"Cardio is wonderful. Nutrition is vital. Strength training is the master of fat loss."

Chandi Schwab

I love this Quote!And yes, it is coming from a girl that loves to run marathons. From what I have noticed, most hard core runners that run miles and miles a week, are generally thin. But, how realistic and sustainable is it to run hundreds of miles the rest of your life? Especially if you aren't taking the time to strengthen your joints through strength training and plyometrics. It is so so important to keep our bodies strong, especially our joints to support the other physical activities we enjoy to do. Another thing to note is if our bodies get used to the same workout day in and day out it will gradually become less and less effective when it comes to fat loss. So it is important to mix it up and trick our metabolism from time to time. What do I really think the key is though?........kicking it into high gear with both Cardio and Strength Training, other wise known as Circuit Training.

If you are planning on getting into better shape, then many questions may come to mind. Should you dive into cardio exercise by going for a swim? Should you grab some dumbbells and do some strength training? Or, should you mix it up and try circuit training? Learning more about cardio, strength and circuit training may help you decide which one is the best type of exercise for you.

Aerobic Exercise

As you regularly participate in aerobic exercises, such as brisk walking, running, cycling or swimming, your heart becomes stronger and can pump more blood with each beat. This improves its efficiency and helps reduce your risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol and stroke. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercise on four or more days each week. It recommends working out at a moderate pace, or one that increases your heart rate and breathing while still allowing you to carry on a conversation.

Strength Training

You can choose from hundreds of exercises from when developing your strength training routine. The main focus of your strength training should be to exercise your major muscle groups, including your chest, shoulders, abdomen, back, legs and hips, at least two times each week. You can lift weights, use resistance bands or do exercises that use your own body weight as resistance. Visiting with an experienced exercise specialist or personal trainer may help you learn proper techniques if you are new to strength training.

Circuit Training

Circuit training is a series of exercises that are performed with little or no rest in between them. The circuit could include cardio exercises, strength exercises or both. A popular method of circuit training in gyms is to go from one machine to the next, working from larger muscles to smaller muscles. Circuit training benefits both the muscles and the cardiovascular system. Including strength training in a circuit can strengthen and tone muscles. Circuits are also a good cardio workout because the minimal rest between exercises keeps to heart rate up.

Which is the Best?

According to a Fitness Magazine, circuit training can burn 30 percent more calories than a typical weight workout. The magazine also states that a circuit that combines strength training and cardio can burn 10 calories per minute. It is apparent that circuit training is the best option to improve overall health. However, for fitness enthusiasts who have specific goals, cardio or strength training may be better options. For example, a marathon runner would need to focus more on cardio, and a bodybuilder would need to focus more on strength training. Another benefit of circuit training for the average health-conscious person is that circuit training does not require as much time as other regimens.

The Beauty of it is that you can mix it up! Do what you enjoy! I often times work my arms, legs, and abs all in the same day. I just cruise through different machines or free weights in that order working the different muscle groups and then go on a long run the next day to loosen it all up. Now that the Marathon is behind me I am excited to set new fitness goals and create a new pallet of workouts. Good luck to you all!

Quote of the day

Scott Schwab:
Peace of mind is determined by many things. I know of none more important than the decision to have peace of mind. Like many things it takes a decision to be what you want to be or obtain what you desire; and everything else will find a way to work out in your favor. Here is a great quote if applied. If not applied they are just words.


"Every goal, every action, every thought, every feeling one experiences, whether it be consciously or unconsciously known, is an attempt to increase one's level of peace of mind."
-Sydney Madwed- 

Post results for Shannon Willardson

Shannon Willardson

Before:











After:














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POST-FOUR-WEEK CHALLENGE PICTURES ... 1 week late (woops!)

So YES - these pics are being posted 1-week late... blame it on having family in town, my husband graduating, and an out-of-state wedding. BUT, I promise that these pics were TAKEN on the deadline date, April 20th!!  Scout's Honor people!


RESULTS:
Starting Weight: 114
Ending Weight: 111


LESSONS LEARNED:
Despite its short duration of only 4 weeks, I have to admit that this challenge was...well...CHALLENGING!  Something I was continually reminded of was that 'Life Happens', and it seems to have little regard for how it might be inconveniencing us or disrupting our plans.  Family will come into town, business trips will happen, along with weddings, graduations, birthday parties (and YES - every single one of those took place during that 4 week period. Can we say Crazy?!)... the list could go on and on - I can't even imagine what it's like for those of you who have KIDS!  And while those things can make it seem more difficult to achieve your goals, they are the reality.  And so we must learn to engage in all of these life-events while still taking care of our bodies and living a healthy lifestyle.  I will be the first to admit that this is something I am still learning how to do.  However, what I realized during this last four weeks is this: having a challenge, or a goal, or something that pushes you, HELPS!  It can be the difference between staying home from the gym when you just don't feel like it verses getting up and going anyway because you know you have a deadline.  The other thing I was reminded of during this challenge was the importance of BEING NICE TO YOURSELF!  It's not about perfection - it's about progress!  In the past I've been someone who had a very 'all or nothing' mentality.  When I fell off the wagon, instead of learning from it and then jumping right back up and getting back on, I would lose all hope, feel like I had failed all together and more or less give up.  ALL or NOTHING.  I have learned since that this is such a silly way to approach life and goal-reaching.  Working toward a goal is not about perfection - it's about PROGRESS!  Our chances of success are so much higher when we are kind to ourselves - when we encourage ourselves, tell ourselves we can do it, empathize and express understanding... to OURSELVES!  This may be one of the greatest lessons I've learned and one of the most significant ways I've changed in my life as a whole.  And the difference it has made in my ability to reach goals has been enormous!

