Loving Kindness Metta Meditation

30 Day Challenge: Take a few minutes each day and just listen to this meditation.  Fill yourself with loving kindness and spread it throughout the world.

Report back and let me know the miraculous changes to begin to notice in your life!!

Namaste!!

January recap

So how did everyone do this month?  Did anyone (besides me) attempt to complete the January challenge?  Here it is and my results.

Every day in January I'm planning to do the following:

1. Meditate2. Run or Walk (3 miles minimum each day)3. Nature - get out in nature and enjoy the world around me4. Mirror Exercise - before going to bed every night I will look at myself in the mirror and compliment myself on my achievements for the day (big or small) and tell myself "I Love You!" ***5. Goals - review them morning and night6. Inspiration - read inspiring books at least 5 minutes7.Sit-Ups - Do at least 308. Push-Ups - Do at least 159. Fruits/Veggies - each at least 5 servings



Okay - I believe I did mediate every day.  Some days were definitely longer than others and I may have missed some because I wasn't tracking it but.  I think I got that one.

I completed 61.9 miles for the month.  Which I think of as a success and as moving me toward my annual goal of 700 miles but I didn't do it every day and not always 3 miles.

Read inspiring books every day!!  

Ate at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies most if not all days!

I've got to work on the rest of these.  I'll come up with a challenge for February and add the ones I think are most important back onto the list.  

I'd love to get your feedback, too!  

2014 Will Be Amazing

I hope the first day of 2014 has been spectacular!!  I have printed my goals and my January challenge to make sure I keep at them and I'll report here to be accountable and hope you will, too.  

Even though the temperature was in the low 20s and the wind was blowing, I made sure I went out for my walk/run in nature.  You can't really tell but the pond was frozen solid but it was absolutely gorgeous out.

We weren't walking long before my 7 year old was ready to go home because it was so cold.  My headband and gloves made him a little happier but left me a little more chilly : )

I have also decided that for the next three months I will be going dairy-, gluten-, and sugar-free!!  I did well with that today and easily ate more than 5 servings of fruits and veggies.  I completed my 30 sit-ups which I'm hoping to increase by the end of the month and 20 push-ups.  I've reviewed my goals, done my meditation and inspirational reading, all that's left is the mirror exercise which I'll do before bed.

 All in all, the new year is off to a great start!!  I am hoping to hear from some of you, too, confirming that you've started your year off right, too.  Even if you haven't, tomorrow is a new beginning!!  We can do this and we can help each other!!

Running to beat the snow

So at my son's basketball game this morning and my friend Judy asked if I had done my run for today. And I had to say, "no" but that motivated me to make sure I got it done before the 6 to 12 inches of snow that we're forecast to have. I really think that Santa needs to bring me some winter running clothes because after a little over a mile I felt like I couldn't really feel my legs. I certainly would not say that I was generally cold but my skin was extremely cold. I was thinking that it might look like a I have a nice windburn on my cheeks. And my legs and back side felt like I'd been playing in the snow without snow pants!!



But that's okay, I got in a little over 2 miles and I tried to enjoy the beautiful surroundings. I looked at the snow that's already on the ground and thought about how magnificent nature is. I also know that even though I really am impatient everything is working out perfectly.I am looking to find apps that will help me long-term to track my running progress and my goals. I love the run for good Mainly because of the fact that it's for a good cause but I think there are others that actually allow you to input your goals with timelines and see them regularly to make sure you maintain progress towards those goals. I have to look into that but if anybody has any suggestions please feel free to let me know.

And thank you Judy for making sure I got my running today!

Running to combat Childhood Obesity (and adult obesity by running!)

So today I put in a little over 4 miles on Saucony's Run4Good app for "Team Dylan."  When he first picked 5,000 miles as the target goal, I thought that was very doable. We haven't seen as many miles logged as I would hope in order to reach that goal but I'm hoping people will spread the word and help out.  I may need to go out and do another 4 miles tonight.  This will force me to train for that marathon :)  If you know of anyone who wants to help us out, that would be wonderful.

Do you have any specific running goals? Other fitness goals?  Do you have someone holding you accountable to them?  Feel free to comment here and I'm happy to act as an accountability partner.  We can reach all of our goals!!  Don't forget it and don't give up!

