A Fitness Resolution We Can Stick To

Is there really such a thing as the saddest day of the year? According to a UK psychologist, there is. He has a pseudo-scientific theory that the third Monday in January is "Blue Monday," the saddest day of the year.

It makes sense. We've just ushered in a new year full of surprises. We've welcomed the dead of winter where the cold, grey, snowy weather traps us indoors, and we don't have the holidays to keep the mood bright. We've made our resolutions--and probably already slipped up a few times especially if they border on the high expectation side. And then we're practically expected to fail at sticking to them--one-quarter drop their resolutions after the first week of the year and one-third by the end of January.

So instead of setting ourselves up for failure (or maybe never even attempting by already failing to name resolutions), Equinox wants us to stick it to the man. The fitness club that also calls itself a "temple of well-being" (their words, not mine) is on a mission to embrace fitness as more than a once-per-year goal, and one where we're most likely to fail. They're suggesting we give the January blues the boot.

How? By saying "F Blue Monday" and challenging yourself at the club's January Challenge. The premise is simple. Just workout. And if you're not sure where to start, Equinox can guide you with an entire month's worth of exercise suggestions (I'm already penciling days 4 and 14 as must-dos on my calendar because I've already fallen in love with the other high intensity options).

There's even an extra incentive for newbies.

Step one: Join Equinox.
Step two: Work out at least 12 times this month.
Step three: Accomplish step two and you'll get back the initiation fee you paid.

But hurry, the clock is ticking. Twelve days may have seemed like nothing on January 1, but we're almost halfway through the month. At least the New Year's rush is over--that first 25 percent have already quit their fitness resolutions. Can you do it? The 12 workouts in a month? We dare you!

Video provided by Equinox.

Fit-Pic: Running It Forward

How'd you like to call this bus home for 18 days? It's not unheard of...if you're in a band touring the country. But take the 8 ultra-runners whose faces smile from the bus's sidewall, and a crew that includes a dentist and the bus driver and you've got the Run It Forward group that's driving and running the 2,400 miles across Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles.

Be Your Own Biggest Loser

Photo by Alan Cleaver

You don't have to tip the scales at Biggest Loser capacity to participate in this competition. In fact, you don't even need to be overweight. Whether you've abandoned your fitness goals shortly after the New Year, succumbed to work pressure and non-sweating social activities, or know you need motivation to keep you on the workout wagon, you're a prime candidate for the Core Fitness $1,000 Winter Challenge.

Give yourself 12 weeks and pay Core Fitness Chicago $50 for boot camp-style group fitness training sessions, a personal consultation to create a workout plan, a Core Fitness T-shirt and celebrations as you receive plan milestones, and you'll receive one of the best value packages training has to offer. The only thing better, and less intrusive on the wallet, might be winning an audition to land a spot at the Biggest Loser ranch. Core Fitness challenges you to make a lifestyle transformation that in turn improves your physical well-being, and they'll provide the structure and support to help make these improvements.

Here's one detail you can't turn down: You could walk away with $1,000 if you stick to your guns and work out. Seriously. Core Fitness offers up a grand prize of $1,000 to the grand champion of the program. Those competing for the cash prize will be selected from the four who are named most improve female and male, and leanest female and male. The most improved prize goes to the participant who shows the most improvement while the leanest prize goes to the participant with the lowest body fat at the end of the challenge. And these four go home with prizes too: six weeks of small group training.

Sign up by February 6 to participate--you'll be training into April. Talk about a simple fix for looking good in a swimsuit before the sun and swelter arrive. Photo grabbed from Alan Cleaver at flickr. Posted by Kate

The D Report: Not a Cure All

Too bad there aren't any studies out there saying that vitamin D is a cure-all for what ails you. While I've upped the D intake, even resorting to the multivitamins when I think I'm falling short the natural way, I still haven't noticed any visible perks. And this week, I even think that I've regressed backward in the eat your vitamins it'll make you feel better category. Maybe it was the weather and the gloom that's hovered over the Windy City for most of the week, but I've felt in a mental funk and have been slogging around all week. OK so part of that goes back to the sleep dare, but one would think that adding some vitamins to the mix might help--or at least that's one claim I remember drilling into my head.

