I switched out the running shoes for a yoga mat yesterday. After those two long runs this week, my body felt crunched all together and I wanted to get it all stretched out and ready to go again.
I went to a little studio that I haven’t been to for awhile. The class was crazy challenging for me so I had to switch my brain from ‘oh my goodness this is so hard’ to ‘it’s fun finding new muscles that I didn’t know I had and making them exhausted and want to explode;)”. I think with the running I am doing now, a lot of it is at the exact same pace and the same ups and downs so I’m using pretty much the same muscles every day and that is why different fitness classes always kill me off, ha.
I bought a punch card for more classes to keep me going back for more. I felt taller and my brain more relaxed afterwards too.
We got slammed with snow (a day too late… but I was actually selfishly kind of happy about that since I was able to get both long runs in really nice weather).
We took Christmas down! Our window seat opens up to a big storage area so that made it really easy to just put it all in there! We can fit Christmas, Halloween and Thanksgiving down there.
I was hungry the days that I did the long runs but then yesterday hit… Nothing could fill my hunger, I was snacking all day long. I was very grateful for these Kneader’s rolls that my mom gave to me. They were very needed yesterday.
Knox came back and he and Andrew went sledding!
Long hair problems.
We took Skye in the backyard for a minute so she could have her first sledding experience. She wasn’t so sure about it.
A hot chocolate date.
My backyard makes me like winter now.
A little movie watching…
And Knox has really wanted to learn how to play Yahtzee so we did our best.
After the kids went to bed we had two very important visitors. I wanted to treat them right by having Utah’s best cookies available for them to try (CRUMBL… and that hot chocolate cookie was something else).
BANGS FRIEND AND BANGS FRIEND HUSBAND.
Lifelong friends.
And a little reminder because I know dieting is a big deal this time of year… AVOID THIS CYCLE!!! YOU ARE GOOD ENOUGH and the things you eat cannot change that.
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Do you like yoga? How often do you go?
Last time you tried something fitness wise that is kind of outside of your comfort zone? (ie me going to a yoga studio where everyone is professional and I can’t touch my toes;)
Take Christmas decorations down right away or let them stay for a little while?
-1st thing when I wake up on the 26th ha:)
Are you usually hungriest the day of a long run or the day after a long run?
47 comments
Natalie
Even though I’m not a huge fan of snow (I hate being cold), I have to admit that it’s so pretty! And sledding is definitely fun! :) (Also, that sugar cookie looks amazing. Please send it my way ASAP.)
I haven’t been to a yoga class in FOREVER, but I really need to go. I also want to try pilates! I need to be working more of my muscles, too, and I think those are two great ways to do so and also make sure I’m stretching my body a bit more.
The Hungry Runner Girl
You have lived in the right places to avoid the snow:) . I’ll send it asap! I should have brought you some to Kneaders! Oh Pilates is SO hard for me but you’re right, it is so good for us! Have a beautiful day Natalie!
MD Runner
Your yard is amazing!
I can’t eat on long run day. Usually it’s my rest day when I’m voracious!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Thank you!!! Oh you are so right about the rest days… it kicks in on overload. Have a wonderful day!
rebecca sudja
Yoga has been my go to for balance of body and mind after all the long runs for my 100k training, in fact, I committed to going twice a week while in training and have almost hit them all! … AND THE HUNGER TWO DAYS AFTER LONG RUNS IS NO JOKE!!!! For real!! I would do my back to back long runs on Saturday and Sunday, Monday wouldn’t be very hungry, but Tuesday the eating was out of control!!! I love snow running best!
The Hungry Runner Girl
100k training… DANG REBECCA, that is amazing! Oh no… I guess that means today the hunger will be even worse haha! Thanks Rebecca and maybe I should get up to two times a week. Have a beautiful day:)
Jenn
Love your backyard!! We keep decorations up until the new year! It’s a lot of work to put up so we enjoy it as long as possible (the day after Thanksgiving to Jan 1). I hate yoga but if I want to run it’s a necessity these days (thanks kids and/or getting older)
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh thank you so much Jenn! That is a very good point… now I’m questioning my decision ha. I think that yoga is going to keep me running happier too… why are endorphins from running the absolute best haha?! Why can’t we get those feelings from everything we do? Have a beautiful day Jenn.
Jenny|Running On Life
I let Christmas stay up until the weekend after Christmas and then the clutter gets too much.
