Fit with Ruthie

I am considering moving this blog .... I have set up the new blog and imported all the posts and comments from this blog to the new one.. I will keep this blog for a while to see if I really like the other before switching.. but for the next few days i will post only on the new digs.. click here to see the new place :) blessings ruthie

UGH.. sprints are so hard some days :) .. esp when the wind is blowing so hard! .. i used my nikeplus and it worked! hopefully it will add it to my side bar and to the challenge again :) YIPPEE>. the sprints were no fun at all.. pretty much like work the whole time.. but i know it will make my long runs easier.. so i went through the pain of sprints for that simple reason. I am looking into transferring my blog to a wordpress format.. check back soon and see if i made the big decision to switch or not :) off to do some educating and get ready for tomorrows coop :) blessings r

walking back and forth to my parents house and riding bikes today.. plus mowing and weed eating a large back and small front yard left me tired. I also tried calibrating my new nikeplus and ended up walking a mile.. but by the time i figured out what i was doing i was ready to quit and go to bed. when i first put my new nikeplus on it said the the sensor battery was low.. :( i was so upset.. but finally figured out it gives that reading it it doesnt recognize the new sensor.. anyway.. tomorrow morning will be the first real test.. I plan on running before track.. sprints. I am changing my rest days up this week cause i want thurs to be my off day so i dont have to run after coop.. i also need to get my weight lifting in ... so that will be tomorrow too. heres a cool running site .. with a cute picture too :) looking forward to more progress.. off to read my running book before i go to sleep :) blessings ruthie "if it was easy... its wouldnt be called a challenge"

I cant believe it.. I just weighed .. its 1021pm .. i was getting ready for bed and though i would weigh.. my clothes have been seeming a bit looser so i gave it a shot. I hardly ever weigh because i use my measurements and pictures more as a guide.. but i must say i am thrilled to be in the 120s... its been.. OH>> 18 YEARS since i have been in the 120s!!!! .. I just want to do a happy dance.. i wish i could celebrate by screaming out loud.. but it would scare the kids as they are asleep! .. wooooooooooooooooo whoooooo! Its finally come my way.. I have jumped off that plateau! and I am pumped. .. watch out 40 year old birthday.. here i come! OH.. 128 to be exact.

AH.. i had a GREAT run this morning while the kid were in track. my schedule said to run at a moderate pace for 40 mins.. I ended up doing 4miles in 39 point something.. but it was under 40 :) I walked 4 times on the last mile.. but came in to the finish strong!.. it felt great! lots to do today.. off to make lunch, schooling, library, hobby lobby run, and need to mow my mom an dads yard too! :) check out the links below if you havent yet.. UPDATE OK.. good news on the nike plus front.. Target let me exchange it! go target:) so I have a new plus and will still be able to run to China! bad news is my cell phone is shot. .. it stopped working this weekend and i took it in today and they said it was water damaged. but i have NOT dropped it in water.. the only thing i can figure is it got too wet with sweat when i run! .. word of advice.. careful where you carry your phone with you when you run... it can ruin it. ! (i usually carried mine in my shorts back zipper where the ipod can go OR i...

today was Sunday.. and a day of rest for me.. I am hitting the hay early tonight cause i have had only 4 oz of DP today (see my sugar post for my caffeine sugar addition update and plan) and i am sooo sleepy! (which is great cause i know i will sleep good tonight :) i will post my plan for this coming week on the side bar.. but have decided to keep journal of my workouts as i complete them .. so every sunday i will post my previous weeks workouts at the bottom of sunday nights post so i can keep track. I am on week five of my training I have 3 40 min training and a 3 mile run as my long run on saturday. I am still trying hard to figure out how to get those weights into all this.... and will just have to do those in the evenings i guess. ... Motivational things i have read or watched this weekend: click here to watch the final of The Biggest Looser . (I am a fan but have never watched it in real time.. and was thrilled to see they have the final episode online :) I also got two books f...

