founder of Stacy’s Boot camp, an outdoor boot camp program. Put them all together, and you end up burning mega calories — 400 calories in a 40-minute boot camp workout, according to a study from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse. Do an hour long boot camp workout, and you could toast a whopping 600 calories.

In his two years participating in Fort Wayne Adventure Boot Camp in Indiana, landscaper Bill Hoot dropped 70 pounds. “I was 250 pounds and knew I had to lose weight,” says Hoot, “so when I saw a flier for a boot camp class, I thought it sounded like fun.” An added bonus: Hoot lowered his blood pressure and cholesterol levels so much that he’s no longer taking cholesterol-lowering medications.

Mega Muscle
In addition to improving cardiovascular fitness, boot camps also increase muscular strength, which is crucial if you’re tight on time. “Many people have trouble fitting in strength training and aerobic workouts,” Berman says. “Yet with boot camp, you do both in one workout,” which is a great two-for-one deal.

Mega Fun
Finally, boot camp workouts are just plain fun. “Boot camp workouts offer variety, which makes exercising more enjoyable and could help you stay committed to exercise,” says John Porcari, Ph.D., professor of exercise science and sports science at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, and lead author of the study mentioned above.

Finding the Best Boot Camp
Although boot camps attract men and women of all ages and fitness levels, they’re not for everybody. If you’re at high risk for cardiovascular disease, it’s important to get approval from your physician before partaking in a high-intensity workout, advises Porcari. If you have orthopedic problems like knee or back issues, you should also be careful, as many boot camp moves involve impact, which could exacerbate your problems. And if you’re new to exercise, you may want to hold off on boot camp until you’ve gained some aerobic fitness and strength.

Otherwise, do your homework and talk with the instructor, as no two boot camps are the same. Tips for finding the best boot camp for you:

1. Ask for referrals or sit in on a workout to see if you like the class and instructor, recommends Berman. Some instructors are drill sergeants who employ the no-pain-no-gain philosophy, which is never good.

2. Find out if the boot camp provides a good balance of cardiovascular fitness and strength training, which is ideal for getting in good overall shape.

3. Ask about class size. Berman likes classes of no more than 12 to 15 people, as that allows her to pay attention to everybody and recommend modifications where necessary.

4. Consider the length and focus of the program. Boot camps run anywhere from three to eight weeks, and may even be targeted to specific populations like new moms, couples or brides-to-be, so look for one that fits your schedule and goals.

Then prepare to burn calories and build muscle. And don’t be surprised if you notice mental benefits as well. “In three weeks, you might go from doing one push-up to 10 push-ups, which can boost your confidence,” Berman says. “You’ll then wonder what else you can do in life that you didn’t think you could!”

Karen Asp

Karen Asp is a fitness/health writer who writes for numerous publications, including Fitness, Natural Health, Men’s Fitness, Prevention, Self, Shape and Women’s Health. Asp is also a certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor.

Better late than never, they say! I haven’t done my update for last week because it sucked. I was so busy and I didn’t take the time to run. This week Fiona changed my routine a bit with running and adding in some cross training. I have 2 short runs, 1 long run, 1 day of Turbo Jam and 1 day of EA Sports Active plus 2 days of rest/stretching. I have put all the workouts on my calendar as appointments with my Nike+ that I am determined to keep!!!

I am NOT allowed to walk at all. I was walking too much because I “think” I can not run for long periods of time. So, this week, my focus is on the running. It is a mental hurdle I need to get past. I will let you know how it goes.

Sorry for the short update, but I have to get my daughter to dance!!

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Summer is officially upon us!  My kids are out of school and we are having a ton of fun.  I’ve been getting my runs in and am feeling very strong.  More and more women are joining our group and we’ve established an official forum on DailyMile.com – be sure to join us as we get the conversations in there flowing! We will officially be calling this endeavor My Life Run and you will start to see us using the hashtag #MyLifeRun, we’d love to have you join in so that we can cheer you on as well!

