Starling Fitness: Daily writings on Fitness, Diet, and Health

I loved this image set that I saw on Funeral For My Fat the other day.

It reads:

I have run 10 miles a day, every day, for 18 years. That’s 65,000 miles… a third of the way to the moon. My goal is to run to the moon.

Here’s the video of it and it’s even better in person!

If you want an MP3 of this to put in your workout playlist, here it is:

• Parks and Recreation- My goal is to run to the moon

Who is this Chris Traeger person and how can I be friends with him? I’ve tried watching Parks and Recreation, but I didn’t get past the first season. I keep meaning to start watching again, but now, I have a REAL incentive. Chris Traeger sounds like the kind of guy I would get really inspired by.

Here’s an animated GIF I found on That’s my dream; that’s my nightmare.

He said:

Fresh lettuce is my all-time favorite food!

I need to start watching Parks and Recreation again. I wanna be just like Chris Traeger.

I love this motivational photo from Fitness, Health, and Confidence.

It reads:

Get addicted to intense cardio

For years, I have used this heart rate training chart to judge how much cardio I should be doing. I have a strong heart and no history of heart trouble in my family, yet, I still assumed that my heart wouldn’t be as strong in my forties as it was in my twenties. When I started using my ActiveLink and it gave me so few points for my workouts, I realized that I have been a HUGE slug when it comes to exercise. I decided that I was going to train for how strong I want my heart to be (as good as a woman in her twenties), instead of how old I am.

That means that in order to train in the Aerobic Zone, I need to get my heart rate up to the 140-160 range instead of 126-144. I have been careful to make sure I’m not pushing myself too hard, but so far, it has worked. I’ve earned more points with the ActiveLink and I feel GOOD. Endorphins good, just like all those sportos talk about. I had no idea I was going too easy on myself because I was working within the ranges that the chart told me, but that chart is for EVERYONE, not necessarily for me.

So, I can feel that inkling of excitement when I think about doing my runs every day and that’s the closest I’ve ever come to addicted to intense cardio. I hope that someday that will be a reality as well.

Yesterday, I was SICK. Explosive diarrhea, vomiting, constant nausea, joint pain and exhaustion. I was so bad, we cancelled our plans with friends today because even if I felt better, I might be contagious and they have a new baby.

This morning, I felt weak, but a little better. The “explosions” were gone. I was able to keep down my morning cup of coffee. My boy wanted to do our exercise together (he rides the exercise bike and I run on the treadmill). I agreed to join him just so we could be consistent. I thought I’d take it easy and just walk on the treadmill if I started to feel sick again. I remembered the thought, “You can’t get much done if you only workout on days you feel good.“

I started out walking, but then habit kicked in. When the warmup was over, I punched it up to running speed (for me, it’s only 4.0 mph right now, but it’s really hard for me). I did my normal interval and then went back to walking speed. I did my entire interval workout that was planned for today.

Don’t get me wrong. It was hard. Each run felt much harder than they did yesterday, but I was wearing my heart rate monitor and it said I was working at the same level as I did yesterday. It just FELT harder, but I didn’t let it get in my way.

When I was done, I sat on the floor to do my after-run stretches. When I did Roll Like A Ball, I saw it. Each time I rolled up, I saw the motivational card that my WW teacher had given me a couple of weeks ago. I had put it up by the exercise bike because when I’m hurt, I exercise there instead of the treadmill. Roll up, I saw it. Roll back, and I thought about it.

I AM stronger than any excuse!

Before, I would have used yesterday’s illness as an excuse to skip my workout. This time, I did my workout anyway. Now, part of the credit has to go to my kid, who held me accountable to our daily routine. I KNOW that’s the reason I got my butt off the chair and headed upstairs to the family gym. Knowing that I can’t do this all on my own and that I have someone to hold me accountable actually helped me today.

Just in case your WW teacher didn’t give you a little motivational card, here are some from around the web to inspire you.

Here are a couple I found on Healthier, Fitter, Stronger by Christy Marhin.

It reads:

Make yourself stronger than your excuses

It reads:

Excuses are for people who don’t want it bad enough

This one from Vuible is pretty good:

It reads:

Be stronger than your excuses

Here’s a pretty good one from StyleCraze:

It reads:

Be Stronger Than Your Excuses

CutAndJacked.com has one for weight training men:

It reads:

Stronger than excuses

The next time you consider skipping your workout, just TRY it. Get on the treadmill and walk slowly. If you are feeling too ill to do a workout, your body will tell you. You will probably learn that you are stronger than you thought!

I truly enjoyed Retrospace’s tribute to the The Suzy Chapstick Workout.

It gets more and more hilarious the further they delve into the book until poor Suzy is doing exercises like The Rover.

I wonder if the Insanity workout that people are oohing and aahing over right now will seem as silly in thirty years.

The always entertaining Jenna Marbles did a funny video showing how her home workouts “work.”

If you have trouble working out at home, then a gym membership might be the best thing for you, or even taking a walk (or run) outside. I actually prefer to workout at home where no one can see me, smell me or laugh at me. I can’t wait until Jenna does a “How Gym Workouts Work” video!

The new version of Zombies, Run has finally arrived! You can see it here:

• Zombies, Run! 2 on iPhone
• Zombies, Run 2 on Android

They made a pretty cool commercial for it here:

I love this game so much that it doesn’t really feel like exercise when I do it. I can’t wait to hear the new episodes!

I love this image that I saw on work sweat achieve.

It reads:

Running.

First, you feel like dying.

Then, you feel reborn.

It usually takes about a twenty minute workout for me to feel that good feeling. That’s the shortest run I can do and get that good feeling. I don’t know about the benefits of doing longer workouts, but if you are just looking for that “high” then you can keep your workouts short.

As you know, I’ve been running with Zombies, Run! I’ve talked A LOT about it, so if you have no idea what I’m talking about here are some refreshers.

• Starling Fitness – Zombies, Run! Makes Exercise Fun
• Starling Fitness – Zombies, Run! 2 Is Coming This Spring
• Starling Fitness – I Am Runner Five
• Starling Fitness – Camilla Luddington Loves Zombies, Run!

Right now, I’m trying to get faster, so I’m going through the workouts on Zombies, Run! 5K. They are set between episodes 1 and 2 of the original app. Right after the death of the previous Runner Five. Just a warning, Sam (the radio operator) is a little distraught over her death.

I was running outside, which was perfectly fine, but the weather here in Salt Lake has turned snowy, slippery and dangerous again, so for a couple of workouts, I headed to the gym, with embarrassing results. (more…)

I love this animated GIF I found over on Love Green Tea.

You’d think that this image would make me want to buy the shoes, but it doesn’t. Just seeing those beautiful running shoes being laced up makes me want to go on a run, not buy the shoes. Someday, I even hope to have legs that are thin and strong like those ones.

Via: Funeral For My Fat

Sometimes I have to trick my mind in order to exercise. I have to pretend that zombies are chasing me or that I’m in the Hunger Games. When I saw this poster for the movie, it was inspiring to me. (Click for full-sized image.)

It reads:

I’m very hard to catch, and if they can’t catch me, they can’t kill me. So don’t count me out.

• Rue

It reminds me that I need to be faster and stronger to survive in this world. I don’t live in a post-apocalyptic world that sends its children to die for entertainment, but this is a competitive world and we are judged every day by the size of our bodies.

The next time you’re considering skipping your workout, take a good and hard look at this poster and change your mind. Don’t let the competition get you. You have to be strong and fast to make it in this world.

Via: The Hunger Games Movie: Character Desktop Wallpapers