I’m hoping that we get more snow. Winter is useless unless it snows haha. At least you can play in it!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hahah I agree but the previous few days were absolutely perfect because it was warmer haha! I hope you have a beautiful day Jenny!
Kristin
I LOVE yoga–I used to go to a studio once or twice a week, but since I’ve moved I’ve been doing it online. Yoga with Adriene on YouTube is great, and she has videos for everything, of every length! I feel 100% better when I do yoga regularly.
I started doing crossfit a few years ago . . . my grad school had a great gym, and I was so nervous but the instructor was amazing. He graduated that spring and I stopped doing it, but it was such a different approach to fitness, and so challenging, but the group was great and like having a bunch of cheerleaders. I miss that!
ENJOY your snow!!!!!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Oh I have tried her videos… she is amazing!!! Andrew and I need to get back to doing it together at home. Crossfit is SO hard… I think I was sore for a week after that class. The community feel of it is amazing! Thanks Kristin and have a wonderful day!
Jenn
I do her videos too! ALWAYS make me feel great!
Kelly
This comment is unrelated to this post but I’ve wanted to write it for a while. The major aspects of my life are quite different from yours. I’m not Mormon, I don’t run (I’m big into walking), and my kids are older (12, 9). However despite those pretty major differences, I look forward every single day to reading your blog. It is hands down my favorite. Your positivity is such a great example and makes your posts so enjoyable to read. I DO relate to your immense love for your family and it’s such fun to read about your life with them. So thanks…for adding such a fun few minutes of reading to my day for the past 5+ years? P.s. I also still love your blog despite our drastically different candy preferences (chocolate covered gummy bears? Blek!!?)
The Hungry Runner Girl
Kelly. Wow. Seriously, I cannot thank you enough for the sweet comment. Sometimes I wonder what in the world my pictures of running shoes and candy do for anyone but you telling me this filled me up:) . NOW… the real problem is this chocolate covered gummy bear thing. Have you tried them? If not, I’ll be at the post office today mailing you some from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. 12 and 9… that must be so fun! PLEASE keep it touch and thanks for brightening my day. Have a beautiful day Kelly.
Sara
I love yoga but don’t do it nearly enough. With 2 super young kids it’s hard for me to get out of the house for yoga, and I just don’t like it as much when I do it in my basement. I think I need to change that and get out for more classes!
I haven’t done anything out of my safe zone for so long, but hot yoga definitely is. I always feel so out of place, and like I might pass out!
I always leave up our decorations until New Years day. I don’t put them up until about a week before Christmas so I like to get the extra week after.
I’m always hungriest the day after!
AmandaM
ALL of the pictures were amazing today :) Super cute of the kids and gorgeous scenery. I also like to take down the decorations soon after! I will take the indoor down today . The only indoor decorations I have are a tree , one stocking for my dog (ha!) and some coasters that I use under candles. The outside will get taken down when the company comes (I do it up like crazy on the outside so a company is required! It’s amazing – they do EVERYTHING and leave two clear, marked boxes of lights and any non-real decorations by my garage door and I just slide the boxes into the garage to be used for next year).
I am with you on the lingering hunger pains from lots of exercise! The rolls looked like a good remedy :)
tracy
Always hungrier the day after a long run, in fact I can’t get a big meal of anything after a long run!
I would highly recommend you try yin yoga to get your yoga fix. I stopped all other kinds a couple of years ago, but make it a priority to get to a yin class at least once a week, twice preferably. With running and so many other activities, we all have so much yang in our life, go for the yin, you will feel amazing. And my body feels so much better, it seems as I age, this type of yoga is really helping to prevent injuries nd keep me feeling good.
Katie A.
I’m the opposite with Christmas decorations! I leave ours until almost February. We do actually celebrate the Christmas season for a few weeks (this year thru 1/13) and I don’t get the majority of Christmas UP until the weekend before Christmas, so it hasn’t been up that long.:) (I do enjoy plenty of Christmas music as soon as Thanksgiving has passed..) Good job putting it all away – that is hard work getting it back in boxes! I love that storage spot.
Thank you for the reminder about steering CLEAR of the dieting hype. I can so easily get caught up in that (esp. post-baby here..), and it is not at all good for me. I am going to try to keep my focus on what’s good for me – running, being active – and hey, maybe some yoga!
Jess
This is the first year I’m taking the Christmas stuff down before New Years. I need the room back for all the new toys!!