My kids love to play with my iphone camera and video and they are forever snapping pictures of me.  Whenever I sync with iphoto I’m always finding strange shots of the grocery store floor or videos of some goofy skit they make up on the fly.  Today, however there were several shots of me in my running gear.  I have to say that when I saw the pictures, my first thought was, “Wow I don’t look all that bad right now!”.  I’ve been losing weight slowly but the numbers on the scale don’t really reflect how much healthier I have been getting.  I feel like I look healthy in this photo… and I feel strong.  I feel whole.  I feel like me.

Getting back into the swing of things after my trip to Atlanta for The Race Relax Weekend with @theblogrollers meant missing my update last week so I’ve attached it to this weeks.  You can see that I’m starting to increase my mileage and I’ll be running 3-5 mile straining runs from now on while increasing the distance of my one long run each week.  I’m looking at races and will likely try to run at least one half marathon before the Disney Wine and Dine in October.

How was your week?  If you would like to become a contributing writer to MomActive for the “My Life Run” series just email me at fiona.bryan@momactive.com!

Here is what my training has looked like over the past two weeks….

Today we welcome Molly Gold, of Go Mom, Inc.  She’ll be Racing For The Cure this Saturday and I asked her to share her story with us…

By Molly Gold

www.gomominc.com

On Saturday, June 12, 2010, I am running the North Carolina Susan B. Komen® Race for the Cure because…

My Mother is a survivor and I’m so relieved she tested negative for Brac 1 and 2.

My Aunt has had breast cancer twice spanning 25 years.

My Grandmother passed away in her 50’s of ovarian cancer.

I had my first mammogram at 34 and I’m over being in the high risk category.

I have a neighbor who passed away this winter after a long battle and her children are my children’s ages.

I can count 5 people I know on one hand who have had breast cancer in the last year.

1 in 9 women will fight this disease in her lifetime and I don’t want to be part of that sisterhood.

I am running because my friend Krista Colvin has breast cancer and she’s going to win.

As you all know, Krista is the ultimate gal pal.  She’s sassy and fun, smart and caring, she’s that girlfriend that you wouldn’t dare miss a girl’s night out with and you’d give your right arm for.  Or your right breast.  She is bold and brave, not one to shy away from anything, and an educator in her heart.    I live on the other side of the country, have never met her in real life, and know in my heart she’s my kind, that instant connection that makes you know that you know that you know you are meant to share the sisterhood.

When Krista shared the news of her diagnosis, I was mad, devastated for her, and sadly, I’m embarrassed to say so selfishly terrified for myself.  What did it mean if a woman so vibrant and true could randomly, without a family history like mine that screams warning signals, while doing those monthly exams most of the time along with yearly mammograms still be challenged to fight stage 3 aggressive breast cancer?  What if I ever hear that terrible news?

Because of Krista, I have realized that I can’t live in fear that I might get breast cancer.  In fact I have to recognize that when your world is wide as today’s can be thanks to Face Book, Twitter, and just being the social butterfly that I am, I am going to hear about breast cancer, and frankly lots of other scary things, a lot.  And you know what?  I can’t worry about what if…not when it comes to breast cancer, H1N1, or any other terrible unexpected threat to our lives.  We can’t anticipate that and will miss out on this precious life right here in front of us if that’s where we focus our energy.

But when I hear about a newly diagnosed patient or learn of their most recent battle, that’s my chance to help.  That’s my chance to pray for people I know and I don’t,  to get out in my local community and raise money for women hear and all over the country, including out in Camas, Washington where my sweet friend is making such a huge difference sharing her story publicly every step of the way.  Krista is using her relationships in the local media to educate women just like you and me about what breast cancer really looks like.

Social Media makes the world a much smaller place and it’s because of the wonderful network of people there that I’m honored to be part of Team Colvin.  Sponsored by Hanes Comfort and organized by my friend, Malise Terrell, Carolina Mama, we have an AWESOME chance to work together to raise money and awareness for breast cancer everywhere.   The local North Carolina Blogging Community is coming out to work together and we’d love your support so check us out! Thank you!

