300 push-up blog 2/20/09

On any other day I would be so happy to get my push-ups increase from 260 to 300. But today it’s a bittersweet moment. I reached goal - did sets of 20 and 25’s. Next time I want 30 at a time. so it was easy to get to 300 today. Yes Regular push-ups. Tonight I’m not sure if I have time for kickboxing but weights yes. Then tomorrow it’s a 4 mile run around my neighborhood with yoga and Step.

My Rod went to court to take care of a personal matter that would either help him with his green card status or having it denied and yes - return to Kenya permanently. Not good news and here comes money spending time. At first I was not go to blog it but hey it’s my blog and I can cry if I want to. As a green card holder myself I know what he’s going through. This is the only life we know - here in America. What happens if it’s stripped away? What if you go back and you don’t fit in with the people back home? See he will never be a pure Kenyan. Just like me. If I went back home - I will not be a “Cambodian” because to the Cambodians I’m too American. What it boils down to is acceptance. But why worry about the future right? Well in the back of my head I wonder how is it going to effect us?? We plan on getting married. So what if my husband is sent back to Kenya? Do I go there to? How am I going to adjust to that lifestyle? See crazy thoughts just crazy thoughts.

Well, I’m going to focus on the today and now. He will get an INS lawyer and get going on taking care of his issues. I can’t help him with this one. It’s his battle to fight. I can only support him and that I can do no doubt.

Moments like this makes me want to take a nice drive to the beach and listen to the crashing waves and kick sand around with my honey on my side.

What’s my lesson for today? Never take anything for granted. Life is short and precious. Let’s make the best of it.

You can do it!

Burning thighs blog

I won’t lie. I’m not up to par with my attitude yet. Rodney got the Biometrics process going. Let’s pray for the best now right?

Can we say oucher like OUCHER!!!!!!!!!!!! Now I’m used to soreness and aches as it’s a part of exercise. Especially when you are beginning or like me, whenever I switch up my routine. So not being a runner and a runner wanna be I went to bed feeling good but anticipating the SORE! I was expecting in the SHIN but that was not the case. I guess almost a year of weights helped strengthen those babies. Now as some of you know I messed up my groin muscles bad almost two years ago. So I baby that area a lot. This morning as the day stretched my groin and inner thigh was sore like a bi**h. I guess it’s working muscles that are under developed.

I’m glad I’m sore because even with all the classes that I do daily, I’m so used to them that I don’t always feel it. ARRRR I want to feel the burn. I thrive on the burn!
IF you are doing the push-ups, tell me where you are feeling the most soreness? I can tell you if you have good form or not with that.

Typically I feel the soreness in all of my upper body - chest, triceps, biceps, shoulders, chest and the back as well as the abs sometimes. If you are keeping good form - this goes for all the girl, wall, desk and regular push-ups. Also important as you continue doing these is to try and lower yourself as close to the ground as possible and use your muscles to come back up. This will take time so don’t rush it.

I just finished my weights session with planks incorporated into it. Upper body only. I feel tightness everywhere. No lower body till Sunday.

So excited about tomorrow. I can’t wait to learn a new Step routine then do my yoga in the morning. Have to be up at 6 am to eat for it. Then in the eveing it’s marathon training #2. 4 miles walk/run around the area.

8-Week Running Training Plan
THE RUNNER'S WORLD 8-WEEK BEGINNING RUNNER'S TRAINING PROGRAM
Follow this plan to become a runner.
By Amby Burfoot

From the August 2004 issue of Runner's World

Here are 4 key points to consider before you begin the 8-Week Program.

1. If you are over 40, not accustomed to any exercise, or more than 20 pounds overweight, consult with your physician. Unless you have a known health risk, your doctor will probably encourage you to begin a run-walk program, but it's always wise to check.

2. Schedule your workouts. You won't find time for them unless you make time for them. Put them in your PDA, computer, daily appointment planner, on the front of your refrigerator, or wherever else you keep your schedule.

3. Expect bad days. Everyone has them, but they pass quickly, and the next workout is often better than the previous one. So stick with the program.

4. Don't rush. In the fitness world, rushing leads to injuries and discouragement. Be patient, and go slow. The goal is to reach 30 minutes of continuous running, not to set any records getting there.


Week 1

"Sit as little as possible. Give no credence to any thought that was not born outdoors while moving about freely."
--Friedrich Nietzsche

Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
1

Run & Walk
Run 1 min
Walk 2 min
Repeat 10X Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 1 min
Walk 2 min
Repeat 10X Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 1 min
Walk 2 min
Repeat 10X Run & Walk
Run 1 min
Walk 2 min
Repeat 10X Rest

Training tip:
To fuel up for your workout, have a piece of fruit or an energy bar about 2 hours before you lace up your shoes. An hour later, drink 8 ounces of a sports drink. The drink will ensure that you are fully hydrated, and also that you have sufficient sodium and potassium for a healthy workout.


