Sharing is Caring :D

Right?  We learned this back in preschool.  One thing I’ve discovered after venturing further into the blogosphere is how many AWESOME blogs there are out there.  I’m sure there are a billion I’m missing too but I figured I needed to do my part and share some of the awesomeness I’ve found on the internet lately:

*Weight Off My Shoulders-Dani writes this blog from such an honest and kind perspective that I’ve already claimed her as my best blogger friend (even though I’m sure she doesn’t know my blog or I exist :P)  Anyway, her blog and social media channels are full of motivation, inspiration, and some accountability when you need it.  Dani runs with a charity team raising money for stroke awareness and throws these awesome virtual races to help with fundraising.  I’m running one next week.  I totally don’t mind paying $25 to run a 5k in my own neighborhood because the money goes to such a good cause.  Plus, I get a finisher’s medal!  This blog is one of my favorites and if I were to ever join Weight Watchers I would want Dani to be my leader!

*Brooke: Not On A Diet-You may have heard of Brooke.  Her blog was in the news recently.  She stood up for herself to a major magazine and it was amazing!  Brooke’s blog was one of the first fitness type blogs I started following.  Brooke seems like the sister I never had…meaning, we seem very similar; both dealing with a certain amount of anxiety regarding this thing called life.  Brooke seems to be much more adept to placing her insecurities out into cyperspace than I am.  I read her blog and I think, “She knows exactly how I feel/think/act/etc.”  Brooke is also pretty interactive with her followers by setting up challenges (like the Skinny Snowman) and the recent Diet Bet (which I will NOT be discussing at this time :P).  She loves spending time with her husband and they seem to have a ton of fun together!  I enjoy her fresh perspective on life, love, marriage, and those pesky weight issues.  

*I Heart Faces-this is not a fitness blog but a photography blog.  I found this blog through social media when I was searching for photo challenges not too long ago.  This blog focuses mostly on protrait photography and while landscapes are definitely more my thing, it’s fun to read the tutorials, debate equipment, and show off their beautiful studio spaces.  Not to mention the photographs!  From standard portrait style sessions to crazy concepts-this blog and all their guest photographers have the best imagination!  I haven’t entered many of I Heart Faces challenges just because I don’t have a ton of pictures with other people in them!  Maybe I’ll branch out…maybe.

I could go on and on if I mentioned every single blog I follow and love.  Here are a few more you should definitely check out though!

*Erica House-Health, Wellness, and Running (What more do you need!)

*Hungry Runner Girl-Janae runs crazy amounts of miles and eats tons of candy.  I heart her!

*Blonder Side of Life-Kelsey is a down-to-earth girl originally from Tennessee (love it!) who blogs about running, life, grad school, and shares some pretty kick-a** recipes!

On a final note I should say that Bloglovin is the most amazing website/app I’ve ever found.  I love getting up each morning and checking my feed.  You can follow all your favorites in one place.  What a wonderful, motivating way to start each day!  

I hope you check out these awesome blogs that have come to mean so much to me!

What are some of your favorite bloggers?  Why?  

Share them with me so I can follow more!!

A Changing Vision (Board)

I’m a very visual person.  One of the first things I did when I set up my home office was buy some cork squares to create my vision/motivation board.  I wasn’t sure what was going to fill my board when I first started it.  Was it going to be full of quotes to inspire?  Pictures of running shoes?  Pictures of my favorite things?  How about all of the above!

The great thing about my vision board is that it is always evolving.  In the beginning you see a couple race bibs and a nod to my alma mater

This past spring it was full of pretty pictures, strong words, and a photo challenge!

Currently these pictures are on the bench-they may return to the board…they may not 🙂           (all pictures are saved in a large envelope-the pack rat in my can’t trash anything that motivated me at some point!)

a great reminder!

hmmmmmmm…

In their place I’m currently loving these images:

The beginning of my spoon collection-Nassau

One of the cutesy signs from our wedding!

A great pic and quote about going with the flow

It’s interesting that as summer progresses I’m drawn more towards images and pictures of the beach & ocean along with quotes reflecting my (still) newlywed giddiness.  I’ve moved away from more fitness driven images.  It makes sense.  I’m not running as much right now.  I’m more enjoying the outdoors with my husband and doggie without the stress of a rigid workout.  I’m willing to bet that as the weather cools down in the fall there will be more race paraphanelia gracing my board along with more fitness driven quotes.

**Although, my race bibs and medals will always have a place somewhere on the board!

I love my board.  It is a reflection of what is important to me now…in this moment.  It shows what goals and interests I’m pursuing.  It changes just as I grow and evolve.  It’s one of my favorite things in my home office.

Do you have a vision board?  What important things are included??

