Good morning / afternoon / evening Eindhoven ! Saturday the 28th

Ha ! - ok.. there is no one that runs here... I did find two running stores... but yeah, that's it. I bucked up and paid 40 euros to join the gym here at the hotel. It's way expensive, but Philips owns the apartment, so I'm not having to pay to stay here ... and the group that was staying at the Holiday Inn had to be evacuated because of asbestos.... seriously... HA ! The good ol corporate american express is paying for my 7 day gym membership.

The gym is T I N Y and you have to make an appointment because they only allow 7 or 8 people in at once. And they open at 11 on saturday... noon on sunday... who does that ??? anyway... I went at 1 today, jumped on the only treadmill and did 5k. I know i did a 5k because everything is in kilometers ! Brilliant. I did pretty good. Didn't walk... but it was a slow easy run. I'm happy with that since I haven't done ANYTHING in 2 weeks.

Tomorrow.... no gym... amsterdam... wahoo !

And because you know... when i find good stuff no matter where I'm at, I gotta share ... check it out :

Skinny Mojito Martini

2 oz White Rum

3 oz Club Soda

4 Mint Leaves

2 Lime Wedges

4 Drops of Stevia

133 Calories

Add the stevia, lime, rum and mint springs to a cocktail shaker and muddle the ingredients to pull out the flavors. Add ice, club soda and shake (gently, club soda can be messy and explosive). Strain into a 5 oz Martini glass, garnish with more fresh mint and limes and serve.

You can also use liquid NutraSweet, but use 20 drops instead. Both are equal to 2 tsp of real sugar and save you 32 calories.

Big Climb Start times !

team rescue me = 9:00 am Nice work on the early time !

Big Climb Start times !

team rescue me = 9:00 am Nice work on the early time !

Even when I'm out of the country...

So... haven't worked out in ummmmm a week... but check this out:


This month, Diet.com takes a look at how our culture's serving-size expectations have ballooned over time.

Think what you're eating is one serving? Think again. Restaurant portion sizes have grown considerably in recent decades, becoming so large they've distorted our understanding of what constitutes an appropriate serving of food.

Take a look at how portion sizes have changed over the years:
• Muffins that once weighed 1.5 ounces (a standard serving size) can now weigh up to 8 ounces.
• Bagels were once the size of 1 to 2 servings of bread. Today, a bagel at Starbucks weighs 5 ounces, which is equivalent to about 6.4 servings of bread.
• The original Coca-Cola bottles held only 6 ounces of soda. Today, the standard bottle holds 20 ounces.
• In 1955 McDonald's only offered one size of French fries: 2.4 ounces. Now a small order of fries is 2.4 ounces, a medium is 5.3 ounces, a large is 6.3 ounces and a Supersize is 7.1 ounces.
• In 1908, a Hershey bar was 0.6 ounces. Now they come in 1.6-, 2.6-, 4-, 7- and 8-ounce sizes.

No wonder consumers are confused: The standard serving sizes prescribed by the USDA have changed very little. These pertain to the recommended daily allowance of calories and nutrients. By today's portion sizes, we're eating more food than our bodies need.

The difference between how much the USDA says we should eat and how much food restaurants put in front of us may be one reason why Americans' waistlines are expanding. Research has shown that when we are served more, we eat more. Plus, we live in a culture that promotes the idea that more of anything is better. But when it comes to calories, this isn't the case.
You can control your portions by following a few tips:
• Measure foods occasionally at home: Portion sizes can creep up on even the most careful eater!
• Read food labels: They'll clue you in to the calories, fat, carbs, fiber and protein per serving.
• Use smaller plates and bowls at home and fill your plate with fruits and veggies first. (Aim for half of the plate to be full of the colorful stuff).
• When you go out to eat, order an appetizer and salad instead of an entrée, or ask that half your entrée be put in a to-go box before your meal is served.
• Make your motto: "Downsize, not Supersize!"

wahoo -- grateful for THESE too !

OK... Kona Cola - caffeine... excellent... tastes great and I'm trying to figure out if I can mix Malibu with it

the Lemon Chai - just tried it today... STELLAR !   Love it !  Going to the Netherlands with me.

www.nuun.com   REI, Greggs GreenLake Cycle carries them.. YUM !!

Next -   www.dudegirl.com   seriously... DUDE !!  This is SOOOO you !   This site has great clothing... I'm so excited I found these guys.  What a great concept

Last - OMG... CS... this is SOOO you and me... www.skinnytinis.com  YUM  !!  great recipes... total information overload ... love love love it !

and ... since I'm such a total blog stalker...   http://skinnytinis.blogspot.com/

Today is Tuesday - Gratituesday...

