On Being Fit and Looking Back a Year #iHeartOmron Fitness Challenge

Week Three: Weight Loss: 3 lbs. (Total loss during program: 9lbs.)

This week found me having a hard time wanting to eat the right way. Exercising wasn’t really a problem, nor was being motivated to exercise. In fact, I’ve reentered the world of early-morning exercising, and it feels great! There are some tough parts of exercising first thing in the morning, but overall, the benefit of having it done for the day outweighs the difficulty of peeling myself out of my warm bed at 5:am. The most trying part of getting up at 5, honestly, is getting to bed early enough the night before to make sure I’ve gotten enough rest. When I’m not well rested I really struggle with wanting to do anything other than take a nap. This, along with eating right, illustrates for me how Being Fit is an ongoing process – it’s about so much more than just working out, it’s something that encompasses so many more aspects of life. It’s a balancing act of movement and non-movement (sleep), of eating and not eating (too much, and/or things that aren’t good for me). And it’s something I have to focus on around the clock.

One morning this week when I was at the gym, after I finished my upper body workout, I ran on a treadmill for 30 minutes. And when I say I ran for thirty minutes, I mean that I ran for thirty minutes without stopping. It wasn’t fast, but it was running. There were quite a few times during that run when I wanted to take a break or walk instead of run, but my mind kept taking me back to a year ago – just ONE year ago – when I could not run for five minutes without stopping. I’m not exaggerating, I couldn’t run for five minutes straight just one year ago. Yet, this week, I not only ran for thirty minutes, I wanted to, and could have, run longer (but had to leave to get the kids off to school and whatnot). A year ago, when I would run I’d get nervous about not being able to run, which would make me more anxious and make my heart pound. It was brutal. I was embarrassed because I was running with friends who were so kind and encouraging in helping me see that I could do it (even though I couldn’t then, but I can now). I remember feeling out of breath, my heart rate soaring and not being able to slow it down, whereas now I just take a deep breath, relax my shoulders and keep going. (This is one reason I look forward to getting my strapless heart rate monitor so I can see the numbers associated with my experiences while running.)

As I was getting ready to leave the gym that day, I saw Amy, one of my friends who helped me, essentially, learn to run last year. I asked her, “Remember a year ago when I couldn’t run for five minutes?”

She replied, “Yes. I do remember that, actually.”

And I said, “Yeah. It’s been a good year.”*   

This week brings new workouts. Hardcore burning fat and building muscle. Wish me luck!


*After I wrote this post and kept thinking about that time a year ago, when I couldn't run for five minutes without stopping, I went outside and ran five miles - not because I was in a race, but just because I can. What do you want to be doing in a year that you aren't doing now?

This post is sponsored by Omron Fitness as a collaboration with Bookieboo Blogging Network and Mamavation - a community dedicated to weight loss for women and obesity prevention for families. I was provided with product and compensation for my time and honest opinions.

Week One Workout Review #iHeartOmron Fitness Challenge

Week 2 Weight Loss: 6 lbs. (a.k.a., 1 lb. for each day I wasn't at the Sundance Film Festival)

Last week I began the workout schedule for the #iHeartOmron Fitness Challenge with #mamavation. My week looks like this:

Monday: Upper Body
Tuesday: Lower Body
Wednesday: Upper Body
Thursday: Rest
Friday: Total Body
Saturday: Lower Body
Sunday: Rest

This isn't exactly how the workout schedule was laid out, but I've adjusted it according to my family's schedule, when I can make it to the gym, and how it coincides with my running.

I like the workouts, they're pretty thorough and I feel the effects the next day, but I'm not so entirely sore that it's impossible to move...just sore enough so that I can remember that I'm on a mission to build my muscles and continue to be motivated to stay focused.

The most revealing aspect of the workouts, for me, has been the warm-up. It certainly warms. It's taken me all week to not feel like a complete fool and also to get some sort of feeling of control of my feet. Here's what I do to warm up (and if you see me at the gym, try to keep your laughter to yourself):
I'm supposed to do those suckers for a minute and a half. A MINUTE AND A HALF! I began the week doing them in 30-second increments and walking until I caught my breath and could do the next 30 seconds. By the end of the week I could do one stretch for 40 seconds without feeling like I was going to trip over my own feet.

Speaking of my feet, my pedometer has been great (except for when I change my clothes and forget to put it on). The goal is 10,000 steps per day. My best day was last Monday:

This total was including a 30-minute run as well as an hour-long Zumba class. And here is where I raise my water bottle and toast all those in this challenge whose lives, schedules, and/or jobs don't allow for a lot of movement, meaning they work their tails off getting their steps in when they can.

