4 months!

I cannot believe my little Layla Rose is 4 months! We went to the Doctor for her check up and shots this morning and she did a great job...only cried for a few minutes.  She is 13.1 lbs and 24.5 inches which puts her in the 36th and 37th percentiles (HUGE improvement from her two month appointment). The doctor said she looks great and that we can try solids now!! I will leave you with a few things about Layla and her sweet personality:

She LOVES to stand up and look around. If she had it her way, she would have me hold her standing all day :)

She has been sleeping through the night since 2.5 months! (She has recently been waking once sometimes, because we have been trying to break the swaddle and her arms wake her up)

She LOVES her voice and will not stop squealing and talking now.

She hates the car seat in the car, but put her in a stroller and she will stroll all day long.

She sits up and holds her head up so well now, I can tell she really wants to be able to sit up because I catch her doing sit ups in the carseat. She has rolled from her tummy to back several times but never the other way.

Mommy can get her to laugh when she tickles her, but no one else can get a laugh out of her yet.

Daddy always gets bath time and she LOVES it, unless she doesnt nap at daycare and then she either screams or falls asleep.

Your hands are CONSTANTLY in your mouth and you drool so much the nursery ladies change your outfit almost everyday...but no teeth signs yet :)

This baby girl melts my heart everyday. Wow, I am so in love :)
Have a few running posts in mind and will post soon (also coming soon, another surprise...no, I am NOT pregnant!)

To Marathon or Not?

I have been tossing the idea of running a marathon around in my head since before Layla was born.  I was really into running before we got pregnant and was planning on running a ton of halfs, until that stick had two lines (TMI?)

Now, running has become my escape, my passion, my "me" time when no one can bother me. I have been constantly looking at others running blogs and have become so inspired by the marathon distance.  However, probably like most runners, I am scared to sign up, could I do it without dying, passing out, throwing up, pooping my pants???

26.2 miles is a long way to run, but I can only imagine the feeling of accomplishment after that run. I have only ever completed one half marathon, two 10-Ks, and several 5k's.  I can easily run 12 miles right now, the thought of doubling that seems crazy to me right now.

But, I have decided to at least give it a go. What is the worst that could happen (except maybe pooping my pants, check out this link for a good laugh and you will know what I am talking about)? I would love to hear of your experiences, advice, tips whatever, whether you have run a full, thinking about it, or just run in 5ks.

For the Social Media Nerd/Fitness Junkie

To all you social media nerds out there like me, this post is for you...
If you are like me, you love Facebook, Twitter, blogs, iPhones, iPads, you even like to do most of your shopping online...

If you are also like me and love all things fitness and health related, well...there's an app for that.
Seriously, there are some pretty need websites and apps for the phone that can help you lose weight and/or track your daily runs. Here are a few of my favorite...

MyFitnessPal
This is a website AND an app you can download on your smart phone.  Log everything with this app (calories, exercise, water).  It even gives you the number of calories that you should be eating in order to lose weight/gain weight.

This is a great tool for weight loss and if I learned ANYTHING from all my nutrition background, it is that you HAVE to keep a food log if you want to lose weight.  Remember, losing weight is 70% based on your nutrition! It only takes a few minutes after you eat something to log it in and it will make the world of a difference and you can see where you need to eat better (and if you cant see it, ask me :) )


The Daily Mile
This website or downloadable app is great for runners that love to track their mileage.  You can also link it to twitter or facebook to share it with your friends.  You put in your mileage, how fast you ran, where, and how you felt and it will track your progress.


This might only be something that a more serious runner might enjoy, but I think it is a great training tool for the non serious runner too. It keeps you motivated when you can see how well you are doing or if you are getting better.

Livestrong
Yes, Lance has been under a lot of scrutiny lately for allegedly doping for his cycling races, but c'mon the man is a freak and knows what he is talking about fitness wise.
His website is a lot like myfitnesspal in that you can put in your height, weight, pounds and tell how much weight you would like to lose and it will give you the amount of calories you need to lose.  You login everyday and track what you have eaten and, if you pay a fee (which the website is free), you can get a customizable diet.
This one also tracks exercise and fitness goals and actually has a tool to dare you to quit smoking which is pretty neat.
I am not as big of a fan of this one as I am myfitnesspal, but it is all a matter of opinion.


