Day 365: It’s a Done Deal!

Day 365:  Day 365 is here!   I cannot thank everyone enough for all of the love, support and encouragement this past year.  It has meant more to me than I thought possible.  A simple note from a stranger was enough to keep me going for a week, so thank you, thank you, thank you.  A really special thank you goes out to my loving husband who cheered me on every day.  Without him, there were times that I was not sure I would have been able to make it through.

I chose to end my year of working out the exact same way that I started this madness one year ago– except with more people there to love on me.  Mike and I ran 3 miles in Washington Park and then he dropped me off at Karma Yoga for a 75 minute Anusara yoga class with three of my friends.  I know that the instructor was great, but I was not able to concentrate on the words of wisdom that she was sending out due to overwhelming excitement of a goal coming to fruition.

After the class Michael was waiting for me in the car with flowers, a card and a donut (he knows the way to my heart).  We kissed, he told me how proud he is and then we talked about the last year over a cup of coffee at a nearby coffee shop.  It was the perfect way to end a year of lots of sweat, some tears and an overwhelming amount of love.

Here I am today, 365 days later, with a huge accomplishment under my belt and a lot less fat.   I thought it would be a good time to answer the questions that I have been asked over and over again in the last year, “Do you feel different?  Are you going to keep up with it?  Have you lost weight?  What are you going to do on your first day off?  What did you learn?  What are you going to do next?”

Now that I’ve had a year to reflect on all of these questions, I’d like to answer them as honestly as possible.

Do you feel different?  Yes, I do.  My body now physically craves working out on a daily basis.  Even more importantly, so does my being.  I know that it is the best way to elevate my day into a more blissed out state.  If I’m in a funk, it pulls me out.  If I’m not, it makes me feel better.  Almost every time.  I think that makes it all worth it.  Not to mention that every time I choose to workout over not working out, I am choosing to love myself more by making my health a priority.  If that’s not motivation, I’m not sure what is.

If you’re wondering if my body feels different, then I am also happy to report that yes, it does feel different.  Everything feels tighter and in a better place.  My arms and love handles have shrunk down (aka my “bad” spots).   Again, the mental piece plays a bigger role than the physical here.  I feel self-assured in a way that I have never felt before.  Regardless of what my body looks like I know that it is capable of far more than I ever would have imagined.

Are you going to keep up with it?  Yes and no.  There were days that I had to wakeup at 3 a.m. to workout or complete a workout that I was not fond of just to try to fit it into my day.  Those are the types of workouts that I usually do not support.  If doing it makes me upset and it feels unnatural (physically or with my schedule), then I’d rather save up my energy for a great workout the next day.

However I will make the time do it the majority of the week.  I’d like to say that I will stick with working out six days per week.  I know how important working out is to my state of being now and I’ll continue it in a way that feels natural to me.  With a lot less writing and more time sweating!

Also, by no means do I recommend this for everyone.  Potentially it could turn you off from working out and make you run away from your fitness goals.  Rather, set a goal for yourself that is attainable.  Once you attain it, reach higher and then higher….you’ll get to your own 365 days before you know it.

Have you lost weight?  This is the question that I receive the most from strangers.  I think it’s interesting that people care so much about the weight side of it.  From the very beginning of this I have stressed that it has nothing to do with weight and everything to do with a commitment to myself.   Since there is a lot of interest in this, I will answer it honestly.  I have lost 9 lbs over the course of the year.   I was happy with my weight 9 lbs ago and I am just as happy as I am right now.

What will you do on your first day off?   I was not thinking that I would take tomorrow off, but as I type away in my pretty new office my mind keeps drifting to a day filled with movies, a fluffy robe, a hot bath and perhaps a manicure and pedicure.  But those are just some ideas…

What did you learn?   I cannot sum up what I have learned in one paragraph or even in ten pages.  What I can tell you is what I think is the most important thing I learned;  listen to your body, it knows the answers to whatever you are seeking.   If you’ve been reading this blog, then I am sure you are not surprised to hear me say that.

By physically being connected to my body this past year I have been able to listen to what it wants me to do.  I am a firm believer that the body knows the answer to things more so than the mind.  The mind can get clouded by what society wants us to do/not do, look like/not look like.  But the body?  Oh it knows what it craves, you just have to learn how to tune into that.  If you want to learn how to do that more, send me an email, I’d be happy to walk you through some insider tips.

