Wishes Vs Goals

                                                    A Goal Without A Plan Is Just A Wish!!!

I have thought long an hard about this quote over the past week.  I have been trying really hard to make some decisions and some plans but I kept running into a problem.  NOTHING was on paper.  I was WISHING for a lot of things and nothing seemed to be happening and I was getting more frustrated.  Then the other morning, this quote popped up in the app that I use for my morning motivation post and hit me right between the eyes and dead center in the heart!  I have a hard time sharing and motivating people with quotes if I don’t “practice what I preach”.

What is the point Pam?
Ok so I will share with you what this said to me.  This does not JUST APPLY TO FITNESS!!!!  This can apply to ANYTHING!!!!!  So what better way to share what was in my head than to actually show you.

In my head it was a mess.  These are the things that were jumbled up in my brain!!!  Want to talk about OVERLOAD!!!!!  

-Kaleb adjusting to new schedule with school
-Kaleb trying to figure out where he fits in and what can we do to encourage him
-Kaleb adjusting to a totally different way of homework and reading assignments
-Bo and I placing new “Middle School Rules” in place and STICKING TO THEM!
-I need to blog!  I need to write because I LOVE IT and I WANT to share.
-Upcoming Races and where they are, when, and am I already registered or do I need to register.
-Upcoming programs that are coming out with my company
-Upcoming challenge group and some new ideas for more accountability and more fun and some really cool ideas
-Wanting more results from SHRED WEEK of LIIFT4
-Streamlining my eating and portion control.
-What will be my next program to jump on
-Pushing beyond my comfort zone and sharing my passion for what I do.

So, when you have this much “STUFF” running through your head, where in the world do you start and how in the world do you organize yourself to turn all THAT into GOALS and not just WISHES!?  It’s mentally overwhelming and can just blow your brain away with frustration and confusion and the infamous “I CAN’T DO IT ALL!!!” Then.............we QUIT!

All of this to say........I’M BACK!!!!!!  I’m READY!  LET’S DO THIS!!!!!!!  So over the next couple of post I am going to share with you what I am working on and you can see all of the ideas and plans actually fall into place and become REALITY and GOALS and no longer STRESS and FRUSTRATION!!!  My prayer is that this will help you and keep me ACCOUNTABLE!!!!!!

Beachbars???? Seriously???? ABSOLUTELY !!!!!!!!!

These are INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!
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Order HERE for Chocolate Cherry Almond

Life After A Miracle

Well....Friday May 11th was just like every other Friday.  We got up, worked out, and went about our day.  Kaleb went to school so excited because he was going to get to go to a best friends house for the night for a birthday party.  Bo and I went to work and we had planned on a “Date Night” because we NEVER do that.  We couldn’t wait.  Around 10:40am my office phone rang and Bo asked me to come to the ER and he was in room 510.  I have had these phone calls before and thought maybe it was someone we knew.  Well, I did know the patient.  It was Bo.  He thought he had pulled a muscle in his arm and it was hurting bad enough that he needed to go to the ER and it was obvious that he was uncomfortable.  The PA came in and did and exam and we were going to get some X-rays.  Bo happened to mention that maybe we get an EKG.
The Tech came in and did an EKG and left without saying much.  No sooner than he walked out, the PA returned followed by a ton of people in what I would like to call, Organized Chaos!  He very calmly said, Bo, you are having a heart attack!!!!  I heard “heart attack” and “STEMI”.  I knew what both of those things meant.  It was a totally surreal moment.  Bo was taken immediately to the Cath Lab and his Cardiologist just happened to be there, NOT A COINCIDENCE!.  They were able to place 2 stents and we were just amazed.
It was a normal day! It was beautiful outside! We had made plans! This was NOT on our radar! What just happened!?  If I asked myself that once, I asked myself a million times over!  There were so many emotions and so many questions.  It was clear that what had happened would have been vastly different had it been the weekend before in NYC.  What if it had happened on the weekend or at night and we would have had to wait on staff to be called in?  I quickly realized that I could not live in the “What if’s?”  That could not happen.
This all happened on Friday morning and we were home on Monday afternoon.  We are learning what we have called our “New Normal”.  It is so different!  Bo has LEARNED to rest.  We have also learned to revamp what we think is important.
We return to work-life next week.  It’s all about perspective and what is priority.  We have learned so much.  We are so truly grateful for so many people and so many prayers and encouragement!  It has been a humbling experience to see just how many people have reached out.  We are blessed beyond words!  We move forward with a new appreciation for those small things and each new sunrise.  Don’t take it for granted!!!

Pacer???

                                                                          This is Amy!!

So I have run my first half marathon in 10 YEARS!!!!

