the happy runner

Something many don't know about me is that I love to run.

Some of my family know this about me.

But I don't talk about it a lot, because I don't always have the time for it.

I've been running on and off now for the past 10 years because of various things.

I've had to start over many times from pregnancy, and recovering post-partum.

I also had to take a long break in 2011 because I broke my ankle.

It was a long recovery.

But I'm back at it and its been a real joy.

Can you believe I got to run outside yesterday....the last day of January???

The sun was out.

The breeze was cooling,

yet, the air was warm.

It was the perfect day for a run.

In JANUARY!!!!!

We live on a fast-pace road in the middle of the country.

Cars drive fast, but are few.

The scenery makes for a breath-taking run.

You not only feel good about your run....

you feel good about life.

Here is a gorgeous view of Lake Canandaigua.

Just snapped with my phone while running to one of my turn-around points.

Runs on these type of days remind me of how blessed I am.

I meditate on the goodness of God.

I melt in the refreshing blow of the wind on my face.

I fly to the beat of the music playing.

And I can't help but be happy.

I am the #happyrunner

run the race

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24

This summer I decided to do things I've never done. 

It was trying. It was long. It was hard.

BUT GOD!

Myself, Mom and Sister (Cheri) all finished Irongirl 2013!

I can honestly say, even with some days crying through the training, God can empower you to do anything you put your heart in! 

Cheri and I about to dive in!

So I took on the challenge, my half marathon in the Spring and Irongirl this past weekend. And with the inspiration of my parents. I couldn't help but be encouraged to go the extra mile. 

Honestly, I wanted to continue to expand our family but my body couldn't keep up. I knew if we were to continue to have healthy children I would need to do something about my health. A part from the added weight of my pregnancies, I developed bone issues, with both my teeth and internally. If you remember I wasn't able to walk last summer because I broke my ankle. I was desperate for a radical change. 

BIG KISS from my #1 cheerleader after finishing the race!

It's been quite the journey of getting healthy and allowing the Lord to show me how its worship to treat our bodies the best we can by living well - eating well - moving well.

Before my journey

After

I am blessed!

Things that helped me make the plunge:

1. Make a goal 

Mine was Irongirl but maybe yours is a 5K or losing a certain amount of weight, etc.

2. Get loved ones on board. 

I couldn't have done it without my husband's encouragement and agreement during the process.

3. Just start! 

Even if you can't run a mile, just start in 5 minute intervals. There's no shame in starting small.

4. Manage your time. 

Mark your calendar or even get a training regiment online.

5. Worship while you work.

Unless you count it as a spiritual journey as much as a physical one you'll never reap the full benefits. And the longevity of it is a lifestyle, not an instance fix for weight-loss or anything similar in nature. The point is not to "look" a certain way but to bring glory to God through your physical body. If thats the motivation you WILL accomplish what you're going after.

I encourage you, if you seem stuck set yourself a goal. It was I needed. I was so tired. I had my children so close together and they were so young. I thought I didn't have the time, and I lacked the self-confidence. BUT GOD, it gave me strength where I know I didn't have it. And with joyful tears I'm proud to be an Irongirl! (smiles)

For His glory,

Crystal

If you struggle with food addiction I highly encourage you to seek help! Its ok and there are many who are right with you! Try a FREE Bible study here at Setting Captives Free. Its a 60 day intense study, implementing fasting and accountability that you are sure to be blessed by. 

choosing a protein supplement

It's been difficult choosing a protein shake that I really like with the quality ingredients I really desire. But since training for Iron Girl, I've really been trying to keep my eye open for a whole foods based protein shake that would be cost effective for our budget. Well I finally found one I love!

This one is:

vegan

raw

whole foods nutrition

low-glycemic

sugar-free and free of artificial sweeteners (sugar alcohols)

made with sprouted grain

provides probiotics and digestive enzymes

all its nutrients I can pronounce

So far I have only tried the vanilla, but I plan to try the chocolate next :)

As far as taste, I wouldn't say its phenomenal, but its doesn't taste bad. And for me, it does the job. It is sweetened with stevia.

I really loved the fact that this was vegan because I already have plenty of meat in my diet. I'm not against dairy, this just happen to fit what I needed. Our family sticks pretty close to a Paleo lifestyle, so this was a great addition to getting something I don't get on a normal basis. I usually have this after a work-out or as occasional meal replacement when I'm needing it. As a mother, that can come in handy! No more days where I forget to eat!

Protein is essential after a work out because it provides the building blocks of nutrients to help your muscles repair and recover. And on a personal note, when I do not get some sort of protein within an hour or 2 after my work-out I feel very slow and lethargic. But days I do, I actually feel more energetic than normal.

If your interested, I get my raw protein (and all my other supplements) at Puritan's Pride. I don't love all of PP's products, but I've been able to find the ones I do love for a reasonable price. 

