Sunday, November 25, 2012

Talking About Workouts

I was so excited to throw a post up last Monday all about my workouts. However, someone *cough* me *cough* got injured AGAIN!

Let's back up a little. Last I left off, I was training for the Halloween Half Marathon. Training was going well, I was certain I would beat my previous time, and WHAM! Knee and ankle pain hit me hard! I took some time off, R.I.C.E.'d, and focused on lifting with light cardio. After a week, I gave it another chance and it was a no go. I was extremely bummed about missing the half, but I didn't want to get injured further. So, I took off 3 weeks from running.

In the 3 weeks I took off, I decided that I wanted to focus on gaining speed and endurance. So, I downloaded a couch to 5k app. I was all set and ready to run.

The first workout was great. I did the walking parts in a light jog at a 5.0 on the treadmill and the running parts were at a 6.5. I felt terrific. Like I could run on that damn treadmill forever. The second workout was much the same.

The third workout I decided to pick it up a little. I did the jogging parts at varying speeds 5.2-5.8. The running I kept at 6.5. After the workout, I felt fantastic. This was last Monday. I came home and started getting ready for work. In the shower my back was a little sore, but I didn't think much of it. Throughout the day, I had nagging pain, but tolerable. By 5 o'clock, it was excruciating! I took a hot bath at 1AM, that didn't help. I iced and it felt a little better. Enough for me to get some sleep at least.

Tuesday and Wednesday I took ibuprofen every few hours, iced, and applied a heating pad to my back. Today is Sunday and it still isn't better! I mean, it's better, but not back to normal.

I don't know at what point I got the injury, and I am not sure it is from working out. I do know that I have taken the week off from working out, just in case. I just hope it isn't from running. I was just starting to love it again.

Tomorrow, I am going to go to the gym in the AM for some elliptical action. Depending on how I feel after that, will be what next weeks workouts look like.

Here's to hoping my back quits being a jerk!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Simple Paleo Eating

I don't have any pictures, but fully intend to take some this week. I have been eating fantastic and simple paleo meals for the past few weeks now.

Breakfasts
  • Egg and Veggie scramble. Mushrooms, onions, tomatoes and spinach are my favorite mixes right now. Top it all with guacamole and add a side of turkey bacon. It makes the perfect filling breakfast! 
  • Almond flour pancakes. I make my own almond flour, which I will blog about someday. Top it with fresh bananas and a touch of maple syrup. Again, add turkey bacon and you have another fun, filling breakfast.
  • Turkey Bacon and hard boiled eggs. If I am in a pinch, I just take already hard boiled eggs and a side of turkey bacon. I top the hard boiled eggs with sriracha and it is heaven!!
Lunches

  • Spinach, strawberries, chicken, tomatoes, and homemade paleo honey mustard dressing is soo good! I will blog about the honey mustard dressing. This mix is a current favorite right now.  I have it for dinner quite often too. 
  • Chicken and Normandy vegetable stir fry. This is simple and so tasty. 
Snacks

  • Grapes and almonds! I have been having this everyday this week and OMG...so freaking tasty. 
  • Paleo approved bars, I have been loving the banana bread lara bars lately. 
  • Bananas and almond butter are my favorite! I usually eat this as a dessert if I am craving something sweet. 
Dinners

  •  Steak and veggies.  I love this because it is so easy and takes about 10 minutes. The last thing I want to do when I get home from a long, busy day at the office is make dinner. So, this is a typical go to.
  • Chicken salad of some kind.  Most nights, this is what I do. The Boyfriend likes to eat breaded chicken tenders...daily! He basically lives off of them. So, I just throw in some defrosted chicken breasts and make up a salad and dressing while it is cooking.
  • Salmon Salad. I put strawberries, mushrooms, tomatoes, onions, and (occasionally) avocado in for the salad portion, then top it off with some salmon and homemade honey mustard dressing.
They are all so simple, I love it. Especially because it is the holiday season, which means the furniture industry is crazy busy right now. I love coming home and just getting simple meals ready.

I feel better, my skin is better and I am feeling healthier than ever! Tomorrow, I will be back talking exercise! Woohoo!

What are some simple meals you make? 

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Big Motivators

When deciding to clean up my diet, I had some pretty big motivation to do so.

First, I realized that I was consuming so much more food than I needed for my body. I would finish dinner and be so full and uncomfortable. I felt sluggish all the time. Even though I was still working out at least 3 times a week, I didn't feel more fit or healthier. My clothes kept getting tighter. I realized I was eating serving sizes as large as my boyfriend. No wonder why I was gaining so much weight. 

Second, I started having some really bad gut issues. I would bloat. I had horrible gas(TMI, but it's true). I would wake up with a "sour stomach" almost every morning and after most meals. Never in my life, have I experienced the "sour stomach" to that extent. I remember thinking, 'What the hell is wrong with me? I have never had stomach issues like this.' It. Was. Awful.

Third, my skin. Oh, my skiiiiiiiinnnnnnnn! I have always had great skin. A breakout for me was 2 zits, seriously. My breakouts turned into zits all over my face nonstop.

And last, I realized everything I was eating was packed with sugar! I couldn't remember the last savory meal I had. Or the last meal where I actually tasted the true flavor of the food.

I finally reached a breaking point one day. I knew my weight gain was because of the food choices I was making(duh!). I came to the conclusion that my gut issues were due to the types of foods I was eating(*hint* I was right!). My bad skin was due to a new makeup I was using, but I knew my diet wasn't helping the situation. The sugar, well the sugar is because I am addicted to sugar and I didn't want to be anymore.

It is amazing that it took so much to get me serious about Paleo. I lost all of my weight while training for my 1st half marathong(<---Ha! I always type marathong.), I lost all my weight by eating really clean. So, it's not like it is totally foreign eating to me. It's just getting out of the habit and eating foods that are convenient.


Sunday, October 7, 2012

Paleo

It is no secret that I have been wanting and trying to get to my goal weight for quite some time.

I found when I was training for my first half marathon, calorie counting worked for me, but this time around not so much.

My bestie did a whole life challenge and had amazing results.

I have wanted to try eating more paleo, but always thought it looked like too much work and I thought I would get bored with the food choices.

Let me tell you though, it is not boring at all! It is actually really fun.
Check out tonight's dinner

Excuse the iPhone photo. Ha! That is macadamia nut/shredded coconut encrusted tilapia with roasted veggies and honey mustard dipping sauce. The honey mustard was made out of homemade paleo mayo, mustard, and honey. It was simple, but delicious!

I have so many fun things I have been eating!
Paleo spaghetti
Chicken salad in butter lettuce leaves
Eggs sunny side up on salads
Nut butter and banana most nights for dessert
The list goes on and on.

I am about 75% paleo now. I would like to be more like 90-95%. It does take work, but it is worth it.

Since going paleo, I have lost 6 pounds in 3 weeks and I couldn't be happier with that.

I feel better about myself, my skin is clearing up, running has been easier, and I sleep better at night.

I look forward to sharing more meals with you soon.

On the running front, this week was good. It was a step back week. I love step back weeks. Sometimes my body just needs a rest. It was definitely ready for the rest this week. I do look forward to the 11 miles next Saturday.

I have been slacking on the lifting, but I look forward to getting back to it this week.

have you ever eaten paleo style?

what is your favorite strength training move? And what muscle group is your favorite to workout?

Once A Month Blogger

Has it already been a month since I ran 7 miles! Wow, time flies. Let me catch you up on the latest happenings!