So, was I perfect in reaching my goals over this last 4 weeks?  Not quite.  Did I come out exactly where I wanted to?  Well, not exactly.  BUT - did I make progress?  YES!  Little as it may be, progress is progress.  There was a change in my body, AND I felt pretty darn good in my little wedding reception outfit (last picture), which was the event that my goal was centered around.  Most of all, I am grateful for all that I learned, and for the fun experience of getting to PUSH MYSELF. 

I'd love to hear how all of YOU did?  Did you set a 4-week challenge goal?  Did you reach your goal?  Did you decide after reading this post to give yourself a challenge?  If so, tell us what it is!  TALK TO US PEOPLE!  And keep on keepin' on!  

Wedding Ready:












Cheers!

-Shannon

15 Foods that Cleanse

Chandi Schwab

When it comes to cleansing your body of harmful toxins, food really is the best medicine. You’ll be amazed to learn that many of your favorite foods also cleanse the body’s detoxification organs like the liver, intestines, kidneys, and skin, preventing harmful toxic buildup. Help ward off the harmful effects of pollution, food additives, second-hand smoke, and other toxins with delicious fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and beans. Any of these foods are a good choice if you feel backed up or bloated. give them a try!

Apples: Because apples are high in pectin, a type of fiber that binds to cholesterol and heavy metals in the body, they help eliminate toxic build up and to cleanse the intestines.

Avocados: We rarely think of avocados as a cleansing food but these nutritional powerhouses lower cholesterol and dilate blood vessels while blocking artery-destroying toxicity. Avocados contain a nutrient called glutathione, which blocks at least thirty different carcinogens while helping the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals.

Beets:Time to whip up some delicious borscht soup since its main ingredient, beets, contain a unique mixture of natural plant compounds that make them superb blood purifiers and liver cleansers.

Blueberries: Truly one of the most powerful healing foods, blueberries contain natural aspirin that helps lessen the tissue-damaging effects of chronic inflammation, while lessening pain. Blueberries also act as antibiotics by blocking bacteria in the urinary tract, thereby helping to prevent infections. They also have antiviral properties and help to block toxins from crossing the blood-brain barrier to gain access to the delicate brain.

Cabbage :Cabbage contains numerous anticancer and antioxidant compounds and helps the liver break down excess hormones. Cabbage also cleanses the digestive tract and neutralizes some of the damaging compounds found in cigarette smoke (and second-hand smoke). It also strengthens the liver’s ability to detoxify.


Celery and Celery Seeds :Celery and celery seeds are excellent blood cleansers and contain many different anti-cancer compounds that help detoxify cancer cells from the body. Celery seeds contain over twenty anti-inflammatory substances. It is particularly good for detoxifying substances found in cigarette smoke.

Cranberries :Cleanse your body from harmful bacteria and viruses that may be lingering in your urinary tract with cranberries since they contain antibiotic and antiviral substances.

Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil: Loaded with essential fatty acids, particularly the Omega-3s, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil are essential for many cleansing functions throughout the body.

Garlic :Eat garlic to cleanse harmful bacteria, intestinal parasites and viruses from your body, especially from the blood and intestines. It also helps cleanse build-up from the arteries and has anti-cancer and antioxidant properties that help detoxify the body of harmful substances. Additionally, garlic assists with cleansing the respiratory tract by expelling mucous build-up in the lungs and sinuses. For the health benefits, choose only fresh garlic, not garlic powder, which has virtually none of the above properties.

Grapefruit :Add a ruby red grapefruit to your breakfast to benefit from pectin fiber that binds to cholesterol, thereby cleansing the blood. Pectin also binds to heavy metals and helps escort them out of the body. It also has antiviral compounds that cleanse harmful viruses out of the body. Grapefruit is an excellent intestinal and liver detoxifier.

Kale:Steam some kale to benefit from its powerful anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds that help cleanse the body of harmful substances. It is also high in fiber, which helps cleanse the intestinal tract. Like cabbage, kale helps neutralize compounds found in cigarette smoke and strengthens liver cleansing.

Legumes :Add a handful of cooked beans to your next meal since they loaded with fiber that helps lower cholesterol, cleanses the intestines, and regulates blood sugar levels. Legumes also help protect the body against cancer.

Lemons:Excellent liver detoxifiers, lemons contain high amounts of vitamin C, a vitamin needed by the body to make an important substance called glutathione. Glutathione helps the liver detoxify harmful chemicals. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (not the bottled variety) to pure water to support your cleansing efforts on a daily basis.

