Evansville Half Marathon

Ok, remember what we talked about at the first meeting with setting goals? One of the main things that pushed me to do the sprint triathlon was the very first step.....REGISTERING for it!! There was no backing out of it then! I'm giving you your chance now. Here's the info on the Evansville Half Marathon!

Date: Sunday, October 11, 2009
Register early and SAVE!
$42 if you register prior to August 20, 2009.
$55 if you register between August 21-October 8, 2009
$65 if you register October 9-Race Day.

You can even register online here. But, there is a fee attached with registering online. I didn't see what the fee would be, though.

Or, you can print off an entry form and mail it to:
YMCA of Southwestern Indiana
222 NW 6th St.
Evansville, IN 47708

This is the Half Marathon that Angie is currently training for to run in! I am going to be walking it. Who will be joining us?! Wouldn't it be great if we had a big group going? I will try and have several entry forms printed off for people to pick up at next week's meeting!

The Weekly Top #15!!!

Once again, ladies, the list you've all been waiting for is tallied up and ready to go! Remember, the Top #15 List is the running total for all the weeks combined, so it gives you an idea of who's in the running for the top 3 spots for the payout at the end of the 12 weeks!!!

#1. Michelle Allen......................... 5.6%
#2. Becky Beckman...................... 3.9%
#3. Joyce Gessner.........................3.8%
#4. Linda Partenheimer...............3.5%
#5. Amy Beckman.........................3.4%
#6. Cindy Hembree...................... 3.3%
#7. Renee Merkel......................... 3.2%
#8. Kris Foster.............................. 3.1%
#9. Becky Kunz............................. 3.1%
#10. Debbie Hasenour................. 3.0%
#11. Jennifer Herman.................. 3.0%
#12. Amy Schnarr......................... 3.0%
#13. Laura Rickenbaugh............. 2.9%
#14. Sharon Donnerman............. 2.7%
#15. Sherry Schnell...................... 2.6%

Let's give these awesome ladies a round of applause!!! Keep up the hard work!!

For all you runners.....

Taken from the Fitness.com website...

4 Must-Do Moves for Runners

Hamstrings

To Strengthen: The Wide-Leg SquatStand with your feet just wider than shoulder-width apart. Bend the knees and slowly lower your butt until your thighs are nearly horizontal to floor (don't let your knees move forward beyond your toes). Slowly press back up to a standing position. Start with one set of 6 to 8 repetitions and slowly work up to three sets of 10 to 15. Note: This will also strengthen your quadriceps muscles and glutes.

To Stretch: The Cross-Over StretchIn a standing position, cross your right leg over your left, with your feet close together, and then slowly roll your upper body down toward the floor until you feel a gentle stretch (not pain!) along the back of left leg. Hold for 30 seconds. Switch legs, repeating twice on each side.

Calves

To Strengthen: Single-Leg RaisersStand on one leg on the edge of a stair or curb. Your forefoot should be on the step with your heel hanging off the back. Gently lower your heel toward the ground, and then slowly lift back up so that your body weight is on the ball of your foot. You may lightly touch the stairway railings for balance, but don't put weight on your arms; your calf muscle should be doing the work. Start with 5 reps on each side, and build up to three sets of 10 to 15 with each leg.

To Stretch: The Drop-Off StretchStart standing on one leg on a stair or curb, with your heel hanging off the back (same starting position as for the single-leg raisers). Gently press your heel toward the ground until you feel a gentle pull along the back of your lower leg. Hold for 30 seconds. Then slowly bend your knee slightly, until you feel the stretch move lower on the calf. Hold 30 seconds. Switch legs, repeating twice on each side.

Use a Smaller Plate!

Last week I told you about a guy who automatically cut his portion size in half when he was eating out.

This week's tip is to start putting your food on a smaller plate! This was actually something I had jotted down while coming up with ideas to post on here several weeks ago, but noticed that a member of the group had posted on facebook that she was already doing it!

So, try putting away the regular size dinner plates and start putting your food on a child size plate and don't go back for seconds.....or thirds!


Oh, and me putting down all my calories in my food journal has now prompted my hubby to start doing the same thing! He wants to be more aware of what he's consuming in a day! And, I didn't even ask him to try it! And, all the fruits and veggies I've been eating, my 3 girls have been choosing to eat those versus other stuff, on their own accord! See what making healthy life choices has the affect on the people around you?!

Week #2 SOUND OFF!!

Hey, ladies! What have you been doing for the second week?

Are you following the new Weekly Challenge of making sure you do some sort of excercise 3 days/week AND are you still drinking more water? It's so important that you keep yourself hydrated while excercising and just for your overall health! Keep up the good work!!

Can't wait to see everyone on Tuesday. We look forward to having Heather Hill come and talk to us about free weights and what purchases we can make to do some simple weight excercises at home. If you have hand weights at home, bring them to do the excercises along with her! If you don't have any, no worries, you can still do the excercises!!

The Weekly Top #15!!!

Here it is, folks, the list you've all been waiting so patiently to see.....

