Elf4Health

Pay It Forward

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 6 Comments

I did it! As part of the Elf for Health Challenge…today, I was to do something for someone else.

I’m pretty sure taking Hilary to the Dr.’s for her 12 month needles wasn’t that something. However, it was sure nice to have a little one on one time with her.

At the end of my lunch break I had to move my car and thought it would be the perfect opportunity to “Pay It Forward”. I’m not a coffee drinker and don’t often buy hot chocolate but I decided it was now or never. I went to Tim Horton’s, not my only choice but I thought there would be people in line more so then at the other coffee shops.

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So, I walked by and saw no one in line however, someone was crossing the street and I was hoping they would be coming in behind me. I felt weird. I’ve never bought a coffee for someone I didn’t know. I ordered my hot chocolate and then a coffee. They asked me what I wanted in it and I stalled….I didn’t know what “they” would want in it. So I just said, it’s for the person behind me…whatever he wants.

They smiled at me.

I didn’t feel so weird anymore. I felt happy and proceeded to walk back to work with a smile on my face.

It felt good.

Maybe I should do this more often…not just this time of year.

I’m off to enjoy my tasty and slightly over-sugared hot chocolate 🙂

Have you ever “Paid It Forward” ?

Have you ever been on the other end of someone “paying it forward” ?

PS – I currently don’t have an elf for the second round 😦 Hopefully, I’ll connect with someone else.

30 Days Done in 30 Day Challenge

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 6 Comments

Well, it’s officially, the Fall into Fitness 30 Day Challenge is all done! It’s been a great 30 days of workouts, meal planning, lost a little weight and lots of blogging 🙂

The last set of 10 days I managed to:

Hours of workouts: 5 hours of workouts (walking, yoga, soccer, zumba)

Pounds lost: 0

Blog Posts: 13 (lots…wow!)

My goal: To workout four times a week this month and lose a weight (no specific goal on the weight)

  • Workout four times a week – yes.
  • Lose weight – yes.
Reasons:
1. I want to increase my fitness level to help with my running goals for 2014.
  • On my way.
2. I want to plan better meals for the whole week for my family, prepping for my return back to work from maternity leave.
And to meet / support the other bloggers in this challenge.
  • Sure did. I loved meeting other bloggers, learning about their goals, reading their posts. I’d have to say all the new blog’s I’ve been following I will continue to do so.

Now what?  

What’s on tap for December

  • Elf 4 Health Challenge – kinda failing at this one; I’ve done most of the challenges but I find myself slowly drifting away from the challenge. My elf is fun and we seem to be on the same page with the challenges. Not 100% sure if I’ll continue for round 2 as I just have too much going on with my return to work, the girls, my husband away and Christmas coming.
  • I have signed up for the Holly Jolly Challenge. Your probably thinking, Why? you can’t do the #elf4health one, why do another. Well, my goal is to work out 4 days a week for the remainder of the year and the Holly Jolly Challenge is to workout for 4 days of the week. I feel I can do this one and stick to it….I just have to remember to sign in and leave my comments.

No major races for me this December. It’s time to focus on returning to work (going well so far), the girls, maintaining the house, workout 4x week and get ready for Christmas….oh and blog of course 🙂 I’m looking forward to sitting down and focusing on my running plan for 2014; which races to run and when to train.

A BIG thanks to Katy from Happiness Through Health and Tori from Tone It With Tori for the Fall into Fitness 30 Day Challenge. It was fun and I’d totally do it again next year.

Have you finished any challenges?

Would you do them again next year?

Have you started thinking about your 2014 goals or resolutions ?

Five Things Friday

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 14 Comments

This Elf 4 Health challenges has opened my eyes a little:

1. Unroll.Me – fantastic app/website that un-subscribes you from any/all email list you want. Look it up!

2 – a: When your body is stressed out it will take the good out of you. I need intense workouts 1-2 days of the week. I just need to run, don’t get me wrong the yoga, walking and climbing extra stairs this week was nice but I just need some fast paced workout. Sure happy I have a soccer game tomorrow night and I am planning on packing my running gear for work on Monday.

2 – b: The girls are in their beds and I’ve got to clean the house, prep more for the party, do the typical dishes/laundry and in between all that, I plan on doing a few rounds of squats, sit-ups, jumping-jacks, my new bird-dog move, tricep dips, and russian twists. This should be interesting and I’m going to time it on my watch to see how long I end up “working out”.  #FallintoFitness30DayChallenge.

Other things…..

3. I spent quality time with my biggest girl today…wrote a letter to Santa, made cup cakes, cake and other food for Hilary’s party tomorrow. We also did some crafts for Hilary’s party …. party favours … polka dot theme.

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4. I don’t like planning children’s birthday parties. Totally thought I’d be all over it but in reality I don’t love it. To be fair, my husband is away and was away for Lilly’s party last June, so I’m doing it all on my own. Not fun 😦 Oh well, the good news is that Sai will be home for Hilary’s party tomorrow and I’ve got some good vegan and non-vegan eats. Keeping it simple for my own sanity.

5. The next week is going to be intense (Sat to Sat): birthday party, soccer game, Lilly’s soccer, I start work, personal event happening, I’m back at work and I travel for work two days next week, Sai is away….oh man, I am already looking forward to next Friday! HA!

What’s happening in your world? 

Any Black Friday purchases?

Weekend events happening?

Oh, Thursday…we meet again.

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 1 Comment

Wow, it’s been a busy week! I’ve been into work twice (once for a meeting), ran a million shopping errands, walked countless miles, have had very low impact workouts (walking and climbing stairs) and am ready for the weekend already!

My husband is away working so my mother offered to watch Hilary one day which then turned into two days. We took a quick trip to the city today where Hilary hung out with Grammy and Grandad while I shopped till I dropped.  I managed to get a few sweet pre-black friday deals….in Canada! Crazy, eh! What’s with Canadian companies jumping on board Black Friday? I always thought it was an american thing. Oh, wait….it’s all about making money…I forgot. Yes, we, here in Canada are having Black Friday sales tomorrow, even some pre-sales today….it just seems very odd to me. Ahh well, I took the bait today.

I haven’t managed many good workouts…a little yoga and a tone of walking over the last few days. Since I knew I was going to be walking in the mall today I intentionally walked a few extra laps. {I was secretly a mall crawler today} And by a few extra laps, I actually walked each floor 2-3 times, got my heart rate up (had to take off my jacket) and climbed the stairs a million times….at least it felt like that. My thighs were tired from climbing so many stairs by the end of my shopping. Gotta get my workout in some how, right?!?!

We’ve got a BIG weekend coming up…Little H turns 1 next week so we’re having a little par-tay!!! It’s going to be interesting….6 toddlers that are 3 – 3.5 years old and 5 babies 6-15 months old…plus parents. I’m sure looking forward to the Vegan Chocolate Cup Cakes Lilly and I are making together 🙂

Lilly at 2 years old helping make cupcakes/muffins 🙂
So tiny!

Elf 4 Health Update Day 4: Make a Phone Call. I called my best friend Carrie. She wasn’t home 😦 Going to try again when she get’s off work because we never get to chat anymore with our busy lives. She’s one girl that you can call and it’s like we just talked yesterday. She’s just lovely 🙂

Happy Thanksgiving to my American family, friends, bloggers and followers! Hope it was a great one!

Did you celebrate Thanksgiving today?

Did you manage a workout today ?

Anyone taking advantage of Black Friday in the US or CANADA?