Life....

This is for a very special sister in my life...my Twin Sister...I love you more than you will ever know...

Love, 

Your Twin

Monday to Monday (My Week)

I decided to roll this past week into one post. My other computer is broken because the baby decided to spill some juice on it and just not so easy to type things. So this is my weekly recap all rolled into one post. I have a few milestones reached this week! TUESDAY I ran 11.75 Km! And it felt amazing! Then later that evening I did 2 RPM Classes in a row! Thanks to my friend Joanne for getting me to do it! She does 3 on Tuesday for "Tri-Cycle Tuesday" the crazy gal! Felt great too! I also moved up another level in the Sun-Run Training Clinic! So I am in the "Run Faster" Group now! That was really challenging but felt great! Had a really great week!

MONDAY (Lazy Day):


45min. Free-Weights
45min. Relaxing in the Sauna!

TUESDAY:

90min. 11.75 Km Run (872 Calories) Awesome!! Felt so great!


106min. DOUBLE RPM Class (2 Classes in a Row!) (800 Calories)

WEDNESDAY:

90min. 5.58 Km Run/Walk (428 Calories)

50min. BodyAttack (350 Calories)

65min. Hot Yoga (307 Calories)

THURSDAY:
1Hour BodyPump (209 Calories)
1Hour BodyJam (422 Calories)

FRIDAY:
1Hour BodyCombat (424 Calories)

SATURDAY:
Day Off

SUNDAY (YESTERDAY):

26min. Walk & Bus to Run-Clinic (127 Calories)

67min. 10Km Run (WarmUp/Sprint 5min/Run 3min/Sprint 3min Run 2min X 10/Cool Down)
            (717 Calories)

1Hour BodyCombat (538 Calories)

33min. Fit-Fix Resistance Training (179 Calories)

MONDAY (TODAY):
65min. Hot Yoga (310 Calories)

So that was my little awesome week...another week passed on my little journey of life...

Love UmmKhaled

CHALLENGE YOURSELF...then REPEAT!

8.24 Km Run? I did it this morning!

I am chasing a dream...or two...or three...

This morning my husband had a day off of work, *aka Yay! I can go for a ruuun day*! I woke up and got Khaled ready for school and dressed myself for the plan! I was going to walk him to school, and then start my run from there while hubby and the kids slept. But, that little plan was interrupted by Mohammed's "waaaaaah" and then, while I was trying to get him back to sleep, my husband drove Khaled to school, and then, I hear raining and hail outside...awww, I was disappointed...I didn't really want to get my sneakers all wet, and it is chilly out too. So, I decided to make some French Toast for breakfast and brewed a nice fresh pot of coffee and sat down with my little family to enjoy....

Then, what do I see through the windowwww? 

The beautiful sun shining in, and inviting me out for a run. 

So I got my on my gear and off I went! I started off with an IDEA of where I wanted to run, I had a general direction, but I just follow how I feel as I go along...I decided about 2 Km in that I would ATTEMPT to do, or get pretty close to a 10 Km....having a little route in my mind...knowing what 6.45 Km felt like, and how far that took me...I drew a little imaginary map in my mind and I went for it....

YOURSELF...and REPEAT!

This run felt great! Lots of hills...some pretty steep ones too....I ran pretty much the WHOLE time (64mins) with about a 3 minute warm-up walk, and then I stopped to get a rock out of my shoe...then the other shoe had a rock lol...and then I finished with 4 minutes of stretching. So pretty much ran the whole time...different paces...there were some pretty steep elevations, so sometimes I really had to slow/shorten my pace because my heart rate was sky rocketing lol...BUT still felt great! I didn't feel a pain...or an urge to stop. I was loving it so much! I could keep going and going...just an awesome feeling of freedom...

Always set the trail, never follow the path

I was excited to come home to "map my route" on SparkPeople. I go on a little map, trace my route exactly, and it tells me the distance that I ran! I always come home and that is the first thing I do! I was soooo excited to see that I reached 8.24Km on this morning's run! Plus I burned 606 Calories!! So NOW I know what 8.24 Km feels like and looks like...so that sets me up to challenge myself the next time....hopefully tomorrow, but most likely Saturday!

Then, I went and did a little shopping for kid's clothes...and headed to the gym. There was a mix-up in times as the schedule was different just for today due to staff meetings...so I missed my planned RPM & Hot Yoga...but I had a nice time doing Free-Weights & Abs with Lydia & Barbora! We did 1Hour of Triceps, Biceps, Chest Presses, Abs, Dead-Lifts, Dead Rows, and Shoulders and I burned another 242 Calories!

