Measuring Up

Posted on December 12, 2011 by Coco

One part of my three-part damage control plan to get me through December without collecting too many extra pounds along the way is to drink more water.

For a while I was easily drinking at least 64 ounces of water a day, but I think I’m drinking more coffee lately, and sometimes I don’t drink any water at all once I get home from work. When I am serious about getting my water in, I track my water consumption with my Waterlogged App.

Waterlogged Version 1.3.5 IPA App iPod Touch iPhone iPad

 

~What gets measured gets done!~

This is a well-known business management principle, but it’s true for other types of goals as well. I certainly have noticed that the simple act of tracking my water consumption is helping me reach my goal, just like keeping a food journal may help me resist the pastries at Starbucks.

With the Waterlogged App, you can set reminder alarms with a customized message and keep track of exactly how much you drink and when. You can enter consumption as a portion of a specific glass or bottle, or you can just enter how many ounces you drank. You can even add a picture of your favorite glass or water bottle!

Here’s my data from last week:

You can see what my favorite water bottle looks like!

You also can see that the delays around the Hot Chocolate 15K really cut into my water consupmtion for the day!

**Waterlogged App Giveaway**

I’ve been using the free version of the Waterlogged App, but when I reached out to Waterlogged they agreed to give me a premium version to help me with my December #Back2Basics goals. They also gave me two coupon codes to offer to thirsty readers! So, if you have an iPhone and are ready, willing and able to download an app and start drinking water, here’s how you can enter:

  1. Leave a comment and let me know how much water you usually drink each day, and how you space it out.
  2. Send this Tweet and leave a comment saying that you did:

Stay hydrated with the Waterlogged App giveaway from @Got2Run4Me http://wp.me/p131gw-VH

One comment per entry, up to two entries per person.

I will select two winners from entries received by midnight east coast time on Friday, December 16. Make sure your comment includes an email address where I can reach you!

**FTC Notice** I reached out to Waterlogged and they provided coupon codes with no influence over the content of this review or the one I wrote previously. The review here reflects my own personal opinion of this product.

Posted in Fitness, Product Reviews | Tagged , , , , , , , | 12 Comments

Lighting the Candle of Joy

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Coco

This post originally was published December 12, 2010, but is perfect for this year’s series on Advent.

This week brings the third Sunday of Advent. In a traditional advent wreath, the third candle is pink and is referred to as the “joy” candle.

I was taught that this candle is a lighter color than the others (which are purple) to offer encouragement that Christmas is coming, even though it may seem like it is taking forever to get here. Now, that message may resonate with children, but as an adult I can tell you that I am in no hurry for Christmas to arrive. I still have presents to buy, gifts to wrap, decorations to put up and enjoy, and carols to hear and sing again and again. Two weeks just doesn’t seem like enough time!

I also have come to appreciate the preparation and anticipation as much as the celebration. I enjoy shopping with friends, baking cookies, attending holiday parties, making a list and checking it twice. Christmas is nice, but now that my kids are older, Christmas day itself is less of a production. They prefer to sleep late and aren’t anxious to see what Santa has brought them. They know there will be chocolate in their stockings and clothes under the tree. Yes, there are still surprises, but nothing worth getting up before dawn for.

In most Christian traditions, Advent has a dual meaning: we remember the first Christmas when Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, and the three kings awaited and rejoiced at the birth of Christ while we also await and prepare for Jesus’ promised return. I can fully immerse myself in the traditional Christmas story, but the “second coming” is not as real to me. It wasn’t a part of my religious upbringing, which taught that that promise was (is?) fulfilled by the Holy Spirit, and it is not essential to my own personal faith. Probably at some level it scares me–the images of the apocalypse are not peaceful–and I would rather that God let us muddle along a while longer. I don’t disbelieve that Jesus “will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,” but I hope His time is not in my time. Honestly, I am more concerned that we humans will destroy the earth while my children or their children or their children are around to suffer the consequences.

One of the traditional readings for the third Sunday of Advent is Phillipians 4: 4-7. It is one of my favorite Bible passages:

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I read this prayer when I am anxious and need to feel the peace of God. I love the command to be joyful and thankful even as I experience inner turmoil, and the reminder that God is bigger than all of my worries. At this time of year, it helps to put holiday stressors in their place and focus on the joys of the season–precious time with family and friends and the miracle of that baby born in a manger so many years ago.

Prayer for the Third Week of Advent:

Bless, O God, the road that is before us.
Bless, O God, the friends who are around us.
Bless, O God, your love which is within us.
Bless, O God, your light which leads us home.
Amen.

Posted in Life, My Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Spring Fever

Posted on December 9, 2011 by Coco

I know it isn’t really even winter yet, but I went a little crazy this week and now am signed up for three big spring races.

1.  The Rock ‘n’ Roll USA Half Marathon in Washington, D.C. on March 17

2. The Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run in Washington, D. C. on April 1

Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run

(I entered the lottery. The drawing is next week. Please keep your fingers crossed!)

3. The GW Parkway Classic in Alexandria, Va on April 22

Maybe I’m trying to put the horrible Hot Chocolate 15K behind me.

Maybe I’m making sure that I keep up my training through the coming winter months.

Maybe I’m not very good at saying “no” when one of my friends suggests that we sign up for a race!

Have you signed up for any spring races yet?

Posted in Fitness | Tagged , , , , , | 11 Comments

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday (The Cleansing Edition)

Posted on December 7, 2011 by Coco

Wouldn’t it mean more to end your day with clean hands?

Posted in Life | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Standing On The Sidelines

Posted on December 6, 2011 by Coco

There was a horrible moment at my son’s wrestling match last weekend when he suddenly stopped trying to escape from his opponent’s hold and laid down on the mat with a grimace on his face. The referee stopped the clock, his coach ran over to him, and then the trainer came over and started assessing him. From our vantage point in the bleachers it was clear that there was something wrong with his knee. It was hard to stand there watching, but that’s what parents are supposed to do.

After a few minutes our son got up, and everyone cheered. We were relieved, but then surprised to see the officials resetting the clock to finish out the match. While I was glad that my son felt good enough to keep competing, I was concerned that he might do more damage to his knee. Luckily it was the last match of the day, so he only had to push through for a few more minutes.  (He put up a good fight, but ended up losing that match, taking second place for the tournament.)

When the match was over, he followed protocol and shook hands with his opponent’s coaches, and then came off the mat to be greeted by his good friend and co-captain, who embraced him with a hug.  

That moment was so bittersweet! It was touching to witness the closeness of their friendship. I was proud of his friend for reaching out to him, and glad to see my son getting the support he so clearly wanted and needed. But I had to choke back tears as I realized that that was what he really wanted–support from his friend, not from his Mom!  

I know that part of parenting a teenager is letting go, but I am realizing that this means not only letting our kids make their own mistakes and learn their own lessons, but also letting them develop their own relationships and build their own support systems. (It seems that parenting “experts” focus on the former without reminding us of the latter.) As hard as it is to not be the one my son wants when he’s hurting, it’s wonderful to know that he has really good friends who will be there for him.

Of course, I know that my son still needs me. Later that night he did ask me which pain reliever to take, and he even agreed to wrap his knee with Arctic Ease. I will be the one who takes him to the orthopedist, and I will share in his heartache if he is told that he needs to take some time off from wrestling. But I will understand if he thinks that only his friends really understand what he is going through–no matter how wrong he is!

Posted in Life | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments