February Challenge: 15 Miles Down, 197 To Go!

I hit the ground running on day one of my February "Mile for a Like" Challenge (resulting in a whopping total of 212 miles slated for me!). I donned my cold weather gear bright (okay, the sun was barely up--- so maybe not so bright!) and early this morning, and I busted out a 15 mile run right out of the gate. That leaves 197 miles still left to go throughout the month, so I'll have to keep busting out the high mileage runs hardcore!

Muddy Melissa--- saying hello on day one of my February Challenge!

It was a gorgeous day outside today. Sure, it's still cold out there--- but this mid 30 degree weather seems downright tropical in comparison to the negative 5 degree weather I was zipping around in last week! The snow on the trails was mostly melted, so it made for easier running--- although I do miss the feeling of breaking in that crisp snow first thing in the morning, leaving a lone set of footprints trailing behind me! There's no better feeling than that for a trail runner like me!

My hip seems to be almost fully rehabbed now; this is yet another long run I've done, without any pain whatsoever. I still have two more physical therapy appointments, and I'm continuing my stretches/exercises, but the hip pain has, for the most part, disappated. Thank goodness! Because I am not letting anything slow me down for my February challenge, for my marathon training, or for anything else--- ever!--- for that matter.

Keep checking back for updates on my 212 miles in February challenge!

Day 1: 212-15=197!

Banana Bread Quinoa! Crockpot Recipe!

This morning's clean eats breakfast is one that will surely make your tastebuds happy. Not to mention, it'll make your entire house happy, since it'll smell like freshly baked banana bread! Yum! In addition, this recipe utilizes a slow cooker, making for very little prep work--- and it only takes a mere hour in the slow cooker. It's ideal for easy morning cooking; pop it in the slow cooker, go about your business getting ready for the day, and in an hour you'll have some scrumptious clean eats! Ready for the details?

Tastes like it's fresh from the oven... Only it's fresh from the crockpot!

Recipe:
Banana Bread Quinoa (Serves 2)

1/2 Cup quinoa
1/4 Cup light coconut milk
1/4 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/2 Cup water
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract (not imitation!)
1 Overripe banana
2 Tablespoons chopped walnuts
4 Packets Truvia/Stevia

In a bowl, mash the banana. Add the banana, along with the rest of the ingredients, to the slow cooker, mixing thoroughly. Cook on high for 1 hour. Serve with additional chopped walnuts or banana slices if desired. Enjoy!

This recipe truly does taste like eating a bowl of warm, fresh, moist banana bread. Delicious! I served this with some egg whites on the side, to ensure adequate protein intake for breakfast. This dish was an absolute hit in my house!

On a side note--- this is my backpack. They really don't call me "Muddy Melissa" for nothing! Hehehe! I've got physical therapy again today, but, to be honest, even after my long run yesterday--- I'm feeling great! I think I'm finally (pun 100% intended!) back on my feet! Woohoo!

A Mile for a Like Challenge: 212 Miles! Yeowza!

Inspired by one of my friends on Instagram, I decided to reach out to everyone to help me as I train for my upcoming marathon. How, you ask? Well, for every like on Google+, Facebook, and Instagram, I agreed to run a mile during the month February. Long story short--- the time to add to my torment is over--- and I'll be doing 212 miles throughout the course of February! Yup, that's an average of about 7.5 miles every day (come on, it's February--- isn't it a leap year or something?!). I want to thank all of you out there for your likes, your encouraging comments, and your positive motivation. I WILL rise to this challenge, beginning today, because you all know this girl never backs down from a challenge!

And, tomorrow on Groundhog's Day, if Punxatawny Phil is scared back into his groundhog hole--- it won't be because there's six more weeks of winter... nope, it'll be because he heard about Muddy Melissa's 212 mile challenge, and he's just as scared about it as I am! Hahahaha.

It's time to hit the ground running... pun intended!

Happy Flex Friday!

Happy Flex Friday everyone! How are you feeling going into the weekend--- strong?! Or ready for some much needed R&R?! I want to know!!

And--- of course--- my fur baby, Clover, wanted to get in on the selfie action! I wasn't anticipating the puppy kisses, but, hey, I'll take 'em anyway! Sluuuuuuurp!

Chicken Stroganoff! Crockpot Recipe!

