Hi lovelies! I hope this post finds you happy and well! As you guys know, I have been running a lot lately and it’s been interesting seeing the change in my body while focusing more so on running rather then my normal routine of weight training. While running and not lifting so much, I lost a ton of muscle, and not as much fat as expected. (Insert sad face emoji) I gained endurance and started to see myself “slim” down a bit, but I wasn’t really seeing the “dramatic” results you would expect from running 5x/week (and I’m talking long 10 mile+ runs). Sure I lost a few pounds, but I am happy to be back in the gym and finding that balance between cardio and weight training.

So that brings me to the question that I have been hearing a lot (lately): “I’m running all the time, but why aren’t I losing weight?” 

We may be putting in the effort day in and day out, but why aren’t we seeing dramatic results? Are we missing something? Below are some of my thoughts on why we may not be loosing weight while focusing heavily on running. (all based on experience and research) 🙂

Outfit details: BP Hat // Adidas shirt // Nike Crops also eyeing these (on sale!) and these // New balance 574 limited editon shoes (also loving these rose gold cuties)

Our workout is always the same.

After awhile our body gets used to the constant pavement pounding and the process gets easier. This goes with any type of workout. Our metabolism will start to learn and react so that fewer calories are burned with the same exercise. It’s important to keep our body guessing: run, sprint, interval train, lift. I find it important to focus on all sorts of exercise in order to maximize your results.

We run longer, but not faster.

Running can be very effective for weight loss if we change our pace at a constant rate. (SPRINTS!) Also, HIIT (high intensity interval training) may be one of the most effective running techniques for fat loss. Every time I start my workout at the gym, I like to hop on the treadmill and interval train (something like: 1 min sprint, 20 second rest, repeat). When I do so, I see the most results (hello belly fat loss!). I wont get too technical, but when we sprint, our body works harder and burns more fat—both of which don’t happen as much during steady-state aerobics.

We focus too much on calories burned

I try not to look at calorie burn at all. It’s kind of a fake out (in my opinion). Running will burn calories, but sprinting or lifting weights will result in more muscle. And the more muscle you have on your body (no—not the “bulky” muscle of bodybuilders), the more calories our body burns just functioning. Try not to pay too much attention to calorie burn, but more attention to the type of workout and exertion you are putting forth.

We are running, but not focusing on nutrition

Working out and running all the time is great- I am certainly not saying that it is a bad thing. But if you are doing so and not seeing results, are you paying attention to your nutrition as well? Nutrition could be the #1 component to weight loss. If we are running all day, but not feeding your body with the protein and healthy ingredients it needs, it will be unable to repair and recover from our run. Fuel your body and show it some love with nutritious ingredients!

I hope this helps those of us who are not quite seeing the results we are looking for! As I mentioned above, running all the time is certainly not a bad thing. (I love to run multiple times a week.) But if you were wondering what actions can be taken to see more results, here you go! Try these and let me know if you see changes. 🙂

We love getting out of the city on the weekends to explore new areas. Growing up in the Bay, I’ve always loved driving up along the coast and checking out different spots along Hwy 1 and Pacific Coast Hwy. This past weekend we drove up to Bodega Bay for the day with really no agenda, but ended up hiking the most gorgeous trail and checking out the town.

With so much to do and explore in the area, I thought I’d share some of our favorite things to do in Bodega Bay (and what was on our agenda this weekend).

• Bodega Head is the perfect place to check out the 360 degree views of the bay. You can see from the pictures here that the views are spectacular. The trails around this area are mostly easy, so its definitely worth getting out of your car to explore. (Jeff even hiked in his flip flops because we didn’t plan on hiking any trails 😉 If you dont want to hike you can even grab a chair and enjoy the scenery from the parking lot. (Yep, the views from the parking lot are surprisingly perfection.)  We actually saw a few whales from this spot, so I would suggest you bring binoculars if you are interested. There are also a lot of whale (and bird) watching tours in the area.
• Check out Spud Point Crab Company for lunch. It’s a little hole in the wall and they have a world famous clam chowder that is off the charts!
• Sonoma Coast Vineyards– because we couldn’t pass up a winery! They had a great Chardonnay and a great selection of Pinot Noirs. On the way out of town we also went to Joseph Phelps Vineyards (absolutely love their wine!) They also have a beautiful facility- if its nice you should definitely sit outside.
• Doran Beach– a great place for hiking, fishing, camping, picnicking, bird watching… you get the point. 🙂
• Occidental- We stopped by this cute little town on the way home. Growing up in the area, I have never been! It’s a little Bohemian town in between Santa Rosa and Bodega Bay. It felt like we were up in Tahoe, with all of the old historic buildings surrounded in trees. It’s worth driving through!

My outfit details: BP Hat // GAP tank // PAIGE Jeans (all time favorite) also love these // Jacket (from Paris) similar, similar  also love this suede jacket// Nike Air Max Theas // velvet choker

Have you been to Bodega Bay? What are some of your favorite things to do there?

I am finally getting around to my race recap from a few weekends ago! I definitely go through phases with running. I will go a long period of time not running at all, besides a few miles on the treadmill at the gym. And then there are times like these, where I get super motivated to achieve a goal and have the urge to sign up for a bunch of races. My biggest piece of advice is that if you have even the slightest curiosity about running a 5k, half or full marathon DO IT! You won’t regret it. The feeling after a race is unlike any other.