Today is Tuesday - "gratituesday"... so find things to be thankful for, be it a person, place or thing, and let that person, place or thing know you're grateful :) 

Here's my list for today... 

This is a map of the city I'll be in on Sunday morning - Eindhoven... 

Today - I'm thankful that I had people to explain this to me.  And that while it looks complicated,  I think I can actually figure it out :)  I'm good on this one !

Balance Bars -  I'm thankful they taste killer,  that this particular one has 15 grams of protein and only 20o calories and that I can pack them easily ! 

I'm always thankful for these... Mizunos.. I love them.  They are coming with me,  and yes,  the pink compression socks.  The Sofitel gym better be ready for me... 

Almonds -  again, easy to pack, good for the plane and salty.  I'm happy with that. 

Euros -  I'm thankful they're not pesos.  I think I can figure the math out with these. 
I love this stuff -  mostly,  I'm thankful Rob found it and bought seventy dollars worth ... and I have a box to take with me :)  
This -  I'm thankful that so many friends have traveled and have a gazillion of these and are willing to let me borrow them  wahoo !   120v to 220v,  I got this handled !

My snazzy new laptop bag.  Over the shoulder, across the back, I'm stellar.  Holds everything,  not heavy,  not too big and doesn't look like a boring black canvas bag.  Love it ! 

It's been a bit crazy at work and trying to get organized... you know,  Mexico, I just throw some suits, coupla shorts, some bars, some crackers, and a few tops in a suitcase and I'm good.  But apparently it's cold there... so I'll pack accordingly.

That being said,  patience gang,  I'll be back up to blogging regularly in no time.  I promise.  In the MEANTIME... go to some of the sites I have on here to keep up with training, new gear,  you know.. cool stuff.  And KEEP MOVING :) !!!!

I'll be back in March !  St. Pats Dash HERE WE COME !

xoxoxoxoxoxo

 

Walking

As much as I would love to not have to walk a bit during a half marathon... I do... hell,  I had to walk the other day during a 5k !      This info helps... a little... 

from www.jeffgalloway.com

walk Breaks?

Most runners will record significantly faster times when they take walk breaks because they don't slow down at the end of a long run. Thousands of time-goal-oriented veterans have improved by 10, 20, 30 minutes and more in marathons by taking walk breaks early and often in their goal races. You can easily spot these folks. They're the ones who are picking up speed during the last two to six miles when everyone else is slowing down.

The mental benefit: breaking 26 miles into segments, which you know you can do Even sub-three hour marathoners continue to take their walk breaks to the end. One of them explained it this way: "Instead of thinking at 20 miles I had six more gut-wretching miles to go, I was saying to myself one more mile until my break.' Even when it was tough, I always felt I could go one more mile.

Walk breaks in the marathon: how long and how often? 
The following is recommended until 18 miles in the marathon. After that point, walk breaks can be reduced or eliminated as desired.

First time marathoners should follow the ratios used in training as long as they haven't slowed down significantly at the end of the long ones. If you struggled during the last few miles take walk breaks more often from the beginning. A minimum suggestion for first time marathoners would be one minute of walking for every 3-4 minutes of running.

Here are my recommended ratios of running and walking, based upon your pace per mile.
Remember that long runs should be run at least 2 min/mi slower than your projected finish pace in the marathon. An additional slowdown should be made for increased temperature: 30 sec per mile 
slower for each 5 degrees of temperature increase above 60F. It is always safter to walk more often.

Run-walk-run ratio should correspond to the training pace used:
8 min/mi—run 4 min/walk 35 seconds
9 min/mi— 4 min run-1 min walk
10 min/mi—-3:1
11 min/mi—2:30-1
12 min/mi—-2:1
13 min/mi—-1:1
14 min/mi—30 sec run/30 sec walk
15 min/mi—30 sec/45 sec
16 min/mi—30 sec/60 sec

Why do walk breaks work? 
By using muscles in different ways from the beginning, your legs keep their bounce as they conserve resources. When a muscle group, such as your calf, is used continuously step by step, it fatigues relatively soon. The weak areas get overused and force you to slow down later or scream at you in pain afterward. By shifting back and forth between walking and running muscles, you distribute the workload among a variety of muscles, increasing your overall performance capacity. For veteran marathoners, this is often the difference between achieving a time goal or not.

