Zensah Sports Bra Review & Giveaway

Everything looks better when you're tiny...

I'm always in search of the perfect sports bra. I want comfort, support and the perfect fit. Not too much to ask, right? It's been more difficult than you think - especially as my body changes during weight loss. Oddly enough, I always seem to lose inches in my chest first?! I have a drawer full of different brands and sizes, none of them perfect yet.

So when Zensah asked to review their sports bra, I gladly accepted since it was a new brand for my girls to try.  Here's what Zensah promises in their Running Sports Bra...

No Chafing - Every Zensah Sports Bra is made with a seamless design to ensure optimal comfort and prevent any chafing. Anti-Bacterial Superior Comfort - Zensah uses it proprietary Zensah fabric in each Zensah Sports Bra it creates for an unmatched comfort. Thermal Regulating & Moisture Wicking

I received the Zensah sports bra in pink.  How convenient since I've been complaining that we need more sports bra options in pink.  In fact, there are TEN colors to choose from in this sports bra.  I wore the bra twice for running and several times for Spinning and strength conditioning.  Here are my opinions on how it worked for me...

COMFORT & FIT: The special Zensah fabric lives up to its reputation.  It's extremely soft against the skin and comfortable to wear. During my workouts, I wasn't tugging and repositioning - not a once. The bra is seamless all the way around so there are no seams itching on your skin. The sports bra fit nicely around my chest with the perfect amount of fabric to cover up skin rolls rather than squeeze them out the sides (yeah, you know what I'm talking about!). The racerback fit is my favorite too.

SUPPORT: This bra is advertised as high support for A-B-C cups. I'm a C cup and found it lacking the necessary support while running. The girls were bouncing around more than I prefer. I tend to gravitate towards a bra that has a bit more structure (cup) around each breast. However, for lower impact activities like Spinning class or weight training, the Zensah sports bra worked out well, and I will continue to use it for those events.

PERFORMANCE: It's summer and there is no denying that I sweat hard while I workout. My sports bras are always soaked and I need to remove them as soon as I'm done. The Zensah fabric wicked the moisture well away from the skin and I didn't experience any chaffing or sweat rashes.

FINAL GRADE:  I give it a B+.  Great comfort and easy to slip in and out of, but needs a bit more support under the cups to support larger breasts. If you're an A or B cup though, I think the Zensah sports bra would be perfect as the fit really is exceptional.

Zensah provided this sports bra to me free of charge, but the opinions expressed are completely Jess.

Would you like to try a Zensah Sports Bra?

Enter below in the Zensah Sports Bra Giveaway!

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Race Recap: Firecracker 5000

Me & hubby pre-race

For the second year in a row, I kicked off America's birthday with the local Firecracker 5000 that runs along Peoria's riverfront.  I'm not a big fan of short races, but really enjoy this festive run. The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays, and I love to start it off with a run! The local Jaycees put on this event, and it benefits some great charities like the Boys & Girls Club. With that in mind, we forgive some of the organizational snafus, right?

Early July lived up to its reputation as hot, still and steamy in the Midwest.  The sun was blazing early which made the 5k hard to sprint. The first two miles of the course were in the open sun, but thankfully there was a little shade along the riverfront trail in the early parts of mile three.

The best part of the race is the pre and post game action. The participants are heavily local, making it a fun social event. Before the race, the Sole Sisters met up for a group picture.  This group of women are so much fun and always make me smile.

Peoria Sole Sisters

Now I haven't raced a 5k in nearly 15 months, so I was expecting to blow away my old 5k PR. (Last year I ran it as a recovery run after an 18 miler the previous day.) But with the hot weather conditions, I wasn't sure where to put my goal. I decided to just run how I felt and go from there...

The race started in a flash. Literally. We're standing there chatting away and all of sudden, BANG! The gun went off. What? No National Anthem on the 4th of July? A little congestion as we made our way out of the starting chute, but I quickly found my groove - using Kim and Julie as my rabbits.  Julie blazed ahead after a mile, but I hung on to Kim throughout the race, finishing just 1 second behind her.

