Bumble Bar

I am always eating some sort of breakfast, granola or protein bar.  And as we all know, they don't always taste that great.  What is yummy, is usually filled with sugar.  What is healthy usually tastes like dirt.  So Bumble Bars are a great surprise to find.  They are yummy and they taste GREAT!

I've tried a variety of their flavors and every time I am pleasantly surprised.  The consistency of the bars is soft and chewy.  You can visibly see the nuts and seeds in the bars.  Many times you have no idea whats in a bar and its simply a hunk of goo!  The bars each have a distinct flavor.

I love the flavors and the diversity of them.  When I was having a sweet tooth attack I snacked on a chocolate bar.  When I was on the go in the morning I grabbed a cherry bar.  I love the fact that the ingredients on the bars can be pronounced and are few in number.  You actually know what you are eating!

One of the other things I love about Bumble Bars is that you can buy them by the case on their website.  (I also spend a lot of time hunting down bars to keep my supply jars full.)  They are a little expensive compared to other bars, but you get what you pay for and its no more than you would expect to pay for organic health food.

If you want to try out Bumble Bars visit their website.  You will be happy you did.
http://bumblebar.com/

Run around the clock

My running schedule is something I fight with constantly.  When I first started running very early last spring, I found running very tiring and I ran just a day or two a week.  After I started "getting into it" I started running as much as possible.  I was obsessed.  I ran as many days a week as I could, often six or seven.

You would think I would have been an excellent runner because of all of this.  I wasn't.  I still huffed and puffed.  I was pretty sore most of the time and every day was a struggle.  My dad and my husband told me to take a break.  BUT, I had a lot going on, and running made me feel a bit better so I kept pushing. I also assumed I'd finally get better if I kept running every day.

Eventually, I got hurt (there is a separate blog entry about that) and it was bad.  I went through months of PT and I was unable to run.  I wasn't even able to walk, shower or sleep for a while actually.  And so when I started running again, I was determined to do it the right way.  I'd learned a lesson.  

So now, I mix it up a lot.  I don't have a schedule that is set in stone.  I have a set of workouts that I complete during a week to ten day cycle, but in a varying order.  This is due to my schedule being so different on different days.  Some days I'm out of the house for 12 hours of more, and fitting in a "long" run is difficult.  However, other days I work from home and can sneak away for an hour or more.  Another reason I vary day is the weather.  I'm in New England and it could be cold and rainy one day and beautiful and sunny the next.  I don't fight it, I use the nice days to go out and run.  I also want to keep my body guessing as studies have shown that this helps improve fitness.

Okay so here is a list of the workouts I do.  I am constantly changing and I'd like to add more weights in, but for now, this is it.

At least one 5k tempo pace per week.  I also try to get a "long" run in of 4.5 miles or so.

At least one trail run per week.  Ideally I trail run twice a week or so.

Hike.  I hike in a local park and depending on the trail we take its about 1-1.5 hours.

Weights (quick circuit round)

Yoga (in my living room via DVD)

Speed work-1 mile warmup, then 8 rounds of a 30 second sprint followed by a 1 minute walk.

Hill work..I run about 3/4 of a mile, then run up a large hill at the park where I trail run.  I walk down, then repeat five more times.  I usually jog it back to the car, about .4 of a mile.

Spin (I have a video that is about an hour long, also done in my living room)

I think the biggest thing I've learned is that there is no right or wrong way to have a running schedule.  Variation is the key.  Your body learns all sorts of new things and adapts.  One of the biggest bonuses is that with having a lot of options and changing up what you do, the boredom factor is lessened.  

I'd love to hear what some of your favorite workouts are!  I am always looking for new ones to add in!

Got Pain?

Salonpas recently sent me some pain relief patches to try out.  I normally hate patches like these and can't wait to take them off, but after badly hurting my IT band this summer and facing flare ups from time to time I'm willing to try anything to make running easier.

The patch does have menthol.  However, the odor is not over powering as it usually is in patches like this.  The patch was large enough to cover the area I wanted it to, but not too big.  It was easy to put on with one set of hands as well.

The patch easily stayed on for eight hours.  At that time I took it off easily and there was no goop left behind.

I know what you're asking....does it work?  It does.  I felt relief after a day of speed work in the cold, a hot shower after and rushing out the door without stretching....
The patch won't compensate for taking care of yourself but on those days when you are a little stiff and can use a little help, the Salonpas patch is a great option.  Its thin enough that you don't notice it under clothing...I even had tight fitting pants on and it wasn't a problem.

You can get Salonpas patches at all sorts of places including Drugstore.com and CVS.
Visit their website here:
http://www.salonpas.us/

Race Review-New Year's Day

This was my third race since I've been "back into it" after years (okay, decades off of racing) and recovering from a serious IT Band injury.

There were a few things that scared me about this race.  The biggest thing being that it was four miles and not the traditional 5k that I had been getting used to.