10 Years older but guess what????  I didn’t let that stop me!!!  It was absolutely amazing!!!!  I mentioned in my last post about a PACER.  I had seen people carrying signs with a time on them like 2:00 or 2:30 or 3:00 and so on.  I knew of them but I was not sure exactly what it meant or how it worked or what the point was.  Leading up to this race I was questioning EVERYTHING about how in the world was I going to do this.  I had a million “What If’s” running through my head!  

In a conversation in the hall at work one day, Amy walks by and casually mentions she is the Pacer for the Half Marathon.  My ears perked up.  I asked what was her time.  3 hours!!! My head was spinning and I was so excited!!!!!  I did the math and thought, “I can so do that!”  Then she said she was doing 2 and 2.  Ok, well, I do run/walk anyway so that should not be to complicated and I think I can handle that.

  Of course then the negative comes in......”What if the 2 minutes is more like a sprint and it takes me 2 minutes to recover?” “What if she REALLY means 2 miles running and 2 miles walking?”  Don’t deny it, you would have done the same thing!!!!!  

After I got over my fear and had a few more conversations with her, my Hubby, Scott (my long legged co-worker) and other’s, I figured I could do this!  It was going to work because by now my determination was overtaking instead of the negative!!!!  

My reasoning turned to 

1- It’s been 10 years

2-I’m 10 years older

3- My last half marathons were 2:30 and 2;40’s

4-I CAN DO THIS!!!!!!

I found Amy the day of the race and I met a ton of women that I absolutely adore from a running group in town.  I had only commented and read post on Facebook and never REALLY met them in person with the exception of those that work at the hospital.  THEY ARE AMAZING!!!!!!  

We had an incredible time during the race.  We talked and laughed and sang!  It was wonderful.  

What did I love most about having a Pacer??

I didn’t have to think!  

I didn’t have to worry about.......

Was it time to run?

Was it time to walk?

Where is the next hill?

Will I be able to drink at the next water stop?

What mile am I on again?

Am I really going to make it?

Are we done yet?

I could trust that Amy had it all under control and I just needed to listen and HAVE A GREAT TIME!!!!!

All of that to say.....If you have ever questioned or even considered running with a PACER.......DO IT!!!  

You will NOT BE SORRY!!!!!!!!

First Half Marathon after 10 YEARS!!!!!!

IT FINALLY HAPPENED!!!!!!

I did it!!!!!!


I completed a Half-Marathon AGAIN!!!!!!

While most of you know that I LOVE to run and that running = therapy and running = my time, it doesn't seem like that is a big deal.

Well, if you go back almost 2 years now, I ran in a local 5k and that was the first race after Lynn-Marie had passed.  I literally was running, ugly crying mess that day.  I had cried getting ready, I cried before the race. I cried during the race. I was a MESS!!!!!  The story behind that is here. ( You can go and read if you would like.)

Last year I had signed up to run a race that I had run before called the Virginia Beach Rock N Roll Half Marathon.  I had run it before (9 years ago!) and I was training all summer for it in the heat.  I was doing well and then realized it fell at a time of an older child leaving for a duty station and dates were not set in stone and vacation time was VERY limited. I gracefully bowed out BUT transferred my money to this year for 2018.  Already signed up and ready to go.  That was a done deal and I was ok with that......
UNTIL........


Our little city here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland decided to do a half marathon and a full marathon.  My first thought was, NOPE! I'm not ready. I haven't been training and it was COLD outside and I DO NOT LIKE THE TREADMILL especially for long runs.  (BORING!!)

So I wasn't sure what to do.  I did a 10 mile relay (I ran 5 and Donna ran 5) and that was as far as I had run and now I'm looking at 13.1......I HAVE LOST MY MIND!  With no mind left I signed up and thinking the entire time....."I can NOT do this!"

I have a co-worker who is running.  He is MUCH taller than I am and the LONGEST legs ever and is FAST.  He had signed up and we would talk and chat and we are both on the same running app and I would see his runs and that would motivate me to go.  Well, I did my 8 mile run a few weeks ago.  It was a lot hotter than I thought.  I did not prepare the night before.  I didn't sleep due to "life" and I was in TEARS!!!!!  I was texting my husband telling him I couldn't do it. I was texting 2 friends telling them I was crazy! It was probably THE WORST RUN EVER!!!!

Fast-forward to this past Saturday.

I ate pizza Friday night ( NO GUILT!!).

I went to bed at 8:30pm

I got up and ate. Drank my shake. Drank my Energize.

Got to the race and I had made a choice to run with a PACER.  Never have I done that before.  I'll write another post about PACER's later on.

I took pictures.  I met women I have only seen on social media. I spoke to people who knew me and didn't realize I knew them.  I met new people. It was amazing!!!!!

I ran with Amy (PACER) and a group of women whom I have NEVER met before and now I am running with them for the next 3 hours.  We sang! We laughed! We shed a few tears! We talked about running! It was amazing!!!!  It was an absolutely INCREDIBLE RACE! It's been 10 YEARS AND I STIL CAN DO THIS!!!!!!!

