Clean eating Challenge

Since my small injury to my Achilles Tendon has left me unable to run for a few more weeks (Im hoping only a few more weeks) I have decided to take on a challenge of my eating habits.
If you know me, personally, you know that I honestly can not LIVE without a pizza. A big, fattening, greasy, carb filled pepperoni and cheese pizza with a side of Ranch dressing.  When I get weak, I want Pizza. Its like I crave it...(I do, actually.. Crave it).

So on of our Moms Run This town boards, someone posted about an Eat Clean Challenge.. I've been looking into this more and more and have become seriously disgusted with what I have found out about what is in our foods. Then I went on and started researching the different artificial colorings/dyes and such that are in our foods and what they can/do to our bodies and our childrens' bodies in general. It affects your health, mood, out look, etc.

So I am going to participate in this challenge. I've done a little experiment on my own and I have found that on the days that I eat "clean foods" I weigh less, I feel better.  I have been eating somewhat clean off and off for the past two weeks. I give in a good bit (to a pizza now and then) but I do feel better.  My skin is clearer and I feel that my thoughts are not as clouded.  The best part is.. I haven't been hungry.  How can I eat to healthy and so little and not be hungry..  We'll I guess that is the power of eating small meals every 2-3 hours..

So, Who's going to join me for a Clean Eating Challenge in August?
Here is the link to the site so you can sign up too!
http://www.runtothefinish.com/2012/07/Clean-Eating-Challenge.html

Day 3..of partially clean eating.

Day 3


I gave in yesterday and ate some pizza.  I looked it up and the calories really were not all that bad for what I ate. I think my body was craving some serious carbs.  Day one of clean eating went really well, for breakfast, I had 2 hard boiled eggs. For Lunch I had a caesar salad, and for dinner I had a chicken caesar salad.  I had water all day, no coffee, No coke.


We went to the gym not long after we ate, and I even remembered to take my catalyst this time. Oh, I did drink some spark right before we went. This is what my strength workouts include:


Arm Curl
Arm Extension
Back Extension
Chest Presss
Wide Grip Pulldown
Leg Extension
Leg Press
Shoulder Press
Seated Row
Leg Curl
Hip Abduction
Hip Adduction
Roc-it Abdominal
Abdominal Crunch.
The weights I lift vary with each machine, but I always lift the same each time. I change them when I do not feel that they are helping any more.  I lift 2 sets of 12 reps (24 total).  Usually the first 12 on all machines are fairly easy.  Once I get past the 6th rep on the 2nd set, is when I start to feel it starting to burn (not in a bad way though). If I don't feel this after I finish my 2nd rep, I know I need to increase my weight a tiny bit.
The hardest for me is one of the AB machines. Its incredibly hard for me.  My upper body needs a lot more of a workout than my lower body, but I feel better.


I am supposed to do my strength training 4-5 days a week, while i am supposed to do Cardio 6 days a week.
My cardio is supposed to be 50 minutes. I normally do this by running indoor, or outdoor. (check out www.MomsRUNthistown.com) for other great info for Women Runners.  Lately, since I've had some issues with my Achilles Tendon, I have not been able to do Cardio like I wanted.  I thought that walking on the beach last week was Really going to hurt, but it didn't.  The sand didn't bother me at all.  What bothered me the most, was swimming. Each time I go to kick my feet to swim, It feels as though my left foot is being ripped of. (Pain!!)


So I thought I would take a few weeks off.  I can't take off to much time, because the warrior dash is coming up in September and I've made a committment to run in it.I can't back out of it, unless of course the pain gets so unbearable that I can barely walk. I've been looking forward to the Warrior Dash for more than six months. (www.WarriorDash.com) 
So instead of running, I decided to try another form of Cardio, by doing the elliptical and the arc trainer.  The Arc Trainer is more of a "Stride"  Its actually not so hard on my ankle for the most part. By the time 15 minutes was up, I felt like I had run 3 miles.


After my workouts I almost ALWAYS go into the Dry Sauna to relax.  Most people do not like the 200+ degree heat.  I love it.  I take a book or my kindle, and some good tunes and read to my hearts contest.  I usually try to stay in there about 20 minutes, but I have made it longer before.  The Sauna, although very hot, feels great on tired muscles and to me, it seems to help muscle recovery.  It also helps make my ankle feel a lot better after the torture I've just put it through. :-)

restart.....

Day one of clean eating...
SO far..so good.
Breakfast:
2 Hard Boiled Eggs and a Spark
No Snack-I was working out at gym, but had plenty of water.

Lunch:
Caesar Salad...and it was delicious..

Will eat some peanuts for snack,

Not sure about dinner yet.......

Its been a long time....

Its been a little while since I've posted on this blog...You can say I got a little out of habit of posting.
I ran my first real 5k on Memorial day.  I am not proud of my time which was around 44 minutes or so, but there were so many people and I spend half of my time looking for my nine year old son who kept running off and leaving me, which ended up with him falling and getting hurt a couple of times) and yet he still finished behind me.  My next big feat. is the Warrior Dash in Nashville in September.  Im hoping I'll do better on that run, but since its a lot of mud and a lot of obstacles, I doubt I'll finish any earlier than the last time.
I've ran into a little bit of an injury which has left my running at a stand still.  I've managed to hurt my Achilles Tendon on my left foot, which makes it impossible to run without pain.  I haven't ran in almost 2 weeks and it's driving me crazy.
I have been doing a small amount of strength training at the gym though.
I hope everyone had an amazing July 4.  Our family went to the beach, and my husband and I celebrated our 10th Anniversary a couple of weeks early by renewing our vows, with our children involved.
We had the awesome Luft Creative as our photographers, and of course, I designed/sewed mine and the girls dresses.  A really good friend of mine helped out with designing and making all the flowers (bouquet, the girls wrist corsages, the guys boutonnieres and the hair accessories.  –Fancy Feet Flip Flops    The photographer even wrote up a blog with a few sneak peeks, which I have to share, so please take a small look....

http://luftcreative.com/blog/kalli-alba

We had a really great time.  My parents even were able to come down to the beach for a few days before they went out to visits my brothers and their wives.

All in all it was a really great trip.   We love the beach and try to go as often as possible.  Few things in life are better than watching the waves

roll in while my kids run and play in the sand and surf.

Even the youngest one enjoyed it this time and waded out into the water. Although Little A did spend a lot of time covering her legs in the sand and throwing sand at the rest of us.  Sitting on the balcony over looking the ocean, while reading a good book on my kindle and enjoying a cup of coffee is one of my favorite things to do while at the beach, but digging my feet into the sand is my most favorite. 
Its hard not to be in awe of God’s amazing creations when surrounded by so much beauty of the sunrises and sunsets over the gorgeous emerald coast.

Until I write again, remember to hug your kids and your spouse (if you have them) if not give yourself a hug.
Smile as much as you can.....and Thank God for everything you have....

"If you woke up today with ONLY the things you thanked God for yesterday, what would you have?"

God Bless you all and I hope the Heat hasn't been to hard on you all this summer.........