Although I still have another week of cross-training and aleve-popping before I try to run again or call Dr. Cohen, I think I’ve spent enough tears over this marathon and I will defer until next year.

In the mean time, I will be pumping iron and mastering the elliptical. Does anyone know good stretches and exercises for preventing injuries of the shin and ankle?

 So a little bit of sad news, but on a happy note, I raised nearly $500 for the Ronald McDonald House Charities and I know I could have reached my goal of $1500 once I went back to school and started going to all the frats and sororities.

So as I’ve said in previous posts, this little experiment has really helped me keep my mind off the soul-crushing experience of a training-ending injury. In pursuing my detox education, I realized my plan of protein shake in the morning, salad for lunch, fruit for snack and juices for dinner is pretty much vegan. This surprised me, but then again, the book Skinny Bitch is all about going vegan. Now I’m not saying that I will completely stop eating meat cold turkey (haha sorry guys), but I will cut back on processed foods significantly and go primarily raw. I’m thinking of buying a juicer- anyone big on juicing?

This weekend’s fabulous news: Football is back! Hooray NFL preseason! Detox + beer = my new lifestyle! C’mon, what’s better than some pigskin and booze? I don’t think it will interfere with my semi-vegan lifestyle…

My very latest obsession is Twitter. I learned how to update via my crackberry so now I actually use it. You can follow me on Twitter!

So for all of those interested in a total body cleanse, I am attempting to do one, albeit in my own Runner Girl style. Since I don’t have to worry about fueling myself as when I’m running, this is a good time for experimentation. 

It’s hour 41 of my second crack at a detox and this time I mixed it up a little. Here’s what I’ve had:

Wednesday
6 pm: Odwalla Superfood diluted
8 pm: half of “Master Cleanser” (lemon juice, cayenne pepper, maple syrup)

Thursday
7:30 am: Sips of OJ, Acai and Superfood
10 am: half a cup of celery/apple juice
11 am: half a bottle of OJ (bad idea-pasteurized is cheating)
12 pm: Oolong tea
3 pm: half a cup of celery/apple juice
3:30: Oolong tea (the office was reeally cold)
6 pm: homemade soy protein shake (8 oz unsweetened soy milk and half a scoop of GNC 95 soy protein and water to fill the water bottle) afterwards, I felt SO full I wasn’t hungry all night other than annoying phantom hunger pangs cured with a little sip of water.

Friday
7:30 am: half protein shake before workout
10 am: other half of protein shake (workout nearly killed me!)
1:30 pm: slowly ate a large banana and drank some Superfood-
I was really tired after walking 2 miles in the super Chicago heat, but I think it was too much too soon though, and my stomach not happy. At least the yummy banana will insulate me for happy hour.

So I’m feeling really good right now and I think I’ll keep going til happy hour

Weight 
Thursday 7/24: 110.8
Friday 8/1: 106.8

 
How about that? Here’s my meal plan for the rest of my cross training period:
7:30 am: half protein shake
8:30-9:30 am: work out (30 min cardio 30 min stretch/lift)
10 am: rest of protein shake
12:30 pm: salad or superfood
3:30/4 pm: piece of fruit or juice blend
7 pm: juice or master cleanser or light dinner (if I go out)

Plus one day a week of extra calories (Kashi!!) to keep my metabolism high.
I’ll keep you all up to date on my plan and let you see my progress! Hopefully I’ll look like Lolo in no time!

Want to see a little girl launched 30+ feet in the air? Here ya go: If you only watched it one time, you have some serious willpower (or you’re at work).

In more detox news, I’ve decided to take another crack at it after reading The Detox Diet. So as per the Master Cleanser, for the next 36 hours I’m going to drink water (8oz) + lemon juice (2 tbsp) + cayenne pepper (1/10 teaspoon) + pure maple syrup (1 tablespoon). I added a little ginger root too and it tastes so good!

