My Inner Shakti

finding strength in everyday things

Half Marathon Training (Week 11) + A Full Body Strength Circuit

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I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel! January 25th honestly can’t come fast enough. As much as I’ve enjoyed training for this race (well, 95% of the time), I’m ready for a new challenge. One that involves a little bit of cardio and lots of strength training.

While this week wasn’t a total bust, I definitely didn’t get a lot of mileage in thanks to my cold. However, I did manage to complete my long run this week! 11 miles done and done! AND I ran each and every mile!

With that, here’s what week 11 looked like:

Monday: 2 mile walk
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 3.5 mile run
Thursday: Full Body Strength Circuit + 2 mile run
Friday: 4.5 mile run
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 11 mile run

This week’s long run was a beast, but I did everything in my power to ensure that it actually happened. For one, I ran at 6 pm instead of 8 am. I also made sure to eat a substantial lunch and drink a lot of water throughout the day.

Only one more long run to go…eek!

 

Fitness Buddy App + A Full Body Strength Circuit

Vishnu recently introduced me to Fitness Buddy, an app that houses tons of workouts with step-by-step instructions, animations, etc. I haven’t tapped into the app’s full potential yet, but I love what I’ve seen so far.

The built-in workouts are my favorite feature, and I can’t wait to use this app to shape my strength routine after the half. I tested one of the workouts on Thursday and wanted to share it because I think most people would benefit from a little Fitness Buddy in their life!

*Full disclosure: I am not a personal trainer. Please adapt this routine to your current fitness level and/or consult with a professional before attempting.

FB Strength Circuit

A few notes:

  • I used 10 pounds weights to complete 10 reps of each exercise for a total of 3 sets.  If you are new to strength training, I recommend starting with 3-5 pound weights and increasing slowly.
  • Complete all eight exercises back-to-back with no rest.  However, be sure to rest for 1-3 minutes between sets.
  • *For the body weight plank, I did a 30 second plank followed by 10 seconds of rest followed by 30 more seconds of planking.
  • To challenge yourself further, follow this routine with 20-30 minutes of cardio (running, elliptical, Stairmaster, etc.)

An example of each move:

What’s your favorite way to exercise?  Please share any strength training apps/tools/resources you use!

And in case you’re interested, here are links to my weekly recaps:

Week 1 Half Marathon Training
Week 2 Half Marathon Training
Week 3 Half Marathon Training
Week 4 Half Marathon Training
Week 5 Half Marathon Training
Week 6 Half Marathon Training
Week 7 Half Marathon Training
Week 8 Half Marathon Training
Week 9 & 10 Half Marathon Training

Half Marathon Training (Week 8) and Running to Lose Weight

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Happy Christmas Eve!  Even though we aren’t going home to Atlanta this year, Vishnu and I have plans to relax, watch Christmas movies, and spend time with friends.  Should be a great couple of days!

Oh and I have to fit some running in there as well!

With that, here’s what week 8 looked like:

Monday: Gaiam TV yoga
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 4.5 mile run
Thursday: Total body strength training workout – one of my favorites!
Friday: 5 mile run
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: 10 mile run – first double digit run…dun dun dun!

I ran almost 20 miles this week.  Phew!  I felt strong all week long, especially during the 5 mile run.  Lots of positive emotions around this whole training thing.

Until Sunday…

…because my long run this week was the absolute worst!  My legs felt heavy the entire time.  And to top it off, my mental focus just wasn’t there either.  I mean, don’t get me wrong, I did it!  I ran 10 miles and couldn’t be happier.  But the run itself was just so-so.

While the running part genuinely sucked, I didn’t feel tired at all afterwards.  I was absolutely exhausted after my 9 mile run the week before (to the point where I napped), but this week I grocery shopped, cleaned, cooked, etc.  Weird how that works.

Running to Lose Weight

I wanted to address the topic of running to lose weight because I’ve gotten a few questions about this over the past couple of weeks.  I’m no expert but have been running for a few years, so I naturally have some thoughts!  Just remember every body is different.  What works for me/doesn’t work for me may not be the same for you.

First of all, I partially attribute my initial weight loss in college to running.  I regularly started running my junior year and lost a lot of weight.  However, during this time, I didn’t make the best food decisions (re: under eating + lots of running).  Sadly, this habit continued for the next few years, and I was able to not only keep the weight off but lose a few more pounds.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS METHOD TO ANYONE!!!  Looking back, my behavior was stupid and dangerous.  I did so much harm to both my body and my mind during this time.

