Curses!

So, looks like no baby this time around - unless I tested too early.. You know what that means? Back to the grind!!

I am joining Melody in a goal to lose 20lbs by February. It starts on November 1st, so I have been trying to start tracking again. I'm very spotty with it right now, but I'm trying to get used to thinking about it so that I can be as close to perfect as possible for the 1st.

The funny thing is, around the same time that this would be ending/accomplished, Michael and I would be trying to get pregnant again! lol!! However, I still want to go full-force with this so that I will be in the best shape of my life for the baby. It will be MUCH easier for my body to bounce back that way.

I've also been experimenting with different fitness regiments. This past week I have started going to Bootcamp Xplosion, which has been awesome! It's definitely throwing a wrench into my normal routine and waking my body up. I can't remember the last time my abs ached so much for so long! Melody, Jessica and I purchased discount vouchers for a month, so I'm trying to take full advantage of it for the next 3 1/2 weeks.

Another exciting tidbit, Michael and I joined Anytime Fitness! He has been wanting to join for a while now, and we had agreed to wait until after Disney. I have only been a couple of times, but he has been pretty regular with going. I'm very proud of him. :) Now, I have until the end of the year to get on with Spectrum as a Spin sub before Michael will be looking for me to cancel my membership. :( I really like the option of classes. One of the instructors at Perkins has offered to help Melody and I through the certification process, which is really cool. I am hoping that all of these events and happenings will keep me motivated through the holidays. :)

Staying calm.

So, the week from Hell has finally hit the end of the road. Things had to get worse before they got better, but I won't go into that.

Wednesday and Thursday found me back at the gym and back in the swing of things. I think I lost about 5 lbs in sweat between the 2 days! I feel lighter in my body and soul.

Disney is exactly a week away!! In one week I will be wrapping up last minute work details and setting my "Out of the Office" auto-replies. I am so excited! This has been such a long time coming, and we've been planning and preparing for over 6 months. Everything (so far!) has fallen into place better than we could have ever thought. It won't be the most *relaxing* vacation we've ever had, but it will definitely be the most fun! We have a day at the beach on our way back and then two days at home before having to get back in the swing of work. I can't wait!

I feel the need to update my 15lbs in 45 days goal. :-P That was a ridiculously high goal, but I have lost about 5 lbs so far. If I can lose another 2 or 3 in the next 7 days, I will be thrilled! lol I am resting today, but plan to be back in the gym in the morning. I've been on a roll, so hopefully I will keep it up! :)

Today...I just want to bitch.

I don't even care if anyone listens!

Today has been shot to shit. SHOT TO SHIT. The only thing that will make it worse is when I pick up my car from the brake shop this afternoon. I'm sure I will want to shoot a kitten.

First, I had nightmares about Disney last night. I guess not true nightmares that most would imagine, but definitely WTF dreams. Then, I have my retainer fix appointment for 12:30p. I go to leave and as I'm pulling out of work, my phone rings. Apparently my appointment was at 12:15p (despite what my card says) and now they can't see me until next week because the doc has a 1p meeting. Oh, but if it's bothering me then I can come in for a quick fix. I am not paying you to cover it with some wax. I hate my orthodontist. He's a pig who only employs cute, young girls and then talks to them like they're worthless. I had forgotten most of it until the first time I had a loose spot on my retainer about 3 months ago. He's still the same asshole. DId I mention that I scheduled this appointment when one spot on my retainer broke A MONTH AGO!

So, now, I'm trying to get a hold of my dear hubby so that he can bring me back to work after I drop my car off at the break shop. I think my break pads are going out. Lovely.

Oh, and one of the small diamonds on my wedding band fell out. I hope it's in the ring holder at home. At least that should be an inexpensive fix - not enough to claim with the insurance.

UGH! CAN I JUST GO TO DISNEY NOW?!!!

Motivation

So, today I am completing "Day 5" of MTC. I have also started incorporating Pauline Nordin's Butt Bible routines, as well as various cardio work-outs (Spin, stair step, etc). I can definitely feel myself getting back into the groove of things like I used to be (before the Census).

I did receive a little bit of motivation yesterday, too. I was looking back through some old pictures from when I doing New Rules of Lifting for Women last year. At the time, I was frustrated about the lack of movement on the scale. That was also why I stopped the program - I felt like if I wasn't losing pounds then it wasn't worth it. However, looking back, the pictures say it all. I was in the best shape I have ever been at that time. I had definition and I was getting tiny! Why was I such an idiot? Because I was dealing with my girly obsession of the scale. I was obsessed with a number (and will admit that I still am), and lost track of the transformation my body was taking right in front of me! I can't let myself do that again. I know that once I am done with MTC and get back from Disney that I need to start NROLFW again. I will be more aware of keeping my cardio up, but if the scale does not drop I can't get mad. The muscle that I was building made my body look awesome, but it cost me on the weight front.

Seriously. The picture of my lower half at the top of this blog was from after the 2nd stage of New Rules. Ummm...Hello! (<--- to myself). Why was I upset at that?!

MTC Day 1

Alrighty, so today I am starting Making the Cut. I did this program in January of 2009, and at the end I was very pleased with the results. I truly feel like this is what I need before heading off to Disney in 30 DAYS! :)

I have already started the diet part, and will complete the Day 1 circuits after work. I reviewed the book and feel very refreshed and motivated. I am going to take my "goodbye" pics when I get home to help keep my motivation going. I have not taken my measurements, and don't feel too concerned with that this time around. I just want to get moving and feel sexy on vacation.

