Tag Archives: health

Favorite Things

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A quick post to share a few  of my latest finds:

1. Sometimes when I’m bored, I like to browse Etsy- it’s so fun to see how creative and crafty people are, and I like that my purchases support small business owners. I get lots of great ideas and have found many unique, quality products. Most recently I came across a shop called Firedaughter Clothing. The shop owner, Samya (also a mother and marathoner),  screenprints cute, catchy phrases onto sporty, sexy, sweat-worthy clothing. Here’s one of my favorites (and no, unfortunately that is not me in the photo, its the lovely owner, Samya):

You can visit Samya’s shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/FiredaughterClothing

2. I don’t know if my head is too big, too small or what- but in the past headbands have never worked for me. They always pop off my head as soon as I start to run- and even if I’m not running they give me a headache. When I saw a deal on Plum District  for Bani Bands ,  I was hesitant to buy, but after reading all of the good reviews for the product I decided to give them a try- I am so glad I did! I have worn these on several long runs and they don’t budge- not one bit! They have an adjustable elastic band at the back, grippy fabric that stays put and some really fun prints and colors to choose from. I’m not usually a “flashy” dresser, but when I run I like to step out of my comfort zone and wear bright colors- this band in particular goes with so many of my outfits, I’ve only had it a week and have worn it three times:

3. It’s so important to stay hydrated during exercise. Most of the time I drink plain water while I’m running, but if I’m going on a really long run, or if it’s hot outside, I like to drink something with electrolytes ( here is a good article that explains electrolytes, and how much you should be taking in during activity: http://www.active.com/nutrition/Articles/Electrolytes_101.htm. Most sports drinks contain a ton of sugar, or worse yet artificial sweeteners, and are therefore nothing I want to put in my body. During my first half marathon, they were passing out Ultima in addition to water. I had no idea what it was at the time, but I thought it tasted pretty good and it helped to keep me going during the race. When later on I looked it up, I was happy to see that Ultima contains no artificial ingredients or sugar. There are only 10 calories per serving and in addition to electrolytes, it contains vitamins and antioxidants. It is also Gluten free and Vegan friendly. My favorite flavor is Raspberry: I usually purchase Ultima from Vitacost, they have the best prices that I have found- not only on Ultima, but many health and fitness related products. You can also click on the photo above to go directly to the Ultima website.

We will  have lots more product recommendations for you in the future, and if you decide to try any of them please let us know what you think!

Reclaiming My Power

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Until I was 30 years old, my body had never failed me in any significant way.  I never had any major illnesses or injuries. I never had to battle my weight. I had never broken a bone. I was one of the lucky few that could call themselves healthy without even trying. It wasn’t until I was 32 weeks pregnant with my first child, lying in a hospital bed in pre-term labor that I knew what it felt like to be helpless and completely out of control.

Pregnancy was a beautiful time in my life.  I had never felt better- no morning sickness, minimal aches and pains, and an overall sense of peace and fulfillment. I passed every prenatal test with flying colors- no abnormalities, no high blood pressure, no gestational diabetes, nothing at all to indicate that I was at risk for preterm labor.  I had every reason to believe that I would have the birth that I so strongly desired: from the moment I found out that I was pregnant I began researching and planning and decided that I wanted a completely natural birth. I saw a midwife rather than a doctor,  hired a doula, sought out a hospital that had a birthing tub and took natural birthing classes. Although I had all of the normal apprehensions about labor, I looked at it as a challenge to myself to fully experience everything my body was capable of.

All of my plans went out the window, as they so often do, when I awoke one morning, having contractions much too early. I labored naturally for quite some time, but I was not ready and really scared- and eventually succumbed to interventions. My baby was born healthy, and for that I am obviously grateful- but I still mourned the loss of the experience that I felt I missed out on.

