Operation Healthy Living - the good and the bad

This week I weigh 154.2 so I've lost .8 pounds. I can't really explain the loss, I did move my body almost every day last week but I've worked out harder in the past and the scale hasn't moved. I've been doing the Jillian Michaels yoga meltdown DVD, it is great dynamic exercise, low impact and I burn at least 150 calories in a half hour without putting pressure on my joints. While I give my hip a rest, yoga is quickly becoming a staple in my routine. I went for a walk/run on Saturday to "test" out my hip after 2 weeks of rest and I felt great while exercising, I am came home and did my yoga but shortly felt my hip start to hurt. And despite taking my medication, it hurt all night (for some reason I refused to take my pain pills) and I didn't sleep well at all.

Needless to say, I am being seen by a specialist next week and instead of doing run/walks, I've decided to just add walking to my routine to get miles in and continue training for my half-marathon. I walked on Monday and felt really good, yesterday my leg was sore so I rested and will be out again this evening for a 3 mile walk.

I've also been thinking about my eating habits. I stopped food journaling and more importantly meal planning and this has been a mistake. I have to get back on this because otherwise I eat whatever is handy. I've also found myself snacking late at night, probably because I haven't been drinking enough water and eating enough so my body still needs fuel.

I recognize that I am on a journey and it is not always going to be easy but I am going to remain aware. Awareness will keep me on track and this means once again revisiting the emotions I am feeling when I am eating. I am catching myself before I fall back into bad habits, not beating myself up and recognize that I am still doing well. 48 pounds down, two more to go to meet my goal!

*Don't forget to enter my Good Red For Women fitness pack giveaway, it ends tonight at 11:59 EST!

I Love You Grandma! Giveaway

Giveaway over - Congratulations to Melissa O. and Amada!

My mother visits us about four times a year; when I say "us" I use that term loosely because she is really visiting her grandson. I truly appreciate that she comes down from New York if I am traveling and need childcare for my son but I know she wishes she could visit even more frequently. In the past we've used video chats to stay in touch but unfortunately her webcam is broken. Now I usually end up wrangling my son to the phone to speak with her and although she knows he is a tempermental three year old, it still hurts her feelings when he won't come to the phone.

That is why sometimes, despite all of the modern technology, it is fun to get back to the basics. We used to be able to record cassette tapes to share sentiments with loved ones far away but of course those are obsolete. We can do video recordings but that is contingent upon my busy pre-schooler sitting still long enough to catch him on video. That is why when I was asked to be a part of the Hallmark Storyteller program I immediately responded affirmatively.

Hallmark has a line of recordable books that a loved one can read for a child and capture the voice across the miles. I love this concept because it combines early child literacy and reaching out and touching a loved one with a tangible item that we can hold and listen too. As much as I love digital media, it is always nice to receive a letter in the mail and the recordable books take it one step further. Through August I will be sent a book to "review" and share it with you. I'll also have two copies to giveaway for two of my readers and (I love this) I will also give a donation of recordable books to charity!

Back to my mom, she is the best and for the first book my son recorded "I love you Grandma" since she reads my blog the cat is out of the bag so I hope this time you will forgive me for not posting a video of my son because I want part of it to be a surprise. Let's just say we had a great time recording the book and I know my mother will be pleased. Grandma, we love you and thank you for being you!

Giveaway

2 copies of "I love you Grandma! This is a great gift for grandma and she will cherish it forever, whether she lives near or far. In addition to winning your own copy winners get to choose a charity to donate copies of the books to.

To enter (mandatory) - simply leave a comment telling what charity you'll donate the books to if you win!

An extra entry for tweeting the link to this contest - Enter to win Hallmark recordable book "I love you Grandma" on Cutie Booty Cakes blog @reneejross http://bit.ly/b8Umvz

And a final entry if you subscribe to the blog (if you are already a subscriber that counts too!)

Be sure to leave a comment for each method of entry.

Contest is over on July 23th at 11:59pm. Winner will be contacted by email,please be sure to leave a valid email address in the comments if you are not on blogger.

Good Luck!

Disclosure: this is a sponsored post and all of the opinions are 100% mine.

Hebrew National Better Than A Picnic- July 29th

Across the country Hebrew National is sponsoring Better-Than-A-Picnic Picnics and I am proud to say that this Saturday, July 24th from 11:30-3:00pm I will be hosting the event here in Atlanta! My co-hosts are the fabulous Mischelle, Dawn and Stacie! You might be wondering how is this better than a picnic? Well, we will be accepting donations for our favorite charities and doing service projects too! Here are all the details, I hope you can join us for this free event!