After vacation, I want to get into the best shape of my life before I get pregnant. Michael and I decided that if we don't get pregnant this time around, then I will get back on BC until after the first part of next year.

It's kind of funny... Years ago I thought I would have had a baby by now - 25 was my baby number. Now, I'm 26 and depending on when I get pregnant, could be 28 before I become a mom. Crazy how things turn out!

32 days until Disney

Ahh...vacation is a month away. I CAN'T WAIT!

I set a goal for myself at the 45 day marker to lose 15 pounds before we leave for Disney World. So far, I'm down 1 lb. UGH!

I am hitting Spin today at Perkins or Southdowns, and 99.99% sure I'll be starting Making the Cut tomorrow.

Holla!

Damn you 133! Why won't you die?

I guess I really shouldn't complain... I can't remember the last time I saw the gym, but I haven't gained any weight. That is probably a result of my loss of appetite. :-/

So, the Census is almost over (I think). I'm so ready for a break. I need to get back to my normal schedule. It's almost like having an out-of-body experience with the way things are right now. I get up, go to my Census meeting, go to work, go to my other Census meeting at lunch, go back to work, go home, cook dinner, work on Census binders/EQs, spend a few minutes with Michael, go to bed. That has been life during the week for the most part since the end of April. The weekends haven't been much better, but they have allowed for spending some time with family and friends. I think I'd have gone absolutely insane without at least that. Now, the extra money has been fantastic; I won't lie. We've almost paid Disney off, paid off a credit card, and still have a really nice cushion in the bank. Plus, we're redoing our living room floor this month. As soon as our friend (who did flooring as a job once) gets a free Saturday (this weekend or next, supposedly), they will be in! I'm so excited for that. After the floors, we'll be painting the spare bedroom/will-be nursery. I've been researching unisex color schemes, and I think I've picked one.... Not 100% sure though, so I'll hold off on sharing. ;)

The planned projects are keeping me going.

Now, even though I have not been in the gym, I have been using my Ab Circle and Shake Weight! :P I feel tighter in my tummy and my arms are definitely changing shape a little. I've been trying to do 6 minutes minimum of each every day. I missed yesterday - I pretty much passed out as soon as I got home. Every day I tell myself I'm going to the gym after work, but it hasn't happened for a few weeks. I'm telling myself the same thing again today. We shall see...

Movin' on up!

So, I want to take a few minutes to address the tips from my last post in action. For the past week and a half I have taken my own advice, and it has really paid off. I've lost about 3 lbs, and hope to lose another 3 or 4 before my birthday next weekend.

I have not been getting to bed as early as I would like to every night, but I have been getting at least 6 hours. Being more aware of the amount of sleep I am getting has helped me make a better effort at getting the right amount. I feel more rested when I wake up, and I think part of that includes the 15 minutes of meditation I have also been doing. Whether it's with a bubble bath or just laying on the bed, I turn on some soft music and go to my "happy place" for a few minutes every night. That has been a huge stress/tension reliever for me.

I have (almost) completely cut out caffeine. Every morning I fill up my 50oz water bottle, and I make sure to finish it before I leave work. Then, I refill it and try to drink at least half for the rest of the day. If I go to the gym, I finish it and refill again. My body feels much cleaner now and less weighted down. I've had a total of MAYBE 2 Diet Dr. Peppers and only one 8oz cup of coffee in the last week and a half. I have not experienced any headaches from it, and I credit that part to the meditation and sleep I have been getting.

I have also been taking my vitamins religiously. I grab the packet in the morning, and either take them with breakfast or as soon as I get to work. I'll be honest, some of them are not easy to swallow. It's probably the worst part of this new routine, but the results and how I feel have been worth it!

I have also been planning my meals much better. I have either an egg or turkey burger sandwich in the morning for breakfast, protein and skim milk for a snack, then lunch has been random. For dinner, I have been trying recipes from the MYM Cookbook.

Overall, I am very pleased. The changes were not drastic, and I found easy ways to add them to my routine. Most of it is just a matter of planning ahead and being aware.

The missing pieces of the puzzle

Regarding my health and well being lately, times have been tough. I reached my breaking point last night. Tuesday, I left with 2 coworkers to stay in Lafayette for a couple of days while we trained our sister clinic on our computer system that they will now use. I was materialistically prepared for this, but went in physically and mentally worn down; mostly because of the 2nd job adding to the craziness of this time of the year for me with evals. (BTW, if I didn't mention, I'm doing a little side work with the Census to help pay for our Disney trip and a few extras!) So, anyway...between the stress and the greasy food (feeding a group of 10-12 people, we needed to go cheap), I ended up sick before we left the clinic last night. I was throwing up and my stomach was in awful knots. After getting home and getting some rest today, I decided that I really needed to evaluate what key pieces are missing right now; not just the nutrition and exercise part.

#1 - Sleep. I hardly ever get 8 hours. I almost wish that I had a schedule with night shifts just so I could sleep in on nights that I stay up a little too late. I realize after about 2.5 seconds how dumb that would be for me considering the other convenient and wonderful aspects that a 9-5 schedule brings to my life. So, #1 - GET MORE SLEEP!