#1. Michelle Allen
#2. Becky Beckman
#3. Kris Gutgsell
#4. Audrey Weisheit
#5. Amy Schnarr
#6. Kris Foster
#7. Linda Partenheimer
#8. Cindy Hembree
#9. Laura Rickenbaugh
#10. Lavone Mangin
#11. Amy Beckman
#12. Cindy Schnell
#13. Jennifer Herman
#14. Joyce Gessner
#15. Debbie Hasenour



Let's hear it for these awesome ladies!!! Way to go!!! You wanna see your name up here next week? You know what to do! Make healthy food choices, stay up to date with your food journal to stay in line with your calories, drink lots of water and EXCERCISE!

When I find myself wanting to eat something I know I shouldn't, I simply start repeating my goal over and over and over to myself and I think about that size 8 swimsuit I have hanging up in front of my closet mirror that I want to get into next summer!!! LOL!!

Stay focused and keep your eyes on your goal!!

What an AMAZING 2nd meeting!!

First of all, I want to CONGRATULATE our very first biggest loser of the week.....Michelle A.!!! She enlightened us with what worked for her this first week.

Holy cow! Unbelievable! I am so utterly impressed with everyone....I think everyone there tonite had all lost weight! Do you know how awesome that is?! There was a lot of hootin' and hollerin' and WooHoo-in' back in the weigh-in area!!

I loved that Amy B. (sorry, picking on you again!!) had a weak moment this week and called Rachelle who talked her out of a snack she shouldn't have had! That's what this is all about, ladies....SUPPORT.

I was astounded to see that so many of you had actually taken us up on the weekly challenge of cutting out/cutting down on sodas and actually drinking more water! WAY TO GO!!!

It was so cool to hear all the different ideas that people have to make things easier for them when they go out to eat, Amy S. got an awesome book that was passed around, lots of different websites shared with the group and a cool app for anyone with an iPhone. Nicole A. talked about one of the great websites that's on the sidebar (CalorieCount). Our eyes were opened.....V E R Y W I D E to what fair food had to offer. Wow. I couldn't believe the stats for those things! Makes you think twice about putting that in your body, doesn't it? I know it did me.

Our Weekly Challenge #2....Do something active 3 days this week. If you are normally active, do something a little bit more. If you usually walk for 30min, increase your walk to 45min, etc. You know what I'm talking about! Get out there and work it, girls!!!

I did my first workout this evening after the meeting with Johnna. Whoa. She's tough. It sucked, but it was great. Did that make any sense?! LOL! I strongly urge everyone to try the workout at least once during the next 10 weeks.

Well, here's to an AMAZING 2nd meeting! I can not wait to see what next week brings!!!

Great Tip For Eating Out!

I came across this tip for eating out and thought it was GENIUS!

"Even when you order healthy items, restaurants serve big portions. Now I usually ask for an additional empty plate, and when my food arrives I send back a part of my meal to be wrapped up before I begin eating."

I am definitely going to do this from now on!!

You have to check out this website!

Jennifer Herman asked this EXCELLENT question this week:

"What about when we do have time and want to cook? My husband and I love to cook and we try to use low-fat or fat free ingredients I'm just not sure how to track the calorie content of our dishes. Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas?"

Well, she took off on a search of her own and found this fantastic website! I urge you to definitely check this out as soon as you can!

NutritionData

Thanks, Jen!!! :)

Week #1 SOUND OFF!!

Hey, ladies! It's week #1 of 12 and we want to know what you've done since our meeting. No matter what it is, let everyone know! What did you get out of hearing our speakers? Show off! Brag about yourselves! :)

Some Healthy Grab-and-Go Snack Ideas!

Healthy Grab-and-Go Snacks
Here, more quick and easy snack ideas to take to go.

* 3 tablespoons each raisins and dry-roasted pistachios
* 1 fat-free plain yogurt with 1 tablespoon honey
* 1 clementine and 1 ounce (about 22) roasted almonds
* 1 granola bar and 1 cup coffee with skim milk
* Celery sticks with 2 tablespoons reduced-fat peanut butter
* 1/2 cup low-fat frozen yogurt with 1/4 cup sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon chocolate sauce
* A handful (about 1/4 cup) grapes, 1 slice Swiss cheese, and 1/2 ounce (about 11) roasted almonds
* 1 slice low-fat cheddar cheese, 6 Wheat Thins, and 1 pear
* 1 creamy sorbet bar (such as Haagen-Dazs Raspberry Sorbet and Vanilla Yogurt)
* 1 low-fat chocolate pudding with 1/4 cup thawed frozen raspberries
* 1 tablespoon almond butter with 1 sliced Granny Smith apple
* Celery sticks with 2 tablespoons low-fat blue cheese dressing
* Trail mix made with 1/4 cup granola, 1/2 ounce (about 7 halves) walnuts, and 2 tablespoons raisins
* 1/2 cup low-fat chocolate ice cream (such as Edy's Slow Churned)
* 1 rice cake with 1/2 sliced banana and 1 tablespoon reduced-fat peanut butter
* 1 ounce each dark chocolate chunks and pretzel nuggets
* 15 baked tortilla chips (about 1 ounce) with 1/4 cup fresh or premade salsa
* 2 Fig Newton cookies and 1 cup skim milk or plain light soy milk

Now, pick out some of your favorites from the list, put them on your next grocery list.