So aside from my dragging, I've been sticking to the D diet as best I can. I think I do need that added boost from sunshine to get the full recommended value because it's tough to keep drinking milk and yogurt throughout the day (if I had to eat ice cream for the D fix I'd be hooked) and I'm constantly eating salmon but even that gets old after a while. Egg yolk is another good source of D, but to be honest, that's my least favorite part of the egg. I could trick myself into eating the entire egg by adding it to a brownie batch but that obviously wouldn't be good for the rest of the system.

My glimmer of hope for sticking to eating D involves another shout-out to my mom (she helped inspire my grapefruit post). She's crediting her careful monitoring of more calcium and vitamin D--she was starting to enjoy basking in the sunlight on the deck as much as her plants this summer--since her last doctor's visit for her more positive bone scan results. Last time she was on the brink of having osteoporosis in multiple spots across her body and now her numbers show less weakness. Studies show that good levels of vitamin D in the system can help the body absorb more calcium.

Even for me and my sluggishness, especially in the beginning of the week when I really paid attention to my D intake, there is a bright side. I'd love to approach my later years with healthy bone scans in part due to the habits I picked up now. Photo grabbed from Loren Sztajer at flickr. Posted by Kate

Change One Thing and Spark a Healthy Chain Reaction

Throughout the month of February, Kate and I have embarked on a few "fit-dares." We've been having a lot of fun learning more about ourselves and making new habits as we've tried changing one part of our lives at a time: logging eight hours of sleep, meditating for ten minutes a day, and, most recently, eating the recommended daily amount of Vitamin D.

It's amazing how one little change can influence other, seemingly-unrelated parts of your life. While I was trying to amp up my hours of shut-eye, I found myself turning off the TV earlier each night and cutting out caffeine after my morning coffee. Those are random side effects, but such good ones. While I've been improving my intake of D, I've found myself eating more fish (instead of pizza) at dinnertime and snacking on yogurt instead of vending machine Chex Mix during the day.

Recenlty, I wrote a story for SELF Magazine about some real women who changed one thing in their diets (the article appears in the March issue that hit stands this week). Each woman found that one thing was the spark they needed to cause a healthy chain reaction. One woman simply started to pre-plan her meals and snacks and ended up losing 130 pounds, getting into exercise and finding the confidence to join an Improv class. Another woman decided to stop eating out of boxes and found that she threw away less trash, improved her bone density. Totally inspiring stuff! Photo grabbed from Snelvis on Flickr. Posted by Liz

The D Report: Kate's Day Three and Four

Without the sunlight to keep my daily D in check, I think I'm forever screwed in meeting my recommended values. More because it's not as easy to find the vitamin as I initially thought. I already had problems finding amounts on my favorite breakfast, and a trip to the grocery store only reinforced the difficulties with getting D. I figured I'd try to get more D by scouting out the cereal aisle, only to learn that Cheerios and Total, cereals I thought might be fortified enough to be loaded down with D hardly offered even a fraction of the daily recommended value (drv). I thought Total would be a shoo-in since it has 100 percent of the other vitamins and minerals. Disappointed I left the cereals on the shelf.

But there were two glimmers of hope from my shopping expeditions. Yoplait yogurt does list vitamin D on its label, so if I switch to eating that this week, I know I'll be getting 20 percent of my drv. And Trader Joe's surprised me with a rare treat in the frozen section: cod. Not only could I now try Chef Ramsay's hake recipe Liz shared, but hopefully the relationship between cod liver oil (rich in vitamin D) and cod was strong enough to give me some D so I wouldn't be stuck eating salmon all week. According to WHFoods.com, cod does offer between 15 and 20 percent--better than nothing. And grilled with a little sweet onion marinade, the fish tasted pretty good too. But I still have to work on adding more dairy, and especially egg yolks to the mix so I don't have to resort to using a supplement. Posted by Kate

PS In the meantime, does anyone know about any cereals that might have more vitamin D than Cheerios and Total?