Fast forward to my first half marathon.  Overall, I was running more then than I am now, but I actually gained 3 ish pounds.  I attribute this to a little bit of overeating.  For example, after a Sunday long run, I went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant with my parents.  I ate chips, guac, salsa, an entire entree, and even some of my mom’s entree.  This was a regular thing.  Mentally, I thought I deserved huge amounts of food because…duh…I ran a lot!

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS METHOD TO ANYONE EITHER!!!  And not because I gained weight. Three pounds is really nothing when you think about it.  I just wasn’t eating the right things during this time.  I ate a lot of junk food because I thought I deserved it.  Again, not good for the mind or the body.

[I honestly don’t remember much from my second half, so I’m going to skip that!]

Fast forward to this half marathon.  I’m running, doing a little bit of yoga and strength training, and taking two full rest days a week.  And…I haven’t gained or lost a single pound (on average of course).  Nada.  I attribute this to the fact that my focus is not weight loss.  Instead it’s been to fit in solid runs/workouts, remain injury free, listen to my body, and fuel properly.  By removing the “I deserve this or that” mentality, I no longer link my workouts to my meals.  And I can’t discount the fact that my eating habits are much…hmmm…cleaner now than they have ever been.

So, I’ve lost weight running…the wrong way.  I’ve also gained weight running…the wrong way.  And I’ve maintained my weight while running.

With all of that being said (this is turning out to be a wordy post!), I do think it’s possible to lose weight with running.  Shorter (maybe even faster) runs plus strength training, in my opinion and experience, is the best way to lose weight and/or lose inches.  I’m a huge proponent of strength training – helps reshape your body, is so good for your bones, etc.  And when paired with running (and good eating habits), it can be a huge catalyst for change.

In fact, this is exactly what I’m planning to do after my race at the end of January.  I want to strength train (hopefully) 3 days a week and run 2-3 days a week.  But my runs will only be 2-3 miles during the week and between 4-5 miles during the weekend.  This is the perfect balance for me.

So the (very) long and the short of it is that in my experience running can help you lose weight, but it really does depend on a bunch of other stuff.  If you’re really looking to change your body, pair moderate amounts of running with some form of strength training.

What are your thoughts about running and weight loss?  I’d love to hear them!

In case you’re interested, here are links to my weekly recaps:

Week 1 Half Marathon Training
Week 2 Half Marathon Training
Week 3 Half Marathon Training
Week 4 Half Marathon Training
Week 5 Half Marathon Training
Week 6 Half Marathon Training
Week 7 Half Marathon Training

Half Marathon Training (Week 7) + What Do You Listen To?

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Week 7 wiped me out!  Well, my 9 mile run this past Sunday took me down.  I was SO exhausted.  When I tried napping on the couch, Vishnu jumped on me and talked to me as if I was wide awake.  Gah!  I may or may not have told him that I would punch him in the face if he didn’t stop bothering me!  Haha.  Don’t mess with a tired Par!

Here’s what week seven looked like:

Monday – Gaiam TV yoga + 2 short You Tube dance videos (this one and this one)
Tuesday – Rest
Wednesday – 4 mile run
Thursday – Full body strength training
Friday – 4.5 mile run
Saturday – Rest
Sunday – 9 mile run

My long run wasn’t as fast as I would have liked it to be, but I’ll take it.  At this point, I’m focused on endurance, pacing myself, and finishing strong.  Double digit runs here I come!

What do you listen to?

What the heck do you listen to when you run?  I get this question a lot.  Because running is so mental for me at this point, I need to be distracted.  While most people probably create running playlists, I create podcast playlists!  Music is secondary for me.

Here’s a list of the podcasts I listen to:

Serial
The Jillian Michaels Show (she still annoys me sometimes, but I like her fitness approach)
The Smart Passive Income Podcast
This American Life
No Meat Athlete Radio
Katy Says
Dishing Up Nutrition
Kimberly Snyder’s Podcast
The One Your Feed

With quite a few podcasts lined up, I’m almost guaranteed to have something to listen to!

What do you listen to when you workout?  Music, podcasts, nothing?

In case you’re interested, here are links to my weekly recaps:

Week 1 Half Marathon Training
Week 2 Half Marathon Training
Week 3 Half Marathon Training
Week 4 Half Marathon Training
Week 5 Half Marathon Training
Week 6 Half Marathon Training

Half Way Through Half Marathon Training (Week 6)

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Week 6 is done and done!  I can’t believe it…half way through with half marathon training.  It’s going to be January 25th before I know it.  Eek!