well.. not really dreaded.. but sorta worried i wouldnt make it all the way and have to call someone to come pick me up :) LOL>. but i made it! 5 miles running most. its funny how through the run it ebs and flows of ahhhh this feels great to.. ahhhh i am going to die.. to ahhh.. this feels great i could do this forever.. to AHHHHH can i quit :) .. but.. i ended on a good note and felt really great at the end :) bad news is my nike plus battery is KaPUT. so.. the 5 mile run only registered as a half mile.. .. but oh well.. just add 5miles to the total over there in the side bar and you can figure how much farther we have left to go :) .. ok.. busy day.. lawn to mow.. garage frame boards to paint.. kids to take to see a famous childrens artist.. and thats in less than an hour!.. gotta go. Gotcha Suzette.. THANKS! now tonight i can catch up with your blog ! UPDATE I have been posting on Happy Housewives club and thought i would share with the nonHHWC gals what i just wrote :) On the ha...

OK Ladies.. time for progress photos.. This page will contain my progress photos.. I will be working towards gathering all the photos from my 2 year journey... Heres the most resent ;) below is April 2008 June 7 2008 April 2008: June 7th 2008 I think there is def progress there.. in some areas i didnt expect :) .. I need to measure cause i can tell that i have lost in my hips and legs cause the shorts i am wearing in the pictures are actually a bit loose with wrinkles now.. and they have never been like that.. I guess thats what you get when you change workout plans up a bit and try and cut out sugar :) LOL.. progress feels good.

ah.. what a great way to start the day! Went riding with cousin T this morning and it was fantastic! Except for the saddle soreness part :) .. but after a mile or two that was fine :) so.. we did 10 miles.. quite a few hills and my legs are shot! :) I loved getting up and out the door before seven! it was beautiful out.. just might have to do it again for my long run in the morning. busy day today... math, spelling, then to the park for track, picnic afterward and .. yes... we are going back to the zoo.. (love our zoo :) hope your feeling the need to get out and get your workout done.. and if you dont feel like it..... well.. do it anyway.. you will be glad you did :) "life is always better on the other side of a workout :) " blessings r

Form Training?WHATS THAT? well as I understood it to be in my marathoning for Mortals book its basically sprints.. warm up ... get loose.. then start running gradually increasing your pace until you are at a fast sprint. Focus on quick foot strike.. then .... walk for a minute. .. and start all over. so thats what i did tonight . and UGH> OH MY GOODNESS.. i kinda sorta thought i was in shape! but doing those sprints.. UGH>. makes you feel old and out of shape :) LOL. the plan was to run with Cat (my daughter) but after we were warmed up and started to jog her foot started hurting.. so we turned around and came home.. ended up to be almost a mile :) .. (hum.. so i wonder if playing soccer after co-op today barefooted on a gym floor has an corrilation with her foot hurting :) ?) .. anyway.. i walked her home and then started over.. so I ended up with 2.57 miles of sprint form training and 1 walking warm up with cat :) .. and i am tired!!!!!!!! and i mean T. I. A. R. D! ok.. so i th...

Just had to post a few pictures.. Su running on the treadmill.. My biceps on the return and my new watch! YIPPEE .. and the above .. me serving birthday cake and NOT eating birthday cake :) so this is my 3rd.. yet most important post of the day :) workout complete! I did upper body chest, tris, bis, and bit of back.. cooked supper for the family and then while they ate i left for my 40 min cardio cross-training (bike ride).. think i went about 10 miles... feels good but will be saddle sore tomorrow! ......more later!r

Hey gals.. i have been reading and posting on the Happy Housewives club and a few people asked for some tips and "helps" .. i post the 12 tips below.. and wondered if you experienced gals had any more great tips to add? If so.. you can post them here in the comments or on your blog.. I would love to have a "tips" page link on the side bar and if you dont mind i would add your tips to mine for those who are searching for that info :) you gals are great.. thats for being so encouraging to me! Here's a little list of "tips".. things that helped me along the way (and still do (these are in no particular order) 1. Dont quit. no matter how many times you have to start over.. starting over is NOT quitting.. and not quitting is progress and progress is what gets you where you want to be. 2. Find support. Others who think the way you do. If you dont have someone in your area.. family or close friend .. the find one via the web. 3. Start a blog (my fitness blo...

