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Monthly Archives: January 2009
Say it Forward: Carnival of Loyal Commenters
Five Minutes for Mom kicked off a Carnival of Loyal Commenters last Friday. The gist of this “Say it Forward Program” is to spotlight readers who faithfully leave comments.
Once I learned there would be no clowns at this carnival, I decided to join in the fun, although I was a little disappointed to learn that there would be no cotton candy.
Let’s face it. Comments are the validation and the instant gratification that all bloggers desire. We put our posts out here in the big ol’ blogosphere in the hopes that someone will read them. When an occasional reader happens to leave a comment, this big ol’ blogosphere seems just a tiny bit smaller. And voila! Loyal readers and friendships are formed.
To show my gratitude and appreciation for my most loyal commenters, each Friday I will spotlight one of my faithful followers. This week, I am showing my love for Lindsay of Chasing the Kenyans, of course.
Recently, Lindsay awarded me with the “Your Blog is Fabulous” award. Now, you may think I am simply sucking up to her, but Lindsay reads Run DMT regularly as we share the same passion for running. She reads almost every post, even the boring mommy blogger stuff and usually leaves a comment. Although she trains harder than me and runs much faster than me, she is consistently super supportive for my marathon training.
Not to mention, she willing posed for this picture when we met at the Disney Marathon.
So, thank you, Lindsay for being such a loyal commenter and my new BFF.
Kickin’ It
Time to put your best foot forward for this week’s Five Minutes for Fitness.
Kickboxing is one of my favorite cross-training work-outs. It’s is a great core work-out that forces you to use your entire body.
With each jab and kick, you tone and strengthen your abs and hips. Punches mixed with squats and lunges work your quads and hamstrings, too.
Honestly, there’s nothing like a good ass kicking shadow kickboxing to help relieve some stress.
Wordless Wednesday: D.E.A.R.
I’m a bit behind in my blogging and still need to post my pics from our North Carolina trip in December. While I get my act together work on a post about our trip, I thought I would share one of my favorite pics from the trip. I call this Drop Everything and Read (D.E.A.R.). Allan is reading Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban to Allana outside the Cataloochee Mountain Cabin.
Many a Manatee
On Sunday afternoon, my family and I took a one-tank trip down to the Manatee Viewing Center in Apollo Beach.
The Manatee Viewing Center is a manatee sanctuary sponsored by TECO (Tampa Electric Company). The Big Bend Power Station empties warm water into an adjacent canal, which attracts thousands of manatees during the winter months.
Since admission is free to the center, it relies on donations and retired TECO volunteers to operate the center. Its sole mission is to offer a safe spot for visitors to observe manatees in a natural setting and educate the public on protecting Florida’s gentle giants.
Two decks offer amazing views of over hundreds of manatees on any given day. Visitors can also spot several types of stingrays and a variety of fish, like Tarpon and Snook.
Along the canal, visitors can also explore a half mile nature walk along a pier that identifies plants and animals found in a typical tidal estuary. Red, white and black groves offer welcomed shade above the sunny pier.
While at the center, guests can visit a small hands-on museum that teaches basic facts about manatees and why the Big Bend Power Station brings the manatees back each winter. An oceanic diorama displays a small sample of Florida’s sea life complete with a manatee skeleton and other native sea creatures. Vintage photos of Tampa also decorate the museum while teaching a brief history of TECO.
With several picnic benches around the facility, packed lunches and lengthy visits are always welcomed at the center. Eating lunch while watching manatees play will make this one-tank trip a memorable one.
During the winter months, this is one of our favorite family outings, but like a bad momma blogger, I forgot my camera. So, although I have no pictures to share from Sunday’s family day, here are some of my favorite pictures from our past visits.
Goofy for Gasparilla
Trying to get back into a regular running routine, I went for a 6 mile run Saturday afternoon. The weather has returned to its usual warm winter days with highs in the low 70s. Gorgeous days for outdoor activities, except for an afternoon run.
About mile 2, I thought I was going to die. I became so overheated that my pace slowed to crawling walk. Barely making 5.5, I walked home feeling defeated.
Sunday, I met Lori, Tiffany and a new running partner, Amanda, for a 12 mile run, which was another pathetic sight. Still recovering from my Unofficial Goofy Challenge, I’ve been feeling some tightness in my calf muscles while running. To combat this, I have been walking more often during my runs and stretching a lot more, too.
With Gasparilla’s Michelob Ultra Challenge looming around the corner, I need to be more dedicated to my training. I have been sloppy since Christmas. My Monday yoga ritual and my cross-training have been overlooked for some time.
Buckling down again, I am determined to be more stringent with my training. After all, the winter and spring months offer the best races in Florida!
This week’s training includes:
- Yoga on Monday
- 4 mile run on Tuesday and a 10 mile bike ride
- 6 mile run on Wednesday
- Rest on Thursday
- 4 mile run and strength training on Friday
- 6 mile run on Saturday
- 14 mile run on Sunday
Like I said, I was all set to get back into the groove for Gasparilla. Then, I came down with a stomach bug and it’s been coming out of both ends since late Sunday night. Multiple runs to bathroom with a bucket in tow made for a very sleepless night. I have no energy and no appetite and therefore, I will be spending most of the day in bed. So, no yoga for me today and possibly a VERY short run tomorrow, if I can summon any energy at all.