The D Report: Kate's Day One and Two

Day One: I seem to be off to a good start with this vitamin D challenge--I hope. I'm always poking my nose in the refrigerator so this week I'll have a target for something to grab when I go digging. And I'm a label-looker too, so I'll just have to pay more attention to the percentages below the grams of protein on those food labels.

As for how I got my D fix, I started off the day with some yogurt, forced myself to drink milk and when I suggested my husband snack on nachos (just tortilla chips sprinkled with 2% cheddar jack cheese) I snagged a few. And dinner included a salad tossed with goat cheese and a salmon fillet. Granted I didn't use a calculator to figure out the exact amounts, but at least I had some foods that are supposedly high in D. Still, without the sun, it's not easy to get more than 20% of the recommended amount in a single serving.

Day Two: Uh oh, I'm starting to have doubts about this challenge. When it comes to labels, I'm learning that finding information on vitamin D isn't always readily available. My first roadblock came this morning while preparing my yogurt parfait breakfast. I've been on a kick eating Trader Joe's Greek-style yogurt with fresh fruit, and the whole time I'm thinking I've got vitamin D in the bag. Well now I'm not so sure because the packaging doesn't list vitamin D on its nutrition label; there's vitamin A, calcium and iron, but no vitamin D.

To be on the safe side (and note: cheating) I took two Gummy Vites just in case. Good thing too because never got to eat my salmon plus risotto with cheese dinner as planned. Late afternoon I was surprised with a Hot Doug's Chicago dog and duck fat fries (so good they were worth the splurge) which left me so full that after a workout I accidentally conked out on the couch until the middle of the night. Posted by Kate

Change One Thing Challenge: Down with D

So we tried sleeping more and adding meditation to our daily routines, now it's time for a new challenge. This time we thought we'd venture into the kitchen and explore our daily diets. Nope we're not turning into Iron Chefs or performing quickfire challenges a la Top Chef, but we're planning to pay more attention to the vitamins and minerals we're feeding our systems, specifically vitamin D.

Why? Because we're living among a D-deficient population and recent studies show that it's hurting our health. And the downfall is that it's a hard vitamin to get--we can pick up the daily recommended amount from sunlight soaking into the skin, but for those of us piling on the layers in the winter, living above 35 degrees latitude, we miss out all winter. Vitamin D helps calcium absorb into the body and maintain the proper levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood stream. It can help prevent heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and breast and colon cancer while staving off depression by stimulating serotonin production and keeping muscle function in check.

After a winter bundled up in Chicago I'm beginning to think that a lack of vitamin D might be contributing to my lethargic bouts. I'm not exactly planning any trips to the Caribbean any time soon, so sparking my system through sunlight is out. Time to turn to the grocery store to stock my shelves with D-fortified foods--with few ways to naturally find D in foods, some products are fortified with it. Some top choices: salmon, sardines, tuna (canned in oil), milk, fortified cereal, fortified orange juice, egg yolk, cheeses and yogurt. The Department of Agriculture states that an adequate intake value for vitamin D for people up to 50 years old is 200 IUs, a number that even several of these recommended foods don't approach in a single serving.

I have a fridge stocked with milk, yogurt and eggs, and a medicine cabinet with a stash of Gummy Vites multivitamins--and 100 percent of the D daily value--as a fail-safe. Time to check those D levels. Who's with us? Ready, set, go! Photo grabbed from iprole at stock.xchng. Posted by Kate

Liz's Meditation Report: The Whole Week

Hello, hello! I've been a crap blogger lately. But I have an excuse! I've been skiing at Purgatory--the mountain resort just outside of Durango, Colorado--and landed back in Chicago in the middle of frosty, rainy Tuesday night.

