What I Wish I Had Known Before I Started Running at 50 Spoiler Alert: Running isn't the hard part. Learning everything that comes with it is. There is a quote that says: "The best time to start was years ago. The second-best time is today." Whew. That one hits differently now. Looking back, I'm not sure I would have listened to that advice twenty years ago, but I sure wish I had started this journey a lot sooner than the ripe old age of 50. About a year ago, I casually asked

Stress shows up in our bodies in more ways than most people realize. It doesn’t just feel like being overwhelmed or mentally drained—it has real, physical consequences that can affect nearly every system in the body. When stress becomes chronic, it can impact: Cortisol levels Cardiovascular health Immune function Mental health Inflammation levels And here’s where things get a little more serious. When cortisol stays elevated for too long, the body can shift into a state where

Let's talk about GLP-1s. By now, most of us know someone who is taking one. Maybe it's Wegovy. Maybe it's Zepbound. Maybe it's Mounjaro. Maybe it's your neighbor, your coworker, your cousin, or the person who suddenly lost 50 pounds and claims they "haven't changed a thing." As someone who has been on a GLP-1 since 2023, I wanted to share my experience—the good, the bad, and the "why is my body doing this?" moments. I'll also share some of the information I discuss with patie

We’ve all heard it. Or we know someone who’s on it. The “magic” medication conversation. “They’re losing weight so easily.”“They didn’t even change their diet.”“It just melts off.” And yes—some of that is true. GLP-1 medications can significantly reduce appetite and help with weight loss. That part isn’t the myth. But here’s the part that gets left out of the group chat: Medication alone doesn’t build long-term lifestyle change. And when the medication stops, research is show

Motivation is often described as the internal or external driving force, reason, or desire that initiates, guides, and maintains goal-oriented behavior. In simple terms? It’s what gets you started. This absolutely applies to those of us trying to change our lives and get healthier. We imagine we’re supposed to feel motivated all the time—to show up for every workout, every run, every strength session like we’re living in a fitness commercial. But here’s the problem no one rea

Ah yes, getting older—the magical phase of life where you can injure yourself simply by sleeping. One minute you're fine, and the next you're wondering why your neck locked up because you dared to glance over your shoulder too enthusiastically. Pain, unfortunately, becomes one of those uninvited guests that tends to stick around as we age. And honestly? It’s one of the biggest reasons people hesitate to start exercising or focus on their health. I hear it all the time: “Exerc

Alright friends, buckle up—because this one is a two-for-one special: a little running, a little chaos, and a whole lot of “why did we sign up for this again?” energy. As most of you know, my family and I have a slight obsession with running—especially trail runs and anything in Reno. Why Reno? Because it’s close, it’s easy, and honestly… it keeps calling us back like a toxic ex with really good snacks. This year we’ve done two races hosted by the Reno Running Company, and le

Let’s have a real conversation—no judgment, just honesty. Why is it so easy for us to come up with reasons not to start? “I wish I had time.” “I wish I had your energy.” “My pain is just too bad.” I hear these all the time. And truthfully? I’ve said them too. Because life is busy. It’s overwhelming. It’s exhausting. When you’re juggling being a mom, wife, provider, daughter—and everything in between—it can feel impossible to add one more thing to your plate. So this isn’t abo

We’ve officially completed our first run of the year —well, technically our second. We started 2026 strong with a New Year’s Day run on January 1st in Auburn, California , and followed it up with what felt like our first big race of the season: a 10K and a Half Marathon . After coming home, we took a well-earned recovery week. That doesn’t mean we stopped moving entirely—we still focused on stretching and light gym workouts—but we did step away from structured treadmill trai

We’ve all heard about the GLP-1 medications—Zepbound, Mounjaro, Ozempic, Wegovy, Trulicity, Saxenda. We’ve heard about the insurance battles, the skyrocketing costs, the shortages, and the endless TikToks, Snapchats, and Instagram posts praising their benefits. We’ve heard the government is lowering doses or making changes, yet most of us still don’t know how to access what we need. So, here’s my real, honest journey with GLP-1 medications—because maybe it will help someone

As some of you already know, our family has jumped headfirst into the magical (and sometimes exhausting!) world of RunDisney . From 5Ks to 10Ks and now even half marathons, this journey has transformed our health, our habits, and honestly—our lives. This is how we got here… and why we’re still going. 💍 From a Disney Wedding to Realizing We Needed Change The photo below is from our wedding day in February 2022. We celebrated in our favorite place—Disney, of course! We were ha