Running Shutterbug’s 1st Face Lift

I feel like upgrading or making changes to the look of my blog is like buying a new outfit or getting a new haircut and hoping your significant other notices!  Anyway, just a few tweaks today.

I’ve got some good stuff to share with y’all.  I just have to get my butt to sit still long enough to type it!

Let me know what you think of the new layout.  I think it might have to grow on me…ha!

I’ll be back soon!  Have a fantabulous weekend, peeps!!

Scared to Fall…

Literally…fall.  This is something I’ve been thinking of writing about for a while now.  There’s a humerous side to it but there’s a pretty deep-seeded fear just under the surface.  

Here’s the story.  7 months ago I had just joined a new gym and was taking advantage of my free personal training sessions.  We began (and ended) with a 6 minute jog on the treadmill to warm up.  At the end of the warmup I waited until the belt completely stopped…I swear!  Then I stepped…and SNAP!  My ankle turned and popped so loudly I swore it had to be broken.  It wasn’t…just a bad sprain.  

Check out the awesome bruise that developed across my entire foot!

 

I rose above though!  I iced and elevated and rested all through Christmas.  I even felt good enough to run the Commitment Day 5K.  

The problem?  I work through a fair amount of anxiety every time I set foot on a treadmill these days.  I went through a period of a few months where the only runs I completed were outside or not at all.  If the speed got above 5MPH I felt like I was out of control and gonna fly off the back of darn machine!  I would start hyperventilating and grip the handrail like it was the only thing keeping me standing.  It wasn’t fun!

Once summer set in with all it’s humid fury I had to make a decision.  Not run at all or face this silly fear.  And I’m working on it.  I’ve switched gyms (because now I have access to a pool!) and not being at the scene of the horribly, horrifying accident has helped 😛  

I’m now running up to 5 minutes on the treadmill before that out of control feeling gets me.  But…I’m not gonna quit!  I’m gonna keep running and increasing my speed.  And I’m trying to rekindle my love of early morning runs so I can avoid the treadmill all together.  Not really helping me get over the fear but helping keep me running which is the important thing, right? 🙂

Does anyone else have a fear in regards to their running?

Treadmill?  Anyone got any tips and tricks??

Summer Bucket List!

Working through my Summer Bucket List!

Musings of a Running Shutterbug

Happy 4th of July, Everyone!!

Here is a random list of things I’ve decided must be done this summer.  Enjoy!

*Go to a Durham Bulls Baseball Game with Mr. E and eating a hotdog and peanuts!

*Water Balloon Fight!  (This is happening tonight w/fireworks afterwards!)  We played with water guns and launched mostly fountains and a few rockets (one that almost landed in the neighbors yard!)

*Day trip to Carolina Beach’s North End.  Now that we have a 4WD vehicle we can drive out on the sand…and we can bring Jackson too!  Done today!!  Pictures to come…such a wonderful day!

*Finding new trails/parks to hike-I’m thinking trips to Falls Lake and/or Eno River State Park are in order.

*More self-serve frozen yogurt-enough said 🙂

*Take some really awesome fireworks pictures with my awesome camera I’ve been neglecting lately (I’m trying out my remote control shutter for the first time…

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Diet Bet Blues

If anyone who reads this marvelous blog follows me on Facebook (Runningshutterbug-go there NOW!) they may have noticed that I am participating in a Diet Bet hosted by Brooke Not on a Diet (check out her amazing blog here-brookenotonadiet.com).  This Diet Bet came about because Brooke was feeling a lack of accountability in her eating and activity.  I can say that I am on the same page with her 110%!!  

You’ve heard me talk about these struggles before.  This summer has been slack in the Running Shutterbug household.  Total disclosure…my weight typically hovers somewhere around 200lbs.  As a tall woman (5’10”) I’ve always fallen back on my height as (yet) another excuse for my weight.  Nope…not cutting it anymore.  At first I used the wedding as my main excuse but…hello!  That was over 2 months ago.  Even if you factor in the honeymoon and getting adjusted to a new job the excuse is over-used and done with.  Moving on.  

Then it was the heat.  I felt sick for a couple days.  My current/old gym didn’t have what I wanted equipment/class wise.  The list can go on and on.  Enough is enough!  This Diet Bet came along at a great time for me.  I needed some accountability in getting back on track with my activity and just keeping my eating mildly under control.  

Source

For those unfamiliar with a Diet Bet the concept is pretty simple.  You put up a certain amount of your own money ($20) to lose a certain amount of weight (in 4 weeks.  If you’ve accomplished your goal by the end of the month you split the pot of money with other winning participants.  I don’t particulary like the word diet and I had shied away from the scale for many many months but decided that this would be a way I could visually track my progress…as painful as it may be.