As I sit in my airplane at 100,000+ feet, I’m filled with a myriad of emotions. I am a bit sad that the weekend is over and my time with the fantastic social media ladies of the #ATL has ended until we next meet, likely at Blogher or Blogalicious.   I am excited to see my babies, whom I have missed.  I’m looking forward to getting home and finishing up some straggling work before I take the summer off from consulting, and I am at peace with the world after one of THE most relaxing weekends I have had in a very long time.

When I won The Blogrollers contest for a weekend “Race & Relax Weekend” trip to Atlanta, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect.  I was looking forward to a little time away from the daily grind and was  just plain thrilled to have a reason to train a 5k.  I’m typically focusing on longer endurance runs and never pay much attention to how fast I run.  Let’s just get this straight, I run far and loooong, major emphasis on the “long”. Simply put, I’m a slow runner.  I pretty much run straight 10 min miles no matter the distance so it has been fun to put more emphasis on speed work and I feel strong for it, so I’ll likely keep working at getting to be a “less slow” runner.

The Race

We were a crew of about 20, all with different goals and intentions for the race.  Some of us were out for the run, some for the walk, and others were there for the fun.  As we gathered at the start line, there was no mistaking who the social media mavens were …

Hey ladies!!! That was the start!

I was setting up my music and Nike+ so I could track my time, and suddenly a wave of runners started moving … YIKES we missed the gun.  I bolted forward and just started running.  I was a mess, and in the words of my lady friend @broksocialite, “we don’t DO mess”.  Well, I was a mess of fumbling iphone and wires and I should have been focused and preparing at the start line.  Oooops!  It took me a good 14 mile or so to get myself situated and into a running groove.

Can I just say that Atlanta is humid?  HU- MID! Not just the little glisten/glow kind of humid.  It was SWEAT your balls of humid.  I assumed the heat would be a challenge to me but I also wrongly assumed that because I train at altitude, I’d be able to breath much easier and move along at a faster pace.  Wrong, and a lesson learned – the humidity made the air thick and I huffed and puffed my way along the course struggling on the intake. I knew going in that the hills would likely slow me down a bit .. and they did.  I opted not to stop and wait in line at the one and only water stop. (Just a little FYI on race water tables “best practices”, stand IN FRONT of the table and pass the water to runners as they run by!) This was a decision I definitely regretted later when I would have given almost anything for a drop of water. I’m quite certain I must have sweat several gallons of water in that short distance, as I was blinded by the sweat dripping from my forehead.  My eyes stung and in my mind’s ear,  I was panting like a hyena giving birth. Or at least what I imagine a hyena giving birth would sound like.  I just kept thinking, “You can do anything for 3 miles” and “Suck air IN, Suck air IN”. It’s funny, I felt so strong despite wanting to die.  I was going to push along no matter what!

Never Make Assumptions

My cocky assumption that I’d have an easy time breathing during this race was silly, had I given it much thought or even looked into it at all, I would have realized that the thick humid air would pose a challenge and likely cancel out any benefit I had gained from training at altitude. I’ll chalk this one up to a lack of experience but I can tell you that I won’t ever go into another race being sure of what conditions to expect.

Strange Happenings

Our bodies change as they age and if you’ve ever birthed a child you will likely see significant proof of those children, that increases with each pregnancy and birth.  I’ve had three children. My body is evidence but I practice yoga in order to combat some of the core strength weakness that I might otherwise struggle with. No matter what I do, the trauma that certain parts of my body have weathered in pushing three gorgeous little blessings can not be undone.  I do believe that practicing yoga is just about the only thing holding my hips together right now!

The Finish

The finish line was right around a corner at the bottom of a hill.  Had I known that the finish line were there I might have picked up my pace earlier, but PHEW it was nice to see that “Finish” sign!  I thought I’d pass out as I walked it off catching my breath.  (Another race note: Making runners walk 3 blocks to get water when they’ve sweat so much you can smell them a mile away??  NOT advised – Place it off to the side if you have to but WATER should be in close proximity lest would like to  have a BaneringBlonde yack in the middle of your pretty street!

@stacieinatlanta, me, @brokesocialite

For more about the race, and to read about the “RELAX” portion of the weekend join my on BanteringBlonde…

Relief...