#2 - Water. Lots and lots of water. Like I said, I have a busy schedule right now (although, I know people who deal with worse - and you have a special place in Heaven!). Caffiene has been there for me more than water has. So, #2 - 80 ounces a day!

#3 - Vitamins. A daily multivitamin is so important. It's pretty much impossible for the average person to get the all of the proper nutrients that our body needs on food alone every day. Save yourself some headache, and get a good multivitamin. Today, I picked up GNC's Womens Ultra Mega Active Vitapack. It's specific to what I need, and it's in a convenient pack. I don't have to worry about remembering to go to all the vitamin bottles on my bathroom counter and pick out what I need anymore. Now, I just grab the packet with everything already there in the morning; and I can take it along with me if I need to. So much more convenient.

#4 - Meditation. Everyone should take some time out of their day to just relax. I plan to take at least 15 minutes everyday to just put on my headphones with some Enya or the like, close my eyes, and zone out. I need this more than ever right now, and definitely over the next couple of months.

#5 - Plan better meals. I never completely finished reading all of Master Your Metabolism, but I jumped around enough to get the gist of the ideas. What I was missing were recipes to help me figure out all of her advice. The last thing I have time for is to research all of her suggested foods and find specific recipes. Well, low and behold, Jillian has now come out with the MYM Cookbook (HALLELUJAH!). I picked that puppy up the other night, and have started flipping through to highlight what looks tasty for me (and Michael). Grocery shopping list has been started!

#6 - Proper recovery nutrition. Lately, when I have made it to the gym, my post-workout nutrition has been lacking. This has been because in the past I have been able to eat dinner within an hour of leaving the gym; so I started giving up the protein shake to cut unnecessary extra calories. Now, it has been more of a struggle to do that with everything going on. So, I also picked up some new protein powder today. It's a much higher quality than what I have purchased in the past, so I am excited to have something more specific to me.

Obviously, my workouts fit into the equation since they have been "missing" lately; even though I do not have them listed. Because of the upcoming 2nd Rocketchix Tri, I am going to be focusing on mostly cardio for the next couple of months. And, as I mentioned before, getting my Spin instructor certification is part of that. I feel much better having sat down and put a lot of thought into what I am missing in my overall well being. For me, as it should be for everyone, being healthy is not just about diet and excerise. It is a complete lifestyle.

...and it's been going straight to my ass!

I'm at least thankful that I have no ballooned up with the disaster of the last few weeks. My healthy lifestyle has taken a backseat to my workload. And, it's not going to get better this week...maybe next week.

I'm aggravated with myself, and my lack of energy. The thing is, I know that if I just make myself get back into my usual gym habits for a few days that I won't need to push myself anymore. I get addicted to the gym very easily, but I also fall out of habit very easily because I tend to lose track when things get busy. The hardest part of getting to the gym is the fact that I have not been able to plan ahead for it. I've been leaving work at random times (later that normal usually) in preparation for this trip to Lafayette to launch our EMR system. By the time I get out of the office, I'm mentally drained and/or don't have my gym bag packed up with me. I've been thinking more and more about switching to Anytime Fitness, just for convenience. They just don't have the classes that I enjoy, and that has been the deal breaker up to now.

I say up to now, because I have a plan for the month of May. There is a Spin Instructor Orientation class on May 22nd (day before my birthday!). If I take that and get a job at Spectrum as a Spin instructor, then I will no longer pay to be a member. If that happens, then I can swing the Anytime membership. I know I've talked about doing this certification in the past, but the thing that motivates me for this time around is that it'd be like my birthday gift to myself and help get my back on track for the summer. It's $300 (after the discount code), so paying that kind of money is enough to motivate me alone! lol I want/need to talk to Ambrey and/or Ashley about it first, and I only have today or Thursday. I will be in Lafayette for Tuesday and Wednesday for sure, so those are out. *sigh*

I need a week of vacation to do absolutely nothing except worry with exercise and eating right! That would be amazing!!

Here's the dealio...

I am worn out, and it's only the beginning. I have 6 or 7 weeks left of this! :( I haven't been eating right or even tracking regularly for over a week now. And, even though my physical activity has been mild, I feel like I am running on empty.

Let's just say work might become the death of me! lol

Today, I am getting myself organized. Here is what I want to accomplish:

- Get my office into some sort of organized chaos (eval process starts next month - eek!)
- Write out my exercise plan for the next 2 1/2 weeks (I have to be out of the office and working nights on more than one occasion)
- Prepare a menu plan to stick to that will work with my crazy work schedule (I might have to look to some processed "diet" food for the time being just to keep my calories on point during this crazy time)

If I can get those three things accomplished, I won't feel so overwhelmed anymore. I mean, I will still feel overwhelmed, but it won't be quite as bad. ;) Just for an example, I came in on Tuesday and ended up finding out that I had to go do training in Lafayette that afternoon/night. It was a misunderstanding, and I just sucked it up. It's the little things like that I am worried about throwing off my best planning.

I just keep telling myself that everything will be ok. :)

Feeling pretty good.

Despite the obvious Easter candy setbacks, I have been doing pretty well. :) Last week was rough with work, so I didn't get in as many workouts as I would have liked. However, I am not letting any of those things derail me.