The Hebrew National Better-Than-A-Picnic Picnic in Atlanta is July 24th!

Date: July 24th, 11:30 am - 3:30 pm

Location: Centennial Olympic Park

Who: You can bring kids, family, friends -- many other local bloggers and their kids will be there too!

What: Fun, Hebrew National hotdogs, friends, a service project (details below)

There will be LOTS to do and enjoy -- music, giant puzzles, a mechanical bull and other activities for kids and families, too!

Our service projects are pretty fantastic:

Donations:
Atlanta Community Food Bank, Kids in Need: Sometimes it's the simplest of tools that are the hardest to obtain, like school supplies. Kids in Need is a program through the ACFB that works with eligible teachers and schools to help provide students with those much needed supplies.http://www.acfb.org/projects/kids_in_need/

The Atlanta Children's Shelter: It's easy to make a child happy---a stuffed animal, a matchbox car, a set of paints or playdough; they can all easily do the trick. Unfortunately not every child has the means to attain simple pleasures. Donations of this kind can make a difference in a child's life. We have the power to make that happen, one gift at a time!http://www.atlantachildrensshelter.com/

I am so glad to have this opportunity to work with the wonderful ladies of The Motherhood to organize this event. I hope to see you there!

In the Doghouse

This is Legacy volunteer Jason and Legacy foster Sugar.

Which one do you think will end up in the doghouse?

Yeah my monies on Jason too!

Exercise for kids of all ages!

My son has been my biggest cheerleader since I've started my journey to healthy living. He will run alongside me when I am using my EA SPORTS active and help deepen my stretches when I am doing a yoga workout (by sitting on my back - good thing I'm flexible!). When we run outside he encourages me to go faster from his throne (the jogging stroller) And every time I finish exercising he claps and says "yea, Mommy, good job!"

He is already learning that regular exercise is important and I'm glad to set an example for him but I also want him to get exercise that is geared for him so here are a few things that we've tried out.

My Gym is a fitness center for children from 6 months t- 13 that offers weekly classes to help keep kids in shape. They are located all over the country and have recently released a DVD for at home fitness for children ages 6 months to 3 years. The DVD is a series of workouts led by Miss Monique and she demonstrates each move with a child, this is interactive exercise and both parent and child participate. Mekhi and I tried the workouts and although we had fun, in my opinion this DVD is bested suited for children 2 and under. I really recommend it for this age group as a fun introduction to exercise.

Sid the Science Kid is a television show that airs on PBS that my son loves. In the book "Everybody Move Your Feet" Sid learns the importance of exercising and realizes that there are things to do beyond watch television all weekend. He explores the concept of exercising for health and fitness and shares his knowledge with his classmates. This book is a hit with Mekhi, it is geared toward the pre-school set and he completely relates to the characters and understands the concepts. This book reinforces the lessons that I teach him about exercise by example.

Hip-Hop baby is a series of DVDs that teach young children concepts like counting and ABCs by using hip-hop. My son has been a fan for well over a year of Hip Hop baby so when they released Hip Hop dance class we had to try it out. This DVD is fun, all of the dance steps are broken own into easy movements and it is appropriate for ages 5 and up. My son and I did the DVD and although he didn't get the choreography, he did jump around to the music and do his verison of dancing, so he certainly exercised with the DVD.

Since it is summer I like to get Mekhi outside to exercise. His Backyard Safari gear puts him in ther mood to run around the yard in search of new adventures. He is wearing his safari jacket and playing with his working periscope and bug catcher. He really enjoyed searching for bugs and the vacuum pulls bugs in for closer observation under the internal magnifying glass. When he is finished looking, the nozzle is easily detached so that our bug friends can go free.

While Mekhi explored the wilds of our backyard, I sat in the shade watching him run around while I tried to keep cool in the Georgia heat. Mekhi got his exercise in without even realizing it, if I could bottle up the energy of my three year old and sell it, I'm sure I'd be a billionaire.

Encouraging exercise for children is especially important considering physical fitness classes are being cut from the budgets of many schools. By providing children with the tools to enjoy exercise at home at an early age, we set the foundation for life long healthy living. Hopefully I've given you some ideas to help encourage your child to exercise too.


Disclosure: I recieved the above products for review and all of the opinions are 100% my own.

Go Red For Women - Giveaway!

