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 .

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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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

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?

When The Blogrollers held their #RaceRelax Weekend contest a few weeks ago, I knew I absolutely had to win. I worked that contest hard and when I won, it felt like it was “meant to be”.  Training to race a 5k is a whole different game than the half marathon or longer distance races I had been looking to run.  I plan to use the Atlanta race as a training run in my long term schedule but I’ll be running along side some very tall rock star runners and I’d like to turn in a respectable time… lest they start calling me Bumbling Blonde….

This is what my week looked like:

Monday

- 6am 60 min. Hot Power Fusion Yoga (Core Power)

- 30 minutes easy run

Tuesday

- 6am 60 min. C2 Yoga (Core Power)

Wednesday

- 60 min. Yoga II-III Vinyasa Flow (CCAC)

-  55 minute interval training on tread mill at CCAC – I climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro twice!

(since it was rainy and my club has a spa I popped in for a 50 minute sports massage ahhh)

Thursday

- 60 min.  C2 yoga (Core Power)  **bonus, Kat had a play date so I took advantage!

Friday – Rest

Saturday

- 45 minute run with Jogtunes Podcast 180 bpm peak (my nike+ wasn’t picking up so I’m not sure of the distance)

Sunday – Rest

Observations: I’m a fair weather runner and I don’t love the treadmill so every winter I fret about “losing” my groove with running.  It makes sense that I always fall right back into it because I stay very active during the winter with yoga, snowboarding, strength training etc.  The wear and tear on your body when running is pretty significant and I’ve always tried to force myself to stick to a 3-4 day a week max of actual running. As my body has changed from practicing yoga i am now convinced that I might actually be able to train a marathon with 3-4 days of running a week…. I think

I wish I could report that I am back on track and working out and eating right and well on my way to running a half marathon. Believe me. I considered lying and telling you all that I ran 3 days, but I can’t do that. I promise I wick always be honest with you even if I am embarrassed.

I did manage to get in one really good hour long cardio workout last Tuesday and that was it. This week I am focusing on getting back into the routine of working out. I am at a point right now where unfortunately it isn’t taking a high priority in my day. Each day this week I am going to focus on getting in at least 30 minutes of some type of exercise. Three days I will focus on running.

What do you do to get yourself back in the habit of working out when you have gotten off track? I need all the ideas I can get.

Michele Reaching a Goal of a 4 miles Straight Up Hike

Last week Michele and I announced that we’d be training to run the Inaugural Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon Weekend Oct 1-3.  No matter what your fitness level you can train for this race or any of the races we’ll run along the way.  We have LOTS of time and you’ll be amazed at how your body and mind transforms over the next 21 and a half weeks.  Did you know that most training schedules for a half marathon are only 12 weeks in length?  Yes, 12 weeks… just about three months.  We almost have enough time to train for a half marathon TWICE! When you look at it that way it doesn’t seem like such a big deal does it?

We decided to break the next 23 weeks into 3 phases, building a base in the first 8 weeks, using the 5k race as a training run prior to running a 10k.  When we get to the 3rd phase we hope to have inspired enough people along the way to be able to split into training groups so that we can customize schedules based on individual goals and experience.

Right now this is what it looks like….

Phase I:  8 weeks Build a Base (5k race at end of week

Phase II:   2 weeks – Great place to jump in! (10k race at end of week 10)

Phase III:  12 weeks half marathon training

Each week we will post an example training schedule with options for different levels.  If you would like help customizing a plan that works for you please contact me at fiona.bryan @ momactive . com and I’m happy to help you out!  Michele and I will be documenting our training and posting our personal training schedules and logs weekly.  We’ll also be posting about the nutritional advice we receive.  If you’d like to join the official MomActive Team and cross post updates from your personal blog on MomActive, let us know!

To Get Started Read:  Preparing for Phase I of The MomActive Challenge

We are so glad you are here!  Reading this post is the first step in what promises to be a fun journey.  Phase I: Week 1 kicks off on Monday May 3rd!

Walk/Run – As we mentioned last week our main goal right now is to just get out there and walk or jog for at least 30 minutes at least 3 times this week.  Start to get a feel for what the most convenient days for running are.  Also pay attention to the day or days that would work best for longer runs.  Keep in mind that we’ll be increasing the distance/time of our one day a week longer distance runs all way through to October. The days that you do not run experiment with other recreational fun activities like biking, hiking, Wii Fit, etc.