Also, if this protein powder doesn't suit you, maybe your looking for something WITH dairy. There's also lots of great powders out there with quality whey protein concentrate. Dr. Mercola sells some (but their pricey). Either way, make sure when you're buying a protein supplement its whole foods based, there are not any ingredients in it you can't pronounce, and that its a concentrate NOT an isolate. Isolates are very detrimental to your health and you will want to avoid them AT ALL COSTS! Highly recommend you catch Mercola's youtube video on the differences between whey protein concentrates and isolates. 

What protein powder do you like?

...And so it begins

I had a rude awakening when visiting my parents this past weekend...."I am so out of shape," I was saying to myself as I was huffing and puffing through the butts and guts class at the YMCA. It's only been 2 months since having my little girl, but I had no idea how hard it really was going to be to get myself moving again.

To my own surprise, this second pregnancy I still gained just as much as I did with my first, even though I continued to eat right and exercise regularly while I was pregnant with my second. On top of that I was still nursing my first until 6 weeks before the second came. Both pregnancies I reached an all-time high of 210 pounds. But it's interesting to think I was that weight at one time without being pregnant...yikes! I don't know how I carried it. So...this blog is the beginning of a long journey of achieving a healthy weight after two pregnancies, the first being one I never fully recovered from. (And maybe this could help other new moms out there to having a fresh start). My starting weight before I was pregnant was 165 pounds, which was a

very healthy weight for me. Most would say its still too big, but if you saw me I looked healthy and fit. with 12 years of figure skating and 2 years of hockey, a lot of the weight was in muscle in my bottom-half.

So this may not be the best picture, but it's the closest one I have that is right before getting pregnant with my first, Abigail. There I was at 165 pounds, but it really was just the beginning of my journey of making healthy decisions. I had only been vegetarian for a couple months at this point and was still learning about making healthy decisions.

Now with my first, I admit, there was a lot of unnecessary eating and no exercise after 10 weeks.

And yes, I was huge! To the right was when I was in the hospital in pre-labor.

After having my first, Abigail, it only took ten pounds off, so i still had 35 pounds to lose. Right around the time Abigail was 6 months old,I had gotten down to 180 pounds, and then I got pregnant once again with Israel. So, never fully recooping from the former, I commited myself to not gaining as much weight as I did with the first. Well, I may not have gained 45 pounds, but I still gained 30, which brought me right back to the 210 mark. Without getting frustrated at the scale, I listened to my body and to God and felt peace about the weight I was gaining. Maybe my body needed it. Maybe my babies need the fat or the water to grow. My first was born in the week of her eta and my second was born right on her due date, so I went full term with both.

And even though I still got to 210 while pregnant with Israel, I don't think I looked unhealthy, as compared to how I may have looked with Abigail. But none-the-less, the babies are born and I have work to do. And let me tell you - DO I! Yesterday was my first attempt taking the children with me to the Y, by myself that is. But everything in me (and God) said "go". And boy, did I pray my way through that work out! Typically I do 5 miles on the eliptical, 3 miles of that being 7mph. I was barely able to get two in and my last mile was a slow recovery of 3 mph. "Back to square 1"....i was thinking to myself. It never fails to surprise me how hard it is to pick things back up once you've been off of routine.

So....i share all this to make myself vulnerable. There are so many that are sitting right in my shoes and need the affirmation to tell them they can do this. And you can! To tell you the truth, I never share my weight....to no one and anyone! It's true. BUT for the greater purpose under heaven, where we live in a world where God cares even about the small things.....If your weight holds you back or keeps you from succeeding....then God cares. I am unhealthy at the weight I am. My asthma is at its worst when I am over-weight, and my energy

and joy run out of juice at mid-day. And so it begins.....the start of a new beginning.....getting my whole-self back up to God's standards, which is ultimately a life-long commitment to being healthy.

I also chopped my hair off. I believe it was an outward act that symbolizes that its a new start and I'm embracing that new start. So, join me as I update you on my progress and blog about my experiences. Everything in my flesh wants to fight against this, but I'm praying my way through to getting healthy and staying healthy.

Live long, live free!

Postpartum health

I currently have a month old baby and as i continue to educate myself on how to take care of my health needs during this postpartum time, I figured I'd share some of my secrets with other mothers out there. Down to the amount of calories you are suppose to have, to what foods you should stay up on, to weight loss after having a baby.

NURSING YOUR BABY

First I would like to encourage every mother out there to try as much as possible to nurse your baby the first year of its life. God has given us all an amazing gift. We are are capable of producing all the nutrients our baby needs without trying real hard. God made it simple. And nature allows us to bond with our baby in its first year of life by breast-feeding. I do not intend to discourage those mothers who chose to formula feed. This is not the purpose. But the facts are there, breast-feeding will provide the best health for you and your baby that no supplement can replace. The evidence is there, so I encourage you all...hang in there. Breast-feeding is very demanding and i respect every mother who devotes themselves to it! It's as if with every feeding we are praying long life over our children. What a beautiful gift God has given us. (If you were unable to breast feed your children because of health circumstances or lack of milk, this is not to discredit any mother who tried).

