Bulgur Wheat & Strength Workout Question

Morning! It's back to reality for me and may I just say it's going to be a doozy? I knew today will be and already has been crazy so I made a hearty breakfast. I've been wanting to try different grains besides barley, oatmeal, cous cous . . . you get the picture :0). Yesterday, I picked up a box of bulgur wheat with soy for extra oomph.

The bulgur takes 15 minutes to cook so I could let it simmer and get other things done at the same time.

In my bowl of grain-y delicousness was:

• 1/2 cup bulgur wheat
• 1 1/8 cup water
• 1.5T pumpkin butter
• dash of pumpkin pie spice
• dash of cinnamon
• 3t brown sugar
• dash of rice milk
• sprinkle of chocolate chips

It is wonderful! And a very nice change from oatmeal. I ate almost all of it but it's a lot so I'll use 1/4 cup of bulgur next time. Try it, you'll like it! You can also make tabouli with it so I'll be trying that in the near future!

Last week, Kerry asked: "How did you start adding weights and other workout into your running schedule? Right now I just run but I really need to firm up my belly. Two pregnancies have really taken a toll on it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!"

When I first started running, that was all I did. If I did do any type of strength, I was lucky to get one workout a week, if that. Over time, I realized I would be a stronger runner if I added strength to my routine. Plus, like you said Kerry, after two kids, the belly needed firming!

I run four days a week so I had the ability to add strength to the other days I wasn't running or crosstraining. I highly recommend Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred for mamas that are pressed for time. The workouts are 20 minutes and it's no joke! It's a combination of cardio and strength. She has killer core stregnthing moves like planks. I'll admit, it was tough to do the workouts at home, even for 20 minutes sometimes. If I was on the floor, the boys would climb all over me like a jungle gym. I'm all for added weight for more of a challenge but that was a bit over the top. So The Lover would watch them so I could do it. Sometimes I woke up early in the morning but I did not like that quite so much. :0)

I now do my strength routines at work on my lunch break but I know you are a stay-at-home-mama. If you can get it in while the girls are sleeping, do it! Or have your hubby watch them. You'll really see a difference in your running once you start incorporating strength into your routine. Also, when I run, I try to remember to keep my core tight (but not too tight) instead of letting it hang loose.

I hope that helps!