The Lab

Wow. Thank you so much for all of the supportive comments and well wishes. You guys are amazing! I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am right now about our new location. It is unreal. I will for sure give a detailed tour of the place. However, for now...here is a little teaser.

Goodbye Elevate! You have been OH so good to me.

Today is a really bittersweet day for me. I mentioned a few weeks ago that there were some changes in store for me as far as work is concerned and today those changes kick in.
Today is my last day working at Elevate Fitness & Rehab.

I have been at Elevate since October 2007. I began training in April of 2007 and the company that I started with merged with Elevate later that year. There has been a lot of stretching and growing in my career there, and I have loved it SO much.

I have worked with incredible fitness professionals that have taught me and allowed me to share with them all of the knowledge I've accumulated. I have the best clients in the world. There is no question there.

This past month there has been some changes made at Elevate which has given me the opportunity to look at where I want to be in my Career. I was presented with the opportunity to stay at Elevate or to explore some new options. I have decided to go with Cody, one of the best trainers I know, and help in opening up a new private training studio. I will be taking all of my clients with me, which makes this transition exciting for not just me, but for those that have put their trust in my abilities. I have some clients that will have now been with me at three separate gyms. Aren't they the best? I am one lucky gal! We will be working with brand new top of the line equipment that will enable me to expand my creative and torturous juices in a whole new arena. :)

I will certainly miss all of the fabulous people at Elevate, and I have loved the friendships and bonds that I have formed there. However, I cannot wait to try something new on for size. THE LAB is the name of our new location, and let me just warn you...It's gonna be BOMB. I can't wait to show it to you!!!

Wish US luck! :) xoxoxo

Do What You're Told.

Today I got to go to the dentist. Aren't I lucky? I actually really like my dentist. He is a family friend, and he does a really great job. I just don't like the dentist in general. Make sense? Good. So today was time for the fabulous bi-annual check up, in which the hygienist tells me I need to floss more and then sends me out the door with a return appointment to get my cavity(s) filled. Dread.

Well, at my last cleaning, my hygienist and I got into a conversation about how I should floss more, which lead into a conversation about how she should exercise more. We both began to laugh a little, and promised that next time we saw each other we would DECIDE to do what we were told. It's kinda funny how our jobs are fairly similar.
At her job, she gives people the preventative advice they need to save themselves the pain of cavities and mouth issues. Those people then go forward deciding if they want to brush, floss, etc. They know that if they would floss and brush everyday they will be more than likely to remain cavity-less.
At my job, I give my clients advice they need to lose weight, achieve positive health, feel better, and look better. They then leave with the information I give them and decide if they want to follow or not. They know if they do so, they will see positive results. If they don't, things will either stay the same or possibly worsen.

WELL. I will have you know...since my last cleaning, I took her challenge to heart. I did what I was told. I flossed every night, and brushed with my Sonicare. I put the good habits the dentist recommended into practice. I felt reeeaal good going into my appointment today knowing I did what I was told to do. I didn't have to cross my fingers, and hope that my few days last ditch efforts at flossing made up for the prior six months I hadn't flossed. (Let's be clear that I am an obsessive teeth-brusher. Call me a germ-a-phobe, but I don't like putting my hands in my mouth...hence...I hate flossing.)

Good news...All my hard work paid off. Aside from one minor little spot he was worried about, the Doc said he could tell my flossing and brushing habits were MUCH better. YAY! The hygienist confessed that she felt bad she hadn't lived up to her end of the deal, and next time I came in she was going to be able to report that she had been exercising four times a week.

BOTTOM LINE: 
- I still don't like the dentist.
- When you put the principles of good habits into action...good things happen.
- Consistency with GOOD habits will help you to achieve positive results. AKA: You can't floss the night before the dentist and expect them not to notice your plaque buildup. You can't exercise for one day and expect your weight to drop dramatically the next day. It just DOES NOT work that way. Consistency. 
- Do what you are told. (when you know it is good advice)

What positive practices have you turned into good habits? Do you hate going to the dentist as much as I do?