Although I had hopes as high as the Colorado mountains for meditating every day....sigh....other stuff kept getting in the way. In the mornings, I tried to squeeze in a mini jog so my legs wouldn't forget how to run (Boston is only eight weeks away, after all). Inevitably, I pressed snooze so many times that I barely managed to fit in a few miles before swooping back into the condo like a tornado to change into ski gear and hit the lifts by opening time. After a full day on the slopes, all my sore body could manage was twisting the cap off a bottle of Durango Amber Ale, propping up my legs, and chatting with my family. So...yeah, not much meditating. Double sigh.

But I think my one saving grace, despite my utter failure in this challenge, is that riding the lift is a unique version of meditation. With breathtaking views of snow-capped mountains and parka-clad skiers gliding down the slopes, riding the lift is like a dose of Zen. I'm going to keep trying the daily meditation in Chicago, and now I'm armed with beautifully serene and special memories of the snowy Durango mountains. And stay tuned for some expert tips on fitting in the daily chill-out session. I know I need them. Photo grabbed from JTPics on Flickr. Posted by Liz

The Meditation Report: Kate's Day Six and Seven

Day 6: Relaxation, calm, serenity. The minute I hit send to turn in an assignment and without meditation, I felt free as a bird. But that also meant packing my evening with a busy--and exhausting--workout at the gym and at Vision Quest. That bird-like feeling persisted when I arrived home from Taste at VQ--lots of core work apparently fueled my system and I needed something to calm me down. I resorted back to the bed to perch and meditate--this time have far greater success than on day one although that could have been from the workout high. I tried focusing on a word and maybe I started daydreaming while meditating but it worked. I wound down and even thought I still had to lay in bed and watch TV, I was no longer feeling like the Energizer Bunny. Liz was right: I would start thinking about skiing.

Day 7: I sound like a record on repeat over here with all these plans and then not 100 percent following through. Here's another (although it has a happy ending): I had to save myself a bike for a packed spinning class at the gym, so I planned to arrive early enough to snag the bike and meditate before class time. Well, I got to the gym early but a friend was there so we were talking about insoles, bike fit and running gait, and I had to save my meditation until later. Much later because I was watching The Biggest Loser and eating dinner. But after a segment on the BL when Tara asked for a five-second breather (and thinking there's someone who needs to relax and meditate), I knew I would be doing my time even if it was five minutes before bed.

I'm a fan of the word meditation: I tried it again tonight and it seems to be working, keeping my mind from wandering in a million different directions. And while the week of meditation is almost up, I might not meditate daily, but when I'm feeling the need to chill out, which is pretty frequent, I'll give myself those 10 minutes to shut out the rest of the world. It helps refocus my energy and I feel more productive in the long run. Posted by Kate

The Meditation Report: Kate's Day Four and Five

Day 4: Ellie Krieger of Food Network fame saved me today. I recently started subscribing to her newsletter and each day in my inbox comes a new tip for healthy living. And the timing couldn't be better because the latest suggested three ways to meditate. I've been focusing on the breathing method--breathing slowly, counting to four as you inhale and exhale, and if your thoughts drift concentrate hard on nothing but breathing. The newsletter also suggested two other methods: word and heartbeat meditation.

I should have tried word meditation, repeating a word or phrase to keep my mind from wandering, when I trying my meditate-at-the-gym method again--I wasn't as successful this time having to listen to the whoops, scuffles and whistles happening on the basketball court below. I have a hard enough time finding my heartbeat and counting it during a workout so I'm not sure how well I'd track it during heartbeat meditation.

My other lesson learned: "Remember, you're not being graded on your performance — you're simply exploring a new way to achieve greater serenity. The more you do it, the easier it becomes to slip into a deeply relaxed, meditative state." I like that thought.

Day Five: I could have used meditation the most today and unfortunately I didn't give myself those 10 minutes when I should have. Knowing a deadline was looming and spending a Sunday afternoon working on it didn't help and I passed on my opportunity to work out and meditate after. My plan was to go to Circular Strength Training at Equinox, which include a 5- to 10-minute cooldown of Prasara yoga at the end of class, then either find a quiet spot at the gym or head home and log those strictly meditation minutes. Sorry to disappoint today. Posted by Kate

The Meditation Report: Kate's Day Two and Three

Day Two: After my attempt to meditate yesterday that had me wishing for sleep rather than relaxation or rejuvenation, I knew I had to take those 10-minute sessions and remove them from the bedroom. With husband at home and watching TV, I planned extra time at the gym and slipped into an empty studio room. While it was quiet, I could not remove my mind--it was racing a million miles a minute, thinking about all of the things I had yet to finish up at home or assignments looming on the horizon. I still felt stressed out, but one thing provided relief when I got home: My husband cleaned the kitchen and folded his laundry making for a clean home (and one item checked off my list!).

