Letting Go Of Our Fears

What would happen if we just let go? If we just woke up one day and said, “I’m gonna do it!”? Excuses are abundant. I know I have a million!! We all make excuses for ourselves. Excuses for why we can’t workout, why we are stuck in a job we hate, why we can’t go back to school, why we don’t follow our dreams. Like I said, I get it. It’s hard to step out of that comfort zone. It’s hard to make the first move. It’s hard to try something new when we don’t know what the outcome is going to be. Did I mention, I get it. This is me right now. Sure, I have taken some risks. I have made some big changes in my life and to an extent, I know what it’s like to let go of fear. I’ve had some fears. The fear of walking into a gym, the fear of being in the front row of a Body Pump class (What was I thinking?), the fear of failing at my business. And, guess what? I overcame those fears and I’m here to tell you and to tell myself again, the outcome is worth it.

We get comfortable in our routine. We find something we think works for us and we stick to it. It’s safe and warm and cozy in our comfort zone. I’m in a pretty comfortable place right now. But, I started thinking of “what if’s?” and “why not’s?” and I got scared. I got scared of failure. So, I kinda put a few things on hold for a bit. But, of course those thoughts and ideas are still bubbling up inside my head and I can’t ignore them anymore. I shouldn’t ignore them and you shouldn’t either. What’s the worse that could happen? What’s holding you back? What’s the worst case scenario? I thought of mine and I am ok with it. I am ok with living with my worst case scenario. You know why? Because if I don’t try, if I don’t let go of my fear of failure, then I will never know if I will succeed. So, if you want to succeed at something, you have to give it a try. Lots of times, that means being scared. It means getting out of your comfort zone and trying new things. It means you have to work hard. You’ll never know unless you try and wouldn’t you rather say you tried and failed than never tried for fear of failure?

I know, I’m not saying anything you haven’t already heard or anything you probably haven’t already seen in an infographic on Pinterst. What I am saying right now to you and to myself is this: Let’s do it! Let’s focus on one (or 2 or 3) of our fears and take them down one by one! It doesn’t matter what it is. Whatever it is let’s let go of fear and come out winners. Winners for trying! Winners for letting of of fear!

Running, Cheaper than Therapy | Is it?

I’m so excited to have started this blog earlier this year. It’s definitely helped keep me accountable and motivated in my journey to getting healthy & fit and I hope it’s helped some of you out there to stay motived in your own journeys too.

Getting into running races has been much more than just throwing on a pair of sneakers & running! Honestly, I’m not so sure the saying “Running is cheaper than therapy” is very accurate. I’ve had to make some financial adjustments to account for the race registrations, my never ending need for sports bras and running shorts, protein shakes, and running fuels! Then there’s the hydration belts, compression socks, headbands, and KT Tape! Yup, this running thing has not been cheap. But, I love this newfound hobby/obsession and I’m willing to make some changes for it.

I register for races because they keep me motivated and give me something to focus on. I run and workout because it makes me feel strong. It makes me feel happy. It’s something I do for myself and believe me, when you are a mom, wife, and business owner, doing things for yourself can often take the back burner. Who’s with me?

So, although running my not be cheap, it’s definitely better for me. I have more energy and it makes me feel good about myself. I am happier when I exercise and a happy mom makes for a happier family. I’m making a commitment to become a better person both inside and out and that is totally worth it for me. How about you? What’s your therapy?

Viva Las Vegas | 5 Year of Calling Vegas Home

I cannot believe that we’ve been living in Vegas for 5 years already. Time sure does fly when you’re having fun. I gotta say, I really like living here. My husband misses trees, but I don’t really. I mean, it’s always nice to see trees when we go on vacation, but I really do love the desert landscape. Is living in Las Vegas perfect. Of course not, but what place is? Well, maybe Southern California is really close to perfection…But, alas, I don’t live there. I live in Las Vegas and I’m making it work for me and my family.