What are you going to do next?  I am going to keep this blog as a way to connect with the community that has been created in the last year.  I will update it every so often with workouts that I think should be shared, recipes, quotes, guest writers and coaching advice.  However, the majority of time and energy will be spent creating my new coaching website that will have its own blog.  It is in the works right now and I will make sure to share it with you when it’s launched in the next few weeks.

As a closing statement I want to reiterate how grateful that I am for you.  Your love and encouragement led me on groggy runs, pushed me through sweaty sculpt classes and told me to keep going everyday.  You’re the voice I will continue to hear when I feel like giving up and for that, I am ever grateful.

Days 360-363: The End of an Era

Day 363: After two and a half years at lululemon, I am sad to say that last Sunday I put in my two weeks notice to leave the company.  The part-time job  took me from an HR world filled with Fenway Franks and a lonely heart to a world filled with deep breathing, living with intention and more black luon than any one person should ever own.   The job has filled my life with more love, friends and happiness than I could have ever imagined.  It was one of the hardest decisions that I have had to make, however I felt like all the signs in the world have been pointing at me to go coach full-time.  Although it’s incredibly hard for me to do, I knew it was time.

Now I am filling my mind with how to get through the transition by filling my home office with as much happiness as I have gained in the last 2.5 years.  Hopefully I can send that on to my future clients.

With that being said, I went to my last staff meeting on Thursday morning and started with a 45 minute yoga flow led by my amazing co-worker, Jessica Lapham.  She led us through lots of community breathing and inspirational messages that made me teary-eyed for the newest transition in my life.

After work was done that day I came home and went on a quick 20 minute run to make me feel more at home in my home.

Day 361: On Friday I went for a 30 minute run in the snowy morning and was wondering the entire time what happened to Fall?  We seemed to have skipped that season in Denver this year!

Day 362:  Yesterday morning was another one of those, “how the heck am I going to fit in a workout?” type of days.  It really rattles me to the core when I feel stressed about how I will find the time, however, it always works out.  I took Mike to work at 6 a.m. and then went straight to Pura Vida gym for 45 minutes of cardio, followed by 15 minutes of weights and 10 minutes of abs.  Phew, got it in.

Day 363:  This afternoon my friend Katie and I went to my favorite Core Power Yoga on Broadway for a C2 class.  She introduced me to yoga five years ago by taking me to Pura Vida, where I fell on my face attempting crow pose in my first class.   After I let go of my ego, I eventually came back to the practice and it’s now changed my life in a way I never would have thought possible.  Namaste Katie, Namaste.

Days 349-352: One Neon Necklace, Countless Tears

Day 349:  On Sunday morning my co-worker Sam and I went to OMG Fitness Concert at the Denver Coliseum.  I had no idea what it was or what to expect, so naturally I googled it and found this video that terrified that crap out of me.   It looked like a lot of dancing with hundreds of skilled people around while I was sober (that being the key point).  To say I was scared was an understatement.  The worst that could happen is that I would look like a dancing fool…not that bad, right?

When we got there Sam got splashed by the glow in the dark paint and I stuck with the glow in the dark necklace.  I had every intention to ditch it quickly and try to blend in somewhere in the back row.  Unfortunately that is not what happened.  Within the first 30 seconds of the class starting, Sam dragged me to the front row that was full of enthusiastic worker-outers (who made me look reserved) .  After I got over my fear of shaking what my momma gave me in front of at least 500 people, I started having fun.   I let go.  I let go of what I thought I looked like, listened to the music, boot-camped it up while dancing to the tunes.

I have a feeling my description of the event does not make sense and that’s okay.  I’m still confused too.  What I do know though is that fear only exists in the mind.  Once you break that barrier (or it’s broken for you by a loving man named Sam), then the fear stays in the past.   Move forward, dance up a storm and forget your fears.

Day 350:  On Monday Mike and I went for an hour-long walk through Wash Park for our last stroll together in the city before the big move on Saturday.  It was a nice reminder of why I will always love the city life, but am ready to move on for now.

Day 351:  Monday evening I got some devastating news that an acquaintance had died over the weekend in a horrible accident.  The young woman was a great friend to one of my closest friends and my heart was instantly broken for everyone effected by the tragedy.   It reminded me how precious life is and how grateful I am to have another day here.