I hit the first mile marker and my watch clocked a 7:52 split. Um, no way. At first I was shocked and delighted... and then a little bit later, I heard all the Garmins beeping.  Mile marker was in the wrong spot.  I was sweating profusely at this point. It was so uncomfortable, and all I could think was, "Thank goodness this is only 3 miles..."

I cruised through the water stop at the midway point, but couldn't help but notice the confusion. Looked to me like the volunteers weren't quite ready as they were still trying to fill cups. Empty cups were falling off the table everywhere.  I heard later in the race that runners just stopped to fill up their own cups.

All sweaty, but still smiling after the race!

I hit the riverfront trail on the way back and relished in the shade for a good 1/2 mile. When I hit the mile 2 marker, my watch showed a 9:55 split.  Again, no way. I had no idea what pace I was running, but it didn't feel good. I continued to push despite boiling in the sun. Lots of runners started taking walk breaks here in the third mile. At one point, I slowed my pace to collect myself... and then pushed onward to the finish.

Coming down the final stretch, I saw 26 something on the clock and sprinted it in.  As soon as I stopped, my stomach lurched.  I quickly covered my mouth and dashed to the side. I choked a couple times, but managed to keep my breakfast down. Wow - first time I ever came that close to puking!  My stopwatch clocked 26:39 (8:35 pace) from the start to finish line. The official race results only have gun time, so my official time was 26:49 (took me 10 seconds to get to the starting line once the gun went off).  I'll take it - it's a PR over my previous 5k race time by over a minute!

#245 out of 971 overall

#10 out of 79 in my age group

This was just the start of the best Independence Days I've ever had. My family cooled down with a movie after the race, cookout for lunch, and we all took a 2 hour nap (I needed it! Heat headaches are miserable.) We wrapped up the holiday at the waterpark, out for pizza and caught fireworks at the park. We haven't had to carry my kids to bed in a long time, but they were completely exhausted after this action-packed Fourth!  Hope yours was grand too!

LoseAMarathon Weigh-In #2

My apologizes for the delayed recap on the Marathon Weight Loss Challenge second weigh-in.  The holiday week got a little crazy, but I think I survived another 'social fest' without gaining pounds. We'll see what the scale says about my 4th of July on Monday. You just can't hide those extra bites from the scale. In the meantime, I'm going to run/bike/swim my butt off the next four days to make sure I've done everything possible to be in the negative for my third weigh-in.

In week two, there seemed to be some struggles. Some people still trying to adjust their lifestyles and get on board. Others frustrated with hard work and no results.  But alas, we also had some knockouts this week.  (Read about mine here!)

Each week, I recognize the top performers on the scale.  Losing weight is a tough task, so I am in awe at how these participants have attacked the challenge and LOST BIG in week two.  Congratulations!!

Lost 6 or more lbs
Brianne L.

Falon

Jess M.

Mary E.

Elyssa G.

Jennifer A.

Jennifer J.

Shelly H.

Lost 3% or more body weight

Brianne L.

Jess M.

Falon

Elyssa G.

Jennifer J.

Gloria O.

Rebecca S.

Mary E.

Molly R.

Beth H.

Shelly H.

Jill P.

Jennifer P.

Nadine L.

* To quality for Scale Crushers, you must report in two consecutive weigh-ins before the deadline.

Reminder: Weigh-ins are due before midnight every Monday (email me your full name & weight).  If you miss it the deadline, please just wait until the next week to report.


It was a HOT week across the country, so I hope you took advantage of week two's mini-challenge.  Did you learn or discover anything from it?  I realized I needed more water than I thought.  The more I drank, the better I felt and the less crap I ate. All around bonus!

This week's random prize winners are...

Deb Johnson

Christina Navarro

Heather Duggins

Please email your shipping address to runwithjess@comcast.net in claim your prize.

Claim your prize before next Tuesday, July 10 or I will redraw.

These ladies won themselves a tube of Nuun tablets as well as a sports bottle!  Didn't win, but want to try Nuun for your hydration needs? Use discount code bloggerslovenuun to receive 15% off in the Nuun Shop.

How I survived the family reunion!

