Easter Break Catch Up

Hi guys!

I hope everyone had an enjoyable holiday weekend!  I had an extremely busy (yet wonderful!) Easter break, so I'm just now catching up on my posts.  My last weigh in results (which I actually took Monday morning) are:

• Arms - 12 (down 0.5")
• Chest - 36.75 (down 1.25")
• Waist - 41.25 (down 1.25")
• Hips - 41.75 (down 1.25")
• Thighs - 21.25 (down 1.25")
• Weight - 168.6 (down 3 lbs)
• BMI - 26.8 (down 0.5)

I know last post I stated that I was going to repeat my C25K program's Week 2 again until I felt more comfortable running as long as Week 3, but I think part of my inability to keep up was the fact that I went at the hottest point of the day.  The heat just sapped all of my energy.

So this week, I've been doing Week 3.  I did Day 1 yesterday and Day 2 today, as I'm trying to get my running back to my Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule.  Friday, I will be completing Day 3.  I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to repeat Week 3 a few times.  Running for a  solid three minutes is extremely tough!

Week 3's course is running 90 seconds, walking 90 seconds, running 3 minutes, walking 3 minutes and repeating.  Yesterday, I was unable to run the first 3 minutes.  I found a better pace and was able to go the full 3 minutes the second time, however.  Today, I was able to do both 3 minute times.

Week 3 Day 1 Stats:

Distance - 2.57 miles

Time - 35:40 minutes
Fastest - 8:33/mile
Slowest - 33:43/mile

Avg. Pace - 13.51/mile

I ran my fastest 1K by running it in 6:56.  I ran my fastest mile at 12:48.

Week 3 Day 2 Stats:

Distance - 2.46 miles

Time - 38.05 minutes
Fastest - 9:50/mile
Slowest - 27:28/mile

Avg. Pace - 15.27/mile

Today's average pace should have been faster, but I had to chase down my dog and walk her back to the house in the middle of my run.  Emma Grace, my oldest, let her out of the house.

I love seeing my records update on Nike+ Running.  I can't believe I've come so far!  Here are my beginning times:

1K - 16:53

1 mile - 17.25

I can't wait to see how much faster I get and how much further I can go!

Thanks for reading!

C25K: Week 2 Day 1 Repeat

Yesterday I completely skipped doing Insanity.  As the weather warms up, my house gets to almost 80 degrees F during the day, which I feel is just a little too hot to be doing that kind of activity.  I'll try doing it earlier than I have been before I put it back on the shelf until cooler days.

Today, I went out running much later than I usually do.  I actually went at the hottest time of day because my children woke up extra early this morning.  They usually don't wake up until 9-ish, but my youngest woke up screaming about 7:45 while I was getting dressed to go out.  I guess she had a bad dream.

It was so hot when I went out today that I couldn't keep up with my Week 3 Day 1 run.  I decided to back track and start Week 2 over again as I still have difficulty running for that length of time.  I'll repeat Week 2 at least one more time before I progress to Week 3.

If I go out that late again, I'm going to have to take a bottle of water with me at least for Harley.  I was afraid he was going to get too hot.  I tried to let him drink from a small stream, but as he approached, a turtle that we both failed to see dove into the water.  He charged about 10 feet backward and decided he didn't want water that bad.  When we got home, both of us drank plenty of water and sat beside one of the air vents in the floor until we cooled down.

Thanks for reading!

C25K: Week 2 Day 3

It felt absolutely wonderful to go out for a run this morning!  I waited about an hour later than usual, so I missed most of the "morning rush" traffic - no parents speeding to get the kids to school and no college kids speeding to get to their morning class!  I did, however, have to deal with two chicken trucks that had just picked up a trailer full from the chicken farm down the road.  I don't think there's a comparable stench that exists on Earth..  They were absolutely horrible.

