Retiring the Workout Diary...For Now

The End of an Era

I started the workout diary page as a way to hold myself accountable for my workouts and to see my progress over time, but I don't need it anymore! Working out is such a habit and part of my daily life that I rarely even think about it. I just do it as if it were brushing my teeth or checking my email. Being that I rarely think about working out, it has become nearly impossible to keep a workout diary so I'm unposting that page and rethinking how I'll motivate myself into and through the next chapter in my unfattening journey.

The Next Chapter

I've finished Jillian's 30 DS twice and Ripped in 30 once, ran 2 5Ks and lost 50 lbs. Wow! I still have about 20 more pounds that I'd like to lose to reach my goal weight and I'm ready for some new adventures, soooo....I've signed up for Crossfit AND for Half Marathon training through the Dallas Running Club! Ack! I'll start both at the turn of the new year. *Waves bye bye to body fat*

Honestly, I'm terrified of this super intense workout schedule I'm about to embark on, but I'm so excited to push myself and see what my body is capable of. I'll keep you posted as the adventure begins and I train my way to the Big D Half Marathon in April 2013!

Diet - The Vacation Continues

Ok so I think I'm officially on a real diet vacation! I'm still pretty much eating whatever I want (with an *). I'm not going totally crazy, just eating mindfully in moderation for what I guess would be the amount of calories to maintain my current weight. I'd love to still be losing just to get this whole process over with, but I think I need a looser routine for a while to not go crazy. I'm keeping up with my regular daily workouts and runs so the guilt factor is extremely low and I feel great. Just going to go with the flow for now and hopefully pick it back up to peel off these last 20lbs soon!

Guilt Free Thanksgiving Gluttony

Yes I indulged! I still tried to log my calories just for kicks, but I don't need an app to tell me I ATE TOO MUCH! I'm up 4 glorious pounds and don't even care. I enjoyed my family and friends and I'm finally comfortable with knowing a few bad days won't make me gain back the 49lbs I've lost. I may gain back a few, but who cares. Now that my lifestyle is a healthy one, I can lose them just as easily as I put them on. I was back to my regularly scheduled program today and took the dog out for a mile walk (chihuahuas don't have much stamina!) and visited my old friend Jillian for Level 3 of 30 DS. I totally loved my diet vacation!

#Unprocessed (& Delicious!) Peanut Butter

I pledged to do October less processed, and one of my favorite food items that needed a make over was definitely me beloved Low Fat Jif. So, yes I realize it's the end of November and I'm just getting around to posting about this but I was reminded of it as I made my grocery list because this was a change that ended up sticking!

Ok, so let's start with my beloved Jif that I've eaten for years. I thought it was peanut butter. But no! It's a peanut "spread". I assumed the ingredients couldn't be that bad because really how much do you need to alter peanuts to make peanut butter? And I was wrong again with that one too. Here's the ingredient list:

Reduced Fat Jif Ingredients:

PEANUTS, CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, SUGAR, SOY PROTEIN, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, FULLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS (RAPESEED AND SOYBEAN), MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, MOLASSES, MAGNESIUM OXIDE, NIACINAMIDE, FERRIC ORTHOPHOSPHATE, ZINC OXIDE, COPPER SULFATE, FOLIC ACID, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE.

Here's how you make peanut butter:

1. Put peanuts in food processor

Boom. Peanut butter. So why all the extra stuff Jif?! 

I knew I wouldn't be making my own peanut butter (even though it's so darn easy), so I decided to find a yummy natural one without all the extra stuff in it. I ended up trying MaraNatha's No Stir Organic Peanut Butter and it was a home-freaking-run. I love it and will never eat anything else!

Thus, Unprocessed October was a huge success in my book!

Wisdom According to Pinterest

Strollin' w/ My Peeps

Out for a beautiful afternoon stroll yesterday with both of my babies. We only ran over the dog twice this time!

The Final Countdown!