I think I can say with a fair amount of certainty that training is back to normal, meaning I don’t foresee anything that will derail it.  Fingers crossed!

With that, here’s what week six looked like:

Monday – Gaiam TV yoga  + 2 mile power walk
Tuesday – Rest
Wednesday – 40 minute treadmill run
Thursday – Full body strength training
Friday – 4 mile run
Saturday – Rest
Sunday – 8 mile run

Lots of variety this week.  All in all I think I did ok, especially considering the fact that I was at a pretty busy training for three of those days!

Sunday’s long run went well.  I ran it at a 10:41 average pace, which is a lot slower than I’d like to be at this point.  But honestly, I’ll take it because even though I’m slow, I’m injury free (knock on wood!) and running the entire time.

So with this being the half way point, I thought I’d share some of my training highlights and lowlights.

Highlights
– Being able to complete the majority of my runs OUTSIDE!
– Learning to be flexible because as we all know life’s plans ultimately trump our own
– 100% running all my runs with no walking breaks
– Maintaining balance by incorporating yoga and strength training into my plan
– No worrying knee pain (will talk about a brace Vishnu bought for me in another post)

Lowlights
– Not running as much as I would like to during the week – would like to fit in one more weekday run
– Not strength training as much as I would like to – would like to fit in one more day of ST
– Running on the treadmill has to be the absolute worse thing ever – have only had to do it twice so far…thank goodness

Like I said, it’s going good so far!  And I’m hoping it only gets better from here.

Do you enjoy running on the treadmill?  Any tips to make it bearable?

In case you’re interested, here are links to my weekly recaps:

Week 1 Half Marathon Training
Week 2 Half Marathon Training
Week 3 Half Marathon Training
Week 4 Half Marathon Training
Week 5 Half Marathon Training

Half Marathon Training Week 5 + Personal Running Questions

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I FINALLY feel like I’ve found my groove with training.  And surprisingly it has less to do with my runs and more to do with my attitude.  After feeling like every week was subpar, I’ve given up on my quest for running perfection and am embracing each training day with a “I’m going to do the best I can” attitude.  So far so good.

With that, here’s what week 5 looked like:

Monday – 4.5 mile run
Tuesday – 3.25 mile run
Wednesday – Full body strength training
Thursday – Lots of dancing
Friday – Lots of dancing
Saturday – Rest
Sunday – 7 mile run

I’m counting all the dancing I did on Thursday and Friday as workouts because my legs told me to!  Also, Sunday’s 7 mile run was super slow and just what I needed.  Slow and steady wins the race…or so they say!

running

Personal Running Questions

I found these running questions while doing some blog research the other day and thought it would be fun to share my answers.  Enjoy!

Best run ever:  I’ve been running for a long time now so it’s hard to pick my best run ever.  But if I had to choose, I would say the 6 miler I ran a couple of weeks ago is definitely up there.  I went into that run absolutely dreading it and feeling completely off kilter.  But I pushed through and ran faster and stronger than ever.  Good times!

Three words that describe my running:  Satisfying.  Steady.  Personal.

My go-to running outfit is:  Shorts/capris and a tank top.  And a headband.  Can’t run without my headband!

Quirky habit while running:  Running is my me time, so every now and then I talk to myself…out loud.

Morning, midday, evening:  Morning, especially during this time of year in Miami.  It’s magical!

I won’t run outside when it’s: Humid.  Trust me, it sucks!

Worst injury and how I got over it:  I experienced severe knee pain while training for my first half, but my stubborn self never actually went to the doctor to get it checked out.  Instead, I bought new running and kept running.  Bad decision!  I eventually made my way to an orthopedic doc and got an MRI on my knee.  The prognosis wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I have some wear and tear but nothing that warrants surgery.  The doctor told me to strengthen the muscles in my legs and balance out my running with low impact exercises.  That was about two years ago, and I haven’t experienced that kind of pain in a while so I’m doing ok!

I felt most like a badass runner when: I finished my first half marathon.  I was exhausted but oh so proud!

Next race is: Miami Half Marathon on January 25th.

Potential running goal for 2015:  Another half-marathon!

Your turn: Do you consider yourself a runner?  What’s a quirky running/exercise habit of yours?