Josha asked a few questions about my running the half marathon.. I decided to post my answers instead of reply in the comments .. So, what is your marathon goal? My goal is to make it to the finish line.. when i run the 13 miles it will be the first time ever at that distance. So just to finish has been my goal from the start. Are you shooting for mostly running with some walking or all running or what? There are several training schedules in the Marthoning for Mortals book. I feel my fitness level is halfway between the "running most walking a little" and "running all" training plans. So what i have decided to do is run as much as i can and not feel bad at all for walking when i need to. And, at this stage in the book, are you running it all or mostly running? Right now.. (yesterday) I ran at a moderate pace the first 2 miles.. after that i was pretty much walking half a lap running half a lap. .. the last two laps I did pick up my pace and ran harder cau...

awww I am loving our spring weather.. I tried to get out the door a bit early to get my run started before track practice started at 10.. but we had a stray dog (golden retreaver) pup show up at our door step.. .. why to people get dogs and not put identificaiton on them? i just dont understand. .. anyway.. so we were late to practice instead of early.. cause i put the dog in the back yard so it wouldnt follow us and end up getting run over by a car. .. so much for my good deed.. when we got home.. she was out of our fence and running around the neighborhood again.. oh well.. i tried atleast :) ok.. so heres the info.. today was my 40 min run.. I did 3.83 miles in 40 mins.. the first two miles were easy but the last two UHG.. hard.. but at least i finished. ;) .. I am saddle sore from riding lessons on Saturday.. so that made running interesting.. also.. i wore my old nike running shorts.. and UGH.. i new better.. i hated running in them.. so .. its back to my skirt next time.. I w...

Texas that is :) I created a new challenge on Nike+ this morning. I wanted a new challenge so when i run my long run it will actually go toward something :) . So.. I decided we could Hoop and Holler to China >>its approx 50miles. If you would like to join the run and have a Nike+ (suachagirl didnt you just get one?) .. email me at ruthieartworks@yahoo.com and I will send you a invite through nike plus so you can join in on the fun! When we finish we can all hoop and holler together! Whoop! I will add this challenge to the side bar later after my fun run today! I woke up sore this morning from all activity.. figure its mostly from swimming :) .. but it feels great! ok.. all for now.. UPDATE: Just finished my long run. 4miles in 41 mins. the first two were relaxing.. the last two.. no so much.. but this IS training.. so i guess its NOT spose to be a breeze :) .. I feel great now after stretching.. I was thinking today when i was jogging the first two miles.. I remember when I woul...

today was an "OFF" day from running. I was to cross train today. Tomorrow is a 4mile run :) YIPPEE.. so this morning the kids had track. DH took the day off and went with us. I basically walked fast and jogged beside DH while he walked. We also sprinted a 100yard dash.. he barely beat me :) (he has longer legs!.. TWO of them! ) anyway.. It logged 3.72 miles.. but it was light and easy. I thought it would take us over the top on our 15er challenge.. but it didnt.. but.. tomorrow..THAT will be the day :) I also took the kids swimming this afternoon at the university pool. I swam for an hour. did some weight resistance work etc.. and lots of swimming, breast, back, and freestyle :) .. I am t. i. a. r. d. "TIE.... ARD" (thats Texans for tired) :)LOL so.. good day.. looking forward to tomorrow.. will do bicepts and tris tomorrow after i run. :) eats were a bit off today.. urg. .. but its ok.. progress.. NOT perfection is the key :) Thinking of the next Nike+ challenge.....

well.. no camping tonight.. too windy, too stormy. but its good.. cause i am tired :) we were going to go tomorrow night but relatives are coming to town :) so.. no camping this weekend.. will have to wait a few weeks. its all good.. Nate still had a great bday.... bbgun and all :) (pawpaw put a SIGHT on the bbgun! .. so funny.. so cool) i rested today.. although i did swim a bit with the kids at coop.. it was a blast.. the kids were great! so well behaved! would take them anywhere! and i mean that! all 40 of them! just a blast to be with! eats were off today.. but its good.. i am a few nights behind from getting the right amount of sleep so i knew when i got up this morning i just knew.. i wanted some caffiene ... its just so nice to feel like i can have ONE and not have to have 12 .. thats a great feeling! almost like i am "cured" LOL. tomorrow is my long run .. 4 miles. so Josha and I might hit out 15 mile mark tomorrow! fun fun. I am really looking forward to running! i j...