Walk breaks will significantly speed up recovery because there is less damage to repair. The early walk breaks erase fatigue, and the later walk breaks will reduce or eliminate overuse muscle breakdown.

The earlier you take the walk breaks, the more they help you! 
To receive maximum benefit, you must start the walk breaks before you feel any fatigue, in the first mile. If you wait until you feel the need for a walk break, you've already reduced your potential performance.

How fast should the walk break be? 
When you walk fast for a minute, most runners will lose about 15 seconds over running at their regular pace. But if you walk slowly, you'll have lost only about 20 seconds.

Once we find the ideal ratio for a given distance, walk breaks allow us to feel strong to the end and recover fast, while bestowing the same stamina and conditioning we would have received if we had run continuously.

Don't get too rigidly locked into a specific ratio of walk breaks, adjust as needed. 
Even if you run the same distance every day, you'll find that you'll need to vary the walk break frequency to adjust for speed, hills, heat, humidity, time off from training, etc. If you anticipate that your run will be more difficult or will produce a longer recovery, take more frequent walk breaks (or longer walks) and you may be surprised at how quickly you recover.

Do I need to take the walk breaks on the short runs during the week? 
If you can run continuously now on shorter runs, you don't have to take the walk breaks. If you want to take them, do so. Walk breaks on midweek runs will insure that you recover from the long ones at the fastest pace.

absent blogger

 That's me... a tad bit stressed.  Not alot.. just a little... work is going to get nutty here for a while,  training for the half is almost non-existent, and just in general a little overwhelmed with not enough time in the day.  That being said,  I'm excited to have amazing opportunities at work,  excited to still be able to get a few runs in here and there, and still able to set up the trainer and ride for 45 minutes.

My shin is killing me.  I don't know why.  I'm icing,  I haven't ran in 5 days, so it doesn't have a reason.  I'll keep icing... 

Tomorrow,  Sunday,  I'm hitting the stairs.  That should be good.  I did 5 times up and down last time,  this go-'round,  my goal is 7.  I got this... 

Today,  Saturday,  is Valentines Day.  As usual,  Rob planned an amazing day.  Breakfast at the Hurricane (bring on the Bloody Marys!),  then shopping for dinner at the Market,  and a ride on the Duck !  Pretty damn fun.  Dinner is margaritas and fish tacos.. NICE !

While I was having  my breakfast of champions at the Hurricane I read thru the latest edition of 'competitor northwest' magazine.  Good stuff... 

Check out some outdoor fun to take advantage of:

Rock n Roll Seattle Marathon - June 27th

www.rnrseattle.com

Mercer Island Half Marathon - March 22nd

www.mercerislandhalf.com

Big Climb - March 22nd

(ok... not really outside.. but c'mon ! i'm doing this one !!)

www.bigclimb.org

IronGirl 5K  / 10K run walk  - Sept 13th

www.irongirl.com

I'm already registered for the 10k !

and last... I'm pretty set on this one... gonna do a little more investigative looking but

See Jane Run All Women's Run / Walk - October 17th

Coos Bay Oregon   www.southcoastrunningclub.com

if you saw me.. you might think I was jogging... however..

I honestly am trying to run.. and run somewhat quickly... it's just that my legs don't actually move as fast as my brain thinks they should.. ..   my legs try to keep up with my brain,  and if you've spoke with me for more than um say 10 seconds.. you know that keeping up with my brain isn't always easy... 

S M A R T

This is interesting.  At work,  I'm evaluated on S.M.A.R.T. goals (and for future reference that doesn't mean smartass... I asked.. ). I never thought this is something I could use with working out ... but check out what I found at www.tips4running.com... 

It works... and it makes you accountable... and it easily makes sense. Try it !!

Smart Goals are important for running, competition, and even your personal life.

Set smart goals because, "If you aren't improving, then you are getting worse." This statement was simply put by a former coach of mine. I find that to be true in athletics, as well as in life. Smart goals can focus on your running and personal life.

Specific. Measurable. Achievable. Realistic. Timetable.

S. M. A. R. T. is an acronym that we use to help set high quality running goals. I use them for the cross country runners I coach, for my running objectives, and other things like financial goals or even family life.

Every week I set new goals for myself. A great objective for running would be, "Run three times this week. Each run must be 25 minutes or longer." After I think of a goal, I make sure it meets every requirement.

Here is a bad example of a goal I might set. "Run some more." Now I will make it into a Smart Goal by breaking it down for each part of S.M.A.R.T.