GIVEAWAY ENDED- Congratulations Deb! entry 3 by random.org

Did you know that heart disease is the number one killer of women? And it is preventable, with proper diet and exercise women can reduce their risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association Go Red for Women program raises awareness about heart disease and provides a free Better U program so that you can transform your health by making small, simple choices.

This 12 week program provides expert coaching, health tracking tools, and daily nutrition and exercise tips. You can decide how you'd like to receive these tips - in your inbox, facebook widget with reminders, and even a desktop tool. No excuses!

If you are looking to jumpstart your health program or just want to keep on your toes, I highly recommend Better U. To help you on your journey, Go Red provided me with a giveaway for you!

Included in this fitness pack are a pilates band with exercises printed on the band (you can also download more exercises from Better U), a red stainless steel water bottle, a jump rope and a carrying case. Everything you need on the go to exercise!

To enter:

Just leave a comment telling me what you are doing or plan to do to help your heart health.

Extra entry: Tweet - "Enter to win Go Red For Women fitness kit on Cutie Booty Cakes @reneejross http://bit.ly/bO6UAQ"

Please leave separate comment for each method of entry!

This contest is open until Wednesday, June 30th at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be notified by email - please be sure to leave your email in your comment if you are not on blogger.

Good Luck!

Disclosure: I received a fitness pack too and I'm so happy because my hip is still injured and pilates is a great way for my to cross train in preparation for my half-marathon!

Magic - Blast from the Past!

In 2006, this super cute little pup came to our attention.  He had a terribly painful broken leg, and will always be remembered for his screams while we got him to the vet.

Once his leg was set and he was feeling better, he turned out to be the most charming and sweet of puppies.  He loved all the boxers he met, and he stole the heart of his foster mom.  

After he healed, he was adopted out to a great family with a boxer girl named Daisy.  This week we heard from Magic's family:

"It's been a couple of years since we moved to Florida and I
wanted to let Amy know that little Magic (who is now a whopping 70
pounds!) is safe and sound and happy. He and our fawn boxer, Daisy,
spend their days chasing squirrels in the back yard, taking walks by the
bay, and doing quite a bit of napping."

We were thrilled to see pictures of Magic and Daisy, and so happy to hear that he is living the good life out in Florida!

This is the best part of rescue - boxers getting to live the lives they were meant to live and getting their happily ever after!

A Nutty Snack Giveaway!

I love when surreptitious things happen to me. One night I was really craving a snack and decided to look in one of the many conference bags that I have in the house (I admit, I have so many it has been tough to go through all of them) for a treat. I wasn't very optimistic that I'd find anything healthy but I thought I'd go for it anyway. To my surprise I found a pack of Sahale snacks - nuts and fruit, delicious! And only about 140 calories a serving! I polished off the bag - yeah, I'm greedy like that and decided to find these delicious snacks during my next grocery trip.

I looked high and low and could not find these snacks. One day I saw that Sahale was on twitter and I asked where to find the snacks. And then serendipity hit! While waiting for a response on store locations I received an email asking if I'd like to sample four nut and fruit blends. Since I'm already a fan, I immediately said yes!

My package arrived yesterday and seriously, it took every ounce of my willpower to keep from eating all eight bags! I did sample each of the four varieties - Valdosta Pecans with Sweet Cranberries, Black Pepper + Orange Zest, Sing Buri Cashews with Pineapple, Peanuts, Lemongrass + Mild chili, Almonds with Cranberries, Honey +Sea Salt, and Cashews with Pomegranate + Vanilla. These taste combinations are a foodies dream! Seriously.

My favorite flavor is Sing Buri Cashews, I ate one of those bags yesterday and will probably finish off the other today! The Cashews with Pomegranate recently won Shape Magazine's Best Snack Award and if you like sweet rather than savory I am sure you will understand why.

Although I didn't know this before I received my package, the company was started by two adventure enthusiasts after climbing Mt. Rainer because they did not like the trail mix and energy bars available to them! Josh and Edmond are two guys after my own heart - developing these nutritious and delicious snacks, I could kiss them.

The flavors I listed above are now available at Walmart and are priced at $3.88 a bag! Guess I will be making a trip to Walmart to stock up on the Sing Buri Cashews, I don't know if you like nuts but that price is really good and I'm going to take advantage of it. On July 3 and 4th there will be a sampling event at select Walmarts across the country so be on the lookout so you can have a taste of these great snacks.