When I finished I realized I have a big PROBLEM!!!!!

I'm soooo ready to do another race.  I caught myself looking on line for more races and where and when and do I have anything planned!!!!

I had the MOST FUN EVER!!!!!  This was The Inaugural Race for our town.  I'm ready to put this on my calendar for NEXT YEAR!

80 Day Obsession-DONE!

Well, the results came in.  The hard work paid off.

Could it have been better? Sure.

Could I have worked out harder some days? Yes

Could I have tightened up on my nutrition more? Absolutely

Did I miss a workout? NO!!!  (I even repeated one week because I was traveling and went back and did EVERY workout!)

So, I finished a program called 80 Day Obsession from Autumn Calabrese.  When Beachbody first introduced it my immediate thought was....

"I'm not working out for an hour!"

"I'm not getting up at 4:20am to EAT!"

"I'm not eating 6 times a day and you even want me to eat a veggie at 4:15am?"

"I'm not sure I can commit to 80 Days (Not including the Sunday's)!"

"I'm not sure I can give up sweets for that long!"

"I'm not sure I am ready for this kind of CRAZINESS!"

"I'm not sure about The Performance Line because I have never used it before!"

"I'm not sure about self-care because I have so many that are depending on me and you want me to put me first?  That's a bit selfish!"


So I chose to sit down and REALLY listen to the science behind 80 Day Obsession.  YES, there is science! This is NOT a FAD!  I listened to Autumn speak about the program.  I heard what the Test Group was sharing about all of this new information and talking about this crazy thing called "Timed Nutrition".  Then I saw the results coming from the Test Group.  OH MY GOODNESS!!!!!!

I had a choice to make.  I could go ALL in at 110% or I could sit on the side lines and watch.  What was I going to do?  This was a HUGE decision to make.  All of the "what if's" came in and the "what were you thinking?" thoughts.  I talked to some fellow Coaches and we decided to jump.  I mean JUMP!!!!!

ALL IN!!!
ALL THE WORKOUTS!

ALL THE WEIGHTS, LOOPS AND SLIDERS AND MOST IMPORTANT ALL THE FOOD!


Now that it's over I can say a few things without any reservation!

"I CAN workout for an hour!"

"I WILL get up at 4:20am to EAT ALL THE FOOD!"

"I WILL eat 6 times a day and even a veggie at 4:15am!!"

"I WILL commit to 80 Days!"

"I CAN give up sweets for that long because she built in REFEED Days!"

"I AM ready for ANOTHER ROUND of this kind of CRAZINESS!

"I AM sure about The Performance Line because I HAVE used it and it's a GAME-CHANGER!"

"I AM sure about self-care because If I don't do it, I am NOT any good to anyone else who is counting on me!"


Yes, this was a mind-blowing, life-changing program.  DO NOT let the "I CAN'Ts stand in your way!  I almost missed out!  I almost didn't say yes.  Oh the journey I would have missed!  I made it! I did it!


Now 2 questions remain......

1- Will you stop the I can not's and JUMP?

2- Will I do another round?

Question #1- You have to answer for yourself but I am here to walk you through if you say YES!!!!!!!

Question #2- ABSOLUTELY!!!  I start ROUND 2 on May 7th!  Perfect Mother's Day Gift.  To be able to be the BEST VERSION OF ME!!!!!!


Let's Do This!

UPDATE!!!!!!!!

Things are happening.  I never dreamed in a million years!!!!
Well, I have made it to the last week of 80 Day Obsession.  Yes, life happened.  Yes, I was supposed to be finished as of today BUT life happened.  We traveled over our abbreviated Easter Break to NC to take care of some family business and see some family.  It was a whirl wind of a trip.  I managed to get in 2 workouts and I missed a couple. Because I committed 100% to this program, I came home and backed up a week so that I would not miss out.  I was not about to miss out.
SO......I’m on the Last Week a Week Behind.  NEVER THE LESS......THIS IS MY WEEK!!!!!  I’m so excited!  It’s just amazing to see what has happened.  Not just mentally but physically.  Yes, this is a challenge of a workout but it makes a difference in other parts of your life.
I have been running and we have an inaugural race here in Salisbury and made my decision at the last minute to do the Half Marathon.  Of course that means, a lot of running.  I hit the road and I was SHOCKED.  It has been amazing. My endurance has increase so much! 80 Day Obsession will change EVERYTHING!!!!!!

I have a new ACCOUNTABILITY GROUP starting up in 1 weeks!!!!!
What is holding you back?
What are you waiting on?
What excuses are you using?
Don’t wait!  JUMP IN!!!!!
THIS ONE IS EVEN FREE!!!!!!!!!
Fill out the tab over on the right———. LET’S GET YOU READY!!!!!!!