I did it! I met my first goal date and weight of 175 lbs on November 2 (my baby's 1st birthday). This is the countdown that I kept on my fridge and I absolutely loved crossing off the days....all 148 of them. I have set another 60 day goal (Phase 2) that ends on New Year's and I'm already off to a great start! Oh, I also collect refrigerator magnets. Don't judge.

The Hardest 5K Ever!

Running is a funny thing. Some days are amazing, and the road just flies beneath my feet. Other days not so much. Well, I signed up for the October 21st Waterworks 5K at White Rock Lake and that week had been jogging 3 miles easy peasy in Nashville while on vacation. Then the race happened and I learned that I need to run more hills! OMG it nearly killed me but I finished (not last!) in 42 minutes. Here is me forcing a smile just before the finish line. I'm positive I had blacked out at this point!

Happy Birthday Baby!

It's hard to believe that this time last year I welcomed my baby boy and had spent the better part of that year pregnant (read tired, hungry, large, tired, oh and hungry.) I've been absent from my blog for several weeks as this has just been a super busy and emotional time for us as we prepared for the baby's 1st birthday party. Looking back on the day he was born and our year as first time parents was heavy stuff!

I had planned out this long blog post detailing my traumatic birth story, our first few months as new parents, my struggle with breastfeeding, the roller coaster of our relationship as we grew into new life stages, going back to work (kind of!) after maternity leave, and planning G's first birthday party....but I've changed my mind and I'd much rather keep those intimate details between my partner and I.

However, I will say that all seriousness aside, this year has been a BLAST! Everyone says how hard being a parent is, and yeah it has it's moments. It's way harder than say, not being a parent. But, all that hard stuff doesn't even compare to how much fun it is to watch  your child learn and grow and laugh. I've had the time of my life being G's mommy and I'm excited about the year to come!

Here's a pic of us taking a breather at his shindig!

Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 Review & Results!

I did the program September 10, 2012 - October 7, 2012 and here are my results!

Total Loss:

Weight: 9lbs

Chest: 1"

Waist: .5"

Hips: 1"

Thighs: 1"

Review:

Loved this DVD! The circuits at first seem kind of dumb and very awkward because the combination of moves don't seem to really flow together, but sure enough after just a few days on each level it will all make sense and your body will be begging for mercy and crying tears of joy simultaneously. Jillian incorporates several yoga poses into this one and does a corny pep talk during shavasana at the end of Level 4, but even though I don't like the way she crammed the "yoga" into this DVD it still got me to my goal so I will forgive her for it...this time! All in all, I highly recommend this DVD and will definitely be doing it again at some point I'm sure. It was super fun and crazy challenging and my ass is looking great! 

Workout Diary:

9/10/12 RI30 DAY 1: I started Jillian's Ripped in 30 today and loved it! I like how there are 4 workouts vs. 3 in 30DS and her workout are just so quick and fun yet still heart pumping and sweat inducing. Get some.

9/11/12 RI30 DAY 2: Ran 1 mile as a warm up to RI30. Super determined to get off of this stupid plateau! Seems like I've been stuck at 189 forever. Oopsies I forgot to take my starting measurements and snap a pic. Too tired to do it tonight but definitely will post them tomorrow.

9/12/12 RI30 DAY 3: Rest! 

9/13/12 RI30 DAY 4: Warmed up with a tortoise paced 13.5 minute mile and ripped through RI30. Psych! I totally wanted to quit during the last set and I fluffed my way through the butt kicks. No dark chocolate and peanut butter for me tonight. Psych again! I'm totally eating chocolate and peanut butter! 

9/14/12 RI30 DAY 5: I absolutely did NOT want to work out today, but that certainly never stops me from doing it. I upped my weights on the 2nd set which felt much better. I still completely hate butt kicks and have a hard time with my form on the side step arm raise one in the last set. I didn't do well with it in 30DS either. Blah. But I feel great! Thanks JM!