Two years later, pregnant again with my second child- I felt I had another chance to give birth the way I so desperately wanted. Again my body failed me. I was diagnosed with placenta previa halfway into my pregnancy and in the end had  the extreme opposite of everything I had hoped for, a C-Section. My baby was perfect in every way, but I was left with an emptiness knowing that I would never have another chance to “get it right”. Intellectually I understood that all that mattered was a healthy child, but the experience of a natural birth was something I had so wanted so badly that when it didn’t happen, twice, I felt like a complete failure.

The extreme disappointment I felt after those two experiences left me wanting to regain control of my body. I had stood on the sidelines at many of my husband’s races, and always thought how great it would feel if I participate, but for some reason never thought I could. Those feelings started to change when, by default, I started to run. I joined a new gym when we moved to  California, and the class offerings were very limited- as a result of that, I started running on the treadmill. (I’d run a little off and on in prior years, but never much more than 3 miles at a time) Each week, seeing my mileage go up and my pace go down, I started to realize that I was capable of doing much more than I had ever thought possible. My focus started to switch from the failures my body had endured, to the successes it was having and what else it could accomplish.

I decided to run my first half marathon last January. In the months leading up to the race, I had a ton of self- doubt. I was about to do something that I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would do- no matter how you slice it, running is hard. It takes dedication, motivation, and pushes you to the limit both physically and mentally.  I wasn’t even convinced that I could finish a 13.1 mile run, much less do it even remotely fast.

I finished that race it 2 hours and 10 minutes- not super fast, but not too bad for a mother of two small children that had only been running for a year. I never told them, but when I saw my family at the finish line I wanted to cry- not in pain, but because I was so proud of what I had done. Whether they knew it or not, I felt like I had done it for them too- I proved to myself and to my family that I was able to finish something that I had been determined to do. The satisfaction I felt that day helped to fill some of the hole that was still there from missing out on the births I had wanted. I’ve often heard people compare giving birth to running a marathon, and though I haven’t run a full one yet, I feel like I have at least gotten a taste of what I missed out on. I have pushed myself to the limit and been given the ultimate reward of regaining confidence in myself. I know now that my body is not weak, and I am not a failure- I am powerful in a way that I never knew I was.

Me and my girls after the Carlsbad Half Marathon, January 2012

why I run

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On occasion, someone will ask me why I run. Until recently I never knew how to answer that question- sure, there are the obvious reasons like staying in shape, having “me” time and  bettering my health overall- but I could do that with any other form of exercise.  I have really had to dig deep into my psyche to figure out why I, a person that could barely run a mile a few years ago, has chosen to run three half marathons this year. I mean, a person can run for exercise, but they don’t have to run 10+ miles at a time to do it- just a few miles several times a week would do the trick. So, I have thought long and hard about this and I’ve come to realize that running fills a void for me that was left after I became a mom.

In my previous life, I was a retail manager. By no means a glamorous or high paying job, I still loved it. I thrived in an environment that relied so strictly on meeting goals. Each week, every day, even every hour was dependent on reaching a number: store sales, department sales, average sale per customer and payroll dollars had to be figured and re-figured throughout the day. New strategies were devised several times during a shift depending on the previous hours results. Regardless of how much cleaning there was to do, or how much stocking needed to be done the goals still had to be met. I worked 50+ hour weeks, rarely had two days off in a row and had a boss that made me feel nauseous every time she walked through the door, but still I thrived on it and stayed for over 7 years.

I had not planned on quitting my job. Never considering myself the “stay at home mom” type, I thought I would take the standard 6 weeks off and then find a nice woman to leave my baby with during the day. Plans changed,  however, when I first held my tiny baby girl (born two months premature, but otherwise perfectly healthy)  in my arms. Nothing else mattered and I didn’t feel the need to prove myself in any other way, other than to be Sophie’s mommy.

I have since had another child, and although I am very content to stay home and be the cook, maid and chauffeur (not to mention companion, guide and comfort to my children), there is not exactly a lot of recognition associated with it. My husband is not the kind that thinks what I do is easy, but he also isn’t here all day to give me praise after I finish 5 loads of laundry, do the grocery shopping and pick up after the girls’ latest dress-up extravaganza. I believe that running is what has helped me hold onto the good parts of my former self while I go through the mundane, thankless ( and often joyous) motions of motherhood.

