Tag: holiday

Goodbye 2023, Hello 2024

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle, Holidays, kids, life, running, training, Uncategorized

And somehow another year is coming to an end. So many great memories:

My little girl turned 1
Lots of training runs with my babies
Fun beach trip
First half Marathon since marriage and babies
Disneyland!

I ran 351.6 miles this year, my highest mileage ever. I am very proud of that. Marathon/half Marathon training was a BIG contributor to that so as much as I would love to say I want to strive for even more in 2024 I don’t know that that is realistic. We shall see. We will call that a thought to keep in my head rather than a goal.

Unfortunately with all that running I did not lose a single pound. I will take a saying from a podcast I have been listening to called ‘Homeschool Together’ when they talked about their fitness and weight loss journey is “you cannot outrun your fork” And I literally did not outrun my fork.

I have two major problems that are probably tied for first place. 1) portion size 2) eating out.

My biggest not resolution or even necessarily goal, but lifestyle change for 2024 and onward is to really tackle those two issues. My portion control and to stop eating out, especially fast food.

My 3-year-old has discovered he loves fried rice from Panda Express and both my kids like most children love nuggets and fries from McDonald’s. So they are constantly asking for this. Well, my three-year-old is constantly asking for this. I say no a lot but even once a week adds up very fast. There is hardly a week where we don’t drive through someplace at least once.

My two big tools to help with these changes are my daily step goal and calorie tracking.

It is amazing how many days I don’t get over three or four thousand steps a day even chasing after two kids. So it’s time for me to start being really intentional with my steps and my movement. I started this about a week ago and I missed one day which was yesterday when I felt like death. Because yes we are all sick AGAIN. And both kids have ear infections AGAIN!

I’m not sure anybody enjoys calorie counting. It can be tedious, but honestly calories in calories out is how you lose weight especially in the beginning. As my weight goes down, I may focus a little more on macros and the amount of protein I take in and things like that, but it’s time to just put on my big girl panties and countless calories. I’m not going to be incredibly tedious about counting my calories. Like every single bite that goes in my mouth will probably not be tracked perfectly. But big picture tracking is what I’m going for so that it’s sustainable and honest.

I do have fitness goals like most people. It’s not so much about the new year’s resolution, it’s just the next phase in my life. Currently I have Beachbody on demand. I’m going to be canceling that before it renews I think in April because it’s just not working for me right now. 30 minute workout videos are difficult for me to get through with the kids. They are running around jumping on me which is fun and funny but makes it difficult to get a true workout in and 30 minutes is a long time to ask them to let me be at this age unless I get up before them. But at least one of my kids is usually up by 6:30 in the morning so getting a workout in and showering before they get up is probably not sustainable. I am going to try and look for like a 15 minute weight workout that I can do. I think that’s a much more realistic time frame for me. And I’m going to continue running with kids and without them. My current goal is going to be to get my mile time down and then increase the amount of miles that I can do at that time frame.

Because my running has been so stop and start since the half marathon between coming home and resting a little bit and ALL the sickness that we have had my current mile time with the double stroller, because I’m doing run walk intervals, is 17 minutes and without the double stroller the last time I clocked a mile I think I was around 12:40. I would love to get down to at least a 10 minute mile and be able to sustain that for about 3 miles and then eventually continue to decrease that. If I can get down to like a 9 minute mile that would be freaking amazing but I have to be realistic with myself too and see how it goes.

I will NOT be staying up until midnight tonight to watch the ball drop so HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!/Monday motivation!

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle, school/studying

 


Today is day 1, make this the year of you, the year you have always wanted to have, lose the weight, pay off debt, let the walls down, deal with your depression or other illness, travel, do whatever you want. With the right attitude you can do it! I promise anything is possible, if you want it bad enough you will find a way and the universe will bring it to you. I mean I just came back from 18 days in Europe a few months ago, I am going to school to be a nurse, I am spending my life with the man I love, I live paycheck to paycheck currently and also managed to pay off a credit card last year!!!!! Yes it was my smallest one but every thing counts!!! If you want to make a change, take charge and do it.

I hope you have a great day and realize all the amazing things this next year holds for you.