We made the decision to move from Central Florida to Las Vegas 5 years ago because my family had moved here and we were expecting baby #2. Family is very important to us and I wanted my kiddos to grow up with family around them. Being in Florida without our family just didn’t feel right. Plus, Jason and I were really ready for a change. Florida had been good to us for 12 years, but we felt stuck and it was definitely time to move on. So, we packed up our things and said goodbye to the sunshine state (which is such a bad nickname being that it’s so humid & rainy there!)

Making the move cross country wasn’t as hard as I thought I’d be. I’m sure this was because my family was here and it helped make the transition a lot easier. I didn’t feel lonely or lost in a new environment. I immediately took to the desert lifestyle and I find myself defending Vegas to people how ask how we could like living here or if it’s a good place to raise a family. The truth is, we don’t live on the strip and outside of the strip, Vegas is just one big suburb. We have lots of parks, nice communities, shopping centers, and plenty of kid-friendly activities. It’s like living in most cities, you don’t take your kids to the “bad side of town” or with you for a night out, right? Here are a few things I like about living in Vegas and how Vegas has helped me and my family live a fun life:

*I worked really hard to establish my business here. I grew as a business owner and my photography skills improved, as well. I’m a wedding photographer, feel free to check out my work HERE (shameless plug, I know!) I don’t think I would have such a successful business if we would have stayed in FL. I didn’t have the motivation or the drive to move forward like I felt when we moved here.

*We get to travel more. Florida is mostly surrounded by water and it takes about 3 hours traveling north to get out of the state from Central Florida and even then you weren’t anywhere super fun. Yes, Florida has beautiful beaches, amusement parks, and other fun places to visit, but for someone like me who loves to travel and explore new places it just wasn’t enough. Flying is expensive for a family of 4, so road trips are more our style. Living in Las Vegas has really given us the opportunity to visit some awesome cities, national parks, and landmarks in many different states.

*Getting outside! Yes, summers in Vegas are HOT!! But, they only last 3 months and the rest of the year the weather is pretty close to perfection. Plus, it’s not humid and it rarely rains! We love going on hikes around Red Rock Canyon (which is just 15 mins from our house), going to parks, and just exploring the great desert outdoors right in our own backyards!

*Getting healthy! Ok, so this one didn’t happen immediately. It took me a long time to realize that there was a lot more to it than dieting or being fat versus being skinny. In 2012, I finally realized that I had to make permanent lifestyle changes. I was tired of being overweight and feeling sluggish, so I made the right changes and now I live a much healthier and active life and my family does too!

Like I said, l really enjoy living here and we’ve made some good friends and awesome memories here. I could look at this town and find a million things wrong with it and yeah, sometimes I do. Sometimes I wish we lived in a city with more of a local vibe, with more cultural centers, museums, and nice farmers markets. Sure Id o. But, I choose to embrace where I am and make the best of it. I choose to look for the good and be positive. It’s easier and makes me happy. I look forward to lots more family road trips and days hiking along Red Rock Canyon with the kiddos. Thanks, Vegas!

Vegas peeps, what do you like about living here? If you aren’t from Vegas, what do you love about your hometown? I’d love to hear from you! xo

Tips for Keeping Your New Year Health & Fitness Goals

Right now, most of us are planning, making lists, and getting ready for the new year ahead. We’re reflecting on this year that is so quickly coming to an end – seriously, where did the time go? Just about everybody always adds losing weight and/or exercise to their list of goals for the new year. I know I always do. But what I’ve learned is that just writing down or saying “I want to lose XX lbs. in 2014” or “I want to start working out more” Is not gonna cut it. I know, because I always did this and always failed. I failed because there was no action plan. It’s great to set goals to become healthier or more active in your life, but without a plan, it’s just a dream. This is the year to turn those dreams into reality. Here are a few tips to help you get started on the right track!

1. Have a game plan. Saying and doing are 2 different things. Write down how you plan to lose those XX pounds. Will you do a 21 day sugar detox? Will you practice better portion control? Will you join a gym? Workout 3 days a week for 30 mins? What workouts will you try? Write it all down and keep it in a handy place to go back to!

2. State why you want to make these changes. These statements can be very powerful and have a big impact on keeping yourself motivated to make these lifestyle changes in the coming months.