Tonight's clean eats dinner is a cleaned-up version of an oldie but goodie: chicken stroganoff. While traditional stroganoff uses sour cream, this version subs nonfat plain Greek yogurt--- reducing the fat but retaining the flavor! Check out the recipe:

Recipe:
Chicken Stroganoff (Serves 4)

1 pound of chicken breast (about 4 chicken breasts)
1 Can of cream of mushroom soup (a clean variety--- I used Amy's)
1 Cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 Cup chopped red onion
2 Chopped garlic cloves
1/2 Cup chicken broth
1 Cup chopped mushrooms
1/4 Cup whole wheat flour

Place chicken on the bottom of the slow cooker, then mix together the remaining ingredients, except for the whole wheat flour, and pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 5 hours. Then, add in the whole wheat flour, and cook on high for another hour. Once done, remove the chicken breasts, and blend the remaining liquid in a blender to remove any lumps. Serve the chicken stroganoff over veggies, whole wheat pasta, rice, couscous, or whatever else you'd like. Enjoy!

See? Simple as that. You can still have your favorite foods and eat clean!

Limey Green & Morning Run!

So--- this week I'm trying out some juices from a business local to Pittsburgh--- Fresh From the Farm Juices. Indeed, these juices are made fresh; as I was picking up my juices, an apple delivery was being made. So far, it shows in their juices. I'm absolutely loving "Limey Green," which is, hands down, my favorite juice thus far. The first thing out of my mouth was: "I like that this is more limey and less green." The ingredients are apple, spinach, kale, carrot, lime, and cilantro (really, how much cleaner can you get?!); of course, that bright green color might initially scare some people off. Thankfully, however, "Limey Green" doesn't taste like liquified spinach--- the apple and lime are enough to make this juice bright, crisp, and citrusy--- yum!

I tossed a bottle of this in my gym bag today before heading to the gym, and I was a happy camper as I busted out one of my longer runs--- 15.1 miles. I did a half marathon with a mile for a warm up, a mile for a cool down, plus some slow/fast speed intervals toward the end for cardiac reserve training. I'm feeling good! How about the rest of you out there--- feeling good or feeling that mid-week sluggishness set in?!

My February Challenge!

As I train for my next marathon, I'm hoping all of you out there will help keep me accountable for my training! How can you guys do that? Well, it's simple--- for every +1 on Google, every like on Facebook, and every like on Instagram, I will run 1 mile in February! This is my challenge to myself & my promise to you guys! I'm possibly crazy for doing this, but I'm hoping you'll all follow me along here as I complete my challenge throughout February!

P.S. No doubles, guys! That's cheating!

W8Fit Review & New Workout Duds!

I recently purchased a set of weighted wrist cuffs from W8Fit, along with a couple other snazzy-looking workout shirts. These weighted wrist cuffs have 4 pockets, each holding 1/4 lbs of weight, to create 1 lbs of weight on each wrist--- 2 lbs total. Now, as someone who can squat upwards of 150 lbs & deadlift upwards of 200 lbs, those measly extra 2 lbs certainly didn't seem like they'd do much of anything for me. But--- these cuffs were on sale for $34, so I figured... what the heck, I'll give 'em a try!

And try I did! First of all, inserting the weights into the cuffs and putting the cuffs on is a breeze. Once on, the weight certainly didn't seem intimidating to me by any means, as I flailed my arms about to see how they felt. However, always the intrepid scientist, I really wanted to put these babies to the test. So, in preparation for receiving these in the mail, I used my Body Media monitoring device (tested for accuracy!) to calculate my caloric burn during various activities--- a P90X3 MMX (mixed martial arts) workout, an hour long run at a steady pace, and a yoga routine. So how did these cuffs fare?

Well, on the P90X3 MMX workout, I saw a whopping total of an additional 20.5% in caloric burn. On the hour long run (again at a set pace--- I used a treadmill for this), I saw a 25.8% increase in caloric burn. As for the yoga? Well, I saw virtually no change in caloric burn for that. My assumption is that, in regards to the MMX and running, the cuffs increased the caloric burn substantially due to the vigorous arm motions; whereas, in my yoga routine, which was fairly tame and did not involve extensive arm movement--- the cuffs had only minimal effect.