Giveaway

I also have a prize pack to giveaway - a box filled with all of the snacks in the picture above and an apron. Seriously, if there is one giveaway you should enter it is this one, this nuts are amazing! All you have to do is tell me what flavor you think you'd like the best. You can choose from one listed above or visit sahalesnacks.com and leave the flavor in the comments. That is it!

For an extra entry you can tweet - "Enter to win delicious Sahale Snacks on Cutie Booty Cakes http://bit.ly/9kdrqF @reneejross"

Please leave a separate comment for each method of entry and your email addy if you are not on blogger.

Good luck!

Contest is open until Monday, June 28th at 11:59 pm EST. Winner will be contacted by email.

Please Help!

Hi all, we realize the economy is tough, and we have really tried not to beg for money this year, but alas, we must. We're seeing an unusually high incidence of parvovirus this year, and throw in one broken jaw and one broken leg, and well, the funds are dwindling to say the least. And while we have lost a couple of the parvo babies, that doesn't mean the bills for trying to help them aren't still there. We always give it our all to save our boxer babies.

If you can help us make our goal of $6,000.00, no matter the amount, we would sincerely appreciate it. Thank you for your continued support!!!







Click Here to Donate Online

Flirt - Parvovirus - Cost $1,736.52

Huey - Parvovirus Cost $431.05

Boss (RIP) - Parvovirus Cost $214.75

Mitzi (RIP) - Cost Unknown, bill will arrive after June 30th.

Spirit - Broken Jaw - Cost $2,835.04

Angel Baby - Broken front leg and fractured pelvis. Cost is estimated at $1,607.50, surgery will be this week.

Mulligan, new boy. Emaciated beyond belief and heartworm positive.

Operation Healthy Living Summer Shrink- Weight In

I have to admit that I was a little afraid to step on the scale this morning after all of my splurging last week. Apparently I had nothing to fear because I weighed in at 155 again so I've maintained my weight this week. I've learned a lesson, no more crunchy salty snacks in the house - I can't control myself! And coconut ice cream is for special occasions only!

Since I'm still recovering from my hip strain I've pretty much been on the couch. Yesterday I finally decided to get up and do Jillian Michaels Yoga Meltdown and I felt great! As a matter of fact, I got up this morning and did it again. I think I am going to incorporate yoga into my routine on a regular basis, it will keep my body flexible, burn fat and hopefully keep me from injuring myself again.

I am still excited about my half-marathon training, I watched a Team in training video by a woman that did the San Diego marathon. I was so inspired! Now I just need to get my fundraising done, the training I am sure I can do! If you'd like to help me in my effort to raise $4000.00 please click HERE every dollar helps!

That is it for this week, hopefully next week I will be up and running again!

Fish Tales

Greetings from the Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake and

"The Lake Trout Capitol of the World"!

Big Fish and Little Fish - At the Cottage, Seneca Lake

Catching Up,
Marjorie

P.S. Handwritten caption on the back of this old photo postcard reads:
A part of the catch at Highgate Sprgs
Aug 20 '12, by Mrs. Hepburn and Walter.
More than 200 fish caught, only 92
strung here. Total weight 60 pounds.
Not a fish wasted: eight families supplied.

Tuesday True Confessions!

Although I don't usually participate in True Confessions with the Sisterhood- I just had to get this off of my chest! Remember yesterday when I posted about the yummy delicious goodness of Coconut Milk ice cream? Well, I confess. This week I've eaten two pints, mostly by myself. My son had a few spoonfuls but basically, I've been a greedy, greedy girl. And I've added almost 14oo calories to my usual weekly intake. Sadly, my confession is - if I could, I'd do it again! It was so worth it! And that is why my sweet indulgence costs over $5.00 I can't possible justify purchasing it frequently!

And, I ate two bags of Garden of Eatin' tortilla chips - quacamole and hot and spicy flavors. Delicious! Now I know I have to stick to regular corn tortilla chips or I will over indulge. Lesson learned.

Finally, I haven't exercised, I'm still resting my hip. Tonight I'm going to practice yoga, pinky swear! And I am not looking forward to tomorrow's weigh-in!

Coconut Ice Cream - A sweet summer treat!

Summertime, oh summertime. The steamy days of summer are hot and humid here in Atlanta. Sometimes you just need a sweet treat to get you by. I love summer sweet watermelon and I can eat an entire one by myself in two days. Luckily watermelon is good for me and won't pack on the pounds. But when I want something ice cold, smooth and delicious I usually turn to my other summer favorite - ice cream. Since I've been on a journey to healthy living I've made better choices - like eating skinny cow ice cream sandwiches or eating sorbet instead of ice cream. However, I've just found a sweet indulgence that I have to share with you.

