Motivation.

I don’t know what’s up with me lately, but I am seriously lacking motivation to go to the gym. I suppose it could be the dropping temperatures and increase is homework- but let’s face it, neither of those things are going away anytime soon!

I’m trying to think of good ways to motivate myself to complete my workouts. So far I have this:

• Get help from friends- sometimes they’re the best motivation I have and I love them for it!
• Motivational Post-its (EVERYWHERE)

• Reminding myself of my race coming up (and the time I want to run it in)

So far these have been pretty helpful. I have to say again that I am lucky to have friends joining me in my training that push me when I need them to. Also, I’m a huge post-it fan. They are all over my room and the little reminders really do work.

Before I head to the gym I’ll share my cookie adventure of the day with you!

Staying fit during finals

Finals are quickly approaching for us college students, and usually that means lots of time in the library and plenty of sitting.  Usually this is a time when we get so busy, we let our health fall off track.  It is easy to keep up a healthy day-to-day regimen while still getting all of your studying and papers completed.  Another plus is that exercise and a balanced diet will give you more energy and keep your head clear during this stressful time.

Eating

Don’t let your eating habits slip because of time crunches and stress.  Stress is an emotion that can trigger hunger, even when it is not necessary.  To avoid emotional eating, fill your stomach up with lots of protein and fiber rich foods that will prevent hunger and give you plenty of energy for your study sessions.  Some foods to load up on for the week:

• Dried fruits- raisins, prunes, etc
• Nuts- especially almonds and walnuts
• Dark chocolate (don’t overdo it)
• Lots and lots of water!

Jillian Michaels & a quick workout

NBC announced that Jillian Michaels, famous butt-kicking trainer from “The Biggest Loser,” is getting her own reality show.  In the show Michaels will be visiting a family to set their life on the right path- not just helping them lose weight.  If you’ve ever seen “The Biggest Loser” or any of Jillian’s other fitness products (DVDs, books, etc) you know she’s one tough girl.  So if she wound up on your doorstep, would you let her in?

Here’s a video as an example of Michaels’ work.  Let me tell you from experience, this is easy as pie compared to her whole workout videos- which I highly recommend stocking up on for those days you just can’t make a trip to the gym.

Add this core workout to a commercial break while you’re watching TV, or to a longer workout.  It’s quick, relatively easy and gets the job done.

Defining a runner

This week in the news there were reports on the three deaths in the Detroit Marathon.  These reports make running a marathon sounds very dangerous, but if you read a little more about the runs you’ll find that fatalities are rare.  I’ve been reading up on marathons for a while now, and after watching the Chicago Marathon I’ve decided to add running one to my life list.  I recommend watching one yourself if you get the chance to for some major inspiration.

Since I’ve started running again, and especially since watching the Chicago Marathon, I’ve been thinking about the definition of a runner.

It was at the gym not too long ago that I spotted a girl and turned to my friend and said, “Now those are some runner’s legs.”  My friend looked back at me like I was crazy and said, “I thought runners were supposed to be skinny.”

I was shocked by her comment because in all honesty, this girl was in great shape.  As a runner, I’ve always thought of runners as having a muscular, athletic build because that’s what I usually saw on the runners around me.  Runners come in all shapes and sizes, and that is what got me asking the questions, “What (or who) is a runner?”