I think I am about to start my period soon. I have been irritable and exhausted regardless of how much sleep I get. Yesterday, I came home and took a 2-3 hour nap. I ate dinner, did P90x Arms & Shoulders, showered and went to bed by midnight. I also took a Melatonin, which may have been the problem. When my alarm went off at 7am, I turned it off accidentally and didn't get up until Michael was walking out the door. All in all, I had about 9 hours at least. But, I'm STILL dragging ass! It's right about time for Aunt Flo, so it makes sense. I guess I should get back on my birth control to see if it will help. I've been off for about 2 months or so. It hasn't necessarily been on purpose; I'm just absentminded sometimes.

Tonight, I am going to do chest & back with Melody. I really need to get some good cardio in, too. This Sunday is the Strawberry Strut 10k. We may also be doing a 5k the night before. So, I would like to get at least two runs in this week - maybe a 2/3 miler and a 4/5 miler. If I do the treadmill tonight, I would like to do a road run on Thursday.

So, I have decided that I want to plan a Bikini Day. This will be the day that I find my new summer suit (or at least start the hunt!). I want to use this as a mini goal/deadline. I haven't decided on the day, but I am looking at April 30th, May 7th and May 14th (at the latest). April 30th would give me a little over three weeks, and May 7th is right at a month. I want to check with Melody, but I think May 7th will be the day. Part of my goal is to post a pic of me in my new bikini to show my progress. The whole point of this is to get myself on the very brink of where I want to be, so that I can use the last 2-3 weeks before my birthday to chisel at the problem areas. I want to be in the low 120s by my birthday. More importantly, I want my body fat to be under 20% by then.

I know I can do it.

I got the feva...

Yes, I have been struck with baby fever again!! It was so bad yesterday... While I was grocery shopping, I stood and stared at the pregnancy tests wondering if I should buy one or two knowing full well that I am NOT pregnant! I keep telling myself that once we go to Disney it's game on, buuut..... I still have races that I want to do. Shit, an Ironman at that! And, honestly, I would need to get pregnant in late August/early September at the latest to make sure I don't go into the Summer for my due date. I would love to have an April due date, but would need to conceive in like July for that to happen. Since we will be at Disney in October, that is not an option. I guess I could be pregnant in Disney, but I don't want to be. I want to be a kid in the parks and enjoy the food & wine festival that will be going on. I don't want to have to hold back because I'm pregnant. Also, I am really pressing for us to vacation in Europe before kids. If Michael gets this promotion, we might be able to wing it next Summer. A Mediterranean cruise would be superb. In my perfect world, we would do Disney this year, finish my Ironman and then get pregnant in Europe next year. However, I see us getting pregnant sooner than that simply because we are both aching for a baby. The only thing that helps me keep my "perfect world" goal in view is that once the baby comes, everything changes.

Well, that and the fact that my ass will probably double in size when I'm pregnant.

I have come to realize that there are no good times to lose weight. There will always be something going on. Last week was Andrea's bachelorette party, and this week I have the OLOL Gala and Daniel & Andrea's wedding. The next week is Bunco, and the list goes on. The point is that you have to be ready for these things. Even if you have a week where you don't think anything will sabotage you, something WILL come up. So, you have to do your absolute best everyday to prepare for those slip-up nights/events that you can't get out of. And, hey, if for some reason you really don't have anything going on, then you just did yourself an added favor. Look at each day as the day before your cheat day. Sacrifice now for later.

Day 1 - again, kind of.

So, last week was an overall success. I did not make the Fat Boy 5k because I made the mistake of staying out the night before. We had going-away party for one of our providers, and I did not plan to go until my boss called asking me about it. Two beers later, I was easily convinced by some co-workers to hang out downtown. It was fun, and I hadn't done that in a while. However, it cost me precious sleep for the run. I am so proud to say that Michael went on without me and finished the race in about 40 minutes! This was hit first race, and I am so proud of him!!! He wants to do the lakes with me soon - maybe Friday when he's off. :)

This week marks the start of tracking again. Ugh. It's a pain, but see my last Wednesday's post for the reasons why it's a necessity.

Yesterday, I had some bad stomach cramps that I had to fight through in order to finish my workout. Because I am following a plan, I refused to not get it done. I think the reason for my upset tummy was my sodium intake from the weekend. My stomach felt like it was full of gas, and if I could just fart or burp (sorry for sounding gross!), that I would feel so much better. I could even tell when I was working out that my body had extra water stored up. My arms were swelling to the point that I had to move my armband with my iPhone down because it was so uncomfortable. So, while most people stress out about carbs and fat, you should always watch your sodium intake. Too much salt causes you to retain water and is bad for your kidneys.

Day 4 - I wanna hit the floor.

I guess it could be worse. My arms were definitely not as sore as I expected them to be today. They are sore, but I was expecting to not be able to lift a pencil after yesterday! lol I know it only hurt so much because I was sore from chest and back.

Instead of Ab Ripper X and back today, Melody and I are going to do cardio and legs. Saturday, we have a 5k, so Thursday and Friday's routines are being switched to make Friday lighter. The last thing you want is to run on extremely sore legs!

I'm pretty proud of myself so far this week. My diet and exercise have been great! Last night, Melody and I made our own personal sized version of Papa Murphy's Herb Chicken Mediterranean pizza. It was phenomenal!! Healthy, too! I listed the recipe below.