I'm still looking forward to getting the strapless heart rate monitor and am continuing to use my new scale/full body sensor which helps me know my BMI and all other sorts of numbers I'm facing in my reality to be more healthy and fit.

This week? I'm going to really push it with the resistance, add more weight and see if I can get a better grip on those foot fires.

This post is sponsored by Omron Fitness as a collaboration with Bookieboo Blogging Network and Mamavation - a community dedicated to weight loss for women and obesity prevention for families. I was provided with product and compensation for my time and honest opinions. 

The Hip Hop Dance Experience - Game Review

Thank you to Ubisoft for sponsoring this post. Please visit Ubi.com to learn more about Ubisoft. I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective. #UbiChamps

As I've mentioned before, my family loves to dance. I think you know this about us. So when the opportunity  came up to review The Hip Hop Dance Experience, I jumped on it. Shook on it. Twirled on it. Whatever I had to do.

My overall impression of the game is that I really, really like it. What do I like about it? Well, the original videos to the songs play in the background, which is fun for a nostalgic-for-when-MTV-played-videos gal like me. The manner in which those videos is shown is almost an added subtlety, and I wonder how many Kids These Days would even recognize the videos of some of the Old School songs. How old school? Well, that's another thing I liked about this game. I played five games and here are the songs I chose: Creep (TLC), If It Isn't Love (New Edition), Hip Hop Hooray (Naughty by Nature), and then two not so old school songs: Sexy and I Know It (LMFAO) and 1 Thing (Amerie). I like hearing the older songs, and notice that the game's dance moves are very similar to the dance moves from the video (which you KNOW I love). 

One thing that is really helpful is that there are two dancers on screen, each doing the same moves, but one is facing you and one is facing away from you. This allows you to see more clearly what you should be doing and lets you choose which you'd rather follow (everyone has their preference - following or mirroring). Below you can see the man on the left, facing the same direction as the player, and the woman on the right, dancing mirror-image to the dancer. 

Another interesting feature? BREAK TIME! That's right, at certain points throughout the songs, you get a break - to regroup, catch your breath, or freestyle. You know you'll freestyle.

Each dance move has a name, and there is a setting where you can focus on practicing the moves individually and by name. When you play and you get your results and score, you're told which dance move was your best and which needs the most work. As you can see below, on my very first game I scored much better at the move called 'Sweep It In' than the move called 'Shimmy Shake.' 

Now, this game has an ESRB Content Rating of T for Teen with the warnings: Lyrics, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, and Use of Alcohol and Tobacco. I have to say that this didn't make me as excited to introduce this game to my kids, so instead I played a few rounds by myself to try the game out. Here's the thing: I think the rating probably has to do with the nature of some of the music more than graphics because I didn't see anything that I deemed inappropriate. Of course, I was concentrating on the dance moves more than lyrics or other content (and I didn't find the dance moves to be inappropriate). I will probably have to monitor which songs I'll allow my kids to play, though, if for no other reason than that there are THREE songs with Chris Brown's name attached, and I don't even go there. No Ma'am.

Like I said, overall I like The Hip Hop Dance Experience, and though it will require a little monitoring on my part when the kids play it, I don't mind . . . because it's almost my turn anyway.

Starting the #iHeartOmron Fitness Challenge with #Mamavation

Week 1 Weight Loss: I’m just beginning. Tune in next week for that!

Today's my first day with the workouts I've been given for the Omron Fitness Challenge with Mamavation. I've received the following message:

On Friday I received a package on my doorstep. It was my pedometer and scale (I’ll get my strapless heart rate monitor later). I was able to set up both products for use very easily and I even synced my pedometer to OmronFitness.com (and linked my twitter and runkeeper accounts). Having the dashboard online will help me with goal-setting as well as show me the progress I’ve made in reaching short and long-term successes.

Last week I took a last-minute cross-country road trip, but twice during that trip I was able to go running (in Augusta, Georgia, and in Lincoln, Nebraska). I also went running on Saturday here in the frigid cold mountain air. So while I’ve been diligent, even on the road, with my cardio (half-marathon training, you know), I know I’ll feel the effects from kicking things into high gear with resistance training this week. If you see me walking funny, or involuntarily groaning, or falling out of the car when I open the door, or falling anywhere for that matter, please – be gentle. Also, I’ll be living in my workout clothes, I’m pretty sure.

I know that one area where I’ll really need to be diligent is that of rest and recovery. I’ve decided that my rest days will be Thursdays and Sundays, but every other day I’ll be sweating like the Noonan I am.*

Wish me luck! And follow my updates on facebook, twitter, instagram and pinterest!