Seaweed: Seaweed could be the most underrated vegetable in the western world. Studies at McGill University in Montreal showed that seaweeds bind to radioactive waste in the body. Seaweed also binds to heavy metals to help eliminate them from the body. In addition, they are powerhouses of minerals and trace minerals.Sushi anyone?

Watercress :If you haven’t tried watercress add this delicious green to your next sandwich since it increases detoxification enzymes and acts on cancer cells in the body. In a study at the Norwich Food Research Centre in the United Kingdom, smokers who were given 170 grams of watercress per day eliminated higher than average amounts of carcinogens in their urine, thereby eliminating them from their body.

Eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables assists with detoxifying harmful substances from your body. Who knew cleansing could taste so good?

Overcoming Plateaus

Scott Schwab:
Often times in exercise, and really anything; a person will experience a plateau. This plateau is not only physical, so we cannot simply push through the plateau and think that all will be well. Plateau's actually are a combination of emotions, physical ability, and mental resolve. When we experience feelings of monotony, we must start exploring the reasons for the feelings. Not surprisingly, our emotions and thoughts flow into our physical ability to cope and perform.
Physical performance can and will be increased as our focus increases. It is important to understand what our goals or objectives are. Our first thought with a plateau usually sounds something like this "what am I doing?" It can also sound like "why am I putting myself through this", or "why do I feel this way?" First of all, these thoughts are normal and can be overcome. A key to overcoming these thoughts, starts with a clear understanding of what it is we are trying to accomplish, or a clear set of goals that are built around results. Here are some ways we can overcome a plateau in our Healthy lifestyle.

 Mix Up Your Exercise Routine

If we are like many people, our exercise routine is similar from day to day. Perhaps we always exercise in the morning for 30 minutes alternating between aerobics and strength training. Exercise is great and we should not eliminate this step.

But, now is the time to mix it up. Instead of doing only 30 minutes add 15 more minutes to our workout. Try doing 30 minutes of aerobics followed by 15 minutes of strength training in the same day.

Change the time of our workout. Try switching to working out in the evenings before dinner instead of first thing in the morning. Or divide our exercise time into two sessions.

Change the intensity as well. If we have been doing low impact aerobics, we should try kicking it up a notch.  Our body has gotten used to the low intense workout and therefore is not as challenged. So we must challenge ourselves and our bodies so we can burn more calories and see continued success.

Change your Eating Habits

We have been eating the right foods and the right portions.  We are counting our calories and tracking the foods we eat?  Yet we have still hit a plateau and the pounds are no longer falling off.

Just like with exercising, now is the time to make some changes. If we have been eating 3 meals a day, try breaking these into 5 or 6 smaller meals throughout the day. Eating smaller meals more often keeps our metabolism rolling  to burn more calories.

Try altering the snacks and foods as well. If we usually have a yogurt as a snack, try a high protein snack instead. Try adding a bit more protein and less carbs to our meals. 

Don't Diet

Instead, make it a lifestyle change. Many people use the terms weight loss and diet interchangeably, but the word “diet” generally indicates short term. Think of this in the long term and change our habits from "dieting" to creating a healthy lifestyle.

Perhaps now is the time to relax and let our bodies adjust to our new metabolism and weight. Don't worry about losing that next pound but instead take it easy for a week or two, then we can get back to tracking our calories and our foods.

Track and Record

Often times when people start to see success in their weight loss they relax a bit on measuring, tracking and recording. Although it is not necessary to track and record to be successful it may be what we personally need to get over the hump.

Listen to your heart....

Scott Schwab:


The song by Roxette comes to mind for this subject. Our heart is the most important muscle in our body. If we do not use our heart and it becomes weak, we will feel the effects quicker than any other muscle decay. On average a heart will pump 100,800 times per day. There is not another muscle more involved with our overall health than our heart, so lets take a minute and have a heart to heart... no pun intended.
If our heart is so important, what are we doing to exercise our heart, and how can we increase our activity to make sure we have a strong heart? Another question that we must ask ourselves is; what consequences come from an unhealthy heart?


How can we increase our activity to build a strong heart? 


The answer is anything that gets you up and gets you going. More specifically, it is recommended for a person to get 30 minutes at least of exercise daily. Other things can work in our favor like taking the stairs, parking further away and walking, choosing to go on a walk, jog, bike, run, swim, etc..... If we don't exercise, our heart suffers the most. 


Here are some effects of no exercise on the heart:

• Higher risk of heart disease
• Higher cholesterol and fat levels
• Inflammation of arteries
• Calcified/closing blood vessels 

Coronary Artery Disease. People who maintain an active lifestyle have a 45% lower risk of developing heart disease than do sedentary people. Experts have been attempting to define how much exercise is needed to produce heart benefits. Beneficial changes in cholesterol and lipid levels, including lower LDL ("bad" cholesterol) levels, occur even when people performed low amounts of moderate- or high-intensity exercise, such as walking or jogging 12 miles a week. However, more intense exercise is required to significantly change cholesterol levels, notably increasing HDL ("good" cholesterol). An example of this kind of intense program would be jogging about 20 miles a week. Benefits occur even with very modest weight loss, suggesting that overweight people who have trouble losing pounds can still achieve considerable heart benefits by exercising.