I don't know if any of you know what a sweet gum tree is, but they are no fun to run around.  There's a couple of them on my route and I absolutely hate it when a car is coming when I'm by these trees.  I have to be really careful to not fall down because their seed pods are all over the ground around them.  It's literally like running on huge marbles!  Here's a picture.  Just for size, they're usually about the diameter of a tealight candle if not a bit bigger.

Anyway, enough chit chat.  I had a great run this morning.  I went 2.5 miles with a time of 37:40 and an average pace of 15:03 according to Nike+ Running.

See you tomorrow!

Weekly Weigh In

I believe I've hit my first real hurdle in losing weight.  My weight stayed about the same this week, and my measurements didn't really change any.  I'm hoping that the increases I've experienced are because of muscle gains, but I know I haven't been eating like I should be either.

• Arms - 12 (down 0.5")
• Chest - 37 (down 1")
• Waist - 41 (down 1.5")
• Hips - 42.25 (down 1.25")
• Thighs - 21.25 (down 0.1.25")
• Weight - 168.6 (down 3)
• BMI - 26.8 (down 0.5)

See you Monday!

Yummy Pancakes! A Couple of My Favorite Recipes

Around here, pancakes are the ultimate breakfast food.  My kids snap them up just as fast as I can make them.  Since we usually eat pancakes at least once  a week, I've played around with my recipe to find ways to make them a little more nutritious.

I absolutely love Bisquick to make pancakes with (It's just makes it so simple and easy to make pancakes, among other things.).  I use the "Ultimate Pancake" recipe provided on the back of the box as my basis for my recipes.

Ultimate Pancake recipe
2 cups Original Bisquick mix
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

This recipe makes pretty good pancakes as is, But I usually add in protein powder to change up the flavor, as well as add in extra protein which keeps you fuller longer.

Vanilla Protein Pancake recipe
2 cups Original Bisquick mix
3 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 scoop MusclePharm Combat Vanilla**
1 cup Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk*
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

OR

Chocolate Protein Pancake recipe
2 cups Original Bisquick mix
3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 scoop MusclePharm Combat Chocolate Milk**
1 cup chocolate milk (8 oz. milk plus 2 tbsp Ovaltine Chocolate Malt mix)*
2 tsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla (optional)

To Make:
Add dry ingredients into a bowl and mix.  Add milk and mix until smooth.  Add in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.  Stir in remaining wet ingredients.  Pour roughly 1/4 cup amounts onto preheated skillet (I use the heat setting 3 on my stove) and cook until edges are dry or bubbles start forming.  Flip and cook until golden.  Makes about 14 pancakes.

Want more flavors?  MusclePharm has 11 different flavors to choose from!  From Cinnamon Bun, to Mint Chocolate Chip, to Snickerdoodle, they have it!  (And I'm sure they would all make excellent pancake flavors with just a few tweaks to the Bisquick recipe.)

Now, I have one last recipe for you.  This is my Oatmeal Pancake recipe that I use when I want pancakes with a little more chewiness.

Oatmeal Pancake recipe
2 cups Original Bisquick mix
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp Greek yogurt
2 tbsp baking powder
1 scoop MusclePharm Combat Vanilla**
1 cup Silk Unsweetened Almond Milk*
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup rolled oats

To Make:
Add dry ingredients into a bowl and mix.  Add milk and mix until smooth.  Add in eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.  Stir in remaining wet ingredients.  Pour roughly 1/4 cup amounts onto preheated skillet (I use the heat setting 3 on my stove) and cook until edges are dry or bubbles start forming.  Flip and cook until golden.  Makes about 14 pancakes.

Feel free to take these recipes and change them to your liking!  As you can see, the original recipe is quite forgiving.  Maybe add in some chocolate chips, or M&Ms, or maybe some almond slivers.  Experiment and have fun!

*Notice, I did not increase my liquids in any of these recipes.  I've found that, even with the extra dry ingredients, I don't need more liquid ingredients as the pancakes turn out just the same (if not better).

**I have only tried MusclePharm protein powders in my pancakes.  Different protein powders may produce different results.