Coconut ice cream. This treat is not low-fat or low in calories however since I am lactose intolerant, it is a better choice for me than diary products. My husband loves it too because he can't tolerate diary at all and hasn't eaten ice cream in years but now that we've discovered coconut ice cream he is in heaven. His favorite brand is Ciao Bella but I find it very difficult to locate. It is available at Target but they don't all carry it. He is actually upset that I introduced him to that brand because we can't find it!

I've found a something I like even better - So Delicious by Turtle Mountain! Using coconut milk as a base, they carry flavors like mint chocolate chip and my favorite, coconut almond chip. If you like almond joy bars you will love the coconut almond ice cream. All of the flavors are made with completely organic ingredients, sweeten with agave nectar and taste absolutely delicious. The coconut flavor is definitely prominent so if you aren't a fan of coconut you should probably pass. The company also carries soy ice cream but I like coconut much better. This is a special treat because on average it costs $5.50 for a pint but if you want to try it visit their website for a $1.00 off coupon.

I keep reminding myself that this is indeed a "treat" because it is so good I would eat it daily, gain back all my weight and go broke in the process!

Exercise wear for when you need a little *extra*

Several months ago you would have never caught me dead wearing an outfit like the one above. Form fitting? Showing all of my lumps and bumps? Never! Now that my body has taken on a brand new and improved shape I am much more comfortable wearing clothing that are more form fitting. As a matter of fact, if I win one of the Land's End bathing suits being given away on the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans, I will model it here for you! The ladies have been modeling all week and I think it is the least I can do to show my solidarity if I win.

That is not to say that I am completely satisfied with my body, I still have some things that wiggle and jiggle that strength training will improve. Until that happens, I've been introduced to Marika Miracles - active wear that enhances your shape and keeps the jiggly bits from jigging. LOL!

The company sent me the Miraculous waist cincher tank and the miraculous butt booster capri with tummy control. I really like the feel of the material and I can certainly feel the sucking in of my belly and uplift of my butt. I am still a bit self-conscious about my legs and the material of the capris really holds everything in.

I have to admit when I first heard about exercise shapewear I was a little hesitant but I thought about it and realize that the more comfortable you feel exercising the better you will do - especially when people can see you. I plan on wearing my Marika Miracles outfit when I run. Unfortunately I am unable to report on the wicking properties of the pieces because while I'm resting my hip I haven't been exercising.

However, I can say that Marika Miracles does hold everything in place and based on the unscientific survey I did with my friends, workout gear with support is something they would certainly wear. After trying it, I have to agree. The only thing that I would change - which is minor - is that the butt booster capris have a seam that goes around the butt cheeks. I am assuming this is what provides the boost but for me it is accentuating an area that is already *ahem* quite robust!

All in all I say if you want to feel comfortable at the gym or outdoors and you still have some trouble zones you are working on, Marika Miracles can give you that extra support until your body has it all on its own. You can see the entire line by visiting their website.

The importance of Sunscreen

I am an outdoors runner. Although I haven't been doing much running lately, when I do go out I ensure that I am properly covered. I always wear a running skirt, I bring my Polar FT-60 along and of course I wear my running shoes - Nike Air Pegasus. I also wear sunscreen of at least an SPF 15 to protect my face. Even though I do have dark skin, it is important for me to keep it protected - believe it or not, my skin burns too!

I use a basic moisturizer with Sunscreen but since I sweat (not glisten) I have been considering using a waterproof moisturizer with SPF and La Roche-Posay Anthelios has an entire line of sunscreens with moisturizers that I may start using once my basic moisturizer runs out.

Even when I am not running outside, I keep my skin protected with sunscreen. I do everything I can to stay healthy and keeping my skin healthy is just as important as exercising my heart.

Unexpected Inspiration at Cafe DeCuir

I love when inspiration comes from the most unexpected places. Yesterday I was invited by Tami to a bloggers luncheon at Cafe DeCuir. The owner, David DeCuir was named the top Black caterer in Atlanta and I have to say I understand why! David uses his Louisiana home grown recipes to entertain the palate of diners. I must admit that I am going to have visit David again to try his lemon salmon with crusted pecans. Since I am a pescatarian, I only sampled his salad (pictured above), the spinach and artichoke dip (scrumptious) and the lemon pound cake. Yes, I indulged a bit with my diet yesterday but it was worth it!