  • I am still training for the half marathon. My running in the past 2 weeks has slowed down a bit, but I am still feeling really confident. 
  • I have started eating more "Paleo Friendly". I will have a whole post on that tomorrow. I am not 100% paleo, but come back and you will find out more ;)
  • I went to the local farmer's market 2 weeks ago. 
  • My Boyfriend had his 30th birthday!!! Happy Birthday, Sweet Cheeks! I love you!
  • We went camping to celebrate!
  • I had 10 miles scheduled on my training plan for when we were camping. I ran 7 of those and I am happy with that! 
  • It is the busy season at work! I love the holidays, most stressful time ever at work. However, I love seeing my friends and family! 

Saturday, September 8, 2012

7 Glorious Miles

Okay, so it's been a while. I am still pretty much on top of half marathon training. I haven't done a weekly rundown, because I haven't really been tracking my workouts. I am gaining speed and my endurance is so much stronger after only a couple weeks of training. So, let's talk about my 7 miles from last week. 6 miles does not intimidate me, but 7,8,9....you get the idea, really does. I get anxious. I over analyze about it. However, once I do it. I crush it.

I woke up last Saturday ready to rock 7 miles, I hoped.





I was incredibly happy with how the run went. I felt strong. I walked when I wanted without beating myself up over it. I was faster at the end, which is how I hope the Halloween Half goes.

I am also going to be doing as much uphill and downhill in this training cycle as I can....
The first 5 or so miles of the halloween half are straight downhill. That is hard to train for. So, I am going to do what I can to get in as much hill training as possible.



I am happy to say that I have found my love of running again. It is fun to me and something I love.

Here's to tomorrow's hopefully great run!

Sunday, August 26, 2012

My Baby Love Went To Heaven

This is a long one.......

The summer of 1999 was awesome. I was getting ready for my freshman year of high school. I remember having one of the best summer's of my life.

One day, my best friends sister came running up to me and said, "There is a cat under your house!". I thought she was messing around with me at first, but when I bent down to look in the opening under our deck, sure enough, I could see a cat. I tried to coax the sweet thing out and she would come close and then get spooked. So, I decided to leave her alone for the time being and just let her stay there.

The next time I tried, I was successful. Only because I sat out there by the opening and said what felt like a billion times, "Come here, Baby! Come on, Baby!". Eventually, she came right out and let me pet her and inspect her for tags. She did not have any identification. She also had been declawed. I felt so terrible for her. I knew at some point she had had a home with someone. I asked mom and dad if we could keep her and they said very firmly, "NO!". If you know me in real life, you know that I am very stubborn and I always try to get my way.

Over the next few weeks, I would leave cans of tuna out for her. I had to make sure she was fed, but I was just waiting for the day when she would find the person or family that loved her.

Then, it started turning into fall here in Utah. It was cold outside and I couldn't let the poor thing be out in it alone. So, I started bringing her in at night and during the day when mom and dad weren't home. She was so sweet. She was cuddly and playful. I always wanted a dog, but this cat would absolutely make the whole "dog as a pet" thing go away. I could live with having a cat! Ha!

I remember coming home one night to hear my family talking "baby talk" in the living room. When I turned the corner, there she was "Baby". My first thought was, 'Shit! I forgot to put her outside. Are they going to yell at me?'. Then my mom turned to me and said,"Tiff, we had to bring her inside, she doesn't have any claws. We can't leave her outside defenseless.".

After that, it was a sealed deal. I had my first pet.

My precious "Baby Love"

I later learned she was a calico and siamese mix. Her eyes were the brightest blue and she had a personality that wasn't like any other cat I had ever met. I used to always say she is my cat that acts like a dog, and she did. She came when you called her. I would yell up to her from the basement that it was bed time and she would run down stairs to cuddle up in bed with me. She wanted to go potty outside. She was the best!

In a lot of ways, she saved me. I went through some pretty difficult emotional struggles in my teens and into my early 20s, but I always had my Baby Love. She knew when I was down and would always come rub up against me. She would let me cuddle her like a little teddy bear when I would be bawling and inconsolable. She definitely put a smile on my face.

I love her so much! She definitely turned me into a crazy cat lady. Whenever she would walk into a room, I would stop whatever I was doing and start calling to her and talking to her. Haha! I might have been a little crazy obsessed in love. 


When I moved in with Chad, she stayed at my parent's house. I would still go and see her from time to time, but not nearly as much.

Last Wednesday, my dad asked me to call him and when I did, he said it wasn't good news. Baby had been sick for a couple of days. He had to crawl through some furniture in their pool house at 4AM to bring her inside. Once she was inside, all she would want is to be outside. She was too skinny, very frail and stopped responding when called to. My dad called a local vet and asked what could be the problem. They told him with all of the symptoms she has, it sounded like the best thing to do for her was put her down.

So, after work, I headed to Dad's house for my final goodbye to my sweet girl. We cuddled, I cried, I talked to her, I thanked her for finding me, and I kissed her a thousand times. Also, we took 1 final picture together on the car ride over.


I walked into the vet's office, not quite prepared for what was to come. I have never had to do this before! They took Baby Love into the back room to put her catheter in. Then, they brought her back to us. She laid on the table and I cuddled up to her for the final time. Within seconds of the shot going into the catheter, my Baby was gone. She looked so peaceful and beautiful.

My Dad went and picked up her ashes this past week. Now, Baby Love is home!
Baby Love,

I miss you so much! Thank you for being my best friend and the best cat a girl could ever have. I love you forever and always. I will see you again someday, Princess.

Rest In Peace!
Love,
Your Momma

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Fun Topic

Today's Workout

3.01 miles in 29:37
45 Minutes Elliptical

I decided I need at least 1 day a week totally dedicated to cardio. From now on Tuesday will be my cardio day. My workout schedule will now looka  little like this:

Monday-Rest or light cardio/strength day
Tuesday-Run and elliptical/stair climber/bike day
Wednesday-Cardio and strength day
Thursday-Run and strength day
Friday-Rest
Saturday-Long run and lots of stretching/yoga day
Sunday-Cardio and strength day

So, I will be strength training about 3-4 days a week. Which is pretty good for me. Doing (most of) the LiveFit Training program really made me fall in love with the weight room. My arms are starting to look so good. I even see a hint of a muscle coming through. I will take a photo and show y'all sometime soon. I am pretty impressed.

Fun Topic of the Day

I am not engaged, nor do I know when I will get engaged. Chad and I have been together for over 5 years now(living together for about 4 and a 1/2 years) and the question comes up often. It is mostly said in 2 ways:

"When are you going to make an honest woman out of her?"

and

"When are you two FINALLY going to get married?"

The questions do not bother me. I am in no rush to run down the aisle. Somedays I want to get engaged, like now! Somedays I just think, 'eh, it'll happen whenever'! Either way, I want my 1st marriage to be my only marriage.

One thing I didn't realize about relationships until I met Chad was that they are work. From day 1 to day 5 billion they never stop being work. I love being with Chad. Even in the bad times, he is my best friend/partner in crime/life partner. I love coming home to him at night and telling him about my day and hearing about his. After 5 years, I still get butterflies. I am always excited to see him no matter how long we have been apart.

I don't know when we will get engaged and I don't want to know until the moment that it happens. However, I do know that one day I will be getting married in Las Vegas!

And I am 100% happy with that!!

Are you in a relationship? If so, how long were you together before you got engaged?