Well I am tired and have to get to bed...Alhamdullilah/Thanks to God for this Wonderful Life MashaAllah! A little weekly re-cap to follow.

TODAY'S WORKOUTS:
64min. Morning Run 8.24 Km (606 Calories)
58min. Free Weights & Abs (242 Calories)

WEDNESDAY WORKOUTS:
1Hour ZUMBA!
1Hour BodyPump

TUESDAY WORKOUTS:
1Hour RPM
1Hour BodyCombat

MONDAY WORKOUTS:
1Hour BodyPump
1Hour BodyAttack

SATURDAY & SUNDAY (DAYS OFF)

Looove UmmKhaled

Awww thank-you stranger...and people around me...

Yesterday, while I was out on my run in the light snowfall mixed with light drizzle of rain, a lady walking by just said to me:

 "You look like a perfect advertisement for Winter Health"

 I was like "Ohhh Thank you" and continued on my way with a little smile. Awww that was really nice of her to say. Sometimes people can really make your whole day just by saying a nice comment or compliment...Thank you to that stranger. I get many comments on my weight-loss from friends, and people at the gym all the time and I want to Thank all those people. Those are the type of comments that can keep people going towards their goals...who knows what that person is going through and feeling? Maybe they were feeling like giving up (been there) and that one little comment...kept them going...

I think we should all just embrace and love each other, because positivity and caring for each other is really what makes a difference in people's lives...I love my gym buddies and all the encouragement they give me...watching them achieve their goals and seeing them happy, makes me feel happy too, and I honestly can't think of ONE day at the gym...when I met up with gym buddies, that I feel down...they are SO positive and so FUN, and it just radiates to all the people around them. Thank you to all my friends at the gym! You really changed my life in so many ways...and add sunshine to my life everyday!

Love UmmKhaled

Running....

I know I have been slacking off (on my blog, but not in life) but, I have been working out everyday and keeping up...just got a little busy and have not been posting. I have been logging it all on SparkPeople though. I have been going to 2 classes a day...had a few days off and am really trying to get more running sessions into my schedule. I have also lost 1 more Pound!

Lately I have really found a loooove of this RUNNING business....

I posted a little about it before, but it all started when my gym buddy Joanne won two entries for the 10Km Vancouver Sun Run along with weekly Training Clinics. She asked me if I would go along with her and I thought, well...that would be something interesting, I would love to try something different, and what a challenge that would be...so I was in! The first training session I was nervous that I would be behind and not in shape enough, but we joined the Turtles to start and it was surprisingly easy....so we did Turtles again the next week...I felt I could move up a group...and when I DID, I KNEW I made the right step...it felt GREAT...I was not tired at all, and even wanted to keep going...so now I am thinking of moving into the fast group from the medium group! I will try it next week and see how it goes. 

When I USED walk around the mountain a lot, I would run for 2-3 telephone poles and walk more...I would only run non-stop when I got to the downhill parts, and I would be out of breath, and my heart and lungs as well as legs where not working with me! I would NEVER even THINK to run up-hill...and had no idea how to pace-myself, so I was going into this with THAT mentality...but then when I was running THIS time...I noticed my heart, lungs AND legs were loving this...I felt like I did not even have to stop or rest. I know this is because of all those LesMills classes I have been so dedicated to...my sports-inspired BodyAttack, my heart-conditioning RPM, strength-building BodyPump, my BodyCombat, BodyJam, as well as ZUMBA and occasional Hot Yoga. They all helped me conditional myself for this...nothing like conditioning your heart, lungs, mind and body to go out and enjoy a run, never wanting it to end.

At first I was not doing my homework runs on my own time, because I thought I go to the gym enough so why would I do that lol...but once I STARTED doing them, I have been trying to fit them in any time I get the chance because even though the weather is cold, the feeling I get when I am out there is like nothing else, and I crave that feeling. The most wonderful feeling...out there in nature, running on the mountain...breathing in the chilly air...and at the same time, nice and warm from such an awesome workout and the sunshine shining down on you...all you hear are the rocks under your feet and the occasional bus, car or airplane. Ahhhh nothing more relaxing....

I have been running 4.89-6.16Km so far. I put the baby for a nap and off I go. I walk for a minute or so and then run the whole time at different paces, navigating my way through different routes up here on the mountain and lots of little hills and bigger hills...to challenge myself on the route and I just keep on running. If you have never tried it...start small in intervals of walking and running and work your way up...it really is an amazing experience and a really nice thing to do for YOURSELF! 

I love this quote:

Well off I go to clean my house...

UmmKhaled