9/15/12 RI30 DAY 6: Week 1 Done! I felt great and I kind of did rip through today's workout even though I didn't get to it until 10PM. o_O

9/16/12 RI30 DAY 7:  Dear Week 2, Why the f!@# are you so f!^#ing hard? I mean yeah I want to be Ripped in 30 but it won't make any difference if I'm dead. I also started my period today so that's pretty awesome. Please & thank you.

9/17/12 RI30 DAY 8: Rest!

9/18/12 RI30 DAY 9: Busted out a 2 mile run as my Jillian  warm up and felt great throughout the workout! The moves (although oddly paired and irregular at times) were a bit more comfy today and I didn't feel quite like a fish out of water as I did the first time I attempted this level. I'm looking forward to doing it again!

9/19/12 RI30 DAY 10: I did it and couldn't hardly wait for it to be over. Totally faked my way through the high knees. I think it was way harder to get through without the adrenaline pumping from jogging first. One would think not jogging first would make the workout easier, but alas, God has a peculiar sense of humor (if that's even his real name).

9/20/12 RI30 DAY 11: Rest!

9/21/12 RI30 DAY 12: Did it. Sorry Jillian this one definitely wouldn't have impressed you, but it's done and that's all that matters. One more day of Week 2 then I can move on thank goodness!

9/22/12 RI30 DAY 13: It was like the stars and the moons all aligned to create the perfect workout for me today. It took the baby about 30 seconds to go down for bed and the had the entire evening to myself. I really pushed myself through this one and I feel very ready for Week 3!

9/23/12 RI30 DAY 14: Rest! I did, however, go out for a leisurely stroll with the baby in the jogger. I did an easy 1.5 miles. Honestly, I wanted to get in a good, hard 3 mile run but *someone* didn't bring his ass home so I could go out alone. I'm pretty ticked about it, but I'll try again on my next rest day.

9/24/12 RI30 DAY 15: I love Week 3! It's so different from anything in 30DS or in the previous 2 weeks. Awesome thigh and shoulder burn! 

9/25/12 RI30 DAY 16: I did a 2 mile jog then RI30 and felt good! I struggled through my first mile with lots of mental blocks then magically the noise just all cleared up and I had a very enjoyable run after that. Still loving Week 3! Even the warm up is fun.

9/26/12 RI30 DAY 17: Rest!

9/27/12 RI30 DAY 18: Good workout today. So glad I still have a few more days to do level 3! Yup that's how much I like it. I'm not, however, dropping any weight so maybe I shouldn't stay on it too much longer. That could also be all these tortillas I've been eating. Oopsies.

9/28/12 RI30 DAY 19: Rest! I didn't do Jillian because there were already guests at my house when I got home today so I went out in the rain for a quick 1.68 mi jog. I wanted to hit 2 but the route I chose just wasn't quite long enough! Whatev. Can't win 'em all.

9/29/12 RI30 DAY 20: Got it done! Nothing to write home about except that I'm feeling pretty bad ass.

9/30/12 RI30 DAY 21: I got it in pretty late after a very long day. Bye bye level 3. You will be missed!

10/1/12 RI30 DAY 22: I'm in love with Level 4! It's by far the hardest out of both RI30 and 30DS combined, but it's so much fun! Yay I'm in the last week already! My how time flies. I will add that I'm not a fan of Jillian as a yoga instructor/meditation guide. I think it's neat she's throwing in some yoga moves and has  made the program as holistic as you can possible make a 20 minute workout DVD, and I also appreciate that she didn't overdo it, but it still makes me roll my eyes a little.

10/2/12 RI30 DAY 23: I ran a mile under 13 minutes for the first time ever! Woo! Then Jillian kicked my ass. 

10/3/12 RI30 DAY 24: Rest!

10/4/12 RI30 DAY 25: I ran 1.7 miles in 20 minutes, then literally ripped through the workout! I felt like I could've done it all over again I was so pumped afterwards!

10/5/12 RI30 DAY 26: Rest! (The parents are in town.)