Monday, August 20, 2012

Waiting to exhale...

My title is for no other reason that "Waiting To Exhale" by Whitney Houston has been stuck in my head since Saturday.

Onto today's workout. I had zero intentions on going to the gym this morning. However, I did not turn off my 4:50AM alarm. So, I decided a gym session was happening.

Workout: Arms/Abs & 35 mins easy elliptical

My legs feel so much better after some Epsom salt in my bathtub last night. Thank goodness! I have some speed work on schedule for tomorrow and dare I say, I am looking forward to it.

I have a lot of fun posts to share with you guys this week. I just need to write and schedule them!

How was your weekend?
Is there a song that gets stuck in your head that you just can't get rid of once it is there?
I have so many. Poker face by Lady Gaga(or lady blah blah as I call her) is probably the most frequent and it drives me crazy!

Sunday, August 19, 2012

Halloween Half Week 2

This week's training went pretty well. Except for the fact that my legs were DEAD after Monday's speedy 3 miles in 28:17, which is just over a 9:25 avg pace. Yep, pretty sure I have never ran 3 miles that fast. It felt good, but it most definitely wasn't easy. I really pushed for it and I think I paid for it a little too much at the end of the week. The treadmill is also boring the hell out of me and it is hard for me to focus. So, I am hoping some of my training runs will start being done outside with only speed workouts on the treadmill. We'll see.

Anyways, here is how this week's training went down.

Monday:
Plan was to rest
And Rest I did

Tuesday:
Plan was 3 Miles and Strength
And 3 Miles at 28:17, Elliptical for 10 Minutes and Back Weights were completed

Wednesday: 
Plan was 3 Mile Pace or cardio and lifting
And resting happened

Thursday:
Plan was 3 Mile Run
And 15 Minutes Elliptical, 2.75 Mile Run/Walk(Run .25 at 7.0 and walk .25 at 4.0 w/ incline) and chest and abs were completed

Friday:
Plan was rest
and rest I did 

Saturday:
Plan was 5 Mile Run
And 5.01 Miles in 53:05 were completed

Sunday:
Plan cross training
And...I don't know, maybe a workout DVD or Tabata workout

Saturday morning we woke up, and babe decided it was a great day to play racquetball. So, off to the gym him, our roommate and I went. I ran the 5 miles while the boy's played racquetball. All 3 of us were quite the sweaty messes when we were finished, but it set a nice tone for the day. We were active for the rest of the day. We got some cleaning done around the house. We set up some new furniture we had gotten on Friday night. Overall, Saturday was my favorite day this past week.

I felt good for the most part with this week's workouts. However, there were too many rest days for my liking. So, next week I plan on getting in all 5 workouts. I may do 6, but it depends on how I feel. My legs feel really good today, so let's just hope that continues on to next week.

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Groundhog Day......

Today's workout....let me tell you.....Today's workout was a doozy! It all started with 10 easy minutes on the elliptical to wake my body up a little bit. I followed that up with a variation of Jamie Eason's LiveFit Day 29 Back workout. I used heavy(for me) weights and increased the reps. Then, it was time for the first run of week 2 for half training. The schedule called for 3 miles. I decided I wanted it to be a speed workout and set off to finish the 3 miles in under 29 minutes. Well, I did it. Piece. Of. Cake.Cake?Yes Please. Ahem! I finished in 28:17. That is really fast for me. It was hard and I really had to push, but I put my mind to it and I did it.

Work today was good. Nothing huge happened to speak of. Just another day. Do you ever feel like everyday you wake up and it is Groundhogs Day? I feel like that quite often. I guess that is just part of being an adult. You get up, go to work, go home, do chores, cook dinner, and go to bed. Sometimes it drives me crazy, but such is life.

Moving on....

After work, I came home extremely chipper. I was giggling and taking tons of pictures for facebook(page for the blog is forth coming) and instagram(Miles_In_Murray). Chadley is setting up a new fish tank. Right now, he has a 60 gallon tank and is upgrading it to a 150 gallon. So, I put our dog inside the new tank to see just how big it will be....


Yeah, this thing is effing massive. I love that he has a hobby he enjoys. It is just a hobby that takes over the whole living room lol.

After dinner, which was roast beef salad. Paleo Style! I went grocery shopping for more Paleo friendly foods. I have decided that I have got to clean up my food, like now. I have been depressed lately about the way I look. I have been fitter than this and thinner than I am now. I miss it. So, I am going to start eating Paleo and see what happens. It will be interesting to see if some of my recent stomach "wonkiness" was due to dairy, like I have suspected. I am so excited about eating Paleo. I did for a while when I was losing weight before, but quit staying on top of the planning and prep work. Not this time, I miss how I felt when I was eating almost 100% clean. Gotta get back to it.

Now, it is time for this girl to get her booty to bed! Thanks for stopping by! I have a lot of Google Reader to catch up on tomorrow, as well! So, you will be hearing from me soon!

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Running Changed My Life….

I will never forget the first step of my journey to running.

It all started a week prior to that first step. The Boyfriend and I went to our favorite camping spot. It was mid day when we decided to go on a 1 mile hike. I had done this hike 3 times before and it was hard every time, but I could do it. Less than a quarter of a mile into it, I felt like I was dying….literally. I couldn’t breathe, I felt dizzy, and told Chad we had to stop to rest. After a few minutes of trying to catch my breath, I told Chad it was time to go back. I felt defeated, but I kept making excuses for why I couldn’t do it. I was tired. I hadn’t eaten enough. Blah Blah Blah!

I had a doctor's appt a few days after the camping trip and when I got on the scale, I saw 142. The last time I had been weighed a few months before that, I weighed 135. I had gained 7 pounds in roughly 2 months. Note: My highest weight ever was 175. That moment sealed my fate! I was going to get fit and healthy!

That night, I looked up a couch to 5k that I had heard so much about and I went to the high school track by my house. I ran 1/2 way around the track and walked 1/2 way around. I repeated that until the 1 mile mark. Let me tell you, I was exhausted. I finished in about 15 minutes. I felt good, just worn out. The next day, I did it all over again. From that day on, 4-6 days a week, I went to the track for 12 weeks. I built up my mileage and on Thanksgiving day 2009, I ran my first 5k.

From then on,  I ran a few days a week, until January, when I decided that I would run a half marathon on April 17, 2010. I had good runs, bad runs, and blah runs. I got injured 5 weeks into and took a 2 week rest....only to come back stronger. I ran a slow 10, 11 and 12 miler in the few weeks prior to the half.

On April 17, 2010, I woke up ready. I didn't have any anxiety. Truth be told, I just wanted to get to the starting line. I was ready to test the training I had done. Once we got there, I gave Chad a kiss and told him I would see him at the finish line. He wished me luck and I took off.

I had a strong race. I was mentally there the whole time. I was focused. I was ready to finish something I had worked so hard to accomplish.

2:16:00 after getting to the starting line, I had finished my first half marathon. I have never felt more proud of myself as I did that day.

Running changed my life. Running, for me, is a struggle. Running has shown me my strengths. Running has showed me my weakness. Running helped me become more fit. Running showed me happiness!

I am so excited about training for this half and I just wanted to share the story of how I got into running. It inspires me to think about it. I finished my first half marathon with a 10:22 avg pace, when 8 months before I could barely do 1 mile in 15 minutes.

What is your greatest fitness accomplishment??

Monday, August 13, 2012

Goals for Halloween Half Marathon

I love setting goals for myself. It really helps me push through and finish strong. So, here are my goals for training for the Halloween Half Marathon.

Goal #1:
Goal #1 will always be to simply finish!

Goal #2:
Finish in 2:10 or less. This is an easy course to PR on. It is downhill for the first 5 miles, so that helps a lot. I know with how the first week of training went, I will not have ANY problem doing this.

Goal #3:
Strength Train 3-4 days a week. I will be using the Jamie Eason LiveFit workouts for this. I loved them so much and they gave me a great idea of moves to do in the weight room. I will do at least 1 day of leg days.

Goal #4:
Have fun!

That is it. Nothing too amazing or high, but 100% attainable!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Halloween Half Week 1

8/6/2012-Rest Day 
I love it when training plans start out with a rest day. Haha. I kicked this training day in the pants ;)

8/7/2012-3 Miles in 29:24
I decided that all shorter runs will be speed work. I have some goals in mind(more on that later) for this half marathon and I have to get speed work done in there.

8/8/12-20 Minutes Elliptical/back & bicep lifting
This was supposed to be a 2 mile run. However, I don't like running 2 days in a row. So, I did the elliptical instead and did Jamie Eason's Live Fit Day 16. I will be strength training throughout this training plan. I want to build some muscle.

8/9/12-3 Miles in 29:16
I did speed work again. I would love to be doing 3 miles in 27 minutes by the end of this training cycle. We'll see how it goes.

8/10/12-45 Minutes Elliptical 
The gym was super hot. I did this workout on manual at an easy pace with some HIIT at the end.

8/11/12-Long Run 4 Miles @ 42:39 (10:39 avg pace)
This run was done on the treadmill. The gym was HOT again and I had to keep stopping because I needed to cool down. 1.5 miles into it a treadmill freed up that had the fan positioned onto it. You better believe I ran to get it to finish the last 2.5 miles. It was a little cooler, but still warm. Overall, it was a decent run. I was tired until the end and picked up the pace for the last mile.

8/12/12-Rest Day
Today I have been lazy. Just doing laundry, planning lunches for this week and napping. Half training really can take it out of you.

This week's training went pretty decent. I was sluggish at the beginning of each run, but I pushed through and felt great at the end. I only got in 1 day of strength training. However, it is one more day of strength training than before, right? Right!


Onto week 2...Yay!!




Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Life Can Be Hard, Y'all

I have missed blogging, I even started putting blogs together to auto post, but never finished them or scheduled them. Bummer! Oh well, it happens.

We went camping from the 20th to the 24th of July and that was the highlight of the past 2 weeks. The secondary highlight was having the 20th thru the 29th off. I had grand plans to blog, workout a ton and get some stuff around the house done. You know, doing the things that make me feel good. I will say I did get in some awesome workouts. I started half marathon training again! I love training for 1/2's and the accomplishment that comes along with it.

My weight is maintaining. I go up and down, but I have some new exciting stuff happening in the food/training department. Let's hope it sparks something inside of me. Ha!

In all honesty, I have been really depressed lately. I hate admitting that because I am typically an extremely happy person. However, sometimes I just feel like the earth should open and swallow me whole. I know it won't last too long(at least I hope not!). I just have to keep working through and knocking out obstacles.
I recently decided to completely end a friendship. We had been friends since we were kids and it sucks! It's just not what I want out of a friendship anymore.
When my parent's told me they were getting divorced 3 years ago, I never expected that so many things would change. I didn't live at home, I didn't see them that often, and I was in my "own little world". It is now 3 years later, and I feel more broken than the day they told me. 
Work is stressful, which I am sure 99% of you feel the same way. I still love my job as much as ever, but sometimes the stress really gets to me.

On the flip side, I know I am so blessed! I have the BEST friends, I have a WONDERFUL family, I have LOVING dogs that make me laugh and I get to share my life with the MOST AMAZING/SUPPORTIVE/FUN/INTELLIGENT guy in the world. So, I will focus on that in the bad times!

Sorry to be a downer, I just had to write it out. That made me feel a little better!

Happier posts to come tomorrow :)

I have about a billion blogs to read/comment on in my google reader. I always save them to come back to and it takes me FOREVER to get around to it. Does anyone else do that or is it just me? Ha!

So tell me......

How are you??

What exciting stuff have I missed??

How do you get through the hard times in life??

Monday, July 16, 2012

Monday Morning Weigh In

Last Week's Weight: 135
This Week's Weight: 134.6(-.4)

Woohoo!! I finally hit my 10 pound goal and I could not be happier about that! I think all around I did really well last week. I ran 2 days, did the stairmaster or elliptical 3 days and got in the weight room 2 times. That is a good amount of activity. I did really well with food for the most part. However, I do know where I need to tighten it up.

I had a 5 mile on the schedule for Saturday and that did not happen.....until Sunday. It took me 56:13. Gosh, I still can't believe I used to do 5 miles in 49 minutes. I hate "starting over", but I did feel stronger on this run than my 4 mile run....mentally and physically.

I hope you are all well!

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

This Week's Goals

This week I have a few goals.

1) Get in 3 runs(1 down, 2 to go) including a 5 miler on Saturday.
As I gear up for half marathon training, I want to go in head first with a decent base going. I feel pretty good about my running workouts as of late. 
2) Get in 2 Elliptical workouts.
I love cross training, like love it! I especially love the elliptical. I turn on Netflix and catch up on whatever show I am into at the moment. Before you know it, boom....workout is over and I am covered in sweat. 
3) Weight train at least 3 times.
I really want to work on building all over muscle. When I did LiveFit, I fell in love with weight training. I miss the weight room like WHOA! Tomorrow, I plan to do chest and triceps.
4) Go through my pintrest board and make 1 recipe.
I have a gagillion recipes pinned on my board and I have done nothing. What's the point of having a pinterest board if you don't utilize it, right? 
5) Take our dogs for a walk or some aggressive backyard play time.
They don't get out nearly enough. So, I would like to get them a little more active.

I think that is good for goals this week. I haven't been great with fulfilling goals lately, but will try my darnedest this week to make all of these happen :)

I will boast a little here though. I have successfully drank at least 1 gallon of water a day for the past week. Thanks to the RO/DI water in our basement, it has been surprisingly easy to get the water in. It tastes better than bottled water(to me). I feel so amazing! I thought that would be the goal I sucked at the most. With the exception of 2 flavor packets, it has all been just plain ole water. Woohoo!

Do you make weekly goals? What is one goal you have for yourself right now?

Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Monday Morning Weigh In

Oh My Gosh!! I have so much to tell y'all. I have a line of posts I need to write, edit or publish. I better get on it.

I am a day late on yesterday's weigh in.

Last Week's Weight: 137.8
This Week's Weight: 135.0(-2.8)

I set daily workout goals last week:
Monday- Fitmixer Boot Camp after work
I did not do this. Bummer!
Tuesday- Run 2-3 miles in the AM, Fitmixer Boot Camp after work
Decided on 3 miles and did myself proud(See blog post from July 3). Again, I did not do the            bootcamp workout.
Wednesday- Elliptical for 45 mins-60 mins in the AM, Boot Camp after work
I hit the elliptical for 45 minutes like I said I would. I had the day off for the 4th of July, but did not make time to do the boot camp workout.
Thursday- Run 2-3 miles(speed work) in the AM, Fitmixer Boot Camp after work
Rest Day!
Friday- Elliptical or Stair Climber for 45 mins-60 in the AM
Rest Day!
Saturday- 3-4 miles with the dog in the AM followed by Fitmixer boot camp right after.
Rest Day!
Sunday-I went out on a 4.5 mile run and it was tough. 90 degrees+minimal shade along the way+wonky stomach=Hot Mess of a Run. However, I did run and for that I am proud!