Homemade Herb Chicken Mediterranean Pizza
- 1 Whole Wheat Pita (we used the all natural ones from Our Daily Bread)
- 1/2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
- 1 tsp Fresh chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup Fresh chopped spinach
- 1/4 cup Fresh chopped basil
- 1/4 cup Fat free shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1.5 oz Goat cheese crumbles
- 1 Tbsp Sun dried tomatoes
- 4 oz of diced chicken breast

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook the chicken and garlic together until done (season with dried herbs of your choice). Drizzle olive oil on pita and lightly top with half of the shredded mozzarella. Add diced chicken and garlic, then cover with remaining ingredients. Bake for 10 minutes or until cheeses are melted.

Absolutely delish!!

Happy Little Green Man Day!

Day 3 - so far, so good.

One thing about membership parties at the gym is that they always attract a crowd. Crowds are great for business, but suck for regulars in Spin. Oh well. I still got my Ab Ripper X and lower back exercises in yesterday.

Today, Melody and I are working arms & shoulders, followed by Ashley's Spin class. We plan to do the weights before, so we will already be at the gym when the sign-in sheet comes out. I am trying to revert back to the "baby steps" approach. I had gotten so comfortable with being in a healthy lifestyle, that I felt immune to the failures that come with overloading yourself. The truth is that no matter what level you are at, there is always the risk of failure. This week I have been focusing on sticking to the work-out routine. Obviously, I always try to eat well, and now being more conscious than ever. Next week, I will start back with daily tracking. Melody and I are going to have to keep each other accountable there. It's so easy to be lazy and say, "Oh, I know I didn't go over my calories today." But, the truth is that you don't really know until you write it down. No matter how good your intentions are, the calories can add up FAST.

Perfect example - last night on Biggest Loser they had a cooking challenge. One team fixed a beautiful meal of salmon, wild rice and broccoli. However, they left the skin on the salmon (where a lot of the fat is located). That pushed the calorie count of the meal to 557. It's the little things that can damage you if you're not careful. Tracking helps you keep everything in perspective. If you're killing yourself at the gym, and the scale is barely moving or not moving at all, then all of your efforts might be being sabotaged by your diet without you even realizing it.

So, as much of a pain in the ass as it can be, track, track, TRACK YOUR CALORIES when you're trying to lose weight/cut fat/tone up.

*Yaaaawn*

So sleepy.... This caffeine fast is taking a toll on me. :( I might start taking a Guarana supplement in the morning to help with the drain. Part of today's problem might be that I tried to go to bed early last night, but had a hard time staying asleep. I kept waking up with a small cough, so I took about 1/2 a dose of my Rx cough syrup. Not sure what time that was, but it may be part of the reason I am dragging so bad today.

So, yesterday, I ended up doing P90x Chest & Back (w/worksheet in the gym), a 30 minute cardio treadmill run and 30 minutes on the stair stepper with 8 lbs weights in each hand. I am definitely sore today, but it's a good sore.

The stair stepper routine is basically this:
2 minutes w/no weights on level 10
1 minute hammer curls or tricep pulls w/weights on level 8
2 minutes w/no weights on level 10
Turn around and repeat. Try not to hold onto the bars as much as possible the entire time.

I felt fantastic!! It reminded me of when I first started and felt how working out really affected my mood in a positive way. I didn't track yesterday, but I know my caloric intake was pretty much perfect. If I keep this up, I will hit my target in no time.

The plan for today is to hit up Spin, maybe Body Pump, Ab Ripper X and lower back. All Spectrums are having a member party tonight, so anyone gets in free! If you're up for a party and some quality gym time, tonight is the night! :)

Get back to work!

Back to the gym today! My plans are to hit Spin, then P90x Chest & Back, Ab Ripper X, then a nice jog/run on the treadmill. If I can get my sleep pattern down this week, I would like to try getting an easy jog in every morning before work. Pretty much, if I can get myself to work by 8am everyday this week with 8 hours of sleep, then I'm going to try to incorporate that in next week. I'm not a morning person, but I will at least try! :)

I made 3 of my lunches for the week yesterday. I know I will probably see my mom for lunch this week, and possibly my dad, so I didn't want to waste. I have been staying away from diet soda and caffeine. Yesterday, I had maybe one Diet Coke? Not sure if I even finished it. Saturday, I had none. I may get some coffee this morning, but I am doing much better with the kicking the habit. I did have some headaches this weekend though...and one right now. :(

So, basically, I am following the same routine as Melody right now. I may tweak it for my schedule or needs as I go, but I like having a plan again. Daniel and Andrea's wedding will be the 2 week marker, so I should have some pictures and solid feelings by then. Hopefully, I will have worked out the best schedule for me and can post it as well.

Forgive my cough.

Day 2 of bronchitis. Ugh. I ended up checking in twice yesterday. At first, we thought it was just a sinus infection. But, after I went home for lunch, my temperature shot from 99.1 to 101.2 (in the span of about 1-2 hours). It jumped to 101.7 from the house back to Drusilla. I tested negative for flu, strep and mono. All of the fun was happening in my lungs. Nothing worse than coughing when your entire body already aches. :(

I am on some antibiotics right now, and cough syrup at night to help me sleep. However, I wanted this blog to be about natural remedies that I am looking into for this or other upper respiratory illnesses. One helpful tip is the use of eucalyptus in aromatherapy. My aunt gave us an air revitalizer for Christmas that I am going to use with the eucalyptus when I get home. It helps to soothe inflammation in the lungs and open your airways.

Obviously, most people know that soup is helpful when you're sick. But, adding garlic (which has natural antivirual and antibacterial qualities) and/or cayenne pepper can help break up congestion. You could also add some thyme to your soup to help with bronchial spasms. Or, use the thyme to make a soothing tea.

