Friends and Guests

One of my favorite things about running is the friends I have made. Yesterday, I met these awesome girls at Yogurtland (of course):



Rachelle, Julia, Ash, Jen & Me
And today I went to lunch with Alicia. I didn't think to take a picture, probably because it felt nothing like a blogger meet-up and everything like lunch with a friend, and I don't typically take pictures when I got to lunch with a friend.

One thing both outings had in common: my girls. They got to tag along. Everyone is always so nice to put up with them, especially because my kids aren't always the most patient kids in the world. And the less patient they get, the more they like to bug each other. Fun stuff.

Yesterday I mentioned I took part in The Great Big Bloggy Post Exchange. (You can read my post HERE.) Today you get to meet Deanne of I Am Not a Runner and enjoy her great post:

So, you’ve made the decision to start getting in shape… good for you! I made that decision two years ago, after my second child was born. One year after my third child was born, I am in the best shape of my life and I weigh ten pounds less now than before I had my first child. I ran my first half-marathon in May and just finished my first triathlon. I’m not here to lecture anyone or chastise anyone’s lifestyle — I was there. I was lazy, never exercised consistently and was on yo-yo diets. So how did I do it? Here are a few of my tips:

1. Find something you enjoy doing. For me, it was running. I had never run in my life, other than when I had to. My husband had been cycling a lot, and to cross-train he decided to start running (he had run in high school). A friend of mine decided she was going to take a 5k training class, so I decided I might want to try it too. For you it could be swimming, running, walking, cycling, yoga, Zumba (a sort of dance/aerobic exercise) or any number of things.

2. Get a training partner, if you can. My friend attended the class, while I trained myself on the treadmill. We would compare notes on how our training was going, and seeing her progress pushed me to increase mine.

3. Get a goal for yourself. Whether it’s weight loss, BMI, body fat percentage, a certain distance, etc. Have a goal that you want to accomplish.

4. Have a training plan. Plans are available online for free or for a small cost, depending on what your goal is. See a personal trainer at a gym. Have a plan that forces you to do a certain distance or time each day or each week. If you have a plan to get you to your goal, you are more likely to stick to it. Put your training time on your schedule. Do what works for you -- first thing in the morning, lunchtime, right after work, after the kids are in bed -- whatever works for your schedule.

5. Go out of your comfort zone. Push yourself to go further than you think you can go. Even if it’s little by little. I started off not being able to run more than a ¼ of a mile. This month, I am scheduled to run in my first half marathon. I’ve completed 12 miles in training, but not without a little anguish. If I hadn’t stepped out of my comfort zone and do what I thought I was not capable of doing, I could not have come this far.

By no means do I think that I am an expert on fitness. Many people have asked for my “story,” and I thought I would just give my advice … and like they say, please check with your doctor before beginning any fitness or exercise plan.