David and Tami

Now on to the inspiration. Remember that half marathon I am running to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society? Well, visiting Cafe DeCuir gave me one more reason to be inspired. David was diagnosed with lymphatic cancer in December and is cancer free! I told him that I will certainly be running and thinking of him too - he is still undergoing chemotherapy but pushing on with his business ventures and showing that lovely smile.

I am so thankful that I attended the luncheon! Once again I've been reminded that my efforts fundraising for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society will make a difference in the lives of others!

Shrinking Days Of Summer

The shrinking days of summer are here and I'm reporting my progress. Weigh-in day. Well, to my surprise my scale moved! Last week it moved too but in the wrong direction. I was up two pounds and not very happy about it. This week, I am down four pounds so I am guessing that TOM had something to do with the scale last week. I now weigh 156.4 pounds! I am so close to my weight goal of 150 pounds but I have changed my focus.

Despite my weight gain last week I was not bent out of shape, I'd gone out of town and indulged in all sorts of foods so I wasn't surprised. I also knew that I could remedy the problem by getting back on track. This week I've tried to drink more water but I've also indulged, that lemon pudding cake I had for my family reunion meeting was yummy! And also a reminder of why I don't have cake in the house unless I bake a low-fat version!

After losing 47 pounds my life is so different. Since I am so close to my goal weight, I've decided on a new goal - to run the Nike Women's Half Marathon. As I've mentioned, I am running with Team in Training to raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I have to raise $4000 - 75% goes directly to the society and the other 25% helps to get me to the race in San Diego. You can support my efforts by clicking here. I am more worried about raising the money than actually running the race.

Despite my current hip pain, I know I will heal and worse case scenario I will walk the entire 13.1 miles!

Well, that is my update for the week - I'm training for a half marathon and down a total of 47 pounds!

5 Tips for Injury Prevention

You see that? The photo above is my taped up hip. My hip has been bothering me for about 3 weeks now. I've rested it for an entire week, went back to running and pain again. At this point I am resting again but it is so difficult! I am used to being active and I am not happy just sitting around. But I am trying to remember the first rule of injury prevention -

LISTEN TO YOUR BODY!

I've been ignoring this rule by running and/or run/walking instead of just letting my body rest. This week I am scheduling a visit to the doctor because I want to be able to run my half-marathon in October and not make things worse. After attending the Team in Training Injury prevention workshop on Saturday, I know this is my best course of action. The injury prevention workshop was quite enlightening and I'll share with you a few things that I learned.

1. Listen to your body - I have to reiterate this one because if you are hard headed like me you will probably run in spite of the pain, take painkillers before the run or both. Don't do it! If you have pain, rest and let your body heal. You can ice the area for 20 minutes or less - using a bag of frozen peas works wonders.

2. Check your shoes - Being properly fit for running shoes can decrease your chance of injury tremendously! I had my shoes professionally fitted at a local running store - Big Peach Running. First I stood on a machine to see how my weight was distributed and if I over or under pronate when standing. I was then transferred to a treadmill where the store associate video taped and analyzed my running. With this information he was able to recommend shoes for me. I wish I'd visited him first, I initially purchased running shoes from Lady Footlocker and while it seemed like a good idea, it is kind of hit or miss. Best bet - visit a running store. Also, be sure to change your shoes after 300-500 miles.

3. Inserts - I use Super Feet inserts for extra cushioning and support in my shoes. In the past I've had some shin pain so I wanted to take precautions in an attempt to limit the amount of shin discomfort I feel. According to the Dr. leading the clinic on Saturday, we will all experience some shin pain when training but it shouldn't be completely debilitating.

4. Stretch and Cool Down - Seems like a no-brainer but this is an essential part of exercise that many people overlook and can lead to injury. Jumping right into your car after a run without stretching and cooling down makes your muscles tighten up quickly and pain can arise. I know I am sometimes guilty of not stretching but I try to get it in every time I exercise.

5. Stay hydrated - especially in this hot summer weather. Water will help keep your body going, when my dad ran a marathon he practically passed out trying to cross the finish line and it wasn't because he didn't train, I believe it was because he wasn't properly hydrated. This means drinking water before, during and after exercise! A woman my size (156 lbs) living in an extremely hot climate like Georgia and exercising 30 minutes daily should drink approximately 2.9 liters daily! I often fall short of this goal but I am working on it.

I didn't follow all of these injury prevention tips and subsequently, this week I will be visiting the doctor. If you are in pain longer than 7 days PLEASE visit the doctor. Don't be like me and wait it out. Better safe than sorry!