It’s spicy and full of flavor and the maple syrup is only 52 calories, and the lemon juice is 8. So you have a super yummy filling no sugar drink for 60 calories a pop! Hooray detox! This time, no alcohol. For Serious. I already passed on my favorite beer, Michelob Ultra.

I got the call yesterday from my orthopedic surgeon. The bone scan results are in: no stress fractures. I’m so happy I feel like I could jump onto a moving car!

Well not so fast actually. I still have 2 weeks of cross-training and popping pills and I will have to return to the streets oh so carefully. Looks like my goal of a 3:40 marathon is being flipped into a 4:30. But as long as I get to do it, I’m happy. I know myself, and I know that no matter how little or how crappy training I get in before the marathon, I will not walk.   

At least that’s something to believe in. In other news, cross training has led me to start the 6 Pack Abs Routine from Men’s Health on my ipod. I already feel sore! I’m glad I’ve finally got back into lifting. It’s pretty fun, despite being a 5′1 girl. Not to mention I’m getting some sweet guns. 

I also took a trip to Fleet Feet by North Ave beach right before we lost the volleyball game (and celebrated a good season after with $1 tacos and $8 pitchers of beer). At the store, I learned my super thin Nikes (yup I’m a AA width) are just fine! I’m also looking into buying a sweet pair of Fitflops, not because I need tone, but because I think lack of arch support is killing my legs. 

Fellow Bloggers: To thank you all for being so supportive through my tough times these past couple weeks, I’m going to add a lovely blogroll. If you would like to exchange links, feel free to email me!

This weeks tunes, brought to you by gym guru, Marc:

1. Coldplay - X & Y - Swallowed In the Sea 
2. Trapt - Headstrong
3. Jason Mraz - Mr. A-Z - Geek In the Pink
4. Kanye West - Graduation - Homecoming
5. Boys Like Girls - Hero/Heroine
6. We the Kings - Secret Valentine
7. Forever the Sickest Kids - Underdog Alma Mater - She’s a Lady
8. All Time Low - So Wrong, It’s Right - Remembering Sunday
9. Relient k - Five Score and Seven Years Ago - Must Have Done Something
10. Cute Is What We Aim For - The Same Old Blood Rush With a New Touch - The Curse of Curves

I also found a brand new list at Fitness Magazine

Keep a lookout for next week’s special edition in honor of Lollapalooza! Here’s your free single of the week courtesy of iTunes!

This weekend I learned a lot. Probably because my weekend stretched from Wednesday all the way to Sunday night. Here is my weekend in a nutshell:

1. New Drink! I learned about a twist on my old favorite drink, vodka soda with lime. If you add just a splash of cran, it adds awesome flavor and has a cute pink color. Super girly and perfect to start the night off.

You guys can find a ton of new drinks on Girly-Drinks.com’s new link love list: Girly Drink Link Love.

2. Water looks like vodka. Well I knew this from sneaking alc in water bottles pre-21. But it works the other way. You can save money or just hydrate for a big next day if you ask the bartender for a water on the rocks with lime! Looks just like my favorite drink and I can have just as much fun. Plus, when I get super low on the dance floor, my legs don’t burn!

I’m big on the pregame anyway so this is a perfect trick for me!

3. You can drink all weekend still lose weight. Thank you liquid diet! All you need are lots of naps, a LOT of gum, and a wee bit of willpower. Believe me, if the biggest foodophile alive (ie me) can do it, you can! It also makes you not want to drink as much because honestly, half a beer killed my tummy. First two sips were golden, though. 

If I lost 3 pounds boozing, I’m going to test it again in a couple days and see what I can do without the alc. I’ll keep you all updated. I also joined SparkPeople, so add me as a friend if you’re on! And I am part of a team (Outwork Them All) for the Tweightloss challenge.

You can follow me on Twitter!

