"S" day!

It's an "S" day as my kids put it!  They love "S" days b/c they don't have school and we do fun stuff!  Saturday means soccer for the Ginkos.  Ireland had her first soccer game today and boy is she a little trooper.  Her team is co-ed and I have to say she is definitely one of the most aggressive kids on the team.  She just goes for it.  She had band-aids on her knees within just a few minutes of the game and just kept going!

It was nice to get up and enjoy the morning with the kids and Tony and not have to do any training first thing on a Saturday.  I will be heading to Saturday soccer games for a little while so training will have to happen later in the day for me.  Today, I am supposed to get in a 5 hour bike ride, but it will end up being a 3 hour trainer ride.

Before I hop on the trainer I get to do a little L'BRI work to get some more April bookings.  I was just telling Tony that while I was at Ireland's school for Kinder rodeo yesterday I got 5 orders on my website from 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. yesterday.  I think that's pretty cool!  I have found one of the best kept secrets.  But, I'd like for other women to be aware of this opportunity and not keep it a secret b/c it's truly awesome !!  :)

FUN - FIT + Healthy

I am stoked about commiting to blog on a regular basis.  I plan to do this at least once a week.  I've always wanted to combine blogging about my fitness journey as well as my skin care business and the awesome journey I'm on so here we go! 

A few of my goals for the next 2 weeks:

1. Rest and recover since I just had x-rays done on my hip.  Stress fx on the iliac wing (wth?) and doc said I have tendonitis of the glute medius / minimus.  So, I won't RUN for another 4 weeks.  By the time I'm all done with the achilles tendonitis and this little hiccup it will be about 6 months of not running.  That blows!  It is what it is and I will get through it. 

2. Continue building, growing, and booking parties for my L'BRI business.  It's an incredible time with the company and I'm having a blast building the Austin area and all around the country!  This is BIG!!!  Aloe-based, natural skin care and I live in one of the best cities in the world for it!!!  I LOVE what I do!!!

3. Keep a great balance b/w work, working out / training, kids, hubby, and keeping up with laundry!!  I think I've got it figured out (maybe)!  River and Ireland are doing soccer, basketball, swimming, football and in May start a running group.  Really?  What was I thinking?  As long as they're happy and having fun that's all that matters!

I am in love with the Mel's Meals 3-week challenge!

Ok, so I'll admit I'm awful at being a consistent blogger.  I am all gung-ho about blogging when I first get going on my meal plan and then just completely drop the ball.  I know this time won't be any different (round 3 by the way), so I'm just going to tell you what I love about doing this program and how I'm feeling up to this point.  It's the 3rd time to take on this challenge and I LOVE it!  I have never done anything like this and I am totally hooked and addicted to Mel's meals.  I love the food, the plan, the people that started this amazing company and concept (Mel and Greg), my dietitian, and everything about it.  I don't care about eating out, stopping to get my daily smoothie, eating chocolate (ok maybe I still have a few cravings here and there), or putting anything other than clean food in my body right now!  I feel so healthy, strong, and motivated to eat a balanced and clean diet that's it's almost obsessive, I guess. But, that's me. When I find something I love and am passionate about I give it 110% and don't back down, period.

It might not be for everyone, but I have found it very useful and helpful for my busy life.  I have learned even more about nutrition, my body, and how I should be fueling my body.  I am much more aware of what foods my body can handle and manage and turn into fuel to keep me going all day long.  Working out and training is a part of my life so eating the right foods for me is a huge part of what helps me to stay balanced and happy!  I love to eat good food and know that what I'm putting in my body will make a profound effect on how well I can perform at everything I do!  I'm a vegetarian and finding food that will give me enough protein and fat to sustain such a busy active lifestyle is crucial for me.

Prior to starting the plan I was feeling run down probably more than I should have been on a weekly basis.  I know I was probably not as efficient and strong as I could have been  during my race season last year as well.  I am anxious to see how all of this eating, fueling, and maintaining my diet will translate to my race season!!  100 days until Ironman Texas so we will see!! 

Honestly, I feel freaking amazing and get to thank Mel's meals for helping to keep me on this awesome path of a healthy and fit lifestyle and eating the right foods, all the time!!!  I feel like I've always eaten "healthy", but I was eating too many carbs and "on-the-go" foods and not enough whole protein and fat in my diet.  I have been as tiny as a size 0 in college (way too skinny for my body) and everywhere in b/w up to a size 10 after kiddos.  I am comfortable where I am now and feel incredibly strong, healthy, and I'm probably the leanest I've been in a while.  My health and my family's health is a top priority in my life and I feel like the plan has also given me some great ideas for meals and dishes for my kiddos and hubby.  My children are very aware of how to make good choices when it comes to eating the right foods.  They'd probably rather have ice cream and cookies everyday, but they know why we don't and I think they're starting to grasp the concept (maybe)!

There are so many goals that the plan can help people with whether it's weight loss, getting lean / leaner, stronger, or just giving you a jumpstart to get back to eating the right foods for you, etc.  I think it's worth it to at least give it a try if it's something you've been on the fence about or been thinking about doing.......Mel's Meals is the way to go!http://www.melsmealsaustin.com/

Mel's meals "Get Lean" 3-week challenge

MEL'S MEALS 3-week challenge (Challenge #1 in Dec. 2010, Challenge #2 in Jan. 2011)!