See Megan Run: 12 Miler and splitting long runs & rewards

I had a busy weekend and knew I was going to have to do my 12 mile long run on Friday this week instead of Saturday. I also knew this was going to be tricky to figure out because I had some things going on Friday that made my timing a long run difficult. I finally figured out I would have time to squeeze in 4.5 miles in between morning clients, and then 7.5 right when I got done training. I was somewhat worried about splitting up the miles, but I ended up being SO glad I did. Both segments of my run went AWESOME.
My goal pace from my training schedule was 9:50 minute miles, and I ended up doing 9:40 for 9.5 of the miles and 9:00 for the other 2.5.

Fuel: I had cereal suicide for breakfast. A mixture of Kashi Go Lean Crunch, Special K protein plus, and Raisin Bran.

After my 4.5 I had to go back to training clients, and somewhere in between training and my next segment of running I had a piece of Kamut bread with some peanut butter and honey. It did the trick. 

I was really nervous about this 12 miler because my 10 miler wasn't my favorite. This run was a whole different story. Aside from some chafing under my arms, (I had some chamois butter, but I didn't take the time to put it on...I wished I would have) the run felt so good. My joints, muscles, insides all felt great. It reminded me that I actually do like to run sometimes. Let's hope that keeps up. :) 

I rewarded myself with a pedicure. My feet were very pleased. I am all about rewards for good efforts!

Setting goals, and giving yourself non-food rewards like pedicures, new music, a massage, or a new shirt can make reaching those small goals a lot more exciting! They are a great way to celebrate accomplishments. Map out the goals you have for yourself whether it be with weight loss, nutrition, race times, etc and determine what your rewards will be when you reach those milestones! 

SO...about splitting up my run. I was super nervous that this might defeat the whole purpose of doing a long run. I did some research on doing so, and these were the pros and cons I found.

CONS:

- There is a part of marathon training that is very mental. Being able to talk yourself through long runs is definitely a part of that mental preparation. 

- Physically, long runs are a necessary part of your preparation as well. There is something important about logging the necessary miles.

- You don't have two segments of time to complete a marathon.

PROS: 

- Dividing up a long run can help mentally. Sometimes knowing you are running a shorter distance makes getting those runs in much easier. 

- There are a lot of studies that show that splitting up mileage in a day can be beneficial. It allows you to get your miles in without fully letting your muscles recover, so you are still receiving the same effect.

- It can help to prevent injury for slower runners. Speedy runners can pound out a lot more mileage in two hours than slower runners can. Many marathon experts discourage runs over 2.5 hours in marathon training, regardless of the speed and mileage. 

My thoughts?
Well, running an actual marathon doesn't depend wholly on one long run. It is an accumulation of correct training over a long period of time. This being said, I think there definitely is necessity in having long runs so that you can mentally and physically experience what they feel like, and recognize what you need to do to prepare to get through them. BUT, I think there is nothing wrong with splitting a few long runs here and there. It can make some of those days when the long runs seem impossible a lot more manageable. In talking to some of the AVID marathoners I work with they agreed.

What are your thoughts? Have you ever split up your long runs into segments? Do you have rewards for your goals? You should!!

February Mix Giveway Winner!

Happy Saturday! It's time to announce February's Mix giveaway winner...

drumroll...

and the winner is......... Ashley from Ash & Diz!
She said, "my fav love song... is probably 'the dance' by garth brooks. or anything by josh groban. or adele. ;)" 
I LOVE all those options! Email me and I'll get you your tunes girlie!! :) Congrats! xoxoxo Megs


For other workout playlists click HERE.

Homemade Whole Grain Kamut Bread

My clients are totally awesome. Not only are they fabulous people, but they are always sharing their good finds with me. If they find something delicious that is healthy and new, they will sometimes bring me a sample of it to get my stamp of approval. One of my clients has been talking about how she has the best whole wheat bread recipe ever, and I had to try it. I am always willing of course, so I asked her for the recipe. Not only did she bring me the recipe, but she brought me some freshly ground Kamut flour that the recipe calls for. I am not going to lie, I had never even heard of Kamut flour...so, I had to do some research.

Kamut flour is a kind of whole wheat flour that comes from the Kamut grain. This type of flour isn't going to be in all typical grocery stores. You are more likely to find it at a health food store. I am not quite sure where my client bought it, but I do know that she ground the wheat herself before she brought it to me.