Is it Specific? No. I would have to change it to maybe, "Run four times."

Is it Measurable? Yes, but it could be better. I could change it to, "Run four times. Each run must be 20 minutes or longer."

Is it Achievable? That depends. If you know your weekly schedule won't allow for this time commitment, you may have to adjust the goals. I could alter it. "Run three times. Each run must be 25 minutes or longer." I decreased the number of times this week, but increased the amount of time ran.

Is it Realistic? Don't set a goal too high. You might set yourself up for disappointment. Also, don't undermine yourself. There is always room for improvement. I believe my goal is realistic so I won't change it. Remember that even if your ultimate goal is to complete a marathon. Stay small with a smart goal as you work towards a larger goal.

Set a Timetable. This part is huge. I said, "Run three times," but I need to add the timeframe. My final goal now looks like this. "Run three times this week. Each run must be 25 minutes or longer."

um duh.. you'd think i would have known this..

Handy little training tip:

Treat your feet by avoiding rock-hard surfaces like concrete sidewalks; aim instead for grass or dirt trails. Find surfaces where the ground will absorb more shock, instead of passing it along to your legs, but try to be consistent. A sudden change to a new running surface can itself be a cause of injury.

Interesting point there. After running the trail on the outside of Greenlake last Sunday,  and then the street / trail / sidewalk combo this Sunday for the Love 'em or Leave 'em 5K... I agree.  My feet / hips and the ever popular L5, do better on soft squishy ground.  Brilliant that I'm just now figuring this out.   Duly noted.   Maybe I'll start doing Xterra runs... ha !

And... for KS :

Side Stitch 

 

We have been asked by runners about side stitches.  A side stitch is basically a 

cramp in the diaphragm which is a large, flat muscular membrane that separates the chest and organs located in the abdomen.  The diaphragm helps to  push air in and out of the lungs while breathing.  Any runner of any level can get a side stitch - a statistic pulled off the web notes that 70% of regular runners suffered from a side stitch in the last 12 months.  But it can be even more common for a new runner who is just learning the proper techniques of breathing, pace and diet as they work to increase their mileage and endurance. 

 

It is interesting to note that more than 70% of humans exhale when their left foot strikes the ground, while less than 30% exhale when their right foot hits the ground. 

 

When you inhale, your lungs fill with air and force your diaphragm downward. Conversely, when you exhale your lungs contract and your diaphragm rises. This pattern of rising and falling occurs quite rapidly when you're running and as most side stitches occur on the right hand side, consider what happens to your diaphragm when your right foot strikes the ground. 

 

What are some of the causes of a side stitch and what can you do to alleviate that awful pain ? 

 

Here are a few theories on what can bring on that awful pain in your side: 

• Tugging on the diaphragm by ligaments attached to internal organs.  Exhaling at the same time your foot lands during your stride pulls on the liver while the diaphragm is at its highest point.  This may cause a cramp or spasm. 

• Intense levels of exercise can decrease the blood flow to the diaphragm again causing a spasm. 

• Air in the lungs not expelled can press downward on the diaphragm at the same time ligaments are pulling down which can result in decreased blood flow and guess what a cramp and that nasty side stitch. 

• Eating too close to exercising and gas trapped in the intestines are also possible causes of a side stitch. 

  

So what do you do out on your run when one of these strike? 

 

• Try to belly breathe while exercising - breathe deeply and slowly expanding both the chest and the belly 

• Grunt - exhale and make a grunting sound or try pushing in the area of the stitch with your fingers and exhale as hard as you can 

• Slow down - especially if you are new to a program, out of condition and exercising at too high of a level can cause you to breathe quicker and shallower 

• Watch when you eat before beginning your workout - use a one hour rule and keep your snack or meal on the light side 

• Massage the side stitch - massage can increase the blood flow to an area and help to alleviate the stitch and that sharp pain 

• Stop and walk if the pain is too intense and start running again when comfortable 

• Improve the strength of your diaphragm and abdominal muscles - practice running fast either in a full workout or by adding intervals in a more moderately paced run.  This will help to both increase your endurance and strengthen the diaphragm.  Work on increasing the strength of your core - lots of ways to do that from crunches to Pilates to yoga. 

• If you are one of the runners in that 70% group, hope these tips help to manage your side stitch problem. 