Day Three: This time I had planned to go to a 15-minute meditation session at Equinox; that failed when 5:30, 6, 6:30 rolled around and didn't want to work out much less leave the house. Boo on me since I thought I needed someone leading me through the meditation. So once again I was on my own--I must have been incredibly tired though. I had dozed off and woke up thinking it was the middle of the night. When I realized it wasn't even 10, I figured I could meditate and then go for a late-night workout. I'm not even sure what I thought about for those 10 minutes, just that by the end of it I was ready for more sleep. The bed won and my ambition was sacked. Posted by Kate

The Meditation Report: Kate's Day One

Let's just say I desperately needed the meditation today (Liz, thanks so much for choosing this dare!) and on multiple fronts. Woke up too early to drive husband to work, couldn't fall back asleep, then woke up STILL tired, zero concentration at work and anxious about how I would finish several projects (and lengthy ones at that) by Friday. And it didn't help that it was raining and unpleasant outside--thanks Mother Nature for the tomfoolery.

So I had an easy plan for meditating today--go to PowerNAP at Equinox, a 30-minute class that focuses on meditation, breathing, stretching and even a little sleeping if your body needs it (I realize I'm not writing much here but stay tuned for a more in-depth look soon). I attended class last week and it was the perfect refresher for my system. Well, the only problem: I dozed off and slept for 2.5 hours instead. With my focus still off-foot, and knowing I needed to meditate, I tried some of the PowerNAP practices at home. I sat indian-style on the bed, turned off the encore of Top Chef and set my alarm for 10 minutes. I think I still need to go somewhere and have someone tell me what to do because I'm not sure how effective my attempt was. Quiet but almost too silent, my mind still felt like it was racing and thinking about something other than the goal of meditation. Maybe I need that music that alters the brain waves to the same levels as sleep, maybe I need an instructor walking me through the steps. But taking that breather helped a little, I was pumped for finishing up some work that I put on the back-burner when the need to nap took precedence.

Good news: I can go to a Meditation class on Friday and a PowerNAP on Monday at Equinox. Score for a schedule that will encourage me to meditate. Posted by Kate

The Meditation Report: Liz's Day One

I had two things going against me with first day on the challenge. 1) It was raining in the morning and I was a little obsessed with making sure I caught an early bus--they run more regularly the earlier I stand outside. So, I was tempted to ditch my 10 minute time-out for an earlier bus ride. 2) And this is not unique to any day--it's a constant in my life--I really struggle with sitting still. I get antsy, fidgety, etc. Still, I'm determined to give the meditation a try so I swallowed my angst and didn't check CTA bus tracker and sat on a couch for 10 minutes of nothingness. 

Except, the moment I closed my eyes and imagined a mellow, serene beach scene, my mind started to whir. How will I describe this experience? How long have I been sitting here? What work am I going to do on my 20 minute bus commute? What should I make for dinner tonight? Did I put X, Y and Z on my to-do list? And so on. So, I didn't feel mentally refreshed or focused, but it was helpful to note that this is probably really good for me....I don't think it's healthy how OCD I am about making the most of every second. I tend to run-around like a chicken-with-my-head-cut-off (pardon the gross expression) and most of the time--I think--it's self-created. The world is not going to come to an end if I have to stand in the rain to wait for a bus or if I put off thinking about taking the pizza dough out of the fridge so it's thaw for dinner or if I don't add a new line-item to my to-do list at this exact second. I also found that I had an easier time chilling out when I opened my eyes and focused on a lamp. Something about "using my imagination" didn't click with me, and it put my brain into overdrive. When I made myself zone in on something with my eyes open, I felt the internal whirring slow substantially. One more thing I learned: Going forward, I'm going to set my kitchen timer for 10 minutes so I don't constantly check my watch to see how many minutes have passed. Posted by Liz

