My Favorites of 2009, Part I

Good evening! Tomorrow is my last day of work until January 4th- after Christmas Bri and I are heading down to Virginia Beach and we get to spend the week together! So excited. We haven't spent more than four days together consecutively since he left for boot camp last September ('08).

Yoga was excellent tonight. I know it isn't hot yoga (it's a vinyasa flow class) but damn, the studio gets super hot. I dig! For whatever reason I was having a harder time doing the balancing poses on my right side. Kelle said that it was probably one of the best classes she has ever attended! I'm so happy to have found this place.

So I was thinking about the past year. On New Year's day 2009 I resolved to finally run a 5k. I had made this resolution for oh, the past five or six years. I had never been a runner, so the 5k seemed like the epitome of healthiness to me. However, I never took any steps to implement my goal; it was just something I thought and then subsequently forgot about. I am so happy to say that this year was different.

Bri and I got engaged in February 2009, and I think a lot of people attribute my newfound working out/eating well habits to "wanting to look good for the wedding". Well, I would be lying if I said I didn't want to look good on my wedding day, but that is not the driving factor behind my new lifestyle. Bri was and is a huge source of inspiration (but again, that's a story that deserves its own post) but, quite frankly, I was tired of being skinny fat. I was tired of not being able to do one "girly" pushup with proper form. I was tired of not being able to run around the track at the Y without feeling winded. I was tired of people's looks of shock when they found out I had high cholesterol, because how could I be thin but have such an unhealthy condition? I was tired of inaction; I wanted to change for me. I wanted to live a long, happy, healthy life with my future husband. Sitting around eating cheez-its was not going to help me achieve that goal.

These were the thoughts that were swimming around my head when I made the decision to start training for my first 5k. Taking those first steps in May were painful but inspiring. The training acted as a gateway to fun, new, active activities and healthier eating.

So, what helped me along the way? I have come across so great, new (to me!) things that have assisted me in my, for lack of a better term, journey.

1). Jillian Michaels
Oh Jillian (or Jilly as Kristin likes to call her), you have kicked my assets many a time. Because of you, I was able to do my first real pushup! When I first did the shred, I thought I was going to pass out. Then I moved on to No More Trouble Zones- now that is no joke! I have to admit, I am slightly put off by your recent "selling out"... supplements? Come on now. It's okay though; you'll always have a place in my fitness heart.

2. My iTouch

I absolutely LOVE my iTouch. I especially learned this after I took it running in the rain and found that technology and the rain do not mix. I felt lost without my couch to 5k podcasts! So much so that I had to purchase another one. Expensive lesson to learn.

3. My coldgear running hood:

This is a recent addition to my running aresenal, but a definite necessity. The hood enables me to continue running outside in the winter without freezing to death, which is awesome. In all actuality, I really enjoy the fresh air while running and I would be less inclined to go running in the sub-freezing temps without the hood.

4. Cold gear shirts Once mid to late fall hits, it gets a bit nippy in upstate New York. The coldgear shirts are fantastic at keeping me warm without making me feel constricted.

5. Dark Chocolate

I don't really have a sweet tooth but I love me some dark chocolate. A square of dark chocolate and a glass of red wine while relaxing before bed is the perfect indulgence for me. Because it's all about moderation, right? ;)

What inspired you to live a healthy lifestyle? What products have assisted you along the way?

Stay tuned for Part II of my 2009 favorites!