Ideally, you should be able to run for at least 30 minutes without stopping by the end of this week.  More advanced runners, take it easy and just do your thang.

Shoes/Feet

Whether you plan to run or walk with us you’ll need a good pair of shoes.  If you have a running (or walking) specialty store close by this is your best bet in finding the right shoe.  Most stores have a treadmill that you can test shoes out on and many now have video and computer analysis that will analyze your stride.  To read more about choosing a shoe and the terms pronate and supenate you can read this Runner’s World article, The Best Shoe For You.

A quick word about your feet.  Running or walking distances does not pretty feet make!  Prepare to build tough calluses and be sure to monitor and stave off any cracking or peeling.  You’ll want to keep your toe nails short, although I will say that I have lost many toenails despite keeping them short. We’ll likely talk more about different remedies and foot related products as we build our time/distance, but it is worth a quick mention before we get started.

Clothing (and a word about sports bras)

You don’t need fancy clothes or any special gear to get started running.  An old t-shirt and comfortable shorts or sweats will do.  Ok, the sports bra conversation is an important one.  WEAR A PROPER SPORTS BRA – no matter what your size you need to have good support in order to be comfortable and if you can imagine the what having kids did to them … just imagine the damage from bouncing and jiggling out of control for long periods of time.  If you are blessed, as I am, with ample bosom I want you to know that I am livin’ it right there with you and we will be devoting an entire article and MomTV program to The Sports Bra very soon.  Not all sports bras are created equally and the right bra can will be crucial when we start racking up the miles.

Nutrition

This is also a topic that we’ll be covering in detail over the entire 21-ish weeks.  Here are few tips to get you started:

• Write down what you eat – I know it seems like a pain but we’ll use this information when we start analyzing our diets to be sure that we are fueling our bodies to do what we are asking them to do!
• Drink lots of water – uber important girls, just find a water bottle you can fall in love with and keep it with you all day long.  Another topic that will be published as a full article very soon.
• Take a multi-vitamin – I’m the worst at this – I make my kids take vitamins but I never take them myself.  The fact is most of us do not get the proper amount of vitamins and mineral solely from our food intake.  We’ll work on this but let’s just consider the multi-vitamin our insurance policy to fill in the gabs.

That’s it!  No fancy diets here – we’ll talk common sense and best practices for now and as we learn more we’ll begin to incorporate and eliminate foods as needed/desired.

Any questions? Ask away  ~ you can email or leave a comment!

The MomActive mission is to motivate and inspire women to take an active role in modeling positive behaviors for their children.  There is no way around it, an integral part of your wellness is movement. You must move to be healthy.  Your children must move to be healthy.  Movement is natural and how you move and the way you move is up to you.

HOW WILL YOU MOVE?

Start where you are.  If you haven’t exercised since high school, you probably shouldn’t head out and sign up to run an 8 mile race this weekend.  If you plan to follow along with our Get Moving series, you may be surprised to see that Beginner Track for Week 1 simply asks you to get up and walk.  That’s it. Walk three times this week and then try to take a longer walk at the weekend.  Where and how far?  That is up to you, but shoot for 20 minutes and see how you feel.  Experiment with how fast you walk.  Pay attention to your posture and pull your shoulders back, soak up the sun or whatever kind of day it is.  If you are already an active runner I challenge you to experience your body as you run.  Take note of your posture and stride.  How is your body moving?  Think about this because I’ll be sharing some amazingly powerful tips that will help you run faster and farther with less exertion.  This will come in handy if you are going to run the Inaugural Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon with Team MomActive in October (or any of the many other fall half marathons around the country).

WIPE THE SLATE CLEAN

Michele and I are social media geeks, freaks, enthusiasts, however you want to label it, we believe in the power of communication.  We know that there are others like us that feed off of the energy and inspiration of others.  Today, I propose that you allow yourselves to step back and clear the slate. Forget failed diets, past attempts at fitness programs and all the other mind trash.  Regardless of your health or fitness level you can always benefit from taking a look inward.  Our lives and our bodies are not static, open your mind to the possibility that there is better and that it is attainable.