Change One Thing Challenge: Meditate for 10 Minutes A Day

Stressed? Anxious? Hyped up? Between work-related deadlines, upsetting newspaper headlines, job insecurity and never-ending to-do lists, it's no wonder we're all feeling more blah than Buddha these days. Executive decision: We all need to relax. In an effort to tame our tension and feel more...ahhhh....serene and peaceful, Kate and I are embarking on a new Fit-Dare: 10 minutes of meditation for the next seven days. Join us!

Studies have found that meditation can help lower heart rate and blood pressure and boost cognitive performance. And other research suggests that tapping the Zen within improves well-being, heightens focus, elevates mood and increases self-confidence. So, besides 10 minutes of the day, what is there to lose?

More good news: Meditation is a cinch to add to your daily routine (ahem, here's hoping it's easier than logging eight hours of sleep!). How to chill out, in a nutshell: Find a comfy spot, close your eyes, slowly relax your muscles from head-to-toe, and focus on either 1) your breathing, 2) a comforting visual image (perhaps Kate will choose the manicured trees on the ski slopes at Deer Valley; for me, it'll be a white sandy beach with plenty of sunshine and waves) or, 3) an object such as a painting or a vase of flowers. Extra points if you log onto a site like Wildmind.org for some downloadable meditations and more tips on zoning out.

Okay, here we go again: The challenge--10 minutes of meditation every day--begins tomorrow. Photo grabbed from sattva yoga on Flickr. Posted by Liz

The Sleep Report: Kate's Recap

When it comes to sleep, I'm definitely a work in progress. Even with the Change One Thing Challenge looming over me, telling me to hit the sack and log a solid amount of sleep, I'm still in the adaptation stages of regular seven or more slumbering hours. And I hate to admit it but I'll probably always fall into the sleep-deprived category. My downfalls: I like to write late-night, I'll have broken sleep patterns to drive my husband to work, I get up early for work or working out without planning to get to bed early, and sometimes it just takes too long for me to wind down.

But I did notice some positive changes--with the exception of Monday morning--when I did sleep more than usual. More energy, especially during a workout, less desire to snack throughout the day (yep, I'm a nibbler and get made fun of for it), and greater focus for the hours I spend on the computer. If only I could keep it up, as I'm assuming that if I raced on more sleep, I could have better performance, too.

While my reports were probably disappointing to read--my husband liked to tease me all week for missing the 8-hour mark--since I couldn't stick to the plan every day, I know I'm going to keep trying even without the challenge. After my mom admitted to trying the sleep study (the Today Show aired a clip on Monday that inspired her) to quell her midnight munchies, I want to compare stories with her. She's aiming for weight loss though--this latest study features women who lost weight by sticking to their daily routines, but upping the sleep to 7.5 hours and sticking to the same rise and shut-eye patterns. I'm a little miffed by some of the results because one woman admitted to sneaking into the kitchen for a middle-of-the-night snack. Of course that would pack on the pounds, not to mention interrupting the secretion of growth hormone which knows how to break down fat when sleeping, and eliminating it would be an instant calorie reduction. And another had more energy from more sleep and upped the intensity of her workouts. Oh well, if it keeps you active and out of the refrigerator, I'm all for it. Anyone else give it a shot? Photo grabbed from ddrccl at stock.xchng. Posted by Kate

The Sleep Report: Kate's Day Six and Day Seven

Day Six: Improvement is on the horizon. After screwing up Friday night, I made sure to get back on track for Saturday night. And for once I can say I did. I gave myself a Saturday afternoon nap to catch up for lost zzz's as I had promised, and then got to bed shortly after midnight to clock those eight hours. And success! My alarm was set for 8 a.m.--granted I didn't hear it but woke up anyway--and I got up but almost wished I didn't have to go to the gym for Spinning that morning. But I had energy in the class and could have kept pedaling after the 75 minutes was done. And I never felt like snacking all day either, even with a revved metabolism.