I love summer for the sole reason that my little family takes lots of little vacations. However, it can really mess up my weight and training. With the #LoseAMarathon Challenge, I'm determined not to gain my usual summer pounds that come with lavish cookouts, relaxing in the heat and ice cold beer that flows too easily. Eating more and moving less is never a good combination.

Last Thursday, we packed up the camper and headed to Wisconsin for my annual family reunion. I love my family - they are all great cooks and fun to party with. Again, not a great combination for someone on a mission to lose a marathon... in pounds.  But I came prepared for battle!

I spent nearly a full day planning our food menu, grocery shopping and then preparing everything to load the coolers.  I made sure there were plenty of options for me to not "blow the diet".

A full veggie tray always comes in handy (dill dip made with greek yogurt)

This cold salad is one of my favorites for summer cookouts... black beans, corn, red onion, orange peppers, cucumbers, and avocado seasoned with garlic salt/pepper, lemon and banana pepper juice.

Key foods I brought along to "survive" the diet: chicken sausage (great substitute when everyone else is eating hot dogs and brats), grilled shrimp, prepared lettuce salads, corn, grapes, bananas, oranges, oh-my! 

I kept track of my calories the best I could via the My Fitness Pal app throughout the weekend.  Travel proved to be the hardest part.  I love my iPhone for looking up nutritional values before I even enter a restaurant.  We made a stop at both Subway and Culver's during the road trips.  I knew exactly what I was eating before I even stepped in their doors.

There was always chips and snacks present at the family camp. I refused to sit down at picnic tables where the food seems to stare you in the face until mindless snacking commences. Instead, I tried to sit in lawn chairs away from the food.

I drank water non-stop. Not only did it keep me hydrated in the weekend heat, but it also kept me feeling full. Another side effect, I had to use the restroom non-stop... and when you're camping, that means a nice little hike to the bath house. I probably walked a couple miles each day just using the toilet!

I packed my workout gear and my bike. These days, I never leave home without my running shoes.  I love vacation runs - getting out early to explore new areas while everyone else is sleeping.  The first morning in camp, I jumped on the bike for a 13 mile ride into town and back. By mid-morning, my family of four hit the pool to cool off. The campground was pretty empty yet, so we were the only ones in the pool. I took full advantage of that situation and swam laps for a good 20 minutes. Best swim I've ever had! On Saturday morning, I met the sunrise with an 8 mile run. I got a nice mix of gravel trail, country roads and even beach running along the shores of Rice Lake. The best part of being a morning runner is the views you get...

My beverage of choice is BEER. Yes, I'm a true Midwestern gal and I love it! But it also goes down too smoothly in the summer which means fast calories. Saturday night, I treated myself to a couple drinks during the family 'Mardi Gras' celebration... My favorite low-calorie drink is now Grape UV vodka and Diet Sierra Mist. Ice cold and refreshingly delicious on a hot day!

Me, hubby, my brother and sister-in-law

Our camp

So I survived the family reunion feeling pretty darn good about myself. I didn't feel like I missed out on the celebration as I did allow myself a slice of King Cake and small taste of dishes at the group dinner. In hindsight, I'm happy with of my pre-planning and self-control.  

When I awoke Monday morning, I was slightly scared of what the scale would say about my weekend... I was pleasantly shocked to see a -6.6 lb weight loss for the last week!!  Pure GLEE and incentive to keep on pushing.

Maximum Hydration

In the #LoseAMarathon Challenge, our weekly mini challenge is hydration. Participants were asked to research their exact hydration needs based of their own weight, exercise level and environment. Once decided on a number (for me it was 109oz each day), the challenge is then to drink and track that goal for one full week. {tracking chart here}  Even if you're not in the weight loss challenge, you are welcome to give the mini challenge a shot.  With soaring temperatures coming across the country this weekend, see if you can satisfy your body's hydration needs.

Try out this easy online calculator here to figure out your suggested intake on a daily basis.  There is no perfect science to this and frankly no one has the correct answer. Every individual has different water consumption requirements which makes it difficult to apply a general rule.  A good indication if you are hydrated is always that your urine is light in color.