I’ve had a very big couple of days. I tried to run on the treadmill after a week of painfully abstaining from running. After about 6 minutes of throbbing pain in my right leg, on my shin and above my ankle (location of my December stress fracture) I pretty much broke down.

So in my greatest despair- that kind of heart dropping pain when you just know that something’s wrong- I made a decision to start a detox. Basically it was a cleanse of body after an incredible first week of 21, and of mind because I’ve had a bit of a problem over-eating this summer. 

I wanted to test my willpower and clean my colon. I basically did the 48 Hour Celebrity Diet but I used Odwallah Superfood instead of the $20 “miracle juice” at Walgreens. Here’s how it works: You sip 4 oz of juice mixed with 8 oz of water over 4 hours 4x a day. I actually wasn’t hungry and didn’t need to drink the full amount. 

I hit the bars hard Thursday but stopped at midnight to begin my detox. I woke up for my bone scan at 6 am Friday, but from partying the night before, I didn’t get hungry for awhile. I had some deep meditation on the beach post-injection, pre-scan. 

So right now, it’s hour 44 out of 48 and I still feel pretty good. I’ve had no solid food since I went out to a tapas place in Wrigleyville Thursday. I definitely didn’t lose any weight but the mental strength I’ve achieved is completely worth it. I feel like a new person cured of my over-eating habits.

Basically, I was forced to concentrate on my willpower and how I was going to live off watered-down juice puree for two days straight and not think about the results of my bone scan, which I won’t hear back on until Monday or Tuesday. 

Here’s what I did:

Friday

6am: Woke up
9am-1pm: Drank Juice 1
1pm-5pm: Drank Juice 2
6pm-8pm: Napped
8pm-10pm: Drank half of Juice 3
12am: Had a little cocktail
1am-3:30am: Drank water and danced
4am: Sleep

Saturday

10:30am: Woke up
12pm-3:30pm: Drank most of Juice 1
4pm: Had half a beer at Cubs game
5:30pm-7:30pm: Napped
8pm: Began drinking Juice 2
10pm-12am: coupla shots and half a vodka soda (really couldn’t finish it) at the club
12am: DETOX OVER!
1am: plain popcorn and water at Dark Knight in IMAX at Navy Pier
4am: cereal, bread, almonds mmmm passed out

Next morning update:
Food love in at night plus a hearty 9 am breakfast- not staying in tummy…. will have hot dogs and beer on the beach and play volleyball. Hopefully by then, no more trips to the bathroom.

Note to weight loss bloggers: This is the best! (just drink more water than I did)
Note to running bloggers: Do NOT do! Keep eating lots of carbs.
Note to general fitness bloggers: Don’t judge me. I do what I want!

Depending on my bone scan results, if I cannot continue running, I will retry this little experiment every Monday and Tuesday for a couple weeks and let you guys know if the 48 Hour Celebrity Diet actually works. I am not weighing myself this time because I drank equal calories of juice and alcohol and don’t really expect results. It was more of a test of will.
 

It’s late Saturday night. You’re on your way home but all of a sudden your stomach is sends phantom pangs of hunger. Why not stop by the pizza place on your way home?

A Washington University School of Medicine study found that carefree eating over the weekend could cause you to gain an accumulative 10 pounds a year. It found that people ate more fat over the weekends and completely sabotaged all their hard work during the week. 

Unfortunately, trying to convince yourself that you’re not actually hungry after a good night out can be a difficult task. Even though you’d die for a buffalo chicken pizza right now, your higher consciousness knows you really just need a bottle of water and a soft bed.