If you're looking to up your caloric burn during cardio activities involving a lot of arm movement, I think these weighted wrist cuffs work great to accomplish that. I obviously have no way to test, with certainty, if these aided in muscle development at all, but I will say that my arms were not sore whatsoever afterward, so I personally don't believe so. But that might just be because I am personally used to lifting heavy weights regularly. But in terms of caloric burn, these cuffs definitely increased the difficulty and, as such, increased the caloric burn. A simple way to add to your cardio workouts, in my opinion!

I also snagged some cute workout shirts from wW8Fit! Of course I needed to rep my marathon training, so I got a shirt emblazoned with 26.2 on the back! I also got a yoga workout shirt and a cardio workout shirt--- both are super cute, and I couldn't wait to try them out during a workout! You know how it is, girls out there... nothing gives you more motivation to work out than super cute new 
workout duds! Am I right or am I right?! 

Peanut Butter Power Pudding!

Today's clean eats breakfast recipe is a tasty treat for all you peanut butter fanatics (such as myself!) out there--- a delicious bowl of warm peanut butter power pudding for breakfast!

Recipe:
Peanut Butter Power Pudding (Serves 1)

1/2 Cup oats
1 Cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 Banana
2 Tablespoons PB2 powder
2 Packets Truvia/Stevia
1 Scoop peanut butter whey protein (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition)
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract (not imitation!)
Optional: carob chips for garnish

Note: if you do not have peanut butter whey protein, then you can subsititute for vanilla whey protein, but I would increase the PB2 powder by 1 tablespoon, and eliminate the vanilla extract.

In a pan over the stove, simmer the oats in the unsweetened almond milk until the majority of the liquid is gone. Then, pour the oats in a blender along with the rest of the ingredients. Blend thoroughly, then pour in a bowl to serve, garnishing with carob chips if you desire. Eat and enjoy! You can also store this in the fridge, then eat your pudding cold if you'd like. Yum!

Whole Wheat Banana Protein Bread

Today's clean eats breakfast is a running staple for me! The eggs are full of much-needed protein, the whole wheat flour provides healthy complex carbohydrates, while the banana is rich in potassium and aids in hydration. As a whole, this is one of my favorite pre-run meals, offering complete nutrition to enhance your running--- all with a truly indulgent taste!

Whole Wheat Banana Protein Bread

6 eggs
1 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 Cup whole wheat flour
1 Very ripe banana
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract (not imitation!)
6 Packets Truvia/Stevia

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor (or a blender), combine all ingredients. Pour into a lightly greased bread pan, and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until a fork comes out clean when inserted in the middle of the bread.

I served this with the pumpkin butter I whipped up the other day, resulting in a fantastically delicious combination! Enjoy!

Hot Cocoa Power Oatmeal with a Mug of Hot Cocoa! All Clean!

Yet another snowy day here in Pittsburgh! The roads are too bad to go anywhere yet again; my husband barely made it home safe and sound from work this morning. He even saw cars backsliding down the hill we live on! Our door is frozen solid--- even the lock is coated in ice! Brrrrrrrrr... I'm keeping my booty parked in front of the fireplace today!

And what is better on a freezing winter day than a mug of steaming hot cocoa? Nothing! So, in honor of today's blizzard, I present: clean hot cocoa power oatmeal and clean hot cocoa! YUM!

Recipe:
Hot Cocoa Power Oatmeal (Serves 1)

1/2 Cup oats
1 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 Scoop chocolate whey protein powder (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition)
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
2 Packets Truvia/Stevia
Optional: carob chips or baking chocolate

In a pot over the stove, simmer the oats in the unsweetened almond milk until the majority of the liquid is gone. Remove from heat, and stir in the remaining ingredients. Garnish with carob chips or baking chocolate if desired just before serving!

Recipe:
Clean Hot Cocoa (Serves 1--- Only 40 calories!)

1 Cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 Tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 Teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 Teaspoon cinnamon
4 Packets Truvia/Stevia

In a pot over the stove, simmer the unsweetened almond milk over low heat. Whisk in the remaining ingredients until throughly combined. Once the hot cocoa is thoroughly mixed and heated, pour into a mug to serve and enjoy your chocolatey goodness!

What a delicious way to start the day off when it's so cold that you just can't seem to get going! But, of course, get going I will! I'm working out with the hubs today, since he's home from work. How about all of you guys out there--- keeping warm, hibernating, what? I want to know!

Pepper Ranch Roast (Crockpot Recipe!) & Homemade Ranch Mix!