ugh.. day three was hard to fit that workout in.. busy day.. field trip to a farm.. was fun and exciting.. but somedays its just hard to get that run or lifting in.. so here it is 9.47pm and i just finished a 30 min walk/run. I walked more than i ran tonight.. on the treadmill... I am just tired tired tired.. but atleast i did it. coop tomorrow.. swimming with the kids.. then camping tomorrow night.. and we have nothing packed ... so.. tomorrow will be busy too!.. OH.. NO.. I just realized.. i was spose to rest today!.. URGH.. new programs always throw me off! so .. i will rest tomorrow instead ! by the campfire. :) so i guess it works out good ok.. off to do a days kitchen full of dirty dishes and get things ready for tomorrow morning.. cant believe my baby it turning SEVEN! ahhhhhhhhhh........ ready for things to calm down a bit. r

I just figured out June 19 th 2008 will be my 2 year Body for Life Anniversary . How should I celebrate? Ideas? Suggestions? (will def. make a video).. wow.. almost 2 years... wow. UPDATE: ok.. just finished lifting weights in my CLEAN garage-gym! YIPPEE.. it was so nice to work out without all the "stuff" everywhere! I did lower body (leg extensions, deadlifts, leg curls, plie'squats, and I did what i call leg swings.. while holding the bar-no weight on that one) I also did Ball Ab Crunches and couldnt resist a few bi curls.. just a few. My legs are jello.. but it feel so great! As far as my workout plan I figured out I was all confused and reading the chart wrong... I was thinking i was to run on Tues and Thurs too.. which seemed like a LOT to me.. .. and sure enough i read it wrong! (thats the dumb blonde in me i guess) Heres what it says. Monday: 40 min run Tuesday: 30 min cross train Wednesday: rest Thursday: 40 min run Friday: 30 min Cross train Saturday: Long run...

good morning. today is day 2 .. and another day closer to Independence day :) .. I plan on lifting weights this afternoon and will post after i am done. fun things i wanted to share: A few weeks ago while at a friends house.. i tasted Asparagus for the first time in my life! It was roasted in the oven with a bit of olive oil, salt, and lemon juice. Now.. it is my new favorite food! WOW.. what's happening to me! I am truly turning into a health nut! .. I found a sports running watch and i love it! I had one years ago (7) but had not really started missing having a watch until i started running again. I have been looking for almost a year and a half for one I liked but refused to pay 30 to 40 bucks for a watch. this past weekend at walmart i found one I LOVE and it was only 10 bucks! Marked down from 33.00! ( I love a deal) .. so now i have a "real" stopwatch but it also has a cool "hydration" setting to remind you to drink water.. cool huh? do you know if you ca...

ok.. I did a 30 min moderate run this morning during the kids track practice. I used my nikeplus to do a "timed" run so it would talk to me every few minutes and say "10 mins completed" etc. until it counted down the last 5 mins.. and that was good.. cause I really wanted to stop.. but it kept saying.. "only 3 mins to go".. etc. .. Yeah.. lovin the Plus. ends up i ran a little over 3 miles. and it was nice cause i could feel myself get in a relaxed "space" and just enjoy jogging.. like i use to enjoy walking. cool. Lots to do today..schooling, getting the left over garage sale items out of the workout zone and to the donation place, board meeting tonight... I will lift weights around four. Today i will do upper body. I am going to have to alter my weight lifting schedule to flow with my runs.. .. more on that when i have more time ... day one feels great. **** update*** so its almost 11.. i should be in bed.. i am tired.. heres a quick recap of ...