Eating foods high in water can also contribute to your daily water intake.  Typically fruit and vegetables in their natural raw state are the best source of water in food.  If you find water boring, try adding some zing to your glass.  Try zero-calorie flavorings like Crystal Light. Fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, yum!) and vegetables (lemon, limes, mint, etc) are also great additions to water and look pretty fancy. Alcoholic and caffeinated drinks have a negative effect, so you'll need to subtract those ounces from your daily total.

For successful weight loss, research has shown that people lose more pounds the more water ounces they drink.  It is suggested to drink two glasses of water before each meal to more accurately read your body's "full" signals.

Too Much Water? Athletes also need to be conscious of hyponatremia, which means low blood sodium.  It is caused by excessive fluid consumption, which lowers the concentration of sodium in the blood. This may happen while sweating out your sodium (ever notice sweat is salty?) while drinking lots of water but not restoring your electrolytes. Sodium is among the body's most important electrolyte. When you exercise excessively, you need to replace your body's electrolytes to avoid serious fatigue.

To add electrolytes (and sodium) back in my system, I use Nuun tablets in my water.  These quarter-size tablets dissolve and turn your water into a lightly flavored drink spiked with electrolytes - without extra sugar.  Unlike most sports drinks, Nuun only has 4 calories per serving, which doesn't blow up my daily calorie count.

Recently, Nuun added to their portfolio and flavors.  There is now a product for everyone based on your activity level and needs...

• NUUN ACTIVE HYDRATION is formulated specifically for higher intensity activities and/or higher electrolyte replenishment needs.
• U NATURAL HYDRATION is all-natural and contains a lower electrolyte profile to Nuun.
• NUUN ALL DAY HYDRATION helps you drink more water every day with crisp and refreshing flavors and is enhanced with an all-natural blend of vitamins and minerals making it perfect for your daily routine.

I use the Nuun Active a lot when I run and workout. Grape and Strawberry Lemonade are my favorite flavors. I've recently tried the Nuun All Day and can rave on and on about the Grape Raspberry flavor. Yum!

 ** THIS WEEK'S PRIZE **

The prize for this week Marathon Weight Loss Challenge is from Nuun!

Next Tuesday, I'll randomly draw three (3) entries from the prize pool

to win a Nuun sports bottle & tube of tablets.
So don't be late on your weigh-in... next Monday 7/2 before 11:59pm

* DISCOUNT *

Save 15% on Nuun Hydration with code bloggerslovenuun in the Nuun Shop

Thank You and a Winner!

Thank you to everyone who ordered a RUN FREE shirt, a patriotic BondiBand (still available here) and/or made a direct donation to my Team USO in the past month.  I have soared past my goal of raising $1000+ to support our U.S. troops and their families. I have many of you to thank for that success! Come September 15, I will proudly wear my red, white and blue in the Air Force Half Marathon and run as a member of Team USO. Woot!

Today's Fun-Raffle Winner is...

KAREN CHENG

She won the sparkly patriotic headband from Sparkly Soul!  Didn't win? Visit Sparkly Soul here to order one for yourself.

The Fun-Raffles are now over.

LoseAMarathon Weekly Weigh-In

This week's weigh-in didn't go quite as planned for me yesterday... and it's totally my own fault.  I did really well all week. I was -4 lbs on Friday and then the weekend hit. We celebrated at two weddings and continued at an after-party. Aw-man, I had way too much fun beer and liquid calories always hibernate in my body. So by time I weighed in on Monday morning, I was back up to where I started the week. Grrrr.  Official weigh-in was -0.2 lbs. I have some ground to make up this week.

The Marathon Weight Loss Challenge closed registration yesterday with 965 participants. I hope everyone sees the journey through and topple some personal goals.  If you didn't register in time, you can still follow the challenge (and track your weight on your own).  It will obviously be my focus for the summer.  Those fall half-marathons (five!) have no idea what's coming from this girl...

Reminder: Weigh-ins are due before midnight every Monday (email me your full name & weight).  If you miss it the deadline, please just wait until the next week to report.

