My name is Risa. I'm 23 years old and live in Boca Raton, Florida. I have battled with my weight since I was about 6 years old, and for the last couple years, I was finally winning the fight. But I slipped, gaining back 36lbs from my lowest weight in ages. Now I'm buckling down again to shed the weight so I can look on the outside the way I feel on the inside. But the road isn't always straight and smooth. For more information on my life-long weight loss journey, please view my first post here. This blog exists for me, to keep me on track and motivated. If you don't like personal posts or personal opinions, you took the wrong fork at Albuquerque!

**Please note that I am not a nutritionist, personal trainer, doctor, or in any way professionally trained in matters of health. Any advice I provide is based on my own thorough research and experiences. Please consult your physician or other health advisor for your personal needs.**

Watch my video about excess skin and, if you'd like, donate to my skin removal surgery fund by clicking the button below. Please and thank you for your support. <3



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May 18th
10:37 AM

Was just browsing woot.com when I came across this in their fitness sale section.

April 27th
4:42 PM
Via
You don&#8217;t need to be a runner. You can be a walker!
&#8230;just don&#8217;t start groaning for brains.

You don’t need to be a runner. You can be a walker!

…just don’t start groaning for brains.

April 22nd
10:32 PM
Via

find-greatness:

destinationhealthy:

image

My first day of running (with walking breaks).

I know I don’t look like the girls in all of the other running pictures out there, but being fit isn’t a requirement of running… Although running will help you get fit.

image

April 13th
12:19 PM

Reason to run.

March 10th
1:46 PM
Via
fitfabandbeautiful:

start young! so adorable

fitfabandbeautiful:

start young! so adorable

March 9th
8:40 AM
Via
fit-sexy-lovely:

eatsleepsweat:

greatist:

96-year-old runner and her 60-year-old daughter

“Age ain’t nothin’ but a number.”

The 96 year old woman looks like she’s in her 60s/70s and the 60 year old daugher looks ike she’s in her 30s. SEE WHAT HEALTH CAN DO FOR YOU.

fit-sexy-lovely:

eatsleepsweat:

greatist:

96-year-old runner and her 60-year-old daughter

“Age ain’t nothin’ but a number.”

The 96 year old woman looks like she’s in her 60s/70s and the 60 year old daugher looks ike she’s in her 30s. SEE WHAT HEALTH CAN DO FOR YOU.

March 8th
9:27 AM
Via
And then there&#8217;s me:

And then there’s me:

January 28th
3:13 PM
Via
just-keep-runing:

healthymoi:

I think this are the most relevant things to do before running. Really, it sucks to have uncomfortable underwear getting in your booty, having your lips chapped/dry, wanting to go to the bathroom… having a pain, etc. These are some of the things, and they are optional really, but there are more! What things do you do before running? Some runners use vaseline but I don’t know a lot about that really.

Spot on

This reminds me: buy more socks.

just-keep-runing:

healthymoi:

I think this are the most relevant things to do before running. Really, it sucks to have uncomfortable underwear getting in your booty, having your lips chapped/dry, wanting to go to the bathroom… having a pain, etc. These are some of the things, and they are optional really, but there are more! What things do you do before running? Some runners use vaseline but I don’t know a lot about that really.

Spot on

This reminds me: buy more socks.

January 18th
9:27 AM
Via
January 17th
3:13 PM
Via
thedreadpiratejames:

1milemarathoner:

eatwellstudyexercise:

o-utlook:

inspiring

oh wow:O never thought of that

If I could shorten this and add a cool graphic, it would make a great tattoo.

this is really my favorite post on running

thedreadpiratejames:

1milemarathoner:

eatwellstudyexercise:

o-utlook:

inspiring

oh wow:O never thought of that

If I could shorten this and add a cool graphic, it would make a great tattoo.

this is really my favorite post on running

January 8th
8:04 PM
Via
I fixed the source so it actually goes to the person who made this.

I fixed the source so it actually goes to the person who made this.

January 2nd
5:28 PM
Via
December 28th
4:59 PM
Via
December 27th
2:24 PM
Via
December 25th
11:40 AM
Via
inspirefitness:

4 Tips to Dress Properly for Running in Cold Weather
How you dress for the elements can make or break your winter runs. This doesn’t mean you should pile on all the clothes you can possibly manage to stay warm. It is possible to dress too warmly, and the result can leave you sweaty and uncomfortable.
1. Dress in layers.
Wearing several thin layers of clothing helps trap warm air between each layer keeping you considerably warmer than if you were to wear one heavy layer. This includes socks; wearing two pairs of polypropylene socks keeps your feet warmer and drier than one heavy pair.
More: 3 Tips for Training in the Cold
2. Wear the right fabrics.   
One area where modern runners have a huge advantage on those who started out in the running boom of the late 1970s and 80s is in the types of fabric available for running gear. Materials such as polypropylene, capilene, and some wool/synthetic blends wick moisture away from your body and keep you as warm and dry as possible. Avoid wearing cotton because it doesn’t wick moisture and also has very little insulating ability, which will leave you wet, cold and uncomfortable.
3. Wear a protective shell.
It’s critical that you wear some sort of waterproof windbreaker or shell to protect you from the wind and precipitation. Gore-Tex is the best material to wear as it does a great job of releasing moisture from the body while also keeping out moisture from the outside elements. Nylon also does a reasonable job for a lesser price.
4. Cover exposed skin as much as possible.  
A hat and gloves are absolutely necessary once the temperature dips below freezing. Your body will lose the majority of its heat through any exposed skin, so cover up as much as possible. If it’s really cold, you can cover exposed areas such as your face with Vaseline to reduce the potential of frostbite.
Running in cold weather presents some unique safety concerns. Extreme temperatures can even pose life-threatening risks if you don’t take some basic precautions.
1. Always tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to arrive home. Make sure that at least one competent person is aware of your plans. If you don’t arrive as expected, they’ll recognize that you’re missing and know where to look for you.
2. Always wear reflective gear when running after dark. Due to the decrease in daylight hours, it’s more likely that you’ll be running in the dark during the winter. Make sure you wear light-colored, reflective clothing so that you can easily be seen by oncoming vehicles.
3. Run short loops. When it’s cold outside, consider running multiple laps of a short course, rather than one longer loop. This ensures that you’ll never be far from home in the event of an emergency. Running a short course also ensures that you won’t be heading into bad weather for an extended period of time, which, aside from being extremely unpleasant, can significantly lower your body temperature.
4. Be careful rounding corners.  At least once a year I manage to fall flat on my face after stepping on an icy surface. The biggest risk occurs when you try to change direction with ice underfoot. Make sure you go very slowly when turning corners and be very careful on icy surfaces. Don’t worry about losing fitness by running a bit slower; the main goal is to get through the run without pulling a muscle or injuring yourself in a fall.
5. Carry your cell phone, identification and some cash with you for an emergency. If you run into a major problem, make sure you have your cell phone handy and enough cash to get you home if necessary. This is good advice for any run, at any time of year. Sometimes unavoidable circumstances can leave you stranded and you definitely do not want to find yourself out in the cold, unable to run, and several miles from home without help.
The main message is this: Running in cold weather requires some planning and some sensible precautions. Once these are taken care of, your runs will be safer, more comfortable and more enjoyable.

It&#8217;s 77 degrees Fahrenheit on Christmas Day here in Florida, but I think this will help most of my followers. :)

inspirefitness:

4 Tips to Dress Properly for Running in Cold Weather

How you dress for the elements can make or break your winter runs. This doesn’t mean you should pile on all the clothes you can possibly manage to stay warm. It is possible to dress too warmly, and the result can leave you sweaty and uncomfortable.

1. Dress in layers.

Wearing several thin layers of clothing helps trap warm air between each layer keeping you considerably warmer than if you were to wear one heavy layer. This includes socks; wearing two pairs of polypropylene socks keeps your feet warmer and drier than one heavy pair.

More: 3 Tips for Training in the Cold

2. Wear the right fabrics.   

One area where modern runners have a huge advantage on those who started out in the running boom of the late 1970s and 80s is in the types of fabric available for running gear. Materials such as polypropylene, capilene, and some wool/synthetic blends wick moisture away from your body and keep you as warm and dry as possible. Avoid wearing cotton because it doesn’t wick moisture and also has very little insulating ability, which will leave you wet, cold and uncomfortable.

3. Wear a protective shell.

It’s critical that you wear some sort of waterproof windbreaker or shell to protect you from the wind and precipitation. Gore-Tex is the best material to wear as it does a great job of releasing moisture from the body while also keeping out moisture from the outside elements. Nylon also does a reasonable job for a lesser price.

4. Cover exposed skin as much as possible.  

A hat and gloves are absolutely necessary once the temperature dips below freezing. Your body will lose the majority of its heat through any exposed skin, so cover up as much as possible. If it’s really cold, you can cover exposed areas such as your face with Vaseline to reduce the potential of frostbite.

Running in cold weather presents some unique safety concerns. Extreme temperatures can even pose life-threatening risks if you don’t take some basic precautions.

1. Always tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to arrive home. 
Make sure that at least one competent person is aware of your plans. If you don’t arrive as expected, they’ll recognize that you’re missing and know where to look for you.

2. Always wear reflective gear when running after dark. 
Due to the decrease in daylight hours, it’s more likely that you’ll be running in the dark during the winter. Make sure you wear light-colored, reflective clothing so that you can easily be seen by oncoming vehicles.

3. Run short loops. 
When it’s cold outside, consider running multiple laps of a short course, rather than one longer loop. This ensures that you’ll never be far from home in the event of an emergency. Running a short course also ensures that you won’t be heading into bad weather for an extended period of time, which, aside from being extremely unpleasant, can significantly lower your body temperature.

4. Be careful rounding corners.  
At least once a year I manage to fall flat on my face after stepping on an icy surface. The biggest risk occurs when you try to change direction with ice underfoot. Make sure you go very slowly when turning corners and be very careful on icy surfaces. Don’t worry about losing fitness by running a bit slower; the main goal is to get through the run without pulling a muscle or injuring yourself in a fall.

5. Carry your cell phone, identification and some cash with you for an emergency. 
If you run into a major problem, make sure you have your cell phone handy and enough cash to get you home if necessary. This is good advice for any run, at any time of year. Sometimes unavoidable circumstances can leave you stranded and you definitely do not want to find yourself out in the cold, unable to run, and several miles from home without help.

The main message is this: Running in cold weather requires some planning and some sensible precautions. Once these are taken care of, your runs will be safer, more comfortable and more enjoyable.

It’s 77 degrees Fahrenheit on Christmas Day here in Florida, but I think this will help most of my followers. :)