Week 2

"Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors. Try to be better than yourself."
--William Faulkner

Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
2

Run & Walk
Run 2 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 10X Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 3 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 7X
Run 2 min Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 4 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 6X Run & Walk
Run 4 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 6X Rest

Training tip:
Always walk 2 to 3 minutes for a warmup before you begin your workout, and walk another 2 to 3 minutes as a cooldown afterward. Don't stretch before running. Save it for after your workout or in the evening while you're watching TV.


Week 3

"Obstacles are those frightening things that become visible when we take our eyes off our goals."
--Henry Ford

Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
3

Run & Walk
Run 5 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 5X Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 5 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 5X Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run6 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 4X
Run 2 min Run & Walk
Run 6 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 4X
Run 2 min Rest

Training tip:
Hold your arms comfortably at your sides while running, aiming for maximum relaxation. Bend them 90 degrees at the elbows, and move them forward and back at your waist. Bend your fingers into a relaxed grasp, and don't let your hands sway back and forth across the middle of your torso.

Week 4

"When you get to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on."
--Theodore Roosevelt

Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
4

Run & Walk
Run 8 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 3X
Run 3 min Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 9 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 3X Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 10 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 2X
Run 8 min Run & Walk
Run 11 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 2X
Run 6 min Rest

Training tip:
In hot, sunny weather, wear sunscreen, sunglasses (to relax your facial muscles), and a visor or cap to keep the sun off your face. Expect to run slower in particularly hot, humid weather, and take more walking breaks as necessary. Run in the early morning or late evening if you can.


Week 5

"Sweat cleanses from the inside. It comes from places a shower will never reach."
--Dr. George Sheehan

Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
5

Run & Walk
Run 12 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 2X
Run 4 min Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 13 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 2X
Run 2 min Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 14 min
Walk 1 min
Repeat 2X Run & Walk
Run 15 min
Walk 1 min
Run 14 min Rest

Training tip:
On occasion, skip your running and walking workout and do a cross-training workout instead. Bike for 30 to 40 minutes, try the elliptical trainer in a gym, or join a circuit weight-training class. The break from running will refresh you, and you'll learn new skills while developing new muscles.


Week 6

"You can have anything you want, if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, if you hold that desire with singleness of purpose."
--Abraham Lincoln

Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
6

Run & Walk
Run 16 min
Walk 1 min
Run 13 min Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 17 min
Walk 1 min
Run 12 min Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 18 min
Walk 1 min
Run 11 min Run & Walk
Run 19 min
Walk 1 min
Run 10 min Rest

Training tip:
Running is a great way to build strong bones, but you also need plenty of calcium--1,000 milligrams a day, or 1,500 milligrams if you're over age 50. Drink a glass or two of low-fat milk per day, or enjoy a cup or two of low-fat yogurt or cottage cheese. Dark green, leafy vegetables are another great calcium source.


Week 7

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go."
--T.S. Eliot

Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
7

Run & Walk
Run 20 min
Walk 1 min
Run 9 min Run & Walk
Run 20 min
Walk 1 min
Run 9 min Run & Walk
Run 22 min
Walk 1 min
Run 7 min Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 24 min
Walk 1 min
Run 5 min Run & Walk
Run 26 min
Walk 1 min
Run 3 min Rest

Training tip:
Beginning runners often develop shin splints or sore knees. These pains should pass quickly if you treat them immediately with ice packs after your workouts. Put a bag of frozen peas on your shins or knees for 15 minutes. If the pain persists, take several days off before beginning your training program again.


Week 8

"One cannot consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar."
--Helen Keller

Wk Mon Tues Weds Thurs Fri Sat Sun
8

Run & Walk
Run 27 min
Walk 1 min
Run 2 min Walk
Run 20 min
Walk 1 min
Run 9 min Run & Walk
Run 28 min
Walk 1 min
Run 1 min Walk
Walk easy 30 min Run & Walk
Run 29 min
Walk 1 min Run & Walk
Run 30 min Rest

Training tip:
For clean air and healthy lungs, try not to do your workouts at the side of a busy street or during rush-hour traffic. Find low-traffic streets where any exhaust will be dispersed quickly. Even better, as often as possible, try to run in greenbelts--in parks, on bike trails, around reservoirs, and the like.Success may come quickly to you as a beginning runner, but the race is never won. Run for life.

Wow, I am so excited about this for you!!!!! I nearly jumped up off the chair. You are amazing Nancy! I think you will have all of us at buddyslim in your corner on this!!! Heck, we should televise it and you should get a buddyslim.com shirt and everything! This is sooooooo cool Nancy! I am so proud of you!

6 Mile Blog

Goal today: Walk a couple miles in the morning, yoga then 4 miles of jog/run tonight because I missed Step

Accomplished so far: 6 mile walk with a coffee reward on the way home

This morning I did not want to get up and leave Rod behind. So I ate my oatmeal and banana and crawled back to bed. After missing class I decided I will go for a nice stroll. The stroll turns out to be a 6 mile walk. I didn’t have any music. So I listened to nature and enjoyed an early Saturday morning in Southern California. It is a cloudy day or this TAN TOO EASY girl won’t be out in the sun. I tan just by walking in the sun for 10 minutes.

On my walk I refrained from jogging and running. That’s for a different time. Instead I took the time to decompress and just enjoy my surroundings. I wanted to put the daily stress of life aside and enjoy the moment.