Image by ScrappinMichele via Flickr

I completed the first week of my running for my life project. I ended up running 2 days and walking one day. I was not able to get a long run in over the weekend. It was Memorial Day weekend and filled with family activities. Running just wasn’t in the plans. But that’s ok. Sometimes family has to come first!

It was a very HOT week with most days nearing 90 with high humidity. Running was hard, but I just mixed it up with some walking and I felt awesome. Changing my focus to just going out there and running and walking really helped me. I didn’t think about the final goal and just went out.

Exercise And Busy Schedule

One day it was really hot, but I wanted to move, so I decided to walk around the track during my daughter’s soccer practice. I have been trying to think about ways to fit the exercise into my already busy routine. I’m using the time I used to sit and watch kids or just gab and getting out there and moving it. It feels really good.

My suggestion if you think you don’t have any time to work out is to really look closely at your schedule and see when you can fit in some time. Even if it’s 30 minutes while your kids are in practice. Yesterday I saw a women walking around the pool while her kids were swimming in the pool. the pool was crowded, but she made it work. It is important to schedule it in to your week as an appointment.

Week 2 Plan

For this week I am planning on running 3 days, walking 1 day and doing yoga twice.

• Monday – Rest
• Tuesday – Run 30 minutes
• Wednesday – Walk 30 minutes (during soccer practice)
• Thursday – Run 30 minutes
• Friday – Yoga
• Saturday – Run 40 minutes
• Sunday – Cross Training – EA Sports Active

Many runners begin to taper their training during the two weeks before a race but, since I’ll be using the #RaceRelax weekend 5k next Saturday June 5th as part of my half-marathon training, I have kept my normal training routine. I have also had such great results with my speed training that I pushed to “sprint” for the two middle miles in my Sunday run, and ended up running sub 9 minute miles for those particular miles!.  My goal for the 5k on Saturday is to run a sub 30 minute race and it should be very doable! If you take a look at my training week posted at the bottom of this, you will notice that my overall average mile time keeps going down.  I’m so used to training for longer distances I wasn’t really sure if I was doing any good with shorter speedier runs, but I feel really strong right now and know that I’ll have to work my distance interval training at a higher intensity from now on! So, it is the week before the big trip…. On Friday I am heading to HOT-Lanta! (That’s Atlanta for y’all Yankees).  Many of you will remember that I entered and actually WON The Blogrollers #RaceRelax Contest to run with @askwifey.  I wanted to win that contest so badly that I entered and played my odds like nobody’s business.  I’ve never want to win something so badly before! Preparing for this race has gotten me out of a pretty big running rut and I am so excited to see what the race reslut is. This little trip is EXACTLY what I need right now. I am so grateful to The Blog Rollers , Walt Disney World Resort and The Cherry Marketing Institute , The Wine Sisterhood and Pampered by Adrienne for sponsoring the event and flying me to Atlanta to Race …. and Relax!

Here are the lovely Atlanta ladies that I’ll be running and relaxing with!

@DoinGoodinATL; blog: http://doingoodinmyhood.wordpress.com/

@ReneeJRoss; blog: http://cutiebootycakes.com/ @LisaCWrites; blog: http://lisacwrites.com/ @WatchTheShoes; blog: http://wonderwomanchronicles.blogspot.com/ @Resroad; blog: http://myresolutionroad.blogspot.com/ @brokesocialite; blog: http://thebrokesocialite.com/ @StacieInAtlanta; blog: http://thedivinemissmommy.com/ @KrystalGrant; blog: http://www.krystalgrant.com/ @NikkiD13; blog: http://www.myinnerdialogue.com/ @JoanofAllTrades; blog: http://joanofalltrades.blogspot.com/ @execumama; blog http://execumama.com/ @mami2mommy; blog: http://mami2mommy.com/ @banteringblonde; blogs: http://banteringblonde.com/ and http://momactive.com/ @msladysoul; blog: http://www.intellectualsoul.com/ @chatterboxcgc; blog: http://www.christiecrowder.com/ @AskWifey; blog: http://www.askwifey.blogspot.com/ http://losingfatandwinning.blogspot.com/ @TheGreatDanaJ