10/6/12 RI30 DAY 27: I ran 1.4 miles first thing this morning then did Jillian this evening after the baby was in bed. I drug through it but I gave it my all for a serious burn! We also made hamburgers for my family today and OMG is was so good as were the potato chips I had with it. I earned it!

10/7/12 RI30 DAY 28: Surprise surprise the program is only 28 days long unless you throw in a couple extra days for good measure which I am NOT going to do! I gave this last workout my all and my legs are definitely paying for it right now! Ouch!

Stuff I Ate Today

Roasted Cauliflower! So this was my first time ever in life eating cauliflower (I think) but I've been trying to branch out and try different veggies. I loved it so much I ate all of the cauliflower you see in this pic...with my fingers...right off of the cookie sheet. Oops! And frozen grapes are my newest most favorite treat. Yum!

 

Vacation Running

I'm on vacation visiting the in-laws and went way over my calories today but still managed an awesome 3 miles yesterday. The app shut down at .75 mi so the run is split into 2 different entries but whatev. Here's my October running so far and now that I've finished RI30 I can get more mileage instead of just warm up jogs!

New Fruit!

My coworker took a trip to the Asian market over the weekend and brought me new fruits! I tried an Asian pear and this awesomely strange lychee. Yum!

In other news, I look like an alien holding an alien baby egg! Creepy McCreeperson!

Run Run Run

Making my future race plans when I should be working!

Adventures in #Unprocessed Salad Dressing

Umm ok so I'm not ready to let go of my ranch dressing. And I'm a little worried about the calories involved in using oil as dressing. I'll definitely have to put more thought into this than originally anticipated. I did, however, stumble upon this here "formula for an unprocessed super aweosme salad dressing" on the Eating Rules site:

• 3 parts high-quality oil – extra virgin olive oil, hemp seed oil, flax seed oil, pumpkin seed oil – get creative! Think outside the olive oil box.
• 1 part something acidic – vinegar, lemon, lime
• A dash of salt and fresh ground pepper
• Some fresh or dried herbs if you’re feeling fancy

At one time in my life I did used to stir up some EVOO, ACV and lemon with Italian seasoning and use it on salad and pasta and I loved it, so this will definitely be my starting point...if I ever get myself psyched up enough to ditch the ranch! **insert anxious face**

October Unprocessed 2012

I took the pledge! But with an asterisk. I wish I would have known about this sooner so that I could've prepared for it, but I'm not going to let the last minuteness of it keep me from doing it at all. So here's my amended pledge:

"I pledge to be more aware of the processed products that I consume and to identify the unprocessed alternative."

I'm skimming my MyFitnessPal log and here's a tentative list of the stuff I eat on a regular basis that I need to give the boot:

• Fat Free Ranch
• Sugar Free French Vanilla Creamer
• Low Fat Creamy Jif Peanut Butter
• 2% Kraft American Cheese
• Johnsonville Smoked Turkey Sausage LInks
• Whey Protein Powder

Not as bad as I thought it would be! I think I'll start with replacing my ranch dressing and work my way down the list.

If you'd like to read more about "October #Unprocessed" visit Albert Wilder's "Eating Rules" blog.

Thoughts on Running

• I love seeing other runners while I'm out. I always smile and wave. The ones I see out often I even think about when I don't run. The ones I don't see out often, I think about too.
• I care if they wave back. 
• I wonder what kind of run they're having. 
• Somewhere in between 7-13 minutes I hit my stride. Everything kind of stands still. It's like meditating. I hope to be able to stay in that place all the time someday.
• I try to plan my runs for distance, hills, etc. I always hate those runs.
•  I love the ones where I just wing it and take a new route, go out at a different time, listen to some new music. That's when it's really fun and I feel alive!  
• I love my hydration belt (even though it cost a bazillion dollars).
• I have no interest in learning about running. I just want to keep doing it.
• I'd like to try running early in the morning before the sun comes up.
• Running is the only time that I get where I'm truly alone.
• I usually have several moments of clarity during a run. I forget them the minute my high comes down. 
• Sometimes, I pretend that the trees and grass and squirrels and birds and dogs and bushes are all cheering me on. 
• Even more weird, I sometimes pretend that I've stopped running and the universe is carrying me. (But I really just still be running though.) =/
• It's super awesome running with a group because of the collective energy. Harness and use it!
• I ache to GTFU from my desk and run while I'm at work. If I didn't sweat like it was the end of the world I would try to sneak in a light jog on my lunch break.
• I love even the runs I hate.
• I run because it's something that I never thought I could do. Who knew all I had to do was do it?! 