Week 2 marathon training:

 

Not gonna lie, nothing happened this week. I took full advantage of using the holiday as an excuse and sat on my butt. My roommates were out of town so I enjoyed the empty house and binged on TV. I also rationalized that school is starting soon and workouts are going to get longer to enjoy this week of total laziness.

My 2018 goals (resolutions seems like a word that means you aren’t really going to stick with them so these are goals!!! AND I will achieve my goals!)

  1. Blog at least 3 times a week
  2. PROPERLY train for and run a half, full and ultra marathon
  3. revamp my diet and STICK TO IT!!!! (I am going to do a post about this soon)
  4. Get A’s in all my classes this year.
  5. Drop two clothing sizes, go from a 10 to a 6.
  6. Stop overspending!!!! I am terrible about sticking to my budget, I have stopped over drafting and am paying off debt but I could be in such a better place if I didn’t spend so frivolously.
  7. Take a few minutes everyday to sit in quiet reflection, meditate, do something spiritual.
  8. Continue to work on and grow my relationship with Brandon
  9. To read 1 non-school book a month. I had originally wanted to do 1 a week then thought about it and changed it to every other week but now I think it will be 1 a month to be safe. I have a 40 hour work week, 6 hours of classes a week, another probably 4-6 hours of school work a week, in a few months I will have a 2 hour/day commute, training for my runs and house work.

In a few days I will post about breaking these down in to manageable goals which will help them be more attainable.

New Years Eve!!!!

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle

Be safe, have fun, spend the night the way you want to spend it! Live it up and let the stress, drama and crap of the last 365 days go away, tomorrow you start fresh. Enjoy!!!

 

I will probably be watching the ball drop on the east coast at 9pm my time on the internet lol. I have to be up tomorrow morning at 5:40am to get to work by 7am. The boyfriend is going to keep me company. This will probably be the first year, since I can remember, that I will not stay up until midnight and ring in the new year…….I guess I am getting old, or maybe just responsible. Who wants to work on 5 hours sleep?

Running report and catch-up

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, training

Good morning! For a little catch-up after the holiday week.

I got out for a run on Monday after work, the rain held off just long enough and I managed to make it out the door just a few minutes after I got home so I got the last bit of sunlight. Pretty sunset huh?

I am pretty happy with my running times lately. I have been trying to push hard during my intervals without totally killing myself.

My bestie in Nevada and I really miss each other so we have decided that 3 times a year we will meet in the middle for a “date night” hahahahahaha basically an all night girly gab fest where we will stay at a cheap AirBnB. Man AirBnB has made doing things like this so much easier, we get a little apartment with a kitchen so we don’t have to eat out and you can read reviews so you know its a nice little place to stay and it is totally easy to find places for $50, 60, or 70. We already have our first date weekend planned, I am so excited! By putting $20/month (or more if I can spare it) in this little jar that will take care of my half of the room and some gas money and a little food money. It is so important to put time and effort into your friendships if you want them to last.

 

My Thanksgiving, I had to work but I got my butt out for a run as soon as I got home!

It was really pretty out!

Artemis was pretty happy we got outside too.


I really enjoyed my last pumpkin spice latte of the year.

Enjoyed this awesome view on my lunch at work, the river looked amazing with the mist all around it.

 

 

We went a little all out for breakfast on Friday hahahaha. I had some apples from the boyfriends grandparents farm so I sautéed them in some butter, brown sugar and maple syrup to make a little fall apple syrup for my pancakes, it tasted like apple pie!

Juice Saturday morning for breakfast to counteract all the bad eating.


All in all I got 3 runs in which is better than last week. Now lets home this week, I can find a few dry moments to get some runs in as well! Wish me luck!

How was your thanksgiving?

Did you get any workouts in over the holidays?

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle

I hope your day is filled with love, light, laughter, friends, family and of course way too much amazing food!!!!

My thanksgiving is not quite what I had hoped. My schedule at work just changed 2 weeks ago so today is my Friday at work and yes, I am working. I was invited to Thanksgiving with the BF’s family but there are eating at 1 and I now work until 3:30pm and wouldn’t even get there until 5 with the drive and needing to go home to let the dogs out first so no Thanksgiving for me this year. I did stop and get a Starbucks though this morning so that is nice.

My idea Thanksgiving would be a turkey trot in the AM then lots of family and food……one day.

What does your Thanksgiving look like?

