A Personal Story

A Personal Story

200 lbs. A number nobody wants to see when they look at a scale. That was my weight about a year ago. In high school, I was not one to care about what I ate as long as I did some physical activity. I played sports throughout high school including volleyball, softball, and cross country. But regardless of my activities, I did not try to maintain my weight. If I was hungry, I ate. If I was bored, I ate. I even ate when I was upset. However, I did not realize that it was a problem since I did not gain or lose any weight. As it turns out, my athletics helped me burn just about as many calories as I needed to maintain my weight while eating that much. The problem became noticeable after cross country season ended my senior year. I stopped running, I stopped working out, and I continued eating like I always had. Within about four months my weight went from 175 lbs to 200 lbs. At the time, I was in denial that I was gaining weight. I chose to ignore the problem because I was embarrassed about how I looked. In the summer, I went to talk to a recruiter about possibly joining the military. Everything went well until the end of the meeting. They took my weight and told me that I was too heavy to enlist. It was that day that I realized just how out of hand my weight had gotten. It was that day that I decided I needed to start working out again and watching my diet. This also led me to start running again. After the summer had ended, I went off to college. My biggest fear for college was gaining more weight. Most people have heard of the "freshman 15" and I did not want to gain more than I already had. I kept my determination in mind and worked hard to eat healthy and run as much as I could. Now, one year later, I weigh just above 160 lbs (less than I was before gaining weight my senior year). I have lost almost 40 lbs and I am still losing. I have not been this happy with the way I look in a long time. As cheesy as it sounds, I only have running to thank. I began running years ago as a way to stay active. Then running became a form of stress relief for me, and now running has helped me reach my goals and become an overall healthy human being. I am not here to tell you all that running is the only way to do this, just as I am not writing this blog to help you lose weight (though that would be a great if I helped you do that). Today, I am writing this post for two reasons. The first is to let all of you know that running can really change your life in more than one way. The second reason is to let all of you know that anyone can make the choice to be healthy. It may not be easy, but being healthy is a choice that anyone can make at any time. If I can do it, so can you!

The picture above shows three pictures of myself approximately one year ago when I weighed about 200 lbs. The bottom right-hand image is a picture of myself about a month ago when I was in the upper 160 lb range. I have lost a few more pounds since then and hope to continue to lose weight.

If any of you readers have any comments or questions for me you can leave them in the comments below or you can send an email to vsvball11@gmail.com

Stay Healthy!
Danielle Renee ♥

Poll Results

Poll Results

Which do you prefer?

Barefoot Running: 0%
Minimalist Shoes: 25%
Regular Shoes: 75%

Do you listen to music when you run?

Yes: 66%
Sometimes: 33%
No: 0%

Which do you choose to run by?

Time: 0%
Distance: 66%
Both: 33%

What would you like me to write about?

Running: Alone vs. Group Running: 0%
Healthy Foods you would Normally Overlook: 50%
Heart Monitors: Good or Bad?: 0%
Ways to Make Homework More Interesting: 50%

Results

Unfortunately, not very many people voted. But of those who did, most preferred regular running shoes over minimalist shoes or barefoot running. This could possibly be due to the fact that minimalist shoes are relatively new and running barefoot is a little to intense for people who are not used to it. When it comes to music, it is save to say that the majority of voters listen to their iPods and mp3 players while running. Even those runners that choose to run without it will listen to it occasionally. Also, most runners run by distance rather than time. With today's technology that is a lot simpler to do since we can easily map out distances before or after our runs. Some runners like to take days to run by time as well though. It also seems that the viewers of this blog are interested in learning about healthier foods and ways to make schoolwork a bit more interesting. I will be sure to write about these topics soon for all of you to see. Thank you all so much for your feedback! I found it extremely helpful and I will be taking all of your opinions into consideration when writing for this blog.