Some AWESOME facts I learned about Kamut flour...
- It contains 40% more protein than regular flour. Awesome. You know I love this. (In 1/4 a cup there is 4 grams.)
- It has a sweeter taste to it which means you can cut down on the amount of sugar you use with it when Baking.
- It has a naturally buttery flavor which makes the taste of whatever you are making delicious.
- It is high in fiber. (In 1/4 a cup of Kamut flour there is 4 grams)
- Those who have an allergy to regular wheat can usually tolerate Kamut a lot better.
Basically it is a better tasting whole wheat flour.

Isn't that just pretty? It is SO. DANG. TASTY too. 

Whole Grain Kamut Bread
(Recipe from: Hall and Gibson)
This recipe makes 4 medium loaves

Grind 9 cups of Kamut on medium/fine setting
gently combine together:
3 1/2 cups warm water (105-110 degrees)
2/3 cup honey
4 cups Kamut flour
2-2 1/2 TBS instant yeast

Turn mixer on speed 1 and add in:
3 cups Kamut flour
3 TBL vital wheat gluten
1 1/2 TBL salt
**let this sit for 20 mins**
add in:
1 more cup Kamut flour and mix until it is combined.

add in:
1/3 cup softened butter

Turn mixer on speed 2 and knead for 8 minutes. Dough should be soft, but not sticky. You can add some more flour if needed. Let it raise in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray, covered for 30 minutes or until dough has doubled. Section dough out into 4 pieces. Loaf into pans. (I rolled out each section into a rectangle with a rolling pin and then rolled them up so they were pretty and smooth in the pan.) Let raise for 30 minutes more, covered. Cook for 32 minutes at 325 degrees.

Before yesterday I had also never baked bread with wheat gluten. I actually wasn't quite sure what it was. Gluten is the main protein in wheat. It is made from wheat flour that is washed until all the starch dissolves, and the elastic mass of gluten remains. Because wheat bread can be so dense, using vital wheat gluten can help to increase the rising potential.

This bread is UNBELIEVABLY good. The consistency of the bread is awesome, and it smelled like heaven in my house all night. I think even those who don't usually love wheat bread might go for this bread because of it's light and buttery taste. It is DIVINE. Try it out!

Have you ever baked or cooked with Kamut flour? Do you use vital wheat gluten in your baking? Do you ever make homemade bread? I have a friend who's mom makes fresh wheat bread every week for their family. I think THAT is amazing! If I had a family to cook for I would TOTALLY do that. For now, I'd probably end up eating entire loaves on my own...

Also...Don't forget to enter February's mix giveaway HERE!

What I love about Sundays

One thing I miss about being a kid/living at home is definitely Sundays. I used to love going to church with my family, coming home and putting on my sweats, taking a nap, waking up to the smell of mom cooking an awesome dinner, getting to lounge and watch movies, and finishing the evening with a fabulous dessert. With my parents being in town this weekend it was almost like old times. Young times? You get it.

Here are a few things I love about Sundays...

Being DONE speaking at stake conference. Man, that was scary. It was a great experience though.

Sunday dinner of COURSE. Thank you mom, it was delicious. Garlic roasted veggies, roasted red potatoes, Swiss chicken, and fresh fruit. All favorites. It was so good. I devoured every single bite! Nothing like a good, healthy, home cooked meal!
 
I got to lounge around in all of my lazy/pajama wearing/Sunday rest day glory. I watched the old parent trap. Helloooo pocket sized Haley Mills. I can't wait for you to grow up and become Miss Bliss. I really do love this old flick. It's such a good one. 

 My mom topped the evening off by whipping up a batch of my FAVORITE Low Fat Zucchini Cookies. Man, these are so good. If you haven't made them yet, please set aside all important obligations and do so now. They are worth EVERY bite. I can tell you that much.

I just have to say one thing. Ben is the most boring bachelor EVER. He makes awful decisions. Also, Lindsey...you're darling, but wipe off about 9/10ths of that makeup. K? That is all. 

What do you love about Sundays? Is Sunday your rest day? Did you get the holiday off today? I worked, mainly because I am here, and I would rather not interrupt my clients schedule if possible! I did get to spend some time with the family which was AWESOME. 

If you haven't entered February's Mix Giveaway do it now!