Veteran’s day and running report

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, training

Happy Veteran’s Day!!!!! Thank a veteran today in some way!!! I probably wouldn’t be able to blog about everything I do if we didn’t have wonderful people who fought for our freedom. Regardless of how you feel about the military or politics these people fought for us.

Meal prep

Longest video ever hahahahahaha

Running this week:

Sunday: Rest day

Monday: 1.53 miles. Couch to 5k week 3 day 3

Tuesday: Rest Day

Wednesday: 1.89 miles Couch to 5k week 4 day 1

Thursday: Rest Day

Friday: Rest Day ( I over slept and ran out of time)

Saturday: 1.9 miles + 10 minutes of strength training Couch to 5k week 4 day 2

Happy Halloween!!!!!

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle


(Images from google)

Happy Halloween!!!! Today is my favorite holiday!!!! Unfortunately I have to work tonight which is super depressing, adulting blows sometimes lol.

Went for a run and it was cold! The wind dropped the temp a few degrees so I had planned on wearing this

and changed to this…..long sleeves, also do you love my bed head hahaha

Got my best time to 8:11!!!!!!!!!!!! still only a 90 second interval but still! That is rock’em sock’em fast for me.

Kept a good heart rate for me, was dying a little at the end hahaha

Now for more Halloween fun.

Halloween is fun and magical and mysterious and wonderful. Today people remember/believe that the impossible may be possible. This is also the day that the veils between the world of the living and dead are the thinnest. Remember a loved one that has passed today and set out a cup of juice, wine or beer for them and give them a toast. It is the perfect day to remember my dad since his birthday was yesterday, I love and miss you always dad.

Service announcement: remember to keep all your black fur babies inside tonight, especially cats! There are cruel people out there that love to hurt/kill black animals tonight so be vigilant!

Other than that have fun tonight, be safe and remember, there is a little magic in all of us…………

I hope you have a great night!

Have fun and be safe!!!!

Back home

by Ariana Peters, posted in food, healthy lifestyle, training

I had an amazing time, obviously hahaha, but it is so good to be home. But I am not going to lie it took a few weeks for me to get back into my normal rhythm. Even now I am just starting to get a running regimen back down. And even with taking melatonin and not sleeping on the flight back, it took a good week to get back to a normal sleep pattern.

I am taking all the puppy cuddles I can get. I missed my little girl so much but she did pretty good which is awesome.

I am taking all the cuddles and fun I can get from my man as well. I missed him a lot. I can’t wait to travel with him.

We had a fun fall day of taking a country drive, picked out pumpkins, ate some caramel corn, and carved pumpkins while watching “Pet Cemetery”. Oh and the boyfriend made an AMAZING roast that I have been living on for the past week. Finally finished the last bit for lunch today.

He makes me pretty happy.

Trying to get back to smoothies or juice for breakfast. Been using the bits and pieces that I have to make it all though, I need to get a good grocery shopping trip in soon.

Got my run on. The days right now are pretty nice. I anticipate another run tomorrow.

Using C25k (couch to 5k) to get my butt moving and in the groove again. Fun fact: this is how I started running in the first place! It is a free app, you should try it!!! Thankfully it isn’t as hard this time as it was my first time hahahaha, but now instead of struggling to finish 60 seconds of jogging I am struggling by making myself run a few minutes faster than I normally would so I am still winded by the 3rd interval hahaha and never quite recover completely until the end.

Enjoying the foliage here in Oregon………or should I say the death of the trees. It’s so pretty!!!!!

And yes, I am enjoying my fair share of pumpkin spice coffee!!!!!

Grandparent’s day!!!

by Ariana Peters, posted in healthy lifestyle, Uncategorized

Shout out to my amazing grandmother!!!! Just like my amazing mom that I talked about on mother’s day my grandma is one for the books. She is the matriarch of our family in the true sense of the word, we all visit and gather around her. For someone who has been alive for 90 years she is surprisingly forward thinking, like my mother she does not judge people she only supports. It is no wonder that I have such an amazing mother when she was raised by such an amazing person.

I was lucky enough to grow up in a very warm, loving family and I think it is in most part to this wonderful woman who had a hand in raising us all, either directly or indirectly.

Remember that life is fleeting and you never know what tomorrow holds, tell the people you love how you feel, reach out to someone today and tell them that you love them.