Thanks Again,
Danielle Renee ♥

Prayers for Boston

April 2013: Prayers for Boston

I would just like to take the time to send out my prayers to runners and viewers injured and killed in the Boston Marathon previously. This is the first attack to have hit so close to the running world. I think it goes without saying that we are all hurt by this. I ask that you all take the time to appreciate what you have and tell your friends and family that you love them every chance you get, because this could have happened to anyone. Keep the families and friends of those involved in the bombing in your prayers. We will never forget what happened that day.

Danielle Renee ♥

Time vs. Distance

Time vs. Distance

When you run, do you run based on time? Or do you mark out your mileage beforehand? Most runners choose one or the other, and a few switch between the two. Experts say there are pros and cons to both.

Above is a picture from Map My Run. After running a workout, you can use this website to map out your mileage, and it will give you your total mileage, time, description of course, average pace, and even the elevation of your workout.

Time

Runners World Magazine says, when running based on time, runners are able to focus their attention on their form, breathing, and are better able to assess their overall shape. They say this is especially helpful when doing tempo runs. Runners World also claims that running based on time is a good choice when you are not feeling the best, seeing as running at a slower pace then normal on a "regular" course can be discouraging. If the distance is something that you need to know, you can use a running app to map out the course and your average speed once you have completed your workout. You can do this easily at Map My Run.

Distance

Runners World Magazine also claims that running by distance can be helpful. Rather than helping with form and breathing, running a set distance allows a runner to focus on their pace. Running a set course multiple times can also help a runner keep track of their overall improvement, which definitely helps build up confidence. In addition, set distances allow runners to get a better idea of how they need to improve.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask them in the comment boxes below, or visit www.runnersworld.com

Also, please remember to vote in my survey on the left of your screen. I will post new polls every week in order to see what other runners do, as well as know what you all want to hear about. Thank you all so much!

Danielle Renee ♥

Keeping Up the Pace

Keeping Up the Pace ♫

Listening to Music During a Run

Do you listen to music while you run? Do you ever pick songs with faster beats in order to run faster? As strange as it sounds, a lot of people do that. While I run I listen to quick, upbeat songs and try to match my strides with the beats. Apparently there are many studies done on the effects of running with music. These studies say that music helps you concentrate and keeps your brain stimulated and thinking positively. Another study showed that listening to music while running improves performance. Yet another study claims that heart rate and mileage increases as the music's tempo increases. (More information can be found here)

My Playlist

I personally listen to a lot of rock while I run and thought I would share with you 25 upbeat songs that really get me moving.

1.) Shoot to Thrill - ACDC
2.) Afterlife - Avenged Sevenfold
3.) Beat It - Michael Jackson (I have the Fall Out Boy version. It is slightly faster)
4.) Welcome to the Jungle - Guns'N'Roses
5.) I'm Sexy and I Know It - LMFAO
6.) Party Rock Anthem - LMFAO
7.) Enter Sandman - Metallica
8.) Kickstart My Heart - Motley Crue
9.) Wild Side - Motley Crue
10.) Burn it to the Ground - Nickelback
11.) Still Swingin - Papa Roach
12.) Silence Is the Enemy - Papa Roach
13.) Kick In the Teeth
14.) Shut It Down - Pitbull
15.) Hey Baby (Drop it to the Floor) - Pitbull
16.) Famous - Puddle of Mudd
17.) Black Betty - Ram Jam
18.) 6 Gun Quota - Seether
19.) Sound of Madness - Shinedown
20.) Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
21.) Animal I Have Become - Three Days Grace
22.) Riot - Three Days Grace
23.) Headstrong - Trapt
24.) Yeah - Usher
25.) Kryptonite - 3 Doors Down

For viewers sake, I left out the "explicit" songs that are not appropriate for all ages. Rather than giving the songs, I am going to list the top 10 bands that keep me going during my runs.

1.) ACDC
2.) Avenged Sevenfold
3.) Disturbed
4.) Egypt Central
5.) Five Finger Death Punch
6.) Theory of a Deadman
7.) Nickelback
8.) Papa Roach
9.) Seether
10.) Shadows Fall

Safety First

Please keep in mind that, while running with music is a fun and enjoyable way to run, music that is too loud may reduce your awareness of your surroundings. If running alone on roads or trails, be sure your music is not so loud that it affects your safety.