Juice some vegetables, but stay away from the fruits. The sugar (even though it's natural) could depress your immune system further. Also, stay away from dairy because of its mucus producing properties.

Here is an antioxidant rich juicing blend to help pump up your immune system:
- 3 broccoli florets
- 1 garlic clove
- 4 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 1/2 green pepper

One last helpful tip (and personal fav!), have your significant other massage your back and chest. This may be a little painful in the early stages of bronchitis, but it will help break up the congestion sitting in your lungs.

Hopefully, I will have a happier post tomorrow..

Must be the weather...

...that puts me in such a shitty mood. :(

Actually, it's not the weather, but let's just leave it at that.

I've been doing really well today, despite my mood. It's days like this that I have to fight off the "bad" cravings the most. I haven't found anything that helps, really. I've tried lots of different things - like only making healthy snacks available, planning lunch ahead, etc. But, on days like this, I'd rather ride across the street for some Cane's than walk to the kitchen to warm up what I brought. The only thing that keeps me on track is sheer willpower. I wish it were easier. I say this as I sit and gnaw on my baked chicken breast for lunch (that is 3 hours overdue - yay work meetings) when what I really want is some hot chicken tenders and crinkle cut fries. I also have kept myself to one cup of coffee today, and that was at least 6 hours ago. Even when I close my eyes and try to dream, the water doesn't come close to Diet Dr. Pepper.

I had planned on one of several things this afternoon - Spin, Body Pump, Day 1 of P90x, a combination of two or all three. Guess who doesn't want to do any of those options! lol I will pull my ass together and do it, because that's the only way to get myself where I want to be.

