Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Wellness Wednesday

Welcome to my new planned Wednesday post...Wellness Wednesday.  I actually "stole" the title from work, each Wednesday our Safety Topic is based around health and wellness.  For those that are new to my blog, I've been making some major life changes over the past 18 months regarding my health.  (For those that have been readers for awhile...hang in there while I revisit a little history).

In October 2012, I quit smoking.  I had smoked continuously for too many years, and finally decided enough was enough and I quit cold turkey.  It's February 2014...and I am still 100% smoke free!  That was the first step on my new healthier journey.

In January 2013, I decided I was not happy with my weight and the way I felt and looked.  So I started working out regularly and counting calories, and am happy to say that a year later, I'm down 25 lbs!  I did reach a 35 lb loss but have gained back 10 and I'm ok with that!  This is a lifestyle change, not a diet, so I continue to work at it.  I am not as strict with the calorie counting (and haven't been since August of last year) but I'm very aware of what I'm putting in my body and I aim to make healthier choices.  I haven't had a soda since January of last year, and I mainly drink water all day.  (I do allow myself 2 cups of coffee a day...because let's not get crazy here...).

In February 2013, I started running.  This culminated in me running a Half Marathon last fall with my hubby!  Recap found here.  The training process kickstarted something in me, and now I proudly call myself a runner.  I aim to run 3 times a week (and sometimes I don't get that much and sometimes I do a little more) with my weekend run being my "long run."  I've run in other races and next week will be running as part of a relay team for the Myrtle Beach Marathon (my leg will be 6 miles!).  I also have another half marathon scheduled in March (so excited about this!) and am planning another in the fall.  Running has become a very large part of my life.  It keeps me sane, keeps my stress levels low, and makes me feel great!

I was tracking my running on a tab at the top of my blog (labeled HMT) but have decided I'm going to actually write blog posts about it...considering how important a part of my life it has become.  I will post my current training, where I'm at in mileage and how I'm feeling.  But I'm keeping it to once a week...because at the heart, this blog is about my love of quilting.  I may, on occasion, throw in a race recap...just to share how it all went. 

So welcome to the first Wellness Wednesday!  (after all that, let's get to the point!). 

I'm training for my relay leg of 6 miles, while also trying to prep for the half in March (Newberry Half Marathon), so I've been consistently trying to increase my long runs.  Sunday was a 10-miler...and while I finished it...my legs were not happy!  I had a bad case of DOMS on Monday, but have been fairly decent the past two days (I blame this on not running the week before .  I'm planning on getting out there today and maybe tomorrow, and then trying for a long run of 5-6 miles on Saturday.  Then next week will be a bit of a "taper" so the legs are fresh for the race next Saturday!  My plan for the week:
  • Wednesday: 3-4 mile run
  • Thursday: 2 miles OR 30-40 mins cross-training
  • Friday: 30 mins cross-training and yoga for runners
  • Saturday: 5-6 mile run
  • Sunday: rest, yoga for runners (maybe)
  • Monday: 3 miles
  • Tuesday: cross-train
Be back next Wednesday to let you know how it went!

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