This is where the Angel God sent me comes in:

Half way on my walk in a very quiet area with few cars and people I met a beautiful young woman. She was walking fast and I told her that. We started a chat. I told her she’s fast. She said I walk a lot. She was walking towards the train station. She said she lives on the southern tip of OC and was walking from work. It’s a 3 1/2 mile trek. Then on the train then from the train another 1 1/2 miles home. All to feed her 3 children as she’s a single mom. She said I can’t afford a car or gas on a $10 salary here in OC. She’s from Ohio. Husband left her with poor credit and no support. So we chatted on. You know what got me about this woman? She radiated LIFE! Can you imagine her predicament? This place is expensive to live in especially on $10 an hour and I make way more then that and still struggle. She has no car but what the Lord gave her - her legs. She isn’t whining about life instead she exudes confidence, love and enthusiasm about life. Never in the 10 min. I spent with her did she complain. She is looking to a better future. She’s beautiful she’s young and she’s going to make it. I looked at her in awe and I told her she is a blessing to me today.

As we parted she said “I need to do this and if someone else was in my position I wouldn’t hesitate to lend a helping hand”.

I wiped tears of joy for being blessed to meet a woman like that. I am going to draw from her energy and live it each day. No more negative thoughts. Just do it!!! Just do it!

So today I will pray and thank the Lord for sending me an angel as a reminder of how blessed I am today.

*Smile and give your loved one a warm hug and tell them that you love them*

Originally Posted by 7944

Wow, I am so excited about this for you!!!!! I nearly jumped up off the chair. You are amazing Nancy! I think you will have all of us at buddyslim in your corner on this!!! Heck, we should televise it and you should get a buddyslim.com shirt and everything! This is sooooooo cool Nancy! I am so proud of you!

Thank you for your support Stacey! It means a lot!

2/22/09 Blog 5 mile walk



The last three days have been the worse in a long time for me. I wondered to myself could things get any worse? I’m doing my best to stay positive and keep on keeping on as the saying goes. Life gives me lemon I make lemon balls and juggle it all.

Twice on Sat and today I missed my usual workout of Step, Yoga and kickboxing. But as I read in a fitness article, it’s good to mix the indoors with the outdoors. That I did with success but not without soreness.

Like yesterday, I did not make it to my favorite Sunday kickboxing class. I woke up to the most delicous food but did not GIVE IN!!!! I have you guys to thank for it. I stayed strong and kept up with my fruits, miso soup and ate as light as possible.

It was another cloudy day so I took complete advantage of it. I figured yes, keep switching it up - From Monday to Thurs. of this coming week I have a lot of classes to attend and 2 runs to prepare for.

Why not? Why not try that walk again? I was on my 5th mile when Rod found me; It was a scheduled find - but I was hoping I was further along.

SECOND ANGEL CALLING WAS A PEE RUN! I grew up Baptist/Methodist and went to a couple other places. Yesterday I saw the church but sort of let it go…another time another day…until my moment with the “1st angel” from my previous blog. Today as soon as I saw the church I had the strongest urge to pee. None of the restaurants were open so I went and used their bathroom. I decided why not today? So I was introduced to one of the church leaders, gave them my information and we - Rod, his son and I are attending it next week.

After some tearful moments with the person I told her I have to go back on my walk but will be in touch. Sure enough - the exact same spot I met the girl yesterday I encountered negative energy via a young man that gave me the chills. I know who sent him my way. It never fails; the moment I invite Christ back in my life it always happens.

This weekend I went back to basics. I lost 40 lbs walking when I first started 4 yrs back. It was nice to do such a simple exercise and I enjoyed each walk tremendously.

So I am back on track!!!! I got the 5 miles in, weights and 1 hr yoga!!!

Tomorrow is healthy food fest time! I’m eating 1500 calories by 3pm for my 3 hours of kickboxing, step and yoga. WHOO HOOOOO!!! Can’t wait for it. I look forward to my Monday just like a kid in a candy store.

2/21/09 post

I WENT ON A FOOD BINGE!! I just did it and just glad the night is over. New start tomorrow

OATMEAL, APPLE, BANANA, SHRIMP MISO SOUP, WAFERS, CHIPS, ICE CREAM,CORN DOG, 3 DONUTS, FRIED FISH, STIR FRIED CRAB, FRIED FISH, BAKED CHICKEN, 4 FRENCH FRIES AND ETC.......

2/22/09

FINAL ACCOUNTABILTY:
EXERCISE: 5 mile walk, upper body weights and 1 hr yoga - w/ my Rodney Yee DVD's
Water: 130 oz in
Vitamin: none at home no excuse though

Breakfast:1 fuiji apple, 3 kiwi's and instant coffee 2 serving
Snack: 1 Asian sausage and 1/3 cup rice
Lunch: shirmp w/ seaweed miso soup, baked chicken
Dinner: stir fried chicken and spinach, 1 cup whole grain pasta w/ meat (red) sauce w/ 1 whole oinion that I added - thickened the sauce up nicely
Snack: 1 banana, 6 0z chocolate milk