SET A GOAL

Goal setting is an incredibly powerful and motivating tool.  We speak about goals but how many of us have outlined our goals and plotted exactly what needed to happen in order to reach those goals?  The floating goal may make you feel good but without a plan it is just an empty intention.  I happen to enjoy running and I enjoy racing because I set a goal for each race and then create a plan with how I will achieve that goal.  If you have never run before and set a goal of running in a 5k race or local walk, you’ll need a plan.  The plan will take shape around what your goal in running/walking the race is.  If you are a new runner you might simply want to finish, and your training plan will take that into consideration.  If you are an avid runner you’ll likely have a different goal, perhaps to improve your time.  I often run a 5k race as part of training for a longer race.  No matter your goal you will need a plan.  Lucky for you MomActive can help you with that! You can follow along behind the scenes or you can make the leap and join our growing group of women.  We will help you identify races in your local area and set realistic goals.  MomActive Run/Walk clubs are already starting to form in Denver, CO and the DC Metro area where organizers will plan occasional meet-ups for longer runs. This is really exciting for me because I’m always looking for a buddy on those longer training runs!  Let us know if you’d like to start a club in your area and we’ll help you pull it all together.  Be sure to sign up for our Newsletter to receive more information.

Think you might want to get moving?  It can be hard to make that first step but we’ll be here, and we’ll be ready when you are!

Today, I am excited to announce the formation of a new editorial partnership with Michele McGraw, who will bring her real life experience with healthy lifestyle change to MomActive.  In addition to the introduction of a 3 part running series that will begin this week and culminate with the Oct 2nd Inaugural Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon (watch for more details tomorrow morning), we will join forces to offer support for our mutual goal of living a MomActive lifestyle. Whether you join us in running a half marathon, run a 5k or begin a new healthy lifestyle, we will offer full support along the way.

Michele McGraw ~ Partner/Editor

Michele has spent her life yo-yo dieting until 5 years ago when she lost 75 lbs and began a new healthy lifestyle for both her and her family. She has also spent the last 13+ years helping women find support online for their hobbies and lifestyles. MomActive is the perfect blend of new healthy lifestyle and her passion for offering online support. Michele is CEO of Mom Geek Media and creator of ScrapsofMyGeekLife.com, offering daily commentary, advice, reviews and shared experiences of how her real life and the digital domain connect. She is the host of the Digital Soul Hour, a technology webcast on MomTV on Wednesdays at 10pm ET. Michele is a work at home Mom of 4 kids ages 13, 11, 7 and 5. Her hobbies include digital scrapbooking, reading social media books, collecting gadgets, researching anything and dreaming about laying on the beach. She loves running, yoga and EA SPORTS Active

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I was going through a fitness chat forum this week and one person’s comment caught my eye. The person wrote, “I’ve gained 10 pounds already since the cold weather started!” I could just see the sadness and pleading for help in that comment and I wished so very much to reach through my laptop and hug them.

I mean, gah! 10 pounds!? Winter doesn’t even begin for another couple of weeks!

After my own fear dissipated, all I could think of when I read that was just how easy that actually is!

It all starts with Thanksgiving week and if you were honored to be the cook this year, then it, too, means days afterward of all the leftovers you’re blessed to have still sitting in your fridge. (I have a version of the Thanksgiving sandwich that looks something like the actual Thanksgiving dinner itself sandwiched between two pieces of bread that  I am pretty sure that does nothing to help my thigh region. Thankfully this post comes after you’ve probably thrown away your leftovers, so I’m not giving you any ideas!)

Then it’s onto the Holiday Party where the cheese cube usually makes its entrance. I thought I was being so very healthy last year filling up my plate with cheese cubes, but little did I know those tasty, tiny, cute little nuggets were 1,000 calories on my plate (and that was only for a few of them!) and I hadn’t even gotten to the buffet part of the dinner yet!

Then with all of that holiday hustle and bustle, there’s no time to work out. I mean, how does one plan and attend all these holiday parties, festivities (and in my case 4 birthday parties!), inevitably get a cold or flu, go shopping, eat healthy AND find the time or more importantly, the motivation to exercise?

In the face of such adversity, how can we possibly expect ourselves to stay on track?!