Day Seven: Thank goodness for the weekends! I clocked a solid eight hours last night and probably could have slept for at least two more--exact opposite of what I was hoping for. I was so ready to go to sleep when I did call it a night--my idea of reading in bed lasted no more than three minutes and I was out. But after barely dragging myself out of bed this morning, I kept wishing I could turn back in and take a sick day. At least I was hungry for more than a banana, so I'm hoping that will keep my forays into the kitchen at a minimum. Oh and that picture? That's how I was feeling this morning. Photo grabbed from Old Shoe Woman at Flickr. Posted by Kate

The Sleep Report: Liz's Day Four and Day Five

Day Four: Thanks to making an extra effort to hit the sack early, I made it into bed by 10:30ish. After some reading, I was conked out by 11:15pm or so. The alarm rang at 6:20am, so I got in about 7 hours. I was zonkered most of the day, but I'm chalking that up to a rough week of mileage--with less sleep I'm certain I would've felt much worse. And this was my least-snacky day of the week. I'm usually desperate for Chex Mix at 4pm (that probably has more to do with my weird salty snack craving than banking enough sleep) but I didn't find myself wandering over to the vending machine. So, yay, for a good night's sleep.

Day Five: I got to bed by 11 again, but woke up at 6am to start sipping coffee in preparation for my long run. Tiredness-wise, I felt fine. And today I survived the run, a day filled with errands and dinner and beers with friends without too much crankiness...but I snuck in a quickie nap so that might've helped. I think this experiment has taught me that logging eight solid hours every night may not make you feel like jumping out of bed and marching through the day with loads of extra energy....but it definitely is a boost. Posted by Liz

The Sleep Report: Kate's Day Three

Argh, when am I going to get me some sleep? Sorry folks, but I feel like an absolute failure with this one. I got into bed around 1 a.m.--that's actually good for me--but couldn't fall asleep so I ended up dozing off with my laptop on my lap searching for a picture for today's post. Seriously.

My slumber was interrupted by a 5:30 a.m. wake-up call to drive my husband to the hospital for work--I was so groggy I was on autopilot the whole way and am honestly surprised I could operate the car without hitting something. Then it was straight back to bed...I didn't even catch a minute of the news before logging 2.5 more hours. I'm inching closer to that eight-hour mark--it's coming I swear--while enjoying the extra energy and ability to plug away on the computer and write down fountains of potential pitches. But I still think the broken sleep is keeping the snacking. The urges are dissipating at some hours but the pangs for peanuts still haunt me after dinner. I'm going to chalk that up to too much sweating during my workout. Posted by Kate

Sleep Report: Liz's Day 2 and Day 3

Day 2 Alright, Tuesday night I got to bed at about 11:30pm. Not bad, right? Except, I had to get up at 5:30am in order to complete my workout in time to get to work early. This wouldn't be the end of the world except that when I have an early-early workout, I tend to sleep pretty badly as I toss-and-turn thinking about missing my alarm or some other oversleeping scenario. So, it wasn't a great night of shut-eye. It was pretty bad, actually. And I was dragging a little yesterday.

Day 3 But then last night, Wednesday, I got into bed at the beautiful hour of 11pm. And even though I had a workout scheduled for this morning, I made the executive decision to push it off until tonight so I could bank a solid eight hours. I slept like a log. Like a log, I tell you! It was awesome. But, weirdly, I feel even more drag-gy than usual today. I don't if it's residual from early mornings and slightly harder workouts this week? Or if my body is so used to morning exercise that it's in a funk from it's lack of a.m. endorphins? Whatever the case, I need to bank a workout after I leave the office tonight, and that has been stressing me out all day. Ah, sigh, the trade-offs of 8 hours! On the upside, I have not been snacky at all today. And that, my friends, is highly unusual. Two points for sleeping 8 hours, penalty for sleep stealing my endorphins.