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.