As you can see, I sucked at meeting the goals. However, I did lose 2.8 pounds and worked out 3 days, which is a lot more than I have in the past few months. I am proud of myself for last week and feel extremely motivated to press on and do better this week. 

I have been having trouble getting out of bed in the morning. So, I will be setting my alarm for 4:15AM. So, I can hit snooze twice and be up at 4:45AM. I have to make the time in the morning to do the fitmixer bootcamp, otherwise they don't get done. 

I have some fun goals this week and will be back to talk about them tomorrow. 

 
 

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

Today started at 5:02 AM for me. My alarm went off for 17 minutes before I got up to turn it off. Oops! Oh well, I still got up right? As soon as I was up, I changed, got my Fitmixer Amino's ready, and hopped in the car to go to the gym. The plan was a 2-3 mile run.

Usually when I say 2-3 miles, I make it 2. Today, it was different. I knew I wanted to run 3 miles. I have 2 half marathons coming up in October and I would love to PR in at least 1, if not both. So, I have to start getting used to the distances again. This morning, I ran 3.01 miles in 31:12. Not bad for me. I did stop to walk 2 times for a minute or so. I am really proud of myself for pushing my mind & body to get to the 3 mile mark. I haven't ran that far in forever.

While getting ready for work this morning I just kept thinking, 'Why do you constantly sabotage yourself? The only person getting in your way is you!' It is so true. I am the one who decides to sleep in, lay around on weekends/after work, and hit snooze on my alarm clock. Why do I do this to myself? I don't know, but you bet your ass I am going to find out and break that habit! That stops now!! I have been within 10 pounds of my "what I think I could maintain" goal weight. Then, I gained 20 pounds. I love working out and eating healthy as a lifestyle, much more than I love this extra 20 pounds ;)

I am off work tomorrow. Yay! It will consist of a morning workout(elliptical and fitmixer) followed by a trip to Nordstrom Rack and a lunch/movie date with my main squeeze.

How do you sabotage yourself? 


Any fun plans for the 4th?

Monday, July 2, 2012

Monday Morning Weigh In

2 Weeks Ago:        138.0 lbs
Today's Weight:      137.8 lbs

With how poorly I have been doing with nutrition, I will take a less .2 lbs. I haven't been tracking like I should. When I lost all of my weight in 2009-2010, I did it by counting calories and running. I know how to do this. I have done this. Sometimes, I just let myself get lazy.

Workouts last week were much better. I should blog them everyday, because I can't remember what days I did what. I know Monday-Friday I ran 2 times, did the elliptical 2 times and did 2 fitmixer bootcamp workouts. On Saturday, I woke up to my little lady, Abigail, scratching around under our bed at 6:45AM. So, I laid in bed and read my Google reader until my alarm went off at 7:00AM. Then, it was time to run. I got myself ready. Got the boy dog all harnessed up and ready to go. We started off just running to run. I had my Garmin, but no time or distance really set in my mind. We ended up at 2.5 miles which worked for me. I was hot, sweaty and felt like I got a good workout. That's what I went for, and that's what I achieved.

 This is an old picture, but this is exactly how he looked after our Saturday morning run!

I need to play catch up on the boot camp workouts and I am working on it. I just need to make more time to get them in. I will probably run, do the elliptical, or stair climber in the mornings and the boot camp workouts after work. I always just put off the after work workouts. I have figured out that I am going to do them while dinner is baking. Generally, our dinner is ready in 30 minutes or less. The fitmixer boot camp workouts are about 30 minutes long, so it works well. I just have to do them!!

This week's workouts will look a little something like this:
Monday- Fitmixer Boot Camp after work
Tuesday- Run 2-3 miles in the AM, Fitmixer Boot Camp after work
Wednesday- Elliptical for 45 mins-60 mins in the AM, Boot Camp after work
Thursday- Run 2-3 miles(speed work) in the AM, Fitmixer Boot Camp after work
Friday- Elliptical or Stair Climber for 45 mins-60 in the AM
Saturday- 3-4 miles with the dog in the AM followed by Fitmixer Boot Camp right after

I typed it. Now, I must do it to check back with you next Monday, right? Right!

I am trying to get my running legs back and I know it will take some time. I have 2 half marathons 2 weeks apart that I plan to do in October, so official training for that starts in 2 weeks. So, I have to get some good distance runs in the books :)

I hope you all have a fabulous week!!!

I do have a fun post coming on the Utah Blogger Meet-up from Saturday.

Here's a hint: I came home giddy, excited and inspired!

How was your weekend?

Monday, June 25, 2012

I wanted it so bad.....

...and I set myself up for success. Then, I fell through.

We went camping this weekend. I am usually really good with food when we are camping. However, I did not eat 1 vegetable or fruit I brought this weekend. I did not eat any of the chicken I brought either. I ate freshly caught fish though(And it was soooooo good!). So, this weigh in I was expecting it to be bad.

Last Week's Weight-137.0
This Week's Weight-138.0(+1.0)

I had a goal to workout 5-6 days and I only worked out 1 time. Yikes! Ah well, I have to learn from this and move on.

This week's goals:
1-Complete week 2 of Hal Higdon's 10k training
2-Do all Fitmixer Bootcamp workouts and make up 2
3-Drink 1 gallon of water a day
4-Track calories every day!

I hope you are having a fantastic Monday!

Monday, June 18, 2012

Marvelous In My Monday

I already posted today, but I just had to share my first Marvelous in My Monday post!!

The link isn't working for me, but you can find Katie-"The Healthy Diva" here.


1. I made my daddy breakfast for father's day and it was Marvelous! I love my dad so very much! He is such a good dad. I am his only daughter and a true Daddy's girl to the core! When I was sitting down to breakfast with him and my brother's it really made me happy that we were together for the first time in a while. I don't see them nearly enough.

2. I am going camping on Friday! Always the most Marvelous thing. We are campers for life and every summer we plan trips once to twice a month. It is so awesome every time we go :) Just 4 more sleeps and I am "checking out" til Monday.

3. I get to take a week off at the end of July and I am soooo excited to do so!! I have a lot of stuff I am planning to do that weekend.

What are you feeling Marvelous about today??

Monday Morning Weigh In

I told Chad last week that I "feel like an animal"! I forgot what it felt like to truly want my goal body. I lost the drive to reach my goals after I finished the Salt Lake Half in 2010. It feels good to have the "animal" drive back again. I want it and I want it bad. I will do everything I can to get it too. Not to be super skinny, but to be super fit and be super fit for life. That is my goal. I say 109 is my ultimate goal number, but really, I am positive that will change. I know it is more than a number and that scales suck! 

Monday Morning Weigh In
Last Week's Weight 138.4(which was a .2 pound gain from the previous week)
This Week's Weight 137(-1.4)

I feel good about that. I worked out 4 days last week. I did the elliptical 3 days + fitmixer boot camp workouts and just the bootcamp workout one of the days. I did eat a little too much at breakfast yesterday, but recognized it and put myself back into check for the rest of the day.

