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Workouts & Reflections Jan. 17-23

It’s been an amazing week of running and working out.  I have found enjoyment on the treadmill this week!  It’s been a little stressful at work this week as well and the extra runs have really helped to ease the stress and to help me not binge eat.  I have a tendency to binge on junk when I am stressed out. Not horrible, but I make poor choices or overeat and then I feel horrible about myself and I usually get pretty grumpy and take it out on others.  It’s also that time of the month and I have no patience and am crabbier than usual.  Running has definitely helped me through all of this this week.  I am so grateful for the gift of running that I have given to myself!   I know that without running and lifting, I would have been super stressed out and turned to food to ease the stress.  This is what I used to do.  I am so glad that I have running especially to help combat the stress!  
Sun: 10 mile treadmill run; core=situps
Mon: AM: shoulders and arms, with extra biceps; PM: 2 mile treadmill run; core=situps
Tues: AM: 6.5 mile treadmill run; PM: 3 mile treadmill run; core=situps
Wed: AM: Legs
Thurs: AM: 6 mile treadmill run; PM: 2.5 mile treadmill run; core=situps
Fri: AM: chest and back, with extra biceps; PM: 2 mile treadmill run
Sat: 10 mile run OUTSIDE!!!
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I am very proud of myself for coming home and running almost every night this week.  The only night I missed was Wednesday when we went out to dinner for my mother-in-law’s birthday.  I would like to keep up this trend, especially when I get stressed out.  I have had more energy after my runs to get things done around the house and help the kids. I have also been sleeping a lot better and drinking more water.  That’s one thing I like about running on the treadmill.  I get a whole water bottle in before my shower!  I have been getting in about 108 ounces of water a day because of this.  I am liking that!  I feel better too then about the amount of coffee I drink a day!  LOL
Saturday was probably the best workout this week simply because I got to run outside!!! It was a pretty awesome 10 mile run also!  It was 22 degrees out when I started.  I warmed up quickly as I had on my pink coat made especially for cold weather running.  I was literally drenched in sweat when I got home.  I loved that I was able to run at an easy pace pretty much the whole time.  I only took a few walking breaks.  It felt so good to be out breathing the fresh cool air and not looking at the 4 walls of my basement for 2 hours.  I can’t wait to do it again tomorrow!  I am really hoping that I get out more on the weekends especially.  Let’s hope the weather stays in the 30s, but if not, I have been okay being on the treadmill.  
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On a side note this week, I have rediscovered the love of leggings.  Because my quads and calves keep growing, I have a hard time with pants.  I have a lot of dress pants for work and they fit fine, but after wearing leggings under a dress of mine on Wednesday, I pretty much have been finding any excuse I can to wear them more often.  I wore them to work on Friday with a flannel tunic like the middle school girls do and it was fantastic.  I wore them on Saturday after my run with just a long sleeve t-shirt and a sweater.  I seriously am in love.  They make my legs very happy!  Plus I think my legs look pretty good in them also!  The tunic I wore was a size small!!  I know I love that I can wear a size small!!  And it fit pretty good, except for in the arms.  Because of all my arms workouts lately, my arms have gotten bigger with all my muscles!  LOL Therefore, my arms were bursting at the seams on my tunic a little bit.  Luckily, the material stretched out a bit throughout the day and I was able to wear it comfortably.  It’s a little bit of a bummer to know that for some shirts I can’t wear a size small.  I’ve worked so hard to lose weight and I have to go up a size in my shirts because my arms have gotten so muscular.  It’s a little defeating but when I look at the muscles in my arms and legs, it makes it all worth it.  Afterall, the size we wear is just a number.  It doesn’t define us.  It doesn’t make us any more or less of a person.  Just like the number on the scale. It’s just that, a number.  That number for sure does not define me!  I hate the number on that thing!  It never seems to go the way I want it to, but then I look at my muscular legs and how nicely the muscles in my arms are coming along, and I feel amazing about the process I am making.  I know I have stretchmarks and loose skin on my belly, but I have 2 beautiful kiddos and that makes my dislike of those go away.  They are proof that my babies were kept safe and warm for 9 months.  I wouldn’t change being a mom for the world.  I don’t care if I never have 6 pack abs.  My kids are worth more than abs will ever be!  
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Sorry to get on my soapbox a little bit there, but you are so much more than a number and what hollywood or movies tell you a woman should look like.  Be you!  Be amazing!  Be healthy! Be proud of what you have accomplished!  Be proud of your hard work!  You are amazing and don’t let anyone tell you differently!  
And always remember!!!

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Thank you as always for reading!  
RUN ON,
Laura

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