My outfit details: Lululemon tank (new and LOVE!) / Lululemon shorts (all time favorites)/ Feetures Socks / Asics GT2000 Shoes (I usually run in Nike but these have been really supportive and blister free!) / Garmin Forerunner GPS (cant go without) / Hat: $5 I bought at race expo (best deal ever)

The Run Wine Country Healdsburg Half was definitely a last minute add on for me! I didnt train as much as I would have liked and of course left the long training run to the weekend before! Oops! My training consisted of a bunch of short runs (4-5 miles) 3-4 times a week for the 2 weeks leading up. Then a long 10 miler the Sunday prior! It was a killer but I’m glad I did it. On the days that I didnt get outside to train, I did HIIT/speed work on the treadmill at the gym along with a little strength training. It was interesting running more then weight training and seeing my body change. I actually lost a lot of muscle and didnt loose as much weight as I thought I would. I feel much more confident while focusing more on my gym workouts rather then running! So it was a nice little reminder to me that cardio is not always the key to loosing weight or “getting toned”.

The race was so much fun. I always really look forward to getting out there and competing (with myself). Considering the lack of long training runs, it turned out not to be so bad. There were more hills then I expected but when you are in the zone, you learn to push on and not stop! The key is not stopping. If you stop, your body tightens and it makes it harder to start again. I paced myself pretty well, but then the last few miles were all mental. I was tired and wanted to stop so bad, so I literally kept talking myself into getting my butt to the finish line as fast as possible! My time was 1:50 at an average 8:27 min/mile pace. It was not a PR for me, but I was still super happy with my results. Jeff once again wins boyfriend of the year for supporting my sporadic, sudden urges to run. He got up at 5am (or maybe even 4:30am) to watch the race (and of course take all of my pictures). 😉

Next up is the Wine Country Half (again in Healdsburg) in 2 weeks! I told you, when I have the urge…. 🙂 My Mom and brothers girlfriend are running the 5k as well so it should be a lot of fun! If you are interested in running the half or 5k I have a $10 off code! Use code: DRJENNA for any Destination Races events! I will also be running Santa Barbara and Sonoma to Napa half coming up this year and you can use my code for those as well.

Thank you for reading and continuing to support me. It means the world! xx

Hope you all had a great weekend! With training in full swing for me, I wanted to share some things that have helped me become a better runner. When training for a race, one would assume that all it entails is lacing up and running as much as possible. Logging mileage is important but there are also other ways that I like to train which really helps when it comes to race day. These are some things that I have learned along the way which have been super beneficial to help me to cross the finish line at my best.

Strengthen glutes– Cross training is important for runners! Building booty strength leads to less wear and tear on the body. You dont necessarily want to over do it, but weak glutes can create tension in the lower back, quads, and hip flexors, putting you at risk for injury. I love a good leg/glute day at the gym and like to incorporate lunges, squats and kick backs to build strength.

Strengthen the core- Core strength is important because it helps keep correct running form. You should have a tight core, tight glutes and your hips should push forward. For this to happen it helps to strengthen your core. I especially love ending my workout with a long plank or two.

Learn to breathe- Breathing can seriously affect your running. Until I learned to breathe I was able to finally increase my endurance. I personally like to inhale and exhale deeply through both my nose and mouth at the same time. I also like to be in total control of my breathe and think about how I am breathing often. I like to match my breathing with my steps. For a slower pace, I inhale for 3 or 4 steps then exhale the same. Obviously as you run faster your breathing gets more intense. Here I like to breathe in for 1 or 2 steps and out the same. For me, its all about rhythm and control.

Foam rolling and stretching– I am horrible at remembering to stretch, but I try to foam roll after every run to loosen up tight areas and prevent injury. My foam roller has been a lifesafer! Highly recommend, also great to increase mobility and range of motion.

Ankle mobility- This is a weird one, but I’ve had a lot of ankle pain in the past and decided to research it. Its actually super beneficial to have good ankle flexibility. With decent flexibility, you can push off more forcefully, which means more ground covered with the same amount of work. The exercises are simple and I try to do them both pre and post run. The first, I lay on my back with one leg down and one bent at 90 degrees. I then bend my ankle to bring my foot back as far as I can, then point. I usually do about 20 reps on each foot. The other, is a simple circular motion of the foot while flexing at the ankle. These simple exercises have helped ease my ankle pain!

Rest and Recover- Running is super hard on the body. I like to push myself as much as possible, but if I dont rest my results definitely suffer. Whether it be taking a day or two off, getting better sleep, soaking in an epsom salt bath or getting a massage, all will help!

I hope these tips help! It’s taken me quite some time to figure out what’s right for me, but after a lot of trials and research this list pretty much sums it up!

I am super excited to run the Run Wine Country Healdsburg Half Marathon this weekend! And if I can’t get enough of beautiful Healdsburg, I am also running the Destinations Races Healdsburg Half on October 29th.

If you are interested in running the half or 5k at the end of the month I have a $10 off code! Use code: DRJENNA for any Destination Races events! I will also be running Santa Barbara and Sonoma to Napa half coming up this year and you can use my code for those as well. Would love to have you come run with me! 🙂