Each week I want to recognize the top performers on the scale.  Losing weight is a tough task, so I am in awe at how these participants attacked the challenge and LOST BIG in week one. Congratulations!

Lost 7 or more lbs

Anita F.

Cindy K.

Kait M.

Lindsey G.

Jackie H.

Nichole B.

Ramza G.

Katie B.

Michelle M.

Laura M.

Tracy B.

Deirdre G.

Suzanne M.

Deb M.

Dolores M.

Lost 4% or more of body weight

Lindsey G.

Meg S. 

Jackie H.

Marcella H.

Cindy K.

Anita F.

Kait M.

Laura M.

Suzanne M.

Katie B.

RunnerDecals.com was nice enough to supply some prizes for the challenge and I thought they were best appropriate for week one.  I love visual 'in your face' motivation! The decals pictured above were created especially for this challenge and available for sale here. The whole website has some pretty neat decals, so check it out at RunnerDecals.com.

This Week's Prize Winners

Set of LoseAMarathon decals
Winner: Renee Hendricks

Set of LoseAHalfMarathon decals
Winners: Suzanne Westenhofer (purple) and Michelle Robinson (pink)

Runner Girl decals
Winners: Julie Hancock (white), Lizzie Wright (purple), Susie Thomson (green)

Congratulations to everyone on a great week one!

If you are one of the 6 prize winners listed above,

please email me your mailing address.

MWLC Healthy Recipes #1

It's Sunday, which usually means a fun day in our house. Rest, relaxation and quiet time with our family. It's also the day I clean out the fridge (leftover night!) and prepare for the week ahead.  As I create the menu for the week, my shopping list forms itself.  Each Sunday throughout the summer, I'll share some of the healthy recipes that are submitted by the participants of the Marathon Weight Loss Challenge.  Happy Healthy Cooking!

Rainbow Stir-Fry

Recipe from Vegetarian Times. Submitted by Jennifer S.

Serves 4  |  Prepares in 30 minutes or less

Kids and adults will love this sweet-and-spicy stir-fry. Serve over brown rice (not included in nutritional info.)

3 Tbs. frozen orange juice concentrate

2 Tbs. hoisin sauce

1 Tbs. low-sodium soy sauce

½ tsp. chile-garlic sauce

2 tsp. toasted sesame oil

½ lb. green beans, halved crosswise

1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage

1 15-oz. can baby corn, rinsed and drained

1 small red bell pepper, sliced (1 cup)

1 cup frozen, shelled edamame

1 8-oz. can sliced water chestnuts, drained

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Whisk together orange juice concentrate, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and chile-garlic sauce in small bowl. Heat oil in wok or large skillet over high heat. Add green beans, and stir-fry 3 minutes. Add 3 Tbs. water; stir-fry 3 minutes more. Add cabbage, baby corn, bell pepper, edamame, and water chestnuts; stir-fry 4 minutes. Stir in green onions and orange juice mixture; cook 1 minute more.

Nutritional Information per 1½-cup serving:

Calories 186  |  Protein 8g  |  Fat 5g  |  Carbs 31g  |  Fiber 11g

Mixed Berries and Chicken Salad with Strawberry Dressing

Submitted by Elle

Makes 2 servings

3 cups mixed salad greens, washed and spun dry

4 ounces cooked and cubed chicken breast (I used a can of Kirkland seasoned chicken breast)

2 Tbs chopped white onion

10 slices of long English cucumber, slivered

2 small white mushrooms, washed and sliced

4 fresh strawberries, washed and sliced

1 cup mixed frozen berries, thawed (mine has blueberries, blackberries and raspberries)

1/2 ounce slivered almonds

Strawberry Dressing

Makes 2 servings

1/2 cup fresh strawberries, washed and sliced

1 Tbs white vinegar

1 Tbs water

Dash of Stevia or Splenda, your choice

2 tsp olive oil

Tear the mixed salad greens and divide between 2 serving bowls or plates. Divide the rest of the ingredients between the 2 bowls and layer on top of the greens in the order listed. Prepare the dressing by placing the strawberries, vinegar and water in a blender and puree. Add the olive oil and combine well. Pour the dressing evenly over each of the 2 salads before serving.