3. Put it on your calendar. Make appointments, set reminders on your phone, and/or recurring events on your calendar. Whether it be scheduling time to go to a fitness class, go for a jog, or pop in a workout DVD, make it a part of your daily routine.

4. Weekly meal plan. This is major if you are looking to make healthy lifestyle changes. Pick a day out of the week that works for you (Sunday is my day) and write down your meal plans for the week then go shopping accordingly. If you have a super busy schedule, then you can even try prepping your meals on this day to make it easy to just grab & go during the week. This will really help you stay on track and not make hasty or bad food choices because you don’t know what to make for dinner or you didn’t pack your lunch and just went out for fast food.

5. Be realistic. Saying you want to workout 5 days a week can be daunting, especially if you haven’t been on any set routine before! Start off with smaller goals and work your way up to the ultimate goal. Start by making it a goal to workout 2 days a week for the month of January (Don’t forget to put it on your calendar!) Then add a day each month thereafter and by May you’ll be working out 5 days a week!

6. Step out of your comfort zone. Sometimes we need to try new things and go out on a limb a bit because that’s where the magic happens. If you do the same thing over and over, it can start to get boring, so try something new! It could be a new healthy meal, a new fitness class, or even just a different running trail. You’ll never know if you’ll like something new unless you try it. It will be scary, but just think how proud you’ll feel when you actually do it. You may find you really love it and if not, at least you can say you tried it!

7. Keep yourself accountable. Telling someone else about your goals is a good way to stay accountable. Having a good support group will help you stay on track with your goals.

8. Sign up for a race. I know this is what keeps me going and I firmly believe that signing up for a race will keep you motivated too. It’ll give you a goal to aim for. Sign up for your first 5K or your first marathon. Try an obstacle course race or a fun run. There are so many options available right now, that there is bound to be something you’ll find fun. Sign up with a few months in advance and get to training! You won’t regret it.

9. Don’t give up. None of us are perfect. We’re gonna miss a workout or indulge in a meal that’s not part of our meal plan. It happens. The key is to not let one bad day, ruin your goals. Honestly one bad day won’t ruin your progress, giving up will. So, if you know you’re going out for a special occasion, allow yourself a “cheat meal” and move on. So you missed a workout because you worked late that day. It happens. Those are small bumps on the road. We all have them. Don’t be too hard on yourself. I’ve read it takes 21 days to make something become a habit, so don’t give up!

10. Rewards. Who doesn’t love to get rewarded for a job well done? Some people like to buy themselves a new outfit after reaching their weight loss goals others will plan a night out. Workout 3 days a week for 30 days and get a pedicure. Get a new playlist for your ipod after you run your first 5K. Whatever it is, it doesn’t have to be expensive or big it just needs to be something to keep you motivated! Set your goal + reward and you’ll be on your way 🙂

Do you have any tips for staying on track with your fitness goals? I’d love to hear them.

14 in 2014 Running Challenge | Fitness Friday

During my morning coffee and blog reading earlier this week I came across Jill Conyers 14 in 2014 Challenge. Maybe it was the caffeine rush or the lack of sleep from the night before, but I signed up almost immediately! It seemed like such a great idea and such a fun way to stay motivated. Well, now that the initial caffeine rush has subsided, guess what? I’m still excited about this challenge! Yes, it’s a little scary for me to commit to running 14 races in one year, considering that last year I ran 6 and proclaimed it the Year of the Races! Hello!! But, it’s challenges like this that keep me motivated and moving forward, so I’m up for it! How about you?

Yesterday I started researching and writing down some races that I was interested in doing. There will be some virtual races I’ll be participating in too, but so far I have 10ish tentative races on my list, 3 that I am pretty sure I am doing, and only 1 I’ve actually signed up for! Yikes, I’ve got my work cut out for me, huh? Here’s what’s on my list, so far:

Jan:

Feb 1 – Death Valley 10K (Death Valley, CA)

Mar 1 – Blood, Sweat, and Beers 10K Trail Run (Las Vegas)

April 5 or 6 – Super Spartan (Las Vegas)

April 27 – Tough Mudder (Las Vegas) REGISTERED

May 24 – Trails of Fury 10K Trail Run (Las Vegas)