This week, it is balls to the wall. I am running Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday or Sunday. I am starting week 1 of a 10k training program. I need to work my running fitness back up, as I am going to run the Halloween Half Marathon in Provo, Utah this year. My time 2 years ago was 2:2something. This year, I would like to train hard and kick butt. I will post my goals at a later date, but I really want to kick this half's butt this year. My half marathon PR is 2:16:00, which was my first of 2 half's I have ran.

I will be ellipticizing and maybe stair climbing Wednsday and Friday. Along with all 5 days worth of boot camp workouts. I will be taking last Friday's missed workout with me to do on Saturday.

We are going camping this weekend and I hope to be more active than normal. I am hoping to do the 1 mile hiking loop a few times while we are down there, along with a 3 mile run on Saturday or Sunday.

Goal for next Monday Weigh In is 134.6! I really want that 10 pound goal. I know 2.6 pounds is totally doable for next Monday. So, it is time to rock and roll!!

This week will be spent grocery shopping, packing, and final preps before camping.

Do you go camping?? If not, have you ever been camping?

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Good Saturday

Well, my streak has ended. Didn’t post or workout for 2 days. Boo! Oh well, I got up today, cleaned house a little and got my booty to the gym.

I did 45 minutes on the elliptical on a cross training workout that was hills. I was soaked to the bone and loved it! I was texting Chad “Weeee!!” and “I am soaked! Yeah, Great Workout!” Yep….I am a goober sometimes!

Once I got home, It was time to refuel….

Coffee with Almond Milk(5g of protien!), 1 egg sunny side up, 1 slice of french toast, bananas and a little protein powder/water mixture.

iPhone Photos 003

This was the perfect breakfast. I kept the calories in check and the flavor was good!

After breakfast, it was time to head over to My Honey Buns dad’s house to do some work on our trailer. We are headed for more camping next weekend, so we always start getting ready a week in advance.

When we got home, it was time to start prepping black beans for tonight thru most of the week’s worth of dinners. We tend to eat the same thing, all the time. Last week almost every night for dinner we had Chicken, Baked Potatoes, and Veggies(For Me). Tonight to probably Wednesday we will have Chicken Burritos, which are my favorite!

I started to get hungry once the beans were soaking so it was time for a snack….

Edamame and a Fitmixer Slim Shake

 004

I also started keeping closer track of my water intake. I would say on average, I drink at least 80 oz of water a day, but I would really like to be drinking a gallon. I definitely feel a difference on days where I drink less.

I have a plan to make this happen

iPhone Photos 004

I actually have purified(RO) water in my basement that we use for the salt water fish tanks(we have 3 in the house now). So, I am going to fill up the gallon jug every morning and drink it throughout the day. That way I know I will hit my goal.

What are you up to this weekend??

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

On A Roll....

....With blogging and the workout commitments. I tracked all food yesterday and worked out.


Today's Workout

2.5 minutes on the treadmill0
25 minutes on the elliptical(my legs are SO sore!)
BootCamp Workout of the day. It was definitely a fun one.
            My favorite was the "Combo 3":
            4 Soldier Kicks
            4 High Knees
            4 Plyo Lunges
            4 Mountain Climbers
             *Repeated 4 times

I finished with 150 various moves from the 300 ab challenge that I pinned from Pinterest.

It was an excellent workout!! I am already feeling it in my lower back, abs and triceps!

I have my lunch and snacks packed. I planned to NOT fail today.

I hope you have a happy Wednesday!!!

What was your workout for today??

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

List!

I saw this on someone's blog a long while ago and decided to put it in my Draft Folder. While doing some cleaning up, I found it and thought it would be fun to share. I realize after filling these in, I really need to get out more! Ha!

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightening storm
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma(Tried 2 times, my iron levels were too low)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Got a tattoo
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Monday, June 11, 2012

Monday Morning Weigh In & Fitmixer Day 21 Completed

Monday Weigh In
Last Week: 138.2
This Week: 138.4
+.2 lbs

I am 100% okay with +.2 lbs. I drank a half a bottle of wine and 1 beer on Saturday night. So, I actually expected worse. Even though I saw 136.2 on Wednesday last week. Bummer! Oh well, there is always next week.

My Weekend

Friday Night-We went out to dinner with Chad's family. Joe Morley's is a local joint and it is sooo good. I have a smoked turkey sandwich with a cup of clam chowder. I probably should have gone with a salad, but we have been trying to not eat out. So, I had a little cheat there. We followed that up by going to a sports bar and I had an apple flavored beer, which was a little sweet, but okay. Then, home to bed.

Saturday-Woke up to a little bit of this.....

Love my Littles!

Then lounged around the house for most of the day. Didn't work out, didn't eat well, and wasn't extremely productive. That night, I had a birthday party to attend. I had a nice time chatting with one of my sweet best friends that I posted about the other day. It was nice to catch up with her. Unfortunately, I stayed out too late and called it a night at 2:30AM. However, Chad and I stayed up talking after I got home until 6:00AM. 

Sunday-Woke up at 10 AM, not feeling great, but not feeling bad either. Lounged around the house, did some cleaning, started laundry, watched a movie, took a nap, took a bath and then went to bed with this guy....
Seriously, I am obsessed with my dogs. I have 240 pictures on my phone and about 230 of them are my dogs haha.

Today I woke up ready for Day 21 of Fitmixer Bootcamp. Today's workout was called BlackJack and holy killer! I loved every move. Tonight, I will be doing a 30day/300 ab challenge I pinned on pinterest. My workouts have been seriously lacking lately. I worked out like 3 days last week. I would like to be doing something 6 days a week. I do have a bunch of bootcamp workouts to makeup, so those will keep me busy.

This week's goal is to workout Monday-Saturday. I also am doing a 5k program, so the goal is to incorporate running back into my routine and follow it everyday.

Cheers to a good week!!!

Friday, June 8, 2012

A Different Side of Healthy Living.

I am going to switch it up a bit around these parts today. I want to talk about a different side of healthy living.....Healthy Relationships.

In my life, I have had some very unhealthy, toxic relationships with people. I have also had some very healthy, loving relationships. Thankfully, the healthy, loving ones are the ones that have lasted.

I always seemed to have these "bad friends" or "bad boyfriends" who would gravitate to me and I would accept them. Even though, they only cared about themselves and no one else. It took them doing a lot of terrible things to me for me to realize that these people were not what I wanted/needed in my life. It took so much hurt and so much courage for me to finally walk away from these people. I had good friends and boyfriends, but I didn't realize how truly great they were until I pushed the bad out and the good were waiting with open arms.

Once I came around to my senses, I reconnected with 2 girls that truly are the best girl friends anyone could have. When I am with them, I can be who I am. They love me everyday and we keep in touch as much as possible. It always seems like when I am having a bad day, they happen to text me randomly to see how I am doing(As I typed that, one of them posted the SWEETEST BLOG and I stopped to read it). I love them. We rely on each other, we know that we can always count on each other and I adore them. I love you both and I love us!


New Years 2005, maybe?

Us 2011. 


On the boyfriend side of healthy relationships, that is going well also. I lack strong verbal communication skills. I can write out a feeling, but I can't spit it out of my mouth to save my life. He pushes me to strengthen my communication for us. He is the person I know at the end of the day will make everything okay...or better, at least. He brightens my day and always puts a smile on my face. In good times and bad we are always on the same team. I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but we met on hotornot.com. Haha. At first, he was a nice guy to talk to, but one day I said, "I want to meet you. I am coming over in 30 minutes. What is your address?" The minute he opened the door it was love at first sight(for me, he took some convincing). It's been 5 years since we met and we are still going strong! I love him more and more everyday!