If you want it, you have to work for it. Period.

~~~~~~~~~~~

EDIT:
I sucked it up and did 2 Spin classes tonight! :) Go me. LOL So, P90x tomorrow?... Michael wants to start running with me for the next two weeks to work up to the Fat Boy 5K. However, I found out tonight that the next Spin Certification class is the same day... :( Not sure what to do yet.

Getting Right

I'm not in a blogging mood, but I feel like I should write something. This past weekend was a blur of epic awesomeness. I'm definitely dragging ass this morning, but it was worth it. :)

I tried to use last week to recover from the 1/2 marathon, but still stay active. Melody and I hit up some Spin and Body Pump, and ran the Susan G. Komen 5k on Saturday. I learned that an apple is not good before a race - too much fiber gives you BAD cramps. I also learned that sometimes charity event races are not necessarily designed with athletes in mind (not that I'm an athlete, but I do like to actually run and push myself). Next up, Fat Boy 5k on the 20th. I'm mailing in our registration today, so I hope it's not full!

As much as I bitch about running and working out sometimes, I really do love it. If it didn't hurt and I didn't hate it sometimes, the victory of crossing the finish line or meeting personal records would not feel so good. It really makes all of the sacrifice worth it. All of my thanks to Melody for pushing me outside of my comfort zones. :)

If I start P90x today, that puts Day 90 on June 5th. I know I can do it, but will I? I damn sure am going to try. :)

Kitchen Make-Over (Almost) Complete

...just one little trip to the fruit stand left!

Yesterday, I made my lists (Whole Foods, Wal Mart, fruit stand) and headed out to revamp my kitchen. Basically, my lists are categorized by importance. My Whole Foods list has my most important items - specifically, what I MUST buy organic. My fruit stand list includes fruits and veggies that are in season. Wal Mart gets what is left over, like Drano and shaving cream. :) While I understand that buying organic can be expensive, I have started to look at it in a different light than most. I have one body, and I am going to treat it like a Rolls Royce. I put regular gas in my car because it's a Mazda and I can buy another one if it breaks. I cannot just go get another body if I screw mine up. I figure, if we cut back our out-to-eat spending, those dollars can be put towards buying organic, fresh groceries. So far, so good.

Some items that I always buy organic:
- apples
- eggs (cageless, range free)
- meat (free roaming, veg diet) - on sale
- fruits/veggies not in season

I always get my Greek yogurt from WF, too. I've only found Chobani there and Winn Dixie. AND, I love the Farmers Market for pretty much anything they have. I especially love getting my goat cheese there.

One thing that I have started doing, that I strongly recommend, is making salad dressing at home. You can use things you may already have at home! For example, this morning I made an orange vinaigrette for my lunch salad - just enough, too! I used extra virgin pecan oil (my current kitchen sub for EVOO), walnut oil, orange juice, orange peel, fresh ground pepper and apple cider vinegar. You could use any nut oil instead of walnut, or nothing. It's fresh and tangy, and I control how much of everything is in it. You can find dressing recipes all over the place, and there is so much variety. Plus, I love that I can make just enough for that day and see if I like it.

I have been trying to track daily again. I missed this weekend with the 1/2 Marathon (see Melody's page for the story on that!), and then yesterday. Other than that, I've been doing well with getting back on board. I need to be 100% by next week for P90x!

Juicing

...not the steroids.

So, this morning I had my first "real" homemade juicing experience. It was delicious! I tried one other time before, but using frozen fruits.....I had my blonde moment of the day.

Today, I used one of Melody's recipes and added a couple of other ingredients.

- 2 whole carrots

- 1 large celery stalk

- 1 beet

- 1 gala apple

- 1 capful of Organic Life Vitamins

Totals - 238 calories, >1g fat, 258mg sodium, 58g carbs, 38g sugar, 14g fiber, 5g protein

Now, don't freak out when you look at the carbs and sugar. You have to take into account that it's NATURAL sugar. There is a huge difference between natural and refined sugars. Plus, as my morning blend, it's as good as coffee. Seriously. I drank it while finishing up my make-up and getting dressed. By the time I went to let Koopa out before I left, I could tell a difference in my normal morning mood. It was like night and day!

I'm trying to find other, natural options to caffeine in the form of coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper. I'm still not 100% off, but I'm getting there. Here are a few misconceptions and realities to chew on about the "drug":

- Pure caffeine in moderate doses (200-400mg/day) can elevate metabolism by up to 6%, improve cognitive function and even inhibit insulin resistance - all great. Bad news is that it doesn't apply to caffeine paired with anything you typically add to your coffee. Same goes for Diet Coke or Red Bull. Instead, try a Guarana or White Willow Bark supplement 30 minutes before your workout if you need a boost.

- When caffeine is abused, it damages your metabolism and hormone balance. It stimulates your central nervous system, which makes your endocrine system think that you are being threatened. Basically, it can send your body into "fight or flight" mode - not something you want your body doing all day long as you're kicking back those diet cokes or cups of coffee.

- Caffeine you drank after lunch can affect your healthy sleeping patterns at night. <-- this definitely caught my attention when I first heard about it.

- If you are experiencing caffeine withdrawals, try a cup of green tea. You will still get your caffeine boost, plus a plethora of other health benefits. Try to limit yourself to one or two cups a day, and be done by noon to make sure that caffeine is out of your system by nightfall
(credit: Master Your Metabolism by Jillian Michaels)

I must be out of my damn mind!

My goal for 2011 - finish an Ironman 70.3

That is granted I'm not pregnant. Since the last thing I want is to be big, fat and pregnant over the miserably hot summer, we are looking at specific time periods in which to conceive. If we don't make it for this year, then I'll be working towards that Ironman challenge for 2011.

The reason I am not going to try for this year is because I have not done anything close to that at all. So, for 2010 I want to do as many triathlons and running events as possible. Then, when those start to calm down towards the end of the year, I can put specific focus on Ironman training. I have no idea why I want to do this. lol I know that I have the potential to fail miserably. Maybe that's what is so appealing. :P

That's all I have for now. :)

She wore an itsy bitsy, teenie weenie....

You get the idea...

Last Thursday I purchased 3 months of tanning. I figured it was perfect timing with the summer approaching. Plus, what better way to keep my booty in gear than with the reward of bronzing my white ass after a solid workout? ...my white, flabby ass. UGH! I really, really, really want to look better than ever before this summer. There is no reason for me not to.

Last Friday, I vented a little to Melody about pretty much everything in my last post. She made a suggestion that I hadn't really thought about. We've both educated ourselves with the basics of healthy eating - that's not the problem. However, we've started to lose sight of a calorie being a calorie. Even though extra virgin olive oil may have some awesome health benefits, that doesn't mean you don't need to watch the amount. Nuts fall into that same category. They might be healthy, but you still need to watch how much. I'm very guilty of grabbing a handful of almonds without a second thought. After thinking some more about this topic, and trying to be more aware of my habits this weekend, I decided to start tracking again. I had said I would at the beginning of the year, but fell out of it quickly. My mindset was not right. I'm almost finished reading Master Your Metabolism. I'm trying to wait until then to do my next big grocery run/kitchen make-over, but I may have to go before.