From Fleet Feet

Stretch - flexibilty

Interesting... when I did the Vegas Half in december - I was dying after.. not the shin,  the toe, yes... but my hip flexors were killin' me !  Odd.. because that just never happens.  Other parts of my body hurt,  but rarely rarely my hip flexors.  So - do I need to stretch more ?  before or after ?   points to ponder... and in my pondering look what I came across :

For a yoga-based workout, try Jill Miller's Yoga Link: Hip Helpers, a DVD that includes a 58-minute workout with unique exercises to challenge your core, hips and legs, and workshops on breathing and standing poses ($20, pranamaya.com).

I think I'm going to check into that... I'll keep you posted.  I've never done yoga,  but I have yet to hear one person say they don't like it. 

Other tips:

Hip Flexor Stretch:
Sit in a high kneeling position. Bring your right leg in front of you, bending your knee into a lunge position. Keep your left leg on the floor behind you. With your torso straight, slowly lean forward until you feel a stretch in the front of the left hip area. Hold 30 seconds or longer and switch legs. Repeat several times a week. 

Hip Crossover Stretch:
Sit with both legs in front of you. Cross right ankle over left knee (pictured). Keeping your ankle in constant contact with the knee, twist your torso to the right, pressing your left arm against your right knee and moving your right hand behind your back. Hold 30 seconds or longer. Slowly return to your original position and switch sides.

Read This. Running Well, a new book by Sam Murphy and Sarah Connors, offers tips on how to run smarter and faster while avoiding injury. Beautifully illustrated, Running Well devotes an entire chapter to cross-training and its benefits. $19, humankinetics.com 

And there you have it... hopefully some tips that can help with the hip flexor stuff... as well as flexibilty in general. 

xoxoxoxo

love em or leave em

brrr.... 111 out of 229 chicks in my age group... 1310 females, I was 749th... 33:12 and a 10:43 pace. and DARN IT..I had to walk for about a minute total. I got a side stitch that wouldn't go away. BUT ... was a fun race around GreenLake. AND.. I got to see Dude do her first 'race' of the season... and she ROCKED :) wahoo !

Rob was stellar... as usual. Guy doesn't run, doesn't do major workouts and still has no problems running along.. kills me.

xoxoxo

More to be posted later tonight.

Thursday Feb 5th...complete total lack of motivation

There - I said it - I'm actually a tab bit exhausted.  So,  I'm calling today an off day.  And I'm good with that :)  I think tomorrow, I'll do a little run,  Saturday,  another run and the Sunday is our Love'em or Leave'em 5K.  Next week...stairs.  But today... big heavy sigh... 

But check out what I found perusing all my mags:

Q.  Which is more accurate:  a calorie counting watch or the cardio machine's built in monitor ? 

A.  Machine tallies are often inflated by TEN to FIFTEEN percent (!) because their calculations don't account for your heart rate or fat-to-muscle ratio.  But watches like the Polar Activity Watch 200 measure calories burned through oxygen consumption. which a study last year in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found to be more accurate.  If you can't spring for a fancy gadget,  use that red number on the machine as motivation to push harder or go farther - not as an excuse to eat more later.  

Check out www.diningoutnutrition.com for info on more than 179 retail chain restaurants.  An well informed diner is one that won't eat over the calorie needs :) 

According to the US  DSHS,  adults should  be getting at least two and a half hours of moderate exercise OR one and a quarter hours of vigorous exercise each week.  

ARE YOU DOING THAT ???     I am :)   I don't always want to... but I do.  

for a good chuckle,  a good laugh,  and knowing that we should all be doing what we do with a smile,  check out www.slowfattriathlete.com   She's awesome.  I love her. 

Last -  www.mymottoz.com  has GREAT tech running shirts... and a coupon that expires tomorrow !   This is where I got my 'shut up and run' shirt.    They run small,  I ordered a medium...   coupon is  love2009

If you think you are too small to be effective, you have never been in the dark with a mosquito.

YUM ! no really...

Chicken Chili With Black Beans

Ingredients

Serves:  Prep: 10min|Cook: 20min |Total: 30min 
              

• 3/4 pound(s) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (28 ounces) tomatoes, cut up
• 1 1/2 cups black beans, cooked
• 1 cup onions coarsely chopped
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 1 cup sweet green peppers, diced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 4 tsps mild chili powder
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 8 ozs yellow summer squash, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch (1-cm) slices

Directions

1.

Coat a pot with nonstick spray and warm it over medium-high heat for 1 minute.Add chicken and garlic,and saute until chicken is lightly browned, about 3 minutes.