Procrastination

Scott Schwab:

I was reading an article the other day and found that in America, 20% of people are cronic procrastinators. This article came out in response to tax season and that the estimated amount of people who wait until the last moment to get their taxes in are about 25%. Interestingly enough, that does not include the people who actually file for extensions.

The article went on to mention that cronic procrastination is not only a problem for tax season. It is an issue that extends to every area of the 20% population mentioned. Many of us experience procrastination in areas of our life, but the largest difference is attitude. Ask yourself these questions: Do you wait to fill up your gas tank until it is on empty? Do you wait to confirm an appointment or meeting until the day of? Finally, do you eat only when you are starving?

The difficulty for procrastinators, is statistically they live in a more stressful atmosphere. Not only are they causing stressful situations upon themselves, but often times the persons attitude and/or the environment that is created by doing things last minute, cause other people stress. Stress often breeds stressful situations for self and others. It has a compounding effect that others feel.

With health specifically, we also see potential problems. If we are the type of person who procrastinates our schedule to eat healthy or make it to the gym, it likely will not happen. If we choose to only eat when we are starving, two things have happened. #1 when our bodies go into starvation mode, our body instinctively stores fat and burns muscle. #2 usually the body is craving any food, that we usually make wrong decisions in our choices for a meal. 

The bottom line is not to put off the things that can and should be done right now. I have mentioned this many times but we must "Schedule our priorities and not prioritize our schedules." Essentially, if we want to accomplish something, we probably need to steal the time from another area of our life. Life is a constant flow of things that we "need" and "want" to do during the day. Look at our lives primarily from a "need" and a "want" basis. Would we change our decision, if we moved our responsibilities into either the "need" or "want" category? 

Personally, I have to give up sleep that I would like to have because I "need" to get up and read and start my day off correctly. If I "want" to have a great day, I need to do things in the morning that will prepare my mind. This may sound foreign or even hookie, but for me that is what I have found. The needs usually  flow into the wants and a greater heights are obtained through the balancing of both. Make the firm decision to do the things that will make you great. If you think of something that needs to be done, do it right than or write it down with a scheduled time for completion.

Stay Focused on Fitness

Chandi Schwab

In today’s busy world time is so valuable, especially when it comes to your workouts. In order to reach your fitness goals you have to gain strength not only physically, but also mentally. In order to zone in, it often means zoning distractions out. Here are some ways to help you stay focused on a healthy lifestyle.

1. Be clear about your goal and visualize it

Whether you are walking into the gym, going for a run, or exercising in your living room, you should have a clear picture of the goal you are trying to achieve. Always keep the bigger picture in mind. An upcoming contest, more defined legs, lose 10 pounds ect... Be aware of the long term goal, but set short term goals for yourself each training session.Like the ability to bench press 5 more pounds than last week, run 2 minutes longer, burn 50 more calories, whatever it is, you must be prepared to do what you set out to conquer. By achieving the short-term goals week after week the ultimate goal becomes more obtainable. Get your mind ready to take on the challenge and don’t let anything stop you. It’s time to FOCUS.

2. Time it right

Worrying about events from the day can negatively impact your training session. Choose a time of day that is dedicated to your fitness goals and nothing else.

I make health and fitness a priority. I work on the principle of priorities first, therefore I like to workout first thing in the morning when my mind is clear and I can dedicate as much energy and focus to my workout as possible before any of the day’s events even have a chance to interfere.

Discover your optimal training time by determining when you have the most energy and enthusiasm to work towards your goal. If there is never a time you feel like this about training then you may want to re-evaluate your motives.

3. Utilize the play list

Create your music play list to match your intensity. We’re not doing yoga here, skip over anything other than a beat and lyrics that make you feel pumped up and “in the zone.” Focus on the positive vibrations that are being heard and keep your heart and muscles pumping to the beat.

4. Embrace the movement

Be aware of proper execution for each exercise before you start applying the intensity. Connect with the muscles performing the exercise and feel the muscles working throughout the movement.

By focusing on your technique you can eliminate distractions in the gym and turn your attention back to you and your training goals. Mirrors are in the gym for a reason. Use them to check your form, track your progress, and motivate you to work harder.

5. Move with purpose

If you don’t have a game plan when you exercise, you could be wasting a lot of time. You’re leaving the door wide open for distraction. Have a program and workout log that catalogs your workouts, what machines you’re using, what weight, tempo, rest periods, and so on.

This will allow you to move deliberately in your workout going from one exercise to the other with focus and purpose as if you’re in a hot pursuit. There’s no sense in sitting there looking around for what “feat” you will conquer next.Have a plan that you know will work for you and will lead you to your goal.

My Boston Journey

At the EXPO;)


(Davey and I at the end)
(More Pictures to come)

Chandi Schwab

A year and a half ago I signed up for my first Marathon. I decided that I had enough time to train so I wanted to shoot for a qualifying time to go to Boston. Miraculously it happened!
After 7 months of training and 4 months of actual more intense training, and being on an emotional roller coaster, the Boston Marathon 2012 came.