Stinky Workout Clothes (womp womp)

Ewe! My workout clothes smell like hot sweaty sour ass even fresh out of the wash! I'm going to have to start washing them separately and I came across some tips to try:

• Soak clothes in detergent and lemon juice
• Spray with vinegar before throwing in the wash
• Use sport formulated detergent (yeah didn't know this existed)

Thanks Google!

10/5/12 UPDATE:

I filled the washer with a little detergent, fresh lemon juice and a cup of vinegar and soaked my clothes overnight (by accident! I honestly just forgot about them!) and they came out not smelling like shit! I've started adding a little vinegar to every load I wash. Woop! 

Meatless Monday

I'm not an official "Meatless Monday"er, but I gave dinner a shot today! Freaking delicious. Even though I made the fried rice with brown rice, carbs still make me VERY nervous so as yummy as this dish was, I'm not sure it will be making another appearance anytime soon. Hello and goodbye. 

Afternoon Snack

Sautéed pear apple & onions w/ thyme. Wasn't quite as savory as I had hoped it would be, but still yummy & a nice break from my usual foods!

Not Really - Homeboy Sandman

This guy is my friend. And he's dope. He's a dope artist, a dope person, and just an all around good dude. And this video rocks. Enjoy!

The Countdown Continues

I started this countdown at the beginning of my journey and I have absolutely LOVED marking off the days. I'm now officially 75% of the way finished with what I'm calling "Phase 1". The time has flown by! I'm still busting my ass to peel off the pounds so there is no downhill or homestretch. Now it's kind of a race against the calendar to see how much I can lose before the days run out!

Wisdom According to Pinterest

Before & Current Pics!

The pic on the left was taken 6/24/12 (no clue why it's so blurry. blargh.) & the one on the right was today before my run! Thanks Jillian!

Leftover Turkey Burger Tacos

...on a fancy paper plate.

The recipe is as easy as it looks. I chopped up half a turkey burger and sauteed some onions, orange bell pepper and spinach with a little Pam and topped it off with a dab of taco sauce. Didn't even season it and it literally took about 6 minutes. YUM.

Card Carrying Member

I finally became a member! I've listened to NPR every single morning and every single evening on my way to and from work for at least a decade but I've never donated. So, I figured if I can pay for a Netflix subscription that I never use for well over a year surely I can cancel that and send the money somewhere else where it'll actually be making a difference and contributing to my overall quality of life. Woop!

"Who Moved My Cheese?"

I want to preface this by saying that I HATE long blog posts! I never read a post longer than a short paragraph, so I forgive you in advance if you skip this one. :)

It's interesting how I finally came to reading this parable after hearing about it for so many years. I was interviewing a candidate last week who worked in a different industry, so I asked her why she would be interesting in changing industries at this point in her career and her response was "I'm very comfortable where I am." I waited for her to finish that thought, but that was it. She didn't say anything else so I questioned it and she asked if I'd ever read "Who Moved My Cheese?" and of course I hadn't but lied and said I did a long time ago. (Yeah not awesome.) Long story short, I walk out of my office to take a little break and decide to peruse one of the many book cases filled with what I thought was just a bunch of old corporate crap, and wouldn't you know....there was the book sitting right there less than 3 feet away from my office and I had never noticed it there before. Thank you Universe.

I'll refrain from explaining the story, but will jump to the take home message.