When I started running I had no agenda- with no particular goal in mind, I just got on a treadmill and hit “go”. It was very difficult for me at first- I huffed and puffed through two miles as if I’d gone twelve. Something made me keep doing it, when at any given time I could have gotten off and hopped on an elliptical machine instead, or stepped into a zumba or yoga class- it was the extreme sense of satisfaction I got when I was done. Seeing what I had accomplished laid out for me in terms of distance, average pace and time proved that I had done something really, really hard and made it to the end.

Running has taken the place of the performance reviews that I so dreaded in my working past- except now I am my own boss and I hold myself accountable for reaching the goals that I have set for myself. I no longer need to have someone telling me that I have done a good job- I can look back and see how much I have improved in distance and speed since I began. There is no doubt in my mind that I have done well when I can add a 13 mile run to the list of things I have done in a day. Recently I started following a training plan to help me run a sub- 2 hour half marathon in August, and there is a great satisfaction in being able to check off the days as if they were a to-do list. The more days I check, the more accomplished I feel and the closer I know I am to my goal.

Perhaps running doesn’t fit your personality quite as well as it does mine. You might prefer cycling which is also a very measurable activity, or maybe you are not at all concerned with numbers and would look forward to a relaxing yoga class. Maybe you are really outgoing and would love to go crazy in Zumba. Or maybe you just need to let out some stress by hitting the weight room several times a week. Whoever you are, there is an activity that will make you feel great about yourself when you do it- get out there and experiment- find out what will get you out of bed instead of hitting the alarm clock one more time. What will motivate you to get moving? What would you look forward to doing? Excercise doesn’t have to be a chore- it can be a very fulfilling addition to your schedule if you find something you really love. Like me, you might even rediscover a part of yourself that you have been missing.

Eating Clean- A Book Review

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Recently I read a book that may have changed my life forever- The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno. Please don’t be deceived by the title- this is not a fad diet (I would never endorse one of those), this is about changing the way you eat and maintaining it for the rest of your life. In the book was nothing that I didn’t already know deep down, but for some reason the information finally clicked for me and I wanted to put it into action.

I decided that I had been kidding myself into thinking that I was a healthy eater. I gave up most fast food when I was still in my twenties. I rarely drank sodas, I avoided obviously “bad“ foods like hot dogs and fried chicken- but after reading this book I realized that just because I eliminated certain foods from my diet, it didn’t mean that what I was eating was necessarily healthy.

Before I go any further I want to confess: I cannot claim to have fully embraced all of the recommendations that the author makes, but can say that I have made major changes- and will continue to make changes as time goes on.

A few of the main points that Tosca Reno makes in the book that I have taken to heart:

1. What you eat affects your physique much more than exercise does. This was a hard pill for me to swallow. For a while there I was running upwards of 30 miles per week and just couldn’t understand why my clothes kept fitting tighter and the scale continued to inch up. Now that I think about it, eating from the fabulous taco shops we have here in Southern California way too often were counteracting any miles I was racking up on the treadmill!

2. For many, many reasons, sugar is bad for you. And what’s worse, it’s in a lot more foods than you probably realize! I have become an aggressive label reader- if I see that something has any type of sugar, whether its high fructose corn syrup, natural sugar or even honey- I look for an alternative that doesn’t have it. What I am finding is that most processed foods of any kind contain sugar- and all sorts of other ingredients that I do not want in mine or my children’s bodies. You can avoid sugar, and all the other “junk”, by eating food in it’s most natural state- avoiding anything that has been processed.

3. Eat the right kinds of foods, more often. This one was really easy for me since I have always been a snacker. I am now in the habit of packing healthy snacks whenever I leave the house ( not just for the kids anymore!), and making sure I am eating a combination of protein and complex carbs every 2-3 hours. This keeps the metabolism moving, and also prevents overeating if I let myself get too hungry.

