Now I’ve seen plenty of tutu’s on runners but normally, that’s in races.  I have to say, watching D run in her tutu was definitely entertaining!

Yesterday we did Week 1 Day 2 of Ease Into 5k.  Starting with a 5 minute warm-up walk, we then repeated the following 3 times:

• Run 30 seconds
• Walk 45 seconds
• Run 45 seconds
• Walk 60 seconds
• Run 60 seconds
• Walk 90 seconds

Finished with a cool down walk of 5 minutes.

It was really hot and humid out and after a long day of school, D was just not feeling the run – I’m sure many of us can relate.  You know how excited I get when the sprinklers are on?   Well…magnify that by 10 and that’s how excited D was when I gave her the instructions to run through them, twice!  When she took off for the sprinklers, I think she ran faster than she did for any other run segments.  On our 3rd round, I poured a bottle of water over her head and that helped her a lot – it also made her laugh, for whatever reason!

All in all, I think she did great!  She even managed a smile for the camera on the cool down walk home!

This morning we had our “normal while unemployed” breakfast routine.  As I walked her in to school, she insisted I could accompany her to the playground!

When the line-up bell sounded, she insisted I could line-up with the class.  And then she insisted I could walk with the class to the classroom.  And then she insisted I could come inside but I said my good-byes at the classroom door.  As I walked away, I thought I better find a job soon or she’s going to get too use to this set-up!  ha ha ha!

Do you still swing on the swings at the playground?  

Do you wear a visor or a sweatband while running?

What’s the healthiest thing you’ve eaten today?

Despite the fact that the longest interval of running this week is 1 minute, I was still pretty nervous that I’d flake out at some point and walk when I should be running since it was about 95 degrees outside, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I ran.  But I didn’t!  I got through the whole thing and didn’t even feel like I was almost gonna die.  Is it wrong to be irrationally proud of not dying after a simple jog/walk?  I don’t care.  I was proud…  winded and proud.

Week 1, Day 1

On a VERY happy note, my feet and shins didn’t hurt at all!  Maybe there really is something to getting the right pair of sneakers after all…

So, I’ve decided to jump into the wonderful world of blogging in honor of my new(ish) venture into getting healthy and active, which will probably be the main focus of this here bloggity.  But who knows…  I’m a teacher, so I’m sure once the school year starts I’ll have all sort of entertaining stories to tell.  But for now…  getting heathy and active…

With that being said, I’ve been a little afraid to start exercising because so many people on Medifast have said that when they exercised, they stopped losing weight. And I’ve had such great success so far, I just kept putting it off. But there’s no more time for that. It’s time to stop procrastinating. I am going to keep within the Medifast guidelines for exercise though. They recommend limiting your exercise to 45 minutes a day (or less) and if you feel hungry/tired to eat an extra 2-3 oz. of protein.

I would love to join a gym or hire a personal trainer or something, but since like all of my money is going to pay for diet food, that’s just not really an option. Which means that the great outdoors becomes my gym… and some great iPhone apps become my personal trainers. Today I’m going to talk about the Ease into 5k app (similar to the Couch to 5k program/app).

I have always wanted to be able to run or be a runner. I’ve had the Couch to 5k website bookmarked on my computer since I was in college, but I’ve never done it. I started it once, but never got past the first week. I don’t know what the problem was, but I gave up. I’m excited to say that I have a new tool that I think will make all the difference and that’s the app. This thing is amazing. I can listen to my own music and a little robot guy tells me when to walk and when to run, when I’m halfway finished and when my last run is coming up. I am really good at mindlessly doing whatever the robot guy tells me do! The program is great because you start out slow, only running for 30 or 45 seconds at a time. You go running 3 times a week with a day off in between runs and it slowly builds your endurance and running time from week to week. It all builds up to being able to run for 30 minutes straight (aka 3 10 minute miles to make up a 5k). It’s exciting to think that in a few short weeks, I might be able to do that!

Have any of you used an iPhone app to exercise along to? I’m a big fan of this one, but I’d love other recommendations!

We’ve developed a number of training plans to help runners of all abilities reach a variety of training goals — from that first 5k to a full marathon.  Here are the programs you can start right now, along with some not-too-far-off completion dates that should get you excited about how soon you could be reaching your goals.

Couch potato to power walker by the middle of August.  Even if you consider yourself completely out of shape at this very moment, you could be completing a 60-minute power walk with confidence in less time than you think.  Starting Power Walk before June will have you finishing the program the week of August 12.