The question of the century! I'm not even sure I have an answer for that yet, but I need to answer it in order to be able to truly understand how my fears effect my decisions and behavior and maybe even figure out how to get over a few humps both in my professional and personal relationships. 

I know with losing weight I wouldn't have thought that I was afraid of it, but was just lazy and unmotivated. But during this journey I've had a few moments of clarity where I've realized that I was afraid of what life might be like as a non-fat person. Who would I be once the costume was off? How would other people perceive me? Would people have new expectations of me and would I have new ones of myself? What is life like without the constant struggle with the scale? I found that not only were there fears associated with losing weight, but there were thousands of them!

As with the parable, I've found happiness along the way of losing weight, in the process, not necessarily at the destination. I feel good moving and taking care of my body even though I haven't reached my ideal number. This book is definitely one that I'll keep on the shelf and revisit from time to time. I highly recommend it for everyone...especially because you can read the whole book in less than an hour! Definitely an hour well spent.

Wisdom According to Pinterest

To go, or not to go?

I really want to go to yoga tomorrow after work but I keep talking myself out of it! Ugh I know I'm a little intimidated at the thought of being the fat inflexible meat eating old lady in the class but the truth the matter is that I don't care and nobody else will either. I put my mat by the door. I better go.

UPDATE

I didn't go. I don't even feel bad about it.

Super (Tired) Mom

What an exhausting weekend! Activities included going to my little cousin's flag football game, entertaining my parents, starting to plan G's 1st birthday party (we're going with an Ugly Dolls theme!), finished Week 1 of RI30 and started Week 2 (shoot me now), cleaned up the house and got all of the laundry done, grocery shopping, prepped meals for the week and I managed to squeeze in a few hours of work while the folks were napping after Sunday brunch all while spending super quality time with the teething little one who has been refusing to take baths or get his diaper changed which really kicks life up a notch. Yeah...I'm tired!

Back Up Off My Zen

Peace in my world is fleeting, but I've been digging very deep to try to convince it to stick around from time to time, maybe sleep over and let me make it breakfast. I struggle to just be even (if that makes any sense). This is where I introduce the antagonist in the very short and not explained very well story. This person is just generally difficult and I have to deal with her. I've been venting about this person a lot lately to friends and coworkers and I've found that I don't like venting nearly as much as I used to. It simply isn't effective and it's a total waste of time. And just because I have negative energy piling up in my head doesn't mean I need to unload it into the universe and plant those seeds of destruction into someone else's thought garden.

So, I want to learn to remain composed in the face of this person's blatant unreasonableness. To take a few minutes to stop and really think about what the ultimate goal is and plan out how to get there peacefully while navigating through her choppy waters. I want to be able to accept this person for exactly who they show me they are and set my expectations accordingly. I'll start untangling myself from the drama of just thinking about it by ending this post and going to bed. Gn.

Make It: Pasta Alfredo That’s Actually Good For You!

I totally want to try this! It's an Alfredo, but the sauce is made with tofu. Now, I'm not a huge fan of tofu but this recipe actually sounds pretty awesome.

Make It: Pasta Alfredo That’s Actually Good For You!

Silence is Golden

I'm uber bitchy today and I'm pretty sure my period is coming. I see it racing towards me like a wild and rabid freight train with a crazed look in it's eye, foaming at the mouth. <3 retired to the man cave and is basically ignoring the shit out of me, which is awesome. Otherwise I'd surely pick a stupid fight and regret it after the hormones settle. By then an "Oopsies my bad for my stank attitude. It was the period talking." for the umpteenth time doesn't hold much weight. I'll sit for at least 5 minutes each night, watch my thoughts carefully over the next several days and hopefully keep the cravings under control while keeping up with Ripped in 30. And drink lots and lots of water. This time of the month is usually a huge pitfall for me so hopefully this time I'll be more prepared. And this is all assuming it's actually my period coming. It could just really be that I'm a bitch. Which in that case I'll definitely need to meditate for more than 5 minutes. Om.