So, those are just a few of the basics from the book. The other thing I have been doing, which is more of a mental exercise, is asking myself these questions before I eat: “ What will this food do for my body? Will it provide me with the lasting energy I need to keep up with two preschoolers? Will it help me build the muscle I need run my first marathon? Am I going to feel good after I eat it?” If the answer to any of those questions is “no”, then I have to decide how badly I really want it, and why? If it’s a special occasion I certainly won’t deprive myself. But, let’s face it- most of the time when I get a craving for a cupcake or ice cream there is no occasion at all. And if I still choose to have it, at least I made an informed choice on what I am putting in my body, rather than just mindlessly eating food that has little or no nutritional value.

I started on the journey to eating clean just a few months ago, and I have already noticed significant changes in my body from the adjustments I have made. Although losing weight was not a goal of mine when I started this process, I have gotten leaner and the scale no longer fluctuates the 5 or so pounds that it used to. I firmly believe that by eating clean I will be able to maintain my ideal weight for the rest of my life and also be healthier and happier because of it. Eating clean is not about depriving yourself- it is about putting into your body what it needs to stay strong, fit and healthy for a lifetime.

My Running Story

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I never considered myself to be athletic and I am not particularly coordinated. About my sophomore year in high school, my idea of physical activity became shopping at the mall and talking on the phone with friends.  This sedentary lifestyle continued well into adulthood. It wasn’t until my late 20′s that I started to have any desire to exercise, and that was only after I noticed my metabolism slowing down, which resulted in adding on a few pounds.  Thus began my slow fitness journey.

So there I was, in my mid-20′s, experimenting with fad diets and finally deciding to join a gym. I was intimidated by all the gym equipment, with the exception of the treadmill. I didn’t want to go to a group class all by myself, so I decided to run. There was no rhyme or reason to how often or to what distance I ran, I just went when I felt like it and ran until I wanted to stop. For the next few years I was anything but consistent with exercising.  When I got pregnant with my first born I thought I had a free pass to eat whatever I wanted.  The only exercise I got was the short walk I took the dogs on.  After my son was born the weight came off fairly quickly.  Without much effort,  I was back down to my pre-pregnancy weight.  Shortly thereafter, I got pregnant with my daughter.  Again, I thought I had an excuse to eat whatever I wanted.  Since I was chasing a 2 year old around, I was a little more active than I was when I was pregnant with my son.  At first, the weight I gained while pregnant with my daughter started to come off pretty easily, but then I hit a wall with about 15 pounds to go. I was not running anymore, my gym membership had expired, and slowly the pounds started adding on.  At one point, I weighed as much as I did when I was 9 months pregnant with my son! As I moved up clothing sizes, I knew I had to do something, and so I began running sporadically. Then in March of 2010, Erika (who was living in Virginia at the time) and I decided to run a 5K together while she was home visiting. I enjoyed my race experience and it marked the first time I thought I could actually be a “runner”.

Inspired by my marathon running dad, I decided to sign up to run the 2011 Houston Aramco Half Marathon. Since he would be recovering from the Marine Corp Marathon that takes place a couple of months prior, my dad decided to forego the full and run the half with me. This time it was totally different, running had changed for me. Armed with a training plan and a goal, I found myself looking forward to my runs.  It had become “ME” time.  As with any type of training, there were challenges, including getting a horrible stomach bug about 3 weeks before the big race.  It was hard to recover from, but I had a fairly solid foundation of training and was able to complete my first half in a respectable 02:26:29.

Feeling great after finishing my 1st half-marathon with my dad – January 2011

Following this race is when I began to get serious about running. I started learning more about the sport. I took up cross-training with classes at my local YMCA, and I continued to run 5K’s for fun. I signed up to run the 2012 Aramco Half Marathon, with the goal of running a sub 2:00.  I started a training plan and was on schedule to do so, when I went off track for a couple of reasons – one of them being an unexpected trip to Guam for my sweet grandma’s funeral.  It was a very long trip, but I was able to get in a long run and a couple of short runs.  I even ran a 5K with my family members in honor of my grandma.  It was one of the most fulfilling races I have run because it was with the people I love in honor of an amazing woman.