Keep it Up!
Danielle Renee ♥

Want to know more? Read about the Running Debate - Running With Music

Two-a-Days

Two-a-Days

I have always been told that every little run counts, even if it is only 10 minutes; but what if ten minutes are not enough? Being a college student with a major, two minors, a job, and about 5 clubs to keep up with, I find it hard to find a lot of time in my day for running. I definitely have time to run at least 15 to 20 a day between classes and work, but some days I need to run more than that. For the past few weeks, I have been running two-a-days a few times a week. I run about a mile in the morning before classes, and then my normal workout between classes and work. This way I get more mileage and am able to keep up with my running schedule. There are things to keep in mind when running two-a-days though. An article on Marathon Nation gives some advice for how to add two-a-days to your schedule without ruining your training. According to the article, the most important things to remember are: do not add on too many miles, allow enough recovery time between workouts, and be sure to warm up before each run. Adding on too many miles can actually make you slower and increase your chance of injury. It is suggested that, when starting two-a-days, runners only add on a mile or two per week. Insufficient recovery time, as well as no warm-ups, can also lead to injuries, as well as increase the amount of required recovery time. It is also suggested that the harder and/or longer of the two workouts be done first. Another article, called Your Ultra-Training Bag of Tricks: Two-A-Days, lists the pros and cons of two-a-days as well as helpful advice about who should run them and how.

Get Outside! It's beautiful!
Danielle Renee ♥

Study Help

Study Help

Hello again bloggers! My blog, Nerds, Runners, and Animal Lovers, is a blog meant to focus on three things: school, running, and animals. So far, I've been posting a LOT about running, and not as much about school and animals. Since today was a Friday (a.k.a. Exam Day) I thought I'd give you all a few helpful hints and tips to help you with your weekend homework and studying. Obviously most adults will simply tell you to "get it done", but there are a lot of things that will help you through the homework. Below is a list of all the things I have found help with homework.

1.) Just Do It- homework is usually low on your priority list when Friday rolls around, but it is important that you do not forget what you have to do.

2.) Do NOT Procrastinate- this will only make it harder for you to remember what it is you have to do and may make it harder to complete the homework. Procrastination can also lead to lower quality and/or incomplete work in the long run

3.) Time Management- literally the MOST important skill to have in college. If you do not manage your time wisely you will cause yourself a lot of extra stress that may cause you to struggle with your classes

4.) Textbooks with Answers in the Back- ONLY use the answers to CHECK your work once you are done. If you do not know how to solve the problems on your homework, you will not be able to do them on tests and quizzes. This is especially important in mathematics and science. Math is never ending. Everything in math is related. If you do not understand one concept, you will not be able to move on to the next. Science is alike in that if you do not understand small concepts, larger concepts will not make sense.

5.) Give Yourself Some Incentive- Set goals! Do you want to hang out with friends? That would be a nice reward for finishing that essay, don't you think? It sounds like a cheesy way to get stuff done, but this is actually helpful. You could use "Facebook breaks" as rewards as well. Read X amount of pages, then take a break to browse the Internet. Hungry? Finish 20 practice problems on your math homework before grabbing those jelly beans!

6.) Stay Focused- If you have been doing homework for hours on end and cannot seem to focus, maybe its time to take a break. If you are having trouble staying focused for more than a few minutes, stop and think about what it is that is distracting you. First, check your surroundings. Is it too loud? Does something keep catching your eye? If this is the case, maybe you should move to a location that is less distracting. Other things can distract you too. If the Internet is open and distracting, close it. If someone keeps texting you, politely tell them you are busy and turn your phone off.

7.) Cold Turkey- If you have trouble staying off of the Internet and cannot seem to stay away from all of your social networking sites, it may be time to try out Cold Turkey. I found this program a few months ago and it changed the way I studied forever! I was constantly distracted by facebook and twitter. This FREE software blocks sites of your choosing (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest, etc.) for any amount of time that you choose. That way, if you get bored and try to get onto one of these sites Cold Turkey will pop up and tell you to keep studying. You can download this software here.