Wisdom According to Pinterest



Runners, Yeah We're Different.

Dopeness.

The first of many.

Color Me Rad Bitches!

The Color Me Rad race in Ft. Worth was this morning and I rocked it! I finished right at 40 minutes including one pit stop and running at least half a mile on loose rocks...which sucked in case you were wondering. LOL

I can't believe after all of these months of training the race has finally come and gone. I feel amazing and had a blast and will definitely be running another 5K very soon. Here are a few highlights!

Black Girls Run! Love these ladies. 

On your mark...get set....

Approaching the first color bomb station.

PR!

I look WAY cooler running than I thought! Way fatter too. Totally wish I would've pulled down my tank top before this pic was snapped! Whatev.

Crossing the finish line!

I finished it!

Water, but Better

I just used frozen strawberry slices for ice cubes. This beats chicken & waffles any day! *happy taste bud dance*

Free Day of Yoga!

Ricky Tran

Every year on 9/3 is the DFW Free Day of Yoga. I've never taken advantage of it before, but today I finally took the plunge. I found a (and hopefully he will be MY) teacher, Ricky Tran of Krama Yoga Center, literally 2 days  before I found out I was pregnant back in February 2010 and today was the day I ventured back into his studio for an Intro to Ashtanga class which ended up being 95% philosophy & only 5% asana...just the way I like it. I'd like to decide to make time for a yoga practice with him, but I'm not sure I'm there yet. When I am, I think I'll know. Right?

See the thing is, I don't want to be a yoga chic. I don't want cute (and dangerously expensive) yoga clothes from Lululemon, I don't want to show off my headstand or super deep back bend. Yoga is not the destination. For me, yoga is the path. I guess I just want to be sure that when I commit, I'm committing to the right thing.

Ok with that being said, the free class coupons he handed out today will surely get me back in there sooner than later! =P

Hefty Post-Run Protein Shake

The comfort in planning ahead

We have plans to visit friends that live VERY far away so we're going to stay all day long, which means I need to be smart about eating and working out! I got up early with the baby and our "new" Baby Jogger 2 and hit the streets for 8:1 of Run5K and I packed a salad and protein shake to take with me. I feel confident that I won't get off track!

Farmer's Market Day!

Took my very first trip to the Farmer's Market today! I can't believe I've NEVER been to a Farmer's Market before. I've always wanted to go but it was just one of those things that "other" people do. You know the type that has disposable income, does yoga at swank yoga studio wearing sweatbands made specifically to catch cosmic yogic perspiration, owns a bike they actually use as a primary mode of transportation, and those people that walk around hugging trees and volunteering for PETA. I also had severe anxiety about what the parking situation would be like and would rather just 86 the super fresh locally grown veggies than battle over a parking spot. Well, the market was NOTHING like that at all! It was fairly quiet with a steady stream of very regular non-pretentious patrons. I took the baby and he gobbled up some fresh pineapple and mango, I ate a few bites of the most amazing cake, discovered a little BBQ shack that had a line wrapped around the corner before it ever even opened....and bought some awesomely cheap and super fresh fruits and veggies. Did I mention awesomely cheap?! OMG everything was so cheap! Cheap cheap cheap. Who knew eating healthy could be so affordable!


OK so I eat a ton of spinach. I throw it in everything from breakfast omelets to my protein shakes. I bought a bag at the market and I just want to note that this super fresh spinach doesn't look anything like the spinach I buy at the grocery store. All of the pieces don't look the same and there's a rough-ish texture instead of being all perfectly smooth and rounded. It looks like an actual leafy green veggie. Perhaps I just learned the difference between adult spinach and baby spinach?! *pinky to mouth & ponders* Either way...I can't wait to taste it! The salad that I made out of my other farmer's market purchases was delicious and I'm sure the spinach won't disappoint!

On the road again...