Me and my family on Guam after the Spirit 5K. We all wore purple arm & wristbands in honor of my grandma, whose favorite color was purple – January 2012

I returned home from a 16 hour flight, 3 days before the half.  Since I was dealing with jet lag, my goal changed from a sub 2:00 to beating my time from last year.  Luckily, my months of speed training payed off and I completed the race with a PR (personal record) of 2:08:07.  Invigorated by this race, I planned on running the full marathon in 2013.  As I mentioned before, I am expecting my 3rd child,  so I put this dream on hold for now.

Me and my friend Eliza after finishing the Houston Aramco  Half Marathon – January 2012

I don’t know when it happened, but at some point along the way running & working out changed from something I had to do into something I wanted to do.  If I don’t get a run or workout in, I feel bad. Not because I didn’t go, but because my body and mind literally crave it.  The more I run, the better I feel. It has helped me in so many ways and parts of my life, including empowering me.  I honestly can’t imagine how I ever lived the life I did before all this.

A Family Affair

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My kids have grown up thinking that physical activity is just another part of life- practically since birth they have been going to the childcare at the gym while Mommy takes a class, or tagging along with Daddy in a bike trailer while he rides the trails. A normal Saturday for us might be taking a trip to the running store for a new pair of shoes, or picking one parent up at the end of a long run and then having a family breakfast. They have been spectators at many a race, and always get excited seeing Mommy or Daddy cross the finish line. They think, like all small children do, that their parents are the best and always want to know if we won! (no, we never win- but we don’t mind if they think we did!)         

Now that we are past the baby stage with my youngest, I have started looking for acitivities that we can  participate in as a family. Running seemed like a logical place to start, so several months ago I did a Google search for family fun runs in our area. Luckily I came across the Run Like A Mother website ( http://www.runlikeamotherrace.com/ ) and found that they were hosting a women’s Mother’s Day 5k close to my home, with an accompanying kids 1 mile race.

My girls were so excited about the idea of running a race with Mommy! My oldest ( 4 yrs) talked about it for weeks- she told all of her friends and teachers at preschool what we were going to do on Mother’s Day, and repeatedly wanted me to verify that she would get a medal at the end (a medal is VERY important when you are 4).

Me and my girls in our new race outfits

When the day of the race finally came, the three of us put on our new running skirts, numbers and timing chips ( the organizers of the race made the kids 1 mile just like the real deal- timed age groups and all) and let my husband chauffer us to our first family running event. This race was great from start to finish- they had an instructor led yoga warm up for the kids before the race started and I have to say, seeing my girls try so hard to stand in Warrior Pose was a very proud mommy moment. The girls had such a great time running the kids 1 mile- they both surprised me by running most of the way (I pushed the jogging stroller just in case, and only had to use it to go up a small hill on the course). Of course, the highlight for them was receiving a ribbon at the end- they really felt as though they had “won”. (neither seemed to mind that they didn’t get an actual medal!)

The girls trying to perfect their yoga poses

Proud finishers of the kids 1 miler!

As for the 5k, it was a really lovely women’s only event- all shapes, sizes, ages and abilities were represented. It had been a long time since I had run a race at that distance, and I must admit that I did not feel that great. I am not used to pushing myself so hard, so I really thought that I was running close to 10 minute miles. I remember about ¾ of the way through, I saw my kids and husband cheering me on, and before I passed them I was thinking to myself “Come on, Erika, Speed Up! Give them a show!”- at that point I was finally able to pass the woman I had been trailing for the entire race.  To my surprise, I finished the race in 24 min 12 seconds- a personal record for me and a time that really makes me feel validated as a runner. Never in my life would I have expected to run sub 8 minute miles! Having my family there made all the difference in my motivation and self confidence.

