Ask Me Friday!

Thanks to everyone who submitted anonymous questions via my ASK ME! page. This was the last week for questions so I hope everyone enjoyed it! I did have a problem with Springform this week though and I kept getting errors when trying to review my questions. So if for some reason your question was not answered I am SO sorry. They estimated that 4 questions were lost. It was a bad technology week for me! Don’t even get me started on the blackberry! But if it was a question you really wanted an answer to then just shoot me an email! With that, happy Friday everyone…enjoy your night! 

Question: Do you aim for a certain amount of calories a day? 

I don’t count calories but I just aim to go to bed happy and not hungry. I do wear a heart rate monitor when I work out so that I can see on days when I have REALLY long runs how much I need to eat to make up for that deficit. For example a 14 mile run usually burns me about 1100-1200 calories and I need to make that up! So on those days I aim for calorie dense foods…avacados, nuts, nut butters mostly. But usually I like to listen to my body’s clues when it comes to calories. If I don’t eat enough at the end of the day I will notice that my hands and feet are REALLY cold and then usually I tend to dream about food. Crazy? Maybe…but it is really just my body talking to me and I am getting better about listening. I have been known to wake up at 2:00a.m. and go eat! I hate to feel hungry and I don’t think anyone should. 

Question: I am getting married in a few months and I am worried about my husband’s bachelor party. Did Keith have a bachelor party that involved a strip club? Did you care? 

Keith did have a bachelor party that took place at a strip club. Honestly, it didn’t bother me at all. I am NOT a fan of strip clubs but I also know that they seem to be a “right of passage” for bachelor parties. I rolled with it. I trust Keith, I love Keith and I knew he wouldn’t do anything irresponsible or wreckless. He just isn’t that guy. If I were you, I would just not worry about it. Let him go and have a fun night with his boys and you go and have an equally fun night with your girls! He loves YOU and a strip club bachelor party won’t change that.  

 Question: I was wondering if you have always been as athletic as you are now? If not, what was your “path”? I know you’re a personal trainer and everything, but running like 10 miles in the morning is quite insane! How long did it take you to be able to run as much? I love running and do lots of other sports, but I have the feeling my progress is so slow (I’m training for a half-marathon). Thanks! 

I have been running my entire life. I think my first track meet was when I was around the age of 6! haha! (To see a picture go here) I grew up running track because it was the only thing I was good at and I was quite speedy! In middle school and high school I was a sprinter. I ran the 200 and 400 m dash and I ran the 1600 meter relay. I also was a high jumper. Once high school started I moved to doing track year-round. I did Cross Country in the fall (to build endurance) then club indoor track in the winter, school spring track and then club summer track. I maintained that for 4 years and it was intense. Once college rolled around I was BURNED OUT! I was offered some college scholarships but I turned them down. After college I was ready to get back into running and I started out slow! I couldn’t even run 3 miles without stopping. I just built up my mileage and started running some 5K’s and then I decided I want to run a 1/2 marathon and a marathon. I followed training schedules for both…to see them go here. It just took a lot of dedication and a lot of heart!  

Question: I have cellulite on the backs of my legs, do you think running can get rid of it? I LOVE running. Hate weights. I do try to do a bit, about 2 full body workouts a week but my true love is running. I just started seriously adding miles the last two months and I hoping this will help…what do you think? 

Running will definitely help but in order to build lean muscle mass (LMM) and replace fat you really need to lift weights. I don’t think running alone is going to do it but a combination of running and weight lifting will be ideal to lower your body fat and build up that LMM. I also tend to be in the camp that cellulite is genetic and sometimes even the most fit athlete will still have it. Keep me posted… 

Question: you have a serious six-pack in the picture with your husband! Do you always have one even tho you mainly just run? 

Oh goodness…that is so sweet. Thank you. I am not the best at doing strictly ab work. But I do try to incorporate functional ab/core exercises into everything I do. Like I tend to sit on a stability ball instead of a chair when working at my desk, I always keep my abs tight and engaged when lifting weights (I really focus on it) and I also keep my abs tight when I run. When I do ab exercises…I do a lot of planks and hovers…but I could definitely do more. Mostly my abs come from running.

Question: You have mentioed before that cereal is a trigger food for you. It is for me too and so I was wondering how do you beat the craving or do you just give in?

Cereal IS a big trigger for me. I can easily eat an entire box in one sitting. But for me, it isn’t usually a trigger unless I eat it. What I mean is that Keith likes cereal and we definitely have it in our house. I have no issues with it being in the house. It is when I say I am going to eat just one bowl and inevitably that usually turns into 3 or 4. I don’t know what it is about cereal…it just seems like it takes a lot to fill me up. But I have learned that if I refuse to let myself have cereal I WILL go nuts. So on those days when I want it…I just give in to temptation and go for it. Sometimes I can eat 1 bowl and be totally fine…other days I eat 3 or 4. But I just move on…I don’t do it very often and I refuse to feel guilty about it. Refuse!

Question: I love your wedding pictures and your dress. How did you know it was “the dress” and how much were you willing to spend? I am getting married soon and haven’t been able to commit to a dress yet. 

I LOVED my wedding dress too! Thank you so much! I actually had another dress picked out and when I went back to try it on one last time and make the purchase my mom spotted the one I got in the window. Apparently it was new and had just come in. I tried it on and thought…this is it! My mom agreed that it was perfect! And we got it! Ha! My dress was actually quite inexpensive but that was something I wasn’t willing to spend thousands of dollars on. I had a $1000 limit and the dress, shoes and alterations total ran me about that. You will find your dress…don’t worry!  

Question: Do you like candy? If so what is your favorite? 

I am not as much of a candy freak as my husband. I typically tend to crave the salty things…chips, pretzels, etc. But my favorite is the combination of both. I can put down a pound of chocolate covered pretzels in no time! YUM!! But as for candy I really like Hot Tamales (my usual movie candy) and my favorite candy bar is, hands down, a TWIX! 

Question: Do you have a tattoo? Does Keith? 

No, I do not have a tattoo. I always wanted one but I couldn’t ever think of anything I liked enough to have permanently put on my body. Keith has 1 tattoo. He has his fraternity emblem (Sigma Nu) on his ankle. I think it is cute!

Question: Do you drink alcohol?

Very rarely. I do enjoy a nice glass of red wine every now and then….usually when I am with my mom or out to dinner. Keith and I will sometimes split a margarita or drink a beer now and then but for the most part we aren’t big drinkers. No real reason….just a personal choice.

Question: I am new to your blog and am loving it! Could I please have the recipe for the meal you had last night (3-4-10) of chicken spaghetti? It looks yummy! Or are your recipes listed somewhere on your site? Thanks a bunch.

Dinner last night was really yum! All I did was brown ground chicken in a nonstick skillet. Then I added a jar of spaghetti sauce and about 2 cups of a frozen mixed vegetable blend. I served it over gluten-free penne pasta noodles from our favorite GF pasta company, Tinkayda. Also all my recipes are listed under the tab, ‘How I EAT’ on the top of my blog! Happy cooking and thanks for following!!

Question: Are you always so happy and if so can I have some of your happy drugs?

Thanks!! I definitely have my moments but for the most part I AM happy. I think being happy is a choice and I try really hard to choose to be happy everyday. With that said, I also think that your happiness is also affected by your circumstances. And right now, I am in a REALLY good place! I love my job, I love my husband, I am running great and winter is OVER!!! haha!! Plus…I really like to smile! I figure if I am going to have wrinkles in my older years I want them to come from smiling not frowning!

Happy Friday everyone!!! Enjoy the rest of your Day!

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