I decided to grab my phone and call everyone I love until someone picked up- a phone roulette.  I first talked to my oldest brother for 30 minutes and then my Dad for another 30.  After that, I saw my husband out for a walk and we strolled around the neighborhood together for  20 minutes.  It was the only good way that I knew how to end such a sad day.

Day 352:  As we approach the closing day on our house I am finding that I have less and less time to fit in a workout.  Today I rode my bike to and from work and tagged on a few extra miles for good measure.   Bike commuting: two birds, one stone. #perfection

345-348: Post Wedding Bliss

Day 345: On Wednesday I attempted a four mile run, but my sore legs were telling me something else.  It sounded like “go home, stop running.”  Instead, after running two miles to Washington Park I decided to turn my phone/ipod into a phone and call a good pal.  She made fun of my need to walk and we talked for the next 30 minutes until I was back into our apartment.  I continue to stand by the idea of grabbing your phone and calling a friend when you need a little encouragement or distraction.  It’s the best way to help a workout fly by.

Day 346: Thursday evening I went to a CPY flow class and sweat out all of my sore muscles and post wedding ice cream (yes, I am still indulging in the “I don’t have to wear a wedding dress again!” eating habits).

Day 347:  Yesterday was one of those days where I barely had time to feed myself, but had to figure out how to sweat.  I went on a quick 30 minute run around the neighborhood while mentally figuring out how I can try to make my hair not look dirty if I “recycle” it after my sweaty run.

*I swear by Pantene Pro-V’s dry shampoo for your gal on the go, with sweaty hair- needs.

Day 348: This morning was one of Denver’s largest half-marathon’s and although I was not participating in it, I went to cheer on some of my friends with my co-workers.  All of the roads in my neighborhood were shutdown at 4:00 a.m., which would have made driving to the group meeting spot quite difficult.  Instead, I hopped on my bike and rode the three miles while sipping on my coffee and trying my best to smile at every cop giving me a dirty look for riding in their blocked off streets.  After an hour and a half of cheering, I hopped back on my bike and headed into work (2 miles) and then rode home at the end of the day (2 more miles).  I even tagged on an extra twenty minutes of riding for good measure.

*We got our wedding pictures back today, I was so excited that I wanted to share a few!

 

Days 334-337: Sweat as a Religion

Day 334:  On Saturday I rode my bike to and from work and tagged on a few extra miles for good measure.  It was all that my schedule could fit in, but it was still enough to become a hot sweaty mess by the time I locked my bike up outside our apartment.

Day 335:    Growing up, religion was a big part of my life until something happened that made me question what I had been taught.  I stopped going to church and let myself not feel guilty with the simple thought, “you’ll come back to it when you’re ready.”  Well life changed and so did my beliefs on almost everything that matters.  My religion now is to love everyone and to do so without hesitation.  It’s a constant practice and dedication.  My Sunday mornings that used to be filled with church services are now filled with runs, asanas and peaceful questions.

With that being said, I miss the organizational religion and am wanting to get back to it- if it feels right.   Mike and I have dedicated our future Sunday morning’s to finding a church home that suits our beliefs.  I will work in a run before to make sure I feel grounded in myself before checking out local services.  For the next two weeks, I’ll continue to build my own spiritual side up with 40 minute runs in the park.  After that, the church dating begins.

PS That was a rant.  I ran 40 minutes on Sunday a.m.

Day 336:  Yesterday I went to my first yoga class in a week and my body felt rusty and downright, tighhhhhht.  Every bend, twist, breath and stretch felt like the first time.  Although my body felt stretched beyond it’s limits, as I walked out of the CPY studio, I realized that I had been completely in the moment the entire class.  I was present for 60 minutes- which is better than being super bendy, it’s the best thing that’s happened in a long time.

When was the last time you were able to quiet your thoughts and stay present?  It’s so hard for me to do.  I suppose when you least expect it to happen, it happens.

Day 337:  Today I went for an hour-long walk and am searching for a yoga class tonight to honor all of the lives touched by 9/11.  I want to breathe with the community and send love and light to everyone around.    I suppose I could do that with my own flow in our living room as well.   However, if you know of any good ones in the city, please shoot me an email!