I am trying a 3 week meal plan program through Mel's meals (http://www.melsmealsaustin.com/). She offers pre-packaged healthy meals to go. The 3 week program incorporates lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, and heart-protective fats and each plan is catered towards your needs / goals. I am super pumped b/c I've never done anything like this. It will allow me to eat a more balanced diet and eat healthier snacks throughout the day. I skip meals all the time b/c I feel like I'm "on the go" a lot with my workouts, training, kids, L'Bri shows, appts., errands, etc. I thought I'd give it a go! Here are my initial goals: eat a more balanced diet with complete proteins and "good carbs", eat more fruits and veggies throughout the day, maintain my current weight throughout the holiday season. And.....try to slowly drop 5-7 lbs. by mid-late January.......and maybe get a 4-pack instead of just my little 2-pack! It would also be nice to start off next year's race season a little lighter! Most importantly, I want to be fueling my body with the right foods......so I can feel good, be strong, and powerful with lots of energy.....in everything I do throughout the day (especially when I'm running around with my kids)! ;)

1.1.11

Wow, it's already New Year's Day 2011!  Every Christmas holiday season seems to go by faster and faster for me.  I think it's because River and Ireland both have b-days within 13 days of each other with Christmas right in the middle.  It just makes it fly by! 

We had a great Thanksgiving (just our family of 4) and then tons of family fun as we hosted Christmas at our house!  The kiddos had a blast with everyone at the house especially since Cousin Sophie was around to open gifts with them.  The kiddos opened Santa gifts before everyone came over and then the mayhem began!

My brother told me the best Christmas gift for him would be for me, Tony, and my sister to go to Amsterdam to visit him in May.  Taylor and his wife have been in Europe for almost a year and will most likely only be there for another year and a half or so.  He works for Delta / KLM and would love to get us over there.  I am scheduled to do Ironman Texas on May 21, 2011.  We will be flying on buddy passes and he just sent me an email with the best May dates (11th - 17th).  Yikes!  So, tapering in Amsterdam?  Ummm, I don't think so!  I sure wish it was that easy!

I'm not sure why I am making this such a tough decision, but I am!  I have signed up for another Ironman Journey and really would like to follow through.  My goal for Ironman Texas will be to have fun and treat it like a training day in order to prepare myself for World Championships 70.3 in September!  We will see!

Back on the wagon!

I told you I was a flip flopper!  I'm so back on the wagon and doing Ironman Texas!!  This of course is all dependent on me being injury free.  I'm still getting over this achilles injury.....no fun.  When I told my mom I had again decided to do the Ironman in Houston (after adamantely telling my family and some friends that there was NO WAY I was doing it) she said I was, "coo coo."  Rooms are booked in the Woodlands and I'm already getting excited about training again.  I am going to ease back into this one though.  I get really excited, go all out way too early on, make dumb mistakes, do stupid stuff, do too much, and then get injured and get pissed off at myself!  I will train smarter this year!  Less quantity, more quality!  Watch me!

On another note, I am pumped about starting a 21-day Get Lean program through Mel's Meals.  I would love to maintain this weight through the holidays and to be honest......maybe even loose a few (5-7 lbs.) by mid-January.  Going into next year's race season a little lighter would make me even happier!  So, we will see how this goes.  I'm a vegetarian and I truly don't feel like I have a balanced diet.  I eat way too many carbs and always seem to be "on the go" so I will be really working on eating more complete proteins and fruits and veggies all day long.  It will be something I've never done so I will definitely be keeping record of how I feel and if I feel like it's making a difference in my performance and daily mood!

It's been 3 weeks since Ironman Florida..........

It really seems like it's been a lot longer since IMFL.  I've been super busy.  I've enjoyed not having a "schedule" to keep up with in regards to swimming, biking, and running.  I have done some weight lifting and kickboxing (which I love) and have enjoyed my time "off" from being so disciplined with workouts.  I haven't been running at all......and that's been really really tough on me.  This is my time to run......my favorite weather to run in and I can't do it right now b/c I've jacked up my right achilles tendon.

I did something to it early on in the race season and literally completely ignored it.  (Don't do that).  It's swollen, inflamed, stiff, tight, throbbing, and makes me limp and hobble like an old woman first thing in the morning or if I've been sitting down too long.  I've been going to Dr. Laurie Buob the last few weeks and following Dr.'s orders.  She says no running for 8 weeks.........  :(  We think it's achilles tendinitis and / or bursitis.  I am not going to get an MRI b/c it's too damn expensive.  So, gotta rest it, ice it, use foam roller, and just focus on healing. 

I'm not sure if I'll get to do the full marathon in February.  It will all depend on how I feel......and starting off with my goal of not doing too much too soon is what I plan to stay with all year.  So....we will see!

After IMFL I was adamant about not doing Ironman Texas.  I'm being a big time flip flopper......still not sure!  One day it's a yes and the next day it's a oh I don't know.       I feel like I need to focus on other things in life other than training my little hiney off for another full distance Ironman in May.  I am doing the half ironman in April in Galveston, Pflugerville tri, Texas tri series, 70.3 World Championships in Vegas in September, and then finish with another half ironman (Longhorn) in October and I'm really looking forward to ALL of it!  So.....we will see how I feel come 2011.  I'm just gonna go from there!  I don't want to do too much too soon.  I would like to be healthy and perform well at World Championships in Vegas! 

Of course, Tony is supportive either way in regards to me doing Ironman Texas!  He hears me out and finishes with I know you'll make the right decision.  :)  He's good like that.