In September 2011 when I found out that I had qualified, my brother Tyson and his wife Aileen had a tragic loss. They lost their sweet daughter Katherine on the day she was due. They couldn’t find a heartbeat and the cause of death wasn’t ever clear through further research. I felt so awful about their loss and it really hit home. I had lost motivation to run the marathon, but still accepted the invitation so I wouldn’t have regrets. A few days after I accepted I was running on the treadmill thinking about a lot of different things and this overwhelming comfort came over me with a resounding YES to run Boston.
Through a lot of early mornings, hard training, and sacrifices from my amazing husband Scott and 3 kids I felt more and more prepared. I had such great support and love from family and friends along the way. I also was blessed to meet other amazing runners that let me train with them and helped push me to my limits. I felt ready to conquer Boston.
We headed first to Bullhead City AZ, about an hour and a half from Las Vegas where Scott’s parents live, to drop our kids off to spend time with grandma, grandpa and Aunt Lisa while we were back east. We spent a couple of days there and my runs felt great! We flew out Friday morning April 13th to Connecticut where Tyson and Aileen live. We got in pretty late, stayed up for a bit to visit and then went to bed. The next day was great! We all went to the beach and Scott and I went on a run together followed by a BBQ and picnic. The weather was in the 60’s and beautiful! We stopped at Katherine’s grave site on the way home. It was so peaceful there.
Sunday morning we went to church at Tyson and Aileen’s ward and then took off for Boston, about a 3 hour drive away. Before we left, Aileen gave me a heart charm with Katherine’s footprints on it to carry with me during the race. I was so happy that she thought of that. I decided to pin it next to my heart. When we got into Boston we went directly to the EXPO at the Seaport World Trade Center for the packet pickup, and we picked up our friend Davey’s packet as well because he wasn’t sure if they would get there in time. When I picked his packet up the guy that gave it to me went on and on about how HOT it was going to be and told me if I didn’t do it I would be guaranteed in for next year. I couldn’t believe how discouraging he was. How bad could a little heat be right? It was fun to walk around and to get pumped up before the race. We were able to watch a visual video of the race. My nerves were flying! I went through 3 different shirts that I pitted out in because I was so nervous. Scott and I laughed a lot about it. Davey and April Orgill arrived and we set out to find a place to eat. After miles of walking around we finally just claimed an outdoor table at a restaurant and got them to serve us. It was a pretty tasty Italian place. We had fun with the Orgills, talked about our plans of action for the race and departed separate ways to our hotels.
I set everything out that I would need and Scott gave me a blessing for comfort. It was so helpful and I felt completely at peace. I didn’t get to sleep until 11 or so and set my alarm for 5:30 am. I actually slept really well which is unusual for a race. We had to be to the buses between 6:30 and 7 to ride up to Hopkinton where the race began. There were lines that went on forever, but it was actually pretty organized considering there were 26,000 people set to run it. There was a girl a few people back that I wanted to make eye contact with because our Bib numbers were close meaning we probably had similar qualifying times. We were also the only ones surrounded by a group track team. So I finally said something to her and we ended up riding the bus together. Her name is Reina and she is from Canada. We hit it off right away and hung out at the runners’ village until the race started. We decided to stick together and help each other out during the race but as we made our way to the finish line I had a sudden urge to use the potty and decided it was worth it to go. I told her I would hurry and then run up and find her. It didn’t take long to use the restroom but by the time I got to the Start line it had already started and there were so so many people, there was no chance of getting through. I decided it was probably a good thing to be held back because it was so hot and it would save energy.
They made it very clear to make sure I stayed hydrated so I started drinking water and Gatorade at every aid station about every mile. It was a mad house at every aid station and I noticed it took about 5 seconds per mile off my time every time I stopped. Other racers were pushing and shoving and Gatorade was splashed everywhere. As it got hotter, I got slower and more and more water logged because of all I was drinking. I was water logged but still so parched and thirsty. It is such a bad mixture because my stomach felt so sick and full, yet I felt dehydrated and dizzy. The miles all ran together and then after mile 13 it got even worse. I tried to trudge along but I hit a point to where I felt so dizzy, so I had to walk a bit and then run. I would continually say to myself that I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. This helped me so much. Mile 20 is known as “Heart Break Hill” about .4 mile up and I walked up that whole thing feeling so sick. At mile 22 I finally started throwing up and getting that liquid out of me. It was awful but helped my stomach feel a little better for a bit. Then It was a vicious cycle of drinking liquid, then running to the point of throwing up and then walking for a bit. I was delirious and so out of it. When I had about .75 miles left I made myself run, there was no way I was going to walk through the finish line. Sure enough, right after I got through past the finish line I threw up a ton! I started cramping all throughout my stomach. A volunteer asked if I needed help and then encouraged me to keep moving. I would walk for a bit, and then sit down and rest or try to throw up again, all the way until I heard Tyson call my name. He walked me back to where Aileen and their little girl Kenzie were and I sat on the Curb. I think I had finally gotten everything out of me and then I slowly drank water and came back to my old self. Scott had been at mile 25 and was still walking back to meet me. When he got back we walked around awhile to find a place to eat, but I think it was good for me to move around. We ate at Panera Bread and I got some chicken noodle soup and a sandwich in my stomach. Not much, but enough to continue to help me feel better.
After the race I felt so HAPPY and GRATEFUL that I had finished,an hour and 20 minutes past my goal time, but I finished! The day after I questioned everything I did and went back and forth thinking about what I could have done differently. The thing is, I know that I learned so much. So many people supported me and told me that they were praying for me. Even though I was in hopes that the prayers would help me achieve an amazing time, I know that in reality it helped me persevere through a really hard race without passing out! Life is not always roses and daisies, life is real! And I know that we can make it through hard things if we dig deep and seek the proper strength. Scott and Tyson and Aileen were staggered along the way throughout the race to cheer for me which was so helpful. Scott deserves a medal for helping me through this journey, and I am also so grateful again for all the friends and family members’ love and support through all my training as well. Time for a New Adventure!