(i am working on my new theme.. hopefully my links etc will be back to normal before bed tonight :)i will also post my first weeks schedules for running and lifting in the side bar.. lots going on.. trying to spring clean the garage today so it will be nice and clean for my challenge :) yippee well I didnt get to work on the blog tonight.. but i DID get the back yard looking like it had a makeover! .. so thats good. shrubs are cut.. roses cut and shaped, holes filled with dirt.. on and on it goes.. (the back yard it our main project this summer..... YIPPEE) anyway.. tomorrow is day one.. I will post in the morning my weekly schedule and all.. ready to get on with it.. ready to set and reach some goals.. FUN> more in the morning r

---before my rant... a few things to tell you--- at my garage sale today i saw a lady that i kinda recognized but couldnt figure out for sure.. ends up .. she was wondering about me too.. and finally asked my name.. she said "i thought that was you ruth.. but you have lost so much weight.. you look so different.. i wasnt sure!" .. and i said the same to her! she had lost 50 and i 40 since we saw each other.. cool. horse riding for over an hour today was fun.. but walking to church tomorrow will be interesting to say the least. i am so ready to change my theme and start a new 12 weeks! yippe! NOW. my rant. It IS a conspiracy I tell you! ok.. so i went swimsuit shopping on Friday (yesterday) .. I tried on 20 suits and didnt like ONE.. not ONE.. what i dont understand is this.. HOW can i be a size 6 in a jean-pant and a med to small in a shirt.. and be a size TWELVE in a swim suit! AAAAAAAHHHHHHH ! I know i know.. size doesnt matter.. anyone who watches "what not to wear kn...

ok.. its official.. i have decided what I am doing over the next 12 weeks. I will begin BFL weight training on Monday (april 14th) with my end date on JULY 4th! Isnt that fun! Its a total of 82 days instead of 84 but I think it will be fun to end it on the 4th! I will also begin a 14 week training for a 1/2 marathon. Using the training guide in Marathoning for Mortals. I will actually begin on the 3rd week since the first two weeks of the program work you up to a 3mile run (and i am already doing that :) .. so it works out good to have a 12 week running plan too! .. so.. what are YOU doing July 4th? want to train for a run-walk with me? I will probably invite some friends over the morning of the 4th, .. we have a neighborhood parade around 10am that starts right in front of our house :) .. anyway.. i will invite friends over to run before the parade that morning and i will run my 1/2 marathon that morning :) OR i might just use my Nike+ and go it alone.. either way.. i will run a 1/...

Co-op today was great busy but great. I have missed my last two workouts. Yesterday I didnt make time before 6pm.. with boys hairs to cut, supper to make and you know all that other mom stuff.. it just didnt happen. I WAS going to workout after we got home from Bible class but it was stormy and DH moved all the garage sale stuff to the workout side of the garage so we can get our car in.. (it was spose to hail). So last night didnt happen today was busy and after co-op DH and i got to out on a date to Abuelo's for mexican food! (yummy) and now i am just plain ole tired. So.., no worries.. will probably just run tomorrow morning with the track moms :) My eats have been going great. I wanted to write a bit here about my progress in that area cause i have really felt GREAT and made some huge strides toward becoming sugar and caffiene free :) Here are the highlights: Yesterday was my 2 week annyvesary with NO caffeine (now.. i know i had a coke this past weekend .. of which it made me...

had a great run today.. 2 miles.. will update my nike+ later tonight. :) no upper body yesterday... busy. but today. we worked on getting the garage/gym cleaned out and it is now organized and ready to go.. we will have a garage sale on saturday.. (we have gone back and forth on what to do.. donate or sale) .. we have some large things in our backyard we need to get rid of.. and the donation place doesnt take them.. so garage sale it is.. only down side is i was going to run yet another 5k this weekend.. but instead i will just run m own on my nike+ :) so now worries :) as far as my plan .. i think i will just start another round of BFL on Monday.. i think it will put me a week or so off of Josha and might be right on with Sauchagirl :) .. so.. it will be fun! eats were good today.. Its so frustrating to feel like I was still detoxing from what i ate on Sunday.. but hopefully tomorrow my energy levels will get even better :) Sugar Shock (the book i am reading) has been interesting.. ...