June:

July:

Aug 29-31 – Disneyland 10K or Half Marathon

Sept 21- Sprint Triathalon (Las Vegas)

Oct:

Nov: Napa Valley 10K (date TBD)

Nov: 22: Valley of Fire 10K

Nov: 27: Hoover Dam Half or 5K

(There’s no way I can or want to do all of these races in 1 month, but they all have potential, so I hope to get one of them done)

Dec:

If you’re interested in reading more about the challenge or if you want to sign up, you can check it out HERE! If you know of any other races around Las Vegas, NV, Southern California, Southern Utah, and maybe even Arizona, please let me know!! I’d also love to hear about your upcoming races and fitness goals for 2014! Happy Running!!

2013 The Year of the Races

If you asked me last year where I thought I’d be at the end of 2013, this would definitely not be it!! I never dreamed I’d be sharing my personal ups and downs on this blog. I never imagined I’d sign up, nonetheless finish a half marathon. Yup, 2013 has been a life changer. I went from never participating in any sort of running/obstacle races to running 6 races in one year. It’s been an amazing journey and I couldn’t have done it without the support from family and friends, especially those who came out and ran alongside me! I used to dread working out and therefore rarely (read: NEVER) did it. I only ate “healthy” if I was on a “diet” and let’s be honest, fad diets aren’t healthy. They don’t last. Only a change in your lifestyle and your attitude is what makes the changes happen. The magic is in the commitment, not a pill.

I found that change in me by signing up for all these races/events. Signing up for these events has kept me on track with my exercise routine and eating habits. It’s given me a goal to reach and has made all the difference in my attitude towards working out and eating healthy. I can’t wait to see what 2014 will bring! So far we’re signed up for our second Tough Mudder in April and signing up for Blood, Sweat, and Beers 10K trail run in March. I really want to run a Ragnar Relay race and as soon as I learn to ride a bike (Yes, you read that right, I don’t know how to ride a bike!!) I want to do a sprint triathalon.

The Color Run 5K really introduced me to event racing. I had no idea what to expect, from the packet pickup to to the run itself, it was a great first experience!

After Color Run, I did Tough Mudder! I’d trained hard and really got into fitness during this time. I’ve said it time and time again, Tough Mudder changed my life!

The obstacle course race bug hit me hard and in May, I was ready for more! This time, it was a family affair and my sister, Norma, joined me for the Badass Dash 7K. The kiddos also participated in their first kid OCR and loved it!

Later in May, my sister and I, along with our friend, Veronica, did the Race for the Cure 5K with the LVAC team. This is a very important cause for us and our family and we were excited to have a part in raising awareness!

As most of you know, summers in Vegas are HOT! So, summer was spent vacationing and having fun with the kids with our Summer Bucket List. Towards the end of summer, I began training for the Rock N Roll Half Marathon!

I recently blogged about my first half marathon experience, if you missed it, you can check it out HERE! If you want the short version: It was by far one of the hardest and most amazing experiences I’ve had in my life!

Six days after the half marathon, I joined some of my book club girls for the Dirty Dash 5K and my son did the 1 miles Piglet Plunge! What a way to end a super fun year of races! You can read my review of that race, HERE.

I’d love to hear about your favorite races of 2013 and what you’re planning for 2014! Do you have any suggestions on races I should be looking into? Don’t be shy…

Favorite Book Club Books of 2013

This past October, my book club had it’s One Year Anniversary Bash! We celebrated by playing some trivia games revolving around all the books we’ve read, eating yummy food, and of course there was wine! Going over the books we read was a ton of fun and really made me remember how much some of these books were. So, today I wanted to share my favorite top 3 books I read in 2013. I’d love recommendations, so if you have a favorite or a few favorites you think I should read, please share it in the comments! xo

(You can click on the book title for a full synopsis of the story and reviews on Goodreads!)