The only picture of us! He hates having his picture taken!

I feel I have made some very healthy relationships in my more recent years. I have stopped dwelling on terrible relationships, and just moving on. You can't make somebody want to have a healthy relationship with you. It's taken me 27 years to realize that!

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Week 6 Weigh In & Fifty Shades

This week's weight was 138.2. I am sooooo excited. That puts me down exactly 5 pounds since starting the Fitmixer Bootcamp. I am so happy to be going down again, rather than up. However, I have to be honest and say I haven't done a workout from the Fitmixer page in a week and a half. I do intend to make them up, but I have been enjoying running again lately. So, I have hit the treadmill a few times. Plus, I have been running around constantly, when usually I am an award winning couch potato!

Lately I have been addicted to the Fifty Shades Trilogy. As in, I have read the first 2 books(in a 5 days) and started on the 3rd last night. I am already about 50 pages in. It is quite the captivating read. However, the sex parts are a little much. Meet, Have Sex, Fight, Have Sex, Guy gets mad at girl, Sex.....Sex is around every corner. I skimmed through some because I got bored of reading basically the same thing over and over again.


Other than that, life has been just that.....life! Nothing too exciting going on around these parts. I do intend to start making up the Fitmixer Bootcamp workouts. I will complete all of them by doubling up some days, but now that I am enjoying running again, I have to do it before I lose the love.

Tell me something exciting going on with you!

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Life Update, Worth it & Fitmixer BootCamp

I hope everyone out there is doing well and had a beautiful Memorial Weekend! I have a lot of exciting things going on.

Over Memorial Weekend we went up into the mountains for our 2nd camping trip of the year.
 I was really excited to see that cute deer the 2nd day we were up there, but was even more excited to see the other 5 that were tagging along. He actually stopped and took a few steps toward us and stared at us for a good 2 or 3 minutes. We think he was interested in Abigail(our little dog). We were also rained and snowed on. Ha! We did love every minute of it though.

I have also been getting in my Fitmixer BootCamp workouts with a little extra cardio at the old gym.

Okay, so not a lot of exciting things, but still fun none the less.

One thing I wanted to talk about tonight was something that has been weighing on my mind a lot lately. When I first started my journey in 2009, I would constantly remind myself that I was doing it for me because I was worth it. It was my time to lose the weight and feel good about myself. I wanted it for ME, and for ME only!

When I "fell off the wagon", my motivation was gone. I forgot that it was about me. I was too busy, I had a lot going on, my car got stolen, my car was found, my car got stolen again, I had insurance claims, and I just couldn't "deal with doing the workouts". All excuses! Could you tell I gained 10 pounds in the few months after my car got stolen? I attribute that to stress and emotional eating. I ate a lot of fast food in that time. Gross! 

Ever since I started the Fitmixer Bootcamp, I have felt that all too familiar feeling of "I am doing this because I am worth it" again and I LOVE IT!  I know my self confidence should be high now, because I like who I am. I don't look in the mirror everyday and like what I see, but most days, I try to focus on the things that I do like.The workouts have made me feel strong, confident and the clean eating...perfection!! I forgot how much I love eating clean.  I am sure I will reach my goal for the bootcamp, which I will talk about another day.

In the meantime, I updated my Weigh Ins & Rewards page. You can click over to see how I did on my first 2 weigh ins for Fitmixer BootCamp!

Thanks for reading! Have a fantastic day!!

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Surprising Myself....

You know, yesterday when I did the first day "fit test", I was so surprised. Sometimes I don't think I give myself the credit I deserve. Yeah, I gained weight. Yeah, I can't run 9:30 miles any more. You know what though, I can still push myself and I am stronger than I think I am.

Another surprising thing....My food intake. Holy crap! I am allotted 1200-1300 calories a day. Umm..I was eating AT LEAST 2000 calories a day before(without realizing it). Yesterday I ate 1230 calories and I felt fine. I wasn't starving all day, like I thought I would be. Actually, I was rarely hungry with eating 6 meals and all. It's amazing that you don't realize what you are doing to your body until you really start tracking and analyzing.

Finally, a NOT so surprising thing. I weighed myself today, just to gauge how the calories per day + workouts are aiding in my weight loss so far and I am down 2.8 pounds only 3 days into it. Is this true weight loss? No, it is not. Monday's are always the worst weight days because I eat like crazy, barely drink water and eat at odd times over the weekends. However, I am committed to having next Monday's weight lower than it is today by keeping myself in check this weekend.

I hope you are having a Happy Hump Day!! Come back later for a fun little post on some of my beauty staples!

I leave you with a little jiggle giggle....

Monday, May 14, 2012

Fitmixer BootCamp Day 1 & Monday Weigh In

Happy Belated Mother's Day to all of you mom's(fur mom's included) out there!!

Today was a big day for me! I started the Fitmixer BootCamp. I have been so excited to bust open my protein powders and amino's. When I opened them, I felt like a kid at Christmas! I love trying new products and love seeing how they make my body feel.

Today's Food:

Breakfast: Fitmixer Protein, 1/2 of a banana
Snack: Baby Carrots and Fitmixer Slim Protein
Lunch: Pei Wei Spicy(Leftovers, fit into my calorie budget)
Snack: Brown Rice Cake and 1/2 scoop Fitmixer Protein
Dinner: Carnitas(White Corn Tortilla and Chuck Roast)
Snack: Popcorn

Water Consumed today=1 gallon. Not too shabby!

I also did my fit test. I will recap all 4 times we do this at the end of the bootcamp. I was very happily surprised by some of the moves that I could do and how many of them I did.

Weigh In Monday

Today's Weight: 143.2

I don't really understand why I gained, but I am determined to lose what I gained plus more at next week's weigh in. I have a nail pen(reward) to buy. I have a lot of ideas of what to do with the pen.

Anywho, I am exhausted and going to bed.

How was your weekend??

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Weigh In and Happiness

Last Week's Weight: 142.4 lbs
This Week's Weight: 141.4 lbs
Less: 1.0 lbs

My weigh in is 2 days late this week. However, I still had a loss and I am so happy with this. My app on my phone shows me 1.8 lbs away from my first 5 pound goal. I hope to be there next Monday. 

I have found that setting the small goals has been a lot more helpful mentally. Instead of  'I have 32 lbs to go to reach my goal.' It is '1.8 to my current goal! WooHoo!!!'

Food

I have been eating clean and focusing on getting in the veggies, fruit, whole grains, dairy and protein. 

My meals are essentially all the same as I posted last week. Pretty boring, but I love it and know I can stick to it. Tonight's dinner included chicken, asparagus, and 1/2 cup of quinoa. It was good, filling and CLEAN!

Exercise 
Ha! What the hell is that? Kidding....Kind of. 

I have been less than stellar in the workout dept. I went to the gym tonight and ended up running just over a mile before my ankle started to kill. So, I hopped on the Elliptical for 25 minutes. I was doing a 10k plan, but I think it might be better to start off on a 5k plan because I haven't run seriously in about 2 years. I don't think the ankle pain is from running. I think it is because I have a habit of sitting on my foot at work. It drives me nuts, but I don't notice when I am doing it. I only notice when I stand up to walk and it is asleep. Kind of a tangent there....oops! 

How are you happy all the time?