Training Log 5/24/10 – 5/30/10

	Type	Title	Distance (mi)	Duration	Pace	Calories
05/30/10	Running	Just another run ….	6.46	01:08	10:28	766
05/28/10	Running	Harvard Loop	3.27	00:36	11:05	324
05/26/10	Running	Quick Run Before MomTV MomActive Show!	2.53	00:27	10:42	251
05/24/10	Running	Harvard Gulch Double	4.43	00:49	10:59	439
05/24/10	Yoga	C2 CorePower		01:00		N/A

I feel like we need to explore a name for the weekly check-ins.  We are all having “aha” moments and major mental breakthroughs … this is no longer about a race and we need to start reflecting that.  So let’s get on that….’mkay?

Those of you following us on our journey will start to see people coming out of the woodwork making all kinds of crazy declarations that are going to push them to BE MORE and DO MORE than they ever imagined. **giddy**

Ok, so my week was not fantabulous but it was actually ok.  I struggle with allergies and the cotton wood came out fierce last week.  Our lawns and streets and screens were clogged with the white cotton of ick.  The trooper within pulled this out….

Monday - Core Power Yoga 60 mins

Tuesday- 6.5 miles 1:10 (easy run)

Wed/Thurs/Fri –  Allergies and lack of sleep!

Sunday – 33minutes 2.66 miles (very easy run)

So, not awesome but at the same time I still put in almost 9 miles and the 6.5 distance gave me a peak distance to train down from for my 5k race next Saturday #RaceRelax weekend in Atlanta with @theblogrollers!  My goal is to run a sub 30min 5k… totally doable!

Tune in to @momactive on MomTV on Wednesday at 10pm ET – we’ll be talking training schedules and plans, getting out of your own head and over the mental hurdles!  We may have a super duper top secret special guest popping in  ….. ooooh la la

It still hasn’t really hit me that I’m training to run 13.1 miles. Every time I say it people look at me like, you? run 13.1 miles? Yeah, Good Luck with that! I’m still struggling with it. For me, visualization is HUGE. I need to see something to understand it. I can’t think in my head about running  or think about how that room will look in red. I need to see it! That is my focus this week. To do what I can to get my mind on track.

I ran twice this last week and worked out once on my EA SPORTS Active. Next week I plan to add Yoga to my routine at night. Yoga always gets my mind and body in sync.

My body really wants to do this, but my mind keeps saying, “uh, can you really do it?” I haven’t convinced myself yet that I can and I know that until I believe it, it won’t be possible. Now, having said that, I really need to stop focusing on the 13.1 mile run. After 1 mile, I think “that would be 12.1 more miles to go.” After 2 miles “that would be 11.1 more miles to go.” I need to set smaller goals and forget about the 13.1 miles. It is 18 weeks from this Saturday. I have time to work towards that. AND, as I was talking to Fiona today I realized, I can walk 13.1 miles today. I know that I can do. It’s the running part that is tripping me up. So, why am I freaking out?

These are the steps I’m going to take this week.

1. Put my training schedule on my calendar. Seeing it each day will make it real. It’ll be my appointment and I’ll work everything else around it!

2. Run 2 – 20 minute runs during the week and 1 30 minute run on Sunday. My goal is to do a 60 min long run in 3 weeks.

3. Put up some pictures of me running. This will help me visualize myself as a runner and remember who I’m active for….ME!

4. Start using running podcasts during my runs to take my mind off the run. (Fiona suggested the JogTunes Indie Podcast)

You will also no longer see the words, “training for half marathon” on my weekly recaps. I’m going to rename my training, ScrappinMichele’s Active Training. I’m training for life, not a half marathon.

I have decided to use my daughter’s dance time to run. I usually sit in the waiting area and chat, but today, I will run at least 20 minutes. I’m going to go put my running clothes on right now (at 1:45 pm) because that way I’ll have no excuses… I’ll be ready!

Let’s Talk!

What mental hurdles do you have when tackling a new fitness goal?