Any of these options are great, if you like this sort of thing. If you really want to get serious about losing weight, keep a food log and write down, or for you tech nerds use one of these apps and type, EVERY SINGLE THING you eat down to the creamer in your coffee. You will be amazed at how many or how little calories you are taking in, both hindering you from weight loss.

Until next time, keep running :)

Stop with the Resolutions Already!

Resolution: a firm decision to do or not do something.

Frankly, I think resolutions are stupid.  Every year you make one and every year you forget it in a month. Instead of making a "firm decision to do or not do something", make some goals for yourself for 2012.  It is so much easier to set several small goals and perhaps one or two big ones for yourself for the year.
Write them down and track them so that you can go back and look and see how you are doing or how you did for the year.  Here are my Goals for 2012:

1. Run 2 Half Marathons (and have one under 2 hours)
2. Log 1000 miles (that is roughly 2.7 miles a day, totally doable)
3. Save more money. Start Couponing (not extreme do not worry), quit wasting.
         (I know this one is broad, but I don't feel like detailing my finances on a blog :) )
4. Have at least one date night a month with the hubby
5. Spend more quality time with the Big Man upstairs...I have been slacking lately and find myself making excuses like lack of time, blah blah...

Bigger Goals (these I will not feel bad if I do not do as they are much bigger goals for the long run)
1. Train and run a full marathon
2. Make baby steps towards my dream job...for a later post :)

What are your New Years Goals?


 

New Year, New Runner…10 Reasons to Start (or continue) Running in 2012

We have all heard it and most of us have probably said it, “I will lose 10,20,30… pounds this year” or “I will start exercising more this year.” Many of us start out really strong and do great…until about Valentine’s Day.  However, instead of just saying “I will lose weight”, why not set a more specific goal and start running?

Yes, I can hear the excuses now…”I have bad knees”, “I have no time”, “It is too hard”, and on and on. Everybody has an excuse as to why NOT to run, but here are 10 reasons that you should run:

1.     Healthy Heart: Running is great for your cardiovascular system. It has been proven to lower blood pressure and overall cholesterol.

2.    Old as Dirt: People have been running for YEARS. Why? Because all you really need is a pair of legs.

3.    Don’t Worry, Be Happy: Running is great for your overall happiness too.  On a run, your body releases endorphins which are known as the “feel good” hormone…it is also what allows you to hit a “runner’s high”.

4.    Burn Calories while Sitting: Yup, runners burn more calories at rest. 

5.    Anytime, Anywhere: You can run anywhere at any time.  On vacation? Just pack a pair of running shoes and shorts and you are ready to go.  It is a GREAT way to discover new places.

6.    Escape for “Me” Time: If you are like me (and most of the U.S. population) you are BUSY! Between work, family, and laundry, there is little time left for you.  Lace up those sneakers before work and get some time for yourself before the craziness of your day begins. No matter how busy my day is, I always try to fit in a run, whether it has to be before the sun rises or even after it sets.

7.    Catch up with a Buddy: Don’t think you will be consistent or do you just need to catch up with that friend you keep meaning to call? Enlist them to start running with you, burn calories together while catching up.

8.    Lose that Belly Fat: The real reason most of you want to run, lose that belly fat and keep it off.

9.    Live Longer and Cancer Free: Studies have shown that regular runners live longer than their non running peers. Recently, new studies have found that running can lower your chances of developing several types of cancer.

10.  FREE: No gym fees or fancy equipment.  The most expensive thing about running is buying a pair of tennis shoes, which most of us own in the first place!

 There they are 10 good reasons to start running this year. Need more? Well, I could go on and on about how great running is for your life socially, physically, and mentally.

The point is, you have to start somewhere, so get out tomorrow morning and run a mile… or two, whatever feels good and right to you. Trust me, once you start running, you will not want to stop.