ok.. so i need to make a few decisions as to the training i need to be doing. I think my shoulder could handle a bit more weight training now..although i will still take it slow(light).. but i am tired of not having a written game plan.. so i am considering what to do.. i might do BFL training (12 weeks) or do the blitz training (8 weeks) ... I will still continue to try and increase my speed on the 5k and "best Mile" while at the same time try and increase my distance.. with a goal of running a 10k this summer (june?) this morning is track for the kids.. so i will go walk with the gals and then do weights this afternoon. I totally took a free day yesterday on eats (although i started the morning good by taking oranges to Bible class)... but crashed when it came to the Doritoes and Choc Covered raisins i ate most of the day :) LOL... as a result I was feeling like my old "pre-sugarbeast" self.. no energy.. .. and this morning i hated waking up with NO energy. So tod...

today i ran a personal best! I am sooooo excited! I decided not to run in the 5k that was a local park this morning cause the kids had a Bible Bowl competition and I was a scorekeeper.. but i just got home from my run ! (6.45pmHere) 5k (3.1 miles) in 31 mins 39 sec ! I also ran my best mile EVER .. 8 min 58 secs ! WOW! was the the nike-plus? the new shoes? the Low sugar- no caffeine diet? the joy of it being so beautiful outside? running WITHOUT the puppy? .. humm.. I am soooooo happy! makes me think i can "be a runner" :) all for now.. off to go figure out what to fix for supper :)

into about a 2 mile walk.. plus stretching with coach and the track team. I did have one sprint in there.. but as far as a "official" run by myself.. that will have to wait until tomorrow i guess.. busy day.. but thats ok. had pizza tonight and i am sure it will come back to haunt me... but thats ok.. i tasted great :) I actually ordered a soft drink to "test" myself.. and UHG.. i didnt like it! (what's going on!) isnt th at strange.. i ended up only taking like 5 sips.. it was funny.. I left this HUGE glass sitting there that looked like i had drank 0 from it! .. and of course.. 10 mins later i had a headache ;) .. body says "no thanks".. making the transition to no sodas i think has finally really truly stuck this time! Tomorrow the kids have a Bible Bowl competition so i will not run until late afternoon :) looking forward to warmer weather! It was in the 60s all day and i nearly froze! (sad i know) but this weekend .. HIGH 80s! yIPPEE!

check out my sugar blog to the right and see the fun video sarah sent me .. the kids loved it.

long day with the wind that woke me up at 430am, coop :), and helping MandD rearrange :) so.. today will be my off day.. see the side bar for my adjusted schedule. :) we have track tomorrow morning at the park instead of the track.. might wait until tomorrow night to run :) how'd yall do?

well.. here it is Wednesday again! I mean the weeks are flying by! whats going on! before I know it I will be ... uh oh.. 40! and what then? .. ok.. so this morning the kids had track and I walked around and around with my friend who is a lot longer legged than me (lucky her) and it was a great low impact workout. I lost count how many time we did but it was atleast 10.. so thats 2.5 miles atleast :) .. then the kids and i walked home.. so.. all added up was close to 3miles.. and THAT was just for fun :) i just finished my upper body workout.. i am trying very very hard to be very very very patient and not go up on weights to quickly .... its hard though to go back to lifting only 5 lbs on chest fly when i am use to doing 25! .. but.. you work with what you have right? and right now i have a shoulder that is still on the mend .. and I want to keep it that way.. so .. heres what i did: chest flies, laying tri extensions, and shoulder raises (2 straight, 2 bent).. 4 sets of 24 on each.. ...

AHHH.. what a day.. as you know the kids are now taking track. today we went to Coaches shoe store and all got shoes (well.. except nate had to get his at Academy)... so many dollars later we are sporting new shoes:) yippee! I also found the cutest running outfit for cat while at Academy.. some capris, a running skirt, and a top.. told her it was def. blog worthy.. so i will get a picture of her today before practice and load it later tonight :) Coach said to give a run a try without my orthodics. I got these orthodics YEARS ago.. and have never run without them since.. but he thinks since i have lost weight and my feet never hurt anymore (even with no orthodics) then i should be fine without. I am really hoping so cause i think i need a lot more cushion esp if i want to increase my distance! ok.. all for now.. I will run during or after track practice (2miles with my nikeplus) and will post later tonight :) off to do spelling, read King Arthur, fold laundry and do the dishes :) UPDA...