How’s it going?  Crummy.  Why?  It’s pretty simple…I was thinking that I could reap the rewards of the Diet Bet (losing 4% of my body weight) without having to do the actual work!  My positive attitude and sparkling smile would be enough….HA!  I’ve lost about 3 pounds so far.  I have 5 -6 to go to “win” the bet.  The only way this is going to be achieved is by doing the WORK!  One of my favorite songs on my workout playlist right now is Britney Spears “Work B**ch.”  It’s so true!  You have to do the work.  

This week is a brand new week.  I’m going to swim at least 2x and run/walk on the treadmill 3x.  I’ll also keep up with my Shoulder/Arm and Ab challenges.  I’m also taking Brooke up on this week’s mini challenge and will be attempting Skinnytastes fettucine alfredo.  

This calendar will be full of little orange and green x’s!

I will report back to you on Sunday and let you know what happened.  I have 2 weeks left in the Diet Bet and while it’s not impossible, I’m going to need to bust my butt to earn my share of the pot (which is over $11,000 by the way!!!)  You’d think that would be all the motivation I need!

How are you staying on track this summer?

Have you ever completed a Diet Bet before?

 

 

4th of July Frenzy!

How was everyone’s holiday?  I hope you got to enjoy a long weekend.  Mine was actually a 4 day weekend which I highly recommend.  Here are some of the highlights!

*July 3rd-I spent the day running errands and preparations for what ended up being a slight rain storm from Hurricane Arthur.  Mr. E and I were supposed to go to a friends house to get our drink on and light a bunch of (probably) illegal fireworks off but the rain resheduled that plan until Saturday.  

My Wilmington friends got some breezes and rain showers but nothing too extravagant.  I’m sure Arthur was one of many close calls we’ll have this hurricane season.

*July 4th-I had to get my yummy goodies together to bring to our other friend’s water balloon/fireworks extravaganza.  I went with my potluck favorites: Pepperoni Pasta Salad & Pink Stuff!  I’ll definitely have to post the recipes but I didn’t take enough pics 😛

There weren’t a ton of water balloons at the party but there was plenty of food and some water gun fun!  Mr. E was not amused when I blasted him with a super soaker though.  

Obligatory 4th of July Selfie!

my hair was a little wacky from the water guns

Check out our awesome fireworks display on my Instagram-runningshutterbug

July 5th-I spent the day in glorious relaxation.  This was pretty much my entire afternoon:

We hit up a local 5th of July fireworks display and I finally got the chance to try out long exposure firework photography.  This local event is the best firework show I’ve ever seen.  They have food trucks, inflatable games, a live band, AND during the fireworks they play music…so awesome!  

Mr. E got some frozen treats!

I packed up my tripod and remote shutter control and had a blast.  Check it out:

July 6th-This was a day of more relaxing, some cleaning, and grocery shopping.

Well, that’s the recap.  

What was your favorite part of the weekend??

I’ve got some pretty cool posts coming up in the next couple days/weeks.  Can’t wait to share with you’s guys!!  Happy Monday!

 

Summer Bucket List!

Happy 4th of July, Everyone!!

Here is a random list of things I’ve decided must be done this summer.  Enjoy!

*Go to a Durham Bulls Baseball Game with Mr. E and eating a hotdog and peanuts!

*Water Balloon Fight!  (This is happening tonight w/fireworks afterwards!)  We played with water guns and launched mostly fountains and a few rockets (one that almost landed in the neighbors yard!)

*Day trip to Carolina Beach’s North End.  Now that we have a 4WD vehicle we can drive out on the sand…and we can bring Jackson too!  Done today!!  Pictures to come…such a wonderful day!

*Finding new trails/parks to hike-I’m thinking trips to Falls Lake and/or Eno River State Park are in order.

*More self-serve frozen yogurt-enough said 🙂

*Take some really awesome fireworks pictures with my awesome camera I’ve been neglecting lately (I’m trying out my remote control shutter for the first time this weekend!)  Check our my post-4th-of-july-frenzy/ for the pictures!

*Explore shops/restaurants in my hometown area that I’ve neglected so far.  There are so many cool looking bistros with outdoor seating that are just begging to be visited!                                                                                                                               -Just tried J&R’s Pizzaria in our hometown.  We had garbage pizza-pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, and peppers.  Ah-mazing!!

*I need at least one Front Street Brewery fix before the summer is over.  I miss you, Wilmington!

*Visit Pine Knoll Shores aquarium-never been there before!

*Riff Trax-Mr. E and I are going to watch Sharknado as it is narrated by the original Mystery Science Theater 3000 guys!  Should be highly entertaining.

*Swim in Leesville Lake with my parents!

 

I’m going to keep updating this list and crossing off things as I accomplish them.

Of course there will probably be pictures taken of all these things.  I heart summer!!

 

What is something on your summer bucket list?