Days 331-333: Fall Running Love

Day 331:  Has your body ever just craved a run?   A quick lace up of shoes, the pounding of the pavement, rhythmic breaths and a clearing of the mind.  That’s what I think of lately when I think of running.  My body is telling me to do it, do it, do it and do it as much as possible.  Perhaps it’s the change of seasons or a little pre-move nostalgia?  Either way, I’ve fallen back in love with running just in time for fall.

On Wednesday my husband set out for a run and I left soon there after.  We rarely run together because of different paces and distances (goal: run as fast as Mike in a year).   Twenty minutes into my run on a beautiful tree-lined street I saw the most handsome man running towards me.  I got a picture of our lives running together on our favorite path, in our favorite city.  It was the most romantic run I’ve ever had.  Maybe I’ve fallen in love with running because I’m falling deeper in love with my life?

Day 332:  Yesterday Mike and I went to checkout the progress on our house and got so excited at the idea of owning a home that we went out and used almost all of our wedding gift cards.  I thought that our tiny apartment was jam-packed before, but now there is barely room to breathe in here.  After running around Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel for hours we came home to write out our thank you notes.  I thought that all that writing should have counted as my workout, but Mike made me do something else (sigh).

Post thank you notes and dinner we walked around our neighborhood for an hour talking and talking.  We stopped at the local dog park and watched the pups run, play and bark without any regard and it made us talk (almost too extensively) about our soon to be dog addition to the family.  Great night, sore hands.

Day 333:  The high in Denver today is 71 degrees!  That is almost cold enough to make sense of why I am wearing a long sleeve shirt, jeans and a scarf.  Almost.  Do you get so excited for fall that you pull out all of your warm clothing way before you should?  That’s where I am at right now.

This morning I woke up at 6:30 and went for a four mile run around Wash Park and had a serious wardrobe malfunction two miles in.  My bra strap snapped in half. Ut oh.  The good news is that my tiny chest does not need a lot of support, the bad news is that it still needs some.  I tried to pull out some serious MacGyver skills by looping the strap around my neck and then tying it to the other strap (don’t worry if that doesn’t make sense, it didn’t really work. You’ll still need to find your own way out of this pickle if you ever get stuck in it!).  After this two-minute break and lots of strange looks from fellow runners, I lopsidedly ran home.

Days 328-330: Friends and Outlaws

Day 328:  Sunday morning I went to the community yoga class that lululemon hosts every week.  To say that it was the most unique class I have ever taken is an uunderstatement.  The hour-long power flow class was taught by Justin Kaliszewski, the creator of the brand “Outlaw Yoga.”  I really want to pick Justin’s brain the next time that I take his class so that I can learn the entire story behind the brand, but until then, I can guess that the name was born out of a desire to break the boundaries of yoga.  The class physically felt like yoga, but spiritually it amped up the power of choice more than any other class I’ve ever taken.  It was almost instantly addicting, which quickly explained Justin’s large entourage at the event.

If you’re looking for something truly unique, you should checkout Justin at Kindness Yoga and watch for his own studio to open up in the late fall.  I will make sure to keep you all posted on that in the near future.

Day 329:   Yesterday was a busy day and I had to figure out how to squeeze in a workout between working at luluemon, having a congratulatory drink with my newly engaged best friend* and a dinner date with another friend.  I decided on my fall back plan- a 40 minute run.  Unfortunately my body was feeling the effects of my late Sunday night dinner party, so I was forced to run really slow.  My body just wanted to move like a turtle and I let it.

Day 330:  After being home from the honeymoon for a week now, I have started to fall back into my groove a bit more.  I’m feeling more rested everyday and am noticing the side effects of wedding stress slowly leaving my body.   I suppose that the constant catching up with all my friends and family about the wedding has definitely helped out as well.  Today I talked on the phone to five friends and one family member for a total of four hours, it felt like high school all over again and I loved it!

This normally would not be considered blog worthy information, but I was getting bored on the phone, so I walked for almost two hours of the conversations and then decided to skip my evening run.  It was incredibly delightful.  The next time you don’t feel like working out, I challenge you to grab your phone and dial all your friends.  Talking + walking + sweating + laughing = bliss.