Boston or Bust

Scott Schwab:
My goodness it has been awhile since we have written. I decided to run today with Chandi and I think it could be the worst decision that I have made in awhile. First of all I was trying to impress the women of my dreams by running as fast as I could, however I had to stop after my lunges were burning so bad I could hardly breathe.

Well after I had some time to recuperate, I went at it again. Mostly stubborn, but also wanting to still impress Chandi with my lightning speed. I am happy to report that I did not end up in the hospital and I can still walk, well barely.

A powerful lesson was learned today. I run seldomly, so I thought that I could keep up with Chandi. I have decided to never try and do anything where I am doing something solely to impress someone. I think the days of showing off are done for me, although I did have a stretch of about 10 feet that I had a couple of steps on her. The second thing I learned is that training is good, but when training with someone who is at the top of their game, you may end up hurt or disappointed.

Both of those are now the case for me, and tomorrow I am worried that I will even be more sore. I am happy to announce that we are here in Boston, and "ready to run" as the Dixie Chicks used to sing. Chandi has some nerves, but for the most part is poised to get out and get it done. At this point all the training has been done and I keep reminding her to stay calm and just let her muscle memory do the work.

As with much of the things we pursue, if we put in the time and work for something we desire, at the time we reach the event, our bodies will naturally take over. Part of that is muscle memory, part adrenaline, and the other part is the fact our bodies are ready for action based on our training. Don't be dumb like me and think you can not train for months and show up for a run with a marathon runner.

Monday is the race and we will let you all know how she does. Keep her in your thoughts and prayers. We appreciate the love and support of so many of our friends and family with her training and now the race. It's game time!

Quote of the day

Scott Schwab:
With spring in the air and the weather outside being gorgeous, I thought that it would be a good thing to do a quote that relates to nature. Nature is one of the healing elements in our lives. Everyone needs a healthy dose of the outdoors. Our quote for today comes from Anne Frank. She lived a life that I cannot even imagine living through today.



"The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely, or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite; alone with the heavens, nature, and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy amidst the simple beauty of nature. ...I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles."

-Anne Frank-

Guest Post

Shannon Willardson:


A MUST READ: Intuitive Eating




Ok - it's not very often that i become obsessed with a product or a book enough to publicly endorse the crap out of it... BUT, once in a while, something is so stinking awesome that i'd feel selfish and ungrateful if i didn't share it with the masses... and THIS BOOK is on that level of awesome.














Why do I love this book so much? Why has it literally changed my life? Well, for starters, because this is the book that taught me that 'diets are dumb' and liberated me from the wrath of that roller-coaster ride. This is the book that helped me to stop having fairly regular binge-sessions; it's the book that got me on the path to loving myself regardless of my weight or size or fitness level at that time; it's the book that has freed me from having a constant feeling of 'wanting something that i can't have'. It's the book that reminded me & taught me that our bodies were created with an internal mechanism that tells us how much food we need and what kind of food we need. It also taught me how to tap into that so that I could reach what the authors call my 'natural weight'... not too thin, but not overweight. Here is an overview of what is in the book:



Principle 1: Reject the Diet Mentality

Principle 2: Honor Your Hunger

Principle 3: Make Peace with Food

Principle 4: Challenge the Food Police

Principle 5: Feel Your Fullness

Principle 6: Discover the Satisfaction Factor

Principle 7: Cope with Your Emotions Without Using Food

Principle 8: Respect Your Body

Principle 9: Exercise - Feel the Difference

Principle 10: Honor Your Health - Gentle Nutrition

Now, I will be the first to tell you that I have by no means 'MASTERED' these principles. I still sometimes give into the temptation to adhere to the 'diet mentality', I still overeat sometimes (like, for example, last weekend and the first of this week... I'll tell you what - family in town and business trips don't do ANYTHING to help with a 4-week challenge!), and I still am trying to fully make peace with food. BUT, I'm workin on it. AND, I've come a long, long way, which has made all the difference in the world for my health and fitness level. Remember that little slump I told you about, where I was maintaining a weight about 15-20 lbs. heavier than I am right now? This book was the catalyst for helping me pull of out of that phase. If you're someone who has EVER, even remotely, struggled with the EATING aspect of health & fitness, this book might just help you as much as it helped me.