From beginner to 5k racer by the middle of July.  If you can run a few minutes at a time, we can get you running a full 5k without walking in just eight weeks.  Starting Ease into 5k before June will have your ready to race by the week of July 16.  (To set your sights on a longer distance, Ease into 10k will have you running a 10k in just two weeks more.)

From 5k runner to 10k runner before the fireworks.  Ease into 5k graduates can build progressively to a 10k distance in just six weeks.  Starting Bridge to 10k before June will have you running the full 10k distance before July 4.

Putting a “13.1″ sticker on your car before summer is over.  If you’ve done any of our shorter programs, you know that the plans work.  Starting the Hal Higdon Half Marathon (Novice 1) program this week will have you running a half marathon by mid-August.  For a slightly different approach, consider Hal Higdon Half Marathon (Novice 2).

Celebrate Fall with a full marathon.  For most runners, 26.2 miles is a crowning achievement.  Getting there is just a matter of laying out your plan and executing on it.  Get started now with Hal Higdon’s Marathon (Novice 1) and you could ring in the first week of Autumn marathon-ready.  And again, for a slightly different approach, check out Hal Higdon’s Marathon (Novice 2).

 It’s pretty exciting.  Pick any of those timeframes above and imagine yourself finishing your last workout of the program on that triumphant final week.  All you have to do is pick your plan and get started!

Getting back on the horse?  

If you’ve started a Bluefin program in the past but didn’t finish, you can always start fresh with a clean slate.  Just open up Settings and select ”Reset on next start.”  The next time you launch the app, you’ll be ready to begin.   

Today I am going to add yoga.  I have gotten so stiff.  I really need to regain some flexibility.  I found a yoga DVD on my shelf so I am all set.  I’m terrified I may need my kids to get me up!

I have been looking for a pedometer app that works for me and I can’t find one.  They work all worked for my husband.   We spent a last night walking the track at our church.  We would count our steps and then compare them to the reading the pedometer app came up with. Every time my DH used it, the counts matched.  Every time I used it they were off.  I would count 157 steps, and the pedometer would read 110.   It was very frustrating.

My DH kept reminding me it an indicator of activity, but I want all my steps counted.  I am at a stand still at finding an app I want to use.

I have gotten Hope and Will’s core curriculum done.  I keep looking out the window praying for rain, but alas it’s not coming, so it’s time to start my running program.  Since I’m such a nice person, I decided this will be our P.E.  this year. I just broke the news to the kids and have loaded the app on their iPods.  The boys have been spared for now.  They are at government club.

My iPhone is charged.   My ear buds have been located.  We are off, well almost off!  Robbi noticed that we have to get our playlists  together.  That ended up to be really easy.  You set the playlist in iTunes, and then get in the program.  The app uses the iTunes playlists.  If you don’t like a song, you can skip it.

Day 1 Week1 of Ease into 5K…here we come!  Pray for me!

P.S.  I’ll post later how we did.

It’s co-op day, so it is rather hard to keep focused, and my mind kept going back to a conversation I had with a friend.  She is in the same boat as I am, and has been very pleased with “Ease into 5K”.  She has been using it since January, and has already lost 35 lbs.

The app used to be called “Couch to 5K”.  I’m not sure why they changed the name, but it sounded good.  The whole goal is to get you moving and ready to run a 5 K in 8 weeks.  My goal is to be able to walk/run a 5k in 8 weeks.

You exercise 3 times a week for 30 minutes.  They start you out on Day 1 week 1.  You start with a 5 minute warm up and then they give you walk/run intervals.  The first one is run 30 seconds, walk 45.  The next is run 45 seconds and then walk 60. It keeps going until you have completed a complete 30 minute work out with cool down.

It is also set up to use your own music.  You can skip tracks and keep on going.  It will also track your weight, your distance, calorie burned, and pace.  It tracks the days spent toward meeting your goal and it keeps a history.

One goal I have always had was to run in a 10 k.  I figure this may get me there.  They also have a 10 K version for those of you in better shape than me.

I now have it downloaded and ready to go.   I couldn’t start to day because it has been a rainy day.  My goal is to get moving bright and early tomorrow.  I may even drag the kids out.  In fact, this may be a great goal for the whole family.  My dh won’t have to because he probably could run a 10k next week.