and, i'm back

i know you all missed me :) sorry i've been mia for a while, but things with work and life got a little busy this week. but here i am, and i'm hoping this will be a better week!

exercise

i managed to get in a few decent workouts this week, including a great speed workout at my running class on tuesday night in central park.

we did intervals:

• 1 mile (on the 110th st. hills!)
  
• 1/2 mile
• 1/2 mile
• 1/4 mile
• 1/4 mile

my stomach was bothering me a bit, so i feel like i could have pushed a bit harder, but it was still a great workout. it always is- every tuesday i leave class feeling totally exhausted and beat, but great. it's a little sick, i know.

wednesday i got in some strength with a total body conditioning class at the gym, and thursday i took as a rest day, since i did my long run friday.

thursday was also the worst day ever in nyc, weather-wise at least. it was pouring rain all day, and really just blah. i feel like everyone was in a really weird mood because of it, including me!

since thursday was pretty much a bust, friday was the busiest day ever! i still had to fit in my long run since i couldn't make it to team for kids saturday, so i went to the gym after work. i know, i know treadmill running is awful, but it was really the only way i could make it work since i still had some other errands and stuff to do after that.

anyway, it was a bit of a disaster. i was having stomach issues again (more on that later) and i was exhausted from a crazy busy day. i ran at 8:49 minute mile pace, and it wasn't great. well, the first 3 miles about were ok. then i had to stop for a bathroom break, and it was hard to get back into it. i stopped every mile to get off the treadmill for a water break, and i called it a day after 5 miles.

oh well, not every workout is a winner, and not every week is a good week. i'm still glad that i fit in a run, and that i tried to push the pace (aka didn't slown down to 10 minute miles- it's not that long of a run yet that i can justify doing that).

today i may try and head to the gym a little later either for a yoga class, or an elliptical workout and some weights. still trying to keep the running balanced with cross training, especially because to throw another log on the fire, my right hip has now started bothering me :(

boy, i guess this really isn't my week! i hate to be whiney though, so i'm trying to keep a positive outlook.

eats

this week wasn't the best for me food-wise either. when i get super stressed, it usually gets harder for me to eat healthfully, although in reality it's probably when it counts the most to have a healthy diet!

i definitely noticed that this week. i wasn't great about making sure to eat enough fruit and veggies, and i ate a little here and there of things i don't normally, and it really affected me. more bagels, less cereal or oats. more random snacks (i.e. a handful or 2 of m&ms, less fruit). more eating out in general. not enough water throughout the day, more alchohol than usual.

because of this, a lot of days this week my stomach was upset, and i definitely could tell my body was affected by my choices.

still, i feel like it definitely made me aware of how my body does respond to what i put in it, and it made me realize that it's important to listen to my body, which i'm getting better at every day.

i'm still glad i was able to hold up some of my goals for the healthy life month challenge.

• i still haven't been using any artificial sweetener
• have incorporated much more whole grain into my diet
• have been eating less meat.

areas that are still challenging for me are:

• dairy (i can't help it, i love cheese!)
• soy products
• white flour/sugar.

but even so, i haven't had any milk since the start of the challenge except for almond milk. i cut back on soy except for tofu cream cheese, and i have greatly limited my intake of white flour and try to cut back on sugar where i can.

it's all a work in progress :)

alright, hope everyone has a lovely sunday!