Half Marathon Training (Week 4) and Gaiam TV

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I know I sound like a broken record, but once again, I didn’t exactly keep up with my training schedule this week. Honestly, by the time Friday rolled around, my legs felt super heavy and tired and my cramps were in full gear. No fun at all. I decided to take it easy, enjoy time with the fam, and push my 7 mile run back to the week 5.

Also, to allow for some flexibility on when I complete my long run, I’m changing my training week so that it starts on Monday and ends on Sunday. When it was the other way around, I felt like I only had Friday or Saturday to complete my weekly long runs. Technically, it doesn’t matter, but this small change makes me feel better so that’s that!

Here’s what week 4 looked like:

[Sunday – Gaiam TV beginners tone and strength yoga]
Monday – 3.25 mile run
Tuesday – Rest
Wednesday – Gaiam TV energy release yoga
Thursday – 3.25 mile run
Friday – rest
Saturday – rest
Sunday – rest

Other than that, training is…going! At this point, I’m excited about the longer run and really looking forward to them. We’ll see how long that lasts!

Gaiam TV

Gaiam TV

 

A couple of weeks ago, I was selected to participate in a Fitfluential campaign for Gaiam TV. This couldn’t have come at a better time because the one thing I really need to add to my workout routine is more yoga/stretching.

After logging in and setting up my profile, I started browsing the different yoga workouts. I love how everything is organized by level. You can even search for specific workouts based on time, instructor, etc. Each video also gets a star rating, and users can also leave comments.

After clicking around some more, I realized that this was more than a yoga site. There are SO many different kinds of workouts available on Gaiam – kickboxing, Zumba, tai chi, strength training, etc. It’s honestly the at-home workout person’s dream! And the best part is that these workouts really are great…at least the ones I’ve tried so far are!

And then to take it a step further, Gaiam also offers original programming, documentaries, articles, etc. I’ve already bookmarked five different documentaries to watch during my time off in December. There’s everything from health/nutrition/food related films to ones that are more spiritual in nature. It’s incredible, especially for those who love learning about this kind of stuff. It’s a goldmine of information/resources.

Just to be clear, I was not required to write a blog post about my experience with Gaiam TV. I am doing this all on my own because I love the service that much. I think it’s worth checking out at the very least. There really is something for everyone, and in my case, everything I could ever want all in one place!

If you want to check out the service and see if it’s for you, feel free to use my Gaiam TV link.(affiliate link). If you’re anything like me, you won’t regret it!

What did your week of workouts look like?

Half Marathon Training (Week 3) and Why I Run

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I feel like the theme of this half marathon is going to end up being “it didn’t go as planned but it went.”  Like in week two, I had to make some adjustments, but in the end, it all worked out.  Maybe even better than expected.

Here’s what week three looked like…

Sunday – Rest
Monday – 3.5 mile treadmill run
Tuesday – Full body dumbbell circuit + a brisk 25 minute walk
Wednesday – 3 mile run
Thursday – Rest
Friday – Unintentional rest day
Saturday – 6 mile run

The absolute highlight of this week was my long run on Saturday.  Because of an unforeseen event, I had to push my run back to 3 pm.  Now for those of you who aren’t familiar with S. Florida weather, this was a very risky move on my part.  Even in November, it’s very hot and slightly humid in the afternoons.  I was honestly dreading every step.

Well, it just so happens that I had nothing to fear.  It was super hot earlier in the day, but by the time 3 pm rolled around, it was slightly cooler and less humid.  I was able to run the entire 6 miles without stopping at a 9:41 pace!  And I felt solid the entire time.  This is totally unheard of for me!  While I’m choosing not to focus on time too much, I’m excited to see if/how I improve over the next few weeks.

Vishnu cracked up as soon as I walked in the door because I left the apartment with a “I HAVE to run 6 miles and it’s gonna suck” attitude and came back with a huge grin on my face and tons of energy.  Go figure!

Why I Run

While running sans music/podcast this past Monday, I thought about why I subject myself to running and everything that comes with it.  And after 3.25 miles of thinking, I think I nailed down the answer.  I’m in control when I run.  I decide how far and how fast I go.  I can lace up my shoes and take off pretty much whenever I want.  If a run doesn’t go as planned, I have to take responsibility and figure out why.  I don’t have to rely on anyone else.  It’s all up to me.  This is why I run.

This answer is pretty much in line with my personality.  I am, what some would call, a control freak.  I like being my own fitness boss!

Why do you work out the way you do?

In case you’re interested, here are links to my weekly training recaps:

Week 1
Week 2

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