Click here for a list of reasons breast-feeding is important for your baby's health.

Click here for reasons breast-feeding is important for your own health.

WEIGHT-LOSS

Now here's the big one that probably all of us mothers wrestle with: Weight Loss. It is imperative that we don't try to exhaust ourselves over this during the first year we are recovering from pregnancy. Think of this way, it took you 9 months and 3 weeks to pack on the pounds, it should take you just as long to get rid of them. Don't expect yourself to be like all the women in Hollywood and be back in your pre-baby clothes in 6 weeks. The amount of women that happens to are minute. The truth is, it's just not practical nor realistic for most moms. And though breast-feeding guarantees a smaller uterus in just months, it doesn't necessarily mean less weight. In fact, breast-feeding may contribute to holding onto fat longer than you desire. This is because your body needs this fat to produce milk for your baby. Though your baby may not weigh much now, he/she is consuming 1,000 calories everyday from your milk supply. The quality of breast milk is only affected in extreme cases of deprivation, or by excessive intake of a particular food. But the quantity of milk depends very much on the mother's diet. This is why your diet is so important after you have the baby just as much as it was while you were pregnant. This does not exclude mothers who choose to not breast-feed as well. In order for optimal recovery after you have a baby, it is crucial you eat right. Women who don't have severe problems with constipation, weight loss contributed from muscle loss, swelling and water retention, along with also having extreme points of post-pardum depression. While trying to cut calories seems like the best solution to lose weight, it is DANGEROUS for a women who is recovering from child-birth! For women who are breast-feeding you should be consuming 1800-2200 calories a day (about 500 calories more than you would normally consume). But its also important what foods you are putting into your body. If you are looking to have aid in weight loss while you are recovering from child-birth I recommend colorful foods. Stay away from starchy foods that break down into sugar. Don't omit whole grains, but for a time limit the intake of pastas, breads and potatoes (this does not include sweet potatoes which has vitamin A in it....ladies this aids in digestion and can keep you from constipation). I personally omit all sweet desserts my first year of trying to get back down to my pre-baby weight. Though this is hard on days we have a sweet tooth, I find I am more liberated when I go out and someone offers me something sweet. You don't feel the guilt of eating something sweet when your out because you're not eating it when your home. i also am a firm believer that a diet high in greens helps keep the calories moving and make it easier for your body to absorb nutrients. I sometimes even add a powder vitamin of mixed greens to a fruit smoothie just for added fiber and vitamins. i actually find it better than taking a multi-vitamin because the powder itself comes directly from the plant itself, rather than a synthetic lab-made vitamin (which most vitamins are). Also a fruit smoothie is a much better option than fruit juice since the pasteurization also removes essential vitamins your body needs. I also recommend eating through-out the whole day. yes, you heard me right. Because we are nursing mostly on demand, your more likely to feel hungry through-out the day, rather than eating scheduled meals. this will also help in not over-eating. Sometimes if we wait for the "intended" time to eat, we're so hungry by the time it comes that we end up indulging. Choose healthy, colorful snacks to chew on in between meals that will help keep you on track (such as cheese and whole grain crackers, carrots and hummus, or organic peanut butter and banana). If you want more examples feel free to contact me, but for now I need to move on because this blog is getting long:)

SLEEP

Now, if your anything like me. you can be doing all these great things and maybe STILL not see weight-loss. Don't stress. I personally find it almost impossible to lose weight a healthy way the first 6 months of my baby's life. The biggest reason being? The lack of sleep. Yep, not getting enough sleep can help keep on extra pounds. And its not because of the quantity of sleep, but the quality. Your babies needs are so demanding of you in the night, and you'd be happy to sleep 4 hours straight on a good night. I get about 7-8 hours of sleep a night, but because its broken sleep I never really enter into "rem" (rapid eye movement) sleep. It aids in reducing stress, decreasing appetite and making us more hormonally balanced. If we miss out on it, it can very well keep us from losing weight. Don't be discouraged if you don't see results right away in your body, in a few months things WILL get easier.

LASTLY

Make sure you're getting at least a 1/2 hour of rapid activity everyday, along with drinking a large amount of water through-out your day. I always recommend 1/2 your body weight in ounces. If your nursing your baby, you should have at least an 8 ounce glass of water with every feeding. And please filter your water to help reduce the amount of fluoride, chlorine and sulfates in your water:) They are not good for you or your baby. This is even more important for babies who formula feed. There is no need to have fluoride in your baby's water when it doesn't even have teeth.

I think thats good for now....until next time ;D