This post is sponsored by Omron Fitness as a collaboration with Bookieboo Blogging Networkand Mamavation – a community dedicated to weight loss for women and obesity prevention for families.  I was provided with product and compensation for my time and honest opinions.

*We’re just really sweaty. All of us. Suuuuuuper sweaty.

PUR Water Filtration System

Speaking of the New Year and wanting to be more healthy in 2013, have you thought about how important drinking water is? You know it's important to stay hydrated, and even moreso if you're working out (which of course you ARE because it's your resolution, remember?).

We're a family of water drinkers, with the biggest variety being in the choice of whether you'd like your ice crushed or cubed. We hardly ever buy pop (that's what I call soda), and will sometimes have juice. We most always have milk on hand. But let's stop talking about the contents of my refrigerator.

Do you drink filtered water? I have filtered my water for years (in a pitcher which sits on my counter because I prefer to drink tepid water rather than ice cold, generally). The problem I have had with this system is the waiting. It takes awhile for the water to drip through the filter and then for the water to be out of the pre-filter section of the pitcher (which needs to be empty before you pour or else you'll spill -- or, at least, I will). This has been especially problematic when I'm running out the door on my way to the gym and still have yet to fill up my water bottle, only to find that the pitcher is empty. So I fill it up and wait as the water drips, drips, drips . . . and then I can hurry off to the gym. You can see how that process would become tiresome.

I really like the taste of filtered water, and while tap water can look clean, it still could contain lead and mercury, which is harmful to your health, so I prefer to use a filter.

PUR water filters reduce many contaminants found in tap water, including trace levels of pharmacueticals. Also, the EPA and CDC estimate that there are up to 16 million waterborne illnesses per year associated with drinking water.

I was glad to receive a PUR water filtration system which hooks directly to my kitchen faucet so that I could see the difference in efficiency of enjoying my filtered water.

The installation only required a wrench, and was really quick. I also like how it looks in my kitchen (and now I can get rid of the pitcher on my counter).

To use the filtered water, just flip the switch on the side. Don't care for the filtered water? That's cool, just flip the switch back.

The PUR Advanced faucet water filter reduces 99.9% of microbial cysts, 99% of lead and trace levels of pharmaceuticals, and 97% of chlorine (odor and taste). Plus, it helps save money AND the planet: think of all the money saved from using a filtered system like this over bottled water. This helps reduce some of the 38 billion plastic water bottles that are discarded in the U.S. every year.

This is the newest and most advanced faucet water filter PUR has to offer. It's made with MineralClear technology and is available in two style finishes: black and chrome.

Do you drink filtered water? Which faucet filter would you choose, black or chrome?


I was provided with a PUR water filtration system and information for this post. All opinions on the product are honest and my own. I really do like this thing. 

#iheartomron Fitness Challenge

Happy New Year! I hope you've all had a lovely holiday season filled with many miracles (I know my family and I have). Now that it's 2013, have you begun to work on your resolutions? Goals? Lifestyle changes?

Back when I (re)joined the gym a few years ago, I had a 'consultation' with a 'personal trainer.' In that discussion, I was asked about the details of my fitness goals; even I was surprised when I heard myself saying, out loud, "I really want to improve my cardiovascular health." It was true then, and it's true now. I learned more about how tracking my heart rate is a good indicator of the benefits I'm getting from the exercise I'm doing, but I haven't worn any devices to monitor such things. And while I've had successes in fitness, I have wondered how wearing a pedometer, etc., would affect how I work out.

Why am I telling you this?

I'm so excited to be able to tell you about something that's helping me with my fitness goals for the year: I've been chosen as an ambassador for the #iheartomron Fitness Challenge with Mamavation! I applied in December and had to try reeeeeally hard to not get my hopes up as I waited for the announcement last week. As it turns out, almost 600 people applied, and yours truly has been chosen as one of the lucky 25. How lucky? Well, I'm going to be sharing how much weight I've lost each week (gulp!), but you guys are nice and will be encouraging about all of this, right? Of course right.

I'll be using a pedometer, scale, and strapless heart monitor from omronfitness.com, and reporting my results and experiences here (and on facebook, and twitter, and instagram, and pinterest . . . you know, like we do). This will be a great experience, and I'm looking forward to reporting back to YOU -- if you're reading this, you're helping to hold me accountable.

Do you have fitness and/or health goals for this year?

This post is sponsored by Omron Fitness as a collaboration with Bookieboo Blogging Networkand Mamavation – a community dedicated to weight loss for women and obesity prevention for families.  I was provided with product and compensation for my time and honest opinions.