Where are Skye’s snow boots from??? I need something similar for my little girl!
The Hungry Runner Girl
They are so so cute… here is the link:
http://bit.ly/2PURx3l
Have a beautiful rest of your week Jess!
Eva
I’ll take down our Christmas decorations after the new year. Hungriest the day after a long run. Our gym changed it’s timetable a year ago, so I didn’t do a lot of yoga this past year. I had the day off on Monday so I did a strength class, followed by yoga in the morning. It felt really nice! It’s my goal for the new year to do yoga more often, even if it means leaving early in the morning. I think my hamstring issue may have been caused by not stretching enough. It’s on the mend though wich makes me really happy.
Kerr
I’ve recently fallen in love with hot yoga and I go a few times a week. I love your sunglasses from the last two posts! Can you share where they’re from? Merry Christmas!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Hey Kerr! Oh they are my current favorites! Here they are: http://bit.ly/2PvrQH1
I need to try out hot yoga!
Kerr
Thank you!
Lisa
I’m right there with you on taking down Christmas! I have been known to take it down on the night of Christmas… I love Christmas, but when it’s over I am glad to get things back to normal. I do a huge deep clean on the house as well.
I really love yoga & it’s benefits. I need to make it more of a priority. I think my body would thank me.?
Amanda
Love your puffer in the top picture- the color is perfect! Could you link it please?
Thanks!
Amanda
The Hungry Runner Girl
Thank you Amanda! Yes for sure! This one has a different style at the top (no hood) but other than that it is the same! I love this color too!
https://shopstyle.it/l/XqWe
Michelle P.
I want to love yoga. I’ve tried to love yoga. But thus far, yoga and me don’t agree. I’m “hypermobile” (super loose joints), so I’m soft-tissue injury prone and every yoga class I walk out with something worse off than before, haha! But my really good friend is a master instructor and in one of her classes once she watched me and saw me cringe and literally gave me a “mom glare” and mouthed “stop!” when she could see my muscles seize up. She gave me the best advice ever afterwards: “Yoga is about learning how to work WITH your body and if you practice it properly, your body will tell YOU what IT is capable of. Never force a pose. Who cares what you look like compared to the class, because proper practice is about aligning your will and energy with your body’s.” That has helped so much (in lots of physical activities, not just yoga). So now I do the Spotebi.com yoga flows from time to time and when I’m consistent, I do notice that I am better able to listen to my body’s cues. ;) Good for you for getting the punch card to commit yourself to incorporating it into your training. I always do better when I make myself accountable like that.
Barre classes definitely threw me way out of my confort zone but I got really strong while I did them and felt a huge improvement in my core strength and it helped to lengthen out my IT band and hamstrings. I debate going back quite often…maybe I’ll follow your lead and get myself a punch card! :)
Happy Thursday, Janae! So glad to see y’all are having good times with family and good friends. Be safe out there…treadmill running day around here, am I right? ?
Tonya Hancock
I like the concept of yoga, but it is a little too laid back for me. Why surround yourself with people if you can’t be all chatty :)
I am so boring with fitness mostly just running, totally in my comfort zone. Hikes too. I rarely try something new. Kick boxing in 2009, oh! Bulgarian dance one year ago!
Take Christmas decorations down no sooner than the weekend after Christmas, no later than the weekend after New Year’s.
Hungriest the day after a long run for sure.
Jackie Lai
My Christmas decorations are coming down on January 1st. I put them up later this year because our electric bill really spiked last year.
My husband is a rower and they do a timed 2000m competition on the rowing machine in January. I said I would do it too if he coached me. I honestly thought it wouldn’t be that hard, that my running/mt bike fitness would easily translate into a good time. WRONG. I am having to swallow my ego. It’s harder than I thought but I am going to stick to the training and do it. I have 4 weeks of training to go. I now have a new appreciation for the sport that my husband does.
Grant
I’ve never tried yoga, but going to the gym was out of my comfort zone for the first couple months I was consistent about it. Now it’s more comfortable but still not my favorite. The last really different exercise for me that I can think of was rock climbing, but I haven’t done that for two years. Very fun but very hard!
I’m usually hungrier the day after the long run. Running usually kills my appetite for the next several hours.