The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman This is an emotional story, full of strong powerful characters. It is about redemption, forgiveness, and love. It shows how once decisions are made, there are consequences to our actions that can never be undone. I loved this story so much because it wasn’t just about right and wrong. Some of the scenarios are so difficult and really make you search deep inside yourself and ask, “what would I do?” It was definitely an emotional read and totally made me cry more than once while reading it.
The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult Here is another story that is full of forgiveness, love, and redemption. This book had a little bit of everything I love in a novel. It was historical fiction, which is my favorite genre. It had a complex storyline that weaved in and out of characters, jumped around from various parts of history, and even had a story within a story. It is set in the present, but deals with major issues from the past. This one also made me cry (Do you see the pattern here!?!)
Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother by Amy Chau This book has been around a few years, but we just read it this year. Although I am not a big fan of non-fiction, I really enjoyed this book, maybe because it read like fiction! It made me laugh and although her views and tactics in parenting are not necessarily my own, I could still relate on some level. It was written honestly and even a bit satirical. The author has gotten a ton of criticism for this book, but I appreciated her story and commend her for sharing it!

Dirty Dash 5K Recap

So, six days after the Rock N Roll Half Marathon I was ready to take on the Dirty Dash 5K with my book club girls! We had my hubby design a shirt for us and then had them printed at a local print shop. Isn’t it a cute shirt? Here’s a little recap of the day and a review of the Dirty Dash event itself.

A few days before the race, the weather in Vegas goes bonkers! Lots of wind, rain, and cold temps. We kept hoping it would clear up by Saturday but it just kept getting worse. So, we all made sure to bundle up with layers, hats, and gloves. We put our big girl panties and drove out to Boulder City for some fun in the mud! I made a “girl power” playlist to help pump us up for the race, which was fun, but I think we were all a little freaked out by how cold and rainy it was. The weather didn’t really clear up and we were actually getting some rain mixed with flurries Brrrrrr…..Once it was our time to go and we started running we warmed up a bit and the rain even died down some. We all made the best of it and had a good time together!

Since the weather was so bad, Jason decided to stay home with the kids until it was time for the kid’s Piglet Plunge. I had already paid for Diego’s registration, but thank goodness we were leaving Elysse’s till the last minute and of course, we did not have her participate since the weather was so bad. So, we only have a few iphone photos of us before and after the race.

As for the race itself, it was definitely not my favorite. I know the bad weather didn’t help but, there were lots of things that could have been done better and they had nothing to do with the weather. It was also a shame they had to deflate the slide at the end and we didn’t get to use it. That would’ve been fun. So, let’s here goes:

Pros

Pre-race communication was great. Emails were informative, albeit a little cheesy, and clear directions were given.
We got a nice tshirt, beer koozie, temporay tatoo, and sticker.
There were enough port-a-potties and didn’t have to wait in line.
The part that had mud was great! It was smooth like frosting 🙂

Cons

Packet Pickup was unorganized and the volunteers/workers were pretty rude. I understand they had to change their setup due to the rain, but seriously a smile wouldn’t hurt!
Not a lot of obstacles. We ran for 1 mile with no obstacles, except for a few mud puddles and we aren’t really sure if they were part of the race or just due to the rain! The obstacles were in mile 2 and again the last mile was running without obstacles.
Beer Chug was actually an obstacle! I would’ve preferred a free beer at the end.
The 3 main obstacles were one right after the other. Having them spaced out would’ve spread out the fun!
The course was not clearly marked. Not sure if the rain & wind washed off their markers, but I had a hard time figuring out where to go.
Piglet Plunge was a joke! It was about 3/4 mile and the kids ran through 2 (maybe 3) watery mud pits at the start and end of the run. That’s it! I think they may have been counting on the slide to be an obstacle, but that was deflated due to the weather.

It was so cold and rainy, I think the photographers, organizers, and volunteers were just ready to go and not at all enthusiastic. Motivation and fun were definitely lacking. I’m sure had the weather been better, that it may not have been so bad.

Enjoying the Great Outdoors | Red Rock Canyon

One of the best things about having friends and family visit us in Las Vegas, is getting to show them the parts of Las Vegas that most people don’t know about. I’m not talking about the sketchy side of town, but rather the great outdoors! Las Vegas offers a ton of opportunities to get outside, enjoy some beautiful scenery, and hike! One of our favorite spots is Red Rock Canyon.