2.

Add tomatoes, beans, onions, celery, sweet and jalapeno peppers, chili powder, and oregano. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Add squash. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender, about 10 minutes.

Nutritional Facts per serving

CALORIES

213.2 CAL

FAT

1.7 G

SATURATED FAT

0.4 G

CHOLESTEROL

39.5 MG

SODIUM

286.8 MG

CARBOHYDRATES

28.1 G

TOTAL SUGARS

8.7 G

DIETARY FIBER

9.7 G

PROTEIN

23.2 G

the 4th

I know I know... i haven't posted anything today... have patience little troupers...   I found some good stuff and I'll post it asap !  Work is driving me nutty !

xoxoxoxox

In the meantime... DON'T  use this as an excuse to not go move your butt !  It's nice out ... go for a walk,  a run,  do 10  jump squats and a coupla push-ups... c'mon ... why dontcha do sumthin ??? 

You Can !

I found this last night... love it !

A couple of years ago, the Boston Marathon promoted its event with a series of inspiring billboards. All of them were black and white images of a runner, with a quote that expressed their reason for running. Some billboards were of fully mobile individuals and others were of those who were disabled but were determined to cross the finish line, either through a family member’s or friend’s assistance, or through the use of a prosthetic device. Each had different quotes, but one in particular really stood out: the runner's response was simple...“Because I can.”

As kids, the “Little Engine who could” told us a valuable tale of an extraordinary spirit…of perseverance…of determination…of believing in ourselves. As adults, we don’t always have tales to teach us these valuable lessons. And, as a result we start making excuses. We stop learning. We stop trying.

‘Because I can’ eliminates these excuses. It pushes us past the status quo and our comfort zones. It gives us a reason to do the things that we think we can’t. And, it enables us to believe in ourselves.
Practicing ‘Can’ thinking is important to keeping us young, to having a positive outlook, to staying motivated and to reaching our goals. Further, it can help us lead richer and fuller lives that are more rewarding. The fact that you have the ability to do something empowers you to do it, whatever the task might be.

How can you use the power of ‘Because I can’? Here are a few ways to incorporate this positive thinking into various aspects of your own life:

• Be More Active: Whether it is to get to the store or work, or if it is climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator, embracing a ‘Because I can’ attitude is an easy way to incorporate more activity into your life. Break the ‘I’m tired’ or ‘It is too hard’ or ‘It is too far’ cycle. Increasing your activity level will provide enormous benefits, both physically and mentally.
  
• Try Something New: It is easy for us to make excuses for why we shouldn’t try new things. Maybe you think it is out of your comfort zone. Maybe it seems too difficult. Or maybe, it is just inconvenient. Reminding yourself that ‘You Can’ try something new will help you to move past these roadblocks and discover new things about yourself and possible new interests.
  
• Reach for the Stars: No matter how old you are, setting new goals and continually dreaming makes life more interesting and rewarding. Whether it is professionally or personally, find new ways to stretch yourself, to learn and to grow. Pushing yourself to be the best you can be will give you a sense of accomplishment. Further, you’ll never feel bored.
  Speak Up: Often, we can become complacent in our lives, going through a routine and not addressing things that bother us or make us unhappy. You have a voice. Use that voice ‘because you can’. Communicating to loved ones, co-workers and even your boss as to how you feel, what your needs and expectations are and what you are thinking can help you develop deeper, more meaningful and rewarding relationships. Further, you will be truer to yourself, inevitably making you a happier individual.
  
• Go the Extra Mile: No, you don’t have to be a marathon runner to incorporate this slogan into your exercise routine. But, when you are at the end of your thirty minute aerobic workout, try going an extra ten minutes ‘Because you can.’ You’ll empower yourself to push beyond the ‘status quo.’ Additionally, you will strengthen your heart and burn off the cheesecake from the night before.
  
• Increase Your Willpower: Saying ‘No’ to our favorite indulgences can be challenging. However, developing a strong willpower, whether it is in response to our favorite chocolate cake or to over-shopping and spending past our means is something that we can all benefit from. Next time you are tempted to do something you think you might regret, try reminding yourself that you ‘can’ say no. YOU have the power.
  

The human spirit can be very fragile, but incorporating positive thinking, such as ‘Because I can,' while, eliminating 'because I can't' from your thought processes, can be very powerful.

SOOOOO... when your whining about not working out, or going for a run, or eating something not so great, think about what you CAN do...

xoxoxoxo

from yahoo shine