I hope these tips helped. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please comment below this post. I really like to take your opinions into consideration. Also, on the topic of homework, if any of you readers have questions on specific subjects, I am more than willing to help. In college, I have tutored students in Biology and Mathematics. I am also knowledgeable in Chemistry, Reading, Writing, and more.

Happy Studying!
Danielle Renee ♥

Discussion: Barefoot Running

Discussion: Barefoot Running

In the past few years, the idea of minimalist running has become extremely popular. For those of you who are unfamiliar with minimalist running, it is basically the idea of running "naturally" or as close to running barefoot as is possible. They make a lot of new shoes that are supposed to mimic natural running. I have also heard that it is better for you. I recently read an article, called "Much Ado About Minimalism", about how minimalist running became popular and also discusses the benefits. This article claims that regular tennis shoes actually teach us to run with a form that is "unnatural" and causes us to rely on the shoes we wear. This article also claims that running barefoot, or with little shoe support, helps build muscle and coordination in the feet which are able to boost performance. What do you think of this? Is minimalist running better? If you have done it, do you like it? Are there any negatives? I want your feedback!

For those of you who want more information about minimalist running, here are two more articles:
The Basics of Barefoot/Minimalist Running
The First Scientific Support for Minimalist Running

For those of you wanting to start minimalist running, here is a website that will teach you how to make the transition safely.

Happy Running,
Danielle Renee ♥

We Love Hills

We Love Hills

Back in high school cross country, we would always reserve Mondays for hill training. We went to a park about 30 minutes from our school and just ran repeats up the hills. The first was the sledding hill, next was the known to us as the mountain, and the third was named the baby killer. Now, keep in mind we were all from Ohio and were really used to running on fairly flat trails. Our mountains are more like ant hills (thank you glaciers). When we would run up the hills at this park, all we did was complain about how terrible they were and how we felt like we were dying, until we hired an assistant coach. Our assistant coach wasn't hired until my senior year, so I only got a small sample of her craziness. The first Monday she came with us, she heard some complaints when running uphill. She stopped all of us and said that, while running uphill, we had to yell "WE LOVE HILLS!". She told us that if we shouted it enough, one day we might actually start to believe it. We thought it was really stupid, but we did it anyways, and it made hills easier not because we loved hills, but rather because we got a kick out of shouting it and watching people's reactions. It became a team thing. We actually started to shout it out during races as encouragement for our teammates. Needless to say, shouting "WE LOVE HILLS" was actually beneficial to our team. 

Now, a year and a half later, I live in Pennsylvania where that park in Ohio looks flat. I literally look out my window and see miles and miles of hills and mountains. My campus itself is on top of a hill. Since I recently started running again, I have been trying to slowly increase my mileage. For my shorter runs, I do my best to avoid the hills and stay in the allotments behind my dorm (which are fairly flat). Yesterday, however, was my designated long-run day. A year ago I was able to run about 8 miles, but as of now my long run is at approximately 4.5 miles. This is the longest I've had to run around my campus so I decided to go along a different route around town. The first mile and a half was great! My pace was good, my heart rate was steady, nothing hurting, and my music was keeping me motivated... then I got to the first hill. It was fairly high, probably a quarter mile long, and I was ready. In my head, I thought "It's just one hill, one little bump in the road (pun intended), I can do this." I finished the hill strong. To my surprise, on the other side of this hill, was a bigger, longer hill. As I ran up the second hill the negative thoughts started: "Why did I run this way? What the hell was I thinking? Hills suck.. I suck... running is terrible..." I finished that hill, and struggled up the next. There was a steady downhill for a while, but the last mile of my run was entirely uphill again. I felt so defeated and discouraged when I remembered what my coach told me in high school. In my head, I started to think "I love hills." As I ran I kept repeating it over and over in my head while thinking of the memories of running in high school.