*My bestie also happened to catch the bouquet at our wedding.  I believe that is a noteworthy nugget of information to share 😉

Days 303-306: Comfort in Repetition

The week leading up to the wedding has been busy and slightly stressful, so I’ve really had to tune into my body everyday to see what it needs.  I‘ve gone back to the basics for comfort- yoga, running and old SNL video favorites.  Running helps my mind to go blank and eases off some stress and yoga calms my soul and frees up any sort of tension my body has been feeling.  They are truly the best combination for my body.  Oh and Cheri Oteri is just good for the ol’ soul!

Day 303:  5.5 mile run to and around Washington Park.

Day 304:  Core Power Yoga, Level 2 Power Vinyasa Flow.

Day 305: One hour walk with Mike.   The reason we decided on this walking path was because we both wanted chocolate from a nearby store.  We collectively decided that our bodies needed a break and this was going to be our joint workout for the day.  I recommend this to anyone 🙂

Day 306:  This morning I got up at 6 a.m. for a 5 mile run around the park.  I am really glad that this is not a daily occurrence for me because it’s hard to muster up the energy needed for that kind of run so early.  If you are one of those people who can do that everyday, I envy that in you…oh. so. much.

Days 298-300: Power of Positivity

Day 298: On Thursday afternoon I was starting to feel like myself again after the latest stomach battle.  Thank goodness I was, because my body was going through yoga sculpt withdraw.  Before I left for class a friend of mine sent me this article, Words Can Change Your Brain:  The Most Dangerous Word In The World

Did you click on the article?  If not,  Do. It. Now!  Seriously, it’s some powerful stuff.  The article helped to get my mind into a positive place before class.  I walked to the my local CPY and told myself, “i’m going to be awesome today.”  Not only was the class awesome, I felt so strong….for 30 minutes.   At exactly the 30 minute mark I hit a wall.  I got light-headed and felt nauseous.  I made it through the last 30 minutes, but did not feel in tune with my body at all.  Despite the power of positive thoughts, my body took over.  Could there ever be a bigger battle?  Mind vs. body.   The real challenge is figuring out how to make the two in sync with one another.  That’s the learning curve that is ever-changing and so wonderful to allow yourself to tune into.

Day 299:  Yesterday I ran in Wash Park for 30 minutes and then did 20 minutes of my own “bootcamp.”  I figured that I have done enough of them that I could lead myself through one.  This could not be further from the truth!  For some reason the only exercises I could come up with were lunges, planks and push-ups.  So that is basically what I did over and over again until my 20 minutes was up.   If you happened to see me yesterday in the park, I hope it made you smile 🙂

Day 300:  DAY 300!!!!!  Whoo hoo!  Only 65 days to go.   Where the heck has the time gone?  This morning I went to a power yoga class with a friend and then to City O’ City for a cup of joe afterwards.  The combo of sweat, deep breathing and good conversation helped make day 300 a fantastic one!

Days 290-292: Happy Trails

Day 290:  On Thursday afternoon Mike and I went hiking at Mt. Sanitas in Boulder.   The trailhead is just a short distance from the popular flatirons trail and I think it’s a much more difficult hike….which is always more fun when it’s over 🙂  It took us about two hours to scramble up and down the mountain and take lots of scenic pictures.  We even took a break to gobble down peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  I am not sure what it is about hikes, even short hikes, but I have to eat a PBJ or it is not complete.  I absolutely believe this to be a true statement.

Day 291:  Yesterday my stomach was pretty upset all day, so I decided to get my workout out of the way as early as possible.  I ran a quick three miles to and from Washington Park and said quiet prayers that my stomach pain would not act up.  Luckily, the pain held off until the run was over.  I came home and made my new favorite (pre-wedding breakfast):

-3 egg whites, chopped mushrooms, green onions, spinach, bell peppers and asparagus with an apple

I have been eating the breakfast for the last week and it’s kept me satisfied until lunch.  Give er’ a try!

Day 292:  I just got back from a six-mile run at Washington Park. Feeling excited before about the run, I decided to take a different path the whole time and run in the opposite direction at the park.  I know, I know, getting CRAZY!    I just felt like I had to switch up my pattern to get out of my brain a little bit and let my body take over some more.  It worked.  I ran 6 miles at a 9.40 pace, which is a little faster than I normally run and I felt great.  If you’ve been running the same path for years, I recommend switching it up, no matter how odd it feels.  I promise your bod’ will thank you for it.