After my 2 very long evenings of not working out (specifically running)...I hit the pavement today! It took a bit of negotiating to get 'er done as someone had to get the baby to bed and be available for him and my <3 wanted to mow the yard (which I never want to stand in the way of!) but there wasn't enough time for him to do the yard THEN for me to run so we compromised and he decided to only mow the front so that I could squeeze in my run before the sun went down. He totally freaks if I'm not in before the street lights come on (which is beyond sweet!). So anyways, I did in fact re-run the previous Run5K program that I totally fucked up last time, and I'm pleased to announce that even though I didn't run it perfectly...I ran it strong.

Here's a little Pinterest running wisdom to get me through my final week before the actual race!

A Whole Night of Rest

My fellow band geeks out there are probably giggling at the pic! Clever eh? Anywho,  yeah I'm resting tonight. Washed my hair, washed the dishes, clipped my toenails and now I'm writing this here blog post just to prove that I, in fact, did not work out today no matter how bad I wanted to. The night has kind of flown by. Until next time...

Walk in the Park

Yup that's pretty much what my run was like today because I walked most of it which doesn't qualify it as a "run" at all now does it? For the first time since starting the program, I just couldn't run anymore. No matter how many positive affirmations I muttered I just couldn't keep running. I had a very normal first mile and took a different route which is always fun and is usually when I do my best work, but today my brain got the best of me. When the program informed me that I was at the "halfway" point I was like "are you fucking kidding me that's it? Only halfway? Ugh I'm tired and I'm going to stop running now" and that was it. I tried to shuffle along for a few more minutes after some majorly casual walking but that just felt ridiculous so I walked again.

But..it's all good. I've worked out for several consecutive days and I'm tired. I need to rest and even though I'm soooo close to completing the program I can't rush it. I'm vowing to not work out for at least 1 day, maybe 2 depending on how I feel.

In other news...I finally shaved my legs. You're welcome.

Best Week Ever

I've had a great week! Hmmm where to begin...

Let's start with today's run. DEATH. Running uphill in humidity as thick as shaving gel is not my idea of a good time. But I have to admit I feel pretty kick ass for still finishing the first mile in under 13:26. Not a personal best, but it's right on target. Only 4 more runs left and I'm done with the Run5K program! Woo!

Ok now on to weight loss. I hit 191.6 today and being just 1.4lbs away from hitting my 30lb loss milestone AND the anticipation of dropping under 190 is a recipe for an excellent upcoming week! Definitely natural motivation.

A friend loaned me her copy of "Crazy, Sexy Diet" and even though I'm pretty familiar with the topics outlined in the first several chapters there's lots of good stuff in here. Like did you know that your gut has it's own nervous system?! Interesting right?! I'm kind of over the "yeah I'm so cool because I curse and I'm witty" tone of the book (very reminiscent of Skinny Bitch who actually wrote the forward in the book) but I won't let that get in the way of the info. I just might be considering the 21 day cleanse, but I'm not sure yet. We shall see!

And finally...I stumbled back into yoga. I LOVE yoga. I have stumbled in and out of it for 15 years and I've even found my teacher Ricky Tran (I just can't make it to any of his classes!). So this Friday I popped in my  Nicki Doane Primary Series and did a half hour of yoga. *BLISS* I have a feeling that yoga and meditation will play a pretty big role in my unfattening but I can't even begin to imagine what that role will be. All in all, I'm looking forward to rotating yoga into my workout routine and might even browse the yoga sutras for old times sake. Yay!

5K Here I Come!

I absolutely can't believe that I jogged for 20 minutes non-stop! Bring it!

The Lunch Trap

We had a new employee start today and took her out for the customary welcome lunch and my inner fat girl couldn't have been happier. I indulged on a couple of pieces of bread with butter and ordered a veggie burger with side salad. The lunch itself may not sound so bad but it was super greasy and didn't even begin to look healthy! I can still rest assured that it was probably way better than most of the salads on the menu. I only ate half of it, but it still basically gobbled up my calories for the day. Today is my rest day from working out so I'll just have a shake for dinner and call it a day. Not a bad day, not a great day...just..a day.