So tonight's clean eats dinner recipe is a tasty yet clean twist on a classic dish: roast beef! In keeping with the recent theme, this is also a slow cooker recipe. The great thing about that is that you can get away with using a leaner cut of roast, and it'll still come out juicy and tender due to the slow cooking! Ready for the recipe deets guys?

Recipe:
Pepper Ranch Roast (Serves 2)

8 Ounces lean beef roast (eye of round, bottom round, top round, etc.)
1/4 Teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoon ranch mix
1/2 Cup diced pepperoncinis
1/4 Cup pepperoncini juice
2 Cups beef broth (be careful--- make sure it's just beef broth/beef stock--- they like to sneak "caramel coloring" in there on this one!)
2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 Cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

Sprinkle roast with salt. Over high heat, sear roast on all sides on a lightly oiled pan. Remove from heat, and place in the crockpot. Add in the pepperoncinis, along with their juice. Cook on low for 4 hours. Remove the roast, and set aside. Pour the remaining juice into a pot over the stove. Add in the beef broth, along with the whole wheat flour, and bring the mixture to a boil while whisking. Once the mixture becomes thick, reduce the heat to low, and stir in the yogurt. Simmer for several additional minutes. Lastly, pour the broth into a blender and blend thoroughly (you could also use an immersion blender). Spoon the sauce over the roast just before serving. I served this roast with lemon-parsley roasted baby potatoes for that full "homestyle meal" effect. It came out absolutely delicious!

Recipe:
Homemade Ranch Mix

3/4 Cup dried parsley
2 Tablespoons pepper
1/4 Cup garlic salt
1 Tablespoon salt
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
1/3 Cup onion powder
1/2 Cup dill weed

Combine all seasonings evenly. This mix can be used as a substitution in any recipe calling for ranch mix. Store remaining ranch mix in a mason jar to be used later!

Please note: I made this recipe for 2 people. I had to go to the butcher counter to get a small enough cut of roast. They looked at me like I was freaking insane--- as if people only buy, cook, and eat 5 lb roasts! My suggestion is to go to the butcher counter to get the amount you need (roughly 4-6 ounces per person), as opposed to buying a crazy large roast. Face it--- with all of that roast staring at you, you WILL be tempted to eat more of it. My personal opinion is save yourself some money, cut some calories out while you're at it, and just buy and cook what you plan to eat. If, however, you have a large family or you're cooking for guests, and you do plan to cook a larger roast--- please note that you'll need to adjust the cooking time in the crockpot!

This recipe was a huge hit--- especially with my carnivore husband! He said that the roast was so tender, it was practically falling off his fork! If you're in need of a healthy, clean, and delicious roast recipe--- this is it guys! Yum!

We also got in our workouts today. We opted for P90X3 MMX. I have to say--- this might just be, along with The Challenge, one of my favorite P90X3 workouts! Its tons of fun, and it'll be great for when I really need to get out some aggression--- you know, when I just want to kick or punch something! Hehehehe. Of course, I got in my usual run--- y'all know I can't skip that!

Fresh Cranberry Sauce (Crockpot Recipe!) with Pan Seared Turkey and Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes

Tonight's dinner recipe is a clean twist on the oh-so-classic Thanksgiving dinner: turkey, cranberry sauce, and sweet potatoes. Only this meal gets its deliciousness from fresh ingredients and unique flavors. No need for butter-slathered turkey, brown sugar-coated sweet potatoes, or that gelatinous gunk known as gravy here! 

Recipe:
Cranberry Sauce (Crockpot!)

1 12 Ounce bag of fresh cranberries
1/2 Cup of apple juice (no sugar added!)
1/2 Cup maple syrup
1 Large cinnamon stick

Place all ingredients in a slow cooker, and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring regularly. Spoon over turkey breast (or whatever else you'd like!) to serve. 

Pan-Seared Turkey (Serves 2)

2 Turkey breast cutlets (about 4 ounces each)
1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 Teaspoon rosemary
1/2 Teaspoon thyme
1/4 Teaspoon pepper
1/4 Teaspoon salt

In a bowl, combine all of the seasonings. Sprinkle the seasonings over each side of the turkey breasts. Sear each side of the turkey breast on a VERY hot lightly oiled pan. Sear for 2-3 minutes on each side. The turkey will be done when it's no longer pink in the middle.

Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes (Serves 2)

2 Sweet potatoes, cubed (you can peel them if you'd like, but I personally like the skin)
Cinnamon
Truvia/Stevia

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, sprinkle sweet potato cubes liberally with cinnamon and stevia. I don't bother measuring--- just make sure they are good and coated! Place the coated sweet potato cubes on a foiled baking sheet, then bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes util tender. 

Enjoy guys!

I got some awesome swagmail today, so I'll be reviewing that in the next few days, and I'll be sharing the details with you! Excited? I know I am! No run today--- it's a blizzard here! But I lifted this morning and I did some agility training. What about you guys out there? Are you killing your workouts? Or are you losing your motivation? Let me know!

Pumpkin Butter! (Crockpot Recipe!) 100% Clean!

Today's clean eats breakfast recipe is a tasty treat that feels oh-so-naughty for your tongue but is oh-so-nice for your body: pumpkin butter! I know, I know--- "Melissa, butter? healthy? poppycock!" Well guys, there's no actual butter in this recipe--- just deliciousness! And, in keeping with the recent crockpot-a-palooza theme, this recipe also utilizes a crockpot as well!

Sprinkled with a bit of cinnamon and stevia... tasty clean eats!

Recipe:
Pumpkin Butter (Crockpot Recipe! Makes 1 Batch)

1 16 Ounce can of pumpkin (the ONLY ingredient should be pumpkin!)
1/2 Cup apple juice (NO sugar added... the ONLY ingredient should be apples and/or apple juice!)
20 Packets of Truvia/Stevia
1 1/2 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 Teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon ground clove

In a crockpot, combine all of the ingredients. Cook the pumpkin butter on low for 8 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure the pumpkin butter doesn't burn. When it's done, it should be thick enough to cling to a spoon! Spread over your favorite clean variety of whole wheat bread (I use Ezekiel's brand), Engligh muffins, bagels, or crackers. It's also great spread over pancakes or waffles. Delicious! Enjoy this one guys--- I know I do!

Coconutter Protein Pancakes

Okay, so my coconutter no-bake protein cookies have been such a hit, that I really wanted to translate that coconutter love into a tasty stack o' pancakes. I attempted that today, and (if I do say so myself) the results were mighty delicious!

Recipe:
Coconutter Protein Pancakes (Serves 2)

Peanut Butter Protein Pancakes:
1/2 Cup Big Train Low Carb Pancake/Waffle Mix
1 Scoop About Time/SDC Nutrition in peanut butter flavor
1 Tablespoon unsweetened applesauce (substitution for the oil recommended on the box)
2 Egg whites (substitution for the whole egg recommended on the box)
1/2 Cup Water

Coconut Filling:
1/2 Cup vanilla Greek yogurt
2 Tablespoons light coconut milk
2 Tablespoons unsweetened shredded coconut
2 Packets Truvia/Stevia
1/2 Teaspoon coconut extract (not imitation!)

Whisk all of the ingredients together. Pour batter in 1/4 cup increments onto a very hot pan on the stove. As soon as the edges start to become cooked, flip the pancake on the other side to cook. At the same time, mix together the coconut filling ingredients in a bowl. Once thoroughly combined, spread a layer of the coconut filling between the peanut butter pancakes. Garnish with an additional dollop of the coconut filling, or sprinkle with some unsweetened shredded coconut on top.

Well guys, I hope you enjoy this recipe! I have a future tweak on it planned--- but I'll save that as a surprise for y'all. Stay tuned for another Food for Thought Friday segment today! This week I'll be discussing how to fuel yourself, nutritionally, through your workouts! See you then guys!

Sesame Chicken (Crockpot Recipe!) and Physical Therapy Continues

More physical therapy today. My physical therapist (also named Steve coincidentally!) is a real hoot! I keep going back to him for my physical therapy, because he's a real advocate of trying to get his patients back to doing what they love to do as soon as possible. Most physical therapists are full of "don't do this, don't do that," whereas he's all about doing what you can while modifying what you can't. He's the perfect match for someone, such as myself, who simply can't eliminate the things I love doing altogether!

My physical therapist stretching my hip flexor... He says "make a wish!" Hahaha!

Tonight's clean eats dinner recipe is a twist on a takeout classic: sesame chicken. This version, however, is not only clean, healthy, and delicious, but it's also super easy. In response to all of the requests for crockpot recipes, this recipe is also made in the crockpot!