I was so focused on thinking "I love hills" that I was almost surprised to see my dorm at the end of my run. I know it seems like such a small, ineffective thing to do, but I encourage any of you who run to start thinking about how much you love hills as you run. Also, for those of you who are runners, I highly suggest logging your runs on Map My Run. It will show you the change in elevation of your run. When you log the workout it will show you a image like the one below. (This is not the run I mentioned above)

For more information on running hills, you may want to check out the following websites:

Hill Running: 5 Reasons to Love the Incline

Hill Training Articles

Can Hill Running Make you Faster?

Happy Running to All!

Danielle Renee ♥

The Beginning

The Beginning [of this blog]

Hello everybody! If you are reading this, chances are you are randomly looking up blogs OR you are a really nice friend who saw my links on twitter and Facebook. Either way, I want to take the time to thank you for reading my first post ever. As the title states, I am a nerd, I am a runner, and I am an animal lover. I live in Pennsylvania, so be prepared to hear about my life amongst the hills and the Amish.

Background Information

For those of you who do not know me, My name is Danielle. I am currently a college student majoring in Mathematics. Strange, I know, but I'm a wizard with numbers and it is my passion. Besides math, I also love my family, my friends, my pets, and doing everything I can for other people. I am currently an active member of the service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega which allows me to act upon my love for helping others in as many ways as possible. In the past I was involved in National Honor Society, 4-H, ski club (college and high school), pre-vet society, physics club (I'm a nerd, I know), and my church's youth group. If you read all of that and thought "wow, she is such a nerd" then you are 100% correct. I have been a nerd my entire life and I fully embrace the fact that I am far from normal.

Running

As far as running is concerned, I began running my sophomore year in high school in order to stay "in shape" for softball, and again for volleyball. Eventually my love for running won me over and I quit volleyball to join my high school cross country team. My CC team was my family. As if I didn't love running enough to begin with, running with them made me love it even more. My senior year I got a sever case of Senioritis. This led me to stop all physical activities after my CC season. I also ate food like it was my job. Needless to say I gained a few pounds. At graduation I was actually 200lbs. I think this is the first time I've ever admitted that. I knew I was overweight and began running again. I am proud to say that I have lost 45lbs since then. Being a college student I do go through phases where I stop exercising/running for a while, but I always go back to it. I'm glad I began running, it has become a little piece of my soul that I will never fully give up. 

Animal Loving

In the early years of my life, I told my parents I wanted to grow up and be a veterinarian. For years they waited for me to change my mind. It wasn't until this past semester, 20 years into my life, that I decided I didn't want to be a veterinarian. However, that doesn't mean I don't have a passion for animals. Currently I have a dog, a cat, rabbits and chickens at home that I love and adore. I also go out of my way to involve them in my life and to pet every furry creature I ever cross paths with. Even though I don't plan on going into a profession involving animals, I plan on making them a part of my life for the rest of my life. Also, keep in mind that I was in 4-H for seven years and a biology major for a year and a half, so I am fairly knowledgeable about animals if you have any questions that need answered.

The Future Blogs

Finally, a few things about this blog. If you plan on following me and reading my blog I want you to know exactly what you are getting yourself into. Seeing as I am a nerd and a runner, I will mostly be giving advice about things such as study habits, time management, exercise, running, and nutrition. You're probably wondering why I haven't mentioned being an animal lover in relation to my posts. Seeing as I do not know how to relate animals to everyone's lives, I will instead only talk about animals in the case of a request by my readers. That and I will probably throw a few little pictures of animals into my posts or on the sideboards every once in a while.

If the above appeals to you, and you wish to know more, bookmark this page and tell your friends all about it! You can read my blogs at nerdsrunnersandanimallovers.blogspot.com. I will do my best to post new blogs at least once a week. If I get really into it there may be a new blog once every other day. I hope you are interested and plan on visiting again. I hope you have a wonderful time browsing the web!

Stay Sweet,
Danielle Renee