Here is a fun topic I thought I would talk about. I have had so many people ask me how I am happy all the time. Let me preface this with I am most certainly not happy ALL THE TIME, just most of the time. You wanna know my tricks for being happy MOST of the time....Here you go:

1. Don't sweat the small stuff. I know this is far easier said than done, but it can be done. Whenever something is stressing me out, I try to put into perspective how the situation will change my life. In the end, most situations won't kill you. It may just throw your life slightly or majorly off course. However, there is a solution, even if it is a tough road to get there. So, don't worry about it, let life happen.

2. Turn that frown upside down. Whenever I feel down, I always put a smile on my face. Even if it takes all you have, a smile can really go a long way.

3. Surround yourself with those you love. How can you have a bad day when you around people/things you love. Everytime I have a bad day, I only want my dogs and my babe.
4. Watch (Insert Funny Movie Here). I loooove me some "The Other Guys" and "Bridesmaids". I laugh throughout the entire thing.


5. Have a conversation with someone that makes you happy. It kind of goes back to #3. If I feel down, I will call and talk to someone that I know can make me happy. Usually that is Chad, but sometimes it is one of my customer's or a family member.

6. Workout. I love a good run, workout DVD or weight lifting session after a bad day. Lately we have been playing tons of racquetball and I LOVE IT, but I SUCK AT IT. At least I keep trying, right?

What do you do to make YOU happy???

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Crazy Lady.

That run I told you I was going to do last week. I absolutely DID it. Done and done!!! Not only did I complete the run, I did it in 20:26. That is 10:11 per mile. I am so proud of myself. What a great time. I did have to stop a few times because I felt like I was going to poop myself from 1/2 mile to 1 1/2 mile. Okay, no strike through on that, it is true. In the end, I figured if I popped myself at least Chad could pick me up. Ha! In the end, my guts chilled out and I was fine.

I have been pinning like crazy. I have so many fun workouts I want to do. I am going to start with a "300 abs challenge". I will definitely do before and after photos for fun.

Lately, I have had so many blog posts come to mind and I forget them as soon as I sit down to write them. I will have to find my brain someday.
I'm sexy and I know it.

This week I have not worked out 1 time, not once. I have been having insomnia still and O. M. G. I am so over it, for real. I want to get up at 4:30AM to go to the gym. I really really do! Here's to hoping tomorrow I can pull it off. For now, I have a Runner's World to dive into while my Melatonin kicks in :)

What is your favorite time to workout??

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Runner's High

I miss....

....The soreness after a long run

....The smile on my face at the finish line

....Feeling Great about myself

....Knowing that 10 miles was "no big deal"

....My sweat soaked clothes

....Feeling I can accomplish anything

....Being proud of myself

....My size 4 jeans fitting perfectly

....The Runner's High!!!!!!

I will remember these things I miss, as I hit up the road for a run today after work :)

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Running & Meal Plans

This morning I got to the gym and jumped on an elliptical for 30 minutes.

I followed that with Week 1 Day 2 of a Hal Higdon 10k training program. Today's workout was 1.5 mile run. I finished in 15:23 and could not be happier. I haven't lost too much speed, it is my endurance that went down the toilet. While I was running, my legs were not tired at all. It was my breathing that was the problem. Also, my attention span disappears whenever I get on the treadmill. So, today I played a little treadmill game. I went to my bombtastic playlist I made, that consists of slower songs for warming up transitioning into songs to pump me up. I selected "3" by Britney Spears and started running. During the verse, I ran at a 5.8 pace and once the chorus came, I turned up to 6.5. I was so sweaty when I left the gym, but felt fantastic!

After that, I needed breakfast pronto! I had a smoothie that consisted of:

  • 1 Small Banana
  • 1/2 Cup of Strawberry's
  • 1 Scoop of Vanilla Protein Powder
  • 1/2 Cup of Winder Farms Milk
  • 1/4 Cup of Water
  • Handful of Spinach
It was sooo tasty paired with a slice of bread and a little bit of PB.

In blog news, I changed up my headers a little and added a new "Weigh Ins & Rewards" tab if you want to check it out.

Annie had asked me to do a sample of my meal plan I am doing. She asked and now I answer!

Breakfasts:
  1. Smoothie and PB Toast
  2. Greek Yogurt, Fruit and Cereal
  3. Pancakes/French Toast(Weekends Only)
Lunches:

  1. No Pocket Pita Sandwich with Honey Turkey, Red Leaf Lettuce, Tomato, Sprinkle of cheese and honey mustard(<----this week's front runner. SOOO Good!)
  2. Half a chicken salad and a cup of soup
  3. Half a turkey sandwich on wheat with a cup of tomato bisque soup. 
Dinners(this week):

Sunday: Chad made a roast(and it was amazing!), so we had carnitas.
Monday: Leftover carnitas
Tuesday: Him-leftover carnitas. Her-Squash filled pasta, broccoli, chicken, tomatoe sauce and a touch of cheese
Wednesday: Him-Italian Sausage and Fries. Her-Chicken Sausage, veggies, and tomato sauce with a couple of stolen fries.
Thursday: TBD
Friday: Pizza night with all of my best friends :)

I am a creature of habit. I eat the same 3 things for breakfast and lunch most of the time. Dinner is always all over the place.

Have a great day :)!!!!!!!


Monday, April 30, 2012

Monday Motivation......

This morning, I Did Not Want To Get Out Of Bed! 4:39 came to early. I rolled over, turned the alarm clock off and thought 'another 2 hours of sleep sounds so much better'. Then I told myself......

You gotta start this Monday off right!! 

The old saying is true "you never regret a workout". I just have to keep reminding myself of that. 

Also I weighed in today at 

142.4

I usually think I will lose more. However, 1-2 pounds a week is what I am aiming for. That is much healthier for my body and my mind! If I drop 5 pounds in the first week, I get discouraged with EVERY weigh in that isn't 5 pounds down. I feel more relaxed. I know I am working out hard, getting back to running, and cleaning up my diet. I am so happy with a 2.2 pound loss.

The only problem lately is I CAN NOT SLEEP AT NIGHT!! For the past month or so I have had a hard time falling asleep. I took Melatonin last night around 9:00 and it never kicked in. I laid in bed wide awake staring at the ceiling, then I watched dumb TV shows that ALWAYS MAKE ME FALL ASLEEP and nothing! I finally fell asleep naturally at about midnight. It was rather aggravating.  Does anybody know of anything a girl can do to get some sleep? Geesh...it's making me coo coo for the puffs. 

This weekend was so uneventful. Telling you about it would make you fall asleep. So, I won't. Next weekend, I promise to come back with something exciting!

How was your weekend???

Monday, April 23, 2012

Monday Morning Motivation!

The alarm went off at 4:30AM today. Of course, I hit snooze until 4:39. I got out of bed and weighed myself

144.6

It just goes to show you, at my lowest I was 122. I have gained 22.6 lbs in 2 years. I am sure that next Monday, I will be much lower. Still, it is discouraging to see what I let myself become. However, the only person who can change that is me! I got out of bed this morning and hit the gym for Abs/Arms and Elliptical for 35 minutes. I felt great afterwards!

That brings us to a saying I will continue to say to myself

It is so true! I have been eating lately like the body I have, definitely not the one I want. Well, times are a changin'. Yesterday I went grocery shopping. I bought clean foods. I prepped lunches for this week and meal planned. So, I am READY TO PARTAYYYYYY!!


What is your Monday Morning Motivation?