The second thing I was fearful of was the cold.  My other races were in the fall, which is usually much more temperate than January in CT.

I was also fighting a small torn muscle behind my ankle.  It started bothering me the week before when running in 20 inches of snow, which is a whole other story.

Finally, I was anxious because I thought the amount of racers would be decreased due to the cold and the holiday and I just might come in last.

Race day started out with no hiccups.  We had stayed in the night before so I would be well fed and well rested.  I ate healthy and got hydrated.  I slept pretty well through the night.

I was originally going to wear a "penguin outfit" to the race, but after hearing it was going to be 40+ degrees I bagged it, the hat and the gloves and went to a thermal top and over layer of fleece.  I wore my compression tights and of course, my tutu. I also made some braids and used some sparkle spray for my hair and used my sparkle nail polish :)

So the race went well.  There were fewer runners....225 as opposed to 435 at my first race and 940 at my second.  I felt good.  i ran my first mile way too fast and had to deal with some MAJOR hills.  I did walk a few times for about 15-30 seconds a time.  It really took the searing pain from my ankle.

I had a goal of four 11 minute miles and I beat it.  My race pace has been about 10 minutes per mile and I would have loved to come in at 40 minutes but the extra time was worth it to not cause more injury to my ankle.

Once again the thing that struck me about this race was how all the runners know each other.  Its like a club.  Everyone stopped me to tell me how cute my tutu was.  The neighborhood people were in their driveways waving.

Also, once again and without surprise my husband was there to support me, carry the backpack of supplies, take lots of photos and be my biggest supporter.  He says he wants to get into running and although I'd love that, I love having him there waiting for me at the finish line and waving to me at the start.

So what did I learn?  Be happy I'm running at all, have fun and wear less clothing!!

Ikea Event

I normally don't post my professional information on this blog, but for those of you who live in the CT area and want some free info on getting organized, you can see me, The Joyful Organizer, presenting at Ikea in New Haven on January 15th.  See below for details.

Organizing expert, Bonnie Dewkett, CPO® of The Joyful Organizer^®, is offering a FREE workshop at IKEA New Haven to help you get your kids organized once and for all!

New Haven, CT – January 1, 2011 – On January 15^th The Joyful Organizer^® will be giving a free workshop at IKEA New Haven, 450 Sargent Drive, New Haven.   

Workshops will be given at one and three pm.

Topics to be discussed include (but are not limited to):

·      How to develop organizational systems for children’s spaces.

·      Organization doesn’t have to be expensive.  Learn how to get organized for less than $500.

·      How to involve your kids in the organizing process.

·      Learn how to KEEP your spaces organized.

·      Developing effective study skills.

·      Learn how to organize schoolbooks, notes, and paperwork for students of all ages.

Bring your toughest organizational questions to this event.  It’s free to the public!  The Joyful Organizer’s speaking events are high energy, fun and full of information.  Visit our website ahead of time (www.thejoyfulorganizer.com) to learn a little bit about our services, and how we can help you at this event! 

Those in attendance will receive a special savings coupon from The Joyful Organizer^®. Although this event is free, it would be greatly appreciated if you would please bring a gently used children’s book to benefit the Read To Grow Foundation.  (http://www.readtogrow.org/)  Read to Grow puts books in the hands of children of all ages to make sure they develop a love of reading and learning from a young age.  

Me & Goji

Anyone who knows me knows I LOVE cereal.  I eat it all the time.  When my husband is out of town, I've been known to eat it every meal of the day.  So when I first learned about Me & Goji I was excited.  The nice people there allowed me to build my own cereal and try it out.

When you first visit their website (http://www.meandgoji.com/) you can start building your mix.  You start with a base such as healthy o's or shredded wheat.  There was a big enough variety that I had a hard time choosing.  From there you add in fruit, nuts, or seeds.  The options are combinations are endless and at first, over whelming.  I played on the site for a LONG time...and finally made my mix.  I think I was a little scared to keep adding things in.

Once you are done mixing and matching you can order up your mix.  You can even put it in a custom package!  Add a photo to the container.

My mix arrived today and it was so much larger than I thought  it was going to be.  I immediately opened it up and it was YUMMY!  Okay, I dove in with my hands first, then stopped myself and used a bowl and some milk.  It was a good tasting as it is healthy.

I was originally going to do this review during the month of January.  January is going to be "Live Your Best Life" Month and I think Me&Goji is the a great way to live a better life.  Its a way to make a great tasting, CUSTOMIZED cereal that meets your tastes, nutritional needs and meanwhile, its still healthy.  I have hypoglycemia and finding a cereal that tastes good and is good for you is REALLY hard to find.

The reason I'm doing this review now, is that I think Me&Goji is a GREAT holiday present!  You could make the cereal for someone, or give it as a gift!  Nothing says I love you more than helping them be healthy!

Take a peek at their gift options here:
http://www.meandgoji.com/giveagift.aspx

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Wishing you a prosperous New Year!  This is the year to make your dreams come true!