That being said, how's everyone doing on their 4-week challenge? I for one, had some rocky moments this week, BUT, that's the beauty of this life: every day is a new day and an opportunity to recommit, start over, and drive toward the finish line as if no mistake had ever been made. And THAT is what I have done: RECOMMITTED! Who is with me? Anyone else need a little personal re-commitment to their four week challenge goals? There's still about 2 weeks left - plenty of time to work on adopting some healthy habits and see some very real progress. SO LET'S DO THIS! Go get em' this week!

Healthy Recipe Time!

Healthy Banana Bread


I got this delicious bread recipe from my friend Aubrey Gibson. She made me some and it was gone so fast! Make this bread it is so yummy and Healthy:)

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour (I grind mine on the pastry setting for this recipe, but I'm sure you could use coarser flour if you want)
1 tsp Rumford or other aluminum free baking powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp real salt
1 egg
3/4 c sucanat
1/2 c plain yogurt
1/4 c melted butter (I use melted unrefined coconut oil)
1 c mashed ripe bananas
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 c toasted pecans/walnuts (optional)

Mix together dry. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Spray bottom of 8x4" bread pan (makes 1 this size or two small loaves). Bake 350 degrees 50-60 minutes. Remove from pan and cool.





Green Goddess Smoothie



This smoothie is unique and so YUMMY!

Ingredients:

•1 cup fresh spinach leaves
•1/2 apple, chopped
•1 kiwi, peeled + chopped
•1 tsp Pure Grade B maple syrup
•1 tsp flax-seed oil
•1/2 cup plain soy or greek yogurt
•1/2 scoop protein powder
•1 cup ice (and water, as needed)
Directions:
Blend all ingredients until smooth. Enjoy!

15 foods for DETOX

Chandi Schwab
When it comes to cleansing your body of harmful toxins, food really is the best medicine. You’ll be amazed to learn that many of your favorite foods also cleanse the body’s detoxification organs like the liver, intestines, kidneys, and skin, preventing harmful toxic buildup. Help ward off the harmful effects of pollution, food additives, second-hand smoke, and other toxins with delicious fruits, vegetables, nuts, oils, and beans. Any of these foods can be substituted in with this weeks cleanse if you want variety:0

Apples: Because apples are high in pectin, a type of fiber that binds to cholesterol and heavy metals in the body, they help eliminate toxic build up and to cleanse the intestines.

Avocados: We rarely think of avocados as a cleansing food but these nutritional powerhouses lower cholesterol and dilate blood vessels while blocking artery-destroying toxicity. Avocados contain a nutrient called glutathione, which blocks at least thirty different carcinogens while helping the liver detoxify synthetic chemicals.

Beets:Time to whip up some delicious borscht soup since its main ingredient, beets, contain a unique mixture of natural plant compounds that make them superb blood purifiers and liver cleansers.

Blueberries: Truly one of the most powerful healing foods, blueberries contain natural aspirin that helps lessen the tissue-damaging effects of chronic inflammation, while lessening pain. Blueberries also act as antibiotics by blocking bacteria in the urinary tract, thereby helping to prevent infections. They also have antiviral properties and help to block toxins from crossing the blood-brain barrier to gain access to the delicate brain.

Cabbage :Cabbage contains numerous anticancer and antioxidant compounds and helps the liver break down excess hormones. Cabbage also cleanses the digestive tract and neutralizes some of the damaging compounds found in cigarette smoke (and second-hand smoke). It also strengthens the liver’s ability to detoxify.


Celery and Celery Seeds :Celery and celery seeds are excellent blood cleansers and contain many different anti-cancer compounds that help detoxify cancer cells from the body. Celery seeds contain over twenty anti-inflammatory substances. It is particularly good for detoxifying substances found in cigarette smoke.

Cranberries :Cleanse your body from harmful bacteria and viruses that may be lingering in your urinary tract with cranberries since they contain antibiotic and antiviral substances.

Flaxseeds and Flaxseed Oil: Loaded with essential fatty acids, particularly the Omega-3s, flaxseeds and flaxseed oil are essential for many cleansing functions throughout the body.

Garlic :Eat garlic to cleanse harmful bacteria, intestinal parasites and viruses from your body, especially from the blood and intestines. It also helps cleanse build-up from the arteries and has anti-cancer and antioxidant properties that help detoxify the body of harmful substances. Additionally, garlic assists with cleansing the respiratory tract by expelling mucous build-up in the lungs and sinuses. For the health benefits, choose only fresh garlic, not garlic powder, which has virtually none of the above properties.

Grapefruit :Add a ruby red grapefruit to your breakfast to benefit from pectin fiber that binds to cholesterol, thereby cleansing the blood. Pectin also binds to heavy metals and helps escort them out of the body. It also has antiviral compounds that cleanse harmful viruses out of the body. Grapefruit is an excellent intestinal and liver detoxifier.

Kale:Steam some kale to benefit from its powerful anti-cancer and antioxidant compounds that help cleanse the body of harmful substances. It is also high in fiber, which helps cleanse the intestinal tract. Like cabbage, kale helps neutralize compounds found in cigarette smoke and strengthens liver cleansing.