Sesame Chicken (Serves 2--- Crockpot Recipe!)

8 Ounces chicken breast, cubed
1/4 Red onion, chopped
1 Clove garlic, chopped
1/4 Cup honey
1/4 Cup low sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
1/4 Cup water
1 Tablespoon whole wheat flour
Sesame seeds for garnishing

Place the chicken breast, red onion, garlic, honey, soy sauce, and tomato paste in a crockpot. Ensure that the mixture is thoroughly combined, then cook on low for four hours. At this point, the chicken should be tender enough to shred with two forks. Then, in a bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour and the water. Add this to the crockpot mixture, then cook on high for another 30 minutes. Serve over quinoa, brown rice, couscous, or vegetables--- I personally served this over some tri-blend quinoa with steamed vegetables on the side. It came out scrumptious! Enjoy guys!

"Good Morning, Pumpkin!" Power Oatmeal! (Crockpot Recipe!)

Wouldn't we all love to wake up every morning, and have a healthy, warm, delicious breakfast waiting for us already? Well--- you can! With this recipe, all you have to do is put some ingredients in a crockpot before heading to bed, and you'll have a tasty treat waiting for you first thing in the morning! Who says that eating clean has to be complicated? It really is THAT SIMPLE! Ready for the recipe guys?

Recipe:
"Good Morning, Pumpkin!" Power Oatmeal (Serves 2--- Crockpot Recipe!)

1/2 Cup oats
1/2 Cup pumpkin (canned is fine, but make sure the only ingredient is pumpkin!)
1 Cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 Cup water
1 Teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 Teaspoon ginger
1/4 Teaspoon ground clove
4 Packets of Truvia/Stevia
Sprinkling of salt
2 Scoops vanilla or pumpkin whey protein (I used About Time/SDC Nutrition's Pumpkin Spice Whey Protein Powder)
Optional as garnish: walnuts, pecans, raisins, etc.

Place all of the ingredients (except the protein powder) in a slow cooker. Mix the ingredients thoroughly, then cook on low for 8 hours. Just before serving, stir in the whey protein, and garnish with chopped nuts or dried fruit if desired (I used some walnuts and craisins! Yum!). Please note, I like my oatmeal super thick (you know--- the kind that clings to the spoon!). If you prefer a runnier oatmeal, then add more liquid to your crockpot.

Enjoy guys! I absolutely ADORE this recipe, because it's a great treat to wake up to--- and even better because it's one that requires almost no morning prep work! Awesome!

Your Legs are a Gift... USE THEM!

Our bodies are a gift. Yet for those of us who are fortunate enough to have functioning bodies--- this is a gift we all too often overlook. I mean, really, when was the last time you looked at your legs? No, I mean really looked at them--- looked at them with wonder, joy, and amazement for all of the things they can do. Walk, run, dance, jump, skip, leap, frolic, stretch, squat, kick, lunge, tiptoe... and so much more! It's astonishing when you stop to think about it... these mechanical powerhouses that move us about in this world. I know, I know... you're probably sitting there thinking "they're just legs, Melissa. everyone's got a pair."

But the truth is--- not everyone does. Not everyone has been gifted with a pair of functional legs. I know this hard truth firsthand, because my own grandmother was wheelchair-ridden far too early in her life. She struggled with illness the majority of her life, and she spent more years in a wheelchair than years out of one. She was, however, a remarkable woman, and while she was not blessed with the ability to use her legs for much of her life--- instead, she was blessed with an innate inner strength, a pure heart filled with love, and many people around her to support her.

My grandmother... I love her and miss her more than anything!

She has been an inspiration for me, and she's motivated me throughout my life. Today, I wanted to share that same inspiration and motivation with you all as well. When she was young, my grandmother loved to dance--- and when she no longer could, she never complained about it. She didn't bitch or moan or whine. Rather, she learned to dance with her spirit, her heart, and her soul instead. And I know, in my heart of hearts, that she is in heaven right now--- looking down on me. So I dance for her (yes, that video is of me!), and I run for her. I live for her, and I love for her. I do all of these things for her--- because of her.

My challenge to you today is this: use your legs. They are a precious gift to you, so do not allow yourself to take them for granted one more day. Use them. To walk. To dance. To run. Something, anything, everything. And feel grateful for it--- because no matter what you choose to do, no matter how big or how small, you are doing something that not everyone out there can do.