Nutritional Information per serving, salad and dressing.

Calories 276  |  Protein 31g  |  Carbs 19g  |  Fat 10g  |  Fiber 7g

Weight Watchers P+ = 7

No Bake Chocolate Protein Bars

Submitted by Bill S.

Makes 8 servings

1-3/4 cup Multi-grain Hot Cereal

1/2 cup wheat bran

1-1/2 cup Chocolate Whey Protein

5 Tbs. flax seeds

5 Tbs. raisins

Optional: Cinnamon and Cayenne Pepper

5 Tbs. crunchy natural peanut butter

3/5 cup non-fat milk

1 Tbs. Honey

1 tsp. vanilla

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl and place to the side.  In a microwavable bowl, mix peanut butter, honey, and vanilla and warm in microwave for 45 seconds then add milk, stir, and heat for another 30-45 seconds.  Mix this warm wet mixture into dry ingredients. Line large baking dish with wax paper then press mixture into bottom and flatten with another sheet of wax paper.  Put in refrigerator over night.  Cut into 24 squares.

Nutritional Information per serving size of 3 squares

Calories 223  |  Protein 14g  |  Carbs 26g  |  Fat 8g  |   Fiber 6g

Berry-Good Angel Food Cake

Submitted by Tracy B.

Makes 15 servings

fat free angel food cake

8 oz fat free cream cheese softened

8 oz light whipped topping thawed

1/4 cup fat free milk

1 pint blueberries

1 pint strawberries

In a large bowl, cream the milk and cream cheese together and then fold in cool whip. Crumble the angel food cake and mix well into the cream cheese mixture.  Spread into a 9x13 pan and layer with berries or other fruit of your choice. Cut into 15 squares.

Nutrition Information per serving

Calories 164  |  Carbs 30g  |  Protein 5g  |  Fat 2g  |  Fiber 1g 

Salad Ready to Go!

Not a recipe, but I had to share this idea that Shelly P. found on Pinterest.  Talk about getting organized for the week!  She says, "Make sure the veggies go on the bottom and the greens (kale, lettuce, spinach) on the top.  Otherwise the greens will wilt.  If you add dressing, the dressing must be on the bottom."

Progression Run

I started 2012 off with one of my best executed races, the Myrtle Beach Half Marathon. It's no longer my PR, but still the best execution in my heart.  I had near perfect control and consistency on my pace the entire 13.1, which attributed to a negative split.  Anytime I run a negative split, it's usually a PR. It's just smart racing when you're going long.  (A negative split is when you run the second half of a race faster than the first half.)  While I have sped up my race times since February, I haven't been as solid in the negative split department.

Adjust start setting based
on your own comfort level.

I run intervals and tempos regularly, but yesterday, I was reunited with an old favorite called the progression run.  Progression runs focus on steady acceleration throughout your run.  You pick your starting pace and increase speed in tiny increments as you cover miles. It teaches your body to run fast(er) on tired legs. This is perhaps the easiest introduction to speedwork for beginners.

My hubby was out of town this past week, so with 24/7 kid-duty, I was forced to use the treadmill once again. I find treadmill running extremely boring and the miles take forever. Somewhere along the line, I turned my 'mill runs into a bit of game, thus creating my own style of a progression run.  It's hard not to constantly look at the treadmill dash, so I use that as part of this run.

Here's how I run a progression run on the treadmill... Start at your comfort pace. For me, that's 6.0mph or a 10 minute mile.  Each half mile, click the speed up one notch. These tiny slices of speed are not overtly difficult for your body to adjust. Whereas on the open road, it's hard to increase your speed in such small increments. In the final mile, I like to challenge myself and raise the bar more often - every 1/4 mile. This is where you really find out how much speed you still have left in tired legs! I always include a cooldown to help my legs recover.

The constant change in pace keeps this run fresh and exciting - even on the dreadmill. Before I know it, my workout is done and I scored a solid sweat!

Read more on progression runs from Greg McMillian HERE. He goes more in depth on the variations, as well as the benefits to your training.

Have you tried a progression run before?

