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Introduction Text I'm Jen and I live in Vancouver, British Columbia Canada. To me, weight loss is about more than losing weight, it's about a total lifestyle change - diet, exercise, stress reduction, a new personal outlook. I never battled with my weight as a child or teenager and I bounced back to my pre-pregnancy weight quickly after each of my 3 kids. Then on January 1st, 2008, I quit smoking and not only did I put on almost 15 pounds in 7 months, but my metabolism slowed and I became a bigger eater (not a great combo as we all know...). So I joined spark hoping to lose the post-smoking weight, and get healthier at the same time. About 5 or 6 years ago I took up running and have loved it ever since. There is no greater satisfaction for me than running because it incorporates so many different muscles, gives me a great workout, plus provides an avenue for me to clear my head and just think, not to mention the sense of personal satisfaction achieved in running. As a child I was sprinter - hated long distances, but could run really fast if I kept in at under a 1/4 mile. Now, my pace has slowed, but my endurance has increased, and I find myself not getting really "warmed up" until about 30 minutes into a run, and feeling at my "peak" around the 1 hour mark. Hence I run 10k's and half marathons now, but am itching to try the "full monty," as it's called by some, before the end of 2012. I had previously told myself that i would run a marathon around the age of 35...well I'm 35, so the time is now!! **************************************** My specific goals for 2011: ~ Participate in my first trail race ~ Run a variety of road races throughout the year ~ Ride with the Cyclebetes National team, for the 1045 km relay across British Columbia, raising money and awareness for Type-1 Diabetes (August 13th to 16th) ~ Complete my first marathon in spring 2012 ~ Continue to improve my tennis game ~ Enhance my yoga practice & make it a part of my daily life ~ Spend more time exercising outdoors with my kids: snowboarding, hiking, geocaching, biking, having picnics ~ Do all of the above by continuing to do at least 45 minutes of cardio 6-7 days per week, and strength training 3 days per week. At least 3-4 of the cardio days will be spent running, but the others will be cross training - hiking, tennis, cycling, swimming, whatever I feel like on that day! ~ Eat clean, by paying attention to what I eat, but not defining myself by it. ~ Document my progress, running and otherwise, via my Spark blog. ~ Continue to reap the benefits of this fabulous Spark resource we all share by connecting with people, sharing inspirational stories, comparing goals, providing support and generally motivating each other!

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Eat clean, do at least 45 minutes of cardio every day (3 days running, 3 days biking, 1 day hiking), and 3 days strength training per week.

I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, host city of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I am married, have 3 great children, and am an elementary school teacher.

My personal mantras: ~ One slip and I'll be right back where I started. Where I started is desparately wishing I could be where I am today." ~ Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever - Lance Armstrong.

Add a Link ~Jen~ Check out my blog: <link>bloodsweatcarbs.blogspot.com</link>
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