Oh well. The running road was paved with good itentions.
Run DMT is Phat and FABULOUS!
While sulking about my fat and not so fit physique, Lindsay from Chasing the Kenyans passed along this cute little bloggie button to me.
So, who cares what some stupid body fat scale says? Lindsay thinks I’m fabulous! Thanks for cheering me up, Lindsay! 
Upon recieiving this award, I am asked to list my five fabulous addictions.
- Running (Duh!)
- T.V.
- Wine (beer or any alcoholic beverage)
- Dark chocolate
I am also addicted to blogging, but that is pretty much a given for all bloggers, right? I also thought I would add sex to the list just to be funny, but my DH would have totally called me out on that one.
As another stipulation of this award, I must tag 5 other equally FABULOUS bloggers.
- Cloe from Running with a Bottle of Wine
- Rachel from Following in My Shoes
- Parenting Pink
- Jennifer of Happliy Ever After Land
- Maris from In Good Taste
Now, go and spread your fabulousness!
Looking Fine in ’09
Moms on the Go began its Third Annual Weight Loss Challenge (WLC) again today, but it has been renamed to “Makin’ My Body Fine in 2009 Health Living Challenge.
I decided to participate in the challenge not to lose weight but to increase my muscle mass. And what better way to stay motivated than to be part of a Looking Fine in ’09 Challenge?
For this year’s first weigh in, one of the WLC coordinators brought a scale that reads your percent of body fat.
I stepped on the scale: 126 lbs. Not bad. I know better than to put a whole lot of weight (pardon the pun) on the numbers on a scale.
Feeling confident about my somewhat fit physique and lack of fat, I waited for the scale to present my percentage of body fat. I mean, how bad could it be? I work-out 5 times a week, well, except for this week. (The cold snap and snickerdoodles really put a damper on my work-out week.) Plus, I decluttered the cupboards last night by eating every bit of chocolate I could sniff out, but that was only to rid my house of all the temptations before the challenge. But, I did run 4 miles this morning…
28%
WTF?!
You can not be serious.
28%? Really?
Instantly, I became a skeptic. “How accurate are these scales?” I asked while trying to refrain from throwing the scale out the window.
“Pretty accurate,” she replied. “It uses an electric current (Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis) to get your reading.”
“So, you’re saying blubber is a better conductor than muscle?”
Since this morning’s fat ASSessment, I’ve obsessively researched learned that body fat scales “might be off by 5%, plus or minus”, according to medicinenet.com.
Before stepping on a body fat scale, sport-fitness-advisor.com states users consider their physical activity, food intake and water consumed prior to each reading.
Your body position, the amount of water in your body, your food intake, skin temperature and recent physical activity can all adversely affect the results of body fat scales.
Sport-fitness-advisor.com further explains that you should consider what body fat level is appropriate for your age and athletic performance. (Body fat charts posted on sport-fitness-advisor.com offer guildeines to help determine your appropriate range.)
Even considering all those factors and the room for error off my reading, my body fat is still pretty high.
Then, I stumbled upon this bit of information from goodhousekeeping.com, which made feel a little better about my blubber.
Interpreting the Numbers
Body fat percentage is more than a number. By indicating what percentage of your actual weight is composed of fat, it reveals important information about your health status.
WOMEN
Age 20 to 39:
- Low (underfat) = <21
- Average (healthy) = 21 to 33
- High (overfat) = 33 to 39
- Obese = >39
With 28% body blubber fat, I suppose my “Will run for chocolate” (or beer or wine or margaritas or cheeseburgers or snickerdoodles) days are over. Great. But, kickboxing doesn’t offer the same satisfaction as chocolate when I’m PMSing.
Get Ready to Wiggle!
A few months back, my family and I received free tickets to The Wiggles concert. Although The Wiggles just aren’t the same since Greg (Yellow Wiggle) left the group, the concert is still a fun time for all.
With all the wiggling, twisting, shaking and other silly dance steps that The Wiggles are known for, it is no surprise as to how these men stay so slim. That’s why this week’s Five Minutes for Fitness is a tribute to The Wiggles.
So, grab the kids and have fun with it. I’ve posted some of my favorite wiggly songs to give you a decent five minute work-out. I’m calling this my “Wiggly Work-out”.
Even if my oldest is too cool for The Wiggles now, they still make me feel like dancing.
Stuffing My Face With Snickerdoodles
It been too cold to run outside. So, I thought I share what my fat lazy ass this wanna be Hungry Housewife has been up to instead of running.
See, I had this potluck recipe swap playdate this morning and since Christmas, I’ve been trying to perfect the PERFECT snickerdoodle. And like, I said it’s been really cold here in the Sunshine State and everyone knows a warm oven helps to heat your home. Plus, the lovely smell of snickerdoodles helps hides the musty, dusty odor from my lack of Swiffering.
So, although I am not happy with my lack of training or lack of housekeeping, I am thrilled with the results of my latest batch of Snickerdoodles. Of course, now I have to run a half marathon just to burn off the fat and calories with the half dozen I’ve eaten already.
Since I’m not much of a baker and there’s no love for cooking with me, it would be laughable for me to post a recipe. However, if you want my modified Joy of Cooking Secret Snickerdoodle recipe, drop me a line and I’ll send it to you.