Legumes :Add a handful of cooked beans to your next meal since they loaded with fiber that helps lower cholesterol, cleanses the intestines, and regulates blood sugar levels. Legumes also help protect the body against cancer.

Lemons:Excellent liver detoxifiers, lemons contain high amounts of vitamin C, a vitamin needed by the body to make an important substance called glutathione. Glutathione helps the liver detoxify harmful chemicals. Add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice (not the bottled variety) to pure water to support your cleansing efforts on a daily basis.

Seaweed: Seaweed could be the most underrated vegetable in the western world. Studies at McGill University in Montreal showed that seaweeds bind to radioactive waste in the body. Seaweed also binds to heavy metals to help eliminate them from the body. In addition, they are powerhouses of minerals and trace minerals.Sushi anyone?

Watercress :If you haven’t tried watercress add this delicious green to your next sandwich since it increases detoxification enzymes and acts on cancer cells in the body. In a study at the Norwich Food Research Centre in the United Kingdom, smokers who were given 170 grams of watercress per day eliminated higher than average amounts of carcinogens in their urine, thereby eliminating them from their body.

Eating a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables assists with detoxifying harmful substances from your body. Who knew cleansing could taste so good?

Overcome stress in your life

Chandi Schwab
The dictionary definition of stress is "any real or imagined threat, and your body's response to it." This can be a good thing, as well as a negative thing. Stress is not entirely negative. Some stress can be avoided and other stress cannot, and some stress can even be beneficial, but it becomes a problem when the stress starts impacting your body in a bad way.

Stress is one of these emotions that can cause harmful side effects and when we eat in a state of stress or anxiety, which is pretty much all the time for most people, there are particularly bad side effects. The best way to explain this is to outline what happens when you are stressed. Our bodies are made to react to a stress emotion by getting ready to flee or to fight. It's called the "fight or flight" response. It increases your blood pressure, heart rate, and increases the blood into your arms and legs in order to get ready to flee. With regards to weight loss, however, this response is not helpful because it shunts blood away from your midsection and virtually shuts down your digestive system.

When you eat under stress, even if you are eating the healthiest food in the world, you will not be able to fully digest and absorb the food and nutrients from that food and your body will not be able to burn calories effectively. Since all that blood and oxygen are being used elsewhere, your metabolism also suffers, plus you will see a decrease in the enzymes in your stomach. Your cholesterol and triglycerides then go up because of the decreasing stomach flora, which then leads you to be more sensitive to food, which then, in turn, creates allergies, gastroesophageal reflux, and heartburn.


There are several ways in which stress can contribute to weight gain as well. It has to do with cortisol, a stress hormone. When we’re under stress, the fight or flight response is triggered in our bodies, leading to the release of various hormones.
Whether we're stressed because of constant, crazy demands at work or we're really in danger, our bodies respond like we're about to be harmed and need to fight for our lives (or run like heck). To answer this need, we experience a burst of energy, shifts in metabolism, blood flow, and other changes.

If you remain in this state for a prolonged amount of time due to chronic stress, your health becomes at risk. Aside from a host of other dangers, chronic stress can also cause weight gain -which is why some products like Cortislim are marketed as diet aids.

Chronic stress and cortisol can contribute to weight gain in the following ways:


Metabolism - Do you feel like you're prone to putting on more weight when you're stressed, even if you're eating the same amount of food as you always have? Too much cortisol can slow your metabolism, causing more weight gain than you would normally experience. This also makes dieting more difficult.
Cravings - OK, you're stressed. Do you reach for a nice salad or a pint of Ben & Jerry's? I'll bet on the latter. People experiencing chronic stress tend to crave more fatty, salty and sugary foods. This includes sweets, processed food and other things that aren’t as good for you. These foods are typically less healthy and lead to increased weight gain.

Blood Sugar -Prolonged stress can alter your blood sugar levels, causing mood swings, fatigue, and conditions like hyperglycemia. Too much stress has even been linked to metabolic syndrome, a cluster of health concerns that can lead to greater health problems, like heart attacks and diabetes.

Fat Storage -Excessive stress even affects where we tend to store fat. Higher levels of stress are linked to greater levels of abdominal fat. Unfortunately, abdominal fat is not only aesthetically undesirable, it’s linked with greater health risks than fat stored in other areas of the body.

De-Stress List

-Exercise

-Meditate

-Take a nap

-Get a massage

-Practice yoga or tai chi

-Listen to soothing music

-Use guided imagery or motivational CDs

-Take an aromatherapy bath

-Take time-out: a short walk or a long vacation

-Take a news fast: stop being a receptacle for the world's problems

*If you have any unresolved issues in your life with someone, this can be a huge stress and really effect your weight loss goals. It is important to resolve those issues and bring them to a close so that tension can be released, and better be able to focus on your goals and find peace.
(ezinearticles.com and livestrong.com)

Quote of the day

Scott Schwab:
The quote of the day comes from a true champion of his game. Often times in life it is persistence that causes greatness rather than greatness causing persistence.


"I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."


-Michael Jordan-