1. Watch a movie. Not TV. When you watch TV, commercials with images of delicious tacos and pizzas and fried chicken flash in front of you. Watching a movie usually leads to sleep anyway so remember to sip on some water before you pass out.
2. Bread will not make you sober. Know it. Love it. Remember it. If this thought pops in your head walking home and you get the urge to stop at the pizza place, remember those words. Water is all you need to keep the hangover demons away. Pizza is a stomach ache and an avalanche of calories. Just say no.
3. Go ahead- be the naysayer. At the end of the night, when one person asks “want to order out?” everyone suddenly has a craving. The mob effect doesn’t help keeping you thin. You could always say “nah” and the mob may agree. Usually depends on the group. Cheap kids are the best for this time of night.
4. Chew gum. Keep a pack in with you when you go out. This actually has several purposes. Not only will it kill your drunken food cravings, but it can be very useful for two other situations: a) the night goes really well and you need some fresh breath b) the night goes really bad and you need to hide the alcohol on your breath
5. Drink flavored water. If you’re one of those people who wakes up the next morning to find an empty fridge and a huge mess in your kitchen, then you’re a drunk binger. Remedy this by drinking a really big bottle of flavored water to fill your stomach and to satisfy your craving. Then brush your teeth immediately and put yourself to bed. No hangover, no regrets. 

Here is this week’s list of my favorite songs to run to: 

1. Jump Around by House of Pain

Classic song, great beat to get you moving and a familiar sound to get you excited.

2. Fergalicious by Fergie
The one line, “workin on my fitness” should really get you going, but the whole song is awesome for running or inside on equipment.

3. Just a Girl by No Doubt

Ladies, I love this song. Possibly my favorite of the angry chick rock.

4. Clark Gable by The Postal Service
This lesser known song is my favorite from the album Give Up. It has a slow beginning but it’s well worth the wait because the techno is great and soft with lyrics that make you smile.

5. Anthem by Phantom Planet
Pretty slow song, great for a slow paced walk or cool down but it kind of pushes you along like the little engine that could. The lyrics are really inspiring and you’ll be singing them within seconds, then for the rest of the day.

6. Remember the Name by Fort Minor
This song will make you feel like a baller. Gets the testosterone pumping, with lyrics “en percent luck, twenty percent skill, Fifteen percent concentrated power of will, Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain” we can all relate.

7. Ayo Technology by 50 Cent feat. Justin Timberlake
Good one if you’re starting up a run, not too fast but also good for coasting.

8. (Rock) Superstar by Cypress Hill
Great beat, awesome lyrics to pump you up and sing (or scream) along to. Another good song is Insane in the Brain.

9. Out Here Grindin by DJ Khaled feat. Akon, Rick Ross, Young Jeezy, Lil Boosie, Plies, Ace Hood, Trick Daddy
This song is an orchestra of all the rap superstars. Great for long runs to keep you going on road runs, or keep grindn’ I like the lyric “I can go for 8 weeks Ain’t nothing to me cause I am the streets.” You can adapt pretty much anything to running if you have no shame and like gangster rap.

10. Stepped on My J’s by Nelly
J’s, Nikes what’s the diff? This one is great for city running because I hate it when people step on me. The lyrics are funny and the beat very bouncy, good to boost you and make you smile.

And here’s your free single of the week:
 

We all know the euphoric feeling of a runner’s high: that beautiful release of endorphins into the bloodstream. I’m hooked. Unfortunately, my addiction has taken an ugly turn and I am suffering severe withdrawal. There’s the downside to any sport, why we are so bipolar sometimes. The highs are so high and the lows horribly low.  

In the last week, I’ve only managed 4.5 painful miles. Part of that is due to birthday celebrations, but the reality is that my shin splints are becoming a nightmare.

I tried to think back to when I could comfortably run and not feel the need to ice my legs immediately after a run. What’s terrifying is that is a rare occurrence.

On Friday, I saw an orthopedist about my devastating setback. Being marathon runner himself, he had little compassion and told me to just take it easy and keep icing and taking anti-inflammatory medicine. No X-rays or bone scans. This is what I wanted to hear but it didn’t make me feel better.

I’ve decided to take an entire week off, ice and stretch diligently. I’m also going to experiment with self-healing with the mind. Can’t hurt, right?

Does anyone else have chronic shin splints? Any advice to fight withdrawal depression?