The day before the Rock N Roll Half Marathon, we took my cousin and her hubby to check out Red Springs at Calico Basin, which is within the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area. This is a great spot for picnics and hiking with the family. There’s a boardwalk that goes all around the area and trails that are easily accessible from there and the parking lot. We chose to walk around the boardwalk a bit, then make our way to one of the trails that connects from the boardwalk up a hill and among the huge rocks. It was a little chilly & windy that day, but once we started walking we all felt great. Getting outside and taking in the fresh air is such a great for our family to connect. It really helps that there is no cell phone reception out there too 😉

I am so grateful to have such an amazing family that I can spend time with! Here’s to enjoying life and being with our loved ones.

ps. Be sure to check out my Sweaty Bands Giveaway going on right now!

My First Half Marathon | Rock N Roll Las Vegas

I’m going to start off with a warning: There are lots of pictures in this post! lots!

With that being said, I apologize for being MIA for a few days. Not only was I getting ready for the 13.1 miles, I also had my cousin and her husband (who also ran the half with me) visiting from Texas and we were busy catching up! It was a blast. Now, on to the half marathon…

I survived! YAY!! Truth be told, I trained for over 15 weeks, I was pretty sure I’d finish. What I wasn’t sure of, was how I’d finish. And I must say, overall, I am happy with the results. I finished in 2:34:20. I was aiming for 2:30 but that was ambitious, since I never really trained for speed, just endurance. I’m also really happy that I ran the entire time. No stopping, no walking! Slow jogging? You bet ya’!

So, we checked into The Venetian hotel at noon. Shout out to my sister for the family discount and upgraded room with an awesome view of the strip! We had plenty of time to settle in, have a pre-race snack, change our clothes, and try to relax a bit. Getting a room on the strip was a great idea. Huge thanks to Anya from my fb running group for suggesting it 😉 The kids and my parents had a warm place to hang out and wait till we were done running, we didn’t have to travel far afterwards, and we had a great place to celebrate our accomplishment!!

Here we are, ready to head out the door and get our run on!

My sister and Jason drove us as close as we could get to the pre-race area. They were able to park in a business center and walk with us the rest of the way. Big thanks to the security guard for letting us park there, even though we weren’t supposed to!

Runners were really pouring in now and it was getting real!

Once inside the pre-race area we took photos, rested, listened to the live band, and used the port-a-potty twice. The lines were crazy long! But, I’m glad we went twice, since we didn’t have to stop along the course.

My cousin had custom shirts made for them, since just a few days before the marathon, they celebrated their 20th anniversary!

Here I am at my corral ready to go. There ended up being 36 corrals total, so we were towards the back and although the race officially started at 4:30pm, we didn’t actually get to the start line until 5:15pm or so. Yup, 45 mins. of walking in a huge group of people towards the start line. It was pretty crazy and crowded! Once we got started, it was already dark. If I do another marathon, I will try to have a closer corral number 😉

I was really looking forward to mile 4 because I knew my family and friends would be there cheering us on. It was awesome hearing them cheer and giving us high fives. Next time, I’d like them at miles 9 or 10 because that’s when I started to get tired!! I really could have used the boost then!

Once we passed our family, I felt really pumped! That lasted a few more miles and up until that point, I was right on target for finishing at my goal time of 2 hrs and 30 mins. And then…we got to downtown Vegas. The crowds dwindled, the noise was gone, and the lights were gone. Those were some dark and tough 4 miles. Once we headed back towards the strip and I could see we were getting closer to the end, my mind was ready to push harder, but my legs just couldn’t go any faster. No matter what I did, I couldn’t speed up my pace. I am so thankful for my cousin and her husband for pushing me to keep going and for giving me tips to so I wouldn’t slow down too much.

Crossing that finish line was an amazing feeling. I turned around and asked my cousin, “Did that just happen? Is it done? Can I stop running now?!?” I was pretty chocked up. Crying at the finish line was not something I thought I was going to do, but it’s what happened. I’m blaming it on the adrenaline rush 😉

Celebratory tequila shots with my dad! Because that's what you do when you finish running 13.1 miles!