It's also lots of fun to run with other people and that also keeps you accountable.  Are you part of a running/walking club?  There are so many free clubs and I highly recommend being in one.  I just started a local chapter of Moms RUN This Town - Metrowest, MA so that I will have the support I need and I will gladly help others to achieve their fitness goals, too.

14 Races in 2014 Challenge

I want to give a shout out for Marathon Mom's blog (www.runnershoe.blogspot.com). I just joined a challenge I saw on there.  She is asking people to commit to the challenge of running 14 races in 2014!  I couldn't pass that up :)  14 races in 2014.  Wow!!  You can commit to whatever type of race(s) you want to run.  Some people may be doing all full or half marathons but since I'm new to running I selected that I will do a combination of races.They may very well be mainly 5Ks but... It is going to be fun!  It's getting me out there and running and I'm so excited.  I should add that as I said, I have just started running and only completed 3 races in my lifetime.  Since it took me 45 years to run three races, running 14 in one year will definitely be a challenge :-) but I'm committed to it.  I signed up there and I'm putting it here to have you all hold me accountable.  (I know that I really hold myself accountable but I don't want to fail publicly!)  If you are interested, please visit her blog and sign up!



I am already signed up for 3 races!!  Two are 5Ks and one is a half-marathon which I plan to walk/run (in February).  I'd love any tips people have for me!

I am hoping to do three runDisney races this year!  I'm signed up for one already.  I don't think it was an accident that I found this picture of the winner of the Disney Princess Half Marthon, Rachel Booth, and the copy I found had the picture saved as "Rebecca" , my name :)  There is no such thing as a coincidence!  :)  As a newbie runner, I'm not really thinking I will do as well as Rachel Booth who has one three Disney half-marathons and competed in the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials where she came in 31st!  I do, however, believe that with all the properly labeled versions of this picture on the web, I was meant to find the one mislabeled as Rebecca Booth in order to remind myself that my only limitations are the ones I put on myself!!  I can run a marathon with the proper training!!   

I must admit it, I got the marathon bug last month when I read a pre-released copy my friend Mayra's book, Run YOUR Race: A Guide to Making YOUR Impossibles Possible. Mayra and I have both studied with Jack Canfield and know very well that the only limits we have are the ones we put on ourselves.  Mayra has written this awesome book exemplifying that.  The book absolutely drew me in and I read it in one day on my flight back from Pheonix, Arizona (after my last week of Jack Canfield's Train the Trainer program) to Boston, Massachusetts.  Although the purpose of the book is really to encourage us to "make our impossibles possible", it gave me the desire to run a marathon in addition to going after all my dreams.  I believe the book is coming out in January and I highly recommend it!

Anyway, I have the marathon "bug".  I am aware that I need to train and I want to train slowly and properly so I think I'm looking at January 2015 for my first full marathon.  I'm actually not opposed to walking part of it and I'm enjoying reading everyone's tips.  I find them inspiring and they help me remember that I don't need to get a record time, the point is simply to complete it and have fun!

Find An Exercise Partner

It's always more fun to do things with our friends.  Exercise is no exception.  Find a friend (old or new) who also wants to be more active and set a plan for what you'll do together.  It can be as simple as going for a walk every day after the kids go off to school.

Working out with a friend is more enjoyable and holds you accountable so you don't miss your workout.

Here are a few tips:

1. Find someone who really wants to do this.  You both want to motivate each other rather than talk each other out of exercising while having coffee and donuts instead.
2. If you plan to go walking in the neighborhood, have a plan for rainy days or days that the weather keeps you inside.  The right workout video can make all the difference in the world.  Make sure you pick on that resonates with you or you won't do it.  
3. Make sure you both have similar exercise goals and objectives.  If one of you is a couch potato and the other is already an avid exerciser, this may not make for a great partnership.
4. Mix it up a little.  Add weight training or yoga once a week.
5. Make sure you both have a common time that will work every day so that scheduling doesn't become more work than the exercise. (One tip is that if your kids are on the same sports team, you can exercise together while they practice. That won't get you five days/week but it's a start.)  
6. If you are married or in a relationship, recruit them as a partner.
7. Go to some exercise classes at your local Y or any gym.
8. It's okay to have more than one exercise buddy - in fact, it is better.  If you are all friends and want to workout together, that can be great, too!!

Remember if you are really not enjoying getting active and exercising, you are not likely to keep it up.  Make it fun for you!!  Make it social!!  Make it happen!!

You can do it!!  Start today!