In order for these snacks to work for you, it's best to have them fixed up and ready to go in advance....make 2-3 days worth, packaged up and ready for you to grab when you need it! Yes, it will take a little bit extra work than just grabbing pre-packaged, processed food stuff, but it's worth it when you see the end result....pounds coming off at the next week's weigh in!! A little bit of extra prep time could equal big money at the end of 12 weeks!!!

Question of the week, First Meeting

Wow! The turn out for the meeting last night was unbelievable! There was so much energy in the room. I just know that with the motivation and support of the group, we will do amazing things during the next 12 weeks! Anytime you are feeling discouraged, reach for a friend to support you. Be sure to also reflect on the journey others shared with you last night and let them be your inspiration. Audrey and Stephanie both shared inspiration as well as some obstacles they had to overcome. Way to go girls! It’s all about the journey!

Here’s your question of the week, asked by one of the group members. Please be sure to make a comment on this blog for all to see, and you can post anonymously if you prefer. We are all busy women, and it is difficult to cook healthy all of the time with our busy schedules. What is your suggestion for a quick and healthy meal to eat when we are on the run and do not have the time to cook a meal? What tips do you have to make sure there are healthy options within reach, so you are not tempted to reach for the highly processed, high fat, and empty calorie items that are so temptingly easy to reach for?


Nothing’s better than the wind to your back, the sun in front of you, and your friends beside you.
Aaron Douglas Trimble

Upcoming 5K Run & Fitness Walk & Bicycle Ride

Here's the registration form for the Jasper Strassenfest Wetlauf 5K Run & Fitness Walk, Saturday, August 1 @ 8am! See you there!! :)


And, while you're at it, why don't you sign up for the Jasper Strassenfest Bicycle Ride on Sunday, August 2 with registration starting at 7am @ the Jasper Armory. Riders can start the ride anywhere from 7a-8a. There are 4 routes to choose from....21, 35, 48, and 61 mile rides!! I will be doing the 21 mile ride. Helmets are required. Here's the registration form for the bike ride!

And the countdown begins...

Kelly and I are so excited about getting all of you strong women together to support each other on a healthy life journey. Although there is a prize for being the biggest loser (both weekly and at the end of the 12 weeks) the real goal is to make changes in our life to be a healthy role model for our children and others around us. As I have said before, this 12 week journey is about having healthy habits that last a lifetime, losing weight and staying fit will be the side effect from this process.

We are so excited as things are coming together. We have had many wonderful ideas and suggestions for our group…and that’s what it is all about, sharing ideas with others. We will further discuss these ideas at our first meeting. Kelly & I met with our first guest speaker, Audrey Gutgsell yesterday, and she is as excited as we are! She will be participating in the 12 week program right with us, and sharing inspiration and words of encouragement throughout this process.

Just to let you know, we will be taking pictures at our first meeting, which will be optional. We know as women we hate having our pictures taken, but so many times after making these changes, we wish we would have that photo to represent where we were and how we’ve changed. We are encouraging individuals to wear a goal outfit…you know the one you’ve had hanging in the closet for some time, hoping one day it will fit you the way it is meant to fit. This way, when you get your picture at the end of the 12 weeks, you can really see the change.

As you can see, Kelly and I are so excited about the number of women who are joining us in this journey. Typically the week before I start a program like this I would be earting everything in sight in preperation. However, because I'm so motivated by the number of people wanting to change their lives, I am actually starting my training for a 1/2 marathon early, and being more conscious about my food now, and not waiting another day. You are all an inspiration to me.

Abraham Lincoln said, "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to success is more important than any other one thing."

First Meeting!

Angie and I created this blog to keep everyone in the know about the upcoming meetings, speakers and announcements, such as the weekly Top 15 Losers! Feel free to leave comments and questions! First off, reminder that the first meeting is Tuesday, July 14 @ 6:30pm at the Celestine Community Club. If you need directions, just comment and we'll respond ASAP.

For the first meeting, feel free to bring a friend, or two, or three who would be interested in joining! If possible, try and let us know their names so we have a general head count. Also, bring your $15 registration/start up fee, ideas for weekly challenges, and ideas for any speakers/topics you'd like to hear about! Be prepared to fill out index cards with your name, address, phone number and email address.

We will weigh you (if you choose to be weighed, that is, and the only way you will be in the running for the pot at the end of the 12 weeks!) *NOTE* You do not have to be weighed, that is your personal decision, but we feel that everyone should think about doing it. What a way to keep you motivated every week!

We will be providing you with binders to keep all handouts in. Our very first speaker will be winner of this year's HealthPointe's Biggest Loser contest, Audrey Lichlyter! She will be speaking on how 12 short weeks can change your life and attitude about living healthier! Stephanie Allen, Angie Sander and other's who participated in HP's Biggest Loser will also be speaking to the group, as well.

We can't wait to see everyone July 14th!!!