Whitney
I love yoga!!! It’s a time were I can express myself and find strength and discipline and grace for my body. Your body is constantly changing and some poses that might be simple today can be hard tomorrow but challenging and exciting each time! I try to do at least 30-40 minutes 3-4x a week. Have been practice for seven years and it still new to me!! Love yoga! Look up YOGA WITH ADRIENE!!! Favorite resource online!
Michelle
We use to play Mickey Mouse Yahtzee Jr as kids and it was my favorite. My mom found the game a few years ago in her closet…probably one to replace missing pieces. I wouldn’t let her give it to the DI so I have it. I highly suggest finding a junior one for Knox it’ll probably be easier for him.
Have a great day!
The Hungry Runner Girl
Okay, we need to get that game over here asap! Sounds perfect for us. Thanks Michelle, I hope you are having a beautiful day!
Carrie
I went to a Pilates/yoga combo thing for awhile until I had an instructor that used the phrase “ ok we are now going to birth the foam roller” and I basically had to restrain my laughter as all these ladies around me were dead serious and birthing that foam roller. I just couldn’t do it any more!!! I need to but I find that strong the time to exercise is so limited and I need more then yoga and I do like my rest day!
Mary
I miss Bangs friend! She’s cute as ever! I would like her Baklava recipe and I can’t find it.
I like your puffer jacket.
Jayne
I second the recommendation for Yoga with Adriene. The yoga is great, Adriene is fun, and her dog Benji is beautiful.
Michelle
I love yoga and try to go twice a week. I feel like it’s such a good accompaniment to running, cycling and strength workouts and I always feel better when I’m mixing in yoga. It did take some time though to find an instructor/studio that felt right and not super intimidating. It helps work on the humility skills too ;)
Yahtzee brings back great memories, we used to play with my Grandparents all the time.
Alex
I want to love yoga because I know it’s so good for me but I always get bored ? also As much as I love Christmas I want my decorations down immediately! Haha
Off topic question but I’m trying to decide which brooks running shoes to order …wanted to get a new pair for the new year and I’m debating between the levitate or the ricochet…I currently have the launch and like them but was wanting to try something new! Any insight?
Jenn
If you need to take your Xmas decorations down the day AFTER Christmas Day – so sad :( – you are putting them up way too early. Christmas ends January. 6th. It’s “Old Christmas Day.” We never put our decorations up until Dec. 20th (if we were lucky, it was often the 23rd). Christmas is about the celebration and spirit, not the lead-up to the gifts given on the 25th.
Teresa L. Eskew
I love your windows. Beautiful view.
I am onnyiur side and can’t wait to take my decorations down. Ours are down and the house feels so clean.
I am always ravenous the day after a long run, especially if it is a rest day.
Yoga is my out of bounds workout. Rarely go but always feel happy and accomplished afterwards. One would think I would retain this memory and continue to go back. Hmmm.
Happy New Year.
Kristine Chew
Oh tree and lights stay up until January… for sure. I love Christmas decorations :).
I do yoga but not on a regular basis.
Tomorrow I am headed to do some snowshoeing with a girl friend and a friend. Making the most of the Christmas holidays:).
Hope you had a great day!
Samantha
Where is your coat from ? So Cute!
Alicia @Bridges Through Life
I love yoga, especially trying out new studios. Right now I live in an area where hot yoga seems to be all the rage, but I am not a fan. My favorite studio closed at the end of September with hopes to reopen in a new location, but still haven’t yet. I definitely miss it. It’s hard for me to be motivated to do yoga at home. I have been enjoying playing in the boxing area of my gym though since it has mats and practicing my headstands again.
I plan to take my Christmas tree and decorations down this weekend. I have a real tree and need to clean up all the pine needles.
Jenny
Battle ropes!! I looked online and found a bunch of different exercises. It really got me out of my plateau and it’s kind of fun (even if I do probably look silly doing it ha!) I’ve seen such a difference in my arms especially since starting, which has been fun and motivating :)
Elizabeth
Your backyard is beautiful!!
I think we like yoga for some of the same reasons. I love that you’re able to appreciate the challenge of using new muscles. I realized after doing yoga for a while that the right class will challenge you to hold a pose or do an action that takes you just to the brink of being seriously uncomfortable and then ends it. It takes you to the edge of comfort, gets the most out of it, and then moves on. I love it because I’m never seriously hurting or miserable (and you never should in yoga!) but still get in a great workout.
Also, we took our decorations down as soon as our last house guest left, and haven’t stopped cleaning/organizing since. The house looks great!