And here I am at the end of the 5k, speeding up to make my kids think I’m really fast!

I plan on making the Run Like a Mother race a yearly tradition in my family, but I am certainly not going to make that the only thing we do all year. I am already looking into more races we can do together- and I also want to make sure we trying new things too. With the beautiful weather we have been having, I hope to start going on some nature walks with the girls, visiting the pool at my sister’s apartment, and also doing some mommy and me classes at our YMCA. If you are not a runner, even if you have never run a mile in your life- I encourage you to sign up for something with your family. A 5k race is a great place to start- with a little training, 3.1 miles is a very doable distance for almost anyone. Look for one in your town that encourages kids participation, and if they are a little older  you could even get them to train and run with you. There is a great training plan called couch-to-5k that many people have had success with- you can get the training plan for free here ( http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml).

Getting active together as a family is good for our physical health, brings us closer together and it is also a whole lot of fun ! These are memories that we will cherish for the rest of our lives, and I hope that this encourages you to start making healthy memories as a family too!

About Us

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My name is Erika- I am a stay at home mom of two preschool age girls. I am not crafty, I am not an aspiring gourmet chef, I can’t teach you how to save a fortune by clipping coupons, nor am I very organized. Actually, I am probably alot like you- a mom doing her best to raise healthy, happy children while not losing herself in the process.

Since having children, my health has become incredibly important to me. Not only do I want to be a good example for my girls, but I also want to do everything I can to ensure that I am around for them as long as possible. In recent years, I have taken up running as my primary source of excercise- in the blog you will learn how badly I hated running most of my life, and how I finally learned to enjoy it. You will also read about my struggles with food- I am a picky eater who wants desperately to eat and enjoy clean, nutritious foods and cut out all of the junk. You will probably also hear about my slight obsession with Lululemon, my love of reading, my frustrations with home remodeling and of course, my beautiful daughters and fantastic husband!

Erika, covered in mud after the SoCal Warrior Dash – March 2012


My name is Christina- I have been married to a wonderful man for 12 years and we have two (soon to be three) beautiful kids who are my world.  I am a professional photographer who loves coffee, reading, shopping, and going antiquing. I may or may not have a small obsession with Pinterest, Instagram, Lululemon, and my iPhone. I mean really, how did one ever live without these things?

Although I come from a family of runners, I wasn’t a runner myself until a couple of years ago.  Since then, I have run numerous 5K’s and 2 half marathons. I had plans to train and run a full marathon in 2013, but that had to be put on hold for baby #3. I also enjoy staying fit by cross-training with classes at my local YMCA.  Right now my biggest challenge is realizing the limitations of pregnancy, while coming to terms with what I can and cannot do.  I am by no means an expert on running, fitness, or healthy eating. In fact, I learn something almost daily and my hope is to share these things with you through this blog.

Christina, 12 weeks pregnant with baby #3 – April 2012


The two of us met in kindergarten in Houston, TX and managed to stay friends even when thousands of miles separated us. Though we currently aren’t close in distance (Christina is back in Texas and Erika is now living in Southern California), we are actually closer than ever now that we are both moms. We share texts and emails nearly every day, and  decided to start this blog together because quite often our discussions are about the same things: how to stay fit and healthy while juggling family obligations and raising kids.

We both seemed to start taking a greater interest in our health at the same time, which more or less, began with our first 5K that we ran together.

Erika & Christina after the 1st 5K they ran together – Houston Area Women’s Center 22nd Annual Race Against Violence – March 2010

We had both given birth to two children, and like many moms were struggling to get our bodies back into shape. After this race, we both started running more- Christina ran her first half marathon the following year, and Erika followed suit the year after that. We also both started paying closer attention to nutrition, and placing a greater emphasis on our health in general.

Each of us has come a long way since then, although we are still most definately works in progress. We hope you will enjoy this blog, our  labor of love- and also hope that you find some inspiration in our struggles and triumphs.