On a totally different note, there is nothing more relaxing than a clean bathroom. It makes my nights and mornings noticeably better. Not everyone might feel that way, but my bathroom is one of my favorite places. It's spacious and has a great tub. I did a major clean up and out last night, and it felt great. The only part of the bathroom that I didn't tackle yesterday was my closet. I think that tonight might be the time. If I can get that and the bedroom sifted through, I'll be happy for the week. lol Pretty much, if I haven't seen it or used it in the last year, it's headed to the garbage or Goodwill!

Can I just be fat again?

Don't get the wrong idea there!

I had a rambling thought this morning on my drive to work... When I started to lose weight 2 years ago, all I had to worry about was cutting calories. Obviously, I also started to make healthier choices (i.e. lean meats, homemade salads, more fruits and vegetables, etc.) in addition to that. I lost the bulk of my weight in 2008, and then spent 2009 maintaining and testing new foods and programs. Now that I am really ready to be fit and tone, I can't just cut calories and exercise. At this point, I have to be very careful about what I eat and the particular workout routines I choose. And, it's starting to piss me off. Don't get me wrong, I am very happy with the body I have right now. I have worked to give myself a comfortable place to be without having to worry about gaining weight or being unhealthy again. I just miss the simplicity of the beginning. Now I am diving into books that get very specific about what foods and why. With everything else going on in my life right now, I don't want to be thinking about the whys. I realize that I am probably blocking out all of the similar hurdles I experienced back in 2008. Ultimately, I know that I am going to have to continue to educate myself until it is second nature, like the other good habits I developed.

Honestly, I probably could go back to cutting calories again and see some small results. The problem is that I know how screwed up my metabolism became from cutting for an extended amount of time. That is the last thing I want to do again! Plus, if I cut my calories, I would probably starve. I don't overeat, so that's not the problem. The problem is that I don't eat the "right" things. I don't mean that the way it sounds. I need to cut out the processed foods and toxins that most of us have been programed to believe are healthy. 100 calorie bags of chips and popcorn might be portion controlled, but that doesn't mean they're healthy. An apple is a great whole food, but not if it's been grown and bathed in pesticides..

I'm just ready to be there.

On another note, I made it to Spin yesterday. Yay. I also worked in some arms. So, yes, I am a little sore today. I also bought 3 months of tanning, so yay! No more white ass!

Is it Friday yet?

So, I did not make it to the gym or mass yesterday. I ended up staying a little late at work, and then traffic was a complete mess. :( It's quite alright though. I got home, changed into my new PJs and enjoyed a glass of Chianti while reading a script. I won't say too much just yet, but I am very excited to be a part of this project!

So, today I have a few meetings to attend, but I will not let that screw up my schedule again. I won't be doing anything too strenuous today because of the long run tomorrow. I was thinking of trying to get to Ambrey's Spin class, and then going from there. I could do a light treadmill run or Body Pump afterwards....Hmmm.....

The other concern I have right now is getting the proper amount of sleep over the course of the next 10 days. I should be doing that regardless, but it's even more important with the race coming up. I'm such a night owl, so this will definitely be a challenge for me... Also, cutting the caffeine and taking in more water.

One other thing that I was thinking about... The Farmer's Market downtown on Saturday always has a lot of fresh fruits, vegetables and meat. I'm going to jump ahead a couple of chapters in Master Your Metabolism and make sure to pick up some key items to live on next week. The more whole foods and good carbs, the better.

I cannot believe I am actually getting excited about running 13.1 miles. lol

Nothing like a bad grapefruit!

ICK! That didn't start my morning off well. :( I made a grapefruit smoothie on my way out the door this morning, and apparently the grapefruit was past its peak. No biggie. I fixed my egg, spinach, pesto and goat cheese breakfast sandwich once I got to work, and all became well with the world again.

I was able to ward off my caffeine addiction until about 11:30am. My eyes were drooping and I knew it wouldn't be long. Monday's run has been smacking me around. My legs weren't sore at all yesterday, but my muscles were definitely tighter this morning. My plan for this afternoon is to do a light run (possibly treadmill) and Spinning. Hopefully I can replenish my energy by then! Granted I get a good workout in tonight, tomorrow will be a rest/walk/yoga day. Those are fantastic. :)

I realized last night that I had not decided on what I'm giving up for Lent. I want to do something that will benefit my health. I could give up diet drinks....or fast food....maybe refined sugar.. The problem is that those things wouldn't be difficult (except for maybe diet coke). I want a challenge that does not include giving up my Diet Dr. Pepper, though! lol I'll do some more thinking...I would like to have something figured out before mass tonight!

Run, Forrest, RUN!

So, the Half Marathon is 12 days away!! Melody and I have kicked our training into overdrive, and I am so happy with what we have accomplished in a short amount of time. Yesterday, we ran 10 miles total, and Friday we will have our last long run before the race (hopefully 12 miles at least). Both of us have put P90x on the back burner until after the race, and I was hesitant to do that at first. However, I realized that in order to train properly for the race, I could not let P90x get in the way. I'm happy that I at least got a solid taste of the program, so I will know just what to expect in March, April and May! :~P

I have been reading Master Your Metabolism, and taking notes on some great advice. I realize that Jillian is a little severe in the book, but if I can make a lot of little steps in the right direction, the impact on my body will definitely show; I think. Once I get finished, I am thinking about posting the most helpful tips and my goals on here. I am an average person, and I think that after maintaining a healthy lifestyle for over 2 years that I can pick out the more realistic parts of her program for other people.

New Year, New Start

Ahhh! Hello 2010! :)

So, I definitely gained some holiday weight at the end of 2009. So, after a few crazy nights to start the year, I have decided to make some changes...
I have started doing P90x with Melody (and I think Joey is jumping on board too!). She is doing the Classic version, and I am starting with the Lean version. I have very little upper body strength (which is a big part of it), and I wanted to get a complete understanding of the system in the first go-around, and then have something fresh to start on next time. I should finish in the first week of April, and that would give me enough time to possible do the May Rocketchix and then start back up in June with the Classic version of P90x. I'm tired of just being comfortable. I proved to myself that I can keep the weight off, and now I want to improve.
I am also cutting out alcohol - especially during P90x. I know there will be some small exceptions here or there (I had already bought some Rose Regale for Valentine's Day), but no more of this random glass of wine during the week or crazy partying on the weekends. I cannot imagine how many empty calories I have put into my body with alcohol. The last time I drank heavily, I spent the entire next day feeling like shit. All that for a few hours of acting crazy? I act crazy when I don't drink. Done. :)
I am including Michael more in my health journey. His body has started to change with his job at the bank. He sits a majority of his day and works on a computer. I gave him a bike for Christmas, and we are planning to ride together at least twice a week as soon as the temp gets above freezing! lol He is very excited, and I hope that I can use his enthusiasm when mine starts to get low.

Basically, I want to do my best to look at each day as a challenge on it's own. I did that when I first started to lose weight and it worked wonders! Those days add up quick. I want to get away from the mindset that I can have a cheat here or there because I "earned it". I've picked up some new tips and recipes, and everything feels fresh and renewed again. This first week of P90x has flown by, and I can't wait to see my body on day 90! :)