A Case of the Runs

I used to think those 30-Day Fitness Challenges (unless they were for prizes , which I don't count) were not for me because I found out about them from blogs of people who already work out pretty much daily and were trying to find additional reasons to exercise or go on some kind of diet. However, as someone trying to get back into the habit of exercising, the idea was really appealing.  This way, even on the days when I didn't make time for a proper workout, there would still be something to work toward, something to break up my sedentary state. I chose a 30-Day Squat Challenge for a couple of reasons.  First, it popped up on my Facebook feed from one of my connections.  Second, my legs have definitely lost a lot of muscle tone, and since those are some of the largest muscle groups of the body, I figured it would be the most bang for my buck.  Finally, squats are pretty easy to do anywhere and can even be done while carrying the little one. T...

When I was first contacted to review these CEP No-Show Compression Socks, I wondered... how could a compression sock be no-show??? Years ago, I purchased the CEP Compression Sleeves , and to this day, they are pretty much my go-to compression gear with the best tightness without being too tight. These CEP Dynamic No-Show Compression Socks are pretty much what's missing from the sleeves, namely, the sock!  In theory, you could wear these socks and the compression sleeves and let your ankles breathe.  They come in male and female varieties in several different colors, although I usually default to black to remain low-key.  Okay, so I might have also had an ambition of wearing them to the office, but that hasn't happened yet. They also come in a few different sizes -- after all, if you are going to find a good fit for your foot, there must be some choice in the matter (especially if you have wider feet like me, size up!).  They also are foot specific (left ...

My first attempt at exercising after baby was going on afternoon walks with the stroller while Baby Tuesday napped.  Even now, when I'm pushing around a far less sleepy baby, I think back to the early days with some nostalgia. The first few months, I was clipping the car seat into a very heavy stroller that I will probably review later.  Even as the baby got bigger, I didn't want to eliminate the extra weight of the car seat because otherwise, he'd have to face forward, and I was (and still kind of) not ready for that. Enter the Jane Rider . For full disclosure, I am a Jane Brand Ambassador, so I was sent one of these guys to try out.  I really love this stroller because it's light and can face in or out (with adjustable inclines for each mode).  It is made out of quality materials without extra flame retardant chemicals, and I can imagine it lasting through multiple babies if I ever get over the trauma and go that route.  Plus, it folds easily and...

I am officially starting to feel consistently sore from working out.  I wasn't doing it consistently or hard enough to feel this before, but it makes me feel ambivalent.  The positive: something (not sure what) is happening and that I'm on my way to progress.  The negative: things that were a breeze for me before are causing days of soreness, meaning that I've fallen off the wagon... and the wagon backed up and made a second round. I've been trying to stretch, eat more protein, and better things in general, though it's a work in progress.  For example, I've had this bottle of greens at my desk forever, and I finally started drinking it.  It tastes okay, pretty grassy and a tiny bit sweet due to Stevia, and I think I need some time to work up to the full teaspoon dose.  Still, it's a great way to start off the morning and the virtue of greens keeps me from diving into something totally unhealthy for breakfast. From their representative: PI...

You know that whole "a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step" saying that runners often like to throw out there to motivate them to go on a run? Well, there have been times in the past year when that "single step" felt like "a thousand miles." I'm trying really hard to re-establish some baseline of activity in my daily routine.  I've been diligently getting myself to the gym 2-3 quick times a week and walking around during the day as possible... and required, since my parking at work is separate from my office. I was curious to see how much or little I actually walk each day.  When Baby Tuesday was smaller, I remember many days (most days?) when my butt hurt from sitting on it so much. But soon, I think I'll be chasing him around.... The guideline I keep hearing is that people should aim for 10,000 steps per day, or about 5 miles.  This is how my week went (I used the Omron Pedometer  to measure): Monday - 9094...

Well, so far, it's happening.  It has only been a short time, but it's happening. I've been able to go to the gym a couple of times a week so far.  It involves a mad dash out, going from work to workout mode and back, and cramming food into my pie hole afterward -- including those Quest bars that I've tried before and didn't like, but well, I'll probably be updating my review soon!  I've been getting in about 30-35 minutes of workout time in so far, though realistically I might be able to push that to 40, maybe 45 if it's not super sweaty, as I get more efficient with my clean-up routine.  So far, it has just been a couple of miles of running here and there and elliptical (which I haven't used in like two years!), some squats (I'm doing a Squat Challenge that I'll update on later), and abs/arms/back (just one of those) if I have time.  There isn't a lot of space in there nor much set-up to do exercises without a machine -- or maybe I...