Yes, it’s downright hard, but if you don’t want to have to undo all of that holiday mess on January 1st, here are some tips to stay motivated.

1. Set some lofty goals for the spring. No, you probably will not be an Olympian by springtime, but you can keep your eyes focused on a goal and get ready for it, even in the winter months. All you have to do is use your feet andget some warm clothing or have access to a treadmill. Find a race in your area for sometime in February, March or April and start training for it! There are running plans all over the internet for people of every exercise level. If you don’t run, there are challenging fitness games for game systems like the Wii. Having your eye on a goal will give you that little extra push to get out the door or pass on that doublefudgecheesecake-extravaganza, with whipped cream.

2. And speaking of Olympics, did you know that the Winter Olympics begins in February? When the Summer Olympics was on, I had just begun my fitness journey and watching Michael Phelps and the amazing Dara Torres inspired me to keep focused on my little ol’ goals (I mean, they didn’t get to the Olympics by eating fattyfriednesses or complaining about working out, right? I know, I know, they have sponsors and trainers and all of that, but they did have to start somewhere!) Find some inspiring videos like the 2010 Olympics to watch, or a DVD about the Ironman World Championships which follows the tough roads and challenges the athletes had to face to get there, or watch Lance in an old Tour de France, anything that might fuel the fire. (I know someone who has to watch Rocky to get pumped up, so to each his/her own!) And while you’re at it, update your workout playlist (a little Eye of the Tiger, maybe, or perhaps a little “Lose Yourself” by Eminem…)

3. It’s that time of year when people are in a giving mood, so when they ask, tell them you need some new cold weather gear! Don’t let cold weather keep you inside; get some new gloves, running tights, sweatshirts, windbreakers, and gear specifically made to keep all your heat in. Plus, everyone feels better about working out when they have some cool new duds on!

4. Somewhere in your home, create a Wall of Motivation. Post inspiring and motivational quotes and stickers, “before” pictures, pictures of athletes, anything that moves you to keep going. Mine is a cork board on the back of my bedroom door, so every time I leave my bedroom, I see a picture of Chrissie Wellington, three-time Ironman Champion! Gosh she’s ripped. I love her.

5. As I always say, there’s safety in numbers! Connect with other moms on Twitter, forums like the one here at MomActive, find a running group or running partner in your area or virtual group of people who are trying to stay motivated together. The more people who are in the same boat with you, the easier it will be to dig deep and find your motivation this season.

6. Finally, make today your New Year’s Day. Every January 2nd, you walk into the gym and all the treadmills and ellipticals are taken. That’s because everyone is starting on their “new me”. They are all feeling guilty for what hath transpired during the holidays and they all waited until after they packed it on to start moving. They’ve all made resolutions that this will finally be their year. (And I truly hope it is!) But don’t wait until January. Go now. Make the time. You still have about four weeks left to get a jump on all the gym-crashers. Besides, starting now will help you battle the holiday bulge and some of those indiscretions, and it will give you that much-needed “me-time” you need in between all of the holiday madness.

I was one of six women to participate in Earth Footwear’s Earth Exer-Walk “Change Your Body in 30 Days” Challenge.  I was a little skeptical about exactly what kind of changes I might see in my body over a period of just 30 days but I committed to wearing the shoes every day and went about my normal daily life and exercise routines.  I could tell that the muscles in my legs were working differently but I was really surprised when I took my measurements and realized that I had lost 2 inches in my hips!

Studies have shown that women wearing Earth Footwear burn 4x the fat than normal shoes.  The secret is in the patented Kalso Negative Heel Technology, which positions the toes 3.7º higher than the heels. The slight angle shifts your weight back over the heels, and helps strengthen and tone the body while also burning more calories.

Join us for a discussion with tips on how to enjoy a healthy holiday season!  I will be a panelist Tuesday December 1st for the Earth Footwear sponsored #GNO Twitter Party (9-11pm EST).   Enter the giveaway at Mom-it-Forward ~ Three lucky winners will win a pair of Earth Exer-Walk from @earthfootwear!

And lookie!  I’m famous — I’m in an Earth Footwear ad!  I’ll also be included in an ad that will run in Weight Watchers, Lucky & More Magazine!!  I just wish they had airbrushed “Fred”, that pesky zit that is always hanging out on the left side of my chin….

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