How do you cure treadmill boredom?

The Quest to Lose A Marathon

I'm on a misson to LOSE a marathon and could not be more excited!  I have nearly 800 online friends in the fight with me. With that kind of support, I know I can succeed... and so can you! This little challenge has grown way beyond my wildest dreams - in just a matter of days. It's a powerful reminder of how many people are struggling with weight issues. I know firsthand how disruptive obesity can be in all aspects of life. My work, personal relationships, and overall character suffered as my weight soared. I turned things around the day I started to run... and this summer, I want to finish the job by reaching my goal weight before the Air Force Half Marathon on September 15.

Registration for the Marathon Weight Loss Challenge is still open to new participants until June 25. You can sign up here.

I'm ready to start the challenge!

Rarely will you convince an investor to back a new endeavor without a business plan. The same holds true with weight loss. The more you plan, the better chances for success.  A plan provides direction to keep you on track.  It helps to identify your objectives and outlines how best to reach those goals.  Poor planning is one of the top reasons for failure.  No plan is foolproof and it should adjust when necessary.   The mini challenge in week 1 is to MAKE YOUR PLAN, so here is mine!

My plan to Lose A Marathon
I want to lose 26.2 lbs to feel healthy, strong and confident in my own skin. Losing weight will also help me run faster... which is just more fun!


FOOD. I will count calories by journaling my food intake on My Fitness Pal because what gets measured gets managed.  I've also had a lot of success with a Photo Food Journal, taking a photo of everything I eat. My goal is to stay at 1200 calories each day - allowing for 3 real meals with 2 snacks. I will focus on consuming lots of fruit and vegetables throughout the day. Carbs are runner's fuel, so I allow whole-grains through lunchtime and then limit them in the backhalf of the day. Meal planning and preparation are the key to my success. The question "What's for dinner?" sneaks up on me and we too often resort to takeout meals like pizza or chinese. Sitting down to eat as a family is very important to me, so my dinner creations must also be 'real food' that the whole family can will eat. I aim to drink at least 96oz of water each day, three refills on my big water jug.

EXERCISE. This really hasn't been a problem for me in years.  I love to sweat! My problem is that I overeat afterward because I "earned it". I will continue running roughly 30 miles each week.  I also plan to increase the frequency of my cross training - biking, Spinning, swimming, boxing and lastly strength training (which I totally slack on). In the past, I found Two-A-Days have really helped me lose weight. Two-A-Days are simply two workouts in one day - one in the morning, one in the afternoon/evening. Each time you workout, your heart rate increases (burning calories) and tapers off gradually after the workout conclusion (still burning calories at a faster rate than normal). So by doing Two-A-Days, I take advantage of two heart rate spikes and tapers, increasing my overall calorie burn.

MOTIVATION. My best friends these days are my fitness friends. They are daily encouragement to make the right choices. And now I have another 800 online friends to keep me accountable too!  I will also have a visual display of my progress sitting in my kitchen with a new GOAL JAR.  Every time I lose a pound, I get to add pebbles to the jar. You know I don't want to take any out!

How would you like a GOAL JAR like these?
Check out RunnerDecals.com.  Susan made custom decals specifically for this challenge that can be applied to any vase, jar, or cup.  Click here if you have a 26.2 goal or here for a 13.1 goal.  They are $5 each and come in a variety of colors to choose from. She has also donated some of these to be the Challenge Prize for week 1!  Winners will be announced on June 26 - so don't miss the first weigh-in!!

I feel ready to go with this plan.  Writing everything down certainly focused me... and taking those dreaded 'before' pictures definitely motivated me. Ick!  I have my plan... now it's time to work it.  Good Luck to everyone!

"Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, 

but anyone can start today and make a new ending."

~Maria Robinson

Note:  I'm getting bombarded with emails this week with the start of the challenge.  Please be patient with me as I try to answer everyone's emails. My food prep and workouts must come first. In the meantime, please read over the week one newsletter HERE. It will probably answer your question and save you an email.  Thank you so much!  
Reminder - Your starting weigh was already recorded at sign-up. Your first weigh-in is not until next Monday, June 25.