October & Breast Cancer Awareness

Pumpkins, beer and costumes are usually what come to mind when you think about the month of October. However, pink is the new orange, and breast cancer awareness in October go hand-in-hand. The Susan G. Komen foundation has done an incredible job to promote breast cancer awareness in October. Last Sunday, I enjoyed watching my team the Carolina Panthers wearing pink. It was awesome seeing these tough guys sporting pink shoes and the NFL promoting their hashtag- #NFLPINK. When we bring a devastating disease like Breast Cancer to the forefront, it reminds us of the importance of regular self breast exams, educating others on the early signs of breast cancer, having mammograms, and most importantly working to find a cure.

1 in 8 U.S. women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. I don't want to become a statistic; I want to find a cure and end breast cancer forever. I want to tell you about an easy and fun way to give to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. PDQ is selling pink Shake Out Breast Cancer shirts for $5. When you buy a shirt at PDQ, a donation will be made to NBCF, and you will get a free milkshake. Wear your shirt on all your return visits in October, and you will receive a free milkshake with a combo meal purchase. Have enough tees in your closet, then just buy a shake and a donation will be made to NBCF. 

Fit Triangle Mom- Understanding the Journey

I've been writing Fit Triangle Mom for nearly 2 years now, and sometimes I ask myself What do I want this blog to accomplish? What is the goal? Is it more followers? Yes, that would be nice. Is it more income? That would be great! Yet, I still wonder if Fit Triangle Mom could be more. I always come back to the name of the blog, Fit Triangle Mom. Three words, each with separate meanings, combined to create one extraordinary individual- A Mom who lives in the Triangle and pursues a Fit and healthy lifestyle.

Fit Triangle Mom might be the name of my blog, but anyone who fits the criteria above is a Fit Triangle Mom. It's not about going to the gym everyday; it's about finding balance between the challenges of being a mom and fitness. It's about activities or travel with the kids or family. It's about living in the Triangle- shopping, going out to eat, and the many wonderful events our area offers.

Fit Triangle Mom is a glimpse into my journey of fitness, family and faith. I'll share the books I'm reading, the scripture that touched my heart, the cute thing my kid said, or a new exercise I'm learning. I'm not an expert. I'm just a mom and writer, and I want to share my experiences with you.

Fit Triangle Mom supports local businesses especially those located in the Triangle and throughout NC. I enjoy reviewing places of business, shops, restaurants and hotels that cater to a Fit Triangle Mom. Occasionally, I will review national products that are beneficial as well, but the heart of this blog is North Carolina.

Fit Triangle Mom is about helping others. Each year, I have organized a team with the Susan G. Komen race. This past year, I partnered with Vend Raleigh. We had a team t-shirt, partnered with local businesses, and raised some money. It was a wonderful experience.

Finally, Fit Triangle Mom is about you. What concerns you as mom? What type of posts, products and reviews would you like to see? Motherhood is a journey that shouldn't be taken alone. Fit Triangle Mom wants to understand your journey. Please comment below.

Summer Break, Sorta.

It feels like forever since my last post, and I feel like I do a million things everyday except writing. The kids are out of school, and we stay busy all day, everyday.  I like it that way, I like to keep busy, and the kids like to have fun. School begins in July (year-round school), and my oldest will start kindergarten. So we are packing in the fun. We are going to museums, the pool, parks and the library. We've been exploring our town and taking pictures of new fun spots. I've started posts about the places we've found, but our busyness has left them dangling.

My exercising and training has been kicked into high gear with a 5k right around the corner. I've sworn off sweets and wine, and drastically cut back on carbs. Yea, I've been eating clean. I go to the gym at least 3-days a week and workout at home on my non-gym days. I have found some great resources to keep me motivated.

• The Tone It Up Bikini Series offers free videos & print outs, encouragement and prizes for check-ins.
• The 30-day squat challenge
• The 400/month burpee challenge my gym, Fitness 19 is doing. It's about 14 burpees a day
• Running 2-3 miles a couple times a week

I also took a fun kickboxing class at Excel Fitness and did one-on-one kickboxing with a trainer at my gym. Mixing up your workouts make it fun too.

Not only am I physically training for this race, but I am the team captain. I have been coordinating team members, sponsors and the team t-shirt. I'm super excited about the race. I love how Susan G. Komen makes this race a celebration for survivors and a memorial for the fighters.

I hope to have some down time after the race, Father's Day and vacations, then maybe I can finish writing about our museum trip. So here's to a busy summer of fun. May you stay active, eat healthy and have FUN!